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Written in the Stars
Bailey McMillan’s life is a mess. The general public blames him for his former employer’s nuclear pollution, resulting in professional disgrace. Humiliated, he takes a job as an editor at a science magazine run by his best friend, John. That part isn’t so bad; Bailey is fond of John, who seems to find Bailey’s abrasive nature amusing.
Unfortunately, working for John also leads to writing an astrology column in exchange for getting free rein in some op-ed articles—and then being sued over one. The (totally coincidental) accuracy of the column offers opportunity for further professional disgrace if anyone discovers its author—and then Bailey digs himself a little deeper.
In an attempt to prove astrology is bogus, he agrees to an experiment to date someone from each star sign. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Bailey’s got a stupid crush on John, who stubbornly insists on a detailed breakdown of every date—bad and otherwise. Bailey’s luck has to improve sometime… right?
Unfortunately, working for John also leads to writing an astrology column in exchange for getting free rein in some op-ed articles—and then being sued over one. The (totally coincidental) accuracy of the column offers opportunity for further professional disgrace if anyone discovers its author—and then Bailey digs himself a little deeper.
In an attempt to prove astrology is bogus, he agrees to an experiment to date someone from each star sign. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Bailey’s got a stupid crush on John, who stubbornly insists on a detailed breakdown of every date—bad and otherwise. Bailey’s luck has to improve sometime… right?
210 pages, ebook
First published April 2, 2012
About the author
Alix Bekins
18 books24 followersAlix lives in the coastal mountains of Northern California with her partner and their dog. She’s been writing for as long as she can remember in a variety of genres, including fiction, erotica, poetry, and nonfiction and has even managed to get some of it published from time to time.
Sexuality is the cornerstone of her life and work and always has been, through two degrees and several life plans. Her work and writing focus on the themes of self-discovery and coming out, with a healthy dose of kink on the side.
Alix is pretty sure she’s the only person in the world who wears a plastic Viking helmet as a thinking cap when she battles writer’s block. She always wins.
Contact info:
Email: alixbekins@gmail.com
Blog: https://alixbekins.wordpress.com
Sexuality is the cornerstone of her life and work and always has been, through two degrees and several life plans. Her work and writing focus on the themes of self-discovery and coming out, with a healthy dose of kink on the side.
Alix is pretty sure she’s the only person in the world who wears a plastic Viking helmet as a thinking cap when she battles writer’s block. She always wins.
Contact info:
Email: alixbekins@gmail.com
Blog: https://alixbekins.wordpress.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
June 25, 2014
Overlong, but gently paced, with moments of humor and hysteria both.
A little pedantic and dull in patches—but just barely, and overall the slower tempo and repetitive date/dar complein/say-something-awkward-to-John vignettes establish a dreamy and hypnotic rhythm that was mostly mesmerizing and pleasant, and occasionally very funny.
At first I wanted to smack Bailey in the face with my cock. He became tolerable (if never completely charming), but I remain solidly #teamjohn.
With John you get less ranting and raving, and more sucking and fucking. Win-win.
A little pedantic and dull in patches—but just barely, and overall the slower tempo and repetitive date/dar complein/say-something-awkward-to-John vignettes establish a dreamy and hypnotic rhythm that was mostly mesmerizing and pleasant, and occasionally very funny.
At first I wanted to smack Bailey in the face with my cock. He became tolerable (if never completely charming), but I remain solidly #teamjohn.
With John you get less ranting and raving, and more sucking and fucking. Win-win.
April 13, 2012
Smash That Formula To Smithereens!!
Bailey McMillan is one cranky scientific genius. His career and reputation were ruined by his former employer and, man, is he bitter about that. Now, he's almost 40, pudgy, balding and working at his long-time and best friend John's science magazine as an editor , columnist and fact checker. This is not where Bailey thought he would be at this point in his life.
There's one thing that Bailey loves about working at Spark though. He gets to write a scathing column where he rips apart his colleagues' shoddy theories and work, proving that he is indeed more intelligent than everyone else. Sweet, sweet joy. There's only one downside. In order to write his column every month Bailey has to anonymously write a dreaded astrology column. Oh, woe is him, especially since the astrology column becomes popular.
Bailey says astrology is a bunch of hogwash!
John says there's something to it.
A bet is born where Bailey must date a man from each astrological sign to see if astrology really is accurate. Winner gets a free steak dinner. Let the games begin.
Bailey McMillan is one of the funniest and most curmudgeonly characters I have come across in M/M romance. I absolutely loved him for his acerbic, absentminded, fussy, finnicky and arrogant nature. The man's screename was Genius. I could picture him all but cackling with evil joy while he disproved the work of other scientists. Bailey's friendship with John is one where they bicker like an old married couple. Bailey's relationship with his Czech scientist friend, another genius, is a competitive one where they try to one-up each other constantly. People love Bailey because he's so cranky not despite it and I found myself loving Bailey for the same reason.
I liked that while Bailey was completely confident in his intelligence he was insecure about his thinning hair, stocky body and average looks. What did I like even more? That Bailey's insecurity was not the focal point of the story. It's mentioned but never does Bailey come across as someone who doesn't like himself or who dwells on his imperfections. I appreciated that.
It's also made clear that while Bailey isn't some airbrushed underwear model there are plenty of people who find him sexy. Bailey has sex with at least three of his twelve dates and even has a weekend fling. This story very quietly promoted that fact that no one is perfect and everyone is sexy in their own way.
That brings us to the dates. HILARIOUS!!! This book was like some sort of awesome romantic comedy movie. Bailey goes on these dates with people who are complete characters without being caricatures. The man who looks like a model but who is way too full of himself, the pilot who's a captivating personality and totally sexy because of it, the suit who's young and uptight but a good guy, the germaphobe, the British mystery man who even though he looks like a slacker bad boy he's got a mind like a steel trap. There were more than a few of those guys that I'd like to see get their own stories.
Now, this book may not be for everyone just because, yes, Bailey does have sex with some of his dates. He and John, however, are not together, not dating and not even really thinking that there's a relationship on the horizon. The sex is pretty much fade-to-black off page stuff until Bailey and John get together. I found this refreshing because it let the dates and Bailey and John's friendship take center stage.
Bailey and John's friendship; AMAZINGLY AWESOMELY FUNNY. Bailey and John have one of the best friendships I've read about in a long while. I really believed that they enjoyed each other as people. They bickered, they sought out each other's company, their banter was hilarious and witty and they knew each other's idiosyncracies. It was their actions that made me believe that they cared about each other. Bailey and John's friendship was an excellent example of an author SHOWING and not TELLING.
When Bailey and John get together I thought to myself "YES!!! These two people were made for each other!"
This book was pure entertainment and I was so happy when these guys got their HEA. This will be a definite re-read for me because the story made me happy. It's a different kind of romance really but I liked that it wasn't formulaic. This is one that I'd recommend to anyone who is looking to laugh and smile. Two thumbs up, Alix Bekins, two thumbs up!
Bailey McMillan is one cranky scientific genius. His career and reputation were ruined by his former employer and, man, is he bitter about that. Now, he's almost 40, pudgy, balding and working at his long-time and best friend John's science magazine as an editor , columnist and fact checker. This is not where Bailey thought he would be at this point in his life.
There's one thing that Bailey loves about working at Spark though. He gets to write a scathing column where he rips apart his colleagues' shoddy theories and work, proving that he is indeed more intelligent than everyone else. Sweet, sweet joy. There's only one downside. In order to write his column every month Bailey has to anonymously write a dreaded astrology column. Oh, woe is him, especially since the astrology column becomes popular.
Bailey says astrology is a bunch of hogwash!
John says there's something to it.
A bet is born where Bailey must date a man from each astrological sign to see if astrology really is accurate. Winner gets a free steak dinner. Let the games begin.
Bailey McMillan is one of the funniest and most curmudgeonly characters I have come across in M/M romance. I absolutely loved him for his acerbic, absentminded, fussy, finnicky and arrogant nature. The man's screename was Genius. I could picture him all but cackling with evil joy while he disproved the work of other scientists. Bailey's friendship with John is one where they bicker like an old married couple. Bailey's relationship with his Czech scientist friend, another genius, is a competitive one where they try to one-up each other constantly. People love Bailey because he's so cranky not despite it and I found myself loving Bailey for the same reason.
I liked that while Bailey was completely confident in his intelligence he was insecure about his thinning hair, stocky body and average looks. What did I like even more? That Bailey's insecurity was not the focal point of the story. It's mentioned but never does Bailey come across as someone who doesn't like himself or who dwells on his imperfections. I appreciated that.
It's also made clear that while Bailey isn't some airbrushed underwear model there are plenty of people who find him sexy. Bailey has sex with at least three of his twelve dates and even has a weekend fling. This story very quietly promoted that fact that no one is perfect and everyone is sexy in their own way.
That brings us to the dates. HILARIOUS!!! This book was like some sort of awesome romantic comedy movie. Bailey goes on these dates with people who are complete characters without being caricatures. The man who looks like a model but who is way too full of himself, the pilot who's a captivating personality and totally sexy because of it, the suit who's young and uptight but a good guy, the germaphobe, the British mystery man who even though he looks like a slacker bad boy he's got a mind like a steel trap. There were more than a few of those guys that I'd like to see get their own stories.
Now, this book may not be for everyone just because, yes, Bailey does have sex with some of his dates. He and John, however, are not together, not dating and not even really thinking that there's a relationship on the horizon. The sex is pretty much fade-to-black off page stuff until Bailey and John get together. I found this refreshing because it let the dates and Bailey and John's friendship take center stage.
Bailey and John's friendship; AMAZINGLY AWESOMELY FUNNY. Bailey and John have one of the best friendships I've read about in a long while. I really believed that they enjoyed each other as people. They bickered, they sought out each other's company, their banter was hilarious and witty and they knew each other's idiosyncracies. It was their actions that made me believe that they cared about each other. Bailey and John's friendship was an excellent example of an author SHOWING and not TELLING.
When Bailey and John get together I thought to myself "YES!!! These two people were made for each other!"
This book was pure entertainment and I was so happy when these guys got their HEA. This will be a definite re-read for me because the story made me happy. It's a different kind of romance really but I liked that it wasn't formulaic. This is one that I'd recommend to anyone who is looking to laugh and smile. Two thumbs up, Alix Bekins, two thumbs up!
April 24, 2012
This was my first book by Ms. Bekins and I must say I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I'm always skeptical reading new authors (although that never stops me) but this story drew me in right from the start with its wit, sarcasm and fun plot.
The blurb does a pretty good job of highlighting the main points of what the story is about. The 'experiment' Bailey plays out is quite a big part of the story, actually, and not only is it hysterical what Bailey gets himself into but his wallowing in self-pity over having to write an accursed astrology column is absolutely hilarious. I very much enjoyed it.
Part of the fun of this story is the characters. Bailey is, essentially, the mad scientist but without a lab. He's a fact checker for John's magazine and never holds back how low he's stooped since he's such a 'genius' physicists. John is ex-air force and, more often than not, amused by Bailey's suffering. They are quite the pair, bickering and bantering, throwing barbs and insults. Honestly, I had so much fun with this story I wanted it to last forever. It also helps these two are friends for most of the story so it's a slow, sweet coupling.
While I liked the story, the run-on sentences in Bailey's POV grew a tad annoying. Not to mention the fact this physicists likes to 'think' and 'say' big words. I got confused a lot because of it :( Also, by the end of the story I was wondering what in the world happened to John's POV? He's there in the beginning (which I really, really loved) then just disappears. I would have liked to get his POV during a few of the scenes.
Overall, definitely a great story. If you're looking for something cute and funny with obnoxious but witty characters and something easy to read, pick this one up because it's all the above and more. :)
The blurb does a pretty good job of highlighting the main points of what the story is about. The 'experiment' Bailey plays out is quite a big part of the story, actually, and not only is it hysterical what Bailey gets himself into but his wallowing in self-pity over having to write an accursed astrology column is absolutely hilarious. I very much enjoyed it.
Part of the fun of this story is the characters. Bailey is, essentially, the mad scientist but without a lab. He's a fact checker for John's magazine and never holds back how low he's stooped since he's such a 'genius' physicists. John is ex-air force and, more often than not, amused by Bailey's suffering. They are quite the pair, bickering and bantering, throwing barbs and insults. Honestly, I had so much fun with this story I wanted it to last forever. It also helps these two are friends for most of the story so it's a slow, sweet coupling.
While I liked the story, the run-on sentences in Bailey's POV grew a tad annoying. Not to mention the fact this physicists likes to 'think' and 'say' big words. I got confused a lot because of it :( Also, by the end of the story I was wondering what in the world happened to John's POV? He's there in the beginning (which I really, really loved) then just disappears. I would have liked to get his POV during a few of the scenes.
Overall, definitely a great story. If you're looking for something cute and funny with obnoxious but witty characters and something easy to read, pick this one up because it's all the above and more. :)
May 2, 2012
Awesome characters from the MC' Bailey and John to Lauren, Vaclav and ALL the dates. Entertaining story all the way through with zero nonsense. Brilliant, witty, sarcastic, fun dialogue and banter. One of the most believable friends to lovers stories I've read in a while. Click, click, click, click...wait, there's one more thing...ah, yes! Tons of coffee! CLICK!!! There they are, all the pieces clicking together and fitting perfectly for me. Loved it!
October 15, 2012
4.5 stars. This book is just plain fun. There's no doubt where the story is going, but watching Bailey and John get there is a pleasure. Bailey is brilliant, a bit reclusive, prickly, abrasive and yet sweet at heart. John is also bright but more practical, better with people, and Bailey's best friend. The banter between them is the best part of the book. I know a lot of excessively bright people, and so often a line or comment just rang true. Even the line "I always suspected that a lot of the really creative ways for killing people were invented by scientists who weren't getting laid and were pissed off about it." (No, you don't want to know.) This is a quintessential friends-to-lovers story. Although the book draws its conflict from a misunderstanding of motivations between the MCs of the "he's never going to be interested in me" variety, the easy, entertaining, humorous style of the story makes that plotline work just fine.
April 6, 2012
What a surprise....
This had all the right ingredients to put me - gently - to sleep but it didn`t.
A character driven story heavy on dialogue - loved the constant bickering between John and Bailey - that pulled me in from page one despite the irritating POV.At first third person POV from both John and Bailey but then John`s POV simply disappeared and till the end of the story it was just Bailey`s.It bothered me because I would have liked more of John`s POV - knowing more about his increasing jealousy over some of Bailey`s dates gone right and realizing his love for Bailey...well,there went the fifth star!
Overall very good writing and character development that made me fall in love with an - by all means - "unlovable" character like Bailey.
An über-confident physiacist with a brilliant mind who talks and tramples over everyone who gets in his way or dares to have a different opinion - what a nice guy...;-)
He has met his match with his boss John and John`s secretary Lauren (loved that woman!) One talks him into an "astrology experiment" - Bailey has to date 12 men, one for each astrological sign for field research.Is there a connection between falling in love and and the rumored suitability of particular zodiacs? (Is this correct English language? I have no idea...) A sheer impossible task for the "no-nonsense just the facts"-man Bailey - Lauren sets up his dates in exchange for "little" favors meant to tease him.
But John`s plan badly backfires - he`s so not happy that some of Bailey`s dates are more or less a success - sexually (off page!) and/or in developing friendships.But there is one chance left to show a totally clueless Bailey - who has a hopeless crush on John as far as he can remember - his true feelings (on page!)...
I liked that the characters in this book were not walking epitomes of gorgeousness but wonderfully normal middle-aged men with "flaws" like thinning hair and in constant danger of gaining too much weight.Made the story all the more lovable.
Some more little flaws like a lawsuit that felt tacked on but they didn`t influence my rating.Written In The Stars was a funny,100% angst-free down-to-earth feel good romance without any - I quote Bailey - "romantic claptrap"!
Note:
All readers who require their m/m heros to be sexually faithful once they realize they are in love with their "one and only" but NOT being "together" should stay away from this book...and dream on...!
This had all the right ingredients to put me - gently - to sleep but it didn`t.
A character driven story heavy on dialogue - loved the constant bickering between John and Bailey - that pulled me in from page one despite the irritating POV.At first third person POV from both John and Bailey but then John`s POV simply disappeared and till the end of the story it was just Bailey`s.It bothered me because I would have liked more of John`s POV - knowing more about his increasing jealousy over some of Bailey`s dates gone right and realizing his love for Bailey...well,there went the fifth star!
Overall very good writing and character development that made me fall in love with an - by all means - "unlovable" character like Bailey.
An über-confident physiacist with a brilliant mind who talks and tramples over everyone who gets in his way or dares to have a different opinion - what a nice guy...;-)
He has met his match with his boss John and John`s secretary Lauren (loved that woman!) One talks him into an "astrology experiment" - Bailey has to date 12 men, one for each astrological sign for field research.Is there a connection between falling in love and and the rumored suitability of particular zodiacs? (Is this correct English language? I have no idea...) A sheer impossible task for the "no-nonsense just the facts"-man Bailey - Lauren sets up his dates in exchange for "little" favors meant to tease him.
But John`s plan badly backfires - he`s so not happy that some of Bailey`s dates are more or less a success - sexually (off page!) and/or in developing friendships.But there is one chance left to show a totally clueless Bailey - who has a hopeless crush on John as far as he can remember - his true feelings (on page!)...
I liked that the characters in this book were not walking epitomes of gorgeousness but wonderfully normal middle-aged men with "flaws" like thinning hair and in constant danger of gaining too much weight.Made the story all the more lovable.
Some more little flaws like a lawsuit that felt tacked on but they didn`t influence my rating.Written In The Stars was a funny,100% angst-free down-to-earth feel good romance without any - I quote Bailey - "romantic claptrap"!
Note:
All readers who require their m/m heros to be sexually faithful once they realize they are in love with their "one and only" but NOT being "together" should stay away from this book...and dream on...!
April 8, 2012
3.5 stars. This is a very slow burn romance with crackling, laugh-out-loud dialogue and great characters. I actually slowed myself down while reading so I could savour the writing.
Bailey is the ultimate absent-minded, bad tempered geek. He's totally elitist when it comes to science. His previous employer misused his work in a terrible way and Bailey was blamed by the public and his peers. He retreated to his home to lick his wounds and has only started to come back to life since his good friend (and object of his secret lust) John talked him into working as an editor for his popular science magazine. John also talks him into writing an astrology column which is surprisingly accurate and well-liked despite the fact that Bailey hates it with a passion. To prove his columns are fictitious he agrees to an experiment wherein he will date one man from each star sign to see how well they match.
The 'dates' are hilarious. Each guy is well portrayed by the author, each is completely different, and very believable. Bailey steals the show with his curmudgeonly personality and outrageous remarks. There isn't a lot of sexual tension in the book despite the fact that the reader knows (but Bailey and John don't) that they like each other. After such a long build-up and sitting through so many dates, I would have liked more passion and time with our MC's when they finally realise/act on their attraction. But I found that part to be a let-down which is why I took some stars away.
P.S. If you're shallow like me and find the thought of a slightly pudgy older man as an MC hard to engage with, picture Jamie Oliver. He's my favourite pudgy hottie!
Bailey is the ultimate absent-minded, bad tempered geek. He's totally elitist when it comes to science. His previous employer misused his work in a terrible way and Bailey was blamed by the public and his peers. He retreated to his home to lick his wounds and has only started to come back to life since his good friend (and object of his secret lust) John talked him into working as an editor for his popular science magazine. John also talks him into writing an astrology column which is surprisingly accurate and well-liked despite the fact that Bailey hates it with a passion. To prove his columns are fictitious he agrees to an experiment wherein he will date one man from each star sign to see how well they match.
The 'dates' are hilarious. Each guy is well portrayed by the author, each is completely different, and very believable. Bailey steals the show with his curmudgeonly personality and outrageous remarks. There isn't a lot of sexual tension in the book despite the fact that the reader knows (but Bailey and John don't) that they like each other. After such a long build-up and sitting through so many dates, I would have liked more passion and time with our MC's when they finally realise/act on their attraction. But I found that part to be a let-down which is why I took some stars away.
P.S. If you're shallow like me and find the thought of a slightly pudgy older man as an MC hard to engage with, picture Jamie Oliver. He's my favourite pudgy hottie!
May 7, 2012
This story took the clichéd slightly nutty, head-in-the-clouds professor and brought him back to earth with astrology, of all things. It was witty and funny to read; I especially liked the way I, as the reader, got to be ahead of the supposedly genius Bailey as for what was really going on with him and John, as the two of them getting together in the end was never really a question. Bailey’s so JUST like brainiacs should be – juggling atomic nuclei for kicks and giggles, saving the world from going up in flames on his lunch break, but totally clueless when it comes to matters of the heart. Impatient with people he thinks are slower than him (which would be 99% of the global population), self-confident to the point of arrogance, Bailey is a picture-postcard condescending prick most of the time. Still, some people know how to handle him, especially John, Bailey’s friend and new boss, who likes him despite, or perhaps even because of his bristles.
Bailey and John had some hilarious pieces of dialogue. Like this: (after Bailey’s horoscopes, much to his distress, turned out surprisingly accurate):
John shook his head and finished his beer. “So prove it.”
Bailey looked at John like he was nuts, which clearly John was, and this was simply more evidence. “Prove what, how?”
“Prove that the romance crap is wrong. Wow me,” John challenged him, grinning.
“Of all the idiotic, pointless, futile theories to waste my time on…. You might as well ask me to disprove the existence of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.”
“Praise His Noodly Appendage,” John said, raising his glass in a toast.
Bailey grew on me quickly – he is how he is, he just can’t help it. His verbal jabs at other scientists and his casual, seemingly unconscious contempt for normal-minded people (among whom I count myself) were actually amusing, even bordered on comedic, especially as Bailey tripped over his own overgrown intelligence at times.
Bailey took up so much space in the book that all other characters paled in comparison to him, even John (whose alternating POV disappeared somewhere after the first third of the book). Still, there are many memorable characters in there, for example Vaclav, Bailey’s Czech colleague, or Dan, friend and would-be matchmaker. Even all the men Bailey dated over the course of the “experiment” were distinctive, though some remained more one-dimensional, in keeping with their respective impact on Bailey.
I must admit, when I took up this book I was a bit apprehensive of having to sit through the full dozen of Bailey’s zodiac dates. How could such a thing NOT turn repetitive? Yet, it wasn’t. Every date was different; Bailey even met his match once or twice in others who were even more arrogant, or more geeky, than he was himself. He despised some of them, clicked with others, even had sex with some.
**spoiler**
(off-page, for those who need to know. The only explicit scenes are with John)
I thought that being forced to interact with so many different personalities taught Bailey a lesson; he came out mellowed in the end. The lawsuit that resulted from one of Bailey’s “corrections” on the opinion of a fellow scientist served a similar purpose – Bailey had to trust the lawyers to handle things right, which apparently taught him that he couldn’t control everything and sometimes had to trust in other people to do their job without him telling them how.
In the beginning, Bailey was far from ready for the compromises being in a committed relationship takes, but by the end, when he and John finally got together, I could actually buy their HEA.
John also grew over the course of the book; watching Bailey go on date after date made him realize how much he cared for Bailey – and yes, he put the “rating tables” he made Bailey fill in after each date to good use. I really liked watching them together, cheered them on on their way towards each other and was happy for them and with them in the end.
For all that I really enjoyed this book, I have to comment on something I admittedly wouldn’t have noticed on my own hadn’t someone pointed it out to me. Apparently, the main character Bailey McMillan shares quite a number of defining character traits with Rodney McKay from the TV series Stargate Atlantis. I haven’t followed Stargate Atlantis so I had to check with Wikipedia, according to which Rodney, just like Bailey, aside from being quite well liked by the people he works with despite being arrogant, is a condescending genius, allergic to citrus fruit and bee stings, gave up playing the piano in his youth for the same reason as Bailey did, claims to suffer from hypoglycemia, likes cats and dislikes children, is friends with a Czech fellow scientist and has a close friendship with (in Bailey’s case, a crush on) a former Army pilot named John who is an easygoing personality, qualified for Mensa but never joined and is clever in math.
Now I’m no expert in fanfic or former fanfic of any kind, but the above mentioned facts would seem to indicate a certain similarity between Bailey of “Written In The Stars” and Dr. Rodney McKay of the television show Stargate Atlantis. Also John, Bailey’s love interest in Written in the Stars and John, Rodney’s colleague in the SGA series seem to have identical character traits.
I nevertheless thought this story enjoyable and fresh, it was told in a light-handed, fluent style and gave me a good time reading it. Recommended for high entertainment value.
Bailey and John had some hilarious pieces of dialogue. Like this: (after Bailey’s horoscopes, much to his distress, turned out surprisingly accurate):
John shook his head and finished his beer. “So prove it.”
Bailey looked at John like he was nuts, which clearly John was, and this was simply more evidence. “Prove what, how?”
“Prove that the romance crap is wrong. Wow me,” John challenged him, grinning.
“Of all the idiotic, pointless, futile theories to waste my time on…. You might as well ask me to disprove the existence of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.”
“Praise His Noodly Appendage,” John said, raising his glass in a toast.
Bailey grew on me quickly – he is how he is, he just can’t help it. His verbal jabs at other scientists and his casual, seemingly unconscious contempt for normal-minded people (among whom I count myself) were actually amusing, even bordered on comedic, especially as Bailey tripped over his own overgrown intelligence at times.
Bailey took up so much space in the book that all other characters paled in comparison to him, even John (whose alternating POV disappeared somewhere after the first third of the book). Still, there are many memorable characters in there, for example Vaclav, Bailey’s Czech colleague, or Dan, friend and would-be matchmaker. Even all the men Bailey dated over the course of the “experiment” were distinctive, though some remained more one-dimensional, in keeping with their respective impact on Bailey.
I must admit, when I took up this book I was a bit apprehensive of having to sit through the full dozen of Bailey’s zodiac dates. How could such a thing NOT turn repetitive? Yet, it wasn’t. Every date was different; Bailey even met his match once or twice in others who were even more arrogant, or more geeky, than he was himself. He despised some of them, clicked with others, even had sex with some.
**spoiler**
(off-page, for those who need to know. The only explicit scenes are with John)
I thought that being forced to interact with so many different personalities taught Bailey a lesson; he came out mellowed in the end. The lawsuit that resulted from one of Bailey’s “corrections” on the opinion of a fellow scientist served a similar purpose – Bailey had to trust the lawyers to handle things right, which apparently taught him that he couldn’t control everything and sometimes had to trust in other people to do their job without him telling them how.
In the beginning, Bailey was far from ready for the compromises being in a committed relationship takes, but by the end, when he and John finally got together, I could actually buy their HEA.
John also grew over the course of the book; watching Bailey go on date after date made him realize how much he cared for Bailey – and yes, he put the “rating tables” he made Bailey fill in after each date to good use. I really liked watching them together, cheered them on on their way towards each other and was happy for them and with them in the end.
For all that I really enjoyed this book, I have to comment on something I admittedly wouldn’t have noticed on my own hadn’t someone pointed it out to me. Apparently, the main character Bailey McMillan shares quite a number of defining character traits with Rodney McKay from the TV series Stargate Atlantis. I haven’t followed Stargate Atlantis so I had to check with Wikipedia, according to which Rodney, just like Bailey, aside from being quite well liked by the people he works with despite being arrogant, is a condescending genius, allergic to citrus fruit and bee stings, gave up playing the piano in his youth for the same reason as Bailey did, claims to suffer from hypoglycemia, likes cats and dislikes children, is friends with a Czech fellow scientist and has a close friendship with (in Bailey’s case, a crush on) a former Army pilot named John who is an easygoing personality, qualified for Mensa but never joined and is clever in math.
Now I’m no expert in fanfic or former fanfic of any kind, but the above mentioned facts would seem to indicate a certain similarity between Bailey of “Written In The Stars” and Dr. Rodney McKay of the television show Stargate Atlantis. Also John, Bailey’s love interest in Written in the Stars and John, Rodney’s colleague in the SGA series seem to have identical character traits.
I nevertheless thought this story enjoyable and fresh, it was told in a light-handed, fluent style and gave me a good time reading it. Recommended for high entertainment value.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 24, 2012
This was a rather enjoyable, down-to-earth story. I was looking for a good, basic romance, and this book delivered.
It's fairly unusual for modern romance novels to address the practical awkward moments that may arise in relationships. This book does so- and that may be a decent portion of why I like it so much. While a number of novels may note the characters' insecurities, these character flaws are typically more dramatic and are used to further the reader's understanding of the characters. Here, these insecurities not only provide character insight, but also show the nitty gritty details of the anxieties we all face in new relationships. The author also did not shy from the feelings resulting from various sexual encounters, including guilt, appreciation, and even physical discomfort. I appreciated that the author was frank in these areas, as they fostered a sense of reality throughout the story.
This story was a slow burn, building rather slowly to the romantic relationship. There was tension, but it was not overdone (and I found it a teensy bit too light). This could cause the reader to lose interest in the story, but I was able to stick with it without losing track. I would have been happier with a little less build-up, but that's me.
My biggest complaint was in the story after the 'true' relationship commence d- the story lost momentum. All tension dissipated. I'm sure this because the resolution occurred at the end of the story, but I would've liked a tiny bit more story and /or conflict between the two main characters once the relationship formed. Further, while I understand the author was trying to convey a sense of comfort and familiarity between the two main characters, I felt they were too comfortable with each other - thereby eliminating the sense of romance (particularly in their first night together as a couple). Overall, though, I found this to be a very enjoyable read.
It's fairly unusual for modern romance novels to address the practical awkward moments that may arise in relationships. This book does so- and that may be a decent portion of why I like it so much. While a number of novels may note the characters' insecurities, these character flaws are typically more dramatic and are used to further the reader's understanding of the characters. Here, these insecurities not only provide character insight, but also show the nitty gritty details of the anxieties we all face in new relationships. The author also did not shy from the feelings resulting from various sexual encounters, including guilt, appreciation, and even physical discomfort. I appreciated that the author was frank in these areas, as they fostered a sense of reality throughout the story.
This story was a slow burn, building rather slowly to the romantic relationship. There was tension, but it was not overdone (and I found it a teensy bit too light). This could cause the reader to lose interest in the story, but I was able to stick with it without losing track. I would have been happier with a little less build-up, but that's me.
My biggest complaint was in the story after the 'true' relationship commence d- the story lost momentum. All tension dissipated. I'm sure this because the resolution occurred at the end of the story, but I would've liked a tiny bit more story and /or conflict between the two main characters once the relationship formed. Further, while I understand the author was trying to convey a sense of comfort and familiarity between the two main characters, I felt they were too comfortable with each other - thereby eliminating the sense of romance (particularly in their first night together as a couple). Overall, though, I found this to be a very enjoyable read.
April 17, 2012
If I wanted to read Stargate Atlantis fanfic, I would go read Stargate Atlantis fanfic. I don't even like the show, and I still had no difficulty recognizing the parallels, of which there were very very many. It's too bad, because the writing was serviceable and the plot relatively fun; I just couldn't get beyond mentally substituting "Rodney" for "Bailey" every time the arrogant genius astrophysicist double-PhD socially-maladapted citrus-allergic stocky balding mc with a woman's first name, a Czech scientist friend, and an ex-Air Force pilot love interest name John did anything.
And that's not even going into all the other fictional characters whose thinly-veiled pastiches made their dutiful cameos-- John "Walker," I'm looking at you.
And that's not even going into all the other fictional characters whose thinly-veiled pastiches made their dutiful cameos-- John "Walker," I'm looking at you.
April 14, 2012
4.5 stars. Very good humorous m/m romance about a prickly physicist working as a fact checker for a science magazine after a professional disgrace. When his editor and best friend bribes him to write an anonymous astrology column for the magazine, he doesn't think things can get any worse... until his editor comes up with a plan for him to go on blind dates with guys from each astrological sign...
May 10, 2015
3.25 stars I liked this, but I didn't love it.The premise is a good one, two friends make a bet that one will be matched well according to astrology after blindly going on a date with each hygroscopic sign. The majority of the book consists of Bailey going on his 12 dates. We get to see each and every one, and I actually liked this. It was fun and interesting, the good and the bad. It worked.
My problem was that the actual romance with the two characters happened so late in the book. And while they are good friends and therefor a large part of in between the dates involves them talking and interacting with John increasingly jealous... that's all that happens. The reader isn't sure if John knows he is jealous, since it's all from Bailey's POV. Bailey is completely unaware that John's odd mood swings have to do with jealousy, despite being a genius and commenting that John gets in a bad mood when Bailey's dates go well and in a good mood when his dates go bad.
No seriously, he's a literal genius. Don't worry though, they won't let you forget. Bailey refers to himself as genius a lot. It's kinda weird. But otherwise, despite being a pretentious, arrogant, ass a lot of the times (okay, all of the times, all of them), I actually liked Bailey. It worked. It's endearing in a way and I think a lot of that is because so much of his time is spent interacting with John, and the two of them had a good dynamic.
Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, there wasn't enough unresolved sexual tension for me. Despite John's jealousy, he mostly just pouts and leaves when he's upset. And doesn't give any hint to his feelings or attraction to Bailey the other times. Okay, he makes some comments that the reader picks up on but really are pretty subtle for Bailey to not just think he's being a good friend.
So when they finally get together I didn't feel a ton of sparks or that wonderful release of tension that should have been building the whole book. All of a sudden (despite being aloof and closed mouth about it the entire book), John decides to grow a set and pretty casually and with great aplomb reveal his feelings and intentions to Bailey. It felt kinda anti-climactic.
So an enjoyable book, but won't leave a really memorable impression. I did think the audio version was good. Perfect pacing and good variety of voices without being campy or over the top. I'd recommend the audio if you plan to read this book.
Audiobook received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
My problem was that the actual romance with the two characters happened so late in the book. And while they are good friends and therefor a large part of in between the dates involves them talking and interacting with John increasingly jealous... that's all that happens. The reader isn't sure if John knows he is jealous, since it's all from Bailey's POV. Bailey is completely unaware that John's odd mood swings have to do with jealousy, despite being a genius and commenting that John gets in a bad mood when Bailey's dates go well and in a good mood when his dates go bad.
No seriously, he's a literal genius. Don't worry though, they won't let you forget. Bailey refers to himself as genius a lot. It's kinda weird. But otherwise, despite being a pretentious, arrogant, ass a lot of the times (okay, all of the times, all of them), I actually liked Bailey. It worked. It's endearing in a way and I think a lot of that is because so much of his time is spent interacting with John, and the two of them had a good dynamic.
Unfortunately, as I mentioned above, there wasn't enough unresolved sexual tension for me. Despite John's jealousy, he mostly just pouts and leaves when he's upset. And doesn't give any hint to his feelings or attraction to Bailey the other times. Okay, he makes some comments that the reader picks up on but really are pretty subtle for Bailey to not just think he's being a good friend.
So when they finally get together I didn't feel a ton of sparks or that wonderful release of tension that should have been building the whole book. All of a sudden (despite being aloof and closed mouth about it the entire book), John decides to grow a set and pretty casually and with great aplomb reveal his feelings and intentions to Bailey. It felt kinda anti-climactic.
So an enjoyable book, but won't leave a really memorable impression. I did think the audio version was good. Perfect pacing and good variety of voices without being campy or over the top. I'd recommend the audio if you plan to read this book.
Audiobook received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, reviewed for Hearts On Fire
May 19, 2012
I am huge fan of friends-to-lovers stories if they are written right. Not only was this one written right, it now ranks up there as one of my favorite friends-to-lovers stories ever.
Bailey is a genius scientist who was publicly disgraced when his former employers used his work in the wrong way. He is humiliated and vilified by the science community. He is pushing 40, balding and slightly pudgy (as he describes himself). His friend, John, hires him as an editor for his small science magazine. John somehow talks Bailey into writing an astrology column for the magazine. The only way Bailey will agree to it is if his name is in no way associated with the column (he says... constantly... in a hilarious way that astrology is bogus) and if he can write op-ed articles calling out and criticizing others in the science community. Surprisingly the astrology column becomes very popular because of it's accuracy. Of course, Bailey still claims it's totally fake. So John sets it up where Bailey will have to go on 12 dates with 12 different people and cover all of the individual star signs. Bailey has no clue who the dates will be with or what their sign is. At the end of the experiment (that is also a bet between John and Bailey) they will compare notes and see how accurate it really is.
The dates were a blast. Some of them had me cracking up. And Bailey is so damn funny. His superiority over everyone...... he tells everyone constantly that he is so much smarter than them..... could have made me dislike his character but it had the opposite effect. He was hilarious. John and all the secondary characters (Lauren for one... loved her!) accepted Bailey's eccentricities and went along with it even when it annoyed the hell out of them.
John and Bailey each have feelings for each other. Neither will act on it or let the other one know because they are scared that it will destroy a good friendship. And trust me, Bailey is not a very likable guy so he wants to keep whatever friends he has. We (the readers) know how they feel about each other. They on the other hand are totally clueless. It was awesome watching as they finally get it. It takes awhile but they definitely get there and the way it happens is totally perfect.
I loved Bailey. John is the ultimate in patience. Lauren (John's assistant) is a great secondary character. She had me laughing a lot.
Be prepared... Bailey has sex with others. This is long before he and John finally figure things out between the two of them... way before they have any kind of relationship other than friendship. I know a lot of folks are bothered by that so I am just pointing it out as others have. This actually helps the story. If you read it you'll know what I mean.
This is my first by this author and it definitely will not be my last.
Bailey is a genius scientist who was publicly disgraced when his former employers used his work in the wrong way. He is humiliated and vilified by the science community. He is pushing 40, balding and slightly pudgy (as he describes himself). His friend, John, hires him as an editor for his small science magazine. John somehow talks Bailey into writing an astrology column for the magazine. The only way Bailey will agree to it is if his name is in no way associated with the column (he says... constantly... in a hilarious way that astrology is bogus) and if he can write op-ed articles calling out and criticizing others in the science community. Surprisingly the astrology column becomes very popular because of it's accuracy. Of course, Bailey still claims it's totally fake. So John sets it up where Bailey will have to go on 12 dates with 12 different people and cover all of the individual star signs. Bailey has no clue who the dates will be with or what their sign is. At the end of the experiment (that is also a bet between John and Bailey) they will compare notes and see how accurate it really is.
The dates were a blast. Some of them had me cracking up. And Bailey is so damn funny. His superiority over everyone...... he tells everyone constantly that he is so much smarter than them..... could have made me dislike his character but it had the opposite effect. He was hilarious. John and all the secondary characters (Lauren for one... loved her!) accepted Bailey's eccentricities and went along with it even when it annoyed the hell out of them.
John and Bailey each have feelings for each other. Neither will act on it or let the other one know because they are scared that it will destroy a good friendship. And trust me, Bailey is not a very likable guy so he wants to keep whatever friends he has. We (the readers) know how they feel about each other. They on the other hand are totally clueless. It was awesome watching as they finally get it. It takes awhile but they definitely get there and the way it happens is totally perfect.
I loved Bailey. John is the ultimate in patience. Lauren (John's assistant) is a great secondary character. She had me laughing a lot.
Be prepared... Bailey has sex with others. This is long before he and John finally figure things out between the two of them... way before they have any kind of relationship other than friendship. I know a lot of folks are bothered by that so I am just pointing it out as others have. This actually helps the story. If you read it you'll know what I mean.
This is my first by this author and it definitely will not be my last.
June 4, 2012
Fan Fiction: To start, after I read this I saw several reviews that said this was a fan fiction of a show called Stargate Atlantis. I've never seen this show so I checked Wikipedia & it turns out Bailey McMIllan is identical to Dr. Rodney McKay.
There's little doubt that this is fan fiction even if an AU one. With so little effort put in to disguise this fact , it at least merits a disclosure from the author.
As for the story itself, it started out amusing but the character of Bailey wears thin. Bailey has agreed to go on dates for each astrological sign. He goes on these dates, has sex with some of them & in between rants & raves about the inferiority of fellow scientists. It's all a bit distancing & tiresome after a while with no romance between he & John until the end.
This is between a 2 and 3 for me as a story but have to lower it due to this being an undisclosed fan fiction with no effort made to even change a little of the main character, even if it's to give him a different allergy. (less)
There's little doubt that this is fan fiction even if an AU one. With so little effort put in to disguise this fact , it at least merits a disclosure from the author.
As for the story itself, it started out amusing but the character of Bailey wears thin. Bailey has agreed to go on dates for each astrological sign. He goes on these dates, has sex with some of them & in between rants & raves about the inferiority of fellow scientists. It's all a bit distancing & tiresome after a while with no romance between he & John until the end.
This is between a 2 and 3 for me as a story but have to lower it due to this being an undisclosed fan fiction with no effort made to even change a little of the main character, even if it's to give him a different allergy. (less)
December 3, 2012
1,5 stars.
I didn't hate it - and that is pretty much the nicest thing to say about that book. It was not funny at all and the "banter" between the two MCs was so lame it didn't deserve to be called banter at all.
I disliked Bailey, the genius, tremendously. It just grates your nerves to constantly hear how brilliant he is, how he is the smartest person in any given room, how boring all other less brilliant people are. He came across not so much brilliant but more arrogant a**. People who judge others solely based on their IQ and their knowledge of science and mathematics? Boo.
John, the other MC, was not arrogant and only boring.
The whole story with Bailey going on 12 dates (including sex with some of the guys) to proove something - whatever - was stupid. And drawn out. It was clear from the beginning who would be the couple in the HEA from the beginning, but it took 75% of that book, until they got around to it.
I do like some sexual tension and slow development. But here was no development, because Bailey spent 74% of the book with other guys.
All in all: boring. At least it was fairly well written.
I didn't hate it - and that is pretty much the nicest thing to say about that book. It was not funny at all and the "banter" between the two MCs was so lame it didn't deserve to be called banter at all.
I disliked Bailey, the genius, tremendously. It just grates your nerves to constantly hear how brilliant he is, how he is the smartest person in any given room, how boring all other less brilliant people are. He came across not so much brilliant but more arrogant a**. People who judge others solely based on their IQ and their knowledge of science and mathematics? Boo.
John, the other MC, was not arrogant and only boring.
The whole story with Bailey going on 12 dates (including sex with some of the guys) to proove something - whatever - was stupid. And drawn out. It was clear from the beginning who would be the couple in the HEA from the beginning, but it took 75% of that book, until they got around to it.
I do like some sexual tension and slow development. But here was no development, because Bailey spent 74% of the book with other guys.
All in all: boring. At least it was fairly well written.
July 22, 2012
I enjoyed this story more than I expected to. It was consistently funny and enjoyable, and easily maintained my interest without being filled with serious drama or angst.
I especially loved Bailey, the main character. He is a complete mess, a neurotic genius who can never quite seem to contain the pressure of his thoughts -- which are constantly flying off in all directions at once. The author did a great job of making him both obnoxious and sympathetic at the same time, while constantly poking fondly at his soft underbelly. I wasn't so clear about John, Bailey's boss and eventual love interest, who was more of a mystery. Nonetheless, it's clear from the subtext that John has cared a lot about Bailey for a long time, and has been quietly helping Bailey all along without drawing attention to himself -- so he endeared himself to me as well.
All in all, this is a satisfying read. Don't expect any towering drama here, just get ready for lots of chuckles and a few satisfied "awwww"s.
I especially loved Bailey, the main character. He is a complete mess, a neurotic genius who can never quite seem to contain the pressure of his thoughts -- which are constantly flying off in all directions at once. The author did a great job of making him both obnoxious and sympathetic at the same time, while constantly poking fondly at his soft underbelly. I wasn't so clear about John, Bailey's boss and eventual love interest, who was more of a mystery. Nonetheless, it's clear from the subtext that John has cared a lot about Bailey for a long time, and has been quietly helping Bailey all along without drawing attention to himself -- so he endeared himself to me as well.
All in all, this is a satisfying read. Don't expect any towering drama here, just get ready for lots of chuckles and a few satisfied "awwww"s.
June 24, 2012
A sweet, slow-building love story concerning two best friends, who find that the love that they both had been searching for had been right in front of them the whole time. It is quirky, and humorous at times, with characters who are not the usual type featured in romances - over 40, Mensa IQ's, thinning hair and geeks. In fact, that is part of why this story works, as much of their relationship is based in their friendship rather than physical attraction (although that is present too, just not a major feature). The plot is rather straight-forward, without any surprises, yet the the slow and steady progression is comforting.I liked this story - sweet, yet with enough acerbic wit that it isn't cloying.
August 13, 2012
So, I love building, slow-burn romances. Love them. Thus my choice of this book...which was, hmmm, okay. And I strongly like and prefer realistic characters. Really do. Thus, again, my choice of this book...and these characters, well they were *sigh* okay.
So first things first, there was no burn and no build. Yes, Bailey and John are friends and Bailey believes that he has a crush on John, much the same as he 'suffered' at the beginning of their friendship years ago, though he thinks he's gotten over it in the intervening years when they were out of each other's lives. I use the word 'suffer' with full intent since Bailey, "the genius" (repeated ad nauseum) classifies these feelings of attraction as a sickness.
Now, we have all read book with characters who seek to talk themselves out of a crush. Hell, we've all done it ourselves at one point or another. But the amusing and human part of striving to, oneself, or witnessing someone try to douse their feelings with logic is the knowledge that it is impossible. With Bailey, the genius, there is not that sense of impossibility to fight his feelings, nor that knowledge of the inevitability of his succumbing to them. He holds these feelings in such little esteem. And while the reader is meant to understand that love trumps all, it is not shown here.
It is not believable that this genius (annoying repetition yet) will indeed be so moved by his crush as to do anything about it. Bailey is a misanthrope who has low esteem in regards to sexuality and little drive to buoy up his relations in either department. He is contentedly celibate. So between his marriage to science, his hatred of the general public, his low regard for emotions, his high regard for logic only and his busy life that he repeatedly states has no room for dating in it, the reader really isn't led to believe that this inconvenient little crush will register with Bailey and be the impetus to any of his actions. You know what this means: no build. We don't think the Bailey will act on his feelings so there is no tension as we wait for him to do so.
The author, to the detriment of this book, goes a little too far in characterising Bailey. The mad scientist who is rude, socially awkward, contentedly celibate and resembles George Costanza is not a sexy protagonist with whom one can easily identify or champion. Nor one that the reader can imagine being particularly swayed by a love bug. So there's that barrier to my desired slow-burn.
Then there's the under characterisation of John. He has a nice goatee, is reportedly handsome and puts up with Bailey except when he, John, gets a little angry when Bailey has some form of sex or the other with one of his experimental dates. I know the out-of-character anger is meant to clue the reader in that John is jealous, thus establishing the build up, but it is very scant.
We don't feel any tension, see any compatibility outside of John's patience. Yes, there's a solid friendship here, which made for a great read. But the development of romance, of an amorous relationship, not so much.
As I said, the friendship is strongly established. Guess how this affects the last 20% of the book as the author suddenly strives to swerve in the direction of romance between these two co-workers and friends? It makes for very dry sex.
There was never any burn, see. Tolerance, friendly banter and witticisms do not heated sexual tension make. Bekins showed a solid friendship throughout 80% of the book but she never truly underscored it with yearning, passion, need. And she gave us Bailey who doesn't seem capable, as a genius (there's that word again) of deep, dark, gotta-have-you-now need anyway. So when these two MC's finally have sex it's like an exercise. John even says, logically and pragmatically enough, "Coffee, then breakfast, then brush your teeth and then sex." Huh? Schedule much?
Point is, I wasn't moved by passion, I didn't feel any craving between them and I was ultimately dissatisfied that John just got a little jealous, as he confesses, by Bailey dating and so decides to throw himself in the mix. So, what, he just wanted what was no longer available? I can't find the love credible if that's the case.
Other then the issues of non-existent passion and stock characterisation, there are a few loose ends that could have been tied up. These are mostly in regards to the men Bailey dated and his friendship with them after the experiment. Still, the writing was good. The dialogue well done. So three stars it is.
For friendship to lovers I would recommend: The Rebuilding Year and Hot Head. Two different kinds of read but more successful in their aims than this one I believe.
So first things first, there was no burn and no build. Yes, Bailey and John are friends and Bailey believes that he has a crush on John, much the same as he 'suffered' at the beginning of their friendship years ago, though he thinks he's gotten over it in the intervening years when they were out of each other's lives. I use the word 'suffer' with full intent since Bailey, "the genius" (repeated ad nauseum) classifies these feelings of attraction as a sickness.
Now, we have all read book with characters who seek to talk themselves out of a crush. Hell, we've all done it ourselves at one point or another. But the amusing and human part of striving to, oneself, or witnessing someone try to douse their feelings with logic is the knowledge that it is impossible. With Bailey, the genius, there is not that sense of impossibility to fight his feelings, nor that knowledge of the inevitability of his succumbing to them. He holds these feelings in such little esteem. And while the reader is meant to understand that love trumps all, it is not shown here.
It is not believable that this genius (annoying repetition yet) will indeed be so moved by his crush as to do anything about it. Bailey is a misanthrope who has low esteem in regards to sexuality and little drive to buoy up his relations in either department. He is contentedly celibate. So between his marriage to science, his hatred of the general public, his low regard for emotions, his high regard for logic only and his busy life that he repeatedly states has no room for dating in it, the reader really isn't led to believe that this inconvenient little crush will register with Bailey and be the impetus to any of his actions. You know what this means: no build. We don't think the Bailey will act on his feelings so there is no tension as we wait for him to do so.
The author, to the detriment of this book, goes a little too far in characterising Bailey. The mad scientist who is rude, socially awkward, contentedly celibate and resembles George Costanza is not a sexy protagonist with whom one can easily identify or champion. Nor one that the reader can imagine being particularly swayed by a love bug. So there's that barrier to my desired slow-burn.
Then there's the under characterisation of John. He has a nice goatee, is reportedly handsome and puts up with Bailey except when he, John, gets a little angry when Bailey has some form of sex or the other with one of his experimental dates. I know the out-of-character anger is meant to clue the reader in that John is jealous, thus establishing the build up, but it is very scant.
We don't feel any tension, see any compatibility outside of John's patience. Yes, there's a solid friendship here, which made for a great read. But the development of romance, of an amorous relationship, not so much.
As I said, the friendship is strongly established. Guess how this affects the last 20% of the book as the author suddenly strives to swerve in the direction of romance between these two co-workers and friends? It makes for very dry sex.
There was never any burn, see. Tolerance, friendly banter and witticisms do not heated sexual tension make. Bekins showed a solid friendship throughout 80% of the book but she never truly underscored it with yearning, passion, need. And she gave us Bailey who doesn't seem capable, as a genius (there's that word again) of deep, dark, gotta-have-you-now need anyway. So when these two MC's finally have sex it's like an exercise. John even says, logically and pragmatically enough, "Coffee, then breakfast, then brush your teeth and then sex." Huh? Schedule much?
Point is, I wasn't moved by passion, I didn't feel any craving between them and I was ultimately dissatisfied that John just got a little jealous, as he confesses, by Bailey dating and so decides to throw himself in the mix. So, what, he just wanted what was no longer available? I can't find the love credible if that's the case.
Other then the issues of non-existent passion and stock characterisation, there are a few loose ends that could have been tied up. These are mostly in regards to the men Bailey dated and his friendship with them after the experiment. Still, the writing was good. The dialogue well done. So three stars it is.
For friendship to lovers I would recommend: The Rebuilding Year and Hot Head. Two different kinds of read but more successful in their aims than this one I believe.
June 9, 2012
4.5 stars
I think the blurb does an excellent job as describing the story, so I won’t bore you by rehashing it again. Instead, I thought I would give the reasons why I enjoyed this book, and why I rated it the way I did.
I’ve read several of Alix Bekins books and I’ve enjoyed every one of them. When I pick up a book written by this author, I automatically know I’ll have several hours of shameless entertainment with intelligent, witty and sarcastic characters that seem to live and breathe off of the written page. None of Alix’s characters are perfect, and they are so wonderfully flawed, I can’t help but love every minute I have reading about them.
The characters in Written in the Stars are exactly like this. Both heroes, Bailey and John, are likeable men who aren’t physically perfect, but are still sexy because of their self-confidence and the interesting lifestyles that they live. Bailey in particular is a prime example of this. He’s not physically beautiful, but he is extremely sure of his intelligence and of himself in general, which makes him a unique hero within his own right. I liked the way he and his best friend and boss, John, have this easy and fun banter and camaraderie between them, and I found myself laughing out loud at some of the conversations and antics they have between them. It’s obvious from the moment they appear on the page that they have a true friendship, with an attraction between them that either man really wants to admit.
One thing that left me a little confused was the absence of John’s point of view toward the end of the book. I loved seeing both of the main characters’ points of view and I have to admit, I did miss seeing what was going on in his mind toward the end. But even with John’s point of view missing, I absolutely loved Bailey’s snarky and sarcastic personality, so it wasn’t a huge niggle for me.
I love the friends-to-lovers theme and Bailey and John’s story has a slow and steady build up with their relationship evolving from one thing to another. If you like a solid, well thought out romance, this book will definitely please those readers who appreciate how their relationship changes over time, instead of the insta-love theme that happens in many romances. As a fan of both, I personally appreciated watching these two men fall in love through their friendship because by the end of the story, it was easy to believe that these two men truly belong together. I recommend this book for those who love a solid, fun and sexy read with the steady sexual tension and emotional build-up between the two main characters.
I think the blurb does an excellent job as describing the story, so I won’t bore you by rehashing it again. Instead, I thought I would give the reasons why I enjoyed this book, and why I rated it the way I did.
I’ve read several of Alix Bekins books and I’ve enjoyed every one of them. When I pick up a book written by this author, I automatically know I’ll have several hours of shameless entertainment with intelligent, witty and sarcastic characters that seem to live and breathe off of the written page. None of Alix’s characters are perfect, and they are so wonderfully flawed, I can’t help but love every minute I have reading about them.
The characters in Written in the Stars are exactly like this. Both heroes, Bailey and John, are likeable men who aren’t physically perfect, but are still sexy because of their self-confidence and the interesting lifestyles that they live. Bailey in particular is a prime example of this. He’s not physically beautiful, but he is extremely sure of his intelligence and of himself in general, which makes him a unique hero within his own right. I liked the way he and his best friend and boss, John, have this easy and fun banter and camaraderie between them, and I found myself laughing out loud at some of the conversations and antics they have between them. It’s obvious from the moment they appear on the page that they have a true friendship, with an attraction between them that either man really wants to admit.
One thing that left me a little confused was the absence of John’s point of view toward the end of the book. I loved seeing both of the main characters’ points of view and I have to admit, I did miss seeing what was going on in his mind toward the end. But even with John’s point of view missing, I absolutely loved Bailey’s snarky and sarcastic personality, so it wasn’t a huge niggle for me.
I love the friends-to-lovers theme and Bailey and John’s story has a slow and steady build up with their relationship evolving from one thing to another. If you like a solid, well thought out romance, this book will definitely please those readers who appreciate how their relationship changes over time, instead of the insta-love theme that happens in many romances. As a fan of both, I personally appreciated watching these two men fall in love through their friendship because by the end of the story, it was easy to believe that these two men truly belong together. I recommend this book for those who love a solid, fun and sexy read with the steady sexual tension and emotional build-up between the two main characters.
September 22, 2012
This was a very nice, very slow burn romance story. In fact, it was so slow burn that the MC couple, Bailey and John, didn't get together as anything other than friends until after 85% of the story was complete.
Bailey was a total geek, Mensa level genius, doctorate in physics who was hired by his friend John to be a staff writer on John's magazine when Baily was blasted by the scientific community for his work with a company that was ultimately censored for a project which Bailey led. Although it wasn't his fault that the company ignored his safety precaution recommendations, he took the fall for it.
In order to be able to write his critiques of other scientific geniuses and companies, he makes a contract with John. In exchange for writing an astrology column, John would allow him to write his critiques for a period of one year.
Bailey agrees and tries to make scientific sense of the astrology prediction process but can't find a link. He is successful in his predictions and when the astrology column becomes well-known and liked by public and press, John baits Bailey into a bet, via an experiment.
Bailey will date 12 guys from different astrology signs to see which one he is most compatible with. He won't know the signs, John's assistant will arrange the dates, verify the birthdates, and keep the information confidential until the end of the experiment.
This is the meat of this story which is a funny, witty, classic antihero romp. Some of the dates are hilarious, some clearly disappointing and for a few Bailey makes it to first base, in fact he has first ever weekend "fling" with one of the guys.
In the meantime, John is going through personal turmoil watching all of this. It eventually all comes to a head. It's a great conclusion to a very nice story.
Bailey was a total geek, Mensa level genius, doctorate in physics who was hired by his friend John to be a staff writer on John's magazine when Baily was blasted by the scientific community for his work with a company that was ultimately censored for a project which Bailey led. Although it wasn't his fault that the company ignored his safety precaution recommendations, he took the fall for it.
In order to be able to write his critiques of other scientific geniuses and companies, he makes a contract with John. In exchange for writing an astrology column, John would allow him to write his critiques for a period of one year.
Bailey agrees and tries to make scientific sense of the astrology prediction process but can't find a link. He is successful in his predictions and when the astrology column becomes well-known and liked by public and press, John baits Bailey into a bet, via an experiment.
Bailey will date 12 guys from different astrology signs to see which one he is most compatible with. He won't know the signs, John's assistant will arrange the dates, verify the birthdates, and keep the information confidential until the end of the experiment.
This is the meat of this story which is a funny, witty, classic antihero romp. Some of the dates are hilarious, some clearly disappointing and for a few Bailey makes it to first base, in fact he has first ever weekend "fling" with one of the guys.
In the meantime, John is going through personal turmoil watching all of this. It eventually all comes to a head. It's a great conclusion to a very nice story.
April 20, 2012
I liked the other story I read by this author and this one has a lot of that same snarky humour which works for me. Baily is a genius scientist, however when one of his projects went bad (not his fault) he sort of got blackballed (it doesn’t help that he’s not afraid to call his peers idiots publicly and to their face) and now works for his friend John’s science magazine. However to appeal to a wider audience, he’s forced to do an astrology column in exchange for a column where he can call out his peers. He hates it, it makes no sense, there is no science behind it and yet he’s remarkably accurate and popular to his dismay. He is the ultimate crusty impatient guy who hates people, except John, and John just kind of laughs and tolerates Bailey’s diatribes however he makes a bet that astrology is right about romantic relationships and it’s set up that Bailey will date one person of each sign and they’ll see if the ones who should match do. Some of the dates are hilarious, some kind of freaky and some rather sexy. If you like your stories where the ultimate couple never date/have sex with other people once they are put forward as a couple in the story (you know John and Bailey will eventually get together) this may not be for you, but there is no romantic relationship between the two until John starts to realize he’s jealous as Bailey debriefs him on the dates and talks about the sex he’s having. It was really cute and Bailey with his caffeine addiction and his absolute disdain for anyone and everyone was funny. I would be interested to see his weekend fling’s story, as I think that would be amusing as well. Definitely something for when you’re in the mood for light and amusing, although the romance rather takes a back seat, but I still enjoyed it a great deal.
August 19, 2012
4.5 stars - I'm actually rather shocked by just how quickly I fell in love with this book and by how much I enjoyed it. Written in the Stars is an extremely slow building romance and usually that would have annoyed and frustrated me, but that really wasn't the case. The romance built perfectly and the story was entertaining enough that the slow pace didn't make it seem drawn out or frustrating. The only frustrating thing for me was when Bailey insisted to himself that John wasn't interested - it was so obvious that John was jealous!
I was pulled into this story and found myself lost in it - I honestly sat down and started reading and then looked up only to realise that a few hours had passed and I was well over half way through. It is really wonderfully written, with perfectly witty dialogue and characters that I actually came to care for. As I was reading I kept thinking that I could easily imagine it as a movie - it would make a fantastic romantic comedy. I'm definitely checking out more by this author.
I was pulled into this story and found myself lost in it - I honestly sat down and started reading and then looked up only to realise that a few hours had passed and I was well over half way through. It is really wonderfully written, with perfectly witty dialogue and characters that I actually came to care for. As I was reading I kept thinking that I could easily imagine it as a movie - it would make a fantastic romantic comedy. I'm definitely checking out more by this author.
May 8, 2015
I listened to the audio version of this sweet, light-hearted romance.The main character seemed to me like a mix of Sheldon and Leonard from the TV Show 'The Big Bang Theory'. A genius with difficulties to find the right person and to socialize with ppers and peoplenot as smart as himself. Still, he is portrayed in a likable way and his journey of dating men with different Zodiac signs is fun. You should know going in that due to this dating experiment, he ees with different men and even has chemistry and sex with some of them, but the actual romance happens late in the book. I found this story and narration very enjoyable and can recommend it ;)
April 20, 2012
Almost, but not quite 4 stars.
Lighthearted, funny and sweet romance. I loved Bailey, it was fun to read about all his quirks. His banter with John was great.
The book dragged a bit (with all the dates and all, even if some of them were really, really funny) and I wanted more "fireworks" between Bailey and John when they finally got together. I wouldn't mind learning more about John. But, overall, this was angst-free, sweet read that I enjoyed very much.
Lighthearted, funny and sweet romance. I loved Bailey, it was fun to read about all his quirks. His banter with John was great.
The book dragged a bit (with all the dates and all, even if some of them were really, really funny) and I wanted more "fireworks" between Bailey and John when they finally got together. I wouldn't mind learning more about John. But, overall, this was angst-free, sweet read that I enjoyed very much.
June 12, 2012
I really loved the banter in this book, it made me smile so much.
The romance was okay, more warm fuzzies than hot dayam but that was enjoyable too.
So if you are looking for a smart and sassy book that will make laugh out loud pick this one up!
The romance was okay, more warm fuzzies than hot dayam but that was enjoyable too.
So if you are looking for a smart and sassy book that will make laugh out loud pick this one up!
April 28, 2012
The witty banter back and forth and the dates Bailey went on, it was like a movie and I was waiting to have the happy at the end. I was not disappointed.
May 31, 2012
4.5 stars
I loved the humor, the dialogue, the relationships...basically, I loved the whole book! And I only noticed one typo in the whole thing (a true rarity these days!).
I loved the humor, the dialogue, the relationships...basically, I loved the whole book! And I only noticed one typo in the whole thing (a true rarity these days!).
April 18, 2013
Slow burn romance which was lovely. The MCs had chemistry, but I don't feel I really got to know either of them beyond a superficial level.
August 29, 2012
Oh I v much enjoyed grumpy Bailey, and my respect for John grew the more patient he was.
Good fun, and lots of science-y interesting bits.
Good fun, and lots of science-y interesting bits.
July 17, 2014
Way better than I expected! It started off right into Bailey and John's "old, married couple banter," quickly had me laughing at Bailey's curmudgeonly personality and the things he and John said to each other, and kept me loving the plot all the way through the story.
Bailey, Bailey, Bailey...he got some sympathy from me right off the bat for the undeserved downfall of his career. And then his grumpy, biting attitude and the eccentric, "genius" way his mind works had me fondly alternating between snorting, rolling my eyes, and busting out laughing. I couldn't help but love him. And John. John is so laid back and used to dealing with Bailey's peculiarities, that no one else could really keep Bailey happy. (Plus Bailey helps John with his issue too.)
And I also adored how this story had the other dates and the sex and everything with other guys, how John was jealous and Bailey had no clue, how it all pushed them together, and how everything was resolved. I have been craving a story with the other hero (not the MC the POV's from) being jealous while the MC has other flings or relationships, but not cheating once they're together, and this book fulfilled that perfectly. I didn’t get mad at Bailey or hurt by his actions like I usually do when an MC is jealous and the other continues his philandering. But this story was not only about the dates and relationships, either. It was about Bailey's career and character growth, about the John's company, the lawsuit, and trying to prove a soft science experiment and theory false.
It is not a superficial or silly plot or story at all, but rather is well written and unique from all of the many m/m and/or romance books that I have read. And it is so quirky and funny, I often found myself chuckling later at a remembered scene like this one:
"John mad a face. 'You had a good time last night, I see.’
‘What? I mean, yes, I did. Vaclav and I were up until almost sunrise pounding—‘
Both hands came up as John took a hurried step back. ‘Whoa! TMI!’
‘—out the massive flaws in his proposal,’ Bailey said slowly…”
You’ll get the humor and all better when reading, but overall, “wonderful” is all I have to say. Wait, no, I’ll say “brilliant” as well. I was so pleasantly surprised by this read, and did not want to put this book down because I was enjoying it so much. It’s fast-paced and creative, and it is the lighter side, but was so great that just the thought of these characters puts a smile on my face. Please do read it.
Bailey, Bailey, Bailey...he got some sympathy from me right off the bat for the undeserved downfall of his career. And then his grumpy, biting attitude and the eccentric, "genius" way his mind works had me fondly alternating between snorting, rolling my eyes, and busting out laughing. I couldn't help but love him. And John. John is so laid back and used to dealing with Bailey's peculiarities, that no one else could really keep Bailey happy. (Plus Bailey helps John with his issue too.)
And I also adored how this story had the other dates and the sex and everything with other guys, how John was jealous and Bailey had no clue, how it all pushed them together, and how everything was resolved. I have been craving a story with the other hero (not the MC the POV's from) being jealous while the MC has other flings or relationships, but not cheating once they're together, and this book fulfilled that perfectly. I didn’t get mad at Bailey or hurt by his actions like I usually do when an MC is jealous and the other continues his philandering. But this story was not only about the dates and relationships, either. It was about Bailey's career and character growth, about the John's company, the lawsuit, and trying to prove a soft science experiment and theory false.
It is not a superficial or silly plot or story at all, but rather is well written and unique from all of the many m/m and/or romance books that I have read. And it is so quirky and funny, I often found myself chuckling later at a remembered scene like this one:
"John mad a face. 'You had a good time last night, I see.’
‘What? I mean, yes, I did. Vaclav and I were up until almost sunrise pounding—‘
Both hands came up as John took a hurried step back. ‘Whoa! TMI!’
‘—out the massive flaws in his proposal,’ Bailey said slowly…”
You’ll get the humor and all better when reading, but overall, “wonderful” is all I have to say. Wait, no, I’ll say “brilliant” as well. I was so pleasantly surprised by this read, and did not want to put this book down because I was enjoying it so much. It’s fast-paced and creative, and it is the lighter side, but was so great that just the thought of these characters puts a smile on my face. Please do read it.
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