Carly's Book Reviews: Helping Hand by Jay Northcote: #Review #Excerpt #NewRelease #Giveaway @jay

Friday, June 26, 2015

Helping Hand by Jay Northcote: #Review #Excerpt #NewRelease #Giveaway @jay_northcote

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

Helping Hand

by Jay Northcote

Length: 33,000 words

Genres: Gay (M/M), Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Wanking with a mate isn’t gay—as long as you keep your hands to yourself.

Jez Fielding and James MacKenzie—Big Mac to his mates—are in their second year at uni. After partying too hard last year, they make a pact to rein themselves in. While their housemates are out drinking every weekend, Jez and Mac stay in to save cash and focus on their studies.

When Jez suggests watching some porn together, he isn’t expecting Mac to agree to it. One thing leads to another, and soon their arrangement becomes hands-on rather than hands-off. But falling for your straight friend can only end badly, unless there’s a chance he might feel the same.

Afterwards, Jez blamed the alcohol for loosening his tongue, because he didn’t think about it before he spoke. The words tumbled out before he could stop them.

“Man, I’m seriously horny now. Have you got any decent porn on that laptop?”

“Huh?” Mac snapped his head around to meet Jez’s gaze. Jez’s heart pounded erratically, but his dick was still standing to attention. “What… you mean, you want to wank in here? Now? Wouldn’t that be weird?” Mac sounded seriously freaked out.

Jez backtracked quickly, cheeks hot. “It doesn’t have to be weird. I’ve done it before with guys at school, and it’s never been a big deal. But don’t worry about it. I’ll go and watch my own stash instead. But I need something soon, ’cause I’m gonna explode after watching that sex scene.”

Jez was expecting an instant no from Mac. He wouldn’t have blamed him. A lot of guys wouldn’t be into what Jez was suggesting. Jez’s heart still thumped hard, but his arousal didn’t abate despite his anxiety. He was shocked by how much he wanted this.

Mac bit his lip and frowned. “Seriously. You’ve done that?”

Jez shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. “Yeah. Like I said, it was no big deal. Just guys messing around.”

Mac stared a moment longer, then he stood, and Jez’s heart sank as he walked away. But Mac only went to fetch his laptop from the dining table. He sat back down and then opened it and tapped in his password.

“What sort of stuff do you wanna watch?” Mac’s voice was gruff and he focused on the screen rather than Jez.

Fuck. They were really going to do this, then.

My Rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed the characters in Helping Hand. Typical male college students, what comes to mind are laughing boys that still think fart jokes are funny, Jez and Mac are an endearing combination of youthfulness and pending maturity. Slightly awkward, sometimes shy, and always horny, they are growing up... in between video game marathons, that is! Standing on the cusp of life isn't easy. Neither is trying to figure out who they are sexually, what direction their lives are going to take into adulthood, and if what they have growing between them is a combination of lust and proximity, or something more.

Jay has become my go-to author for engaging characters, hot sexual chemistry, and heartwarming story building. She writes the kind of books that make me feel good inside. I'm sure you will love Jez, Mack, and all their friends, just as much as I do!

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.

She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

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