Title: Improper Fraction

Author: V.L. Locey

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novel (264pgs)

ISBN: 9781370615940

Publisher: Gone Writing Publishing (18^th October 2017)

Heat Level: Low – Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: O’Malley Ramsey, math aficionado, grew up next door to Garrison Rook, All-American athlete. While O’Malley dreamed of numbers and kissing Garrison, Garrison’s tastes ran to home runs and hot chicks. During a family celebration the night before both young men were heading off for college, O’Malley joyously discovers that Garrison isn’t quite as straight as the star athlete had been pretending to be. Vows to return to each other quickly followed a few clumsy kisses in the old treehouse in the Rook’s backyard.

O’Malley came home to Garrison. Garrison never returned to O’Malley.

Four years later, the two ex-friends meet up at a summer camp where O’Malley is serving as a counselor. Garrison is desperate to make things right with his childhood friend, but can O’Malley, still nursing the pain and mistrust of Garrison’s betrayal, ever forgive or love Garrison again?

Purchase Link: Amazon US | Amazon UK 

Review: O’Malley had a huge crush on his next door neighbour Garrison, just before they both went off to college he thought his dreams came true when Garrison kisses him and promises that they can be together… but Garrison never came back.

Four years on and O’Malley is happy with the way his life is going, he’s serving as a counsellor at a girls Math camp when he’s stunned to see Garrison turn up, a Garrison who wants his forgiveness and a new chance at love.

This is an enjoyable story of two men trying to put the mistakes of the past behind them and starting anew.

I’ll be honest and say first of all that this book ended up not being my cup of tea, while I thought the storyline was good and the last part of the book was great a lot before that either annoyed me or just felt lacklustre.

First off I thought (based on timelines) that O’Malley and Garrison were supposed to be 22yrs old but based on how O’Malley acted in his own mind I’d say he was 16yrs old, Garrison I’ve given a little more leeway as he’s been struggling with his sexuality but his past actions still miffed me off a bit. O’Malley’s lack of empathy for Garrison’s situation really stuck in my craw and I wanted to tell Garrison he was better off looking for someone else.

Garrison is terrified of coming out and it shows in his actions, but I can’t decide if he really was gay like he finally declared or bisexual (he still liked sex with girls), I think that could have been handled better rather than just the final declaration that Garrison made.

I did end up liking both characters and the situation they found themselves in, but the story did seem to get drawn out for longer than it needed to in the middle. There is some excitement involving homophobes that adds a little action to the book and it ends up bringing O’Malley and Garrison fully together and Garrison more out in the open.

I’d recommend this story to those who love friends to lovers coming out stories, tension and conflict, a dash of angst and a very happy ending.