Okay so this is like a 4.5 for the writing and like a 3 for the story ( )

4.5 rounded up. I hadn't read a 'gay for you' romance before, it seemed like having one otherwise straight guy would be considerably less hot. But it actually forced both of them into unconventional situations that were really captivating. Ethan fell for someone he was pretty confident couldn't return his feelings, and then was willing to meet Jack where he was at, progressing very slowly. And Jack had to reassess so much of what he'd known about himself and step out of his comfort zone in a big way. I was also really impressed by the hurdles they were willing to try to overcome. Ethan was career focused and a private person, and he still pursued Jack knowing that both of those things would likely be sacrificed if the relationship went well. And Jack risked his standing and second term knowing he was living under a microscope and would be judged harshly. I believed their feelings for each other, and both their trials and sacrifices were quite romantic. There was also more action and adventure than I expected, I don't read very many political thrillers. It was a lot packed into one book without either the romance or drama being overwhelmed by the other. It definitely kept my attention and was emotionally engaging. ( )

DNF at 62%

The writing is OK. But omg, the plot and the characters' behavior are ridiculous.

Ultimately, I have something to thank this book for: I have discovered a limit to the suspension of disbelief that I'm capable of. ( )

2.75 stars, as I posted in TheStoryGraph Beta.

Well. For a story that made me tear up more than once, this is a problematic book for several glaring reasons. HOWEVER, I do approve of who the bad guys are. That felt all too real.

Jack is a nice fantasy President. I wish we could elect him. Too bad the R greed would never allow him to exist, and the D 'both-sides'ing everything would mangle.

Stupid reality.

Anyway. I thought the author did a reasonable job of glossing over/ignoring the iffier parts in this plot, which is why, most of why, I finished reading it. The mole's ID didn't surprise me at all, but I doubt that was the point. I liked the way discoveries happened.

The other part is the romance, which is patently ridiculous and further dropped this into fantasy for me. The conflict Ethan feels is too repetitious, but I thought Jack's slow realization was given enough time, a rare commodity in the 'gay for you' subgenre. The intimate scenes aren't overdone, which was nice. I liked how this book ended, because the relationship is at a satisfying point, which is the objective if you're going to call a story a Romance.

Will I read more in the series? Probably not. I don't like political fiction. Particularly after 2020. The characters worked well enough for me, but I'll stop while I'm ahead. And, and this is a sticking point, the editing is questionable. There aren't many actual typos, but there are some strange word choices that any good editor would have flagged. I've noted the most glaring ones in the highlights notes, but just know that wasn't all of them. ( )

yep, i did it again. i apparently can't uphold a single resolution. less than a week after i'd finally swore off gay for you, i read another one... but after stumbling across this book, and reading the blurb, i couldn't just not read it. i didn't have any particularly high expectations, i just fervently hoped for it not to be bad. i needed it not to be bad, after enticing me so and making me break my promise to myself.
that aside, it was a surprisingly great read. i say surprisingly, because to this date i haven't read any other gfy book that ranked above a rounded-up three-star rating, and hadn't majorly pissed me off in the process.
there was a refreshing lack of self-depreciation in there on part of the 'straight' guy. jack had his moments - who wouldn't have? - but he handled the problems on his own terms, which is always the way to go. both of the MCs were well-drawn and well-matched, with nicely developed personalities, and there was a noticeable attraction between them almost from the get-go.
the story was very believable and i really liked the way the author addressed the modern day problems of immigrants and terrorism and how well it meshed with the rest of the plot. the writing was amazing. i love descriptions in books, and there was a good number of them here, all well-written and detailed, of which i definitely approve. the pace was just right, in my opinion, and even though it was not all roses, it was a rather light read.
i felt good reading this book.
highly recommend. ( )