Helping Hand (Housemates Book 1)

***4 Stars***Jez and Mac drank away their freshman year of college. Now Jez is in debt up to his eyeballs and Mac almost flunked out of school. No more partying and drinking for them. They shall stay in and be good boys.But sometimes while hanging out with your friend and watching a movie, you get turned on by a sex scene. And naturally the accompanying boner is uncomfortable. You'd like to relieve the pressure. Maybe invite your friend to do the same since he seems to be in the same predicament.This is perfectly normal. Just helping a friend out. It's no big deal. And it's nice to share experiences with your friends. The fact that you're turned on by it...it's normal...simple curiosity and hormones.But now you can't stop thinking about it. And you find yourself looking forward to doing it again. And you do. Regularly. Eagerly. But now you find that you're not really needing the porn. It's more there as an excuse. And wouldn't it be fun to "help" each other get off. What's a handjob? A blowjob? It's not sex. It's fun. Experimenting. No big deal.Oh, but feelings are getting involved. You can't get the other person out of your mind. Wait, what...jealousy doesn't belong here! This is no big deal! So what if you're looking forward to your evenings alone together? So what if you've fallen asleep in each other's arms? Cuddled after orgasms? Shared passionate kisses?But still, you want to do more...experiment more....try for more. And you can't help it, feelings are getting deeper. It's getting hard not to touch in public. Encounters aren't shunned to night's home alone and under the cloak of darkness. Any moment together will suffice. Just a kiss, a touch...something.You've shared it all. You love every moment spent together. This feels right. You want it all. You want a relationship. You want them to hold your hand. You want to kiss them in front of everyone. You want to sleep with them at night. Hold them until the sun comes up. Make love until you can't move. Well, huh...would you look at that??I absolutely loved this quick, sweet, a little angsty and a lot steamy read! Jez and Mac were adorable! Their progression, although on the quicker side, was very engaging and for the most part believable. A thoroughly enjoyable read!Jay Northcote remains my go-to when I'm looking for a quick, sweet and steamy read with endearing characters and an engaging and entertaining plot! I'll one-click her books any time...

The author, being British, uses British colloquialisms that pulled my American brain from the story. The stumbling blocks the primary couple faced were overcome too easily. I didn't get the sense that this was anything more than a fantasy.

I’ve had this book- and most of the Housemates series- sitting in my library for over a year now and I’m kicking myself for just now getting to them. I have a soft spot for shorter books that feel as though they’re full-length. Helping Hand felt complete and wholly satisfying with a great mix of likable characters, a tiny bit of conflict, seriously steamy scenes, and a good story.I ended up both reading and listening to Helping Hand and can confidently say it’s a win however way you choose. The narrator has a great voice and quality that works with the characters’ personalities and tone of the book. The writing was smooth as well, with a good mix of dialogue, palpable chemistry, and relationship development. Helping Hand simply was a story I was eager to keep reading/listening to at every opportunity. I’m definitely keen on continuing the Housemates series and would recommend this title to anyone who enjoys bisexual awakening stories or college-age romances.

I found myself really enjoying this. Normally, I find myself wanting stories like this to be longer. But I felt like the author did a great job of depicting Jez and Mac’s friendship and growing attraction. The progression and, even the misunderstanding, were all believable. (Anyone who’s read a few of my reviews should know by now how much I value low-angst or, at the very least, arguments/break-ups that make sense.) The sexual exploration (both physically and internally) happened at a natural pace. And, while I always want stories to be longer so that I can spend more time with a couple, I actually didn’t mind the length of this one. I do not feel that any emotional-building or chemistry was lost or glossed over. In short, this was a really enjoyable read.

First off, can we talk about the guy on the cover?? Holy hell!Now down to business. Another great, but over all too soon, read by Jay Northcote. I have said it before, but her strongest point is characterization. This could very easily be a 'gay for you' read. However, she draws the characters of Jez and Mac deeper than that. It would be very easy to have them as the stereotypical geek and jock who NEVER had a gay attraction, but they are real guys and that makes it special.I am a little late reading this and so glad to hear that Josh is getting his own story. As the only 'gay' character in a M/M story, he has very little word time, but what he has makes me want to know more about him. Think about that for a minute.....the author manages to create a sweet M/M romance not using any gay leads...and makes it believable. That is the best thing about 'Helping Hands' along with almost all of her previous work. Yeah, the sex is hot, and you would kind of want those scenes to be a movie at some points, but you really truly care about the happy ending...the vulnerability of the characters always shine through. As usual, there is little angst, but what is there focuses on real life feelings...in this case, self doubt. The other thing I have to mention is I love the physical descriptions of Jez and Mac. Yes they are handsome (this is a M/M romance, for god's sake,) but they are never described as completely ripped or beyond beautiful....they are normal; and that is refreshing to read.As I finished, I wanted to start on Josh's story.....a great sign of a great read.

4.5 Stars!What a little gem! Uncomplicated, additive and freaking hot.I am a fan of animated movies but even if I wasn’t I would have to get over it, because my kids.You must be thinking where is this weirdo going with it? Well, Shrek.It came to my mind several times whilst reading this.That masochist thrill of thinking that something major is about to happen at any timekept me on edge and holding my breath for almost forever! I felt like Donkey. ARE WE THERE YET?And oh boy, I loved that!Everything started when these two very horny friends were left behind by they mateson a Friday night because they need to study. Homework’s out of the way, Jez and Macdecided to watch some porn together.The two “we are not gays” boys moved to the bedroom and picked a video of a girl getting some.The experience was very *ahem* successful and Jez and Mac decided that they would do it again.So again they did and at some point, in this weekly basis jerking off entertainment, they started tobe aware of each other and couldn’t resist sneaking the occasion look sideways lusting after each other tools.The porn movie? *snort* forget it! Because the boys just did. Watching each other getting off was much more fascinating.Soon, both guys stopped pretending they were watching the videos. Are we there yet? Nope!They were just watching each other get off and they kept that way for a while.At the next jerking off meeting… Are we there yet? Not just yet.At the next jerking off meeting, helping hands had been introduced. Oh my... Bless the author’s heart!It was so freaking hot each time these boys got together!Are we there yet? No!!! Not quite, but the guys were getting bold.The next meeting came and we had in action mouth and tongue, *read lots of sucking, please*AND kisses, if I am not mistaken.Are we there yet? No, there are the fingers meeting still.Are we there now? Yep! Finally we get there.Phew! Such a dreamy and blissful torture!This was seriously hot!Highly recommended as a quick, light and hot read.

I love these friends to lovers trope stories and Mac and Jez's story is one that is utterly believable; which just makes it so much better. My only criticism is that it simply wasn't long enough! It's a quick read, perhaps no more than 2 or 3 hours but then again it's also great because to dive back into that world again, I will need to pick up the next book. Which I am absolutely going to do.

Well, let me begin by fanning myself down....This is exactly what male housemates should be getting up to - in my head anyway! There isn't much of an actual story here because it really is centred around their 'special time' but the writer does an awesome job of conveying the growing sexual tension between the two MC's. It was so good, I read it in one sitting and couldn't put it down till it was finished.Jez and Mac are two 'straight' guys in college, who share a house with four other people. One boring night in alone, Jez suggests they watch porn together and 'take themselves in hand'. Over the weeks, their nights alone become more and more adventurous until they realise that they only have eyes for each other and not the women that are practically hanging off them. It felt real and genuine and the development of their relationship was at a believable pace. Two great guys and I'm glad they got their HEA, they are hot together.

I loved this light read. The characters were lovely although we only really know a lot about Jez. We get to look into the lives of University boys as they realise that drinking their nights away doesn't make for good grades and bank accounts and that leads Jez and Mac to each other. There is just a teeny bit of angst from what is a Friends to Lovers and, maybe, Gay For You (I don't think the guys have worked that out fully for themselves yet). I thoroughly enjoyed it and am off to find our about one of the other Housemates, Josh, in the next book.

I enjoyed this, I just had a couple of problems:- With it being so short, character development is limited to just Jez. So Mac's character is meat-less and very one dimensional. It would have been nice to find out a bit more about his thought process throughout his relationship with Jez, even if it was him telling Jez what he thinks.- Mac's insistence at the end that he isn't gay despite the fact that he ends up with a boyfriend, as if there's something wrong with being gay. He can't even acknowledge his bi-sexuality and it just seems like its a case of what's good for Jez isn't good enough for him. But this just might be a downfall of not getting a look into Mac's head.But it was a very enjoyable read. Good for passing a spare couple of hours because it is really short.Although, I have to say, it reminded me a lot of a Sterek fanfic I've read before.