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Campus Connections #1
The Kinsey Scale
Life is good for Eric Brown. He’s a senior theater major, an RA for a freshman dorm, and has a great circle of friends. Single since sophomore year, Eric isn’t looking for love. But then Will Butler—fellow senior, co-RA, and the cutest guy Eric’s ever seen—walks into his dorm. Will has a girlfriend he sees off campus—a minor disappointment that becomes a major problem when a housing shortage causes Will and Eric to become roommates, and Eric is forced to witness Will’s hotness day in and day out. For protection, Eric asks Jerry, his ex-boyfriend, to pretend they’re still together. Jerry warns him it’s a stupid idea, but he reluctantly agrees.
Too bad it won’t save Eric from losing his heart.
Will Butler has never believed in himself. His dysfunctional family saw to that. Although Will has loved music since childhood, he’s never seriously considered pursuing it, and the person he’s dating doesn’t encourage him. Then he and Eric Brown become roommates, and everything changes. Eric believes in Will and his talent. He’s also gorgeous and playful and fast becoming Will’s best friend. And that’s not good, because Will is hiding some big things, not only from Eric, but from himself.
Too bad it won’t save Eric from losing his heart.
Will Butler has never believed in himself. His dysfunctional family saw to that. Although Will has loved music since childhood, he’s never seriously considered pursuing it, and the person he’s dating doesn’t encourage him. Then he and Eric Brown become roommates, and everything changes. Eric believes in Will and his talent. He’s also gorgeous and playful and fast becoming Will’s best friend. And that’s not good, because Will is hiding some big things, not only from Eric, but from himself.
88 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 9, 2018
About the author
CJane Elliott
22 books41 followersAfter years of hearing characters chatting away in her head, CJANE ELLIOTT finally decided to put them on paper and hasn’t looked back since. A psychotherapist by training, CJane enjoys writing sexy, passionate stories that also explore the human psyche. CJane has traveled all over North America for work and her characters are travelers, too, traveling down into their own depths to find what they need to get to the happy ending.
CJane is an ardent supporter of LGBTQ equality and is particularly fond of coming-out stories. In her spare time, CJane can be found dancing, listening to music, or watching old movies. Her husband and son support her writing habit by staying out of the way when they see her hunched over, staring intensely at her laptop.
CJane is the author of the award-winning Serpentine Series, New Adult contemporary novels set at the University of Virginia. Serpentine Walls was a 2014 Rainbow Awards finalist, Aidan’s Journey was a 2015 EPIC Awards finalist, and Sex, Love, and Videogames won first place in the New Adult category in the 2016 Swirl Awards and first place in Contemporary Fiction in the 2017 EPIC eBook Awards.
CJane is an ardent supporter of LGBTQ equality and is particularly fond of coming-out stories. In her spare time, CJane can be found dancing, listening to music, or watching old movies. Her husband and son support her writing habit by staying out of the way when they see her hunched over, staring intensely at her laptop.
CJane is the author of the award-winning Serpentine Series, New Adult contemporary novels set at the University of Virginia. Serpentine Walls was a 2014 Rainbow Awards finalist, Aidan’s Journey was a 2015 EPIC Awards finalist, and Sex, Love, and Videogames won first place in the New Adult category in the 2016 Swirl Awards and first place in Contemporary Fiction in the 2017 EPIC eBook Awards.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 28, 2018
Meh. Sadly, this "campus connection" story felt much more about the campus than the actual connection for me. : (
Stories about collegiate MC's are totally my ideal jam, but I never fully bought into the growing relationship between Eric and Will.
I suspect that the main reason for that was the single point of view given, Eric's. I would've killed to know what was going on in Will's head, as he and Eric were assigned to the same dorm room, then spent loads of time together, getting to know one another better.
Also, Eric's complete obliviousness to knowing when others are interested in him "that way" didn't really help the reader see that there was attraction on both sides -- until Eric's friend Jerry broke off a big ole' piece of OBVIOUS and beat Eric upside the head with it, until he finally thought, "huh, maybe"...
I did like the whole girlfriend "Jessie" twist, although, I did see it coming from several miles away.
But the plot point where Eric felt it necessary to fake-date his ex, Jerry... umm, okay, no clue as to why *that* was remotely necessary or helpful in resisting Will's undeniable hotness.
The one full-on steamy scene on the couch was pretty hot, so I was pleasantly surprised, there.
But shorter stories generally leave me with a bit of an unfulfilled wish list, so I'm not eliminating the very likely possibility that my lukewarm reception of the story was probably just me.
Either way, I wanted more, so I'd rate this one at around 3.25 stars.
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My ARC copy of the book was provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.
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October 27, 2018
Utterly adorable novella, first in a new series - yeah, sign me up!
You know what they say about assuming, right? Right. Apparently Eric forgot that little tidbit when he meets Will and assumes that Will is straight. I mean, it's obvious, right, because Will has a girlfriend named Jessie, even if Jessie is never seen, but Will spends time with her on weekends, so clearly he's got a thing with Jessie going.
Until he doesn't.
And since Eric and Will are both RAs, and got thrown together due to a room shortage in the dorm, and since Will is HAWT, Eric can't stop himself from falling head over heels. But since Will is so obviously straight, and Eric doesn't want Will to know what he's feeling, he concocts a scheme about a fake boyfriend. And who better than his actual ex-boyfriend now best friend Jerry? Even if Jerry flat out tells Eric that it's a stupid idea and will totally backfire.
And from the above you might think that this is just a humorous little novella without any depth. And you'd be wrong.
This author mixes humor with some issues that feel pulled from real life. Will's family situation isn't great, and he's trying to please them, but in turn is miserable. He has interests that don't mesh with the person his family thinks he should be, and it takes Eric being encouraging and supportive for Will to pursue his true passion.
Oh, and there's passion inside too. Some UST. Some holy shit, didn't see that coming, mostly for Eric, and some sweet romancing as well.
Very enjoyable, a light, sweet, quick read, and definitely recommended. Can hardly wait for the next book in this series.
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. **
You know what they say about assuming, right? Right. Apparently Eric forgot that little tidbit when he meets Will and assumes that Will is straight. I mean, it's obvious, right, because Will has a girlfriend named Jessie, even if Jessie is never seen, but Will spends time with her on weekends, so clearly he's got a thing with Jessie going.
Until he doesn't.
And since Eric and Will are both RAs, and got thrown together due to a room shortage in the dorm, and since Will is HAWT, Eric can't stop himself from falling head over heels. But since Will is so obviously straight, and Eric doesn't want Will to know what he's feeling, he concocts a scheme about a fake boyfriend. And who better than his actual ex-boyfriend now best friend Jerry? Even if Jerry flat out tells Eric that it's a stupid idea and will totally backfire.
And from the above you might think that this is just a humorous little novella without any depth. And you'd be wrong.
This author mixes humor with some issues that feel pulled from real life. Will's family situation isn't great, and he's trying to please them, but in turn is miserable. He has interests that don't mesh with the person his family thinks he should be, and it takes Eric being encouraging and supportive for Will to pursue his true passion.
Oh, and there's passion inside too. Some UST. Some holy shit, didn't see that coming, mostly for Eric, and some sweet romancing as well.
Very enjoyable, a light, sweet, quick read, and definitely recommended. Can hardly wait for the next book in this series.
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher in exchange for an honest review. **
October 6, 2021
Nope. Not for me. Did not enjoy :(
November 16, 2018
3.5 - 4 Stars
This book was cute, but on the shorter novella side. I think the page count for this storyline was pretty spot-on and the premise, plot and story for these two guys was good and flowed well. I enjoyed reading this book since it was so quick, you can get through it easily start to finish.
Eric and Will are in college and end up being roommates and co-RA’s for their dorm. Eric is kind of oblivious when it comes to Will and everyone around him. He thinks he has Will pegged from day one as completely and totally straight, but of course, what happens when you “ass-u-me” things about people and situations? After things cleared up, it’s a pretty instant love connection for the two since they already had some awkward chemistry flowing together.
Eric and Will were both cute characters, Eric being a theater major who is totally outgoing and fun, and Will being a quieter opposite to him. The one thing I really didn’t understand and didn’t seem quite cleared up to me was Will’s hesitation about his music and why he didn’t want to put himself out there. I think a little more on that subject would have been nice. But, overall, this book was cute and well written and a good way to spend a few hours of my day.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
This book was cute, but on the shorter novella side. I think the page count for this storyline was pretty spot-on and the premise, plot and story for these two guys was good and flowed well. I enjoyed reading this book since it was so quick, you can get through it easily start to finish.
Eric and Will are in college and end up being roommates and co-RA’s for their dorm. Eric is kind of oblivious when it comes to Will and everyone around him. He thinks he has Will pegged from day one as completely and totally straight, but of course, what happens when you “ass-u-me” things about people and situations? After things cleared up, it’s a pretty instant love connection for the two since they already had some awkward chemistry flowing together.
Eric and Will were both cute characters, Eric being a theater major who is totally outgoing and fun, and Will being a quieter opposite to him. The one thing I really didn’t understand and didn’t seem quite cleared up to me was Will’s hesitation about his music and why he didn’t want to put himself out there. I think a little more on that subject would have been nice. But, overall, this book was cute and well written and a good way to spend a few hours of my day.
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
December 27, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.75 stars
The Kinsey Scale is a novella and it moves quickly through the months. We see highlights through Eric’s POV that show us how smitten he’s becoming, and that it’s not just primal lust. They have a nice balance of personalities, with Eric being high-strung and Will the mellow fellow. I had a few “can’t believe it” moments, especially around the campus issues around being Resident Assistants. Eric is insistent that Will is straight, and Will shows some awkwardness that would be telling if anyone (like Eric) was paying attention. For me, Eric got a little annoying—he was high on the drama and the pining. The fake boyfriend seemed especially over-the-top, and Eric has to walk it all back in order to convince Will he isn’t on the rebound.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
3.75 stars
The Kinsey Scale is a novella and it moves quickly through the months. We see highlights through Eric’s POV that show us how smitten he’s becoming, and that it’s not just primal lust. They have a nice balance of personalities, with Eric being high-strung and Will the mellow fellow. I had a few “can’t believe it” moments, especially around the campus issues around being Resident Assistants. Eric is insistent that Will is straight, and Will shows some awkwardness that would be telling if anyone (like Eric) was paying attention. For me, Eric got a little annoying—he was high on the drama and the pining. The fake boyfriend seemed especially over-the-top, and Eric has to walk it all back in order to convince Will he isn’t on the rebound.
Read Veronica’s review in its entirety here.
Read
November 7, 2021ok look sometimes you're researching the sexual revolution of the sixties and you're looking at images of the kinsey scale minding your own business and then you see a cover of a book that looks like this and you think "ha ha i should read part of this for the meme" and then. you become a little awed and fearful at the number of fanfic tropes that the author manages to put into this 165 page book and end up reading the whole thing because screw good literature why eat kale when there's ice cream right in front of you
June 5, 2020
*Received A Copy To Review From The Author*
Decent enough read. But I don't fully believe in the couple. I don't particularly like Eric very much. He had nice moments, but he spent most of the book being jerk and making assumptions and dismissing most of everything Will says, including once Will finally opens up about his orientation. I didn't like that at all. And worse is he's not called out on it once. It's all just allowed as if it were okay. Like I said, Eric has good moments but they didn't outweigh the bad for me. But it's still an okay read, even with that. On to the next!
Decent enough read. But I don't fully believe in the couple. I don't particularly like Eric very much. He had nice moments, but he spent most of the book being jerk and making assumptions and dismissing most of everything Will says, including once Will finally opens up about his orientation. I didn't like that at all. And worse is he's not called out on it once. It's all just allowed as if it were okay. Like I said, Eric has good moments but they didn't outweigh the bad for me. But it's still an okay read, even with that. On to the next!
November 19, 2018
This book was provided for free by the publisher and Love Bytes in exchange for an honest review.
This review was first posted to Love Bytes: LGBTQ Book Reviews. It has been slightly edited here for content.
I’m a fan of CJane Elliott’s longer works, and I was excited to read a story of hers with a college setting. She really brings the chemistry between two characters, but the story itself feels forced and unoriginal. Eric and Will deserve better!
This is one of those stories in which the main conflict could’ve been avoided with a simple conversation. Eric spends months pining after his “straight” roommate and being jealous of Will’s “girlfriend,” but he never actually confirms Will is straight, bisexual, or anything else. He just jumps to conclusions. This would work okay as the starting point in a longer romance, but as the main source of tension, it feels trite.
Eric is a really enjoyable protagonist, though. Elliott is good at writing fun, flamboyant gay male characters with depth and heart. Eric will always lend a helping hand and offer a snarky remark, but he also plays it pretty safe, especially when his heart is on the line. Will is a little more sensible and dry-humored, making them a perfect match—as roommates, friends, and something more.
But the plot remains bland throughout, even with sweet romance tropes I often enjoy. Fake dating plots are pretty popular these days, but the one shoehorned into this story just doesn’t make sense. By telling Will that he’s in a relationship with his ex-boyfriend Jerry, I can’t tell if Eric wants to protect his own heart, make Will jealous, or both. Neither really pan out that well, and the tension ends up fizzling. The title also gets us excited and leaves us cold—the Kinsey Scale is hardly mentioned, and even when it is, it ends up not even mattering in the story.
The simmer between Eric and Will as they dance around their mutual flirtation is yummy, but it couldn’t make the story work as a whole. I know Elliott can write much better plots than this, and I hope her future works in this series show her real talent.
This review was first posted to Love Bytes: LGBTQ Book Reviews. It has been slightly edited here for content.
I’m a fan of CJane Elliott’s longer works, and I was excited to read a story of hers with a college setting. She really brings the chemistry between two characters, but the story itself feels forced and unoriginal. Eric and Will deserve better!
This is one of those stories in which the main conflict could’ve been avoided with a simple conversation. Eric spends months pining after his “straight” roommate and being jealous of Will’s “girlfriend,” but he never actually confirms Will is straight, bisexual, or anything else. He just jumps to conclusions. This would work okay as the starting point in a longer romance, but as the main source of tension, it feels trite.
Eric is a really enjoyable protagonist, though. Elliott is good at writing fun, flamboyant gay male characters with depth and heart. Eric will always lend a helping hand and offer a snarky remark, but he also plays it pretty safe, especially when his heart is on the line. Will is a little more sensible and dry-humored, making them a perfect match—as roommates, friends, and something more.
But the plot remains bland throughout, even with sweet romance tropes I often enjoy. Fake dating plots are pretty popular these days, but the one shoehorned into this story just doesn’t make sense. By telling Will that he’s in a relationship with his ex-boyfriend Jerry, I can’t tell if Eric wants to protect his own heart, make Will jealous, or both. Neither really pan out that well, and the tension ends up fizzling. The title also gets us excited and leaves us cold—the Kinsey Scale is hardly mentioned, and even when it is, it ends up not even mattering in the story.
The simmer between Eric and Will as they dance around their mutual flirtation is yummy, but it couldn’t make the story work as a whole. I know Elliott can write much better plots than this, and I hope her future works in this series show her real talent.
November 12, 2018
Short and sweet is a good way to describe The Kinsey Scale and this is actually what the synopsis promises - story about guys on campus, complete with misunderstandings leading to a happy ending.
The writing is very nice and there are some quite interesting scenes but to be honest I didn't feel the attraction between the main characters that much. Although it was said enough times that it is a lot more, it read a bit skin deep. Maybe it was because it was only from Eric's point of view and to be honest he was the less complicated character of the two. I would've loved to see the things from Will's point of view. Also there was lot more drama potential to his growing up that wasn't realized.
All in all, the character I really loved in this book was Jerry and if he is a MC in a future Campus Connections book I'd read it, because reading this one I constantly felt that he was the author's favorite character too.
The Kinsey Scale could have been better but it gave me what I expected more or less - a quick, light read with low level angst and youthful atmosphere.
I'm giving it a steady 3 stars and although it was not a book I'd recommend, if it has caught your attention anyway, you can give it a try and see how you like it.
The writing is very nice and there are some quite interesting scenes but to be honest I didn't feel the attraction between the main characters that much. Although it was said enough times that it is a lot more, it read a bit skin deep. Maybe it was because it was only from Eric's point of view and to be honest he was the less complicated character of the two. I would've loved to see the things from Will's point of view. Also there was lot more drama potential to his growing up that wasn't realized.
All in all, the character I really loved in this book was Jerry and if he is a MC in a future Campus Connections book I'd read it, because reading this one I constantly felt that he was the author's favorite character too.
The Kinsey Scale could have been better but it gave me what I expected more or less - a quick, light read with low level angst and youthful atmosphere.
I'm giving it a steady 3 stars and although it was not a book I'd recommend, if it has caught your attention anyway, you can give it a try and see how you like it.
June 4, 2020
The Kinsey Scale of the first book in the first book in the Campus Connection series by CJane Elliott. I liked the story of Eric and Will but it was a bit jumpy, as in one moment it was Thanksgiving and the next Christmas break. I would have loved more...... well just more.
April 26, 2023
* college roommates
* sexual assumptions
* Pining. Lots of pining. And jealousy (which makes for bad decisions)
* plenty of dorm life
* FAAABUULOUS friends
* slow burn
If any of the above appeal to you then you'll love this quick read (about 90mins for me)
* sexual assumptions
* Pining. Lots of pining. And jealousy (which makes for bad decisions)
* plenty of dorm life
* FAAABUULOUS friends
* slow burn
If any of the above appeal to you then you'll love this quick read (about 90mins for me)
June 4, 2021
This story was too slow for me. I couldn’t finish it. I pushed to about halfway then gave up. My problem was with the whole slow burn and usual tropes. It started to lose me when Eric decided he needed a fake boyfriend to seem unavailable or not a loser to a straight guy. I dunno I guess I’m over the whole fake boyfriend/girlfriend thing when it’s used this way. It’s been done so many times before and this one was not only with an ex but an ex who was seeing someone if I recall. And he’s straight so why does he even care how he views him if there is zero chance of a relationship anyway. It all seemed a bit much.
Next it was the girlfriend back home plotline. The girl these ‘not so straight guys’ always have so the gay love interest can validate why they could never have him because you know, girlfriend back home. In this instance, it seemed like Eric was the only one talking about said girlfriend and not Will. This made it even harder to get into this plotline. Will wasn’t the one dangling the girlfriend all the time as some sort of straight bait Eric, however, was way too invested in a girl Will didn’t ever seem eager to talk about.
It was too obvious that Will was bi-curious or even straight-up gay and as the pages went on it got frustrating instead of intriguing how long Eric would take to see this. I officially quit when his ex, the one he’s pretending to be boyfriends with, flat out told him drunk Will did nothing but talk about him and mentioned that the girlfriend did not exist and he still was like nah. Not only does he not like me, he’s totally straight. There’s only so much evidence combined with denial I can go along with and half a book was too much. And this couldn’t have been all obvious, like an ex with a boyfriend pretends to be your boyfriend because you still have a friendship, ends up taking your crush home and, amongst all the other clues previously ignored, you act like he’s lying to you, or something because Will is so straight?
I skimmed a few chapters to find, hoping I was wrong about how far in it would be, the first real instance of the Kinsey scale. It is in the title after all. It was pretty far in and was a brief thing about Will being a 3 i think. I also skimmed to see how long it took before Eric came to his senses and even when that happened it ended with Will not wanting to talk about it. So over half a book the burn is still going without a payoff.
This book is obviously a slow burn but the burn hinges on the main character ignoring signs the most unperceptive person can see or intentionally creating situations/conclusions out of thin air to go against said signs to drag along the burn and it was frustrating to read. How naive and stubborn can a person be?
If slow burns are your thing and you’re willing to buy into someone being as clueless as Eric for half a book even when his closest friend and ex flat out tells him he’s wrong then this book will work. It’s sweet, fun at some points. There may even be a few laughs. But it was way too slow for me. I’ve read enough books and seen enough movies that hinge on someone who isn’t written and described as too stupid to see the signs somehow missing or ignoring signs even when the other characters point out evidence, to suspend enough belief for it again in this story. And definitely enough of the fake partner plots and this story didn’t bring a new angle to the fake boyfriend/girlfriend trope. All in all, this was too slow and too familiar for me to get into it which is a shame cause roommates to lovers is always a fun ride when it works.
Next it was the girlfriend back home plotline. The girl these ‘not so straight guys’ always have so the gay love interest can validate why they could never have him because you know, girlfriend back home. In this instance, it seemed like Eric was the only one talking about said girlfriend and not Will. This made it even harder to get into this plotline. Will wasn’t the one dangling the girlfriend all the time as some sort of straight bait Eric, however, was way too invested in a girl Will didn’t ever seem eager to talk about.
It was too obvious that Will was bi-curious or even straight-up gay and as the pages went on it got frustrating instead of intriguing how long Eric would take to see this. I officially quit when his ex, the one he’s pretending to be boyfriends with, flat out told him drunk Will did nothing but talk about him and mentioned that the girlfriend did not exist and he still was like nah. Not only does he not like me, he’s totally straight. There’s only so much evidence combined with denial I can go along with and half a book was too much. And this couldn’t have been all obvious, like an ex with a boyfriend pretends to be your boyfriend because you still have a friendship, ends up taking your crush home and, amongst all the other clues previously ignored, you act like he’s lying to you, or something because Will is so straight?
I skimmed a few chapters to find, hoping I was wrong about how far in it would be, the first real instance of the Kinsey scale. It is in the title after all. It was pretty far in and was a brief thing about Will being a 3 i think. I also skimmed to see how long it took before Eric came to his senses and even when that happened it ended with Will not wanting to talk about it. So over half a book the burn is still going without a payoff.
This book is obviously a slow burn but the burn hinges on the main character ignoring signs the most unperceptive person can see or intentionally creating situations/conclusions out of thin air to go against said signs to drag along the burn and it was frustrating to read. How naive and stubborn can a person be?
If slow burns are your thing and you’re willing to buy into someone being as clueless as Eric for half a book even when his closest friend and ex flat out tells him he’s wrong then this book will work. It’s sweet, fun at some points. There may even be a few laughs. But it was way too slow for me. I’ve read enough books and seen enough movies that hinge on someone who isn’t written and described as too stupid to see the signs somehow missing or ignoring signs even when the other characters point out evidence, to suspend enough belief for it again in this story. And definitely enough of the fake partner plots and this story didn’t bring a new angle to the fake boyfriend/girlfriend trope. All in all, this was too slow and too familiar for me to get into it which is a shame cause roommates to lovers is always a fun ride when it works.
November 8, 2018
Talk about two men that do not really know one another at all. Both men are lying to the other and neither of them have a clue. I found this to be a great read. It is a book about two men that like the other but one man bases what the other man looks like on him being straight. So this is where the misunderstandings and lies come into play. CJane Elliot wrote a great book on never making assumptions based off the cover of the book.
Eric is excited about his life. He is a senior in college and he is also a RA of his dorm. Therefore he is able to have a single room since he is an RA. So things are looking great for Eric. Or at least it was until there is a mix up in the administration office and Eric’s co RA has no where to stay so Eric has now lost his single room. What makes it worse is his co RA is hot. And straight with a girlfriend. How will Eric survive having to share a room with Will without accidentally letting on that he is attracted to him?
Eric comes up with a plan to have a fake boyfriend. His ex agrees to be his fake boyfriend but there are stipulations. Eric agreed and now he has a buffer when things start to become strained where his roommate is concerned.
What Eric never expected is for both him and Will to become so close. And the fact that Will is starting to throw some mixed signals at him as well. Is Eric’s imagination playing tricks on him or is Will actually flirting with him?
This is a great read, I really enjoyed it. CJane did an amazing job on this book. I truly look forward to more book in this series as they come out. If they are half as good as this one then they will great reads as well!!
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
Eric is excited about his life. He is a senior in college and he is also a RA of his dorm. Therefore he is able to have a single room since he is an RA. So things are looking great for Eric. Or at least it was until there is a mix up in the administration office and Eric’s co RA has no where to stay so Eric has now lost his single room. What makes it worse is his co RA is hot. And straight with a girlfriend. How will Eric survive having to share a room with Will without accidentally letting on that he is attracted to him?
Eric comes up with a plan to have a fake boyfriend. His ex agrees to be his fake boyfriend but there are stipulations. Eric agreed and now he has a buffer when things start to become strained where his roommate is concerned.
What Eric never expected is for both him and Will to become so close. And the fact that Will is starting to throw some mixed signals at him as well. Is Eric’s imagination playing tricks on him or is Will actually flirting with him?
This is a great read, I really enjoyed it. CJane did an amazing job on this book. I truly look forward to more book in this series as they come out. If they are half as good as this one then they will great reads as well!!
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
November 10, 2018
A good story with an HFN.
I really enjoyed reading The Kinsey Scale; I seem to have an affinity for college stories and this is a good one. This one has lots of tropes: fake boyfriend, forced proximity, secrets and secret attraction.
Eric and Will are Resident Advisors (RAs) for a freshman dorm. Due to a shortage, they have to share a room. Eric is attracted to the good-looking Will as soon as he spots him and knows that sharing a room with the straight guy is going to be torture.
The blurb really tells you everything about this rather short novella. I found it a fun, quick read. I felt so bad for Eric when he realizes how attracted he is to Will. He's determined to not fall for the straight guy but it's a huge challenge for him.
Things get interesting when Eric and Will are with a group of friends and a discussion about the Kinsey Scale comes up. The Kinsey Scale allows for more fluidity regarding sexual preference rather than just hetero or homo (words used in the book). As everyone is telling where they fall on the scale Eric is shocked when Will reveals his number.
I think this book sends a message, wrapped in an entertaining story, that you shouldn't make assumptions about people, which is what got Eric into trouble. It's a good book and I really enjoyed it.
An advanced copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
I really enjoyed reading The Kinsey Scale; I seem to have an affinity for college stories and this is a good one. This one has lots of tropes: fake boyfriend, forced proximity, secrets and secret attraction.
Eric and Will are Resident Advisors (RAs) for a freshman dorm. Due to a shortage, they have to share a room. Eric is attracted to the good-looking Will as soon as he spots him and knows that sharing a room with the straight guy is going to be torture.
The blurb really tells you everything about this rather short novella. I found it a fun, quick read. I felt so bad for Eric when he realizes how attracted he is to Will. He's determined to not fall for the straight guy but it's a huge challenge for him.
Things get interesting when Eric and Will are with a group of friends and a discussion about the Kinsey Scale comes up. The Kinsey Scale allows for more fluidity regarding sexual preference rather than just hetero or homo (words used in the book). As everyone is telling where they fall on the scale Eric is shocked when Will reveals his number.
I think this book sends a message, wrapped in an entertaining story, that you shouldn't make assumptions about people, which is what got Eric into trouble. It's a good book and I really enjoyed it.
An advanced copy of this book was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***
May 25, 2020
This is an entertaining college romance that, to me, actually reads a little bit like a soap opera/tv series.
It's a short story spanning most of the college year as Eric crushes on his new roommate and co RA, Will. They spend a lot of time together and develop a strong friendship, all whilst Eric assumes that Will is straight. There is an undercurrent of attraction on both sides that their friends can sense but are unable to convince Eric of the possibility that Will could be attracted to him. There is low level drama that causes issues with their friendship until revelations lead to the possibility of more. It's quite teenage angst-y with a fair amount of overthinking on Eric's part. He is there for Will when needed but also has to reconsider the way he's thought and acted when it comes to Will's sexuality.
As well as the two MC's, there is a good group of friends that they hang out with, especially Eric's best friend who supports him right from the start of his crush on Will.
I enjoyed the book over all and an interested in seeing how the series develops but as others have said, having the POV of Will would have added something more to the story, considering everything that he goes through during this book.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
It's a short story spanning most of the college year as Eric crushes on his new roommate and co RA, Will. They spend a lot of time together and develop a strong friendship, all whilst Eric assumes that Will is straight. There is an undercurrent of attraction on both sides that their friends can sense but are unable to convince Eric of the possibility that Will could be attracted to him. There is low level drama that causes issues with their friendship until revelations lead to the possibility of more. It's quite teenage angst-y with a fair amount of overthinking on Eric's part. He is there for Will when needed but also has to reconsider the way he's thought and acted when it comes to Will's sexuality.
As well as the two MC's, there is a good group of friends that they hang out with, especially Eric's best friend who supports him right from the start of his crush on Will.
I enjoyed the book over all and an interested in seeing how the series develops but as others have said, having the POV of Will would have added something more to the story, considering everything that he goes through during this book.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
November 15, 2018
Two unlikely young men are thrown together yet quickly become close friends. The dramatic and very openly gay Eric and Will, the straight jock, find that they make excellent RA partners as well as friends but when the attraction deepens for one of them it begins to put a strain on their relationship. Not everything is as it seems, though, and there are secrets that will be revealed that just may change their relationship forever. But if neither can find the courage, that change might spell an end rather than a new beginning.
This was a cute story that moved very quickly. I'm not sure I enjoyed the time jumps used to speed up their whole evolution because it felt like we missed some vital moments that cemented their friendship. Those pieces would also have been good to give them a little more foundation and depth when the reveals started happening. I also think that with all the emotional turmoil Will had going on inside him the very big confrontations regarding his confession were skimmed over and skipped altogether. Aside from those rather large oversights, this was a nice story that had some cute moments to match an interesting premise.
This was a cute story that moved very quickly. I'm not sure I enjoyed the time jumps used to speed up their whole evolution because it felt like we missed some vital moments that cemented their friendship. Those pieces would also have been good to give them a little more foundation and depth when the reveals started happening. I also think that with all the emotional turmoil Will had going on inside him the very big confrontations regarding his confession were skimmed over and skipped altogether. Aside from those rather large oversights, this was a nice story that had some cute moments to match an interesting premise.
December 28, 2018
The Kinsey Scale by CJane Elliott is my first read by this author. The story follows two college RA’s who become roommates when no other options are available, and eventually are glad that they have one room together. 😉 It takes some time during their senior year, but eventually they get their HFN.
I enjoyed the story, although it was a slow burn. Eric believed that Will was straight, and he himself had been out for quite a while, so going back in the closet was not an option. Will, meanwhile, wasn’t quite as forthcoming with where he fit on the Kinsey Scale, until the subject came up in a group conversation, and then things become a bit more transparent. There is a bit of heat later in the book, but for most of the book, they aren’t able to get themselves to the right place to give it a shot.
As Eric used his ex to try to push off the temptation of Will, Will was learning that he had not allowed himself to be in a situation that was beneficial to him, and was trying to move on from that previous relationship.
This was a short, sweet story that wrapped up easily with not too much angst for the characters. I’d definitely read the next book in the series.
3.5 pieces of eye candy
I enjoyed the story, although it was a slow burn. Eric believed that Will was straight, and he himself had been out for quite a while, so going back in the closet was not an option. Will, meanwhile, wasn’t quite as forthcoming with where he fit on the Kinsey Scale, until the subject came up in a group conversation, and then things become a bit more transparent. There is a bit of heat later in the book, but for most of the book, they aren’t able to get themselves to the right place to give it a shot.
As Eric used his ex to try to push off the temptation of Will, Will was learning that he had not allowed himself to be in a situation that was beneficial to him, and was trying to move on from that previous relationship.
This was a short, sweet story that wrapped up easily with not too much angst for the characters. I’d definitely read the next book in the series.
3.5 pieces of eye candy
November 1, 2018
I received a copy of The Kinsey Scale by CJane Elliot via IndiGo Marketing & Design in exchange for an honest review. This is easily the best meet-cute book I’ve read this year. Eric is a fun narrator, an out-and-proud theater major who is an RA his senior year in college, although why he is putting himself through that is never clear. He lusts after Will right away but decides he is off-limits since he is straight. Given Will’s background, it is not surprising he’s developed some less-than-healthy coping mechanisms. There are lots of misunderstandings between the two, but the scene where they are resolved is especially entertaining and perfect for our theater major. An enjoyable read that manages to be light yet deal with serious issues at the same time.
June 3, 2020
This was such a fun, light, and fluffy read. An assumption, a couple of lies, then fear of rejection can cause quite the kerfuffle.
Eric and Will were both going to be RAs their senior year. They both received their dorm assignments and rooms, then everything changed. Next thing they know they're Co-RAs AND sharing a room. Luckily they discovered they made a good team and quickly became friends.
I found the book to be well written, and the characters were charming. The laughter was contagious, and I often found a smile on my face. It was easy to get lost in this short story.
This book is the first in a series, and I can’t wait to read the next one!
***I voluntarily accepted an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews. My review reflects my own thoughts and opinions***
Eric and Will were both going to be RAs their senior year. They both received their dorm assignments and rooms, then everything changed. Next thing they know they're Co-RAs AND sharing a room. Luckily they discovered they made a good team and quickly became friends.
I found the book to be well written, and the characters were charming. The laughter was contagious, and I often found a smile on my face. It was easy to get lost in this short story.
This book is the first in a series, and I can’t wait to read the next one!
***I voluntarily accepted an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews. My review reflects my own thoughts and opinions***
November 8, 2018
Eric was besotted with Will the moment they met, but immediately assumed him straight.
Will had a girlfriend Jessie he sees on the weekends so that just cements Eric’s beliefs about Will, until a chat with friends and Will says he is a three on the Kinsey Scale.
This is a short and sweet story. I never really related to either character. I liked Eric’s friend and ex boyfriend Jerry better than either main character. He literally stole the book. There is a cute twist regarding Will’s girlfriend but I saw that coming from the beginning.
The story is good, it’s a short, fun read.
If you like college romance, roommates to lovers and a sexy romance you will like this!
Will had a girlfriend Jessie he sees on the weekends so that just cements Eric’s beliefs about Will, until a chat with friends and Will says he is a three on the Kinsey Scale.
This is a short and sweet story. I never really related to either character. I liked Eric’s friend and ex boyfriend Jerry better than either main character. He literally stole the book. There is a cute twist regarding Will’s girlfriend but I saw that coming from the beginning.
The story is good, it’s a short, fun read.
If you like college romance, roommates to lovers and a sexy romance you will like this!
May 30, 2020
This is a sweet and fairly low-angst story. After a housing shortage causes Will and Eric to have to share a dorm, they fast become good friends. And to Eric, he certainly wishes Will could be something more. But Will is straight... and worse, he has a girlfriend. So Eric does the only thing he can think of and pretends he is still together with his ex-boyfriend. Both of their behaviour definitely frustrated me at times, and I didn't feel like we got enough character depth to really understand or empathise with them. It also takes a long portion of the book for the miscommunication to stop, but finally when it does, the ending is wonderfully sweet.
May 22, 2020
I really enjoy college stories, and looked forward to this one. The story was ok, but unfortunately, I found it lacking in some areas Things took place which I couldn't really see the point of. Also, I always enjoy a story from a two person point of view. As other reviewers have said, I really wanted to know what was going on in Will's head, as well as Eric's. I think that would have made more sense of the connection between the two guys, which I really didn't feel . More than anything though, I felt that the story lacked substance. I wanted to know more about the characters, their past lives, their hopes and dreams. There was a superficiality about the story. It's a pity, because I felt that the book showed real potential, and just needed 'padding out.' Two and a half stars.
May 21, 2020
Super cute, fast, and short story. But I loved Eric and Will! Eric is out and proud and Will is his straight new Co-RA. It is a sweet story. Eric is crushing hard on Will and asks his ex-Jerry to pretend to be his boyfriend. All the side characters in this story were really great. Loved Jerry, he was funny! Low angst. Loved it, I would definitely recommend it.
I am voluntarily leaving a review form an ARC that I received from Gay Romance Reviews. My reviews are solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
I am voluntarily leaving a review form an ARC that I received from Gay Romance Reviews. My reviews are solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
May 23, 2020
I loved how Eric and Will's story came together and ended in their HEA. When you meet Eric, is one of the RA's and meets Will, who has been assigned to room with him. Eric tells himself Will is straight and he refuses he harbor a crush on the man, even going as far as asking his ex for a rescue. But the more Eric and Will get to know each other, the deeper their friendship and a sizzling attraction between them grow. There are several surprises to their story, but the connection between the two men will keep you reading until the end. Entertaining and sweet!!
June 2, 2020
Cute, funny, and sweet.
Thank goodness for miscommunication and poor gaydar. Eric and Will get along so well and become friends so easily but are completely clueless at the same time. Throw in a lot of Jerry and a little Tyrone and you’ve got a great crew. Thoroughly entertaining and a joy to read.
Thank goodness for miscommunication and poor gaydar. Eric and Will get along so well and become friends so easily but are completely clueless at the same time. Throw in a lot of Jerry and a little Tyrone and you’ve got a great crew. Thoroughly entertaining and a joy to read.
June 4, 2020
Eric and Will are in college and end up being roommates and co-RA’s for their dorm. Eric is a theater major who is totally outgoing and fun, Will is quieter and opposite of Eric. Eric does a lot of assuming about Will and a lot of misunderstandings are going on between them.
This was a quick cute that I enjoyed story reading. I definitely recommend this book!
This was a quick cute that I enjoyed story reading. I definitely recommend this book!
May 20, 2020
Great quick read
This was a good quick read. The storyline was interesting and intriguing. Loved the way the story plays out. The characters Darwin and Cody are great and go well together. Can’t wait for the next book
This was a good quick read. The storyline was interesting and intriguing. Loved the way the story plays out. The characters Darwin and Cody are great and go well together. Can’t wait for the next book
May 31, 2020
3.5* rounded up to 4*
This is a likeable short-ish story about forced proximity, roommates to lovers, a typical college campus romance. Both characters were personable and seemed well rounded, I would however would have liked to have Will’s POV as well as Eric’s. As I said this is a likeable read with secondary characters who tend to steal the scenes, Jerry is my favourite hopefully his book is better, this was a bit soap opera-esque for me, I will be giving the next one ago.
This is a likeable short-ish story about forced proximity, roommates to lovers, a typical college campus romance. Both characters were personable and seemed well rounded, I would however would have liked to have Will’s POV as well as Eric’s. As I said this is a likeable read with secondary characters who tend to steal the scenes, Jerry is my favourite hopefully his book is better, this was a bit soap opera-esque for me, I will be giving the next one ago.
June 3, 2020
Cute story
This was nice, short and sweet story.
I liked both Eric and Will, they are sweet. The misunderstanding and friends to lovers situation was cute.
Nice story for a quick moment of evasion
This was nice, short and sweet story.
I liked both Eric and Will, they are sweet. The misunderstanding and friends to lovers situation was cute.
Nice story for a quick moment of evasion
November 10, 2018
3.5 stars
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