StitchersGirl

Perfectly developed short story about Cameron and Lucas who habe 65 hours to develop an ad campaign. I loved their ideas, and I enjoyed the hell out of their journey to get it done. And do each other in the process. It was funny, it was sexy and it really touched. If you want to read a perfectly written romantic short story that had it all, READ THIS!

Edit 02/21/16

I'm going to remove my rating. I still think it's a great, quirky, fun book. A sexy office romance, perfectly executed short story.

But.

And I'm sorry and not sorry to say this - things changed. Mostly because a man that rocks my world a time or two per month with his words, pointed something out that hit me where it hurts.

Recap & TMI: A couple of years ago my bae told me he couldn't talk to me about his sexlife anymore because he knew I'd explode all over him and beat him to a bloody pulp with a huge dildo if he did. Why? Because I was an oblivious, judgemental asshole about HIV and AIDS, about condoms, staying safe and most of all, having an opinion on a matter I practically knew nothing about. Talk about major eye-opener. But I tried to learn. I'd like to think I got better over time - nowadays I'm having kittens when I read a scene about one MC telling the other he's "clean". Aw, please go fuck yourself with something salty. I washed my ass this morning too before I went to work. Anyway, I'm getting off track.

The thing is, back then I didn't think twice about what was written in "Sixty Fice Hours". The comments about "Oh my god, I'm turning into a girl!" didn't even touch me (much) anymore. Because they are so common, so frequent in books (not only MM, I'm just used to it. Same goes for the explanations. Most of them are homophobic, mysogynistic, or plain offensive on all fronts. So I don't even want to hear the justifications anymore. I'm a girl, sometimes I cry, I'm not a supermodel and I'm mostly blond, with quite some grey mixed in. I'll always be the butt of many jokes, and making fun of or belittling me and people like me, will always give some people serious feel-good vibes - intended or not. I'm used to it, in books and in the world. So when it happened in this book, I barely cringed. It is what it is.

But then there is this whole issue about HIV/AIDS/safe sex/condoms/hospices. And dang girl! What were you thinking? It's bs-ception. Bullshit in bullshit in bullshit. With a little bullshit on top to make us all feel better. Except for the people affected by this kind of marginalization and hurtful obliviousness. But oh well, what can you say? It's been so long ago and we all didn't know better and yada, yada, yada. Fuck that. We should know better. We should have known better for a long, long time - me included. But we didn't and now we get called out on it. And damn right, we all should be. Including NR Walker and this book. For educational and eye-opening purposes go look at the "beautiful review that got me thinking and maybe weeping a little on the side, because it says it all so wonderfully and better than I ever could.

As one of the people who were oblivious and judgemental without ever questioning my ways, I have no "excuse" for my behavior a couple of years ago. But nowadays I feel differently. I think I'd still enjoy this novella today, because it WAS fun, and quirky, and sexy, and well executed. But then I wouldn't be able to ignore the things 'on the side' and it would definitely spoil the experience for me. So, no rating anymore. Not because I didn't enjoy this book, or don't like NR Walker's books anymore. But because I don't feel comfortable with the five stars anymore, and I wouldn't give less stars without reading the book again. Which is not something I want to do. Because I know myself, I can guess how I would react and it wouldn't make me happy or feel better, it would spoil my day, make me sad and then I still wouldn't know how to write a different review, because I would probably be torn up about it for weeks.

So I'll stick to no stars, an edited version of my first review and then I'll move on.