Choosing Us

3.5This seems to be the last of this series and I can't say I've had a bad time with them. If nothing else they're a good way of sampling some pretty good to excellent narrators and to fill in a couple of hours, in my case perfect for commuting. [b:Choosing Us 26122657 Choosing Us (More Than Friends, #10) Aria Grace https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1439926660s/26122657.jpg 46071001] brings us back to Steve, whom we first met in [b:Drunk in Love 20647672 Drunk in Love (More Than Friends, #2) Aria Grace https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1471915763s/20647672.jpg 39941157] being a bit of a douche. He later got redeemed and earned his own HEA with his Little Duck, Joey, in [b:Choosing Happy 20895061 Choosing Happy (More Than Friends, #3) Aria Grace https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1471995838s/20895061.jpg 40238196]and has remained a presence throughout the rest of the series. Essentially this is a story about an established couple become a threesome and I'd say that that part is accomplished in an organic way without histrionics or melodrama. I liked it. Adam is a young man that Joey knew from his stint at Paddles, and I guess he was mentioned in [b:Choosing Happy 20895061 Choosing Happy (More Than Friends, #3) Aria Grace https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1471995838s/20895061.jpg 40238196], I can't say I remember him. It doesn't matter. We get a fair picture of who Adam is and he seems like a perfect and sweet addition to Steve & Joey. He's been hurt and damaged but he's come to the right place to soothe his wounds.Once again [a:Michael Ferraiuolo 13467952 Michael Ferraiuolo https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1498214961p2/13467952.jpg]did a fantastic job with the character voices, from Joey's sweetness, Adam's tentativeness and insecurities, to Steve who's a caretaker to them both but can still be vulnerable himself. MINI RANTMy rating isn't higher for, and that's probably true of the whole series, because the author likes to take up some heavy and important subjects, in this case cutting, attempted suicide, ODing, drug use, homelessness among LGBTQ youth etc. and then just rush or elide the resolutions in a few pages at the end. I think if you make one of your MC have an “issue” it would be a good thing to explore it in more than a paragraph. I understand this is a romance but ... Forget it. I'm being cantankerous but I'll say this (A TOTAL SPOILER/NOT KIDDING) Adam is a cutter from early adolescence. I don't think Steve's magic dick will "cure" him or the reasons for his cutting without additional self-work and even then it's a lifetime project. See A Little Life END OF RANT