Book Review: Out in the Open by A.J Truman

Reviewed by Heather C

Title:  Out in the Open
Author: A.J. Truman
Series: Browerton University #1
Heroes: Ethan Follett/Greg Sanderson
Genre: MM Contemporary Romance
Length: 244 Pages
Publisher: A.J. Truman
Release Date: September 25, 2014
Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: Libraries are meant for studying – not sex

College sophomore Ethan Follett never says what’s on his mind and never wants to rock the boat. After a high school social life spent anonymous and alone, things are finally falling into place for him. He’s found a group of friends just as studious as he, and is on track for a promising legal career. Out in the open, things couldn’t be better, but secretly Ethan yearns for some real excitement in his life.

He finds it in cocky fratboy Greg Sanderson, who challenges every rigid, preconceived notion Ethan lives by. Soon, their sparring relationship turns sexual, and these enemies-with-benefits get their freak on all over campus. Yet the more Ethan comes out of his shell, the more Greg retreats into his, working overtime to keep his ladies man public persona intact. As the sex gets hotter, and they get closer to getting caught, one part of their arrangement can’t stay hidden any longer: love.

Review:

When the request came in for me to review this book, I immediately said “no way”.  For one, it is contemporary, and let’s just say that contemporary romance hasn’t been my thing for over a year.  Second, it’s self-published by a brand new author.  Yikes!!  Now, I know there are many readers out there who love to give new, undiscovered authors a try, I’m just not one of them.  Oh, I’ve chanced it many times and can honestly say that I’ve found some great ones.  Out in the Open just happens to be one of those great ones.

I immediately connected with the main character, Ethan Follett.  He’s socially awkward and more focused on his academics than making friends with the cool kids.  He actually reminded me a bit of myself when I was in college.  But when he shows up late on the first day of Constitutional Law, Ethan gets stuck sitting by the biggest distraction of his life: “fraternislut” Greg Sanderson.  Before he knows it, Ethan is having super-secret-public-sexcapades with Greg all over campus.  The problem? Greg swears he is straight.

Okay, this isn’t a real complicated story, and the majority of it is fairly predictable: closets, drunken frat parties, cliquish drama.  But it hit all my weaknesses in all the right places: virgins, out for you, self discovery.  And the sex was crazy hot…I think it was all the risky, public sex that did it for me.  Ethan and Greg were very creative.

The story is told from Ethan’s POV, so obviously I get to know him a lot better than Greg.  Greg is a bit of an enigma and Ethan struggles to uncover the real Greg.  I thought it was pretty obvious what Greg was hiding, but it truly endeared him to me more.  I did think that the ending was a little rushed and the resolution a bit too easy.  I wanted to see all that “stuff” that happened between the last chapter the epilogue, dammit!  Gah!  I’m greedy like that.

In the end, the author has done of wonderful job of bringing campus life…well, to life.  I can’t wait for the next book in the series!  Psst, I already know whose story it will tell. 🙂

Overall Impression: I Loved It

*I received a copy of this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review.*