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Unforgiven

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Unforgiven

Written by: Ruth Clampett
Narrated by: Eric London, Iggy Toma
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Would you live a lie to hold onto the one you love?

Dean and Jason are best friends, like brothers since boyhood, now architecture students and college roommates. They've always had each other's back, but when one walks in on the other with another man, everything changes. How do you explain to your best friend that he's the one you've always wanted, that until now your life has been a lie?

Desperation and shame are two dirty words that run through Jason's veins. He carries the scars from a wayward priest who stole his innocence and left him shattered. Meanwhile for years he's watched Dean pursuing woman after woman, as his own heart slowly breaks.

When their world blows apart, they learn the powerful bond between them has more fire than either understood. Can two broken souls find the light in their darkness and come together to make a whole, or will sins of the past be forever unforgiven?

©2017 Ruth Clampett (P)2017 Tantor Romance Heartfelt
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Narrating was spectacular. Story was alright. It's hard to believe the total turnaround from straight guy to madly in love with a man in a few weeks.

Best Narrators ever.

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The only good thing I can say is that the narrators are excellent.. But there is nothing likeable about Dean as a character and he comes across as a homophobic moron straight from the fifties.
ugh.

Couldn't get passed a few chapters

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The first few chapters contain homophobia and misogyny. While the narrators are nice to listen to, the story is not. It takes the trope of the gay character sleeping his way through women like tissue paper to the max. While the characters are young college students (and gay/bi), this doesn't excuse treating women like they are disposable. And the bi-erasure in this is disappointing as well. Just a complete disappointment.

Hard Pass

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Best friend makes ML’s trauma all about himself. Is super homophobic and judgemental. Triggers ML trauma and forces him to share more trauma. Love interest only cares about himself.

Worst best friend

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I did not finish this book; I read almost 4 hours. This book is about seniors in college but the ages seem younger. The 2 main characters are lifelong best friends; the “straight” friend, Dean, witnesses his friend in a sexual situation with another man. The straight friend is presented as having a breakdown and questions everything. I can’t tell if his internal rants are a deliberate portrait of toxic masculinity or the author’s limited skills. The “straight” character is hyper sexual with women (WARNING: there are multiple explicit MF scenes), misogynistic, homophobic, and possessive/stalker-ish. Basically, the main characters have been a “couple” but didn’t acknowledge it. The “gay” character, JJ, has been pretending to be a “stud” with women and seems to imply the interaction with the college guy is his first; honestly, there were enough “get off” encounters with best friend growing up it probably satisfied his need. Just don’t tell Dean that. JJ has been “in love” with Dean but we don’t know who that guy is because Dean is just portrayed as a horrible person; he takes no responsibility for sexually using people (both JJ and women). He appears to have no empathy, is only focused on his sexual arousal, and blames others for his selfish sexual behaviors. By the way, this is supposed to be the “liberal” MC with the progressive parents. JJ, on the other hand, is raised by a hyper-religious, single mother and afraid to come out. To add insult to injury, his back story includes SA in the religion and explicit scenes are included (WARNING). I don’t understand the point of this subplot - there was enough drama. Perhaps, to explain why JJ was so needy for Dean’s approval and willing to be used by him. Although, the flashbacks to the SA seems to have awareness that he was being used and feeling shame which would usually cause someone to stop similar situations (he does in one scene with the other student but not with Dean). Dean’s behavior is borderline rapist (maybe actual) and his thought patterns are disturbing; he agrees to encounters with JJ but then twists them to blame JJ for manipulating and forcing him. This is not a character who wants to address the rage he feels; I just don’t understand how he hasn’t exhibited these types of emotion based toxic behaviors before; this is the kind of person with a pattern and would be treated with strong boundaries. To speak to my “title”, this character’s internal thoughts are all about what is “masculine” and rejects anything that isn’t. He also feels entitled to an apology from JJ for being gay, follows JJ to observe his encounters with his date, and, when Dean is aroused or unable to be aroused with women, blames JJ for his “confusion.” The lack of self-awareness of this man is infuriating. I had to stop after an explicit SA scene that was followed by what seemed to be a similar scene with Dean and I was afraid JJ would allow it. This is not a MM HEA book; if they get together, it will be disappointing to readers. The readers are excellent but I’m sorry they were forced to perform this book.

Study in toxic masculinity

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