Genre: Contemporary, Erotic
LGBTQ+ Category: Gay
Reviewer: Maryann
Get It On Amazon | Publisher
About The Book
Sometimes one decision changes your life.
Javier made a mistake and paid for it with jail time and parents who won’t speak to him. But with supportive friends and hard work he’s back on track, holding down a job and going to college. He doesn’t need anything else on his plate — especially not a preppy rich boy who doesn’t look like he’s ever had a problem in his life.
Brandy made a mistake and now, instead of attending Princeton with his friends, he’s at a city college full of people who seem to hate him no matter what he does. He’s trying not to care. He isn’t staying, so he doesn’t need a friend — especially not a macho guy who would probably beat him up if he knew how much Brandy wanted to get him naked.
Javi didn’t know he was making a decision: it was just a moment’s kindness to someone who looked sad and alone. Now somehow Brandy is eating lunch with Javier’s friends and Javi is inviting him to parties, and he isn’t even sure how the conversation led to Brandy’s parents thinking they were dating. There’s only one bed and bed is where Javi excels, but is hot sex enough to keep Brandy in his life when they have nothing else in common?
The Review
Charles Brandywine – aka Brandy – is a very naive young man. He’s struggles socially, and doesn’t have the slightest idea how life is different for everyone. He’s also sheltered by his wealthy parents and their controlling ways. They and his siblings verbally abuse him and ignore him, battering his self-confidence. Of course, his being gay just adds to the family’s disgust for him. Brandy is starving for friendship and someone to like him, and the struggle leads him into bad situations.
When he flunks out of Princeton, he starts attending CUNY instead. Javier is the first person he meets there. He sort of intrudes on Javier and his friend, Denise, Ezra and Daniel. They ignore Brandy, and he just doesn’t get it.
Javier, though, is friendly to him. His life is completely opposite from Brandy’s. He was kicked out of the house when he came out to his parents. He works to pay his own way, and is planning on a minor in economics and major in Social Justice. He’s lived on the streets, but he also knows how to conduct himself in certain situations. He’s been in jail, too, and has worked on his anger issues.
Brandy and Javier are often at the same parties. Eventually, with some teasing, Brandy becomes part of Javier and his friends’ little group. When Brandy has to go home one weekend because of his sister’s upcoming marriage, he asks himself why he still subjects himself to their abuse? When he finds out that Javier has nothing to do that weekend, he makes a deal with him to pay Javi a thousand dollars to go home with him.
Javier brings a whole new life to Brandy, and even Javi’s friends see a new potential in Brandy. Javi and Brandy are such opposites – do they really need each other, or is this a disaster in the making for them both?
Rain creates two very different, fascinating characters in Didn’t Know We Needed. randy is an innocent who seems to be totally oblivious to the world around him, and pushes himself into Javier’s group of friends. Brandy’s family is pompous, hateful and verbally abusive, and they have nothing good or constructive to offer Brandy.
Javier is such a great character. He knows how to bring out the best in Brandy. He also encourages Brandy to not be so negative, and to learn not only about life but also about everyday things.
I really enjoyed this book, watching two unique personalities learn how to adapt and handle life, and each other. Well done.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
