Love, Hypothetically [Kindle Edition]

Anne Tenino (Author)

Book Description

Paul's been called many things—graduate student, humanities tutor, jock-hater, even broke—but "forgiving" isn't one of them. When the new women's softball coach at Calapooya College specifically requests Paul to tutor his athletes, Paul's forced to put aside his strict "no athletes" policy for the sake of his paycheck.

Enter Trevor Gardiner, former Major League Baseball player and Paul’s high school boyfriend. Yeah, that one—the guy who sacrificed Paul for the safety of his closet and his future career. But Trevor’s come out and retired from baseball, and now he’s looking for forgiveness and a second chance.

There’s no earthly reason Paul should give him one, but he keeps letting the man state his case. And touch him. And take him sailing. The waters are far from smooth, though, and Paul says awful things to Trevor he isn’t sure he means. Now Paul has to decide: apologize and forgive Trevor for everything, or chalk it up as revenge and move on.

Editorial Reviews

Review

4 Stars

Anne Tenino is back at Calapooya Collage with another funny, sexy m/m erotic romance that speaks of first love, second chances and forgiveness. The storyline is charming and the strong characters are very well written...

-RT Book Reviews 

Product Details

• File Size: 269 KB
• Print Length: 94 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Riptide Publishing (August 25, 2012)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0092E41NC
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #55,392 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Love, Hypothetically November 20, 2012

By M. Whitmore VINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition

I loved Frat Boy and Toppy and was immediately interested in Sebastian's grumpy roommate, Paul. I wanted to know why he hated jocks so much!

Love Hypothetically is Paul's story. In high school, he had a secret relationship with the star baseball player, Trevor. When Trevor humiliated and outed Paul in order to save his own ass, Paul was devastated. To Paul, athletes are not to be trusted and are only good for hurting people. Ten years later, Trevor is now the coach for the women softball team at Calapooya college. Trevor needs a tutor for some of his players and he wants Paul to be that tutor. Trevor also wants to apologize to Paul and to ask for his forgiveness. And if Paul's willing, to give their relationship another chance. Paul doesn't want Trevor's apology and nor does he believe Trevor deserves his forgiveness. Paul's been burned by Trevor once. He won't let it happen again.

I really liked Paul in Frat Boy and Toppy and found his grouchiness endearing and at times funny. Unfortunately, that grumpiness lost its appeal in Love, Hypothetically. Paul was too grumpy and angry, even with his own friends and it wore thin really fast. I didn't feel like any of the issues between Paul and Trevor were resolved and other than a few lackluster sex scenes, felt like not enough was spent developing the relationship. Ten years had passed, I wanted more emotion when they got back together. I felt a disconnect between the two characters and was not invested in their happiness. Paul does own up to his own crap in the end but by then it was a little too late. also this book wasn't hot.

Overall I found Love, Hypothetically lacking the heart and the heat and the humor that made Frat Boy and Toppy so great. I found the sex scenes lacking heat and imagination and the romance to be underdeveloped.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sexy and Funny August 27, 2012

By Under The Covers Book Blog

Format:Kindle Edition

Reviewed by FRANCESCA & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

I'm really not sure what I was expecting going into this book. I liked Paul from the previous book but yes, he was a jerk to his friend and his new boyfriend. Obviously I was expecting him to have hangups about something and that there was a story behind why he acted like an ass at the mere thought that Brad was a jock.

But what I wasn't prepared for was this story. LOVE, HYPOTHETICALLY was really a beautiful love story of reunited lovers, high school sweethearts that hit a bump in the road that veered them off track for a while but they're getting their second chance at love. While it was sad that Paul and Trevor couldn't stay together then, and what Trevor did was awful, it is also understandable. There were reasons, there was pressure. It was about love or his future and as a teenager who is still figuring out that he's gay and has to deal with that, everything else was too much.

Paul surprised me as well. Where I was expecting to find out he was a flirt and slept around, turns out that he's not the slut I thought he was. He does put value into giving his body to someone and in his heart, there truly only has been Trevor. Even after the heartache, the betrayal and the hurt.

When Trevor comes back, I thought he did everything perfect. He did some groveling, he tried some wooing. And what I found most endearing is that he's not coming back as a perfect guy, all gorgeous looking. He's not at the top anymore, he started loosing his hair. But the same love is still there.

And last but not least, the friendships. After everything Paul did, it was great to see him make amends and have his friends understand why he did the things he did.

If anything, I was expecting this book to be se xier or funnier, and although there was still plenty of se xual tension and a few very hot encounters as well as some funny moments and quotes, it was also a lot more emotional than the first book. There was a connection between them that went beyond the physical and beyond the jokes and I kept holding my breath for the right moment when Paul would finally give in and forgive Trevor.

Now I can't wait for the next one!

*ARC provided by publisher

4.0 out of 5 stars Second Chance Romance For An Unlikely Character May 22, 2013

By Sophia Rose

Format:Kindle Edition

I really wasn't sure how I felt about a book that featured the snarky and bitter Paul from 'Frat Boy & Toppy' as the next book's hero, but there was something about his total hatred of jocks and frat boys that made me curious to know where all that vitriol came from. And so, I got the TAG sequel and gave it a try.

The story begins inside Paul's head as he conducts an internal monologue. Its summer time, he's now living in the dorms (fate worse than death) because he was hateful to his old roommate's boyfriend Brad and he absolutely has to earn enough money to get his own place. Summer tutoring is the worst because its usually those who screwed around all school year and now they have to get their academics back under control before the fall. And ooh, lucky him, he gets a message to report to the new coach of the girl's softball team because most of those girl are in academic trouble. But it just gets better and better (not) when he discovers who the new coach is. Its been nine years and seeing Trevor Gardiner, his first love who tossed him over royally to pursue his dreams, is like a stab in the heart.

Paul soon learns that Trevor intentionally looked him up and begs Paul's forgiveness and wants to reconcile. Too bad Paul's not on the same page. He isn't, right? Trevor puts things in motion to win Paul back and Paul goes along with it to a degree, but he's flustered and panics. He says things that he can't take back and now wonders if- this time- he's the one who tossed his chance at love away.

Its not a long story, but its very impactive. Paul's snarkiness and bitter hatred of all things jock now make a little sense after getting his back history. He's a very intense person and has carried unresolved issues around for nine years that he projects onto all aspects of his life. At first, he was still the guy that was all prickles like a porcupine making me wonder if I could ever sympathize with him let alone like him. But then, after his interactions with Trevor and his friends I saw glimmers of the guy hiding under the hard outer shell. After that, I sat back and just enjoyed watching Paul's character growth commence. He has sass and he has snark and without the bitterness, he's definitely worth knowing. I enjoyed seeing him get his second chance with Trevor and groaned each time he self-destructed because he is one that needs a lot of convincing to trust. My only quibble is that with this told in a first person perspective I missed not having Trevor's perspective and getting to know him better. I liked what I saw and there is no trouble following Trevor's actions or intent, but I guess I wanted to know him as well as Paul. I would have loved seeing them together after they got things settled just to see what they were like without all the tension and angst. Then again, is there a less intense version of Paul? LOL. Maybe we'll get a peek of them together in future books. Speaking of the series, I loved seeing Toby, Sebastian and Brad in a few scenes.

All in all, it was a surprising book because the author was able to not only satisfy my curiosity, but make the unlikeable Paul into a loveable character who I could root for to find his happiness. Those who enjoy m/m contemporary romance in a college setting should give this series a try.

More About the Author

Raised on a steady media diet of Monty Python, classical music and the visual arts, Anne Tenino rocked the mental health world when she was the first patient diagnosed with Compulsive Romantic Disorder. Since that day, with her trusty psychiatrist by her side, Anne has taken on conquering the M/M world through therapeutic writing. Finding out who those guys having sex in her head are and what to do with them has been extremely liberating.

Anne's husband finds it liberating as well, although in a somewhat different way. He has accepted her need for "research", and looks forward to the benefits said research affords him. He thinks it's kind of cool she manages to write, as well. Her two daughters are mildly confused by Anne's need to twist Ken dolls into odd positions. They were raised to be open-minded children, however, and other than occasionally stealing Ken1's strap-on, they let Mom do her thing without interference.

Anne's thing is writing gay romance and erotica.

Wondering what Anne does in her spare time? Mostly she lies on the couch, eats bonbons and shirks housework.

Check out what Anne's up to now by visiting her site. http://annetenino.com or see what the Chicks & Dicks are up to on the blog she contributes to, http://chicksndicks.blogspot.com

Links:

Dreamspinner Press: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2446

Riptide:
http://www.riptidepublishing.com/authors/anne-tenino

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/AnneTenino

Goodreads profile:
http://www.goodreads.com/annetenino