Grown Men by Damon Suede
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
The newest addition to the HardCell world really took me by surprise. I think I expected something gritty and slightly twisted (see Seedy Business). Instead, Grown Men is a tender, moving love story about two very different men who slowly learn to depend on one another, become friends, and eventually realize that their true home is with each other.
One of the aspects of the novella that I truly enjoyed is how well Runt develops over the course of the narrative. Runt initially comes off as very self-absorbed, paranoid, and a bit of an ass. However, as he starts to work with, care for, and becomes attracted to Ox, he develops into a much more interesting narrator. Ox, in contrast was easy for me to adore from the beginning (possibly because I was already familiar with his history).
Grown Men is really a great addition to the HardCell world, and I hope Damon will continue to write about this fascinating universe. I feel that these two offerings have really only scratched the surface of the tales that could be told. Overall, this was an incredible read, sweet, hot, and with characters and a world that is truly intriguing and unique.
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