Somebody Nice!

This was my first time reading this author and I probably won't read her again. It's a cute setup: a bisexual police officer, who has never dated a man, becomes involved with his foster daughter's school librarian, who is gay and has never dated anyone. There's a dog and an elderly mother and babysitter also - lots of potential for cuteness.

I am sappy and I like romances with pets and children, as well as sexually inexperienced characters. But this book just did not work for me. In fact, it included a lot of elements I strongly dislike.

The younger guy, Milo, is very concerned about how Melissa will react when she learns her foster dad is dating a man, but at no point do either Milo or Danny wonder how it might affect her if their relationship doesn't succeed. It's reasonable to think a child in her situation (abandoned by her mother at a young age) might have some attachment issues. Instead of anyone thinking about this, though, Melissa saves the day when Danny stops talking to Milo for no real reason (fear of commitment, I guess) by bringing Milo to their home. This poor kid.

There was also a weird line that instantly lowered my rating from 3 to 2 stars. I'm not even completely sure what it means, but it feels like Danny is implying that girls/women can't really get along with each other (Melissa is seven years old, btw):

Because before, the women in his life had been frightened of Melissa. The cute, precocious, super-smart kiddo. Melissa ran the show and his girlfriends had known that fact and they were apprehensive.

The characters also have anal sex with spit as lube! Oh, and they don't discuss who will top or bottom; it's just understood that the older and more experienced guy will top and be in charge of everything that happens sexually. This is a pet peeve for me in m/m romance, along with another issue that's present here: a narrative that treats anal sex like it's the ultimate goal of two men getting into bed together.