Picture Perfect

Lost Boys and Love Letters #2

by Bethany Brown, Ashlyn Kane

Lost Boys and Love Book Two Perhaps it's a twist of fate when event photographer Cameron Walker runs into veterinarian Jeremy Montgomery at a wedding. Cameron has harbored a crush on the handsome man since high school, and he can't believe his luck. Jeremy asks him to dance, and Cameron's over the moon. Having admired Cameron from afar, Jeremy is just as thrilled to discover Cameron feels the same. After a few dates, Cameron and Jeremy (and their new dog) are ready to embark on a loving journey they both have dreamed of―a new life together. Cameron's best friend, Detective Patrick Hawkins, is very happy for the new couple. But he's equally worried when mysterious gifts with disturbing letters keep appearing, targeting Cameron. When the stalking escalates to a senseless and stunning act of violence, Patrick is there for the two men, both physically and emotionally. Working together, Cameron, Jeremy, and Patrick set out to find the stalker and put a stop to his actions, but will they be able to stop him before it's too late?

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Romance, Erotica, Friends To Lovers, LGBT, Menage

240 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2009

About the author

Between hiding from the snow in the winter and the grass in the summer, Bethany Brown ends up spending a rather absurd amount of time with her trusty laptop Desmond. Yes, she has named her laptop. She's also named her car Blue, but that's neither here nor there. While she hopes to one day be able to support herself by writing full time, she keeps herself fed with various customer service jobs, the most recent of which is at a tuxedo rental shop. Thankfully, spending the day fitting men with tuxedos helps to fuel the writing side of her brain. Other writing help includes: chocolate, ice cream, and movies with cute boys. On bad days, she can usually be found sitting on her couch with a stuffed penguin watching Donald Strachey movies. She is thrilled to have found a home with Dreamspinner and plans to stick around until she runs out of ideas. Or the Earth's sun implodes. Whichever comes first.

Reviews

[FloJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hoped this would be good because I enjoyed "True North" by these two, and I was not disappointed. This was a great story with well developed characters and more than just the main story-line happening. Because of this the plot was not too formulaic - OF COURSE an HEA - but the side issues prevented ennui developing.
Those who thought "True North" was a bit quiet will like this one. The relationship between Cam and Jeremy is smoking.... Don’t go getting carried away with it though ladies, it is better to have a good story than too much hanky panky, and you have proven more than capable at that.
I look forward to your next one, please make it soon!

One thing I would like to know is why the series is called Lost Boys and Love Letters. We don’t seem to have had any of them yet.

[Elisa Rolle]

All right, this book is quite a challenge for various reasons, and so you are warned, don't continue to read if you don't like spoilers, since I probably am not able to explain all this book left to me without using a bit of them.

First of all please tell me where is the small town USA where the two main characters live; it's a wonderful place, where everyone knows everyone else, where a widow mother brings up not only her two sons, but also another runaway boy. A place where that same mother doesn't freak out when her teenager daughter gets pregnant and she doesn't ever know who is the father, and that becomes her son's best friend when he comes out. A place where a teenager crush could last 15 and more years and could, at last, become the real thing.

Cameron is a photographer and he has a pretty good life, a nice independent house, a loving family and good friends. He is just out an abusive relationship, but he was good enough to realize that it was not good for him and got free; now yes, he has some self-esteem issues, but nothing serious. And so when he has the chance to meet again Jeremy, his teenager crush, he is open and ready to accept him in his life. On the other side Jeremy is finally happy that things happen at the right moment: also him his bringing a torch for Cameron since their teenager years, but for a reason or the other he has never made a move. Now both of them are free and willing, and for Jeremy is pretty easy to convince Cameron to give him a chance: flowers, restaurant and a good night of sex and Cameron is totally convinced. And here is the first moment when I was a bit perplexed on Cameron: for a man who is just out of an abusive relationship, he is quite "friendly", but then, the reader knows that Jeremy is Cameron's first and real love, and so maybe it's better for us not to wait to much for seeing them happy together.

I was almost drowning in sugar, with a perfect picture of family happiness, when a stalker from Cameron's past decides that instead he is not at all happy that Cameron found his true love. And so reader please enter Patrick, Cameron's best friend and the runaway boy that Cameron's mother welcomed in her family. Patrick was the first person that Cameron informed of his blossoming relationship with Jeremy, and he did so calling Patrick at 2 in the night while the man was in bed with another man. All right they are pretty close so at the moment the reader, me, didn't find strange that Patrick was not angry, and then he had the chance to have another round of sex with the man in his bed, that almost made me thing that Patrick and Keith were another couple in the story. But no, Patrick disappeared only to enter again when Cameron is threatened: he is right there for him, he encourages him, and when something very nasty happen, he comforts him while Jeremy is temporarily not available... wait a moment... is Patrick bringing Cameron to bed? Oh no, no, no... ah, phew, no, they are only lying in bed, one under the cover and one on it. For a moment I fear that... NO! now Jeremy is back and they are having a threesome?!? Oh well, Cameron is willing, Jeremy is willing, Patrick is willing (Patrick is a slut, he is always willing!), all right I can accept it... But wait: Cameron went out and he is supposedly in danger, and Jeremy is having sex with Patrick?!? All right, all right, I know that Cameron knows it, and that it is only a way to let it go fear and tension, but still, it's really hard to accept for me.

Joke apart, what I want to say is that I'm not totally convinced that the "sex with all" turn the book took was all of my liking, but this is something that arrives from my gut. Otherwise, the book is quite full of both funny than interesting characters, not only Cameron, Jeremy and Patrick "the slut" (sorry I have to say it, but don't get me wrong, I like Patrick), have their development, but also all the other characters around, from Diane, Cameron's mother, to his niece Emily, to friends Ben and Kennedy, all of them, even till the less important like Jeremy's employees or Patrick's colleagues. And don't forget that I said that I like the "sugary" atmosphere of this small town USA, it's a good place where to live, so also the setting is nice. I'm not disappointed by this book, you can't always read the same story, and probably if Jeremy and Cameron met, made love, and walked toward the sunset in perfect harmony, this would be only another sappy story. In this way, it's different, and maybe better... but still, if I was a man and I had a boyfriend, I would take him far from that slut of Patrick ;-)

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1935192647/?...

[Wax · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cam is a photographer who has had a long-time crush on veterinarian Jeremy, who just so happens to have a crush on Cam as well. This started out sickly sweet, with a lot of endearments (too soon, in my opinion). And I could have dealt with that. However, there was an issue towards the end where the main couple has a threesome with Cam’s best friend, Patrick. WTH?!!! And then when Cam ends up in the hospital, Jeremy and Patrick have sex “for comfort.” At that point I pretty much checked out and didn’t know what was going on anymore. I’m not sure that this would inspire me to read more in the series. Rounded up from 2.5

[Ravyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll repeat what another reviewer has already said: This book was decent, but nothing earth-shattering. The plot was pretty standard (i.e. unoriginal) and not nearly as suspenseful as I was hoping. The couple in the story, Cam and Jeremy, were very cutesy and sweet - although perhaps a tad too much, too soon for my taste.

A big complaint I have with this book, as well as the last (True North), is the tendency to vaguely tell large chucks of potentially interesting history rather than show said history. There were times during this book that I felt like I had missed something, or where I wondered if there were some prequel story I hadn't read. And the reason I felt that way was because the characters have SO MUCH history among them that occurred before this book even begins. For example, Cam and Jeremy supposedly first started crushing on each other back in high school, but we never really see much of their interactions back then. Cam and Patrick have been best friends since they were five years old, but we only vaguely hear about the relevant stories from their past. Cam was previously in a bad relationship which now affects his new relationship with Jeremy, but we never actually see what happened to Cam before. You get the idea? I just wish that more of this history had been shown to the reader, instead of just tangentially told as background filler.

With all that said, the book was an ok read - certainly light, easy, and non-complicated. And I'm still planning to read the third book, which tells you something right there.

[Sayuri_x · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this less than the first installment. While the sotryline was fine (if a bit overused in romance) it was far too sacchirin sweet for me this time round. Much more chicks with dicks. I liked the slower pace of the first one better.

Also the threesome with Patrick felt to me too gartuitous. Wedged in for nothing more than have three guys doing it. I didn't feel it brought anything to the story or helped charcter development for me.

I would have preffered to have seen some interaction in high school when the attraction first started for the main characters and a build up of tension. I felt we were told a lot of histriy rather than saw it..... Loved the sub-plot with the niece and the best friend. Would have also liked to have seen more about how the mother treated the daughter.

That said, technically it was a very well written book (apart from all the finger lacing they did) but it ultimately didn't work for me. However, I am waiting for the next installment as I do like this writing duo!

[Jacqueline · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has so many things that I dislike about the M/M Genre.

Instant Love- I understand that they had feelings for each other since they were in high school. However, after one date calling each other baby every other sentence is annoying.

Unbelievable storyline- The whole stalker storyline is a big WTF. The stalker comes out of nowhere. It was like the authors wanted to add a little mystery half way through the book so they just added this crazy storyline.

Lazy writing - Cam just found out that his crazy stalker killed his abusive ex and tried to kill his dog. Lets add threesome to spice up the story. Very realistic. Also, while Cam is in the hospital after a really bad accident why not have his boyfriend have sex multiple times with his best friend.

I would avoid this book if possible.

[Nichole (DirrtyH) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was maybe a little too sticky sweet. I love a good sappy romance, but even I have a limit. But they mixed it with some hot menage, so that's always good right?
Basically this was decent but nothing earth shattering. I have noticed in both of the books I've read from these two some minor inconsistencies that I think stem from the two author thing. They might want to pay a little bit closer attention. Nothing major, but just enough to remind me that there are two of them. Kind of annoying.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok m/m romance that started out feeling like a freestanding story, but seemed as if, partway through, it suddenly needed to become part of a series (the few paragraphs that were apparently supposed to tie it to True North didn’t seem, to me, to fit)… probably right about the time it detoured into m/m/m for a bit. Very ambivalent about reading the third book.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing and dialogue are sophomoric, the characters are flat and bland, but sweet. This is barely a two star.

[Kris · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Blurb:

Perhaps it's a twist of fate when event photographer Cameron Walker runs into veterinarian Jeremy Montgomery at a wedding. Cameron has harbored a crush on the handsome man since high school, and he can't believe his luck. Jeremy asks him to dance, and Cameron's over the moon.

Having admired Cameron from afar, Jeremy is just as thrilled to discover Cameron feels the same. After a few dates, Cameron and Jeremy (and their new dog) are ready to embark on a loving journey they both have dreamed of—a new life together.

Cameron's best friend, Detective Patrick Hawkins, is very happy for the new couple. But he's equally worried when mysterious gifts with disturbing letters keep appearing, targeting Cameron. When the stalking escalates to a senseless and stunning act of violence, Patrick is there for the two men, both physically and emotionally. Working together, Cameron, Jeremy, and Patrick set out to find the stalker and put a stop to his actions, but will they be able to stop him before it's too late?

The Review:

Honesty from the outset –

This is the second book in the Lost Boys and Love Letters series by this author team. The first, True North, I enjoyed so I was more than pleased to put my hand up to review Picture Perfect.

First things first –

Although this is part of a series, Picture Perfect can be read as a stand alone. I wasn't quite certain of - or if there was - a connection between the two books and to be honest I never went looking for it when it seemed obvious the story could easily be read on its own.

The writing of these authors again impresses with its high quality. I don't recall discussing it in my review of True North, but there is no doubt one of the joys of reading this is because of the seamless writing of the two authors. I had absolutely no idea where one began and the other left off. After I'd finished, it struck me that in Bethany Brown and Ashlyn Kane Dreamspinner Press has gained yet another wonderful team along the lines of Madeleine Urban and Rhianne Aile and Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux.

Once more, the main and secondary characters are the true gems of the work; being both well developed and appealing. Yet, they did not appear to have the same depth to them like the characters of True North. Thinking about it, I realised this wasn't quite true; rather that because of their openness about their sexuality, their past - and current - crushes on each other, and their willingness to admit to these feelings from the outset, a lot of the angst associated with a new relationship is not there, or for that matter needed, between Cameron and Jeremy.

The conflict in the story largely comes from the secondary characters and from Cameron's stalker. With the exception of the psycho, most of the issues seemed to be resolved pretty easily. I did vaguely wonder why some sub-plots had been included, but I was able to shrug it off because part of me was thinking it was to set up the next book. Will I be right I wonder??

A couple of issues/warnings –

There are times when some readers might feel like they're choking on the sweetness of it all and granted, some things seem a little too perfect and happy (kind of) families. Occasionally I'm in the mood for sugar with my romance so it didn't bother me at all. :)

The major issue I had with Picture Perfect was Cameron's and Jeremy's threesome with Patrick. I'm still ruminating as to whether I thought it was necessary to the plot and if I was convinced there was enough tension in the lead-up to the act or if it came pretty much out of left field. My own bias means I don't really get how someone, especially a close friend, can be added into a relationship without feelings like jealousy raising their ugly heads. I guess I would have been more convinced had the relationship become a true polygamous one. *scratching head* I'm not certain how this would have been incorporated though.

My recommendation –

I think those who enjoyed the first book will also like Picture Perfect, although there may be some who, like me, will overall prefer True North. Regardless, I'll be looking forward to the next in the series. The writing style of this author team is such a joy to read.

[jules0623 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm reading my way through the series and I was looking forward to reading this one. I liked the MCs - Cam and Jeremy - for the most part (Cam more than Jeremy - I really liked his back story and his vulnerability) and I'm a sucker for 'have been secretly in love for years and finally get together' stories. I do enjoy drama in the form of a stalker or disgruntled ex as well so I was pleased to finally be reading this.

While the writing was as technically great as ever from these authors,and the sex was smoking, I didn't enjoy this as much as I have the other stories I've read from them.

The build up of 'will they/won't they' for the MCs was resolved too quickly. One minute, Jeremy was almost too nervous to walk out and say hello to Cam, the next, he's confidently seducing him at a wedding. He seemed like two different people. And I love a fond endearment, but the nicknames and endearments that started from that first dance became a little cloying.

I wonder if the resolution of the sexual tension came about so quickly because the authors tried to fit too much into the one book. There were many different characters we had to get to know and each seemed to have their own plot thread - Cam's best friend and his boyfriend, his other best friend and her relationship drama, Cam's niece and her issues with her mother as well as finding out Jeremy's best friend - who was suddenly moving to town - could be her father, Ben and his past with Cam's sister and his sudden desire to be a daddy, the MCs relationships with their families, the staff at the vet clinic... It was crowded and the stalker storyline which had intrigued me nearly got lost.

I was startled by the unexpected threesome in the middle of the stalker drama. While I like a good three-way, this seemed to come out of nowhere and added absolutely nothing to the plot. And then, after Cam is badly injured in a car accident, Jeremy and Patrick go back to Cam's home and fuck away the night, without either one of them fighting at all to see Cam. Patrick's current lover works at the hospital, for goodness sake. And Cam just kind of shrugging it off and saying he'd intended for them all to spend the day in bed anyway... It felt very OOC for this insecure man. I realise that his and Patrick's relationship is special, but it just off-putting. Had it happened earlier in the story, I would have put it down.

I wish I had liked this more. Each story on it's own would have been an intriguing read, but I feel like there were too many tales for the book and none of them were told as well as they could have been.

[Phoenix · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not very good. The introductions of Ben, the stalker, Spencer and Justine just seemed so contrived. It was like the author had a relationship she wanted to write about but had no idea how to make the book an interesting read so she threw in all these characters and subplots without thinking about who the characters were. Even patrick seemed to be thrown in, like the section with him was added after the book was half written. he shows up in one scene then isn't heard from again until several chapters later.

Also sentences like, "Jeremy's side of the bed was still warm indicating he'd left recently" made me want to scream. No shit? Is that what that means? Thanks for telling me. I couldn't have figured that out for myself as I've never slept the night with someone. I just read about it. Thanks for letting me in on that little mystery of sexual relationships. Next time don't assume your readers are below average intelligence.

Also "oh your ex freaked me out the way he used to look at me." Knew who the stalker was at that moment and I think he'd just been introduced. It would have been better just to wait until the big reveal to find out his name and how he related to the characters. In fact most of the scenes with the stalker could have been edited out. He would have been scarier if we never met him until the big reveal.

The conversation with Jeremy's mother was another useless waste that could have been taken care of in a conversation with Cam and two or three sentences. "Oh btw my mother called. She was horribly embarrassed by our dance at the reception and demanded I stop seeing you." "Hope you told her to get bent." "Pretty much."

Things like that made the writing of this book infantile. Lastly, getting a tattoo around a partially healed bullet wound that still has stitches isn't manly or macho, it's idiotic and a very weak ending to a book. "Let's walk its a nice day" um WTF?

[Tj · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked this book to start. Cameron and Jeremy have great chemistry. A stalker adds to the mystery and sex is good. All the makings for a good book until it goes slightly off the tracks.

Detective Patrick Hawkins.... Patrick and Cam have been friends for years. The scene between Patrick, Cam, and Jeremy comes out of left field. The three-way in this case adds nothing to the story. The derailment gets worse. Patrick and Jeremy allow Cam to go to the store alone. The stalker who has been a worry for most of the books suddenly isn't a problem. Cam takes Jack's car which has been tampered with. He ends up in the hospital.

The scene in the hospital lacked emotions. I never felt the panic and worry Jeremy should have felt. His lover had been hurt and the emotional investment from Jeremy would have fit in a teaspoon with room to spare.

Cam's mom is going to spend the night at the hospital. Jeremy and Patrick go back to Cam's house and proceed to sleep together. What the heck!!! Cam is supposed to be the love Jeremy's life and Patrick's best friend. Poor Cam is laying injured in the hospital and those two are at his house in his bed.

Derailment over? Not yet confused reader. Jeremy tells Cam about the incident with Patrick. Cam is not upset nor jealous. He understand and had plans for the three of us when he returned from the store. OK... color me confused. I would be upset if the man I loved didn't stay at the hospital if I had been hurt and really UPSET if he slept with my best friend while I as in the hospital!

The stalker is caught, Patrick is injured, Cameron and Jeremy are still in love.... at the end of the book Patrick is sent to Julian's to heal. On to the third book.

[Eyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cam never acted on the crush he had on Jeremy, his high school math tutor. If he had, he would've learned that Jeremy felt the same way. Now, years have passed, and the two reconnect when Cam's teenage niece takes a job working at Jeremy's veterinary practice.

I really liked this book. It was very sweet; in fact, some reviewers have complained that it's too sweet. It's true that there really is never any kind of conflict or tension between Cam and Jeremy. Their relationship begins relatively easy. Any conflict or stress in the relationship comes from the emergence of Cam's stalker. While I know in real life the two of them probably would have experienced some disagreements as their relationship blossomed, I was in the mood for a sweet story, and this satisfied that craving.

I know that some readers will be annoyed that there is a menage scene in this story. In fact, I've read a couple of reviews that complained about it and pointed out that it felt gratuitous. It didn't bother me at all. The character with whom Cam and Jeremy have the menage is someone who has been very important to one of them. The scene's purpose, in my opinion, was to underscore that third character's importance in his friend's life and to show the reader that he is becoming ready for a serious relationship of his own.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

General:

It was a nice story, I really liked the characters. Well written. 3/4 of the book deserves 4 stars.


Spoilers + annoyances:

Sex seems to mean quite a bit to the main characters and so does fidelity. The book was ruined for me when the author threw in a threesome, which just seemed inappropriate. I'm a fan of threesomes myself but it just didn't fit the context of this specific story and just ended up tarnishing a perfectly nice love story. But if that wasn't enough to annoy me, Cam ends up in hospital and what does his boyfriend and best friend do?! They decide that they need to make themselves feel better so they go home and half hot monkey sex. I mean WTF??!
It just seemed a bit sordid the way it was done. Staying in the hospital waiting room would have seemed more appropriate or anything but going home to boink each other. Sure yeah the sex scenes were hot but overall it just seemed like the author was throwing in sexy filler to pad out the book. BOO I say!!

Ok I've had my rant now and feel slightly better. Still well worth the read. :)

[Ivka_s_knihou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, so... I like the plot. I like Cameron and Jeremy. They're both very likeable characters. There isn't any doubt they are made for each other. I love Patrick. I generally don't read threesomes, so I skipped that part *blushes*. It's not my cup of tea. I was a little mad when Jeremy had sex with Patrick, after Cam's accident. And in my opinion that was pretty cold from Cam to tell Jeremy, that Patrick isn't going to be in their bed forever. But it's ok. I get it. He's going to have his own book, so that makes sense. But the most amazing thing in this story is Hershey. The dog was absolutely brilliant.

[Olivia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really disappointed with this book after enjoying the first. I loved all the characters, though the stalker was extremely under developed. Things moved so quickly, too quickly in my opinion. Sex on the first date? Yeah, it happens all the time but with the emotional baggage Cam had? Seems very out of character to me. I also can't say that I liked how things moved forward with Patrick. I liked him being the best friend and protector. The threesome seemed out of place and the later sex between him and Jeremy felt like cheating on Cam. So yeah, not the best for me.

[Liza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really loving this story, Cam never told his high school math tutor that he had a crush on him. Jeremy never admitted his feelings for Cam, but then circumstances put them at the same wedding and romance blossoms. Then halfway through, all hell breaks loose. And not in a way I normally like. All of a sudden there was a stalker, a threesome, sex outside the relationship, shootings, a car accident, DNA tests. It was like a soap opera decided to start up partway through. I love drama and angst, but not when they are thrown in just for the hell of it.

[Suze · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed True North, and while I enjoyed this too, it was a little mushy on the dialogue for me so I did have to work on ignoring that - too many babys from Jeremy and odd nicknames abound. Having said that, some of the dialogue felt very real and normal, more so when there were other characters in the conversation. 
Yes there is the oddityof Patrick and Jeremy having sex while Cam is in hospital but there had been the precursor so didn't bother me as much as it did some.

[Gwengwel · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like a 2.5stars.
The book go in too much direction, too much idealiste/irréaliste and the 3some had to only fonction to add some sex scene.
But Jeremy and Cameron are good together and even their abuse of sweetness was cute.

[Vio · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.55 stars
Okay it might have been a little too sweet, I still liked it a lot. The mood was right for some mushy romance. I thought the menage with Cam and Jeremy fitted in fine, not earth shattering but it wasn't a deal breaker for me. Enjoyable, cute read.

[Indigo · Rating 4 out of 5]

2nd in the series, good read, very enjoyable with a touch of suspens.

[Idamus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reread, I liked it better the first time

[Marlobo ♥ epilogues · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Stephanie]

I couldn't finish this story at 14%. It was boring, too sweet, not enough build-up to the relationship and filled with cliches.

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[TJ_Arby]

DNF, too irritating and I didn't even get as far as the threesome.