Chip Arnold is a well-liked football coach at a small liberal arts college, but his personal life is in a bit of a rut. He goes out drinking with his colleagues, gets along well with his players, and dates all the prettiest women in town - he has the life most straight men dream of. But lately none of the women he dates seem to be igniting any passion in him. Then he meets the new school chaplain, Foster Lewis.
Romantic attraction to another man is new and terrifying, and Chip just can't put his finger on why he's drawn to Foster, but it's stronger than anything he's felt for anyone in his life. Never one to back down from a challenge, Chip decides to go for it. But love is never simple, and sometimes it's a downright mess!
©2010 Eric Arvin (P)2011 Eric Arvin
"Romanticism at its best..."
The premise behind the story of Chip and Foster is a bit contrived to say the least but the writing style of Eric Arvin envelopes you in such a manner that you forget the implausibility of the premise. Of course, this is from my perspective for I have never met a 40 plus year old man, a self-proclaimed ladies man who at the sight of the new man on campus becomes infatuated, lustful, and lovelorn in a short period. I am not meaning to dissuade anyone from this book, for the writing is engaging and Charlie David’s (a big fan of his anyways) narration brings the story to life. Charlie’s narrative abilities injects realism to the characters and carries the reader or listener to a far away campus where an adventure begins. Additionally, the secondary characters of Brad and Jason (I think that’s their names) and their budding relationship and persistent tomfoolery made me laugh out loud. All in all, Eric Arvin’s writing style and Charlie David’s narrative make this a must read or listen.
"Straight man turn gay"
If you're a fan of the straight man turn gay or figure out he's gay then this is your book. Great story great chemistry and the narrator makes things that much hotter!
I'm Married 25 years with 5 sons. I love romance anything to do with love, love and more love. I am officially a audible junkie :)
"Good story"
Charlie David
It was sweet, funny sometimes and full of love
His voice is sexy hot!
the lady with the golf cart, she was funny
I'm glad I got this book, I will definitely listen to it again. It's a feel good book
"Simple Men is Simply Fun."
Eric Arvin is a romantic. Contrary to the photo on the cover, this book isn't just about sex. It is relatively tame in that regard. It is about two different couples, one in mid-life, the other in college, who find love. It's charming in it's simplicity, and is deeply touching at times. This is not a great literary masterpiece, but it's perfect for a road trip or for listening around the house while you get your chores done. It's short, it's sweet, and I liked it a lot.
"Great for a long car ride"
I'm a great fan of m/m romances and I own quite a few. I also travel for work which involves 2+ hour car rides. So I'm always looking for an interesting well written story. Many m/m romances have great love sex scenes, but the story and the character development isn't well developed and scripted and we don't see how the characters fit into the larger world. Simple Men did a good job of doing all the above. It's not a stellar plot by any means but we do get an opportunity to meet the characters, understand them in their past and current setting. We can see them as real and flawed and we understand why they do what they do even if we don't agree with them.
This story has an added subplot so you actually get two love stories for the price of one. Interestingly it's the sub plot that I'd have liked to see developed some more; but at the end you get to see both couples and you understand how one influenced the other.
I don't like to tell plot lines in reviews so I won't do that here either. But I will say that I quite enjoyed the story.
Remove the high strung annoying girlfriend and I don't quite see how or why the Chancellor was involved. He was peripheral and something else could have been used the move the plot line along. And after the main character and the girlfriend went on hiatus, she could have been removed. The fact that the second main character was all caught up in her angst was annoying.
I'm fine with his performance.
Yes ... remember I get audible books for long car rides .. ideally I'd like to hear it one sitting or at most 2 ... one for the go leg and one for the return leg.
"Titilating"
A little slow and frustrating throughout but I did enjoy the relationships between the boys, coach, Chaplin and women. Have not quite accepted if Chip if bisexual or gay. I suppose the latter is what the author is leading to.
"Almost Good"
I liked the author's ocassional insights about life and relationships that were dotted here and there into the story. The aspect I like least was a total lack of story around one adult man realizing he was gay, or at least bi. He sort of went
I wouldn't pay for it, but I'd give one a listen.
His voice was too gay. Had trouble getting the straight man (men) right and the female character came out sounding like a very gay man.
Nope. It was a complete story as is.
The writing was half-way decent compared to romance books in general. Not literature, not edge-of your seat, but not stupid either.