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Imme van Gorp's Reviews > Just a Bit Confusing
Just a Bit Confusing (Straight Guys, #5)
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Imme van Gorp's review
bookshelves: 3rd-person-pov, childhood-friends-to-lovers, contemporary, discovering-sexuality, dual-pov, lgbtq, romance, ebook
Aug 13, 2022
bookshelves: 3rd-person-pov, childhood-friends-to-lovers, contemporary, discovering-sexuality, dual-pov, lgbtq, romance, ebook
Read 2 times. Last read March 23, 2024.
|| 1.5 stars ||
�First read: August 2022 | �3.5 stars
�Second read: March 2024 | �1.5 stars
EDIT after my re-read:
I’m not sure what kind of insane high I was on when I first read this, but there’s no way I actually thought this was good. It was so damn awful. Not only was it very toxic and weird, it was also just plain boring. I feel like Jamie emotionally manipulated Ryan into being with him and kind of abused Ryan’s affection towards him to create something sexual between them, while Ryan honestly was just NOT into Jamie like that. I don’t care that they eventually ended up together; Ryan was obviously straight, and that doesn’t just change. Ryan was happy with his girlfriend and he was truly in love with her; Jamie ruined that and Ryan let him. It’s not a cute story.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Ryan and Jamie were unhealthy, co-dependent and kind of crazy together, but I couldn’t help but love it.
These two have been best friends since early childhood, and Jamie has been in love with Ryan the whole time. Ryan, however, is unaware and also ‘straight�, so they go on with their friendship (included with cuddles and all) until Jamie tells him how he feels.
Neither man wants to lose the other, but how can their relationship work if one’s love is platonic while the other’s is romantic? Ryan would desperately want to love Jamie back in the same way, but he can’t.. Or can he?
The obsessive need between them had me in a chokehold. Their chemistry was also pretty awesome, and I could genuinely see the true devotion and care between them.
They might have had a fucked-up relationship, but it was definitely intense and all-consuming in a loving way. They were each other’s number 1, always. Nothing was more important to them than the other person, and I honestly adore that sort of thing.
It’s just that they were both so confused and they simply didn’t know what they wanted or how they could have it. It was all a bit impossible between them, but their longing and pining never wavered. It was perfectly angsty.
'Straight Guys' series:
0. Straight Boy - 3.0 stars
1. Just a Bit Twisted - 3.5 stars
2. Just a Bit Obsessed - 3.0 stars
3. Just a Bit Unhealthy - 2.5 stars
4. Just a Bit Wrong - 3.5 stars
5. Just a Bit Confusing - 1.5 stars
6. Just a Bit Ruthless - 4.0 stars
7. Just a Bit Wicked - 3.5 stars
8. Just a Bit Shameless - 4.5 stars
9. Just a Bit Gay - 1.0 star
10. Just a Bit Dirty - 3.0 stars
11. Just a Bit Wrecked - 2.5 stars
12. Just a Bit Bossy - 3.0 stars
13. Just a Bit Heartless - 3.5 stars
14. Just a Bit Captivated - 3.0 stars
�First read: August 2022 | �3.5 stars
�Second read: March 2024 | �1.5 stars
EDIT after my re-read:
I’m not sure what kind of insane high I was on when I first read this, but there’s no way I actually thought this was good. It was so damn awful. Not only was it very toxic and weird, it was also just plain boring. I feel like Jamie emotionally manipulated Ryan into being with him and kind of abused Ryan’s affection towards him to create something sexual between them, while Ryan honestly was just NOT into Jamie like that. I don’t care that they eventually ended up together; Ryan was obviously straight, and that doesn’t just change. Ryan was happy with his girlfriend and he was truly in love with her; Jamie ruined that and Ryan let him. It’s not a cute story.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Ryan and Jamie were unhealthy, co-dependent and kind of crazy together, but I couldn’t help but love it.
These two have been best friends since early childhood, and Jamie has been in love with Ryan the whole time. Ryan, however, is unaware and also ‘straight�, so they go on with their friendship (included with cuddles and all) until Jamie tells him how he feels.
Neither man wants to lose the other, but how can their relationship work if one’s love is platonic while the other’s is romantic? Ryan would desperately want to love Jamie back in the same way, but he can’t.. Or can he?
The obsessive need between them had me in a chokehold. Their chemistry was also pretty awesome, and I could genuinely see the true devotion and care between them.
They might have had a fucked-up relationship, but it was definitely intense and all-consuming in a loving way. They were each other’s number 1, always. Nothing was more important to them than the other person, and I honestly adore that sort of thing.
It’s just that they were both so confused and they simply didn’t know what they wanted or how they could have it. It was all a bit impossible between them, but their longing and pining never wavered. It was perfectly angsty.
'Straight Guys' series:
0. Straight Boy - 3.0 stars
1. Just a Bit Twisted - 3.5 stars
2. Just a Bit Obsessed - 3.0 stars
3. Just a Bit Unhealthy - 2.5 stars
4. Just a Bit Wrong - 3.5 stars
5. Just a Bit Confusing - 1.5 stars
6. Just a Bit Ruthless - 4.0 stars
7. Just a Bit Wicked - 3.5 stars
8. Just a Bit Shameless - 4.5 stars
9. Just a Bit Gay - 1.0 star
10. Just a Bit Dirty - 3.0 stars
11. Just a Bit Wrecked - 2.5 stars
12. Just a Bit Bossy - 3.0 stars
13. Just a Bit Heartless - 3.5 stars
14. Just a Bit Captivated - 3.0 stars
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Reading Progress
August 13, 2022
–
Started Reading
August 13, 2022
– Shelved
August 13, 2022
– Shelved as:
3rd-person-pov
August 13, 2022
– Shelved as:
childhood-friends-to-lovers
August 13, 2022
– Shelved as:
contemporary
August 13, 2022
– Shelved as:
discovering-sexuality
August 13, 2022
– Shelved as:
dual-pov
August 13, 2022
– Shelved as:
lgbtq
August 13, 2022
– Shelved as:
romance
August 13, 2022
–
Finished Reading
June 13, 2023
– Shelved as:
ebook
March 23, 2024
–
Started Reading
March 23, 2024
–
Finished Reading
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by
Kate
(new)
Aug 13, 2022 04:37PM
Great review!! I could never really get into this author.
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@Kate � Thanks! And aw, that’s too bad!😕 For me this series has been consistently entertaining; never a true masterpiece or anything, but I always end up enjoying myself! :) I can see how it wouldn’t work for everyone, though
Sometimes even if you know it’s a problematic relationship, if the author writes it a certain way it can be addictive to read about haha! Glad you enjoyed this!
@Kaity � hahah oh yes, totally! They were very messy, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off off of their trainwreck of a relationship: it was very engrossing and surprisingly cute. I enjoyed it lots😉
![moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus]](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1645500038p1/37448930.jpg)
the way i know every time i pick up a book from this series, it'll make me feel entertained lol. this series is one of my favorites simply bc of its toxic nature and how the mcs are always so possessive and co-dependent of one another (which i'm weak for ngl). i admit i felt bad for Jamie in the first half bc it just felt like Ryan was leading him on (i know Jamie was always first for Ryan, but the fact that he couldn't give him more but, instead of distancing himself, he basically still made Jamie hope), but i'm glad the second half focused on Ryan and his own journey towards loving Jamie (romantically). i still loved their angst, even if my heart was hurting for Jamie. :')
@moonlight � haha yes, I think that’s what many people love so much about this series! No one does ‘toxic� quite like Alessandra Hazard ;)) With regards to this book: I understand your feelings completely, but I don’t think it was the same for me. I could actually understand where Ryan was coming from as well. I don’t feel like he was leading Jamie on.. He just loved him so much, and also knew that distancing himself would have only made Jamie more sad (I mean, when they do have a separation Jamie is straight up depressed for two months, so obviously that made things worse😬). So for me it mostly just felt like an impossible situation where no one was in the wrong and where the love was sincere. That’s why I liked it so much instead of getting annoyed at it haha
no, i understand what you're saying! in a way, i understand both Jamie and Ryan's perspectives, but i think the mixed signals was what threw me off when Jamie was willing to give Ryan plenty of chances, only for Ryan to say he wasn't ready each time and i don't blame Ryan for that at all bc i'd rather have him be all in rather than only halfway in, but sending mixed signals is still one of my pet peeves lol. although i know it's just part of their co-dependent relationship so i still loved how they always choose each other first, no matter the circumstance. 😌
This book relationship was a tough one for me. Great review 💙
@moonlight � hahah that’s true, of course. The mixed signals really were a bit annoying, I agree😅
@Rain � Aw I’m sorry to hear that🫤 Thanks! x
despite this having my all time favorite trope i’ve avoided reading this. 😂 maybe it’s cause if all the mixed signals i’ve heard they give each other cause i know that would annoy me. i’m here for the codependency though, especially in childhood friends to lovers. 😩 glad you enjoyed it!
@elena � hhah well, I can see why you’d avoid reading this even when friends-to-lovers is your favourite trope!😅 It really is super unhealthy, and not your normal type of romance. It depends: do you usually like other books by Alessandra Hazard? Because if you do, then this one should be great for you, but if you don’t, then you won’t like this either🤷🏻♀� If you can accept the unhealthiness, then the intensity of their relationship truly is quite heady😌
I’m glad you enjoyed the angst and the pining 😁❤️
@Kati � hahah yup, thanks!😌
I agree this was perfectly angsty but I loved every minute!!! So glad you enjoyed it, Imme. Fab review 😘
@Elisa � Aw I’m happy to see this one worked out so well for you too :)
I am so glad you loved iit so much and it worked for you❤️ but omg i hated this book with a passiooon 😭😭 we really seem to be opposite in books hahahhwhw
@Aliki � hahahha I’m sorry babe🩵
the reread edit is so real, because that’s me with some books which I liked the first time I was reading them, but then when I try to read these stories a second time they are terrible 😭 sorry it was a downgrade for you Imme!
oof that’s a drop 🫣. this series isn’t working so well for me so far!
Urgh I hate it when I reread a book after years and nearly feel ashamed of my earlier rating :( it happens though. Means we're evolving, Imme :D
This series should NOT be reread. It’s definitely NOT that kind of series 🤣🤣🤣 If I did it they would ALL be 1 star so I let the monster lay. 😁
Ayooo from 3.5 to 1.5 stars 🤠 I'm so sorry it was so bad. This is why I'm afraid to read my favorite books from the time I was baby reader lol. Manifesting for your next read 💋.
huh, girl, I think I've never seen you re-rating a book after a re-read. 😲
Oh no that sounds terrible😭🤚. I can’t stand toxic crap🤢. It sucks that it was not the same experience as the first time.
@aleksandra � loll, right!? it’s so depressing when that happens with a reread but somehow we can’t escape it😭
@anouk � haha yea, it’s addictive at first but many of these books are pretty bad😭
@Angelika � I guess that’s true! Evolving a nice way to look at it, I suppose ;)) Still, I can’t believe I actually liked this at some point💀😂
@Nicole � HAHAHAH i fear you might be spitting pure facts with that🫣🤣
@Morsal � samee! I love rereading (when it’s good), but it also scares me cus it happens way too often that I end up disappointed😔
@Kati � If I changed my mind about a book after a reread I usually just swapped the rating and rewrote the review, so that’s probably why it seemed that way, but since a little while now I feel like it’s more authentic to keep my original review and rating up as well to show my honest feelings from the first time to the second to the third or whatever
@allison � sometimes toxic can mean it has some good angst, but sometimes it’s just BAD
girl i totally get how you feel!! though i felt differently about what made me rage LOL i absolutely loathed this one and how ryan treated jamie was so unfair to me lmao, i think this is probably the worst in the series for me because of how much i hate ryan and his constant confusion about how he feels about jamie. but i’m sorry this had such a downgrade for you, that sucks :(
@lila � hahaha it’s so funny you blamed the exact opposite person from who I did🤣 in any case, even without the whole blame game, this book was just BADDDDD😭
@Mai � It’s always such a letdown😔
look at us agreeing 😌
@elena � oh my gosh, love this for us🥹
Oh no, it's always disappointing to revisit a solid read and realize it's just not that great! Hate that this was a disappointment, Imme - lovely review 💜
I felt the same way about this one. I remember being bored on top of the couple being just� unromantic. It’s the only book from this series that I’ve given 1 star and I’ve always thought I might like it more if I re-read it, but idk now 😂
This was genuinely one of the worst and traumatizing books I’ve ever read.
That's why I steer clear of re-reading books. It's rare for me to find enjoyment in a book on the second go-around. Our preferences evolve as we grow older.
Terrific review, Imme! Sorry you didn't enjoy it for the second time around! 💚
@A Mac � yea, it always makes me a little bit sad😔
@Morgan � For me it only went worse after a re-read, so I certainly wouldn’t recommend it🤣
@hope � Fair enough😭😂
@Persephone � That’s so valid! I should probably do the same, but sometimes I can’t stop myself cus I miss a book too much or find myself too curious hahah😅
@Nazanin � Thanks, love😘
