Review: Shirt by Amy Lane

2nd Edition

After a meet-cute in a bathroom and a whirlwind courtship, Ryan is ready to introduce Scotty to his parents. But a misunderstanding and some stubborn cuff buttons tangle Ryan up in an oxford shirt at a really inopportune time. Can Scotty take this opportunity to teach Ryan one or two more lessons about falling in love?

Previously published in the Curious: A Woman's Introduction to Gay Romance anthology by Dreamspinner Press, 2010.

I’m doing things a bit backwards here. I’ve already read the next two books in the Ryan and Scott series, so I’m backtracking now that the first book has been re-released.

‘Shirt’ takes readers to the early days in Ryan and Scotty’s relationship. After falling love and quickly moving in together, Ryan is about to introduce Scotty to his parents. Between worrying about what his parents will think of Scotty and Scotty’s ill-timed decision to seduce Ryan, Ryan reminisces about how he and Scotty first met.

If there’s a single gif that can explain this book, I’d say it’s this one:

‘Shirt’ really is a fluffy pink unicorn dancing on a rainbow. There’s no angst or drama, just two men basking in the honeymoon phase of their new-found love. It’s definitely insta-love, which often annoys me, but works fine in such a short and sweet read.

I enjoyed getting to see how the relationship began, especially the bathroom incident. The sequels allude to the scene in the bathroom, but don’t give any details. I thought it was a very funny meet-cute, and so indicative of Scotty’s personality.

Who, other than Scotty, would meet the love of his life in a bathroom while hiding from a horny secretary, and then proceed to compliment the size of his new-found love’s penis?

Plus, we’ve got Ryan’s introduction into the world of gay sex. Fans of butt-sex virgins will be happy.

Having already read both Phonebook and Puppy, Car, and Snow, I felt like I had a better understanding of Ryan and Scotty. But I don’t think that’s necessary to enjoy this short story. I would highly recommend continuing with the rest of the series though, because it’s some great fluff.

If you’re looking for a short, sweet, and sexy read, ‘Shirt’ will fit the bill. It’s free too!

Find out more on Dreamspinner Press or Goodreads.