I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
A nice idea behind this story but it didn't really deliver. Things moved very quickly and it was more like a series of novellas than a cohesive story. The writing is good if quite explicit at times.
An OK read.

Back in 2012, I read VGL Male Seeks Same where Ethan, a 42 year old gay man was looking for love in all the wrong places when he decides to give online dating a chance. That's where he meets Brian, who sounds utterly perfect for him and soon Ethan feels like he's found the love of his life and his own happily ever after.

In NEG UB2 Ethan gets some news that turns his word upside down and and we find ourselves accompanying Ethan in this journey as he battles doubt, hurt and a huge sense of betrayal at the news he has found. Soon he finds himself writing a blog as he struggles to make sense of his new reality and his relationship with Brian.

Apparently, after reading the two previous stories, I completely missed Status Updates which is why when I saw this book in NetGalley I decided to request it.

In this installment, we find Ethan trying once again to come to grips with his new reality and failing. It isn't until he receives a friend request from the annoying little brat he used to work with that Ethan seems to finally come to life again. But this is Ethan, so of course we get to enjoy his journey as he questions and analyzes every little conversation, sentiment and thought.

I enjoyed re-reading the first 2 installments and getting to visit Ethan again but I enjoyed the last installment even more because it finally granted Ethan with that elusive HEA he'd been searching for. And that he found it in the most unlikely of places brings his journey full circle, at least it seems that way to me.

Three novella’s describing Ethan Schwartz’s path through life and love. The first describes his desperation to find someone to love after spending too long fending off shallow encounters with apps. The second follows his shock at testing HIV+ve. And the third moves into another phase of his life. Moving and interesting. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I don't really know how to review this book. I'm on the fence about it. I liked parts of it, but I didn't like all parts of it. Ethan just didn't go it for me as a character. I struggled to mesh with him His personality was very human, but I struggled to mesh with him.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.

M4M has three stories in it all featuring Ethan.

The first book is where Ethan is lonely and tries to find someone using the internet (it is also set in 2008).
The second book is where Ethan finds out he is HIV positive and he is wondering if his boyfriend (who he met in the first book) was the one who infected him.
The third book finds Ethan all alone and when an old nemesis contacts him on Facebook, he may find another chance at love.

The three stories together sounded like a good and potentially sad premise but I couldn't get past how the relationship with Brian in book one literally started off with Ethan using another mans face on his dating profile. Brian is the one who reached out to Ethan on the site, being fooled by the fake picture and by the sounds of it, he is completely smitten (to the point it is an obsession) with the picture of Ethan.

A relationship built on lies is not a relationship I want to read about and I didn't like Ethan at all as he felt quite immature and so judgemental. Brian also felt quite over the top to me with how he treated the relationship (screenshotting and printing all the conversations they had for example.)

Rating
1⭐

Would I read it again:
Nope

Would I recommend it:
Not really, however, I understand that if a book isn't for me that doesn't mean others won't like it.

M4M contains three stories in one volume. BUT for me, reading it for the first time, it worked as one complete work. I'm not sure how I would rate this if I had read it in 'pieces'. I chose this based on the art, title, and author-- expecting a romance with complicated characters- based of previous work (I've read) by Reed. I loved this-- but I don't consider it a M/M Romance. It's a full-fledged novel.

Gay men are often portrayed as shallow, haunted, sex-obsessed creatures. Here, Ethan (as well as Brian and Ben) become human. I mean that in the all the best ways. Take the frivolity of many gay romance characters, sometimes angst driven characters as well-- Take us on a journey that doesn't just involve sex or just finding a boyfriend; doesn't just focus on transforming self (and societal) hate in acceptance... Ethan, after years of going through the motions of life-- becomes, well, more than a man-- he becomes human.

Expecting a light romantic read, I was soon surprised by where Reed decided to go. Any doubt I had (early on) about finishing it transformed into a truly meaningful, reading experience. There's some heavy topics here: loneliness, HIV, grief. And Reed doesn't shy away from difficult subjects. What he does here, better than pretty much anyone-- is give us hope.

This is a book that may force you to think, it might make you feel, and it might touch your life. This one is going to stick with me.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lonely and middle-aged Ethan longs for love: full of emotion👬

4-4.5🌟stars
I found this trio of stories about Ethan and Brian an interesting construction. Author Rick R. Reed is anything but formulaic about the stories he writes.
I love that when I open a new book by Reed I never know what to expect (though I have always found the writing excellent and the emotional content powerful).

Ethan is the central figure who unites the three segments which all take place in Chicago from 2008 to 2017. Each segment zones in on a different issue Ethan faces in his emotional journey through middle age. All tug at the heartstrings, but the first two segments were my favorites.

Issue one: how to find someone when you are no longer young and you've past your physical peak. I loved the real obstacles Ethan negotiates to find his man Brian.

Issue two: dealing with a life-changing diagnosis and its threat to a budding relationship. Once again, Ethan's emotions and reactions felt real and, in this segment, so raw.

Issue three: surviving the end of a loving relationship. This section lost me a few times as it delved into spirituality, but the memories are so poignant and the struggle to cope with loss so sadly true.

It's not a hearts and flowers HEA romance by any means, but for me this collection hit a satisfying note as it dealt frankly with the joys and sorrows of life.

Thanks to publisher NineStar Press and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

This was categorized as a romance, but it’s not really one at all. It covers the main character, Ethan, at three different times: 2008, when he meets his boyfriend, 2009, when he discovers he’s HIV positive and briefly breaks up with his boyfriend, and 2017, right after his boyfriend (turned fiancé) has died in a car accident. Although Ethan meets a new man at the end of the book, it’s still not the main plot line.

The author describes a lot of details about Ethan - where he eats, how he dresses, what books he reads. And yet he never feels real to me. The sum is less than the parts. I got even less of a sense of the love interests. Both do things that read as creepy but not according to Ethan.
A weird book to read.

*ARC provided By NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I don’t know if I am the intended audience for this novel. It caught my attention due to it being released as a bind up of the 3 novellas. Overall, the writing is to the point. The romance and steamy bits aren’t super detailed but continue with the straight to the point writing style. This book will hit you in the feels though as you get into the 3rd novella.
Overall I liked this bind up.