Straight Boy by Alessandra Hazard

Title: Straight Boy (Straight Guys #0.5)

Author: Alessandra Hazard

Genre: Erotica

Publisher: Amazon/Self

Heat: 4 Flames

Rating: 3 Hearts

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Young, blond and handsome, Sage attracts unwanted attention in prison. When his cellmate offers him protection, Sage accepts the offer, even though he doesn’t trust the guy. Little does he know how much it will change his life.
When he’s released from prison, Sage finds himself needing and wanting things he shouldn’t want. Sage is straight. He really is. He has a girlfriend. What happened in prison stayed in prison–or so Sage tells himself.
Until he meets his former cellmate again. Xavier. The guy he hates and craves.

Review: My feed on GoodReads has been blowing up with Alessandra Hazard lately. It’s not even new releases, but older books by the author. After looking up reviews noticing that she seems to have quite a devoted following I thought I’d try a novella. Typically not my favorite, but I didn’t feel like investing the time on a whole book at the time.

I needn’t have worried. This was a deliciously wicked little snapshot.

Sage is a 23-year-old guy who gets sent to prison on a one-year term after he’s found guilty in a DWI/injury accident. He’s a pretty boy in the wrong place. He’s shown to his cell who he shares with a thirtysomething named Xavier.

The first night Sage meets Xavier:

Xavier smiled. It was a surprisingly nice smile, his teeth white and even. He stepped closer to him until they were not even an inch apart. Sage swallowed, acutely aware that the guy was taller and much wider in the shoulders.
“Let’s cut to the chase,” Xavier said softly, looking him in the eye. “I’m going to fuck you. It’s going to happen, and you’d better get used to the idea. You’re lucky you’re with me. I won’t hurt you, I won’t force myself on you, and I’ll protect you from others –
[…]
“If you aren’t going to force me, it’s not happening, Sage said.”
[…]
“You’re lucky it’s boring as hell here, and I love a good challenge.”

There’s honestly not much to this little novella. The blurb tells it all. I wish that were not the case as l do with most short stories I read because I wanted so much more from these two. I WANT a full story.

“You’ll be begging me soon, Xavier said, pressing hard against him. His weight, his strength, his scent… It was overwhelming Sage’s senses in a strange, disturbing way.
“Never.”

I loved the psychological hold that Xavier has over Sage. I wanted to know more about Xavier and his background but I digress…

There’s a bit with a psychiatrist after Sage is released and his girlfriend that makes you feel for his as he struggles to return to his old life.

But, we have a reunion of sorts with our MCs that’s also quite delicious. There are even little slivers of sweetness thrown in from time to time.

“Something funny?” Xavier murmured, still nipping at his throat.

“You fucked me up,” Sage said, sliding a hand down Xavier’s wide back.

Xavier stopped kissing his neck. He propped himself up on an elbow and looked down at him. There was an odd expression in his eyes. “Then we’re even.”

If you’re up for a quick stroll on a bit darker side, I invite you to give it a try – if nothing else than for the shower scenes alone… nnnghh