Greg the sunshiney mixologist should not be able to make Julien glow like this. Like he’s complimentary moonlight.
Julien Boire is a sommelier at his aunt and uncle’s restaurant in Bethlehem, PA but he has his sights set on becoming a master sommelier and getting out of there. Becoming a master sommelier requires a lot of work and focus so Julien can’t afford any distractions. This is why he isn’t thrilled when his aunt and uncle hire Greg Harlow, a TikTok mixologist, to help revitalize their restaurant. Julien and Greg don’t have a lot in common but Greg is new to town and looking to make friends. Julien is standoffish at first but is eventually won over by Greg’s charm.
While they work together to plan a series of happy hour events at the restaurant they form a sweet friendship and ultimately agree to enter into a no-strings sex pact that gives them a safe space to blow off some steam. It’s an arrangement that works well for both of them until they start developing real feelings. But can they possibly have a real relationship when Julien’s goal to leave Bethlehem remains unchanged and when Greg’s old life in NYC comes calling?
Overall I thought this was a really sweet story. It was cute seeing bristly Julien soften toward sunshiney Greg. Julien misjudged Greg when they first met but it didn’t take long for him to realize that perhaps there was more to Greg than the flashy bartender he portrays himself as on TikTok. Greg had a tough breakup with his old home in NYC and was searching for someplace to start over and where he could feel like he belonged.
This feels weird to say, but I really liked their sex pact. Julien had OCD and had very particular stipulations and Greg had clinical anxiety and sometimes experienced performance issues thanks to his medication. But I loved seeing how well they communicated their wants/needs and the creative ways they worked around any issues and still managed to have satisfying sex for them both. It all felt very realistic and it was refreshing to see this kind of representation.
My only gripe with the story is the communication breakdown in the last 25% or so. It was very frustrating and I didn’t love some of the decisions these guys made as a result. But they finally figure it out and the ending was very sweet and satisfying.
Greg is starting to feel like his old self again except with a twist. And like the twist of the orange rinds he’s affixed to the cocktails he’s been serving, it’s all thanks to Julien.
The Book Boyfriend Addict 