Most MM Romance books are similar—in focus, in plot, in theme—but this little gem is different. I’m always happy to find a book that breaks the mold, that challenges the way a good story can be told. Best of Both Worlds is that kind of story.

The bulk of Best of Both Worlds is told in a single first-person point of view. We do hear from the love interest late in the book, and he has his own fully-realized character arc, but the story belongs to Sebastian. Boy meets boy in a club, they cross paths in their workday life, become friendly, and go on from there. The difference is the minimal style—each chapter is only 100 words long. The prose isn’t bogged down with descriptions or long passages about how Sebastian is feeling or the details of his everyday life. Only the most important bits make it onto the page. The best possible news is that Walker manages to convey what Sebastian is feeling with a few choice words, so the reader can follow along easily.

“I see him and he looks at me with those blue eyes that have owned me every Friday night for the last four weeks.”

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy reading well-written descriptions and the sense of place they evoke. This book inspires the reader to fill in the blanks, to create the appearances of people and locations in their imagination. And you might not even realize you’re doing it because the story will pull you along from one short chapter to the next.

“I lead the way to my bedroom and he has a lazy smirk—a post-orgasm smirk—and he’s beautiful.”

A lot of Romance readers like it that books are similar, and I get that. When I pick up a book I only want to be surprised in a good way. If you’re in the mood for something different, maybe outside your comfort zone, that still delivers a lovely Romance, you might like Walker’s book Best of Both Worlds. This was my first N.R. Walker read, but definitely won’t be my last!

Check out N.R. Walker’s author page here.

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**This 20,000-word story is told in drabbles: each chapter consisting of only 100 words.**

Sebastian Gilman meets a guy on a dance floor every Friday night. He knows nothing about him, not even his name, only to find one day this familiar stranger turns up on his building site and they need to work together.

Ryland Keller knows better than to get involved. Alone and half a country away from home, he revels in isolation until a handsome man in a gay bar turns his world upside down.

Sebastian wants to help Ryland recover from a horrible past, but only if Ryland can let his guard down long enough to see that he can have the best of both worlds.

This book is free as of the publication date of this article.