Come for the inside scoop on Scientology, stay for the Tom Cruise slander

Disclaimer- I generally had a good time and I want more books in this niche to exist but I'm gonna ramble about a bunch of issues with this series (mostly the last two books):

The character development basically stops after book 1. I had high hopes for a Jason arc that I thought was being set up where he would start the series as a self-centered asshole, then swing wildly into trying to be the completely selfless model boyfriend in book 2, then realize that that isn't sustainable or healthy and find a balance where he can prioritize his own needs while also supporting Tae Hyung. Nope! He's just transformed into the selfless (if occasionally jealous and aggressive in a sexy way) boyfriend forever. He puts aside his acting career permanently to run his father's business and support Tae Hyung and he's fine with that I guess? I don't know why it was set up that he got a great movie offer if that was never going to pan out or even become a significant character beat. Also Jason's disregard for his own safety in book 2 is psychologically concerning in a way I thought was intentional ("I don't give a shit what happens to me") but I guess that was wish-fulfillment?

Jason becoming a billionaire seems so bad for the overall plot and vibe. I thought it was being set up that the tour would make or break Big Hammer's success and their ability to pursue their dreams but instead they just have unlimited money now ig. Like it doesn't matter if Tae Hyung's music is good because Jason can fund as many flop albums as he wants, and if Jason had the time to act again someday same applies there (but he won't which is a big bummer and I don't know why the impact of that wasn't dealt with). Jason is trapped in a job he doesn't enjoy and Tae Hyung will always have it undermining his success. Also, money troubles are good for driving tension (see book 1-none of this would have happened if Jason didn't need a paycheck)! As soon as I realized money was no object anymore it kind of killed the stakes for me.

I love a good sex scene, but the last two books in this series particularly really suffer from what feels like a quota of one sex scene every 40 pages without any regard for those scenes contributing anything to the plot or character development. By the end I was skimming them because I was getting bored by the same routine repeating while the plot was at a standstill.

(Spoiler) Tae Hyung is set up to be very unsure about getting married then decides with no build up or reasoning to say yes to Jason's proposal (presumably because the end of the series was fast approaching and the author wanted it to end in a wedding) "He wasn't sure if he was truly ready for marriage, for the weight of those vows, but at that moment, with Jason's shining eyes full of love and hope, it felt right." Honestly, it's giving divorced by 30.

It seems like the first book was intended to be a standalone then this book was written with the third in mind. There are multiple threads that are introduced early on that I assumed would be the driving factors in this book (money troubles for Big Hammer, Jason putting his own needs and dreams on hold for Tae Hyung) that didn’t resolve, so I’m assuming (hoping) they will be addressed in the final book. Also hoping the characters get time to deal with the massive trauma that is the climax of this book because WOW- that was really unexpectedly dark for a minute and it feels like we need to see the characters unpack that if we’re going to maintain both the realism and the characterizations we’ve had so far.

Interested to see how it all pans out, since so much feels unfinished it’s hard to have a definitive opinion on this book until I’ve read the next one.

UPDATE: None of the plot threads pan out :/

Fun, quick read- great for trying to break out of a reading slump. Reminds me plot-wise of If This Gets Out by Sophie Gonzalez and Cale Dietrich but with the spice of Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy.

This is a book about the luckiest guy in the world. Other than a propensity for addiction he had every advantage- nearly unlimited money, natural charisma, two parents who love and support him, relationships with incredible women, a leg up into acting by his actor father, and a main part on perhaps the most beloved and successful sitcom of all time. And yet despite all this, the book is primarily spent on gratuitous self-pity. He blames his parents for working too much and getting divorced as the reason he blew up every good relationship he ever had. He blames rehab clinics for his inability to stay sober. He intellectualizes, and bemoans circumstance, and regurgitates therapy-speak.

Addiction is incredibly difficult and this is far from the first memoir I’ve read by an addict but it’s the only one that spent SO much time on trying to convince me how much suffering the author was in, ostensibly to make me feel bad for him and make his continued use seem like the only logical solution. “He needed a cigarette like he needed AIR!! Of course he had to leave rehab to get one!” I imagine him imagining me saying. Why this famous millionaire needs my pity is beyond me.

Overall, not a memoir I’d recommend. There are better addiction memoirs, better memoirs for celebrity gossip, and if you’re a big Friends fan there isn’t much of that in here either. I feel a lot of sympathy for Matthew Perry but this book just ain’t it.

Genuinely witty writing meets exploration of queer identity meets 2000s pop culture analysis. If you're a queer millennial/zillennial you'll probably have a good time.

If it takes several tries to have a good first date with someone, you shouldn't be dating that person.

Recommended if you like: secondhand embarrassment, frustration, Harry Potter references