Cane23

I'm frustrated with the speed you're delivering new chapters. I'm hardly keeping up with this, but with 13 ❤️ I'm seriously behind! Anyway... it's finally time to see whether you'll save the "original" Charlie. 🤞

Reading Augustus’ Moderation is certainly a way to build character… what I’m afraid of is that our author, by shaping Charlie’s character through stoicism, is actually preparing him for an inevitable destiny! To quote the emperor himself: “Accept whatever comes to you woven in the pattern of your destiny, for what could more aptly fit your needs?”

Oh my… this chapter was such fun. The gay bar scene was hilarious… “Dad, I’m gay!” - “What?! You’re drinking?!” 😂 By the way, are the kids going to change their surnames too now?

I share the others' opinion that everything went much better than expected - the boyfriend meeting the father, then the family dinner, the debt being repaid, and meeting D, who is, surprisingly, young enough to support my theory about being used for a body swap with Charlie. By the way, Tory father is living proof that many politicians don’t actually believe in what they preach.

A marriage proposal out of the blue like this doesn’t come from emotions. This is business - now, whether it’s noble or tricky business… to quote @kbois, we’ll see!

Most unusual plot - two guys pretend to be boyfriends to prove… they’re not?! Only minds this intelligent, analytical, and philosophical could devise such a meticulously planned agenda, with different scenarios for school, parents, and… other parents. And for what - to prove there are no feelings involved? To whom? I’d say mostly to themselves. And why? To maintain a stoic, untouchable reputation. But what if hearts betray their brains?!

The first encounter at the airport continues on the airplane, through the exciting sights of London, and eventually back home. Along the way, a strong sexual chemistry and a unique connection begin to build between two men who seem very different at first glance. Paul is a gay uncle, while Rob is a military sergeant - an alpha male, a husband, and a father. Despite their differences, something powerful pulls them together. Funny, exciting, hot, and adventurous, this is the story of two men who are loyal to their families yet find themselves trapped in a once-in-a-lifetime attraction. How will their story unfold? Read and find out! 🙂

Moving on and moving in are not the same thing. I don’t see any other possibility than to wait for the next chapter and see how Loonie will find a polite way to say ‘no.’

This book might help Charlie become a better person. Come to think of it… is there a better way to fight the demon?!

Maybe Charlie could swap his (Taine’s old) body for D’s. It’s a pity for him to be doomed just when he was starting to become likable…

What perceptive and devious mind has noticed such subtleties as looks, touch, and body language at the crowded party? Then again, we are talking about the smartest young people in the school… some dangerously, destructively smart!

Bravo for the comment...exactly that - a chapter that evokes ambivalent feelings. A sense that something ended that never even started. One of those regretful moments in life that often come back with “what if” questions. Eagerly waiting for the resolution in the next chapter.

I thought Matt would stay with the real Charlie (in whatever body poor Charles ended up in) … But if it’s a Ken doll, then it’s a Ken doll! 😁

I'm so glad this didn’t turn into some endless gay drama with Matt hopelessly in love with Charlie!!! Thank you for that @Topher Lydon… THANK YOU! It seems like the mother is so enthusiastic about having a gay son - is it some sort of rebellion against her husband, or is it the change she sees in Charlie? The witty, sarcastic humor they share finally makes them closer. Or maybe she was just a closeted good mother all along… 😁 And finally, we’re all wondering about the infamous D, and why Charlie borrowed money in the first place (not that he’s a poor guy). Why didn’t Taine ask Charlie directly about it? After all, it’s Charlie’s mess that Taine is trying to clean up!

“Yes you, you dirty bastards, I see you out there. Making comments and betting on how long till the prudish professor gets nailed by the Wrestler. Soon, darlings, soon. He’s working up to it.”

The most fun and entertaining chapter yet. At the beginning, I almost felt the same anxiety as Charlie, afraid of what drama might follow… but… oh my, it exceeded all my expectations! Still laughing… 🤣😂🤣

Tyler seems like much more than an intelligent, perceptive boy. His ability to read people feels almost supernatural! 😉 I cannot stop thinking about the real Charlie trapped in that old, broken body. He was an asshole, so maybe I shouldn’t feel this way, but… I can’t help feeling sorry for him. Is he going to survive, and if so, in what body?

Oh, what an adventure this is going to be. Not just fun and confusion with the potential for a comedy of errors, but some drama too, and a chance for the characters to truly grow, learn, and ultimately make something exceptional of their lives (or not 😉). The plot reminds me of one of my favorite eighties' movies — 18 Again! 18 Again! (1988) - IMDb

Yes, the grief, and the guilt that comes with trying to move on, really come through here. I’m glad you’ve captured this phase of Lonnie’s life so well @Mikiesboy. He feels torn between loneliness, the aches in his body, and the memories he’s trying so hard to hold on to. He needs time… and it seems Ferenc might need some time too. You open the chapter with a charming sense of playfulness. The line “Can I go down and look at the pumps?” almost sounds like flirting. 😉 But by the end, the tone shifts into something more wistful, ending the chapter with a quiet sadness and that lingering question - how do you move on? Beautifully done. By the way - since Keve’s name is Ferenc, Lonnie might end up calling him Feri later on! 😁

When it comes to grief, theories often describe different stages - sadness, anger, denial...but in reality, every person walks that road in their own way and at their own pace. I have a colleague who lost her only child and couldn’t cry for two years. It took two years of therapy before she finally reached the point where she could allow her pain to come out. In Albert Camus’ novel The Stranger (L’Étranger), the prosecutor argues that Meursault is a “soulless monster” and ultimately pushes for his execution largely because he didn’t cry at his mother’s funeral. Instead, he smoked cigarettes by her coffin and went to see a comedy film with a woman the very next day. His behavior shocked people, but the novel raises the question of how much we truly understand about what is happening inside someone else. Grief is deeply individual. We rarely know what is going on in another person’s soul. As for “moving on” or dating again, there’s no single right way to do it. My grandfather is 95. He has been widowed three times and now has a fourth wife. He’s often the subject of jokes among family and friends, but beneath the humor lies a simple truth. Once he said something to my mother that perfectly captures his life - “I cannot be alone. I need someone.” And that’s really the whole story. Despite the jokes, he isn’t some kind of Casanova - just a lonely man who needs companionship.

Keve Ferenc, Keve is the surname (family name) and Ferenc is the given name. In Hungarian naming order, the surname comes first, followed by the given name.

It’s Hungarian - a hot Hungarian plumber!😁 The story seems to be moving toward healing!

You were right @Boy Mercury X - that museum “visit” was something special. I’m sure those Assyrian artifacts haven’t seen such excitement since the age of Mesopotamia! Nevertheless, I was thinking about something else. There’s no doubt the sexual chemistry between those two guys is amazing, but beneath all that hotness there seems to be something more. They attract each other like opposite poles of a magnet. So, the question is - will this remain just a wonderful holiday memory, or could there actually be a future for them?

Not that I know of, but the food is certainly better - especially the dessert! 😉

I used to think the time change happened everywhere at the same time, but I just checked and realized that Europe changes the clock in the last week of March, while the USA and Canada change it in the second week of March. As for International Women’s Day, it was widely celebrated in the former Yugoslavia during the socialist period. Over time, it became an even more important occasion for giving flowers and small gifts than Mother’s Day or St. Valentine’s Day. One reason is that flowers are traditionally given to all women - girlfriends, wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, teachers, colleagues, and so on. Some people say it is a “communist holiday,” but in reality it started as a day connected with women’s struggle for basic human rights. ❤️💐🌺