 by Riley Hart.jpg)
Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79308 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
But ever since all my friends have fallen in love, it’s getting more difficult not to feel left out…
Cue my fascination with Spencer, my neighbor who hates me. There’s something addicting about getting under his skin, and I blame the combination of my confusing emotions and too many drinks for spilling my guts to him about all my insecurities…and about how much I love cuddling.
Turns out, Spencer doesn’t hate me, and my word vomit is the catalyst that makes us decide to be cuddle buddies. When I need affection, I go to him, and he just…holds me. Along the way we become friends, and when I fall for him, it’s surprising that he feels the same. Spencer’s easy to talk to, fun to be around, and did I mention he’s hot? I love how confident he is in his full figure, and there’s nothing like being in his beefy arms.
Spencer has me wanting more for the first time in my life, and he’s determined to help with my disordered eating, but if I want a healthy future with him, I need to work toward being healthy for myself too.
The Charmer deals with disordered eating, low self-esteem, and negative talk about weight. While the story is uplifting and none of these are heavy-handed, please see content warning for a full list.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
PROLOGUE
Spencer
Eighteen years old
“I like your shirt.”
I looked up at the soft voice breaking through the loud beach party going on around us. It was a guy I’d never met before, with dark hair and unique blue eyes. They almost looked icy, if that made sense. Or like a blue flame I had a feeling held all sorts of secrets.
He was gorgeous—a little softer than some of the guys, but I wouldn’t call him chubby like me. He had full lips and a contagious smile that set butterflies loose in my belly.
He frowned, which reminded me he’d said something to me, and there I was, grinning at him like a dopey idiot. I couldn’t imagine why this guy was talking to me, but then I glanced at my old T-shirt and remembered what he’d said. “You like Power Rangers?”
“I’m gay. It’s in the handbook,” he replied, making me chuckle.
“Me too, but I didn’t get a handbook. I feel left out.”
The guy shrugged. “I’ll have to let you borrow mine.”
Was he flirting with me? Jesus Christ, if I was sleeping, I didn’t want to wake up. “Can I get you a beer?”
“Sure,” he replied, then followed me over to the keg. I grabbed a Solo cup, filled it and handed it to him, then got one for myself. I had no idea whose party this even was, but word had gotten around the Cal State LA campus that there was a private beach and it was going to be lit.
Someone turned the music up, people dancing and cheering all around us. “Wanna go down the beach where it’s quieter?” I said to him.
“Huh?”
“Down the beach!” I pointed, and the pretty guy nodded.
We walked together while I wondered if I had fallen and hit my head. Maybe I’d gotten drunk, had an accident, and was currently bleeding to death while dreaming about the boy with the most beautiful eyes I’d ever seen.
“You from around here?” I asked, the beach quieting the farther we got from everyone.
“Santa Monica born and raised. You?”
“The Temecula area.” We found a spot and sat on the sand, silhouettes of the party in the distance. “I’m a freshman. You?”
“Same.”
“Bet it’s nice to be so close to home base. You probably still have a lot of friends around.” I did too, but they were more in Riverside County. A lot of them ended up going to school in San Diego.
“My three close friends—Marcus, Declan, and Parker—don’t go to Cal State. I’ve known them since middle school.” He looked down, circling his finger along the rim of the cup, the mood suddenly heavier.
“But they’re close still?”
“Yeah. We’re just all at different schools, and…never mind. It’s dumb. I’ve met a few cool people here, though.”
I felt the sadness of the moment, could tell he was lonely and missed his friends. I couldn’t pretend that didn’t seem a little silly to me since they were close, but college was tough on all of us for different reasons.
“What do you do for fun?” I asked.
“I like to work out. I’ve lost a shit ton of weight and still losing.” Was that why he wasn’t drinking his beer? Too many calories? “What about you?”