Bidding On You is a double ace coming of age romance. An intriguing and almost educational romance story full of self discovery and love.
From the blurb:
I have everything figured out, except my love life. My friends keep pushing me to date people but there's never a spark. At the beginning of my senior year I figured out I'm on the ace spectrum, most likely a cupioromantic aceflux. But I have more important things to worry about right now.
I've stopped trying to date. Told my friends to quit setting me up, so how did I go from raising awareness for queer youth at a charity event to being auctioned off to a guy who looks like a locker-room pinup?
Tristan Donovan-Money, power, prestige. All-American high school quarterback right here. Just got accepted to one of the most elite universities in the country. Nepotism-sure as hell looks like it, but no, actually not so much. There's the mask I wear at school, and then the few who know who I really am underneath. I'd like to think there's more to me than what meets the eye, but I've shut myself down for so long I don't know anymore.
Until I see him, and then everything changes. Love at first sight? Don't believe there's enough of a connection for that to be verifiable. Lust at first sight? Don't think that works for someone who has never really felt lust. So then, maybe soulmate recognition? I don't know how else to explain how I become instantly drawn to a stranger, but here I am. And when his friends put three dates with him up for auction, there's no way I'm about to lose the chance to get to know him.
Join Tristan and Qi on a journey of learning there are a million ways to be on the asexual spectrum but only one way to be uniquely themselves in this sweet and swoony low-angst romance with an aceflux MC who has a demiromantic awakening and the other MC who has a pan-greyrose awakening. Expect cute dates, honest confessions, lots of blushes, tons of support and lots of love. There are a few spicy scenes, but there is a higher emphasis on intimacy.
Angel's review:
When I first read this book I fell in love with it, and then I read it a second time and loved it even more.
It's not often that an author will make showing the nuances of Asexuality a prominent focus in a story, will a side character be under the ace umbrella? Yeah, absolutely. And I've read some really amazing ones too! But will both MC's be under the Ace umbrella, and it be the main focus of the story... Not usually. At least, I haven't come across another story similar to this one. Kandyce prioritized what it's like being a member of the ace community and all the angst and overthinking that comes with it, along with how sexuality fluctuates and can change overtime.
This story is about Qi and Tristan who are both in college and are exploring what their sexuality means to them, and how that presents for them. I loved all the introspective thinking, and how both of these MC's prioritizes communication. When I read this story, I felt seen. I felt as though I was reading MY journey with Asexuality. The writing was just beautiful, and I appreciated how Kandyce had both Qi and Tristan explain not only what their sexualities are but also what their sexuality means to them. That gave room to not just better understand and connect to the characters, but it also helped explain what those sexualities are and what they can mean for people who identify as those sexualities... If someone is is unfamiliar with the various sexualities and nuances that fall under the Asexual umbrella, I'm sure that they'll be able to learn more about them when they read this beautiful and thought provoking story.
I will say I adore Tristan, don't get me wrong, I love Qi too, but Tristan is giving off the whole 'Golden Retriever energy.' He's determined to win Qi over but he's respectful in doing so, he's not forcing anything on Qi, he's just trying to prove himself to the other man who has captivated him. I love both of these characters, and their story is fantastic!
Now the side characters I found to be excellent as well. Were they as fleshed out and as detailed as the MC's? No, but that's okay because they are still great... Well, Qi's friends aren't so great but that's because of their behavior in the story, not because of how they are written. I'm excited for the next story in this series, I'm looking forward to the next book.
Here's a moment in the story that resonated with me; ''The closeness, the emotion, the kisses, the cuddling, just being close to him. Those are all higher up the food chain for me than sex is.'''
This too; ""I honestly thought I was cupioromantic, because I wanted a romantic relationship. I just never felt romantic attraction.""
I've been here myself, and I'm still questioning where I fall in the Asexuality scale of things. That's what's so beautiful about this story is it taught me about sexualities that I wasn't completely familiar with prior to reading, and I love that I learned something new. Especially when it resonates so profoundly.
A well-done introspection of the complexity that is the asexuality spectrum. We have two late teens who are just figuring out who they are and what their sexuality means to them both. Both characters are uniquely complex and different yet similar at the same time. For those readers who don't really understand the ace spectrum, I highly recommend giving this book a shot. It will help you better understand how different each person is. As others have stated their is a lot of introspection, but they are late teens, so it works for these characters more than with older characters who generally understand themselves better by that age. My first from this author and if they keep up with this writing will not be my last
Bidding On You is currently available as an e-book and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription
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