I did not expect this to be so uncomfortable! I do not do well with awkward. But it ended sweetly, so I feel better now.
This whole novella (which was a two hour listen on audio) centers on Monty worrying about his first time having sex with Percy. Monty is self-conscious about his past sexual exploits, worried about their future, and still harboring some self-hatred that makes it hard for him to understand why Percy would want to be with him. Also, Percy is a virgin, and this makes Monty put even more pressure on himself.
This probably would have played a little better for me sooner after reading the first book (it’s been a while!) but overall, it was nice spending time with these characters again, and would work well if read soon after that first book as a sort of epilogue. And it’s not insubstantial! A lot of time these money grab short stories publishers put out feel pretty empty and pointless, but this one was satisfying, once I got past the miles of cringe humor that was happening. Monty is a complete disaster for half of this book, and it is so painful to witness.
[3.5 stars, rounding up]