Q*Pid

By: Xavier Mayne

Narrated by: Rudy Sanda

Can a computer program understand love better than the human heart?

Archer, the AI at the dating service Q*pid, realizes humans don't always make the best choices, so it begins making some unconventional choices for them.

Fox Kincade is the last of his group of friends to be single, so he's delighted when he discovers a new match in his Q*pid app - one that, according to the new AI wizardry, should be the love of his life. Instead of the woman he's expecting, he's paired with Drew Larsen, a shy, somewhat nerdy PhD student who has also grown discouraged with romance.

Drew and Fox have little in common - aside from the fact that they're both straight. Or so they thought. But as the guys get to know each other, they realize Archer might have the right idea. Their path isn't smooth, because both need to overcome every idea they have about themselves and what true love might look like. But with the help of Archer - and some friends who have stuck with Fox and Drew through the thick and thin of their relationship trials - they might find their way into each other's hearts.

©2018 Xavier Mayne (P)2018 Tantor

Beautiful and very funny!

If you love quirky love stories, then this is a perfect listen. The narration is excellent. A great way of looking at love and desire!

3.5 stars- ups and downs but an overall enjoyable

It’s becoming a bit of a theme for me when I read this author’s works, but Q*Pid is a more difficult book to rate. There were some parts that left me less than enthused and others I loved, but it has to be said that once I was a little less than half way through the book, I couldn’t get enough of it.

First and foremost, the plot of Q*Pid was really noteworthy with a dating service using Artificial Intelligence to help guide matches beyond the parameters users set. Couple that with a double gay-for-you trope, and I was intrigued as to how it would all work. The characters were interesting, with different backgrounds that gave an opposites attract sort of feel to the romance. Overall, I liked Drew and Fox together, especially once they worked through all their concerns, but something was missing for a good chunk of the story. This wasn’t helped by the narrator who overacted voices for some characters. Despite having a good rhythm, his style didn’t quite work for me and took me some time to get accustomed to the voice shifts.

The gay-for-you trope is always difficult to navigate because the author has to sell the character’s straight persona, then switch things up in ways that make their expanding sexuality plausible. Unfortunately, I think this is where Q*Pid stumbled. There was so much foundation to prove Drew and Fox were straight, but not enough framework to make their falling for each other very believable. Despite seeing where things were headed, I never felt those confusing emotions as the men navigated these new emotions and attractions…it just happened. That said, the transition from close friendship to lovers did hit all the marks and I enjoyed seeing these men get their happily ever after. Once again, I find myself recommending a book by this author that, while having some bobbles, has enough a unique storyline and characters that makes it a really good read.

*Reviewed for Alpha Book Club*

An Interesting Premise

Mayne provides a truly interesting concept with Archer (the AI matchmaker) and how Archer brings Fox and Drew together. The way the romance between the humans unfolds is sweet. However, some of the dialogue between Fox and Drew at points doesn't feels a little bit off. It was an easy listen (finished in three days or so), and Sanda did a solid job with the narration. It's a fun listen, and I would be willing to try another title by Mayne based off of this story.

Wonderful

So original and well written. A beautiful message also. Great narration. My highest recommendation. Top five out of thousands in my library.

Great trope, fantastic new narrator!

This is a fun trope – the GFY trope and a double GFY – YES – sign me up! I absolutely loved this. It was sweet, romantic and my only (small) complaint was that I wish we’d had more smexy times.


What I love about this story is what I fell in love with in Frat House Troopers: great character development and a (mostly) believable way for two “straight” guys to fall in love! Where FHT had a little more pull for me was there was more “exploration” in the bedroom that I missed with this couple.

However – the upside is we definitely get a lot of emotional bonding and the end result is a really romantic story with a touch of heat.

If you’re a fan of the author or the trope – this is recommended for you!


5 of 5 stars
Audio
Rudy Sanda is a new to me narrator. He really tries to give everyone a unique voice - I loved his Mrs. Schwarzman! He handles the humor and the timing necessitated by that very well. His voice is easy to listen to and I found his cadence really pleasing. I am definitely going to be looking for him in the future!
5 of 5 stars