Thank you NetGalley and Author for allowing me to read this ARC, I truly appreciate it!

Special Delivery is a meet-cute with one very openly gay guy and another who hasn’t discovered that part of himself yet.

Things I liked:
I thought the pacing was reasonable and the meet cute was very sweet. I also liked the openness from the MC about his sexuality and promiscuousness.

Things I didn’t like:
I felt like the MC over-flaunted their sexuality (in the way that I feel like he was making uncomfy jokes and/or pushing the stereotype that lgbt people cannot be around straight ones without wanting to F them).
What I mean by this is anytime they got together, in some sort of way or another, I feel like the MC would be like “are you sure you wanna be out here with a gay” and/or made comments about how attractive and/or sex-appeal the other “straight” MC was.
I just feel like if those comments only happened like once or twice and not every time they hung out, it would’ve been fine. After a while it just felt redundant and a bit pushy.

Overall, I think this was a 3.8 stars :)

I’m so grateful to netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

After the coffee meeting, I was hooked as to where this could go.

Matt and Tom were both instantly likeable and well rounded characters and the freedom of open gay sexuality from Tom was very refreshing.
In places some of the language and phrasing did feel a bit repetitive. I wasn’t a massive fan of the author oftentimes breaking the fourth wall either, but that's just a personal preference and it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this book.
It was so lovely to experience both men opening up about mental health and sharing their feelings. This book highlighted elegantly how men (of all orientations) feel oppressed by the societal norm to be strong and not show emotion or discuss their feelings together. In this regard, I hope some-one out there reading this novel sees it as an example to be more truthful and less afraid.
Miles’ depiction of homophobia in modern society is artfully done through conversation that didn’t come off as heavy or preachy – Matt being a shining example of how to be an ally. It was subtly educational and then not so subtly explicit in its unapologetic sexiness.
The humour scattered throughout as Tom was trying to make Matt more comfortable with his burgeoning feeling was funny and sweet. I laughed out loud to, ‘If hugs were penetrative, this hug basically spunked so far up my arse that my nipple leaked.’ 😂

A well balanced, straightforward queer romance with a heavy sprinkling of spice and a direct and free approach that i definitely enjoyed. Now i feel fully in the Pride month spirit. 🏳‍🌈🏳‍⚧🏳‍🌈

This book is almost journal-style, with a very casual writing style. You are basically let into the mind of the main character, Tom, and all of his personal thoughts. The focus of this book is on exploring sexuality in a shame-free environment. Tom is gay and comfortable in his sexuality, and meets a straight, widowed man who he develops a strong connection to. It's a sweet story that is very casual around sex, which was refreshing. There is a lot of spice in this book as Tom tells us about his sexual encounters.

I think the writing style may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you enjoy spice and a sweet story, you might enjoy this book!

Thank you to Arnold Miles and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.

I really wanted to like this, and I tried to find some redeeming qualities, but I struggled to get through this — and it wasn’t even 200 pages.

The characters have no personality. They’re simply people with names, and some things happen to them. There is virtually no emotion, no chemistry, and there is no reason to feel connected to them.

I don’t even know that a good round or four of plot edits could’ve saved the book, because there wasn’t much there to begin with. It’s a very surface level, vapid story that’s really just some disparate sex scenes masquerading as a story about “finding yourself.” It was repetitive, it was void of meaning, and it read like fan fiction.

Which leads me to … the writing. The writing itself felt like sentence fragments stitched together with mundane descriptions and narration … in the wheelhouse of “He rang the doorbell. I answered the door. He came in. We hugged. He closed the door.” It felt AI generated at times. The dialogue was awful — nobody speaks the way that the characters in this book spoke. Nor do people have full-on paragraph-long conversations in the midst of heated sexual encounters like these characters did. It was so unrealistic, and there was no self-awareness of the fact that it was unrealistic.

There were also some continuity errors and multiple instances of the author contradicting earlier thoughts and events — I truly think some of this was just made up as the author went.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Out of respect for the author, who actively reads / posts about Goodreads reviews for the book on their social media profile, I am simply leaving the numerical star rating and a *very* brief written review on the book’s page on that website.

Note to the publisher:

Netgalley offered an audio excerpt and I was hoping this would be the audiobook.

I was very disappointed to find it isn't.
Since the website does not give info like page numbers (or hours for audiobooks) it was difficult to clarify before requesting

I really liked the narrator.

3.5 stars rounded up. The storyline was fully based around the newness of the friendship between the two main characters. We do get some past details about them too, but not a lot of context outside of that. We’re only ever in Tom’s apartment or a restaurant, never anywhere else except for one other time. Very spicy!! Like basically every 3 pages — that’s new to me! So basically, spice with some relationship building. If that’s your jam, you’ll love this! Personally would have loved just a little more plot, but to be fair that conflict was enough to drive the plot as one character learns more about themselves.

Very sex positive which is great. No shaming here. The spice was indeed spicy.

This read very easy, but I was really confused by the repetitive details. The main character describes their own height and facial features about 3 different times, but in a way that makes it seem like we’re learning this for the first time. This happens with other descriptions as well and gives dejavú but in a “did I forget to flip the page?” kind of way.

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In “Special Delivery,” Arnold Miles crafts a quick read that sizzles with chemistry and charm, set against the backdrop of a world slowly finding its feet after COVID.

Our protagonist, Tom, is the quintessential hybrid worker, splitting his time between home and office. But it’s his role as the go-to guy for package drop-offs in his building that kicks off this delightful tale. Tom meets Matt, the handsome delivery driver who leaves a package for Tom’s neighbor—and inadvertently leaves a mark Tom’s libido.

The dynamic between Tom and Matt is nothing short of amazing. Tom’s self-assuredness is the perfect counterbalance to Matt’s journey of self-discovery. What I loved most about their relationship was how Tom’s confidence didn’t overshadow his ability to be caring and supportive. It’s refreshing to see a character who can be both strong and tender without compromising either trait.

Reading about Tom made me wish more people like him existed in real life—confident yet compassionate, understanding without being judgmental. Imagine a world where more folks embraced others with the same openness and support Tom shows Matt. It’s the kind of character that makes you hopeful for a kinder, more accepting society.

Miles has done a fantastic job with the sexual openness between the characters. Miles creates a safe space for both Tom and Matt to explore their desires and identities. This openness adds depth to their connection, making their journey together feel both authentic and intensely passionate.

“Special Delivery” is a delightful blend of heat and heart, perfect for a quick escape into a world where love can be found in the most unexpected of places—like the next package at your door.

I’ve never read a smutty LGBTQ+ book before but this came highly recommended and I loved it!

It was such a page turner and I finished the book within a day. Pretty much every chapter had action and you just had to keep reading.

I loved Tom & Matt as characters. Watching both characters come to terms with their feelings and sexuality was a journey.

It was a fun addition when they met Claire and the events that unfolded made me really feel for Matt. You could tell how vulnerable he was.

As I’m not part of the LGBTQ+ community, some of it was eye opening and I actually think I learned quite a lot.

It was a great short and snappy book with plenty of spice 🌶️

I loved all the smut in this that was well written and added to this story of two men discovering each and what a relationship means to them. Tom is very confident and comfortable in is sexuality and the way he expresses it, while Matt is more reserved and still discovering himself. I loved the way Tom helped Matt and enjoyed watching their relationship bloom.

I liked the book, the spice was totally spicing. If you are in for total smut then this book is definitely for you.... If you are into LQBTG smut, then this is definitely for you.....

This is my first real foray into gay erotica and I suppose I got pretty much what I expected. At its heart it's quite a sweet wholesome story about a man learning more about himself and a main character that a lot of gay people can only dream of encountering in that he is incredibly understanding, kind, and compassionate towards the love interest. I appreciate that this was a pretty straightforward light read that didn't have an annoying third act conflict, but I feel like I would have liked there to be more of an emotional punch because otherwise it wouldn't be that memorable of a story.

But alas, one doesn't really read erotica for the harrowing stuff. I really enjoyed the spice in this bkok. The sex scenes were pretty hot, but at times the descriptions felt rather repetitive, some of them didn't land quite well, and I was a bit annoyed whenever the narrator would break the fourth wall.

Overall a solid read but I wouldn't be rushing into anyone's DMs to recommend it.

Set shortly after the end of the COVID pandemic, this spicy story centers on a man named Tom who works a hybrid schedule, partly from home and partly at the office.

Tom has become the guy that delivery drivers will leave packages with for other residents in his building when they aren’t home. One day, a handsome delivery guy drops off a package for a neighbor, and our story begins.

Tom and Matt were a fun pairing. Tom’s confidence in himself nicely offset Matt as he worked through who he is. Tom’s confidence didn’t keep him from being caring and supportive though, which was refreshing. Both men were very open sexually and didn’t judge the other for past experiences, or lack thereof.

This wasn't for me. I did appreciate the very open and relaxed attitude towards sex and sexuality, but the writing was simply too straightforward, repetitive, void of any real emotion, and at times it felt AI generated.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc in return for an honest review.

Very nice read. I enjoyed the journey they both went on good and bad, but things played out well.

It's not easy coming to terms with your sexuality but I feel that in this book, it was handled very well.

The sex scenes were well written.

All in all, a great read

3.5 stars, rounded down.

Labels can be useful. They can be liberating, but they also constrain, putting people into boxes that they then feel they can't get out of.

'Special delivery' is a story about labels. How one man who thought he was straight comes to another conclusion. Not without difficulties but with the whole-hearted support of a friend who gradually becomes more than just a friend. Arnold Miles' story is straightforward and somewhat lacking in surprises. However, it is also a sexy and unapologetic look at the life of a modern queer man.

If you're looking for an entertaining, light, sexy read, this might be for you.

This was a sweet, spicy novel about a chance encounter that leads to a growing friendship, queer awakening, and love. It was interesting to see the pandemic and its aftermath being addressed so directly. After the loneliness of lockdown, Tom is a self-proclaimed "slut" who loves nothing more than hookups at the gym, home, or wherever he can find them. When he strikes up a friendship with a delivery guy who is much more reserved and grieving a loss, he starts experiencing deeper feelings and wonders if their friendship can become something more. While it was an enjoyable read the writing could definitely use some editing and varying up the language, the descriptions of body parts and hookups were very repetitive. And the word "mate" was used about 900 times which might be a cultural thing but it grew tiring to read. Overall this was an unpolished but fun read with a satisfying ending.

STEAMIER than a gym sauna!!!

Special Delivery, set two years into the Covid-19 pandemic, is told through the eyes of Tom, a sexually charged man who works from home and constantly finds himself looking for the next hookup. He is very sex positive and isn't afraid to proclaim it! One day, a delivery man needs buzzed into the building to leave a package (not that kind of package...yet) and Tom immediately takes in the man's physical appearance. HE IS A HOTTIE! This hottie's name is Matt, and he has a quick chat with Tom before heading back out to work. They exchange niceties and end up becoming friendly and it is through their friendship that they both find a place of comfort and vulnerability.

The story helps show that sexuality isn't always a straight line, it's fluid and ever moving. There are also topics of grief, healing, and owning your sexual desires. The story shines in the early friendship of Tom and Matt, it's very precious. They have lovely banter and easily open up to each other (again, not in that way...yet).

It is a very short story, and it moves quickly. Which leads to one of the only things I didn't like. A lot of it feels very surface level, you don't get a chance to sit in the weight of things. However, I feel that may just be what erotica needs. The only other small thing that took me out of the story was the random fourth wall breaks and some minor editing needs (spelling and repetition of words).

At the end of the day this is a VERY steamy book, packed full of hot sex- and just enough heart. If you're looking for some M/M spice, then this is the book to go with!

I'd rate this 3.5/5 (rounded up to 4) stars. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I DNF’d this book about 20% of the way through. There is an audience for this book I just don’t think it was for me. I wasn’t a fan of the writing style and the characters. But I’m sure there is an audience out there for the book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶

This is a beautiful story of two men discovering themselves in different ways.

Whilst it contains some incredibly hot, steamy sex scenes, it wasn't the main focus for me. I was definitely more interested in the plot of this romance.

As a gay male, I found myself identifying with the main character at times, understanding where the POV was coming from. I often find that M/M romance (especially those with sex scenes) tends to be an exaggerated version of what people expect. This had the right balance, where it felt more real.

My negative point: at times, the author would repeat descriptions, and whilst it's sometimes good to be reminded of certain elements, it doesn't need to be a paragraph apart. It almost felt like the author had forgotten they had already mentioned it. Also, there was a speech mark missing in one of the chapters, which affected my reading rhythm - and I do find it frustrating when I have to stop and search a page for something.

However, it was a fantastic story, quick read, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC.