The Idiot: Carver Brothers, Book 2

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars | 845 ratings

Price: 17.46

Last update: 02-12-2025


About this item

There's no picking who you love...nor getting rid of them. Murphy Malone loves his orchard, his mother, and his dog. Life is great until he can't stop thinking about what he's missing—someone to share it all with. When he realizes that his love for his best friend, Jesse Carver, runs deeper than the bonds of friendship, it just makes things worse. The problem—Jesse Carver is the straightest man he's ever known. Only time and distance can ease the ache, but what do you do when your loyal best friend follows you to the gay singles cruise you fled to in an attempt to escape your feelings? Tropes: idiots in love, awakening, friends to lovers, forced proximity


Top reviews from the United States

  • Nadine
    5.0 out of 5 stars Chaotic Perfection
    Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2024
    I came strictly for the “idiots in love” trope, not expecting to fall completely in love with this story! Jesse is a himbo to shame all other himbos, covers vulnerability with humor, and just genuinely loves life. Murphy is a bit of a grump who protects himself from the things he fears by getting defensive and assuming the worst. Miscommunications abound. Or, rather, lack of honest communication. While many other authors use totally unrealistic miscommunications just to get the plot where they want it, this made sense in the context of the fears both men had.

    The humor was honestly very disruptive to my roommate. It’s my own fault for reading this story so late into the night, but I definitely annoyed her with my cackling. I won’t give too much away there, but let me just say that I’ll never look at Sea Monkeys the same way again. But, again, even with the humor, the author managed to balance it frighteningly well with heartwarming moments. The spice was also verrrrrry nice.

    Anyway, 15/10, would absolutely recommend.
  • SilkeeeeeeReads
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fun
    Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2024
    Well, this is a fun read with some laugh out loud moments. The two MC’s are wonderful together and of course, clueless.
  • CS
    5.0 out of 5 stars Misunderstandings
    Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2024
    Jesse and Murphy have been BFs forever and in the midst of a stagnant life, Murphy who is secretly in love with Jesse, tells him he is gay. Jesse freaks out but being Jesse, only because he doesn't know how to act and over thinks. Then Murphy overreacts. It's misunderstanding after misunderstanding as Jesse tries to let him know he is there for him, then falls for him not realizing he did. You hope these two can get their act together and claim each other. Loved this!! Jesse is pretty clueless but sweet like a big puppy., Murphy is the grumpy bear. And Delores has the best rear view mirror decorations, especially her last.
  • Clara B
    3.0 out of 5 stars Sweet But Frustrating
    Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2024
    This book was a bit of a whirlwind. At its core it has a sweet story about two best friends both discovering things about themselves and falling in love. But while that happens the book is full of miscommunication and sometimes cringey moments of idiocy.

    Jesse and Murphy were sweet but oh so awkward to read about sometimes. Though Jesse was meant to be the so called “idiot,” Murphy definitely had his moments. They both were so awful about communicating and a lot of Jesse’s silly moments were really because of others not taking the time to explain things to him. He was adorably awkward and innocent sometimes, especially on the cruise, but I found myself feeling bad for him and how the others were fine leaving him to be misunderstood and misinformed.

    Once the two were together it was full of spice and quite a bit of sweetness. The two as a couple definitely worked and were nice to read about but I would have liked more about their time as friends and time apart when Murphy was in the army. I think the tidbits we got were great but I would have loved if the story went a bit deeper.

    In the end the book was sweet and if you can get past all of the miscommunication and awkwardness it is a fun, quick read.

    Tropes: Best Friends to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Dual POV, Bi-Awakening, Coming Out
    Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5
    Spice: ????️????️ 2/5
    Relationship: MM
  • Mark Izatt
    5.0 out of 5 stars Stand-out in the gay awakening grumpy sunshine trope
    Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2024
    Dianna Roman's terrific writing really trancends the genre. Her characters have rich inner worlds and captivating internal dialog injected with witty humor, joy and heart.
  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars A great for anyone looking for a friends to lover romance - A big awakening!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2024
    Jesse is the life of the party, always there for a joke or prank. Murphy the knows to stay out of trouble but when you are best friends with Jess then you have to anticipate trouble. OMG Jess situation reminds me of the story husband sells pocket watch and wife sells her hair to buy a secret gift they gave up their prized possession for another is the true gift. True best friends that had to face their own reality. A was a good & believable story. MM romance.
  • Skweelee
    5.0 out of 5 stars I love Jesse so much
    Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2025
    Thanks to Jesse/this book I'll never look at sea monkeys the same again and now I will be referring to myself as an aquarium
  • Linda Reads
    5.0 out of 5 stars I spent most of this book either laughing or smiling until my cheeks hurt
    Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2024
    Oh. My. Word. This is unquestionably one of the funniest books that I have read by Ms. Roman. There are poignant as well as steamy times without doubt but the humor is seductive. If you like humor with your gay romance, please try this book. I rarely laugh-out-loud, not my nature, but this book had me cackling! Read it. You’ll see.
    Murphy Malone takes infrequent trips to Seattle to work out his need for male companionship. On his last trip he saw a couple who obviously loved each other. Murph cannot forget that memory and he wants that same love in his life. Problem is, only his family knows that he is gay; meaning nobody in Wenatchee, Washington knows, not even his best friend, Jesse Carver. Jesse’s character is so sweetly oblivious. One thing for sure is that Jesse will not let Murph out of his sight for long. Since Murphy enlisted in the military and left Jesse in Wenatchee, Jesse has been in Murph’s proverbial pocket. What he doesn’t know are the feelings that are roiling right under the surface. Will Murphy be able to tell Jesse that he is gay? How will Jesse take it?
    This book is easy to recommend because it is sweet, steamy and funny; a compelling combination. I volunteered to review an ARC of this book.

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