Sounds Like Fun by Bryan Moriaty

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I had read Harsh Cravings on the plane to Gran Canaria, I then read this, and later in the holiday read Becoming Ted, all of which look hard at relationships, and in particular Sounds Like Fun and Becoming Ted cover common ground – I almost began to wonder if my subconscious was trying to tell me something…

I don’t think it is a uniquely gay experience that low self-esteem creates the context that the moment anyone shows interest in you you fully embrace that, and often that results in accepting toxic behaviour because you are so grateful to be in a relationship, any relationship feels better than nothing.

Eoin met Rich at the moment of coming out, and everything from the first moment has red flags, yet years later they are in a steady if unfulfilling relationship.

Rich suggests they open their relationship up, this links back to Harsh Cravings insights on what that means, but it massively backfires on Rich – until that moment Eoin had been entirely dependent on Rich for validation, now Eoin has permission to find that elsewhere and then a light bulb goes on for Eoin about the power dynamic between him and Rich.

This is an insightful story about toxic relationships – but it should not be read as a conclusion that all open relationships are in reality exit strategies…