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Review: Cheat(er) Code by S.A. Foxe



Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.


Rating: ★★★★★

Author: S.A. Foxe, Daz (Illustrations)

Title: Cheat(er) Code

ISBN: 1620107805

Genre: LGBT Erotica & Romance

Publisher: Limerence Press, Nov. 24, 2020

Page Count: 144 pages

Synopsis: Kennedy and his boyfriend Seth have been together six years, and honestly, it's pretty comfortable. That is, until the couple gets into a huge, potentially relationship-changing fight. Kennedy turns to his trusty video games to distract himself, but when a random power surge hits, he's transported inside his video game library. Dazed and incredulous about his digital predicament, Ken finds himself seduced by a silver daddy, rutting with a couple of barbarians from an epic fantasy, and sorting through a lot of confusing feelings about his favorite anthropomorphic cheetah character. Kennedy will need to confront his biggest fears to get back to reality before the game glitches him out of existence, but sometimes, the unexpected (and unexpectedly sexy) is just what you need to hit the reset button.


Cheat(er) Code doesn't release until November 24, 2020, but I'm seriously considering purchasing a copy of this to have outside of the ARC I received. Cheat(er) Code offers a wonderful balance of sexiness, humor, heartbreak, and tenderness within its 144 pages. The premise starts off sad, watching Kennedy go through a break-up after he catches his partner cheating on him. He then tries to defiantly move on without fully comprehending his grief.


The moment he's hilariously zapped into his console, bouncing from game-to-game, we meet a heartwarming group of horny characters (à la Dream Daddy) who find him irresistible. I say that, but I don't mean that the graphic novel is just back-to-back porn without plot. Instead, each interaction is another way for Kennedy to level-up into a fully-realized, independent, and recovered adult who is ready to move on and be better for himself and any future partners he may have.



As funny as it was to watch him get it on with some gruff bears and fantasy orcs, I also appreciated how much of it mattered to Kennedy. The way you could chuckle or sigh an awww even during the steamiest moments felt so carefully considered. And so often we see gay erotica that might make people cringe at how abrupt and inconsiderate the penetration is, but this graphic novel tackles the simplest of considerations from douching to getting consensual approval from partners. It's the little touches that the LGBTQA+ community has asked for for some time, and I appreciated seeing it in action in Cheat(er) Code without bringing every scene to a crashing halt.


I also really loved the art style in this graphic novel! It was cute, vibrant, and it had all the life and excitement of video games. It had the perfect balance of gritty detail (when necessary) and silly minimal expression, not unlike anime humor. If I had to pick an aesthetic for a graphic novel that I'm drawn to most, I might say The Wicked + the Divine first, but this is a very close second.


Honestly, I didn't expect the amount of warmth I would feel connecting with Kennedy and seeing him be empowered and cared for by a bevy of men who adored him in ways he hadn't felt in his own life. But still, it's video games. Which is a charming setting and device for helping this gaymer pick up the pieces after a break-up. And it makes for some hilarious hijinks panel-to-panel.


If you're a member of the LGBTQA+ community, and you've been looking for more honest representation in graphic novels, I don't think you'll be disappointed by how charming, funny, and sexy Cheat(er) Code is.


I know this review in particular is a bit short, but I worry about giving too much away, especially when this standalone does so much with what it's given. I love Kennedy so much, and I will protect him! I hope you love him, too.



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