Wow. What a wonderful book. I didn't know what to expect. From other reviews and the trigger warnings from the author, I expected one character to repeatedly talk about settling down while the other slept around. It just won a Lambda Literary Award so I took a chance. I am so glad I did.Todd (rhymes with God) and Sebby immerse themselves into the relationship but both have issues with exes. Todd believes he lost his one great love and can't let go. Sebby believes he isn't enough for a boyfriend which is part of why he sees an open relationship as a way to satisfy his lover. That isn't the sum of want they are. As in life, there are a lot of issues and, as in life, some of the issues raise their heads for a brief time and slip back unresolved but quiet for a while.The other characters are also fleshed out well. The lovers Brian and Lawrence, who look alike, speak as one, are inseparable, and who could fall into cartoonish depictions, are shown as individuals with backstories, different characters and complicated feelings.In the beginning, the pacing was staccato with short scenes following the start of their dating. Before I could decide whether I liked it or not, the pace slowed and the scenes were longer and more detailed. Those early chapters are like a prologue. The last chapter or so is like an epilogue.The sexual scenes are few and part of the plot and character development. Their first sexual encounters are off-screen because the story doesn't require more than "they had sex." When the sex is saturated with intense emotion or the characters are at a crossroads, the author shows us well-written explicit scenes.