Hostile Takeover (Hostile Takeover #1) by Lucy Lennox

"An enemies-to-lovers thrill ride! Sexy, gripping, clever and relentlessly good!" - #1NYT Bestseller Lauren Blakely

Hostile Takeover, an all-new enemies to lovers mm romance by Lucy Lennox is now available!

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It was supposed to be a prank. A silly frat boy dare.

One hot moment in a hidden storage closet. One kiss. No consequences.

But if you get that close to a man with fire in his eyes, you’re gonna get burned, and I was no exception. One taste of Grey Blackwood ruined me for life.

The way Grey sees it, I was the one who did the ruining. I humiliated him. Wrecked his life. Destroyed his future.

Doesn’t matter that he’s clawed his way back and then some. Doesn’t matter that he’s already top of the Wall Street food chain. The man’s ruthless. Heartless. And he likes his revenge served cold.

Now he’s taking down the companies owned by every frat boy who did him wrong. And when he comes for my family’s company, the quiet life I’ve built for myself far away from Manhattan comes crumbling down, too.

But when Grey’s standing in our boardroom, threatening a hostile takeover and demanding I negotiate on behalf of my family, I don’t see an enemy. I see the chance I’ve been waiting for.

The chance for another night in his arms, and hopefully a whole lot more.

Let the negotiations begin.

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Hostile Takeover is the first book in the Hostile Takeover series by Lucy Lennox. 

I'm not always a huge fan of enemies to lovers, but this is Lucy so I had to try it.  And I'm glad I did. 

It's gripping from the start, which is tough to read. I was so damn sad with the beginning and it took me a long time to get past that feeling. But I did. 

I love Grey and Ellison's journey. It's extremely messy and complex. And best of all, so are these men. Each was born into a world that wasn't the right one for them. Both struggled to be able to do what they wanted in life. And the messy way in which their lives entwine is fabulous. 

This is a story of rich versus poor. It's a story with a cruel, controlling and ruthless father. It's a story of business and making a name for oneself. And it's a story with the sweet satisfaction of revenge and finding love. 

The writing is great, with characters that are multi-layered and loveable. The author includes plenty of twists and turns and a sweet, satisfactory ending.

Hostile Takeover is the perfect choice the next time you're in the mood for an enemies to lovers romance. Lucy Lennox will leave you mesmerized by these men and their connection and amazing second chance at love. 

Lucy Lennox is finally putting good use to that English Lit degree earned way back in the 1900s.

She stays up way too late each night reading M/M romance because she is a sucker for a good story.

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Absolution by E.M. Lindsey

 

Amazon Link   - Available in KU  

Goodreads Link

"I’m madly, irrevocably in love with a man I met on the streets one night, and if I get a second chance, I plan to make sure I spend every day reminding him just how absolutely loved and cherished he is.”

By the time he turned twenty-nine, Alexei Gurgov has managed to put his dark past behind him. Running a bookshop and living a quiet life in London, he has very few expectations. He may be lonely, but alone means nothing can hurt him. Alone means there's no one in his life to abandon him.

Then one night, he's mugged in an alley, and his life is irrevocably changed.

Instead of going to the police, Alexei tracks down the mugger and learns he’s merely a starving man trying to get by. Offering him a job and a place to stay, Alexei is determined to help make it right. After all, he knows better than anyone what it's like to struggle.

The one thing he doesn’t expect, however, is to fall for his sudden flatmate, even if it seems like August his hiding something from his past.

When all the chips fall, will this be his own version of a storybook romance, or are they star-crossed lovers, determined to burn bright and fall apart?

My Rating - 3.5 Stars!

Absolution is an emotional hurt/comfort romance by EM Lindsey. 

I have mixed feelings about this one. Overall, I definitely enjoyed the story and the characters. But something left me a little disconnected and I'm not sure what it is.

August and Alexei are two men who both know bad circumstances, pain, and suffering. When they meet, Alexei offers to help August. 

Upon living together, the two quickly give into their sexual attraction, and start a relationship. I think the quick nature of them falling into a relationship threw me off. Something about it just didn't work for me. 

But later...

The men have secrets and obstacles that come to cause problems. I enjoy this part, but it's a lack of communication that will through off some readers. That's not an issue for me though, so I just fell into the emotional rollercoaster of the second half of the book completely. 

The writing kept me from rating this higher as I didn't connect fully with it from the start. If it had more depth at parts, this would easily be a five star read. As is, it's a nice story, with two men who you want to smack around and shake the stupidity out of them. 

Absolution is a story with a phenomenal basis of a story idea. EM Lindsey had me entertained with these men and their tragic backgrounds. It's a nice story and the ending left me pleased. It's well worth a read if you enjoy seeing characters find a second chance at life, as well as love. 

Ben's Boss (Maine Men #2) by K.C. Wells

 

Amazon Link   - Available in KU  

Goodreads Link

“Pearson’s a common name.”

“It can’t be him.”

“God wouldn’t be that cruel.”

A painful history

Walking into the job interview confirms Ben White’s worst fears. It’s been eight years since high school, yet he can still recall Wade Pearson’s taunts.

There’s always a chance Wade isn’t the same homophobic asshole Ben knew. Yeah right.

Except the boy Ben remembers has grown into one seriously hot, brooding man. In another life, Ben would have climbed him like a tree. Wade’s gaze still makes Ben shiver – although now for entirely different reasons.

A secret longing

As soon as Wade read Ben’s application, he knew he had to see him. Ben’s still as gorgeous as Wade remembers. It’s obvious he doesn’t expect to get the job, given their history.

But Wade has an agenda. He has to make it up to Ben for treating him so badly – not that Ben will ever know why he acted like he did. Seeing him every day only heightens Wade’s regret. If he’d had more courage back then, maybe he and Ben could have been something.

The least he can do is show Ben he’s changed.

There’s no way Wade can get what he really wants – Ben’s heart.

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Ben's Boss is a wonderful romance by KC Wells. The second book in the Maine Men series, it has all the charm and heart of the first book, Finn's Fantasy.

I love everything about this book and series so far. 

Ben meets up with his former bully, Wade, when he applies for a job in Wade's company. 

It's a fantastic story of forgiveness and redemption. A wonderful tale of second chances and the fact that people change. 

This is a beautiful tale of friendship and love. And in a wonderful twist, it's Wade that needs Ben's love to help him heal. 

If you love men who can forgive their former bully, look no further. I'll admit that as a reader, it isn't always easy to believe this can happen. This book does a damn good job making the reader believe in this couple. 

The writing is great, with small town charm and plenty of delightful secondary characters. The men are complex and their storyline is intriguing. There's plenty of humor and one liners to keep one laughing as well. 

Ben's Boss is a heart warming romance. This KC Wells book is a great combo of sweetness, heart, humor, and heat. 

Understanding Desire (Club DeSires #2) by Quinn Ward

 

Amazon Link   - Available in KU  

Goodreads Link

They were both filled with regrets over the night they accidentally wound up in bed together. When they realize the chemistry is real, the fun begins...

Tanner has never forgotten the night he let his impulsive nature get the best of him... or the look on Ryan's face the morning after. He was certain he'd blown any chance of turning his fantasies into reality. When he's forced to face his brother's best friend, he has no clue how much his life is going to change.

Ryan kept his life packed into different boxes. When he was back home, he was the All-American boy next door. No one knew how much he craved hearing a boy call him Daddy. But it wasn't any boy he wanted... it was the one man he needed to stay far away from. There was no way his best friend would give them his blessing if he knew all the things Ryan wanted to do to Tanner.

The moment Tanner confesses to wanting all the things Ryan has to offer, what was supposed to be a weekend of exploration turns into something neither of them can give up. Will Ryan find a way to help Tanner become the boy he's meant to be with them living on opposite sides of the country?

Understanding Desire is the second book in the Club DeSires series, part of the kinky town of Annandale. It features a tender yet twisted Daddy, a boy with an exhibitionist streak he didn't know existed, and a host of friends who can't wait to corrupt Tanner's mind.
Note: This story is an expansion of Ring in the True, originally available as a free short story. The beginning has been expanded, and the story continues after Ryan and Tanner ring in the new year with style!

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Understanding Desire is the second book in the Club DeSires series by Quinn Ward. Another book in the Annandale setting, I love this fictional setting.   

This tale is smoking hot, with lots of controlled demands, sex toys, and risky moments. 

Tanner and Ryan are reunited and brought together by some nicely done forced proximity. They have some past issues to deal with, but soon agree to a weekend of daddy dynamics. 

With them having a long distance relationship, there's lots of steamy phone moments and built up tension. 

There are some family issues, as Ryan's brother is Tanner's  best friend.

There's pressure to stay long distance, which prolongs the tension and longing. 

I enjoy most of this book, but I didn't get any of the club scenes I wanted. There was anticipation and teasing of it, but the story ends before we ever get one. I was left wanting. 

I definitely enjoy the way the author writes, and the storyline is definitely enjoyable. I am always excited to read this author.

Understanding Desire is a good addition to this series. I hope we get to visit with the club more in the next book. But basically, I can't wait to see what comes next no matter what.