Mr. Big Shot (Suits & Sevens #1) by Isla Olsen

 

Amazon Link  - Available in KU
Goodreads Link

Will

Turning up on the first day of a job you desperately need to discover you’ve already slept with your billionaire boss? Yeah, that’s a bit of a conundrum.

Learning he’s a closeted bisexual currently embroiled in a—by all accounts bogus—sexual harassment scandal? That’s more of a fiasco.

But having to sit outside the office of one of the sexiest men alive, day in, day out, knowing there’s no chance of a repeat? That’s what I’d call a disaster.

My sexy-as-hell boss, Spencer Cox, has one rule: no messing around with the employees. And seeing as how I can’t afford to give up this job, that kind of puts me between a rock and a hard place. A very hard place if you get my meaning…

The way things are going, I’ll be lucky to survive in this job a month.

The Suits & Sevens series spins off from the Love & Luck series, however it is not necessary to have read the Love & Luck books before reading Mr. Big Shot. 

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Mr Big Shot is a fantastic boss/employee romance by Isla Olsen. The first book in the Suits & Sevens series, it's a great start to this new created world. 

Will and Spencer's story starts with a hallway hookup at a bar. It isn't until later that they discover Will is Spencer's new assistant. 

What follows are some awkward times and fighting their feelings. But in a fun move, the two arrange an in office, out of office relationship situation. It's enjoyable to read, and adds the element of impending problems. 

The opposites factor is a huge aspect of this story. I love their differences. Will is soft and quiet, yet aggressive with sex. Spencer, meanwhile, is the tough, successful businessman who enjoys letting go and being dominated during sex. I love the way Will helps Spencer to let loose and not be so perfect all the time. 

Spencer being closeted is a large aspect in this tale. He's bisexual but hasn't ever come out as such, never meeting someone worth doing so for. His being closeted leads to some drama for him, Will, and the families, but I enjoy the way it all plays out. 

My favorite thing about this story is how freaking sweet Spencer is. I absolutely never expected that. But he is. And, oh my, the way he is with Will's mom is beautiful. I just adore him to pieces.

I love everything about this story. The writing is great. There are intense, steamy scenes. And the secondary characters are fantastic. Most of all though, Will and Spencer are just a wonderful couple. 

Mr Big Shot is a perfect read when you're in the mood to escape real life for a bit. This Isla Olsen read is a perfect combo of passion, romance, and love. It's a sweet and charming story. 

Understanding Jeremy (Discovering Me #2) by A.M. Arthur

Amazon Link  - Available in KU
Goodreads Link 

No one in Jeremy Collins's life ever stays. His parents, sister, and wife are all dead. Now he has taken Cole Alston into his home to help him recover from years of abuse at the hands of his ex. Jeremy hopes Cole, who he loves, will stick around, but after eight years of Cole not being allowed to make his own choices, Jeremy doesn't think he has the right to ask. As Jeremy keeps his concerns and desires to himself, his best friend Bethann calls on him for a huge favor--claim he's the father of her baby so she isn't ostracized in their small town for sleeping with a married man. However doing so would be tantamount to denying his relationship with Cole. Rumors fly before Jeremy can explain to Cole that he said no, and suddenly the whole town is in his business. Rather than reassure Cole, Jeremy's explanations have the opposite effect. Something is going on in Cole's mind that Jeremy doesn't know about, and in order to get Cole to talk, Jeremy will need to confront his own deepest fear.

My Rating - 4.5 Stars!

Understanding Jeremy is the second book in AM Arthur's Discovering Me series. If you've read Unearthing Cole, this book will help bring about some satisfaction after a HFN ending. 

Personally, I couldn't read it fast enough. Cole and Jeremy continue to grow closer, but still have some issues from their past to deal with. These are two men with some heavy baggage to say the least.

Words cannot express how mad I am at Bethann. I wanted to claw her eyes out for her selfish mistakes, and for being a stereotypical annoying female character. She is an ass for sticking Jeremy in the middle between Cole and herself.

This is a story of small town life at it's finest. Jeremy and Cole are still in a secret relationship, rumors spread like wildfire, and the gossip lines know no end. 

One major issue addressed in this book is that of abuse and it's lingering effects. I appreciate the way the author represents this aspect of the character, from big things to little things. It's all written with a whole lot of knowledge and care.

I love the author's writing style and her ability to dive into some heavy topics without regret. When an issue is introduced, she spares no expense in exploring it fully.

And in the end, Understanding Jeremy is a sweet romance that's entwined with plenty of angst and emotion. For me though, I find it to be a good bridge between books one and three more than anything else. It builds upon their relationship, allows both men to heal some more, and sets up the scene for Uniting Hearts.