Book Review: Top Secret by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

Stand Alone

Format: ebook

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, M/M

Publisher: Self-Published

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

LobsterShorts, 21

Jock. Secretly a science geek. Hot AF.

LobsterShorts: So. Here goes. For her birthday, my girlfriend wants…a threesome.

SinnerThree: Then you’ve come to the right hookup app.

LobsterShorts: Have you done this sort of thing before? With another guy?

SinnerThree: All the time. I'm an equal opportunity player. You?

LobsterShorts: [crickets!]

SinnerThree, 21

Finance major. Secretly a male dancer. Hot AF. 

SinnerThree: Well, I’m down if you are. My life is kind of a mess right now. School, work, family stress. Oh, and I live next door to the most annoying dude in the world. I need the distraction. Are you sure you want this?

LobsterShorts: I might want it a little more than I’m willing to admit.

SinnerThree: Hey, nothing wrong with pushing your boundaries...

LobsterShorts: Tell that to my control-freak father. Anyway. What if this threesome is awkward?

SinnerThree: Then it’s awkward. It’s not like we’ll ever have to see each other again. Right? Just promise you won’t fall in love with me.

LobsterShorts: Now wouldn’t that be life-changing...

Review

Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy are back with another M/M romance. And it definitely delivered. It was fun, engaging, and full of great characters.

A lot of M/M romances (I've read) are pretty angsty. Keaton and Luke don't have perfect lives, but there isn't a ton of angst. Instead there is tons of humor and great banter. There's also an enemies-to-lovers element which is executed pretty well. The two main characters interact a lot through a dating app which I love. I'm a sucker for textual communications.

Keaton and Luke begin their app convos because Keaton's girlfriend wants a threesome for her birthday. Ms. Bowen and Ms. Kennedy say there is not a cheating element to this story. I can see why that is their standpoint, but I think it's actually more of a personal view on these grey areas.

Sometimes surrounding Keaton's girlfriend are what stops me from giving this five stars. I like her...it's other stuff.

Keaton and Luke were both great characters and I love their interactions. Keaton always has fun animal facts which I think is adorable. I'm also full of useless information so I can relate. They both had personal struggles which aren't related to their sexuality. I really liked that being gay/bi is not the only identifier for them and the only conflict.

This was such a fun and exciting read. It was a joy to read and I highly recommend it.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Review: Alpha's Like Us by Krista and Becca Ritchie

Series: Like Us Book #3

Format: ebook

Rating: 5 Stars

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: Contemporary Romance, M/M

Publisher: Self-Published

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

Maverick, know-it-all bodyguard Farrow Keene knows publicly dating American royalty comes with a great cost. Everyone wants a piece of their relationship. And as a protective boyfriend, he’s not here for the malicious hands that grab at their love life and seek to rip them apart. 

But Farrow is confident — he’s confident that he could’ve never prepared for the storm to come.

Keep him safe.

Maximoff Hale isn’t a big fan of change. And to regain the charity CEO position he lost, he agrees to a task that he’s always rejected. One that could uproot his unconventional world. 

But Maximoff is afraid — he’s afraid of the consequences that could destroy his boyfriend and his family. 

Keep him safe.

Changes are on the horizon. 

Big. 

Messy. 

Complicated. 

Changes. 

Maximoff & Farrow will fight for their forever. And with every breath, they promise that their love story won’t end here. 

Review

That was such a wonderful read. I've enjoyed reading about Moffy and Farrow, but with this book I fell in love with them. 

So much happened in this book-for the couple and other characters. And of course, I was incredibly invested in all these characters. Xander and Charlie especially are working their way into my heart.

This is going to have spoilers, because I really just want to fangirl right now.

That proposal scene was so adorable. And it was the perfect exchange for Moffy and Farrow's relationship.

Jane giving Thatcher the silent treatment was perfect. It made their relationship even more unspoken and I need it even more now.

I am becoming a die-hard Lunnally shipper (which is now confirmed). Seeing Luna be changed by a douche bag and then Donnelly's support is just perfect. Plus, I love his love for Wawa.

Lo as a compassionate and caring dad made my heart melt. He can be so self-deprecating, but his is an amazing dad. I just loved that scene with Farrow when they were all on vacation.

This book made me want a story for all the famous kids and the SFO bodyguards. Please buy these books so I can have that in my life.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Review: Lovers Like Us by Krista and Becca Ritchie

Series: Like Us Book #2

Format: ebook

Rating: 4 Stars

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: Contemporary Romance, M/M 

Publisher: Self-Published

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

Twenty-seven-year-old Farrow Keene lives by his actions, and his actions say he’s the best at whatever he does. As a 24/7 bodyguard and the new boyfriend to Maximoff Hale, protecting the headstrong, alpha billionaire has never been more complicated. And one rule can’t be bent: 

Keep your relationship secret from the public. 

Farrow is confident he’s the best man for the job. But a twist in Maximoff’s fast-paced life sticks them with the rest of Security Force Omega and their clients. 

On the road. 

In a sleeper tour bus. 

For four rocky months.

Sexual frustrations, check. Road trip drama, check. Awkward bonding, check. 

But Farrow couldn’t have accounted for a high-risk threat (identity: unknown) that targets Maximoff before the ignition even turns. And it hits Farrow — someone has it out for the guy he loves. 

Every day, Maximoff & Farrow's feelings grow stronger, and together, they'll either sink or swim. 

Review

I already wrote this review and then threw it out. But I will not be silenced-by myself-so here we go again.

Farrow really worked for me here. Moffy is a little hard to connect with because he's so closed off, but Farrow is more accessible. While their alpha personalities are not my favorite (in general) I do like them here. And it is pretty cute to see Moffy's awkwardness about being in a relationship.

Seeing Jane and Moffy's relationship under pressure broke my heart. And that's probably a good thing. It reminds you how destructive fame and the media can be. It also made the small moments of peace they do have all the more sweet. Every time Moffy calls her Janie I can't help but smile.

This book does deal with some serious issues, but it was still very funny. There's a truth or dare scene with the bodyguards that was perfect. Just thinking about it makes me want to reread it. That scene is quintessential Krista and Becca Ritchie. They are great at writing an ensemble cast/scene.

Then, there's Jane and Thatcher. I need their story so bad. I need in Thatcher's head and need this romance like I need to breathe.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Review: Damaged Like Us by Krista and Becca Ritchie

Series: Like Us Book#1

Format: ebook

Rating: 4 Stars

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, M/M

Publisher: Self-Published

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

Maximoff Hale is a force of nature. A ship unwilling to be steered. Headstrong, resilient, and wholly responsible — the twenty-two-year-old alpha billionaire can handle his unconventional life. By noon, lunch can turn into a mob of screaming fans. By two, his face is all over the internet.

Born into one of the most famous families in the country, his celebrity status began at birth.

He is certified American royalty.

When he’s assigned a new 24/7 bodyguard, he comes face-to-face with the worst case scenario: being attached to the tattooed, MMA-trained, Yale graduate who’s known for “going rogue” in the security team — and who fills 1/3 of Maximoff's sexual fantasies.

Twenty-seven-year-old Farrow Keene has one job: protect Maximoff Hale. Flirting, dating, and hot sex falls far, far out of the boundary of his bodyguard duties and into “termination” territory. But when feelings surface, protecting the sexy-as-sin, stubborn celebrity becomes increasingly complicated.

Together, boundaries blur, and being exposed could mean catastrophic consequences for both.

Review

I've been excited for this book since it was announced. And I read it in a day and enjoyed myself. I want to make that clear, because this review may come across a little negative. I stand by the 4-Star rating but wanted to talk more about my "issues".

It's nice to spend time with all the Hales, Meadows, and Cobalts. But I thought this would have mroe of Jane and Sulli. Don't get me wrong, I love Moffy, but I wanted all three of them. I really like his relationship with Jane. Maybe they'll get POVs in future books. And I really like the bodyguards. They're a good addition to this ragtag family/group.

The romance was steamy. I do like Farrow and Moffy together. The Ritchies handled it well but I always feel a little iffy about romances with potential power issues this one.

And I absolutely love how normalized sexuality and LGBTQ lifestyles were. There are still some messed up people in the world, but there's much more acceptance. Hopefully, that's really what our world looks like in the future.

I thought I had more to say, but now I can't remember what those things were. I am excited for the next book to come out though.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Review: Him by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen

Stand Alone

Format: Ebook

Rating: 4 Stars

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: New Adult, LGBT, Hockey, Romance,

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.

Ryan Wesley’s biggest regret is coaxing his very straight friend into a bet that pushed the boundaries of their relationship. Now, with their college teams set to face off at the national championship, he’ll finally get a chance to apologize. But all it takes is one look at his longtime crush, and the ache is stronger than ever.

Jamie has waited a long time for answers, but walks away with only more questions—can one night of sex ruin a friendship? If not, how about six more weeks of it? When Wesley turns up to coach alongside Jamie for one more hot summer at camp, Jamie has a few things to discover about his old friend...and a big one to learn about himself.

Warning: contains sexual situations, skinnydipping, shenanigans in an SUV and proof that coming out to your family on social media is a dicey proposition.

 

Review

I really struggle with my rating on this one. Overall, I enjoyed it and I really like Jamie and Wes as characters. But it took me a long time to care about them as a potential couple and it was easy to put down.

This was a slightly different look at the new adult hockey storyline. It was interesting to see them deal with getting your dreams and if that’s what you really want. And I really liked seeing them as coaches. It makes them seem very adulty.

Like I said, I like Wes and Jamie as characters. They are likeable and not stereotypes. Even though it took me awhile to care about them as a romantic couple, but they are great friends. I’ve said it before: I’m pro man-friendships.

The thing I really like about Jamie is potentially a spoiler. Based on the content I don’t see it as one, but there’s your warning.

I haven’t read a lot of M/M romance, but I’m against gay-for-you romance, because I don’t think it sets a good precedent. For a huge chunk of this I thought that’s what would have happened. And then they made a great choice of having Jamie be bi-sexual. I think this was a great decision, because it’s a reality.

Despite some of my complaints and issues I like and recommend this book. I still like both of these authors and will continue to read their books. And I want to check out more M/M romance-maybe I’ll leave the hockey world because I’m crazy like that.

Thanks for reading!