How many changes are you willing to make in your life in order to make a relationship work?

Duncan Stiel is an undercover cop who was seriously abused as a child, including witnessing a murder. Aaron Sutter is the billionaire who is fighting his own father to maintain ownership of the family empire. While Duncan struggles to stay alive, after facing one attack after another, he is also struggling to determine how he and Aaron fit together.

The entire story is told from Duncan’s point of view, and nothing really seems to bother him. He is almost killed several times, including being tortured for days on end, but it doesn’t deter him from jumping right back into the thick of things. I found the activity surrounding the drug trafficking and proxy fight very confusing. There were a lot of different characters involved which also perplexed me.

I really struggled with Duncan’s relationship with Aaron toward the beginning. At first, it seemed to be entirely based on sex. They then spent quite a bit of time apart for a reason that I didn’t really comprehend. Once they get back into their relationship, the story moved along much better. It also stepped out of the realm of reality when Duncan and Aaron work a case together.

I was really hoping to get to know Aaron better. He had a major attitude in the previous books, and I really wanted to see that fully developed. These two guys had a lot going against them, but they were both willing to make adjustments to their lives in order to make it successful.

Both of these characters were in the previous stories, but it’s not necessary to read them to follow the plot. However, it will make more sense if you do. You also get to see some of the previous characters in this book, which was a treat. I loved this series, and highly recommend the first 6 books, but this particular story didn’t work as well as the others for me.

If you enjoy complicated plots with plenty of activity, cops and danger, this steamy romance could work for you.

Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Book Blurb

Losing control while riding the bull can be deadly, but losing control in a relationship can lead to a wonderful prize.

Dante Rivers is one of the top bull riders in the rodeo circuit. He hooks up with Ryan Abbott for a single night of steamy passion with a touch of submission. Ryan is an investment advisor who is ironically called by Dante’s grandfather to help with some estate issues. Dante and Ryan begin a relationship but it was not without its challenges.

I really liked Dante and Ryan. They were strong and well-developed characters. Both of them were extremely caring people, which was shown repeatedly with their actions. For instance, their compassionate treatment of Dante’s grandfather was very endearing. They had some issues with accepting help from each other, but it just gave the relationship a more realistic edge.

The time spent at the rodeo and at the clothing store signing autographs were really interesting. It gave the reader a pretty good idea of what’s involved with the sport. The bull riding, including the mechanical version, was described almost too realistically, making it feel as if you were flying in the air at times.

Dante’s grandfather also played a major role in the story, and he was a sweet guy. Dante and Ryan had some amazing sex, but there wasn’t really any heavy D/s in this story. There was an excellent epilogue which took place one year later.

Overall, this story was a very sweet and sexy romance without a lot of angst.

Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Book Blurb

Can these two men in love make their relationship work, or is it out of reach just like the stars?

Matthew Dansk and Alan are both brilliant physicists who spent several months working together. Matthew made it clear he was interested in more than just friendship, but he also refused to be with somebody who wouldn’t publicly admit he was gay. Alan refused to come out, and Matthew left the state and took another position. Flash forward several months later, and they are both at a conference together. The sparks are still flying, but has anything really changed enough for them to be together?

I just adored Matthew and the story is told from his point of view. He was sweet, sexy, knew what he wanted, and wasn’t willing to settle for less. Alan was not the most lovable guy, but Matthew seemed to bring out the best in him. I think the fact that they had been working together for 6 months made the whole relationship seem much more realistic. Even though we mostly saw Alan’s gruff side, Matthew also brought out Alan’s vulnerability. This made for a very touching love story.

Their steamy sex scenes were fantastic and included a good mixture of places and positions. The plot was great with a focus on their positions in the research department and the conference that they were presenting at. It all served as a perfect backdrop to the romance. There was plenty of interesting dialog as they worked through their issues. Although they were well on their way to their happy ending, I look forward to seeing them in future books in the series to see how they progressed.

Although part of a series, this book can be read on its own. However, I’m off to buy the first one! I enjoyed this fast-paced romance with steamy love scenes and interesting characters so much that I literally read it in one sitting.

Originally reviewed for The Romance Reviews. Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Book Blurb