Takeover, Anna Zabo

 

Takeover, Anna Zabo
Review from jeannie zelos book reviews

So, Michael is on holiday and meets Sam, who’s on a night’s stop-over at the resort. They have a torrid, one night fling and go their separate ways. It was intense and earth shattering for them both, but they knew it was unlikely they’d ever meet again. Then the nightmare begins, and Michael finds the new CEO of the company he works for is none other than Sam…that’s everyone’s worst dream. Not only are workplace relationships frowned on, especially when there is disparity in positions, but being gay is tough and Sam is deep in the closet. Michael is out and makes no secret of it, but its been tough for him. He’s has one failed relationship where he gave his all to  a man who was not out, and he won’t be anyone’s dirty secret again. Seems though that they can’t stay away from each other.
Bigotry is awful, and sadly it abounds still and being Gay in a world full of business Suits is one where promotions for gay people rarely take place. Nothing outward is said when its one of the senior men who is gay, but there are insidious ways of ensuring they don’t reach full potential, and Sam has worked hard to get where he is now. Will he risk that for love or not. will Michael accept a closet gay once again? I’ve found similar issues re discrimination being disabled, and I’m sure all who are in any kind of minority group could tell a similar story. Alongside that issue are the business ones of double dealing, blackmail, and the problems where Michael, as one of the original three founders, was caught out by friends he trusted and lost his partnership status…there are lots of barriers before they can find happiness, and sometimes life is risky and people not willing to take it.
I enjoyed this, the heat between Sam and Michael was obvious. I really liked both characters and felt for them. I understood why Michael didn’t want a secret relationship – why should love be hidden? Then again, when its holding back a career that you love there’s a lot to lose.  I had a bit of difficulty over the business side of the story where someone major seemed to be double dealing… a bit of that just flew over my head, but it didn’t detract from the overall romance and story. As I’ve said before I need a good story too, not just sex scenes and got it here.  I did feel the “break up/drama/separation” part usually found in this sort of novel wasn’t really strong enough for me, there was plenty of potential with all the problems they faced, but somehow they seemed to get over them a bit too easily. I need my characters to suffer!!
Stars: Four – a good read, well balanced.
ARC supplied via Netgalley and publishers.

No In Between, Lisa Renee Jones

 

No In Between, Lisa Renee Jones
Review from jeannie zelos book reviews

I really love Lisa’s writing but….once again what started as a trilogy has morphed into a series. In this case several full length novels, plus more bite size novellas. As a reader that makes me a bit cross, I like to know at the outset what reading the whole story is likely to cost me, and when this happens it means its many more ££ or $$ than expected. In this case I’d have thought around £15 when it was a trilogy, but now its going to be more than double that with all the novellas and extra books. Sometimes there just isn’t the money to afford that. In a conventional series – of which my fantasy/paranormal love has plenty – there’s usually an overarching storyline, and each novel has a smaller but connected complete section or story.  It sometimes slides over into the next book, but more usually it’s only the overall story that carries through. That leaves reader with an ending and not feeling they’ve to wait ages for the next instalment. Here though we’ve still not got to the bottom of Rebecca’s disappearance, even though this is book four. The story itself has expanded so much from the romantic/erotic/suspense novel it seemed to start as, into one with multiple characters and storylines. There are more characters that have disappeared, links to mafia types, possible murders and murder attempts, BDSM clubs and characters associated with them and the lifestyle, art fraud, emotional dramas going from major illness to romantic complications, and of course Mark and his…peculiarities – I still can’t work him out, then Chris and Sara and their relationship and background problems, the mysterious Ryan and artist Ricco, who both seem to be taking a stronger storylines. If you haven’t read at least some, preferably all the previous novels you’ve no hope of keeping up.
Then again I’m torn as Lisa’s writing is so gripping, she’s so good at wringing the maximum drama and emotion out of every situation that its a fantastic story. I just hate not knowing how long it’s going to be, and that from a trilogy its turned into many, many more books. This instalment is focussed mainly on Chris and Sara and the murder attempts. Ava is trying for bail, the police seem to be treating Sara as a suspect, Mark is being his usual enigmatic self, and stressed out by his mothers illness…throw in a few other side stories and its another packed read. I did get a little tired of listening to Sara’s endless inner musings about past events, and the “this beautiful man” thoughts…somehow that just gets tiresome. It’s been equally annoying in other books in this genre, when its keeps on popping up constantly.
Overall its a great read, and solidly written. There’s been so much going on that when Michael was first mentioned I couldn’t recall who he was, but it was made clear shortly after thankfully,  and then I remembered that storyline. Its what I mean about so many different threads it’s easy to lose track. It would be interesting to go back and re read to see what nuances I’ve missed such as Ava, and how she was so friendly to Sara to begin, now I know more about her I’d view that differently!
Its been a great journey but I really hope its going to wrap up soon, as its getting frustrating waiting to find out about the missing people and how the story ends.
Stars: Four and a half. Sara’s thoughts just took up too much space for me, and back tracking to recall who did what lost the half star from a five.
ARC supplied via Netgalley and publishers.