By Chance (#1)
Summary:
A life of wealth and privilege doesn’t equal happiness—just ask Eric Courtland. Growing up with a cold, unfeeling father and unstable mother has taught him exactly what he doesn’t want out of life or love. The troubled young man prefers a solitary life and is content to keep it that way until a campus emergency saddles him with an unwanted roommate.
Popular, wholesome, straight Nick Thompson is far more temptation than Eric’s prepared for, but Nick’s warm, easygoing manner gradually cracks through Eric’s prickly protective shell.
After Eric suffers a traumatic attack, their friendship gives way to an intense passion. Eric’s no stranger to casual sex, but what he feels for Nick is something deeper, and more fragile.
Independent Eric doesn't know the first thing about being in a relationship, much less with a lover who can't even admit he's gay. But conservative Nick can't seem to find his way out of his own personal closet.
Rock, meet hard place.
Review:
Following Eric and Nick navigate their relationship from strangers to lovers is both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. I found myself rooting for them both as individuals and as a couple and yet there was this nagging feeling that maybe it's just not meant to be.
Rating: 5 Stars
Strictly Business (#2)
Summary:
Eric Courtland is hungry for revenge—at any cost—against the cold, unfeeling father who never loved him, and who drove his mother to an early grave. Tossed headfirst into the shark-tank world of big business, Eric soon learns it’s eat or be eaten, and has no choice but to throw in his lot with ruthless titan of industry Branford Crane.
Still reeling from his mother’s death—and the guilt of not being able to save her—Eric plunges into a dark spiral of self-destruction, rejecting his longtime partner Nick’s love and support in favor of the harsh tutelage Bran offers him, in and out of the bedroom.
But one night, when Bran finally pushes Eric beyond any reasonable limit, Eric realizes how far he’s fallen—and how desperately he needs Nick to help pull him back from the edge.
Review:
Once again we find Eric and Nick in a heartbreaking scenario but will they be able to come back from Eric's plunge into a much darker world? You just want to shake Eric to make him see what's really in front of him, both the good and the bad. An excellent follow-up to By Chance.
Rating: 4 Stars
Complications (#3)
Summary:
Eric Courtland dreams of a powerful career in politics, but when he begins taking his lover, Nick Thompson, for granted, Nick decides that he's had enough of life in the background. Devastated and alone, Eric throws himself into the distractions of liquor—and his college friend, Ally Taylor.
What starts as a passionate rebound affair sparks something deeper in each of them, and as Eric finds healing in Ally's arms, he makes an unexpected proposal: he will offer his wealth and connections to forward her career; all Ally has to do is agree to marry him. But is a promise of fidelity and an intense physical connection enough make a marriage?
Soon, Ally finds herself falling in love with her new husband, but their lives are thrown into chaos with Nick's untimely re-appearance. Secrets, lies, and betrayal threaten to undermine the growing bond between the newlyweds, and Eric is forced to make a painful decision between the man he’s loved for over a decade, and the new wife he can’t bear to hurt.
Review:
Once again, Eric's ambition seems to be getting in the way of his and Nick's love. Will the proposal he makes with an old college friend give him what he wants or will Nick's re-entry into his life shake things up once again? A very intriguing entry in the series of Eric and Nick's relationship.
Rating: 4 Stars
The Arrangement (#4)
Summary:
Most people are lucky to find one love—Eric Courtland found two. He's spent the last decade in and out of a tempestuous relationship with his lover, Nick. But all that is nearly over when his new bride, Allison, discovers that his vows of fidelity came with an exception. Suddenly, Eric is at risk of destroying all he cares about, from his burgeoning political career, to the two loves of his life.
Terrified of losing everything, Eric proposes an unconventional solution: a non-traditional arrangement that neither Allison or Nick can refuse. And despite the betrayal and jealousy that plague the birth of their new relationship, the three begin to discover new ways of achieving harmony and balance—and an intimacy beyond anything they expected.
Even as their secret relationship grows, however, blackmailing political rivals and the pressures of life in the public eye create stresses that threaten to tear the three apart. In the end, Eric must decide what he's willing to sacrifice: the political ambitions he's nurtured all his life, or building a new dream with the only two people he's ever loved.
Review:
Eric finally has to make a decision between his ambitions and his love life. Once again you just want to shake him to make him see what is in front of him. Politics or love--which will he choose and will his choice bring him happiness? You'll have to read to find out.
Rating: 5 Stars
Triad (#5)
Summary:
Eric Courtland has spent the last decade tucked away in a Tuscan villa with his wife, Allison—and their partner and lover, Nick Thompson. Worlds away from the bigotry and hatred they faced in the States, the triad has built an unconventional relationship that is unassailable. Or so they think.
After years of disappointment, Allison is finally pregnant. But the happy news is soon blunted by a family crisis that brings them—reluctantly—back to the country they've foresworn and the emotional riptides that bide there.
Assailed from every direction, the three face blackmail and a potential corporate takeover, but it's the devastating revelations from both Eric's and Nick's pasts that leave them shaken to the core. The three must stand together and face the maelstrom, or risk losing everything they've worked so hard to build—including the unique love that binds them.
Review:
This was a fitting end to the series although I wish it wasn't over. I love these characters, whether you love them or hate them, and you do both at times, they're well written and they really grab a hold of your heart.
Rating: 5 Stars
Author Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
Monday, March 3, 2014
Irresistable Attraction Series by Cat Grant
Priceless (#1)
Summary:
"When love's for sale, who really pays?"
Connor Morrison is a 3-D optics pioneer, the star of the UC Berkeley physics department, and a socially inept workaholic. And with his dear friend and business partner, Steve Campbell, handling their investors, he's content to remain in the shadows. That is, until he meets the gorgeous and starry-eyed physics student Wes Martin.
Wes is brilliant but broke. Ever since his scholarship fell victim to the financial crisis, he's had no choice but to sell his body to stay in school. Already half in love with Connor, Wes initially resists Steve's offer to be Connor's thirty-fifth birthday present. But in the end, Wes is too broke--and too smitten--to say no.
Connor has no idea Steve bought Wes's attentions, and he quickly falls under the young man's spell. Yet after one night together, Wes disappears. He can't bear to hook with a man he could so easily grow to love, but he also can't bear to tell him the truth. Besides, if he sleeps with Connor again, there'd be no way to hide the bruises one of his regular johns loves to inflict. Only one thing to do: let Connor go. Walking away is painful, but not nearly as much as building a relationship on lies.
Review:
Interesting story of an older man finding new love with a former student, even though their initial "meeting" is slightly unorthodox. Can love find a way?
Rating: 5 Stars
Doubtless (#2)
Summary:
Loving your best friend is hard . . . especially when he's marrying someone else.
On the surface, Steve Campbell seems to have it all: a beautiful home, a snazzy car, and a dream job as one of the country’s top 3-D optics researchers. But underneath, he’s restless and dissatisfied, tired of empty encounters with leggy lab assistants and endless evenings alone.
A chance meeting with a handsome escort lifts Steve’s spirits and opens his eyes to his long-repressed attraction to men—and his love for his best friend and business partner, Connor Morrison.
Connor might’ve loved Steve like that once, but now it’s too late for their happily ever after; Connor’s about to ask his boyfriend to marry him. Fortunately, it's never too late to learn about yourself, and maybe Steve can find a happy ending on his own.
Review:
More of a "companion" installment as opposed to a sequel to Priceless. This story follows Connor's friend/partner, Steve, as he makes some major realizations about his life and the directions he wants to take, if he's determined to be happy.
Rating: 4 Stars
Fearless (#3)
Summary:
How can you plan for the future when escaping the past seems impossible?
After over a year together, Connor Morrison and Wes Martin decide to tie the knot. But an ethics complaint regarding their deeply non-traditional relationship threatens Connor’s job and Wes’s Ph.D. The fact that Connor tried to keep it from Wes—even with the best of intentions—makes the situation even worse and casts a pall over their plans for a Christmas wedding in New York.
It doesn’t help that Connor still treats Wes like glass, though Wes insists he’s recovered from the brutal assault he suffered a year and a half earlier. Wes may be okay, but Connor isn’t. Memories of taking a battered, terrified Wes to the emergency room that night still haunt him, and he can’t let go of the need to protect Wes from any and everything life might throw at him.
But Wes has had enough. Between the specter of the ethics complaint and Connor’s overprotectiveness, he’s already beginning to question their plans. Add in a family ashamed of and angered by his choices, and Wes might just leave Connor standing at the altar.
Review:
This is marked as #3 of 4 but after reading it and reading the description of #4, I'd say it should have been reversed but it doesn't really make a difference. There's a character mentioned in here that is introduced in #4 but that's about it. A very good addition to the tale of Wes and Connor. We find out what happens next in their relationship as well as some family drama on Wes' side.
Rating: 4 Stars
Flawless (#4)
Summary:
Steve Campbell used to be a player, until a mid-life crisis opened his eyes to his long-repressed love for Connor, his soon-to-be-married best friend and business partner. Coming out at thirty-eight means learning how to date all over again, and this time, Steve’s not willing to settle for empty one-night stands. He wants the real thing.
Gil Alvarez has never had it easy, struggling through childhood and rejected by his family for a body that didn’t match who he was inside. A skilled driver and mechanic, he’s working hard to make his auto shop a success. The last thing he needs is a rich white guy in a candy-apple-red Ferrari tempting him, but Steve’s ready smile and easygoing manner prove irresistible.
One brief, intimate encounter leaves them both hungry for more. Gil’s not ashamed of who he is, but he’s terrified that Steve will reject him—or worse—when he discovers what Gil can’t find the courage to tell him.
Review:
Personally I think this should be read before Fearless but the truth is it doesn't really have any effect on that story other than learning who Gil is. Gil is the exact type of person that you never seen Steve with and yet at the same time, you know they're perfect for each other from there first meeting at the beach. Steve does have an uncanny ability of foot-in-mouth disease that makes you want to just give a good shake.
Rating: 4 Stars
Author Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
Summary:
"When love's for sale, who really pays?"
Connor Morrison is a 3-D optics pioneer, the star of the UC Berkeley physics department, and a socially inept workaholic. And with his dear friend and business partner, Steve Campbell, handling their investors, he's content to remain in the shadows. That is, until he meets the gorgeous and starry-eyed physics student Wes Martin.
Wes is brilliant but broke. Ever since his scholarship fell victim to the financial crisis, he's had no choice but to sell his body to stay in school. Already half in love with Connor, Wes initially resists Steve's offer to be Connor's thirty-fifth birthday present. But in the end, Wes is too broke--and too smitten--to say no.
Connor has no idea Steve bought Wes's attentions, and he quickly falls under the young man's spell. Yet after one night together, Wes disappears. He can't bear to hook with a man he could so easily grow to love, but he also can't bear to tell him the truth. Besides, if he sleeps with Connor again, there'd be no way to hide the bruises one of his regular johns loves to inflict. Only one thing to do: let Connor go. Walking away is painful, but not nearly as much as building a relationship on lies.
Review:
Interesting story of an older man finding new love with a former student, even though their initial "meeting" is slightly unorthodox. Can love find a way?
Rating: 5 Stars
Doubtless (#2)
Summary:
Loving your best friend is hard . . . especially when he's marrying someone else.
On the surface, Steve Campbell seems to have it all: a beautiful home, a snazzy car, and a dream job as one of the country’s top 3-D optics researchers. But underneath, he’s restless and dissatisfied, tired of empty encounters with leggy lab assistants and endless evenings alone.
A chance meeting with a handsome escort lifts Steve’s spirits and opens his eyes to his long-repressed attraction to men—and his love for his best friend and business partner, Connor Morrison.
Connor might’ve loved Steve like that once, but now it’s too late for their happily ever after; Connor’s about to ask his boyfriend to marry him. Fortunately, it's never too late to learn about yourself, and maybe Steve can find a happy ending on his own.
Review:
More of a "companion" installment as opposed to a sequel to Priceless. This story follows Connor's friend/partner, Steve, as he makes some major realizations about his life and the directions he wants to take, if he's determined to be happy.
Rating: 4 Stars
Fearless (#3)
Summary:
How can you plan for the future when escaping the past seems impossible?
After over a year together, Connor Morrison and Wes Martin decide to tie the knot. But an ethics complaint regarding their deeply non-traditional relationship threatens Connor’s job and Wes’s Ph.D. The fact that Connor tried to keep it from Wes—even with the best of intentions—makes the situation even worse and casts a pall over their plans for a Christmas wedding in New York.
It doesn’t help that Connor still treats Wes like glass, though Wes insists he’s recovered from the brutal assault he suffered a year and a half earlier. Wes may be okay, but Connor isn’t. Memories of taking a battered, terrified Wes to the emergency room that night still haunt him, and he can’t let go of the need to protect Wes from any and everything life might throw at him.
But Wes has had enough. Between the specter of the ethics complaint and Connor’s overprotectiveness, he’s already beginning to question their plans. Add in a family ashamed of and angered by his choices, and Wes might just leave Connor standing at the altar.
Review:
This is marked as #3 of 4 but after reading it and reading the description of #4, I'd say it should have been reversed but it doesn't really make a difference. There's a character mentioned in here that is introduced in #4 but that's about it. A very good addition to the tale of Wes and Connor. We find out what happens next in their relationship as well as some family drama on Wes' side.
Rating: 4 Stars
Flawless (#4)
Summary:
Steve Campbell used to be a player, until a mid-life crisis opened his eyes to his long-repressed love for Connor, his soon-to-be-married best friend and business partner. Coming out at thirty-eight means learning how to date all over again, and this time, Steve’s not willing to settle for empty one-night stands. He wants the real thing.
Gil Alvarez has never had it easy, struggling through childhood and rejected by his family for a body that didn’t match who he was inside. A skilled driver and mechanic, he’s working hard to make his auto shop a success. The last thing he needs is a rich white guy in a candy-apple-red Ferrari tempting him, but Steve’s ready smile and easygoing manner prove irresistible.
One brief, intimate encounter leaves them both hungry for more. Gil’s not ashamed of who he is, but he’s terrified that Steve will reject him—or worse—when he discovers what Gil can’t find the courage to tell him.
Review:
Personally I think this should be read before Fearless but the truth is it doesn't really have any effect on that story other than learning who Gil is. Gil is the exact type of person that you never seen Steve with and yet at the same time, you know they're perfect for each other from there first meeting at the beach. Steve does have an uncanny ability of foot-in-mouth disease that makes you want to just give a good shake.
Rating: 4 Stars
Author Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
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