TOP SECRETby SARINA BOWEN & ELLE KENNEDY
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...
"I'm single, I'm a little depressed, and I'm very horny, with a side of sexual confusion, too."
These two authors, they have chemistry when they write together!! Obviously, like many others, my love obsession of Sarina and Elle started with the brilliantly written books HIM and US. Those books set the tone for every MM book I have read since. I don't compare, I just know what I felt like while reading Wes and Jamie's story and how the love between best friends shaped my understanding about falling in love, despite the perceived obstacles. So when I saw the invite for TOP SECRET, I knew this was going to be right up my alley.
To be up front and get this out of the way immediately, this wasn't my favorite of their books, but I didn't hate it - let's be clear about that. I love Sarina and Elle both together and separately, so I know how each of them writes and I always enjoy their stories. They're always entertaining and well written, providing me with not only an entertaining read, but a love story that will leave me with some smiles. I think what I'm trying to say is, I know what these two are capable of. I know how they can make me feel and how they can play with my emotions and bring me along on a journey of love and self discovery....so I don't know why I had a hard time connecting with this one but I did. There isn't anything not to love, but it wasn't instant love for me. Totally makes me sad to admit that too. I'm sorry....
While it was very slow in the beginning, it eventually started to pick up and it was pretty smooth sailing from there. I know I was anxious to get to the discovery part and that made me want to read it faster than I was, but I do not like to rush. I think the set up felt especially long, but the culmination was perfection. It's hard to combine the two warring thoughts about this book when I know that they usually grip me from the get go, so this was a different jaunt for me. There were moments of brilliance, yet times where buckets of ice water were literally thrown at me. Some parts felt forced and some felt rather rushed and not as smooth as they normally read to me, but true to style - the love was there and I smiled throughout the entire book. Smart-assery and witty banter was prevalent in this book. I'm fluent in both and love to read that style. There were a lot of smiles - that I cannot deny. This was a true enemies to lovers style book, but one also ripe with lessons and truths that neither character was willing to come to terms with. That reality is what I love to read, and one Sarina and Elle both do exceptionally well.
"Some nights I miss him so badly that my chest aches. He's my only regret."
One of my favorite aspects of this story was the use of text to get to know each other. It allowed this safe haven for the exploration of unknown feelings, but it also played a very important role in the realization of the true feelings these two guys shared. The feelings were natural, and the way their story was told, it allowed me the giddiness and the excitement of a true 'first love'. It wasn't as heavy or intense as I was hoping, but having said that, it was a good read. I know I can surely count on Sarina and Elle to give me a story unlike any other, and they clearly did. The ages and character truths of where LobsterShorts and SinnerThree stood in the world, both financially as well as educationally, was well written and I feel like the characters were true to who they were. When it was all said and done, there was a definite lesson to be learned on both sides, and these two were meant to fall in love and that climax of sorts was what kept me going. I wanted to watch their worlds collide and I wanted to be a part of their journey as they navigated unchartered territory.
There was a lot to fall in love with about this story and I know for a fact I look forward to more from these two authors. This book can definitely be counted as a win, but it wasn't anywhere near the caliber of HIM and US for me. I'm pretty sure those books will forever sit at the top of my favorites list. But once again, Sarina and Elle dropped a love in my lap that I will happily share with others. I smiled more often than not and I didn't want to put it down while reading it, so that was very telling for me. Definitely worth the read and I look forward to more by these two authors.
"And is there even a point in fighting for someone who doesn't want to love you?"
~BEE
PURCHASE
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~MEET SARINA BOWEN~
Sarina Bowen is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance and New Adult fiction from the wilds of Vermont.
The Ivy Years is her college hockey series. Centered around the hockey team at an elite Connecticut college, The Year We Fell Down began breaking hearts in March, 2014. There are three novels and a novella in the series so far. See http://www.sarinabowen.com/TheIvyYears for updates.
HIM is a bestselling sexy, sporty hockey LGBT novel co-written with Elle Kennedy.
For lovers of angsty snowboarders, Sarina also writes the Gravity series, featuring snow sports heroes.
Sarina enjoys skiing, coffee products and a nice glass of wine. She lives with her family, six chickens and more ski gear and hockey equipment than seems necessary.
She would be honored to connect with you at http://www.sarinabowen.com
~CONNECT WITH SARINA~
~MEET ELLE KENNEDY~
A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.
Elle writes romantic suspense and erotic contemporary romance for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!
~CONNECT WITH ELLE~
ARC REVIEW
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COPY PURCHASED FOR GIVEAWAY
I have to get this!! Sounds like a great story!
ReplyDeleteThank you the honest review!
ReplyDeleteThanks for another great review Bee!
ReplyDeleteI've been looking forward to reading this. Thanks for the review.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your review!
ReplyDeleteI love Him and Us big time! I'm excited to read this after reading your review. I'm so intrigued now.
ReplyDelete