I am such a sucker for a difficult love story. No one is more difficult than Eli. I'm glad I read Takeover first, because understanding Sam's dynamic with Michael is a strong underpinning to this tale. Justin has his demons, too. I'm vanilla, but the BDSM scenes are hot and packed with meaning for the characters, exactly as such intense scenes should be. There is too much repetition of motives. (Once and done for how Sam almost lost Michael, for instance, would've been better.) But that's an editor's issue.

At this story's core was, for me, the value in finding the courage to reveal what hurts the most. Honesty. Vulnerability. Revelations that only come from trust. Trust that is hard-won. Where in Takeover there was (to me) too much repetition of Sam's habit of escape, in this one there was none of that. It's a stronger story for it. I'm looking forward to reading Due Diligence because of the progress I've seen just between book 1 and this one. Impressed. ( )

I loved the first book that told Michael and Sam's story and I loved this one equally as much, that told Eli and Justin's story. I wished that these people would just talk to one another instead of running off the deep end and nearly drowning. There is a lot of BDSM scenes in this one, even more than the first one but somehow, they came off as sweet and caring, if you can use those two adjectives for what it was. I wished that Justin could have just told Eli why he triggered so easily, it was understandable, and Eli loved him enough give him space or whatever he needed. Eli's parents were something else. I just have trouble wrapping my mind around how any parent could possibly feel the way they did about any child. Anna Zabo is going to have to go some extra miles to top these first two books, but I'm going to see if she can. A rarity for me, but I am reading them in order... but thus far I believe they can easily be read as standalones. I'm off to #3. ( )

absolutely incredible! I really liked first book and this one I loved. It was very hot and emotional


MCs in their 30s
disabled Jewish MC
office romance
found family
healthy D/s relationship
sex club
MC goes to therapy!



tws:
homophobia, abuse in past relationship, trauma connected to a catastrophe, ptsd ( )

3.5 stars

Both men are suffering from their pasts. At first it seems that are only making each other's pain worse, but eventually it's realized that each is exactly the right person to help the other heal. There's lots of soul searching and questioning and tons of sexy times. Just Business is a beautiful and erotic romance. ( )

I read this on a whim and am glad I did - not perfect but it had a surprisingly sweet relationship (a little over angst filled sometimes, but it worked.)

It takes two men with bizarre histories and tragic backgrounds and pushes them together in the business world, where they find out they have the kinky desires in common and work perfectly together in that regard. Now it's just the other stuff they have to figure out...

There's an intense play scene and the series is catered toward enjoying public play, with m/m romance all wrapped in one. Unfortunately dialogue is painful sometimes, with the main character especially. The writing is multiple point of view and well done, it doesn't skip around too much and stays on point.

What was weird was sneaking this one at work during a slow time and then running into a few scenes that took me by surprise, and trying to keep a straight face through them!

The book is the second in a series (I haven't read the first), has disabled characters, tragic pasts, a relationship that works, pretty intense play, so if you're in the mood for that kind of thing - this book is definitely calling your name. ( )