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mvickersauthor's review against another edition
4.0
My head is still spinning by this story. it is dark, but there is some light at the end of the tunnel. This emotional rollercoaster is one you have to read for yourself. It's deep and pulls you in with characters that break your heart. Landon and Toby's story is not a pretty one, but it is a beautiful tale.
Well-written, great characters. I really liked this book, but I felt like there were some places where the story was rushed or the author told more than showed. There were also a few holes that I'm hoping will be filled in with the next book. 4 stars and I highly suggest you one-click today!
Well-written, great characters. I really liked this book, but I felt like there were some places where the story was rushed or the author told more than showed. There were also a few holes that I'm hoping will be filled in with the next book. 4 stars and I highly suggest you one-click today!
disneymagic's review against another edition
4.0
What a beautiful love story from and amazing author! First book I’ve read by Evie Drae and I’m so impressed. I really enjoyed the ups and downs of Landon and Toby’s relationship. They’re very authentic and open about their feelings for each other, it’s very refreshing. Did not anticipate the slight dive into the BDSM world but it was written very well. The boys were exploring a world neither of them really had experience in which helped ease the reader into it too.
chelle_thebelle's review
4.0
“Now, I’ll ask you again...What’s ‘oh’ mean?”
And with that teaser at the end of BEAUREGARD AND THE BEAST, I was dying to know the rest of the story. When I got my copy (thank you for the ARC!), I didn’t put it down all night.
This is NOT a low-angst romance. The stakes are high for Toby and his family, and Landon has more baggage than O’Hare Airport. (A nod to the book’s setting, which was well conveyed everywhere from the apartment to the nights on the town.) But while there’s no doubt these characters’ pasts shaped them, it also brought them to a point where they could find what they need and want in each other. And the many sex scenes weren’t there to titillate - they showed two people learning to communicate, trust each other, and open themselves up to the possibility of pleasure and love. The series has me hooked - I’d love to see what’s next for these two, Steffon was a ray of sunshine, and I hope certain people get what’s coming to them.
And with that teaser at the end of BEAUREGARD AND THE BEAST, I was dying to know the rest of the story. When I got my copy (thank you for the ARC!), I didn’t put it down all night.
This is NOT a low-angst romance. The stakes are high for Toby and his family, and Landon has more baggage than O’Hare Airport. (A nod to the book’s setting, which was well conveyed everywhere from the apartment to the nights on the town.) But while there’s no doubt these characters’ pasts shaped them, it also brought them to a point where they could find what they need and want in each other. And the many sex scenes weren’t there to titillate - they showed two people learning to communicate, trust each other, and open themselves up to the possibility of pleasure and love. The series has me hooked - I’d love to see what’s next for these two, Steffon was a ray of sunshine, and I hope certain people get what’s coming to them.
itssimplymegandbooks's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
alexleo13's review
4.0
If you look for a story packed with action, great world-building, many side characters that stretches over months, then you will be disappointed. But if on the contrary, you like books written in dual POV, with a lot of thoughts, self-analysis, self-doubts, and angst, that focus mostly on the interaction between the two MCs with just a few scenes involving friends and foes, then you will like this book.
Evie Drae is a new author for me and hir writing really pulled me into the story. At some point, I even had to put down the book for a few days just because it was clear something bad was about to happen to the loving couple and I just didn’t want to read it because I knew it would break my heart.
The story ends with an HFN and the second installment should be out next winter. There are a few issues that need indeed to be solved, but for the time being, I want to believe that Toby and Landon are enjoying the honeymoon phase of their relationship.
I received a copy of this book from the author and this is my honest review.
Evie Drae is a new author for me and hir writing really pulled me into the story. At some point, I even had to put down the book for a few days just because it was clear something bad was about to happen to the loving couple and I just didn’t want to read it because I knew it would break my heart.
The story ends with an HFN and the second installment should be out next winter. There are a few issues that need indeed to be solved, but for the time being, I want to believe that Toby and Landon are enjoying the honeymoon phase of their relationship.
I received a copy of this book from the author and this is my honest review.
reedkaye's review
4.0
This is the first story I’ve read by this author. This author has the ability to grab my heart and hold it hostage until the end. The characters of Landon and Toby are both broken in different ways. Together they heartwarming and sexually hot. The story held my attention all the way through. I also loved the secondary character of Steffon gave me a lot to laugh about. My biggest problem with the story is it is a hfn with the next book not due until late 2021. I was given a free copy and this is my honest opinion.
maustin18's review
4.0
Steamy M/M novel, with some hard themes. Well-written and with just a slight cliffhanger, but not so drastic that someone would be left frustrated. Exploration into D/s relationship through the later half of novel.
*Received an ARC in exchange for a review. My review is my own.
*Received an ARC in exchange for a review. My review is my own.
mishukitty's review
5.0
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Although this book contains one of my least favorite tropes, instant love over a very short time (this book takes place mostly during one week), I actually did not mind it this time, which is a credit to the author!
Landon is a newly retired baseball champion, who has made the mistake of coming out of the closet during a reality TV show. Although at the end of the show, filmed months earlier, finds Landon engaged, he tragically finds out that the whole show was a fraud. Desperate for some human contact of the sexual kind, he breaks down and hires an escort for the evening. Toby turns out to be exactly everything that Landon has secretly desired.
Toby has developed a hard shell due to his career as a prostitute, but he finds that Landon breaks through his defenses for the first time in his life. Of course a major part of the plot is how these two men overcome the differences and backgrounds to a well-deserved HEA.
I really liked Landon (one of the sweetest men ever!) and super sexy Toby. Warning: there is A LOT of HOT SEX!! If that is not your catnip, you may want to skip this book. Although there are a lot of unanswered questions at the end, fear not. This is just Book 1 of Landon and Toby's story. I can't wait for the sequel!
Although this book contains one of my least favorite tropes, instant love over a very short time (this book takes place mostly during one week), I actually did not mind it this time, which is a credit to the author!
Landon is a newly retired baseball champion, who has made the mistake of coming out of the closet during a reality TV show. Although at the end of the show, filmed months earlier, finds Landon engaged, he tragically finds out that the whole show was a fraud. Desperate for some human contact of the sexual kind, he breaks down and hires an escort for the evening. Toby turns out to be exactly everything that Landon has secretly desired.
Toby has developed a hard shell due to his career as a prostitute, but he finds that Landon breaks through his defenses for the first time in his life. Of course a major part of the plot is how these two men overcome the differences and backgrounds to a well-deserved HEA.
I really liked Landon (one of the sweetest men ever!) and super sexy Toby. Warning: there is A LOT of HOT SEX!! If that is not your catnip, you may want to skip this book. Although there are a lot of unanswered questions at the end, fear not. This is just Book 1 of Landon and Toby's story. I can't wait for the sequel!
conniejoy529's review
4.0
3.5 stars
This was my first time reading any thing by Evie Drae. She's definitely a talented author who knows how to tell a story. She did a good job of making me, the reader, feel emotionally involved with the characters and the story. I read a good deal of M/M romance but this was the first I've read that involved a sex worker. Although I hesitate to call Toby that because for the most part it wasn't of his own free will. Writing relationships like that can definitely be tricky but I believe the author pulled it off very well. Any romance with an uneven power dynamic can be tough and this one had two different instances of power imbalance both with the sex work and the dominant/submissive relationship. I think the reason that this was able to work so well was because there was an exchange of power for both parties.
I really like both Landon and Toby's characters. They both had hard lives and had experienced some very dark things. The characters developed feelings for each other very quickly but I wouldn't quite call it insta love. I think that because the situation they met each other in was such an awkward, stressful setting it was believable that they would grow attached. I loved the way that they communicated with each other and how they both wanted to care for the other over themselves. And I really hated the bad guys so that's a testament to this author's talent.
But, here were a few things though that left me with very mixed emotions. I feel like there was so much left unexplained and unresolved at the end of the book. I didn't realize until I got to the very end and was like "no, this can't be it!" that this book is the first in a series about these same characters. That's kind of frustrating for me because we did have a happy ending that could have been tidied up with just a few more pages that included comeuppance for the bad guys. I enjoyed the book overall but I think it could have been enhanced a bit more to have the complete story instead of stretching it out into a series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was my first time reading any thing by Evie Drae. She's definitely a talented author who knows how to tell a story. She did a good job of making me, the reader, feel emotionally involved with the characters and the story. I read a good deal of M/M romance but this was the first I've read that involved a sex worker. Although I hesitate to call Toby that because for the most part it wasn't of his own free will. Writing relationships like that can definitely be tricky but I believe the author pulled it off very well. Any romance with an uneven power dynamic can be tough and this one had two different instances of power imbalance both with the sex work and the dominant/submissive relationship. I think the reason that this was able to work so well was because there was an exchange of power for both parties.
I really like both Landon and Toby's characters. They both had hard lives and had experienced some very dark things. The characters developed feelings for each other very quickly but I wouldn't quite call it insta love. I think that because the situation they met each other in was such an awkward, stressful setting it was believable that they would grow attached. I loved the way that they communicated with each other and how they both wanted to care for the other over themselves. And I really hated the bad guys so that's a testament to this author's talent.
But, here were a few things though that left me with very mixed emotions. I feel like there was so much left unexplained and unresolved at the end of the book. I didn't realize until I got to the very end and was like "no, this can't be it!" that this book is the first in a series about these same characters. That's kind of frustrating for me because we did have a happy ending that could have been tidied up with just a few more pages that included comeuppance for the bad guys. I enjoyed the book overall but I think it could have been enhanced a bit more to have the complete story instead of stretching it out into a series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
lkb0154's review
5.0
I enjoyed Landon and Toby's story. Landon is an ex-football player turned reality TV star. Toby is an escort that is being trafficked. Landon is determined to save him. This book had fantastic sex scenes and a lot of cute moments. I can't wait for the next book.
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily