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karentje's review against another edition
5.0
Randall is an utterly lovable character. I love how he tries so hard to live his life free of the restraints of his controlling parents, and society’s moralistic views, being true to himself while trying desperately to be there for his loved ones. His devotion to his niece Bailey is inspiring. Noah, the one who got away, before they even truly had a chance, is an amazing character, steadfast and true, and so genuine. He’s not afraid to open himself up to Randall, and he stands by his man even when things get rough. And they do. I loved that Noah never played the blame game. We all need a Noah in our lives. Someone is out to destroy Randall’s life and reputation, and matters get really grim and hopeless at a certain point. Poor Randall, my heart ached for him, and even though I felt reasonably sure a HEA was coming I had a hard time seeing how it’d get there at some point. A secondary character that also absolutely deserves a mention is Kayla, Randall’s BFF and sister-in-law. I adored her and admired how she stood up for herself even if it took her awhile to do it. It takes bravery to decide to escape a gilded cage and trade it in for an uncertain future. Finding/becoming a family is a very important part of this book, and I loved every little thing the author did there. It wasn’t an easy process, but I loved how heartwarming it turned out. This is an expertly written story with a couple of very unexpected twists and great character development. Recommend.
kumabear's review
2.0
noah is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to passive for my liking and he took the situation so easy it seemed a little boring....
suze_1624's review against another edition
3.0
Because Randall and Noah knew each other as kids, their romance starts quite quickly, as if the intervening 20 yrs didn’t happen.
Randall’s family is super controlling, makes me want to stamp my feet in a tantrum. How the father treats Randall is bad enough but his manipulation of Dustin is shocking. As is both parents treatment of Kayla and Bailey.
These sort of family portrayals make me mad with the desure to do something! Add on the smear campaign against Randall and how impotent this has left him in terms of rebuttal, also makes me mad! Extra mad for the person behind it all!!,
So good story, spent a lot of it mad at circumstances!
Randall’s family is super controlling, makes me want to stamp my feet in a tantrum. How the father treats Randall is bad enough but his manipulation of Dustin is shocking. As is both parents treatment of Kayla and Bailey.
These sort of family portrayals make me mad with the desure to do something! Add on the smear campaign against Randall and how impotent this has left him in terms of rebuttal, also makes me mad! Extra mad for the person behind it all!!,
So good story, spent a lot of it mad at circumstances!
kaje_harper's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars. I'm binging on Brandon Witt's books, because of his combination of realistic guys, good writing, and a bit of drama which, even in this messed-up-family set-up, doesn't quite descend to melodrama. His stories hit the spot for me. In this book we find Randall, the second son of a very wealthy man, who was disinherited, but not completely disowned, when he decided to go into photography instead of studying business. He has an older half-brother, and their relationship is fraught, because Randall's mother was the home-wrecker who stole away their father.
Randall makes his money with photography, both portraiture of children and erotic photos of men, and with a side business in massage. In the erotic and massage ventures, if a client is up for a little fun, Randall's always ready to enjoy sex as well, although he never charges for it. He never sleeps with a client he doesn't like, and doesn't consider himself to be selling the sex, but isn't hung up on the distinction. He does keep his erotic adventures quiet, though, because as much as he wouldn't mind ditching his cold father, his controlling mother, and that antagonistic half-brother, he also has a sister-in-law he cares about and a small niece he adores.
For Bailey's sake, he's willing to attend family gatherings and abide by the many unwritten rules of his family life. For Bailey's sake, when she's denied a pet, he also takes on a Humane Society dog - and in so doing lets love into his life. Both from Harper, the ugliest dog with the biggest little heart, and from Noah, his teenage first love who turns out to be back and working as the HS spokesperson. For a moment, with work and a dog and a new/old boyfriend, and Bailey's visits, Randall wonders if he can have it all.
But then his erotic adventures are anonymously laid bare in the press, in the worst possible light. He's called a whore, and worse, and his right to even see his niece hangs in the balance. And things are about to get worse. His beloved dog Harper will stick to his side, but how can he ask Noah to weather this storm? Will he even survive the crash of so many dreams in a tawdry mess of accusations he can't find a way to fight, as his businesses take the hit too?
Fortunately, Randall's sister-in-law won't give up on him. In the midst of betrayal, he has good friends, and reasons to hope. The story shows how fast media rumors and unproven stories can damage a life, and how hard it is to rebound. The resolution is sweet, an underlying mystery is no surprise, but resolves in a satisfactory way, and the dogs are adorable. And if it takes a bit of optimism to quite believe how it works out, it's still a very enjoyable story, and will be a comfort reread.
Randall makes his money with photography, both portraiture of children and erotic photos of men, and with a side business in massage. In the erotic and massage ventures, if a client is up for a little fun, Randall's always ready to enjoy sex as well, although he never charges for it. He never sleeps with a client he doesn't like, and doesn't consider himself to be selling the sex, but isn't hung up on the distinction. He does keep his erotic adventures quiet, though, because as much as he wouldn't mind ditching his cold father, his controlling mother, and that antagonistic half-brother, he also has a sister-in-law he cares about and a small niece he adores.
For Bailey's sake, he's willing to attend family gatherings and abide by the many unwritten rules of his family life. For Bailey's sake, when she's denied a pet, he also takes on a Humane Society dog - and in so doing lets love into his life. Both from Harper, the ugliest dog with the biggest little heart, and from Noah, his teenage first love who turns out to be back and working as the HS spokesperson. For a moment, with work and a dog and a new/old boyfriend, and Bailey's visits, Randall wonders if he can have it all.
But then his erotic adventures are anonymously laid bare in the press, in the worst possible light. He's called a whore, and worse, and his right to even see his niece hangs in the balance. And things are about to get worse. His beloved dog Harper will stick to his side, but how can he ask Noah to weather this storm? Will he even survive the crash of so many dreams in a tawdry mess of accusations he can't find a way to fight, as his businesses take the hit too?
Fortunately, Randall's sister-in-law won't give up on him. In the midst of betrayal, he has good friends, and reasons to hope. The story shows how fast media rumors and unproven stories can damage a life, and how hard it is to rebound. The resolution is sweet, an underlying mystery is no surprise, but resolves in a satisfactory way, and the dogs are adorable. And if it takes a bit of optimism to quite believe how it works out, it's still a very enjoyable story, and will be a comfort reread.
the_novel_approach's review against another edition
4.0
Let me start by saying I love Brandon Witt’s books and his writing style. This book is an aberration from his norm in that there is low angst and no fantasy, but it is pure romantic Brandon Witt anyway. Before reading this book, I read several of his blog posts on it, knowing that this one was a break from the norm for him. I am so glad I did because knowing his state of mind, what he was trying to accomplish with the book, allowed me to look at the novel through his eyes and enjoy it for what it is—a book about a man who comes from incredible wealth, dealing with the control, drama and expectations that kind of wealth comes with (in the author own words, think Falcon Crest or The Young and the Restless).
Drama, so much drama. Oh heavens, let me say it again: the drama and the secrets! This is a really great novel. Is it my favorite by Brandon Witt? No, but I appreciate that sometimes authors need to stretch their wings and try something new, and I applaud him for doing so. I have to say, what I didn’t like about the book had more to do with my own prejudices and preconceived notions on how people need to act than with the storyline or style of writing. I think I may not be as forgiving as the author since I would not have accepted some of the behaviors that the characters portray, or the machinations they ultimately get away with, but hey, this is a soap opera world, so of course people get away with outlandish behavior! About the only soap opera type behavior that didn’t happen was that no one was raised from the dead. Haha!
Randall Morgan is the youngest son of an incredibly powerful family. He has always been taught the Morgan name is to be upheld at all cost. That cost has often been his soul. Cutting himself off from his family’s money is just the tip of the iceberg for Randall, as the emotional hold they have on him keeps him in bondage to their whims as surely as the money ever did. That emotional hold comes in the form of his niece, who Randall holds onto as the only source of sunlight in his sometimes (often) dark world. Randall has always dreamed of being a photographer but dreams don’t pay bills when you are on your own, so he starts an erotic massage business on the side. If he enjoys sex with his clients, who’s to get hurt? They are all consenting adults, after all. And his clients only pay for the massages or the pictures; the sex is something that Randall does for free. No harm, no foul… right?
Noah Carroll works for the Seattle Humane Society. When Randall comes in to adopt a dog after he promises his niece he will, Noah comes face to face with his first love, Randall Morgan. Randall and Noah had their first kiss at thirteen years old, and that was it for both of them, a standard they have judged each successive relationship against. Noah’s parents were missionaries to Haiti, so the boys lost touch when Noah’s family moved back overseas.
“A small gasp escaped me as he slipped his tongue inside my mouth. Not forcibly, just a tentative test, the only aspect of the kiss that sought permission.”
“I opened my eyes. Just for a moment. Just to make sure it was real. That he was real after all these years. That it wasn’t simply the magic of the lake.”
“Though I’d held all the other sexual experiences and men up to the standard of that kiss at the beginning of my teenage years, Noah’s kiss was not the same as the one from that long-ago night. This was the kiss of a man. A man who knew what he wanted. Who had no fear of repercussions. The kiss of a man who held nothing back in an effort to protect himself, while stripping away every one of my defenses. This was a kiss that told me I’d never been kissed before. I sank into it, joining with him as surely as if he moved inside me.”
Noah is now a self-made man. He has fought his demons and won, and his confidence is as sexy as his body is. In Noah’s opinion, he has waited his entire life for Randall to come back into his life, and he is not about to give him up now, not for anything. His unwavering love and compassion for all that Randall has to go through is amazing and makes you love his character even more. Noah becomes a source of strength for Randall when Randall’s life falls apart, thanks to his family’s actions and interference. Because yeah, Randall’s life heads downhill in a big way and just when you think he has hit bottom, nope he’s got a little farther to go.
This is where I am not as forgiving as the author obviously is, because frankly will all the blackmail, slander, culpability and downright ugliness of the Morgan family, I don’t think anyone really pays for what they do to Randall. Hey, I didn’t realize myself I was so bloodthirsty, but it says something about the characters the author creates that I would want to reach inside the novel and avenge the main character… Needless to say Randall and Noah reach their HEA, and the ultimate moral of the story is that you can break free of the ties that bind you to the family you are born with, if those ties are toxic to you, and embrace a family of your own making—one of goodness affirmation and love.
This book is full of romance, secrets, sex, humor, love, soap opera level drama, a cute little girl who loves playing a fairy princess, and a really ugly/adorable dog! I absolutely recommend it.
Reviewed by Carrie for The Novel Approach Reviews
Drama, so much drama. Oh heavens, let me say it again: the drama and the secrets! This is a really great novel. Is it my favorite by Brandon Witt? No, but I appreciate that sometimes authors need to stretch their wings and try something new, and I applaud him for doing so. I have to say, what I didn’t like about the book had more to do with my own prejudices and preconceived notions on how people need to act than with the storyline or style of writing. I think I may not be as forgiving as the author since I would not have accepted some of the behaviors that the characters portray, or the machinations they ultimately get away with, but hey, this is a soap opera world, so of course people get away with outlandish behavior! About the only soap opera type behavior that didn’t happen was that no one was raised from the dead. Haha!
Randall Morgan is the youngest son of an incredibly powerful family. He has always been taught the Morgan name is to be upheld at all cost. That cost has often been his soul. Cutting himself off from his family’s money is just the tip of the iceberg for Randall, as the emotional hold they have on him keeps him in bondage to their whims as surely as the money ever did. That emotional hold comes in the form of his niece, who Randall holds onto as the only source of sunlight in his sometimes (often) dark world. Randall has always dreamed of being a photographer but dreams don’t pay bills when you are on your own, so he starts an erotic massage business on the side. If he enjoys sex with his clients, who’s to get hurt? They are all consenting adults, after all. And his clients only pay for the massages or the pictures; the sex is something that Randall does for free. No harm, no foul… right?
Noah Carroll works for the Seattle Humane Society. When Randall comes in to adopt a dog after he promises his niece he will, Noah comes face to face with his first love, Randall Morgan. Randall and Noah had their first kiss at thirteen years old, and that was it for both of them, a standard they have judged each successive relationship against. Noah’s parents were missionaries to Haiti, so the boys lost touch when Noah’s family moved back overseas.
“A small gasp escaped me as he slipped his tongue inside my mouth. Not forcibly, just a tentative test, the only aspect of the kiss that sought permission.”
“I opened my eyes. Just for a moment. Just to make sure it was real. That he was real after all these years. That it wasn’t simply the magic of the lake.”
“Though I’d held all the other sexual experiences and men up to the standard of that kiss at the beginning of my teenage years, Noah’s kiss was not the same as the one from that long-ago night. This was the kiss of a man. A man who knew what he wanted. Who had no fear of repercussions. The kiss of a man who held nothing back in an effort to protect himself, while stripping away every one of my defenses. This was a kiss that told me I’d never been kissed before. I sank into it, joining with him as surely as if he moved inside me.”
Noah is now a self-made man. He has fought his demons and won, and his confidence is as sexy as his body is. In Noah’s opinion, he has waited his entire life for Randall to come back into his life, and he is not about to give him up now, not for anything. His unwavering love and compassion for all that Randall has to go through is amazing and makes you love his character even more. Noah becomes a source of strength for Randall when Randall’s life falls apart, thanks to his family’s actions and interference. Because yeah, Randall’s life heads downhill in a big way and just when you think he has hit bottom, nope he’s got a little farther to go.
This is where I am not as forgiving as the author obviously is, because frankly will all the blackmail, slander, culpability and downright ugliness of the Morgan family, I don’t think anyone really pays for what they do to Randall. Hey, I didn’t realize myself I was so bloodthirsty, but it says something about the characters the author creates that I would want to reach inside the novel and avenge the main character… Needless to say Randall and Noah reach their HEA, and the ultimate moral of the story is that you can break free of the ties that bind you to the family you are born with, if those ties are toxic to you, and embrace a family of your own making—one of goodness affirmation and love.
This book is full of romance, secrets, sex, humor, love, soap opera level drama, a cute little girl who loves playing a fairy princess, and a really ugly/adorable dog! I absolutely recommend it.
Reviewed by Carrie for The Novel Approach Reviews
knrt_17's review
5.0
Another great story by Brandon Witt. This story sucked me in from the first page. A contemporary MM romance. Loved the MCs. I'll read more from this author.
karentje's review
5.0
Randall is an utterly lovable character. I love how he tries so hard to live his life free of the restraints of his controlling parents, and society’s moralistic views, being true to himself while trying desperately to be there for his loved ones. His devotion to his niece Bailey is inspiring. Noah, the one who got away, before they even truly had a chance, is an amazing character, steadfast and true, and so genuine. He’s not afraid to open himself up to Randall, and he stands by his man even when things get rough. And they do. I loved that Noah never played the blame game. We all need a Noah in our lives. Someone is out to destroy Randall’s life and reputation, and matters get really grim and hopeless at a certain point. Poor Randall, my heart ached for him, and even though I felt reasonably sure a HEA was coming I had a hard time seeing how it’d get there at some point. A secondary character that also absolutely deserves a mention is Kayla, Randall’s BFF and sister-in-law. I adored her and admired how she stood up for herself even if it took her awhile to do it. It takes bravery to decide to escape a gilded cage and trade it in for an uncertain future. Finding/becoming a family is a very important part of this book, and I loved every little thing the author did there. It wasn’t an easy process, but I loved how heartwarming it turned out. This is an expertly written story with a couple of very unexpected twists and great character development. Recommend.
disloyalorderof's review
1.0
melodramatic, unlikable characters. could not figure out what the love interest was doing in this book; he seemed very out of place. also was sadly a doormat.
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