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Sloan Brothers #2
Message Received
First rule of keeping your job? Don’t hit on your boss.
Ben Pierce always follows the rules. Keeping everything and everyone in their place. But his newest employee, Sean Miller, doesn’t fit into his neat little boxes or his neat little life. The man is irritating, impulsive, and impossibly gorgeous. But most troubling of all, he has Ben wondering what it'd be like to let someone else take charge.
After hopping from place to place, Sean Miller finds a job he wants to keep. Or rather, one his roommate wants him to keep. Helping his friend through this difficult time is the most important thing. So for now, Sean has to play nice at his new job. No flirting with his boss. No touching his boss. No showing his uptight and yummy boss the joys of surrendering to the right person.
And absolutely no falling for this surprisingly sweet and vulnerable man. That might be the hardest rule of all not to break because finding the one person who fits you perfectly might be worth risking everything.
Message Received is an 84,000+ words, opposites attract, boss/employee novel with an HEA. It’s part of the Sloan Brothers’ series but can be read as a standalone.
Ben Pierce always follows the rules. Keeping everything and everyone in their place. But his newest employee, Sean Miller, doesn’t fit into his neat little boxes or his neat little life. The man is irritating, impulsive, and impossibly gorgeous. But most troubling of all, he has Ben wondering what it'd be like to let someone else take charge.
After hopping from place to place, Sean Miller finds a job he wants to keep. Or rather, one his roommate wants him to keep. Helping his friend through this difficult time is the most important thing. So for now, Sean has to play nice at his new job. No flirting with his boss. No touching his boss. No showing his uptight and yummy boss the joys of surrendering to the right person.
And absolutely no falling for this surprisingly sweet and vulnerable man. That might be the hardest rule of all not to break because finding the one person who fits you perfectly might be worth risking everything.
Message Received is an 84,000+ words, opposites attract, boss/employee novel with an HEA. It’s part of the Sloan Brothers’ series but can be read as a standalone.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 19, 2023
132 people are currently reading
291 people want to read
About the author
D.K. Sutton
32 books116 followersD.K. SUTTON has a background in social work. In her off time from writing, she enjoys crocheting and spending time with her family. As an introvert, she has always been a little awkward (and a lot geeky). Turns out, those are handy traits for a writer. Her Broken series is M/M fiction, full of love and angst, and it challenges the rhetoric around being gay and religious. Her Trials of Love series and Sloan Brothers series are both M/M romance. She doesn't believe in hate and believes that people have a good side within them.
She enjoys writing about slightly flawed characters in compromising situations. She has a passion for writing LGBTQ+ stories, because the world needs more love and inclusion.
Connect with DK Sutton on Social Media
Facebook @dksuttonwrites
Facebook group facebook.com/groups/dkcafe/
Twitter @debraelq
She enjoys writing about slightly flawed characters in compromising situations. She has a passion for writing LGBTQ+ stories, because the world needs more love and inclusion.
Connect with DK Sutton on Social Media
Facebook @dksuttonwrites
Facebook group facebook.com/groups/dkcafe/
Twitter @debraelq
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
July 22, 2023
This book didn’t quite come together for me, and I think it was partly because while the two MCs spend a fair bit of screen time together, it’s almost all at work, where they’re either working, annoyed with one another, fighting their attraction, or at least trying not to reveal to everyone that they’re interested in one another. It becomes clear pretty early on that they’re sexually compatible (although it’s a slow burn in terms of actual execution of said compatibility), but I was left with a weird uncertainty that they’d actually be able to live with one another based on what we saw in the novel. Not that that they didn’t care for one another, but genuinely if they could date/be partners.
I can’t tell if they have any similar interests. It’s clear that they’re opposites in terms of a fair bit of behaviour (spontaneous vs controlling, early vs on time/late, etc., etc.), which can cause a lot of friction, and we never get to see that resolved. There’s no dating, not even much compromising, just a lot of pining as they try not to fraternise at work and then eventually give in. Ben has serious concerns about being too OCD and too boring for a partner (awful ex), Sean explicitly tells him at the start that he’s not his type, and then we get a whole book about them being physically attracted to one another and having a compatible D/s vibe. What about the rest of the time?
I was invested in them and wanted them to be happy. I liked that Sean could soothe Ben’s headaches and really did want to take care of him. I liked that Ben could eventually let down some of his walls and trust someone else. The epilogue helped reassure me that all was well with them, but I wish we’d seen more of them actually interacting outside of the workplace and really getting to grow the relationship.
I received an ARC from GRR. This is my honest review.
I can’t tell if they have any similar interests. It’s clear that they’re opposites in terms of a fair bit of behaviour (spontaneous vs controlling, early vs on time/late, etc., etc.), which can cause a lot of friction, and we never get to see that resolved. There’s no dating, not even much compromising, just a lot of pining as they try not to fraternise at work and then eventually give in. Ben has serious concerns about being too OCD and too boring for a partner (awful ex), Sean explicitly tells him at the start that he’s not his type, and then we get a whole book about them being physically attracted to one another and having a compatible D/s vibe. What about the rest of the time?
I was invested in them and wanted them to be happy. I liked that Sean could soothe Ben’s headaches and really did want to take care of him. I liked that Ben could eventually let down some of his walls and trust someone else. The epilogue helped reassure me that all was well with them, but I wish we’d seen more of them actually interacting outside of the workplace and really getting to grow the relationship.
I received an ARC from GRR. This is my honest review.
July 22, 2023
DNF 58%
I wanted to stop reading this way before I did, but I've had a lot of DNFs lately so I thought I would keep going. This book was so boring, though. Like...nothing happened. Nothing. It was all boring business talk. The relationship was non-existent. The characters just kept repeating themselves over and over and over with no growth or progress. The story just wasn't going anywhere. I couldn't do it anymore! Save yourselves!
I wanted to stop reading this way before I did, but I've had a lot of DNFs lately so I thought I would keep going. This book was so boring, though. Like...nothing happened. Nothing. It was all boring business talk. The relationship was non-existent. The characters just kept repeating themselves over and over and over with no growth or progress. The story just wasn't going anywhere. I couldn't do it anymore! Save yourselves!
November 13, 2024
Slow burn office mates
clear up confusion, make friends,
fix fam’lies, find love.
2.5 rounded down for clunky writing
clear up confusion, make friends,
fix fam’lies, find love.
2.5 rounded down for clunky writing
July 29, 2023
lots of call center plot
I really wanted to like this book. I was excited about the romance. But the slow burn of that romance means that most of this book is office drama at a call center. Like, meetings and discussion of metrics and employee retention. I hated it.
I read romance for escape and joy. This book did not give that to me. I only finished it because I was waiting for the ending the author promised, and that was unsatisfying for me.
I really wanted to like this book. I was excited about the romance. But the slow burn of that romance means that most of this book is office drama at a call center. Like, meetings and discussion of metrics and employee retention. I hated it.
I read romance for escape and joy. This book did not give that to me. I only finished it because I was waiting for the ending the author promised, and that was unsatisfying for me.
August 27, 2023
This review and much more can be found at Love Bytes Reviews
Note: This is part of a series, but I didn’t read the first one and this totally works as a standalone.
Ben is a guys who always has a plan and follows the rules. His last boyfriend dumped him because he was too rigid, too controlled and not enough “fun” as it were. Sadly that ex is someone he still has to work with. Only his assistant knows about their relationship and what a toll it took and is still taking on Ben. Ben has OCD and his anxiety is kicked up a notch by the pressure on him at his job as a supervisor at a call center. Then there is his younger brother Roan, who is another issue altogether, and has been his responsibility for a very long time.
He has an unexpected encounter with a guy at his normal coffee shop the day his new recruits are to start. Ben is stunned to see this guy as one of his new employees with a totally different name than he used at the coffee shop. Sean Miller is far from the Xavier he met earlier. There is something there though. Sean has Ben’s number from the get-go. He can see that this buttoned-up rule follower needs somebody else to take the lead and get him out of his head. But fraternizing with the boss is not allowed. Also he needs to keep this job. He’s living with his bestie Brock. He’s got obligations that he needs to meet and he needs this job to get that done.
Ben has been called into the big boss, Mr. Odell’s office. Never a good sign, Mr. Odell tells him he needs to make sure they don’t lose any of this new group of new hires. Ben can’t micromanage them and he needs to figure out how to nip this attrition in the bud. No pressure 😉 His ex, Joel, one of the other supervisors, loves to push Ben’s buttons. Matthew, Ben’s assistant does his best to run interference for Ben, but Joel and Ben are going to have to work together to meet Mr. Odell’s expectations. Joel is a competitive guy and wants nothing more than to win with the added bonus of making Ben’s life a living hell. But Sean and Matthew aren’t about to let this happen. Surprisingly Sean wants to keep this job and he wants Ben to succeed as well. Keeping his feelings on the DL is pretty difficult and Ben isn’t much better to be honest. How they are going to keep this from Joel and the rest of the team is going to take a miracle.
Meanwhile both Ben and Sean are working through stuff in their personal lives. Both have family drama to contend with. Both have responsibilities to others than that they can’t shirk. Keeping their eye on the prize at work as well as trying to figure out what is going on between them take a lot of effort from both guys.
As Ben and Joel’s two teams begin to work together, there is a long plot about a potential mole amongst the ranks. One of the other new hires, Jazmine, came from a competitor and she’s got and inside contact that tells her that someone is stealing secrets and sharing them with that competitor. She swears Sean to secrecy while they try to ferret out who the traitor is. But then the spotlight is put on Sean as the leak and while he does have an alibi, it’s not one he can share with risk to everything he’s been working for. Ben sticks up for him, but Sean doesn’t want to jeopardize either of their jobs. If they can figure out a way to get the real culprit to confess, well maybe they have a shot at more.
This was a good story with a lot of things going for it – opposites attract, forbidden relationship, meet cute, a bit angsty with kid with cancer, responsible brother/irresponsible brother, etc. Sadly it could have done with another round of edits. It’s a bit long and slow in places that I wish had been tightened up because I did really like the whole slow burn/temptation of the forbidden aspect. Unfortunately the corporate espionage/pitting boss against his former boyfriend who ridicules him story just dragged things out too long. It’s the Coco Chanel rule here – take one thing off. There were too many subplots that took away from the main story. That being said, I really did like the dynamic between Sean and Ben. From their very first encounter, there is something there. They are opposites in so many ways. Ben lives for rules. He’s been through a lot and his response has been to keep order so that he can have a sense of control and not fall apart. When he’s stressed, he gets headaches. And he’s getting stressed a lot. His boss is on him to not lose any more new recruits. His ex is the bane of his existence – trying to undermine him and throw him off at every turn, despite having been the one to break things off telling him he was not any fun at all with all his rule following and planning. Turns out having rules does work for some things 😉 There are some great supporting characters in Ben’s boss, his assistant Matthew, his brother Roan and Sean’s best friend/roommate Brock. Sean’s got his own baggage from his family too and maybe together they check these bags and go!
Note: This is part of a series, but I didn’t read the first one and this totally works as a standalone.
Ben is a guys who always has a plan and follows the rules. His last boyfriend dumped him because he was too rigid, too controlled and not enough “fun” as it were. Sadly that ex is someone he still has to work with. Only his assistant knows about their relationship and what a toll it took and is still taking on Ben. Ben has OCD and his anxiety is kicked up a notch by the pressure on him at his job as a supervisor at a call center. Then there is his younger brother Roan, who is another issue altogether, and has been his responsibility for a very long time.
He has an unexpected encounter with a guy at his normal coffee shop the day his new recruits are to start. Ben is stunned to see this guy as one of his new employees with a totally different name than he used at the coffee shop. Sean Miller is far from the Xavier he met earlier. There is something there though. Sean has Ben’s number from the get-go. He can see that this buttoned-up rule follower needs somebody else to take the lead and get him out of his head. But fraternizing with the boss is not allowed. Also he needs to keep this job. He’s living with his bestie Brock. He’s got obligations that he needs to meet and he needs this job to get that done.
Ben has been called into the big boss, Mr. Odell’s office. Never a good sign, Mr. Odell tells him he needs to make sure they don’t lose any of this new group of new hires. Ben can’t micromanage them and he needs to figure out how to nip this attrition in the bud. No pressure 😉 His ex, Joel, one of the other supervisors, loves to push Ben’s buttons. Matthew, Ben’s assistant does his best to run interference for Ben, but Joel and Ben are going to have to work together to meet Mr. Odell’s expectations. Joel is a competitive guy and wants nothing more than to win with the added bonus of making Ben’s life a living hell. But Sean and Matthew aren’t about to let this happen. Surprisingly Sean wants to keep this job and he wants Ben to succeed as well. Keeping his feelings on the DL is pretty difficult and Ben isn’t much better to be honest. How they are going to keep this from Joel and the rest of the team is going to take a miracle.
Meanwhile both Ben and Sean are working through stuff in their personal lives. Both have family drama to contend with. Both have responsibilities to others than that they can’t shirk. Keeping their eye on the prize at work as well as trying to figure out what is going on between them take a lot of effort from both guys.
As Ben and Joel’s two teams begin to work together, there is a long plot about a potential mole amongst the ranks. One of the other new hires, Jazmine, came from a competitor and she’s got and inside contact that tells her that someone is stealing secrets and sharing them with that competitor. She swears Sean to secrecy while they try to ferret out who the traitor is. But then the spotlight is put on Sean as the leak and while he does have an alibi, it’s not one he can share with risk to everything he’s been working for. Ben sticks up for him, but Sean doesn’t want to jeopardize either of their jobs. If they can figure out a way to get the real culprit to confess, well maybe they have a shot at more.
This was a good story with a lot of things going for it – opposites attract, forbidden relationship, meet cute, a bit angsty with kid with cancer, responsible brother/irresponsible brother, etc. Sadly it could have done with another round of edits. It’s a bit long and slow in places that I wish had been tightened up because I did really like the whole slow burn/temptation of the forbidden aspect. Unfortunately the corporate espionage/pitting boss against his former boyfriend who ridicules him story just dragged things out too long. It’s the Coco Chanel rule here – take one thing off. There were too many subplots that took away from the main story. That being said, I really did like the dynamic between Sean and Ben. From their very first encounter, there is something there. They are opposites in so many ways. Ben lives for rules. He’s been through a lot and his response has been to keep order so that he can have a sense of control and not fall apart. When he’s stressed, he gets headaches. And he’s getting stressed a lot. His boss is on him to not lose any more new recruits. His ex is the bane of his existence – trying to undermine him and throw him off at every turn, despite having been the one to break things off telling him he was not any fun at all with all his rule following and planning. Turns out having rules does work for some things 😉 There are some great supporting characters in Ben’s boss, his assistant Matthew, his brother Roan and Sean’s best friend/roommate Brock. Sean’s got his own baggage from his family too and maybe together they check these bags and go!
July 23, 2023
Few different tropes in here. The opposites attract, the stuck-up boss who likes things to be in order and preplanned, and the historically flaky employee who likes to be spontaneous. We then also have the "not allowed to be in a relationship with a colleague" rule.
Sean and Ben have a fun meet-cute at a coffee shop just before Ben meets Sean properly at work as his new colleague to supervise. The two have this insane chemistry they can't ignore despite knowing they cannot risk their jobs over their infatuation with each other.
There are a few backing characters in this novel. We have Brock and Angel, the driving force as to why Sean needs a job. We then have Matthew and Roan, Sean's assistant and brother. There's Joel, Ben's toxic ex who happens to be another supervisor in the company. There are a few others, and other than Matthew and Lorna (the boss's assistant), they're all horrible!
Ben has some serious issues with control and feels this great responsibility to look after his brother after their grandmother died, but Roan just constantly makes fun of him and imposes himself into his life with no consideration at all. I may be feeling this a bit too hard as an older sibling, but I didn't find it endearing or cute on Roan's behalf. I found it to be quite cruel and selfish.
I also found Brock to be a bit of an arse. He wasn't very considerate that Sean was trying his best for him and his sister and didn't seem to give him the benefit of the doubt. Then the way he acted at the BBQ...
Between the opposites attract, slow burn no romance in the workplace stuff, the company mole, the ex, the annoying brother and best friend's sister with cancer, I felt there was a bit too much going on. This may be a bit set up for the next book, but I wanted to read more about Ben and Sean and wished they'd gotten together sooner.
Overall an enjoyable read.
Sean and Ben have a fun meet-cute at a coffee shop just before Ben meets Sean properly at work as his new colleague to supervise. The two have this insane chemistry they can't ignore despite knowing they cannot risk their jobs over their infatuation with each other.
There are a few backing characters in this novel. We have Brock and Angel, the driving force as to why Sean needs a job. We then have Matthew and Roan, Sean's assistant and brother. There's Joel, Ben's toxic ex who happens to be another supervisor in the company. There are a few others, and other than Matthew and Lorna (the boss's assistant), they're all horrible!
Ben has some serious issues with control and feels this great responsibility to look after his brother after their grandmother died, but Roan just constantly makes fun of him and imposes himself into his life with no consideration at all. I may be feeling this a bit too hard as an older sibling, but I didn't find it endearing or cute on Roan's behalf. I found it to be quite cruel and selfish.
I also found Brock to be a bit of an arse. He wasn't very considerate that Sean was trying his best for him and his sister and didn't seem to give him the benefit of the doubt. Then the way he acted at the BBQ...
Between the opposites attract, slow burn no romance in the workplace stuff, the company mole, the ex, the annoying brother and best friend's sister with cancer, I felt there was a bit too much going on. This may be a bit set up for the next book, but I wanted to read more about Ben and Sean and wished they'd gotten together sooner.
Overall an enjoyable read.
August 3, 2024
I only vaguely remember book 1 and I unhelpfully only left a rating and no review so I can't really compare this book to the first in the series.
The writing was decent but I'm not compelled to continue beyond the 54% mark so it's a DNF from me.
The scene where a character outed his subordinate as bisexual to a different subordinate didn't sit right with me and went unchallenged. Especially because this superior wasn't out to his boss himself so he knew very well what outing this character meant.
Otherwise it was okay. I was more interested in Roan and Matt's feelings than Ben and Sean's so I'm surprised they don't have their own book. Maybe their relationship grows in the second part of this book but I don't care to find out.
A bit confused about the series name. Who are the Sloan brothers?
The writing was decent but I'm not compelled to continue beyond the 54% mark so it's a DNF from me.
The scene where a character outed his subordinate as bisexual to a different subordinate didn't sit right with me and went unchallenged. Especially because this superior wasn't out to his boss himself so he knew very well what outing this character meant.
Otherwise it was okay. I was more interested in Roan and Matt's feelings than Ben and Sean's so I'm surprised they don't have their own book. Maybe their relationship grows in the second part of this book but I don't care to find out.
A bit confused about the series name. Who are the Sloan brothers?
May 14, 2024
Roll Reversal as boss/worker switch roles for play as s/D
Life is full of interesting events and opportunities to enjoy life as work and play mix with preferred partner status. Teasing and hiding their love from fellow workers and bosses to maintain a semblance of no employee romance when it is the shared moments that allows them to function at all around each other.
Role play can be an amazing turn on or embarrassment depending on location and circumstances as power, competition, and economics face off with touching, kissing, and loving people while managing a successful business. Secrets and romance keep the action hot for customer service and communication effectiveness. Happiness is optional.
Life is full of interesting events and opportunities to enjoy life as work and play mix with preferred partner status. Teasing and hiding their love from fellow workers and bosses to maintain a semblance of no employee romance when it is the shared moments that allows them to function at all around each other.
Role play can be an amazing turn on or embarrassment depending on location and circumstances as power, competition, and economics face off with touching, kissing, and loving people while managing a successful business. Secrets and romance keep the action hot for customer service and communication effectiveness. Happiness is optional.
July 24, 2023
Good Story
I'm rounding this up from 3.5. I didn't get into this story as much as I did book one. It took me a bit of time to start enjoying the story. I am glad that I read it though.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
I'm rounding this up from 3.5. I didn't get into this story as much as I did book one. It took me a bit of time to start enjoying the story. I am glad that I read it though.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
April 26, 2024
This was cute but far too focused on Ben’s ex and work drama. I applaud the author’s writing skills for keeping me mostly engaged but I wished this had been more romance heavy.
July 17, 2023
Message Received by D K Sutton is part of her Sloan Brothers series. It is the story of two men who are opposites yet they find what they need in each other. Ben Pierce is a manager at a call center. He is extremely rule driven and has OCD. He works with his ex which is often difficult and he raised his brother after his parents and grandparents died but is often at odds with him. All of this has led him to feel stressed and think he was unable to be loved just as he was. Sean Miller had a meet cute with Ben at a coffee shop where he had him pretty well figured out at first glance. He is a free spirit who can’t keep a job but needs to because he is helping his best friend with bills due to his sister’s cancer treatments. He comes from a wealthy family but has basically left his father because he was always working. Ben and Sean are both intrigued with each other but know they will never see each other again. Until they do when Sean starts working for Ben at the call center. One of the rules there is that no relationships are allowed between bosses and employees. They continue to fight their attraction to each other but it is nearly impossible especially when they do a little hanky panky in Ben’s office. As time goes on Ben realizes he needs the control that Sean offers him so he can submit but they can’t act further on it or they could lose their jobs. Ben has lost some employees who don’t like the way he interacts with him so the head of the company told him that he can’t lose any more of them. His ex is also a manager and has had the same problem so he has to work with him to find a way to stop this from happening. This causes more problems but Sean comes up with an idea to help solve the problem. The story continues as they implement a plan but then find out it has been stolen by a competitor and they have to figure out who has leaked it. Meanwhile Ben and Sean continue to need each other and they fall in love. I enjoyed this story but it has a very slow build up as they came to know each other and figure out how to be together. They were both interesting characters, especially Ben who had a lot of responsibility that he was trying to handle but with his OCD tendencies and need for rules was finding his life difficult at times. Sean was a free spirit but knew he needed to help out his friend and with his Dom tendencies he was able to help Ben when he needed it most. The ex was unlikable and tried to get to Ben whenever he could and Ben’s brother also had his problems that didn’t help. There was a lot of angst when Ben and his ex had to work together as well as try to find out who was leaking their plan at work. Once it was solved there was a happy ending for everyone which made you feel good. The love scenes were hot and made both Ben and Sean happy that they could give each other what they needed. I recommend this book, especially if you like stories with flawed characters and opposite attracts with a little angst thrown in.
July 25, 2023
Lots going on but not much time for actual romance
I was confused about this when I started as it's Book Two in the Sloan Brothers series and neither of the main characters is a Sloan. Max in the first book, Talk To Me, is a Sloan and he is mentioned briefly in this, and his brother Jamie appears for thirty seconds at the end but that's it.
This takes place mainly in their workplace so there is not a lot of actual romance, just an abundance of UST. Ben and Sean are complete opposites, completely attracted to each other, but with an 'office-wide no relationship with co-workers' policy, all they can do is either stare from afar, sneak into the copy room, or hope Ben's assistant doesn't walk in on them in Ben's office.
There are lots of other threads that were a bit of a distraction from the main couple. Office problems with information being leaked. Sean's best friend, Brock, has a sick sister. Ben's brother, Roan, was just a complete pain in the arse throughout.
I liked Ben and Sean, and seeing them in Talk To Me made me curious about them, so I'm glad D.K. gave us them now. Ben admitting his need for someone to take charge and Sean doing just that, at the office where possible, and in the bedroom was the payoff I needed after the very slow burn, though I would liked more relationship-building and romance between them.
I expected Roan and Matt to be the next couple but it seems that is not the case, from the last chapter. It may be an MMM or an MMMM, or perhaps that's all misdirection, but it at least includes a Sloan brother somewhere in there.
D.K. also teased us in the story with an unexpected age gap couple and I'm looking forward to that one too.
I was confused about this when I started as it's Book Two in the Sloan Brothers series and neither of the main characters is a Sloan. Max in the first book, Talk To Me, is a Sloan and he is mentioned briefly in this, and his brother Jamie appears for thirty seconds at the end but that's it.
This takes place mainly in their workplace so there is not a lot of actual romance, just an abundance of UST. Ben and Sean are complete opposites, completely attracted to each other, but with an 'office-wide no relationship with co-workers' policy, all they can do is either stare from afar, sneak into the copy room, or hope Ben's assistant doesn't walk in on them in Ben's office.
There are lots of other threads that were a bit of a distraction from the main couple. Office problems with information being leaked. Sean's best friend, Brock, has a sick sister. Ben's brother, Roan, was just a complete pain in the arse throughout.
I liked Ben and Sean, and seeing them in Talk To Me made me curious about them, so I'm glad D.K. gave us them now. Ben admitting his need for someone to take charge and Sean doing just that, at the office where possible, and in the bedroom was the payoff I needed after the very slow burn, though I would liked more relationship-building and romance between them.
I expected Roan and Matt to be the next couple but it seems that is not the case, from the last chapter. It may be an MMM or an MMMM, or perhaps that's all misdirection, but it at least includes a Sloan brother somewhere in there.
D.K. also teased us in the story with an unexpected age gap couple and I'm looking forward to that one too.
July 31, 2023
Makes my heart go thump and brings me joy! Ben is a by the rules kinda guy, maybe a little OCD? He feels comfortable presuming this process means he has control of his life. Until he doesn't. He is not out at work and thinks he's past recovery from his latest breakup, which happened in the previous 6 months. He had an encounter in the line at the coffee shop with a man called, Xavier who totally took him out of his zone and shook him up a little. Turns out Xavier/Sean is one of Ben's new employees. Sean, likes to be in control in his relationships. He feels Ben would benefit giving up control in a relationship. Their story about what to do with the control baton is fun. Learning new depths about oneself can be energizing, fun, painful or an adventure. Ben has been put on notice by his boss because of loosing a high number of his team and forced to work with his ex who has the same asset loss problem. Ben, is carrying a few loads of stress and pressure as he starts with his new employees. Ben takes us on his journey with him. Sean, is a bit much and takes the entire book to warm up to but we get there because of his efforts with Ben. Nice story. Nicely done. I received an ARC and am voluntarily leavign a review.
August 12, 2023
This was a slow-burn romance and I liked reading it. The MC’s had a good dynamic and their opposite personalities attracted, which was interesting to experience. I liked the interactions with the MC’s and the other characters. It was not as steamy as I prefer my MM romance, but it was still a good book to read. It was a rollercoaster of passionate emotions and it was bittersweet when it was finally over.
I did not personally like how adverse Ben was to starting any kind of personal relationship with Sean because of their work situation. In fact, Ben came off as very abrasive and unapproachable. It was any wonder that Sean professed that he was falling for him. My only guess is that the only reason he did was because Sean was attracted to Ben’s caustic nature and the sheer stubbornness of Ben to deny their attraction at every turn. It was not until well past the 50% mark that there were any decent personal interactions between the MC’s. After about 65%, the story started to pick up and became very good, and I loved the way they connected and then they showed how well they fit together. I really am glad that they got their HFN.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I did not personally like how adverse Ben was to starting any kind of personal relationship with Sean because of their work situation. In fact, Ben came off as very abrasive and unapproachable. It was any wonder that Sean professed that he was falling for him. My only guess is that the only reason he did was because Sean was attracted to Ben’s caustic nature and the sheer stubbornness of Ben to deny their attraction at every turn. It was not until well past the 50% mark that there were any decent personal interactions between the MC’s. After about 65%, the story started to pick up and became very good, and I loved the way they connected and then they showed how well they fit together. I really am glad that they got their HFN.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 28, 2023
The start of this book is in a coffee shop encounter, and you can't really go wrong from there. Ok, just my opinion, but what can I say, I love a good meet cute.
Ben and Sean meet with a cut in the coffee line, a fake name, and plenty of flirtation. Ben, a rule follower & OCD obsessed guy, to Sean's spontaneous & flirtatious domineering attitude, brings this opposites attract story to life.
On top of the "will they/won't they", "they shouldn't but they really should", scenarios, this story also handles family drama, a mystery who-dunnit, and a jerk of an ex. This book takes its time exploring Ben & Sean's relationship, in and out of the office. Not that that's a bad thing. Just makes the wait worth it.
I enjoyed this book, not having read the first book in the series. My curiosity for what happens next will keep me anticipating the next book in the series.
I received a copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review.
Ben and Sean meet with a cut in the coffee line, a fake name, and plenty of flirtation. Ben, a rule follower & OCD obsessed guy, to Sean's spontaneous & flirtatious domineering attitude, brings this opposites attract story to life.
On top of the "will they/won't they", "they shouldn't but they really should", scenarios, this story also handles family drama, a mystery who-dunnit, and a jerk of an ex. This book takes its time exploring Ben & Sean's relationship, in and out of the office. Not that that's a bad thing. Just makes the wait worth it.
I enjoyed this book, not having read the first book in the series. My curiosity for what happens next will keep me anticipating the next book in the series.
I received a copy of this book from GRR and this is my honest review.
June 4, 2024
I wanted to enjoy this book, but the call center setting felt unconvincing. With competing companies sharing secrets and employees frequently off the phones, the pressure of meeting production goals was absent. This undermined the potential tension of the story.
The characters also fell short. Sean's constant defiance felt tiresome, and Ben's control-freak persona, complete with the predictable submissive side in the bedroom, was a disappointment. The trope could have been interesting if the author had explored the power dynamics further.
While the romance plot had its cliches, there were brief moments of genuine connection between Sean and Ben that kept me engaged. However, the one-dimensional supporting characters, like the whiny Brock and the angelic Angel, didn't add much depth.
Overall, it is a light romance with some unrealistic elements. Readers who enjoy forbidden office love stories with familiar tropes might find some entertainment here, but those looking for a more complex plot and well-developed characters might be disappointed.
The characters also fell short. Sean's constant defiance felt tiresome, and Ben's control-freak persona, complete with the predictable submissive side in the bedroom, was a disappointment. The trope could have been interesting if the author had explored the power dynamics further.
While the romance plot had its cliches, there were brief moments of genuine connection between Sean and Ben that kept me engaged. However, the one-dimensional supporting characters, like the whiny Brock and the angelic Angel, didn't add much depth.
Overall, it is a light romance with some unrealistic elements. Readers who enjoy forbidden office love stories with familiar tropes might find some entertainment here, but those looking for a more complex plot and well-developed characters might be disappointed.
July 19, 2023
Message Received is part of the Sloan Brothers series and can be enjoyed as a standalone. This wonderfully written opposites attract, boss/employee story is about Ben, a supervisor who likes to follow the rules, and Sean, Ben's new employee who hasn't met a rule he wasn't willing to break. From a perfect meet-cute at the local coffee shop to discovering they would be working together; Ben and Sean's relationship slowly develops into something good and beneficial for the both of them. I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed watching Ben and Sean discover their relationship dynamic. This book is full of wonderful characters, a mystery to solve, discovering one's self worth, letting go, and allowing yourself to be happy. This is a book I will enjoy rereading again and again. I definitely recommend this book and look forward to more in the series.
I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book.
July 19, 2023
Supervisor Ben, who has OCD and lives by following the rules, has a new employee Sean, who loves to break them. Despite initially fighting their attraction, as they slowly get to know each other they find themselves in a forbidden office romance. I loved that Sean didn’t give up on Ben despite how inflexible he could be, and recognised that he needed someone to take away the pressures and that he could be that for him. There were a few side characters that we are introduced to, who added depth and intrigue to the story, and I’m hoping some will get their own story in future books.
This book is a slow-burn opposites attract, forbidden office romance story with an HEA for the main characters, and while I enjoyed reading it, I found it a little too slow at the beginning.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
This book is a slow-burn opposites attract, forbidden office romance story with an HEA for the main characters, and while I enjoyed reading it, I found it a little too slow at the beginning.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
July 23, 2023
Pretty good book but the burn was so slow it was almost glacial. It took me a bit to get into which seems to be typical for me with Deb’s books. I was invested though because of the promise of the D/s aspects which were kind of limited due to the slow burn and fraternization policy of the job.
I snagged book one for free in 2019 and read it around then or 2020 but don’t remember very much about it. Those two MCs are only mentioned in the epilogue of this book and I don’t remember if any of these characters were mentioned in that book but I can honestly say this can be read as a stand-alone. I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything.
I am invested in the characters though and can’t wait for the next book and the short story coming as well.
I would recommend.
I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I snagged book one for free in 2019 and read it around then or 2020 but don’t remember very much about it. Those two MCs are only mentioned in the epilogue of this book and I don’t remember if any of these characters were mentioned in that book but I can honestly say this can be read as a stand-alone. I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything.
I am invested in the characters though and can’t wait for the next book and the short story coming as well.
I would recommend.
I received a free copy of this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 30, 2023
Message Received kept me intrigued. Overall I really liked Sean and Ben and wanted to see how this office romance/intrigue played out. I like the mild d/s overtones, Ben’s reluctance to pursue Sean (or allow vice versa) as Sean’s boss, and their absolute attraction to one another that overrode common sense. I appreciate how the author addressed that issue because with Ben’s level of anxiety/OCD being able to pursue that relationship without causing severe dissonance would be far fetched, but the whole thing is gradual enough that it becomes more believable. The two pieces I struggled more with were (no spoilers) 1) how Sean’s family dynamics unfolded and 2) keeping track of the minor characters in the office and ultimately how they impacted the main storyline. Giving it an overall four star rating since these bring it down a little but the overall plot kept me interested.
July 19, 2023
This book weaves together some fun tropes: a boss/employee romance, some serious opposites attract energy (bring on the rule-following boss and the “I am allergic to rules and embody the chaos” employee) and an interesting connection between them that combines physical and emotional chemistry with a bit of a power dynamic (not the one you’re expecting). Ben and Sean fit together really well, they each offer something the other wants/needs in their life, and there are some super interesting supporting characters to boot. As a final note, this is part of a series, but can work just fine as a standalone. All in all, an enjoyable read.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
April 13, 2024
Rate: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5/5 (there's a bit of kink but there are few explicit scenes)
Note: I haven't read the first book in the series yet, but this one stands strong on its own!
This romance took its time to heat up, slow burn and all that, but I found it enjoyable. The main characters had a great dynamic, and their contrasting personalities made things intriguing. I appreciated the interactions between them and the supporting side characters. While it wasn't as steamy as I usually like my MM romance, it was still a solid read. The emotional rollercoaster kept me engaged, and I felt a bittersweet pang when it ended.
Sean and Ben have a very interesting meet cute just before Sean starts working for Ben and the way their power dynamic changed at that moment is well done. In my opinion, crafting a convincing romance between an employer and employee can be tricky due to the power dynamic involved, and I usually don't gravitate towards it. Surprisingly, though, this book nailed it! Maybe it was the fact that we could see a clear shift between their relationship at work and off work (?) or maybe it was the fact that both would lose if someone found out... I don't know, but it made sense for me.
On another note, some side characters pissed me off more than once, but there were also some pretty cool ones. So, I would say it was balanced.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5/5 (there's a bit of kink but there are few explicit scenes)
Note: I haven't read the first book in the series yet, but this one stands strong on its own!
This romance took its time to heat up, slow burn and all that, but I found it enjoyable. The main characters had a great dynamic, and their contrasting personalities made things intriguing. I appreciated the interactions between them and the supporting side characters. While it wasn't as steamy as I usually like my MM romance, it was still a solid read. The emotional rollercoaster kept me engaged, and I felt a bittersweet pang when it ended.
Sean and Ben have a very interesting meet cute just before Sean starts working for Ben and the way their power dynamic changed at that moment is well done. In my opinion, crafting a convincing romance between an employer and employee can be tricky due to the power dynamic involved, and I usually don't gravitate towards it. Surprisingly, though, this book nailed it! Maybe it was the fact that we could see a clear shift between their relationship at work and off work (?) or maybe it was the fact that both would lose if someone found out... I don't know, but it made sense for me.
On another note, some side characters pissed me off more than once, but there were also some pretty cool ones. So, I would say it was balanced.
July 21, 2023
Message Received starts right in the middle of Ben’s dash to get out the door for work and pretty much doesn’t slow down until the final words. The dialog is snappy, the plot fun and unusual, with a dash of suspense, and solid character development. I wish both characters got more on page opportunities to work through their own individual development (Ben’s control issues and Sean’s commitment ones) but the resolution still felt solid, just a bit rushed. The romance is a slow burn, which makes a good contrast with the intensity of the story in general. I received a free copy of this book and am offering a honest review.
July 26, 2023
While the blurb of this book captured my attention, the relationship between Ben and Sean is a very slow burn without a lot of romance but with a lot of work related shenanigans. Based on the contemporary setting, I don't understand office romances that aren't permitted. But Ben, who is a stickler for all the rules, already broke it with his ex, who also works in the same company. But the disconnect I felt was how the relationship never developed fully. There was a lot of the concentration on the work dynamics, but there wasn't anytime outside the company between the two. Especially a lack of romance.
July 28, 2023
3.5⭐️
This was an enjoyable read overall, starting with a promising meeting and a surprise revelation that Ben and Sean are going to be colleagues. The author has created two well developed and interesting characters, they have the makings of a good opposites attract romance. I did feel long to me however, with a bit too much time given to some pretty unpleasant side characters. I was invested in the couple and they have an absolutely wonderful happy ending, but too much focus on Brock, Joel, and Lorna took away from the relationship for me.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
This was an enjoyable read overall, starting with a promising meeting and a surprise revelation that Ben and Sean are going to be colleagues. The author has created two well developed and interesting characters, they have the makings of a good opposites attract romance. I did feel long to me however, with a bit too much time given to some pretty unpleasant side characters. I was invested in the couple and they have an absolutely wonderful happy ending, but too much focus on Brock, Joel, and Lorna took away from the relationship for me.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
July 30, 2023
Ben and Sean ❤️
3 Stars ⭐️
Very Angsty opposites attract. These two spent so much time fighting their attraction to one another the it actually became a little frustrating reading at times......they wasted so much time IMO fighting it that when they actually fell, I didn't really feel that special connection between them but it was sweet just the same. All and all this book was still very much a D.K. Sutton story, it left me lighthearted after reading 😊. I would say that fans of this series should most definitely read this one, it ended up being a cute ending.
* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *
3 Stars ⭐️
Very Angsty opposites attract. These two spent so much time fighting their attraction to one another the it actually became a little frustrating reading at times......they wasted so much time IMO fighting it that when they actually fell, I didn't really feel that special connection between them but it was sweet just the same. All and all this book was still very much a D.K. Sutton story, it left me lighthearted after reading 😊. I would say that fans of this series should most definitely read this one, it ended up being a cute ending.
* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *
August 12, 2023
Ben Pierce and Sean Miller couldn't be more opposite if they tried, and yet they're inexorably drawn to each other. Their meet-cute and subsequent discovery of the relationship they'd share as boss and employee sets up a great additional tension which their subsequent push-pull flirting and teasing -- mostly on Sean's part for half the book -- only increases. Add in the mystery of the disloyal employee and Ben's need to trust that it isn't Sean, as well as Ben's toxic relationship with his ex and Sean's personal issues which give him extra motivation to succeed. and there's enough to keep the reader interested in the outcomes. How Sean helps Ben manage his OCD is an unexpected added kink.
July 14, 2023
I quickly became invested in this captivating couple. I don't often read this kind of relationship dynamics, and I loved it!! I liked Sean's tenacity in pursuing his heart's desire. He just happened to be the key to Ben finding a life outside the office, and he made the office less stressful for Ben. Joel was a bad seed and and an unrelenting bully to Ben!!! I can't wait to continue this series with some intriguing secondary characters turning into main characters. They have a lot to offer!!!
July 16, 2023
Ben and Sean are hotter than the middle of July in the South. Ben needs order and control, but secretly wishes he could relax and let it all go sometimes. Sean means well but he is a chaos goblin and suddenly finds himself drawn to the other man. He wants to muss him up and give him the chance to submit. Honestly, they are a perfect balance for each other. Yes, Ben is his boss at first, but don’t worry about power imbalances. These two make it work and Ben honestly needs a partner who gets him. I now want a story about some of these other characters though, especially Matthew!
July 19, 2023
Sean flirts with his not known to him future boss Ben in the coffee line. While uptight Ben is just flaky Sean's type, he really needs the job. This cute story starts with the back and forth chatter between two opposites who really need each other. It's a slow burn book with low angst and a forbidden boss/employee relationship that can't be prevented. Ben with his OCD needs the more dominant Sean to help him get out of his own head. There is also plenty going on in side relationships around them. I received a copy of this book through Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest opinion.
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