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Stripped Bare
Though two years past, Matthew Langer is still getting over the death of a loved one. He's steered clear of serious relationships, but when he meets the irascible, dirty mouthed and tempestuous Shane Templar that decision has never been harder. Shane is sexy, warm and funny, and Matthew finds himself trying like hell not to care about him. Especially when Shane, with his quick wit and hacking skills, is quick to stand up for justice and avenge wrongs. Then Shane strikes at the wrong target, and Matthew realises just how far gone he already is. At the threat of losing for good yet another man who’s broken through his armour, Matthew finds his heart stripped bare. He must face the demons of his soul or a future without love.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 21, 2013
19 people are currently reading
745 people want to read
About the author
Susan Mac Nicol
55 books540 followersBringing lovers together, one book at a time
The official stuff
Susan writes steamy, sexy and fun contemporary romance stories, some suspenseful, some gritty and dark and hopefully always entertaining. She’s also Editor in Chief at Divine Magazine, an online LGBTQ e-zine, and a member of The Society of Authors, the Writers Guild of Great Britain, and the Authors Guild in the US.
Susan is also an award-winning script writer, with scripts based on two of her own published works. Sight Unseen has garnered no less than five awards to date and her TV pilot, Reel Life, based on her debut novel, Cassandra by Starlight, was also a winner at the Oaxaca Film Fest.
The ‘unofficial’ stuff…
She loves going to the theatre, live music concerts (especially if it’s her man crush Adam Lambert or the divine Cumberbatch) walks in the countryside, a good G and T, lazing away afternoons reading a good book, and watching re-runs of Silent Witness and Wire in the Blood.
Her chequered past includes stories like being mistaken for a prostitute in the city of Johannesburg, being chased by a rhino on a dusty Kenyan road, getting kicked out of a youth club for being a ‘bad influence’ (she encourages free thinking) and having an aunt who was engaged to Cliff Richard
.
The official stuff
Susan writes steamy, sexy and fun contemporary romance stories, some suspenseful, some gritty and dark and hopefully always entertaining. She’s also Editor in Chief at Divine Magazine, an online LGBTQ e-zine, and a member of The Society of Authors, the Writers Guild of Great Britain, and the Authors Guild in the US.
Susan is also an award-winning script writer, with scripts based on two of her own published works. Sight Unseen has garnered no less than five awards to date and her TV pilot, Reel Life, based on her debut novel, Cassandra by Starlight, was also a winner at the Oaxaca Film Fest.
The ‘unofficial’ stuff…
She loves going to the theatre, live music concerts (especially if it’s her man crush Adam Lambert or the divine Cumberbatch) walks in the countryside, a good G and T, lazing away afternoons reading a good book, and watching re-runs of Silent Witness and Wire in the Blood.
Her chequered past includes stories like being mistaken for a prostitute in the city of Johannesburg, being chased by a rhino on a dusty Kenyan road, getting kicked out of a youth club for being a ‘bad influence’ (she encourages free thinking) and having an aunt who was engaged to Cliff Richard
.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
January 27, 2016
STOP. FUCKING. ALREADY. Christ.
In my opinion, this would have been a much better and easier to read book if for every *2* out of 3 times that Matty and Shay had sex, the author would have just said...
"and then they buggered one another (again and with feeling)."I did enjoy the book, with a good bit of sex scene fast forwarding, but it did require that I suspend reality a bit where Shane was concerned.
1.) He's an 'escort' who only has sex with his clients when he wants to.But once you got past all of that, I did like the book, especially the father parts of the book. (Not James, though. He was a real fucker.)
2.) He's a multimillionaire hooker. That's easy to believe.
3.) He's one of the world's top hackers. But aren't all prostitutes?
Yep, trifecta. Actor, Model, Singer -- he's practically Beyoncé herself catch-wise. ;- )
I'm still giving it 4 stars, mainly because my eReader can leap over multiple cum shots in a single bound.
August 16, 2013
Stripped Bare is another one of those stories (I feel like 1 in 5 of every M/M book out there is this story) about a man (Matthew) who lost his partner and struggles to give himself to new love. He meets the gorgeous escort/computer hacker Shane via some odd circumstances with a mutual friend and it’s instant attraction. Matt has a hard time letting go of the past but can’t help his growing affections towards Shane. There is flirtation, a physical relationship, and then an emotional commitment…all peppered in with other random story bits.
Stripped Bare, if it were indeed stripped bare would actually be an interesting book. The whole computer hacker angle had potential. There are a couple great “villains”, some zany sidekicks, a friends-to-lovers storyline, and 2 hot MC’s. The problem with the book, however, was that none of this actually comes together. It’s a bunch of parts that from far away might seem like a whole, but up close, you can see all the spaces between them. And though I kept trying to stay engaged in the story in hopes that something great would come out of this potential, I more-often-than-not felt annoyed and irritated.
My greatest frustrations really came with the dialogue between the 2 MC’s. What I think was supposed to be banter and flirtation, actually read as cheesy, overly done, clichés. The 2 men fought like emotional old women, constantly judging each other and nagging each other and lecturing each other. I felt like the author wanted there to be some angst and tension, but other than the fact that the 2 of them had sex ALL THE TIME, when they weren’t pawing each other (and I’m curious how many times the term “cock twitch” was used in this book…it felt like every page), they were arguing with each other. I had to ask myself, “Do these 2 even LIKE each other?” What’s to make me buy into their relationship?
The entire middle of the book was slow and nothing actually happens. The story turned to focus on the relationship, which I would normally love. But, because I didn’t even like the MC’s and didn’t feel their chemistry, it felt as though I would never get to the end. Thankfully, it picks up and some curveballs are thrown into the loop. But I think I was already too far “over it” to be that interested. Everything ties up in a pretty bow in the end.
One additional minor annoyance: the chapter titles. Really? It’s like broadcasting exactly what’s going to happen in that chapter. Borderline spoiler’ish. I really didn’t get those.
I do think that there is an audience out there for this book. I actually would have thought I was a part of that audience…it’s right up my alley as the type of story I typically enjoy. But, maybe I’m too jaded to take to the cheesiness. Who knows? If you like the stories where they have pet names and call each other “oh lover” all the time (in normal conversation), this one could work for you.
I think it was fine. I liked it ok. I did skim maybe 1/3 of it. But, there’s potential there.
BARELY hanging on to 3 stars (and I keep frowning at those 3...feels generous)
Reviewed for
May 17, 2024
3.5 Stars
Stripped Bare starts off with nowhere to go for Shane Templar. We meet the handsome escort naked, all tied up, and at the mercy of his client. HELLO! Haha….I was hooked at page one.
Our story is chock full of action, pain, sex, and fun. But it was the smart, sexy, sophisticated main characters that kept me reading. Shane Templar and Matthew Langer are drawn to each other at first sight. The sparks, growls, and groans fly from there! Shane’s direct, no filter, “potty mouth” pulls and pushes at Matthew’s control and guarded ways. Both men hold such broken, beat up hearts haunted with pain, loss, and secrets. Can they strip away the hurt and sorrow to maybe start over, trust, and love again?
I loved how these men slowly made tracks into each other’s lives and hearts. Matthew’s struggle especially made my heart ache. You will feel his pain in the way he holds everything in—so closed off. Until Shane comes crashing in and stirs all of Matthew’s senses to life again. I could identify with how slow Matthew tried to take their relationship—small steps allowing Shane in where no one has been able to touch and get to since his loss. Shane somehow slipped by Matthew’s wall of defenses and opened up his heart to need and desire again. A very sexy seduction that had me all heated up, licking my lips, and smiling. Matthew and Shane are fun to watch. *waggles eyebrows*
”I would love to break that control. See you beg, hear you say my name as you beg me to fuck you. Watch you let loose and just be yourself.”
One of my favorite aspects and surprises to this tale was the setting. Ms. Mac Nicol captures the London atmosphere and magic with her words. The city and night felt so alive and solid on the page—”watching the lights spin by and the cornucopia of activity that was London in the early hours of the morning come to life”. I could feel it. A rich, classy world that Matthew and Shane inhabited and moved through with ease and grace. I found myself treasuring every arse, “tuck into breakfast”, and cheeky devil I could get my hands on. :)
Now on to the hard part of this review. I wish I could breakdown the plot a bit for you, but really there is just too much to say. We would be here all day. A part of this is me though. A case of “It’s me, Baby—not you”. Haha….I’ve become a series reader. Everything is a series for goodness sakes! I am very used to stories getting stretched out. Soooo when a book tries to reveal the full monty in one shot now, it feels overcrowded at times. For me, there was too much going on here. But it all fits together. The pieces and mystery work, so if you like your action and plot PACKED then you found your book! Beatings, blackmail, escorting, hacking, family, friends, work, Gay Musketeers (LOL!) and oh-so much more! There is a lot to love here.
A wonderful, warmhearted, sexy read filled with laughs, hope, and love.
Recommended read.
August 8, 2013
Review written for Hearts on Fire Reviews.
This story starts out a little different than most. The one MC, Shane is an escort who doesn’t usually have sex with his clients, unless he wants it. This time, however, he finds himself waking up tied to a bed while his client jerks off over him. Said client is David, a fairly regular client who apparently has some major issues. The biggest appears to be his bigoted father who he cowers to and is unable to stand up against.
David is the tie that brings Matthew and Shane together. Matthew is good friends with David and has been his father’s attorney, taking the place of his deceased father. When they meat, it is like oil and water. Shane holds nothing back, regardless of where he is. He has no filter on his mouth. Matthew is just the opposite, all proper and by the book.
Shane is also a master hacker by day. Even though he is one of the best, this gets him into all kinds of trouble throughout the story, which is full of fantastic banter, lots of action and great sex. The sparks really fly when Shane and Matthew are together, both in bed and out.
Unfortunately, Matthew is struggling with moving on with his life after the unexpected loss of his husband two years prior. He has never let anyone inside up to this point, and while Shane slowly gets through the walls, it is the source of more than one argument between them. Luckily, Shane is patient with Matthew, and Matthew is able to forgive and understand Shane’s shortcomings. These two didn’t rush into anything, instead taking the slow seduction course which was quite enjoyable.
Aside from this, there is a lot going on. There is the matter of David and his father (not to mention his sidekick henchman). There are beatings that are hard to read about without wanting to jump in and kick some ass yourself. There is blackmail and lots of hacking. Shane, Matthew and David call themselves the Gay Muskateers, which I loved. Family is broken up while others are brought together. While there is a lot happening, the story never feels rushed, just full, as though it could have easily been drawn out into more than one book. I quite enjoyed it though and had many laughs. Shane and Matthew make a very sweet, smokingly smexy and entertaining couple. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.
July 25, 2013
Absolutely enjoyed every minute I spent reading this book. Susan MacNicol delivered a rousing sexy love story in her first venture into the male male genre. While Shane and Matthew run the gamut of life's hardships and joys, they find a true and solid love. I cheered every time Matthew's steady, orderly life was rocked by Shane's brash spontaneity. I would definitely read again as I can't get enough of Shane!
August 7, 2013
I really wanted to like this more. It was just okay. I think the two things that bothered me about this book is that the author tended to ramble about nothing, making it a long read for no reason. It became tiring. The ending was like hitting a brick wall. I looked up and ran right into it. It was very unsatisfying.
July 31, 2013
This is a story that perfectly blends drama and romance and keeps the action going at a fairly rapid pace! The relationship is full of ups and downs - immense passion interspersed with arguments and fall-outs - and the drama keeps on coming - assaults, computer hacking, threats, computer hacking...
We are introduced to Shane while he is providing an escort service to David. They have met a couple of times before but only for an escort service without any sex (Shane is picky with who he gets involved with). But this changes and they end up in a hotel room together. After their encounter, David receives a phone call from his father and is obviously very fearful and upset. David is the son of a wealthy business man who is a homophobic jerk and threatens David.
After David leaves, Shane is concerned for him and tries to contact him without success, eventually finding out he is in the hospital. My question? I don't think this was fully explained or else Shane must be a very accepting/forgiving man! He visits the hospital and meets Matthew, David's father's lawyer. This is the start of a relationship between Shane and Matthew.
Shane is a little bit wild and gets up to some mischief that gets him into some trouble. But his heart is really in the right place and he falls hard for Matthew. Matthew is more controlled with tragedy in his past. He finds it hard to put himself out there and open his heart.
Together these men are wonderful and they certainly heat things up between the sheets (and everywhere else!). The sex scenes threatened to be a little too many but then I decided I enjoyed them so much that they suited the story perfectly!
There is much to be resolved in the story - David's father' actions and treats, Shane's problems with his family, Matthew coming to terms with his own personal tragedy and finally Shane and Matthew trusting each other enough to love. It is an emotional journey with some really sweet and tender moments.
"Babe, you call me all upset and say you need me. I would have run twice the distance just to get here for you, to hear you say that." Shane to Matthew.
"You drive me crazy. You're bloody cheeky, you're a maverick, and you never bloody listen to anyone. You do what you think is best, all the time. You also care so much about people - it's what I love about you. I love the way you smell, the way you look, the way you make me feel." Matthew to Shane
Of course I loved to see Matthew finally proclaiming his love but I think my other favourite part was Shane's father's response to seeing him with Matthew. "God, you two are incredible together," he whispered, his face pale. "How could I ever think this wasn't right?"
So all in all, a great story with emotional warmth, wonderful leading men and lots of interesting drama!
I now publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
We are introduced to Shane while he is providing an escort service to David. They have met a couple of times before but only for an escort service without any sex (Shane is picky with who he gets involved with). But this changes and they end up in a hotel room together. After their encounter, David receives a phone call from his father and is obviously very fearful and upset. David is the son of a wealthy business man who is a homophobic jerk and threatens David.
After David leaves, Shane is concerned for him and tries to contact him without success, eventually finding out he is in the hospital. My question? I don't think this was fully explained or else Shane must be a very accepting/forgiving man! He visits the hospital and meets Matthew, David's father's lawyer. This is the start of a relationship between Shane and Matthew.
Shane is a little bit wild and gets up to some mischief that gets him into some trouble. But his heart is really in the right place and he falls hard for Matthew. Matthew is more controlled with tragedy in his past. He finds it hard to put himself out there and open his heart.
Together these men are wonderful and they certainly heat things up between the sheets (and everywhere else!). The sex scenes threatened to be a little too many but then I decided I enjoyed them so much that they suited the story perfectly!
There is much to be resolved in the story - David's father' actions and treats, Shane's problems with his family, Matthew coming to terms with his own personal tragedy and finally Shane and Matthew trusting each other enough to love. It is an emotional journey with some really sweet and tender moments.
"Babe, you call me all upset and say you need me. I would have run twice the distance just to get here for you, to hear you say that." Shane to Matthew.
"You drive me crazy. You're bloody cheeky, you're a maverick, and you never bloody listen to anyone. You do what you think is best, all the time. You also care so much about people - it's what I love about you. I love the way you smell, the way you look, the way you make me feel." Matthew to Shane
Of course I loved to see Matthew finally proclaiming his love but I think my other favourite part was Shane's father's response to seeing him with Matthew. "God, you two are incredible together," he whispered, his face pale. "How could I ever think this wasn't right?"
So all in all, a great story with emotional warmth, wonderful leading men and lots of interesting drama!
I now publish all my m/m reviews on my blog so if you want to see all my m/m reviews in one place come visit at Because Two Men Are Better Than One!
May 4, 2017
***3.5 Gay Muskateers Stars***
Matthew Langer is a stubborn control freak, shuffling through life after the death of his husband two years ago. He's a workaholic, going through the motions and afraid of any serious commitment because he feels it would be a betrayal to the memory of his dead husband. But when he meets Shane Templar, he can't deny the instant attraction. After finally giving in to this attraction, Matty wants to keep things nice and light. No labels, just sex.
Shane Templar is an easy going, walking sex on a stick. He's a well renowned hacker by day and male escort by night. He meets Matty in less than ideal circumstances, but instantly feels a connection. And after their first night together, Shane wants to get to know Matty better and begin a relationship.
The book spends a good amount of time with Shane slowly breaking down Matty's walls. They both make mistakes along the way, but both realize that what is growing between them is deeper than either could have imagined.
And along the way, they're fighting homophobic bastards intent on sharing exactly what they think of their "kind." To those bastards I say
I really liked the pacing of the story as it takes place over many months. You're able to see the characters grow, slowly share their lives with each other and ultimately see Matty accept his second chance at love. There are so many layers to this story and both characters make some huge mistakes along the way, but in the end we get to see two people who love each other dealing with nasty people in their lives.
One huge grievance that I have with this book however, is that it is riddled with grammatical errors. Most of the time I can overlook this if it's a few, but there were just too many here for me not to mention.
But I will end on a positive note.......as in this book is positively HOT! Matty may have liked order and control in his life most of the time, but these principles did not apply when blood flow traveled south!
This was my first Susan Mac Nicol book, but it certainly won't be my last.
Matthew Langer is a stubborn control freak, shuffling through life after the death of his husband two years ago. He's a workaholic, going through the motions and afraid of any serious commitment because he feels it would be a betrayal to the memory of his dead husband. But when he meets Shane Templar, he can't deny the instant attraction. After finally giving in to this attraction, Matty wants to keep things nice and light. No labels, just sex.
Shane Templar is an easy going, walking sex on a stick. He's a well renowned hacker by day and male escort by night. He meets Matty in less than ideal circumstances, but instantly feels a connection. And after their first night together, Shane wants to get to know Matty better and begin a relationship.
The book spends a good amount of time with Shane slowly breaking down Matty's walls. They both make mistakes along the way, but both realize that what is growing between them is deeper than either could have imagined.
"I thought I'd never be able to find another person I could love again. And then along comes this one, all mouth and no manners."
And along the way, they're fighting homophobic bastards intent on sharing exactly what they think of their "kind." To those bastards I say
I really liked the pacing of the story as it takes place over many months. You're able to see the characters grow, slowly share their lives with each other and ultimately see Matty accept his second chance at love. There are so many layers to this story and both characters make some huge mistakes along the way, but in the end we get to see two people who love each other dealing with nasty people in their lives.
One huge grievance that I have with this book however, is that it is riddled with grammatical errors. Most of the time I can overlook this if it's a few, but there were just too many here for me not to mention.
But I will end on a positive note.......as in this book is positively HOT! Matty may have liked order and control in his life most of the time, but these principles did not apply when blood flow traveled south!
This was my first Susan Mac Nicol book, but it certainly won't be my last.
July 28, 2013
So...I have to say this book tickles several of my personal pet-peeves...yes, it does.
First "the man", "the younger man", "the lawyer"....damn, I really don't like when authors try too hard to find other words than the names and "he". It's okay sometimes, but sometimes it's just too much, especially in intimate situations it throws me off, it creates a distance that is wrong at that moment.
The other is the use of German...Please dear author, let a native speaker look at it. It's not really bad, I've seen worse but there are a few mistakes (Das musst du leider ohne mich machen; Ich liebe es mit dir zu tanzen; and the use of "antörnen"...hm, I don't know anybody who really uses that word, it's a bit of porn language, and yes, "Langer" probably has is origin in the name "Lang" which means "long", but the correct translation for "longer" would be "Länger").
So, now that this is out of the way I have to say, I really liked the book. Both MCs are so perfect in their imperfection.
Matthew is still mourning and damn, he can be a bitch when he thinks Shane oversteps some boundaries he has drawn to supposedly protect himself from caring too much. And he is stubborn. And sometimes really unfair and impulsive. So perfectly imperfect.
Shane on the other hand is noisy, doesn't respect boundaries, which makes him the perfect match for Matthew because he isn't discouraged by Matthew's sometimes prickly attitude. But he is also impulsive and acts before thinking of the consequences.
They are a perfect match with some really hot sex as a bonus.
The story itself is good and a good mix between influcenes from outside affecting a growing relationship and other action.
I recommend reading the book...yes, because despite it had some of my personal pet-peeves, which really aren't some for others, it was really good.
First "the man", "the younger man", "the lawyer"....damn, I really don't like when authors try too hard to find other words than the names and "he". It's okay sometimes, but sometimes it's just too much, especially in intimate situations it throws me off, it creates a distance that is wrong at that moment.
The other is the use of German...Please dear author, let a native speaker look at it. It's not really bad, I've seen worse but there are a few mistakes (Das musst du leider ohne mich machen; Ich liebe es mit dir zu tanzen; and the use of "antörnen"...hm, I don't know anybody who really uses that word, it's a bit of porn language, and yes, "Langer" probably has is origin in the name "Lang" which means "long", but the correct translation for "longer" would be "Länger").
So, now that this is out of the way I have to say, I really liked the book. Both MCs are so perfect in their imperfection.
Matthew is still mourning and damn, he can be a bitch when he thinks Shane oversteps some boundaries he has drawn to supposedly protect himself from caring too much. And he is stubborn. And sometimes really unfair and impulsive. So perfectly imperfect.
Shane on the other hand is noisy, doesn't respect boundaries, which makes him the perfect match for Matthew because he isn't discouraged by Matthew's sometimes prickly attitude. But he is also impulsive and acts before thinking of the consequences.
They are a perfect match with some really hot sex as a bonus.
The story itself is good and a good mix between influcenes from outside affecting a growing relationship and other action.
I recommend reading the book...yes, because despite it had some of my personal pet-peeves, which really aren't some for others, it was really good.
May 2, 2015
There are long books that go by so fast you don't even realize how long they really are, and then there are long books that make you feel every word, every sentence, every page. And not always in a good way.
This book had a lot of potential, but I just didn't really connect to either of the characters. It also felt really drawn out. It was a constant round of fuck, fight, apologize, fuck, repeat, with a little bit of plot thrown in. There were also some logic fails and a couple of continuity errors that pulled me out. This book could have been fully 1/3 shorter, and probably a lot better.
Logic fail #1 was right at the beginning. Shane, high dollar escort (who doesn't fuck clients unless HE wants to, thank you very much!), is out with a client he's seen a few times before, no sex, but Shane isn't opposed to the idea of sex with David. But then Shane wakes up after being drugged, tied to a hotel room bed, with David jerking off on him. Shane is understandably pissed, but five minutes later, he's seemingly over it, and thinking of fucking the guy! WTF, seriously?
Logic (or continuity) fail #2- Michael is a widower, his husband, Sam, died in a horrific accident two years ago. His father went with him to identify the body. Thing is, we were told earlier in the book that his father had died three years ago, leaving him in charge of David's father's legal team. Or something like that. So how did a man go with his son to identify his husband's body when he'd been dead for a year?
I noticed a few editing errors as well- in to instead of into, to instead of too, etc.
So all these things, added into the characters not really connecting with me, and this book was just a bit of a miss for me.
July 24, 2016
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Stripped Bare is my first male-male romance novel. It took a little getting used to reading without a female in the story but once I got into the story I didn’t even think of it being two men; I just thought of it as a sexy romance novel. The characters are really well developed, even the secondary characters I enjoyed reading and felt connected too. Matthew and Shane are really great together… Matthew is a lot deeper than what meets the eye and Shane is hilarious. The book had hot sex but you can tell the characters really loved each other. I admit I blushed while reading… wow! At times I felt a little confused just because there was too much going on at times. It seemed like there was a lot going on, a lot of drama throughout the book. it was too much at times and I don’t think it needed it at times. The characters won me over the book. I really enjoyed my first m/m romance novel.
I give Stripped Bare 3.5 Stars
ARC provided by the author in return for an honest review.
Stripped Bare is my first male-male romance novel. It took a little getting used to reading without a female in the story but once I got into the story I didn’t even think of it being two men; I just thought of it as a sexy romance novel. The characters are really well developed, even the secondary characters I enjoyed reading and felt connected too. Matthew and Shane are really great together… Matthew is a lot deeper than what meets the eye and Shane is hilarious. The book had hot sex but you can tell the characters really loved each other. I admit I blushed while reading… wow! At times I felt a little confused just because there was too much going on at times. It seemed like there was a lot going on, a lot of drama throughout the book. it was too much at times and I don’t think it needed it at times. The characters won me over the book. I really enjoyed my first m/m romance novel.
I give Stripped Bare 3.5 Stars
ARC provided by the author in return for an honest review.
September 23, 2013
Stripped Bare by Susan MacNichol
5 stars!!
“I thought I’d never be able to find another person I could love again. And then along comes this one, all mouth and no manners.”
I am loving my current foray into the world of M/M and this is one of those books that reminds me why! This book has it all, romance, humour, hot smexy times, passion, drama, suspense, and a totally captivating plot. It is not just a M/M romance book, the plot will keep you hooked, I could not put this book down! You will also go through every emotion possible, yes it was a tear jerker at times, you can’t help but fall in love with the characters and you cannot help but will them along the road that they are travelling. This book also covers some very “real” topics, homophobia being one of the most crucial and this leads to some very distressing scenes, but they are handled with care and really heighten the “realism” of this book.
Matty/Matthew is totally and utterly adorable, I fell in love with him right from the get go. He is not exactly in the best of places emotionally, even though it has been a few years he is still getting over the loss of his husband, he has not been able to have a relationship since, he still wears his wedding ring and their flat is still a bit of a shrine. He hates his job, he is a lawyer and works for the man that his father introduced him to. After his father passed away the job became his. The guy (Walter Debussy) is a total and utter prick, doesn’t help he is homophobic either, but Matty has been best friends with his son David for years and years and because of the ties with his father feels obliged to carry on his father’s work.
One night after David is brutally attacked and beaten, Walter is at the hospital and calls Matty in for some damage limitation exercise, it is whilst at the hospital that Matty meets Shane. Shane had been with David earlier that night, Shane was an escort. David had taken a call from his father and had visibly self destructed right before his eyes, feeling out of sorts he decided to go and check on his friend and found out about David’s attack. When Matty and Shane meet, sparks fly for Shane, he is overcome by his feelings and even Matty feels “something” but is not sure what he is dealing with. He has been so cut off emotionally he is extremely reserved and wary. Will Matty’s life ever be the same again?
“You drive me crazy. You’re bloody cheeky, you’re a maverick, and you never bloody listen to anyone. You do what you think is best, all the time…”
Shane, I LOVED this guy, he was awesome!! He is funny, he is cocky, wears his heart on his sleeve, is extremely foul mouthed but is an incredible computer hacker to boot. He also has his secrets and history, which do eventually come out, but he is just a totally amazing guy. You couldn’t help but fall in love with him. His one liners had me laughing hysterically and just his outlook on life and love was totally infectious.
“And this doesn’t help. I’ve had blue balls for days and I can’t even jerk off. My hand is too sore and my bad arm gets tired. Matty, when a man can’t jack off, it’s a bloody bad state of affairs.”
David’s attack is the catalyst for a string of events that soon push Matty and Shane together in more ways than one. It was an extremely emotional journey for both them. Matty had to learn to let go of the past and begin to live in the now and look forward to the future. Shane screws it up constantly, but his heart was always in the right place. Walter DeBussy creates no end of problems for all of them and the fight against Walter has some incredibly devastating results. But will this be the making or the ending of them?
“Christ, Matty, trust you to go all one-upmanship on me. I just tell you I love you, but you, you have to make a bloody poem out of it. A truly beautiful poem but still – “
In summary, I totally loved it. The writing style just pulled you in and I didn’t want it to finish. I could have read about them forever! I was dreading getting to the end because I just didn’t want to leave them behind. This is one of those books where the characters have left an everlasting impression in both my brain and heart. It will be one of those books that I can read again and again. My Goodreads status update was
99.0% "Awwwwwwww I didn't want this one to end!!!"
Brilliant book, totally loved it and would highly recommend it.
www.theromancecover.com
5 stars!!
“I thought I’d never be able to find another person I could love again. And then along comes this one, all mouth and no manners.”
I am loving my current foray into the world of M/M and this is one of those books that reminds me why! This book has it all, romance, humour, hot smexy times, passion, drama, suspense, and a totally captivating plot. It is not just a M/M romance book, the plot will keep you hooked, I could not put this book down! You will also go through every emotion possible, yes it was a tear jerker at times, you can’t help but fall in love with the characters and you cannot help but will them along the road that they are travelling. This book also covers some very “real” topics, homophobia being one of the most crucial and this leads to some very distressing scenes, but they are handled with care and really heighten the “realism” of this book.
Matty/Matthew is totally and utterly adorable, I fell in love with him right from the get go. He is not exactly in the best of places emotionally, even though it has been a few years he is still getting over the loss of his husband, he has not been able to have a relationship since, he still wears his wedding ring and their flat is still a bit of a shrine. He hates his job, he is a lawyer and works for the man that his father introduced him to. After his father passed away the job became his. The guy (Walter Debussy) is a total and utter prick, doesn’t help he is homophobic either, but Matty has been best friends with his son David for years and years and because of the ties with his father feels obliged to carry on his father’s work.
One night after David is brutally attacked and beaten, Walter is at the hospital and calls Matty in for some damage limitation exercise, it is whilst at the hospital that Matty meets Shane. Shane had been with David earlier that night, Shane was an escort. David had taken a call from his father and had visibly self destructed right before his eyes, feeling out of sorts he decided to go and check on his friend and found out about David’s attack. When Matty and Shane meet, sparks fly for Shane, he is overcome by his feelings and even Matty feels “something” but is not sure what he is dealing with. He has been so cut off emotionally he is extremely reserved and wary. Will Matty’s life ever be the same again?
“You drive me crazy. You’re bloody cheeky, you’re a maverick, and you never bloody listen to anyone. You do what you think is best, all the time…”
Shane, I LOVED this guy, he was awesome!! He is funny, he is cocky, wears his heart on his sleeve, is extremely foul mouthed but is an incredible computer hacker to boot. He also has his secrets and history, which do eventually come out, but he is just a totally amazing guy. You couldn’t help but fall in love with him. His one liners had me laughing hysterically and just his outlook on life and love was totally infectious.
“And this doesn’t help. I’ve had blue balls for days and I can’t even jerk off. My hand is too sore and my bad arm gets tired. Matty, when a man can’t jack off, it’s a bloody bad state of affairs.”
David’s attack is the catalyst for a string of events that soon push Matty and Shane together in more ways than one. It was an extremely emotional journey for both them. Matty had to learn to let go of the past and begin to live in the now and look forward to the future. Shane screws it up constantly, but his heart was always in the right place. Walter DeBussy creates no end of problems for all of them and the fight against Walter has some incredibly devastating results. But will this be the making or the ending of them?
“Christ, Matty, trust you to go all one-upmanship on me. I just tell you I love you, but you, you have to make a bloody poem out of it. A truly beautiful poem but still – “
In summary, I totally loved it. The writing style just pulled you in and I didn’t want it to finish. I could have read about them forever! I was dreading getting to the end because I just didn’t want to leave them behind. This is one of those books where the characters have left an everlasting impression in both my brain and heart. It will be one of those books that I can read again and again. My Goodreads status update was
99.0% "Awwwwwwww I didn't want this one to end!!!"
Brilliant book, totally loved it and would highly recommend it.
www.theromancecover.com
June 8, 2014
Don't really know how to rate this, when I started reading this book I was seriously enjoying it, i found it interesting and fresh, that was till the second chapter ended, then, I just wanted it to fucking end.
First problem for me, IT WAS SO DAMN LONG, the plot was so boring and I just wanted it to end, but no.... it kept going and going, this book should have been 60% shorter in my opinion. I found it immature, unrealistic, boring and the scenes just didn't come easily into mind, had to actually consciously imagine things in order to get the internal movie in my head to start, I feel like this author has a long way to go, this definitely should have been shorter.
Onto the story... Matthew Langer is a lawyer, still getting over his husbands death two years pier. He doesn't do serious relationships and just keeps to himself and his job. And of course that all changes when he meets dirty mouthed irresistible Shane Templar.
The story is about Matt falling for Shane, resisting change and letting go of the memory of Sam, his lost love, and seriously boring plot, and in between fights, ugh sex and other little things... I cant really say I enjoyed even the sex, I just couldn't. Skimmed the whole last 40%, only stopped for a sort of interesting plot twist and even that got boring after a few pages.
That's its really...
First problem for me, IT WAS SO DAMN LONG, the plot was so boring and I just wanted it to end, but no.... it kept going and going, this book should have been 60% shorter in my opinion. I found it immature, unrealistic, boring and the scenes just didn't come easily into mind, had to actually consciously imagine things in order to get the internal movie in my head to start, I feel like this author has a long way to go, this definitely should have been shorter.
Onto the story... Matthew Langer is a lawyer, still getting over his husbands death two years pier. He doesn't do serious relationships and just keeps to himself and his job. And of course that all changes when he meets dirty mouthed irresistible Shane Templar.
The story is about Matt falling for Shane, resisting change and letting go of the memory of Sam, his lost love, and seriously boring plot, and in between fights, ugh sex and other little things... I cant really say I enjoyed even the sex, I just couldn't. Skimmed the whole last 40%, only stopped for a sort of interesting plot twist and even that got boring after a few pages.
That's its really...
July 26, 2013
I loved this book. I love this writer. I cant say enough about it. Susan is def one to keep an eye on!
Want to read
August 1, 2013It's blue eyed, grey t-shirt man coming to brood on another bookcover.
He's so pensive this one.
He's so pensive this one.
August 4, 2013
Blog Tour 29th July - 7th August
Stopping at my blog http://foxylutely.blogspot.co.uk/ today! (Sunday 4th August) where my full review is posted.
Review
*ARC provided by the author in return for my honest review.
This was a beautiful and amazing read that had me spellbound from the first page. The characters were so well developed I was enraptured with their lives as if I was part of their story. The two MCs, Shane and Matthew, at first appeared to be total opposites but as their story unfolds it becomes clear they are two utterly gorgeous halves that are destined to be together as one.
Matthew is a dutiful lawyer working for a man who he has no respect for whilst also coming out of a deep and dark period of his life after the devastating death of his husband, Sam. It is through another near tragedy after their friend David is beaten up, that he first meets Shane. To say it was an explosive meeting would be an understatement, both getting the wrong impression of who each other were and what they stood for but neither able to ignore the instant attraction.
Shane is a man who has his own past demons that he won't allow to take precedence in his current life. He works as a legitimate hacker but also works as an escort for the high class agency where he has regular innocent ‘hook ups’ with David.
It was after an evening of one of these ‘hook ups’ that David went home and was beaten up by Ray who is the right hand man (read thug) of his father, Walter. Both men are total homophobes and Walter cannot come to terms that his son is gay, as is his employee Matthew. After Walter demands Matthew covers up the situation with David, Matthew resigns and Shane then sees him in a new light. A sexy one at that!
I just loved Shane and Matthew (forever to be Shay and Matty to me) – with Matthew and his control issues and Shane with his potty mouth, they had the whole ‘opposites attract’ thing going on. Shay was just so darn lovable even with his impatience to know everything and Matty with his standoffishness and unwilling to let go with his feelings again. Both men were absolutely hot and the scenes between them kept the pages turning and sizzling with the passion!
The back story and how this intermingled with the current plotline was wonderfully pulled together. The secondary characters were extremely well executed and gave strength to the story – especially Timmy. Everyone needs a big Timmy to sit on them homophobes!
I loved that Matty was German and how Shay thought the German spoken word was a turn on. I so wish I could be with them on that trip to Dresden – I can just imagine Shay melting when being spoken to by the locals!
On that note Ich verehrte dieses buch! (I hope that translates to I loved this book!) I certainly did. I was so surprised to find out this was Susan Mac Nicol’s first book in the m/m genre. It was so well researched and written. This was an absolute gem of a read and one of my new favourites this year if not ever. Brilliant!
Stopping at my blog http://foxylutely.blogspot.co.uk/ today! (Sunday 4th August) where my full review is posted.
Review
*ARC provided by the author in return for my honest review.
This was a beautiful and amazing read that had me spellbound from the first page. The characters were so well developed I was enraptured with their lives as if I was part of their story. The two MCs, Shane and Matthew, at first appeared to be total opposites but as their story unfolds it becomes clear they are two utterly gorgeous halves that are destined to be together as one.
Matthew is a dutiful lawyer working for a man who he has no respect for whilst also coming out of a deep and dark period of his life after the devastating death of his husband, Sam. It is through another near tragedy after their friend David is beaten up, that he first meets Shane. To say it was an explosive meeting would be an understatement, both getting the wrong impression of who each other were and what they stood for but neither able to ignore the instant attraction.
Shane is a man who has his own past demons that he won't allow to take precedence in his current life. He works as a legitimate hacker but also works as an escort for the high class agency where he has regular innocent ‘hook ups’ with David.
It was after an evening of one of these ‘hook ups’ that David went home and was beaten up by Ray who is the right hand man (read thug) of his father, Walter. Both men are total homophobes and Walter cannot come to terms that his son is gay, as is his employee Matthew. After Walter demands Matthew covers up the situation with David, Matthew resigns and Shane then sees him in a new light. A sexy one at that!
I just loved Shane and Matthew (forever to be Shay and Matty to me) – with Matthew and his control issues and Shane with his potty mouth, they had the whole ‘opposites attract’ thing going on. Shay was just so darn lovable even with his impatience to know everything and Matty with his standoffishness and unwilling to let go with his feelings again. Both men were absolutely hot and the scenes between them kept the pages turning and sizzling with the passion!
The back story and how this intermingled with the current plotline was wonderfully pulled together. The secondary characters were extremely well executed and gave strength to the story – especially Timmy. Everyone needs a big Timmy to sit on them homophobes!
I loved that Matty was German and how Shay thought the German spoken word was a turn on. I so wish I could be with them on that trip to Dresden – I can just imagine Shay melting when being spoken to by the locals!
On that note Ich verehrte dieses buch! (I hope that translates to I loved this book!) I certainly did. I was so surprised to find out this was Susan Mac Nicol’s first book in the m/m genre. It was so well researched and written. This was an absolute gem of a read and one of my new favourites this year if not ever. Brilliant!
August 4, 2013
Stripped Bare by Susan Mac Nicol is an emotionally charged, yet intimately tender love story about finding a second chance for love and opening your heart to the possibilities true love can bring, no matter how rocky the road can be. Matthew is still devastated after two years by the loss of his husband and the future they had planned, complete with adopting a child. When his employer’s son, David is seriously injured, Matthew receives a call to go to him in the hospital. Assigned “damage control,” he overhears a frantic man asking about David. Enter Shane, handsome, flashy, and so not the quiet and oh so proper, Matthew’s type, but still, there is something about him that gets under Matthew’s skin. But Matthew still has his ghosts that haunt him daily and he resists the charms of Shane, with effort. Will Shane be able to break down Matthew’s walls with his quirky streak? Will Matthew be able to let go of the past long enough to see that his future just might be standing right in front of him? Will it take Shane almost being killed to fully open Matthew’s eyes?
Susan Mac Nicol has created very diverse, although sometimes clichéd characters that are realistic, engaging and fit so well together. The drama runs high, as she deftly weaves a tale of brutality, bigotry and pain. The struggles of each character are emotionally tense. I was drawn to both main characters, one for his quirky attitude, loyalty and fun-loving ways that hid deeper pain inside, and the other, so overly serious and damaged, unable to let go of the past. The dialogue was intense, well-done and believable, with the mental dialogue rounding out the story well and giving it more depth! The romance? Beautiful, sweet, and sigh-worthy, proving that love is truly a wonderful gift. Well Done!
I received a review copy of Stripped Bare was provided as part of a Blog Tour that stops at Tome Tender September 5, 2013.
Publication Date: July 20, 2013
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
ASIN: B00E2YJYSY
Number of Pages: 290
Genre: Gay/Lesbian Romance/Contemporary Romance
Age Recommendation: Adults
My Rating: 4 Stars
Available from: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
Susan Mac Nicol has created very diverse, although sometimes clichéd characters that are realistic, engaging and fit so well together. The drama runs high, as she deftly weaves a tale of brutality, bigotry and pain. The struggles of each character are emotionally tense. I was drawn to both main characters, one for his quirky attitude, loyalty and fun-loving ways that hid deeper pain inside, and the other, so overly serious and damaged, unable to let go of the past. The dialogue was intense, well-done and believable, with the mental dialogue rounding out the story well and giving it more depth! The romance? Beautiful, sweet, and sigh-worthy, proving that love is truly a wonderful gift. Well Done!
I received a review copy of Stripped Bare was provided as part of a Blog Tour that stops at Tome Tender September 5, 2013.
Publication Date: July 20, 2013
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
ASIN: B00E2YJYSY
Number of Pages: 290
Genre: Gay/Lesbian Romance/Contemporary Romance
Age Recommendation: Adults
My Rating: 4 Stars
Available from: Amazon / Barnes & Noble
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
March 23, 2014
Wow, das war toll! :)
This was a beautiful and amazing read that had me captured from the first page. The characters are so well developed I was spellbound with their lives as if I was part of their story.
Matthew is controlled and put together but he has a lot of issues that he needs to deal with from his past. Shane seems to be immature, he's a funny guy with a potty mouth who tries to help Matthew move on and live again. And he’s a hacker! Yay! Loved that.
At first the guys seem to be total opposites but as their story unfolds it becomes clear they are destined to be together. Shane is just so lovable with his impatience to know everything and Matthew with his unwillingness to let go with his feelings again.
I loved that Matthew/Matthias is German and how Shane thinks the German spoken word is a turn on. Danke schön, liebe Susan Mac Nicol für die netten Deutschen Spracheinlagen. Das ist etwas ganz Besonderes und hat mich sehr gefreut. :)
The dialogue is intense and well done, the romance is beautiful, sweet, and sigh worthy. The writing style just pulled me in and I didn’t want it to finish. I just loved it.
It's hard to believe that this is this authors first M/M book. She created a wonderfully written story and I highly recommend it to anyone.
Bitte weiter so, Susan. :)
July 28, 2013
I just finished this book, and I have to say this is one of the greatest books I have read. Shay and Matty are so real, so madding, so loving, so funny and makes your heart glow with joy. I can't wait to read the next installment, because I'm sure Shay will continue with getting in trouble and Matty will always be there to get him out.
Great Job Susan, you hit it right out of the park
Great Job Susan, you hit it right out of the park
July 30, 2013
Wanted to love this book and while I enjoyed reading it and really liked many of the characters I found this hard to finish as it seemed to drag on. Also way to many sex scenes scenes that just weren't that sexy.
September 11, 2013
Reviewed on: http://totallybookedblog.com/2013/09/...
So I thought this story had everything you could possibly wish for. It had romance, passion, intrigue, drama, lovable gorgeous characters….it had real heart! Oh and yeah it had those ‘must go read this bit in the freezer’ moments….what a scorcher! I absolutely loved the story of Matty and Shay, I literally devoured their story and put life on hold until I had finished. At no stage did it drag or feel forced. I never once felt the need to skim or roll my eyes. It was emotional, romantic, sexy and quite frankly horrific once or twice. I cried, laughed and swooned through a story that had such realism. Well played Susan, Matty and Shay worked their way into my heart…to stay!
Stripped Bare is about Matthew, a lawyer, who’s working under pretty strained and awful conditions. His boss Walter Debussy is an absolute arse and I wanted to beat him over the head with something hard and heavy so many times I lost count. Walter and his henchman Roy deserved stringing up!
Matty is surviving a traumatic past which involves not only the death of the love of his life but also his father; you could say he’s barely existing. This quiet and gorgeous man doesn’t do relationships rather he keeps himself to himself; a result of his past and what was a pretty significant breakdown. Working for a homophobic and violent man; taking over from his father, he knuckles down and avoids anything that involves his heart.
Everything comes to a head one fateful night when David, a dear friend of Mathew and Walter’s son, lands in hospital after a grave assault. Matthew is called as Walter’s lawyer and meets the larger than life Shane Templar for the first time. Shane is there as a friend of David’s and is immediately stunned by his feelings for our Matty. This meeting spurs some awful significant events and Shay and Matty begin their journey which is fraught with obstacles, deception and hatred yet ultimately a journey of love, trust, discovery and passion.
“Matthew wondered what the hell was happening here. It was all moving along far too quickly, having this brash, sexy, tender and caring man lying in his arms, feeling as if he belonged there. He wasn’t ready for the feelings that overwhelmed him…”
Now Shane is absolutely gorgeous. He’s fun, sexy and foul-mouthed. You can’t help but fall in love with him. He really cocks up a few times, but his heart means well.
“I thought I’d never be able to find another person I could love again. And then along comes this one, all mouth and no manners…” – Matthew
Working as an escort for thrills and a sought after hacker, Shane’s kind of like a modern day Robin Hood. He loves life with passion despite having experienced a traumatic event in his life that throws a shadow into his existence. Shane says it like it is and his effect on Matty was profound.
“Babe, you call me all upset and say you need me. I would have run twice the distance just to get here for you, to hear you say that.” – Shane
Shane is a fixer and he wants to fix Matthew.
“It’s easier to turn tail and pretend things didn’t happen and that people don’t make you feel things, rather than accept them and deal with it.” – Shane
I think Matty was the one who had to go through some major soul searching in this story. He had to let go and open up. Let someone in. And really, who better than our Shay. If ever there was an example of opposites attracts and people bringing something different to the table thus balancing everything out…this was them. They just worked and I fell in complete love.
“You drive me crazy. You’re bloody cheeky, you’re a maverick, and you never bloody listen to anyone. You do what you think is best, all the time. You also care so much about people – it’s what I love about you. But it’s not the only thing I love about you. I love the way you smell, the way you look, the way you make me feel.” – Matthew
No question, I loved this story, it brought everything to the table that you’d look for in a story. I was swept away and this one definitely goes on the m/m must read list!
ARC Supplied by Author for an honest review
So I thought this story had everything you could possibly wish for. It had romance, passion, intrigue, drama, lovable gorgeous characters….it had real heart! Oh and yeah it had those ‘must go read this bit in the freezer’ moments….what a scorcher! I absolutely loved the story of Matty and Shay, I literally devoured their story and put life on hold until I had finished. At no stage did it drag or feel forced. I never once felt the need to skim or roll my eyes. It was emotional, romantic, sexy and quite frankly horrific once or twice. I cried, laughed and swooned through a story that had such realism. Well played Susan, Matty and Shay worked their way into my heart…to stay!
Stripped Bare is about Matthew, a lawyer, who’s working under pretty strained and awful conditions. His boss Walter Debussy is an absolute arse and I wanted to beat him over the head with something hard and heavy so many times I lost count. Walter and his henchman Roy deserved stringing up!
Matty is surviving a traumatic past which involves not only the death of the love of his life but also his father; you could say he’s barely existing. This quiet and gorgeous man doesn’t do relationships rather he keeps himself to himself; a result of his past and what was a pretty significant breakdown. Working for a homophobic and violent man; taking over from his father, he knuckles down and avoids anything that involves his heart.
Everything comes to a head one fateful night when David, a dear friend of Mathew and Walter’s son, lands in hospital after a grave assault. Matthew is called as Walter’s lawyer and meets the larger than life Shane Templar for the first time. Shane is there as a friend of David’s and is immediately stunned by his feelings for our Matty. This meeting spurs some awful significant events and Shay and Matty begin their journey which is fraught with obstacles, deception and hatred yet ultimately a journey of love, trust, discovery and passion.
“Matthew wondered what the hell was happening here. It was all moving along far too quickly, having this brash, sexy, tender and caring man lying in his arms, feeling as if he belonged there. He wasn’t ready for the feelings that overwhelmed him…”
Now Shane is absolutely gorgeous. He’s fun, sexy and foul-mouthed. You can’t help but fall in love with him. He really cocks up a few times, but his heart means well.
“I thought I’d never be able to find another person I could love again. And then along comes this one, all mouth and no manners…” – Matthew
Working as an escort for thrills and a sought after hacker, Shane’s kind of like a modern day Robin Hood. He loves life with passion despite having experienced a traumatic event in his life that throws a shadow into his existence. Shane says it like it is and his effect on Matty was profound.
“Babe, you call me all upset and say you need me. I would have run twice the distance just to get here for you, to hear you say that.” – Shane
Shane is a fixer and he wants to fix Matthew.
“It’s easier to turn tail and pretend things didn’t happen and that people don’t make you feel things, rather than accept them and deal with it.” – Shane
I think Matty was the one who had to go through some major soul searching in this story. He had to let go and open up. Let someone in. And really, who better than our Shay. If ever there was an example of opposites attracts and people bringing something different to the table thus balancing everything out…this was them. They just worked and I fell in complete love.
“You drive me crazy. You’re bloody cheeky, you’re a maverick, and you never bloody listen to anyone. You do what you think is best, all the time. You also care so much about people – it’s what I love about you. But it’s not the only thing I love about you. I love the way you smell, the way you look, the way you make me feel.” – Matthew
No question, I loved this story, it brought everything to the table that you’d look for in a story. I was swept away and this one definitely goes on the m/m must read list!
ARC Supplied by Author for an honest review
September 1, 2013
EEK! I bought this on a whim. I literally picked a number between 1 and 639 (the number of books on my TBR), it happened to be Stripped Bare.
We first meet Shane when he was escorting a man named David. Things get off to a rough start and I really didn't think I would like the book all that well. Then somewhere Shane sees the utter fear in David after a phone call from his father.
I really liked Shane and his "all mouth and no manners" attitude. I really wish she (the author) could have worked the hacker angle more. I wanted more of it. I am fascinated with hackers and what they are capable of. I really would have liked to have seen more of Shane "at work".
Then we meet Matthew and he's actually a childhood friend of David. He knows things at his home are difficult for David and when he finds out David is beaten he can't stand by and shove it under the rug. Matthew is now the family lawyer and is there for "damage control", but since he wants no part in it he's fired. Not without a battle of words and threats though. WOW!
This is when Shane and Matthew meet.
Oh, buddy, the angst in this is CRAZY! There's a new problem that arises almost every chapter. It's insane, but it keeps you turning the pages. I actually liked it when Shane and Matthew fought, but I always thought Matthew was an ass. Did he have good reason? Sure, but he overreacted every time.
We meet the villians and oh bloody hell, they were horrid. I don't understand the hatred. I really don't. Then for David to almost defend them. It was absurd.
I did find that they were a little sex focused. Too many sex scenes that didn't really do much for me. I actually skimmed over them *hide*
Can we get a sequel please?! I would love to see these two later. Especially the potty mouth, Shay ;) Also, can David and Timmy get their own books? Pretty please.
Overall, great story about a 2nd chance at love. I recommend, but don't get turned off but the "lover", "the lawyer", "the man", "the younger man", etc.
We first meet Shane when he was escorting a man named David. Things get off to a rough start and I really didn't think I would like the book all that well. Then somewhere Shane sees the utter fear in David after a phone call from his father.
I really liked Shane and his "all mouth and no manners" attitude. I really wish she (the author) could have worked the hacker angle more. I wanted more of it. I am fascinated with hackers and what they are capable of. I really would have liked to have seen more of Shane "at work".
Then we meet Matthew and he's actually a childhood friend of David. He knows things at his home are difficult for David and when he finds out David is beaten he can't stand by and shove it under the rug. Matthew is now the family lawyer and is there for "damage control", but since he wants no part in it he's fired. Not without a battle of words and threats though. WOW!
This is when Shane and Matthew meet.
Oh, buddy, the angst in this is CRAZY! There's a new problem that arises almost every chapter. It's insane, but it keeps you turning the pages. I actually liked it when Shane and Matthew fought, but I always thought Matthew was an ass. Did he have good reason? Sure, but he overreacted every time.
We meet the villians and oh bloody hell, they were horrid. I don't understand the hatred. I really don't. Then for David to almost defend them. It was absurd.
I did find that they were a little sex focused. Too many sex scenes that didn't really do much for me. I actually skimmed over them *hide*
Can we get a sequel please?! I would love to see these two later. Especially the potty mouth, Shay ;) Also, can David and Timmy get their own books? Pretty please.
Overall, great story about a 2nd chance at love. I recommend, but don't get turned off but the "lover", "the lawyer", "the man", "the younger man", etc.
July 22, 2013
When I started this book, I thought that it was going to be about Shane and David. Turns out there are more to this story than just that. Enter Matthew who is David’s best friend and apparently the love interest of Shane.
Overall I thought that this book was really good. There were parts that left you wanting for more, but then there were parts that completely made the story worth it. There were parts that were confusing to me personally. For instance with David, I had hopes that there would be more about him overall. After Shane and Matthew meet, David goes to the back burner. Don’t get me wrong, he was still in the story but I was left wanting to know more about his life.
The characters themselves though I thought were written very well. You could tell that Matthew has his ghosts in his past and they kept rearing their way up to his present. When it comes to dealing with Shane though, who is everything that he isn’t, he shows that he can change and adapt to those around him.
Shane was freaking hilarious on so many levels, I couldn’t stop laughing at him a few times with what would come out of his mouth. You could tell that he has a large heart and cares about those around him, even if he is a little bit insecure at times. Also immature. But overall I really enjoyed him during this book.
The thing that bugged me the most about this book, was all the drama in it. (Yes there can be too much.) It seemed like with each new chapter there was something else that was going on. Another problem that was being caused. I just wished that there was a time where you could just spend it with the characters and not have to be worried about what was going to happen next.
Overall with this being Susan’s first attempt at right a M/M book, I think that she did very well with it. And I look forward to reading more from her in the future!
Review Provided by Crystal's Many Reviews
Overall I thought that this book was really good. There were parts that left you wanting for more, but then there were parts that completely made the story worth it. There were parts that were confusing to me personally. For instance with David, I had hopes that there would be more about him overall. After Shane and Matthew meet, David goes to the back burner. Don’t get me wrong, he was still in the story but I was left wanting to know more about his life.
The characters themselves though I thought were written very well. You could tell that Matthew has his ghosts in his past and they kept rearing their way up to his present. When it comes to dealing with Shane though, who is everything that he isn’t, he shows that he can change and adapt to those around him.
Shane was freaking hilarious on so many levels, I couldn’t stop laughing at him a few times with what would come out of his mouth. You could tell that he has a large heart and cares about those around him, even if he is a little bit insecure at times. Also immature. But overall I really enjoyed him during this book.
The thing that bugged me the most about this book, was all the drama in it. (Yes there can be too much.) It seemed like with each new chapter there was something else that was going on. Another problem that was being caused. I just wished that there was a time where you could just spend it with the characters and not have to be worried about what was going to happen next.
Overall with this being Susan’s first attempt at right a M/M book, I think that she did very well with it. And I look forward to reading more from her in the future!
Review Provided by Crystal's Many Reviews
July 30, 2013
review to be posted on twinsietalk.blogspot.com on 7/29/13.....
I was given an ARC of this book for an honest review.
I’ve read several M/M books lately and have fallen in love with this genre. I think it’s especially hard for authors in this genre to get noticed. That’s why I have been helping to pimp them out! I recently told someone that my motto for the last 23 years has been “You can’t help who you fall in love with”. Whether this person is a different race or the same sex...should it matter? Before I get on my soapbox, let me tell you about the book –
Shane and Mathew! Sigh..... these two are described as two very very hot guys and by the pics that Susan used as her inspiration...oh yes, they are.
Mathew has been through a lot and feels like he doesn’t deserve to find true love after the death of his husband. But by helping a friend, he finds that he is attracted to Shane. Shane feels an instant connection to Mathew. Mathew fights and fights his feelings. They finally get together (oh the hotness just oozes off the pages!!! – you may want to be careful reading some of these scenes in public)!! They have many circumstances that get between them, but like they say Love Conquers All!!
There are many emotions that you will go through!! But tough it out and read the whole thing. I was sobbing happy tears by the end...yep, I’m a sucker for a happy ending!!
Overall Rating: 5 stars
Hero Hotness: 5 stars (for both of them)
Heroine Hotness: na
Lovableness of couple: 5 stars
Tearjerker: 4 stars
Story Depth: 4 stars
Story Plot: 4 stars
Published July 2013
• Would I read future books by this author: Yes
• Was there a cliffhanger: no
• Do I love the characters: Yes
• Do I want more of their story: yes
• Is this part of a series: no
I was given an ARC of this book for an honest review.
I’ve read several M/M books lately and have fallen in love with this genre. I think it’s especially hard for authors in this genre to get noticed. That’s why I have been helping to pimp them out! I recently told someone that my motto for the last 23 years has been “You can’t help who you fall in love with”. Whether this person is a different race or the same sex...should it matter? Before I get on my soapbox, let me tell you about the book –
Shane and Mathew! Sigh..... these two are described as two very very hot guys and by the pics that Susan used as her inspiration...oh yes, they are.
Mathew has been through a lot and feels like he doesn’t deserve to find true love after the death of his husband. But by helping a friend, he finds that he is attracted to Shane. Shane feels an instant connection to Mathew. Mathew fights and fights his feelings. They finally get together (oh the hotness just oozes off the pages!!! – you may want to be careful reading some of these scenes in public)!! They have many circumstances that get between them, but like they say Love Conquers All!!
There are many emotions that you will go through!! But tough it out and read the whole thing. I was sobbing happy tears by the end...yep, I’m a sucker for a happy ending!!
Overall Rating: 5 stars
Hero Hotness: 5 stars (for both of them)
Heroine Hotness: na
Lovableness of couple: 5 stars
Tearjerker: 4 stars
Story Depth: 4 stars
Story Plot: 4 stars
Published July 2013
• Would I read future books by this author: Yes
• Was there a cliffhanger: no
• Do I love the characters: Yes
• Do I want more of their story: yes
• Is this part of a series: no
February 20, 2016
Fight for it! :)
For me, this book brought out different reactions, thoughts and feelings. And it drew me in early on. I really liked both characters. I found myself frustrated more than once, but that made me want to know more about these two stubborn men! Already at the beginning you get a sense of how caring Shane is as a person. And how he at an early stage is able to evoke attraction and reactions from Matthew. Which keeps him in Matthews’s thoughts. The book shows anger, frustration, joy, sadness, fear, compassion and disappointment. And of course love! The love builds throughout the story. Seeing how slowly but surely Shane break through the armor Matthew has created and strip him bare. And he fights to get back to the person who means everything to him!
It brought out laughter and some tears as I got to know these two beautiful men.
And of course the hot lovemaking!
I'm sure more then one person can relate to the feelings and situations portrayed in the book. Such as forgiveness.
Can I recommend the book? Absolutely!
For me, this book brought out different reactions, thoughts and feelings. And it drew me in early on. I really liked both characters. I found myself frustrated more than once, but that made me want to know more about these two stubborn men! Already at the beginning you get a sense of how caring Shane is as a person. And how he at an early stage is able to evoke attraction and reactions from Matthew. Which keeps him in Matthews’s thoughts. The book shows anger, frustration, joy, sadness, fear, compassion and disappointment. And of course love! The love builds throughout the story. Seeing how slowly but surely Shane break through the armor Matthew has created and strip him bare. And he fights to get back to the person who means everything to him!
It brought out laughter and some tears as I got to know these two beautiful men.
And of course the hot lovemaking!
I'm sure more then one person can relate to the feelings and situations portrayed in the book. Such as forgiveness.
Can I recommend the book? Absolutely!
July 26, 2013
What an incredible story about the power of love and devotion. This was written with such character depth that you felt like you could stop over for coffee and talk to them. I was so touched by each and every hurtle and triumph revealed about them. The twists and turns that they suffered through either from Shane's mischief or Matthew's stubbornness were many. Most of their problems were from Shane's need to know because he has no patience. Where Matthew thinks that things that happened before Shane came along really weren't his business. That is what made this book so believable. To have a guy like Shane so determined to have you, work so hard to get you and love you, would be a wonderful thing. It's hard to believe that this is this authors first M/M book. She went above and beyond to create a wonderfully written story. I highly recommend this book to anyone. This is a keeper!
December 6, 2013
Control freak lawyer meets part time escort, full time hacker and there are so many sparks you'll be blind by the end. What's not to love? There is quite an interesting story line involving homophobia, violence, loss, a lot of danger. I also cried a little. OK, maybe more! The interaction between the characters draws you in, they are very human and very believable, the deal with obstacles as they come and don't always make the right decisions. Shay and Matty are one of my favorite couples and I just love Susan Mac Nicol's sense of humor.
August 11, 2013
A bit rambly and the sex scenes got boring, both characters behaved like hormonal teenagers at times and a lot of whineing went on. Didn't fall in love with any of them though did like Timmy. Disappointing.
July 22, 2013
I think I have calmed down enough to write this review Bloody hell that was one sexy raunchy read and I loved every moment between Shane and Matthew good and bad and I have fallen in love with them both.
I am a fan of Susan’s work so I know this is her first book in the Genre and I have to say she did an awesome job. Everything is there from the angst, love, suspense and some very hot male on male action which made a truly lovely story to read.
Susan has a habit of making you fall in love with her character’s and she doesn’t fail to do that with this book either it even happens with some of the secondary characters to.
Take Shane a blond haired blue eyed god with his potty mouth and his job as a Hacker and introduce him to Matthew a 6ft 2 god who is a control freak and a lawyer and watch their love grow. Read about how their losses in life affect them personally, which would then cause them to fight and end up with some very hot make up sex. Read about how people can be Homophobic and how bulling and threatening even beating up people can make you lose those that you are supposed to love. And finally read what it means to let go of your past and move on and love again.
You can tell Susan did her research when it comes to the sex scenes they are very well written as is the whole book. You will find yourself flustered a bit hot and bothered but that’s what good writing should do.
You find yourself rooting for Shane and Matthew and your heart goes out to them when they both know they love each other but stubbornness gets in the way as does the past and you just know these two should be together I even got a little teary eyed at the end and as a big sucker for that HEA.
I loved some of the secondary Characters David being one of them. He has to put up with a lot from his father and I mean a lot how he copes with it all is beyond me. But he has help from Shane and Matthew and he moves on from it but his Dad is one evil man and Roy his sidekick don’t even get me started on him I’m glad he ends up where he does. And Timmy oh Timmy he is just too cute oh I can still see him on the dance floor and saving Shane we all need a friend like Timmy.
This is an Awesome read and Susan never disappoints me her passion comes through in anything she writes and she has a fan for life in me.
I am a fan of Susan’s work so I know this is her first book in the Genre and I have to say she did an awesome job. Everything is there from the angst, love, suspense and some very hot male on male action which made a truly lovely story to read.
Susan has a habit of making you fall in love with her character’s and she doesn’t fail to do that with this book either it even happens with some of the secondary characters to.
Take Shane a blond haired blue eyed god with his potty mouth and his job as a Hacker and introduce him to Matthew a 6ft 2 god who is a control freak and a lawyer and watch their love grow. Read about how their losses in life affect them personally, which would then cause them to fight and end up with some very hot make up sex. Read about how people can be Homophobic and how bulling and threatening even beating up people can make you lose those that you are supposed to love. And finally read what it means to let go of your past and move on and love again.
You can tell Susan did her research when it comes to the sex scenes they are very well written as is the whole book. You will find yourself flustered a bit hot and bothered but that’s what good writing should do.
You find yourself rooting for Shane and Matthew and your heart goes out to them when they both know they love each other but stubbornness gets in the way as does the past and you just know these two should be together I even got a little teary eyed at the end and as a big sucker for that HEA.
I loved some of the secondary Characters David being one of them. He has to put up with a lot from his father and I mean a lot how he copes with it all is beyond me. But he has help from Shane and Matthew and he moves on from it but his Dad is one evil man and Roy his sidekick don’t even get me started on him I’m glad he ends up where he does. And Timmy oh Timmy he is just too cute oh I can still see him on the dance floor and saving Shane we all need a friend like Timmy.
This is an Awesome read and Susan never disappoints me her passion comes through in anything she writes and she has a fan for life in me.
September 13, 2013
What a great story! It grabbed me from the first moments and didn’t let me go as it made me laugh, shake my head at male stubbornness, gasp and shed a few tears.
It was intense at times and there were a few really hard moments, but it was truly a charming story of two wonderful men falling in love. They deserved their happy ending, I craved their happy ending. I was so glad that though their road was rough and took a few sharp turns they were finally able to find their HEA.
The story is told from both main characters perspective, which I love. There was enough sadness and angst in the story that it would have taken so much away if we had only heard one of the men.
Shane is an absolute doll. A spoiled, impatient, meddling, sexy as sin doll. His quirky sense of humor and right and wrong added to the story at every level. He was brilliant, loyal, generous and caring. He was a charmer who was used to getting his way and while Matthew was no pushover, no one can prepare for the steamroller that is Shane. I adored him.
Matthew had taken some debilitatingly hard blows and remained a sweet, kind and principled man. He was so sexy and loving. He was not a man meant to live alone, shut off from the world and love. He deserved the happiness and contentment, and deliciously hot sex, that Shane brought into his life. I adored him.
Matthew was so complicated and delusional, he actually thought that he could somehow just have really fantastic, somewhat kinky, intense sex with an incredible man who he couldn’t stop thinking about and hold his emotions separate. Did I mention the part where he didn’t like casual sex, believes in monogamy, and was possessively jealous? Yeah, it didn’t work. He threw up roadblocks and ran and did everything he could think of to stay in the past and not allow Shane in. Did I mention that Shane is a professional hacker? Yeah, you can’t keep him out of anything.
An absolutely delightful read that I could not put down and read in a matter of hours. Did I mention the part where it’s around 328 pages long? Yeah, it was that good. Seriously, go buy it, you’ll thank me.
Reviewed by Nina
It was intense at times and there were a few really hard moments, but it was truly a charming story of two wonderful men falling in love. They deserved their happy ending, I craved their happy ending. I was so glad that though their road was rough and took a few sharp turns they were finally able to find their HEA.
The story is told from both main characters perspective, which I love. There was enough sadness and angst in the story that it would have taken so much away if we had only heard one of the men.
Shane is an absolute doll. A spoiled, impatient, meddling, sexy as sin doll. His quirky sense of humor and right and wrong added to the story at every level. He was brilliant, loyal, generous and caring. He was a charmer who was used to getting his way and while Matthew was no pushover, no one can prepare for the steamroller that is Shane. I adored him.
Matthew had taken some debilitatingly hard blows and remained a sweet, kind and principled man. He was so sexy and loving. He was not a man meant to live alone, shut off from the world and love. He deserved the happiness and contentment, and deliciously hot sex, that Shane brought into his life. I adored him.
Matthew was so complicated and delusional, he actually thought that he could somehow just have really fantastic, somewhat kinky, intense sex with an incredible man who he couldn’t stop thinking about and hold his emotions separate. Did I mention the part where he didn’t like casual sex, believes in monogamy, and was possessively jealous? Yeah, it didn’t work. He threw up roadblocks and ran and did everything he could think of to stay in the past and not allow Shane in. Did I mention that Shane is a professional hacker? Yeah, you can’t keep him out of anything.
An absolutely delightful read that I could not put down and read in a matter of hours. Did I mention the part where it’s around 328 pages long? Yeah, it was that good. Seriously, go buy it, you’ll thank me.
Reviewed by Nina
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