The last thing I expect when I meet the new guy at work is for my life to be thrown into chaos. I've spent years hiding my attraction to men, but Luka is funny, outgoing, and for reasons I can't explain, he sees past my introverted nature and wants to be friends.
I've never felt a connection with anyone like I do with Luka. He makes me want to open up and share the parts of myself I usually keep hidden. I don't want to make things awkward between us, but the more I try to get over my feelings, the harder it is to stay away.
Just when I think my life can't get any more complicated, I start chatting with a guy on an anonymous kink app. Sinbin might be a stranger, but he's everything I've ever wanted in a man. But then again, so is Luka.
How did I go from never having guy trouble to wanting two men I can't have?
Luka
Being the new guy at work isn't easy. Neither is having a crush on one of my coworkers. Zander is quiet and shy, and doesn't have the best social skills, but he's also sweet and caring and one of the most interesting people I've ever met.
I've never known anyone like Zander, and the more time we spend together, the harder it is to only see him as a friend. I want him, but he's straight. And to the outside world, so am I.
In a desperate attempt to get over my crush, I log into an anonymous kink app and start chatting with a man who doesn't just rock my world but understands me in ways no one else ever has. I might not know what MrNiceGuy looks like, but he feels familiar, like we've known each other forever. But then again, so does Zander.
How can I be drawn to two men at the same time? And more how do I choose between them?
Zander and Luka's story is a coworkers-to-friends-to-lovers romance featuring two mechanics who have no idea they've been sexting with each other on a kink app. You can expect anonymous texting, D/s vibes, found family, hurt/comfort, fantasy exploration, lots of dirty talk, tons of steam, all the heat, and so many feels as these coworkers realize that what you see isn't always what you get. It is book three in the Legacy Mechanics series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone.
What can I say about myself? It’s kind of like being the new kid in school and being asked to tell everyone a bit about yourself. Anyone else forget everything they’ve ever liked, thought of, and even their name in those moments?
A few facts about me; I’m a veteran, I’m Canadian, and I love books! I’ve been writing my own stories since I was eight and wrote my first novel at sixteen. I’m the first to admit those attempts weren’t my best work, but they started me on a journey of creating stories that has led me to fulfilling my dream of becoming an author. I’ve written and published in several genres under different names, but MM is by far my favorite, and I’m so happy to be able to share my stories with people today.
I currently live on Canada’s east coast with my kiddo and my cats. I have a shoe collecting addiction, and I enjoy taking long walks, discussions with friends, and reading anything and everything I can get my hands on.
DNF’d at 37% & I’m •really• upset by it but I just can’t overlook the fact that this is an almost “copy & paste” version of her NHIE Submitted to an enemy but if it was made to be friends to lovers.
And, the chapters were carbon copies of one another. One example was Luka was having a bad day, Zander came over to hang out & listen since he’s a “great listener”, then the next chapter, in Zander’s pov..ITS THE SAME THING. He’s having a bad day & they are hanging out at the bar, while Zander unloads his problems because now Luka says he’s a “great listener”. I kept getting confused whose chapter I was in because they were almost identical.
Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if it wasn’t so blatantly obvious. I absolutely loved her NEVER HAVE I EVER series but if I wanted to reread those books, I’d grab them off my shelf.
Perhaps I will come back to finish it at some point, but for now, I’m just too disappointed to enjoy it, even in the slightest.
"I liked him, and not just the sex stuff. He was funny and a bit sassy, but still sweet and somehow innocent. He was someone I could be friends with, which was why I needed to end things now."
In Plain Sight is book 3 in the Legacy Mechanics series by Willow Dixon, and I am enjoying this easy-read, light and fluffy series of linked standalones so far. This is Luka and Zander's story.
What To Expect:
❣️MM romance ❣️K!nk app hook-ups ❣️Co-workers ❣️Found family ❣️Hurt comfort ❣️Bi-awakening ❣️Steamy times ❣️MH Rep ❣️HEA
Not my fave tropes, but still an easy-read palate cleanser. Looking forward to the stepbrother trope coming next from Willow in Off Limits.
I did enjoy this story in a sense, but I also felt the whole story. I was very irritated because early on in the book, one of our MCs is exploring a kink app, which I was so here for and so excited about. She had written this trope before, and I absolutely love that book. It was one of my favorite she’d ever written. To then read this, and I felt like one of the scenes almost happened. Word for word, the exact same as her previous book, especially for the fact that the kink they were talking about is never mentioned, making it seem like it was just put there for no reason. I felt like anytime we met Lukas’s sister. We just kept getting the exact same line from her over and over. And when he says he has a close relationship with his sister, I really wish we could’ve seen more of them actually bonding instead of her just repeating “lock your door” in a few different ways. And she brings up the mom and what’s going on in the mom’s life. We never actually get a conclusion to that part of the story. I honestly feel like if I had not read her previous book, I really would have liked this book and I even would’ve overlooked the sister and the mom and just loved the dynamic between the two characters, plus the anxiety rep, but because I had read her previous book, it just made me irritated throughout most of the book after realizing that scene was so similar and then never mentioned again, even though I was looking for it to see if maybe that scene had changed some when they explored the kink or it was at least talked about, which it never was, and in the end, it just made it so I could not fully enjoy this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Rating: 4.5/5 🌟 Spice: 4/5 🌶️ Characters: Luka and Zander
Willow never misses for me. I fall in love with every character she creates. Zander is gay but is afraid to come out. He grew up in a very religious community and family. Now that he's older and divorced he's afraid that coming out will mean losing the support of his mother, the only family he has left. So, he avoids relationships and sticks to apps for quick connections to satisfy his needs and keep his secrets and also because he's an introvert and struggles a bit with large groups or people he doesn't know. He also has a bit of a crush on the new hire at his company, Luka.
Luka is bisexual but is also afraid of coming out and what that will mean with his friends and his family. He's attracted to Zander but keeps it to himself. He also struggles with anxiety and that his preferences are not usually met. He decides to use a kink app to help satisfy some of his needs.
These two are adorable. Both sort of pining for one another but thinking the other is straight. I love reading romances where they are secretly talking on an app and have no idea. Especially when they are already attracted to each other or pining after one another. It makes that moment when they realize they are actually talking to each other so much more impactful. I also love that Willow's characters are so relatable. I find bits of myself in most of her characters. That was definitely the case here with Zander being an introvert and Luka struggling with anxiety. This is fast with the steam but a bit of slow to medium burn with the relationship development. I think it moved at a really great pace considering they worked together so they saw each other on a very regular basis outside of the app and eventually hooking up in person. I was also very satisfied with how discussions went once they both decided to open up and come out to their family and friends. I don't want to give away any spoilers, so I won't go into depth about it.
I am completely in love with this series and can't wait for the next one!
Willow Dixon has become a must read author for me. Everything I read from her goes straight on the physical copy wish list.
I am absolutely loving the 'Legacy Mechanics' and 'In Plain Sight' is a great addition to the series.
Zander and Lucas have such a great connection, I loved them both right away. I adore the 'wait it was you all along' texting trope and this story does it perfectly. This is one steamy book, theres dirty talk, fantasy exploration and all the emotion you could want. It's that perfect balance of sweet and spicy.
This might be my favourite of he series so far. I cant wait for more.
Read if you love Found family hurt/comfort Kinky texts coworkers to lovers
I read every single book by this author and have loved all of them (although I wasn’t too much of a fan of the first book in the Never have I ever series). And this still pleasantly surprised me. I’m not a big fan of the accidentally talking to the guy you crush on in real life as well-trope. And in this case it also felt a bit too coincidental (because seriously, you swipe right because of you like someones abs and he turns out to be an abs-photo and it turns out to be your colleague you secretly drool over and pine for? Yeah, no.) However, I loved the story. I really liked Zander, I adored Luka, and the build up of their relationship was so sweet. There was some homophobia in the book but not so much to put me off the book. All in all I really enjoyed reading this book.
As I've noted below, the start of this book was a little confusing in getting the correct feel of who our MC were. But once that got cleared up, this was a straight up sweet love story that progressed in a very smooth, erotic, sensual way. A low angst coming out story for both of them and a beautiful found family (and family) surrounding them. Zander and Luka's story went down like honey.
*My thoughts at the beginning of the book: I'm having trouble meshing the two MC's and their respective personas on the online chat. Also, how they think in real life as opposed to how they act gets confusing, like they both have three different personalities. The one they are, the one they think and the one they act out in chats.
These two were hot. I loved their journey and how open they were once things really got going. I love reading this author, and her covers are gorgeous! Can't wait for the next story.
Main Characters: Zander and Luka Hot take: Again, to cute. Too sweet. Where’s the drama? Anxiety and religious mother? EVERYONE ends up accepting you? Jesus I was so bored. Spice level: 3/5 1st kiss: 46% 1st actual sex scene: 65% Luka bottom Kindle Recap: Zander and Luka are mechanics working at Legacy Mechanics, an auto shop owned by brothers Devon and Nate. Zander, a reserved and closeted gay man in his thirties, has worked at the garage for eight years. He was previously married to his best friend Ivy before they divorced when he realized his sexuality. Luka is a newer employee, a bisexual man who has kept his sexuality hidden from his friends and family. Both men struggle with personal issues: Zander has a difficult relationship with his religious mother who blames him for his father's abandonment, while Luka deals with anxiety, complicated friendships, and family dynamics following his father's death eight years ago. Their workplace includes colleagues like Asa, Isaac, and Cass (Nate's daughter). Unknown to each other, Zander and Luka connect on a dating app called Kinksters, where Zander uses the handle "MrNiceGuy" and Luka goes by "Sinbin." They engage in intimate virtual encounters while maintaining anonymity, developing a deep connection through their conversations. Meanwhile, at work, they form a friendship as Zander helps Luka through anxiety attacks and they share personal stories about their lives. Both men experience growing physical attraction to each other but assume the other is straight, with Zander knowing about Luka's female ex-flings and Luka believing Zander is straight because of his previous marriage. The revelation comes when Luka sends a message to "MrNiceGuy" while at work and hears the distinctive notification sound from Zander's phone. Realizing Zander is his online partner, Luka panics and puts his phone on airplane mode to prevent Zander from making the same connection. After hours of anxiety, Luka impulsively visits Zander's house to confess what he's discovered. The confrontation leads to their first physical encounter, and they decide to pursue a relationship while keeping it secret at work. Their connection deepens as they spend time together working on Zander's Camaro, cooking meals, and watching hockey games. As their relationship progresses, both men face the challenge of coming out to those close to them. Luka reveals his bisexuality to his best friend Dean, who is surprisingly supportive despite his previous insensitive comments. Luka's sister Jade catches them together but reveals she's known about his sexuality since his teenage vears. Zander decides to come out to his religious mother, fearing rejection but finding unexpected acceptance when she tells him "if you're gay, then God made you that way." Luka also comes out to his mother, who admits she and his late father had suspected his sexuality since his heartbreak over a boy named Danny during his teenage years. After successfully coming out to their families, Zander and Luka decide to reveal their relationship at the workplace Christmas party. Zander nervously announces that they've been dating for over a month, with Luka identifying as bisexual and Zander as gay. Their colleagues react with acceptance, with some admitting they had already suspected. Their bosses Nate and Dev reveal they already knew about Zander's sexuality, while Asa confesses to figuring out their relationship after observing their interactions. Three years later, Zander and Luka host a housewarming party in their new home, which features a large garage converted into a workshop. They continue working at Legacy Mechanics and reveal to their friends that they secretly eloped the previous weekend. Zander reflects on how, after feeling like an outsider for thirty years, he has finally found belonging with Luka and their chosen family, and despite their unconventional beginning through a kink app, he wouldn't change anything about their relationship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Zander works at Legacy Mechanics, and has recently gained a new co-worker, which he didn't expect to find so attractive. Zander has spent years hiding his sexuality and only a hand full of people know he is gay, especially his best friend and ex-wife Ivy. Working anti-sociable hours, Zander struggles to meet people to hook up with. He turns to an app called ‘kinksters’, where he can be totally anonymous.
Luca is the new guy and trying to fit in at Legacy Mechanics, working alongside Zander. Being easy going Luca and Zander become firm friends. He also enjoy the kink app, and finds someone who can attend to his needs, all without knowing who it really is.
Luka and Zander aka SinBin and MrNiceGuy hookup on the app, and enjoy each others company. Neither knows who the other is. As Luca and Zander become friends will they discover the secret truth about the app?
This is Willow Dixon’s third offering in the Legacy Mechanics series, which is getting better and better. Willow Dixon is a must read for me, and love everything she has written. I loved the way Luka and Zander navigate their relationship from anonymous to face to face. There was no question when they found out who each other was, they went with their feelings. I loved the relationship between Zander and Ivy, and the found family he has. The spice is fire! Looking forward to Off Limits.
This is a coworkers to friends to more romance, featuring Zander and Luka, and is book three in the Legacy Mechanic series.
These two were so flipping adorable. Both kind of reserved, and messaging each other anonymously on a kink app until Luka figures out Zander is his online dom. They flowed into a secret relationship very easily, good communication between them and the HEA was sweet.
I am loving this series and can’t wait for the next book.
Things to expect in this book are: Book 3 in series MM romance Coworkers to friends Mechanics Hurt / Comfort Neurodivergent themes Kink app Anonymous messages D/S vibes Fantasy exploration Lots of dirty talk & spice Secret relationship Performance kink Calls him good boy Coming out Found family HEA
Willow Dixon does found family so well. Each series I absolutely live for the entire found family and this one is no different. Zander and Luka are super cute together and I love the way they connected anonymously at first. That trope is a favorite of mine. I enjoyed everything about this book. The spice, the love, and the mental health representation. *chef kiss* Reading a character with anxiety that is written well makes me happy. I also have anxiety so this makes me feel so seen.
Zander and Luka, my beloveds. I LOVED THIS BOOK. It reminded me a bit of NHIE: submitted to my enemy because of the whole anonymous app aspect, but that's not a complaint because I love that book, so I had a fun time reading this one too. As always with a Willow Dixon book, the characters are great and I loved the found family aspect. The dirty talk in this book had me fanning myself purfusly because the mouth on Zander is hot. I cannot wait for the next book in this series but this was a great addition to the Willow Dixon universe, in my opinion.
these two were so precious & the little bit of tension while they were unknowingly sexting each other while also pining for each other in real life was so perfect!!
Just like the rest of this series and the one this spinned off of I absolutely loved it. I liked the way they came together it was a fun little twist on apps. As someone that suffers from anxiety I appreciated that it was done well as it is very similar to the way mine presents itself. overall just a fun and cute story following the characters we loved from past books 📚 Can't wait to read the next one.
Wow seeing anxiety represented really well was refreshing. As someone who deals with anxiety it was portrayed tactfully. This book was really good kept me hooked from page 1. I love Zander & Luka one of my favorite couples. Can’t wait for Asa book.
this was cute. i was scared that their coming out cause problems but everything was fine so yay <3 one thing is realizing me + luka r just like each other fr was uncomfortably revealing. even if i did actually know all the things this book revealed about my psyche. also their first anonymous encounter was like...unreadable and awkward (as a third party) for me LOL but everything after that was fine. overall i love procrastinating by reading romance yayayayay
I absolutely loved Zander & Luka! The whole Kink app was so hot.Both men seemed so shy until the app.The whole friendships with the other mechanics is what I really love about this whole series.All of them have issues but have become a chosen family.This is one of my favourite series Spice-🌶🌶🌶
"What do you want, Luka?" "You" In Plain Sight by Willow Dixon.
The more I immerse myself in this series, the deeper I fall in love with its characters. At its heart, this story is about the profound act of creating one’sh own community, a chosen family bound not by blood, but by unwavering love, trust, and devotion. The saying holds an undeniable truth: Your real family consists of those who choose to stand by you, who choose to love you. DNA means little if those tied to you by blood do not show up when it matters. This sentiment forms the very foundation of the series, making it both breathtakingly beautiful and achingly heartbreaking.
I had the privilege of witnessing Luka and Zander’s journey, not just in discovering what they mean to each other, but in finding the courage, through one another’s unwavering support, to embrace who they truly are. They are two men who fell deeply, irrevocably in love, and through that love, they built the family they had long yearned for since childhood.
My beloved Zander became Luka’s anchor, his steadying force, the one who could quiet the storms of his anxiety with just his presence. Luka, in turn, became Zander’s sanctuary, the safe haven he needed to finally confront his past, his mother, and the expectations of his community.
Together, they were nothing short of extraordinary, two souls who found in each other the love, acceptance, and home they had always been searching for.
4 ⭐️ Another great addition to the Legacy Mechanics-series! Zander and Luka's story is so sweet and heartfelt. When Luka starts sexting with a cute guy via Kinkster, to figure out the guy he's been texting is no other than his hot and kind coworker, his world is turned upside down. But as their firendship and feelings develope, they can't seem to stay away from one another. Willow Dixon's books always makes me smile, and this was no different. Luka and Zander are two sweethearts that I had such an entertaining time with, and I'm excited to hopefully read more from this universe! If there is one thing I would like to comment is that this story in many ways reminded me of NHIE: Submitted To My Enemy, and as much as I love a comeback of the Kinkster-app, it could maybe have been more differences from the two books. Other than that, I had a great time! If you love coworkers to lovers, sexting, friends to lovers, bi awakening, and lots of sweet moments, this will be a book for you!
mi dispiace tantissimo ma non riesco a passare sopra a sto fatto che é stato noioso dopo che hanno scoperto le loro identità (tipo a pagina 150) allora devo dirvi che ero mega contenta che la trama fosse simile a quella di NHIE 2 ma copia e incolla praticamente. e poi mi sembra che sto libro fosse mega incentrato su luka e le sue ansia che ok, ma povero zander qualcuno si prenda cura anche di lui. ma poi le big rivelations che sono andate tutte bene? non ci credo neanche se lo vedo. per carità contenta per loro ma non mi ha convinto, non c'è stato drama. volevo piú feelings, piú angst. sono piatti i personaggi di questa serie (e a questo punto anche quelli degli altri(?) non lo so)
Luka is the new guy at work but he has to admit, being there is so much better than his previous jobs. Unfortunately, his personal life has been giving him some issues between friends and family issues, that his anxiety has been kicking in more and more. Even subtly staring at his new crush and coworker, Zander, isn’t enough for a distraction. So he decides to try a new hook up app. He may not have told anyone else in his life he is bi, but here he can be himself. And when he matches with someone and actually connects with the guy and has an awesome hook up, he can’t help but start to feel things. But what he doesn’t know is that this app guy is none other than Zander. Only a few people in Zander’s life know he is gay and for now he plans to keep it that way. He is pretty sure his mom, his only family, won’t like it and he isn’t ready to lose her. In the meantime, he’ll try to keep his crush on his new coworker, Luka, under control. Then he goes on this hook up app and has a great experience and somehow him and Luka are starting to be friends and get closer. It’s only a matter of time until the truth comes out! And it’s wonderful! I adored Luka and Zander. They have such a sweet relationship and they balance one another so well. They both have introvert tendencies and yet with one another, they find that comfort and ease of loneliness they both have been feeling. I love how they just found who they were very clearly meant to be with. This is such a fun world, with such amazing characters, and I loved getting to know Luka and Zander! So excited for the next book in this series!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I have always loved reading a Willow Dixon book because I like knowing what to expect throughout the book. Her books are always fun and fluffy. Low angst with a good amount of chemistry and spice. This book has to be one of my favorites in this new series for the sole fact that I felt more of an intimate romantic vibe with Zander and Luka than maybe not and steamy chemistry. They were sweet and loving and caretaking. I will say that the beginning of the book with the “hidden identities” on the kink app and the first text exchange between them was very similar to her NHIE submitted to an enemy book with Kai and Alex. I felt it was almost eerily similar if not exactly. It did kind of take me out of the story but once I got past that initial scene everything else was different and separate from that book. I would’ve loved to have a scene with Luka meeting Ivy since she is supposed to be extremely important to Zander but all in all it was a really good book. Great low angst short afternoon read.
3.5 stars rounded up. It's definitely not one of Willow's best books, but it was still an enjoyable read. I love the way this author writes the found family trope, it's always so good. This is a fun series and I'm seeing a couple of fun tropes coming our way in the future, including the next book, which is Asa's story with the stepbrothers trope and some forced proximity!! 🩷
I enjoyed this story, it was beautiful, sweet and h0t. I loved how they connected without even realising it, the timeline is just great, it was smooth and cute.
Luka and Zander are working together, doing the late day sift at the mechanic’s shop, both of them feel this attraction for the other but they both think that the other is straight and just try to hide their attraction and be discreet on their crush on the other, enjoying the simple moment and getting to know each other. Who could have thought that when they connect on a k|nk app (without being aware of it obviously) they just click and enjoy themselves. Luka and Zander create a deep connection and they complete each other really well.
I really enjoy this series, I love to see the crossover with the other characters - and I cannot wait to see Asa !!
I received an ARC Copy of this book from Foreword PR, this review is from my own thoughts 😍
Back to one of my favorite worlds! The MC’s knowing each other in real life but talking online without knowing it is one of my favorite tropes & Willow did it excellently with this story! These two are adorable how they pine after one another & eventually build their relationship. This story is spicy with all the dirty talk & of course the best found family moments. I’ve been waiting for Zanders story since the beginning of this series & was not disappointed by any means!