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The Brazen Boys #7
Houseboy Rules
"I've literally handed myself to him, helpless to resist. It has to be illegal for a boy so beautiful to exist."
Liam Hightower has a lot of money and seven different houseboys he can play sexy games with at his leisure. But when he hires eighteen-year-old Evan fresh out of high school, Liam discovers what his life was missing. The smart forbidden fruit called Evan is not like the other boys. When Liam's sexual appetite crosses a line, Evan flips the rules on his boss, teaching him a hard lesson on what it means to obey the houseboy rules.
Note: Each novella in The Brazen Boys series is a standalone M/M romance. They can be read in any order.
THE BRAZEN BOYS SERIES:
Dorm Game
On The Edge
Owned By The Freshman
Dog Tags
All Yours Tonight
Straight Up
Houseboy Rules
Slippery When Wet
Liam Hightower has a lot of money and seven different houseboys he can play sexy games with at his leisure. But when he hires eighteen-year-old Evan fresh out of high school, Liam discovers what his life was missing. The smart forbidden fruit called Evan is not like the other boys. When Liam's sexual appetite crosses a line, Evan flips the rules on his boss, teaching him a hard lesson on what it means to obey the houseboy rules.
Note: Each novella in The Brazen Boys series is a standalone M/M romance. They can be read in any order.
THE BRAZEN BOYS SERIES:
Dorm Game
On The Edge
Owned By The Freshman
Dog Tags
All Yours Tonight
Straight Up
Houseboy Rules
Slippery When Wet
164 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2015
22 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
Daryl Banner
96 books1,993 followersDaryl Banner is a USA Today Bestselling author, composer, and performer. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Houston Honors College with a degree in Theatre and Psychology. He is happily married to his piano. Theory suggests this is why he writes romance.
During Daryl Banner's time in college, he wrote, composed, and produced a musical under Tony Award-winning musical and Theatre producer Stuart Ostrow, as well as two original plays produced under the mentorship of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lanford Wilson, who also mentored Daryl through the writing of his very first novel. In addition to new adult and M/M romance, Daryl also writes post-apocalyptic fantasy as well as dystopian.
Join his mailing list here to be the first to hear about his new releases! He awards an Amazon gift card every newsletter:
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Fun facts about Daryl Banner:
- He is an obsessive self-taught pianist.
- He is a huge video game enthusiast.
- He left his day job of 10 years to tour with a 2-woman-1-man original musical.
- He's been remixing video game music for over 20 years. One of his remixes is featured in the major motion picture "The Spy Who Dumped Me". Check out his work here: http://www.youtube.com/DarylBanner
- He composes original soundtracks that accompany his books and series, including The Beautiful Dead and OUTLIER. He is also the award-winning composer of the audio drama Janus Descending, as well as several films, games, podcasts, and other media. You can enjoy his music here: http://darylbanner.bandcamp.com
During Daryl Banner's time in college, he wrote, composed, and produced a musical under Tony Award-winning musical and Theatre producer Stuart Ostrow, as well as two original plays produced under the mentorship of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lanford Wilson, who also mentored Daryl through the writing of his very first novel. In addition to new adult and M/M romance, Daryl also writes post-apocalyptic fantasy as well as dystopian.
Join his mailing list here to be the first to hear about his new releases! He awards an Amazon gift card every newsletter:
https://www.darylbanner.com/subscribe...
Follow him on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/author/darylba...
Like him on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/DarylBannerW...
Connect with fellow readers in Daryl's Doorway:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Daryl...
Fun facts about Daryl Banner:
- He is an obsessive self-taught pianist.
- He is a huge video game enthusiast.
- He left his day job of 10 years to tour with a 2-woman-1-man original musical.
- He's been remixing video game music for over 20 years. One of his remixes is featured in the major motion picture "The Spy Who Dumped Me". Check out his work here: http://www.youtube.com/DarylBanner
- He composes original soundtracks that accompany his books and series, including The Beautiful Dead and OUTLIER. He is also the award-winning composer of the audio drama Janus Descending, as well as several films, games, podcasts, and other media. You can enjoy his music here: http://darylbanner.bandcamp.com
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 2, 2015
3.5
Houseboy Rules was a great story and while I did enjoy it, this one was a bit off the mark for me. I read it twice, just to make sure I wasn’t just in a weird mood the first time, but failed to connect and was left wanting. It wasn’t the ending, I really liked the ending for everything the story was, but what it was just wasn’t quite right for me this time. I still recommend reading it. I DID enjoy it for the most part. It’s chock full of the humor, steam, and tension the Brazen Boys always deliver.
Houseboy Rules was a great story and while I did enjoy it, this one was a bit off the mark for me. I read it twice, just to make sure I wasn’t just in a weird mood the first time, but failed to connect and was left wanting. It wasn’t the ending, I really liked the ending for everything the story was, but what it was just wasn’t quite right for me this time. I still recommend reading it. I DID enjoy it for the most part. It’s chock full of the humor, steam, and tension the Brazen Boys always deliver.
October 6, 2015
3.5 stars
The great thing about this series is that the storylines are always sexy and there's always a message. This installment is about a man who has everything he could ever want at the touch of his fingertips except real relationships. He's bought his way through everything and everyone his whole life. His soul is hungry for an actual connection.
Liam has a mansion full of houseboys at his beck and call. One day he hires a new boy who totally changes the rules to the game. If you're into role playing stories, this may be the book for you.
***Copy given in exchange for an honest review***
Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents
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April 22, 2016
The Brazen Boys series by Daryl Banner is one of my favorite not-guilty-at-all pleasures in the M/M romance category. The author has a great sense of humor and knows how to write deliciously hot spicy and sweet naughty stories that can be sometimes a bit somber like Houseboy Rules, the 7th novella in the series.
Liam is a 42yo spoiled to the dirty core man. He believes love is money, friendship is money, respect is money and therefore money is power. But he’s hollow, perpetually unsatisfied and therefore unhappy. Bored and boring. And sick of being sick of himself?
« I can get whatever it is I want. But the more I reach for it, the more it seems to pull away. The more I take, the less I seem to have. »
Evan is a 18yo fresh out of High School who wants to be a doctor and fix people. After applying for a job for the summer, the cute innocent kitten with crystalline blue eyes is hired as Liam’s newest houseboy and the most impressive. Smart and quick to pick up on everything in the house, Evan becomes very soon a true inspiring leader to the other houseboys.
« I think it’s time you get a little taste of your own home-cooked fudge. » His blunt black eyebrows pull together tauntingly, all his wet spiky hair seeming to move too. Even his little ears flinch cutely. « I think it’s time for a little… change of the rules. »
« Horniness: nature’s best medicine. »
Houseboy Rules is the best erotic, sensual and sensitive novella in the series.
Enjoy reading Daryl Banner’s amazing writing!
Liam is a 42yo spoiled to the dirty core man. He believes love is money, friendship is money, respect is money and therefore money is power. But he’s hollow, perpetually unsatisfied and therefore unhappy. Bored and boring. And sick of being sick of himself?
« I can get whatever it is I want. But the more I reach for it, the more it seems to pull away. The more I take, the less I seem to have. »
Evan is a 18yo fresh out of High School who wants to be a doctor and fix people. After applying for a job for the summer, the cute innocent kitten with crystalline blue eyes is hired as Liam’s newest houseboy and the most impressive. Smart and quick to pick up on everything in the house, Evan becomes very soon a true inspiring leader to the other houseboys.
« I think it’s time you get a little taste of your own home-cooked fudge. » His blunt black eyebrows pull together tauntingly, all his wet spiky hair seeming to move too. Even his little ears flinch cutely. « I think it’s time for a little… change of the rules. »
« Horniness: nature’s best medicine. »
Houseboy Rules is the best erotic, sensual and sensitive novella in the series.
Enjoy reading Daryl Banner’s amazing writing!
January 20, 2016
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Seventh book in the Brazen Boys series and I gotta say that I was pretty disappointed with this one. The others had a different theme than this one did. This one wasn’t nearly as erotic and/or romantical, not that that is mandatory for me but these books started out that way. This last one didn’t seem to have any kind of romance in it at all. It was more about control and loyalty. But it just didn’t make much sense the way the author went about it. The ending didn’t give me that much closure so I didn’t really understand where it was going. This is the only one that I can honestly say that I didn’t like.
Sorry guys. I feel kinda bad because I am HUGE fan of Daryl Banner and I really wanted to like it. For some reason I couldn’t get into Liam’s mind I guess. I couldn’t identify with his character. He seemed like an ass and maybe that’s why I couldn’t get into the story. I feel like that could be a cop-out because there’s lots of books where I couldn’t stand the MC but I liked the book. (see Bully review) I’m sorry, this one wasn’t for me.
Seventh book in the Brazen Boys series and I gotta say that I was pretty disappointed with this one. The others had a different theme than this one did. This one wasn’t nearly as erotic and/or romantical, not that that is mandatory for me but these books started out that way. This last one didn’t seem to have any kind of romance in it at all. It was more about control and loyalty. But it just didn’t make much sense the way the author went about it. The ending didn’t give me that much closure so I didn’t really understand where it was going. This is the only one that I can honestly say that I didn’t like.
Sorry guys. I feel kinda bad because I am HUGE fan of Daryl Banner and I really wanted to like it. For some reason I couldn’t get into Liam’s mind I guess. I couldn’t identify with his character. He seemed like an ass and maybe that’s why I couldn’t get into the story. I feel like that could be a cop-out because there’s lots of books where I couldn’t stand the MC but I liked the book. (see Bully review) I’m sorry, this one wasn’t for me.
September 26, 2015
☆ I was given a copy in exchange for an honest review ☆ 4.5 stars!
Liam is an insanely rich man in his forties. He likes to fill his mansion with sexy young guys who all have jobs around the house. He also likes to have his way with them. After feeling bored with one of his newer house boys, Liam decides it's time to go through the applications and find a replacement. He comes across one that he can't resist and insists one of his boys set up an interview with him immediately. After meeting Evan, he knows he's got to have him.
He soon realizes he can't treat Evan like he does the other boys. He needs to respect him and not treat him like a sex toy. After a few weeks, he notices how all the other boys look up to Evan and see him as a leader. Liam tries so hard to not give in to his urges with Evan until it kind of slips out. Then a new arrangement is made. Will the arrangement work, or will Liam lose all of his house boys? Read and find out!
This book contains some hot m/m scenes! The more of Daryl's books I read, the more I crave them! If you haven't read any m/m, don't hesitate to read this or any of his other books!
Liam is an insanely rich man in his forties. He likes to fill his mansion with sexy young guys who all have jobs around the house. He also likes to have his way with them. After feeling bored with one of his newer house boys, Liam decides it's time to go through the applications and find a replacement. He comes across one that he can't resist and insists one of his boys set up an interview with him immediately. After meeting Evan, he knows he's got to have him.
He soon realizes he can't treat Evan like he does the other boys. He needs to respect him and not treat him like a sex toy. After a few weeks, he notices how all the other boys look up to Evan and see him as a leader. Liam tries so hard to not give in to his urges with Evan until it kind of slips out. Then a new arrangement is made. Will the arrangement work, or will Liam lose all of his house boys? Read and find out!
This book contains some hot m/m scenes! The more of Daryl's books I read, the more I crave them! If you haven't read any m/m, don't hesitate to read this or any of his other books!
September 24, 2015
Liam Hightower is a bit of an idiot - he believes money is love and has bought and paid for friends all his life - and now he buys houseboys. He recognizes this fact and realizes that he is lonely, bored and lonely.
In walks Evan, the new houseboy, hired purely on looks but actually is a very smart boy. Can he teach Liam a very valuable lesson? Lets see!
This book is more somber than the other Brazen Boys but that does not take away from the enjoyment - another fantastic read!
Merged review:
Liam Hightower is a bit of an ass - he believes money is love and has bought and paid for friends all his life - and now he buys houseboys. He recognizes this fact and realizes that he is lonely, bored and lonely.
In walks Evan, the new houseboy, hired purely on looks but actually is a very smart boy. Can he teach Liam a very valuable lesson? Lets see!
This book is more somber than the other Brazen Boys but that does not take away from the enjoyment - another fantastic read!
In walks Evan, the new houseboy, hired purely on looks but actually is a very smart boy. Can he teach Liam a very valuable lesson? Lets see!
This book is more somber than the other Brazen Boys but that does not take away from the enjoyment - another fantastic read!
Merged review:
Liam Hightower is a bit of an ass - he believes money is love and has bought and paid for friends all his life - and now he buys houseboys. He recognizes this fact and realizes that he is lonely, bored and lonely.
In walks Evan, the new houseboy, hired purely on looks but actually is a very smart boy. Can he teach Liam a very valuable lesson? Lets see!
This book is more somber than the other Brazen Boys but that does not take away from the enjoyment - another fantastic read!
September 28, 2021
Not a bad written story per se, just not really my kind of story. I think my problem was that Liam was already in his forties. He's the rich spoiled kid since highschool and needed to get this old to understand that one can't buy real friendship, respect and love?! This realization should have come way earlier.
2.5 stars
2.5 stars
September 21, 2015
Hot damn!! Another sweet and naughty novella featuring a cast of characters as varied as a box of chocolates...but just as delicious.
Liam is that rich guy with too much money and time on his hands...but all the money in the world can't buy him what he really wants.
Leave it to newbie and youngest houseboy Evan to teach him a few lessons in what it means to lose control and perhaps gain more than you ever dreamed possible in return.
A fun, playful but at times seriously naughty tale of learning how to get not only what you want...but what you need.
***** 5 ***** "learn to follow the rules" stars
Liam is that rich guy with too much money and time on his hands...but all the money in the world can't buy him what he really wants.
Leave it to newbie and youngest houseboy Evan to teach him a few lessons in what it means to lose control and perhaps gain more than you ever dreamed possible in return.
A fun, playful but at times seriously naughty tale of learning how to get not only what you want...but what you need.
***** 5 ***** "learn to follow the rules" stars
September 24, 2015
Wish I had a houseboy.
Another awesome Brazen Boys story, this time with a wealthy man who surrounds himself with beautiful boys. He's seemingly stuck in a rut until he hires a new boy. Loved it!
Another awesome Brazen Boys story, this time with a wealthy man who surrounds himself with beautiful boys. He's seemingly stuck in a rut until he hires a new boy. Loved it!
October 2, 2015
This is a delightful series. Each story is very different yet all of them are quite captivating. They are a quick cheeky indulgence.
April 3, 2023
Was it hot? Maybe.
Was it depressing? Yes.
I think I've mostly been reading this series because I enjoy the cognitive dissonance it causes when compared to Banner's fluffy Texas romances.
This one is dour even for the series, with a emotionally hollowed-out sugar daddy finding his HFN with a group of house boys. Well, It's supposed to be HFN but is still a very sad version of HFN. SFN.
Don't recommend.
Was it depressing? Yes.
I think I've mostly been reading this series because I enjoy the cognitive dissonance it causes when compared to Banner's fluffy Texas romances.
This one is dour even for the series, with a emotionally hollowed-out sugar daddy finding his HFN with a group of house boys. Well, It's supposed to be HFN but is still a very sad version of HFN. SFN.
Don't recommend.
June 21, 2018
A well to do mid thirties guy has a house full of house boys at his disposal but sees a resume he likes and hires a new one. Quickly the new 18 yr old gains the respect of the other employees and shows the boss what it is like to be used albeit well paid. An interesting little read.
February 1, 2019
Quite the kinky novella..
October 15, 2020
2,5/5 stars
July 7, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
Reverse Daddy/Boy . Didn't see that coming. Great concept. Spice was 1/5🌶 though.
Reverse Daddy/Boy . Didn't see that coming. Great concept. Spice was 1/5🌶 though.
August 21, 2024
Mmmm fantastic!
October 3, 2015
A big twist in this story, and you'll be surprised. Liam is bored with his privileged life. He's been a hedonist forever, and no interest in anything but pleasing himself. His business takes care of itself, and he plays. With a houseful of sweet boys to chose from, he gets a taste of his own medicine when new guy, Evan, comes for the summer. Evan is going to be a doctor, and taking on Liam gives him the chance to give a prescription. Like I said, "a taste of his own medicine". Roles are reversed and Liam gets treated like he has been treating his guys. Being screwed with the doors opened, cleaning up, making dinner, being touched and fondled at every turn, and in general, being used. Was that how the boys felt? Was he that bad? Yes ! After being used and tied to the bed ( I didn't like this behavior, turned me off) for the night, the next morning he and Evan talk. Liam has to change. Things are going to be different.
ENJOY !!!
ENJOY !!!
May 13, 2016
so this series basically mixes sex, unconventionalism, & healing, and usually but not always some sort of kink.
I guess my kink is D/s (switching) and light restraint (so ropes of either cloth or actual hands or at the extreme end actually ropes or handcuffs) also age differences, although that's more of "vanilla".
this book had basically all of those kinks, so big exploratory there. it kind of felt like the Playboy bunny house at first, but then became like what I imagine live-in porn studios to be (imagine belami (& kinkyangels) or gayhoopla).
but the healing part was like just to enjoy what you do even if it's unconventional or even stigmatized.
I tend to like feel insecure like liam, so yeah that bag of wormy shit is crazy...
cheers `*raise your glass*`
I guess my kink is D/s (switching) and light restraint (so ropes of either cloth or actual hands or at the extreme end actually ropes or handcuffs) also age differences, although that's more of "vanilla".
this book had basically all of those kinks, so big exploratory there. it kind of felt like the Playboy bunny house at first, but then became like what I imagine live-in porn studios to be (imagine belami (& kinkyangels) or gayhoopla).
but the healing part was like just to enjoy what you do even if it's unconventional or even stigmatized.
I tend to like feel insecure like liam, so yeah that bag of wormy shit is crazy...
cheers `*raise your glass*`
September 6, 2016
Yet another really well written story for the Brazen Boys series. It wasn’t a favorite of mine, but I think that’s mostly because parts of it made me uncomfortable, plus I just felt really bad for Liam. Once you read the story, you’ll know why. But, reading things that make you uncomfortable, or push you out of bounds per se, is what reading is all about.
Overall, I did enjoy this story. It was well written, like everything Daryl writes, and you just never know exactly how things are going to turn out. Another great addition to the BB series!
Overall, I did enjoy this story. It was well written, like everything Daryl writes, and you just never know exactly how things are going to turn out. Another great addition to the BB series!
December 10, 2015
3/5
This is probably one of the weirdest books I have read thus far.
The whole story follow a sad pathetic rich old geezer who hired pretty boys to make his life less 'boring'. He the exact type of character you would expect as a villain or a poor high-profile victim in one of those thriller book. It's just hard to shed sympathy for him when every single aspect of his life style made me rolled my eyes. I guess it's what made the twist all the more oh-so-satisfying.
This is probably one of the weirdest books I have read thus far.
The whole story follow a sad pathetic rich old geezer who hired pretty boys to make his life less 'boring'. He the exact type of character you would expect as a villain or a poor high-profile victim in one of those thriller book. It's just hard to shed sympathy for him when every single aspect of his life style made me rolled my eyes. I guess it's what made the twist all the more oh-so-satisfying.
October 12, 2015
Excellent, touching character study of a jaded sybarite. Liam has everything and nothing, and is heartsick with his own hollowness. He has a stable of gorgeous young houseboys, but the pleasure he takes from them is strained, until a new one comes into the fold and everything changes.
Recommended.
Recommended.
October 7, 2015
Humiliation kink. Not my thing overall, but it's well written if it IS your thing.
March 11, 2016
Sexy, hot, different with a whole lot of kink. Loved loved this. Loved the ending. Would like to read more about these boys.
August 28, 2016
Super enjoyable and I liked that it was less romantic and more about personal growth/finding yourself.
March 8, 2025
badly written, gay version of a pathetic man living out his Hugh Hefner playboy mansion dreams
July 30, 2016
An interesting tale of a richer than rich bored man that employs houseboys. Will he ever be happy?
August 2, 2016
Out of my comfort zone, but well written!!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews