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Men of Smithfield #2
Max & Finn
Quando sono uscito dall'ufficio di Max Douglas, dopo il sesso migliore di tutta la mia vita, ma con il rispetto per me stesso sotto la suola delle scarpe, ho giurato che quello era un capitolo definitivamente chiuso. Solo che poi Max me lo sono ritrovato nel dormitorio della scuola dove insegno. Lui era lì a fare da guardia del corpo a uno studente, e io ho subito pensato che avrei voluto che facesse la guardia al mio di corpo. E da quel momento nessuna delle mie notti ha più avuto pace...
170 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 2, 2009
8 people are currently reading
426 people want to read
About the author
L.B. Gregg
25 books628 followersLB Gregg (Lisabea) writes fun, fast-paced contemporary male/male romances for a variety of publishers including Riptide, Samhain, and Carina Press. Her wildly successful Men of Smithfield books feature hot, hunky men looking for love in small town New England. Find more information about LB, The Men of Smithfield, and her fun series Romano and Albright at www.lbgregg.com.
You can also friend LB on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lb.gregg.1
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Like her author page http://on.fb.me/216EIiF
Or follow her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lb.gregg/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
October 8, 2019
Audio book - 4 stars
Writing - 4 stars
Story/Plot - 0.85 stars
MC 1 Finn - Slightly likable and a doormat
MC 2 Max - Douche Very unlikable
This story was just weird and OTT. The mystery was ridiculous but for some weird reasons i wanted to know where it was going.
The connection between the MCs was not there, Max treated Finn like crap, one minute he is cold the next minute he is hot, and Finn just let him. Ugh! Finn needed a backbone. Then their relationship went from zero to i love you in nano second.
This was just entertainingly bad. Looking forward to the next.
Writing - 4 stars
Story/Plot - 0.85 stars
MC 1 Finn - Slightly likable and a doormat
MC 2 Max - Douche Very unlikable
This story was just weird and OTT. The mystery was ridiculous but for some weird reasons i wanted to know where it was going.
The connection between the MCs was not there, Max treated Finn like crap, one minute he is cold the next minute he is hot, and Finn just let him. Ugh! Finn needed a backbone. Then their relationship went from zero to i love you in nano second.
This was just entertainingly bad. Looking forward to the next.
November 20, 2014
Written November 19, 2014
3.6 Stars - Bold, yummy hot, light suspense and chuckling fun. - What more could a smut-girl want?
Book #2
This was the second 'stand-alone' novella audio (5 hrs) in the Men of Smithfield series I listened to this week. I really enjoyed the first Smithfield M/M story, #1 - Mark and Tony (3.3 stars) and started this second as soon as I managed.
An autumn tale, it's Halloween time
...and wacky enough, I heard warm tropical rain splash here (in Thailand), sitting on a hotel balcony with Finn and Max in my headphones. But I remember how much colder autumn days feels. ~ This sweetie book warmed my heart and soul. A 'read' for fun moments!
***********************************************************
Michael “Finn” Finnegan is Smithfield’s exclusive boarding school beloved English teacher and drama coach. He is also the guy who seduced the super sexy security specialist, and former marine, Max Douglas last summer. —In Max office for one very good but also pretty questionable desk-quickie. A meeting which also ended humiliating and embarrassing....for Finn.
Since that embarrasing summer evening has Finn done everything he can to not never ever again bump in to the stoneface Max-Man again. So when Max arrives at school a couple of months later, to protect a high profile student against a mysterious stalker, Finn just want to become invisible and disappear.
A lot of things starts to happening. ~ It steams between the teatcher Finn and the, for the day, 'bodyguard' Max. There is also someone who wants Finn's celebrity son student, and perhaps Finn himself, badly. The tension rises...in all fronts.
***********************************************************
Narrated by Shannon Gunn in the same good intense style once again. I like his way of telling me these stories. Maybe gets some second characters cheesy voices, but who cares? The two sexy men I'm interested in sounds good.
Be prepared and don't wrinkle your nose. Want to read something with more complex storyline and a more anxiety-ridden content, choose something else, this is fun smex entertainment. ~ Next up: #3 - Seth and David.
I LIKE - amusing light hearted fun
3.6 Stars - Bold, yummy hot, light suspense and chuckling fun. - What more could a smut-girl want?
Book #2
This was the second 'stand-alone' novella audio (5 hrs) in the Men of Smithfield series I listened to this week. I really enjoyed the first Smithfield M/M story, #1 - Mark and Tony (3.3 stars) and started this second as soon as I managed.
An autumn tale, it's Halloween time
...and wacky enough, I heard warm tropical rain splash here (in Thailand), sitting on a hotel balcony with Finn and Max in my headphones. But I remember how much colder autumn days feels. ~ This sweetie book warmed my heart and soul. A 'read' for fun moments!
***********************************************************
Michael “Finn” Finnegan is Smithfield’s exclusive boarding school beloved English teacher and drama coach. He is also the guy who seduced the super sexy security specialist, and former marine, Max Douglas last summer. —In Max office for one very good but also pretty questionable desk-quickie. A meeting which also ended humiliating and embarrassing....for Finn.
Since that embarrasing summer evening has Finn done everything he can to not never ever again bump in to the stoneface Max-Man again. So when Max arrives at school a couple of months later, to protect a high profile student against a mysterious stalker, Finn just want to become invisible and disappear.
A lot of things starts to happening. ~ It steams between the teatcher Finn and the, for the day, 'bodyguard' Max. There is also someone who wants Finn's celebrity son student, and perhaps Finn himself, badly. The tension rises...in all fronts.
***********************************************************
Narrated by Shannon Gunn in the same good intense style once again. I like his way of telling me these stories. Maybe gets some second characters cheesy voices, but who cares? The two sexy men I'm interested in sounds good.
Be prepared and don't wrinkle your nose. Want to read something with more complex storyline and a more anxiety-ridden content, choose something else, this is fun smex entertainment. ~ Next up: #3 - Seth and David.
I LIKE - amusing light hearted fun
September 25, 2024
This is the first time LB Gregg has let me down.
Here's the problem: Max treats Finn with a total lack of respect. He insults him to his face, casting aspersions on everything from Finn's character to his work ethic to his (supposedly promiscuous, unsafe, irresponsible) sex life. And he's wrong about every one of those things, but that's almost beside the point.
Max radiates casual contempt for Finn. And I want to emphasize "casual," because Max isn't being malicious, or aggressive, or hostile -- he belittles Finn in an offhand and unemotional way. Which, if anything, just makes it worse. And when Max deals out these verbal smack-downs right after they've had sex, as he does on multiple occasions, Finn feels humiliated -- as well he should.
And Finn puts up with this why? Well, because Max is hot. Aaaaaargh, I need something hard to bang my head against. And then we reach a point late in the story where suddenly Max is transformed into Mr. Snuggles who has supposedly always found Finn wonderful and lovable and wait what what what this just does not work.
Gregg's writing is technically excellent, as always. Usually I find her books hilarious, but this had only one "laughed so hard I scared the cat" moment. It's as if this story needed another draft/iteration/revision in order to create a credible continuity for the transformation of Contemptuous Max into Adoring Max. But as it stands, I found the romance here not just off-putting, but downright disturbing.
Here's the problem: Max treats Finn with a total lack of respect. He insults him to his face, casting aspersions on everything from Finn's character to his work ethic to his (supposedly promiscuous, unsafe, irresponsible) sex life. And he's wrong about every one of those things, but that's almost beside the point.
Max radiates casual contempt for Finn. And I want to emphasize "casual," because Max isn't being malicious, or aggressive, or hostile -- he belittles Finn in an offhand and unemotional way. Which, if anything, just makes it worse. And when Max deals out these verbal smack-downs right after they've had sex, as he does on multiple occasions, Finn feels humiliated -- as well he should.
And Finn puts up with this why? Well, because Max is hot. Aaaaaargh, I need something hard to bang my head against. And then we reach a point late in the story where suddenly Max is transformed into Mr. Snuggles who has supposedly always found Finn wonderful and lovable and wait what what what this just does not work.
Gregg's writing is technically excellent, as always. Usually I find her books hilarious, but this had only one "laughed so hard I scared the cat" moment. It's as if this story needed another draft/iteration/revision in order to create a credible continuity for the transformation of Contemptuous Max into Adoring Max. But as it stands, I found the romance here not just off-putting, but downright disturbing.
May 5, 2015
I'm having a hard time figuring out how to rate this book; there were parts of it that made me really, REALLY angry on behalf of one of the characters, there were parts that were completely entertaining, and then there were parts that were incredibly sweet and fluffy but bewildering at the time time.
I'm just going to put this out there: Max is a complete and total asshat. For 75% of the book, he's the worst kind of Robocop - he's judgmental and arrogant and wholly insensitive to those around him. In the first few pages of the story he . As if that weren't enough to make you loath his character, he repeatedly slut shames Finn for sleeping with him... all while trying to get in his pants again! It made me want to scream. You can't have it both ways, Max!
Because Max is such a giant asshat, I was COMPLETELY confused by Finn's attraction to him. Well, I mean, the man could stand in for the statue of a Greek God - I get the physical attraction - but the intellectual and the emotional attraction? The things that you can build an actual relationship on?! Nope, not seeing it (which makes Finn's otherwise great character seem pretty shallow).
But then, around that 75-80% mark in the book, it's like Max is body-snatched by aliens. His personality undergoes a complete 180 degree change, and all of a sudden he's solicitous and sweet and declaring his love for Finn.
Let's be real: I usually crave those declarations of love like a man dying of dehydration in the desert craves water, but this time around I was left with a pretty intense case of what-the-FUCK?!-itis. I understand that Gregg was going for a super awkward start to the Max and Finn's relationship and the whole enemies-to-lovers trope, but I felt like Max was a little too unlikable in the beginning for this to be believable.
Then there was the stalker/mystery aspect to the story. Although I can sit back and say rather smugly that I knew who the bad guy was from the first mention of him on-page, I will say that I absolutely didn't anticipate how the mayhem would build towards the end of the book. I thought that action was completely over-the-top but creative and damn entertaining.
I definitely enjoyed Max and Finn enough to continue reading the series, but I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping that the next MCs are a little kinder to each other.
I'm just going to put this out there: Max is a complete and total asshat. For 75% of the book, he's the worst kind of Robocop - he's judgmental and arrogant and wholly insensitive to those around him. In the first few pages of the story he . As if that weren't enough to make you loath his character, he repeatedly slut shames Finn for sleeping with him... all while trying to get in his pants again! It made me want to scream. You can't have it both ways, Max!
Because Max is such a giant asshat, I was COMPLETELY confused by Finn's attraction to him. Well, I mean, the man could stand in for the statue of a Greek God - I get the physical attraction - but the intellectual and the emotional attraction? The things that you can build an actual relationship on?! Nope, not seeing it (which makes Finn's otherwise great character seem pretty shallow).
But then, around that 75-80% mark in the book, it's like Max is body-snatched by aliens. His personality undergoes a complete 180 degree change, and all of a sudden he's solicitous and sweet and declaring his love for Finn.
Let's be real: I usually crave those declarations of love like a man dying of dehydration in the desert craves water, but this time around I was left with a pretty intense case of what-the-FUCK?!-itis. I understand that Gregg was going for a super awkward start to the Max and Finn's relationship and the whole enemies-to-lovers trope, but I felt like Max was a little too unlikable in the beginning for this to be believable.
Then there was the stalker/mystery aspect to the story. Although I can sit back and say rather smugly that I knew who the bad guy was from the first mention of him on-page, I will say that I absolutely didn't anticipate how the mayhem would build towards the end of the book. I thought that action was completely over-the-top but creative and damn entertaining.
I definitely enjoyed Max and Finn enough to continue reading the series, but I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping that the next MCs are a little kinder to each other.
February 16, 2020
I liked this book a lot. The humor was great, Max and Finn's relationship was cute, and the story worked. The beginning of the book starts with such a bang (no pun intended) and doesn't disappoint. I'm a sucker for these books where there's a cop (or a man in some kind of law enforcement role) partnered up with a "creative" type. I was more interested in Max and Finn's relationship than I was in the actual mystery that's going on, but that's usually the case with me.
August 15, 2012
2.5 stars
I didn't want to rate an L.B. Gregg book a 2.5, but this just didn't work for me. It was still undeniably well written and there were no eye rolling or Kindle cursing involved, but a lot of how shit went down just didn't sit well with me.
First the mystery. There wasn't any. You get to figure out who was going to be the culprit even before you reach Chapter 3. He was practically wearing a 'disturbed and has a future in serial killing' sign around his neck.
The romance. It wasn't convincing. Sure the sex was hot and dirty, but I like my MCs to at least like each other. These two don't. Max thinks Finn is an irresponsible, undisciplined airhead and Finn thinks Max is a tightass, unfeeling asshole. I agree with the asshole assumption and I don't like the fact that Finn thinks it's okay for Max to be an asshole just because he has a big dick. I guess that's okay when it's only sex - although even if it is, it's still nice to do it with someone who actually respects you dick size notwithstanding - but somehow, the MCs are supposed to have fallen in love.
When did it happen? Except for dirty talk during sex and their conversations regarding the mystery arc in the story, these two never actually just talked. And this is on top of the huge Max asshole episode from the first chapter.
Not horrible all in all, but not up to the L.B. Gregg standard.
I didn't want to rate an L.B. Gregg book a 2.5, but this just didn't work for me. It was still undeniably well written and there were no eye rolling or Kindle cursing involved, but a lot of how shit went down just didn't sit well with me.
First the mystery. There wasn't any. You get to figure out who was going to be the culprit even before you reach Chapter 3. He was practically wearing a 'disturbed and has a future in serial killing' sign around his neck.
The romance. It wasn't convincing. Sure the sex was hot and dirty, but I like my MCs to at least like each other. These two don't. Max thinks Finn is an irresponsible, undisciplined airhead and Finn thinks Max is a tightass, unfeeling asshole. I agree with the asshole assumption and I don't like the fact that Finn thinks it's okay for Max to be an asshole just because he has a big dick. I guess that's okay when it's only sex - although even if it is, it's still nice to do it with someone who actually respects you dick size notwithstanding - but somehow, the MCs are supposed to have fallen in love.
When did it happen? Except for dirty talk during sex and their conversations regarding the mystery arc in the story, these two never actually just talked. And this is on top of the huge Max asshole episode from the first chapter.
Not horrible all in all, but not up to the L.B. Gregg standard.
September 10, 2020
Shannon Gunn is cracking me up - I've never heard him do so many voices and it's easy to see he's enjoying narrating this one... the kids, the old ladies, too funny.
May 14, 2015
I really liked Finn but Max was kind of a douche. He redeemed himself in the end, but he wasn't very likeable for most of the story. I enjoyed seeing officer Tony from the first book :) On to book #3...
August 11, 2014
Well narrated. Each appear to be stand alone and have minimal character overlap should you accidentally read them out of order (like I did). The characters are strong, so to the story line, despite the shortness of each book. Nice quickies!
May 31, 2015
Audible
3,5 stars.
I liked this one a tiny bit too less than the first book, but it is my personal feeling. The series tells always different love stories and the pair constellation, their previous history(if there is one), the social background in every book is just a matter of taste. You can read every book as a standalone. But why should I?
A security specialist and a English teacher. Sounds perfect. And it was not bad. But not very memorable. I also didn't find the narrating of Shannon Gunn as good as in the previous book. Why did bad boys AND students have such a strange voice? Like they all suffered from some not well-known mental disorder?
May 18, 2019
3.6 Stars
Wow, I'm not sure how I forgot how Shannon Gunn's narration can be...oh, let's say, a bit dramatic. It totally was...but I had a blast listening to it, even if the story was pretty standard bodyguard fare. The ending surprised me because I think I had everyone BUT that person pegged as the culprit (including Hemmy's dad doing it as some sort of publicity stunt). Also, wow, high-schoolers are super annoying.
Wow, I'm not sure how I forgot how Shannon Gunn's narration can be...oh, let's say, a bit dramatic. It totally was...but I had a blast listening to it, even if the story was pretty standard bodyguard fare. The ending surprised me because I think I had everyone BUT that person pegged as the culprit (including Hemmy's dad doing it as some sort of publicity stunt). Also, wow, high-schoolers are super annoying.
April 21, 2025
What are freaky dance moves
September 8, 2012
1.5 star
The main character's name should be changed into Fionna, instead of Finn. In fact, that's what I'm going to do with this chick with a dick story.
The main character's name should be changed into Fionna, instead of Finn. In fact, that's what I'm going to do with this chick with a dick story.
March 28, 2018
I LOVED the audiobook narration by Shannon Gunn in this one—superb! The book I liked, but it didn’t wow me. And to be honest, things got a little crazy there at the end on the boarding school grounds.
It took me awhile to warm up to both MCs, Max specifically. He’s an ex Marine now running a security firm. Finn, the other MC calls him robocop. And that’s what’s he seems to be for most of the book.
Finn is a theatre and creative writing teacher at a prestigious prep school in Connecticut. Max thinks him lax.
I didn’t feel chemistry between them except for when they screw, or rather Finn presented himself to Max for the taking—it was quite the scene over a desk!
A decent strong even if it went a bit wonky toward the end.
It took me awhile to warm up to both MCs, Max specifically. He’s an ex Marine now running a security firm. Finn, the other MC calls him robocop. And that’s what’s he seems to be for most of the book.
Finn is a theatre and creative writing teacher at a prestigious prep school in Connecticut. Max thinks him lax.
I didn’t feel chemistry between them except for when they screw, or rather Finn presented himself to Max for the taking—it was quite the scene over a desk!
A decent strong even if it went a bit wonky toward the end.
March 8, 2013
Ended well but the first sixty percent I thought Max was an asshole and Finn was a doormat. The last part of the book it was like Max became a different person, the transition was shocking and abrupt.
Unfortunately, the mystery was too obvious and i just couldn't find a connection with the guys.
On a good note, there are lots of funny parts that made me chuckle.
I like the series so i will just chalk this up to a " you can't please everyone, all the time" and move on to book four.
Unfortunately, the mystery was too obvious and i just couldn't find a connection with the guys.
On a good note, there are lots of funny parts that made me chuckle.
I like the series so i will just chalk this up to a " you can't please everyone, all the time" and move on to book four.
May 22, 2013
I found this to be somewhat flimsy insomuch as the bones of the intended narrative were barely covered. This goes for the mystery and the cliche romance.
Also Shannon Gunn seems only able to utilise a sarcastic or an acerbic tone.
It was just okay. Nothing terribly special.
Also Shannon Gunn seems only able to utilise a sarcastic or an acerbic tone.
It was just okay. Nothing terribly special.
October 7, 2009
4.25 Stars
When Michael “Finn” Finnegan is fired by security specialist Max Douglas under less than ideal circumstance, he had no idea that a few months later they would be sharing rooms in the same boys dorm.
Finn a drama teacher in a private prep school takes his job as seriously as any teacher would who happen to be responsibly for a bunch of boys. With little to break up their days Finn and the boys gets on like a house and fire, so when he finds out one evening that his nemesis Max Douglas will not only be protecting one of the students but he would be sharing very near accommodation with them all – lets just say Finn was not a happy bunny.
The last time Max saw Finn, it was to fire him, however being the professional that he is – he is all business when he meets him again. With a job to do he barely acknowledges Finn and treats Finn as he would any underling trying to derail his plan.
Something's cannot be ignored and Max and Finn had and still have a red hot attraction between them that just refuse to go away despite their best attempt to ignore it. With a litany of cast and little situations disrupting the dorm rooms Max and Finn barely gets anytime to be with each other.
The little time they do get, it hot and steamy and down right carnal. As much as Max is there to protect his client, someone has plans for Finn and Max despite all his skill may just be too late to save Finn.
I remember when the cover of COVER ME went live on L.B. Gregg’s website, I was so excite about this new book. After reading the first two in her Men Of Smithfield series, I was eager to get on the bus earmarked to be passing through Smithfield again.
The books opens on a rather catchy note, we meet Max and Finn getting it on and then the heartbreak unfold and it looks like our two heroes are destined not to have a smooth time of it.
When an assignment brings Max back into Finn’s life – he is not happy about it but he is a professional and he accepts it with good grace after all the safety of his charges are the most important thing to him. While Max is being the big man on the job – Finn’s inner voice has taken control of him and for every sane thought he had about Max his inner voice which is a right slut is thinking of ways to get into Max’s pants.
Max is a harder cookie to crumble and I loved him for that – total alpha male and destined to be in charge. He takes his job very seriously but can only hold out for so long before he pounces on Finn and demand his undivided attention. I find Max’s take attitude a definite turn on and Ms Gregg uses words like hunt and prowl and I was loving it.
Ms. Gregg is onto another winner with COVER ME. Not only did she come out blazing with her own brand of build up but she once again uses word to their best to give us an insight into Finn’s and Max’s complicated relationship.
Ms Gregg was very circumspect in her smut scene, and as hot and down and dirty as they were – with the men literally living in a boys dorm it is a credit to her style for the restraint her protags show for not jumping each others bones every chance they got with all the hormonal over eager teenagers around.
One of the highlight of the book was the barrage of little email that filtered right through the book between staff and student and everybody else in between.
I can honestly say, these email brought me back down memory lane of what school life was like as well as provided much of the humour in the book. There was one scene where Ms. Gregg absolutely excel herself and I was cracking up with laughter – think party and toaster,not saying any more.
I laughed, I got pissed and I totally loved fell in love with Finn and Max. While Ms. Gregg gave us nothing of Smithfield itself, the mystery that the book is written around was neat and tidy and with an old face making an appearance it brought home the fact that this was actually Smithfield.
The support cast were a hoot and although the bulk were teenagers Ms. Gregg definitely got the handle of a formal school setting and the laxness of what teenagers get up to with modern technologies at their finger tips and a whole lot of ingenuity down on paper very well.
As a third book it was certainly worth reading. Ms. Gregg’s breezy sort of fast pace style rings true in COVER ME and she didn’t fluff around on the unnecessary thing, which made this book a pleasure to have read.
When Michael “Finn” Finnegan is fired by security specialist Max Douglas under less than ideal circumstance, he had no idea that a few months later they would be sharing rooms in the same boys dorm.
Finn a drama teacher in a private prep school takes his job as seriously as any teacher would who happen to be responsibly for a bunch of boys. With little to break up their days Finn and the boys gets on like a house and fire, so when he finds out one evening that his nemesis Max Douglas will not only be protecting one of the students but he would be sharing very near accommodation with them all – lets just say Finn was not a happy bunny.
The last time Max saw Finn, it was to fire him, however being the professional that he is – he is all business when he meets him again. With a job to do he barely acknowledges Finn and treats Finn as he would any underling trying to derail his plan.
Something's cannot be ignored and Max and Finn had and still have a red hot attraction between them that just refuse to go away despite their best attempt to ignore it. With a litany of cast and little situations disrupting the dorm rooms Max and Finn barely gets anytime to be with each other.
The little time they do get, it hot and steamy and down right carnal. As much as Max is there to protect his client, someone has plans for Finn and Max despite all his skill may just be too late to save Finn.
I remember when the cover of COVER ME went live on L.B. Gregg’s website, I was so excite about this new book. After reading the first two in her Men Of Smithfield series, I was eager to get on the bus earmarked to be passing through Smithfield again.
The books opens on a rather catchy note, we meet Max and Finn getting it on and then the heartbreak unfold and it looks like our two heroes are destined not to have a smooth time of it.
When an assignment brings Max back into Finn’s life – he is not happy about it but he is a professional and he accepts it with good grace after all the safety of his charges are the most important thing to him. While Max is being the big man on the job – Finn’s inner voice has taken control of him and for every sane thought he had about Max his inner voice which is a right slut is thinking of ways to get into Max’s pants.
Max is a harder cookie to crumble and I loved him for that – total alpha male and destined to be in charge. He takes his job very seriously but can only hold out for so long before he pounces on Finn and demand his undivided attention. I find Max’s take attitude a definite turn on and Ms Gregg uses words like hunt and prowl and I was loving it.
Ms. Gregg is onto another winner with COVER ME. Not only did she come out blazing with her own brand of build up but she once again uses word to their best to give us an insight into Finn’s and Max’s complicated relationship.
He scoped me out, wide eyed. Even from across the room, I could see the tiny shake of his shoulders. His face relaxed. After a second, a smile surfaced--then he chuckled. At last, full out laughter transformed him into someone approachable. Someone likeable. Someone I craved knowing. I absolutely had to hear the sound of his laughter. I teetered through the crowd of grinding, freaking, sweaty dancers determined to get closer. The kids dodged my girth. The music pulsed through my skin, my heart pounding along with it. I was transported back to nights wasted in clubs years ago. Back then I was alone and needing some indefinable thing that sex could give me--that same thing I feared I now needed from Max and he could never provide. I moved close enough to hear his deep grumbling laughter. I shouldn't want to. I should have been insulted to be the source of his amusement. Instead, as ever, he was deliciously melting my butter.
Cover me © L.B. Gregg
Ms Gregg was very circumspect in her smut scene, and as hot and down and dirty as they were – with the men literally living in a boys dorm it is a credit to her style for the restraint her protags show for not jumping each others bones every chance they got with all the hormonal over eager teenagers around.
One of the highlight of the book was the barrage of little email that filtered right through the book between staff and student and everybody else in between.
: Dean of Students (dean@daltonprep.org)
To: All School
The annual Halloween dance will begin at 8 p.m. and end promptly at 10. A $2 donation is to be collected for the Smithfield Food Pantry Thanksgiving Turkey Drive.
Prizes awarded for most original costume. Please come suitably attired. No nudity, profane slogans, or lewd costumes. Period. No grinding, freaking or offensive dancing. My definition of offensive stands: I'll know it when I see it.
Mr. Stacy
Cover Me © L.B. Gregg
I can honestly say, these email brought me back down memory lane of what school life was like as well as provided much of the humour in the book. There was one scene where Ms. Gregg absolutely excel herself and I was cracking up with laughter – think party and toaster,not saying any more.
I laughed, I got pissed and I totally loved fell in love with Finn and Max. While Ms. Gregg gave us nothing of Smithfield itself, the mystery that the book is written around was neat and tidy and with an old face making an appearance it brought home the fact that this was actually Smithfield.
The support cast were a hoot and although the bulk were teenagers Ms. Gregg definitely got the handle of a formal school setting and the laxness of what teenagers get up to with modern technologies at their finger tips and a whole lot of ingenuity down on paper very well.
As a third book it was certainly worth reading. Ms. Gregg’s breezy sort of fast pace style rings true in COVER ME and she didn’t fluff around on the unnecessary thing, which made this book a pleasure to have read.
June 22, 2014
3.5 stars - This is part of Gregg's Men of Smithfield series, but like the others, is a stand-alone story. This time focusing on Michael "Finn" Finnegan who teaches at a posh prep school in Smithfield and whose routine is upended when security expert Max comes to campus to guard a student from a stalker. Unfortunately for Finn's case, Max was also a one-time fling from the summer before that had ended badly. So now he's juggling his mixed feelings for seeing hot Max again along with the needs for a dorm full of moody teenagers, a very cumbersome Halloween costume, the upcoming opening of the school's musical, and the very real threat that someone dangerous is lurking about.
I'm a big fan of Gregg's Romano and Albright mystery series, so was looking forward to checking out more from her. I thought this was a pretty good mystery, and she did a nice job of wrapping things up in a little over 100 pages. (I wasn't left wanting for more.) The relationship vibe between the MCs is very similar to Romano and Albright, with one being a little more high-strung, and the other being a little more orderly and "take charge" so if you liked Caesar and Dan's dynamic, you may dig this one as well.
The downside for me was that it took me awhile to get into the groove of the story, as we move along with Michael/Finn (who goes by different names, depending on who's talking with him) from his hot yet ultimately humiliating tryst with Max to his work at the school months later. The mystery portion finally kicks in at around 20-25% of the story, which I felt was too long to bring in the meat of the story, especially for a novella when space is more limited.
It also took me time to get warmed up to both Finn and Max, the former coming off a bit whiny and "why me" at first for being told there is a security threat to one of his students, and the latter coming off needlessly as a jerk. Max was also only going to be on campus for four days total, so I didn't know why the characters, including the student being threatened, were so affronted by the intrusion. I started to sink in about half-way through and warmed up to everything, but personally, I thought it took too long for a shorter work.
(I had the same "slow to warm" feeling with Romano and Albright, since I felt both books took too long to start, but maybe because those are longer novels, I had more time to warm up and get fully invested in the characters since by the end, I was a happy reader.)
On the plus side, it's a nice mystery that's stretched out to near the end, and it wasn't easy to pinpoint who the culprit was. You also don't need to read the Smithfield books in order. This is the first one I read, and didn't feel punished for missing Gobsmacked (or "Men of Smithfield: Mark and Tony" as the re-release is called.)
So, if you like mysteries, and especially if you like Gregg's writing, this novella may be up your alley.
I'm a big fan of Gregg's Romano and Albright mystery series, so was looking forward to checking out more from her. I thought this was a pretty good mystery, and she did a nice job of wrapping things up in a little over 100 pages. (I wasn't left wanting for more.) The relationship vibe between the MCs is very similar to Romano and Albright, with one being a little more high-strung, and the other being a little more orderly and "take charge" so if you liked Caesar and Dan's dynamic, you may dig this one as well.
The downside for me was that it took me awhile to get into the groove of the story, as we move along with Michael/Finn (who goes by different names, depending on who's talking with him) from his hot yet ultimately humiliating tryst with Max to his work at the school months later. The mystery portion finally kicks in at around 20-25% of the story, which I felt was too long to bring in the meat of the story, especially for a novella when space is more limited.
It also took me time to get warmed up to both Finn and Max, the former coming off a bit whiny and "why me" at first for being told there is a security threat to one of his students, and the latter coming off needlessly as a jerk. Max was also only going to be on campus for four days total, so I didn't know why the characters, including the student being threatened, were so affronted by the intrusion. I started to sink in about half-way through and warmed up to everything, but personally, I thought it took too long for a shorter work.
(I had the same "slow to warm" feeling with Romano and Albright, since I felt both books took too long to start, but maybe because those are longer novels, I had more time to warm up and get fully invested in the characters since by the end, I was a happy reader.)
On the plus side, it's a nice mystery that's stretched out to near the end, and it wasn't easy to pinpoint who the culprit was. You also don't need to read the Smithfield books in order. This is the first one I read, and didn't feel punished for missing Gobsmacked (or "Men of Smithfield: Mark and Tony" as the re-release is called.)
So, if you like mysteries, and especially if you like Gregg's writing, this novella may be up your alley.
April 30, 2013
Another easy read in this series.
The mystery story worked well for me. I had an idea of who it was, but was never certain until the end. (I’m sure others wont be as unsure lol).
As for Michael and Max, I’m afraid I just didn’t feel any emotional connection between them, just a mutual sexual attraction.
I seem to be following a pattern in these books of liking one MC but disliking the other. Maybe its just the whole D/s feel to them.
The mystery story worked well for me. I had an idea of who it was, but was never certain until the end. (I’m sure others wont be as unsure lol).
As for Michael and Max, I’m afraid I just didn’t feel any emotional connection between them, just a mutual sexual attraction.
I seem to be following a pattern in these books of liking one MC but disliking the other. Maybe its just the whole D/s feel to them.
June 21, 2014
Max was a dick and then he wasn't. Finn made me smile. I'm gonna keep going.
February 25, 2013
3.5 stars – This is part of Gregg’s Men of Smithfield series, but like the others, is a stand-alone story. This time focusing on Michael “Finn” Finnegan who teaches at a posh prep school in Smithfield and whose routine is upended when security expert Max comes to campus to guard a student from a stalker. Unfortunately for Finn’s case, Max was also a one-time fling from the summer before that had ended badly. So now he’s juggling his mixed feelings for seeing hot Max again along with the needs for a dorm full of moody teenagers, a very cumbersome Halloween costume, the upcoming opening of the school’s musical, and the very real threat that someone dangerous is lurking about.
I’m a big fan of Gregg’s Romano and Albright mystery series, so was looking forward to checking out more from her. I thought this was a pretty good mystery, and she did a nice job of wrapping things up in a little over 100 pages. (I wasn’t left wanting for more.) The relationship vibe between the MCs is very similar to Romano and Albright, with one being a little more high-strung, and the other being a little more orderly and “take charge” so if you liked Caesar and Dan’s dynamic, you may dig this one as well.
The downside for me was that it took me awhile to get into the groove of the story, as we move along with Michael/Finn (who goes by different names, depending on who’s talking with him) from his hot yet ultimately humiliating tryst with Max to his work at the school months later. The mystery portion finally kicks in at around 20-25% of the story, which I felt was too long to bring in the meat of the story, especially for a novella when space is more limited.
It also took me time to get warmed up to both Finn and Max, the former coming off whiny and “why me” at first for being told there is a security threat to one of his students, and the latter coming off needlessly as an asshole. Max was also only going to be on campus for four days total, so I didn’t know why the characters, including the student being threatened, were so affronted by the intrusion. I started to sink in about half-way through and warmed up to everything, but personally, I thought it took too long for a shorter work.
(I had the same “slow to warm” feeling with Romano and Albright, since I felt both books took too long to start, but maybe because those are longer novels, I had more time to warm up and get fully invested in the characters since by the end, I was a happy reader.)
On the plus side, it’s a nice mystery that’s stretched out to near the end, and it wasn’t easy to pinpoint who the culprit was. You also don’t need to read the Smithfield books in order. This is the first one I read, and didn’t feel punished for missing Gobsmacked (or “Men of Smithfield: Mark and Tony” as the re-release is called.)
So, if you like mysteries, and especially if you like Gregg’s writing, this novella may be up your alley. I read the re-released version which you can find under the title "Men of Smithfield: Max and Finn."
I’m a big fan of Gregg’s Romano and Albright mystery series, so was looking forward to checking out more from her. I thought this was a pretty good mystery, and she did a nice job of wrapping things up in a little over 100 pages. (I wasn’t left wanting for more.) The relationship vibe between the MCs is very similar to Romano and Albright, with one being a little more high-strung, and the other being a little more orderly and “take charge” so if you liked Caesar and Dan’s dynamic, you may dig this one as well.
The downside for me was that it took me awhile to get into the groove of the story, as we move along with Michael/Finn (who goes by different names, depending on who’s talking with him) from his hot yet ultimately humiliating tryst with Max to his work at the school months later. The mystery portion finally kicks in at around 20-25% of the story, which I felt was too long to bring in the meat of the story, especially for a novella when space is more limited.
It also took me time to get warmed up to both Finn and Max, the former coming off whiny and “why me” at first for being told there is a security threat to one of his students, and the latter coming off needlessly as an asshole. Max was also only going to be on campus for four days total, so I didn’t know why the characters, including the student being threatened, were so affronted by the intrusion. I started to sink in about half-way through and warmed up to everything, but personally, I thought it took too long for a shorter work.
(I had the same “slow to warm” feeling with Romano and Albright, since I felt both books took too long to start, but maybe because those are longer novels, I had more time to warm up and get fully invested in the characters since by the end, I was a happy reader.)
On the plus side, it’s a nice mystery that’s stretched out to near the end, and it wasn’t easy to pinpoint who the culprit was. You also don’t need to read the Smithfield books in order. This is the first one I read, and didn’t feel punished for missing Gobsmacked (or “Men of Smithfield: Mark and Tony” as the re-release is called.)
So, if you like mysteries, and especially if you like Gregg’s writing, this novella may be up your alley. I read the re-released version which you can find under the title "Men of Smithfield: Max and Finn."
May 5, 2016
Premettendo che non ho letto il primo volume di questa saga, posso dire che questo secondo capitolo è perfettamente godibile lo stesso. Tra l’altro, Tony – il precedente protagonista – fa giusto una comparsata veloce, niente di troppo importante.
Che dire della storia?
Comincio col fatto che è arduo amare un libro quando passi metà del tempo desiderando di prendere a ceffoni il coprotagonista, perché il comportamento di Max mi ha fatto proprio desiderare uno sfogo per buona parte della storia. L’altra metà del tempo l’ho passata a condividere lo stesso pensiero del protagonista sull’oggetto dei suoi desideri: “Dovrei stare lontano da quell’idiota, ma non ci riesco!”
Il libro non inizia sotto i migliori auspici fra i due e il povero professor Finn ne esce col cuore e l’orgoglio malconci. Il fatto che lui e Max debbano lavorare a stretto contatto non aiuta, ma ci offre un sacco di momenti interessanti, ricchi di tensione, sensualità, cedimenti e ripensamenti, battibecchi e dolcezza.
Man mano che la storia procede, capiamo un po’ più Max e il suo passato. Perciò possiamo dargli il beneficio del dubbio che non sia uno str0nzett0 totale e irrecuperabile. Lasciamolo crescere con la trama e si redimerà.
Mi è piaciuto il confronto fra il suo lavoro di bodyguard e quello di insegnate di Finn, mi è piaciuto soprattutto il bellissimo rapporto di considerazione e guida autorevole con gli alunni.
La trama guadagna punti stima quando il pericolo vago e lontano prende una nuova connotazione e catturare il cattivo, prima di lasciarci le penne, diventa fondamentale.
A mio parere non è una storia eccelsa, ma tutto sommato è gradevole e mi è rimasto un buon sapore post-lettura, quindi la consiglio.
Che dire della storia?
Comincio col fatto che è arduo amare un libro quando passi metà del tempo desiderando di prendere a ceffoni il coprotagonista, perché il comportamento di Max mi ha fatto proprio desiderare uno sfogo per buona parte della storia. L’altra metà del tempo l’ho passata a condividere lo stesso pensiero del protagonista sull’oggetto dei suoi desideri: “Dovrei stare lontano da quell’idiota, ma non ci riesco!”
Il libro non inizia sotto i migliori auspici fra i due e il povero professor Finn ne esce col cuore e l’orgoglio malconci. Il fatto che lui e Max debbano lavorare a stretto contatto non aiuta, ma ci offre un sacco di momenti interessanti, ricchi di tensione, sensualità, cedimenti e ripensamenti, battibecchi e dolcezza.
Man mano che la storia procede, capiamo un po’ più Max e il suo passato. Perciò possiamo dargli il beneficio del dubbio che non sia uno str0nzett0 totale e irrecuperabile. Lasciamolo crescere con la trama e si redimerà.
Mi è piaciuto il confronto fra il suo lavoro di bodyguard e quello di insegnate di Finn, mi è piaciuto soprattutto il bellissimo rapporto di considerazione e guida autorevole con gli alunni.
La trama guadagna punti stima quando il pericolo vago e lontano prende una nuova connotazione e catturare il cattivo, prima di lasciarci le penne, diventa fondamentale.
A mio parere non è una storia eccelsa, ma tutto sommato è gradevole e mi è rimasto un buon sapore post-lettura, quindi la consiglio.
March 20, 2015
3.5 stars
Lawdy. The opening chapter sex-in-the-office scene is steamy hawt. It’s an awkward beginning for Max and Finn, though. Then, a mystery stalker at the elite boarding school where Finn teaches takes over and things get a bit hairy. Lucky for him, Max, a security expert and ex-Marine, is put on the case to sort things out. (And Tony from book one makes a short appearance.)
This was a entertaining read. There is an ease to the writing, nicely laced with humor and snark. Oh… I’m talking about Finn. What a sweet, funny guy. And what a horn dog. For Max. Magnet-o-charmed, the two of them. Opposites and yet they strangely work together… Finn who needs some grounding and Max who could use some loosening up. These two were fun together.
I really liked Finn but my little complaint is that he read as kinda damsel-y in distress at times. He was most fun and believable when he was dishing out the snark.
I think the story was a bit complicated too in that it takes place at an exclusive prep school. Booty calls seem just a bit creepy with lots of underaged teenagers around.
But, that didn’t bother much. Did I say this was lots of fun? And nicely written.
September 5, 2012
Well color me disappointed. I really thought the first one was funny and cute. I liked Finn/Mikey well enough but Max I wanted to junk punch for being such a prick one second and then a playful guy the next. Dude. WTF?! I didn't buy the authors rationale of the whole "I'm working" sorry...there's a difference between professional and grade A asswipe. The mystery was sorta...mystery-ish, better than book 1 (Mark and Tony) I thought but the romance seemed a little secondary to all the other going on's. I'll probably still check out at least one of the others bc I loved the humor in the first one so much but, this one was only meh for me.
November 24, 2012
This is my favorite in the Men in Smithfield series so far. Granted, I was not a big fan of either of the main characters but the story more than made up for it. There is mystery, danger and violence... with a bit of sex thrown in. Good story.
A great addition to the series.
Full review can be found at On Top Down Under Book Reviews.
A great addition to the series.
Full review can be found at On Top Down Under Book Reviews.
November 21, 2015
Ex marine turned security professional and a boarding school teacher have the common mission to keep a student with a high profile parent safe. Good set-up, good chemistry, ok who-done-it. I like this series.
February 16, 2014
2.5 stars rounded up.
November 9, 2015
Book 2: Max & Finn - 3.5 stars
SERIES REVIEW HERE: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
March 15, 2016
Fun! Pleasing. Inconsequential but addictive. On I go with this series. Very glad to have found Ms Gregg! Thank you.
October 20, 2009
Cover Me is the third book in LB Gregg’s Men of Smithfield series. I found the past two books by this author, Gobsmacked and Happy Endings, to be fun and light reads. Cover Me still has some light moments but LB has also written a great suspense mystery in between the pages. If you were a fan of LB’s other books, you will feel the same with Cover Me.
Michael Finnegan is a teacher at the Dalton Boarding School. Over the summer he tutors to make some extra money. He’s having a hard time with Kyle Douglas who needs to improve his SAT scores in order to get into college. Michael can handle a kid like Kyle, it’s just Kyle’s older brother he’s having issues with. Michael has it bad for Max Douglas, the handsome older security expert who comes across as all work and no play. He rubs Michael the wrong way, but on the other end he wouldn’t mine rubbing himself all over Max. These two men just don’t get along but that still doesn’t stop them from having hot mind blowing sex on the top of Max’s desk in his office.
Michael gets off on the whole “Master and Commander” vibe from Max and when Max bends him over his desk and pounds into him, it is the best sex he ever has. Unfortunately the afterglow ends when Max fires Michael because he thinks Michael has no discipline and is too unorthodox in his teaching. Michael essentially has been kicked to the curb and screwed over literately and figuratively. He also feels ashamed and hurt by the way Max reacted, as well as losing his head in such a way. At this point I did not have a high opinion of Max.
Months later when the school term has begun Michael and Max meet again. This time Max will be watching over a student at the school who needs protection because his father is a big time actor. Michael is less than thrilled because Max seems to insult Michael every chance he gets. But for the benefit of the students, they will act professional. Michael thinks it’s ridiculous that Max is so stiff and always plays by the rules. But then a few frightening situations occur where the student body and teachers may not be as safe as they think they are.
Cover Me is LB’s most daring book to date. She combines humor, unbridled passion and lust between the two main characters and a mystery with a stalker that will have you guessing until the last page. I had no clue who was responsible for some of the deranged acts (flying arrows are used as a weapon) and why. I give kudos for LB for keeping me, as a reader, on my toes.
The sex scenes are pretty spicy, especially the first sex act between Max and Michael. My reaction over the line, “he smelled of everything I loved best about men- that intoxicating mix of earth and musk and soap and piss and heat”, was laid on a bit too thick because I don’t find it a turn on as a Michael is giving Max a blow job where he finds the smell of piss to be an aphrodisiac. But, the later sex scenes between these two hit all the high points, especially because Max likes to snuggle. The talk of musty piss is no longer mentioned.
I really liked Michael’s point of view. His opinions and ideas really made me smile. Max comes across as a jerk. I felt Max was just using Michael for sex, where he could ignore Michael or put him down in the light of day, but at night come to him and all would be forgiven. It took me a long time to warm up to Max, but by the end, the way things evolved between these two men who are total opposites in every way, did make sense and it all worked out.
If you are looking for a different type of reading experience with your MM fiction, give Cover Me, as well as the rest of L.B. Gregg’s Men of Smithfield books, a try.
Michael Finnegan is a teacher at the Dalton Boarding School. Over the summer he tutors to make some extra money. He’s having a hard time with Kyle Douglas who needs to improve his SAT scores in order to get into college. Michael can handle a kid like Kyle, it’s just Kyle’s older brother he’s having issues with. Michael has it bad for Max Douglas, the handsome older security expert who comes across as all work and no play. He rubs Michael the wrong way, but on the other end he wouldn’t mine rubbing himself all over Max. These two men just don’t get along but that still doesn’t stop them from having hot mind blowing sex on the top of Max’s desk in his office.
Michael gets off on the whole “Master and Commander” vibe from Max and when Max bends him over his desk and pounds into him, it is the best sex he ever has. Unfortunately the afterglow ends when Max fires Michael because he thinks Michael has no discipline and is too unorthodox in his teaching. Michael essentially has been kicked to the curb and screwed over literately and figuratively. He also feels ashamed and hurt by the way Max reacted, as well as losing his head in such a way. At this point I did not have a high opinion of Max.
Months later when the school term has begun Michael and Max meet again. This time Max will be watching over a student at the school who needs protection because his father is a big time actor. Michael is less than thrilled because Max seems to insult Michael every chance he gets. But for the benefit of the students, they will act professional. Michael thinks it’s ridiculous that Max is so stiff and always plays by the rules. But then a few frightening situations occur where the student body and teachers may not be as safe as they think they are.
Cover Me is LB’s most daring book to date. She combines humor, unbridled passion and lust between the two main characters and a mystery with a stalker that will have you guessing until the last page. I had no clue who was responsible for some of the deranged acts (flying arrows are used as a weapon) and why. I give kudos for LB for keeping me, as a reader, on my toes.
The sex scenes are pretty spicy, especially the first sex act between Max and Michael. My reaction over the line, “he smelled of everything I loved best about men- that intoxicating mix of earth and musk and soap and piss and heat”, was laid on a bit too thick because I don’t find it a turn on as a Michael is giving Max a blow job where he finds the smell of piss to be an aphrodisiac. But, the later sex scenes between these two hit all the high points, especially because Max likes to snuggle. The talk of musty piss is no longer mentioned.
I really liked Michael’s point of view. His opinions and ideas really made me smile. Max comes across as a jerk. I felt Max was just using Michael for sex, where he could ignore Michael or put him down in the light of day, but at night come to him and all would be forgiven. It took me a long time to warm up to Max, but by the end, the way things evolved between these two men who are total opposites in every way, did make sense and it all worked out.
If you are looking for a different type of reading experience with your MM fiction, give Cover Me, as well as the rest of L.B. Gregg’s Men of Smithfield books, a try.
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