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Sugar and Shakedowns
Rough, rugged mobster, Sonny wants nothing more than to settle down with a loving and compassionate guy. But working for the mob isn't exactly a prime way to meet a kind and loving gentleman. When he finally branches out and encounters, Luke, a quiet, gentle baker, everything changes. As they grow closer and their desire for one another intensifies, Sonny fears that telling Luke the truth about his job will destroy everything. And when danger strikes, Sonny knows he must choose between a future with the man he loves and the family who's carried him his entire life. But how can he choose between two things he loves? Sugar and Shakedowns is a 50,000 word novel that takes you through the sweetest and most dangerous waters of the mafia. With strong sexual content and explicit scenes, you are guaranteed to squirm and beg for more of the hot men who claim each other one shakedown at a time.
182 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2017
38 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
Peter Styles
122 books319 followersHello everyone! My name is Peter Styles. I am a young new gay writer who is in love with reading and writing gay romance. I hope my stories keep you as entertained as much as I like writing them.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
March 5, 2017
Wow. I loved this story. Peter, I believe did it again. This book hit all my buttons: It was humorous,it was exciting, fast past
and just plain good. We have Sonny, and his BFF, Gaz,who both,were recruited at teenagers, into the mafia, to collect outstanding debts. They worked were well together; Sonny, the voice, and then Gaz,the brick wall or the muscle. Sonny and Gaz are tired of their jobs and often talk of of leaving the mob. Gaz, as well as "the family" are concerned about Sonny's lack of love life decided to put Sonny out there on a dating application. He meets Luke,and boy is Sonny is smitten. Sonny and Luke go out on a date,Sonny ends up being shot by a rival gang: the Irish mob. I am not going to say much more with out spoilers. Peter did a great job with this story:
it is a funny, tongue in cheek, roller coaster ride of excitement. I loved it from the beginning to the end. I hated that I read it one sitting. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a good exciting read, slightly humorous,tongue in cheek until the end. I love the way Peter Styles writes: his sentence structure, his word usage and frankly, his imagination. I can not wait to see what he has next up his sleeve.
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March 11, 2017
You know you’re having a great time with a book when you laugh hard enough to snort so even your kids pay attention. And while I expected a light read when I dropped coin for this short novel, what I didn’t expect is that it would be so adorable or that I would fall madly in love with Sonny’s best friend, Gaz.
Sonny, short for…nope, not revealing that because it’s one of the parts that made me cackle…is a mob enforcer. At six-foot-nine and just twenty-two years old, he’s a tall drink of water who’s been in the mafia biz a lot longer than you might expect. Sonny doesn’t mind his job so much, though. In fact, he kind of loves it, but he’s also not your stereotypical Mafioso. Of course, this isn’t your stereotypical Mafia tale either—certainly not in a Goodfellas, wise guy, “What do you mean funny? Like a clown? Do I amuse you? Huh?” violent kind of way. When Sonny’s asked to bust a few kneecaps and rearrange some faces on behalf of mob boss Don Rotullo, it’s a little bit like aggression therapy for him. There’s an undercurrent of anger flowing through Sonny’s veins, childhood stuff (what else?), so the perks of being a ballbuster is that he gets to work a little bit of his past out on the deadbeats who try to stiff the Don out of the money they owe him. It’s nothing personal, really, just good business.
Being a bit of a workaholic doesn’t leave Sonny much time to date, but that doesn’t mean Gaz and a few of the other guys in la famiglia Rotullo wouldn’t like to see him pay a little more attention to his personal life—including the Don—which is where this book also earns so much of its charm (an openly gay man in the mafia?). But, hey, what are friends for if not to interfere, which is when the lovable Gaz steps in and makes with playing matchmaker, creating an online dating profile for Sonny and greasing the wheels for what turns out to be a sweet and comedic—if not a little hair-raising—romance. And it’s where I started to fall arse over teakettle for Gaz. Everybody should have a best friend like him, the big squishy goombah.
So, cue Luke and an opposites attract storyline. Sonny and Luke couldn’t be more different if they tried, so also cue the meet-cute—when Sonny drunk texts Luke and manages to charm him into a date anyway—as well as the anticipation of the fine upstanding Southern gentleman Luke discovering what it is Sonny does for a living. And boy, does he find out. I liked Luke a lot but as a consequence of this being a short novel, I was left wanting to know more about him—honestly, I wanted to see him apart from Sonny, working and living his own life and seeing him interact with friends as I felt that would have rounded out his characterization, but that wasn’t this book’s intent, so if wishes were horses, etc., etc. We do get to see that Luke is aces, though, and while he freaks out (rightly so), he also gives Sonny a chance to explain, which I thank Peter Styles for because there’s nothing that turns me off quicker than people (even pretend people) who don’t talk about their problems. Styles does banter and dialogue so well.
One of several compliments I can pay to Sugar and Shakedowns is that what’s here is entertaining and endearing and lives up to everything I fell for in the author’s Drop Dead series. My one and only complaint about it is that it just isn’t long enough, which matters because as much as I loved what I got, I was also left wondering at the potential for more storyline left on the drawing board, of digging deeper into the mob family as well as a deeper exploration of Sonny and Luke’s relationship. As a standalone everything tidied up a bit quickly, but here’s the deal: Styles has such a talent for creating lovable characters and, maybe most important of all, making me laugh, which went a long way towards making me adore this little book just fine.
Reviewed by Lisa for The Novel Approach Reviews
Sonny, short for…nope, not revealing that because it’s one of the parts that made me cackle…is a mob enforcer. At six-foot-nine and just twenty-two years old, he’s a tall drink of water who’s been in the mafia biz a lot longer than you might expect. Sonny doesn’t mind his job so much, though. In fact, he kind of loves it, but he’s also not your stereotypical Mafioso. Of course, this isn’t your stereotypical Mafia tale either—certainly not in a Goodfellas, wise guy, “What do you mean funny? Like a clown? Do I amuse you? Huh?” violent kind of way. When Sonny’s asked to bust a few kneecaps and rearrange some faces on behalf of mob boss Don Rotullo, it’s a little bit like aggression therapy for him. There’s an undercurrent of anger flowing through Sonny’s veins, childhood stuff (what else?), so the perks of being a ballbuster is that he gets to work a little bit of his past out on the deadbeats who try to stiff the Don out of the money they owe him. It’s nothing personal, really, just good business.
Being a bit of a workaholic doesn’t leave Sonny much time to date, but that doesn’t mean Gaz and a few of the other guys in la famiglia Rotullo wouldn’t like to see him pay a little more attention to his personal life—including the Don—which is where this book also earns so much of its charm (an openly gay man in the mafia?). But, hey, what are friends for if not to interfere, which is when the lovable Gaz steps in and makes with playing matchmaker, creating an online dating profile for Sonny and greasing the wheels for what turns out to be a sweet and comedic—if not a little hair-raising—romance. And it’s where I started to fall arse over teakettle for Gaz. Everybody should have a best friend like him, the big squishy goombah.
So, cue Luke and an opposites attract storyline. Sonny and Luke couldn’t be more different if they tried, so also cue the meet-cute—when Sonny drunk texts Luke and manages to charm him into a date anyway—as well as the anticipation of the fine upstanding Southern gentleman Luke discovering what it is Sonny does for a living. And boy, does he find out. I liked Luke a lot but as a consequence of this being a short novel, I was left wanting to know more about him—honestly, I wanted to see him apart from Sonny, working and living his own life and seeing him interact with friends as I felt that would have rounded out his characterization, but that wasn’t this book’s intent, so if wishes were horses, etc., etc. We do get to see that Luke is aces, though, and while he freaks out (rightly so), he also gives Sonny a chance to explain, which I thank Peter Styles for because there’s nothing that turns me off quicker than people (even pretend people) who don’t talk about their problems. Styles does banter and dialogue so well.
One of several compliments I can pay to Sugar and Shakedowns is that what’s here is entertaining and endearing and lives up to everything I fell for in the author’s Drop Dead series. My one and only complaint about it is that it just isn’t long enough, which matters because as much as I loved what I got, I was also left wondering at the potential for more storyline left on the drawing board, of digging deeper into the mob family as well as a deeper exploration of Sonny and Luke’s relationship. As a standalone everything tidied up a bit quickly, but here’s the deal: Styles has such a talent for creating lovable characters and, maybe most important of all, making me laugh, which went a long way towards making me adore this little book just fine.
Reviewed by Lisa for The Novel Approach Reviews
March 15, 2017
This was a really funny story. Even though Sonny was gay and in the mafia, I like how the story wasn't always serious. It was also good for the mob to be accepting of Sonny's sexuality.
September 28, 2017
I receive an ARC from the author.
‘Sugar and Shakedown’ …such an intriguing title. It was so much fun to read about a mob enforcer who was so much like Rocky Balboa…too much heart to be effective. His partner wasn’t much better! Then, when incoming texts on his phone (from a baker named Luke he is dating) disrupts a meeting with his boss and the rest of the ‘gang,’ they tried to find out about his dating! I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at cannoli without thinking of this story! Picture a 6’9” Elvis look-alike at a showing of Moana. But ‘in a life full of fighting and violence’ will Sonny is able to finally find his ‘quiet place?’ This is a sweet story with a wonderful message about superficial appearances and the ability to rewrite your future.
‘Sugar and Shakedown’ …such an intriguing title. It was so much fun to read about a mob enforcer who was so much like Rocky Balboa…too much heart to be effective. His partner wasn’t much better! Then, when incoming texts on his phone (from a baker named Luke he is dating) disrupts a meeting with his boss and the rest of the ‘gang,’ they tried to find out about his dating! I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at cannoli without thinking of this story! Picture a 6’9” Elvis look-alike at a showing of Moana. But ‘in a life full of fighting and violence’ will Sonny is able to finally find his ‘quiet place?’ This is a sweet story with a wonderful message about superficial appearances and the ability to rewrite your future.
March 7, 2017
This was about an oddly sweet couple of guys. I really liked Sonny and Luke was incidentally cute. But the the bestie, Gaz, was awesome. He was tied for number two with Luke, if not just plain edging him out. The story played semi-seriously, semi-cartoonishly, though only enough to be playful, not insulting. It's a fine line, and one walked well in this story.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
May 19, 2017
This is my first book by this author. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sonny deserved to find his happiness in the world he lived in. Luke was so great from there first message to each other. These two were perfect for each other in every way. The chemistry between these two was smoking. I love how Luke made sure Sonny's first time was incredible and memorable. I will be reading more books by this author in the near future.
August 7, 2017
I'm @ the beginning but must say, this is a Hoot! A mafia leg-breaker uses his phone's dating app as he's still carrying a V-card @ 22yo-- and even his Don wants to know about his date. (I cannot deal with audio but it really doesn't matter: ev'ry word I read is soundin' like a Bronx tale! I love it!!)
I finished and it was wonderful!! It's definitely becoming a book I read over and over. Extremely silly in places (car chase in a Prius) and also WTF (watching Netflix @ the safe house) at the same time.
I finished and it was wonderful!! It's definitely becoming a book I read over and over. Extremely silly in places (car chase in a Prius) and also WTF (watching Netflix @ the safe house) at the same time.
April 4, 2018
This is a mostly humorous story. I love the relationship dynamics between Sonny and Gaz. I loved the secondary characters trying to be PC and supportive of Sonny. We have the wait toward the end for the sex....very well done. Someone’s been reading my journal! I liked Sonny but, Gaz is my favorite character. He really goes the extra miles to help Sonny find happiness, love and a place to belong.
May 12, 2017
Good read
From start to finish enjoyed the story, but I haven't found a book yet I haven't liked by Peter Styles.
If you enjoy mm definitely read this it's a stand alone.
From start to finish enjoyed the story, but I haven't found a book yet I haven't liked by Peter Styles.
If you enjoy mm definitely read this it's a stand alone.
May 13, 2017
Bookie & Baker
Can you believe this; a bookie with a slight heart of gold found love through a dating app. Almost lost that love because of his job and being shot at.
Can you believe this; a bookie with a slight heart of gold found love through a dating app. Almost lost that love because of his job and being shot at.
September 23, 2017
Awesome
Loved it, could not put it down even at work. I like the pace the humour, and it was more than just hot sex scenes
Loved it, could not put it down even at work. I like the pace the humour, and it was more than just hot sex scenes
March 20, 2017
Another really good read from this author. He never disappoints. Luke and Sonny were really sweet together and I felt an instant connection with both of them.
I eagerly look forward to my next read from this author.
I eagerly look forward to my next read from this author.
March 9, 2017
As good as its been touted!
I see what all the excitement is about! Great, funny, funny loving story. Love Peter Styles and this book is good without being over the top and drawn out. Very enjoyable!
I see what all the excitement is about! Great, funny, funny loving story. Love Peter Styles and this book is good without being over the top and drawn out. Very enjoyable!
March 5, 2017
Sugar and Shakedowns was a very fun read. I have never really read a mafia romance before this one. This story may have opened a whole new sub genre for me.
I really liked Sonny and Sonny’s best friend Gaz’s banter. Made me laugh so many times. I loved that Sonny, this tough mob guy, was a complete softy with Luke. It was so sweet and heartwarming. And when Sonny saw a familiar gun from his past, my heart broke for him. I can't imagine carrying that baggage for so long.
I love the character’s that Peter Styles creates they are just so lovable and easy to connect with.
I received a free advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I really liked Sonny and Sonny’s best friend Gaz’s banter. Made me laugh so many times. I loved that Sonny, this tough mob guy, was a complete softy with Luke. It was so sweet and heartwarming. And when Sonny saw a familiar gun from his past, my heart broke for him. I can't imagine carrying that baggage for so long.
I love the character’s that Peter Styles creates they are just so lovable and easy to connect with.
I received a free advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
March 7, 2017
This is funny and sweet at the same time. Peter has hit one out of the park. He has once again created awesome characters. Sonny and his friend Gaz are so funny. What really hooked me into the story was the opening scene. Those two cracked me up. Sonny meets Luke and he goes outside of the family. He has to decide between the family and love. It is a great story. It is different from the author's other stories. It was fun to read and it has a happy ending.
I received this as a free ARC and have left an honest review.
I received this as a free ARC and have left an honest review.
March 7, 2017
Sonny finally meets someone online that makes him pause. Luke is a business owner with a great sense of humor. Will it still be good with him once he finds out what Sonny does or a living?
Luke is all in until Sonny's job comes between them. He is not sure if he can trust him again. He wants to believe what he says is the truth. If only he hadn't been lied to before.....
This story is quite fun and filled with a lot of humor. I found it a little bit predictable. The characters mesh well, and the pace is good.
***I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
Luke is all in until Sonny's job comes between them. He is not sure if he can trust him again. He wants to believe what he says is the truth. If only he hadn't been lied to before.....
This story is quite fun and filled with a lot of humor. I found it a little bit predictable. The characters mesh well, and the pace is good.
***I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
March 9, 2017
Great story
Loved this book! This is the first time Reading this author and now I needs to go and read the rest of his book. I just loved Sonny the sweet bad boy and Luke the sweet guy how naughty in bed. I just love a guy like that who is sweet and naught at the same time
Loved this book! This is the first time Reading this author and now I needs to go and read the rest of his book. I just loved Sonny the sweet bad boy and Luke the sweet guy how naughty in bed. I just love a guy like that who is sweet and naught at the same time
March 9, 2017
Great book
This was recommended to me and I'm glad I listened. Lovable characters and a unique story coupled with a witty writing style made this a thoroughly enjoyable book. Can't wait to read more by this author.
This was recommended to me and I'm glad I listened. Lovable characters and a unique story coupled with a witty writing style made this a thoroughly enjoyable book. Can't wait to read more by this author.
March 28, 2017
Writing mechanics were fairly good, but as far as romances go, it was a thumbs down for me. It was everything I hate about single point of view. Two MC's Sonny and (this is how bad it was, I had to go back and look it up) Luke, but it was in Sonny's POV. It felt like a story about Sonny's life and Luke was a background character. Sonny's sidekick Gaz was more developed than his love interest. So, single point of view, just no.
April 3, 2017
I don't really know what to say about this one. It was not really a romance it was more like a guy just talking. That's fine if that's what your selling but I expected a romance and that's not what I got. The story is told from Sonny's POV only and we really get a sense of who he is but that's it. He's the only character that's developed in this book. The connection between him and Luke (his love interest) is non existent. He has a better connection with his best friend Gaz than he does Luke. Nothing really worked that well for me here it just wasn't for me.
April 23, 2017
Sweet loving and fun mob-ish story
Really sweet and loving with just enough hard mob to add some thrill! Really enjoyed It! I actually wanted more story!
Really sweet and loving with just enough hard mob to add some thrill! Really enjoyed It! I actually wanted more story!
April 25, 2017
Inconsistent character development. One of those miss-the-marks where quite a few scenes felt like it was a M/F romance with just a name and pronouns switched up. Even Josh Lanyon could be more convincing.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews