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Forever With You
Kelly Brooks Montes is only nineteen years old and just starting college in New York City when tragedy strikes, and he becomes a single dad to his toddler brother. Four years later, Kelly and his baby brother, Jaylen, are doing well, though Kelly leads a double life to make ends meet. He’s a high-level administrative assistant by day and a racy go-go boy by night. Between raising his brother, dancing, and trying not to run afoul of his new boss, Kelly doesn't have time for a boyfriend. Even if he did want a man in his life, a past trauma makes him question whether he can ever trust a man with his body or his heart. But then Kelly receives an unexpected but steamy birthday kiss from his boss, a man he was sure hated him, and he begins to wish for things he knows he shouldn't. Andrew Whitman knew from the moment he held Kelly's hand that the man was special, and it both annoyed and terrified him. Kelly makes him feel a little out of control and Drew is a highly controlled man. He has to be to keep his sexuality a secret from his father, a conservative politician. And he is OK with that. He has a perfectly good, mutually beneficial, life plan with his best friend, Lex. A long time ago, he'd made his peace with the fact that he'd never find a man worth turning his life upside down for. Then he ends up with his capable and gorgeous assistant under him on top of his desk, and his life plans change. Drew can't seem to get out of his own way when it comes to the quiet, sexy, and surprising single dad, but he can't stop himself from falling for Kelly and his sweet baby brother. And just when it seems that Kelly has worked through his past hurts enough to let Drew into his body and his heart, manipulative family and words unspoken threaten to tear them apart. But after getting a taste of a life he never thought he could have, Drew won't let anything tear his fledgling family apart. ***Please be aware that this book contains a flashback of and several references to sexual assault that may be triggering to some readers.***
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 9, 2018
45 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
Londra Laine
3 books107 followersLondra has loved to read since she discovered The Baby-Sitters Club. As a child, her parents would ground her by taking all the books out of her room for several days. Londra began reading romance in 2008 and fell in love with the M/M romance genre after purchasing a book by accident several years later.
After decades of daydreaming, and jotting down story ideas, Londra decided to give life to the characters in her head. She writes to give her guys the happy ending she wishes everyone––no matter their race, religion, gender, or orientation––could experience in real life.
During the day, Londra is a communications manager for a consulting firm. She is a recovering journalist. Londra loves the New York Yankees, Seinfeld reruns, tacos, and Friday nights on the couch with wine and a new book.
In 2010, she moved from her native California to New York City where she lived in Harlem for nearly eight years. In early 2018 she relocated to Seattle with her husband.
After decades of daydreaming, and jotting down story ideas, Londra decided to give life to the characters in her head. She writes to give her guys the happy ending she wishes everyone––no matter their race, religion, gender, or orientation––could experience in real life.
During the day, Londra is a communications manager for a consulting firm. She is a recovering journalist. Londra loves the New York Yankees, Seinfeld reruns, tacos, and Friday nights on the couch with wine and a new book.
In 2010, she moved from her native California to New York City where she lived in Harlem for nearly eight years. In early 2018 she relocated to Seattle with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
February 23, 2018
Wow. Getting through the first 25% of this book was... rough. To the point of me considering DNF'ing it. Repeatedly.
The way that Drew kept thinking of Kelly honestly made me feel dirty, like I needed to take a hot shower, and the sooner, the better.
Drew just kept pushing and pushing, even when Kelly was obviously on edge, then having these inappropriate thoughts that made me want to toss him into a dumpster and slam the lid.
Plus, the entire story is told in third person point of view, which drove me ape shit.
I mean, it's Kelly's chapter, for example, and I kept hearing, "Kelly thought this" and "Kelly did that", which got insanely old and felt like something to endure from the first to the very last page.
I never felt at ease with the third person tense, much like listening to Suede refer to himself as "Suede" on Project Runway back in the day.
And last on my list of niggles were the "info dumpy" sections, where huge chunks of history were tossed at you like a three-inch thick stack of napkins at the top of a Jack In the Box drive through food order. They were just THERE for you to take in all at once. Gah!
I loved Kelly from the start. Mostly. And I ended up loving Drew even more than Kelly, if I'm being honest.
I also loved the 7 year old little brother, Jaylen, but actually wished the story had more of him on-page, instead of him constantly nodding off and needing to be put to bed.
The main drama toward the end with the father definitely got my blood pumping, but I felt the deceit regarding Drew's best female friend was a bit over-played for what it actually turned out to be.
I'd rate this story at around 2.75 stars, but really wish it had been written as first person POV, as I think that hearing "I felt" vs. "he felt" would've come across as more HEART-felt as I made my way through the book.
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January 9, 2018
There is a trigger warning on the release blitz for this book and there is a trigger warning in the ARC, but for some reason it's missing from the Goodreads entry.
There is an on page flashback to a scene of serious sexual assault which is described in detail and I think it needs to perhaps be a bit clearer on the listing here.
Now, having got that out of the way, this debut novel from Londra Laine is okay, it's very dramatic and a wee bit angsty but not overwhelmingly so.
There's a 7-year-old who acts his age rather than being a genius, which is always a bonus, and there is a sweet romance in which it seems the fates continually conspire to put obstacles in the way.
I did find myself skim reading a bit as it all just became a bit samey with not a vast amount going on until all of a sudden everything but the kitchen sink was chucked in the way of Kelly and Drew's relationship.
Still, while it wasn't really for me, it's well edited with no major typos or grammatical errors that I noticed and it does have a very nice ending and epilogue and - outside of the conflict craziness - I did believe in them as a couple.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
There is an on page flashback to a scene of serious sexual assault which is described in detail and I think it needs to perhaps be a bit clearer on the listing here.
Now, having got that out of the way, this debut novel from Londra Laine is okay, it's very dramatic and a wee bit angsty but not overwhelmingly so.
There's a 7-year-old who acts his age rather than being a genius, which is always a bonus, and there is a sweet romance in which it seems the fates continually conspire to put obstacles in the way.
I did find myself skim reading a bit as it all just became a bit samey with not a vast amount going on until all of a sudden everything but the kitchen sink was chucked in the way of Kelly and Drew's relationship.
Still, while it wasn't really for me, it's well edited with no major typos or grammatical errors that I noticed and it does have a very nice ending and epilogue and - outside of the conflict craziness - I did believe in them as a couple.
#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
December 27, 2017
*ARC provided by the author via Gay Book Promotions*
I read this in one sitting. I'm not even kidding, I surprised myself.
Even after a sort of rocky start: I had my doubts at first about Drew, who was coming a bit too strong for my taste- although I'm pleased to say his behavior gets righted (and then we get to see the whole picture: where he was coming from and all that)so it works out at the end.
What we're ultimately left with is a strong story about two people facing challenges that are new in their lives, and learning to fit into each other, with their respective baggages.
What could have been an angst party, fortunately ends up being a lovely story filled with hope and, uh, well... Love.
I really enjoyed the family dynamics- Drew's little drama with his dad was a fun and spicy addition; and I had lots of awwws with some of the scenes involving Jay. What could have made it all perfect is if there had been a dog thrown in to the mix. But we can't have it all, can we?
Don't get me wrong, this is not exactly a fluff fest- far from it at times- but I'm also grateful for the way the author handled what was going on with Kelly: the raw emotions that soaked those scenes when it was brought up really slapped you on the face! And even though I know these moments were about Kelly and his personal growth and not letting what had happened to him dictate how he lived his life, I have to also say I was really proud of how Drew rose to the occasion and fought to make everything work out for Kelly and Jay.
In case there was any doubt left, I loved this. A lot. (I'm still giving it 4 stars because of what I mentioned about the start, but the evolution was amazing)
I read this in one sitting. I'm not even kidding, I surprised myself.
Even after a sort of rocky start: I had my doubts at first about Drew, who was coming a bit too strong for my taste- although I'm pleased to say his behavior gets righted (and then we get to see the whole picture: where he was coming from and all that)so it works out at the end.
What we're ultimately left with is a strong story about two people facing challenges that are new in their lives, and learning to fit into each other, with their respective baggages.
What could have been an angst party, fortunately ends up being a lovely story filled with hope and, uh, well... Love.
I really enjoyed the family dynamics- Drew's little drama with his dad was a fun and spicy addition; and I had lots of awwws with some of the scenes involving Jay. What could have made it all perfect is if there had been a dog thrown in to the mix. But we can't have it all, can we?
Don't get me wrong, this is not exactly a fluff fest- far from it at times- but I'm also grateful for the way the author handled what was going on with Kelly: the raw emotions that soaked those scenes when it was brought up really slapped you on the face! And even though I know these moments were about Kelly and his personal growth and not letting what had happened to him dictate how he lived his life, I have to also say I was really proud of how Drew rose to the occasion and fought to make everything work out for Kelly and Jay.
In case there was any doubt left, I loved this. A lot. (I'm still giving it 4 stars because of what I mentioned about the start, but the evolution was amazing)
June 21, 2018
No sé por dónde empezar, ni por dónde terminar. No puedo discutir que lo he terminado, es un KU así que podría haberlo dejado a la mitad y no habría pasado nada porque no habría perdido dinero. Así que lo he terminado, por lo que supongo que lo mejor que puedo decir es que es entretenido.
Es el primer libro de la autora y se nota, escritura muy muy amateur, muchos errores de edición, y está muy claro a lo largo de toda la lectura que no es una historia de amor gay como tal, es una historia de amor gay que se nota escrita por una mujer para que la lean las mujeres. Normalmente odio este tipo de comentarios, la mayoría de las veces misóginos, en las reviews, pero es la verdad y lo que he sentido leyendo. Esos personajes estereotipados, esas frases sobre el ser bottom, muchos momentos rolling eyes, todo se arregla maravilloso, todo sale bien por cosas del destino y del novio rico, aleluya.
Que no, que no, me ha entretenido, pero me es imposible darle más de dos estrellas.
Es el primer libro de la autora y se nota, escritura muy muy amateur, muchos errores de edición, y está muy claro a lo largo de toda la lectura que no es una historia de amor gay como tal, es una historia de amor gay que se nota escrita por una mujer para que la lean las mujeres. Normalmente odio este tipo de comentarios, la mayoría de las veces misóginos, en las reviews, pero es la verdad y lo que he sentido leyendo. Esos personajes estereotipados, esas frases sobre el ser bottom, muchos momentos rolling eyes, todo se arregla maravilloso, todo sale bien por cosas del destino y del novio rico, aleluya.
Que no, que no, me ha entretenido, pero me es imposible darle más de dos estrellas.
October 5, 2018
I considered this one as a slow burn. I didn't mind at all. Kelly needed sometimes to adjust his life that despite his horrible past, he liked his boss while his boss didn't like him, or that's what he thought.
Drew can't controlled his 'crush' to his assistant since day one Kelly worked for him, but he have to be a good boss, right? And by that, not showing any kindness and acted cold to Kelly, while he's being wonderful to everyone.
Pffftt, wrong move, buddy!
Even this is too slow for my taste, I felt that Kelly and Drew need it. Though I wanted to to slap Drew all the time he made Kelly sad and confuse. But there's something amiss with Drew. He desired Kelly all the time but rarely I saw him really appreciated Kelly as a good person with a good personality. It was mostly physical. Of course Kelly is young, very young and gorgeous, I wonder was it what Drew only 'see' in him?
And I found this story's dragging, I almost put it down, if not for Kelly. Kelly is a sweet heart. Sure he freaked out sometimes, but I liked him and could understand why he freaked out (Trigger warning : ).
Overall this is an okay story, I read this on Christmas, probably not a good time to read this theme. You'll probably like this book anyway.
* ARC is provided for an honest and unbiased review for Lelyana's Book Blog.*
Drew can't controlled his 'crush' to his assistant since day one Kelly worked for him, but he have to be a good boss, right? And by that, not showing any kindness and acted cold to Kelly, while he's being wonderful to everyone.
Pffftt, wrong move, buddy!
Even this is too slow for my taste, I felt that Kelly and Drew need it. Though I wanted to to slap Drew all the time he made Kelly sad and confuse. But there's something amiss with Drew. He desired Kelly all the time but rarely I saw him really appreciated Kelly as a good person with a good personality. It was mostly physical. Of course Kelly is young, very young and gorgeous, I wonder was it what Drew only 'see' in him?
And I found this story's dragging, I almost put it down, if not for Kelly. Kelly is a sweet heart. Sure he freaked out sometimes, but I liked him and could understand why he freaked out (Trigger warning : ).
Overall this is an okay story, I read this on Christmas, probably not a good time to read this theme. You'll probably like this book anyway.
* ARC is provided for an honest and unbiased review for Lelyana's Book Blog.*
December 29, 2017
Before I begin the review, a word of caution: this story contains a graphic depiction of past rape.
As the blurb states, this story is about a young man who’s taken on the responsibility to raise his young asthmatic brother, complete with all the extra medical expenses that entails. He loves living in New York City and has a decent job, and he supplements that income by working as a go-go dancer on the weekends. Though he loves dancing, it’s not something he plans to do forever—just for now to help pay for medical deductibles when his kid brother is ill.
The story opens with Kelly doing his job as an administrative assistant to the new Director of Operations who has come in to help with the transition after their company was sold. Highly efficient, Kelly is an outstanding assistant so he can’t understand why his boss, Andrew, seems to ignore him at times and is downright hostile at other times. Unknown to Kelly, that’s Andrew’s way of dealing with his attraction to the young man.
To be honest, I must say that my first impression of this story was not good–and that’s because of Andrew, aka Drew. There was not enough dialogue in the early pages of the story and it just felt very wordy—too much narrative as the author backfilled the merger, Kelly’s job duties, and Andrew’s reasons for cold-shouldering him. In the first chapter, Drew comes across as a total ass, always thinking of nothing but Kelly’s body and what sex would be like with him, not giving any value to Kelly as a person. If it was true that he would like to date or “be with” the young man, he should be looking at the whole person. The crude thoughts and words just turned me right off from Andrew’s character. Yes, there was more to him and we saw that as the story progressed, but to be honest, he was such a disappointment to Kelly when Kelly needed to trust him 100% that it kept me from being invested in any romance between them.
Kelly was a sweetheart throughout the story. Yes, he overreacted a few times, but considering his life circumstances and his background, including a rape that isn’t described in the blurb or book info and is explicitly described in a flashback, one can understand why he acted and reacted the way he did when he found out Drew was withholding personal information from him. Drew seemed to be mostly thinking with his libido throughout the story, and I felt that he didn’t love or desire Kelly as much as he loved and desired Kelly’s body. There was so much more to the young man’s character, and yes, that was mentioned, but the focus seemed to be on sex.
In my opinion, the story needed a more extensive edit to help the author stay on track and clear up inconsistencies as well as to chop off about 2,000 words. Little things as simple as character eye color and as complex as a character doing or saying something totally in apposition to the character’s previous description drove me crazy. Also, how many times can one person say or think the same thing over and over again and still not act on it? To me, that just added pages to an already long story. And then, so what if Drew’s BFF masquerades as his girlfriend to foil their fathers? This was made into a huge plot point in the second half, and by the time he started to see the implications of not telling Kelly and it became time for the big reveal, it was already absurdly overdone.
I really wanted to enjoy this story because I liked the concept and I think the author has potential. Kelly was a sweet character and the idea of him raising his brother and supporting himself with two jobs was solid, but the execution left much to be desired, and that’s mostly due to the unlikable main character, Andrew, and the unpolished writing, so unfortunately, I don’t recommend it.
Note: This book was provided to me by the publisher through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review.
As the blurb states, this story is about a young man who’s taken on the responsibility to raise his young asthmatic brother, complete with all the extra medical expenses that entails. He loves living in New York City and has a decent job, and he supplements that income by working as a go-go dancer on the weekends. Though he loves dancing, it’s not something he plans to do forever—just for now to help pay for medical deductibles when his kid brother is ill.
The story opens with Kelly doing his job as an administrative assistant to the new Director of Operations who has come in to help with the transition after their company was sold. Highly efficient, Kelly is an outstanding assistant so he can’t understand why his boss, Andrew, seems to ignore him at times and is downright hostile at other times. Unknown to Kelly, that’s Andrew’s way of dealing with his attraction to the young man.
To be honest, I must say that my first impression of this story was not good–and that’s because of Andrew, aka Drew. There was not enough dialogue in the early pages of the story and it just felt very wordy—too much narrative as the author backfilled the merger, Kelly’s job duties, and Andrew’s reasons for cold-shouldering him. In the first chapter, Drew comes across as a total ass, always thinking of nothing but Kelly’s body and what sex would be like with him, not giving any value to Kelly as a person. If it was true that he would like to date or “be with” the young man, he should be looking at the whole person. The crude thoughts and words just turned me right off from Andrew’s character. Yes, there was more to him and we saw that as the story progressed, but to be honest, he was such a disappointment to Kelly when Kelly needed to trust him 100% that it kept me from being invested in any romance between them.
Kelly was a sweetheart throughout the story. Yes, he overreacted a few times, but considering his life circumstances and his background, including a rape that isn’t described in the blurb or book info and is explicitly described in a flashback, one can understand why he acted and reacted the way he did when he found out Drew was withholding personal information from him. Drew seemed to be mostly thinking with his libido throughout the story, and I felt that he didn’t love or desire Kelly as much as he loved and desired Kelly’s body. There was so much more to the young man’s character, and yes, that was mentioned, but the focus seemed to be on sex.
In my opinion, the story needed a more extensive edit to help the author stay on track and clear up inconsistencies as well as to chop off about 2,000 words. Little things as simple as character eye color and as complex as a character doing or saying something totally in apposition to the character’s previous description drove me crazy. Also, how many times can one person say or think the same thing over and over again and still not act on it? To me, that just added pages to an already long story. And then, so what if Drew’s BFF masquerades as his girlfriend to foil their fathers? This was made into a huge plot point in the second half, and by the time he started to see the implications of not telling Kelly and it became time for the big reveal, it was already absurdly overdone.
I really wanted to enjoy this story because I liked the concept and I think the author has potential. Kelly was a sweet character and the idea of him raising his brother and supporting himself with two jobs was solid, but the execution left much to be desired, and that’s mostly due to the unlikable main character, Andrew, and the unpolished writing, so unfortunately, I don’t recommend it.
Note: This book was provided to me by the publisher through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review.
January 10, 2018
First off, trigger warning - there is a detailed flashback to sexual assault in this book that happened when Kelly was a teenager. Proceed accordingly if this might be a trigger for you.
I'm of two minds about this novel. On one hand, I liked the characters and most of the plot, and the romance between the two men progressed at a reasonable pace, once Drew pulled his head out of his ass. There was good, believable chemistry between them, and the relationship had little angst - other than Kelly's traumatic experience, which he still grapples with, and Drew keeping a secret he shouldn't have. On the other hand, some of the plot felt a little OTT - there was a homophobic father and blackmail and attempted coercion and a marriage pact that all seemed a bit too much for my taste. In addition, during the first 15% or so, I felt that a lot of the writing was info dump and superfluous. For example, I didn't need to be told multiple times that Kelly's little brother Jaylen has asthma and required breathing treatments, which are expensive. I didn't need to be told multiple times that Kelly has chosen to be an admin assistant at this company because it comes with medical benefits for his brother. Most readers, including myself, will remember if being told information once. Twice is okay. More than that, I get irritated.
Drew is Kelly's boss, and because Drew has a crush on the younger man, he's been treating him coldly and rudely, which - what? Considering that Drew is supposedly in his 30s, I would assume that someone of his age had a better grip on his emotions than that, and could act in a professional manner - which he didn't. Kelly doesn't understand why his boss is nice to everyone else, but cold with him, especially since Kelly has a bit of a crush on the older man too. I wouldn't have understood either, and Drew's behavior pissed me off.
After Kelly's office birthday celebration, Drew's tenuous hold on his self-control snaps, and the two men share a hot and heavy kiss in his office. Something triggers Kelly, and he freaks out and runs. Confused and worried, Drew attempts to find out what happened. He comes on super strong at first, but when Kelly has a another freak-out due to his trauma, Drew reins it in, thankfully so. He was actually a very caring guy, and I appreciated that.
I did have some concerns about the realism of their office demeanor - nobody seems to have questioned their changed behavior, really, and nobody seems to have any suspicions. Additionally, there were some occasions early on where Drew is a complete ass in making himself sound as if Kelly's job may be on the line if he doesn't comply - which, hello, harassment.
Kelly has a great support system in his friends, and dances at a gay bar on weekends. He also has custody of his much younger brother after his mother and step-father died when Kelly was but 19. Having put himself through college and looking after his baby brother is quite a feat. He had a lot of backbone, which I appreciated, and he didn't let Drew push him around. Much.
Once Drew finds out more about Kelly's background and really takes the time to get to know the other man, lending support when the little brother ends up in the hospital with asthma attacks, and generally being there for Kelly, their romance truly started to flourish, and I could see that Kelly started to trust Drew.
There were many emotional scenes that were either heart-breaking or heart-warming, and plenty of sexy times that thankfully didn't feel gratuitous, and I enjoyed reading this story for the most part. I could have done without the explicit flashback - I didn't feel that was necessary to bring Kelly's trauma across, and it felt somewhat exploitative. Again, heed the trigger warning.
Overall, for a debut novel, this was a good read, and I would be inclined to read more of this author's books as they are published.
** I received a free copy of this book from Gay Book Promotions as part of a review tour in exchange for an honest review. **
November 27, 2017
Wow, just wow. What a completely emotional read. Their is so much anguish in this book. TRIGGER WARNINGS TO RAPE. That just has to be said because there is a scene in the book about past teams and a few references to it also through ge read.
The emotional side of this read varies from many different aspects. It is not just one subject matter that makes his an emotional read but several different ones hat will have you tears at times and mad as heck at others. But hem their is the emotional aspect of this read that revolves around the love of a brother, a partner, and even best friends. So nicely put, have your tissues ready for both the good kind of cries and the bad kind of cries.
Kelly has so much on his plate that it is a wonder this is even a functioning young man. Not only does he have to demanding jobs but he is also raising his baby brother also. Add in the fact that Jaylen is asthmatic and times severely so and Kelly's life is full. He definitely does not have time for any kind of relationship. Not that he is really too sure that he can have a healthy one as it is, but regardless he does not have time for one of he did.
Andrew is Kelly's boss and even though Kelly had tried everything under the moon to be what Andrew needs as an assistant, Kelly does not feel that Andrew likes him. He just does not understand it either because he knows he is amazing at his job but it seems Andrew does not think so. Or at least he does not hunk so anyway.
So it is a complete surprise to Kelly when Andrew kisses him unexpectedly. It really throws Kelly and he can not figure out what is going on with Andrew. He has convinced himself that Andrew is going to use him or fire him if he does not allow it. But that is so far from the truth that when Andrew finally does explain to Kelly why he has be standoffish Kelly is blown away.
Can two men that both have secrets and some sort of drama in their lives find their way through the mine field to each other or is this a relationship that is doomed from the first kiss.
This was he first book that I have read by Londra Laine but I will say this will Hoyt be the last. This was an incredible read with some serious subject matter but Londra handled it with grace and gave it the attention thatbit deserved without making it completely about it. That is not an easy feat but Londra accomplished it beautifully. This is definitely a recommended read.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
The emotional side of this read varies from many different aspects. It is not just one subject matter that makes his an emotional read but several different ones hat will have you tears at times and mad as heck at others. But hem their is the emotional aspect of this read that revolves around the love of a brother, a partner, and even best friends. So nicely put, have your tissues ready for both the good kind of cries and the bad kind of cries.
Kelly has so much on his plate that it is a wonder this is even a functioning young man. Not only does he have to demanding jobs but he is also raising his baby brother also. Add in the fact that Jaylen is asthmatic and times severely so and Kelly's life is full. He definitely does not have time for any kind of relationship. Not that he is really too sure that he can have a healthy one as it is, but regardless he does not have time for one of he did.
Andrew is Kelly's boss and even though Kelly had tried everything under the moon to be what Andrew needs as an assistant, Kelly does not feel that Andrew likes him. He just does not understand it either because he knows he is amazing at his job but it seems Andrew does not think so. Or at least he does not hunk so anyway.
So it is a complete surprise to Kelly when Andrew kisses him unexpectedly. It really throws Kelly and he can not figure out what is going on with Andrew. He has convinced himself that Andrew is going to use him or fire him if he does not allow it. But that is so far from the truth that when Andrew finally does explain to Kelly why he has be standoffish Kelly is blown away.
Can two men that both have secrets and some sort of drama in their lives find their way through the mine field to each other or is this a relationship that is doomed from the first kiss.
This was he first book that I have read by Londra Laine but I will say this will Hoyt be the last. This was an incredible read with some serious subject matter but Londra handled it with grace and gave it the attention thatbit deserved without making it completely about it. That is not an easy feat but Londra accomplished it beautifully. This is definitely a recommended read.
Was given this galley copy for free for an open and honest review
December 4, 2017
Wow. This is an emotional story, there are places you will shed a few tears. You will have the emotional moments of “oh” at the cuteness of Jay. It is an emotional rollercoaster. But I loved every up and down. It does have a trigger, a past tense reference to a rape. If this is not a trigger for you, this is so worth the read.
Kelly has so much going on in his life. His two jobs, care of his brother and dance classes. He doesn’t have time for anything more. Certainly not a man in his life. The only man he’d consider is his boss. His boss, who hates him.
Andrew has lusted after Kelly since the day Kelly applied to the company. So much so that he’s gone out of his way to not give Kelly the time of day, except when it’s work related. Until the day Andrew kisses Kelly. This starts the relationship between them. But as with all relationships, there are things in each of their pasts they need to be honest about. And things they need to work together to get through.
This author has done an amazing job of taking a very serious subject and not making it either too light or too heavy. It is a part of the story, but just a part. And while it is a key part, it doesn’t over shadow the rest of story. The characters are well rounded, showing a range of emotions. The secondary characters are such an important part of the story as well. This is an amazing book. I will be looking for others by this author.
Kelly has so much going on in his life. His two jobs, care of his brother and dance classes. He doesn’t have time for anything more. Certainly not a man in his life. The only man he’d consider is his boss. His boss, who hates him.
Andrew has lusted after Kelly since the day Kelly applied to the company. So much so that he’s gone out of his way to not give Kelly the time of day, except when it’s work related. Until the day Andrew kisses Kelly. This starts the relationship between them. But as with all relationships, there are things in each of their pasts they need to be honest about. And things they need to work together to get through.
This author has done an amazing job of taking a very serious subject and not making it either too light or too heavy. It is a part of the story, but just a part. And while it is a key part, it doesn’t over shadow the rest of story. The characters are well rounded, showing a range of emotions. The secondary characters are such an important part of the story as well. This is an amazing book. I will be looking for others by this author.
December 4, 2017
Kelly is an awesome character, and big brother. the man works his buns off to take care of his family and i love him for it and beyond happy the he and Drew got their hea. love office romances! this was an emotional rollercoaster, that really got me in the feels. my first time reading Londra Laine, and I will def read her again, def recommend this book!
December 18, 2017
Drew has a crush on his assistant Kelly...
We get both POV's in this story which I enjoyed especially when we get to hear both men's opinion on each other before anything goes forward.
Drew tries to stay away from him but since Kelly is his assistant that isn't easy to do so Drew gives him the cold shoulder.
On the other hand Kelly thinks that his new boss hates him but doesn't know why. Kelly takes care of his younger brother and needs his job but doesn't know what he did to Drew to make him not like him. This is an emotional story that will have you rooting for Kelly to come out a winner.
Kelly gets some advice from a co worker and decides to confront Drew about the situation. Once in his office and he asks the question, Drew cant help himself and kisses Kelly. Things are heating up until Kelly gets scared and tells him to stop. Drew stops right away and backs off but doesn't understand what happened. Kelly had something happen to him when he was younger which has sworn him off getting into a relationship with men. Drew feels bad about what happened and tried to talk to Kelly but he feels that Drew is using him. Kelly decides to ask for a transfer and Drew refuses so I felt the love story started from that point.
Kelly is raising his brother alone after their mom and step-dad die in an accident and he just wants a good life for him and everything he does is for Jaylen. He works 2 jobs to make ends meat and care for his brother. They have a close relationship and it was a joy to read how close they are.
Drew still wants Kelly and doesn't give up pursuing him , Kelly eventually gives in and agrees to a date. The chemistry is there from the start but since Kelly has some things he has to deal with , he doesn't feel he is good enough for Drew. Drew makes him feel things he hasn't felt in a long time and makes him want to work through them.
They spend time together and I felt that the slower build up worked for that too.
Once they really decide to pursue the relationship both men shine. It takes time but Kelly finds out what triggers his fear and works through it.
I think Jaylen adds a whole new level to this story since both men put him first and Drew has a great time with both of them when they are together.
There is drama with Drew's family and he has to be truthful to Kelly but in the end , they are made for each other and work through their problems.
Kelly learns he sometimes has to fight for what he wants and not give up so easily. Drew finds love and a family in the end. I really loved this story.
*ARC provided by Londra Laine in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jodi from Alpha Book Club
We get both POV's in this story which I enjoyed especially when we get to hear both men's opinion on each other before anything goes forward.
Drew tries to stay away from him but since Kelly is his assistant that isn't easy to do so Drew gives him the cold shoulder.
On the other hand Kelly thinks that his new boss hates him but doesn't know why. Kelly takes care of his younger brother and needs his job but doesn't know what he did to Drew to make him not like him. This is an emotional story that will have you rooting for Kelly to come out a winner.
Kelly gets some advice from a co worker and decides to confront Drew about the situation. Once in his office and he asks the question, Drew cant help himself and kisses Kelly. Things are heating up until Kelly gets scared and tells him to stop. Drew stops right away and backs off but doesn't understand what happened. Kelly had something happen to him when he was younger which has sworn him off getting into a relationship with men. Drew feels bad about what happened and tried to talk to Kelly but he feels that Drew is using him. Kelly decides to ask for a transfer and Drew refuses so I felt the love story started from that point.
Kelly is raising his brother alone after their mom and step-dad die in an accident and he just wants a good life for him and everything he does is for Jaylen. He works 2 jobs to make ends meat and care for his brother. They have a close relationship and it was a joy to read how close they are.
Drew still wants Kelly and doesn't give up pursuing him , Kelly eventually gives in and agrees to a date. The chemistry is there from the start but since Kelly has some things he has to deal with , he doesn't feel he is good enough for Drew. Drew makes him feel things he hasn't felt in a long time and makes him want to work through them.
They spend time together and I felt that the slower build up worked for that too.
Once they really decide to pursue the relationship both men shine. It takes time but Kelly finds out what triggers his fear and works through it.
I think Jaylen adds a whole new level to this story since both men put him first and Drew has a great time with both of them when they are together.
There is drama with Drew's family and he has to be truthful to Kelly but in the end , they are made for each other and work through their problems.
Kelly learns he sometimes has to fight for what he wants and not give up so easily. Drew finds love and a family in the end. I really loved this story.
*ARC provided by Londra Laine in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Jodi from Alpha Book Club
July 27, 2018
3.5 Stars
I am really really excited to have found this wonderful reality new author- Londra Laine.
The writing in this office romance is very good and the characters are compelling.
We have a few great troupe's going on with our hard working raising his sibling hero, Kelly, and his boss Drew.
There are things that need more work in this love story to make it really great but I really enjoyed Laine's play with the alphahole stereotype in Drew. We get Drew's point of view and he is a very self aware character so when he does things like implied threats to Kelly's job ala old Harlequin Presents heros, we see that he is really just socially awkward and privileged. Its interesting.
Kelly's sexual trauma is well handled though could be triggering for some readers as is the rape and its effects are detailed.
The romance and growth between Drew and Kelly is lovely. Drew is steadfast and Kelly is smart and strong and assertive. Very good stuff with a great secondary cast.
There is a secret Drew holds on to for way too long that wasn't needed for conflict really, Kelly needs to seek therapy and the work conflict isn't well explored but over all really good.
I am really really excited to have found this wonderful reality new author- Londra Laine.
The writing in this office romance is very good and the characters are compelling.
We have a few great troupe's going on with our hard working raising his sibling hero, Kelly, and his boss Drew.
There are things that need more work in this love story to make it really great but I really enjoyed Laine's play with the alphahole stereotype in Drew. We get Drew's point of view and he is a very self aware character so when he does things like implied threats to Kelly's job ala old Harlequin Presents heros, we see that he is really just socially awkward and privileged. Its interesting.
Kelly's sexual trauma is well handled though could be triggering for some readers as is the rape and its effects are detailed.
The romance and growth between Drew and Kelly is lovely. Drew is steadfast and Kelly is smart and strong and assertive. Very good stuff with a great secondary cast.
There is a secret Drew holds on to for way too long that wasn't needed for conflict really, Kelly needs to seek therapy and the work conflict isn't well explored but over all really good.
January 9, 2018
the idea of the book was really good and rather unique. I liked the characters and the speed of this book. Perfect book for a long weekend.
January 9, 2018
Four and a half stars rounded up to five.
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Please note: this book shows a rape scene. Although this scene occurs in the past it is described in some detail and it may upset some readers.
The is Londra's first book and it really is worth reading. I did put it down to sleep but I wanted to keep reading. The book is well-written and edited and the story engaging.
Kelly is a personal assistant to Andrew. Kelly also works as a dancer in order to support his younger brother Jaylen (the only thing I really disliked in the story was this name) who he has full custody of.
Kelly is convinced that Andrew dislikes him but a steamy birthday kiss changes everything.
Both men will have to fight for what they want but the fight is definitely worth winning.
Highly recommended.
I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Please note: this book shows a rape scene. Although this scene occurs in the past it is described in some detail and it may upset some readers.
The is Londra's first book and it really is worth reading. I did put it down to sleep but I wanted to keep reading. The book is well-written and edited and the story engaging.
Kelly is a personal assistant to Andrew. Kelly also works as a dancer in order to support his younger brother Jaylen (the only thing I really disliked in the story was this name) who he has full custody of.
Kelly is convinced that Andrew dislikes him but a steamy birthday kiss changes everything.
Both men will have to fight for what they want but the fight is definitely worth winning.
Highly recommended.
January 19, 2018
A copy of this book was provided free by the author in return for an honest review.
While the overall arc of Forever With You was good, the story suffered from new author syndrome. This was long for a new author and needed a lot tightening. Telling versus showing, poor formatting (especially of paragraphing), and the whooper usage of "man”. Let's see there was the other man, the big man, the slender man, the younger man and the older man, just to hint at how annoying those are to read.
Additionally, things a beta reader might have caught: descriptions of a guy's ass when he is walking towards you (you can't see it), and the fact that chronic asthmatics would own a nebulizer and use it, it wouldn't be first time prescribed.
Yes, there is that "black box" trigger warning. No, the scene didn't bother me, although I have no triggers in that area. What did bother me was the repetitiveness of information. Once, twice, okay, but when it hits four you've turned me off.
What I did like was the “time” of the story, with the entirety of it taking place over one year. It allowed the characters time to get to know each other, date, argue, bond, without instalust/instalove (well, maybe a bit of lust, because YUM, pretty men). It was just the right amount of time to fall in love.
While the overall arc of Forever With You was good, the story suffered from new author syndrome. This was long for a new author and needed a lot tightening. Telling versus showing, poor formatting (especially of paragraphing), and the whooper usage of "man”. Let's see there was the other man, the big man, the slender man, the younger man and the older man, just to hint at how annoying those are to read.
Additionally, things a beta reader might have caught: descriptions of a guy's ass when he is walking towards you (you can't see it), and the fact that chronic asthmatics would own a nebulizer and use it, it wouldn't be first time prescribed.
Yes, there is that "black box" trigger warning. No, the scene didn't bother me, although I have no triggers in that area. What did bother me was the repetitiveness of information. Once, twice, okay, but when it hits four you've turned me off.
What I did like was the “time” of the story, with the entirety of it taking place over one year. It allowed the characters time to get to know each other, date, argue, bond, without instalust/instalove (well, maybe a bit of lust, because YUM, pretty men). It was just the right amount of time to fall in love.
January 21, 2018
DNF but I am giving it 2 stars
Normally that is automatic 1 star for me but the very next book I downloaded showed me exactly how much worse it could have been. It was not that I could not finish Forever With You but more that I just really was not interested in doing so. Drew's behaviour was so unacceptable that I ceased to care about him almost immediately. The writing was childish and repetitive. So I decided to try and rescue my evening by picking a different book. I know I have read and enjoyed books with the same low quality writing and so perhaps a different night I might have kept plugging along.
Normally that is automatic 1 star for me but the very next book I downloaded showed me exactly how much worse it could have been. It was not that I could not finish Forever With You but more that I just really was not interested in doing so. Drew's behaviour was so unacceptable that I ceased to care about him almost immediately. The writing was childish and repetitive. So I decided to try and rescue my evening by picking a different book. I know I have read and enjoyed books with the same low quality writing and so perhaps a different night I might have kept plugging along.
January 14, 2018
A sweet enjoyable read. It wasn't perfect but for a debut I thought it was great.
I really liked the slow build between the MCs, it made the romance between them even sweeter. The characters have compelling personalities and back stories that you want to delve into. Throw in an adorable younger brother and this all adds up to an enjoyable read.
I look forward to seeing what the author delivers next.
Check the trigger warnings before reading as there is reference to a past event that some readers might have issues with.
I really liked the slow build between the MCs, it made the romance between them even sweeter. The characters have compelling personalities and back stories that you want to delve into. Throw in an adorable younger brother and this all adds up to an enjoyable read.
I look forward to seeing what the author delivers next.
Check the trigger warnings before reading as there is reference to a past event that some readers might have issues with.
January 8, 2018
This book blew me away. It was awesome. To be honest, not at first though. The book started as a good read with Kelly and Drew being at odds with each other, although Kelly worked for Drew as his admin. A classic case of hate at first sight that turns their encounters awkward. The turning point in their relationship is that stolen moment on Kelly’s birthday where Drew came onto Kelly strong. I have to say very strong, and I was dreading the rest of the story. But the author managed to turn the story around into a deeply emotional and beautiful albeit at times bittersweet story. A good story became a great story.
I didn’t like Drew at first, but he redeemed himself. Not just a little, but all the way. The way he completely turns toward Kelly, setting him on a pedestal really without cuddling him. How he let Kelly set the pace in their relationship. The complete understanding, and acceptance, of what Kelly has gone through. And mind you, that was hard, very hard to read. It all boggled my mind. It was heartfelt and stunning. And if he kept a part of him to himself, I could forgive him for that. Not very clever, but it was obvious he did it without malicious intents and only out of love.
It was so easy to love Kelly. He is a sweetheart. Scarred and broken but with a backbone of steel. He is raising his little brother Jaylen since he is nineteen, and what a good job he does. Taking on two jobs (the second we learn about much later) to give his brother a stable home and overcoming his past. That takes determination and strength. And through it all, he remains a loving, optimistic person.
The interactions between Kelly and Drew, and let’s not forget Jaylen, really got to me. Part laughing and part crying, it gave me all the feels. Jaylen is a sweet and cute seven-year-old, acting his age, and lovingly written into the story. He is as much part of the book as Kelly and Drew themselves. I would say it is a love story of three.
This author addressed some serious issues in this novel. She handled them with grace and respect, and gave them the right amount of attention without letting it overwhelm the story.
Highly recommended.
I didn’t like Drew at first, but he redeemed himself. Not just a little, but all the way. The way he completely turns toward Kelly, setting him on a pedestal really without cuddling him. How he let Kelly set the pace in their relationship. The complete understanding, and acceptance, of what Kelly has gone through. And mind you, that was hard, very hard to read. It all boggled my mind. It was heartfelt and stunning. And if he kept a part of him to himself, I could forgive him for that. Not very clever, but it was obvious he did it without malicious intents and only out of love.
It was so easy to love Kelly. He is a sweetheart. Scarred and broken but with a backbone of steel. He is raising his little brother Jaylen since he is nineteen, and what a good job he does. Taking on two jobs (the second we learn about much later) to give his brother a stable home and overcoming his past. That takes determination and strength. And through it all, he remains a loving, optimistic person.
The interactions between Kelly and Drew, and let’s not forget Jaylen, really got to me. Part laughing and part crying, it gave me all the feels. Jaylen is a sweet and cute seven-year-old, acting his age, and lovingly written into the story. He is as much part of the book as Kelly and Drew themselves. I would say it is a love story of three.
This author addressed some serious issues in this novel. She handled them with grace and respect, and gave them the right amount of attention without letting it overwhelm the story.
Highly recommended.
January 12, 2018
One man's life is filled with wealth but not love, the other has all the family love in the world without wealth. Neither man has the romantic life of their dreams and are sure it doesn't exist for them. But one birthday kiss has them questioning everything they thought was meant for them.
Kelly is a young, single man with the custody of his younger brother. He's lived a hard life and is determined to do the best for his brother which means working an admin assistant's job in the day and moonlighting as a go-go dancer on the weekend. He's intensely attracted to boss, it's just too bad his boss hates him. Treating him like garbage and embarrassing him in front of his colleagues is par for the course and he's getting fed up.
Andrew is a mess. Well, not that you could tell. His turmoil is on the inside. He appears to be a handsome, successful, wealthy man who could do his job in his sleep and have any woman he wants. Inside, though, he's a closeted gay man with a huge crush on his sexy assistant. Kelly has him tied up in knots. When his desire gets the better of him and he kisses Kelly their passion ignites and a kiss quickly turns into more. Until Kelly freezes and throws a bucket of ice on all their heat.
Confused and frustrated Andrew gets together with a couple friends to go to a bar. Trying to get Kelly off his mind is harder than expected, especially when the man himself is dancing like a sex god on the stage. Their second confrontation is just as frustrating but for different reasons. Andrew can't help but put his foot in his mouth time and time again leaving Kelly angry and hurt and more turned on than he can stand.
Kelly has a past trauma to overcome and Andrew needs all the patience he can find to keep Kelly in his life. They soon begin falling for one another and with a precocious and precious Jaylen in the mix, the desire to keep Kelly's little family for his own has Andrew reconsidering everything he ever thought he could have or want for his life.
I really liked this story. There was passion, patience, love and angst. Andrew's earnest desires for a life with Kelly were more than a little endearing. Kelly's struggles were heartbreaking but seeing him do his best and want to try again and again after finally giving in to his desire to be with Andrew was heartwarming. They each have something the other person desperately needed and I felt like they were a great match for one another. Despite the secrets that, when revealed, preyed on Kelly's insecurities and fears and Andrew's constant evasion, it was clear that they were still mean to be together. The whole story was full of so many of the best things that make a family a family.
Read and willingly reviewed this ARC from the author.
Kelly is a young, single man with the custody of his younger brother. He's lived a hard life and is determined to do the best for his brother which means working an admin assistant's job in the day and moonlighting as a go-go dancer on the weekend. He's intensely attracted to boss, it's just too bad his boss hates him. Treating him like garbage and embarrassing him in front of his colleagues is par for the course and he's getting fed up.
Andrew is a mess. Well, not that you could tell. His turmoil is on the inside. He appears to be a handsome, successful, wealthy man who could do his job in his sleep and have any woman he wants. Inside, though, he's a closeted gay man with a huge crush on his sexy assistant. Kelly has him tied up in knots. When his desire gets the better of him and he kisses Kelly their passion ignites and a kiss quickly turns into more. Until Kelly freezes and throws a bucket of ice on all their heat.
Confused and frustrated Andrew gets together with a couple friends to go to a bar. Trying to get Kelly off his mind is harder than expected, especially when the man himself is dancing like a sex god on the stage. Their second confrontation is just as frustrating but for different reasons. Andrew can't help but put his foot in his mouth time and time again leaving Kelly angry and hurt and more turned on than he can stand.
Kelly has a past trauma to overcome and Andrew needs all the patience he can find to keep Kelly in his life. They soon begin falling for one another and with a precocious and precious Jaylen in the mix, the desire to keep Kelly's little family for his own has Andrew reconsidering everything he ever thought he could have or want for his life.
I really liked this story. There was passion, patience, love and angst. Andrew's earnest desires for a life with Kelly were more than a little endearing. Kelly's struggles were heartbreaking but seeing him do his best and want to try again and again after finally giving in to his desire to be with Andrew was heartwarming. They each have something the other person desperately needed and I felt like they were a great match for one another. Despite the secrets that, when revealed, preyed on Kelly's insecurities and fears and Andrew's constant evasion, it was clear that they were still mean to be together. The whole story was full of so many of the best things that make a family a family.
Read and willingly reviewed this ARC from the author.
January 22, 2018
Forever with you was provided free in exchange for an honest review (mine always are) by Goodreads Don’t Buy My Love program.
3 1/2 stars
Kelly Montes is getting by- he’s got a new job as an executive assistant, a second job and his little brother, who he is raising is well. He also has a boss who won’t look him in the eye when he speaks to him, is short with him, but is nice to everyone else. Kelly doesn’t understand why his hot boss is such an ass to him.
Andrew Whitman is status quo- hooking up, no relationships, good job, away from his family, working in New York City- life is good except for a wretched attraction to his executive assistant. When Kelly’s birthday rolls around, Andrew acts on his feelings and his life changes.
As Kelly and Drew explore their feelings, it becomes obvious to Drew that something awful has happened to Kelly in the past but Drew feels that Kelly will tell him when he’s ready. Drew is invested in this relationship and wants to see where it goes. Kelly is scarred by his first sexual encounter, and concerned that when Andrew leaves him, his brother Jaylen will be hurt too if he lets Drew get too close.
Forever with you is a very good story. At times, it is not told well. If you read the blurb at the beginning of the book, you get info, some of which like Andrew’s family and best friend backstory for examples, that is not revealed until near the end of the book.
The characters in the story were well developed and relatable. Jaylen, Kelly’s little brother was well done. The sexual encounters were hot, and well told. The issue for me was the dialogue, especially in the beginning. It was forced, awkward, almost template like. The story didn’t quite match the blurb either.
When I read the authors bio at the end, the above dialogue and plot flow issues made more sense- Forever with you is this authors first book. Her story was great, the telling will improve with time, and a strict editor. I’ll look forward to her next book.
3 1/2 stars
Kelly Montes is getting by- he’s got a new job as an executive assistant, a second job and his little brother, who he is raising is well. He also has a boss who won’t look him in the eye when he speaks to him, is short with him, but is nice to everyone else. Kelly doesn’t understand why his hot boss is such an ass to him.
Andrew Whitman is status quo- hooking up, no relationships, good job, away from his family, working in New York City- life is good except for a wretched attraction to his executive assistant. When Kelly’s birthday rolls around, Andrew acts on his feelings and his life changes.
As Kelly and Drew explore their feelings, it becomes obvious to Drew that something awful has happened to Kelly in the past but Drew feels that Kelly will tell him when he’s ready. Drew is invested in this relationship and wants to see where it goes. Kelly is scarred by his first sexual encounter, and concerned that when Andrew leaves him, his brother Jaylen will be hurt too if he lets Drew get too close.
Forever with you is a very good story. At times, it is not told well. If you read the blurb at the beginning of the book, you get info, some of which like Andrew’s family and best friend backstory for examples, that is not revealed until near the end of the book.
The characters in the story were well developed and relatable. Jaylen, Kelly’s little brother was well done. The sexual encounters were hot, and well told. The issue for me was the dialogue, especially in the beginning. It was forced, awkward, almost template like. The story didn’t quite match the blurb either.
When I read the authors bio at the end, the above dialogue and plot flow issues made more sense- Forever with you is this authors first book. Her story was great, the telling will improve with time, and a strict editor. I’ll look forward to her next book.
March 30, 2018
The reason it took me so long to finish wasn't the book but real life happing.
This is a nice and rather classic love story between an administrative assistant with lots of secrets and his boss. So there's power differences between them that add some interesting spice to the story especially in the first third or so. I was glued to the pages because it was fun reading how Drew found out more and more about the enimatic object of his desire. Although Drew introduced himself into the story as veritable jerk and, not few would say, as an asshole, he quickly grew on me until I liked him very much as a character. Unfortunately he also was a jerk in regards to something that had huge impact on his relationship with Kelly that created unnecessary drama in the end. This drama was built up throughout the story but then was solved a bit too quickly with a bit of info dump imo. Nevertheless, the ending was nice and almost too sweet.
Kelly was a very interesting character who came along with some serious baggage and trust issues. He was almost too good to be true, larger than life in his special situation. But his actions were believable and he wasn't easy to be convinced to enter a relationship with his boss. I liked that and I liked Kelly and his best friends who were nice side characters, although they didn't get too much page time overall.
I had some niggles with the writing, especially in the beginning. The story is told both from Kelly's and Drew's POV what I really liked but what caused some repetitions when seeing the same situation from both perspectives.
Anyway, overall I liked the story quite a lot. It had interesting characters, memorable scenes, the dynamics between them added spice, some intrigue and drama and there's a little kid in it I actually liked.
January 9, 2018
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
I think I’m going to start this review with a warning. I mentioned Kelly went through a trauma when he was a teenager. There are descriptions of this trauma that include sexual assault. Proceed with caution if this is a trigger for you.
I liked Forever with You. I thought it was sweet, sexy, and relatively low on angst. The chemistry between Andrew and Kelly was fantastic from that first kiss in the office. Also, there was a slow burn to their relationship. They became intimate rather quickly, but it felt right. Andrew was tender and patient with Kelly and was all in even though Kelly wasn’t sure if they should be together.
I was fond of Andrew right away. He had an ongoing inner dialogue letting me know exactly how much he wanted Kelly, even though it probably wasn’t a good idea to become involved with an employee. I swooned the first time he called Kelly baby. In fact, I’m a sucker for that. I love that first baby. It always gives me a tingle. However, the thing I liked best about Andrew, perhaps even more than his deep feelings for Kelly, was how he developed a lovely bond with Jaylen. They meet cute with Jaylen asking, “Are you the hot boss?” and Andrew automatically adores him.
Read Kenna’s review in its entirety here.
4 stars
I think I’m going to start this review with a warning. I mentioned Kelly went through a trauma when he was a teenager. There are descriptions of this trauma that include sexual assault. Proceed with caution if this is a trigger for you.
I liked Forever with You. I thought it was sweet, sexy, and relatively low on angst. The chemistry between Andrew and Kelly was fantastic from that first kiss in the office. Also, there was a slow burn to their relationship. They became intimate rather quickly, but it felt right. Andrew was tender and patient with Kelly and was all in even though Kelly wasn’t sure if they should be together.
I was fond of Andrew right away. He had an ongoing inner dialogue letting me know exactly how much he wanted Kelly, even though it probably wasn’t a good idea to become involved with an employee. I swooned the first time he called Kelly baby. In fact, I’m a sucker for that. I love that first baby. It always gives me a tingle. However, the thing I liked best about Andrew, perhaps even more than his deep feelings for Kelly, was how he developed a lovely bond with Jaylen. They meet cute with Jaylen asking, “Are you the hot boss?” and Andrew automatically adores him.
Read Kenna’s review in its entirety here.
January 9, 2018
* A copy was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review via the MMRG Don’t Buy My Love Program *
This is Londra Laine's debut and it is absolutely GREAT!
It is a slow-burn, heart-warming romance with lovable MCs and amazing 7 year old kid. It's impossible not to fall in love with this trio!
This is a beautiful love story between two guys that are completely different but complete each other perfectly - Andrew aka Captain Douchebag is a hot boss with lots of money and big influential family and Kelly is just his super sexy assistant who also works as a go-go dancer to support his little brother. At the beginning I thought that this book would be different, but I was wrong. It is not Your regular predictable office romance (with more sex than plot) . There is character developments, getting to know each other, hanging out with Jay (who is super cute btw) and a lot of drama connected with Kelly's past, Andy's family and Jay's health but all in all we have a very happy HEA in the end :)
The writing style is good, the whole story is fully believable and all characters (including Chrys, Tay and Lex) feel real.
The story is really emotional so get ready for a rollercoaster but it is totally worth it!
This is Londra Laine's debut and it is absolutely GREAT!
It is a slow-burn, heart-warming romance with lovable MCs and amazing 7 year old kid. It's impossible not to fall in love with this trio!
This is a beautiful love story between two guys that are completely different but complete each other perfectly - Andrew aka Captain Douchebag is a hot boss with lots of money and big influential family and Kelly is just his super sexy assistant who also works as a go-go dancer to support his little brother. At the beginning I thought that this book would be different, but I was wrong. It is not Your regular predictable office romance (with more sex than plot) . There is character developments, getting to know each other, hanging out with Jay (who is super cute btw) and a lot of drama connected with Kelly's past, Andy's family and Jay's health but all in all we have a very happy HEA in the end :)
The writing style is good, the whole story is fully believable and all characters (including Chrys, Tay and Lex) feel real.
The story is really emotional so get ready for a rollercoaster but it is totally worth it!
January 14, 2018
5 Sweet Stars
This is the first book from Londra and I loved it. I checked and couldn’t find any more books from her, so if that’s the case it’s a wonderful effort for a first book. This story gave me ‘the feels’, I loved the slow build relationship between the two, I loved how Drew didn’t back down when faced with some heavy threats, and then Kelly.. in other words minimal martyrdom, we get a little angst, a bit of drama, a trigger warning, a sweet little boy, a couple of feisty best friends, and one evil character. I thoroughly enjoyed this read, and I like the way it made me continually trying to guess where the author was going to take their budding relationship. I also loved the dance scene with Kelly entertaining Drew... yowsa, that was hot. My only pet peeve, and it isn’t a big one, they both kept secrets from each other, Kelly should of told Drew about his issue early on, and Drew, it had me guessing all through the book what his secret was, what a numbnut for not telling Kelly about it sooner, but then I suppose we’d have next to no drama if he’d told him...lol. So congratulations to Londra, this is a 5 Star read for me, and I’d happily recommend it to everyone.
This is the first book from Londra and I loved it. I checked and couldn’t find any more books from her, so if that’s the case it’s a wonderful effort for a first book. This story gave me ‘the feels’, I loved the slow build relationship between the two, I loved how Drew didn’t back down when faced with some heavy threats, and then Kelly.. in other words minimal martyrdom, we get a little angst, a bit of drama, a trigger warning, a sweet little boy, a couple of feisty best friends, and one evil character. I thoroughly enjoyed this read, and I like the way it made me continually trying to guess where the author was going to take their budding relationship. I also loved the dance scene with Kelly entertaining Drew... yowsa, that was hot. My only pet peeve, and it isn’t a big one, they both kept secrets from each other, Kelly should of told Drew about his issue early on, and Drew, it had me guessing all through the book what his secret was, what a numbnut for not telling Kelly about it sooner, but then I suppose we’d have next to no drama if he’d told him...lol. So congratulations to Londra, this is a 5 Star read for me, and I’d happily recommend it to everyone.
January 10, 2018
Powerful, cathartic, and romantic journey for Andrew and Kelly. Writing was terrific and the character development was outstanding! The plot was engaging and i just fell in love with this story! This story just hit all the warm and fuzzy feels that you look for in a memorable romance. This will be a re-read for me i am sure.
Both men have so much to discover about themselves and they have so much fun growing together. Andrew is so human and has such a loving heart. i really loved Andrew for Kelly. Kelly is this intense and driven guy that really needed someone to value and treasure him. Andrew and Kelly together were just kinda perfect.
I really enjoyed the supporting characters from Andrew's best friend and his siblings to Kelly's best friend. They added depth to our characters and allowed us to love them even more.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy
Both men have so much to discover about themselves and they have so much fun growing together. Andrew is so human and has such a loving heart. i really loved Andrew for Kelly. Kelly is this intense and driven guy that really needed someone to value and treasure him. Andrew and Kelly together were just kinda perfect.
I really enjoyed the supporting characters from Andrew's best friend and his siblings to Kelly's best friend. They added depth to our characters and allowed us to love them even more.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy
January 13, 2018
Trigger warning a graphically depicted memory of a rape. That said. This is a must read, strong believable characters. A strongly emotional and erotic story with a well done story line. This book is not just pretty words wrapped around steamy sex scenes. Its a well written and well edited story. No spoilers here read it for your self and have a hanky handy. I loved it.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 11, 2018
Love this book! Great storyline that pulled me in right from the beginning and kept me hooked all the way through to the end. Drew and Kelly are wonderful characters with great chemistry and a strong attraction but Kelly works for Drew. They finally reveal their feelings and as their relationship develops they have ups and downs. I really like Drew's patience and understanding towards Kelly and Jaylen, Kelly's little brother of whom he's had custody since their parents died. Can't wait to read more from this author.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.
January 10, 2018
I loved it💖
Drew and Kelly really just leap off of the page, they are such engaging characters and the great storyline built around them had me fully invested in their story. This story certainly wrings the heartstrings.
Drew and Kelly really just leap off of the page, they are such engaging characters and the great storyline built around them had me fully invested in their story. This story certainly wrings the heartstrings.
November 17, 2023
Este es el tipo de libro que yo escogía cuando empecé a leer en inglés, previsible en el desarrollo, con poca "chicha" para no perder la trama, personajes simples y mucho diálogo para no tener que estar buscando en el WordReference cada dos por tres. Ahora, ya habituada al idioma, este tipo de historias no me dicen nada y me aburren soberanamente.
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