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Assured Elites #2
A Higher Flame
A celebrity matchmaking service pairs a lonely billionaire with a playboy actor. Are they nuts?
“Just be nice, and don't break his heart too fast. Wait until after the Oscars.”
Bad boy Trent has been nominated for Best Actor, and now the rising star needs to clean up his act. A steady man at his side will make him seem more authentic to the Academy voters.
“There are so many ways this could blow up into you screwing up and having fun.”
Ben isn't quite sure why Gran volunteered him for a blind date with a Hollywood actor. The spotlight is for other billionaires. Ben chooses to be alone in the shadows
.
Assured Elites never fails to put together the dreamiest matches. Will Trent and Ben break their perfect record?
A Higher Flame is a steamy gay romance novel that features a bashful billionaire, a secret beach, and a bad boy who needs to clean up his act. Always a guaranteed happy ending, and absolutely no cheating or cliffhangers.
Each novel in the Assured Elites series deals with a different couple. Feel free to start anywhere and to read them in any order.
“Just be nice, and don't break his heart too fast. Wait until after the Oscars.”
Bad boy Trent has been nominated for Best Actor, and now the rising star needs to clean up his act. A steady man at his side will make him seem more authentic to the Academy voters.
“There are so many ways this could blow up into you screwing up and having fun.”
Ben isn't quite sure why Gran volunteered him for a blind date with a Hollywood actor. The spotlight is for other billionaires. Ben chooses to be alone in the shadows
.
Assured Elites never fails to put together the dreamiest matches. Will Trent and Ben break their perfect record?
A Higher Flame is a steamy gay romance novel that features a bashful billionaire, a secret beach, and a bad boy who needs to clean up his act. Always a guaranteed happy ending, and absolutely no cheating or cliffhangers.
Each novel in the Assured Elites series deals with a different couple. Feel free to start anywhere and to read them in any order.
316 pages, Paperback
First published January 2, 2018
14 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 16, 2018
This book was provided for free by the author and Love Bytes in exchange for an honest review.
This review was first posted to Love Bytes: LGBTQ Book Reviews. It has been slightly edited here for content.
This is the second book in the "Assured Elites" trilogy, but so far, we don’t really know anything about the men behind the titular matchmaking agency or why they do what they do. We only know that they make perfect matches. And true to the theme, Ben and Trent have amazing chemistry and their coming together feels as organic as possible under the circumstances. It isn’t a perfect series so far, but it has some high points.
I loved how Ben and Trent met for the first time. It’s the perfect depiction of two people who find each other attractive right away but still need to be cautious and feel each other out for tricks or insincerity. Trent’s naturally flirty personality and Ben’s quiet stoicism work shockingly well together, making their entire gym introduction a delight to read. I think Avrile is better at writing the build-up than the main event, so to speak—her erotica is a little repetitive, and in both books of the series so far, the sexual dynamics seem to be nearly identical (light bondage, edging, etc.). But the romantic zing between the two men is certainly present.
At about the halfway mark, this story started feeling…familiar. In fact, it bears such a strong resemblance to the first book that I could hardly keep some of the characters apart. The meddling managers, sad family backstory, cute dog interventions, and paparazzi posturing all happened in the first book, and they’re insignificant enough details to not be necessary to this book. However, the plotting in this book is kept tighter and simpler, which I think works for a pretty fluffy story.
We get only a tenuous, slippery grip on these characters right up until the end. They remain undefined and scattered throughout the whole story. Take Trent, for instance—he’s an Oscar-nominated actor and apparently a multimillionaire, but we know nothing about his career, the types of movies he’s in, his acting history, or anything else. And one of the most interesting bits of backstory for Ben was completely discarded after it was mentioned once or twice. Apparently, he was kidnapped as a child and it was enough of a media sensation to make him a minor celebrity, yet we never know any interesting details about that! What happened? Who did it? How did the family react? What are the lasting effects on Ben? It was just never discussed again.
Parker Avrile is a good romance writer who knows how to get the sparks flying, but she really loses the thread on plot details sometimes. Both books in this series so far need major editing to keep track of character details, backstory, pacing, and structure. They are decent romances that could be great with a lot of tweaking.
There’s one book left in the trilogy, so I hope we’ll finally get to actually meet the Assured Elites dynamic duo!
This review was first posted to Love Bytes: LGBTQ Book Reviews. It has been slightly edited here for content.
This is the second book in the "Assured Elites" trilogy, but so far, we don’t really know anything about the men behind the titular matchmaking agency or why they do what they do. We only know that they make perfect matches. And true to the theme, Ben and Trent have amazing chemistry and their coming together feels as organic as possible under the circumstances. It isn’t a perfect series so far, but it has some high points.
I loved how Ben and Trent met for the first time. It’s the perfect depiction of two people who find each other attractive right away but still need to be cautious and feel each other out for tricks or insincerity. Trent’s naturally flirty personality and Ben’s quiet stoicism work shockingly well together, making their entire gym introduction a delight to read. I think Avrile is better at writing the build-up than the main event, so to speak—her erotica is a little repetitive, and in both books of the series so far, the sexual dynamics seem to be nearly identical (light bondage, edging, etc.). But the romantic zing between the two men is certainly present.
At about the halfway mark, this story started feeling…familiar. In fact, it bears such a strong resemblance to the first book that I could hardly keep some of the characters apart. The meddling managers, sad family backstory, cute dog interventions, and paparazzi posturing all happened in the first book, and they’re insignificant enough details to not be necessary to this book. However, the plotting in this book is kept tighter and simpler, which I think works for a pretty fluffy story.
We get only a tenuous, slippery grip on these characters right up until the end. They remain undefined and scattered throughout the whole story. Take Trent, for instance—he’s an Oscar-nominated actor and apparently a multimillionaire, but we know nothing about his career, the types of movies he’s in, his acting history, or anything else. And one of the most interesting bits of backstory for Ben was completely discarded after it was mentioned once or twice. Apparently, he was kidnapped as a child and it was enough of a media sensation to make him a minor celebrity, yet we never know any interesting details about that! What happened? Who did it? How did the family react? What are the lasting effects on Ben? It was just never discussed again.
Parker Avrile is a good romance writer who knows how to get the sparks flying, but she really loses the thread on plot details sometimes. Both books in this series so far need major editing to keep track of character details, backstory, pacing, and structure. They are decent romances that could be great with a lot of tweaking.
There’s one book left in the trilogy, so I hope we’ll finally get to actually meet the Assured Elites dynamic duo!
August 1, 2018
The blurb was interesting as I found idea of matchmaking services for rich and famous intriguing. It promised to at least be fun.
The beginning suffered from fits and starts and the portrayal of the characters didn’t exactly endear them to me. But the setup was still interesting. I liked the idea of grandmother trying to fix her grandson and the sly way she went about it.
The story moves along easily giving alternating POVs of two heroes. It is fun, with entertaining dialogue. The guys engage in game of oneupmanship, which is at least, a novel way of wooing someone. (It does seem to work in this case!)
They both knew the score (it was supposed to be fake relationship) but are nevertheless interested in where connection between them could lead. I liked that they were willing to try and enjoy something that started as obligation for both of them. The play of emotions both men experience as the game between them slowly turned real added new dimension to the story, pulling me in deeper.
I didn’t buy into conflict between men at the end. It wasn’t very logical to me and the almost break up that followed seemed over the top. It is, however, very well described and the emotions both Trent and Ben experienced smoothed the edges away. The conflict drew on insecurities both men have and they were both forced to make pivotal changes in their life. Ben needs to make decision on what he wants from life while Trent needs to believe he deserves what he wants.
In the end, this story is exactly what it says on the tin: a cute story about matchmaking with a happy end.
I received copy of this book in exchange for review.
The review is also posted on Gay Book Reviews
The beginning suffered from fits and starts and the portrayal of the characters didn’t exactly endear them to me. But the setup was still interesting. I liked the idea of grandmother trying to fix her grandson and the sly way she went about it.
The story moves along easily giving alternating POVs of two heroes. It is fun, with entertaining dialogue. The guys engage in game of oneupmanship, which is at least, a novel way of wooing someone. (It does seem to work in this case!)
They both knew the score (it was supposed to be fake relationship) but are nevertheless interested in where connection between them could lead. I liked that they were willing to try and enjoy something that started as obligation for both of them. The play of emotions both men experience as the game between them slowly turned real added new dimension to the story, pulling me in deeper.
I didn’t buy into conflict between men at the end. It wasn’t very logical to me and the almost break up that followed seemed over the top. It is, however, very well described and the emotions both Trent and Ben experienced smoothed the edges away. The conflict drew on insecurities both men have and they were both forced to make pivotal changes in their life. Ben needs to make decision on what he wants from life while Trent needs to believe he deserves what he wants.
In the end, this story is exactly what it says on the tin: a cute story about matchmaking with a happy end.
I received copy of this book in exchange for review.
The review is also posted on Gay Book Reviews
January 26, 2018
I am liking this series. The misterious couple that owns Assured Elites is on roll again. Trent, a young successful actor, needs a fake boyfriend to counter rumors to his character before the Oscars. Ben is a billionaire who doesn’t know what he wants in life and is in a mini sabatical. He receives a gift from his dear Grandma. Trent is a playboy, he is young and with his acting career ascending. Will they be a match? Will the fake boyfriend turn into more? I really liked Trent, his background is heartbreaking but he has come through and Ben is so down to earth and sweet. Their chemistry definetly hot! Can’t wait for the next Assured Elites book :-)
December 9, 2018
2.5 stars rounded up
July 13, 2021
The action is not that intense because of the remoteness but the impact of the success it brings is all useful and similar to a real thing.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews