Rourke Tormey lived and breathed for the Killough Mob. After his father doomed their family by betrayal, the only thing that kept them alive was Sloan’s leniency and trust, and Rourke made it his mission to prove to the boss that he’d done the right thing. So when Sloan asked him to run the Exotic Virtue, he worked his ass off to raise its standards and bring in more influential clientele. Falling in love with his highest earning professional isn’t part of his plan.
Forrest Brassard grew up in a foster home. He knew what it felt like to not belong and joining the Virtue as a professional gave him what he always searched for—love, even if it was only from a different man every hour. When Rourke took over, it was lust at first sight. He wanted the Irish soldier.
Their romance is forbidden. Between Rourke’s resistance and Forrest’s determination, the struggle of falling in love is one that both may lose. When a certain detective is out to bring the Killough Company crashing to the ground, they must work together with Sloan and Conall to make sure it’s her career that goes up in flames instead of the Virtue.
One of the easiest 5 stars from me. Rourke and Forrest killed me in this one. This author nailed it with the world buildup and characterization. I thought middle books are cursed and this proved me wrong.
Forrest was such a baddie and a sweetheart all wrapped up in one and even though Rourke annoyed me in the beginning, I eventually came to like him and the way his affections for Forrest developed.
This book was better than the first in my opinion simply because there was no brattiness (looking at you Conall..lol!) and I felt the emotions were better developed in this one.
Enjoyed this read... gritty and a fast moving pace. Rourke & Forrest were a unique pairing of stoic & tough, sassy & flirty. They clearly adored each other in their own way and I’m glad Forrest persisted with his desire for Rourke. I liked that Sloane & Connell remained central to the continuing story as this helped build the connections. I like this series .. a good read ❤️
I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first one, but it was still good an enjoyable.
We met Forrest in book 1, as a prostitute at the whorehouse Conall worked at, and who Conall would sleep with from time to time. But by the end of book 1, Forrest is pretty smitten with Rourke, the man that takes over shaping up the Virtue to become a better place that earns more profits.
They obviously want each other, but Rourke is resistant to starting something, citing his rules about not sleeping with the prostitutes that work for him.
I think that's what dragged this rating down a little for me. Rourke resisted for like ever, so much so that we really only got two full on penetrative sex scenes between these two and even before that not a ton happened between these two. I felt as frustrated as Forrest whenever Rourke would cite his "rules" and would "we shouldn't do this" and blah blah blah.
That said, I did enjoy these two together and there was chemistry. I just think if Rourke hadn't been so resistant for so long, there could have been more room for romance, and the "I love you" at the end would feel more earned than it did.
The plot was interesting, as Diaz, the detective from the first book, becomes more of a problem in this as she specifically targets the virtue first.
Forrest is a prostitute for most of this book, but thankfully that's all off screen. Although there is one client who is clearly abusive that has to be dealt with in this, which is another plot line throughout this.
Overall, this could have been better (if Rourke hadn't resisted for so long with his ~rules~) but I did enjoy it and I did enjoy these two for the most part, and it's definitely worth a read if you liked and enjoyed the first book in this series. Just that, so far, this is my least favorite - don't know how the last book will go, but I'm looking forward to it.
Ugh, I was really not fond of this book. I felt like I was dragging through mud reading the first 80% or so. Nothing was really happening and like I said in my update, the MCs were extremely mercurial. It seemed like they had multiple personalities and their characters weren't consistent in my opinion. I honestly didn't feel a connection beyond sex between the two MCs until around the end. The ending was also wrapped up in a little bow as to how things worked out.
The writing was odd and there were a lot phrases that seemed wrong grammatically or least not natural. I also got tired of the sex workers being called whores. I mean it was used 96 times. I think I had a problem with it in the first book in the series as well. I remember having a LOT of issues with the first book but I still enjoyed it quite a bit more than this one. I am not sure if I will continue on with the series or not.
I really enjoy this series and loved finding out about Forrest and revisiting Conall and Sloan. Conall's character continues to grow and his solution to Rourke and Forrest's problem was enlightened. Rourke had been a shadowy figure and it was great to get to know him. My only complaints were typos and sentences that didn't make sense ( just a few not as many as in other stories!) And the ending came a little too soon it would have been nice to read a bit more about how they bought down Diaz and how Rourke and Forrest adjusted to their new roles. Plus what happened with Alice
I hope for more in this series and/ or another Connall/ Sloan book or even another Rourke/ Forrest book but there are other characters singing out for their stories.
Boss me around "Like I said...everyone wants to feel a connection..." I definitely feel connected to this series. I love it and all the main characters, even when they frustrate me. I was so happy to see Conall and Sloan again. I do love it when men will do anything for the guys they care about and Rourke epitomizes that, so sexy. He has a deep well of passion that’s waiting to be let loose and Forrest is just the guy he needs. Speaking of Forrest, he simultaneously made me laugh with his antics (and pouts) and broke my heart with all the secrets he kept hidden. Never underestimate him. Rourke and Forrest both kept a piece of my heart after this book. Plus, they have major chemistry and I think they could melt the permafrost. When it comes to this series, they break all the rules and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
The Professional is book two in The Killough Company series
This is your vibe if you like Sex workers Forced proximity Mafia world
Oh sweet baby Forrest. I was so excited we got his story with Rourke! It was a great vibe. I was here for it. And this series…maybe the whole New Gothenburg world might just be my new addiction. I will be getting into the next book soon!
I’ve been looking forward to reading Forrest and Rourke’s story but was it worth the wait? Hell yeah!
There were times I could have smacked Rourke. His cruel words were like bullets to the heart and every time it happened, the fire in Forrest’s eyes dimmed.
Forrest was a sweetheart who truly deserved his own HEA.
Sloane and Connell were as sweet and sexy as ever.
Fantastic book and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
As much as I love Forrest and Rourke, Conall and Sloan are better so it made it hard to read a book that didn’t follow Conall and Sloan. I liked this book but it just felt a little boring and the ending was pretty anticlimactic.
What a turn of events from the first book… hated this one. 80% of the time I was annoyed as sh*t and the other 20% I was skimming. Probably should have just DNFed but oh well 🤷🏼♀️
I’m honestly having trouble even connecting the two books. This installment was such a 180. Rourke sucked, Forrest was desperate, and the ending was abrupt and random.
This line at like 80% was what really did it for me: “You’re not just a possession to me like you think you are” after Rourke LITERALLY spent the entire first 80% of the book flirting with or doing sexual things with Forrest only to immediately turn around and say “we can’t do this, you’re property of the Virtue” GIVE ME A F*CKING BREAK. I skimmed the remainder of the book from there.
The back and forth and desperation throughout the whole book was just annoying in his entirety.
Forrest was the only likable thing about this book. The romance in this book was 95% lust and 5% love and even then, the resultants of the lust were disappointing.
The plot was so incredibly boring and uneventful, there was no progression within the story. The climax of the book was so brief and underwhelming and I’m only referring to it as ‘the climax’ because it was the only time something interesting happened. This book honestly felt like a preview to some of the characters this author plans on writing about in the future. I wish I could say more about the plot but I cannot and I’m unsure whether this is because of how forgettable it was or because of the lack of build up.
The relationship between the MCs was so underwhelming too. At the beginning of the book, the characters were already smitten with one another and it doesn’t make any sense because it was implied that their interactions prior to the present were kept at a minimum. Even if it was a love at first sight kinda thing, their relationship doesn’t really develop at all throughout the book. They were supposedly in love yet it felt like neither of them knew anything about each other by the end of the book. Almost all of the chapters with them together were mainly focused on the sex or them dirty talking. I felt that Rourke didn’t have any personality traits. Forrest was likable though, he was the only thing that drove me to carry on reading. Him and my dedication to finish all the books I start.
And the ‘villain’? So poorly written, had no effect on the plot and characters. Absolutely useless and overhyped. We only see them twice in the book and they’re mentioned about 5 times yet for some reason they’re being made out to be an important, threatening character despite being easily forgotten (I’m talking about the detective btw not the client).
The workers were so horribly objectified too. This would’ve been fine if it was acknowledged more but it was so normalized and like the rest of the book, the way they were treated didn’t progress at all. If the rest of the book was realistic, I would’ve let this detail pass as I’m sure many prostitutes are generally treated badly but no, this accessory felt like the authors bad attempt at being angsty.
I’m not even going to bother talking about the boring sex scenes and cringe-y dirty talk.
I’m also not not going to talk about the amount of random, completely unnecessary details in this book (like why mention a potential twin brother at the end? And the random bomb at the beginning?). My guess is that the author wrote this book purely to indirectly introduce the future MCs of this series.
The ending felt like a forced, unrealistic HEA. Everything just magically works out for the MCs. Wouldn’t be surprised at all if I found this book on Wattpad.
I did notice a few errors, particularly mix-ups between third and first person (there were two occasions I can recall off the top of my head where it switched from using a character's name to "I" in a sentence). I also found the author name-dropping a co-writer in a scene where Forrest and Rourke were discussing books to be a little immersion-breaking; it completely took me out of the scene for a few minutes. That definitely seemed like the kind of little in-joke/reference that would be funny between friends in the drafts, but should've been left out of the final product, especially as it added nothing to the conversation and felt unnatural as it was.
The abrupt throw-in of a 'secret identical twin' plot right at the end of the book was jarring to me, especially when they introduced (presumably, as there was no mention of him potentially being the brother) another character who looked identical to Forrest to abruptly resolve another plot point out of left field. If those two things were going to be included, tie them in and make them related to one another, as well as bringing the whole twin brother plot up earlier in the book so it would be more spread out and not feel so sudden and random.
However, I really enjoyed this. I loved Forrest - the shit with Montague had me tense and on the edge of my seat (and I admit to some skipping ahead to make sure it would turn out okay before going back to where I was and reading through it properly because I was so badly hoping that someone would find them in time). I also loved Nadene becoming a maternal figure to everyone at the Virtue at the end and preparing brunch for them.
Forrest/Rourke was more slow-burn than the pairings in the other books from this author I've read, which differentiated them, and I enjoyed that element of it. Their first sex scene was hot, too (as were the rest of them, obviously).
Details: Alternating POVs, third-person, past tense Favourite character: Forrest Happy ending?: Yes Content warnings: Drugs and overdose deaths, violence, physical abuse and a near attempted rape (not between MCs), homophobia and homophobic slurs
SO MUCH DRAMA CHEMISTRY IS OFF THE CHARTS Rourke Tormey lived and breathed for the Killough Mob He had a lot to prove after his father betrayed to Sloan Killough.. He was now working at The Exotic Virtue and he is taking it really seriously. He has rules and there will be trouble if the professional dont stick to them But Rourke has a big problem and that problem is called Forrest Brassard. Forrest brings in the biggest amount of money to Virtue Because he is one sexy man and he knows it. But he is a problem to Rourke because Rourke cant keep his eyes off him. Even when he closes his eyes he can see him and its driving him crazy but he will fight it because he shouldn't be having these thoughts about one of his Professionals. But what didnt help was Forrest was the biggest flirt and he had Rourke in his eye line. This is a brilliant story about two people who shouldn't have feelings for each other but who will do anything to make it work. I reakky enjoyed there tale. The banter and chemistry is super hot. Its explosive and will get you very hot under the collar. This really was a fantastic read and im excited to read more from M.D. Gregory. this will defiantly not be the only book I read by M.D. Gregory!!!!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed reading this captivating, slightly dark MM romance & it is a perfect addition to the “The Killough Company” series. There are characters crossovers from the previous book “The Boss” but this book can be read as a standalone. The characters are complex individuals & are perfectly emotional flawed, one of the main characters (the acting boss of Virtue, Rourke Tormey) is quite attracted to a male sex-worker (Forrest Brassard) but is determined to resist him. The ultimate mafia boss (Sloan Killough) & his lover/pet (Conall Morrisey), a Detective (Diaz) determined to take down Sloan & everything connected to him. The plot is well-written, interesting & intriguing with unexpected situations & events. There is: mafia, law enforcement, a Irish mobster (Rourke), a mischievous young man (Forrest), twists & turns, intrigue, drama, deceit, threats, danger, enemies, violence, drugs, set-ups, friendship, family issues, action, secrets, memories, prostitution, death, attempted manipulation, defiance, jealousy, humiliation, abuse, a unexpected offer, steamy scenes, affection, emotional feelings, contentment & a well-deserved satisfying conclusion. I enjoyed reading this MM romance & would recommend it to people who enjoy reading this genre.
I really enjoyed this book. Forrest has had a tough life but he isn't some damsel in distress, thank you very much. He's witty, sassy, smart and has a heart of gold. He just wants to be seen and heard, to have value as a human being, not simply a commodity, as the Virtue's top earner. He doesn't have family, so the brothel he works for is exactly that for him, a family. Rourke has been brought in to be in charge of the Virtue, the Killough company's top end brothel and clean it up. He's very strait-laced and adheres to the rules with a ruthless grip. His family life has lead to some very dark deeds in order to protect his family. They begin an illicit affair and these men have chemistry that sizzles, they're so deliciously naughty. As they develop their relationship, outside forces are working to bring the Killough company to it's knees and there's a threat to Forrest that's nearly the unmaking of Rourke before it's swiftly and viciously resolved. I'm definitely looking forward to more from this world.
This story hooked me from the start. It has sex money,drugs, violence and romance. I loved mafia romances and since this had gay elements it made it more interesting. Forrest was the highest paid "professional" at the brothel owned by the Irish mafia.Lately he has been questioning if this what he wants to keep doing...he loves sex but he wants the hot boss more. Rourke who is the designated boss of the brothel is obsessed with rules. He notices Forrest...he is attracted to the hot, sexy and beautiful Forrest but he will not touch...it's against the rules. Forrest doesn't care about those rules..he wants Rourke and he intends to have him. Drama and mayhem ensues. It has a very satisfying HEA... the guys get what they both want in the end. This was really a page turner and I couldn't put it down. I had to keep reading until I finished in one sitting. This is the second book I read from this author and it didn't disappoint.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Love this book. This story isn't light and fluffy, though there are sweet moments between Rourke and Forrest, and might not be for everyone. This story is intense and gripping and at first I wasn't sure it was for me but the more I read the more I couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end. There is so much going on and I love the way their world is written so I didn't get lost. In this story Rourke is in charge of running the Virtue, where Forrest happens to work. Them getting involved is against the rules but that does stop Forrest from getting what he wants. They really are sweet together. I can't wait to read more in this series to see what happens next. If you like your books a little more towards the dark side you don't want to miss this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Not gonna lie. I was disappointed in this one. I was so excited to read it and enjoyed the beginning. But the way Forrest was treated by His best friend and Rourke ruined this.
“so I can talk to him about being careful with our property.” Rourke is still talking like this about Forrest 60% through the book. He treats him as an object until like 85%. And he never actually redeems himself. Forrest gets mad then just gets over it because of sex. Ew. The whole I’m standing up for myself until you swing your giant penis at me trope is the main reason I stopped reading MF romance so it was disappointing to read. I get that it is dark romance but it just didn’t hit right. There’s usually something that makes up for it or growth but not here. I’ve read much darker books and didn’t get mad like this.
So many twists and turns, angst and chemistry while keeping true to the exotic profession. I really like getting to know Forest better, and the overarching Diaz storyline kept me guessing. Rouke and Forest have so much chemistry and are so hot together! (Fans self) The give and take between these two was hot and frustrating but the tenseness, fire and danger kept the story fresh and intriguing. Sloan and Conall's cameos were great and the ever expanding world has me hooked. I'm so glad I've gone back to read the books to start Sloan Killough's story and world. It gives you so much background and opens up the world Meg (and Ki) have created and the slow and steady whispers if war and unrest are even present this early in the stories...can't wait for more as we ramp up for the epic conclusion. Omg so good.
I had been waiting for this book since I finished the first one and I was definitely not disappointed! I loved Forrest in the first book, he just stood out and I'm glad that this was his story...I'm love his attitude...so snappy ... muah. Rourke the guy that took charge of the Virtue to clean it up, he's follows the rules like his life depends on it which it kinda does. The two start an affair and yes sir it's hot but not all sunshine and rainbows though. It gets dark and gritty, there's some things in this book that some people might not like or might trigger them. I can't wait for the next one, I love this authors writing!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is definitely what type of work that should be expected from M.D. Gregory. I equally enjoyed Rourkes' stern quiet dangerous personality as much as I did Forrests' flirty, mischievous, quick witted and nurturing personality. I really loved the constant appearances from Sloan and Connel. But the story was not just amazing with just enough suspense, action and of course lust, it was filled with so many lively characters that even though we knew Rourke and Forrest were the main characters we had the perfect amount of support characters. I swear that my only complaint was that it ended too quickly. I'm looking forward to the next book and hopefully one day a new installment in The Killough Company.
Forrest has worked in the whorehouse since he was 18. Proud to be the top earner and enjoying the benefits that come with it. When Rourke is brought in to manage the house things begin to change. The mob owns the house and the whores. Rourke is forever proving himself to the Mob boss. But what happens when Rourke and Forrest can't stay away from one another? Forrest is considered property. Behind this issue is the gritty life of the mob. People are killed, tortured and abused. But through all of this there are characters that really care for one another. They are their own "family" I really enjoyed this story and the two that precede it. Looking forward to more!
Forrest is what polite society would call a professional. What most people would call a prostitute. He loves sex, he loves me, he loves his job. It's the best place he's ever lived and he actually has people he considers family there. Then his new boss comes along b to make sure that people do what they're supposed to do and nobody gets hurt. He's rough, tough and seems to show no emotion, but Forrest has wanted him from first sight. Can Rourke love someone who has had so many other men? I really enjoyed this read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
We met Forrest in "The Boss", the first book in this series and it was clear he was a plucky survivor. He is truly more than what he does but he is not in a place where that his noted. He works in a brothel that Rourke is put in charge of running. They are not supposed to get invovled and their chemistry is intense as they evolve on the down low. But they live in a dangerous world and danger comes for them and then is resolved but there is nothing easy in this gritty life they lead. Another good installment in the series.More, more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Forrest and Rourke! Really enjoyed this couple story.
Rourke coming from up from crap show his dad put their family in and proving himself. Forrest growing up in the system as a foster kid. Two mismatch people who should have never met. But was thrown together by circumstance. Even though they work in a very old business Rourke is very accepting of Forrester back ground and they fall in love. Conall as always is showing his better self and picking up on the business end of being the boss’s pet. I guess he just needed a little more incentive than what he was getting from his brother..
Rourke and Forrest burned up the pages in this book. Forrest is the top earner at The Virtue run by Rourke, his boss, and who he has the hots for. But Rourke doesn't allow his workers to have relationships on the job until he breaks his own rules with Forrest. Sloan and Conall from book one were a big part of this continuing series. Detective Diaz is still trying to infiltrate The Killough Company and must be dealt with. This book had plenty of action to keep you wanting more. I highly recommend this series and can't wait for book 3 now. I recommend reading this series in order as its a continuing storyline.
Wasn't sure I'd love these two but oh boy. This was amazing.
- Forrest is a poor baby that needs to be protected at all cost. And I think Rourke does a pretty good job. *wink wink* - there is some mystery, some drama, and some angst between the couple and outside of them. - I understood Rourke's reluctance to commit with Forrest but I also loved his contradictions in his actions. - the spice was brilliant. And hot. The kinks were just enough. - the ending for Rourke and Forrest and their relationship was a bit too ideal but I would be lying if I did not say I relied on one character to help them. So in the end, I'm not complaining!
The further I get through the New Gothenburg books the more I see that MD Gregory and KI Brightly are not okay. The lazy use of slurs and phrases like “dead whores don’t make money” over and over again is exhausting and not creative. Okay we get it, people are homophobic. Wow. So original. There are constant moments where I’m not able to suspend disbelief and just live in the character povs—I’m struck by the fact that people wrote this and that people are getting off on it. Don’t even get me started on the City Hall books in this universe. A couple compelling characters aren’t worth this. DNF-ing the rest of the books.