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Mr. Uptight
Jude Staubman lives his life by a strict set of rules.
Mason Reiner makes him want to break every single one of them.
Jude:
What do you do when you wake up with a hangover and find yourself in bed with your best friend’s younger brother?
Who happens to be your new brother-in-law?
The man who drives you crazy.
The man who’s always skated by on fast-talk, good looks, and a bright smile.
The one who makes you want to break all the rules.
You hire him as your assistant, of course. And pray you can keep your sanity.
And your hands off him.
Mason:
How do you prove you’ve changed?
That you’re no longer the party-boy who always needed rescuing from his own mistakes—and boy you’ve made some big ones.
But no one needs to know your secrets.
You take a job with the one man who doesn’t trust you.
The man who’s waiting for you to screw up.
You try and forget that one explosive night together.
Except you can’t.
And to your shock...neither can he.
What do you do when the one man you can’t imagine living with is the one you can’t live without?
Mason Reiner makes him want to break every single one of them.
Jude:
What do you do when you wake up with a hangover and find yourself in bed with your best friend’s younger brother?
Who happens to be your new brother-in-law?
The man who drives you crazy.
The man who’s always skated by on fast-talk, good looks, and a bright smile.
The one who makes you want to break all the rules.
You hire him as your assistant, of course. And pray you can keep your sanity.
And your hands off him.
Mason:
How do you prove you’ve changed?
That you’re no longer the party-boy who always needed rescuing from his own mistakes—and boy you’ve made some big ones.
But no one needs to know your secrets.
You take a job with the one man who doesn’t trust you.
The man who’s waiting for you to screw up.
You try and forget that one explosive night together.
Except you can’t.
And to your shock...neither can he.
What do you do when the one man you can’t imagine living with is the one you can’t live without?
317 pages, Paperback
First published February 18, 2021
About the author
Felice Stevens
94 books1,766 followersFelice Stevens writes romance because what is better than people falling in love? Her favorite part of a romance novel is that first kiss…sigh. She loves creating stories of hopes and dreams and happily ever afters. Her stories are character-driven, rich with the sights, sounds and flavors of New York City and filled with men who are sometimes deeply flawed but always real.
Felice writes M/M romance because she believes that everyone deserves a happily ever after. Having traveled all over the world, she can safely say that the universal language that unites people is love. Felice has written in a variety of sub-genres, including contemporary, paranormal and has a mystery series as well.
Felice is a two-time Lambda Literary Award nominee and the Lambda award-winner for Best Gay Romance for her book, The Ghost and Charlie Muir, as well as the e-Lit gold medal winner in romance for Broken Silence.
Felice writes M/M romance because she believes that everyone deserves a happily ever after. Having traveled all over the world, she can safely say that the universal language that unites people is love. Felice has written in a variety of sub-genres, including contemporary, paranormal and has a mystery series as well.
Felice is a two-time Lambda Literary Award nominee and the Lambda award-winner for Best Gay Romance for her book, The Ghost and Charlie Muir, as well as the e-Lit gold medal winner in romance for Broken Silence.
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February 10, 2021
Mr. Uptight is a stand alone, M/M romance by Felice Stevens. I’ve read several books by Felice now and with each one, I continue to be impressed. I fell in love with both of these characters and loved the way she told their story.
Jude Staubman is thirty four years old and along with his best friend and business partner, Doug, owns his own advertising agency. Jude and his younger sister, Ilana’s mother was seriously ill beginning early in Jude’s life. He spent his teen age years and every year since caring for at first his sister and mother, and then just his sister. As a result, he is a serious, introverted man with no life outside of his sister and work. But now his sister and Doug are getting married. Where does that leave Jude? What will he do now? So that might have prompted him to drink a little too much at her wedding. It might have also been the cause of him waking up naked in bed with no other than Doug’s younger brother!
Mason Reiner is thirty years old and is Doug’s younger brother by four years. Mason has a wild streak, a free spirit. It got him in plenty of trouble in his teens. His brother and Jude had to bail him out plenty of times. After college he left the country for a few years but now he’s back and ready to prove to everyone he isn’t that wild kid they remember. He’s an adult, ready to start a career.
Mason and Jude have always been a bit like oil and water. They couldn’t seem to be in the same room without sniping at each other. When Jude woke up with a raging hangover with Mason next to him in bed, he vowed it would never happen again. That it was a mistake. But with Doug away on his honeymoon, and an employee having to leave unexpectedly, he’s short staffed. So of course, he agrees to hire Mason. His life is already a mess. Why not just make it worse?!
“Sometimes when we let ourselves go, we find ourselves exactly where we belong.”
A funny thing happens when you actually put judgment aside and give someone a chance! You can possibly be pleasantly surprised. Mason is giving the job his all and Jude is impressed. And another thing happens. They begin to see each other as they really are, not how they perceived them to be. And what they see, they like!
These two were so perfect together. Their chemistry flew off the pages. They might have been different in so many ways, but they just fit. When Mason decided to come home, he wanted to prove himself. And that meant leaving the past in the past. He is falling fast and hard for Jude and he doesn’t want to jeopardize what they are building. And that means keeping certain details regarding his years away to himself.
I really did love this book. Loved Jude and Mason. And when conflict did arise, I loved the way they dealt with it. That’s a lot of “loves!” This was such a sexy, sweet story. I think that Jude and Mason had to wait until the time was right for them. And that time is now. If you get a chance to read this, I hope you fall for them just as hard as I did.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
Jude Staubman is thirty four years old and along with his best friend and business partner, Doug, owns his own advertising agency. Jude and his younger sister, Ilana’s mother was seriously ill beginning early in Jude’s life. He spent his teen age years and every year since caring for at first his sister and mother, and then just his sister. As a result, he is a serious, introverted man with no life outside of his sister and work. But now his sister and Doug are getting married. Where does that leave Jude? What will he do now? So that might have prompted him to drink a little too much at her wedding. It might have also been the cause of him waking up naked in bed with no other than Doug’s younger brother!
Mason Reiner is thirty years old and is Doug’s younger brother by four years. Mason has a wild streak, a free spirit. It got him in plenty of trouble in his teens. His brother and Jude had to bail him out plenty of times. After college he left the country for a few years but now he’s back and ready to prove to everyone he isn’t that wild kid they remember. He’s an adult, ready to start a career.
Mason and Jude have always been a bit like oil and water. They couldn’t seem to be in the same room without sniping at each other. When Jude woke up with a raging hangover with Mason next to him in bed, he vowed it would never happen again. That it was a mistake. But with Doug away on his honeymoon, and an employee having to leave unexpectedly, he’s short staffed. So of course, he agrees to hire Mason. His life is already a mess. Why not just make it worse?!
“Sometimes when we let ourselves go, we find ourselves exactly where we belong.”
A funny thing happens when you actually put judgment aside and give someone a chance! You can possibly be pleasantly surprised. Mason is giving the job his all and Jude is impressed. And another thing happens. They begin to see each other as they really are, not how they perceived them to be. And what they see, they like!
These two were so perfect together. Their chemistry flew off the pages. They might have been different in so many ways, but they just fit. When Mason decided to come home, he wanted to prove himself. And that meant leaving the past in the past. He is falling fast and hard for Jude and he doesn’t want to jeopardize what they are building. And that means keeping certain details regarding his years away to himself.
I really did love this book. Loved Jude and Mason. And when conflict did arise, I loved the way they dealt with it. That’s a lot of “loves!” This was such a sexy, sweet story. I think that Jude and Mason had to wait until the time was right for them. And that time is now. If you get a chance to read this, I hope you fall for them just as hard as I did.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
February 20, 2021
DNF at 47% of the book for two reasons. One is a "it's me not the book" thing, the other one it's totally the book.
Reason one, as a publicist a lot of the ideas for the campaigns that were talked about made a nervous tick appear in my eye. First of all we are in 2021, if a marketing campaign DOESN'T include instagram or tiktok? There's something wrong there and The Company is talked like one of the most successful agencies in the marketing world yet one of the employees discards instagram in his plan, yeah nope. It was obviously used for Mason to shine but it just felt ridiculous and didn't make sense.
Second of all, 60 ongoing campaigns? That entails a group of people per campaign (Creatives, a person for media, graphic designers, etc) and The Company didn't read as a big place, that was just an exaggeration to give importance to an agency that doesn't include instagram in it's campaigns and all of it made my eye roll.
Second reason, it was just badly written. One moment Jude it's horny about Mason, the next he is ashamed of those feelings and the next he's jealous and the next he's angry and treating Mason like shit. Please decide on a feeling and work from there, besides the transitions we're so badly played, the reason for Jude's change of heart was not explained, it was just bad.
On to the next I guess. 🤷🏻♀️❤
Reason one, as a publicist a lot of the ideas for the campaigns that were talked about made a nervous tick appear in my eye. First of all we are in 2021, if a marketing campaign DOESN'T include instagram or tiktok? There's something wrong there and The Company is talked like one of the most successful agencies in the marketing world yet one of the employees discards instagram in his plan, yeah nope. It was obviously used for Mason to shine but it just felt ridiculous and didn't make sense.
Second of all, 60 ongoing campaigns? That entails a group of people per campaign (Creatives, a person for media, graphic designers, etc) and The Company didn't read as a big place, that was just an exaggeration to give importance to an agency that doesn't include instagram in it's campaigns and all of it made my eye roll.
Second reason, it was just badly written. One moment Jude it's horny about Mason, the next he is ashamed of those feelings and the next he's jealous and the next he's angry and treating Mason like shit. Please decide on a feeling and work from there, besides the transitions we're so badly played, the reason for Jude's change of heart was not explained, it was just bad.
On to the next I guess. 🤷🏻♀️❤
May 12, 2021
Audio 5 Stars
Story 3.5 Stars round up because...Kale Williams 😍
Story 3.5 Stars round up because...Kale Williams 😍
February 22, 2021
On Another Planet
Felice Stevens always does her best to toss you a bone or two while she chews up the scenery and the psyches of her often totally screwed up men. In this one she returns to her Nice-Jewish-Boys-From-New-York trope although you don't get any idea that this one is going to be Kosher until well through the action. And it's really just an aside because what action it is!
Mr. Uptight (Jude on the cover, woof!) is so much his nickname from the way life has dealt him some overwhelming caretaker issues (which he has a tendency to take too seriously) that he cannot believe where he finds himself on page one.
Drunk on rum from the night before he doesn't remember how he put on a somewhat public display of sexual gratification at his sister's wedding. When he wakes up next to his co-star only to realize that the man is Mason, younger wastrel blond-bomber brother of his sister's new husband, who also happens to be Jude's business partner, he is horrified that he is in a slosh of in-law stew.
Oy-MG!
This book starts on another planet when it comes to how Ms. Stevens gets her men together--she then launches them on a shuttle around the universe, a journey which uncovers deeply introspective and sometimes too convenient but always page-turner situations and encounters.
Jude and Mason are a super annoying couple and that's what makes them so enjoyable. The supporting cast is brilliantly crafted and stubbornly incapable of staying out of the various messes the two men create. There are lots of hoots here.
This is one of Ms. Stevens' most carnal, and yet most gut-wrenching, books. It will take you a couple of minutes to get over the first few pages which, as it turns out, are so based on reality and not a stupid mistake, and when you recover, you will sail right through.
Loved it as always.
Felice Stevens always does her best to toss you a bone or two while she chews up the scenery and the psyches of her often totally screwed up men. In this one she returns to her Nice-Jewish-Boys-From-New-York trope although you don't get any idea that this one is going to be Kosher until well through the action. And it's really just an aside because what action it is!
Mr. Uptight (Jude on the cover, woof!) is so much his nickname from the way life has dealt him some overwhelming caretaker issues (which he has a tendency to take too seriously) that he cannot believe where he finds himself on page one.
Drunk on rum from the night before he doesn't remember how he put on a somewhat public display of sexual gratification at his sister's wedding. When he wakes up next to his co-star only to realize that the man is Mason, younger wastrel blond-bomber brother of his sister's new husband, who also happens to be Jude's business partner, he is horrified that he is in a slosh of in-law stew.
Oy-MG!
This book starts on another planet when it comes to how Ms. Stevens gets her men together--she then launches them on a shuttle around the universe, a journey which uncovers deeply introspective and sometimes too convenient but always page-turner situations and encounters.
Jude and Mason are a super annoying couple and that's what makes them so enjoyable. The supporting cast is brilliantly crafted and stubbornly incapable of staying out of the various messes the two men create. There are lots of hoots here.
This is one of Ms. Stevens' most carnal, and yet most gut-wrenching, books. It will take you a couple of minutes to get over the first few pages which, as it turns out, are so based on reality and not a stupid mistake, and when you recover, you will sail right through.
Loved it as always.
March 15, 2021
I didn't like Mason at all. I didn't like Jude much either. Way too many sex scenes. And for two people who claimed to hate each other there was not much passion in their arguments. Also in some parts where they were having problems between them- they didn't need to have them. Instead of one serious problem there were lots of problems that were honestly laughable. The whole books was that. Laughable.
February 7, 2021
“ Sometimes when we let ourselves go, we find ourselves exactly where we belong.”"
When you can ignored social media gossips and hooked on your sofa cannot stop reading, you know the book is doing great.
Mason and Jude did that to me. I was hooked from the first chapter and can not put the book down.
Great opposite attracts romance from my favorite author.
"You’re the most fundamental part of who I’ve become. You’re a mystery to me, yet so familiar, like a song I’d never heard before, but whose words were right on the tip of my tongue. When you look at me, I see a reflection of us. And I hope you want to take a chance. With me.”
This story, Jude and Mason has become my new favorite from Felice Stevens .
Mason had my heart soon as I knew his struggle to prove that he's not what everyone's thought he was. Especially when it comes to his forever crush, Jude, his brother's best friend.
My heart was breaking after I read how much Jude denied Mason, for what? His pride?
I wanted to hug Mason all the time and I can feel his pain ( Felice does know how to make my heart weep ), and kind of a teeny bit wanted to slap Jude for his arrogance.
But then, knowing what caused it and how much he's willing to tear his wall down for Mason, melted me.
Jude and Mason trapped me in one sitting read, shed a few tears and sighing happily after I finished the book.
I adore Felice's writing and the guys she shared with us.
This is a heartwarming romance I craved every time I think the world is sucks and love's not exist.
That's why I read romance.
Recommended!
March 2, 2021
Felice Stevens is quickly becoming a go to author for me and this book only cemented it more.
In this book we are meeting Mason and Jude. They have known each other for years but never really gotten along. Their different personalities clashing way too hard. Under all of that though, maybe, just maybe they are each others perfect match?
This book is filled with tropes. We have enemies to lovers, brothers best friend, boss/employee, grumpy/sunshine and a tiny dash of hurt/comfort. You name it and you'll probably find it in this book.
It dragged a little in the middle but overall it was a great read. I really enjoyed it.
In this book we are meeting Mason and Jude. They have known each other for years but never really gotten along. Their different personalities clashing way too hard. Under all of that though, maybe, just maybe they are each others perfect match?
This book is filled with tropes. We have enemies to lovers, brothers best friend, boss/employee, grumpy/sunshine and a tiny dash of hurt/comfort. You name it and you'll probably find it in this book.
It dragged a little in the middle but overall it was a great read. I really enjoyed it.
February 16, 2021
This story ticks a lot of favorite trope boxes: best friend's brother, grumpy/sunshine, boss/employee, even a bit of enemies to lovers, all with Felice Stevens' signature style.
Jude is at a turning point in his life. He's always been the caretaker, the rock, the one who forged ahead making sure his mother and his sister were fine, but never allowing himself that same care. He's built a successful business by making all the right choices. Now that his caretaker role has ended, he has nothing but work. Mason has just returned home from years away working, going to school and creating a life that is very different than the teenager who partied and got into trouble. He's serious about starting a new life back home, but Jude, his brother's best friend/business partner and his secret crush, still only sees the wild child who always needed bailing out of trouble.
Butting heads is a given, a drunken night of sex is a surprise. One Mason would love to repeat but Jude would love to forget. As Jude grudgingly agrees to allow Mason to work with him they begin to see each other in a new light. The banter, the tension, and the sparks fly as Mason works his way through the walls Jude has always hidden behind and Jude sees that the man Mason has become is a far cry from the kid he remembers. Mason has his work cut out for him but as the stubborn Jude starts to cave, his sweet side comes out. Jude remains the stubborn, stoic but fair boss at work, but he blooms beautifully outside of it. Not to say everything settles itself and he's carefree, but he does manage to find a new outlook on life and learn to enjoy the sunshine and fun Mason brings to it.
No spoilers, but I have to say that Mason is a lot more forgiving than I would be in a certain situation that arises, but it also goes to prove his growth and depth of character. As always there are well written secondary characters, a bit of drama and of course, a very happy ending. I'd enjoy seeing more of these two and how their life is going in the future.
Jude is at a turning point in his life. He's always been the caretaker, the rock, the one who forged ahead making sure his mother and his sister were fine, but never allowing himself that same care. He's built a successful business by making all the right choices. Now that his caretaker role has ended, he has nothing but work. Mason has just returned home from years away working, going to school and creating a life that is very different than the teenager who partied and got into trouble. He's serious about starting a new life back home, but Jude, his brother's best friend/business partner and his secret crush, still only sees the wild child who always needed bailing out of trouble.
Butting heads is a given, a drunken night of sex is a surprise. One Mason would love to repeat but Jude would love to forget. As Jude grudgingly agrees to allow Mason to work with him they begin to see each other in a new light. The banter, the tension, and the sparks fly as Mason works his way through the walls Jude has always hidden behind and Jude sees that the man Mason has become is a far cry from the kid he remembers. Mason has his work cut out for him but as the stubborn Jude starts to cave, his sweet side comes out. Jude remains the stubborn, stoic but fair boss at work, but he blooms beautifully outside of it. Not to say everything settles itself and he's carefree, but he does manage to find a new outlook on life and learn to enjoy the sunshine and fun Mason brings to it.
No spoilers, but I have to say that Mason is a lot more forgiving than I would be in a certain situation that arises, but it also goes to prove his growth and depth of character. As always there are well written secondary characters, a bit of drama and of course, a very happy ending. I'd enjoy seeing more of these two and how their life is going in the future.
March 8, 2021
A fun fluffy read to pass time.
April 22, 2021
I've given this a B+ for both narration and content at AudioGals - 4.5 stars
Reading the synopsis for Mr. Uptight, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s one of those “oops, the guy I had wild monkey sex will all last night is my frenemy/best friend’s little brother/new boss” rom-coms – and to an extent, you’d be right. But while the story certainly does start out with one of those typically awkward morning-afters, it doesn’t take the cutesy, kooky path and instead opens out into a deeply emotional story about two men who don’t (think they) like each other very much learning to reassess their opinions of both each other and themselves.
Jude Staubman and his best friend’s brother Mason have never really got on. For years, Mason was the annoying little brother, and then he grew into the annoying little brother who continually needed extricating from his latest fuck-up – and even bailing out of jail on one occasion! He’s an irresponsible party-boy who gets by on his good looks, quick wit and charm; in short, he’s everything the sensible, serious-minded Jude isn’t… which makes the stupid crush Jude has had on him for years even more stupid. So waking up – naked – in bed with Mason the morning after his sister’s wedding is something Jude wants to pretend never happened. Along with whatever they got up to the night before.
Mason Reiner knows Jude – and his brother – think he’s a total screw-up who doesn’t take anything seriously, but after working abroad for a number of years (the last three of them as PA to an incredibly wealthy property developer) he’s decided it’s time for him to come home, put down some roots and show the people that matter to him that he’s changed, that he’s no longer that immature, wild kid everyone remembers and is ready to build a career. He knows it won’t be easy, especially when it comes to proving that to Jude and his brother Doug – who run a successful advertising agency together – but he’s absolutely determined to do it if they’ll give him the chance. Knowing Jude, it’s going to be a hard sell.
So. The morning after, Mason isn’t surprised when Jude immediately puts distance between them – emotionally as well as physically. They were both drunk and he knows that Jude would almost certainly never have gone to bed with him had it not been for the copious amounts of tequila they’d consumed – but he still can’t help hoping that maybe there is a chance for something to develop between them. Those hopes, however, will have to be put on hold because a bigger problem looms. The happy couple – Mason’s brother Doug and Jude’s sister Ilana – are about to depart for their one-month honeymoon trip to Europe, when Jude and Doug learn that Jude’s assistant has to quit her job at very short notice due to her husband being suddenly relocated to the other side of the country. Mason immediately offers to step in while Jude finds a replacement. He’d already spoken to Doug about joining The Company, and this will give him the perfect opportunity to start learning the ropes.
Jude is sceptical – but he also knows Doug won’t be easy about going away with them down a key staff member; so he agrees to check Mason’s references – which are impeccable – and just like that… he has a new assistant. One he will absolutely keep his hands off of.
The romance between these two total opposites is a wonderful mixture of sexy and sweet, funny and tender, and as I’ve come to expect of this author, it’s peppered with deeply emotional moments of introspection, reflection and realisation. Mason is outgoing and open-hearted; he’s not afraid to be himself or show emotion, where Jude is tightly wound and introverted, and his inexperience with relationships means he doesn’t know how to show his feelings. Becoming his family’s caretaker and provider at a young age – when his mother became ill with MS – meant he became entirely focused on his studies, holding down whatever jobs he could to supplement their meagre income and bringing up his younger sister single-handed. His life revolved around his responsibilities and Ilana – and even though he’s delighted for her and Doug, he’s having trouble letting go now she’s married. So much of his identity is tied up in Ilana, he isn’t sure who he is or what use he is any more – incredibly poignant realisations that are real lump-in-the-throat moments. Like Mason, Jude is at one of life’s crossroads and he’s going to have to choose between carrying on as before, with his work consuming even more of his life and energy and becoming more and more lonely, or opening up to new possibilities and learning to live for himself.
Jude and Mason are complex, three-dimensional characters whose differences – in the tradition of the grumpy/sunshine trope – are complementary in the best way. I enjoyed the story very much, although things got a little repetitive in the second half, and Mason’s ‘secret’ felt like a total contrivance just to provide a bit of tension near the end. Plus – it was… really odd.
There are also inconsistencies in some of the background detail. It didn’t make sense to me that Jude’s assistant would be working directly on campaigns, for example, and I had to wonder why, when The Company is described as one of the hottest, trendiest agencies in NYC, they weren’t using Instagram in their campaigns, but the rest of the story and the development of the romance between Jude and Mason is so beautifully done that those were merely tiny niggles I was able to mostly ignore.
As I’ve been on a bit of a Felice Stevens glom lately, I’ve been on a Kale Williams one, too, as he’s narrated quite a few of her audiobooks. I enjoy listening to him; his smooth, velvety tones are easy on the ear and his ability to find the emotional heart of a story is something I always appreciate and look forward to. His performance in Mr. Uptight is very good indeed; well-paced, clearly differentiated and strongly characterised, and I was impressed with the way he captures the essence of both leads. There’s not a great variation in pitch between the two voices, but Jude’s clipped delivery works really well to paint him as, well, uptight, and to reveal the hurt he’s trying desperately to hide, and Mason has what I often term ‘a smile in his voice’, a lighter tone and spirited delivery that are a perfect match for his natural humour and generosity of spirit.
Mr. Uptight is a lovely feel-good story featuring strongly-written, relatable characters – and I enjoyed it a lot, despite my criticisms. Kale Williams’ warm and engaging performance really enhances the connection between the protagonists, and if you’re looking for a story that’s short on angst but long on emotion, it’s certainly worth a look.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals
Reading the synopsis for Mr. Uptight, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s one of those “oops, the guy I had wild monkey sex will all last night is my frenemy/best friend’s little brother/new boss” rom-coms – and to an extent, you’d be right. But while the story certainly does start out with one of those typically awkward morning-afters, it doesn’t take the cutesy, kooky path and instead opens out into a deeply emotional story about two men who don’t (think they) like each other very much learning to reassess their opinions of both each other and themselves.
Jude Staubman and his best friend’s brother Mason have never really got on. For years, Mason was the annoying little brother, and then he grew into the annoying little brother who continually needed extricating from his latest fuck-up – and even bailing out of jail on one occasion! He’s an irresponsible party-boy who gets by on his good looks, quick wit and charm; in short, he’s everything the sensible, serious-minded Jude isn’t… which makes the stupid crush Jude has had on him for years even more stupid. So waking up – naked – in bed with Mason the morning after his sister’s wedding is something Jude wants to pretend never happened. Along with whatever they got up to the night before.
Mason Reiner knows Jude – and his brother – think he’s a total screw-up who doesn’t take anything seriously, but after working abroad for a number of years (the last three of them as PA to an incredibly wealthy property developer) he’s decided it’s time for him to come home, put down some roots and show the people that matter to him that he’s changed, that he’s no longer that immature, wild kid everyone remembers and is ready to build a career. He knows it won’t be easy, especially when it comes to proving that to Jude and his brother Doug – who run a successful advertising agency together – but he’s absolutely determined to do it if they’ll give him the chance. Knowing Jude, it’s going to be a hard sell.
So. The morning after, Mason isn’t surprised when Jude immediately puts distance between them – emotionally as well as physically. They were both drunk and he knows that Jude would almost certainly never have gone to bed with him had it not been for the copious amounts of tequila they’d consumed – but he still can’t help hoping that maybe there is a chance for something to develop between them. Those hopes, however, will have to be put on hold because a bigger problem looms. The happy couple – Mason’s brother Doug and Jude’s sister Ilana – are about to depart for their one-month honeymoon trip to Europe, when Jude and Doug learn that Jude’s assistant has to quit her job at very short notice due to her husband being suddenly relocated to the other side of the country. Mason immediately offers to step in while Jude finds a replacement. He’d already spoken to Doug about joining The Company, and this will give him the perfect opportunity to start learning the ropes.
Jude is sceptical – but he also knows Doug won’t be easy about going away with them down a key staff member; so he agrees to check Mason’s references – which are impeccable – and just like that… he has a new assistant. One he will absolutely keep his hands off of.
The romance between these two total opposites is a wonderful mixture of sexy and sweet, funny and tender, and as I’ve come to expect of this author, it’s peppered with deeply emotional moments of introspection, reflection and realisation. Mason is outgoing and open-hearted; he’s not afraid to be himself or show emotion, where Jude is tightly wound and introverted, and his inexperience with relationships means he doesn’t know how to show his feelings. Becoming his family’s caretaker and provider at a young age – when his mother became ill with MS – meant he became entirely focused on his studies, holding down whatever jobs he could to supplement their meagre income and bringing up his younger sister single-handed. His life revolved around his responsibilities and Ilana – and even though he’s delighted for her and Doug, he’s having trouble letting go now she’s married. So much of his identity is tied up in Ilana, he isn’t sure who he is or what use he is any more – incredibly poignant realisations that are real lump-in-the-throat moments. Like Mason, Jude is at one of life’s crossroads and he’s going to have to choose between carrying on as before, with his work consuming even more of his life and energy and becoming more and more lonely, or opening up to new possibilities and learning to live for himself.
Jude and Mason are complex, three-dimensional characters whose differences – in the tradition of the grumpy/sunshine trope – are complementary in the best way. I enjoyed the story very much, although things got a little repetitive in the second half, and Mason’s ‘secret’ felt like a total contrivance just to provide a bit of tension near the end. Plus – it was… really odd.
There are also inconsistencies in some of the background detail. It didn’t make sense to me that Jude’s assistant would be working directly on campaigns, for example, and I had to wonder why, when The Company is described as one of the hottest, trendiest agencies in NYC, they weren’t using Instagram in their campaigns, but the rest of the story and the development of the romance between Jude and Mason is so beautifully done that those were merely tiny niggles I was able to mostly ignore.
As I’ve been on a bit of a Felice Stevens glom lately, I’ve been on a Kale Williams one, too, as he’s narrated quite a few of her audiobooks. I enjoy listening to him; his smooth, velvety tones are easy on the ear and his ability to find the emotional heart of a story is something I always appreciate and look forward to. His performance in Mr. Uptight is very good indeed; well-paced, clearly differentiated and strongly characterised, and I was impressed with the way he captures the essence of both leads. There’s not a great variation in pitch between the two voices, but Jude’s clipped delivery works really well to paint him as, well, uptight, and to reveal the hurt he’s trying desperately to hide, and Mason has what I often term ‘a smile in his voice’, a lighter tone and spirited delivery that are a perfect match for his natural humour and generosity of spirit.
Mr. Uptight is a lovely feel-good story featuring strongly-written, relatable characters – and I enjoyed it a lot, despite my criticisms. Kale Williams’ warm and engaging performance really enhances the connection between the protagonists, and if you’re looking for a story that’s short on angst but long on emotion, it’s certainly worth a look.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals
February 20, 2021
5 stars audio
4 stars story
4 stars story
March 7, 2021
About 1/3 of the way into this I had a sense of deja vu with the way things were playing out with the two guys so I searched “Felice Stevens” on here and sure enough, I had the exact same qualms about a previous book of hers I’d read. Mason and Jude, but Jude especially, were exhausting. How many freaking times can the same argument occur, be resolved, and occur again? How many times can the guys ponder the exact same things about their past actions, past feelings, past mistakes? At 90% they were having the exact same argument about the exact same things as they were having at 15% and seemingly talking it out and getting past it. Nope. In the epilogue, for God’s sake, it happened again. To call Jude mercurial is the understatement of the century. His change in mood, from loving and sweet to angry and aloof, was like throwing a switch and throwing the switch four times in a conversation. I just wanted it to be over. What took place over 300+pages could have easily occurred over 150+ pages and been more satisfying - to me, at least.
March 13, 2026
A cute mainstream workplace/brother's best friend romance. A good book in between darker books.
February 12, 2021
Mr. Uptight was a pleasant read with wonderful characters and a well built world. The trope enemies to lovers is not my favourite, but this author always makes me love anything that she writes.
The book relates the story of Jude and Mason relationship and how they get to know each other again, falling in love.
The writing is witty, emotional and with a little bit of angst. I really enjoyed this book and recommended it to MM romance fans.
The book relates the story of Jude and Mason relationship and how they get to know each other again, falling in love.
The writing is witty, emotional and with a little bit of angst. I really enjoyed this book and recommended it to MM romance fans.
May 14, 2021
While I enjoyed this book overall, I wasn’t engrossed in it. I thought Jude was a good man who’s characterization made sense. Being his family’s protector since his teens took a toll on him, it made it hard for him to let his sister go when she got married, or to let people in past the walls he’d erected for himself.
While I agreed with many of the characters that he had to let his sister stand on her own two feet, I also felt like no one was sympathetic to the loss he was going through. And when the accident happened, I thought it was a weird way to go about cementing that growth. It definitely sounds like Jude can be overprotective, but with all of the things his sister was going through... eh, I guess I get it from both perspectives.
Mason, the party boy, screw up and younger brother to Jude’s best friend. We were constantly being told about how wild he was, but it was hard to believe when it felt like both characters kept coming back to the same anecdote. And, from what Mason told us, he did not do all of the crazy things Jude assumed when he was away. I understood the impression he made but there were never any flashback scenes or stories told in greater detail. And maybe that worked, to some extent, because it was Jude trying to cling to the idea of Mason when Mason had clearly changed. But as a reader, I got tired of reading the same descriptors. Also, there’s one point when someone refers to Mason as a self-proclaimed bad boy, and it made me cringe. Bad boy is a bit of a trigger word for me (thanks, Wattpad).
Anyway, while each man was interesting enough on his own, and even okay together, I just didn’t find myself drawn into their romance. I didn’t mind the rehashing of their insecurities, its human. But I also don’t really feel like their relationship blossomed all that much beyond that. It did but also didn’t. (Not sure if I’m making sense here.)
I enjoyed the side characters and loved Jude and his sister’s relationship (well, when they were actually communicating). There was a scene where his sister doesn’t reach out for several days. Since she’s on her honeymoon, it’s understandable. But as she still spoke to Mason a bit, it seemed kind of childish. Just talk to Jude.
There’s a big lead up to a potential relationship deal-breaker. While I actually understood Mason’s reticence to discuss it, I also started to get annoyed waiting for it to finally blowup. (I also thought the circumstances around the reveal was kind of crazy, but it showcased Mason’s growth, so that was nice.)
Overall, I thought this book was good, but could have been better, deeper. I did enjoy the narration.
While I agreed with many of the characters that he had to let his sister stand on her own two feet, I also felt like no one was sympathetic to the loss he was going through. And when the accident happened, I thought it was a weird way to go about cementing that growth. It definitely sounds like Jude can be overprotective, but with all of the things his sister was going through... eh, I guess I get it from both perspectives.
Mason, the party boy, screw up and younger brother to Jude’s best friend. We were constantly being told about how wild he was, but it was hard to believe when it felt like both characters kept coming back to the same anecdote. And, from what Mason told us, he did not do all of the crazy things Jude assumed when he was away. I understood the impression he made but there were never any flashback scenes or stories told in greater detail. And maybe that worked, to some extent, because it was Jude trying to cling to the idea of Mason when Mason had clearly changed. But as a reader, I got tired of reading the same descriptors. Also, there’s one point when someone refers to Mason as a self-proclaimed bad boy, and it made me cringe. Bad boy is a bit of a trigger word for me (thanks, Wattpad).
Anyway, while each man was interesting enough on his own, and even okay together, I just didn’t find myself drawn into their romance. I didn’t mind the rehashing of their insecurities, its human. But I also don’t really feel like their relationship blossomed all that much beyond that. It did but also didn’t. (Not sure if I’m making sense here.)
I enjoyed the side characters and loved Jude and his sister’s relationship (well, when they were actually communicating). There was a scene where his sister doesn’t reach out for several days. Since she’s on her honeymoon, it’s understandable. But as she still spoke to Mason a bit, it seemed kind of childish. Just talk to Jude.
There’s a big lead up to a potential relationship deal-breaker. While I actually understood Mason’s reticence to discuss it, I also started to get annoyed waiting for it to finally blowup. (I also thought the circumstances around the reveal was kind of crazy, but it showcased Mason’s growth, so that was nice.)
Overall, I thought this book was good, but could have been better, deeper. I did enjoy the narration.
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February 18, 2021I don't have great luck with this author and I'm not very far in and am already worried.
"Jude waited in the hotel lobby for Doug. Ilana had already left" is a thing I just read. Doug and Ilana are newlyweds. They are going on their honeymoon. Who leaves for their honeymoon without their spouse? What on earth?! I know this is a stupid thing to fixate on when I'm only 10% of the way through the book but it's so freaking sloppy. Never mind that they've already said goodbye 4 times. Also, this book opened with Jude waking up from being black out drunk and can't remember having sex or who he's with. Gross. Very gross, Mason. And Mason's reaction isn't horror that Jude is confused and can't remember what happened. He's smug about it and thanks Jude for the best night he's ever had. With a black out drunk? Are we not supposed to care about consent when the characters are both men? Of course, barely 3 chapters later, it appears Jude remembers every single thing that happened including the taste of Mason so who knows what's happening in this story? Nobody is my guess. Not even the author.
I'm going to keep going for a bit but I suspect this can only end in a DNF.
"Jude waited in the hotel lobby for Doug. Ilana had already left" is a thing I just read. Doug and Ilana are newlyweds. They are going on their honeymoon. Who leaves for their honeymoon without their spouse? What on earth?! I know this is a stupid thing to fixate on when I'm only 10% of the way through the book but it's so freaking sloppy. Never mind that they've already said goodbye 4 times. Also, this book opened with Jude waking up from being black out drunk and can't remember having sex or who he's with. Gross. Very gross, Mason. And Mason's reaction isn't horror that Jude is confused and can't remember what happened. He's smug about it and thanks Jude for the best night he's ever had. With a black out drunk? Are we not supposed to care about consent when the characters are both men? Of course, barely 3 chapters later, it appears Jude remembers every single thing that happened including the taste of Mason so who knows what's happening in this story? Nobody is my guess. Not even the author.
I'm going to keep going for a bit but I suspect this can only end in a DNF.
February 21, 2021
Let me start by saying Felice Stevens’ Mr. Uptight (KU) is SMOKING HOT! LOL A beautifully written, best friend’s brother, complete opposites, enemies to lovers tale of two men who don’t really like each other, but do they?? Jude's sister marries his best friend Doug and the next morning he finds himself in bed with his new brother-in-law, Mason, after a drunken hookup and whom he hasn’t seen in a decade. To make matters even murkier, Mason takes a job working for Jude while Doug is gone on his honeymoon. What enfolds is an endearing love story of two men that have led very different lives and approach life in very different ways, yet they are drawn to each other whether they want to be or not. I love how the story unfolds and the time we get to spend with Jude and Mason as they get reacquainted and start to let go of their pasts and preconceived notions of one another. It’s a fun, SEXY, sweet and emotional read with a hard fought HEA!!
February 28, 2021
It’s OK
The book was a little less than I expected from the preview but was mostly OK. More erotica than romance, the storyline had its moments. Mason’s secret, his relationship with Warren, was handled poorly. It was made out to be far more significant than it should have been, mostly simply because it was withheld. I find this plot device unappealing in a romance. The story ends predictably so I guess there is that.
The book was a little less than I expected from the preview but was mostly OK. More erotica than romance, the storyline had its moments. Mason’s secret, his relationship with Warren, was handled poorly. It was made out to be far more significant than it should have been, mostly simply because it was withheld. I find this plot device unappealing in a romance. The story ends predictably so I guess there is that.
February 17, 2021
I was lucky enough to get a copy of this book before release day, and I just happened to have some time off to read for once. I really enjoyed this story. What I like about many of Felice's stories are the mature way people handle the issues that come up. It's so annoying when I read a book with manufactured arguments or breakups. Do Jude and Mason have a few bumps along the way, of course, but it's obvious they care about each other in the way they handle those problems.
I enjoyed Mason's warmth and the slow progression of Jude learning to love.
Another wonderful, heartwarming read by Felice Stevens.
I enjoyed Mason's warmth and the slow progression of Jude learning to love.
Another wonderful, heartwarming read by Felice Stevens.
February 20, 2021
I have to say that this is the first book I have read by Felice and it will not be the last. I loved this story right from the start. Jude and Mason make an amazing couple. They have their ups and downs but they work through it to get to that happy ending.
This is one of those stories you have to read to fully enjoy it. I mean Jude and Mason are amazing and they have their differences but they work on them and Mason will prove to Jude he has changed.
This is one of those stories you have to read to fully enjoy it. I mean Jude and Mason are amazing and they have their differences but they work on them and Mason will prove to Jude he has changed.
March 18, 2021
I just couldn't get into it. I tried, but I never got onboard with the heroes in this one. I'm throwing in the towel, but I will try this author again.
February 26, 2021
Mr. Uptight is a stand-alone M/M novel by Felice Stevens. I got the impression that there must be another book that's connected to this one, but the author seems to write M/M romances only, so I don't think that she wrote one about Doug and Jude's sister (feel free to correct me). I skimmed some parts of the blurb since I didn't recall that this is an lgbt romance, so I squealed in delight when I saw that Jude had woken up next to a man (aka Mason). I haven't read a book in this genre in a long time (it's mostly MFM nowadays for me for some reason) and I was happy to have one in my hands.
Jude was a little too over the place for me. He was hot and cold and hot again to a point where I thought that we were going to get this "will they, won't they" thing for like the whole book. Mason just wanted to fit in and I wanted that for him. His dating-around attitude was also one of the reasons, I thought that these guys wouldn't get together until the book was over. I feel like more time should have been spent on working Jude and Mason out as a couple than working on all the drama that was happening. Jude is indeed Mr. Uptight and it didn't help with the romance in this book. What bothered me the most though, is that Mason had a secret for most of the book and he was always delaying in telling Jude which got annoying after a while since I didn't really find it that big of a deal. The first time Mason thought about it, I got the impression that Mason had some non-consensual experiences and it made me uncomfortable, but later on, after he explained in detail what had transpired, it turned out that it was completely consensual.
I really wanted to give a higher rating to the book, but honestly, I feel like the author went for too many sub-plots that not only took away from the romance but also made the whole thing more shallow. The first 40% of the book went on strong, but the back and forth tired me after that point. Mr. Uptight is the first book I got to read from this author and I will certainly read at least another book of hers before drawing any more conclusions.
Jude was a little too over the place for me. He was hot and cold and hot again to a point where I thought that we were going to get this "will they, won't they" thing for like the whole book. Mason just wanted to fit in and I wanted that for him. His dating-around attitude was also one of the reasons, I thought that these guys wouldn't get together until the book was over. I feel like more time should have been spent on working Jude and Mason out as a couple than working on all the drama that was happening. Jude is indeed Mr. Uptight and it didn't help with the romance in this book. What bothered me the most though, is that Mason had a secret for most of the book and he was always delaying in telling Jude which got annoying after a while since I didn't really find it that big of a deal. The first time Mason thought about it, I got the impression that Mason had some non-consensual experiences and it made me uncomfortable, but later on, after he explained in detail what had transpired, it turned out that it was completely consensual.
I really wanted to give a higher rating to the book, but honestly, I feel like the author went for too many sub-plots that not only took away from the romance but also made the whole thing more shallow. The first 40% of the book went on strong, but the back and forth tired me after that point. Mr. Uptight is the first book I got to read from this author and I will certainly read at least another book of hers before drawing any more conclusions.
February 12, 2021
Mr. Uptight is felice Steven’s new book. This book is best friends brother, enemies to lovers, and boss/employee story.
Jude is co-owner of The Company with his best friend Doug. He is serious and very set in his ways. He is also loyal and devoted to those he loved especially his sister.
Mason is Doug’s brother and has always had his sights on Jude. However, Mason had a lot of growing up to do. He is good at running away from problems. I love Masons personality. He’s the kind of person that everyone will love. Friendly. Kind. Outgoing.
Jude had a longer journey to letting go and finding happiness. I had a hard time liking him and could even feel his hesitation through to the end.
However in the privacy with Mason, he had no problem showing I’d love and who he is. They are definitely an opposites attract as well
Jude is co-owner of The Company with his best friend Doug. He is serious and very set in his ways. He is also loyal and devoted to those he loved especially his sister.
Mason is Doug’s brother and has always had his sights on Jude. However, Mason had a lot of growing up to do. He is good at running away from problems. I love Masons personality. He’s the kind of person that everyone will love. Friendly. Kind. Outgoing.
Jude had a longer journey to letting go and finding happiness. I had a hard time liking him and could even feel his hesitation through to the end.
However in the privacy with Mason, he had no problem showing I’d love and who he is. They are definitely an opposites attract as well
April 13, 2021
Decent enemies to lovers
I didn't mind this, I liked the characters and the premise. I just felt I'd read this story before and some of the interactions felt forced to create tension, instead of allowing things to progress authentically.
I didn't mind this, I liked the characters and the premise. I just felt I'd read this story before and some of the interactions felt forced to create tension, instead of allowing things to progress authentically.
March 3, 2021
4,5 stars
Jude and Mason were great together... I loved how they completed each other
But the epilogue was a bit of a disappointment
Jude and Mason were great together... I loved how they completed each other
But the epilogue was a bit of a disappointment
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February 14, 2021
Jude and Mason is an enemies to lovers, bff younger brother read! This standalone MM romance is a wondeful read from Felice.
There is drama, awesome family both real and found, pain in the butt side characters...really a little bit.if everything mixed together to make a great story
There is drama, awesome family both real and found, pain in the butt side characters...really a little bit.if everything mixed together to make a great story
March 10, 2021
Uptight had never looked so sexy
- Mason
Mason and Jude had a lot of history together, Mason being Jude's best friend's younger brother, through it all they've always had an awareness of each other.
All those pent-up emotions and repressed desires come out on the night of Mason's brother's wedding.
From there they navigated being in each other's lives and eventually realized their explosive sex also comes with being good together outside of the bedroom.
I loved that they tackled their difficulty as a couple together.
Mason's line from the story stayed with me.
“And I know enough. I know there isn’t anything about you I don’t want, need, or love. The crazy in me loves the crazy in you.”
Maybe that was what love was.
Finding the one person willing to search for your missing pieces or the ones you’d hidden so deep inside,
you’d forgotten they existed—the one who would want to stand by your side through the ugly as well as the beautiful.
Felice Stevens books always bring all the heat and feels.
- Mason
Mason and Jude had a lot of history together, Mason being Jude's best friend's younger brother, through it all they've always had an awareness of each other.
All those pent-up emotions and repressed desires come out on the night of Mason's brother's wedding.
From there they navigated being in each other's lives and eventually realized their explosive sex also comes with being good together outside of the bedroom.
I loved that they tackled their difficulty as a couple together.
Mason's line from the story stayed with me.
“And I know enough. I know there isn’t anything about you I don’t want, need, or love. The crazy in me loves the crazy in you.”
Maybe that was what love was.
Finding the one person willing to search for your missing pieces or the ones you’d hidden so deep inside,
you’d forgotten they existed—the one who would want to stand by your side through the ugly as well as the beautiful.
Felice Stevens books always bring all the heat and feels.
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