Denial

City Hall #2

by Ki Brightly, M.D. Gregory

The Sadist

Jean-Paul “JP” Dubois, assistant to the deputy mayor, was given the task of pushing Max Kalinski to the breaking point. The end game: get Max to quit working at city hall. The simple assignment turns into something deeper when JP learns Max is different than everyone assumed. He’s a complex man who has been taught all the wrong lessons—not simply a spoiled brat. JP knows he shouldn’t be the one to do it, but Max is in need of a strong man to help him right his wrongs.

The Extortionist

Friendless and virginity sadly intact, Max is ready to find his place in the sun—even if he has to steal it. After he takes an attempt at blackmail too far, he feels guilty for how he acted toward the deputy mayor. When Max is left with no choice except to move in with JP temporarily, he learns his supervisor isn’t what he’d imagined. An unexplored yearning inside of Max comes out to play, and he wants nothing more than for JP to be the firm hand that guides him. JP accepts Max’s quirks, including his undiagnosed OCD, and brings out the best parts of him.

All the Wrong Decisions

Their work life puts a damper on what could be. JP knows they can’t be together, and his loyalty lies with his boss. Finding Max another Daddy is the logical decision. The problem? Max only wants JP. As they deny what they really need, both men must get through their nine-to-five hours as though they don’t burn for each other, but at what personal cost?

Genres: BDSM, M M Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary, Gay, Politics, Forced Proximity

401 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 14, 2021

About the author

I spend most of my days writing, editing, and perfecting the craft of storytelling.

A note to readers: I don't hang out on Goodreads or social media, so if you have any questions about my books, please check out my website, which I host with M.D. Gregory.

Reviews

[Saimi Vasquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Max ha vivido en casa de sus padres desde que tiene memoria, su vida trazada antes de el nacer, pero ya esta cansado de ser el hazmereir de su familia, de ser el unico que nunca es bueno en nada, asi que despues de una gran pelea se va de su casa. Viendose solo, sin amigos, sin lugar donde dormir, Max decide quedarse en el despacho de la Alcaldia, durmiendo en el sofa y duchandose en el ginmasio, hasta que un dia su supervisor, JP, se da cuenta y lo invita a quedarse en su casa hasta que pueda poner su vida en orden. Lo que no espera ninguno de los dos es que la quimica entre ellos sea tan fuerte, y que el ansia de ser un "buen niño" para JP sean iguales a las de JP de ser un "buen Daddy" para el. Asi que ahora ambos deberan aprender a convivir juntos, tener una relacion Daddy-boy (nueva para Max, pero no para JP) y trabajar en la misma oficina sin que esto cause problemas en el trabajo.

Este libro fue mucho mas interesante que el anterior, se sentia la quimica entre los protas, y aunque a veces senti que Max era demasiado malcriado, se notaba que realmente no era lo que queria ser sino que era lo unico que conocia. Me gusto mucho la inclusion de otros Dom mas clasicos, como Vic y la aparicion del Club X, pero hubo momentos en que me fastidio la aparicion de Vane y Jax (por lo infantil que resultaban), porque no entendia que agregaban a la trama.
En fin, es un libro entretenido, divertido, que trata temas fuertes como la violencia psicologica y el OCD, de manera sencilla y facil de entender. Asi que si, voy a continuar con la serie, quiero saber que mas va a pasar con los hombres del City Hall.

[♡ cal ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great sequel! Need more books in this series.

[Vickie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Umm yes please I’ll be reading this soon

[Maze the Amateur Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate Max after his actions in Staking his Claim but I read this because of JP and I didn't expect to adore Max more than anyone on this book. I wanted to hug him and beat everybody up that was mean to him. I enjoyed reading this but it felt long and got bored around 89% but I'm glad I was able to finish it. I'm curious about what will happen in the next book. Both Staking his Claim and Denial got me intrugued about the New Gotherburg world that the authors created, I'm looking forward to read more of them.

[Freya · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25⭐️ 3🌶️

📝 REVIEW & THOUGHTS:

I enjoyed reading about Max and JP, although I found the book too long. At first it was a bit angsty with their conflict/tension, then after that was resolved, we still had a good bunch of the book to go through and at that point I started to lose interest. I would’ve enjoyed it more were it maybe 50-100 pages shorter. After around the 55/60% mark I truly started to get a bit bored, unfortunately.

That said, I really liked Max’s character and his redemption ARC. He’s a sweet wounded boy in need of love and praise. I liked JP too, but not as much as I liked Vane from book one. If you want to know more as of why, go read my ranting section below.

The spice wasn’t bad, I’m not sure if it’s a me thing, since I’m feeling a bit off these past few days, or I wasn’t into the kınks that much, or if it truly wasn’t as hot as the first book. The first book had me feeling all hot, with fewer scenes, while this book didn’t make me feel anything, and there were more scenes. It’s probably a me thing. I have no idea… lol although, I gotta say I really enjoyed reading about a vers Dom. I think we don’t have enough of that in BDSM books.

It wasn’t a bad book by any means, but I enjoyed this one far less than the first which I really really liked. Hopefully, the third one is as good.

🏷️ TROPES & TAGS (possible spoilers):

Genre/subgenre: contemporary romance
Pairing: MM
POV: 1st person, dual
Angst: medium
Burn: medium
Vibe/mood: forbidden, a bit intense
Pet names: boy, baby boy / Sir then Daddy
Characters’ ages: 23/not mentioned but I think mid 30s
HEA: yes, although a bit HFN-ish
Book type: novel
Series structure: interconnected standalones

Redemption ARC
Forbidden romance
Boss/employee
Age gap (between 10-15 years I assume)
Love-starved MC
Some push-and-pull
Some miscommunication

🌶️ SPICE & K!NKS (possible spoilers):

Strict top/bottom or versatile: vers
Heat: 10 scenes, medium to high heat
Daddy/boy (D/s dynamic 24/7)
Sadıstic Daddy (more on the emotional sadısm side of things)
Dry humpıng
Bløwjobs
Rimming
Anāl sēx
Spankıng & impact plāy
Praise
Jerkıng off
Douchıng together as foreplāy
Flip-fūck
Mild bøndage/restraints
Dırty talk
Mild self degrādation (during dırty talk)
Gag
Blindfolds
Toys
Office sēx

⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS (‼️possible spoilers‼️):

Dubcon: no
Noncon: no
Breakup: no
OM/OW: no, but after they høøked up, JP tries to set Max up with another Dom because he thinks he shouldn’t be Max’s Dom. Neither MCs actually want this, but they go and meet this other Dom. For a little time JP thinks that guy will be Max’s Daddy. So we have some jealousy feelings.
Emotionally neglecting parents (on page)
Emotionally abusıve family (on page)
Undiagnosed OCD
Small hømophøbic and bigot gathering/protest
Subdrop
Hømøphobic parents

😤 LITTLE RANT (‼️spoilers‼️):

I can agree with some reviewers that didn’t like how JP acted and wasn’t always the representation of a good and healthy Dom. Not in any dark romance way, but at times there was bad communication, safe words were discussed too late in the book, and I didn’t like that there was no discussion of alternative safe words for when Max couldn’t speak. There’s a mention that “they needed to discuss this” at some point after the 50% mark, but it was AFTER a scene where it might’ve been needed.

What annoyed me the most was how strong the internal conflict was regarding the “we can’t”, which of course I understand, but then JP going through all that trouble to pass Max off to another Dom, and thinking he succeeded for a few weeks (while feeling sad and jealous of course). Although at least when all of that was going on, it kept me pretty glued to my kindle as I was curious how everything would play out. That conflict was either resolved too soon (around the 55% mark), or the remaining part of the book was too long. I don’t know, and I’m not here to analyze that. But after that, there was much less tension and I lost interest while not feeling that good about JP anymore. I understood where both of the characters were coming from, but yeah, that doesn’t mean I have to love it haha

* Fyi about 🌶️ levels: I rate spice on a combination of quantity, quality, length, intensity and explicitness of the scenes. Kınks are listed separately and generally do not directly affect the steam level to keep it fair for non kınky books.

[Ki Brightly]

M.D. and I had a lot of fun writing Denial, and I think you’ll realize that fairly early on. This book is longer than the ones we usually write because Max and Jean-Paul don’t have an easy start to their relationship. We decided to let these two have their story and spend the quality time writing it.

If you’re a fan of enemies to lovers, and a Daddy Dom teaching a boy exactly how he likes him to behave in a 24/7 lifestyle relationship, then you’re in the right place, and there are a few other surprises besides.

As always, thank you for your ongoing support of the New Gothenburg world and the writing that M.D. and I do together and separately.

Happy reading!

Ki

[Nile Princess · Rating 2 out of 5]

After enjoying Book 1 IMMENSELY, I really struggled with this one and was practically skimming from about 70%. At 86% I was praying for the end. I kept going, first to see what Vane and his boo's reaction would be to finding out about them, then to not miss any character that might be introduced in other books (Vic - yum!), then to see how Max's family would be deal with, and then to deal with the Mayor's situation. JP and Max were cute in parts, mostly right after they got together but then they became more cringe-worthy as time went on. The main problem was that I didn't see JP as a Dom in Book 1 and it never really worked for me in this book either. Every time Dom-like stuff was happening I felt like I was reading about a different person. JP calling Max 'boy' every five seconds made me roll my eyes, the overuse of third person references 'Daddy this. Do this for Daddy' ensured I never took them seriously. Needless to say, the end could not come fast enough. I largely skimmed the last 15%.

Looking forward to (in this order):

1) Vic's book!
2) The Mayor's (is he with Max or does he find love where he might end up (don't want to spoil?)
3) Sugar's

[Aeron · Rating 1 out of 5]

TL;DR: Do not read this trash--I mean book--unless you want to read about a *supposedly* experienced dom that can't even communicate properly about basic safewords and responsible play. It's disgusting, and you won't realize it until the 70% mark.

The longer version...
This book should be a 4.5. I might have even rounded up to a 5. It was 95% well written and very enjoyable.

So how did it get an automatic 1 star? For committing a cardinal sin of BDSM. I will not forgive it. I will 1 star this. I will say its garbage. I will never read it again. And I'm likely DNR'ing the author in general for it.

The sin? Lack of communication and consent before scenes. Aka perpetuating shitty dom sterotypes. *Supposedly*, JP is an experienced dom. We are told/shown this many times in the story. Hah, bullshit! BULL. FUCKING. SHIT. Max is delicate and completely new to BDSM. JP knows this, yet he goes into an hours-long, relatively hardcore scene with Max tied up, blindfolded, and gagged. Max had never done any of those 3 things by that point, and they did not talk about it ahead of time at all. He has no way to safeword, and they did not even TALK about nonverbal safewords until AFTER the scene. Furthermore, JP doesn't even bother to check on Max during the scene. Again, it lasted for hours. It caused a huge sub drop issue for Max.

The book makes a whole big stink out of it (rightfully so) where JP is thinking he massively fucked up (he did)... BUT JP LITERALLY NEVER APOLOGIZES TO MAX. NOT ONCE. He never tells Max he was wrong. He never sits Max down to talk about it at all, despite saying many times "we need to talk about this." IT NEVER HAPPENS. JP never takes responsibility in any way that matters... AND THEN HE GOES ON TO REPEAT THE SAME BEHAVIOR THROUGHOUT THE BOOK. JP supposedly loves his boy and wants to take care of him in all ways. The book does a great job at convincing us of that in every other aspect. JP is a super sweet and caring dominant. Fiercely protective. But when it really matters... when it really comes down to the core of consent and respectful/responsible BDSM, this book totally shits the bed. Like, shit splattered everywhere. A shitstorm. A shitfest. So much shitting the bed that there should be a content warning for scat.

Here's the crazy thing. THIS AUTHOR IS SO GOOD AT WRITING BASICALLY EVERY OTHER ASPECT OF BDSM. I was fucking HOOKED into this. I rarely say this. Most authors are fucking awful at BDSM. This one is not... except for the MISSION CRITICAL aspect of communication. Jesus, author. So fucking close, yet so fucking far. How did a beta reader not catch this garbage?

And because Max is a BDSM-virgin and super innocent, it's an extreme slap in the face when JP doesn't even show him the basic respect of explaining anything prior to emotionally forcing Max into these situations. It's written as if it's all hunky dory and acceptable. It's not, and fuck this book for trying to pretend it is.

Any actual dom thats ever had a boy will laugh their ass off at this book trying to call JP experienced.

I wish I was joking, folks. This was a mostly perfect book except for that, but it's so fucking disgusting and egregious that I'd almost prefer to read noncon. At least with that, there's usually no implicit trust being violated. In this book, JP is basically raping Max emotionally with his shitty dom practices after Max gives his heart and soul to JP.

I will never forgive this book or author for that. This going on my "trash of all trash" shelf.

[Szidi ☼]

audio DNF

This was the only book I haven't read in the series, so I thought I'll go with the audio version now and skip the ebook. Don't know if it was a good choice or not, but I didn't liked this audio, at all! The voices were monotonous and without emotion. There weren't any difference between characters or dialogue, everything was on the same tone. The worst. So I had to DNF it because it made me mad.
I can't say anything about the storyline because I couldn't get into it the way I wanted to.
Probably will read the ebook someday, but the audio version is just a big NO for me!

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars. That was really not good. It was overlong, a bit pointless, and every single character was deeply unlikable. I get that it was supposed to be all kinky D/s stuff, but the ample sex scenes felt... bloodless. The dirty talk was truly cringeworthy. I was so bored. There was zero chemistry between the MCs. I skimmed the last 30% or so and felt like I missed nothing. Giving book 3 a skip. :/

[Trio · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the slow build up to JP and Max's romance, and they make a wonderful daddy/boy couple after their rocky start. Best of all, for me, this book cleared up a few holes in my New Gothenburg education, but you can definitely do this one as a standalone.

[Ro {semi-hiatus} · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

this felt like it went on foreveerrr. the first book was so ostentatious, i didn't think this would be too much worse but oh my god i'm shocked it held my interest long enough for me to finish. i deserve an award for sitting through them calling each other boy and daddy a million fucking times. the cringe was so real i'm honestly fuming but i did it to myself. it started off decently strong and then idk what happened. someone got carried away by the sex cos this book could have ended in 300 pages but it didn't. i'm vexed.

Maxwell is the pseudo-villain of the first book. after black mailing Jaxson and deputy mayor Vane (two very dumb names that still rankle me), Max is pushed into the deputy mayor's office as assistant to Vane's assistant, Jean-Paul. i loved JP in the first book; he was beautiful and snarky and it was fun to see him exert his dominance over Max in the first part. but then he just. keeps calling himself Daddy. and Max keeps calling him Daddy. and he keeps calling Max boy. it did my head in.

the two enter into a sexual relationship with enough compatibility that has JP regretting ever getting intimate with Max because he's not as much of a shit as he seemed to be on the surface and that makes it hard for him to stay away. Max is a virgin with OCD and a bougie ass family where he is constantly struggling to belong, but remains a disappointment. instead of a quick punishing fuck, Max is in desperate need of someone to steer him back into being a normal functioning human who doesn't act like a skeevy entitled bag of dicks. equipped with praise and a stern tone, JP tackles not only Max's sexual inexperience, but also his compulsive issues. he helps guide his way through catching up on the schoolwork he neglected in favor of his internship too. i'm a sucker for caretaking and hurt/comfort so it was all pretty sweet, honestly. but JP's loyalty to Vane throws a wrench in their attraction to each other and instead of being together, JP tries to find another Daddy for Maxwell so Max is taken care of and JP doesn't betray someone he considers a friend as much as a boss.

despite a little push and pull, there's no angst whatsoever. there's a good bit of heat and a good bit of drama to keep you invested from book to book... assuming you can get over just how utterly ridiculous the kinky parts start to become as the relationships rev up. unfortunately the honorifics just got to be too much for me to rate this any higher because it started making the conversations stilted and annoying. call the man "baby" sometime, Jean-Paul. i swear it won't kill you.

[Latecia Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

His Brave & Beautiful Boy...Loved it!

Geezlouise....Going from Staking His Claim to Denial I thought I was ready. Nope...I have an entire new perspective on Jean-Paul/JP. He's a miracle worker, as well as a HOT Dom/Daddy. The things he did to Max...I mean for Max **smile** was downright miraculous. Max really was a troubled young man...so many difficulties he had to go through with his family, his job and life itself. JP really stepped up and showed the young man, guidance and love...and oh yeah some kinks...LOL. I hated the breaks I had to take while reading because this was so entertaining...I didn't want to put it down. Loved the friendships that developed...loved how Max began to love himself and care for others and especially....I loved Daddy and his brave and beautiful boy. This really didn't end on a cliff hanger but it's got me wondering what's more in store in New Gothenburg.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brey (lil Sebastian) · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 91%…… there was still over 30 minutes left in the book at this point and I just could not do it anymore. This book was probably 50 to 100 pages too long. The angst that was in the book was quickly resolved and it just was not satisfying. I don’t really know how to describe my feeling about this book. I was on such a roll with this author and liking their books but I suppose you can’t win them all. I enjoy the daddy boy relationship in this but there were quite a few times where JP went in all crazy without preparing Max for what he was doing. Just a very meh read

[Patricia Hoffstaetter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this well-paced MM romance with a fascinating “enemies to lovers” undertone. There are character crossovers for the first book (Staking his Claim) but I feel that this book can easily stand on its own. The plot is well-written & is definitely intriguing with the emotional journey the two characters went on to finally get their happy ending. The secondary characters play significant roles & offered good support throughout the storyline.
It is about: a male assistant (Jean-Paul Dubois aka JP) is given a task to make a young man (Maxwell Kalinski aka Max) quit but he soon realizes that everyone including himself has badly misjudged Max & decides to help him then the attractions flare.
There is: political intrigue, family issues, drama, suspense, secrets, daddy dom kinks, unexpected friendship, OCD tendencies, discipline, spankings, mild domination/submission, sad memories, some anguish, distrust, harassment, confrontations, humiliation, guilt, regrets, decisions, attractions, temptation, manipulations, indecision, protectiveness, misunderstandings, confusion, compromises, determination, contentment, love, steamy scenes & a delightful happy ending.

[Kat reads romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wonderful, sexy romance that contained issues of abuse and mental illness respectfully and without unnecessary angst. Plus, the Daddy kink was off the charts hot. Ki Brightly and MD Gregory are my favorite writing duo. If it’s set in the New Gothenburg world, then I want to read it! This book has become one of my favorites.

This novel is about Max, a young employee in the deputy mayor’s office and JD, the deputy mayor’s personal assistant. You’ll recognize them as main characters in “Staking His Claim.” It’s best to read “Staking His Claim” before this book because the events of “Denial” follow after pretty closely and it really helps to have that background. Plus, I loved “Staking His Claim” so much!! You might notice other characters from the New Gothenburg world popping up too, but it isn’t necessary to read the other books to increase your enjoyment of this one (though you should. Because they’re awesome.)

I was so excited to get JD’s story! If you remember from “Staking His Claim”, JD is the personal assistant who makes sure Vane has his life in order. Max was the villain of “Staking His Claim,” a rich brat that landed his current job through an ill-conceived blackmail attempt. Well, in this book we get to know Max much better, and I changed my mind completely about him within the first few pages. The revenge plan against Max formulated in the previous book was to give Max a job in the deputy mayor’s office and then JD would be so mean to him he would have to quit. However, Max, who is used to a lifetime of abuse from his egotistical psychopaths of a family, is conditioned to deal with the degradation heaped his way. Once JD realizes this and takes Max into his house when Max has no where else to go, the book really gets its start.

This is a great love story, with JD being accepting of Max’s OCD and anxiety, and Max learning to stand up to his family and become a better person. The daddy kink is hot, and I really liked how that dynamic fit in to their entire relationship- JD was a Daddy dom, and you can see his caring personality coming through and how much Max blossoms under his guidance. Yes, the novel is on the longer side, but it worked for me. Don’t expect the action, suspense, and criminal activity that you see in some other New Gothenburg novels. No, instead this is a surprisingly sweet romance with a heavy dose of Daddy kink that moves beyond the enemies to lovers trope to really become a story of personal growth as well. Definitely recommend to fans of “Staking His Claim,” the New Gothenburg world, and Daddy kink.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

city hall is wild…

[SJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look at uber cool Jean-Paul falling apart for his boy! Jean-Paul is one of those sophisticated, shiny people who comes off as above most others. I still liked his character in the first book for his efficiency and loyalty to Vane. We got to see his human side in this story and it was unpleasant Maxwell who opened up Jean-Paul. I could see JP as a Dom, but not a Daddy. He became a perfect one for Max and even JP said in dialogue that their chemistry was off the charts. There are very well written scenes of JP thawing towards deeply unhappy Max. I enjoyed reading their story and how they found love. BDSM not my jam, but this author made it palatable with their good writing and the steamy sex. I enjoyed this book, more than the first, which was also well written.
I liked the characters of Vic and Sugar.
I do not like the made up city of New Gothenburg as a setting for this series. It gives the story a dystopian feel which is a no for me. The story line about the mayor, the brothel, rent boys, reporters, is far fetched and the unenjoyable part of this book and the previous.

[Anne Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blew my mind
Firstly I have got a confession to make I judged Maxwell in the first book Staking His Claim. I feel so bad and so guilty because I didn’t give him a chance and now after reading this book and seeing what he went through his whole life I take my hat off to young man and tell him he done good. Confession over
Okay so this is the second book in the series and it’s about when Max comes to work for Vane and basically under Jean-Paul as the personal assistants. The problem is Max has really burnt all his bridges and all they wanna do is make him suffer so that he leaves on his own back. But Maxwell takes it all, anything they give him he takes it. And it soon becomes apparent that he just does not wanna go home. We heard a little bit about his mother the judge in the first book but basically the whole family are horrible to him they humiliate and degrade him & laugh at him it is nothing like any family I’ve ever imagined. So he gets the courage to leave home but then he realises he’s got no one, he’s got no friends so he goes back and sleeps in the office then gets up really early and uses the lockers to shower and change into a new suit before (Jean-Paul) JP gets there. When JP finds this out he tells him to get his clothes and he’s taking him home with him there is no way he’s going to let him sleep in the office and this is really when JP starts some notice quirks about Max And suspect he’s got OCD… But what will Max do about that?? When they start to spend time together it becomes apparent that the JP doesn’t hate him but what can come of them spending time together.
I found this book so emotional I just went to grab Max and give him a hug and protect him from the people that should’ve Been there for him. But I also took my hat off to JP what a man. All he ever wants in life is to make people happy, to take care of them and protect them. When JP and Max are together Sparks fly it’s like watching the fireworks go off on bonfire night they come alive they are so perfect together. JP Is so patient with him they are the perfect pair.
This is a brilliant series

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I jumped into this not knowing of or reading the previous book. I wanted to read this book as the author goes into details on a more realistic view to mm relationships and how to avoid a 'messy' scene. Max has OCD and otherwise wouldn't be able to cope without having a thorough clean beforehand. We learn that Max has a difficult family life as he is expected to be a certain way and it is instilled in him that this is the only way and anyone else is inferior. So he's quite rude to the other interns. JP is his immediate boss and a Daddy Dom. After a series of evens Max ends up in JP's house where JP discovers that Max is very different out of the office and has OCD which he denies and is also a submissive and needs a firm hand. There is a lot going on in the book with various characters and things happening at work but we also see the side where JP is very patient with Max and teaches him how to enjoy be a good Boy and enjoy light kink when one has OCD. I know the scenes at the Townhall were important to the book but I enjoyed more the scenes of just Max and JP. It is a slow burn and good if you want an intro to Daddy/Boy relationships.

[Priyaa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Since the author has written several D/S books, I thought the book would be a safe bet but oh how wrong I was. This book did nothing but infuriate me to no end.

Not only the relationship between the characters is unhealthy but I positively cannot even say if any actual consent was even there.

A man could have Googled Dom 101 and be a better dom than JP -

Starting any kind of power dynamic with not only a newbie but also someone who is Virgin in every way without any talk about Safe word or set limits is just stupid.

Recognising that a person has been abused in the past by his family and you have done nothing but add to the trauma by abusing him too and then to NEVER EVEN APOLOGIZE is just absolutely crazy

Spanking a sub when he is telling you that he was extremely hurt by your actions and feels inadequate just because he is angry and cussing is just wrong. Communication is literally the most important part of any power dynamic.

I am honestly not sure if Max was with JP because he actually loved him or because JP was the first person that showed him some kind of affection

[DANNETTE HUGGINS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story line. Kind of enemies to lovers with a swing on blackmail.

Max. heir name. Virgin, angry and disrespected by his family. Trying to make them proud but ended up losing his shirt. Treated like a pariah . Tasked with all the lowest of low jobs but not giving up. He couldn't. He didn't want to admit defeat because then he would have to go home with his tail between his legs and face a family that has always treated him like a second class citizen. JP is his keeper. Treating him like trash and he felt that he deserved it but getting tired of the abuse. Max one day decides he had enough of his family and of his boss and breaks down. Telling JP he can't go home but he not quitting his job either. JP feels sorry for him and take him home. Things heat up from there. They work their kink out and go from there. Dealing with a no show Mayor and the assistant mayor who ends up taking over.

[Lori¸¸¸.•*❀Ɍɛɑɗs̱LɪƙɛIʈs̱H̱ɛɍJɔɓ 유❤유 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was thinking that this might have been kind of boring at least in comparison with the first book. The first was much more interesting but I actually ended up liking this in the end. It was pretty standard Daddy/boy fare but the actual story was pretty good. I like redemption arcs and I was glad that Max had one. He had a pretty crappy life with a terrible family.

JP was not nice to Max for a long time and Max did deserve it for what he did. After Max basically ran away from his family, JP took him in and the story basically began there. It was long and it could've been shorter but found it well-written and interesting so I really didn't mind. I really only read this because I am trying to get to book 4 because of the nature of the kink and I have a rough time not reading books in series out of order, but I am glad I did.

I can certainly recommend it if Daddy/boy dynamics is your thing.

[CAROLINA · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite book in the City Hall series, Denial shows two very different men finding in each other what they were missing. It's a sweet story of enemies to lovers, opposites attract, co-workers, age gap, and Daddy kink.

JP may have started the story being an asshole to Max, but when he realizes that what Max needs is guidance and someone who truly cares for him, he becomes the perfect Daddy. I loved how he introduced the dynamic to Max and how patient he was.

Max was young and had such low self-esteem but he wasn't a pushover and it was great to see him blossom both in his job and his personal life. Leaving his toxic family behind, taking control of his own life, and embracing his role as a Boy was amazing.

However, even after reading all books in this universe, and knowing how s3x-focused they are, it still bothers me to see characters disrespecting their workplace and co-workers by engaging in intimate activities like that.

[Ares · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this a lot better than the first one, with the first one a big complain I had was boredom here and there but with this book it wasn’t the case. The other point of me not quite enjoying the kinks still stands. I physically cringe when I read the word Daddy, and it was mentioned A LOT. I do not judge but it’s not my cup of tea.

I like JP a lot more than Vane though there wasn’t really a Sadistic side to him. A few punishments sure but it wasn’t really going deep there. The story was more focused on the Daddy and Boy relationship where JP was a caring and nurturing Dom.

Max I really loved, he was a bit too close to home sometimes. From the OCD part to the family I could relate. I think this is the best representation I read when it comes to OCD in a book that isn’t designated to it. Max OCD was a lot less than mine but it was still nice to see a character have it without the whole book just being about it.

I’m for sure reading more from this author.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well-written book has MCs who are flawed, unique, at time hilarious, and still very caring. Max, who was such a scheming, manipulative bad boy in the first book in this series, is now cast in a different light, as we learn his backstory. Son of a rich, cold family and the butt of their every joke, he lacks confidence and social skills. His OCD and anxiety make life a challenge for him. Jean-Paul, office manager to the deputy mayor and Max's supervisor, has been put in charge of making Max so miserable he will quit his job. Instead, Jean-Paul notices he is getting off on designing new menial tasks for Max. When these two discover that they are much more attracted than they realize and Max can use the structure of a Daddy, can they find a path to a deeper relationship? A funny and very entertaining read.

[Soscha · Rating 4 out of 5]

New day in New Gothenburg, new daddy kink couple!

This is the story of the deputy to the deputy mayor, Jean-Paul “JP” Dubois, and the insufferable intern from the previous entry, Max Kalinski.

Only Max isn’t *really* so insufferable: he just needs guidance, and his own daddy.

Only JP doesn’t think he can be that man, as sparks ✨ fly along with green-eyed monsters 🐍 & 💔 broken hearts .

“Denial” seems a bit more poignant entry than the first book, “Staking His Claim (City Hall Book 1)”, and I was really rooting for them.

This is a well-written story & certainly worth your time if you’re into M/m couples & yes, daddy kink! 👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bookaddict100 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Max had blackmailed the Deputy Mayor to get a promotion trying to impress his ungrateful family. The Deputy Mayor’s assistant JP has been torturing Max with menial jobs around the office hoping Max will quit. When Max leaves his insensitive family home life with nowhere to stay, JP takes Max home to stay with him. JP’s Daddy Dom comes out right away and he wants to help and protect Max. Knowing they work together JP tries to find Max another Daddy but, jealousy and wanting to keep Max for himself wins out. Watching them grow their relationship and JP helping Max with his OCD and sub drop was so heartfelt. Another great read in the town of New Gothenburg.
I received a free copy via booksprout and this is my review.

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is easy enough to accept an assignment to enact a hit, even a figurative one, when you don't get personal with the target. JP is an assistant and loyal to his boss. He is tasked with making things difficult for Max so that Max will quit and leave City Hall. Max did the wrong thing and he tried to be a blackmailer and it backfired on him leaving him at the mercy of JP. Strangely being in one another's orbits reveals that their kinks kind of line up and there is something there. But JP is loyal and he thinks its best to help Max find what he needs elsewhere. Which will win out, their desires or JP mission? This was another delicious story in this series. Bad reads so good in this series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Gherk · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars only because it started out so good!! The praise kink was delicious and despite Max initially being nasty, really tugged on my heartstrings. I really liked JP being a Daddy Dom that was a surprise but for a supposedly experienced one he messed up a lot. No prior conversations on kink..ok I can deal this is the seedier side of City Hall. In the beginning JP did say he struggled with his desire to use what he knew to wreck a trusting Max. After discovering JP was actually an experienced caring Dom though his actions really said otherwise. Tying up, gagging and blindfolding a sub, especially a new to kink sub, with no way to safe word. No thank you. The issue was brought up later but for such an organised, responsible Dom it made zero sense.