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A Soft Touch
Roman Reynolds needs a housekeeper and Ezra Powell is arguably the best. Despite their rocky start, Ezra is determined to set Roman’s house to rights without any distractions, if only the man would keep his shirt on and stop looking so damn handsome all the time.
An ex-NFL player and confirmed bachelor, Roman has been on a long losing streak when it comes to men. When his best friend (and notorious prankster) says he’s got someone who’s perfect for him, Roman knows it’s too good to be true. But then Ezra comes along with his shy smiles and thoughtful gestures and Roman’s hardened heart finally begins to thaw.
Both men have been hurt before, both are a little shy when it comes to love, but when the opportunity to form a deep and lasting connection arises, will they be bold enough to take it?
A SOFT TOUCH is a sweet and steamy 73K MM romance novel with low angst, lots of cuddles, and a bonafide happy ending. Content warning for ableism.
An ex-NFL player and confirmed bachelor, Roman has been on a long losing streak when it comes to men. When his best friend (and notorious prankster) says he’s got someone who’s perfect for him, Roman knows it’s too good to be true. But then Ezra comes along with his shy smiles and thoughtful gestures and Roman’s hardened heart finally begins to thaw.
Both men have been hurt before, both are a little shy when it comes to love, but when the opportunity to form a deep and lasting connection arises, will they be bold enough to take it?
A SOFT TOUCH is a sweet and steamy 73K MM romance novel with low angst, lots of cuddles, and a bonafide happy ending. Content warning for ableism.
265 pages, ebook
First published April 17, 2021
158 people are currently reading
707 people want to read
About the author
Laura Lascarso
30 books499 followersMM+ AUTHOR | Romance so good it hurts
Laura Lascarso wants you to stay up way past your bedtime reading her stories. She aims to inspire more questions than answers in her fiction and believes in the power of storytelling to heal and transform a society.
When not writing, Laura can be found screaming “finish” on the soccer fields, rewatching Avatar: The Last Airbender, and trying to convince politicians to act on climate change. She lives in North Florida with her darling husband and two kids. She loves hearing from readers, and she’d be delighted to hear from you.
Join her Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/LaurasLounge
Sign up for her newsletter at www.lauralascarso.com
Laura Lascarso wants you to stay up way past your bedtime reading her stories. She aims to inspire more questions than answers in her fiction and believes in the power of storytelling to heal and transform a society.
When not writing, Laura can be found screaming “finish” on the soccer fields, rewatching Avatar: The Last Airbender, and trying to convince politicians to act on climate change. She lives in North Florida with her darling husband and two kids. She loves hearing from readers, and she’d be delighted to hear from you.
Join her Facebook group at www.facebook.com/groups/LaurasLounge
Sign up for her newsletter at www.lauralascarso.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 186 reviews
April 18, 2021
This was a very sweet story. Maybe too sweet and cuddly at times, but I enjoyed that. What made it hard for me to rate it was that there were things that I absolutely loved about it, and then there were things that I didn't.
I loved the characters. I adored Ezra. He is such an amazing character and the way he was written felt very authentic. I loved Roman for being so understanding and for doing everything he did for Ezra. They were perfect together. I loved watching their relationship develop naturally and their conversations about so many different topics were one of my favourite parts of the book.
There were some great side characters, too. I really liked Jay and Ezra's mum. The conversations they had with Ezra and Roman were pretty great, too.
The only thing I really didn't enjoy were the intimate scene.
I loved the characters. I adored Ezra. He is such an amazing character and the way he was written felt very authentic. I loved Roman for being so understanding and for doing everything he did for Ezra. They were perfect together. I loved watching their relationship develop naturally and their conversations about so many different topics were one of my favourite parts of the book.
There were some great side characters, too. I really liked Jay and Ezra's mum. The conversations they had with Ezra and Roman were pretty great, too.
The only thing I really didn't enjoy were the intimate scene.
April 18, 2021
BEWARE: NO CONFLICT IN THIS BOOK!
You’ll like this fine if:
You enjoy being teased with what feels like promises of a great D/s relationship in the beginning, but don’t get anything like that until the last couple of pages.
You enjoy reading no angst books and like being left on-hold waiting for even the tiniest bit of conflict or drama after feeling like the seeds for the freaking drama were planted (read: privacy cams, sexy pix, videos, homophobia in the South, et al.)
You enjoy one character bending over backwards for another for the first time ever in his life and expecting nothing in return.
You enjoy awkward names pre- during and post sexy times such as, long dong, pleasure hole, etc. (I will admit that some of the sexy times are very sexy).
You believe the term “cutie” is underused and should be thrown out at every single possible moment when describing and referring to a grown man.
If any of the above apply to you, then dive the hell in to this sickly sweet morass of cream pie.
If not, then, I suggest not clicking on the green button and scrolling on down.
You’ll like this fine if:
You enjoy being teased with what feels like promises of a great D/s relationship in the beginning, but don’t get anything like that until the last couple of pages.
You enjoy reading no angst books and like being left on-hold waiting for even the tiniest bit of conflict or drama after feeling like the seeds for the freaking drama were planted (read: privacy cams, sexy pix, videos, homophobia in the South, et al.)
You enjoy one character bending over backwards for another for the first time ever in his life and expecting nothing in return.
You enjoy awkward names pre- during and post sexy times such as, long dong, pleasure hole, etc. (I will admit that some of the sexy times are very sexy).
You believe the term “cutie” is underused and should be thrown out at every single possible moment when describing and referring to a grown man.
If any of the above apply to you, then dive the hell in to this sickly sweet morass of cream pie.
If not, then, I suggest not clicking on the green button and scrolling on down.
Read
April 18, 2021DNF@50%
This one is totally on me.🙊🙉🙈
I should have listened to the author, but I was stubborn and wanted to try.
👇👇
A SOFT TOUCH is a sweet and steamy 73K MM romance novel with low angst, lots of cuddles, and a bonafide happy ending. Content warning for ableism.
This one is totally on me.🙊🙉🙈
I should have listened to the author, but I was stubborn and wanted to try.
👇👇
A SOFT TOUCH is a sweet and steamy 73K MM romance novel with low angst, lots of cuddles, and a bonafide happy ending. Content warning for ableism.
May 17, 2021
This was a very sweet story.
I didn't realize it at the beginning, but Ezra and Roman's story definitely isn't your average romance.
Roman is a retired football star who is now running a chain of restaurants and has a thing for cooking (like many romance characters, LOL). His best friend talks him into hiring a young house cleaner who is desperately looking for a job to pay for his tuition.
After a quirky 'job interview', Roman hires Ezra as a live-in housekeeper. And from then on, both guys get closer to each other.
The plot sounds a bit straight forward, but there is one thing that makes this story decidedly unique: Ezra is .
However, as there are many degrees, you might wonder in how far this plays into the story.
Ezra is pretty shy, very good with numbers and he generally focuses on some things, while completely neglecting others. He's a specialist in his fields of interest, whereas he is totally clueless in many other areas of life. Such as sex.
I should also mention that while I totally praise this story for including in a romance, there are a few things that felt totally odd. I know that Roman is a decent guy, but sometimes he seemed a bit like a sex predator, like when he asked Ezra to wear a football uniform that was way too small for him while cleaning. I mean, isn't that something that a pimp would do? Very weird.
But despite the few issues (and I want to state the odd nicknames in the second part as an issue!!), I found it amazing to see Roman care for Erza and accept him the way he was, making their relationship work.
Really sweet.
3 stars!
I didn't realize it at the beginning, but Ezra and Roman's story definitely isn't your average romance.
Roman is a retired football star who is now running a chain of restaurants and has a thing for cooking (like many romance characters, LOL). His best friend talks him into hiring a young house cleaner who is desperately looking for a job to pay for his tuition.
After a quirky 'job interview', Roman hires Ezra as a live-in housekeeper. And from then on, both guys get closer to each other.
The plot sounds a bit straight forward, but there is one thing that makes this story decidedly unique: Ezra is .
However, as there are many degrees, you might wonder in how far this plays into the story.
Ezra is pretty shy, very good with numbers and he generally focuses on some things, while completely neglecting others. He's a specialist in his fields of interest, whereas he is totally clueless in many other areas of life. Such as sex.
I should also mention that while I totally praise this story for including in a romance, there are a few things that felt totally odd. I know that Roman is a decent guy, but sometimes he seemed a bit like a sex predator, like when he asked Ezra to wear a football uniform that was way too small for him while cleaning. I mean, isn't that something that a pimp would do? Very weird.
But despite the few issues (and I want to state the odd nicknames in the second part as an issue!!), I found it amazing to see Roman care for Erza and accept him the way he was, making their relationship work.
Really sweet.
3 stars!
i-m-a-quitter
May 1, 2021I don’t think I can finish this one. It’s just not working for me.
Their relationship is kind of making me cringe. It’s definitely overly sweet. I’m just not feeling it. Any of it.
DNF @ 56%.
Their relationship is kind of making me cringe. It’s definitely overly sweet. I’m just not feeling it. Any of it.
DNF @ 56%.
April 24, 2021
I really enjoyed this. It's chill, light, and a fun read. Do I wish for more depth and complexity? Absolutely. But I'm quite satisfied with what I got with this one. This story won't be great for everyone but surprisingly it worked out for me.
April 3, 2021
I received an ARC from the author and this is my honest review.
What a cute, sweet, delicious book that was.
This, for me, was the perfect palate cleanser.
Why read this book…
- Biracial MCs…
Roman: Black former QB turned restaurant owner who is SUPER POSSESSIVE and SUPER JEALOUS... #MachoMan
Ezra: White twinky cute neuro-diverse genius college student moonlighting as a housemaid …. #Layers
- Sexy outfits, cute costumes and “deep cleaning” in more ways than one. #PerfectBlend
- Relationship driven Plot... nothing but Ezra and Roman forming a bond slowly, from Employer-employee, friends, lovers, boyfriends and more…#AllAboutUs
- Mushy, ridiculously OTT, sugary sweet romance with lots and lots of pet names. Roman is all "Baby and Babe and Cutie" and Ezra is all "Yes Sir and Whatever You Want"... #CuteAF
- Steam-o-meter: High Steam…
Roman is well-endowed and Ezra is happy to reap the benefits. Ezra is also a freak in bed! The dirty talk is ON FIRE and both love roleplay and mild kink... #Phew
- Angst-o-meter: No angst … #FeelGoodBook
- HEA: Super sweet and Filthy Sexy…. #HappyTogether
- Laura's trademark pretty words.
#HappyReading
What a cute, sweet, delicious book that was.
This, for me, was the perfect palate cleanser.
Why read this book…
- Biracial MCs…
Roman: Black former QB turned restaurant owner who is SUPER POSSESSIVE and SUPER JEALOUS... #MachoMan
Ezra: White twinky cute neuro-diverse genius college student moonlighting as a housemaid …. #Layers
- Sexy outfits, cute costumes and “deep cleaning” in more ways than one. #PerfectBlend
- Relationship driven Plot... nothing but Ezra and Roman forming a bond slowly, from Employer-employee, friends, lovers, boyfriends and more…#AllAboutUs
- Mushy, ridiculously OTT, sugary sweet romance with lots and lots of pet names. Roman is all "Baby and Babe and Cutie" and Ezra is all "Yes Sir and Whatever You Want"... #CuteAF
- Steam-o-meter: High Steam…
Roman is well-endowed and Ezra is happy to reap the benefits. Ezra is also a freak in bed! The dirty talk is ON FIRE and both love roleplay and mild kink... #Phew
- Angst-o-meter: No angst … #FeelGoodBook
- HEA: Super sweet and Filthy Sexy…. #HappyTogether
- Laura's trademark pretty words.
#HappyReading
July 15, 2021
I don’t know why I kept putting off reading this book so long.
The story is just so freaking sweet and adorable, romantic and refreshing, all in one .with a lot of HOT sexy moments .
Ezra was such an endearing, thoughtful and fascinating person, while Roman was very dominating and possesive toward Ezra , more like a dragon, hoarding his treasure (author’s words !!)😄
I just couldn’t help but love both .
Truth be told, this story was a bit too sweet and lovely for my taste ,but I enjoyed it immensely. I just love Laura’s writing, which was very impressive as usual .
The story is just so freaking sweet and adorable, romantic and refreshing, all in one .with a lot of HOT sexy moments .
Ezra was such an endearing, thoughtful and fascinating person, while Roman was very dominating and possesive toward Ezra , more like a dragon, hoarding his treasure (author’s words !!)😄
I just couldn’t help but love both .
Truth be told, this story was a bit too sweet and lovely for my taste ,but I enjoyed it immensely. I just love Laura’s writing, which was very impressive as usual .
May 20, 2024
Book safety, content warnings, and tropes down below.
“Okay, you’re Black and neurotypical, I’m white and neurodivergent, but we’re both homosexual, which I think is the most important commonality.”
I really like this book. I’ve read/listened to it a handful of times by now. It’s got diverse characters, great communication, and it’s full of understanding and a willingness to learn and just be unquestionably supportive.
Ezra is autistic, and although my knowledge about neurodivergency isn’t what I would call vast, it feels like the book does it justice and is a good representation. Ezra is multifaceted: super smart, funny, sexy, emotional and nonjudgmental.
Ezra had been a little self-conscious the first time Roman licked him down there, but he figured if the man could stand to eat bleu cheese, he could also stand to eat out his pleasure hole.
All of the different names for genitalia and other sexy stuff is hilarious at times, but I also like how it just becomes the new normal while reading it because those are the terms Ezra is comfortable with.
Roman and Ezra just seem to have so much fun together and their love is believable. Makes it fun to read their love story.
“You’re mine now. And you’re going to be a good boy and take every inch of me, aren’t you?” “Yes, sir. Every centimeter,” Ezra whispered because, hello, the metric system.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Age gap
BIPOC character
Size difference
Neurodivergent MC
Forced proximity
Housekeeper/roommate
Former professional football player
Wealthy MC
Boss/employee
Cockwarming
Lacy underthings
Virgin MC
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Manipulation of MC (mostly by side character, no malicious intent)
Power imbalance
Racism (unnamed side character)
Unnamed side character uses ableist slur towards MC
Mild objectification and degredation used affectionately (e.g. cockwarmer/slut/cumslut)
Mild daddy kink in the bedroom (end of book)
Erotic spanking
Explicit sexual content
Mild Dom/sub dynamic
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: Yes. A friend of Ezra wants him, and they go on a date together (off page) and kiss. Before anything happens between MCs and Ezra is very unaware of Roman’s feelings at the time.
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 24 and not specified
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 264
“I knew you could do it, cutie,” Roman said softly and brushed his nose against Ezra’s hair. Ezra didn’t know if Roman actually thought he was cute or if he was only teasing, but he liked that he had his own special nickname. And something he didn’t tell Roman but kept very quietly to himself was that he’d never been chosen to be on a team before; he was always one of the leftover kids that the coaches split at the end, like remainders in long division. But Roman had picked him first.
“How do you feel about me being Black?” Ezra’s eyes slid from Roman’s face to his arm, then back. “More of a dark brown.” Roman waited for him to catch on; he didn’t have to wait long. “Oh, do you mean the social construct of Black, which includes African-Americans and several other ethnicities that are all lumped together somewhat haphazardly?” “Yes, that.” “Okay. Yes, I noticed that about you. It would be hard not to, as skin is the largest organ of the human body.”
“Roman, I don’t need anything at all. I just want you to pleasure me sexually.” “Say that again.” Ezra rolled his eyes. Roman loved it when he talked dirty. Well, he could get very dirty indeed. “I want your long dong inside my poop chute.” “Ezra, don’t call it that.” Roman laughed so hard that it made Ezra giggle as well. “What should I call it then?” “Literally anything else. […]”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
“Okay, you’re Black and neurotypical, I’m white and neurodivergent, but we’re both homosexual, which I think is the most important commonality.”
I really like this book. I’ve read/listened to it a handful of times by now. It’s got diverse characters, great communication, and it’s full of understanding and a willingness to learn and just be unquestionably supportive.
Ezra is autistic, and although my knowledge about neurodivergency isn’t what I would call vast, it feels like the book does it justice and is a good representation. Ezra is multifaceted: super smart, funny, sexy, emotional and nonjudgmental.
Ezra had been a little self-conscious the first time Roman licked him down there, but he figured if the man could stand to eat bleu cheese, he could also stand to eat out his pleasure hole.
All of the different names for genitalia and other sexy stuff is hilarious at times, but I also like how it just becomes the new normal while reading it because those are the terms Ezra is comfortable with.
Roman and Ezra just seem to have so much fun together and their love is believable. Makes it fun to read their love story.
“You’re mine now. And you’re going to be a good boy and take every inch of me, aren’t you?” “Yes, sir. Every centimeter,” Ezra whispered because, hello, the metric system.
⬇️ Blanket spoiler warning ⬇️
⚠️ Tropes & tags ⚠️
Age gap
BIPOC character
Size difference
Neurodivergent MC
Forced proximity
Housekeeper/roommate
Former professional football player
Wealthy MC
Boss/employee
Cockwarming
Lacy underthings
Virgin MC
⚠️ Content warning ⚠️
Explicit sexual content
Manipulation of MC (mostly by side character, no malicious intent)
Power imbalance
Racism (unnamed side character)
Unnamed side character uses ableist slur towards MC
Mild objectification and degredation used affectionately (e.g. cockwarmer/slut/cumslut)
Mild daddy kink in the bedroom (end of book)
Erotic spanking
Explicit sexual content
Mild Dom/sub dynamic
⚠️Book safety ⚠️
Cheating: No
Other person drama: Yes. A friend of Ezra wants him, and they go on a date together (off page) and kiss. Before anything happens between MCs and Ezra is very unaware of Roman’s feelings at the time.
Breakup: No
POV: 3rd person, dual
Genre: Contemporary romance
Pairing: M/M
Strict roles or versatile: Strict roles
Main characters’ age: 24 and not specified
Series: Standalone
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Pages: 264
“I knew you could do it, cutie,” Roman said softly and brushed his nose against Ezra’s hair. Ezra didn’t know if Roman actually thought he was cute or if he was only teasing, but he liked that he had his own special nickname. And something he didn’t tell Roman but kept very quietly to himself was that he’d never been chosen to be on a team before; he was always one of the leftover kids that the coaches split at the end, like remainders in long division. But Roman had picked him first.
“How do you feel about me being Black?” Ezra’s eyes slid from Roman’s face to his arm, then back. “More of a dark brown.” Roman waited for him to catch on; he didn’t have to wait long. “Oh, do you mean the social construct of Black, which includes African-Americans and several other ethnicities that are all lumped together somewhat haphazardly?” “Yes, that.” “Okay. Yes, I noticed that about you. It would be hard not to, as skin is the largest organ of the human body.”
“Roman, I don’t need anything at all. I just want you to pleasure me sexually.” “Say that again.” Ezra rolled his eyes. Roman loved it when he talked dirty. Well, he could get very dirty indeed. “I want your long dong inside my poop chute.” “Ezra, don’t call it that.” Roman laughed so hard that it made Ezra giggle as well. “What should I call it then?” “Literally anything else. […]”
You can find most of my reviews on Instagram as well: https://www.instagram.com/booksafety?...
April 21, 2021
Man, this was not for me. It was hard to force myself to finish it. Boring because it vaguely bordered on domestic discipline which for me is a snooze fest. Very sugar kink vibe. Cutesy and vaguely kinky never works for me.
I commend the author for wanting to represent an autistic MC but see above.
I like this author and i hope this will not be a blueprint for the direction she’s heading.
I commend the author for wanting to represent an autistic MC but see above.
I like this author and i hope this will not be a blueprint for the direction she’s heading.
April 21, 2021
This was the most beautiful, super romantic narrative!
One day there was a young man at Roman’s doorstep who said he came for the job. Roman asks him inside and even though there was no job, he let Ezra claimed it nevertheless.
Ezra is the fresh breeze Roman never knew he needed. The sweet, shy guy who works and lives extraordinarily organized and brings the needed structure into Roman’s life.
As Roman’s housekeeper Ezra is dedicated to his tasks, he doesn’t need distractions around, like the beautiful man Roman is. Ezra’s body has strong reactions when Roman is around. He’s confused and knows he has to be honest about it.
Oh my goodness, Ezra, he took my breath away, he touched me deeply, and Roman, I wish I could tell him in an early stadium, it will be alright, everything will be alright!
Ezra is the most honest, endearing, organized man, he stole my heart at first sight. Roman is the kindest and considerate man, he’s mesmerized by Ezra and has protective and even more, possessive feelings for him.
“If you make fun of him for this, I will squeeze your testicles until they pop.”
A life carefully planned, structured, safe, that was the most beautiful thing to watch!
Throughout this story you can see the plan unfolding, Roman made a grand gesture it was so so thoughtful!!
I want a Roman for myself oh my, what a man. There is so much pure love between these two, it was overwhelming I had thick goosebumps!
The author created two beautiful lovable personalities, to watch them grow closer and closer was everything!
It was a super romantic, super sweet story, full of tenderness and delicious sexiness.
This story will get a top place on my romance shelf!
Note to the author: Can you give Jay his own story? I loved him so hard!
One day there was a young man at Roman’s doorstep who said he came for the job. Roman asks him inside and even though there was no job, he let Ezra claimed it nevertheless.
Ezra is the fresh breeze Roman never knew he needed. The sweet, shy guy who works and lives extraordinarily organized and brings the needed structure into Roman’s life.
As Roman’s housekeeper Ezra is dedicated to his tasks, he doesn’t need distractions around, like the beautiful man Roman is. Ezra’s body has strong reactions when Roman is around. He’s confused and knows he has to be honest about it.
Oh my goodness, Ezra, he took my breath away, he touched me deeply, and Roman, I wish I could tell him in an early stadium, it will be alright, everything will be alright!
Ezra is the most honest, endearing, organized man, he stole my heart at first sight. Roman is the kindest and considerate man, he’s mesmerized by Ezra and has protective and even more, possessive feelings for him.
“If you make fun of him for this, I will squeeze your testicles until they pop.”
A life carefully planned, structured, safe, that was the most beautiful thing to watch!
Throughout this story you can see the plan unfolding, Roman made a grand gesture it was so so thoughtful!!
I want a Roman for myself oh my, what a man. There is so much pure love between these two, it was overwhelming I had thick goosebumps!
The author created two beautiful lovable personalities, to watch them grow closer and closer was everything!
It was a super romantic, super sweet story, full of tenderness and delicious sexiness.
This story will get a top place on my romance shelf!
Note to the author: Can you give Jay his own story? I loved him so hard!
January 10, 2023
Reread 1-10-23
It's interesting to read books again, especially when #1 my tastes change or #2 it's my reading mood. I still.liked this book. It's sweet and I liked the characters. I thought Roman a nd Ezra were good together, but somehow I didn't enjoy it as much this time around. Strangely, I found myself skipping over some parts and I didn't really enjoy the sex scenes much. *shrug* I'm definitely going to read this book again because I'm interested in what I'll think of it next time. I liked it, but didn't love it like before. If I had to rate it again, I'd probably give it 3 stars.
Original review:
I enjoyed the sweet, slow burn relationship between Roman and Ezra. I liked their heated chemistry and thought they fit together perfectly. I enjoyed watching their relationship grow and evolve into something special.
4.25 stars
It's interesting to read books again, especially when #1 my tastes change or #2 it's my reading mood. I still.liked this book. It's sweet and I liked the characters. I thought Roman a nd Ezra were good together, but somehow I didn't enjoy it as much this time around. Strangely, I found myself skipping over some parts and I didn't really enjoy the sex scenes much. *shrug* I'm definitely going to read this book again because I'm interested in what I'll think of it next time. I liked it, but didn't love it like before. If I had to rate it again, I'd probably give it 3 stars.
Original review:
I enjoyed the sweet, slow burn relationship between Roman and Ezra. I liked their heated chemistry and thought they fit together perfectly. I enjoyed watching their relationship grow and evolve into something special.
4.25 stars
May 5, 2021
Age gap que quizás para mis gustos peca un poco de ser demasiado dulce, prefiero los libros con algo más de angst y conflicto y un análisis más profundo de estos. Es entretenido y te deja con una sonrisa, y eso siempre es importante, pero poco más.
April 27, 2021
While I was debating my next read I was lucky enough to stumble upon A Soft Touch by Laura Lascarso. I liked the premise of the book and one-clicked immediately. I’m so glad I didn’t let this sweet story sit on my TBR shelf.
The author hooked me into the story between Roman and Erza from page one. Roman is a retired NFL player who is extremely busy in his second career as a successful restaurateur. He is also in desperate need of a housekeeper. Luckily his friend recommends Ezra. Ezra is a sweetheart. He is smart, shy, and also is autistic. His analytical mind leads to some laugh-out-loud moments as well as very tender moments between him and Roman.
This unlikely pair worked so well together. I loved the age gap aspect of the couple; Roman was so devoted to Ezra’s needs and wanted to make sure he was protected. The author knew how to write some pretty steamy love scenes. These boys could talk dirty! There was little drama but the book flowed well and I had a hard time letting go of this couple.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
The author hooked me into the story between Roman and Erza from page one. Roman is a retired NFL player who is extremely busy in his second career as a successful restaurateur. He is also in desperate need of a housekeeper. Luckily his friend recommends Ezra. Ezra is a sweetheart. He is smart, shy, and also is autistic. His analytical mind leads to some laugh-out-loud moments as well as very tender moments between him and Roman.
This unlikely pair worked so well together. I loved the age gap aspect of the couple; Roman was so devoted to Ezra’s needs and wanted to make sure he was protected. The author knew how to write some pretty steamy love scenes. These boys could talk dirty! There was little drama but the book flowed well and I had a hard time letting go of this couple.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
May 3, 2021
2.75 stars
Well. It was a pretty generic m/m for Laura Lascarso. Not at all what I expect from her. Almost too sweet, and that's not something I say very often. The dynamic -- extreme size difference, age difference, hurt/comfort, "taking care of my sweet boy" -- is not going to work for some people. It was frequently too much for me, and I'm not that sensitive to it. Everything food-related was great, though.
Well. It was a pretty generic m/m for Laura Lascarso. Not at all what I expect from her. Almost too sweet, and that's not something I say very often. The dynamic -- extreme size difference, age difference, hurt/comfort, "taking care of my sweet boy" -- is not going to work for some people. It was frequently too much for me, and I'm not that sensitive to it. Everything food-related was great, though.
Read
May 4, 2021DNF. 76%
I'm not a fan of Daddy Kink. I wish I had known ahead of time. I just wasn't feeling their relationship.
I'm not a fan of Daddy Kink. I wish I had known ahead of time. I just wasn't feeling their relationship.
November 5, 2021
Ezra is super sweet and I couldn't get enough of him with Roman.
The dirty talk that comes out of these 2 is epic.
The dirty talk that comes out of these 2 is epic.
May 1, 2021
Enjoyed this one up until the point that sex got involved, and then it seemed to take over the story...as I'd suspected it would. Daddy/boy kink is definitely not my favourite [I probably wouldn't have pre-ordered the story if I'd known], and I found myself wishing for the early days of Ezra and Roman's relationship, when it was just an opposites attract/age gap/interracial 'romance', focusing on Ezra's quirks due to him being on the 'Spectrum'. 3.25 stars.
April 23, 2021
4.5
This was such a lovely, heartwarming story… It was very sweet, that’s true, and while that’s not a word I usually like to associate with my books, the slightly kinky dynamic between the MCs spiced it up nicely and balanced things out. Great cast of diverse, authentic characters. Laura’s writing was excellent, as always.
This was such a lovely, heartwarming story… It was very sweet, that’s true, and while that’s not a word I usually like to associate with my books, the slightly kinky dynamic between the MCs spiced it up nicely and balanced things out. Great cast of diverse, authentic characters. Laura’s writing was excellent, as always.
April 19, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.25 stars
As this book opens, we get a glimpse of Roman and where he is in life currently and we also get a feel for Ezra. Ezra has been housekeeping for Roman’s friend, Jay, and Jay may have some ulterior motives when he sends Ezra to Roman. The beginning of this book has a bit of a porn movie set up feel to it and it didn’t work for me. Ezra is smaller than the two football players and Jay sends Ezra to clean Roman’s house in short shorts and a tight-fitting football jersey. Roman likes how Ezra looks and is only offended that Ezra is wearing Jay’s football number and not his own number and the way Jay talked about Ezra came off as being manipulative.
The style here was a departure from what I have read previously from this author and the relationship between Roman and Ezra might work better for another reader.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
3.25 stars
As this book opens, we get a glimpse of Roman and where he is in life currently and we also get a feel for Ezra. Ezra has been housekeeping for Roman’s friend, Jay, and Jay may have some ulterior motives when he sends Ezra to Roman. The beginning of this book has a bit of a porn movie set up feel to it and it didn’t work for me. Ezra is smaller than the two football players and Jay sends Ezra to clean Roman’s house in short shorts and a tight-fitting football jersey. Roman likes how Ezra looks and is only offended that Ezra is wearing Jay’s football number and not his own number and the way Jay talked about Ezra came off as being manipulative.
The style here was a departure from what I have read previously from this author and the relationship between Roman and Ezra might work better for another reader.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
September 27, 2021
Sweet, fun read! Everyone should have an Ezra in their lives. He is so refreshing. He was just such an endearing character. I loved that Roman loved Ezra as much as he did, because if I felt like he didn't, I would not have liked this book as much. Roman was such a great character as well. And Jay was hilarious. I just so much enjoyed Roman and Ezra together and how Roman was quick to work through any issues that Ezra had and was able to work through those with Ezra having enough time to process everything and make his decisions on his timeline. This was just such a great read and we got to see in the future a bit. No angst, just a sweet love story. James C. Jones on the narration was new to me, and I thought he did well.
Received Audio ARC and this is my honest review.
Received Audio ARC and this is my honest review.
April 21, 2021
To jest jedna z tych książek, które nie wiesz czy ją kochasz, czy jednak nie. Z jednej strony świetnie napisana, fajni bohaterowie, Ezra jest fantastyczny, ale jednak czegoś jej brakuje. Polecam, ale ... no właśnie jest to małe ale.
March 12, 2022
1.5 stars rounded down to 1.
I can see why some readers love this and I think it might just be one of those books that is hit or miss. I am not really fond of extreme power imbalances in romance, and my feelings soured even further in this book. Employer/employee relationship, extremely wealthy/college student, etc.—there are a lot of power dynamics at play here that will work for some and make some uncomfortable. In many cases, it also felt like Roman and his friends were laughing at Ezra and not with him (the uniform, etc.)
I know some people will appreciate the more scientific, formal speech that Ezra uses throughout, but personally it made all sex scenes very awkward and hard to enjoy. That wouldn’t be a problem, except the latter 50% of the book feels like sex scene after sex scene. They agree to only have sex on Saturday night and Sunday morning and then magically every day is a new Saturday or a Sunday.
Passages like this, for example, either do it for you…or they don’t:
Again, it either does it for you or it doesn’t.
Despite being obviously well-educated and well-spoken, Ezra was written in a very infantile manner sometimes, so it might be a better fit for people who love daddy/boy dynamics. Lots of “taking care of my sweet boy,” explaining what well-known “adult” words meant (explaining what monogamy means as if Ezra would not understand that word), calling him a “stubborn little dude,” referring to his penis as “his privates” throughout, implying he shopped “in the children’s section,” saying Roman’s hands engulfed Ezra’s tiny waist, etc. Again, if that’s your thing, you will love this, but it’s not really mine. It’s my first by this author and the writing itself was fine, so I’ll probably try again, this one was just not for me.
I can see why some readers love this and I think it might just be one of those books that is hit or miss. I am not really fond of extreme power imbalances in romance, and my feelings soured even further in this book. Employer/employee relationship, extremely wealthy/college student, etc.—there are a lot of power dynamics at play here that will work for some and make some uncomfortable. In many cases, it also felt like Roman and his friends were laughing at Ezra and not with him (the uniform, etc.)
I know some people will appreciate the more scientific, formal speech that Ezra uses throughout, but personally it made all sex scenes very awkward and hard to enjoy. That wouldn’t be a problem, except the latter 50% of the book feels like sex scene after sex scene. They agree to only have sex on Saturday night and Sunday morning and then magically every day is a new Saturday or a Sunday.
Passages like this, for example, either do it for you…or they don’t:
“He ejaculated and Roman swallowed all of it down his throat. He imagined his sperm swimming in Roman’s esophagus, then being slowly dissolved by his stomach acids, leaving no trace of him at all. How long would his cells remain in Roman’s body?”
“Ezra rolled his eyes. Roman loved it when he talked dirty. Well, he could get very dirty indeed. “I want your long dong inside my poop chute.” “Ezra, don’t call it that.” Roman laughed so hard that it made Ezra giggle as well.”
“Roman was coating his insides, depositing his milky sap deep inside Ezra’s subterranean stem.”
Again, it either does it for you or it doesn’t.
Despite being obviously well-educated and well-spoken, Ezra was written in a very infantile manner sometimes, so it might be a better fit for people who love daddy/boy dynamics. Lots of “taking care of my sweet boy,” explaining what well-known “adult” words meant (explaining what monogamy means as if Ezra would not understand that word), calling him a “stubborn little dude,” referring to his penis as “his privates” throughout, implying he shopped “in the children’s section,” saying Roman’s hands engulfed Ezra’s tiny waist, etc. Again, if that’s your thing, you will love this, but it’s not really mine. It’s my first by this author and the writing itself was fine, so I’ll probably try again, this one was just not for me.
April 3, 2021
This is the perfect lighthearted, low-angst, contemporary romance that will give you all the warm fuzzy feels. Ezra and Roman are just adorable together! Roman has been burned by his previous relationships, but it doesn’t take him long to realise the sweet, innocent, and perfectly quirky Ezra will never belong on that list. Gahhh, the protective and possessive vibes he felt for his Ezra were delicious! What I really liked was the fact that they come together slowly as their feelings develop organically to the point where they can’t keep apart anymore. It reads over a few months as they build a beautiful friendship based on taking care of each other in their own unique way. And then when Ezra finally realises he can only think of Roman, Roman is elated to finally get his chance to take care of him in every way he knows how. The exploration and kink between them is light and tender and so very sweet. As is their ability to communicate honestly and openly - which, I was glad to see helped them avoid unnecessary drama or angst.
Hats off the the author for this wonderfully crafted story with warm, loveable characters who hold each other tight and never let go!
Hats off the the author for this wonderfully crafted story with warm, loveable characters who hold each other tight and never let go!
October 6, 2022
3.5
This was absolutely lovely. Very, very cute, light-hearted and so sweet it will rot your teeth off (but in the best way possible).
I wasn't the biggest fan of some of the writing, but I really adored the story and all the characters. Ezra was literally the cutest human ever: I really loved being in his head, and I kinda understood Roman's need to keep him safe and secure and loved at all times. Roman was equally lovely: a big, charming dream of a man, and I loved how he slowly, but surely, got possessive and uber-protective over Ezra. I also adored their interactions, and their steamier moments were truly top-notch: relationships that start off vanilla and slowly evolve into kinky are my catnip.
The side characters were also quite fun and hilarious and yes, I really loved this book, minor issues with the writing aside.
This was absolutely lovely. Very, very cute, light-hearted and so sweet it will rot your teeth off (but in the best way possible).
I wasn't the biggest fan of some of the writing, but I really adored the story and all the characters. Ezra was literally the cutest human ever: I really loved being in his head, and I kinda understood Roman's need to keep him safe and secure and loved at all times. Roman was equally lovely: a big, charming dream of a man, and I loved how he slowly, but surely, got possessive and uber-protective over Ezra. I also adored their interactions, and their steamier moments were truly top-notch: relationships that start off vanilla and slowly evolve into kinky are my catnip.
The side characters were also quite fun and hilarious and yes, I really loved this book, minor issues with the writing aside.
October 15, 2024
DNF 63%
I just can’t. I’m sorry. It boggles my mind how an author who wrote something as beautiful and poignant as giovanny trilogy can write something so trite, sappy, full of stupid cliches and gross sex scenes. “Coating his insides depositing his milky sap”. What? 🤢
I really tried. Past the point it lacked depth. Past the point it bored me. Past the point where an autistic mc was portrayed as a compilation of prejudices. But after the milky sap. I just can’t.
I just can’t. I’m sorry. It boggles my mind how an author who wrote something as beautiful and poignant as giovanny trilogy can write something so trite, sappy, full of stupid cliches and gross sex scenes. “Coating his insides depositing his milky sap”. What? 🤢
I really tried. Past the point it lacked depth. Past the point it bored me. Past the point where an autistic mc was portrayed as a compilation of prejudices. But after the milky sap. I just can’t.
June 21, 2021
Special
I fell head over heels for Ezra and Roman in this sweet, low-angst, age gap romance between an ex NFL player and a neurodivergent computer nerd. I loved how Roman accepted Ezra as he is and adapted to his needs.
It's surprisingly sexy, too, making it clear that while Ezra might not be worldly, he's still very much a man.
A pleasure to read.
I fell head over heels for Ezra and Roman in this sweet, low-angst, age gap romance between an ex NFL player and a neurodivergent computer nerd. I loved how Roman accepted Ezra as he is and adapted to his needs.
It's surprisingly sexy, too, making it clear that while Ezra might not be worldly, he's still very much a man.
A pleasure to read.
April 27, 2021
Love love love this book!
This book was beautifully told. The slow sexy burn and the set up was so well thought out. I loved every aspect of this book. Ezra’s self-discovery and Roman had some of his own. They seemed on paper to be an unusual match but they complimented each other perfectly.
Love and respect. Trust and caring. Heavy themes in this book. Both characters were endearing and I fell in love with their love. Highly recommend!
This book was beautifully told. The slow sexy burn and the set up was so well thought out. I loved every aspect of this book. Ezra’s self-discovery and Roman had some of his own. They seemed on paper to be an unusual match but they complimented each other perfectly.
Love and respect. Trust and caring. Heavy themes in this book. Both characters were endearing and I fell in love with their love. Highly recommend!
June 14, 2021
I read this book without reading anything about it. So, in the beginning I was very confused about the way Ezra acted. As soon as he told Roman that he was autistic it all fell into place. Ezra was so beautifully written that I completely fell in love with him. Roman was so perfect most of the time, but he did show his human side when the drunk called Ezra retarded at the party. I really enjoyed this book.
April 18, 2021
Jumped straight to my favorites list!
This book was AMAZING. I’ve never read a book by this author, so I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but the blurb sounded promising. Boy, did it deliver!
Both characters are so very lovable in their own ways, and so perfect for each other. I loved Ezra’s Serious Talks when he needed to discuss things. There was very little angst, just the joy of watching these two men navigate new waters together. Lots of humor too. I was flooding my book chat with snippets I couldn’t resist sharing.
I felt the subject of Ezra’s autism was handled very well. Obviously it’s a big part of his life and relationship, but it was (happily) never really treated as a disability or something that made him less than. If anything, Roman wondered if he brought as much to Ezra’s life as he brought to Roman’s.
The ending left me satisfied and with a big grin on my face. This is a favorite I’ll return to again for sure! Now I just have to hope that Jay gets a book. 😁
This book was AMAZING. I’ve never read a book by this author, so I wasn’t sure what to expect going in, but the blurb sounded promising. Boy, did it deliver!
Both characters are so very lovable in their own ways, and so perfect for each other. I loved Ezra’s Serious Talks when he needed to discuss things. There was very little angst, just the joy of watching these two men navigate new waters together. Lots of humor too. I was flooding my book chat with snippets I couldn’t resist sharing.
I felt the subject of Ezra’s autism was handled very well. Obviously it’s a big part of his life and relationship, but it was (happily) never really treated as a disability or something that made him less than. If anything, Roman wondered if he brought as much to Ezra’s life as he brought to Roman’s.
The ending left me satisfied and with a big grin on my face. This is a favorite I’ll return to again for sure! Now I just have to hope that Jay gets a book. 😁
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