This or That

Foolish Games #2

by Hope Irving

Sometimes, a kiss can knock you out faster than a blow to the head, rendering you unable to think straight.

It shouldn’t have happened, but now, all bets are off.
A stranger shoved his tongue down my throat. A first! The out-of-place cowboy gave me a taste of my own medicine after I stole a sloppy kiss in a Parisian club. I was out of line. He was unapologetic.
My assumed straight orientation didn't erase how my body ignited under his touch.

Months later, we're face-to-face again; well, mouth-to-mouth!
I want to hate him. I hate to want him. So much...
Troy Hunter presents two options... Not an ultimatum, just his favorite game. This? As in, explore. Or that? As in, move on. Picking one will be a challenge.
For now, we can give in to our insane chemistry. We have an expiration date, so it’s better this way.
But in the end, what do we really want? This or that?


This or That features two hot studs that briefly appear in Omega Artist (A Cocky Hero Club novel). It's your chance to see how it all started for them. This or That is a standalone.
If you haven't read Omega Artist yet:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Genres: M M Romance, Enemies To Lovers, LGBT

174 pages, ebook

First published June 3, 2021

About the author

Hope Irving is a USA Today and Amazon Top 15 Bestselling Author. She lives in Paris, France, and spent a couple of years in Texas, where she earned her MBA. With many friends, relatives, and readers in the States, the US has a big place in her heart. Although French is her mother tongue, she chose to write her novels in English because it simply feels right for her characters.
Hope’s suspenseful and complex love stories are modern fairytales. A natural introvert, she enjoys tormenting her flawed characters with a hint of darkness and sometimes magical elements. Still, her heart melts when love conquers all.
Her work has been described as “genre-defying,” “refreshingly unique,” and “an intriguing rollercoaster read.”

Learn more about Hope’s life in Paris, her love of multi-layered, swoon-worthy heroes that don’t play by the rules, and her book-loving world on her website. To keep up with all the latest, follow Hope on social media or join Hope’s mailing list for exclusive book information and great deals.

Find Hope Irving here: https://linktr.ee/hi_author

Reviews

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars Mike is drunk and does inappropriate and unwanted things. The consequences are a fist on his face and a kiss on his mouth. He’s shocked and flabbergasted and furious.

Troy's fist hurts after hitting the guy who touched his best friend and co-worker Anna.
Kissing him shocked the hell out of the guy.

After months they meet again on a cruise where Troy has a gig and Mike is a guest.
Mike is straight and confused by the attraction he feels. They collide and end up in bed. Where they end up every evening after that.
After they have a great time Mike disappears.
Troy is confused by the mixed signals he getting from Mike.

Ahh, the story was sweet, two confused guys who find their way to each other’s hearts.
The angry encounters are, for me, a bit ott and a bit dragging even a bit repetitive.
The way of writing was not exactly my favorite, it was a bit chaotic for me.
It’s all lighthearted, fun, with a lot of dramatic. I had fun reading this story.

[Ed Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 and 1/2 stars rounded up to three. I liked the story, but Hope Irving’s writing style didn’t exactly work for me. I got bogged down by all the inner monologue and the choppy sentence structure. I also had a hard time warming up to Mike and Troy. For some reason I couldn’t always remember who was telling their side of the story and would have to look back to the beginning of the chapter to see. I have no desire to read the second book after reading the blurb.

[Eva LeNoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story with easily relatable characters that you fall in love with right off the bat. Troy and Mike are riding on different paths that suddenly meet one fateful night.
A revenge kiss is all it takes for this story to take on a life of its own.
An M/M about acceptance and unconditional love from family and friends, it will make you want to spend your free time cuddled up to these two extremely lovable characters.
Great read!

[Elsie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when a guy kisses another one to teach him a lesson, and said guy can't stop thinking about it??? This or That is the prequel of the cool couple we met in Omega Artist.

Troy and Mike meet at a bar where Mike is being not a gentleman and Troy decides to teach him a lesson. Time passes and fate brings them together in another setting, where a relationship blossoms between them. The road is not easy for them but at the end they get the Happy Ending they deserve.


I enjoyed this story very much.

[Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first story I’ve read by this author and I really enjoyed this story. Thank you Gay Book Promotions for letting me find her. This discovery story where Mike figures out what his preferences are kept my attention the whole way through. Troy is a great character. He has this attraction to Mike and how this develops spans many miles and quite a little time. I’m hoping there will be more that follow this couple.

[DaniLand · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author and I gotta say it really was fantastic. This was a great story with wonderful characters. It was sexy and interesting , and definitely a lot of fun to read..
All because of a kiss...Love is love and definitely in this book.

The story itself was just the perfect length, not to long or too short like others I have read. It was the perfect pace to grab and keep your attention. Great job!

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

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. From their first shared experience, I was swept up in the emotions from both the main characters. It's a wonderful love story that's filled with all sorts of pleasant surprises.

[R.J. House · Rating 5 out of 5]

UPDATED REVIEW!!!!

In May I wrote : A real romance! Too often when faced with same-sex couples, the romance gets lost in salacious voyeurism. in This or That, nothing could be further from the truth. Mike and Troy’s story unfolds organically, their encounters are steamy and sexy but relatable. I was hooked from the first page to the last and I can not wait to read more of their story in Omega Artist! 5 stars, so very well done.

June 3
A genuine romance, the story grows organically without the hype and hyper-sexualized cliche that is too often found in MM stories. Not that their story isn't hot and sexy, it is, but that heat comes from a beautifully crafted love story.
Hope Irving has crafted a story that avoids being salacious or bandwagon-y, while completely, respectfully normalizing gay and bi romantic relationships.
I first read this story as part of an anthology, the author has reworked and extended the story and it is absolutely worth a re-read!!!!!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike and Troy meet in the most unlikely of ways in a bar... and share a heated kiss. One that Mike’s sloshed mind doesn’t fully remember and can’t forget. Serendipity strikes and the two are on the same cruise, leading the chemistry to heat to a rolling boil. But there’s one problem: (Troy is bi and) Mike is straight... or is he?

Fighting labels, history, and the strong pull towards each other, they develop a strong connection and deep feelings without their conscious knowledge... and have lots of steamy times along the way.

The story flows effortlessly and makes the reader fall in love with the backstory of secondary characters from Omega Artist. Immersive, hot, touching, amusing, and more- this book has it all. Irving’s first M/M does not disappoint. I hope that she writes more in this subgenre because she really hit her stride with this one.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love is who we love, not what gender we are.

Troy has know he is bisexual for a long time. He lost his family over it, but he doesn't let that take over his life. He knows what he wants and he takes it.
Mike has always dated woman. He thought that was what he wanted. Until a cowboy kissed him and everything changes. He is conflicted over his feeling and now he can't decide what he wants. But he know that he needs Troy

Hope captures the conflicted feeling of Mikes questioning of his sexuality perfectly. The back and forth between his choices and Troy's hurt at the confliction are well written and perfect. We only caught a glimpse of them in Omega Artist but in this book we get to know so much more about them. I cant get enough of these two.

[Susann Husfloen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This or That is my first M/M romance novel. And what a way to "pop my cherry"! Troy and Mike's story is so beautiful! Troy is bisexual, but Mike has always been straight. Or so he thought. Women has never really satisfied him, but he thought he just hadn't met the right one yet.
When Troy revenge kissed him, he woke up feelings Mike never had before. He struggles a bit with it, but he's unable to resist Troy.
The journey to get to know each other both personally and sexually is so beautiful and hot!
I've never read M/M because it's not my cup of tea, but This or That made me curious and I ended up loving the story! If you want to read a M/M romance, This or That is your story!

[R. C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a completely unexpected read by a new to me author, but I really enjoyed it! This or that was such a sweet story of self-discovery that is full of steamy moments that had me blushing. The characters are very relatable in a way that makes you think about your own life and experiences.

The MCs meet in not so good circumstances that start off with them hating each other. However, a revenge kiss changes all that. I love how the author uses the title as a theme throughout the story, and especially love how it's wrapped up in the end. Overall a solid read and would definitely recommend!

[Lori Caprio Tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope Irving writes a story that puts the struggle of loving who you love and the conflict that people feel when they feel as though they are not part of the norm of society. The couple struggled when they realized they had feelings for each other that they tried to deny. Touching and heartwarming story that shows love is not black, whit, straight or gay it is simply love.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Figuring It Out . . .

Troy and Mike meet at a bar where Mike is very drunk and being a jerk. Troy decides to teach him a lesson and gives him a very heated kiss. Mike has always been ‘straight’ and it shouldn’t have meant anything to him. Yet even when his drunken mind doesn’t remember all the details, he knows that he will not forget what it made him feel.

Unexpectedly, they end up together once again on the same cruise, not intentional but not to be ignored. Mike is probably most upset at finding himself so attracted to Troy, completely upsetting everything he thought he knew. It was a battle against what they thought they ‘should’ feel versus what was really happening. Figuring out the truth can be very frightening. Will the two of them take a chance on each other? Or will they risk losing contact by not choosing to act on what their hearts are telling them?

The author did a good job with this book and the characters responded realistically. The story line was well-paced. Is there a HEA somewhere ahead for them? Despite a difficult journey, will they try to make it work?

[Sarah Sargent · Rating 5 out of 5]

This or That is the first title that I have picked up from Hope Irving. I was drawn to this title from the blurb alone. Who wouldn’t want to see what happens when two strangers share a heated kiss? No one ever. I loved Troy and Mike from the beginning. Troy has to work to get everything that he wants and has made a name for himself as a DJ. Mike on the other hand is doing things because he wants to, with no real commitment or purpose. After their second encounter neither one of them can stay away from each other. But Mike can’t put a label on him self to give things a real try. That is until they are both back in New York. They work because there is a chemistry that allows both of them to see what happens. I will be looking at more titles from Hope Irving.

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story about characters figuring things out about their sexuality and what is really important in life. It starts with a drunken kiss in a bar that both assumed was a one-off thing. Then they meet up again and instead of facing some truths, they decide to fight what is right in front of them all the way. The enemies to lovers trope can often be filled with lots of heart wrench angst, but here I thought the angst level was pretty low. I enjoyed these two struggling with what they thought they "ought" to do and want and what their hearts told them they needed to do.

[Janet Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first time reading this author and I'll definitely be looking for more! Mike and Troy start out as complete opposites. Actually it starts with a revenge Kiss and it all goes side ways from there. I loved how these two characters felt real to me. I could feel their conflicted feelings. This was really well written. Definitely recommend!

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

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Figuring out who you are is a big step in growing up. Mike was open to learning what he liked as in the person and not in the label of his sexuality. His struggle to let people know was believable and endearing. I enjoyed this author, and I hope to read more of her work.

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

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth all their second-guessing.

Troy and Mike's journey is so believable with all their mutual insecurities. I found myself praying evdrything would wofk for them right from that first kiss though the ending was not quite what I thought it'd be.

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

[Stephanie W · Rating 4 out of 5]

One heck of a kiss! It should not have happened, but it did. Things have changed.

Michael was drunk. Troy was his target for the night. Neither could forget that moment at the Parisian Club. Unfortunately personal lives may get in the way of the happiness they are working hard to suppress.

Mike should not be attracted to Try. After all, he had thought himself a straight man.


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

[RACHEL REED · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, low angst enemies to lovers romance.

This was a new to me author and the writing style was engaging and refreshing.

The characters were likeable, relatable and well fleshed out.

The storyline was predictable but I ended up enjoying it anyway.

A definite recommend if you like steamy opposites attract banter!!

[R · Rating 3 out of 5]

What to say about Mike and Troy. Their meeting was unexpected. Their courtship is definitely not traditional. But their steam is full on.

Mike figuring out what he needs to be to make himself happy was interesting. Troy is so out there that he’s larger than life and that makes it hard for other characters to compete with him but he was well written

Their learning the give and take of the relationship was nicely done. I liked their story.

Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.

[Robbo · Rating 5 out of 5]

A drunk male chauvinist pig gets a lesson that turns his life upside down

Mike is straight, absolutely no doubt, but when Trey teaches him not to molest the barmaid, everything changes. When they both are accidentally on the same cruise ship, their supposed dislike of each other changes dramatically. Covering a realistic time frame, it’s a sweet enemies to lovers story that’s believable.

[Leonie Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mike and Troy don't have a great meet cute. In fact they are angsty from the start. It kind of stems from Mike being inappropriate and drunk. Serendipity takes over this couple and their romance works it's way from there. It's a great wakeup story. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Saskia Veldhuis · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a really unusual meeting in Paris the MCs meet again by chance some time later and their mutual attraction deepens. Mike struggles with his bi-awakening and Troy with starting a relationship, both influenced by family issues in their past. How they keep managing to slowly take steps forward (with enough steps back) makes for a very enjoyable story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and am happy to leave a voluntary review.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just one kiss is going to change everything for him, he have a stranger a sloppy kiss. Now they are in front of him again and this time they give him the best kiss he had ever had. Now what? How will it all go? Will it go any further? See what is going to happen between them

[Zendric · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first scene I was hooked and couldn’t put it down!! I literally felt like I was going through life and all of the emotions as the characters. So well written and a great story!! I didn’t want it to end and it left me craving for more!!!

[BooksA · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book by this author and certainly won't be my last.
I loved it from the get go and didn't want to put it down. It was fun, hot and touching and not rushed. Totally love enemies to lovers and would absolutely recommend it.
Loved that the title of the book was woven through the book rather than a quick reference somewhere near the end.

[T Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the beginning you could feel the tension between these two characters. Interesting characters, for sure. Their journey of discovery was one that held your interest. Each meeting only solidified their inevitable conclusion. Enjoyable journey to follow with a great HeA. I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book.

[Kat Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read. Who would believe that one stollen kiss could set off so many reactions. Great story and great characters.

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