Cloud Ten

Nailed It! #1

by Fearne Hill

Frankie Carter lives and breathes PA work.
Becoming indispensable to a top exec is all he’s ever wanted, even if he is repeatedly overlooked in favour of other less well-qualified applicants.

The problem? 94% of executive PAs are women.

But resourcefulness comes with the territory. As does a pinstriped skirt, killer heels, and enough chutzpah to blag the interviews… conveniently passing as a woman instead of a gay man. Egged on by his friends, Frankie lands himself his dream job working for Lysander St. Cloud, a senior exec on the board of the family firm.

On the outside, his boss has it all. Or does he? Before long, Frankie discovers Lysander’s looks, money, and status mask a shyness and humiliating past he’d like to forget.

Lysander is straight, and he believes Frankie is a woman. A close bond develops between them. A bond increasingly in danger of slipping from professional into something else.
Frankie needs to come clean before he hurts not only Lysander but himself. Will he choose his career, his friendship, or his heart? Or is he brave enough to fight for them all?

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, LGBT, Slow Burn, Gay For You, British Literature

254 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 28, 2022

About the author

Fearne Hill resides far from the madding crowds in the county of Dorset, deep in the British countryside. She likes it that way.
Her novel, Oyster, is a 2025 Lambda Literary Award winner. Two Tribes is a 2023 Lambda Literary Award finalist..
Her popular Rossingley series was nominated in nine separate categories of the 2021 Goodreads M/M Romance awards and received an Honourable Mention in the 2021 Rainbow Awards.

Be sure to follow her on Bookbub for the latest sales and releases! https://www.bookbub.com/profile/fearn...

Join her Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/11724...

On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fearnehill_...

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/FearneHill

She also writes very brief and not especially insightful book reviews here on GR...

Finally, she also writes straight contemporary romance under the pseudonym Coco Chambers.

Reviews

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 3 out of 5]

After a streak of excellent books from Fearne Hill, I can confidently say that Cloud Ten is her weakest one yet. That's not to say it's a bad book, but I know this author can do better.

I was a little put off by the deception premise, but I soldered on, especially since I was excited for the sexuality discovery aspect of the story. To be honest, I'm not sure how believable the attraction was for Lysander. He was tricked into liking Frankie and then the attraction felt stilted. I think the biggest issue was the pacing and that some of the relationship development happened off page. I felt a bit disoriented. The first part of the story takes its time and is slow-burny, but then the last part of the book felt very rushed.

Despite some unevenness, I did enjoy most of the book. I liked the anxiety and processing disorder rep and the fact that Frankie was edging on the trans/genderqueer spectrum. The whole premise of the book and the side characters were interesting, but I know Fearne Hill can write a stronger romance book.

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[Amina · Rating 3 out of 5]

✰ 3.5 stars ✰

“Milo, what would you think if, you know, a boy spotted his dream job, like maybe an amazing PA job or something, in an amazing company, but he knew that, generally speaking, those types of jobs were snapped up by women, ‘cos there are so few top PAs that are boys, and so to get his dream job, he, you know, like, pretended to be a woman? Just asking for a friend.”

In an effort to completely read the books from an ongoing series that I had started from in between (pats self on back) of their stories, I decided to give Cloud Ten a chance. Ah, sorry, Frankie and Lysander - but your love story didn't hold a candle to your younger brothers' romance. ☺️ The writing didn't grip me as much as I would have liked, it still earned a few chuckles from me every now and then, and an appreciative nod to the witty banter and quick repartee. 💟 It also helped me justify the reasoning behind why Frankie had Lys wrapped around his finger in the next book, and how much they truly cared for each other. 😏

“But, do you know what? He was utterly unfazed I was a man who felt comfortable in a skirt.”

“Sounds like he’s a good guy.”

“The best there is,” I agreed. “We complemented each other, you know?”

Frankie was very candid in everything he did; it's a strange combination, a man who was lying upon appearance, for the sake of proving a point to keep his job, could be so forthcoming with his views on literally everything. ☺️ He's a fun-loving guy, who's confident in his skills and comfortable in allowing himself to dress as a woman, even before the sake of a job. I'm glad that he did have a conscience - that he felt guilty about deceiving Lys for as long as he did.🥺 That confession at the bar scene was written so nicely - it was painful to watch, but I could really feel that moment when the truth dawned on Lys - the shock and sudden realization that, even if the woman he was attracted to was not who he thought it was - he still cared and wanted him - just as he was. 🥰

“We were a good team. I helped him with his shyness and meetings and important documents, and he made me feel gorgeous and invincible. He made me laugh. He’s a bit of a tease. What’s not to like?”

Lysander has not had it easy when it comes to relationships - visibly and openly hurt by the woman he had loved, he's never had time again to fall in love. But, he starts to feel something for his P.A Frankie - so much so, that he wanted to pursue a relationship with her. I really felt for him when the truth was revealed to him - it definitely hurt me, and I appreciate that he didn't instantly accept it. But when it slowly dawned on him, why Frankie did what he did - as unconventional as it was - it's not the outside that is important, but what's on the inside. 🌸 And Lys was attracted to Frankie for who he was, not how he appeared, and I liked that - it made it more realistically believable. It took a little time to sink in, but when it did, he gave himself wholeheartedly into committing himself to him. 💜

“You’re staring at me,” he observed, with a sly curl of his lip.

“I can’t take my eyes off you,” I blurted truthfully.

I may have enjoyed their chemistry more when Frankie was impersonating as a woman, but I'm glad that even if Frankie did convey his attraction to him right from the start, they didn't immediately jump into each other's beds. ♥️ Albeit brief, he gave Lys some time to get used to the idea, to realize how significant it was about what he was feeling for another man, no less, that when they did get together, it just fit them perfectly. 🥰 Their conversations were fun to read and while there wasn't too much on-screen action, their sexy times together were still hot and heavy enough to be enjoyable. 🫠

“Siblings: the only people who would insult you for no reason at all, yet poke the eyes out of anyone else who tried to do the same.”

If Cloud Nine was an ode to London, then Cloud Ten was about family. I loved how we got to see two sides of how sibling bonds can be. Lys' extended family may have the appearance of rich snobbishness with their principles on the work-force, but when it came down to it, I loved how supportive his half-sister, Daphne was with him. 🤗 And Frankie with his other two thirds of his heart was also so precious to read. Growing up, I had triplets in my class, as well - two boys and a girl. I didn't know about their sister, till many years later, when she joined our class in the fourth grade, and aside from sharing the same name, (believe me, Amina is a very popular name! 😍), we became best friends. So, seeing Frankie with his sister and brother reminded me of them a lot - how they were so brazenly open with each other, how fiercely protective the two brothers were of their sister. 💞 It could be said the same for all siblings, but the bond with Frankie and his siblings is just fueled with such deep-rooted affection and candor hilarious and yet dead-pan honesty that I adored all the conversations they had with each other. Also to see how important Tristan was to Frankie and Maddie made me appreciate the sequel even more. ☺️

“Cloud Ten Construction: reaching through the clouds and beyond!”

“Isn’t that Buzz Lightyear’s line?” Darren interrupted. My turn for a withering look.”

I was a bit bored with all the conversations focusing on Cloud Ten and the constructions and what-not. 😴 I know, it was relevant to Lys' participation and earn his value in his family company, but I would have loved to have read more into him and Frankie's relationship, after the truth was revealed, instead. 😔 However, reading the first part, did give me a little more insight into their business and background into some of the characters from it's sequel. Milo and Mungo with Frankie were a wicked trio of trouble, but I enjoyed them together. 🤭 I'm glad we're only getting very sparse details into their personalities, but still enough to intrigue us about what their dynamic is with each other.
💛

Also, Darren's commitment and devotion to Maddie was overwhelming and all-consuming with love, and I loved all the comedic punches, Frankie threw at him. It makes me curious now to see now, which couple will be the focus of Cloud White when it's scheduled to release later this year. 🌟

[Marilla ☘︎]

Dnf 68%

Nope, can't do it.

I loathed the writing-style. It felt choppy and took forever to read. It really threw me off, and made the already boring story feel excruciatingly so. Too much talk about mundane business-stuff. (Couldn't tell you what it was though, I've already forgotten.) And I felt like I learned way more about the frisky 20-year-old🙋‍♂️, what's his name- beige-Dave??👨🏻, the cheating uncle👴🏼🚩and the Scottish-poly- whatever🙄, than I actually did the main characters.

Of course, there is a possibility that this could be an 'it's not you, it's me,' situation. But I'm still going to blame it entirely on the book, and say that this time it IS you.

[NicoleR.M.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This might be my new favorite Fearne Hill book. I don’t know how she does it, but I fall deeply for her characters with each book she writes.
That started off with my first Fearne Hill book and there hasn't been an exception since then. She's such is an exceptional gifted author and every time she releases a new book I can't wait to get my hands on it, wrap myself in a cozy blanket and get comfortable, because even if I wouldn't know the blurb, I just know it is a book I'm going to fall in love with. No doubts.

Uncle Paul muttered under his breath and, next to me, John sniggered.
"Sorry, Paul," said Daphne. "I didn't quite catch that. Would you like to share?"
If looks could kill, the remainder of the board meeting would be spend choosing Uncle Paul's coffin handles.

As with her other books, she had me from the first page. I found myself highlighting like crazy, all the funny remarks and the charming ones that made me feel so much, the ones that touched me.
The story starts with Lysander St. Cloud, a former Olympic Medallist winner, who is now more or less forced to take his seat at the board of his family's business, a million dollar construction company. He doesn't want to. He's shy, doesn't have a clue what is expected of him and what he will be able to contribute. And thus he needs a PA. In comes Frankie.
Frankie is a male PA, and a really good one, but he's found himself turned down on the interviews he's had because the PA business is dominated by women and as a man, he seems to not stand a chance. As a feminine man, he can pull it off to wear a skirt and make up and have a female appearance. So, his twin brother and his sister ask him, why not give it a try? He might end up having a job. And so he applies for the job at St. Cloud and he becomes Lysander St. Cloud's new PA.

After months of playing let's pretend, my brain fizzled with exhaustion from subduing my inner gay man for eight hours a day, every day, like being in the closet all over again but with added uncomfortable underwear. My silky skirt lining still gave me a cheap thrill, but usually towards the end of the week, the only clothing I craved was a pair of comfy worn boxers and relaxed fit denim."

Witnessing how Lysander and Frankie get along, how they seem to be just the perfect match, was the most entertaining possible. I loved how their friendship turned into an attraction, and you just know something has to happen because Frankie is not the attractive woman Lysander assumes.
At the same time, Frankie's struggles and growing discomfort about lying to Lysander are done very well. He's still comfortable with cross dressing, but he feels attracted to Lysander too (even though he knows Lysander is straight) and he genuinely likes him very much. I couldn't help but feel a little anxious while reading and knowing something is going to happen. How will Frankie's secret be revealed? When will it finally happen?
And when it finally does, my heart broke. For both of them. Fearne wrote it in the best way possible, the moment of the revelation was heartbreaking, both men's emotions felt very real and honest. But boy, did it hurt! I just wanted them to get passed it, to continue where they left of, because they were so good together! Frankie gave Lysander the confidence he lacked before, gave him meanings to get involved into his family's business in a way that made him comfortable. And seeing these two men, who were so perfect for each other, hurt and confused, well, that was just utterly painful.

The cast of characters was amazing, as usual with Fearne Hill's books. I loved them all and I can't wait to see whose book we are getting next.
And as with all her books, this one also has her trademark dry British humor, and she has me laughing and smiling throughout the whole book. Frankie was such a delight force of joy and positivity, a breath of fresh air, one who knows how to create a safe place for Lysander to grow into his job. And after the secret was revealed, I thought the way Lysander dealt with his unexpected attraction to another man, felt very natural, his struggles, the eventual acceptance, the inexperience...it was all there and I was absolutely impressed by how Fearne was able to make me feel all the feels while reading Lysander's and Frankie's story.
Again. She continues to impress me with each book she releases and I hope to enjoy many more to come!

Highly recommended!

I kindly received an advanced copy from gay romance reviews and this is my honest and unbiased review

[~✡~Dαni(ela) ♥ ♂♂ love & semi-colons~✡~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

~3.5~

I almost gave up after the first few chapters but am happy that I persevered, as the story really picked up once Frankie and Lysander met.

Fearne Hill's writing style is gold. I love that the characters sound authentically English, and the humour is always spot on. The Paul/Pauline war had me rolling, as did all of Lysander's internal musings and observations about Bland Gerald and the Scottish cousins.

I liked both MCs a great deal. Frankie is a gem: kind, efficient, lighthearted, outgoing, with balls of steel. Lysander (I love that name!) is Frankie's opposite in most ways: painfully shy, reserved, quiet, a bit insecure after the debacle with his ex-girlfriend. But they make an amazing team.

The secondary characters were equally likeable. I adored Frankie's siblings Maddie and Tristan (Frankie is a triplet), and Darren (Maddie's boyfriend) was utterly hilarious with his dry wisdom.

What I liked less is that for half the story, Frankie is pretending to be a woman (since the PA industry is dominated by women, he was afraid, and rightly so, he wouldn't get the job presenting as a bloke). Frankie is genderfluid but uses he/him pronouns. Lysander initially falls for Frankie the girl and struggles a bit when he's still attracted to Frankie the boy.

I'm not convinced Lysander would have developed romantic feelings for Frankie had Frankie always presented as a man and find this problematic.

This is also a gay-for-you story, which, nah ... not really a fan of that. There is talk about sexuality being a spectrum not a binary, but Lysander still claims that while he doesn't care if people think he's bi, he identifies as straight. Sorry, dude, if you're fucking and in love with another guy, you are not straight.

Finally, the pacing of the story felt rushed toward the end. The MCs didn't spend enough time together as a couple, and there were few sexy times.

I was torn as to whether I should round up or down, but I have faith in this series, and, despite my niggles, found Cloud Ten to be a supremely enjoyable read. Any time a book makes me laugh out loud, that's a very good thing.

[Cat the bookworm (semi hiatus ish) · Rating 3 out of 5]

So much fun. Such an interesting premise. And then, the third act happened.

I’m actually a bit angry with the author. Why oh why did she ruin an almost 5 star worthy book towards the end?

It started so good, I literally couldn’t put it down: Frankie Carter is a PA, a very good one at that. His only problem: companies usually hire women for that position. On a whim, and persuaded by his twin sister and brother (are triplet siblings called twins? I honestly don’t know…) he decides to pretend to be a woman, which proves to be easy enough, seeing that he’s on the feminine side.

His boss, Lysander, is one of the ten members of the St. Cloud family who own Cloud 10, a construction company in England. And Lysander desperately needs help in his job.

Ofc, he’s soon attracted to (female) Frankie. And vice versa.

It’s so much fun. Up until 75%, I loved everything about this book: the main characters, the secondary characters (except for Uncle Paul ofc, even if he felt “real”). The tension between Frankie and Lysander. Hell, even the business side of the book was interesting. And don’t get me started about all the wonderfully quirky Britishness.

And I loved the way (gay) Frankie started so embrace the fact that sometimes it feels “right” to feel like a woman, and that he’s probably more on the non-binary side.

But then, that third act happened. By then, Frankie was “out” as a man, and (straight) Lysander struggled with his newly found not-so-straight attraction.

They kiss. Lysander tenses up a bit. And Frankie decides to bolt because Lys is obviously not really embracing his bi side.

Ehhhm. What???

Then LYS had to grovel and convince Frankie of the opposite.

Then again: Frankie gives Lys his first blowjob by a man, Lys doesn’t immediately reciprocate, and Frankie is about to ditch him again.

I know I’m repeating myself, but: Ehhhm. What???

It really made me angry, it could have been so good, no idea why the author thought that it’s a good idea to make Frankie act like that.

3 disappointed stars for what I’ve thought would be an (almost) five star read for the most part of the book.

[~Nicole~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unpopular opinion but I didn’t like either of the MCs . I like this author and I like her writing -though here not as much as in her other books and that makes me think that I prefer her more serious books as her prose is more beautiful in them. Not even her humor was as good here, honestly.
As for the characters here I must say that though I felt the fondness between them ,I didn’t feel the chemistry and it’s not often that while reading a romance I think a main couple should just be best friends and nothing more , but that’s exactly how I felt here. What I did love so much in this book was the siblings’ relationship and Darren !!!! That and the fact that I loved this quite original and quirky “dress as a woman to get a certain job “ thing is the reason I gave 3 stars even though everything was rushed, treated superficially and they were kind of assholes. Lysander’s reaction when he found out the truth was way OTT . You know how we like meanies in books? The alpha type bastard aloof and cold but who, even though he’s pissed off and a meany he still gives the hero/heroine his jacket or grabs their elbow to help them because even if he’s mad he still cares? Well here Lysander said these words :

“Glassy-eyed, he looked away, hugging his arms around himself. He only wore a thin T-shirt. I guess he hadn’t anticipated spending the evening on a cold bench in a grimy park. I’d have offered up my jacket to my Frankie, without batting an eyelid, but she no longer existed. This bloke could just fucking catch pneumonia for all I cared.”

Well, I understand his fury and his shock but this fucking hurt and I resented him . I couldn’t get back to liking him as much as I tried . And I did try.
Frankie wasn’t better either, to be honest. As a gay man he must have known what is like to come to terms with your sexuality . It’s confusing and a bit scary and you navigate these new feelings slowly and fumbling. And yet he pushed and pressured and got mad when Lysander was scared and confused. He wanted Lysander to drop to his knees at once and start sucking dick with gusto 🙄 . I felt very uncomfortable and pressured on Lysander’s behalf.
In conclusion, I enjoyed the book because I always enjoy this author’s work but I didn’t really like the romance . I had fun though with the side characters and that was good.

[Cyndi (hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have struggled with how to rate and review this book. There was so much to like about it. Fearne Hill is such a talented writer and has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Her characters are always so nuanced and her stories are funny and intelligent and different from most others in this genre. This book was all of those things with the added bonus of some truly insightful discussions regarding the fluidity of gender and sexuality and the role gender plays in the workplace. And while all of those things worked for me, there were a few things that didn't...hence the struggle.

I loved how some of the characters were exactly what you'd expect, while others were a complete surprise. I've seen other reviewers mention the character of Darren and I can see why. My first impression of him was that he was way too comfortable with PDA and had no respect for boundaries. I wasn't wrong about either of those things, but the way I wrote him off as only those things was way off base. Darren was an amazing person and an unexpected fount of knowledge when it came to people and life in general. He could have so easily been a stereotype and I loved that he wasn't.

Frankie was an effeminate gay man who decided to challenge the matriarchy by dressing up as a woman to get a job typically (though unofficially) reserved for females. I had some mixed feelings about this premise, partly because everything related to gender these days feels so fragile and partly because lying and tricking people is usually a pretty horrible idea in general. The exploration of Frankie's experience softened some of my more prickly feelings, though. It didn't take him long to realize his mistake and own up to it, especially once things between him and Lysander started to veer away from being solely professional. It also brought forward some questions regarding his own relationship with gender expression/identity and I loved the journey he found himself on.

Lysander was an interesting character. Like Darren, he could have easily been a stereotype. He was a professional athlete from a rich family who had been given a top job based on the merit of sharing DNA with the CEO. What was different about Lysander was that not only did he not want the job, but he didn't know how to do it once it was forced on him. He was shy and awkward and had a hard time processing information when it was thrown at him haphazardly. When given an office with a view and a box of paperwork, he chose to focus on the view. He needed Frankie's take charge attitude and quiet support because, on his own, Lysander was a bit of a lost puppy. I loved this shift in the power dynamic. It took all of those alpha male assumptions and tossed them right out the window and into Frankie's well manicured hands.

So back to why I struggled to rate and review this book. For everything I loved about it, I felt like the romance was missing something. The burn was very slow until it wasn't and then the interactions between Frankie and Lysander became a little weird and a lot rushed. You know when you're writing something on poster board and realize it's not going to fit, so you start writing smaller to squeeze it all in? That's what a birds-eye view of the romance in this book would look like. Since I typically judge romance novels on the romance, it took some time for me to compartmentalize what I didn't connect with and look at the story as a whole. Since I loved the writing, the characters and everything this book was trying to say, I think 4 stars best represents my overall opinion. I am also 100% in on any and all other books in this series. Tristan, Mungo and Milo were such interesting side characters and I'd love to see all of them get advice from Darren while chasing their HEA's.

*I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest review.

[Layla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Oh my Goddddd THIS WAS DELIGHTFUL.

First: Fearne Hill is a GENIUS with dry humor. I swear I was smiling through the whole book and I highlighted SO MUCH.

Let me gather my thoughts:

1. Frankie is an effeminate gay man, who is a bit fluid with his clothing choices. He wants a PA position that only women would get because of how the corporate world works, so.... he dresses up as a woman and gets the job.
Frankie is an absolute GEM. He's snarky and fun and realistic and sweet and just an amazing character.

2. Lysander is a record holding swimmer who was on the Olympian team. He is now, grudgingly, the face of the construction family business and needs a PA.... who is Frankie. Oh and Lysamder is straight and shy and he's been hurt bad before.

3. Their working relationship and their budding friendship were so sweet to witness. They were fun together and complemented each other greatly. Lysander is attracted to Frankie and Frankie is also attracted to Lysander. But... Frankie is for all intents and purposes a man.

4. After Frankie comes clean, Lysander starts questioning his sexuality because even as a man he's attracted to Frankie. Que a fumbling awkward wooing, that is as heartwarming as it is hilarious.

5. Many food metaphors later, Lysander and Frankie are together and happy, because labels are for tin cans!

Now why the 4.5 stars? 2 reasons:

1. I felt like after Lysander came to terms with his attraction, the story felt a bit rushed.
I wanted their ILYs to be way more "poignant" than what the scene was.

2. I didn't like that their first anal experience was in the office and kinda rushed. I wanted more exploration and more time in a more "classical" setting...at least their first time.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 - This is a tricky one, I enjoyed this a lot while I read it but felt disappointed on finishing it. The ending was rushed, I was disappointed when I realised we were at 93% and it was all about to wrap up suddenly when things where just getting started between the couple. I wanted to know what happened with the speech! Just a sentence!

This felt a bit disproportionate between the romance and everything else that was going on. I appreciate the author putting so much into the non binary/gender fluid exploration and I loved it but along with all the business stuff/Lysanders history/swimming/big cast of side characters/maddies story/Tristan’s story and all else that entailed it was very busy. I think there was just too much going on and this would have been fine if the romance hadn’t suffered but in the end it did and I felt like we missed crucial development between the MC’s.

There is a big cast of secondary characters! They are all pretty interesting but it’s just a lot and with details added for all of them. I really enjoyed reading about Frankie’s group of secondary characters but felt like the details for Lysander’s were maybe unnecessary considering how unfinished the end of the story felt.

I would have loved this to scale back on the side characters and side plots and focus more on the romance and chill out a bit because it went from 0-100 in the end there. Also Lysander only just discovers he is maybe bisexual but doesn’t like that label/Gay For You and has significant anxiety yet then is having loud anal sex in his office with his family all listening right off the bat 🤷‍♀️ This felt like it had so much potential and so much of it was really good but my final feelings on are pretty flat.

I’m looking forward to Tristan’s story but don’t have much interest in Milo and Mungo other than as fun side characters so hoping it’s not them next.

[Liya]

Between 3 and 4 - need some time to decide on the final rating
There were things I loved:
◇ Nuanced MCs with distinct personalities - shy insecure Lysander and smart outgoing Frankie
◇ Fleshed out secondary characters, I especially loved all the interactions with Frankie's siblings and friends
◇ Excellent writing and dialogues, humor

But I also had issues with this book. I didn't feel the chemistry between MCs: the connection between them, the friendship were real but I'm not so sure about love. I wish they spend as much time with Frankie being his true self as with Frankie pretending being a woman. Last part of the book felt rushed, going from 0 to 100 was a blur. I also hated that after all the slow burn their first time was fade to black. And then the next time they are together it is all in. It didn't ring true to me, especially with how conflicted Lysander was. I wanted more time spent with Lysander and Frankie becoming a couple in every sense of the word.

[Iz · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

God, I loved this to absolute bits. "Cloud Ten" was my first Fearne Hill book, and I'm cursing myself for not having given her stuff a chance before now.
Because WOW, I'm enormously impressed by this freaking beautiful book. The subtle and hilarious humour? The characters, and their layered and realistic personalities? The writing style, complex and poetic? The freaking lovely romance, an emotional rollercoaster of banter, feels, delicate sexual tension and chemistry, and unexpectedly hot steam? I'M IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK.

I adored following Lysander and Frankie on their journey towards a HEA. I admit, I liked this book much more when Lysander finally discovers the truth about Frankie (I'm not very good with the Disguised, Secret Identity™ trope: it stresses me out), but even then, I adored their relationship and dynamic so damn much. And individually, both of them are hugely lovable, and hugely relatable and realistic, protagonists.
I think half of this genre's authors should take a leaf out of Fearne Hill's book: it IS possible to write light-hearted, sweet contemporary romances, filled with banter and humour, without foregoing realistic protagonists with emotional depth and development and multi-layered personalities.
Both Frankie and Lysander are flawed protagonists: they have disagreements with one another, they make assumptions, they make mistakes, but they also grow from those mistakes. And I loved them even more because of that.
The character development in "Cloud Ten" was absolutely flawless and I sincerely cannot wait to dive into more of Fearne Hill's backlist to see what other hidden gem of hers I can find.

Frankie and Lysander's romance was made even more vivid by the utterly endearing and hilarious cast of side characters: Milo and Mungo, Darren and Maddie and Tristan, Daphne and the St. Cloud gang, the Scottish Cousins... Every single one of these characters, even the ones with a scene or two, were memorable and vibrant and utterly striking. And oh my god, I absolutely adored Tristan and I really cannot wait to dive into his book: I know there will be groveling and *excited squealing* I'm excited to see how this author will handle a redemption arc.
I'm diving into that RIGHT NOW.

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Updating my ranking up to 4 stars, as I suspected I would: having revisited this once the grrrrr from the hate trope died down, I realized that while (to me) this isn't at the level of Two Tribes or To Hide A Hidden Pearl -- both of which are 5-star squees -- it's better than the books I tend to 3-star, so 4 stars seems more fair.

Some books are eye-opening. Life-changing. They help you discover new things about yourself. See yourself in new ways.

This book . . . this book . . .

. . . showed me once and for all where my limits are for suspending disbelief.

Exciting! And I mean that entirely non-sarcastically!

Is it the Tootsie-but-make-it-queer premise? No! Tootsie was 40 years ago. It’s ripe for an update!

Is it the super-hot MC who also happens to be an Olympic champion and world record-holding swimmer entirely on the down low? Not at all! Super-hot swimmers are welcome to any party, incognito or otherwise!

Is it the notion that anyone would actually care about said swimmer’s love life to the extent that he becomes an internet meme and suffers lasting trauma from it? Close, but there is an explanation: what is intended to be a surprise, long-distance proposal on live television after Lysander’s world record win goes horribly wrong when the girlfriend – not expecting a camera team to show up – is caught by said camera team making out with her sidepiece. That does seem meme-worthy.

Is it the – extremely tangential to the story – fact that the cheating girlfriend is supposed to be (I can hardly type this without my eye twitching) an Olympic-level gymnast? DING DING DING!!!

That sound you hear is my disbelief sputtering in disbelief.

So, friends, here you have it:

Kathleen’s scale of disbelief suspension

1. Super-hot gay hockey players who still have all their teeth: Be the change you want to see in the world!

2. Super-hot detectives who also happen to be werewolves: Actually explains a lot, when you think about it.

3. Super-hot dukes who somehow are still single despite being super-hot and a duke: A dime a dozen! (No, really. Have you read histroms? They’re thick on the ground!)

4. Minor character who is written as an Olympic gymnast in her mid-to-late 20s (!) with a healthy sex drive (!!), enough physical and mental energy to get down with not just one but TWO guys (!!!), a degree of confidence immune to the low-key gaslighting and physical abuse inherent to elite gymnastics (!!!!), AND enough time in her training schedule to juggle both a full-time relationship and a piece on the side (!!!!!): NOT TODAY, SATAN!

Phew. I feel better now.

Seriously, though. The thing about this book is, there is a full-on book happening. There is almost too much book happening. Because guppy-brained creature that I am, I got distracted by not just one, but two shiny objects, to the extent that Frankie and Lysander were kind of in the background of their own story. This is, for sure, a Kathleen thing. But I also suspect it’s kind of a book thing?

Shiny object #1, I feel we’ve covered.

(I’m not mad about this, btw. I just found it so mind-blowingly hilarious that I was unable to focus on anything else going on -- and there is a LOT going on. I daresay that the vast majority of readers will not have this reaction to this character. Shiny object #1 is ABSOLUTELY a Kathleen thing. I can see that people may find it hard to suspend disbelief around other aspects of the story – like the premise, for a start – but since that’s flagged in the blurb, they should know what they’re getting into. Amazing gymnast villainess, on the other hand: a stupendous surprise.)

Shiny object #2 [deep cleansing breath]: Accidental pregnancy, my nemesis: we meet again.

OK.

So Frankie’s sister -- they're triplets, and all 3 of them share a flat -- has an unintended pregnancy and, despite her and her partner’s youth and the short time they’ve been together, is never in doubt about whether to keep the baby. This doesn’t really affect Frankie and Lysander’s arc in any meaningful way, but it’s a fairly significant side plotline.

And look. I appreciate that maybe it’s unfair to expect authors – especially British authors writing British characters set in London – to relate to or reflect back the shit happening in the real world. I mean, most people aren’t exactly clamoring for coronavirus in their contemporary romcoms (although there is a brief mention of the pandemic here). But for a book written in this Year of IRL Handmaid’s Tale, accidental pregnancy storylines absolutely do NOT hit the same. Now, I fully admit that accidental pregnancy always has been and always will be my hate trope. But I suspect I’m not alone in feeling that 2022 should have killed off this trope once and for all in contemporary romance, or put a moratorium on it, or at least, at least, for an accidental pregnancy storyline to default away from “you know I’m keeping this baby” *lovingly rubs belly* towards “brb this clinic appointment isn’t gonna make itself.”

I repeat: NOT TODAY, SATAN!!!

Seriously, though (again). This would have been a 4-star read. Fearne Hill has become a go-to author for me -- Two Tribes and (her debut book) To Hold a Hidden Pearl are two of my top reads from 2022 -- and I really enjoy her style and character work and pacing and humor, and not least the fact that she commits to a bonkers premise and turns it into something genuinely thoughtful and considered. And I really did like Frankie and Lysander. Even though I’m on the record for enjoying biawakening stories where the biawakened takes it in their stride, I appreciated the fact that Lysander is thrown by and must reckon with his desires and identity and the very dramatic and unexpected changes that Frankie brought into his life -- even though (especially because?) he doesn't always do so gracefully. And I liked how Frankie’s identity is also evolving: while still identifying as a gay man, he realizes that his gender identity is more fluid and less binary than he’s always believed and wants to explore that. I liked their relationship and humor and the slow burn and the resolution. And while it was maybe a bit rushed once they finally got together, for me that's just typical of how slow burns are (although after all that buildup, the sex scenes are quite coy).

But while shiny object #1 distracted me in a ha-ha kind of way, shiny object #2 knocked me right out of the story in a “I’m this close to throwing my kindle against the wall and then DNFing” kind of way. Because, NO. The only reason I didn’t DNF is because this was a side character and, after the big revelation, the storyline got shuffled off pretty quickly (to its credit, after a lovely moment between Frankie and the baby daddy, who to that point had primarily served as comic relief). I just wish it wasn’t there in the first place.

Long story short (too late): this is a book I’m struggling to rate. On the Frankie and Lysander arc alone: a solid 4, but also kind of overshadowed by all the other stuff going on (guppy brain!). On the amazing gymnast villainess: 5 delightful, disbelief-shattering stars. On the supporting characters -- Darren, Milo, Mungo, and Daphne in particular -- a strong 4.5. On the accidental pregnancy thrown in solely to create a situation where Tristan (the third triplet, who has cerebral palsy and cochlear implants and cannot live on his own) moves in along with Frankie to Lysander’s gigantic penthouse after the sister shacks up with the baby daddy, presumably to set up Tristan's role in the sequel: Tristan, great; hate trope, minus all the gas balls in the universe.

I suspect I'll re-read this and up my rating once the hate for the hate trope fades, but I'm not quite there yet. So: three stars it is!

[Jia ~ Nina Zenik's girlfriend ;)]

DNF.
I. Am. Piiiiissed.
At this author, At this book, At Frankie fucking Carter. And I've got a number of valid reasons.

if you've read the blurb of this book you already know what the main plotline of this story is. But anyway, here you go:

Frankie Carter is a PA and he loves his job but no one wants to hire a man as their PA, so Frankie pretends to be a woman to get the job. And he gets the job. And now he has a dinner date with his boss (Lysander St. Cloud)
....the same boss who still thinks Frankie is a female :)

I'll give this to the author that the plot is interesting, the book started out quite promising, the humor and writing in this book was pretty great too and I was VERY excited to find out the end.

BUUT
..unfortunately, little old me will never know how this book ends now. Because the middle of this book was ..not good


Frankie decides that the above-mentioned dinner date is a good opportunity to come clean to his boss regarding his gender, which is a sensible thing to do. no problem with that at all.
Lysander, upon finding the truth, gets reasonably very angry and very hurt.

Note: at this point you need to know that Lysander has anxiety issues and a processing disorder and has been through an extremely humiliating incident in the past which left behind horrendous emotional scars and trust issues. And Frankie is very much aware of this trauma.

Lysander decides to discuss this with his sister (the CEO of their company) and get Frankie fired, which is again VERY reasonable. but due to some turn of events, frankie ends up NOT fired and STILL working as lysander's PA.

Now comes the part I have a problem with, frankie does not grovel as much as the situation warranted and feels like it isn't a very big deal and tries to pretend normal with lysander, like NOTHING happened at all, like he DID NOT just break the trust of a person with so many anxiety and trust issues.

🙄🙄

I still soldiered on to see what happens next.

..and what happened next was the first kiss scene.


if you've read any bi-awakening story before, you know how this scene goes in most books. its freakout time. which is once again REASONABLE. the first time I realized I'm not straight, i freaked the fuck out. for several days. and i'm not a thirty year old person with emotional issues.

getting back to the scene.. frankie tells lysander to not stress about it, and they could just sit and have a drink and talk. but they end up kissing in the elevator and lysander tenses a little when things start to get intense. and that's it, that's all he does.. he doesn't push frankie off, doesn't scream, or say something derogatory, he doesn't say anything at all! it's just a slight shoulder tensing! and frankie leaves.

yup, frankie LEAVES, says he needs some sleep.

I'll let you sit with that for a moment 💀
.
.
.
you know how this scene should have proceeded? what frankie SHOULD have done? he should have told lysander that, "its ok to panic a little, its TOTALLY ok to have a freakout, your life just turned tits up, you have a job you didnt want and you still have trouble settling in, on top of that i broke your trust, which i'm still very sorry for, and now you realized you're attracted to a man. so yes its REASONABLE to freak out. tell me whats going on in your mind, lets have a drink, and i'll be here for anything you want to talk about" :)

that's how it should have gone. but instead frankie walked out and then acted like it was all lysander's fault and that what lysander did has hurt him a lot.

after that frankie goes to meet lysander and tells him that he (frankie) cant do this anymore and he's resigning from the job. and then lysander begs frankie to give him another chance. because he (lysander) too thinks it was his fault for hesitating a little in the moment and he has hurt frankie.

later when frankie gets to the office, lysander gives him a bouquet of flowers.


and that, my dear friends, is when i decided i've had enough of this book.

[Meg (queer_book_recs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Frankie’s had a hard time finding PA work as a man, and with some pushing by his friends and family, has decided to lean into his femboy ways and pretend to be a woman during the interview process. Once he gets the job for a reluctant executive, he realizes he may have made a huge mistake but isn’t sure how to get out of it without losing his job—and losing his sweet and sexy new boss who has been a joy to spend time with.

Not gonna lie, I was pretty worried about the premise of this one. I have a hard time when the whole plot revolves around a big lie, but I put my trust in Fearne Hill, who has never rated below 5 stars for me out of the 8 books I’d read up to this point. I did have to deduct half a star for the amount of stress this kind of premise causes me, but I ended up really enjoying this book! Lysander, Frankie, Frankie’s friends and family—even Lysander’s tough-as-nails sister Daphne—were so likable! I especially loved Frankie’s brother Tristan, and am really hoping he gets a book!!! Maddie’s boyfriend Darren was fun and I couldn’t help but be reminded of MM romance’s famous Essex boy Darian Taylor from Glitterland, although Darren would be the hypermasculine version. The book was mostly light and funny, full of Fearne’s witty banter, but the serious discussions about gender and sexuality were written with Fearne’s usual sensitivity. It was very slow burn, and I could have used more added in to the last quarter of the book to ease more into their sexual exploration. Other than that and my stress levels for the first half of the book, I loved it!

[Nelly S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I liked this but since I read it last in the series I couldn’t help but compare it to Cloud Nine and Cloud White, which I preferred. I still enjoyed it though.

[Bekka]

I did enjoy this but it wasn't my favourite pacing which drew away from the experience for me.
I'm really looking forward to book 3 and I believe at the end of the day my order of preference will be (Book 3, then 2, then 1).

A PA goes undercover in female clothing to showcase that in all areas of the workforce there is work discrimination due to set gender expectations. Yes, more often towards women (especially in higher paid jobs) but there is also a lot of discrimination towards men in a lot jobs (especially in the care area).

A more realistic take on a bisexual awakening story and two characters who had enough flaws to feel real and enough moments of sweetness to make them likeable.

There's a lot of discussion on how binary gender is in the world and the MC who goes undercover realises for themselves that they're genderfluid.

Quote

"I am finding myself increasingly attracted to a man about as cishet as a 1970s James Bond, and he's started looking at me like I'm Pussy fucking Galore." (p. 108)

"...you're fucking brilliant. You wear whatever the fuck makes you feel good." (p. 240)

NSFW infos:
- One man who believed he was straight (boss, bigger, assimilated to America, sexuality awakening "the emotion attached to the kiss is more important" (p. 221), tops)
- One man who dresses in feminine-coded clothing and make-up for a job (out and gay, realises he's genderfluid (pronouns he/him, p. 148) bottoms
- slowburn
- ripping off underwear
- lacy underwear
- a lot of leg appreciation

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars. Lysander is thirty-four, former winner of the swimming Olympic medal, just back from the US and is staying. As one of the executive directors, already deep in work shit with the family business.
Business must go greener, the world must be greener, oh and with more women, because yes that’s today’s trend.
I was dazzled by all the family members, jeeez, that was a lot to take in, sisters, cousins, nephews, uncles, aunts, exes, and more.

Lysander doesn’t do well with the media, has bad experiences, and now he has to lead a new marketing campaign. Yes greener, sustainable, blah blah.

“Big companies like ours have to spout all that eco and inclusivity crap these days” (Not Lysander’s words)

It’s all new for Lysander, working for the family company, he knows nothing, is completely out of place, he feels hugely unqualified. and is thankful to have Frankie Carter as PA who knows what she’s doing.

Ahum, soooo, here we got twenty-five-year-old Frankie, the lad… oh excuse me, the lady who had all the qualities to be an excellently dedicated competent PA.
The Cloud company needed women, more women. So Frankie put on his dare heels, dressed to impress… as a lady. And voila (s)he got the job.

“ Lysander St. Cloud. Even his name was sexy.”

Frankie has an attitude from here to the moon, Lysander is more than satisfied with his PA.
They fit perfectly as a team. Only, those d*mn feelings got in the way and Frankie knew it was time to come clean.

This read has so many realistic reflections on RL matters. Awesomeness!
Lysander felt real with his tentative approach and thoughts.
There are a lot of snarky, humorous comments, I snorted more than once.
Frankie family is special, he’s one of a triplet. Lysander’s, is special in a whole other way.

The end felt a bit rushed, from a first encounter to the L word, and way more sexual dare and action from Lysander’s side, I didn’t even know he was capable of, because there was not really a build-up.
So, yeah, I loved him that way but didn’t recognize him. I missed the personality growth.
The business matters were for my pleasure too extended, I wanted more one-on-one time with Frankie and Lysander, I think 50 percent was spent on all the business things.

The author’s vocabulary is more than amazing! The writing is spotless, the storyline original and intriguing, and the characters engaging and charming, just as the secondary characters and stories.
I enjoyed this vibrant fun story, and I’m curious what book 2 will bring!

Read and reviewed for LoveBytes - LGBTQ bookreviews

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

This so didn’t work.
Weird pacing, opaque MCs,
rushed sex. (I heart Darren.)

[Pooja Menon · Rating 4 out of 5]

* Thanks to the author and GRR for a chance to read & review CLOUD TEN.

This was a strong and lovely 4.5 stars. When I first read the blurb, I had a certain idea of how things would go with such a storyline…and it wasn’t anywhere good. But Fearne, talented author that she is, managed to turn all of my preconceived notions on its head and gave me a totally fresh, warm, swoony love story. So I encourage everyone to head in there knowing you’ll come out feeling all gooey and loved up.

Things I liked without giving too much away -

* The triplets. Darren. Milo & Mungo. I can’t wait for all the remaining books in this series! I adored the relationship between the siblings. I also adored how tight-knit all of them were with each other. I don’t think I’ve read a character like Darren before, such confidence in his identity but also so naturally accepting of others, he was a breath of fresh hair. This was a great book about exploring labels and sexual identities.

* The sass, dry wit, the humor. I laughed out in some places and felt deeply nostalgic for my days as a student in England.

* Let me tell you, I never thought I would read and like all those bits about green construction, but I didn’t skip a word!

* Everyone - with the exception of Uncle Paul and Natalie - was immensely likeable. No dramatics, hysterics, unwanted break-ups & make-ups, exaggerated villains…nothing that wasn’t required in the story

* Also, Frankie turning up at the last board meeting in his skirt and blouse, Lysander standing up for him in the face of Uncle Paul’s homophobic & misogynistic opinions. And everyone else’s easy breezy acceptance. Loved it. Bravo! Daphne on the whole was just a totally badass women.

Why the shave off?

* Considering how conflicted and anxious Lysander was when they first get together or when he first realized he had feelings for Frankie, I was surprised by how fast they got to the sex part of things. I would have thought there would have been a bit of exploration and we would be a part of it because it would surely have felt worlds different to his previous het relationship. But we kind of blew by that first big moment. Felt like a fade to black almost. Their next time happened in the office and it was way too fast and Lys was suddenly a pro. Took me back a bit.

All in all, a great read. Can’t wait for Tristan’s story! Or maybe Milo & Mungo’s? Who knows, but I am there for it :).

[Carol (§CoverLoverGirl§) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cloud Ten (Nailed It, Book 1)

When Frankie Carter tried to break the barrier in relation to men being accepted as PA, he got more than he bargained for. He became PA to Lysander St Cloud.

Frankie is 25, he shares an apartment with his sister Maddie and his brother Tristan, they are triplets. Tristan was the last born and he has Cerebral Palsy. He uses crutches to get about and has hearing implants.

Frankie is out and proud, he has qualified with all skills as a Personal Assistant but always fails to get the job, which inevitably goes to a female. Angry following his last refusal, his friends Mungo and Milo, and Maddie’s boyfriend Darren, convince him to dress up as woman for next interview. Being a pretty boy helped with the transformation, plus the fact that the final interview was online. He got the job.

Cloud Ten is one of the top construction companies in the country. It is run by the St Cloud family, who make up all the Board Members. The newest member is Lysander St Cloud, a 35 year old former Olympic Gold Medalist and World Record holder Swimmer. He was born in the USA to his fathers second wife. He is quiet, shy and introverted especially after a very traumatic experience following his World Record performance. This led to the breakup with his long term girlfriend, Thalia.

Now the family insist he takes his place on the Board of Cloud Ten in London. Arriving reluctantly at Cloud Ten offices he given luxurious office and a very pretty PA.

Lysander needs all the help he can get as he has never worked other than at achieving success as a Swimmer. He is delighted when his PA is so capable and sees him through his first few days without too much trauma.

He likes his PA, Frankie, so capable and easy on the eye too. Frankie is delighted with the new job and especially with Lysander St Cloud the new man in charge of seeing Cloud Ten become the leader of Environmental Awareness in all aspects of the Construction Industry.

Who wouldn’t adore the adorable Frankie, a happy, sparkling ray of sunshine, super Girl Friday, lynchpin of his family.

Lysander St Cloud is no exception.

All was going so well until it didn’t.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Emily Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed about 70% of this but the ending was rushed and just felt like the characters did a complete 180. Also be warned the whole book you are waiting for them to get together and then it just jumps to the next day after its happened. Which ruined the story for me, because the whole book is about how Lysander can overcome his hesitations about sleeping with a man, he's super nervous for it to happen and then we skip over it and then the next day he's in love and totally down with rimming? It felt like the book skipped about 5 chapters there

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've given this a B+ at AAR, 4.5 stars

Fearne Hill and I got off to a bit of a rocky start – the first book of hers I read didn’t work well for me – but her most recent output has proved that that one was the anomaly in the pack, because I’ve enjoyed everything of hers I’ve read since. Her latest novel, Cloud Ten – book one in her new  Nailed It!  series – Is funny, clever and sharply observed, and, despite a couple of niggles, also sits firmly on the positive side of the equation.

PA extraordinarire Frankie Carter is Good. With a capital G. But it’s proving more difficult than he’d anticipated to land himself the kind of job consummate with his impressive qualifications and extremely strong skill-set. When Frankie sees the ad for an experienced PA at Cloud Ten Construction, a well-established, family-owned business with a strong commitment to sustainability, diversity and equal opportunities, it sounds like his dream job. The idea of whipping a brand new exec into shape while focusing on developing and promoting the company’s new environmental plan is hugely appealing – but a brief glance at Cloud Ten’s website reveals that, yeah, all the executive PAs are women. So much for equal opportunities. Frankie’s brother Tristan quietly suggests that maybe Frankie should pretend to be a woman; he’s a knockout in drag and even slobs around the house wearing their sister Maddie’s stuff occasionally. They both reckon he could pull it off – and he won’t be lying about anything on the application if he ticks the “prefer not to say” box on the gender question, will he? Frankie isn’t too sure at first – but with his siblings and friends all telling him he should go for it… he applies.

And a few weeks later exec PA Ms. Frankie Carter reports for duty at the Canary Wharf offices of Cloud Ten Construction.

Lysander St. Cloud has recently returned to England after living in the US for the fifteen years, pretty much strong-armed into taking a seat on the board of the family firm that was founded by his grandfather. Cloud Ten’s CEO – his no-nonsense, straight-talking half-sister Daphne – wants Lysander to head up the company’s newly expanded green agenda – Lead the scene and keep it green – but Lysander is so far out of his comfort zone as to be on another planet. He has no business experience and finds much of the detail goes over his head – although he does agree with what Daphne is aiming to do. He just doesn’t think he’s the right person to “spearhead” it, especially as the thought of being in the media spotlight again makes him feel ill.

It takes Frankie no time at all to realise that his new boss is completely out of his depth – and to take him under his wing. It’s clear that Lysander has issues with anxiety and self-confidence – which is not surprising considering he’s been thrust into a role he has no experience for – and that he struggles to process information that is just thrown at him in massive chunks. Frankie quickly sets about finding ways to present it that are more manageable, provides an excellent sounding-board for ideas and, in short, very soon becomes indespensible.

The job is absolutely everything Frankie had hoped it would be – he loves working with Lysander and is fully on-board with the company’s ethos and the changes they’re trying to make, but although he always intended to confess to his lie as soon as he’d proved himself to be an asset to the company, that idea has become complicated in a way he hadn’t forseen. He and Lysander have become close over the months they’ve been working together, and lately, it’s started to feel as though their friendship could be on the cusp of becoming something else – but Lysander is straight and thinks he’s attracted to a woman, and Frankie is miserable at the idea that he could actually hurt Lysander and destroy their friendship by owning up.

When I read the synopsis for Cloud Ten, I wasn’t sure what to expect, especially in regards to the romance – that whole ‘straight man thinks he’s falling for a woman’ could go horribly wrong, and I admit, I had my doubts. But Fearne Hill is a talented author and I trusted her to make it work – and she does, avoiding the obvious pitfalls and making the most of the opportunity for some very pertinent and insightful observations about sexism in the workplace and the fluidity of gender and sexuality in a way that feels organic to the story and character development.

I realise that lying is a big no-no for some readers, but I really would urge you to set that aside if you can because it’s never treated as unimportant and Frankie is always very conscious of what he’s done. But we’re also very aware of why he’s done it, and I have to say that seeing the gender bias in the workplace working in the opposite direction is a refreshing take – and for balance, there’s a terrific moment in the second half where Daphne gives him a well-deserved bollocking and talks about what it’s like to face constant discrimination. Plus, the deception doesn’t go on for too long; as soon as Frankie realises that Lysander is attracted to him as a woman – and that he’s already in way too deep and headed for a broken heart himself – Frankie fesses up. Lysander’s shock and sense of betrayal are palpable and Frankie is devastated, but even though he offers to resign, Daphne – not pleased by the deception but nonetheless impressed by Frankie’s “chutzpah” – insists he stay on.

It’s awkward, to say the least, but things get easier as they both begin to understand that nothing has really changed about the way they interact or feel about each other. For all his hurt and confusion, Lysander is just as attracted to Frankie now as he was to Frankie before – and he’s not sure what that means. And while Lysander is trying to work that out, Frankie is also realising that perhaps his gender identity isn’t as binary as he’s always believed.

I loved all of this – I even enjoyed the parts about the construction business and how they could go about reducing their carbon footprint (Ms. Hill has really done her homework here!) – and the characterisation is terrific all-round. Frankie is a big-hearted force of nature, energetic, sassy and full of ideas, where Lysander is quiet and reserved; it’s clear early on that something must have happened to force him back to the UK and into the family business he’s so clearly not cut out for, and I liked that he’s not one of those boardroom alphas that populate so many contemporary romances. He blossoms with Frankie’s help and support, and I really liked that shift in the power dynamic.

Their slow-burn romance is lovely, their chemistry crackles and the deep and genuine understanding that develops between them is wonderful, but as soon as Lysander accepts his attraction to Frankie, it’s suddenly full speed ahead!, especially when it comes to the physical side of the relationship. I’d have expected a bit more sexual exploration, but their first time together is strangely cut short (it’s not fade to black but we only get half the story!) and then, what seems to be only a few days later, they’re fucking in the office – which is something of a pet peeve, especially as it’s during the day and they’re not exactly quiet! – and Lysander is suddenly completely confident and behaving like having sex with a man is something he’s been doing for ages.

The supporting cast is very well-written and rounded-out, too, and I’m especially intrigued by Frankie’s much quieter brother Tristan – who is hearing impaired and has mobility issues – and his sister Maddie’s boyfriend Darren, who, at first, seems to have no idea of acceptable boundaries, but then shows himself to be rather insightful and a lot more than the twenty-year-old Jack-the-Lad he seems to be. I hope we get to see more of them in future stories.

My qualms about some aspects of the romance aside, Cloud Ten is an excellent read and one I’m more than happy to recommend. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

[rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

**3.5 stars**

I was so sceptical about the plot. I was afraid that if this wasn't done right, it could really go completely wrong. Also, I wasn't sure if I would like this plot at all.
I was definitely surprised, because the plot (apart from the first 30 percent) was really good.

The only thing that might have bothered me a bit were the few parts that were only about the work at Cloud Ten. They were a bit boring, but they gave an insight into the relationship between the characters.

Speaking of characters, the vast majority of them in this book are really unique, in a good way.

Lysander, in particular, seems to be a character I've never come across before. Although he wasn't my favourite (don’t get me wrong, I still liked him, but he won’t get on my favourite-characters-list), I think he was pretty well thought out.

Frankie, on the other hand, was somewhat less extraordinary personality wise as Lysander, and I‘m saying this because I’ve seen similar characters in other books, but I did quite like him. I absolutely loved a Frankie in a skirt.

Since I don’t really know what else to say at this point, I‘ll just leave this review as it is.

I liked this book.

[Kel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked Darren and his infinite ease with the triplets. And Tristan seems so wise. These weren't the main characters though. Lysander and Frankie, the MCs are just alright. This book started slow. And towards the end, it jumped forward and the ending was rather abrupt and rushed.

[Zofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a fan of Fearne Hill and this story was no exception: well written, with nicely developed main and side characters and some enjoyable scenes.
My issue here was the progression of the relationship of the MCs which happened partly off page and felt somewhat rushed. There was some unnecessary miscommunication, quickly followed by a complete turn of feelings and love declarations... The timeline and "flow" of this duo (cute as they were) didn't quite click with me. Maybe I was distracted, but it felt as if I missed some pages in the story.
I will definitely keep reading this author, though!

[Pjm12 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved all the side stuff with Frankie's family and friends, whom I assume will be part of subsequent books. Loved Lysander's progress through the novel, and all the talk about company missions and vales.

Lots of humour and heart.

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Trying too hard I guess.

[Bkwrm24 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Frankie and Lysander ❤️
4 Stars ⭐️

First of all this was a really good story, it touched on so many different aspects of sexuality and gender stereotypes that I won't even attempt to put them all in this review. What I will say that it was wonderfully written and was so much more than a romance. Speaking of the romance...this was a very slow burn with plenty of self discovery and confusion at times but great nonetheless. I cannot help but feel there's so much more to be discovered between these men and I felt like this book ended quite abruptly which was disappointing to say the least. I know there will be another book in this series perhaps the second half of this story as a prelude to more. I would recommend.

* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *

[Ana Nimity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fearne Hill has quickly written her way into that group of authors whose books I will read sight-unseen, no cover reveal necessary, no blurb needed. In fact, I'm not sure I read the blurb for Cloud Ten; when the advance copy was offered, I grabbed it greedily, and I'm glad I did. I fell in love with this ensemble cast, which is just as offbeat and charming as any this author has assembled.

It took me a bit to get going with the narrative this time because while I had no doubt that Frankie could pull off getting the job as an executive personal assistant while dressed as a woman, it took a bit of convincing for me to see how he could keep it, and how Lysander would ever trust him once the truth inevitably came out.

It all worked beautifully, though, in a slow-burn boss-assistant office romance, with Lysander having the bisexual awakening prerequisite for the book at have a HEA - which it does, and a lovely one at that.

I also fell in love with Tristan, Frankie's triplet brother (the third triplet is a sister, who's also a sweetheart), and look forward to him getting his own HEA. I've no doubt I'll read that book, and any other Fearne writes, without needing to read the blurb.