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Poker Night #5
Full House
Book five in the Poker Night SeriesLife hasn't been easy for Marco De Le Santo. He's spent the last eight years raising his young brothers and sister. At the age of twenty-four, Marco finally has the chance to explore his feelings for Kent Baker, his boss. He knows Kent thinks he's a playboy, but Marco's finally ready to tell his friend the truth about his secret life. What would Kent say if he knew Marco came with three kids under the age of eighteen?Kent Baker has watched Marco since the day he stepped into his office. As owner of a construction company, Kent has seen his share of good-looking men, but none of them hold a candle to Marco. Kent has waited years for Marco to grow up and realise there's more to life than partying and random men, but with each year passing year, he becomes bitter.When Marco finally opens up to Kent, will his boss be angry at the deception or can they build a future that includes Marco's, already, Full House?
90 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 14, 2009
6 people are currently reading
185 people want to read
About the author
Carol Lynne
251 books1,196 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
June 5, 2011
The Poker Night series features a group of 6 gay men (Zac, Bobby, Trey, Angelo, Marco and Kent) who have been friends for almost 4 years and get together to play poker, drink beer and have fun every other Saturday. As the series starts, they're all single, but it's obvious that each of them is destined to find their HEA as the series progresses.
The 5th and final book in the series, Full House, is Marco and Kent's story and picks up a short time after Different Suits ended. I'd been waiting to read this book since I started the series, as it was obvious that Marco and Kent were destined to be together - I mean, all those barbs they kept throwing at each other could only mean true love, LOL -, and I'm glad to say I wasn't disappointed.
If you haven't read the previous books in the series, you might think that the romance between Marco and Kent is too sudden. That's why I highly recommend reading this series from the start, because the relationship between them doesn't start in this book. Also, you don't fully see how strained it was and how wrong Kent was about Marco if you aren't with them all along the journey.
In an interesting way, this story follows a template that's very similar to a "classic" HQ novel (with the exception that this is a M/M relationship, of course): 37-year-old, successful construction business owner Kent is 24-year-old, down-on-his-luck Marco's boss and, due to some misconceptions, treats the younger man like crap until he finally finds out how good, responsible and worthy Marco is; then, they fall in love, work their way through some conflicts and live HEA. I'm not complaining, as that template has proven to be successful through the years and I happen to like it.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book - and the whole series, for that matter - but Marco's age and background came as a surprise to me. Not a particularly nice one, as that was inconsistent with his behavior. Let me explain:
1. If he had such a hard time making ends meet and supporting his younger brothers and sister, how could he afford losing money in the bi-weekly poker nights with his friends?
2. Poker night has been going on since he was 20 years old, which means that his brother Bruno was only 13, his brother Nicky was only 11 and his sister Maria was only 6 when he left them alone at home to hang out with his friends.
That didn't make any sense, considering how responsible and protective Marco was when it came to his family. Anyway, that wasn't bad enough to ruin the book for me, because I loved everything else about it. :)
The 5th and final book in the series, Full House, is Marco and Kent's story and picks up a short time after Different Suits ended. I'd been waiting to read this book since I started the series, as it was obvious that Marco and Kent were destined to be together - I mean, all those barbs they kept throwing at each other could only mean true love, LOL -, and I'm glad to say I wasn't disappointed.
If you haven't read the previous books in the series, you might think that the romance between Marco and Kent is too sudden. That's why I highly recommend reading this series from the start, because the relationship between them doesn't start in this book. Also, you don't fully see how strained it was and how wrong Kent was about Marco if you aren't with them all along the journey.
In an interesting way, this story follows a template that's very similar to a "classic" HQ novel (with the exception that this is a M/M relationship, of course): 37-year-old, successful construction business owner Kent is 24-year-old, down-on-his-luck Marco's boss and, due to some misconceptions, treats the younger man like crap until he finally finds out how good, responsible and worthy Marco is; then, they fall in love, work their way through some conflicts and live HEA. I'm not complaining, as that template has proven to be successful through the years and I happen to like it.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book - and the whole series, for that matter - but Marco's age and background came as a surprise to me. Not a particularly nice one, as that was inconsistent with his behavior. Let me explain:
1. If he had such a hard time making ends meet and supporting his younger brothers and sister, how could he afford losing money in the bi-weekly poker nights with his friends?
2. Poker night has been going on since he was 20 years old, which means that his brother Bruno was only 13, his brother Nicky was only 11 and his sister Maria was only 6 when he left them alone at home to hang out with his friends.
That didn't make any sense, considering how responsible and protective Marco was when it came to his family. Anyway, that wasn't bad enough to ruin the book for me, because I loved everything else about it. :)
September 10, 2012
If I had to pick a favourite this would be it. I love a crossed wires story line and Kent getting the wrong end of the stick about Marco was a perfect example of things not always being what they seem.
A nice end to a short series.
A nice end to a short series.
August 1, 2011
I was sad the series was over
I didn't like Kent for most of it but I warmed up towards him a little
I didn't like Kent for most of it but I warmed up towards him a little
September 5, 2012
While we knew there was a love/hate brewing between Marco and Kent throughout the whole series, I'm glad to finally get their story. Marco is a man of mystery because while Kent disparages him for living a wild lifestyle, you always get the impression that there's much more to Marco than meets the eye. In this book, you learn the different layers of Marco and I really liked and respected his character a lot. I did not like Kent. Kent is a total tool and judges people without knowing anything at all about them. It's really annoying. He definitely redeems himself by the end, but in a more realistic world, Marco would have washed his hands of Kent and his condescending attitude years ago. I still liked the story though, and I'm glad that Marco finally gets his HEA in the end. This was a nice little series and I actually appreciate that it was a 5 book series and didn't drag on too long. It definitely closed out on a nice note.
December 16, 2009
I really loved this fifth instalment of the Poker Night series with its revelations about Marco and Kent.
This book focuses on telling us more about Marco and the tough life he leads, revealing an amazing human being. When Kent finds out what's been behind the sometimes strange behavior of the man he has admired, maybe even loved, for years, he is stunned. Ashamed of his previous misconceptions he sets out to make it right and the ensuing story is one of love and learnig to accept the differences between the two men.
The emotions and motivations of both men are real and touching. In this book, Carol has given us details on the two final characters in the group of friends who play poker on a regular basis. I loved it!
This book focuses on telling us more about Marco and the tough life he leads, revealing an amazing human being. When Kent finds out what's been behind the sometimes strange behavior of the man he has admired, maybe even loved, for years, he is stunned. Ashamed of his previous misconceptions he sets out to make it right and the ensuing story is one of love and learnig to accept the differences between the two men.
The emotions and motivations of both men are real and touching. In this book, Carol has given us details on the two final characters in the group of friends who play poker on a regular basis. I loved it!
September 14, 2012
The last one of the series and I'm sorry to see it end.
I never really liked Kent in any of the previous books and even in this one I only warmed up to him a bit.
Marco, sweet wonderful Marco, what a great guy and I'm glad he finally got everything he wanted and deserves, but I still don't think Kent groveled anywhere near enough and I found him self-centered and immature.
But I'm glad all the guys are all happy and doing well now!
I never really liked Kent in any of the previous books and even in this one I only warmed up to him a bit.
Marco, sweet wonderful Marco, what a great guy and I'm glad he finally got everything he wanted and deserves, but I still don't think Kent groveled anywhere near enough and I found him self-centered and immature.
But I'm glad all the guys are all happy and doing well now!
January 21, 2011
Just finished the whole series and loved it so much. I thoroughly enjoyed each story and was so happy Carol ended it all with Kent and Marco getting their HEA. Shame their poker group didn't have like fifty members :D
December 25, 2011
Great ending to the series!
Absolutely loved Kent and Marco's a great guy too. It's nice to see all friends finally finding happiness. I'm full of warm fuzziness right now :)
Absolutely loved Kent and Marco's a great guy too. It's nice to see all friends finally finding happiness. I'm full of warm fuzziness right now :)
May 4, 2022
Melhor livro da série, se bem que para o último não precisa muita coisa.
Enfim, o casal apresentado não é o mais crível de todos que a autora já bolou, mas pelo menos há um pouco mais de ação aqui, ou melhor dizendo, mais acontecimentos.
O personagem principal tem uma vida complexa e movimentada criando os irmãos, lutando para conseguir um futuro melhor através do estudo e do trabalho e tentando proteger a si mesmo e a família do pai criminoso.
O caso é que isso é muito mais background do que costumamos receber nesses livros, facilitando a empatia com os personagens e a diversão.
Não é um trabalho primoroso, nem uma evolução radical, porém demonstra que a autora pode ser capaz de escrever algo razoavelmente bom e não apenas arremedos de histórias com cenas de sexo mais chatas que novela das seis.
Enfim, o casal apresentado não é o mais crível de todos que a autora já bolou, mas pelo menos há um pouco mais de ação aqui, ou melhor dizendo, mais acontecimentos.
O personagem principal tem uma vida complexa e movimentada criando os irmãos, lutando para conseguir um futuro melhor através do estudo e do trabalho e tentando proteger a si mesmo e a família do pai criminoso.
O caso é que isso é muito mais background do que costumamos receber nesses livros, facilitando a empatia com os personagens e a diversão.
Não é um trabalho primoroso, nem uma evolução radical, porém demonstra que a autora pode ser capaz de escrever algo razoavelmente bom e não apenas arremedos de histórias com cenas de sexo mais chatas que novela das seis.
July 13, 2019
Wonderful
This is definitely my favorite of the Poker Night books. I've read it at least a dozen times and still love my boys and their children. Such a heart pleaser.
This is definitely my favorite of the Poker Night books. I've read it at least a dozen times and still love my boys and their children. Such a heart pleaser.
August 3, 2019
Love the angst.
July 31, 2021
The saga is enjoyable and catchy, as I said previously, nice summer reading
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May 10, 2010Full House (Poker Night 5) by Carol Lynne
The last in the Poker Night series it was one that many were expecting since it was clear from book one that Marco and Kent were a match made in Eden… the problem was only to find a way to let them know.
It’s strange but I had a completely different idea of Marco, not only on a physical level, but also as a man; he seemed older, stronger and more macho, maybe the latino origins helped in my mistake. Marco instead is more like a lost kid who is still searching an anchor in life; he was stronger and clever enough to raise his three siblings, 2 boys and a girls, all of them way younger than him, and if this helped him to grow faster than other kids in all matter regarding family budget, he left him almost at teenager level when speaking of love and relationships. Marco is not able to see who can help him, not for charity, but for love, being a friendship love, or even the most important type of love, that of a partner.
It doesn’t help that Kent is a bit uptight and yes, maybe even spoiled. He hasn’t really had to fight for life, and he was quite lucky; he has a successful business, a beautiful home, but he has not family. It’s clear that he would love to help Marco, clear to everyone other than Marco himself. But Kent is still feel guilty for having lustful thoughts on a 17 years old Marco: Marco lied on his age to obtain the job, and Kent believed him 19 years old; he was still young, younger than him, but at least Kent thought it was legal; when he accidentally discovered that Marco was still underage, something inside Kent snapped: instead of wondering why an underage kid desperately needed a job, Kent tried to find every reason to “hate” Marco. It was easier accusing Marco than admitting that it was him, Kent, who was wrong.
When both men understand that it was useless denying what there is between them, they also feel free to show their hidden side: Marco suddenly becomes affectionate and almost coquettish, teasing the bigger Kent; something he admitted he already has done, when he was younger, it was a way to affirm himself, to realize that someone else cared for him. Now with Kent, Marco is able to show that side of him, Kent frees Marco from obligations and fears, with Kent Marco can be careless and happy. On the other side, I think that Kent needs to believe that he is the macho man in the relationship, Marco reveals an independent streak that threaten Kent’s self-assurance; playing the role of the alpha man, at least in bed, gives strength to Kent, and helps him also to forget how he was wrong with Marco before.
As often in a Carol Lynne’s story, the usual building of the relationship happened before, in the previous book, and so, when it’s the time to tell Marco and Kent’s story, they are ready to move to level 2, the real relationship: it’s not sudden how they end up in bed together, sex is not the final purpose of the story, it’s only step one to move to something more committing and binding.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1907280804/?...
The last in the Poker Night series it was one that many were expecting since it was clear from book one that Marco and Kent were a match made in Eden… the problem was only to find a way to let them know.
It’s strange but I had a completely different idea of Marco, not only on a physical level, but also as a man; he seemed older, stronger and more macho, maybe the latino origins helped in my mistake. Marco instead is more like a lost kid who is still searching an anchor in life; he was stronger and clever enough to raise his three siblings, 2 boys and a girls, all of them way younger than him, and if this helped him to grow faster than other kids in all matter regarding family budget, he left him almost at teenager level when speaking of love and relationships. Marco is not able to see who can help him, not for charity, but for love, being a friendship love, or even the most important type of love, that of a partner.
It doesn’t help that Kent is a bit uptight and yes, maybe even spoiled. He hasn’t really had to fight for life, and he was quite lucky; he has a successful business, a beautiful home, but he has not family. It’s clear that he would love to help Marco, clear to everyone other than Marco himself. But Kent is still feel guilty for having lustful thoughts on a 17 years old Marco: Marco lied on his age to obtain the job, and Kent believed him 19 years old; he was still young, younger than him, but at least Kent thought it was legal; when he accidentally discovered that Marco was still underage, something inside Kent snapped: instead of wondering why an underage kid desperately needed a job, Kent tried to find every reason to “hate” Marco. It was easier accusing Marco than admitting that it was him, Kent, who was wrong.
When both men understand that it was useless denying what there is between them, they also feel free to show their hidden side: Marco suddenly becomes affectionate and almost coquettish, teasing the bigger Kent; something he admitted he already has done, when he was younger, it was a way to affirm himself, to realize that someone else cared for him. Now with Kent, Marco is able to show that side of him, Kent frees Marco from obligations and fears, with Kent Marco can be careless and happy. On the other side, I think that Kent needs to believe that he is the macho man in the relationship, Marco reveals an independent streak that threaten Kent’s self-assurance; playing the role of the alpha man, at least in bed, gives strength to Kent, and helps him also to forget how he was wrong with Marco before.
As often in a Carol Lynne’s story, the usual building of the relationship happened before, in the previous book, and so, when it’s the time to tell Marco and Kent’s story, they are ready to move to level 2, the real relationship: it’s not sudden how they end up in bed together, sex is not the final purpose of the story, it’s only step one to move to something more committing and binding.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1907280804/?...
August 23, 2013
This is my favorite in the series. I cried through half of the book. Kent and Marco are the last of the originals in the poker night. Kent has had a crush on Marco since he hired him to work in his construction company 7-8 yrs ago. Marco is a mason or brick layer and one of the best. Kent decides that Marco is off limits when he realizes that Marco is 17 not 19 when he starts to ask him out at the beginning. You see the interaction of Kent and Marco through each book and how bad Kent treats Marco because he assumes he is some "party" kid that jumps from bed to bed. Marco never denies it because he thinks he is not good enough for Kent.
As the story continues, you find out that Marco is from a "really" broken family. Ends up raising his 2 brothers and sister by himself. Refuses to take state money for help. He even gets his GED in the evenings so that maybe Kent would think is was worth a chance. Every time Marco looks tired, Kent gives him Hell makes him out to be a playboy. Everything hits the fan when Marco becomes injured then is attacked by his "gang" leader father. Marco comes clean to Kent, Kent feels like total crap "as he should" and things go on from there. I cried all through this book, you can not help but fall in love with Marco after knowing him through the whole series. Kent almost does not deserve him. Kent, Marco, Moody and the rest deal with Marco's family issues and all comes together in the end. This was my fav of the series. I would reread this whole series... What to do next, time for Carol to write a new one :)
As the story continues, you find out that Marco is from a "really" broken family. Ends up raising his 2 brothers and sister by himself. Refuses to take state money for help. He even gets his GED in the evenings so that maybe Kent would think is was worth a chance. Every time Marco looks tired, Kent gives him Hell makes him out to be a playboy. Everything hits the fan when Marco becomes injured then is attacked by his "gang" leader father. Marco comes clean to Kent, Kent feels like total crap "as he should" and things go on from there. I cried all through this book, you can not help but fall in love with Marco after knowing him through the whole series. Kent almost does not deserve him. Kent, Marco, Moody and the rest deal with Marco's family issues and all comes together in the end. This was my fav of the series. I would reread this whole series... What to do next, time for Carol to write a new one :)
March 15, 2012
Nice ending to a cute series. Like others on here, I had a difficult time warming up to Kent, not just in his book but in the others as well. I grew to like him.
What I really enjoyed about this series is the fact that while there may have been serious issues (mainly in Trey's) they weren't the entire story and they were resolved quickly. I'm not that big on angsty-type books so I was happy to see certain things resolved in a serious manner but not where the problems took up the entire story.
If you haven't read the others in the series, I would suggest you do so before you read this one. Marco and Kent's story begins in the very first book and ends in this one. If you don't read the others first, that's okay too, but you won't get the complete feel for all the characters and their stories.
Again, nice story. Nice series. Definitely worth the time I put into it. I love stories with children in them and this was a pretty good one.
What I really enjoyed about this series is the fact that while there may have been serious issues (mainly in Trey's) they weren't the entire story and they were resolved quickly. I'm not that big on angsty-type books so I was happy to see certain things resolved in a serious manner but not where the problems took up the entire story.
If you haven't read the others in the series, I would suggest you do so before you read this one. Marco and Kent's story begins in the very first book and ends in this one. If you don't read the others first, that's okay too, but you won't get the complete feel for all the characters and their stories.
Again, nice story. Nice series. Definitely worth the time I put into it. I love stories with children in them and this was a pretty good one.
September 7, 2012
Finally we get to Marco and Kent. I have disliked Kent in every book so far. Even not knowing Marco's story, I did not like the way Kent always treated him. The constant negative comments got old after the first book. I was happy to finally get the goods on Marco's life. He is such a sweetheart, and I was rooting for him all along. It was nice to see Kent recognize his wrongdoings and make things right with Marco. This one didn't have near the abrupt ending as a few of the others, and I am actually sad to see this end.
December 7, 2012
"Full House" is the final book in the series, and it's sad to see it come to an end. I have been looking forward to Marco and Kent's story and the author didn't disappoint. These two had lots of obstacles to overcome, many issues to work through, that's why I was very glad to see them get their happy ending.
March 6, 2014
Absolutely loved this book. All the characters were so believable and how I love Marco and that he gets his I love you from someone other than his siblings. Kent loves them all unconditionally and it brought tears. A definite reread for me and I will be suggesting this book to a few friends.
June 21, 2011
It was a good romance, I loved Marco, had to work a little to like Kent, but it went well, Carol Lynne seems really fond of pierced cocks, that's the only thing i didn't quite like.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2013
Sad that this was the last book in the series. I am glad that they worked out their differences and are now a couple raising the kids together.
September 21, 2013
This was an okay read, but I find the writing in this series has gotten a bit too soft for my taste.
November 12, 2013
It has kids, a dog, and hot guys--three things I love in books.
January 15, 2014
still not the greatest writing, but i really liked the relationship in this one.
April 9, 2014
My favorite of the whole series. Marco is definitely my favorite :D Thanks Carol for sharing such wonderful stories with us.
January 3, 2016
It was cute. I liked the kids a lot but I thought that there was a bit too much angst between Marco and Kent in the beginning.
2.2 stars
2.2 stars
August 1, 2011
Great ending to fun series. I really enjoyed them.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews