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London Love #2
Taste
Finn Christensen doesn’t do feelings. He doesn’t do relationships. When he has an itch to scratch, there are always clubs and hook-ups. Quick, dirty encounters in dark places that feed the need that brews in the pit in his stomach. He works every hour of the day as the front office manager for the Clouds Westminster Hotel in central London. He’s a good boss, and he knows his shit.
Then Mark Quinton swans in like he owns the bloody place, and Finn’s carefully managed world starts to fall apart.
Mark Quinton is impulsive and stupid and childish. He’s the last person in the world who should be allowed to run the food and beverage department at the Clouds Westminster, however many brilliant ideas he has and somehow miraculously pulls off. He needs…something. He needs Finn Christensen.
It’s a match made in hell. A recipe for disaster. There will be a bloodbath one day. They both know that. Everyone knows.
TASTE is the second book in the London Love series, following four extraordinary ordinary couples living real fairy-tales in the city of London. TASTE is a hurt comfort, enemy to lovers romance set behind the scenes in a busy inner city business hotel. The books are all Standalone and can be read in any order, apart from EXHALE which is best enjoyed after BREATHE.
Trigger-warnings for off page mentions of domestic violence, depression, kleptomania, ADHD and culinary crimes involving cheese. HEA.
Then Mark Quinton swans in like he owns the bloody place, and Finn’s carefully managed world starts to fall apart.
Mark Quinton is impulsive and stupid and childish. He’s the last person in the world who should be allowed to run the food and beverage department at the Clouds Westminster, however many brilliant ideas he has and somehow miraculously pulls off. He needs…something. He needs Finn Christensen.
It’s a match made in hell. A recipe for disaster. There will be a bloodbath one day. They both know that. Everyone knows.
TASTE is the second book in the London Love series, following four extraordinary ordinary couples living real fairy-tales in the city of London. TASTE is a hurt comfort, enemy to lovers romance set behind the scenes in a busy inner city business hotel. The books are all Standalone and can be read in any order, apart from EXHALE which is best enjoyed after BREATHE.
Trigger-warnings for off page mentions of domestic violence, depression, kleptomania, ADHD and culinary crimes involving cheese. HEA.
246 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2021
80 people are currently reading
427 people want to read
About the author
Sophia Soames
35 books229 followersAuthor of Contemporary M/M romance with all the feels. This is where flawed men discover happy endings, in truly European fairy tales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
November 5, 2021
"I'd been watching him for a while, grinding his hips down on the dance floor. He got a lot of attention, which didn't surprise me. The man was glorious, though I could barely find the words to describe him. He was golden. Beautiful.(...)His shirt looked like it had been sprayed on, and his arms were covered in those straps he always wore. Braided pieces of fabric and lather that I longed to touch. I wanted to feel them against my fingertips. Feel the taste of his sweat against my tongue."
The prologue in this book, my dear readers, was the best prologue I ever, EVER read! It reels you in, sucks you into the story, makes you want to know what's behind all that anger, that attraction that seems so consuming and almost fatal. The sheer lust, the hunger, the longing, the need, the wanting...There were just so many feelings present in only these few pages of that prologue, as a reader you just HAVE TO KNOW! You can't put this book down before you know what happened to Finn and Mark to get there, to reach that point. And what happens after that? How will they continue? Hating each other even more? Or will they finally give into that special thing there seems to be between them, but that is so, so hard to acknowledge?
Told from both pov's, Finn and Mark are two opposites, enemies even, working at the same hotel. But there is something between them, that pulls them towards each other, an attraction they both don't understand and both are not ready to acknowledge. They hate each other, but why then to they kiss and why does that feel so good when they do, despite the anger and the inner resistance?
This is a story like no other. Sophia Soames is an excellent story teller, her use of language is enthralling, her words just pull you in further and further until it's almost impossible to put this book down. She is such a talented author and I just love the books in this series.
This story takes some unexpected twist and turns, and the way Finn and Mark's story develops, the way their characters grow and change, it just feels so natural and real. THEY were real. Not perfect in any way, but still perfect for each other, even when they wanted to deny that and didn't want to see that they were.
I loved how lively the hotel was written, how real that felt too. You can tell the author has experience in the hospitality service. I have travelled quite some myself and stayed in a lot of hotels, and every description of the things that happened, evoked a feeling of recognition. It was almost as if I was a guest myself at the Clouds Westminster Hotel in London. The secondary characters were marvelous and interesting as well, as were the several guests that came and went.
It's just impossible to do this book justice in a review. It's a story you need to experience, an enemies to lovers with a twist I did not see coming, so well done, with so many feelings! Your heart breaks for both Mark and Finn, for all the things they had to go through throughout their lives, the things they experienced, the things they missed out on. I don't want to give too much away, really, but it's so hard to explain this story without doing so. All I can say is that you just have to read this book, open your heart for these two messed up guys who long to love and to be loved, but are just too scared to find it and hold on to it.
"You're enchanting and free-spirited and funny and different. You're everything I am not, and I love that. I go to work, and all I do is look for you because if you're there my life is worth living. That's how I feel. About you."
I really look forward to read the next book in this excellent London series!
I kindly received an ARC of this book from Gay Book Promotions and this is my honest, unbiased review
February 5, 2022
Writing my review as I read this book.. as I do…
After reading this book, I never ever ever want to work in a hotel! Or anything to do with hospitality 😆.
Finn was a bit of an anti hero character. He has some seriously bad backstory mojo happening that I guess I should have seen coming but it still was a bit of a plot twist. At first, I wasn’t really happy with this toxic back and forth with Mark. It began to make sense. Both characters were a mess.
Sophia tried to make Finn a sympathetic character but for me he was not. The way he played with Mark’s emotions was really quite mean. They went from hate to almost insta-love so fast I got whiplash.
It wasn’t believable. Finn hurt Mark often and I really hated that.
No lube sex is also very cringy. But I guess Finn likes to hurt Mark and Mark likes to be hurt by Finn so by all means. I’m almost done with the book AND I’m kinda hating both characters at this point anyway. AND no discussion about sexual health either and they are going condom-less ughhhh.
I usually love Sophia’s book but this was NOT for me.
The ending was just like the beginning… messy, mean and hurt my heart.
After reading this book, I never ever ever want to work in a hotel! Or anything to do with hospitality 😆.
Finn was a bit of an anti hero character. He has some seriously bad backstory mojo happening that I guess I should have seen coming but it still was a bit of a plot twist. At first, I wasn’t really happy with this toxic back and forth with Mark. It began to make sense. Both characters were a mess.
Sophia tried to make Finn a sympathetic character but for me he was not. The way he played with Mark’s emotions was really quite mean. They went from hate to almost insta-love so fast I got whiplash.
It wasn’t believable. Finn hurt Mark often and I really hated that.
No lube sex is also very cringy. But I guess Finn likes to hurt Mark and Mark likes to be hurt by Finn so by all means. I’m almost done with the book AND I’m kinda hating both characters at this point anyway. AND no discussion about sexual health either and they are going condom-less ughhhh.
I usually love Sophia’s book but this was NOT for me.
The ending was just like the beginning… messy, mean and hurt my heart.
October 28, 2024
Honestly this book confused me more than anything and was pretty much overshadowed by the most unlikeable side character that I've read in ages. I'm struggling to see how Breathe and Exhale are linked to the rest of the books in this series too? From this point onwards, all of the books feature staff members of The Clouds hotel, yet Breathe and Exhale didn't have any characters linked to the hotel? Why are they part of this series?!?!
I really didn't like the side character Mabel at all, to the point that I don't want to read their book at all because their character was so unlikeable and I don't care if they get their own HEA! Finn is made out to be an abusive husband to Matt (Mabel's deadname / past life?) because he physically lashed out on one occassion - which is definitely wrong and unforgivable - and all of the blame for the end of their relationship is placed on Finn, which he somehow accepts? He lost his temper on one occasion because Matt had pushed him to his absolute limit, yet the whole thing is Finn's fault? It was Matt who was cheating on him constantly, including that Finn walked in on him with another man in their bed. It was Matt who became obsessed with Mark and talked about him all the time to Finn, to the point where it became painfully obvious to Finn that his husband was in love with someone else. It was Matt who was finding themselves and becoming Mabel, yet he never even had a conversation about any of it with his husband at all and blindsided him! Of course the man is upset and angry and lashing out. Why was all the blame so easily placed on Finn? Yes he should never have hit Matt, but that's the only thing he was guilty of! The rest of it was all on Mabel and their emotional warfare, yet no one seems to see that?
It just made me hate Mabel, especially when they kept telling Finn that he couldn't have feelings or a relationship with Mark because he was Mabel's - even though Mark has always made it abundantly clear to Mabel that there will never be anything of that nature between the two of them. Mabel is so full of themselves that they think Finn only wants Mark to get back at them.... Honestly why make a character so unlikeable if they have a book coming up too? Why is Mabel lauded and treated like some kind of deity by literally everyone, even Finn?? They were extremely selfish and self-centred, self-obsessed, manipulative and frankly cruel! I don't get why everyone loves them in all honesty.
Finn's animosity towards Mark made so much more sense once we get the backstory, but again Mabel is right there being emotionally manipulative and never told Mark, their supposed BFF, that Finn is their ex-husband when Mark and Mabel come to work at Finn's hotel! You can understand why Finn is frustrated with the situation because he assumes that Mabel has told Mark all about their history and thinks they are messing with him and flaunting their friendship, rubbing salt in the wounds of Finn's trauma! You can also understand Mark's reactions to Finn's behaviour too. It's all a giant clusterfuck of hurt and trauma and everything can be traced back to fucking Mabel!!
Honestly Finn deserved so much better than he got, and as much as I did like him with Mark and thought they were a good couple once they got over the animosity, I really wished that Mabel had not been such a big part of their story because it made me want to stop reading this on so many occasions. Mabel was a tumor that needed to be removed. There could have been enough animosity between Mark and Finn without the giant third wheel forcing their way into every aspect of this book.
I really didn't like the side character Mabel at all, to the point that I don't want to read their book at all because their character was so unlikeable and I don't care if they get their own HEA! Finn is made out to be an abusive husband to Matt (Mabel's deadname / past life?) because he physically lashed out on one occassion - which is definitely wrong and unforgivable - and all of the blame for the end of their relationship is placed on Finn, which he somehow accepts? He lost his temper on one occasion because Matt had pushed him to his absolute limit, yet the whole thing is Finn's fault? It was Matt who was cheating on him constantly, including that Finn walked in on him with another man in their bed. It was Matt who became obsessed with Mark and talked about him all the time to Finn, to the point where it became painfully obvious to Finn that his husband was in love with someone else. It was Matt who was finding themselves and becoming Mabel, yet he never even had a conversation about any of it with his husband at all and blindsided him! Of course the man is upset and angry and lashing out. Why was all the blame so easily placed on Finn? Yes he should never have hit Matt, but that's the only thing he was guilty of! The rest of it was all on Mabel and their emotional warfare, yet no one seems to see that?
It just made me hate Mabel, especially when they kept telling Finn that he couldn't have feelings or a relationship with Mark because he was Mabel's - even though Mark has always made it abundantly clear to Mabel that there will never be anything of that nature between the two of them. Mabel is so full of themselves that they think Finn only wants Mark to get back at them.... Honestly why make a character so unlikeable if they have a book coming up too? Why is Mabel lauded and treated like some kind of deity by literally everyone, even Finn?? They were extremely selfish and self-centred, self-obsessed, manipulative and frankly cruel! I don't get why everyone loves them in all honesty.
Finn's animosity towards Mark made so much more sense once we get the backstory, but again Mabel is right there being emotionally manipulative and never told Mark, their supposed BFF, that Finn is their ex-husband when Mark and Mabel come to work at Finn's hotel! You can understand why Finn is frustrated with the situation because he assumes that Mabel has told Mark all about their history and thinks they are messing with him and flaunting their friendship, rubbing salt in the wounds of Finn's trauma! You can also understand Mark's reactions to Finn's behaviour too. It's all a giant clusterfuck of hurt and trauma and everything can be traced back to fucking Mabel!!
Honestly Finn deserved so much better than he got, and as much as I did like him with Mark and thought they were a good couple once they got over the animosity, I really wished that Mabel had not been such a big part of their story because it made me want to stop reading this on so many occasions. Mabel was a tumor that needed to be removed. There could have been enough animosity between Mark and Finn without the giant third wheel forcing their way into every aspect of this book.
November 7, 2021
What if love isn’t easy, what if love is entwined with hate.
This is a story about an immensely complicated relationship.
There are explosive encounters, bloody sizzling sharp words with a huge impact.
Behind the high walls of these two lonely men, is a universe of emotions and life matters.
Nothing superficial. Gravity keeps them close, and destroys them at the same time.
Finn is hard on Mark, it hurts him so badly, he avoids him for weeks. Mark’s love for Finn is deeply rooted he always crawls back. Finn’s life is shattered and Mark is the only one who can glue him, the only one who is allowed to glue him.
They are so real, my eyes blurred looking at them.
Looking at the tears rolling down their cheeks was deeply moving.
The content was at times so intensely sad, my heart hurt. Not just sad sad, but immensely sad.
The author did an amazing job. It was so palpably written I wanted to scream the hurt away.
Besides the hurt, there is beautiful love, compassion, and all the feels!!!
Quite a masterpiece!
This is a story about an immensely complicated relationship.
There are explosive encounters, bloody sizzling sharp words with a huge impact.
Behind the high walls of these two lonely men, is a universe of emotions and life matters.
Nothing superficial. Gravity keeps them close, and destroys them at the same time.
Finn is hard on Mark, it hurts him so badly, he avoids him for weeks. Mark’s love for Finn is deeply rooted he always crawls back. Finn’s life is shattered and Mark is the only one who can glue him, the only one who is allowed to glue him.
They are so real, my eyes blurred looking at them.
Looking at the tears rolling down their cheeks was deeply moving.
The content was at times so intensely sad, my heart hurt. Not just sad sad, but immensely sad.
The author did an amazing job. It was so palpably written I wanted to scream the hurt away.
Besides the hurt, there is beautiful love, compassion, and all the feels!!!
Quite a masterpiece!
March 26, 2022
I don’t know how to rate this book.. I liked it and I kind of didn’t but I kind of did. I like Sophia’s books and I love her writing style a lot but the characters here were a bit crazy. I mean therapist office crazy and the love part came out of the fucking blue!! Not to mention the whole insanity with the ex husband. I don’t know why I give it 4 stars , it seems too much and yet 3 feels too little too. 3 is for meh books and this one wasn’t meh and probably not in a positive way lol.
November 2, 2021
Meanders a bit.
Secret surprise history.
Super swoony, though.
Secret surprise history.
Super swoony, though.
November 2, 2021
That was quite a therapy session.
From past books by the same author I knew that her characters tend to have a lot of psychological ballast to carry around and I don't know why I thought this one might be different. (I think, it might have been the blurb.) And actually I don't like it if there are too many emotions and heaps of self reflection (Let's be honest: everybody would be as wrung out as Finn and Mark if one reflected on their every breath the way they did), but that's just me personally. And it doesn't diminish the fact that it's a really nice book for everyone who likes their characters a little more complicated.
Don't get me wrong I really like tangled up relationships and "Taste" provides that perfectly. And in retrospect, I love that about the book, though at first I was about to abandon the read because I found the whole hatred of the main characters towards one another a bit much, illogical and random. I would have loved for some more clues and guidance in the story that there is something profound behind their (especially Finn's) behaviour.
Nevertheless "Taste" is a book a can only recommend if you like well-written, deep characters, a story that's credible, an author who's able to create atmosphere and a twist (at least I) hadn't seen coming. And the fact that despite all my criticism I read until the end and it didn't even took me all that long and I even enjoyed it speaks for the book.
Plus: Can we all appreciate that cover, please?
*I got an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review.*
From past books by the same author I knew that her characters tend to have a lot of psychological ballast to carry around and I don't know why I thought this one might be different. (I think, it might have been the blurb.) And actually I don't like it if there are too many emotions and heaps of self reflection (Let's be honest: everybody would be as wrung out as Finn and Mark if one reflected on their every breath the way they did), but that's just me personally. And it doesn't diminish the fact that it's a really nice book for everyone who likes their characters a little more complicated.
Don't get me wrong I really like tangled up relationships and "Taste" provides that perfectly. And in retrospect, I love that about the book, though at first I was about to abandon the read because I found the whole hatred of the main characters towards one another a bit much, illogical and random. I would have loved for some more clues and guidance in the story that there is something profound behind their (especially Finn's) behaviour.
Nevertheless "Taste" is a book a can only recommend if you like well-written, deep characters, a story that's credible, an author who's able to create atmosphere and a twist (at least I) hadn't seen coming. And the fact that despite all my criticism I read until the end and it didn't even took me all that long and I even enjoyed it speaks for the book.
Plus: Can we all appreciate that cover, please?
*I got an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review.*
November 4, 2021
What an emotional ride! The book is quite intense and so good! I love Sophia Soames' writing style and this book is a perfect example of it! Mark and Finn definitely make the book a very enjoyable read!
The writing and editing is great and I couldn't tear myself away from the story!
The writing and editing is great and I couldn't tear myself away from the story!
Read
January 26, 2024Ah well, hm. Lots I liked and some stuff I was meh about. All in all the pacing kept throwing me off.
From pull and push and push and pull to “I love you” and more push and pull - if that kind of dynamic is for you: voilà. This might be due to the fact that this was apparently fan fiction as the author’s note states but I’m not sure which fandom.
What I really liked:
These characters are realistically flawed. They’re messes and they know it but this book don’t exude the message lots of books (accidentally) convey that if you’re struggling with mental health battles you can’t be in a healthy loving relationship, rather, even the opposite to a point. Loving someone with all their baggage and carrying it together is true, realistic, messy loving.
Tags:
Quotes b>
“We just need to calm the fuck down and realise that at the end of the day, we're just two dudes with issues, but perhaps if we can just hug it all out, things will seem a little brighter in the morning." (P. 90)
“You and me. This, whatever we're making here, is not straight forward. We can't just rush in and think we'll live happily ever after, because we won't. We'll have times when we're happy, other times when we're sad. We're only human. We are going to hurt each other and make mistakes, and things will never be perfect. That's where we need to start, at an imperfect baseline. This is going to be messy.
Brutal. One small disaster after another. But we'll learn and grow.” (P. 180)
“There are no big hurdles to overcome here, darling, because I will be right next to you, every single second. I'll have your hand in mine and my heart next to yours.” (P. 222)
NSFW infos:
- out and gay MC nearly forty, divorcé, boss
- out and pan MC 35, employee (sub boss)
- In theory vers, on page top/bottom dynamic
- Breath play
- Semi-public sex in a club under the influence of alcohol and slightly dubious in consent
- Sex against glass windows in tall building
Nickname:
Darling
October 30, 2021
My first novel by Sophia Soames but definitely will not be my last. This book drew me in from the first paragraph, and didn't let go until the last. I fell in love with her writing style, with her complex characters, and vivid sense of place. It's the second full-length book in the London Love series, but I read it as a standalone (obviously, if it's my first book by her) and didn't feel like I was missing anything.
I also fell in love with Finn and Mark, enemies to lovers who are in their late thirties and who have enough baggage to fill Buckingham Palace. Finn's a survivor of child abuse, both physical and emotional. There are some descriptions included, so trigger warning for that. Mark has depression, occasionally debilitating, yet both men are quite skilled in their respective positions in a London hotel. Having visited London and stayed in a hotel there, and hotels all over the US, I can clearly imagine the shenanigans described in the book.
There are some sexual situations with partners other than each other, but it's before the MCs are together as a couple. Despite their explosive chemistry, it takes a while for them to get there. Sophia makes them work for their HEA, which makes it all the sweeter when the two men finally do get together and stay that way.
I love it when the characters are older, with messy lives, and a messy story where happily ever after doesn't necessarily mean easily ever after.
Highly recommend!
I also fell in love with Finn and Mark, enemies to lovers who are in their late thirties and who have enough baggage to fill Buckingham Palace. Finn's a survivor of child abuse, both physical and emotional. There are some descriptions included, so trigger warning for that. Mark has depression, occasionally debilitating, yet both men are quite skilled in their respective positions in a London hotel. Having visited London and stayed in a hotel there, and hotels all over the US, I can clearly imagine the shenanigans described in the book.
There are some sexual situations with partners other than each other, but it's before the MCs are together as a couple. Despite their explosive chemistry, it takes a while for them to get there. Sophia makes them work for their HEA, which makes it all the sweeter when the two men finally do get together and stay that way.
I love it when the characters are older, with messy lives, and a messy story where happily ever after doesn't necessarily mean easily ever after.
Highly recommend!
November 2, 2021
Emotional romance. First class read.
Whoa!!!! What a great read. So emotional, and sad in parts. A totally mesmerising story. Ms Soames pulls no punches here! There's so much going on, it grasps you from the word go! There's angst and hate, but ultimately so much love and strength. What a brilliant read, Finn and Mark go through the wire, but come out if it as much better people. An absolute MUST READ, so emotional and full of feels. This lady is so underrated, but she can't half write. So talented. I've read all of her stories, and NEVER been disappointed. Her characters are real, and so well written. Always look forward to her next book.
Whoa!!!! What a great read. So emotional, and sad in parts. A totally mesmerising story. Ms Soames pulls no punches here! There's so much going on, it grasps you from the word go! There's angst and hate, but ultimately so much love and strength. What a brilliant read, Finn and Mark go through the wire, but come out if it as much better people. An absolute MUST READ, so emotional and full of feels. This lady is so underrated, but she can't half write. So talented. I've read all of her stories, and NEVER been disappointed. Her characters are real, and so well written. Always look forward to her next book.
November 7, 2021
So satisfying. Yum.
Don't get me wrong, this book is full of pain. It reads real, though. Tough and real. The depressive moments are hard to take, but crushingly authentic. Some parts of the book read short, like Finn and Mark getting and being together, others are never - ending shifts of hotel minutae, and there are even some spelling errors and words missing, which irritated me. I guess Mabel will get a book, and I will love them then, but they seriously pissed me off in this one.
I haven't had a good read in this genre for so long, this feels like a present. And maybe I'll gather strength to finish Breathe.
Don't get me wrong, this book is full of pain. It reads real, though. Tough and real. The depressive moments are hard to take, but crushingly authentic. Some parts of the book read short, like Finn and Mark getting and being together, others are never - ending shifts of hotel minutae, and there are even some spelling errors and words missing, which irritated me. I guess Mabel will get a book, and I will love them then, but they seriously pissed me off in this one.
I haven't had a good read in this genre for so long, this feels like a present. And maybe I'll gather strength to finish Breathe.
January 8, 2022
I received this book as an ARC in return for an honest review.
This book centres around 2 MCs,Mark and Finn who work in a large hotel , both in managerial positions. One front of house and one food & beverage.
The story starts off rather mysteriously from Finns perspective in a night club where he is watching Mark dance and flirt his way around the dance floor. Through marks inner dialogue we come to learn quite quickly that he has some sort of involuntary sexual attraction to Finn that he’s been fighting for some time. Eventually he decided to take the bull by the horn and goes right for the kill…and by kill I mean he bangs Mark in the corner of the club ! Boom chicka wow wow 🔥
The scene ends along the lines of mark angrily declaring “Never again”… and then we finally find out how this all came about 6 months earlier .
Call me intrigued at this point. It’s a fair old way to start a book off.
We discover as the story unfolds that both MCs seem to have an intense dislike of each other , yet of course they also seem to be incredibly attracted to one another. There is a lot of back and forth , insults flying around, dirty looks etc etc.
Without detailing the entire plot, we get the occasional scene where both give in to their desires. First a dirty blood job in the toilet stall and then later a kiss in the swimming pool. The insults still keep flying and the reader is still non the wiser as to why these 2 dislike each other so much. Finn in particular seems to have a real bee in his bonnet about Mark. Mark is keen to improve their working and personal relationship quite early on and is open about the fact.
A lot of back and forth.
Now for the big plot twist!(and this was in no way predictable on any way, I definitely didn’t see it coming and if you say you did then..well I am not going to say you are lying but you ain’t telling the truth either 😆)
Finn used to be married to Marks bestie who also works at the hotel and both had a terrible break up, in part over Finn who came into Mabel (the ex’s life) and became enamoured with Mark. Some not so nice things happened and cue divorce.
The big reveal allows Mark to understand Finn feelings toward him somewhat better. It’s still a rocky road towards the end of the book but things are looking up for both.
In summary this book probably just slightly missed the mark for me to be considered a great read however I can appreciate the level of effort that the author put into creating a realistic hospitality environment . I have read from her notes that she her self has experience, as do i so I do know that there all scenarios mentioned int he book aren’t implausible . Do I however think that the level of detail pertaining to working in hospitality were necessary or even added to the story?’probably not. If anything it dragged things on in some scenes.
My only other gripe about this story is in relation to the timeline and I am happy to be corrected here because I can’t wrap my head around it.
Finn is 39 and was with /married to Mabel (then Matt). It is mentioned several times that they met when Finn was approximately 18 years old. Later on in the story it is mentioned that they divorced 15 years ago, so when Matt was 24, meaning it would have been 2006 when they divorced.
Mabel ; “It’s been 15 years. We were two immature kids, and who should never have been allowed to rent a flat , let alone get married”
Same sex marriage wasn’t legalised in the UK until 2014. 8 years after their marriage /divorce .🤷🏼♀️
This book centres around 2 MCs,Mark and Finn who work in a large hotel , both in managerial positions. One front of house and one food & beverage.
The story starts off rather mysteriously from Finns perspective in a night club where he is watching Mark dance and flirt his way around the dance floor. Through marks inner dialogue we come to learn quite quickly that he has some sort of involuntary sexual attraction to Finn that he’s been fighting for some time. Eventually he decided to take the bull by the horn and goes right for the kill…and by kill I mean he bangs Mark in the corner of the club ! Boom chicka wow wow 🔥
The scene ends along the lines of mark angrily declaring “Never again”… and then we finally find out how this all came about 6 months earlier .
Call me intrigued at this point. It’s a fair old way to start a book off.
We discover as the story unfolds that both MCs seem to have an intense dislike of each other , yet of course they also seem to be incredibly attracted to one another. There is a lot of back and forth , insults flying around, dirty looks etc etc.
Without detailing the entire plot, we get the occasional scene where both give in to their desires. First a dirty blood job in the toilet stall and then later a kiss in the swimming pool. The insults still keep flying and the reader is still non the wiser as to why these 2 dislike each other so much. Finn in particular seems to have a real bee in his bonnet about Mark. Mark is keen to improve their working and personal relationship quite early on and is open about the fact.
A lot of back and forth.
Now for the big plot twist!(and this was in no way predictable on any way, I definitely didn’t see it coming and if you say you did then..well I am not going to say you are lying but you ain’t telling the truth either 😆)
Finn used to be married to Marks bestie who also works at the hotel and both had a terrible break up, in part over Finn who came into Mabel (the ex’s life) and became enamoured with Mark. Some not so nice things happened and cue divorce.
The big reveal allows Mark to understand Finn feelings toward him somewhat better. It’s still a rocky road towards the end of the book but things are looking up for both.
In summary this book probably just slightly missed the mark for me to be considered a great read however I can appreciate the level of effort that the author put into creating a realistic hospitality environment . I have read from her notes that she her self has experience, as do i so I do know that there all scenarios mentioned int he book aren’t implausible . Do I however think that the level of detail pertaining to working in hospitality were necessary or even added to the story?’probably not. If anything it dragged things on in some scenes.
My only other gripe about this story is in relation to the timeline and I am happy to be corrected here because I can’t wrap my head around it.
Finn is 39 and was with /married to Mabel (then Matt). It is mentioned several times that they met when Finn was approximately 18 years old. Later on in the story it is mentioned that they divorced 15 years ago, so when Matt was 24, meaning it would have been 2006 when they divorced.
Mabel ; “It’s been 15 years. We were two immature kids, and who should never have been allowed to rent a flat , let alone get married”
Same sex marriage wasn’t legalised in the UK until 2014. 8 years after their marriage /divorce .🤷🏼♀️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2024
I cannot BELIEVE how good this book is. I really can’t. I found this whilst searching for enemies to lovers MM & I am absolutely stunned by this beautiful story!
Tropes:
MM
Enemies to Lovers
Workplace Romance
This is epic. If you love enemies to lovers you will LOVE this book! The banter is perfect, the emotions are insanely charged and you will go on a wild ride with Mark and Finn. Epic!! So so so good!
I highly recommend this.
I swear you have to read this I’ve never read such emotion in a book before. Every single word, emotion, touch, interaction had me screening and begging for these two to finally admit the way they feel to each other.
The emotions were so raw and real I can’t even look at the cover without my heart stopping.
This is definitely one of the best books I have ever read.
Tropes:
MM
Enemies to Lovers
Workplace Romance
This is epic. If you love enemies to lovers you will LOVE this book! The banter is perfect, the emotions are insanely charged and you will go on a wild ride with Mark and Finn. Epic!! So so so good!
I highly recommend this.
I swear you have to read this I’ve never read such emotion in a book before. Every single word, emotion, touch, interaction had me screening and begging for these two to finally admit the way they feel to each other.
The emotions were so raw and real I can’t even look at the cover without my heart stopping.
This is definitely one of the best books I have ever read.
November 8, 2021
The prologue is hot! The rest of the story not so much. It is way too long. Every time we get close to a HEA, the story is prolonged with a little more drama and insecurity. In my opinion, the Mabel “side story” takes up too much space for instance. Mark is the sweetest person, I like his character - but how can he love Finn, before they even know each other? Attraction sure, but love? That is not realistic in my book. I almost DNF around 80% and it was a struggle to finish the book, because the story had been done in my head long before that. I ended up swiping through the last 20% of the book and absolutely didn’t like it. It was a waste of my time. Therefore, I can only give 2 stars.
November 3, 2021
I love it when a book makes me want to wax poetic. Most of the time I crawl down the review rabbit hole of "he's like this and he's like that, the sex was great and they're awesome together", but Sophia Soames gets me in my feelings and makes me strive for prettier words and deeper ideas. So far the London Love series has taken my preconceived notions of what a romance is and fed them through the shredder. She makes me uncomfortable, which is a state of being I find myself seeking out more and more lately. I'm happily losing my grip on my faux pearls (lets not even pretend I have real ones) and learning so much in the process.
This book started with a prologue that left my mouth hanging open before plunging me 6 months into the past and creating a definitive Before and After. If there had not been an HEA promised in the blurb, I wouldn't have believed it possible at first because how do two people come back from that? And how the hell did they get there in the first place?
Finn and Mark were both managers of separate departments at the same hotel. Their dislike for each other was palpable and renowned. If the two weren't avoiding each other, they were stepping on each others toes and making everyone around them uncomfortable. Meetings they were expected to present at turned into passive aggressive pissing contests where insults and accusations were lobbed at each other like grenades. Neither had any qualms about throwing the other under the bus. Yet underneath all of the animosity there was a current of something else; something that was becoming harder to ignore. And that's when the shit really began to hit the fan.
There were so many subtle nuances that highlighted the differences between Finn and Mark. Most of the time we were told through backstory or shown through dialogue or opposing opinions, but it was there in other ways too. Their tattoos. The way they dressed. The way they entered or left a room and how they acknowledged people as they did. The choices they made after a heated moment. Their reactions to each other as boundaries were crossed. Both characters left a distinct impression behind without even trying. They felt very real.
Since Finn and Mark were both a little older (mid to late 30's), they had a level of self-awareness that can really only be acquired through time and experience. There was an acknowledgement of how the years had changed them, where they thought they'd be at their age and what was still missing. But no matter how self aware they were, they were both still very much works in progress. They were both fighting an uphill battle riddled with past demons and it was truly beautiful when they finally decided to fight on the same side. I love that this author is willing to allow her characters to be imperfect, both physically and emotionally. She lets them make some pretty big mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes are so bad that you might believe the character to be unredeemable. She takes risks with her characters, but I feel like they pay off in spades and I have truly loved going on these journeys with them.
I thought the ending was perfect. Sure it would have been nice to know what happened next, but it was easy to accept that it didn't really matter. Regardless of the outcome, it would spark a new beginning and that was enough for me. There is one more book in this series and I can't help but hope it's about Mabel. They deserve their own HEA so much.
This book started with a prologue that left my mouth hanging open before plunging me 6 months into the past and creating a definitive Before and After. If there had not been an HEA promised in the blurb, I wouldn't have believed it possible at first because how do two people come back from that? And how the hell did they get there in the first place?
Finn and Mark were both managers of separate departments at the same hotel. Their dislike for each other was palpable and renowned. If the two weren't avoiding each other, they were stepping on each others toes and making everyone around them uncomfortable. Meetings they were expected to present at turned into passive aggressive pissing contests where insults and accusations were lobbed at each other like grenades. Neither had any qualms about throwing the other under the bus. Yet underneath all of the animosity there was a current of something else; something that was becoming harder to ignore. And that's when the shit really began to hit the fan.
There were so many subtle nuances that highlighted the differences between Finn and Mark. Most of the time we were told through backstory or shown through dialogue or opposing opinions, but it was there in other ways too. Their tattoos. The way they dressed. The way they entered or left a room and how they acknowledged people as they did. The choices they made after a heated moment. Their reactions to each other as boundaries were crossed. Both characters left a distinct impression behind without even trying. They felt very real.
Since Finn and Mark were both a little older (mid to late 30's), they had a level of self-awareness that can really only be acquired through time and experience. There was an acknowledgement of how the years had changed them, where they thought they'd be at their age and what was still missing. But no matter how self aware they were, they were both still very much works in progress. They were both fighting an uphill battle riddled with past demons and it was truly beautiful when they finally decided to fight on the same side. I love that this author is willing to allow her characters to be imperfect, both physically and emotionally. She lets them make some pretty big mistakes. Sometimes those mistakes are so bad that you might believe the character to be unredeemable. She takes risks with her characters, but I feel like they pay off in spades and I have truly loved going on these journeys with them.
I thought the ending was perfect. Sure it would have been nice to know what happened next, but it was easy to accept that it didn't really matter. Regardless of the outcome, it would spark a new beginning and that was enough for me. There is one more book in this series and I can't help but hope it's about Mabel. They deserve their own HEA so much.
November 2, 2021
Sophia Soames pulls you into this novel from the jump, starting with a prologue that makes you raise your eyebrow and desperately seek out the answers of how Mark and Finn got to that point and how they could possibly move forward from there. There is so much emotion in just the prologue that I knew this would be a five star read immediately - and I was so glad that Soames did not prove me wrong.
After the prologue, we travel back six months in time and venture through the story of Finn, a hard nosed and hard edged manager at the Clouds Hotel in London, and Mark, a flamboyantly broken restaurant manager at the same locale. The two men clash from the word go, but you can feel that there is something else simmering beneath the surface, desperate to break through.
This book exemplifies the enemies to lovers trope, building a tension between the two men that rings incredibly true, even with the underlying desperation and yearning for one another. The angst levels can be rather high at times, but they never overwhelm the rest of the story. And it is a beautifully written story, one that made it damn near impossible for me to put down.
The characters are wonderfully written though at times I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with them. I don't think I would've had nearly the same level of connection with either MCs, especially Finn (who ended up being my favorite in a twist that surprises zero people who know me or my favorite character archetypes) had this been a single POV. Instead, Soames masterfully perfects the dual POV challenge and provides distinct voices and insight into both of these beautifully broken men.
And the side characters? Once again, Soames has built a cast to perfection. Even the characters who appear only for a few pages, like a particular restaurant customer who would honestly rather be home watching EastEnders, makes an impression on the story and the reader. There is a found family feel to the hotel employees and I am absolutely weak for the found family trope, so she had that going for her immediately.
This book can be read as a standalone and is barely connected to the first book with the exception of setting and passing mention of one of the siblings from the first book.
** ARC PROVIDED BY GRR FOR HONEST REVIEW **
After the prologue, we travel back six months in time and venture through the story of Finn, a hard nosed and hard edged manager at the Clouds Hotel in London, and Mark, a flamboyantly broken restaurant manager at the same locale. The two men clash from the word go, but you can feel that there is something else simmering beneath the surface, desperate to break through.
This book exemplifies the enemies to lovers trope, building a tension between the two men that rings incredibly true, even with the underlying desperation and yearning for one another. The angst levels can be rather high at times, but they never overwhelm the rest of the story. And it is a beautifully written story, one that made it damn near impossible for me to put down.
The characters are wonderfully written though at times I had a bit of a love/hate relationship with them. I don't think I would've had nearly the same level of connection with either MCs, especially Finn (who ended up being my favorite in a twist that surprises zero people who know me or my favorite character archetypes) had this been a single POV. Instead, Soames masterfully perfects the dual POV challenge and provides distinct voices and insight into both of these beautifully broken men.
And the side characters? Once again, Soames has built a cast to perfection. Even the characters who appear only for a few pages, like a particular restaurant customer who would honestly rather be home watching EastEnders, makes an impression on the story and the reader. There is a found family feel to the hotel employees and I am absolutely weak for the found family trope, so she had that going for her immediately.
This book can be read as a standalone and is barely connected to the first book with the exception of setting and passing mention of one of the siblings from the first book.
** ARC PROVIDED BY GRR FOR HONEST REVIEW **
October 30, 2021
3.75 stars
I really enjoy the way that Sophia Soames writes - it’s poetic without being purple, warm like a hug, and with gentle but heartbreaking characterisation that makes every person she writes feel real. Taste has all of those qualities I love, alongside a unique and well-written hotel setting and some fascinating relationship dynamics.
Finn and Mark work at the same hotel but that’s where their commonalities end, and it’s their clash of personalities and emotions that really drives the story on. I want to call it enemies to lovers but enemies doesn’t feel like quite the word for what they are at the start of this book - it’s more twisted and confused than that, and it makes the transition to lovers and more so much more complicated and angsty because of it. The emotions that they feel towards one another are powerful and Sophia Soames writes them so vividly that it feels like a gut punch. That style - the messed-up, heady emotion of the book - was my favourite thing about it and is the reason I keep coming back to her novels.
So why isn’t it rated higher? Well, there are a couple of reasons. First of all, Finn was an absolute jerk. I’m not saying that he doesn’t have reason to be bitter and closed-off, but his journey to opening up just took a bit too long for me and had me grimacing in frustration for the first two thirds of the book. I’m all for anti-heroes and unlikeable heroes, but it took a while for his character arc to kick in, even though it did pay off when it did. Also, I wasn’t mad on the ending - it was emotionally fulfilling in a way, but also left me wanting so much more. It was undoubtedly the right ending for Finn and Mark but oh my god did it leave me desperate for a couple more chapters.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think it’s an excellent and powerful character study, but there were moments where I just wanted to yell at all of the characters to get their act together. So whilst this might not be the book for you if you’re looking for fluff, it’s definitely the perfect one to pick up if you’re in the mood for angst and characters that you won’t forget about in a hurry.
*Disclaimer: I received an ARC from GRR, but all views are honest and my own!*
I really enjoy the way that Sophia Soames writes - it’s poetic without being purple, warm like a hug, and with gentle but heartbreaking characterisation that makes every person she writes feel real. Taste has all of those qualities I love, alongside a unique and well-written hotel setting and some fascinating relationship dynamics.
Finn and Mark work at the same hotel but that’s where their commonalities end, and it’s their clash of personalities and emotions that really drives the story on. I want to call it enemies to lovers but enemies doesn’t feel like quite the word for what they are at the start of this book - it’s more twisted and confused than that, and it makes the transition to lovers and more so much more complicated and angsty because of it. The emotions that they feel towards one another are powerful and Sophia Soames writes them so vividly that it feels like a gut punch. That style - the messed-up, heady emotion of the book - was my favourite thing about it and is the reason I keep coming back to her novels.
So why isn’t it rated higher? Well, there are a couple of reasons. First of all, Finn was an absolute jerk. I’m not saying that he doesn’t have reason to be bitter and closed-off, but his journey to opening up just took a bit too long for me and had me grimacing in frustration for the first two thirds of the book. I’m all for anti-heroes and unlikeable heroes, but it took a while for his character arc to kick in, even though it did pay off when it did. Also, I wasn’t mad on the ending - it was emotionally fulfilling in a way, but also left me wanting so much more. It was undoubtedly the right ending for Finn and Mark but oh my god did it leave me desperate for a couple more chapters.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think it’s an excellent and powerful character study, but there were moments where I just wanted to yell at all of the characters to get their act together. So whilst this might not be the book for you if you’re looking for fluff, it’s definitely the perfect one to pick up if you’re in the mood for angst and characters that you won’t forget about in a hurry.
*Disclaimer: I received an ARC from GRR, but all views are honest and my own!*
July 18, 2023
Hotel Life in London
I love the way Sophia Soames really delves down into the background for her stories. Here we have two guys, Finley Christensen and Mark Quinton, both in their late 30’s, totally opposites and they cannot be in the same room together. If they are, their work colleagues are sitting on tenterhooks waiting to see who will strike first, verbally, of course.
No. No. Definitely no fisticuffs to be had in such a gem as The Clouds, Westminster, a quaint posh hotel, near Big Ben.
Finley is the Front of House Manager and Mark is the Food and Beverage Manager. They clash at every Team Meeting. Finley is a no nonsense stick to the rules guy, plus the Union Representative for staff.
Mark is a colourful, snappy dresser in his floral shirts and neon bright suits, bending the rules whenever he needs. Several times he has pushed Finley way past breaking point until finally Mark crosses the line, not just once either.
Then everything changes, people are hurt, somethings got to give.
Finley has weighty baggage that he needs to face up to. Mark has Mental Health issues that’s sometimes stop him functioning at his job.
There are several secondary characters here who have a large part to play between these two men. And when the bomb drops you just don’t see it coming.
Another great story from Sophia Soames.
I love the way Sophia Soames really delves down into the background for her stories. Here we have two guys, Finley Christensen and Mark Quinton, both in their late 30’s, totally opposites and they cannot be in the same room together. If they are, their work colleagues are sitting on tenterhooks waiting to see who will strike first, verbally, of course.
No. No. Definitely no fisticuffs to be had in such a gem as The Clouds, Westminster, a quaint posh hotel, near Big Ben.
Finley is the Front of House Manager and Mark is the Food and Beverage Manager. They clash at every Team Meeting. Finley is a no nonsense stick to the rules guy, plus the Union Representative for staff.
Mark is a colourful, snappy dresser in his floral shirts and neon bright suits, bending the rules whenever he needs. Several times he has pushed Finley way past breaking point until finally Mark crosses the line, not just once either.
Then everything changes, people are hurt, somethings got to give.
Finley has weighty baggage that he needs to face up to. Mark has Mental Health issues that’s sometimes stop him functioning at his job.
There are several secondary characters here who have a large part to play between these two men. And when the bomb drops you just don’t see it coming.
Another great story from Sophia Soames.
November 9, 2021
Finn and Mark were complicated characters! Finn doesn’t do relationships and Mark is a bit childish. They have a strong connection and serious chemistry! I felt a lot of emotion reading this story. Overall the story was really well written with realistic characters, highly recommend. I’m voluntarily reviewing from an advanced copy that I received. My review is solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
November 5, 2021
Full of intensity, full of angst, Sophia Soames took on enemies to lovers and nailed it. And this was brutal hate to love, making it all the more tasty.
I've always enjoyed reading Soames's writing, as it pulls you in and keeps you trapped in a fantasy world where you feel as though you've known the characters forever. And in this story, there's a bit of a surprise to be found, which you don't find often in romance.
I adored this story and can't wait to read more of her work and the rest of the series!
I've always enjoyed reading Soames's writing, as it pulls you in and keeps you trapped in a fantasy world where you feel as though you've known the characters forever. And in this story, there's a bit of a surprise to be found, which you don't find often in romance.
I adored this story and can't wait to read more of her work and the rest of the series!
January 4, 2022
The emotions in this book are intense and wonderful. Sophia writes characters that are relatable. I wasn’t sure what would happen next as I read the story , seeing it unfold was an absolute delight. I loved Fin and Mark ! Such a good enemies to lovers story.
October 24, 2021
So this one starts with intensity…and just when you think this is a hate-sex enemies to more surface level read we deep dive into who these men are and what makes them tick. Don’t expect anything like you’ve read before.
Appearances are deceiving as Mark presents as the fun flirty social butterfly…but underneath that facade is darkness and loneliness. Then Finn, underneath the callous anti-social stone of a man lies deep hurts.
I’m not going to lie… I was very conflicted with Finn… he was repeatedly and unnecessarily harsh…but at the same time I cared about him. Then we get to his vulnerable side/see him drop that guarded stone forge he kept around himself. And Mark…he extended his hand to Finn so many times and was cruelly rebuffed in return. I applauded his courage to be honest with Finn and see beyond.
It’s a wild ride. The road to love, forgiveness, and contentment is arduous for Mark and Finn… they hurt, they hurt each other, and we hurt for them. There’s an unforeseen twist that turns the dynamic all around. I didn’t see it coming. I ran the gamut of emotions and man, this brought tears.
Despite personal demons Mark and Finn get to their real…their relationship. It is an emotional journey and never fully settles. From “enemies” to lust to a highly supportive relationship and love. I need to process after experiencing Mark and Finn as there is still so much more for these men. This is brilliant. Highly recommended
Appearances are deceiving as Mark presents as the fun flirty social butterfly…but underneath that facade is darkness and loneliness. Then Finn, underneath the callous anti-social stone of a man lies deep hurts.
I’m not going to lie… I was very conflicted with Finn… he was repeatedly and unnecessarily harsh…but at the same time I cared about him. Then we get to his vulnerable side/see him drop that guarded stone forge he kept around himself. And Mark…he extended his hand to Finn so many times and was cruelly rebuffed in return. I applauded his courage to be honest with Finn and see beyond.
It’s a wild ride. The road to love, forgiveness, and contentment is arduous for Mark and Finn… they hurt, they hurt each other, and we hurt for them. There’s an unforeseen twist that turns the dynamic all around. I didn’t see it coming. I ran the gamut of emotions and man, this brought tears.
Despite personal demons Mark and Finn get to their real…their relationship. It is an emotional journey and never fully settles. From “enemies” to lust to a highly supportive relationship and love. I need to process after experiencing Mark and Finn as there is still so much more for these men. This is brilliant. Highly recommended
October 24, 2021
Quelle surprise, je ne m'attendais en recevant cette histoire de Sophia Soames a lire quelque chose d'aussi époustouflant de vivacité et de réalisme.
Les premières pages m'ont soufflées et me suis demandée comment cela allait évoluer.
J'ai adoré entrer dans la tête et le coeur de ces deux hommes épris d'amour et pourtant incapables d'y faire face.
J'ai tellement virevolter de Finn à Mark que j'en ai eu le vertige.
Et j'ai adoré, tout comme j'ai adoré approcher de loin le monde hôtelier.
Merci pour cette découverte, j'ai hâte de découvrir les autres créations de cet auteur.
Si elles sont toutes comme ce roman, il y a de grande chance que je devienne fan.
_____
What a surprise, I did not expect upon receiving this story from Sophia Soames to read something so breathtakingly lively and realistic.
The first pages blew me away and wondered how it was going to evolve.
I loved getting into the minds and hearts of these two loving men who were unable to cope with it.
I spun around from Finn to Mark so much that I felt dizzy. And I loved it, just as I loved approaching the hotel world from afar.
Thank you for this discovery, I can not wait to discover the other creations of this author.
If they're all like this novel, there's a good chance I'll become a fan.
Les premières pages m'ont soufflées et me suis demandée comment cela allait évoluer.
J'ai adoré entrer dans la tête et le coeur de ces deux hommes épris d'amour et pourtant incapables d'y faire face.
J'ai tellement virevolter de Finn à Mark que j'en ai eu le vertige.
Et j'ai adoré, tout comme j'ai adoré approcher de loin le monde hôtelier.
Merci pour cette découverte, j'ai hâte de découvrir les autres créations de cet auteur.
Si elles sont toutes comme ce roman, il y a de grande chance que je devienne fan.
_____
What a surprise, I did not expect upon receiving this story from Sophia Soames to read something so breathtakingly lively and realistic.
The first pages blew me away and wondered how it was going to evolve.
I loved getting into the minds and hearts of these two loving men who were unable to cope with it.
I spun around from Finn to Mark so much that I felt dizzy. And I loved it, just as I loved approaching the hotel world from afar.
Thank you for this discovery, I can not wait to discover the other creations of this author.
If they're all like this novel, there's a good chance I'll become a fan.
November 1, 2021
Finn and Mark are such vividly drawn characters, you'll react to them just as you would real people you'd meet. You'll like them, find them funny, be absolutely confused by them, be frustrated and angry at them and totally not understand why they behave the way they do. Fortunately, since this is fiction by a masterful author, you'll eventually find out exactly why they behave the way they do and get to watch them slowly and painfully get their HEA. Read this one when you are in the mood for angst and meaty characterization.
November 1, 2021
Ah, Mark and Finn have not had it easy but there is a strong connection and chemistry between them and they keep getting drawn to each other despite how much they fight it. They start to understand each others background and getting to know each other. There is a lot of push and pill and emotions all over the place. This was such a beautiful written story in true Sophia style. I do hope there be an update on this couple at some point as I felt the ending left the door open for more.
October 28, 2021
This author really knows how to write some amazingly complex characters that you can easily love and hate at the same time. They are far from perfect yet perfect for each other. This is not an easy light hearted romance. It’s a hard, gritty, take no prisoners kind of romance with broken characters learning to live and love both themselves and each other. Finn and Mark antagonize each other from the start. Finn has a bit of a secret though that has made him who he is. Please pay attention to the warning about the prologue scene that can seem non consensual in case that triggers, but please know that everything is explained and it all works out. That scene is pivotal to what actually makes these two men talk and work their shit out. This book is absolutely amazeballs and if you haven’t read Breathe, you need to go pick that one up too. You won’t be disappointed.
October 30, 2021
4.5 stars. I'm a big Sophia Soames fan. In TASTE, instead of the big chaotic family we usually see in her novels, we get a big chaotic hotel full of lovably quirky employees and customers good and bad. The hotel’s front of house manager Finn and Food and Beverage manager Mark have an adversarial relationship but can’t seem to stay away from each other either. These guys are both total disasters with a lot of issues. Finn especially is not a perfect person, has made a lot of mistakes, and continues making bad decisions and mistakes for a good portion of this book! This author excels at portraying messy characters with messy lives, but while still having so much heart. I loved this book, even if I wanted to slap Finn in the face and give him a good shake for most of it! This is the second book in the London Love series but is not connected to the first book and can be read as a stand-alone.
October 27, 2021
Taste, London Love book two by Sophia Soames. First book I’ve read by this author. The storyline was fantastic! I really learned to love the characters. There were spots where I got a little confused during the story. The controversial ending! I supposed it had to end where it did, but I really wanted closure for Finley and his family. It doesn’t really matter if he does because he has Mark!
October 27, 2021
What a ride! This was such an emotional and beautiful enemies to lovers story! Once again Sophia makes my heart ache and my eyes tear up. Some of the moments in this book is beautiful and some are heartbreaking!
Sizzling hot! Yes, please to all the angry s€x!!!
Great writing with a lovely HEA
Sizzling hot! Yes, please to all the angry s€x!!!
Great writing with a lovely HEA
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