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La Trattoria Di Amore #1
Puzzle Pieces
Why was he so drawn to a man when he dated women? A man who kept his true self hidden. A man who wanted to be his Daddy.
Richie Bellinger learnt just how cruel life could be: a family in crisis; he is left alone to deal with the unthinkable. His life in complete turmoil; he is drowning.
Until Sebastian became the one thing he needed.
Sebastian’s need to be a Daddy shows Richie he can choose a different life that makes him complete in ways he’d never imagined.
Sebastian’s ability to push past Richie’s defences has him opening to something he’s never considered, loving a man.
Sebastian showing his flaws gives Richie the power to embrace a new life.
But Richie understands life can come and bite you on the ass when you least expect it. A cheating girlfriend, a death, a discovery, a best friend, and a need to be out for Sebastian all work against Richie. Can he work past all the barriers to find happiness in the most unlikely place?
Puzzle Pieces is the first book in the La Trattoria Di Amore series and can be read as a standalone. It is an MM romance with Daddy Kink, out for you, light BDSM play, an age gap, and a Daddy who needs to understand it’s alright to let go of the past.
This book has a HEA.
Richie Bellinger learnt just how cruel life could be: a family in crisis; he is left alone to deal with the unthinkable. His life in complete turmoil; he is drowning.
Until Sebastian became the one thing he needed.
Sebastian’s need to be a Daddy shows Richie he can choose a different life that makes him complete in ways he’d never imagined.
Sebastian’s ability to push past Richie’s defences has him opening to something he’s never considered, loving a man.
Sebastian showing his flaws gives Richie the power to embrace a new life.
But Richie understands life can come and bite you on the ass when you least expect it. A cheating girlfriend, a death, a discovery, a best friend, and a need to be out for Sebastian all work against Richie. Can he work past all the barriers to find happiness in the most unlikely place?
Puzzle Pieces is the first book in the La Trattoria Di Amore series and can be read as a standalone. It is an MM romance with Daddy Kink, out for you, light BDSM play, an age gap, and a Daddy who needs to understand it’s alright to let go of the past.
This book has a HEA.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 17, 2019
72 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
J.P. Sayle
120 books350 followersWhere does one start with about what I do?
I’m a writer, but I’m sure you guessed that by now if you’re reading this, hey? What you might not know is I’m a little quirky, live in my pj’s most of the time and have cake Saturdays with my sisters every week. I dedicate a little of my time to taking care of my grandbabies and on the dedicated writing days I like to write an eclectic mix of romance, suspense and paranormal fantasy. In the main I’ve written gay romance but I’m branching out under another the pen name in the future, so watch this space.
I’ve a passion for books like you would not believe and it led me down this path and now I’ve over 29 books released and heading towards releasing a whole lot more. The way my head is I never know where I’ll be headed next. I hope you’ll find a little joy in my words and follow me to see where the journey takes me and you.
If you’re interested at some point in 2021 I’ll be writing under the name JP Paton which will be F/M crime and Fantasy two of my favourite things. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled
French
Par où commencer par ce que je fais?
Je suis écrivain, mais je suis sûr que vous l’avez deviné maintenant si vous lisez ceci, hein? Ce que vous ne savez peut-être pas, c'est que je suis un peu excentrique, que je vis dans mon pyjama la plupart du temps et que je prends un gâteau le samedi avec mes sœurs chaque semaine. Je consacre un peu de mon temps à m'occuper de mes petits-enfants et lors des journées consacrées à l'écriture, j'aime écrire un mélange éclectique de romance, de suspense et de fantaisie paranormale. Dans l’ensemble, j’ai écrit une romance gay, mais je vais dans le futur sous un autre nom de plume, alors surveillez cet espace.
J'ai une passion pour les livres comme vous ne le croiriez pas et cela m'a conduit dans cette voie et maintenant j'ai plus de 29 livres publiés et je me dirige vers la sortie de beaucoup plus. La façon dont ma tête est, je ne sais jamais où je vais me diriger ensuite. J'espère que vous trouverez un peu de joie dans mes paroles et que vous me suivrez pour voir où le voyage vous mène, moi et vous.
Si vous êtes intéressé à un moment donné en 2021, je vais écrire sous le nom de JP Paton qui sera le crime F / M et Fantasy deux de mes choses préférées. Assurez-vous de garder les yeux ouverts
Spanish
¿Por dónde empezar con lo que hago?
Soy escritor, pero estoy seguro de que ya lo habrá adivinado si está leyendo esto, ¿eh? Lo que quizás no sepas es que soy un poco estrafalario, vivo en mi pijama la mayor parte del tiempo y tengo pastel los sábados con mis hermanas todas las semanas. Dedico un poco de mi tiempo a cuidar de mis nietos y en los días dedicados a la escritura, me gusta escribir una mezcla ecléctica de romance, suspenso y fantasía paranormal. En general, escribí romance gay, pero en el futuro me voy a diversificar con otro seudónimo, así que mira este espacio.
Tengo una pasión por los libros que no creerías y eso me llevó por este camino y ahora tengo más de 29 libros publicados y me dirijo a lanzar muchos más. Por la forma en que está mi cabeza, nunca sé a dónde me dirigiré a continuación. Espero que encuentres un poco de alegría en mis palabras y me sigas para ver adónde nos lleva el viaje a ti y a mí.
Si está interesado en algún momento en 2021, escribiré bajo el nombre de JP Paton, que será F / M Crime y Fantasy, dos de mis cosas favoritas. Asegúrate de mantener los ojos bien abiertos
I’m a writer, but I’m sure you guessed that by now if you’re reading this, hey? What you might not know is I’m a little quirky, live in my pj’s most of the time and have cake Saturdays with my sisters every week. I dedicate a little of my time to taking care of my grandbabies and on the dedicated writing days I like to write an eclectic mix of romance, suspense and paranormal fantasy. In the main I’ve written gay romance but I’m branching out under another the pen name in the future, so watch this space.
I’ve a passion for books like you would not believe and it led me down this path and now I’ve over 29 books released and heading towards releasing a whole lot more. The way my head is I never know where I’ll be headed next. I hope you’ll find a little joy in my words and follow me to see where the journey takes me and you.
If you’re interested at some point in 2021 I’ll be writing under the name JP Paton which will be F/M crime and Fantasy two of my favourite things. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled
French
Par où commencer par ce que je fais?
Je suis écrivain, mais je suis sûr que vous l’avez deviné maintenant si vous lisez ceci, hein? Ce que vous ne savez peut-être pas, c'est que je suis un peu excentrique, que je vis dans mon pyjama la plupart du temps et que je prends un gâteau le samedi avec mes sœurs chaque semaine. Je consacre un peu de mon temps à m'occuper de mes petits-enfants et lors des journées consacrées à l'écriture, j'aime écrire un mélange éclectique de romance, de suspense et de fantaisie paranormale. Dans l’ensemble, j’ai écrit une romance gay, mais je vais dans le futur sous un autre nom de plume, alors surveillez cet espace.
J'ai une passion pour les livres comme vous ne le croiriez pas et cela m'a conduit dans cette voie et maintenant j'ai plus de 29 livres publiés et je me dirige vers la sortie de beaucoup plus. La façon dont ma tête est, je ne sais jamais où je vais me diriger ensuite. J'espère que vous trouverez un peu de joie dans mes paroles et que vous me suivrez pour voir où le voyage vous mène, moi et vous.
Si vous êtes intéressé à un moment donné en 2021, je vais écrire sous le nom de JP Paton qui sera le crime F / M et Fantasy deux de mes choses préférées. Assurez-vous de garder les yeux ouverts
Spanish
¿Por dónde empezar con lo que hago?
Soy escritor, pero estoy seguro de que ya lo habrá adivinado si está leyendo esto, ¿eh? Lo que quizás no sepas es que soy un poco estrafalario, vivo en mi pijama la mayor parte del tiempo y tengo pastel los sábados con mis hermanas todas las semanas. Dedico un poco de mi tiempo a cuidar de mis nietos y en los días dedicados a la escritura, me gusta escribir una mezcla ecléctica de romance, suspenso y fantasía paranormal. En general, escribí romance gay, pero en el futuro me voy a diversificar con otro seudónimo, así que mira este espacio.
Tengo una pasión por los libros que no creerías y eso me llevó por este camino y ahora tengo más de 29 libros publicados y me dirijo a lanzar muchos más. Por la forma en que está mi cabeza, nunca sé a dónde me dirigiré a continuación. Espero que encuentres un poco de alegría en mis palabras y me sigas para ver adónde nos lleva el viaje a ti y a mí.
Si está interesado en algún momento en 2021, escribiré bajo el nombre de JP Paton, que será F / M Crime y Fantasy, dos de mis cosas favoritas. Asegúrate de mantener los ojos bien abiertos
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
April 5, 2020
DNF 20%. There are so many issues with Seb that I couldn’t stomach this book. And at least in the first 20%, NOTHING is done to redeem Seb’s awful behavior. This isn’t how daddy kink works!
Seb shows who he is in the prologue, where we see his “boy” of seven years leave him - and good for Ellie for leaving. We quickly learn that Seb took Ellie in at the age of 14 and literally groomed him into become his lover by 16 and accepting Seb’a complete control as “Daddy.”
I put “Daddy” in quotes, as Seb is nothing but an abusive wanker. He controls every bit of Ellie’s life, even coming home early from work and calling and texting to make sure Ellie is where he says he is. Ellie essentially runs the business side of Seb’s three restaurants FOR NO PAY. Then when Ellie gets a job elsewhere, he STILL has to run the restaurants on top of it! Once Ellie leaves, Seb spends 7 months literally STALKING Ellie, waiting outside of Ellie’s office, trying to follow him home, and ultimately confronting Ellie in a club to tell him to come home.
Meanwhile, Richie is hired for Ellie’s job at the restaurants, and Seb starts perving on him. Richie is the same age as Ellie, and Seb even says that whoever gets the job should be his like Ellie was. The problem is that Richie is straight AND caring for his dying mother!!! There is no way in hell that Seb should go near Richie, and the whole thing just left me sick.
There are SO MANY ISSUES with Seb, and quite frankly, Ellie should get a restraining order and sue Seb for back wages. HORRIBLE.
Seb shows who he is in the prologue, where we see his “boy” of seven years leave him - and good for Ellie for leaving. We quickly learn that Seb took Ellie in at the age of 14 and literally groomed him into become his lover by 16 and accepting Seb’a complete control as “Daddy.”
I put “Daddy” in quotes, as Seb is nothing but an abusive wanker. He controls every bit of Ellie’s life, even coming home early from work and calling and texting to make sure Ellie is where he says he is. Ellie essentially runs the business side of Seb’s three restaurants FOR NO PAY. Then when Ellie gets a job elsewhere, he STILL has to run the restaurants on top of it! Once Ellie leaves, Seb spends 7 months literally STALKING Ellie, waiting outside of Ellie’s office, trying to follow him home, and ultimately confronting Ellie in a club to tell him to come home.
Meanwhile, Richie is hired for Ellie’s job at the restaurants, and Seb starts perving on him. Richie is the same age as Ellie, and Seb even says that whoever gets the job should be his like Ellie was. The problem is that Richie is straight AND caring for his dying mother!!! There is no way in hell that Seb should go near Richie, and the whole thing just left me sick.
There are SO MANY ISSUES with Seb, and quite frankly, Ellie should get a restraining order and sue Seb for back wages. HORRIBLE.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
nope-not-for-me-not-interested
May 25, 2019The prologue was enough. The POV changes every few paragraphs which drives me crazy. Plus, Seb comes across as weirdly overbearing and a bit creepy considering he took his “boy” in at 14 then began their Daddy/boy relationship at 16.
Not for me.
Not for me.
June 15, 2019
Things I like. Daddy Play, May/December etc
Things that I don't like. Changing POV so often your head spins.
This book...the blurb interested me, but as soon as I started the prologue and realized within the first few paragraphs we were jumping back and forth in POV's my head was just...done. Then, after learning that Sebastian took a child in at 14 and turned said child into his "boy" I was done.
Sorry, but this one was not for me.
Things that I don't like. Changing POV so often your head spins.
This book...the blurb interested me, but as soon as I started the prologue and realized within the first few paragraphs we were jumping back and forth in POV's my head was just...done. Then, after learning that Sebastian took a child in at 14 and turned said child into his "boy" I was done.
Sorry, but this one was not for me.
November 18, 2023
I feel like Seb got a better character growth
To be fair, he had a lot further to grow. Even with Richie being a bit freaked out in the beginning by his attraction to Seb, he got through it fairly quickly. Or, since there were a lot of time jumps in this story, it felt a lot faster than it happened.
Seb, on the other hand, might be a bit too controlling for my taste. I feel like that bit in the beginning where Ellie claimed he burned his clothes had gotten swept under the rug fairly quickly. In fact, some of his personality reminds me of Luke.
Seb is very caring, though. He is a tremendous support to Richie and I love those scenes, where it's just them, comfort and familiarity.
To be fair, he had a lot further to grow. Even with Richie being a bit freaked out in the beginning by his attraction to Seb, he got through it fairly quickly. Or, since there were a lot of time jumps in this story, it felt a lot faster than it happened.
Seb, on the other hand, might be a bit too controlling for my taste. I feel like that bit in the beginning where Ellie claimed he burned his clothes had gotten swept under the rug fairly quickly. In fact, some of his personality reminds me of Luke.
Seb is very caring, though. He is a tremendous support to Richie and I love those scenes, where it's just them, comfort and familiarity.
August 12, 2020
I don’t usually like books with Daddy kink, but this was an exception. Seb’s relationship with Ellie was a little suspect since it started at 16. I believe that’s the age of consent in many countries, but it seems awfully young to me.
There’s no question that Richie is too young since he’s 21 when he meets Seb. He’s straight and has a girlfriend, but he immediately responds when Seb calls him boy.
I finished my review but kept thinking about this book. I realized I liked it so much because I loved the way J. P. Sayle writes.
There’s no question that Richie is too young since he’s 21 when he meets Seb. He’s straight and has a girlfriend, but he immediately responds when Seb calls him boy.
I finished my review but kept thinking about this book. I realized I liked it so much because I loved the way J. P. Sayle writes.
June 15, 2019
The premise in the synopsis drew me in since I love age gap and daddy kink stories, and this is the first book I’ve had a chance to read by this author. This was an on-the-fence one for me for a few reasons.
Sebastian definitely has the stalker thing down when it comes to his former boy (Ellie), no matter how many times he’s told it’s over. Given a past interaction he had with his father I could understand why Seb was the way he was with Ellie, but when he gets a new chance with Richie he’s not very good at altering his ways even though he knows he should—especially since this is all new to Richie since he is both straight and has never heard of daddy kink before.
I did like Richie for the first half of the book, along with his best friend Adam who’s an amazing support for Richie. Once Richie realizes he has feelings for Seb though, it’s like a switch is flipped and he becomes a wanton daddy’s boy just…like…that. And both Richie and Adam both become quite mercurial with their moods (more noticeable with Richie since Adam can be a bit of a drama queen at times) in the second half of the story, and it’s like their maturity level dropped. Seb was also a bit frustrating with his hot and cold attitude.
The point of view from which the story is told is constantly shifting amongst the characters, both main and supporting, without any indication that the POV is going to change. This resulted in a disjointed read in many places which I found distracting, so I did take quite a few breaks while reading—something that made the story feel longer to me.
Try it out if you’re a fan of daddy kink and don’t mind the point of view changes, just be prepared to be patient with the characters. Puzzle Pieces is set in the UK, which is reflected in the wording and phrases; this also means the age of consent is 16 (this plays into a particular aspect of the story). This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.
Sebastian definitely has the stalker thing down when it comes to his former boy (Ellie), no matter how many times he’s told it’s over. Given a past interaction he had with his father I could understand why Seb was the way he was with Ellie, but when he gets a new chance with Richie he’s not very good at altering his ways even though he knows he should—especially since this is all new to Richie since he is both straight and has never heard of daddy kink before.
I did like Richie for the first half of the book, along with his best friend Adam who’s an amazing support for Richie. Once Richie realizes he has feelings for Seb though, it’s like a switch is flipped and he becomes a wanton daddy’s boy just…like…that. And both Richie and Adam both become quite mercurial with their moods (more noticeable with Richie since Adam can be a bit of a drama queen at times) in the second half of the story, and it’s like their maturity level dropped. Seb was also a bit frustrating with his hot and cold attitude.
The point of view from which the story is told is constantly shifting amongst the characters, both main and supporting, without any indication that the POV is going to change. This resulted in a disjointed read in many places which I found distracting, so I did take quite a few breaks while reading—something that made the story feel longer to me.
Try it out if you’re a fan of daddy kink and don’t mind the point of view changes, just be prepared to be patient with the characters. Puzzle Pieces is set in the UK, which is reflected in the wording and phrases; this also means the age of consent is 16 (this plays into a particular aspect of the story). This book is meant for readers 18+ for adult language and sexual content.
May 29, 2019
Sebastian's longtime boy has left him and he's in a funk about it, still not getting over him, or understanding why he dumped him.
Richie needs a better paying job, one that will help pay off the debts caring for his ailing mother is leaving them with. So it seems that when Richie's best friend, Adam, encourages him to apply at the restaurant where he works, that it would be a good sign that Richie gets the job. But is it? It could be a good sign when he and Sebastian fall into a relationship. Except Sebastian still isn't over his ex, nor is he any further into understanding why his ex left him, so he's still the same controlling person he was before. Sigh...
I wanted to love Puzzle Pieces, and I did love parts of it, but as a whole, it just did not work for me. Richie and Adam are the bright spots of the story. The writing style, what with multiple POV switches that aren't marked, and Sebastian's terrible character, all served to dilute my enjoyment of what could have been a good story. So I'll just say that Richie's adorable character saves this from a lower rating, and wish that he had been paired with a more equal partner, and that the writing had been as good as Richie and Adam are.
ARC via LesCourt ARC Team for an honest review.
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May 20, 2019
Not my cup of tea
Well, I have several complaints but I’ll just list the first. Switching POV in the middle of sentences or paragraphs with several different characters is mind boggling to say the least, head ache inducing, and tiresome. I won’t say more as to not give spoilers but I’m not a fan of the writing style. I was t a fan of the story in general, again for several reasons, so yeah.
Well, I have several complaints but I’ll just list the first. Switching POV in the middle of sentences or paragraphs with several different characters is mind boggling to say the least, head ache inducing, and tiresome. I won’t say more as to not give spoilers but I’m not a fan of the writing style. I was t a fan of the story in general, again for several reasons, so yeah.
May 19, 2019
¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ ★¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ ★"Can they both accept each other, slot the puzzle pieces of their lives together, and reform their future?"
Sebastian was an older man, a chef running a successful restaurant. He'd thought he's had it all, including the perfect home life. Until the day his "boy" decided enough was enough and freedom was all that he wanted. The split crushed Sebastian and he found himself in need of answers.
Taking care of his ill mum left Richie in a conundrum. Everything he was working for was now at a standstill, until a job landed in his lap. Working for Sebastian was a dream come true, and having Sebastian around, if only limited, rose feelings the very straight Richie had never felt.
Has Sebastian found his next boy? Would Richie change his ways the more he is in Sebastian's presence? And were these two men able to fit the puzzle pieces they were struggling to fit together between them?
A very interesting start to this series. This story also featured Richie's best friend and Sebastian's partner. Their's is a story I can sink my teeth into and the author did a good job of hinting at a relationship.
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author through LesCourt.
(¸.•´ ★¸.•*´¨)
(¸.•´ ★"Can they both accept each other, slot the puzzle pieces of their lives together, and reform their future?"
Sebastian was an older man, a chef running a successful restaurant. He'd thought he's had it all, including the perfect home life. Until the day his "boy" decided enough was enough and freedom was all that he wanted. The split crushed Sebastian and he found himself in need of answers.
Taking care of his ill mum left Richie in a conundrum. Everything he was working for was now at a standstill, until a job landed in his lap. Working for Sebastian was a dream come true, and having Sebastian around, if only limited, rose feelings the very straight Richie had never felt.
Has Sebastian found his next boy? Would Richie change his ways the more he is in Sebastian's presence? And were these two men able to fit the puzzle pieces they were struggling to fit together between them?
A very interesting start to this series. This story also featured Richie's best friend and Sebastian's partner. Their's is a story I can sink my teeth into and the author did a good job of hinting at a relationship.
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author through LesCourt.
June 9, 2019
I really enjoy discovering new authors and boy did I love reading her book. This book is very well written and characters well developed. The characters are intriguing and I wanted more of them. This book evokes so many emotions in the reader from crying to laugh out loud moments. Seb is still reeling from the departure of his boy when he meets Richie. For all intents and purposes Richie is straight but he has feelings that are unexplainable towards Seb. I really love the relationship between Richie and his ailing mom. Seb wants this new relationship with Richie to work and he tries to learn from his past mistakes with his former boy Ellie. I really loved the ending because it leaves you wanting more. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
June 19, 2019
Unfortunately, I struggled with this one from the start. Problem was, I was never keen on Sebastian, and when you don’t like one of the main characters it’s hard to really get behind their romance. The story begins with a disbelieving Sebastian being told that his ‘boy’, Ellie is leaving him. I actually really liked Ellie, and I hope he gets his own happily-ever-after. He was one of the only characters in this book that wasn’t an overly dramatic plonker. Sebastian can’t believe what Ellie is saying, and though he lets him walk away, he begins to stalk him to a rather uncomfortable degree. However, my main problem with Sebastian and Ellie was that they met when Ellie was a fourteen-year-old homeless kid, and Sebastian was a full-grown man…like thirtyish. Though I should stress that they didn’t begin a sexual relationship at this time, Sebastian took Ellie home with him, and both of them knew that as soon as Ellie turned sixteen (the legal age in the UK) they would be humping like bunnies. That put Sebastian firmly in the creeper department as far as I was concerned. Add to that the stalking, and giving his employee a neck massage while sporting an erection…and yeah. I just couldn’t like Sebastian as a main romantic character.
But while I wasn’t eagerly hanging out for the romance between Sebastian and Richie to start up, I was hooked on the story of Richie’s mum’s illness. As the blurb tells us, Richie’s mum is dying of breast cancer, when we first meet her she’s already struggling with trips to the bathroom and can’t walk unassisted. I loved the relationship between Richie and his mother and that’s what made this book for me. That was my favourite love story found in this book.
Having said that, this book wasn’t poorly written, it just wasn’t for me. Aside from some annoying time jumps at the start of most chapters, I didn’t have an issue with the writing of this book, just the characters. So if you think the blurb sounds interesting, maybe check out some of the book’s other reviews. From what I’ve seen, most people are definitely enjoying it.
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2019/05/2...
But while I wasn’t eagerly hanging out for the romance between Sebastian and Richie to start up, I was hooked on the story of Richie’s mum’s illness. As the blurb tells us, Richie’s mum is dying of breast cancer, when we first meet her she’s already struggling with trips to the bathroom and can’t walk unassisted. I loved the relationship between Richie and his mother and that’s what made this book for me. That was my favourite love story found in this book.
Having said that, this book wasn’t poorly written, it just wasn’t for me. Aside from some annoying time jumps at the start of most chapters, I didn’t have an issue with the writing of this book, just the characters. So if you think the blurb sounds interesting, maybe check out some of the book’s other reviews. From what I’ve seen, most people are definitely enjoying it.
Reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews
http://lovebytesreviews.com/2019/05/2...
November 16, 2024
Sebastian Smythe (40 ans) et Richie Bellinger
Chef, restaurateur et assistant de bureau au restaurant
Daddy et boy
Adam (meilleur de Richie, serveur au restaurant de Sebastian)
Carl (Chef cuisinier et copropriétaire)
Intéressant mais beaucoup de petite chose qui me fait lever les yeux au ciel.
Les points de vue varie d'un paragraphe à l'autre.
📖
Sebastian Smythe est un chef et restaurateur accompli qui possède plusieurs entreprises et mène une vie parfaite. Jusqu'à ce que son partenaire de longue date décide de ne plus être avec lui.
Souffrant de la dévastation et de la perte de son « garçon », Sebastian a du mal à laisser tomber le passé, à aller de l'avant et à trouver quelqu'un de nouveau, l'ombre de son ex planant toujours sur lui.
Richie Bellinger a sa vie tracée par sa petite amie. Une carrière dans le management une fois qu'il aura terminé son master à l'université. Puis le mariage, suivi d'une maison et de deux virgule quatre enfants, et ils vivraient tous heureux pour toujours.
Seul l'univers semble avoir d'autres plans pour lui. Sa mère étant diagnostiquée d'un cancer du sein et son père ayant fait une crise de colère, Richie se retrouve à abandonner l'université et à postuler au poste d'assistant de bureau au restaurant, La Trattoria Di Amore, pour gagner de l'argent afin de payer les factures qui s'accumulent.
La vie bien organisée de Richie est bouleversée lorsqu'il rencontre l'énigmatique Sebastian. Tout ce que Richie pensait savoir sur lui-même et sur ce qu'il voulait est remis en question à chaque tournant.
Ces deux-là apprendront-ils qu'il y a plus à faire dans la vie s'ils se laissent aller ? Pourront-ils tous les deux s'accepter, assembler les pièces du puzzle de leur vie et réformer leur avenir ?
📚
🖋
« Ce sera l'enfer. Retenez bien mes paroles. Si quelqu'un a posé le doigt sur Adam, il est mort », grogna-t-il. Il ne se souciait plus du tout de ce que Seb pensait de tout cela.
Il n'avait qu'un seul objectif : atteindre Adam avant qu'il ne fasse une bêtise qu'ils regretteraient tous les deux.
🖋
Chef, restaurateur et assistant de bureau au restaurant
Daddy et boy
Adam (meilleur de Richie, serveur au restaurant de Sebastian)
Carl (Chef cuisinier et copropriétaire)
Intéressant mais beaucoup de petite chose qui me fait lever les yeux au ciel.
Les points de vue varie d'un paragraphe à l'autre.
📖
Sebastian Smythe est un chef et restaurateur accompli qui possède plusieurs entreprises et mène une vie parfaite. Jusqu'à ce que son partenaire de longue date décide de ne plus être avec lui.
Souffrant de la dévastation et de la perte de son « garçon », Sebastian a du mal à laisser tomber le passé, à aller de l'avant et à trouver quelqu'un de nouveau, l'ombre de son ex planant toujours sur lui.
Richie Bellinger a sa vie tracée par sa petite amie. Une carrière dans le management une fois qu'il aura terminé son master à l'université. Puis le mariage, suivi d'une maison et de deux virgule quatre enfants, et ils vivraient tous heureux pour toujours.
Seul l'univers semble avoir d'autres plans pour lui. Sa mère étant diagnostiquée d'un cancer du sein et son père ayant fait une crise de colère, Richie se retrouve à abandonner l'université et à postuler au poste d'assistant de bureau au restaurant, La Trattoria Di Amore, pour gagner de l'argent afin de payer les factures qui s'accumulent.
La vie bien organisée de Richie est bouleversée lorsqu'il rencontre l'énigmatique Sebastian. Tout ce que Richie pensait savoir sur lui-même et sur ce qu'il voulait est remis en question à chaque tournant.
Ces deux-là apprendront-ils qu'il y a plus à faire dans la vie s'ils se laissent aller ? Pourront-ils tous les deux s'accepter, assembler les pièces du puzzle de leur vie et réformer leur avenir ?
📚
🖋
« Ce sera l'enfer. Retenez bien mes paroles. Si quelqu'un a posé le doigt sur Adam, il est mort », grogna-t-il. Il ne se souciait plus du tout de ce que Seb pensait de tout cela.
Il n'avait qu'un seul objectif : atteindre Adam avant qu'il ne fasse une bêtise qu'ils regretteraient tous les deux.
🖋
May 20, 2019
Sweet story, awesome characters
This book is beautifully written, as always with J P Sayle’s stories, and the relationship development is sweet but not easy. This may be the best example of a really flawed main character I’ve seen - even at the end, though I’ve come to like Seb a lot, he still needs to work on some of his less-desirable personality traits. It’s good to see a realistic character there, too often they fall in love and are magically perfect.
I loved Richie and his mum, such a wonderful relationship and he’s such a sweetie. And yes, I cried lots. Oh, and his ex - what a b***h! And I loved Pipsqueak - sorry, Adam
- and his fierce protectiveness. And Carl too....so, yes, Ms Sayle has a gift with realistic characters and stirring up some very real emotions. My one issue, personal style mostly, was with the timeline of the book where chapters occurred ‘3 months later’, etc. I like to see everything as it happens and I felt a bit disjointed from what I might have missed. That said, it didn’t detract from the sweetness of Richie and Seb coming together and Richie learning to let go. Beautiful story, excellent characters and I loved, hated, grieved and laughed throughout.
This book is beautifully written, as always with J P Sayle’s stories, and the relationship development is sweet but not easy. This may be the best example of a really flawed main character I’ve seen - even at the end, though I’ve come to like Seb a lot, he still needs to work on some of his less-desirable personality traits. It’s good to see a realistic character there, too often they fall in love and are magically perfect.
I loved Richie and his mum, such a wonderful relationship and he’s such a sweetie. And yes, I cried lots. Oh, and his ex - what a b***h! And I loved Pipsqueak - sorry, Adam
- and his fierce protectiveness. And Carl too....so, yes, Ms Sayle has a gift with realistic characters and stirring up some very real emotions. My one issue, personal style mostly, was with the timeline of the book where chapters occurred ‘3 months later’, etc. I like to see everything as it happens and I felt a bit disjointed from what I might have missed. That said, it didn’t detract from the sweetness of Richie and Seb coming together and Richie learning to let go. Beautiful story, excellent characters and I loved, hated, grieved and laughed throughout.
May 20, 2019
*3.5 Stars*
The first in a new series from JP Sayle and it's an enjoyable story with may/december, daddy kink, GFY themes.
The two MC's, Sebastian and Richie, draw you into their story, both from different backgrounds and in different current situations. Things escalate quite quickly within themselves before they confront each other. There are several parts to the story going on at once and they all flow over each other - Richie is caring for his dying mother and is also in need of a job. Sebastian's partner has just left him and also his job as the assistant at Seb's restaurant. I instantly loved Richie but it took me a little while to connect with Sebastian.
One part that I struggled with a little, though it was predominantly one character's pov per chapter there were also characters that "spoke" without anyway of showing that we were jumping POV's. It just took a while to get used to and pay attention to when we switched.
I definitely recommend giving this story a go and falling for the relationship these two men can possibly be have. Interested to find out what was happening with the two other men that were involved in the story. Richie's best friend, Adam, and Seb's head chef, Carl.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
The first in a new series from JP Sayle and it's an enjoyable story with may/december, daddy kink, GFY themes.
The two MC's, Sebastian and Richie, draw you into their story, both from different backgrounds and in different current situations. Things escalate quite quickly within themselves before they confront each other. There are several parts to the story going on at once and they all flow over each other - Richie is caring for his dying mother and is also in need of a job. Sebastian's partner has just left him and also his job as the assistant at Seb's restaurant. I instantly loved Richie but it took me a little while to connect with Sebastian.
One part that I struggled with a little, though it was predominantly one character's pov per chapter there were also characters that "spoke" without anyway of showing that we were jumping POV's. It just took a while to get used to and pay attention to when we switched.
I definitely recommend giving this story a go and falling for the relationship these two men can possibly be have. Interested to find out what was happening with the two other men that were involved in the story. Richie's best friend, Adam, and Seb's head chef, Carl.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review.
June 3, 2019
New Beginnings
This is the first book I have read from this author, but I will be happily looking forward to more of this series in the future. Sebastien,a renowned local chef/sexy almost 40 year old man has just been dumped by his younger boy b/c of his need for control. He is completely out of sorts, and it isn’t until his business starts falling by the wayside that friends intervene and tell him to get his head out of his arse. Enter Richie, a straight (or so he thought) young college student who has had to recently drop out of university to care for his ailing mom alone and is drowning in debt d/t a delinquent dad. Solution...work on the computer system that handles Seb’s restaurants daily files. But, once these two men see each other it’s like they can’t stop thinking of the what if’s. But the reality is Richie’s mom is dying and Sebastien has tastes that might not be for everybody. But, if you never try then you might not find your person, the perfect puzzle piece that fits only you. It is a sweet journey of discovery for them both and they realize it will take effort to reach for the happiness within their grasp. I can’t wait to read about the next couple in this series.
This is the first book I have read from this author, but I will be happily looking forward to more of this series in the future. Sebastien,a renowned local chef/sexy almost 40 year old man has just been dumped by his younger boy b/c of his need for control. He is completely out of sorts, and it isn’t until his business starts falling by the wayside that friends intervene and tell him to get his head out of his arse. Enter Richie, a straight (or so he thought) young college student who has had to recently drop out of university to care for his ailing mom alone and is drowning in debt d/t a delinquent dad. Solution...work on the computer system that handles Seb’s restaurants daily files. But, once these two men see each other it’s like they can’t stop thinking of the what if’s. But the reality is Richie’s mom is dying and Sebastien has tastes that might not be for everybody. But, if you never try then you might not find your person, the perfect puzzle piece that fits only you. It is a sweet journey of discovery for them both and they realize it will take effort to reach for the happiness within their grasp. I can’t wait to read about the next couple in this series.
June 17, 2020
This was a hard one to rate but I'm going with a 3.5 stars. The book had huge potential with the storyline but its was all over the place with POVs talking. Things I loved in this but others just annoyed me.
A great way to start a book with emotions going with a split between Daddy and boy. Yah I'd say Seb needed to move on and forget his Ex which kept coming up, yah I did note the early age of Ellie with the daddy relationship start way too young. This has time jumps included to move the story forward but there's scenes going backwards too. I would've loved this if it had less narrated telling of the story with the characters. I couldn't understand why Seb kept buzzing Ellie his ex when they where clearly over ages ago. The story between Seb and Richie was missing with their early bonding build up from the start, i wanted to feel their chemistry coming though. Switching POVs with multiple characters included.
I loved Seb and Carl's partnership banter and was curious about Carl and Adam little thing going on.
Sebastian 39 was a Daddy without a boy. He had 3 restaurants but he needed help without Ellie the business were falling apart.
Richie was looking after his dying mother alone struggling for money and needed a job.
A great way to start a book with emotions going with a split between Daddy and boy. Yah I'd say Seb needed to move on and forget his Ex which kept coming up, yah I did note the early age of Ellie with the daddy relationship start way too young. This has time jumps included to move the story forward but there's scenes going backwards too. I would've loved this if it had less narrated telling of the story with the characters. I couldn't understand why Seb kept buzzing Ellie his ex when they where clearly over ages ago. The story between Seb and Richie was missing with their early bonding build up from the start, i wanted to feel their chemistry coming though. Switching POVs with multiple characters included.
I loved Seb and Carl's partnership banter and was curious about Carl and Adam little thing going on.
Sebastian 39 was a Daddy without a boy. He had 3 restaurants but he needed help without Ellie the business were falling apart.
Richie was looking after his dying mother alone struggling for money and needed a job.
March 7, 2023
Richie Bellinger's life falls apart when he is left alone to cope with his father and girlfriend leaving him alone to cope with grief for his mother and the crippling debt he is saddled with. Then his best friend Adam gives him a lifeline to work for Sebastian Smythe although maybe he is opened to a new disaster as this time his heart is on the line and Seb is the man to take care of him. Seb is a world-renowned chef and owns a successful chain of restaurants. But he harbours a secret as his previous relationship has only recently ended and he is struggling to cope.
I loved this story which had a broken Seb and a broken Richie and the way that they were able to come together and support each other. I loved the way that Seb just stepped up and helped Richie at a time when he desperately needed him. The description of them being puzzle pieces which fit together was perfect and their having a more permanent HEA with a proposal would have been a much better ending. Easy to read, feel and understand there were definitely moments when I cried. There is mature MM content in this BSDM-like DDLB story with some spanking, mention of stalking behaviours and a relationship at the UK age of consent which might be lower than your own.
I loved this story which had a broken Seb and a broken Richie and the way that they were able to come together and support each other. I loved the way that Seb just stepped up and helped Richie at a time when he desperately needed him. The description of them being puzzle pieces which fit together was perfect and their having a more permanent HEA with a proposal would have been a much better ending. Easy to read, feel and understand there were definitely moments when I cried. There is mature MM content in this BSDM-like DDLB story with some spanking, mention of stalking behaviours and a relationship at the UK age of consent which might be lower than your own.
April 19, 2022
Enjoyable read
Love, angst, loss, and great characters make this book a really good read. Richie is the young beautiful soul in this book who losses his Mum to cancer. He is abandoned by his no good father, has to get a job to pay off debts, and is let down by his controlling cold hearted girlfriend. Enter best friend Adam, the snarky fun guy, and Seb his new boss who he can't seem to take his eyes off.
Seb is the troubled Daddy, business owner, control freak, who is in the throes of getting over a failed Daddy/boy relationship. He is a prat who stalks his ex and takes a long time to deal with his hang ups. But once he starts to really see Richie and acknowledge their attraction, Seb's life becomes a whole lot better.
Seb's relationship with Ellie at 16yrs of age maybe presented as being ok because the legal age in England starts at 16 but I personally thought that was too young. I didn't linger on that aspect though and once Seb stopped stalking Ellie I really enjoyed his developing relationship with Richie and the bond they were growing. Looking forward to Adam's and Carl's story next.
Love, angst, loss, and great characters make this book a really good read. Richie is the young beautiful soul in this book who losses his Mum to cancer. He is abandoned by his no good father, has to get a job to pay off debts, and is let down by his controlling cold hearted girlfriend. Enter best friend Adam, the snarky fun guy, and Seb his new boss who he can't seem to take his eyes off.
Seb is the troubled Daddy, business owner, control freak, who is in the throes of getting over a failed Daddy/boy relationship. He is a prat who stalks his ex and takes a long time to deal with his hang ups. But once he starts to really see Richie and acknowledge their attraction, Seb's life becomes a whole lot better.
Seb's relationship with Ellie at 16yrs of age maybe presented as being ok because the legal age in England starts at 16 but I personally thought that was too young. I didn't linger on that aspect though and once Seb stopped stalking Ellie I really enjoyed his developing relationship with Richie and the bond they were growing. Looking forward to Adam's and Carl's story next.
May 22, 2019
This is an interesting start to a new series but unfortunately it's just an okay read for me. The storyline is great and the characters are intriguing but I found it difficult to follow the story whenever the secondary characters chimed in with their POV. It is a bit confusing and I never really got used to the author's writing style. I like Richie but I dislike Sebastian for most of the story and I thought that he should have spent more time explaining what he wants and needs from Richie instead of jumping right into a Daddy/Boy relationship with him. Sebastian does try to learn from his mistakes and he wants to be a better person for Richie but he has to deal with the issues from his past if he wants to move forward with him. The best part of this story is the wonderful relationship Richie has with his mother and how he drops everything to care for her. The secondary characters are great, especially Adam, and I look forward to reading his story.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.
May 22, 2019
This is a new author to me & I was pleasantly surprised at how well this MM romance (with an undertone of “Daddy Kink” with a physical age gap) was written. The plot is interesting, well-thought out & written. The unique characters are well-developed & display realistic emotional flaws when they are placed in unexpected situations.
It is about: a older man & chef (Sebastian aka Seb) with a successful restaurant who is devastated & crushed by his “boy” (Ellie) leaving him, he later comes into contact with an apparently straight young man (Richie) who has just started working for him. Richie’s best friend (Adam), Sebastian’s head chef (Carl), Richie’s extremely ill mother (Marian), a judgmental & callous girlfriend (Millie), A greedy father (Mr. Bellinger)
There is: some twists, some drama, memories, attractions, emotional turmoil, greed, discipline/spankings, humor, love, happiness, steamy scenes & love. I look forward to the next book about Adam & Carl.
It is about: a older man & chef (Sebastian aka Seb) with a successful restaurant who is devastated & crushed by his “boy” (Ellie) leaving him, he later comes into contact with an apparently straight young man (Richie) who has just started working for him. Richie’s best friend (Adam), Sebastian’s head chef (Carl), Richie’s extremely ill mother (Marian), a judgmental & callous girlfriend (Millie), A greedy father (Mr. Bellinger)
There is: some twists, some drama, memories, attractions, emotional turmoil, greed, discipline/spankings, humor, love, happiness, steamy scenes & love. I look forward to the next book about Adam & Carl.
May 18, 2019
This book is absolutely fantastic!!! I adored everything about it, even Seb’s stalker ways with his ex boy Ellie. I loved Richie’s mum and I was totally blown away when she picked up on Seb’s feelings for Richie’s before they had even started anything and my heart broke for Richie when she passed. I loved how Richie didn’t get to freaked about wanting Seb but more about the dynamic of their relationship. In the bedroom these guys were absolutely explosive which lead so some very hot chapters that I just couldn’t put down. But my absolute favourite thing about this story is Richie and Adams friendship, Adam always has Riche’s back no matter what. I’m just so glad that Seb became the Daddy that Richie needed and their puzzle pieces finally clicked into place.
I really really can’t wait for Adam and Carl’s story.
I really really can’t wait for Adam and Carl’s story.
April 16, 2021
Interesting story like e. Daddy kink with gay for you sub.
Wasn't sure what I was getting ready to read. I'm kind of picky on my daddy kink. Oh boy this was a good story. Sebastian is a daddy who has been buried in a closet his whole adult life. His boy finally get tired of the closet and leaves for his own freedom. Richie has a life that he isn't in control of. A girlfriend who is controlling. A father who abandoned him and his mother in their time of need. His best friend helps him find a job at Sebastian restaurant. Then his mom is diagnosed with cancer and it a down hill battle from there. Richie does his best to keep his mom spirit up but it a losing battle. in comes Sebastian to the rescue. Things developed from there. Richie figures out his attracted to his boss and Sebastian come to the conclusion he attracted to Richie. Now the fun begins.
Wasn't sure what I was getting ready to read. I'm kind of picky on my daddy kink. Oh boy this was a good story. Sebastian is a daddy who has been buried in a closet his whole adult life. His boy finally get tired of the closet and leaves for his own freedom. Richie has a life that he isn't in control of. A girlfriend who is controlling. A father who abandoned him and his mother in their time of need. His best friend helps him find a job at Sebastian restaurant. Then his mom is diagnosed with cancer and it a down hill battle from there. Richie does his best to keep his mom spirit up but it a losing battle. in comes Sebastian to the rescue. Things developed from there. Richie figures out his attracted to his boss and Sebastian come to the conclusion he attracted to Richie. Now the fun begins.
February 27, 2022
Yummy
This was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it very much. This was a gfy book with Ritchie having a cheating gf while dealing with a dying mother and struggling with finances. His friend Adam suggests applying for a job at the restaurant he works at where he meets Seb, the owner. Seb's longtime bf left him and he doesn't think he will get over him until he meets Ritchie. Seb is a Daddy but doesn't want anyone to know, yet he's doesn't want to repeat the same mistakes he made with his ex. Ritchie has to deal with his new gfy feelings for Seb and they both go through a lot of soul searching on their journey to a HEA. The book doesn't end on a cliffhanger persay but their story is not complete and hopefully it will continue in the next book where it appears Adam and Carl, Seb's head chef and co-owner, get their story.
This was my first book by this author and I enjoyed it very much. This was a gfy book with Ritchie having a cheating gf while dealing with a dying mother and struggling with finances. His friend Adam suggests applying for a job at the restaurant he works at where he meets Seb, the owner. Seb's longtime bf left him and he doesn't think he will get over him until he meets Ritchie. Seb is a Daddy but doesn't want anyone to know, yet he's doesn't want to repeat the same mistakes he made with his ex. Ritchie has to deal with his new gfy feelings for Seb and they both go through a lot of soul searching on their journey to a HEA. The book doesn't end on a cliffhanger persay but their story is not complete and hopefully it will continue in the next book where it appears Adam and Carl, Seb's head chef and co-owner, get their story.
December 3, 2022
This was a multilayered, complex , intriguing read with so many twists and turns like an emotional rollercoaster in ink.
Seb's growth and realizing his previous boy and he were not meant to be was awesome to see as the story progressed. Milly irked me from minute one with her dominance and manipulation. Richie deserved better than Milly. My heart ached for Richie and his mom, but his slow awakening to his true self was rewarding to see as the story progressed. I loved how Seb stepped up and thwarted the grinch (Richie's dad). Such a hero moment for Seb. Richie's dad was an evil greedy parasite. I liked that Seb learned less control and better communication- much needed. The teaser in the epilogue about Carl was intriguing. Adam is a wize man. Lol. I can't wait to dig into that story. Sounds very promising.
Seb's growth and realizing his previous boy and he were not meant to be was awesome to see as the story progressed. Milly irked me from minute one with her dominance and manipulation. Richie deserved better than Milly. My heart ached for Richie and his mom, but his slow awakening to his true self was rewarding to see as the story progressed. I loved how Seb stepped up and thwarted the grinch (Richie's dad). Such a hero moment for Seb. Richie's dad was an evil greedy parasite. I liked that Seb learned less control and better communication- much needed. The teaser in the epilogue about Carl was intriguing. Adam is a wize man. Lol. I can't wait to dig into that story. Sounds very promising.
November 20, 2023
Ummm
I wanted to love Seb and Richie, but... I just didn't... Maybe, liked them, kinda okay-ish??? They are both kinda bland and lost... I genuinely don't feel like they found any real direction or addressed their issues while pursuing their relationship... Seb has more development than Richie... Richie is pretty boring and dry as a character, especially after everything with her Mother's passing... I would say... They didn't succeed in putting their puzzle pieces together in a way that created a beautiful picture... Add in over usage of the term "boy" from Seb... Plus, grammatical... It was bumpy...
HEA/HFN
Strict Top/Bottom
Daddy/boy
Higher Angst
2 outta 5 in the 🔥🔥🔥 Department
I wanted to love Seb and Richie, but... I just didn't... Maybe, liked them, kinda okay-ish??? They are both kinda bland and lost... I genuinely don't feel like they found any real direction or addressed their issues while pursuing their relationship... Seb has more development than Richie... Richie is pretty boring and dry as a character, especially after everything with her Mother's passing... I would say... They didn't succeed in putting their puzzle pieces together in a way that created a beautiful picture... Add in over usage of the term "boy" from Seb... Plus, grammatical... It was bumpy...
HEA/HFN
Strict Top/Bottom
Daddy/boy
Higher Angst
2 outta 5 in the 🔥🔥🔥 Department
May 16, 2019
OMG!! This was my first daddy kink book. And it was amazing!!!
Let's check important points:
Adorable/sexy characters - check
Very hot sexy time - check
Interesting plot - check
Well written - check
JP Sayle wrote characters with flaws which that makes them so much more interesting. I loved that daddy try to improve himself for his boy.
I really loved the slow pace of their relationship. It makes things more realistic and it keeps the reader just on edge.
Daddy and his boy are wonderful together.
I won't say more to not spoil the story. Let's just say I'm not aroused by the daddy kink lifestyle and still I found the sex scenes extremely hot!!!!
Let's check important points:
Adorable/sexy characters - check
Very hot sexy time - check
Interesting plot - check
Well written - check
JP Sayle wrote characters with flaws which that makes them so much more interesting. I loved that daddy try to improve himself for his boy.
I really loved the slow pace of their relationship. It makes things more realistic and it keeps the reader just on edge.
Daddy and his boy are wonderful together.
I won't say more to not spoil the story. Let's just say I'm not aroused by the daddy kink lifestyle and still I found the sex scenes extremely hot!!!!
May 17, 2019
Puzzle Pieces by J.P. Sayle is the first book in the new series, La Trattoria Di Amore. It is a fantastic story with interesting and entertaining characters. It has the Daddy/boy kink and an age gap (NOT age play) between the main characters. Seb and Richie have great chemistry and their interactions were sweet but had heat too. There was a little drama, some humor and lots of well written story. Definitely worth the read. And after that epilogue I really cant wait for the next book.
I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.
I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.
May 23, 2019
Heat in the kitchen but somewhat disjointed😕
May 22, 2019
3-3.5 🌟stars
While I really felt sympathy and a connection with Richie and his ailing mother at the beginning, something about the romance and power exchange part of the story was a bit off. Richie, who starts the story as a tower of strength for his mom, devolved into a weepy, clingy submissive. I never really warmed up to Daddy Seb, the other main protagonist, and the story timeline and change of viewpoint was a bit confusing. The end left me hanging. 😐
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
May 22, 2019
3-3.5 🌟stars
While I really felt sympathy and a connection with Richie and his ailing mother at the beginning, something about the romance and power exchange part of the story was a bit off. Richie, who starts the story as a tower of strength for his mom, devolved into a weepy, clingy submissive. I never really warmed up to Daddy Seb, the other main protagonist, and the story timeline and change of viewpoint was a bit confusing. The end left me hanging. 😐
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
June 15, 2021
1.5/2
Oh how I hated Seb, he acts so entitled and can’t accept that Ellie didn’t want to be with him anymore because he was an awful boyfriend/Daddy.
He acted like such a brat when he didn’t get his way. He brings Richie to go confront Ellie, a year after they broke up, but doesn’t tell him and when they run into him he chooses to stay with Ellie than go after his current boyfriend. Richie runs off and then they have a huge fight and within 20 seconds of Seb looking sad Richie jumps him and they resolve it by having sex. All their fights get brushed under the carpet and eventually lead to sex.
I rolled my eyes so much it actually hurt.
Oh how I hated Seb, he acts so entitled and can’t accept that Ellie didn’t want to be with him anymore because he was an awful boyfriend/Daddy.
He acted like such a brat when he didn’t get his way. He brings Richie to go confront Ellie, a year after they broke up, but doesn’t tell him and when they run into him he chooses to stay with Ellie than go after his current boyfriend. Richie runs off and then they have a huge fight and within 20 seconds of Seb looking sad Richie jumps him and they resolve it by having sex. All their fights get brushed under the carpet and eventually lead to sex.
I rolled my eyes so much it actually hurt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2021
Multiple POVs, kinda jumps around, some people like this style of writing, though. Proofreading issues, oof. I do like how the MCs are always talking to themselves, it's cute. Seb is like, grossly manipulative and super fucked up but it's hot so just go with it. These two are constantly having misunderstandings, it's so unhealthy. Some of us are fans of messed up co-dependant relationships as long as they are in the realm of fiction. Most of this book is sad and stressful, but also raw and real. Major trigger warning for bereavement, whew, it's rough. Epilogue is just a teaser for the next book. *rolls eyes*
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