North's Pole

Camp Bay Christmas #1

by Leta Blake

Located on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille in beautiful Northern Idaho, Camp Bay Chalet is a discrete and cozy B&B, popular with both locals and minor celebrities for its fabulous holiday weekends.

The pic seen around the world….

The son of Hollywood royalty, North Astor-Ford has lived his entire life in the public’s eye. He knows better than anyone that someone is always watching.

So when one not-so-innocent picture meant for a hook-up accidentally ends up crossposted across all his social media, North is left humiliated and scared. With no one to turn to, he flees to Camp Bay Chalet to be close to the one person he used to count on to protect him from the world.

Liam’s life has been in a holding pattern since the moment North fired him three years ago, even if it was for the best. A romance between a bodyguard and his client would’ve caused exactly the sort of scandal Liam was hired to prevent.

Now that North is back in his orbit, Liam’s going to do what he does best, protect North from the world. And maybe, just maybe, the charm of a Camp Bay Chalet Christmas will be enough to both heal North and bring about the romance they’ve both always wanted.

North’s Pole takes place in the Camp Bay shared universe, but can be read as a stand-alone. Look for more of the Camp Bay universe in Stolen Christmas by Marie Sexton.

Genres: Holiday, Christmas, M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, LGBT, Friends To Lovers

236 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 2, 2022

About the author

Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and fan favorites Training Season, Will & Patrick Wake Up Married, and Slow Heat, Leta Blake has been captivating M/M Romance readers for over a decade. Whether writing contemporary romance or fantasy, she puts her psychology background to use creating complex characters and love stories that feel real. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her writing and her family life.

If you'd like to be among the first to know about new releases, you can sign up for Leta's newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bdn32H

Reviews

[Imme [trying to crawl out of hiatus] van Gorp · Rating 2 out of 5]

|| 1.5 stars ||

Urgh. This one really managed to piss me off on multiple occasions.

First of all, I really disliked Liam and North’s relationship in general. The way Liam treated him definitely rubbed me the wrong way. He was just so incredibly derogatory with the way he kept casually insulting North. He constantly talked about how helpless he was, how incredibly stupid, and how he pretty much needed Liam to function as a remotely normal human being. He straight up admitted to having a “hero complex” and explained that that’s why he was so into North’s bright-eyed, caught in the headlights, bumbling deer act.
I mean, this right here was just one of the many questionable thoughts Liam had about North:

I had enough right about the time Deacon called North an idiot. Which, bless his beautiful face and angelic heart, he absolutely was—but he was my idiot.

Like, I’m sorry, what? Do you want a medal for not wanting other people to call your boyfriend an idiot, while simultaneously thinking the exact same thing about him? How freaking condescending can you be!
North deserved better than that; my heart broke for how everyone treated him. He wasn’t ever taken seriously and was constantly being insulted. It really got on my nerves. The amount of times North was called stupid or dumb in this book was just unnecessary. And it was all the worse that it was his boyfriend who thought of him as stupid too. Like, you can just fuck right off at that point.

Aside from having all these issues, I also thought this book was boring as hell. Absolutely nothing happened and there was no angst whatsoever. Sure, North is whining about something the entire book, but the romance was completely angst-free.
I honestly think this story could have been a lot more interesting if it had taken place three years prior when Liam was still North’s bodyguard and they couldn’t be together. Now, there was nothing stopping them, so they kind of just existed, had sex, exchanged sappy love-declarations and that’s it. They didn’t even need any time re-getting to know each other after all these years apart: It was just immediate love between them, and of course there is simply nothing interesting about that.


Leta Blake books:
‘Wake Up Married’ series var. ratings
Mr. Jingle Bells - 3.5 stars
Bully for Sale - 3.0 stars
North’s Pole - 1.5 stars

[Layla]

DNF @50%

I can't believe I'm doing this to a Leta book.
Those who know me know that I absolutely ADORE Leta Blake and her books.
But this book didn't feel like a Leta Book to me. It was too childish, too juvenile and the writing style with all the exclamation marks and the dialogue inside parentheses ... it felt very *debut author* to me.
North was a caricature and Liam was a doormat.
The incessant giggling, the shallow conversations and the general feel of the book didn't work for me at all.

Where is the Leta who wrote Pictures of You, Vespertine and The Training Season?

I'm seriously so bummed.

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

I like Leta Blake's writing style and couldn't help but feel sorry for North, who's ever so sweet but not the sharpest tool in the shed.

When North, a famous child of celebrities, accidentally cross-posts a dick pic to all his social media platforms, he's so humiliated, he runs and hides at Camp Bay where his former bodyguard used to work.

Said bodyguard, Liam, tracks down North, and the two get all loved (and sexed) up.

There's not much to the plot, but North's family was so ridiculous, I laughed at their alcohol and money-fueled narcissism. The mean grandma, especially, was hilarious.

There are sleigh rides, sugar cookies, and a picture-perfect epilogue.

I could have done without the multiple cameo appearances by MCs from previous books, but I still quite enjoyed this lighthearted holiday story.

[Gustaf · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really struggling with this one.

[Lilly [Hiatus due to School] · Rating 4 out of 5]

North's Pole is the first contemporary non omegaverse romance novel I have read from Leta Blake and my first holiday read of 2022!

This was the sweet (and embarrassing) story of North, the son of Hollywood royalty and heir to an old money fortune. Growing up with absentee parents who only cared about their image, in a world scrutinising you for every step, has impacted him. After unfortunately sending out an intimate photo of himself to the world after accidentally mixing up apps…his life is thrown into chaos. North runs away to a holiday Chalet to escape the world and be closer to Liam.

Liam is the bodyguard that North had at 16, but due to increasing feelings towards him, he ended up firing him. He felt that was what he had to do, but his feelings towards him never changed.

Liam was 19 when he first met North as part of his first bodyguarding role and started slowly having not-so-professional feelings. Even after North fired him, he still cared about him harbouring no resentment at all.

They meet once again at Camp Bay Chalet, and Liam becomes North's safe space as he deals with the fallout of his accident. I love how we see North slowly regain his confidence and strength to face the outside world.

The chemistry between Liam and North is scorching hot. There is so much love between them as they get their second chance to be together. North is naive but so sweet, and I love how he has someone like Liam there to put his needs first.

I've been captivated by Leta Blake's writing through their heavier/darker Omegaverse works, and I was interested to see their writing in a more lighter fun story. I was not disappointed - as expected.

A couple from another series makes an appearance (Walker and Ashton from Mr. Jingle Bells), which honestly made me want to run and read their story! This is a stand-alone, so you do not need to read anything else to enjoy it fully. We also have Eric and Max, who's story is part of the shared universe in Stolen Christmas by Marie Sexton.

The sex! Leta writes some of my favourite sex scenes and I loved how spicy and tender they were. The intimacy between Liam and North - especially with it being North's first time was - heart melting.

Overall this was a delightful and steamy start to the holidays, a perfect light hearted read.

**I received a complimentary copy and this is my honest thoughts**

[Catherine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Leta Blake is a pretty consistent 3 and 4 star author for me, but this book didn't work on any level.

First of all, the premise that a 19 year-old would be considered trained and elite enough to be an acceptable bodyguard for the rich, 16 year-old son of an old money meets new money family is laughable. There's just no universe in which that would happen. And because of that, I didn't believe their "meet cute" in the slightest (which made it harder for me to buy the undying love later).

And then there was the whole fact that one of the MCs was a minor when they met and the attraction sparked and grew on both sides. They didn't act on it, but the feelings were there. Is that creepy? You be the judge. Add on the mess of the employer/employee relationship, and Blake spent a good portion of the story tying herself in knots trying to justify/explain why neither of the MCs were inappropriate.

But all of that aside, the one thing that I really struggled with in the context of this story was the relationship imbalance - the WHOLE story revolved around the dim bulb that is North Astor-Ford and how much Liam loved him and was devoted to him and wanted to take care of him and couldn't live without him, but... did they actually have conversations about anything other than North? Like, anything of substance that two people could build a relationship on? North felt pretty one-dimensional (a big, dumb screw up with a sweet smile), and Liam felt like he wouldn't exist if North wasn't on the page with him.

I'd skip this and try another of Blake's books instead.

I hit 80% and it was a struggle to finish the book.

[Rellim · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 30%

Bummed that my first holiday book of the season was a miss. I usually enjoy Leta Blake’s writing, but I couldn’t connect here at all.

First, the set up is odd - the teen son of one of the wealthiest families in the world has a 19-year-old bodyguard? Liam was *nineteen*. I don’t even know how one would be considered competently trained at that age. Much less why you’d pair them with a 16yo. Blake tries to explain/justify it but that almost makes it worse. Nothing happens while North is underage or still a protectee beyond both MCs acknowledging attraction.

I also think Blake missed the mark on crafting North as endearingly naive. I don’t know how anyone who got to 21, including a few years in college, could be so completely clueless. There’s nothing to explain it in the book other than every character using some euphemism for stupid. Worse, she’s written North so incompetent bordering on disabled that I seriously questioned whether he was capable of consent.

At this point I hadn’t even made it to the sex scenes but I couldn’t come back from feeling an ick factor, so I quit. I’ll still read more Blake in the future.

[Bizzy]

DNF at 58%. I'm uncomfortable with the way everyone in this book, including Liam, delights in calling North stupid, especially because North's POV shows how insecure he feels about his intelligence. Liam doesn't seem to see North any differently than North's crappy family does, and like them, he treats North like he's not capable of making any decisions for himself. Liam feels like an older brother (and a patronizing one at that), not a boyfriend. Acknowledging North has feelings isn't enough to make Liam different or better than North's family.

The instalove between the characters also took any tension out of the romance for me.

This didn't affect my choice to DNF, but I absolutely hate it when books in multi-author series shoehorn the characters from other books into the background. Having the characters essentially describe the blurb of another book to me in awkward dialogue is not a good advertisement. If those other characters can't fit into the story in an organic, interesting way, they shouldn't be there.

[Lelyana's Reviews · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 40%

I'm sorry. I tried. But North sounds like an id*ot. And he's 21.

It started good on chapter one but then,..yeah, no.

[Readingjourney [semi-hiatus] · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can’t believe it’s a book from author Leta Blake. I just cannot. It was so bad and cringey. Both characters were dumb as rocks.

[Lily Loves 📚 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet read, I loved the setting at Camp Bay and I’m excited to read Marie Sexton’s book. I just think this fell flat for me.

When I read a Leta Blake book I am always blown away by the writing and the steamy scenes are usually out of this world. This book felt different, I felt like North was very immature and even though there are steamy scenes they feel rushed with little chemistry between Liam and North. I was actually considering skimming the last half but I stuck with it.

I did like Liam’s family Christmas and his nephews and how adorable North was with him. I hated North’s family. His parents are horrible people and his sister is supposed to be on his side for most things yet she calls him stupid all the time. I never saw North being stupid, it was implied but never shown except a couple times when he said something incorrect, which I do all the time. I would have liked seeing him when Liam was his bodyguard in a situation that unfolded on page showing his mistakes. I didn’t buy the ones we’re told about. He didn’t seem like an “idiot” of any kind to me.

This is a nice read with l basically no angst. It’s a sweet Christmas story. I just wasn’t blown away by it.

**ARC received for review

[Liya]

Dnf at 38%. Nothing works for me here. Absolutely nothing. Cringy and boring. The immediate connection between MCs after 3 years of not seeing each other is not believable at all and is poorly done. Not what I expected from a Leta Blake book

[Elley Murray · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, I really did, but I made it to about 70% and then just skimmed the rest to get it over with. The number of time North says "my hard dick" got on my nerves - we get it, why do you have to put the adjective in there every time!?

There's not a lot actually happening in this book, mostly North and Liam hiding out in a B&B room and having lots and lots and LOTS of sex. Like four orgasms in a night and then waking up to bang out three more level of lots.

I wanted to like this book because I love Christmas romances and being snowed in together, but I think Leta Blake's writing just isn't my cup of tea. :/

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are unbiased and my own.

Like this review?
Check out more of my reviews on my blog, Elley the Book Otter

[Andi · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Bookreader87(Amanda) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars

North comes from a well-known wealthy family. He is always under scrutiny by the public because of who his parents are. Any screws up in his life are amplified. So when North accidentally sends out a pick of his "pole" on all his social media platforms he is petrified. Instead of coming face to face with the issue, he decides to find a place to hide out during the holidays.

Liam is North's former bodyguard. He was let go by North nearly 3 years ago. Finding new work has been difficult. He lives with his mother and picks up a job as security for the chalet. When he is not doing that he is taking care of his nephews. When he sees that North gets himself in some hot water his need to protect him is strong.

I am not sure I liked Liam referring to North as a kid when they are only 3 years apart and he finds him attractive. I also did not like how dumb they kept pointing out North was. Everyone did it but I hated that Liam did it too. Like why? North's family also sucks. But overall it was an ok holiday story with a HEA.

[Aldi · Rating 2 out of 5]

And the grinching about holiday books begins, lol. I wish I had nice things to say about this. Like, obviously it was going to be ridiculous (look at the premise, look at the title), but I was hoping it would be charmingly and entertainingly ridiculous with maybe a side of feels instead of just over the top ridiculous with, somehow, a side of boring?

For such a short story, the book is incredibly repetitive – yes, we get it, the dude accidentally publicly posted a dick pic and it’s a big deal but maybe “He’s seen my dick,” “She’s seen my dick,” “they’ve seen my dick” didn’t need to be reiterated several dozen times in every single interaction he has with another character. I was happy to roll with the dick pic as a fun OTT premise but it wasn’t even that because he was legit angsting about it so much. It honestly felt like the author couldn’t decide what to do with the premise tonally – it was marketed and set up as campy fun but then there’s also quite a lot of Serious Talk about how stuff is forever on the internet and the callous cruelty of social media, but that also didn’t get explored with any serious attempt at depth so ultimately it was just a weird hodge-podge.

I also couldn’t connect to either of the main characters or their relationship history. They’re both a lot younger than expected and their backstory was just fucking weird. A 19-year-old completely new-to-the-job bodyguard getting assigned to protect a 16-year-old semi-celebrity seemed bonkers enough, but then there was what felt like A LOT of over-explaining about how them catching feelings was not weird or creepy! at all! because they didn’t act on it! and he fired the bodyguard because of the inappropriate feelings! and nothing ever happened! and the employer/employee thing was not a power imbalance, nope! and there was definitely no grooming! … okay? I mean, I wasn’t actually creeped out but the book clearly expects you to be. All the explanations of their history had this overly defensive tone.

Anyway, they conveniently had all the feelings already, so the actual, current story (five years later so they’re now 21 and 24) doesn’t need to spend any time building those or developing this relationship at all! All it takes is to bring them back into the same physical space and whoosh, we are immediately super in love and shagging like rabbits. You seriously could blink and miss how and why there are sudden declarations of love and talk about moving in together between these two people who hadn’t seen or spoken to each other in three years. They were literally walking around explaining how in love they were to various other people before they’d even had a proper conversation about it and when they do, it’s just straight to ILUs and lots of sex. Boring sex.

(Also, I found the characterisation of North as “not that smart” a little off. In theory, great, not every character needs to be heavily cerebral, but the way he didn’t understand words and struggled with really basic stuff like muting a phone sometimes made it feel like he was meant to have an actual intellectual disability [while I think the intention was that he was mostly just naïve] and THAT made the relationship whiff a little creepy/unbalanced to me where the other stuff didn’t.)

Did I mention the smut was boring? Maybe that’s just my thing of not really being into it when I couldn’t care less about the characters.

Also, the cameos. Goof grief, it was chock-a-block. You couldn’t turn a corner in this chalet without running into characters from the author’s previous books, as well as several of what I assume are Marie Sexton’s (past, future, present? Who knows, I haven’t read those books). There was a heavy assumption that you should know all of these random side characters who are from other books and it was just annoying.

So this was roughly on the same level as Punching the V-card for me – thin plot, no real pacing or development, weird/off character dynamics, smut by the numbers, but I mostly reserve the 1 stars for books I actively loathe and this was just deeply unremarkable.

[Kristel (hungryandhappy) · Rating 1 out of 5]

This didn't work for me at all.

The premise of the book was very interesting and that it's why I started it. I was so close to DNF it so many times but I power through because I wanted to see if it was going to get better in the end. It didn't. It started nice enough; North sends a compromising photo to all his socials by mistake and instead and trying to do something about it, he hides. And where did he hide? Somewhere his past crush and bodyguard used to work and is close to his house. After Liam comes to his rescue, nothing happens. There's no plot, just them having a lot of sex, like a lot, bordering on too much. Not talking about anything truly important. North was seen and describe as stupid by literally everyone, even Liam who loves him, even after three years of no contact. It was all so random and the writing felt off most of the time. Then the ending came rushing and it was over. And I felt nothing.

I'm sorry this didn't work for me. I like the author.

And yes, North's POLE is his penis as we were CONSTANTLY reminded.

[CaRo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh my. I truly love the other books from leta blake but this one was not my cup of tea.
The protagonists were too shallow there was no chemistry. And the whole 'everybody has seen my dick' was not that much of a plot.

[Relly · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

I really enjoyed this one.

I connected very easily with North, I felt for him with what happened, yes it was his mistake but my heart broke for him and to be honest I would want to do the exact same as he did and hide away if it happened to me.

Liam was a great character, he didn't hold any grudge against North for firing him 3 years previous as he understood why it happened and understood his part in it. He always treated North with respect and never treated him as if he was stupid. He helped him make decisions with North's best interest at heart. He works with North to get him back out and about with the other guests at the Chalet, so he didn't become a hermit and continually hide himself away.

I liked North's progression throughout this one as he gained confidence and put what happened to him behind him. He connected with Liam's family and even won over Liam's sister with his sunny and honest personality.

Looking forward to the other book in this series

*ARC received from GRR. This is my honest review ***

[Zen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

This story was funny, but super sweet also. I can't decide if North was more golden retriever or himbo. At times, he was both, and Liam was a great foil for him.

[Alexis]

dnf 52% idk there’s just something not working for me here

[Manfred · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice little Christmas story with sweet main characters in a beautiful countryside setting. North, a rich but not very clever city boy and Liam his ex bodyguard.
When North accidentally posts a picture of his "crown jewels" on all social media platforms he flees Hollywood to the small Idaho village where his ex bodyguard and secret crush lives.
From there on it is more or less insta love and lust, only interrupted by North's shame about everybody having seen his dick.
And honestly that got a little too much at times.
Apart from that not much happens and although it was not terrible I was happy when it ended. Average 2.5 to 3 stars

[Love Is All Around · Rating 3 out of 5]

RECENSIONE A CURA DI ELYXYZ
Premetto che quest’autrice è una delle mie preferite e l’argomento bodyguard/protetto è uno dei miei favoriti, se poi ci si mette il dolce Natale, in teoria sarebbe stata una combinazione vincente.
Forse, però, sono partita con aspettative troppo alte, perché devo ammettere che non sono riuscita a entrare appieno in sintonia con questa storia.
North Astor-Ford è l’erede di un enorme impero milionario, ma è soprattutto un ragazzo giovane, dal cuore grande e ingenuo; forse non è il cucciolo più sveglio della cucciolata, ma fa tristezza che tutti lo reputino un idiota fatto e finito.
Sì, North tende a essere goffo e a causare involontariamente l’ilarità altrui, ma tutta la sua famiglia lo considera un inetto che viene incolpato persino dei disguidi di cui è vittima.
L’assunzione di un bodyguard-manager dovrebbe tenerlo lontano dai guai ed è così che Liam entra per la prima volta nella sua vita, quando North non è ancora maggiorenne.
Anche Liam lo etichetta come un idiota, pur restando affascinato dalla sua bellezza e dall’animo ingenuo e puro, tanto che il suo sorriso solare lo conquista.
La vicinanza li fa innamorare, ma per non creare scandalo, North lo licenzia durante la pandemia.
Tre anni dopo, quando la sua considerevole intimità finisce su tutti i social involontariamente, North corre dall’unica persona con cui si è sentito protetto e capito, e i due passano le festività natalizie a Camp Bay Chalet, dove Liam è di casa.
Continua sul nostro blog!

[Raven and Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talk about a cringe-worthy beginning to a story. Eek! But I always love how Leta Blake can spin a story so I knew it would all work out. North’s family is definitely not the kind of loving and supporting family they may paint to the world. Yikes! Talk about self absorbed and controlling. My heart hurt for the poor guy. No wonder he has no confidence in himself. And Liam…Liam knows just how to take charge and make it all more bearable. I loved these two MCs and hated North’s parents with a passion. They aren’t completely heartless but they definitely rub me the wrong way. North needs to be loved for himself and Liam is the perfect one to take care of him. The fun characters at the chalet were like a found family and I loved them too. It all added up to be just what North…and Liam…needed.

[S.K. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite the raunchiness of the initial subject matter, this was a very sweet, quite romantic story with some sexy times thrown in. North was a really sweet guy – slightly naive and perhaps even gullible considering his upbringing, and not the brightest bulb in the box. His humiliation and anguish at the accidental pic that went around the world was palpable and actually made me think about real-life celebrities and wonder how they cope when sex tapes, etc. get released.

Liam was the official white knight – riding to the rescue and taking care of North the way he always did in the past. I thought it was really interesting the circumstances behind him getting fired – both he and North actually handled that with maturity and quite a lot of dignity.

Camp Bay sounds absolutely lovely, especially around Christmas time and this was all-in-all, a lovely Christmas read. The ages of the MCs bothered me a bit – they both seemed so long to be riding into the sunset, but the epilogue definitely helped there – and I quite enjoyed the read. I haven’t read any other books set in the Camp Bay verse but I will keep a look out.

I received an ARC from GRR.

[Mrs.V · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is exceptionally sweet and cute, with more than a hint of spice!
My heart went out to North so much throughout the book, poor guy was so humiliated and ashamed he felt like he ha no choice other than hiding out from the entire world. Except for Liam. His former bodyguard, just a few years older than North, but the only person he ever felt safe with and he could be himself with.
Liam may not be North’s anymore, but when North is in trouble, the need and instinct to protect him are impossible to ignore!
As soon as they are in each other’s orbit again, all the past feelings come rushing back with a vengeance and, now that they are free to act upon them, they do so in deliciously spicy and sweet ways!
A perfect Leta Blake holiday novel!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a cute holiday story. North and Liam are such great characters. These two are just so adorable. Leta Blake Pull me right into this story. Such an amazing read.

[Cat]

DNF at 25% - I’m a huge Leta fan, but this book isn’t for me. I got particularly annoyed by how North is called stupid by everyone all the time to the point it affected his self confidence and more. If it was supposed to be funny, it was actually awful and I felt so bad for North.

[Shirley Frances · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a fun holiday read with no angst and plenty of steamy scenes. I liked North. He was sweet, naive and lacked some common sense. I wouldn’t call him stupid, like he was referred to so many times, just a nice guy who was oblivious in most situations. I won’t lie, I didn’t like Liam at first. Some of his thoughts about North were not to my liking. Thankfully as the story progressed he redeemed himself a little in my eyes. He always had North’s best interest at heart and didn’t try to change him and for that I gave hime the benefit of the doubt.

I enjoyed the secondary characters and what they added to the story. They were fun and their camaraderie added a sense of family that North definitely needed at the time. I enjoyed the setting too. It definitely brought the whole holiday vibe to the story.

I admit, I didn’t invest myself much in this romance. I didn’t really get a sense of a connection between these two aside from a mutual attraction and great chemistry. IDK, a snippet or two of them together in the past where their initial connection actually took place would have been helpful to solidify their connection in the present. 🤷🏻‍♀️

All in all, a sweet yet steamy holiday read.

[Crystal Stafford · Rating 3 out of 5]

North's Pole was my first read by Leta Blake and I will say I did enjoy the writing style and detail. I was able to visualize well throughout and there was some good humor that had me laughing a bit. I did like our MC's North and Liam. North being the "clueless" rich kid who made a BIG social media mistake and is hiding out and Liam being his ex-bodyguard who comes to the rescue, hero complex for sure. The premise of the book was great and caught my attention but there were a few things that did not work and brought this down for me.

I enjoyed our characters; North was so sweet and just wanted him to be his own person instead of living in the limelight with his famous family. He made a mistake and ended up posting his pole throughout all his socials. He is at a loss on how to fix and definitely does not want to face the music so he escapes somewhere he thinks he will feel safe, Camp Bay. I felt for him, truly, and I wished I could make it all better for him. But North's hero in this story is Liam, his ex-bodyguard whom he hasn't talked to in a few years. Liam is a local in the town where Camp Bay resides so when news hits about North's post, he has a strong urge to run to him and make it better. Liam tracks him down (literally) and soon they are working together to fix and hopefully put the disaster to rest. Liam has always had a strong attraction to North and wants to be the hero in his story. I was anticipating really loving Liam for this but for some reason it did not come through as well as I expected it to. I think it had to do with the fact that even though he was there to support North and confess his undying love he still found a way to think of North as stupid just as his family (and the world) does. I wish that not had been the case. And I also was very much turned off by how many times the word "dick" was repeated. Like it was SO overkill. I understand that it was in fact the appendage that North shared with the world, but I honestly could have done with it being mentioned about half the time and maybe even not always referencing his d.i.c.k. I did enjoy their chemistry, loved how they literally did not leave the bed for long periods of time and loved how pliant North was at the hands of Liam. I enjoyed the supporting characters and the setting a lot.

Even though this may not have been a win for me in general I would for sure still give Leta another chance and read more of her words. I think if this had been a bit longer and then we saw some time between North and Liam where they are a happy couple it would have done really great things for this story.
My fair rating is 2.75, rounded to 3.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book provided by Gay Romance Reviews.*