Top Secret

4.5 stars — Dudes, isn’t it weird how you don’t know you’ve missed something until you get it again? I really love the way this duo writes together. I don’t even know how to describe what it is about their writing, but it’s just seamless. And you get the best of both writers. And OMG, their M/M romances in particular are just super steamy and hot combined with realism and dimension.And that’s the thing that stands out the most for me in this book, the depth of our two heroes. They are so real. I love how completely different they are from one another, yet I empathize with both of them, and truly feel like I understand how they came to be the men that they are now. And they’re both eminently likable! Keaton truly is a lovable puppy dog, seeking approval from his loved ones, while trying to embrace who he is inside. I loved his nerdy mind, his passion for animals, and his willingness to look deeper within himself. I LOVED that he didn’t try to hide or squash the new things he was learning about himself…I mean, he panicked and was confused, but he forged ahead.And Luke just broke my heart. He had so much drive, but it came from a place of insecurity. He was truly shaped by his past and his childhood, and it was hard to watch the arrows keep coming his way. I wanted him to discover his worth earlier, to learn to trust faster, but in the end it wouldn’t have been believable. And in the end it made every step forward that much more satisfying.And the two of them together surprised me. I loved their communications over Kink. I loved the way they connected with one another on a basic level. And in a strange way, I loved that they were so different in real life, neither one taking the time to look deeper into the other. I’m not always into enemies to lovers tropes, but this one was well done. And damn, did that hostility and tension make for some very hot scenes when they first got together. Like smoking. OMG, Luke’s dominant personality was just…wow. And the subtle way their relationship developed was kind of sweet too. I became fully invested in their romance.There were definitely some great secondary characters in this one as well. From the different personalities of the frat brothers, to Annika, to even Keaton’s Dad. They all added to make us learn more about the boys.On a side note, there is a very small element of non-physical cheating in this book. Cheating’s normally a button issue for me, but there are always exceptions. This would be one of them. The circumstances surrounding the relationships are super unique, and the way it all played out just didn’t have me turned off. Obviously it’s personal, but just thought I’d give one perspective from someone who doesn’t have much tolerance for that.So yeah. Super huge hit with me. I can definitely see myself checking out the audiobook when it becomes available, because I’d love to see Keaton and Luke’s story evolve all over again. Such a great combination of sass, humour, steam, and depth.

Top Secret is a contemporary m/m romance novel by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. I was looking forward to reading this book because I enjoyed reading their previous collaboration, the m/m hockey duology Him and Us. I was even more excited when I found out that this book was a new release; it hadn’t been on my radar, so finding it as a new release was an awesome surprise!Keaton is a junior at a prestigious college. He comes from a wealthy family, and he has his whole life mapped out for him. Well, his father has his whole life mapped out for him, but Keaton has other ambitions he’d rather follow. Keaton has been dating the same girl for years, and she’s asked him to plan a threesome with another guy for her birthday. So, Keaton logs onto a hookup app.Luke is a student at the same university. He’s also in the same fraternity as Keaton, but that’s where their similarities end. Luke is a “townie” going to school on scholarship, and he works at a strip club to pay for the expenses that his scholarship doesn’t cover. When he sees the couple’s profile on the app looking for a third person, he’s more than happy to oblige.Keaton and Luke connect via the app, but they don’t realize they’re talking to each other because of the usernames. There’s an instant connection online, but they loathe each other in real life. There’s no way this could possibly work, is there?I’m usually reluctant about spoilers, but I know that cheating is one of the biggest dealbreakers when it comes to romance novels, and so it’s worth noting that there’s no cheating in this book. The girlfriend is out of the picture by the time Keaton and Luke hook up. I suppose there’s a grey area when it comes to their online chats, but it’s ostensibly in the context of the threesome Keaton is supposed to be planning.Keaton and Luke are both young- ~21- and they’re still figuring out what they want out of life. Luke is more comfortable with his bisexuality, but Keaton needs to come to terms with his newfound attraction to men, which is interesting to see in the hypermasculine culture of the fraternity.Keaton and Luke have great chemistry, but more importantly, they have a nice rapport from the beginning. Their bantering over texts in the app was hilarious, and this book had me smiling throughout. This book is generally low-angst; both guys have personal problems that they need to deal with over the course of the book, but they are resolved fairly quickly.I would absolutely recommend Top Secret to fans of new adult m/m romance. This book was fun and cute- I love the Bowen/Kennedy collaborations, and I need to add their individual contributions to my never-ending TBR queue.

I’m so glad I finally got this book. I love Keaton and Luke! They have to work so hard for their HEA. Luke is so closed off and distrustful thanks to his terrible family. I like that his transformation is quick or easy. It feels more real this way. But he’s such a good person at heart that I’m so glad he finally lets himself take a chance on love.And Keaton is so dear. He is so patient and observant. He can see when things might push Luke away and he is controlled enough to not push too hard. He is patience and perseverance go a long way to showing Luke that he’s trustworthy and sincere. But he’s also not a doormat. I like his evolution with his dad, his sexuality, and his relationship with Annika.I also like how the 3rd Act Breakup is handled. It’s very rooted in character, and not a simple misunderstanding.Plus this story has some really fun texting. There’s something about flirty texts that I love in stories.

I swear that this duo on writers is the best duo pf writers.Every book I've read of them together it is simply a masterpiece.I loved this book so much! They chemistry, the banter, the feelings, and the traumas. The way they cut toxic people from their lifes and the support of their family and friends. It is simply perfection.

Una buena lectura, llego en muy buenas condiciones

Uno de mis libros favoritos. Profundo. Conmovedor. Divertido. Erótico. Con dos protagonistas que son mis bebés preciosos♡. Sólo quiero más de ellos.

Ich mag die Bücher von Sarina Bowen sehr gerne und als ich nun beim Stöbern auf "Top secret" gestoßen bin konnte ich einfach nicht wiederstehen. Von Elle Kennedy habe ich vorher noch nichts gelesen gehabt und nun also gespannt, was die beiden Autorinnen hier gemeinsam zu Papier gebracht haben.Und was soll ich sagen, ich habe das Buch verschlungen - konnte es gar nicht mehr aus der Hand legen.Die Geschichte wird abwechselnd aus den Perspektiven von Keaton und Luke erzählt, die beide auf den ersten Blick so gar nichts gemeinsam haben und aus vollkommen unterschiedlichen Welten kommen, sozusagen.Aber die Chemie zwischen ihnen ist stimmig und von Bowen und Kennedy herrlich in Szene gesetzt.Die Geschichte, die sich zwischen den beiden entspannt ist sowohl voller Gefühl, hat einen guten Tiefgang und genau die richtige Menge an Humor um das ganze abzurunden. Und natürlich knistert es auch zwischen den beiden und das Bett bleibt nicht unbeachtet, dabei bleiben die dargestellten Szenen gerade so detailreich wie nötig und es wird nichts unnötig in die Länge gezogen.Das Buch war einfach klasse. Aber viel zu kurz. Gerne hätte ich noch mehr von Luke und Keaton gelesen. Kann das Buch nur empfehlen.

I really appreciate that book