Reviewed by Roberta
TITLE: Life Under New Management
SERIES: Totally Five Star: Vancouver
AUTHOR: Jane Davitt
PUBLISHER: Totally Bound Publishing
LENGTH: 242 Pages
BLURB:
Working for a perfectionist like strict, sexy-as-hell Ethan isn’t easy. Falling in love with him? No problem at all.
Taking a bar job in an exclusive hotel is a stopgap for Andy. He’s an actor and his big break is coming soon—he knows it. His hot, new boss, Ethan, is strict, demanding and totally off-limits, but Andy can’t stop thinking about him.
When Andy learns of Ethan’s need to be in control of his partner—in bed and out of it—he’s stunned by the intensity of his reaction. He wants Ethan guiding him, bringing order to his chaotic life. And he sees that Ethan needs him too, though they can’t be open about their feelings.
Ethan deals out deliciously perverse consequences for misbehaving, but when it comes to incentives, he knows just what to offer to have Andy on his knees begging for more.
But some secrets can’t stay that way for long. And when difficult choices arise, for once Andy can’t turn to Ethan for guidance. This time, he’s on his own.
REVIEW:
This book was a fun little read that in turns amused and irritated me.
I liked Ethan’s character in this book. He was very well written and very much an Alpha Male. Ethan is very much aware of his kinks and truly isn’t bothered by it in any way. Ethan is such a controlled person that I truly enjoyed watching his work ethic and how he handles Andy. Ethan isn’t really well delved into as this story is truly seen from Andy’s POV, however, I really liked Ethan and the way that he seems to have the respect and admiration of his staff and the guests in the hotel.
Andy on the other hand….I get that he’s young. I truly do, however, he made me want to smack him numerous times. I will say that Andy does A LOT of growing up in this story. Andy is that out of work actor that is trying to get ahead in life. I can understand that. I understand his need to find something to do to pay the bills while his acting career wasn’t panning out the way that he wants it to. Andy is driven to want the approval of people and most importantly….Ethan.
I will say that I liked that Andy, who is truly new to the whole scene, yet he’s so willing to try to please Ethan. I liked that it also became true that he liked the sex that they were having. Andy freely admitted that he had a lover spank him once and he enjoyed it. I liked that Andy struggled with his need to submit to Ethan. How he fought when they were doing scenes. It was a pleasure to watch Andy submit to Ethan and find his own joy and pleasure. I really liked that Andy had to be persistent in his pursuit of Ethan. I liked how Ethan put up a bit of a fight. That Andy really had to flay himself open in order for Ethan to gauge his honesty.
Now, this book has BDSM elements in the story. It was at times fun and wicked and truly hot. I have to say that the clothes pins hurt me and I’m a girl. I winced while reading that part, however, it was truly a thing of beauty to read.
I will say that the developing relationship between Andy and Ethan didn’t really strike me as very organic. I didn’t seem to connect with them the way I do most characters in a story and I think that’s why it didn’t feel real to me. They started off as just a verbal contract of sex only and then….BOOM…Andy is like I Love You. WTH? That kinda threw me. Ethan didn’t say it until the very end of the story and I felt that was more honest, however, it still didn’t feel real.
Overall, I liked the story. I liked that Andy wasn’t the typical sub and Ethan wasn’t truly the typical Dom. I really liked seeing Andy’s struggles in order for him to accept what is given and not try to manipulate his way. I liked that Ethan took the time to see beyond the flighty Andy and to help guide him to what Andy so needed, someone to ground him.
RATING: 
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