Reviewed by Taylin
TITLE: Out Of The Shadows
SERIES: Silver Fox Novel #3
AUTHOR: Ali Rycart
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 338 Pages
RELEASE DATE: December 29, 2021
BLURB:
Two men. One explosive attraction. And the doubts and fears that could rip them apart forever.
Daniel
Firing Cosmo Stern was the best business decision I ever made. Cocky and over-confident, he was a walking disaster. Five years on, he’s the last man I want on my team when I’m hired to save a failing investment firm from collapse. Brash, infuriating and cocksure, he’s also the most captivating man I’ve ever met. But that means nothing. I have no interest in men. And none, absolutely none, in Cosmo Stern.
Cosmo
I’ve never forgiven Daniel Russo for almost wrecking my career, so when the man I loathe more than anybody walks into the office as my new boss, we both know there’s a storm coming. He’s still uptight, still so poker straight he’ll snap if he bends an inch, and still the hot and sexy silver fox I remember. When a blazing row leads to a burning kiss I’m left stunned, confused and wanting a whole lot more. But I’ve been a straight guy’s walk on the wild side before. It’s a road I’ve vowed never to walk again — for anybody.
Out of The Shadows is a steamy age gap workplace romance. Expect enemies to lovers, two men who can’t admit who or what they want, along with a pinch of angst and friends who love and despair of them in equal measure.
REVIEW:
Daniel, a consultant troubleshooter, is recruited to save a failing finance house. He didn’t anticipate encountering Cosmo, the man he fired five years earlier for incompetence. Expecting to have to fire him again, Daniel is instead floored by the man Cosmo has become. A man that also stirs long-buried feelings regarding men. When Cosmo encounters Daniel, he’s damned if he will be pushed about by the man again.
Reading this story was a delight. From the first page, the electricity between Cosmo and Daniel almost jumps off the page. With a significant age gap – the two men have very different experiences of gay life. Cosmo is out, proud, and scarred by one particular man he had relations with. Daniel has denied his true self for his current lifetime. The attraction between them is palpable, but both have needs and boundaries as well as their strengths and vulnerabilities.
Out Of The Shadows is the third book in the Silver Fox series. It is told in the first person via dedicated chapters from the viewpoints of Daniel and Cosmo. If you’ve read the previous novels, some crossover characters offer some extra background but no effect on the ability to read this installment as a standalone.
The story begins in the office as a game of cat and mouse. Cosmo and Daniel are interchangeable predators. The story then moves into more personal areas, introducing friends and activities that lead to fight or flight reactions. Friends offer their protectiveness as freely as their advice and warnings.
There is lots to love about this story, including some stonking British phrases and the ‘Oh hell yes’ knowledge that Hobnobs are comfort food. I also loved that neither man is a pushover. Both fight their corner – oh, and I’m giving a shout out here to Wallace, the cat.
The word count makes this a good length story – one that I immensely enjoyed and was eager to discover what happened next. But Cosmo’s online googling shows Daniel as a significant media man of interest. Given the social curiosity in Daniel, I expected elements of this to be added to the story or explanations for their absence.
Nevertheless, this silver fox tale was a goodie, with plenty of yin/yang, emotional ups, downs, and page-turning activity. Other than one little niggle – A thorough joy to read.
RATING: 
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