Reviewed by Valerie

TITLE:  Novel Affair

SERIES:  NY Nights #1

AUTHOR:  Ava Olsen

PUBLISHER:  Evernight Publishing

LENGTH:  215 pages

RELEASE DATE:  March 16, 2022

BLURB:

It started as a novel affair…

Ryker Desoumas is a science-fiction novelist living in New York City. A former crime reporter with a secret trauma, he prefers to work—and live—alone.

Wes Stewart is a celebrity author from Toronto. After years of writing self-help books, he’s looking for something exciting to rekindle his passion for the craft.

When Ryker’s publisher pitches a collaboration between the two men, Wes is all for it. Ryker, on the other hand, resists and fears that Wes will turn his quiet world upside down. But Wes is sexy and charismatic, and Ryker can’t help being drawn to him. A tentative professional partnership becomes something much more personal.

But Wes has been burned by love in the past, and Ryker isn’t sure he’s ready to let someone into his heart. Will they find happiness together?

…it could be the love of a lifetime.

REVIEW:

“Sweaty, messy, dirty.” When two collaborative authors set off to co-write a gay romance novel, their intentions are to make it hot. Well, life imitates art. Soon their own roll in the hay resembles exactly what they want on page: sweaty (yes), messy (heck yeah) and dirty (hell fucking yes!) This is the first book I’ve read this year that’s had this particular flavor of visceral sexual chemistry and passion, front and center. Plan to be entertained. For the characters, it’s thrilling, exciting, and terrifying because of how rapidly emotions are developing for these two relationship-allergic men. Need and want commingle with tenderness as the sex quickly becomes lovemaking.

I don’t usually begin my reviews with a dissertation on the sex, but it had to be said. This is one hot book, but it’s certainly more than that; it’s perfect in so many ways. I like the premise of two men trying to work together despite one’s dislike and animosity toward the other. Although they’re both best selling authors, their personalities are dichotomous. Their opposites attract romance, with its snark and sarcasm, and Wes’ delight at Ryker’s discomfort and awkwardness around him, is fabulous.

Ryker is a self-described curmudgeon, an introverted science fiction author who hates publicity and attention and doesn’t care what people think of him. He prefers to stay home with his cats and dog, or spend his time volunteering at a local animal shelter. When his friend and publisher, Mac, presses him to write his next book with celebrity mystery and nonfiction writer, Wes Stewart, Ryker gives him an unequivocal no. But when he meets the irrepressible – and as it turns out – irresistible Wes, it’s lust at first sight for both of them.

If Ryker is the grumpy one, Wes is the sunshine. He’s confident (read: arrogant) with an ego that knows no bounds and he charms everyone. He feels like he’s lost his edge writing fiction and hopes a partnership can get him back on track. Upon meeting Ryker, there’s immediate, mutual attraction and unmistakable chemistry. Regardless of whether or not Wes can convince Ryker to work with him, they make the decision to sleep together. One night only, they agree. Uh huh. One night’s not enough for either of them and they both catch feelings quickly, surprising them since neither wants anything more than sex. Wes hasn’t been in a relationship for three years and that was a disaster, and Ryker has his own troubling past. But it’s more than sex they come to crave from each other; it’s the conversation, the companionship, the connection.

“What’s happening with us?” Wes asked, rubbing a hand over his jaw, his lips. “I don’t know, but it’s fucking scary,” Ryker said truthfully.

Soon there’s flirty texting and constantly thinking of each other, and then we’re back to the sweaty, the messy, and the dirty. Their FaceTime sex burned up my tablet it was so hot. The stuff that comes out of their dirty mouths…Dios mio, as Ryker would say.

Ava Olsen has done such a wonderful job creating these characters. Ryker and Wes are fun, lovable, and sympathetic. There’s a great supporting cast, too, of friends and colleagues being set up for future books. This is exciting because this is a wild group of men with potential for more superb books. Ryker’s mother, with her big personality, is another important character.

Overall, this is a fantastic, feel-good, sexy novel that really caught me by surprise. I look forward to Ms. Olsen’s future work. Highly recommended.

RATING: 

BUY LINK:

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