Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  The Real Thing Series Collection 

SERIES:  The Real Thing

AUTHOR:  Emma Lyon

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  812 pages

RELEASE DATE:  February 22, 2022

BLURB:

Enjoy all four books in The Real Thing series, plus all new bonus scenes, in one steamy collection. Features fake boyfriends, secret bodyguard romance, a handsome billionaire and his long-suffering PA, public professions of love, and a hard-fought second chance love.

Not So Fake
Lane needs a fake boyfriend for his ex’s wedding. Zach’s just trying to make enough money to pay for law school. Sparks fly from their first meeting, and soon their fake romance is heating up—along with all the complications from Lane’s father’s political position. But complicated wasn’t the plan, and a real relationship was never part of the deal. When their lies catch up with them, it’s either play it safe or take a chance on the real thing.

Not So Innocent
When Holden is hired to protect Senator Garrett and his family from a threat, he discovers that the hot young man he kissed at the bar last night is none other than the Senator’s youngest son, Ethan. His job should prevent anything more from happening between them—if only they could keep their hands off each other. Indulging a secret romance while living under the same roof can’t possibly end well, but Holden is fast discovering that what Ethan wants, he usually gets.

Not So Nice
The worst fate Ryan can imagine is falling for his self-absorbed, brilliant billionaire boss. Even if Nathan Graham is stupidly handsome and owns a jet. When Nathan involves him in a fake dating scheme to close a deal, Ryan is appalled by how much he likes it. Because maybe he is sort of in love with Nathan Graham. An impromptu romantic trip to Ibiza in Nathan’s private jet doesn’t hurt, either. But going from boss and PA to happily ever after isn’t as easy as it seems, and Nathan soon finds that all his money and power can’t get him what he truly wants—Ryan.

Not So Perfect
Shane needs a lawyer to save his construction business, and he wants the best—even if that means working with Phineas Quinn again, the man who left him three years ago. Despite their past, the attraction is still there, and Shane is just as bad at resisting him. Turns out his buttoned-up, perfectionist lawyer is as hot under the sheets as he always was, and just as eager to give up control in the bedroom. But this time, Shane won’t be happy with second place. He knows what he wants, he just has to convince Quinn to take what he wants too.

REVIEW:

Not So Fake –

This story is a somewhat conventional fake boyfriend to real lovers story.  What elevates it is the charming characters.  Lane is a Senator’s son who has been dumped by his boyfriend who is now marrying a woman in a whirlwind engagement/wedding scenario.  And the douche-canoe invites Lane to the wedding.  Enter Zach, a law student who is working as an escort on the side to make money to pay for his final year of law school.  Lane’s friend Cassie convinces him to take a date and recommends the escort service.  Zach and Lane hit it off at the wedding and when they leave early Zach takes Lane to someplace special.  It seems like even though this is a fake date, things seem to feel real.  When Lane needs a date to another function, he calls for Zach again.  But then Zach unexpectedly meets Lane’s mother at the function and gets invited to the July 4th holiday at their summer place and it doesn’t seem so fake.  Lane is happy for the company, but while they are gone, things really do get real.  They can’t keep their hands off each other and it goes from fake to real very quickly.  Ethan, Lane’s brother is skeptical, but he can see the chemistry.  Lane feels bad that he hasn’t been entirely truthful with her.  But then Zach pulls back after they return to DC nd Lane is hurt.  Zach has made his peace with changing his plans because he doesn’t think he’s good enough for Lane.  Luckily others don’t see it that way.

I really liked both Lane and Zach. They each had their issues but they also each have people in their life who help them see things more clearly.  Lane’s been hurt because of his past relationship and Zach has been made to feel like he’s not good enough and not worth the work.  I really liked Zach’s family and Lane’s brother and mother. His father, not so much, but he does somewhat redeem himself.  Lane and Zach are definitely better together and the epilogues were really sweet 🙂

Not So Innocent – Ethan, Zach’s younger brother has been dumped by his college boyfriend. He’s been living with his parents after graduation and he lacks direction.  He goes out to a bar, gets drunk and luckily the guy he hits on doesn’t take advantage of him but sends him home in a cab.  Lo and behold, he’s the new security guy for his family who shows up at the Senator’s house the next day.  Surprise!  Holden went to the naval academy and then after his commitment, he moved to the state department.  His parents have just been killed in a car accident and he’s home to take care of their property, funerals, etc.  While he’s home he’s taken this job to protect the Senator’s family.  He hadn’t counted on Ethan being part of that gig.  It’s clear from the get-go that their chemistry is off the charts.  They both know it’s a short-term things and of course a bad idea.  But they can’t keep their hands off each other.  When the chips are down though, Holden does his job and then leaves and Ethan is hurt. But some things just aren’t over.

This one felt a little fast to me.  Ethan and Holden go from zero to sixty pretty fast.  Also Holden is dealing with a lot with settling his parents affairs. He hadn’t talked to them in 8 years since they cut him off after he came out as gay.  He had a lot of issues and it’s kind of a bad idea to get into a relationship while so much is going on, but he really has a connection with Ethan and he’s willing to risk a lot.  Maybe even his career.  But he wants to explore it.  Ethan is not above making him grovel a bit, but he’s never felt that connection before.  Lane and Zach are secondary characters here and it’s good to see them back – especially in the epilogue 🙂

Not So Nice –

Ethan’s friend Ryan is in love with his billionaire boss.  Nathan Graham is a bit of a manwhore.  Ryan, as his PA, gets to do his dirty work – breaking up with his one night stands, monitoring his social media, even getting called away from his grandmother’s birthday to do something for Nathen.  But when there is a company he wants to buy, Nathan decides to cook up a way that he can have Ryan act as his fake BF.   But then it gets real very fast.  Of course Ryan has been halfway there and when Nathan seems to want the same thing, it’s like they are totally in synch.  They escape for a week from the real world together, but it causes a lot of trouble back in the real world for them.  And when they are back, Nathan is afraid Ryan will realize he’s not good enough for him.  Ryan is insecure because he knows that Nathan has never made a relationship work before.  Of course he screws up.  And Ryan begins to think he’s not going to be able to keep Nathan’s interest now that he’s back to BAU.  But thankfully Nathan pulls his head out and gets back on track 🙂

This might be my favorite – simply because I like Ryan so much.  He’s so sweet and he really does love Nathan with all his flaws.  He does realize that Nathan has no clue what he’s doing and he’s patient.  But he also realizes that he is going to have to look out for himself.  He doesn’t want to be a kept man and he has an idea of how he wants his life to be – house, kids, family, etc.  Nathan is a little slower to realize just how good he’s got it with Ryan, but he does realize that he’s the ONE thing that he does really care about and would give up the rest of his life for.  Swoon!  I loved these two together.

Not So Perfect –  Quinn is Nathan’s lawyer which is how this story is “related” to the rest of the series, although not as clearly as the rest.  He’s just gotten divorced from a very nice woman.  He’s been a manwhore since he and his wife separated, but the divorce was amicable.  His ex, Shane,  needs his help to win a case and this brings them back into contact again.  They fell apart because they couldn’t communicate, but neither has forgotten about the other.  And when they are back together, the tension is sizzling.  They are certainly steamy between the sheets.  It takes them a bit to get on the same page, but luckily things aren’t too angsty.  The court case even works out pretty well – but the real winners are Shane and Quinn.

Wooooohoooo!  This one was very hot and steamy.  There is a lot of bedroom time here, but they really could not keep their hands off each other.  And it’s clear that this dynamic really works for them.  There’s some kink but really it’s all about the love and support for them.  It was a very sweet second chances story at the end of the day and they both deserved to be happy.

Overall this is a really nice collection of related stories.  I really liked the characters and the growth that a number of them show over the course of the stories.  Some guys needed help seeing their own worth.  Some needed to figure out how to be in a real relationship where both parties have equal billing.  Some need to get past the baggage and wounds of past failed relationships.   I liked getting to see the other couples pop in the subsequent stories.  The epilogues gave me warm fuzzies and left me with a smile on my face.  Recommended!

RATING: 

BUY LINKS:

Amazon