Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Dix

SERIES:  Elite 8 Studios

AUTHOR:  Emmy Sanders

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  xxx pages

RELEASE DATE:  August 18, 2022

BLURB:

Do you believe in hate at first sight?

Dixon
If I had to choose one word to describe my new cocky costar, it’d be exasperating. Nikolas Adamos may look like a Greek god—and he certainly struts around like he knows it—but unlike everyone else, I refuse to fall prey to his charms.

Unfortunately for me, Niko and I get paired to do a series of lovey-dovey boyfriend videos for our employers at Elite 8 Studios. And when you film the sort of scenes we do, up close and personal takes on a whole new meaning.

I may have to play nice while the cameras are rolling, but off set, it’s another matter entirely. So what if our chemistry is off the charts? That doesn’t mean a thing. Nor does the tender look in Niko’s eye when we’re together under the lights.

Because I know the truth. Nikolas Adamos revels in riling me up. And even though my pesky friends think I need fireworks after a string of fizzled relationships, I have no doubt if I allow myself to get any closer to my new fake boyfriend, I’ll only end up burned.

Dix is a grumpy/sunshine, one-sided enemies-to-lovers romance with hate at first sight, forced proximity for two costars who work between the sheets, banter and snark galore, plenty of industrial-sized lube, and one very HEA. It’s book 1 in the Elite 8 Studios series, featuring characters that were introduced in Virgin Hearts (Plum Valley Cowboys Book 2), but can be read as a standalone.

REVIEW:

Dixon is a gay porn star who lives in Vegas.  He is the former roommate of Mateo, aka Silver, another porn star at the Elite8 Studios.  Mateo has moved on with his life and is now in Texas with his boyfriend.  Dixon has also just been dumped by his long term girlfriend.  She just left and Dixon is stung.  He’s in no mood to deal with the ball of sunshine and snark that is Niko Adamos, his new scene partner and new hire at Elite8.  He’s even more put out when he learns that he and Niko will be doing a multiscene “boyfriend” arc.  First, he doesn’t do boyfriend stuff.  Secondly, just no with Niko.

A funny thing happens on the way to Niko and Dixon’s “boyfriend” arc though.  It seems like both of them are feeling more than they want to.  Niko finds Dixon sexy as hell and sometimes when they are doing their scenes, he glimpses something of the real Dixon underneath the stoic walls.  Dixon gets caught up in the moment as well and the rest of the world fades away.  But they are only acting, right?  Riiiiiiiight.  Seems like there is a LOT more going on than meets the eye.  And Niko makes it his job to win over Dixon.

While they get closer and Niko sees more and more of the real Dixon between the cracks in his walls, Dixon is nervous that he doesn’t have anything to offer.  Every one of his relationships has ended because he’s not able to meet his partner’s needs.  He worries that he’s boring and just not enough to keep anyone long term. And he really doesn’t want to screw things up with Niko.  It’s adorable how they dance around each other and Niko’s “wooing” is the best 😉  He’s not about to give up on his grumpy bear.

Well this book was freaking adorable.  I loved Niko from the get-go.  He really is one persistent dude!  He knew if kept going he’d find out how many licks it takes to get to the the gooey center of the Tootsie Pop 😀  I was intrigued by Dixon from his intro as Mateo’s roommate and coworker from the Virgin Hearts book in the Plum Valley Cowboys series (minor spoilers in this one for that book).  He was a bisexual gay porn star that seemed to only date women.  It’s clear when his last relationship ends that something is not right.  It takes Niko getting under his skin and not giving up for him to realize that his walls – while protecting him from some things – are keeping him from being happy.  He’s been content at times in his life but never really happy.  Whether that’s a leftover from his less than stellar past with his nonaccepting family is his best friend/therapist’s attempt to help him figure out 😉  Niko does change how he interacts with Dixon after an aha moment of his own.  But Dixon finds doesn’t like that and surprisingly misses and wants the old snarky sassy Niko back.  Niko as lost people as well but he has his whole family to back him up and he’s less afraid than Dixon to put his heart out there.  He wants to be there for Dixon if only Dixon can take the leap of faith 😉

All the secondary characters in this book are fabulous 😀  The guys who run the porn studio, the other performers, Niko’s big loving and nosey family, his BFF Kipp (can’t wait to get his story 😉  – hint, hint), Dixon’s friends outside of the the porn studio – they are all like one big family.  There is so much here to mine for stories I can’t wait to see what Ms. Sanders does with all of them.  I so enjoyed the Plum Valley Cowboys series and this one is shaping up to be just as good.  I heartily recommend this author and this book for a really well written feel good story about two guys who really do get their Happy Ending 😉

RATING: 

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