Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  You’ve Got Male

SERIES:  Rom-Com Reboot

AUTHOR:  DJ Jamison

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  171 pages

RELEASE DATE:  May 22, 2024

BLURB:

My friends are all about the romance. Me? I’ve got other things to worry about.

Carrying on my uncle’s little record store–his legacy–means everything to me. Too bad a big audio store promising to be the one-stop shop for music is opening across the street. The owner, Chase Fox, is too friendly, too smooth–too annoying. He knows I’m straight, and his competition besides, and still he flirts with me. My only comfort is the new friend I met on the Seattle Life site. We never exchanged real names, and I don’t know if they’re a guy or a girl, but there’s a freedom in that. I can say anything to them without holding back. But as time goes on, I get more curious. And more confused. Could my online pal be more than a friend? Even if they’re not a woman? And why are Chase’s flirty smiles suddenly giving me flutters and making me wish for the impossible–that my business rival and my closest online friend might actually be the same guy. A guy meant to be mine. You’ve Got Male is Book 2 in the Rom-Com Reboot series that takes inspiration from classic Hollywood movies, gives them a new twist, a lot more M/M heat, and a satisfying HEA!

REVIEW:

Austin is surviving by the skin of his teeth carrying on running his Uncle’s vintage vinyl record store in a neighborhood that is changing.  That’s all good until the Fox Entertainment Store is about to open across the street.  They will have books, games, accessories AND music 🙁  This is NOT good.

Chase Fox has convinced his grandmother, the president and CEO of Fox Books to try this new concept.  She has told him he has three months to prove that his concept will work because the other stores are losing money and if this doesn’t turn things around, she’s shutting it all down.  He’s VERY motivated to make things work.  His sister and his cousin are also involved in the family business, so this affects them all.  While he’s watching his niece Lacy, they go into Austin’s record store.  He finds some records he likes, but he’s more interested in the owner and the vibe of the store.  He flirts with Austin but when Austin sees his name on the credit card, well he’s cold as ice and accused Chase of trying to put him out of business.  That was never Chase’s intention, but he’s going to have a hard time convincing Austin of that.

As the store gets closer to opening, Austin is unhappy about it.  His friends offer to help.  There is an article about businesses crushing small mom and pop stores that gets people talking – and Chase’s grandmother showing up to “oversee” Chase’s store.  Chase has to do damage control and he really isn’t out to destroy the neighborhood.

Running parallel to this story line, Chase and Austin have been chatting on a local app with user names.  They have been chatting for some time as friends with anonymity.  Finally things get a little more flirty and they sext!  Eventually they agree to meet up.  And when they do, Austin is NOT happy.  But Chase is VERY happy 🙂  He chases Austin when he pretty much runs away, but then Austin surprises him by grabbing him and kissing him.  They end up at Austin’s and well, let’s just say things get pretty hot and heavy.  But they agreed it’s a one night only.  And there is the little issue of Austin never having been with or dated a guy before.   Chase clearly wants it to be more.  Will he now lose one of his only friends too?

Chase has to work hard to get Austin to respond to him again.  They continue to message each other then as Chase gets ready to open his store.  He has ideas about how to bring more business into the whole neighborhood.  There is some skepticism on Austin’s part, but what the heck?  It’s worth a shot and his friends get involved too.  As they are working on these “ideas” together, well they just can keep their hands of each other.  Austin doesn’t want to label it, but Chase is pretty sure he’s all in.  Despite having to deal with other business drama and Austin getting his head “straight” about his sexuality, they do make a pretty good team 😉

This was sooooo cute!  I loved Chase and Austin 🙂  I was a little slow on the uptake when I first started this realizing that Zach and Tristan, Austin’s friends, were the MCs from the first book.  LOL!  Then I got with the program 😛  Thankfully these two didn’t stay enemies for long, but besides the business things, Austin has never dated or been with a guy before.  Then there is the whole anonymous friends via an app and should they/shouldn’t they meet in real life.  There were things that pointed to Chase figuring out that his friend o Seattle Life might be Austin and truthfully he really did want it to be since he liked Austin right away – despite Austin’s viewing him as the enemy because of his new store.  I loved how although Austin hadn’t been with a guy before, he wasn’t exactly opposed to it.  Having lots of queer friends and living Capitol Hill adjacent, he was in a liberal and accepting area, so he decides to go with the flow when he figures out that he does have a real attraction to Chase.  Their first encounter in person is pretty explosive.  Austin is a little bit surprised, but his friends really aren’t and they are there to support him too 🙂  Chase just wants to convince Austin that they don’t have to be enemies.  It takes a little while for Austin to come around, but it’s more about getting his head around his past, his current status and what he wants his future to look like.  He’s never had a relationship as intense and heated as his one with Chase.  Hmmmm.  What does that mean?  Certainly he’s at least bi, but what?  Maybe pan, demi given his last relationships.  Chase has his own family drama to deal with while Austin is worried about letting his Uncle’s legacy die with his store.  Chase is not one to give up though and once he and Austin decide that they can be a team, well there is no stopping them 🙂  Austin’s friends are there to help and encourage this new dynamic and while they are skeptical at first, the come around and welcome Chase to the family.  So true confession time – I’ve never seen You’ve Got Mail.  I know – terrible!  But it didn’t take away from my enjoyment at all.  It’s a fun, funny, sweet and sexy story with a great HEA.  I really am loving this series.

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

Amazon