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Personal #1
Making it Personal
Blake Davis is in the closet. And he’s going to stay that way. Because if his father finds out he’s gay, Blake could lose everything he’s worked so hard to achieve during the last six years as CEO of Trinity Publishing, the fastest rising star in the publishing firmament. Not that coming out wouldn’t solve a couple of problems. Maybe then his father would stop trying to set him up with yet another empty-headed, social-climbing girlfriend. And better still, Blake could stop using that escort agency when he wants a night of hot sex with a cute guy…
Will Parkinson has had a tough life so far, but he’s back on his feet. Okay, so he’s working as an escort – with ‘benefits’– to pay off his student loans, but that does have its advantages, such as the really hot guy who hired him. Yeah, Blake rocked his world last night – several times. So imagine how Will feels when he arrives to be interviewed for his dream job as PA in a publishing company, and the guy who’s hiring is….. Blake.
And then things get really complicated….
Will Parkinson has had a tough life so far, but he’s back on his feet. Okay, so he’s working as an escort – with ‘benefits’– to pay off his student loans, but that does have its advantages, such as the really hot guy who hired him. Yeah, Blake rocked his world last night – several times. So imagine how Will feels when he arrives to be interviewed for his dream job as PA in a publishing company, and the guy who’s hiring is….. Blake.
And then things get really complicated….
223 pages, ebook
First published June 18, 2013
46 people are currently reading
1125 people want to read
About the author
K.C. Wells
172 books1,858 followersK.C. Wells lives on an island off the south coast of the UK, surrounded by natural beauty. She writes about men who love men, and can’t even contemplate a life that doesn’t include writing.
The rainbow rose tattoo on her back with the words 'Love is Love' and 'Love Wins' is her way of hoisting a flag. She plans to be writing about men in love - be it sweet and slow, hot or kinky - for a long while to come.
If you want to follow her exploits, you can sign up for her monthly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cNKHlT
You can stalk – er, find – her in the following places:
E-mail: k.c.wells@btinternet.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KCWellsWorld
Twitter: @K_C_Wells
Website: https://www.kcwellswrites.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/k.c.wells
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/k-c-w...
And for those who like things a little hotter?
There's KC's alter ego, Tantalus, who writes gay erotica.
The rainbow rose tattoo on her back with the words 'Love is Love' and 'Love Wins' is her way of hoisting a flag. She plans to be writing about men in love - be it sweet and slow, hot or kinky - for a long while to come.
If you want to follow her exploits, you can sign up for her monthly newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cNKHlT
You can stalk – er, find – her in the following places:
E-mail: k.c.wells@btinternet.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KCWellsWorld
Twitter: @K_C_Wells
Website: https://www.kcwellswrites.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/k.c.wells
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/k-c-w...
And for those who like things a little hotter?
There's KC's alter ego, Tantalus, who writes gay erotica.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 259 reviews
April 18, 2017
December 22, 2013: Re-read before reading the fun and fluffy sequel More Than Personal.
Now THIS is a fucking fantastic office romance! Super smoking, mind melting sex between MC Blake, the 30 year gay son of a publishing tycoon and MC Will, a 25 year old rent boy and writer. Blake is still in the closet, hiding his sexuality from his father, so hiring discreet professionals is the easiest way for him to find sexual satisfaction. He comes across Will and hires him for a night of, what turns out to be, hot, mind melting, intense sex. The next day, Blake is interviewing candidates for the position of his new personal assistant, and guess who shows up? Yep! Will gets the job and the sexual tension hits an all-time-high. The two men go through many trials and tribulations during the course of the book and eventually fall in love. The epilogue is the stuff of fairy tales and will leave you weeping with joy.
If you like M/M romance with ridiculously hot sex, high drama, back stabbing secondary characters and a glorious HEA, I can HIGHLY RECOMMEND Making it Personal.
This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews
Now THIS is a fucking fantastic office romance! Super smoking, mind melting sex between MC Blake, the 30 year gay son of a publishing tycoon and MC Will, a 25 year old rent boy and writer. Blake is still in the closet, hiding his sexuality from his father, so hiring discreet professionals is the easiest way for him to find sexual satisfaction. He comes across Will and hires him for a night of, what turns out to be, hot, mind melting, intense sex. The next day, Blake is interviewing candidates for the position of his new personal assistant, and guess who shows up? Yep! Will gets the job and the sexual tension hits an all-time-high. The two men go through many trials and tribulations during the course of the book and eventually fall in love. The epilogue is the stuff of fairy tales and will leave you weeping with joy.
If you like M/M romance with ridiculously hot sex, high drama, back stabbing secondary characters and a glorious HEA, I can HIGHLY RECOMMEND Making it Personal.
This review is also posted at Gay Book Reviews
October 9, 2013
3 1/2 Steamy Stars for a fun, affectionate and very sweet erotic office romance
Oh dear, this was steaming hot from beginning to end. There are certainly a few things to say about both this and that in terms of credibility, the story itself and the quality at times, but an amusing and very entertaining reading, it was absolutely anyway. I sat glued with my Kindle in my hands last night. Blake and Will's erotic and romantic adventure was both exciting and touching cute. I enjoyed greatly to be with them for a few hours.
Blake Davis is the CEO of his father's large publishing houses in London. He turns 30 and is still in the closet. When he's interviewing a slightly younger guy with a good track record for a job as Blake's first male PA, he is completely taken by surprise. The guy in front of him is the good looking, very hot and resourceful Will Parkinson, whom he met the night before in a completely different situation. The guy he called "Alec". The amazing man Blake is still feeling throughout his body. After the initial shock, it remains that Blake decides to give Will the vacancy and a quivering romance in the office begins.
Sigh - what sexy lovely guys they are!! Oh yes, they both had great imagination, empathy and capacity for variation. There is some light kink but always with love and care. At times the dialogue is very fun and good but sometimes it and things sways precariously in both credibility and the rapid pace of the story. It bounces a bit up and down... But one thing I could really believe in - their grand love and attraction for each other.
Tonight I am very generous and raises up to 4 stars only because I had so much fun and got a bit in love with these two lovebirds. Approximately 150 pages and fairly quick read ~ do you want to be amused for a little while - dare to try!
I LIKE - delightful in an amusing way
~~~~~~~~
Thank you dear Macky (her review) who told me and recommended this one yesterday. ~ Oh Macky, I will not forget the scene here with the hot nightly phone call - memorable and smexy good!
Oh dear, this was steaming hot from beginning to end. There are certainly a few things to say about both this and that in terms of credibility, the story itself and the quality at times, but an amusing and very entertaining reading, it was absolutely anyway. I sat glued with my Kindle in my hands last night. Blake and Will's erotic and romantic adventure was both exciting and touching cute. I enjoyed greatly to be with them for a few hours.
“Mr Parkinson? Would you like to---”
The man turned and Blake's next word died in his throut. It was Alec.’
Blake Davis is the CEO of his father's large publishing houses in London. He turns 30 and is still in the closet. When he's interviewing a slightly younger guy with a good track record for a job as Blake's first male PA, he is completely taken by surprise. The guy in front of him is the good looking, very hot and resourceful Will Parkinson, whom he met the night before in a completely different situation. The guy he called "Alec". The amazing man Blake is still feeling throughout his body. After the initial shock, it remains that Blake decides to give Will the vacancy and a quivering romance in the office begins.
..please
Sigh - what sexy lovely guys they are!! Oh yes, they both had great imagination, empathy and capacity for variation. There is some light kink but always with love and care. At times the dialogue is very fun and good but sometimes it and things sways precariously in both credibility and the rapid pace of the story. It bounces a bit up and down... But one thing I could really believe in - their grand love and attraction for each other.
Tonight I am very generous and raises up to 4 stars only because I had so much fun and got a bit in love with these two lovebirds. Approximately 150 pages and fairly quick read ~ do you want to be amused for a little while - dare to try!
I LIKE - delightful in an amusing way
~~~~~~~~
Thank you dear Macky (her review) who told me and recommended this one yesterday. ~ Oh Macky, I will not forget the scene here with the hot nightly phone call - memorable and smexy good!
June 30, 2016
I'm not sure why I didn't love this one as much as so many others did. I really liked both MC's and enjoyed the relationship that developed. I even like all the side character's beside that winch Melissa. What a fucking troll she was. Well, also Justin, Blake's dad. He was made out to be not such a great one and than at the end it was like he was a whole different character and the description we got of him before must have been a figment of my imagination. I didn't get it. It all was a bit dramatic there at the end and it left me feeling unsatisfied. But besides those issues I did enjoy most of the story and it was a hot office romance. There are plenty of smexy times and the guys definitely have chemistry. In the end it was an entertaining read.
December 3, 2020
This is going to be short and sweet. Great blurb it gives you a really good idea of what the basic story is about so no rehashing it here. What it doesn't tell you is that this is a sizzling hot, totally engaging office romance that was easy to read because it flows from start to finish. Will and Blake together! Phew!!! A touch of D/s, lite bondage, smoking sexual tension, awesome chemistry and the proverbial bitch from hell who gets her due rewards in a way that had me doing the snoopy dance. Loved the supporting characters and the epilogue was just perfect! This is the sort of story that to be honest wont surprise you at all but it will satisfy you if you love a REALLY hot, sexy but at the same time sooo romantic m/m love story with just the right amount of conflict to stop it going into all sex and no story mode. Great balance of everything. I'm having a fantastic run with my choices at the moment... Hope it continues. Loved it.
January 31, 2018
4 Stars
This is an M/M office romance that I enjoyed, very, very much.
In Making it Personal, publishing whiz Blake Davis is the definition of a professional success, having built his father’s business into a powerhouse publishing company over the past decade. Unfortunately, Blake can’t claim the same sort of success in his personal life. He is deeply in the closet and fears that should the truth of his sexuality ever be revealed, his father, the still present owner of Trinity Publishing, will react badly; potentially taking the company Blake has poured his heart and soul into away from him.
Blake has resigned himself to a loveless life, publicly dating women to appease his father, while using a high-end escort service whenever his other needs may arise. It is in one of these brief dalliances with a hired professional that Blake meets and shares a night of steamy passion with the sexiest man to ever have crossed his path. But as fate would have it, the very next day, while still reeling from the events of the night before, Blake finds himself faced once again with his sexy bed partner, this time in his workplace.
Will Parkinson – escort by night, aspiring publisher/writer by day – walks into his interview at Trinity Publishing never in a million years expecting to come face-to-face with the man that rocked his world the night before, let alone being interviewed to work directly under the man (pun intended). What’s even more of a surprise is when Blake throws caution to the wind and actually hires Will to be his new PA, as ill-advisable as it may seem considering how they met.
The two men go about building a professional and effective working relationship first and foremost, putting aside all the undeniable sexual chemistry they share in order to get the job done. This works well for a time, but the kind of connection Blake and Will share can only be denied for so long, and before they know it they find themselves falling hopelessly in love with one another.
I personally felt a great deal of chemistry between the MCs, Blake and Will. From their first scorching hot scene together, through their unintended courtship, all the way to the fulfillment of their quickly earned HEA, I felt the spark and enjoyed every moment they shared.
In all honesty though, there was some crazy OTT melodrama in this one, much of which may serve (and has served) to turn a lot of readers off the story in general. We have one MC who is so far in the closet he’s practically in Narnia, while the other MC is dealing with the negative effects of a seriously angst-filled youth. Add to that, there are also a couple of crazy-psychotic secondary female characters running amok, generally making all womenfolk look bad, and even an inconsistently portrayed father who goes from potential villain to accepting hero in the blink of an eye. Though, through all this, I still found myself enjoying the story as a whole. I was appropriately enraged at times, while other times I was happily basking in the sappy romantic goodness of Blake and Will’s love.
This kind of romantic drama won’t be for everybody, but if you’re anything like me you’ll probably enjoy the ride, regardless of the incongruity portrayed during certain moments of the story.
This is an M/M office romance that I enjoyed, very, very much.
In Making it Personal, publishing whiz Blake Davis is the definition of a professional success, having built his father’s business into a powerhouse publishing company over the past decade. Unfortunately, Blake can’t claim the same sort of success in his personal life. He is deeply in the closet and fears that should the truth of his sexuality ever be revealed, his father, the still present owner of Trinity Publishing, will react badly; potentially taking the company Blake has poured his heart and soul into away from him.
Blake has resigned himself to a loveless life, publicly dating women to appease his father, while using a high-end escort service whenever his other needs may arise. It is in one of these brief dalliances with a hired professional that Blake meets and shares a night of steamy passion with the sexiest man to ever have crossed his path. But as fate would have it, the very next day, while still reeling from the events of the night before, Blake finds himself faced once again with his sexy bed partner, this time in his workplace.
Will Parkinson – escort by night, aspiring publisher/writer by day – walks into his interview at Trinity Publishing never in a million years expecting to come face-to-face with the man that rocked his world the night before, let alone being interviewed to work directly under the man (pun intended). What’s even more of a surprise is when Blake throws caution to the wind and actually hires Will to be his new PA, as ill-advisable as it may seem considering how they met.
The two men go about building a professional and effective working relationship first and foremost, putting aside all the undeniable sexual chemistry they share in order to get the job done. This works well for a time, but the kind of connection Blake and Will share can only be denied for so long, and before they know it they find themselves falling hopelessly in love with one another.
I personally felt a great deal of chemistry between the MCs, Blake and Will. From their first scorching hot scene together, through their unintended courtship, all the way to the fulfillment of their quickly earned HEA, I felt the spark and enjoyed every moment they shared.
In all honesty though, there was some crazy OTT melodrama in this one, much of which may serve (and has served) to turn a lot of readers off the story in general. We have one MC who is so far in the closet he’s practically in Narnia, while the other MC is dealing with the negative effects of a seriously angst-filled youth. Add to that, there are also a couple of crazy-psychotic secondary female characters running amok, generally making all womenfolk look bad, and even an inconsistently portrayed father who goes from potential villain to accepting hero in the blink of an eye. Though, through all this, I still found myself enjoying the story as a whole. I was appropriately enraged at times, while other times I was happily basking in the sappy romantic goodness of Blake and Will’s love.
This kind of romantic drama won’t be for everybody, but if you’re anything like me you’ll probably enjoy the ride, regardless of the incongruity portrayed during certain moments of the story.
October 6, 2015
Phew, this one was a bit on the warm side. I'm not usually into office romances, but it was recommended and it's another KC Wells winner. 5 stars and
Before I start my review, I just have to say...how lucky is that Will Parkinson?? A character named after him in 2 of my fave books...this one and Blindside by NR Walker and he writes wonderful stuff himself!! Anyhoo, time to get on with this review.
Blake Davis is gay, all the way back in that closet...yes ladies and gentlemen, we all know which one, and has been running his father's publishing house with his own hand-picked team around him for 6 years ever since dad was told to slow things down for the sake of his health, and it has to be said, is making a real success of it. Of course, dad doesn't know that he's gay cos he would definitely not approve, but no matter, the success of the firm is down to Blake's input and involvement in e-books and other enterprises.
Will Parkinson enters the story (or should I say 'Alec', because 'Alec' is who Will is pretending to be tonight) as an escort for Blake for the evening, and yes, it is that sort of escort. After a passionate
night spent at Blake's apartment, both guys have sort of been smitten, but of course there's absolutely no chance that they'll meet again 
. Blake is hiring a PA as he has so much work to do, and guess who turns up for an interview...yes, a certain person who shall remain nameless...but could have been me, was cheering at this point!! Can the two guys work together after what happened between them a few days ago?? Why was Will pretending to be someone he wasn't?? All will be revealed in time dear readers including yet another bitch of a girlfriend....(ha, ha dream on girlie 
), great friends, a slightly loony work colleague
...and you'll find out why she was...and of course a father who was not as anti-gay as a certain son thought he was. I loved it!!
July 4, 2013
Yeah, I really didn't like this book at all. It actually started decent enough: rich but in the closet guy hires a rent-boy as a birthday present fr himself. They hit it off fine. Then the next day rich guy finds that guy he is interviewing for a job is the same guy he slept with the night before.
The core story of the book was not bad but it's not something to write home about, nothing new really. So why did I hate it? First and foremost because this book has not one but two "bad guys" who were women: one was a desperate man eater and the other one was a conniving blackmailing b!tch. Generally I don't have anything against authors making their bad guys female but I do expect to see an alternative positive portrayal of women in the book to balance the negative one.
The second reason was that I really did not care for the sex or amount of it in this book. But that is a personal choice.
In the end I did manage to finish this book because I try not to DNF books. But it was torturous.
The core story of the book was not bad but it's not something to write home about, nothing new really. So why did I hate it? First and foremost because this book has not one but two "bad guys" who were women: one was a desperate man eater and the other one was a conniving blackmailing b!tch. Generally I don't have anything against authors making their bad guys female but I do expect to see an alternative positive portrayal of women in the book to balance the negative one.
The second reason was that I really did not care for the sex or amount of it in this book. But that is a personal choice.
In the end I did manage to finish this book because I try not to DNF books. But it was torturous.
November 7, 2015
I have yet to meet a KC Wells book that hasn't just drawn me in from the start and this one is no exception.
Blake, the closeted CEO of Trinity publishing is turning 30. Although he is successfully raising the profile of Trinity, only the people who work there are aware of it. The outside world still believes his father is running the company. The same father who keeps trying to set him up with various women, the latest of which is the daughter of his father's friend and quite the bitch.
As a present to himself, he hires himself an escort for the evening. "Alec" shows up and Blake has the night of his life with the man and is left wanting more. The last thing he expected the next day when Will Parkinson shows up to interview for the position of his PA is to be confronted with "Alec". Blake's already complicated life is about to be turned upside down. Add in a cast of well written secondary characters and I couldn't put this one down.
Of course with KC Wells you are going to get sizzling chemistry and super hot sex scenes, but also characters with depth and conflicts that leave your heart aching. This also contains one of my favorite give the bitch what she deserves scenes and an epilogue that cements the HEA.
Blake, the closeted CEO of Trinity publishing is turning 30. Although he is successfully raising the profile of Trinity, only the people who work there are aware of it. The outside world still believes his father is running the company. The same father who keeps trying to set him up with various women, the latest of which is the daughter of his father's friend and quite the bitch.
As a present to himself, he hires himself an escort for the evening. "Alec" shows up and Blake has the night of his life with the man and is left wanting more. The last thing he expected the next day when Will Parkinson shows up to interview for the position of his PA is to be confronted with "Alec". Blake's already complicated life is about to be turned upside down. Add in a cast of well written secondary characters and I couldn't put this one down.
Of course with KC Wells you are going to get sizzling chemistry and super hot sex scenes, but also characters with depth and conflicts that leave your heart aching. This also contains one of my favorite give the bitch what she deserves scenes and an epilogue that cements the HEA.
March 1, 2019
This was one of my Audible Romance Package listens. It's not my favorite so far.
1.5 stars
The story was ok. The narration, less so.
The plot was overshadowed by OTT sex scenes. It felt like the author was trying to make sure every single thing was covered on page so all readers would be happy. While at the same time, trying to walk a tight rope so that the MCs didn't do anything that might alienate any readers. Throw in a background sob story, a couple of token female caricatures and call it done.
It wasn't awful. It had all the pieces to the puzzle. It just didn't come together as prettily as it should have.
1.5 stars
The story was ok. The narration, less so.
The plot was overshadowed by OTT sex scenes. It felt like the author was trying to make sure every single thing was covered on page so all readers would be happy. While at the same time, trying to walk a tight rope so that the MCs didn't do anything that might alienate any readers. Throw in a background sob story, a couple of token female caricatures and call it done.
It wasn't awful. It had all the pieces to the puzzle. It just didn't come together as prettily as it should have.
July 26, 2014
3.5--Not Too Shabby--Stars!!
This one was pretty good. I can't say it wowed me but I also can't find anything that really bugged me about it either. Maybe a little too much drama....
On the plus side--the steam! This one was yummilicious!
There were quite a bit of outside "threats" going against Blake and Will...between jealous co-workers, pretending to be straight, and fraternization. But nothing was too over the top or drawn out.
Blake and Will were great together!
This was a pretty quick read....but had a little bit of everything. Steam, LOL moments, angst and a very satisfying
This one was pretty good. I can't say it wowed me but I also can't find anything that really bugged me about it either. Maybe a little too much drama....
On the plus side--the steam! This one was yummilicious!
There were quite a bit of outside "threats" going against Blake and Will...between jealous co-workers, pretending to be straight, and fraternization. But nothing was too over the top or drawn out.
Blake and Will were great together!
This was a pretty quick read....but had a little bit of everything. Steam, LOL moments, angst and a very satisfying
August 10, 2013
Blake is CEO of Trinity Publishing, the fastest rising star in the publishing firmament. And he is in the closet. Every now and then he allows himself anonymous sexual encounters. Will is working as an escort to pay off his student loans. When he arrives to be interviewed for his dream job as PA in a publishing company, the guy who is hiring Will is his customer from the night before.
The story flows well, the storyline is intriguing and the MCs are hot as hell. Blake and Will have their share of highs and lows as they build their relationship and learn what trust and love means.
A steamy, tear-jerking read with a fun cast of secondary characters. Another winner written by Mrs Wells. :)
October 24, 2014
Before reading:
Employee/Boss trope with a side of rent boy and just a hint of BDSM?
*grabby hands*
After reading:
This book is good. It really is - hot and sweet and cute and downright naughty in places. I totally would have given it 4 stars if not for Blake’s actions at the NYE party, which completely changed my opinion of his character and the completely over the top caricatures that all of the female characters seemed to be.
Employee/Boss trope with a side of rent boy and just a hint of BDSM?
*grabby hands*
After reading:
This book is good. It really is - hot and sweet and cute and downright naughty in places. I totally would have given it 4 stars if not for Blake’s actions at the NYE party, which completely changed my opinion of his character and the completely over the top caricatures that all of the female characters seemed to be.
September 7, 2013
Harlequin is calling. They want their plot back.
Must admit this one was a guilty pleasure, and it almost made me want to start buying Harlequin romances again.
Must admit this one was a guilty pleasure, and it almost made me want to start buying Harlequin romances again.
October 26, 2021
This is the first book I have read from this author and it was a enjoyable read.I loved Blake and Will I thought they were believable characters will definitely read more of this series.
August 2, 2013
4 stars from me! An enjoyable read about Blake, the in-the-closet CEO of a publishing house, and Will, his personal assistant. The chemistry between them is good and there is a lot of steamy sex, including some off-the-charts hot phone sex.
June 28, 2013
A thoroughly enjoyable romance in a corporate setting!
The blurb gives quite an outline of the story. Blake is successfully running a publishing company but has not come out. His father still owns the company and is trying to find him a wife. Blake doesn't want to jeapardise his future ownership of the company so goes along with his father's plans. He uses an escort service for sex and has one hot night of sex with a gorgeous guy he feels a real connection with. That guy turns out to be Will, the guy interviewing for a role as his PA. He is most qualified for the position so Blake gives him the job.
It sounds like the story is pretty much covered off by this blurb but there are many more elements to this book. Yes, there is a huge amount of sexual tension. Yes, Blake and Will can't resist each other. Yes, there are some interesting office characters. Yes, Blake's current girlfriend becomes an issue. Yes, things go terribly wrong. But there are also some surprises. Blake's father doesn't turn out to be as expected. Will has a history that introduces some heartbreak but also hope.
I particularly liked the character of Will and the way he fell in love with Blake. "The physical attraction which had been so obvious since the night they met hadn't gone away. Instead, Will felt an emotional connection to the man." With his past and his willingness to acknowledge his feelings for Blake, he showed great courage and I really wanted him to get his happy ending.
Throw in some drama with a sex party, a confrontation with the girlfriend (who was luckily a total conniving bitch so easy to dislike), allegations of assault, unexpected forced coming out and ultimate grand gestures and you have a really interesting story.
I also liked the cute little references to the growing popularity of m/m romance books as Blake justifies to his father why he is taking the publishing company in that direction!
The blurb gives quite an outline of the story. Blake is successfully running a publishing company but has not come out. His father still owns the company and is trying to find him a wife. Blake doesn't want to jeapardise his future ownership of the company so goes along with his father's plans. He uses an escort service for sex and has one hot night of sex with a gorgeous guy he feels a real connection with. That guy turns out to be Will, the guy interviewing for a role as his PA. He is most qualified for the position so Blake gives him the job.
It sounds like the story is pretty much covered off by this blurb but there are many more elements to this book. Yes, there is a huge amount of sexual tension. Yes, Blake and Will can't resist each other. Yes, there are some interesting office characters. Yes, Blake's current girlfriend becomes an issue. Yes, things go terribly wrong. But there are also some surprises. Blake's father doesn't turn out to be as expected. Will has a history that introduces some heartbreak but also hope.
I particularly liked the character of Will and the way he fell in love with Blake. "The physical attraction which had been so obvious since the night they met hadn't gone away. Instead, Will felt an emotional connection to the man." With his past and his willingness to acknowledge his feelings for Blake, he showed great courage and I really wanted him to get his happy ending.
Throw in some drama with a sex party, a confrontation with the girlfriend (who was luckily a total conniving bitch so easy to dislike), allegations of assault, unexpected forced coming out and ultimate grand gestures and you have a really interesting story.
I also liked the cute little references to the growing popularity of m/m romance books as Blake justifies to his father why he is taking the publishing company in that direction!
June 23, 2013
Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews
Blake Davis has taken over Trinity Publishing, formerly run by his father, Justin. Despite the fact that Justin wanted him to make his mark on the place and that Blake has made it better and up-and-coming, Justin still hasn’t let anyone know Blake is running it. He accepts awards for the company and people believe it is his success. Blake keeps hoping that “today is the day” that Justin will turn over the reins for real.
Blake has brought in people he trusts to work for him and they respect him and work hard. The only one he can’t seem to keep is a personal assistant, who all mention he just expects too much from them. He’s going to interview yet another one and see if this one will keep.
In the meantime, on the day of his 30th birthday Blake was especially hopeful that this would be that day. When it wasn’t, he felt the need for companionship. Justin is also always trying to set Blake up with women, the current one being a friend’s daughter, Melissa. Blake is just too afraid of losing the company and all he’s worked for (and he loves his job) to take the chance on being out at all. So he calls Jenny’s Escort service for a discreet male companion for the evening.
What he gets is Alec – beautiful, 25 and with whom he connects immediately. The scorching night of sex they have blows Blake’s mind and he is sorry when he wakes up and Alec is gone. So imagine the surprise when Blake goes to interview the PA and the applicant is the Alec he spent that hot night with, real name Will.
And yes, now things get complicated. The resume shows Will is very qualified for the PA position and despite the misgivings Blake has about their night, Will is hired. I was kind of surprised when Will puts it out there that his escorting will continue and if that was a deal breaker, he wouldn’t accept the job. I found that odd.
Another thing I questioned was the lengths to which Blake was willing to go in order to keep being gay out of public knowledge. Did he not realize how much he was hurting Will by acting that way? Maybe not, he was caught up in the whole “no one must know” idea, but he hurt Will repeatedly with his attitude.
The two have to fight their attraction to each other, keeping it secret and then facing more than one giant obstacle (not even counting dad!) Secondary characters are well written. Two of the female are a little over the top (one evil!) and cause havoc. Blake’s friend Dave is wonderful – accepting and funny. I liked most of the staff Blake brought on – they cared about him.
There is a scene where Blake and Will thought they knew what the other wanted and went forward with it, even though both were wrong in their assumptions. That seemed to me so real, people do that so often. I wish we had a little bit more about Will himself (why did he want to keep the escort job?). Despite it all, this had more light moments than angst. I did like the Christmas party announcement very much!
Blake Davis has taken over Trinity Publishing, formerly run by his father, Justin. Despite the fact that Justin wanted him to make his mark on the place and that Blake has made it better and up-and-coming, Justin still hasn’t let anyone know Blake is running it. He accepts awards for the company and people believe it is his success. Blake keeps hoping that “today is the day” that Justin will turn over the reins for real.
Blake has brought in people he trusts to work for him and they respect him and work hard. The only one he can’t seem to keep is a personal assistant, who all mention he just expects too much from them. He’s going to interview yet another one and see if this one will keep.
In the meantime, on the day of his 30th birthday Blake was especially hopeful that this would be that day. When it wasn’t, he felt the need for companionship. Justin is also always trying to set Blake up with women, the current one being a friend’s daughter, Melissa. Blake is just too afraid of losing the company and all he’s worked for (and he loves his job) to take the chance on being out at all. So he calls Jenny’s Escort service for a discreet male companion for the evening.
What he gets is Alec – beautiful, 25 and with whom he connects immediately. The scorching night of sex they have blows Blake’s mind and he is sorry when he wakes up and Alec is gone. So imagine the surprise when Blake goes to interview the PA and the applicant is the Alec he spent that hot night with, real name Will.
And yes, now things get complicated. The resume shows Will is very qualified for the PA position and despite the misgivings Blake has about their night, Will is hired. I was kind of surprised when Will puts it out there that his escorting will continue and if that was a deal breaker, he wouldn’t accept the job. I found that odd.
Another thing I questioned was the lengths to which Blake was willing to go in order to keep being gay out of public knowledge. Did he not realize how much he was hurting Will by acting that way? Maybe not, he was caught up in the whole “no one must know” idea, but he hurt Will repeatedly with his attitude.
The two have to fight their attraction to each other, keeping it secret and then facing more than one giant obstacle (not even counting dad!) Secondary characters are well written. Two of the female are a little over the top (one evil!) and cause havoc. Blake’s friend Dave is wonderful – accepting and funny. I liked most of the staff Blake brought on – they cared about him.
There is a scene where Blake and Will thought they knew what the other wanted and went forward with it, even though both were wrong in their assumptions. That seemed to me so real, people do that so often. I wish we had a little bit more about Will himself (why did he want to keep the escort job?). Despite it all, this had more light moments than angst. I did like the Christmas party announcement very much!
July 9, 2013
"Making it Personal" is a good set-up. Successful but closeted young executive, hung up on Daddy (not "a daddy" but his real daddy); hires a man-whore to scratch his itch, only to meet him the next day at a job interview.
Love conquering closetedness; fathers and sons bonding when they actually stop to talk to each other; self-worth triumphing over self-loathing. All good themes, and the characters of Blake and Will are believable and admirable enough to draw you in and make you care.
Wells is a good writer, and gives her readers what they want. I did have two quibbles with this narrative overall. First, I was dismayed that the only two really dreadful people in the book were both women (the other secondary or tertiary women are not major enough to really matter - though I can see the author tried). Secondly, there is a major plot hinge that I couldn't quite buy - I couldn't quite believe that Blake would be so self-loathing as to do what he apparently is willing to do. Can't say more, and the plot would collapse without this detail, so you'll just have to see for yourself.
I'd love to see K.C. Wells try a novel with less sex (I've been saying this with all my reviews of late - don't take it personally - it's MY issue). Maybe after (checking my Kindle) 450 m/m romances, I'm realizing that sex doesn't matter to me nearly as much as character and setting and plot - I want to feel; I want to cry. But I don't need to be turned on quite so much or so often. But that's just me. :)
And don't get me wrong: I'll be exploring Ms. Wells oeuvre in future. I'm not jaded yet.
Love conquering closetedness; fathers and sons bonding when they actually stop to talk to each other; self-worth triumphing over self-loathing. All good themes, and the characters of Blake and Will are believable and admirable enough to draw you in and make you care.
Wells is a good writer, and gives her readers what they want. I did have two quibbles with this narrative overall. First, I was dismayed that the only two really dreadful people in the book were both women (the other secondary or tertiary women are not major enough to really matter - though I can see the author tried). Secondly, there is a major plot hinge that I couldn't quite buy - I couldn't quite believe that Blake would be so self-loathing as to do what he apparently is willing to do. Can't say more, and the plot would collapse without this detail, so you'll just have to see for yourself.
I'd love to see K.C. Wells try a novel with less sex (I've been saying this with all my reviews of late - don't take it personally - it's MY issue). Maybe after (checking my Kindle) 450 m/m romances, I'm realizing that sex doesn't matter to me nearly as much as character and setting and plot - I want to feel; I want to cry. But I don't need to be turned on quite so much or so often. But that's just me. :)
And don't get me wrong: I'll be exploring Ms. Wells oeuvre in future. I'm not jaded yet.
June 26, 2016
I have not read many MM romances, safe o say I am a newbie on this.
That said, this is the first time that a book made me think how difficult is to "get out of the closet" for some men. How many external and internal conflicts they have to overcome. How much weight the family, friends, colleagues and society put on them.
Hats off for the ones with courage to be who they are surpassing all prejudice, discrimination and narrow minded people.
Big, big balls they need.
*clap* *clap* *clap*
That said, this is the first time that a book made me think how difficult is to "get out of the closet" for some men. How many external and internal conflicts they have to overcome. How much weight the family, friends, colleagues and society put on them.
Hats off for the ones with courage to be who they are surpassing all prejudice, discrimination and narrow minded people.
Big, big balls they need.
*clap* *clap* *clap*
April 1, 2021
Really enjoyable story (though I would have tossed that secretary out on her butt so fast, I can't believe how compassionate they all were).
Great MCs - they were both truly interesting and when they got together, heck yes! The Epilogue is super sweet too.
I'm going to say... I did the audio version of this book and the narrator was terrific with his accents. Between the Australian guy and the women and all the different British accents, he was great.
Great MCs - they were both truly interesting and when they got together, heck yes! The Epilogue is super sweet too.
I'm going to say... I did the audio version of this book and the narrator was terrific with his accents. Between the Australian guy and the women and all the different British accents, he was great.
October 12, 2013
Light BDSM I loved this one 4.5 stars for sure Loved both MC's
March 19, 2016
‘Making It Personal’ appealed to me on more than one level. There is the story that seems simple – a CEO falling for his PA – yet has quite a few twists and turns that make matters a lot more complicated than they seem at first glance. There are the main characters – Will and Blake – men who are not just hot, but have personal histories and current problems that made me root for them from the beginning. And let me not forget the many wonderful secondary characters who fill the pages with life and made me smile more than once. All in all, this delightful contemporary novel set in modern-day London is entertaining, steamy, and made me want more.
When Blake turns thirty, he has a lot to be proud of. After all he is the CEO of a growing publishing company that he turned around after his father passed the reins to him six years ago. But that is also where his issues start. Nobody outside the company knows that Blake is in charge, his father takes all the credit for his success, and keeps interfering in Blake’s business decisions as well as his personal life. The closet may be a safe place to be if Blake wants to keep running the company but it is also a lonely place and one threatened by numerous “should-be girlfriends” that his father keeps sending his way. Blake’s fear holds him back, and as soon as he meets Will, his new PA, Blake begins to understand that he may never be happy on a personal level without risking an end to his career.
Will has finally managed to get his life under control. After a past he does not easily speak about, he may still work as an escort so he can pay off his student loans, but that is mostly without any “benefits” for his clients. The one exception he makes turns out to be the man interviewing him for a position as his PA the next day – and Will thinks he’s lost any chance of being hired. Much to his surprise Blake turns out to be utterly professional about the situation (after clarifying a few things), and Will enthusiastically throws himself into his new job. But their attraction doesn’t go away, and they are soon far more involved than either had expected – only to find out that not everyone is supportive.
If you like contemporary stories with lots of drama, heat, and twists and turns, if two men who are clearly meant for each other but need to overcome a few obstacles before they can be together are your thing, and if you’re looking for a read that is as emotionally intense and hot as it is entertaining, then you will probably like this novel.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
When Blake turns thirty, he has a lot to be proud of. After all he is the CEO of a growing publishing company that he turned around after his father passed the reins to him six years ago. But that is also where his issues start. Nobody outside the company knows that Blake is in charge, his father takes all the credit for his success, and keeps interfering in Blake’s business decisions as well as his personal life. The closet may be a safe place to be if Blake wants to keep running the company but it is also a lonely place and one threatened by numerous “should-be girlfriends” that his father keeps sending his way. Blake’s fear holds him back, and as soon as he meets Will, his new PA, Blake begins to understand that he may never be happy on a personal level without risking an end to his career.
Will has finally managed to get his life under control. After a past he does not easily speak about, he may still work as an escort so he can pay off his student loans, but that is mostly without any “benefits” for his clients. The one exception he makes turns out to be the man interviewing him for a position as his PA the next day – and Will thinks he’s lost any chance of being hired. Much to his surprise Blake turns out to be utterly professional about the situation (after clarifying a few things), and Will enthusiastically throws himself into his new job. But their attraction doesn’t go away, and they are soon far more involved than either had expected – only to find out that not everyone is supportive.
If you like contemporary stories with lots of drama, heat, and twists and turns, if two men who are clearly meant for each other but need to overcome a few obstacles before they can be together are your thing, and if you’re looking for a read that is as emotionally intense and hot as it is entertaining, then you will probably like this novel.
NOTE: This book was provided by the author for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
September 13, 2013
Before I say anything about the book itself, I have to start by saying a massive thank you to KC Wells. If you follow my reviews here, you may have noticed that I've been pretty quiet over the past week or two. That's because I've felt like utter shit lately, which also made me feel like I'd suddenly fallen out of love with reading. Over the last 10 days or so, I've put down every single book I started to read within the first few pages. I just couldn't get on with any of the books I started and I don't know why. None of them were bad, I just couldn't seem to get my head in the right place to really enjoy them or to get into the story. But then Making it Personal came along and I was addicted. My love of reading was instantly restored and I struggled to put it down, even when I needed to go to sleep because I had to get up for work in 4 hours.
So yeah, I absolutely adored this book. Way more than I expected, given my already explained disaster with reading. But I saw it on my Kindle and remembered how much I loved the other KC Wells stories I'd read not so long ago (the Island Tales stories) and thought I'd give it a go. I was hooked from the very first page and fell completely in love with Blake. He was so lost and afraid at the beginning and I just wanted to give him a massive hug. My heart went out to Will as well, who was such a beautiful character with such a painful past that made my heart ache and brought real tears to my eyes. In fact, I teared up quite a bit reading this. Sometimes because the story was sad and heartbreaking, but other times because it was just so sweet and beautiful. While this really was a wonderfully written office romance, it was also so much more. I was rooting for Blake and Will from the very start - the development of their relationship was very moving and felt so real.
I loved the epilogue. I'm a huge epilogue junkie because I just love to see the perfect HEA and to have a glimpse of their future together. Blake and Will were so happy, and it was just the loveliest way to end it. I think I "awww"ed, flailed and fangirled a little bit over it, actually. One little bit of the epilogue made me sad - if you've read it I'm sure you'll know exactly what I mean - but otherwise it really was lovely.
I cannot stress enough how much I loved and enjoyed reading this. I will definitely be re-reading this in the future, probably many times. It's wonderful, sweet, hot, romantic, heartbreaking, and totally perfect.
So, can we have a story for Rick?! Pretty please? :)
So yeah, I absolutely adored this book. Way more than I expected, given my already explained disaster with reading. But I saw it on my Kindle and remembered how much I loved the other KC Wells stories I'd read not so long ago (the Island Tales stories) and thought I'd give it a go. I was hooked from the very first page and fell completely in love with Blake. He was so lost and afraid at the beginning and I just wanted to give him a massive hug. My heart went out to Will as well, who was such a beautiful character with such a painful past that made my heart ache and brought real tears to my eyes. In fact, I teared up quite a bit reading this. Sometimes because the story was sad and heartbreaking, but other times because it was just so sweet and beautiful. While this really was a wonderfully written office romance, it was also so much more. I was rooting for Blake and Will from the very start - the development of their relationship was very moving and felt so real.
I loved the epilogue. I'm a huge epilogue junkie because I just love to see the perfect HEA and to have a glimpse of their future together. Blake and Will were so happy, and it was just the loveliest way to end it. I think I "awww"ed, flailed and fangirled a little bit over it, actually. One little bit of the epilogue made me sad - if you've read it I'm sure you'll know exactly what I mean - but otherwise it really was lovely.
I cannot stress enough how much I loved and enjoyed reading this. I will definitely be re-reading this in the future, probably many times. It's wonderful, sweet, hot, romantic, heartbreaking, and totally perfect.
So, can we have a story for Rick?! Pretty please? :)
October 24, 2013
Loved this one! I thought the chemistry between the MCs were believable and heartfelt. Wonderful KC!!
June 9, 2017
Really enjoyed this one. The relationship itself, how it builds and the flow of time in the story, the past that is shared but not overdramatized.
February 6, 2021
Boring. And please don't ever let this narrator perform sex talk.
July 2, 2021
3.5 stars ⭐️
Good, but I didn’t love it.
And THAT party, well… not my thing.
Good, but I didn’t love it.
And THAT party, well… not my thing.
December 25, 2015
This was… well, not good.
The writing in this was one bad. I don't know what happened. I read other books by K.C. Wells and I didn't have this problem at all.
I didn’t like the small ‘jumps’ that were there and events were rehashed trough a memory. I wanted to be there for the real thing, not be told about it after the fact.
There were a lot of things that didn’t add up. We are often told and shown that Blake works his ass of at his company and works late almost every night. Yet at some point Will enters Blake’s office and Blake is watching porn on his computer. They both act like it is completely normal to do this. I’m sorry, what? You are the CEO of the company and have tons of work to do, why on earth would it be okay to watch porn at work?
In the last 30% of the book the events just became more and more unlikely. It was ridiculous. I felt like I was reading a Harlequin novel.
Karen, who suddenly accuses Will of hitting her and sending the police to him. Blake’s old-fashion dad who is suddenly completely okay with his son being gay…. and even though he acted like an ass the entire book, he was now all ‘Son, I am so proud of you’. Yeah, right…
And the book ends with marriage and babies. The marriage, I can get on board with. But the baby thing was a bit much.
I do not recommend this book.
The writing in this was one bad. I don't know what happened. I read other books by K.C. Wells and I didn't have this problem at all.
I didn’t like the small ‘jumps’ that were there and events were rehashed trough a memory. I wanted to be there for the real thing, not be told about it after the fact.
There were a lot of things that didn’t add up. We are often told and shown that Blake works his ass of at his company and works late almost every night. Yet at some point Will enters Blake’s office and Blake is watching porn on his computer. They both act like it is completely normal to do this. I’m sorry, what? You are the CEO of the company and have tons of work to do, why on earth would it be okay to watch porn at work?
In the last 30% of the book the events just became more and more unlikely. It was ridiculous. I felt like I was reading a Harlequin novel.
Karen, who suddenly accuses Will of hitting her and sending the police to him. Blake’s old-fashion dad who is suddenly completely okay with his son being gay…. and even though he acted like an ass the entire book, he was now all ‘Son, I am so proud of you’. Yeah, right…
And the book ends with marriage and babies. The marriage, I can get on board with. But the baby thing was a bit much.
I do not recommend this book.
July 7, 2014
My first time reading this author and I was not disappointed I will definitely be reading more of her M/M romances.
Making it Personal was a sweet sexy romance between Blake and Will. After one night of explosive sex they meet again the next morning at an interview for Blake's new PA. Their relationship is professional for a few weeks except the flirting of course but one day at work business turns to pleasure. Something happens after this that tares them apart, what happens you will have to read and find out SORRY. The team at Trinity is a close gang nice to read a happy work place. This story is sexy, funny and emotional and it is told both in Blake and Will's POV which makes the emotional parts better.
Making it Personal was a sweet sexy romance between Blake and Will. After one night of explosive sex they meet again the next morning at an interview for Blake's new PA. Their relationship is professional for a few weeks except the flirting of course but one day at work business turns to pleasure. Something happens after this that tares them apart, what happens you will have to read and find out SORRY. The team at Trinity is a close gang nice to read a happy work place. This story is sexy, funny and emotional and it is told both in Blake and Will's POV which makes the emotional parts better.
December 31, 2013
With all those 4 and 5 star ratings I was looking forward to reading this. Expecting an engaging read with some surprise turns on the way to the happy ending. What did I get? A formulaic story, no surprises whatsoever, although to be honest, it surprised me that grown men can behave like that. In the end it was a story I read often when I was younger with the only difference that here it was m/m.
Yes, I already got the sequel - can't withstand a rebate:) - nevertheless that will have to wait. My nerves won't take it right now.
Yes, I already got the sequel - can't withstand a rebate:) - nevertheless that will have to wait. My nerves won't take it right now.
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