Hard Sell

Interesting Dichotomies. This book, for me, was more about the interesting dichotomies than anything. You get a MM romance... with both an FF couple as side characters and set within the Asian community, which isn't overly common. (Maybe not as hyper-macho as wildfire firefighters, but seemingly near that level in rarity.) You get a hyper successful financial type... who isn't being his normal hyper successful self, and in fact is desperate for a win and who comes from... less successful... beginnings. You get a black sheep who feels he must prove himself apart from his ultra-successful family. And you get the particular blend of tech and finance that I could have felt was a bit too close to my own “real” world (where I work in IT for a Fortune 50 financial firm) that it could have been too real. And yet it all worked. And worked well in fact. On the actual romance side, you get a fairly standard will they/ won't they / this is a freaking romance novel so you know they do. You get the whole “best friend's sibling” dynamic, with its usual problems and resolutions. And you get a crap ton of angst. If you want your romance novels bright and breezy... this aint it. But if you want a romance novel unlike most you've ever seen before... this one is probably exactly that. Very much recommended.

Hudson Lin writes a deep romance filled with drama. I don't know why I am surprised, but I kinda of think of Carina Press to be our Harlequin or Silhouette Desire for queers. I gobbled the romances when I was a kid and have come to really enjoy Carina Press releases for that same good loving feeling.

This is not to say that Hard Sell does not provide that good loving feeling - it does. It is very deep and filled with business drama. What does a person do when the person they have to do business with is homophobic and possibly a pedophile. So glad I am not Daniel. Lin gives us a great insight into the drama of finance and investing. Add in burn-out and a second chance romance and it is no wonder Daniel keeps stepping on it. (chuckle)

I got this book from my library. I love my local library and you should check out yours too. Request LGBTQ+ books and they will stock them! #ebooksforall

Check out the rest of my review at Phoebe's Randoms. Link in bio.