Cole Doren is starting over. He's moved, started working as a food writer again, and is crushing hard on his new neighbor, Daniel Mazurek, who is a genuinely nice guy and as hot as a supernova.
Too bad for Cole, Daniel's not what he seems.
And too bad for Daniel, the cute boy-next-door's DNA says he's one of America's most wanted, and it's Daniel's job to confirm that and bring him down. Digging through Cole’s past, Daniel finds out about Cole’s BDSM videos and while it should set off warning bells, it only leaves Daniel damn hot for Cole. Getting closer to his subject is easy, but starting a relationship built on trust is a lot harder when everything Daniel’s ever told Cole has been a lie.
OK, so I really liked this! It was fun and sexy and there was just enough suspense to keep you guessing until the end. I believe the blurb is purposely vague to leave some surprises scattered throughout, so sit back and enjoy this little nugget of fun! Recommended!
And I'm not going to put this book on the correct shelves until more people have had a chance to read it. Really don't want you to have spoilers. It's way more fun that way. It definitely was for me!
Cole is adorable and slightly uncoordinated and really reminded me of a puppy. Full of cuteness and looking to be loved.
Daniel's the BAMF bounty hunter chasing down his prey. Except his prey wanders straight to him, and that's when he begins to doubt that his intel is good... or is his target that good?
So the mystery of Cole has got Daniel questioning what's going on, and his attraction to his target is clouding his judgment. Fun, lighthearted and flirty romance with a dash of guns and excitement.
Two things did not thrill me about the story. First, I don't like MCs who are writers. Writers writing about writers as main characters generally make me cringe. Not so bad here, but I it rips me out of story every time. That is totally a me thing, a pet peeve and most likely annoys few other readers. Second, the timing for the D/s was inappropriate. I liked professionals to be professional, and when they're not, you can't expect me to believe that they're competent at other times. So, the scene in the middle of a high alert situation--eye roll--though the sweetness with a tinge of rough was pretty hot. Essentially, I lost the believability factor when Daniel acted so unprofessional. Ditto for his backup.
My rating is a 2.5- 3 stars, and I'm going to round up because the story had good pace, likable characters, and it wasn't trying to be hard core suspense.
Favorite quote:
“Well, honestly, I don’t think I’ve gotten off so fast since I was in high school. Gave myself a goddamned bell ringer in the shower right after.”
~~A copy was provided to me for a No Glitter Blown review~~ ~~~Reviewed for Hearts On Fire Reviews~~~~
Well this was a surprise. In every sense. I think I had the idea, going by the cuffs on the cover, that it was BDSM. There is talk about it and Cole has allegedly been in "the lifestyle" but there's very little on page sex, and the D/s is super mild, almost non-existent. If you're looking for BDSM, despite the tittle, this is not that book. I won't be adding it to any BDSM shelf. Not a complaint. Just an explanation.
I enjoyed this story and I'm happy to not have read the blurb as, like with movie previews, it revealed too much, but now I don't have to worry about spoilers. *snort* Cole is a genial & somewhat gangly food writer who has moved cross country for a much needed change. He immediately meets his next door neighbor, Daniel, who isn't living there by coincidence. There's a whole bit of Cole's DNA matching that of a WANTED stone cold killer, but pretty much from the get go Daniel, and the reader know, Cole is not that person, and have a pretty good idea of what's going on. Ultimately this doesn't matter as I don't think the point of the book is any kind of mystery/suspense. It's more of a pretty insta story about two nice guys meeting. That's not a bad thing, particularly because they were both so likable and undramatic. There are no hysterical tantrums, reactions, or tantrums, which is always a breath of fresh air.
I'd never read T. Neilson before but overall I liked their writing style and the sense of humor, particularly Cole's inner monologues. I'd definitely read more from this author.
This was a book that couldn't decide what it wanted to be when it was grown up, em finished. It started out with undercover surveillance, some peculiar agency/company, a slightly in-ept MC, only to then move into some killer on the loose, thrown in some BDSM - I'm already breathless just writing this sentence!
Nevertheless it was a fun read and I would have given the fifth star, if this had been focussed on just a few topics. I think, the easiest part I could have done without was the BDSM - didn't fit at all.
This is a book that can't quite decide what genre it wants to be. I often enjoy books that combine several genres and this one is good but the connections between categories is not quite there. We start off with comedy, some of the funniest exchanges I've ever read. Cole moves into a new townhouse, celebrates with his friends a lot too much, comes home drunk, and enters the wrong townhouse, which belongs to Daniel. The dialog is sparkling and spot on. Then we find out Daniel is some kind of spy or undercover agent for a company that is never fully defined or justified. Turns out he's a bounty hunter and his employers think Cole is a wanted murderer. Now we have a gay romance novel as Daniel is attracted to Cole and pursues a sexual relationship, which his employers consider unprofessional for a bounty hunter. Throw in a little D/s and you've got the picture. And finally comes the suspenseful murder mystery as the killer is on the hunt for his next victim, whom Daniel must protect, regardless of his relationship with Cole or the demands of his employer. It's a good story, just a little bit jumpy in the plotlines. I did enjoy it, though, and look forward to reading more books from T Nielson.
Daniel is a bounty hunter trying to capture somebody named Ro. He thinks he’s found his guy in Cole. But when Cole shows up, drunk, clumsy, and cute – he has to re-think his data.
Cole reviews food for a living. But he also has a past that gives him some interesting hobbies.
The first part of the story is figuring out if Cole is guilty; the second is the couple finding their feet in a relationship; the third is them solving the mystery of “Ro”.
I loved the interactions between Cole and Daniel in the beginning and thought the mystery was a little unbelievable but gripping. I didn’t care for the BDSM part of the story or how it didn’t seem to fit the rest of the plot line. To me it seemed stuck in there for added “heat value” but didn’t necessarily fit well with the characters and how they interacted.
Overall this story has some great potential and I would look for more from this author in the future.
2.5 rounded up. The main thing this book has going for it is a solid opening and the fact it’s cute. The worst thing is there is a lot happening for such a short book. I liked the whole mistaken identity thing. I found the whole bounty hunter thing not believable, like WTF is your budget? I couldn’t figure out was this a private organization, I thought so, and how much would the bounty really be? I could have done without the BDSM angle, didn’t seem to fit or be necessary, was barely explored and didn’t add anything to the story.
This had a great opening and the premise had real potential but it all goes horribly wrong in the last quarter of the book. I hate when jobs aren't portrayed with authenticity. People who ought to know better doing really stupid things just blows me right out of the story.
This is my second book by this author and there's definitely something about the writing that I like, but it hasn't all come together just right yet.
Cute and fun. I liked the connection between the characters and their banter/flirtation. The suspense result was a little OTT but it was a fun little story.
Cole is trying to get back to life and look for new direction. Daniel bursting into his life creates a direction he didn't see coming. I think with the title though I expected more d/s action then the few little references especially given Cole's past. But this was an exciting adventure with a happy ending.
A nice little story about an unassuming guy who happens to have a nasty twin and a bounty hunter trying to catch the nasty twin. I think the added BDSM part is only to spice things up and the author has either only read about it or didn't do much research. This part of the book could have been much better.
I received one copy of this book at no charge in exchange for my honest review. Review first appeared on Nautical Star Books
Submission Guidelines by T. Neilson starts out sweet and funny and ends up being fast paced and steamy. Cole’s first meeting with his new neighbor is anything but smooth. His slightly drunken afternoon embarrasses him beyond belief but he can’t quite get Daniel out of his mind. Daniel, on the other hand, is not really who he says he is. Sent to discover Cole’s true identity, Daniel is keeping a very close eye out on his new neighbor. A bit too close, actually, and the two men are definitely interested in each other. Events in Cole’s past have him acting cautiously when it comes to letting Daniel get close. Daniel has his own reasons for keeping Cole at arm’s length. However, once the truth is out both men have to focus on a threat that neither one of them anticipated.
Cole is a unique character with a few key issues he has to deal with from his past. He is a foodie trying to make the switch from reviewer to writer. He is sweet, a bit cautious and very smitten with his new neighbor. You can tell he WANTS to be loved but is definitely a bit nervous about handing his heart over.
Daniel was generally a nice guy who is just doing his job. He is studying Cole and knows deep down that he is NOT the guy his agency says he was. I was a bit confused at first about WHO Daniel actually worked for. At first it was a bit vague but it was cleared up as the story moved along. He is trying really hard to keep his distance so that his mission isn’t compromised but the lines get blurred a few times.
I enjoyed the plot twist as the story moved along although I think maybe it could have been made a bit longer. I don’t want to give away the how and why of Daniel’s mission but I would have liked to see more of the ‘suspense/action’ portion of the story.
There is definitely something for everyone in this story. Submission Guidelines starts out as a light and funny romance, there is some suspense and mystery in there and a nice amount of light BDSM. Daniel is not an experienced DOM but he asks all the right questions and handles Cole quite beautifully.
Overall, Submission Guidelines by T. Neilson was an enjoyable story with characters I truly enjoyed. I wish it had been a bit longer to expound on the mystery itself but otherwise it was a very nice read.
I took some time to formulate my review for this short novel, Submission Guidelines by T. Neilson, as I found many pieces of it very entertaining and the characters extremely likeable. However, there were some decided holes in the overall plot and some big assumptions being made about the BDSM scenes that were included in the text. Overall it seemed as though the story wanted to be part mystery, part romantic comedy, and part BDSM themed. I believe this is what led to some questionable scenes and a lot of jumping about in the story line.
This story began so smoothly with heaps of humor and lovely main characters. I felt myself drawn to Cole and Daniel immediately due to their back stories being parsed out fairly quickly to establish who they are and some of their past history. However, just as fast came this instant attraction between the two men and that was not quite as palatable given the rapid onset of their emotions. I did feel it believable that Cole would not hesitate to be drawn to Daniel given the fact that it had been almost a year since his lover passed away. His sweet demeanor and trusting nature made him a likely candidate to fall head first into a relationship with such a kind- hearted man as Daniel. But Daniel was on the job—a professional—and the speed with which he cast that aside didn’t ring as true for me. I felt he was more prompted by his reactions to discovering a secret that Cole had and not necessarily to genuine love or the beginnings of it at any rate.
New twists on the BDSM genre is hard to find. Too often the stories involve Doms or subs going to a club to find someone to play with and meeting their perfect partner. Not so with this book. Daniel is a bounty hunter looking to bring down a dangerous criminal, and he thinks he’s found in Cole. Meanwhile, Cole has moved into a new place and meets his hot neighbor when he drunkenly breaks into his house, thinking it’s his own. Cole is adorable, dorky, and a bit shy. And totally not the man Daniel is looking for. At least, not for work.
It’s interesting that the blurb for the book says that Daniel is not what he seems, because I found this to be true with both men. Both Daniel and Cole are keeping secrets. Cole is a food writer with a past history of staring in BDSM videos. And Daniel is looking for the man that got away and almost killed him in the process.
The BDSM is not particularly heavy in this book, so if you’re not looking for a lot, this would be a good book. It focuses more on the budding relationship between Daniel and Cole and their attempts at building that relationship when both of them are hiding things. When the truth comes out, it’s hard for them to trust, which is completely understandable given the situation. And when the tension ramps up and danger lurks around the corner (literally) they have to learn to trust each other again or risk losing everything.
I enjoyed the ending and found it satisfying. I don’t want to give too much away, but suffice to say, unlike in other books, neither of them give up their lives for the other person. There are no major sacrifices, but they’re both happy. I wasn’t sure how it would work out, given Daniel’s job, but that author managed it really well!
When I started this book I wasn’t sure what I was getting by the title. Daniel moves in next door to case a subject for his job. Everything points to Cole being his subject, but Daniel has this gut feeling they are wrong. Daniel isn’t the only one with secrets, but the one he finds out about Cole makes him want him want to prove his isn’t his mark. I loved how the story was a mystery suspense but filled with innuendo that made it so cute. I adored Cole and loved how he seemed to grow throughout the story. Cole is a broken man but has an inner strength to be admired. I also liked Daniel. He was a man of mystery but also had a softness to him that I thought made the two blend so well. The story line was very fun.I couldn’t put this down once I started. If you’re looking for a fun story with a few twists, some drama, action, light BDSM, and a big dose of humor this is the perfect book for you!
A little bit of romance and a little bit of mystery / suspense combined to make this a better than expected read for me. I loved the fact that Daniel believed in his gut instinct when it came to Cole’s innocence all along – the gut is rarely wrong. I also loved the dynamic between these guys as well as the bits of humor. All in, I very much enjoyed this little treat!
3.5* I went in with high expectations due to a great review by someone whose taste usually aligns with mine but I found it to be good but not great and wound up setting it aside for awhile. It was good just not what I expected based on the review I read.