Just Business
Takeover #2
By Anna Zabo
Author’s Website: http://annazabo.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Omar
Caution, this is a M/M Romance and BDSM story.
Summary
From the thrilling new author of Takeover, a steamy new novel about having all the control—and losing it…
Justin White may not look like an up and coming corporate superstar, but his new boss knows he has the smarts, grit, and determination to succeed. Now he just has to convince his company’s CFO, Eli Ovadia. Unfortunately, Justin can’t seem to keep his cool around the domineering Eli—and soon he finds himself taking their heat from the boardroom into the bedroom….
Still haunted by a tragic accident that left him with a wounded leg and broken heart, Eli has a need to be in control. But his desire for Justin makes him want to lose that control—and push them both far beyond their limits. But will his need to dominate Justin drive him away—or will Eli find a way to be the man he needs for both of them?
Review
Justin White is in the middle of completing his MBA (Masters in Business Administration) and just landed the assistant job for Sam Anderson in his new company, the only problem is the CFO, Eli Ovadia. Justin has been trying to get this job since he heard the two men mention the opening position while drinking coffee in the shop where he was the barista. All his encounters with Eli have been cold, and this has given him the feeling that Eli might not like Justin’s style, as he looks like a Goth with black cloths, nails and eyeliner. But on the day of his interview everything changes. His nails are still black and his eyeliner is still there, but on everything else he looks like a businessman. He gets the job and a smile from Eli that screams hunger.
After an accident a few days before his sixteenth birthday, Eli’s life has been difficult. His left leg along with his love life has never been the same, but know that Justin started working at S. R. Anderson Consulting, he has been more restless than usual. It is not that he hates Justin, but the opposite. Justin is making his body burn with need, need to dominate him and to have him.
Trying to forget one another and release some stress, both end up in the same birthday party, and everything goes up in flames. Now they need to come to terms with their dark past that doesn’t seem to want to let them go.
Anna Zabo has made a diverse story for the LGBTQ community regarding a strong topic, religion. Most of the time, when a gay character‘s family, has a difficult time accepting who they are, it is because of religion. In Just Business, the author has made a story where her character Eli, is Jewish. This is the first time I see a character having this kind of problem. The story was great, refreshing, and a different point of view is always interesting.
I like how Zabo describes the problems and frustrations that Eli and Justin’s sister have. Accidents happen, the circumstances of “why” are always different, but only a person that has gone through that experience knows how others feel, and sometimes it’s just different. I really likes this part of the story and even relate to it, as I was in an accident as well. The frustration that Zabo describes in a scene when Eli can’t bend down to open his cabinet and gets angry when Justin offers to help him, is a feeling I can relate to. Anna Zabo did a great job when writing Eli, he was my favorite character.
It’s in the human nature to always be cautious, but when some bad decisions crush the trust a person has, loving afterwards can be very difficult. When we are young we trust those that we love; when it’s a lover there are people who mistakes sex for love, and love for trust. It was very wrong what happened to Justin, but I liked his perseverance to continue growing and to never give up his dream. He draws strength from his past to move on with his life, he helps his family when they need it, even though his apartment is falling apart. He made bad decisions in his life, but in the end he is willing to pay for his mistakes, even if he might lose Eli.
In the end I liked the story. I was a little shock that in the summary it doesn’t say that this is BDSM story, a little heads up would have been great. But beyond that, it’s a romance story with a happy ending. I’m aiming for a business undergrad, and Justin’s MBA life seems a little scary, but if he can do it, I also can.
If you like M/M romance with a little of angst, and BDSM, I recommend you Just Business by Anna Zabo. Here you will meet two men that through their workplace, some tragic past experiences, and some dominance they find love and complement each other.
Have you read any M/M that have characters with diverse religions? Tells us in the comments.
