I loved the beginning of this book. The random hook up between Seth and Rick was pretty hot. I love Seth's domineering and snarky attitude compared to Rick's laid back personality. They complimented each other well. The mystery had twists and turns but I felt like I was lost half the time. It was too fast paced and I found myself re reading pages to get things straight. It worked out at the end. I really hope Alec and his brothers make an appearance again in the series. I really want to find out more about them.

I really enjoyed this book. Even though this is the third book in the series, I didn't read the first two books and had no issues reading it. The pace moved along nicely. I did figure out who the "bad" guy was but it didn't take away from the story. Their banter at times had me laughing. The sexy times were hot. I liked both characters, neither one was overly an ass to the other. The secret I didn't think was that big of a deal, well what happened was a big deal but what Rick did/didn't do I didn't think was a big deal when it came to Seth, and I'm glad that Seth didn't drag out his anger towards Rick. (Okay that was really hard to explain but you will understand what I'm trying to say once you have read the book :)) Since I did enjoy this book I will most definitely be going back & reading the first two books.

Post goes live 24 Mar

Danger, Alpha men, and murder!

When I started this book I thought it would be another book that was all sex and little story. What I found is a great read, that starts to build from page one. When a danger junky gets paired with a desk jockey you can imagine a volatile relationship.

Seth is all about following the rules he thinks are important, like he's the boss and don't forget it! Yet the entire dynamic of this story is how no one else is listening to his advice. A man who needs to be in control, no emotions ever allowed. Yet he is falling for this desk jock who is more than he seems.

Rick is used to working behind the scenes, yet now he is right in the spotlight. He is trying to come off as incapable, so he can move around unnoticed. His bodyguard is very good and impatient. As the murder attempts stack up, it's clear that Rick is on the right track.

There is a chemical attraction between these two, that leaps off the page! It is very sexual and believable. Rick is trying hard to be upfront and honest with Seth yet somethings are unavoidable. When do you talk about past situations, Not when hit men are dropping body's. Seth is used to being in danger but not seeing the man he cares for in that danger with him. One thing to take from this is that there are emotions and bad guys, it heats up and stress hot for the entire book!

3.5 stars
This book is one that I enjoyed because I have read the stories that came before it and enjoyed seeing the series continue - if this book stood completely on its own, I'm not sure I could have gone all the way to 3.5 stars.
This is a good story and I really enjoyed Seth and Rick, but there is a lot of back story and secondary characters that would almost seem out of place if you tried to start the series here.
Definitely a well written and fun book that is fast paced with a nice intrigue level. One of my favorite things - Seth and Rick build a relationship in addition to the spicy bedroom moments.

WOW!!! I think this one is my favorite one to date!!
Seth and Rick are on FIRE! Their banter back and forth is smart and hilarious. I love that Rick is a desk jockey "nerd" and Seth, well, isn't. It's kind of an opposite attracts but not at the same time. By me saying "not" they're both kind of stubborn with things, but seem to easily work their way through any issues.

The action in this book is just wonderful. The secrets and all the key, and not-so-key players, are all very mysterious, I love the huge guessing game and I really, really hope Alec is next!

Link will be added when review posts.

Guarding Mr. Fine is the third book in Tough Love series by HelenKay Dimon. Even though I hadn’t read the previous two releases I decided to go ahead and request this book based solely on the blurb. I’m so glad I did because I thoroughly enjoyed this romantic suspense.

Seth Lang and Rick Fine first meet at a club where both are letting off some steam before they each move on to their next assignments. Their eyes connect from across the room, they have a few moments of conversation, and then a steamy encounter in one of the back offices that almost set my kindle ablaze. WHEW *fans self*. The next time they meet is when they realize their next assignments are one and the same. Rick is in Munich trying to figure out whether the death of the previous Consul General was actually a suicide or if he was murdered. Seth has been assigned as Rick’s bodyguard. They may be shocked to see each other, but don’t worry, they don’t let anything stand in the way of more sexy times.

Man, this author sure sets this book off with a bang. That sex scene at the beginning made me wonder why in the heck I didn’t start this series sooner. I might have stopped reading for a minute or two in order to look up the series reading order and read the blurbs for Mr. and Mr. Smith and The Talented Mr. Rivers. You can bet I’ll be picking those up here shortly. Anyway, back to Seth and Rick. What starts off pretty hot, just keeps getting hotter and hotter as these two realize that yes, they are working together and yes, they don’t care to let that get in the way of them getting their hands on each other again. What does come as a surprise to them is that they connect on a more personal and intimate level as they spend more time with each other.

Seth is alpha male to the extreme with his growling and over-protectiveness. Rick is more even natured and is pretty turned on by Seth’s sarcasm and snarky comments. I thought the differences in their personalities played off each other perfectly. Despite there being obvious instalust between these characters, I liked how this author built their relationship from lust to love. Which is a hard thing to do when the main characters have sex in the second chapter. I also liked that there wasn’t any unnecessary drama between them over their new relationship. Oh, Seth does have an attack of anxiety over whether he can do his job adequately while he’s obviously getting in deep with Rick, but that really only lasts for one night. There is this other thing about a shared incident in their past that only Rick knows about, but even that didn’t become a huge, annoying thing that kept them apart.

Of course this being a romantic suspense there is a mystery to solve and while it was interesting and held my interest (although, I guessed the identity of the bad guy almost the instant they were introduced), I appreciated that it didn’t overshadow the romance. The suspenseful situations actually lent a feeling that they were growing closer and more protective of each other.

Guarding Mr. Fine was a fast, sexy read that I think will appeal to fans of romantic suspense. I do think it can be read as a stand-a-lone, as I had no problem jumping right in with no confusion. Final Grade- B

P.S. I am hoping Ms. Dimon decides that Alec and his brothers need their own HEAs, because I would one-click those books so hard.

Favorite Quote:
“The glasses used to get me beat up.”
“Now they’re going to get you laid.”

Personal disclaimer: I did NOT read the other books in this series prior to reading this one. Not because they didn't interest me, I just didn't know about them before I saw this book up from grabs. And honestly, this read like a stand alone to me, so I don't think I missed a lot.

I'm pretty sure that this is the first MM Romance I've given a full 5 stars. Usually, the story is all about the chemistry between the two males and yada yada yada. But this? This is amazing! Don't get me wrong. There is plenty of chemistry going on between these two. In fact we're treated to an extremely hot closet scene right off the bat, but I digress. There is an actual story, suspense, and a "who done it" that pulled me in, the chemistry was just an added bonus.

After completing a top secret mission, Seth is given an unusual assignment. Bodyguard detail. Not the typical job, so he knew there was something more to the story. So before he had to check in for the new assignment, he decided he needed to blow off a little steam (if you know what I mean). Good news? Steam was blown. Interesting news? Apparently there was more steam to be had.

Rick has been assigned to a top secret mission in Munich. As far as everyone else around him knows, he's the new interim consul, since the previous one committed suicide. Well. The whole suicide thing is questionable, hence the top secret mission. But when his new bodyguard walks in the room, his top secret mission gets a lot more complicated. In more way than one. Turns out his face isn't the only thing he remembers, his name rings a bell too. A bell from his past.

There are many different aspects to this story and I'm not gonna ruin them for you. Let's just say that what should have been a one night stand, becomes way more than either of them planned. But lets not forget that this is also a mystery. Why? Because the previous consul didn't commit suicide and now someone is trying to kill Rick. Not on Seth's watch. This is where everything gets interesting.

Reviewed by Chris

Guarding Mr. Fine is the first book I have read by this author and that disappoints me. I did not know this was part of a series. I should say that there was not a problem following the story at all. The flow was good, I liked the writing and I plan on reading more by this author in the future.

The story opens with them Seth wanting to let loose before starting his new post. No names or numbers exchanged. Supposed to be one night to have fun then off to do a job. He works for SAD and his next assignment is to be the bodyguard of the new U.S. consul general in Munich. Seth is a dominant, alpha male in a nutshell. I loved him.

Rick is an agent or has been called a desk jockey working behind the scenes. These men have more in common than they know. Both Rick and Seth are strong men that had a crappy childhood. They own their sexuality. They don’t hide it from anyone. The banter between the two comes in spades. They give and get so well. I found myself smiling at it. The book has a little bit of everything. There was drama, passion, lust, friendship, and some mystery. The sex scenes were hot and ignited the pages.

I look forward to reading more in this series.

Seth and Rick are my favorite couple of this series and probably in my top 10 couples of all time. The banter between the two was at times laugh out loud and at times had me searching for a hankie. They just absolutely clicked. Watching Seth through previous books giving advice and then seeing him as the one needing the advice was pretty great. Having these stories set in cities that don't usually pop up in books puts a little extra pop in there, too. A few times I thought that perhaps I knew who was behind the mysterious shortages and then I'd change my mind, which is something that I just loved, the whole never really being sure if I was right or wrong. I can not recommend this series enough.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

A classic trope from traditional romance plots with a twist. I loved this book and would absolutely read more from this series. The story made so much sense as an LGBT story. With two male characters as the leads, this mystery-thriller had suspense, romance, and great sex scenes. I hope more books come out like this, although I'm not sure I have the readership for this book at my current library. I'll keep an eye out for the future.

The entire book had a different feel than the first two. At the beginning there was a lot more steam and sexy times. It was great. We were missing that in the first two books. However, it wasn't long before it fell apart. We went from hot lust to relationship fears and I have no idea how or why.

Seth was not the most likeable character in the first two books, but I looked forward to getting to know him better and learning the underlying reasons he is this way. Not only did I not learn anything, I felt as though I were reading about a totally different character.

The banter between Seth and Rick was good at times but confusing more often. I couldn't understand what they were talking about. It was as if there was a hidden storyline that I wasn't in on.

These two guys fell for each other. But again, I don't know why or even how. I didn't feel it and couldn't understand what it was they were feeling.

Last but not least, the action plot of the story was so lame compared to the first two books. It was obvious from the very beginning "whodunit". Plus, it wasn't exciting in the least. The resolution was almost laughable.

Helen and Max's hidden agenda was not very well hidden and was nothing short of utterly ridiculous.

I don't even know what I just read. Some sort of bumbling satirical take on an undercover CIA mission with a cheesy, unrealistic romance theme.

My recommendation is read the first two books in this series because they are really good, but you may want to skip Seth's story in this one.

4.5 stars- Rapid fire storyline with great characters

Guarding Mr. Fine is a law-enforcement romance that offers a good dose of action and intrigue throughout the storyline. This is the third book in the Tough Love series but can be read as a standalone. I enjoyed this one a little more than the others in the series because I immediately liked Seth and Rick. Both men have big personalities while being personable and added a lot of energy to the story. Though they work within the same government security branch, Seth and Rick are very different. Their contrasting personalities kept things interesting and added internal conflicts. Those interactions gave the reader insight into the individuals, their work relationships, and how they functioned as a couple.

Besides the characters, the dialogue really stood out to me. It made the story and relationship come alive. Better yet, the banter between characters was fun and witty, adding more depth to their personalities. The writing throughout the book was smooth with enough details to get a good grasp of the scene and action sequences. The pace stayed relatively fast, fitting with the urgency of uncovering the criminal ring operating within the consulate. I did wish there had been a bit more suspense throughout the book. Much like the others in the series, things are laid out clearly and there are no significant surprises with the relationship or criminal activity. However, the conflicts were clear and the resolutions believable and thorough.

The romance itself was fast-burning. Initiating from a hook-up, there is a lot of lust up front. For a good portion of the book I missed seeing the characters connect outside of the physical attraction and respect for the other’s proficiency at their job. I was relieved when things are hashed out between the characters toward the end. Rick forces a conversation about their future, and both men explore their feelings for one another, subsequently clueing the reader into the depth of their attraction.

For fans of law enforcement romances, this series is a good choice. It’s fast-paced but believable and detailed enough to envision the scenes. While I wished there was suspense and chemistry from the outset, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. This author’s characters reliably balance strong personalities with intelligence and passion, and I will certainly read more from her in the future.

After Seth had his last case he’s being assigned to watch over a U.S. consul general named Rick. Before he has to be on guard duty he decides to go out and have some fun, which ends in a night of him having sex in a club office with a very sexy nerd. The next day when Seth goes to work the last person he’s expecting is the hot guy he just had sex with to be the man he’s guarding. Rick has known Seth for a long time but Seth doesn’t know that. After a botched mission years back Rick has been wanting to make amends but doesn’t know how. Now they’re thrown together again and are having a hard time keeping things strictly professional between them.

Guarding Mr. Fine is so freaking cute. Rick and Seth were adorable together while Seth kind of floundered around trying to navigate what a relationship is. Rick is such a cute sexy nerd who figures Seth out pretty quickly and won’t let him get away with anything. I liked how realistic this story was and just how adorable the characters were with each other. I found Seth getting worried and jealous some of my favorite aspects about the story. Despite the fact that Rick seemed to be more dominant when trying to get his way when dealing with Seth I found that those moments always made the parts where Seth was in total butt kicking mode even more amazing.

I don’t want to give too much of this story away, so I’ll just say I really enjoyed this book a lot and hope to grab the other books in this series very soon. HelenKay is an amazing writer and I can’t wait to read more and more from her.

I loved this book and the I thought that Seth and Rick were so hot together. The plot of the story had me hooked from the beginning. I enjoyed Rick and Seth's exchanges together as well since they were such well written characters. I would recommend this book to others!
I voluntarily reviewed a copy via NetGalley.

I recently read (and very much enjoyed) HelenKay Dimon's _Stranded_, so I was very eager to pick up this new title. A fabulous blend of espionage and romance, _Guarding Mr. Fine_ is a delicious read featuring excellent protagonists, clever dialogue, and enough action and steam to keep the reader engaged and interested. Rick and Seth's story is well-paced, moving from their investigations of possible weapons smuggling to figuring out their own romantic entanglements with an easy flow that keeps the story moving toward its climax and resolution. If there is anything lacking here, it's setting. Though the story is set in Munich, there is little local color to help set the reader in place; the events could be taking place nearly anywhere that has an American consular presence, and I do think that a more detailed setting would have helped root the story. Despite that minor flaw, the book is a fun and sizzling read, one that definitely made lunch hours pass more quickly.

I was unaware when I picked up this title that it is part of a series, but I have definitely added the earlier titles in the Tough Love series to my to-read pile, and Dimon has become one of my preferred writers in this genre.

ARC received from NetGalley.

3.25 Stars for me, ARC review for NETGALLEY. This is my first read for this author, and I started in the middle of the series, possibly affecting my overall feelings about this book. Personally I am not a huge fan of insta-love, I felt this was a bit of. I did not see the true connection prior to the relationship. Not too angsty, but overall I just did not quite connect.

So Guarding Mr. Fine was my first HelenKay Dimon book and I can say that it didn’t disappoint but didn’t wow me either. Although it has all the things that I want (the bodyguard setup, the one night stand, some mystery twist… you get the idea) in an Adult Contemporary Romance book, it still fell short especially in the romance department.

So what happened was, we’ve got two hot guys (Rick and Seth) who met in a bar one night and ended up having a one night stand without even knowing each other’s names. The next time they met, they were in the Consul’s office and both had the shock of their lives when they found out that they’ll be closely working with each other, Rick as the Consul and Seth as the bodyguard. Then these things ensued: conflicted feelings arise, plenty of sex, angst here and there, and a race to solve a murder mystery.

I love the mystery, I love the drop dead gorgeous characters and the fact that they already owned their sexuality, and I love how the mystery was crafted. But as I’ve said earlier, the romance was quite meh. It just felt so fast-paced for my taste that I really didn’t get to enjoy its development. And near the end, there’s the usual angst that didn’t exactly improve my opinion of the romance. It got resolved fairly quick considering the extent of the issue that caused the angst. But anyway, Guarding Mr. Fine was an okay story overall and you don’t need to read the first 2 books in the series as it’s a standalone. I’d definitely consider reading some of Dimon’s other works in the future.

Exciting and very erotic. Seth is sent to protect Rick Fine while also uncovering a gun running operation. Being military men they have numerous secrets, some more secretive than others. They seem totally opposite but yet very connected. If reading a suspenseful romance with two men bothers you this is not for you, otherwise dig in. This is the third in this series and while Seth is a familiar favorite this could easily be read independent of the others. My review was written voluntarily after reading an advanced copy.

Picture it
Sexy guy lounging in a nightclub looking to relieve some tension before embarking on a new assignment that once again places him in imminent danger but he's not going to worry about that right now, all he cares about is finding a tasty morsel to have a few minutes of mind blowing pleasure.

He's about to give up when in walks a man that stands out from the rest. Impeccably yet casually dressed, self-assured and too attractive for his own good. You and I both know it's going down and boy did it ever!

The morning after it's time to make the donuts and who should our sexy guy run into? None other than the tasty morsel he hooked up with of course!

The scene may seem typical even overdone or cheesy but not the way Dimon writes it!
I was all in fully invested in these two characters from the moment they met on page. Talk about a Malatov cocktail of explosive chemistry!

Seth, is our sexy, confident bisexual alpha male with a keen mind and killer instincts...in and out the bedroom.

Richard Fine, (boy, is he ever!) is a scrappy sexy nerd who pulled himself up from humble beginnings to emerge as one if the best at what he does (which I won't reveal bc it's a spoiler).

These two together have been dynamite since the word go. I couldn't wait to see who would outwit who and come out on top in the cat and mouse games they play with each other.

This installment of the Tough Love series can be read as a standalone. It's the third book in the series but does nothing to really advance the storyline. Don't let that deter you though. This book is just as intriguing, fast paced and sexy as book two. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I cannot wait to read the next installment!

Seth Lang is sent to Munich to play bodyguard to the U.S. consul general. Babysitting a desk jockey isn't Seth's usual MO, but when he sets his eyes on Rick Fine...Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome and the man he had a sexy encounter with three days prior, Seth goes from annoyed to intrigued.

Rick Fine had been sent undercover to find out what really happened to the previous consul general. He is going to need all the help he can get and when it turns out his bodyguard is someone from his past things start to get interesting.

But with Rick keeping a huge secret from Seth and danger at every turn. These two will need to put their issues aside and learn to trust before it all comes crashing down around them.

I enjoyed this book immensely. This is the third book in the series but can be read as a standalone with no issues. The writing was great. The pace moved along nicely. It had some twists and turns (though to be honest it's pretty obvious who the baddie is right from the start). The back and forth banter between the heroes was great. The sexy times were hot. Both main characters were likable guys. The secondary characters were interesting (I'd LOVE to hear more about Alec and his brothers).

Overall just a really enjoyable read. Two thumbs up from yours truly.