Andre is a sweet and sexy romance between Andre ad Marcus. Both are great characters and I really enjoyed this story.

André is a relatively low angst, entertaining office romance - André and Marcus have no idea they'll be working together when they meet. Of course, the workplace dynamic of André being Marcus' boss spices things up a bit, and it adds a little something to the tension between these two. They definitely have good chemistry, and they're both likable characters. All in all, I did like the story even though there were a couple of things I wanted some type of closure for. But at the end of the day, this is a romance and it's a pretty good one, so I guess the side stuff is just that. The book is well written, and the characters are engaging, and I do enjoy the lower angst level, especially in this crazy world. I was also happy to see some diversity in the genre. We don't get nearly enough of that. This one may not have been exactly what I wanted on some things, but it was certainly worth the read and I'll be interested to see what the author does next.

RATING - A
REVIEWER - Wayne Jordan

ANDRÉ is Book #2 in Jayce Ellis’s compelling HIGH-RISE Series which began with JEREMIAH. This is the story of André Ellison and Marcus Thompson and is a compelling contemporary romance in every sense of the word. On the surface, it is a traditional romance with the boss-employee trope, but the story is far from traditional and is told in Jayce Ellis’s powerful voice. Ms. Ellis takes two vulnerable, sensitive men who feign bravado, puts them together and lets them fall in love. It is how they react to and deal with this unexpected situation that make this story so fascinating.

André, on one hand, is trying hard to make his financing firm a success. This means hard work and not much time for a social life. In fact, his friends are concerned that he works too much, but romance is the farthest thing from his mind. Marcus, on the other hand, is a confident young man with lots of talent who has his career and where he intends to go mapped out. When he is seconded, by his boss at the firm where he is an intern, to a ‘small’ company, he does not see this as advancement of his career but an obstacle in his path. He is determined to do what is necessary for the short period and get back on track.

The weekend, before Marcus starts his secondment, he meets André Ellison at a club. The chemistry between the two is intense. Despite the feeling that there could be more, they part way without sharing any contact information, their only memory, the passion-filled night. Where the story gets all complicated, and fun, happens when Marcus goes to his internship only to discover that his boss is the same André with whom he shared a night of unbridled passion. What happens next? You will have to read ANDRÉ to find out. All I can say is that it was fun watching the two fight this need for each other while trying to keep their relationship professional.

I love everything about this book; the setting, the vivid secondary characters and most of all the main characters’ unique voices. Written from each of the main character’s POV, I was taking into the thoughts, feeling and fears of each of them and by the end of the book, I felt as if I really knew them. Set in D.C. the story seems real, capturing the hustle and bustle of corporate life.

Like Jeremiah, ANDRÉ is a very special book. It is a wonderful contemporary romance set in the corporate world. It not only deals with the fears and uncertainty of two very special characters, but their journey to happily-ever-after.

I loved this so much! I have no complaints at all about anything.

We absolutely LOVE to see a Gay Romance book focused on two Black Men! When I saw this on Netgalley I just knew it was going to be great.

This cute little romance focuses on two men, Andre and Marcus. Marcus and Andre meet one night at a bar and things get hot and heavy between them, and not thinking they'd see each other again they go separate ways. Marcus is starting an intern with a different Law Firm for three works though, and the last person he expected to be the CEO of the Ellis Firm, is Andre. Both Andre and Marcus are now stuck seeing each other on the daily for work life, but there is definitely something more between them.

This was super cute and fun and I loved everything about it. It felt nice to just be able to relax and read a book that took my mind off my life. Andre and Marcus together are *chefs kiss* and the ending honestly surprised me a lot.

*!Thank you Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!*

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book!

Rating: 3 stars
Rep: m/m, gay and Black MCs
Trigger warnings: homophobia, sexism, public sharing of a sex tape.

"Andre" follows two men, Andre and Marcus. After hooking up one night and realising that they have to work together the next day, they struggle to fight their attraction and focus on their jobs, add in a jealous ex trying to sabotage them and families that don't know when enough is enough, these two have a lot to deal with!

I did struggle with this one at the start, I was going to DNF around the 25% mark, however, I continued on and it definitely started to pick up between 30-40% and I started getting invested in the characters, the romance and where the plot was heading. Marcus and Andre were great characters and their gradual romance was lovely. This is dual POV but I'll be honest, I couldn't tell who was speaking when.

Overall, while I did like this one I had a few issues, I think this is mainly a "me not you" situation and I definitely recommend checking this one out if you like queer romance with diverse characters and a contemporary, office setting!

I liked so much about this and would highly recommend it for anyone looking for great POC rep in a romance that's all about the romance. 

This is a POC author writing two POC MCs, and it's the hundreds of little details that really distinguishes it as ownvoices rep. Even better, there's no hand-holding for readers like me -- who had to google what siddity meant :) I picked it up after seeing another review praising the rep, and I'm so glad I did. 

I wish the non-romance themes had been developed a little further/examined a little deeper, though, because that could have elevated this into something really special. 

Marcus's journey, especially, has some really interesting dynamics at play that I have never seen anywhere else, and not getting the in-depth conversation with Andre about those choices was a shocking disappointment. I do not understand the decision to pass up that amazing opportunity and jump to an unremarkable epilogue instead. It feels like a giant mistake to me... but at the same time, I have no doubt a more easygoing romance reader will gloss over that with no problems, so...

The characters felt real -- to the extent that Andre's issues with work-life balance seriously stressed me out at times!! -- and I always love getting a fresh voice who is not worried about conforming to the norm. Ellis really forges her own path away from the stale, cookie-cutter formulas of the average romance. I just wish the ending had been stronger to capitalize on all the interesting little details that were setup along the way.

Another fantastic story featuring characters of color written by an author of color. We need more of these stories!

Andre and Marcus have complicated relationships with their families that affect how each are living their lives as adults. The dynamics are uncomfortable at times, and I appreciated the realism with which the family members and their interactions with the MCs were written.

One of my favorite tropes is the kind of surprise in the beginning of the story. I won't give away any details, but will say the MCs reactions were spectacular. I enjoyed the progression of MCs feelings and relationship with each other.

Fiona is the best side character. She's fierce and confident and commands respect. We need strong female characters and she fits the bill. And she has some great, memorable lines:

"Whatever's going on with you, fix your face and get it together. No one has time for man babies here."

Can I get her backstory?

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Andre and Marcus' story and look forward to what Ellis is store next for her DC crew.

André is the kind of low drama, well written and plotted romance that I enjoy. It starts when André Ellison goes out one night to unwind after a difficult work day and meets Marcus Thompson, with whom he shares an explosive one night stand.

What neither men guess is that their lives are about to be critically intertwined. André's former employer asks him to submit a proposal for an important project, and offers him an intern to get the job done. André accepts, knowing this move could be good for his career, especially given the scandal that forced him to move on from his previous employment.

But the intern turns out to be none other than Marcus Thompson, the man with whom he spent that incredible one-night-stand. Thought they are attracted to one another, they agree to keep things friendly in order to not jeopardize the project, which serves up tension after tension as the two men spend more time together.

Ellis writes the evolution of André and Marcus's relationship with care and authenticity. While the attraction is undeniable, it was a pleasure to watch the two men navigate their way from lust and attraction to professional collaboration, friendship and finally, love. The conflict was real, but not contrived, including family issues that come into play. But they work their way through those in a way that felt honest and true.

Ellis also addresses microaggressions and the real world implication of race in workplace dynamics. This couldn't come at a better time, when racial inequality is on everyone's mind. She doesn't shy away from examining the way white privilege negatively impacts the lives of black men, but she does so in a way that doesn't overwhelm the story. I really appreciate when romances at least acknowledge the challenges of existing in this world and Ellis makes space for this.

André works on so many levels - as friends-to-lovers, workplace romance, one-night-stand that turns into more. But at its heart, it is an honest, authentic and generous depiction of two people navigating real obstacles that many face in their lives on the way to reaching their happily ever after.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Author Jayce Ellis blew me away with André, an engaging, thought provoking, M/M romance between two intelligent and successful Black men. I loved that these characters were authentic, that Ms. Ellis added in a workplace conflict where white privilege allowed a white man to keep his job while the Black man was forced to change course in order to not further harm his career, and she addressed the stigma of being a Black gay man even within one’s own family. I know all of that might make this book sound really heavy, but I found it to be uplifting and a superb romance that was hard to put down.

André Ellison never intended to start his own company as soon as he did but being embroiled in a sex scandal at his old firm had him striking out on his own about 5 years earlier than planned. He doesn’t necessarily regret it, but he’s at the point where he needs to add another person which means taking on more clients and expanding the business. For someone who finds it hard to delegate, André is struggling but when his former company asks him to submit a proposal to work with them and one of their top clients and they will loan him an intern to get it done he realizes this might be just the thing to push his business to the next level. What he doesn’t expect is for the intern to be Marcus, the man he had a very memorable one night stand with the weekend prior.

Watching these two men go from one night stand, to basically employee/supervisor, to a friendly relationship, to boyfriends was enticing. Each step along the way they fought their intense attraction and worked long hours on the proposal for André’s business. There were some definite power shift moments throughout this story and it didn’t help that André was worried about taking advantage of Marcus (in a business way), thankfully he had Fiona his receptionist to help him see the light and bless Fiona for cluing in Marcus as well.

Both men had some family baggage that affected how they saw themselves and their relationships with another man but once they got to a comfortable place together they were able to work through those issues and help one another see things from a different perspective. While there was conflict, there wasn’t any manufactured drama, something I greatly appreciated.

I loved the realness of this story, the emotions throughout, that these men weren’t afraid to be real with one another, and that they were open and honest allowing the other to give them what they needed. Ms. Ellis seduced me into her world with her words and I not only learned a great deal from this book, I loved every minute of it.

André has been running his own financial firm for several years, but when the chance to work with the big firm he used to work for gives his firm a chance to grow, he decides to submit a proposal. Though he’s one of the finalists for the Pennington account, he has to work with one of Clarymore’s interns for three weeks to put together a proposal. André doesn’t want to work with an intern, so in an effort to mitigate stress the weekend before the competition is under way, he meets Marcus and they have a spectacular one night stand. Monday morning reveals Marcus is the intern, and the sparks between them are hard to ignore.

One of the things I really enjoy with this series is the close friendships. This definitely stands alone despite being the second in the series; there is no real character crossover and only a very brief cameo of the couple from book one. I love the ways friends are there and different friendship dynamics are shown. It is a great example of chosen family bonds and the ways friends are great for a reality check when necessary, as well as perspective when stuck in your own feelings.

I really enjoyed André and Marcus’ romance and the way things developed from ONS to employee/employer of a sort to committed romantic feelings. The potential power dynamics from the position are addressed upfront and they make a promise to not act on their attraction until after the proposal is presented. I also enjoyed them working with the long distance when Marcus goes back to college to finish his degree. Sometimes the pacing felt a little abrupt, but overall it flowed well. I even felt like the miscommunication near the end that was biggest conflict was realistic, though by that point in story I wish they were more firmly on sweet cycle and not having a conflict.

Overall this is a really sweet romance with great characters. It does some great subversion and challenging of toxic masculinity and harmful stereotypes.

Well, this one was fun. 😉 The first thing that I suppose I should mention is that you absolutely don’t need to read the first book in Jayce Ellis’ High Rise series to pick up André. As a matter of fact, unless I missed something, there’s only a very short cameo from the characters in Jeremiah and then they aren’t really introduced – I only knew who they were because I read the previous book.

I think what I liked most about André was how much both characters grew throughout the book. André had a huge chip on his shoulder and thought he knew exactly what he wanted – and definitely knew what he didn’t want – which was working for a small firm. The last thing Marcus wanted was an apprentice. He had plans to hire someone eventually, but he worked better alone – even if he was working himself ragged. It didn’t help that the two of them met prior to working together and neither one of them reacted well when the discovery was made. As they grew closer, they were determined to keep their relationship professional, even though their physical and emotional attraction was hard to ignore.

I also loved the supporting characters in André – and there were quite a few. There were also a couple that were easy to dislike, but they added another layer to the story that kept things interesting. Jayce Ellis is a “new to me” author, but I’m definitely going to be looking for more of her books in the future – whether it’s from the High Rise series or not. 😉

André Ellison is a one-man financial advisor, and running his own firm isn’t easy. After being forced to leave his former firm, he struck out on his own, which was always his intention, but not quite this soon. When an opportunity arises to partner with his former firm for a big project, André is reluctant, but he knows that if he gets the account, then it would go a long way to keeping him financially stable. Even if that means working with one of the firm’s interns to put together the project and present it.

Marcus Thompson is beyond focused. He knows what he wants from his career and he isn’t going to play any games. Getting chosen as one of the interns to work on a potentially big project is not what he wants. It doesn’t fit into his long term goals. but he’d be a fool to turn it down.

Both men need to blow off steam, wind up at the same club, and take an interest in each other. A night to remember follows. But it’s a surprise when, come Monday morning, Marcus is assigned to work with André on the presentation they have three weeks to prepare for. The tension between them simmers under the surface, and ultimately they decide they just need to get through this project before they can see where things between them will lead.

But machinations are at work that might derail their chance to get the job. Marcus starts questioning everything he ever thought he wanted, while André is trying to figure out how he can have Marcus in his life and trying to let go of his own baggage. But when a communication failure tears them apart, will they be able to work it out?

This is the second book in Jayce Ellis’s High Rise series, but it really does stand alone, with only one quick cameo of the couple from the first book. In fact, I liked this second installment even better than the first. Both the MCs were wonderfully fleshed out, the pacing was spot on, and the big miscommunication was not the one I expected, which gave it a nice twist. But more on that in a minute.

I really enjoy the author’s voice, and I think she does a fantastic job creating characters that are downright believable. It would be easy for these guys, and all the secondary characters, to step off the page into real life. There’s an honesty and realness to them I really enjoy. That’s even more true here, as both André and Marcus are aware of their hang-ups, even if they’re not sure how to get past them. I liked that they had similar baggage, and that ultimately they found a way to work past it.

The chemistry between the MCs was fire. These guys sizzle and spark from the first meeting, and the sexual tension between them as they work together simmers beautifully. Marcus is working out a lot in his own mind about what he wants out of life, and his attraction to and how he feels about André really makes things clearer for him. He doesn’t know how to go about getting what he wants, but his love for André is a pivotal factor. André, as well, grows as he falls in love with Marcus. And I loved how good they were for each other, but especially Marcus getting André to to relax and take time away from the grind of work.

Now, as for the miscommunication that temporarily drives them apart. There was a set up here for something else to happen, and admittedly, I had a moment of thinking it was too easy and too cliché. But what Ellis did here was twist things around, and give these guys another reason to take a break, while they both figure out what to do. I don’t want to say too much about it, since I found it so refreshing for it not to be the obvious thing. I would still rather have seen them actually converse instead of walking away and having to come back together, but this was an interesting way to go about things. And their reunion put a huge smile on my face.

All in all, this is an easy recommendation. The characters are awesome and real, the pacing well done, and everything came together to work for me. If you haven’t yet had a chance to experience Ellis’s writing, then I highly suggest you pick this one up.

Excellent book! When Marcus was placed at Andre's company as an intern, I thought for sure I knew where the story was going. The tropes are laid out clearly through the first half of the book and felt almost cliche, but the excellent writing and chemistry between Marcus and Andre kept me invested. I'm so glad it did because the final conflict in the book is so realistic and unique that I never saw it coming. It even took me aback for a little bit and made me question my own long-held beliefs. I absolutely adore the way they worked things out, and the way the entire cast of really unique characters helped carry the story without drawing attention away from the main couple. I'll definitely be looking for more books by this author!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆☆
What a fantastic office romance. André and Marcus meet at a bar and have an off-the-charts one-night stand, only to find on Monday they are working together. Marcus is an intern at a large finance company and has been loaned out to André and his one-man show to assist with catching a new client.

I loved their reactions when they realise they are going to be spending the next three weeks working together. It makes it clear that it is only going to be a matter of time before professional and personal lines mix. It is tantalising to watch them try to maintain professionalism when they clearly want more. I was loving my time with André and Marcus so much I found myself picking the book up at every opportunity, even if I only had time to read a few paragraphs.

These two men give us a sophisticated and sexy romance. They work hard, they take care of each other, and they even throw in some personal growth on their journey too. I completely adored André. 5 stars.


Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is the story of a financial advisor who inadvertently falls for his new intern. André is shocked to discover that his new intern is also his most recent hookup. But in order for André to win the big contract he needs for his new business, he and Marcus have to find a way to work together without their personal history causing any issues.

I have to admit that I find corporate finance incredibly dull. For most of the book, André and Marcus spend all of their time at work. André works and he sleeps. And while Marcus works as his intern, Marcus works and he sleeps. Fans of shows such as Suits might really enjoy the deadlines and workplace politics, but I found parts of this story pretty slow and I found myself glazing over far too many times.

This book is at its strongest when it leaves the office and gets personal. Both Marcus and André have complicated, difficult relationships with their parents. Both men also have difficulty as gay black men finding a way to belong to both the white corporate world and the black communities they grew up in. Their experiences are complicated, and their feelings get raw pretty quickly. The support Marcus and André lend each other is special and their connection is pretty wonderful because they make each other better, stronger versions of themselves. I would have enjoyed more of Marcus and André beyond the office – but the reality is that neither man has much time beyond the office.

Love this new book by Jayce Ellis. The second book is better than the first. Andre is a gay young man that has his firm after leaving a company after he was exposed by coworker that was his lover. Marcus is a student, works at the previous company that Andre worked at, and is interning for Andre so he can help him with an account. The two men has a passionate one stand and they didn't know that would be working together until later on. They both are attracted to each but they both have their issues. Andre is leery about any relationship after what happen and is having major issues with his family about his sexuality. Marcus is sassy, seems like he's a chip on shoulder, and indecisive about his career. The two are great together. The book is romantic, some angst, with characters, and I loved it. I'm looking forward to the next book from this author.

I liked this one.

Andre is the second book I've read by Jayce Ellis; Jeremiah was my first. I can't put my finger on it exactly but I had a harder time getting into Andre. I suspect that it was just me and where my head was at when I started it because once I was about 40% in, I couldn't put it down. I stayed up way too late (even for this night-owl) so I could finish it.

Like book one in the series, Andre challenged me because I wasn't familiar with a lot of the slang used but that just made it a more interesting story to read. The book started off HOT as fire right out of the gate and actually then simmered to a slow burn for a while. That was necessary because what should have been a one-night stand unexpectedly turned into a boss/employee relationship. As much chemistry as these two guys had between them, I was amazed at how well they were able to keep things under control while still boss/employee.

There was a fair amount of financial jargon used, due to the occupations of both Andre and Marcus as financial planners, but it wasn't enough to put me off of the story. One of the secondary characters is a really sneaky and nasty dude – just the type of character I like to see be redeemed in a later story. I kind of doubt that will happen, though, as the series is based upon the common denominator of at least one of the MCs living in the same apartment building.

There was a pretty big twist in this story that I didn't see coming. I don't think it's a spoiler to say that it involves Marcus and a discovery he makes about himself. I was caught completely off-guard and I applaud Jayce Ellis for what she did with the character of Marcus.

If you enjoy hot as fire sexy time, two strong characters and a good cast of secondary characters Andre should be a good fit for you. BTW, although it's part of a series it totally stands alone. The two MCs from Jeremiah just make a brief cameo appearance in Andre.

A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

I am neither a gay man or a person of colour but that didn't prevent me from thoroughly enjoying this book and I am so glad to see more diverse representation within the MM world.

Book one in this series really surprised me, but this one was even better, very low angst, some internal conflict over what it means to be a gay black man and a bit of outside interference is all that was needed to create tension.

This felt completely real, both André and Marcus were fully fleshed out characters, their personalities distinct and their experiences different. There's a small age gap between them and it worked completely for the narrative.

A hook-up turned into a work relationship, into friendship and then into a true partnership, with all the hurdles to overcome on the way. With a fabulous cast of secondary characters, a teeny guest appearance from Collin and Jeremiah from book one which make me squeal just a bit 😁 and a dreamy Epilogue, this is a fantastic second edition to this series from Jayce Ellis.

As the series is only loosely connected, I have no clue who will be the subject of book three but I can't wait to find out! Add in another fabulous cover and this new series is shaping up to be a favourite.

*'¨✫)
¸.•'¸.•*'¨)✯¸.•*¨)
✮ (¸.•'✶I enjoyed Jeremiah and the first High Rise book, and enjoyed a few facts. Crestline is the place where both Jeremiah and André lived. Mr Johnson had a regular appearance and Fiona and Brad were featured. But this was not their story.

This book was about the spark that flared when Marcus met André and turned his life around. How their one-night-stand opened up something neither man had been prepared for. I loved the writing style. I loved the flow, the plot being enhanced by the thoughts of words spoken. And what I lived for most was this book featured not one, but TWO African-American men who moved through the world of finance and whose beginning goals were to find a way to work together once they realised André was in fact Marcus's interim boss.

With a moderate amount of decision making, these two had to find their own path to happy ever after. I highly recommend this book and its predecessor, Jeremiah.

I think the representation of two gay Black men is super important, and I'm sure this story will mean so much to so many people. For me, however, I found the writing to be a bit immature and as if it tried too hard to fit into our modern slang. There seemed to be no lead in for that, and I found the character of Marcus to be a bit of a grump, but not in a likable way.

Andre is the second in Jayce Ellis' High Rise series. The story is about Andre Ellison, a financial planner that has set up his own small firm in DC after leaving a bad situation at a larger firm. He meets Marcus Thompson, an MBA student, at a club and the two share a passionate night together. To both of the men's surprise Marcus is the intern that is loaned to Andre's firm to work on a special project. Now they have to work together while all of the chemistry between them still sizzles.

This was my first book by Jayce and I loved her style and voice. This book could have been a typical office romance between a boss and an intern and I would have ate it up, but in Andre she gave the audience something so much more.

Both Andre and Marcus have internal struggles about their "roles" as black gay men in America. Both feel pressured to present a certain version of themselves to the world, all while hiding their true desires and denying themselves. My heart broke for these two as they admitted to each other their struggles, but I loved that they supported each other and built each other up.

Marcus throws a lot of attitude about Andre's firm and what he feels is the kind of career he deserves. I'll admit this attitude had me not liking Marcus in a few places, because while he was looking down on the firm he was appreciative of the man. I just wanted to shake him and say "stop being a snob"!

The passion between these two is explosive and it was the exact right mix of sexy and heartfelt. I've seen a some complaints about how other people couldn't connect because they are not BIPOC like the main characters. Let me just say that this straight white lady had no problem connecting with the love and emotions Jayce wrote. Everyone deserves a happily ever after, and I had an awesome time reading Andre and Marcus'.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.