This was a fun quick read.

Nick is an FBI agent sent to Vancouver for an inter-agency investigation involving the triads and a casino owner in Las Vegas. A confirmed commitment-phobe, who should he run into but the hookup he can't get out of his head? Ben is a forensic accountant who has ended up in Vancouver helping out a friend whose grandmother has got herself into a bit of trouble. When he discovers Nick is in town he wants answers for why he was ghosted after a phenomenal night.

While the book has some contrived elements, and some unexpected colloquialisms ("Gawd"), it's fun, it's sweet and it's got some fun spice. And fireworks. There are plenty of foreworks. Playing into the BDSM world, the relationship and growth between Ben and Nick was my favourite part of this read.

Perfect for: summer poolside reading.

G.B. Gordon’s Bottom Line is the sequel to 2022’s By the Book and the second in the Follow the Money series, about an FBI agent working white collar crimes and the younger forensic accountant with whom he becomes romantically involved while investigating an elaborate money laundering scheme. The story was perhaps a bit formulaic, but it was well done and I enjoyed it, although I had reservations about the romance, which, while it had plenty of chemistry was rather under-developed. Still, I was invested enough in finding out what would happen next to pick up Bottom Line – but while the plot is interesting, I can’t report any significant improvement in the romantic storyline. If anything, it’s even more sidelined than in the first book; the two leads spend hardly any page-time together and when they do one of them is almost always being shitty towards the other.

It’s been two months since Nick Marshall and Ben Coyne finally succumbed to their intense mutual attraction and spent an incredible night together. But since then? Nada. Nick has been like a bear with a sore head ever since, furious with Ben for ghosting him and furious with himself for letting it matter so much. He’s found it impossible to get back to his usual MO of casual hook-ups and is throwing himself into his work more than ever, his latest case taking him to Vancouver where he’s to co-ordinate a multi-national, multi-agency force investigating a money laundering operation stretching from Las Vegas to Melbourne with possible connections to the Triads.

Ben doesn’t understand why Nick has ghosted him ever since their night together. Surely he must remember that Ben’s phone was a casualty of the explosion that almost killed him, so he no longer has Nick’s number? Or is it because Ben was too aggressive in the bedroom? (It seems, over the past two months, that Ben has realised he’s interested in a bit of what he terms “power exchange” during sex – and he identifies Nick as a sub in denial about it. [How on earth he knows Nick is a sub, I have no idea, and it’s a really strange assumption to make about someone he’s had sex with exactly once and still doesn’t know all that well.]) Whatever the reason, Ben is hurt, but is trying hard not to dwell on it too much. He has a new job he enjoys and is doing great at, good friends… Special Agent Sex-on-Legs can take a hike.

Ben is surprised when his best friend, Corey, who has gone to Vancouver to visit his grandmother, calls to ask him if he’s still in touch with “that FBI guy.” Corey has noticed that there is more cash around the house than there should be and is worried that his grandmother has somehow become tangled up in something dodgy – he wonders if it’s the sort of thing that should raise red flags. Ben doesn’t particularly want to call Nick – even if he could – but he does still have the card given to him by Nick’s partner Duncan Reid, so he calls him instead. Reid agrees that whatever Corey’s grandmother is mixed up in sounds fishy, and ends their conversation by practically begging Ben to call Nick. Learning Nick is in Vancouver as well… Ben has never been a great believer in fate, but maybe there’s something in it after all.

The author keeps the story moving as Nick, realising someone is leaking information about the investigation, tries to hunt down the mole without attracting suspicion while continuing to run down leads and make connections. He’s seriously pissed when he gets a text from Ben to say he’s on his way to Vancouver and that Reid thought Nick would be interested in the reason why. Nick, still angry and hating (and scared by) the pull towards Ben he still feels, blows him off rudely and thinks that will be an end of it – but it isn’t. A couple of days later, Ben texts again and Nick realises that whatever Ben has stumbled into is somehow connected to his case – and he doesn’t like it. He tells Ben to stay out of it and generally behaves like a spoilt brat in a sulk; he’s dismissive, rude and talks to Ben like he’s nothing… and I would have cheered if Ben had told Nick to fuck off. Of course, that’s not what happens; instead, they head up to Nick’s room for angry!sex and are just getting down to business when Ben makes a comment about wanting to tie Nick up that sees Nick bolting from the bed and locking himself in the bathroom. This is explained as trauma resulting from an encounter, twelve years earlier, with a man who picked up guys for sex, tied them up and then killed them (Nick never actually had sex with this person, but it was a close call) – and then, after Nick has calmed down, about his being in denial over wanting to be submissive in the bedroom, because alpha male types (my words) like him don’t want… that.

Usually, a same-couple series affords more time to build the foundations of a romantic relationship (see Nicky James, C.S. Poe, Gregory Ashe etc.) but that isn’t the case here because the romance is seriously underdeveloped. For around three-quarters of the book, Nick is sniping at Ben, ignoring him and generally being a complete twat to him – it’s only after the plot has reached its climax that they finally talk properly and Nick starts thinking about the ‘L’ word. Which is rich considering he even suspected that Ben might be the one leaking information to the bad guys!

The premise of this series had a lot of potential, offering something a little different to the majority of the romantic mysteries, suspense and procedurals that are out there right now – but unfortunately, the central relationship isn’t working for me. I liked Nick a lot more in the previous book – he’s a hot mess who seems to have it all worked out (but really doesn’t) with a nice line in snark – but while his thought processes in this story are consistent with his characterisation as someone who acts like an arsehole to cover his vulnerability, he’s simply cruel a lot of the time and I lost sympathy for him. Ben, on the other hand, has grown into himself and is much more confident; he’s not afraid to call Nick out when he’s being especially dickish (such as when he dismisses Ben’s concern for Corey’s grandmother and her friends) and he does it in a very measured way that is nicely contrasted with Nick’s sometimes immature way of handling things. You’d be forgiven for forgetting that Nick is forty-one and Ben is fifteen years his junior.

In the end, the poorly executed romance (and the odd assumptions and jumps in logic) mean I didn’t enjoy Bottom Line as much as I’d hoped to. The complex plotlines are well done, the author captures the tense atmosphere of the investigation in a way that puts the reader right in the room with the characters, and the climax is exciting, but I disliked Nick so much that I couldn’t help thinking that maybe Ben would be better off without him – which is not the way I want to think about two characters who are supposed to be falling in love with each other. If there’s another book, I might read it just to get answers to the unanswered questions posed in book one (and briefly mentioned in this one) but the author is going to have to work really hard to get me to believe that Nick and Ben belong together.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a digital copy of this book to give my feedback.

Bottom Line is the second book in the "Follow the Money" series that follows Ben Coyne and Nick Marshall on another case. In the aftermath of the events of book one, Nick is worried and hurt that there has been radio silence on the part of Ben Coyne. However, he is sent away on an international case to bust the antagonist of the first book. Ben Coyne, also feeling hurt by Nick's avoidance, is contacted by a friend to help investigate a fraud case involving their grandmother. Both cases seem to be irrelevant to one another. But when commonalities are found, Ben and Nick are entangled in a messy web that might complicate their case and their relationship.

The story was quite a short read and it was a fun adventure! Having not read the first book, I was a bit lost at certain times. Characters, and past event in the first book, weren't introduced clearly enough. That is my fault as I walked into this book not realizing it was a sequel. That, however, had no effect in me enjoying the novel and also doesn't effect my rating of the book! I would recommend future readers to read the first novel before enjoying this book; so that they can fully enjoy the full experience.

Let's start with what I enjoyed about the book! The narrative itself was concise, linear, and easy to follow. There are some books, in the suspense/thriller genre, that jump to different scenes, that don't relate to the events prior, that can jar readers and take them out of the narrative. I never felt that way in this book. The author carefully shifts between the two point of view characters, and usually has a sentence that connect each chapter, and scene, to one another. The author's decision to limit the POVs to only Nick and Ben is very strategic, as the reader can gauge and compare each character's reaction when something happens in the other's POV. For instance, when Ben and Nick have a conversation about their relationship, their reaction to the outcome of the convo are vastly different. Ben's reaction, the POV that starts the convo, is mature and communicative, while Nick's, the POV after the convo happens, is more irate and belittling. This is a genius take as the reader can gather all the little nuances of each character.

The characterization of the characters are fun and great to explore; especially the side characters as they further the reader's understanding of the main characters. For example, Nick's friends and family offer insight on his privileged upbringing, and how his independence can be a hinderance to others and himself. These characters help establish who the main characters are and offer the reader a chance to engage in the unique dynamic each character has to offer.

The romance between the two main characters is cute and angsty at the same time. This is a hard thing to nail down, as the sudden shift between the dynamic is hard to manage, but the author does so masterfully. Nick and Ben's entire relationship conflict revolves around communication. This is further enhanced from shifting between both of their point of views, and seeing their perspective of the same situation. Even when they communicate, misunderstanding occur and the distance between them furthers. When they do overcome a conflict, the heart warming moments were delightful to read.

The discussion of consent was explored in a healthy and mature manner. The use of colors to explain levels of consent was clever.

Erotica, personally, is not my cup of tea, but the erotic scenes were well written in this story. Fans of erotic scenes will fully enjoy the steamy moments the author included!

Now, let's discuss some of the aspects that hinders this book. For starters, this books "tells" narrative instead of "showing" the story. There were MANY scenes and chapters that glossed over important plot point by simply stating that something happened. For example, in one scene, an Interpool raid was planned to happen by Nick's superior. Instead of showing the preparation, the moments leading up to the raid, and the raid itself, the author tells the reader that the raid happens and the aftermath. Because of this, the suspenseful moments, intended for these scenes, are lost. The tension of the scene comes from showing us the actions the characters are taking, what is at stake for the character/situation, and taking us along for the ride. That will build the suspense for the reader as they feel they understand what the situation means and what the character has to lose. In this book, the suspense is nonexistent, except for a few scenes near the end, because the reader will know what the outcome will be in a few sentences.

The mystery of the story is also weak at some points. The antagonist is stated pretty early in the novel, in Nick's case, and the real problem is in how they're going to arrest him. During the investigation, Nick suspects there to be a mole on his team. However, the tension in the mole plot is never really solid. The reader is briefly introduced to all of the members on Nick's team and, when the mole subplot is introduced, the reader hasn't really spent too much time with any of the "suspected" moles. To fully bring out the tension, the reader must have some time to form a connection with a majority of the members of Nick's team. So, when the mole plot is brought up, the tension of "which one of these characters is the traitor?" becomes more impactful, because we developed a connection with the characters. We form no connections with the members of Nick's team and when the mole is revealed, the outcome loses its meaning and falls flat; because the reader can guess who the mole is.

Overall, I think this books is a fun read! If you enjoy romance with a hint of mystery and thriller, you should give this book a chance!

Bottom Line by G.B. Gordon is a riveting and intoxicating blend of romance and suspense that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. With its thrilling storyline and captivating characters, this book delivers an engaging reading experience that weaves together the elements of love, danger, and intrigue.

Bottom Line is a story of two individuals drawn together against the backdrop of danger and uncertainty. Gordon skillfully develops the romantic tension between the main characters, leaving readers rooting for their connection to blossom amidst the thrilling circumstances they find themselves in. The chemistry between the protagonists is palpable, and their emotional journey is laced with passion, vulnerability, and a hint of danger that adds an extra layer of intensity to their relationship.

Gordon balances the romantic and suspenseful elements of the story. The book explores the depths of the characters' pasts, unraveling secrets and uncovering hidden truths that have the power to alter their lives forever. Gordon's ability to maintain a sense of urgency and mystery throughout the book is commendable, keeping readers guessing and eagerly turning the pages to discover what will happen next.

The descriptions of the settings are vivid and immersive, painting a vivid picture that pulls readers into the heart of the story. Whether it's the gritty streets of a bustling city or the secluded hideaways of dangerous criminals, each scene is brought to life, creating a rich and captivating backdrop for the unfolding romance and suspense.

The protagonists are multifaceted and layered, each with their own strengths, vulnerabilities, and demons to face. Gordon provides glimpses into their pasts, offering insight into their motivations and shaping their actions in the present. Supporting characters also play a vital role, adding depth and complexity to the narrative.

If there is one aspect that could have been further explored, it would be the balance between the romance and suspense elements. While the romantic connection between the main characters is beautifully depicted, there were moments where the suspense took precedence, leaving the romantic development slightly overshadowed. Striking a stronger equilibrium between the two would have heightened the overall impact of the story.

Bottom Line is a compelling and suspenseful romantic read that will keep fans of the genre captivated. Gordon's skillful storytelling, well-developed characters, and atmospheric writing style make this book appeal to those interested in gay romantic suspense. With its potent blend of romance and danger, it is a gripping tale that will leave readers eagerly awaiting more.

Bottom Line is the second book in the Follow the Money series. I'd recommend giving that book a read first as it sets-up the characters and their relationships. Certain events there are alluded to in this book as well.

Bottom Line was a much better reading experience. This was better paced and Nick and Ben were more fleshed out in this one. I did like how their relationship was written here for the most part but there were some aspects that didn't sit well with me. Some of Ben and Nick's choices frustrated me and had me asking why?

The case was interesting though and there were some twists that were done nicely. I did wish POVs weren't shifted in some scenes because it takes one out when you're already quite invested in the moment.

Overall, Bottom Line was an interesting read. The romance is there but if you're looking for a full blown out romantic read, this won't be for you. I do recommend the book if you're looking for an easy, fun crime or suspense read.

This would be a 3.5 star out of 5 star.

I enjoyed the first, so looked forward to this one. I like forsenic accounting/fraud/white collar/financial crimes, so found this to be engaging and interesting.

I liked there was an Australian character (go Walker!)

I liked that Nick tries to play matchmaker for George (Go Katherine!)

The romance was downplayed a bit here, while Nick sorted through his own crises of kink. I liked that Ben was solid, undeterred but also not timid. (Go Ben!)

Overall, if you liked the first book, I am sure you will like this one too. Pretty sure we haven't wrapped up all the mysteries, so more to come, surely.

Thanks Netgalley and Carina Press for advanced copy. Out today!

Reading this without the first book is impossible, so I read the first book. This one is better than the first one but still unfortunately not what I wanted. I was expecting more thrilling action moments and this delivered action that when it was about to get thrilling switched POV so no suspense really. The wrap up of the action was also off screen and uneventful.
Ben and Nick were cute and their chemistry was good. This just lacked what I expected and was underdeveloped in many ways.

Thank You Carina Press and NetGalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This author needs to cut back on the technological details. Nobody reads these books for the nitty-gritty work details. It was fine. I finished it, which isn't always the case. Though now I can't remember a thing about it.

I was more into this second book than book one. It still took me a bit to get into it but I am glad that I read it.

Bottom Line is the second book in the Follow the Money series - funnily enough preceded by book 1 which of course in true to me fashion, I haven’t read .

I spent a little while at the start thinking who on earth are these people and took some time realising Nick’s friend George was in fact, a woman as well. So as I understand it Nick ghosted Ben, but Ben had also lost Nick’s number because some explosion happened, his phone blew up, and then he couldn’t contact Nick. Nick got all broody and stubborn about it, despite being an adult, and a filthy rich, FBI agent.

This book has a healthy dose of suspense to do with Nick’s work, but Ben involves himself through a friend, there’s still tension and angst between them and Nick’s still broody AF. It seems tricky for Nick as Ben is a bossy MF in intimate settings and Nick has no insight to how this might be unsettling for him and that he doesn’t like to lose control, making him want to GTF away. It takes Nick most of the book to work this out …. A little at odds that he’s supposed to be THE FBI man. Anyway, I enjoyed this one but it’s tricky if you haven’t read the first one, and a tad frustrating when Nick really didn’t have an idea and needed to grow up a little.

4* You definitely need to read book 1 to recall where and why these guys are where they are.

As book 1 ended, I recall feeling that I didn't feel the 'supposed thing' between the leads, but that I'd have happily read the book with them as just collaborators on the events that brought them together. Reading book 2, with the drama that seemed unnecessary at times, reinforced that the 'supposed thing' aspect felt forced and inorganic, but it didn't detract from an otherwise decent sort-of-police-procedural.

The book takes up not long after the events in book 1, with the leads supposedly having had more of a fling and then gone cold on each other, for reasons that each has erroneously assumed. It feels more as if yes, each hasn't been able to get the other out of their mind, but that they're pigheaded enough not to want to make the first step towards the other, which leads to nothing but more silence. Boys!!! Grow up and grow a pair!!!

Before we get to see who can grow up first, events bring them together pretty organically and yes, they do sort of get their Bog Boy Pants on and talk and there's the inevitable getting it on, but that's where I had more than one WTF?? moment. Did I miss something in book 1? Some kind of trauma from one of their upbringings? I can't recall that I did, so I was a bit thrown by what happened and how the one on the receiving end was OK with what happened, again without conversation. We got to see a lot in the head of the one not on the receiving end (trying not to Spoiler here) but again, I couldn't fathom his actions, unless I definitely missed something big.

The tale itself worked, though it did feel a bit 'civilian getting into stuff he knows better than to get into' but it was good to see a tale that organically brought in a segment of the population, a very everyday one, that one wouldn't perhaps at first glance associate with bad guys, or maybe, not-so-good guys. The dovetailing worked and the fact that one exceeded his remit worked, too, given the personal connection he had to the people being wronged, so again, I was left feeling that the tale would've worked better as a non-romantic-ISH one, because it was very much a case of ISH, not ish.

This, too, ends in a bit of a HFN cliff hanger on the romance side, and it's not clear if there will be more tales. I liked catching up on what was happening with sidekick George, but it's clear that romance might be in the air for her, if there were a future tale. I liked the ethnic inclusivity in the tale, without it seeming that the author had tried too hard to include this aspect - they did well and I learned about Chinese customs and how elders rule, unlike some cultures where elders are considered obsolete, by deed if not by word.

ARC courtesy of Carina Press and Carina Adores, and NetGalley, for my reading pleasure.

Bottom Line
Follow the Money Book 2
G.B. Gordon
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶

Nick ghosted Ben. What could Ben do? He had lost his phone along with Nick’s number in an explosion. As fate would have it, the two were thrown together when a friend’s family dilemma may have links to the case Nick is working on.

I’m going to preempt this review by saying I haven’t read the first book and didn’t realize they were intertwined. I thought that Nick and/or Ben were minor characters in the first book and this was more of a spin off not a continuation of their story. That being said once I figured out what was going on, I enjoyed this book. The suspense/procedural portion of the story was interesting and kept me wanting more. It was written well and kept you guessing, but at the same time looking back there were clues that I didn’t pick up. I was waiting for a red herring situation. I really could have used a little more of the romance elements in there, maybe not through the story because it would have thrown off their journey, but maybe one more chapter thrown in there. I can see that there is room for a third book to continue their story, so that maybe the plan going forward. I wish Nick was a little more likable. He’s this gruff FBI agent, but if he had more of an inner softness he would have been more likable and added some depth. Ben was great! There were so many layers to his character and he was better flushed out as a character as a whole. I think the author definitely has a favorite child between the two.

I’m definitely going to read the first book, By the Book and then give this another read. It may change the way I look at these two. For the rest of you there is plenty of time to read By the Book before Bottom Line is released on June 27th!

Nick works for the FBI. When he is sent to work on a money laundering case he runs headlong into the one night stand he’s been unable to forget. Ben has also spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about Nick. The case brings them together in the strangest ways.

Lots of angst, misunderstandings, and danger propels the story. Interesting story, well written and enjoyable. Both characters were good although Nick blew hot and cold. I’d call this a slow burn with some steam attached.

I didn’t realize this was the second in a series so I felt like I was dropped into the middle of an ongoing conversation that I just didn’t have enough knowledge to follow. A little ways in felt like I mostly caught up. I would recommend reading the books in order. I did enjoy the story.

Bottom Line was confusing to me at the start as I hadn't realized it was a sequel. Author G.B. Gordon begins it as if the reader knows the characters, but I felt like I had intruded in the middle of a conversation between people I didn't know.
But that was soon remedied and I concentrated on the ballet between Nick and Ben. Would these two ever come to realize their love for each other or would various obstacles continue to deter them? It made for interesting reading as I hoped that they did indeed end up in a four-poster bed.
The investigation that brought Nick to Canada seemed really involved and I felt it could have been threshed out more simply than it was.
Ultimately I give Bottom Line 3.5 stars and round up.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I freaking loved this.

"By the Book" was one of my favourite unexpected surprises of 2022, and I have been impatiently waiting for the sequel for over a year now: I remember reading and loving that book, and I remember being helplessly drawn to Nick, and absolutely falling for the unexpected dynamic between Nick and Ben.
In fact, I'm pretty sure that book was the first of many where I started enjoying a bit of a role reversal in my romances: Nick, the gruff, older FBI agent, discovers his subby side thanks to younger, earnest Ben, with his quietly domineering nature.

So yeah, I was so looking forward to seeing that part of their relationship explored in the sequel, and I was so looking forward to reading more of their adventures in white collar crime world. And of course, I was so, so excited to read about Nick some more, my messy, playboy disaster of a man.

I wasn't disappointed, at all. The opposite, actually:
"Bottom Line" was even more fantastic that the first book, and I managed to INHALE it in a day. I'm actually cursing myself right now because I wanted to savour it a bit more but nope. I just had to finish it: I had to discover what was happening, both in regards to the mystery at the centre of this book and between Nick and Ben as their romance slowly develops.

First of all, I adored the story: it's as complex as the one that brought Ben and Nick together in the first book, and again, who would have thought that that kind of crime world would have been so fascinating? I also loved the many side characters we get to meet again, and although Duncan and George appear much less, they still STOLE THE SHOW.
I can't wait to see them properly in the third book (*manifesting*)

And Nick and Ben? WELL, where do I start. Ben was much more my cup of tea this time around: he's still reckless, mulish and somewhat amateur-sleuth-ish, but I loved seeing him come into his own (and his baby Dom era). He's done the homework, he's much more confident and even more domineering and commanding, despite his age and his innocent blond-and-blue-eyed-looks, and whew. I loved that for him.
Nick, on the other hand, is ehm... Not very put together; but it's no surprise that messy, self-destructive disasters are my favourite kind of protagonists. He's such a complex character: assured and confident in some ways, flirty and sunshine-y, but he's also messy and reckless and a bit immature (and yes, he owns that lol), closed-off and afraid and sharp-edged.
He's got some serious baggage and a somewhat traumatic past, and seeing him struggle with his own desires and his submissive nature (versus his masculitiny and society's idea of it), was both heart-breaking and immensely satisfying.
Needless to say, I absolutely adored him: he's my favourite and although he's also very, very flawed, I was quite ready to jump into the book and protect him from the whole world.

Nick and Ben's relationship is still pretty much slow-burn, and although it's much more present here than the previous book, this installment is still more of a suspense story than a traditional romance. Regardless, their dynamic was priceless, explosive and steamy, and their chemistry is literally off the charts. G.B. Gordon has some serious writing skills.

I'm so, so so curious to see what will happen next. I'm pretty sure there's going to be a third book (I might cry otherwise), but this book ends on a very solid HFN. I'm looking forward to seeing more of Ben and Nick, but in the meantime I might just re-read book one.