I tried to read this book, but I was unable to get into it. I will not be writing a proper review for this book.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

I requested this one back in the day as I had every intention of reading it. However, its been years and I still haven't gotten around to it and while I feel guilty at not reviewing a book I think that I need to admit to myself that I won't be reading this one anytime soon....if at all.

At the age of 38, Brian Keppler knows that he’s a workaholic. He didn’t plan it that way, but owning a coffee shop has become a round the clock task as reliable staff is difficult to find. Brian’s relationships have all crashed and burned due to his long work hours and his past girlfriends have seen his business as the other woman. He’s struggling to make ends meet, but his day gets brighter when a gorgeous ginger man with a British accent strolls in for a cup of coffee.

Robert has made Pittsburgh his home as he is CEO for a tech company. He has an instant connection with Brian, the barista who makes him a special sweet and spicy coffee drink. The men hit it off immediately and Robert knows that Brian is flirting with him. But, while Brian has always known that he is bisexual, he has never acted on his desire to be with a man. Brian is completely ready to have a relationship with a man and Robert may just be the one, the only one. But his business leaves him no time for anything else and the pressure Brian is under may push Robert away for good.

This is a warm, sweet, and sexy story all around. Brian is a coffee shop owner and he is reluctant to admit that his shop might be going under. He works all of the time, but cannot get ahead and he’s stressed to the max. He’s never been with a man; the thought has always been there, but comments over the years about being bisexual had him keeping that knowledge to himself and he has chosen to date women. That changes when Rob walks into the shop.

Rob was an only child and his first love was photography. His parents didn’t approve of the arts as a career and he has longed buried his artistic side as a frivolous hobby. He was burned badly in his last relationship, but when he sees Brian behind the coffee bar he would like to order up one Americano.

The guys have an instant connection. There is attraction and common interests and Brian is ready to embrace his bisexual side. They date and Brian shows Robert the side of Pittsburgh he knows so well. The men bike and hike and take photographs and Zabo makes all of their time together visual as well as interesting. The men also cannot keep their hands off of each other. Whether it’s little touches or Brian finally going all in with a man, the two of them are scorching hot together and enjoy each other often in a variety of ways with a sprinkling of dirty talk added in.

Brian has several internal conflicts going on. One of them being that he has to come out to his parents, but his parents are way cool. Bonus! He also has internal conflicts regarding accepting himself as bisexual. There is a lot of internal dialogue, as well as comments with Robert, where Brian compares his encounters with Robert to his last girlfriend. It was a constant thought process and became a bit repetitive for me that he was doing that much comparison all of the time. The main conflict, however, comes from the amount of time that Brian works and the constant anxiety he has over his business. He won’t let anyone help and when Robert tries to ease things, Brian lashes out at him. But, these guys are adults and they start to act like it and when Brian feels like he’s hitting rock bottom, he owns up and the men talk.

The ending pulls this story all together and the epilogue is warm and sweet as the guys fall deeper in love. This is book four in Zabo’s Takeover series, but this is how you make a book stand alone while still offering glimpses of former MCs without losing the reader that hasn’t read the entire series (although I have read all of the previous books). Maybe there will even be more as Brian’s brother sounds like he could really use a story for himself. Daily Grind offers two engaging characters and is a hot and sexy addition to this series.

Brian Keppler the barrister we all adored throughout the series and a new man in town Robert Ancroft

Lust at first site for these two but it wasn't that easy especially with Brian never giving in to the male side of his bisexualism

"You're fucking adorable. You pound me hard enough to shake the foundations of my house, until I can't remember my name, and make me spurt across my bed, and you ask if it was okay?"

Once Brian was okay to give in these two chemistries' steamed off the pages but with two work alcoholics it wasn't going to be easy, especially because Brian was a too sensitive prick at times pushing everyone away except his the Grround N'at.

Daily Grind is a sweet, hot treat, just like your cappuccino! Daily Grind was my first Anna Zabo, so it can totally be read as a standalone, or you will be like me and have to go back and read Zabo's backlist. :-) If you've read Takeover, Due Diligence and/or Just Business, there's considerably less kink in Daily Grind, but it's still a smoking hot story. I loved Brian and Rob! Brian and Rob have great chemistry. This is a gay for you romance by a couple of guys who have been burned by love in the past. They are snarky and fun and watching them fall is thoroughly enjoyable!

If you are a Zabo fan, then you will love getting Brian's story. If you are new to Zabo, then feel free to start here or start with Takeover and work your way through. You can't go wrong either way!

here's the link to our review, it has been shared on all social media

Just like everything else Anna Zabo has written, this story was so full of life and truth that it is hard to imagine that these characters are not flesh and blood. Her men are so real, her relationships so honest and her worlds so clear that it is impossible to believe that I won’t run into these people walking down the street.

All of her past characters have intersected in the coffee shop below Sam’s office, and now we finally get a book on Brian, the owner of the store. As a man who has always known he was bi-sexual but never acted upon it, Brian is struck dumb by Rob, the red haired Brit that walks into his coffee shop, Grounds N’at. With innuendos and naughty jokes flying back and forth regarding ‘strong Americanos’ and ‘room for cream’, the two hit it off and begin a relationship that is as sweet and touching as it is incredibly sexy and smoking hot to read.

At first I thought that this may be a story about Brian struggling with his sexuality, but that was not the issue in his relationship with Rob at all. It was a pleasure to watch Brian embrace who he was and revel in his love for Rob. He didn’t internally question whether it was right. Instead, he knew he was being true to himself and they fell head over heels in love with each other. It really was a pleasure to watch each of them fall so deeply.

Instead of a battle with his sexuality, Brian’s struggle was a professional one: how business worries and spreading himself too thin at work wreaked havoc on his new relationship. Knowing it was the reason for the failure of his past romantic relationships, it was frustrating to watch Brian go down the same path over and over again. It was sad to watch Rob have to stand by and not be able to fight Brian’s battles for him, and my heart went out to these two people that were clearly perfect for one another.

As an added bonus and one of my favorite scenes, I loved watching Brian’s family’s reaction to his anticlimactic announcement that he was bisexual. I found his parents to be the sweetest people ever.

Anna Zabo is truly a master storyteller. Her characters leap off the page with such a life of their own that I feel as if I know them intimately. I want to go on a hike around Pittsburgh with them, I want to have them for my friends, and I want to sit in Brian’s café and have a cup of coffee with them. Her world is so real and so clear that I can’t wait until the next story is released. These are friends that I miss until I see them again in her next book, and I long to sink into her world of acceptance and love again.

I’ve been wanting to try this series/author for a while now. Those covers are such eye candy I’m not sure how I’ve resisted until now. So I finally picked up DAILY GRIND and I’m so conflicted because I really wanted to like this book more than I did. And from the looks of it, I may be in the minority and be an unpopular opinion since everyone has seemed to love it.

There are definitely parts of DAILY GRIND that I really liked. The characters being one of them. Both MCs are so endearing in their own ways, and I thought they had such great chemistry together! I really wanted to see them let loose a bit more. Both have such tight leash on their self control and the walls they keep around each other, both for different reasons, that I almost feel like it took most of the book for those to come down and when they did it was just so sudden that I didn’t buy it as easily. However, when they are together, they are more than hot.

DAILY GRIND finds Brian, the owner of a coffee shop, buried in work and basically putting his business ahead of everything. His relationships, his family, even his health it seems. And he refuses to ask for help. This was interesting at first, but after a while and things not changing even one bit, I started to get frustrated with Brian myself. Honestly, I thought the problem was dragged on for a little too long to the point it got to be irritating to me. And when I was all for Rob to slowly chip at the barriers, after a while I just wanted him to find an easier guy to be with!

Rob might’ve been my favorite though. He’s been betrayed and used before, and he still is for the most part a very easy going guy. When he knows he wants Brian, he just goes for it. Taking a chance and letting his heart lead the way. Plus he’s an adorable ginger with an accent. How could I resist that? In many ways, Brian is perfect for him and I was happy to see him finally opening his eyes to all the good he had right in front of him.

So while DAILY GRIND was a bit frustrating, it was still an enjoyable and sexy read.

I read this with high hopes, since I have loved the rest of the series so much. However, I could not like Brian at all. I liked him previously. In this book, I didn't like him at all. In fact, I disliked him so much, I didn't want a happy ending, I wanted Rob to go find someone else. Brian was whiny, and angry. His actions didn't make sense. And his big blow up at Rob? I was so mad at him, I couldn't continue to read for a while. I also read this with a friend, and we were in the same place at the same time, and texting each other regarding our anger. I'm not sure I can read again in this series after that. And I truly love Anna's work, this one just hit so far off the mark for me.

Running an independent, neighborhood coffee shop has been slowly breaking Brian Keppler for years. After a key employee is hired away by the consulting firm upstairs, he’s been taking on more and more of the work himself, spending less time on the other important parts of his life—and exorcising his frustrations on his remaining employees and anyone who tries to love him. Being bisexual and closeted isn’t helping things, either. “Miserable” sums Brian up pretty tidily these days, and having his world turned upside down by the arrival of the sexy CEO of a successful robotics company wasn’t at all on his to-do list. So, why does the idea of losing him seem like too high a price to pay?

Robert Ancroft fought long and hard to make his company a success. And nearly lost himself in the process. Fortunately, he was able to find a balance that didn’t drain him to the marrow day in and day out. Watching the man who has started to mean so much to him sink into the same, endless exhaustion is heartbreaking, but Robert is trying his best to help Brian see what life could be like for them if he were willing to devote even a small part of himself to the relationship they could have. Still, everyone has their limits, and this fight may be one he just can’t win.

Written in the third-person from both Brian and Rob’s perspectives, Daily Grind was a highly enjoyable read that I think definitely has a place on my “keeper” list. Both main characters are complex and I appreciated that they were able to get a chance to pursue an authentic kind of happiness after the age of thirty-five.

Although the trials Robert and Brian face are the primary force driving the narrative, there are many wonderful scenes written against the backdrop of Pittsburgh (and the surrounding area) that have me itching to visit there myself. Some of my favorites are seen through the lens of Robert’s camera, and I thought it was especially sweet that their connection deepened most profoundly during these moments. Their relationship is an intensely sexual one, but the added depth provided by the other parts of the story, particularly Robert’s own complicated history and his introduction to Brian’s family, made Daily Grind all the more enjoyable for me.

While Daily Grind works well as a standalone, I deeply regret not reading the entire series from the beginning. Aside from the fact that, based on other reviews and excerpts, the other stories seem to be just as thoughtfully written, I enjoyed the secondary characters very much, and would love to have known their backstories better. There’s obviously a lot more going on beneath the surface in many of their scenes, and the temptation to delve into those narratives is proving too great to resist. This is a series I’ll have to go back and pick up from the start, and I don’t think that existing fans will be disappointed in the least.

One last note: the author also has quite a few very interesting links on the “Thoughts” page on their website, some of which I wasn’t able to read through in time to finish this review, but I’ll get to the rest of them as quickly as possible. There’s lots to think about there, which is always a good thing.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Omar

We first met Brian Keppler for short instant during Justin and Eli’s story, Just Business, but this time he is the main character and is his time to find love. Brian has been having problems keeping his baristas, not since his best barista, Justin, started his new job and love life. Then the most handsome guy walks into his shop, Rob, and start a conversation with him. Rob is sort of new in town, his company moved to Pittsburgh over a year ago, but he hasn’t had time to look around. He was recommended Brain’s shop from his friend Todd, and after one coffee, he now like his with a lot of cream. What starts as small flirting, grows into an intense need and attraction for one another that cannot lets them forget the other. The problem is that will Rob is openly gay, Brian is bisexual and this will be his first relationship with a guy, and the place they met place a big part of their relationship.

I liked Daily Grind, as the other books in the series, this story also centers around a specific topic or problem that the reader can relate to. In this case, the story centers around work and coming to terms with the fear of rejection from those we love. Many can relate to these types of topics and a believe they were well handle.

The story of Daily Grind was fun to read, the characters were easy to relate and understand where they came from, but most of all it was romantic as hell. The interaction between Brain and Rob was so sweet, making the reader yearn for a love at first sight relationship like theirs. But like all stories, we see them get to know each other, and find out that this time they want more in their life than just a casual hookup.

I loved the puns that this story has, and the perfect moments where they were used. Also, that all of Brian’s family used them against him.

It was bittersweet story in the case of learning about both characters; for one side Rob’s past was sad, it gave me the need to be his friend and tell him that perusing his hobbies was not wrong, I would love to see the photographs that are described in the book. But reading him interacting with Brian’s family was the best thing for him. The scenes with the Keppler family addition to this love story, it all was good to read about a supportive family for a LGBT person.

I was happy to see Justin and other characters from the previous book make their cameos, and help when they could. I want to know more a but Brian’s brother, Len.

The only thing that I didn’t like, was that for the first quarter of the book felt like it was too long and took a while to get to the problem to be solved.

Because this is a M/M romance the sex scenes are between two male, if you are not comfortable with this then you should skip the book. If you are okay with this genre, the sex scenes are in the same level or less vanilla that the previous books in the series.

If you are fan of Anna Zabo or her Takeover series, the I recommend Daily Grind. Here to men meet over cup of spicy and cream coffee, and start a relationship that will change them for the better, but find out that coffee can be everything in life, there are things more important.

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

This was a very nice surprise. I haven't read the other books in this series, so I had no idea what to expect. Thankfully this book didn't dissapoint.

Brian is the owner of Ground N'At, a coffeeshop located beneath SR Anderson Consulting. He is a very hard and dedicated worker....a bit too hard one might say.

Rob is the CEO of a robotics company. And for those who are into Gingers....you lucked out with Rob. They have instant chemistry when they meet.

Brian has always known he was bi, he just never acted on it. That is until he gets to know Rob. These two men were very sweet, funny and very very HOT together.

We also get quite the "dirty talk", which made me a very happy camper :)

There is not a lot of angst in this one, except for Brian working himself to the ground.

All in all, I really like this one and I will go back and read the other books in this series :)

An ARC was kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This review has been posted on Dirty Books Obsession

Mini List Review:

~ Bi coffee shop owner (Brian)
Though this is his first time acknowledging and acting on his attraction to men
~ Tech CEO (Rob)
Ginger
British
~ Both are older -- 38 and 40
~ Such great banter and flirting, especially in the first few chapters, but really throughout the book
All sorts of coffee/cream puns and such
~ So. Damn. Sexy. UNF
~ The angst/conflict comes from Brian's struggle to balance the overwhelming load of running a business and having a life/relationship
Things at work are not going well and he won't accept help, won't listen to anyone -- not even Rob
Causes some fights
Eventually he realizes it's okay to ask for outside help, or at least opinions
~ I actually really wanted to go to Brian's coffee shop. Or work there. Or both. The setting just drew me in and his coffees sounded delicious
~ Enjoyed Zabo's writing will DEFINITELY be back for more!


4 1/2 STARS

At the age of 38, Brian Keppler knows that he’s a workaholic. He didn’t plan it that way, but owning a coffee shop has become a round the clock task as reliable staff is difficult to find. Brian’s relationships have all crashed and burned due to his long work hours and his past girlfriends have seen his business as the other woman. He’s struggling to make ends meet, but his day gets brighter when a gorgeous ginger man with a British accent strolls in for a cup of coffee.

Robert has made Pittsburgh his home as he is CEO for a tech company. He has an instant connection with Brian, the barista who makes him a special sweet and spicy coffee drink. The men hit it off immediately and Robert knows that Brian is flirting with him. But, while Brian has always known that he is bisexual, he has never acted on his desire to be with a man. Brian is completely ready to have a relationship with a man and Robert may just be the one, the only one. But his business leaves him no time for anything else and the pressure Brian is under may push Robert away for good.

This is a warm, sweet, and sexy story all around. Brian is a coffee shop owner and he is reluctant to admit that his shop might be going under. He works all of the time, but cannot get ahead and he’s stressed to the max. He’s never been with a man; the thought has always been there, but comments over the years about being bisexual had him keeping that knowledge to himself and he has chosen to date women. That changes when Rob walks into the shop.

Rob was an only child and his first love was photography. His parents didn’t approve of the arts as a career and he has longed buried his artistic side as a frivolous hobby. He was burned badly in his last relationship, but when he sees Brian behind the coffee bar he would like to order up one Americano.

The guys have an instant connection. There is attraction and common interests and Brian is ready to embrace his bisexual side. They date and Brian shows Robert the side of Pittsburgh he knows so well. The men bike and hike and take photographs and Zabo makes all of their time together visual as well as interesting. The men also cannot keep their hands off of each other. Whether it’s little touches or Brian finally going all in with a man, the two of them are scorching hot together and enjoy each other often in a variety of ways with a sprinkling of dirty talk added in.

Brian has several internal conflicts going on. One of them being that he has to come out to his parents, but his parents are way cool. Bonus! He also has internal conflicts regarding accepting himself as bisexual. There is a lot of internal dialogue, as well as comments with Robert, where Brian compares his encounters with Robert to his last girlfriend. It was a constant thought process and became a bit repetitive for me that he was doing that much comparison all of the time. The main conflict, however, comes from the amount of time that Brian works and the constant anxiety he has over his business. He won’t let anyone help and when Robert tries to ease things, Brian lashes out at him. But, these guys are adults and they start to act like it and when Brian feels like he’s hitting rock bottom, he owns up and the men talk.

The ending pulls this story all together and the epilogue is warm and sweet as the guys fall deeper in love. This is book four in Zabo’s Takeover series, but this is how you make a book stand alone while still offering glimpses of former MCs without losing the reader that hasn’t read the entire series (although I have read all of the previous books). Maybe there will even be more as Brian’s brother sounds like he could really use a story for himself. Daily Grind offers two engaging characters and is a hot and sexy addition to this series.

4.5 stars - Woohoo, this book put me back on track with the series. This one is about Brian, the coffee shop owner where the other guys all get their coffee and where Justin used to work before he left to work with Sam in the office.

Brian is having a bit of a hard time with things at work. He has never been able to replace Justin, his best barista, and other employee issues having him working extremely long hours and trying to find ways to keep things working financially. He has lost past relationships due to his commitment to his shop, but when Rob shows up, he brings the sunshine with him. They start with lots of flirting but it is clear they hit things off right from the start.

Brian is bisexual, though he has only been with women up until this point. However, he is more than ready and fully embraces his budding relationship with Rob. It was very refreshing to see someone be so open about it all, and of course, the chemistry between the two was off the charts. There is lots of delicious dirty talk, fabulous flirting and it was a joy to watch these guys grow together.

Rob is all too aware of Brian’s workaholic tendencies. He just about worked himself to the bone at one point but pulled himself out of it before things went too far. So, he knows what Brian is going through, understands his commitment, etc., yet sees the warning signs and tries to help. This is the biggest struggle these guys face here. Brian’s struggling business, Rob’s good intentions in trying to help and the ramifications of it all.

These guys were fabulous together. They had a maturity about them that was basically drama free, low on the angst and family issues. While Rob did have some issues involving his parents, Brian’s family was fantastic, open and loving, taking Rob into their fold with ease. Rob was his own biggest enemy here, but luckily he figures things out before it is too late. I definitely recommend this wonderful series and look forward to seeing more of these guys again!

Coffee enthusiasts will probably love this book. There’s coffee everywhere - the shop, Brian and Rob’s own love for coffee, and the numerous coffee-related puns and jokes. I thought it would get stale at a point, but I didn’t mind the coffee-mania.

I had no trouble connecting with either Brian or Rob. Though it was clear from the beginning that Brian’s business troubles would lead to problems, he’s a genuinely likeable person who cares about his friends and customers.

I really appreciated that the author didn’t bury Brian’s bisexuality, which is often too common in MM romance. There’s definitely no bi-erasure here.

Rob, a ginger-haired techie, was smooth and suave from the first time he stepped into Ground N’At, Brian’s coffee shop. But underneath the polished exterior was a lonely man looking for someone to love who would love him back.

The connection between Rob and Brian is immediate. They have similar interests and both are happy to explore where the spark between them goes. What I liked most was that they instinctively understood one another.

Plus, they were killer in the bedroom. Brian jumps right into the joys of man-on-man sex. And if you like dirty talk, you’ll be pleased.

The relationship moves along very quickly. It’s not insta-love, but it’s close. I thought the “I love yous,” which pop out in the middle of a sex scene, came way too soon. It made me wonder whether that was just the great sex talking, particularly because Brian and Rob had both been alone for so long.

Also, I didn’t really like that Brian’s coffee shop was the third party in the relationship. It was certainly realistic, as a failing business can definitely impact relationships. But it was always there. It got to the point where I started feeling the stress myself.

The drama with the coffee shop ended up distracting me from the actual romance. At a certain point, I just didn’t care what happened to the shop, so long as Brian and Rob could move on.

Even so, ‘Daily Grind’ was quite enjoyable. The business drama took up way too much of the book in my opinion, but Rob and Brian’s romance still delivered on the sweet and sexy. If you’re looking for a contemporary relationship-focused MM book, give this a try.

If you like coffee, cute british redheads and excellent bi-rep then this is your book! That’s pretty much all you should need to decide to read Daily Grind. Though I guess it doesn’t make for a good review. ;)

Let me start with the coffee then. Don’t read this book if you don’t have coffee anywhere close to you (if you’re a coffee kind of person, of course) because Anna Zabo will make you thirst for a little sip of the liquid goodness.
Seriously, I think this book should come with a barista to make all the different kinds of coffee for you. 😉 Or at least have the recipes for it so you can make them on your own.

It all starts when Rob, who recently relocated to Pittsburgh, comes in to buy a cup of coffee. And while it’s not love at first sight, there’s definitely an instant connection between him and Brian.
Rob makes Brian’s head spin and the flirting! *swoon* I never thought you could make so many coffee/cream related innuendoes without sounding corny or artificial. But whew.. Anna Zabo managed that perfectly. Even that Rob calls Brian his “Americano” was just so sweet and adorable.

Brians coffee shop is everything to him, it’s his whole life and because of that he’s afraid to let go of the reigns even a little bit.
The coffee shop hasn’t been running as well as it used to before and Brian becomes more and more desperate to save it. He’s working more and more hours to try to get by without hiring a help he so desperately needs. And doing everything else to save money – without changing anything. Changes him from the overall easy-going and laid-back guy people know him to be, to a grumpy, stressed-out coffee shop-owner.
The stress takes its toll not only on his relationship with Rob but also with the people around him. He’s overwhelmed, lost and too afraid to lose it all so when Rob offers advice to help Brian in any way, Brian lashes out at him.
It takes Brian a bit to realise what he really needs but I was thoroughly satisfied with the solution.

So I mentioned the coffee before, the delicious creamy coffee. But what’s probably the best thing, other than the awesome chemistry and attraction between Rob and Brian, is the awesome bi-rep Daily Grind features.
It was so refreshing to have a bisexual character who knew he was bisexual. Who wasn’t weirded out by being into a guy or who questioned it overly. Not to say that I don’t love the coming-out books, people just figuring out they are bisexual. Some of my favourite books feature that story-arch but there’s little books with characters that always knew they were bi, even if they never were in a relationship with someone from the same-sex. So to see that in Daily Grind was delighting. Brian is completely fine when he’s attracted to Rob. No earthquake or Armageddon happening.. He just goes with it.

Anna Zabo delivered another fantastic and highly entertaining story with love and friendship, this time with added delicious coffee and awesome cream-puns. Daily Grind is not to be missed and most definitely recommended!

4.5 Stars!
Holy hotness! This book!

From the very beginning of the story you just knew it was going to be a great read! The author takes two decidedly delicious men; one bi, one not, and the sparks fly right off the page.

Intense connections and plenty of steamy hot scenes, that even include a some light bdsm, make this a book where you better plan to simply pull up the covers and don't come out until you are done. Sweaty, physical, and playful, these two have it all - well, Almost!

I love everything about this story! The author did a fabulous job crafting these two characters so they work together and offer a lovely balance for each other. With some trials and tribulations to get through that left me chewing my nails, I was so pleased with the HEA. Fabulous story!

* This book is a part of a series and I had not read any of the others prior. There are many references to other characters from the past books and sections with them included that did cause a slight issue figuring out how they were connected and who they were. However, I am definitely going to grab a few of the earlier books to enjoy their connections!

3/3.5 stars. I have posted on GR but will not be adding my review on our blog during our promo since I had some issues with it.. My blog partner will put his 4 star review.

3.5 stars
Rob Ancroft is the CEO of CirroBot. He is an intelligent, gay, British ginger with a wicked sense of humor. And from the first moment he walks into the coffee shop Grounds N'at, he is smitten with the owner Brian.

Brian has always known he was bisexual, but never admitted it to anyone and has lived a straight lifestyle. But the flirty banter with Rob intrigues him and makes him want to explore something with him. Brian is a work-a-holic shop owner who is stressed, anxious, and literally working himself into the ground.

There were things I really liked about this book. I completely adored Rob. He tolerated quite a bit and for the most part sacrificed some of his own needs while trying to be supportive of his new boyfriend. I liked Brian too. He was a hard worker and a good guy. But throughout the story, he became more stressed and his stubbornness and refusal to accept help became frustrating. I wanted to shake sense into him as bad as Rob and his friends did.

The characters were well developed. They had strong feelings and made a great couple despite the differences in their backgrounds and lifestyles. I liked that they were more mature and knew what they wanted. They had great chemistry and fun rapport. They challenged and encouraged each other. The big conflict was not hard to figure out, but their issues were relatable and believable.

My problem with this book is that it felt long, repetitive, and just seemed to drag. I felt like I went to work with these guys daily and dealt with their stress. Then the times they did have were a bunch of stolen moments and sexy times. So especially the middle part seemed to be the same: work, stress, and sex over and over. It was bit exhausting and I just wanted to see the actual story move faster. But I am willing to admit that it could have just been my mood or focus, and it was just not keeping my attention as much as I'd hoped. And the fact that the percentage read on my kindle seemed to move slowly added to my own frustration.

I did not read the other books in this series, but those characters do make appearances and are intriguing. They added some humor, support, and some tough love when needed. I honestly think I would have liked this book a lot more if it was a bit shorter, but I really did end up liking these guys. It was not a problem reading it as a stand alone, but it seems that this author has created a very rich and detailed world with all of these characters and their stories, so fans of the series will be even more interested.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Oh, dear. I didn't have the love affair everybody else had. Don't get me wrong- it was good- I just didn't love as much as everybody else.

The story started off fantastic with Brian and Rob meeting while Rob was getting some coffee at Brian's shop Ground N'At. They had instant chemistry and their back and forth flirting was like a breath of fresh air. It made me realize how little I see it in romance lately. They start dating each other and feelings escalate quickly. Up until around 54% of this book, I was fully invested. 5 Stars up to this point.

After that point, the story got stagnant. Their dialogue and inner monologues started to sound repetitive. The story wasn't progressing. My attention started to wane, and a little bit of skimming was done to move the story along until around 76%. This part of the story gets 2 Stars.

The conflict and conclusion did contain everything I love: heartbreak, self-growth, and a lovely HEA. 5 Stars from 76% until the end.

I'd also like to add some of my highlights:

-I loved the main that the characters were 38 and 40. It was nice to read about people that were closer to my age.
-The sex was hot.
-I enjoyed that the main characters communicated with each other. There was no immature miscommunication.
-Dual POV

Final verdic.. Let us play the math game:

5 + 2 + 5 = 12/3 = 4 Stars.

It most certainly had more positives than negatives, and I know most will enjoy it. I think perhaps if the book had been a bit shorter around the middle I would've enjoyed it more. Overall very nice.