ARC Review – Make Me by Alyssa Turner

This isn’t a pretty love story, the road to happiness for these three is quite bumpy and not without some heartbreak and a scandal but in the end they all three realize that the love they share is more important than anything else in their world. ~ Slick, Guilty Pleasures 

Description:
Willpower is overrated.

Manhattan’s most eligible bachelor, Kyle Hunter, is a Marine Corps vet, the son of a US Senator and the prodigal heir of American corporate royalty. He’s rich, smart and a notorious flirt. Kyle Hunter is also in love with his best friend. So why did he tell Manny they could never see each other again?

Manny Tescadero isn’t about to be hurt twice. He’s lost a lot and if there’s one thing he learned in Afghanistan, it’s to defend yourself and those who need you at all costs. When Rebecca Sinclair lands on his doorstep, his honor won’t let him turn her away. His heart won’t let him pretend there isn’t more to it than a soldier’s code. But new love interests aren’t part of the mission plan; not when he’s still in love with someone else.

Rebecca Sinclair has never been good at letting loose. As a librarian she has her dream job and a new start with an amazing apartment in the city that never sleeps. She thought she was happy until everything she’s worked for is gone in a flash. Turns out having it all may just mean something else entirely.

There are a mountain of reasons why they shouldn’t be together and not one stands a chance of keeping them apart.

Review copy provided for an honest review

I love when a book by a new to me author drops into my lap and I especially love it when I thoroughly enjoy that book. Make Me by Alyssa Turner is a complicated story of two men whose relationship almost cost them their military careers and the woman they both find they need as much as they need each other. This isn’t a pretty love story, the road to happiness for these three is quite bumpy and not without some heartbreak and a scandal but in the end they all three realize that the love they share is more important than anything else in their world.

Returning from a thirty day business trip Rebecca Sinclair finds herself locked out of her apartment and Manny Tescadero living in it. Manny’s grandmother owned the apartment and left it to Manny on her death. After trying unsuccessfully to locate Rebecca, he moved her out and moved himself in. Now back, it’s obvious she’s pissed but they both find it hard to not be attracted to one another. However, Manny stops things before they go too far and confesses he’s still trying to get over someone. What Rebecca doesn’t know is that someone is Manny’s long time best friend and former lover, Kyle Hunter.

From the beginning I wasn’t sure how this book was going to work out. Rebecca and Manny while attracted had a hard time communicating on a nice level. They seemed to antagonize each other with every word, yet there also seemed to be something special about their interactions. Manny was protective and worried about Rebecca and Rebecca was very understanding about Manny’s situation and how the loss of his grandmother affected him. When Kyle enters the picture, the reader begins to understand why Manny was so affected by the way Kyle left him. Yet, it’s also obvious there is something special between these two that goes way beyond the friendship they once shared. Complicated doesn’t even begin to explain the relationship between these three, but I liked that it wasn’t easy and that they had to fight for what they wanted because it made the reward of them being together that much sweeter.

While the majority of this story is about these three trying to figure out how to manage their unusual relationship and their feelings for one another, there’s more to this book. Kyle’s mother is in a senate race, Rebecca has an ex-suitor who isn’t taking rejection well, and Rebecca’s job is on the line as well. This all adds a lot of stress and depth to an already full story.
What I found really interesting about this book is while the two men had a few previous ménage encounters it was before they became lovers. Kyle admits he agreed to them to be closer to Manny, so when these three begin none of them really have a clue how this type of relationship works and it takes time and patience for them to begin to understand and be tolerant of all nuances of a triad relationship. They have no problems figuring out how to work the sexy times when the three of them are together. There are some seriously hot scenes between the three of them, but accepting that it’s okay for two of them to be alone together forces them to deal with some jealously and doubt.

Make Me by Alyssa Turner was an enlightening and extremely pleasurable story with characters I won’t soon forget. I know this is one book I’ll read again and again.

Buy links not available at time of post.