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jackiehorne's review
4.0
An unusual romance, one that feels almost like literary fiction at times, partly because it is told from only one character's POV, and partly because the dialogue is occasionally hard to follow—Suede wants his characters to feel realistic, and doesn't dumb them, or their ways of speaking, down, doesn't simplify things just for the sake of the reader. And also because throughout most of the first half of the novel, the reader isn't sure how to respond to rich white guy Andy, the man who hires the narrator, 40-something Colombian/American Ruben Oso, to serve as his bodyguard. Andy projects an awe-shucks charisma, but Ruben occasionally catches a glimpse of something far more biting behind the genial surface: a sharp, ruthless intelligence that takes no prisoners. And Andy is clearly keeping secrets from Ruben, secrets that might put not only Andy, but also Ruben, into serious danger.
The sexual tension between these two men who always assumed they were straight is strong, and once they both admit to their mutual attraction, the sex burns up the page. And once some of Andy's secrets were revealed, I felt more engaged, and more comfortable rooting for this unconventional "out for you" couple. The suspense plot plays out in surprising, yet never contrived, fashion.
The sexual tension between these two men who always assumed they were straight is strong, and once they both admit to their mutual attraction, the sex burns up the page. And once some of Andy's secrets were revealed, I felt more engaged, and more comfortable rooting for this unconventional "out for you" couple. The suspense plot plays out in surprising, yet never contrived, fashion.
caseroo7's review against another edition
3.0
Find this review and more at Ramblings From This Chick
Pent Up is the first book that I have ever read by Damon Suede. I have been reading M/M books for a few years now and have heard about Damon Suede, but I hadn't had the chance to read anything from him before this so I was really excited to see what his writing style was like. While there were things that I enjoyed here, I also have to admit that there were some things that I didn't care for. I would read more from him in the future, but this wasn't my favorite M/M book. Pent Up is a double gay-for-you book, with both of the guys being only with women previously.
After his divorce, Ruben Oso moves to Manhattan to start over. Staying with his brother, he goes to work as a bodyguard for his brother as well. Ruben's new client is a financial hotshot that Ruben is convinced is paranoid. But is it more than just paranoia for Andy? As Ruben gets deeper involved, his feelings for Andy become more personal and less professional. But can he get to the bottom of everything that is happening with Andy and keep them both safe in the process?
I had a hard time connecting to the characters here. Andy was a bit odd right off, and unfortunately I just didn't warm up to him. I felt like everything surrounding his job and situation was a bit confusing and I just didn't seem to really ever connect with him. While I liked Ruben okay, I felt like his family situation was a bit odd as well. His parents wanted him to be more "American" rather than to embrace his Latin heritage, and it just came off a bit weird. I have never read a book where they make it a point to bring up a Latin heritage while also trying to downplay that at the same time. Both Ruben and Andy had some issues here, and that was another thing that I had a bit of a problem with. Ruben was a recovering alcoholic, and Andy continued to drink around him even knowing about it. It just felt a bit wrong to me. While I did like the connection and chemistry between these two, the story just didn't seem to really lead me to feel invested in them or their relationship.
While I was confused about some of Andy's situation, I also thought that the story itself was confusing. Even as things were revealed as the story progressed, I often felt lost and as though I didn't have a clue what was going on. This book was a bit all over the place, and I just never felt like it fully got me there. I kept losing interest because I felt like I didn't know what was happening and the characters weren't doing it for me either. I have heard such great things about Damon Suede and previous books of his that I will give him a shot again in the future. Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. If you are a fan of the male/male genre or Damon Suede, you might give this one a shot. It very well could be that this one just didn't work for me personally.
**ARC Provided by Author**
Pent Up is the first book that I have ever read by Damon Suede. I have been reading M/M books for a few years now and have heard about Damon Suede, but I hadn't had the chance to read anything from him before this so I was really excited to see what his writing style was like. While there were things that I enjoyed here, I also have to admit that there were some things that I didn't care for. I would read more from him in the future, but this wasn't my favorite M/M book. Pent Up is a double gay-for-you book, with both of the guys being only with women previously.
After his divorce, Ruben Oso moves to Manhattan to start over. Staying with his brother, he goes to work as a bodyguard for his brother as well. Ruben's new client is a financial hotshot that Ruben is convinced is paranoid. But is it more than just paranoia for Andy? As Ruben gets deeper involved, his feelings for Andy become more personal and less professional. But can he get to the bottom of everything that is happening with Andy and keep them both safe in the process?
I had a hard time connecting to the characters here. Andy was a bit odd right off, and unfortunately I just didn't warm up to him. I felt like everything surrounding his job and situation was a bit confusing and I just didn't seem to really ever connect with him. While I liked Ruben okay, I felt like his family situation was a bit odd as well. His parents wanted him to be more "American" rather than to embrace his Latin heritage, and it just came off a bit weird. I have never read a book where they make it a point to bring up a Latin heritage while also trying to downplay that at the same time. Both Ruben and Andy had some issues here, and that was another thing that I had a bit of a problem with. Ruben was a recovering alcoholic, and Andy continued to drink around him even knowing about it. It just felt a bit wrong to me. While I did like the connection and chemistry between these two, the story just didn't seem to really lead me to feel invested in them or their relationship.
While I was confused about some of Andy's situation, I also thought that the story itself was confusing. Even as things were revealed as the story progressed, I often felt lost and as though I didn't have a clue what was going on. This book was a bit all over the place, and I just never felt like it fully got me there. I kept losing interest because I felt like I didn't know what was happening and the characters weren't doing it for me either. I have heard such great things about Damon Suede and previous books of his that I will give him a shot again in the future. Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me. If you are a fan of the male/male genre or Damon Suede, you might give this one a shot. It very well could be that this one just didn't work for me personally.
**ARC Provided by Author**
kp_khera's review against another edition
3.0
First book I finished in 2016 (technically) where I am, but on GR there are still 6h left till the reading challenge is over so this still counts as 2015
3->3,5 stars
I don't know. The plot was a bit... complicated? Which I don't mind, but sometimes these would have conversations and I would go
"Wait... What? WTF?! How did you from this to there?" - basically felt a bit disjointed when they actually got to talking.
Andy was seriously giving me creeper vibes in the beginning as well.
I don't know... I liked it, but it didn't blow me away or anything.
I like being kept on my toes on where the plot is heading and wondering wtf is going - this book did achieve that, but it's so not equal. Like when they start their "romance" the focus is there and the complicated twisty suspense plot is put on-hold and while these two are exploring each other - BAM - plot is back in the picture?
It felt a bit as though you're reading an essay and you're not a fan of the continuity the writer chose. Or going "this paragraph really necessary?"
I don't know - complicated mess of impressions I got from reading this --> I'll get around to updating my review properly later.
3->3,5 stars
I don't know. The plot was a bit... complicated? Which I don't mind, but sometimes these would have conversations and I would go
"Wait... What? WTF?! How did you from this to there?" - basically felt a bit disjointed when they actually got to talking.
Andy was seriously giving me creeper vibes in the beginning as well.
I don't know... I liked it, but it didn't blow me away or anything.
I like being kept on my toes on where the plot is heading and wondering wtf is going - this book did achieve that, but it's so not equal. Like when they start their "romance" the focus is there and the complicated twisty suspense plot is put on-hold and while these two are exploring each other - BAM - plot is back in the picture?
It felt a bit as though you're reading an essay and you're not a fan of the continuity the writer chose. Or going "this paragraph really necessary?"
I don't know - complicated mess of impressions I got from reading this --> I'll get around to updating my review properly later.
myzanm's review
3.0
This is hard for me to review.
The first 2/3 was so slow, almost glacial, and confusing I almost DNF. However I’ve seen a lot of positive reviews so I trudged on in the hopes it would get better. And it did get better. Not enough to turn the book around completely, but enough to come out on the plus side.
As always I loved the grittyness of Damon Suede’s writing, but in this I was distracted by my confusion. There were a lot that didn’t made sense to me in the beginning and the character’s actions were adding to my confusion.
I never really warmed to either MC. They were both troubled people, each in their own way. Still it didn’t make it easier to connect.
The pace picked up in the last third of the book and some of the confusion cleared. If the whole book had been like that it would have been at least a 4 star rating, but the first part of the book didn’t do it at all for me so it averaged up to an on read in the end.
The first 2/3 was so slow, almost glacial, and confusing I almost DNF. However I’ve seen a lot of positive reviews so I trudged on in the hopes it would get better. And it did get better. Not enough to turn the book around completely, but enough to come out on the plus side.
As always I loved the grittyness of Damon Suede’s writing, but in this I was distracted by my confusion. There were a lot that didn’t made sense to me in the beginning and the character’s actions were adding to my confusion.
I never really warmed to either MC. They were both troubled people, each in their own way. Still it didn’t make it easier to connect.
The pace picked up in the last third of the book and some of the confusion cleared. If the whole book had been like that it would have been at least a 4 star rating, but the first part of the book didn’t do it at all for me so it averaged up to an on read in the end.
sarful's review against another edition
3.0
Well that was a roller coaster ride of emotions and hottness and danger and really damn good. Enjoyed every moment.
anya_doesntmatter's review against another edition
3.0
It feels like I have been waiting centuries to read another Damon Suede book. When this was released I pounced on it like a juicy steak...and was unfortunately left underwhelmed after I read it.
What burns me is that I wanted to love this book, I really did. Damon spins tales in a way that appeals to me however, the storyline was akin to sipping weak tea. He nailed everything perfectly except the plot. Again, flimsy and weak which sadly made what had the potential to be an epic read just an okay one.
cleo_reads's review against another edition
2.0
Meh. M/M gay4you billionaire romance with a truly ridiculous suspense plot. Plus bi-erasure. Honestly, I probably could have overlooked the bi-erasure and outrageously silly plot if I'd felt more emotional connection to the MCs. But I didn't. Damon Suede is pretty hit or miss for me and this one is a miss.
claudiereads's review against another edition
1.0
i finally came to realize that gfy is not my cup of tea, and reaffirmed that it applies to mr.suede's books as well.
first off, let me say that i completely understand how two hot manly-men getting it on can get people hot and bothered. i can understand the conflict, the denial, et cetera, of a bi-curious man. however, something about the characterizations kept pissing me off.
also, ruben kept pissing me off. andy was too fucking good for that idiot. the not jerking off part was comical, and not in a good way. come on, all that tension is just not healthy. especially, i think, for people with his problems. only getting off when someone sits on his dick? (he claimed that sex was supposed to mean something; cue the stripper joint - he obviously has no trouble blowing his load hands-free in a meaningless environment) man, he's missing out on a lot. idon't get it, he's a manly-caveman, but come on. and the perma-boner was weird.
just as the previous book of mr.suede's i'd attempted to read (and failed to finish - this time i valiantly persevered), it was full of silly synonyms for cock and all things of sexual nature, which i admit was kind of educational - i'm always up for learning new vocabulary - but you'll grant me that snorting and rolling one's eyes is not what one's supposed to do in the middle of reading a sex scene. is it really so hard to call things by their names? i don't even know if these unnecessarily vulgar slurs are better or worse than authors going to the other extreme and being ludicrously childish with 'nether regions.' do men really talk (or think) that way during sex, outside of (bad) porn i mean? not to my knowledge. was it supposed to make the sex itself seem hotter? it did not.
okay, there was some good chemistry, there was sexual tension. i even liked the plot. but. and it was a huge but. the writing killed it. the air of forced eroticism hangs all over this book. excuse me, but i think that good smut does not need any help to be sexy. enough said.
suffice to say, i learned my lesson and will henceforth steer clear of that author.
and the genre.
first off, let me say that i completely understand how two hot manly-men getting it on can get people hot and bothered. i can understand the conflict, the denial, et cetera, of a bi-curious man. however, something about the characterizations kept pissing me off.
also, ruben kept pissing me off. andy was too fucking good for that idiot. the not jerking off part was comical, and not in a good way. come on, all that tension is just not healthy. especially, i think, for people with his problems. only getting off when someone sits on his dick? (he claimed that sex was supposed to mean something; cue the stripper joint - he obviously has no trouble blowing his load hands-free in a meaningless environment) man, he's missing out on a lot. i
just as the previous book of mr.suede's i'd attempted to read (and failed to finish - this time i valiantly persevered), it was full of silly synonyms for cock and all things of sexual nature, which i admit was kind of educational - i'm always up for learning new vocabulary - but you'll grant me that snorting and rolling one's eyes is not what one's supposed to do in the middle of reading a sex scene. is it really so hard to call things by their names? i don't even know if these unnecessarily vulgar slurs are better or worse than authors going to the other extreme and being ludicrously childish with 'nether regions.' do men really talk (or think) that way during sex, outside of (bad) porn i mean? not to my knowledge. was it supposed to make the sex itself seem hotter? it did not.
okay, there was some good chemistry, there was sexual tension. i even liked the plot. but. and it was a huge but. the writing killed it. the air of forced eroticism hangs all over this book. excuse me, but i think that good smut does not need any help to be sexy. enough said.
suffice to say, i learned my lesson and will henceforth steer clear of that author.
and the genre.
ctsquirrel's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed the story for the most part. I loved the characters (and the sex), but I really had trouble following the financial thriller part.
colleen_m's review against another edition
4.0
Not your average bodyguard-client relationship… absolutely worth a read for the steam alone, let alone the in-depth love development in a realistic gay-for-you way!
Title: Pent Up
Author: Damon Suede
Genre: MM Contemporary Romance
Plot Summary:
Ruben is a middle-aged failure trying to get back on his feet, sleeping on his brother’s couch, working in his brother’s security business, and wearing his brother’s ill-fitting suit. So taking on an overly paranoid personal security client who lives in a luxe penthouse on fifth avenue and does nothing more dangerous than day-trading is a huge step up… even if it gives him a really bad feeling. No one with that kind of money hires a two-bit bodyguard from Queens for ‘executive security’. So when Ruben starts having less than appropriate thoughts about his rich white boy boss, the only thing that shocks him more is that it looks like Andy wasn’t just paranoid after all.
Character Descriptions/Development: 4 stars
So everything was from Ruben’s perspective, and he has so much going on that it’s hard not to feel for him. I loved his character, his real strength that he didn’t really even know he had, that he was so damaged and was up front with himself about it.
Where this fell for me though was Andy - you only ever see him from Ruben’s POV which isn’t ideal. I felt like there was more to Andy that I needed in order to get a better idea of who he was and what was behind the masks - the shark, the Sears catalogue model, etc.
Storyline/Conflict: 4 stars
So this should have come off as bodyguard turned lover, because that was the basic premise, but it was so much more. There was Ruben’s internal struggle with alcoholism and having feelings for a guy, as well as the mystery behind why Andy felt he needed a bodyguard. I felt like there was a lot going on, and at times, it was difficult to keep track of what Andy was doing, and what was dangerous about it. Towards the end,
Writing Style:5 stars
This is the second novel I’ve read from this author, and I am amazed at the insightful topics, in this case the alcoholic angle, the gay-for-you mentality. The way things are described, the wisdom in the characters… I just can’t help but love it.
For example:
Heat: 5 stars
This was one of those slow-burns that actually scorches even when nothing is happening… the tension simmers through most of the book, before anything physical happens (about the 65% mark or so). What was even hotter - if that was possible - than the sex was the dirty talk. Holy shit.
Favorite Quote:
Ruben to Andy:
Title: Pent Up
Author: Damon Suede
Genre: MM Contemporary Romance
Plot Summary:
Ruben is a middle-aged failure trying to get back on his feet, sleeping on his brother’s couch, working in his brother’s security business, and wearing his brother’s ill-fitting suit. So taking on an overly paranoid personal security client who lives in a luxe penthouse on fifth avenue and does nothing more dangerous than day-trading is a huge step up… even if it gives him a really bad feeling. No one with that kind of money hires a two-bit bodyguard from Queens for ‘executive security’. So when Ruben starts having less than appropriate thoughts about his rich white boy boss, the only thing that shocks him more is that it looks like Andy wasn’t just paranoid after all.
Character Descriptions/Development: 4 stars
So everything was from Ruben’s perspective, and he has so much going on that it’s hard not to feel for him. I loved his character, his real strength that he didn’t really even know he had, that he was so damaged and was up front with himself about it.
Where this fell for me though was Andy - you only ever see him from Ruben’s POV which isn’t ideal. I felt like there was more to Andy that I needed in order to get a better idea of who he was and what was behind the masks - the shark, the Sears catalogue model, etc.
Storyline/Conflict: 4 stars
So this should have come off as bodyguard turned lover, because that was the basic premise, but it was so much more. There was Ruben’s internal struggle with alcoholism and having feelings for a guy, as well as the mystery behind why Andy felt he needed a bodyguard. I felt like there was a lot going on, and at times, it was difficult to keep track of what Andy was doing, and what was dangerous about it. Towards the end,
Writing Style:5 stars
This is the second novel I’ve read from this author, and I am amazed at the insightful topics, in this case the alcoholic angle, the gay-for-you mentality. The way things are described, the wisdom in the characters… I just can’t help but love it.
For example:
“Never in his life had he made love so recklessly, reaching into someone while they reached back into him. This wasn’t getting off, but getting in or getting to each other. A gleaming bridge over acid and alligators. Their bodies knotted together surely, but something else besides: a terrible, bright know that made him feel broke and mended at the same moment.”
Heat: 5 stars
This was one of those slow-burns that actually scorches even when nothing is happening… the tension simmers through most of the book, before anything physical happens (about the 65% mark or so). What was even hotter - if that was possible - than the sex was the dirty talk. Holy shit.
Favorite Quote:
Ruben to Andy:
“I love you in a way that makes hard work easier. Makes bad choices clear. Makes me safe from myself. And that shit’s not easy. It’s sharp like a serrated knife, and it hurts. You cut away everything that isn’t me.”