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quinncaspian's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
amphipodgirl's review against another edition
4.0
Oh, this was extremely enjoyable. The leads have amazing chemistry, and then their business setting throws them into a series of professional and ethical dilemmas, creating a tension between their desire to be together and their need to see the company succeed and to protect each other.
For once, a romance with a tech setting actually has the details right, on both the business side and the technical side. It's not what makes the book, but if it had been wrong, I'd probably have docked it at least half a star out of pique.
For once, a romance with a tech setting actually has the details right, on both the business side and the technical side. It's not what makes the book, but if it had been wrong, I'd probably have docked it at least half a star out of pique.
neznem's review against another edition
3.0
This book was decent. I was able to finish it so that's something. I was really turned off by most of the intimate scenes because pain is not something I find enjoyable, and this book was very graphic about it, so I ended up actually skipping most of those scenes, which then defeats some of the purpose of reading these types of books. I tried not to ding it much for that because I get not everyone shares my thoughts on the matter, but it was a part of my experience in reading it.
The rest of the book was a bit formulaic and predictable. I never really felt worried about the protagonists or how it would end up, and they never even really told us what the 'bad guy' was up to or into and the resolution just felt, 'bleh.'
The rest of the book was a bit formulaic and predictable. I never really felt worried about the protagonists or how it would end up, and they never even really told us what the 'bad guy' was up to or into and the resolution just felt, 'bleh.'
amyaislin's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
walford's review against another edition
4.0
Really liked this. Don't have anything intelligent to say about it, unfortunately.
Just a perfect mix of hot and sweet (and suspenseful).
Delighted to have found Anna Zabo.
Just a perfect mix of hot and sweet (and suspenseful).
Delighted to have found Anna Zabo.
lizshayne's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Neolithic Sheep, you are a gentleman and a scholar, thank you for publicly recommending romances on twitter.
Anyway, it was contemporary romance, but I forgive it because it was both kinky and gay and thus meant that I was unlikely to run into the bug bears of contemporary romance…this man thinks controlling women is sexy. Also, like I said, Shep has no idea who I am, but he’s a trustworthy soul on twitter so I expected this to be fine.
I, somehow, didn’t expect it to be as much fun as it was. Zabo’s characters are a delight.
But, in the ongoing essay that I’m writing about romance novels one review at a time, this one basically exemplifies the point I was making…last year/two weeks ago about principles. Zabo has very strong feelings about how their characters will be and do good, what it means to make ethical choices in an non-ethical world, and the extent to which this conversation extends. In many ways, it’s a conversation about individual morality. At no point, e.g., do we touch on any of these companies’ environmental impact or relationship to manufacturing. And there’s no reason to, except that Zabo is DEEPLY concerned about their characters deserving-ness. Both Michael and Sam consistently do the right thing in the cutthroat world of capitalist business practices…which is great, obviously we’re not rooting for dickwidgets, but the fantasy of romance that consistent ethical behavior gets rewarded just, it makes me really happy.
There’s a SUPER interesting conversation to be had between Alexis Hall’s Arden St. Ives series and this one about business, kink, consent, and power and how Hall and Zabo respectively negotiate it.
What Zabo has done here is created the equivalent of Regency romance ™ for 21st century American corporate culture. The interplay between the extremely well researched details that get the reader in the right place and the wildly idealistic possibilities open to the main characters matches beautifully. Not to mention, again, the ongoing lack of questions about where the wealth comes from and what it is doing.
I want more books in magical fantasy versions of reality where all the men are good looking, all the power brokers are kind, and all the penises are above average.
Anyway, it was contemporary romance, but I forgive it because it was both kinky and gay and thus meant that I was unlikely to run into the bug bears of contemporary romance…this man thinks controlling women is sexy. Also, like I said, Shep has no idea who I am, but he’s a trustworthy soul on twitter so I expected this to be fine.
I, somehow, didn’t expect it to be as much fun as it was. Zabo’s characters are a delight.
But, in the ongoing essay that I’m writing about romance novels one review at a time, this one basically exemplifies the point I was making…last year/two weeks ago about principles. Zabo has very strong feelings about how their characters will be and do good, what it means to make ethical choices in an non-ethical world, and the extent to which this conversation extends. In many ways, it’s a conversation about individual morality. At no point, e.g., do we touch on any of these companies’ environmental impact or relationship to manufacturing. And there’s no reason to, except that Zabo is DEEPLY concerned about their characters deserving-ness. Both Michael and Sam consistently do the right thing in the cutthroat world of capitalist business practices…which is great, obviously we’re not rooting for dickwidgets, but the fantasy of romance that consistent ethical behavior gets rewarded just, it makes me really happy.
There’s a SUPER interesting conversation to be had between Alexis Hall’s Arden St. Ives series and this one about business, kink, consent, and power and how Hall and Zabo respectively negotiate it.
What Zabo has done here is created the equivalent of Regency romance ™ for 21st century American corporate culture. The interplay between the extremely well researched details that get the reader in the right place and the wildly idealistic possibilities open to the main characters matches beautifully. Not to mention, again, the ongoing lack of questions about where the wealth comes from and what it is doing.
I want more books in magical fantasy versions of reality where all the men are good looking, all the power brokers are kind, and all the penises are above average.
lifeinfiction's review against another edition
5.0
Sexy, fun, and sleek, Anna Zabo's Takeover is a knock-out! Michael and Sam's chemistry is super steamy and believable, and it's not hard to become invested in their relationship. Read this or you'll be missing out on a fantastic read! And who doesn't love a good office romance?
annas_sweets_and_stories's review
4.0
This was fine. I read this solely because I was recommended the second book in the series and so reading this was just a stepping stone for me. It wasn't bad, it wasn't my favorite, but I'm not mad that I read it. It's kinky and dramatic and a little too technical in terms of their work aspect, at least for me, but as a whole it was good.
Sam is a high-powered CEO and he works as a fixer for a large corporations. He is all power when it comes to work but he is actually more submissive regarding sex. He is not out due to his fear about losing his career. Michael is more laid back at work yet wants all the power regarding sex. They meet off-handedly on vacation and have a one-night stand that changes both of them. Except when they go back to work the following week turns out Sam is Michael's boss. This obviously has a lot of complications and the pacing was a little bit weird during the middle of this, but they figured their things out.
Ah big content warnings for homophobia, internalized homophobia, of being outed, misogyny from a side character, and explicit kinky sex.
Rep: gay MCs
Sam is a high-powered CEO and he works as a fixer for a large corporations. He is all power when it comes to work but he is actually more submissive regarding sex. He is not out due to his fear about losing his career. Michael is more laid back at work yet wants all the power regarding sex. They meet off-handedly on vacation and have a one-night stand that changes both of them. Except when they go back to work the following week turns out Sam is Michael's boss. This obviously has a lot of complications and the pacing was a little bit weird during the middle of this, but they figured their things out.
Ah big content warnings for homophobia, internalized homophobia, of being outed, misogyny from a side character, and explicit kinky sex.
Rep: gay MCs
prettycloud's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5