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A review by bookish_notes
Due Diligence by Anna Zabo
5.0
I'm just going to start off with saying that I really enjoyed reading this book. Fazil and Todd are a total swoony, heart eyes couple. Because, (excuse me while I awkwardly scramble to hide in shame) I almost put down this book because I didn't connect with the story at first? Due Diligence is a perfect romance that builds up to a grand finale. You know the saying. You can't see the forest for the trees? Directly coming off of reading Just Business, I was missing that intensity that plowed through my emotions and having to relearn the setting and the characters again took some getting used to. The turning point for me was around the 17% mark. This was where the story came into focus for me and I realized I was going to love Fazil and Todd and I knew I was going to finish the rest of the book.
Fazil is one of the four engineers at a seven person consulting business and he and their CFO, Eli (from book two, Just Business), are being sent to Seattle to help audit a company. This is where he finds his first love, Todd. They haven't spoken to one another in fifteen years and the reunion shocks them both. They loved each other as boys and the silence between them affected them both in very different ways. Now they meet again as men and things are awkward, but the attraction is undeniable.
This story is a return to the business side of things that was in Takeover, but less so in Just Business. If you guys saw my review for the first book, I was all for reading about this deeper business, and technical, side because I just personally relate so heavily with all of it. I loved that it was pointed out by multiple outsiders that the whole relationship and fellow camaraderie within Sam's consulting company is not normal. AND we're shown what would what might happen to employees in a typical, average company where sexual innuendos and inter-office relationships (or more precisely, sleeping with an outside contractor your company brings in) are generally frowned upon.
That said, I do actually love reading Eli's quips and encouragement directed at Fazil. I also love that we get a bisexual POC character in Fazil Kurt. This book shows quite bluntly that there are people that can be downright hurtful, ranging from homophobic, anti-Semitic, and racist comments, and that not everything in the world is sunshine and rainbows. One of the scenes near the end of the book directed toward Fazil was a bit much, I thought, to have so little consequence. This is the day of social media and all and was there a NDA involved with both the consulting firm and the employees to keep quiet in some way? Because if something like that got out on social media, Singularity would have had PR working to fend off a whole world of hurt on that one. Maybe even a lawsuit, but that's a bit tricker to win in court I guess.
I liked that this book went into Fazil questioning what it meant to be an American. He was born and raised in the United States and a secular Muslim, but because of his skin color, it means that he's constantly being questioned like he's not an American. It breaks my heart, because I can relate in a way? I've been lucky that I managed to grow up around people where it's not really been an issue my entire life, but good lord that "where are you from" question is one I get asked all the damn time. Also, that moment Fazil admitted to Todd that he doesn't want to play into the stereotype by saying he has a PhD and is actually Dr. Kurt? I get that. I loved playing the piano and the violin when I was younger. I liked doing it all for fun, but there were expectations from people (not from my parents actually because they're pretty chill) that I should be exceptional at it or something? While I am of Chinese descent and not Turkish like Fazil, I still, in a way, that some of this struggles and questions are things that I relate to and this realization is actually making me cry as I type this review.
SO ANYWAYS, LET ME TALK ABOUT SOMETHING LIGHTER. Both Fazil and Todd are actual cinnamon rolls (who are kind of into rough sex and some kinky stuff). Misunderstandings and lack of communication is what drove them apart all of those years ago, but they know that they fit well together physically. Todd knows what he wants. He is a man with the plan. Sometimes that works out, but when it comes to making Fazil fit into his life is when that becomes too much. I love that Fazil and Todd go out and be all touristy together. I like that this book contains one of the nerdiest moment of sex I've ever read in a romance novel. Making lists and contemplating about putting it all into tables? GUYS. I know I haven't mentioned Todd that much in this review, but I do love him to pieces. He's a character with little baggage, in comparison, and he just has so much love for Fazil.
Due Diligence is a perfect and lovely second chance romance. Fazil and Todd are just everything, and then you have Eli as a bonus in a lot of the chapters. The epilogue is ridiculously cute and we get to see Sam, Michael, Eli, and Justin all together with Fazil and Todd. I loved reading this book so much and it just personally touched me a lot. So, do the thing - add this to your TBR, read the series - because this has been wonderful to read and I can't wait to read the next book, Daily Grind.
Fazil is one of the four engineers at a seven person consulting business and he and their CFO, Eli (from book two, Just Business), are being sent to Seattle to help audit a company. This is where he finds his first love, Todd. They haven't spoken to one another in fifteen years and the reunion shocks them both. They loved each other as boys and the silence between them affected them both in very different ways. Now they meet again as men and things are awkward, but the attraction is undeniable.
Life had changed. Everything remained the same. He didn't know which.
This story is a return to the business side of things that was in Takeover, but less so in Just Business. If you guys saw my review for the first book, I was all for reading about this deeper business, and technical, side because I just personally relate so heavily with all of it. I loved that it was pointed out by multiple outsiders that the whole relationship and fellow camaraderie within Sam's consulting company is not normal. AND we're shown what would what might happen to employees in a typical, average company where sexual innuendos and inter-office relationships (or more precisely, sleeping with an outside contractor your company brings in) are generally frowned upon.
No idea how to explain that he was dating one of Singularity's engineers. It had happened so fast. Or too slow, given the years wasted.
That said, I do actually love reading Eli's quips and encouragement directed at Fazil. I also love that we get a bisexual POC character in Fazil Kurt. This book shows quite bluntly that there are people that can be downright hurtful, ranging from homophobic, anti-Semitic, and racist comments, and that not everything in the world is sunshine and rainbows. One of the scenes near the end of the book directed toward Fazil was a bit much, I thought, to have so little consequence. This is the day of social media and all and was there a NDA involved with both the consulting firm and the employees to keep quiet in some way? Because if something like that got out on social media, Singularity would have had PR working to fend off a whole world of hurt on that one. Maybe even a lawsuit, but that's a bit tricker to win in court I guess.
"Besides, I'm not your typical Muslim."
...
"Fazil, my beer-drinking, bacon-eating, queer compatriot, you can't change your blood to these people. That's all they see..."
I liked that this book went into Fazil questioning what it meant to be an American. He was born and raised in the United States and a secular Muslim, but because of his skin color, it means that he's constantly being questioned like he's not an American. It breaks my heart, because I can relate in a way? I've been lucky that I managed to grow up around people where it's not really been an issue my entire life, but good lord that "where are you from" question is one I get asked all the damn time. Also, that moment Fazil admitted to Todd that he doesn't want to play into the stereotype by saying he has a PhD and is actually Dr. Kurt? I get that. I loved playing the piano and the violin when I was younger. I liked doing it all for fun, but there were expectations from people (not from my parents actually because they're pretty chill) that I should be exceptional at it or something? While I am of Chinese descent and not Turkish like Fazil, I still, in a way, that some of this struggles and questions are things that I relate to and this realization is actually making me cry as I type this review.
SO ANYWAYS, LET ME TALK ABOUT SOMETHING LIGHTER. Both Fazil and Todd are actual cinnamon rolls (who are kind of into rough sex and some kinky stuff). Misunderstandings and lack of communication is what drove them apart all of those years ago, but they know that they fit well together physically. Todd knows what he wants. He is a man with the plan. Sometimes that works out, but when it comes to making Fazil fit into his life is when that becomes too much. I love that Fazil and Todd go out and be all touristy together. I like that this book contains one of the nerdiest moment of sex I've ever read in a romance novel. Making lists and contemplating about putting it all into tables? GUYS. I know I haven't mentioned Todd that much in this review, but I do love him to pieces. He's a character with little baggage, in comparison, and he just has so much love for Fazil.
"How is it that you put up with me?"
Love. Lots and lots of love.
Due Diligence is a perfect and lovely second chance romance. Fazil and Todd are just everything, and then you have Eli as a bonus in a lot of the chapters. The epilogue is ridiculously cute and we get to see Sam, Michael, Eli, and Justin all together with Fazil and Todd. I loved reading this book so much and it just personally touched me a lot. So, do the thing - add this to your TBR, read the series - because this has been wonderful to read and I can't wait to read the next book, Daily Grind.