Title: Making It Personal
Author: K.C. Wells
Cover Artist: Meredith Russell
Publisher: All Romance Ebooks
Buy Link: Buy Link Making it Personal, All Romance Ebooks
Genre: M/M Contemporary Romance
Length: Novel
Rating: 4.5 stars
A Guest Review by Sammy
Review Summary: A classic tale of boy meets boy and falls in love with a deliciously fresh approach.
Blurb: Blake Davis is in the closet. And he’s going to stay that way. Because if his father finds out he’s gay, Blake could lose everything he’s worked so hard to achieve during the last six years as CEO of Trinity Publishing, the fastest rising star in the publishing firmament. Not that coming out wouldn’t solve a couple of problems. Maybe then his father would stop trying to set him up with yet another empty-headed, social-climbing girlfriend. And better still, Blake could stop using that escort agency when he wants a night of hot sex with a cute guy…
Will Parkinson has had a tough life so far, but he’s back on his feet. Okay, so he’s working as an escort – with ‘benefits’– to pay off his student loans, but that does have its advantages, such as the really hot guy who hired him. Yeah, Blake rocked his world last night – several times. So imagine how Will feels when he arrives to be interviewed for his dream job as PA in a publishing company, and the guy who’s hiring is….. Blake.
And then things get really complicated….
Review: Making It Personal is a romantic journey between two men who both have been searching for the “right one” for a long time. One of them will sell himself in the worst of times to make his way in the world after his family turns their back on him while the other will foolishly turn away the family that stands right in front of him due to his fears about them finding out who he really is and whom he chooses to love. Both of these men will almost lose their chance at finding lasting love because they are so busy hiding pieces of themselves.
Will must overcome a past that was not only painful (his parents tossing him into the streets at the age of 15) but full of choices that left him less than what one would call the best “boyfriend material”. He realizes that while he has most assuredly fallen in love with the man who has given him a job that he thrives in, a successful career will not gloss over a tarnished history. Blake, on the other hand, is locked so deeply in his closet that he is susceptible to the machinations and whims of anyone who may find out his secret and when that happens, Blake realizes all thought of loving Will may never come to fruit.
But the beauty of the story that surrounds Blake and Will is the slow building realization that it is not the past or the mistakes either of them may have made that should determine their future. WIth so many surrounding them that want them to succeed it is all too apparent that what is holding them back is their own insecurities over the idea that they are enough for the other.
In many ways, Making It Personal was much like any other sweet m/m romance. There was the idea of insta-love for sure but K.C. Wells cleverly tempered that and made it so very believable by giving her men struggles that derailed the idea of love at first sight. The author showed real restraint with this overused theme, and, by doing so, made their instant attraction more hesitant and gave time for it to realistically grow. And, also typical for this style of genre, their were brief moments of angst with quick resolutions. However, once again, the oft formulaic responses so typically seen were given a fresh approach. Yes, the nail-biting moments were still glossed over but the reasons behind the solutions were unique, giving the story a more polished edge and a much more palatable feel.
This type of story may not be for everyone–if you are looking for non-stop roadblocks and gritty pain, you are looking at the wrong book. However, if you are looking for well-developed characters, a complete and satisfying story, a sweet romance and a happy ever after, then Making It Personal most assuredly fits the bill. I think my only hesitation in giving this 5 stars stems from the way in which Blake’s relationship with his father turned around. I felt that the buildup prior to that did not fully support his father’s complete and swift capitulation. This was one instance where I felt the author could have strung out that resolution and it would have further enhanced the book. However, this was minor to me and overall, this book delivered exactly what it promised and did so wrapped up in an interesting story with beautiful characters.
