Always Eli by Charlie Novak - Book Review and Blog Tour

 I love when side characters in a series wind up getting their own book and I love it even more when they start a whole spin off series!   Eli was such an endearing part of Charlie Novak's Proficiency Bonus, the final book in the Roll for Love Series that he got his own book, Always Eli, and what that means for us is that his brothers are also getting their HEA!

From the Blurb:

What happens when a sassy drag queen falls for his brother’s best friend?

Eli Baker needs a job. Drag isn’t paying the bills and the life of a starving artist isn't as fun when he’s the one living it. Taking a temporary office job is meant to be a quick fix. It's not supposed to reintroduce him to the funny, sharp, and sweet Tristan Rose… who just so happens to be Eli's oldest brother’s best friend.

Eli can’t stand his brother, and the feeling is more than mutual. Getting involved with Tristan could mean family trouble, but Eli's never been one for following the rules, especially when breaking them means annoying his brother.

Tristan is far too intriguing to ignore, especially when he takes an interest in Eli’s life outside the office. He’s not at all what Eli expects, and maybe that’s exactly what Eli needs. But if push comes to shove, will Tristan choose Eli over his best friend?

Always Eli is a 78,000-word contemporary MM romance featuring fabulous drag shows, secret biscuits, an office romance, and numerous siblings who can't help getting involved.


Heather's Review:

I have loved Eli since Proficiency Bonus.  He was irreverent, brash and wonderful and I so appreciate that he spoke to Charlie and got his story!  Tristan is a perfect foil for Eli - quiet, mature and just submissive enough to receive all that Eli and his drag persona can throw at him.  The added wrinkle of Eli and Richard's strained relationship adds just the right amount of angst to the story.

This book is well paced, sweet, steamy and even laugh out loud funny in places.  I also love the cameos from the Roll For Love Series and the foreshadowing of more books to come for Eli's siblings.  I love that Mom, Mimbles, Dad and Paul are back once again and sharing their family and wisdom with us. 

I highly recommend reading Always Eli in continuity with the Roll for Love Series series - all of those books were 5 star reads for me and I'm sure you'll love them too... plus, it really does set up the background for Always Eli, although if you start here, I think you'll still get most of the jokes and the gist...

Always Eli contains very mild D/s play with a praise kink.  



Author Bio


Charlie lives in England with her husband and a dachshund named Biscuit. She spends most of her days wrangling other people’s words in her day job and then trying to force her own onto the page in the evening.

She loves cute stories with a healthy dollop of fluff, plenty of delicious sex, and happily ever afters — because the world needs more of them. Charlie also believes that love comes in all shapes and sizes.

Charlie has very little spare time, but what she does have she fills with cooking, pole-dancing, reading and ice-hockey. She also thinks that everyone should have at least one favourite dinosaur…


Comments