Can you really kind of despise a character and then find yourself absolutely rooting for them to get their HEA? Apparently, Lucia Laurence can make this happen. Ari deserves someone better than Todd for sure, but maybe Theodore can make his way past his Todd persona and find love.
From the blurb:
My life is exactly how I built it. Successful. Solitary.
Under control.
No attachments. No unwanted feelings. No mess.
Be the one holding all the cards, and no one gets to hurt you. Walk away first, and no one gets to leave you.
It’s a state of affairs I have zero interest in changing, least of all for some compulsively-ironed, square-as-can-be…Squarespace of a man who has the audacity to turn me down when I offer him the night of fun he obviously needs.
And when next Monday rolls around and said Squarespace turns out to be my new coworker? Why, that’s just an opportunity for a little entertainment to liven up my work weeks.
Ari Lopez should be effortless to dismiss. He’s quiet, obnoxiously rule-following, and so far from my usual type, it’s not even funny. Worst of all, he insists on calling me Theodore, even after I’ve made it perfectly clear that’s something no one gets away with.
Except, the longer I look at him (hey, I’m just bored, alright?) the harder it is to look away. The more I try to get under his skin, the more it feels like somehow, he’s the one getting under mine.
And don’t even get me started on those long lashed, hazel-blue eyes of his. I am only human, after all.
As for the…things…he’s starting to make me feel? Well, the less said about any of that, the better.
When a fake-boyfriend scheme gives me the perfect excuse to get closer to him, I tell myself I’m only doing it for a laugh.
Oh, and the benefits. Don’t forget about those.
I mean, what other reason could there possibly be?
Ari
I’ve accepted that some things are simply not meant for me.
Romance. Relationships. Being wanted by someone who actually means it.
And really, it’s alright. I have safe, comfortable routines, work I enjoy, a best friend determined to keep my life interesting, and a loving, albeit sometimes overwhelming family.
That does not mean I never wonder what it would be like to have more…I just know better than to expect it.
Especially from a man like Theodore Lancaster.
Theodore is everything that terrifies me: arrogant, rude, loud. Confident, intrusive, sharp-edged, and impossible to ignore. Beautiful in a way that sucks the air from the room and leaves me breathless. From the moment he becomes my new coworker, he seems determined to turn my carefully ordered life into something chaotic and deeply inconvenient.
So when my well-meaning mother calls with yet another blind-date setup and I panic my way into inventing a boyfriend, the last name I should give her is Theodore’s.
Naturally, it is the first one my brain supplies.
Now Theodore and I have an arrangement. A few rules. A few appearances together. A very clear understanding that none of it is real.
Which would be much easier to remember if he weren’t so surprisingly convincing.
Or if I weren’t starting to wish that maybe he wasn’t just pretending after all.
Color of Surrender is a high heat, enemies(ish)-to-lovers MM romance between a self-proclaimed a**hole and the sweet but snarky coworker whose attention he unaccountably craves. Their story features fake dating, hard-won vulnerability, hurt/comfort, first times, swoon-worthy amounts of possessive protectiveness, and enough tension and chemistry to give human resources a heart attack. Color of Surrender is book 3 in the Colors of Us series, but has its own HEA and can be read as a standalone.
SNik's review:
Third in series (Colors of Us), but can be read as a standalone. Adversarial to lovers. Coworkers. Opposites attract. Fake dating. Hurt/comfort. Slow burn. Dual POV. Heed content warnings.
Todd/Theodore tries hitting on Ari while at a bar and gets turned down, but now they are coworkers sharing an office and he can’t help wanting to get under Ari’s skin. However, everything about how awful he acts confuses Ari when he sees bits of the real Theodore peek through which he knows he can’t trust.
Gosh, get ready to really dislike Todd/Theodore. The awful behavior and thoughts are an armor, but it takes a long while for Theodore to get his act together. Meanwhile, he can’t help falling for Ari and finds himself wanting to change and protect Ari - even from himself. Ari is a terrific character, successful and intelligent and tries very hard to manage his own expectations as he has his own struggles, but he can’t help but wish for something more with Theodore even as he is disappointed over and over again. The writing in this is beautiful, the anguish each character feels was heartbreaking at times, and when things got spicy they were beyond steamy. A terrific read, with a couple deserving of happiness, and how hard they work to get there was emotional.
Color of Surrender is currently available as an e-book and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription
Color of Surrender is currently available as an e-book and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription
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