Book Reviews

Book Blurb

Bryan Harrison is a successful accountant and a man who admires order and self-discipline. It’s a startling break from his routine when he literally bumps into Phiz Bussman outside With A Kick. Phiz’s lifestyle and behaviour are in complete contrast to Bryan’s, and appear totally chaotic. But they each recognise something in the other that they need.
Bryan has been helping With A Kick with its financial difficulties, and is finding it difficult to balance his professional persona with friendship with the owners. But then he’s always found it tricky to expose his more vulnerable feelings. His cool facade hides loneliness: he believes he’ll never find a lover who accepts and welcomes his secret desire.

Whereas Phiz is all about exposure! He’s defined by his cheerful but clumsy liveliness, his open-hearted emotions, and his physical needs. Despite that, he’s lonely as well. He craves someone who will help him bring purpose and focus into his life, and admits freely he needs a firm hand – in every way.
If they can both accept a friendship that’s destined for more, Bryan may be just the man to provide it.

 

Book Review

“It’s not who you are that holds you back; it’s who you think you’re not.”  ~ Unknown

Bryan Harrison, of 'Slap and Tickle' by Clare London, is caught in a trap of his own making. Calm, cool, and collected on the outside, he hides his true self deep inside. Bryan thinks he's got it all together until he meets Phiz, a young man who appears to have little together; yet Phiz readily admits that he could use some polish. Even so, in many ways, despite his chaotic existence, Phiz seems content. Phiz confuses him, but Bryan senses that, in spite of it all, he and Phiz have something to teach each other.

As an accountant, Bryan thinks he should act and dress in a manner befitting his position. He's lonely and would love to have a companion to share his feelings with, but he has tried to confide his deepest desires in the past and felt totally humiliated; so he has decided it's safer to keep them buried. When Bryan rescues Phiz and invites him into With a Kick, for coffee, he's a bit overwhelmed; especially since Phiz's effervescence never seems to end. Bryan hates endless chatter, but coming from Phiz he unexpectedly tolerates it. Bryan also notices that he is able to calm Phiz with a firm handshake and a commanding tone. Phiz is attractive, although a bit disheveled at the moment. He's amazed by the physical effect Phiz is having on him and doesn't quite know what to do about it. When they next meet, Bryan is stunned by the fact that Phiz asks him on a date and even more surprised that he wants to go. Bryan can't imagine how it would work, especially when they can't seem to stop antagonizing each other. The words: “There are things we both want to talk about.” keep rolling around Bryan's mind. Their struggle to find common ground is difficult and sometimes seems impossible until they come together sexually. It's in bed that they begin to understand their role in each other's lives. Bryan learns to be commanding and Phiz gets the control he needs in order to feel safe and be happy.

Phiz is a delightfully dysfunctional character who, in some ways, is wiser than Bryan with his order and control. Although they seem like polar opposites, they actually need the same things. The difference is, Phiz knows what he wants and is able to verbalize it and Bryan isn't. Right away, Phiz is perceptive enough to see that Bryan is holding back, that beneath his stuffy exterior is fire by which Phiz would love to be burned. Phiz's passion and willingness to try new things in bed is a true revelation for Brian, but there's more to a relationship than good sex. Of course, there are other issues they need to face. Phiz confronts Bryan about his inconsistencies between how he appears to be and how he truly is. Phiz challenges him about dressing in a way which makes him appear to be much older than he is, and he points out Bryan's inability to express what he feels. Phiz helps Bryan open up and show his feelings and stop being afraid of retribution. When Bryan's business persona keeps him from recognizing what he could be doing for his friends financially other than being their accountant, Phiz loses it.  Bryan begins to wonder how many times he's misunderstood situations which involve his personal life; how, in his haste to maintain his programmed neutrality with his clients, he's missing an opportunity to be a good friend.

Phiz and Bryan show that without honesty, there's nothing to build a relationship on, because that's the binding force, the thing trust is made from. As good as they are in bed, the real key is communication. Without it, any relationship is bound to fail. As other books in the 'With a Kick' series, this book may be read alone, but, to completely get the connections between characters, I advise reading from the beginning. If you enjoy a story full of self-revelation, learning to be honest, trusting, and giving up control in order to gain it, then this story might be for you. Thanks, Clare, for the emotional and enlightening story.

 

 

 

 

 

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Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novella, 78 pages/32700 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	29-October-2014
Price	$2.99 ebook
Buy Link	https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-slapandticklewithakick3-1658099-149.html