Legal Bindings by Ella Fenn (Living Situations #3)

Title: ⟫ Legal Bindings (Living Situations Book 3)

Author: ⟫ Ella Fenn

Rating: ⟫ 4/5

Blurb: ⟫ Nick Robinson doesn’t need help from anyone. He’s been taking care of himself since he was ten years old, and his independent streak has cost him friendships, a marriage, and most recently, his job. Facing unemployment and the looming threat of losing his home, Nick decides his only option is to seek a room-mate. After a fruitless search, the only decent applicant is Evan, a talented artist in need of creative inspiration, which he thinks he might find in Nick’s attic loft.

Evan moves in, still searching for that elusive burst of artistic brilliance, and their opposing personalities collide, triggering heated exchanges and hurt feelings. Nick is uptight and constantly worried about what other people think, which grates against Evan’s artistic temperament and odd sartorial choices.

However, destiny has a way of bringing people together when they need it most. While searching for a new job, Nick meets Sydney, a disaffected teenage girl in foster care who desperately needs legal assistance. Amidst their endless squabbles, Nick and Evan find common ground in their shared responsibility for Sydney's potential. When their walls come down, sparks fly. But are those sparks kindling the fire of their future, or are they tinder that will burn the fledgling relationship to the ground?

The third book in the Living Situations series, Legal Bindings is a gay romance featuring unlikely room-mates, self-discovery, and the extraordinary connections that can arise when we challenge our own assumptions. If you like enemies-to-lovers, found family, and steamy situations, then you won’t want to miss this book.

Let Nick and Evan paint you an unconventional picture of what true love looks like and get your copy of Legal Bindings today.

Review: ⟫ I’m always impressed when an author can take a previous ‘bad’ guy and make the reader feel sorry for them. When it came to Nick, the insight into the person he is now versus where he was, as well as the underlying reasons for his behaviour were insightful and genuine and I appreciated that. I also appreciated that he wasn’t given a free ride – he had to face the consequences of his past actions and apologise – a heart-felt, real apology that more than made it possible for people to move on feeling lighter in themselves.

The story revolves around the fact that Nick is a square peg trying to force himself to fit in the expected ‘circle’ and how Evan helps him figure out who he is and what he wants. Along the way, Evan also figured himself out, let go of past anger and discovered that his dream of living in New York might well have been better off remaining a dream.

I didn’t expect the story I got – Nick’s experiences in the foster system were such a prime motivator in his actions and it hurt seeing him trying to work the system to make his new possible, all whilst realising that it might lose him Evan because of his past. And the way in which Evan managed to see beyond the mask that Nick lived his life behind to what the man actually needed and the person he could be was really beautiful.

Ella Fenn has a very engaging style of writing – it’s very easy to read, flows well and feels real – and it’s only as you reach the end of the book that you realise you’ve hours living in the world they have created. This was a lovely addition to the Living Situations series, with hot sex, deep feelings and a lot about found family that really touched my heart.

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Domestic Service by Ella Fenn

Title: ⟫ Domestic Service 

Author: ⟫ Ella Fenn 

Blurb: ⟫ An inexperienced executive. A penniless grad student. An unconventional offer. 

Colin Caldwell clawed his way out of a rough childhood to put himself through college, and now grad school. Broke, stressed-out, and struggling to stay afloat after he loses his regular ridesharing gig, he’s willing to do anything that pays the bills. 

Simon Vessey is the total package—a handsome, wealthy, and successful executive who, at thirty-seven, seems to have it all. But behind closed doors, Simon is shy, lonely, and so inexperienced as a dominant that he might as well be a virgin. Limited by his fears, but craving companionship beyond an occasional escort, what he really wants is someone he can come home to, even if he’s paying for the privilege. 

When a mutual acquaintance suggests that Colin could be the perfect fit for Simon’s live-in submissive dreams, it seems like the perfect solution for them both. But when their connection begins to run deeper than their business contract, and old demons rear their heads, will they find a way to persevere? 

The first book in the Living Situations series, Domestic Service is a gay romance featuring an age gap, light BDSM, and two broken people fixing each other in service of their happy ending. If you like steamy situations, compelling characters, and forced proximity, then you’ll love Ella Fenn’s debut novel.

Review: ⟫ You know when you go into a book with preconceptions as to what it’s going to be like and then it knocks you on your butt? This book did that to me. 

I really liked the blurb and thought it would be a fun read, and it was initially. And then it started going into things deeper, and there were feelings – so many feelings. I admit it – I cried. Real life is a trip at the moment and for some reason, the scene with the bear cub (by the way, we all need a Bertram) just took me completely by surprise and I was bawling my eyes out. 

I admired both Simon and Collin – not because they were perfect, but because they weren’t. It would have been so easy to keep this as a surface romance – man falls in love with his live-in sub, etc but this was so much more than that. The supporting cast were brilliant – can I just say three cheers for well-rounded female characters – and I stayed up far too late reading this. 

The sex/kink was almost by the by – instead, I really wanted to see how Simon and Colin were going to make it, how they were going to get their broken pieces to fit. And I really applaud the way it was done – it took time, effort, self reflection and some really painful changes. 

I can hardly believe that this is a debut novel – I was really impressed, and will most definitely be looking for more by this author. 

An easy 5/5 – I’m off to blow my nose and cuddle my cats! I received an ARC from GayRomanceReviews in exchange for an honest review.

Bedside Manners by Ella Fenn (Living Situations Book #2)

Title: ⟫ Bedside Manners (Living Situations Book 2) 

Author: ⟫ Ella Fenn 

Blurb: ⟫ A freak windstorm. A life-changing accident. An unlikely helping hand. 

 After years spent suffering under the weight of his father’s expectations, Max Castillo-Grant is celebrating his shiny new law degree by drinking, partying, and bed-hopping around Seattle. Max isn’t stupid—he knows the good times never last—but if the world’s going to bring him low, he might as well enjoy the high. 

 Six years ago, a broken heart and a deep loss turned Ben Greer bitter and reclusive. Formerly the life of the party, he quit his job, rejected his friends, and hid from the world. Now, he spends his days alone, working on occasional custom carpentry commissions, with only his dog, Judith, for company. Two severe weather events conspire to leave Ben in need of a full-time caretaker for his injuries, and Max in need of a respectable job. 

Despite a rocky start, Ben is begrudgingly won over by Max’s good humor, and the two form a lasting connection. But emotional wounds leave deep scars, and both Ben and Max are damaged. Can they find a way to heal hurts that go far beyond the physical before it’s too late? 

 The second book in the Living Situations series, Bedside Manners is a gay romance featuring an age gap, light BDSM, and 4-6 terrible puns about woodworking. If you like steamy situations, hurt/comfort, and grumpy mountain men, then you’ll love Ella Fenn’s latest novel. 

 Pick up Bedside Manners and let Ben and Max sweep you off your feet today! 

Review: ⟫ Ben and Max didn’t sweep me off my feet. 

What they did do was give me an absolutely delightful story about two men, forced together through less than ideal circumstances, learning about each other and about themselves and falling in love in the process. 

 Ben was the quintessential grumpy mountain man and the imagery was gorgeous – I could picture him quite clearly in my mind and I could well understand Max’s attraction. And Max was a sweet, caring, lovely man who just needed help to get out from under his father’s machinations and come into his own. The way they communicated – even when things got difficult – and their story unfolded, you were rooting for them. 

There was very little in the way of drama between them (more than enough in the background), but it certainly wasn’t a case of it all being easy. Ben almost died and was suffering from PTSD and Max is feeling the stranglehold his father has on his life. 

 I really enjoyed this – it was peaceful, lovely, a little bit sexy, but more than anything it just gave me the feels. There’s no other way to describe it – them getting their happy ever after felt well earned, and I needed that. We also got to see Colin and Simon from the first book which was really nice. Very enjoyable and recommended. 

 I received an ARC from the author.