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The Swap Masquerade
“A night of passion and pleasure awaits you. No names, no faces, just the chance to live out your wildest fantasies. Leave your keys in the bowl and let fate decide who you’ll end up with.”
After years of hiding his sexuality from his family and teammates, Elliott Stone is tired of living a lie. However, with only three months left until the baseball season is over and he graduates from college, he’s determined to keep his secret for a little bit longer. But the words written on a party invitation offer another option. One that might allow him to finally explore what it’s like to be with another man.
Gavin Holt loves being a college professor, but living and working in a small, conservative town makes discretion essential when it comes to his sexuality. That’s why he likes going to Swap Masquerades. Hiding his identity under a mask is the only way he can truly feed all of his desires without anyone finding out.
Behind a mask, is the one place they can both let their inhibitions go, but what happens if the person finally revealed is someone who’s off limits?
After years of hiding his sexuality from his family and teammates, Elliott Stone is tired of living a lie. However, with only three months left until the baseball season is over and he graduates from college, he’s determined to keep his secret for a little bit longer. But the words written on a party invitation offer another option. One that might allow him to finally explore what it’s like to be with another man.
Gavin Holt loves being a college professor, but living and working in a small, conservative town makes discretion essential when it comes to his sexuality. That’s why he likes going to Swap Masquerades. Hiding his identity under a mask is the only way he can truly feed all of his desires without anyone finding out.
Behind a mask, is the one place they can both let their inhibitions go, but what happens if the person finally revealed is someone who’s off limits?
219 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 28, 2021
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June 8, 2021
3.5 “eventually, I’d like to settle down, hopefully with kids and…a husband” stars
“How long until graduation?”
“Five weeks.” […]
“Okay. We can get through that together. And when it’s over, you’re going after Elliott and you’re going to make him yours. I don’t give a shit what the college has to say about it, either. You’ve poured everything you have into teaching and helping others, but it’s time you finally start doing some things for yourself for a change.”
I like any book that has some taboo elements in them, so the fact that this book is student and teacher was all it took to get me interested in the book. I really really love a good student and teacher book, when done well and not too filled with drama. Which was the case here. I was pleased with how sweet this book was and how there wasn’t too much over the top drama that didn’t make sense with the story. Did I ccare that the lack of drama made it kind of unrealistic for a student and teacher story? Not at all. I much prefer the lack of drama than too much drama in my books, even if it's not very realistic and if it makes things easier than they should be. I really enjoyed this book, I just wanted more of it. I will not often say this, but I would have gladly taken another 100 pages of this story.
Brief summary
Eliott is 22 years old. He in college, where he plays baseball and is an archetecture major. He is closeted and only plans on coming out after he finishes college (in 3 months after the start of the novel). Eliott has an humanities class in college and starts to develop a crush on his teacher, which is Gavin, who is 34 years old. Eliott stumbles on an invitation to a swap masquerade party. Which is a men only party where everyone wears a mask and anything goes. There, Elliott meets a gorgeous man and they kiss while the man is fucking someone else, they both keep thinking about the other after the party so they both go back to more parties to see each other, they have really hot sex and they fall in love.
What I loved about the book
First, I have been reading so many books with closeted characters lately. A lot more than the heatlhy recommended amount, so they are starting to get on my nerves. So I really liked that Eliott was in the closet but had a plan to come out and didn’t want to stay in the closet forever. It was a breath of fresh air compared to the way too many stories I have read about closeted guys that never wanted to come out. Also the scenes where Eliott came out, were just so good. They were so lovely and emotional and they were the perfection continuity for the story. I reallty loved those coming out scenes.
Second, I was so glad that they it happened while they were in college. It is definitely a much better set up than when a student and teacher book happens in high school.
Third, I always love a good sexual exploration. Eliott was a virgin and he had never kissed anyone. I liked how Eliott lusted after Gavin in class, that was nice to read about. I liked how it felt new to him and how he was so fascinating by his feelings. I also loved seeing him explore his sexuality and what he could enjoy. I loved seeing his reactions to watching other couples at his first sex party. There was a lot of voyeurism in this and I definitely loved it, very much. Eliott was so fascinated by seeing couples together and it was lovely to read about. I loved how eager Eliott was to explore his sexuality with Gavin. I really loved all of the scenes of Eliott experiencing first times, we got to see his first kiss, his first frotting, his first time receiving a blow job, his first time giving a blow job, his first time being rimmed and his first time bottoming. And I loved all of it. It was just so good. The sex scenes in this were of very high quality and I really loved them.
Special mention to Eliott’s first time, I loved it so much. Gavin was so patient and that sex scene was just perfect. I loved how it was painful and kind of awkward at first but then it got better, it was so realistic.
Fourth, I really enjoyed the set up for this. I liked how they formed a friendly connection because Eliott signed up for habitat for humanity as part of his class taught by Gavin and I really loved seeing them get to know each other while they were working together on the houses, it was so sweet. And I liked how they formed a sexual connection at the same time. I thought the mix of the two was just enough to make it believable and easy to see why they fit together and why they want to be together.
My niggles with the book
First, I thought they could have communicated a bit better instead of just randomly cutting communication with the other. I really didn’t enjoy how Gavin cut communication with Eliott because he found out who Eliott is, without telling Eliott. Eliott was so insecure and sad that Gavin cut communication with him and it made me sad reading about it. I really disliked Gavin at that moment and I never could quite forgive him for his actions, expecially since he never apologized for doing it.
Second, these people talked a lot outside of the swap parties, and Gavin was Eliott’s teacher so he would have heard him talk a lot. I could not understand how did they not recognize each other’s voices? I have a thing for voices and recognize everyone by their voice, so it might just be a me thing. Plus Gavin had grey eyes and Eliott talked about admiring his eyes all the time. How many fucking people have the same voice and grey eyes in the town they’re in? Can’t be 200 of them right?
Third, I wanted a little more of them just being together, they were really sweet and good together and took good such good care of the other and I wanted to see more of it.
Fourth, I didn’t enjoy how everything was nicely wrapped at the end, it took like 3 minutes to fix all the conflict in the book and it just felt way too easy to me.
Fifth, where the book cut off was kind of frustrating to me. It cut before they made their relationship known to most people in their life. I felt like I was robbed of a lot of important moments. They’re a teacher and his student in a relationship and we never got to see them announce their relationship, I just really wanted to see that moment. I also just wanted to see them have an actual relationship now that they didn’t need to hide it.
This was a very enjoyable low angst book, that was really sweet and really hot. I really enjoyed the time I spent reaidng this book.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
“How long until graduation?”
“Five weeks.” […]
“Okay. We can get through that together. And when it’s over, you’re going after Elliott and you’re going to make him yours. I don’t give a shit what the college has to say about it, either. You’ve poured everything you have into teaching and helping others, but it’s time you finally start doing some things for yourself for a change.”
I like any book that has some taboo elements in them, so the fact that this book is student and teacher was all it took to get me interested in the book. I really really love a good student and teacher book, when done well and not too filled with drama. Which was the case here. I was pleased with how sweet this book was and how there wasn’t too much over the top drama that didn’t make sense with the story. Did I ccare that the lack of drama made it kind of unrealistic for a student and teacher story? Not at all. I much prefer the lack of drama than too much drama in my books, even if it's not very realistic and if it makes things easier than they should be. I really enjoyed this book, I just wanted more of it. I will not often say this, but I would have gladly taken another 100 pages of this story.
Brief summary
Eliott is 22 years old. He in college, where he plays baseball and is an archetecture major. He is closeted and only plans on coming out after he finishes college (in 3 months after the start of the novel). Eliott has an humanities class in college and starts to develop a crush on his teacher, which is Gavin, who is 34 years old. Eliott stumbles on an invitation to a swap masquerade party. Which is a men only party where everyone wears a mask and anything goes. There, Elliott meets a gorgeous man and they kiss while the man is fucking someone else, they both keep thinking about the other after the party so they both go back to more parties to see each other, they have really hot sex and they fall in love.
What I loved about the book
First, I have been reading so many books with closeted characters lately. A lot more than the heatlhy recommended amount, so they are starting to get on my nerves. So I really liked that Eliott was in the closet but had a plan to come out and didn’t want to stay in the closet forever. It was a breath of fresh air compared to the way too many stories I have read about closeted guys that never wanted to come out. Also the scenes where Eliott came out, were just so good. They were so lovely and emotional and they were the perfection continuity for the story. I reallty loved those coming out scenes.
Second, I was so glad that they it happened while they were in college. It is definitely a much better set up than when a student and teacher book happens in high school.
Third, I always love a good sexual exploration. Eliott was a virgin and he had never kissed anyone. I liked how Eliott lusted after Gavin in class, that was nice to read about. I liked how it felt new to him and how he was so fascinating by his feelings. I also loved seeing him explore his sexuality and what he could enjoy. I loved seeing his reactions to watching other couples at his first sex party. There was a lot of voyeurism in this and I definitely loved it, very much. Eliott was so fascinated by seeing couples together and it was lovely to read about. I loved how eager Eliott was to explore his sexuality with Gavin. I really loved all of the scenes of Eliott experiencing first times, we got to see his first kiss, his first frotting, his first time receiving a blow job, his first time giving a blow job, his first time being rimmed and his first time bottoming. And I loved all of it. It was just so good. The sex scenes in this were of very high quality and I really loved them.
Special mention to Eliott’s first time, I loved it so much. Gavin was so patient and that sex scene was just perfect. I loved how it was painful and kind of awkward at first but then it got better, it was so realistic.
Fourth, I really enjoyed the set up for this. I liked how they formed a friendly connection because Eliott signed up for habitat for humanity as part of his class taught by Gavin and I really loved seeing them get to know each other while they were working together on the houses, it was so sweet. And I liked how they formed a sexual connection at the same time. I thought the mix of the two was just enough to make it believable and easy to see why they fit together and why they want to be together.
My niggles with the book
First, I thought they could have communicated a bit better instead of just randomly cutting communication with the other. I really didn’t enjoy how Gavin cut communication with Eliott because he found out who Eliott is, without telling Eliott. Eliott was so insecure and sad that Gavin cut communication with him and it made me sad reading about it. I really disliked Gavin at that moment and I never could quite forgive him for his actions, expecially since he never apologized for doing it.
Second, these people talked a lot outside of the swap parties, and Gavin was Eliott’s teacher so he would have heard him talk a lot. I could not understand how did they not recognize each other’s voices? I have a thing for voices and recognize everyone by their voice, so it might just be a me thing. Plus Gavin had grey eyes and Eliott talked about admiring his eyes all the time. How many fucking people have the same voice and grey eyes in the town they’re in? Can’t be 200 of them right?
Third, I wanted a little more of them just being together, they were really sweet and good together and took good such good care of the other and I wanted to see more of it.
Fourth, I didn’t enjoy how everything was nicely wrapped at the end, it took like 3 minutes to fix all the conflict in the book and it just felt way too easy to me.
Fifth, where the book cut off was kind of frustrating to me. It cut before they made their relationship known to most people in their life. I felt like I was robbed of a lot of important moments. They’re a teacher and his student in a relationship and we never got to see them announce their relationship, I just really wanted to see that moment. I also just wanted to see them have an actual relationship now that they didn’t need to hide it.
This was a very enjoyable low angst book, that was really sweet and really hot. I really enjoyed the time I spent reaidng this book.
I received an ARC of this book, and this is my honest review.
May 27, 2022
it just wasn't for me, unfortunately. :/
May 31, 2021
I was extremely intrigued by the plot of this book. I mean, a secret identity turned into student-professor relationship? Oh yes. I will say I enjoyed it for the most part but I had a few things that kinda irked me.
I couldn’t get into the book for about the first 20% which was when the Swap party actually took place. Before then there was a lot of extra info thrown in, it seems. Lots of unnecessary details such as things like how the professor’s (Gavin) car has low miles, how it looks and how much he enjoys the plush seats. And a bit about how Elliott (student) was at his parents for dinner buttering his potatoes and asked his mom to pass the salt and pepper.
Luckily the last half of the book didn’t have all that extra fluff.
Another huge issue for me was the fact that Elliott watched Gavin have sex with another dude at the swap party. Sure it was hot because Elliott enjoyed it and Gavin gave him a super sexy kiss that made him come in his pants... but I would’ve rather had it be just the 2 of them. I wasn’t expecting it so it threw me off guard, plus I don’t usually like reading about a main MC fucking someone else, so... 🤷🏼♀️
Gavin and Elliott also spent time together as student-teacher for one of the class projects. They worked on the same team and talked quite a bit. How is it that a little flimsy mask that only basically covers the top half of the face make them so unrecognizable? There are other distinguishable features like the hair, body type, even the damn eye color, plus the voice. Sheesh. But ok, I’ll suspend belief because this is fiction.
The whole ghosting thing Gavin did when he accidentally found out that Elliott was his student infuriated me. Elliott hadn’t even kissed another dude prior to Gavin so losing his virginity one night and being ignored right after was an extremely dick move. He could’ve said something.
Okay, now that my complaints have been aired, let me get on to what I liked:
First - the sex. I mean duh. It was hot and I enjoyed every damn scene of Gavin and Elliott together.
I also really felt their connection both in disguise and during their time together as student and teacher. From the time they first laid eyes on each other to the amazing time in the hotel when Gavin fucked Elliott for his first time. But it wasn’t just a sexual connection and I really was rooting for them even though Gavin had his head up his ass for a few weeks there.
The next thing that got me was Elliott’s feelings about being in the closet, denying himself what he truly wanted, feeling like he had to hide himself from everyone and like he’d disappoint his family. I had actual tears 3 times during some of these scenes: the first time Elliott admitted he was gay to his roommate Adam, when he came out to his family and his dad walked away and avoided him for a few weeks, and then finally when his dad showed up to his last baseball game and said all of those heartfelt things to Elliott. Fuck, I felt like a big ass baby with all the tears I shed.
So overall I did enjoy this story. It started out slow but only went uphill from about 30% on. I’d give this about a 3.75⭐️
I received a copy of this book from GRR.
I couldn’t get into the book for about the first 20% which was when the Swap party actually took place. Before then there was a lot of extra info thrown in, it seems. Lots of unnecessary details such as things like how the professor’s (Gavin) car has low miles, how it looks and how much he enjoys the plush seats. And a bit about how Elliott (student) was at his parents for dinner buttering his potatoes and asked his mom to pass the salt and pepper.
Luckily the last half of the book didn’t have all that extra fluff.
Another huge issue for me was the fact that Elliott watched Gavin have sex with another dude at the swap party. Sure it was hot because Elliott enjoyed it and Gavin gave him a super sexy kiss that made him come in his pants... but I would’ve rather had it be just the 2 of them. I wasn’t expecting it so it threw me off guard, plus I don’t usually like reading about a main MC fucking someone else, so... 🤷🏼♀️
Gavin and Elliott also spent time together as student-teacher for one of the class projects. They worked on the same team and talked quite a bit. How is it that a little flimsy mask that only basically covers the top half of the face make them so unrecognizable? There are other distinguishable features like the hair, body type, even the damn eye color, plus the voice. Sheesh. But ok, I’ll suspend belief because this is fiction.
The whole ghosting thing Gavin did when he accidentally found out that Elliott was his student infuriated me. Elliott hadn’t even kissed another dude prior to Gavin so losing his virginity one night and being ignored right after was an extremely dick move. He could’ve said something.
Okay, now that my complaints have been aired, let me get on to what I liked:
First - the sex. I mean duh. It was hot and I enjoyed every damn scene of Gavin and Elliott together.
I also really felt their connection both in disguise and during their time together as student and teacher. From the time they first laid eyes on each other to the amazing time in the hotel when Gavin fucked Elliott for his first time. But it wasn’t just a sexual connection and I really was rooting for them even though Gavin had his head up his ass for a few weeks there.
The next thing that got me was Elliott’s feelings about being in the closet, denying himself what he truly wanted, feeling like he had to hide himself from everyone and like he’d disappoint his family. I had actual tears 3 times during some of these scenes: the first time Elliott admitted he was gay to his roommate Adam, when he came out to his family and his dad walked away and avoided him for a few weeks, and then finally when his dad showed up to his last baseball game and said all of those heartfelt things to Elliott. Fuck, I felt like a big ass baby with all the tears I shed.
So overall I did enjoy this story. It started out slow but only went uphill from about 30% on. I’d give this about a 3.75⭐️
I received a copy of this book from GRR.
May 26, 2022
💟 This book says
“I believe in True Love”
and damn if my heart isn't a complete puddle for this book. 💟
I am truly speechless, I don't have the words to even pronounce how much I loved this book, how this book felt like the warmest of comfort hugs. I kept waiting for something bad to happen or a scene that awfully triggered me, but nope. None of that.
This book is the damn harbinger of hope.
This book talked a lot about loneliness and wanting to grasp what was right in front of you, yet was miles away from reach. I loved how despite the tough and mentally exhausted times Elliot and Gavin had to face, there was still this light, this glimmer of hope throughout it all that soothe the ache of their reality.
I honestly wish this book was a representation of reality.
If I would describe this book, I would it is Peaceful. Because that is what I felt reading it, laughing and smiling so hard my cheeks hurt and crying over the emotional bonds of two certain characters. What a joy this book was to read.
One of my favorite parts of this book was Elliot's Dad. He was a complicated man and in a nutshell, it would've been so damn easy to hate him, so easy to resent him, I am in awe of the way Elliot understood him instead, put him first and loved him all the same. I'm really proud for the both of them.
Also the way Gavin (the top) had to look up at Elliot (the bottom) had me WEAK. And when Elliot lifted and carried Gavin-✋✋✋ deceased.
I only wish for this book was DAMNIT. WHY WASN'T IT LONGER?!
Initial reaction:
Absolutely. Soul-deep, and wholeheartedly FUCKING BEAUTIFUL.
Whatever his story was, one thing was for sure. It was more than just the mask making him a complete mystery to me.
I am truly speechless, I don't have the words to even pronounce how much I loved this book, how this book felt like the warmest of comfort hugs. I kept waiting for something bad to happen or a scene that awfully triggered me, but nope. None of that.
This book is the damn harbinger of hope.
This book talked a lot about loneliness and wanting to grasp what was right in front of you, yet was miles away from reach. I loved how despite the tough and mentally exhausted times Elliot and Gavin had to face, there was still this light, this glimmer of hope throughout it all that soothe the ache of their reality.
I honestly wish this book was a representation of reality.
It was the way he gave himself over to the feelings rushing through him and the way he clung to me as he came, so beautifully, from nothing more than the feel of my mouth on his. That moment would forever be etched into my memories. It was the purest, most honest encounter I had ever shared with another man, and damn if I didn’t want more of it. Of him.
If I would describe this book, I would it is Peaceful. Because that is what I felt reading it, laughing and smiling so hard my cheeks hurt and crying over the emotional bonds of two certain characters. What a joy this book was to read.
Elliott Stone owned my heart and my soul, and he would continue to own them for all the days we had left on earth.
One of my favorite parts of this book was Elliot's Dad. He was a complicated man and in a nutshell, it would've been so damn easy to hate him, so easy to resent him, I am in awe of the way Elliot understood him instead, put him first and loved him all the same. I'm really proud for the both of them.
Where once he’d seemed like a giant in my eyes, now I could see him as a man. An ordinary man with worries and stresses of his own. Most of which, I probably knew nothing about because he’d always just quietly taken care of things: the house, the bills, the three of us. His love may have been misguided at times, but I had no doubt how much my father loved his family.
Also the way Gavin (the top) had to look up at Elliot (the bottom) had me WEAK. And when Elliot lifted and carried Gavin-✋✋✋ deceased.
I only wish for this book was DAMNIT. WHY WASN'T IT LONGER?!
Initial reaction:
Absolutely. Soul-deep, and wholeheartedly FUCKING BEAUTIFUL.
June 20, 2021
Surprisingly low angst and very sweet romance
I loved Annabella's The Sway and this book follows in the same vein, although it's not directly linked.
Everything about the narrative flowed well together, from the first meeting between the two men, when they were masked strangers, right through to the Epilogue.
As expected, there are kink scenes referred to in passing as part of the Swap party scene, and none of them felt out of place.
Gavin and Elliott are drawn to each other from the moment their eyes meet, as the younger man stumbles across Gavin already paired up and getting down to the smexy times.
The connection is palpable as few words are spoken but they exchange a scorching hot kiss.
I felt their interactions were honest and the desire to explore more was well written. I also think the level of angst and the secondary plot about Elliott's relationship with baseball and his dad were the eight level.
I very much appreciated that there was resolution all round which made sense and didn't follow the tired tropes that can often accompany a coming out story.
Overall, this was just a lovely read and I'm so glad to see Annabella putting new books back out more often.
I loved Annabella's The Sway and this book follows in the same vein, although it's not directly linked.
Everything about the narrative flowed well together, from the first meeting between the two men, when they were masked strangers, right through to the Epilogue.
As expected, there are kink scenes referred to in passing as part of the Swap party scene, and none of them felt out of place.
Gavin and Elliott are drawn to each other from the moment their eyes meet, as the younger man stumbles across Gavin already paired up and getting down to the smexy times.
The connection is palpable as few words are spoken but they exchange a scorching hot kiss.
I felt their interactions were honest and the desire to explore more was well written. I also think the level of angst and the secondary plot about Elliott's relationship with baseball and his dad were the eight level.
I very much appreciated that there was resolution all round which made sense and didn't follow the tired tropes that can often accompany a coming out story.
Overall, this was just a lovely read and I'm so glad to see Annabella putting new books back out more often.
May 31, 2022
3.5**** stars
As the two other books on my current-reading list are intense (to say the least!) this was exactly what I needed to take a little breather.
I FREAKING LOVE THIS "SECRET IDENTITY“ SHIT!!!
You remember my love for Love in a Truck Stop Bathroom? (go read it, btw) - the storyline was pretty similar to this one right here - which made it a great recipe for my tastes!
**********
So. For reasons explained in the book both Gavin and Elliot are hiding their sexuality in their day-to-day life. Elliot is even so afraid of coming out that he is still a virgin in every sense of the word - at 22.
More or less by chance Elliot ends up at this Swap Masquerade where he encounters this hot stranger - and boy that was hot. And they didn’t even had sex (with each other)!!! But they will be, 'cause there will be a next time. And a next.
What they don’t know and only discover later, of course, is that they know each other irl. Gavin is Elliot’s college professor. *chef’s kiss
And as they work together on a charitable community project they actually become kind of friends.
That brings me to my biggest complaint. Even if you never could’ve imagined ending up meeting your professor/student at a sex party. And even if you haven’t seen all the similarities because you weren’t looking for them… PUHLEASE… you cannot tell me you wouldn’t have recognized the voice and way of speaking of your friend/sexpartner!!!!!! And it bugged me that there was no explanation given by the author how it was possible that not only one but two men were not struck by recognition. Uuugh!!
There were also told a few things in both their backgrounds that I wished the author would’ve let us explore more. But they were only told on the surface and it all felt rushed. Which really was a shame.
**********
All in all I really liked Gavin & Elliot’s story. It was a fast, sweet read and I would’ve loved to give it a better rating because I am digging this kind of stories. But I simply couldn’t. There was just too much that didn’t work for me.
As the two other books on my current-reading list are intense (to say the least!) this was exactly what I needed to take a little breather.
I FREAKING LOVE THIS "SECRET IDENTITY“ SHIT!!!
You remember my love for Love in a Truck Stop Bathroom? (go read it, btw) - the storyline was pretty similar to this one right here - which made it a great recipe for my tastes!
**********
So. For reasons explained in the book both Gavin and Elliot are hiding their sexuality in their day-to-day life. Elliot is even so afraid of coming out that he is still a virgin in every sense of the word - at 22.
More or less by chance Elliot ends up at this Swap Masquerade where he encounters this hot stranger - and boy that was hot. And they didn’t even had sex (with each other)!!! But they will be, 'cause there will be a next time. And a next.
What they don’t know and only discover later, of course, is that they know each other irl. Gavin is Elliot’s college professor. *chef’s kiss
And as they work together on a charitable community project they actually become kind of friends.
That brings me to my biggest complaint. Even if you never could’ve imagined ending up meeting your professor/student at a sex party. And even if you haven’t seen all the similarities because you weren’t looking for them… PUHLEASE… you cannot tell me you wouldn’t have recognized the voice and way of speaking of your friend/sexpartner!!!!!! And it bugged me that there was no explanation given by the author how it was possible that not only one but two men were not struck by recognition. Uuugh!!
There were also told a few things in both their backgrounds that I wished the author would’ve let us explore more. But they were only told on the surface and it all felt rushed. Which really was a shame.
**********
All in all I really liked Gavin & Elliot’s story. It was a fast, sweet read and I would’ve loved to give it a better rating because I am digging this kind of stories. But I simply couldn’t. There was just too much that didn’t work for me.
May 27, 2021
I received an ARC from GRR and this is my honest review.
After reading The Swap many years ago, I jumped at the chance for this book.
For the most part I loved this book. I enjoyed a lot of aspects.
What I liked:
- The anonymity of the Swap party and how it brought the men together because of where they lived and who they were. #WhoWeAre
- The closeted-virgin Jock trope. This never gets old for me. I love it. #GuiltyPleasure
- The first encounter ... though I would have changed a tiny detail about it. Nevertheless it as hot AF. #ColdShowerNeeded
- Exclusivity from the get-go. #SharingIsNotAlwaysCaring
- The age-gap. This is another thing I adore in my books. #Catnip
- The Steam: It was sexy and sweet and you could feel the connection from that first moment. #HotAF
- The romance: It made me smile a lot. They were romantic without being sappy or OTT. #JustRight
Niggles:
After reading The Swap many years ago, I jumped at the chance for this book.
For the most part I loved this book. I enjoyed a lot of aspects.
What I liked:
- The anonymity of the Swap party and how it brought the men together because of where they lived and who they were. #WhoWeAre
- The closeted-virgin Jock trope. This never gets old for me. I love it. #GuiltyPleasure
- The first encounter ... though I would have changed a tiny detail about it. Nevertheless it as hot AF. #ColdShowerNeeded
- Exclusivity from the get-go. #SharingIsNotAlwaysCaring
- The age-gap. This is another thing I adore in my books. #Catnip
- The Steam: It was sexy and sweet and you could feel the connection from that first moment. #HotAF
- The romance: It made me smile a lot. They were romantic without being sappy or OTT. #JustRight
Niggles:
June 10, 2021
4.5 stars 🌟
This was very sweet. Just what I needed. Despite there being a few niggles here and there and me still not knowing what a swap masquerade is, this was wonderful. I liked the emotions. I liked the non-drama. There was a moment where I was incredulous as to how one cannot recognise someone by voice, but like I said above, I could overlook it.
Great book to read as a break from the heavy-hitting ones. 💕
This was very sweet. Just what I needed. Despite there being a few niggles here and there and me still not knowing what a swap masquerade is, this was wonderful. I liked the emotions. I liked the non-drama. There was a moment where I was incredulous as to how one cannot recognise someone by voice, but like I said above, I could overlook it.
Great book to read as a break from the heavy-hitting ones. 💕
June 2, 2021
Enjoyed
I Iliked this but unfortunately not as much as the first book. It wasn't bad...not in the least. It just didn't grab me like book 1.
Give it a try though. It might just be me.
I Iliked this but unfortunately not as much as the first book. It wasn't bad...not in the least. It just didn't grab me like book 1.
Give it a try though. It might just be me.
March 27, 2022
I found the story entertaining and the plot was good. It seems that both characters were drawn to each other with or without masks.
June 14, 2021
This was so very hot and adorable.
The characters were interesting and well-rounded. Elliott is wonderful, very burdened by feeling inadequate, unfairly treated by his father, and I just felt fiercely protective of him. He was so innocent in a way, and his discovery was excellent. He enters this whole new world, and goes from feeling out of place to knowing exactly what he wants, and finally going for it. Gavin is the prototype of the hot teacher, and he's also suffering by being closeted. His loneliness broke my heart. He seems so put together, but he feels like he's missing out on a lot of the things he wants. And when he finally gets a chance to be happy, he has to step away.
Anyway, I loved these two. The chemistry between them is wild. They are very sensual. I loved Elliott's exploration and how he let go with Gavin, and I loved how much their time together meant to Gavin. I also liked the way the relationship progressed. I loved the exploration, and dirty talk, but it was very emotional too. The reveal was maybe a bit dramatic, maybe the conflict was resolved too quickly, and of course it's weird that they didn't recognise one another, but I couldn't bring myself to care about that. They were fun, playful and super steamy. I just wanted to see them being happy together, and I had a huge smile on my face whenever they were being all cute and stuff.
There was something about the writing style that bugged me a little. There was a good amount of telling at times, so it felt a little unnatural or stilted. I thought the play-by-play of the first masquerade scene from each POV was superfluous, and I was worried that it would continue throughout the book, but my fears were unfounded because it kept getting better and better.
Anyway, this is a hot, romantic, story with a lovely couple, one I will probably be re-reading.
And can we pwetty pwease get a book about the Daddy/boy couple from the masquerade?🥺🥺🥺
The characters were interesting and well-rounded. Elliott is wonderful, very burdened by feeling inadequate, unfairly treated by his father, and I just felt fiercely protective of him. He was so innocent in a way, and his discovery was excellent. He enters this whole new world, and goes from feeling out of place to knowing exactly what he wants, and finally going for it. Gavin is the prototype of the hot teacher, and he's also suffering by being closeted. His loneliness broke my heart. He seems so put together, but he feels like he's missing out on a lot of the things he wants. And when he finally gets a chance to be happy, he has to step away.
Anyway, I loved these two. The chemistry between them is wild. They are very sensual. I loved Elliott's exploration and how he let go with Gavin, and I loved how much their time together meant to Gavin. I also liked the way the relationship progressed. I loved the exploration, and dirty talk, but it was very emotional too. The reveal was maybe a bit dramatic, maybe the conflict was resolved too quickly, and of course it's weird that they didn't recognise one another, but I couldn't bring myself to care about that. They were fun, playful and super steamy. I just wanted to see them being happy together, and I had a huge smile on my face whenever they were being all cute and stuff.
There was something about the writing style that bugged me a little. There was a good amount of telling at times, so it felt a little unnatural or stilted. I thought the play-by-play of the first masquerade scene from each POV was superfluous, and I was worried that it would continue throughout the book, but my fears were unfounded because it kept getting better and better.
Anyway, this is a hot, romantic, story with a lovely couple, one I will probably be re-reading.
And can we pwetty pwease get a book about the Daddy/boy couple from the masquerade?🥺🥺🥺
March 1, 2023
✽ 3.5 STARS ✽
It was okay. Despite the masks, it seemed unlikely that they hadn't recognized each other before.
It was okay. Despite the masks, it seemed unlikely that they hadn't recognized each other before.
June 11, 2022
I enjoyed this book a lot.
The plot was really good and the MCs were amazing. 😍 I loved the idea of hidden identity and how the relationship between the two developed.
What I loved the most was the main characters. They were so sweet, kind, open about their feelings and real.
There were a few things I didn't like but I just skipped those parts. 🤣
The plot was really good and the MCs were amazing. 😍 I loved the idea of hidden identity and how the relationship between the two developed.
What I loved the most was the main characters. They were so sweet, kind, open about their feelings and real.
There were a few things I didn't like but I just skipped those parts. 🤣
September 21, 2021
I loved the concept for this book so much, it has the perfect balance between steam and emotion with lots of growth too. Such a sweet, fast paced and enjoyable read.
Elliot and Gavin are wonderful, I adored their chemistry from the start and when the masks go on its pure heat. I enjoyed how they found such an instant connection and seeing them fall in love is wonderful.
Their relationship as professor and student volunteering together, getting to know one another on the work site is lovely. Elliot finding someone to confide in. Yet the mask conversations when they don't know each other are wonderful, the game of thrones reference and communication is so good.
I just adored their romance and how Elliott begins to find his freedom, finally be his true self and fight for what he wants. His relationship with his family is great to see and how highlighted their importance to him, got to see his bond with parents and brother was lovely.
Oh and the friendships in this book too! The character building and relationships are just done in such an incredible way, I enjoyed all the interactions. From Gavin with his friends Curtis and John or Elliott with Adam, such amazing moments that really shined.
Overall this book was so much more then I expected and made me smile from all of the feels, with a beautiful ending for everyone 💕
Elliot and Gavin are wonderful, I adored their chemistry from the start and when the masks go on its pure heat. I enjoyed how they found such an instant connection and seeing them fall in love is wonderful.
Their relationship as professor and student volunteering together, getting to know one another on the work site is lovely. Elliot finding someone to confide in. Yet the mask conversations when they don't know each other are wonderful, the game of thrones reference and communication is so good.
I just adored their romance and how Elliott begins to find his freedom, finally be his true self and fight for what he wants. His relationship with his family is great to see and how highlighted their importance to him, got to see his bond with parents and brother was lovely.
Oh and the friendships in this book too! The character building and relationships are just done in such an incredible way, I enjoyed all the interactions. From Gavin with his friends Curtis and John or Elliott with Adam, such amazing moments that really shined.
Overall this book was so much more then I expected and made me smile from all of the feels, with a beautiful ending for everyone 💕
July 1, 2022
⭐3.5 CONFUSED STARS.
Elliot Stone is a college going baseball star, who's in the closet and a virgin. Enter professor Gavin Holt, who is not exactly in the closet but we're talking about a small town here so he doesn't really parade about his sexuality. They both meet at a swap masquerade party, sparks fly and long story short they decide to continue seeing each other but remain anonymous........by wearing a mask that covers just their eyes and nose🤷😑 do y'all remember that one Marvel meme with photos of all the Avengers wearing a ball cap and sunglasses to disguise themselves?!
Anyways, I guess you can figure out what happens after all that.
Okay, so here are my thoughts :--
Did I enjoy this?
-> Yes, I did. I don't know how or why but I so did.
Am I going to read it again?
-> Ah well, you see that's the problem. This is exactly the kind of book I hate. Sweet. Unbelievable. Predictable. Maybe it was the teacher-student relation or the-anonymous-you-love-isnt-so-anonymous-afterall trope (or maybe it's just my mood) that did it for me but I don't wanna read it again and risk hating it.
Do I recommend?
-> Well, you heard my thoughts...Sweet, unbelievable, predictable. If thats what you are looking for at the moment, go for it.
Elliot Stone is a college going baseball star, who's in the closet and a virgin. Enter professor Gavin Holt, who is not exactly in the closet but we're talking about a small town here so he doesn't really parade about his sexuality. They both meet at a swap masquerade party, sparks fly and long story short they decide to continue seeing each other but remain anonymous........by wearing a mask that covers just their eyes and nose🤷😑 do y'all remember that one Marvel meme with photos of all the Avengers wearing a ball cap and sunglasses to disguise themselves?!
Anyways, I guess you can figure out what happens after all that.
Okay, so here are my thoughts :--
Did I enjoy this?
-> Yes, I did. I don't know how or why but I so did.
Am I going to read it again?
-> Ah well, you see that's the problem. This is exactly the kind of book I hate. Sweet. Unbelievable. Predictable. Maybe it was the teacher-student relation or the-anonymous-you-love-isnt-so-anonymous-afterall trope (or maybe it's just my mood) that did it for me but I don't wanna read it again and risk hating it.
Do I recommend?
-> Well, you heard my thoughts...Sweet, unbelievable, predictable. If thats what you are looking for at the moment, go for it.
July 27, 2021
Not likely to happen, but it's oh, so fun !
I liked our sexy main characters and latched on to their stories. Each is dealing with being in the closet, and want a loving, full life.
Elliott, 22, brown hair and eyes,
an architect student and baseball player. He's still a virgin and tired of waiting for his own needs to be met. Baseball isn't his dream, it's his Dad's. He finds out about a masked party for gay men, and he's going.
Gavin, 32, is a handsome college professor,
dark hair and eyes, who loves teaching, and has hopes for a full life with a partner and kids, like his best friends have. He's been to the masked events previously, for the anonymity and sexual pleasure.
This time it's different, he sees a stunning masked man who draws him in, and the lean muscles are coming toward him.
They meet again and get to talk, leading to more scorching hot, sexy times and all are firsts for Elliott.
It's beautifully written, heartfelt, with explicit descriptions, deep passions and intense orgasms.
In addition, to the hotness, we get friendly dialogues, the working side-by-side at the building site, the family, school, and fun. The Habitat For Humanity work is marvelous, plus it's their "bonding as friends" time.
Some thing happens that has both the professor and the masked lover, pulling away from Elliott, and he's confused and feeling dejected, until he has an epic deduction moment.
An entertaining tale of fun, sex, and it's heartwarming.
Loved the epilogue !
ENJOY !
=======
I liked our sexy main characters and latched on to their stories. Each is dealing with being in the closet, and want a loving, full life.
Elliott, 22, brown hair and eyes,
an architect student and baseball player. He's still a virgin and tired of waiting for his own needs to be met. Baseball isn't his dream, it's his Dad's. He finds out about a masked party for gay men, and he's going.
Gavin, 32, is a handsome college professor,
dark hair and eyes, who loves teaching, and has hopes for a full life with a partner and kids, like his best friends have. He's been to the masked events previously, for the anonymity and sexual pleasure.
This time it's different, he sees a stunning masked man who draws him in, and the lean muscles are coming toward him.
They meet again and get to talk, leading to more scorching hot, sexy times and all are firsts for Elliott.
It's beautifully written, heartfelt, with explicit descriptions, deep passions and intense orgasms.
In addition, to the hotness, we get friendly dialogues, the working side-by-side at the building site, the family, school, and fun. The Habitat For Humanity work is marvelous, plus it's their "bonding as friends" time.
Some thing happens that has both the professor and the masked lover, pulling away from Elliott, and he's confused and feeling dejected, until he has an epic deduction moment.
An entertaining tale of fun, sex, and it's heartwarming.
Loved the epilogue !
ENJOY !
=======
June 8, 2021
2.5 stars
A professor who lives in a small conservative town. A baseball player who has a secret he is not ready to let out. A party where you can be yourself behind a mask. A perfect setting for these two.
Overall a cute story with very little angst. However, for me, there is one major flaw in this book. These two meet each other at a swap party wearing mask. So their identities are secret and I buy that much the first 2 times. What I don't buy is after the 3rd meet up that they would not know who eachother are behind the mask especially because they know eachother outside of the parties. If they didn't you would have had me SOLD on the idea but these two work side by side and spend weeks together laughing, talking, and getting to know one another all while building a house. Come on now a mask can only hide so much! That niggled at me throughout the reading. The author tries to gloss over it by saying that they were so caught up they just didn't pay attention to who was behind the mask. Yeah, I don't buy it 😒 lol.
*ARC provided by GRR and this is my honest review.*
A professor who lives in a small conservative town. A baseball player who has a secret he is not ready to let out. A party where you can be yourself behind a mask. A perfect setting for these two.
Overall a cute story with very little angst. However, for me, there is one major flaw in this book. These two meet each other at a swap party wearing mask. So their identities are secret and I buy that much the first 2 times. What I don't buy is after the 3rd meet up that they would not know who eachother are behind the mask especially because they know eachother outside of the parties. If they didn't you would have had me SOLD on the idea but these two work side by side and spend weeks together laughing, talking, and getting to know one another all while building a house. Come on now a mask can only hide so much! That niggled at me throughout the reading. The author tries to gloss over it by saying that they were so caught up they just didn't pay attention to who was behind the mask. Yeah, I don't buy it 😒 lol.
*ARC provided by GRR and this is my honest review.*
August 28, 2021
DNF at 23%. It was really sweet but sweet isn't what I'm looking for right now.
May 26, 2021
My overall impression of this book is that the premise is extremely far-fetched and the author needs to have a formal introduction to commas, because there were a lot of run-on sentences in this book. I actually found the first 40% of the book to be fairly compelling, and the first swap party scene was really hot, but it was all downhill from there for me. The manufactured drama with an easy resolution, the summarization of the relationship development, and the throwaway scenes with secondary characters that no one is going to care about stopped my positive impression of this book in its tracks. I don't think I've read anything by this author before and there was nothing in this book to put the author's other books on my TBR, but I think there will be an audience who will absolutely adore this book.
If you enjoy:
Age gap
Student teacher (college)
Virgin MC
In the closet angst
Sportsball stories
You will want to read this book and will probably enjoy it.
If you enjoy:
Age gap
Student teacher (college)
Virgin MC
In the closet angst
Sportsball stories
You will want to read this book and will probably enjoy it.
May 31, 2021
If you're looking for a quick read that puts a new twist on the teacher-student trope, give this book a try. I wasn't sure what to expect, but it turned out to be smoking hot, and a lot of fun.
The student is 24, so if you have an issue with this trope because of the age of the student, that shouldn't be an issue here. I didn't read The Swap, but was never confused or felt like I was missing anything, so it can definitely be read as a standalone.
The student is 24, so if you have an issue with this trope because of the age of the student, that shouldn't be an issue here. I didn't read The Swap, but was never confused or felt like I was missing anything, so it can definitely be read as a standalone.
June 2, 2021
this was fun... as always annabella does an amazing job writing.. the characters are complex and amazing.. the storyline makes me guess and happy to read. it was wonderful
May 29, 2021
4.5 Stars
The Swap Masquerade is a hot and kinky teacher/student romance by Annabella Michaels.
In general, I try to avoid teacher/student romances, as they are very hit or miss for me. But with this being a swap tale by Annabella, I couldn't pass up this one.
Everything about this story is fabulous. I adore the way they meet, the way things develop, and the ending.
I love the journey for these two, both individually and together.
Both men are well developed, with issues and emotions galore.
Elliott's a closeted college baseball player, who's struggling with both his sexuality and his life choices. His father's expectations certainly don't align with his. I love seeing him finally learn about gay sex and his kinks. I love seeing him explore what he enjoys and wants.
Then there's Gavin, who happens to be Elliott's professor. Gavin's sex needs aren't easily met in his small town. But with swap parties he's able to meet his needs.
Of course, no surprise, the two men meet when masked, fall for each other when masked, yet don't know they know one another. Fun concept and well executed.
I definitely enjoy the way things happen between the men. They know one another in different worlds, and the reader is well aware that sooner or later they'll figure out who's behind the masks.
The writing is great, with everything being even better than I was hoping. There's way more depth to the men and their situations than I was expecting. It's a delightfully enjoyable hot read.
The Swap Masquerade is a must read when you're in the mood for a teacher/student romance. Annabella Michaels brings plenty of layers and emotion to this story.
The Swap Masquerade is a hot and kinky teacher/student romance by Annabella Michaels.
In general, I try to avoid teacher/student romances, as they are very hit or miss for me. But with this being a swap tale by Annabella, I couldn't pass up this one.
Everything about this story is fabulous. I adore the way they meet, the way things develop, and the ending.
I love the journey for these two, both individually and together.
Both men are well developed, with issues and emotions galore.
Elliott's a closeted college baseball player, who's struggling with both his sexuality and his life choices. His father's expectations certainly don't align with his. I love seeing him finally learn about gay sex and his kinks. I love seeing him explore what he enjoys and wants.
Then there's Gavin, who happens to be Elliott's professor. Gavin's sex needs aren't easily met in his small town. But with swap parties he's able to meet his needs.
Of course, no surprise, the two men meet when masked, fall for each other when masked, yet don't know they know one another. Fun concept and well executed.
I definitely enjoy the way things happen between the men. They know one another in different worlds, and the reader is well aware that sooner or later they'll figure out who's behind the masks.
The writing is great, with everything being even better than I was hoping. There's way more depth to the men and their situations than I was expecting. It's a delightfully enjoyable hot read.
The Swap Masquerade is a must read when you're in the mood for a teacher/student romance. Annabella Michaels brings plenty of layers and emotion to this story.
May 30, 2022
My feelings about this book vacillated between 3 and 4 stars. On the one hand, a forbidden student/teacher romance with a sexy meet-cute, I mean, yum. But on the other hand, I’m writing this review a few hours after finishing the book and I’m struggling to remember the feeling it gave me. It just doesn’t feel particularly memorable to me. The characters were all like fairly simple, straightforward people. The conflict is fleeting. The most interesting thing about this book is the swap parties, but there’s not so much to that even. It was an enjoyable read but not particularly riveting.
June 3, 2021
I read the first swap book and when I saw this one was coming out I was so excited. It definitely didn't disappoint. I just love Elliot and Gavin so much! I love the whole mystery with a masquerade and I just couldn't stop reading once I started. Such a sweet and HOT that I absolutely love.
June 4, 2021
3.5 Stars
I did enjoy this one, but I wanted to like it more than I did. I'm a mass of contradictions as parts I really liked but at the same time there were parts that didn't work for me.
I loved the set up of the swap party and the masks. the anonymity of this was a really interesting plot point and how they would progress from there. I also liked the set up of the humanities class working at charities for a part of their grade and how they worked together there, but the two parts together didn't mesh for me.
So I'll start with the swap part - this was well done. It was hot and I loved how Elliott got an introduction to the world as was able to take it all in without the pressure to participate. This helped him workout himself and where he stood. I also enjoyed the interactions between both the guys here and how it progressed to seeing each other outside of the swap parties. I did feel that it was a bit cruel of Gavin once he discovered who Elliott was, the way he acted but at the same time I also understood it. Maybe one response to brush him off would have been better all round. I did like that Elliott confronted him but wished they would have then waited till Elliott finished school to continue the relationship.
The humanities project was also good on its own and I liked how it gave Elliott and Gavin a chance to get to know each other on another level outside of the swap party and the classroom. This worked in getting a deeper connection.
But here comes the contradictions. I don't understand how they didn't pick up who was who after spending time together. Surely listening to Gavin lecture each week and the body types etc, they would have recognised the voice etc. They spent time working closely together on the building site and yet could meet with masks and not recognise the other. I don't buy that 100 percent.
It also irritates me in this situation where there is only weeks to go before the student graduates that the characters can't just control themselves for that amount of time and then get together afterwards where it doesn't affect the teachers job. Was a couple of weeks too much to ask in the scheme of things, is their relationship that weak it can't survive a short separation? I just think that they could of waited the 2 weeks and then got together.
With the negatives aside, I did enjoy the book, and would read another from this series.
***Arc provided by GRR. This is my honest and voluntary review***
I did enjoy this one, but I wanted to like it more than I did. I'm a mass of contradictions as parts I really liked but at the same time there were parts that didn't work for me.
I loved the set up of the swap party and the masks. the anonymity of this was a really interesting plot point and how they would progress from there. I also liked the set up of the humanities class working at charities for a part of their grade and how they worked together there, but the two parts together didn't mesh for me.
So I'll start with the swap part - this was well done. It was hot and I loved how Elliott got an introduction to the world as was able to take it all in without the pressure to participate. This helped him workout himself and where he stood. I also enjoyed the interactions between both the guys here and how it progressed to seeing each other outside of the swap parties. I did feel that it was a bit cruel of Gavin once he discovered who Elliott was, the way he acted but at the same time I also understood it. Maybe one response to brush him off would have been better all round. I did like that Elliott confronted him but wished they would have then waited till Elliott finished school to continue the relationship.
The humanities project was also good on its own and I liked how it gave Elliott and Gavin a chance to get to know each other on another level outside of the swap party and the classroom. This worked in getting a deeper connection.
But here comes the contradictions. I don't understand how they didn't pick up who was who after spending time together. Surely listening to Gavin lecture each week and the body types etc, they would have recognised the voice etc. They spent time working closely together on the building site and yet could meet with masks and not recognise the other. I don't buy that 100 percent.
It also irritates me in this situation where there is only weeks to go before the student graduates that the characters can't just control themselves for that amount of time and then get together afterwards where it doesn't affect the teachers job. Was a couple of weeks too much to ask in the scheme of things, is their relationship that weak it can't survive a short separation? I just think that they could of waited the 2 weeks and then got together.
With the negatives aside, I did enjoy the book, and would read another from this series.
***Arc provided by GRR. This is my honest and voluntary review***
June 4, 2021
Let me preface this by saying that I understand that I'm reading fiction and sometimes a reader needs to suspend reality in order to stay within the world the author has created. However, when I read contemporary fiction, I expect there to be a conceivable connection to real life and that is where this book loses me. This review will contain spoilers.
This book was on its way to be a 5 star read for me. I read the first one a few years ago and it enjoyed it. I was enjoying this one so much more until we hit the 50% mark where I was abruptly pulled from the story.
Up until that point, Elliot and Grant had only 2 interactions at Swaps, but we are told it's been several weeks of them working closely together on Saturdays at HFH. Not only does Grant teach Elliot, but they spend an entire day together once a week.
When Elliot shows up to the motel room, he and Grant are both wearing masks and proceed to wear their masks as they spend the night together and it's only after Grant wakes up to use the restroom that he realizes who was in the bed. This marks the end of my suspension of disbelief.
This book would have been a 5 star book for me had the author written the motel scene completely differently. There's just no plausible way that neither man would identify the other. Again, this is their 3rd time meeting as strangers, but they've spent weeks together as Professor/student. Even if a voice is similar to another, it's still unique to each person. They are both intelligent men and they would have recognized each other's voices and made a connection to their looks at this point. I would have much rather read a book where they have relations at the 2nd party and let the story continue with Grant avoiding Elliot and Elliot making the connection in class as he does. Did no one question this during the writing or review process? Am I the only one who takes issue with this?
I enjoyed the rest of the book. I honestly loved the ending. I do wish the epilogue was longer than 10 months, but I've lamented on that in previous review.
Other than how Grant discovers Elliot's identity, this story was good. It is predictable, but how could it not be if there's to be a HEA?
*I received an ARC of this book, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
This book was on its way to be a 5 star read for me. I read the first one a few years ago and it enjoyed it. I was enjoying this one so much more until we hit the 50% mark where I was abruptly pulled from the story.
Up until that point, Elliot and Grant had only 2 interactions at Swaps, but we are told it's been several weeks of them working closely together on Saturdays at HFH. Not only does Grant teach Elliot, but they spend an entire day together once a week.
When Elliot shows up to the motel room, he and Grant are both wearing masks and proceed to wear their masks as they spend the night together and it's only after Grant wakes up to use the restroom that he realizes who was in the bed. This marks the end of my suspension of disbelief.
This book would have been a 5 star book for me had the author written the motel scene completely differently. There's just no plausible way that neither man would identify the other. Again, this is their 3rd time meeting as strangers, but they've spent weeks together as Professor/student. Even if a voice is similar to another, it's still unique to each person. They are both intelligent men and they would have recognized each other's voices and made a connection to their looks at this point. I would have much rather read a book where they have relations at the 2nd party and let the story continue with Grant avoiding Elliot and Elliot making the connection in class as he does. Did no one question this during the writing or review process? Am I the only one who takes issue with this?
I enjoyed the rest of the book. I honestly loved the ending. I do wish the epilogue was longer than 10 months, but I've lamented on that in previous review.
Other than how Grant discovers Elliot's identity, this story was good. It is predictable, but how could it not be if there's to be a HEA?
*I received an ARC of this book, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
June 5, 2021
I knew early on that this could be a tricky book to review for me. There's lots to like, but those things really do only work for me with completely suspended belief and keeping acknowledging that no, things wouldn't happen in the real world like that, but it's all good...fiction, remember? With that mindset firmly at the forefront, The Swap Masquerade is an entertaining steamy and sweet, age-gap/college student-professor romance with a twist.
I really like Elliott as an MC - he's such a thoroughly good person who's ready to live his best life after so many years of being steered in a direction not really meant for him. There's genuinely nothing to dislike about him at all. Gavin is almost there, but not quite, for me. He's a great teacher, committed to giving back to help improve other people's situations and mindful of his position in their conservative town, as well as being loving and nurturing. One of his key decisions, however, could be described as 'knee-jerk', but I'd kind of expect more from an older, wiser professor so he kind of disappointed me a bit there...
The descriptions of the masquerades are pretty hot, but aren't really the focus and don't feature at all beyond a certain point, where a more 'traditional' kind of romance takes over which is sweet and almost perfectly balanced. I'd have just liked to see a bit more of Elliott and Gavin together once they could be open about their relationship.
Definite kudos to the author for an interesting plot and engaging writing style. The Swap Masquerade gets 3.75* rounded up from me.
A copy was provided by GRR. This is my honest review.
I really like Elliott as an MC - he's such a thoroughly good person who's ready to live his best life after so many years of being steered in a direction not really meant for him. There's genuinely nothing to dislike about him at all. Gavin is almost there, but not quite, for me. He's a great teacher, committed to giving back to help improve other people's situations and mindful of his position in their conservative town, as well as being loving and nurturing. One of his key decisions, however, could be described as 'knee-jerk', but I'd kind of expect more from an older, wiser professor so he kind of disappointed me a bit there...
The descriptions of the masquerades are pretty hot, but aren't really the focus and don't feature at all beyond a certain point, where a more 'traditional' kind of romance takes over which is sweet and almost perfectly balanced. I'd have just liked to see a bit more of Elliott and Gavin together once they could be open about their relationship.
Definite kudos to the author for an interesting plot and engaging writing style. The Swap Masquerade gets 3.75* rounded up from me.
A copy was provided by GRR. This is my honest review.
June 11, 2021
Hot for teacher ;)
Elliott is a college student. He can't be who he truly is while he is in school, he is on the baseball team and scholarship in a small minded, small town.
He wants to meet someone and he doesn't want to wait until graduation. So when an invitation to a swap party ends up in his hands, he gets the nerve to go.
Gavin needs to let off steam. He works as a professor in a college in a small minded small town. He attends the swap masquerade and is attracted to the man in the teal mask.
Gavin and Elliott unmasked become friends as professor and student. Masked, unknowingly, they enter into a sexual relationship.
Great characters. Steamy scenes. I enjoyed the story. I don't know if Gavin handled it as well as he could've at first, but it has a happy ending.
Elliott is a college student. He can't be who he truly is while he is in school, he is on the baseball team and scholarship in a small minded, small town.
He wants to meet someone and he doesn't want to wait until graduation. So when an invitation to a swap party ends up in his hands, he gets the nerve to go.
Gavin needs to let off steam. He works as a professor in a college in a small minded small town. He attends the swap masquerade and is attracted to the man in the teal mask.
Gavin and Elliott unmasked become friends as professor and student. Masked, unknowingly, they enter into a sexual relationship.
Great characters. Steamy scenes. I enjoyed the story. I don't know if Gavin handled it as well as he could've at first, but it has a happy ending.
November 30, 2021
2.5 stars, rounded up.
I love the premise of this book but it fell flat for me. It was simply too unrealistic. There's no way on this planet Elliott and Gavin wouldn't at least recognize each other's voices (and other things) during their private meet-ups, especially considering how Elliott had poured his heart out to him not just at the meet-ups but also as student to professor.
There's a lot more I could say but I'm not because it would be spoilers.
You can read my full review WITH SPOILERS at -
I love the premise of this book but it fell flat for me. It was simply too unrealistic. There's no way on this planet Elliott and Gavin wouldn't at least recognize each other's voices (and other things) during their private meet-ups, especially considering how Elliott had poured his heart out to him not just at the meet-ups but also as student to professor.
There's a lot more I could say but I'm not because it would be spoilers.
You can read my full review WITH SPOILERS at -
April 2, 2022
A very cute and steamy book - indeed one of the hottest, best virginty losses scenes I've ever read! The plot device of these guys falling in love with one another behind masks and in their own lives without knowing each other was really delicious. I loved both of them figuring it out seperately from one another. It was also really enjoyable to have an MC come out who wasn't troubled by their sexuality. They accepted it; it was only everyone else they were concerned about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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