IRL: In Real Life (After Oscar Series #1)

You know that movie where the female sleeps with the main male protagonist, and then, the very next person she dates ends up being her Happily Ever After? I think it's called "Good Luck, Chuck"?? 

Well the After Oscar series by sister duos Molly Maddox and Lucy Lennox is a version of that. Oscar is a mysterious and quirky character who knows and/or has previously dated at least one of the main characters in each of the series' novels. And sometime after they break up (Oscar is the "always a bridesmaid never a bride" type of character), they meet their One True Love.

The first book in this new series is "IRL: In Real Life"...

["Conor:

It starts with a drunken text pic. The kind I would normally never send. Only, instead of it going to the flirty hotel bartender, it goes to some random stranger who actually responds.

I tell myself an unexpected night of hot as hell back-and-forth is the perfect way to blow off a little steam while I’m in New York closing an important business deal. Little do I know the man on the other end of the line is none other than Wells Grange: the most controlling, egotistical, emotionless SOB I’ve ever met.

I spend my days squaring off against Wells in the boardroom, and my nights succumbing to the sexy stranger’s commanding texts in the bedroom. Within days, I’m falling for someone I shouldn’t, and I have to remind myself that none of this is real.

Wells:
The first thing I notice about Conor Newell when he sits down in my high-rise conference room is how delightfully nervous he is. Then I see his tie. The same geeky tie that’s held hostage on my phone. The one that belongs to my anonymous late-night texter. And it changes everything.

I should confess. Tell the truth about who I am. Instead, I decide there’s no harm in flirting. After all, once our business is concluded, he’ll be out of my life for good.

The more I get to know Conor, however, the more I start to fall for him. Which is a problem, because I made a vow long ago to never let emotions interfere with my life, either business or personal. Except I can’t stop thinking about him night and day. If it’s only in my head, though, it doesn’t count.

After all, it’s not like we’re falling for each other in real life..."]

Except, spoiler alert, they do! ;)

It's one of those pairings where one is a closed-off, guarded-heart type, spurned too hard in the past (an almost robot) and the other is a quirky, nerdy type who's passion is helping people and comics/games.

Okay, let's just preface this (warn you) by the fact that I was a little caught off guard when I realized that this queer bodice ripper was a little closer to the dom/sub side of the Fifty Shades/BDSM universe. No bondage or anything.  It was written well and with proper rules (mostly--in a the mistaken identity sense when it comes to consent--but you'll see what I mean when you read it) and with love/care in mind.

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