Addicted to Ellis D

Well, sorta back on track to my TBR piles: the un-downloaded ones. Instead, this was one of the screen shot ones; this one was from a Nora Phoenix newsletter (she recommends at least one per email). Here's S.E. Harmon's "Addicted to Ellis D."

["Chef Luca Alessi’s life is barely recognizable these days. He used to spend his days in the kitchen creating cutting-edge cuisine. Now he’s trying to keep his family's restaurant and legacy alive. It doesn't help that his father was keeping secrets before he passed. On the relationship front, his ex, Colin, assured him that their divorce would be simple. And now? Not so much. So who could blame Luca for wanting to avoid any entanglements? He's not ashamed to hire someone for a couple hours of fun. But this new guy is hard to keep at arm's length.

When life lands Ellis Day on the streets—again—he’s not about to wallow in self-pity. He's done it before, he can do it again. And if that involves selling something he previously considered unsellable, then that's just what he'll do. He’s not all that experienced working in the sex industry, but it should be easy enough. Get in, get paid, get out. But then there's Luca. And suddenly the rules don't apply.

When Luca discovers Ellis's living situation, things get more complicated still. Luca offers him a job and a place to live. Of course, their new arrangement means nothing else can happen between them—at least in Luca’s eyes. He’s determined to be a friend to Ellis…to give him everything he needs. Ellis is determined to show him that the only thing he needs is Luca."]

Wow, okay, so that was a lot. A lot of hard things, a lot of harder things, a lot of drama, a lot of love, a lot of destruction, a lot of character growth, a lot of love, a lot of heartache, a lot of... Okay, just a lot. It was a tad long for me; I think some of it could have been cut out (then again, I barely took a potty break reading this).

ANYway, this book was so...idk the right word. Fun isn't it (check the trigger warnings). Or light (trigger warnings). And it wasn't angst free (trigger. warnings.). But it was...(right word)...redemption. It was hope and progress and found family and love. I guess that's more than fun or light or angst free could ever be.

Trigger Warnings: sex work, attempted sexual assault, assault, domestic abuse, drug use/overdoses, foster care system, homelessness, homeless doggo (who does. not. get harmed, at all, during this book), and more

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