Cross to Bare by Susan Mac Nicol Blog Tour

Tough in business but romantic at heart, fashion designer Lenny James isn’t hiding his masculinity behind his super successful female alter ego, but a vulnerability that only handsome financier Brook Hunter will be man enough to reveal…and worship.

TWO OF A KIND

It’s amazing what a little mascara and lipstick, a blonde wig, false boobs, and top-notch female fashion can hide. Not that Lenny James is hiding his masculinity. He uses his normal voice when he’s Laverne, and he’s not particularly camp as a man. His reasons for creating his alter ego are locked deep in his past. He is who he is: tough in business, and a romantic at heart. What he’s hiding is vulnerability. He wants a man to accept both sides of him.

Gorgeous, commanding, and dark as sin, Brook Hunter meets Lenny and knows nothing about Laverne until fate pushes her into his path. Cross-dressing is as far from Brook’s reality as fashion is from his world of diplomacy and high finance. Understanding and truth take time, and trust doesn’t come easy. But Brook is about to show Lenny that there are no sides to true love, just the place where they meet in the middle.

THE MEN OF LONDON
From Camden to Shoreditch, there’s no escaping love.

Book 5
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Brook smiled. “The chemistry is still there, though. No doubt about that.” His brows furrowed. “And if I remember from our last window encounter, you promised to return the favour,” he murmured as he reached out and removed the glass from Lenny’s hands. He put the whisky down on the table by the window then dipped his finger in the cool liquid. Brook’s finger came up, and he slid it across Lenny’s bottom lip, slowly. He thought he was going to shoot in his pants with the eroticism of that gesture. The whisky flavour burned into his lips and he slid his tongue out and sucked the finger caressing his mouth. Brook’s eyes widened in lust, the pupils expanding. His lips parted and Lenny wanted to thrust his tongue and his cock inside the hot, wet heat of that mouth.

“Let’s get this over with, shall we, because obviously neither of us can wait,” Brook whispered, as his tongue slid into Lenny’s ear. His hands slid under the red jacket, tugging the shirt from his trousers, and then caressing the heated skin beneath. “Otherwise we’ll not enjoy my wonderful Chicken Cacciatore that I slaved over all day. Let’s fuck first, talk later.”

Lenny agreed wholeheartedly. With a low moan, he mashed his mouth against Brook’s and took possession of it. Familiar and wanton in return, Brook’s questing tongue slid into Lenny’s mouth. The slippery sensation of that deliciously heated organ, currently on a quest to drive him crazy, took him back to those passion fuelled days when he and Brook had been together. The feel of strong fingers against Lenny’s skin and the heat of that body pressed against his – it was if they’d never been apart. Lenny wasn’t one for insta-love but insta-lust he could definitely understand.

“I’d forgotten how damn good you taste and feel,” Brook gasped as his hands fumbled with buttons, opening Lenny’s trousers. He cried out as Brook’s hand slid inside his silk boxers and slid fingers down his hardened and wet cock. “This - this is what I want, you inside me.”

That phrase made Lenny thrust his cock harder into the tight confines of Brook’s hand.

“You keep saying that and I won’t have anything to fuck you with because you’ll make me come,” he managed to get out. “Turn around, face the glass.” He didn’t wait for Brook to obey, simply spun him round hard and slammed him against the cold, silken wall. “You’d better hope this is one way glass, because otherwise your neighbours are going to see you being royally skewered this time.” Lenny kicked off his trousers and underwear, giving a sigh of relief as his cock sprung free.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
Each of these books could be read alone, but actually they work beautifully as an ongoing series where we get to know the gang and their lives. So I am going to assume that you have read earlier books when writing my review.

We first met Lenny and his alter ego, Laverne due to him employing Leslie. Now that Leslie is deep in his relationship, Lenny is reminded about just how lonely he is – and how difficult it is to find a man who would accept both him and his persona of Laverne. I found the reasoning and detail of why and how it feels to Lenny to be him, to be both informative and thought provoking. I loved how Brook's feelings grew and his understanding developed. His parents were a good addition to the story, even if only there briefly. So there was a lot of depth in the relationship – but also a lot of chemistry which lightened the moment.

Overall this was a good read, with some really interesting insights, as well as a delectable romance.


Dawn – ☆☆☆☆☆
So it's finally Lenny's story. We have seen him or Laverne mentioned in previous books and now it's his time to shine.
Brook is from a very traditional family so Lenny doesn't think he would be able to accept Laverne so he cuts all communication until a business meeting brings them face to face.
I loved Lenny and Brook together, they just fit so well.
Lenny's story is pretty heartbreaking as we find out all about his past and why he created Laverne in the first place.
I love this series, and I love the men of London.


Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
Cross to Bare is Lenny's story. Lenny runs a design business as Laverne Debussy-Smith, a woman. Lenny is a cross dresser. Laverne only is around for work, whether it's the day to day stuff or the occasional runway shows. The rest of the time Lenny dresses like a man. When Lenny gets involved with Brook Hunter, Brook only knows the "Lenny" side of him. Lenny is hesitant to introduce Brook to Laverne given some of the reception he's gotten in past relationships. When Brook makes a comment in passing not even directed at Laverne/Lenny, Lenny quickly ends the relationship realizing Brook with never accept that side of him.

When Brook comes face to face with Laverne unknowingly, Lenny panics and tries to lie to Brook's face. When the truth comes out, can Brook stand by his man or will Lenny have to walk away from someone else that doesn't understand?

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love this series. Each couple has its obstacles, but the fight to get together and be happy is what makes it so good. Of course the super-hot delicious sex doesn't hurt either.

Also Available in the Men of London Series

Book 1
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For reviews & more info, check out our Love You Senseless post.

Book 2
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For reviews & more info, check out our Sight and Sinners post.

Book 3
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For reviews & more info, check out our Suit Yourself post.

Book 4
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our Feat of Clay post.

Susan Mac Nicol is a self-confessed bookaholic, an avid watcher of videos of sexy pole dancing men, geek and nerd and in love with her Smartphone. She is never happier than when sitting scribbling down words and making two men fall in love.

In an ideal world, Susan Mac Nicol would be Queen of England and banish all the bad people to the Never Never Lands of Wherever – Who Cares. As that’s never going to happen, she contents herself with writing her HEA stories and pretending, that just for a little while, good things happen to good people.

Susan is a member of Romance Writers of America and Romantic Novelists Association in the UK. She lives in the quaint village of Bocking in Essex, set in the countryside and not far from the sea should she get the yen to eat crab or oysters on the Cromer Pier.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Cross to Bare (Men of London #5) by Susan Mac Nicol to read and review for this tour.