Unexpected
sparks fly when a shy, straight, nerdy sweetheart meets a flirtatious, sexy,
older Frenchman. Is Zio brave enough to take a chance on Armand?
Fabrizio “Zio” Revello
I embrace the philosophy that nobody is perfect by studying the art of
imperfection. But then I meet Armand, forcing me to completely reevaluate my
world view. From his gorgeous face, teasing sense of humor, and a French accent
to die for, everything about him makes me forget one very important detail:
I’ve never been attracted to a man until him. I shouldn’t let him tempt me, but
the glimpse of the real Armand behind his playful flirtations makes him
impossible to resist.
I’ve never been the adventurous type, but Armand makes me want to be brave and
daring. Isn’t a lifetime of happiness with a person who understands me worth
the risk?
Armand Bellamy
I approach Zio in search of a no-strings-attached evening of fun to kick off my
business trip to Hawaii. But I get way more than I bargained for when I
discover a shy, nerdy sweetheart who finds beauty in my flaws. He even accepts
the parts of my heart that I hide from the world. It makes me want to make him
mine—not just for one night but for every night of the rest of our lives.
He says he’s straight, but when have I ever let that stop me from getting what
I want?
Flawsome Explorations is the second book in the Suite Dreams series and
part of the Sunnyside universe. This novel features a bisexual awakening, shy/flirt,
age gap, instalove, opposites attract romance. If you love cute sweetness, sexy
fun, and no angst stories that will make you laugh and swoon, you’ll enjoy this
satisfying HEA without cliffhangers. Each book can be read as a standalone or
as part of the series in order.
Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Suite Dreams series!
For book one, Snowbody Like You, click HERE.
Book
2
Buy Links
Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon Au ~ Amazon Ca
Paperback (US)
~ Also Available with KindleUnlimited ~
All I needed to tell Armand was, “Thanks, but I’m straight.” Those four little words should have been the easiest thing in the world to say, because they had been true my whole life. If I told him the truth, he’d back off.
But if I told him the truth, he’d back off. For some reason, that stopped me cold. Why? Sure, he was more beautiful than any woman I had ever seen. He looked like a model whose gorgeous smile would sell out any magazine he posed for on the front cover. His eyes were bluer than a summer sky, with a playful twinkle that detonated a bomb of butterflies inside my stomach. But he was a guy, so why was I all twisted up over him?
What was it about him that made me wish he’d never look away from me? I certainly didn’t understand why his cologne of dark spice with a hint of leather filled me with an unbearable urge to lick his neck to see if he tasted as good as he smelled. When he lifted my chin with his finger, it sent shivers racing down my spine as heat pooled in my belly. His offer to touch him exploded supernova flares within me, burning me with an unfamiliar need that scared me as much as it intrigued me.
It should have been easy to brush him off, to dismiss him as a playboy on the prowl for someone to warm his bed that evening. But when he had answered my question about his flaws, I had gotten a glimpse of the real him behind the flirt. He had lowered his guard, allowing me to see something beautiful in his genuine vulnerability. It moved my heart and inexplicably drew me to him. That was the Armand I wanted to get to know, but to what end?
The longer I looked at him, the more confused I got. Guys had hit on me before, but other than being mildly flattered, they had never tempted me before. But the glimpse of Armand’s nipples peeking out from behind the white roses on his see-through mesh shirt invited me to tease them with my tongue. Why did my fingers yearn to memorize the map of his body as I caressed him all over? And most importantly, why did those thoughts make my dick hard?
Because you’re not nearly as straight as you think, the voice in the back of my mind gleefully crowed.
Reviews by the
Wicked Reads Review Team
Ruthie
– ☆☆☆
3.5 stars of sweet holiday romance
This is the second book in the Suite Dreams series. It is tied into the first
book, but you don't need to have read it to enjoy this one. Whilst that was a
pretty kinky read, this is a much sweeter, insta-love story.
Zio is a grad student using his brother’s reward points to stay in a five-star
hotel suite whilst in Hawaii to deliver a conference paper on his studies into
Japanese ceramics gold thread repairs. He meets Armand in the bar of the hotel
and finds his whole life views change thanks to this man. As they spend time
together learning about each other, it is clear that Zio has come to realise
that he is indeed attracted to Armand. The only question left is how they will
make it work... and it is fun to be a passenger along their romantic journey.
Sweet and low angst are the very enjoyable features in this relaxed and fun
read. Sometimes such a book is just what you need, enjoy!
Angie
– ☆☆☆
3 1/2 stars
If you want a super duper sweet, I'm talking mega-sweet, insta-love, low-angst
story, this is the one for you! I read this after reading a really heavy book
and this just wiped away the heaviness and made everything better. I love
opposites when they attract and Zio and Armand fit the bill. This was a good,
sexy, shy, flirty book that just made my day.
Sarah
– ☆☆☆
The second of the Suite Dreams books is pure cheezy schmaltz. Armand is a
smooth-talking French lothario who falls for a timid American grad student at a
fancy Hawaiian resort. Zio doesn’t know what he’s done to attract Armand’s
attention and it takes him some time to trust the older man’s intentions.
This story has been told a million times. It’s insta-love with stock characters
and an entirely predictable storyline. Only the details of Zio’s Japanese
ceramic art add interest to the basic, old-school Harlequin style romance. This
is extreme insta-love. Armand is a changed man making wildly romantic gestures
and declarations after one meeting. After two meetings, Zio is re-thinking his
entire sexual identity.
The sex is hot in this book, but it’s not as imaginative or as kinky as the sex
in Jude and Rigby’s book. Where the first book works as erotica, this is
definitely classic romance. Unfortunately, the writing is just as clunky in
this book – with less sex to offset the stilted prose. English is Armand’s
second language, so it was easier to believe in his formal speech patterns, but
Zio sounds way too formal for a grad student. Also, I’ll never understand the
American obsession with Hawaii. As a non-American, I found it impossible to get
excited about Zio’s room in a chain hotel on a crowded tourist island.
I’ve not engaged well with the world building in the first two of these books.
The weird obsession with a chain of hotels just feels odd to me. The men in
this series all seem way too old to be grad students. They speak like 50-year-olds
but behave like 20-year-olds and it just doesn’t work for me. I really enjoyed
the kink in the first book but this one left me cold.
ARIELLA ZOELLE adores steamy, funny,
swoony romances where couples are allowed to just be happy. That means she
writes low angst stories full of heat, humor, and heart. But sometimes she's in
the mood for something with a bit more angst and drama. And if you are too,
check out her A.F. Zoelle books.
For real time updates on her writing progress, please join her Facebook group
for exclusive teasers or follow her on Twitter or Instagram. You can also sign
up for her NEWSLETTER
to gain access to bonus chapters, previews of upcoming books, exclusive visual
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Connect with
Ariella
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Group: Ariella Zoelle's Sunnyside
Hosted by
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided
a free copy of Flawsome Explorations (Suite Dreams #2) by Ariella Zoelle to
read and review for this tour.
