Sandy S.
TOO HARD TO RESIST is the third instalment in Robin Bielman’s contemporary, adult WHEREVER YOU GO erotic, romance series focusing on a close-knit group of friends. This is finance manager of ZipMeds ( a company that builds drones that transport lifesaving drugs and medical supplies to struggling countries ) Elliot Sax, and his temporary PA Madison Hastings’ story line. TOO HARD TO RESIST can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Told from dual first person perspectives (Elliot and Madison) TOO HARD TO RESIST follows the forbidden romance between ZipMeds finance manager Elliot Sax, and his new PA Madison Hastings. Elliot Sax doesn’t have patience for the incompetent temps that have come and gone in a matter of weeks. With the realization that his new but temporary PA is his roommate Mateo’s friend, Elliot struggles with the forbidden attraction to his new assistant. Enter Madison Hastings, accounting graduate and the woman with whom Elliot will fall in love. What ensues is the building but forbidden relationship between employee and boss, and the fall-out as Madison becomes collateral damage in Elliot’s climb to the top. Elliot knows that inter-office romances are forbidden, mandated by the company CEO James, a man burned by a previous affair but Elliot struggles with his attraction to, and need for Madison Hastings, a risk he is willing to take to make Madison his own. Madison is a woman on the path to independence but falling in love with Eliot Sax was never on the horizon including the disaster that was about to destroy her life. The relationship between Eliot and Madison is a romance deemed forbidden by company policy but it is the forbidden that pushes Eliot and Madison’s palpable sexual attraction. Madison knows that her term of employment is threatened by the possibility of an inter-office affair; Eliot is willing to risk everything until everything is about to come crashing down. Eliot will sacrifice the woman with whom he has fallen in love, a sacrifice that pushes Madison out of the picture, and out of a job. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense. We are introduced to ZipMeds CFO Drake, CEO James and his personal assistant Abigail ‘Auggie’ August, as well as the return of Levi and Harper (Lips Close to Mine #2), and Mateo and Teague (Talk British to Me #1). TOO HARD TO RESIST is a story of unequal power; of one man’s need to control and release, and one woman who becomes collateral damage on the way to the top. The premise is edgy, fateful and intoxicating; the romance is sexy, passionate and intense; the characters are energetic, spirited and tragic.
Cherisse-Angel Charles
This was a sexy, forbidden romance. A simple friend-of-a-friend relationship turns into so much more when Madison becomes Elliott's PA through a temp agency. After yielding to the temptation, both have to decide whether a job or love is more important for their happiness. I loved this couple - both together & as individuals. I loved how devoted Elliott was to Madison, and I loved that Madison was always keeping him on his toes with her wit & ideas. This book works perfectly as a standalone. I haven't read the first two in the series, but I was in no way lost or confused, though I definitely want to read them. I voluntarily read & reviewed an ARC of this book.
Laura Fidorowicz
Friends to lovers is one of my favorite types of stories. I love how the foundation is already there before jumping into a relationship. Add to that that Madison and Elliot are avoiding a forbidden, workplace romance... um, yes please!! Madison needs a job so she can move out on her own. Elliot loves his job more than anything. They've known each other for a long time when Madison gets placed as Elliot's assistant by her temp agency. The attraction is apparent but with a company policy forbidding office romance, they do their best to resist. All of that tension kept me glued to my kindle, waiting for the moment that Madison and Elliot just gave in to feelings between them. There were definitely more than a few times that I wanted to smack Elliot upside his head during this story. But even then, I loved the push and pull that both of them showed while trying to fight their feelings for each other. I am really enjoying the Wherever You Go series and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that some of the side characters from ZipMeds, the company Elliot and Madison work for, will get their own stories!!! *This is my voluntary review of an advanced reader copy*