IRL: In Real Life (After Oscar) Paperback – February 3, 2019

This was a really fun, well-written, sexy book and I pre-ordered the next in the series (LOL) based on this book (sadly, LOL was a hot mess). IRL has a familiar meet-cute, hot stranger sex with...someone who turns out to be your boss/colleague. But, it was done very well and had a bit of a modern twist with the sexy fun times being via text.Conor is in town to make a deal with Wells on behalf of his doctor mother, who is ill. Conor (thinking it's the cute bartender from his hotel) spends the night sexting with Wells and by the time they meet the next day Wells has figured out Conor's identity but Conor is still in the dark that the hated IRL Wells is the same hot, dominant man he's been sexting with. As the story goes on, Wells struggles with telling Conor who he is or continuing to bond anonymously over texts.Overall, I really enjoyed the book. The sexting scenes, holy hell, they were burning up my kindle. The writing was good (which made LOL even that much more disappointing); the characters were strong and had unique voices; and the pacing of the story was good with a resolution that felt believable. I also enjoyed the set up for the series with the introduction of Oscar, of course, and James - who I hope gets his own book.My two small nitpicks were that I felt like Wells changed a bit too fast based on who he was at the start of the book, and I felt like Conor seemed a bit too wimpy at times for someone who had gone through grad school (and business school in particular).=====================A general note about my reviews in case you're looking for similar books. I work in the mental health field IRL and reading is a way to decompress, so (generally) I will purposely choose books that deal with "lighter" subject matter. I favor books that deal with characters growing and resolving their personal/relationship difficulties and getting their HEA.**What I look for in a book: first and foremost, strong writing and editing (I hate typos!); racially diverse characters and/or secondary characters; stories about self-discovery, overcoming difficult childhoods or other obstacles but not crushing angst; stories and characters that are "realistic enough" (i.e. I doubt half the players on a hockey team are gay IRL, but for the sake of a well-written series, I can roll with it); well-written sex scenes; dual POV in the storytelling.**Themes I generally don't care for: "daddy" relationships (unless done really well); sub/dom stories; insta-love; sci-fi/fantasy; mpreg; shifters; lots of kink; GFY (again, unless done really well); kidnapping or bodyguard stories; crazy/violent/stalker exes; MCs with severe mental health issues, severe trauma, or substance abuse/addiction

I enjoyed Wells and Conor’s opposites attract, enemies to lovers, mistaken identity, digital relationship, business rivals romance. In my opinion, for an enemies to lovers trope to work well, the author has to find a balance of the animosity between the main characters without tipping into meanness or abuse. The authors definitely find the perfect sweet spot in this book. Conor owns a board game store in Asheville, NC. He is an adorably awkward geek who feels out of his depth negotiating in NYC as his mother’s representative to sell a ground breaking medical patent. Wells owns a medical tech company that wants to buy the patent. He is ruthless in business and standoffish in his personal life. Conor, feeling nervous about the upcoming meeting, drinks a bit too much the night before and thinking he’s texting the bartender, accidentally texts Wells instead. Wells realizes who Conor is the next morning but keeps the information to himself. Thus begins the dual love story of Sexy Stranger (Wells) and NotSam (Conor) who have a sexting relationship and Wells and Conor who have a adversarial relationship IRL which morphs into more of a personal one while Wells is negotiating the purchase of Conor’s mother’s patent. The journey to Wells and Conor’s HEA is a bit rocky, full of secrets, half truths, pain, and missteps but I enjoyed it. The story was well written and included witty dialogue, three dimensional characters who grow, and an engaging storyline as shown through sweet moments, steamy scenes, chuckles, supportive friends, messy families, painful pasts, choices, and heart squeezing love. I will be reading more in this series.

Conor and Wells have a fun meet cute. Without it they’d never have managed to get together, which would have been a shame because they are just what each other needed.Sending a drunken text got Conor more than he bargained for but exactly what he needed—in more ways than one. And Wells does too. Poor Wells. He kept himself in such rigid control that he didn’t even let himself be happy. And without the crazy mixup that lead them to sexting, he never would have. But when faced with the deliciously obedient but surprisingly not spineless reality of Conor invading his controlled business life, Wells struggles to stick to boundaries within himself and in business. And it is fun to see him struggle and give in and grow.Conor is a fun mix of nervous energy and confidence. I love the moments when he rallies himself, reminding himself of his own competence and assets.If there’s one thing that frustrated me a bit it was that we see Conor rally himself but there’s never any payoff for it. In both cases, it’s unnecessary. Especially the first time, I would’ve liked to have seen what he would have done.But their chemistry is so good that this became a minor complaint. I was seriously rooting for them. I wondered what Wells would do to prove himself, and I was not disappointed😁And as I am coming to see is a strength for her, Lennox again wrote a steamy scene that was so emotional that I completely believe these two people were falling in love with each other even though it was so soon. 🥹

Conor and Trace make a connection via text. Conor and Granger make a connection in the boardroom. This book is so much fun and I love the dialogue and the secondary characters. I can't wait to read more.

The plot is so perfectly developed and all facts are so directly intertwined that they seem like a well oiled machine.It’s hard to believe it was written by two different authors as so perfect the story is presented.The couple is absolutely adorable, they really match and totally complement each other.It’s steamy in correct moments, it’s romantic in many others.Yes, it’s everything a romantic book should be.

I so enjoyed this book, Çonner and his t3xting really worked for him, it was lovely toread how love became real.lovely, a series to complete I think, go on, enjoy the read.

The love story was hilarious in the beginning and romantic later on. There is a slight d/s dynamic but only in the bedroom and no humiliation. I was bored for a while with romances but this I couldn’t stop reading!

This promises to be an exciting new series with plenty of heat, kinky sexy times, laughter, and insane complications! It was fascinating because it wasn't clear why the series was titled After Oscar but when it became clear it puts all sorts of promise but also plenty of pressure. There is love in the air but also heartbreak and a whole series of insanity to come!This book follows Conor and Wells. The two are brought together in two different circumstances; accidental sexting and business negotiations. An unlikely pairing and quite the mystery for the book. Conor has come to New York to sell his mother's bio printer to get the money they need for her medical treatments. But the man he needs to sell it to, Wells, is a business mogul and cold hearted shark. Conor nervously texts a hook up the night before the big meeting and instead shares a sexting encounter with a mysterious man. In the other end Wells receives an unexpected text and ends up having the first satisfying sexual encounter in months. Driven to connect to the mystery texter a hint of a picture shows something that leads to Conor- and brings everything into question. Is Conor playing Well's with these sexual escapades? Or is Well's misleading the unsuspecting and sweet Conor? And how can it all work out with the sale a point of contention between them?This was such a great journey as the online and real life encounters twist between these two men. Conor is a bit bolder in his texts while still being the sweet man he always is, open and trusting to a stranger out there. This breaks down the walls to Wells, who proves to have his own depths. Despite being known as a cold unforgiving businessman there is more to him and the front of icy and relentless has been built up after a major hurt. But even as trust grows between them virtually, things become rocky and confused in real life, and the mixing of the two areas slowly begins leading to disaster. It was a murky situation, born out of confusion mixed with hope, that takes a huge leap to get past.This was such a great read, really books right from the first page. Can't wait to read the upcoming books in this promising new series!

Une belle intrigue et des personnages très attachants. Un vrai plaisir à lire et re lire. Je commence le prochain tome. 🤗🤗