The Life Revamp

Starred review from October 11, 2021
Ripper’s smart, sexy, and banter-filled final Love Study romance (after The Hate Project) gets the loving polyamorous ‘V’ dynamic just right. Mason Ertz-Scott balks when his uninspiring relationship threatens to get serious and instead takes his colleague Claris up on an introduction to her fashion designer husband, Diego Flores, with whom she has an open relationship. Diego and Mason immediately hit it off, and—after Mason’s friends encourage him and Diego reassures Mason that he’s interested in a real relationship—they move the giggly fun and undeniable chemistry they have together to the bedroom. Claris’s support of the men’s romance extends both to setting up a thoughtful morning coffee tray after their first overnight and inviting Mason to run social media for Diego’s upcoming show, but Mason still has trouble believing he won’t get burnt by falling in love with a married man. To make things work, he’ll have to adjust his understanding of what love and relationships can be. Healthy, jealousy-free interpersonal dynamics and social support across the board provide a low-conflict feel to the playful love story, and characterization that makes it clear that neither Claris nor Diego are angling for a threesome keeps the story within a classic romance structure despite the unconventional setup. Readers will find themselves grinning from cover to cover. Agent: Courtney Miller-Callihan, Handspun Literary.

October 15, 2021
When it comes to dating, Mason Ertz-Scott believes two is company, three is a crowd. To be honest, Mason isn't even sure why he agrees to meet fashion designer Diego Flores. But Mason's friend Claris insists that her husband, Diego, is perfect for him, and that their marriage is totally romantically open. Now to keep Claris from badgering him, Mason agrees to one date with Diego, only to find his plan to ditch Diego after that seriously in jeopardy once Mason realizes Diego is everything he is looking for in a romantic partner. In the latest engaging addition to the Love Study series, Ripper (The Hate Project, 2021) fashions a seriously hot and sweetly sexy contemporary romance that also sensitively explores polyamorous relationships and the fluidity of love. Historical romance fans will appreciate the author's shout-out to Georgette Heyer in the form of Regency-inspired flirting and banter between the protagonists, while all romance readers will applaud Ripper's flair for creating realistically complicated characters.

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