Not sure how well British readers will get on with this book. One of the protagonists uses a weird mixture of English to make him sound British. Oi, me Mum, plonker, etc. Then he breaks out of British English and says "downtown London", and "slacks." The inconsistencies were annoying, along with the fact that I don't think a "me Mum" accent is a particularly sexy one.

I wasn't too enamoured of the fact that it was from the sister's POV either. ( )

Incredibly disappointing as I have picked it up due to a 4 star rating. It was written mainly from the sisters point of view, not 1st person as such, but it made for very odd and kinda squick reading. The editing was terrible due to repeated word use and actual grammatical errors. The plot did not flow and it was stilted and difficult to follow. Not an enjoyable read. ( )

The premise for this romance was very fresh and contemporary - two young male models appear in the first ever television commercial to show men kissing. Since they're models, both characters are absolutely gorgeous, and absolutely in the closet. It was a wonderful set-up. What I didn't like, and which nearly ruined the book, was the narrator.

Scott Epstein is signed with his sister Claire's very successful modeling agency. Scott is living with Claire while he tries to make it in acting. Ian Sullivan just came over from England to sign with her company as well. When she brings home his photo, Scott becomes infatuated with Ian. Claire is the one telling the story, though it is not in first person. I had no problem with a woman telling the story. She even sets in motion the events that bring them together. However, Claire is an annoying b!tch. She suspects her brother is gay and spends a lot of time in the book teasing him about it. Even though it's obvious the teasing really hurts him. She even admonishes herself to lay off, but she continues. Hauser makes sure readers know the siblings care about each other. Claire wants Scott to be happy, but her own selfish urges keep ruining it. No one can hurt you the way family can! Claire decides to cast Ian and Scott together in the commercial, hoping it will get her brother to admit his feelings (and boost their careers). She doesn't consider that Ian may not be gay (though this is romance, so of course he is). The two men start a secret relationship after that first passionate kiss. Claire becomes jealous of the attention Ian is giving Scott. So, despite her rules about not sleeping with clients, and her suspicion that they are a couple, she tries to seduce Ian. When that fails, she begins teasing both men. Claire often came across as cruel, and it made it difficult for me to enjoy the romance because there was so much of her in the role of narrator.

Yet, Ian and Scott are a great couple! They are struggling with their first-time attraction to another man, as well as surviving in a cutthroat industry. The commercial naturally attracts a storm of controversy, and the men find themselves in the media spotlight just when they need privacy to work their feelings out. Their secret affair is very tender as they explore a new love. This is the first gay romances I have read where both men are inexperienced. It added some light humor as they tried to decide who was going to do what to whom! The love scenes are steamy, but not as explicit as in some romance. It was deeply satisfying to see them overcome obstacles and choose to be together. They made the book worth reading.

Overall, I loved Ian and Scott, but the book had way too much of Claire's inner turmoil, and selfish behavior. Instead of guiding readers through the story, she intruded. I found myself skimming a lot of her parts to get back to the men. Hauser is an excellent author, so I will definitely try another of her books (I am currently enjoying "Naked Dragon" very much). I even hope she does a sequel to "The Kiss" so I can see how Ian and Scott have fared over time. Hopefully, Claire will take a backseat for the ride. ( )

I SO think this book started out as a Viggo/Orli type of slash story online. And this isn't the only book by this author that I think that about. That's not to say the book isn't good. Reading a lot of Viggo/Orli slash, I routinely thought to myself, "Damn, this stuff is good. These authors should be published!" This was a decent romance, but my FAVORITE part of it was the idea of the commercial. It's a brilliant idea for a real commercial. I'm surprised some gum company hasn't stolen it!

This is the second book I read by G.A. Hauser and it's a confirmation of her ability to enthral me. I really try to finish it in one night but it's impossible, fortunately you have a lot to read and I have to put down the book at 2.00 a.m. but as soon as I can I finish it.

This is the story of Scott, 25 years old unsuccessful model and actor: it's the typical american male, muscalar and tanned, with a boy next door face. He is an average guy in a world where you have plenty of average guys who try to find their way to the stardom. But Scott have something more: he has an old sister, who happens to be the owner of one of the most important agency model of New York. And so Scott, one time or two, gets a job and meanwhile he lives behind his sister's shoulders. The next job will be an ad commercial for a gum: he has to kiss a male. No problem, he is an actor... but it's not so simple cause Ian, the other model, is a beautiful androginous guy who draws Scott like a magnet. And the interest seems mutual.

But when Scott and Ian finally let the passion drive them, they discover that none of the two has never neither kiss a man. They wrongly believe the other gay, and now they have this passion between them and... they want to share it. And so begins a clandestine relationship but nor Scott or Ian are the usual perfect characters of novels. Scott is insecure and has a deeply feeling of failure; and he is also jelously of the instant success of Ian, the new guy in the city. Ian, 21 years old, is for the first time far away from home and from his parents. He is like a child who suffers the lontanance from his mother. He is a simple guy and he is open with his feeling, but it is like a teenager with his first crush: everyone around him can demolish his certainty.

And then there is Claire, Scott's sister. She has a main role in the novel, she is the instigator of all what happen to Scott and Ian, but she is not like a fairy godmother... She is a bitchy woman who amuses herself playing the role of God in the other life, and like the Greek Gods, when humans don't play according to her rules, she became a fiery beast.

And so here again the magic of Hauser, who manage to write a perfect story with imperfect characters. Some of the novelty from the first novel (For Love and Money) is again played in this second book, the English young guy who has to live among the stranger american people, and the fascination of this people for the naiveté of him, but all right, if a trick works a time, can works also a second, doesn't it? So all right, Hauser has hit a certain button, who can blame her? Not certain me, that after reading this story have spent 25 dollars ship costs to buy the prequel of For Love and Money, only available as print book!