Astrid - The Bookish Sweet Tooth's Reviews > Top Secret

READ MY REVIEW ON THE BLOG (live on May 6th)


TITLE: TOP SECRET
AUTHOR: Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy
RELEASE DATE: May 7th 2019
GENRE: MM Romance
TROPES: Enemies-to-lovers
RATING: 5 STARS
CLIFFHANGER: No






A story by either Sarina Bowen or Elle Kennedy is a guaranteed win. Together they are on fire. In TOP SECRET they show us yet again how harmoniously and with ease their writing styles mesh together. So my excitement went through the roof when I learned about this book. But since it was, indeed, top secret, we weren't allowed to talk about it. Keeping a secret has rarely been so hard.

Now on to my thoughts about this story.

I have so much love for Luke and Keaton, our two main protagonists. Luke is the silent brooder, not giving away much about himself to pretty much everyone. Nobody knows about the unhealthy relationship with his family, or that he works his butt off just to survive day by day. As soon as someone tries to pry information out of him he clams up. On the other hand he has zero hangups or insecurities about his sexuality, is ambitious and determined to leave his poor upbringing behind. My heart ached a little for him, because it was so hard to shed his distrust of pretty much everyone.

He said I was stingy with love, and he was right. I am really not sure that will ever change. But if there’s anyone in the world I could change for, it’s certainly him.

Keaton is the outgoing, popular guy, the jock with the beautiful girlfriend, the money and the suitable friends. His dad is the meddling kind, one who expects his son to follow in his footsteps which Keaton has no intention to do. He's a biology buff and didn't that make my little scientist heart sing? All those references about the mating behavior of different species were hilarious (and true).


Keaton's sexual progression felt natural to me - he struggles with it at first but, being the open-minded guy he is, he accepts it and moves on. I loved how loyal and sweet, patient and understanding he was with Luke.

I’m just a guy, standing on a beach in nothing but his favorite pair of lobster shorts, waiting for the right man to love me.

In TOP SECRET Keaton goes on a research expedition in Chile that has the goal to find an unidentified ecotype of orcas. That's actually a fact and happened in March 2019. A friend of mine is one of the scientists who were on the research vessel and took many pics which were published in National Geographic. I thought this was such a cool coincidence I had to mention it.

M/M romance is one of my favorite genres. I love the dynamic between men and the imagery that comes with it. I loved Luke and Keaton together. They couldn't be more different but because of that they filled needs in one another no other person could have. Their evolution from competitors to friends and lovers was beautiful to watch.

Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen joining forces again is a dream come true. With TOP SECRET they give us a stinkin' cute, light-hearted, humorous, flirty enemy-to-lovers story that made my heart pitter-patter. Can we have more of this? PLEEAAASE? I can't wait to listen to the audiobook of this one!

LobsterShorts: I’m fresh out of lobster sex facts atm. BUT…lemme tell you about sea slugs.
SinnerThree: Omg yes. I can’t wait for this. Hold on. Let me undo my pants.
This time I snort out loud. I know he’s kidding, and I play along. Actually, I’ll do that, too. Having both our dicks out for this fun fact is so fitting.
SinnerThree: Dick’s out. All right. Slug sex. Now, baby.
LobsterShorts: OK—you ready for this?
SinnerThree: Hit me. Blow my mind.
LobsterShorts: Sea slugs have penis fights.
Dead air follows my revelation. I see the three dots appear to indicate he’s typing. Then they disappear. Reappear. Disappear. Finally, a message pops up.
SinnerThree: I don’t even know what to say to that. I guess… Why?? How?? Why???