Book Talk Review; What He Hides

I'm vibrating with happiness 

Everett Butcher is a successful vlogger with a secret. By day, he’s The Crock Cock, the internet’s hottest, gayest, and most naked chef. By night, he’s ConcealedandCuffed, a secret submissive who bends to the random whims that hit his inbox. To protect his identity and his career, Everett is careful to never show his face and to never play with the same guy twice. But Everett is tired of online submission. It only reminds him that he has no one. When Puck1730 messages him, his world flips upside down.

Xavier Jeffries is obsessed with two things, food, and Everett. He knows he’s playing a dangerous game, but when he discovered his big brother’s best friend’s secret submissive blog, his inner Dom reared his head and he knew he had to have him. He’s been in love with Everett for years and he feels like it’s now or never.

As the big, in person, reveal looms on the horizon, both men are on edge. Will their online playtime translate into real life chemistry?

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I need to be honest with you, Book Talkers, I started reading EM Denning because of this book. When I first started following EM she was almost done writing this book, each glimpse of Everett and Xavier we got made my need grow. When What He Needs released I read it because I needed something to quench my desire for this particular book. It was pure happenstance that I fell in love with the characters and writing. After reading book two, What He Craves, I became addicted. 

All I can say is that not only was this book worth the wait, it exceeded all expectation. 

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I pretty much fell in love with Everett in book one. There was just something about him that spoke to me. I waited, rather impatiently, for this book to be ready for publication. I knew right away that Everett's story was going to be something special and I was so right. 

Xavier is just *sigh* he is everything. So sweet, so perfect, so protective and careful with the person who needs it the most. 

Brother's Best Friend books are always fun. You never know exactly how they're going to go. Who's going to make the first move, the brother or the best friend. How is the other brother gong to respond? It's the drama I love, I won't hide that. What He Hides hits the points of the trope perfectly at every turn. Not that I had any doubts, by now I'm convinced EM Denning was born to write, she's just that good. 

Everett is our resident submissive who run a secret submissive blog, very nice, and hot. 

Xavier is a recent culinary school graduate, just moved to town to live with his brother and find a job. I love the small little overlap with book two. Seeing old favorites are my favorite. Even though we get just a glimpse of a previous character both Everett and Xavier mention the others a few times, which makes me all happy. 

As I read this book I was vibrating with happiness. I'm not going to lie Book Talkers, I haven't been in a good place these past few weeks, however, What He Hides helped. A lot. The characters were the perfect mix of kinky and sweet and just overall what I needed. 

As anxiously as I've waited for this book I was nervous as well. I knew it was going to be good, but that's what anxiety does to you, it makes you think weird things. E and X though, they helped so much. Their love was sweet and perfect and easy, so easy. 

Even though the two are almost ten years apart in age, even though Xavier seems to be a little bit too young to be a perfect Dom for sweet, vulnerable Everett, they fit together so well. When two characters can just slide into a relationship so seamlessly and make it believable for the reader you know you have a great book and author on your hands. 

The hotness level on this book is off the charts. There's one scene in particular that happens on the coffee table (no spoilers) that I love. Scenes that require a whole lot of trust and commitment are my favorite to read. As it takes a hell of a lot of skill from the author to make the characters seem real, for them to express just how deep the connection runs between the characters so that the reader can fully immerse themselves in what is happening on the page. I wouldn't be able to read BDSM without those types of character connections, EM Denning does it beautifully. 

What He Hides is my favorite book in the Desires series so far. I have no doubt it'll stay my favorite, but I have an idea of what book four is going to be around and I am so excited. 

Thank you EM Denning for writing a book that brought me the happiness I so needed. Your writing style is one I fell in love with and these characters have now become two of my absolute favorite. 

*Quote-

"He needed Everett like he needed air."

"He watched Everett take care of him in the simplest of ways. It was only a bath. A bit of hot water in a tub, but it was more than that. It was a lifetime of hard days and no one with any time to give a shit. Until now. Until Everett." 

"I didn't choose you over Andrew, Xavier. I chose myself. I chose happiness. I chose to fill my life with fun, affection, and a chance at something real...I chose the thing I thought would make me happy." 

"Home. That's what this was. Everett was home." 

For Book Talks on What He Needs and What He Craves click the titles. 

-Abri