Review: Austin (Man Up #1) by Felice Stevens

I can make it by myself. The only rules I follow are my own. Love? I learned that lesson the hard and painful way it wasn’t right for me. Sure, sometimes it gets lonely and I wish I had a man to hold. Who’d love me. Want me. Treat me with respect. Yeah, I dance in a club but that doesn’t mean I’m easy. Or a fool. So you, sitting in the back, watching me? I know what you want. You want me. In your bed. Under you. But I say no. It doesn’t matter how many presents you give me.

I’m not falling for you. I know who you are. But you don’t know me. You don’t know Austin.

This is a 14,000 word CLIFFHANGER story. It is a start to a new series, entitled Man Up. The followup book, Rhoades-Undeniable will be released a week after Austin.

What an amazing start to a series full of characters that have you wanting more and wanting nothing but the best for them in only four chapters.

I’ve read this twice now and it’s still not enough for me. I fell hard for Austin immediately and I am kicking myself that I didn’t meet him sooner in Tyler and Marcus’ book, but trust me that I will fix that error and fix it soon.

Austin is a young man whose love for dance has him working between two worlds, that of a dance instructor to children and as a go-go dancer at Man Up, a gentlemen's club. Austin knows who he is and knows what he wants and that's someone to love him and accept him for who he is. You see, Austin doesn’t have a good relationship with his family, his very affluent and rich family, since he came out and he is doing what he has to so he can live on his own terms. He’s created a pseudo family with the boys/dancers at Man Up and has a wonderful best friend in Frankie Marone. But Austin has someone at the club who has taken a strong like to him and with the gift he was given, we see Austin off on a night to remember.

I absolutely adored this book and even though it’s short, the reader gets a good grasp on who Austin is and has the chance to develop a crush on his friends, namely Frankie and Cort for now. They are a part of Austin’s life and are there for him in any way he needs, even if it’s protecting him from the man who turns him on and also scares the crap out of him with his want. This mysterious stranger, Mr. Tall Dark and Doesn’t Ever Speak has been watching Austin dance at Man Up for some time now and after a night of Austin teasing the hell out of him, and then his handsome stranger seeing how Austin can take care of himself, we finally get a glimpse into who the stranger is.

Wow. Let me just say meeting Rhoades was amazing. Yeah, he is totally going on my Swoony McSwoonster shelf that is hard to get on with me but damn, Rhoades has a way with words. There is so much we don’t know about him and so much I want to know about him and it’s not just how he is with Austin. It’s the mystery behind the man I want to dive into and marinate in until my fingers are pruny. I know Rhoades will be fantastic and how he and Austin will be together will be amazing… but I have to wait until the next book is out so I can cure my reader blue balls.

I’m going to stop here before I ramble too much but this was a great start to a new series I am sure I will be glued to until it’s over and then I’ll pout.

A review copy was provided.

See the Austin (Man Up #1) release blitz HERE!