Black and white. Right and wrong.That’s how Craig Bailey has always lived his life.The son of a fallen, decorated police officer, he’s had no choice but to follow the rules.Until he met the ultimate bad boy and decided to follow him instead.Henri Boudreaux is everything Bailey never knew he wanted.Mysterious, sexy, and hiding more secrets than friends.He’s exactly the kind of man Bailey knows … exactly the kind of man Bailey knows could break his heart.
But there’s a vulnerability to Henri that calls to Bailey.
A longing for a connection that Bailey is unable to resist.
And while Bailey has always lived his life on the straight and narrow, he is now beginning to understand that falling in love is never so black and white.
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REVIEW: 4.5 STARS
“I’ve never had anyone make me feel the way you do.”
There is nothing better than finishing a book and being able to sit there and just smile. I mean, I smiled all the way through this book and I may have shuddered in pain for Henri and Bailey during it, but my overall feeling is absolute adoration. Hands down, completely intoxicating. The heartache was strong in this one and I was actually shocked at how hard it hit me. Bailey and Henri have to be some of my favorite men in this series, but then again – I have enjoyed them all. I have fallen for the way Frank writes her men. They are strong and confident, but there is a vulnerable side to them that is so sexy to read. That juxtaposition works well in her books and in her stories. And once again, falling head over ass into another love story she penned gave me yet another reason to marvel at her words and her smooth style of delivering a love so profound.
At this point, I think it goes without saying that these books are HOT. Capital H, Capital O, Capital T. I could totally and completely feel the desire that was very evident between Henri and Bailey, and the fact that it caught them both by surprise, showed them both that things can be different…my gosh, I just loved them so much. Their pull was unmistakable and that was a great theme throughout both books. Because, as with life, we know it gets in the way – right? Right. And so with having this pull they can’t deny, nor can they explain away, it made for a great anchor for not only the highs, but also the lows.
“How was it possible to feel so connected to someone when you barely knew more than their name?”
There was such a masterfully laid background of their story, one with a lesson to be learned and understood. Jaded mental pictures of our own worth are the worst to combat, and knowing what our sweet Henri had gone through, he deserved all the man-love he could soak up. I say, who better than Bailey? These two were literally made for each other. This book, duet really, was actually the best layout necessary for the Gruff One and Saint Bailey to learn something new about themselves and the power of a love that was unquestionable in every way. This is proof that love doesn’t have rules. It crosses boundaries we may have set up for ourselves, but it doesn’t have rules.
The physical side of Frank’s words were abundantly clear – they were tangible. Two grown men that can’t take their eyes off each other; the kind that have meaningful sex – not just powerful sex. Mind boggling desire mixed with scorching, red-hot lust. They just felt each other, wholly and purposefully. An undeniable intensity that robbed each other of their senses….and I sigh hard when reading a love about giving in like that. I love feeling like I’m being swept up in this love that is just falling off the pages right along with the characters. I love that their love story can be wistful and heart-tugging in one moment, but bold and complicated in another. It ran the gamut of emotions, but it wasn’t an emotionally tiring read. It just fit every pocket imaginable for me, and I really enjoyed their story so much.
After waiting patiently for this second book, I can safely say that Frank delivered a worthy story. I was completely caught up in their budding relationship as it grew, so waiting was a sweet form of torture, but she did not let me down. I am inexorably in love with Ella Frank’s writing and cannot wait for more. Her voice is so charismatic. She possesses a strength with a heavy yet sensual side to it. I get all caught up in her stories and I always hate when they end….
“There was something to be said about being the one person another could be free with.”
~BEE
Even after Henri’s book ended with him and Bailey finally giving into the sizzling connection they shared, I knew there were still a few obstacles and a major point of contention to overcome, namely Henri’s less than lawful past and what that means to a man who truly believes there are only two sides of every action: right or wrong. But as much as Bailey sees the world in nothing but blacks and whites, he can’t deny the pull he feels toward the mysterious bad boy and even though it’s quite clear that, on paper, Henri and Bailey don’t fit together, their desire for each other’s bodies, their need to feel every part of one another overpower their differences and leads them down a path together that will either build from their already established bond or keep them at odds despite how they feel.
These two may hardly know one another but the heart and body want what they want, and as much as Henri says he knows who and what he is, there’s so much more to him than he realizes…so much more than he accepts about himself and Bailey gives him the chance to discover all that he is and could be with him, and Henri helps Bailey as well, forcing Bailey to step outside his comfort zone and do things based on feelings and not just the law. And, after some time, Bailey’s good guy nature allowed him to accept Henri, faults and all, which is exactly what Henri needed and deserved.
As much as I thought there would be more angst to sort through for these two, I’m glad that there wasn’t…it was fitting that Henri didn’t have to continue to feel inadequate once he found the man who accepted him for him, faults and all. And, the way that Ella Frank had a certain Frenchman step up the way he did, looking out for one of his husband’s oldest and dearest friends.
Henri’s confessions to Bailey could have thwarted any chance of him getting his happily ever after, but, thankfully, he found a man who grew just as much as Henri did throughout their time together, and the way that he laid his heart on the line, refusing to lie, even when it would have made it easier to keep the man he had grown to love and to need more than any other person in his life.
I’m so sad to see this series end; Ella Frank created such an amazing world and just as equally extraordinary characters, and while I’m holding out hope that these sexy and snarky alpha males will make some appearances in other Frank stories, I’m also excited to see what comes next for this multifaceted author.
4.5 Poison Apples
4.5 Stars
We’re back with Henri and Bailey.
We start right where we left them. They just spent an amazing night together and Bailey is happy – for the first time in a long while. But he still doesn’t know anything about Henri. He doesn’t know what he does for a living – what he did for Priest.
And Henri – he is so sure that Bailey will run away screaming once he finds out. Or that he will arrest him.
Let the fun times begin!!!
Well, that was a great second book about those two cuties!
It’s so adorable to see them fall in love! Henri never thought he could be that one person for someone. And he still doesn’t really. He thinks Bailey will run away any time now. Poor guy.
I really loved reading it.
It was cute and sexy and funny and heartbreaking and romantic and a bit dangerous.
I also really adore Bailey’s best friend/ex Xander and Bailey’s brother Sean – I hope there’ll be more spin-offs!!!
This is the continuation of Henri and Bailey’s story and I absolutely loved this second book!! I loved it even more than the first one and I can’t pinpoint exactly why. I had such a big permanent smile on my face reading this story ‘cuz it just grabbed me from the start but also felt all of the emotions the two lead characters went through. At the end, I just wished it was longer ‘cuz I really fell for Bailey and Henri together.
Henri is trying to come to terms about his feelings towards Bailey as he can’t seem to stay away anymore from the sexy officer. Even though he still has a job to do as a P.I., he can’t deny any longer what he feels on the inside. But nothing is easy and working on a current case puts him in danger but he’ll try everything in his power to make it all work out… Bailey has been through a lot in the last few years and his relationship with Henri is evolving in something deeper. When he learns about Henri’s dark secrets of the past, his decision will determine their future…
Bailey, book six in the Confessions series by Ella Frank ended a bit like I was expecting and yet, not. If you ever read one of Ella Frank’s series you know she is a fan of angst, drama and jaw dropping endings. This one however just kind of ended on a subtle not, I guess. Being who Henri and Bailey are in the previous book I really expected more oomph from this ending. Not the HEA ending but the events leading up to the end.
Henri and Bailey were easy to love for me. Bailey was just the all-around good guy, but we did see him having to fight with his inner compass at times from what he believes is right and wrong which was a nice tough. Some authors just have their character’s abandon their beliefs at the sight of a hot bod, but she didn’t so bravo. Then Henri, he was the real winner in this book for me. He had to let go of so much to get to where he was finally able to believe he deserved happiness.
After more than 15 of Ella Frank’s MM books I keep thinking that there is going to come a time when her characters don’t resonate with me or I don’t love at least one of them but it hasn’t happened yet. I loved Tate, Logan, Priest, Julien, Robbie, Henri and Bailey and while these stories are all intertwined they are also their own so I really hope I haven’t seen the last of these men that really touched my heart this year.
This book was a perfect way to end this series! I really enjoyed this series as a whole and Bailey and Henri are really good together.
This is not a standalone and you must read at least Henri before this one. It’s super hot (that stair scene) and the chemistry between Henri and Bailey is stunning! We get to know more about Bailey in this book and I loved it.
Loved the cameos of Robbie, Julien and Priest and I’d totally recommend this whole series.
This is the 6th book in the Confessions series, but the second book about Henri and Bailey. It can definitely NOT be read as a stand-alone so if you haven’t read the previous books yet, I strongly advise you to start reading the first book “Robbie” …it’s really good.
In this following story, we see Henri and Bailey really starting to get to know each other…the good and the bad. Especially Henri is afraid to confess all of his secrets, of all the people, he had to go and fall in love with a cop !!! One who won’t just let up.
“Those walls of yours? I’m going to climb them. And those bridges? I’m going to be the one who burns them down. ”
I do have to say that it grated on my nerves a bit, that I was reminded of the fact that Bailey was a cop/officer on almost every single page… I know it was a big issue in this story, but still, it felt like a bit much.
I was also a tad bit disappointed in “officer Bailey” to be honest. I expected a bit more from him when push finally came to shove. Thankfully he got his head out of his ass fairly quickly.
All in all this was a very sweet read, pretty low on angst and high on the “feel good” vibes. If you are in the mood for something sweet, sexy and fun, I highly recommend this series !!
PS: I wonder if I can put in a request for a story about “Officer Dick” ?!!
3,5-4 stars from me 😉
Saying goodbye to all these boys is painful….I look forward to seeing whatever Ella has in store for us and I hope that Henri and Bailey will make a future appearance as all our boys have done in the past. Bailey brings Henri’s story to the forefront. It also brings Bailey’s personal pain out and all I want to really say is that the chemistry these two have is something that we should all hope to find in our lifetimes. Henri is hard and tough but when that man falls…it is a thing of beauty. Can Bailey deal with the secrets that Henri has spent his entire life keeping close to the vest? Or will he allow his morality, his job….to keep them apart? (for some reason as much as I dislike Sean, I want to see him hook up with Xander lol)
What an amazing story to conclude an amazing series. This whole series is so good! With many characters facing their pasts and relying on those who care about them to help them move on. I love Henri and Bailey’s relationship and am glad they got their HEA!
I would recommend anything Ella Frank writes, this series is just plain wonderful. Great characters, good plots and story continuity. Fabulous read. Thanks Ella
Bailey is the smoking hot conclusion to the Confessions series. Ella Frank once again turns up the heat between Bailey and Henri and it does not disappoint. The cop and the informant couldn’t be more different if they tried but the way they fit together, both in and out of the bedroom is all kinds of perfect. They each have an inate ability to know what the other needs with both comfort and support. When things go a bit haywire for Bailey, it’s Henri who knows just what his new lover needs and it was beyond touching to watch as he soothes his ills even with just the touch of his hand.
Frank beautifully combines the burgeoning love that is growing between Henri and Bailey with some secrets and a difficult case that has the potential to thwart any progress they have achieved at this point. But the explosive chemistry between them can’t be denied and the way Henri and Bailey open up their very souls to the other was beyond wonderful.
With the requisite and wildly sexy times as the best kind of bonus when it comes to an Ella Frank book, I found myself swooning and sighing and perhaps squirming just a bit as the pages flew by. Trysts that are incredibly erotic add that perfect touch once more. I find these books addictive and consuming and I’m always left wanting more.
For the very best in M/M, look no further than Bailey. I strongly suggest you read Henri first to get the whole story of these two gorgeous souls.
5 solid stars!
Bailey is the absolute perfect conclusion to Henri and Bailey’s story, which began in Henri. I absolutely loved it. These two men who come from entirely different worlds…Bailey, a straight and narrow, right and wrong, world view, and Henri, a world so colored with shades of gray. it could be said to be black. Yet, these two found their way to each other, and to their happiness and completeness, as Bailey begins to understand that the world,but most importantly, relationships are not as orderly and neatly packaged as he believed them to be. Bailey and Henri are absolutely perfect together. Their journey was one of revelations, honesty, trust, forgiveness, and acceptance. I enjoyed every minute of Bailey and Henri moving from the initial phase of “Wow! He is gorgeous and interesting!” to the “hard work of building a relationship” phase. Once again, Ella Frank has given us readers a beautifully written story of a chance meeting that leads to a longing, an explosion of feelings, sexual chemistry that is off the charts, and culminates in a wonderfully blossomed relationship. I absolutely loved Bailey and Henri.
Good googly moogly, I am so in love with Henri and Bailey that it’s taken me days—DAYS, I say—to wrap my brain around how to express how much I adored their romance.
The strong, loving, honest relationship that Henri and Bailey’s infatuation has grown into is simply amazing. Neither one knew what they were doing—neither one had ever been in such a situation, but damn did they figure it out!
I loved their banter. Their attraction to each other. And their devotion to making sure the other is happy and loved—in and out of the bedroom. *fans self*
I loved everything about Confessions: Bailey. Everything.
But, honestly, I hate writing this review. Hate it because it means this is the end of the fantastic Confessions series and I’m not quite ready to let them all go.
4.5 / 5 Stars
To be honest, in this whole new spin-off, Henri has been my favorite character, I just feel he needs a lot of love, more than he ever received. And he was really misunderstood by many.
After the end of book “Henri”, I expected some drama, a big one where things would fall apart between them. It was the completely opposite, actually. The guys kept going strong until the end, full of love, understanding (even though Bailey had his moments and got on my nerves, LOL) and sexy times. It was full of beautiful moments between them, their love was so true and obvious to anyone to see.
Something I really like about this author’s writing is that her characters are far from perfect, some have lots of issues and others a few but when they meet, it’s like destiny, two pieces of the same puzzle, They will have to deal with them but in the end it’s always worth it.
I seriously hope to read about all these guys again in the future or new stories but in this same universe because this is one of my favorite series.
I didn’t think I could love Henri anymore but he’s been through so much, he truly deserves a hea, I adored how he and Bailey (swoon) progressed it wasn’t all easy but it was definitely heartbreakingly beautiful to read. I don’t want to give anything away you need to read to really appreciate how the feelings leap off the page, love love love
Bailey is a perfect compliment to Henri! I fell for Henri a long time ago and love who he found for a life partner. They are delicious together and I can’t wait to see where they go from here. It was amazing to see Joel, Julian, and Robbie again here as well! I’m holding out hope for something about Sean and Zander… I’m super intrigued!!
Another home run for Ella Frank! You can seriously never go wrong with one of her books!! Especially from the Confessions series!
Confessions: Bailey is the highly anticipated continuation of the steamy, hot romance between Henri Boudreaux and Craig Bailey. Their story began with book 5, Confessions: Henri and boy I couldn’t wait for more of these two men. They come from opposite sides of the tracks and have fallen on opposite sides of the law, but their connection and chemistry can not be denied. As they get to know each other they want honesty and trust but when Henri reveals the secrets from his past and it puts their relationship to the test. Now, understanding and acceptance will be the guiding force as Bailey decides how he can balance his ingrained need to hold up the law and the the love for Henri he can’t deny.
I loved slipping back into this world, back into the lives of Henri and Bailey…along with glimpses of Julien, Robbie and Priest.
This is the conclusion to Ella Frank’s Confessions series (unless she decides to give her devote readers more of these men…pretty please!)
We catch up with Henri and Bailey as they’ve both figured out that what they have with each other is much more than a single encounter; a fling. They both have realized that they have feelings for each other and want to pursue that further. But for Henri, he needs to overcome his internal battles that he is not good enough for the likes of Craig Bailey.
Throw in the undercover surveillance and the dose of bad guys and this one will keep you on your toes. A perfect conclusion to this storyline and these men. I highly recommend the series and hope for more in the future
A delectable conclusion to Ella Frank’s widely popular Confessions series, Bailey is book six, but the second book focused on Henri and Bailey. You need to have read Henri in order to enjoy Bailey. I would love if you would start the series from the beginning with Confessions: Robbie, to get the entire back story.
Prior to Bailey, in Henri’s book, the couple is just starting to get to know one another better. Bailey continues on from where Henri ends. When getting to know someone, all the good unfortunately comes with what we consider all our “bad” stuff. The bad makes us vulnerable. Both men are afraid to let their walls down, and let the bad be seen. As the story progresses, those walls are steadily being chipped away and the person is feeling raw and exposed. Each man did their job by sweeping in and picking up the other so they didn’t feel so vulnerable when they needed it most.
I enjoyed their journey together! It was sexy, fun, and oh so sweet! I loved Confessions: Bailey as well as the entire Confessions series!
I was gifted a copy of this book by the author. The review and rating are my opinion.
Hot, sexy and full of heart. What more could I want? I fell head over heels for Henri. I’ll be honest. There’s nothing more I wanted than for this broken man to find a soul deep love and have that love returned. Bailey…he tested me. I loved that he committed to be there for Henri no matter what it took. But then there’s the twist. Why is there always a twist?!?! I am so addicted to Ella Frank’s writing that I wouldn’t know what to do if she didn’t throw some angst in there. I must like some sadistic torture. This “Confessions” story is steamy, protective, healing and loving. I am dying for the next book. There are so many characters that are begging for their chance to find true love.