Wells Lemiere knew the moment he saw Matty Haverbrooke, he had to have him. Matty was quiet, he was talented, he was beautiful, and Wells couldn’t stay away. As the youngest and most talented son of the NHL Commissioner, Matty had found the burden of family expectations almost too heavy to carry on even his broad shoulders. He had no intention of getting involved in a relationship with Wells. But … Wells. But the heart he’d given up for dead had other ideas.
Their affair was intense and overwhelming, but when Matty couldn’t bring himself to come out and admit he wanted a public future with the man he loved, Wells had no choice but to honor his vow to live openly…and leave Matty behind.
But then he learns Wells is marrying another, and Matty knows he can’t let that happen. Can he throw down his gloves and embrace his future with both hands? Or will he pull the door to his closet shut once more?
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Read: 2/10/18
Two-Man Advantage was Toni Aleo’s spin off from her Bellevue Bullies and Assassins series. It was also her first M/M writing and I loved everything about it.
Wells Lemiere was an openly gay NHL player. He was gorgeous, funny, talented, loyal to family and friends and all around a well loved and respected guy. We met him in previous Assassin books, but most recently in In the Crease as Wren’s brother. We also learned that he was about to marry a man that was his rebound after a break up from the love of his life that wouldn’t come out as gay. Wells was tired of being a secret and wanted more out of life.
Matthew “Matty” Haverbrook was a professional NHL player and the son of the NHL Commissioner. We had snippets of him in previous books and he was an angry dude and frankly a total dick in every way. He had been gay since middle school but was refusing to acknowledge it publicly, feeling he would be rejected by his family and the league. He found his true love in Wells but lost it when he refused to come out openly. Two Man Advantage began with Matty showing up to stop Wells wedding.
I was looking forward to this one but also a little apprehensive, knowing that Aleo had a huge challenge in recreating Matty. There was not a single morsel of goodness in Matty in Hooked by Love, Bellevue Bullies book three. He was horrendous to his twin sister, Avery. And when I say nothing good, I mean 100% pure evil, so yea, trying to redeem him was a Mt Everest like uphill battle. However, I really loved how Aleo tackled it. I felt it was realistic and he had to work hard for a redemption and becoming a man of honor.
Two Man Advantage was a journey of acceptance, forgiveness, healing, making the past right, coming out and all of the challenges associated with each one. For me, Aleo painted a realistic picture. At times it was painful and other times it was joyful, but at each turn, it was emotional.
Aleo also included characters from past books that we had come to love. They added humor, playful bantering and boat loads of support. As a bonus, we also received a peek into Matty’s other siblings, which I’m hopeful will lead to additional books.
All in all, I was captivated from the beginning to the end and couldn’t get enough. Although it was written as a standalone, I believe I enjoyed it more because I knew the struggle from previous books. I have no idea where Aleo is taking us next, but I totally can’t wait. Kudos to Aleo for a well written and outstanding story!
I am a huge Toni Aleo fan (If you are following my blog for awhile, you probably know this already ) I read all her books and her ‘Assassins’ and ‘Bellevue Bullies’ series are my all time favorites. They are also the CURE for my reader’s block So let’s move from how awesome Toni Aloe and her books are, to ‘Two-Man Advantage’. ‘Two-Man Advantage’ is her first M/M book and a standalone. Even though, there are some ‘Assassins’ and ‘Bellevue Bullies’ references, you don’t really need to read the series to get into the story but I totally recommend you to read those series when you have time, they are great In acknowledgments (Confession: I usually don’t read acknowledgments but lately I started to read it in some books) Toni Aleo says, ‘Did I do M/M justice?’ and my answer to her question is: HELLS YEAH! I’ve been dying to read this story and it was worth the wait.
If you’ve read her ‘Assassins’ and ‘Bellevue Bullies’ series, you already know about our heroes Wells Lemiere and Matty Haverbrooke. And you probably love Wells and hate Matty, at least that was me before reading ‘Two-Man Advantage’. So here is a little bit of a background for Matty and Wells. ‘Hooked by Love’ is where you first meet with Matty and after reading it I can assure you, you won’t be fan of him. As for Wells, we see little bit of him in ‘Delayed Call’ since he is one of Vaughn’s best friends and more in ‘In the Crease’ since one of his best friends Jensen marries his sister Wren and his pre-non-wedding is a part of the book. He is one of the few characters you will love instantly. Now it is time to go back to ‘Two-Man Advantage’
Matthew Robert Haverbrooke and Wells Lemiere are both NHL players. Wells is out and proud but even though Matty had known he was gay since he was 13, he is still in the closet. They have been together over a year and Wells is sick and tired of hiding the man he loves and being his dirty secret. When he realizes that Matty won’t come out to his family and Wells’ little attempt to push Matty to come out does’t work, Wells feels like the only option is to let Matty go. After their break-up what makes Matty realize that he has to fight instead of hiding is learning that Wells is getting married. Matty realizes that his life without Wells is meaningless and he is worth everything, even coming out to his family and losing them in the process. Matty’s father Benedict Haverbrooke is the commissioner of NHL and all his life Matty had to fight to earn the respect and love of his father, which led Matty to live like someone else and always hide his true personality. Even though Matty is a really successful NHL player, he is really insecure, vulnerable, broken and alone. He is about the lose the only person, who made him feel like he can be himself and still be loved, so he decides his only chance is to fight for a second chance. Wells is one of the characters you will fell in love right away. He is always happy, loyal, caring and really supportive. When he broke up with Matty, he left a part of himself with him. He is still in love with Matty and he knows he is the one but Wells has his own demons and insecurities when it comes to Matty. He is not sure if he can survive another heartbreak caused by him. Their second chance is not going to be a walk in the park and they both know this but with their love and standing as one will help them to overcome all the obstacles they face. As Wells says: ‘We have the advantage. Together, we can win’. Wells and Matty were so sweet and hot at the same time It was great to see how their relationship started, grew and developed something amazing. I cannot believe that my thoughts for Matty went from hate to understanding and understanding to love. Seeing his character to evolve was amazing. As for the side characters, it was great to see more of Vaughn, Brie, Jensen, Wren, Avery, Jace and little Ashlyn. Wells’ family and friends, I don’t have a problem but cannot say the same for Matty’s excluding Avery. Avery, Matty’s twin sister, is one of my favorite heroines and this book made me love her more As Matty’s brothers Seth and Laurence, Seth is cool and I like him but Laurence not so much. As for Matty’s parents I am going to compare my thoughts from ‘Hooked by Love’. Benedict was such a disappointment. Due to his interactions with Avery, I thought he was a better man and I am really glad to see that Matty’s mom Thea grew a backbone… Yeah, I know these are too vague but I don’t want to ruin the story for you guys.
All in all, I love how all Toni Aleo books emphasize the importance of family and friendship and ‘Two-Man Advantage’ wasn’t an exception. You know the feeling when you finish reading an amazing story and you think whatever you say won’t be enough to convey your feelings that is how I am feeling. It took me two weeks and reading the book twice to write this review. I am not even sure if I made justice to the book but hopefully I did ‘Two-Man Advantage’ is heartwarming, inspiring, sexy and so much more.
Would I recommend this book: Yes.
Would I re-read this book: Already did.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes
The review was originally posted on: http://miabookaddict.com/
I have been a fan of this authors Assassins and Bullies hockey series, so when I had the chance to read Mathew “Matty” Haverbrookes’ book I jumped at the chance. Matty is first introduced in the Bullies series in Hooked by Love. He was the brother from hell to his twin sister Avery and let’s just say I was not a fan of Matty. I was really interested in seeing how this author was going to spin this to bring him back into being a decent human being.
Wells Lemiere is 34 years old and an openly gay man that plays in the NHL for Colorado. He was in the Assassins series books In the Crease and Delayed Call. Wells is accepted by his family and has great support from friends and teammates. He is sweet, caring, gorgeous and loving. He is at the point in his life where he is ready to settle down with Matty. It was lust at first sight when Wells met Matty, however, their relationship blossomed, and things were going well until Wells finally had enough of Matty not willing to come out to his family and teammates and keeping their relationship a secret.
Matty is 23, but he acts much older. He is quiet, controlled, broody, and closed off except when he is with Wells or people he knows well. He is also a professional hockey player for the Rangers. He loves the game and is a very talented player. He loves Wells with all his heart, but he can’t tell his family and teammates that he is gay. His father is the NHL Commissioner and he knows he won’t be accepted by his family, and he has tried all his life to be praised and important to his parents, especially his father. Wells tries to convince him that in time, they will accept him. Matty struggles and Wells finally breaks up with him because he is tired of being Matty’s secret.
This story was beautiful, frustrating, touching, sad, and very moving. Matty and Wells had a lot to work through, but it is so much more work for Matty because he has a family relationship to repair. I laughed, I cried, and I even forgave Matty for what he put his sister through. This book put me through the wringer, but I loved the journey.
4.5 Stars
M/M romance is not generally a genre that I read very much of but knowing that this title incorporated characters connected to both the Assassins series and Bellvue Bullies series, I was quite eager to read Two Man Advantage, and Ms Aleo did not dissapoint.
Two Man Advantage is a fun second chance romance that has heart, heat and steam and at times a touch of angst and humor.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching not only Matty and Wells relationship develop over the course of this title, but Matty’s character developed beautifully, as he gained maturity that he lacks earlier in the story line.
Matty comes across as as quite arrogant, and snobby but he’s really quite controlled, closed off, and stoic. He fears the ramifications of coming out, and is quite vulnerable and you see his true personality shine when he is around those he cares about most.
Wells on the other hand is a gorgeous character. He’s very comfortable in his skin, and it shows in his interactions with others. He’s kind, caring, loving and at a point in his life where he wants to find happiness and settle down.
I’ve yet to read a title written by Ms Aleo that I have completely devoured and enjoyed, and Two Man Advantage was no different. I will be eagerly awaiting her next release!
This is the second M/M book I have ever read. I read the first because it was the third book in the series and this one because it sounded good and my favorite author wrote it. Toni Aleo wrote a graceful and eloquent love story between two men who are hockey players. Matty Haverbrooke was a gay man who had not come out of the closet even though he was in a relationship with hockey player Wells Lemiere. I kinda felt sorry for Matty, even though he was horrible to his twin sister Avery. He was still young and afraid his reputation as an hockey player and son of the NFL commissioner would be ruin. Wells is 11 yrs older than Matty and he had been through this with his family already and had their support. This wasn’t my type of book but it was really well written and no matter what subject I will always support my authors.
Wow! I am always completely and utterly impressed by Toni Aleo and her words. Each of her books is special in their own right but Two-Man Advantage is so much more than special… it is exceptional, extraordinary, and distinctive. Two-Man Advantage is Toni’s first foray into the M/M genre and she has successfully breached the genre line has written a compelling and beautiful novel.
Two-Man Advantage is a stand-alone that takes place right outside, on the cusp of Toni’s Assassins and Bellevue Bully worlds which makes the story fun and engaging for long-time fans but still allows new readers to fall in love with Toni’s words and worlds. As a long time reader, I first met Matty in Hooked By Love; admittedly he was NOT my favorite character and probably one of Toni’s most hated and controversial villains. Now Wells was always a favorite, I was always smitten with the burly and brusque gay hockey player. Although, he was a fairly minor character in several of Toni’s Assassin’s books he always brought with him a no nonsense attitude and a little comic relief.
I have been itching for Wells’ story for ages and was so excited when Toni announced she was writing this story. I was also undeniably a little worried. These stories are complex and bring with them not only their own flavor but real social issues. Toni was able to capture not only the diverse social issues but create a beautiful story of redemption, trust and loving yourself. This story is moving and beautiful; it’s emotional and sexy. It’s everything I look for in a Toni Aleo novel and so so much more.
Two-Man Advantage is an emotionally charged read. The book is well-written and the flow is good, but it’s a bit more on the angsty side than I care for. Matty is young and in the closet while the older, more experienced, Wells is out and proud. That’s where the problem starts for this pair and where it continues for most of the story. I did love the wedding scene and thought, but found it a bit hard to believe that no one present would out Matty. Matty’s waffling, while understandable, made me want to both hug him and shake him, often at the same time! The book did hold my interest and is a solid first in the genre for the author, just a little too much angst for my tastes.
Matty loves Wells as much or more than he loves hockey. For a hockey player, that is enough in itself. Until family creates a divide and he must choose.
Wells wants more with Matty than he can have, apparently. He wants it all. With Matty running scared from outside interference, Wells wonders will he ever get his happily ever after?
This is such a great story. Well written and going at a great pace. The angst is real, the heat is super smoking hot, and the feelings jump off the page and grabbed me. I cannot wait to hear more about these guys in upcoming books!
***This ARC copy was given in advance for an honest review.
Toni has done such a great job with this book. I think this is her first M/M book and she did such a wonderful job. M/M is not my typical read, I usually have a hard time getting into them, but with this book I have been dying to see Wells get his happy ending. Now with saying that you don’t have to read the other books in order to enjoy it but I am so glad I did. I love the anticipation I get as I read about characters throughout other books and waiting to see what their story is going to be like. Toni did not let me down one bit.
In this book we have Wells who is someone you can’t hate. He is so nice and caring, always there to help out those he loves but he is heartbroken and when the person who broke his heart comes charging back into his life he has to decide if he can forgive him and if he can get over the past hurts and trust they will do what they say they will do. You will be rooting for him to find his happy ending and your heart will be aching for him throughout the book as well.
Matty is 11 years younger than Wells and has yet to come out of the closet. In not doing so he loses the one person he loves with all of his heart and when he realizes he is about to lose him for good he is determined to do what he has to do to get him back but in order to do that it is going to involve coming out of said closet. Matty is someone who has to be in control of all aspects of his life and not knowing how others will react and if they will hate him is making it that much harder to do so. He has a lot of making up to do and showing his true self.
You are going to find yourself wanting to punch Matty for his choices, reactions to situations and the hurt he causes Wells but I can say that he does redeem himself. He is about to go down a road that many find exceptionally hard and not having a fully supporting family makes it that much harder. Toni did such a great job with this topic and I could actually feel as if I was the one that had to experience it all and my heart went out to everyone that struggles with this topic. My emotions were all over the place, she did such a great job conveying all the emotions that the characters were going through. I highly recommend this book and I think that even if M/M books aren’t your go to you will still enjoy this book.