ARC Review: Takeover by Anna Zabo

Takeover is the first book that I have read by Anna Zabo, but I was really intrigued by the cover and blurb. I loved the idea of a one night stand turning into more when the main characters unexpectedly reunite. I liked Michael and Sam both, but I did have a bit of a tough time with this story. While the characters were great, I felt like it was the story itself that I had problems connecting with.

While on vacation in Curacao, Michael Sebastian is looking to unwind with a little fun between the sheets. But on his last night there, he still hasn't found anyone that he is interested in. Then Sam Anderson walks into the bar, and Michael knows he is exactly what he has been waiting for. Sam's tension is clear, and Michael knows that he can be the one to remove the suit and help Sam release all that tension. Their night together ends up meaning more than either of them expected, and they are both left feeling a connection and passion unlike anything they have felt before. But one night is all they can have and Michael leaves to return home. But when Michael returns to work, he quickly finds that his struggling company has hired none other than Sam to be their new CEO. While Michael and Sam both want more time together, they know that they need to keep things professional. But what they know and want are two very different things, and before long they are unable to stay away from one another. But with Michael refusing to be involved with someone in the closet ever again and Sam's fear of that knowledge ending his career, how can they ever hope to have any kind of future together?

I really liked both Sam and Michael. Sam was not your typical executive, and I really loved that about him. He looked the part, but he was willing to listen to his employees and would stand up for them when needed. He might have been about authority and control at work, but with Michael he relinquished that and handed it all over. He could really be his true self with Michael, and I loved watching him explore his desires and the passion that he had always fantasized about but never practiced. Michael was great as well. He was the easy going guy at work that everyone looked up to and relied on. He was loyal and kind. But in the bedroom he was after control. While he was domineering and took that seriously, he wasn't arrogant or mean about it. He wanted to give and receive pleasure, but he always cared for Sam and made sure not to take things too far or hurt him. I thought that Sam and Michael had great chemistry, and I liked the ease to their relationship. I thought that they really connected on every level and I enjoyed seeing them get to know one another and fall in love.

My problem with this book was that I felt like the story got too bogged down with all the work details at times, and I found myself losing interest. I understand needing part of that for the story, but at times I felt we got much more of it than we needed and I found it boring. I kept wanting to skim large portions of the story and get back to more of Michael and Sam. I almost felt like at times they weren't the focus of the story, but rather a side plot that was meant to round out the story of the problems with the business and those involved. I would have liked to have seen more interactions between Michael and Sam, especially after the ending. I wanted to see how they moved forward together, and adjusted to life in a relationship where they were out and able to be seen together. While this wasn't a bad book and I liked Michael and Sam, I had been hoping for more and it wasn't what I had been expecting. If you don't mind a romance where the relationship isn't the main focus, I would say you might give this one a shot. But if you are looking for one that has the characters and their relationship as the priority, this one might not be for you.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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