Secret (A Wilder Inc. Story Book 1)

“Love’s hard to find, and when you do, you don’t throw it away.” Ever since I finished this book, I haven’t stopped smiling. Smiling because stories like these fill me with an indescribable sense of hope and positivity. Smiling because some stories are just so wonderful in every single way—inspiring, brave, honest, relevant—that they fill my heart to bursting. Smiling because some love stories touch us so deeply that we never want them to end. And this is a book I wanted to grow old reading. “…he was a gay man buried so deep in the closet he questioned if he would ever find his way out.” Dylan Reeves is a married man in his late thirties—a man married to the same wonderful woman for the past nineteen years, a father to three well-adjusted kids, a successful businessman on the verge of the greatest professional accomplishment of his career—and yet he has been living a lie all his life. Dylan’s marriage, as supportive and loving as it is, has been a sham from the start, an arrangement between two best friends who agreed on living separate lives while raising together the three people they love the most in the world. But while his wife has given herself permission to find true love outside their marriage, Dylan has denied himself the same, putting his children’s happiness before his own, and living by a strict moral code of always doing the right thing, at all costs. “…they didn’t ask to be born. It wasn’t their fault I didn’t have the balls to be me.” While on a weekend business trip, as part of his company’s merger negotiations with one of the most successful technology companies in the world, the last thing Dylan expects to find on the other side of the negotiating table is a man who suddenly makes him forget all he’s pretended to be for so long, awakening all his suppressed yearnings, and igniting the very sexual man he was born to be. “I’m in trouble…” “That you are. I think we both are.” Tristan Wilder is a man at the top of his professional game, a self-made computer mogul who has the world at his fingertips, but his success has also cost him his personal life, rarely finding the time to engage in anything more than commitment-free trysts with men who never ask more of him. Until a closeted man walks into his life, and ends up turning it upside down. Never one to have to pursue his conquests, Tristan finds himself in uncharted territory as he romances a man struggling to let his desires consume him. But the more time they spend in each other’s arms, exploring each other’s bodies and stealing each other’s hearts, the more it becomes apparent to them both that their weekend together would end up changing their lives forever. “There’s no way this will end well for me, but not taking the few moments you’re willing to give me seems like a far worse fate.” And this is all I will tell you about the storyline because even a peep about what comes next would deprive you of the very special way this story unfolds and eventually comes together, of the way these characters react in certain pivotal moments in the story, of the way their unique bonds are attested, because it is those unexpected actions and reactions that make this book so extraordinary in its approach. This is not a story that trivialises the vows of marriage, or validates infidelity—this is a truly inspiring story about living one’s truth, about the kind of selfless love and devotion that puts most of us to shame, about finding the courage to show’s one’s most vulnerable side to those we love the most. Love does not always mean an easy road ahead, but stories like these make us believe that there might be a happily-ever-after for us all. There is something truly uplifting about tales like these, tales that show us how life should be, the life we should all have the right to live, and I am always astonished by the sheer beauty of these authors’ stories, consistently inspiring but inexorably sexy. Whether a seasoned m/m reader or new to the genre, this story should be on top of your reading list. “I’ll wait for you, however long it takes. I don’t care. I’ll wait.”

bookshelves: grabs-my-heart, fav-authors, m-m, made-me-smile, made-me-cry, mc-to-love, romance-contempory, steamy, want-more Read from June 16 to 17, 2015 Two good guys. A lucrative business deal. Instant attraction. Clear sailing to a HEA? No. Dylan has sacrificed his own personal needs for his children. He and his wife have lived together as best friends in order to provide a secure and loving environment for their children. There is no secrets between Dylan and his wife. They will wait until all the children are in college before starting to live their own individual lives. But fate is a bitch. Tristan does not do commitments except to his business. He wants to buy Dylan's business and integrate it into his own. When he meets the closeted Dylan, he is determined to break though Dylan's defenses. Surprise. It is Tristan's defenses that are overran. Can he wait for Dylan to decide it is time to live his own life? He'd not been this excited about a night in a long time, and it surprised him. Taking a closeted gay man's virginity had never been on his bucket list, but he also hadn't ever met anyone like Dylan Reeves. He was gorgeous, no question there, and from the brief grope he got, he knew the man was packing, but he also seemed like an honest-to-goodness good guy. Maybe even one of those salt-of-the-earth types, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd come across someone as intriguing. I was emotionally touched by this story. I liked the complex characters. The kids did not take over the story and acted in a realistic manner. The connection between the MCs was hot. I loved them. Kindle Alexander always creates a good read.

This is my third read from Kindle Alexander and I've loved all three books so far. That means I am definitely going to have to go back and scoop up more of her books! lol! I already have 2 more waiting for me on my Kindle. She writes the best swoon-worthy mm romances with some great steamy scenes. I like her stories a lot because the steam doesn't completely overpower the plot. I would also like to state that while the synopsis DOES say he is married with kids, there is NO cheating. At all. Trust me! Dylan and his wife and best friend,Teri had all three of their children when they were very young. After Dylan quit drinking he confessed to Teri that he was gay, and they decided to stay together to raise their kids. They also decided that while they were going to continue being a team to raise their children together, they were obviously no longer going to be "physically together" and they could date outside of their fake relationship...but they have to keep everything a secret. They are planning on telling the kids when they are old enough to head off to college, and then they are going to "separate" to find their own happiness. Teri has been in a serious relationship with a man for a couple years but has kept it a secret, while Dylan has remained celibate since. Until he meets Tristan, of course. lol! I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the low level of angst in this one. After reading the synopsis, I really expected this to be full of angst but it wasn't so much. Dylan struggles a bit with public displays of affection but after hiding for so long and being worried about being seen, it makes sense. I've seen a lot of reviews that say they feel as if Tristan was extremely pushy, and I didn't really feel that way. He let Dylan call the shots and let him know they didn't have to do anything he wasn't ready for. Dylan gave consent, he was just nervous. The steamy scenes between them were sizzling, but I didn't feel like they overwhelmed the story. Tristan isn't the type of man who has time for relationships or closeted men, but he finds himself instantly drawn to Dylan. He was so sweet with Dylan and really went out of his way to show him how much he cared. He quickly decides that he wants more than just the night with Dylan, but he feels as if he has to convince Dylan to start a relationship with him. Dylan's main concern is 100% his family and doesn't want to get involved in anything that could potentially hurt them. Tristan does everything he can to make Dylan comfortable and happy, even going as far to say that he would wait for him as long as he needs to. He also makes a genuine effort to be nice and get to know Dylan's family, and I thought that was super sweet. Dylan is so used to hiding everything about himself that he's closed off his emotions a lot. He is a hard man to read because he's built such a huge wall around himself. Tristan had trouble figuring out how he was really feeling about things. Dylan has his moments when he panics and acts kind of like a jerk and that made him a little hard to connect with at first, but his love for his family really won me over. I really loved that Teri was never portrayed as the evil wife/villain. She was one of Dylan's biggest supporters and wanted him to be happy. They truly were best friends and talked everything through. She let him know when she thought he was being stupid and even helped him see Tristan. There wasn't too much about this story that I didn't enjoy. I loved that we even got a sweet epilogue to see how everything worked out for everyone. It really helped cement their HEA for me.

Tristan the beautiful millionaire and CEO of Wilder – Nation is working on a huge business deal. Now it's time for the deal of a lifetime and the very last thing he expected to happen was to fall for the hot owner of the company he wants to acquire. Dylan the owner of a extremely successful social media site called Secrets is now thinking of some changes that can alter his life forever. He's a very devoted family man with a wife and three kids and he's been living a secret life that no one has been aware of. When he meets the handsome owner who wants to buy his company is when he's faced with the first time in his life the desires that he can't run away from anymore. I was so captivated with the immediate connection that Tristan and Dylan had that I knew right away that this is going to be an amazing Kindle Alexander novel. Some readers might have a difficult time with Dylan being married but Kindle completely handled in such a detailed and honest way that you'll be rooting for them to make it as a couple. Kindle takes you on a ride with this story that you won't forget anytime soon. I love how the author has me feeling sad one moment and the next moment completely happy as this story has so many emotional levels and is written so brilliantly. Kindle Alexander has completely outdid herself again and this time with a novel like she has never ever done before. She hits on some very sensitive topics but she does it in such a realistic and honest way that I was completely riveted from the very first page. This novel started out differently than most Kindle Alexander previous ones but stay focused as trust me it becomes one of the best M/M stories ever written. This novel was honest and shows what really happens in some gay relationships. I give Kindle all the respect she deserves for writing such a beautiful and authentic view of what it means to be in gay relationships. I can't say enough beautiful things about this novel as it left me with so many emotions and I highly recommend Secrets by Kindle Alexander to everyone!!! "Complimentary copy provided by author/publisher for an honest review." Reviewed by Paul at Gay Media Reviews!

This novel is brilliantly written portraying a very strong story line and intelligent, realistic, and amazing characters. Kindle has done another great job in her writing ability which leaves you always wanting more of her work. This story brings two very strong personalities together, both Owners and CEO's of their own multibillionaire companies, setting a fire between them from the very start. Tristan is a very confidant, innovative, gay man who knows who he is, but has never really known happiness in a relationship. Dylan is also a very confidant, innovative man who has been gay all his life, but never acted on his feelings. Getting his best friend pregnant, they chose to get married and raise their family which turned out to be an amazing one, but the children never knew the real arrangement. Tristan and Dylan get together for the first time when Tristan's company wanted to buy Dylan's company "Secret", an extremely successful company. Tristan brings the executives to California to wine and dine them along with talking business. Turns out Tristan realizes that Dylan was different and through the course of the first evening he finds out that Dylan is gay also. As they talk and get to know each other sparks begin to fly. Dylan is very cautious of anyone finding out because of his family situation and him still being in the closet. The two fit perfectly together in every way!! So Dylan allows risks to be taken. This story is an exceptional love story of two men who prove exactly what love can do. Sometimes the unexpected things in life are definitely worth the risks. The title "Secrets" was perfect for this novel since the story was full of secrets that turned out to be wonderful surprises. The Sex was Hot, Hot!! The bond between the two men was strong and heart warming. Absolutely loved this book. Highly recommend this one.... A Must Read!!

What I love about Kindles books is that they are real, real life, real emotions and very real circumstances. In Secret we are faced with a blurb that states that Dylan is married with three kids, how is this book supposed to work? For all of Dylan’s adult life he has hidden who he really is, I feel like he is so hidden, that he truly doesn’t know himself. Marrying his longtime girlfriend while still in college, he has always put his family and his wife first, until his youngest daughter graduates high school. And that is just 9 little months away. photo Secret Flowers_zpstq1l3ayx.jpg He has developed a highly used social media site called Secret that Tristan Wilder wants to acquire for his company Wilder, Inc. But when Tristan meets Dylan he sets out to acquire more than just his company, he wants Dylan! All to himself. With corporate logistics and a little pleading, he may just achieve his goal. But Dylan is an honorable man, a very rare find in the cut throat corp. world. When Tristan places Dylan’s honor before his own interests, that’s when I fell in love with him. The high tech millionaire who works from home, can and does just about everything he wants, slams on the brakes; for the sake of Dylan’s honor. Honor to his employees, honor to his family and a huge honor to the goal he set for his marriage. photo SecretWait_zpsvhpczlhf.jpg Teri, Dylan’s wife and best friend, was an absolute delight in this book, I really don’t think Dylan and Tristan could have had a relationship in Dallas without her. Their family life except for the “secret” is so great, it must have been like living with the “Beav” from back in the day. They have raised three remarkable children, that when the secret is revealed, acted like adults. I really loved the reference to One Direction, whom in my opinion is hosting the biggest “Secret” of the pop culture, and I for one think Tristan has the best online screen name EVA, #TalkNerdy2Me !!!! “It didn’t feel right, We didn’t fit” Dylan replied. “We fit,” Tristan replied…. “You’re the only person in my life that doesn’t want anything from me,” Tristan said, This copy was giving to me by #KindleAlexander for my honest review

My use of the title of one of Kindle Alexander's best books (well, they are all "best books" in MY book) to lead off my headline of this review is done for two reasons: 1) It's the theme of the book, and 2) it's personal. Let's get the personal out of the way. I have corresponded with Ms. Alexander for a couple of years because I just love what she does with men who have some serious issues about loving other men. A lot of authors do this very well, but she does it for such a wide cross-section of men in so many situations that I just kept telling her this, and she kept writing back and we had some very nice philosophical discussions (by e-mail only, we have never met or talked or Skyped or connected by social media), and shared some personal histories. Therefore, I was completely taken aback when I saw to whom she dedicated this book--Bo--and I sent off a missive asking if she knew someone else by that name, and she said, "no, silly, it's you." And I nearly died on the spot--after my jaw hit the ground. Full disclosure. Just so you don't think I was unduly influenced by this unbelievable honor, I wish to let you know that it took me a few days to let that settle in, and then I started to read, nervously. After all, what if I didn't like it? And, actually, the first couple of chapters, which concentrate on a bit of a family crisis in the life of computer genius and Dallas semi-mogul Dylan Reeves, threw me for a bit of a loop. While the jacket blurb of the book does a good job of setting the reader up for a potential romance between him and computer genius and Laguna Beach mega-mogul Tristan Wilder, the exquisitely handled introduction of Dylan's family--wife Teri, daughters Chloe and Cate, son Chad--has me shaking my head: Is this going to be one of those books where one MC, i.e., Dylan, is straight as a Texas arrow and we are getting set up for a sloppy seduction process by an admitted player in Tristan Wilder? This man Dylan Reeves is a completely devoted husband and father, and you could not even imagine where Ms. Alexander is going with this. Until the last couple of pages of Chapter Two--wherein you discover that the title of the book is not only the name of Dylan's high-tech company, but also the definition of virtually every little plot twist that comes along. And, wow! Do they twist and turn--but with such deft segues, beautiful writing, and extraordinary sexual heat that you ultimately cannot put the darn book down. This one took my breath away in every way and in every chapter. It's fast-moving but not capricious, to the point but not nasty (well, one little incident is, but that's expected), mind bending but never outrageous in its premise that two alpha males just over the 35-year-old divide can blow their lives apart, but agree not to keep doing it, until there is no choice. There is never a choice in this book for continuing to have secrets--which is why the title of the book, the name of the company, and the plot twists are so cool to contemplate. No, the reason there is no choice is because Dylan Reeves is one of the great characters to have emerged from the M/M contemporary romance novels I have read (and there are many): He lives his life on integrity, except, of course, for one part of it which some might say qualifies him as a hypocrite, but not when you get to know him. He is walking honesty personified, and he manages to change people's lives with that honesty and integrity without leaving the other people, or the reader, raising skeptical eyebrows--a testament to Ms. Alexander's fertile imagination. That he has a wife who is a major positive player here may stun you at first, just as much as how a conflicted Tristan thrashes about trying to wrap his head around a man he cannot figure out, may take you aback at first. But when you get wrapped up in this tale, and this family, you will wonder how many other couples are in the same situation, and how few of them deal with it as this one does. Here is a book that will challenge you to guess when the next secret is disclosed, and how these people will deal with it. That Ms. Alexander will toss a nice little bomb in your path to each of those discoveries will rivet you to the page, this tale, and to these characters. One could have no greater honor than to have had a book like this carry one's name on the Dedication page.

Secret is an apt title. The book starts off with the MC's older daughter keeping a secret from her parents that ends up getting her arrested. The younger daughter is keeping a secret about her future education. The parents are keeping a secret about the true nature of their relationship. The wife's keeping a secret from everyone. As to the two MC's; Dylan owns a successful computer company and Tristan wants to buy it. There's mild trouble getting the buy out ironed out but it's basically a sure thing. Dylan plans to come out after his children are all off to college and meeting and falling for Tristan puts a monkey wrench in his plans. He has difficulty adjusting to Tristan's out gay lifestyle. He is wishy washy for awhile but eventually agrees to date Tristan in secret until the children are all graduated. Chloe the older daughter stumbles on the information about her dad and tells her mom causing the big family meeting to happen about 8 months sooner than planned. Dylan gets thrown for a loop but it doesn't last long. All-in-all it's anticlimactic. I felt like Dylan was playing the martyr a bit much since his children were basically grown and actually using them as an excuse not to be himself and come out of the closet. Nice read. Wouldn't recommend it but wouldn't dissuade someone from reading it. It's well written. Not sure I can really explain why it's not a must read for me. Won't be reading it again.