Mason and Bee - City of Sin

This blind date almost didn't go past that first date.
Mason & Bee maybe weren't a couple you'd think would last, but they captivated each other.
Connor's narration out of the gate captured the essence of this character. He was the bad boy with the dirty mouth, and Connor sold us on that - I was all in.
Vanessa Edwin as Bee, loved her too.
This story had hot scenes, intrigue, corporate shenanigans, an asshole boss, more hot scenes.
Highly recommended.

3 people found this helpful

Sexy read!!!

Honestly, I didn’t want it to end. I was so engrossed in the characters. I fell in love with them as with all Ivy Smoaks characters. They are all wonderful. This is the sexiest book that I can think of. The scenes are “hot”!!!

3 people found this helpful

Wow! Mason & Bee Are Entertaining.

Wow! This Pair Is Entertaining. Mason & Bee’s Story Certainly Has Some Serious Aspects, But Mason Is Hard To Take Too Seriously. He Lies Constantly & Has A Rather Singular Focus. His Progression Is Really Sweet. Bee Blossoms Around Him & Finds That She Has A Dirty Side, Too. Their Opposites Attract Story Has Them Finding A Happy Middle. Fans Of The Hunted Series Will Love This Book!


ABOUT THE SERIES:

This is book one of three in the Men of Manhattan series of related standalones. Fans of The Hunted series will especially love this series, which is a spinoff of sorts. It includes:
1. City of Sin (Mason Caldwell and Bridget Cowan’s story)
2. Third Chances (Rob Hunter and Daphne Hughes’s story)
3. Missing Pieces (Tyler Stevens and Hailey Shaw’s story)

This series intersects with The Hunted series. While these books and each series can be enjoyed on their own, each book is even more enjoyable when read collectively because little glimpses of the characters from one book to another add to the depth of their individual stories. Approximating the chronological order, the two series combined should be read as follows (according to the author).
1. Temptation (James Hunter and Penny Taylor’s story, part 1)
2. Addicted (James Hunter and Penny Taylor’s story, part 2)
3. City of Sin (Mason Caldwell and Bridget Cowen’s story)
4. Eruption (James Hunter and Penny Taylor’s story, part 3)
5. Third Chances (Rob Hunter and Daphne Hughes’s story)
6. Devotion (James Hunter and Penny Taylor’s story, part 4)
7. Missing Pieces (Tyler Stevens and Hailey Shaw’s story)

IN THIS BOOK:

This story opens after the holidays, just before Valentine’s Day. According to the author’s website, it is 2016. The timeline is a little funky because Bridget has been in New York for eighteen months but graduated in 2015 (a 2014 graduation would make more sense).

Bridget Cowan, roughly twenty-three, thought she was going to have a fairytale ending when Patrick proposed to her. It was at the Sigma Pi fraternity house he belonged to and where they had first met freshman year. She had majored in marketing and minored in advertising in college, and had been nerdy growing up. Patrick had been her one and only. He was offered a job in finance at MAC International in New York, and Bee had followed him there to begin her own career when they graduated from the University of New Castle. Patrick promised they wouldn’t let the city change them, but a year later she learned that he hadn’t kept his promises. Her father had walked out on her mother when she was small, and abandonment was a real fear for her. She is close with her mother, but never wants to end up alone like her. She wants to share her life with someone, but moving on is hard to do. Six months later she is barely able to make her rent in the miserable secretary job she got at Kruger Advertising, and she prays for a promotion that remains out of reach. If things don’t change soon she will have to return home to Delaware and admit to her failure. Her friends keep telling her it is time to move on, and that the best way to get over Patrick is to get under someone else. That doesn’t really interest Bee, though. Love is risky. But when her friend Marie sets her up on a blind date with her husband’s handsome single coworker, she eventually relents despite her instinct to refuse.

Mason Caldwell, roughly twenty-nine, doesn’t want to take over the family business. He has no interest in MAC International or finance – running his own advertising agency is his dream. He graduated from Harvard alongside his best friend James Hunter but refused to cow to his parents. They are no longer on speaking terms as a result. Mason doesn’t mind. Getting cut off financially is a bit of a hit, though. He is used to a lavish lifestyle. His advertising job at Blue Media doesn’t begin pay the kind of bills he is accustomed to. His parents’ money is about to dry up, but he is determined to make his own way in the world. Starting his own agency takes some startup cash, and he has a plan to make it happen. His side business has him doing some things that his parents would be aghast to learn about, but for Mason it is all good fun. He hasn’t been serious about a girl since high school, and indulging in his playboy lifestyle works well for business. When he saves up enough money he can start his own agency, and nothing will stop him from making his own fortune and earning back his parents’ respect. When Carter, his coworker, tries to set him up on a blind date his response is a definite no. But when Carter throws in some incentives to sweeten the deal he figures he has a few hours to waste.

Mason is brash and full of himself when Bee first meets him. Though she is timid and naïve, she isn’t afraid to challenge him. She feels emboldened with him. It becomes quite clear what Mason wants out of their evening, but Bee isn’t that kind of girl – or maybe letting lose is exactly what she needs to move on. Their blind date takes them both through a myriad of emotions, and what might have ended in a one night stand instead ends rather abruptly. The back and forth continues between the two, whose plans never seem to quite pan out as expected. Their chemistry is intense but they are often not on the same page. They are opposites in many ways. He is sophisticated but dirty. He wants just one night with her so that he can mentally move on. His doesn’t date, but ends up on the hook for more. He cannot get her out of his mind. Bee is lacking in experience but that only excites him more. She new to the city and not used to his lifestyle. Being with her keeps him on his toes – she is the first to say no to him and is unapologetic about it. He sees her as naturally submissive, but she isn’t very good at it. Bee is tempted by Mason’s forwardness, and his attention makes her feel special. She had loved Patrick, but the pain begins to dissipate as she gets to know Mason. And the more she learns about him, the more confused she is about him. She loves his demanding and flirty side, but she falls for the sweet side, too. Despite anything he or anyone else says about him, she knows that underneath the bluster is a man that makes her feel good about herself and surprises her with his thoughtfulness.

Mason has a loose relationship with the truth – and he is very talented at avoiding it. His conversations and avoidance tactics are hilarious. And when he learns who Bee’s ex-fiancé is, he knows he is in for trouble. She blames Mason for her breakup with Patrick, who had fallen under Mason’s influence. And as much as she has come to feel for Mason, she has to question if he would he ever be able to earn her trust. Mason’s friend James has settled down with Penny, and he offers some good advice. In the midst of the rapid progression of their undefined relationship, Bee has some serious issues to face at Kruger Advertising. Meanwhile Mason is temporarily distracted from his business goals by Bee. Being with her makes him question himself and his methods. He hadn’t seemed to have many scruples when he met Bee, but things are changing for him. He nevertheless finds himself in web of deceit with no way out, but he also hasn’t been honest with himself. The couple eventually earns a happy ending.

There are hints about Rob Hunter, who has been hanging out with coeds in Newark, getting restless and seeking change. He wants to move back to the city. Mason recognizes some of the signs and wonders if he might be ready to settle down. Rob’s story follows in Third Chances.

Wow! This pair is entertaining. Mason and Bee’s story certainly has some serious aspects, but Mason is hard to take too seriously. He lies constantly and has a rather singular focus. Reading about his progression is really sweet and very rewarding. Bee blossoms around him and finds that she has a dirty side, too. Their opposites attract story has them finding a happy middle. This story is well-written. The plot is somewhat complex. It weaves in characters from related books. The characters are well-developed. It is easy to fall for Mason’s whacky character despite his flaws; he is humanized eventually. And that Bee is so understanding, mature, and accepting makes her a great match for him. The story is written in first person. The POV alternates between Mason and Bee. I rate this book 4.5 stars.

As for the Audio: it is well-performed and consistent with the book.

2 people found this helpful

Great story or redemption

The characters in this story were everything. Both Mason’s transformation as well as Bee’s to some my extent. There were a few twists I didn’t expect, but unfortunately, some parts were kind of predictable too.
I love, love, love these two narrators! Although Connor Crais is relatively new, he is amazing! With both he and Vanessa, all the emotions really came through in the story and it really made it so enjoyable!
The only problem with this audiobook is that the last half of the last chapter is missing!!! The epilogue is fine, but the last chapter is critical. It needs to be fixed. If it had been prior to publishing, it would have been five stars all the way! Editing!!!

2 people found this helpful

Hot!!!

This book is Hot!!! Both Narrators bring the characters to life. If you want hot steamy sex this is it!! There is love, passion, heartbreak, laughs, betrayal. Ivy Smoak is an amazing author that as soon as you start her books you can’t put them down!!

2 people found this helpful

Dumb and easy heroine

This story started out really good. I thought after heart broken the h would’ve been a little harder to have sex with the H. I read kindle review before I purchased and there were more positive review than negative one. None of the review stated that she would have sex on the first date. Don’t believe everything you read! I love romance stories. However, I don’t like dumb and easy heroine. This one definitely got that. That said, if you like those two traits in the story, this one is for you!

1 person found this helpful

What is this?????

What am I reading? Mason is a jerk and lewd. Bee is turned on by Mason being rude to her, bossing her around and saying sexually inappropriate things to her on a first date after stealing her taxi like the asshole he is but is disgusted that her boss wants to buy her a drink? The characters have no depth. There’s no chemistry just having sex at first meet. No buildup. What a waste of a credit. So sad.

love!

loved the book. Mason and b's story is perfect. the only thing that threw me off a little was that there were a male and female narrator. yet they performed the male and female voice from each of their perspectives vs having each other fill those parts. still loved it!

she does it again

I love the Caldwell and hunter books. I am so anxious waiting for the last empire high book but this was a great stepping stone!!

Hot and Steamy

love Mason and Bee and the struggles they face. Sometimes we need to learn to let go.