Rating: 4.25 stars
Buy Link:
Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel

 

Austin Ash is famous. He’s a musician, but he’s also famous for being famous. When he was in high school, he created YouTube content, and he then became the chaotic kind of famous. The media follows his every move and they are just waiting for Austin’s next blow up. It’s his brand and he works it to his advantage because if Austin isn’t being talked about, he’s afraid he will be forgotten. His latest meltdown that went viral landed him a brief time out, and Austin is ready to own the spotlight once again. The best place for that is presenting an award at The Snowglobes where all eyes will be on him—it’s just the way it is.

Marco Palmer comes from a family that is music royalty. His parents are famous composers of film scores and while Marco is also a musician, he likes that his career allows him to move almost unnoticed. That is until he gets a part on an award-winning TV show that makes him front page news. Marco was all set to spend time at the family mountain cabin alone, but how he wound up with Austin Ash in his car and then snowed in at the cabin with him is certainly the question everyone wants answered.

Austin is desperate to get back to his life, but spending time with his high school crush has its perks too. Marco makes him feel safe in a way that he can’t explain, and Marco also seems to be able to see exactly what Austin needs—a firm hand. But Austin has recently been burned by his ex and while he wants to trust Marco, Austin is always one step away from his next tantrum. There may be a blizzard outside, but the heat between the men is about to change everything.

Misha Horne bills this book as one with “no plot, just naughty vibe goodness” and while I’ll agree on the naughty vibes, this book had more plot and more character development than I was led to believe and that made it an all-around great read for me.

Austin is a mess. He knows it and the media thrives on it. He wanted to be rich and famous so badly and now that he is, he has no idea how to manage it and no one is there to guide him as everyone wants to take advantage of him or expose him. Marco steps in when he thinks Austin is in real trouble and that leads to their story.

The book takes place mostly at the cabin when they are snowed in. Austin is livid that he’s stranded, but Marco starts to see the need behind Austin’s tantrums and wants to be the one to guide him and be the one to dispense the consequences to keep Austin in line. We get a great sense of Austin here. He knows he’s not seen as a person anymore, just a headline, but Marco truly sees him and Austin wants more of it, but they’ll fight each other and themselves to get to each other.

Marco is Austin’s opposite in upbringing and lifestyle and, although they are close in age, Austin sees Marco as old fashioned and outdated. Marco doesn’t want any of the media attention that Austin craves, but he wants Austin and he’s willing to step out of his comfort zone for Austin. I was waiting for the point where they left the cabin and more drama followed Austin, but the men fall for each other in a few days and then make changes to their lives to accommodate each other. It’s easy to go with it on this one and see Marco and Austin embrace their kink, while wanting to rearrange their lives to stay together.

Snowed in with Benefits has good characters, a great setting, and plenty of heat as two men who think they are lost find what they need in each other.