ARC REVIEW : Coming Clean : Monkey Business Trio #3 by C.L. Parker

 SCHEDULED RELEASE DATE : SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

They have been rivals who fought until the bitter end and lovers who know every sensual inch of each other’s bodies. Now sports agents Cassidy Whalen and Shaw Matthews are about to become the one thing they never expected to be: parents. But this new dynamic to their relationship threatens to fizzle the sizzling desire that once held them in thrall to each other. If salvation is only a forbidden fantasy away, then Shaw and the woman he loves must embark on the adventure of their lives.

Cassidy is aching to reignite their connection. In steamy assignations in strange places, she and Shaw live out their most intimate desires—and reveal their deepest secrets. But as Shaw works overtime to sign a superstar athlete, a corporate reshuffling could be a game-changer. Can Cassidy and Shaw save their relationship and have it all—a career, family, and passion that never quits?

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

I’m so sad to see this little series come to an end. Cassidy and Shaw are one of my favorite duos that I occasionally loved to hate. From the start I was hooked on their relationship. The sex, the fights, the SEX, the tears. Coming Clean wrapped up beautifully in a most unusual way.

Getting Rough ended with Cassidy and Shaw expecting a bundle of nerves in the form of a baby and battling over main position at their company. Coming Clean opens with Cassidy and Shaw freaking out over their baby coming into the world and Shaw as the big man of the company. I’m a little bothered that we get no newborn/new parents moments as the story fast forwards THREE YEARS! WTF?!

In the future we get our dickish Shaw back and totally self absorbed Cassidy with a little less punch on both sides. It is clear these two love their son and each other but still have so much to work through. It hits you that these two are practically strangers whose only real connection is their intimacy and their child. That is in a total of maybe 4 years completely? It's a major moment of clarity for the reader and the characters themselves as they seek couples therapy…and a little extra.

As the story closes out, Shaw and Cassidy finally overcome all their issues (holy hell there were a lot) and go out as only they and their Monkey Business buds can.

GIANT CON

While I enjoyed this book, there was one massive flaw that made me wonder where the author’s head was and why she thought this was okay?

During a Cassidy and Chaz conversation:

I guffawed. “I can’t rape him.”

“Trust me, honey, you can’t rape the willing. And men are always willing,” he said with a wink as he took another drink of beer.

This was not okay AT ALL. I don’t take rape lightly and I would hope Parker doesn’t either, hopefully enough to edit or remove the line.

Coming Clean : Monkey Business Trio by C.L. Parker via Amazon