Ow Ow with a twist. I loved this book, to the point that I was wanting to flip the page straight over to the second one as soon as I finished. The character build.. and unexpected twist was just fantastic and it added such a great, honest dynamic to the story. Nairne, is who I want to be when I grow up. She is strong, she is fierce, she is kind, and she pushes everyone around her to be better. And Zed... well Zed is who I want to HAVE when I grow up. Man oh man. I just.. I loved it. And his life, the choices he makes, he is strong and fierce in his own ways and you can see his heart shining through the second you meet him.. even if its guided by his wiener at first.

I enjoyed this story, it was definitely more than I expected to read and I definitely appreciated some aspects and twists I didn't see coming. However, there were some things that didn't make sense to me and I had some issues. I don't know if it's because it's been a while since I read an alpha hero or a BDSM kind of book. Although, I don't think this was my main problem. I really liked the characters as individuals, but together I didn't feel much of a chemistry or a connection, so maybe that's that. I did like how smart, fiesty and independent the heroine was and I also loved how loyal and sweet he could also be. I will be reading the next one, to see how their story is going to develop and hopefully it will be even more enjoyable for me. Not a bad start for a debut novel :)

In this first installment of Chloe Liese's new "Tough Love" series, two exceptional and headstrong young adults share an immediate and combustible attraction and then gradually come to terms with the fact that their romance is far more than a limited term sexual arrangement, She's a senior at MIT and he's a professional soccer player, Harvard grad, philanthropist and secret mob boss! Throughout, Nairne and Zed face extreme threats to their lives and their blossoming relationship, mainly as a result of Zed's underworld ties. It's all a bit over the top and silly but fun. One of the most notable aspects of both this book and its sequel is that it portrays a desirable, highly capable heroine living with reduced mobility and other health challenges resulting from a spinal chord injury. The author handles Nairne's physical limitations with care, knowledge and respect, neither downplaying nor catastrophizing what it means for her romantically and sexually. This enriches the character and the romantic relationship significantly and is one of book's greatest strengths. Another point in its favor is that the story is predictably steamy in the style of a lot of contemporary new adult romance, but in a credible and thoughtful way that reflects a healthy exploration of consent, boundaries and preferences.

The main issue that keeps this novel from being great, however, is that it often suffers under the weight of its own ambitions. Both Nairne and Zed are supposed to be exceptionally gifted both physically and intellectually, and highly accomplished at a young age. Intelligence and quick wittedness are their defining characteristics and an essential part of their mutual attraction. That intellect, however, is not successfully reflected in the writing. Their internal dialogue and conversations are strangely formal at times. The characters express themselves in ways that don't ring true, often reaching for a five-dollar word (and misusing it) when a simpler one would work far better. I got the impression that this is supposed to reflect their elite educations, but this is not how MIT students and Harvard grads speak. Rather than worldly and erudite, they sometimes seem like teenagers trying on an adult pose. For readers not put off by those awkward choices, however, the romantic narrative is sweetly engaging and the relationships between the two main characters and their family and friends are refreshingly healthy.

One overbearing hero and one feisty heroine makes for one incredibly hot story! With her debut book, Chloe Liese has quickly put herself on my must-read list!

Zed was an insanely hot Italian-American playboy soccer player who possessed hidden depths. Chapter by chapter, the many layers that made up his personality became clear. He was intense, loyal, considerate, intelligent, compassionate, moral, and incredibly sexy. He carried the weight of the world on his shoulders and pain was just another moment to live in. He lived by a set of rules and his relationships had to follow them. So why is he so wildly attracted to a woman who was so different? She didn't bow, submit or surrender. Her fiery temper matched her red hair and he couldn't get enough. She pushed, he pulled, and together they made magic. I LOVED Zed!!

Nairne was a passionate Scottish lass with extraordinary acuity. Honestly, her brain was fascinating. Despite her disability, she was larger than life and I admired the heck out of her. A dark past gave her the reason to reinforce her walls. Never again would she be at the mercy of a man. And most definitely not the cocky, arrogant, ridiculously attractive man who was Zed. No matter how irresistible he is or how enticing his offer may be. Nope. Not doing it. But she could only hold out for so long. Pretty soon, she too sees the stunning and fascinating man we've come to know. And then it's beautiful chaos.

Mafia trouble was mentioned here and there, and though it obviously weighed heavily on Zed, this story was about two people who couldn't be more incompatible coming together to give each other exquisite pleasure. While this was supposed to be a fling, the heart can't help but muck things up. I enjoyed the journey of this story from beginning to end. Whether it was the banter, the internal thoughts of the character, or how this story flowed so fluidly that I didn't miss a step, I really liked this book. I may not be the biggest fan of the D/s relationship being explored in books (I usually pass on these types of books), the author made it almost seem natural. Despite Nairne's initial instinct to fight it, which was a realistic response, it did work for her and Zed and I'm looking forward to seeing more of these characters in the books to come.

Zed really is a brute! If you like your heroes a bit OTT with a heavy side of kink, you'll love him just as much as I do!!

I liked this book but did not love it. I liked the characters and look forward to the next instalment.

My thanks to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Yes, I liked it but all in all it is only an okayish book which entertained me for a while. The first few pages made me laugh and I knew I would love this. It reminds me a bit of "Can't Beat the Chemistry".
After this the protagonists hormones got activated and all they could think about is sex. Every second sentence has in one way or another a sexual hint. This isn't my cup of tea, especially when it becomes so explicit. On top of that: the only creative thing about the sex scenes is the change of scenery. If you need some 50 Shades of Grey vibes with more intelligent characters, this is your book.
But there is a lot of other stuff going on which is very good. Nairne is an independent woman and doesn't want to make unecassary compromises. She fights for her equalitiy in every single way. Her disability makes her an even more powerful character. If she isn't thinking about sex, she analyses her surroundings. Therefor there is not a stupid and unecassary misunderstanding or conflict. The small amount of drama that is going on is realistic. She and Zed try to communicate as best they can and remind each other to do it. I like that a lot!
I thought because of some reviews that the ending would be a big cliffhanger. Thank god this isn't the case. There is a little surprise but tbh if you want you can see that coming. Which makes me more excited about the second book is the mafia indication. Especially with Nairne this could become a really clever plotline.

The book is exciting. I love how the author built the character and the backstory.

Even though the plot is quite cliche, arrogant yet sexy manly man with a nerdy women with troubled past, but the author manage to add her unique touch. Our hero has his weakness and our heroine is not a damsel in distress but quite vocal and opinionated.

It's really fun to read and I can't put it down.

HE'S A BRUTE was a cover love, blurb appealing arc click. There's a lot going on in this contemporary romance with a slice of the erotic. It's a tale of two very strong MC's who were multi-talented. Zed is a background mafia boss-second, professional footballer (soccer, you American guys!) and lead of an ethically sound organisation; he was something of a contradiction to himself. Nairne was an ex-pro footballer, a scientist and she battling some pretty heavy baggage. I felt like there was almost a bit too much going on with these characters.

The two clashed with strong personalities and there was a tangible attraction between them but despite this, I didn't always feel their connection. What ensues between these two was a contract, some dominance and submission which really isn't my bag, but it was fairly mild. I didn't always buy Nairne's ability to submit to Zeb. I found Zeb's desire to care of Nairne controlling despite his arguments to Nairne about this actual issue and so I didn't feel that attached to them as a couple.

This book has the most amazing disability rep, truly fabulous. I loved the way the sexuality of this character was written with this in mind. Their sexual relationship wasn't hindered by the disability but it was totally interwoven into what they did and how they did it. Total kudos to the author for this. This aspect of the book is part of why I am still interested in reading more from this series.

I didn't always love the writing style of this book and I found the intimate scenes weren't that interesting. HE'S A BRUTE was a debut and the story of Zeb and Nairne will continue across two more books. This isn't an abrupt end but I do find I want to know more about these two and I will probably read on with these characters. Book two is out now, with book three to come.

The book was just an ok read for me. I found the heroine to be feisty and I enjoyed her commentary. The hero just was a no for me. I'm sure other people will enjoy this book but it wasn't for me.

You shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Or, in this case, you shouldn't expect a certain kind of book based on the cover. But, I have to admit, that with this one, I did. I was wrong but pleasantly wrong. What I expected was a light-hearted, almost rom-com style of read, before I got into this. Now I have to admit that on the whole, I prefer something a little meatier to that, although I don't mind them from time to time. As it was, I got something a with a whole lot more going for it than I expected with He's a Brute.
This is a trilogy, so much of this book sets up what I assume will be the ongoing story for the next two books. Even so, I don't want to give too much away, there were a couple of things that were revealed, fairly early on, that I didn't really see coming, so I'll keep quiet on those.
Although Nairne is quite dominating and feisty herself, her relationship with Zed, on a sexual level at least is with him being the dominant partner. I'm not always into these dynamics, but I actually enjoyed this one. It didn't seem overdone or something that was introduced just because every flipping erotic romance seems to have the same kind of kink in it at the moment.
Nairne is supposed to be Scottish, I say supposed to be as there were a couple of glaring errors that stood out to me and threw me out of the story momentarily. Firstly that she is forever drinking Scotch whiskEy. This isn't a spelling difference, it's always whisky when from Scotland. Also, at one point Zed puts something in the bonnet of his car. This part is told from Narine's point of view and while I'm sure that she would use the UK terms rather than trunk and hood, the bonnet of the car is the front, while the bit at the back that you store things in is called the boot. Of course, these things don't really matter and there are probably 101 things that were right it's the little things that stand out. It didn't ruin the story at all though, just irritated me for a minute or two.
As I mentioned before, this book is number one in a trilogy. I'm not sure where it's going to go next, but I do have book two ready to go and find out. I'll be getting straight into that one. Either way, I'd recommend you get stuck into book one right away and follow Zed and Nairne's story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

First things first: There’s a major point in He’s a brute that you won’t find anywhere. The heroine’s “phisicality” (I’m not going into specifics, because the way it’s thrown at the reader is actually clever, imho, glimpsed but not revealed until the hero finds out) is something I’ll praise forever, because I’ve never seen it in any romance. It means being inclusive, diverse, and open-minded all in one place, and I’m all for it.
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Step back. Nairne is an MIT researcher, feisty, no-nonsense kind of woman, former
Footballer, but in Europe where football actually means something, with a heavy past. Zed is her temporary boss, soccer player, a Mafia prince and a real Dom.
🍓
Now, being Italian, I was pleasantly stunned by the amount of Italian words (some were not exactly right in the structure, but a few and I didn’t mind), but mainly I couldn’t really buy the Mafia stuff, it looked more like a Soprano episode than real.
⚽️
I loved their banter, the way Nairne thinks and speaks, all technical and scientific, how resilient and outspoken she is, and ready to get her pleasure no matter what. Although it’s very much steamy, for some reason the relationship between these 2 felt a bit cold. Maybe because they’re both uptight, and don’t give in to emotions easily, but i couldn’t really connect.
🍓
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Characters: ⚽️⚽️⚽️
Story: 🇮🇹🇺🇸
Trope: enemies to lovers
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (because of Nairne mainly)

The blurb sounded fantastic and I thought I’d give this author a try.

It was a weird beginning, but then slowly we read about the two main characters and how they meet.
***A bit of a spoiler ahead***

We find out that Nairne, from Australia, used to be a pro soccer player in Europe before her accident that leaves her partly paralyzed and bound to a wheelchair.
Zed is the spokesperson for his late mother’s Charity, a pro soccer player and in the Mafia.

I did not like Zed and his demanding ways to be honest. There was some chemistry, but no real character development.
I don’t know yet if I will read the conclusion anytime soon. I have too many standalone books on my tbr pile that seem more interesting right now.

I received this ebook copy from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review.

HE’S A BRUTE – Chloe Liese

A moody Italian pro athlete/mafia boss and a fiery, insanely intelligent and beautiful spitfire of a woman. Does THAT alone not make you want to pick this book up asap?!

The fire starts from chapter one. Oh no, there is no easing you into this one, it’s all systems go from chapter one. It gets your heart and blood pumping and before you know it, its past 12 am and you have to do the school run in the morning. Clever Chloe, very clever.

I read this book in one sitting. It played havoc with my emotions. One chapter he is a brute and in another a kind and caring dude with deadly ties to the Chicago underground.

I keep hearing/reading similarities to 50 Shades of Grey. Erm, where please? This book was in a league of its own. There was a play for power between two equally strong headed main characters. One wasn’t more dominant then the other. Chloe breaks convention with her female lead by not adhering to a stereotypical heroine. Nairne is a bioengineer, she was a pro former athlete and she has a disability caused by an injury and she can no longer use her legs. This was a breath of fresh air and my heart was so happy that I was not reading a cliched romcom. She was fiercely independent and I really digged that. No damsel in distress here please!
Oh, and if you weren’t already aware intelligence, geeky and smart is the new sexy (wink)

I absolutely loved the couple's chemistry and this book was an absolute delight to read. I loved the characters, the story, the humour and the romance. This book is exactly what you need in order to rekindle your interest in the romance genre. It is just the right amount of steamy and funny to grasp your attention.

A huge thank you to author for a copy of book two ‘She’s A Spitfire’. I cannot wait to lose myself in Zen and Nairne’s antics one more time.

2.5 Stars

This was...ok. Not quite as steamy as some people were saying and it could have done with a couple more chapters in order to develop the characters a little better, but I liked that our main female character, Nairne, was in a wheelchair and had overcome some things. Zed was all alpha male stereotypes rolled into one (minus being a part of an MC- but he was mafia, so close enough). Again, I just wished for a little more character development and moments where they got to know each other better. I feel that could have pushed this from being an ok romance to a good one.

The story of Nairne and Zed really kep me captivated throughout. The tale of how they met, their back story and their steamy relationship kept me reading! I enjoyed how the chapters were split between each of the characters, telling the tale from their perspective. I enjoyed it so much I went straight on to book 2 and look forward to reading book 3.

Nairne used to be a professional football player until an injury changed her life, now she is in a wheelchair and has retrained as a Biomedical engineer at MIT also specialising in public health. As a result of this, she has made it to the board of a charity as a consultant

Zed is a bad boy, an English football player in Boston, unable to leave the city due to his mob connections and the subsequent retaliation to his family if he goes

Zed is horrified that Nairne is on his board as she hasn't even graduated, although she is very smart. He is also unaware of her disability until a way into the story

Attraction blooms between them and they decide to give a relationship a go

However will his mob ties, her disability and the spectre of her leaving the states at the end of the school year due to rising medical bills prevent them from being together?

I enjoyed this book and it has a sexy side to it, however this played to its strengths and worked to bring the reader closer to the characters as well as the characters closer together

This book is fun to read and the fighting between Zed and Nairne drew me in and made me connect with them more. I also enjoyed the split between the characters voices being heard and telling the story

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a sexy story with fight and bite!

Wow! This book was steeeeeeeeamy! it was a nice and quick read. I appreciate what Liese was trying to do, but I feel like there were just too many topics covered in one book, which made it a tad too unrealistic for me, but I don't want to give any spoilers. It just felt like the main characters were dealing with one life problem after the other. I would still recommend for a fun and steamy read. Definitely adults only.

I really enjoyed this one. It's a quick read, and the characters are multi-faceted and interesting. The romance is steamy, and they have a lot of chemistry between them. I'm looking forward to reading the second book.

I want to thank NetGalley, Chloe Liese, and the publisher for an Arc copy of this book. I am not usually super into books with a dom/submissive relationship but the cover and reading the blurb about this story made me realize I had to read this book.
Can you say wowza? Zed and Nairne are on fire. They have a lot of chemistry in this book and it is very steamy. This book was different and that is what I think I liked so much about it. Nairne was a soccer player before an injury ended her athletic career. She is now a bioengineer and the boss at her new job ends up being Zed. Zed is also part of the mafia. They have instant chemistry when they meet in a meeting and end up starting a dominant and submissive relationship in the bedroom. There was a lot going on in this book and it really had my attention. I was sad to finish it before realizing I also had the second book to read and review. If you are looking for something exciting and a little bit different check this book out. Great debut.

I have to say, I thought I knew what to expect with this book, but it was not at all what I expected in so many different ways. Thanks to Netgalley for the ecopy of the book in exchange for a review!
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So, I was not quite prepared for the 50 shades of Gray level of steam in this one. I knew it was steamy, but not quite mentally prepared for this next level. That aside, I did enjoy this debut novel. I find I have trouble in general with romances whose male protagonist is dominating and controlling, but Zed is very caring toward Nairne and I eventually grew to like him.
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My favorite part of this story is that there are multiple levels and layers to it, and that Nairne is such a strong willed character. I love that both characters play my favorite sport (soccer), the Italian mafia plot line and Nairne’s past adds a mystery dynamic that’s refreshing to read in a romance. Finally, I loved that it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.
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This one did take a bit to get into, but if you’re prepared for 50 shades level of steam and a bit of mystery mixed with your romance, you’ll definitely enjoy this one!
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This was 3.5 stars for me!