Title: Takeover
Author: D.J. Manly
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novella (108pgs)
Publisher: Total E-Bound (15th April 2013) Available from 18th March from TEB VIP club.
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥3 Hearts
Reviewer: Pixie
Blurb: Clive is sent to take over Frost Trucking…Seth intends to protect his grandfather from corporate greed…and desire has plans of its own.
Corporate greed is in abundance in today’s economy, and Seth Frost is about to come face to face with it in the person of Clive Roberts.
Clive Roberts comes to Port Credit as a representative of a large trucking corporation—there to take over Frost Trucking, a company on the verge of bankruptcy. Seth Frost had taken time off from his job in the city to visit his grandfather in the hospital. He resents the fact that Roberts is there in Port Credit like a circling piranha, watching his ailing grandfather…just biding his time till he’s able to take over a company his grandfather built from scratch.
But there’s more to Roberts than meets the eye. In spite of his reason for being there, Seth feels a little off balance when he looks into his eyes. Forced to work together to get the best deal for Seth’s grandfather, the attraction between the two men grows. 
Clive may well be there to take over the trucking company, but can Seth stop Clive from also taking over his heart?
Reader Advisory: This story has been previously released as part of the Sins of Spring anthology by Total-E-Bound
Purchase Link: http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=&P_ID=2069
Review: Clive has one goal in life and that is to always have enough, enough food, enough money, enough everything. After a harrowing childhood where Clive never had anything, he now works hard to make sure he is never in that position again. But, when he meets Seth he will take a chance and change because once he has a taste of love nothing else matters. Seth is determined to protect his grandfather and the town from corporate greed, but Clive gets under his skin and he works out a way to save the company and give his grandfather something to look forward to. But, Seth discovers the truth and turns his back on Clive and Clive has to scramble to find a way to save the company and his love.
This is a good story of hotshot corporate shark finding love and changing his ways. Clive is a great character who has suffered hardship in his childhood. He watched his sister die due to neglect and malnutrition and has sworn to never be in that position again, and if that means being seen as a cold heartless man, then so what, at least he won’t go without. Seth rushes to help his grandfather when he discovers that his grandfather is ill and his business in trouble, but what he discovers is so much worse than he thought. The business has two options, bankruptcy or Clive’s company. But, he needs assurances that the company’s doors will remain open. The two get to know each other, but lies get in the way and Clive ends up trying to prove that he can change.
Seth is a good guy. He gave up the opportunity for a good paying job to work for the poor and has never regretted it. When he meets Clive, he feels an instant pull to the guy which rapidly develops into love. Clive has a shell around his heart that Seth shatters and makes him want to be a better man. Together they make a great couple, but I felt that they fell in love too quickly. Over just a couple of weeks and in an awkward situation, it felt rushed. The story is well written and it flows well. You get a good feel for both characters and you hope that they do work it out and they get their happily ever after.
I will recommend this if you love corporate sharks who have a change of heart, a good guy who can forgive, some hot sex and a very happy ending.