On Shaky Ground

On Shaky Ground was previously published in Boundless Love Anthology by Andrew Grey in 2018. For me, this was another home run by the author. I was a little worried because it was only seventy pages, and for me, his short stories are either a hit or miss, but this one was definitely a hit. His short stories sometimes feel like reading the first part of a book that needs to be a lot longer, so they come off as being a teaser. Not with this one. This book had a complete story to it with engaging characters and a great plot. I loved it.

I loved Martin. He built his business from the ground up with hard work and intuition. Due to degenerative eye disease, he’s learned to rely on his other senses to feel out the competition and uses modern technology like conference calls and email reading technology to get around his disability and not let the people that he broker deals with know that he has a disability. However, to realize his dream of going international, he just needs to broker one last deal. However, this client wants to meet and do the deal in person, and so Martin needs to finally secure an assistant that won’t instantly quit on him.

I loved Brock. Brock has an MBA, but he’s having a horrible time finding a job. He put in an application for a job at the company that he would love to work at, but when he gets a callback, it is for an assistant position something that he is overqualified for. But he’s desperate for money and agrees to the position knowing that he will to continue to look for a job that he’s qualified for. He’ll do whatever’s needed to keep the demanding, fussy, and intensely private Mr. Graham happy. He ends up learning a lot from him and respecting him. He also finds himself wildly attracted to his boss and they have some awesome chemistry.

I loved how they interacted together. Everything about Brock gets under Martin’s skin in ways that he never expected, which makes him realize that a successful business isn’t the only component to a happy future. Companionship’s also important. But as Martin’s deal comes together, one of the prices could be the relationship that Martin’s just starting to believe could be real.

Want to know what happens? You’re going to have to read the book to find out.

I was hooked from chapter one. It's surprising how much Andrew Grey managed to fit into this novella. It goes from the main characters meeting to them being together in a relatively short time while still maintaining a believable timeline. Not only does this novella have interesting and engaging personalities, but it also has development and communication between everyone introduced.

You get to see not only the relationship between Brock and Martin grow, but a company do so as well. Another point in favor of this book is that it manages a level of intimacy between Bock and Martin without going into too many details, allowing your mind to come up with what goes behind closed doors.

Without giving it away, I would also like to state that the ending was lovely, and perfect for the couple. I -as always- look forward to Andrew Grey's next book!

Brock has an MBA but having trouble finding a job for his qualifications. He is offered a job in the company of his dreams but only an office assistant. When he meets his hot boss though the job has its perks.
Martin has a hard time keeping an assistant. all his other employees love their work and turnover is low but that one job. Martin needs an assistant for a big merger he is doing and though Brock is overqualified, Martin has met his match.
On Shaky Ground is a fast-paced, sexy office romance. As usual Andrew Grey created two great characters. I loved that Martin is nearly blind so through the romance grows quickly it isn't a physical thing. Or at least not attraction through sight. They develop a great office relationship that turns into more.
I would have liked this story a little longer to get more background on Brock and perhaps a little more on Martin and his condition that is making him blind but having said that this is a good complete story with a happy ending.
If you are looking for something short, interesting, sexy and fun, love, men with a challenge, wealthy men, May/December, and an office romance this is for you!

Damn! I loved On Shaky Ground from the first page. This Andrew Grey book just captivated me and I couldn't put it down.

Martin may be a tough guy to work for, but he has good reasons for being so tough. With extremely limited eye-sight, he needs an assistant who's helpful and understanding. When Brock is hired, he's just the man that Martin needs.

Martin's super impressive, with a ton of success despite his limitations. And I love the way Brock interacts with him. I enjoy their mutual attraction, as well as the way they both try to fight it. Their relationship is strong, with great chemistry and an even better bond. The story's rather simple, with little angst and a happy ending.

On Shaky Ground is a fun, sweet short read by Andrew Grey. I definitely enjoyed it a lot.

POV ~> Third-person

The cover composition did not appeal to me. The two models separated as they are did not feel romantic, though I think I get what the cover artist was trying to do with the loss of visual perception concept. I did like the strange font and color choices though they are not as strong as they could have been. In this case, it was the author name that caught my attention and the fact that I’ve read a few of his books with differently-abled characters that drew me in.
Martin is a self-made man, despite his failing eyesight. Now nearly completely blind, he’s facing one of the largest business deals in his career and his latest assistant just quit. He has very particular and demanding expectations and does not shy away from being up-front about them.
Brock graduated NYU with an MBA but nobody’s been hiring. When he gets a call from one of his dream job companies, he jumps at the opening – no questions asked. Never did he expect to be an assistant to Martin Graham. If he wants to make rent this month, he’d be stupid to pass up being the most overqualified secretary ever.
The attraction is mutual and instant, though they are determined to keep things professional. Spending so much time in close confines only draws them closer.
This is a short story originally found in an anthology. For its length, there’s good character development and a nicely-formed relationship bond. The chemistry is there. The story is short and sweet with little drama and/or angst. Both men are mature enough to speak their minds quickly enough to avoid complications. Predictability is on par with the plot and length. Solid enough HFN type ending.
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Rating: [PG-13] ~ Score: 4.1 ~ Stars: 4
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⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐