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Risk Taker (Mixed Messages Book 3) Kindle Edition

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 2,649 ratings

Being in love with your best friend is hard.

Henry’s the odd man out. All his friends are settling down, and his reputation as the Hook-Up King of London seems more like a curse than a blessing these days. Especially when it keeps photojournalist Ivo, his best friend and the brilliant man he’s loved since they were fifteen, at arm’s length. But that’s where Ivo wants him, right?

Putting aside his feelings, Henry decides to give up casual sex and look for the real deal. After all, he has no chance with Ivo - or does he?

Henry is everything to Ivo. Best friend, soul mate, the one person who has never let him down. The one person he is loyal to above everything and everyone. But Henry’s in a box marked best friend and that’s where Ivo’s kept him for nearly twenty years, despite steadily falling in love with the gentle man. And besides, why would Henry want to date Ivo? Burned out and injured, he’s the walking embodiment of damaged.

Distance has helped Henry and Ivo keep a lid on their attraction, but when they find themselves in the same city for a change—Ivo hurt and needing assistance, and Henry more than willing to provide it—the two best friends grow closer than ever, forcing a realization, and a decision. Risk their friendship for their hearts? Or can they have both?

From the bestselling author of Rule Breaker and Deal Maker comes a tender love story about two best friends who are perfect for each other, and always have been - if only they knew it.

This is the third book in the Mixed Messages series, but it can be read as a standalone.

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Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07FM48TW5
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lily Morton (July 22, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 22, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4490 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 308 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 2,649 ratings

About the author

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Lily Morton
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Lily is a bestselling gay romance author. She writes love stories filled with heat and humour.

She lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven't had a proper conversation with her since she got her Kindle.

Lily has spent her life with her head full of daydreams, and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else would she get to spend her time with hot and funny men?

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations - Chocolate Baileys!

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,649 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoyed the book's romance and humor. They found the storyline satisfying and epic. Readers appreciated the writing quality and evocative language. The characters were described as wonderful and complex. The book was described as heartbreaking and funny, with less angst than expected.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

37 customers mention "Romance"37 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's romance. They find it a great friends-to-lovers story, full of love and laughter. It's delightful watching their love grow. The characters are described as sweethearts and perfect for each other. The story is about family, friendship, and loyalty.

"...flawed characters, wonderful plots, lots of laughs and total, total love." Read more

"...But these two have a beautiful bond. And when they finally get together they are so happy...." Read more

"...are a wonderful mix of complex characters, beautiful emotion, angsty love, sizzling sex and sweet HEAs.. everything that we want in an MM story...." Read more

"...I loved seeing all of the ways that their friendship grew over the years and how they became instrumental in each other's lives...." Read more

34 customers mention "Readability"34 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book and find it a great addition to the series. They appreciate the characters and plots. However, some readers find the ending fabulous.

"...and you will be treated to superb if terribly flawed characters, wonderful plots, lots of laughs and total, total love." Read more

"...Still, this is a lovely book with lovely characters. I really enjoyed getting to see Jude and Asa and Dylan and Gabe again, too...." Read more

"...great to see the other couples from the previous books and the HEA is simply fabulous. 😍..." Read more

"...It all just worked so well. It was a nice addition to the series, because Henry is such a nice character, that he too, deserved his HEA." Read more

28 customers mention "Humor"28 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They find the characters, plots, and snarky dialogue humorous. The British humor is appreciated.

"...treated to superb if terribly flawed characters, wonderful plots, lots of laughs and total, total love." Read more

"...those first two, especially the second book, Deal Maker, is the amazing banter—chef’s kiss!..." Read more

"...Henry's adorable, sweet and caring. Easy to love. He has some nice British humor as well, which I love too...." Read more

"...I really enjoyed the book, the caring, the laughs, the banter and the sex. It was all good stuff. I just dislike petty shows...." Read more

25 customers mention "Story quality"25 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story. They find the storyline amazing and epic. The love scenes are well-done, and the epilogue is wonderful. Readers appreciate the premise setting certain expectations for each book, but the detours and unwinding bring it to a satisfying conclusion.

"...Henry is smart, funny, self-deprecating but self-confident, too. He loves Ivo...." Read more

"...I loved seeing therapy viewed positively and done well in this story...." Read more

"...Oh! I'd be a fool not to add that Lily Morton gives us an epilogue that is so damn wonderful, I didn't know if I wanted to cry because my heart was..." Read more

"...It has been a great series so far. I loved getting to read Henry's story...." Read more

24 customers mention "Writing quality"24 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing quality of the book. They praise the dialogues, evocative language, and humor. The characters are well-developed and the emotions are conveyed effectively. Readers appreciate the letters beginning each chapter and the undercurrent of longing in each. Overall, the book is described as tight, well-written, and engaging.

"...Her stories are a wonderful mix of complex characters, beautiful emotion, angsty love, sizzling sex and sweet HEAs.. everything that we want in an..." Read more

"...This is a sweet romance in the way Lily Morton does best. Her writing is engaging and it always menages to draw me in from the first page...." Read more

"...Wonderful writing, beautiful characters who show what real love means, and a marvelous epilogue. Enjoy ! =====" Read more

"...As always, Morton wrote their feelings SO well that you cannot help but feel them yourself, but the biggest emotion here is pining, and the dual POV..." Read more

20 customers mention "Character development"20 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the characters and their development. They find the stories engaging with complex characters, emotional moments, angsty love, and passionate scenes. Readers also appreciate the realistic men in the books.

"...The subset characters are well developed as well...." Read more

"...I really like Henry and Ivo. They are great characters, and Morton gives us glimpses into their past and their friendship that helps make their bond..." Read more

"...Her stories are a wonderful mix of complex characters, beautiful emotion, angsty love, sizzling sex and sweet HEAs.. everything that we want in an..." Read more

"...And not for too long either. I love the characters she creates, they easily crawl under your skin and they're like some distant friends you want to..." Read more

8 customers mention "Stress level"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the story sweet and heartwarming with a bit less angst. They describe the romances as intelligent and well-written. The series is described as lovely, fun, and exasperating.

"...But that worked for me. These are two of the most conflicted, confused and cantankerous best friends-to-lovers you are likely to meet and how they..." Read more

"...This story has more sweetness and a bit less angst . And features some old friends!" Read more

"...These romances are not super stressful but have enough intelligent and well thought out angst to keep me stuck to the book until the HEA is well in..." Read more

"...Ivo is soulful, troubled, gorgeous and perfect for Henry. I loved the letters beginning each chapter, humor and the undercurrent of longing in each...." Read more

6 customers mention "Love for henry"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoyed the love between Ivo and Henry. They found their relationship troubled yet perfect for each other.

"...I've and Henry's love was moving. I am happy that I read this." Read more

"...I read the Sample for this book and loved Ivo & Henry :) You don't need to have read first two books to enjoy this book...." Read more

"...Ivo is soulful, troubled, gorgeous and perfect for Henry. I loved the letters beginning each chapter, humor and the undercurrent of longing in each...." Read more

"...I absolutely loved Henry and Ivo and I didn't want their story to end. Loved it!" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2019
    I adored the first two books in the series, and I am happy to see that Gabe and Dylan and Asa and Jude come along in this one from time-to-time to pound the emotions and brains of Henry (on the cover) and Ivo to come to their senses. Which each of them do, but not to each other for a long, long time.

    But that worked for me. These are two of the most conflicted, confused and cantankerous best friends-to-lovers you are likely to meet and how they handle themselves, and each other, is a treat every step of the way. Why? Because you know they are likely to have an HEA but you'll be darned if you know how that can possibly happen given their psyches and personalities.

    Along the way we really get to know Henry and Ivo--there is a liberal give and take of POV subchapters to fill in some of the blanks. In the end I just loved how they evolved from best friends to friends-with-benefits to boyfriends and all the trouble they get into along the way. The subset characters are well developed as well.

    However, I will freely admit that I was blindsided in a way when I tried to figure out how familiar Henry's brother Silas was--until I remembered that I had read the complete "Finding Home" series which begins with Silas' story before I read this series.

    So, fair warning: Read the "Mixed Messages" series first, then the "Finding Home" books and you will be treated to superb if terribly flawed characters, wonderful plots, lots of laughs and total, total love.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2023
    Summary: This book follows Henry, Gabe from Rule Breaker’s good friend, who also makes an appearance in Deal Maker. Henry has a reputation as a hookup king, but now that all of his friends are pairing up, the hookup scene is starting to feel stale. He wants what his friends have. Actually, he’s always wanted it, but he’s always wanted it with his best fiend Ivo. Problem is, Ivo made it clear years ago that they could never be anything but friends, and then he spent the next almost 20 years running around the globe as a photojournalist. Some part of Henry had been waiting for Ivo, but now he’s done waiting. It’s finally time to move on. Only now Ivo has been benched after a terrible injury—he needs to heal and to deal with his PTSD.

    Review: This book is a little more serious than the two previous books in the series. One of the things I loved about those first two, especially the second book, Deal Maker, is the amazing banter—chef’s kiss! This book has some fun banter, but not to the same extent. And while I miss that—it makes sense given the background of the two leads, especially Ivo, who is dealing with PTSD as well has having grown up with a narcissistic serial monogamist for a mother.

    I really like Henry and Ivo. They are great characters, and Morton gives us glimpses into their past and their friendship that helps make their bond believable. Henry is smart, funny, self-deprecating but self-confident, too. He loves Ivo. And he love him unselfishly—understanding that Ivo can’t really give him what he wants because Ivo has a restlessness that has always lead him to far-flung, dangerous locations, and he won’t ask Ivo to change for him.

    Ivo is smarter than he gives himself credit for. He’s also a super talented painter, yet he prioritizes his photography and photojournalism in an effort to make his dead father proud. He’s troubled by the things he’s seen and the BS his mother put on him—making him feel less than he is.

    But these two have a beautiful bond. And when they finally get together they are so happy. I just wish that it wasn’t mostly a lack of communication that caused their issues. I guess in a way that wasn’t really it—it was Ivo still believing that he had to keep leaving. But that belief kept him from talking to Henry a lot of the time. And maybe the outcome wouldn’t have happened any differently if they had spoken, but it might have happened with a little less angst.

    Still, this is a lovely book with lovely characters. I really enjoyed getting to see Jude and Asa and Dylan and Gabe again, too. I love that they are all such good friends, and I love the hint from the epilogue that they remain close. I also really appreciate how seriously Ivo’s PTSD is taken, depicting him seeking counseling and not shying away from the fact that therapy is necessary, but not an easy or a quick fix.
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2018
    4.5 Stars! 🤩💕 Loved it!! Lily Morton has fast become one of my fav authors.. I have loved all her MM books and this one is no different. Her stories are a wonderful mix of complex characters, beautiful emotion, angsty love, sizzling sex and sweet HEAs.. everything that we want in an MM story. 😍
    Henry (introduced in "Deal Maker"as Gabe's friend) was due a love-story of his own. As a reader of the series we knew that there was something holding him back from taking a plunge into a relationship. That hold-up was Ivo, his childhood friend/step-brother (sort-of), his partner-in-crime in all of their adolescent adventures and mischief. He has been in love with Ivo for as long as he can remember but despite the pining he is scared to confess his feelings because he doesn't want to lose the friendship. Ivo on the other hand, having had a tough childhood with absent parents has found a family in Henry and does not want to jeopardize that. On top of that Ivo's job as a photo-journalist is not ideal for a relationship with Henry due to all the travel and uncertainty.
    Ivo comes back from one his assignments injured and with some PTSD and for the first time he starts to crave some stability and Henry. Through some disastrous dates, both of them come to realize how much they love each other and want to be with each other. But the road to HEA is not easy; Henry does not want to come in the way of Ivo's career and Ivo does not want to be a burden.
    It is a beautiful love-story of best friends who are meant to be together. It's also great to see the other couples from the previous books and the HEA is simply fabulous. 😍
    2 people found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Leviatán
    3.0 out of 5 stars Nada más que lo que esperaba
    Reviewed in Spain on June 21, 2024
    Correcto sin más, no esperes muchas sensaciones ni una gran historias. Es básica, pero está bien escrita y mejor que la media de su categoría. Correcta.
  • Matteo
    5.0 out of 5 stars Bello
    Reviewed in Italy on January 10, 2024
    Lettura piacevole ed interessante.
  • Stéphanie Amesse
    5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely
    Reviewed in Canada on June 13, 2019
    That was lovely. Wonderful characters, delightful dialogue, laugh-out-loud funny and heartbreakingly tender. Highly recommended.
  • Soulgal
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Best!
    Reviewed in India on October 26, 2020
    Omigod. What an amazing book. It's so tender. I loved every second of it. The entire series was an emotional course on Love and it's joys.
    Loved the characters and their journeys.
    Highly recommended.
  • Kerry Fletcher
    5.0 out of 5 stars Ginger hottie alert!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 13, 2020
    Henry!! Ginger hottie alert! Last book in series and what a book!

    Henry is standing back and watching his friends get their happily ever afters. He's starting to get envious of what they have. He's already in love but its with someone he knows he can never have. His step brother and best friend Ivo. Knowing that it will never happen with Ivo, Henry gives up his hookup lifestyle and decides to search for a lasting relationship.

    Just as Henry decides this Ivo comes home. He's a journalist who travels the world getting the perfect shot in often dangerous places. Ivo is injured and in need of rest. He's been away longer than he's been at home because of his past. He loves Henry but knows he could never give him the life he should have and has stood back up till now.

    Seeing Henry trying to find the love of his life triggers Ivo into action.

    Oh my gosh! These two!! Broke my little heart they did! All those years! But the wait was worth it!

    Henry had me swooning all over the place. He was so besotted with Ivo my heart bled for him! His insecurity about Ivo's feelings for him just made me fall so hard!

    Poor Ivo. He took on his fathers words and the actions of his mother and had lived his life in their shadow. Although you could see the love he had for Henry my heart clenched for the inner boy lost in his own head.

    This series has just blown me away. So many funny parts i've smiled and laughed throughout. The dates in this one made me laugh hard! The sexy times were fire enducing pant wetters! Pheww! The love just shines outta these books and every time i think about or re-read this series i will do so with a smile on my face and a warm heart.

    Honestly can't recommend this series highly enough. Genius! Off to find out what else Ms Morton has in store for me!

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