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Blurb
Hot. Flirty. Romantic.
It all started as pretend…
My best friend, and one of the most powerful men in New York, needed my help.
Our first kiss was unexpected—but it still made my skin sizzle, my knees go weak.
The next one was in front of his tight-knit family. We had to be convincing. But it was so wicked hot, it almost convinced me too.
On our first night together, he told me that I had to keep us both in check, because he didn’t know how to keep the lines from blurring…
He touched me like I was precious, and held me close… barely stopping his fingers from pushing down the straps of my dress…
On our second night, our banter turned to flirting. Hunter—my best friend was now Hunter—the man. Intense. Alluring. Sexy as hell.
How was I supposed to not fall in love?
Review
4 stars!
A beautifully sweet, swoony and romantic friends-to-lovers/marriage of convenience love story, this book swept me up in its swoon, and I fell in love with these characters and their gorgeous romance.
“No one would believe us, you know. That we’d marry.”
“That we’re suddenly in love? Why not? Would it be so unbelievable that I’ve fallen for you after so many years of friendship? That you’re the one?”
Hunter and Josie have been best friends since high school, and for 15 years they have been there through ups and downs and they know each other inside and out. When Hunter runs into immigration trouble and needs a wife quickly, it’s only natural that he turns to his bestie for help, and Josie, willing to do anything to help him and keep him in her day-to-day life, agrees to marry him. They figure it’s an easy transition for them to make, and after a few years they’ll divorce and their lives will go back to normal… except it doesn’t exactly work out that way.
There were two sides to Hunter. One I know: my friend, my rock. The other: the man. Pure masculinity. Pure testosterone.
OMG, I love the setup to this story! Hunter and Josie already have a bit of a crush on each other but they’ve never ever confessed it out loud, not wanting to ruin the best thing in their lives. But suddenly they’re all up in each other’s spaces 24/7 having to kiss and touch and gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes, and the chemistry becomes all too apparent and it’s both hot and hilarious watching them deal with the changes in their relationship.
“You’re avoiding looking at me. Is it because I saw you naked or because I sported a raging hard-on for you?”
I was reading with a tingling sense of anticipation waiting for all of that sexual tension to explode, and it doesn’t take too long for it all to become too much, and things suddenly become steamy as two best friends get to know each other in a whole new way.
“Fuck, Josie. Keep me in check, okay?” … “I can’t keep the lines from blurring. I don’t know how.”
It’s sexy and sweet, and they manage to maintain their playfulness, which I love, and it’s all so natural! It just seems to happen and I love that they just follow their hearts (and other parts) and just go with it. Understandably, there are issues for them to deal with as they navigate the new them, but it’s part of their journey and I thought it was beautifully written.
“I don’t know how to do this,” I admitted. “Be married to you and not want more than friendship.”
“You’re the most important person in my life, and I don’t want to screw this up.”
The drama is there (both outside of and within the relationship), but it’s minimal and it’s resolved quickly. And we get a beautiful love story that is full of passion and fun, and I loved watching these two come together.
“Things changed between us, Josie, and I like the way they are. I fucking love it. Being with you, sharing my life with you…it’s incredible.”
This is the first book in a new series by this this author, and she establishes the family group really well, setting up the close bond between Hunter and the cousins he was raised with, and I’m so excited to read more about these characters.
I loved this one. 4 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
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About the Author
Welcome! My name is Layla Hagen and I am a Contemporary Romance author.
I fell in love with books when I was nine years old, and my love affair with stories continues even now, many years later. I write romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world. And I drink coffee. Lots of it 😀
SIGN UP FOR MY MAILING LIST and find out about future books as soon as they are released! (just copy and paste this link in your browser to sign up): http://laylahagen.com/mailing-list-sign-up/
I am represented by Louise Fury (The Bent Agency)
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