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The Billionaire Bargain #1

The Billionaire Bargain #1

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Sexy Australian billionaire Grant Devlin is ruining my life. He exercises shirtless in his office, is notorious for his lunchtime nooners, he even yawns sexily. If I didn't need this job so bad, I'd take his black Amex and tell him where to swipe it.

He doesn't even know I exist, but why would he? He jets off to Paris with supermodels, I spend Friday nights with Netflix and a chunk of Pepperidge Farm frozen cake—waiting for his call. Because every time he crashes his yacht, or blows $500k on a single roulette spin in Monte Carlo, I’m the PR girl who has to clean up his mess.

But this time, it’s going to take more than just a fat charity donation. This time, the whole company is on the line. He needs to show investors that he’s settling down, and Step #1 is pretending to date a nice, stable girl until people forget about what happened with the Playboy Bunnies backstage at the Oscars.

My plan is perfect, except for one thing:

He picks me.

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First published January 15, 2015

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About the author

Lila Monroe

64 books1,941 followers
Combining her love of writing, sex and well-fitted suits, Lila Monroe wrote The Billionaire Bargain. Lila enjoys writing, as it gives her a flexible schedule to spend time with her kids and a wonderful excuse to avoid them. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, who strips out of his well-fitted suits nightly.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 432 reviews
Profile Image for Lady Gabriella of Awesomeness (SLOW).
522 reviews827 followers
December 16, 2016
★★★★4 Cinderella Like STARS ★★★★


BOOK 1: 5 Stars! +BOOK 2: 4 Stars +BOOK 3: 3 Stars
=(Average Rating) 4 STARS :)


Meet Lacey Newman .Smart,sweet,kind & Responsible are probably few words that describes her character the best .Outspoken yet shy Lacey embodies the cliched character of every guy's fantasy of 'The Girl Next Door.'The girl who has no idea just how much she's worth.

“I knew I shouldn’t care what some asshole with a distorted view of female beauty and an overdeveloped sense of entitlement thought, but it got so hard sometimes, you know? San Francisco maybe wasn’t as shallow as L.A., but still, there were times when the population of California seemed to be about thirty million blonde, size zero, surfer babes with long legs and zero cellulite, and then…me.

Lacey Newman. Always-tangled brown hair harboring enough static electricity for a storm cloud, skin that went scarlet as a lobster instead of tanning bronze, and curves that, while technically all in the right places, also proved that you could have too much of a good thing.”



And Grant Devlin? Well he is your typical Bad boy.The boy your mama warned you about.The guy almost every female within your 5 mile radius,is desperately in love with.

After numerous PR disasters,Grant's latest partying mishap turned out to be the last straw that broke the camel's back.
With stock values plummeting quickly,the Devlin company,is on the verge of a financial disaster.It was time to do some damage control.To show the older married investors that they can trust Grant and his company when it comes to their investments.And what better way to do that then pretend to be engaged to Miss Goody two shoes?



“This isn’t a life sentence, Lacey. We can stay engaged long enough for the share price to stabilize and to secure the buyout of Jennings’company. Nothing could be simpler.”

On paper,They're from two different worlds.One a prince,the other a pauper,Too different work.

They usually say Love can overcome it all.But with the whole world watching unbelievingly,ready to scrutinize their every move,can it this time around ?

“Well, of course it’s a business arrangement, you bargain-basement strumpet,”Portia said without looking up from her day planner, where she was circling some venue names and crossing out others.“Are all whores as naïve as you these days, or were you dropped on your head multiple times as a child?.....Given your entire lack of looks, skills, or suitable connections it was completely obvious that your nuptials were the final ingredient in some harebrained business deal cooked up by Grant in a last-ditch attempt to save the company from his own irresponsibility.”
description

The Billionaire Bargain came across very much like a fairy tale to me.
Sweet,responsible and kind Cinderella heroine burdened down by the demands of life and those around her.And a Rich,handsome and directionless Prince Charming Hero who basically drifts through life,partying and running way from responsibilities because of how constraining real life feels.

“When you don’t want to be hurt, you learn to pretend to care about nothing at all.”


-The series started out great with Book 1 earning a 5 star from me.Well written,quick & sweet I enjoyed the first novella at a shot with some warm coffee excited to move on to the next.

- Book 2 turned out to be slightly predictable with a lack in the plot development department but nevertheless I still enjoyed the read because by then I had grown to love the characters especially the heroine Lacey.She's just too adorable!

-Book 3 gets a little angst,which I thoroughly enjoyed ! Our leads go through the inevitable heartbreak part of the story which comes just before the climax.At this point I really did feel for Lacey.'The situation' was hurt both our protagonist equally so,But I hated how Grant handled the situation.He couldn't have been more of an ass if he had tried at that point.He gave too little but asked for too much really.

I was so damn frustrated with story but in a good way.In fact I got so much into the situation,I was actually sitting around and frowning about what I would Tell Grant WHEN I (not Lacey) saw him next.



So Why didn't I rate the last book a 4 or 5 ? That's because the CLIMAX WAS JUST TOO DAMN CLICHED! Everything about this story till then was great and very believable until the climax
.
The ending was rushed and just seemed at little too far fetched for me to believe. And for that -2 Stars !

Plus I do wish this book had alternative POVs than just Lacey's...I would have loved to read Grant's side in certain situations.The relationship seemed a little too one sided at times.I think alternative POVs could have solved that issue very effectively.

Would I recommend this read ?
Defiantly ! Super Sweet and low on angst.It's the prefect holiday read :)
P.S: Each novella in this series is not a standalone and must be read in order.All of them end in a cliffey note so I would recommend having the next book just out of reach before starting the first one.
Profile Image for Nissa | Of Pens and Pages Book Blog.
337 reviews1,031 followers
June 20, 2016
4 stars!

Okay. I'm starting to love Lila Monroe's female protagonists, and this is only her second book I've read!

For a long time, Lacey Newman has worked her ass off for Devlin Media Corp., working behind the scenes to fix the PR mishaps of the CEO, Australian hunk Grant Devlin. Throughout all of this, she's stayed invisible, her contributions to help the company stay afloat barely recognized by her boss, let alone Grant. But after the meeting about PR disaster that's causing the share price to fall, Grant offers to drive her home, and Lacey ends up going on a mega rant about his attitude and how hard she works to make sure his ass's reputation remains clean.

[I'm] the girl who scraped and grubbed and fucking sweated blood to get the scholarships to go to Stanford... I'm the girl who worked five jobs just to make ends meet until this one, and I did a damn good job at every one... I'm the fucking person who has to clean up all your messes, and you know what? It is getting damn old!


Of course, usually when you do that to your boss, you get fired. Instead, Lacey gets free lunch, and Grant's suddenly taken an interest in her. Plus, she gets a free late night make-out session and an almost hook-up with the same man.



To make sure the company doesn't crash and burn, Grant needs to clean up his act and settle down, so who else should play the role of his nice, stable girlfriend but Lacey? Yes folks, this is a fake relationship story!! Woohoo!

Lacey agrees to be Grant's fake girlfriend, and almost all is well—all was not well when Lacey bumped into Grant's prissy aunt Portia Dalton—until Grant decides to take the "relationship" a notch higher. Nothing says "settling down" than a giant engagement ring!

I love Lacey. She's such a strong, independent woman who worked hard to get where she is. She's always overlooked because she's not the prettiest or she's not model-thin, and although she's not your doormat heroine, she constantly reigns in her urge to go batshit on her boss's illogical bouts of anger--always directed at her. For a long time, she didn't complain, but really, a person can only take so much until she explodes.


She hated Grant's devil-may-care attitude, and whenever she's not lusting over his beautiful face and body, she's cursing him and his reckless escapades. Grant lives his life outside the office to the fullest, but he's as passionate about improving the company as much as Lacey is. He's quite an endearing man when he wants to be; like a puppy who follows you around, waiting for his ears to be scratched. It helps that he's this hot macho man with an accent.



I read the Billion Bargain in one sitting, and finished the following two in this trilogy the same day. It's a quick and fun read, and I would have given it a higher rating if not for the random editing flaws, specifically spacing.

Review posted on

Profile Image for Wendy'sThoughts.
2,670 reviews3,284 followers
November 26, 2022
4 A Quick Witted Fairy Tale Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free-Such A Deal, It's FREE!!!
We have all read romance novels based on the standard fairy tales... There is a "Prince Charming, a Wicked person, a Confidant, and our Heroine... the one who the story revolves around. This series is no different except it has a main gal who is quite charming, feisty, driven but with heart and goodness.

Lacey Newman is the type of woman who is part of the workforce today.
She is the backbone of every corporation; she handles all of the workloads for a "Devil wears Prada" type of boss. Every action, every moment coming from this witch is either a putdown or threat...Unfortunately, she is part of a company Lacey believes in and wants to contribute. Lacey continues to devote herself with the motivation to make a difference in the world; plus paying of her Stanford University student loans, too.

She finds herself in the sights of Australian billionaire Grant Devlin, the head of the company she works for...He is everything a rich successful playboy, devil may care man would be...He has been living a life discussed and viewed by the world and he has been a very bad boy of late. His cleanup team is in the conference room this Friday night trying to spin his latest crisis... and during the process, Lacey rolls her eyes at what is being proposed by the witch... Grant sees this and files it away. After the brainstorming session, Lacey is out in front of the building praying for a cab to arrive despite the crazy hour. Grant comes out of the building and insists on taking her home.

As she sits in the back of his limo... she is fuming... because this man has no idea how his actions are destroying this amazing company she loves. All of his actions have no regard for the lives dependent on the success and continued strength of the stock. Grant says something to Lacey which illustrates his lack of understanding and she just goes off...She proceeds to let him know how he is letting his company slip away and what he should be doing. Little does Lacey know this conversation ends up changing everything...

The biggest part of this story is Lacey; she is not the model slim, high-bred society girl or supermodel Grant usually is with. Lacey feels all the hurts she has experienced all her life with mean girls in school, passive-aggressive comments about weight, and being financially wanting. She has worked hard to be where she is; while working multiple jobs, she made the top of her class at Stanford. She has bite and vision and these are pluses when Grant sees her... he loves her fight.

Grant is not everything he appears to be... he has a heart and tries not to show how deeply he feels about things...he has been scared of his responsibilities... of letting his family legacy down. It can be daunting.

This tale is the first part of a quick series...as I mentioned we are introduced to all the necessary players in this story... and they all play their part. There is a continual narration through Lacey and she is very descriptive...with social references, current and classic. There is humor and we see in this first part wheels turning and ideas planted.
There is a big ramp-up to the end... and it is fun to experience... with so much more on its way in the next part of the series.

The Billionaire Bargain #1 by Lila Monroe The Billionaire Bargain #1
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Billionaire Bargain #2 by Lila Monroe The Billionaire Bargain #2
The Billionaire Bargain #3 by Lila Monroe The Billionaire Bargain #3

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Profile Image for Mariℓina.
624 reviews202 followers
January 25, 2015
What a wonderful surprise this book was, it really made my day so much better. Now i can't wait for the next instalement!!


Lacey is a great character that i loved right away. Her spark, her amazingly cynical mind and her badassness made her perfect..
She has her soft spots too, but her sharp mind isn't one of them..


Grant on the other hand, maybe he seems exactly like the billionaire playboy cliché hero and maybe he is, but on a deeper level he has a good heart and too much uncharted territory to explore the real sentiments he feels about Lacey. I know they are hidden somewhere. Stop trying to pull a façade..


Their story is hot, sexy, competitive and it gets better when Grant decides to make Lacey his "girlfriend". You see he needs a total image makeover, and who better to act that role than Lacey? Of course noone!


The following book i'm sure will be so much more insightful, now that the couple is ready for the next step in their "relationship".



THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BOOK

- Lacey's comments are pure gold..
- Lacey can't resist Grant..
- OH, i hate this old witch, Portia..
- The night they spent together playing and eating was so precious..
Profile Image for Elodie.
587 reviews58 followers
November 30, 2017
Possibly the dumbest hero ever. If you have so much money, go and buy yourself a brain, you idiot.
Profile Image for ★ Larissa ~ book crusher ~.
241 reviews79 followers
February 23, 2015
2.5 Stars

Alright, so this is a billionaire romance, the first of a trilogy consisting of short, quick novellas. I realize I'm not going to get top notch literature. Hell, I realize I'm not even going to get top notch erotica, or romance for that matter. These "books" are obviously designed to cash in on the FSoG hype and give fans a cheap fix. I accept that, but I have to say that I've read books in that vein that have been much better than this one.

I think my problem with this is that it started out well but it took a wacky turn somewhere in the middle, not to mention the terrible grammar mistakes and repeated or omitted words. I initially was impressed with the witty writing style and the decent flow to the narration. However, after a while the author's voice became a bit too strident for my tastes. By trying to be too quirky and funny, the writing became actually distracting. Some of the metaphors were genuinely funny, but some were so over the top, this really started veering into comedy territory.

Which is fine, I guess. Nothing against, comedy, and in a way, by not taking itself too seriously, this is not too bad a read, it's just not my preferred style when it comes to this type of book. I prefer a different feel if I'm going to indulge in this fantasy. This one read more like a farce, almost like a comedic irony. It was so rushed and the heroine so verbally aggressive with the hero, who is supposed to be her boss, that I didn't find this either sexy, or romantic, I just found it odd and unbelievable. For some reason the dynamic reminded me of Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock in Two Weeks Notice, a movie I liked a lot, but I'm not eager to picture a Hugh Grant type of hero in a supposed romance book.

I'm not interested in the next two books. The ending was just a clusterfuck and the hero did nothing for me.
Profile Image for Fidah.
244 reviews23 followers
January 14, 2015
This was such a hard book to get through despite it being a rather short story. I really didn't like the writing. The way the author portrayed the characters and their thoughts were really unlikeable. I disliked Lacey as the main character a lot. Despite being a grown woman, her thoughts and voice were really immature and it sounded more like a teenager. Her lack of control around Grant was really frustrating to read. If I could shake some sense into her, I would. The amount of times she was distracted by Grant's looks made it even more intolerable. I get it, the dude is hot. Get over it. I may sound harsh but it's the truth. Lacey isn't a very good main character in my opinion.

With that said, I'm disappointed that I wasn't able to enjoy the book. I quite like the plot but the characters didn't do it for me. Furthermore, I think it would have been better if it was a full length novel instead of separating it into different volumes.
Profile Image for Barb Shuler.
Author 108 books160 followers
July 4, 2015
4.5*

First, let me thank Lila Monroe for allowing me an ARC of The Billionaire Bargain in exchange for an honest review.

Lacey Newman and Grant Devlin are on two different levels of the everyday life. Grant is the sole heir to the Devlin fortune and Lacey is the girl who cleans up his messes. Grant is tall, dark handsome and has a voice that will melt butter. Lacey is a not so average, strong willed and vocal girl. But the two are pushed together in a way no one saw coming. Well at least Lacey didn't see it coming.

While out on a craptastic date she is paged by work its a “911” call so she has to bust ass to get to the Devlin Media Corp building and to her boss Jacinda. (I’d say she is a mix of the wicked witch and a wolverine.. barka dn bite with a bitchatude to boot.) Jacinda has called them all in to review the paper about to hit the streets. Grant Devlin, yet again has cause a ruckus. Not only was their a boating incident but there was drinking and woman in skimpy clothes. Does he seem to care? Erm, no. He is a playboy, they don't really give a damn about what they do.. and the man has more money than the national reserve so what does he care. He is arrogant, infuriating and drop dead gorgeous. Every girls wet dream.

After the meeting he offers Lacey a ride home. That ride ends with Lacey yelling at him and then storming from the car and into her building. The next day starts off just as crazy. Her boss is up her ass like a bear in heat and not cutting her any breaks. But things look up. Grant Devlin asks her out to lunch, though Lacey is hesitant she finally agrees. As with last night Lacey’s ‘speak first, think last’ moments are memorable. But when she realizes how long they have been gone she freaks. Completely. An hour and a half, Jacinda was going to kill her. And yes she described it to Grant in full detail.

Grant gets her back to work and before she is in the office good Jacinda goes off on her like a dog on a bone. RAWR! Before Lacey can lose face Grant steps around her and tells Jacinda she is fired. Spot on. Boom. Big man has spoken. Once the bitch, I mean Jacinda is gone Grant tells Lacey -after she inquires about who will take Jacinda’s work on- that she has been promoted. (Laughs) After much time to freak out Lacey decides to give this job all she can. She will make a difference. And the next day she puts Mr. Devlin in his place and the ball is rolling. He is basically on house arrest until his image is fixed.

Poor Grant is not one to just sit still. So being bored he calls Lacey after 11pm to entertain him. When she hangs up on him you’d think that settled it but nope… Grant sends his driver over to pick her up. She finally agrees and goes out the door in her pink ducky pj’s. (The girl is the shit!!) Grant had dinner waiting on her. They talked, played video games and then… he tries to kiss her. Of course she freaks out and tries to escape but he catches her and lays on on her. After days of staying away from him she has to go to his office. But she thinks he is still out.. nope not out. He is in his office with Mr. Jennings -the owner of a company Grant wants to buy- and Lacey ruins into Mr. Jennings. After the man invites them to the big gala he leaves. Grant kisses Lacey and she all but swoons, even if she doesn't think Grant is doing this for her. Her mind replays all of the bad experiences she has had. Not letting herself actually enjoy what Grant does to and for her.

But what happens next is… well a bit mind blowing and a bit surreal at the same time. N, I can’t say, read and see for yourself trust me it was a O.O moment or ten there.. These two.. god, they are making it hard to not love and hate them both with this back and forth. I want to shake them, say get a grip and set them loose on each other. They can’t deny this attraction for long. If they do they may both com-bust. The dynamic here is strained but bearable if they would give in. Personally I think there is a whole helluva lot we haven’t seen yet and I warn you it is addictive. I am so glad part 2 is out in a few long days.. (laughs) I am patiently not so patiently waiting for it.
Profile Image for 1-Click Addict Support Group.
3,749 reviews490 followers
January 22, 2015
Ahhhh! This book was so AWESOME!!! It had me hooked and laughing from the first page and I need Part Two like NOW!!! The Billionaire Bargain might be short in length, but not in heart, and I just can't tell you how much I loved it. It was a wonderful, funny, passionate read!

There was so much that I loved about this book, but what I loved the most was Grant and Lacey's relationship. It was full of life, heat, and banter. Lacey isn't afraid to tell Grant exactly like it is, she keeps him on his toes, and bosses him around-- it's awesome and I love it!

Lacey is an excellent heroine. She's smart, sassy, a total badass but also a little vulnerable, and let me tell you that this girl is just hilarious! She had me laughing all the time and cheering her on whenever she challenged Grant. She was strong, but she still made my heart ache sometimes. I very much enjoyed her as a heroine and being inside her head.

Now onto the man himself and what a man Grant Devlin is! He's sexy, sweet, dominant, and he definitely knows how to talk dirty! He had my heart melting and had me swooning for him. Grant will no doubt melt your heart and panties too!

The Billionaire Bargain ended way too soon for me. I didn't want to stop reading about this great couple, and I CANNOT wait to read the next part in their story!! I just absolutely LOVED this fantastic book!

The Billionaire Bargain is told only from Lacey's POV and even though it does end in a cliffhanger, it is truly worth the read.

~ Paige, 5 stars


Billionaires. I love them. And Grant Devlin? He’s one hell of a billionaire…. Swoon.

Lacey Newman is married to her job. She’s constantly putting out PR fires started by the reckless, careless head of Devlin Media Corp, Australian billionaire, Grant Devlin.

When his antics once again land him in trouble, Lacey is determined to rehab his image once and for all – after all, her job and his company are on the line.

She suggests charity work and less women and partying. He has other ideas…

This was a really charming first installment in a series I can most definitely see myself enjoying. Lacey amused me greatly with her silly inner monologues (her crab rangoon rant had me laughing by page two) and I loved the way the author used funny, poppy, somewhat silly descriptions for even the most mundane of things.

“‘Going out,’” she repeated, drawing out my words incredulously as though I’d said ‘snorting cocaine’ or ‘making a snuff film,’ or ‘selling my panties to Japanese business to finance my dream of opening my own fried chicken franchise.’ “How…interesting.”

Although Grant wasn’t truly what I expected from the catchy blurb, I was quite taken with the playboy businessman, with his secret passion and questionable decision-making. He was a little bit prickish but most definitely had all the best redeeming qualities (looks, a thing for kittens, mad video game skills…you know, the essentials) – and a hidden agenda, no doubt. I can’t wait to see how his plans for Lacey and saving his company will play out. I wish I didn’t have to…

~ Beth, 4 stars
Profile Image for Lorena  Garcia -- Brittany's Book Blog.
1,820 reviews58 followers
January 20, 2015
**Received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review**

WOW, talk about yummy! Grant Devlin is one hot billionaire Aussie that all he seems to do is get himself into trouble AND not in a good way. He figures -- eh! It doesn't matter, that's why he has people working for him right! so they can clean up his mess and make sure it doesn't come out in the headlines right!

Well Mr. Devlin finds himself kind of in a pickle and needs to start manning up and showing that he's a mature man who has changed and is serious about his work and his clients.

Lacey Newman is Grant's PR girl and she tends to work her tail off to keep him out of the spotlight. She works non-stop and pretty much has no life because she has it revolving around Mr. Devlin's and has to be at his beck-n-call at every minute of the day.

Lacey is a little spit fire and boy that woman sure doesn't take Mr. Devlin's crap. I loved that about her! Even though he was her boss, she didn't take his sh*t nor was she afraid to show him that!

This book was witty, hilarious and sexy. It kind of reminded me a bit of The Devil Wears Prada. Jacinda is real nightmare to work for and blames Lacey for everything that goes wrong. Lacey does her own work besides doing Jacinda's and the damn lady can't even say thank you. She's always berating her, but Lacey is so used to it that she just sucks it up and takes all her spit and fire.

Jacina gets fired and Lacey gets promoted (voila!) Now Grant wants her to act as his pretend girlfriend to impress his investors and show them that he's a responsible and committed man.

Where is this story going to take us (arghhhh!) I love cliffhangers but I wish I could get the next volume right away because I to continue reading the stories when they're left off where you're kept wanting more, more and more!!!!

4.5 stars for this short story that had me finish in a span of a few hours and left me wanting more!
Profile Image for Karen Mc .
1,105 reviews770 followers
January 16, 2015
***Received an ARC for an honest review by Bookalicious Babes Blog***

Holy hot Aussie billionaire romance! The Billionaire Bargain is raw, funny, witty, entertaining, and steamy. Grant Devlin, is a playboy CEO billionaire of Devlin Media Corp or as I like to say: sex on a stick...more like one hot tall blonde Aussie candy-coated stick!

Lacey Newman is an admin whose big B of a boss treats like her like poop...the kind of poop that you step in and ends up on your shoe. She can't help but crush on CEO Aussie Man Candy, Grant, despite thinking he's a bit of an arrogant party boy douche who would rather hang on his yacht with playboy bunnies than take interest in his company.

"You might think I'm exaggerating his attractiveness. I'm not. Picture a handsome man. No, more handsome than that. Square that jaw line, brush those brown curls with gold, darken those blue eyes till they're almost black, deep sapphire pools made for mooning over. Deepen that voice until it's like dark chocolate, and thread it through with a sexy chameleon accent--one second so crisp and upper class it might almost be British, the second relaxing into long lazy vowels that conjured up visions of him kicking back beers on a sunny Australian beach...lean muscular sailor's physique...tan...he's a bronzed Adonis."

Grant, used to women throwing themselves at his feet and out of their panties, is intrigued by the pretty, curvy, witty, opinionated brunette and administrative assistant at his company who is not afraid to tell Grant, the CEO, when he's being an arrogant and uncaring jerk.

"Why the hell was the boss asking to have lunch with me? Was this about that eye-roll last night? Or the rant I'd unleashed on him in his car? Was he going to fire me over pad thai?"

Grant can't walk away from saucy and sexy woman, who may appear a bit demure, but sets his body on fire and somehow hijacked his mind.

"For a half a second, heat flashed in his eyes like a tiger spying its prey, and my panties liquefied."

The big question that eats away at Lacey: Are Grant's feelings real or are they like his life has been...a big fat show?

BOOM! Cliffhanger!

Good novel by Lila Monroe! I only wish the book was written alternating between both main characters or alternate point of view so we could have jumped in Grant's sexy head a bit too.

4 Aussie Adonis stars!
Profile Image for Heather / Obsessed With Myshelf.
483 reviews85 followers
January 22, 2015
Read My full (& prettier) review here: http://obsessedwithmyshelf.com/2015/0...

I received an ARC of this book technically before I agreed to review it. But then I read it, and now i’m reviewing it. Either way, I’d truthfully tell you what I thought, but I’m just being honest. ok? ok.

I really like this book. A Lot. Like a lot a lot. I promise a longer review is to come; but for now I'll just say that lacey is one awesome chick and I love her. I fell in love with her in the first few pages of the book and then fell harder when she said Exactly What Was On Her Mind to Grant. she gives zero fucks and I adore her.

Grant's pretty hot himself but I'm not swooning irrationally because the cliffhanger sort of puts him on my shit list. I am reserving judgment until the remaining parts of this serial are released. which I will obviously be reading. because I am obviously hooked.
Profile Image for The lady in Red.
65 reviews1 follower
April 2, 2019
witty and humorous stars.....gotta say gets predictable n loses its charm towards the end
Profile Image for Amazeballs Book Addicts.
2,811 reviews243 followers
January 20, 2015
Oh Grant, be still my beating heart. I am very intrigued by this man. I have to admit I usually don't go for these serials because I am just too impatient and want the whole thing all at once, and while I am yearning for more of this delectable little story, I am not too mad to have read it before they are all out. I was drawn into this one from chapter one and before I knew it and many laughs later, I was at the end and then cussing myself for not sticking to my rule of "don't read these until they are all out." So a lot of words I know, but the gist of it is, I am loving this book and where the author is taking these two amazingly written characters, and need the rest of it like yesterday. I can't wait to see what is in store for the very sensible Lacey and playboy billionaire Grant. This one is an easy 4.5 AMAZEBALLS stars for me!! A copy was gifted in exchange for an honest review.

Review by Tabitha
Profile Image for Jeanny.
2,048 reviews171 followers
April 18, 2017
This is a serial so expect a hell of a cliffhanger. That said I really liked Lacey, her inner monologue was fab! 3.5 stars
Profile Image for Peggy Lee (Reading Keeps Me Sane).
1,039 reviews42 followers
January 22, 2015
Lacey Newman is a witty, intelligent, college educated administrative assistant for a PR firm. She assists with the media damage control of the sole heir of Devlin Media Corp, Grant Devlin, who's escapades seem to always make the news. She's also an average woman and my new favorite heroine.

"Lacy Newman. Always-tangled brown hair harboring enough static electricity for a storm cloud, skin that went scarlet as a lobster instead of tanning bronze, and curves that, while technically all in the right places, also proved that you could have too much of a good thing."

Grant Devlin is a "ostentatious, arrogant, overly-attractive-just-to-be-cruel a-hole". He doesn't seem concerned that his company is barely staying above water.

Lacey catches Grant's eye and he begins to pursue her. She is not afraid to speak her mind when coxed and has a strong work ethic.

"I care about doing a good job. I care about following through on my promises, and the promises of the place I work for. I care about doing whatever little tiny things I an to make this world a better place, and even if they're super tiny, they're something and I can feel good about that."

After a lunch date they return to work and Lacey's boss, Jacinda, is furious. After insulting Lacey and creating a hostile workplace, Grant fires Jacinda. Lacey is immediately promoted to her position. Lacey is now determined to save the company, however her idea of saving the company is much different from Grant's ideas. Cliffhanger Alert!

Lacey is an awesome character. She's witty, intelligent, determined and has a average figure. She has an awesome best friend who reminds her how great she is all the time. Grant first appears to be a playboy billionaire with no work ethic. We do discover there is more to him. Lacy stands up to Grant. Grant likes that she has 'balls' and starts pursing her. Lacey needs to keep her distance in order not to get hurt. Grant finds ways to sneak into Lacey's life. I love it! But not the cliffhanger! I can't wait to see what happens next!
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Profile Image for Marianne.
1,314 reviews152 followers
April 18, 2017
Review of the serial as a whole.

Brilliant but underappreciated & plump hard-working girl meets playboy billionaire hottie, strikes a deal but ends up falling in love for realz. It's been done before, you can't get anymore cliche, right?

Despite the formulaic story, I actually quite enjoyed it, mainly because of Lacey's inner thoughts and musings. Despite her - outwardly - rather boring personal life, her inner thoughts and feelings were anything but, and they far too often revolve around Grant Devlin; her drool-worthy Aussie Adonis boss, whose irresponsible personal life is slowly driving the company toward bankruptcy.

One night, as he offers her a ride home, she rips hims a new one, fully expecting to be fired the next day. Unfortunately, Grant likes women who challenge him, and that's how Lacey is manipulated into a role of Grant's fake fiancee/PR advisor as a way to stabilize the company.

As Lacey tries to juggle her work, Grant's icy grandmother, devious employees and her increasing love for Grant, she finds she can no longer partake in the charade. Some obligatory angst ensues, mistunderstandings occur and everything is resolved with a HEA in the end.

All in all avery enjoyable read ifyou're into that sortof thing.

PS: If you're wondering why I'msuddenly unableto utilise thespacebar, it's because this ishow first part of the serialreadlike. Space bar-phobia or just a poor editor, I don't know. All I know, is thatit gota littleannoying afterawhile.

Series as a whole gets 3.5 stars from me.
Profile Image for Liz .
130 reviews6 followers
February 7, 2025
This would've been a five star but the end made it a four star.
I love romance series, but you know, when each book has their own main characters. I don't want to read two books about the same people.
This book ended on a cliffhanger and I just wanna say: NO! Don't do that with romances, I don't care what happens later... I honestly just read romcoms for the banter, not the plot so why are there two books about the same people???

Anyway, I love Lila Monroe's books, she has the best, most entertaining writing style ever and her main characters are not insufferable. I will probably try and read all of Ms. Monroe's books because the writing is just that good🫶

~Quotes~ that showcases how... imaginative and creative her writing is:

"You'd need Indiana Jones and Lara Croft working together to uncover any trace of an actual apology underneath all the not-our-fault clauses and straight-from-a-thesaurus vocabulary."

"The bastard just raised one eyebrow so perfectly sculpted that it would have Michelangelo smash his David in a fit of rage and sorrow at never being able to recreate it, and then go down an easier career path, like Renaissance-era Italian politics."

" "Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!"
This nigh-Shakespearian bout of eloquence was brought to you by my complete inability to find anything to wear. "


4 stars
Profile Image for Helena Bookhooked .
449 reviews53 followers
January 16, 2015
This book I believe is a debut. I took a punt and signed up to review this book as the synopsis really grabbed me.

Lacey”s character grabbed me from the first page, The introductory dialogue was amazing and I was so taken by that opening scene on the disasterous blind date was just brilliant.

Lacey is a smart sexy woman, who doesn’t have any problems or self esteem issues, she is just a girl starting out who needs a leg up to propel herself to her full potential.

Lacey’s current job is to clean up Grant Devlin’s messes. He is the playboy CEO of the company that she works for, who doesn’t really give a toss about work, he just wants to have fun.

Grant”s interest is piqued when Lacey hands him his ass on a platter and he is determind to have the smart mouthed beauty.

The book reads at a fast pace and has some steamy parts.

I have mixed feelings towards Grant at the minute, he seems like a bit of a rogue and I’m not sure that his intentions are in the right place.

There is definitely a connection between the two characters and there is plenty of chemistry and I just loved how Lacey calls grant out about everything and there are some great scenes with banter between the two.

The book ends on a slight cliffy, I will definitely tune into part 2.
Profile Image for CeCe.
3,612 reviews109 followers
November 14, 2015
It was okay. I love these stories...billionaire takes a "fake" girlfriend, but this one for some reason did nothing for me. I just did not feel that connection. The next novella in the series is $2.99 which to me is not worth it.

It was not insta-love which I really liked in the beginning, but thing just felt flat.

Also, the is the BFF that pushes sex, if you like those type of secondary characters..
Profile Image for Haidoulina.
777 reviews110 followers
February 21, 2015
That was a fun and fast read.... Really enjoyed it... Going straight for the next..... ;-)
Profile Image for Keya.
444 reviews24 followers
July 12, 2015
Fake relationship books are my weakness. This was a short read and it was pretty funny. Nothing that particularly stood out but I enjoyed it as much as I could.
Profile Image for Ambar Cosme.
2 reviews1 follower
February 6, 2021
Its a good light read but it’s so frustrating that it’s written without a proper ending.
Profile Image for Nicole.
49 reviews6 followers
January 21, 2015
**Nerdy Book Freak was given a copy for our honest review**


If you are looking for a new series to read with a HOT billionaire trouble maker this is for you!

Rating: 4 stars.

POV: 1st POV. The book is in Lacey’s POV.
One thing I wish this book had was a split POV book. I really want to get in Grant’s head and know what he is thinking. I find that guys POV are usually my favorite to read.

Series: Yes

Hotness 2 Stars. Im hoping the rest of the books will make up for the loss. Just from what little happens between Lacey and Grant in this book I already know the two of them are going to explode once they admit to there feelings.

HEA:


Some thoughts:
This book has been one of the hardest books I have had to review in a long time. I found myself going back and forth with 3.5 stars and 4 stars. The reason for this is because at times I found myself getting annoyed with Lacey. I felt like at times she would act immature and not like a grown woman. By the time I hit the half way point I felt like she was finally starting to act her age and wasn't acting so immature. At this point I finally felt like I was enjoying the story and it was starting to all come together.
I was so into the book by the half way point that I didn’t even notice I was coming to the end. Once I read the final word I could honestly say the author has me on the edge of my seat waiting not so patiently for part 2 of Lacey and Grant’s story!



Profile Image for Tonya.
16 reviews11 followers
January 22, 2015
Not what you're thinking!! Must read!!!

Oh my goodness!!! This book was so refreshing!! I didn't feel like I was reading a book, but it felt like I was just having drinks with a good girlfriend while she retold a story!!! I'm surprised no one called the crazy police because I was busting out in spontaneous laughter and seconds later gasping out loud!! I want to shake Lacey for not feeling more confident about herself!! I have a feeling that in book 2 her friend Kate talks some sense into her and then Lacey will give Grant exactly what he deserves! Grant's sense of entitlement and apparent disregard make you want to loathe him, but I have a feeling that the game he's playing really is for keeps!!!

I'm telling you that you don't know what you're missing!! I know you saw the word Billionaire and thought "oh no not another" but Grant Devlin is not your typical billionaire bad boy with a Dom complex. He sexy, Australian, he's charming and just slick enough you don't want to trust him. Lacey may lack self esteem but not in the "I'm a total push over weak female" style. She's just been screwed over enough times to find it unbelievable that a guy would notice her, but when he does she doesn't just swoon at his feet. Instead she's got a phenomenally hilarious internal monologue that will have you cracking up and she has "tact-amnesia" that makes her tell entitled playboy Grant exactly what she thinks of his rich boy antics and constantly having to wipe his PR booty!
Profile Image for Jay.
384 reviews9 followers
January 22, 2015
Great debut novel Lila Monroe.



This book has been hard to rate. I found myself going back and forth with 3.5 stars and 4 stars. I'm in a love hate relationship with both characters. Lacey at times can be so strong and have a a don't take shit from no one but then she would reverse an act the opposite way. Grant is another world, I want to like him but GOD!!! the guy can be a huge asshole and conniving jerk and them say or do something so sweet.

There was some serious attraction between this two that cant not be ignore. One thing I really like was the sense of humor that was always present on the story.

There is something in the writing that I can pinpoint right now that made me disconnect to the story at times, it wasn't bad like I had to stop reading but i felt like something was missing. The sexy scenes were hot but Ms. Monroe i need more sooooo much more, LOL.

Nonetheless it was a great debut novel and a great start to the series.

I really want to know how these two would come to find a HEA.
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