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City's Secrets #1
Undersold
Librarian's note: This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN: B00THZ0CPW.
I can barely keep myself under control when the boss is around. I can’t imagine what the office might think . . .
My life is crumbling all around me. My dad is dying of cancer, my job barely pays the bills, and I have crushing student loans hanging over everything.
But things change when I meet a mysterious man online. He’s sexy as hell, passionate, and ripped in all the right places. I can’t take my eyes off the dirty texts and pictures he sends me.
It turns out that my mystery date is notorious reclusive billionaire Shane Green, and he’s planning on buying a smartphone app that I wrote myself. Now I’m stuck working for the man who looks at me like he wants to tear my clothes off every day. He’s controlling and incredibly private, and he loves pushing my buttons with that cocky grin.
There are new rules, rules which threaten everything around me. I need to figure out how to deal with my overwhelming desire for my new boss or else risk giving him more than I bargained for.
I can barely keep myself under control when the boss is around. I can’t imagine what the office might think . . .
My life is crumbling all around me. My dad is dying of cancer, my job barely pays the bills, and I have crushing student loans hanging over everything.
But things change when I meet a mysterious man online. He’s sexy as hell, passionate, and ripped in all the right places. I can’t take my eyes off the dirty texts and pictures he sends me.
It turns out that my mystery date is notorious reclusive billionaire Shane Green, and he’s planning on buying a smartphone app that I wrote myself. Now I’m stuck working for the man who looks at me like he wants to tear my clothes off every day. He’s controlling and incredibly private, and he loves pushing my buttons with that cocky grin.
There are new rules, rules which threaten everything around me. I need to figure out how to deal with my overwhelming desire for my new boss or else risk giving him more than I bargained for.
151 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 11, 2015
140 people are currently reading
521 people want to read
About the author
B.B. Hamel
200 books2,522 followersI'm a long time reader, writer, and lover of Romance! Writing is my dream and my passion, and I want to share my stories with you.
I live in the Philadelphia area with my husband and two dogs.
Website: http://www.bbhamel.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bbhamelwriter
Check out my mailing list for updates, giveaways, and more! http://bbhamel.com/signup
I live in the Philadelphia area with my husband and two dogs.
Website: http://www.bbhamel.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bbhamelwriter
Check out my mailing list for updates, giveaways, and more! http://bbhamel.com/signup
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
February 7, 2015
*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
First of all, I would like to apologise to the author because she so kindly provided me with this ARC and I have to be honest first and foremost to myself and admit I didn't like how the story progressed and finally ended, though I really liked the idea and what it promised.
As the summary suggests this is a story about a young woman, Amy Woodall, trying to find her way in the professional world by selling her app to a major company owned by a billionaire, Shane Green. This man happens also to be the man she has met online on a dating app and she sex-messages without her knowing he is her future boss.
All was well so far...until they met and she became a woman living only to adore HIS perfection, HIS muscled body, HIS flint eyes...in short, HIS existence, while she felt so unworthy of him paying her any attention.
Ok, every woman has insecurities about herself, her appearance, but NOT all women live and breathe to satisfy a man, not all women think everything revolves around a man or that their true value lies in a man's approval.
"Shane had become the beacon in my life, the lighthouse by which I navigated, and suddenly that lighthouse was snuffed out, the crystal beacon smashed to bits, and I was in danger of running aground."
...a man that had shown nothing to her, had given her nothing to cling to. No trust for whatever held him back, no honesty to explain his privacy issues, no love but only good old sex! Sex is nice...sex is good...but sex is NOT everything IMHO!
Issues
Her issues:
Clingy, jealous, insecure, carnal, superficial....
DISRESPECTFUL!!
This was a pleasant read for me with a lot of sex and my mild objections to the heroine's behaviour....until the moment that
His issues
~>PRIVACY taken to a whole new level!
~>A Dom wanna-be:"I have rules that need to be followed, otherwise I lose some of the control that I 've worked for","I want you to ask me nicely", "You 're mine now", "I want to hear you beg for it", "You have my permission (to come)".
Last but not least, I would like to clarify that HERE is MY personal opinion on this book and how I see things that I do not like. This does not mean that its value or the value of its author is lacking in any way.
First of all, I would like to apologise to the author because she so kindly provided me with this ARC and I have to be honest first and foremost to myself and admit I didn't like how the story progressed and finally ended, though I really liked the idea and what it promised.
As the summary suggests this is a story about a young woman, Amy Woodall, trying to find her way in the professional world by selling her app to a major company owned by a billionaire, Shane Green. This man happens also to be the man she has met online on a dating app and she sex-messages without her knowing he is her future boss.
All was well so far...until they met and she became a woman living only to adore HIS perfection, HIS muscled body, HIS flint eyes...in short, HIS existence, while she felt so unworthy of him paying her any attention.
Ok, every woman has insecurities about herself, her appearance, but NOT all women live and breathe to satisfy a man, not all women think everything revolves around a man or that their true value lies in a man's approval.
"Shane had become the beacon in my life, the lighthouse by which I navigated, and suddenly that lighthouse was snuffed out, the crystal beacon smashed to bits, and I was in danger of running aground."
...a man that had shown nothing to her, had given her nothing to cling to. No trust for whatever held him back, no honesty to explain his privacy issues, no love but only good old sex! Sex is nice...sex is good...but sex is NOT everything IMHO!
Issues
Her issues:
Clingy, jealous, insecure, carnal, superficial....
DISRESPECTFUL!!
This was a pleasant read for me with a lot of sex and my mild objections to the heroine's behaviour....until the moment that
His issues
~>PRIVACY taken to a whole new level!
~>A Dom wanna-be:"I have rules that need to be followed, otherwise I lose some of the control that I 've worked for","I want you to ask me nicely", "You 're mine now", "I want to hear you beg for it", "You have my permission (to come)".
Last but not least, I would like to clarify that HERE is MY personal opinion on this book and how I see things that I do not like. This does not mean that its value or the value of its author is lacking in any way.
February 15, 2015
3.5 Stars
First off, congratulations to Ms Hamel on her first publication!
This was a quick read for me. And I only wish there was more angst!! Yes, I wanted more angst, twists, surprises, etc.
Cute story that starts out with Amy sexting a guy she met on an online dating site. After days of sexting/texting back and forth, they finally decide to meet, but before that happens Amy has a very important meeting with a company to sell her new app. Turns out he is the owner of the huge company that is interested in buying her new app. Ruh roh!!
Shane is a billionaire hottie who does not want to be in the public eye. He covets his privacy.... basically not even dating just to keep himself and family protected.
I was extremely emotional when it came to Amy's Dad because I recently went through the same thing...... so yeah, needed the tissues!
I really liked the book, but especially related to it because I live in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia and am only 20 minutes from Levittown! I loved that the story was based in Philly where I grew up!
I will definitely read the next book because I think this author will keep getting better. Oh and kudos to the editor! Some of these new books have so many typos, I could scream! (I should have been an editor!)
I was provided an ARC by the author for an honest review.. Thank you!
First off, congratulations to Ms Hamel on her first publication!
This was a quick read for me. And I only wish there was more angst!! Yes, I wanted more angst, twists, surprises, etc.
Cute story that starts out with Amy sexting a guy she met on an online dating site. After days of sexting/texting back and forth, they finally decide to meet, but before that happens Amy has a very important meeting with a company to sell her new app. Turns out he is the owner of the huge company that is interested in buying her new app. Ruh roh!!
Shane is a billionaire hottie who does not want to be in the public eye. He covets his privacy.... basically not even dating just to keep himself and family protected.
I was extremely emotional when it came to Amy's Dad because I recently went through the same thing...... so yeah, needed the tissues!
I really liked the book, but especially related to it because I live in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia and am only 20 minutes from Levittown! I loved that the story was based in Philly where I grew up!
I will definitely read the next book because I think this author will keep getting better. Oh and kudos to the editor! Some of these new books have so many typos, I could scream! (I should have been an editor!)
I was provided an ARC by the author for an honest review.. Thank you!
February 2, 2015
I was generously given an ARC for an honest and fair review
Overall rating: 3.25 stars
Triggers:
Cheating:
Love triangle:
Sex with OM/OW:
HEA:
Amy is so nervous about her app getting sold - that she threw her whole heart in creating. When she goes to meet Mr. Shane Green, she realizes that she already knows him! But not as Shane Green as Rex Blue. Rex Blue the girl she has been sexting with for almost a week! From then on, Amy and Shane embark on a secret sexual relationship that soon blossoms into more.
This was a very pleasant read that didn't hit on any of my triggers. Very low drama and low angst. I rated it 3.25 stars and not at least 4 stars because I felt like, although this is a great start of a series, this story just lacked something. I'm not sure if it was character development or sparks or passion. I can't pin point exactly what, but I DID feel that it deserved over 3 stars at least, so I settled on 3.25. I would definitely consider reading more by this author as well in the future.
Overall rating: 3.25 stars
Triggers:
Cheating:
Love triangle:
Sex with OM/OW:
HEA:
Amy is so nervous about her app getting sold - that she threw her whole heart in creating. When she goes to meet Mr. Shane Green, she realizes that she already knows him! But not as Shane Green as Rex Blue. Rex Blue the girl she has been sexting with for almost a week! From then on, Amy and Shane embark on a secret sexual relationship that soon blossoms into more.
This was a very pleasant read that didn't hit on any of my triggers. Very low drama and low angst. I rated it 3.25 stars and not at least 4 stars because I felt like, although this is a great start of a series, this story just lacked something. I'm not sure if it was character development or sparks or passion. I can't pin point exactly what, but I DID feel that it deserved over 3 stars at least, so I settled on 3.25. I would definitely consider reading more by this author as well in the future.
January 30, 2015
Received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
****4 Rich and Sweet Stars
I need to preface this review by saying that I don't normally read NA stories, but the blurb to this one caught my interest when the author, B.B. Hamel contacted me, and I looked forward to reading it, so much so that I bumped it up to my next read.
When I opened this book and started reading, I was pretty much drawn into the story right away.
It touched on so many things, softly, subtly, and a lot of the time, in a very sexy way! Oh yes, the sex was hot!
I connected with Amy and Shane right away, she was the right mixture of smart, sassy, and geeky. He was just the right mixture of mysterious, sexy, sexy dominant, and sexy rich! She's a bubbly girl who enjoys her friends... when she has time and isn't busy trying to get her app completed, off the ground, and sold. He's practically reclusive. Doesn't publically date, and is a very private person.
And then along comes Amy. She literally crashes into his world, via some very naughty sexting!
Both Shane and Amy have family problems, some that are very similar, and causes them to become closer and closer. But it's the things outside of family that pulls these two closer and closer, making for a quick, sweet, and wild ride.
Yes, this is a sweet story, and one I enjoyed reading. It put a happy in my day!
Thank you, B.B. for the opportunity to read your new book!
****4 Rich and Sweet Stars
I need to preface this review by saying that I don't normally read NA stories, but the blurb to this one caught my interest when the author, B.B. Hamel contacted me, and I looked forward to reading it, so much so that I bumped it up to my next read.
When I opened this book and started reading, I was pretty much drawn into the story right away.
It touched on so many things, softly, subtly, and a lot of the time, in a very sexy way! Oh yes, the sex was hot!
I connected with Amy and Shane right away, she was the right mixture of smart, sassy, and geeky. He was just the right mixture of mysterious, sexy, sexy dominant, and sexy rich! She's a bubbly girl who enjoys her friends... when she has time and isn't busy trying to get her app completed, off the ground, and sold. He's practically reclusive. Doesn't publically date, and is a very private person.
And then along comes Amy. She literally crashes into his world, via some very naughty sexting!
Both Shane and Amy have family problems, some that are very similar, and causes them to become closer and closer. But it's the things outside of family that pulls these two closer and closer, making for a quick, sweet, and wild ride.
Yes, this is a sweet story, and one I enjoyed reading. It put a happy in my day!
Thank you, B.B. for the opportunity to read your new book!
January 26, 2015
The story pulled me in right from the beginning. There’s just something so powerfully erotic about a mysterious man, and Shane Green was just that man. Shane is confident and strong. Not just in body, but in attitude and spirit too! He’s rather the controlling type, making rules as he goes along, but there’s a disturbing reason that has to do with his family that pretty much dictates as to how and why he lives his life so privately. Oh, and here comes little nerdy and plain Amy Woodall. To herself she’s just your normal hard-working young woman. But, to Shane, she’s much more than that. When they finally come face-to-face under unusual circumstances, they’re both shocked by the familiarity with each other. They’ve been secretly in contact through an on-line dating service while neither realizes who the other is. What will happen as Shane’s need for privacy and rules regarding their relationship comes into play? Will Amy go along with Shane’s need for secrecy?
This novel sucked me in from the very first page. It was a short quick read that packed a punch with family, friends, and lovers. I wasn’t always the happiest with Shane and Amy. I thought that Shane was just a little too controlling with Amy. His feelings seemed to come first and foremost. But, when I found out Shane’s reasoning for all the privacy and his need to safeguard the ones he loved, I felt that he was more than justified when it came to his actions. I couldn’t help but feel what a protective and loyal man he actually was. And, Amy at times came off a little desperate when it involved Shane’s will to dominate her. It just seemed like whatever Shane wanted her to do, she did. She was somewhat of a doormat. Sometimes I didn't think that Shane realized just how much he was hurting her. But, in reality, I think that Amy would do just about anything for the people that she loved.
This was an enjoyable first novel from new author B.B. Hamel. She writes her characters with devotion and integrity. Their love story was erotically passionate with a strong emotional connection. I did like the take on how the handsome billionaire was attracted to the nerdy tech employee. The idea totally swept me away. As the story is written in Amy’s POV, I couldn’t help but feel her pain when a death claims one of her family members. It was very sad and touching when she realizes that they are no longer suffering. The author brought me into the story with interest and emotion from the very first page until the warmhearted ending brought closure to their story. So looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
**Thanks to the author for providing me a copy for an honest review**
This novel sucked me in from the very first page. It was a short quick read that packed a punch with family, friends, and lovers. I wasn’t always the happiest with Shane and Amy. I thought that Shane was just a little too controlling with Amy. His feelings seemed to come first and foremost. But, when I found out Shane’s reasoning for all the privacy and his need to safeguard the ones he loved, I felt that he was more than justified when it came to his actions. I couldn’t help but feel what a protective and loyal man he actually was. And, Amy at times came off a little desperate when it involved Shane’s will to dominate her. It just seemed like whatever Shane wanted her to do, she did. She was somewhat of a doormat. Sometimes I didn't think that Shane realized just how much he was hurting her. But, in reality, I think that Amy would do just about anything for the people that she loved.
This was an enjoyable first novel from new author B.B. Hamel. She writes her characters with devotion and integrity. Their love story was erotically passionate with a strong emotional connection. I did like the take on how the handsome billionaire was attracted to the nerdy tech employee. The idea totally swept me away. As the story is written in Amy’s POV, I couldn’t help but feel her pain when a death claims one of her family members. It was very sad and touching when she realizes that they are no longer suffering. The author brought me into the story with interest and emotion from the very first page until the warmhearted ending brought closure to their story. So looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
**Thanks to the author for providing me a copy for an honest review**
February 5, 2015
Received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I thought this was a nice and angst free read. I thought the characters, Shane and Amy, were likeable and enjoyed reading about their journey to happily ever after. I liked that Shane released his inner Christian Grey in the bedroom however I think the story would've flowed better if we were given more of his story/life. I think knowing a little more of his story would've helped me understand why he felt the need to hide his relationship with Amy. Amy sorta annoyed me at times especially when it came down to questioning her self worth, not thinking she was good enough. I also feel that the ending just felt a little bit rushed and I wished I would've got more from the epilogue.
I thought this was a nice and angst free read. I thought the characters, Shane and Amy, were likeable and enjoyed reading about their journey to happily ever after. I liked that Shane released his inner Christian Grey in the bedroom however I think the story would've flowed better if we were given more of his story/life. I think knowing a little more of his story would've helped me understand why he felt the need to hide his relationship with Amy. Amy sorta annoyed me at times especially when it came down to questioning her self worth, not thinking she was good enough. I also feel that the ending just felt a little bit rushed and I wished I would've got more from the epilogue.
Want to read
October 3, 2015given an arc copy by the author for an honest review.
January 27, 2015
I received an ARC of this story in exchange for an honest review.
In this story we meet Amy, a recent college grad working hard and dealing with very difficult life situations. Not only is she struggling to pay bills, student loans, and difficult family issues, she's been working tirelessly on creating a new app in hopes of finding a corporate buyer that will help her financial woes. With her long hours between her full time job at the coffee shop and endless nights working on her app, she pretty much has a non-existent dating life. After a drunken night and confessions with her BFF Darcy, she is talked into setting up on online dating profile.
Enter Mr. Shane Green, AKA Rex Blue. Amy and "Rex" meet online finding each other through common career interest, and both have very strong attraction to each other's online pictures and profiles. Rex is very elusive about who he really is and what he does, concentrating mostly on his sexual physical attraction towards Amy during their beginning interactions via sexy text messages and IM's.
Amy's world is about to take the turn she's been looking for when she gets an interview with a local Tech company interested in purchasing her app. The same day she is to meet Mr. Rex Blue the sexy and flirty online sexting friend, she first has her interview with the owner of the Tech Company and his lawyer to negotiate the purchase of her app. Little did she know, she would be meeting hottie sexting friend much earlier than planned...as when Shane Green appears for her interview she immediately realizes she's been lied to about who he really is.
Amy and Shane have instant chemistry and have to immediately work through the lies, then they have to deal with their attraction for each other while also working closely together to further developer her app. Their relationship is full of roller coaster issues as their attraction for each other cannot be denied.
I admire Amy for the hard working young women, however I did struggle contacting with Shane's character as the story is told more from Amy 's POV. Shane is demanding, very secretive without much reasoning until the very end, and he was too hot/cold with Amy for my liking. However, there were very sexy and hot sex scenes that were pretty well written which helped change my opinion of him. By the end of the story, I was liking Shane, but it took me to entire story together there.
If your looking for an easy, fun romance with HEA, that I definitely recommend this story.
In this story we meet Amy, a recent college grad working hard and dealing with very difficult life situations. Not only is she struggling to pay bills, student loans, and difficult family issues, she's been working tirelessly on creating a new app in hopes of finding a corporate buyer that will help her financial woes. With her long hours between her full time job at the coffee shop and endless nights working on her app, she pretty much has a non-existent dating life. After a drunken night and confessions with her BFF Darcy, she is talked into setting up on online dating profile.
Enter Mr. Shane Green, AKA Rex Blue. Amy and "Rex" meet online finding each other through common career interest, and both have very strong attraction to each other's online pictures and profiles. Rex is very elusive about who he really is and what he does, concentrating mostly on his sexual physical attraction towards Amy during their beginning interactions via sexy text messages and IM's.
Amy's world is about to take the turn she's been looking for when she gets an interview with a local Tech company interested in purchasing her app. The same day she is to meet Mr. Rex Blue the sexy and flirty online sexting friend, she first has her interview with the owner of the Tech Company and his lawyer to negotiate the purchase of her app. Little did she know, she would be meeting hottie sexting friend much earlier than planned...as when Shane Green appears for her interview she immediately realizes she's been lied to about who he really is.
Amy and Shane have instant chemistry and have to immediately work through the lies, then they have to deal with their attraction for each other while also working closely together to further developer her app. Their relationship is full of roller coaster issues as their attraction for each other cannot be denied.
I admire Amy for the hard working young women, however I did struggle contacting with Shane's character as the story is told more from Amy 's POV. Shane is demanding, very secretive without much reasoning until the very end, and he was too hot/cold with Amy for my liking. However, there were very sexy and hot sex scenes that were pretty well written which helped change my opinion of him. By the end of the story, I was liking Shane, but it took me to entire story together there.
If your looking for an easy, fun romance with HEA, that I definitely recommend this story.
January 28, 2015
Received arc in exchange for an honest review.
The story starts off with meeting Amy. She has joined an online dating service at the encouragement of her best friend. Had lots of people interested, but only one profile that really interested her. They have alot in common. This starts an hot texting relationship between the two of them. Now most of this has already taken place before we meet Amy.
At the moment we meet her, she is a college graduate working in a coffee shop during the day, and at night working on an app that she wants to sell.
That pretty much is the start of the story, the intense flirting relationship with Rex Blue and still not try be distracted just as she is about to sell her app to biggest tech firm in Philly.
I don't want to retell the story I want to try put my feelings down about it.
1. Amy has someone I liked, she had some blows in her life which is why she is the she us. Lost her Mum at a young age and she feels responsible. Her father is dying of cancer. Another brother is a drug addict.
2. Shane Green (Rex Blue) is her texting guy and it turns out he is a tech billionaire. And his company is the one buying her app and giving her a job.
Shane was a lot harder for me to get a bead on.
He doesn't come off as an a-hole billionaire. Control freak yes, to the extreme, hates any type press being out there about him. He does have his reasons, but until you learn that it seems a bit much.
He likes to be in control and if he and Amy are going to be together then she can't tell anyone.That is his demand, and of course she agrees.
Well like most stories with that kinda premise of course it happens. Their relationship us exposed, which makes Shane very uncomfortable.
Overall I liked the idea and for the most part B.B. Hamel pulled it off, but for me I liked Amy way more than I liked Shane.
At one point her old boss comes to see her to tell he's in love with and for just a moment I almost wanted for the two of them to run off together.
I do admit that by the end I liked Shane alot more than I did through most of the story. You see that he was willing to change to be with Amy so yeah he grew on me.
For the most part the writing is strong, few minor glitches right at the start that pulled me out the story, but once it got rolling if there was anything it slipped right passed me.
I've given Undersold 3 stars, but I would honestly say it more of a 3 1/2 ★'s. It looks like she has another novel coming. I would read it, I think she may have the start of decent series.
The story starts off with meeting Amy. She has joined an online dating service at the encouragement of her best friend. Had lots of people interested, but only one profile that really interested her. They have alot in common. This starts an hot texting relationship between the two of them. Now most of this has already taken place before we meet Amy.
At the moment we meet her, she is a college graduate working in a coffee shop during the day, and at night working on an app that she wants to sell.
That pretty much is the start of the story, the intense flirting relationship with Rex Blue and still not try be distracted just as she is about to sell her app to biggest tech firm in Philly.
I don't want to retell the story I want to try put my feelings down about it.
1. Amy has someone I liked, she had some blows in her life which is why she is the she us. Lost her Mum at a young age and she feels responsible. Her father is dying of cancer. Another brother is a drug addict.
2. Shane Green (Rex Blue) is her texting guy and it turns out he is a tech billionaire. And his company is the one buying her app and giving her a job.
Shane was a lot harder for me to get a bead on.
He doesn't come off as an a-hole billionaire. Control freak yes, to the extreme, hates any type press being out there about him. He does have his reasons, but until you learn that it seems a bit much.
He likes to be in control and if he and Amy are going to be together then she can't tell anyone.That is his demand, and of course she agrees.
Well like most stories with that kinda premise of course it happens. Their relationship us exposed, which makes Shane very uncomfortable.
Overall I liked the idea and for the most part B.B. Hamel pulled it off, but for me I liked Amy way more than I liked Shane.
At one point her old boss comes to see her to tell he's in love with and for just a moment I almost wanted for the two of them to run off together.
I do admit that by the end I liked Shane alot more than I did through most of the story. You see that he was willing to change to be with Amy so yeah he grew on me.
For the most part the writing is strong, few minor glitches right at the start that pulled me out the story, but once it got rolling if there was anything it slipped right passed me.
I've given Undersold 3 stars, but I would honestly say it more of a 3 1/2 ★'s. It looks like she has another novel coming. I would read it, I think she may have the start of decent series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2015
ARC PROVIDED BY AUTHOR FOR HONEST REVIEW.
This was 3.25 stars for me. This was an employee/boss type romance that really had me excited at the first part of the story. There's nothing like a little office romance to get "busted" to have my interest peak to see where things would go.... but they went totally where in the direction that was just too safe and boring for me. The major conflict in the book regarding paparazi was just too far of the rocker for me to believe given his status and title in the community. I felt the supposed conflict was a little too forced and had the office relationship possibly gone the other way it may have created more drama.
The characters:
Shane Green aka The Boss. At times he comes across as elusive and others he seems like a wannabe alpha.. I just was confused. He didn't seem dominant enough to be giving off the supposed alpha vibes he was supposed to give off with his 3 rules. His excuses towards his reclusiveness just seemed like that... excuses. His big secret he divests at the end was , at least to me, not that big of a deal.
Amy. Here is a supposed geek/nerd who is creating her own app and gets into a relationship with a man who is her boss who tells her the only way she can be in ANY relationship with him is to keep it a secret... not to tell anyone. RED FLAGS PLEASE... She just says ok. Obviously flirting with your boss is more important than your gut saying secret booty call. The good thing about Amy is that through the story she actually gets a little spunkier and gets some balls... too little too late a little but still an improvement.
All in all the story was cute, I just needed more.
On the PLus side... the sex scenes were HOT!!!!! There are always perks to banging the boss....
This was 3.25 stars for me. This was an employee/boss type romance that really had me excited at the first part of the story. There's nothing like a little office romance to get "busted" to have my interest peak to see where things would go.... but they went totally where in the direction that was just too safe and boring for me. The major conflict in the book regarding paparazi was just too far of the rocker for me to believe given his status and title in the community. I felt the supposed conflict was a little too forced and had the office relationship possibly gone the other way it may have created more drama.
The characters:
Shane Green aka The Boss. At times he comes across as elusive and others he seems like a wannabe alpha.. I just was confused. He didn't seem dominant enough to be giving off the supposed alpha vibes he was supposed to give off with his 3 rules. His excuses towards his reclusiveness just seemed like that... excuses. His big secret he divests at the end was , at least to me, not that big of a deal.
Amy. Here is a supposed geek/nerd who is creating her own app and gets into a relationship with a man who is her boss who tells her the only way she can be in ANY relationship with him is to keep it a secret... not to tell anyone. RED FLAGS PLEASE... She just says ok. Obviously flirting with your boss is more important than your gut saying secret booty call. The good thing about Amy is that through the story she actually gets a little spunkier and gets some balls... too little too late a little but still an improvement.
All in all the story was cute, I just needed more.
On the PLus side... the sex scenes were HOT!!!!! There are always perks to banging the boss....
February 20, 2015
Genre: Romance
Author: B.B. Hamel
Book: Undersold
My Star Rating: 3
Will I read I read it again? Don’t know
Intro: Amy Woodall has it bad. Her father is dying of cancer, her job barely pays the bills, and she can’t get through the day without thinking about her crushing student loans. As an escape, each night she throws herself into developing a smartphone app in the hopes of kick starting her stalled-out life.
Things change when she begins an innocent text flirtation with a man she meets online. Shane Green is beautiful, passionate, and rich in a way Amy can barely comprehend. He’s also obsessed with his privacy, and he’ll do anything to protect the people he loves from the spotlight. When Shane’s company buys Amy’s fledgling business, she finds herself torn between family, career, and love, with no easy way out.
The rules have changed, and Amy must find a way to navigate them before she loses everything.
I really wish that Amy had a backbone! I found her really lacking. Also found Shane being flaky! I would not have given him so much time if he treated me that way. Also I think they moved way too fast and I really found it hard to believe as a romance book. Maybe this should be a chic lit. I mean it was just all about him. All we saw of Amy was her very sad thoughts about herself. There was just no trust at all and that REALLY bothered me.
I was given this book to read and give an honest review. This review is my honest opinion and I have fully read this book.
Author: B.B. Hamel
Book: Undersold
My Star Rating: 3
Will I read I read it again? Don’t know
Intro: Amy Woodall has it bad. Her father is dying of cancer, her job barely pays the bills, and she can’t get through the day without thinking about her crushing student loans. As an escape, each night she throws herself into developing a smartphone app in the hopes of kick starting her stalled-out life.
Things change when she begins an innocent text flirtation with a man she meets online. Shane Green is beautiful, passionate, and rich in a way Amy can barely comprehend. He’s also obsessed with his privacy, and he’ll do anything to protect the people he loves from the spotlight. When Shane’s company buys Amy’s fledgling business, she finds herself torn between family, career, and love, with no easy way out.
The rules have changed, and Amy must find a way to navigate them before she loses everything.
I really wish that Amy had a backbone! I found her really lacking. Also found Shane being flaky! I would not have given him so much time if he treated me that way. Also I think they moved way too fast and I really found it hard to believe as a romance book. Maybe this should be a chic lit. I mean it was just all about him. All we saw of Amy was her very sad thoughts about herself. There was just no trust at all and that REALLY bothered me.
I was given this book to read and give an honest review. This review is my honest opinion and I have fully read this book.
February 13, 2015
Arc provided by the author for an honest review.
This is a debut novel by BB Hamel and I have to say it started off very well. It reminded me slightly of FSOG and a little bit of Crossfire.
Amy Woodall is fresh out of college with all that entails, student debts and a small job at a coffee shop. She has been so wrapped up in study and developing a new cellphone App that she has had no time for dating. So when her friend Darcy suggests she joins a dating site called Matchstick she takes the plunge.
It's on this site she is introduced to a sexy hot guy called Rex blue. They sext back and forth both sending each other a steamy pic and arrange to meet up.
Meanwhile Amy's hard work pays off and she successfully gains a job interview with the most prestigious Tech company in the City, Adstringo. At the interview is lawyer Royal Brown and the very reclusive but enigmatic Billionaire owner of the company Shane Green.
This is where a few surprises are thrown in and Shane reveals himself as a very hot demanding Alpha.
I'm going to be honest and say I wish there was more character development in this book and I found the heroine and hero fell for each other a bit too quickly. I did feel Amy was a little too weak but she had her share of backstory problems as did the hero.
I would like to find out a bit more about Amy's b/f Darcy in the next book. All in all not a bad start for BB. If you are looking for a sexy quick read Undersold will be just that.
This is a debut novel by BB Hamel and I have to say it started off very well. It reminded me slightly of FSOG and a little bit of Crossfire.
Amy Woodall is fresh out of college with all that entails, student debts and a small job at a coffee shop. She has been so wrapped up in study and developing a new cellphone App that she has had no time for dating. So when her friend Darcy suggests she joins a dating site called Matchstick she takes the plunge.
It's on this site she is introduced to a sexy hot guy called Rex blue. They sext back and forth both sending each other a steamy pic and arrange to meet up.
Meanwhile Amy's hard work pays off and she successfully gains a job interview with the most prestigious Tech company in the City, Adstringo. At the interview is lawyer Royal Brown and the very reclusive but enigmatic Billionaire owner of the company Shane Green.
This is where a few surprises are thrown in and Shane reveals himself as a very hot demanding Alpha.
I'm going to be honest and say I wish there was more character development in this book and I found the heroine and hero fell for each other a bit too quickly. I did feel Amy was a little too weak but she had her share of backstory problems as did the hero.
I would like to find out a bit more about Amy's b/f Darcy in the next book. All in all not a bad start for BB. If you are looking for a sexy quick read Undersold will be just that.
January 21, 2015
3.5
I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
By day Amy is a barista at a local coffee shop, by night she's an up and coming app developer. Stressed over student loans and her fathers cancer treatment bills she works hard to finish the app development in an effort to sell it off and gain employment. In the meantime, she's developed a sext relationship with Rex Blue, whom she me on an online dating website. At the meeting for the company that's interested in buying her app she realizes her sext partner is none other than the gorgeous uber exclusive Shane Green, owner of said company. And the story goes from there..
Amy was pretty cool. She had a tight knit group of family and friends. There was never a point in the book where she frustrated me. Shane on the other hand, his need for secrecy was a bit over the top. The paparazzi following him was a bit much too. He's a successful ad developer not Ryan Seacrest. And his confession explaining the need for the secrecy was a bit weak. I do like that he got his skeletons out of the closet and changed.
The story wraps up pretty well. I'm happy with the ending and would definitely recommend this book as a steamy, light read.
I got this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
By day Amy is a barista at a local coffee shop, by night she's an up and coming app developer. Stressed over student loans and her fathers cancer treatment bills she works hard to finish the app development in an effort to sell it off and gain employment. In the meantime, she's developed a sext relationship with Rex Blue, whom she me on an online dating website. At the meeting for the company that's interested in buying her app she realizes her sext partner is none other than the gorgeous uber exclusive Shane Green, owner of said company. And the story goes from there..
Amy was pretty cool. She had a tight knit group of family and friends. There was never a point in the book where she frustrated me. Shane on the other hand, his need for secrecy was a bit over the top. The paparazzi following him was a bit much too. He's a successful ad developer not Ryan Seacrest. And his confession explaining the need for the secrecy was a bit weak. I do like that he got his skeletons out of the closet and changed.
The story wraps up pretty well. I'm happy with the ending and would definitely recommend this book as a steamy, light read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2015
3.5 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Undersold was a mysterious, steamy and quick read. It's one of those books however that I enjoyed but it left me feeling as though something was missing. I kept wishing for little things (a chapter or two from Shane's POV, a little more character development, a better connection between the H and the h). Don't get me wrong, in a lot of ways I really did like this book. The writing style was pleasant, the flow of the story was comfortable, Amy, the herioine, was very likable and not immature and the sexual connection was hot. I just needed a bit more. And I needed to like Shane better. Even in the end I wasn't 100% Team Shane.
Overall I enjoyed myself and I look forward to more from this author.
Undersold was a mysterious, steamy and quick read. It's one of those books however that I enjoyed but it left me feeling as though something was missing. I kept wishing for little things (a chapter or two from Shane's POV, a little more character development, a better connection between the H and the h). Don't get me wrong, in a lot of ways I really did like this book. The writing style was pleasant, the flow of the story was comfortable, Amy, the herioine, was very likable and not immature and the sexual connection was hot. I just needed a bit more. And I needed to like Shane better. Even in the end I wasn't 100% Team Shane.
Overall I enjoyed myself and I look forward to more from this author.
February 11, 2015
I was generously given a free copy in exchange for a honest review.
Although the single character POV is not the writing-style I typically go for, as a whole, I liked this book. I thought that the book moved at a good pace and that the plot was an interesting mix-up of the ‘struggling-female-lead-meets-millionaire-broody-bad-boy. The main characters were enjoyable to read but I felt like I was missing something; getting some insight on Shane’s POV would have made it a more ‘richer’ reading experience for me. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend if you want a quick easy romance to read. A solid 3.5 from me.
Although the single character POV is not the writing-style I typically go for, as a whole, I liked this book. I thought that the book moved at a good pace and that the plot was an interesting mix-up of the ‘struggling-female-lead-meets-millionaire-broody-bad-boy. The main characters were enjoyable to read but I felt like I was missing something; getting some insight on Shane’s POV would have made it a more ‘richer’ reading experience for me. Overall, I enjoyed the book and would recommend if you want a quick easy romance to read. A solid 3.5 from me.
February 4, 2015
Received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I don't normally like erotica but this was pretty good. It wasn't unnecessarily dramatic, or ridiculous and that is something I really enjoyed. It was light and fun. The chemistry was believable and I really liked both leads. However, things felt a little rushed. I think I wanted a little bit more development of the characters. Other than that it was a enjoyable read that I will definitely recommend to others.
Also that cover is awesome!
I don't normally like erotica but this was pretty good. It wasn't unnecessarily dramatic, or ridiculous and that is something I really enjoyed. It was light and fun. The chemistry was believable and I really liked both leads. However, things felt a little rushed. I think I wanted a little bit more development of the characters. Other than that it was a enjoyable read that I will definitely recommend to others.
Also that cover is awesome!
February 12, 2015
I was given this copy from the author for an honest review
I didn't know what to expect when i started this but it was better than i could of hope for, There were a lot of ups and down and they story between Shane and Amy moved quite quickly but still made for a great read, I very excited to get more very soon from them and will be recommending this to my friends. Thank you BB for letting me read this.
I didn't know what to expect when i started this but it was better than i could of hope for, There were a lot of ups and down and they story between Shane and Amy moved quite quickly but still made for a great read, I very excited to get more very soon from them and will be recommending this to my friends. Thank you BB for letting me read this.
December 29, 2015
I have really enjoyed some of BB Hamel's books - this one did not register as well with me. I thought it was an interesting premise but when i got about 30% through I was underwhelmed. The dialogue was cheesy, the human interactions were forced and the drama...wasn't drama? I put a question mark by that because the big secret that Mr. Green was holding in was really not that big of a deal.
I actually enjoyed most of the romance in the story but it just fell flat with me.
On to the next!
I actually enjoyed most of the romance in the story but it just fell flat with me.
On to the next!
January 27, 2015
I read this is one sitting and it really is a great, enjoyable and light romance story. There's no angst, no tears and no heartache but an entertaining short read that ticks boxes. The love / chemistry is palpable, the sex scenes are enviable and the lifestyle is believable. This is the first book I've read by this author and I'd definitely read more.
June 6, 2017
Dominant male book
Not agressive but a controling male. She has to ask to have an orgasim?? What rubbish is that?
He also secretive and the ending secret isn't scandalous anyway quite pointless really.
Sex scenes are not steamy, but the controling issues seem uncomfortable to me.
Not agressive but a controling male. She has to ask to have an orgasim?? What rubbish is that?
He also secretive and the ending secret isn't scandalous anyway quite pointless really.
Sex scenes are not steamy, but the controling issues seem uncomfortable to me.
December 22, 2018
I always love these plain jane girl meets and wins hard to love, hidden away gorgeous billionaire!
September 11, 2016
I was very kindly provided with an ARC of Undersold by the author to read and review.
This book struck such a personal cord with me from the get go that I literally sat and read it front to back without moving an inch and often with a glint in my eye. It was utterly engaging and engrossing and it became impossible not to be sucked into the story of Shane Green and Amy Woodall.
Amy is an app designer in her spare time at night and coffee barista in the day to pay her bills and debts (and I thought I was an insomniac). Looking to further her career and make a name for herself she looks to sell the student and tutor app she has been developing night after night for months, so when one of the biggest companies around shows interest she jumps at the chance. Leaving her little time for a social life of any form she signs herself up to an online dating agency where she immediately becomes very close with a man known as Rex Blue. After many hot and heavy sexts and a picture or two later, Amy and Rex agree to meet later the next day. Upon arriving to her big career stepping stone meeting the morning before her date she is immediately struck dumb when she meets Shane Green, or is it Rex Blue?
I had never met someone I felt such an immediate and powerful attraction to, and now I understood why a single picture had made me want to suck his cock with abandon. I felt embarrassed but excited all at once. His nearby body was like a beacon for me, and although we were still complete strangers, I found myself wanting to press as close against him as I could.
He was a jerk. A big, beautiful jerk, who got my sense of humor, my drive, and my passion better than anyone else in my life. Not to mention he made me come harder than I thought possible.
I wholeheartedly enjoyed every moment of this book. It never became boring or repetitive at any point and our two main characters had such endearing qualities about them that it was hard not be captivated by them as individuals and as a couple. Amy and Shane both had their fair share of childhood traumas but they were both still very grounded and down to earth people and thankfully I never once had the urge to hurl my tablet across the room in frustration at their inability to talk or help each other learn from their pasts and mistakes. Yes they had their issues but it never became a complete drama that was blown out of proportion or that dragged on for chapter after chapter. It just seemed to effortlessly pull off everything that the author put down on each page and my only issue is that I wish it would have been longer. I truly didn't want this couples story to end.
I'm very thankful to B.B. Hamel for my copy of this book to read and she has definitely made it on to my 'authors to keep track of' list. This book was heart breaking at times but also just as healing. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a love story with a bit of kinky sex but most importantly such a good solid base to the story to hold it all together.. Hamel for my copy of this book to read and she has definitely made it on to my 'authors to keep track of' list. This book was heart breaking at times but also just as healing. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a love story with a bit of kinky sex but most importantly such a good solid base to the story to hold it all together.
This book struck such a personal cord with me from the get go that I literally sat and read it front to back without moving an inch and often with a glint in my eye. It was utterly engaging and engrossing and it became impossible not to be sucked into the story of Shane Green and Amy Woodall.
Amy is an app designer in her spare time at night and coffee barista in the day to pay her bills and debts (and I thought I was an insomniac). Looking to further her career and make a name for herself she looks to sell the student and tutor app she has been developing night after night for months, so when one of the biggest companies around shows interest she jumps at the chance. Leaving her little time for a social life of any form she signs herself up to an online dating agency where she immediately becomes very close with a man known as Rex Blue. After many hot and heavy sexts and a picture or two later, Amy and Rex agree to meet later the next day. Upon arriving to her big career stepping stone meeting the morning before her date she is immediately struck dumb when she meets Shane Green, or is it Rex Blue?
I had never met someone I felt such an immediate and powerful attraction to, and now I understood why a single picture had made me want to suck his cock with abandon. I felt embarrassed but excited all at once. His nearby body was like a beacon for me, and although we were still complete strangers, I found myself wanting to press as close against him as I could.
He was a jerk. A big, beautiful jerk, who got my sense of humor, my drive, and my passion better than anyone else in my life. Not to mention he made me come harder than I thought possible.
I wholeheartedly enjoyed every moment of this book. It never became boring or repetitive at any point and our two main characters had such endearing qualities about them that it was hard not be captivated by them as individuals and as a couple. Amy and Shane both had their fair share of childhood traumas but they were both still very grounded and down to earth people and thankfully I never once had the urge to hurl my tablet across the room in frustration at their inability to talk or help each other learn from their pasts and mistakes. Yes they had their issues but it never became a complete drama that was blown out of proportion or that dragged on for chapter after chapter. It just seemed to effortlessly pull off everything that the author put down on each page and my only issue is that I wish it would have been longer. I truly didn't want this couples story to end.
I'm very thankful to B.B. Hamel for my copy of this book to read and she has definitely made it on to my 'authors to keep track of' list. This book was heart breaking at times but also just as healing. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a love story with a bit of kinky sex but most importantly such a good solid base to the story to hold it all together.. Hamel for my copy of this book to read and she has definitely made it on to my 'authors to keep track of' list. This book was heart breaking at times but also just as healing. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a love story with a bit of kinky sex but most importantly such a good solid base to the story to hold it all together.
January 23, 2015
Rating 4.5 stars
Vikki’s Musings
B.B. Hamel asked me to review her book, Undersold. I do not read a lot of New Adult romances, but the book description sounded intriguing, so I decided to give it a read. I am so glad I did. This is a fantastic story. It is very well-written, especially for a debut novel. I feel that Ms. Hamel is an excellent storyteller and will go far.
Amy Woodall has recently graduated from Columbia University with a degree in computer programming. She is extremely stressed. She has a the ton of student loans hanging over her head, her father has terminal cancer and she works at a coffee shop for minimum wage.
Amy spends all her spare time developing a smart app. Her best friend suggests she give the website Matchstick a try. She has never been into the online dating thing, but she desperately needs some stress relief. After a dozen selfies, she posts her information and a picture and starts getting eligible bachelors pinging her cell like crazy. One profile picture catches her eye, and she answers his message. She starts a carefree texting flirtation with the hot guy. Things heat up quickly when she discovers he is in the tech industry and they seem to have much in common. He wants to meet. She agrees and they set a time to meet the following day.
Amy is way too nervous the next morning. She has an appointment with Adstringo, a tech company interested in buying her app program, and is anxious over agreeing to meet Rex Blue, the hot guy. When she arrives for her interview, she is shown into the Shane Green’s office and she comes face to face with none other than the hot guy she has been spending very explicit texts to for the last few days!
Should she distance herself from this very private billionaire and keep their relationship professional, or should she give into the overpowering attraction she feels and also have a passionate affair with him as well?
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Amy and Shane’s emotionally-charged love story. Ms. Hamel’s writing style flows smoothly and her pacing quickly drew me in and had me rooting for this interesting couple. I really wanted them to find their ‘Happily Ever After’. I was not sure that would happen since I understand there will be future books in the series and many of these New Adult romances end in a cliffhanger. Fortunately they do find their HEA.
The book is written in first person and Amy’s POV. Normally I enjoy having both the hero and heroine’s POV, but Ms. Hamel writes this so well, that I never realized I never read any introspection from Shane until after I had read the entire book and sat down to write my review! That is truly amazing since I feel as if I understand Shane almost as well as Amy’s character. I grew to know Shane through their texts and their dialogue.
If you like J.S. Scott’s Billionaire Series, you will love Undersold. This is a brilliant first novel and I am confident that Ms. Hamel will bring us additional books and her writing will only get better!
Now for the only reason I did not give this book five Gold Crowns. There are a few minor mistakes many new authors make, but they in no way distracted me from this great read. I highly recommend that you read this excellent book. Happy reading!
Vikki’s Musings
B.B. Hamel asked me to review her book, Undersold. I do not read a lot of New Adult romances, but the book description sounded intriguing, so I decided to give it a read. I am so glad I did. This is a fantastic story. It is very well-written, especially for a debut novel. I feel that Ms. Hamel is an excellent storyteller and will go far.
Amy Woodall has recently graduated from Columbia University with a degree in computer programming. She is extremely stressed. She has a the ton of student loans hanging over her head, her father has terminal cancer and she works at a coffee shop for minimum wage.
Amy spends all her spare time developing a smart app. Her best friend suggests she give the website Matchstick a try. She has never been into the online dating thing, but she desperately needs some stress relief. After a dozen selfies, she posts her information and a picture and starts getting eligible bachelors pinging her cell like crazy. One profile picture catches her eye, and she answers his message. She starts a carefree texting flirtation with the hot guy. Things heat up quickly when she discovers he is in the tech industry and they seem to have much in common. He wants to meet. She agrees and they set a time to meet the following day.
Amy is way too nervous the next morning. She has an appointment with Adstringo, a tech company interested in buying her app program, and is anxious over agreeing to meet Rex Blue, the hot guy. When she arrives for her interview, she is shown into the Shane Green’s office and she comes face to face with none other than the hot guy she has been spending very explicit texts to for the last few days!
Should she distance herself from this very private billionaire and keep their relationship professional, or should she give into the overpowering attraction she feels and also have a passionate affair with him as well?
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Amy and Shane’s emotionally-charged love story. Ms. Hamel’s writing style flows smoothly and her pacing quickly drew me in and had me rooting for this interesting couple. I really wanted them to find their ‘Happily Ever After’. I was not sure that would happen since I understand there will be future books in the series and many of these New Adult romances end in a cliffhanger. Fortunately they do find their HEA.
The book is written in first person and Amy’s POV. Normally I enjoy having both the hero and heroine’s POV, but Ms. Hamel writes this so well, that I never realized I never read any introspection from Shane until after I had read the entire book and sat down to write my review! That is truly amazing since I feel as if I understand Shane almost as well as Amy’s character. I grew to know Shane through their texts and their dialogue.
If you like J.S. Scott’s Billionaire Series, you will love Undersold. This is a brilliant first novel and I am confident that Ms. Hamel will bring us additional books and her writing will only get better!
Now for the only reason I did not give this book five Gold Crowns. There are a few minor mistakes many new authors make, but they in no way distracted me from this great read. I highly recommend that you read this excellent book. Happy reading!
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February 19, 2015My Review:ARC provided
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February 6, 2015
B.B. Hamel's debut novel opens in the middle of a sexting session between Amy Woodall and Rex Blue in an online dating site called Matchstick. They boldly confess to some very sexy, suggestive acts that they would indulge in IF they were together, but that will never happen, so no problem, right? Now imagine Amy's shock when she learns the man she has been confessing all her secret desires to is actually Shane Green - a reclusive billionaire entrepreneur in the Tech Industry and her new boss. And he's just as surprised to see that Amy is the sexy siren he has fantasized about ever since they sent suggestive pictures to each other via texts. A relationship begins - both personal and professional. Both characters are carrying some emotional baggage that causes misunderstandings and an on again, off again relationship. Shane insists on a private relationship that no one knows about and that plays on Amy's insecurities. Much of the story occurs in the office setting and thus, office politics and gossip also play into the story.
As this story unfolds, we only get Amy's point of view as it's written in first person. I believe it would have benefited from alternating pov's, allowing us to see what Shane was thinking. Shane is an extremely private person to the point of being paranoid about any public press. He insists they can only have a relationship if Amy keeps it a secret...from everyone. He has three rules that she must agree to:
1)You can tell nobody, not another living soul, that we are together.
2)You cannot see another man while you are with me.
3)You will come...(yeah, okay...I'll leave it up to you to read this rule.)
Amy, a computer nerd working in a coffeeshop during the day and programming computer apps at night, is very insecure and constantly apologizing to Shane over every little thing - even when she isn't at fault. She feels like he is hiding something from her but never really takes a stand. I kept expecting her to really stand up to him and demand more. She is too shy & demure. I think both characters would have benefited from a little more development, as I never fully connected to them. I wanted to feel more in-depth emotion from both of them. I also wanted that one big conflict...an event that would push them over the edge and make me doubt the outcome. Any issues that develop, are too easily resolved.
Having said that, I enjoyed Undersold and think it's a good start to a series by an author with a lot of potential. It's a good, fast read with some sexy erotic love scenes. Fans of erotic New Adult should give this book a read!
As this story unfolds, we only get Amy's point of view as it's written in first person. I believe it would have benefited from alternating pov's, allowing us to see what Shane was thinking. Shane is an extremely private person to the point of being paranoid about any public press. He insists they can only have a relationship if Amy keeps it a secret...from everyone. He has three rules that she must agree to:
1)You can tell nobody, not another living soul, that we are together.
2)You cannot see another man while you are with me.
3)You will come...(yeah, okay...I'll leave it up to you to read this rule.)
Amy, a computer nerd working in a coffeeshop during the day and programming computer apps at night, is very insecure and constantly apologizing to Shane over every little thing - even when she isn't at fault. She feels like he is hiding something from her but never really takes a stand. I kept expecting her to really stand up to him and demand more. She is too shy & demure. I think both characters would have benefited from a little more development, as I never fully connected to them. I wanted to feel more in-depth emotion from both of them. I also wanted that one big conflict...an event that would push them over the edge and make me doubt the outcome. Any issues that develop, are too easily resolved.
Having said that, I enjoyed Undersold and think it's a good start to a series by an author with a lot of potential. It's a good, fast read with some sexy erotic love scenes. Fans of erotic New Adult should give this book a read!
February 15, 2015
3 1/2 stars for "Undersold"; I was absolutely grabbed and pulled in by the start of the book, to me it was such a novel idea one I have not read before!
Our main character , Amy Woodall is a young app designer struggle to finish developing her first app and hoping tomsell it ; she is holding down a job at a local cafe to make ends meet , so she has no time for men or dating, but maybe a little flirting on line.
Amy meets Rex Blue on line and spend the better part of what little free time she has flirting and sexting with him, back and forth what she would like to do do him and n turn wht he would like to do to her. The two exchange pictures and Rex is hot, and Amy is captured but when he suggest they meet she has to put it off , she has a meeting to sell her app to one of the largest development agencies Adstringo. And she needs to be ready.
So imagine her suprise when she walks into her meeting and the very Rich, private owner of Adstringo Shane Green is the very same person she has been sexting with Rex Blue; Adstringo is buyin her app , the are hiring her on and she will be working closely with Shane on finishing the app and bringing it to the public . After the meeting Shane asks her to mee him at a local bar and Shane explains given his work and desire keep his lfe as private as possible , he enjoys a little online flirtation.
These two try to keep things jus business but that is just not going to happen but if they are going to try for any type of relationship Amy has to agree to and nderstand his rules ; she can not tell anyone about them, if she is seeing him she can not see other men and last but not least , she can only orgasm when he says so.
I loved the charachter of Amy, she was smart and caring with a big heart; at first I was not taken with Shane he seemed cold and clinical ( reminding me Mr Grey when we first meet him), but as you read and you find out why he has a need
for such privacy it's understandable and he bagan to grow on me, winning huge pints when he loosens up his need for control and goes to support Amy when she needs him the most.
My one wish for this book , would of liked the dual point of view rather than just Amy's.
So congrats to Ms. Hamel on her first book, I am looking foward to reading more of your work!
Book graciously provided by author for an honest review!
Our main character , Amy Woodall is a young app designer struggle to finish developing her first app and hoping tomsell it ; she is holding down a job at a local cafe to make ends meet , so she has no time for men or dating, but maybe a little flirting on line.
Amy meets Rex Blue on line and spend the better part of what little free time she has flirting and sexting with him, back and forth what she would like to do do him and n turn wht he would like to do to her. The two exchange pictures and Rex is hot, and Amy is captured but when he suggest they meet she has to put it off , she has a meeting to sell her app to one of the largest development agencies Adstringo. And she needs to be ready.
So imagine her suprise when she walks into her meeting and the very Rich, private owner of Adstringo Shane Green is the very same person she has been sexting with Rex Blue; Adstringo is buyin her app , the are hiring her on and she will be working closely with Shane on finishing the app and bringing it to the public . After the meeting Shane asks her to mee him at a local bar and Shane explains given his work and desire keep his lfe as private as possible , he enjoys a little online flirtation.
These two try to keep things jus business but that is just not going to happen but if they are going to try for any type of relationship Amy has to agree to and nderstand his rules ; she can not tell anyone about them, if she is seeing him she can not see other men and last but not least , she can only orgasm when he says so.
I loved the charachter of Amy, she was smart and caring with a big heart; at first I was not taken with Shane he seemed cold and clinical ( reminding me Mr Grey when we first meet him), but as you read and you find out why he has a need
for such privacy it's understandable and he bagan to grow on me, winning huge pints when he loosens up his need for control and goes to support Amy when she needs him the most.
My one wish for this book , would of liked the dual point of view rather than just Amy's.
So congrats to Ms. Hamel on her first book, I am looking foward to reading more of your work!
Book graciously provided by author for an honest review!
January 28, 2015
Undersold was a tough one for me to process and review. On one hand I liked it, the characters where nice enough and the storyline kept me entertained but there was no real hook and I blatantly detest using the word nice to describe anything as it comes across as lazy but Undersold was just a nice comfortable, predictable read.
Both the male and female protagonists needed more development or at least we as the readers needed to be given more insight into the preliminaries of their on-line relationship instead of being told at the beginning that Amy the lonely single girl in a unknown city had initiated a flirting sext-a-thon with a mysterious but beautiful looking stranger through an online dating service, someone who down the road turns out to be a well known and obvious part of Amy’s new life as a tech expert. It was a plain sailing romance with very little to upset its course and it was a lovely blossoming sweet relationship regardless of a few obstacles in the way.
“His eyes were clear and serious and there was a sadness to him I couldn’t place. He was brooding and dark and I wanted to crack him open and to drink whatever secrets he had hidden away.”
I felt that a lot of it could have been fleshed out and explained much better and in deeper detail, maybe even have a different interpretation of the billionaire mogul with secrets who has control issues and the magic ability to command orgasms at will (where can I get me one of those???). I hate to use the F word here but the similarities between Undersold and Fifty Shades of Grey were plenty apparent.
There were so many ways Undersold could have been a brilliant book rather than just a good one. An integral part of these types of books is not just the sex, which felt quite tame and sparse here but also the need for deeper characterisation, why do the players think they way they do? Where are the consequences and repercussions that cause the drama? It was all sorely lacking, I missed having Shane the hero’s point of view and the feeling from the finale when all secrets are revealed was anti-climatic, even the jealousy was cleared up in one sentence. Don’t get me wrong it is a good book and I did enjoy it but if you’re looking for grittier it probably isn’t for you.
- Nicole
June 4, 2015
HOT! I read it in one sitting and it was definitely worth it! The chemistry between Amy and Shane is crazy electric and sizzling the entire book. Amy's personal journey, her anxiety, and constantly selling herself short make her a really compelling character. Shane's secretive yet dominate and highly sexual personality make him a super sexy male lead.
Overall, the book was a great, quick read. The writing was very straight forward and that really worked for the characters' personalities. I loved how Amy reacted quite realistically to certain situations. Oftentimes heroines tend to over or under react, and I think BB Hamel got it right with Amy. However, I struggled with how much of a danger the "Tech Gossip" websites were and how badly the paparazzi wanted information on Shane Green's life in Philadelphia. If the feeling that he owned and operated a Microsoft-sized or Apple-famous company had been more laid out for us, I might have believed it more. Other than that, I really liked the plot and couldn't wait to find out how they resolved their issues. It was a great introduction to this series and the author! I can't wait see what she writes next!
Quick Summary: Amy is a app programmer by night, barista by day. She sells her app to a large company, who just so happens to be owned and operated by Shane, whom she has been flirting and sexting with on a dating site. They decide to continue with their relationship despite the fact he is her boss. He's an extremely private billionaire CEO that the paparazzi are dying to get dirt on, so precautions are taken to keep it a secret. Problem is, their growing attraction and attachment to each other is hard to hide, especially from coworkers and best friends. Plus, they both hide parts of themselves from the other, making for a steamy yet bumpy ride.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes the Harlequin Desire books or the Millionaire/Billionaire/Celebrity falls for the everyday girl story lines.
*Thanks so much to the author for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review*
♥Tessie
Overall, the book was a great, quick read. The writing was very straight forward and that really worked for the characters' personalities. I loved how Amy reacted quite realistically to certain situations. Oftentimes heroines tend to over or under react, and I think BB Hamel got it right with Amy. However, I struggled with how much of a danger the "Tech Gossip" websites were and how badly the paparazzi wanted information on Shane Green's life in Philadelphia. If the feeling that he owned and operated a Microsoft-sized or Apple-famous company had been more laid out for us, I might have believed it more. Other than that, I really liked the plot and couldn't wait to find out how they resolved their issues. It was a great introduction to this series and the author! I can't wait see what she writes next!
Quick Summary: Amy is a app programmer by night, barista by day. She sells her app to a large company, who just so happens to be owned and operated by Shane, whom she has been flirting and sexting with on a dating site. They decide to continue with their relationship despite the fact he is her boss. He's an extremely private billionaire CEO that the paparazzi are dying to get dirt on, so precautions are taken to keep it a secret. Problem is, their growing attraction and attachment to each other is hard to hide, especially from coworkers and best friends. Plus, they both hide parts of themselves from the other, making for a steamy yet bumpy ride.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes the Harlequin Desire books or the Millionaire/Billionaire/Celebrity falls for the everyday girl story lines.
*Thanks so much to the author for providing me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review*
♥Tessie
April 3, 2017
**Undersold (ARC) was graciously provided to me by the author, B.B. Hamel, for my honest review.**
Undersold is a heart-warming, yet tragic, story about Shane and Amy. Two people whose lives appear to be vastly different, at first, slowly turn out to be both from a kindred childhood. Shane Green, a gorgeous billionaire with stunning gray eyes, is a young, highly-accomplished owner of a popular technology company, one which was created with very specific reasons. Amy Woodall, a cute computer-programmer, is the creator of a unique computer program with very specific reasons as well. This story, for me, involved a wide range of emotions. I felt joy, frustration, sadness with tears and certainly lots of warmth.
Shane and Amy meet by means of a very unique scenario, and, throughout the story, begin to rely heavily upon each other, as each begin to develop deep feelings for the other. Shane, who is super-secretive and private, simply wants to be normal. Amy, who is full of self-doubt, begins to love Shane and craves to know him more. As the new-found lovers progress through their budding relationship, they begin to discover more and more about each other. What was once thought of as simply a sensual relationship filled with secrecy, turns into one which has both Shane and Amy craving one another for the love and support they so desperately need.
Shane and Amy's story was quite the page-turner! I found myself cheering with glee as well as shouting, "Are you kidding me?!" There are some tragic moments where I found myself reaching for the box of tissues. I also found myself wanting to simply reach out and give certain characters lots of big hugs!
While I had hoped for more depth of each character, more overall depth to add to the flow of the storyline, and despite odd sentence flow and word choice, at times, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Undersold, by B.B. Hamel, and really recommend it!
"His smile broke across his face like waves against a lifeboat." Shane, Undersold, B.B. Hamel
Undersold is a heart-warming, yet tragic, story about Shane and Amy. Two people whose lives appear to be vastly different, at first, slowly turn out to be both from a kindred childhood. Shane Green, a gorgeous billionaire with stunning gray eyes, is a young, highly-accomplished owner of a popular technology company, one which was created with very specific reasons. Amy Woodall, a cute computer-programmer, is the creator of a unique computer program with very specific reasons as well. This story, for me, involved a wide range of emotions. I felt joy, frustration, sadness with tears and certainly lots of warmth.
Shane and Amy meet by means of a very unique scenario, and, throughout the story, begin to rely heavily upon each other, as each begin to develop deep feelings for the other. Shane, who is super-secretive and private, simply wants to be normal. Amy, who is full of self-doubt, begins to love Shane and craves to know him more. As the new-found lovers progress through their budding relationship, they begin to discover more and more about each other. What was once thought of as simply a sensual relationship filled with secrecy, turns into one which has both Shane and Amy craving one another for the love and support they so desperately need.
Shane and Amy's story was quite the page-turner! I found myself cheering with glee as well as shouting, "Are you kidding me?!" There are some tragic moments where I found myself reaching for the box of tissues. I also found myself wanting to simply reach out and give certain characters lots of big hugs!
While I had hoped for more depth of each character, more overall depth to add to the flow of the storyline, and despite odd sentence flow and word choice, at times, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Undersold, by B.B. Hamel, and really recommend it!
"His smile broke across his face like waves against a lifeboat." Shane, Undersold, B.B. Hamel
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