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Infamous #1
Infamous
Justine Montgomery, daughter of a divorced beauty queen and TV magnate, is a tabloid disaster after her infamous sex tape. She’s so desperate to help save her family’s home she turns to her deal-making dad. Can she prove to him she’s cut out for a career in television or will she lose it all?
Sawyer has his own past and a successful career is his only goal. Seeing Justine fail would mean the promotion of a lifetime, but things get complicated when he develops feelings for her. Suddenly, the lines between work, life, sex, and love are blurry.
They will have to overcome the bitterness of a rejected ex, the controlling actions of her father, and the half-truths they’re telling one another to forge a lasting partnership both on the job and off the clock.
Sawyer has his own past and a successful career is his only goal. Seeing Justine fail would mean the promotion of a lifetime, but things get complicated when he develops feelings for her. Suddenly, the lines between work, life, sex, and love are blurry.
They will have to overcome the bitterness of a rejected ex, the controlling actions of her father, and the half-truths they’re telling one another to forge a lasting partnership both on the job and off the clock.
- GenresContemporaryRomance
368 pages, Paperback
Published December 14, 2016
About the author
Lori Sizemore
9 books37 followersLori Sizemore writes sexy and snarky romantic comedy. She adores all things story and geeks out about craft books, writing classes, and how-to blog posts daily.
When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her family, playing video games, or crocheting. Sometimes all three at once, as she’s a master multi-tasker.
She loves to read a good book, in any genre, but her favorite is romance. Find her online blogging or on social media through her website, lorisizemore.com.
When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her family, playing video games, or crocheting. Sometimes all three at once, as she’s a master multi-tasker.
She loves to read a good book, in any genre, but her favorite is romance. Find her online blogging or on social media through her website, lorisizemore.com.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 20, 2017
Book – Infamous
Author – Lori Sizemore
Series – N/A
Publication Date – December 14, 2016
Genre – Contemporary Romance
Type – StandAlone
Rating – 4.25 out of 5 Stars
Complimentary copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts - Story
How many times do we hear of “Sex Tapes” being leaked? Or the TV show “How the Internet Ruined My Life”…how something so innocent (at least secret) when you trust someone…can ruin your life as you know it.
This is what happens to Justine Montgomery and sets up the reason for Justine being thrown in with Eric Sawyer. These two must work together to find the perfect talk-show hosts. I found myself laughing and loving the banter between Justine and Sawyer!
This is a fast paced story that will get you hooked until you reach the end!
Reason for Reading – Author Request
Story – 5 out of 5 Stars
Steam – 4 out of 5 Stars
Angst – 4 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 4 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 4 out of 5 Stars
Would Read More from Author? Yes
Recommend To – Readers who love enemy to lust to love reads!
Author – Lori Sizemore
Series – N/A
Publication Date – December 14, 2016
Genre – Contemporary Romance
Type – StandAlone
Rating – 4.25 out of 5 Stars
Complimentary copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts - Story
How many times do we hear of “Sex Tapes” being leaked? Or the TV show “How the Internet Ruined My Life”…how something so innocent (at least secret) when you trust someone…can ruin your life as you know it.
This is what happens to Justine Montgomery and sets up the reason for Justine being thrown in with Eric Sawyer. These two must work together to find the perfect talk-show hosts. I found myself laughing and loving the banter between Justine and Sawyer!
This is a fast paced story that will get you hooked until you reach the end!
Reason for Reading – Author Request
Story – 5 out of 5 Stars
Steam – 4 out of 5 Stars
Angst – 4 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 4 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 4 out of 5 Stars
Would Read More from Author? Yes
Recommend To – Readers who love enemy to lust to love reads!
March 4, 2017
A sex tape was what made Justine Montgomery into a household name, fodder for the tabloids, and in a word... INFAMOUS. Desperate to save her mother's home, she asks her father for help and he makes her a deal: he'll pay off the mortgage if she co-produces a day-time talk show. Easy peasy. Or maybe not.
Sawyer had turned his rough beginnings into a stable life for himself. He's career-driven and successful. And he's definitely not interested in babysitting the boss's daughter on his latest show. No matter how hot she is how insanely drawn he is to her.
If Justine fails, Sawyer gets a promotion. It doesn't take him long to figure out that there is so much more to this bargain than meets the eye. Soon enough, their feelings for one another start to grow and add to the complications that surround them. Their bitterness starts to fade allowing love to bloom and eventually Sawyer becomes Justine's staunchest ally.
There's a crazy ex (super creepy), a star past her prime, sabotage and setups, rambling conversations and awkward moments, and the many hurdles that must be jumped in order for their relationship to have a surviving chance. The characters were endearing, the plot was charming, and I was satisfied with the ending this couple received.
Release Date: December 14, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Dual - 3rd person
Steam: 2 out of 5
Book Type: Standalone
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Sawyer had turned his rough beginnings into a stable life for himself. He's career-driven and successful. And he's definitely not interested in babysitting the boss's daughter on his latest show. No matter how hot she is how insanely drawn he is to her.
If Justine fails, Sawyer gets a promotion. It doesn't take him long to figure out that there is so much more to this bargain than meets the eye. Soon enough, their feelings for one another start to grow and add to the complications that surround them. Their bitterness starts to fade allowing love to bloom and eventually Sawyer becomes Justine's staunchest ally.
There's a crazy ex (super creepy), a star past her prime, sabotage and setups, rambling conversations and awkward moments, and the many hurdles that must be jumped in order for their relationship to have a surviving chance. The characters were endearing, the plot was charming, and I was satisfied with the ending this couple received.
Release Date: December 14, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Dual - 3rd person
Steam: 2 out of 5
Book Type: Standalone
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
January 23, 2017
The life of the rich and famous, or in Justine’s case the INFAMOUS. So maybe Justine has made some bad decisions in life, but with role models like her TV magnate father and her beauty queen mother, I’m thinking she is lucky to be sane! Oh, and she has an ex-boyfriend spreading their most intimate moments with the world in living color and full action glory. When she finds her mother has dug herself into almost a million dollars’ worth of debt, she runs to her father to beg for his financial help. What he gives her is a deal she cannot refuse, work in the industry for him and succeed, or do what he expects and fail miserably.
Sawyer is a man on the rise, and he has a chance for a huge promotion that he thinks will help him forget his past. As Justine’s mentor/partner, all he has to do is help her fail. Little did he know the woman he saw as a fluffy rich princess was one of the most genuine humans to walk the earth, even if her methods are less than industry standard. Justine proposes to pull off the impossible, should he go along for the ride or give in to both his conscience and his heart to help her prove herself to her family, while finding some semblance of pride and accomplishment?
Lori Sizemore has created something the world needs more of- love, laughter and two people who do not wallow in their self-pity over the lives they’ve been given. Sure, there are moments of baring painful truths, but they only serve to make these characters fill each page with their larger-than-life personalities. Justine is the friend you wish you had, always keeping things just off-center and Sawyer was no match for her as he started down that road to love, not that either of them would admit it, of course! Ms. Sizemore fills each page with wonderful story telling as she creates romance when these two least expected it in settings that hold their own quirkiness. I was left smiling and feeling good when I read that final word! Read it! It’s like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day!
I received this copy from Lori Sizemore in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc (December 14, 2016)
Publication Date: December 14, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy
Print Length: 286 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
Sawyer is a man on the rise, and he has a chance for a huge promotion that he thinks will help him forget his past. As Justine’s mentor/partner, all he has to do is help her fail. Little did he know the woman he saw as a fluffy rich princess was one of the most genuine humans to walk the earth, even if her methods are less than industry standard. Justine proposes to pull off the impossible, should he go along for the ride or give in to both his conscience and his heart to help her prove herself to her family, while finding some semblance of pride and accomplishment?
Lori Sizemore has created something the world needs more of- love, laughter and two people who do not wallow in their self-pity over the lives they’ve been given. Sure, there are moments of baring painful truths, but they only serve to make these characters fill each page with their larger-than-life personalities. Justine is the friend you wish you had, always keeping things just off-center and Sawyer was no match for her as he started down that road to love, not that either of them would admit it, of course! Ms. Sizemore fills each page with wonderful story telling as she creates romance when these two least expected it in settings that hold their own quirkiness. I was left smiling and feeling good when I read that final word! Read it! It’s like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day!
I received this copy from Lori Sizemore in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc (December 14, 2016)
Publication Date: December 14, 2016
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy
Print Length: 286 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com
December 14, 2016
I have one problem with this review and that is where to start.
There is so much that could be said that being able to filter through not only how I feel about the story but what is fair to divulge is taking a little more time than I thought.
Justine is a feisty character, fully aware of the impact that the sex tape that is now her ex leaked to the media, she isn’t ashamed, after all why should she…he made it without her knowing anything about it. Now, personally I would have been a lot more bothered but then again what could she do, it wasn’t going to go away quietly!
Anyway doing what she can to shrug it all off, she puts her head down and tries to get on with her life, perhaps a new job would help…well you would have thought that was a top idea, I know I certainly did but when her father gets wind of it he uses every underhand trick in the book to get her to stay put… really, parental blackmail? What next?
Well, what came next was Sawyer and while on the surface it seemed that he was all about his career, it soon became clear that there was more on his mind than I think he even knew. He might have been a love them and leave them type previously but now, with Justine…this bed hopper might just be ready to settle down…a little anyway!
I liked the connection and interaction between the two of them, they had a sharp yet jovial banter that was engaging. I loved the fact that they both got to say what they were thinking and that since the book was told from both of their points of view they were each given a chance to shine. Justine took that in my opinion and I think she came seemed to eventually grow into her own skin so to speak.
Their situation wasn’t the easiest and there was a lot to keep an eye on, a lot of secondary characters who all seemed to want to get in on the action, deals were made, agendas addressed and throughout it all there were two people who were almost stuck fielding the angst and attitude of those around them, who it seemed as if they weren’t always pulling in their direction.
I liked the connection and chemistry between Justine and Sawyer, they oozed a natural charm, a proper sense of reality, they just worked. The journey wasn’t all plain sailing for either of them, there were skeletons in the cupboard that needed to be completely exorcized…the only question was, could they?
For a debut novel I have to say that this was a fabulously well written, sharp and humorous read. From start to finish this was a joy to read.
There is so much that could be said that being able to filter through not only how I feel about the story but what is fair to divulge is taking a little more time than I thought.
Justine is a feisty character, fully aware of the impact that the sex tape that is now her ex leaked to the media, she isn’t ashamed, after all why should she…he made it without her knowing anything about it. Now, personally I would have been a lot more bothered but then again what could she do, it wasn’t going to go away quietly!
Anyway doing what she can to shrug it all off, she puts her head down and tries to get on with her life, perhaps a new job would help…well you would have thought that was a top idea, I know I certainly did but when her father gets wind of it he uses every underhand trick in the book to get her to stay put… really, parental blackmail? What next?
Well, what came next was Sawyer and while on the surface it seemed that he was all about his career, it soon became clear that there was more on his mind than I think he even knew. He might have been a love them and leave them type previously but now, with Justine…this bed hopper might just be ready to settle down…a little anyway!
I liked the connection and interaction between the two of them, they had a sharp yet jovial banter that was engaging. I loved the fact that they both got to say what they were thinking and that since the book was told from both of their points of view they were each given a chance to shine. Justine took that in my opinion and I think she came seemed to eventually grow into her own skin so to speak.
Their situation wasn’t the easiest and there was a lot to keep an eye on, a lot of secondary characters who all seemed to want to get in on the action, deals were made, agendas addressed and throughout it all there were two people who were almost stuck fielding the angst and attitude of those around them, who it seemed as if they weren’t always pulling in their direction.
I liked the connection and chemistry between Justine and Sawyer, they oozed a natural charm, a proper sense of reality, they just worked. The journey wasn’t all plain sailing for either of them, there were skeletons in the cupboard that needed to be completely exorcized…the only question was, could they?
For a debut novel I have to say that this was a fabulously well written, sharp and humorous read. From start to finish this was a joy to read.
April 2, 2018
Hit or Miss (an audio review)
I really wanted to like this book. Truly, I did.
First of all, there were production problems. Lines were repeated. Once, an entire paragraph was repeated. This is really poor editing production. I realize these are big projects, but more care should have been taken. It happened at least six times – after that, I stopped counting.
The narrator, David James, had an appropriate voice for the book. He was good with the female characters, made an effort at differentiation, and pronounced words correctly.
However…
He really needs to work on his narration skills. Even if he were simply reading the book aloud, there need to be pauses. I’m not talking dramatic pauses. I’m saying I should be able to, for example, tell when the point-of-view changes. Usually, in novels, there is a double space. In James’ narration, there is no discernable double space. He just ploughs on and it was up to me to realize I was in a different character’s head. Also, if two characters were arguing and there were no dialogue tags, (he said, she exclaimed), it was impossible for me to keep up. Without any pause, I couldn’t tell when one character had finished speaking and the next one had begun. I get that the level of excitability should be ratchetted up if there’s an argument, but I couldn’t tell who was saying what. All the enthusiasm in the world doesn’t help.
So now I get to the story. The synopsis makes it seem simple: Justine needs to succeed, Sawyer gets a promotion if she fails. This concept is of no help in the execution. I never truly grasped what was going on. Who was helping who. What sabotage was going on, etc. And to be brutally honest, there were times when I didn’t care.
I did feel empathy for Justine. Dysfunctional, divorced parents, a sex tape, a jealous ex…but I found it hard at times to rally behind her.
I know Sawyer was supposed to have a life-changing moment but he was such an insensitive hound dog that the transformation stretched believability.
Two huge beefs (Spoiler alert).
Sex without a condom.
Oh, they have a nice discussion after the fact to assure readers it was okay for them to get carried away, but given Sawyer’s history alone (he has sex with someone else earlier in the book) this was highly questionable.
Also, when Justine is drop-dead drunk, Sawyer cops a feel because she ‘won’t remember in the morning’. Yes, the book was written before the #MeToo movement, but it was written in 2016 and is not supposed to be a bodice-ripper from the 1990s. When was it ever okay to grope a drunk woman? What if that was your daughter? Someone does that to my younger sister? Let’s just say, cops would be involved.
(Spoilers Over)
Okay (taking a deep breath). There ARE good things about this book. I like that it was a journey of self-discovery for Justine. She went from a tabloid favourite with a sex tape, forced to sell her clothes on the Internet to survive, to a woman who is able to succeed in the (still) male-dominated world of television production. Times are changing, but the world Justine faced was full of men who wanted her to fail.
I liked that the villain was exposed spectacularly, but I did NOT like the level of violence Sawyer consistently used. Protecting a woman who is in physical danger at that moment is one thing. Cold-cocking a jerk? Yeah, not so much. Also, Sawyer calls Justine ‘Princess’ while her father – in the workplace – calls her ‘Baby’.
Again, the constant infantilization of Justine is annoying. Of course, that makes her success all the more sweet, because, aside from Leo, there is not a single man in Justine’s life who believes she can succeed (at least at the beginning).
I did like the character arc for Justine’s mother. Her success rivaled Justine’s transformation in making me happy.
There was dialogue where I liked the impetus behind it, but the execution left me wincing.
“I’ve never hugged anyone I wasn’t going to have sex with.”
“We aren’t going to have sex.”
I liked that Sawyer was finally opening up to Justine. His backstory was emotionally engaging, but never was never fully realized.
There were a lot of metaphors – elephants (which I understood), red dahlias (which left me clueless), and a bunch of others. I think they were important, but I just couldn’t follow.
Also, if you know what a ‘clothespin girl’ is, you’re more tuned in to what I assume is popular culture than I am.
And maybe that’s the problem. I just never connected with the book. And I have read thousands of romances across many different subgenres.
HOWEVER…
That doesn’t mean other readers won’t connect and enjoy it. Those things I nitpicked? Many listeners won’t care. If readers enjoy romantic comedies with lots of twists and turns, this may be the book for them. Hero and heroine who push/pull continuously? Some readers love that.
So if this book sounds interesting, don’t let my review discourage you. I just wanted you to be warned and this is just ONE woman’s opinion.
And maybe you’ll understand and enjoy the Secret Conversion Therapy.
I really wanted to like this book. Truly, I did.
First of all, there were production problems. Lines were repeated. Once, an entire paragraph was repeated. This is really poor editing production. I realize these are big projects, but more care should have been taken. It happened at least six times – after that, I stopped counting.
The narrator, David James, had an appropriate voice for the book. He was good with the female characters, made an effort at differentiation, and pronounced words correctly.
However…
He really needs to work on his narration skills. Even if he were simply reading the book aloud, there need to be pauses. I’m not talking dramatic pauses. I’m saying I should be able to, for example, tell when the point-of-view changes. Usually, in novels, there is a double space. In James’ narration, there is no discernable double space. He just ploughs on and it was up to me to realize I was in a different character’s head. Also, if two characters were arguing and there were no dialogue tags, (he said, she exclaimed), it was impossible for me to keep up. Without any pause, I couldn’t tell when one character had finished speaking and the next one had begun. I get that the level of excitability should be ratchetted up if there’s an argument, but I couldn’t tell who was saying what. All the enthusiasm in the world doesn’t help.
So now I get to the story. The synopsis makes it seem simple: Justine needs to succeed, Sawyer gets a promotion if she fails. This concept is of no help in the execution. I never truly grasped what was going on. Who was helping who. What sabotage was going on, etc. And to be brutally honest, there were times when I didn’t care.
I did feel empathy for Justine. Dysfunctional, divorced parents, a sex tape, a jealous ex…but I found it hard at times to rally behind her.
I know Sawyer was supposed to have a life-changing moment but he was such an insensitive hound dog that the transformation stretched believability.
Two huge beefs (Spoiler alert).
Sex without a condom.
Oh, they have a nice discussion after the fact to assure readers it was okay for them to get carried away, but given Sawyer’s history alone (he has sex with someone else earlier in the book) this was highly questionable.
Also, when Justine is drop-dead drunk, Sawyer cops a feel because she ‘won’t remember in the morning’. Yes, the book was written before the #MeToo movement, but it was written in 2016 and is not supposed to be a bodice-ripper from the 1990s. When was it ever okay to grope a drunk woman? What if that was your daughter? Someone does that to my younger sister? Let’s just say, cops would be involved.
(Spoilers Over)
Okay (taking a deep breath). There ARE good things about this book. I like that it was a journey of self-discovery for Justine. She went from a tabloid favourite with a sex tape, forced to sell her clothes on the Internet to survive, to a woman who is able to succeed in the (still) male-dominated world of television production. Times are changing, but the world Justine faced was full of men who wanted her to fail.
I liked that the villain was exposed spectacularly, but I did NOT like the level of violence Sawyer consistently used. Protecting a woman who is in physical danger at that moment is one thing. Cold-cocking a jerk? Yeah, not so much. Also, Sawyer calls Justine ‘Princess’ while her father – in the workplace – calls her ‘Baby’.
Again, the constant infantilization of Justine is annoying. Of course, that makes her success all the more sweet, because, aside from Leo, there is not a single man in Justine’s life who believes she can succeed (at least at the beginning).
I did like the character arc for Justine’s mother. Her success rivaled Justine’s transformation in making me happy.
There was dialogue where I liked the impetus behind it, but the execution left me wincing.
“I’ve never hugged anyone I wasn’t going to have sex with.”
“We aren’t going to have sex.”
I liked that Sawyer was finally opening up to Justine. His backstory was emotionally engaging, but never was never fully realized.
There were a lot of metaphors – elephants (which I understood), red dahlias (which left me clueless), and a bunch of others. I think they were important, but I just couldn’t follow.
Also, if you know what a ‘clothespin girl’ is, you’re more tuned in to what I assume is popular culture than I am.
And maybe that’s the problem. I just never connected with the book. And I have read thousands of romances across many different subgenres.
HOWEVER…
That doesn’t mean other readers won’t connect and enjoy it. Those things I nitpicked? Many listeners won’t care. If readers enjoy romantic comedies with lots of twists and turns, this may be the book for them. Hero and heroine who push/pull continuously? Some readers love that.
So if this book sounds interesting, don’t let my review discourage you. I just wanted you to be warned and this is just ONE woman’s opinion.
And maybe you’ll understand and enjoy the Secret Conversion Therapy.
December 15, 2016
Justine Montgomery has a scandalous past with a sex tape that catapulted her into every home. Her dad, Daniel, owns a television company and her mom, Thea was once Miss Beauty America. When bad decisions force her mom to sell their family home Justine turns to her dad for help getting a job.
When Daniel offers Justine a job co-producing a TV talk show with Eric Sawyer he assumes she will not last a week. But Daniel is covering his bases and has Justine agree to other stipulations if she fails and that is something that she just can not afford to do.
Will Sawyer and Justine begin to get along enough that they can successfully find talk show hosts and when it looks like all is lost will they come out ahead? What happens when it is clear that Justine's ex, Travis, wants her back and is willing to do anything to get her back?
At the beginning of the book I wasn't sure where the book was going but I was pleasantly surprised on how things started getting more interesting and quite a few surprises that I wasn't expecting.
At the very beginning I wasn't sure if I was going to like Justine or not but once I learned more about the sex tape and her I was pleasantly surprised. She had nothing to do with the tape and I felt bad at how she was portrayed. She lives in a different world with being the daughter of famous people and she was subjected to a lot of things.
Sawyer was so mad that he was stuck "babysitting" Justine has he believed she was a "princess". It was only once he got to know her and understand more about her that he saw more of the real her. There were many times he jumped to conclusions with her but I am so glad he was able to help her through some of the things she was up against.
Travis was such an ass and it frustrated me that Justine's dad refused to get her opinion on her own life. I can't believe the lengths he went to in order to get his way.
I definitely had mixed feelings about Justine's parents. I liked that her dad was willing to help her mom out financially but I didn't like his stipulations. I also really didn't like her mom at the beginning with being so in over her head until she finally got a handle on what she wanted to do with her life with working.
I did enjoy the book and would read another from this author.
When Daniel offers Justine a job co-producing a TV talk show with Eric Sawyer he assumes she will not last a week. But Daniel is covering his bases and has Justine agree to other stipulations if she fails and that is something that she just can not afford to do.
Will Sawyer and Justine begin to get along enough that they can successfully find talk show hosts and when it looks like all is lost will they come out ahead? What happens when it is clear that Justine's ex, Travis, wants her back and is willing to do anything to get her back?
At the beginning of the book I wasn't sure where the book was going but I was pleasantly surprised on how things started getting more interesting and quite a few surprises that I wasn't expecting.
At the very beginning I wasn't sure if I was going to like Justine or not but once I learned more about the sex tape and her I was pleasantly surprised. She had nothing to do with the tape and I felt bad at how she was portrayed. She lives in a different world with being the daughter of famous people and she was subjected to a lot of things.
Sawyer was so mad that he was stuck "babysitting" Justine has he believed she was a "princess". It was only once he got to know her and understand more about her that he saw more of the real her. There were many times he jumped to conclusions with her but I am so glad he was able to help her through some of the things she was up against.
Travis was such an ass and it frustrated me that Justine's dad refused to get her opinion on her own life. I can't believe the lengths he went to in order to get his way.
I definitely had mixed feelings about Justine's parents. I liked that her dad was willing to help her mom out financially but I didn't like his stipulations. I also really didn't like her mom at the beginning with being so in over her head until she finally got a handle on what she wanted to do with her life with working.
I did enjoy the book and would read another from this author.
May 30, 2017
Thank you to the author of this book for providing me with a free copy in return for an honest review.
Infamous follows Justine, a media personality known for her film company owning father and ex-beauty queen mother. Things have not been going great for Justine since a sex tape of her leaked when she was just out of school. She can now no longer hold down a job and always has the media on her tail waiting for her next screw up.
When her father makes a deal with her and allows her to take on a project alongside solemn Sawyer. A mysterious man with an even more mysterious past. As the two work together they begin to bond and fight their feelings between what is right and what they feel.
The storyline was really good. An 'enemies to lovers' theme that had a lot of light humor between the two characters when they bickered and argued.
Both Sawyer and Justine have had troublesome relationships with important people in their lives, and this is really portrayed in their thought processes when they're trying to block out how attracted they are to each other and focus on how much one irritates the other. They did annoy me a little bit with their hot and cold personalities, but they were completely justified with their pasts.
For some reason, I wasn't completely hooked on this story, but it was really enjoyable to read. The characters were very likable and the story was very easy flowing and entertaining.
I would really recommend to romance readers.
Infamous follows Justine, a media personality known for her film company owning father and ex-beauty queen mother. Things have not been going great for Justine since a sex tape of her leaked when she was just out of school. She can now no longer hold down a job and always has the media on her tail waiting for her next screw up.
When her father makes a deal with her and allows her to take on a project alongside solemn Sawyer. A mysterious man with an even more mysterious past. As the two work together they begin to bond and fight their feelings between what is right and what they feel.
The storyline was really good. An 'enemies to lovers' theme that had a lot of light humor between the two characters when they bickered and argued.
Both Sawyer and Justine have had troublesome relationships with important people in their lives, and this is really portrayed in their thought processes when they're trying to block out how attracted they are to each other and focus on how much one irritates the other. They did annoy me a little bit with their hot and cold personalities, but they were completely justified with their pasts.
For some reason, I wasn't completely hooked on this story, but it was really enjoyable to read. The characters were very likable and the story was very easy flowing and entertaining.
I would really recommend to romance readers.
March 16, 2017
This is my first story by Lori Sizemore. After this, I look forward to reading more! I started reading this, and I didn't want to put it down! It had me interested and invested very quickly, and I was rooting for Justine throughout.
There is a lot going on in this story, between Justine and her relationships with her parents and Sawyer. There were other secondary characters who added much to the story as well, and I wanted to violently hurt the villain. All the people in this story are flawed with their own problems, and seem like real people. And despite the problems, they still work it all out, to my immense satisfaction. There's lots of bickering and snark throughout the story, and the chemistry between Justine and Sawyer was amazing! I really liked Justine. She is a solid woman, independent, open, honest, messy, and very stubborn. She has issues with finishing what she starts, but she's learning. Sawyer likes having control of everything, and is career oriented, to the point of avoiding any kind of attachment to others. Both of them have pasts that they want to forget, but they work together despite it, especially when it comes back. I also loved the bond between Justine and her mom.
Overall, it's a great story, well-written with few grammar mistakes, and a plot that's ever building and having more layers added on. There's so much simmering at the surface, and when all is let out, it's explosive and an entertaining, wild ride! If you like strong heroines and heroes with a hard exterior and soft, protective interior, then you'll love this book. I highly recommend it.
Note: I received a free ARC of this story from Quill and Ink Reviews. I voluntarily am leaving an honest review.
There is a lot going on in this story, between Justine and her relationships with her parents and Sawyer. There were other secondary characters who added much to the story as well, and I wanted to violently hurt the villain. All the people in this story are flawed with their own problems, and seem like real people. And despite the problems, they still work it all out, to my immense satisfaction. There's lots of bickering and snark throughout the story, and the chemistry between Justine and Sawyer was amazing! I really liked Justine. She is a solid woman, independent, open, honest, messy, and very stubborn. She has issues with finishing what she starts, but she's learning. Sawyer likes having control of everything, and is career oriented, to the point of avoiding any kind of attachment to others. Both of them have pasts that they want to forget, but they work together despite it, especially when it comes back. I also loved the bond between Justine and her mom.
Overall, it's a great story, well-written with few grammar mistakes, and a plot that's ever building and having more layers added on. There's so much simmering at the surface, and when all is let out, it's explosive and an entertaining, wild ride! If you like strong heroines and heroes with a hard exterior and soft, protective interior, then you'll love this book. I highly recommend it.
Note: I received a free ARC of this story from Quill and Ink Reviews. I voluntarily am leaving an honest review.
January 29, 2018
Crazy
Justine's life has been crazy. Her mother is in debt and her father wants to control her life. In order to get her mother out of debt, she goes to work for her father. Sawyer is a producer and from the moment she walks by, she starts crawling into his heart. Sawyer knows her father wants him to watch out for her. Her father also wants her to fail. Craziness ensues. Traveling across the country looking for a woman to co-host the show and then finding her. Anarchy happens at the first taping. Love is professed and a marriage is proposed. Loved the ending.
Justine's life has been crazy. Her mother is in debt and her father wants to control her life. In order to get her mother out of debt, she goes to work for her father. Sawyer is a producer and from the moment she walks by, she starts crawling into his heart. Sawyer knows her father wants him to watch out for her. Her father also wants her to fail. Craziness ensues. Traveling across the country looking for a woman to co-host the show and then finding her. Anarchy happens at the first taping. Love is professed and a marriage is proposed. Loved the ending.
June 30, 2017
Uncaged Book Reviews:
I really enjoyed Infamous. It was a fresh, enjoyable read with the perfect amount of conflict, resolution, and romance. Lor had me rooting for Justine and Sawyer the whole way through.
Anyone who loves a lighthearted romance will love Infamous. It has enough real emotion and depth to keep you turning the pages, and gives enough laughs to keep you going through the conflicts. Reviewed by Mercedes
Full review at UncagedBooks.com
I really enjoyed Infamous. It was a fresh, enjoyable read with the perfect amount of conflict, resolution, and romance. Lor had me rooting for Justine and Sawyer the whole way through.
Anyone who loves a lighthearted romance will love Infamous. It has enough real emotion and depth to keep you turning the pages, and gives enough laughs to keep you going through the conflicts. Reviewed by Mercedes
Full review at UncagedBooks.com
January 21, 2018
Thanks, I won this thru Goodreads. I enjoyed this book, has a good character line up, and a really good story. The book gives the impression you reap what you soul.
March 13, 2017
Lori Sizemore is a new to me author and I did enjoy this story of a scared little rich girl Justine who puts scandal behind her and makes it work for herself, she is the daughter of Daniel Montgomery the head of a TV production company he is very manipulating and does make Justine’s life very hard at times but he does love her and so does her mother Thea they divorced when Justine was young I loved Thea and now Justine is determined to make something of her life and prove that she is more than just the girl that has been seen many times in the “sex tape”. When her father offers her a job as co-producer to a new show and she meets the producer well the sparks could light up New York at their first meeting.
Sawyer is gorgeous tough and has a lot of secrets that he keeps tucked away he is a producer and is making his way to the top at Montgomery and Chase, his childhood was pretty bad and tough but he has overcome that he lives in the suburbs has a dog and is trying to make it home. A permanent relationship is not on the cards for Sawyer but when he is offered a job that he would be stupid to turn down well life is about to change big time.
I loved Sawyer and Justine and MS Sizemore has them jumping through hoops to get to their HEA which is wonderful, I found the story a bit slow to start with but then bang it had me turning the pages there is a lot going on in this story fabulous characters that come to life and add so much to the story. There is a stalker an alcoholic a mother with problems a father who is so controlling but above all there is Justine who is so determined to pull herself through all that has happened to her and Sawyer the man she falls for in a big way and to see him melt towards her is so very good Sawyer is such a fabulous hero just what Justine needs.
I do recommend this one there is lots going on it is very sensual and very humorous lots of emotions and feelings, this one had me smiling sighing and yelling at some of the characters along the path to their joyous HEA and I did thoroughly enjoy this one.
Sawyer is gorgeous tough and has a lot of secrets that he keeps tucked away he is a producer and is making his way to the top at Montgomery and Chase, his childhood was pretty bad and tough but he has overcome that he lives in the suburbs has a dog and is trying to make it home. A permanent relationship is not on the cards for Sawyer but when he is offered a job that he would be stupid to turn down well life is about to change big time.
I loved Sawyer and Justine and MS Sizemore has them jumping through hoops to get to their HEA which is wonderful, I found the story a bit slow to start with but then bang it had me turning the pages there is a lot going on in this story fabulous characters that come to life and add so much to the story. There is a stalker an alcoholic a mother with problems a father who is so controlling but above all there is Justine who is so determined to pull herself through all that has happened to her and Sawyer the man she falls for in a big way and to see him melt towards her is so very good Sawyer is such a fabulous hero just what Justine needs.
I do recommend this one there is lots going on it is very sensual and very humorous lots of emotions and feelings, this one had me smiling sighing and yelling at some of the characters along the path to their joyous HEA and I did thoroughly enjoy this one.
March 17, 2017
I really enjoyed this book. This book is full of drama to the point of making you wonder what else can happen- in a good way. The chemistry between the main characters is wonderful. I enjoyed how the two main characters showed strength by dealing with their past. Over all a solid book.
April 13, 2017
Justine Montgomery, daughter of famous people had a sex tape that caused problems for her. Finding out that they were about to lose the family home Justine wants to help her mother. She contacts her father and they make a deal that Justine has to accept in order to save her childhood home. She meets Eric Sawyer at a job her father offers her co-producing a talk show with Sawyer.
The chemistry between Justine and Sawyer was awesome and the characters were well crafted. I loved the humor and sexy banter between them. There were so many twists, turns and surprises that I was captivated and wanted to read more about them. Justine's story was easy to read and powerful. The dirty secrets leave you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what will happen next. This is the debut novel for Lori Sizemore and it was a great piece of work and a pleasure to read. I look forward to reading more from this author.
I received an ARC of this book through Quill and Ink for an honest review.
The chemistry between Justine and Sawyer was awesome and the characters were well crafted. I loved the humor and sexy banter between them. There were so many twists, turns and surprises that I was captivated and wanted to read more about them. Justine's story was easy to read and powerful. The dirty secrets leave you on the edge of your seat wanting to know what will happen next. This is the debut novel for Lori Sizemore and it was a great piece of work and a pleasure to read. I look forward to reading more from this author.
I received an ARC of this book through Quill and Ink for an honest review.
December 19, 2016
“She shouldn’t have kissed him, it only confirmed the oh-my-god incredible thing that happened whenever he touched her. This kiss now made the decision before her mean too much. How could she go to her father and make the right choice? All she wanted was to run away. Or run closer, play with the fire just a bit. How did she manage to make a disaster of everything she tried to do?” – Infamous by Lori Sizemore
(I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.)
Justine Montgomery’s name is very well-known and not in the best way. With the mysterious release of her sex tape, she tries to stay strong and make the best out of her bad situation. With her mother’s possibility of losing their family home, she turns to her Dad for help but what she gets is a deal. Forced to work with the handsome Sawyer who has his own goals and with everyone believing that she will fail, she aims to prove them all wrong.
Justine is such a strong woman with a good heart. What had happened to her was so unfortunate and the fact that she is trying to get back on her feet while everyone only seems to believe the worst in her is very inspiring. It makes you root for her and hope that she succeeds. I loved how she and Sawyer were so stubborn. They made me laugh at times and at others, it made me want to jump right into the book and smack some sense into them. They were the only ones that didn’t see how perfect they were for each other and it drove me absolutely mad but in a sense, I feel like it was meant to make us feel that way. The fact that this story brings up that emotion in us proves how real these characters seem and how good of a writer Lori Sizemore is.
This book was very fun to read and had me hooked from beginning to end. I am very happy to have had the chance to read it.
I give this wonderful read a 4.5 out of 5!
(I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.)
Justine Montgomery’s name is very well-known and not in the best way. With the mysterious release of her sex tape, she tries to stay strong and make the best out of her bad situation. With her mother’s possibility of losing their family home, she turns to her Dad for help but what she gets is a deal. Forced to work with the handsome Sawyer who has his own goals and with everyone believing that she will fail, she aims to prove them all wrong.
Justine is such a strong woman with a good heart. What had happened to her was so unfortunate and the fact that she is trying to get back on her feet while everyone only seems to believe the worst in her is very inspiring. It makes you root for her and hope that she succeeds. I loved how she and Sawyer were so stubborn. They made me laugh at times and at others, it made me want to jump right into the book and smack some sense into them. They were the only ones that didn’t see how perfect they were for each other and it drove me absolutely mad but in a sense, I feel like it was meant to make us feel that way. The fact that this story brings up that emotion in us proves how real these characters seem and how good of a writer Lori Sizemore is.
This book was very fun to read and had me hooked from beginning to end. I am very happy to have had the chance to read it.
I give this wonderful read a 4.5 out of 5!
December 20, 2016
Original review posted on my blog From Ink to Paper
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What else is there to say but I really loved this book. I was hooked from the start. I was interested to see where the story went and how it would develop as it went on. I personally like that it was a romance novel, but not quite your typical one. There was more to the story than normal and some growth for the characters as they went along.
I really like Justine and Sawyer, I thought their chemistry was great from the start and loved the banter between them. I really liked Justine’s character, she wasn’t your typical rich girl and she also didn’t pout when things didn’t go her way. She made the best out of what she got. I thought it was great she was driven to prove to everyone what she was capable of even if really only Sawyer and her mother had her back.
I think the fact that Sawyer had a troubled life made them even more compatible because they brought out this new side to each other. She as the family he never had and didn’t realize he wanted until he was with her. It was so cute when that is what he told her dad. I also just think the way they bounced witty comments back and forth was great, it made me laugh quite often.
I like that this story was not a love triangle, there was the other guy, but Justine had no interest in him; thank goodness because he was a sleaze. I was sad for her that she got betrayed by this woman she has looked up to for a long time, but then she is given a chance to do what she is really good at; even if she didn’t know she would be good at it at first. Of course the ending was great, but don’t want to give it away. Definitely a fun read.
I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What else is there to say but I really loved this book. I was hooked from the start. I was interested to see where the story went and how it would develop as it went on. I personally like that it was a romance novel, but not quite your typical one. There was more to the story than normal and some growth for the characters as they went along.
I really like Justine and Sawyer, I thought their chemistry was great from the start and loved the banter between them. I really liked Justine’s character, she wasn’t your typical rich girl and she also didn’t pout when things didn’t go her way. She made the best out of what she got. I thought it was great she was driven to prove to everyone what she was capable of even if really only Sawyer and her mother had her back.
I think the fact that Sawyer had a troubled life made them even more compatible because they brought out this new side to each other. She as the family he never had and didn’t realize he wanted until he was with her. It was so cute when that is what he told her dad. I also just think the way they bounced witty comments back and forth was great, it made me laugh quite often.
I like that this story was not a love triangle, there was the other guy, but Justine had no interest in him; thank goodness because he was a sleaze. I was sad for her that she got betrayed by this woman she has looked up to for a long time, but then she is given a chance to do what she is really good at; even if she didn’t know she would be good at it at first. Of course the ending was great, but don’t want to give it away. Definitely a fun read.
December 13, 2016
When I read the description for Infamous by Lori Sizemore I was definitely interested. It sounded like the perfect book to curl up with and be entertained. So what did I think...
Justine is a strong and likeable character and I thought that with Sawyer they made a great team. Their interactions were fiery and fun and I really enjoyed reading the story from both of their points of view. Justine grows as a character and becomes more responsible as she tries to prove to her father that she can stick at something. Sawyer is pretty great as the love interest and both characters have pasts that aren't perfect. Travis has to have a special mention as the ex who was to put it blunt a little on the creepy side.
The plot moved at a good pace and once I started reading I found it hard to put the book down. It was great to see Sawyer and Justine working to put the TV show together slowly getting to know each other. Will Justine and Sawyer make their show a success and will there be a happy ever after for them?
This fun and enjoyable book kept my attention while Justine and Sawyer entertained me with their will they won't they relationship.
Four and a half stars from me!
Thank you to Lori Sizemore for my copy, this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
December 21, 2016
After a sex-tape scandal, Justine Montgomery has become infamous. Determined to prove herself, she takes a job at her father's entertainment company, partnered up with the attractive and mysterious Sawyer. Fighting against her unsupportive father, stalker ex-boyfriend and scandalous past, Justine and Sawyer must battle the odds to make their relationship work - business and personal.
Following the structure of classic women's contemporary romance, Infamous is well-written and entertaining. The characters are all likeable in their own ways (expect the ones you're obviously supposed to hate) and the story, despite being completely predictable, is full of ups and downs that make it worth reading. Justine and Sawyer were both incredibly frustrating the way they could never figure out each other's feelings even though it was totally obvious. Still, I enjoyed the way they interacted with each other and the chemistry between them.
The plot is well paced and full of humour, drama, and sexual tension. It's a bit more than just a flighty love story, and a good addition to the genre.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Following the structure of classic women's contemporary romance, Infamous is well-written and entertaining. The characters are all likeable in their own ways (expect the ones you're obviously supposed to hate) and the story, despite being completely predictable, is full of ups and downs that make it worth reading. Justine and Sawyer were both incredibly frustrating the way they could never figure out each other's feelings even though it was totally obvious. Still, I enjoyed the way they interacted with each other and the chemistry between them.
The plot is well paced and full of humour, drama, and sexual tension. It's a bit more than just a flighty love story, and a good addition to the genre.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
December 1, 2016
Justine has never be ashamed of the sextape; it was done without her knowing, and it was with her at-the-time boyfriend. Big deal. Except the world won't move on.
When she tries to get her father to help her out with a new job, he decides to blackmail her into staying with his big TV producing company instead. She gets paired with the up and comer, Sawyer, who just wants this pain-in-the-ass of a woman gone.... until he doesn't.
A cute read, overall. You can't help but love Sawyer, and the relationship between them, but I could do without everyone else to be honest. There's a lot going on, but it all goes back to the main original reason why Justine walks into her father's office that one infamous day (See what I did there? but no, that's not the reason for the title). It's unfortunate us readers can't tap on a book and the character's outfits can't jump out at us, but the book was great regardless. 4 stars!
When she tries to get her father to help her out with a new job, he decides to blackmail her into staying with his big TV producing company instead. She gets paired with the up and comer, Sawyer, who just wants this pain-in-the-ass of a woman gone.... until he doesn't.
A cute read, overall. You can't help but love Sawyer, and the relationship between them, but I could do without everyone else to be honest. There's a lot going on, but it all goes back to the main original reason why Justine walks into her father's office that one infamous day (See what I did there? but no, that's not the reason for the title). It's unfortunate us readers can't tap on a book and the character's outfits can't jump out at us, but the book was great regardless. 4 stars!
February 6, 2017
I confess that I was in two minds about this book for a little while. The machinations between Justine and her father as well as Sawyer and Justine's father just appeared to be overly convoluted. And I didn't always find it to be easy to follow.
And Justine was an odd character. Here is a girl who has survived a sex tape scandal with her head held high. Has dealt with a sleazy ex. She is a strong character. And yet, I didn't think that how she dealt with her father necessarily reflected that strength. I know that I could brush that aside and just consign it to the "daddy issues" pile. And goodness knows that she has those. I guess that I would have liked her to have been a little less easily manipulated.
That said, once the story hit its stride, I did enjoy it. The back and forth with Sawyer was by turns, frustrating, spicy and sassy, and downright fun to read.
I voluntarily reviewed an review copy of this book.
And Justine was an odd character. Here is a girl who has survived a sex tape scandal with her head held high. Has dealt with a sleazy ex. She is a strong character. And yet, I didn't think that how she dealt with her father necessarily reflected that strength. I know that I could brush that aside and just consign it to the "daddy issues" pile. And goodness knows that she has those. I guess that I would have liked her to have been a little less easily manipulated.
That said, once the story hit its stride, I did enjoy it. The back and forth with Sawyer was by turns, frustrating, spicy and sassy, and downright fun to read.
I voluntarily reviewed an review copy of this book.
December 15, 2016
I normally avoid romances about celebrities. It usually just feels terribly...redundant. Been there, done that, you know? But I’m really glad I didn’t let my usual bias keep me from reading this book, because overall, it was highly enjoyable. Full review on the blog: http://www.knockinbooks.com/reviews/i...
December 30, 2016
Review forthcoming
March 16, 2017
Enjoyed this book, Justine is trying to get past the scandal that has become her life. She's now partnered up with Eric Sawyer while working on a TV show. Sawyer has a rough and tumble past, but he's managed to be successful and make something of himself. While he's not jumping for joy at being partnered with Justine, he's not exactly opposed to it either, especially since there's a caveat for him if Justine fails. The chemistry between Justine and Sawyer is a surprise, but I like them together. Unfortunately, there are a plethora of obstacles that threaten to derail their HEA.
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