Vanessa Lang lands her dream job at an investment firm, Stone Corp. When her kleptomaniac mother is caught shoplifting, Vanessa is forced to accept a deal with the detective—collect evidence of insider trading at her new job. Investigating Sebastian Stone comes with benefits. The drop-dead-gorgeous CEO introduces her to steamy encounters in public places, and in the midst of it all, she gathers information about his business. She soon has a difficult choice to make…save her mother or protect the man she loves.
Liv Arnold has worked as a copywriter for several global companies and now runs her own freelance business. She grew up in Melbourne, Australia, and lives with her husband and their spoiled dog, who only eats freshly cooked meals. When she’s not writing, Liv’s avoiding the gym, devouring a cheese platter, or marathoning way too much TV. And of course, she’s a massive book addict and often reads until all hours of the night.
This was a good story and super sexy. It was pretty quick read at 159 pages, but not so short as to be missing any story points. I didn’t think I would like some of the intimate scenes since the blurb mentions that Sebastian Stone introduces Vanessa Lang into steamy encounters in public places. However, they are very hot and they are sort of semi-public, but I found them extremely entertaining. I suppose all steamy encounters in public places are really semi-public or a lot of people that enjoy that sort of thing would be arrested more often.
This story has the heroine Vanessa, who recently finished college and has applied and been offered her dream job at Stone Corporation. However her mother has had a problem with kleptomania since her father died. Vanessa has trouble after her mother is caught one too many times, When the detective threatens to put her mother in jail if Vanessa doesn’t help her track down insider trading within Stone Corporation.
Sebastian Stone is the CEO Of Stone Corp. and Vanessa met Sebastian once before and was very attracted to him. Sebastian wants Vanessa as well and pursues her from the start. Like I said, the romance between the two of them is extremely hot!
The only thing I didn’t like about the book is that Vanessa is spying on Sebastian’s company the entire time and keeps thinking that she should come clean, but then never does. There are reasons, but sometimes I just hate the back and forth struggle when it happens so much. When the character thinks they need to come clean about something that much, it always just seems to be a foreshadowing that they won’t do it in time. Despite this one issue, the book was great and well worth the read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
Start to finish, this book is full of witty remarks and laugh-out-loud moments. The main character, Vanessa, is smart and sensitive, yet she doesn't take herself too seriously. She's dealing with the loss of someone important to her while supervising a mother who has a troubling compulsion. When Vanessa accepts a job at Stone Corp, San Francisco's most coveted investment company, she has no way of knowing how much romance and intrigue await her. As the story progressed, I grew more attached to Sebastian, Stone Corp's alluring CEO. Each time I tried to guess Sebastian's motives and desires, I was quickly proven wrong. This novel is as exciting as it is unpredictable. I finished it in a few days, eager to see if and how Vanessa could achieve a happy ending amid such complex circumstances.
This book is for you if… you're looking for something short and sexy to read in just one sitting.
⤐ Overall. Let's keep this short and sweet - just like the book itself. Let me tell you, I didn't read a book in one sitting for a long time. Etched in Stone was just what I needed. I'm stuck at home for more than one reason now: got the bladder infection of my life and everything in the region of the pelvis feels like it's on fire and being maltreated by a dwarf and his pickaxe - don't worry, just got new medication, so fingers crossed.
Etched in Stone, although checking all the boxes for your stereotypical romance, beautifully managed to engage my mind just enough so that I would forget the pain for a while, but not so much that it was an additional cause of exhaustion.
For such a short book, the characters are fleshed out nicely and feel familiar after just a few chapters. The plot is interesting and not too predictable, but as I've said in the paragraph before, don't expect something mind-bending, but rather a story that is convincing in its simple beauty. I dare say the sexy scenes were excellent and would definitely get some people in the mood - that is if you're kidney aren't bailing on you.
⤐ What’s happening. Vanessa just landed her dream job when fate spokes in her wheel: in exchange for her mother's freedom, she will investigate possible insider training in her new firm. That's just really really hard when the CEO has major crush potential, not only in looks, but also in character. _____________________ writing quality + easy of reading = 4*
pace = 4*
plot/story in general = 3*
plot development = 4*
characters = 4*
enjoyability = 5*
insightfulness = 3* _____________________ Many thanks to the author Liv Arnold and Blacklit PR, who provided me with this eArc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’ve been reading a mile a minute this month and have totally forgotten to review as I go on a lot of books, so here goes …
The entire time I was reading this story I was happy. Happy because another new-to-me author exceeded by expectations. Happy because even though this story is short; it is not lacking. Could there be more development in areas? Sure, but the story is not lacking. Let me repeat lol not lacking. I loved Vanessa and Sebastian both from the moment they hit the page. Their story was captivating and hot!
Well, I have to admit, this one had me at hello. The moment the two main characters bump into each other in the first pages I was hooked. I freely admit that men with emerald eyes and raven hair are my kryptonite. Then later finding out he had one of my favourite names too...well…clearly destined to become my latest fictional crush. And he did not disappoint! Vanessa has landed a coveted job at one of most respected investment companies. However, her mother is in some major trouble. and a shady detective coerces her into spying on her new company using her mothers predicament as leverage. As to be expected, the CEO of the company turns out to be the mystery man from the week before. Cue instant chemistry and steamy moments. Vanessa is a smart and sensitive character with a goofy sense of humour. Sebastian is worthy of dreamboat book-boyfriend status and not just because he is gorgeous. He has a sensitivity and attentiveness that is appealing too. I would have liked a little more background on his character to know him a bit better, especially in regards to issues surrounding to his not-so-nice father. I love the birthday dinner scene with Vanessa and her family. The aunts were hilarious. Full of steamy encounters with a good dose of tenderness . I love the witty humour and the meet-cute at the start. Thoroughly compelling – I ended up staying up until 1am to finish it all in one night. I’m looking forward to discovering more writing from Liv soon.
Great hook! Wow I really need to hang out in the change rooms a little more often!!!
And a fab read. Vanessa has landed a new job with a total hottie but she has also landed into a big mess thanks to her mother.
Etched in Stone had everything that I want in a contemporary romance. Action, intrigue, racy bits, sweet romance and over the top drama! Thoroughly enjoyed it and looking forward to the next (I see its a series).
Vanessa’s developed a habit of running into her boss in varying stages of undress; not exactly the good impression she wanted to create when she began her dream job with his company. Given she’s beginning her career on a secret mission to destroy his livelihood to save her mother, things are about to get a lot messier.
She’s already forming meaningful friendships with two of her fellow workers, her mother’s driving her crazy, and before she knows what’s hit her, Sebastian is driving her wild with desire. In the bedroom. In the boardroom, the elevator, and even the office corridors.
Love soon follows that crazy desire, and it seems like Vanessa has everything she ever wanted – a fantastic job, awesome friends, and a lover who means the world to her. Even better, she means the world to him too. And if she’s not careful, she’ll lose more than her heart and soul to Stone Corp. She’ll lose everything that ever mattered.
Oh, this was such fun. I loved seeing Vanessa blossom into a strong woman and take charge of her life. The one-liner banter between her and Sebastian is hilarious, and I loved the friendships she formed. I like to think there’s more than first meets the eye with some of the minor characters and I want aunts just like Vanessa’s. They were a hoot. I also loved the dramatic build-up to the final scenes and I look forward to the next in Ms Arnold’s ‘Invested in You’ series. :)
***I RECEIVED AN ARC FROM THE AUTHOR FOR SN HONEST REVIEW*** LIKE THE AUTHOR’S OTHER BOOK, THE TWO LED CHARACTERS MEET AT THE BEGINNING, THOUGH IN THIS ONE IT IS AT A DRESSING ROOM WHICH ADDS TO THE FUNNY PART AT THE START OF THE STORY. VANESA LANG IS PREPARING TO GRADUATE WITH HER DEGREE AND IS ALSO WONDERING ABOUT AN APPLICATION SHE PUT IN FOR AT STONE CORP. WHEN HEARING LATER THAT NIGHT ABOUT RECEIVING THE POSITION SHE IS STOPED BEFORE ARRIVING FOR THE FIRST DAY ON THE JOB. HER MOTHER WHO IS A KLEPTOMANIAC, WHICH IS EXPLAINED IN THE STORY. IS CAUGHT SHOPLIFTING. A DETECTIVE ARRIVES AND FINDING OUT ABOUT VANESA’S NEW JOB. SHE OFFERS HER A DEAL IN ORDER TO KEEP HER MOTHER OUT OF JAIL BY SPYING ON STONE CORP. SHE AGREES. THE MAN SHE MET AT THE DRESSING ROOM IS NON-OTHER THAN THE BOSS SABASTION STONE. SPARKS FLY BETWEEN THEM, NOT WANTING TO SPY SHE IS TORN DUE TO HER MOTHER’S TRANSGRESSION. THIS GETS HER INTO SOME STICKY MESSES WHICH AT TIMES ARE FUNNY. WHEN YOU GET TO THE END, I FOUND MYSELF LIKE HER OTHER BOOK WANTING THE STORY TO CONTINUE, WHICH MEANS YES IT WAS A GOOD STORY, YES ALL OF THE CHARACTERS ARE GOOD BESIDES THE TWO LEAD CHARACTERS. THE DETECTIVE, LEAD SINGER, AND HER FRIEND THAT SHE MAKES AT THE COMPANY ARE ALL VERY GOOD CHARACTERS AND ADD TO THE STORY AS WELL AS HER MOTHER. A VERY GOOD BOOK WORTH THE READ. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
‘Etched in Stone’ is a fun steamy romance with a warm sense of humor and plenty of chemistry between heroine Vanessa and her hunky boss, Sebastian. As she tackles a new job, Vanessa is trapped between the desires of her heart and her responsibilities for her mother, and the twists and turns of this story keep both Vanessa and the reader bracing for the unexpected. If you’re looking for a quirky heroine who’s determined to find happiness, this book is a great choice—and I promise you’ll never look at a photo booth quite the same way again.
Liv Arnold is a new to me author and let me tell you I love her story telling. Etched in Stone was a sexy read with lots of humor. I enjoyed the characters so much especially Sebastian. Swoon worthy. The story was original and I haven’t read anything like this in awhile. It’s a story about being stuck in a hard place and trying to get yourself out of it. Things happen unexpectedly and doing everything possible to keep yourself afloat. This was an enjoyable and fun read. The blurb sucked me in and I don’t regret one moment. If you’re looking for an easy read that will give you goosebumps, laughter and sweetness this one for you.
“Etched in Stone”—Liv Arnold [4.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫] *I was given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review* This was my first book I read by this author, and I was not disappointed! This book had me from the beginning from when the two main characters first meet and then I was hooked! Since Vanessas father died, her mother has had trouble with stealing and a recent encounter with law enforcement has Vanessa trying to help her mother from doing jail time. Vanessa lands her dream job at an investment firm, Stone Corp., and the detective on her moms case wants her to collect evidence of insider trading at her new job. Little does she realize, the CEO Sebastian is the gorgeous man she awkwardly ran into in the beginning of the story, whom she can’t stop thinking about! Their attraction to each other is off the charts and Vanessa is soon faced with a tough decision; save her mother or protect the man she loves? This was such a fun, quick read with some steamy romance in between 😉 Be sure to grab a copy of this book when it’s released on February 10th! 👍🏼📚
I received a copy of this book from voracious readers and I absolutely loved it. I loved how Vanessa despite her inner turmoil still always tried to do what was best for others. Her character was independent, strong and admirable. I loved the relationship between her and Sebastian and how understanding he was. Every single character was unique and I think that her mother's kleptomania was approached and described perfectly. The erotica scenes were also stimulating and beautifully described. I would definitely recommend this book to others who love romances as much as I do.
This was an awesome book that I really enjoyed. The story and characters grabbed me from the beginning and I couldn't stop reading. I loved the characters and watching them grow together, they were well written and went well together. I found this book amazing with great word building making me feel apart of the story and watching it unfold in front of me. A definite must read for any fan and I can't wait to read more from this author!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was given this book to read and review through ARC, and I was not disappointed. This I a wonderful read. Each character stands out and grabs you by the heart. Vanessa is a smart and beautiful young woman with some insecurities about how she looks, and she’s doing everything that she can to help her mom out with some of her issues. Vanessa starts her new job only to find out her new boss is the man she’s been dreaming about. Sebastian is the hot CEO at Stone Corp. Vanessa and Sebastian take you on a journey that will show you about true love, friendship and never ending trust. I really enjoyed this book. It was a first read from this author, and I recommend it to read.
This is a fantastic read! I love this book! The story isn't the average boss employee romance.
I love the family dynamics and their vast contrasts! The love these two have for each other is that, that only us normal people can dream of but yet it seemed easy thanks to Liv's talented writing.
I'm so glad Liv wrote this book and let me read it! She has shot into my top author list 😘
Love Love Love this book! It was a fun and steamy read, with just the right amount of suspense, and likable characters. I found myself laughing out loud so many times! Can't wait for Book 2!
This sexy story has it all– heat, humor, and an awesome HEA. Vanessa and Sebastian are lovable and well-developed characters and the way their relationship developed had me hooked from the very first pages. (I may have a book crush on Sebastian). The side characters all lend meaning to the wonderfully paced plot and the writing style was witty and highly enjoyable. Honestly, I didn’t want the book to end but, alas it did, and I’m really looking forward to the next installment. Can’t wait!
I like the concept of this book, the romance wasn't forced, the chemistry was there and the writing style was great, if a had a problem with this book it would be my usual one, this book was short so I didn't get the development that a wanted but other than that it was a great and enjoyable read.
Liv Arnold brings heat, laughs, and large heap of conflict in Etched in Stone. Arnold tells the story of Vanessa, a new hire at a large corporation, and Sebastian, the CEO of her new place of work. The relationship between these two is full of fun, quirky one-liners that made me laugh and plenty of heat that had me quickly turning the pages.
But what I loved was that the tension in this romance isn’t just about whether or not the two main characters will make it work in the end and their journey to a HEA. The internal conflict Vanessa experiences in the entire book really raises the stakes. Does she continue the job a detective asked her to do to help her mom…a job that includes her snooping in her new man’s life and business practices…or does she follow her heart and instincts and trust the man she’s falling in love with?
The first time she meets her boss he is practically naked Her moms a chronic shoplifter To help her mom she must spy on her boss and his company
The bigger problem...
Her boss, Sebastian Stone, is hot...like HOT He saves her She wants him He wants her
So here it begins. Office drama. Office romance. With a secret.
This is a quick little story full of all kinds of drama and steamy scenes. I found myself missing some of Vanessa and Sebastian's connection. I didn't get the "feels" between the two of them or their chemistry. Especially in the beginning, Vanessa's "attack" wasn't really an attack but a gross come on but it became a much bigger scenario as the book progressed. The beginning of their romance just jumped from that night to them being fully together. I missed some of the emotional build up of a new relationship.
Fresh out of grad school, Vanessa Lang has been hired for her dream job as an analyst at Stone Corp. Unfortunately, her kleptomaniac mother is caught shoplifting soon after and the investigating detectives strikes a deal with Vanessa in exchange for her mother's freedom: find evidence of insider trading within the corporation. But as she grows closer to the attractive CEO, Sebastian Stone, things become more complicated and soon Vanessa has to choose between her mother and the man she's come to love.
I enjoyed this story, but I wanted to shake Vanessa at times. She brought a lot of her problems on herself by withholding the truth and failing to trust Sebastian, especially after how much he proved himself. This made it a bit hard for me to really connect with Vanessa, but Sebastian was great and luckily Vanessa recognized this too and fixed her mistakes eventually. The timelines had me a bit confused as to how much time had actually passed and law enforcement gets a bit of an unnecessarily bad rap here, but the villain was sleazy and awful in the most delightful way. The premise was a bit unbelievable, but that far-fetched element made this feel a bit whimsical and helped me get into the book and remember it was still fiction; this is sometimes difficult for me when it comes to contemporary and probably why I don't read it much. I enjoyed Sebastian as a hero and liked him and Vanessa as a couple, though I would've liked to see more of a resolution between them and his dad at the end. This was a premise I haven't read before and I appreciated its ambitious originality. All in all, this was a solid debut effort from a promising new author and I'll be keeping up with her next releases.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Liv has done it again with this funny and sexy romance, full of quirky one liners. The "Stone" puns made me laugh out loud and those steamy scenes were H.O.T!
I received a free copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. Vanessa's dream is to get a job at Stone Corp, an important investment company. But when her mom has a little tiny problem with the law, Vanessa is offered a deal. Her mom's freedom in exchange for undercover work on her new company. Apparently they have been too lucky in their investments to be true. Sebastian Stone is the CEO and founder of Stone Corp. And he is.... PERFECT. Smart, hot, kind, passionate, considerate🥰🤩🤗. Vanessa and Sebastián feel an intense attraction. But will Vanessa tell him the truth? Will she accused him of inner trading? Well, you will have to find it out. I liked this book. It's well written. And the rhythm is quite fast. You will read it in one sitting
I really liked the concept of this book, and the characters were intriguing. I loved Vanessa and Sebastian together. However, I was hoping for more of a gradual connection between Vanessa and Sebastian, perhaps more of a personal insight to them as individuals. I found the initial meeting, and deal between Vanessa and officer Herouvim odd. I feel as though there could’ve been more of an explanation as to how Herouvim came to find out about Vanessas new place of employment, and more insight into the information the officer held already.
The book as a whole was a rollercoaster of being captivating, and waiting for it to get interesting again. It was a mix of too slow and too fast. That being said, I’m giving it 3 stars because the story concept was really intriguing, just the outcome didn’t captivate me as much.
**I received this book for free, in exchange for an honest review.**
Etched in Stone is a comedic romance from start to finish. When we first meet Vanessa, she is a new grad ready to pave her way in the world of business in her dream job at Stone Corp. But first order of business: buy a fancy graduation dress that costs way too much money and try not to embarrass herself while walking across the stage. Only, there are two hitches in Vanessa’s plan: 1: the sexy man she saw half naked in the change room of said fancy store turns out to be her new boss. 2: her mom got arrested for stealing, AGAIN, and Vanessa is being blackmailed to spy on her said new gorgeous boss to keep her mom out of jail. What could go wrong? Liv Arnold gives readers a dramatic ride as Vanessa struggles between her growing feelings for her new boss (topped off with all the sexual fantasies we could hope for), and keeping her mom out of jail. The writing was flawlessly smooth, her characters were hilariously relatable, and her plot flowed from one scene to the next with no hitch. Overall, I loved this story and recommend it to all my fellow hopeless romantics!
This is the first time I have read a book by this author. I was given an ARC of this book. I do not normally read erotic rom coms but I am glad I did not let this opportunity pass me by. This book takes hold of you from the first chapter. The charters are perfect for each other. There is the right amount of wit, banter, laughter, drama and of course romance. Once you start to read this book make sure you are comfortable as you won't be able to put it down.