The Reluctant Billionaire

by Krista Wagner, Cristina Ryan

A Clean Secret Celebrity Billionaire Romance

Money can buy him (almost) everything, but will having too much make him miss his chance on true love?

When Shawn inherits his dad’s estate, he is thrust into the spotlight as the 'Most Desirable Man Alive'. Struggling to navigate the constant presence of bodyguards and a sudden deluge of eligible bachelorettes, he is convinced that getting back to his private life is the answer, until he meets Shelly. She doesn't care about his money or his star status, and she seems to genuinely like him, but his heart has been broken once before. Can he risk opening himself up again?

After Shelly meets Shawn at a charity event, she can't stop thinking about him. He’s humble, kind, and generous, everything her ex-husband wasn’t. But when his wealthy status is leaked to the press, it’s impossible to ignore all of the women who are vying for his attention, triggering her painful past. Will she be able to give love a second chance?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance

158 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 12, 2020

About the author

Amazon bestselling author Krista Wagner lives with her Marine Corp. veteran husband and an entertaining clan of pets. It takes a major sense of humor and a warm heart to fall in love, so those are the kinds of love stories she pens under Cristina Ryan.

Outside of her sweet romcoms, Krista explores themes of betrayal, deception, and hope in the psychological suspense and mystery genre, and writes YA psychological horror mystery under Jessica Blade.

Reviews

[Eve Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the way that Krista writes her characters, they are really entertaining and you can believe in them.
This book is a romance book that doesn't have any under the covers action in it, it is good clean fun all the way, which I enjoyed, it's sometimes nice not to have sex scenes in a book and make it about the couple.
This is about how the couple get together, and the mix ups that can happen.
I'd recommend it as a quick read 💗

[Rebel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have such a soft spot for romances where wealth and status clash with real, heartfelt connection, and The Reluctant Billionaire by Cristina Ryan absolutely delivered. This isn’t just another “rich guy meets regular girl” story—it’s a beautifully emotional journey about two people learning to trust again when their pasts make it nearly impossible.

Shawn isn’t your typical billionaire. He never wanted to be the center of attention, and the sudden wave of fame and fortune is more of a burden than a dream come true. I loved how real and vulnerable he felt—yes, he’s got the money, but he’s also guarded, shaped by past heartbreak. And Shelly? She’s strong, independent, and refreshingly uninterested in his bank account. Their connection at the charity event felt natural, not forced or insta-love-y, and the slow build of their relationship had me rooting for them the entire time.

What really made this book stand out to me was the emotional depth. Both Shawn and Shelly have been burned before—Shawn by a past love who saw him as a ticket to wealth, and Shelly by an ex-husband who made her question her worth. Their chemistry isn’t just about attraction; it’s about learning to trust again. And when the media storm hits, exposing Shawn’s fortune and dragging Shelly into the spotlight, the tension skyrockets.

If you love:
💰 A reluctant billionaire who would trade his wealth for real love
❤️ A heroine who isn’t dazzled by money, but by kindness and character
🔥 A slow-burn romance filled with deep emotional moments
🎭 A touch of drama, media frenzy, and high stakes

Then The Reluctant Billionaire needs to be on your TBR! It’s a feel-good, heartwarming read that reminds us that love isn’t about wealth—it’s about finding the person who sees you, not your bank account.

[Shifty Bugger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book, the story was well written and the characters were intriguing. Once I started I could not get enough, from the start till the end I was engrossed I was even on the edge of my seat with twists and turns, lust and passion, strength, happiness with a happily ever after. Do yourself a favor and buy the book you want be disappointed.
Thank you for allowing me to review your book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Heather W · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story of The Reluctant Billionaire. Shawn and Shelly are charming characters, as are their friends. The story is well written, with heartbreak, humour, drama, and a sweet romance. This is a wonderful story to round out a fall evening.
I read and reviewed a copy of this book with no obligation.

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 5th book I've read written by Krista Wagner; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I can’t wait to read more of her books.

The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.

I loved the chemistry between the characters.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

[Celicia Fowlkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can see why he was reluctant. He just wanted peace and quiet like a normal person. He wasn't happy considering all that he had been through. When they met, he really felt different about her. They clicked even when they had not officially met each other. She was the reason for his happiness.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good story

A person lost his father, was changing the genre to write a new book. He wasn't sure that he could accomplish writing in a new genre. He was floundering.
Then he went to an event with his best friend. He learned to hope & strive on to get through the hard stuff to better days.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a good romance read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good. The story is an enjoyable read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[poppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good enjoyable read this is my second book from this author and I liked it even more than the first one. The plot was good and held my interest and I really liked the characters this was a good romance I liked it.

[Evonne Hutton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A writer is trying to write a romance but then his father dies leaving him a large inheritance.
His love life is nonexistent due to his last romance failing.
Then he see a girl at a charity do.....
A good story line

[Dorothey Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Reluctant Billionaire

I really liked this story. It was written it’s a flow that kept you wanting to hurry and turn the page. Romance is sweet and Shawn was just taken with Shelley. Enjoy this story.

[Marilyn Levia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rich guy meets girl!

Shawn was a quiet man. He had been hurt by love and a greedy woman. Smelly had suffered from an unfaithful husband that cheated before the wedding. Having to deal with this and the millionaire becoming a billionaire gives them slot to overcome.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure if I got to read the full version. I got it through a bookfunnel promotion and the title was sneak peek.

Very quick read, pretty much insta love although there are some curveballs.

Good for a quick, HEA without much drama.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brought out my emotions in the very beginning and a couple other places too!
It's a good, clean book. Enjoyable with an HEA.

[Donna Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This story and relationship moved much too fast. I found it a little unbelievable. It is a clean romance however.

[gloria buchman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happily ever after

The Story kept you moving and your interest was kept. The characters seemed very real. You were ready to see what would come next.

[Sylvia Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, the characters were just a little stilted for my taste. It gave a glimpse into the other side of receiving an unexpected inheritance.

[Michelle Dodge · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a clean romance.

Shawn writes science fiction but now his publisher wants him to write a romance book. He is struggling with that. His father is CEO of Value Cinema, which is a a hybrid movie rental business. His father passes away' leaving Shawn a billionaire. He is struggling with the book as well as his father's death. He goes out with his friend to a fundraiser and meets Shelly. He starts to fall for her and she does not know who he is. Just when things are starting to get good, the media starts hounding both of them. Can they make it work with all the issues? Throw in ex-fiance who wants him now that's he rich, and you have some tension going on.

Cute book set in Southern California. Definitely the town of jet setters. I like watching the different personalities of Shawn and Shelly to see if it's going to work out.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a good read, it had me in interested and intrigued all the way through. It's a well written book which is easy to follow, had emotion and a sense of humour which helps keep the book light and keeps you engaged all the way through. I appreciated the section at the end which tells you the background and I guess you relive the nostalgia of the good old days which gets missed as technology improves. The only thing is that I don't think it should have ended when it did, there was a lot of time spent building it up with then a short ending, I was enjoyin the ride along and wanted to know what happened next.

[Nikki T · Rating 1 out of 5]

Clean, slightly religious, billionaire romance
1/5 romance
?/5 physical intimacy
0/5 suspense
0.5/5 storyline
HEA - unknown - DNF

Possible triggers: Nothing serious stands out as a potential trigger IMO

DNF at about 50% in.

Too many "freak" coincidences, poorly written insta-romance, needlessly awkward situations and overly peppy paper-thin characters to keep my interest.

That, and what MC drinks lemonade at night when recuperating from such a dramatic situation? FFS. When this book said "clean," I missed the fact that meant clean from everything possible under the sun - including well written romance.

Def. do not recommend this one.

[Cristina Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved exploring a male author who is out of his element writing romance novels find a way to connect to a real-life romance with a woman who must decide if his wealthy status and sudden fame is worth contending for.

[Pat Christie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ebook

He’s a writer, son of a movie mogul. His Dad dies and his world changes, right after he meets a woman. It’s hard to deal with grief, the business, a new book and trying to date. Will the romance mirror a happily ever after

[Renee Helton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute Story...

[Nancy Hammons · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like it, it was a pretty quick read.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shawn is a very profitable Sci-fi author (who uses a pen name) and his agent has convinced him there is a market for a male romance writer. He is not very sure about this but then his life undergoes a drastic change just after he meets a delightful lady, Shelly. He also acquires a four legged lady, Zuzu that plays a significant role in all his life changes.
How Shawn deals (and at time does not deal with his life changes) are very relatable. Zuzu is a delight and does the typical as well as some not so typical puppy behavior. Shelly has been hurt in the past, so some of his missteps hurt and hinder their relationship.
I enjoyed this book even though the faith elements were a bit more low key than others by this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tami Willard · Rating 5 out of 5]

He's a successful author trying to extend his fan base by writing a new genre but is struggling with it. One phone call will change his life forever.
She's seen him in passing. When mutual friends help them connect things are looking up until a heroic event puts them under a microscope. Will their new relationship survive? What happens when his past tries to return?.

I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good. I love the characters. Even though it was a shorter read, it didn't feel rushed. Great for when you only have a few hours.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this read it was captivating from the start to the finish. Wonderful storyline and characters. Must read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[zen_s · Rating 1 out of 5]

[1 star] book was just bland & boring, don't really feel any connection from the characters nor not much of the characters themselves.

[Krista Wagner]

🎧Available in audio🎧

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