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Beaufort Poker Club #3
Square Deal
"Call me crazy, but I didn't think Miss Hard-Ass of Happily Ever Afters would have a one-night stand with her best friend's best man."
Weddings have a way of turning the most cynical person into a puddle of sappy, blubbering goo. After all my years of experience as a wedding planner, I should know. And the biggest problem with that?
I’m Hannah Jane Hayes, and I’m already a complete sap.
Love at first sight? Kissing in the rain? Grand gestures? Happily ever after? Yes, please!
Weddings put hope in my hopelessly romantic heart. They remind me to wake up every morning believing that today could be the day I meet my soulmate.
Unfortunately, today would not be that day, because I was stuck babysitting the best man from hell: Isaac Lawson. He’s a playboy real estate mogul, my best friend’s best man, and perpetual pain in my ass.
One too many glasses of champagne later, and I’m more than willing to make a deal with the devil if it means getting out of my dry spell. Isaac says it’ll be square. Fair. Just one epic night with no strings attached, and no awkward morning after.
Get ready for an enemies to lovers, opposites attract romantic comedy with a meet-hate at a poker club wedding, a date-wrecking hero, a sassy, southern belle heroine, a taboo moment at a burlesque club, and a swan attack induced happily ever after. Isaac Lawson is used to dominating in the boardroom and the bedroom. That is, until he meets the one woman on earth who is less than impressed. It’s going to take everything in him to keep from falling harder than a brick off the side of the Empire State Building.
STEAM LEVEL: Five Alarm Fire!
The Beaufort Poker Club series is meant to be enjoyed in order. Start with book one, Poker Face: a steamy enemies to lovers romance!
Weddings have a way of turning the most cynical person into a puddle of sappy, blubbering goo. After all my years of experience as a wedding planner, I should know. And the biggest problem with that?
I’m Hannah Jane Hayes, and I’m already a complete sap.
Love at first sight? Kissing in the rain? Grand gestures? Happily ever after? Yes, please!
Weddings put hope in my hopelessly romantic heart. They remind me to wake up every morning believing that today could be the day I meet my soulmate.
Unfortunately, today would not be that day, because I was stuck babysitting the best man from hell: Isaac Lawson. He’s a playboy real estate mogul, my best friend’s best man, and perpetual pain in my ass.
One too many glasses of champagne later, and I’m more than willing to make a deal with the devil if it means getting out of my dry spell. Isaac says it’ll be square. Fair. Just one epic night with no strings attached, and no awkward morning after.
Get ready for an enemies to lovers, opposites attract romantic comedy with a meet-hate at a poker club wedding, a date-wrecking hero, a sassy, southern belle heroine, a taboo moment at a burlesque club, and a swan attack induced happily ever after. Isaac Lawson is used to dominating in the boardroom and the bedroom. That is, until he meets the one woman on earth who is less than impressed. It’s going to take everything in him to keep from falling harder than a brick off the side of the Empire State Building.
STEAM LEVEL: Five Alarm Fire!
The Beaufort Poker Club series is meant to be enjoyed in order. Start with book one, Poker Face: a steamy enemies to lovers romance!
428 pages, Paperback
First published September 16, 2021
257 people are currently reading
1485 people want to read
About the author
Maggie C. Gates
24 books2,255 followersMaggie Gates writes raw, relatable, romance novels packed full of heat and humor. Maggie calls North Carolina home. In her spare time she enjoys daydreaming about her characters, jamming to country music, and eating all the barbecue and tacos she can find! Her Kindle is always within reach due to a love of small town romances that borders on obsession.
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stay-away
November 11, 2024Note to myself: Stay far away! Not Safe for you!
During separation after they've developed feelings and were in a relationship, they break up because he told her Father he would never marry her. Then he proceeds his manwhore ways by immediately gropping a stripper's breast and getting a lap dance. His friends say he went back to his cheap manwhore ways but author never confirms if he had sex with the strippers or not. Either way, that's cheating to me.
During separation after they've developed feelings and were in a relationship, they break up because he told her Father he would never marry her. Then he proceeds his manwhore ways by immediately gropping a stripper's breast and getting a lap dance. His friends say he went back to his cheap manwhore ways but author never confirms if he had sex with the strippers or not. Either way, that's cheating to me.
April 27, 2022
5✨
THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING.
Isaac Lawson is a billionaire playboy and Hannah Jane is a hopeless romantic. And their story is absolute perfection.
This book starts off with ENEMIES WITH BENEFITS and the mmc playboy falls first. I literally can’t. The smut in this was top tier. The banter was some of the best I’ve read.
Please go read this series!!! Small town southern, beachy vibes. I’m obsessed.
THIS BOOK. THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING.
Isaac Lawson is a billionaire playboy and Hannah Jane is a hopeless romantic. And their story is absolute perfection.
This book starts off with ENEMIES WITH BENEFITS and the mmc playboy falls first. I literally can’t. The smut in this was top tier. The banter was some of the best I’ve read.
Please go read this series!!! Small town southern, beachy vibes. I’m obsessed.
September 17, 2021
HELL YES MA’AM.
Maggie, Maggie, Maggie. You’ve made my southern heart and soul so happy with this latest addition to the series. When I read Wild Card, I declared there couldn’t be a couple I loved more than Steve and Erica but then you gave me Hannah Jane and Issac. How do you do this to me every time???
It’s no secret that enemies to lovers is my favorite trope and my god Square Deal might be the epitome of an enemies to lovers, opposites attract romantic comedy for me. This book, the characters, the story, the humor, the banter; ugh, it was all freaking perfection!
Hannah Jane Hayes is the military grade wedding planner of the Taylor Creek Inn in Beaufort, North Carolina. She’s a hopeless romantic and doesn’t do casual relationships as she often finds herself falling for men too fast. Her first meeting with Issac Lawson, playboy billionaire and best man at her best friend’s wedding, is anything but cute and she finds him insufferable. Somehow he convinces her to have one night of no strings attached sex. One night turns into a deal to scratch their itch.
I absolutely loved this installment of my favorite fictional friends group, the Beaufort Poker Club. This book had all the spice, steam, and hilarious moments I didn’t know I needed.
It’s really hard for me to pick a favorite character as H.J. and Issac are tied as my favorites right now. I adored their development through this book. They made each other SO much better and helped each other come to terms with things from their pasts. Issac grew to overcome his commitment issues and Hannah Jane learned to let go of some of her perfectionist tendencies. Maggie Gates has given me realistic characters with realistic issues and I am here for them!
“All my life, I’ve been told I’m too much. That I need to be realistic and stop expecting so damn much of everyone around me. That I’d be single for the rest of my life if I didn’t get real and stop waiting for prince charming and his white horse to ride up… I’m not intimidating, others are intimidated. It’s not on me if others are uncomfortable when I’m assertive. An assertive woman isn’t a bitch. She’s confident. But one thing is for certain. I will not settle for someone who expects me to dim my light so that theirs can shine brighter.”
Is this my favorite book of the series? Probably, but the story I’m really looking forward to is Bridget and Chase’s.
Rating: ALL THE FREAKING STARS!!!!!
Maggie, Maggie, Maggie. You’ve made my southern heart and soul so happy with this latest addition to the series. When I read Wild Card, I declared there couldn’t be a couple I loved more than Steve and Erica but then you gave me Hannah Jane and Issac. How do you do this to me every time???
It’s no secret that enemies to lovers is my favorite trope and my god Square Deal might be the epitome of an enemies to lovers, opposites attract romantic comedy for me. This book, the characters, the story, the humor, the banter; ugh, it was all freaking perfection!
Hannah Jane Hayes is the military grade wedding planner of the Taylor Creek Inn in Beaufort, North Carolina. She’s a hopeless romantic and doesn’t do casual relationships as she often finds herself falling for men too fast. Her first meeting with Issac Lawson, playboy billionaire and best man at her best friend’s wedding, is anything but cute and she finds him insufferable. Somehow he convinces her to have one night of no strings attached sex. One night turns into a deal to scratch their itch.
I absolutely loved this installment of my favorite fictional friends group, the Beaufort Poker Club. This book had all the spice, steam, and hilarious moments I didn’t know I needed.
It’s really hard for me to pick a favorite character as H.J. and Issac are tied as my favorites right now. I adored their development through this book. They made each other SO much better and helped each other come to terms with things from their pasts. Issac grew to overcome his commitment issues and Hannah Jane learned to let go of some of her perfectionist tendencies. Maggie Gates has given me realistic characters with realistic issues and I am here for them!
“All my life, I’ve been told I’m too much. That I need to be realistic and stop expecting so damn much of everyone around me. That I’d be single for the rest of my life if I didn’t get real and stop waiting for prince charming and his white horse to ride up… I’m not intimidating, others are intimidated. It’s not on me if others are uncomfortable when I’m assertive. An assertive woman isn’t a bitch. She’s confident. But one thing is for certain. I will not settle for someone who expects me to dim my light so that theirs can shine brighter.”
Is this my favorite book of the series? Probably, but the story I’m really looking forward to is Bridget and Chase’s.
Rating: ALL THE FREAKING STARS!!!!!
May 28, 2024
This may be my least favorite.
I didn’t especially love Issac. I’m not a huge billionaire in a suit fan. And the strip club thing gave me an ick.
Points for his redemption tho.
Hannah Jane. I loved her. Wedding planner love. Proper southern belle. Hell yes ma’am.
Enemies to lovers.
Enemies with benefits.
Found family.
Poker club.
I didn’t especially love Issac. I’m not a huge billionaire in a suit fan. And the strip club thing gave me an ick.
Points for his redemption tho.
Hannah Jane. I loved her. Wedding planner love. Proper southern belle. Hell yes ma’am.
Enemies to lovers.
Enemies with benefits.
Found family.
Poker club.
May 16, 2024
Loooved the first half of this book but the last half just pissed me off, the third act breakup was not well done and the ending wasn’t enough for the length of this book
July 16, 2024
I actually can’t stop reading this series, I am so invested in these characters and their love stories, it’s not even funny
this one was super cute and super HOT!!
Hannah Jane was still a bit of a mystery to me when I started this book so it was so fun getting to know her character more and I just loved her and Isaac together!! They were definitely the spiciest of the first 3 couples!!
Moving on to book 4 now, I need to keep reading asap!!!
(4.5 stars, rounded up!)
this one was super cute and super HOT!!
Hannah Jane was still a bit of a mystery to me when I started this book so it was so fun getting to know her character more and I just loved her and Isaac together!! They were definitely the spiciest of the first 3 couples!!
Moving on to book 4 now, I need to keep reading asap!!!
(4.5 stars, rounded up!)
June 27, 2024
Me: giggling. I love the yall-ification of city men. (Sorry, my small town girl is showing) but this was so fun. I love a reluctant pairing. And I love a man who doesn’t believe in love falling on his ass for a girl. Ugh.
September 3, 2024
I cant decide between binging the heck out of the rest of this series or stretching it out to savor it longer 🤣🤣
March 18, 2024
Square Deal - Maggie Gates
*Read It* (must be read in order)
“𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
“𝑵𝒐, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
These friggin two. I can NOT. Enemies to Lovers but also they are basically obsessed with each other? Yes all DAY!! Hannah wants a happily ever after, but doesn't think she'll ever find it. Isaac convinces her to let loose and try something new.
𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒐. 𝑾𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒈𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆.
They have a one night stand....but now they can't get enough. They try to strike up a deal to not get attached....😏 They are keeping their tryst a secret while trying to avoid emotions. Obviously it doesn't work out well for them 🤣 I absolutely LOVED these two!!!
𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒌 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐.
💄Enemies with Benefits to Lovers
🤵🏼Billionaire
💄Small Town
🤵🏼Reformed Playboy
*Read It* (must be read in order)
“𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
“𝑵𝒐, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”
These friggin two. I can NOT. Enemies to Lovers but also they are basically obsessed with each other? Yes all DAY!! Hannah wants a happily ever after, but doesn't think she'll ever find it. Isaac convinces her to let loose and try something new.
𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒐. 𝑾𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒈𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆.
They have a one night stand....but now they can't get enough. They try to strike up a deal to not get attached....😏 They are keeping their tryst a secret while trying to avoid emotions. Obviously it doesn't work out well for them 🤣 I absolutely LOVED these two!!!
𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒌 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐.
💄Enemies with Benefits to Lovers
🤵🏼Billionaire
💄Small Town
🤵🏼Reformed Playboy
September 12, 2021
Oh, Maggie. Maggie. Maggie. Maggie. Why do you play with my heart? This book was amazing. It was swoon worthy. Frustrating AF. I was happy. Sad. Mad. Horny. So many emotions.
Hannah Jane Hayes is my new book girlfriend. She didn't take s*** from anyone. She knew what she wanted in life and made something out of herself from a constricting upbringing. Beyond her stunning looks and high maintenance façade, she was a BOSS. I really loved her and she is officially my new favorite character in the Poker Club series.
Isaac Lawson is a pretty boy billionaire who needed to get smacked on the side of the head. Hannah was that hand. He came in with a shit ton of flaws, but slowly, he redeemed himself. He turned into a swoon-worthy, protective and amazing man for Hannah, and even for himself. He rooted for Hannah, allowing her to be her own white knight by handing her her own sword.
I have to say though, there are parts of this book that made me want to scream and shake Hannah, more so Isaac, silly. However, I have found that this is a unique trait of Maggie's writing - it's not all butterflies and rainbows. You have to learn to forgive some mishaps and character flaws. It's easy to do though because you relate to these very realistic characters and their very realistic situations.
The heat off these pages burns hotter than Fahrenheit 451 (like oh my god, my husband asked what I was reading because my eyes would go wide and my face would turn red). The steam, chemistry and banter between the characters is amazing.
Revisiting the Poker Club is always a fun ride, so buckle up folks!
Hannah Jane Hayes is my new book girlfriend. She didn't take s*** from anyone. She knew what she wanted in life and made something out of herself from a constricting upbringing. Beyond her stunning looks and high maintenance façade, she was a BOSS. I really loved her and she is officially my new favorite character in the Poker Club series.
Isaac Lawson is a pretty boy billionaire who needed to get smacked on the side of the head. Hannah was that hand. He came in with a shit ton of flaws, but slowly, he redeemed himself. He turned into a swoon-worthy, protective and amazing man for Hannah, and even for himself. He rooted for Hannah, allowing her to be her own white knight by handing her her own sword.
I have to say though, there are parts of this book that made me want to scream and shake Hannah, more so Isaac, silly. However, I have found that this is a unique trait of Maggie's writing - it's not all butterflies and rainbows. You have to learn to forgive some mishaps and character flaws. It's easy to do though because you relate to these very realistic characters and their very realistic situations.
The heat off these pages burns hotter than Fahrenheit 451 (like oh my god, my husband asked what I was reading because my eyes would go wide and my face would turn red). The steam, chemistry and banter between the characters is amazing.
Revisiting the Poker Club is always a fun ride, so buckle up folks!
July 9, 2024
She is a professional wedding planner who dreams of her own happily ever after. He is an old money, Ivy league playboy that loves a challenge.
Hannah Jane Hayes is the Princess Kate of Beaufort, North Carolina. She loves her job as a wedding planner but wonders if she will ever be the bride. Her family wanted her to be an old school Southern trophy wife so when she insisted otherwise their relationship became distant. Which is why Hannah is so thankful for her Poker club community in this small town. She may wear shoes that cost more than her house payment and never have a hair out of place, but she has a secret wild side she rarely shows. When Hannah's best friend gets married she has to wrangle the wedding party into shape, especially the best man who is a handful at best.
Isaac Lawson grew up with distant parents who sent him to boarding school. For a time he was resentful of his family and their business he was expected to take over. Once he realized the benefits of having wealth and success handed to him, he leaned into the lifestyle and the reputation that came with it. He kept his business professional and his relationships casual. When Isaac's best friend finds the love of his life, Isaac is legitimately happy for him but doesn't crave the same life goal. The best part of the wedding for Isaac was irking the attractive wedding planner he was told not to mess with.
Isaac decides he wants Hannah. It's not been his style to chase after a woman but this woman is different from the rest. She may hate him, but she can't resist him either. For Hannah, she wants wedding rings and stability, not private jets and big city penthouses. She typically choses boring men to date because an accountant in khaki pants would adore her and be home every night. So when she catches the eye of a wealthy man who is exciting but is hardly ever home she is reluctant to consider Issac. When he suggests a temporary relationship that is purely physical with someone she hates, she isn't interested. For Isaac, he has never wanted more than one night with a woman but there is something about Hannah that calls to him. A helpless romantic and a commitment-phobic millionaire rarely make sense on paper but these two are about to change that stereotype.
Dual POV, haters to lovers, steamy open door loves scenes.
This one was a ride. I typically want a MMC who isn't afraid of commitment who falls first and is willing to do anything for his lady. So Isaac, with his roller coaster like thoughts was tough for me. The author does a good job explaining why he feels the way he does but still it was hard when he kept hurting Hannah. Hannah is who I want to be when I grow up. She is put together, professional, and uptight. She wants everything to fit in tidy little boxes but secretly hopes someone will give her a thrill. These two have chemistry from the first chapter that slowly builds in emotional intimacy. Nice HEA and Epilogues.
Hannah Jane Hayes is the Princess Kate of Beaufort, North Carolina. She loves her job as a wedding planner but wonders if she will ever be the bride. Her family wanted her to be an old school Southern trophy wife so when she insisted otherwise their relationship became distant. Which is why Hannah is so thankful for her Poker club community in this small town. She may wear shoes that cost more than her house payment and never have a hair out of place, but she has a secret wild side she rarely shows. When Hannah's best friend gets married she has to wrangle the wedding party into shape, especially the best man who is a handful at best.
Isaac Lawson grew up with distant parents who sent him to boarding school. For a time he was resentful of his family and their business he was expected to take over. Once he realized the benefits of having wealth and success handed to him, he leaned into the lifestyle and the reputation that came with it. He kept his business professional and his relationships casual. When Isaac's best friend finds the love of his life, Isaac is legitimately happy for him but doesn't crave the same life goal. The best part of the wedding for Isaac was irking the attractive wedding planner he was told not to mess with.
Isaac decides he wants Hannah. It's not been his style to chase after a woman but this woman is different from the rest. She may hate him, but she can't resist him either. For Hannah, she wants wedding rings and stability, not private jets and big city penthouses. She typically choses boring men to date because an accountant in khaki pants would adore her and be home every night. So when she catches the eye of a wealthy man who is exciting but is hardly ever home she is reluctant to consider Issac. When he suggests a temporary relationship that is purely physical with someone she hates, she isn't interested. For Isaac, he has never wanted more than one night with a woman but there is something about Hannah that calls to him. A helpless romantic and a commitment-phobic millionaire rarely make sense on paper but these two are about to change that stereotype.
Dual POV, haters to lovers, steamy open door loves scenes.
This one was a ride. I typically want a MMC who isn't afraid of commitment who falls first and is willing to do anything for his lady. So Isaac, with his roller coaster like thoughts was tough for me. The author does a good job explaining why he feels the way he does but still it was hard when he kept hurting Hannah. Hannah is who I want to be when I grow up. She is put together, professional, and uptight. She wants everything to fit in tidy little boxes but secretly hopes someone will give her a thrill. These two have chemistry from the first chapter that slowly builds in emotional intimacy. Nice HEA and Epilogues.
February 19, 2025
Maggie Gates has done it again with Square Deal, the third book in The Beaufort Poker Club series! This sizzling, banter filled romance brings together Hannah Jane, a wedding planner with zero patience for entitled billionaires, and Isaac, a commitment averse playboy who thinks marriage is a losing game. Their chemistry? Off the charts. Their dynamic? Utterly addictive.
Hannah Jane and Isaac’s enemies to lovers tension is perfection. From the moment he breaks into her office and helps himself to her champagne, I knew this was going to be a fun ride. Isaac’s no strings attached proposition should have been a disaster, but instead, it’s the spark that sets everything ablaze. The witty back and forth, the undeniable attraction, and the emotional depth that sneaks up on both of them made this book impossible to put down.
Gates masterfully weaves humor, heart, and heat into this story, proving why this series must be read in order. The cameos from past characters add an extra layer of charm, and the pacing keeps you hooked from start to finish. If you love billionaire romance with strong heroines, delicious tension, and a hero who falls hard despite himself, Square Deal is an absolute must read!
A perfect addition to The Beaufort Poker Club series that is fun, fiery, and full of feels!
Hannah Jane and Isaac’s enemies to lovers tension is perfection. From the moment he breaks into her office and helps himself to her champagne, I knew this was going to be a fun ride. Isaac’s no strings attached proposition should have been a disaster, but instead, it’s the spark that sets everything ablaze. The witty back and forth, the undeniable attraction, and the emotional depth that sneaks up on both of them made this book impossible to put down.
Gates masterfully weaves humor, heart, and heat into this story, proving why this series must be read in order. The cameos from past characters add an extra layer of charm, and the pacing keeps you hooked from start to finish. If you love billionaire romance with strong heroines, delicious tension, and a hero who falls hard despite himself, Square Deal is an absolute must read!
A perfect addition to The Beaufort Poker Club series that is fun, fiery, and full of feels!
December 28, 2025
I ate up this enemies to lovers billionaire romance wrapped with spice, southern charm, and found family as Hannah Jane and Isaac, an unlikely couple, found their happily ever after. At the night of her best friend’s wedding, Isaac proposed an epic one night with no strings attached that turned into more. Issac was a MMC that I grew to like over the course of their romance as his playboy ways slowly transformed into a one woman kind of man. I appreciated Hannah Jane’s spunkiness and values, but the way her people pleasing personality was portrayed to be both a positive characteristic and a detriment really hit home. A fun addition to the Beaufort Poker Club series.
I listened to this on audio—the dual narration by Dane Anderson and Stella Hunter was amazing and so enjoyable. Both of them really showcased the range of emotions that Isaac and Hannah Jane went through during their relationship.
Thanks to Tantor Audio for the ALC.
I listened to this on audio—the dual narration by Dane Anderson and Stella Hunter was amazing and so enjoyable. Both of them really showcased the range of emotions that Isaac and Hannah Jane went through during their relationship.
Thanks to Tantor Audio for the ALC.
June 5, 2024
hahaha I like how sassy Isaac is, he and h.j. did not seem like a likely couple but that's what enemies to lovers is for lol.
i like how their relationship was more on the unconventional side (heck all of these books are like this) but i loved watching their different personalities piss each other off. for a playboy like him to find someone he truly loves and settle down is an accomplishment. i did like how luca, steve, and chase went to harass him and talk to him about it - that def cleared up why he had been hesitant about marriage.
overall they're very cute together and hilarious
notes while reading:
stop the way Luca went to pay h.j. and then called into the house for Lawson and he responded HAHA
NOT HIM SASSING HER MOTHER OVER THE PHONE ON XMAS
STOP SPENCER INTERRUPTING THE MEETING AND SPILLING COFFEE TO GET THE PHONE IS GOLD
also poor Austin hale is getting dragged around on all these dates with women who are already taken....when is he gonna find his lover lol
i like how their relationship was more on the unconventional side (heck all of these books are like this) but i loved watching their different personalities piss each other off. for a playboy like him to find someone he truly loves and settle down is an accomplishment. i did like how luca, steve, and chase went to harass him and talk to him about it - that def cleared up why he had been hesitant about marriage.
overall they're very cute together and hilarious
notes while reading:
stop the way Luca went to pay h.j. and then called into the house for Lawson and he responded HAHA
NOT HIM SASSING HER MOTHER OVER THE PHONE ON XMAS
STOP SPENCER INTERRUPTING THE MEETING AND SPILLING COFFEE TO GET THE PHONE IS GOLD
also poor Austin hale is getting dragged around on all these dates with women who are already taken....when is he gonna find his lover lol
October 17, 2025
2.5/5 it was mid
was the stripper really necessary 😐
i love a good found family trope so i really enjoyed seeing the dynamics of the poker club with hannah (especially Chase and Hannah), which was a huge plus. idk I don’t really find Hannah and Isaac to be the most exciting couple, and i just feel like their characters and personalities were all over the place at time. the book as a whole was alright. like I wouldn’t read it again but I didn’t hate it as much as I hated Maddie and Luca.
anyway if kristin doesn’t get a good story in the next book I’m gonna call the cops
was the stripper really necessary 😐
i love a good found family trope so i really enjoyed seeing the dynamics of the poker club with hannah (especially Chase and Hannah), which was a huge plus. idk I don’t really find Hannah and Isaac to be the most exciting couple, and i just feel like their characters and personalities were all over the place at time. the book as a whole was alright. like I wouldn’t read it again but I didn’t hate it as much as I hated Maddie and Luca.
anyway if kristin doesn’t get a good story in the next book I’m gonna call the cops
September 14, 2021
The story of Isaac and Hannah is not a new one - Enemies to lovers. There is a lot of humor, hot sex and of course triumph. Maggie delves into some sex scenes that she has previously not written and it is nice to see a difference from book to book in this series. I love that she ties in the other characters and characters from her first book. I recommend reading this book - of course in order of the series. Enjoy!
November 12, 2021
I love a good player turned book boyfriend, and Isaac is no exception. Isaac is fun and keep Hannah Jane on her toes. This book is full of spice from beginning to the end, with some extra creativeness when it comes to long distance relationships ;). I love that Hannah Jane is a badass and Isaac does nothing but support her right to kick butt. I envy HJ's ability to wear stilettos to everything.
April 28, 2025
Sosososos good, a sure 5 star read up until that stupid third act break up
heavy case of right book at the right time which is why i ignored a few flaws, particularly isaac having next to no character development and his manchild tendencies
heavy case of right book at the right time which is why i ignored a few flaws, particularly isaac having next to no character development and his manchild tendencies
July 17, 2024
I am obsessed. This series is amazing
Read
November 11, 2024No. He goes back to manwhoring after being with the h.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
April 26, 2025
Kindle 4.5 ⭐️
Read
October 7, 202566 pages in and they are still having sex. I feel like I fell down a rabbit whole and came up with a different author writing this. The first two books were just so good. This was … bad.
August 10, 2024
Y’all these two should not be together 😐
June 15, 2025
4 🌟
Isaac Lawson, best friend and best man of Luca DeRossi, is a playboy, known in the media for going through lots of women and inheriting his families real estate company. Hannah Jane Hayes, wedding coordinator event planned and best friend of Maddie Dorsey, is fed up of dealing with Isaac at their best friend’s wedding! When Isaac catches the garter and she catches the bouquet, they’re forced to a dance together, with Isaac continuing to flirt with and wind up Hannah! After finishing her shift and a successful wedding, Hannah returns to her office to find Isaac lounging around! He’s determined to convince her casual hookups aren’t something to avoid and she should try with him! She tells him how she’s a hopeless romantic, and it only ends in her getting hurt as she falls for people quickly, however Hannah gives in eventually and they spend the night together before Isaac slips out early. When she gets a call from Maddie to check their house, she finds Isaac let himself in, planning on staying for the hurricane as he can’t fly home! Hannah is quick to tell him it’s not safe by the water, and reluctantly offers up her guest room to him, laying down rules to stay out her way and keep to himself!! Isaac agrees, telling her his only rule is to not fall for him! They spend the next few days at her house, eventually getting rid of the one time rule, with Isaac proposing a mutually beneficial situation-ship where they use each other solely to hook up! Hannah shuts him down straight away, but after a while decides she’ll think about it when he leaves! He continues to call her, trying to convince her to give in which only makes her weigh it up even more, especially when she finds out he’s put a tab on at her favourite coffee shop! After finally agreeing to their arrangement, Isaac flys back to beaufort and waits for her at the inn with them laying down ground rules to not tell anyone, not fall for each other, that they’re not friends and if they fall for someone else it ends!! They spend the night together, but when Kristen shows up for house keeping the following morning, Hannah panics that this kind of arrangement isn’t what she’s used to and she can’t sneak around like that behind her friends backs! Isaac proposes they make some amendments to their original agreement, and says that he’ll take her out and have fun, showing her what living is really like, and go away to New York together after thanksgiving! She tells him her worries of how other people may perceive her, but after his reassurance, Hannah agrees! They spend thanksgiving week apart, but not without daily texts or calls talking about how they’re excited for their New York trip! However, when Isaac finds himself ending up at Luca and Maddies for thanksgiving, he’s surprised and please to see Hannah is there too! They spend the day flirting secretly, but not without Melissa and Kristen overhearing their plans for New York tomorrow, but swearing to keep quiet! They fly out the following morning, spending the evening out at Luca’s New York restaurant, and then Isaac’s club. Hannah is quick to shut down when Isaac has a slip of the tongue moment, saying he fell for her at Luca and Maddies wedding!! She gets upset once their home, saying he promised this wouldn’t happen and they’d keep feelings out of their deal. Isaac isn’t sure why she’s so insistent they won’t work, and so asks for one shot to try things properly, and to give him time. Hannah reluctantly agrees to try, knowing she’s already going to get hurt either way, on the condition that they don’t hook up anymore! They spend the rest of their time in New York inseparable, only getting closer and stronger feelings for one another! When they both end up working at Luca’s new restaurant on the Griffith ranch, they don’t realise that they’re both there and are surprised to see one another!! Luca quickly finds out they’re together, promising to keep it quiet for now but making Hannah realise how serious he is about things with her:’) Isaac finally gets invited to poker night by Maddie, surprising Hannah as all the girls vote to initiate him into the club, meaning they no longer have to hide their relationship! They spend Christmas together, with Isaac looking after a very ill Hannah, and standing up for her to her demanding mother!! He slips and says he loves her daughter on the phone, leaving Hannah emotional from his confession and the fact he was so willing to defend her! Whilst at Jokers one evening, Luca voices his concern to Isaac that he’s going to leave Hannah hurt when he finally gets bored of her like he usually does!! Isaac is frustrated he still can’t see how serious he is about Hannah, but starts to doubt himself when he’s unsure about staying in beaufort when Hannah mentions him leaving stuff at her house!! As much as he’s happy wherever Hannah is, Isaac knows he’s a city boy and loves his home in manhattan, not sure how he’ll commit to settling down in one place! It doesn’t take long before things crumble as Isaac finally gets to meet her family, and his father suggests they get married soon. Isaac is quick to defend Hannah, despite her not being there, but tells him straight he’s not one for marriage but he doesn’t love his daughter! What Isaac doesn’t realise, is that Hannah is stood listening to their whole conversation! When she confronts him on the flight back, Isaac tells her he’s said all along he couldn’t do marriage and apologises but promises they can continue as they are because he does love her, but that she shouldn’t settle for someone with different life goals:( Hannah is heartbroken, and her friends have to stage an intervention after 3 days of crying and ignoring everyone! Maddie proposes she sets her up on a date, as she thought Isaac was the one despite being completely opposite to her original ideal man. She suggests a date with someone who ticks all her boxes and would be her ideal guy, so she can either get closure and realise Isaac wasn’t what she truly wanted, or realise she’s making a mistake! Luca, Chase and Steve stage an intervention for Isaac after finding out he’d gone off the rails since the breakup! When he explains he can’t do marriage because of his negative views from his father constantly cheating, Steve reassures him he’s done it twice and it’s the best thing to ever happen to him:’) They spend the evening talking things through, in hopes of getting through to Isaac and making him realise he can’t let someone he loves so much walk away so easily! When Isaac finally realises how much of a mistake he’s made, he shows up to her work and waits for her to finish up. He apologises for everything that happened between them, begging her to say how she really feels and what she wants for them. Hannah tells him her elaborate plan she had ready to show up to his New York office and make him fight for them and realise his mistake! However, she doesn’t have to do that when he says he’s fully in with her this time, marriage and all, and makes a deal to work through things together and navigate their long distance relationship, promising to not mess it up again:)
My thoughts
I’ve seen people not enjoy this book as much as the others in this series but I still loved it!! Definitely not one of my fav tropes but I honestly just think I love maggies books so much at this point I’ll love anything of hers I read!! The found family in this series is so good I actually don’t know what I’ll do when I’ve finished it I love them all so much!! Isaac definitely annoyed me in some parts of this book, but I kind of think it’s part of his characters charm? Most of the time he had the perfect balance of being annoying or rude and being flirty! I loved Hannah and how she wasn’t willing to settle for what she wanted and wasn’t willing to let someone dull her down!! My main complaint / least fav thing about this book and the reason it’s not rated any higher was the whole 3rd act breakup! I think it could’ve been avoided with a conversation and also him going straight back to his old ways and going to a strip club really annoyed me!!
My fav moments / quotes & things I noted whilst reading:
* This is completely diff vibes to the other 2 so far with him being such a playboy!!
* She said she wanted to meet someone in a coffee shop who paid for her drink so he went in and put a card on tab to pay for all her drinks NO WAY
* Him always calling her hell yes ma’am so funny
* Him flying them to New York so they don’t have to sneak around love it
* Sending her slippers and heels LOVE HIM
* The found family in this series is top tier them inviting him to his first poker night and saying how they all figured out already they were together I LOVE THEM ALL!!!
* Her mum is horrible omg
* “Ask me for the moon, and I will pull it out of the sky for you.” !!!!!!
* Had a feeling the 3rd act conflict would be him panicking he can’t give her what she wants & breaking up with her
* Chase Steve and Luca having Hannah’s back sm and going to sort Isaac out 🥲
* really hated the way he went straight back to his old playboy ways whilst they were broken up
* “I thought about the way my mind quieted when I was around her. Every other moment of the day, my brain was a noisy, busy place. But, with her, everything stilled.” Omg🥲
* He watched all her fav Rom coms & compared him coming back to her to them awhhh
* The way he knows she’s such a hopeless romantic he proposes in a lake they filmed at in the notebook
* Sooo curious for the next book after reading the last chapter where it ends of a cliffhanger of Kristen potentially losing her job and needing it so badly bc of her siblings🥲
* “I thought I had the world, but I didn’t realize how much I was missing until I found you.”❤️🩹
Overall, this is definitely my least fav out of the series so far but I still thoroughly enjoyed it! I think by this point in the series I just love all the characters and feel like I could live in their town that I don’t think I could not enjoy one of their books!! I love Maggie Gates so much this series and all of her books are so underrated would 100% recommend 4 🌟
Isaac Lawson, best friend and best man of Luca DeRossi, is a playboy, known in the media for going through lots of women and inheriting his families real estate company. Hannah Jane Hayes, wedding coordinator event planned and best friend of Maddie Dorsey, is fed up of dealing with Isaac at their best friend’s wedding! When Isaac catches the garter and she catches the bouquet, they’re forced to a dance together, with Isaac continuing to flirt with and wind up Hannah! After finishing her shift and a successful wedding, Hannah returns to her office to find Isaac lounging around! He’s determined to convince her casual hookups aren’t something to avoid and she should try with him! She tells him how she’s a hopeless romantic, and it only ends in her getting hurt as she falls for people quickly, however Hannah gives in eventually and they spend the night together before Isaac slips out early. When she gets a call from Maddie to check their house, she finds Isaac let himself in, planning on staying for the hurricane as he can’t fly home! Hannah is quick to tell him it’s not safe by the water, and reluctantly offers up her guest room to him, laying down rules to stay out her way and keep to himself!! Isaac agrees, telling her his only rule is to not fall for him! They spend the next few days at her house, eventually getting rid of the one time rule, with Isaac proposing a mutually beneficial situation-ship where they use each other solely to hook up! Hannah shuts him down straight away, but after a while decides she’ll think about it when he leaves! He continues to call her, trying to convince her to give in which only makes her weigh it up even more, especially when she finds out he’s put a tab on at her favourite coffee shop! After finally agreeing to their arrangement, Isaac flys back to beaufort and waits for her at the inn with them laying down ground rules to not tell anyone, not fall for each other, that they’re not friends and if they fall for someone else it ends!! They spend the night together, but when Kristen shows up for house keeping the following morning, Hannah panics that this kind of arrangement isn’t what she’s used to and she can’t sneak around like that behind her friends backs! Isaac proposes they make some amendments to their original agreement, and says that he’ll take her out and have fun, showing her what living is really like, and go away to New York together after thanksgiving! She tells him her worries of how other people may perceive her, but after his reassurance, Hannah agrees! They spend thanksgiving week apart, but not without daily texts or calls talking about how they’re excited for their New York trip! However, when Isaac finds himself ending up at Luca and Maddies for thanksgiving, he’s surprised and please to see Hannah is there too! They spend the day flirting secretly, but not without Melissa and Kristen overhearing their plans for New York tomorrow, but swearing to keep quiet! They fly out the following morning, spending the evening out at Luca’s New York restaurant, and then Isaac’s club. Hannah is quick to shut down when Isaac has a slip of the tongue moment, saying he fell for her at Luca and Maddies wedding!! She gets upset once their home, saying he promised this wouldn’t happen and they’d keep feelings out of their deal. Isaac isn’t sure why she’s so insistent they won’t work, and so asks for one shot to try things properly, and to give him time. Hannah reluctantly agrees to try, knowing she’s already going to get hurt either way, on the condition that they don’t hook up anymore! They spend the rest of their time in New York inseparable, only getting closer and stronger feelings for one another! When they both end up working at Luca’s new restaurant on the Griffith ranch, they don’t realise that they’re both there and are surprised to see one another!! Luca quickly finds out they’re together, promising to keep it quiet for now but making Hannah realise how serious he is about things with her:’) Isaac finally gets invited to poker night by Maddie, surprising Hannah as all the girls vote to initiate him into the club, meaning they no longer have to hide their relationship! They spend Christmas together, with Isaac looking after a very ill Hannah, and standing up for her to her demanding mother!! He slips and says he loves her daughter on the phone, leaving Hannah emotional from his confession and the fact he was so willing to defend her! Whilst at Jokers one evening, Luca voices his concern to Isaac that he’s going to leave Hannah hurt when he finally gets bored of her like he usually does!! Isaac is frustrated he still can’t see how serious he is about Hannah, but starts to doubt himself when he’s unsure about staying in beaufort when Hannah mentions him leaving stuff at her house!! As much as he’s happy wherever Hannah is, Isaac knows he’s a city boy and loves his home in manhattan, not sure how he’ll commit to settling down in one place! It doesn’t take long before things crumble as Isaac finally gets to meet her family, and his father suggests they get married soon. Isaac is quick to defend Hannah, despite her not being there, but tells him straight he’s not one for marriage but he doesn’t love his daughter! What Isaac doesn’t realise, is that Hannah is stood listening to their whole conversation! When she confronts him on the flight back, Isaac tells her he’s said all along he couldn’t do marriage and apologises but promises they can continue as they are because he does love her, but that she shouldn’t settle for someone with different life goals:( Hannah is heartbroken, and her friends have to stage an intervention after 3 days of crying and ignoring everyone! Maddie proposes she sets her up on a date, as she thought Isaac was the one despite being completely opposite to her original ideal man. She suggests a date with someone who ticks all her boxes and would be her ideal guy, so she can either get closure and realise Isaac wasn’t what she truly wanted, or realise she’s making a mistake! Luca, Chase and Steve stage an intervention for Isaac after finding out he’d gone off the rails since the breakup! When he explains he can’t do marriage because of his negative views from his father constantly cheating, Steve reassures him he’s done it twice and it’s the best thing to ever happen to him:’) They spend the evening talking things through, in hopes of getting through to Isaac and making him realise he can’t let someone he loves so much walk away so easily! When Isaac finally realises how much of a mistake he’s made, he shows up to her work and waits for her to finish up. He apologises for everything that happened between them, begging her to say how she really feels and what she wants for them. Hannah tells him her elaborate plan she had ready to show up to his New York office and make him fight for them and realise his mistake! However, she doesn’t have to do that when he says he’s fully in with her this time, marriage and all, and makes a deal to work through things together and navigate their long distance relationship, promising to not mess it up again:)
My thoughts
I’ve seen people not enjoy this book as much as the others in this series but I still loved it!! Definitely not one of my fav tropes but I honestly just think I love maggies books so much at this point I’ll love anything of hers I read!! The found family in this series is so good I actually don’t know what I’ll do when I’ve finished it I love them all so much!! Isaac definitely annoyed me in some parts of this book, but I kind of think it’s part of his characters charm? Most of the time he had the perfect balance of being annoying or rude and being flirty! I loved Hannah and how she wasn’t willing to settle for what she wanted and wasn’t willing to let someone dull her down!! My main complaint / least fav thing about this book and the reason it’s not rated any higher was the whole 3rd act breakup! I think it could’ve been avoided with a conversation and also him going straight back to his old ways and going to a strip club really annoyed me!!
My fav moments / quotes & things I noted whilst reading:
* This is completely diff vibes to the other 2 so far with him being such a playboy!!
* She said she wanted to meet someone in a coffee shop who paid for her drink so he went in and put a card on tab to pay for all her drinks NO WAY
* Him always calling her hell yes ma’am so funny
* Him flying them to New York so they don’t have to sneak around love it
* Sending her slippers and heels LOVE HIM
* The found family in this series is top tier them inviting him to his first poker night and saying how they all figured out already they were together I LOVE THEM ALL!!!
* Her mum is horrible omg
* “Ask me for the moon, and I will pull it out of the sky for you.” !!!!!!
* Had a feeling the 3rd act conflict would be him panicking he can’t give her what she wants & breaking up with her
* Chase Steve and Luca having Hannah’s back sm and going to sort Isaac out 🥲
* really hated the way he went straight back to his old playboy ways whilst they were broken up
* “I thought about the way my mind quieted when I was around her. Every other moment of the day, my brain was a noisy, busy place. But, with her, everything stilled.” Omg🥲
* He watched all her fav Rom coms & compared him coming back to her to them awhhh
* The way he knows she’s such a hopeless romantic he proposes in a lake they filmed at in the notebook
* Sooo curious for the next book after reading the last chapter where it ends of a cliffhanger of Kristen potentially losing her job and needing it so badly bc of her siblings🥲
* “I thought I had the world, but I didn’t realize how much I was missing until I found you.”❤️🩹
Overall, this is definitely my least fav out of the series so far but I still thoroughly enjoyed it! I think by this point in the series I just love all the characters and feel like I could live in their town that I don’t think I could not enjoy one of their books!! I love Maggie Gates so much this series and all of her books are so underrated would 100% recommend 4 🌟
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2021
LOVE
Wow. This book floored me.
Like the other books in this series the romance was lovely and the steam was spicy. So steamy- and so good!!
I loved the character development and learning more about Hannah and Isaac and how they became who they are. Love love love and cannot wait for the next book in the series!
Wow. This book floored me.
Like the other books in this series the romance was lovely and the steam was spicy. So steamy- and so good!!
I loved the character development and learning more about Hannah and Isaac and how they became who they are. Love love love and cannot wait for the next book in the series!
August 7, 2022
i love enemies to lovers and i love banter. “i hope you have a terrible day” are you kidding me i’m on the floor
November 8, 2021
Oh my...... talk about steamy. This was beyond steamy. Loved it. Hannah Jane and Isaac.....what can I say. I highly recommend this steamy beach read. Well done. Can't wait for the next one.
June 20, 2023
So, I really enjoyed this book for a while. I loved the banter between the two characters, I loved Isaac’s personality and Hannah’s strength. The spice was amazing and the development of the relationship was going really well. We have Isaac who’s a commitment phobe and believes he can’t ever get married due to daddy issues, and Hannah who wants a family and marriage as she’s a wedding planner herself.
You see the third act break up coming from a mile away, and honestly it ruined the book a bit for me which is why I took away a star (I’d even say this was more of a 3.5 read for me). They breakup because Hannah overhears Isaac telling her father he’ll never marry her. Even though he KNEW it was what she wanted the whole time, and that he had said he was all in, he made it seem like Hannah was aware they’d just date the rest of their lives……….it was weird.
They go their separate ways. Isaac goes back to his manwhoring persona (we literally get a scene of him groping another woman at a strip club, yuck) and Hannah goes on a date with a “safe” guy before deciding she should just “take as much of Isaac as she can get”. WHAT!? Where was the strong take no shit woman we saw the WHOLE book? Who says she isn’t going to settle for less?…..but then you’d be okay with giving up your dream of getting married and having kids for someone else? Nah. Not cool. Especially when his reasoning isn’t because he truly doesn’t want to get married but because he’s afraid. Either way, when he finally comes to his “senses” she forgave him WAY too quickly and offered him an out of marriage. Ruined her character for me.
Also, how long did they go without seeing each other? I was very confused. He was asking if she still loved him and made it sound like it had been a long time but if he had just returned from Tokyo wouldn’t it have only been a week or two? Why wasn’t this discussed at all? Also, did he sleep with other women? We know he got a lap dance and his friends said he went back to “cheap women”. Does Hannah really not care about this? I’m mad on her behalf. He’s saying he loved her the whole time but was literally paying for strippers? Again, ruined the characters for me.
If the ending had gone differently this would’ve been a 5 star read. However, if you can get past it, you won’t regret reading the rest of the book.
You see the third act break up coming from a mile away, and honestly it ruined the book a bit for me which is why I took away a star (I’d even say this was more of a 3.5 read for me). They breakup because Hannah overhears Isaac telling her father he’ll never marry her. Even though he KNEW it was what she wanted the whole time, and that he had said he was all in, he made it seem like Hannah was aware they’d just date the rest of their lives……….it was weird.
They go their separate ways. Isaac goes back to his manwhoring persona (we literally get a scene of him groping another woman at a strip club, yuck) and Hannah goes on a date with a “safe” guy before deciding she should just “take as much of Isaac as she can get”. WHAT!? Where was the strong take no shit woman we saw the WHOLE book? Who says she isn’t going to settle for less?…..but then you’d be okay with giving up your dream of getting married and having kids for someone else? Nah. Not cool. Especially when his reasoning isn’t because he truly doesn’t want to get married but because he’s afraid. Either way, when he finally comes to his “senses” she forgave him WAY too quickly and offered him an out of marriage. Ruined her character for me.
Also, how long did they go without seeing each other? I was very confused. He was asking if she still loved him and made it sound like it had been a long time but if he had just returned from Tokyo wouldn’t it have only been a week or two? Why wasn’t this discussed at all? Also, did he sleep with other women? We know he got a lap dance and his friends said he went back to “cheap women”. Does Hannah really not care about this? I’m mad on her behalf. He’s saying he loved her the whole time but was literally paying for strippers? Again, ruined the characters for me.
If the ending had gone differently this would’ve been a 5 star read. However, if you can get past it, you won’t regret reading the rest of the book.
March 31, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (barely)
I am not a fan of the enemies-with-benefits trope, actually hate it most of the time. Really hated it in this one.
I feel like throughout the whole book the FMC was being trashed for not wanting to be part of the hook-up culture. For being a hopeless romantic.
The MMC gave her sh*t for it and persuade her to make a deal with him and hook-up on a regular basis (strictly without any feelings involved), which I hated because to me, it felt like he judged her for not being able (or not wanting) to have s*x without feelings involved and not respecting her opinions and what she wants for herself in life. I get the whole ‘helping someone to get out of their shell and teaching them to be reckless and stuff’, but I feel like he didn’t like all of her and wanted to change her.
All the things he said, the fact that he lead her on, that he went straight to a strip-club after breaking up, …made me really not like him.
Sadly this one didn’t work out for me. My frustration overruled the satisfaction of the romance and steamy scenes.
I am not a fan of the enemies-with-benefits trope, actually hate it most of the time. Really hated it in this one.
I feel like throughout the whole book the FMC was being trashed for not wanting to be part of the hook-up culture. For being a hopeless romantic.
The MMC gave her sh*t for it and persuade her to make a deal with him and hook-up on a regular basis (strictly without any feelings involved), which I hated because to me, it felt like he judged her for not being able (or not wanting) to have s*x without feelings involved and not respecting her opinions and what she wants for herself in life. I get the whole ‘helping someone to get out of their shell and teaching them to be reckless and stuff’, but I feel like he didn’t like all of her and wanted to change her.
All the things he said, the fact that he lead her on, that he went straight to a strip-club after breaking up, …made me really not like him.
Sadly this one didn’t work out for me. My frustration overruled the satisfaction of the romance and steamy scenes.
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