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Pierce Family #2
Playboy Prince
My playboy boss wants me to slip into a new position:
Fake fiancée.
After years mowing through all the eligible women in New York, Liam earned the nickname Playboy Prince. Now, the tech executive needs to clean up his reputation.
He can have any women in the city.
And he wants me.
His purple-haired, smart mouthed assistant.
Six months as his fake fiancée in exchange for the cash to fund my start-up.
How can I say no?
Too bad Liam is the most frustrating man on the planet. Demanding. Rebellious. Extremely charming.
Plus the deep blue eyes. The devil-may-care-smile. The tattoos he hides under his suit.
Pretty soon, our kisses don't feel fake.
Pretty soon, we don't stop at kissing.
Pretty soon, I do the one thing I shouldn't:
I fall in love with him.
Fake fiancée.
After years mowing through all the eligible women in New York, Liam earned the nickname Playboy Prince. Now, the tech executive needs to clean up his reputation.
He can have any women in the city.
And he wants me.
His purple-haired, smart mouthed assistant.
Six months as his fake fiancée in exchange for the cash to fund my start-up.
How can I say no?
Too bad Liam is the most frustrating man on the planet. Demanding. Rebellious. Extremely charming.
Plus the deep blue eyes. The devil-may-care-smile. The tattoos he hides under his suit.
Pretty soon, our kisses don't feel fake.
Pretty soon, we don't stop at kissing.
Pretty soon, I do the one thing I shouldn't:
I fall in love with him.
413 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 2, 2021
546 people are currently reading
365 people want to read
About the author
Crystal Kaswell
114 books2,551 followersCrystal Kaswell is the author of the Sinful Serenade series. She writes steamy new adult romance with flawed characters. She loves police procedurals, tea, and The Hunger Games series. She lives in Portland, OR with her husband.
http://www.crystalkaswell.com/
https://twitter.com/CrystalKaswell
http://www.crystalkaswell.com/
https://twitter.com/CrystalKaswell
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
December 3, 2021
This is the second book in the Pierce Brothers series and can be read as a stand-alone but I recommend reading the first book to get a better reading experience . I really loved Briar and Liam’s story the banter between them had me giggling and the steam had me squirming there’s plenty of angst and emotions that we come to love in all of Crystal’s stories this was overall another fantastic read !
December 13, 2025
Briar is Liam’s assistant but when Liam discovers his surrogate father figure is dying he asks Briar to pretend to be engaged to him. Briar agrees despite the fact that she and Liam are extremely attracted to one another. Liam in exchange will help Briar start her mental heath app that she wants to launch. Sparks fly between the two while attending a wedding and they cross the line from friends and coworkers to lovers. Briar is freaking out because she realizes how deep her feelings are for Liam and she wants all of him so when she discovers that he has secrets it doesn’t sit well with her and she leave’s him but Liam refuses to lose her.
I thought that Briar and Liam were perfect for each other and loved that they had a solid friendship and respect for each other before getting together and that respect only grew once they were together. I loved Simon and Liam’s brotherly relationship and was happy that Liam doesn’t dig too deep into Simon’s secrets. Can’t wait for Simon’s book to come out this year.
I thought that Briar and Liam were perfect for each other and loved that they had a solid friendship and respect for each other before getting together and that respect only grew once they were together. I loved Simon and Liam’s brotherly relationship and was happy that Liam doesn’t dig too deep into Simon’s secrets. Can’t wait for Simon’s book to come out this year.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 13, 2021
I am voluntarily reviewing an advanced reader copy of this book.
Briar has been working as Liam Pierce’s assistant for the past two years at Pierce Industries but becoming like everyone else in the rat race has never been her goal, what she has been working on is far more important. After years of watching her mother suffer with depression she has been developing an app that can support people suffering with mental illness so when Liam needs a favour the only thing that she really wants in return is help in getting her app out into the world, but if she has learnt anything working for Liam it is the art of negotiation and she is not going t let Liam have everything his way but when everyone has been assuming that they are sleeping together so when he asked her to pose as his fiancé after a misunderstanding and she starts seeing another side of Liam will she be able to keep her heart safe or has she already lost it?
Liam Pierce has earned his reputation as the Playboy Prince only letting the world see the man he wants them to seen and falling in love is never going to be an option for him, he likes casual and convincing his personal assistant Briar to pretend to be his fiancé was an inspired idea until it wasn’t and the man that he has always looked upon as a second father confides in him of his rapidly failing health and how happy he is to see him finally settling down, he knows that this charade needs to continue but when these two are forced to spend day and night together feelings that he never knew he had for his feisty assistant are becoming harder and harder to hide each day. Could what he thought was pretend actually be real and has he found real happiness and love?
This was a gripping and heartbreaking story from the very first page, there is so much to this book that I don’t know where to start, if you are ready for an independent, go getting woman scared by her parent’s past and a man that is so much more than he appears on the cover but hides who he really is then I highly recommend this book. 5***** read.
Briar has been working as Liam Pierce’s assistant for the past two years at Pierce Industries but becoming like everyone else in the rat race has never been her goal, what she has been working on is far more important. After years of watching her mother suffer with depression she has been developing an app that can support people suffering with mental illness so when Liam needs a favour the only thing that she really wants in return is help in getting her app out into the world, but if she has learnt anything working for Liam it is the art of negotiation and she is not going t let Liam have everything his way but when everyone has been assuming that they are sleeping together so when he asked her to pose as his fiancé after a misunderstanding and she starts seeing another side of Liam will she be able to keep her heart safe or has she already lost it?
Liam Pierce has earned his reputation as the Playboy Prince only letting the world see the man he wants them to seen and falling in love is never going to be an option for him, he likes casual and convincing his personal assistant Briar to pretend to be his fiancé was an inspired idea until it wasn’t and the man that he has always looked upon as a second father confides in him of his rapidly failing health and how happy he is to see him finally settling down, he knows that this charade needs to continue but when these two are forced to spend day and night together feelings that he never knew he had for his feisty assistant are becoming harder and harder to hide each day. Could what he thought was pretend actually be real and has he found real happiness and love?
This was a gripping and heartbreaking story from the very first page, there is so much to this book that I don’t know where to start, if you are ready for an independent, go getting woman scared by her parent’s past and a man that is so much more than he appears on the cover but hides who he really is then I highly recommend this book. 5***** read.
December 9, 2021
Briar & Liam are on fire!
I am loving the Pierce brothers. Adam was all moody and tragic. Simon is going to be intriguing. And Liam... Liam is charming and irresistible!
His chemistry with Briar in Adam's story was palpable and it certainly delivers in this book!
He finds himself in an awkward spot with the man he and his siblings view as a second father. Preston asks him to keep it a secret but he’s dying. He doesn't want it to put a damper on the wedding festivities for his son or his honorary sons' enjoyment and he knows Liam is the king of distraction.
Except in the process of asking for this favor of Liam, he tells him how happy he is to know his most difficult 'son' is settled before he goes. Because Liam and Briar have a long standing fake engagement that Preston has construed as real.
So Liam convinces Briar to play along with the fake engagement. Neither of them expect their feelings to become way more than fake. They've been fighting attraction for months. This puts them in each others paths much more intimately and frequently than before.
Briar fights their attraction and feelings because she's seen nothing good in the examples in her life. But Liam sees her. The good, the bad, and the ugly. And she sees him too.
She sees beyond his playboy image. She sees his heart.
These two burn up the pages but at the same time your heart breaks for Liam as he is loosing his second father. Briar realizing she needs to take a chance or she will never really live.
We get to see Adam and Danielle, as well as Simon and Opal and a brief cameo by Ian Hunt! I am so looking forward to Simon's book now!!
I received a review copy. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
I am loving the Pierce brothers. Adam was all moody and tragic. Simon is going to be intriguing. And Liam... Liam is charming and irresistible!
His chemistry with Briar in Adam's story was palpable and it certainly delivers in this book!
He finds himself in an awkward spot with the man he and his siblings view as a second father. Preston asks him to keep it a secret but he’s dying. He doesn't want it to put a damper on the wedding festivities for his son or his honorary sons' enjoyment and he knows Liam is the king of distraction.
Except in the process of asking for this favor of Liam, he tells him how happy he is to know his most difficult 'son' is settled before he goes. Because Liam and Briar have a long standing fake engagement that Preston has construed as real.
So Liam convinces Briar to play along with the fake engagement. Neither of them expect their feelings to become way more than fake. They've been fighting attraction for months. This puts them in each others paths much more intimately and frequently than before.
Briar fights their attraction and feelings because she's seen nothing good in the examples in her life. But Liam sees her. The good, the bad, and the ugly. And she sees him too.
She sees beyond his playboy image. She sees his heart.
These two burn up the pages but at the same time your heart breaks for Liam as he is loosing his second father. Briar realizing she needs to take a chance or she will never really live.
We get to see Adam and Danielle, as well as Simon and Opal and a brief cameo by Ian Hunt! I am so looking forward to Simon's book now!!
I received a review copy. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
November 24, 2021
This book had a really good storyline, but Crystal's writing is so distinctive and repetitive, not fresh, that it takes away from the story.
Liam and Briar were really good together, and the premise was excellent, but the writing is so much like all of her other books, it's too distracting, and I couldn't really focus on the actual story.
If you haven't read, or noticed the distinctiveness of Crystal's writing, or just don't care about that, then this one would be a really good book to read.
Liam and Briar were really good together, and the premise was excellent, but the writing is so much like all of her other books, it's too distracting, and I couldn't really focus on the actual story.
If you haven't read, or noticed the distinctiveness of Crystal's writing, or just don't care about that, then this one would be a really good book to read.
January 31, 2022
Liam is a tech billionaire with a reputation in bad need of repair. Briar to the rescue and a fake engagement is the solution. This is the second book about the Pierce family. Liam's not a real prince as it's only a nickname. He's arrogant, spoiled and entitled. To Briar he's the most annoying man on the planet but the deal is too goo to turn down. Enough money to fund her business. Lots of family dynamics at play in this book and inter action with characters from the other books in the series. Emotional and full of drama. A great read with amazing characters and an entertaining story line. I read an advance copy via the author and voluntarily chose to write a review.
March 25, 2022
What a beautiful of Colleague Liam Prince the CFO & his assistant Brair West who've become friends during their working life, though she has a wish of setting up a Counselling App and it's getting closer for her when Liam asks her to cover as his fiancée AFTER his 'adoptive' father Preston tells him & him alone that he's going to die but Liam keeps it to himself until after the wedding to the youngest son's wedding a few weeks away.
But it's when Brair has moved into Liam's apartment that he opens his heart up & tells her that he hasn't been with anyone since their trip away a few months prior.
But it's when a situation happens during the pre-wedding party & sees that he hasn't been truthful to her about the REAL reason of the ruse.
Now WILL that destroy their friendship/ working relationship & what they've added during this time....
But it's when Brair has moved into Liam's apartment that he opens his heart up & tells her that he hasn't been with anyone since their trip away a few months prior.
But it's when a situation happens during the pre-wedding party & sees that he hasn't been truthful to her about the REAL reason of the ruse.
Now WILL that destroy their friendship/ working relationship & what they've added during this time....
May 7, 2022
Snappy, witty dialogue and a lovely story.
Want to read
June 13, 2023🎁 FREE on Amazon today (6/13/2023)! 🎁
December 2, 2021
This is the story about Liam Pierce and his assistant Briar. We met them in Broken Beast.
On the outside Liam has a lighter soul - especially compared to his brothers. But he is hiding a secret.
To make the man who has been like a father to him happy, Liam and Briar enter a fake engagement. But what happens, when the fake is no longer fake - and when secrets come to the surface.
I love the caracters in this series, and I can’t wait for Simon’s story ❤️ Crystal captures the mood perfectly and her description of the hurt and the love is strong - another must read from Crystal’s pen ❤️
I receieved an advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review
On the outside Liam has a lighter soul - especially compared to his brothers. But he is hiding a secret.
To make the man who has been like a father to him happy, Liam and Briar enter a fake engagement. But what happens, when the fake is no longer fake - and when secrets come to the surface.
I love the caracters in this series, and I can’t wait for Simon’s story ❤️ Crystal captures the mood perfectly and her description of the hurt and the love is strong - another must read from Crystal’s pen ❤️
I receieved an advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review
Read
December 5, 2021Wow! Liam & Briar’s Fake Engagement Romance Has It All – Humor, Steam, Romance, Mystery, Great Banter, & Tragedy. The Series Keeps Getting Better. Don’t Forget To Download The Free Bonus Epilogue Via The Link At The Back Of The Book!
ABOUT THE PIERCE FAMILY:
This is the second book about the Pierce siblings, and the series keeps getting better. The first book, Broken Beast, is Adam and Danielle’s Beauty and the Beast-inspired billionaire romance. This is Liam and Briar’s fake engagement story.
The Pierces may live like royalty, but their fortunes haven’t insulated them from the heartbreak associated with grief. They have been beset by a series of losses, and it never gets easier. This series shows the family as they grieve and stumble upon the inspiration to find happiness once again. They grow from their pain, and although changed, they find strength and beauty in moving on with life.
Simon, thirty-two, and Adam, twenty-nine, are the serious-minded brothers. Liam, twenty-seven, is fun-loving and incorrigible much like Sebastian had been. Adam and Bash had been close despite their opposite personalities. Simon and Liam, however, always seem to be at odds. They all work at Pierce Industries, a tech company, in NYC. One of their specialties is cyber security.
A few years ago, the brothers learned that they had a younger half-sister. Opal had lost her own mother and learned that she had four brothers – and a large inheritance that would one day be hers – when she turned sixteen. She moved in with Simon and became the Park Avenue Princess almost overnight. Having just graduated from high school and turned eighteen, she wants desperately to be all grown up, but Simon’s overprotective leanings have her rather frustrated. Personality-wise, Opal is bold and obnoxious, much like Liam, and like Bash had been as well.
The Pierce mansion, with its fairy tale aura, sits about three hours outside of NYC, far removed from society. The Pierce brothers were raised there in a life of privilege, but their wealth did nothing to insulate them from pain. Simon, Adam, Liam, and Sebastian didn’t have their mother around growing up, and they later lost their father as well. That was fifteen years ago. Patricia, who runs the house, did her best to manage the boys growing up and has a deep affection for them still. She is the closest they have to a mother figure. After their father’s death, Preston Charles, a family friend, had become a father figure. Since the loss of Sebastian a year ago, however, nothing has been the same.
IN THIS BOOK:
As the story opens, it is May in NYC.
Liam Pierce, twenty-seven, is the CFO of Pierce Industries. Numbers always made sense to him, so he leaves the tech side of the business to his brothers. Liam is fiercely independent and insists on doing things his own way. He is excellent at reading people, a skill that he puts to good use with his penchant for obnoxious lines that push the bounds of decency and test the patience of those around him. He is naturally charming but impossibly difficult. He always wears a smile, but it is often used as a shield to mask his vulnerability.
Liam knew since he was fifteen that freedom was a priority for him. He has had a few casual relationships with women, but he learned years ago that women inevitably want more. He might value his freedom, but he hates hurting people, so he eventually moved on to casual hookups instead. At work, he is called the Playboy Prince, but there are certain lines he won’t cross, and sleeping with someone from the office is at the top of that list.
Briar West, twenty-four, has worked at Pierce Industries for two years as the CFO’s assistant. She had graduated with an English degree and a focus in Russian literature, which didn’t leave her with a lot of choices in terms of employment. Liam Pierce, however, gave her a chance. More than that, he lets her be herself. She is a punk rock princess – she rocks purple hair, combat boots, and a cynical attitude.
Working up the corporate ladder is not Briar’s life goal. She hopes to launch a mental illness support app in the next six months. As someone that has struggled with depression, she knows from personal experience just how valuable that app could be and how much it could impact the lives of those that suffer from depression – people like her mother.
Her mother’s depression had a big impact on Briar growing up, and she never wants to be like that. She also doesn’t want to be stuck in a miserable marriage. Her father’s cheating ways wreaked havoc on her mother’s mental health, and Briar doesn’t ever want to be in a relationship like that. She wants honesty and open dialogue. She wants it all – minus the marriage certificate.
Liam and Harrison Charles, Preston’s son, had gone to school together and spent a lot of time together growing up, so Liam is particularly close to Preston, his father figure. When Preston asks Liam to keep a secret, it puts him between a rock and a hard place. Harrison’s wedding is in two weeks, and Preston wants it to go off without a hitch, but he needs help. Liam doesn’t want the burden of keeping a secret, and he isn’t entirely convinced keeping it is the right thing to do. But Preston is dying, and he cannot deny a dying man his last wish.
Liam agrees to help keep Harrison distracted from Preston’s deteriorating condition, but it is one of the hardest things he has ever had to do. He is secretly mourning the inevitable loss of Preston while putting up a ruse. Yet it gets even more complicated when Preston mistakes Briar’s fake engagement ring for something real. Preston is so happy to see that his most difficult son is finally settling down that Liam doesn’t have the heart to correct him.
Liam enlists Briar’s help in pulling off their fake engagement, but she is no pushover. He offers to help get her app launched, and she negotiates like the pro he taught her to be. Since people have been convinced that the pair have been sleeping together for months, pulling off a fake engagement isn’t too hard. But as the couple is forced to spend more time together, the feelings that have been building for the past two years become hard to deny. They each bring a tremendous amount of baggage to their budding relationship, but they eventually find a happy ending. Don’t forget to download the free bonus epilogue via the link at the back of the book!
Ruthless Rival follows. It is Simon and Vanessa’s second chance romance.
Wow! Liam and Briar’s story is beautiful. It is complex and real and will have you transfixed. It is hard to see more tragedy visit the Pierce family, and the burden that Liam carries is unimaginable. This family really grows on you and I cannot wait to read more.
Briar is full of spunk and personality. She is the perfect complement to Liam, who is truly obnoxious. She is uniquely qualified to put up with him, and he is certainly a handful. She knows how to throw it back to him, and their banter is a lot of fun. It explains why so many already considered them a couple. Briar comes to the relationship with a lot of baggage. She is not good with feelings, and her views on marriage are a real problem. Liam has baggage, too, but his aversion to relationships and marriage is a personal choice more so than a reaction. He values his freedom. Although his engagement is fake, the charade forces him to evaluate the situation and reconsider his position as it relates to Briar.
Fans will be thrilled to discover that Ian Hunt from Dirty Desires appears in this story in a small crossover between this series and the Dirty Rich series.
Liam and Briar’s fake engagement romance has it all. There is humor, romance, steam, mystery, great banter, and tragedy. Circumstance forces Liam and Briar into closer quarters, and they finally confront their feelings for one another as a result. Neither is interested in marriage, and both are afraid of what they feel for the other. They would rather keep their heads in the sand, but that becomes impossible once Briar moves in temporarily. Danielle, Opal, and Simon add to the story, and a few new characters are introduced here as well. Despite the drama, there continues to be a strong sense of family amongst the Pierces.
Liam and Briar’s steamy billionaire romance has fabulous banter and characters with depth. Liam is seemingly obnoxious and shallow, but there is so much more to him beneath the surface. Briar is feisty and strong, but she is also stuck in her childhood, haunted by her parents’ disastrous marriage. The story is wonderfully written. The plot is somewhat simple. The characters are multi-dimensional and complex. The banter is fantastic, but the dialogue is occasionally confusing. The speakers are sometimes hard to follow. The story is written in first person. The POV alternates between Liam and Briar. I rate this book 4.5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
ABOUT THE PIERCE FAMILY:
This is the second book about the Pierce siblings, and the series keeps getting better. The first book, Broken Beast, is Adam and Danielle’s Beauty and the Beast-inspired billionaire romance. This is Liam and Briar’s fake engagement story.
The Pierces may live like royalty, but their fortunes haven’t insulated them from the heartbreak associated with grief. They have been beset by a series of losses, and it never gets easier. This series shows the family as they grieve and stumble upon the inspiration to find happiness once again. They grow from their pain, and although changed, they find strength and beauty in moving on with life.
Simon, thirty-two, and Adam, twenty-nine, are the serious-minded brothers. Liam, twenty-seven, is fun-loving and incorrigible much like Sebastian had been. Adam and Bash had been close despite their opposite personalities. Simon and Liam, however, always seem to be at odds. They all work at Pierce Industries, a tech company, in NYC. One of their specialties is cyber security.
A few years ago, the brothers learned that they had a younger half-sister. Opal had lost her own mother and learned that she had four brothers – and a large inheritance that would one day be hers – when she turned sixteen. She moved in with Simon and became the Park Avenue Princess almost overnight. Having just graduated from high school and turned eighteen, she wants desperately to be all grown up, but Simon’s overprotective leanings have her rather frustrated. Personality-wise, Opal is bold and obnoxious, much like Liam, and like Bash had been as well.
The Pierce mansion, with its fairy tale aura, sits about three hours outside of NYC, far removed from society. The Pierce brothers were raised there in a life of privilege, but their wealth did nothing to insulate them from pain. Simon, Adam, Liam, and Sebastian didn’t have their mother around growing up, and they later lost their father as well. That was fifteen years ago. Patricia, who runs the house, did her best to manage the boys growing up and has a deep affection for them still. She is the closest they have to a mother figure. After their father’s death, Preston Charles, a family friend, had become a father figure. Since the loss of Sebastian a year ago, however, nothing has been the same.
IN THIS BOOK:
As the story opens, it is May in NYC.
Liam Pierce, twenty-seven, is the CFO of Pierce Industries. Numbers always made sense to him, so he leaves the tech side of the business to his brothers. Liam is fiercely independent and insists on doing things his own way. He is excellent at reading people, a skill that he puts to good use with his penchant for obnoxious lines that push the bounds of decency and test the patience of those around him. He is naturally charming but impossibly difficult. He always wears a smile, but it is often used as a shield to mask his vulnerability.
Liam knew since he was fifteen that freedom was a priority for him. He has had a few casual relationships with women, but he learned years ago that women inevitably want more. He might value his freedom, but he hates hurting people, so he eventually moved on to casual hookups instead. At work, he is called the Playboy Prince, but there are certain lines he won’t cross, and sleeping with someone from the office is at the top of that list.
Briar West, twenty-four, has worked at Pierce Industries for two years as the CFO’s assistant. She had graduated with an English degree and a focus in Russian literature, which didn’t leave her with a lot of choices in terms of employment. Liam Pierce, however, gave her a chance. More than that, he lets her be herself. She is a punk rock princess – she rocks purple hair, combat boots, and a cynical attitude.
Working up the corporate ladder is not Briar’s life goal. She hopes to launch a mental illness support app in the next six months. As someone that has struggled with depression, she knows from personal experience just how valuable that app could be and how much it could impact the lives of those that suffer from depression – people like her mother.
Her mother’s depression had a big impact on Briar growing up, and she never wants to be like that. She also doesn’t want to be stuck in a miserable marriage. Her father’s cheating ways wreaked havoc on her mother’s mental health, and Briar doesn’t ever want to be in a relationship like that. She wants honesty and open dialogue. She wants it all – minus the marriage certificate.
Liam and Harrison Charles, Preston’s son, had gone to school together and spent a lot of time together growing up, so Liam is particularly close to Preston, his father figure. When Preston asks Liam to keep a secret, it puts him between a rock and a hard place. Harrison’s wedding is in two weeks, and Preston wants it to go off without a hitch, but he needs help. Liam doesn’t want the burden of keeping a secret, and he isn’t entirely convinced keeping it is the right thing to do. But Preston is dying, and he cannot deny a dying man his last wish.
Liam agrees to help keep Harrison distracted from Preston’s deteriorating condition, but it is one of the hardest things he has ever had to do. He is secretly mourning the inevitable loss of Preston while putting up a ruse. Yet it gets even more complicated when Preston mistakes Briar’s fake engagement ring for something real. Preston is so happy to see that his most difficult son is finally settling down that Liam doesn’t have the heart to correct him.
Liam enlists Briar’s help in pulling off their fake engagement, but she is no pushover. He offers to help get her app launched, and she negotiates like the pro he taught her to be. Since people have been convinced that the pair have been sleeping together for months, pulling off a fake engagement isn’t too hard. But as the couple is forced to spend more time together, the feelings that have been building for the past two years become hard to deny. They each bring a tremendous amount of baggage to their budding relationship, but they eventually find a happy ending. Don’t forget to download the free bonus epilogue via the link at the back of the book!
Ruthless Rival follows. It is Simon and Vanessa’s second chance romance.
Wow! Liam and Briar’s story is beautiful. It is complex and real and will have you transfixed. It is hard to see more tragedy visit the Pierce family, and the burden that Liam carries is unimaginable. This family really grows on you and I cannot wait to read more.
Briar is full of spunk and personality. She is the perfect complement to Liam, who is truly obnoxious. She is uniquely qualified to put up with him, and he is certainly a handful. She knows how to throw it back to him, and their banter is a lot of fun. It explains why so many already considered them a couple. Briar comes to the relationship with a lot of baggage. She is not good with feelings, and her views on marriage are a real problem. Liam has baggage, too, but his aversion to relationships and marriage is a personal choice more so than a reaction. He values his freedom. Although his engagement is fake, the charade forces him to evaluate the situation and reconsider his position as it relates to Briar.
Fans will be thrilled to discover that Ian Hunt from Dirty Desires appears in this story in a small crossover between this series and the Dirty Rich series.
Liam and Briar’s fake engagement romance has it all. There is humor, romance, steam, mystery, great banter, and tragedy. Circumstance forces Liam and Briar into closer quarters, and they finally confront their feelings for one another as a result. Neither is interested in marriage, and both are afraid of what they feel for the other. They would rather keep their heads in the sand, but that becomes impossible once Briar moves in temporarily. Danielle, Opal, and Simon add to the story, and a few new characters are introduced here as well. Despite the drama, there continues to be a strong sense of family amongst the Pierces.
Liam and Briar’s steamy billionaire romance has fabulous banter and characters with depth. Liam is seemingly obnoxious and shallow, but there is so much more to him beneath the surface. Briar is feisty and strong, but she is also stuck in her childhood, haunted by her parents’ disastrous marriage. The story is wonderfully written. The plot is somewhat simple. The characters are multi-dimensional and complex. The banter is fantastic, but the dialogue is occasionally confusing. The speakers are sometimes hard to follow. The story is written in first person. The POV alternates between Liam and Briar. I rate this book 4.5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 3, 2021
Crystal Kaswell has written a 5-star book. This is the story of Blair and Liam. Liam has just been told by Preston, that he is dying and he wants Liam to keep it a secret until after his son's wedding in two weeks and he goes to London. Preston also thinks that Liam is engaged to Blair. Now all Liam has to do is get Blair to pretend to be his fiance until Preston leaves for London. When Liam talks to Blair, she wants to know why. He gives her a half story. Liam tells her that if she agrees, she will need to stay with him for the story to be believed by his brothers Simon and Adam. She finally agrees to help Liam when he tells her he will help her start her company. They work out the details and things start for them. While they are together, things between them get hard. They have feelings for each other. Liam is known as a playboy and doesn't do long-term relationships. The chemistry between becomes too hard to fight and they end up sleeping together. After, Liam doesn't want to do without her. Things are going well for them until they go to his family home to where the wedding party will stay. Things are going well until Preston collapsed on the dance floor. The hospital is twenty minutes away so Simon gets Harrison and Preston into his car and drives to the hospital. Blair finds someone who can drive her, Liam, and Opal to the hospital. When they get to the ER, Blair can see the guilt on Liam's face. He knew what was going on with Preston. She wonders if that was the reason he wanted her to be his fake fiance. She can't deal with him just yet so she asked Opal if she wanted to go for a walk. They walk around for a while until Simon comes out and tells his sister he will take her home. Blair tells her that she would walk Opal out. As Blair helps Opal into the car, Simon looks over the top of the car and the look is like asking her are you sure that is what you want to do. Blair goes back to the waiting room where she finds Liam. He turns to her and his expression shifts. Fear. Relife. Something she can't place. "You knew and didn't tell me." Bri- "Did you know?" Guilt fills his eyes. then fear. The realization of what this means. What she is there to do. "You weren't supposed to lie to me," she said. "You promised" "I know," he whispered. She can feel his heartbreaking but she can't look at him. I... I can't do this. I'm sorry. Blair slips the engagement ring off her finger and pressed it into his hand. I'm sorry, Liam. I can't. I can't love someone who locks me out. I can't walk down that path. I can't do it. She doesn't give him a chance to stop her as she turns and leaves. She goes to a cheap motel. Secrets are a burden. Simon is right about that. But he's wrong about Liam protecting me. He's protecting himself. I can't blame him, but I can't live with it either. I need all of him. Every broken part. Every need. Every burden. Liam gives Harrison time with Preston so that he can explain to Harrison. It is hard on Liam and he wonders if it is setting Preston free along with himself. The next morning, Blair goes back to the hospital. Simon is there with her bag from the house. She goes to change into something fresh. Simon tells her that Liam had gone to get coffee for Harrison. Simon tells her "He loves you." What? "That isn't always enough. I won't ask you to ignore the other factors. But don't ignore that." "I know." It falls off my lips easily, but it's not true. I don't know. I wonder, I hope, I suspect, but I don't know. Simon nods. "Room one fifteen." "Thanks." She grabs her bag and goes to change. She then goes to see Preston. Preston wakes up when she enters, he points to Harrison sleeping in a chair. "Shall we go for a walk?" he asked. "Can you?", Blair asked. Who is going to stop me? The nurse, your son. Once Preston is standing, he takes her hand and moves into the hallway. Blair lead him to the courtyard where Opal and she paced last night. Preston has noticed that she is not wearing her ring and said something about it. He goes on to tell her that Liam didn't tell him but he could see the sense of loss. She said, "How do you know it me and not your condition? I looked him in the eye when I told him the news. It was different. "Oh." "This is my fault, Briar. I asked him to keep this a secret. It was selfish. It wasn't fair to Liam." Maybe, but Liam said yes. He kept this from me. He had a million chances to tell me, but he chose to keep it to himself every time. "Is it over between you two?" "It's complicated." Preston tells her that he didn't want to burden his son but it was more to it than that. He didn't want people looking at him like he was dying. "Am I?" "Yes." "But I understand. It's surprising news." "It is surprising." "Liam needs you." "I know." I need him too, but not like this. Not if he's going to keep secrets, lock me out, keep his scars to himself. Preston tells her that Liam loves her. She said that he is the second person to tell her that.
After her heart-to-heart with Preston will she give Liam another chance?
Will Liam be able to give Blair his all?
This was a wonderful book and I would recommend it to anyone.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
After her heart-to-heart with Preston will she give Liam another chance?
Will Liam be able to give Blair his all?
This was a wonderful book and I would recommend it to anyone.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 2, 2021
The second book in the Pierce Family series (still a good standalone if you haven’t read the first book) is an enjoyable story with extremely likable characters. The hero, Liam, has a great sense of humor, can always respond with a funny quip, and loves to weird people out (e.g., with his exaggerated love of girly drinks, especially appletinis). At the same time, he has a lot of substance underneath his quirky yet smooth facade. A tragic circumstance highlights Liam’s loving and vulnerable nature throughout the book.
Like many of Crystal Kaswell’s heroines, Briar is a bit of a “punk rock” princess with purple hair and tattoos that serve as armor for her own vulnerabilities as well as self-expression. Briar has a history of major depressive disorder likely inherited from her mother. I would have liked to see more about how she dealt with her depression, but she was not in a depressive phase during the book. However, Kaswell did depict her struggle with a fear of commitment that stemmed from fears about ending up like her basically disabled mother, who often closes herself off emotionally to her husband and kids.
The biggest barrier for the couple was Briar’s inability to trust in a relationship long-term due to her serial adulterer of a father. I liked that no misunderstandings or external forces were necessary to create conflict in the story — the conflict came from within.
The overall plot felt a little repetitive because the previous book in the series was also a “fake fiancée” trope, and Kaswell has written a few other books with a similar plot. I’m starting to wonder if this whole series will have a fake fiancée theme. Personally, when I met Liam and Briar in the previous book, I was hoping for more of an office romance à la Kaswell’s Dirty Boss, a book that I really enjoyed. But this particular plot did make Liam more emotionally well rounded since his character was grieving throughout.
I saw another review which complained of a repetitive writing style in Kaswell’s work. She does tend to re-use certain words and phrases in each of her books, mostly in the love scenes, but it’s not something that bothers me personally. I did notice, though, that in this and the previous book, there was a lot of overuse of the phrase “makes sense” in the context of the heroes’ feeling like things only made sense when they were making love to the heroines. Kaswell might want to be careful not to overuse that phrase in the future.
Other than not catching the “makes sense” overuse, the editing is very good, although some little changes of phrase and punctuation that a copy editor would suggest (as opposed to a proofreader) would make the writing appear more professional. A comma here; an ellipsis there; a past-tense verb that should be past perfect; takeout instead of take out when it’s a noun; side effect instead of side-effect; consistently capitalizing Midtown and the Village…but very little needs to be changed here overall.
This story didn’t wow me, and the plot was similar to that of other Kaswell books, but I definitely enjoyed the characters, particularly Liam. The book is solid, with good characterization, character development, and pacing. Worth a read.
Like many of Crystal Kaswell’s heroines, Briar is a bit of a “punk rock” princess with purple hair and tattoos that serve as armor for her own vulnerabilities as well as self-expression. Briar has a history of major depressive disorder likely inherited from her mother. I would have liked to see more about how she dealt with her depression, but she was not in a depressive phase during the book. However, Kaswell did depict her struggle with a fear of commitment that stemmed from fears about ending up like her basically disabled mother, who often closes herself off emotionally to her husband and kids.
The biggest barrier for the couple was Briar’s inability to trust in a relationship long-term due to her serial adulterer of a father. I liked that no misunderstandings or external forces were necessary to create conflict in the story — the conflict came from within.
The overall plot felt a little repetitive because the previous book in the series was also a “fake fiancée” trope, and Kaswell has written a few other books with a similar plot. I’m starting to wonder if this whole series will have a fake fiancée theme. Personally, when I met Liam and Briar in the previous book, I was hoping for more of an office romance à la Kaswell’s Dirty Boss, a book that I really enjoyed. But this particular plot did make Liam more emotionally well rounded since his character was grieving throughout.
I saw another review which complained of a repetitive writing style in Kaswell’s work. She does tend to re-use certain words and phrases in each of her books, mostly in the love scenes, but it’s not something that bothers me personally. I did notice, though, that in this and the previous book, there was a lot of overuse of the phrase “makes sense” in the context of the heroes’ feeling like things only made sense when they were making love to the heroines. Kaswell might want to be careful not to overuse that phrase in the future.
Other than not catching the “makes sense” overuse, the editing is very good, although some little changes of phrase and punctuation that a copy editor would suggest (as opposed to a proofreader) would make the writing appear more professional. A comma here; an ellipsis there; a past-tense verb that should be past perfect; takeout instead of take out when it’s a noun; side effect instead of side-effect; consistently capitalizing Midtown and the Village…but very little needs to be changed here overall.
This story didn’t wow me, and the plot was similar to that of other Kaswell books, but I definitely enjoyed the characters, particularly Liam. The book is solid, with good characterization, character development, and pacing. Worth a read.
November 30, 2021
Playboy Prince is the second book in The Pierce Brothers series and it can be read as a standalone. This book is about the friends-to-lovers & fake fiancee relationship between Liam Pierce and his assistant, Briar West. I recommend you read Broken Beast first and maybe Dirty Desires from the Dirty Rich series, but that’s so you can be more acquainted with the storyline, crossover moments, and the characters. This book is filled with love, humor, sadness, secrets, pain, spiciness, and characters you will fall in love with.
Liam Pierce is the CFO of Pierce Industries and one of the infamous Pierce brothers. To the world and his family, he is known as the Playboy Prince who doesn’t take anything serious, has a charismatic way with people, and enjoys a good appletini. There is more than what meets the eye with Liam- his personality, quick wit, and troublemaking skills keep people at bay and to mask all the pain, emotions, and turmoil that are associated with his past. He has always wanted his freedom and won’t let anyone or anything get in the way until now.
Briar West is Liam’s assistant and is learning all the tricks to the trade so she can apply them to her start up. She is a punk rock princess in the world of suits and ties. She wears heeled combat boots, clothes that match and express her personality, and has purple hair. Just like Liam, there is more than what meets the eyes when it comes to Briar. Her home life is messy, complicated and has given her doubts and it’s the foundation for her start up. To provide the help that is needed for those who are just like her mother.
Liam and Briar have an established, easy relationship since they have work together at Pierce Industries and have been for the past 2 years. She is the perfect woman to put up with Liam’s personality and antics. Their quick wit banter is hilarious and quite entertaining. Liam knows where the lines are in their relationship and normally wouldn’t ask Briar to cross them, but this time it’s for something important. He needs her to pretend to be his fiancee. The heat between the two of them is spicy hot with dirty talk and sexy steamy fantasies they have for one another. Be prepared to have a fan to cool you off after reading those scenes!
I feel like the Easter eggs in this book gave us an idea of who will be in the next book and I can’t wait. I have fallen for the Pierce brothers and their lovely ladies and can’t wait to get more of them!
Highly recommend this book to all Crystal Kaswell readers and any reader that needs a good steamy book to get lost in. I received an advanced copy of this book and I am leaving my thoughts and opinions on it voluntarily.
Liam Pierce is the CFO of Pierce Industries and one of the infamous Pierce brothers. To the world and his family, he is known as the Playboy Prince who doesn’t take anything serious, has a charismatic way with people, and enjoys a good appletini. There is more than what meets the eye with Liam- his personality, quick wit, and troublemaking skills keep people at bay and to mask all the pain, emotions, and turmoil that are associated with his past. He has always wanted his freedom and won’t let anyone or anything get in the way until now.
Briar West is Liam’s assistant and is learning all the tricks to the trade so she can apply them to her start up. She is a punk rock princess in the world of suits and ties. She wears heeled combat boots, clothes that match and express her personality, and has purple hair. Just like Liam, there is more than what meets the eyes when it comes to Briar. Her home life is messy, complicated and has given her doubts and it’s the foundation for her start up. To provide the help that is needed for those who are just like her mother.
Liam and Briar have an established, easy relationship since they have work together at Pierce Industries and have been for the past 2 years. She is the perfect woman to put up with Liam’s personality and antics. Their quick wit banter is hilarious and quite entertaining. Liam knows where the lines are in their relationship and normally wouldn’t ask Briar to cross them, but this time it’s for something important. He needs her to pretend to be his fiancee. The heat between the two of them is spicy hot with dirty talk and sexy steamy fantasies they have for one another. Be prepared to have a fan to cool you off after reading those scenes!
I feel like the Easter eggs in this book gave us an idea of who will be in the next book and I can’t wait. I have fallen for the Pierce brothers and their lovely ladies and can’t wait to get more of them!
Highly recommend this book to all Crystal Kaswell readers and any reader that needs a good steamy book to get lost in. I received an advanced copy of this book and I am leaving my thoughts and opinions on it voluntarily.
December 3, 2021
COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN! ANOTHER WINNER FROM CRYSTAL KASWELL!
Everyone knows Liam as the Playboy Prince. Liam Pierce is every woman’s fantasy. If only for one night. But things aren’t always as they seem. As Liam is quickly discovering.
Preston welcomed Liam into his fold after Liam’s father died. Preston has always been there for him. His father figure. Liam has always been the strong one in the family. Even with his love of a good Appletini.
When Preston tells Liam something in confidence, it becomes a secret he’s sworn to uphold, even to Preston’s son Harrison due to his upcoming nuptials. Preston’s secret becomes a very heavy burden. Add the pressure of Preston believing Liam and Briar are a couple, well that just about breaks him. But he does as he's asked.
Briar is his employee, colleague and she’s gorgeous. The two are there for each other to keep the wolves at bay. Briar wears a fake engagement ring to keep the creeps away. Liam plays the doting fiancee. When she sees Liam walk out of Preston’s office with a look of frustration, she knows something is up with her boss.
When Liam asks her for the favor of a lifetime, she stunned and not sure what to say. A fake fiancée? The thought of marriage, be it fake, still makes her cringe. Marriage is a trap. Just look at the reality of her father being a serial adulterer and her mother simply looking the other way.
While he can't tell her specifically what is going on, he assures her it’s just to keep Preston happy until he returns to London in a few weeks, she relents. Their deal is to stay ‘engaged’ for two weeks. Upon Preston’s departure, they will conveniently break their engagement with no one hurt. Theoretically.
The days they spend together closely, show each of them what the other is truly like and how things can truly be. Can they continue with this charade? When emotions and secrets are revealed, can either of them truly just walk away? Or will things work against them and break them apart?
If you are looking for steamy, heart wrenching stories, you owe it to yourself to read this book and the others in Crystal Kaswell’s library. She is an author who will draw you in with the characters she writes so well.
Playboy Prince is the next book in Crystal’s series. The first being Broken Beast. You don’t need to read the first to understand this book but it definitely is a book worth reading. As are all of Crystal’s books.
Everyone knows Liam as the Playboy Prince. Liam Pierce is every woman’s fantasy. If only for one night. But things aren’t always as they seem. As Liam is quickly discovering.
Preston welcomed Liam into his fold after Liam’s father died. Preston has always been there for him. His father figure. Liam has always been the strong one in the family. Even with his love of a good Appletini.
When Preston tells Liam something in confidence, it becomes a secret he’s sworn to uphold, even to Preston’s son Harrison due to his upcoming nuptials. Preston’s secret becomes a very heavy burden. Add the pressure of Preston believing Liam and Briar are a couple, well that just about breaks him. But he does as he's asked.
Briar is his employee, colleague and she’s gorgeous. The two are there for each other to keep the wolves at bay. Briar wears a fake engagement ring to keep the creeps away. Liam plays the doting fiancee. When she sees Liam walk out of Preston’s office with a look of frustration, she knows something is up with her boss.
When Liam asks her for the favor of a lifetime, she stunned and not sure what to say. A fake fiancée? The thought of marriage, be it fake, still makes her cringe. Marriage is a trap. Just look at the reality of her father being a serial adulterer and her mother simply looking the other way.
While he can't tell her specifically what is going on, he assures her it’s just to keep Preston happy until he returns to London in a few weeks, she relents. Their deal is to stay ‘engaged’ for two weeks. Upon Preston’s departure, they will conveniently break their engagement with no one hurt. Theoretically.
The days they spend together closely, show each of them what the other is truly like and how things can truly be. Can they continue with this charade? When emotions and secrets are revealed, can either of them truly just walk away? Or will things work against them and break them apart?
If you are looking for steamy, heart wrenching stories, you owe it to yourself to read this book and the others in Crystal Kaswell’s library. She is an author who will draw you in with the characters she writes so well.
Playboy Prince is the next book in Crystal’s series. The first being Broken Beast. You don’t need to read the first to understand this book but it definitely is a book worth reading. As are all of Crystal’s books.
November 21, 2021
Playboy Prince is a fake relationship/boss-employee romance and the second book in Crystal Kaswell's Pierce Family series. While it can be enjoyed as a stand alone I feel like it is best enjoyed if read in order since the stories are overlapping and interconnected.
Crystal has a knack for writing very complicated and layered characters in such a way that I simply fall into the world she created- and this book is no exception. I loved Liam Pierce in Adam's book, Broken Beast, he was goofy and loved being inappropriate but also had this strong sense of loyalty to those he cares about. Briar West was witty and had an easy banter with Liam making it feel like there could be more there than just her being his assistant. Then I got this book where they are the main characters- and that fun, light, easy banter is still there but I fell in love with the complicatedness of who each of these characters are.
Liam uses his outlandish personality to distract people so they don't see anything past the facade to all the pain and other emotions he doesn't want to deal with or share. But he has such the soft spot for Briar- that while he has never acted on it and might not have known what it was I'm pretty sure he had been half in love with her for years. She is sassy, independant, motivated and is perfect for keeping up with Liam and all his nonsense. But she too uses her "punk rock princess" looks as a distraction to mask the struggles she doesn't want to deal with or share. So while this relationship may have started off as fake, and trying to navigate the work aspect of it- Liam and Briar already had that basis to their relationship where real feelings were already in place, even if they weren't quite feelings of love.
I can always expect Crystal's books to have some heat to to them- and there is definitely heat packed into this book. From dirty talk, to fantasies and figuring out what kind of kinks they are into, Liam and Briar keep those portions of the book very interesting.
Besides the heat of this book though, the angsty rollercoaster of silliness, heartbreak, secrets, sadness and love was so good and more in all the best ways than what I thought Liam's story would be. Adam's story was good, Liam's is great but I can't decide what to expect for Simon and what else will be revealed about Bash's death.
Crystal has a knack for writing very complicated and layered characters in such a way that I simply fall into the world she created- and this book is no exception. I loved Liam Pierce in Adam's book, Broken Beast, he was goofy and loved being inappropriate but also had this strong sense of loyalty to those he cares about. Briar West was witty and had an easy banter with Liam making it feel like there could be more there than just her being his assistant. Then I got this book where they are the main characters- and that fun, light, easy banter is still there but I fell in love with the complicatedness of who each of these characters are.
Liam uses his outlandish personality to distract people so they don't see anything past the facade to all the pain and other emotions he doesn't want to deal with or share. But he has such the soft spot for Briar- that while he has never acted on it and might not have known what it was I'm pretty sure he had been half in love with her for years. She is sassy, independant, motivated and is perfect for keeping up with Liam and all his nonsense. But she too uses her "punk rock princess" looks as a distraction to mask the struggles she doesn't want to deal with or share. So while this relationship may have started off as fake, and trying to navigate the work aspect of it- Liam and Briar already had that basis to their relationship where real feelings were already in place, even if they weren't quite feelings of love.
I can always expect Crystal's books to have some heat to to them- and there is definitely heat packed into this book. From dirty talk, to fantasies and figuring out what kind of kinks they are into, Liam and Briar keep those portions of the book very interesting.
Besides the heat of this book though, the angsty rollercoaster of silliness, heartbreak, secrets, sadness and love was so good and more in all the best ways than what I thought Liam's story would be. Adam's story was good, Liam's is great but I can't decide what to expect for Simon and what else will be revealed about Bash's death.
December 4, 2021
Playboy Prince is the second book in the Pierce Brother’s Series. Book is an interconnected standalone. Liam is the good time guy. Briar is willing to humor him, most of the time, but not without busting his balls. Having worked together the last two years they have a rhythm. They also have a major under current of sexual tension. Their relationship has been a two year slow burn of banter, longing, and denial. So, what happens when the longing can no longer be denied? All of their fantasies brought to life, that’s what. Liam is perfection. The epilogue feeds my soul. And, Briar is one bad ass boss babe. These two are just my type.
Liam Pierce, CFO, playboy, carefree, old money. Briar, Liam’s assistant for the last two years, wing woman, punk rock princess, learning all of Liam’s business savvy.
When he offers her a way to launch her mental illness support app with a lot of beneficial trimmings and all she has to do is pretend to be his fiancé to appease a man who has been his father figure for years….she is stuck between saying yes and the feeling of compromising her reputation.
Both of them avoid commitment because their freedom is too important to them. How hard would it be to pretend to be in love and lust…? Not hard with chemistry like these two have. Their banter is foreplay and sexy. They are playing with fire, but what a way to get burned.
Liam has had Briar on the brain on repeat since a trip to Toronto when the drinks were flowing and kissing was a possibility. No one compares.
Briar begins to realize what she knows about Liam only scratches the surface. And, that they are two peas in a pod. They easily fall together because they have been half way there all along. Liam has promised to be honest with her because it is what she values above all. But, what happens when Briar realizes Liam has held back? Well, Liam does what Liam does best- go big or go home.
Liam Pierce, CFO, playboy, carefree, old money. Briar, Liam’s assistant for the last two years, wing woman, punk rock princess, learning all of Liam’s business savvy.
When he offers her a way to launch her mental illness support app with a lot of beneficial trimmings and all she has to do is pretend to be his fiancé to appease a man who has been his father figure for years….she is stuck between saying yes and the feeling of compromising her reputation.
Both of them avoid commitment because their freedom is too important to them. How hard would it be to pretend to be in love and lust…? Not hard with chemistry like these two have. Their banter is foreplay and sexy. They are playing with fire, but what a way to get burned.
Liam has had Briar on the brain on repeat since a trip to Toronto when the drinks were flowing and kissing was a possibility. No one compares.
Briar begins to realize what she knows about Liam only scratches the surface. And, that they are two peas in a pod. They easily fall together because they have been half way there all along. Liam has promised to be honest with her because it is what she values above all. But, what happens when Briar realizes Liam has held back? Well, Liam does what Liam does best- go big or go home.
November 30, 2021
Playful playboy to potential paramour with a side of fake fiancé
Playboy Prince (Peirce Brothers Book 2) by Crystal Kaswell sounds like all fun and games, but while Liam is the consummate irreverent and playful billionaire Prince, he is not the playboy everyone thinks he is, including Briar. Liam, uses his wit, humor and charm to hide his true self from most (often including his brothers), but Briar seems to have the uncanny ability to see through it. Likewise, as Liam has gotten to know Briar, he sees the whole of Briar.
I love these characters together. Pushing their own boundaries and comfort level. Liam and Briar are scared, but compelled to continue to pursue the next level of their relationship despite the fake engagement façade. But oh my! Liam and Briar heat things up and keep it all extremely interesting! Between the witty banter, amusing flirting and building anticipation, this book is a page turner. I was enthralled because you just never knew what would come out of Liam's mouth or how Briar would dare Liam. It's constant and compelling.
Overall, Liam and Briar take a deep emotional dive and explore what could be if they refuse to allow fear and the past to dictate their future. Needless to say, this couple perseveres and this playboy prince becomes Briar's paramour prince instead leading them to all the wonderful HEA possibilities.
I read an ARC of this book and voluntarily share my review.
Playboy Prince (Peirce Brothers Book 2) by Crystal Kaswell sounds like all fun and games, but while Liam is the consummate irreverent and playful billionaire Prince, he is not the playboy everyone thinks he is, including Briar. Liam, uses his wit, humor and charm to hide his true self from most (often including his brothers), but Briar seems to have the uncanny ability to see through it. Likewise, as Liam has gotten to know Briar, he sees the whole of Briar.
I love these characters together. Pushing their own boundaries and comfort level. Liam and Briar are scared, but compelled to continue to pursue the next level of their relationship despite the fake engagement façade. But oh my! Liam and Briar heat things up and keep it all extremely interesting! Between the witty banter, amusing flirting and building anticipation, this book is a page turner. I was enthralled because you just never knew what would come out of Liam's mouth or how Briar would dare Liam. It's constant and compelling.
Overall, Liam and Briar take a deep emotional dive and explore what could be if they refuse to allow fear and the past to dictate their future. Needless to say, this couple perseveres and this playboy prince becomes Briar's paramour prince instead leading them to all the wonderful HEA possibilities.
I read an ARC of this book and voluntarily share my review.
December 2, 2021
Liam has been nicknamed the playboy prince because he inherited money and dates many women. When the man who has been a father figure to him since his own dad died when he was 12, asks him to cover for him with his son because he is dying, Liam reluctantly agrees. However, he doesn’t like lying to his family and friends. His father figure assumes he is engaged since he has seen him with his assistant who wears an engagement ring and to keep him happy Liam goes along with his false assumption. His assistant, Briar, actually wears the ring to ward off unwanted suitors and dresses like a punk rock princess and has purple hair. She agrees to the pretend engagement when Liam offer her money and help starting her own business. They are attracted to each other but know they can’t be in a relationship because he is her boss and neither wants a serious relationship but she moves in with him for appearances. Will his lies destroy their beginning relationship?
I give this story 4.5 stars. I enjoyed this story with a fake engagement and Liam helping cover the secret that the man who has been like father to him is a dying. I loved Briar’s personality and her negotiations with Liam about their fake engagement. It was fun reading more about the Pierce family again and the epilogue was a great ending for their story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I give this story 4.5 stars. I enjoyed this story with a fake engagement and Liam helping cover the secret that the man who has been like father to him is a dying. I loved Briar’s personality and her negotiations with Liam about their fake engagement. It was fun reading more about the Pierce family again and the epilogue was a great ending for their story.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 2, 2021
Oh my goodness this book is so good! I'm a big fan of Crystal's and Blake, from Dirty Deal, is one of my all time favorite BBFs. I must say, Liam has really given him a run for his money. He's just absolutely adorable! Just like Blake, Liam is doing the fake fiancée thing for someone he loves which is just so sweet. Briar is so completely perfect for him, too. She seems to be the only one who truly knows exactly who he really is and no one handles him better. He, of course, has no intention of falling in love, ever, and Bri is 100% in agreement with him on this. I love how he didn’t even realize he was falling until he was completely under.
Playboy Prince has more humor than a lot of Crystal's books but I think that's because there is no way to write Liam as anything but the funny, charming, outlandish guy he is. I adored his little "Silly Liam" comments and his unabashed love of girly drinks. He is the most “fun” hero I have ever read! I truly envy Briar and Liam is defiantly made my list of favorite BBFs.
I can't wait for Simon's book. He's the last Pierce brother standing, although I'm sure Opal will get her story eventually. I also hope we eventually find out more about the mysteries that still exist over Bash’s death. I keep hoping somehow we will find out it was all a mistake and he’s still alive. I know it’s impossible but I can’t seem to give up completely. I keep praying for a miracle.
Playboy Prince has more humor than a lot of Crystal's books but I think that's because there is no way to write Liam as anything but the funny, charming, outlandish guy he is. I adored his little "Silly Liam" comments and his unabashed love of girly drinks. He is the most “fun” hero I have ever read! I truly envy Briar and Liam is defiantly made my list of favorite BBFs.
I can't wait for Simon's book. He's the last Pierce brother standing, although I'm sure Opal will get her story eventually. I also hope we eventually find out more about the mysteries that still exist over Bash’s death. I keep hoping somehow we will find out it was all a mistake and he’s still alive. I know it’s impossible but I can’t seem to give up completely. I keep praying for a miracle.
December 5, 2021
Liam learns his father figure, Preston, is dying and is asked to keep it a secret until after Harrison's wedding, Preston's son. Liam can't face having someone else close to him dying since he is still dealing with his brother, Bash's death. Preston thinks Liam is engaged to Briar, Liam's assistant, and is happy to see Liam settling down. Liam must convince Briar to be his fake fiance for two weeks. Briar hides behind her purple hair, tough exterior, and smart mouth. Briar agrees to be Liam's after Liam says he will help get her company started and hammering out additional details. Liam and Briar are attracted to each other and have amazing chemistry. Briar and Liam find it hard to keep their hands off each other and end up giving into their attraction to each other. What happens when feelings blur the lines between real and fake? What will Briar do when she learns Liam has been lying to her about Preston's health? Can Liam commit to one woman after years of being a playboy? Will Liam be able to convince Briar to take a chance on him? Can Briar and Liam learn to trust each other with all their broken pieces? I loved Playboy Prince by Crystal Kaswell. Briar and Liam are a great couple with fantastic chemistry. I loved having the rest of Liam's family interacting with Liam and Briar throughout their story. I would highly recommend getting Playboy Prince by Crystal Kaswell. I received an ARC copy of this book, and I am leaving my honest review.
December 9, 2021
Before I start, this could be enjoyed as a stand-alone, however I really recommend reading Broken Beast first.
Liam had his introduction in Broken Beast and I immediately loved the character. He made me laugh out loud with his outrageousness and I knew that there was a spark between him and his assistant Bree. I was so happy to discover that he gets his own adventure, so couldn’t wait to read Playboy Prince.
Liam needs to appear settled in order to please his surrogate father. He offers his friend and assistant Bree an opportunity to be his fake fiancé for 6 months and in exchange he will help her start up her business. Can they manage to fool everyone and can they do it without succumbing to the attraction they already have with each other?
This book is everything. It is fast paced, clever, funny, romantic, touching and very sexy. Bree is wonderfully written. She is witty, sassy and a strong woman who takes no crap. Liam is charming, outrageous and genuinely made me laugh out loud on a few occasions. Nothing wrong with a broody lead, but this was a breath of fresh air.
Im really, really hoping that Crystal is going to write about the mysterious brother Simon. I have enjoyed reading about Adam in Broken Beast and Liam in Playboy Prince. I’ve said it before, but Crystal is a writer to look out for and I really recommend checking out her other titles.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Liam had his introduction in Broken Beast and I immediately loved the character. He made me laugh out loud with his outrageousness and I knew that there was a spark between him and his assistant Bree. I was so happy to discover that he gets his own adventure, so couldn’t wait to read Playboy Prince.
Liam needs to appear settled in order to please his surrogate father. He offers his friend and assistant Bree an opportunity to be his fake fiancé for 6 months and in exchange he will help her start up her business. Can they manage to fool everyone and can they do it without succumbing to the attraction they already have with each other?
This book is everything. It is fast paced, clever, funny, romantic, touching and very sexy. Bree is wonderfully written. She is witty, sassy and a strong woman who takes no crap. Liam is charming, outrageous and genuinely made me laugh out loud on a few occasions. Nothing wrong with a broody lead, but this was a breath of fresh air.
Im really, really hoping that Crystal is going to write about the mysterious brother Simon. I have enjoyed reading about Adam in Broken Beast and Liam in Playboy Prince. I’ve said it before, but Crystal is a writer to look out for and I really recommend checking out her other titles.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 3, 2021
While this book can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the books in the Pierce Family series to get the full experience.
This book is a fake fiancé/boss-employee romance. But it’s so much more than that. Crystal Kaswell has created beautifully flawed and broken characters in Liam and Briar. They are more than just names in a book. Their struggles are real.
Liam looks like he has it all. He’s a sexy billionaire with the world at his feet. But he wears a mask. And he wears it well.
Briar is his assistant. She wears her own mask. A tough outer shell to hide the depression underneath.
While there’s always been an attraction between them, they’ve never acted on it. So when Liam needs a fake fiancé, who better that the woman people already assume you’re with? I LOVED their banter! Not only is the chemistry between deliciously sexy, but it’s the deeper connection that they begin to forge that gave me the feels!
I really liked that they each saw through the other’s mask to who they really were! They truly were such a good fit for each other. There was angst, secrets, some humor, and sizzling chemistry that kept me reading well into the night!
There were some things that were left unresolved that I’m hoping will be addressed in the next book. Can’t wait for answers!!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
This book is a fake fiancé/boss-employee romance. But it’s so much more than that. Crystal Kaswell has created beautifully flawed and broken characters in Liam and Briar. They are more than just names in a book. Their struggles are real.
Liam looks like he has it all. He’s a sexy billionaire with the world at his feet. But he wears a mask. And he wears it well.
Briar is his assistant. She wears her own mask. A tough outer shell to hide the depression underneath.
While there’s always been an attraction between them, they’ve never acted on it. So when Liam needs a fake fiancé, who better that the woman people already assume you’re with? I LOVED their banter! Not only is the chemistry between deliciously sexy, but it’s the deeper connection that they begin to forge that gave me the feels!
I really liked that they each saw through the other’s mask to who they really were! They truly were such a good fit for each other. There was angst, secrets, some humor, and sizzling chemistry that kept me reading well into the night!
There were some things that were left unresolved that I’m hoping will be addressed in the next book. Can’t wait for answers!!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
December 3, 2021
Playboy Prince is the second book involving the Pierce Brothers and is the second youngest brother Liam and his feisty assistant Briar's story.
After finding out his father figure is seriously ill and how happy is that he'll be able to rest easy knowing that Liam has found love with Briar and will have someone there to care for him and look after him.
But there's one big problem, Liam and Briar are not together and are definitely not engaged.
This is where Liam needs his assistant's help the most, two weeks of pretending to be has fake fiancé and Liam will help Bri start her own company.
Pretending to be Liam's fake fiancé is easy, Bri has always found him attractive, easy to be around and talk to.
However keeping their hands off each other was a lot easier when they were just boss and employee, but now getting to touch and kiss and act like a real couple starts to blur the lines.
"We're doing this for our ruse.
We're pretending.
But everything inside me screams real, real, real."
Can Liam and Bri manage to pull off this fake relationship and keep their hearts intact?
Read Playboy Prince now to find out!
I really enjoyed Playboy Prince and Liam definitely didn't disappoint! I also loved getting to revisit with Adam and Danielle from Broken Beast.
I received an arc of Playboy Prince and I am voluntarily leaving my review.
After finding out his father figure is seriously ill and how happy is that he'll be able to rest easy knowing that Liam has found love with Briar and will have someone there to care for him and look after him.
But there's one big problem, Liam and Briar are not together and are definitely not engaged.
This is where Liam needs his assistant's help the most, two weeks of pretending to be has fake fiancé and Liam will help Bri start her own company.
Pretending to be Liam's fake fiancé is easy, Bri has always found him attractive, easy to be around and talk to.
However keeping their hands off each other was a lot easier when they were just boss and employee, but now getting to touch and kiss and act like a real couple starts to blur the lines.
"We're doing this for our ruse.
We're pretending.
But everything inside me screams real, real, real."
Can Liam and Bri manage to pull off this fake relationship and keep their hearts intact?
Read Playboy Prince now to find out!
I really enjoyed Playboy Prince and Liam definitely didn't disappoint! I also loved getting to revisit with Adam and Danielle from Broken Beast.
I received an arc of Playboy Prince and I am voluntarily leaving my review.
December 22, 2021
Playboy Prince follows the life of Liam Pierce, the fun loving brother. He's the CFO Pierce Industries, the numbers guy in the family and a rebellious billionaire who is need of overhaul his bad reputation. He had a few flings over years on account that he doesn't do relationships. But his number rule is not to get involved with any woman at Pierce Industries. Briar West is Liam assistant for two years. She thinks he is demanding, bossy, and extremely charming and she's also attracted to him. Liam to took a chance on her and gave her the job as it stand her degree is in English and concentration in Russian Literature. Her hair is purple and she wears combat boots.
When Liam is asked to keep a secret he makes Briar an offer she could not refuse. She pretends to his fake fiance for six months in exchange for cash to start up her company. The chemistry between these two was of charts. The bantering, fake kisses, big smiles, dinners with the family, and the more time that they spent together started to feel real. This story is steamy, sad, hilarious, secrets, tragedy, laughter, passion, and love. It was well written with world building characters and a great storyline that captures the readers interest from the to end.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
When Liam is asked to keep a secret he makes Briar an offer she could not refuse. She pretends to his fake fiance for six months in exchange for cash to start up her company. The chemistry between these two was of charts. The bantering, fake kisses, big smiles, dinners with the family, and the more time that they spent together started to feel real. This story is steamy, sad, hilarious, secrets, tragedy, laughter, passion, and love. It was well written with world building characters and a great storyline that captures the readers interest from the to end.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 2, 2021
4.5 Stars!! This is second book of the of the Pierce brother series and it does not disappoint. This is the story of Liam and Briar. They are secondary characters in the first book, Broken Beast. Liam is Adam's younger brother and Briar is his assistant. Briar knows him well and they get along well. He is his plus one and many functions they attend. They have never crossed over the boss/assistant line. When Liam learns that the man who he considers his second father is ill and thinks they are engaged, he decides to grant this dying man's wish. Neither of them what a commitment but he just has to convince Briar to be his fake fiancé for two weeks. Well things aren't what they appear. As they start to break down each other's walls they realize they are actually good together. Will Briar who has never gotten over her parent's marrying and divorce, learn to trust Liam? Briar has only one rule, no secrets. Will Liam screw up and manage to destroy what they have built? This is a good story that keeps you reading until the end. Great banter and plot line as well as good secondary characters. This is an easy one-click.
I voluntarily wrote this review from reading an advanced copy of this book.
I voluntarily wrote this review from reading an advanced copy of this book.
December 3, 2021
The Pierce Brothers are a hot…hot mess in a really good way Liam sexy as all get out playboy, dating many different women but when his father figure assumes he is married to his assistant he allows him to believe that due to the fact he is dying. Briar work with Liam knows his playboy reputation proceeds him, she wears an engagement ring, her hair is purple, dresses like a punk rocker which isn’t really acceptable, but it keeps playboys like her boss at bay. So, when her boss asks her to pretend to be engaged to him for the sack of his father and in return, he will give her the start up monies needed to open her own business the attraction has always been there but with him being her boss that was an absolute no, no for her. But, trying to keep up with the lies to his family is getting harder and add to that their grown attraction to one another and you have a very sticky situation but when the truth comes out will it lead to something more or will their lies have caught up to them leaving them wondering?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 3, 2021
I have been excited for Liam's story since reading Broken Beast. I loved how we got to see a whole new side of him, who Liam Pierce really is. At first he seems to be this happy go lucky guy who loves to think with his dick but of course there is always more than meets the eye.
Briar is his assistant who he has secrets feelings for but will never act on them. That is until he get some bad news. Apon hearing this news he decides to ask her for a huge favor. One that she can't simply refuse. This is where their love starts to grow.
I loved seeing the two of them interact. They both have problems that they can't seem to talk to eachother about, but we slowly see them open up little by little. Like always I love how they are able to help eachother overcome their struggles.
I will say that I was a little disappointed to learn that this was another fake fiancé themed book, especially after the last one. Nonetheless I still really enjoyed reading their story. Crystal Kaswell has a way of telling a story that keeps you Enthralled until the very last chapter.
*I received an ARC for my honest opinion.
Briar is his assistant who he has secrets feelings for but will never act on them. That is until he get some bad news. Apon hearing this news he decides to ask her for a huge favor. One that she can't simply refuse. This is where their love starts to grow.
I loved seeing the two of them interact. They both have problems that they can't seem to talk to eachother about, but we slowly see them open up little by little. Like always I love how they are able to help eachother overcome their struggles.
I will say that I was a little disappointed to learn that this was another fake fiancé themed book, especially after the last one. Nonetheless I still really enjoyed reading their story. Crystal Kaswell has a way of telling a story that keeps you Enthralled until the very last chapter.
*I received an ARC for my honest opinion.
December 5, 2021
Playboy Prince is the 2nd book in this series but can definitely be read as a standalone however I think it would benefit the reader to read Broken Beast first to give them a preview to Liam and Briar.
After reading Adams story in Broken Beast I knew I needed more of Liam and Crystal delivered. I absolutely love his type of character. He's a real smooth talker and a cheeky chappy who lives in the moment always has a smutty quip and can talk to pants off a nun. I was so intruiged by him I couldn't wait to read his story and it didn't disappoint. Briar can definitely hold her own and she knows how to work Liam that's why they make such a good match. Fake dating is a big favourite of mine and the reasons behind the ruse tugged on the ol heartstrings. You can see how torn Liam is about it all and I had to prepare myself for the conflict as I didnt want it to happen. There is always alot of internal dialogue with Crystal's books which I like as you really get to dig deep into the characters and to explore what they are thinking and feeling more in depth. I really like Crystal's process. You get right into the minds of the mc and I love that.
I really liked the journey this book took me on and can't wait for Simons book. Another Kaswell cracker
After reading Adams story in Broken Beast I knew I needed more of Liam and Crystal delivered. I absolutely love his type of character. He's a real smooth talker and a cheeky chappy who lives in the moment always has a smutty quip and can talk to pants off a nun. I was so intruiged by him I couldn't wait to read his story and it didn't disappoint. Briar can definitely hold her own and she knows how to work Liam that's why they make such a good match. Fake dating is a big favourite of mine and the reasons behind the ruse tugged on the ol heartstrings. You can see how torn Liam is about it all and I had to prepare myself for the conflict as I didnt want it to happen. There is always alot of internal dialogue with Crystal's books which I like as you really get to dig deep into the characters and to explore what they are thinking and feeling more in depth. I really like Crystal's process. You get right into the minds of the mc and I love that.
I really liked the journey this book took me on and can't wait for Simons book. Another Kaswell cracker
December 6, 2021
Liam is the ultimate misunderstood playboy. He has a secret that he has been asked to keep and is trying to understand and fight the feelings that he has for his assistant.
Briar is afraid of long term relationships. She judges all relationships to that of her parents and claims that she will never allow a man to hurt her the way her father has hurt her mother.
Together, Liam and Briar work out their true feelings for one another and help each other to overcome the fears and insecurities they have. Briar has an uncanny way of calming Liam and understanding him when others find him ridiculous.
The dialogue was sometimes hard to follow but the story is full of heartbreak, love and hope. You could feel the depth of the characters struggles as they tried to work through their thoughts, feelings and the situations they had to face.
The ending was sweet and showed how much Liam understood Briar. It isn't quite the HEA that I was hoping for but it was definitely fitting for the heroine.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Briar is afraid of long term relationships. She judges all relationships to that of her parents and claims that she will never allow a man to hurt her the way her father has hurt her mother.
Together, Liam and Briar work out their true feelings for one another and help each other to overcome the fears and insecurities they have. Briar has an uncanny way of calming Liam and understanding him when others find him ridiculous.
The dialogue was sometimes hard to follow but the story is full of heartbreak, love and hope. You could feel the depth of the characters struggles as they tried to work through their thoughts, feelings and the situations they had to face.
The ending was sweet and showed how much Liam understood Briar. It isn't quite the HEA that I was hoping for but it was definitely fitting for the heroine.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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