Yours for the Taking

Domestic Gods #4

by Robin Kaye

He might be too good to be true...

Ben Walsh shouldn't be single. Handsome and wealthy, Ben is equally at home in Idaho where he grew up and in Manhattan where he's now an art dealer. Suave and successful with impeccable taste, he normally has women beating down his door. But the one woman he wants can't be convinced that he's for real...

She isn't sure if she has time for fairy tales...

Gina Reyez has fought for every bit of her success, and it's about time for things to start going her way. So when Ben makes a proposal that will allow her to take care of her family the way she wants to, she agrees. Besides, a guy this perfect would never be interested in her...right? By the time Gina figures out that she's read Ben all wrong, the arrangements are made, the papers are signed...but what exactly are they getting themselves into?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Fiction, Chick Lit, Humor, Adult

368 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published November 22, 2010

About the author

Robin Kaye was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge next door to her Sicilian grandparents. Living with an extended family that’s a cross between Gilligan’s Island and The Sopranos, minus the desert isle and illegal activities, explains both her comedic timing and the cast of quirky characters in her books.

She’s lived in half a dozen states from Idaho to Florida, but the romance of Brooklyn has never left her heart. She currently resides in Maryland with her husband, three children, two dogs, and a three-legged cat with attitude.

Reviews

[Renee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like all of Robin Kaye's books other than her first, Romeo Romeo, I found the heroine (Gina), really hard to take. I couldn't understand why Ben, the hero, would bother with her. All she did was bitch, moan and carry on the whole book. I had a very hard time relating to her and her "issues" that linked back to her childhood in, what i felt, was a fairly unrealistic manner. Yes she was feisty but not in a very positive way. The author made a lot of references to what a great woman she was but showed us few examples. A lot of references were also made to her tragic childhood but the author dragged this out so long that by the time she told us what really happened, I was so pissed off with Gina I didn't really care! This affected the emotional depth of the story for me, and the sex between the two leads definetly lacked because of this. The hero was a nice guy and could definetly do better than Gina although, I have to say, he came off a little weak and desperate at times with his love for the Gina seeming premature and forced. All in all the book lacked any deep emotional connections and any real conflict.

The most irritating thing about this author is she throws you just enough bones to get you wanting to see what she has on offer in her next book but, for me personally, I've been disappointed with the heroine in all of her last three books. I don't think I'll bother with her next unless the reviews are outstanding. She's good with her supporting characters (thus the links into the next books) but fails to deliver on the main romance.

Romeo Romeo was well worth the read but I'd give her others a miss unless you can get your hands on second hand copies.

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED it. I was so excited when I realized there was a 4th book coming out. Gina is tough, takes no crap off of any man, but under all of that attitude is a sweet, vunerable woman. I love that Sam her brother in law is scared of her =) Ben he was a dream, I usually really fall for the Ultra Alphas, but Ben shows that a man can show his tender, sensitive side, be metrosexual and still be DAMN SEXY when he puts on jeans and hiking boots AND in the bedroom.

I LOVED how Gina found out Ben wasn't gay =)

But....I also fell in love with Trapper, Hunter & Fisher (LOVE THE NAMES ROBIN) as well as Grandpa Joe, Karma,Kate and Uncle Buck. I am so PRAYING that we will see Hunter, Trapper, Fisher & Karma's stories (hmmmm will Karma's fate be with the one person the whole family is searching for?)

I aboslutely love the interaction of Ben with his "cousins" and Grandpa Joe and hope if we do see their stories, we will see Ben & Gina and Jasmine interacting with with all of them.

It was nice to see Mike, Annebelle,baby Maria, Rich and Rosalie.

IMHO Yours For The Taking can be read as a stand alone, but I would definitely reccomend also reading Romeo, Romeo, Too Hot To Handle and Breakfast In Bed. Each story is great.

I picked up Romeo,Romeo last year at B&N because on shelves overflowing with vampire & shapeshifter romances...the cover caught my eye. It was pretty, fresh, different....something I needed because I needed a break from the vampire romances(don't get me wrong I have some favorite vampire series). I stayed up late to finish Romeo,Romeo. I looked up Robin Kaye and found there were 2 more books out and bought them the next day.

Robin's books have ladies that are not weak and simpering and tough guys that aren't scared to do the "girl" chores around the house and show their sensitive sides.

I will impatiently be waiting for her next book.

[April · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really looking forward to reading this one as I truly enjoyed reading the first book in the series by the same author, Romeo, Romeo, but I honestly just couldn't fall in love with the heroine. I found her irritating and unattractive, and I just couldn't stand her. As a result, I didn't feel any chemistry between the hero and the heroine at all, and the hero's love for the heroine only baffled me. Love MUST be blind.

The hero, on the other hand, was just fine. Who couldn't or wouldn't love a wealthy man who knows how to dress, cook, keep a house clean, still do all the manly things like fishing, hiking, camping, and the like, AND treat a woman oh, so, right? No, Ben was easy to love. Gina, not so much. She's a complainer. She's portrayed as practical and prudent with money, but she just comes off as someone who can't appreciate the occasional windfalls in life. Here is Ben, so ready to shower her with money, things, and experiences in life, with no strings attached and no expectations, and Gina just can't bring herself to enjoy anything until she's forced to do so for two weeks. She doesn't fly; she doesn't hike; she doesn't wear comfortable shoes; she's not into any of the things that Ben is into and flat out refuses to have anything to do with his work or hobbies. Honestly, what in the hell does he love about her?

I should have liked this heroine. I really should have. I had an alcoholic and abusive father. I'm careful with my money and practical in most things. I dream of having a house one day, all free and clear — nothing huge, just something small and easy to care for. So Gina and I have a similar background, a similar bent in some things, and similar goals in life, so I totally should have loved this heroine, embraced her and completely related to her, but I absolutely could not empathize with her; I could not sympathize for her; I could not for the life of me even understand her. I actually hated her to some degree during some scenes and felt that she did not in any way deserve a hero like Ben.

What didn't help in all this was that there was not enough focus on the positive aspects and so much focus on all the negative aspects of Gina's reaction to things, or perhaps her general personality and way of doing things — her constant bitching and moaning when Ben takes her shopping for necessary and practical clothes and shoes to wear at the cabin, even how the neutral colors make her look colorless and unattractive; her numerous nitpicking and objections to the five-story house that Ben wants to buy her, how it's too big, too fancy, too much this and too much that; and her idiotic overreaction to the steep incline on the drive to the cabin, her dangerous clutching of his arm to make things TRULY dangerous.

I just — oh — I wanted to slap the heroine silly. Her leaving him when he got angry for a lousy reason only made it worse, her not answering his calls made it further worse, and I couldn't see how his friends and family would instantly side with her, someone they haven't known for very long. Even if I liked the heroine, that didn't seem right to me. More realistic would have been awkwardness and embarrassment, Ben's friends and family opting to stay out of things and maybe insisting they both just have a talk, and they're sure everything will be OK. I never understand why secondary characters in romance novels are so loquacious with the advice, so ready to tell the hero or heroine what they think is REALLY going on and what they should do, so prepared to dish out the tough love. In real life, friends and family usually feel sorely inadequate to advise because they're usually not privy to the more intimate details of whatever argument is going on, and they don't all gossip so freely among themselves so that everyone knows everyone's business enough to give proper advice, no matter how close the family is. If anything, they reassure — "I'm sure it'll be OK, if you two just talk together." That sort of thing. But no, Ben's friends and family are dead set on keeping Ben in the dark about where Gina is, which is so wrong on so many levels. Why put someone you love through so much worry, regardless of how angry you might be with them?

I think that, most of all, really disappointed me. I wanted so much to like this book. I like the author's writing. I like the hero. But the heroine ... she destroyed this book for me. If it weren't for the hero and for my goodwill toward the author for the first book of hers that I read, this might have been a 1 star rating.

[Brianna (The Book Vixen) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review copy provided by publisher

3½ stars

Why I Read this Book: Just from reading the book blurb, I knew that things were not going to go according to plan and that things were going to get complicated. And I was looking forward to reading about it. Yours for the Taking is the 4th book in the Domestic Gods series but can definitely be read as a stand alone. I have not yet read any of the other books in this series and I had no problems following the story. More than anything, it makes me want to read the first 3 books in this series. Robin Kaye is a new-to-me author and I’m ready to read more of her books.

What I Liked: I liked Gina’s character. She’s smart, sassy, stubborn and she’s no fool. She definitely knows how to handle her own, despite her short stature. She’s only committing to this “business deal” with Ben for the money, which she plans to use to help out her family. She’s completely selfless and I loved her for that.

Yours for the Taking has some great steamy love scenes, the first one being my favorite. It was the most intense. Gina was so evil!! But it serves Ben right for lying. LOL

One part that I thought was hilarious happened while Ben and Gina were at the ranch. Gina overheard part of a phone conversation between Ben and Trapper, something about some “rules”. Gina put it together that the rules were for a a missed chance at a threesome involving Ben, Trapper and a lady from the bar some time ago. Ben finally gives in (at Gina’s threat to redial Trapper, knowing full well that Trapper would spill) and tells Gina the rules:

-No belittling
-No sword fighting
-No eye contact
-No friendly fire
-No small talk
-And rock paper scissors to see who gets first pick of…Use your imagination.

What I Didn’t Like: Ben’s character felt like two completely different characters in this book. The first Ben we meet is a metrosexual man (think Ryan Seacrest) with OCD. He’s a wealthy, successful business man who thinks everything can just simply be bought. The second Ben, the one we see after he went home with Gina in tow, was more likable. He’s close to his friends and family and quite the small town guy. It didn’t feel like there was continuity in the transition from the first Ben we meet to the second Ben; it seemed abrupt.

I could have done without the constant reminder of Gina being a short woman. There were a lot of references to her short stature. I like to picture myself in the heroine's shoes and this was difficult to do, being tall myself, with the constant reminder.

Rafael’s (Gina’s missing brother) story arc wasn’t complete. It was left wide open and felt inconclusive. This was really bugging me so I contacted the author. She explained to me that she is working on a new series, Domestic Gods Gone Wild, and that she plans to follow the search for Rafael throughout those books.

Overall Impression: Yours for the Taking was a cute, fun, fast read told in a 3rd person narrative. I gobbled this one up in a time span of 24 hours. I’m looking forward to reading the first 3 books in this series as well as the author’s new series. This book’s sweet romance with sizzling love scenes will appeal to fans of contemporary romance who like a little spice mixed in.

[Booklover1335 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book I’ve read of Robin Kaye’s Domestic Gods series. By some accounts it’s her best, other’s her worst. I can’t really be the judge of that since it’s my first, but here are some of my thoughts after reading Yours for the Taking.

Ben is a cowboy at heart, but also a Manhattan metrosexual who enjoys women...lots of women, just without any complications. His grandfather, a wily though manipulative loving relative, has given Ben a short period of time to marry, otherwise his grandfather is going to sell Ben’s childhood ranch in Idaho where he holds cherished memories of his mother and father who died when he was younger. He’s a driven, but caring person who is determined to have the ranch, pretty much at any cost....to the tune of many millions of dollars. Just as long as the woman he marries knows that it is a marriage of convenience only...no emotional strings attached.

Gina is a survivor who grew up feeling responsible for the care and nurturing of her siblings. She’s a fighter, who has learned the hard way to only rely on herself. Consequently, she is at times abrasive, off-putting and needs to have control of her own destiny so that she won’t ever have to be reliant on someone else for her wellbeing again. She came from nothing, but through hard work and diligence she’s made a good life for herself and her sister. She’s all work and no play, with just a few friends and no long term relationships. So when she’s offered a chance to marry a man she knows only through mutual acquaintances, for which she will be paid a substantial amount of money, she thinks not of what it will gain her, but how she can in return help those she loves the most.

Both have admirable, though self serving intentions that get thrown off track by their mutual desire for one another, which eventually leads to their happily ever after...sorta.

I didn’t really know what to expect from this modern day take on a marriage of convenience. I was somewhat skeptical about what would motivate two people who barely know each other in a contemporary romance to marry, but the circumstances that the author places each character in makes it believable that they would both benefit from the arrangement.

Ben is a very likeable hero, and despite his need for a wife that he has no emotional entanglements with he quickly falls in lust and love with Gina...but for the life of me I couldn’t really tell you why. Because you see, Gina isn’t really a likeable person...at least that is the way she comes across. She’s hard and because of her situation growing up she trusts and relies on no one. She has a hard time asking anyone for help, and isolates herself and her feelings to protect herself from further hurt and disappointment. She’s always looking for people to fail her, so in the end she gets exactly what she looks for because if you look hard enough you can always find fault.

Normally, I am all for flawed and wounded characters because I love to see their growth as they learn to love and trust, but with Gina the reader finds little for Ben to fall in love with, despite his many declarations and magnanimous gestures. Ben is certainly not perfect, and in fact proves her right by betraying her trust at one point in the story, but he does everything that he can to show how sorry and wrong he was. He grows as a character because of his love for Gina. At that point I did feel sorry for Gina, because Ben accused her of some terrible things, but at the same time I don’t know how fully she forgave him because at the end....I felt like she would be anticipating him failing her constant tests of his love for her.

I never really liked Gina as a person and felt that her character never progressed from someone who needs no one, to someone who needs the man she loves in her life. I never really got why Ben loved Gina, but I certainly understood why Gina could fall in love with Ben. To give some credit to Gina’s character, I don’t think the reader is really supposed to like her very much at the beginning because at one point in a conversation Gina’s best friend says to her, “Look why don’t you get off the phone with your best friend and go apologize to your very cute but temporary husband. You might as well enjoy him while you have him. Oh, and be nice. You need to practice being nice.” However sympathetic you may be to Gina at some points in the book, you never come to like her. At least I didn’t, which is why I had a hard time understanding why Ben loved her. As a result their love story seemed very one sided and that was a big disappointment.

Despite my feelings about Gina as a character I did enjoy my first Robin Kaye book. I loved Ben. I loved the cast of supporting characters, the interaction and dialogue between the characters, and the overall plot and writing style. I just wish that Gina’s character would have evolved more from beginning to end because that would have made this 3 star read a definite 4+ star read.

Ratings:

Overall: 3.25 stars
Sensuality Level: 3.25

[Lina · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the fourth installment in the Domestic Gods series.
Benjamin Walsh's grandfather wont let him have the ranch he loves until Ben marries. Gina Reyes never thought she would marry, but she agrees to the business arrangement Ben "proposes". He gets his ranch and his grandfather off his back; Gina gets a house and enough nmoney to fund a missing person investigation and help her sister and brother-in-law buy a home. But she soon finds that her marriage of convenience isn't all that convenient when emotions get involved.

After the awesomeness that was "Romeo, Romeo" (the first book in the Domestic Gods series), the subsequent books have left me flat, though I didn't mind "Breakfast in Bed" too much. "Yours for the Taking" is by far the worst.

What I liked:
*The Premise - I'm a sucker for the fake-marriage-turns-real, and was quite excited when I read the book description.
*New characters, new location - I had wondered if we would end up just revisiting previous characters as Ben & Gina's story unfolded and was pleasantly surprised by the travel to Idaho and the difference from city to country. I also liked the introduction of new family characters and although slightly 2-dimensional, found them warm and interesting. (Sidenote: the cynic in me couldn't help but think the new characters would likely serve as leads to further books)

What I didn't like:
*Characters didn't act true-to-form. This si particularly true of Ben, who at the start of this book can be described as a smart, strong Alpha-type male, possibly ruthless, but he knows what he wants and he's going to get it... Read on a couple of hundred pages and he's become an emotional mess, confused and without his strength of purpose. Gina also does a complete about-face, turning from a kick-ass personality who's cop brother-in-law is slightly scared of, to a snivelling, traumatised whinger. Thought to be fair, in the last couple of chapters she does manage to regain some of her smart-ass nature, but it felt unrealistic.
*The Writing - I understand that dialogue can be hard to write, but so much of it in this book felt unrealistic and stilted. Also, there were a number of scenes I thought were just superfluous, and made what should have been the core of the story, the relationship between Ben and Gina and how it unfolds, seem unrealistic.

Ultimately, I felt that although this book had great potential, the expectation that was raised in "Romeo, Romeo" and partially rekindled in "Breakfast in Bed" was let down. IMHO, this book could have used A LOT MORE EDITING! It will take a long time and more than a few good reviews before I try this author again.

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 3 out of 5]

My thoughts:

This is the fourth book in the Domestic Gods series, but I promise you dear book-OCD people, it works wonderfully as a stand-alone.


Gina is as he calls is a fiery little Latin pixie. She is sure stubborn, and she is used to taking care of herself. She doesn't need help from anyone. Ben is the perfect man, so she believes he is gay. Because he can dress (well not in Idaho she finds out), he can cook, and he is everything a man should be. He needs a wife, she doesn't want to marry, but he does offer her a lot of money and since he is gay what is the harm. That is the twist, she thinks he is gay, but will find out that he is not when certain areas of him does not behave ;)


It was a sweet, dramatic and passionate romance. It starts of rocky, then it gets passionate when she realizes what is going on, and then it gets dramatic because they married for all the wrong reasons. It is not a way to build a relationship on. And she has some big issues going on with her past.


I really enjoyed reading about them in the mountains at his ranch, and that was lovely. And while there she meets his extended family. Those men have some potential for sure. They kind of scream, write about us too! I hope she does.



My own issues, not much really, I guess it did bother me that she went to gay at once. But hey we needed the drama, and she was a bit broken inside, but the better for him to try to fix her.


Recommendation and final thoughts:

A great contemporary romance. I would say give it a go, there are great men, romance, and in this one, a bit of a cowboy vibe. I do like a man in a hat. It was a good book, hard to put down, and a couple that belonged to each other, but could not see it.


Reason for reading

I have heard good things about the previous books

[Claire · Rating 1 out of 5]

To be brutally honest, I was thrilled when I finished this book (those of you on twitter - this was the one driving me crazy earlier this week, because I was too much of a completist to put it down, but I really didn't enjoy this one much. For one thing, again, I found the characters more annoying than endearing, and the drama seemed manufactured, even by regular romance novel standards. The writing is certainly workmanlike enough, and it's thankfully spared most of the sort of odious purple prose one expects from some of the most formulaic romances, but I found just too many niggles to really enjoy it much at all, and am unlikely to pick up this author again. The first book in the series was quite promising and - my problem with the last page aside - entertaining and fairly compelling, but I realised after reading the rest of the books in this series that they slide back towards gender-stereotyped, hooray-the-kyriarchy territory as it progresses, and frankly, there's enough other books on my shelves right now. I suspect if you were not in the 'terribly sick of genderfail' frame of mind these books are a lot more entertaining as a whole.

[Splage · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable, sexy, quick read. Yours for the Taking is a marriage of convenience story, the hero, Ben, is loaded and pays the hard working, lower class heroine, Gina, to marry him so he can inherit his family ranch. Both of these characters were introduce in previous books of the series and and they didn't make a good impression on me at the time. I did learn to like them in this one, although the heroine was pretty mean at the beginning she did grow on me. The male domestic god thing is a repeated theme in this book (as in the 3 before), it could be getting a little old. Romeo, Romeo was my favorite.

I know this is a wish-list book on PBS, if you are a member let me know if you want it.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read the first 3 books in this series & liked them (especially Romeo Romeo), but this book drove me insane! Both characters showed up briefly in the previous books & I liked both of them, but in this book the author made Gina basically unlikeable and she ruined the story for me (Ben was perfectly wonderful though & I'm sad that he ended up with Gina). The premise of the book was a little farfetched for me (usually being forced to marry to save an inheritance only works in historical romances, but I was willing to give it a try). Ben said that his gramps would sell the land he wants to the highest bidder if he didn't marry , but couldn't he have just made a dummy company & bought it without his gramps knowing ??? But, I could have lived with the premise if Gina wasn't so freaking mean. Gina is characterized as being feisty & independent, but she was just a big, rude meanie to me. If the story had a different lead female character I might have liked it, but with Gina (that's presented in this book) I would have preferred to never have read it.

These are just a few of the things that made me want to throw the book against the wall (slight spoilers so beware): Gina assumes Ben is gay because he dresses nice, cooks well, likes to clean, etc & I was annoyed by her gay stereotyping. I'm not perfect myself, but I wouldn't tell someone that they are gay to their face based on this & I would especially not tell them that wearing jeans & a sweater is their way of playing it straight to prevent people from finding out they are gay! Did Ben's gramps really have to be so freaking rich? He owns the most leased land of anyone in the US! Gramps keeps calling Gina "little lady" or "little filly" - so not endearing & I didn't particularly like the Gramps character either. I never could figure out why Ben & his family loved Gina so much - especially in that short amount of time since she's not very endearing at all. I couldn't understand why Ben's family takes Gina's side during the big misunderstanding either. Normal people side with the person they've known & loved for 30 years over someone they've known for 2 weeks (and is also in the wrong). And, what kind of advice is it to run away from an argument (by taking a ride in a friend's big rig no less from Idaho to NY because you are afraid to fly - who does that????) instead of trying to actually talk a problem out? Do these people not know how to be adults? And, Gina's big secret from her sister is just ridiculous! Gina's dad was a druggie, her mom was a whore & her baby brother was sold for drug money? Come on! My favorite part was when Gina's sister finally yells at her for keeping the secret that she had a baby brother all these years (and if Gina really wanted to find the brother wouldn't she have asked her cop brother-in-law to look into it?). Also, the author never resolved the issue of where they would live. We are made to understand that Ben mostly lives in Idaho, but Gina can't leave NY. But I guess that is magically resolved once they admit they love each other. I could go on & on with what annoyed me, but I don't want to write a paper.

Basically, if this is your first Robin Kaye book PLEASE get Romeo Romeo instead. Take note of the fact that the most helpful reviews here are the negative ones. If you've read the other books in the series just pass right by this one & wait till the new series about Ben's cousins in Idaho come out. Their names are Trapper, Fisher, Hunter & Karma - more ridiculousness. Gina ruins this book & the only thing that makes this book readable is Ben.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ben Walsh needs a wife to get the ranch in Idaho that his grandfather refuses to give to him. With the clock ticking against him, he asks Gina Reyez (a woman he met a few times briefly) to marry him. Gina wants her own home and a way to help her family out, so Ben’s proposal, though preposterous, is the perfect way to obtain her goals. She can stay marry to him for a while especially since she believes he is gay. Shortly after their farce of a marriage begins, Gina realizes she might be in way over her head especially when she discovers her husband is not gay at all and he is very attracted to her. Soon a pretend marriage starts to feel very real.

The story is marred by two unlikeable characters. Ben became too perfect to me. He is rich, smart and extremely handsome. The only flaw that Ben has is that he is a “womanizer” which I did not see in the book at all. In fact, once he proposes to Gina, there is not talk or thought of another woman. He immediately throws himself into trying to make Gina happy. He likes her feisty nature and he finds himself constantly wanting to be around her.

This is where the story loses me. Gina is the other unlikeable character. She throws up barriers that are so hard to penetrate. At first, I sympathize with this character due to her background. She raises her sister all alone, struggling with no money. Her parents weren’t around (there is more to this story but I don’t want to spoil it) and she is basically a warrior of life. However, as I continued to read this book, Gina attitude didn’t change.

She snaps at Ben all the time. She refuses his help whenever he offers. Gina constantly disregards his feelings and gets in his face. Her own friends and family have to remind her that she should be nice to him. She is pushy and demanding, even to her own family and I love when her sister finally tells her off. Bottom line, I didn’t like Gina.

By the end of the book, I didn’t feel the romance or connection between Ben and Gina. While I was sure that Ben loved Gina, I never got that moment when I thought she has finally catching up emotionally with him. It is almost as if she conceded to stop being bitchy and stay with him. Overall it is slightly disappointing because the story has so much potential.

Ben family and friends from Idaho saves the book by providing funny dialogue and relatable and realistic human interaction. I’ve notice that the author writes connecting books, I hope the author writes more about them in the near future. Fans of Robin Kaye will love revisiting old character from previous books.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yours for the Taking is Brooklyn-born author Robin Kaye's fourth novel and first stand-alone. This novel is entertaining and cute if you like contemporary romance, although a bit far-fetched. Romance is not one of my favorite genres due to its predictability factor, but I'll give Yours for the Taking some credit for its unique spin.

Ben Walsh is a handsome, sexy, successful businessman who wants to inherit his grandfather's ranch in boring Idaho. The catch, however, is that Ben must be married and settled down for his grandfather to give it to him. Because Ben is such a playboy, he must find the perfect woman willing to marry him but ONLY as a business venture. Ben chooses Gina Reyez, a sexy latina with attitude and promises her loads of money for her and her family if she will marry him and play the role of wife for his grandfather's benefit.

Of course Ben falls irresistably in love with Gina and vice-versa, and as romance novels go, they live happily ever after.

What makes Yours for the Taking fun is that for the first portion of the novel, Gina assumes Ben is gay. You'll laugh out loud when you first realize this is how the book is going to play out, but it's too soon when Gina learns that Ben is not really homosexual after all.

From a fantasy standpoint, Robin Kaye makes Ben's character super hot and sexy! It's easy to get carried away and think about being romantic with Ben, although Gina is annoying and too much of a diva. I also really like how Kaye writes the sex scenes. They aren't too corny and are super sizzling without being too dirty and pornographic.

I would say if Robin Kaye can get away from the cheesiness and predictability of this genre and just focus more on either writing sex scenes or a more realistic plot, her success as an author would sky-rocket!

Robin Kaye's other novels are part of a "Domestic Gods" series that include Romeo, Romeo (2008), Too Hot to Handle (2009), and Breakfast in Bed (2009).

Read more book reviews at http://dreamworldbooks.com.

[Sayjil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gina is the kinda girl who takes no crap from guys. Dynamite comes in small packages. Ben is the billionaire. He has a huge Richie rich life style. Ben’s grandfather- Joe, refuses to give Ben his family ranch unless he gets married or he’ll sell the ranch to someone. What’s a guy to do? He asks Gina to be his wife legally. Gina doesn’t want anything much out of life except a place of her own.
Ben offers Gina 12.5 million and a house worth 10 million dollars. Gina’s not the kind that likes the money but she does wants to help Tina get a home, find her brother Rafael and invest the money. So she agrees also thinking Ben is gay. Unfortunately Ben goes to Idaho with no wife, Joe doesn’t like it. so Joe goes to their home and tells Gina she’s got off at work due to him and tells Ben they will fly out. In their home in Idaho Gina and Ben come close-after she finds out that Ben is not gay. Ben tells Gina he loves her. Gina doesn’t do love, she’s scared and vulnerable. Joe hands the Ranch on Gina’s name and since Ben knows that she hired a PI, he doesn’t know what the PI is for. Ben accuses Gina of conspiring against him to get the ranch all along. Gina disappears, Ben looks for her, Gina tells Tina about the long lost brother and Ben overhears. Joe has a heart attack, Gina handles it, Ben and Gina get back together.

This book was great. There definitely was funny parts and emotional parts. Better than the last book. I find that both Female characters, Becca and Gina are alike. The book’s plot was exceptional in some ways and in other ways too common. I liked all the side characters, especially Ben’s family but it would have been great if we saw all the others from the previous books.

[Karla · Rating 3 out of 5]

First half 4 stars/Second half 2 stars.
This started out as a great book and then somewhere along the line it just lost me. The unusual circumstances that bring the 2 main characters together is amusing, and I enjoyed them from the previous books. The story was moving along fine, and although Gina, the h, over thought everything, it was developing into a sweet romance…and a hot one at that. Then in steps the grandfather, who I never really found to be endearing, just manipulating and crass with his comments, and he gives a wedding gift to the h. At that point it just went south. Very contradicting and it made no sense. Back and forth with the feelings, and the grandfather who started the whole mess never apologizes. He just lays blame on the H, Ben, who I found to be sweet and charming throughout the book. Ben is now the villain in everyone’s eyes. HUH! Gina gives the grandfather her undying devotion, even though he is the one who essentially set the ball in motion that would break up the marriage. Ben’s devoted family then alienates him…REALLY?? The part of the storyline with the missing sibling just didn’t fit in and went totally unresolved, so why even bother with it. Then it felt like the author just didn’t know how to end the book…very confusing. I kept reading just to see if it would grab me again.

I wanted so much to like this, because I really enjoyed the first 3 books in the series, and that might just be the answer…it should have been a 3 book series.

[Michelle K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gina and Ben's book.
Out of the series I think "Yours for the Taking" was my favorite. I have to say though I felt this was a different Gina and Ben than who was introduced to us in the beginning books. To me, this was not the same Ben who tickled Belle on the couch to annoy Mike or the same Gina who was a total bitch to Rich.

The story was great and Robin Kaye did a great job of setting up the book to start another spin off series with Trapper, Hunter, Karma and Fischer. As my friends know I love a good cowboy story so I am thinking that I loved this book even more because it takes place mostly outside of Brooklyn and over to Idaho. When I start reading "ma'ams, cowboy hats, rugged terain and ranches" I perk up more.

Great book for sure.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the 4th book for Robin Kaye and the 4th in a series. I LOVED the other three, "Romeo, Romeo", "Too Hot to Handle", and "Breakfast in Bed." I was so excited about another Robin Kaye book. Ohhhh, was I disappointed.

Both characters were introduced in previous novels. Gina is just a bitch who won't listen, won't forgive and won't give in. Ben won't stand up for himself and tell his Grandfather to stuff his ultimatums. I didn't really like either character, but I actually disliked Gina. Not sure why any guy would fall in love with her. And seriously Ben... grow a pair! I kept hoping he would just dump her.

"Yours for the Taking" is not a bad read, but it's not good either -- just ok at best. Read Robin's first 3, but skip this one.

[Jae · Rating 2 out of 5]

One thing that I hated most was a stereotype romance with an ordinary-like heroine and a rich hero, with not much of a going on. And this book just bored me from the start.

The story was about Ben Walsh, a buff, handsome, tall, dark, rich and successful man who needed a wife in order to save his land from being sold by his grandfather. Hence enter a distant friend of his, Gina the curvaceous latina. They agreed to be married in name only and treated it as a business arrangement.

That being said, I could already guess the crisis and the outcome and couldn't care less about the in-between. A total waste of my Kindle's battery.

[Fanny Roswita Ria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gw jujur yak,utk novel yg ini gw "subjektif" karna si Ben Walsh yg begitu charming banget.tapi Gina harus gw akuin tandingan yg hebat buat Joe Walsh dan Ben Walsh..lucu dan romantis juga.

Dan seperti novel2 sblmnya, kalo Hero-nya terlebih dahulu jatuh cinta dengan heroine-nya. Dan spt biasa, banyak banget adegan lucu antara Hero dan Heroine waktu naik pswt; perjalanan ke ranch; tinggal di ranch sampai adegan di bab terakhit waktu si Gina selesai mengikuti sidang perceraian dan kembali ke RS dengan niat menggoda Ben.

Lucu banget dah

[DaniSays · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh how I loved this book. it was just so sweet. it's your typical romantic novel, and I definitely fell for Ben. Sexy, Romantic, Rich and above all a Domestic God. what woman wouldn't adore a man who cooks, cleans, walks your dog and washes ur hair? My God did this book make me feel all fuzzy inside. definitely a great read with a twist even if you know the ending. it definitely had a climax I never expected, but it just made it better. PERFECT FOR ROMANCE DREAMERS LIKE ME!

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book as much as I loved the first 3! I can't wait until the next one in this series is out. Loved it Robin!

[Wii · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ben....manies bgt, mau bgt suami kayak Ben....ngimpi :p

[Nidhi Kanojia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The last book in the series is the one I read first. The book is ok... a love story with the usual ups and downs.
Ben Walsh needs the ranch where he spent his childhood but his grandfather has a condition that he should get married and then he would transfer the papers of the ranch in Ben's name. Finding a girl who would agree to marry him and divorce him when he gets the ranch isn't too difficult for Ben. Gina makes the cut and she even agrees as she has a few goals of her own. They get married and in almost a month, fall in love. But a few misunderstandings come their way but a love story always has happy ending, isn't it?
Ben Walsh is the easy going guy, good at everything be it household work or his art gallery. Having a hot body just works in his favor too. He is a lovable character. Gina, on the other hand, is practical, independent, always taking care of others. She is a closed person due to her traumatic childhood. that's why she doesn't let people in, which does not work well with her at the end. All the side characters are good, be it Grandpa Joe who is shrewd, always has the right measure of people, be it Kate, who is the mother hen, always looking out for her kids, be it Trapper, who is a sarcastic judge but gives the right kind of advice.
I have given two stars to the book, don't know whether I would be interested in another book from Robin.

[Your Bae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, at first this book is very entertaining
But my imagination fall when Gina, as the heroin, make in love with Ben... The way Gina seduce Him... it is so far away from my expectations
I love the plot, about Gina's childhood, and so interested with it, but somehow, I find so hard to understand...
There is a "missing" plot, and (again) so less of detail
And why so sudden... in their chapter, without any intro, I go there... the part Gina suddenly paid detective to find Raphael...

Ugh... and still no clear story about...
I still deep in loved with book the 3rd one...
At least, book is recommended as one of your collection~

Enjoy reading 😀😄☺🙂

[Jane Zav · Rating 2 out of 5]

I managed to finish this book but gee it was a struggle. The main issues were that I just didn’t like Gina, didn’t see what Ben saw in her, didn’t feel any connection between the two of them and by half way I just didn’t care. Ben was ok but a confusing mix of a player who cooks fancy food, falls for a prickly character whose rather mean to him and is practically begging for her towards the end. Not much gelled here, and after 2 misses I probably won’t read anything from this author for a while. 2 stars

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. This was fun, it was sufficiently entertaining. My problem with these books remains-that plot is driven by overly-dramatic characters, not actual plot development. The women are caricatures - so independent they're pigheaded and unlikeable. Gina never really redeemed herself, and Ben was basically a different character halfway though (when he realized he loved Gina).

Skip this book, there are betters in the genre.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have now read all the titles in this series and enjoyed each of them. I can see the side of those who didn't love this book. So yeah, Gina was a royal B-word, but for those who understand crazy ethnic chicks and peeps who have lived through a rough upbringing, it was a realistic portrayal (well, as realistic a portrayal as you can get in a romance novel. LOL) I liked the story and found it amusing as well as entertaining. I wish there was a book 5.

[Killian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just boring... I never connected with either lead, mostly because there was so much "tell and don't show" going on. Very surface level, and I never understood why either of them even liked the other, let alone were so whiny near the end.

You know when you read a romance, and you can tell that the two leads would be divorced in a year? Yeah, that's these two all over.

[Josie]

First read - 25 to 26 August, 2012
4 stars

Second read - 14 December, 2020
DNF
This didn't hold up for me on a second read. I wasn't a fan of the premise because, although this is one of my favourite tropes. The pacing was slow, the heroine wasn't particularly likeable, and I'm not a fan of this 'domestic gods' stuff. DNF and unhauled.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed a palette cleanser after heavier topics. I borrowed this book digitally from the library. I read it as a standalone, but it's part of a series. I don't think it lessened my enjoyment. I enjoyed the romance and humor in this book. It's the first book I have read by Robin Kaye. I will probably finish the series.

[penelopewanders]

I read the previous books in this series too long ago to really remember who was who, but it didn't matter.
A fun read of a pre-nup sort of gone wrong? I wouldn't have minded reading a continuation, but it looks like this was the last in the series.