BILLIONAIRE ON THE LOOSE (Billionaires and Bridesmaids #5) by Jessica Clare-a review
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date September 20, 2016
Taylor is a genius when it comes to computers, but understanding the opposite sex is beyond her. Because she always fumbles her flirtations, she needs help in finding her Prince Charming. So when her friend, Gretchen, sets her up as a tour guide for a new guy in town, she says yes despite her misgivings.
She just doesn’t expect Mr. Charming to actually be royalty…
A faction in his country wants him to be king, but Loch has no intention of taking the crown. To keep from being named as the next successor, he hatches a scheme to marry a totally unacceptable American woman. Quirky Taylor seems like the perfect person for the job, until Loch realizes he likes more about her than her ability to keep him off the throne.
When Loch’s secret schemes come out, his chance of happiness with Taylor are blown—unless he can find a way to get the nerdy object of his affection to believe she’s truly the queen of his heart..
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REVIEW: BILLIONAIRE ON THE LOOSE is the fifth installment in Jessica Clare’s contemporary adult Billionaire and Bridesmaids romance series -a spin off from her best selling Billionaire Boys Club series-that will focus on the wedding party attendants for the upcoming nuptials of Gretchen and Hunter (Billionaire Boys Club #2). This is IT consultant and online gamer Taylor, and Griffin Verdi’s (Billionaire Boys Club 4) cousin Bellissime Baron Loch delle Scogliere’s story line. BILLIONAIRE ON THE LOOSE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.
Told from dual third person points of view (Taylor and Loch) BILLIONAIRE ON THE LOOSE follows Baron Loch-sixth in line to the Bellissime throne- and just one of many cousins who refuse to accept their royal heritage and potential succession to the throne. The Queen is ready to step aside and couldn’t agree more that Loch is the least likely to ascend to the throne. To ensure Loch is hidden from the public and media scrutiny, our hero is sent to America while his cousin Princess Alexandra (Billionaire Boys Club 3.5) tries to conceive. Enter IT consultant and total klutz Taylor- the woman who will steal Baron Loch’s heart. What ensues is Loch’s seduction of Taylor, and Taylor’s struggles with an online stalker who uses everything in his repertoire to emotionally blackmail our story line heroine.
As an aside: The entire ‘online stalker’ subplot is questionable and disconcerting from so many angles- I am struggling with the heroine’s actions and reactions to the entire scenario.
The relationship between Loch and Taylor is one of immediate attraction. As a European royal Loch has never had to do anything for himself and discovers that he is ill-prepared for the real world and everything it has to offer. Loch is a sexy, blonde god of a man that attracts attention wherever he goes. Taylor is voluptuous, beautiful female whose klutziness is phenomenal leading to all sorts of personal injuries and potential hazards. As the story line develops our heroine finds herself falling for a man whose intent is to use whatever means possible to walk away from his birthright and the Bellissime throne. The $ex scenes are seductive and provocative but I did not feel the connection between our story line couple. Taylor has no intentions beyond a one-night stand- she is obsessed with her online gaming and has little time for anything else. Her gaming obsession (or addiction) controls and interferes with every aspect of her life; and Loch’s intentions are rife with betrayal and lies. Loch is a man who has yet to exert his independence and stumbles several times as he seeks his way in the USofA.
BILLIONAIRE ON THE LOOSE is another opposites attract story line –a billionaire Baron and the bumbling, klutzy, foul-mouthed heroine. Jessica Clare has used the same female formula several times throughout both of the series and I was hoping for a change up from the low-born, loud, and obnoxious bride who is more than a cartoon caricature of American clichés-sometimes change is good and I would welcome another well-educated, successful woman holding her own against one of the billionaire boys. The premise is entertaining ; the characters are determined and energetic; the romance is intimate but perplexing- I struggle with any emotional connection.
Copy supplied by Netgalley
Reviewed by Sandy
