Tag Archives: Lauren Layne

Miranda in Retrograde by Lauren Layne-dual review

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Miranda in Retrograde by Lauren Layne-dual review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date August 13, 2024

After getting passed over for tenure and having her life upended in the process, a physics professor decides to throw caution to the wind and live by her horoscope predictions for a year in this effervescent rom-com from the New York Times bestselling author of Made in Manhattan.

As the youngest physics professor at her university, practical-minded Miranda Reed plans her life with minute precision. But that’s before she’s denied tenure and the promotion she thought was guaranteed. Suddenly, her tidy life is anything but constant.

Overdue for a sabbatical, Miranda takes some time to look towards the stars—only this time, she’s not looking for black holes. With her faith in science shaken, Miranda turns to a practice she’s long dismissed as preposterous: astrology.

Determined to figure out why her life has suddenly gone sideways, Miranda commits to a year of letting her horoscope guide her. Soon she’s taking on new home improvement projects, adopting a new pet, and studying what the stars have to say about her ideal love match. The intriguingly aloof artist living next door? Never. His Aries energy is all wrong. On the other hand, the charming father of her new tutoring pupil is Sagittarian perfection. Made for her…right?

As Miranda navigates life with new a perspective, she slowly discovers neither science nor the stars have all the answers. And that, when it comes to love, you sometimes just have to trust your heart.

•••••

Sandy’s Review: MIRANDA IN RETROGRADE by Lauren Layne is a contemporary, adult, romance story line focusing on thirty-one year old physics professor Dr. Miranda Reed, and artist Simon Archer.

Told from first person perspective (Miranda) MIRANDA IN RETROGRADE follow Dr. Miranda Reed in the aftermath of not making tenure, and taking a year’s sabbatical to follow her horoscope, using astrology and the signs to show her the way. Without a place to live, Miranda sets up shop in her Aunt Lillian’s house where she will meet the neighbor, artist Simon Archer, the man with whom Miranda will fall in love but along the way, Miranda continues to take advise from the stars, and her relationship with Archer is threatened by her inability to follow her heart. What ensues is the tempestuous but growing relationship between Archer and Miranda, and the potential fall-out when betrayal threatens our heroine’s future.

The world building focuses on Miranda Reed as she follows her astrological chart to the point of obsession. Everything she does bounces back to the stars, and in this, she may miss the important events and people who call to her heart.

The relationship between Miranda and Archer begins as neighbors but Miranda refuses to bend on her need to follow the signs, and narrowly mises the opportunity to fall in love. Believing she has already met the man of her future, Miranda pushes away the man with whom she is falling in love. There are no $ex scenes.

We are introduced to Miranda’s friend Daphne, and Miranda’s aunt Lillian; her brothers Brian and Jamie as well as their parents; love interest Christian Hughes, his daughter Kylee, and Archer’s ex Alyssa.

MIRANDA IN RETROGRADE is a sweet yet quiet romance; a story of hope and fears, of expectations and friendships. The premise is inviting and imaginative ; the romance is subtle; the characters are animated and sassy.

________

Barb’s Review:  Miranda in Retrograde by Lauren Layne is a sweet standalone novel. I am a big fan of Lauren Layne, as she always has wonderful romantic stories. We meet, Dr. Miranda Reed, who is a very successful PhD astrophysics professor, and to her surprise, she is denied tenure to the university, even though all her students love her.  Miranda decides to take a sabbatical, and is encouraged by her BFF, to do something out of her comfort zone; and she chooses looking into Astrology. She decides to try and follow her horoscope rather than the logical life she has always lived. Miranda moves into her aunt’s loft, while the aunt goes away for the summer.

Miranda meets her aunt’s next-door neighbor, Archer, who is a well-known private artist, who refuses to show her his paintings, and though in time, they become friends.  Miranda slowly gets used to Archer’s grumpy ways; as learning more about her astrological suggestions, will open her up to other surprising things. Miranda and Archer have a slow-burn romance, that for the most part, was just a witty banter that led to a fun and hilarious friendship.  Miranda began to actively date Christian, as she was helping train his daughter, into learning more of astrology; but over time, she begins to know that Christian was a good friend, but no real romantic relationship. I really did like Archer and Miranda, as they had a fantastic relationship, even though both of them weren’t ready to open up to a possible relationship.  I thought that Archer had begun to have feelings for Miranda, but thought she was only interested in Christian.

Miranda in Retrograde was a fun, sweet, heartwarming and romantic story, filled with love. Archer and Miranda were great together as friends, and eventually falling in love. I did love them together.  I also liked the wonderful secondary characters, such as Aunt Lillian, her BFF Daphne, and even Christian and his daughter were very good. I loved the ending, as Miranda will find a terrific new career, and the wonderful love between her and Archer.   Miranda in Retrograde was so very well written by Lauren Layne.

 

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Made in Manhattan by Lauren Layne-dual review

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Made in Manhattan by Lauren Layne-dual review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 18, 2022

Violet Townsend has always been a people pleaser. Raised in the privileged world of Upper East Side Manhattan, she always says the right things, wears the right clothes, and never rocks the boat. Violet would do anything for the people closest to her, especially her beloved grandmother. So when she asks Violet to teach the newly-discovered grandson of her friend how to fit in with New York City’s elite, Violet immediately agrees. Her goal? To get Cain Stone ready to take his place as heir to his family company…but to say he’s not exactly an eager student is an understatement.

Born and raised in rural Louisiana and now making his own way in New Orleans, Cain Stone is only playing along for the paycheck at the end. He has no use for the grandmother he didn’t know existed and no patience for the uppity Violet’s attempts to turn him into a suit-wearing, museum-attending gentleman.

But somewhere amidst antagonistic dinner parties and tortured tux fittings, Cain and Violet come to a begrudging understanding—and the uptight Violet realizes she’s not the only one doing the teaching. As she and Cain begin to find mutual respect for one another (and maybe even something more), Violet learns that blindly following society’s rules doesn’t lead to happiness…and that sometimes the best things in life come from the most unexpected places.

••••••••

Sandy’s Review: MADE IN MANHATTAN by Lauren Layne is a contemporary, adult, stand alone romance story line focusing on Manhattan socialite Violet Townsend, and New Orleans’ businessman Cain Stone.

Told from third person perspective (Violet) MADE IN MANHATTAN focuses on Violet Townsend’s assignment to turn New Orleans businessman Cain Stone into a civilized and respectable Manhattan heir. With the death of the father he never knew, Cain Stone discovered he was the sole heir apparent to the billion dollar Rhodes Industry, a company currently controlled by Edith Rhodes, the grandmother he never met but Cain has not been raised in the finer points of society’s upper crust, and Violet Townsend, Cain’s grandmother’s ‘helper’ has been tasked with ensuring Cain is presentable to the Board in control. Constantly at odds with one another, their barely veiled, palpable sexual attraction finds Violet reconsidering her own future, a future that may or may not include the man with whom she is falling in love. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Violet and Cain, and the potential fall-out as Violet wants something more than Cain is willing to give.

Cain Stone never knew his father, in fact, he never met the family that now wants our hero to take control but Cain’s lack of refinement, and rugged appearance does not bode well for his future prospects. Violet Townsend is a socialite, a snob who is used to the finer things in life but a woman who has suffered many losses along the way. Struggling to remain neutral in the face of her attraction to her mentor’s grandson, Violet will find herself falling for a man whose future may not include our story line heroine.

The relationship between Violet and Cain begins as a reverse ‘My Fair Lady’ in which Violet has been tasked with making Cain Stone presentable to the rich and powerful of Manhattan society. Already in a committed but lacklustre relationship, Violet must come to terms with what she wants, and whose heart she is willing to break along the way. Cain Stone never wanted to take control of his absentee father’s business but learning the ins and outs of Rhodes Industry finds Cain reevaluating and reassessing his long term goals. Keeping his distance from our story line heroine proves to be more difficult than Cain could have imagined but falling in love was never in the cards. The lone $ex scene is passionate but mostly implied.

We are introduced to Cain’s grandmother Edith Rhodes, as well as Violet’s boyfriend Keith, and Violet’s friend Ashley Shores.

MADE IN MANHATTAN is a story of family and relationships, perception and love. The premise is charming and engaging; the slow building romance is seductive; the characters are determined, desperate and dynamic.

Barb’s Review:
Made in Manhattan by Lauren Layne is another one of her wonderful romances. We meet our heroine, Violet Townsend, who grew up living a privileged life in the Upper East Side of Manhattan; her parents died when she was a child, and lived with her grandmother, who passed away when she was an adult.  Violet loved the life she lived, always wearing the right clothes, shoes, as well as being well liked by everyone.  Violet worked closely with Edith, her grandmother’s best friend, who treats her like her own granddaughter; Edith owns a multibillion-dollar business, The Rhodes Company.  To Violet’s surprise, Edith gives her an impossible task: to train Edith’s newly discovered grandson (who lived in Louisiana, and doesn’t want to be here), how to fit in with the elite of New York and eventually take his place as heir.  Needless to say, Violet has her hands full.

Cain Stone, our hero, was also surprised to find out about being Edith’s grandson, and is he was a bit grumpy early on, not eager to listen to either lady; especially since he was happy in New Orleans, but he knew he couldn’t ignore the possibility of becoming a billionaire.  Violet goes above and beyond to teach Cain how to act, as well as how to dress to make a good appearance, since he will need to eventually interview with the Rhodes Board of Directors. They clashed often, with Cain acting resentful, impatient, rough around the edges, and wanting to do things his way.

The more time they spend together, each begins to learn more about each other, and find common grounds; respecting each other, leading to slow burn opposites attract romance.  I really liked Violet, and despite his smugness and complaints, she began to find him more charming each passing day, not to mention hot. I did not care too much for Cain in the beginning, but he too started falling for Violet, as well as listen more to his grandmother, by the last half I really started liking him.  Layne gives us some great secondary characters, with Edith, Avery, Alvin and of course Violet cute adorable dog (who Cain kept calling ‘Toto’)

What follows is a sweet slow build romance between two unlikely people.  Made in Manhattan was a fun, enjoyable, uplifting, fast paced story that was very well written by Lauren Layne. I absolutely loved the wonderful epilogue which left me smiling.  I have enjoyed everything I have read by Layne, as she writes such wonderful fun pure romances.  If you enjoy pure romances, great couples, and secondary characters, you should read this story.  If you have not read Lauren Layne, you need to start now.

 

Copies supplied for review

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To Sir, With Love by Lauren Layne- Dual Review

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To Sir, With Love by Lauren Layne -dual review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 29, 2021

Love Is Blind meets You’ve Got Mail in this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy following two thirty-somethings who meet on a blind dating app—only to realize that their online chemistry is nothing compared to their offline rivalry.

Perpetually cheerful and eager to please, Gracie Cooper strives to make the best out of every situation. So when her father dies just months after a lung cancer diagnosis, she sets aside her dreams of pursuing her passion for art to take over his Midtown Manhattan champagne shop. She soon finds out that the store’s profit margins are being squeezed perilously tight, and complicating matters further, a giant corporation headed by the impossibly handsome, but irritatingly arrogant Sebastian Andrews is proposing a buyout. But Gracie can’t bear the thought of throwing away her father’s dream like she did her own.

Overwhelmed and not wanting to admit to her friends or family that she’s having second thoughts about the shop, Gracie seeks advice and solace from someone she’s never met—the faceless “Sir”, with whom she connected on a blind dating app where matches get to know each other through messages and common interests before exchanging real names or photos.

But although Gracie finds herself slowly falling for Sir online, she has no idea she’s already met him in real life…and they can’t stand each other.

•••••••

Sandy’s REVIEW:

TO SIR, WITH LOVE by Lauren Layne, is a contemporary, adult, stand alone romance story focusing on businessman Sebastian Andrews, and Gracie Cooper.

Told from first person perspective (Gracie Cooper) TO SIR, WITH LOVE follows the enemies to lovers relationship between businessman Sebastian Andrews, and Gracie Cooper. Four years earlier Gracie Cooper, along with her brother Caleb, and sister Lily lost their only surviving parent to cancer. When neither of her siblings was willing to take over the family owned wine and champagne shop, Gracie gave up her dream of becoming a professional artist to run the struggling shop in Midtown Manhattan but an offer to buy out the business in preparation for a Midtown highrise found our heroine battling between head and heart knowing that to give in means to give up her father’s dream, a dream that she no longer shared. Enter businessman Sebastian Andrews. What ensues is the acrimonious relationship between Gracie and Sebastian, and the potential fall-out when an on-line relationship reveals the truth about the mystery man she refers to as ‘sir’.

Gracie Cooper met a man on-line who accidentally signed up for a blind dating app but our heroine is struggling with the reality of the ‘imaginary’ relationship to a man with whom she is falling in love, a man she has never met and most likely will not. Meanwhile our hero, Sebastian Andrews has had no luck convincing Gracie to sell her shop, a shop that is currently standing in the way of Manhattan renewal but Sebastian is slowly falling for the determined thirty-three year old woman, a woman who had found herself falling for a man who may not be real.

The relationship between Gracie and Sebastian is tempestuous at best. Sebastian’s company wants to buy the family owned store, inevitably putting Gracie out of business but a Gracie struggles to keep the business afloat, Sebastian begins to work behind the scenes in an effort to protect the woman with whom he is falling in love. There are no $ex scenes or physical interactions between our leading couple.

We are introduced to Gracie’s brother Caleb, and their sister Lily, and her husband Alex; Gracie’s friends Rachel,and Keva; employees Josh and May, as well as Sebastian’s friend Genevieve, and his parents Vanessa and Gary Andrews.

TO SIR, WITH LOVE is an updated reimagining of ‘You’ve Got Mail™’. Neither Gracie nor Sebastian is aware that they have fallen for one another through an anonymous dating app but the reality is their situation begins to slowly blend into their everyday life. The premise is heart warming and pleasant; the romance is sweet but limited to their growing attraction to one another; the characters are stubborn, realistic and inspiring.

_______

Barb’s REVIEW

To Sir, With Love by Lauren Layne is another one of her wonderful sweet romantic novels.  Gracie Cooper, our heroine, runs the family Champagne shop, after the death of her father; putting aside her passion for painting. She is determined to find ways to increase the low profits for the shop.   Gracie is sweet, smart, loyal and liked by everyone.  A big corporation has been trying to buy her out, which she continually refuses, and now meets the man behind the proposal, who immediately comes across as arrogant, as well as extremely handsome.

Sebastian Andrews is determined to convince Gracie to sell to his company, though they both get off on the wrong foot.  Despite his showing her that she cannot survive in the long term, and could lose the business; he also tries to propose that she can move to a different location with success.  As stubborn as they both are, Gracie fights off her attraction to Sebastian; and he knows that he is beginning to have feelings for her.  In a short time, their relationship heats up, but Gracie also has someone else she is falling for.

Gracie meets ‘Sir’ on a faceless dating app, as they have fun texting to each other; the banter between them was cute.  Though she is enjoying her texting, Gracie spends more time with Sebastian, and their chemistry is off the wall. Who will Gracie choose the handsome sexy Sebastian or the fun unknown ‘Sir”?

As time went on, I loved Sebastian and Gracie together, especially when he praised and pushed her to go back to her love of art, which he thought were the signs of a great painter. I really loved all the secondary characters that were great; as Lauren Layne always creates wonderful and likeable characters. To Sir, With Love was a sweet, heartwarming, romantic and uplifting story.  I have enjoyed everything I have read by Layne, as she writes such wonderful fun pure romances.  If you like heartwarming romances, great couple, sexy and fun, look no further than anything by Lauren Layne.

 

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Lauren Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen romantic comedies.

A former e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.

She lives in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In LL’s ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.

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Yours to Keep by Lauren Layne – Dual Review

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Yours to Keep (Man of the Year #2) by Lauren Layne – Dual Review

 

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Description:
Pro baseball shortstop Carter Ramsey is about to be Citizen magazine’s Man of the Year, but the only title that matters to him is out of reach: World Series MVP. Benched by a recent injury, Carter retreats to his hometown to recover. His ten-year class reunion and a potential reconciliation with the sweetheart he left behind could be perfect distractions. Until another old acquaintance throws Carter a curveball.

Olive Dunn admits that her former high school science partner is still a handsome charmer. But she wasn’t swayed then, and she won’t be swayed now. Because Olive remembers Carter’s little shortcoming: he tends to bail the moment it suits him, without a backward glance. Best to keep her feelings strictly platonic while he’s in town.

Except the entitled boy she knew is a changed man: solid, reflective, and generous. As they ease back in to their familiar friendship, things take a surprising turn, and Carter and Olive must decide if what they have is a passing flirtation or a real shot at love.

 

Sandy’s Review: YOURS TO KEEP is the second instalment in Lauren Layne’s contemporary, adult MAN OF THE YEAR romance series. This is professional baseball player Carter Ramsey, and high school biology teacher Olive Dunn’s story line. YOURS TO KEEP can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Olive and Carter) YOURS TO KEEP follows in the aftermath of a possible career ending injury for our hero, and Citizen Magazine’s Man of the Year Carter Ramsey. Returning to his home town of Haven for his ten year high school reunion, Carter finds that his pregnant sister has volunteered his time on the reunion committee where he will me his former lab partner Olive Dunn. Olive is now the high school biology teacher, having never moved from their home town but Olive never expected to fall for Carter, the boy who had fallen in love with someone else. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Carter and Olive, and the potential fall-out as Carter’s old flame returns looking for a second chances, and Carter’s time in Haven, comes to a close.

Carter Ramsey struggled in the aftermath of an injury with the potential to end his career but Carter had a couple of secrets including the real reason he had returned to his home town of Haven. Working with Olive meant getting a change to know the outspoken, animated and ‘perfect’ woman but Carter never expected to fall in love. Olive Dunn was never the prom queen or high school cheerleader, in fact, Olive was the high school nerd. Knowing that Carter was only in town for a few short weeks, Olive finds herself falling for a man who was about to break her heart.

The relationship between Olive and Carter is a friends to lovers relationship with an end date that will come sooner rather than later. Carter Ramsey’s career meant time in Haven had come to an end, as had his relationship with the woman with whom he had fallen in love. The back and forth banter between Carter and Olive is quirky and delightful. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Olive’s friend Kelly Blakely; Carter’s sister Caitlyn and her husband AJ; Carter’s high school friend Jacob Jakey Kutcher and his wife Becky; Carter’s parents Warren and Tracy, and his ex Felicity George.

YOURS TO KEEP is a sweet and sexy story line; a fast paced tale of attraction and love, friendship and happily ever afters. The premise is engaging; the romance is seductive; the characters are sassy and fun.

Barb’s Review:
Yours to Keep by Lauren Layne is another one of her wonderful romances and the 2nd book in her Man of the Year series.  We meet Carter Ramsey, our hero, who is a famous professional baseball player who is now sidelined from an injury and will miss the rest of the season.  Prior to his injury, he knew that his face will be plastered on all magazines, as he was named The Man of the Year. Carter is a bit depressed about his injury, worrying he may never return to the game he loves. He decides to back to his home town, for a little privacy, and as his pregnant sister tells him that his high school sweetheart is also coming to town. When Carter arrives at his rented house, to his shock he learns that the girl next door is his old lab partner.

Olive Dunn, our heroine, has no qualms of pushing her way into people’s lives, and when she realizes that her temporary next-door neighbor is Carter, she immediately takes over everything that he needs to have done; a rented car, fix the house, make him help her co-chair their high school reunion, etc.  The town loves Olive, as she is friends with everyone, and they love her flamboyant way helping others and telling them what to do.  Carter is amused how Olive takes control of his life, as she is a whirlwind talking nonstop, that even I got a bit dizzy.  But who cannot resist a friend like Olive? 

While Carter awaits the arrival of his ex-high school sweetheart that he has not seen for 10 years, he and Olive become friends, as she has him helping her with everything, including fun outings, drinking with old friends.  They remember the old days when they were lab partners, and now Olive is a science teacher at their school.  Olive is not Carter’s type, but over time he begins to see her in a different light, and enjoys the fun flirty bantering between them.  In a short time, Carter realizes he is having fun, enjoying his time with Olive, even if she can be a bit complicated or even over board a few times, but as time goes on, he knows he is falling for her;  but he also knows she will never leave town as she loves her job, and he wants to go back to playing baseball.  Is there a future for them?

What follows is a slow build romance between two unlikely people.  Yours to Keep was a fun, enjoyable, fast paced story that was very well written by Lauren Layne.  Olive was a fantastic heroine, and Carter was fun, sweet and hot.  The chemistry between them escalated as we got closer to the last 1/3 of the story.  If you enjoy pure sweet feel good romances, look no further this Man of the Year series, and a fantastic writer in Lauren Layne.

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Yours In Scandal (Man of the Year #1) by Lauren Layne-Dual review

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Yours In Scandal (Man of the Year #1) by Lauren Layne- Dual review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 10, 2020

Fresh off being named Citizen magazine’s Man of the Year, New York City’s youngest mayor, Robert Davenport, decides it’s time to strategize. Next move: a bid for the governor’s seat. In his way: an incumbent with a flawless reputation. He also has an Achilles’ heel: an estranged wild-child daughter with a past so scandalous it could be Robert’s ticket to victory. And a charm so irresistible it could be Robert’s downfall.

Rebellion is a thing of the past for Adeline Blake. As New York’s premier event planner, she’s all about reform and respectability. Then she’s approached by Robert to organize the party of the season. Curious, considering he’s her father’s most formidable opponent. And alarming, too. Because Addie can’t help but fall for the righteously popular candidate with the movie-star smile.

Now it’s Robert’s choice. Does he pursue a future that holds his legacy? Or the woman who holds his heart?

••••••••

SANDY’S REVIEW:YOURS IN SCANDAL is the first instalment in Lauren Layne’s contemporary, adult MAN OF THE YEAR romance series. This is twenty-eight year old, event planner Adeline Blake, and thirty-five year old, New York Mayor Robert Davenport’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Adeline and Robert) YOURS IN SCANDAL follows the building relationship between event planner Adeline Blake, and New York Mayor Robert Davenport. Robert Davenport’s second term as the mayor of New York is coming to an end and our hero wants to make a run for the Governor but his campaign chairman first wants dirt on the incumbent, and what better way than to pull skeletons from the closet, starting first with the Governor’s estranged daughter. Adeline Blake knows scandal and heart break better than anyone else, and as such, has distanced herself from her father, a man for whom she has no respect but when she is called to the Mayor’s office, our heroine is both surprised and leery when the Mayor asks Adeline to plan a party for the end of his term. What ensues is the slow building friendship and relationship between Robert and Adeline, and the potential fall-out as Adeline’s past is revealed with the intent to destroy our story line hero.

Adeline Blake was the proverbial wild child but secrets from her past destroyed all hopes for a future with her father, and in this Adeline changed directions in life, including a new identity, and no affiliation with the man she once loved. Meeting Mayor Robert Davenport sent warning flags for our story line heroine knowing the Mayor was hoping for a run for the Governor,against her father, a man she hates and despises. Robert Davenport never wanted to play dirty politics but his campaign chair insisted there was a story to tell. Thirty-five and single, Robert had never found his own happily ever after but meeting Adeline Blake gave Robert a hope for the future, a future that could very well be destroyed if Adeline discovered the truth behind their original meeting.

The relationship between Adeline and Robert begins as a business arrangement albeit a business arrangement meant for underhanded purposes. As the date for the party nears Robert finds himself wanting something more from our story line heroine but something more could mean disaster when the truth is revealed. The $ex scenes are limited but passionate and intense.

We are introduced to Robert’s campaign chair Martin, and his chief of staff, thirty-seven year old Kenny Lamb; PA Darlene, as well as Adeline’s friends Rosalie and Jane Kim.

YOURS IN SCANDAL is a cute but predictable story line; a sexy and easy read with a playful hero, and reluctant heroine. The premise is interesting and entertaining; the characters are tenacious; the romance is energetic and encouraging

 

BARB’S REVIEW:
Yours in Scandal by Lauren Layne is the 1st book in her new Man of the Year series.  Robert Davenport, our hero, is the youngest Mayor of New York city, has just been named the Man of the Year and he is single.  As his term as mayor is about to end in a couple of months, he and his top staff make plans for him to run for Governor.  As Robert plans to have a party to end his term, his campaign manager tells him to hire an event planner, who he says is the long missing daughter of the current governor, in disguise; the manager wants him to find out any secret information on her father.  Robert is enticed to meet this woman, but is not keen on being sneaky.

Adeline Blake, has a newly successful Event Planning business, and we learn immediately that she changed her name and appearance, to get away from her mean father, the Governor.  Adeline was Addie Bennett, the media’s wild child, who had left her life 5 years ago, as her father treated her very badly.  She is surprised when the Mayor wants her to plan his event, and she is determined to stay out of the spotlight and anything political.  But there is something about the Mayor that draws her attention, as he is not only charming, but very handsome. 

 What follows is a slow burn romance between two unlikely people; the mayor and a political force and a woman with a bad reputation as a wild child.  I loved Robert and Adeline together, as their chemistry was off the wall, and they were so good together.  Will Robert succumb to his feelings for Adeline, especially with the threat of ruining his political ambitions?  Will Adeline allow her feelings for Robert to be pulled back into the political field, which she ran away from?

Yours in Scandal was a quick read, that was a sweet, light, humorous fun story, which was very well written by Lauren Layne.  I absolutely loved the wonderful epilogue which left me with a happy face.  If you enjoy pure romances, great couples, and secondary characters, you should read this story.  If you have not read Lauren Layne, you need to start now.

 

Copy supplied by Netgalley

 

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Marriage on Madison Avenue by Lauren Layne-Dual Review and Tour

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Marriage on Madison Avenue (Central Park Pact #3) by Lauren Layne-Dual Review & tour

 

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From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne, comes the final installment of the Central Park Pact series, a heartfelt and laugh-out-loud romantic comedy that’s perfect for fans of Sally Thorne and Christina Lauren.

Can guys and girls ever be just friends? According to Audrey Tate and Clarke West, absolutely. After all, they’ve been best friends since childhood without a single romantic entanglement. Clarke is the charming playboy Audrey can always count on, and he knows that the ever-loyal Audrey will never not play along with his strategy for dodging his matchmaking mother—announcing he’s already engaged…to Audrey.

But what starts out as a playful game between two best friends turns into something infinitely more complicated, as just-for-show kisses begin to stir up forbidden feelings. As the faux wedding date looms closer, Audrey and Clarke realize that they can never go back to the way things were, but deep down, do they really want to?

••••••••••

Sandy’s Review MARRIAGE ON MADISON AVENUE is the third and final instalment in Lauren Layne’s contemporary, adult CENTRAL PARK PACT sweet romance series focusing on three friends: Naomi Powell, Audrey Tate and Claire Hayes-three woman who would discover there were all in a relationship with the same man. This is thirty-one year old, businessman Clarke West, and twenty-nine year old, social media influencer Audrey Tate’s story line. MARRIAGE ON MADISON AVENUE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading book one, PASSION ON PARK AVENUE, for back story and history.

SOME BACKGROUND: Approximately 18 months earlier, Claire Hayes, newly widowed discovered that her husband of seven years had been having numerous affairs including affairs with the two women who would become her best friends. The Central Park Pact was an agreement to never let one another fall for a womanizer like the man with whom they had all fallen in love.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Clarke and Audrey) MARRIAGE ON MADISON AVENUE follows the childhood, best friends to lovers, fake fiancé relationship between thirty-one year old, businessman Clarke West, and twenty-nine year old, social media influencer Audrey Tate. Audrey Tate considers herself a loser at love, and social media appears to agree calling her cursed when it comes to men and love. As her best friends begin to fall in love, Audrey becomes the odd woman out until Clarke West offers a deal that would likely stop his mother from trying to set him up with a woman from his past-a fake engagement to quiet the haters but an engagement that quickly spirals out of control. What ensues is the fall-out of a relationship that is threatened by jealousy and the inability to see the forest for the trees.

Audrey Tate and Clarke West both consider themselves non-marriage material, and continue to reiterate the belief at every opportunity but as the ‘fake’ engagement begins to take on a life of its own, our couple struggle between head and heart preferring to ignore the obvious when it is obvious to everyone else.

The relationship between Audrey and Clarke is a best friends to lovers/fake engagement that finds our couple doing what couples have done from the beginning of time but Audrey refuses to acknowledge the elephant in the room believing herself cursed to never marry or fall in love. Clarke struggles with a failed relationship from the past, a relationship that is hoping for something more. The $ex scenes are all implied and fade to black.

All of the previous story line couples play secondary and supporting roles: Naomi and Oliver (Passion on Park Avenue), Claire and Scott (Love on Lexington Avenue), as well as the introduction of Clarke’s mother and father Linda and Alton West; and his ex-girlfriend Elizabeth Milsap.

MARRIAGE ON MADISON AVENUE is a story of jealousy, controlling parents, past mistakes, and moving forward in life. The premise is entertaining; the characters are energetic; the romance struggles in the face of secrets and lies, and in this I did not feel the connection between our story line couple, and I struggled to like our story line heroine.

From the outset Audrey is quick to dismiss any action that resembles a loving relationship but it is her friendship with Clarke that is battling to survive. From my perspective, Audrey is immature and self-centred, and all she cares about is her social media image, but again, it is her image that forced our couple to take drastic steps in an effort to fend off trolls and commenters. Clarke’s mother Linda is desperate to reunite Clarke with the woman from his past but Clarke only sees Audrey, a woman who is unable to see beyond the immediate gratification of social media. MARRIAGE ON MADISON AVENUE is a frustrating read but the author has done her work if she can get an emotional response, one way or another.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Passion on Park Avenue
Love on Lexington Avenue
Marriage on Madison Avenue

Barb’s Review:
Marriage on Madison Avenue by Lauren Layne is the 3rd book in her Central Park Pact series. This is the final book in this wonderful trilogy focusing on three heroines of this series, who became friends after the death of the cheating husband/boyfriend; the concept of these fabulous friends helping and supporting each other was great.

Audrey Tate is the third heroine, and we knew whom her “perfect love” would be.  We got to know Audrey and her best friend, Clarke West from the start of this series; as they have been friends since they were kids.  Clarke has always been a playboy, and loves hanging around with Audrey.  When Audrey starts getting bad publicity from her popular Instagram account, she and Clarke devise a plan to pretend they are engaged. When Clarke’s mom becomes involved, and brings in Clarke’s ex-girlfriend, things begins to change. At first, they have fun playing the fake engagement, and in a short time, they begin to feel things and see each other in a different light. As the wedding date looms closer, with their feelings escalated, will they cancel or go through the wedding?

What follows is a fun, delightful, flirty romance between two people that have been together for many years, and could never see what was right in front of them.  It was a lot of fun to see Audrey go through all the steps of a wedding; party, tastings, wedding planner, bridesmaid gowns, and having her two best friends help her (Naomi and Claire); knowing that the wedding plans will eventually be cancelled.  But best laid plans do not always work out. I really did like Audrey and Clarke together and rooted hard for them to open their eyes. 

I adored the fantastic friendship between Naomi, Claire and Audrey, with each of them going out of their way to be supportive and help them find the right man and just being there for each other.

The story was very well written by Lauren Layne, with the fantastic concept of these women who did not know each other in the beginning but became the best of friends; and Layne also has created some wonderful secondary characters.  Marriage on Madison Avenue was a fun, sweet, passionate finale with another fabulous couple, and the enjoyment of spending time with the previous books couples.  This was a fantastic and delightful series, which you should not miss.     

 

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Lauren Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen romantic comedies.

A former e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.

She lives in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In LL’s ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.

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Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne -Reviews, Excerpt & Giveaway

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Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne – Reviews, Excerpt & Giveaway

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple

 

Description:
There are no good men left in New York City. At least that’s Claire Hayes’s conviction after finding out her late husband was not the man she thought he was. Determined to rid her home of anything that reminds her of her cheating husband, Claire sets out to redesign her boring, beige Upper East Side brownstone and make it something all her own. But what starts out as a simple renovation becomes a lot more complicated when she meets her bad-tempered and rough-around-the-edges contractor Scott Turner.

Scott bluntly makes it known to Claire that he only took on her house for a change of pace from the corporate offices and swanky hotels he’s been building lately, and he doesn’t hesitate to add that he has no patience for a pampered, damaged princess with a penchant for pink. But when long workdays turn into even longer nights, their mutual wariness morphs into something more complicated—a grudging respect, and maybe even attraction…

 

Sandy’s Review:
LOVE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE is the second instalment in Lauren Layne’s contemporary, adult CENTRAL PARK PACT romance series focusing on three friends: Naomi Powell, Audrey Tate and Claire Hayes-three woman who would discover there were all in a relationship with the same man. This is thirty-five year old, widow Claire Hayes, and renovator Scott Turner’s story line. LOVE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalment is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading book one PASSION ON PARK AVENUE for back story and history.

SOME BACKGROUND: Approximately one year earlier, Claire Hayes, newly widowed discovered that her husband of seven years was having numerous affairs including affairs with the two women who would become her best friends. The Central Park Pact was an agreement to never let one another fall for a womanizer like the man with whom they had all fallen in love.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Claire and Scott) LOVE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE follows Claire Hayes, one year after the death of her philandering husband. Having just turned thirty-five years old, wanting something new in her life, Claire decides to renovate her Lexington Avenue home with the recommendation of her new best friend Naomi Powell. Enter contractor/renovator Scott Turner, and the man with whom Claire would fall in love. What ensues is the acrimonious but building relationship between Claire and Scott, and the potential fall-out as the renovations to Claire’s home, come to a close.

Scott Turner never expected Claire Hayes- a smart-mouthed, young widow who struggles with her place in the world. Not one to do relationships, Scott finds himself attraction to Claire Hayes, but a ‘friends with benefits’ relationship is all he is willing to offer. Having been burned in the past, Scott isn’t willing to lose his heart to anyone else. Claire Hayes has struggled with what happened and why. Having turned what could have been a disaster into a triple friendship with the other women scorned by her cheating husband, Claire battles her attraction to Scott knowing their time together comes with a deadline.. Believing herself too vanilla and boring, Claire begins to step out of her comfort zone with the help of the man with whom she will fall in love. The $ex scenes are all implied.

We are reintroduced to Naomi Powell, and her significant other Oliver Cunningham (Passion on Park Avenue #1), Audrey Tate and her best friend Clarke West.

LOVE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE is a story of friendships, support, struggle and love. The premise is engaging and energetic; the romance is passionate and sweet; the characters are a little broken, colorful and fun.

click HERE for Sandy and Barb’s reviews of book one PASSION ON PARK AVENUE
___________

Barb’s Review:

Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne is the 2nd book in her Central Park Pact series. I really enjoyed the first book of this series, and the wonderful friendship between the three heroines of this series.  I am happy to say that I enjoyed Love on Lexington Avenue as much as I did in the first book. 

Claire Hayes, our heroine in this book, is the wife of the deceased man each of the ladies bonded over. Claire is determined to change the design of her brownstone home, which continues to remind her of her cheating late husband.  Claire thinks she is boring and living a vanilla life, even if her two friends who have become very supportive of each other tell her differently.  A brief refresher:  Naomi, our last book heroine, was one of Claire’s husband’s mistresses and Audrey, was another.  All three support each other to make sure none of them fall for a man like their “ex”. 

Scott Turner, our hero, is the contractor who will change the home (he is friend to Naomi’s boyfriend); both of them get off on the wrong foot when they first meet.  Scott comes across as short tempered, arrogant and negative on any ideas that Claire might have. Claire learns that he is considered one of the best and most successful contractors worldwide, and decides to allow him to make changes, as well as give back the same attitude to him.  The banter between them was really good, even if Scott was rude to her at times.  But soon after they begin to work together, they both begin to feel the attraction to each other, even if they are determined to ignore it; especially Scott who enjoys spending time with other women, with no commitments.   Claire decides that she wants to go out and see if she can flirt with a guy, and approaches Scott to help her pick a man for a one-night stand; she wants to feel sexy again.

Scott will take her to a bar, but begins to feel jealousy when other men come on to her.  Claire begins to see another side to the grumpy Scott, and slowly falls hard for him.  They will give in to their sexual tension between them, with the knowledge that there is no future.  Best laid plans do not always work out. lol

Love on Lexington Avenue was a sweet, fun, slow burn romance that was so very well done by Layne.  I loved Claire and Scott over time.  I adored the fantastic friendship between Claire, Naomi and Audrey, with each of them going out of there way to be supportive and help them past their grief, anger and just being there for each other.

The story was very well written by Lauren Layne, with the fantastic concept of these women who did not know each other in the beginning but became the best of friends; and Layne also has created some wonderful secondary characters.   Love on Lexington Avenue was a fun story, with lots of charisma, and I cannot wait for Audrey’s story next.  I suggest you read this series, and start with the first book, Passion on Park Avenue.

Copy provided by Publisher

Excerpt provided by the publisher
 

SATURDAY, JULY 21It would have been downright tacky to say so out loud, but anyone who was anyone in New York City knew that the funeral of Brayden Daniel Hayes was the social event of the summer.
Not because Brayden was at the top of Manhattan’s A-list.
He’d been more on the periphery, the type of guy who was in the solar system but was a forgettable moon, orbiting around someone else’s more impressive planet. Brayden had money, but not big money. He’d been on the attractive side of average, but still average. Well-liked, but not adored.
For most of his relatively short adult life, Brayden Hayes had been solidly in the oh yeah, that guy category of society. The type who came and went through life without causing much of a blip.
Except, of course, if the way one left said life was an accidental drowning.
At the age of thirty-five.
With two empty bottles of sauvignon blanc rolling around one’s sailboat. To say nothing of the rumors of what he’d been doing before he’d set sail. Or who he’d been doing.
That kind of death could catapult just about anyone to Page Six for the season.
And so, on a sunny afternoon in July, Manhattan’s elite sat in Central Presbyterian Church on Park and Sixty-Fourth, their expressions the perfect masks of somber respect, even as they quietly exaggerated their closeness to the deceased.
Did you hear? He’d just accepted my dinner party invitation the day before they found him. I should have known something was up. When we caught up just last week, he wasn’t at all himself. He and I dated once, years ago. I can’t help but think what might have been . . .
Others had never met the man, and so merely gossiped amongst themselves, wondering if the rumors were true that his body had been found naked. If it was true that it was an NYU undergrad who’d called the Coast Guard when he hadn’t met her at the dock as they’d planned.
But at the heart of all the hissed whispers beneath black hats and somber suits was one delicious, looming question mark.
Where was Claire Hayes?
As it turned out, not everyone was at Brayden’s funeral.
In the front pew of the church, where Brayden’s family sat stoically listening to placid words of a life ended too soon, a prime front-row seat stayed conspicuously, shockingly vacant.
Even as the theories on why reached a fever pitch, three women who’d only just met sat a mere few blocks away on a bench in Central Park, having two vital things in common:

1. Matching Louboutins.
2. A very intimate connection to Brayden Hayes.

And so, as strangers who’d barely known the man began filing out of the church, murmuring plans of mimosas and imminent returns to Hamptons vacation homes, these three women who knew him better than anyone were making a very different sort of plan altogether.
The wife.
The girlfriend.
The mistress.
They had a pact.
To never, ever let one another fall for a womanizer like Brayden Hayes again.

 


 

Follow: Facebook / Goodreads / Twitter /Website /Instagram

Lauren Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen romantic comedies.

A former e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.

She lives in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In LL’s ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.

 

Lauren Layne and Simon and Schuster is graciously offering a paper copy of LOVE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1.  If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging into The Reading Cafe, please refresh the page, at the top of your computer.

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8. Giveaway open to USA only

9. Giveaway runs from September 17-21,2019

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Passion on Park Avenue by Lauren Layne-Reviews, Excerpt & Giveaway

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PASSION ON PARK AVENUE (Central Park Pact #1) by Lauren Layne-Dual Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

PASSION ON PARK AVENUE
Central Park Pact #1
by Lauren Layne
Release Date: May 25, 2019
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 25, 2019.

the first in a sizzling new series following the unlikely friendship of three Upper East Side women as they struggle to achieve their dreams and find true love and happiness in the city that never sleeps.

For as long as she can remember, Bronx-born Naomi Powell has had one goal: to prove her worth among the Upper East Side elite—the same people for which her mom worked as a housekeeper. Now, as the strongminded, sassy CEO of one of the biggest jewelry empires in the country, Naomi finally has exactly what she wants—but it’s going to take more than just the right address to make Manhattan’s upper class stop treating her like an outsider.

The worst offender is her new neighbor, Oliver Cunningham—the grown son of the very family Naomi’s mother used to work for. Oliver used to torment Naomi when they were children, and as a ridiculously attractive adult, he’s tormenting her in entirely different ways. Now they find themselves engaged in a battle-of-wills that will either consume or destroy them…

Filled with charm and heart and plenty of sex and snark, this entertaining series will hook you from the very first page.

•••••••••••••••••

Sandy’s REVIEW:

PASSION ON PARK AVENUE is the first instalment in Lauren Layne’s contemporary, adult CENTRAL PARK PACT romance series focusing on three friends: Naomi Powell, Audrey Tate and Claire Hayes-three woman who would discover there were all in a relationship with the same man. This is thirty year olds, successful business-woman Naomi Powell, and architect Oliver Cunningham’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives ( Naomi and Oliver) PASSION ON PARK AVENUE follows Naomi Powell days after the death of Braydon Hayes, a man whose infidelities would bring three strangers together, forming a friendship that would push them closer together. Six months after the death of her mother Danica Fields, millionaire business woman Naomi Powell would be invited to join one of the wealthiest apartment units on Park Avenue-the caveat- it is the same apartment building where her life had spiralled out of control twenty years earlier, when her mother was caught having an affair with the man that she worked for. Fast forward twenty years, wherein, Naomi will come face to face with her past in the guise of thirty year old Oliver Cunningham, the son of the man that destroyed her mother’s life. What ensues is the enemies to lovers relationship between Naomi and Oliver, and the potential fall-out as Naomi is reluctant to reveal the source of her animosity towards Oliver and the Cunningham family, a reluctance that is about to blow up in her face.

Naomi Powell wanted retribution for her mother. Six months after her mother’s death, Naomi would discover that Danica Fields put into motion Naomi’s path for revenge, revenge that would stutter when Naomi comes face to face with her childhood nemesis. Oliver Cunningham has no idea why his new neighbor despises the ground upon which he walks. With her unwillingness to reveal the source of her animosity, Oliver can only presume that the woman with whom he is falling in love has suffered greatly at the hands of a previous love.

The relationship between Oliver and Naomi is a frenemies to lovers romance wherein Naomi battles between head and heart knowing that torment and loss her mother suffered at the hands of the Cunningham family. Oliver’s attraction to Naomi is instant but our heroine tries to keep her distance from the man with whom she will fall in love. The lone $ex scene fades to black and is mostly implied.

We are introduced to Audrey Tate and Claire Hayes; Naomi’s assistant Deena; Audrey’s best friend Clarke West; Oliver’s father Walter Cunningham; his caretaker Janice; Oliver’s friend and fellow architect Scott Turner. Claire and Scott’s story line is next in LOVE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE.

PASSION ON PARK AVENUE is a story of betrayal; of vengeance; of broken memories, heart break and loss; secrets and lies; forgiveness, romance and falling in love. The premise is captivating and emotional; the slow building romance is sweet; the characters are energetic, colorful and lost.

 

Barb’s Review

Passion on Park Avenue by Lauren Layne is the 1st book in her new Central Park Pact series.   We meet our heroine, Naomi Powell, as she attends the funeral of her now deceased boyfriend.  What Naomi finds is that her ex was married, something she did not know.  When she decides to leave the funeral parlor, she ends up in a park and meets two other women; one the wife and the other a mistress.  From that point on, the three ladies will become friends, to help each from making another grave mistake in choosing another ‘bad boy’, and to be there for each other.   I really did enjoy the concept of the three women who actually got past the cheating husband/boyfriend, and turned out to be fabulous friends supporting each other.

Naomi, who is now a very successful entrepreneur, plans on moving to a new fashionable condo, but is offered a different and older condo that has a past that she cannot forget.  Seems Naomi’s mom was a housekeeper for the Cunningham’s a number of years ago, and when it is discovered that she was sleeping with the patriarch, the mother was let go.  They had to struggle for a number of years, and Naomi has never forgotten.   When she decides to move to the Park Avenue condo, she meets her childhood nemesis, Oliver Cunningham (our hero) and the Cunningham father, who now has Alzheimer’s. 

Oliver and Naomi get off the wrong foot, as she keeps her secret who she really is, and he cannot understand why she hates him so much.

Naomi’s coldness to Oliver and his father will slowly evaporate, as she begins to have sympathy for the father, who remembers nothing of when her mother was kicked out.  I did like Naomi, who as a tough, smart and savvy business woman who was determined to rise above the poverty they suffered during her childhood; however, at times I thought she was a bit hard on Oliver, but that changed. I loved her friendship with Claire and Audrey, which was a lot of fun and their camaraderie.   I really did like Oliver, as he was someone who was her equal in being smart and savvy, not to mention sexy. Slowly Naomi’s walls come crumbling down, as she realizes she is falling hard for Oliver, as he is not the 10 year old boy who tormented her.  The sins of the father no longer mattered, especially with his mind gone.

What follows is a slow built enemy to lover’s romance, that will have some hardships along the way.  What will Oliver do when he finds out who Naomi really is?  The story was very well written by Lauren Layne, as she also created some wonderful characters, which makes me want to see more of the other ladies in the future books; which I hear will be Claire’s book. Passion on Park Avenue was a fun story, with lots of charisma. I suggest you start this series.

 

Copy supplied by the publisher

The first thing Naomi had done after the shock of reading that Brayden Hayes was freaking married was to google the crap out of his wife, desperate for an indication that the Times had been wrong about his marital status. That it was a misprint or he was divorced. The paper hadn’t been wrong. There really was a Mrs. Brayden Hayes.
And she, too, had chosen Central Park over Brayden’s funeral.
Nearly even with Claire Hayes now, and with the sunglasses still providing Naomi anonymity, she dared to sneak a look at the other woman out of the corner of her eye.
Brayden’s widow looked pretty much like the picture Naomi had rummaged up online: a thirty-something Upper East Side WASP. Like Naomi, she wore oversize sunglasses, the Chanel logo glinting in a stray ray of sunshine. Naomi’s trained eye pegged the basic black sheath as St. John, and the basic black pumps Louboutins—identical to Naomi’s.
But unlike Naomi, Claire had a genteel poise about her. Like she’d never said darn, much less dropped an f-bomb. Naomi would bet serious money that Claire Hayes didn’t eat Kraft Macaroni & Cheese straight out of the pan when she was stressed and that Claire had never been so poor that she’d actually once considered taking home a neighbor’s discarded mattress, bedbugs be damned, simply because it was free.
Claire’s placid expression betrayed nothing as Naomi passed her, the glasses too large to reveal any emotion on her face. For that matter, Naomi wondered if women like her experienced emotion at all. It didn’t seem it. The woman was the picture of calm, except for . . .
Her hands.
Brayden’s widow’s hands were clenched tightly in her lap, the fingers of her right hand white-knuckled around the fist of her left hand. But it wasn’t the subdued pink manicure that captured Naomi’s attention. It was the bright red crescent moons beneath the nails.
Naomi had a lifelong bad habit of acting before thinking, and she did so now, crossing to the other woman and sitting beside her on the park bench.
“That’s enough now,” Naomi said, using her CEO voice, calm and commanding.
Claire didn’t move. Naomi wasn’t even sure the other woman heard her.
Naomi hesitated only for a moment before slowly reaching over and prying the nails of Claire’s right hand away from her left hand. Little streaks of blood were left in the wake.
Claire looked down in confusion, as though just now registering the pain.
“Does that Givenchy have any Kleenex?” Naomi asked, nodding toward Claire’s clutch on the bench.
Claire didn’t move for a long moment, then taking a deep breath, she calmly reached for her purse, pulling out a travel-size package of tissue.
“We’re wearing the same shoes. Same dress, too,” Claire said, dabbing at the blood on the back of her hand with a tissue, using the same casual indifference of one dabbing up a drop of spilled water.
Naomi nodded in agreement, though Claire’s St. John was a knee-length mock turtleneck, and Naomi’s Chloé was a boatneck that hit at midthigh.
For a long moment, neither said anything.
“I’m supposed to be at a funeral,” Claire said, balling up the tissue and dropping her hands back into her lap.
“Why aren’t you?”
Naomi was genuinely curious. She knew why she wasn’t at that funeral. But the widow being a no-show . . . that was some serious Page Six–worthy gossip right there.
Claire opened her mouth to respond but shut it when a pretty young woman with dark brown hair walked past them. Naomi waited for the other woman to pass and, when she gave the brunette a closer look, realized the other woman was walking a bit too slowly, as though tempted to approach. She looked vaguely familiar. Naomi was fairly sure they’d crossed paths at a couple of events, though Naomi couldn’t put a name with the face.
Brayden’s widow, however, could. Claire went rigid beside Naomi, even as she called out to the other woman, “Audrey.”
Unlike Claire and Naomi, the brunette wasn’t wearing sunglasses, and Naomi saw her round eyes go even wider. “You know who I am?”
“You’re Audrey Tate. I did a little digging after you called the house that night,” Claire said quietly. “I know you were sleeping with my husband.”
Naomi’s head whipped around in surprise, and then surprise escalated to shock as she realized Claire wasn’t talking to her.

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Lauren Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen romantic comedies.

A former e-commerce and web marketing manager from Seattle, Lauren relocated to New York City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career.

She lives in midtown Manhattan with her high-school sweetheart, where she writes smart romantic comedies with just enough sexy-times to make your mother blush. In LL’s ideal world, every stiletto-wearing, Kate Spade wielding woman would carry a Kindle stocked with Lauren Layne books.

Lauren Layne and Simon and Schuster is graciously offering a paper copy of PASSION ON PARK AVENUE to ONE (1) lucky commenter at The Reading Cafe.

1.  If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging into The Reading Cafe, please refresh the page, at the top of your computer.

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8. Giveaway open to USA only

9. Giveaway runs from May 28-June 1,2019

 

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