Billionaire Bad Boys #1
By: Jessica Lemmon
Releasing June 28, 2016
Forever
Blurb
Indecent Proposal
Manwhore. That's what the board of directors-and the tabloids-thinks of billionaire bachelor
Reese Crane. Ordinarily he couldn't care less, but his playboy past is preventing the board from
naming him CEO of Crane Hotels. Nothing-and no one-will keep him from his life's legacy. They
want a settled man to lead the company? Then that's exactly what he'll give them.
Merina Van Heusen will do anything to get her parents' funky boutique hotel back-even marry
cold-as- ice-but- sexy-as- hell Reese Crane. It's a simple business contract-six months of
marriage, absolute secrecy, and the Van Heusen is all hers again. But when sparks fly between
them, their passion quickly moves from the boardroom to the bedroom. And soon Merina is
living her worst nightmare: falling in love with her husband . . .
Review:
Merina is determined to keep her family’s legacy, just as Reese is determined to have his. She wants her family’s hotel back; he wants to be CEO of his family’s hotel empire. Neither is refusing to easily give up the other; so when Reese asks Merina to marry him which would result in them both getting what they want, she reluctantly agrees. She not only sees it as a way to keep her family’s business, but she also wants to secure the long-faithful staff members’ jobs.
They have to put on a show for the Board of Directors, and the public. Reporters are everywhere, which doesn’t do much to reign in the sexual tension that’s threatening to choke them both. They have to force themselves to remember this is just an act. Reese is more than willing to add sex to the contract, as long as hearts are not included. Easier said than done.
Reese and Merina both are headstrong and smart. They are also sweet and loyal. Reese has had his heartbroken before, but the humiliation that came along with it was much worse. Merina’s been used, and she has no intent of letting that happen again. She can’t fix anyone, no matter how broken they are. It’s too easy for her to forget that when dealing with Reese.
The witty banter is beyond entertaining, and I must say, the secondary characters -Tag and Lorelei, in particular, deserve as much attention as the H/H. The characters are charming and the relationships are natural. Merina’s parent’s reaction to the sudden engagement was a little more docile than I expected; but at the same time, although not specifically stated, I felt as if they knew something was up, but just didn’t quite know what. Reese had a way of being tough and soft at the same time, and that ability just makes him that much more lovable. I admired Merina for her strength, but she also had a soft, feminine side. I enjoyed their interactions, and I rooted for the union. At one point, I wished she’d just let go a bit to give him a chance to realize things on his own. Her pushiness bothered me for a couple of pages because I felt she needed to make him chase her since he was the one behaving badly. But it eventually worked out, and I was more than satisfied at the turn-of-events.
There’s a lot of chemistry between the couple, and the characters are well-developed, just like their relationship. I’m very excited about seeing what’s next for Reese’s brother Tag.
Rating system: Cups of Coffee (the less the better)
0: You won’t need any coffee to stay up for this one. It’s intriguing enough all on its own.
1: You’ll stay up late, but not all night. Brew one cup.
2: You’ll read as long as you’re not tired. If you are, two cups should do the trick.
3: I hope you got plenty of rest; you’ll need it, or at least 3 cups.
4: If the cable goes out, read the book. It’s better than nothing, I guess. Oh, don’t forget your brew!
5: Find anything else to do- it doesn’t matter what it is. Don’t waste your coffee. Too much caffeine is bad for you.
My rating: 1/2 cup of coffee
Author Info
A former job-hopper, Jessica Lemmon resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dog. She
holds a degree in graphic design currently gathering dust in an impressive frame. When she’s
not writing super-sexy heroes, she can be found cooking, drawing, drinking coffee (okay, wine),
and eating potato chips. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His
help, you can create the life you want.
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Even with her nostrils flared, Merina forced a smile. There was only one way past this
gatekeeper. She called up an ounce of poise—an ounce being the most she could access at the
moment. “Merina Van Heusen to see Reese Crane.”
“Ms. Van Heusen,” the woman said, her tone flat, her eyes going to the doorknob in
Merina’s hand. “You’re here regarding the changes to the hotel, I presume.”
“You got it,” Merina said, barely harnessing her anger. How come everyone was so
damn calm about dismantling a town landmark?
“Have a seat.” Crane’s bulldog gestured one manicured hand at a group of cushy white
chairs, her mouth frowning in disgust as she took in Merina’s dishevelment. “Perhaps I could
fetch you a towel first.”
“I won’t be sitting.” She wasn’t about to be put in her place by Reese’s underling. Then
her prayers were answered as the set of gleaming wooden doors behind the secretary’s desk
parted like the Red Sea.
Jackpot.
Merina barreled forward as the woman at the desk barked, “Excuse me!”
Merina ignored her. She wouldn’t be delayed another second…or so she thought. She
stopped short when a woman in a very tight red dress, the neckline plunging into plentiful
cleavage, her heels even higher and potentially more expensive than Merina’s Louboutins,
swept out of the office and gave her a slow, mascaraed blink back. Then she sashayed around
Merina, past the bulldog, and left behind a plume of perfume.
Interesting.
Reese’s latest date? An escort? If Merina believed the local tabloids, one and the same.
Paying for dates certainly wasn’t above his pay grade.
Before the doors closed, she slipped into Reese’s office.
“Ms. Van Heusen!” came a bark behind her, but Reese, who stood facing the windows
and looking out upon downtown, said three words that instantly shut his secretary up.
“She’s fine, Bobbie.”
Merina smirked back at the sour-faced, coal-eyed secretary as Reese’s office doors
whooshed shut.
“Merina, I presume.” Reese still hadn’t turned. His posture was straight, jacket and
slacks impeccably tailored to his muscular, perfectly proportioned body. Shark or not, the man
could wear a suit. She’d seen the photos of him in the Trib as well as Luxury Stays, the hotel
industry’s leading trade magazine, and like every other woman in Chicago, she hadn’t missed
the gossip about him online. Like his more professional photos, his hands were sunk into his
pant pockets, and his wavy, dark hair was styled and perfect.
Clearly the woman who had just left was here on other business…or past business. If
something more clandestine was going on, Reese would appear more mussed. Then again, he
probably didn’t muss his hair during sex. From what she gleaned about him via the media,
Reese probably didn’t allow his hair to muss.
The snarky thought paired with a vision of him out of that suit, stalking naked and
primed, golden muscles shifting with each long-legged step. Sharp, navy eyes focused only on
He turned to face her and she snapped out of her imaginings and blinked at the stubble
covering a perfectly angled jaw. What was it about that hint of dishevelment on his otherwise
perfect visage that made her breath catch?
Thick dark brows jumped slightly as his eyes zoomed in on her chest.
She sneered before venturing a glance down at her sodden silk shirt. Where she saw
the perfect outline of both nipples. A tinge of heat lit her cheeks, and she crossed her arms
haughtily, glaring at him as best she could while battling embarrassment.
“Seems this April morning is colder than you anticipated,” he drawled.
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful review!
You’re welcome. It was quite good. 🙂