Emergency Contact by Lauren Layne

EMERGENCY CONTACT is a book that can have you laugh out loud while there are still tears in your eyes from a heart tugging moment. 

Both Katherine and Tom haven’t seen each other since their divorce 4 years ago. Katherine is a great character - she holds everyone at arms length. Tom is the people person and the only person to contact when Katherine is in an accident. Let’s just say the story forces the characters to face their unresolved issues on the eve of Tom’s Christmas Eve proposal to another woman. Gah!

Hard Sell by Lauren Layne

What made me want to read HARD SELL was the playboy needing his image cleaned up with a stable relationship.  In this case, 

Sabrina is the fixer and the fake relationship partner.  She is cool, intelligent and calm except around Matt. Matt is a commitment-phobe. Otherwise he’s fun, smart and pragmatic except around Sabrina.   Together they are volatile and fraught with tension that they alleviate periodically as enemies with benefits.

We find out why these two are so angry with one another.  We find out why they don’t want a relationship.  It’s a good book.

The Unhoneymooners by Lauren Layne

Olive and Ethan - the brother of the groom and sister of the bride.  They don’t like one another but end up taking the honeymoon trip for their siblings.

Some of the story is a little cliche, but it is filled out with great humor, entertaining banter, sweet romance and an unfortunate set of circumstances pitting the couple against each other and on the sides of their sibling.

I decided to read the book because it was on several lists of good books to read.  I concur with that assessment.  

Passion on Park Avenue by Lauren Layne

All the stories in this series start the same way with Claire, Audrey and Naomi meeting for the first time in Central Park.

In PASSION ON PARK AVENUE Naomi and Oliver both find themselves neighbors at 517 Park Avenue.  Oliver has lived there all his life.  Naomi’s mother worked for Oliver’s family briefly when they were children.  

I found this story romantic and really came to adore both Naomi and Oliver not only for their banter and contentious relationship but because of the difficult task of caring for Walter, Oliver’s father.  Naomi shows herself not be a much better person than she lets herself get credit for and Oliver reminds us of the patience and toll on caregivers even when they have help.

I can’t wait to read the other books in the series.

Good Girl by Lauren Layne

I enjoyed this novel for a number of reasons, but the primary reason is that it is different.  It’s a creative take on the pop star trope that will keep you reading for the well rounded characters, poignant and humorous moments, and interesting back stories for many of the characters.

I like that Noah changed very little from the guy with a secret that played every card close to the vest.  Jenny was refreshing, honest and exuded the light needed in a female character dealing with a man with baggage and secrets.

There is a good balance of slow burn and sizzle to keep things interesting.

Marriage on Madison Avenue by Lauren Layne

A best friends to lovers story like this one is a slow burner because it takes our couple so long to see what everyone around them already sees.

The whole premise behind the Central Park Pact is really clever and this was Audrey’s story.  She seems to have carried the effects of her affair with their mutual partner Braydon more than the other two women believing that she stole someone’s happiness.

Clarke isn’t the best at communicating with his best friend, his ex, or his parents.  Things get complicated even more by the fact that he doesn’t know his own feelings for Audrey.

What makes this a great story is it is a fake engagement that just keeps getting more and more complicated with the meddling, misunderstandings, and feelings that people aren’t sure what to do with.

Blurred Lines by Lauren Layne

BLURRED LINES is one of the best friends to lovers romances I’ve read because there is truly a “best friends” history there with no jealousy of other partners but still complete reliance on each other.

The book is funny, sad, angsty, hot and I loved reading it.

The Trouble With Love by Lauren Layn

<strong>Swoony second chance at love</strong>

I wanted to read Alex and Emma’s story for a few reasons:  I knew from the other books something had happened between them in the past, what happened was bad enough that they couldn’t even look at each other, and given those circumstances, any romance reader worth their salt would want them to make up and live happily ever after.

All the coupled up friends meddled.  The single men gave their (mostly) bad advice, and THE TROUBLE WITH LOVE had to add more reasons for them to long for one another until they gave up and gave in.

This is a stubborn pair, and you will first have to try to figure out the whole story of Alex and Emma’s past before seeing how they could fix it.

Runaway Groom by Lauren Layne

This was a great idea done really well.  I wanted to read it because the fact that both Gage and Ellie were reluctant participants in the show made them seem more sane and gave them that opportunity to bond.

Ellie’s character was really fun - fresh, honest, and a little too cautious when it came to live.  She didn’t seem like Gage’s type until we got to know the facts that Gage was hot and charming, but the real Gage stayed hidden to all but Ellie.

This is one of those books I didn’t want to see end, but it was such an escape to read.

Ready to Run by Lauren Layne

I decided to read READY TO RUN because the reality show being cast by Jordan called Jilted sounded like a clever idea.

This is a small town romance that reminds us everything may not be as it seems.  Luke has left three brides at the altar making him the bachelor candidate for Jilted.  He wants no part of it.

For Jordan this is also a trip back in time to the small town life she lived before moving to NYC and coming to terms with why she left.

The story has firefighters, a county fair, people that actually enjoy running.  It is steamy, angsty and the time honored test of trusting one another.

Just One Night by Lauren Layne

JUST ONE NIGHT is a good friends to enemies to lovers romance with the best friend’s little sister complication.  In the previous two books in the Stiletto series, Riley has been the adventurous, risqué sort known for her bickering with Sam, her brother’s best friend.

The story is as much about the years Sam and Riley have silently pined for one another as it was about what really was keeping them apart.  

Riley forced their hand when she was required to write an article for the magazine’s 50th anniversary needing Sam’s assistance to accomplish a difficult story she had to tell.

It is a great addition to the series.  It was steamy, angsty, and romantic.

Love The One You’re With by Lauren Layne

Grace and Jake do the push and pull of a fake romance for their magazine articles that turns into more.

I liked this because Jake had this carefree and charming reputation and demeanor as a lover of women.  Their very first encounter made me smile at him.

Grace had been devastated by a cheating long term boyfriend and figured she could pull off a platonic work only dating gig.  But she didn’t know the power of Jake and her inner romantic didn’t want to be silenced by her v.2 romance cynic.

I loved the entire story.  I loved that we got to know more about the other Stiletto women.  Lauren Layne writes fabulous witty, passionate and romantic stories.  LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH is one of them.

After The Kiss by Lauren Layne

This was such a good book I didn’t even notice the passage of time while I read it.  I loved how open and effervescent Julie was and how unexpectedly hot with “no BS” Mitchell was.

It was funny, sad, romantic, passionate, and you will love reading AFTER THE KISS.

Walk of Shame by Lauren Layne

I loved this book about socialite Georgie and divorce lawyer Andrew. It was a perfect opposites attract novel between an effervescent and charming woman and a logical and serious man. The dance between them is funny, romantic and even a little sad at times.  Don’t miss your chance to read a really sweet and passionate story.