As 2022 comes to a close, I’m celebrating my 20 favorite romance novels of the year, and Terms and Conditions is another book that lived up to the TikTok hype. It’s a marriage of convenience/office romance that ended up being right up my alley, and I loved how the hero was in so over his head. It’s only once this couple is married that our hero truly sees his girl, and that made for a rich, textured read. There’s just something about a hero who is clueless until it’s ALMOST too late; this was incredibly bingeable, and it left me wanting more from the author. Good thing there’s another interconnected standalone in the series on the way next month, and I just so happen to have an ARC on my kindle!
You’ll find my original review and some quotes from the book below!
Grumpy boss with feelings that run deeper than he wants to admit? Umm, yes please! I absolutely LOVED my first experience with this new-to-me author’s work – the story gave me Spanish Love Deception/Love Hypothesis vibes, and that’s honestly one of the highest compliments I can pay a book right now. This slow burning love story had me HOOKED the whole way through, and I loved the dynamic between this couple. Our hero is the typical moody, broody billionaire, but he’s got a marshmallow heart for only one girl. His assistant, Iris, has put up with his grumpy demands for the last few years, and she’s the only one who has stuck by his side. I’ve been loving marriage of convenience romances recently, and this one works so well. They have a history to build on, plenty of chemistry, and the shift in their dynamic shakes things up. I loved it!
The story follows Iris, a woman whose boss doesn’t always appreciate her hard work. She’s been working for Declan for the last three years, and it’s a little shocking to everyone that she’s lasted this long. Iris even arranged a marriage of convenience for Declan, only to have it fall apart at the last minute. Declan’s job is the most important thing in his life, and he needed that marriage to make things work. So what does this great employee do? Offer to marry her boss, of course. They may not like each other very much, but they’ve figured each other out over the years, and surely a marriage – on paper – can’t be that bad. But things quickly feel more real than anticipated, and it’s not long before Declan and Iris are seeing each other in an entirely new light.
This plays with a variety of tropes – enemies to lovers, age gap (24/36), office romance, marriage of convenience, grumpy/sunshine – and yet it still feels fresh and vibrant. I loved the tropey goodness as much as I loved the unique, swoony vibes, and I was rooting for this unlikely couple from the very beginning. They have an easiness to their relationship that’s in direct contrast to their constant clashes, and it was so engrossing to watch the sexual tension escalate. It’s a slow burn in many ways, though you can tell that emotions run deeper than either of these commitment-phobic individuals will acknowledge. Watching them try to get it right was light and funny one minute, a little angsty the next, tension-filled – and infinitely compelling. This may be my first time reading something by the author, but it will certainly not be the last. Eagerly anticipating the next installment from this series of interconnected standalones.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vywHLf
Blurb:
Declan
I’m destined to become the next CEO of my family’s media empire.
The only problem? My grandfather’s inheritance clause.
Fulfilling his dying wish of getting married and having an heir seemed impossible until my assistant volunteers for the job.
Our marriage was supposed to be the perfect solution to my biggest problem.
But the more we act in love for the public, the more unsure I feel about our contract.
Caring about Iris was never part of the deal.
Especially not when breaking her heart is inevitable.
Iris
My plan to marry Declan was simple in theory.
Move in together. Throw a wedding. Have a baby.
We set rules to prevent any kind of issues.
Ones that were never meant to be broken, no matter how much Declan tempts me.
But what happens when our fake relationship bleeds into our real one?
Falling in love was never an option.
At least not for me.
Terms and Conditions is the second book in a series of interconnected standalones following three billionaire brothers.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vywHLf
Start the series today!
Rowan
I’m in the business of creating fairy tales.
Theme parks. Production companies. Five-star hotels.
Everything could be all mine if I renovated Dreamland.
My initial idea of hiring Zahra was good in theory, but then I kissed her.
Things spiraled out of control once I texted her using an alias.
By the time I realized where I went wrong, it was too late.
People like me don’t get happy endings.
Not when we’re destined to ruin them.
Zahra
After submitting a drunk proposal criticizing Dreamland’s most expensive ride, I should have been fired.
Instead, Rowan Kane offered me a dream job.
The catch? I had to work for the most difficult boss I’d ever met.
Rowan was rude and completely off-limits, but my heart didn’t care.
At least not until I discovered his secret.
It was time to teach the billionaire that money couldn’t fix everything.
Especially not us.
Dreamland Billionaires is the first book in a series of interconnected standalones following three billionaire brothers.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3vxMXw9
About the Author:
Self-diagnosed with an overactive imagination, Lauren spends her free time reading and writing. Her dream is to travel to all the places she writes about. She enjoys writing about flawed yet relatable characters you can’t help loving. She likes sharing fast-paced stories with angst, steam, and the emotional spectrum.
Her extra-curricular activities include watching YouTube, binging old episodes of Parks and Rec, and searching Yelp for new restaurants before choosing her trusted favorite. She works best after her morning coffee and will never deny a nap.
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