From the author of the New York Times bestselling Stiletto and Oxford series, 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…
“Strong characters and relatable situations elevate Layne’s bighearted contemporary...[which] digs into class differences, emotional baggage, and the reality of dealing with aging parents” (Publishers Weekly,starred review). With the sexy combination of charm, heart, and snark, Lauren Layne’s new series is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Sally Thorne.
Think you are having a bad day? Did you discover your boyfriend was married...in his obituary?If the answer is no (and, well it really should be) then you are not having a day as bad as Naomi.
Know what else it is, other than the definition of a bad day? It's a fabulous and different way to start a story. And, in the hands of Lauren Layne, it's a champagne infused (mugs optional), Louboutin wearing wonderful time.
I adored this title. It's different for Lauren Layne, it's more of a women's fiction title, and the sexy times are fade to black...but, don't worry. The hot sex might not be a part of the story but the amazing connection with the new friends (Claire and Audrey) is there. And, this is one of the areas where Lauren Layne excels, in telling relationships with women in a way that makes the women allies and strong supporters of one another. I loved that about this title.
I also loved the parts with Oliver, and I adored their relationship. I liked that it was a little adversarial at the beginning. I did think she made too big a deal of what happened when he was 10 and she was 9...but, it had big consequences for her life, so I could also see why she would feel that way. Basically, I am not sure I would have held that much of a grudge, but, I believed Naomi did and that was enough for me.
The secondary characters acted as they should...as a way to bring depth to the story as well as the characters of Oliver and Naomi. So often first stories in a series turn into introduction vehicles for the characters and stop feeling like a story and start to feel like one long prologue.
But this one didn't do that. Not at all. The secondary characters never felt overpowering, I was never tired of them, and I was always glad for scenes not only with Naomi and Oliver, but also with the supporting characters.
I love it when authors branch out a little, even if they stay in basically the same genre, but tell the story in a little different way. This is a Lauren Layne title, and it feels like one but at the same time it feels different.
I can't wait for the next in the series. I loved and recommend this title.
Know what else it is, other than the definition of a bad day? It's a fabulous and different way to start a story. And, in the hands of Lauren Layne, it's a champagne infused (mugs optional), Louboutin wearing wonderful time.
I adored this title. It's different for Lauren Layne, it's more of a women's fiction title, and the sexy times are fade to black...but, don't worry. The hot sex might not be a part of the story but the amazing connection with the new friends (Claire and Audrey) is there. And, this is one of the areas where Lauren Layne excels, in telling relationships with women in a way that makes the women allies and strong supporters of one another. I loved that about this title.
I also loved the parts with Oliver, and I adored their relationship. I liked that it was a little adversarial at the beginning. I did think she made too big a deal of what happened when he was 10 and she was 9...but, it had big consequences for her life, so I could also see why she would feel that way. Basically, I am not sure I would have held that much of a grudge, but, I believed Naomi did and that was enough for me.
The secondary characters acted as they should...as a way to bring depth to the story as well as the characters of Oliver and Naomi. So often first stories in a series turn into introduction vehicles for the characters and stop feeling like a story and start to feel like one long prologue.
But this one didn't do that. Not at all. The secondary characters never felt overpowering, I was never tired of them, and I was always glad for scenes not only with Naomi and Oliver, but also with the supporting characters.
I love it when authors branch out a little, even if they stay in basically the same genre, but tell the story in a little different way. This is a Lauren Layne title, and it feels like one but at the same time it feels different.
I can't wait for the next in the series. I loved and recommend this title.
I liked Naomi-and I know she might not resonate initially with every reader-but I really did like her. Start to finish, I championed her. I understood where she came from and applauded how she became the woman she is in this book. She's strong, she's smart and she's sassy. She's the kind of woman I would definitely want to be friends with; the kind I want to have in my corner on any given day.
I liked Oliver right away-I understood why Naomi felt the way she did, but I was ready to let bygones be bygones for Oliver. He's loyal and sweet.
I liked watching these two come together. I believed in the journey that they took together. It felt authentic for these characters, and that's the best possible way to feel about a book relationship in my opinion. Naomi and Oliver stayed true to themselves and I appreciated that. Did we have a ton of sexy times? No, but the romance was still there for me.
This is the start of a series and I'm definitely anticipating the next story. Books like this are why Lauren Layne is one of my go-to Authors. I loved this title and absolutely recommend it!
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