This was a hot little read! There was just enough tension between Holly and Josh to make the pages fly and I loved that neither couple resisted the other. I've read too many lately that had nothing but resistance, so this one was refreshing to read.

Not everything was at it seemed, but I loved how the author handled pretty much everything. I really enjoyed this one and recommend it for anyone wanting a quicker read that had not only good chemistry between the main MC's, but also not a heavy story.

The only thing I can complain about is that I do wish there was an epilogue. I would have loved to see these two a year or more later. It's low angst, no cheating or abuse and mild ow/om drama. ARC provided by NetGalley.

This book was fun, and sexy, and the setting was gorgeous. I enjoyed it a lot.

Holly is a computer geek, hoping for a promotion at her job, and she mostly keeps to herself. She moved to L.A. from New York, and changed her last name, to get out from under the thumb of her overprotective father. Her father has been very successful in business, and he has some enemies, which made him even more crazy about her safety. She is all about doing things for herself, as she's learned in her life never to rely on anyone else. The biggest issue with that philosophy that she's facing in her job, is that her boss believes to get the promotion, she needs to be more of a team player. So, here she is in "paradise" with a bunch of her co-workers, playing bonding games, and trying to get to know one another better.

Josh Steele is a former Navy SEAL, now working a security job for Holly's father. He sends Josh undercover to watch after Holly, due to a threat against her. He's been working in her office for a little while now, watching over her. Part of his mission is also to convince her to go back home to NYC. Josh would rather be anywhere other than babysitting this princess, and he's not enjoying the assignment. That it, until they get to paradise, and he sees sides of Holly he never expected. He's hooked, but he knows it's all going to blow up in his face.

Holly and Josh's chemistry was strong, and their banter was witty, and fun. I enjoyed all their interactions, especially when they were confiding secrets in each other that they hadn't told anyone else. There was an immediate trust there between them, and I loved it, but I was also sad knowing that it would be broken when Holly discovered the truth about Josh's motives. Though they were both trying to convince themselves there would be nothing between them once this week was over, it became harder and harder to believe. The pace of the story was quick, but it took place over 1 week, so it all fit perfectly.

I really enjoyed Josh's interactions with Holly's father, and his groveling to Holly of course! I do love a good hero grovel. He was definitely willing to do the work to get her back, and I love that. I really enjoyed this story, and I'm looking forward to more from this series.

Bonding Games is another Cathryn Fox original. Smart, sexy and challenging. Josh and Holly create an allure that is naughty but plays out quite nicely. Ms. Fox spins a web that starts out deceptively innocent, but quickly spirals into wickedly tempting territory. The twist is the lesson that she highlights along the way. Don't judge by what's on the outside, what really matters is what's hidden on the inside. Powerful message wrapped in a knock your socks off read. My favorite read by this author.

A good sexy read. Great chemistry

Another lovely read from Entangled Brazen. This story was about Josh, a former Navy SEAL and now security guy and Holly an IT developer. Holly’s trying to prove to her dad she can make it on her own and is chasing a promotion and goes on a team building exercise to a tropical island where Josh has been sent to keep an eye on her. Little does Holly know but Josh is undercover as her new colleague! What follows is some serious chemistry between the two and some very naughty times. Josh starts to feel guilty as he and Holly become closer as it’s inevitable that the truth will come out. I’ll not spoil it and tell you how it unfolds but I’ll just say that this is really nice read from Cathryn and although this trope has been done a dozens of times, she’s written it very well as I got caught up in the story, liked the 2 MC’s and wanted to know how it all turned out in the end. A nice, pleasant read for a rainy afternoon.

When Holly's boss decides to to have a bonding trip to the islands she teams up with Josh,not knowing that he was hired by her Father to watch her. While her and Josh are doing a lot of bonding on his own. He is feeling guilty and she has no clue. What happens when he realizes how he really feels and she finds out what he is really doing?
This is a fast read and the story is much more than you would expect.


** I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

Cathryn Fox never fails to leave you breathless. Hot and romantic in one.

Josh and Holly's story felt off track and cold the whole way through. As a fan of this author I was really surprised that this couple chemistry just never came alive and the story just stuttered through for me. I was never able to get into a steady flow with the writing on this book for some reason and struggled through most of it. The base story line was fine but it was just executed in a manor that seemed forced and the couple never came through as genuine. Sadly, did not enjoy this one.

Cathryn never disappoints and we have another great book from her. This is a bit of a different twist from her books of late and I really liked this one. The two main characters were so likable and Josh just pushed all my buttons. Just like he did Holly's.

Holly works for a software company out west, leaving her seriously overprotective, controlling, very wealthy father behind, changing her last name to put some distance there and wants to make her own life, not her father's. The book opens when she and her co-workers end up on some tropical island to spend a week bonding, brain child of her not so cool boss. He's there observing. There's a senior analyst position open and Holly hopes to land that so she can make the leap from there into opening her own company. Holly has one problem, she's a solo worker. She prefers to work alone and be alone because her past has taught her that people either used her to get in good with her father or treated her differently when they found out who she was. Prior to leaving NY she wasn't allowed a life without one of her father's geek security guys tagging along and so boyfriends were run off and didn't last long.

She's approached at the first night opener by a relatively new guy who's been hired, long hair, weird t shirts and board shorts with holes in them. She calls him gamer boy. But she also she's a face under all that hair and ice blue eyes. Somehow they pair up and it works for them and it's fun. They win the first bonding challenge and the chemistry just percolates between them. Meanwhile they both have inner dialogue telling them all the reasons why they shouldn't be attracted to each other, and after they kiss the same thing and after every single move... during the inner dialogue from Josh we find out who he is and why he's there. And by then he's in pretty deep with Holly. Holly finally opens up to him also about her father and why she's adamant about not returning home to her father's house. These two really spark the sheets and they also get along well, and really seem to be made for each other.

There comes a point in the book that Josh felt inevitable and it is by accident she finds out that he's connected to her father and she blows a nutty. She swears never again. She actually trusted him.
The last day on the island when Holly point blank asks her boss who the new senior analyst will be and he's silent, she gets her answer makes the best commentary and promptly leaves. She also issues Josh a warning. She leaves the island. Josh feels like the dirt that he is, and wants to make amends.
I wished him luck with that one.

When he pays her father a visit he's surprised, assuming she's returned home to NY. But she's not there. I loved that.
Now you have to read the book to see what happens and get the nitty gritty details and enjoy the writing that Cathryn does so well. This book was great, great plot two likable adults and despite their issues gave into their chemistry and Holly especially allowed herself to be vulnerable.

This book is well worth the read, and hits 4.5 from me.


**arc from NetGalley and Entangled in exchange for a fair review**

Bonding Games, by Cathryn Fox is an interesting contemporary romance.

Holly Fairfax is determined to live independently and succeed in her job. During a work retreat, Holly is partnered with fellow employee, Josh Steele, who is actually working undercover for Holly's father. As a former Navy SEAL, Josh accepts this job believing that Holly's life might be in danger.

In addition to the possible danger, hidden secrets, and work bonding games, Holly and Josh start an intense romantic relationship.

Bonding Games is geared towards those who enjoy reading contemporary romance books.


Note: I received this book from NetGalley, which is a program designed for bloggers to write book reviews in exchange for books, yet the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I do love my entangled books and this is another brilliant one by there authors. Cathryn fox is one of my favourite authors and I really enjoy her books. Again this is another one she's hit out the park with and god what a book it is. I really couldn't put it down even lost so sleep because of it ( in a good way lol) so if your after a fantastic book and you really like your entangled brazen books like me, then your going to love this one too. Would totally recommend

‘Bonding Games’ started out great as a former SEAL goes undercover as a geek in a company in order to suss out an apparent threat to a woman who is trying her hardest to live a life away from her controlling father. But to Holly Fairfax, Josh Steele is merely a co-worker, or rather, a laid-back gamer-type until an elaborate company bonding session puts them in close proximity as partners.

The journey from there onwards however, is fairly predictable, which somehow didn’t quite live up to the potential of the promising blurb. Holly and Josh go from zero to a hundred in a matter of pages, and the overwhelming lust comes with every innocent touch and every fanciful imagining of what lies beneath each other’s clothes, despite the individual reminders to themselves that they want nothing more than a fling. They hit the bed early on as they go on every team-bonding activity and as expected, Holly hits the roof when Josh’s actual purpose for being in the company is inadvertently revealed.

Frankly, I’m still trying to figure out why it fell flat for me after the fun setup of their relationship. I’ve always loved the undercover business part, particularly when it involves some kind of double-crossing, though that always risks some TSTL behaviour when the deception is taken too far or when someone tends to overreact and forget their actual age. Maybe it’s because Holly/Josh’s story treads the same ground as so many others have gone before—not that I don’t enjoy authors’ different takes on them—, or maybe it’s all wrapped up too neatly after the hysterical blow up and the customary grovel, or that Holly/Josh didn’t feel too multifaceted in their portrayals despite their own prejudices. But overall this wasn't too memorable and that ironically, defined this read for me.

Bonding Games, is sexy as all get out. If you're looking for a book that will get you all hot and bothered then this is the one for you.

3.5 stars. I truly love this author, she has some really great oops out there, this one was just okay for me. Loved the premise of the book, but the characters yet came across as flat for me. No denying the chemistry between the two, but the trust factor seemed to come awfully quickly with the bedroom situation. Didn't care for Jeff and the whole trip to the island for all if the employees, just didn't click for me unfortunately. Not a bad read, just not what I expected from this author.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.