Hot and sweaty! 4.5 stars
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don’t think there’s a book by Stacey Kennedy that I haven’t loved. This new release I was asked to review is a perfect example of why I continually pick up her stories to read.

This book is the perfect set up. Two stories that are inter-related combined into one book. No waiting for the second installment. No forgetting about what I read previously. Just two hot novellas you can read back to back for one full-size book.

If I have to pick as to which one is my favorite, it is definitely book one. Oh-my-God hot with two characters that blended together perfectly. A long time secret lust comes to fruition in a most exciting and sexy story.

Book 2 is the same theme with the other two characters in the series. For some reason these two did not click as well with me. Not that it wasn’t engaging and steamy as heck, but I just thoroughly enjoyed couple number one so much more.

Stacey Kennedy has brought together two awesome novellas into one dripping hot read that you don’t want to miss. Another winner!

Jackson and Liam are in a feud. Liam has been in love with Aria who is Jackson’s assistant. He buys her at a charity auction. In retaliation Jackson buys Liam’s assistant Mallory. They each get to spend 2 days with their date. Liam and Aria fall in love. The unexpected happens between Jackson and Mallory. Can Jackson and Liam make up.? It was a great fast read.

4.5 Stars

His Price – 5 stars
When Liam buys a weekend with Aria at a charity auction they both know this has been a long time coming. Three years to be exact. The only thing that has kept these two apart is the fact that Aria works for Liam’s nemesis and she refuses to be put in the middle between them. Jackson is like a brother to her and she absolutely will not hurt him, knowing that being with Liam will do that. However, they now have a weekend and they each use it to its full advantage. Aria to quench the desire she’s had for Liam and Liam to turn her loyalties.

For a novella this was richly written. The characters are fully developed and their emotions as well as the chemistry between them are easily recognized. This is not an over the top story because this relationship has been growing since they first met. I loved the deep determination that Liam had to win the woman he has craved even as he ultimately gives her the choice between the two men in her life.

Dirty Money – 4 stars
In retaliation against Liam purchasing Aria, Jackson buys Mallory. Other than making Liam suffer, he has no intention of using, abusing or hurting her. However, Mallory has plans of her own and they include tempting her own personal temptation. She’s been wanting Jackson since she first met him and now she has a chance. Their time together is ideal but when they return home, Mallory learns that Jackson hasn’t changed at all. His sights are still set on holding tight to the feud between himself and Liam. But when the cost of that feud is losing the woman he’s come to care about, he has no clue how to undo the damage he’s inflicted.

This portion of the book wasn’t quite as emotionally involved as the first. I think part of that was because Jackson had never looked at Mallory with any thought of wanting more with her. He’s known her for two years and he’s never desired her in any way. That caused a feeling of separation that had to be overcome and an unrealistic expectation that two days would be enough.

Together, these two novellas make up one very nice story. At the heart is the friendship that was damaged so many years ago and must now, for the sake of their women, be breeched and dealt with. I was a bit disappointed in Jackson’s explanation for his actions but I forced myself to just accept it for what it was despite my own feelings on the matter.

This is well written, fast paced and so dang steamy. These couples certainly know how to turn up the heat. I would’ve enjoyed a longer epilogue but it was enough to let me know where these characters are. Definitely worth a read!

This is an honest review of an advanced copy provided by NetGalley and Random House Loveswept.

The blurb really had me sucked in wanting to read this. This was different for me to where its 2 novellas connected with an overall story. So I wanted to give it a try.

Both bosses who are long time nemesis buys each others secretaries for a charity auction. I like how Jackson acted as the big brother in the very first chapter. I felt all of the tension between him and Liam.

What I didn't like about this book was that I felt liked I walked into the middle of a story. It almost needed a prologue of either how the feud happened or of how the bosses interact with the secretaries to get a background of introduction. There's TONS of steamy scenes in this one, but unfortunately not really connecting with the characters made me skim most of them and therefore I only focused on the core story.

Side note: I wish the cover had 2 couples instead of one, because it IS about 2 couples.

What would you be willing to do to get what you want?

Stacey Kennedy’s Bought by the Boss features two novellas, and you really can’t read the first (building up the conflict) without reading the second (getting everything resolved). Get ready for a war of the secretaries!

Liam has wanted Aria in his bed for a long time, but she’s the secretary of his long-time nemesis, Jackson. A charity auction provides the perfect opportunity for Liam to get Aria alone, but Aria's loyalties are tied between two completely different men.

I love a good enemies story, and I liked how these two bosses have secrets to tell. I enjoyed the first novella. The chemistry between Aria and Liam is so damn fierce that I couldn't look away. Liam's got a bit of a kinky side, too, which just meshed perfectly! Arai's divided loyalties keep her from fully committing, however, and the build up to book two is dynamite.

I loved, loved, loved the second novella!!! While Liam’s main purpose for the charity auction was getting to know Aria better, Jackson’s motives aren’t so altruistic. He’s getting back at Liam. Plain and simple. I shouldn’t have liked him, but hot damn, did I end up LOVING him!

It’s her. All of her. This woman I never saw coming.

Jackson's plan, however, backfires spectacularly. He buys Mallory, Aria's best friend, but also the secretary to Liam. Mallory knows what's up, though. What Jackson doesn't know? Mallory's lusted after him for a while, so why not get something she wants out of it, too?

Gosh golly gee, I forgot how much I love slow building awareness. Those first few meetings where you have to sit back and say, “where the heck did you come from?” This was superbly done here, and oh my god, I was hooked on these two. Bonus! Jackson has an even kinkier side than Liam. *Fingertips sizzle.*

The reveal of Jackson’s motives happens here too, and I must say that while I didn’t agree with what happened, I understood it. The resolution felt solid for me personally, but I feel like it might not be solid for everyone.

Overall, this was a great read full of epic banter and super sexy moments. It’s also all about friendship, and the way these two novellas were seamlessly woven together made this an experience I won’t soon forget.

4 stars!

I love getting a two-fer. Both stories are very good and hot and sexy in their own right and definitely worth your time. Jackson and Liam used to be best friends, but no more. They are both attorneys but had a falling out back in law school when they were roommates.

In His Price, Liam has been lusting after Jackson’s assistant Aria for a long time. They flirt and laugh with each other but Aria’s sibling-like relationship with Jackson has stopped Liam from ever acting on his feelings. However, when the opportunity comes up to buy some time with her at a charity event, he jumps on it. They have beyond incredible chemistry and needless to say they are so hot together! Turns out they were meant for each other.

Meanwhile in Dirty Money, Jackson is secretly buying a weekend with Liam’s assistant Mallory, who is also Aria’s best friend, as pay back to Liam. Boy is he in for a surprise because Mallory wants to be with him and has for some time. Their chemistry is also sizzling hot and just so incredibly intense and they too are perfect for each other. He wants her now and he wants her never to leave.

So two HEAs in one, who could ask for more?

3.75 stars.
I have to say that I really enjoyed this duet of dirty novella's a whole lot.
They had just the right combination of sexy and smutty that was balanced with an entertaining and witty storyline.
Stacey Kennedy writes these steamy romances with a hint of bdsm so well.
I would never hesitate to dip into a book by her.
The main characters in both have mutual ties and both storylines are interrelated.
The first one, HIS PRICE- about Liam and Aria was really sweet and the second one DIRTY MONEY-about Jackson and Mallory was the "bomb". I loved them together.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Didn't care for this duet. I ended up skimming a lot, mainly the sex scenes, because I did t find them hot, and they added nothing. Further the issue and resolution between the guys, and the girls reactions, felt trite. I just couldn't buy it. And finally the epilogue, what was that? Not the book for me.

Two office romances in one! The two stories occur one after the other, so you get to see what happens to the characters after the first story ends. Anyway, there's an epilogue, which I like a lot, because we get to see what happens to them 16 months down the road.

The first story deals with Liam and Aria, who were in lust with each other the first time they laid eyes on the other 3 years ago. However, Liam's ongoing feud with Jackson (Aria's boss) prevented them from getting together…until this charity auction. Meanwhile, Jackson was incensed when Liam bid and won Aria's time for the weekend, that he believed was for revenge because of the feud, so in retaliation, he bid and won Mallory, who is Liam's assistant. Aside from the fact that the characters knew each other, another thing that connected the two stories is the feud between the two male characters, a feud that was mentioned in the first story and was resolved in the second.

Both stories are well-written with dominant alpha males and you may want to get some water when smoke starts curling out of your Kindle due to the hotness of the sex scenes. That said, I like the second story better (Jackson and Mallory) because 1) they didn't make goo-goo eyes at each other at the start since Mallory wasn't even on Jackson's radar then as a potential date or lover, 2) I like that they have some interaction outside of sex or foreplay, that they conducted decent conversations as they got to know one another and decided eventually that yes, they'd like to get naked with the other.

I had an enjoyable afternoon with these two stories. Definitely worth reading!

Bought by the Boss are two novellas in one! We have best friends who are both working as personal assistants to lawyers of different firms. The guys used to be the best of friends in law school, and after something happened, they have been feuding ever since.

When a charity auction is going on, Aria and Mallory, both agreed to be auctioned off for a weekend date. Both lawyers, Liam and Jackson, buy the others assistant hoping to get back at each other. Chaos is all around and the girls try to piece together what caused the rift between the men they work for. Their hope is to get them talking to clear the air between them.

Whew! What a ride!! I had a fun time reading this one! I am a fan of Stacey Kennedy's books and this is another enticing one to read! I liked all the characters and it was interesting to see what made them tick. The storyline was believable and the characters were everyday people. We all have problems-only these guys held grudges forever!

I was glad to see both sides of the rift and could understand why things went down as they did. I was happy to see a resolution of sorts and a start to mending fences! All in all a scintillating read I wholeheartedly recommend!

5 Stars/4 Flames

reviewed by Deb

Bought by the Boss are two novellas in one! We have best friends who are both working as personal assistants to lawyers of different firms. The guys used to be the best of friends in law school, and after something happened, they have been feuding ever since.

When a charity auction is going on, Aria and Mallory, both agreed to be auctioned off for a weekend date. Both lawyers, Liam and Jackson, buy the others assistant hoping to get back at each other. Chaos is all around and the girls try to piece together what caused the rift between the men they work for. Their hope is to get them talking to clear the air between them.

Whew! What a ride!! I had a fun time reading this one! I am a fan of Stacey Kennedy's books and this is another enticing one to read! I liked all the characters and it was interesting to see what made them tick. The storyline was believable and the characters were everyday people. We all have problems-only these guys held grudges forever!

I was glad to see both sides of the rift and could understand why things went down as they did. I was happy to see a resolution of sorts and a start to mending fences! All in all a scintillating read I wholeheartedly recommend!

5 Stars/4 Flames

This is a book with two separate stories that are intertwined.

Liam and Jackson had been college roommates and best friends until something happened and drove them apart. Today, they are both lawyers and adversaries. Aria and Mallory are friends and are personal assistants for Liam and Jackson. Liam and Aria have been flirting and sending out signals to each other for a while and Liam finally makes his move when he decides to "purchase" Aria at an auction.

Jackson "purchases" Mallory at the same auction, but for revenge more than anything to get back at Liam. Mallory, on the other hand, has been attracted to Jackson for a while. It doesn't take long for Jackson to fall for Mallory.

The stories are connected and we soon discover why Jackson and Liam haven't been friends for a long time.

If graphic love scenes aren't your thing, then skip this one. I would read another book by Ms. Kennedy.

To be honest. I love Stacey Kennedy books, and there hasn't been anything like this that she has written. It was hard for me to read for some reason. I could not put faces on the characters like I have in the past. This was a hard read, it was too similar to C.L. Parker's Million Dollar Duet series. I am sitting here trying to figure out how to better explain it and I cannot. Once this book is published and our library purchases it for our customers, I will give it a try. I did not post a Goodread's review so it would not influence the ratings.

I enjoyed the first story, it was cute, hot and had a good pace. I thought the second story was just silly and the premise juvenile.

Two best friends end up on the winning end of a jealous boss bet. How will this work out?

**Received ARC from NetGalley for a fair and honest review**
Bought by the Boss is a standalone book by Stacey Kennedy, it is also two books in one. I'd rate the book overall at 4.5 stars. I really enjoyed both stories, but I did like Liam and Aria's book a little bit better.
Liam and Jackson were best friends and roommates in college. Then an event occurred that would change the course of their lives and their friendship. Liam has had a crush on Aria for years. The only problem is, she is Jackson's assistant and because Aria is friends with and is loyal to Jackson, she will not entertain anything to do with Liam. But when he buys a weekend with her at a charity benefit auction, all bets are off. Liam and Aria have flirted for years, so when they have their weekend, the chemistry is off the charts, but the weekend won't be enough. The characters were very enjoyable and had good chemistry. If you like hot and steamy you will enjoy both stories. Both Liam and Jackson are the quintessential high profile, high power attorney, alpha type males. Aria is his rivals assistant, but Liam has been in the proverbial boardroom with her before and thinks she's highly intelligent, perceptive, loyal, trustworthy, kind, etc and the author tries to convey that in the story. Liam and Aria at the end of the weekend aren't ready for it to end, but in order for it to continue fences need mending. Which leads into Jackson and Mallory's story. It picks up right where Liam and Aria's ends. Jackson only bought Mallory to get even with Liam. Right after the closure of an important deal Jackson whisks Mallory off on their getaway. But he wasn't planning for it to be anything other than platonic, get away, get some R&R. But Mallory has had a crush on Jackson for a while and if they are going to be together for the few days, she's going to make it memorable. Mallory isn't as close with Liam as Aria is with Jackson, and Mallory and Aria are best friends. Jackson suspects that Liam has poisoned Mallory when it comes to anything to do with him. I enjoyed their story, which moved very quickly just like the first. Again the characters were very enjoyable and had good chemistry. What made the first story more enjoyable was they knew each other and there was mutual interest for a long time. Jackson had no interest or anything for Mallory until they spent time together. But after spending time with Mallory, he discovered she was smart, funny, sexy, etc One thing I really liked is at the end the author didn't just stop the book, she left you with a sense of closure which I really enjoyed. Hope this helps! Happy Reading!!!

I received an arc from Netgalley. I enjoyed this book and the double romance that happened. I am glad Liam and Jackson resolved their issues with each other in the end.
Definitely will look for more by this author. 4.5 stars

3.5 Stars

Bought by the Boss is a quick, smart and sexy read by Stacey Kennedy! I am really enjoying Stacey’s writing. This is the third book I’ve read by her and would love to read more. This book is actually 2 separate stories mildly entwined with each other about 2 lawyers and their respective assistants. First you’ll read about Aria and Liam. Liam is sweet, kind and sexy. I enjoyed his story with Aria but to be honest- I liked Jackson and Mallory’s story better. I related more to Mallory and my heart bled for Jackson a little throughout their story. Jackson is SERIOUSLY hot and the sexy times between these two are STEAMY yet also creative :). I loved these two characters together and really wanted more of them!

I felt like this book could have been a little longer which is the only reason it didn’t get to a 4 for me. I literally devoured it and was left wanting just a little more!

Received ARC copy of this book courtesy of Netgalley~
Liam n Jackson~2 strong male protagonists...Xbest friends with a difficult past.
Aria n Mallory~2 female professionals stuck in the middle!
The beginning of the story kinda' threw me and almost DNF but I persevered and was not disappointed. The intimacy of the couple was so much fun that it rekindled the steam factor!
First time reading Stacey Kennedy and would certainly read again <3

A very spicy read with lots of quick wit and banter. Lots of passion and lots of back and forth that made for a great read!