This was a really great “enemies” to lovers plot line. It was suspenseful without being dark and i thoroughly enjoyed it!

I'm a big fan of Lauren Layne's other books so I was really excited to receive a copy of this first book in a new series. It did not disappoint. It contained the same flirty, witty relationships and friendships that her other series contain. I'm already looking froward to reading the next book in the series and anything else written by Lauren Layne!

Ahhhhh LL!! Have I told you we missed you?! Meaning, your books can't come out soon enough!

Hot Asset was fresh, fun, smart... and this time, also mysterious! Oooh yes! We had a case to solve!

Witty banter, sexy Ian and bold Lara!
They start off the wrong foot. Or maybe, the right one?! Coz ladies, there was chemistry and it was hawt!!

"Damn it, he really does smell good. What is that, sandalwood? Cedar? George Clooney’s sweat?"

I loved both characters.
They were so real, and grounded, and likable, and, and, and.....! How many characters are allowed in this review?!

I just couldn't put it down, and finished it in one sitting! Soooo worth it!

Secondary characters were the icing on the cake! They made me laugh out loud son many times! (Thinking about them, and still chuckling!!) Can't wait to read their books! They can't come fast enough!!

Thank you Montlake Romance and Netgalley for this precious precious early copy!

I'm a fan of both the Oxford and Stiletto series, and for me this new series is on par with them. It was fun, and sexy, and the characters are all engaging. I think the connections and friendships between all the characters, both main and secondary, really adds to the depth and cohesion of the book. The storyline was interesting and the mystery was well set up and explained. I can't wait for the next book!

After recently finishing (and being completely disappointed) in The Wedding Date, I was thrilled to be able to dive into Lauren Layne's newest series! Hot Asset is exactly what I like in a romance. It was fun and flirty, with characters that have flaws but address these flaws by the end of the book.

I also really enjoy how Layne writes relationships of all kinds. The main romantic relationship is great, of course, but I personally enjoy how she writes friendships, especially between men. These relationships feel real and authentic, which can be difficult to write.

If you're looking for a fun, easy, romantic read Lauren Layne is your girl. I'm already counting the days until the release of the next book in the series, Hard Sell. Thank you NetGalley for an early copy of this book.

It seems rare when an author comes up with a completely fresh plot device in this genre, and I was delighted with this one: hot Wall Street guy tangles with serious SEC investigator. The matter of the investigation and how and why Ian was set up moves the story along nicely without too many tedious procedural details. But the dialogue and itneractions between Lara and Ian are perfect. I’ve come to enjoy stories written in alternating points of view, and this one does it beautifully. I think it is difficult to write the voice of a male character like Ian and have it seem authentic. This is so well done I often felt like he was telling me the story.
This book had drama that didn’t devolve into melodrama and humor that didn’t beoome silly. Ian’s range of emotions was exactly what you would expect when someone has threatened your livelihood with unjust allegations, and Lara’s ran the full range from smug confidence that she was going to nail an evildoer to despair knowing how much her commitment to doing the right thing would cost her.
This story was fresh, well written, and entertaining. All the characters were intriguing, and I can’t wait to read more about Ian’s pals.

Hot Asset features an incredibly sexy romance with a hero who fought his way to the top and the heroine determined to bring him down.

Ian Bradley is a man who has it all with a seven-figure salary and a corner office in his position at one of Wall Street’s top investment firms. He’s as in demand off the trading floor as he is on it and never sleeps with the same woman twice. Ian believes he’s untouchable, so it comes as a great shock to him that the woman he was flirting with in the break room is an SEC agent investigating him for insider trading. Lara McKenzie has always dreamed of working in the white-collar division of the FBI and knows she just needs one big win at the SEC to get her in the door. Lara is sure Ian is guilty, his type always are, and will do anything to prove it.

Ian worked tooth and nail to get to where he is today and no one is going to take that from him. Ian grew up in the foster care system never knowing where his next meal would come from or if he would have a place to sleep at night. He has carefully crafted his public persona to be someone who doesn’t care about anything but his next win at work and the next woman he’ll sleep with. Privately, Ian has created a scholarship for foster kids in his old neighborhood and still tries to take care of his foster dad Dave who provided the most stable home he had growing up.

Growing up with two FBI agents for parents, Lara has always wanted to follow in their footsteps but by doing so on her own merit. She refuses their help to get her into the FBI and takes a job with the SEC as it’s a good stepping stone towards her ultimate goal. Lara is ambitious, smart, and sees the world as black and white with no room for the morally ambiguous. Lara pours everything she has into her job and has little to no social life as most people find her to be a workaholic.

Ian and Lara definitely don’t get off on the right foot as he immediately starts flirting with her without knowing who she is while she knows he’s the man she’s been sent to investigate. Lara sees Ian as being too cocky and lets her past experience with men on Wall Street color her opinion of him. Ian and Lara’s relationship was definitely unique as they are truly on opposing sides at the start. When both Ian and Lara realize they want more to their relationship, they don’t immediately go for it instead waiting until Lara completes her investigation. But when things do get going it’s incredibly hot and the two have amazing chemistry.

I was intrigued from the start by Ian’s assertion that someone was setting him up and framing him for insider trading. The idea that someone hated him that much was interesting and I was curious to see how that would play out. We don’t see a lot of Lara’s investigation outside of her interviews of those closest to him and I would have liked to see more of her working on the case. I ended up guessing how the whole case was related to Ian, but still enjoyed how the author showed everything happening.

Hot Asset was such an enjoyable read and gave me a new appreciation for an attractive man in a good suit. I can’t wait for the next book in the series, Hard Sell, to release later this year. I highly recommend this series for anyone looking for a good romance.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Ian and Lara! The story is SOOOO good (as are all LL books). I cannot wait for the next books, especially a particular couple I am totally in love with already!

Hot Asset is an amazing read. If you love good banter then you will love Ian and Lara. I love the cocky side of Ian and how Lara turns him down left and right. There is sort of a love/hate relationship that is Lara and Ian. But yet this undeniable attraction. Two opposites can make a right. How can you not love Lara and her by the book ways. Ian and his close friends are amazing. Once Lara figures out why and who is behind the set up it is amazing to see everything fall into place. I can't wait to see everything pan out throughout the series.

I liked this one but was not thrilled with it. It was a good story but the character development was sadly lacking for me and i really like to get to know the characters, to feel that connection. I would read more though, maybe I would feel more engaged next time.

I’ve read numerous books by Ms. Layne and she always provides an entertaining story, with plenty of emotional scenes, sexy times and hilarious banter.

This was an interesting take on Wall Street, potential insider trading, and the SEC. It was NOT a cute meet with Ian and Lara! Ian is used to women jumping at the chance to be with him, so he’s thrown off by Lara’s disinterest. Initially Ian is difficult to like as a wealthy playboy and his seeming carelessness with one-night stands. He has worked hard to get where he is and is quite wealthy, while Lara is struggling in a low paying job with the SEC.

I won’t go into all of the details but as the story progresses, you become aware of Ian’s difficult childhood and how it affects his adult life. Lara has always wanted to be in the FBI in the white-collar crime section. Ian and Lara are extremely hard workers, focused on their careers and seem to follow all rules, which leaves them both wondering how this investigation was initiated.

Lara is given a difficult time by Ian, his colleagues Kennedy and Matt, their assistant Kate, and Ian’s long-time friend Sabrina due to the investigation. They are a close-knit group and even when they are bickering, you can just feel a familial type of love and caring. Lara is pretty much a loner so to see their interactions, makes her want to have that in her life.

The tension builds the longer the investigation lasts. It’s intriguing how the potential crime plays out, while Ian and Lara are becoming more and more interested in each other but Lara won’t let anything interfere in her investigation or with her reputation.

I could easily feel the emotions of all the characters and understood Ian’s hurt feelings thinking that Lara believes he could be guilty. I enjoyed the alternating POV’s, which helps to understand the emotions and thoughts of the main characters.

I loved how the criminal part ended – yay Karma! I wasn’t sure how the relationship between Ian and Lara would work but it made me very happy with an HEA.

I look forward to reading the rest of the series and finding out more about Matt and Sabrina and Kennedy and Kate!

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an early copy to read.

This book was a quick easy read. This was an enjoyable read, but I feel that it lacked character development between Ian and Laura. Thats not to say that i am looking forward to reading the rest of the series, and finding out the story of the secondary characters!

5 STARS!!

It's been so long since the last time I received an ARC of LL book.
So happy to be able to read and review one of my favorite authors' new release.

While I find the banter between the Hero and heroine is really interesting, the topic of this story is pretty boring, in my opinion. I don't really understand all the Wall Street thingy and the investigation with "blurry source" is just waste of time. I just don't get it why when someone has a gut to sell their stock and unfortunately after that, the company went bankrupt, then that person who just sold his stock became a suspect of crime?..... Or so I thought, until THAT amazing plot twist happened.


Damn LL!! You're genius!!
Just when I thought the story would go worse, you made it much, much, much BETTER!!

Love it!!

And I love that the old LL style is finally back.

Good banter between the Hero and heroine, interesting story line, smart and hardworking Hero and heroine, and of course the right amount of sexiness.

For all LL fans you guys definitely should read this book!

I already can't wait for Matt story! 😻

Thank you so much publisher and NetGalley for providing me this ARC. I feel so honored.

I’ve been a fan of LL’s books for a while, and I mostly enjoyed this one! I liked how career focused Lara was. A lot of Layne’s more recent titles have heroines with the perfect job and perfect social life, and I was happy to see a deviation from that. I thought I would hate Ian, but he grew on me pretty quickly.

The story was pretty contrived and the conclusion of the investigation was mildly ridiculous, but still entertaining and fun to read.

Hot Asset by Lauren LayneLara McKenzie has one goal in life. She wants to work for the FBI putting white collar criminals away. And the SEC is a stepping stone to get there. If she can get one big case, she's guaranteed entry.

Ian Bradley made a killing on a stock that everyone else lost their shirts on. Lara's boss has a tip that it's because of insider trading. Just because the man is super-hot doesn't mean that Lara is going to fall under his spell like so many other women.

This was an okay start to a new series. I didn't love that Lara and Ian were supposedly falling in love during such a stressful situation. We didn't get to see much of the relationship.



Three stars
This book comes out May 22
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review Hot Asset. I will post the review to my blog on May 22nd. Below is the link to my review on Goodreads.

Sadly, this wasn't my favourite Lauren Layne title. I found Lara to be really interesting but I did not care at all for Ian. However, I am looking forward to the subsequent titles in the series.

<em>Hot Asset</em> is the first book in Lauren Layne's new <a href="http://bookbinge.com/reviews/series/21-wall-street/">21 Wall Street</a> series. It features a hotshot broker who is being investigated for insider trading and the SEC investigator who is digging into his entire life. Sparks fly whenever they're together so you know this was going to be a good one.

Ian Bradley grew up with nothing. No family, no money, no handouts so he worked really hard to make sure that he doesn't have to worry about money or need any handouts now. He knows that he's fortunate to have the life that he has now and he plays just as hard as he works. He lives the life of a bachelor and tries to live without regrets but when he comes into the office and is blindsided by an insider trading investigation on him, he needs to get his shit together and figure out a plan. And just as soon as he stops staring at Lara McKenzie's long legs and fine ass, he'll get right on that. Haha.

Lara McKenzie has a dream of joining the FBI, just like her parents. Her dream job is within reach but she has to get through her present job in order to get the recommendation that she needs for the FBI gig. She's hoping that this latest investigation will lead her to a big case that will lead her one step closer to the FBI. She's investigating a broker on Wall Street who thinks the world rises and sets with him. He thinks he's above everything and she's not surprised that he might be a little shady. Anything to get to the top, right? But the further she digs into this case, the more she realizes that Ian Bradley is not the guy that everyone seems to think he is.

Both Ian and Lara battle their attraction while she's investigating him. It's thrown them both off of their game because they don't know how to handle it. Nothing can come of the attraction, not now anyway but the more they get to know each other, the more they want each other.

Lauren Layne did a great job of meshing both the Wall Street and the SEC worlds in this story and I really enjoyed it all. The characters, the romance, the dialogue, it all worked and I am so here for the next book.

Lara was a fun heroine because she knew what she wanted and she worked hard to achieve all of her accomplishments. She acted on what she felt was right, no matter the cost and how can you not respect someone like that? She was confident in her work and she was also confident in herself as a person and I just really enjoyed getting to know her.

Ian was a great hero and I enjoyed getting to know him. The bits and pieces of him that made him the person that he grew up to be, seeing the family he created for himself and seeing him take care of the one man who was as close to a father figure as he could get just warmed my heart so much. He wasn't perfect, he wasn't polished but he was real and I dug him. I also really enjoyed seeing him fall for Lara and that was completely believable. It happened organically and seriously, Lauren Layne is really good at bringing couples together. She delivers the goods and I will definitely have ants in my pants until I can read the next book in this series.

<strong>Grade: 4.5 out of 5</strong>

Lara is an overachiever. She has always been thorough and kept her eyes on the prize. She is a career woman who investigates insider trading and sends people to prison. She is the BEST at her job. Ian Bradley is the hot, sexy, wealthy, Wall Street Guru who came from hard times. He also keeps his eye on the prize and is the BEST at what he does. So what happens when Lara's SEC department gets a tip that Ian accused of insider trading? Things heat up as both characters are put outside their comfort zone to figure out what is going on.

What a great book to start the 21 Wall Street Series! This story could not have been better.
Ian is such a hound and when he spots a new woman in the break room at work he just can't help himself ( or his zipper) . Cheesiest come on lines ever and man is he shut down quickly when he finds out the woman he's been hitting on hard and heavy is Lara, the woman there from the SEC to start an investigation of ... well... him. Doesn't stop him from wanting Lara and despite he's been accused of insider trading, without any sort of proof thus far, he's still can't stop of thinking about her. He likes he and that alone freaks him out.
With his two other friends and co-workers Matt and Kennedy along with his assistant Kate, who was great btw- working as a PA for all 3 guys she's a really great add the the story. Matt has his own issues with a mutual friend of the guys and then there is Kennedy. The old man trapped in a 30 year old body and I'm dying to know his story. I liked him. Back to Ian and Lara. Lara has done all she can with what little information her boss has given her and she declares the case closed. Her boos has been elusive about this case since handing it to her with promises of a straight shot to the FBI if she brings this guy down. That's her dream job, working white collar for the Bureau. Her parents are both Feds and yet seem the stymy any effort she makes to get to Quantico.
Meanwhile she's fallen for Ian and her ethics keep her from him until she's turned in her final report and closed his file. Fireworks pale in light of these two. Their a perfect pair and as much as that scares Ian he's launched himself headlong into snagging Lara.
This a a great story from Lauren as usual and I can't wait to read Matt's story which is coming up next. Great read! Don't miss out on this one.

**arc from NetGalley and publisher for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**