I loved it! Once again Layne has written a funny sexy and sweet romance with interesting characters that I wanted to know more about, and a plot that was engaging enough to keep my attention but didn't distract me from the developing romance!
The second in the series, it can be read as a standalone (but why would you want to when Layne is such an amazing writer?). And for fans of her other series WE GET A CAMEO!!!!!!!!!! Georgie Watkins from Walk of Shame is in a very brief scene and I was ridiculously excited 😊 it's very brief and it makes absolutely no difference if you haven't read the other book but it fits in seamlessly and Georgie is an amazing character!

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher*

4.5 Stars ~ Top Pick

I’ve expressed a number of times that Lauren Layne is one of my top fave authors. I’m fairly confident she’s my #1 favourite contemporary romance author. Which actually makes reviewing her books not as easy as it may seem. That said, Hard Sell hits all the right buttons for me. Hero and heroine with a contentious past. Ex-lovers. Currently, walking the line between lust and intense dislike. Okay, maybe that’s only Sabrina when it comes to the intense dislike part. All those elements, that’s my catnip. If I read this on a blurb by an unknown author, I’m downloading the sample.

At the beginning of Hard Sell, we find Matt Cannon in a bind. Yeah, he’s young and ridiculously hot and rich but his playboy reputation and some pics taken at a bachelor’s party has his bosses at Wolfe Investments worried that his clients will get the impression he’s as reckless with their money as he is in his personal life. He needs to look stable. He needs a girlfriend.

Enter his arch nemesis Sabrina Cross. Arch nemesis as in occasional lover. PR is her thing and fixing reputations and bad situations is what she does for a living. And since she can’t stand him, she’ll make the perfect fake girlfriend. There’s no risk of her falling for him and wanting more. I don’t need to tell you where this is going, right?

Matt is swoonworthy. I fell for him right away as did Sabrina. Their relationship goes back four years and (like the man he is) he fools himself into believing that what’s between them is physical, irresistible, smoking hot chemistry. And boy does he sometimes put his foot in it, which made my heart squeeze for him even more. The poor guy is human and he demonstrates that enough. He doesn’t mean to hurt Sabrina but sometimes he’s just clueless. Now, he’s in a faux relationship with her where sex is strictly forbidden. My only question was how long will this last.

Sabrina is one of those people who, because of a difficult upbringing, has walled off her emotions. Or at least outwardly. She’s not warm and fuzzy. She’s not a people pleaser. She’s a career-driven 21st businesswoman who is good at what she does and doesn’t believe in love. The latter is what she tells herself. The way she is with Matt though—sigh—she simply can’t help herself. That’s what I loved so much about their relationship, which is watching as it grows. Watching as they each make allowances for each other and as the rules of their agreement get broken.

Beyond the cast of Hard Asset (first book in the series), guess who else makes an appearance in the book? Georgianna Watkins now Mulroney from Walk of Shame. I absolutely loved that book so it was wonderful to catch up with her a bit. And then we learn a bit more about Kate and Kennedy, who will finally get their story in Huge Deal. Can’t wait! Can’t wait!

And can I tell you what Lauren Layne is soooo good at? Making the hero grovel. The hero pulls out all the stops when he finally—eureka moment—realizes that he’s gone gone gone for the heroine. Matt is no different and I fell for him even harder by the time their HEA was all wrapped up.

~ Beverley

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC from Netgalley.

How? HOW does Lauren Layne do it?? No, seriously, I need an answer. I admit that the description didn't hit my hot buttons, but IT'S Lauren Layne!! And Holy Cow, am I so happy that I didn't let that interfere with reading this book. I enjoyed everything about this book....the characters, the story & the dialogue. I'm telling you people....You can NOT go wrong with a Lauren Layne novel.

However, now I'm distraught that I have to wait for Kate & Kennedy's story!!! Argh!

I am loving this series! Lauren Layne has pulled me into these books from page one. These covers for this series are the best.

Matt is the youngest broker on Wall Street and gets himself in a predicament partying in Vegas. Needing help to clean his act up he calls the one person he knows can help, Sabrina.

Sabrina and Matt are not the best of friends but she agrees to be his girlfriend to help Matt out. The more time they spend together the more real the relationship felt.

This was another great book in the 21 Wall Street series and I can not wait for the next book.

While the banter was fun, sometimes I found myself wondering about the maturity of the two protagonists-- are they really ready for a relationship? The chemistry was certainly there though, and the friendship between the guys-- while trite-- provided quite a few laughs. I'm personally more interested in reading Kennedy's story.

Hard Sell

*received an ARC in exchange for an honest review**

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


The second book in the 21 Wall Street series is definitely a must read. I was so excited to read Matt and Sabrina’s story because of the fact that even though they didn’t like one another they were still drawn to one another. They forced each other to come to terms with things that they didn’t necessarily want come to terms with. I also loved their interactions in this book because it helped build up of the sexual tension between them and you couldn’t wait to see when they would finally give in to the attraction. I can’t for the next installment of this series!

Matt has screwed up. He has put not only his reputation on the line but also the firms reputation. And now he needs to clean up his act to get his bosses, clients, and potential clients favor back, and the only way to do that is to find a girlfriend. Unfortunately he isn’t looking for a relationship and doesn’t just want to find just anyone, he needs someone he can trust and who won’t fall in love with him. He needs Sabrina.

Sabrina can’t believe she is going to help Matt out by having him hire her as his girlfriend. She can’t stand the man even though they have been enemies with benefits for awhile. But she knows how much he loves his job and decides she can use this time to make him pay for what he said to her that first night. What she isn’t prepared for is how she will finally see the real Matt like never before.

Matt and Sabrina think that with their contract in place everything will work out in the end. But they aren’t prepared for finally letting themselves think about how it could be if they were really a couple. Will they be able to make it through their contract without falling in love? Or will they finally figure out that the one thing they have been looking for has been right in front of them?

Excellent book! I absolutely love Lauren Layne and her stories but this one is probably my favorite! Matt and Sabrina are HOT and I could read so much more of them!! Great book!! I'm loving the 21 Wall Street Series!

HARD SELL - Lauren Layne

#2 in the 21 Wall Street romance series

FRENEMIES TO LOVERS - 4 stars

Plot - 4 stars - When some negative publicity threatens Matt's job, he must find an immediate fix. Since Sabrina's job is to take care of situations like this, she's the obvious one to ask for help. But, as we learned in the previous book, Matt and Sabrina can't stand each other, so their fake relationship is sure to cause sparks.

Writing - 5 stars - I'm a huge Lauren Layne fan and am rarely disappointed. She writes in a way that captures my attention, and her characters are always people that attract me and make me want to hang out with them. This book is no exception.

Characters - 4 stars - As always, the main characters are attractive, professional, strong, and very appealing. Matt and Sabrina have a casual occasional hook-up kind of relationship because the sexual tension is always there between them. But they are also enemies of a sort, ready with a derogatory statement or criticism. But, as we get to know them better, we realize that that negativity is simply a form of foreplay as they get closer, unintentionally. I love that they have such strong personalities, but they are loyal and close to their friend group, making them people I'd love to hang out with.

Title - 4 stars - This is, of course, a financial-type of phrase. But it has a double meaning referring to the fact that Matt must convince Sabrina to help him despite their animosity.

Cover - 4 stars - Nothing wrong with a sexy man in a business suit. Not the ordinary bare abs, but still grabs the eye.

Overview - 4 stars - As always, Layne writes a story and creates characters that make me unable to put her books down. The themes are fairly typical, the HEA is guaranteed, but the witty repartee and engaging characters propel the story forward quickly and enjoyably. I particularly love her characters who are strong, independent, professional, and lovingly loyal to their friends. Despite differences in personalities, they all get along in a non-judgmental way, providing help and/or support when needed. Although set in a hectic office environment, this series is more about friendship and love than business.

My girl crush on Sabrina Cross started in book 1 and was full on love by the end of book 2. While the books can stand alone, I think reading book 1 gives you a better picture of the characters and their relationships outside of the couple of focus for the story. I devoured this book, reading it in one sitting. I love a good I hate you because I love you book if it's done well and throw in a playboy or two and you've got a recipe for a fun read.

Lauren Layne writes romance so well and is always always a one click must read for me. This series is available on Kindle Unlimited so if you are on the fence about plunging into Layne's world, give this one a try. You won't regret it.

Another great read by Lauren Layne <3
Matt and Sabrina caught my attention as a couple from the first moment I met them in the first book of the series, and their story in Hard Sell was definitely a rollercoaster!

First of all, I totally agree with what Lauren said in the Agreements, this story is not an enemies to lovers story, but it’s more a frenemies to lovers story. Matt and Sabrina, deep down, had always had a special connection, a connection who wasn’t really answered for for some years due to a miscommunication between them.

I loved the banter between them, Sabrina is a firecracker and Matt isn’t scared to reply to her verbal attacks. Some of their exchanges were really hilarious!

Both of them had quite difficult upbringings. Their situations were really different, but both of them were in a way shaped by their childhood and past life, so it was really interesting to see how they managed to deal with their problems and trust in each other.

As always, I appreciated really much that there was no free drama in the book. Yes, they had some misunderstandings and things they needed to deal with, but I liked how their approached the problem, and if I can say it, I admired also the courage to overcome their fears and believe in their future.

So yes, definitely a good good read, and I can’t wait for Kate and Kennedy’s story!

3/5 stars
I just really love Lauren Layne's books and I can never get enough. This one wasn't my favorite but it's still a solid romance.

Loving this 21 Wall Street Series by Lauren Layne. I listened to Hot Asset on audiobook and got hooked. I picked up Hard Sell and devoured it. I enjoyed it even more than the first book. Matt and Sabrina had undeniable chemistry right from the start. What I really loved is they were both vulnerable. I lived for the banter with them. The bickering was adorable. The way they couldn't keep their hand off each other was sexy. It was the perfect combination. I can't wait for Kennedy's story.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were likeable without being jerky and the romance sucked me in. I really like the authors writing and this was no exception. The story is a pretty typical love story as far as contemporary romance goes but I couldn't help but devour the book.

***This review is based on ARC generously provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion. No compensation was paid to the reviewer nor is there any affiliation between the reviewer and author/publisher***
I love Lauren Layne, and I just LOVED this book. Full credit to her on writing another amazing romance.
Hard Sell is the story of Matt Cannon the Wall Street wunderkind who is also super great with the ladies but unfortunately having a bit of PR nightmare, which leads him to PR genius Sabrina Cross who has been tasked with cleaning up his image to satisfy his bosses.
These two have history. You can tell when they were each first introduced in Book 1 of the series and it really set readers up with a lot of well earned anticipation/excitement for the release of their story.
I guess I loved this so much because it was most definitely enemies to lovers and just really hit all the good spots of that trope.
Basically Matt asks Sabrina to fake a relationship with him for some good press and they both get carried away/ realise behind all their animosity is a lot of desire and something gret.
Ms Layne also does not disappoint in revisting old characters and future ones in Kennedy and Kate’s inevitable story!

Matt Carson is on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. As an investment banker at Wolfe Investments he actually loves the newspaper. This picture, however, shows something that could destroy the company. This infuriates his bosses. They tell him: get a girlfriend and clean up your act or get a new job. Who in the world could Matt get to look like is actually serious about settling down with, thus improving the image of the agency? Just recently, one of his best friends, Ian, and also a coworker, was accused of insider trading. He was found innocent, but the agency is still doing damage control due to that.

Sabrina Cross is not Matt’s favorite choice. Simply put, he is fully aware that she hates his guts. Yet she just might be the ideal person. Sabrina is a PR genius, so she may actually be the best person for the job. But how can she pretend to be Matt’s one and only if she can hardly bear the sight of him? Yeah, he is the hottest guy she knows, but, she really can’t stand Matt. They share a shaky past. Will they continue with their antagonistic feelings for one another, or will they give into their mutual, hotter than hot attraction?

For a quick, enjoyable read where two people really discover each other’s worth, I encourage you to read Hard Sell. It is a sizzling romance with humor, especially as the story is delivered in both Matt’s and Sabrina’s perspectives. I read this book straight through in just a couple of hours.

As this is the second book in the 21 Wall Street series, Matt and Sabrina had already been introduced. While these books can certainly do well as standalones, it was definitely a delight to have familiarized myself with the various characters. The first book in the series is Hot Asset, and the third book, Huge Deal, is due for release in February, 2019. It is Kennedy and Kate’s story. Sigh. February is so long away.

Lauren Layne is back with the 2nd book in her Wall Street series. Ian Bradley’s best friend, Matt Cannon is the main character is this sexy, funny, wonderful read. Matt is the rich, smart as a whip, playboy with the world at his feet... until his private life winds up in a popular newspaper. The scandal threatens his job/livelihood/bachelorhood.

When Matt is told by his bosses that his bachelor ways must change, he goes to his enemy/friend for her help. Sabrina Cross is a highly sought-after fixer with a track record of making people’s problems go away fast. Sabrina also has an affinity for making Matt’s life difficult and though he hates to admit it— more exciting.

Matt asks Sabrina to pretend to be his girlfriend to ease the public’s perception of him. And to his surprise, she says yes. But not without a contract to define the rules to this request. Rule # 1: No sex during the time needed to fix his reputation.

Matt and Sabrina’s fake relationship turns to soft touches and sweet kisses. It soon begins to feel a little too real and these two people with commitment issues have to decide if they want to be together— for real.

I received a ARC of this book from the publisher on Netgalley to post an honest review.

There is nothing quite like a Lauren Layne book. Well written, engaging, funny, and thrilling. Matt and Sabrina's hate to love relationship is one of my favorite tropes, and LL did them well. Easy to love, and hard to put the book down.

Enemies-to-lovers romances are my favorite. Lauren Layne is one of my favorite authors. I had high expectations for this book for those two reasons. I was NOT disappointed!!

The tension between Matt and Sabrina and their history of hooking up while managing to "hate" each other made for some excellent reading and, frankly, I couldn't put the book down once I started. The slow build for them from frenemies and sometime lovers to more was perfectly written. Watching them discover who they thought they were and what they thought they wanted to understanding that they shared a lot of the same hopes and dreams and how perfectly matched they actually were was heartwarming and a little bit fun. Even though that journey was made up of some not so happy baggage leftover from growing up with parents who weren't exactly great examples of living and loving the right way, it was the journey that made their relationship so worthwhile.

Lauren Layne is fantastic at character and world building and every time I read a new book of hers I find myself caught up in the worlds that she creates, longing for the friendships she weaves and not wanting to move on and/or wait for the next installment. Alas, that is what I find myself doing every time. Longing for more.

Lauren Layne is one of my new favorite authors.
I can not wait to read more from her.
With every story and every word she pulls you in.
I can never put her books down.
This is a must read ;)

Loved this book! It was so steamy and had me up all night to finish the last page! The premise is right up my alley. Can’t wait to recommend this to everyone!