Lauren Layne is one of my favorite authors, so naturally I was thrilled she was writing a new series. The early teases sounded so good. When the cover for Passion on Park Avenue was released, I basically swooned. (I'm a little bit in love with NYC, ok?) I started hearing early buzz for the book that slightly tamped down my excitement, but I still wanted to read it. I'm glad I did, too. It was a wonderful book, even if I thought it felt a little more like women's fiction than romance with the fade-to-black. (Not that it's a bad thing, mind you. It's just not what I've come to expect from her.) 

I really did love Naomi and Oliver. Their story had plenty of ups and downs. Emotional roller coaster, anyone? But with the angst was a healthy dose of chemistry, laughs and a slow burn that I just couldn't wait to catch flame. Unfortunately it never really exploded because of the fade-to-black. BUT, the characters (including the ladies Naomi made the pact with) and storytelling made up for that and made this a thoroughly enjoyable read. All in all, the Central Park Pact series is off to a promising start, with wonderful writing and characters I definitely want more from. I can't wait to read the next book!

Favorite Quotes:

"The next time you look at me like you want me to kiss you, I will."

"You're no longer a puzzle I'm interested in solving."


Her heart might belong to Oliver. But her pride was still her own.

Naomi is still haunted by her past. She has made her way in Manhattan but she still feels like the poor little girl from the Bronx. Sitting in Central Park one day with her boyfriend's wife and another one of his mistresses (yes, how awkward and yet convenient) she makes a deal with the ladies that they will each help one another in their dating life. I had wondered how that would work. It was an easy going friendship with them and I can see the set up for the other two ladies to get a book of their own.

Naomi is ready to move into her Tribeca condo when she is called in for an interview for a co-op on 517 Park. This is the same building where she lived at with her mother as a housekeeper before they were discarded into the street. She has so many bad memories and it all returns as she comes face to face with Oliver, the boy who teased her.

I liked how easy going Oliver was. He was in a bad spot dealing with his father. Naomi on the other hand was so resentful and she knew Oliver never remembered her. She was shaken by the state of his father's condition and it was a difficult process. I felt she carry this way too long in her dealings with him.

Eventually the truth gets out and her world get rocks but it all works out in the end.

Overall, a cute quirky contemporary.

ARC provided to me in exchange for honest review.

Lauren Layne is one of those authors where I want to stop everything just to read her newest work. Stop working, stop Momming(that's a word, right?), Just sit down, read and get lost in a fantastic story. Passion on Park Avenue had to wait till the end of the day after the store closed and the kiddos when to bed, but it was so worth the wait. (and the tough wakeup after falling asleep at 2am when I couldn't put it down!) . Fantastic read and I can't wait for the others in the series! Highly recommended!

I hadn’t read a Lauren Layne book until this one, but the summary for this was right up my alley. I loved it so much when I got started because it reminded me of an actual adult version of Gossip Girl, with all of the fancy brand references and rich people in New York City. Those books are major read-bait for me because it’s a world I’ve always been fascinated by but have zero access to.

I enjoyed this quite a bit! Naomi and Oliver were an intriguing pair and I could feel the hate-to-love chemistry for the entire book. I will say that I expected this to be a bit more of a romance though? It obviously had some but the back-and-forth non-romance parts happened for like 70% of the book. The journey was mostly worth it in the end and I’m satisfied, but it just lacked that spark. Honestly, it would have benefited from more steamy scenes to keep things interesting.

I’m more excited to read the upcoming books though! It’ll be great to see Claire and Audrey also get their happily-ever-afters. This trio of gals are strong and funny. I also love that the next two companion books (and the romantic options) were hinted at heavily in this one, so I was able to get in the shippy mood right off the bat.

Sex & The City for the Hallmark Movie Fans out there! A funny, crisply written novel with romance, friendship, family and glamour on Park Avenue... Can't wait for the rest of this series!

I usually don't go for romance books that look like, well, this.

Contemporary romance isn't my thing, but even if it was, rich white lady problems don't really interest me. However, Passion on Park Avenue turned out to be a bit better than I was expecting.

I didn't like the cheesy set-up in the first few chapters, but it got better as it went along. I liked Naomi's shifting viewpoints on Oliver and his dad, and I loved the sexual tension, but I think she kept her secret for way, WAY too long. I also thought that there were some issues that were dropped and left unresolved, which irked me a little. And waaaay too many descriptions of designer clothes for my tastes, personally.

Though I liked it but didn't love it, I would still recommend this to friends who like easy reading contemporary romance. It was a fun, summer-readish way to pass a few hours, and it made me intrigued to read this author's backlist.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

Oliver and Naomi have known each other since they were kids, and their reunion isn’t exactly what Naomi would have wanted at the beginning. I enjoyed the friction between our characters. This is a little different story than a typical Lauren Layne book. I enjoyed it, but it reminded me of a slow build romance/women’s lit.

Naomi finds herself among the people that treated her like less than human when she was growing up. Now she has the money and the position to be included in their groups , but does she really want to be a part of them. Will she realize that they were the ones lacking and not her? Thank you NetGalley.

Loved loved loved this book!!!! My favourite book by Lauren Layne is hands down "walk of shame"! I genuinely thought nothing could beat it. This book just blew that out of the water!
Naomi is a strong, determined, business woman who is determined to face her demons by returning to park avenue and facing the family that threw herself and her mother out on the street. Little does she know, not is all what its seems when she returns. The little boy who used to terrorize her can't possibly be the same Oliver who is now amazing, sweet and such a handsome man!
I loved the chemistry, the humour, the friendships, the loyalty and development throughout all these characters!
Highly recommend!!

I read Passion on Park Avenue by Lauren Layne over the long weekend and it was so much fun! I’m a huge fan of this author so I loved getting to know brand new characters, most of which will be getting their own stories.
This book is Naomi and Oliver’s story and it’s a flirty, slow-building enemies-to-lovers romance. The banter is snarky and humorous, the characters are complex, and the romance drove me crazy with anticipation. This was a perfect start to the series and it already dying for the next book!

I highly recommend adding this to your TBR list.

Summary from Goodreads:

"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…"

My Thoughts:

This was such a fun and enjoyable read for me! I don't read a ton of contemporary romances but this book has me reconsidering that. One of my absolute favorite tropes in romance is the (I'm not sure what this is exactly called but this is what I'm calling it) hate to love romance. I adore when the main characters despise each other but ultimately can't fight their attraction to one another! It's my favorite so it was a sure fire thing that I was going to enjoy this book with that kind of set up. I think one of the reasons that I enjoy this type of trope so much is that it usually means that there isn't any kind of insta-love which is my least favorite romance trope. The romance between Naomi and Oliver was a slow burn of the best kind in my opinion. Also, just to let other readers know - this is a book that I've been recommending to readers who want a romance without the steamy scenes. I just wanted to throw that out there for any other readers who are looking for that kind of romance! In this book, Naomi remembers Oliver instantly from her childhood when they meet for the first time but Oliver doesn't remember her. This leads to some humorous moments as Oliver can't figure out why Naomi seems to despise him on sight. Especially as he is as attracted to her as he is annoyed with her for the way she is treating him. The chemistry between these two was just absolute perfection so I couldn't get enough of reading it. I also really enjoyed the friendship that Naomi had between two other ladies which is the kind of setup of this trilogy. I don't want to give too many details on how they become friends, but I'm now eager to read both of their books so I can see them get their happy ever after as well. This was just a fun read for me even though there were some serious aspects to it. Oliver's father has Alzheimer's disease which plays a prominent part in this book. The disease isn't glossed over and it is something that Oliver is constantly dealing with throughout the book. I really liked the end of this book and am eager to get my hands on the next book in this trilogy.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with this book and am looking forward to reading more by this author. This is actually the second book that I've read by Lauren Layne - the other book that I read was Cuff Me which had more of a suspense vibe to it than this book did. Two very different books but both books that I enjoyed immensely. Looks like I have another author whose backlist I need to catch up on! Also, I can't believe that I haven't mentioned this before but how gorgeous is that cover? I love it! It was almost a shame that I read this book on my e-reader so couldn't experience that cover in its' full glory. Ha! I would recommend this book to fans of romance but also to readers who are starting to get on board with the new wave of romantic comedies that are becoming so popular as of late. This book was just a plain fun read at times and I think that there are many other readers who will enjoy it as well. An easy book for me to recommend!

Bottom Line: A fun and enjoyable read that has me excited for the next book!

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book thanks to the publisher. Thoughts are my own.

Naomi Powell, Claire Hayes and Audrey Tate meet at the funeral of a man they were all involved with at the same time, and however unlikely, they became fast friends. In the first book of the Central Park Pact series, Naomi's story is told. Naomi's telling story is that she grew up poor and her mother was a housekeeper. At one of the homes her mother worked for, she lost her job and they were thrown out. Before this happened, Naomi was all but bullied by the family's son.

When Naomi gets an exclusive apartment in the Upper East Side of New York, she still feels like an outsider. She feels uncomfortable around her new neighbors, but especially Oliver Cunningham. There is a very good reason behind her feeling strange around Oliver. He is the grown son of one of her mother's ex-employees. As Oliver tormented her as a child, he especially does so now. However, this is for entirely different reasons. For one thing, he is entirely too attractive. Meanwhile, meeting up with Oliver's father brings a lot of angst to Naomi, but for very good reason she is forced to adjust her view of the older man.

Naomi has made great strides as an adult. She is now the CEO of an accessory company and has more more to spend in several lifetimes. She certainly can choose whatever path she wants in life. Oliver is an architect and is very successful. They are a fine pair, even if their past - and now their present - clash.

Passion to Park Avenue is a a warm, sensitive and compelling read. Watching Oliver and Naomi find their way to love was quite enjoyable. This story is much tamer than Lauren Layne's 21 Wall Street series. What it lacks in spice it truly makes up when it comes to being quite an emotional read, especially when it comes to Oliver's father. I look forward to reading the other two books in the series, Love on Lexington Avenue, due in September, and Marriage on Madison Avenue, publication date TBA.

I liked some aspects of this story but for the most part, it just wasn’t clicking for me. I found the relationship the three women formed extremely awkward. I never got that feeling of bonding between them, it just felt odd to me. They'd make jokes about their connection and it felt incredibly stilted and fell flat.

I did like Naomi and Oliver but it was such a light, slow burn romance with nothing major happening that I never really felt their connection. I liked their interactions, they could be sweet, but it was lacking that want and need. This is not my first time reading Lauren Layne, she’s one of my favorites, so I went into this expecting fun and fresh and sexy. For me, that was not this.

It took me a while to get into the story and I spent the first half wondering if I should DNF. However, I was invested enough that I wanted to know what would happen so I stuck with it. It's not super descriptive and some thing's felt like a footnote or glossed over. I didn't warm up to Naomi until the end, she's a pretty brash character that could hold a major grudge and it almost felt over the top. Towards the end, she softened and I liked her much more. That’s when her personality shined.

The story wasn’t bad, it just wasn't for me. I was missing the fun and the heat and playfulness.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

This is a cute, light book and I'm sure I'll read the rest in the series when they come out. It's certainly not mind-blowing or life changing in anyway, but who doesn't love reading a story of unlikely friendship and love?

The book starts off with three women meeting in Central Park while avoiding the funeral of a wealthy man who died unexpectedly. The women happen to have something in common... One is the wife of the man who has passed away and the other two are the mistresses (none knew about the others). Instead of instantly hating each other, the women bond over their poor luck in relationships and vow to help each other avoid falling into similar situations in the future.

One of the women, Naomi, is a self-made woman who has built a jewelry empire (a subscription box, obvi), but she still isn't able to fully let go of things from her childhood. When she moves in to an old money apartment building on Park Ave. that holds a lot of negative history for her, it's with the intention of proving herself to some of its residents. The only problem? One of those residents happens to have grown up into a pretty attractive and charming man.

Like I said, it's a cute read. Oliver, the man in Naomi's building, really is a charming and likable character and it's easy to see why he's hard to resist. It's hard to believe a friendship like Naomi, Claire, and Audrey have is possible, but it's also a fun concept. I imagine the next books in the series will feature the stories of the other two women (they're in the book a lot, but we don't get too much on their individual histories).

If you're looking for a beach read that's a little bit smarter than the typical chick lit and you love stories of friendship and falling in love, this could be a good choice for you!

QueenZany 4 Star Review
Passion on Park Avenue
by Lauren Layne



Passion on Park Avenue is drop dead swoon-worthy fun!
All curled up in one divinely entertaining novel. That most defiantly will leave you a smile to your face! Well because there is nothing better than enemies to lovers, plus the banter that goes on for days!! So Love it!!!

Need something light, fun and romantic to read then look no further! This is a wonderful easy read that I devoured and has made me want to go and read Lauren Layne's back catalogue.

Naomi finally has everything that she has worked hard for – an excellent business, money, status and a place among the elite of NYC! Finally she has the opportunity that she has been working for, to show the family that caused so much hurt to her and her mother, that she is more than just “the help”! But “revenge” doesn’t quite take the form she thought it would, especially when she meets adult Oliver and sparks fly!

This is a very sweet, slow burn, enemies to lovers romance. Well not that Oliver ever really hated her, but you know! I thoroughly enjoyed this book – Naomi has a huge chip on her shoulder and even though Oliver can see it, he can’t work out what caused it! Oliver is so confident in who he is and what he has going for him, that he knows he can get through the barriers that Naomi has erected and he’s willing to take the time.

I will say that I found Naomi to be a little self-righteous and this made it a little hard to connect with her – I think that she has her reasons, but was happy to see that by the end of the book, she appears to have gotten over it! And I did love the progression in her character throughout the book. She was a much nicer person in second half of the book.

I am looking forward to reading the next books in this delightful series. (I don’t normally comment on the steam aspect of books, but I saw that a few people expected more steam in this one – I however loved the fade to black in this book. The steam was most definitely there but in angst and tension rather than sex!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this ARC!

Lauren Layne is a go-to Author for me. I love the way she crafts a story and Passion on Park Avenue was no different. Did it have a different vibe than some of her other books? Yes, it did. But I adored this book and can't wait to read more in this series!

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!

Passion On Park Ave was such a fun read! Thx @gallerybooks (via @netgalley) for the digital ARC. I was honestly hooked from the very beginning, the friendship set-up is very creative (and kind of hilarious tbh). I enjoyed the trio of unlikely girlfriends and loved the focus on Naomi in this first of the series. I was a total sucker for Oliver so I was rooting for them the entire time. I think my favorite part was Naomi’s evolution and growth as a person (vendetta-specific). Can’t wait for the next book in the series! I’m going to need physical copies of these for my bookshelf!

Passion on Park Avenue is the first book in the Central Park Pact series by Lauren Layne. The story has a fun, flirty, ‘Sex and the City’ vibe to it; it centers around three New York City women who meet when they learn they had each been in a relationship with a now-deceased man. These three – Naomi, Claire and Audrey – are all smart and beautiful and vow to become friends instead of letting the cheating playboy come between them.

‘Passion on Park Avenue’ features Naomi Powell who is the founder of a billion dollar company. One of the things I loved most about this light and sexy novel is that the author is intimately familiar with New York City. I loved the metropolitan setting! (One of my pet peeves is when an author tries to set a story in a place they know nothing about and have done no research.) Naomi grew up in extreme poverty when her mother was fired from her housekeeping job by a wealthy Park Avenue matron, because Naomi’s mother was having an affair with her husband. Naomi and her mother, who lived in the apartment, were kicked out and bounced around from various places. As a child, Naomi was best friends with Oliver, the son, who lied when confronted about his father’s affair and Naomi never got over the betrayal.

So when the chance to live in the very same Park Avenue building comes up, Naomi takes it, even though can live anywhere she wants. But what she wants is revenge on Oliver for the long-ago betrayal.

This book has a lot of heart and soul which elevates it above many contemporary romances. Oliver was a very well-rounded character. He was not the complete jerk that Naomi remembers. He is now bearing the burden for caring for his ailing father and he truly does not recall Naomi. All he knows is that she is really getting under his skin!

”Naomi Powell had brought him back to life, made him realize that he hadn’t died with his mom, or with his father’s diagnosis; he’d just been living that way.”

This was a relatively low-angst story which is perfect if you need to escape for a few hours into a well-written, frothy romance. The enemies-to-lovers trope is very well done by Ms. Layne. The love scenes fade to black so this is not an explicit romance, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I also enjoyed the subplot about Naomi getting her own reality television series which I hope will be explored in more detail in the future books.

"Naomi's face tilted to his, and for a moment Oliver's breath caught with an unfamiliar sensation. Want, yes. Desire, sure. But this moment was different. Fuller somehow, as though this woman belonged to him not just for right now, not just for a night, but for always..."

This was my first book my Lauren Layne and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a light, adult romantic comedy. The cover for the second book in the series, ‘Love on Lexington Avenue’, has already been released and it is beautiful! I am very much looking forward to reading Audrey and Claire’s stories.
(ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

4-4.5 stars

This book was so freaking cute that I almost completely forgive the fade to black. Almost.

There’s just so much amazing build up and fun banter and we wait so long that it just kinda leaves you kinda deflated when it fades to black.

There is so much Lauren Layne goodness in this though and it’s impossible to stay disappointed for long.

The first chapter will absolutely hook you right away and Naomi and Oliver’s back and forth will keep you hooked until you reach the end. I love the relationship between them but I also absolutely fell for the friendship Naomi, Claire and Audrey build. I couldn’t put this one down and can’t wait for more from these gals!!!