Member Reviews
Really enjoyed this book and I read it in one sitting. It was a refreshing change to have a role reversal with the female character being the millionaire boss and the male being from the poorer background.
I really liked both the characters of Lizzy, her insecurities and James was certainly perfect man material. I liked his dare devil cocky attitude.
Highly recommended as the perfect holiday read.
DNF
I am sad to say that this didn't work for me on any level. I didn't like the characters, the story had potential but it wasn't realised and the heat was on overload. I found I just couldn't continue. I have much respect for Katy Evans work that I have loved but this was not of the same brushstroke.
I will admit that I went into this book blind, having not read the blurb at all. Whilst it was a little slow to start, I really enjoyed the story and the way the characters grew and developed along the way. Loved the banter between Lizzy and Jimmy and the side characters made the book even better. Overall a very enjoyable read!
This book had the potential to be an amazing read. It had plenty of fun, flirty, sexy banter and a hero I started to fall for pretty quickly. It also had some drama that drove the angst up, unfortunately, that drama came completely out of left field, opened the door for an unnecessary situation, and had this hero dropping in my estimation.
Lizzy fights to be the daughter her father wants, and what he wants is perfection. In order to earn his acceptance, that is what she’s always given him. But in order to gain the CEO position of his company when he steps down, she has to prove herself and the perfect opportunity has presented itself. When her plans collapse she takes a step into a world she’s never been before and meets Jimmy.
When the hot as sin woman in the bar propositions him, he’s all for it. She’s talking money but he’ll do her for free. The next morning, after leaving him high and dry, he learns what the real proposition is. There’s no denying he needs the money so he takes a step into her world and then things get really interesting.
I initially loved Jimmy so much and my heart began to hurt for him pretty early on because I could sense exactly what was going to happen and how much his own heart was going to hurt. He might not have been high class, but he was honest and loyal and dedicated to his family. And when things took a turn and he had to make a difficult decision, it wasn’t his own needs he took into consideration, it was all about Lizzy. However, I struggled with liking Jimmy and the story as a situation that felt contrived popped up pretty much out of nowhere. I wanted this hero to be unaffected but, nope. And that was when Jimmy lost me. Was that really necessary?!
While I liked Lizzy well enough in the beginning, there were so many times when I wanted to chuck her out the window. She said some harsh things to Jimmy that broke my heart and I felt the author lost an opportunity to take this story to a deeper level by not delving into this avenue through his eyes as well as allowing this heroine to evolve to become someone better. That never happened. She was the same at the end as she was at the start. I have to admit, I needed her to do some groveling, which is something I’ve never felt before with a heroine, because she was cruel, even if in her own thoughts.
”Lizzy Banks…” He leans closer to whisper in my ear. “Always craving perfection. You can’t help it, can you? You think once you achieve it, you will be loved by one and all, even your father. And it makes you frustrated, shocks you to the core because you also can’t help…wanting me…even when you know I’m far, far from perfect…still. Not quite perfect enough for the likes of you.”
This did have some great banter that kept the pace moving along as well as some sizzling chemistry between these characters. I’m sure other reviewers will surely remark on this books likeness to Pygmalion/My Fair Lady, with a reversal in the male/female roles. I enjoyed that aspect of the story.
Sometimes when I’ve read a book that has somewhat disappointed me, the epilogue can still save it a star by leaving me with all the happy ever after feels, and while this couple certainly have a HEA, the epilogue did nothing to sell me on this couple or their future. Was this a poorly written book? No, absolutely not. I’m sure there are plenty of readers who are going to enjoy this book and I truly hope if you do try this one, you’ll love it. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work out for me.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided by NetGalley and Montlake. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This is my first read from this author, which is surprising because she's released books that a lot of people recommend lol! I then received an email from the publisher about being on the blog tour for this book and it sounded interesting, so I decided to review it! After reading this book, I'm sort of in two minds about it! I loved the way the plot developed and the relationship development between the two main characters, but I didn't really agree with one character being changed to fit another's specifications! I did love the romance in the plot and the way it developed! It allowed for a few seriously hot scenes too and plenty of sexual tension! There wasn't any action or suspense in the plot, but the romance was definitely enough to keep me interested! The characters were amazing and made this book better! Lizzy was the main female character, and in this book she worked hard to prove to her father that she was competent at her job and that she could do any job that her father asked of her! I felt like Lizzy was too focused on work in this book though and that she needed to let loose and have some fun! Her love interest did change things for her and she started to unravel more and realised that work wasn't everything! Lizzy came a long way in this book and I liked her more and more as the plot developed! James was the main male character and love interest of Lizzy! I loved James a lot in this book! He was very funny and he was very straight with Lizzy! James had also lost important people to him and looked after his younger brother! This made me have a lot of respect for him because he wanted his brother to succeed and do something with his life! James also came a long way in this book and he realised who was really important in his life and this changed his perspective a lot! This book was written from both Lizzy and James' point of views and I was kinda expecting it to be after I read the synopsis because it makes it sound like it's going to be written from dual point of view, so I'm really happy it was! It helped me connect and understand Lizzy and James more and it allowed for a few more things to happen, especially as they were both dealing with their own problems and had their own goals! I thought that this book was a standalone before I read it and whilst I was reading it, but I discovered that there's going to be a second book that continues Lizzy and James' story! I'm really excited to read it and I can't wait to find out how their story is going to end! It also says that it releases in July, which isn't long of a wait at all! I can't wait to check out this author's other books too! I have a few of them on my Kindle, so I can't wait to read more from her and see what other books she's going to release in the future! The cover for this book is also absolutely perfect for it! It suits the photography/model side of the plot and is seriously hot! It would draw me to the book as well and the cover model is the perfect James too! Big thank you to Katy, Montlake Romance and Netgalley for an ARC of Million Dollar Devil!
Million Dollar Devil is a secret identity, office-ish romance between the very well to do Elizabeth "Lizzy" Banks and the poor youtuber James "Jimmy" Rowan. Lizzy needs a new model to be the face of the new Banks menswear line so she can impress her dad. Jimmy needs the million she is offering to get him and his brother into a better life. What could go wrong?
I have to start by saying that Lizzy is quite possibly one of my least favorite heroines. Yes, she does grow by the end of the book and I was happy to see that, but she was quite horrible until near the end. First, she is desperate for her father's approval even though he is a total ass. Second, she says some things about Jimmy/James that are so despicable. For example: "He's just street rat Jimmy Rowan, a nobody. He'd be nothing if it weren't for me." Now, yes, her feelings were hurt because she felt used by him, but to call someone names like this is immature and shows her poor character. Later, while having a drunken meltdown because she THOUGHT Jimmy, whom she had not spoken to in 2 weeks, was kissing some woman, she remarked to a crowd of people during her launch speech at NY fashion week "You put a sewer rat in a suit-He's still a sewer rat."
Listen, she does get better. She does mature and realize that she has been a spoiled princess her whole life desperate for daddy's approval and that she isn't really living. Congrats, sweetie, you are finally an acceptable human being. Maybe I'm too hard on her. So, you might be wondering why I still gave the book 3 stars (which, in my rating means it was good). Evan's writes a compelling story. Even though I hated how awful Lizzy was, I wanted to see how it all played out. Would Jimmy ditch her because she was mean? Would he finally convince her he was serious about her? Would he get her to see that her dad wasn't worth her time? Was he really in it just for the money? And Jimmy was a good hero. He is not pretentious. He is raising his younger brother and doing what he can to keep them afloat. He really is the winner of this story. Well, him and Charlie, his brother. So, while Lizzy is a 2 star heroine, Jimmy is a 4 star hero (because lets be real-he isn't perfect either).
Million Dollar Devil will appeal to readers who like the rags to riches stories with a bit of an office romance-hence taboo-vibe. Jimmy and Lizzy couldn't be more different and their story is quite the opposites attract example. Its a fairly quick read, so if you want something a little angsty and a lot sexy, Million Dollar Devil will check your boxes!
I couldn’t get into or engage with this story. The hero seemed very unappealing and not very smart. I didn’t mind the heroine. She was very relatable and down to earth.
GAH!! I absolutely lovee Katy Evan's stories and am all about her heartstopping and sexy novels. Lizzy and James were delicious together. Pure opposites who saw through to the heart of one another. I love how James was tough and broody but was the one for Lizzy. She likewise got tired of pleasing her father and took life by the reins. This was an amazing read!
I would like to thank Montlake Publishing for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. 4 stars!
**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the ARC in exchange for an honest review**#MillionDollarDevil #NetGalley
3 stars!! For me it was an ok read...Enjoyable, sweet, sexy, romantic and well written story!!
I really enjoyed this story! Lizzy Banks always feels like she has to work twice as hard to prove herself at her father's company. When she has to find a new man to represent their suit line, she finds "bad boy" daredevil James Rowan. I loved the feisty relationship these two develop with Lizzy trying to remake Jimmy's image and James reluctantly going along with her suggestions. There's so much steamy potential and the two toe that professional line. I couldn't wait for them to stomp all over it! I really adored James and how he much he cared for his brother and wanted Lizzy to succeed. He definitely was a swoonworthy hero. Lizzy had so many issues which mostly stemmed from needing her father's approval. It drove me a teensy bit crazy at times. Overall, this was a fun and sexy page turner that I liked quite a bit!
Million Dollar Devil was an interesting story for me. As I really liked the idea of it and parts of it worked. Especially where James was concerned. But there were other parts that I just found frustrating and I'll admit to skimming a couple of times. As I just couldn't connect with Lizzy. But I really loved James, and his brother Charlie seemed really sweet.
Plus, the story was well paced although the romance took a while to spark. And I did find it an engaging and enjoyable story overall. So I would happily recommend it to others.
2.5/3 stars
One heiress always striving for Daddy's approval in search of someone charismatic and dynamic to be the face of their company's new menswear line. A handsome, but poor, rough, and risk taking daredevil who usually does anything for show to make a few bucks. Put them together as they try to mold him into the man that all women will want and all men will want to be. He wants the money and she needs the model.
I started out liking it and the premise was interesting, but along the way I started to lose interest. It took me longer than it should have to read it. Some of it seemed repetitive as they prepared for him to be presented as the perfect male. And also because there was so much push and pull between them that seemed to go on and on. Lots of flirting, resistance, lusting, second-guessing, etc. They both had self worth issues that affected them and their divergent backgrounds put up more walls.
For the most part I liked James. There was more to him than it originally seemed and he really did see her under her facade. Her quest for perfection got old and she seemed to change her mind a lot. He was striving to be the perfect man she built in order to be worthy of her, but the proverbial suit didn't quite fit right. It was all bound to fall apart around them. The plot seemed to get a bit carried away with so many issues, and the resolution seemed kind of easy and fast after all the drama. But it did bring some humor, sweetness, heat, and swoon.
I received this book for free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Katy Evans is one of my favorite contemporary authors. Her most recent book is a tale of two people from different worlds. Lizzy is the heiress to a clothing company. She's desperate to prove herself and find the perfect model for her company's clothing line. She finds inspiration in the most unlikely place--a bar room brawl. James Rowan is a dare devil and a bit rough around the edges. But Lizzy sees the potential in him and offers him a lucrative modeling contract. She just needs to buffer his sharp edges.
This is a well-developed plot and a well written story. These probably weren't my favorite Katy Evans characters though. I would have liked to see Lizzy stand up to her father more. And James' rapid change was a little unrealistic to me. It was still a decent read though.
This book was just fun :) James, Jimmy, is a great character and with or without his 'upgrades' is the perfect alpha hero
I have loved this author from the beginning. This one however just did nothing for me. I felt nothing for the characters, just could not connect at all with them or the story.
I am a huge Katy Evans fan and was so excited to preview this one! It is the story of Elizabeth banks, a wealthy clothing heiress, and her quest to be CEO of her father’s company. She meets James “Jimmy” Rowan in a seedy bar and offers him a lucrative modeling contract with the company. I really wanted to like this story more. I thought the first half was pretty slow and then a lot happened very quickly. I wasn’t really able to connect to the characters and thought they were a little one dimensional. The ending was okay but I still didn’t feel that invested in the story. Unfortunately this is not my favorite Katy Evans book.
I really wanted to absolutely love this book in all aspects and for the most part I did. I have loved reading Katy Evans for years and am always impressed. This one just fell a little flat for me in some areas.
Elizabeth "Lizzy" Banks, is very likable and I really liked her "Lady Boss wannabee" attitude. She had a problem, she handled it. Her father's company is a multi-million business and she wants to run it one day. One problem, she is not a he and her father sort of treats her like a second class citizen. I really did not like the Father and daughter relationship. I wanted some resolve and I felt it was just brushed over. Lizzy needed to lose her cool and just totally set dear old dad straight. She worked her rear off and he was super condescending to her. But she persevered and made the deal of her life time and bet her career on James "Jimmy" Rowan.
I also really like Jimmy, he is everything that Lizzy, is against. Crass, loud, a fighter, a drinker and sexy as sin. She needs him to be the face for the next big campaign of the new Banks Suits line. He is not perfect but she thinks she can offer him enough money to make him perfect. If only she can keep her hands off him and his hands off her.
Their chemistry is off the charts and the back and forth pull to each other makes excellent reading. I really loved their story. Charlie, added some drama and he was a refreshing character.
I just didn't love the underlying issue of Jimmy's YouTube channel. I just felt it was a little "soft" on being that important and career ending for Lizzy. I just didn't feel vested in the "big drama" of this issue. I was also a little put off by her father again. Telling James he was not good enough for his daughter, when he treated her so much better than her own father.
In the end I feel like they got their HEA and that was the direction the author wanted to take it , so it worked.
hmm. this one had both ups and downs, both good and bad for me. i haven't read a ton from katy evans so i'm not quite sure if it is the writing i don't click with, or the plot and characters and i just happened to have picked up 2 that don't work for me. i'll give her another go though. i struggled with the heroine in this one mainly, i do wish she had a bit more of a backbone. but overall, it passed the time well enough and i am sure katy evans fans will love it.
I have read a couple of Katy Evans' books and they have totally left me wanting a bit more of the great characters she writes. This one was no different. The way two completely different people, from opposite spectrum's of life happen to come together; an uptown sophisticated girl that falls in love with a homeboy daredevil. It was funny to watch how different they are and from completely different backgrounds but they end up completing each other. This book also shows that maybe what you think is perfect, maybe is not so perfect after all. James is far from perfect in Lizzy's world but that's the beauty of romance, everything falls into place. Definitely worth reading. And totally HOT!
This was not what I was expecting. The storyline was great but I couldn’t connect with the characters. I wish I would have enjoyed this book more. I hadn’t read a book from the author in a while. I’m just a bit disappointed.