Member Reviews
Aiden's childhood was far from ideal, but he used his good looks to make his way in life as a stripper and escort. While in New Orleans with a client that had to leave, he stays behind in the hotel suite she paid for. When he's at the bar, he meets Faith and becomes infatuated with her. Even though he knows that they can never have a relationship, he has trouble walking away. Faith has done everything her parents have asked her, but she's fed up and decides that for once she going to do what she wants. She is immediately attracted to Aiden, but knows he's only in town for a week so what's the harm in a little fling with a hot guy.
This book is heartbreaking and very steamy. I just kept waiting for the train wreck to happen ... it just seemed to take a really long time to happen. I loved how Faith could make Aiden weak in the knees without even doing anything. I can't wait for the next book.
I received an advanced copy courtesy of Kensington Books through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.
I received an ARC copy of this book but had a very hard time getting into. This book is about a escort who falls in love with a politicians daughter.
A steamy smoking hot romance book from an author that is new to me. Enjoyed the characters of this book.
Faith and Aiden are unique and interesting pair of characters.H ot in all the right spots. Nicely developed storyline.
Hired is a 5 ++++ star read LOVED IT
Received an ARC from Netgalley in an exchange for an honest review.
Opinions expressed are my own .....
Hot cover definitely grabs your attention 👍👍 & I ❤️D the catchy Chapter titles 😄
Zoey Castile’s follow up to Stripped is another 5 star read - one that may cause your electronic device to smolder with all the sizzling chemistry between Aiden & Faith !!!
This book checks a # of my boxes for a really GREAT romance & here’s why:
Awesome characters & secondary characters
Totally engaging- read in one sitting
Great plot with some unexpected twists
💔ANGST 💔
Guy gets his girl in this HEA
Laugh out loud humor
Emotional pull at ur heartstrings situations for both characters
When Faith first meets Aiden they are sitting at a bar - really love this line …
I feel like I could sit here & count every one of his thick black eyelashes ❤️
Faith does the walk of AM shame the next morning after what she thinks is only a one night stand & she comes out with this funny line - her take away from the whole experience is she needs to add Dry Shampoo to her first aid kit for her purse 😂
Loved this great book - highly recommend this book & author
Likable characters and a strong sense of place give a bit of weight to this otherwise light novel. A young Black woman in the throes of assisting with her mother's mayoral campaign hooks up with a charming Colombian dancer (and escort). Their instant physical chemistry leads to a genuine liking for each other, but the revelation of Aiden's profession--and his contract with the wife of a political rival--threaten to dissolve their relationship.
Overall an enjoyable read, but the plot moved very fast. I would have liked more information about Faith's interest in environmentalism, especially given the context that Black Americans were frequently barred from such places, but, alas, that was overshadowed by Aiden and his revelation. 2.5 stars--I rounded up.
Netgalley review.
It took me forever to get through this one. I thought about stopping it but I wanted to see it to the end. I really liked the first book. For some reason I just wasn’t all that thrilled with either Aiden or Faith. The beginning dragged on a bit and then it started to pick up. But by then I was losing steam and started skimming to get to the end. I really wanted to enjoy it but sadly I found it all meh. But that’s just me, it looks like a lot of others are really enjoying it which is cool too.
Faith, who works for her mother's mayoral campaign in New Orleans, meets Aiden, an ex-stripper (and, unbeknownst to Faith, an escort), in a bar after an argument with her mom. Faith feels pressure from her family, while Aiden feels alone after a falling out with his friends; they make an immediate connection. I liked both characters (especially Faith). The supporting characters were great, too - I really liked Angie, Faith's best friend, and Aiden's client Ginny, who was more complex than I expected. Overall, this was a fast fun read. It is the sequel to Stripped, and some of the characters from that book appear in this one. (This works fine as a standalone if you haven't read the first, though.) My one complaint is, as another reviewer noted, that Aiden and Faith's connection is definitely physical but doesn't seem that emotional. Their relationship seemed rushed. I also would've liked a little more plot. If you liked the first in the series, though, I'd check this one out.
I read and loved Stripped, but Hired is so different in its slow and very character focused romance. It was like going on dates with a book that cared for me and held me when I needed to be held. I recommend this for fans of soft books and softer heroes.
I am enjoying this series but I didn't like this second book as much as the previous one (Stripped). Faith and Aiden are kind of uneven as a couple, but I was happy that they got their HEA. I'm hoping for Angie the bartender's story next, though!
I'm really glad that Zoey Castile (a.k.a Zoraida Cordova) has taken the leap into writing adult romance books because her voice is very addictive. Hired, the second book in her Happy Endings series, was just as engrossing as her first romance book, Stripped. These books are full of steamy, delicious and romantic goodness.
Hired is the story of Aiden and Faith, two people who come from very different worlds. Aiden is a male escort and Faith is a campaign worker for her mother's mayoral run. These two meet under unusual circumstances and hit it right off. The characters in this book were interesting and well-rounded. I particularly liked how much thought was given to writing Aiden and his career choice. He was comfortable in his skin and his work. He also happened to be a kind and thoughtful person who looked out for others. Faith was equally kind. She was a smart and strong woman, entirely dedicated to her family. I loved the girl, especially when her more humorous side came out. She meets Aiden after a particularly rough day working on her mother's campaign and their chemistry was 100% undeniable.
The romance in Hired occurs in a short time frame, but it didn't feel rushed to me. Maybe, it was the steamy sexual tension, or perhaps it was the fact that Aiden and Faith were more or less open with each other emotionally. They clicked for me as a couple and I enjoyed the progression of their relationship. They were so soft with each other! And the steamy scenes? Ooh, baby! *fans self* These were some class A sex scenes, definitely some of the best I have read in the genre. You can imagine that their romance wasn't going to be a straightforward one, especially given their respective careers, but the journey towards understanding each other and becoming one was wonderful. By the end, my heart was soaring in happiness for them.
Hired was an excellent addition to the Happy Endings series. If you're looking for something fresh and fiery, I totally recommend these books.
Aiden's rules existed for protection. They were there to keep him and the other party from getting hurt. Meeting Faith was a game changer, because he was willing to break all his rules for her, and now Aiden may become the injured party.
• Pro: I always love seeing one of those "never me" heroes fall for the woman he didn't know he was looking for. Obviously it started as physical attraction, but it was easy, and wonderful, to see the bond slowly forming and growing between Faith and Aiden. This was a fabulous pairing, and I easily shipped them from the get-go.
• Pro: I didn't expect them to make an appearance, but I was so happy the Mayhem family was back. Once again, they came to help one of their "brothers" find his HEA, and so, the bromance continues!
• Pro: Castile did an awesome job taking us on a tour of Louisiana. I loved that she took us off the beaten path. I have read many books set in New Orleans before, but Castile featured sites I have not "visited" before, which was a special treat.
• Pro: Call me nosy, but I loved learning Aiden's backstory. He by no means had it easy, but those trials really helped shape the best parts of him, and how can I not fall for a man, who loved his aunt and his mother that much?
• Pro: The campaign storyline was an interesting layer to this story, and it was fun rooting for Faith's mom.
• Pro: It was nice to see such a family focus in a contemporary romance. There were some really lovely family moments all around between Faith and her family, Aiden and his family, as well as between the Mayhem brethren. Lots of warm fuzzies.
Overall: A fun and sexy addition to the Happy Endings series, and I say, keep 'em coming.
I loved this so much! I really liked Aiden alot and of course Faith as well and i swear some day i'll visit NOLA :) Also hello hi two POCs as the main characters??? YESSS
This was truly another fun story in this series. We got Aiden the dancer/escort whose feeling sorry for himself after ducking out on his friends' show, and Faith who has to maintain a certain image because her mom's running for Mayor. What could possibly go wrong?? I loved their meeting and their little dates. So sweet.
And we get to see the boys! And Robyn. And hi Faith's friend Angie i would like a book for her please she's great!
Also once again Zoey Castile made me tear up because that scene where Aiden goes to visit his mom *sobs*
But yes i enjoyed this and am looking forward to book 3!
Stripper/male escort plus politicians daughter, yes please. This one right here has a I smell a scandal brewing written all over it. Aiden is hot and such a sweetheart. Even though he struggles through half this book with doing the right thing and making amends with his "brothers". Now if you've read Stripped you know who the "brothers" are. Aiden is a stripper with a heart of gold put in a tough situation. You will feel the instant attraction between Aiden and Faith from the beginning. You understand the struggle Aiden faces too. Now Faith is lovely. You feel like she is a little lost too. She is the daughter of the first black woman mayor candidate. You almost feel like she is forced into helping her mom. The chemistry between Faith and Aiden is so hot. I love them together. Even as truths come out you can't help but to love Aiden even more. Hired is a wonderful addition to the Happy Endings series and I can't wait for the next one.
Zoey Castile writes such complex and dynamic characters and her follow-up to 'Stripped' did not disappoint! I fell in love with Aiden and Faith and didn't want the story to end.
Faith is trying to help her mother win the election for mayor of New Orleans. She meets a handsome stranger, Adien, not realizing that he is a paid escort. It seems that his wealthy client has left him in New Orleans and he now has an empty schedule, hotel room and (ahem!) bed! Instant connection between the two tends to be tricky as Adien tries to keep his true employment a secret from Faith. A fun story and a different plot kept me reading and make this a four star book!
Hired by Zoey Castile will be published February 26, 2019 by Kensington Books. An egalley of this book was made available by the publisher in exchange for a honest review.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a steamy and intense multicultural romance. Aiden is a hot, Latin escort who falls quickly for the sweet, sexy Faith at a bar in New Orleans. I loved how attentive Aiden is to Faith's desires and how real their connection is to each other. Despite their circumstances they find a way to be with each other. Love prevails!
Hired, reminds me so much of the movie, Magic Mike and number 2 also. Aiden makes women sigh just by looking at them. Yummy!
I sadly DNF'd at 65%. I should have loved it - it had an irresistible combo of a male stripper, a politician's daughter, and New Orleans. But instead of a sexy, heady mix, I found myself bogged down and bored by this slow-moving, endless date between two indecisive, passive, whiny people. It looks like I'm totally in the minority about this (all other reviews are complete raves) so I guess this is a big case of "It's not you, it's me".
Aiden and Faith didn't light any sparks for me. It drove me crazy that Aiden was moping and feeling oh so sorry for himself but not enough to actually do anything about it. He had multiple chances to come clean to Faith, to his former business partner, his friend, even his current "client", but instead Aiden just stays on this endless date throughout New Orleans with Faith. Same for Faith: she didn't have a backbone or plan, just perpetual stress about being her politician mama's daughter.
New Orleans is one of my favorite cities in the world and I will read almost anything set in that fabulous city. Unfortunately, Aiden and Faith's long drawn out internal monologues about how Life Was Not Fair and If Only He/She Knew The Truth About Me kept me from enjoying glimpses of touristy New Orleans. I was surprised that Faith, as a lifelong resident, would drag Aiden to tourist traps like a swamp tour, voodoo tour, and live music at Preservation Hall (ok, that one is a must see, I admit) instead of the hidden secret places of New Orleans. I finally, reluctantly admitted to myself that I couldn't find the spark between Aiden and Faith when I was starting to be bored even with the descriptions of the city. And it takes a lot to turn me away from the Big Easy.
I had very high hopes for this, having heard a lot of buzz about the first in the series (still in my TBR). But sadly, I just have to let this one go.
This was okay, there really wasn't any chemestry with these two besides in the bedroom and theres a lot. If your looking for more sex then story this might be for you.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance read, I am voluntarily providing my honest review.