There are no good men left in New York City, well at least according to Claire Hayes. Her marriage was not what she thought it was, and neither was her late husband. Now she has his grandmother’s home, and is determined to get rid of anything that reminds her of her cheating husband.

Claire does not want boring, which she believes herself to be, she wants bright and pink. But what starts out as a simple renovation becomes a lot more complicated when she meets her badtempred, luke danes looking Contractor Scott.

Scott has made it known to Claire that he took on her house to take a break from traveling the world on corporate jobs. Only being temporarily in one place like always. He has no patience for this pink obsessed, upper eastsider, princess. But when they start spending more time together, their mutual hate starts morphing into respect, and possibly something more..

I read this book in one sitting! Claire is a widow trying to get over her cheating ex and she is on a mission: No strings attached one night stands. She is supported fully by the people in her life about her decisions and is never slut shamed about it. I love that she brings up multiple times that she does not want children and she doesn't understand why people make a big deal about it. There were such cute and tender moments when the Scott and Claire started to realize their feelings for eachother! This is the second book in the Central Park Pact series but can be read as a stand alone!

Thank you to @gallerybooks / @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

<em>Love on Lexington Avenue</em> is the second book in Lauren Layne's <a href="http://bookbinge.com/reviews/series/the-central-park-pact/" target="_blank">Central Park Pact</a> series and it follows the second friend in this series trio, Claire Hayes, as she finds happiness again after her disastrous marriage to her cheating husband. So this series kicks off in <a href="http://bookbinge.com/2019/05/review-passion-on-park-avenue-by-lauren-layne/" target="_blank">Passion on Park Avenue</a>, on the day of Claire's husbands funeral. She finds out that he wasn't the faithful husband that she always thought he was and she can't bring herself to go to the funeral. She finds herself sitting on a bench in Central Park and it is there, that she meets her late husband's mistress and his girlfriend.

Claire was devastated when she found out the depth of her late husband's infidelity. So much so, that she decided to never fall in love again and to never remarry. She wanted a fresh start so she figures that remodeling her house will help kick off the next chapter in her life. With the help of Naomi's boyfriend Oliver, Claire finds herself hiring his friend, Scott Turner, to remodel her house.

Scott Turner needs a break from the hustle and bustle of his big shot career. He builds big money high rise buildings, the biggest and best hotels and one of a kind gems of buildings but he needs a break and he misses his dog...so he takes on a home renovation job for his buddy Oliver's friend so that he can go home and get that break. And so that he can see his dog...only the job is a lot more complicated than he thought because, his new client is around all the time, distracting him from the job and shoving pink paint samples under his nose at every turn. They do not like each other but the longer they're around each other, the more their animosity toward each other shifts into something different. The chemistry between them is off the charts and they both feel it, but Scott isn't one to stick around and Claire needs stability so trying to figure things out gets really interesting.

You guys, I'm really digging this new series. Lauren Layne is my favorite author right now and she just keeps writing fabulous book after fabulous book and I'm super glad for that because she's writing loads and that means more fabulous books for me to read. This book isn't any different either. I enjoyed getting to know Claire, getting to know Scott, seeing them grow together in love, and seeing everyone from the previous book made for a fun book. I've seen loads of reviews where readers aren't all that wowed by this series and I can't relate because I enjoyed Naomi's story and I really enjoyed this one and ho boy am I looking forward to Audrey's book. I am a super fan of Layne's writing and I am super glad that I read this one because it's got everything you'll need in a romance. A steamy romance between two characters that are perfect for each other and a cast of characters that you're going to want in your own life. Good stuff. You should read it. :)

The second book in the Central Park Pact trilogy, Love on Lexington Avenue centers on Claire's story. After her husband suddenly passes away, and she finds out he was cheating on her with not one, but two women, she finds her life flipped upside down. Her new found friendship with Naomi and Audrey, who happen to be the "other women" and their pact to not let each other date a man like her husband, is fun, but she feels like she's ready for something more. A one night stand, maybe?

Claire also decides to renovate her house to make it more her style and less of her husband's. Her contractor, Scott, and his dog soon become a big part of her life, and then even more. She knows he's leaving after the job is over, but she takes the "we'll figure it out later" attitude. Does that work for them?

I enjoyed this book a lot. It was light and fun, and I liked reading about how Claire discovered who she was and what she really wanted in life. I liked the vanilla vs. strawberry lemonade analogy, because I think it applies to a lot of people, myself included.

L:auren Layne never disappoints. I'm loving this new series. Classic LL., with a bit of a women's fiction twist.

What's the perfect way to rid yourself of the memory of a cheating, dead husband? The answer is to remodel the house you shared with the philanderer, well, that's what Claire Hayes thinks. Only, the process is much tougher than she thought and the person she's employed to do the job isn't the easiest male to handle, or is he? 

Bored with building corporate properties, Scott Turner decides to follow up a lead given to him by his friend to remodel a house. However, the property is a dump and he knows he should walk away from the contract, only the sharp-tongued owner has piqued his interest more than the job. 

Geared up to focus on a romance, the narrative deviates to highlights Claire's struggles to rid herself of the memory of her late husband whilst getting her life back on track a year after his double life and lies surfaced. Scott is an unlikely candidate for a woman who seems to have a 'judge a book by its cover' attitude. So as opposites, I enjoyed the challenging interactions between the protagonists as they slowly meander from hostile to friendly territory and respect. 

I appreciated the change of pace with this novel, but for die-hard fans of Ms Layne, there's a great deal of quick-witted dialogue and laughable humour injected within the narrative. Equally, there's lots of glamour and gossip in ample supply from the secondary characters as well get titbits of news about them and clues about what lies in store for Manhattan-based Claire, Naomi and Audrey. 

It's standalone, but if you haven't read Passion on Park Avenue, you'll definitely appreciate getting to know Naomi and specifically, Oliver more. Now, I'm eagerly looking forward to Audrey and Clarke's story in the final book of this trilogy; Marriage on Madison Avenue.

4.5 stars

***arc generously received courtesy of Gallery Books via NetGalley***

Okay so I'll start off by saying I really enjoyed this read. It was a sweet and easy read and I read it in a couple days. Between this book and the first book in the series, I have to say I liked the first one better, but for this one I liked the Alpha male in this book better.
I loved how Claire is determined to make things complete opposite from what she was and how she lived, but I loved even more how she learned that she doesn't have to be crazy over the top Strawberry Lemonade, but she can be Pure White with Joy.

Despite not having read book one in this series I had no problem picking up the storyline and fell headfirst into this one. What a great story.
Claire is the widow of this trio of women, her not so dearly departed was an epic cheater and she forms a friendship with two of his mistresses, Audrey and Naomi. Together they make a pact not to let the other fall for another loser man. Naomi was the first to take the tumble in book one, leaving Audrey and Claire. Claire sees herself as decidedly vanilla and beige. She's living in her late hubs brownstone that hasn't been updated since the dark ages so hires Scott, recommended by a friend.
Scott is a businessman who wanted a break from his "day job" to do something he loves, like renovate. He's surly, opinionated and a perfect match for Claire. She gives as good as that's for sure.
When she decides she wants splashes of pink in the house, Scott blows a nut and waffles on taking the job, but decides to do it, seeing so much potential in behind the all things ugly in the place.
These two take snark to a new level and I loved watching them spar on a daily basis, along with seeing their relationship unfold and Scott watching unhappily as Claire tries to dip her toes into the dating pool. She's decided she wants a one nighter and she is about as far from a one nighter woman as she can get, however she gets encouragement from Naomi and Audrey. Claire doesn't fare to well in the dating department so she decides to ask Scott since they're sort of on friendly terms now, despite Scott being warned off of Claire because of the bull her hub pulled and their mutual friends. You get the picture. Watching them do the dance around each other was done so well and I loved Lauren's writing and character development. Along with the friendships Claire maintains with Audrey and Naomi, who got on my nerves a little and their respective male friends and those relationships. Great dynamics between all of them.
This is an easy read, with two likable and well written characters. I can't wait to read Audrey and Clark's story. I'll likely go back and read book one but again, it's not necessary to read it before this one.
Long and the short is I loved this book.

Arc from NetGalley

Lauren Layne can do not wrong, but this story of a recent widow falling for her perpetually single contractor takes the proverbial cake. I never wanted their story to end. It was like watching a DIY show on HGTV cast with gorgeous rich people who are actively avoiding falling in love. I can't. Give me more.

In this second installment to author Lauren Layne’s Central Park Pact, “Love on Lexington Avenue” brings us Claire Hayes’ story and her quest to reconstruct both her life and home during the aftermath of her philandering husband’s untimely death.

While Claire struggles to add color back into her startlingly drab existence, a relationship never factors into the equation. Claire doesn't need any more complications—thus, sex might be on the table, but romance certainly is not! That is, until her surly new contractor, Scott Turner, starts pushing all of Claire’s buttons. Suddenly, everything Claire thought she didn’t want, is wrapped up in one helluva sexy, flannel-wearing package.

Boasting a quirky premise with plenty of witty banter between characters that are polar opposite, “Love on Lexington Avenue is yet another enjoyable, contemporary romance delivered by one of my favorite “go to” authors. Whenever I crave something flirty and fun to my reading repertoire, Lauren Layne has just what I need to satisfy that craving.

I really liked the first book in this trilogy, but I loved the second book so much more! Claire and Scott were a wonderful match. In the year since Claire's cheating husband's death, she hasn't really moved on with her life. She kind of stalled out. She feels like she is forgettable and plain and that includes her food preference (vanilla) and her clothes. She decides to renovate her townhome, so that has kept her busy planning, but once it starts she realizes she needs more in life.
We met Scott in the first book, as he is the contractor friend of Oliver's. They butt heads right away as Scott is blunt, honest and straightforward. I love that Claire decides she needs to have no-strings sex and that she chooses Scott as her wingman. (like that is going to end well.) I also like how when Claire does meet the other men, we don't see much of those scenes. We get to focus on Scott and Claire and their growing relationship.
Their relationship was just supposed to be that of contractor/client, but the more they are together, it turns into something more. Both are very cautious as they have both been hurt in the past. (Hello cheating dead husband, Brayden!) This was such a pleasure to read. I can't wait for book three with Audrey and Clarke.
Thank you to Tasty BookPR, NetGalley and Gallery Books for an electronic arc in exchange for an honest review.

Well, that was wonderful! Love on Lexington Avenue is the second book in the Manhattan series. It is a standalone, but all characters from the previous books were in this one. The series focuses on three girls who meet in a very unconventional way and make a friendship pact to help each avoid bad men. Layne’s trademark friendships are very much apart of this book and are always a joy to read.

This one focuses on Claire’s love story. Claire is a recent widow of a cheating husband. She needs to change her life up. There is a lot of focus on her finding her identity and I loved this part. She decides to renovate her home and hires Scott as her contractor. Scott is a friend of a friend and he’s got his own back story somewhat similar to Claire’s. He’s gruff, honest to a fault and is basically Luke from Gilmore Girls. They have a rough start out the gate, but their banter was so deliciously good throughout. These two were so great together.

There is so much to love about this book. The writing is perfect, paced wonderfully, had an entertaining and creative storyline with incredible characters. I loved this one, and am so looking forward to getting my hands on Audrey’s book!

* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Oh my gosh! I absolutely love everything about this series! I started with book one last week and knew I was going to gobble up the rest of the series.

Ok... can we talk about how much I LOVED this book! Can we talk about strawberry lemonade?!! Hahah (you'll get this once you read this). I really like how authors don't just focus solely on the romance.... yes don't get me wrong this has plenty of romance but there is a story behind both main characters about growth, change, and finding yourself.

Lauren Layne knows how to write a fun romance with off the charts chemistry, emotions, and fun! I highly recommend diving into this sweet and fun series! The first two can be read as a standalone but I would suggest starting from book one because you'll love the books!!

4.5 stars!


Thank you so much to Netgalley and Gallery for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Publication date: 9/17/19
Published to GR: 9/7/19

Claire and Scott have both been burned, but it's hard to be mad at a ghost. Jaded and having her self worth and esteem take a huge hit has created a big undertaking for Claire to not only get back out there, but put herself out there again. Two upfront, straightforward, no holding back people have finally met their match. Sparks fly and being on the sidelines to watch it all unfold was fun, inspiring and tough, all wrapped up in strawberry lemonade goodness.

Ever since I read Passion on Park Avenue a few weeks after its release, I have not only fallen in love with the characters in this series but with Lauren Layne's writing. With that being said, I have obviously been eagerly anticipating Love on Lexington Avenue for several months now, and am so blessed to have been able to read it earlier. This did not disappoint AT ALL!

At first, Claire and Scott seemed too different to work out. When I read the synopsis for this book after reading PoPA, I was confused, I won't lie about that. But after reading LoLA, I can say that it works. They work. Surprisingly well. Their scenes made my heart flutter with happiness multiple times, their development from reluctantly working together to becoming friends and then eventually something more was so beautiful to watch. They are both damaged souls, betrayed by previous loves, who genuinely never thought they'd find another person they'd want to share their lives with, or would ever want to trust. But their walls start to slowly shatter as they spend more and more time with each other, and they truly jump head first into it by the end in the most beautiful of ways. Their relationship is not only beautiful because they have heartwarming scenes, or because they learn to trust a partner again through each other, but its also beautiful because through their slow friendship and development into more, they also grow as people.

Now, I have made it no secret that my favorite thing about PoPA was the friendship, and it has remained true after this book. No, scratch that, it has INTENSIFIED. The fact that these 3 girls turned a situation that most people would see as negative into such a beautiful and long lasting friendship really was the selling point of this series for me. I live for moments between Naomi, Claire and Audrey in these books; they have really become one of my favorite literary friendships ever.

This was overall another successful book by Lauren Layne for me, and it made this series go from my "love it" list to my "all time favorites" list! I cannot wait to see what else Lauren Layne has in store for us readers, and to see Audrey and Clarke finally realize how perfect they are for each other in Marriage on Madison Avenue!

The second book in the Central Park series. This one focuses on Claire Hayes, the widow of the cheating husband Brayden. Determined to erase her past with him, she sets out to redesign her boring and outdated UES brownstone house and make it something of her own. A brand new start for Claire and her home. What she didn't expect was to fall for her sexy, successful, rough around the edges contractor, Scott Turner, and his big goofy dog.

This series is quickly becoming one of my favorites of all time. The way Claire and Scott built their relationship made my heart swell. The dialogue in the book is so charming and witty. Also, any book with strong female friendships - I'm here for it! I love how they support each other and lift each other up. Even the men in the book just seem like super nice guys. The romance is cute but what really got me with the story were the friendships established. Can't wait for the third one on Audrey!

I just love this series! This is the second in a trilogy and I can't wait to read the next one! This story follows Claire and Scott. Claire is a recently widowed woman looking to renovate her house and Scott is the contractor for the job. I enjoyed the first book in the series but liked this one more. Claire was a good main character and I liked the "will they or won't they" dance between her and Scott. Plus...he had a cute dog! Highly Recommended!

1 grumpy hero + 1 gun-shy heroine + 1 dinosaur-dog = a bunch of happy tears

A year after losing her husband AND discovering his infidelities, Claire was looking to make some changes and wanted to start by renovating her home. Enter Scott, a grumpy, but very talented contractor, who clashed immediately with Claire. Though, their first meeting was a bit rocky, they developed a friendship, and it seemed like maybe even something more, but they were plagued by their pasts, which were hampering the possibility of a future for them both.

I love Lauren Layne books so much, and this was yet another winner for me.

In this whole wife-girlfriend-mistress setup, Claire was the the wife, and even after a year, she was still struggling with her feelings for her deceased husband. In the end, he betrayed her, but they were in love at some point. These were the emotions playing tug-of-war with Claire's heart, and this was keeping her from moving forward. I was really happy that Claire started taking some steps towards reclaiming her life. It started with baby steps, but as her confidence grew, those steps became bigger and bigger, until she was really starting to enjoy her life again.

I would have never have imagined, that someone like Scott would be the push she needed, but I was glad he entered her world. I had this idea of who Scott was in the beginning of the book, but it changed drastically as I learned more and more about him. He was also dealing with a romantic betrayal, and instead of isolating himself, the way Claire had, he partook in a strings of flings. One night stands and constant travel kept him from dwelling on his past, but being with Claire helped him come to terms with many things and get the closure he needed to take that chance on his future.

I liked these two together. I mean, it was a most painful slow-burn, but I enjoyed all their interactions. The attraction was simmering the whole time, and it was fun to see it get closer and closer to boiling. The attraction was real, but so was the genuine connection they experienced, and I loved that they were able to find some comfort in each other.

I think this book had more group scenes, than the previous book, and that was something I really enjoyed. Lauren Layne always puts together the most fabulous friend groups, and this cast continued that tradition. The ladies were such an interesting mix of personalities, but so were the men. The big group outings were fabulous, but so were the smaller meetups. It was nice seeing the dynamic between all the different characters, and I loved getting to meet them all.

This book was about healing and learning to trust again. It was about coming to terms with the past and moving towards the future. It was about love and friendship, and it was a delight to read.

Finding out about her husband's infidelities on the day of his funeral really threw Claire for a loop. From that experience, however, she's gained the friendship of the "other" women; Naomi and Audrey. The bond between the three women is strong, but Claire still wonders how she could have been so deceived by someone that she loved. Her husband's death causes her to take a long look at her life, and Claire has discovered she lives a very beige life. Ready to break out of the mold, Claire decides, for starters, on a complete renovation of her brownstone. She's also ready to get back in the dating game. Not specifically to find another husband, but, basically, to get her groove back. Claire has no idea where to start as it's been awhile since she's dated, but right now she's got her hands full dealing with her new contractor.

Scott only agreed to check out Claire's house as a favor to a friend, his skills are typically reserved for corporations and high-rises and his job keeps him from staying in one place too long as he likes it. But when he arrives at Claire's, the renovation calls to him. He sees the potential in the dilapidated old home. Now, if only he can keep Claire from making everything pink!

Seriously though, Scott and Claire are almost like two sides of the same coin. Both have past relationships that hurt them, and shook them to their core. That changed them on a fundamental level. While Claire is actively trying to turn her life around, Scott hasn't noticed that anything is wrong until he meets Claire. These two are supremely drawn to one another, but unsure of where the future may go, or if they want it to go anywhere.

Lauren Layne handles the whole idea of this one person (in this case Claire's deceased husband) having such an effect upon the people in their lives in such an unassumingly profound way. For Naomi (mistress #1), there was anger, for Audrey (mistress #2) there's unshakable hope, and Claire (wife) she's left almost bereft of an identity. She was a wife for seven years, a girlfriend before that, now she's a widow, but she's a widow to a man she obviously barely knew and for which there's no love lost now. Wondering if there was something wrong with her (there absolutely wasn't) that made her husband cheat. It's heartbreaking to have the entire perception of your marriage and your life called into question, but Claire is such a strong character. I loved seeing her move forward with the life that she wants, not a life she thinks she needs in order to get over her husband, but truly finding the life that suits her.

In amongst this self-discovery is Scott. Claire and Scott start out with this opposites-attract thing going on. They butt heads over their differing ideas for Claire's home. Scott does not sugar-coat his opinions which, I think, after being lied to for so long, is a breath of fresh air for Claire.

Their chemistry is off the charts. You could feel the sparks from their first interactions, but I loved the fact that their romance was such a slow-build. Not only because it just made me read like a fiend, but I appreciated that it didn't overshadow the growth the Claire had to do on her own. Scott as well, to a smaller extent because the main focus is, of course, the three women on the group, but I felt like the connection between Scott and Claire's past relationship experiences - and how they each handle things differently - is a testament to how right they are for one another.

So far, Love on Lexington Avenue has been my favorite of this series. I'm so looking forward to Audrey (and Clarke) getting her story next, but man, they're going to have to work extra hard to usurp the "favorite" title from this one.

If you haven't read the first book in the series, you will absolutely have no issues picking this one up and enjoying it. But if so, you definitely need to check out Passion on Park Avenue because you seriously can't go wrong with Lauren Layne.

4 1/2 stars

Lauren Layne has easily become one of my favorite romance writers. I don’t even bother to read the blurb when I see she’s authored a novel. What has made her become one of my favorite writers is the fact that I am not reading the same story with the same characters over and over again. This The Central Park Pact series is case in point.

In the first novel of the series, Passion on Park Avenue (read my review here) we met Naomi who was confident, brazen, but with hints of vulnerability. Claire, the main female character in Love on Lexington Avenue is her polar opposite, except for the shoes. In fact, the shoes may be the one thing, besides philandering Brayden, that these women have in common.

At the beginning of Love on Lexington Avenue as she’s staring at the vanilla cupcake she bought to celebrate her birthday, Claire has an epiphany. The cupcake embodies her life. All of her choices have been vanilla, safe. She is vanilla. After speaking to the third member of the pact, Audrey, Claire decides to become strawberry lemonade. She’s going to bring pink into her life to not only take risks but also because Brayden hated pink.

That for Claire new contractor, Scott Turner, is a “hell, no.”

Initially Scott comes off as a bit of a jerk: gruff, arrogant, macho. Indeed, if you’ve ever seen Gilmore Girls, he’s Luke before Luke morphed into someone Lorelei should have run ever so far from (my opinion which is probably not shared by most). However, the longer Claire is around Scott, she understands, appreciates and becomes attracted to everything she thought she disliked, flannel, for instance.

I love how Claire evolves, moving from feeling like a doormat to nurturing her own success. I also loved how Claire and Scott’s romance evolved with its surprises and acceptances and at the very last a beautiful grand gesture to show that besides attraction and sex, love emerges when there’s mutual respect and acknowledgement. That might not sound romantic, but if you don’t agree, you will when you grown up. 😉

There is a scene where Claire is wondering whether Scott’s ex- realized everything she’s missed by cheating on Scott. The way it’s phrased and Claire’s words, just brought tears to my eyes.

Layne really works all of the emotions into Love on Lexington Avenue. Vulnerability, heat, strength, sisterhood, humor, catharsis, and more.

I highly recommend this novel and the series.

Now, I’m so looking forward to the next installment.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lauren Layne always tops my to be read lists and remains as always a favorite author of mine. LL truly shines in her series books, and Claire and Scott's story did not disappoint. This was a slow burn sexual tension buildsup between them until they can no longer fight it. They agree to a no-strings-attached, friends with benefits arrangement and it gets better and better from there. Fantastic fun read!