Flashed is the first book I've read by Zoe Castile and so I felt at a disadvantage. As Pat was obviously an established character with a history that I just wasn't aware of or didn't get, and so I found this story hard to get into. Plus, it was for me at times quite slow paced until near the end. Which is when things went in the opposite direction and became a little too rushed.

Yet, saying that I did enjoy the actual story. Which had a very Beauty and the Beast vibe to it and was extremely angsty. But that was no bad thing because it was nicely broken up. What with the exchanges between Pat and Lena and the sexual tension they shared. not to mention the laughs provided by the secondary characters. Who were all likable in their own way and I would definitely like to read more from them. I would also happily recommend Flashed to others.

The third in Castile’s Happy Endings series, Flashed is different in tone and scope, and probably my least favorite of the series so far. As they get farther away from the ‘magic’ of the first book, I miss the Mayhem boys and the friendships that were a key part of the story. This book focuses on Patrick Halloran, who is a former stripper/soccer player with a traumatic past that has led him to lead a solo life in an empty mansion. It seems to be a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, with the beauty being Lena Martel, the new live in housekeeper that is escaping from her life as well. There are female side characters but they feel less developed than the male side characters of previous books, serving as a crutch for the bruised male ego of Pat and convenient friends for Lena. Attempts at redemption didn’t feel fully complete, but you can bet that the steamy romance is!

A very good book where Lena and Patrick get their HEA!

Art student Magdalena “Lena” Martel needs to get a new part time job for the summer to help pay for art degree after the café that she worked at closed so she could return to school in the fall. She was hired as a live-in housekeeper on the Donatello Ranch but that she was supposed to never enter the rooms where the owner lived.

Owner Patrick Halloran had been the cover model for a friend’s book that was a best seller and then he was a Las Vegas dancer and he was in the movie that was supposed to be the biggest of the summer but he a car accident opening night left him concerned about his scars and afraid to leave the house but that all changed when Lena started working for him.

Flashed is Magic Mike but there is more to Patrick and Lena’s story that I liked.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Flashed by is a modern day Beauty & The Beast mixed with Cinderella. A vain selfish man who causes a horrific accident that changes him physically and causes him to re-think everything he is. A smart talented woman who is struggling to get by after the death of her father and dealing with her horrible step-mother who ruined her financially. Two completely opposite people who meet each other at exactly the time when they need each other. Two people who love each other enough to do anything to help the other. This was a nice easy read, interesting characters and story line. The secondary characters were interesting and witty, especially the “Magic Mike” guys. It’s a book that will definitely tug at your heart and root for Pat and Lena. I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed the vulnerable aspect Flashed explored. I delighted in every exchange Lena and Patrick had over texts and later the phone. They had wonderful chemistry. The found family theme drove this book straight into my heart.

Flashed was such an enjoyable read. Patrick has many obstacles to overcome after his accident and not always the easiest to deal with. Lena is struggling with her life and applied for a job at Patrick's house to cook amd clean. Patrick was taken by Lena the first time he saw her. Patrick and Lena are wonderful together, I love how with Lena's support Patrick is able to get out of his life again. This book is part of a series but can be easily read as a stand alone. I will definitely be checking out the other books in this series.

This was my first book by the author and I enjoyed it. More of a modern day take on Beauth and the Beast, this is a slow progressing love story worth reading. I didn't realize there were other books in the series and I definitely plan to read them. Relatable characters draw you in and keep you invested. I hope there will be more in the series because I want the other characters stories, especially more of Rick.

CW: flashbacks of car accident

I devoured this and was so engrossed that I never even updated my GR status as I was reading. lol. I can say without a doubt, Pat and Lena's book is my fave. I figured no one could top Fallon and Robyn buuuut here we are! This was is sort of a Beauty & a Beast retelling. I got that vibe immediately. Lena goes to work for Pat in his big house, cleaning and cooking for him but he keeps himself hidden because of his scars from the car accident. He even gives the rules about her needing to stick to the schedule so they dont run into each other when she's in the main house.

So he's got this mysterious recluse vibe going on and they're never in the same room at the same time for a portion of the book but their relationship builds over texts and phone calls and the little notes Lena leaves with his food. I love when the characters text each other. Sooo much emotions is revealed and you learn alot about them too.

Pat is struggling after the accident and it's difficult for him to leave the house too. God, I wanted to both hug him and smack him a lot of times and be like do not be mean to Lena! But his growth was so well done. Gradual but with set backs. His struggles dont just disappear when he and Lena get lose physically and emotionally. He still has them but we slowly see him trying and taking those little steps. Damn Zoey upped her entire "make me feel all the feels" game here.

Lena's growth too. She's dealing with family stuff and trying to figure out her personal path and here she's gotta deal with Groucharella! (I didn't coin that word, Pat's friend Scarlett gets the honor lol)

The secondary characters are also great and fully formed. But never distract from the MCs. They provide support annnnd like Scarlett and Kayli, keep Pat in check about himself when he messes up. I also loved how they embraced Lena and Lena's friend Mari. Also Scarlett is a romance writer!! and Pat reads her books.

I don't know if there will be more books in this series but i hope! Because Pat's bro Jack, i need to see his HEA please and thhhanks! .

Patrick needs a hug, and then a swift kick in the ass to follow it. But more than anything, he needs Lena. She doesn't take his crap, and loves him like he deserves to be loved. Once he gets past himself, he loves her just as much and gives her everything she'll let him give. A great story!

This book was a departure from the previous two in the series, both in setting and in emotional depth. Patrick is a man with deep scars, visible and not. He’s hidden himself away in a giant empty house in Montana. When he hires broke and desperate art student Lena as his live-in housekeeper for the summer, the only rule is she’s never allowed to see him. But as their curiosity about one another grows, as they get to know each other in notes and texts and phone calls, is there something there that’s worth taking a chance on?

This is basically Beauty and the Beast. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, since it was one of my favorite fairy tales. The author does a good job of balancing Lena’s own emotional growth with her helping Pat to re-emerge into the world, instead of just relegating her to a supportive girlfriend role. And the chemistry between the two leads is genuinely hot.

I received an arc from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion. This book tugged on my heartstrings.
A promising star suffers major injuries after a crash and becomes a recluse. Can the new live in maid open his heart and give him hope to live again?

Flashed, is a Beauty and the Beast meets Cinderella story. Little steps will get you there eventually. Once Pat figured that out, his transformation made leaps and bounds. I really liked this book.

This book had the right amount of angst and steamy times.

I liked that we see the characters from previous books. Too bad there wasn't any Magic Mike dancing.

I loved that we got to meet Scarlett and company in Montana. I wished there will be more books set in Montana as I absolutely loved this crew of people.

This book was such a treat.

I absolutely INHALED this. I've enjoyed the whole series, but this one was the most engaging for me. This completely classic Beauty and the Beast story with an artist/nurturer heroine rips right along from beginning to end, even as the story teases out the romance with a torturous slow burn. I especially enjoyed the relationships with various side characters.

I was given an Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Great, easy read. Makes you realize how valuable family is!
Pat had a quick rise to fame, and as many before him, it completely went to his head. He partied, slept around, and cared mostly about himself. His world came crashing down around him one night when he had been partying and had a life changing accident.
Six months of Pat living alone and his friend decides he needs a housekeeper and cook. She takes it upon herself to hire Lena, a college student who needs money and a job for the summer. She has a whole bunch of family baggage of her own and is looking for a way to regroup all she has lost.
When the two join together will they be able to help each other heal or will they tear each other apart?
Feel good story about family, loyalty and second chances.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is probably my favorite installment out of the Happy Endings series yet that's not saying much. I liked the dynamic between Lena and Patrick, and how she helped him with his anxiety, insecurities and the guilt he felt towards the accident that nearly took his younger brother's life. It was an okay novel to take on yet there were a few things that were a turn off. For example the pacing of the story was a bit too slow for me at times and the ending was obviously rushed this affecting my overall reading experience.

This series (which has been excellent so far) was about due for a grumpy, tortured hero, and Zoey Castile has delivered. Her writing is as open and heartfelt as ever, and she brings us Lena and Pat’s journey deftly. Lena is a delightful heroine with a clear, relatable voice. Pat is flawed, gruff, and irresistibly sweet. I deeply appreciate that when Pat messes up, Lena recognizes the severity of his error and doesn’t just forgive him without thinking.

Alongside a hefty serving of (very) sexy romance, we also get a helping of characters dealing with fear, self-doubt, and anxiety in ways that made me feel seen and understood.

While Flashed is tragically short on dancing as part of the plot, many of our favorite characters from the earlier books do make appearances, and they are a delight.

I received a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Patrick used to have it all but after his horrific car accident he's become a recluse. In this Beauty and the Beast romance, Pat keeps to himself but needs a housekeeper so his best friend hires Lena, a beautiful art student. She has to promise never to go into any of Pat's rooms upstairs and isn't allowed to look at him. Their interactions are fleeting, sometimes sad, and sometimes funny. Slowly they begin to learn about each other and their feelings evolve.

This is book 3 in the happy ending series. This is Patrick and Lenas book, Patrick is a former soccer player, stripper, and model! Patrick is a legendary party boy and finally gets his big break staring in the summer blockbuster movie! But when an accident changes him for ever he hides away in seclusion and in Montana ranch. Only his new housekeeper is allowed inside with one rule she’s not allowed to see him! Lena comes from Queens New York she’s an aspiring artist working her way through college. She gets a new job as a housekeeper for a recluse man. She only knows him by his gruff low voice that she can only hear through the closed door. Still, Lena can sense that Pats a good man at heart maybe even a lovable one! She’s intrigued until his anger sends her running into the woods and it’s freezing outside! Now Pat the recluse is going to have to leave the house to find her! This book was not really my jam LOL it wasn’t too bad of a read , it just, I’m not sure how to explain it, it just wasn’t my type of read?! i liked the first two books better but... Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

A hot slow burn, Flashed is emotional and heartbreakingly romantic. The story follows Pat, a former actor and stripper who has lived most of his life believing that his appearance defined his worth. He was the life of the party, experiencing his first taste of success until a car accident left him scarred and hiding from the world. His friend hires Lena to act as his live-in housekeeper/chef for the next few months in an attempt to get him to start caring about his surroundings again. Pat refuses to speak to Lena face to face, so they begin exchanging texts and calls which slowly bring them closer.

I loved this story - I was hooked from the very first page. It’s well written and the storyline is unique. Pat and Lena don’t actually “meet” for quite some time, so they slowly get to know each other on an emotional level before the physical side factors in (though once it does things get pretty steamy). The first half of the book was fantastic, with Lena breaking down Pat’s walls. Pat has been through a lot and he has plenty of healing left to do, but I liked that the author made the process feel believable - he’s not all of a sudden going to be cured of his demons just because a beautiful woman moved into his home. It’s a story of healing and recovering from trauma that is certainly worth a read. Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this book immensely and will have to try out more from this author.