Very enjoyable age gap romance. Cassie has been financially cut off and needs a job, Brook the Ice Queen needs a nanny for her son Noah and so begins a story that pulls you in, the characters are very likeable and you're invested in wether the heat between the two women will eventually work out. A slow burn romance that melts the ice.

This book is a bag of kettle corn - sweet, savory and you won't stop until you finish it in one binge-worthy sitting. Temptation is a fun, fluffy and ultimately satisfying lesbian romance that hits all the right notes.

After her parents cut her off financially for not pursuing medical school, Cassie Morton is struggling to pay tuition and ends up taking a job as a nanny. It seems to be the perfect solution - Noah Wellington's a great kid who's easy to get along with before and after school and she gets her own well-appointed apartment over the garage. Add the chance to spend time with reserved but oh so tempting Brook Wellington and you've got all the elements needed for a light hearted but pretty steamy romance. Brooke is definitely and ice queen, but only briefly - her interactions with Noah reveal a devoted and caring mother and her interactions with Cassie reveal some not so hidden passion.

All the characters are likable and endearing - you really can't help but like them all and root for Cassie and Brooke as they are just so damned perfect for each other. There's relatively little angst - there's a bit of a dance between Cassie and Brooke, especially since all of Noah's hot teachers seem to want to flirt with Cassie when Brooke is just walking in the door, but there's really no contest. Ms Bryant excels at creating chemistry between her characters and once things boil over, the resulting scenes are scorchers.

Definitely recommended if you want a fun and steamy read.

My first book by Bryant and I was not disappointed. After being cut off from her parents, 24-year-old Cassie gets a job as a nanny for Noah and ends up falling for Brook. The title made me think it was going to be centered on physical seduction, but the temptation comes from what the characters see in each other's personalities, not just on the physical.

Kris Bryant is a really good writer. She writes stories that are engaging, her characters are well thought out and her stories have some great sexy time. I think Temptation just missed the mark with ME. Emphasize the me.

I thought the premise of the book was fantastic. College grad student cut-off from upper middle-class parents for not following their dream for her to follow in their footsteps and become a doctor. Grad student begins taking babysitting jobs to survive and falls into the gig of a full-time nanny for an ultra-wealthy single mom. It's a good plot line!

I liked the plot, liked the characters, but the romance just fell short. Between the sheets, hot as hell. The romance was a bit thin in my very humble option. I liked it, I just did not love it. Still glad I read it though. If you are looking for something steamy, this one will definitely be for you.

That's all I can say! Finally (after quite an awesome book drought) a wonderfully written story with amazing characters. Experience them yourself, I loved every bit of the story!

Where do I start with a review for this book?

I was recommended this book by a friend who reviewed it back in January via Netgalley. I downloaded it at the same time and then like most things in my life, got sidetracked by the other thousand things going on. Well after finally making a list of things I wanted to finish this year hopefully in a timely manner, I finally read it. And...

This book was sweet and wonderful and cute as hell. A book doesn't always need a lot of sex to be really good. I'm sure there are people who will call the first half of it slow but ugh, the buildup to their sexy times was so beautiful. I loved watching Cassie's relationship with Noah grow as much as I loved the fruition of her relationship with Brook.

I absolutely adored Nana and I don't know if it's because she was a well written character or that I love my own grandma as much as Cassie loved hers. She was just as caring as mine had always been and was my best friend as well.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from Kris Bryant and have already fallen in love with her twitter.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC copy.

Rainbows and Sunshine
April 9, 2020

I really enjoyed this book. The author is new to me but I'm definitely going to check out her other works. Brook and Cassie are wonderful together. Brook is a typical ice queen (and I do love that trope) and I really wanted her POV. The entire book is from Cassie's POV.

This is very low angst and a slowburn. Totally loved the secondary characters, especially Cassie's Nana. And Noah is such a sweet kid. I love his banter with Cassie and enjoyed the progress in their relationship. This is a fun romance and totally recommend it to everyone. It's sweet and hot and a perfect book if you're looking for opposites attract romance.

*ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

Sorry to say this was not a big hit for me. I am not a big fan of age-gap stories and then this book to be in first person pov.,.. hmm. I can handle first person if I really like the plot/book/character but Cassie didn't really do it for me. And there wasn't enough real contact between Brook and Cassie to really believe in HEA.
Some of the side characters were a blast though and all in all it was a pleasant read, but nothing more than that.

*** An ARC was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review ***

Cassie Miller has been cut off financially and emotionally from her parents because she drops out of medical school. She wishes to get her teaching degree but must take on a nanny position to meet her school and personal expenses.

Brooke Wellington runs the family’s international business. She excels in her job and the company is constantly growing. However, running the business does not take away from the love of her 6-year-old son Noah. She wants assurance that he is well taken care of while she is at work. So, she decides to hire Cassie as a live-in nanny. Immediately, the shy young boy connects with Cassie and starts to blossom. Cassie and Brooke also feel an attraction, but both are hesitant to act on their feelings for various reasons.

As soon as I started reading this book, I was hooked. I enjoy well written romances and this book certainly meets that criteria. The characters are very well developed. You could actually relate to them. Temptation struck a chord and I shed a tear or two while the story unfolded.

This is a good romance with a solid story and a nice flow. I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I couldn’t escape the feeling that this felt like SwanQueen fanfic which, for me, is not a bad thing. Twenty-four year old Cassie Miller lands a job as the live-in nanny to six year old Noah. Noah is the son of Brook Wellington, heir to an international shipping company. He’s sweet and smart and Cassie finds it easy to relate to him from the outset. Brook, though, is beautiful, cold and always in control.

I don’t mind stories with children in them, especially children who sleep like the dead in their own beds, but so much of the book was about Cassie’s relationship with Noah and not enough interaction between Cassie and Brook. They didn’t talk to each other enough beyond the job stuff and it bothered me. I had some concerns about Cassie’s age and couldn’t figure out why Bryant hadn’t made her just a little older and closer to thirty but that became clearer towards the end.

Bryant writes very good intimate scenes that are hot and beautiful but I often felt they were a bit one-sided with Cassie perhaps being a little taken advantage of.

This is another ARC that took me so long to get to that the audiobook had already been released. I liked the cadence of Brittni Pope’s narration and her voice. Even though it is written in first person from Cassie’s point of view, I liked Brook’s voice much more. My review might seem a little critical but I enjoyed it and probably because Bryant didn’t take the easier options.

Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a big Kris Bryant fan, and the premise here intrigued me, but while I enjoyed the story, it wasn’t my favourite. There was a lot to like here, but some things fell short.

So, the main premise is that Brook is a rich, rich, rich COO working in the family business, who needs a nanny. Cassie is a 24 year old grad student working towards a Masters in Environmental Science. Her parents cut her off when she dropped out of med school and now she needs a job. She ends up taking the job of nanny for Brook’s 6 year old (cute as pie) son Noah.

The POV is completely from Cassie’s side, which isn’t unusual for Bryant, she tends to write single POV, but as noted by other reviewers, Brook was an interesting character and her POV may have been more interesting, or at least at POV switch so we could see what was happening from her side.

The relationship between the two leads develops fairly naturally over time, and we also see the build of Cassie’s relationship with Noah. There’s also a ton of secondary characters, Cassie’s support system consists of her Nana, who’s a hoot, and her BFF Lacey, and her parents also feature. Brook’s entire family is included, and (with one exception) all like Cassie.

I also liked that there’s no overwrought melodrama between the leads, while there is a pivotal event around the usual 80 mark, it’s not about them, and I give extra points for not manufacturing drama between the leads for no reason, which happens so often in lesfic.

That said, there were some issues. The two leads are of course super hot, but somehow both Noah’s teacher and violin teacher are also hot lesbians. I found that a little unbelievable. Not only this, but that they are both Cassie’s age or there about, and of course, both attracted to her. Just one would have been enough, not sure why we had to go there twice. Cassie also comes off as an entitled brat at the start, whining about how her parents have cut her off and are not paying for her school or her car. It took me a bit to warm up to her.

Brook’s story also needed more fleshing out, her relationship with her ex was weird, I know she’s rich, but I did wonder how she ended up with custody. I also thought Cassie’s relationship with Noah was a bit odd, there’s a time jump at the beginning of the book, so soon after Cassie becomes the nanny we fast forward two months, and yet she still makes mention of not hugging Noah, or wanting to kiss his cheek but holding back. I couldn’t work out why, kids are usually fairly affectionate (as Noah is shown being later), and it just struck me as weird. I also found Cassie’s mothers personality switch a bit jarring, I know it resulted from a pivotal event, but it just seemed like too much of a thaw.

Brook’s family’s relationship with Cassie was also a bit odd. First, I found it doubtful that Cassie would spend Thanksgiving with them as a guest, but then be the ‘help’ on a trip just after Xmas. But it was the ‘event’ right near the end that had me scratching my head. I couldn’t work out why they’d have done this at Brook’s house with Noah there. Wouldn’t it be easier to have asked Brook to her parents house or done it at the office so neither Noah or Cassie would be involved? And it was all resolved super quickly. Actually, I found the end of the book a bit rushed, and in all honesty, even with an epilogue, this felt more like a HFN than a HEA.

So, it was a bit of a mixed bag for me, I liked the characters and the romance, Noah was a delight and the side characters added some dimension, but there were enough elements that left me scratching my head to bring me out of the story a bit. I’d give this 3.5, but I’m rounding up. It’s not my favourite Bryant, but it’s still a nice read.

This book gave me all the feels. I loved watching Cassie and Brooke's relationship grow and seeing Brooke loosen up, but the secondary characters we're just as amazing. I'd have a drink with Nana or Erica anytime. The only thing missing was seeing Lauren's reaction to Brooke's new relationship. Even if LGBT romance isn't your thing this is still a good story that's worth the read.

Complementary copy given for honest review and opinion

Some people may enjoy this book but it wasn’t for me. I was lost in the whirlwind of details and struggles.

This book was a good mix of romance and drama. I didn't know what to expect going into it and to be honest, I would a bit skeptical of the nanny and rich lesbian mom trope, but I feel like this book handled it well. I enjoyed the main and secondary characters a lot. They had well-developed personalities and were entertaining when they were meant to be.

I did feel like there were a couple of story threads that were introduced that were dropped fairly quickly. I would have liked to see them explored more, but they didn't take away from the story and did serve a purpose however small.

Cassie Miller is a struggling student after her parents stopped supporting her when she quit medicine school and started her masters in environmental science. She turned into babysitting, and suddenly finds herself hired as the nanny for Brook Wellington’s son, Noah. Brook is the CEO of the family’s multimillion dollar business and a divorced parent. Oh, and fourteen years older than Cassie. Can the relationship exist despite these common tropes?

So I enjoyed this one a lot. Starting with the narration, first person from Cassie’s POV, which I actually seem to favor. First person works well with this story as it makes Cassie relatable, and keeps Brook an enigma and unattainable. It definitely made me join Cassie in her Brook crush. I have not been reading reviews as I was going to be reading this so have missed on the Cassie criticism, which I’m told centers around maturity? I had no problem whatsoever with the character. She seemed a responsible and genuine 24 year old. There were two of Noah’s teachers that sort of entered the romance possibility and not sure why the author introduced in the first place. However, I wouldn’t call Cassie a player by any means and it helped cement her feelings for Brook in the end. If anything my issue was the age gap as I’m not crazy about the trope.

I have to read more Bryant books. Period. The chemistry was present between the mains and the narration flow was great. I had been struggling with reading, and all of a sudden I wanted to keep knowing about these women and their story. This was a pretty straightforward romance which is fine by me. Not everything needs to be so complicated when people are attracted to each other. There were some family dynamics (imagine that) on both sides that were well managed, although the angst lover in me would have liked to see a bit more on the Wellington argument of a 24 year old gold digger.

One of my favorite things about the book was Cassie’s relationship with Noah. I loved how the author worked on their relationship and made it feel genuine. At times, the children feel merely acceptable with the one main, but one could easily see the bond Cassie and Noah shared. When she said that Noah holding her hand was the highlight of her day, my heart melted a little.

Overall, an enjoyable age gap, nanny to lovers romance. 4.25 stars

ARC generously provided to me by BSB via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly feel the title, the cover and the blurb don’t do this book any justice. The book is far better than those 3 things make I out to be.

Let me start with some of the negatives:
There are some characters introduced in the beginning of the book you don’t read much more of further on. I liked the grandmother, so I missed that. Didn’t care much for the best friend, but there were some obvious misses there.
The Wellington family seems nice until they aren’t and switch it’s right back around again.
In the first chapters I really didn’t like Cassie, I had to warm up to her. She seemed superficial, only thinking about material things and money.. And Brook, just the spelling of the name made me so confused.

Once I warmed up to Cassie and the story that unfolds, and the romance, no actual emotion, I got really invested in this book. I really didn’t want the story to end. I like that the steamy science are more about connecting and emotions than just sex. The characters are really building a strong emotional connection. I also love the quirky and sarcastic sense of humour.

I loved this book! I was in love with both Cassie and Brook, and it was almost compelling watching them going around each other, and getting closer day by day. Their chemistry is perfectly written, and the whole book is just too cute to miss it!

Typically I like Kris Bryant's books and I was really looking forward to reading this one. Overall I thought it was enjoyable, but it didn't grab me like some of her other works have. I felt like the ending came very abruptly and without any real resolution between the two main characters, Cassie and Brook. While the sex scenes were good, there still seemed to be something missing in their chemistry together. Cassie wanted the long term relationship, but Brook never seemed like she could put her past failed relationship in the past and move forward with Cassie. There was always something standing in her way, whether it was work or her son or their age difference. It never seemed like she committed to Cassie the way Cassie did to her. That was disappointing for me. I really liked Cassie's character and wished she had somehow been able to break more of the walls down with Brook.

So while most of the book was enjoyable, it left me wanting more and wishing it had looked further into their relationship. Maybe a sequel would be good for this book.

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Great romance. Kris Bryant does an excellent job pulling you into this story absolutely loved it. Read this you will not be disappointed.

I wanted to love this book. I wanted to give it all the stars and then some. It has so many things I adore: ice queen, age gap, forbidden love/workplace love but it was just...okay. I think my huge expectations are a bit to blame, but for the most part, this feels like a HFN instead of a HEA.

Why? Some red flags include: Cassie’s only contribution has been to introduce video games and fast food/junk food, two things Brook has tried to keep her son from until this moment. Cassie is young, attractive and super-confident. She loves women, she sees the beauty in every woman and that, coupled with Brook’s jealous nature is not going to be good in the long run. I don’t hate Cassie, she’s twenty four, she should be out there, playing the field as the first generation where being gay is actually accepted, marriage equality is not some far-off unreachable goal. She should be proud to connect with other out lesbians. She should be building a life together with someone instead of just being fitted into an existing one, complete with child and toxic ex.

This is the rut of age-gaps. Bryant brilliantly wrote a realistic 20-something and yeah, she’s perfectly captured the passion and single mindedness of that age. But also the impermanence and not the immaturity, but the fact that Cassie is not completely the adult she is meant to be.

Read this with a soft mind, don’t think too much like I did and this is a wonderful story with lots of sexual tension and hot scenes.

I hate to be that one, but I thought the sex scenes were a bit...coarse for the strict-romance category. I see that the author wrote this as a bit of fluff and fun after a bunch of heavy-hitters, so that may be it. I found the repetitive use of “slit” and “fuck” very real and raw, somewhat jarring in an otherwise pure romance read. I also had trouble with Cassie’s femme vibe (caring a lot about clothes and makeup) suddenly having her take the typical old-school butch role in the bedroom. I never really had a clear vision of her, maybe due to the first-person POV, and I’m also an old foagie so maybe the more fluid mindset of the new generation is beyond me.

And who has an entire drawer full of toys? Jesus Christ, Brook, your Amazon history has got to be the reason you’re on Santa’s naughty list. I applaud Bryant’s ode to realism with including washing and lube, so major kudos from me there.

Basically, this is a wonderfully, professionally written novel that should be a super awesome read with lots of good stuff in it. Our gals really enjoy each other and there’s enough tension and other stuff to keep you occupied.

Think too much and it falls apart, so don’t do that and you’ve got an amazing read. My rating is four stars.