A Very Intimate Takeover is such a great title for this book, but it's also a little bit deceiving. From the title and cover, which is also fabulous, I would've expected a sexy romance with chemistry and heat, but this is so much more than that. This first in the Devereaux Inc. series is a romance, but it's also a story about family and all the messy emotion that goes with it. Then it's a story about business and getting even for past wrongs, but you know what they say about the best laid plans. This is one of those books that once started, you may as well plan on finishing because you aren't putting it down willingly. At least I didn't. Now, I just have to hang in there and wait for book 2 because I really want more of these characters and this family, messy as they are.

A Very Intimate Takeover by LaQuette is a wonderfully steamy romance filled with family and corporate drama. Great characters, great pacing, and an intriguing plot combine for a great reading experience.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

A shrewd, successful businesswoman finds herself caught between duty to a beloved parent and desire for a man in the rival company in this lush, sexy upscale work romance. I’ve loved each encounter with this author’s books from the engaging plots, to the well-drawn characters, and her sensual romances so it was with eagerness I picked up this start to a new series, set in her beloved Brooklyn, NY.

A Very Intimate Takeover introduces a strong, force of nature heroine who is not bashful to go big and do it with a flair, but Trey has one vulnerable spot- the need for a father’s approval. Her dad is a successful businessman, who started with nothing and climbed until his finance company only has one rival in the city, his own father. Trey followed in his footsteps and has earned her way into the second spot in the company. Her dad questions her business moxy and Trey impulsively promises to serve up his rival, Devereaux Inc. on a platter. Then things get complicated when her plan to smooze her granddad out of the company shares goes pear-shaped when she cops a conscience and feelings for her granddad’s second, Jeremiah.

It has been a while since I picked up a city-set, office romance, but I had no trouble slipping into this story. Trey’s predicament made for a complex situation I enjoy. She thought it was a clear-cut plan until she actually met her grandfather and spent time with him, her cousins, and gorgeous and charming Jeremiah who thinks the world of Ace like she does her dad.

Trey and Jeremiah have some obvious and early sizzle between them. They liven each other’s lives and start to fall in love even while she is keeping big secrets and he isn’t sure she can be trusted. I loved how they shared a love of specialty sneakers, their city, food dates, and both were open about what they enjoyed together. The tension of Trey’s takeover plans along with the aunt’s conniving for her share got it as exciting as wondering what would happen when the truth of Trey’s plan came out.

A Very Intimate Takeover read swiftly, but was not lacking. I love this author’s writing style. I am glad this is a series because I want more Devereaux family story, Brooklyn setting, confident women, suave men, and those dazzling, sexy romances. Definitely recommend.

Trey Devereaux wants to prove herself and tries to take control of Devereaux Inc. from her estranged grandfather. His second in command Jeremiah Benton is protective of her grandfather and just her type. They have an intense attraction and Trey even warms up to her grandfather. But to prove that she has what it takes to run a corporation, she might have to give up on romance.

A Very Intimate Takeover is the first Devereaux, Inc. novel of a planned series. We know from the start that Trey and her father Deuce are close and that Deuce can't forgive his father Ace for essentially cutting ties because he didn't love a woman Ace approved of. Deuce built his own company that is essentially a rival to his father's, hoping to someday enact revenge. With Ace having late-stage cancer, Trey jumps at the chance to manipulate her way into getting controlling interest in Devereaux, Inc. Jeremiah looks up to Ace as a mentor and father figure, and wants to honor that legacy not just by protecting the company, but taking on his last name as well. This puts Jeremiah and Trey at odds from the start, even if Jeremiah isn't aware of Trey's initial motives.

The characters live an upscale kind of life, but still carry the Brooklyn, New York flair in their speech and behavior. It felt like I was back in the area, making me feel a bit nostalgic. This is at heart a book about family and romantic love, and the scars left through generations when communication is lost. I appreciated seeing that, and that those who do wrong don't get a free pass. All of the characters in the book have to learn and grow to reach their happily ever after together, and I was cheering them on all the way through.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Harlequin Desire, Netgalley and LaQuette for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

A lot of the other corporate romances tropes that I’ve read in the past would usually have the male MC be the super rich one. So, it was such a great change to see that in this novel, our rich corporate character is our female MC, Trey Devereaux. Don’t let the name fool you, as I know that at first glance I thought Trey was possibly a guy, but nope! This is the granddaughter of the owner of Devereaux Inc., a billion dollar Brooklyn legacy. Shout out to Black generational wealth!


In this story, our male MC Jeremiah Benton happens to be second in command of Devereaux Inc., so he’s also up there in control but not related to the family. However, since he is second in command and has a fierce protective feeling over the company and the patriarch of the family, he isn’t sure about Trey, especially since it seems like her father isn’t as sure of her business savvy as we would like.

Despite the two being at odds, and their competition nature when it comes to the company, they have some pretty intense interactions that I adore in the office romance trope. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series and see if we get to take a peek into how Trey and Jeremiah are doing after this one.