When a gorgeous sheriff shows up in front of your door asking you to save his little sister from your no good ex, what choice do you have but to go along? Vanessa Jared is a 40-something divorcee, who has finally gotten herself into a good place after divorcing her emotionally abusive ex for cheating on her, taking half of his assets, going to therapy, and making two new best friends who together form The Savvy, Sext, Singles Club. Vanessa wants nothing more than to celebrate with her two best friends but during the two year anniversary of their club a sexy sheriff shows up on Vanessa’s doorstep asking for her help to prove to his little sister that the man she is marrying is horrible... and that man happens to be Vanessa’s ex. Vanessa wants no part of it she wants nothing to do with her ex, but when she notices that not only has her ex announced that she was dead but he stole her beloved grandmother’s ring and given it to his new fiancee, Vanessa is going to get it back. But when a missed confirmation and no hotel in sight happen, Vanessa finds herself living with said sheriff. Michael is a sheriff and ever since his parents died, his only priority is making sure that his sister is happy and cared for, so when he does some digging on her fiancee and discovers Vanessa, he is hell bent on revealing the truth to his sister... except ever since he met Vanessa he’s begun falling for her. Both Vanessa and Michael have their own baggage, and both of them know that this is complicated, but their attraction keeps growing and they can’t seem to help falling for one another. Now Vanessa will have to ask herself if she is ready to open her up to love and Michael will have to ask himself if he is ready to finally chase his own happiness. This was a wonderful rom com and the chemistry between Vanessa and Michael was amazing. I had so much fun reading this and would definitely recommend it!

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

This book was disappointing for me to read. It read like your stereotype romance which was disappointing.
2 stars DNF



******************************I received an ARC for an honest opinion from NetGalley************************************

What a read! Honored to be given the opportunity to read this prior to its release via Net Galley! I loved to see the evolution of Vanesa! We meet her when she is refiguring out life after a divorce that stripped her identity and overall foundation! With the help of her girlfriends and therapist she reengages life. Things are beginning to move when Michael stumbles into her life thanks to her no good ex. He’s wanting her help to make sure his baby sister doesn’t endure the hell Vanessa once did. The attraction is instant and the chemistry between the two of them is hot! I loved every minute of this beautiful journey! It restores your hope in love again after loss and pain! It’s well worth the read!

"Vanessa Jared's Got a Man" is a beautiful second-chance romance that is sexy and fun to read. I appreciated that the main character was a bit older than traditional rom-com heroines. It was a refreshing take on a romance that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Vanessa Jared’s Got A Man is the first book that I’ve read by this author and won’t be the last! I absolutely adored and devoured this book! I enjoyed that the characters are in their 40s and not their 20s like most romance books. It made me feel a little more connected to the characters being closer to my age. I enjoyed the friendships between Vanessa and her Savvy, Sexy Singles club friends. I also liked that this books showed that Vanessa grew stronger and was able to find herself again after she divorced. Over all I really loved this book and highly recommend it!

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an egalley in exchange for an honest review

This was my first read by author LaQuette and consider me an insta-fan. When our story begins, we meet female protagonist Vanessa Jared, who after twenty years of marriage is trying to make a life for herself. But maybe a divorce support group just isn't the answer? Luckily, she bumps into two women and together they create the Savvy, Sexy, Single club as they are all women in their 40's rebuilding themselves after divorce. The friendship between the three women was my first favorite element of this book. I just loved their banter! The second thing I loved was that this is about women in their 40's! A demographic that I entered this year so I am loving that!

Then there is our male protagonist, Sheriff Michael Park. Who also has two really awesome friends that are there for him too. Michael gave up his job as a Philadelphia detective to take care of his sister after the tragic deaths of both their parents. It is years later and his sister, Cindy has fallen in love with Karl. Michael is suspicious of Karl and when he finds out that Vanessa is Karl's ex-wife, he begs for her assistance. Also, Michael cannot deny that he is immediately attracted to the gorgeous African-American woman that stands before him. As for Vanessa? She is trying to push her lustful thoughts about the Korean-American sheriff and just plans to keep it strictly business. Because Karl has given Cindy a ring that is very important to Vanessa's family and she just wants it back.

So Vanessa journeys to the small town where Michael is the sheriff and although she only plans to stay one night, circumstances soon make her a guest in Michael's home. Cue the sexual tension to be ramped up! Let me tell you fellow readers, it's not cheesy and there are a lot of scenes where the two get to know each other quite a bit before falling into bed with one another. Lots of comedy and romance follow and I loved that too!


I just couldn't stop reading and I quickly found myself part of the Vanessa and Michael fan club and it's a hill I will remain on for a long time. With the epilogue, I have a feeling there will be a sequel starring Janae and Adam and I cannot wait!


Expected Publication Date 20/09/22
Goodreads Review Published 28/07/22

A cute romance with an older female lead and interracial relationship between an Asian Man and Black Woman. It was cute and fun.

If you are looking for an escape from reality, look no further. Sassy, sexy, romantic, and witty page turning book. Vanessa reeling from her divorce, joins a useless support group only to find two amazing girlfriends in the process. The Savvy, Sexy and Single Club is born and supports her through a rebuilding of her life.
When she is asked by a super sexy Sheriff (from her new friends small town) to help with his sister's engagement to her ex, we get to go along on a whirlwind romance and possible route to revenge. Can she get past her domineering ex-husband's abusive behavior, take control of her heart and recognize what is standing in front of her?
Definitely worth the read!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own. Thanks St Martins Press and Netgalley for this spicy ARC.

LaQuette Twitter: @LaQuetteWrites
LaQuette Instagram: @la_quette
SMP Romance Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @smpromance
St. Martin’s Press TikTok: @stmartinspress
#VanessaJaredsGotAMan #LaQuette #SMPRomance

In Vanessa Jared's Got a Man, Vanessa Jared is a 40-something divorcee that recently escaped an abusive marriage. She formed a group called The Savvy, Sexy, Singles Club with some other recent divorcees and created a dependent close-knight group. A few years after her divorce, Vanessa is moving on from her past relationship, and an alluring sheriff, Michael Park, shows up on her doorstep trying to convince her to help him keep his little sister from marrying her ex. Of course Vanessa is conflicted, on the one hand she wants nothing to do with her abusive ex, but on the other hand she wants to get back her grandmother's ring, which her ex stole and gave to his new fiancee.

I love that this is a romance that focuses on an older woman having a second shot at her happy ever after. I really enjoyed Mark and Vanessa's group of friends. They were very supportive and showed that each character had a support network outside of each other. The physical aspect of their relationship was very steamy, but I wish we got more of the emotional growth in their romance. I recommend this to anyone looking for a romance with a heroine in her 40s, with forced proximity. Hopefully Laquette will write a sequal romance with a love story for some of the supporting characters!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for a eARC in exchange for an honest review.

It's about time that I've finished reading this book! Thank you to Netgalley for providing an eARC of this novel from LaQuette. This cover is stunning!

I loved this concept, a woman finding her courage and getting a second chance at love. Vanessa was so inspiring, this is a story that every woman should read especially if they need a confidence boost.

This is not a story that you want to miss. The only thing that I didn't like about this story was the fact that the ex-husband had so much denial in his voice, that he did nothing wrong. I guess it was realistic, but I wanted less of him in this book.

Hurry and pre-order, it releases on September 20, 2022!


Rating: 5/5 Stars ★★★★★

This book is so much more than a romance. It’s about healing and thriving after an abusive relationship, it’s about friendship & finding love when you least expect it, not under the best circumstance and let’s not forget the spice!! 🌶🌶

If you’re a fan of
-Enemies to lovers ( I wouldn’t say enemies but I wouldn’t say they had the most friendly introduction either So I don’t know the proper term 😂)
-Forced Proximity
-Small town romances

I would 100% recommend!

I loved the friendship Vanessa had with her Savvy, Sexy & Single Club.
The buildup, angst, & spice between the main characters was perfection and I’m always a sucker for a happy ending.

I didn't love this book. It was great to read a romance where the main characters were all people of color, but I could have done without the very explicit sex scenes. Sometimes less is more, you know? The storyline is very interesting -- a Sheriff, who happens to live where two of Vanessa's best friends also live -- needs Vanessa's help to keep his sister from marrying her ex-husband, so they hatch a plan...which of course, ends in an HEA that you could see coming from a mile off.

I would like to read another LaQuette book, so I can see if her style is different in other stories.

Vanessa Jared's Got a Man by LaQuette is quite the spicy debut!

Meet Vanessa: A woman who survived a 20 year emotionally abusive and controlling marriage that thankfully ended in divorce. She meets two other women in a support group that become her support system. Two years after meeting them Michael shows up on her doorstep. Vanessa's ex husband is now engaged to Michael's sister, and he needs her to convince his sister to end the relationship.

Vanessa is not in the mood, but when she finds out her ex proposed with her family heirloom ring, she is determined to get it back. What she did not expect was that she'd also be finding an intense amount of chemistry with leading man Michael.

I really liked both Vanessa and Michael, along with Vanessa's friends. This was a small town, forced proximity, instant love kind of romance book. The romance is VERY open door, immediate, frequent, and SPICY. At the beginning of the book I expected there to be more tension and plot around convincing the sister, but I am glad this book was more about Vanessa finding what she needed.

This was a quick and fun read by the pool kind of book!

Second chance romance, after 20 years of marriage Vanessa is done with her cheating spouse. With help from a couple friends, she pulls herself together. But then the hot sheriff shows up asking her to help tell his sister Vanessa's ex is lying saying she is dead. The story is interesting and the relationship between Vanessa and the sheriff is hot hot hot. I liked it!

Yes, I’ll be very honest. I downloaded this because of the cover, but it did not disappoint.
This is a book that has a main character that isn’t usual in romance books and if I had the courage to write a whole essay thanking the author for that ALONE. I would never shut up, but allow me to mention the other aspects why I think this book deserves a 5 star from everyone who even simply looks at the cover of it.
1. MC is a black woman over 40 divorcee
2. She has a group of friends who have the same qualities as #1.
3. The author does a spectacular job weaving romance and comedy together.
4. Michael is a hottie, and the romance is 🤌🏽 (Chefs kiss)
5. The book covers stigmas of metal health in the black community.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

After divorcing her toxic ex-husband, Vanessa Jared decides to spend time finding herself. Part of this exploration leads to a chance meeting with two other divorcees who form a bond and vow to help each other move on.

When Vanessa receives an unexpected visit from Michael Park - the Sheriff of her friends' town - regarding her ex-husband and his sister on the anniversary of her divorce, the last thing Vanessa wants is to be anywhere near the situation. But when she realizes that her ex has stolen her grandmother's ring and given it to his new fiance, she strikes a bargain; Vanessa will travel to his town to tell his sister about her toxic ex, and Michael will make sure she gets her ring back.

However, nothing is ever easy. From the moment she travels to the little town, which she affectionately calls 'Mayberry', she encounters one hilarious situation after another that throw her and Michael in close contact. Now she has to decide if she wants to pursue the attraction she has for him and open herself to another relationship.

LaQuette did a great job of weaving romance and comedy together.

I can't wait for the next book!

This is my first time reading a LaQuette book. I appreciated that the heroine was a Black woman over 40 who had a supportive sista circle comprised of other Black women of the same age. Besides all being Black women over 40, they had another common denominator: they are all divorcees. Here is where I am reminded of Farrah Rochon's trilogy of friends who meet after finding out they all dated the same guy, but got a friendship out of it.

In this book, we meet Vanessa Jared aka Vee, who divorced her controlling rich husband. Luckily, she had a great attorney and a career as an accountant, so she walked away well and had some breathing room to figure herself out. She is approached by a fine Asian man, who wants her help to stop his sister from making a big mistake. After some soul searching and evidence that she must take action for herself, she agrees and love develops. It was steamy, but not smutty. And a great introduction to an over forty romance trilogy. I look forward to seeing what happens next with Vanessa ,her man, and their friends.

Vanessa Jared is two years post divorce from her hor-rib-le ex husband and trying to get her life together when a sexy sheriff from another town, Michael Park, arrives at her door step asking for help because his baby sister is engaged to her ex. He devises a plan to get her to speak with his sister before it's too late...of course, the attraction is strong between them (I mean...look at that COVER) and they end up getting close.

I REALLY enjoyed this book and inhaled it in a day. I loved getting to know these characters and what Vanessa and Michael went through before finding each other. I enjoyed seeing Vanessa come into her own and face her past. It was very touching. I felt their connection pretty early on...And the steam? Yes, ma'am! The chemistry was strong between them. Michael using some Korean terms of endearment was the sweetest thing.

I really appreciated reading a romance book where the characters were a bit older (early 40's). It was a nice change of pace for me. I think even if you're used to reading about characters in their 20's in romance books...this was still easy to relate to when it comes to moving on from traumatic relationships. And of course, the usual romance tropes where two people fight their attraction for each other.

Another plus was the side characters...I enjoyed them all.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this digital ARC in exchange for a review.

I enjoyed Laquette's second-chance-at-love romance. I especially liked the themes of friendship, family, and small town connectivity that she employed. Using such mature leads also highlighted the effects of prolonged emotional abuse can have on future relationships. I enjoyed the banter and sass of Vanessa's friends and how each group of friends were so openly honest about how they should approach certain aspects of their lives.

What a delightful debut novel! The romantic story was wonderful, but I also really like Vanessa and her savvy attitude of getting her life back on track after divorcing her low-life ex. She's trying to get her groove back as a single woman and forget about her ex, but when she meets Michael, her plans take a slight detour. Vanessa and Michael work together to expose her ex for the snake that he is and in the process, she is able to gain back some of the self respect and confidence her ex had taken from her. Her and Michael also grow closer and begin to develop a beautiful relationship. I found the story to be well-written with a refreshingly unique and exciting plot. Both Michael and Vanessa were great characters and I enjoyed watching their relation blossom and grow. These two were so wonderful together and just had the sweetest most amazing chemistry. This was a really entertaining and enjoyable story and am glad I had the opportunity to read it. I will definitely be looking for more by this author!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.