Really enjoyed this easy, sexy story. It was humorous, hot, and melted my heart.

”I wanted to explore this moment with only her, this new connection that was unfolding between us. Because she fit with me…”

When Theo Barnes finds Maxine Simon asleep on his boat, he turns it into an opportunity to salvage his business deal. Later, when his mother pressures him into bringing a date to a family wedding, he makes her a proposition she can’t turn down. However, physical attraction and chemistry start the blur the lines of their agreement.

This was such a great read. I really liked both main characters and also a lot of the secondary ones. Max was stubbornly independent, and Theo was a cocky guy with a heart of gold. Together, they made a fab couple.

DNF at 47%

I love fake relationship stories, but this one was so boring. There was no chemistry. No heat. The story kept dragging and I kept skipping entire paragraphs in the hopes of getting to an interesting part of the story. I just couldn't continue any longer.

Theo and Max meet in a most unlikely way and quickly decide to pretend to be in a relationship. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement with lots of rules but will they be able to follow the one simple rule of no complications?

Theo is a man who is driven to succeed. He is a millionaire because he has earned it. He plays hard because he has earned that, too. The author does a good job of showing that there is more to Theo than just the playboy persona. Yes, he really is a playboy but maybe there is more to him than the playboy he projects to the world. It made total sense that he would fall for a woman like Max. She balances him in many ways. Max is driven to chase her career as a photographer. Her life is complicated due to some family issues. I like that Max didn't feel sorry for herself. I like that she is strong and driven. The author did a good job giving Max layers and showing how she developed into the woman she is today. I like the side characters and side storylines. I even liked "the bad guy" in the story because that part of the story was necessary to get Theo and Max together.

The thing that threw me off was the timeframes. Did it take two months to get a contract signed? Why not move on and sign with someone else? I am not going to give more details but I just kept scratching my head about how long things were taking. I also got the impression that the story was going to include a certain type of adult activity based on an early comment in the story but then that went nowhere. It was odd that the author hinted at it but didn't follow through.

This is contemporary romance. There's lots of talk of boats and photography. This is a sweet love story with a little angst. I will read more from this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this eARC.

I think this is a good, light and quick easy read that I enjoyed. I was a little unsure of Theo's character at the start, to me he came across as quite overbearing although he slowly grew on me the more I read. I liked Max straightaway. Add in likeable side characters and this becomes a good read. I liked the authors writing style here and that the story was told from both main characters perspectives. The romance and chemistry between them was good and I loved the ending, it was very fitting and gave the story the best closure. Whilst I did enjoy this, in my opinion it isn't quite as good as the two previous books in the series, although I'd still recommend it and say read the books in order.

3.5 stars

Love it especially the interactions with the characters.

A cool and unique retelling of Goldilocks and the 3 Bears.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publishing company and the author for giving me a chance to read and review this book. This review is given freely.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The ending was a total surprise, I loved it! Max started right off with not letting Theo be too pushy. Theo's cockiness comes off as domineering at points. Some ladies love that. Not Max. She makes it very clear from the beginning.
Theo is an awesome guy. He takes care of his whole family, cousins included. Really showed us what kind of man he is.
I would recommend this book to any contemporary romance lover.

This was another amazing cute meet! I loved the story and you will absolutely love how strong willed Max is. She is able to take Theo’s cockiness and dish some attitude back at him. An absolute delight to read!

I do love a good accidental pregnancy trope, and Leslie North often delivers these. There are a number of open door sex scenes, though I actually think there are fewer than normal for a Leslie North book. The MMC hires the FMC to be his fake girlfriend, and the fake gradually becomes real. This was a fairly low angst romance, though the third act separation feels a little dramatic.

3.5 stars rounded to 4. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC of this book. The opinions herein are my own.