In Susan Meier's "Fling with the Reclusive Billionaire," Lola is hired to write the autobiography of the reclusive billionaire, Grant Laningham. However, Grant proves to be charming and attractive, leading to undeniable chemistry between them. Despite Lola's shattered heart and Grant's recent discovery of having a son, they find themselves drawn to each other. As they navigate their past disappointments and grief, they must decide if they can build a future together. This heartwarming romance is perfect for starting the year with a smile. Grant is sure to capture readers' hearts from the very beginning, making it difficult to put the book down.

Not quite so reclusive...

I enjoyed this book. I htought that both Lola and Grant have lived life and had gone through up and downs. Grant, a workaholic, yes, but not quite so reclusive, since he's forming a relationship with Max, his nine year old son he didn't know he had (i can't stand secret baby tropes, its not a thing, people, but at least Lola isn't his baby mama). Lola has her own past, which affects her present. Grant really isn't reclusive as he's indulging in an affair with Lola, who is writing a book on him.
Recommend.

This was a lovely romance that centers around people coming to grips with their past, and overcoming both internal an external misconceptions and conflicts to become the people, couple, and parents that they were meant to be.

The relationship felt realistic; the romance was very evident. I am a low-key sucker for a story where one can lead the other (at least on the surface) towards self-healing in order to be a better version of themselves. The character of Grant, in particular, went from betting pretty one-dimensional and stereotypical, into a this layered character where every you could understand why he was the way he was. As this story developed, I really believed in the relationship between Grant and Lola, but it took some getting there!

Critiques:

The initial story set-up was a bit rushed in pace, and at times, a bit convoluted (particularly Grant's background, and specifically, how Max came to be) which took a bit away a bit from both the narrative
and romantic tension. Lola felt a bit one-dimensional at times (relatively to Grant), and the relationship and acceptance of Max was almost too quick and smooth.

The relationship, as it were, felt a bit rushed and forced at first. Given everything they were facing, the lack of tension in developing their feelings for each other (beyond the "ooh, that person is hot") felt a bit flat for me. There were certainly opportunities, especially with Max in the picture, where both the narrative and romantic tension could have been approached better so that the flow of the story was consistent throughout.

That said, the story did pick up in a big way, and eventually landed in a spot that I walked away ultimately satisfied. Once they were actually in a relationship, I enjoyed their maturity and dynamic very much. And once stakes was introduced related to Max, the narrative tension hit its stride.

It's not the strongest of this wonderful author's body of work, but it's still a solid read that I would recommend.

Thank you Harlequin Romance and Susan Meier for the opportunity to read this story.