Mr. Wicked is the second story in the Hooked series. I have not yet read any of the other books in the series. I enjoyed Grayson and Jovana’s story. They are interesting characters and the story had a unique take on the ‘marriage of convenience’ trope.

Absolutely loved it... Fake marriage, drama, grump/sunshine couple... Great book to snuggle up with..

Another great read by Marni Mann! Loved this steamy romance!

Grayson Tanner, is a total alpha billionaire and is the CEO and one of the co-founders of the Hooked dating app. He is not one for relationships and doesn’t want to ever settle down.

Jovana Williams is a sassy and sweet social media influencer based in Boston. Grayson, a bit of a celebrity in Boston, crosses paths with Jovana and they have a one-night stand. Grayson is honest with her and tells her their night together is a one-and-done type of deal. He doesn’t expect to see her again.

After the successful international rollout of the app, Grayson finds himself caught up in a PR nightmare; a video of him and six beautiful women partying it up on a luxury yacht goes viral. This ends up negatively impacting the company as sales and profitability go down.

Grayson and his bff, Laura, come up with a plan to fix the negative publicity: he needs to get married to show that even a lifelong bachelor such as himself can find true lasting love via the app. And who better to enlist in this plan than, the romantic-at-heart, Jovana.

Once Grayson and Jovana get together, it’s like the tables have turned. Jovana is the one calling all the shots and she’s determined to make their fake relationship real! Will they find true love after their contract is up?

It’s so obvious that there’s a strong attraction between Grayson and Jovana and loved seeing their chemistry deepen with time. I know it’s kind of cliche, but Jovana truly made Grayson a better person - I was rooting for them big time!

I adored their witty banter and of course the spice was on point! I would expect no less from Marni! I loved this book and highly recommend it! 4.5⭐️

Thanks so much, Marni and @valentine_pr_, for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!💕

“The way he’d looked at me when our eyes first connected. The way my body had reacted, the swish of tingles that started at my feet and whipped across my legs and stomach and landed in my chest where it simmered the rest of the night.”

As usual Marni knocked another Alpha on his knees…in more than one way.

“You’re like a golden retriever. You’re always happy and something is always wagging on your body. But today, you just seem the happiest...”

Chemistry, steaminess, stubbornness, ultimatums, heartbreak, compassion, lust, humor, friendship, loyalty, guilt, angst and so much more are thread through the pages.

“..that man was gone. Vanished. And in his place was the side of him I despised. He used a nasty attitude so no one could penetrate his exterior; he spit venom so no one would even get close enough to try.”

I am in love with this series. I love the bond of the men and the women that get brought into the fold. The banter, sassiness, brotherhood, razzing and the authentic love between them.

“He hadn’t promised me a single thing, but for some reason, what he had given me was enough.”

MR. WICKED by Marnie Mann Hooked Book #2
Grayson and Jovana's Story
Tropes: Forced Proximity, Marriage of convenience, Grumpy/Sunshine
This was a great read. I was instantly drawn in and loved the characters. I needed to know more about them. We met Grayson in book #1. He and his friends co-found a billion dollar dating app Hooked. Grayson develops a marriage app as part of Hooked even though he has no interest in relationships himself. He has a one night stand with a server at his local bar (Jovana)and they have an instant connection but he makes it clear to her there won't be another date. Then he makes some really poor social decisions causing the subscriptions in their app drop quickly. Now he has to make a choice, settle down with a girl or continue to ruin their company. So he decides to contact Jovana and convince her to be his temporary bride. Boy it's fun as Jovana makes his life miserable and falls for her more each day. Great book, great chemistry, I really loved the characters!

This is my first experience reading something by this author and it won't be my last. It's a sizzling, enemies-to-lovers romance with plenty of twists, passion, and emotional depth. The novel follows Grayson Tanner, an alpha billionaire whose life is thrown into chaos after a viral PR disaster. A toast to bachelorhood has his company’s reputation on the line, and now he’s under pressure to appear like a family man, fast. Enter Jovana Winters, a savvy social media influencer and Grayson’s former one-night stand, who becomes part of his PR “solution”—the solution being a fake marriage that will restore his image.
The chemistry between Grayson and Jovana is undeniable and absolutely crackles in each scene. But while Grayson has a distrust of women and commitment, Jovana believes in love. She is a refreshing, determined, and headstrong heroine, not willing to settle for anything less than the truth.
The story is well-paced, with whip-smart dialogue, and the romance steamy. The tension builds perfectly between the two characters, and the twists and turns in the plot will keep you guessing till the end.
If you're looking for a compelling novel with steamy, slow-burn romance and complex characters who are forced to confront their own emotional walls, then this is surely a book you will want to pick up.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Mr Wicked was my first read from Marni Mann, a good book - will be going back to read the first book in the hooked series.

Marni Mann can do no wrong in my eyes. And Mr wicked delivered again. This who series is one of my favorites.

Rating: 2/5 stars
Spice: 2/5

This was my first book by Marni Mann and I'm a little disappointed in it. Usually, I love an asshole grumpy man but this one wasn't it. Grayson Tanner had no redeeming qualities to the very end and I mean to the very end. Grayson was this big billionaire businessman who didn't respect women because of how butt hurt he was by his mom when he was a kid. Rather than be a big boy and go to therapy he decided he hated women. All Grayson thought of was himself and barely even his business partners who were supposed to be like family to him. The way he treated his two partners made me mad, he had absolutely no regard for them and their hard work and completely dismissed them because of how badly he fucked up but I digress. Grayson was a literal dirtbag to Jovana yet the girl couldn't stay away.
Moving on to Jovana, I couldn't stand her for the majority of the book. She had no backbone, and no personality other than being obsessed with Grayson no matter how badly he treated her or told her he wanted nothing but sex from her. I'm not a fan of FMC who let men stomp all over them rather than stand up for themselves and tell them off. Yet as soon as Grayson breathed in her general area she was a goner. All she did was complain and complain about Grayson yet she never told him to f off.
Now, as for them being a couple it felt forced the majority of the time which I suppose was purposeful because if this being an arranged dating/marriage. Towards the end when things picked up it got better. Once Grayson became a human with feelings he was great and loving towards Jovana, which I did like to see how he went from a piece of shit to a caring man.

Overall, I don't see myself reading the rest of this series. I am going to try another one of Marni's books as this one just might not have been my thing and another one of hers could be.

Grayson and Jovana had a one-night stand, and she felt something more. Grayson was an a**hole to her though and he was set on his playboy ways. But that led to a scandal for his company, and to fix things, he needed to fake date someone…that someone being Jovana.

Fake dating and reformed playboy are a couple of my favorite tropes. But I don’t like when the MMC is still a playboy after he meets the FMC. And Grayson is was still an a**hole after they started fake dating. And it took me a long time to like him.

I did still enjoy the story, but it wasn’t my favorite.

I am telling you right now, Marni knows Alpha Males, and the women who make them weak. You won’t be disappointed and will <b>Eat This Right Up</b>

The <i>Hooked</i> Series follows three friends who created a hook-up app in college. We first met Mr. Boston, Easton Jones, who fell to his knees for Drake. Now it’s time for Mr. Hookup, Grayson Tanner.

Grayson Tanner is the definition of noncommittal. He loves his bachelor life and has no plans to change his ways anytime soon. He recently came up with the marriage branch of Hooked, which seems funny coming from a man who doesn’t believe in marriage. So, of course the man doesn’t use his own app, since it matches you with the <b>”Perfect partner”</b> He goes “fishing” the old fashioned way, and catches the eye of waitress Jovana and they have a one night stand to remember, and he has no plans to really see her again.

So when his playboy ways blows up in his face, and rocks his entire world, <i>personally and professionally</i> there is only one way to come out the other end in a positive light.

<b>That’s right</b>… do the very thing that he thought he would never have to do in his life. He must come to terms with the plans of having no other choice but to face his <b>”nightmare”</b> head on.

Our darling <b>billionaire bachelor</b> must put on the show of his life by pretending to be in love with a woman, ultimately leading him to an engagement and a wedding. <i>Should be easy, since he can’t seem to get this woman out of his senses. Not that he really wants to. What’s the worst that could happen…I mean, it’s only for <b>One Year</b></i>.

If you loved reading about Easton and Drake in Mr. Hookup and are a fan of age gap, spicy romance, grumpy sunshine, and a heroine who is determined to make the man fall for her, then this is the book for you.

simply.shannon💜📚
Instagram | Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon 💫

This author never disappoints with her stories. Its just as steamy, just as angsty and just has funny as all the others in this series and I had a blast!

Mr. Wicked is book two in Marni Mann’s Hooked series and can be read as a standalone. Grayson needs good PR and finds himself in a marriage of convenience with Jovana, an ex fling he can’t get out of his head.

This book had several of my favorite tropes and I always enjoy Marni’s alpha heroes. I now know going into her books that many of her heroes are similar and the books itself tend to have similar plots/styles. I enjoyed this couple’s journey and some of the little plot twists along the way.

Author Marni Mann does it again! Mr. Wicked might just be my new favorite book by Marni Mann.

This is book 2 in the Hooked series. It focuses on Grayson and Jovana. And they are fantastic.

Grayson is the perfectly imperfect alphahole I didn't know I needed in my life. He's a gorgeous billionaire CEO with attitude and an aversion to relationships. She is a young, beautiful social media influencer who believes in love. Perfect match right? One night changes everything.

The story captivated me from the start. The chemistry between Grayson and Jovana is off the charts. Their banter is snarky, witty and entertaining. They are the epitome of opposites attract. I loved their journey and how their relationship developed.

Mr. Wicked is the perfect beach read or staying in on a rainy weekend read. It's the perfect escape from reality. It is steamy with humor and the right amount of drama to keep the pages turning. Definitely recommend! Cant wait for the next one.

Smoking hot chemistry. Check!
All the steam. Double check!

I loved this steamy age gap romance from one of my favorite authors! Marni Mann never fails to thrill and entertain with her alphalicious billionaire heroes.

If you’re a fan of the following, this book is for you:

* age gap
* forced proximity
* fake relationship
* billionaire romance
* Bad boy / good girl
* Reformed player
* Steamy and sexy

I simply can’t get enough of this series! Bring on the next one.

•• Grayson and Jovana ••

☆☆☆☆☆

Mr. Wicked by Marni Mann
Book 2 : Hooked

Marni, I don’t know how you do it, but you never freaking miss.

Grayson and Jovana’s story was one of the most unconventional stories I have read but I loved it so much. Their marriage of convenience is not something I read often but it was so good. I loved the way it all played out.

I am still just soaking in the absolute bliss (read book hangover) that I get from Marni’s books. Just over here waiting for Holden’s book.

Happy reading 🫶🏻

Marni is becoming a go-to author for me. Ever since reading the first book in the series. I couldn't wait for Grayson's book. It was everything I hoped for. I look forward to reading more of her books.

What is Marni writing in these books that has me so addicted? I love Jovanna and alphahole Grayson together in one of my fave tropes fake dating/marriage of convenience. The spice is always on point in these books and it’s steamy from the get go no slow burn here! I’m really loving the hooked series so far and the guys are just top notch. Also no third act break up which is always a bonus for me and one thing I absolutely love.

Mr. Wicked was AMAZING! I absolutely loved where this story took me. Marni's writing is always evolving into something new and Mr. Wicked was no exception.

Were back to the dating app that is skyrocketing everybody’s love life making dreams come true. Only thing is Grayson Tanner is making it seem like it’s all a fake. Here is a guy who believe love can’t possibly happen especially marriage. Then we have Jovana Winters, who is one of the few people who still believe in love at first sight and the happily ever afters. Two people so opposite from each other yet actually are like two peas in a pod. The chemistry is definitely all there but Marnie Mann shows us that sometimes love can really happen without the physical part. Seeing these two together we see a connection they never expected in a way Jovana brings out the goodness in Grayson. All his life he has never settled, never finding the unforgettable so to speak. See all the women he’s been with never stayed on his mind but then wowza he meets Jovana. Have to say there is nothing like a woman mad to really get you to think about things you could have done better than worse.Not only do we these two but we see Easton and Drake even Holden, the brains behind the app and boy this is a friendship that really helps one another. This was a great story to see and one worth waiting for by Marnie Mann for Mr. Wicked can be good, bad, naughty but in the end he is just like all bad boys you want to teach that love does exist of course with the right woman.

“I received an eBook copy from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own.”