This is a sizzling, emotionally rich romance featuring an older woman-younger man dynamic and a lavish Middle Eastern setting. British billionaire Desmond hopes to secure a major business deal by impressing a sheikh but ends up chaperoning the sheikh’s daughter alongside her assistant, Valentina. The attraction between Desmond and Valentina builds over one unforgettable night, leading to an unexpected fake marriage. Their chemistry is undeniable, but both must confront their emotional wounds before they can truly embrace love. With deftly handled character development, sensual romance, and a touch of opulence, this book delivers both heart and heat.

Quick Summary: A tangled web romance

My Review: Billion-Dollar Ring Ruse by Jadesola James is a 2025 Harlequin Presents romance novel. It is scheduled for release on 4/1/25.

About the Book: [An] "impossible-to-resist encounter... [a] fake engagement... [an] explosive connection behind closed doors..."

In My Own Words: An American with a twisted past gets entangled with a billionaire with something to prove. When the two are found in a compromising situation, the solution of choice amounts to a fake relationship. Could there be even more to their story than they had anticipated?

My Final Say: This was a very surprising story. The tragic backstory for each character was heartbreaking. I genuinely felt for them both. The situation they found themselves in proved to be incredibly unrealistic in one respect, while at the same time it seemed totally realistic in another respect. I cannot say more than that, as I don't want to give spoilers. In the end, I confess that the giant elephant in the room influenced my rating. I did not care for the way the morality issue played out between the leads. Lastly, there were a few dangling threads that I needed/wanted to be addressed by the end that simply were not. I was left unsatisfied.

Other: This may appeal to readers who enjoy the following tropes ->

Fake engagement/marriage romances
ONS to forever romances
Work-related romances
In love with a billionaire romances
OWYM romances

Rating: 3/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 👍💬

Thank you to the author, to the publisher (Harlequin - Romance | Harlequin Presents), and to NetGalley for granting access to a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest critique. The words I have voluntarily shared are my own.

Valentina is a tightly wound personal assistant and Nanny to a teen in a rich family while Desmond is a young business man trying to go to the next level. One interaction and the losing of the teen brings them together then enter the ruse. The story was okay overall. Didn’t really keep my attention.

I really liked this book. I love a good suspense story and this did not disappoint. The story was interesting and kept me on my toes!

I've been eagerly awaiting Jadesola James' next release, and Billion-Dollar Ring Ruse did not disappoint! Though it felt a bit rushed in some spots, James' vivid, emotional prose and lovable characters made this a very satisfying read. I would happily have spent another fifty pages with Valentina and Desmond -- but that's category romance! I will enthusiastically recommend this novel to patrons and will look forward to more tales from Jadesola James.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

I enjoyed this story very much! I was happy to see that the main characters were able to come to a happy ending of sorts, but not have everything wrapped up into a perfect bow. They still have work to do, but they're willing to do it together. This is the perfect story for a second part.

Jadesola James is an underrated master of the category romance, and Billion-Dollar Ring Ruse not only has the kind of bonkers and extremely niche situation I want in a Harlequin Presents but the chemistry is INSANE and kudos to the author for writing a romance with an older woman and a proper age gap, and a lavish Middle Eastern setting that does not feel fetishistic.

British billionaire Desmond is trying to break into the Middle Eastern aviation market by sucking up to an influential sheikh, but finds himself minding said sheikh's teenage daughter along with her assistant Valentina. The build-up between him and Val over the course of one night is wildly erotic and quite soft, but in the best way. Desmond is charming and charismatic and Valentina is quite prim and proper, something of a defense mechanism. When Reasons compel them to pretend to be married after one night together, it's quite bittersweet because while the chemistry is THERE, both of them have their respective hang-ups and traumas to contend with. This is also something Jadesola handles really deftly— neither Desmond nor Val ever feel... cartoonish, if that makes sense, in their refusal to love or commit to one another. There's no dramatic confrontations, but the hurt within them runs deep and coming to terms with that takes some time, though not unreasonably so.

The sex scenes veer towards sensual, but that doesn't necessarily mean non-explicit. There are a handful of solid sex scenes sprinkled throughout including my favorite, their first time, ft. multiple? orgasms from nipple stimulation alone. Good for them.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4/5
Heat Level: 3.5/5
Pub Date: April 1st