Tuesday, September 4, 2018

#ReleaseBlitz: Hard Sell by Lauren Layne; #NowAvailable, #OutNow, #Live, #Review


Hard Sell
21 Wall Street
By: Lauren Layne
Releasing Sept 4th, 2018
Montlake
Rating:  4.5 Stars
#hardsell  #21WallStreet  #MontlakeRomance  #WolvesofWallStreet  #TamingtheWolf  #gameofletspretend #setthegameonfire  #whowillbreakthenotouchingrulefirst  #fakerelationship

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book for review from the author.  I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising".
Blurb:
He’s a Wall Street wolf. She’s been hired to tame him. From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne comes a wildly sexy novel of business and pleasure.
Twenty-eight and filthy rich, Matt Cannon is the youngest broker on Wall Street. He may be a “boy wonder,” but he’s every inch a man. Ask any woman—any night. But when Matt’s latest fling makes scandalous headlines, his clients get anxious, and his bosses at Wolfe Investments level an ultimatum: keep his assets zipped, get a “real” girlfriend, and clean up his act. Only one woman can help Matt with something this hard.
For PR genius Sabrina Cross, the best fixer in Manhattan, playing Matt’s steady is going to be a challenge, even if it’s just for show. They already have an explosive history, she can’t stand the cocky party boy, and worse—she can’t stop thinking about him. So who’ll dare to break her “no touching” rule first? Because when that happens, Matt and Sabrina’s game of let’s pretend will get so hot it could set both their reputations on fire.
“Layne can always be counted on to create an engaging, steamy, and thoroughly rewarding reading experience.” —RT Book Reviews

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My Thoughts:
Matt Cannon needs to do some damage control.  And that comes with an ultimatum.  Sabrina Cross tells it like it is and doesn’t accept anything less in return.  I found it interesting that the author gives us a time line that we follow with each chapter.  It would almost be worth reading again by reading each chapter on its designated day.  Will be interesting to see that timetable play out.

I got a really good chuckle moment and I had no trouble picturing the whole thing play out in my head.  I think you will enjoy it too.  To get the reader involved with the story, our author has her characters interact with us.  Although at the ending I felt more like a voyeur.

Some might say that this story is about second chances but personally I don’t think it is.  As Matt starts to slowly reveal things, I don’t think anything really fell into place for them.  I think it’s more of a do-over with a twist.  Matt has me thinking soap opera – probably partially because of the timeline.  I can picture myself watching it to see if he’s resolved things or just getting in deeper.  Will there be a weekly cliffhanger?

There’s a secondary character we meet named Ian.  As I’m reading along I’m beginning to wonder what his story is.  The reason for that would be because I haven’t read book one in the 21 Wall Street series.  I don’t feel shortchanged because I haven’t but as I get to know Ian I just want to know more about his story.  So Matt becomes my reason for wanting more.  Another secondary character is Kate.  She’s Matt’s assistant and I would love to meet her.  She knows how to keep her boss focused.  The author did such a good job developing her character that I thought she deserved a raise.

Ms. Layne must have known that I would get too comfortable with the relationship our main characters had going on.   It seemed like she created a roadblock that just made me more interested in seeing what she was going to come up with next.  As we continue to get closer to what we know is the ending, our characters still have that roadblock getting in the way – I loved watching Matt squirm.  But he made me smile by giving me a very romantic moment which was followed by my last chuckle. 



Excerpt from Hard Sell:
I narrow my eyes, because there’s something just beyond the usual stubborn determinedness in her eyes. Something . . .
She starts to move away, and I grab her arm as I realize what that something is. “You’re scared.”
Sabrina scoffs. “Of what?”
I have no idea, but I do know her well enough to know what’ll spur her into action—the action I want.
I lean forward slightly. “You’re terrified that you can’t do it. That you can’t pretend we’re a couple without wanting it for real.”
This time I get a snort. “Reverse psychology? Really?”
I give her a slow, taunting smile. “Prove it. Prove that you’re not completely terrified you’ll fall in love with me.”
“Oh my God,” she says on a laugh, tugging her arm free. “That’s so not going to work on me.”
I shrug, letting my expression go deliberately skeptical as I sip my drink.
The silence stretches on, and she lets out an indignant huff. “You’re not that irresistible, you know. This whole I can’t break the little lady’s heart routine is a bit nauseating.”
I ignore this and go to her fridge, even though I’m not hungry. “Got anything to eat?”
Exactly as I expect, Sabrina stomps toward me, slaps her palm against the fridge door, and glares up at me. “You’re the last person I’d ever fall in love with.”
“Have you ever been in love?” I ask, a little curious.
“Of course not,” she says.
“You don’t believe in it?”
She bites her lip, as though unsure of her response. “Not lasting romantic love like you see in the movies, no.”
“Excellent.”
“Why is that excellent?”
“Because it means there should be no problem with you posing as my girlfriend.”
She laughs a little and rests the side of her head against the fridge. “You’re relentless.”
“And you’re stubborn. Seriously, though . . . What are you so afraid of?” I ask it quietly.
For a moment, her expression’s unreadable. Then she gives a slow smile and leans in slightly. “You know, for someone so decidedly antirelationship, you’re pretty obsessed with the idea of my falling for you.”
She’s clearly not going to answer my question, and I shove aside my disappointment. Figuring out what the hell makes Sabrina tick was never going to be easy. I’ve always known that.
“What can I say, the apocalypse fascinates me.” I lean a shoulder against the fridge, mirroring her posture.
“At least you acknowledge that it’ll be the end of the world before I feel anything other than tolerant loathing for you.”
“Or I you,” I say, lifting my glass in a toast.
She clinks her glass to mine, even as she frowns, a tiny line appearing between her dark eyebrows. “You really think I can’t do it? Spend a month as your companion without falling all over myself?”
I push away from the refrigerator and go to the counter, setting aside my drink. “Doesn’t matter what I think.”
She follows me, fingers wrapping around my wrist. “Could you do it?”
“Do what?”
“Spend an entire month in my company without falling for my charms.” She says it mockingly, but the question is clearly a challenge.
I’ve never been good at backing down from a challenge, and one issued by her? Forget it.
“I think I’d manage.”
“You know,” she says, studying my face, “you’ve got me thinking.”
“Dangerous,” I mutter.
“Perhaps this could be good for us.”
My heart tightens in my chest as I realize that she’s actually considering going along with my plan. “Yeah?”
Sabrina nods. “This weird thing between us . . . the fact that we can’t coexist without tearing each other down or tearing off each other’s clothes—”
“For the record, I’m always a fan of the last one.”


Author Info:

Lauren Layne is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than two dozen romantic comedies. Her books have sold over a million copies, in eight languages. Lauren's work has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Glamour, The Wall Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She is based in New York City.
Author Links:   
Lauren Layne Library: http://laurenlaynelibrary.com/



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