Pop Quiz: You just banged a rock star you vowed to loathe until the end of time. What’s next? Hint: You don’t agree to be his fake girlfriend. And you certainly don’t fall in love… Once upon a time, Cutter Comstock was the hot older boy who tormented me in high school. Fast forward thirteen years and I find myself in his bed, riding him like the last stud at the sex rodeo… Needless to say, … mistakes have been made… But as a chef, I turn food flops around all the time. I can turn this around, too. All I have to do is ignore the insufferably gorgeous (and generally insufferable) Cutter until he goes on tour. Too bad my nemesis has other plans. Cutter wants my help winning back the one who got away and he knows just the bait to dangle—the chance to open my own restaurant in a dream location. I can pull off pretending to be the devil’s devoted girlfriend in order to make my dreams come true. Right? But what happens when my dreams start to include the clever, funny, unexpectedly sweet man Cutter has become?
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Bang on Loosely is Lili Valente’s newest standalone in the Bangover series. Lili always knows how to make me laugh and swoon! I love a good enemies to lovers with a side of fake girlfriend romance and Theo and Cutter are the perfect pair. They shared a drunken night months ago and now Cutter is back in town and needs Theo’s help to win back the woman who got away. Theo is a chef who loves food but not her job. Cutter offers her the chance to have her own restaurant in exchange for pretending to be his girlfriend. What could happen? A few stolen kisses, touches and a sexy night spent between the sheets. Then what? Can Theo really watch him walk away after it’s over? Will Cutter finally see what’s right in front of him? I have been waiting for this story for a long time! I love Theo and her take no crap attitude! And Cutter…yummy! He’s cocky, but swoony and his mouth is dirty! Yes, please!
I devoured this book – my favorite of the series.
I absolutely loved Theo and Cutter. They definitely go from enemies (more so on her side) to frenemies who “sleep” together to fake romance to of course, real romance.
This one still has the quirks we love from a Lili Valente book, but it had depth to the story and Cutter and Theo just pull you right into their love story and you can’t help but root for them. And when Theo “lashed out like a cornered honey badger”…well that was laugh out loud funny!
There’s some added suspense that will make you hold your breath too.
This book was just awesome sauce rolled up into one entertaining package.
I voluntarily requested and read an advance reader copy.
Bang on Loosely is the third standalone in the Bangover series by the very talented and funny, Lili Valente. I am so in love with this series and the characters. You can read it as standalone but they are all tied together by some sexy rockstars and friendships. I have been waiting for this story especially after reading the free prequel, Enemies with Bang-ifits (The link to it will be at the bottom of the review.)
It happens. They bang. She goes on with her life. He goes on tour. And six months later, he is back with a plan. A plan to get the one who got away back. But, he needs Theo on board with the plan and he knows exactly what she wants. It’s all about location and he owns the property she wants for her restaurant. They can totally fake date for three weeks to convince his ex that he can have a serious relationship without breaking the boundaries, right? It’s not like it’s real or anything.
Until you start having feelings. Real feelings. Raw feelings. Feelings you shouldn’t feel for someone who has ignored you for thirteen years. Someone who says is in love with someone else. Three weeks. That’s all they needed then he would be on tour and she would be hopefully working on her first restaurant opening.
I loved this story. The way these two banter and learn each other is so sweet, fun, and emotional. And hot. The characters are so, so lovable. They are both learning about themselves as well as learning about each other and that was awesome. It’s really full of passion, music, love, laughter, wit, friendship, and family. I am really hoping a certain someone get their own book.
Quotes:
“Well, looks like that was a promise you couldn’t keep, princess. And don’t even try to pretend you didn’t enjoy yourself.”
“Want to dance?”
“No, I don’t want to dance. I want to stab you repeatedly in the spleen.”
“The spleen’s not a vital organ. I’d probably survive.”
“I am not a delicate flower.”
“You are. Very delicate. Except for your boobs, but I’m not supposed to talk about those so pretend I didn’t say that.”
ENEMIES WITH BANG-IFITS: http://ow.ly/XC8050xNy3Q
Bang on Loosely by Lili Valente is another stand alone in her Inter-connected standalone “Bang” series. We got a taste of Theo and Cutter’s history and relationship (or lack thereof) in Enemies with Bang-ifits, a free prequel story to Bang on Loosely but you just don’t know and understand until you live through it with them within these pages. God Lord! The angst, the sarcasm, the sheer unadulterated swagger that Cutter possesses matched with Theo’s honest to God cannot deal with Cutter’s crap attitude!
Theo is a workaholic. A successful head chef at a nice restaurant but after attaining her dream job and position and title she finds herself still restless. When Cutter comes back off tour with the rest of the band she plans to ignore him but he has different plans. And bless his heart – his actions are saying one thing while his inner monologue is utterly oblivious to the fact that he is falling for Theo. Hard! With Cutter’s help Theo realizes how stagnant and unfulfilling her current job is and they make plans for more. Only problem is, Cutter still thinks he needs Theo’s help winning back his “One That Got Away” without realizing that she is right under his nose all while Theo is trying desperately to not fall further for Cutter.
The audio narration is phenomenal. Jason Clarke is dreamy in his portrayal of Cutter. Swagger and sex drenching all the words and Lili not only write bomb-tatsic amazing quirky sexy romances, she narrates the crap out of them too! Well Done!
These books have all the fun and quirkiness for a light read with just enough angst, drama and feels to make them a truly worthwhile read! Enjoy!
Yes, yes, and YES! I already knew going into Bang On Loosely that I was going to get the laughs I’ve come to expect in this series, and after reading the prequel novella, Enemies with Bang-ifits, that this was going to be an enemies-to-lovers romance that has as much bite as it does bang. But what I wasn’t expecting was that dash of angst that led to third and emphatic YES at the beginning. Dare I say that with every new novel Lili Valente releases in her Bangover series, the bigger a chunk of my heart is taken. Would it be too soon for me to declare this my favorite series from Valente ever? Because as much as the male main characters are rock stars, the stories in this series are more than your typical rock star romance trope. And have I mentioned that you end up falling in love with the heroines as much as you do the heroes? But I’m getting ahead of myself! Let’s delve into a bit about this fab book.
Bang On Loosely is the third full-length novel in the Bangover series, and this time around, the spotlight shines on Cutter Comstock, guitarist and songwriter for Lips on Fire, and Theodora Devi, a chef dreaming to open her own restaurant. When Cutter learns that Megan Blankenship, the only girl he’s ever considered having a future with, has filed for divorce, he realizes this could be his chance to be with her. All he needs is to find a fake fiancée to convince Megan that he’s capable of committing and settling down, and Cutter’s got his sights set on Theo to play that role. Sure, they hate each other, but that means no hearts are going to get broken. Cutter gets Megan and Theo gets her dream resto. Win-win. It’s a foolproof plan…until they foolishly catch feelings and lose their hearts.
Enemies-to-lovers happens to be one of my ultimate favorite tropes, so I’ve read more than my fair share. Lili Valente’s treatment of this trope with regards to Cutter and Theo’s story happens to be one of the best I’ve come across in all my years of reading, and those are A LOT of years. There were no secret long-held feelings of unrequited love from our main characters, and the snark were, at times, thinly veiled barbs that were highlighted how there was no love lost between them. But as Cutter and Theo get to know each other–allowing readers to get to know them better as well–the animosity turns to begrudging affection and admiration and then more. Cutter’s back story made him much easier to empathize with, which in turn, had me cheering him and Theo on towards their happily-ever-after. This book also had a pinch of suspense to it, making for an even more entertaining read overall. I highly recommend you check out Bang On Loosely, which gets five-plus stars. Read the other books, too!
What happens when two frenemies that were like oil and water in school give in to their heated desire? They explode then it is back to the love hate relationship it always was but trouble is those feelings are still there.
Cutter is the playboy in the band and he has no plans of giving up his playboy ways that is until he finds out the one that got away is getting divorced from her no good husband and now he thinks he wants to win her back. Trouble is he can’t do it alone. He needs help showing he has matured and is definitely boyfriend material. He bribes his frenemy, Theo into helping him win the love of his life back by pretending to be his girlfriend. One problem, their fake relationship has real underline feelings and what Cutter thinks he wants starts to get cloudy.
Theo wants, no needs to open her own restaurant and the only way to achieve that is to help Cutter win the woman he loves back. She can do this. Even though they had a one night fling and even though it was the best ever she can do this. She can keep her feelings locked down and get to the end and have her restaurant. Only those pesky feelings keep getting in the way even though she knows he is going to break her heart.
Cutter and Theo are a great couple that give as good as they get with each other. There is the pent up attraction that revs them up as well as deeper emotions that explain who they are. Oh and there is the danger of the mob all wrapped up in this funny, sexy, suspenseful mastermind. This is a great book that has it all.
I received an early copy to read and review and give my honest opinion. I loved it and highly recommend it.
OMG there is just so much good stuff in this book! Funny, charming and full of shenanigans, of course, Theo & Cutter’s journey will entertain you from the get-go. Incredible and dynamic chemistry will keep these frenemies from staying that way for too long. I love their relationship and watching it develop into the greatest love is so very special. And yes, as Cutter realizes his true feelings for Theo, he will make you swoon! Lili’s brand of humor is always right up my alley. I just adore the internal dialogue the characters have with themselves! I laughed out loud so often! I read this book and also listened to the audiobook and while both were equally wonderful, Jason Clarke as Cutter (sigh-what a voice he has) and Lili herself as Theo (love her voice), were absolutely FANTASTIC!!!! They really brought Theo and Cutter to life in the best of ways!! Great story, great characters! Another winner for Lili Valente!
Bang on Loosely has been added as another favorite by Lili Valente! I adored Theo. She is a strong soul that has passion and fire! She will not back down and is ready to put up a fight. No Lili adds her signature comedy at the beginning with Theo and Cutter’s dad. I could not stop laughing. But then there was Cutter and his smart alec remarks which had Theo walking out and not looking back.
Cutter loves another and is ready to show how much he is ready to settle down. In the midst of things, feelings and chemistry began to grow for Theo and Cutter. We began to grow with them as readers as well. I loved reading some scenes that have past characters. I could not put this book down and loved Theo’s and Cutter’s story whole heartily!
Loved book three of this interconnected stand alone series and every bit as funny, heartfelt and sexy as the others. I laughed SO hard at a certain part of the beginning of this book that I had actual tears coming out and I didn’t even notice until one dripped on my Kindle! The chemistry between these two I honestly really got drawn into this far more than most enemies to lovers because there was such honesty and genuine straightforward feelings, it really got to me and I know this crew will stick with me for awhile. Especially all the things Cutter learned about himself along the way.
When love-’em-and-leave-’em rock god, Cutter Comstock, enlists his high school nemesis/friend-ish to be his fake fiancée in order to show his old flame that he’s a forever kind of guy, well it doesn’t take a Sigmund Freud to know that this is a plan destined to fail in a glorious, spectacular crash and burn. It does, however, provide the backdrop for a laugh-out-loud hilarious and surprisingly heartfelt, fantastic read.
Aside from having the tune of 38 Special’s Hold On Loosely running on repeat through my mind (thanks for that, BTW), reading a Valente novel is, hands down, the best part of my day. (I see you giving me the side eye, but the book title was origionally Bang on Loosely. Apparently I’m one of the few readers who got the reference.) This book, by either name, held me in its euphoric thrall as I watched these two enemies stumble down their road to forever. Then the bad guys came out to play and the suspense and drama kept me on the edge of my seat
Any time this writer releases a new book, it’s an auto 1-Click for me. Take the best madcap comedy and your favorite ugly-cry romantic movies and put them together, and that’s what you have here. With trademark humor, snark and wit, down-to-earth, loveable characters, a nice dose of steam and refreshing depth of heart, this is a engaging, captivating, phenomenal read that you won’t want to miss!