“He’s a player. He has a different girl every weekend. He’s famous for it.”Those words from my brother about his best friend should have sent me running.Instead, I gave him my v-card.Duke Esposito is every definition of a bad idea.He was like none of the boys I’d ever met before—wild and free. I wanted him. I wanted him to be the one.But as expected, I ended up with a broken heart, And if that … one.
But as expected, I ended up with a broken heart,
And if that humiliation wasn’t enough,
Cut to a few years later and the bastard didn’t even remember who I was.
I should have learned…yet here I am with a giant FAKE engagement ring on my finger from HIM.
One minute I’m standing my ground with the mafia,
And the next, Duke-Freaking-Esposito is barging through my restaurant door,
Pretending to be my fake fiancé and planting a kiss on my lips so spectacular I think I actually sighed out loud.
I may have ended up in a mess way over my head,
But this time—I’m keeping my emotions and hormones out of the equation.
Only, he’s made it clear that this time—he’s playing for keeps.
Should I give him another chance?
Or will Duke break my heart again…
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Gaahh! I loved this book! SO much. Both Duke and Lissie were introduced in the previous novel in this series but no worries: this book catches every reader up making it a perfect stand-alone. As characters, the author does an exceptional job in allowing readers to get to know each of them better than they know each other which is always such fun for readers. The introduction of Duke’s mob father and his “goons” and how Duke and Lissie cleverly navigate that first meeting is so well written. I felt like I was watching the whole hilarious scene in a movie! At that moment, the reader sees their undeniable attraction and rightness for each other, how in tune to each other they are and watching them communicate without words is when I knew for sure I was going to love this one. Duke’s tender heart and Lissie’s insecurity where he’s concerned provide so many great “feels” and so much heat. So – humor, wit, banter, intelligent characters and plenty of romance and hot times … what’s not to love? HIGHLY recommend this one. 🙂
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
So – humor, wit, banter, intelligent characters and plenty of romance and hot times … what’s not to love? HIGHLY recommend this one. 🙂 This story takes place 7 years after a one night stand at a wedding. There is plenty of heat, humor, and romance. This is a reading adventure well worth the readers’ attention.The chemistry between them was undeniable, and they are madly in love with each other. They seem to find it difficult to communicate their feelings, even though their actions say it all. It takes outside intervention, drama, passionate moments and a deception, to make these two hard-headed individuals acknowledge they could get a happily ever after. LA Pepper seemlessly creates a passionate and sensuous tale of love and discovery that is filled with unexpected twists, turns and tunnels. This book had so many different romantic esembles that it had me dizzy at times. This feel-good, totally sexy romance will make your heart feel good when you read it. This book jumped around a lot and had lots of other characters in it from previous books which to me was a little confusing if this was the only book you had read.
This is the second book in the Billion Dollars series. I knew about Lizzie and Duke from the first book and I have been waiting for their story. Now its here and I’m not disappointed at all. They are both stubborn but definitely knows what they want.
I received an ARC for my honest review
Opposites Don’t Just Attract, They Love
The notion that opposites attract finds play in LA Pepper’s continuing series of friends who discover love in the most unexpected match-ups. The romance begins at the second marriage—for love this time—of Hamilton matriarch after the death and burial of her cheating—as in having a secret second family—husband. The happy bride’s unhappy daughter—April Hamilton—has all her besties present for support, most central is Elisabeth “Lissie” whose father, Joe, has just become the emotionally-torn April’s step-father, making the two best friends, sisters.
After the nuptials and during the post-party celebration, Lissie becomes aware of Duke, the pony-tailed bartender, a sexy, charming, tattoo-covered hunk. And as the evening evolves, the intelligent, sassy, out-going blonde haired, blue-eyed beauty decides that Duke is the man to help rid her of her pesky virginity. He’s the perfect, handsome stranger who will take care of the problem without the additional complications of a “relationship.”
And so, while the Hamptons post-wedding party winds into the night, Lissie and her tatted lover-to-be slip out to the dunes, and hook up on the red-checked tablecloth snagged from the bar. With bartender Duke, the pony-tailed hunk—she didn’t just make a conquest—she was conquered. And, while her plan to get rid of her virginity with a handsome stranger succeeds, it also backfires. She keeps his hairband on her wrist, and he keeps her panties in his pocket. And for both the “princess” who lost her virginity in “most magical, most romantic first-time one-night-stands that was possible in the universe” and her bad boy lover, neither was to be the same after that secret dune hook up. Both lost their hearts that night.
Now, 7 years later, Duke—Duccio Esposito—owns an old-school Brooklyn Heights neighborhood pub across the street from the newly christened Bohemian Empire, a brownstone that provides space for a vegan restaurant and a collection of artsy boutiques. Duke is stunned when he discovers that the new owner-operator of the vegan restaurant is none other than his “Princess”—his one-time lover, Lissie, and his surprise morphs into irritation when she does not acknowledge who they are to each other or what they shared among the Hampton dunes. For 6 years they had no contact until a year ago when she bought a house across from his bar, beginning her plan to share her vision of health for humans and the world. And while they can argue about brats and burgers as opposed to bean ragout and risotto, neither will confront or acknowledge the night they had 7 years ago. But, Duke can play the poke game, and so he takes every opportunity to irritate his one-time lover. So, the vegan restaurateur knows where to go when she is inundated with mail from all sorts of meat markets. Duke no longer sees her as a spoiled brat—spoiled yes, brat no, and he loves the savvy business woman in her Louboutin heels.
And so, the journey begins, and fate goes into action to bring Duke and Lissie into contact as both seek to explore how their past can possibly provide a future of hope and love. LA Pepper weaves a passionate and sensuous tale of love, and discovery that is filled with unexpected twists, turns and tunnels. This is a reading adventure well worth the readers’ attention.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review ARCS, but I enjoyed the reading experience so much that I bought a copy for my “read-again” titles.
I liked back and forth between Lizzie and Duke since the first book in the series. I figured their story would be next. Lizzie is the billionaire princess who gets everything she wants. The one exception is Duke. He’s from a wealthy mafia family but didn’t want that kind of life for himself and pave his own path. The chemistry between them was undeniable, and they are madly in love with each other. Everyone around them can see it but the two of them. Parts of the story make you want to bang their heads together so they’d finally wake up, but it’s only when Lizzie stands up to his father that they realize the truth. The secondary characters help make the story more enjoyable as well. Can’t wait to see who’s love story is next.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Acknowledging Their Fated Love –
It is a story about two stubborn people, who seem to find it difficult to communicate their feelings, even though their actions say it all. It takes outside intervention, drama, passionate moments and a deception, to make these two hard-headed individuals acknowledge they could get a happily ever after. This feel-good, totally sexy romance, will make your heart feel good, when you read it.
I received a copy of this ARC and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Will he protect her or break her heart? I love the characters and their stories so far in this series. I can not wait for more.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
ONE DELIGHTFULLY DELICIOUS TREAT!!!
Hopping hornets! Pepper wiped the floor with this artfully composed piece of perfection, revving up the exuberance and intensity, wrapping this baby up sleek shiny and tight. Crazy mishaps and startling happenstance swirl with the steaming trials and sensual tribulations, spinning alongside the simmering twists and wicked turns, putting our characters through their paces, testing them in ways they could have never imagined. Blurring boundaries and leaping lines, exposing the strengths and weaknesses being weighed and balanced, kicking this baby into overdrive, breaking it down, blowing it into a tailspin with a life-altering culmination. Shenanigans, escapades and mayhem rule the roost displaying the drama, turmoil, intrigue, sizzling mystique and electrifying situations, along with a double dose of sass and intellect, you have one intoxicating adventure. The attraction and chemistry sizzles from the pages and suck you in so deeply until you feel the heat and electricity thrumming through your veins. The characters, banter, dialogue, interactions and charged atmosphere along with relatable qualities and individual traits, blend and flow, transforming into genuinely charismatic personalities. The scenes are so graphically descriptive you have no trouble picturing each scenario as they play off one another beautifully. Awesome job Pepper, thanks for sharing this little treasure with us.
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Billion Dollar Bad Boy
by L. A. Pepper
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– Funny? Check
– Unexpected? Check
– Wanted to pull my hair out? Check
– Cute? Check
– Sassy? Most definitely!
– Steamy? Yep. Got that covered.
– A read worthy of my time? For certain!
What was most unexpected – in a good way – was the v-card. Mostly because I never read the book blurb. I’ve read several of LA’s books, including the prior story to this series so I knew I’d enjoy the story “sight [of the blurb] unseen”.
As for the hair, these two are as stubborn as mules sometimes. I was laughing when I wasn’t sitting on my hands to protect it. 4.5 stars – I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Billion Dollar Bad Boy
By L.A.Pepper
Main Characters: Duke and Lissie
I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author.
4 out of 5 stars
I liked how the author had well developed these two characters. I enjoyed the characters, writing, and story. This story takes place 7 years after a one night stand at a wedding. There is plenty of heat, humor, and romance. There were a few more characters that I didn’t know from previous books but that in no way detracted from the book.
I have been waiting patiently for Duke and Elizabeth story and wow I was not disappointed but absolutely ecstatic with it. Duke and Elizabeth met at the wedding reception and had a one night stand that meant more to both of them ,but 7 years later they’re still fighting their attraction and love for each other. When Elizabeth buys a restaurant only to have Dukes Mafia dad threaten her ,can Duke keep her safe from his father who he has nothing to do with and walked away from?You will absolutely love these two and the way they fight their love for each other.
Duke and Elisabeth has drama that started 7 years prior. He was a bartender at a family wedding and they hooked up. He thought she was a spoiled brat and over hears a conversation that she’s having and he takes it as it meant nothing and that he was just that–a one night stand. These years go by and they meet up again and she thinks he doesn’t recognize her. So the games start. He owns a bar and she owns a vegan restaurant and is buying another. However this is where the problems starts. Because of his secrets, she ends up fake engaged to Duke for her protection from his Father. Will this engagement be enough to keep her safe? Do they want it to be for real?
This book jumped around a lot and had lots of other characters in it from previous books which to me was a little confusing if this was the only book you had read.
I would give this book 3 1/2 stars, it was ok.
I received this book as an ARC for an honest review.
This is the second book in the A Billion Scandals Series. If you read the first book in the series, Billion Dollar Secret, you’ll recognize lots of the characters. This book had so many different romantic troupes that it had me dizzy at times. In a good way of course. Duke was the forbidden one, her brother’s best friend, a player and her weakness. He didn’t even remember her from their first time but she found herself ‘fake’ engaged to him years later. This book moves at a fast pace and is overflowing with drama and emotion. Family dynamics is strong and there’s no shortage of danger or drama. Throw in the mafia for a little extra spice. A great book that will have you page-turning and wanting more. I read an arc and voluntarily chose to review.
Lissie and Duke are the perfect snarky couple. You love to watch them because no matter how angry they sound you know deep down they have deep feelings for each other.
Feelings that L. A. Pepper does a great job making fun, heartfelt and warm and fuzzy.
I love this series and can’t wait to read the third installment.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.