Sparks fly when the hot-shot divorce lawyer meets the high-powered wedding planner. The only question is, what kind? If you ever get married, remember my name: Max Henderson. In my line of work, you acquire a certain perspective on supposedly everlasting unions. . . . 1. Pre-nups are your friend. 2. The person you married is not the person you’re divorcing. 3. And I hope you didn’t spend much … And I hope you didn’t spend much on the wedding because that was one helluva waste of hard-earned cash, wasn’t it?
But some guys are willing to take a chance. Like my brother, who thinks he’s going to ride off into the sunset with the woman of his dreams in a haze of glitter on unicorns. And the wedding planner—the green-eyed beauty who makes a living convincing suckers to shell out thousands of dollars on centerpieces—is raking it in on this matrimonial monstrosity.
The thing is, Charlie Love is not unlike me. We’re both cogs in the wedding-industrial complex. As the best man, I know her game—and I can play it better than her. But after one scorching, unexpected kiss, I’m thinking I might just want to get played.
This ebook includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title.
Praise for Down with Love
“Charlie is adamant that it’s just a fling, while Max is surprised to find he’s interested in romance. . . . [Their] repartee, vivid sex scenes, and tongue-in-cheek approach to romance tropes make Max and Charlie’s journey worth following.”—Publishers Weekly
“Fresh and funny, sexy and witty, Down with Love is everything I look for in a can’t-put-it-down read.”—New York Times bestselling author Julie Ann Walker
“I love Kate Meader’s books! Witty banter, sexual chemistry, fun dialogue, and endearing characters—Down with Love has it all!”—USA Today bestselling author Kelly Jamieson
“Hilarious, hot, and heartfelt! I was captivated by this fast-paced, funny, sexy book from the first page. Everything about this book was fantastic, and I’m already panting to get my hands on the next one!”—USA Today bestselling author Christi Barth
“Charlie’s sassy determination met Max’s undeniable sex appeal and charm to create the most spectacular fireworks. Down with Love is the kind of story that gives all the feels and leaves you wanting more.”—Aliza Mann, author of Breaking His Rules
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3.5 stars. I liked the banter back and forth. The reason I rounded up was because Max’s past wasn’t overly talked about and he was smitten with Charlie the first time he saw her and looked at no one else. It was nice to see the two of them debunk all the theories they had about love. It was understandable that both of them were hurt in the past, but I loved how Max opened himself up to love eventually.
A witty, charming, and sinfully seductive story. The banter, connection, and palpable chemistry between Max and Charlie is amazing. Loved how Max called her Charles.. super cute! Kate Meader is a fantastic author. I enjoyed every single second of this book.
I enjoyed the story well enough. The comedy was refreshing. Cujo was my favorite character in spite of the fact that his role is so small. In truth it’s one of the better story lines when it comes to this genre. It’s definitely worth a read for the entertainment factor alone!
Loved, loved this romcom!! Opposites that find their HEA with a few bumps in the way. Max Henderson, divorce attorney meets Charlie the wedding planner of his brother’s wedding. There is a sexual chemistry that they can not deny.
This is a fun romcom that is told in the first person POV with plenty of witty banter between the two that will have you laughing out loud. Their sexual chemistry is hot. Plus, how could I resist true Cub fans!! I highly recommend this book. Can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
4 Stars
Review by Lisa
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Down with Love is book one in the Love Wars series by Kate Meader and I am “down” with this story. You know the old saying that “opposites attract”, Kate Meader hits the nail on the head with this one. What is more opposite than a romantic wedding planner and a divorce attorney bumping into each other. The war on love and the struggle between these two characters jumps off the pages at you.
I enjoy books like this because of the fun flirty connection. They are easy to read, the story just flows so smoothly. How we get to see the pieces/set-ups of who the next one in the series will be. All the little details that just make this story come to be.
Max is the hot shot divorce lawyer that has developed a resentment if you will against marriage and love. But his brother is willing to take the chance and so he is now playing the “good” best man and meets the wedding planner. Things then get a little tricky.
Charlie Love, just like her name, loves to give couples the best day to start their lives together. On a mission to give Max’s brother and fiance the wedding of their dreams, can Charlie show Max that love is not as bad as he makes it out to be?
But one kiss later, has Charlie and Max thinking differently. Some good thoughts and some bad. Can they pull off this wedding or drown in their own perspectives of love?
Some say there are a lot of cliches with this story and there may be, but I enjoyed it anyway. It is well written, easy to read and very enjoyable.
This was an absolutely FUN read. Max is a divorce lawyer who is opposed to change in any form but when his younger brother surprises him with the news he is getting married he reacts in the way expected at first but then settles into his cynic ways but what really throws him is the wedding planner. Charlie Love is a sassy and sexy counterpart to Max. She has been dating and looking for “the one” but failing on all levels but colliding with Max the first time sets off sparks and try as they may they keep igniting every time they are close. There is no mistaking these two are perfect together and those around them see it. How long will it take for them to figure it out? I definitely recommend this one and look forward to more in this series!
My heart may have skipped a beat or two when Kate Meader revealed the sexy cover and synopsis for book one in her new “A Love Wars” series. With that series title, passionate skirmishes—verbal and physical—were almost guaranteed to fill the pages.
The banter and sexual tension live up to expectations. How could they not when pitting a wedding planner against a divorce lawyer? Both main characters are confident and strong willed, so don’t easily cede control.
Charlie Love is the absolute perfect name for a wedding planner and specifically this heroine, although she is a bit of a contradiction. “Charlie” is her direct, a bit prickly, quick to call BS side looking for just a good time while “Love” is the romantic looking to settle down with her HEA. I quite liked her, but sometimes had trouble equating the two sides were the same person.
Max Henderson definitely fits the part of the ruthless; marriage is a trap, divorce lawyer. He and I didn’t jive for most of the book. His brand of cockiness, need for control, and need to be the center of attention is a bit much for me. Although I must admit that by the time he finally owned up to his feelings, I had warmed up to him a little.
Surprisingly, there is plenty of action throughout the story, just not of the steamy variety I’ve come to expect in a Kate Meader book. I missed that. A lot.
I suppose the side story involving Charlie’s parents is necessary for the development of the storyline. For me it cast a negative, almost depressing pall that dimmed my enjoyment. Our age and status are eerily similar, which could explain its effect on me.
Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope; Kate Meader is a favorite, auto-buy author; so I expected to love this story. I wanted to love this story. But it just didn’t gel for me or touch me like the author’s previous books. That’s likely my issue, not hers. I’m looking forward to book two, and fully expect it will contain that Meader magic I’m used to.
3.5 Stars
4.5 Stars
Kate Meader kicked off her new series with a bang! I gobbled this one right up. The characters were fantastic and they sucked me right into the book. I mean both Max and Charlie both love baseball so I knew these were my kind of people. Then Max goes and throws in a Harry Potter reference, I’m sold! This book had an easy flow to it that made it so enjoyable to read. I laughed quite often. I really enjoyed watching Max get ruffled and then fall in love. Max and Charlie are definitely opposites. Charlie believes in love and happily ever after. Max not so much, but hanging with wedding planner Charlie for his brother’s wedding may just change this playboy’s mind. I have to say one favorite things about this book is that Charlie can be her true self around Max. He sees the real Charlie and accepts her. That’s truly beautiful which Max wins major points for. This book is definitely one you hate to see end. I’m going to be eagerly awaiting more from this series.
**Received and ARC of Down with Love from the publisher, Loveswept, via NetGalley, for an honest review, no compensation was given.
Down with Love by Kate Meader is the first book in the new series Love Wars, and what an amazing start it is. This book was witty, hilarious, sexy and just pure joy to read. I really adored all the pop culture references both old and new, that this author incorporated into this book. The writing was spot on and the character development was thorough.
Some could say this is an enemies to friends love story, but I don’t really see it that way. I never got the feeling that Charlie and Max hated or even disliked each other. I felt an immediate attraction between the two, they may have fought the attraction but it was definitely there.For me this made the book much more interesting.
Charlie, a wedding planner, meets Max, a divorce attorney, while she is planning Max’s younger brother’s wedding. Charlie Love comes from humble beginnings and has worked for everything she has ever gotten. She is a delightfully strong, independent woman who speaks her mind. Max, “King of the Kiss” Henderson come from a wealthy family, but there is more than meets the eye on that count.
The author takes the reader on a wonderfully journey starting with one steamy kiss, lots of hot arguing, some unexpected surprises, all combine to make one very hot romance. Ms. Meader did a great job with development of the secondary characters. I would love to read more about that sexy Brit, Lucus Wright and the shy, soft spoken Grant Lincoln, who are both friends and fellow lawyers with Max. Down with Love is fun sexy read well worth your time. Enjoy!
Max and Charlie are finding that opposites attracting isn’t just a saying but a fate in their case. Charlie is a purveyor of magic, fairytale, and fantasy. Her business is to make your special day the most perfect day ever and she prides herself on doing the best job. She also wants to practice what she preaches and is actively trying to find Mr Right among all the Mr Wrongs. Max has seen just what becomes of a once good meaning marriage when things go inevitable wrong. He has mediated so many ugly divorces that he has no desire to enter into that three ring circus. When his little bro tells him he had willingly decided to enter into this blessed state. When Max meets his brother’s wedding planner he is snide, rude, and unbelievably turned on. When Max and Charlie give in to their insane chemistry they quickly flip flop position. Fling or forever, Lust or Love, Now or Never!
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book
This was such a great book! Charlie Love is a wedding planner who, like her name, believes in true love, though she hasn’t found hers yet. Max Henderson is a divorce lawyer who has a very different perspective on love and is determined to look out for his brother, who has proposed and is planning to marry his fiance. I really enjoyed reading the banter between Charlie and Max and the development of their relationship. I would recommend this book to others and look forward to reading more books by this author.
Down with Love by Kate Meader is the first book in her Laws of Attraction series and the first book I have read of hers. A story about two people with very different thoughts of love! Can a cynic and a romantic find a path to love?
Charlie is a wedding planner who is waiting for her happily-ever-after. Max is a divorce attorney who sees how love can destroy everything. Now Max’s brother is getting married and he intends to help him any way he can, but not exactly in a good way. Sparks fly and personalities clash!
Though Max may believe weddings are a waste of money, he finds Charlie irresistible. She is beautiful and smart, while Charlie is cynical and honest. Yet they continue to be drawn to each other. I loved the banter between them and the tension that kept brewing between them!
Down with Love was a charming read with sparks flying right off the pages, great characters, and engaging story! I can’t wait to read more of this series!
Happy reading!
“I thought I was in the mood for a quick, dirty encounter. It would better suit my state of mind but Max is sending my brain in a different direction, one where quick and dirty is replaced by slow and sensual. Romantic. Max Henderson is courting me.”
Oh swoon! Max Henderson starts off as a cynical divorce lawyer & self proclaimed bachelor for life. Wedding planner Charlie Love is his exact opposite- a true believer in love who suppresses her temper & passion under a cool, confident exterior. Their chosen careers make them natural enemies and sparks fly as they’re thrown together while she plans his brother’s wedding. Max finds himself falling for the passionate fire he sees in Charlie and for the first time in his life wants to slow things down & enjoy the romance. Too bad she she can’t see his potential & only wants to enjoy their super sexy fling before moving on to find her ideal mate.
I was immediately drawn in to this fun & flirty enemies to lovers book. From the entertaining brotherly riffs in the first chapter to subsequent encounters with nemesis/soulmate Charlie, I was captivated by the smart & sexy banter. Icing on the cake were the plentiful pop culture references- Harry Potter, Doctor Who, Star Wars- and classic movie nods which called out to my inner nerd girl. The supporting cast of family, co-workers and a fuzz ball dog are all engaging and I can’t wait to read the next book about Brit friend Lucas.
I’m a huge Kate Meader fan so I went into this new approach, first person pov, assuming I would love it because it’s her…and I was right! All of the humor (hello Cubs jail!), sexy talk, and emotion (“I want to jump heart first.”) that I’ve come to expect in a Meader masterpiece were there but there was an added element of interaction with the reader, fun little asides that we only get when reading a first person pov. Down with Love is an amazing start to what is sure to be a great new series. And let me just add, super cocky hotness wrapped in romantic movie quotes!
The cynic and the optimist have declared war. Let the temptation begin. Charlie and Max are fighting a losing game. Whether fairy-tale fantasy trumps real life drama. Love is at stake and it’s anybody’s game. What happens when your enemy becomes your heart’s desire? Kate Meader never loses her humorous side. Down with Love begins as a flight of fancy but transforms into a dance of love. A broken heart in need of a fresh perspective finds it’s home in this fantastic fight to the finish.
This is a truly fantastic read. Filled with heat, heart and humor, this fun romance will sweep you off your feet. The chemistry and banter between Max and Charlie is sizzling and sharp. This opposites attract story offers a cute plot and lovable characters. Both of these characters had been hurt before and both dealt with the scars very differently. I loved the sparks that these two created together and the sweet emotions that they brought out in each other. This is an amazing book that is poignant and passionate. I adored it and am already impatiently waiting for book two.
A fun opposites attract and a bit of an enemies to lover story. You can’t get more opposite than a divorce lawyer and a wedding planner.
The spark these two had was instant. The fact that they are on opposite sides of the love rainbow couldn’t keep them apart. Their banter was fun but on the edge. Max is a cynic. How can he not be as a divorce lawyer. Add in his own personal experience of love turned wrong and he’s what you would expect.
Despite being a wedding planner and seeing the better side of relationships, Charlie struggles with her own self image and the results of her own bad break up. It doesn’t stop her from wanting the elusive successful marriage. She just isn’t sure if she can find a man who can handle that damaged side of herself.
Deep down both characters had emotional issues going on underneath the surface. I always think it’s a thing of beauty when you see a couple bring out the best in each other. To love one another just as much because of their flaws as their perfection.
This was a feel good story that brings a bit more emotion than you expect to the surface. Great read!
Down With Love is book one in the brand new series, Love Wars, by Kate Meader.
Max Henderson may have come from money but he lived on what he earned at his job, a job he loved. Max is a divorce attorney. He considers himself a realist. That love isn’t all hearts and roses. Yes his own parents are still madly in love after all these years. But at work, he sees the reality of it, that there is a very ugly side to love. The one time Max let down his own guard he got badly hurt. Now he is a one night per woman type of guy, two tops. He has a good life, he has his routine, and he’s happy with it.
On a night out with his younger brother, his brother had some huge news for him, he was getting married to his girlfriend of all of three months. Yes, Max liked his brother’s girlfriend but it’s a little too fast. So while he is reeling from this news, the whole, eyes meeting from across the bar and sparks flying thing happens. What a perfect way to cope with the news, a hot woman for the night. But then his brother informs him that this isn’t just any woman, it is his wedding planner!
Charlie Love did not come from money. She was a child who was put into the system after the death of her mother and she had severe anger issues. If it weren’t for the foster parents who she ended up with, she wouldn’t be who she is today, a successful business and home owner. Charlie is a wedding planner. She loves her job. Charlie’s foster parents are anxious to see her settle down and she agrees, that she really wants to find her perfect match. But when she let down her guard with her one serious relationship and let him really see who she was, where she came from, he was no longer interested. Now Charlie tries her best to not let too much show. To just let the good parts out and keep everything else suppressed.
Then Charlie met Max. Max stood for everything she didn’t. He didn’t believe in love and she did. She made her money starting out marriages with their dream day. And Max made his by tearing them back apart. So why did she feel that little zing whenever she was close to him? Why did he keep creeping in to her thoughts? Max was not a relationship type of man and even if he were, he is definitely not what she was looking for. But maybe she could just enjoy him for a night to kind of blow out the cobwebs. Then she could get back to looking for Mr. Right.
“I represent everything he despises – i.e., belief in the lasting power of true love.”
When Charlie and Max give in to their chemistry, it is most definitely hot! A sort of role reversal happens though. Max starts to see the prospect of something good here, something he wants to explore. And Charlie is convinced that Max is not the man for her and that this is a one night stand. What Charlie does begin to see, though, is a side to Max she didn’t realize was there. A side that is addicted to old romance movies where the couple always gets their happy ever after. A side that takes care of his clients, long past the usual duties of a lawyer. A side that if she let herself, she could easily fall for.
“His hand in mine is the hot fudge sauce on my sundae, the relish on my dog, the topper on my Christmas tree. His hand in mine is all I need.”
This was such a cute story. There is plenty of humor, plenty of steam, and plenty of sweet moments. I loved how perceptive Max was and how he helped Charlie not to try to hide parts of herself. That those parts were what he loved about her, the whole package. These two were so perfect for each other. This is one of those books that you walk away from with a smile on your face.
“Down with Love” by Kate Meader
I loved this story. I want to make it required reading for anyone contemplating marriage.. or divorce, too, maybe.. There is a lot of really good food for thought between the covers of this story. And, be sure to read ALL the quotes that begin each chapter… What a great contemporary romance novel. I was gifted a copy of this story via NetGalley . I so enjoyed this story… I couldn’t put it down… maybe I will start re-reading it in just another couple of days!
I just finished reading Down with Love and this big, goobery grin just won’t leave my face!! This was not your typical enemies-to-lovers story, nope, not at all, and I absolutely loved my time with Max and Charlie!
Max is a bit of a jaded divorce attorney. He’s seen people at their worst—love at the end. And it’s hard for him to really know that love and romance and marriage do actually work. That marriage is work—and worth it when there’s love involved.
And Charlie Love is all about L-O-V-E. She’s a wedding planner for Pete’s sake! She gets to see people at their very best—at the beginning of their marriage. And she loves it and is amazing at her job.
Actually, Max and Charlie are both amazing at their jobs. And their jobs really give some valuable insight as to the people Max and Charlie really are! I loved their interactions with their respective clients—maybe more marriages would be saved with Punch Palaces and better, more fun weddings with higher quality champagne served at planning meetings.
Err, but something neither of them are amazing at is relationships. But they are quite amazing together, whether trading snarky, sexy barbs or in between the sheets, Max and Charlie have an undeniable attraction.
His hand in mine is the hot fudge sauce on my sundae, the relish on my dog, the topper on my Christmas tree. His hand in mine is all I need.
Down with Love was a fantastic start to this new Laws of Attraction series and I can’t wait for more in Illegally Yours.