Vanessa Lang lands her dream job at an investment firm, Stone Corp. When her kleptomaniac mother is caught shoplifting, Vanessa is forced to accept a deal with the detective–collect evidence of insider trading at her new job. Investigating Sebastian Stone comes with benefits. The drop-dead-gorgeous CEO introduces her to steamy encounters in public places, and in the midst of it all, she gathers … gathers information about his business. She soon has a difficult choice to make…save her mother or protect the man she loves.
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Secrets, lies, sexy guys and spies.
This was a good story and super sexy. It was pretty quick read at 159 pages, but not so short as to be missing any story points. I didn’t think I would like some of the intimate scenes since the blurb mentions that Sebastian Stone introduces Vanessa Lang into steamy encounters in public places. However, they are very hot and they are sort of semi-public, but I found them extremely entertaining. I suppose all steamy encounters in public places are really semi-public or a lot of people that enjoy that sort of thing would be arrested more often.
This story has the heroine Vanessa, who recently finished college and has applied and been offered her dream job at Stone Corporation. However her mother has had a problem with kleptomania since her father died. Vanessa has trouble after her mother is caught one too many times, When the detective threatens to put her mother in jail if Vanessa doesn’t help her track down insider trading within Stone Corporation.
Sebastian Stone is the CEO Of Stone Corp. and Vanessa met Sebastian once before and was very attracted to him. Sebastian wants Vanessa as well and pursues her from the start. Like I said, the romance between the two of them is extremely hot!
The only thing I didn’t like about the book is that Vanessa is spying on Sebastian’s company the entire time and keeps thinking that she should come clean, but then never does. There are reasons, but sometimes I just hate the back and forth struggle when it happens so much. When the character thinks they need to come clean about something that much, it always just seems to be a foreshadowing that they won’t do it in time. Despite this one issue, the book was great and well worth the read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Liv Arnold brings heat, laughs, and large heap of conflict in Etched in Stone. Arnold tells the story of Vanessa, a new hire at a large corporation, and Sebastian, the CEO of her new place of work. The relationship between these two is full of fun, quirky one-liners that made me laugh and plenty of heat that had me quickly turning the pages.
But what I loved was that the tension in this romance isn’t just about whether or not the two main characters will make it work in the end and their journey to a HEA. The internal conflict Vanessa experiences in the entire book really raises the stakes. Does she continue the job a detective asked her to do to help her mom…a job that includes her snooping in her new man’s life and business practices…or does she follow her heart and instincts and trust the man she’s falling in love with?
A brand new author. I believe this is her debut book. This is a short, fast paced read. The story Is about Vanessa and Sebastian. I wish we would have had more background on them and character development but the story was okay. Their love happened so fast it felt a bit rushed and took away from the realism. I love a fast paced read bu tis May have been a bit too fast so I didn’t feel enough pull or connection with the characters but I thought it was a good effort for a first book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
3 STARS
This was a really enjoyable read. I liked the characters and storyline. Vanessa and Sebastian were a sweet couple.
Etched in Stone by Liv Arnold will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-SUPERIOR!
This was my first read of Liv Arnold’s.
I was very interested in this book after reading the blurb. The whole story line just sounded so good.
Poor Vanessa, she was targeted right from the beginning. All for her love of her mother. I mean what child wouldn’t do anything for their parent when they were in need. She was torn between her new job and mother. What could she do?
Sebastian wasn’t what I thought he was gonna be. I was expecting someone more dark and bossy. But he totally surprised me.
I really enjoyed the storyline between the two of them but I didn’t 100% connect with it. But I will be reading more from Liv!
4⃣
Totally recommend!
This book was fantastic! I read it in one sitting!! The characters were intriguing and I rooted for them. Sebastian deserves his place in my harem!
This is the 1st in a series from this author and is Vanessa and Sebastian’s story. This is a well written quick read where we have a dirty talking alpha, witty banter, secrets and lies which all lead to an engaging and steamy read. I was hooked throughout and look forward to reading more in this series, and this is certainly an author to look out for in the future.
This is a fun, super sexy quick read with all the emotions. You could feel the guilt that Vanessa felt, the sense of responsibility and the chemistry between her and Sebastian. It made me smile as I was reading and that is never a bad thing. Looking forward to more from Ms. Arnold.
4 STARS for Etched in Stone ( Invested in You Book One ) by Liv Arnold
ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own & have not been influenced in any way.
First book I’ve read by this author & really loved it ! The cover was eye catching & has significance to the beautiful necklace Vanessa lost upon meeting Sebastian. After graduation Vanessa is hired by Stone Corp as one of their highly coveted interns. On day one she meets the CEO Sebastian Stone only to find out he is the super good looking guy she had accidentally bumped into coming out of a dressing room when they were both shopping at a local upscale clothing store.
These two characters were immediately GREAT together & their chemistry is off the charts. This book also has some super funny one liners! I liked that both characters had some issues to work thru to get to their HEA. Also loved that the author portrayed Sebastian as just a really good guy – always looking out for his employees and very protective of Vanessa.
Highly recommend this book & can’t wait to see what else is written by the author in this series. This book however can be read as a standalone.
GREAT READ !!!!
Etched in Stone is a super funny, super witty quick story that is unpredictable as it is sexy. Vanessa is new to her job and finds herself in quite a predicament. This predicament is one that her mother has created and desperately needs to be successful, however what Vanessa didn’t see coming was Sebastian himself. He is damn hot and shows her things beyond her wildest dreams. I found this story a pleasure to read and would love more by this talented author.
This is the first book I’ve read by Author Liv Arnold and it won’t be the last . I really enjoyed the story and I could relate to the characters . This story was about a woman who loved her mum through all her faults through thick and thin she sacrificed her happiness to keep her mum for going to prison for her kleptomania problems however a crooked detective forces her to spy on her boss and if she doesn’t get the results she’s after she will make sure her mum goes to prison. Stuck between a rock and a hard place Vanessa falls deeply in love with Sebastion her boss who’s kind caring big hearted and the most beautiful man she’s ever seen. The pressure from the detective and her guilt for lying to her boss / man start to unravel for her . She wants to tell him the truth but if she does then her mother would go to prison .
On top of that there’s Sebastian’s father to contend with who doesn’t trust her and a druggie pshycapath who wants revenge .
I look forward to reading more from Liv and I’ll be adding this book to my paperback collection.
This story was fairly run of the mill. It didn’t grip me from the beginning. Their story was interesting. While I liked their love story though, I felt like Sebastian was fairly one dimensional. Also, I know the author is from Australia and some of the terminology that was used was not native to America which considering the book is set in America was a bit jarring for me. Overall, I thought it was a decent book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was generously given an arc in exchange for an honest review!
h: Vanessa
H: Sebastian
(3rd POV)
After Vanessa’s father passes, Vanessa’s mother turns to stealing as a way to deal with her stress. After being caught multiple times, Vanessa’s mother is threatened with jail time, unless Vanessa agrees to spy and gather information at her new job. After agreeing to spy and starting her new job, Vanessa realizes she has already met the CEO of the company, Sebastian, in a dressing room of all places. Vanessa struggles with trying to keep her mother out of jail and falling for the CEO of the company she’s spying on.
Let me start by saying that I personally find it more difficult to connect with characters when the book is in 3rd person. With that being said, I thought the storyline was very unique and interesting! The conflicts that the characters faced were realistic and believable. Sebastian was a sweetheart! Too good to be true! A caring and involved CEO, and a sweet and devoted lover. These two together definitely provide some laughs with their sometimes cheesey jokes. I wish we got more insight at the start of Vanessa and Sebastian’s relationship. There is a time gap of a few weeks at the beginning of their relationship, which I feel is the most critical time to build depth to the characters and their relationship.
Favorite quotes:
”Don’t be afraid to be rough with it.” She gasped as Sebastian appeared beside her. He loosened the paper and banged the printer. Like magic, the pages hurtled out again.
“That’s what she said.” Childish but the line was the first thing to pop into her head. -Vanessa
“You’re rock hard.”
“I would say stone hard.” – Sebastian
What a fun, sexy, quick read. The story pulls you in immediately with great word building and characters. Meet Vanessa, who just got her dream job at Stone Corp. After her mother gets caught being a “Klepto,” Vanessa is forced into a corner by the detective. She is to gather secret information on Sebastian, the CEO of Stone Corp. Sebastian and Vanessa get hot and steamy in all kinds of places. Obviously her feelings start to come into play. Can Vanessa keep her feelings in check and save or mother?? Will she let her love blossom with her sexy CEO??
This book was a fast read. (about 160 pages) I was pulled in so fast and didn’t put it down until my final page was turned. I caught myself giggling, sighing, and smiling throughout the story. What a wonderful debut novel from the author. Excited for Invested in You Book #2.
Vanessa and Sebastian were really cute together. I loved the plot, which kept me hooked.
Etched in Stone by Liv Arnold
A fast paced insta love romance with plenty of PDA.
Vanessa is a recent college graduate who scores her dream job working for Sebastian’s company. Her shoplifting mother threatens to put a kink in her plans for success and a questionably moral cop persuades Vanessa to help spy on her employer.
Adventurous and steamy interactions are prominent in their relationship and a mutual love of ‘dad jokes’ had me laughing out loud throughout the book.
What a fun book! Vanessa lands her dream job but is thrown into a heck of a mess. Who will she try and protect?
I loved all the one liners throughout and had some laugh out loud moments. I absolutely loved the way these two characters meet, it is my favorite part of the book. I loved these two characters! This book was perfect. Intriguing, romantic, sexy, and a little added action all packed within the pages. All together a great book.
“What are you doing in the women’s change room?”
Her voice cracked. “And-naked?” Oh my God, nearly naked in his boxer briefs. She stepped back and placed a hand over her eyes. Do I scream? Turn back around where I came from?
“This is the men’s.”
This is the first book in Liv Arnold’s Invested in You series featuring Vanessa Lang, hired at the Stone Corps Investment firm, and Sebastian Stone, CEO of Stone Corp. Vanessa is pursued by Sebastian, but she is spying on him for law enforcement due to her mother’s crime. I recommend this quick read with its well developed primary and secondary characters, fun banter, a plot with twists and turns, and a sweet and steamy romance.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I thought this book was so cute. It kind of kept you coming back for more with all of the mysterious clues. I wish the ending was longer and didn’t end on a cliffhanger, that part just threw me off slightly. But overall good read!
This book was seriously amazing! And Sebastian….he’s so swoony! I loved watching the dynamic between Vanessa & Sebastian throughout the book. They’re both amazing characters and they seriously made this book unputdownable!
The story had just enough intrigue & was a bit unpredictable at times, which made the whole book even better!