From USA TODAY bestselling author Stefanie London comes the first book in her scorching-hot miniseries Close Quarters! Security expert Owen Fletcher and Detective Hannah Anderson are going undercover…as husband and wife. Their marriage may be fake, but the attraction burning between them is dangerously real! Owen Fletcher is the most irritating man I’ve ever met…and the hottest fantasy I’ve … fantasy I’ve never forgotten. I haven’t seen him since he left the police force to work as a security expert in New York, but now he’s back in Melbourne to help my department break up a ring of jewel thieves. The catch? We’re going undercover as husband and wife.
Getting up close and personal with Owen is messing with my professional focus. I should definitely not be dreaming about running my hands through Owen’s hair and kissing his smart-ass mouth. But there’s a solution: a no-strings affair to get him out of my system. For one night, I’ll take charge of my own pleasure and invite Owen to explore the red-hot chemistry that’s threatening to combust at any moment…
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A new take on mixing business with pleasure! Loved the added suspense element and the heroine who can literally kick as much ass as the hero, sheer brilliance and so well executed!
Hannah and Owen’s love story in Faking It by Stefanie London, book one in her Close Quarters series, gave these two a second chance after pretending that they are in a relationship while working undercover. Owen and Hannah knew each other years ago when they were both in the Academy together but their parting was not on good terms. Owen was brought in from New York to assist Hannah in stopping a group of jewel thieves but working this case together is a disaster in the making. Despite their past, some things don’t change; Owen pushes Hannah’s buttons and Hannah is attracted to him. While Owen tries to keep their relationship friendly Hannah believes that one night of sex would clear the air and allow them to get back to being “professional”. Only, these two had attraction stronger than a magnet and could set off fireworks with the sparks they were igniting.
Ms. London wrote a wonderful, steamy, suspenseful and emotional story that is not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with sexual chemistry, amusing banter, and endearing characters giving Hannah and Owen a chance at having a true and forever love. I highly recommend Faking It to other readers.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
So enjoyed this book. Hannah and Owen have wonderful chemistry and the banter between them is great. It is written in first pers which is new for Stefanie London but thought she did very well. The writing is smooth and easy to follow. I am not always a fan of 1st person but thought it was done really well. Would definitely recommend. I received a free copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Fake marriage
Second chances
Friends to lovers
This book has all that and so much more. Owen & Hannah went through the Academy together as friends. She expressed interest at that time but he didn’t want to ruin their friendship. Their careers have taken different paths, but a current case has brought them back together to work undercover….as husband and wife. Will one night be enough to “get it out of their systems”?
Suspense & near death experiences bring to the forefront what’s really important in life.
Another steamy, well written love story by Ms. London.
I thoroughly enjoyed this undercover, second chance romance! Not sure if it’s listed as a second chance romance, but I see it as such…Hannah has a second chance to get Owen to fall for her, like she fell for him back at the academy. Owen has a second chance in the field, as a consultant only, of course…as Hannah reminds him a few times!
Working together as faux man and wife bring out both new and old feelings in our duo, but knowing this is a temporary partnership makes it both harder and easier to sink into their roles. I love the banter and the vulnerability in both of them.
I also really loved the dual 1st person narrative. I don’t, as a general rule, love 1st person books…it’s like I’m only getting one side of the story. But when it switches between both characters, it’s a great chance to get into both of their minds and see the story from the inside. I thought the author did a fantastic job with that!
Great book, can’t wait for more in this series!
This was a great book. I loved the chemistry between Hannah and Owen. Even though they didn’t get along at the beginning it wasn’t because they hated each other it was more that they were both fighting their attraction to each other. Being put in close proximity to each other while working a case they finally stopped fighting that attraction and whoa was it HOT! These two were fan-freaking-tastic together, I think my kindle may have started smoking, lol. I definitely would recommend this book if they want to read something with some great bedroom scenes.
Hannah and Owen are former classmates now forced to work together on an investigation. Hannah basically propositioned Owen many years ago, right before he left the country in a hurry. He has been in NYC while she remained home in Australia, working her way up in the ranks toward her dream. She is appointed lead investigator in an undercover operation to find jewel thieves and can’t wait to get started. Until she learns who her partner will be.
Owen ran away from home, quite literally, years ago. He is nothing but bad news all the way around. Losing his parents early and living with his grandmother, he could’ve just stayed around town. But he felt like he needed to distance himself from the world and no better way to do that then head halfway across it. Now back in town and working with his old agency, he’s not sure he should’ve come back. But seeing Hannah again quickly places doubt.
Hannah and Owen need to pose as a married couple, with money, connections and most importantly jewels, to draw out the perpetrators. All fine and good but their underlying attraction is making it really difficult to stay focused. Maybe if they got it out of their systems, they could focus again on the task at hand? Not likely, with the amount of spark and steam coming from them, they’ll only cause an increase in wanting.
I am a fan of the author through and through and this storyline doesn’t disappoint. I love the whole deep-seated attraction that these 2 characters are fighting with the entire book. For Owen to get out of his own way and finally figure out he can have it all, was a wonderful process to read. Ms. London has a great way of weaving characters through their emotions so seamlessly; they don’t even know they’ve been “healed”. Another solid 4 ½ star read for an advance copy that I voluntarily read and reviewed without expectations.
Make Believe Marriage…
This story takes the word undercover to a whole new level. Owen Fletcher, Security Expert is brought in from New York to assist Detective Hannah Anderson bring down a pack of jewel thieves. Owen and Hannah working this case together is a disaster in the making. Owen and Hannah knew each other years ago when they were both in the Academy together and they did not part on good terms. Owen always pegged himself as a “free spirit” a cop-out for having commitment issues. He did not pursue their relationship and Hannah saw no future with Owen and so she moved on. She still holds Owen in her heart after all this time. He is a burr in her backside but her lust for him resurfaces when she meets him again.
Owen desperately tries to keep their relationship friendly, but soon realizes he is losing the battle. Hannah has the bright idea of them having one night of passion to scratch their itch so they can concentrate on the task at hand. I rubbed my hands in glee seeing how they each were trying to get a handle on their feelings with each other trying to keep things “professional”.
This was another wonderful story by Stefanie London, she never disappoints.
I have been waiting for Owen’s story for a while now and loved getting to know him and what made him the person he is, and getting to know Hannah the person who would get under his skin, I hope you pick this one up and see Hannah and Owen work together undercover and melt the pages with their passion and love.
Hannah met Owen going through the police academy in Melbourne and she was instantly attracted to him but he was a hard person to get to know always the joker, he moved on always moving around but now he is back in Melbourne and they are going undercover as husband and wife to work on a case and the heat and lust sparks and lights up the sky.
Owen is never settling down he doesn’t want to love someone and have them taken away from him, now back in Melbourne working with his old friend Hannah he is finding it hard to keep his emotions under wrap especially when Hannah is in danger and all of his instincts are to save the woman he is falling for fast and when she suggests one night together to get it out of their systems it only heats the want up more.
This book sizzles with lust and passion, but it also lets us see how two people can meld as one when they open up and help each other, it is emotional and moving, this is a fabulous story it really was great getting to know Owen more and Hannah was the perfect strong heroine he needed, this is one that I highly recommend.
FAKING IT is the first book in Stefanie London’s brand new Close Quarters series in the Harlequin Dare line and it centers around a newly pinned detective and her former co-worker/turned security expert in a sexy frenemies to lovers story!
If you’ve been a fan of Ms. London for awhile now, you will probably quickly recognize Owen as a character we were familiar with in her Harlequin Blaze series The Dangerous Bachelors Club. It was super fun to finally get more of Owen’s story and see him get that happily ever after he so deserved!
Hannah tried to keep up a wall, but it quickly crumbled when she was in close proximity to Owen again. I felt a bit of a disconnect in the whole undercover story line, but the chemistry between these two characters was spot on and carried the book throughout!
I recommend this book to anyone loving a little sass and bickering with your steamy romance! I’m looking forward to more to come in the series.