Bestselling author Staci Hart is back with a brand new romantic comedy and clever spin on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Meet the Bennet brothers, get to know Longbourne, and fall in love in this steamy opposites attract romcom.They say there’s no such thing as perfect.But I’ve built my life to perfection—the perfect boyfriend, the perfect apartment, the perfect career planning celebrity … perfect career planning celebrity weddings. My job—my only job—is to make sure every event is absolutely and completely perfect.
What’s not perfect? Kash Bennet.
And I wish I didn’t find that so appealing.
I could have told you every perfectly imperfect thing about the gardener at Longbourne. Like his hair, lush and black and far too long. Or his nose, the flat bridge of a Greek god, bent a little like it’s been broken. Or his size. Beastly. Roped and corded with muscles, gleaming with sweat and peppered with dirt. There’s no escaping him, not if I’m going to use his family’s flower shop for my events.
But nothing is what it seems. And in the span of a heartbeat, my perfect life is turned inside out. They say the best way to get over somebody is to get under somebody new. When Kash offers his services to the cause, it sounds like the perfect plan.
What’s not part of the plan? Falling in love with the gardener.
But they were right—there’s no such thing as perfect.
And I’m the fool who finds out the hard way.
more
Audiobook Review –
This is the second in Hart’s Bennet Brothers series, I loved the first one so much and this one has been on my TBR for a while on. I was happy to find the Audiobook from Hoopla.
Lila and Kash are so polar opposite on the surface you wonder how they will ever get together. But one bad break up, some meddling and deal struck things start to take shape. So I really liked these characters and their back stories but Damn Staci did ya have to put poor Lila though all that heart ache and stress?? By design I freakin hated everything to do with the Fems and Lia’s boss, Hart writes freaking great villains, and by great I mean deplorable.
Of corse I love Bennet family dynamics and Ivy and Lila’s sister bond. Both that and Kash give Lila a place to rest in all the chaos. Kash is a sweet cinnamon roll of a guy but he has some self worth issues to work out after his own bad break up.
As always Hart writes good steam and spice, but the burn is fast and bright with this one, poor Lila needed some relief!
Overall I liked this book, I’m not crazy about the male narrator for this series and I think that was part of it, but also I was just always sooo mad at the shit Lila had to deal with! I love Hart and her books and I look forward to reading the last in these series.
I loved this book!! Staci writes the best stories and Kash was just one of the best characters. I love all of the Bennett’s their family dynamics.
Lila is one of the strongest female characters she works hard and wants to follow her plain. She is fantastic at her job and she loves with her whole heart .
After taking on one of the most obnoxious clients and getting sucked into their drama for the whole world to see she keeps herself grounded.
Kash loves every thing about his life except he feels that he will always be a one night stand kind of guy. He works hard he fun and loves his family more than anything so he always does what ever he can to help them out.
Kash and Lila are polar opposites but somehow they just work. I loved everything about this book! I can’t wait for book 3!
Kash or Kassius….(I really LOVE both those names) is a great! There are so many moments where I enjoyed being in his head. There is one specific scene in Chapter 14 I Love. I can really see when he realizes how he feels about Lila as he is worshipping her. I have many highlights throughout pertaining to Kash and his thoughts and feelings. I do want to mention those awesome T-Shirts he sports. Always so appropriate to his profession and of course the reason he wears them.
The Bennett’s are equally described in this story as seen through Lila’s eyes at her first family dinner. They are a giant family who squabble and get in each other’s business but at the end of the day. They are there for each other….backing each other up. The squabbling is fun to read but the other is what makes this a wonderful family.
I also want to drop in here a mention of Ivy (Lila’s sister). When she goes after Kash calling him ingenious names like Dumbassador, Dingus and more I couldn’t help the smile that overcame my face. Nor when Kash told her..That her name calling is no joke! Great Scene!
Overall the story was excellent. I was captivated and at times repulsed. The characters had a lot of growth to them. This is my second book by this author. She writes so smoothly and the flow is great. I look forward to Marcus’ book and more changes to the Bennett family
Staci has once again captivated me with her words. I have fallen in love with the Bennet boys.
Kash is sweet, handsome and the way that he shows love for those around him is beautiful. Lila is so determined and on a mission to prove herself but on the inside delicate like the petals of a flower. When these two finally come to an understanding on a new level you can’t help but sit back and watch this wonderful story unfold and bloom. This is definitely a must read romance .
~~Michele McMullen ~~
Kash Bennet is a steady even keeled gardener following in his father’s footsteps tending to the green house for the family flower shop. He is easy going and laid back. Lily is very scheduled, detailed, commanding and set in her ways until she walks in on her boyfriend with someone else. Her world is turned a bit topsy turvy as an event planner she works with the Bennet flower shop every since their big write up in a magazine and her sister Ivy works there. Lily and Kash really heat up the pages. Loved it, cannot wait for more of the Bennet family.
Staci Hart is the best at bringing the swooniest of book boyfriends to life. Kash is everything Lila needs in her perfectly planned out life when things go sideways. She’s in desperate need of a distraction and Kash is all to happy to be that distraction for her. They both agree to no strings attached, because they are after all complete opposites and could never live in one another’s world. But neither can keep their feelings off the table.
This book is beautifully told and addictive. Staci’s writing is wonderfully descriptive that you will without a doubt be able to see the vivid picture she paints. I absolutely loved this second installment of the Bennett Brothers (there’s a sister too!) and can’t wait to see what’s in store next for this family.
This book is a wonderful example of what romance novels can be- full of humor, love, heat, drama, but most of all romance. It’s pure poetry combined with the occasional dick joke. There was section after section I had to reread because it was so enchantingly written I didn’t want to miss one single word or intention. Truly this is Staci’s most beautifully written novel so far, and I was already a giant fan.
“This always happens – the letdown after a long night. It feels so good to not have to wear that mask anymore.”
“I don’t know how you do it.”
“Sometimes I don’t either. I just turn it on when it needs to be on, and I leave it on without regard for how much electricity it takes. That is, until I get the bill.”
Staci Hart’s words touch my soul. I felt many passages of this book deep in my bones. ‘Gilded Lily’ was an excellent follow-up to book one in the Bennet Brothers series, ‘Coming Up Roses.’
I know a book is good when I have dreams about it. After finishing ‘Gilded Lily’ I dreamed of Longbourne, of Kash and his flower hybrids all vibrant and lovely.
I love a book about everyday people where the characters and their love feel real. This book gave us beautiful, flowery imagery (literally) a hero and heroine to root for, and villains that were easy to despise. We also got cameos from some of our other favorite Bennet family members and friends. I can’t wait for the rest of this series to learn even more about the Bennets and the challenges they face together.