Even for a top-gun banker, temptation this hot is quite a gamble, in a sexy Wall Street romp from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne.An alpha among the wolves of Wall Street, Kennedy Dawson rose to the top of the pack by striking the right contracts at the right times. But there’s one deal that’s been giving him a run for his money—a pact to never again let his assistant, Kate, get … assistant, Kate, get under his skin. She may be smart, gorgeous, and sharp as a whip, but she’s definitely off-limits.
Kate Henley isn’t a banker, but she knows a thing or two about risk management—specifically, about managing her attraction to her smolderingly sexy boss. She already fell once, and Kennedy showed no sign of paying a return on her investment. So when Kennedy’s brother starts pursuing her, Kate figures she has the best of both worlds. Jack is charming, rich, very attentive, and the spitting image of his older brother.
It’s also making Kennedy think twice. But to win Kate’s heart, he’ll have to broker the deal of a lifetime…and prove he’s worth the risk.
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I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads, so here is my review.
I have waited for Kate and Kennedy’s story since the beginning of this series when I realized that Kate had feelings for Kennedy. As Kate watched Kennedy with other women, she knows he did not return her feelings. So she decided it was time to move on and find her one true love.
Kennedy can’t figure out why he and Kate are always arguing, it seems she gets along well with Ian and Matt but not with him. And he can’t see why. When it finally hits him that he is falling for her, he is not sure how to tell her. He wants her to go all in with him but knows she thinks he is not that kind of guy.
When tragedy hits Kate’s family, she pulls away from him and he has to figure out a way to get her back before his heart breaks completely. Can Kennedy convince her that he is ready for their happily ever after? Can Kate trust that loving Kennedy is better than not loving at all? Will the last member of the three-some of friends finally be settling down?
To say I loved this series is one way to put it but I have to say I loved everything about it. From the way, each man got the girl to the very end of the beginning for Kate and Kennedy’s story. I love Lauren Layne’s writing style and I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for something new and an author they will love.
**Wicked Reads Review Team**
Absolutely fabulous! The best of three!
I cannot believe I read this book in mere hours. As soon as I was done I wanted to erase my mind and experience it all again! If you’ve read this series from the beginning, Kate and Kennedy shouldn’t be a surprise. I have, so for me, it was just a matter of reading the journey with no surprises … but there ARE surprises!
First, the format of the story (it is divided in two distinct parts) was genius for this journey. They’ve both been dancing around each other since day one but Kennedy just wasn’t as aware as Kate of the dance 🙂 So we needed part one to detail the dance and part two to ….. well, I can’t give it all away to you!
Second, I was surprised at how new their journey came across even for me. I mean I already knew they were going to be it for each other yet every step they took, forward and backwards, was captivating and engaging for me. I just couldn’t wait for the next step.
I’m telling you people, this might be Lauren Layne’s best work in quite some time. She’s always been a #goto author for me because she always delivers a a heart and a smile with her stories, but this was way more. It’s growth and acceptance, especially for Kate and love. Lots and lots of love! *happy sigh*
Great end to this series. This book is Kennedy and Kate’s story. I listened to the audio. MF romance. Kate is the PA to Ian, Matt and Kennedy.
My favorite in the series. You’ll find yourself rooting for this couple’s HEA. Great narration.
I was waiting for Kennedy and Kate’s story. Sadly, I didn’t care for it. I’m not sure why the author decided that this book should be in 3rd person. I couldn’t get into it at all.
Lauren Layne books are always fun to read and absorbing. It’s always satisfying to watch her characters get their happily ever afters, and Kennedy and Kate’s story is no exception. The entire 21 Wall Street series is great.
I love that this couple was the last in the set. The six characters have been the same from the beginning, and each book has given a little bread trail to this couple finally figuring things out. You don’t realize how invested Kennedy is in Kate throughout the other books, it almost seems onesided until you get his POV in this book and realize how much it has cost him to appear that way. I loved this series from the beginning not only the characters but the audio was amazing and uniform throughout the series.
Oh my! Grumpy and stodgy Kennedy is actually a sweet and lovable teddy bear when he wants to be! Kate has finally had enough and even though she is stellar at her job as the assistant to all three of the Wall Street Wonders, Ian, Matt, and Kennedy, she has finally, FINALLY given up on Kennedy and decided she is not going to pine for him any longer nor is she going to love him. Yea right…She is, though, going to treat herself to a makeover and indulge in a fling, or a friendship with Jack, Kennedy’s brother, until she breaks up with him. All bets are off though when Kennedy finally manages to get his head out of his a$$ and figure out what is what and opens his eyes to what is in front of him…until it is not. This is the culmination to this series and I highly recommend the entire series! I read the first two books as ARCs for the publisher and this one on audio for me and LOVED them all! Yea, you could read this one as a standalone but why would you want to. 🙂
Another phenomenal instalment in the 21 Wall Street Series.
Since the very beginning of this series, I have eagerly been anticipating Kennedy and Kate’s story. They have always been the characters that I have been curious about. You always have in the back of your mind, “will they or won’t they?”
I loved how laid back Kennedy was. Yes, he had his moments of being uptight and stressed, yet, for the most part, he was able to take some time and relax and be a “person” outside of the office. Of all the men in the series, Kennedy is the “good-guy.” He never appeared as arrogant and them, or as tough of a boss to work for.
Kate is the epitome of what a socially awkward person looks like. She is never fancy, or showing off how good she is at things, or how highly she views people. She is down to earth and truly cares about the people she works for, her bosses.
I loved that Kennedy was Kate’s boss. It made their relationship all the more intriguing to read about. They knew that nothing could ever interfere with their working relationship. Even if that meant completely ignoring the attraction and spark between them. Even going as far as to make a pact that they couldn’t date each other. Despite this, eventually attraction, romance and love, overcomes everything, leading to a Huge Deal of things between them.
5/5 Stars!
When I first started this series last year, I never thought that every book published would top the previous, but it did. I loved Hot Asset last Summer, loved Hard Sell even more, but I think I loved Huge Deal a bit more. I’m glad when I find an author that can always blow my mind with her books, despite it’s hard to do so with the contemporary romance genre.
I remember after Hard Sell that I saw the date of Huge Deal being post-poned for a while. I asked myself whether or not the author hadn’t ideas in mind for Kennedy and Kate’s story, but I guess the wait was worth, since I’ve started this a little while after it was released.
Let’s start by saying that when I read the first book in the series, Kennedy didn’t interest me much. Out of the three guys, he is the most reserved and uptight, and it didn’t have that personality that stands out when you see him mentioned in the previous stories. Not that he doesn’t stand out at all, but he is the most closed off of them, so I thought that perhaps his character didn’t have anything to give – that maybe he wasn’t interesting from the way he appeared in HA and HS. But I was terribly wrong.
Not only Kennedy is interesting, he’s also different from Ian and Matt, who are more passionate types. Kennedy is up in his mind and is controlled, plans everything and is cautious, but when he makes up his mind he doesn’t change it. He’s the classic rich boy who seems above everyone because he’s got money and good education and skills, but when you get to know him better you realize that he’s these things just superficially speaking. Kennedy is cute, he’s the oldest among them but he seems very innocent at times. He’s the type that observes a lot and is able to comfort people the best he can, of course in his way.
Kate is Kennedy’s secretary and has been in love with him ever since the first time she met him. It sounds cliché, but it can happen. But this is not the point. Kate has the control over Kennedy’s life because she’s his secretary, so she knows almost everything that goes on in his life, down to his allergies to his most hated color. And she dreams to have a pretty love story someday, but doesn’t think that Kennedy might be the “one”, giving his personality.
In this book we finally see how Kennedy and Kate come to the realization that they have feelings for each other, as we’ve seen in the previous books. I liked how everything came together because it was not rushed and it seemed natural, believable. I could really see them grow page by page through their banter and realize they were made for each other despite their pet peeves or fears.
Like the previous novels by Lauren Layne, I feel like everything was perfect. I loved the characterization of the characters, the chemistry between everyone and the story – especially the story. If there’s one thing I like about this author, is that she doesn’t leave loose ends and the closure of her stories is always satisfying and it doesn’t feel abrupt.
Now that book #3 is out I don’t think the author will add more stories to this series, but I’ll surely read more books written by her.
This is the third book in the series and I hope you started from the beginning because you will know all the characters who play roles in this book. This is Kennedy and Kate’s book. Kate has had a crush on Kennedy since the very beginning but since he made a ridiculous pack with the rest of the guys and made an unflattering comment about Kate she has made it a point to try and get over him if only her body would agree. She is helping out his latest girlfriend throw a party that he would never want and Kennedy continues to make unflattering comments without meaning to but when he gets around Kate he seems to bungle things. Jack (Kennedy’s brother comes back to town and is instantly interested in Kate and she decides it is about time that she tries to go for someone else and live life, however this pushes Kennedy over the edge and when you think things are finally going to work out for them tragedy strikes..No more my friends you need to read and find out..Enjoy! Hoping we get a story on Jarod..
Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions
Oh I adored this book! In the previous two books, Kennedy has had this je ne sais quoi that intrigued me. And I identify so hard with Kate it’s a bit ridiculous, so I was very excited to read this installment. I was slightly afraid it wouldn’t be as good as I wanted it to but my fears were totally unfounded.
This book delivers in a major way.
There was a depth and a vulnerability to this story that you don’t often find in this genre. Was it steamy? Yeah, absolutely! But it was also sweet and heartbreaking and tender and tragic and HUMAN. The emotions were more realistic than I’ve encountered in a while; the situations were entirely plausible. I rode the emotional roller coaster with them and finished the book with a soft, contented smile.
This genre in particular hasn’t given me characters I’ve loved recently. Thank you, Lauren Layne, for changing that for me. I’d happily recommend this to anyone!
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Jordan –
Being a huge fan of Lauren Layne and the 21 Wall Street series I, of course, couldn’t wait to finally read Kate Henley and Kennedy Dawson’s story. I feel like I’ve been waiting so patiently and rooting for these two characters ever since they first appeared in Hot Asset, book one. Now, all I have to say is that it was 100% worth the wait and Layne does not disappoint. I’ve enjoyed this entire series immensely and would recommend to any romance reader fans. While Huge Deal can be read as a standalone, I personally would recommend reading the two previous books in the 21 Wall Street series. The previous main characters will pop up from time to time, which means having some history of them always makes things flow better. Plus, we first meet Kate and Kennedy in Hot Asset. Also, if you’re a Layne fan then you wouldn’t want to miss out on the rest of these hot wolves of Wall Street!
Kate Henley is the head office assistant to all three of the wolves of Wall Street guys and has spent the last several years stifling her feelings for Kennedy Dawson. Kate’s already fell for Kennedy once without any sign of him returning her feelings. In fact, he specifically made a “pact” with the other guys that they wouldn’t ever date her, but when Kennedy’s younger brother shows up and shows interest in Kate it forces Kennedy to rethink things.
This entire series was an easy one to fall in love with, but I grew especially fond of Huge Deal and I think it might be my new favorite book by Layne. It wasn’t as hot and combustible as Hard Sell, book 2, but it was equally as satisfying in a softer way. It was more of a build-up because I’ve been watching and waiting for these two characters to get their act together for the past two books. Plus, I loved Kate’s character and felt like she was exactly the kind of girl I’d wanna be best friends with! All in all, another fantastic read by Lauren Layne!
5 STARS for Huge Deal by Lauren Layne.
Ruthie –
This is the third book in the series, and I am very happy that Kate finally gets her story – after all, she has been looking after the three guys for a very long time and her patience deserves rewarding! I really do recommend that you read the previous two books so that you get the backstory to these guys and their loves.
Kennedy is the last man standing, as both Ian and Matt are settling down – in fact, we get to enjoy Ian and Lara’s wedding this time around. As Kennedy’s current girlfriend gets their admin guru Kate to help her plan a surprise party, we once again get to see how much he has hurt her over the years due to his evident ignorance to her feelings. But she is definitely coping better than she did, and has tried to harden her heart to him.
Obviously as soon as she starts to think she can move on, Kennedy has a revelation and we then get to watch as they try and work out what we (and Ian, Lara, Matt, and Sabrina) knew all along. It is an engaging journey, with some ups and downs along the way… and who ever thought that chess could be such a sensual way to get to know someone?
Lauren Layne has just the easiest, smoothest of writing styles which meant that I got no sleep last night, as I just had to keep reading until the very end. So be warned – although to be honest, I don’t regret it!
Avid Reader –
M/F Romance
This is the first book that I’ve read in this series, but I never was lost or thought that I needed to read the previous books in the series.
The story was a sweet story where you get to see co-workers/friends become something spectacular.
Kennedy is known among his friends as the thinker, the one who has to take his time and weigh and measure everything. When his assistant comes on board, he makes a deal with his partners that in order to keep the best assistant they’ve had, nobody will date her. What he doesn’t realize is that his partners didn’t have the inclination to do so.
Kate is steady, sometimes feisty, and incredibly competent. She has held a torch for Kennedy since she began her job, but after circumstances show her that her feelings will never be returned, she moves on with her life.
I liked watching both Kennedy and Kate come to terms with their own feelings and how their friends help them navigate the unsteady world of love. It was also refreshing to see that while their communication wasn’t fantastic, it was mostly Kate who was having the issues instead of Kennedy. Their story was sweet with a hint of naughty thrown in.
Both Kate and Kennedy had to get over their preconceived notions of what their idea of love and commitment would be. Friendships and family are also amazing in this story. You can see how everyone cares for each other and how their pushing and prodding really help both characters see how amazing they can be together.
Reviewers received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Check out our Huge Deal post on Wicked Reads at http://bit.ly/WRHugeDeal
Love this series! I thought the first two books were a tiny bit better – but a great read!
I feel like 95% of my reviews start with some kind of gushy love over the story’s hero. And, don’t get me wrong – there is plenty to gush about when it comes to Kennedy Dawson (and I’ll get to that), but this story in particular gave me some swoony heroine vibes. I freaking LOVED Kate y’all. She’s tiny and fierce and laugh out loud funny. She’s smart and kind and slightly OCD and nerdy. She is my absolute favorite kind of heroine and if you get through this book without some kind of crazy girl crush on her, there’s something wrong with your heart for real.
GAH! I just loved her so much!!
And then Kennedy. Kennedy was the hero I was most excited to get in this series, and he really did not disappoint. He’s surly and serious in just the way I love my nerdy-ish heroes. I loved his slow awakening, the realization that while he’s wicked book smart, when it comes to relationships he’s basically a bumbling buffoon. I loved his transformation as he figured things out and his heart opened and then – then – ohmygosh you guys he was utterly irresistible. Perfect heroine? Meet your perfect hero.
This series has been such a treat and I thoroughly enjoyed every single one of these characters and the lovely happily-ever-afters they were given. I loved getting time to catch up with them in Huge Deal. I loved the banter among friends on top of the banter between Kate and Kennedy. I did feel like Kate stepped out of character in a couple of places, and some of the conflict resolution toward the end felt a little over-the-top for me. However, the ending? Was perfection. Much like Kate and Kennedy themselves. It was absolutely adorable and so so satisfying. Another huge hit in a series full of huge hits, and I definitely recommend it! ~ 4.5 Stars
Huge Deal is the third and final book from Lauren Layne’s 21 Wall Street trilogy. I enjoyed them all, and each book can be read as a standalone. This novel focuses on Wall Street tycoon Kennedy Dawson, and Kate Henely, Kennedy’s overqualified executive assistant. Both Kennedy and Kate love the work that they do, and their mutual friends are like family.
Kate has always been attracted to Kennedy, but thanks to an inappropriate comment he made years ago, Kate’s feelings have dissipated. Then Kate goes on a couple of dates with Kennedy’s younger brother Jack, and Kennedy begins to feel a bit jealous. Luckily, Kate and Jack lack sexual chemistry, so they agree to be just friends. Kennedy begins to see Kate in a romantic light, and an evening on a luxury lot evolves into a very hot kiss between them. Overtime they fall in love and find their forever together.
This is a nicely-written office romance that takes place in the hustle and bustle of New York City. A few of the scenes had me smiling, while one or two left me tearing up. Kennedy and Kate are a hot couple, and the build-up to their sexy times left me longing for more. Don’t pass up the opportunity to read Huge Deal along with the other two books from the 21 Wall Street series.
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
Talk about saving the best for last!
I knew that I was going to love Huge Deal, as I’ve been waiting for Kennedy to finally make a move since Hot Asset, but what I got was so much more than I expected!!
Kennedy and Kate have been circling each other since Kate’s first day on the job as his assistant. She fell head over heels until she overheard him and her other two bosses making “the pact,” a moment that’s so Elizabeth and Darcy that my heart broke even as it fluttered knowing it was just him protecting himself while he analyzed his feelings.
Watching her watch him, while he watches her is the best kind of romantic torture and Lauren Layne did it flawlessly! The slow burn of this book was exquisite and rivaled only by the moments where Kennedy went “all in.”
I’ve been saving this book for when I knew I could read the whole thing in one sitting and I’m both elated that I did, as it was beyond my imaginings, and sad that I did because now I’ve read it and don’t get to ever read it again for the first time…although there will be multiple rereads to be sure! The introduction of the Dawson brothers makes me hopeful that we may get to return to the world of 21 Wall Street someday.
That ending…
I’m a romance reader JUST to get that kind of giddy feeling at the end of my reads as I just received. Lauren Layne, you really are a bit of a legend. I went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows in this one and every part was so bloody good.
Sitting down, contemplating my review, I had to chuckle that English Royalty meets American Royalty. Kate, represents English royalty, while Kennedy, represents American royalty…or what I would consider American royalty. Which is a little funnier still because of our latest royal match up where America and England UNITES!! Harry and Megan are definitely a modern kind of royal marriage. So off topic but you know how I’m often dragged off topic when it comes to writing review and such…
Anyways…I absolutely LOVED Huge Deal. I’ve been waiting for Kennedy’s story and it was ALWAYS going to be Kate. Sure, he brought a few floozies to the scene (sorry, Claudia wasn’t a floozy, but she wasn’t Kate either) but I knew they were just a substitute for what he really wanted.
I really did feel sorry for Claudia, but even though she was “nice” she was also pretty self-serving and a little too image conscious for my liking. The fact that Kate could be so tolerant considering her unrequited love…I mean “past” love for Kennedy, showed she was a better human than I ever could be. I know it’s her job to assist the guys, but really, serving as the girlfriends assistant as well…PUSHING IT!!!
I absolutely loved the slow-burn progression of this one. Normally I don’t but you kind of need it because of the type of people Kennedy and Kate are. They’re so organised, methodical and precise with their thoughts and actions. It was NEVER going to a wham, bam, thank you, ma’am, with these two.
Poor bloody Kennedy, he just hasn’t got it in him to rush his feelings. First off, he must assess, then there’s the testing phase, and finally, he must do everything in his power to be safe in his commitment to those feelings. I couldn’t help but chuckle with every new acknowledgement that his past steps were indicative of his burgeoning love. I knew he was in love with Kate from the first instalment of this series, he just needed to get with the times.
Poor bloody Kate, working everyday with the love of your life is hard work. There’s this little part that needs to impress with your unflappable and hardworking assistance. Then, the façade of indifference when feelings are hurt or overlooked. Finishing off with a hard shell of acceptance that you’re invisible and just always there for their needs. I’m not sure I could do it, to be honest. Kate, she’s a tough little cookie but I think she did herself an injustice by being too good at her job.
Every step took me closer to my happy place…when they finally accepted they were meant to be. There were times I was choked up with emotion but that just made their happy ever after even more perfect when we get there.
I loved seeing Ian and Lara, Matt and Sabrina, and now Kate and Kennedy happy. This has been an amazing series and each instalment has left me thoroughly satisfied. Lauren Layne is a remarkable storyteller and I have loved 21 Wall Street. She manages to mix intelligent characters, an interesting storyline, and enough heat to pack a punch. If you haven’t tried a Lauren Layne, I highly suggest you…start at the very beginning…a very good place to start…
****Sorry, it’s Saturday Night…Wine Night!! My thoughts are a little messy. Just know that I absolutely LOVED Huge Deal.****
A satisfying conclusion to the 21 Wall Street Series. I was waiting for Kennedy and Kate’s story since book 1 and it did not disappoint.
Love this whole series