Big-city sophistication meets carnal hunger in this devilish contemporary romance from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katy Evans.Heir apparent to her father’s company, Lizzy Banks needs a man. The perfect man. But when the rich “fundbabies” she usually rubs shoulders with prove impossible to hire, she takes a chance on a raw beast of a man salvaged from the wreckage of a bar … salvaged from the wreckage of a bar brawl.
James Rowan earns a modest income as a YouTube daredevil, but he can’t refuse Lizzy’s million dollar deal. As she polishes his rough edges, creating a sophisticated gentleman fit for the highest circles of society, not only does she bring out the perfect man—it’s like she’s making the man of her dreams. How can she resist?
Though Lizzy loves seeing James in his clothes—and out of them—he isn’t the kind of man you bring home to Daddy. Her father’s disapproval and the pressure of the campaign have her eyeing the straight and narrow, but Lizzy’s finding it awfully hard to resist the devil on her shoulder…
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“If you were shopping for gentlemen, baby, you went to the wrong place.”
Hot damn! Who wants a gentleman when you can have a #ManBabe like him? Excuse me while I fan myself… Jimmy is a daredevil who has a YouTube following. He takes dares for money and he’s not afraid of anything. But, will he do anything for money? A million dollars is a lot of money, right? Will he allow the beautiful heiress to polish his ruggedness into within an inch of its life, give him a makeover, and drape him in sophisticated suits? Could he pull it off? Would he want to? Maybe, if she’s part of the deal…
Lizzy is determined to prove herself to her father. She needs the perfect man and she can’t find one among the rich and famous. Those entitled jerks aren’t impressed by a million dollar contract and can’t be bothered. So, what does she do? She decides to find some man-clay and mold him into sex in a suit. Someone that every man wants to be and every woman wants. What she didn’t expect was to be one of those women who want him. “I can’t pretend that his raw look of masculinity doesn’t spin my libido-meter. Steeped in wild danger, the synergy between us is electrifying.”
Ladies, prepare to swoon over this sexy beast! When your virtual eyes observe his photoshoot, the irresistible smirks, the dimple, those abs…sigh. Yeah, you’ll be drooling right along with me once you one-click on this amazing book. You’ll also be worried right along with me as the danger of the ruse being discovered escalates. It’s a brilliant idea, but not necessarily one that Lizzy wants her father, coworkers, clients or the media to get wind of. Now that she’s turned him into the man of her dreams, will she have to let him go?
Million Dollar Devil by Katy Evans was just one of those stories where you either love it or you hate it.
The author and the blurb was what quickly drew me to the book but I was completely let down with the heroine. She’s an heiress trying to please her father. No backbone. The things she said about the hero being “garbage” and a “sewer rat” among other names and multiple times throughout the novel was uncalled for. Even though she apologizes at the end, the damage was done.
However, there are many points for the hero. James was this sexified, raw, roguish, bearded man. Any dare presented to him, he’s taking it all to care for his young brother. Yet, James seemed to be constantly objectified. Big N-O for me as a reader.
Overall, this story just did not do it for me. Yes, it was sexy and there was an electrifying connection between the main characters but it lacked humility in my opinion. Thus, making a novel that I was not particularly fond of.
Trying to prove her worth at her father’s suit company, Lizzy is desperate to find the perfect model. But when opportunity presents itself in the form of Jimmie, she can’t resist. Taking a YouTube daredevil and turning him into the perfect model is hard, but when the art gets involved, it makes it even harder. I loved these two so much. Jimmie and Lizzy are the personification of opposites attracting and it’s a neck of a ride when the come together. I’m excited to read more from Katy Evans.
Can you say What?? This book had me hooked from start to finish. I absolutely love James and Elizabeth. I absolutely enjoyed reading this book and love how these two banter with each other and Love their chemistry too. It’s another must read, Katy Evans doesn’t disappoint like always. If you want to know more then grab a copy and read it, and believe me you’ll Love it!!!!
Ahhh! Katy Evans has given me another alpha to love! Jimmy is irresistible and irreverent. A brawler and a daredevil, he’s rough around the edges but has a huge heart. When beleagured heiress Elizabeth stumbles into the bar where Jimmy holds court, she sees a glimpse of the perfect man buried beneath his gruff exterior. And that perfect man is the key to solving all her problems…
This is a wonderfully modern spin on Pygmalion. It’s a rags to riches kind of story with a delicious amount of passion and emotion. Liz and Jimmy/James have incredible chemistry. She doesn’t stand a chance at keeping their relationship all work/no play. Swoon….
I loved the depth and layers of each character…their life-hardened exteriors concealed hidden vulnerability. I loved getting to know them as the story unfolded, and as they figured out what truly mattered. I’m giving all the stars to the devil and his heiress!
I loved Million Dollar Devil. It sort of reminds me of a reverse Cinderella story in a way. Once you read this you’ll see what I mean. I love James. He is a little reckless but does it to help make ends meet when it comes with care for his brother. James has big heart and a lot of passion. There is no denying the sparks between James and Lizzy from their very first meeting. Lizzy is out to prove to her dad that she is to be taken seriously when it comes to moving up in the family company. I love her drive and just watching her blossom along with James. You feel their love start to grow with each interaction. This book is hot and I couldn’t put it down. I’m dying to read the next book. I love what Katy Evans brings to the pages. Go one click this one today.
4 Star Review Million Dollar Devil (Million Dollar #1) by Katy Evans
What’s Lizzy Banks going to do when she needs to find a perfect man in a hurry? Especially since those she knows just won’t make the cut; she re invents one which is where James Rowan comes into the picture.
Lizzy offers James a ridiculous amount of money to allow himself to be turned into the “perfect” gentleman.
There is some humour and certainly intense chemistry throughout Million Dollar Devi as the tension between Lizzy and James builds. Lizzy took me quite a while to relate to her, I just couldn’t connect to her. James on the other hand was totally swoon worthy, just a great guy who ticked the boxes for me. I loved how adventurous he was and that he was so loyal.
I really can’t put my finger on it but although this book was good it is not my favourite from this author.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads, so here is my review.
Lizzy works for Banks LTD, they make men’s suits, and she is the bosses daughter. She is always trying to show daddy that she can do the job but he thinks she should be doing more like charity work.
So when it is time to find a man to be the face of the new Banks LTD men’s line, Lizzy is going to find that man. She just didn’t know where she was going to have to go to find him.
Jimmy is a YouTube Daredevil, he will do anything on a dare as long as money is involved. It has been this way since his parents died and he was left to raise his little brother. He only wants a better life for Charlie. So when the smart, well-dressed woman shows up at the local dive bar offering him money, he can’t refuse it.
Lizzy thinks she can pass Jimmy off as the new face of Banks LTD as long as she turns him into a gentleman. But what she doesn’t realize is that she likes him just the way he is. The more they work together, the more the feelings between them grow.
Can Lizzy and Jimmy aka James fool everyone until the end of the new campaign? Can a good girl fall in love with the guy from the wrong side of town? Will she lose everything including her father to be with James? Will Jimmy change his whole life just to be with Lizzy?
I really liked this story and the idea of Lizzy and Jimmy. I think it is another good story from Katy Evans, it’s not awesome but it was good to me. I hope you give it a chance and that you like it too.
**Wicked Reads Review Team**
4.9 Stars
Lizzy is 25 years old. She’s been groomed to be her father’s heir at their man’s clothing company all her life – even though she’s ‘only’ a girl. She has to prove to her dad that she’s really got what it takes. She needs to make this upcoming new line a mega success. She needs the perfect male model for these new suits. It pays one million dollars and all the rich suit-wearing idiots she asked didn’t want the job.
Enter James. Jimmy. She meets him in a dive bar she accidentally stumbles into one night. He’s a professional youtube daredevil. He’s super hot. In a non-suit-wearing-non-gentleman kind of way. It would be a lot of work to get him to look like a million dollars … but he’s her last chance.
Let the fun times begin …
WHAT WiLL HAPPEN TO LiZZY & JAMES????
WiLL WE GET A HEA??
READ THE BOOK TO FiND OUT
Well, that was adorable. And funny and sparky and sexy.
I loved reading it!
Izzy and James are just too cute.
So not from the same world, but still perfect for each other.
I loved how James needs and wants to be there for his little brother and how he wants something better for the future. But he doesn’t want pity and charity …
Izzy could give them so much material things, but they just want to be loved. To belong to a family again. Ugh, it was so sweet.
I also loved the whole My Fair Lady / Pretty Woman / Cinderella thing of trying to turn a bearded hottie into a suave gentleman.
All very adorable – I wouldn’t mind watching this on tv one day!
Hashtag Eyecandy Deluxe!
I just saw all these not very flattering reviews on goodreads!? No idea why people don’t like this story. Weird. Sure, it’s not the next Great American Novel – and we’ve read stories like this one many times before – but it was really cute and fun and sweet … no idea why all the hate.
MILLION DOLLAR DEVIL was an adorable & sexy & fun love story! Run to your nearest amazon for your own James! This one is mine! MINE!!!
Million Dollar Devil is an amazing and satisfying read. It will have you swooning and falling in love from the very first pages.
Jimmy has left his mark on me. He’s gorgeously sexy and devilishly flirty. There’s no way you can resist him. Heart flutters. Swoon!. He may just be my favorite book boyfriend ever and I am not sharing. He’s that good and he’s all mine!
Lizzy, for me, was a harder sell. Although I understood her motivation and reasons, she was a little too harsh. Especially at the end. After everything they had been through, she should have seen beyond and cared less about the superficial. I believe she needed the makeover more than Jimmy ever would.
The angst as well as the push and pull between Jimmy and Lizzy was unbearable. Literally. All I wanted was for them to get it on and work out all that angst. It seems like it took forever but when they did, it was explosive! It couldn’t be anything but!
The story was intriguing while the characters were real and true to who they are.
I received an ARC via NetGalley of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Maybe it’s because I took some time before I finally was able to get to this one, but I didn’t mind this at all. I added on to the experience and decided to listen to the audiobook and I really enjoyed it.
I’ll have to say that this was an interesting concept and not one that I’ve read before. I will say that it wasn’t my favorite kind of plot, but it was still a good read.
I can’t say that Lizzy is a huge a favorite, but she was definitely someone to come around to. She definitely worked her a** off to get her dad to finally approve of everything she’s done for him. But she had a lot of growth as the story went along, she became stronger and started to stand up for herself.
And my goodness, James was a bit rough around the edges, but I love how he didn’t care what people though of him. And how loyal he was to his brother and Lizzy. He was relentless and I was just waiting for Lizzy to give in.
Million Dollar Devil wasn’t my favorite of Katy Evans, but I genuinely enjoyed the heck out of this!
I am on an audio binge and having such a great time it is amazing I lived this long without it but I’m making up for it. Elizabeth is at her wits end. Her father totally dismisses her and she needs to find the “face” for the new line of menswear and no one she has approached who is appropriate will work for them so she ducks into a seedy bar and BAM in the midst of a bar fight she finds him…Jimmy…the FACE, a man who will do anything on a dare, a real man with a beautiful face and body. After a couple shots of tequila she ends up taking him home and propositions him. She wants to turn him into James. With a total makeover, head to toe, he turns into the perfect man for the Banks Menswear. Will he also turn into the perfect man for Lizzie? These two have such perfect chemistry! This was so good and now I am off to read/listen to the next one in the series.
Katy Evans is an amazing writer. Her characters come to life. Mrs. Evans is one of my favourite authors
Big-city sophistication meets carnal hunger in this devilish contemporary romance from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katy Evans. Unfortunately I just couldn’t get into this book, both the story line and characters were very monotone.
WOW! I love Katy Evans books.
I have never read a book of her that I didn’t love .
She writes the sweetest and most emotional books with so much feelings .
This story is no exception.
I love Lizzy and Jimmy, they are just so perfect for each other. Maybe not in the opinion of rest of the world, but they overcome all trouble and they’re doing it, not always together, but always for each other .
Ok, this was of course the short version of the drama and heartbreak that happened in this book, but I can’t write more without spoiling the whole adventure that’s this amazing story.
Oh, one more thing, this book is damn hot
I recommend this book to all the love story with beautiful HEA lovers
I think the premise of the story was interesting, and I looked forward to reading how everything would play out. However, it felt a bit monotone to me. I couldn’t really get into the story, I was reading without being engaged with the characters. Especially, Lizzy Banks was someone I could not relate to or find sympathetic. I also didn’t like the whole transforming the daredevil into a gentleman. I think it was a bit too much in regards to marketing men’s suits. The attraction between Lizzy and James was there from the start but the hot and cold attitude of Lizzy got old quick. I didn’t really connect or care about their relationship. They didn’t feel like a good match. Also the drama towards the end was a bit too much and that didn’t help the story for me either.
On the other hand, James was a very intriguing and great hero, I think I would’ve enjoyed reading about him in a different book and with a different heroine. He has gone through some very horrible things and does his best to take care of his younger brother. The scenes where he was in his natural environment were more interesting to me. The scenes where he was together with Lizzy, didn’t grab me as much.
There are many books I read and loved by Katy Evans, especially her more emotional ones. But there are a couple of them I just won’t pick up because I know I won’t like it. It really is a matter of taste, and I should’ve known I wouldn’t like this one. Honestly, Million Dollar Devil was just not my cup of tea. It was more on the light and fun side, and for me those reads are mostly a hit or miss. Unfortunately, it was a miss this time, and maybe I wasn’t in the right mood. So please if this book sounds like something you would enjoy reading, then I definitely recommend you to pick it up.
Original review: https://myshelfbooks.wordpress.com/2019/07/25/million-dollar-devil-katy-evans/
I have already talked about the power of covers. This one is PUUUUURFECT and what made me get the book. The blurb is nice, I guess, but it is nothing special for this genre. So good choice putting some eye-candy to make it easier for doubtful readers. I wasn’t planning on reading this book so soon, but I got an ARC for the second one in the saga and I hate reading outside the meant order.
This time we dance with the big fishes of the fashion industry thanks to Lizzy, daughter of the owner of Banks LTD; one of the most successful fashion companies in the USA. They are about to launch a new line for sohpisticated gentlemen, so she needs to find the perfect model. Sadly, the billionaries out there who could embody the spirit of the campaign are too self-centered and too rich to be conviced. Luckily for her, she meets Jimmy, a YouTuber who earns a few bucks doing stunts in from of a camera. He is very male all over, but too rugged and wild for the campaign. But, one million dollars is enough to convice the daredevil to be transformed into James, the ultimate Banks gentleman!! Obviously, one thing leads to the other and sparks start to fly all around them…
I must say I was utterly surprised by the book and the style of the author. It is very enjoyable, with a nice story that develops little by little, good characters to make us company and a slow brewed romance full of stomach butterflies. The main strength of the book is in the characters and their exchanges; because the story, even though it is really nice, doesn’t have any twists or unexpected outcomes that would have stoked the flames of storytelling. It has no need of them. It is perfect in its simplicity. Overcomplicating the plot would have ruined the good vibes that engulf the whole story.
Thankfully, the slow pace of the story comes with a slow romance. I would have hated if the fake gentleman part were a a snail and the romance a speedster. Thanks to that, I have shipped for them like crazy, enjoying every kiss, every caress, every smirk and grin, every getting to know each other before jumping naked into a bed. It has been intense. One of the best couples that I have met lately in books. I wish I could get more of them, but I guess it is a one time deal. They are not only great when they are worshipping each other. Their banter is also remarkable, but it is not crazy fun banter. I would classify it as sexy banter. Good humored banter. The one that shows without a doubt that they are friends before being lovers. Another perfect ingredient for the story.
I really liked that for once the male character wasn’t the billionarie. Romance with billionaries tend to be way boring. More like buying affection than earning it. Lizzy is not like that. She enjoys many luxurious commodities, but she is not a spoiled kid. Not in a long shot. She works very hard to be a fundamental part of the company and doesn’t take anything for granted. I guess that was what made Jimmy crush on her, because they couldn’t be more different from each other. The daredevil is… Do I sound too lame if I say dreamy? He has the whole package: looks to kill, good ethics in life, cute bad-boiness… I could expend too long saying nice things about him. When he is taking his first leassons to become a gentleman he is just plain adorable. Yes, he can count me as one of his conquests *sigh*.
The book could have been perfect, but there are several details that barely make sense. Thankfully, the rest outshine them and the reading is not hindred by those holes in the plot. The biggest and most annoyiug one is the secret. Yes, Lizzy wants to keep James’s past a secret, because her father wouldn’t approve of it. How does she get it? I have no idea. Jimmy was a fairly popular YouTuber in Atlanta and the adds with his face were crazy big. A shave is not enough to conceal who he really is, as it is explained in the book (several people recognize him). If Lizzy’s father or LB made a background of him they should have found the truth way sooner. Or some media would have exposed the lie. We could say they were lucky, but I think it goes beyond that.
There are also a couple of characters that I don’t know what to think about them: Jeanine and LB. The former is Lizzy’s best friend… or not? I blame her for the big debacle. I’m not sure it was an accident about her spilling the beans just before the big event. That was weird. Wasn’t Kim supposed to be the big bad wolf? In my opinion, the lawyer stole her spot! And LB… he is suddenly great? How? It doesn’t make any sense. He doesn’t lift a funger to help Lizzy, but somehow he always has the best interest for her in mind? Even when he places bets against her? Or when he stays quiet during the final speech? Yeah, yeah… he is golden.
This has been my first book by Katy Evans and it will not be the last. Let’s hope the next book of this saga is as nice or even better than this one!
When I went into this book I had very high hopes and expectations. I am a huge fan of Katy Evans other novels, so of course I had to read Million Dollar Devil. Although this novel was certainly not my favourite of Katy’s I did enjoy her take on the “beauty and the beast.”
Lizzy Banks is the big city, rich girl. Or… that is what she may appear at first glance. As you keep reading, and getting deeper into her story, you realize she is anything but. She is smart, and intelligent. She works hard for everything she has. She doesn’t sit back and let others do her work, instead, she takes charge and and will do whatever it takes to prove that she is just as hard working as others.
James was certainly sexy and he knew it. He was always so confident in everything he did and said. He was never afraid to speak his mind, or let others know what he thought. He certainly wasn’t shy in letting Lizzy know exactly what he thought of her, and what he wanted to do to her. Yet, he was always so sweet and honestly respectful of Lizzy and what her boundaries and expectations were. Despite this, he comes from a very different world than Lizzy. Where she is bathed in luxury and expensive goods, James comes from a hard working background, where nothing is handed to him.
I really enjoyed Katy’s portrayal of Lizzy and James. Individually, they are two wonderful characters. Together, they have explosive chemistry. Thought the entire novel, I was constantly wondering if they were ever going to get together, or whether or not we would just have to deal with the steamy sexual tension between them.
One thing about this book that did slightly bother me, was the constant back and forth bickering. One minute Lizzy totally wanted James, and then the next, she acted like she wanted nothing to do with him. This constant “I want him”… “I don’t want him” went on throughout the entire book. I wish some of this was removed from the book, so that it wasn’t so repetitive.
4/5 Stars!
I enjoyed Million Dollar Devil. The devil and the heiress.
He may be the Million Dollar Man, but his beginnings were rough and forced him to grow up quickly, and accept responsibilities most 18 year olds can’t dream of. He’s a sexy, tough, daredevil.
She’s the daughter of a very wealthy man and she’s trying to prove herself…to her father, to herself. She’s in the scout for a face to market the new Banks men’s suit line. Strike out after strike out, she finds herself in a seedier part of town. It brings her to him. Him and a bar fight.
She’s the artist creating her model. He’s the clay bring molded. They lose themselves in each other but also lose sight of what’s important. So many obstacles, confusing feelings, forced distance and manipulation. Things go very awry.
I loved the last few chapters. They were the perfect ending. A bit frightening, but completely rewarding. Loved the audio book bringing them to life.
3.5 Stars
It’s always a good day to have a new Katy Evans book on your ereader. Her possessive alphas get me every damn time. James … sigh. But somehow, MILLION DOLLAR DEVIL missed the mark to become another favorite for me. I blame Lizzy, the heroine and heiress to her father’s company, for that. That woman infuriated me, frustrated me and made me want to punch some sense into her more times than I could count. I guess I’m over romance where a woman constantly fights an undeniable attraction and acts kind of childish every turn… There are very rarely heroines that annoy me, but Lizzy most definitely did. Sadly. Because I absolutely ADORED James!! Sexy, flirty, cocky with strong playboy-tendencies. He oozed charisma and charm, that plus his banter and his winking towards Lizzy – and I was a goner. Swoon! He saved the story for me and has me giving this story 4 stars instead of 3. Next one will be a hit for me again, I’m sure!