When these friends become lovers, they might just turn into bitter enemiesEbon Brody and Sophie Caplan have been close friends – and closer rivals – for as long as they can remember. One night they become even more, and shake hands on a no-strings agreement. They’ve always been able to keep their hands off each other’s stories – surely, they can keep their hands on each other at the same time.But … the same time.
But when they both begin to circle the same scoop – a human trafficking scandal that could bring enormous accolades for either of their competing papers – they discover it’s harder to avoid those strings than they thought.
Sophie was secretly furious when Ebon didn’t attempt to poach her to his newspaper, the Phoenix, and she resolved to win at all costs. Now she has to choose between the man she’s always wanted and the career she loves more than anything. Ebon wants to prove himself to his older brothers and to the woman he’s always admired, even if it means snatching a story out from under her feet.
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Sophie and Ebon have been tap dancing around their feelings for each other for years. Settling as just being friends. Trying to deny their chemistry until they can’t. Both are racing to catch the next scoop which covers a realistic topic of human trafficking. But for me it was just an okay read. It was hard to get into the storyline and found myself rushing thru the pages just to say I finished it. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC from Tule Publishing.
Friends to lovers? Or friends to enemies?
Ebon Brody and his two brothers purchased a London paper and have been turning it around. Ebon has been working on a human trafficking story and is about ready for the last bits so he can publish. But than he spots Sophie Caplan nosing around one of his sources and his radar starts to tingle. He suspects she is after the same story he is.
Sophie Caplan is a journalist for a London newspaper that has always had a long standing tradition and reputation of journalistic excellence. Although that is changing, but Sophie won’t let this change stop her from the story she has been working on for so long – human trafficking by those high up in government and society. She has determined that this is her story because it matters so much not to her but to the women who are being trafficked. And that is why she will do anything to get the scoops she needs for the missing pieces in her story. Including sleeping with the enemy if need be.
Sophie and Ebon have been friends and occasional lover since university. So when both show up to meet a source, they decide to meet and feel each other out. They both suspect they are working on the same story but neither of them is willing to trust the other one nor reveal that they are working on the same story. But the one thing they can agree on is that they are willing to be friends with benefits. And who knows where things will lead. But for these two, their relationship has never been an easy one so there are several bumps along the way. Since this is a romance, we do know Ebon and Sophie end up together, but there are times when you wonder if they will.
The topic of human trafficking is a very serious issue all round the world and women are the victims. The people who are doing the trafficking are often white wealthy men hiding behind their privilege and wealth where they are often protected from prosecution. Daring to tackle this very sensitive and delicate subject in a romance novel is novel and surprising but Ms. Crowley does it very well.
I highly recommend this novel for both Sophie and Ebon’s story but the delicate handling of the other story in the novel.
I did receive a copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
I received this arc in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this book. It was book 3 in the series and my first book by this author. I must say I didn’t feel lost at all. This is the story of two good friends, Sophie and Ebon who have know each other since their early school days. Both are journalists with a lively competition all the time. Ebon works on his family’s paper that he owns with his 2 brothers. Sophie is like him, a political journalist for the Star and Herald. We learn both are secretly working on the same story, an expose about political figures and their prostitution ring of female domestic workers.
Both Sophie and Ebon experience ever changing feelings for the other and what to do about their feelings for each other. Sophie has put the breaks on a relationship due to her feelings of inadequacy stemming from her mother deserting her and there being no known dad. Ebon second guesses everything he does, says or thinks. The book does show both characters maturing and showing more positive behavior as the story progresses. The romance between the two is very enjoyable to read about. The mystery with the prostitution ring is quite exciting and the combination makes for an excellent book to read.
Off the Record by Rebecca Crowley is the third of the brothers who had bought The London Phoenix. Ebon’s brothers have nothing on him in this steamy series. Ebon Brody and Sophie Caplan are friends, journalist rivals and one night university lovers, so I am not sure if you can call this is a true “friends to lovers” story.
The characters are likable even if their focus can easily turn from the story that they are investigating to their relationship. Because Sophie and Ebon have known each other for several years, this story seemed believable especially with the confusions and covering up of feelings. As for the story that they are working on, well, it is one that without a doubt could happen, should be revealed and must be stopped.
This is a series that has gotten better with this book.
An ARC of the book was given to me by Tule Publishing which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
While this was book 3 on this series I haven’t read any of the previous books but I had no trouble with the story line at all it is a true a stand alone.
Ebon and Sophie are both journalist for rival newspapers they are also child hood friends who have a no strings attached relationship when either of them needs it. They try to make sure that they never cross one an others paths in work so that they don’t rock the boat. The only problem is this time they are both following the same story about politicians using their domestic servants as sex slaves. Can they keep their private and work lives separate Will they realise what they actually mean to one another and that they actually want strings You will have to read to see
I highly recommend this book series,full of intrigue ,smexy, great characters in all 3 books.
Ebon and Sophie are best friends, they are journalists working at competing newspapers. They have found themselves working on the same big story. Ebon has always wanted more than just friendship but Sophie is not good at relationships so friends with benefits is the next best thing. But will Ebon, sweeten the romance just to get the scoop from Sophie.
This is a fast paced story with twists and turns and plenty of romance that will keep you turning the pages. This is the third story in the series but can be read as a stand alone.
Sophie is a journalist and hasn’t made a lot of friends with her writing and reporting. She is at a hotel at a gathering where people are snearing at her and asking her why she is there. Its because she told some of their secrets they didn’t want to get out.
She looks for a familiar face and finds Ebon Brody. A book that I think you will enjoy.
Journalists, Sophie Caplan and Ebon Brody, have always been best friends even though they work at competing newspapers. This time they are both working on the same story and as soon as Ebon thinks he has a lead, he finds Sophie is already one step ahead of him. Ebon will do anything to get the scoop first, including seducing Sophie to squeeze information out of her. Little did Ebon know, Sophie needs him as much as he needs her, and not just for the story. Will this be the end of their friendship or the beginning of a whole new relationship?
I enjoyed this book even though it took a few chapters to hook me. But once I got into it, I couldn’t put it down. This story goes deeper than the previous books in the London Phoenix series with a human trafficking case that Sophie and Ebon are working on. This book was well written and I could tell the author did some serious research on her subject before writing it making the scenes feel real. Even though this book could be read as a stand-alone, but I would highly suggest reading the series in order to get to know each of the brothers as their stories are played out.