I know two things when I meet my new boss, Greyson Parker Montgomery III.One, he’s an egomaniac. And two, we’re going to get naked.Something I didn’t know? That I’d end up pregnant.No one is more surprised by our off-the-charts chemistry than me. I’m a free spirit with a passion for design and a taste for the bohemian. Greyson is a cocky venture capitalist who’s as pretentious as his sharply cut … pretentious as his sharply cut power suits.
He owns half of Charleston, and has the other half at his beck and call. But the only place he owns me is in bed…or in the backseat of his car, boneless and begging for mercy.
We argue over contracts and costs all day long. Behind closed doors, however, we engage in a different kind of business. The kind that has me surrendering to his unique brand of dominance.
Our no-strings attached arrangement suits me just fine. Until I wake up one morning with what I think is a wicked hangover.
Only it’s not a hangover.
I thought Greyson was a typical “greed is good” grump. But when he demands to be involved in the life we accidentally created, I start to see a different side of him. One that’s more gentleman than jerk.Am I crazy to think we could be a family together? Or is making me fall for him just another one of his power plays?
SOUTHERN GENTLEMAN is a STANDALONE, full length, accidental pregnancy/enemies-to-lovers romance.
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Almost makes me want kids…mostly I want a Grayson.
I love a good enemies to lovers, accidental pregnancy story! And Jessica gives us a strong, independent heroine. A flawed hero who wants to provide monetarily for his family, but has to learn it takes more than physical goods. Both have their things to learn because they both deserve their potentially fantabulous HEA. I love that these characters communicate. That their friends and family support and encourage them. That they are both successful adults who don’t NEED each other BUT CHOOSE each other. I can’t wait for more steamy goodness from Charleston. I received a review copy. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Loved this book! Greyson is a GREAT character. When we first met him (actually in the previous book in the series), I thought he was a shallow, selfish, money-hungry prick. But he is far more complex than that, and the author does a great job of creating and revealing this multi-dimensional character. His motivations are not what you think they are. The setting of Charleston adds so much charm to the book, I have never been there but after reading this series, I really want to visit!
We head back to Charleston in this book. We’ve met Greyson and Julia in Southern Player. Now we get their hot story.
This enemies to lovers troupe is my favorite in the romance world.
Grey and Julia are tossed together to remodel Luke’s Barn. Their tempers flare and arguments lead to lots of “hate sex” in the backseat.
One time was all it took to get knocked up. This story takes us on a journey of finding a family, forgiving yourself and letting go of the past.
This story has all the feels. I didn’t want to like Grey but by the 3rd chapter I loved him.
Lots of steam
TDP had me rolling.. ( read the book to find out what it means)
This has become my favorite book in this series..
I’m a big fan of Jessica Peterson’s work. She is a one-click author for me. Having said that, the “surprise pregnancy” trope is very much not a favorite of mine; if this had not been a Peterson book, I would not have read it. However—Grey and Julia are well-written, engaging, sexy, and fun. I very much enjoyed the process of their getting to know each other and themselves. As usual, Peterson paints a vivid picture of the wonderful city of Charleston.
I should start by sharing that I am a HUGE Jessica Peterson fan. When she started the Charleston Heat series, I was thrilled because my mama lives there and it’s my favorite place in the world. Could I ask for anything better than one of my favorite authors writing stories about my favorite place?
If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, you will want to after you read this book. Julia and Greyson…be still my heart! I have truly loved Eli and Olivia and Luke and Gracie, but this couple is EVERYTHING REAL about relationships.
If you love enemies to lovers, this is your book. If you love a surprise pregnancy, grab this one. If you want the non-sugar coated, down-to-earth description of pregnancy, definitely read this. I was so impressed by Jessica’s ability to not idealize pregnancy, love between two grown-ups with a little life under their belts, and the challenges of being in a relationship when you both have had a past and a LIFE before you met the other. I loved that this story wasn’t a typical HEA, and that it was the perfect one for them in the end.
Let’s just say that the next time I’m visiting my mama in Charleston, I’m going on a hunt for Jules and Grey, because I want to have a cocktail with them at Eli’s restaurant 🙂
Grab this book, a bottle of Topo Chico and get reading! You won’t regret it.
There’s some people out there who can’t get it right but once. Then there’s others, like Jessica that continuously amaze me. Book after book, they just keep progressively getting better!
The way the characters are built up and grow upon their rocky foundation, showcases the sheer talent Jessica has. You feel the emotion and panic as well as the love, full force. This couple is dealing with a real life situation that makes them all the more relatable. The compassion, the dislike, the honesty…you get it in spades! You can’t beat the rawness and passion that are Greyson and Julia.
He gives you swoon-worthy, straightforward boy and she gives you sassy, spitfire girl and together they set the whole place ablaze. Their conversations are witty and inspirational. So many thought provoking moments, hilarious banter and good golly the sex…the imagery that you get will definitely have you seeking out your better half.
Favorite book this summer..hell, a favorite for the year. So well written and realistic! I feel like there was so much of Jessica in their story concerning the details of the pregnancy. Definitely makes me feel more connected as a reader to the great things going on.
There’s a lot of good quotes, but my favorite is this as it best sums up this tale, “She loves the reminder that no matter how difficult life can get, or how hopeless your story can feel, we all deserve our own happily ever after. And that sometimes, the more difficult the story, the happier the ending.”
Truer words…
#TDPislife #GrowlyGrey
I needed this book so much. I had found myself in a book funk where it seemed every book I picked to read ended up being a slow burn. I have come to appreciate a slow burn some, however, they aren’t my favorites. So this, this book right here is exactly what I was looking for. If you want a steamy, sexy read then you came to the right place. Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot of feelings packed in it too. It has hate sex and making love. Opposites attract in the best way. Julia and Greyson go on an amazing journey through pregnancy and love. Learning how to balance work and life. You don’t have to do things in a particular order to find happiness. If a grumpy, alpha male is your catnip like it is mine then grab this one up. I definitely recommend this book.
Southern Gentleman is yet another gorgeous, sexy installment in Jessica Peterson’s un-put-downable Charleston Heat series. Each book in this series (which CAN be read on their own) has a profound sense of place, making the reader feel like they are in Charleston, SC- and also causing frantic Googling of flights to Charleston, tours of Charleston, etc., because it is such a dynamic, rich, charming and sexy place as portrayed in these books! But enough about Charleston, because the characters this author has created are also unique, charming, and sexy. Julia, the heroine of Southern Gentleman, is an English professor with a side business in interior design and a clear sense of self. She immediately clashes with Greyson, the venture capital guy behind the funding for her latest project, and of course those sparks turn to flame. Greyson and Julia’s story has an enemies-to-lovers beginning and a swoony, romantic and sexy ending, and every moment in between is beautifully written and true to the characters’ personalities and life stories.
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Jessica Peterson has become one of my go-to authors! I love every book of hers that I read and the Charleston Heat series has quickly become a favorite! Every time I pick up one of the books in this series I feel like I’m in Charleston walking down King Street with her characters. Julia and Greyson’s story is no different! I loved their immediate chemistry and disdain for each other. Julia is full of life and lives brightly. She loves romance novels, laughs loud, and loves hard! Grey lives to work and works to live; paying for the sins of the past he works to prove himself to others. As their feelings deepen I love the way Julia accepts Grey completely, without judgment but doesn’t leave him there! Julia and Grey grow together and find their own way to make their relationship work! My favorite line in the book was when Julia says, “Just because you’re the villain in one story doesn’t mean you can’t be a hero in another.” This story is a great journey about finding love and learning to forgive yourself! I highly recommend you pick up this book and read the imperfectly perfect love story of Julia and Greyson!
As a super fan of Jessica Peterson’s work and books 1&2 of Charleston Heat (PLEASE read those first to avoid spoilers for yourself!), I gotta say I was more cautious coming in to Southern Gentleman. Even though the title implies Greyson’s character, it is 1-not what we’d seen of him so far in the glimpses from the previous story and 2-I knew there was an unexpected pregnancy. And truth be told, when Julia contemplated abortion but NEVER would consider adoption, she almost lost me (IMO abortion should NEVER be considered for birth control). But politics aside, the humanity of both characters won me over. In fact, Growly Greyson challenges my other favorite Jessica Peterson character as a favorite (If you haven’t met Charlie in Royal Rogue, I encourage you to do so!).
These are very imperfect people, and in a very imperfect relationship right from the beginning. Both of them grow and become better versions of themselves – a favorite trait of mine in Romance stories. I absolutely adore that Jessica’s characters always show maturity in communication, rather than childish assumptions and arguments that can be avoided. That doesn’t mean there isn’t lack of communication or angsty moments – both happen. But the maturity of the characters is revealed when they REALIZE this, and step back to process, and then they TALK it out.
Grey carries such a burden. His personal feelings of guilt overshadow his goodness at times. I didn’t quite feel the weight of what he thought he carried, but who am I to say what someone else feels? It weighed so heavily on him, justified or not, and it shaped his behavior. While Julia had losses in her life where Grey was full to the brim, he took it as obligation rather a blessing. Julia shows him that he has so much to love, and so much love yet to give.
Greyson and Julia meet each other and are instantly both attracted and annoyed by the other person. They’re working on a friends barn renovation, and when they finally give in to some hate sex, their chemistry is off the charts. But when an unexpected pregnancy rocks their world, they start to fall for each other. However, neither is sure that with their differences, that they’ll be able to make their relationship work.
I enjoyed being back in Charleston with all the fun characters, and I’d recommend this book.
Third in the Charleston Heat series, this can definitely be read as a standalone but I do think it benefits from having read the first two books prior. So… Enemies-to-lovers is my catnip – I absolutely LOVE all the delicious, sexual tension that comes with the trope. Although this story promised that hate/lust dichotomy I love so much, I have to say it fell a bit short for me in that area. It felt like Julia and Greyson skipped over all that great tension and went from hating each other to having feelings/being in love a little too quickly. All that being said, however, the sexual chemistry between Julia and Greyson is hot and I do love an alpha who ends up having a heart of gold underneath it all. The relationship between Greyson and his family (especially with his niece) was well-written and lovely to read. And as always, I come away from reading the books in this series with the desire to try a new-to-this-Yankee recipe (in this case, it was Chicken Bog). There really needs to be a cookbook (or at least a list of recipes) to accompany this series!
*Advance copy provided by the author. All opinions are my own.*
This is the 3rd book in the Charleston Heat Series and each book is a standalone. Saying that, after reading one, you will want to read them all and get all the couple’s stories as they are all in each of the books and you will fall in love with them!
Grayson and Julia meet working on a job and sparks fly. They both are instantly attracted and intensely dislike each other. They find they can’t keep their hands off each other while constantly arguing and clashing on the job. They say there is a fine line between hate and love…
The heat between these two was wonderfully hot and real. No waiting half the book for something to happen, it was immediate and I loved that. This book grabs you from the first chapter and never lets you down. You embark on this adventure along with Julia, Grey, and Charlie Brown, and believe me when I say you are on this adventure! You will see Julia’s life change in a big way and feel for her all the little and not so little sacrifices women have to endure! Poor Greyson, he tried, he just didn’t know how to for a while. But his TDP episode had tears sneaking out of my eyes I laughed so hard! And he did finally get it.
The epilogue was great, but the Bonus epilogue was epic! It was all I could have wanted in a book! And the friends and family of these two are just the very best! You will fall in love with the city of Charleston as you read these books. I live in SC. And I see it with fresh eyes when Jessica describes it. This is a perfect 5 STAR Read!
Greyson and Julia are so flipping HOT! I can’t say enough about Southern Gentleman! Greyson is punishing himself for falling out of love with his first wife. Then tragedy strikes in Grey’s family and he feels it necessary to pour himself into work even more in order to help. Julia is a strong independent woman who wants a partner. Someone who will be there for her physically and emotionally. Southern Gentleman is an enemies to lovers and unexpected baby story, but you won’t be able to put the book down!!!
The Southern Heat series is AMAZING!!! Southern Gentleman will knock your socks off and I can’t wait for the next amazing book!!!
4.5
Holy HOTness!!!!!
Okay, so I have two level of ratings for books I read: the tear rating and the flame rating…..Southern Gentleman gets the flame rating:
This book was HHHHHHOOOOOOTTTTTTT!!! Greyson and Julie had instant chemistry and shew….I had to keep a fan next to me to cool off!
After reading emotional draining books, Southern Gentleman helped with the book-hangovers I’ve been experiencing.
Southern Gentleman by Jessica Peterson is Book 3 in The Charleston Heat series. This is Greyson and Julia’s story.
Sparks definitely fly between Julia and Greyson from the start, just as well as the barbs. They were both hired to work on the refurbishing of a local business. Greyson is a venture capitalist aka the money man while Julia is a phenomenal designer who works for Greyson.
Julia and her boss Greyson have this sizzling chemistry that is pretty combustible. They are like this straight from the start and only get worse because they both fight their feelings.
Several twists happened in the story..things I didn’t see coming. Julia and Greyson were like enemies-to-lovers/boss-to-lovers. They’d fight then make up in a really steamy way in his SUV. I liked the fun and entertaining romance read that is this story. It does have a bit of a push/pull but still is got a fun and entertaining way to it. I enjoyed the characters and the sweet chemistry of the main characters. I can’t wait for more stories in this series.
My Rating: 4.5 stars *******
Southern Gentleman is the first book by Jessica Peterson that I have read and I loved it! She not only wrote a wonderful story but she takes us on a journey through the historical city of Charleston with some places that actually exist combined with her fictional locations. I found the secondary characters to be just as enjoyable so now I am going to check out her other books in this series!
This book takes us on a journey through the good, the bad and the ugly of the growing a relationship between Greyson and Julia. She wrote them as strong yet vulnerable characters, intelligent yet not always making the right decision and independent but searching for that special someone to make their lives whole.
What started out as an intense attraction between Julia and Greyson grew to be so much more when the realization came that they would both be bound together with a surprise pregnancy. They each have to learn to make compromises and they have to find a way move on from the heartbreak and guilt they have experienced in their past in order for this relationship to work.
When Julia and Greyson’s night of passion ends with a positive pregnancy test, she’s really not expecting much from the man she had figured was cutthroat developer and not much else other than great in the bedroom. But, he surprises her with his need to be hands on and involved. How will these two go about co-parenting when they don’t even know each other? And when it becomes obvious that their explosive chemistry isn’t just a flash in the pan, can they make an honest to goodness relationship work?
I LOVE how much these two seemingly opposite people connected and fell in love. Greyson in particular, was a big surprise. He has layers I so wasn’t expecting. I love how humble and insecure he was beneath his cold facade, and how free-spirited Julia and a bun in the oven brought the man to his knees. Although I have not yet read any of the other stories in this series, you can bet I will now that I’ve fallen in love with Greyson and Julia!
ARC via Social Butterfly PR.
Oh my! Never in a million years did I think Jessica Peterson could write a character that I loved more than Luke. I was so wrong! Greyson is it!
This book hit me on so many levels. It is so REAL. The situations, the dialogue, the attitudes, the emotions, the settings, the food, the sex … everything is perfectly real. I laughed out loud, I teared up and I didn’t want the story to end.
Southern Gentleman hooked me right in to the story! I absolutely adored the perspective of Julia’s pregnancy. There are a million single mom or unexpected pregnancy romances available but this one is so unique. The experience is real, and true and relatable. At the same time, it is funny, awe inspiring and even brought a tear to my eye. The fresh perspective blended so well with the story line to make it even more endearing. This is the third book in the AMAZING Charleston Heat series, and I must say that it is my FAVORITE so far.
Julia is a confident, kick butt heroine who is living her dream. She can’t help being attracted to the new investor that is funding her most recent project. Greyson is arrogant, tough, and an all-around Jerk that loves to push her buttons. However, their chemistry is hot enough to start a nuclear meltdown. When a no-strings arrangement turns into the surprise of their lives, they both have to face their past. Learning that people are more than what is on the outside, they listen to what their hearts were already trying to tell them.
I really loved this story so much.