She’s small-town business. He’s Manhattan high finance. Together they ignite in a novel about unexpected love and danger by Nancy Herkness, award-winning author of the Wager of Hearts series.
New Jersey bookkeeper Alice Thurber has a carefully constructed risk-free life. Everything in perfect balance. Until little discrepancies show up in her clients’ accounts. Most would ignore it. Not the … it. Not the impeccably precise Alice. In desperation she reaches out to a high-powered consulting firm for help. New York City’s movie-star handsome financial wizard Derek Killion reaches back. All he has to do is smile and Alice’s fantasies stir. A girl can dream, can’t she?
A cofounder of KRG, Derek’s promise is to advise small-business owners in trouble. He never guessed that assisting the diffident but sexy Alice would be so captivating and make it so hard to keep his desires in check. But just as intriguing is the alarming puzzle behind the computer glitch that’s unsettled his client. As the investigation unfolds, they must also confront an attraction too palpable to ignore. Every new dark twist they follow is only bringing them closer together—in passion and in danger.
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Alice Thurber has always loved numbers. She wasn’t able to get a CPA degree, so Alice did the next best thing, she became a bookkeeper. Now Alice has her own small business with a good size amount of clients. Recently she attended a seminar that was geared towards small business owners, to assist them with computerized bookkeeping. Everything is going smoothly till Alice notices a small discrepancy of three dollars here, two dollars in another account. Because she is so precise, Alice knows there is a problem, and reaches out to KRG, a high powered consulting firm that helps small business owners. When Derek Killion shows up at her house to talk about the problem she came across, Alice is blown away at his movie star good looks.
When Derek Killion and his two partners started their company, KRG, they started with nothing. Now a multi million dollar company, he’s never forgotten where he came from, starting a small business initiative to assist those that don’t have the funds. After talking with Alice on the phone, Derek is intrigued and makes an appointment to see her. What he wasn’t expecting is this alluring woman with glasses, coming across as the sexy librarian. From the beginning he is drawn to her and her mind. Realizing that Alice has stumbled on a scheme to steal from small business owners, Derek brings in his two partners to assist in figuring out the problem.
Working together to figure out this scheme, they become closer and realize their feelings for each other, and the danger that is ahead.
I loved this book! It has romance, sex, and a bit of espionage! Nancy has done it again with another hit!
I received a copy of this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4.5
Confession time…I didn’t read the blurb for Nancy Herkness’s The Money Man. Since becoming a fan of Nancy a few years ago, I just wanted to read the book. I was pleasantly surprised by several things. The Money Man contains a little suspense and both the hero and heroine are accountants!
Alice Thurber isn’t a risk-taker. After growing up in an unsteady, unreliable family, Alice turned to numbers because they were consistent and made sense. Alice owns and runs a small bookkeeping company out of her home in New Jersey. After switching several of her clients over to a new accounting software, she starts to notice little small inconsequential shortfalls in the numbers. After coming up empty as to why this was happening, Alice turns to KRG Consulting Group and their Small Business Initiative, aimed to help small businesses in need.
Derek Killion’s specialty is finance. He represents the “K” in KRG Consulting Group. He never wants to let the fact that the company is now a high-powered consulting firm known worldwide distract him and his partners from their humble beginnings. As a way to honor those who helped them succeed and give back, Derek convinces his partners Leland Rockwell and Tully Gibson to create the KRG Small Business Initiative. Derek is weeks away from having to leave the country on an extended business trip, but when the first request comes into the SBI for help, he doesn’t want to pass it off to one of his partners. Thinking the shortfall is an easy fix, he contacts Alice to meet with her, never expecting she’s about to throw a curveball into his well structured and planned out life.
As Alice and Derek look into the accounting discrepancy, they soon find out there’s more going on than meets the eye. One innocent question on Alice’s part puts her in the crosshairs of a dangerous madman set on revenge. As time runs out, Derek and Alice are going to have learn to be creative in their quest to save their lives and the livelihoods of hundreds.
The Money Man was a book I could not put down. Alice and Derek each prove you can’t judge a book by its cover. Their attraction and connection are instant. I loved the surprise of this being a romance with suspense elements. I loved even more that I was on the edge of my seat, wondering what was going to happen. The main characters of the second and third books have already been introduced. I’m looking forward to seeing how those stories play out, with the heroes being a computer whiz and a security expert.
**Received a copy from the publisher and reviewed voluntarily.**
Thanks goes to the author, publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of The Money Man by Nancy Herkness, and the chance to read and review, prior to release. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.
The Money Man is the first book in Ms. Herkness’s nest series, The Consultants. As with Ms. Herkness’s novels, The Money Man is well written with characters that pull you into the story, and a plot that will tug on your heartstrings.
Alice Thurber is the heroine, and while she has a definite quirky side, I adored her from the first page until the last. Alice has mommy issues since her mother was a model and gorgeous while Alice doesn’t believe she is. I thoroughly enjoy how that sub-plot resolves. Her lack of self-esteem makes it difficult for her to accept that the hero wants her.
Derek Killion is an amazing hero, one that will appeal to women young and old. He is dedicated to his work and feels no woman will put up with his workaholic tendencies. Then he meets Alice, the precise, numbers addicted individual he is. She’s everything he wants in a woman. I loved his pursuit, and his determination to convince Alice to take him seriously.
The romance between Alice and Derek pulled me in. Their sexual banter is humorous, the chemistry is off the charts. I enjoyed their romance a great deal and was rooting for them to find their happy ending.
If you enjoy contemporary romances with drop-dead good-looking filthy rich heroes and an endearing heroine, then you will love The Money Man as much as I. I can’t wait to read the next book in this awesome series. Congratulations to Ms. Herkness for giving her readers another winner. Happy reading!
The Money Man was well-written with a unique storyline and interesting characters. I loved Alice & Derek’s love story and the mystery surrounding the discrepancies. What a great start to The Consultants series! I really liked Tully and Leland at KRG Consulting Group and can’t wait to read their stories.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an complimentary Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley.
A self-proclaimed nerd Alice Thurber is living a simple life embracing her role as a crazy cat lady and bookkeeper when she discovers some discrepancies in the new accounting software several of her clients are using. Searching the internet for help with her problem, she happens across KRG Consultants small business initiative. Derek Killion wanting to help give a leg up to small and struggling business takes on the challenge of Alice’s problem. Believing it will be a quick and easy fix, something he can while he is starting a large consulting project. It very quickly becomes clear to Derek it isn’t as easy a fix as he thought. He decides to meet with Alice face to face to see if he can come up with a solution. Derek quickly realizes Alice is so much more than the average bookkeeper. Alice and Derek quickly conclude that their problem is a lot bigger than either even thought.
This story really has it all hot steamy attraction, Russian hackers and 2 uninterested cats. Alice knows she is smart well-rounded character with just enough self-doubt to believe she isn’t desirable to someone as worldly and successful as Derek. You are rooting for her to see her own beauty from the beginning. Alice is very likeable, and her self-doubt doesn’t come across as over the top or a hindrance to the story. I did like the trip to Dallas and that to help strengthen the hacking story line. Derek having in the past a failed relationship does show strength by not allowing it to control him or his desire to pursue Alice. Derek’s business partners are wonderful characters in the story. (I cannot wait for their stories.) The love scenes between Derek and Alice were just enough not to over the top and not to dominating with in the story.
If you are looking for a story with action and a mystery to solve with the strong silent type for a hero, you should totally check out Money Man. What I thought was going to be a basic office romance gave me so much more. The pace of story line was great and very plot driven. Alice was not your typical simpering heroine; she is just as interested in getting to the bottom of her problem and asking questions even when she shouldn’t. This is the first book by Nancy Herkness that I have read. It was wonderful and I will absolutely be reading her other works.
Nancy I loved the cover and the story line and it was easy to follow. I started reading and it was amazing how it flowed together. Alice Thurber and Derek Killion were great main characters. Alice was a small town bookkeeper and she was always had to have a perfect balance every month. Well she was not getting and it bothered her. She went to this software convention with some of her clients. She thought it was a good a investment so they bought it. So when her clients started having problems she wrote to the company and see if anyone else was having problems. Got no response from them so she say this program advice for small business owner and she got a response from them very quickly. Derek Killion responsed and asked if he could come to her office and see her bookkeeping. She said of course she need all the help she could get. His company KRG consultants is going to help her so he tell Leland that she has a problem and he wants to her find it and she is a smart bookkeeper and her work is always on the money. So Leland calls her with Derek’s approval and asks her questions about the software and where she got and the what was the reason people bought, she answered his questions. Derek brought her to his office and they talked about the next step.
That would be going to Texas and talking to the business owner and Alice was part of KRG and Derek was her boss. Nancy wrote is with power and I felt like I was part of the there world. She never left you hanging it flowed very well . There was emotional times and there was suspense. I loved the book and the cover very much.
It is just a couple of bucks but numbers don’t lie and these figures are not adding up. Alice Thurber feels she owes it to her clients to find out why there are discrepancies. She’s just a bookkeeper, but she knows something is off. Alice realizes she needs help. That’s where KRG Consulting group comes in. She sees an ad placed by KRG indicating they have a Small Business Initiative program that offers help to small businesses for free. Alice is a little leery about the free part but fills out the form for KRG since she is willing to take a chance they will help. Much to Alice’s surprise she receives a call from Derek Killion, one of the firm’s partners, in response to the form she filled out. Impressive! She figured this would be handled by someone lower in the firm’s hierarchy, not a partner. Derek Killion was rather abrupt during his call but Alice was still impressed. Little did she know that her “little” problem would explode and put her life at risk. And also Derek’s life, the guy she was falling for.
Derek Killion and his two partners, computer genius Leland Rockwell and former FBI agent attorney Tully Gibson, run a well-thought-of, prestigious consulting firm. Derek remembers how iffy things were when the three of them first started the business and how they struggled. He started the Small Business Initiative to help overcome some of the small businesses’ troubles since he is grateful for his success. When he first saw the form Alice Thurber sent in he arrogantly thought hers would be a very easy problem to solve. Wrong! Even after getting together with Alice to look over all her paperwork neither could pinpoint the problem. It seemed to be a software glitch so partner hacker Leland Rockwell gets involved. He is stymied too. Now the more Alice and Derek meet to try to come up with some answers the more the attraction between the two grows. Funny how such things work sometimes. Unfortunately the danger grows too.
The Money Man by author Nancy Herkness is the first book in her new series, The Consultants. I have enjoyed reading this author’s books so I was anxious to see what this new series was about. Wowza! I loved this book! There are steamy sex scenes, a mystery to solve, lots of action, suspense and danger and great characters. I liked how the three partners interacted with each other and supported each other. I also liked how Alice’s friends supported her. This is a classic Nancy Herkness book, well-written, sexy and fun. I really loved the ending! Swoon-worthy!
THE MONEY MAN is an amazingly enjoyable book! This book, by Nancy Herkness, is the escape, the getaway and the dreaminess which is ideal for the anxious times many are experiencing.
Filled with mystery, suspense, characters who have much in common yet complimentary in their strengths and weaknesses and heart swooning sex, THE MONEY MAN has it all!
Alice Thurber, a rule follower, knows herself well. Her honesty and belief in what is right are refreshing traits in a lead female character. Derek Killion, strong, knowledgeable and charismatic with Hollywood looks remains, in many ways, down to earth and is an ideal match for Alice. Both their strengths and weaknesses are developed in a loving, caring way by the author; in a way which captures reader’s heart. Alice and Derek endear themselves to readers. Their relationship is just flat out refreshing and fun.
The enjoyment THE MONEY MAN gives to readers is one of the its best attributes. After all, reading for enjoyment is generally why most people read and this book will give you the enjoyment you grave.
THE MONEY MAN is a great book!
This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it! It was sweet, and sexy, with some fun romantic suspense in there too!
Alice Thurber is a small town New Jersey bookkeeper. She had dreams of being a high-powered CPA, but her family’s financial situation always hinged on the “insider tips” and whims of her step-father’s next scheme. One of those schemes involved him losing her college fund, so she ultimately turned to the local community college’s bookkeeper program. Numbers always add up, so they’ve always been a comfort to Alice. Until, all of a sudden, they don’t. When she finds very small discrepancies in several of her client’s accounts, that are all using the same software, she can’t figure out what’s happened. She contacts a big financial consulting firm in NYC to help her solve her problem, but she never expects how the entire situation will change her life.
Derek Killion is a rock star of the financial world. He and his two best friends from business school founded KRG and, with a few bumps in the road along the way, have made it a roaring success. They’re so successful they don’t want to forget their humble beginnings, so they launch a pro bono small business initiative on their website, where smaller financial companies can ask for their assistance with issues. When they receive their first request for help, Derek is thrilled. But he has no idea how dangerous the situation actually is, or how attracted he’ll be to Alice. When their lives end up in jeopardy, will he be able to protect them both?
Derek and Alice had mega chemistry, and I loved watching them dance around it at the beginning. Alice thought she was imagining things about Derek’s attraction to her, as she has a skewed self-image, from growing up with a former model for a mother. She doesn’t think herself attractive enough to snag a man as gorgeous as Derek. Derek has his own issues about his good looks. Everyone assumes he’s a playboy, and they don’t take him seriously in relationships because of it. They both have lingering issues from their childhoods, and what their parents’ expectations did to them. They both had to be willing to lay their cards on the table, as each of them are numbers people, and neither did well with subtle signals. I liked that they tried their best to be honest with each other about their feelings.
The side characters here were really great and engaging, and I’m excited to see that one of Derek’s partners, computer wiz Leland, and one of Alice’s friends, gym trainer Dawn, will be the couple in book 2! They all left me wanting more info about them and their backgrounds, so I can’t wait to dig into their stories! Hopefully that means Tully and Natalie will be book 3!
Some of the things I wished we’d seen a bit more of included Alice’s relationship with her mother. When Alice thinks about their interactions in her past, her mother seems kind of like THE WORST, but when we actually see her on page, she just seems like she’s struggling to know how to handle the relationship with a daughter so different from herself. I was curious to know more about her, and her relationship with Alice’s step-father. I would’ve also liked to see Alice have a real talk with her about how her past decisions impacted Alice. I felt that aspect of the story was still pretty unfinished. Also, I was curious to know more about Derek’s family, and if he still talked to anyone else, though he and his father were clearly estranged. Additionally, Derek and Alice both had random internal thoughts about his ex-fiancee during the book, but they never actually had a conversation about her, which I thought was a bit strange. I would certainly have had questions about that relationship if I were Alice!!
The suspense story line was good, and added to my enjoyment of the story. I liked the setup and how everything rolled out. I really enjoyed how well Alice and Derek worked together to solve the mystery, and how his partners were all in with him on it as well.
Ultimately, I really enjoyed this new-to-me author, and I’m excited to read more in this series!
THE MONEY MAN is the first instalment in Nancy Herkness’ contemporary, adult THE CONSULTANTS erotic, romantic suspense series focusing on three friends and business partners Derek Killion, Leland Rockwell, and Tully Gibson who own KRG Consulting Group. This is KRG co-founder Derek Killion, and bookkeeper Alice Thurber’s story line.
Told from dual third person perspectives (Derek and Alice) THE MONEY MAN focuses on the building relationship between KRG co-founder Derek Killion, and bookkeeper Alice Thurber, and the search for the truth. Alice Thurber owns a small bookkeeping business but struggles with a few questionable results since installing a new accounting software that leaves her frustrated and looking for help. Enter Derek Killion of KRG Consulting Group, and the man with whom Alice will fall in love. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Alice and Derek, and the potential fall-out as Derek, Alice and Derek’s partners uncover a dangerous trail of espionage, fraud, computer hackers and the possibility of financial ruin for thousands of small businesses.
Derek Killion doesn’t do relationships in the wake of his engagement that ended badly. Meeting Alice Thurber drew Derek like a moth to a flame but a flame with the potential to burn if he got too close. Alice Thurber believed Derek was out of her league in all things including romance and love. Growing up the daughter of a professional model, Alice never measured up to her mother’s ideals, and in this Alice considers herself less than worthy of Derek’s affections and love. Working together to uncover the truth behind the software anomalies, Derek would soon discover there is more to Alice than book smarts and a pretty face.
The relationship between Alice and Derek begins as a business arrangement when his firm offers ‘free’ services to small, independent firms. From the outset, Derek and Alice fantasized about one another but neither one had dared crossed the line from professional to personal until Derek offered Alice a night out of town. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
We are introduced to Derek’s business partners Leland Rockwell, and Tully Gibson; Alice’s mother, and her friends Gabrielle, Natalie and Dawn.
THE MONEY MAN is a story of betrayal and fraud; friendships and partners; romance, relationship, and falling in love. The fast paced premise is imaginative and inviting; the characters are flirty, sassy and real; the romance is spicy and inspiring. THE MONEY MAN is an edgy and captivating introduction to Nancy Herkness’ THE CONSULTANTS series.
This was a great read, Alice and Derek have great charism and charm, every turn had me saying “just kiss each other!”. Attention to details is everything, and Nancy totally nailed them. I can’t wait for the next book un the series, so steamy!!!
I enjoyed “The Money Man”, a feel good romantic mystery. Alice finds small discrepancies in her clients accounts while doing their books. Derek is bored at work and starts a philanthropic accounting service to renew interest and excitement in his life. Together with Dereks’ colleagues and Alice’s friends they try to unravel the missing money trail. I would recommend this book to fans of romance, chick lit, and cozy mysteries. If you are already a follower of Nancy Herkness you won’t be disappointed and will be left anticipating the next Consultant!
Alice just wants the accounts to balance!
Bookkeeper Alice Thurber knew that numbers never lied but when seven clients used a new program and four had problems. Alice doubted the program was the problem so she figured that she was the problem so she contacted KRG Consulting Group because they offered to help small businesses free of charge to help her find the issue. Derek Killion’s area of expertise was accounting so when the small business help site got a question he decided to help but when he was stumped he decided to meet Alice in person.
Alice’s never giving up and raising questions lead to much bigger questions that lead Alice and Derek into something dangerous for them! Alice would have never met Derek except for her wanting to make everything balance.
Not many romance books have a couple where numbers are what bring the couple together but it does make a really good story and the start of a series!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A great heart pounding read. The story was very well written with great characters. It drew me in and I had it finished in one sitting. I would highly recommend this read. Nancy Herkness has another hit on her hands. Can’t wait to see what she writes next. Bring it on please. Happy reading everyone!
The Money Man had me enjoying the characters, Derek and Alice. It was a little bit of a slow start for me. I had to get almost half way to get captured by the story. I knew though that the story had something that was building up. I just wished I could had clicked with the story from the first chapter.
What I did like…the drama, suspense, and the angst. I couldn’t picture Alice without Derek as their “time together” kept growing into something more. The ending was the best part. Your heart is pounding and then it ends. I had a warm feeling in my heart and a smile that would not stop. A good read,
A love story involving two accountants? Ok, why not! I’m an accountant after all.
Alice, ann accountant, finds a little missmatch. Whenever she looks into it, it always pops out. She reaches out to a firm called KRG to help with this seemingly unsolvable bookkeeping problem. She has no idea the hunky owner himself would investigate the issue. When she meets Derek, the attraction is intoxicating. In the events that follow, they both find themselves in great danger.
The book is written very well, and there’s something charming about this story as well. I really did like it.
The Money Man
The Consultants Series #1
Nancy Herkness
https://www.facebook.com/nancyherknessauthor/
Release date 04/14/2020
Publisher Montlake
Blurb :
She’s small-town business. He’s Manhattan high finance. Together they ignite in a novel about unexpected love and danger by Nancy Herkness, award-winning author of the Wager of Hearts series.
New Jersey bookkeeper Alice Thurber has a carefully constructed risk-free life. Everything in perfect balance. Until little discrepancies show up in her clients’ accounts. Most would ignore it. Not the impeccably precise Alice. In desperation she reaches out to a high-powered consulting firm for help. New York City’s movie-star handsome financial wizard Derek Killion reaches back. All he has to do is smile and Alice’s fantasies stir. A girl can dream, can’t she?
A cofounder of KRG, Derek’s promise is to advise small-business owners in trouble. He never guessed that assisting the diffident but sexy Alice would be so captivating and make it so hard to keep his desires in check. But just as intriguing is the alarming puzzle behind the computer glitch that’s unsettled his client. As the investigation unfolds, they must also confront an attraction too palpable to ignore. Every new dark twist they follow is only bringing them closer together—in passion and in danger.
My review :
Will a bookkeeper working hand in hand with an accountant find her happily ever after when her life’s securities are shattered…
I do remember when I meet Mrs Nancy Herkness in Paris two years ago, she took part in a discussion about billionaires being the contemporary duke, and with the heroine dreaming of the hero as an imaginary duke, it is like reading a continuation of this talk.
Alice is an heroine like I love them, strong, resilient with some insecurities but able to stand for herself. Like me, she is addicted to Historical romance, well minus the billionaire mogul in close range.
Derek, despite his movie star’s good look, is no womanizer, he is more devoted to his business than anything else. But the more time passes, the more he feels unsatisfied. Why he subjected to offer free help and council to small business. So when Alice’s demand popped up, he nearly dismissed it as it being nothing, a fifteen minutes problem to solve.
From their first encounter, their chemistry reached the heights, and from there, they quickly cross the bridge, each stunned by the other, unable to let it go.
I loved to see them learning about one another, to win each other trust , growing in the other’s heart and soul. The background plot added to build up the tension, until it reached its peak.
Like the Wager of Heart series, it introduces I suppose the protagonists of the books to come, and I can’t wait to see what scenario Mrs Herkness will drag them in.
One thing is sure, the author did not disappoint, as unusual, a 5 stars story.
I was granted an advance copy by the publisher Montlake, and preordered my own. Here is my true and unbiased opinion.
https://www.facebook.com/429830134272830/posts/595934917662350/?d=n
Two work-focused, numbers people, who happen to be super sexy, smart, and protective of the ones they love, are thrown together in this fast-moving, heartfelt, and sensuous tale.
I was hooked from the beginning and fell in love with both characters as they were introduced. So often, it takes a while to warm up to characters, or figure out what drives them. Herkness gets right to the point, by both delivering scenarios that showcase the heroine and hero and writing beautiful descriptions that create a vision for each character and immerse the reader in the scenes.
In addition, Herkness introduces a mystery and a hint of danger, compelling the reader to read through the night. Add in wonderful, fully developed secondary characters, and before I finished the first, I was already looking forward to the next books in the series.
If you love alpha males who are strong enough to recognize a woman who can save them, this book is for you. And finding a heroine who can meet her match, but doesn’t quite know her strength and beauty yet, makes this story one you won’t want to put down.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.
For a book about two accountants this was way more exciting than I was expecting. The intrigue behind the discrepancies and the investigation had me pretty hooked to the story.
The characters were a bit of fresh air as well. Despite both main characters being accountants, we didn’t get the typical nerdy characters. I really liked that. They both still displayed some typical characteristics, more in the heroine than the hero but it was nice to see that they weren’t a copy cat.
Derek is portrayed as very good looking but he didn’t have the typical playboy behavior that came with that. Alice did have a big passion for regency romance and had two cats, but she was also not shy and had girlfriends she hung out with.
Plus we got a few side characters that added interest to the story. I liked them enough that I would love to see a story for each of them.
Overall, a fun read!
The Money Man by Nancy Herkness a five-star read that will bring all the money to the yard. This is the first novel in the Consultants series, and I am excited for the rest of the series. My goodness this was my first read by this author, but it certainly won’t be the last the passion that leaps of the page is palpable. This was such a compelling story, there is a mystery to keep you interested and will keep you guessing, then when you add how great the characters of Derek and Alice they just bring the story alive.