I never imagined I’d hit rock bottom. To be honest, the only thing I expected less was him. From the moment our eyes met across the zucchini, something woke in me and started dusting away the cobwebs I’d let gather around my heart. Not that there was anything loveable about the guy. He was gentle as a scorpion when I met him, and his venomous words stung me more than once. Which was fine. Really. … once. Which was fine. Really. Detesting him made it easier to do my job. Easier to sleep at night.
But it was all a front, a costume, a lie. He’d simply been a beast for so long he didn’t know how to stop stomping around his castle, his grudges clanging behind him like a rusted ball and chain.
Yet even the most hardened men can change. Even the most stubborn can learn to admit when they’re wrong.
Not that Ash was wrong very often. At least, not when it came to me.
And now I feel hopeful again. Beautiful. Enchanted.
All because of a beast.
The Other Brother is a sizzling, STAND-ALONE romantic comedy for grown-ups who still believe in fairy tales
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This love story is like a fairytale. Rich but scrounge guy meet girl in trouble in a grocery store. But it’s so much more. Piper and Ash will help each other find happiness and love. They fill fight their own demons and insecurities and will get through all of this and surfacing stronger together. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily review it.
I really enjoyed this book. I really loved Ash and Piper together.
Disclaimer: This review MAY contain spoilers. I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.
Oh my glob, you guys, this book! I loved this book! I honestly wasn’t that impressed by the cover or the title of the book but the synopsis caught my attention. I am so glad that I took a chance on this book.
This book immediately hooked me. I was rooted in this story from the very start like a caffeine addict that can’t quit coffee. The writing was excellent. It had the perfect flow and the author’s writing style was easy to read.
I loved this plot. I was totally invested in it. It was crafted wonderfully. The circumstances in the book make for excellent twists and turns in the story. I loved the way that things played out. I also liked that although this was a billionaire romance, the focus was on the characters. Some billionaire romance can seem totally unrealistic, at least in my opinion. This book is an example of the perfect way to incorporate that angle and make things believable.
These characters were so delightful! I felt that Piper’s character was more developed than Ash’s character was. I loved her. She had ambitions and goals, she worked hard, and she was a survivor. Her character was truly inspirational. I liked Ash too. He was a broody, assertive, and damn sexy. It was obvious that he had a bog heart deep down even though there was something that was clearly haunting him. Piper definitely had her own demons and I loved seeing them both work through their issues while falling in love.
This romance was so perfect. It was sexy, steamy, and full of love. The way that they come together through circumstance, admiration, and finally by their choice. Their romance was both hot and inspiring. Hot because their sexual chemistry was off the charts and inspiring because they really were a perfect match for each other.
Overall, I couldn’t have been more happy with this book! I definitely recommend this one. This is my first book from this author but I will be going back to the previous books in this series for sure.
The Other Brother was the last book in a weeklong romance binge. Yes, I binge-read a ton of romance novels over the past week. I thought that The Other Brother would be the perfect end for this marathon. And it was. I enjoyed reading it.
The Other Brother’s plot was simple. Piper is a chef who is down on her luck. Forced to drop out of culinary school, she works two jobs. One at a sleazy diner and the other for a catering service. Due to circumstance beyond her control, she is forced to live with her ex-fling, who is the diner owners son. He abuses Piper. Piper meets Ash at an upscale grocery store she goes to unwind/escape. After that humorous encounter, Piper meets Ash at an event she’s catering for. Ash makes Piper a job offer that she can’t refuse: Become his live-in chef. What both Piper and Ash don’t expect is them falling for each other. Can their love overcome everything that life throws at them?
I liked Piper. She was trying her best to go forward in her chosen career, but it seemed life was determined to keep her down. She endured so much in those first few chapters. She was working horrific hours to pay bills and keep herself fed. Her roommate emotionally and physically abused her. She was starving. So I was glad when she remet Ash at the function, and he offered her a job. I was thrilled that she had a safe place to live and she could eat!! I liked that she wasn’t afraid to tell Ash where to go. I was surprised at specific things that were revealed about her, later in the book. My heart broke for her.
Ash was a grump the entire book. At first, I was put off, but as the book went on, I found out that there was a reason for his grumpiness. Ash had been hurt by his ex-fiance and best friend. He figured the best way to deal with his pain was to shut everyone out, which worked fine until he met Piper. His grumpiness, which did bother me at the beginning of the book, became an endearing character flaw.
Piper was Ash’s chef. He tried his hardest not to blur the lines. I loved watching him fall for her. The deal was sealed when he came to her aid at the supermarket. That was when I knew he had fallen for her. Piper falling for Ash was as impressive. Like Ash, she tried her hardest not to blur the employee/employer lines. She didn’t want to lose her job if things fell apart.
Ash and Piper had major sexual chemistry. From the moment they first met, it was crackling between them. So, I wasn’t surprised when that chemistry translated into hot sex scenes. I had to put my Kindle down a couple of times; they were that hot!!
The Other Brother can be read as a stand-alone book. The author does have the characters from the other books make an appearance in this one. But, and this is important, she doesn’t have those characters overwhelm the book. Instead, they make small cameos and then leave. I loved it!!!
The end of The Other Billionaire was great. I loved that Piper was able to achieve her dream and Ash was able to let the past go. It was the perfect ending for the book.
I really like the premise and the fact that it worked well within the storyline. Ash and Piper were a hoot to read and watch there story build to the climax it was. ASH was I thought not the Beast (even though he appeared to have characteristics that may have seemed beastly) everyone thought he was as he was a likable and trustworthy family guy in my book. Especially with his sister and her daughter. I liked that he was not over blown or pompous in any way and was written as being down to earth. Piper well she was a different breed for me she wasn’t like timid and shy when she meets him she was just being herself but I know she HAD that OH WOW moment. It was caught in their banter between each other and it felt really beautiful and natural. I loved this story and I know you will like this too.
Hazel Kelly is a new author to me. I found her through an ARC service, as I received an ARC of this book, The Other Brother, for an honest review. I love to find new authors to me especially when they have written a book that I’ve fallen in love with. And that is the case of The Other Brother. I fell quickly in love with Piper and Ash.
Obviously, it would have been nice to have read the other books in her line up of books. Kelly throws around the names of other characters whom she has introduced in other books in The Other Brother. However, not knowing these other characters well did not influence Piper and Ash’s story in the least. The other characters come in as investors for Piper’s restaurant. Yet, it isn’t important to know their back stories to understand the essence of The Other Brother: in order to love, one must first be loved and cherished.
I love a grumpy, alpha hero. If you check out my other reviews on my blog or Amazon, you will note that alpha heroes “make my day.” Ash is that guy. He is so incredibly particular that he cannot keep a personal chef and housekeeper in his home. To say that the guy is anal is an understatement. Even more, he places high expectations on just about everyone except his sister and niece. His constant sense of displeasure in everyone else is charming in a weird way. He simply knows what he likes, he expresses it to the person, and he hopes they get it right. If they don’t, then he looks for the person who can provide it. Underneath that grumpy, critical exterior, though, is a man who has been dealt pain. That pain complicates his characterization, making him a perfect compliment to Piper.
Like Ash, Piper too has endured pain. However, she handles it by running away and throwing herself into her work. At the beginning of the story, her life has been put on hold for purposes of survival. She endures abuse, both emotional and physical, and horrific working hours to avoid starving (which she does anyways).
Enter Ash, the billionaire. From their meet cute, he is intrigued by her. Their chemistry writes itself off the page, and eventually, Ash hires her to be his personal chef.
What I love about their relationship is the way in which Ash seeks to build up Piper. It’s a necessary role for him, and it’s what endears me to him. Yes, he’s gruff and critical and, sometimes, mean. However, it’s imperative to his character that Piper learns to love herself so she can live for herself. In the midst of teaching her self-love, Ash falls for her, breaking down the walls around his heart.
From the outset, I loved this couple so much. Even when they struggle, there is something special about their love for each other. When Ash finally accepts his love for Piper, it develops into the type of relationship that you love in a romance.
After The Other Brother, I know I will be reading more from Hazel Kelly. Her style, characterizations, and story grab you and keep you engaged all the way through the epilogue. And while you’re engaged, she offers us a lesson on the nature of the human condition: love to be loveable.
Ash is the typical billionaire bachelor man, he spends him money how he wants, and he wants someone that can cook. A trip to the grocery store changes his world, Ash is rather gruff and is not used to people just coming up to him, let alone telling him what he should do. So when Piper confronts him in the veggie section of the store, telling him he is purchasing the wrong zucchini, he is pleasantly surprised, but before he can utter a word, she is out of his reach.
Piper is a woman with a passion for cooking, but in of a out of a very bad situation. A chance encounter at the grocery store and Piper is blinded by a man straight out of her fantasies. Later, after a call from work, she meets her mystery man again, but this time he is offering her a job.
Dive into the world of Ash and Piper and they learn to trust not only themselves again, but also each other. Both have pasts they want to forget, but with Ash’s trust issues ruin the new start that they both want? Will Piper ever reach her for her dreams? Are second chances even worth it?
This was such a pleasure read, interesting and memorial characters, funny little jokes and steamy scenes that will make you wish for your significant other and a quite place to hold up. A warming story of second chances and new found memories. A one-click buy for sure!
The fourth book in the Beta Brothers series a well written story that held my interest from cover to cover. I enjoyed reading Piper and Ash’s story. I received a copy of this book through Hidden Gems and I am voluntarily reviewing it.
The Other Brother was my first Hazel Kelly novel. Right about now I’m kicking myself, wondering what took me so long. Ash and Piper turn Cinderella and Prince Charming on their heads to create a more mature picture of what love can be. He’s nursing a broken heart. She’s searching for a soft place to land. Ash is a beast to get to know, but a pleasure to give your heart to. Piper is a work in progress. She stormed into my heart from the first and hasn’t let go since. It was love at first chapter and I can’t wait to read more.
This is an entertaining, well-written engaging and fun, slow-burn romance.
An interesting read.
I received a free copy of this book via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love the book blurb. It really sets the tone for this emotional, absorbing romance that hooked me from page one. Part of me wishes I had read book one of the series before reading this one because I would love to know more of what happened in Piper’s life that got her to this point but from the reviews I read it doesn’t sound as if she was the most likable character so maybe I am better off not knowing. In this book I find her to be a very sympathetic character and I liked her a lot. The same goes for Ash. They’ve both gone through some difficult times and maybe aren’t completely over the things that happened but they have enormous chemistry and they are amazing together. Hazel Kelly brought these characters to life for me and made me care deeply for them. This well-written, compelling love story really touched my heart and I loved it.
I am voluntarily reviewing an advance reader copy of this book.
What a sweet story – a down on her luck princess meets her grumpy Prince Charming! The Other Brother was the fourth book in Hazel’s Beta Brothers series. I was on the fence with the last book but she hooked me on this one. It was a fun and sexy read!
Ash first met Piper in the vegetable aisle and for some reason he couldn’t stop thinking about her. The second time he saw her he knew he couldn’t let her walk away. Would asking her to work for him be too much?
Piper was trying to make ends meet and not in the best place. When Ash came along and offered to help her out, was it to good to be true? Was he just like all the others?
Awe!! It was such a feel good story. A modern day fairy tale!
Absolutely loved The Other Brother, such a beautiful story to read from beginning to end. This story captures all the different emotions and especially those butterflies in your stomach kind of flutter…
Definitely a must read…
You received this ARC provided by the author/ publisher in exchange for an unbiased opinion. No type of compensation was made. There is no relationship/affiliation between the reviewer and the author/publisher.
I just love this Beta series. It is stated that can be read as a standalone, but I would read them in order. This is not Piper’s first time in this series and I think it is very important to read My Best Friend’s Ex: A New Adult College Romance (Beta Brothers Book 1) to really understand Piper. But if you don’t want to read the first book, you still could read this book and still love the story.
Piper is a down and out wanna be Chef. She works two jobs and lives with an abusive male roommate. Her dream is to open her own restaurant. In New York City? This could be a problem.
Ash is the handsome beast that has had his heart shattered in the past and is not the type to let anyone in or give second chances. He lives up in his beautiful penthouse and goes through personal Chefs like water.
One day at the grocery store a beautiful woman comes up to him to tell him how to pick out a zucchini. As they chat he sees the bruises on her arms. She sees him see the bruises and backs away.
A little while down the road he is at an art exhibit and wants to know about one of the appetizers. He hunts down the caterer and it is the same girl from the grocery store. They work out his issue with her appetizer and then he asks her to meet with him after she gets off work.
She meets with him, he offers her a job as a Personal Chef. She accepts the job and moves in with him.
I am going to stop now. I will give away spoilers for sure if I go on. Very great read, just the right amount of spicy sex scenes and a storyline you won’t want to put down.