ARC Review: The Billionaire's Holiday Engagement by jenna Bayley-Burke (Invested In Love Series)

Title: The Billionaire’s Holiday Engagement

          (Invested In Love Series)

Author: Jenna Bayley-Burke

Release Date: October 9, 2017 (ARC)

Publisher: Entangled Publishing ~ Indulgence

Category: Contemporary Erotic Romance

Type: Digital/Paperback

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Jenna Bayley-Burke Website

Blurb:

Venture capitalist Cameron Price is a workaholic and great at his job, but his boss is convinced Cam needs a more balanced life. A wife on his arm would prove Cam’s the right man to take over the company. When a gorgeous caterer cooks up the perfect event and catches Cam’s eye, he proposes an innovative arrangement they’ll both benefit from.

Lauren Brody knows Cam’s plan is crazy, but pretending to be his fiancée will allow her access to networking at events she’d never get into otherwise. It could be just the break she needs to get her catering business on the map and book the kind of clients she’s always dreamed of cooking for.

If she can convince Mr. Buttoned Up Tight to have some unscheduled fun along the way, theirs could be a perfect arrangement.

Favorite Line(s):

“Turns out she can’t be with a man who doesn’t own an espresso machine and an ice cream maker. Do you know where I’d get those?”  ~  Cameron

Dialogue Highlight:

“Accounting will be calling you tomorrow to set up an account to cater our lunch meetings. Don’t even think about messing with my lunches.”

“Cameron, you don’t have to use us for all your lunches.” Lauren scooped the pasta onto her plate. “I sent you the flyer to be funny. You weren’t calling, just passing notes like a fifth grader, so I stooped to your level.”

“What were you trying to say? You’d rather have my business than gifts?”

“I was trying to offend you and get you to call me. Didn’t work.”

He shifted in his seat. “No, mission accomplished.”

“Don’t do that.”

“What am I doing?”

“Making me feel guilty. I needed to set a precedent. I want you to talk to me, rather than telling me not to worry my pretty little head about it and shower me with roses. Send me roses because you’re thinking of me, not as a bargaining chip.”

“I didn’t know what you might say after the way I acted.” He studied her response to his admission, seeing only the attraction he’d misread that night. Maybe he hadn’t misread her at all.

“You know”—Lauren held her fork in the air, a piece of pasta speared in the tines—“as I remember it, there were two people in that kitchen.”

“And one of them ran away.”

“We needed to talk, and if I would have stayed, there wouldn’t have been any conversation going on. Besides, I don’t do regrets, and I didn’t know you well enough to be sure I wouldn’t regret it later.” She seemed to notice the pasta on her fork for the first time. “You need to eat something.”

His stomach growled in agreement. “Have you considered my proposal? Continuing the arrangement until I’m more firmly established here?”

“That is your proper proposal, Cameron?” She set her fork down with an exaggerated grown. “Fine. I’ll play along on two conditions. One, you at least try to eat better. And two, we play this out and see where it goes.”

“Play what out?” His pulse thudded in his ears. Did he dare?

“This sizzle in the air, that kiss from the other night, the way I shiver when you look at me. You like me, I like you. We enjoy each other. Let’s see where it goes.”

Cameron swallowed hard.

Excerpt:

By reading any further, you are stating that you are at least 18 years of age.

If you are under the age of 18, please exit this site.

“Are there any leftovers?”

Caught off guard Lauren blinked, and then shook her head. Of course he wasn’t going to kiss her. She was the one with naughty thoughts. Which had to stop right now, so she could focus on finding out what was going on.

Stepping around him, she pulled open the refrigerator and took out the plastic containers, setting them on the counter.

“I’m not sure if there’s anything you’re willing to eat. You certainly didn’t touch your food at dinner.”

“That’s because I was busy working and everything required too much attention to eat without looking.”

She leveled her gaze at him. “If you would have returned my calls, I could have planned a menu you would eat. At a get-to-know-you dinner you should serve your favorite foods.”

“Yeah. Macaroni and cheese from a box would have been a big hit with that crowd.” He grabbed for the bag containing the eight-grain rolls and pulled one out.

“That’s what you eat? Food from a box?” She shook her head, watching as he ripped the roll in half and shoved in a slice of the beef tenderloin.

“Pretty much. Cereal, macaroni and cheese, frozen pizza, and Chinese take-out.”

Poor baby. She could help him. Expand his palate. “You should try a little of the Gorgonzola sauce to moisten the bread.”

Cameron wrinkled his straight nose and set down his impromptu sandwich. “Make it for me.”

“Excuse me?”

“If you think you can do better, have at it.”

“Fine.” Spinning around, she grabbed one of the dinner knives from the drawer, then turned back to prepare the best damned sandwich Cameron Price had ever had. Eight grain roll, gorgonzola sauce, spinach leaves and marinated onions from the salad. Eat that, smart mouth. “What would you like me to serve at the next dinner? I don’t want to serve another meal you push around the plate.”

He chomped into the roll. His head tilted to the side as he chewed and pondered the question. “I don’t like anything I have to slice or look at too closely. Simple, so the focus is the meeting and not the food.”

He had to be kidding. “You want me to make food no one will notice.”

“Exactly. Potatoes are okay. But not those.” He pointed at the plastic container with the roasted potatoes. “They have rosemary on them, so people will worry about getting it in their teeth.”

“I could never be with someone who thinks food should be invisible and tasteless.”

“Do you want to be with me, Lauren?” Cameron reached around her, pulling a bottle of water out of the fridge. “Is that why you’re making a list of reasons you can’t be?” He drained the bottle, his Adam’s apple undulating with every heavy second. He set down the empty bottle and his lip curled in a grin.

“Well?”

“I’m just saying.” Lauren took a deep breath, trying to sound light and nonchalant. “People who know me would never believe I’d be with someone who refused to eat what I prepare.”

“But does it matter? If I’m going to explain everything anyway?” He tilted his head to the side. Earlier his hair had been perfectly combed, but now it flopped onto his forehead, accenting his heavy-lidded eyes. Bedroom eyes, really.

“Here’s the thing.” She pasted on a smile, wishing she weren’t deeply distracted by his nearly naked body. “I think we should break up.”

Review:

Lauren Brody is, arguably, he best caterer available. Her attention to detail and flavorful food is in high demand. She has several, big business, repeat customers and one of them is the boss of Cameron Price. She saw him a couple of years ago at a party, but never learned his name. Struck by is amazing body and striking blue eyes, he quickly becomes the object of many fantasies. But Cameron is now about to take over the company and so she is now catering for him. His boss is pressuring him to find a wife to help him with his success, but he isn’t interested in long term. When Cameron asks Lauren to play along as his girlfriend/caterer, she can’t help but go along with the ploy. It couldn’t hurt to indulge a little. She’s been hurt just as much as he has, so protective walls will help her to keep from getting caught up in those sensual blue eyes.

Cameron Price is a very rich, very successful, very determined man. When his boss insists he find a wife before taking over the company, the wheels start turning. The obvious choice is to fake it since he won’t be getting married – ever! But his pretend romance with Lauren quickly turns in to an uncontrollable desire that neither of them can resist. Problem is that the longer they pretend, the closer they get and the more it looks as if they are evenly matched. But getting beyond the self-imposed barriers is a challenging task after years of cultivation. And after Cameron searches his heart, following a near disaster that could cause him to lose Lauren, he implements a plan for the most memorable holiday ever.

This story was crazy hot and super cute! I loved that both Lauren and Cameron are equals in pretty much every way, but that their differences ultimately complement one another. The secondary characters added depth and were also enjoyable – though not as quite as enjoyable as the two leads. My only issue was the scene with tantric sex. I’ve heard of it, but not sure I buy in to it, so that seemed a little off for me. However, I was quite entertained by everything else in the book. I found Lauren funny and quirky – always saying things about how she could never be with a man that (insert objection here). My favorite line in fact revolved around such a scenario when she had said she could never be with a man who didn’t own an espresso machine or ice cream maker. It’s part of her defense mechanism, in which she shoots down potential suitors by making them unacceptable in some way, but hilarious none the less. Cameron is a very up front, no nonsense, in your face kind of person – but also uptight. He takes his job extremely seriously and won’t so much as eat when in dinner meetings. Fearful of something stuck in his teeth, bad breath, or even crumbs on his clothes, anything distracting from his purpose is not allowed. Lauren even thinks that he dislikes food, which is also a silly scenario. If you are looking for an HEA with a slight holiday twist (or not, it is in fact slight), strong lead characters with a couple of quirky and exasperating friends, all surrounded by some seriously hot sex … look no further. This quick read is guaranteed to satisfy!

Kindle version provided by NetGalley/Entangled in exchange for an honest review.