In this edgy, sizzling romance for fans of Monica Murphy and Abbi Glines, a bad boy shows a straitlaced law student how to slow down and savor the good things.
Everly Parker is about to graduate from law school, always busy, and can’t stop rushing through life. Her late grandmother left her a bucket list of meaningful, can’t-miss experiences, but she hasn’t completed a single one. Then searing-hot Max Levin bursts into her world. As a casting director for a porn production company, Max is loaded, cocky, and all wrong for Everly. Still, she’s tempted enough to cross the first item off her list: Go out with someone you’d never give the time of day.
Inheriting a porn empire isn’t every guy’s dream (well, actually, it probably is), but Max isn’t complaining. It’s just that until he meets Everly, he has no idea what he’s been missing. As the pressure mounts to take over the family business, Max can’t help wondering what would happen if he chose Everly instead. So far, his life has been a wild ride, but only Everly promises the greatest rush of all: love.
He might not be the man I should want, but maybe Max Levin was exactly the man I needed.
What a pleasant surprise this book was. If you’re looking at the blurb and thinking this is yet another fluffy book about bad boy meets straitlaced good girl, think again. This story and the characters had so much more depth to them than the cover and blurb leads you to believe. Having loved all of Gina’s Brazen titles, I didn’t think twice before deciding to read this book and what a great decision that was!
Everly Parker is the quintessential good girl. She’s as straitlaced as they come. Having grown up in the shadow of her parent’s success and constant pushing for perfection, she doesn’t know how to be any different. She’s pre-law and on her way to follow in her parent’s successful law footsteps. But deep down inside, in a part of her that she rarely listens to, something niggles her. Something that points to unhappiness and to question if law is what she really wants and what makes her happy. Having lost her nan, who was the only lively spirit in her family, she’s a little lost now. Especially since her nan left her one final letter before her passing; a letter that lists all the things that Everly should do. Something that would take her out of her comfort zone and perhaps leads her to the happiness that she truly craves.
Max Levin is the prince to a porn empire. But don’t let that description fool you. While he has the sizzling good looks, the charming personality, and enough money to keep him in designer clothes for years to come, there’s much more to his character. Max is the son to porn royalty. His mother was a famous porn star while behind the scenes she was an amazing mother, friend and wife. I loved the way that she was portrayed. There was nothing wrong with her and she was never ashamed of who she was. His father is the famous producer of one of the most successful porn production companies and Max stands to inherit it all. But while something like this should be every hot blooded man’s wet dream, Max isn’t fulfilled by it. He longs for something…more. And when he meets the beautiful but straitlaced Everly in a coffee shop while interviewing “talent” for his company’s next movie, he knows just what that something is. And when he spots Everly’s list, he knows just how to get it. He volunteers to help her complete it, starting with number 1, going out on a date with him, someone who she wouldn’t normally give the time of day to.
This was so much more about the sex, though. Max and Everly certainly don’t fall into bed together right away or even soon. Gina builds up enough sexual tension to really make it burn, and I for one, loved it. You really get to know both the characters before the sex enters the picture. You get to care for them, understand them and what makes them tick. That’s not to say that these two don’t burn up the sheets together once they finally get together.
It was absolutely fantastic.
This was so different from anything I’ve read by this author before, and I loved it. I enjoyed everything about it; the story, the secondary characters, the romance. While it wasn’t that unforgettable all encompassing 5 star read, it was the perfect light and steamy and solid 4 star one. I really hope to see a book for Ben next because that set up was absolutely delicious.
If you’re looking for a NA romance that’s full of heat but never lacking on story, you need to check this one out!
