Review: Bound To Her Fake Fiancé Boss by Hayson Manning

BOUND TO HER FAKE FIANCE BOSS
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Bound #2
Author: Hayson Manning
Release Date: February 28, 2021

Faking it never felt so real…

I’m a happy workaholic. She’s my sassy assistant. When I need a fake fiancée, she’s the perfect choice. What could go wrong in ten days…

I don’t do ‘I-do.’ Don’t believe in happy-ever-after. But to convince my grandmother I’m about to take the plunge, I must bring a “fiancée” to Montana. My heart might not be open, but my checkbook is. I agree to pay my sexy assistant, Asia Brown, to pose as my bride-to-be. She’s a level-headed professional who will get the job done. Or so I thought. When she openly flaunts my no-public-displays-of-affection rule, my grandmother’s not the only one convinced it’s the real deal. Every part of me from the neck down is totally sold.

When my broody billionaire boss offers me a six-figure bonus to pretend we’re engaged, I can’t refuse the opportunity to secure the funds to get my sister into rehab. And if there’s a little something left over to help me open my own dress shop, it’s a win-win. Determined to charm the grump out of him, I’m caught off-guard by how different Jason is away from spreadsheets and profit margins. And how real it feels when I’m in his arms.

When the stakes ramp up, can two opposites take a chance on love, or is faking it the only reality they have?

AMAZON 

I’m falling for my bossy, broody boss. What the hell have I done and become?

Office romance? CHECK
Grumpy, billionaire hero with a tortured past not looking for love? CHECK
Sassy, quirky heroine not afraid to speak her mind? CHECK
A swoon, sexy, feel good romance that had me turning the pages from beginning to end? CHECK AND CHECK

Now I’ll be the first to admit, reading the above summary makes the story sound a bit cliche, right? WRONG. You know when you have a story that can be like every other in the genre, but then there’s just a little magic to it that makes it different? Yep. This had it in spades. There was just this sizzle and spice to this that had me glued to the pages.

Jason Johnson is stone cold. He runs his business with an iron fist and doesn’t stop to count the casualties. Romance is the last thing he needs and his women never seem to make it past the 3 week mark with him even when they try.

Asia is his quirky assistant that somehow has made it where others have not and been tolerating his grumpy @ss. Though the paycheck certainly helps the crazy hours and lack of social life. She needs every dime she makes to get something her heart yearns for.

Jason doesn’t believe in love but needs to sell it to his grandmother who will sell his childhood home unless she sees him in a happy relationship. So what’s a man to do? Fake it and buy your secretary, of course.

What I absolutely loved about this story is the opposites attract vibe. Asia is vivacious and lovely and caring to Jason’s cold, unfeeling and brooding. Now in stories with a tortured hero who doesn’t believe in love, I really have to buy the why. And Jason’s past certainly did it. I understood why he was the way he was. I also loved watching him slowly but surely and unwittingly fall for his beautiful assistant.

The romance was sizzling and the story was addictive. And the grovel at the end? DELICIOUS!

If you’re looking for a marriage of convenience trope that will put a smile on your face from page one and keep it on there until the last one, READ THIS. And the set up for the rest of the brotherhood? GAH! SO GOOD. I love the friendship these men have and kept through the years that are full of dark secrets and pain. I NEED MORE!!

Review: Bound To The Bounty Hunter by Hayson Manning

Review-Bound To The Bounty HunterBOUND TO THE BOUNTY HUNTER
Series: Bound #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Hayson Manning
Release Date: July 18, 2016add-to-goodreads-button-2

Bound_to_the_Bounty_Hunter-Cover-Hayson-Manning

Harlan Franco, Colorado’s busiest bounty hunter, and security expert, lives by his rules: be in control, be detached, and never touch the asset. These rules are tested when the asset he’s being paid to secretly guard is none other than his rival, sexy, unpredictable, pain in the butt, Sophie Callaghan––a woman determined to stay away from him. If she finds out he’s in her life on an assignment, he’ll never get the info he needs. But those lips, those curves, that attitude, he bets he’ll have her for one night where she’ll play by his rules.

He didn’t expect his heart to have an opinion.

Freedom loving private investigator Sophie Callaghan is on a mission. The daughter of a con-artist is not going to be used by a man again. What she doesn’t need is hot, broody and controlling Harlan barging into her life and digging into her past. Her brain may say no, but her body craves this bad boy. After a night where both live their darkest desires, Sophie must fight their explosive chemistry because one wrong move could destroy her. She bets he has to stay far, far away.

As the stakes ramp up and secrets explode around them, both are determined to win the bet.

But there can only ever be one winner.

Buy LinksAMAZON | iBOOKSReview-DGR3.5 starsBound To The Bounty Hunter-DGR teaser

Number one rule of being on a guard and intel job:
Be detached.
Rule number two:
Be professional at all times.
Rule number three:
Don’t fuck the asset.

Well hot damn! Looks like I got myself a brand new series to stalk! Bound To The Bounty Hunter had a little bit of everything; broody and tortured hero, kick-ass sassy heroine, a little suspense and a whole lot of sexy!

I first fell in love with Hayson’s writing when I read Winning the Boss’s Heart a few years ago. I simply adored that book and I kept waiting (pretty impatiently) for this amazingly talented author to write another book. When I saw she’s coming out with this series, I was sold. When I saw the cover for it? I was drooling. But that’s neither here nor there.

So why is Sophie Callaghan sitting in a dark lit club watching a stranger have kinky sex with two blondes while thinking how to properly bug his table? She has a damn good reason. The daughter of a con man that left her with a lot of debts and even more guilt, Sophie is determined to write all of her father’s wrongs. But first she needs to figure out why the name of an infamous criminal was in the notebook her father left behind. The last person she needs to run into while on her stakeout is the ridiculously sexy bounty hunter that enrages her almost as much as he turns her on. Their brief history doesn’t help matter any either…

Harlan Franco is a successful bounty hunter. But what Sophie doesn’t know, is she’s his newest assignment. Sparks fly when these two go head to head!

I have to say I was super intrigued by the mystery and suspense at play here. I loved the chemistry between Harlan and Sophie and I loved all of the fun secondary characters that were introduced…especially the men Harlan works with (yum!)

Sophie is a tough chick, even if at times she’s too stubborn for her own good. At least she can back it up with her skills and take care of herself when she runs from Harlan determined to solve her own problems. Harlan is a broody, domineering, dirty talker. So basically exactly as I prefer my heroes.

This was a lot different from the other books I’ve read by Hayson. It’s a whole lot sexier and a little bit edgier. She’s definitely heading into some unchartered waters with this series and I can’t wait where it all leads. Admittedly, I got the sense that the author was a bit out of comfort zone while writing some of the sex scenes because they didn’t have a flow to them. Some of the encounters weren’t exactly awkward, but they felt rushed and almost stunted at times.

That being said, I still enjoyed the book immensely. And with the preview at the end of the mysterious character that will be getting his book next? NEED IT. While it may not have been the perfect 5 star read I was hoping for, it was a wholly satisfying one. It was exactly enough to hook me on the series and guarantee that I’ll be reading all the future books to come. I have a feeling once this author really comes into her own with this series, it’ll just get better and better! And I for one, can’t wait!

New Release Spotlight, Giveaway & Author Interview with @HaysonManning

Spotlight-Hayson Manning with DGR

Back in October of 2013, I read this one book called Winning The Boss’s Heart and fell in love with Hayson Manning’s writing. I’ve been not so subtly stalking the poor woman since in eager anticipation of any new books that she may have in the works for the future. So suffice it to say that when I saw that not only is she coming out with a bran new book called BOUND TO THE BOUNTY HUNTER, but it’ll be book one is a brand new sizzling BOUND series?

*cue pervy happy dance*

CYZ8w

Let’s just say I was VERY happy 😉

About The Book

Bound_to_the_Bounty_Hunter-Cover-Hayson-Manning

Harlan Franco, Colorado’s busiest bounty hunter, and security expert, lives by his rules: be in control, be detached, and never touch the asset. These rules are tested when the asset he’s being paid to secretly guard is none other than his rival, sexy, unpredictable, pain in the butt, Sophie Callaghan––a woman determined to stay away from him. If she finds out he’s in her life on an assignment, he’ll never get the info he needs. But those lips, those curves, that attitude, he bets he’ll have her for one night where she’ll play by his rules.

He didn’t expect his heart to have an opinion.

Freedom loving private investigator Sophie Callaghan is on a mission. The daughter of a con-artist is not going to be used by a man again. What she doesn’t need is hot, broody and controlling Harlan barging into her life and digging into her past. Her brain may say no, but her body craves this bad boy. After a night where both live their darkest desires, Sophie must fight their explosive chemistry because one wrong move could destroy her. She bets he has to stay far, far away.

As the stakes ramp up and secrets explode around them, both are determined to win the bet.

But there can only ever be one winner.

ADD IT TO GOODREADS | BUY IT ON AMAZON


Bound by The Bounty Hunter released today, and I’m beyond excited to have Hayson herself here at DGR to answer all of my questions and then some! Don’t miss the amazing giveaway for a chance to win a signed paperback of Winning The Boss’s Heart, a $15 Amzon GC and an ebook of Hayson’s brand new release! It will be posted on my Facebook page . I’ll make sure to post a link to it at the bottom of this post. Now without further ado, let’s get to the interview!


Author Interview

DGR: Hi Hayson! So happy to have you here at DGR today!

HM: Thank you so much for having me. I am thrilled to be here.

DGR: Let’s start with something easy. Can you introduce yourself to readers that may not have read your books yet?

HM: Hi everyone! My name is Hayson Manning and I write alpha dudes and feisty women who challenge them. I’m originally from New Zealand and now live in gorgeous Redondo Beach, California. I have two boys who speak in mysterious grunts and hub is known as The Fake Gordon Ramsay.

DGR: You have a super sexy new release coming up on July 18. Can you tell us a little more about that?

HM: Well, we’ve got Harlan Franco, Colorado’s busiest bounty hunter and security expert, who’s a little broody, a little controlling and has enough testosterone to fuel the NFL. He’s on a mission to protect his rival, sexy, unpredictable, pain in the butt, Sophie Callaghan. But if she finds out he’s in her life on an assignment, he’ll never get the info he needs. But those, lips, those curves, that attitude? He wants her for one night on his terms. Small problem. Sophie’s having none of it.

Private investigator and Young and the Restless addict, Sophie Callaghan, (don’t ask if she’s team Newman or Abbot – she won’t tell) does not need Harlan Franco in her life. He’s humiliated her once when she thought they had something going on. She was wrong. Way wrong. They engage in a dangerous cat and mouse game where Harlan bets he’ll have her for one night, while Sophie bets that he’ll stay away from her.

Both are determined to win the bet, but there can only ever be one winner.

DGR: What was your favorite scene to write in Bound to The Bounty Hunter?

HM: I really loved the scenes between Sophie, Annie and Gemma. They were the easiest to write. Who doesn’t want to drink margaritas, eat prunes wrapped in bacon and critique bad porn with girlfriends?

I totally loved the whole Vegas scene from the beginning at the airport with the bingo ladies talking about stuffing dollar bills into the Calvin Klein’s of the hottie walking toward them (Harlan). The bar scene where Sophie surprises Harlan big time (I loved that). Fun research!! Sophie’s realization of where their relationship sits with her and the explosive scene at the end.

DGR: What about your favorite scene to read?

HM: The last ‘Backyard Thursday’ scene. Oh, I laughed and cried (I do cry at Super bowl commercials so there is that.) I loved that scene. Grabs tissue.

DGR: Can you describe the hero, Harlan Franco, to us in a few words?

HM: Broody, protective, controlling, kind, compassionate, strong.

DGR: Bound to The Bounty Hunter has a little bit of everything; intrigue, suspense and a whole lot of sexy. What made you decide to write something so different from your other books?

HM: I was so freaking nervous that I couldn’t pull this story off. I was the crazy woman wandering around the neighborhood muttering like I was off my meds. I had an idea of where I wanted to go and my awesome editor, Lewis and I hammered out a story and I threw away my inhibitions and wrote. The central theme of family held the story together. Not necessarily blood relatives, but the people who come into your life that become your family.

If only Uncle Len buys it, I’ll be okay. I think I found my voice in this book and wrote the story I’ve always wanted to write, but was afraid to.

Actually, I don’t want Uncle Len to buy it. I’d never be able to look at him over the Christmas ham again.

DGR: I loved how bad-ass Sophie was. This is a woman that could kick butt and take names. Was it as much fun writing her as it was reading her?

HM: I am so glad you liked reading her. Thank you! (Do I need to pay you later?) It was fun writing Sophie who has to kick butt with the boys, but when she’s at home she’s messy, eats Pringles and catches up on Young and the Restless. I loved the two sides of her.

DGR: If you had to case Sophie and Harlan for a movie, do you have anyone in mind?

HM: Thank you for the hours I spent on the internet drooling over hot dudes. Yum.

I think Emma Stone would be an awesome Sophie. I love her. I’m always up for a Hemsworth for Harlan, but then who isn’t!! I do like Jake Gyllenhaal. He’s got the broody down. I’m sold.

DGR: What are your plans for the series because I have to admit I’m already salivating for the story on a few secondary characters…

HM: Oh, yay. I am excited you’re excited. (You’re not Uncle Len in disguise are you J)

Well, next up as you know is Dug and Arabella. I can’t wait to share what they get up to. Annie and Zeb or Gemma and Thor? Who would you want to see next?

DGR: Gotta say I’m pretty eager for Annie and Zeb’s book. The vibe between those two? Yowza! 

I absolutely LOVE the set up for this series and can’t wait for more. How many books are you planning on writing for it?

HM: I hope I get to write four books. That would be a dream. Though, I kind of have a soft spot for Pipe as well. I can see his story… (My publisher has no idea I have typed these words.)

DGR: Can we get a little taste for this book? Pretty please?

HM: Here’s a peak.

 

“Hello,” Sophie answered in a rusty voice.“This is Franco. We need to meet. How long would it take you to get here?”

“I’m not meeting you. Go away.” She ended the call and flopped back on the bed.

Her sluggish brain started to jog into life. Did he know about the recording? Had he followed her last night?

Crap.

Fully awake, she threw back the covers and stumbled to the bathroom where she had a shower, a quick shampoo, and an even quicker condition. She slapped on her favorite raspberry-scented body butter, brushed her teeth, then pulled her wet hair into a band.

Her home phone roared to life.

She ignored it for ten rings but, worried it might be Titus in trouble, she picked up the receiver, keeping silent.

“Did you hang up on me?” Harlan’s clipped voice made her smile.

“New experience I gather.”

“How long would it take you to get here or I’ll come to you.”

She clutched the cordless phone while dashing around the room, pulling on her boots. “It’s illegal to obtain an unlisted number. I could have you charged and arrested.”

His voice purred. “The strangest thing, I found your number on a piece of paper you left for me last night at Hostage.”

Her blood started a slow boil. “I swear to God, if you were standing in this room I’d squeeze the life out of you, and no jury would convict me.”

Amusement softened his sexy voice. “You’re into dirty talking this early in the morning? Interesting.”


Intrigued? You should be! I was lucky enough to read an ARC of this deliciousness and I’m already hooked!

Want to connect with Hayson? She loves to hear from her readers!

You can Email her or find her on Facebook and Twitter. Don’t forget to check out her blog too!

Want more? Hayson was generous enough to offer a SIGNED PAPERBACK of WINNING THE BOSS’S HEART and a $15 Amazon GC! I’ll be gifting an ebook of Bound To The Bounty Hunter! That’s three chances to win and three winners in total! *ENTER HERE*

 

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