| Title | : | Saving the CEO (49th Floor, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1633751309 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781633751309 |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 251 |
| Publication | : | First published October 20, 2014 |
Luckily for Jack, Cassie James isn’t really his employee. She’s a hot bartender who just happens to be the math genius he needs, and if they share a wicked chemistry? Well, that's just a sexy little perk. So they strike a deal: Cassie helps Jack with the merger. And until the deal goes through at Christmas, they can indulge every sexy little impulse they desire. But the more rules Jack makes, the more he seems to break...
Saving the CEO (49th Floor, #1) Reviews
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I often rate books 3.5 stars, and I often round up instead of down. Although I was somewhat torn here, I had to round up after reading gems like this:
"By the time he rapped on her door, her vagina was panting. There was no other way to describe it. He was Pavlov; her vagina was the dog."
Saving the CEO features things that I typically dislike in romance: billionaires, insta-lust, and the silliest of silly misunderstandings. But I quite enjoyed this book, and I credit Jenny Holiday’s sharp writing, the story's quirky charm, and a fantastic heroine in Cassie, an aspiring mathematician who is bartending her way through school and wants to start a math camp for girls.
Despite the title, this is not your ordinary CEO romance. And for me, that was a very good thing.
Read for SBTB January - March 2019 Quarterly Challenge: A book with a bartender character. -
Don't be fooled by the silly title, nor by the tags under which this book is categorised. This is not Chick Lit, it's not NA (the heroine is 29, the hero 37), and definitely has no BDSM elements in it. It's steamy but not overwhelmingly so.
This is the deliciously cute story of Cassie, a bartender at night, student of Maths at day, and the slightly emotionally stunted Jack, real estate mogul. I fully expected another boring millionaire/billionaire vs poor girl Cinderella story, and to a certain extent it is exactly that. But the author managed to create interesting characters who go beyond the 'naive/innocent' and 'alphamale' stereotypes. Yes, Cassie is rather inexperienced with men, and yes, Jack blabbers the usual 'only hookups, nothing serious' lines. And yet, the author surprised me with two very likable characters who come with emotional baggage which explains who they are now, but doesn't determine who they are going to be.
Cassie has reached a point in her life where she knows she needs to move forward, or she may end up as a Lifer behind the bar. But she's a positive, strong and confident woman who can be vulnerable without being too hung up on her situation. Toward the end of the book Cassie was a little too perfect, but not annoyingly so. Jack shows all the signs of the typical alphamale: self-made millionaire, good looking, averse to relationships, no more than one night with a woman, used to getting his way. To my surprise, however, he isn't. He's simply too focused on work, doesn't want any distractions (and women are distractions) but he's also kind and considerate when need be. It's good fun to watch him break all the rules he set up for women. Cassie is just the kind of woman who will keep him on his toes.
Saving the CEO (God, the title!) is not perfect, but it doesn't have to be. There were moments when I had to suspend my disbelief a little but not to the point where I got annoyed. And anyway, we're in Romancelandia. I liked their chemistry, their dialogues, the story flows easily and there's enough irony to play with the genre-typical elements:By the time he rapped on her door, her vagina was panting. There was no other way to describe it. He was Pavlov; her vagina was the dog. Okay, not the best metaphor maybe, but she hadn’t even laid eyes on him yet and things were… happening.
I finished the book with a smile, and I'm now well into the second one. It's cute. Actually I was a little relieved - what with my penchant for picking disastrously horrible books - that this one turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I'm still wondering about the labels for Saving the CEO though...who came up with those? -
Is it me? Is it us?
First off, I wanted an actual billionaire romance but I sorta guess I got something better. And I enjoyed the book just fine. But I wanted the escapism, man. So yes, to the hero going down in the heroine in the alley, but meh to these two hardworking individuals actually working and mostly communicating. So annoying.
It's a 3.5, because it's well worth a read, kinda erotic in the beginning, teeming with sex scenes and likeable enough characters. There's some other issues going on that give the characters nice depth. It's also a 3.5 because I'll probably not remember it well even though it was fairly well written. -
Cassie is a part-time college student who works as a bartender. She is a math major and is really good with numbers. Jack is the CEO of his own company and is having a little problem at work and he needs Cassie's help with some math. Cassie is strong and sweet, she doesn't let anything hold her back. Jack avoids relationships and focuses on work. Cassie is a little curvy, not a thin "ballerina" type. Jack is instantly drawn to her. I love, love, love these two characters together. The chemistry between these two characters is amazing from the moment they meet. I loved this story, from start to finish I did not want to put this book down. It's low on the angst, low on drama but has just enough to keep the book interesting. There are some really hot, sexy scenes but there was also a real sweetness between these characters. I really loved this book, the characters and the writing. I look forward to reading more by this author. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a sweet, sexy romance!!
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review** -
2.5 stars
Not too terrible for a freebie, but nothing special either.
An extra half star because the CEO wasn't into BDSM. -
Good storyline.
Likable characters.
POV from all parties.
I loved how the book portrayed from the start how taken the hero was with the heroine.
Minimal angst. -
Saving the CEO was an enchanting romance novel that I need more of in my life!
This week has been busy and full of homework, work, assignments, tests and everything else that comes along with being a college student. When I finally finished my week, I wanted something nice, light and fun to read and Saving the CEO was the perfect fit.
This book follows Cassie, a Canadian university student and bartender, and Jack, a successful CEO of a successful company. These two start off with a "no strings attached" relationship, and of course things get more complicated as the story goes forward. The mixture of romance and plot in this story is perfect, being about 60:40 of romance to plot. I found the plot line of Cassie assisting with Jack's company's finances a unique and intriguing idea and I think it was done exceptionally well!
That being said, pros and cons time!
Pros:
1. This book is fast paced and kept me thoroughly addicted. I was really disappointed that I had to put the book down and wait a day to finish it, but that's life for you.
2. Lovable characters! I normally HATE the alpha male, rich guy stereotype but Jenny made me LOVE Jack. I want my own Jack now - rich, caring, handsome...
3. Lighthearted, comedic moments were everywhere in this book! I'm glad Jenny didn't take this book too seriously - she did play with some romance tropes and used silly metaphors which made this book so much better!
Cons:
1. This isn't a book con, this is a website problem. This book is listed as BDSM and New Adult on some websites - it's not. It's an adult romance with really sexy erotica in it. That might mislead people.
2. The story had a typical romance narrative, which some readers might not like. I didn't mind it at all, I quite enjoyed being able to sink my teeth into this book and escape the world.
3. Some of the plot points just magically happened at the perfect timing. That gets on my nerves a little when I read books like that, but the author had to get there somehow so I do understand WHY it happens... That doesn't mean I have to enjoy it though.
4. We are meant to not like a certain character, and I didn't hate him that much... He seemed misunderstood. I'm guessing a future novel might be in the works for him?...
Overall, this book is cute and addicting! I definitely want to read more by Jenny Holiday since I am OBSESSED with her fun, romantic writing! Hopefully I'll be able to pick up more of her books soon!
Five out of five stars
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. -
This really is just so cute! I never read CEO books, because that whole "poor little rich boy" thing doesn't usually work on me. But I made an exception for this one. Author Jenny Holiday is also @TropeHeroine on Twitter, which is a wry wink at the archetypes of romance. So I new this author's book would be funny and intelligent.
And I was not disappointed!
This is NOT a fake-girlfriend-or-fiance-or-whatever book. In a clever twist, it's a hook-up-posing-as-finance-guru book! So that is just plain adorable. I love it when a trope is turned on its ear. Especially because the hero wasn't masterfully good at everything, which humanized him.
So well done! Even the antagonist had layers.
There isn't much angst here, because the stakes aren't super high. But this is a solid debut and a fun holiday read. You will not be sorry. -
This is a super charming contemporary romance with a wonderful smart self assured heroine and an uptight sexy as hell hero.
What makes this book grand is that it is funny and that there are real aches to each character as well as details that make them complex.
I believe in the love story.
The outside conflicts are well down with a bit of fantasy in the resolutions that is winning.
This is a sexy as hell book too.
There is a little dumb moment towards the end and a clinging to some ideas that hold the book back from being a five star but overall so very good! -
"A Little Exercise in Breaking Rules"
This quote from the book should have been the title of this contemporary gem by Jenny Holiday. If not for a positive review by a friend, I would have bypassed this book simply because of the title and the trope. I'm bored by billionaires. Books about them rarely make it into my TBR pile. However, this one had a blurb that caught my attention and a sample featuring likable and approachable lead characters that made me want to read more.
Jack is the CEO in question. You immediately get the sense that although aloof he is a hardworking, good guy who is surprised by his sudden and crazy attraction for the smart and efficient bartender at his regular haunt, where he works while eating dinner three nights a week. It was amusing how his mind repeatedly wandered into Smutlandia whenever he saw the voluptuous Cassie, and then he would give himself a mental shake to get back to the present.
"She was carrying too much, hugging an armful of bottles....He had a sudden vision of her doing the same thing naked. The bottles would compress her ample breasts, and as they slid down her body, those breasts would bounce back to their pertly rounded shape. Jesus. Stop it."
Jack had it bad for Cassie. I liked how he first notices her out of a mutual appreciation for good scotch. It was a very ordinary interaction, and then the attraction on both sides builds exponentially from there. Holiday writes these early scenes with perfect, careful detail. After a couple of chapters, I was totally sold on following the romance of these two unlikely people. Luckily, Holiday enhances the romance with a little more plot regarding a merger, an embezzlement and Jack needing the impressive mathematical skills of non-traditional college student Cassie. It is far-fetched, but I didn't care since it meant that Cassie and Jack spend nearly every minute of the book together.
They both had some baggage but were characters with a high degree of integrity and work ethic. They were genuinely nice people and it was fun watching them fall in love. The love scenes were hot and frequent, but it stayed curiously tasteful because every once in a while a scene faded to black. Sometimes it was all laid out there, but sometimes it wasn't. Plus, Jack and Cassie were just SO DARN NICE. Loved 'em. I am off to pick up another 49th Floor Novel by Jenny Holiday. -
There are generally several common features to romances that star billionaire CEOs. Overwhelmingly, the CEO is the hero, not the heroine. There's also better than average chance that he's into BDSM (and he's the top, natch). He probably doesn't actually do all that much work over the course of the novel and, since it's a romance, he's brilliant, confident, gorgeous and fantastic in bed. Chances are the heroine of these novels will be young, naive and will probably eventually end up working for him in some capacity by the end of the book. So it pleases me when I find a CEO romance like Saving the CEO, which pokes playfully at a lot of these standard features.
Jenny Holiday is a new author whose debut Saving the CEO has much to recommend it. The CEO is still our hero, and he's still gorgeous and good in bed. Jack Winter also has dyscalculia, a learning difficulty similar to dyslexia, but involving numbers rather than letters. So while he's perfectly confident in his ability to close a deal, he's not as assured in his ability to identify discrepancies in his company's books when it looks like his best friend and business partner may be embezzeling.
Cassie James is the bartender at Jack's favorite restaurant, Edward's. But Cassie isn't only a bartender. She's also a college student, working her way slowly through a math degree while paying for her mother's drug rehab. And it's only a little far-fetched when after they've connected as friends and lovers, Jack asks for Cassie's help in checking his books and helping him secure a critical real estate deal in the absence of being able to trust his partner.
Despite some category-esque cheesy parts that seem to have been added in for the trope factor, Saving the CEO was unexpectedly delightful. Cassie the math genius was bright, independent and doesn't end up going to work for the hero at the end of the book. Jack is alpha enough that he makes some fairly brazen moves early in the book, but the two of them then make a game of trading off who's "in charge" in bed. There are plenty of scenes where the two of them actually do the work they're being paid for: both at Jack's company and at Cassie's bartending job. It gave the story an element of richness that is missing from a lot of romance.
This is, I think, Jenny Holiday's first book and she's definitely a writer to watch. I'll be especially interested to see what she can do with a single title romance, just because that's my particular preference. But even if she just continues writing for Entangled, I'll definitely be picking up her work again in the future.
For a recipe inspired by Saving the CEO, visit Cooking Up Romance:
http://www.cooking-up-romance.com/201...
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Featured on What-To-Read-Wednesday at
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In my twitter quest last weekend to get recs for non-dom billionaires this was another book that was recommended. So while reading the blurb I spied the following phrases: “Don’t sleep with your employees” followed by “She’s a hot bartender who just happens to be the math genius”. So of course I couldn’t resist.
Jack Winter is our hero and he’s a billionaire (at least I think he is, he could be a measly millionaire) real estate tycoon who thinks his long-time partner is embezzling money from the company. He really couldn’t tell you the exact amount because he has a severe mathematical learning disability. He shows up at his favorite restaurant, along with work, hoping to decipher exactly how much money is missing and ends up sitting at the bar. This is where he meets the sexy bartender/math student Cassie James. He’s very attracted, and even more attracted when he finds out she’s a math genius. Just what he needs to help him finalize a real estate deal and discover how much his CFO has stolen from his company.
So Cassie is described as a math genius, but I didn’t get the genius vibe as much as I did the really smart, super witty and totally a woman I would be friends with in real life vibe. I dug Cassie, she was cool. As she and sexy Jack try to keep it just business and fail miserably, then try to keep it only sex and fail miserably again I liked her even more. I also liked that Jack is a super hot, normal, rich dude who did normal stuff like eat at the same restaurant every week and take his girl in an alley for a little oral loving when the mood strikes him. No hidden rooms or anything, just him, Cassie and their incredible lust for each other. He and Cassie made a great team and had tremendous chemistry, both in and out of bed.
This was a sweet, sexy read that I gobbled up in just a couple of hours. My only complaint is that it appears that this is a debut author as I couldn’t find a backlist. Arg, I hate that. It’s only .99 at Amazon right now, so go forth and hit your one-click buttons.
Favorite Quote:
“Right now, I’m going to fuck you senseless. Then, between now and Thursday morning, I’m going to make you come so many times that you’ll be begging me to stop.” -
Cassie works in a bar. Every week for the last two years, from Wednesday through Friday, come a regular client they nicknamed Ebenezer. What she knows about him is that he's the World's Best Tipper, he's some kind of real estate tycoon and he's got good manners but he doesn't talk much.
But why did he come that day? It's a Tuesday. Other things are about to change for Cassie and her regular client (whose name is Jack). After a hot encounter, he'll hire her to help with his finances and accompany him to a business trip. Will Jack still be able to follow his own rules afterwards?
First, I want to say how much I appreciate that Jenny Holiday sets her books in Canada! I love reading about Colorado, Oregon, New York and California, but it's so refreshing to see Toronto, for example, in a romance novel. While I thought there were too many sex scenes in this story (I would say the same thing for any books who have more than 3 or 4), I can't deny I had fun with Cassie and Jack's unusual courtship and how their no-string love affair quickly become something more for both of them. -
4.5 Stars
I discovered this author/series early in 2016 when I devoured
Sleeping with Her Enemy. This book is the prequel and I found it to be even more engaging. I think I have found a new author to become obsessed with!
The hero is Jack Winter, owner and CEO of Winter Enterprises which is a prominent real estate company in Toronto. He is in a tight spot because he has discovered that an employee is stealing money from his company, but he doesn't want the news to get out until he can complete a major business deal. Cassie James is the bartender at a restaurant that Jack frequently dines at and, through a series of events, Jack ends up figuring out that she is a math wizard who is exactly the type of person he needs to help get the deal done. It also doesn't hurt that they have insane sexual chemistry even if that will complicate things much further when the facade has to end.
I loved almost everything about this book. I found both Jack and Cassie to be super likable and down to earth. Jack has a lot of responsibility and his personality shows that along with his issues with math that force him to turn to an outside person for assistance. Despite his alpha attitude, I thought Jack was very sweet and it was obvious that he was falling for Cassie from the beginning. For her part, Cassie is exactly the type of heroine Jack needed as well as being a strong character in her own right. She has had to work very hard to get where she is at and still struggles to keep her head above water with school, work, and a troubled mother.
Jack and Cassie's romance is super steamy and lots of fun to read. They don't really beat around the bush when it comes to their chemistry though both of them agree that there is a time limit for this "relationship". These types of stories are intriguing to me because there are always repercussions for when things get real and feelings get in the way of just sleeping together for fun. The relationship develops fast, but it didn't feel rushed because of the amount of time that they spent together, both in and out of bed.
This was a very quick read, but that does not mean it isn't powerful or underdeveloped. All the characters are richly drawn from the protagonists to their co-workers to their friends/family. The plot, while a little out there, was easy to follow and never went off the rails crazy. There was a minor communications problem toward the end that I thought got fixed too quickly, but that is the only quibble I had with the story. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read more of Jenny Holiday's work especially in the 49th floor series. -
Hot, fun, sexy, smart, all come to mind after finishing this enjoyable, romantic read! It is not your typical billionaire story. No red room of pain or wimpy heroine with a chatty "inner goddess"! The characters are fabulous and had amazing chemistry and the plot is well formulated to enhance the relationship and romance of the couple. A fantastic debut novel from Jenny Holiday. I look forward to more from this author in the future!
Favorite Quote:
"He let her take the lead for a while, bending down to give her better access as she twined her arms around his neck. Tonight, as yesterday, she tasted like cinnamon. But there was a boldness in her kisses that hadn't been there last night. Then she went for the hollow of his neck, which, Christ, felt good enough, but also meant her hair was right under his nose. That maddening vanilla-it must be her shampoo. Together with the cinnamon of her mouth, she was like a goddamned cake. A cake he couldn't cram into his mouth fast enough, so this was the end of her little exploration. He was in charge now." -
Jenny Holiday is again a new-to-me author...and NTM authors seems to be the running theme for my 2016 romreading!
SAVING THE CEO is laced with humor, which I love in romance novels. I also love the slow build-up of the romance that led to sexy scenes that were super SUPER hot!
There was on tiny thing that bothered me a bit: Cassie's referring to vacation reads as "trashy novels" and "bodice rippers". This is a pet peeve of mine and as an avid and unapologetic romance reader I don't like these terms to describe romance and would've liked to see the author and publisher not do this.
Other than that tiny peeve I read SAVING THE CEO in practically one sitting and really enjoyed it. From the characters to the pace to the romance to the story line to the writing it was all very much to my liking.
I look forward to reading the other 49th Floor novels. -
This might've been a two star or a DNF if I hadn't read and loved
Sleeping with Her Enemy. Not that this book is BAD, but it jumps to the sex too quickly and doesn't really have the fun banter the other book had. And the misunderstanding IS SO SILLY.
But the writing is good and flows and I'm reading
The Engagement Game now and really enjoying it, so all in all, I may have a new author! -
It was an okay read that I picked up as a freebie a while back. The best part was the heroine. She was confident, smart and didn't annoy me. I also liked that it was set in Toronto.
Unfortunately the overall conflict was weak and then the big conflict at the end was all a simple misunderstanding that could have been cleared up with a conversation. That made me eyeroll enough to knock this down a star. -
Must say I really enjoyed this book. It started off a bit slow for me but once the story really got going Jack and Cassie won me over and I couldn't put it down. The writing is well done and the chemistry between the characters is delightful. You will definitely want to read this one, I highly recommend it.
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*I received a complimentary copy from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
All work and no fun… makes the hot CEO throw his rules out the window. I loved this book.
Jack Winter was absurdly rigid and had lots of rules regarding relationships… or more accurately how to avoid them at all costs.
He was completely anti-commitment. What I loved about this is that he wasn’t scared by something in the past, like say, he was dumped publicly by his first serious girlfriend in a very embarrassing way or his wife had left him for his best-friend and business partner who had had a sex change operation… you know, something really traumatic.
He just was very work-oriented and didn’t want to put up with all the hassle he believed was involved in being in a relationship.
Cassie James had never found someone who really made… her world rock *wink wink*. After turning her high school boyfriend gay (which she didn’t) and having mediocre (at best) sex with her next partner, she isn’t really sold on the whole relationship thing; so between having to work and study and having to keep an eye out for her drug addicted mother and her stays in rehab, she just isn’t all that fired up to meet someone.
Jack has been going to the pub where Cassie works as a bartender to have dinner twice a week for the last year. Bordering on anti-social (but being the best tipper in history), he never noticed her until the day he shows and is forced to eat at the bar.
And the rest is history. Or in this case the rest of the book. They strike a deal. She helps him out with the financial part of a deal and he will pay her a very generous amount for a couple’s days work. They happen to have amazing chemistry and decide “what the hell, why not succumb to our crazy hormones?” They are both decidedly not into relationships, they are both smart adults, what can go wrong with them getting into an… entanglement (which you can guess, is completely different from a relationship… uh huh).
I had a great time reading this book, and I especially liked to watch Jack’s thawing. This book was funny, hot, and even though the wealthy anti-commitment CEO has been done, like, a lot, I still found it fresh. Cassie was a good heroine, she was quirky and sweet and seeing her find the joys of sex was hilarious.
All in all Saving the CEO was a fun easy read. I will be looking forward to reading more from the author. -
This fabulous contemporary romance is the story of Jack and Cassie. Jack is a real estate mogul who works hard and usually ends up several evenings a week at Edward's, an upscale restaurant and bar that is close to home. He's a creature of habit but coming in on an off day he ends up seated at the bar, meeting Cassie in the process. She's beautiful, friendly, funny and she's a whiz at math - just what he needs to help him figure out the financial problems he's discovered in his company's books. Sparks fly between them and when Jack hires Cassie to go over his books and help him with an upcoming business deal, a no strings affair on the side seems like it will benefit them both - but when their business relationship ends will it mean the end for them too, or just the beginning?
It's hard for me to believe that this is a debut novel for this author. From the first page, my attention was hooked and the fluid writing style, engaging characters and witty dialogue made for an absolutely delightful read. Cassie is wonderfully portrayed as a flirtatious and fun woman who just happens to have a way and a thing for numbers as well as tending bar. Jack is equally engaging as a handsome, somewhat studious man, serious in his business and his plans for his future. Hiring Cassie to help him with his financial papers seems like a great plan - except that his attraction to her and vice versa makes it hard for them to keep their hands off each other. There is some serious sexual chemistry between them, and when they finally act upon it, the love scenes are steamy and wholly satisfying (for the participants and the reader!). The progression of their romance takes place at a good pace with plenty of humor and tension added into the mix, making it a believable romance.
Overall I found this to be a really well written story with an interesting setting, unique and intriguing plot, likeable characters, steamy love scenes and a real joy to read. 5 fabulous stars!
Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher for review. -
I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this rich guy romance, but man I really enjoyed it! The buildup was great, and the intimate scenes were hot. I loved how Cassie wasn't afraid to ask for what she wanted, and how when Jack didn't handle something appropriately he mostly owned up to it later. The ending was sweet and very romantic.
My tags: Strong leading lady, Rich non-jerky hero, Awesome descriptive setting -
3.5 stars
I enjoyed the banter and characterization in this one which allowed me to forgive some of the plot elements that weren't handled as well as I would have liked (conversations are your friend!) and the fact that there was more sex scenes than I like (that's not why I read romance and sometimes they make me uncomfortable). -
I liked this! Heroine is super into math and helps the hero out because his CFO is stealing from him and hero has dyscalculia. Was it fairly implausible that this would happen? Yes. Did I really care? No.
Oh, and it's set in Toronto! If that is an inducement to anyone at all. -
Not a bad read. Hero into his job, heroine is a bar-tender and student. They meet sparks fly, sexing, drama, insta love and HEA.
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Another enjoyable freebie from Amazon, it had a decent storyline to it.
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Mediocre read. Some parts I really liked, others I thought were mediocre. I think there was just too much sex in the story before I felt they connected.
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Originally posted on my blog:
Tangled Up In Books
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating!
This one completely took me by surprise. Allow me to be perfectly honest her for a moment. I got a lot of ARCs from Entangled this month. Usually I try to avoid going for books with CEO in their title because, let's face it, the guys are usually rich, workaholic, self centered jerks with very little to zero redeeming qualities about them. I do say try because every once in a while one will come along that has me intrigued enough to give it a try, this one being one of those books. I read the blurb and I just couldn't help myself.
I decided to read this one first, sort of to get the one I assumed I'd like the least out of the way. Boy did this book really show me! I absolutely loved it. I loved the characters. Oh yes, I am eating my words, thoughts.., what have you. Lesson learned. Though the type of story may be familiar, billionaire playboy who works too much and doesn't want attachments meets sweet, curvy girl with spunk and they end up flipping each other's worlds upside down it's definitely fresh and not done in an "I've totally read this before" kind of way.
Cassie was absolutely adorable and such a fun main character. She's sweet and has just a slight hint of innocence to her just enough to make her completely endearing. She's not really had a lot of experience in the guy department, just a high school boyfriend now gay best friend and then one other guy after that that was just sort of blah. With two real flops in the passion department, Cassie is sort of in this place where she feels like guys/sex/relationships are just a waste of time. She's also had a really crap life growing up part of which is still trying to drag her down and your heart really goes out to this character. If anyone needs to be swept off her feet and shown that there's more to life than what she's experienced so far, it's definitely Cassie!
Enter Jack. I was ready from the start to not like this guy. Yet the first time he comes across the pages we learn from Cassie's thoughts that while, yes, he is a bit aloof and serious, he's also overly generous. Strike one against my anti-Jack defense wall. Then as we get to delve into his POV we get to learn a bit more about this guy who's built his business empire from nothing and also about his childhood which in a different way is equally as awful as Cassie's and my heart spasms. There goes another crack in my anti-Jack wall. The more I read the more I liked him, both of them really. It's hard not to love either of them. Jack is genuinely this really great guy who works his ass off to get where he is and he's done it by all these rules for life he's set for himself, yet all it takes is for sweet little Cassie to come along and ignite a fire that has him breaking rule after rule to keep her by his side. Wall gone, heart meet Jack.
The heat and connection between Cassie and Jack was intense to say the least. But that wasn't what had me anxiously turning the pages, well okay it was part of the reason I am human! What had me going and unable to put this one down was the story. I was emotionally invested in every aspect of what was happening. Cassie's future with school, her relationship with the person who made her life miserable, Jack's business deal going through, all of it! It was such a good storyline. Add to that the fact that there are a whole slew of extremely likable characters that made this book so much fun to read and I was hooked. A complete goner! I can't wait to read more books from Jenny Holiday in the future. If this one is any indication of what I have to look forward to they'll be an instant one click from me, no blurbs, no questions.
Thank you Entangled for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book!! -
****A gifted copy was provided by the publisher for an honest review****
I really enjoyed this story. It’s all about how Jack, the billionaire needed a numbers wiz to help him crunch numbers in order to help him secure/ negotiate this secret deal (i.e. prime real estate). Jack is a regular at Edward’s Bar and he meets Cassie and BOOM there is this instant attraction, he finds out she is this terrific math person & so there he is looking at his math cruncher. Cassie was a math major in college just shy of graduating. Jack hires Cassie to go over his books and help him with an upcoming business deal, a no strings affair on the side seems like it will benefit them both .
The romance between these two was great. There were hot scenes, romantics and even some serious ones. They clicked in every one of them. Cassie has had a rough life. Here she is working for a billionaire and she has fallen in love with him. Her personality is one built on a life of hard knocks but she has always kept true to herself (Cassie is bubbly, intelligent, personable, and just a bit goofy).
Whereas you have Jack who is cold, methodical, and tightly wound. Yet when it came to Cassie, he was changing and opening up more and becoming more human and opening up to her then miscommunication happened and the bottom fell out. My heart hurt for them both, My tissue box was empty by the time I finished this book-there was sad tears, mad tears and happy tears.
The author paints such vivid scenes-romantic, serious, you name it, she writes it and makes you feel all of it. I highly recommend reading this book.
My rating: 5 stars *** -
3.5 Stars
Review by Natasha Gentile
First off let me say as a fellow Canadian I loved reading about the Toronto City. With that said, this story kind of fell short for me.
Real estate mogul Jack Winter has rules. Lots of rules. After all, a man doesn’t build an empire without a little discipline. And on page one of the rule book? Don’t sleep with your employees. Especially when there’s a multimillion dollar real estate deal at stake...
So Jack is a creature of habit. Every day is accounted for, and every meal planned. When his usual Tuesday date cancelled he shows up at his restaurant of choice, shocking the staff and sending them in a tail spin. Not only is he there on a off night, he sits at the bar and not at his usual table. Where he meets Cassie James.
Cassie James isn’t really his employee. She’s a hot bartender who just happens to be the math genius he needs, and if they share a wicked chemistry? Well, that's just a sexy little perk. So they strike a deal: Cassie helps Jack with the merger.
So now that she is “working for him” he is hesitant to give into his feelings of lust. When push comes to shove and words are scrambled it appears that she is actually going to be an independent contractor, therefor she doesn’t work for him. Therefore they can totally have hot monkey sex together. So they burn up the sheets, but they are giving themselves four days, till the deal goes through. The only thing is now everything is shaded, what was suppose to be a wham bam thank you ma’am has turned into a lot more. Seems saving the CEO does comes with perks!
