Book Review: Tailored for Trouble by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

As I started writing this review, I saw that this book is part of the Happy Pants series. And while I remember reading something about Happy Pants in the book, I feel like Happy Pants is one of the funnest names for a series I’ve ever heard. Which is just a bonus, since I really enjoyed this book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

One-Sentence Synopsis
A woman is hired by the man who got her fired, but she has a hard time trusting what his motives for hiring her are. For a full synopsis, see this book’s Goodreads page.

Rage Quit
Taylor has decided to go out on her own after being fired from a job due an exec who insulted her and her boss. Unfortunately, her new venture isn’t doing so well, and she’s close to having to call it quits. So she’s shocked when that same exec, Bennett, wants to enlist her services to help him win a deal with a well known woman business owner. It takes some convincing, since Taylor really can’t stand him after their first meeting, but eventually she goes with it because she needs the money.

Trust Issues
She has a really hard time trusting Bennett at first, and for good reason. He’s aloof and secretive and from what she’s seen, he’s not the easiest guy to get along with. Her business centers around teaching executives how to treat their employees well, and she has a hard time seeing where Bennett does any of that. At least at first. It doesn’t help that she finds out that some of Bennett’s business pals have made a bet (one that he’s part of) to see who could sleep with her first.

Air of Mystery
The story is told almost completely from Taylor’s viewpoint, and it drove me nuts not to know what Bennett was thinking. At the same time, I really enjoyed the mystery of finding out things as Taylor did. From the beginning, you get the feeling that things aren’t really what they seem with Bennett, but it’s never clear if he’s a good guy or a not-so-good guy. Taylor makes things more complicated when she sets out to sabotage his business meeting as revenge for his part in the bet.

Travel Makes for Hot Bedfellows
The story also as a road trip trope, as Bennett makes Taylor travel with him to conduct business, ultimately leading to his meeting with the woman he’s hoping to strike a deal with. Of course, Taylor starts to change her mind about him, and we start to see a softer side of Bennett.

Inner and Outer Voices
Taylor’s inner monologue was pretty hysterical, though sometimes it made her seem a bit nutty. There was some great banter and dialogue, and though the story was mostly lighthearted, there were a few punches to the feels that gave it some major poignancy.

The Romance Factor
I loved the conflict in this book and the major enemies to lovers vibe happening. I also loved seeing the glimpses of Bennett that showed that he actually cared for Taylor. This book hit all of my catnip buttons. 5/5

The Steam Factor
There really isn’t a lot of sex in this story, but there is quite of bit of penis ogling. Taylor, in fact, has a really hard time not focusing on Bennett’s penis. And while sometimes it got a little old, it was mostly entertaining. 4/5

Final Thoughts
This book had almost everything I love in a story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m happy to see that it’s the first in the Happy Pants series, so I’ll definitely be on the lookout for other Happy Pants books.

Book Review: Waking Up With a Billionaire by Katie Lane

This NetGalley request was kind of spontaneous and stemmed from the fact that I’m a fan of billionaire novels…or at least I’ll give anything billionaire a try. Plus, I found the cover to be pretty, and yes, I do sometimes judge a book by its cover.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

One-Sentence Synopsis
A billionaire known for his painting is blocked until the woman he helped save from an abusive relationship agrees to pose for him. For a full synopsis, see this book’s Goodreads page.

Prologue to the Plot
Grayson and Chloe met when he helped save her from a violent domestic situation. Chloe hadn’t been very friendly to Grayson, and since coming back from that encounter, Grayson hasn’t been able to paint the beautiful nudes he’s known for. Now, his work is needed for a benefit gala, but he’s blocked, so much so that he can’t even paint a bowl of fruit.

Like One of Your French Girls
Chloe needs money. She wants to run away to Europe to avoid some big secret she’s hiding and someone she’s hiding from, but she can’t afford it. So when she decides to offer herself up as a model for Grayson’s painting, she’s surprised when he turns her down and says he can’t paint. Chloe figures she’s going to have to find another way, but when Grayson “kidnaps” her to keep her from leaving until his new sister-in-law gets back from her honeymoon, Chloe ends up realizing how safe she feels in his home. She also decides she’s going to help him get his painting mojo back.

Get It Together
The story was enjoyable and fun. Apparently, Grayson was sweet and shy in previous books, but he has a bit of a stiff edge in this one. Chloe is sarcastic and damaged, and her mystery unfolds slowly as the book progresses. We find out fairly early what she’s running from. I won’t spoil what it is, but I found it to be fairly anticlimactic. It seems Chloe is a fan of self-made drama and lets her mind and her assumptions get away from her.

The two characters work well together, and I loved the pre-existing angst they share for each other that carries over into their current relationship.

Men and Their Ways
Maybe I was in the mood for some more fighting, or maybe I’m just irritated when people do things they’re expressly asked not to, but I got super annoyed when Chloe said she didn’t want or photos shared or she didn’t want to become a model, and Grayson and his brothers were like, “Too bad, so sorry.” I mean, she rolled with it, but seriously, guys. Have a little respect.

The Romance Factor
There’s a sense that Grayson and Chloe connected from the start, and possibly that Grayson may have fallen quickly, but I thought the progression of their relationship and the way they sorted out their feelings was sweet. Chloe pulls the whole “I have to leave to save you” BS that annoys me, but it does up the angst quotient, so it was okay for what it was. 4/5

The Steam Factor
While maybe not as steamy as some things, there is one scene in particular that turned on every single heat sensor in my brain. When painting meets sensuality, things explode in the best way ever. 5/5

Final Thoughts
This book can be read as a standalone, though admittedly, I had a hard time keeping members of the family and aspects of the Beaumont family tree straight. Overall, though, I liked the story and how everything played out. I’d definitely recommend it, and I’d be interested in going back and reading the stories of the other two brothers as well.

Beauty and the Billionaire by Jessica Clare

If you want to get my attention, tell me about a book with the Beauty and the Beast trope. It is my absolute favorite, and I’ll read pretty much anything based on it. When I heard about this one, I was all over it. It originally went on my Book Rewards list, but I got lucky and found a paperback copy of the first two books in the series at a bookstore in Tulsa while visiting a friend. I couldn’t resist picking them up, and I’m so glad I did.

One-Sentence Synopsis
A lonely, scarred recluse sets up an elaborate scheme to get the ghost writer he’s attracted to into his home, not expecting to have anything more than friendship with her…if that. For a full synopsis, see this book’s Goodreads page.

The Good Stuff
This book was everything I wanted and more. Hunter is such a good “beast.” He’s nervous and angry and lonely and even when he’s yelling, you can’t help but love him. And…wait for it…he’s a virgin! I love a virgin hero! Gretchen is adorable. She’s quirky but not annoyingly so, and she’s perfect for bringing him out of his shell.

There are some funny moments between the two of them. The first time she sees him, he’s completely naked and he’s mortified because he had this idea he’d give it time before he showed her his face (that plan went down the tubes pretty fast). But she feels bad about embarrassing him, goes to apologize when she sees him outside, and somehow thinks that saying “I saw your penis!” will help break the ice. I don’t think that ploy ever works.

The Romance Factor
No question, this is a 5/5 on the romance scale. Hunter’s shyness melted me. Even when he was being slightly underhanded in finding ways to keep Gretchen at his mansion, I adored him. When they had their standard romance novel falling out, it actually broke my heart. Even knowing they’d get their HEA, I was still so sad for them. Also, bonus love to the Phantom of the Opera reference in the story.

The Steam Factor
Like the first book in the series, this one has so many sexy times. Once again, though, they fit well with the story. I loved that Gretchen’s “job” involved a trunk full of erotic letters that she used in her seduction attempt. And did I mention the virgin hero? So hot! 5/5.

Final Thoughts
The minute I finished this book, I wanted to start over and read it again, and I almost did. I didn’t want this story to end. Like the first one, this one brings in characters and alludes to pairings in the rest of the books in the series. Instead of reading it again, I shelved it with the plan of picking it up at the beginning of next year for a re-read. Now I just have to get the third in the series to continue my journey through all the billionaire feels.