Scan barcode
naturally_caffeinated_reader's review
3.0
Thank you netgalley and PRH audio for the free ALC in exchange for my honest review. I found this unique but not sure it worked for me, exchanging money in a relationship is kind of ick for me.
3.5/5☆ rounded down
3.5/5☆ rounded down
amyreads1224's review
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
1943tre's review
3.0
3.5 rounded down. I absolutely enjoyed this more than Shepard's debut, Bear With Me Now, and I think she's a very competent writer--but I did find it relatively easy to put down.
Like in Shepard's debut, she loves an ethically complicated romance, and this one has a fun concept--she's the sugar daddy, he's the sugar baby, and as they fall in love, he's confronted with the very uncomfortable fact that he is...being paid for all of this. Also, he's ten years older than her so he's worried he's exploiting her in, like, multiple ways. It's pretty delicious and complicated!
I liked the chemistry here and Shepard sells them well. At the end of the day though, it's a very slow burn, and it didn't burn quite as hard as I wanted it to. I like Shepard's writing in general, but the prose comes off as sort of detached in both books, and I wonder if this is what dulls the flame slightly. Even when Caroline feels intensely out of place or when Adrian feels in over his head...I as a reader always feel fine lmao because Shepard has this sort of narrative distance that doesn't immerse me as far into the story as maybe I'd want to be. I found this one slightly less spicy than Bear With Me Now, in that it has only one open door scene. It's relatively hot what we get, but because Shepard makes you wait so long to get there and she pulls back right at the moment of climax, I was left with metaphorical blue balls. Unfortunate!
Still, this was a step up from her debut, and I will most likely read a future book by Shepard. I'd just probably crave a bit more intensity from the prose.
Like in Shepard's debut, she loves an ethically complicated romance, and this one has a fun concept--she's the sugar daddy, he's the sugar baby, and as they fall in love, he's confronted with the very uncomfortable fact that he is...being paid for all of this. Also, he's ten years older than her so he's worried he's exploiting her in, like, multiple ways. It's pretty delicious and complicated!
I liked the chemistry here and Shepard sells them well. At the end of the day though, it's a very slow burn, and it didn't burn quite as hard as I wanted it to. I like Shepard's writing in general, but the prose comes off as sort of detached in both books, and I wonder if this is what dulls the flame slightly. Even when Caroline feels intensely out of place or when Adrian feels in over his head...I as a reader always feel fine lmao because Shepard has this sort of narrative distance that doesn't immerse me as far into the story as maybe I'd want to be. I found this one slightly less spicy than Bear With Me Now, in that it has only one open door scene. It's relatively hot what we get, but because Shepard makes you wait so long to get there and she pulls back right at the moment of climax, I was left with metaphorical blue balls. Unfortunate!
Still, this was a step up from her debut, and I will most likely read a future book by Shepard. I'd just probably crave a bit more intensity from the prose.
meggarg's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
abbyandallthebooks's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
_basicbookworm's review
4.0
Caroline is an MBA student who is incredibly lonely. After receiving her grandmother’s inheritance and pretty much being cut off by the rest of her family, she wants to start living life a little bigger, but doesn’t know how. So she hired Adrian, a man she finds on an escort site, to be her fake boyfriend and help her become more cultured. Adrian is a struggling artist in need of a little cash, but Caroline is not at all what he expected. As they spend more time together, the relationship and feelings become a bit more real and lines get very blurred.
This premise is very unique and so much fun! It gave me Pretty Woman vibes and I was here for it. The dialogue was hilarious, my heart felt for Caroline and how she struggled socially, and Adrian was an A+ hero. This book was a quick fun read and I really enjoyed it!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy.
This premise is very unique and so much fun! It gave me Pretty Woman vibes and I was here for it. The dialogue was hilarious, my heart felt for Caroline and how she struggled socially, and Adrian was an A+ hero. This book was a quick fun read and I really enjoyed it!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy.
alittlebitheather's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
fringebookreviews's review against another edition
3.75
Two wolves live inside me: One that wants to be a sugar mommy and one that wants to be a sugar baby ✨
The premise of this book sounded so fun, and I’m pleased to say that it held up pretty well! The age gap was a bit of a hurdle—one I’m not sure was fully cleared—but I still really enjoyed the romance. Even though there were some things I wasn’t fully sold on, this book felt like a fantasy. The vibes were right and the writing was nice, so I can’t complain!
When there’s a ten-year age-gap…I’d prefer the him not call her sweetheart idk it just feels so patronizing and a bit icky! She did hold the money and power which was nice, but yeah I was still a bit 👀 in the back of my mind. She was so sheltered because of her family, so it was both nice to have him be an adult with some things figured out but also just so clear that there were ten years separating them.
I definitely wanted to see his terrible friends get told off because they were SO mean to her!!! She’s such a good person because I was seething. I’m also like…I know he kind of reckoned with the person he used to be, but HOW was he ever friends with them?? He wasn’t a bad person at all, but he had some growing to do too, which I do think was accomplished by the end.
Overall, this was a really nice reset book! I really enjoyed the audiobook—the narrator also narrates The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, so it was like hearing an old friend. I wanted something light and fluffy with genuinely good people (surprisingly hard to find). It was my first book by Katie Shepard, and I’m looking forward to what she comes out with next.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5 🌶️.75*/5
*The sex scene ended before we saw him climax on page, so it’s partially fade to black in my opinion. The foreplay was hot and pretty explicit, so I’m not sure why it ended when it did…definitely felt the whiplash there as I was really anticipating their connection.
Thank you to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley and PRHaudio for an ALC! All opinions are honest and my own.
The premise of this book sounded so fun, and I’m pleased to say that it held up pretty well! The age gap was a bit of a hurdle—one I’m not sure was fully cleared—but I still really enjoyed the romance. Even though there were some things I wasn’t fully sold on, this book felt like a fantasy. The vibes were right and the writing was nice, so I can’t complain!
When there’s a ten-year age-gap…I’d prefer the him not call her sweetheart idk it just feels so patronizing and a bit icky! She did hold the money and power which was nice, but yeah I was still a bit 👀 in the back of my mind. She was so sheltered because of her family, so it was both nice to have him be an adult with some things figured out but also just so clear that there were ten years separating them.
I definitely wanted to see his terrible friends get told off because they were SO mean to her!!! She’s such a good person because I was seething. I’m also like…I know he kind of reckoned with the person he used to be, but HOW was he ever friends with them?? He wasn’t a bad person at all, but he had some growing to do too, which I do think was accomplished by the end.
Overall, this was a really nice reset book! I really enjoyed the audiobook—the narrator also narrates The Good Girl’s Guide to Murder series, so it was like hearing an old friend. I wanted something light and fluffy with genuinely good people (surprisingly hard to find). It was my first book by Katie Shepard, and I’m looking forward to what she comes out with next.
⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5 🌶️.75*/5
*The sex scene ended before we saw him climax on page, so it’s partially fade to black in my opinion. The foreplay was hot and pretty explicit, so I’m not sure why it ended when it did…definitely felt the whiplash there as I was really anticipating their connection.
Thank you to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley and PRHaudio for an ALC! All opinions are honest and my own.
bacostareads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5