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snaze6's review
5.0
I loved this first book in the Billion Heirs series by two of my favorite authors.
This book has a little bit of everything I enjoy in a book - great characters, a romance that has the male character who unexpectedly falling hard for the female character despite his denial of wanting a relationship, plenty of steam, some mystery and drama.
Carly survived a horrific abduction and years of captivity on an island owned by an evil billionaire. She’s determined to reclaim her life and works hard on taking steps forward despite her parents attempts to keep her safe and protected by controlling her life. She stands up for herself against her father’s insistence she quit her new job on the Bridger’s Ranch as a vet assistant. She meets Austin on her first day of work and is surprised when she feels a physical attraction to him.
Austin has been forced to move to Montana to live and work on his dead father’s ranch if he wants to inherit his portion of the billions left to him and his 2 half-brothers. He is a city boy who flies seaplanes and isn’t accustomed to ranch life, but his brother Chance is going to make sure he quickly learns.
Austin and Carly both have things in their life that make them have to work to be together. Carly just wants people, including her parents, to stop treating her like a victim and treat her like a regular person. Austin is torn between his requirement to stay in Montana and his need to be in Seattle to fly the routes for his mothers seaplane business since she’s recently been diagnosed with MS and can no longer fly. Both characters choose each other when circumstances seem to be working against them.
This was a wonderful story and has me excited for Miles’ story next. This first book ends on a mild cliffhanger concerning a murder investigation, but the romance between Carly and Austin the main characters of this book have a HEA.
I received a free ARC from the authors and their publisher; and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.
This book has a little bit of everything I enjoy in a book - great characters, a romance that has the male character who unexpectedly falling hard for the female character despite his denial of wanting a relationship, plenty of steam, some mystery and drama.
Carly survived a horrific abduction and years of captivity on an island owned by an evil billionaire. She’s determined to reclaim her life and works hard on taking steps forward despite her parents attempts to keep her safe and protected by controlling her life. She stands up for herself against her father’s insistence she quit her new job on the Bridger’s Ranch as a vet assistant. She meets Austin on her first day of work and is surprised when she feels a physical attraction to him.
Austin has been forced to move to Montana to live and work on his dead father’s ranch if he wants to inherit his portion of the billions left to him and his 2 half-brothers. He is a city boy who flies seaplanes and isn’t accustomed to ranch life, but his brother Chance is going to make sure he quickly learns.
Austin and Carly both have things in their life that make them have to work to be together. Carly just wants people, including her parents, to stop treating her like a victim and treat her like a regular person. Austin is torn between his requirement to stay in Montana and his need to be in Seattle to fly the routes for his mothers seaplane business since she’s recently been diagnosed with MS and can no longer fly. Both characters choose each other when circumstances seem to be working against them.
This was a wonderful story and has me excited for Miles’ story next. This first book ends on a mild cliffhanger concerning a murder investigation, but the romance between Carly and Austin the main characters of this book have a HEA.
I received a free ARC from the authors and their publisher; and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.
latishaloveslit's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
bagelpapi's review
3.0
I still have so many unanswered questions. So many. I feel like the men in this story were super fleshed out and I’m excited to get to their stories as well, but I felt like Carly was very one dimensional. We weren’t told a lot about her other than a little of her time “taken” and that she thinks she’s broken. And that her dad desperately needs therapy. So much happened in the space of a week in this book and I’m still left a bit reeling from the sheer amount of things that were started and also with the whirlwind of Austin and Carly’s love story. I’m sure the authors were just trying to get the series started and that things will be resolved. I’m hoping my questions get answered in the next books because this one ended so abruptly.
The banter between the brothers was by far my favourite part of this book. I can’t wait to dive into Miles’ book because that man is funny as hell.
The banter between the brothers was by far my favourite part of this book. I can’t wait to dive into Miles’ book because that man is funny as hell.
nicki_theoverflowingbookcase's review
4.0
With the death of the patriarch of the Bridger clan, his three offspring are forced to work together on the ranch in order to get their inheritance. But with the hatred all three boys feel for their sperm donor and the realization that they might be family but never knew each other all three need to make sacrifices for the next year. Carly is trying to get her life back after being kidnapped and violated for years, so when she gets a job at the Bridger Ranch she thinks this wil be the start of something good. The thing she least expected was to find herself having feelings she thought were long gone for Austin. Can you really find love after the horrible situation she was in? Or will this be exactly what both Carly and Austin need to get over the hurt that they carry in their hearts? As readers we all know that Helen Hardt knows family drama and dysfunction, but with the addition of Vanessa Vale the masterpiece is taken to another level. The reader will be left needing more information to the backstory of the Bridger clan as well as need to have the other two brothers find their HEA as well. A wonderful beginning to a new series.
bookishlychar's review
3.0
This was a quick read.
There was a lot going on with Carly and I thought that we would get more of her story. I did like the normalization of therapy and getting over what happened to her in a healthy way. I thought Austin was a good match for Carly too. He was so gentle, kind and patient with her.
I did find this book very insta-lovey. They were together for a week or a bit more and they were already in love. That was a bit much for me. The book also seemed a little rushed, like the authors wanted to quickly get to the HEA and then cut it off (probably setting up for the next story). I found myself wanting more in this story and see more of what was going to happen.
Read if you like: Insta-love, small town/rancher, romantic suspense
There was a lot going on with Carly and I thought that we would get more of her story. I did like the normalization of therapy and getting over what happened to her in a healthy way. I thought Austin was a good match for Carly too. He was so gentle, kind and patient with her.
I did find this book very insta-lovey. They were together for a week or a bit more and they were already in love. That was a bit much for me. The book also seemed a little rushed, like the authors wanted to quickly get to the HEA and then cut it off (probably setting up for the next story). I found myself wanting more in this story and see more of what was going to happen.
Read if you like: Insta-love, small town/rancher, romantic suspense
tlea's review
4.0
This is the first book in a new series, and while I'm familiar with the books of Vanessa Vale, this is the first I've read from Helen Hardt. This is a great easy to read story that has wonderful interaction between all of the characters and while it does have a HEA, there is an ongoing story arc, so not everything is tied up nicely at the end. The beginning of Austin's story reminded me of the Claudia Burgoa Baker's Creek Billionaires series, with half brothers being forced to live together for a year, then as I got into the book, Carly's story reminded me of horrible recent events with a wealthy financier trafficking young women. With all of the similarities, I wondered how much would feel original, and how much I'd enjoy THIS book. Thankfully, it quickly became about Austin and Carly in this quick paced, easy read. Sure, I would have liked a bit more drama to it, especially given the characters backgrounds, but for the first in a series, this is a wonderful starting point.
angelpayne's review
5.0
This fast-paced and emotional book features so much of what I love about Ms. Vale and Ms. Hardt's writing, joined together into one hell of an awesome concept--and a gripping story!
Carly is a heroine that you'd want as your best friend. She's strong and perceptive, and a true survivor. her life has taken a horrific path but she's determined not only to persevere, but to push through and LIVE. Her past is not going to be the determining factor for her present or her future.
For that to happen, she needs a man who's also strong and determined: a HUMAN who can see past the labels that others have been slapping on Carly, and get to the core of the woman who needs his kind of love.
Subtly conveyed and gorgeously written, SCARRED examines what true scars really are: badges that prove one has survived, but faint lines that don't have to be the bold colors of today. This is a story of loss, survival, and strength--and the way true love can help someone redefine all three. So wonderfully done. Brava.
Carly is a heroine that you'd want as your best friend. She's strong and perceptive, and a true survivor. her life has taken a horrific path but she's determined not only to persevere, but to push through and LIVE. Her past is not going to be the determining factor for her present or her future.
For that to happen, she needs a man who's also strong and determined: a HUMAN who can see past the labels that others have been slapping on Carly, and get to the core of the woman who needs his kind of love.
Subtly conveyed and gorgeously written, SCARRED examines what true scars really are: badges that prove one has survived, but faint lines that don't have to be the bold colors of today. This is a story of loss, survival, and strength--and the way true love can help someone redefine all three. So wonderfully done. Brava.
kristisam's review
5.0
This was an amazing collaboration by two very talented authors and a great start to the Billion Heirs series. Austin and Carly’s story was packed full of emotion, family drama, and secrets. I loved all the unexpected twists and turns and I can’t wait to see how it will all unfold.
thindbooks's review
3.0
*this e-arc was sent to me by the publicity team to give an honest review in return*
This book is about Austin in Michigan who has a hard life, finding out his father died and left him money but the thing is that he has to live in the family house for a year with his two half-brothers. Then there is Carly who got abducted years ago and is back home but no one treats her the same until she meets Austin. I heard great things about Hardt's writing and wanted to know more about Vale's books too. The storyline in this book was great and I really enjoyed how hooked into the story I was. I do have to say that the writing felt a little wattpadish to me. Some will like it but for me it was meh. The pacing was very fast so it was very easy to fly through the book. There isn't much of a main conflict in the book yet but since this is a series, I feel that there is so much more to the story.
This book is in both Austin and Carly's pov. I really enjoyed Austin's character as he is such a cinnamon roll and he really cared for Carly from day 1. Carly is also amazing but in some parts, she kind of annoyed me with the way she would say some things. I tried not to let it get to me much because she was abducted which means you don't know her backstory much. Both characters do have great character development so that was great. There weren't many side characters but I really enjoyed the half brothers. The romance was way too fast in my opinion because there was no conflict between the MCs. They liked each other from the first time they met so the love at first sight trope.
The ending ends with a minor cliffhanger but a HEA for the MCs. The second book will be about the other brother and readers can learn more about the storyline that didn't finish from this one. I really did enjoy this book but there were some parts that made it not so good like the writing style and romance. I will be reading the second one just to find out about the conflict that opened up in book 1. This book is perfect for fans of The Inheritance Games and love at first sight romance.
This book is about Austin in Michigan who has a hard life, finding out his father died and left him money but the thing is that he has to live in the family house for a year with his two half-brothers. Then there is Carly who got abducted years ago and is back home but no one treats her the same until she meets Austin. I heard great things about Hardt's writing and wanted to know more about Vale's books too. The storyline in this book was great and I really enjoyed how hooked into the story I was. I do have to say that the writing felt a little wattpadish to me. Some will like it but for me it was meh. The pacing was very fast so it was very easy to fly through the book. There isn't much of a main conflict in the book yet but since this is a series, I feel that there is so much more to the story.
This book is in both Austin and Carly's pov. I really enjoyed Austin's character as he is such a cinnamon roll and he really cared for Carly from day 1. Carly is also amazing but in some parts, she kind of annoyed me with the way she would say some things. I tried not to let it get to me much because she was abducted which means you don't know her backstory much. Both characters do have great character development so that was great. There weren't many side characters but I really enjoyed the half brothers. The romance was way too fast in my opinion because there was no conflict between the MCs. They liked each other from the first time they met so the love at first sight trope.
The ending ends with a minor cliffhanger but a HEA for the MCs. The second book will be about the other brother and readers can learn more about the storyline that didn't finish from this one. I really did enjoy this book but there were some parts that made it not so good like the writing style and romance. I will be reading the second one just to find out about the conflict that opened up in book 1. This book is perfect for fans of The Inheritance Games and love at first sight romance.
jeska_lee's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0