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andrea_author's review
5.0
Zora is an unmatchmaker—she helps people break up with their significant others. When she delivers the bad news to Cyrus, he assumes she's a friend of his ex. Wanting to protect her client's confidentiality, she doesn't correct him. When she agrees to be his fake girlfriend for an upcoming work event, things get complicated. What happens when the truth comes out?
Sometimes fun, sometimes angsty, this book is full of steamy goodness. The sensual tension between Zora and Cyrus is off the charts. They're both relatable, trying to do their best, but not always making the right decisions. The author shows life in all its messiness and reminds us that there aren't always easy answers.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Sometimes fun, sometimes angsty, this book is full of steamy goodness. The sensual tension between Zora and Cyrus is off the charts. They're both relatable, trying to do their best, but not always making the right decisions. The author shows life in all its messiness and reminds us that there aren't always easy answers.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
lauren_soderberg's review
4.0
What happens when a lie of omission spirals into something way beyond your control? Naima Simone’s Heated asks and answers that very question in the most delicious and steamy of ways.
Zora Nelson is fiercely proud of Burned, the company she founded with her two siblings. Said company acts as a third-party break-up service to those who wish to avoid the confrontation of ending a relationship. Everything is running smoothly until she is hired to break up with Cyrus Hart, a Greek god type who has a lot more layers than Zora could ever have anticipated. She wants to tell him that breaking up with him was a part of her job, but she also doesn’t want to sever their growing connection. And when Zora agrees to pose as Cyrus’s significant other? Things are about to get way more complicated.
I enjoyed the pacing and the action of this book. It is definitely more of a slow burn, which lends itself nicely to the characters and the plot. But when it burns, it incinerates. Simone puts the capital “c” in “chemistry,” and I am all the way here for it. I also thought that the way that Simone portrays an interracial couple is steeped in realism and doesn’t gloss over hard truths.
In all, it’s swift, steamy read with a lot of substance and heart. I would wholeheartedly recommend this novel to anyone in need of a new romance.
Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Zora Nelson is fiercely proud of Burned, the company she founded with her two siblings. Said company acts as a third-party break-up service to those who wish to avoid the confrontation of ending a relationship. Everything is running smoothly until she is hired to break up with Cyrus Hart, a Greek god type who has a lot more layers than Zora could ever have anticipated. She wants to tell him that breaking up with him was a part of her job, but she also doesn’t want to sever their growing connection. And when Zora agrees to pose as Cyrus’s significant other? Things are about to get way more complicated.
I enjoyed the pacing and the action of this book. It is definitely more of a slow burn, which lends itself nicely to the characters and the plot. But when it burns, it incinerates. Simone puts the capital “c” in “chemistry,” and I am all the way here for it. I also thought that the way that Simone portrays an interracial couple is steeped in realism and doesn’t gloss over hard truths.
In all, it’s swift, steamy read with a lot of substance and heart. I would wholeheartedly recommend this novel to anyone in need of a new romance.
Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
illstoptheworldandreadwithyou's review
4.0
Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Don’t you love a romance where the main characters start with a plan and a picture of what they need in life, only for it to be derailed by love, and, through that derailment, are shown what they truly need?
Zora’s unexpected appearance in Cyrus’s life interrupts his progress to his carefully laid plans, at least temporarily–or so he thinks. And, of course, Cyrus’s appearance, and reappearance, and reappearance again, disrupt Zora’s carefully established parameters, involving clients and their former significant others as they relate to her business.
I like Cyrus and Zora and how they truly see each other and know each other. I love the fake dating trope, where the two main characters fall in love while pretending to be in a relationship.
The book’s main conflict, and the actions and motivations behind it, are believable.
I like the BURNED siblings and their relationships with each other–how they can laugh at each other and poke fun at each other, but are there for each other, too. I like Cyrus’s friendship with Jordan and how Jordan has no issue telling Cyrus things straight. I look forward to the future BURNED, Inc., books in the series.
At a glance:
- Dual POV
- Fake dating
- Open door
- Denver setting
- First in a series
Content Warnings: Anxiety; tension and dysfunction between parents; parent-child issues, disapproval, and manipulation; death of parents (past); grief; trust issues; foster care situation (past)
Don’t you love a romance where the main characters start with a plan and a picture of what they need in life, only for it to be derailed by love, and, through that derailment, are shown what they truly need?
Zora’s unexpected appearance in Cyrus’s life interrupts his progress to his carefully laid plans, at least temporarily–or so he thinks. And, of course, Cyrus’s appearance, and reappearance, and reappearance again, disrupt Zora’s carefully established parameters, involving clients and their former significant others as they relate to her business.
I like Cyrus and Zora and how they truly see each other and know each other. I love the fake dating trope, where the two main characters fall in love while pretending to be in a relationship.
The book’s main conflict, and the actions and motivations behind it, are believable.
I like the BURNED siblings and their relationships with each other–how they can laugh at each other and poke fun at each other, but are there for each other, too. I like Cyrus’s friendship with Jordan and how Jordan has no issue telling Cyrus things straight. I look forward to the future BURNED, Inc., books in the series.
At a glance:
- Dual POV
- Fake dating
- Open door
- Denver setting
- First in a series
Content Warnings: Anxiety; tension and dysfunction between parents; parent-child issues, disapproval, and manipulation; death of parents (past); grief; trust issues; foster care situation (past)
elliotalderson's review
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book!
3.5 out of 5 stars.
Heated is about a woman named Zora and a man named Cyrus. Zora is part owner of a business called BURNED, Inc., which she owns with her two siblings. At BURNED, Inc., they take on clients who want to break up with their significant others and do it for the clients. Zora meets Cyrus through work and instantly has an attraction to him. I can't say much more than that without spoiling, in my opinion!
I quite liked this book! Zora's an amazing character. She's strong but also honest with herself when it comes to her insecurities. Cyrus is also likeable, and he becomes even more so when you learn his backstory. I enjoyed each character separately and together, which always makes the reading more enjoyable for me. They brought out the best in each other and I could really feel their connection and attraction to each other.
There were some very small things that I didn't really like or understand. Zora's reaction to seeing a picture of Cyrus was a little too much for me, personally. I also thought the climax of the book came a bit late, though everything was wrapped up nicely in the end.
This is my first Naima Simone novel and I'm definitely interested in reading more. I wonder who the next book will be about, since this says it is the first in a possible series!
3.5 out of 5 stars.
Heated is about a woman named Zora and a man named Cyrus. Zora is part owner of a business called BURNED, Inc., which she owns with her two siblings. At BURNED, Inc., they take on clients who want to break up with their significant others and do it for the clients. Zora meets Cyrus through work and instantly has an attraction to him. I can't say much more than that without spoiling, in my opinion!
I quite liked this book! Zora's an amazing character. She's strong but also honest with herself when it comes to her insecurities. Cyrus is also likeable, and he becomes even more so when you learn his backstory. I enjoyed each character separately and together, which always makes the reading more enjoyable for me. They brought out the best in each other and I could really feel their connection and attraction to each other.
There were some very small things that I didn't really like or understand. Zora's reaction to seeing a picture of Cyrus was a little too much for me, personally. I also thought the climax of the book came a bit late, though everything was wrapped up nicely in the end.
This is my first Naima Simone novel and I'm definitely interested in reading more. I wonder who the next book will be about, since this says it is the first in a possible series!
lechepatito's review
The writing was very angsty and overwrought - to the point that I found it hard to connect with either character because every emotion was so extreme. DNF at 50%.
timitra's review
4.0
Heated was a wonderful story with awesome characters both main and secondary. The premise was cute and the story overall was enjoyable. It was sweet and sexy. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
chaaatales's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
chelyely's review
4.0
Everything I needed
One sitting read, once I started I could not put it down.
This is a short amazing story. I hated Cyrus when he was first introduced, but his growth is just perfection. I am also very much inlove with Levi's smart mouth. I also love that this is has a strong yet gentle woman of color, who also happens to be a size 16 and has natural hair, it's everything I love.
Can't recommend this enough and I hope their story continues!
One sitting read, once I started I could not put it down.
This is a short amazing story. I hated Cyrus when he was first introduced, but his growth is just perfection. I am also very much inlove with Levi's smart mouth. I also love that this is has a strong yet gentle woman of color, who also happens to be a size 16 and has natural hair, it's everything I love.
Can't recommend this enough and I hope their story continues!
cydneyhumphrey's review against another edition
2.0
I’ve been reading Naima Simone books since I was 14, and this doesn’t even feel like the same Naima Simone—that makes me super sad.
This just…wasn’t good. Zora and Cyrus were written extremely unrealistically for their age group, the conversation was long-winded and not at all what most people would say, and even their respective sad backgrounds seemed rushed, underdeveloped, and, frankly, unimportant.
A large part of the book (literally nearly 90%) was Zora keeping a secret and when the secret was uncovered, all the side characters (literally every single one) came to her defense to explain to Cyrus why he should forgive her. Contrived and unrealistic!
They don’t even hook up until 80% of the novel. What was supposed to be a quick read was totally bogged down by the relentless will-they-won’t-they and the soul-crushing insecurities of a heroine who could have easily been written as dynamic but at the very least confident and comfortable in her skin. The trope of having plus-sized women be super accomplished and beautiful but having no self esteem and wondering how and why men want them is soooo tired. This doesn’t have to exist in novels!
I’m so disappointed in this. It’s been a great 14 years with Naima Simone, but I feel like the quality of her books have gone down so much it’s almost like someone else entirely is writing them. Hopefully she comes back to her old passion and ways and churns out the masterpieces she did so long ago.
2⭐️
2.5
This just…wasn’t good. Zora and Cyrus were written extremely unrealistically for their age group, the conversation was long-winded and not at all what most people would say, and even their respective sad backgrounds seemed rushed, underdeveloped, and, frankly, unimportant.
A large part of the book (literally nearly 90%) was Zora keeping a secret and when the secret was uncovered, all the side characters (literally every single one) came to her defense to explain to Cyrus why he should forgive her. Contrived and unrealistic!
They don’t even hook up until 80% of the novel. What was supposed to be a quick read was totally bogged down by the relentless will-they-won’t-they and the soul-crushing insecurities of a heroine who could have easily been written as dynamic but at the very least confident and comfortable in her skin. The trope of having plus-sized women be super accomplished and beautiful but having no self esteem and wondering how and why men want them is soooo tired. This doesn’t have to exist in novels!
I’m so disappointed in this. It’s been a great 14 years with Naima Simone, but I feel like the quality of her books have gone down so much it’s almost like someone else entirely is writing them. Hopefully she comes back to her old passion and ways and churns out the masterpieces she did so long ago.
2⭐️
2.5
lucyslumos's review
2.0
Zora runs a professional break-up service, which is how she meets Cyrus. After filling in to dump him, she keeps running into him. She can’t resist falling into his eyes and his fake dating scheme, despite the conflict of interest.
Cyrus had a plan for his life which was blown off track when Zora showed up on his doorstep. She knocks her way into his life and eventually his heart as he gets to know her for a fake dating scheme.
Both Zora and Cyrus work through expectations and trauma from their childhood and relationships with their respective parents as they grow into who they need to be to show up for each other.
This one packs a heart-felt story about standing up for yourself and being honest about what you need. It also brings the heat with the steam level
Cyrus had a plan for his life which was blown off track when Zora showed up on his doorstep. She knocks her way into his life and eventually his heart as he gets to know her for a fake dating scheme.
Both Zora and Cyrus work through expectations and trauma from their childhood and relationships with their respective parents as they grow into who they need to be to show up for each other.
This one packs a heart-felt story about standing up for yourself and being honest about what you need. It also brings the heat with the steam level