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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
Spice? Heck yes! Age gap? Yup! Marriage of convenience? Hayes and Paige are meant to be! Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop!
The Bourbon Bride is the first novel in the Southern Gods series by Adrian R. Hale. It features Paige Fairchild, who is a southern debutante and the heiress to her family’s hotel empire, and Hayes Olsen, who is a ruthless billionaire and the owner of an exclusive nightclub.
How do two vastly different individuals meet? Paige finds an escape from her Debutante Ball and runs into Hayes. She instantly realizes just how attractive he is, not to mention much older as well. When a situation occurs, Paige finds herself in Atlanta with Hayes. When sparks start to erupt between the two, they both realize that maybe there is something there to explore a little further!
Thank so you much to @sunnybabepr and @adrianrhale for providing me with the opportunity to read this! I can’t wait to continue reading about Paige and Hayes’ story in book two!
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Ohmygoshhhh. This book. I’m down for a Hades/Persephone retelling any way I can get it, but in a southern debutante/billionaire romance with an age gap? There is even a puppers in it named Cerberus 😭😭😭 I absolutely adored this book and flew through it. There was spice, there was characters that were complete douchecanoes, there was a trans rep, there was a giant dog that loves only Paige and Hayes. Did I mention there was a dog? 🐶
❤️ Tropes ❤️
💋 Hades/Persephone retelling
💋 billionaire romance
💋 age gap
💋 marriage of convenience
💋 forced proximity
💋 touch her and ☠️
💋 and more 😘
Paige has learned to chose her battles when it comes to her mom and her high society ways. She was able to push off having a ridiculous debutante ball until she was 21, but couldn’t get out of it. She put her foot down on the location, choosing The Abyss, the southern gothic club that has an amazing garden. She escapes for a breather into the garden during her ball and runs into the owner, Hayes. He’s older, but doesn’t treat her like just a debutante that is looking for a husband. So when she runs from her mom the next night, she ends up at Hayes’ club. She runs away to Atlanta with him to get away from her mother, but these sparks that are flying between them might just need to be explored too.
Thank you to Sunny Babe PR for the copy, all thoughts are my own.
❤️ Tropes ❤️
💋 Hades/Persephone retelling
💋 billionaire romance
💋 age gap
💋 marriage of convenience
💋 forced proximity
💋 touch her and ☠️
💋 and more 😘
Paige has learned to chose her battles when it comes to her mom and her high society ways. She was able to push off having a ridiculous debutante ball until she was 21, but couldn’t get out of it. She put her foot down on the location, choosing The Abyss, the southern gothic club that has an amazing garden. She escapes for a breather into the garden during her ball and runs into the owner, Hayes. He’s older, but doesn’t treat her like just a debutante that is looking for a husband. So when she runs from her mom the next night, she ends up at Hayes’ club. She runs away to Atlanta with him to get away from her mother, but these sparks that are flying between them might just need to be explored too.
Thank you to Sunny Babe PR for the copy, all thoughts are my own.
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Whew this book got me all hot and bothered! Hayes was so dark and sexy it was hard not to get flustered. Plus he's a billionaire? Where can I find one? LOL
Paige I liked her innocence and I found myself wanna to defend her too against those trying to control her. She truly is a beautiful soul who should be protected.
I really can't wait for the next book to see where Paige and Hayes story goes! Amazing job Adrian Hale!
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
My first Adrian Hale read and it definitely won’t be my last! I loved everything about this book! Except for the cliffhanger, obviously! 😂
I was hooked from the get-go! I absolutely DEVOURED this book! I love the way Adrian intertwined Greek mythology/HadesXPersephone retelling with a southern twist! I also really loved the chemistry between Paige and Hayes! Like where can I find a man like that?!
If you like billionaire mmc’s, forced proximity, marriage of convenience, and slow burn that’s definitely worth the wait 😉, then go and grab you a copy of this book and get to reading!
Thanks to Sunnybabepr for the ARC copy!
This is the first time I’ve read a Hades c Persephone retelling and let me tell you, it was so good!
I am not familiar with southern traditions so reading this at first I couldn’t help but picture Lottie from Princess and the Frog for some reason!
The cliffhanger this ends on! I was not prepared and I will definitely be continuing this series!
This is the first time I’ve read a Hades c Persephone retelling and let me tell you, it was so good!
I am not familiar with southern traditions so reading this at first I couldn’t help but picture Lottie from Princess and the Frog for some reason!
The cliffhanger this ends on! I was not prepared and I will definitely be continuing this series!
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
I was immediately hooked on this story! This book takes place in Savannah, Georgia and I loved the southern high society take on Hades & Persephone. I think you I will love this one!
“A morally gray knight, then. That works for me, since I’m no princess.”
Paige and Hayes have this immediate chemistry when he meets her while she is hiding out from her own debutante party. Paige was raised to take over her family’s company and under the watchful eye of her mother. When her parents betray the last bit of her trust she runs…and ends up with Hayes.
Hayes has ulterior motives but also can’t deny their connection. He is ruthless in the boardroom but really sweet and protective with Paige. It’s just business…until it’s not.
“I will absolutely, and with happiness, ruin you for any other man if it meant you were mine.
I finished this book in one day! I loved how strong Paige was and how she became more confident making her own decisions and standing up for herself. While Hayes makes some questionable decisions he clearly cares deeply for Paige.
I really loved all of the references to H&P - from Underworld Spirits Bourbon to his pomegranate tree. No H&P retelling would be complete without a fierce yet adorable dog named Cerberus!
This ends on a cliffhanger that will make you immediately reach for the next book!
✨What to Expect:
🥃Southern Version of Hades & Persephone
🌹Forced Proximity
🌸Age Gap
🖤Touch Her & ☠️
💍Marriage of Convenience
🔥Slow Burn
🩶Morally Grey
🍑“Who Did This To You”
This book pleasantly surprised me! It was a little slow for me at the beginning, but honestly by the end of chapter 2 I was hooked. Paige and Hayes were such lovable characters with so much chemistry it was addicting. I was unimpressed by Paige's mom, but I think that would be how just about everyone felt. I loved the plot of her being a runaway and him taking her in, it's one of my favorites to read. The book was so fun, so addicting, and so spicy. Definitely one of my top books of the month!! I will be picking up the next book, ESPECIALLY after that ending ???!!!!
Thank you so much @sunnybabepr and @… for this ARC💜
First of all can we take a moment to appreciate how beautiful the cover is for this book, and I will totally admit that I signed up to read it base purely on it! That and the title!🙈
What a cliffhanger!! Which had me quickly downloading the 2nd book in the series…. As I need to know what happens!
When I first started reading this, I was a little worried it wasn’t going to be for me but I quickly realised I was wrong!! The FMC is portrayed as a beautiful southern belle who does everything she told… until she doesn’t.
The MMC is a handsome billionaire who takes no shit and if there is something that he wants he will do everything and anything till he get it’s… until he makes a mistake!
I really like the plot which is maintain thoughout the book, the characters develop is spot on, and we are blessed with a few spicy scenes which are on point!
But the biggest star of course would have to go to the beautiful Cerberus (doggo🐶)
Overall a great book and would recommend!