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Alpha Billionaire #2

by Ava Gray

Ihn heiraten … oder pleite sein.
Für mich war es eine klare Entscheidung.

Mich heiraten … oder sein ganzes Lebenswerk verlieren.
Auch für ihn war die Entscheidung ziemlich klar.

Niemals hätte ich gedacht, dass ich einmal nach Vegas fliegen würde.
Nicht, um mich zu betrinken.
Nicht für einen Junggesellinnenabschied.
Sondern um den Mann zu heiraten, den jede Frau auf der Welt will. Und zwar als Scheinehe.

Er ist heiß, er ist klug, er ist … alles, außer mein richtiger Mann.

365 Tage.
So lange muss ich meine Hände und Gefühle im Zaum halten.
So lautet die Vereinbarung. Es steht in unserem verdammten Vertrag.
Aber ich wäre nicht ich, wenn ich die Regeln nicht brechen würde.
Wenn ich eine ohnehin schon komplizierte Situation nicht noch komplizierter machen würde.
Mit anderen Worten … ich bin schwanger.
Er weiß es noch nicht.
Genauso wenig wie er weiß, dass ich die 365-Tage-Vereinbarung schon vor langer, langer Zeit gebrochen habe. Denn ich habe mich nicht an die ›Keine Liebe‹-Regel gehalten.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Surprise Pregnancy, Amazon, M F Romance

290 pages, Paperback

First published February 20, 2022

Reviews

[Crystal (Crystalreads2) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh man, I was so excited for this book release. I think I hyped it up so much in my head. I liked it, I just didn’t love it.


I love the story line and age gap. There really hasn’t been a book by the author I didn’t like.

I just felt the female protagonists is a doormat by everyone in her life. With her character growth she did stick up for herself here and there. Somethings were just were brushed off. I just couldn’t feel the connection between the two and I couldn’t connect with them.

Don’t let my review discourage you from read this. It’s not a be read, and my three stars could be your five stars.

[Edwina " I LoveBooks" "Deb" · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just Pretending was a good story with a lovable H/H. I liked that for the most part the story was centered on the couple. The Audible Narration was Excellent!

[Emily Pennington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Devin and Harleigh . . .

Seeing the way Harleigh was controlled and bossed around really irritated me. The relationship among her, her father, and Devin was toxic and uncomfortable. Harleigh’s father dies after making sure he forces Devin Hopper and Harleigh to marry or lose their inheritance. Devin is not a blood relative but was taken into the family and was obviously “the favorite”. Now Devin and Harleigh have to marry for a year and a day.

Devin seems to enjoy making her life miserable. He bosses her around under the guise of protectiveness. Harleigh complies far too readily rather than fight back for her own rights. Even before their fake “marriage”, he had no problem dragging her away from a date she was on. At 21, she should have been able to see whomever she wanted.

After a quick marriage in Vegas and an initial steamy encounter to seal the deal, we wait out the duration of the marriage. Then a little surprise becomes obvious. Will Devin choose to come out of his caveman role and do right by everyone?

I didn’t like this story because of the unlikable characters. Her father manipulating them was distasteful, especially after the way he treats Harleigh through her entire life. And Devin just feels like a selfish bully. And Harleigh is way too compliant, allowing herself to be bossed around by and embarrassed by others. When her date called her “pudgy” and used her wrong name twice, why did she continue to sit at the restaurant with that loser? Anyway, the characters were not to my liking.

[Chrissy Ruolo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Devin and Harleigh

This book had potential, but came up a little short for me. I felt that Harleigh was naïve throughout the book. In my opinion, her character didn’t evolve and show growth in maturity. I also felt that Devin had mixed feeling for Harleigh. One minute he is jealous whenever she was on a date or a man spoke to her and the next he is pushing her away like she is a nuisance. It took finding out that she was pregnant for him to realize his feelings. There wasn’t a slow burn on his side where he starts to slowly realize his feelings. I found that he cared for her, but I didn’t feel that he really loved her. The ending was sweet with a HEA. I received a free copy of this series via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving an honest and unbiased review.

[Happyscribe · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know those stories that just kinda sneak up on you when you're feeling hormonal - the stories that suck you in and make you want to be in the story instead of an observer. This was one of those. I fell for Devin hook, line sinker. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did - thanks Ava for a great read.

I received a free copy of this book on Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (9/25/2022)! 🎁

[Littlecutie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly was just board the whole entire time while reading it. It took me a while to realize the story was going nowhere with Harleigh and Devin. They seemed to lack a lot of chemistry. Harleigh was just super lonely so it made sense why she seemed driven too Devin. Devin seemed to have little to no motive.

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Como un acuerdo te puede llegar a la persona que quieres

[Kiley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just Pretending, Book 2 of the Alpha Billionaire series, was about Devin Hopper and 21-year-old Harleigh Roberts.
Devin had lived with Harleigh's family from the age of 16 when her father took him in and became his mentor/surrogate father, and she had been in love with him for a long time. That is until he started bullying her and being an A$$ around her. As for her father, he was always an A$$ to her, constantly making her take DNA tests to prove she was his daughter.
Devon (and her father) forced her to move back in with her father when it became apparent he wouldn't be living much longer. He died just a few days afterward. His will had left the business to Devon and other things to Harleigh "provided certain criteria were met". That stipulation was for Harleigh and Devon to marry one another and to stay married "for a year and a day". If they did not, they both forfeited their inheritance.
This was a rough story to read. The angst and drama levels were both very high, and the spice level was so much lower than it could have been. There wasn't really any humor to lighten the mood of the story, so it was hard to watch the two main characters struggle with the stipulations of the will and their relationship.
While the reader got to read the beginning of the coupledom, the story leaped ahead to almost the end of the year's allotted time. The author left so much out, but the reader apparently didn't miss anything other than the struggle.
The FMC got the short end of the stick in so many ways in this book that it was a bit overkill. Some readers stated in their reviews that she was a whiney, spoiled, rich brat. That's not what I got from her character. She was ill-treated all her life and she made the best of a bad situation, only to be continuously ill-treated by her husband.
Although the MMC was born to a cook who served the rich, or perhaps because of it, he had a poor ideology of the FMC. He thought she had been spoiled by her father, and that she was an "entitled heiress"...until he actually spent time with her and learned the truth. However, that didn't change his attitude towards her. Anytime they were intimate, it was more like he was using her than building a relationship with her.
The way the story ended was a bit of a letdown, at least to me. While I believed Harleigh loved him, I wasn't so certain HE loved HER...or was it just the baby he really wanted? I mean, seriously. Until he learned about the pregnancy, Devon was ready to add his signature to the divorce papers he had drawn up. It was only after he was told about it that he made a 180* turn and admitted he wanted her in his life, or that he DID anything to make that happen.
I chose to give this a two-star rating mainly because Harleigh deserved it after all the years she put up with the crappy men in her life, and still turned out to be a gentle soul.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked some of the points, like how she had a completely different experience and relationship with her father than the guy, and how she had to have her clothes tailored to fit rather than just buying expensive "designer" clothes that magically make her a sexy goddess. I really felt sad for her that no one (especially her like-a-brother) understood how her father treated her, what her financial situation was, and what she wanted her life to be like.

As a romance, this was an epic fail. The guy said I love you at the end and stopped fighting against his lust. However, he never accepted that his behavior toward her was wrong. My expectation is that this will continue to be a one sided relationship where he is selfish and controlling and talks down to her and she is miserable and depressed. I hated that the cook was supposed to be her friend but at the end said, "I work for her. I'm her friend when needed, but I'm not her keeper." That made it sound like the only reason she was friendly was to keep her job. And the arrangements the guy made to have the company pay the house staff was garbage. She would continue to have no control over anything. She didn't like the house and she couldn't afford to keep it running, so she should sell it. No one asked her what she wanted to do with it. I thought there would be some secret account reveal at the end or that the guy didn't know about the closet safe so she would have enough to take care of it herself. I was super disappointed with how this wrapped up.

He should have had a change of heart when he visited her yoga studio and started trying to win her back with attention and appreciation. There should have been more info about why she dropped out of college and what she wanted to do with her life. I would have had more respect for her if she was using her allowance to start up a yoga studio with the other woman. She was working part time teaching yoga, but what did she do the rest of the time? Where were her friends from boarding school or college? She needed more of her own life for the guy to show an interest in.

[Kim Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow...such a disappointment. The story had so much potential and nothing came of it. The only good parts of this book was when Devin and Harleigh got together and allowed themselves to feel and connect with each other. This should have happened more than three times in this book. I would have enjoyed the story much more. I felt like it was all legal mumbo jumbo. I didn't care about the estate, the will or the lawyers. This got in the way of the story and how Devin and Harleigh fall for each other. On top of that, both were not my favorite characters. Devin was too stubborn and set in his ways to even allow his heart to feel throughout the book. It's like every time he let his heart take over, his brain stopped him. This mentality was felt throughout the whole book until the very end. If you ask me, this took too long and I grew very frustrated, to the point where I almost didn't finish the book and the legal part didn't help with this. I didn't care for Harleigh either, she was too naive and innocent for my liking. It felt like she was whining a lot too which really got old for me. Perhaps the kicker was how all of Devin's avoidance of Harleigh and running away from his feelings automatically changed when he found out she was pregnant. I was left thinking, but do you really love her, or are you just now deciding you want to be with her because of the baby. It all felt fake to me and like the author was just trying to finish. How can the main guy avoid his feelings about the woman the WHOLE book until miraculously she's pregnant and now he has a change of heart. It all just could have been better. The part that makes me bothered too is the fact that out of all the books in this series, this was the one I wanted to read and the one that spoke to me when I first came across this series. I really hope the next book is better which I will read after definitely needing a break from this series.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful love story about Devin and older man and Harleigh a young woman who has been give money by her wealthy father to keep her dependent on him. Devin was the cook for her father and when she passed away he took Devin in as he own, gave him an education and taught him the business so he could take if over when the time came. Harleigh never felt close to her father as he made her take DNA test many times over the years to prove she was his daughter. Harleigh’s father married many women over the years and they were all young with blond hair and looked a certain way. Devin has always been a thorn in her side growing up and she could never date without him finding her and ending the date. They grew up not liking one another. Harleigh could never understand why her father showed him love and never took the time to be a father to her. When her father passes away Devin promises to be there for her and keeps that promise through it all until the reading of the will do things get complicated. For the current wife things don’t go the way she wanted and ends up destroying the house and antique/historical items in the house even stealing a Picasso worth millions. Harleigh is left to deal with the mess while Devin is away on business to ensure the business can run smoothly. Devin and Harleigh need to marry for 1 year and 1 day to receive their inheritance. They are both shocked and approach as a business deal until it becomes more! Feelings occur between them and when the year ends there are complications that Harleigh becomes sure how to move on until Devin realizes what’s really going on and does what any man in denial about love should do…do what is necessary to get his woman! I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parents, animals, and little people (children) always have a way of making things a little more interesting or throwing a monkey wrench in already laid plans that is the situation these two find themselves in. Harleigh a heiress father passes away instead of just leaving everything to her like most would think he decides to have a little fun by stipulating that she marry her adopted brother and they must stay married for a year in order to get what was willed to them. Devin sexy as all get out alpha (with all the alpha way) controlling, protective, wants to in charge of everything/everyone, and none to happy about the stipulation especially when there is no loophole to slip through. Harleigh has crushed on Devin since the moment she met him but of course she isn’t going to say that out loud, she is an independent curvy woman who can take care of herself despite what her father thought. Agreeing to the terms of the will left by her father they go to Vegas for a quick wedding and even though Devin doesn’t really want her he has never walked away from a hookup on their wedding night and one other hookup. He makes sure to stress this is a temp. situation and not to expect anything more, for him it is just to get what was left for them. That one night though Devin left her with a gift one that will tie them to each other forever, but will she tell him considering he really doesn’t want her, he is indecisive when it comes to her and treats her as such will she tell him about the baby, will he come around to being the man her father thought he was, will he want the baby, and can these two find something more than a forced marriage?

[Katja · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harleigh's estranged father was an elderly eccentric who lived in a museum of a home and wrote a peculiar will that gave the house to Harleigh and his business to his foster son Devin, provided they are married for one year and a day. Otherwise, elephants will get it. Harleigh and Devin aren't very concerned about elephants and they do get married. Devin arranges an Elvis wedding and they have a very real wedding night. In the next chapter, we jump ahead and are told that after ten months of marriage they settled into a routine, and it's a bit of a mystery what happened during the first ten months. But the last couple of months of their arrangement are eventful.

The book was otherwise okay but I didn't like Devin. He blows hot and cold, at one point thinking, "I now had to prove to her that I married her because this is what I wanted, her trust, her warmth, her touch," but then he goes on to do the exact opposite, to act like a snippy chauvinist, ignore her, run off to fake business trips, plan a divorce... He makes decisions for her without telling her or asking what she wants and says things like, "You are my fiancée now and you will do what you are told." He is a bit older than Harleigh and has known her all of her life, but he still has a lot of unfounded assumptions about what she is like, what her life was like. He has a jealous caveman routine whenever she speaks to a man, however innocently. It takes pregnancy to turn him into a devoted lover overnight, and it wasn't quite believable.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review

[Regan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn’t

Alright to start I gave it 2 stars because I did not make it to the end. I could only handle 15% of the book. I am sorry. Usually I can handle books regardless of how difficult to read they are. The writing and editing was fine. It was the characters. They were annoying. **Spoilers ahead**. Okay so MFC she was 22 and started like she was going to be great with her job at a yoga studio only half way through the chapter to have her way older “adopted” brother to come and practically force her back to her dad’s house. Then the next chapter she seemed super naive and acted like she could not do anything. She was pushed around and was treated and acted as if she were a child and had never been exposed to the world or people for that matter. The “brother MMC was super bossy and almost had a holier than thou feel to him. He would push her around and make her feel even worse. His whole hot and cold to her thing was already starting and it was painfully obvious. Now onto her father who was ill practically ignored her and made her seem like an object. Then wants to go on about how “adoptive son” and her should be married. All around it was just hard to get through. I liked the premise of the story and I feel like it could have been done so much better with a little bit of a different character base before they develop and become even more and beloved.

[Jessica Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

maybe I wasn’t in the right head space?

The idea of this book is great. I had so many issues with character’s emotional roller coasters that it ruined it completely though. The FMC was angers but egging for his love in the same sentence. They had a plan but she lived in Layla land from right away. He didn’t give any indication the plan was changing but she expected it to. She kept saying “he doesn’t want me” but she acted like a crazy person still thinking he wants to stay with her. Luckily it’s told from dual pov otherwise I would have thought the story was going to end with her in the psych ward. Now, if the author would have given the FMC a bit of a backbone and really stayed angry or showed that she was hurting when she really was, then I probably would have loved this book. So, I do recommend for those that are ok with the role the fmc is playing in this. I do not recommend for those that prefer a strong female lead. Though, maybe I wasn’t in the head space for it and that’s why I feel strongly about it!

[Sue Carter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great full-length enemies-to-lovers romance. Heiress Harleigh’s father dies leaving both her and her ‘adopted brother’, Devin’s inheritances tied up in a complex will. Their only option to marry for a year & a day. I like the fact that Harleigh is a BBW an proud of her figure. I enjoyed the initial snarkiness between them as Devin assumes the role of protector and Harleigh’s pushing back against being told what to do. She also fights the fact that she has been crushing on Devin since her teens, vowing not to give into her feelings. After a hasty marriage in Vegas and an initial steamy encounter, they settle into their marriage of convenience. The reader will enjoy the way their story develops as they circle around their feelings for one another and the ‘complication’ that arises, after another hot encounter, that Harleigh keeps to herself... A really good read with some ups and downs on the way to their HEA.

[Karen Nastasio · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I didn’t like how Harleigh was treated by her father and then Devin who was the son of the family’s cook who died and her father took over Devins care and gave him everything and she hated him growing up and all Harleigh got from her dad was take this DNA test because I don’t think your my daughter and when he died if they want the business and all the money they must marry and stay married for 1year and day and they must seal the deal and now Harleigh starts having feelings for Devin but she isn’t sure how he feels about her and now that she is pregnant she’s not sure how to tell Devin after he moved out when the year and a day was up. How will it all turn out for them both, will Devin finally admit he loves Harleigh after he finds out she is pregnant or will he continue to treat her poorly. Overall I didn’t like her father or Devin at first but Devin might just redeem himself.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Coline · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

J’aime bien le concept du mariage initié par le père car il savait qu’ils devaient être ensemble.

Harleigh m’a fait de la peine à être délaissée par tout le monde, voir son père aimé un autre comme son enfant et elle ne pas recevoir autant d’affection. Elle voulait juste être aimée mais des fois je trouve qu’elle a trop un comportement de gamine même si elle reste jeune, on dirait une enfant de 6 ans pourrie gâtée qui n’a pas ce qu’elle veut.

Devin au début il avait pas une image super d’elle. Il l’a voyait un peu comme une gamine qui était juste jolie mais pas son style et rien d’autre, comme si elle avait pas de personnalité.

La relation entre eux est compliqué on voit qu’ils veulent mais en même temps non pour aucune raison.
La conclusion un peu rapide du jour au lendemain il a des sentiments alors que depuis le début il dit pas être intéressé.
Mais sinon histoire sympa qui se lit rapidement.

[Raecharmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Harleigh's dad dies, he makes a stipulation on hers and Devin's inheritance. They have to marry each other and stay married for a year and a day in order to collect. Devin takes charge when he sees there's no loophole. They go have a quickie wedding and things heat up on their wedding night. Harleigh wishes Devin wanted to make things real. However, he makes it plain that this is just temporary. So, when she finds out that she's pregnant Devin has already moved out. Will she get a chance to tell him about the baby? Can they find their way to their happy ending?

This is an amazing story that will captivate you from beginning to end. This is a well written and very entertaining story. I would recommend this book to any book lover.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Allthebooks (Lynette) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

The fake marriage trope is always a little iffy for me and it is not what I usually read. However, the way the lead characters Devin and Harleigh (great names btw) each approached their situation piqued my interest. During this read I was on an emotional rollercoaster following their journey to HEA. I found myself talking to the characters to express my annoyance, glee or frustration. As much as some of their antics frustrated me, I wanted them to “get their act together already”. Neither character had me rooting for them. There was a HEA, but the timeline to get there for me did not hit me in the feels. I have read other books by this author, so I know this is not her best work, but it was still a quick and easy read. As I said, this author has some great other books, so I will read more from her.

[Silver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not much of an age gap is noticeable but still a good read

They seemed to be so blinkered to the others emotions for a long while but a sweet hea. She seemed very innocent n naive for a 21 yr old who had been living alone for a year without support. For someone who always seems to be left behind she seemed clueless and had almost a princess in tower complex and he was very closed off emotionally one minute he was eyeing her up like a tasty morsel then realising oooo human emotion shut that in a box n be the cold alien businessman. The yurt scene needed more to it coz she hadn't seemed there long n then was in hospital dehydrated even though there was a well for drinking as she boiled water for tea so how did she get dehydrated so fast. Over all it had a few glitches but base of story was good

[Misty · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Spoilers***

Just Pretending was a good read. These two characters have loved each other for years, but do not think that the other feels the same way. When her father dies, they are forced to get married in order to keep the inheritance or it will be donated. So they get married for the required time period and then go their separate ways, but they are both miserable. What the other doesn't realize is that they are both in love with each other. These two characters are sweet together when they aren't avoiding each other. I loved how she kept changing his bathroom colors to find something he likes (i.e tells her he likes it), and what he chose sounds beautiful. This was a sweet story and I recommend it!

Received ARC in exchange for voluntary honest review

[Jessica Brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

If poor editing bothers you, skip this book

This was a tough book to convince myself to finish. Each paragraph was one or two sentences long. The pronouns were incorrect for the speaker multiple times, it switched from first person to third person a couple times. Spelling errors. And then there were the characters. Harleigh was lovely and totally trampled by every man in her life. Devin is a terrible “alpha” and just comes across as a bipolar absent husband. One of my frustrations with the first book in the series continued this one, which is a totally odd way of moving the timeline along. All of a sudden they have been married for SEVEN months and nothing has happened?! Huh??

[Linda C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harleigh needs to marry Devin to get her inheritance. Devin needs to marry Harleigh to keep the companies he has been running for years. They only need to be married for 366 days. They get married in Vegas and consummate the marriage. Harleigh tries to get close to Devin but he rejects her. Devin is older. He blows hot then cold. After another time of intimacy, she gets pregnant. Devin goes cold and hides out from her. So, Harleigh has to go through the beginning of her pregnancy alone. Lots of drama but eventually HEA

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shannon Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just Pretending is the story of Devin and Harleigh and their journey to becoming something real. I had a hard time liking the people around Harleigh. Her dad has put some unrealistic and pretty crazy expectations and regulations on her in order to get her inheritance. Devin is someone she doesn't like but agrees to marry (just on paper) so they both get what they want. The tension between them turns out to be amplified by their mutual attraction and you can guess where the story goes. I wanted to like Devin more than I did but for some reason, I just didn't fully connect with him.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cathy P · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just Pretending

This is Harleigh and Devin's story. This author is hit and miss for me. I enjoyed Fake Fiance for Christmas, but this one I could barely get through. I don't like heroines that are absolute door mats with zero drive to be independent. When someone shows you who they are, believe them. Devin was a selfish jackhole. He had a couple redeeming moments, but it was too little to late. I already disliked him. I like alphas. This wasn't that. The only character I really liked waa the cook.
Standalone with no cliffhanger. Told from both main characters POV. Has some steam in a few places.

[Valettagirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harleigh is a lovely girl who might not be as slim as she’d like to be but on paper she’s got it all. A rich father, the only child , and a crush on her fathers sort of adopted son Devin. However all is not as it seems. Her father has a somewhat jaded view of a females place in society, courtesy of a succession of wives, and the workplace, and he’s resents Harleigh moving out to do things her way. So he’s punishing her as he sees fit. Trouble is Harleigh is about to find out the hard way that her father is ill and he is determined to continue to rule her world along with Devins. Will they play ball?

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving my review. I had mixed feelings about this book. There was just so much more negative between them than love. I did not like Devin much and he did not do much to change my opinion. I hated that Harleigh was stuck first with a horrible father then shackled to a man who just wanted everything but her. I just could not get past his attitude to enjoyed the rest of the story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Corina Hochwimmer Andersen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ava Gray has done it again. Her stories are always, captivating, and this book is no different.
I was drawn in to the story from the first page, and could not put it down until it was done. I needed to know what happened next.
A couple of time throughout the book, my heart broke for Harleigh, and other times I was yelling at her to grow a back bone and stand strong.

Really a very good book, if you are looking for a bit of a heart break combined with anger management and a HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.