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Some men are just off-limits. Like your ex-boyfriend’s father. But when I met the sexy, powerful older man shortly after my business school graduation, he was simply the seductive stranger I wanted to notice me, and he sure did. Fast forward a few months later, when my college ex – now a good friend – introduces me to the person he looks up to most…his father. The man I spent that one hot night with. I should stay far away from the commanding business mogul. But my ex and I are planning a charity fundraiser that involves late nights at his dad’s penthouse in Manhattan. Nights where he can’t stop looking at me with desire in his eyes that matches my own. I try to resist him, playing the good girl in the city…mostly. He’s the perfect gentleman…until he comes knocking on my door and tells me exactly what he wants to do to me. And I say yes. Stealing nights with him like this is supposed to be wrong, but it feels so right. And when he saves the day to protect his son at the fundraiser, my heart wants him as much as my body does. Can we ever be more than just a tryst?

456 pages, Paperback

First published April 5, 2023

1831 people are currently reading
8029 people want to read

About the author

Lauren Blakely

256 books24.2k followers
You can find Lauren on TikTok at @laurenblakelybooks! A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, feel-good and witty. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party.

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5 stars
1,657 (38%)
4 stars
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3 stars
830 (19%)
2 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 473 reviews
Profile Image for Jenn (The Book Refuge).
2,668 reviews4,490 followers
April 5, 2023
I knew I was in for a good time with this romance from the jump. It has all the tropes I pant after:

Ex's Dad
Age Gap
Forbidden Romance
Crazy Chemistry
and a swoony-as-heck hero

All of these things were lining up for me and so I was settled in for a great time. Then as I started to make my way through it I was surprised by how genuinely GOOD and kind every character was in this book. There's no vicious ex, there's no one trying to sabotage them getting together. There's just the reality of him being a single dad to her friend. And David was really more of Layla's friend than an ex. Nick wants to be a good father and Layla doesn't want to wreck it. The way we work our way through that was so mature and beautiful... I was just so impressed.

Of course, the steam and chemistry are how Layla and Nick get started, this is called The Tryst after all, but I really felt that their relationship grew beautifully and I believed their love. It may have been insta-lust, like all One Night Stands are, but I loved their story.

Nick really does get possessive and wants Layla so much, but he is also a supportive partner and gives good advice. He never loses head or acts irrationally... except when it's appropriate. ;) Layla was strong and a good business woman, who maybe trying to get out from her mother's influence, but she is never disrespectful to her and I loved how that relationship was handled as well. On another note, David (the son) is a really exceptional guy too. Really would love to see more of his romance too.

I can't wait to read more in this series and see some other characters coming together. Okay, pun intended.

5 stars
3.5 on the spice scale


CW: loss of a parent in the past in a tragic way.

*I received an ARC of this and an offering my own opinions on the book.*
Profile Image for Carla .
1,664 reviews531 followers
November 24, 2023
This story is lovely! Nick is the perfect guy!
I’m in love with this book.
Its worth the reading
Profile Image for Laura.
2,587 reviews113 followers
March 26, 2023
***ARC Provided by the Author***

I love age gap and if the romance is forbidden, I'm in. Combine the two tropes? Yes please.

So, this one was absolutely a book I knew I was going to enjoy going in. I can't lie, I've been dying to get my hands on this one.

And I did. The age gap is perfect and it's handled with a precision that makes you believe they could really work. The forbidden is just forbidden enough to really draw the reader in.

Their connection, that first night together and the way they part, you just know there's more to them that just one night. And it sets up the rest of the story in the best way possible.

But then you get more. You get the whole story but you also get a depth you aren't maybe expecting as this book doesn't end in the place in the story that I was expecting and...wow does it work.

I was expecting to enjoy this book. But I wasn't expecting this book.

Every once in a while an author I love writes a book that just works. Not saying that Lauren Blakely's other books don't work but this one is something special. It's definitely going on my list of the best Lauren Blakely titles ever.

I could say more, but that would spoil this one by giving away too much of the plot and pacing.

I enjoyed and recommend this title.
Profile Image for Kate | FocusOnYourShelf.
397 reviews15 followers
November 9, 2023
2 stars

Was pretty disappointed in this book.. the characters were lackluster, I didn’t feel any sort of chemistry or emotions between them. This is an Ex-boyfriend’s dad romance, you’d expect there to be some angst or forbidden aspects to it, but there wasn’t really anything dramatic.

The final reason I disliked the book is the writing style, specifically the internal dialogue. It felt like all I was reading with the characters was what they were doing (I went to work, I hung out with Ethan, i did this/we did this), and even all these actions being described felt very surface level and contained little detail. What bothers me the most was, there was very little emotion and feelings within the internal dialogue, leading to the book being dull to read. I felt nothing for these characters.
Profile Image for Jodi - JodiReadsnListens.
1,265 reviews50 followers
April 5, 2023
**Audio Review**
All the forbidden stars! The Tryst by Lauren Blakey was a sweet and seductive age-gap virgin romance that latched on to my heart from start to finish. I loved everything about Layla and Nick’s fiery hot instant chemistry, and it made me yearn for these two to take their relationship from one nightstand to forever. This is book 2, in Lauren’s Virgin Society series, and each book and each couple gets better and even hotter.

Vanessa Edwin and Teddy Hamilton narrate the audiobook, and both were pure sultry magic in their performances! Vanessa conveyed Layla’s passion and determination for her work fiercely. Also, she captured her guarded, painful past and vulnerabilities so well too! Vanessa’s voice is always like a delicious, dessert I like to savor. Teddy’s performance of dedicated and charismatic Nick was tantalizing in all the best ways. (Hello, Daddy Bancroft!) Both narrators were spot on presenting Layla and Nick’s undeniable, secret sexy chemistry!

Overall, I LOVED this book! If you are a fan of an age-gap virgin romance with a hot, hunky keynote speaker, an up-and-coming makeup influencer, a steamy one-night stand in Miami, becoming successful on your own, staying friends with your ex, reliable besties, steamy phone conversations, overcoming a haunted past, dating your son’s ex, secrets, apologies, and a HEA that goes from a one night tryst to forever, then you will love Layla and Nick’s story. I always look forward to more from Lauren Blakely!
Profile Image for Dali.
2,087 reviews591 followers
April 5, 2023
The Tryst is book 2 of The Virgin Society series by author Lauren Blakely. It is a standalone, contemporary romance, told from both POV with a HEA



Tropes:
✔ Ex-boyfriend's dad / Single Dad
✔ Age gap (15 years) / He's older - she's younger
✔ Forbidden romance
✔ One Night Stand/Chance Encounter

The synopsis of this romance novel definitely has an intriguing premise with forbidden love and the struggle between desire and morality. The relationship between the Layla and her ex-boyfriend's father is complicated and taboo, which made for an exciting storyline.

Lauren does a good job of building tension and keeping the reader engaged with the story. The scenes of stolen moments between Layla and Nick, and the conflict between their desires and the social and moral consequences of their actions, provide for a hot and captivating story.

The Tryst had the potential for and dramatic story, but in true Lauren Blakely fashion there’s very little angst and a whole lot of open, honest and mature communication. I’m an LB fan and you know I loved this story and can’t wait for the next installment in the series.

★ I received an ARC of this title from the author via Candi Kane PR. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title.
See all my book edits on Instagram
Profile Image for jessicakaitlin.
725 reviews365 followers
April 6, 2023
4.5⭐️ ex boyfriends dad with NO third act breakup!!

This was so good and SO hot 🥵 I loved Layla and Nick so much! I was worried there’d be lots of drama but it was very minimal and instead the characters actually communicated. We got a lot of fluff which was also nice!

The teasers for the next book have me dying I NEED it!
Profile Image for Jessica Alcazar.
4,394 reviews622 followers
May 29, 2025
Lauren is on a roll! Listen, the whole “father of …” has been written a gazillion times in a bazillion different ways, right? Right. I know this because they’re my crack. Take all my money! Lauren is doing a thing with hers, thus far, that I don’t think I’ve caught in very many so it makes it unique. There’s an added tension to the story that isn’t just the taboo aspect, because there’s more at stake here. With this story, it’s the ex-boyfriend factor and the working with the ex-boyfriend layer that adds a certain tension to the relationship build-up. All of this makes The Tryst so much more than just a father of …, age-gap, taboo nugget of goodness!

This story is a huge bucket of #swoon with a whole lot of deliciously sensual sexy that you just might not see coming. There are plot-points that are going to be unexpected (in a very good way) and every character enhanced the storyline brilliantly. This has turned out to be quite the series and I cannot wait for more!

I’ve been reading Lauren for a looong time now and she just always awes me with her versatility as an author. Not all her stories have been for me, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say they were all entertaining and well written.
Profile Image for Oredeen (honest reviews).
932 reviews39 followers
April 18, 2023
This got so boring. Also majorly missed the mark for any taboo or forbidden. This read more like a hallmark movie than a lifetime.
Profile Image for Crystal (Crystalreads2).
970 reviews993 followers
April 7, 2023


I haven’t read a Lauren Blakely book in a while, but when I saw ex’s dad. I am always down to read it. Then I questioned why it took so long; I always enjoy the author’s books.

Here is what to expect

Ex’s father

Age-gap

Sassy and confident heroine

Forbidden love

Swoon-worthy hero

Nick Adams, the sexy older hero in Miami for business, is instantly attracted to Layla. Also, I’m in Miami for business. Nick throws all his rules out the window to have a date with her. After a sanely incredible night together, the two go their separate ways. Both think they never see each other again, until one night, I’m in New York to find out what it is to each other. Both vow to be friends only; we all know that never happens.

Going in, I knew the heroine was a virgin, which is becoming one of my best favorite tropes. Honestly, how the author wrote it is fantastic and very well written.

Layla's back story is emotional and a tear-jerker. I love how Nick came from nothing and built a life himself and get never went to his head. He is a true gentleman.

I can't wait for the nwxt book in the series.

Profile Image for Pam Nelson.
3,799 reviews124 followers
March 27, 2023
Ok wow, I loved it. I know I say I like a lot of LB’s books but that's just because I really do. But few become favourites and this one I think has become that. I loved the characters. I loved the virgin trope and this particular trope is one I try to avoid but it was perfect for Layla and Nick.

Adult Romance in every sense of the word. No drama, No childish tantrums. It was wonderful. And the chemistry is sizzling.
Layla is a virgin but it's not a big deal and there is a conversation before things get going. YAY!!
Nick is older and has a son, but he is so much more. It just takes him letting down his walls for us to see how perfect he is for Layla. They may not work on paper but they sure do work in person.

Layla might be young but she has gone through so much in her young life that she had to become wiser beyond her age. I loved her friends, they have helped her and helped to push her so she doesn’t stay doing the same thing.

The obstacles the couple face are big, but I love the way the author gave us little to no drama. If you know me, that is my favourite kind of story. I don’t like angst and drama when you can act like adults and talk it out. That is my kink if you will.

LOVED the narration Vanessa Edwin & Teddy Hamilton together are fabulous.

I can’t wait for the next instalment in this series. I have a feeling we may have seen who it is from one of the scenes.
Profile Image for Mel.
803 reviews66 followers
April 5, 2023
4.5 stars!!

The Tryst is a fun, forbidden, addictive read that will not only have you fanning yourself but also laughing and falling in love.  It follows Layla and Nick as they navigate the many bumps in the road from their one-night stand to so much more.  It has a little bit of everything and I loved it!

Layla and Nick are on fire. Their attraction is electric and their chemistry is off the charts. They share a smoking hot one-night stand but don’t expect anything to come from it since he lives in London and she lives in New York. Yet, after exchanging texts and phone calls over the months, they figure they can see each other when Nick comes to New York for work and they can continue the fun. What they don’t expect is to find out that Layla’s good friend (and ex), David, is Nick’s son. That definitely puts a damper on things.

Layla and Nick figure they will just ignore their attraction for David’s sake but when they are forced to work together, the time they spend together makes that very difficult. Not only do you have a father/son relationship tested, you also have a friend relationship tested and it’s not always easy to push away feelings.
“Let’s be friends.”
He clasps my palm in a friendly gesture. But I don’t think friends shake this long, since he doesn’t let go immediately. He curls his fingers around my palm, then runs the pad of his finger around my skin, tracing me, touching me. Like he did early that morning in Miami.
He’s a thief.
But I’m not going to turn him in as he stretches the definition of friendship and curls my toes with one risqué touch.


I adore Layla and Nick. They just work. Even with the age gap, they get each other. They are both driven and smart and aren’t just attracted to their appearances. They want to really know each other and I love that it’s the little details they learn that make them fall even harder. The reservations they had, the temptation they faced, and ultimately the difficult decision they had to make felt real and made them relatable and endearing.
“My heart hurts when I’m with you but not with you.”

There is no denying that these two want each other and the forbidden aspect of the story really cranks up the sexual tension. They have no problem lighting the pages on fire but they also share so many sweet, heartwarming moments that made them really click.

The Tryst is not just a romance. It deals with self-growth as Layla and Nick embrace who they are. Layla's tragic past hovers over her head and I love that she realizes that she can break free and be who she wants without disappointing the people she loves most. And I loved seeing Nick being the best father he can be after everything that goes down. He is real and honest and wanted the best for his son, and he doesn't stop fighting for him even when he himself messes up.

Overall, The Tryst is another entertaining addition to The Virgin Society series and I can’t wait for more.

*ARC generously provided by the author*


Profile Image for Gia Davis.
340 reviews159 followers
April 11, 2023
3.5⭐️

I loved Nick, a sexy older man, millionaire, worships the ground our girl walks on.

I enjoyed the spice, and I think if this book was around 150 pages smaller it would have been closer to a 5 star read, but there felt like there was SO much conflict, for no reason! It felt unnecessary, it felt like it was forced and it felt unrealistic because of it.


Profile Image for Jayce.
300 reviews17 followers
April 21, 2023
I tried, but could not get into this one. At. All.

The way it read was…was dry. It started off strong then fizzled.

Single dad
Son’s ex
Age gap
Profile Image for Shabby  -BookBistroBlog.
1,935 reviews988 followers
April 5, 2023
An American in London and a fledgeling heiress meet in Miami and have the mind-bonkers seggs. What was supposed to be a no strings attached encounter, turns into a forbidden relationship with a third wheel attached.
This is my first by Lauren Blakely in ebook, it's super enjoyable and steamy. But I was so surprised it hid a well versed storyline with piercing emotions too
Highly recommend
4.5 stars for Lair Of Awkward

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Profile Image for Deni.
808 reviews15 followers
November 8, 2023
Cute but nothing to write home about. At least there was nothing that got on my nerves this time so I got that going on for me. The spice was on point though. 😌👌🌶🌶🌶 Loved Nick’s dirty mouth. Especially whey you put it together with his otherwise gentlemanly ways. The combination was so hot 🥵 Layla was cute too 🥰 Together they were perfect. It's just... I've read so many books like this one. There was just nothing that pops out and makes it live in my head rent free. So there you have it. Great but forgettable 🤷‍♀️
Profile Image for fran.
287 reviews66 followers
May 9, 2023
„He curls his fingers around my palm, then runs the pad of his finger along my skin, tracing me, touching me. Like he did early that morning in Miami.
He’s a thief.”


3.5 🌟 read it in almost one sitting as always, but i’m writing a review because i’m lazy or maybe that says something about the book 🤨 i feel like i liked their characters as individuals more. together they were kind of in the meh category for me. i couldn’t feel the chemistry. like there were some cute moments i admit, but idk i wasn’t feeling them. on the other hand he bought her the company so 😘 kinda torn

the son was cool tho, and his friendship with the heroine was refreshing. of course we had a little bit of drama after people finding out about them being together, but it is always entertaining for me - the reveal 😋 her mother switching up didn’t feel expected and felt kind of out of place - what i mean is i was surprised towards the end of the book about her behavior, the change felt out of place, but i assume that was the point?
Profile Image for Caitlin ♡.
569 reviews159 followers
May 29, 2023
3.5⭐️
I read this as my books clubs pick for May. I haven’t read an ex boyfriend father trope since Birthday Girl, so I was excited for this one. It was definitely a fun, forbidden read but it just wasn’t anything special for me. I feel like because the FMC and her ex were together back in college and are now just great friends, it didn’t really feel like the ex boyfriends dad trope (even though it was), it didn’t feel as forbidden as I wanted.

I did love the ending, I mean he literally bought an entire company for her *swoon*🤌🏼
Profile Image for Auntee.
1,356 reviews1,469 followers
October 1, 2023
Loved loved loved it! Super hot! I thought Finn Adams was THE ONE but Nick Adams may be my favorite now. Absolutely enjoying this series....and I'm wondering who's next?
Profile Image for Florence ..
925 reviews294 followers
April 10, 2023
I have been absolutely obsessed with ex’s father stories lately, so I was super excited to get my hands on this book, as I always really love this author’s books and I was pretty sure that this book would be a hit for me, and what a hit it was.

I was so into everything that this book had to offer me. I just adored the romance in this book, so so much. I loved how they got to know each other slowly and tried to fight their attraction to each other but it didn’t really work no matter what they did. And I loved how protective of each other they were and how much they supported each other.

This was just such a wonderful book and I kept grinning while I was reading this book.
Profile Image for Emily Johnston (Booked.Up.With.Emily).
1,574 reviews114 followers
April 5, 2023
ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK.

I am a huge Lauren Blakely fan and this book might just be my favorite one of hers yet. Layla and Nick deserve all of the stars! Some of the tropes in this book:

Age Gap (15 years) ✔️
Single Dad ✔️
One Night Stand ✔️
Ex-Boyfriend's Dad ✔️
Forbidden ✔️

Layla is attending a conference for work out of state when she sees this man who she feels a pull to and is instantly attracted to across the room. The next day, she walks into a speech where Nick is the keynote speaker. She knows that it is meant to be and she is going to shoot her shot. They have one absolutely magical night together that neither can stop thinking about for months to come. But they know it can never be anything because Nick lives in London and Layla in New York.

Three months later, Nick is coming to New York and plans to see Layla for a date night. But before that can happen, they bump into each other where Nick is meeting his son, that he didn't tell Layla he had. Who just happens to be Layla's good friend, who also happens to be her ex-boyfriend.

The forbidden-ness of this book just made it that much better! Nick and Layla try and stay far away from each other because they both know that their chemistry is explosive, but sometimes, the pull is just too strong. I loved the push and pull between these two characters because Lauren Blakely's words really made me believe how much they cared about each other.

I can't say enough good things about this book. I loved these characters both together as a couple and individually. Layla is such a badass with her work ethic and her need to make her way in this world alone. While she grew up with money, she is trying to make her own mark without the money and recognition. Nick is the complete opposite where he came from nothing and married his ex-wife, who was a trust fund baby, but still wanted to make his way in this world on his own terms. And Nick as a father was so sweet - we rarely see single dad romances where the child is over the age of 10, but Nick and his son were able to have a real, adult relationship and that was refreshing to see.

We also had some great side characters in Harlow, Ethan, Jules, Finn, and Camden. Looking forward to the next book in the series!
Profile Image for Sharon.
1,955 reviews26 followers
March 27, 2023
Once again, Lauren brings characters into our hearts, and this age gap romance doesn't disappoint! Nick will make you swoon, while Layla will win your heart! 5 stars for this one!
Layla is a savvy business woman, in Miami to make some contacts and connections. What she didn't expect was to find a hot older man to catch her eye and make her want him to be the one she gives her V-card too. Nick embodies everything she's been looking for, and he makes her laugh and feel comfortable, a win win! But this is only for one night, or is it?
Nick and his dirty talking will certainly catch your attention and make you swoon! He can't seem to get Layla off his mind, and when he comes to New York to see her, and runs into her before their date, the circumstances that arise from that one meeting, could change everything for them.
As always with Lauren, she takes on a trope, nails it and then some! The chemistry with these two was off the charts, and you can just feel their emotions throughout this story! I enjoyed this book from start to finish! Don't miss out, grab this one asap!
Profile Image for whatjtreads.
1,221 reviews2 followers
April 6, 2023
I loved all the characters in this, and Layla and Nick are were so hot from the beginning. Layla is a makeup artist who films tutorials online, though she comes from money and her own mother owns a makeup empire. Still, Layla is determined to pave her own way, and I love her work ethic and her desire to set her own path. Nick is a finance guy who likes to invest in tech, and he’s a keynote speaker at a conference that they’re both at. When they meet, it’s sizzling lust which turns out to be so much more as the book progresses.

I love a heroine like Layla, who is so good and kind. She’s gone through a particularly difficult and tragic experience when she was younger, but she still has drive and really wants to live life to the fullest. I so enjoyed Nick and his desire to be a good parent and partner, and I’m totally swooning from the way that he loves Layla. A great read!
Profile Image for Jos.
1,831 reviews140 followers
April 16, 2023
4 Stars Great

OK, so I didn't;t quite care for the first book but this one so intrigued me so gave it a chance and so happy I did. I truly loved Layla and Nick, they were so genuine and so in love.....I loved it:). My only issue was the length of the book lol it was just long for me personally... I am not sure if it's an "age" thing lol but I get bored easily and although this was not boring..it just felt long.

All in all....really enjoyed and looking forward to next in the series:)
Profile Image for Elena.
127 reviews1 follower
November 4, 2023
A ver está bien leérselo por los funsies la verdad pero no te va a cambiar la vida (mañana no voy a recordar absolutamente nada de lo que he leído)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 473 reviews

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