Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Wicked Warrens #2

Closing the Deal

Rate this book
When stubborn meets sexy, love is up for grabs…but one of them is playing for keeps.



Derrick Warren has lusted after Sydney Fields ever since he first spotted her, and after months of intense phone conversations, he’s finally got the delectable redhead all to himself.

All he has to do is let the old Warren magic do its thing…until an ex with an axe to grind shows up. Before he knows it, the perfect date ends with Sydney’s wine in his lap. Now she’s not taking his calls. To his utter shock, he realizes he’s going to have to work to win her over.

Thanks to her mother’s bad example, Sydney is determined to never need a man. Just when she’s moved Derrick to her “loser” column, though, she’s tricked into giving him another chance. To her surprise, he not only satisfies her deepest sexual fantasies, she finds herself actually craving his company.

But when she realizes they’re making love, not just having sex, her old instincts kick in. Because she’s starting to like the man, not just his body.

And that, more than anything else, scares the hell out of her…



Look out for a stubborn redhead who’s not afraid to throw her wine, her opinion, or her body at the annoyingly sexy architect determined to keep her for his own.

111 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 27, 2011

265 people are currently reading
632 people want to read

About the author

Marie Harte

199 books2,405 followers
Important:: Marie Harte is NOT active on GoodReads, so to contact her, please use her website at marieharte.com.

Caffeine addict, boy referee, and romance aficionado, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Marie Harte has over 100 books published with more constantly on the way. She’s a confessed bibliophile and devotee of action movies. Whether hiking in Central Oregon, biking around town, or hanging at the local tea shop, she’s constantly plotting to give everyone a happily ever after. Visit http://marieharte.com and fall in love.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
303 (22%)
4 stars
512 (37%)
3 stars
445 (32%)
2 stars
97 (7%)
1 star
20 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
Profile Image for Karla.
987 reviews1,109 followers
December 29, 2011
4 1/2 stars! I really enjoyed this sexy, sweet, quick read about Derrick and Sydney. We first met them in Enjoying the Show, and I was glad to see Marie Harte gave them their own book.

Derrick always gets what he wants and he wants Sydney, but she’s not having it, and so the chase is on. He seeks advice from his mom and brothers. His mom and twin, Dylan, are psychologists, and of course Gage is an expert in the love department, because he’s hooked Hailey. A very blunt and amusing conversation takes place, as is always does when they get together. It’s such a fun family dynamic and it adds so much to the book. Derrick and Sydney set the pages on fire, very HOT! The book is filled with fantastic dialogue, well-developed characters, and a satisfying plot. However, the ending felt a little flat for me. I think one or two more pages would have completed the book nicely.

Overall I loved it. If you read the first book, you definitely want to read this one, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Dylan gets a book too.
Profile Image for Sara  ~Sphunky~.
90 reviews25 followers
January 30, 2012
I really enjoyed this one. I loved Syd...loved her stubborness, strong personality, independence, and sense of humor, yet she was very vulnerable thanks to her mother. Derrick was a great match for her. He was strong/alpha, sweet, patient, funny, and intelligent. He also didn't take her s**t. I think my favorite part of this story though was the interactions between the brothers and the family in general, as well as the humorous power struggles between Syd and Derrick. I'll definitely be reading more of Marie Harte (and I hope Dylan gets his story too!).
Profile Image for Lauren.
2,516 reviews159 followers
October 19, 2023
Closing the Deal
2 Stars

After several months of phone calls and missed opportunities, Sydney Fields and Derrick Warren finally go out on a date only to have it ruined when Derrick's ex shows up with an ax to grind and Sydney decides to cut her losses. Determined that Sydney is the one for him, Derrick isn't ready to give up without a fight. Now he only has to convince commitment-phobic Sydney to give him another chance...

The novella format does not allow for sufficient character development, and there is very little in the way of actual plot.

While Sydney and Derrick are appealing as individuals, they don't mesh well as a couple. Their relationship is based on little more than sex, and even that is more mechanical than intimate.

The interactions between Derrick and his family, and the family dinner with Sydney's cougar mother are the highlight of the book.

The next installment focuses on Derrick's twin, Dylan, who is bi-sexual. It will be interesting to see where the author takes his story.
Profile Image for Awilk -never sleeps- .
1,033 reviews6 followers
May 29, 2013
A quick, hot short story featuring Derrick Warren, one of the twin brother's of Gage from the first book. This was a perfect little pick me up read. Really looking forward to reading about his bisexual brother Dylan, so I must go and get to it.
Profile Image for Monique Pearson.
Author 3 books43 followers
November 15, 2018
Love these two together. Stubbornness all around and some of the best chemistry I've read. The sex scenes were STEAMY!
Profile Image for HaleyJo.
269 reviews9 followers
January 3, 2021
The combination of humor and romance in this collection is perfect!
4,819 reviews9 followers
October 1, 2018
So good

Cannot recently men’s this author highly enough. Stories always flow well and are very engaging. Characters are larger than life and funny and vulnerable at the same time. Both leads are frightened of falling in love, have a revolving door of non potential partners and fight their attraction to each other. Great read extended family and friends who all chip in with their advice. You can’t go wrong reading this author.
Profile Image for Christine D.
2,721 reviews7 followers
February 18, 2019
Oh my gosh, I am LOVING this series! It is so delicious I am devouring these books in a matter of hours!
Derrick was so HOT and Sydney was such a feisty character; this was so enjoyable!
The banter was great and as always Marie Harte creates such wonderful supporting characters I can't wait to continue reading the next books!
Profile Image for Amy Byrne.
216 reviews1 follower
February 25, 2019
*AUDIOBOOK*

This book was ok.
The narration was good.
The story, though...I just needed something more.
There was really not much substance to the story.
Guy and girl who both want each other...both commitment-phobes. End up being friends, but she has trust issues. Decent sex scenes. But I really just felt like there wasn't much of a story there.
Profile Image for Rhonda.
503 reviews3 followers
July 6, 2024
What do you get if a stubborn redhead falls for a cocky hunk? You get Sydney and Derrick - the epitome of enemies to lovers, at least from Sydney’s POV.

With little-to-no background for Derrick and a little insight into Sydney’s behavioural quirks, this fast-paced, highly sexual book is an easy read.
1,024 reviews5 followers
August 26, 2018
I'm not sure why I like these. It is really just a plot built around sex...
My one complaint is for a guy who gives his brother a LOT of grief about being bisexual, how is it showing a woman how much you love her by anal sex???
Profile Image for Kierstin.
538 reviews6 followers
June 1, 2020
I am happy with this series so far. Derrick was wonderful and I really liked Sydney. Which was really surprising since with her commitment phobia could have made her really annoying really fast. But when he trapped her into saying it at family dinner I literally giggled. Fun read.
Profile Image for Holly.
605 reviews10 followers
November 18, 2020
3.5 - There were definitely parts where the dialogue felt clunky, but I did like the resolution of this story better than the first. I love getting to know this family a little better and can't wait to read Dylan's story.
749 reviews
December 9, 2020
Couldn't finish it. Too over emotional, didn't connect with the characters. Started skimming at probably 25%, hoping would get better, but only made it little past halfway. Sex scenes were hot, but more mechanically then sensual.
172 reviews
November 18, 2018
Sydney and Derrick
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for A Lee.
550 reviews2 followers
April 17, 2019
Syd reminds me of a beautiful, arrogant male. I'm loved, loved, loved the hotel anal scene it was like one I wish I was in her place right down to her partner.
493 reviews
November 10, 2019
It’s a ok book. Some of it is aggravating. You want to say get over it.
Profile Image for Karen.
560 reviews3 followers
May 13, 2020
Barely remember this book. I think the insta-romance was off-putting.
Profile Image for Marybeth.
164 reviews6 followers
September 1, 2023
There's no story here. It's a book jacket blurb with scenery.
Profile Image for Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews.
5,476 reviews177 followers
April 29, 2012
Originally posted at: http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/201...

Sexy architect meets sexy real estate agent with sparks flying every which way! Problems? Not in the bedroom or anywhere else they can creatively take care of their attraction to each other.

Derrick Warren is an architect who works with his younger brother at their construction company. Derrick has been looking forward to going out with Sydney Fields for a while. However, on their very first date, disaster strikes in the form of a jealous ex-girlfriend.

Sydney's a real estate agent who met Derrick through her best friend. She has enjoyed many deep phone conversations with Derrick and thought a date with him would be great. Little did she know that Derrick wouldn’t stand up for her against his ex-girlfriend.

Can Derrick redeem himself? He tries hard to come up with ways to convince Sydney to forgive him. Sydney's revealed to have relationship issues due to her mother’s personal problems but that's a side story. Derrick needs to help Sydney overcome her reluctance to commit to a relationship with him. Being helpful are Derrick’s mother and twin brother who both happen to be psychiatrists.

It sounds like a fine book, so why the mid-level rating? Honestly, it is a good book but I had an issue with the way Derrick and Sydney sometimes came across in their dialogue. For professionals, they didn't always sound like it. Derrick especially sometimes sounds like a whiny teenager. However, their other attractive traits and the chemistry made up for this shortcoming.

Overall, this was an entertaining story with some very hot love scenes. It was definitely worth reading. Even though this story follows Enjoying the Show (which is about another Warren brother), it can be read as a stand alone story.
Profile Image for Nina.
607 reviews56 followers
March 2, 2013
Closing the Deal by Marie Harte was such a good read & it packed in lots of heat and steam as well! *fans self*

The sexual tension in this book was off the charts!! Derrick and Sydney definitely had some great chemistry going on. Derrick was charming and sexy as hell doing whatever it took to pursue Sydney. Sydney was aloof and a mouthy woman who kept Derrick on his feet throughout the story, but she eventually came around. I happily cheered for these two and couldn't help, but smile when Sydney finally said the three words to Derrick.

I also enjoyed the interactions between Derrick, his brothers and his mother which had me laughing out loud several times. The storyline was easy to follow and the romance was hot. This was definitely a fun & entertaining read. Without a doubt, I will be reading more from this author.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.