Being Italian and being sexy is supposed to go hand in hand, but somewhere along the line twenty-six-year-old Angelina Rossi’s genes forgot their Italian love goddess heritage. And now everyone at her work knows what a failure she is as a woman thanks to her ex-boyfriend and co-worker at Sunset Travel who has given Angie the nickname of ‘Ice Princess’, claiming no man will ever thaw her.
Thirty-year-old business executive Trey Landers isn’t surprised by much his best friend and neighbor, Angelina Rossi, throws his way. But this time she throws him one hell of a curve ball. She not only wants him to accompany her on a business trip to Las Vegas, pretending to be her lover in front of her ex-boyfriend, she wants Trey to give her pointers on what it takes to seduce a man.
A man of his word, Trey’s fevered kisses in front of her ex has the ass regretting his decision to break up with Angie. Not that she’d ever consider going back to Rick. Especially after discovering true passion in Trey’s arms. With that passion comes the realization they’re no longer pretending as the lines of their longstanding friendship and newfound love begin to blur. If only what happened didn't have to stay in Vegas.
Romance author Lindsey Brookes grew up reading romance novels. She penned her first romance, a historical, at the age of seventeen. From there she went on to join Romance Writers of America where she learned the ins and outs of the publishing business and ways to hone her craft. She switched to writing contemporary romance and has finalled in/or won more than 75 RWA chapter sponsored contests with over a dozen different manuscripts. She is also a three time RWA Golden Heart finalist as well as a past American Title III finalist. She's married to her childhood sweetheart, her hero, with whom she has two beautiful daughters.
I really enjoyed this book. Was it predictable? Yes but you know what? That's okay sometimes. Miscommunications between the two main characters but a happy ending. Nice light hearted read which didn't take me long to get through at all. It did finish at 85% on the kindle though which came as a bit of a surprise.
Only in Vegas. Lindsey Brookes. Review from Jeannie Zelos Book Reviews.
I liked the sound of this, a good fun romance. Well it was, but its a bit like an Angel Delight romance, its sweet and light, enjoyable when you consume it but when finished you feel a bit empty, wanting something more. Angelina (Angel) is a sweet girl but somehow I found her a bit too unreal, her Ex was a dope, ratfink etc but she's a big girl and really needed to get a grip and do her job....she's not a child so why act like one. Her best friend Trey too – good guy but really, able to drop everything just like that? Anyway – despite my feelings they did go to Vegas together, inevitably had some hot erotic sex, and then returned home. The usual, there are subsequent problems that need sorting before a HEA. Its a decent novel, well written, just that bit too light and implausible for me. I didn't feel the emotion, the fun and happiness, the tension of the will they/won't they? I didn't feel sad when things went wrong – it just didn't move me and for me that emotion is essential to my enjoyment of the novel. There's nothing bad about it, hence my three star ok rating, but nothing for me to make it special. There are many people who like light and fluffy, easy to read romance though and for them this will be perfect, just not for me :( It's priced at £1.94/$3.11 for 271 pages so if it's the type of read you enjoy its good value for money. Stars: Three.
I loved reading this book. It was like I was apart of their lives. I was happy, upset, hurt, and just so happy and excited for the two love birds. If you read this book you will also be drawn into their excitement.
Story 2.25, narration 4. But the narration just couldn't improve this story beyond amusing at times. Very, same old worn out plot. It just happen to take place in Vegas a convenient we have no "choice" destination.
The story did have a few fun moments, and the couple was cute at times. IT really didn't have a lot of heart or creativity.
Angie is deemed an Ice Princess by her disgruntled ex. She’s just never been able to get a passion for a sexual relationship. In other words, she can’t get it up. So she aims to change that on a business trip to Vegas and she asks her best friend, Trey, to help her out. She wants him to teach her to be the sultry vixen to show her ex that she can be that wild cat in the bedroom.
The thing is that Trey doesn’t really get the chance to tutor her much before they instantly jump in the sack on the first night in Vegas. Suddenly, the two don’t get out of the bedroom.
The two want a fling while in Vegas, but how can it be a fling when the heart gets involved?
A quick, sultry romance that gives credence to the old saying: “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”
And, of course, there would have to be a wedding in Vegas. Gag and Barf!
The pacing got lost in the obstacle. The transfer should have been put in motion before Vegas, and she should have ended up pregnant and not wanting to trap him. The elaborate lengths he went to to propose make no sense. Even Sheldon just got on a plane and arrived at her doorstep with a ring.
I don’t have much to say on this one. It’s a friends to lovers romance which I am always a sucker for and I enjoyed it, but it didn’t leave me with a desire to read it again later which is my ultimate rating for books. It’s worth reading but don’t expect to be blown away.
A typical easy read where you can predict the ending from the word go, a slight twist at the end. The whole point was to get back at her ex- yet hardly mentioned or an appearance from this character until the end.
Humorous -- it will keep you grinning, and will have you laugh out loud about a feather duster wielding maid. Totally predictable -- which makes this a ridiculously easy read and possibly not what you're looking for, BUT it's also a very fun comfortable read. Fun because the characters have a great playful repartee. Comfortable because the characters are down to Earth.
I received this audiobook from the narrator through a Goodreads request for reviewers. This is the kind of entertaining book that makes you so glad you stumbled upon a good listen and you're happy to submit a review. Karen White, the narrator, did a great job with the narration -- her pace, her intonations, changing her voice for the various characters. She has a great voice for the shy, hesitant female character and also did well with the male main character. The only drawback, in my mind, would be that Ms White gave the female main character tension-filled mid-sentence hesitations throughout the entire book, even during scenes that weren't particularly tension-filled and didn't seem to call for the character(s) to sound as if they are trying to choose their words oh, so, very carefully. This vocal hesitation was perfect in other scenes, just not throughout the entire.
If I have nothing but good things to say, why do I give this book only three stars... it is clear that not every good story that entertains and makes the time pass quickly is a five-star book. This is a good book. A good story with good characters. I enjoyed my time with this story. Unfortunately, it is not particularly moving. It is very predictable, not original, intriguing, surprising or profound. Sometimes (plain) vanilla is just the perfect taste you need.
If you are reading this review and if you can imagine a time between your other reads when you would like light, fun and funny, keep this book in mind. An easy listen when traveling or commuting, when waiting in the carpool line, when walking.... anytime!
The first time…I mean when any woman, or man for that matter, loses their sexual virginity will stay firmly planted in their memory. Unfortunately not all, perhaps a significant majority aren’t particularly fond, inspiring or happy memories but will forever occupy this special place. In a few of these introduction to sexual activity can be very traumatic. I don’t mean any non consensual or willing unions. What I mean are those that don’t come close to your expectations. This is the case with twenty-six year old Angelina (Angie or Angel) Rossi. Her deflowering left her cold and this feeling followed her with all her relationships. At the point of actual penetration she freezes and clamps her legs tightly together. Her solution comes in the form of thirty year old Trey Landers, the brother of her best friend, Kathy. Being an almost brother to her she asked him if he would accompany her on a business trip to Los Vegas. During this Nevada week, he could teach her how to get over her problem and make her more attractive to men. Angel is an enigma. When you witness her prowess in seduction, she counteracts it with a naivety in reproduction and her effect on Trey. The reader can easily guess the eventual outcome of this narrative but the circuitous path they take is sure to hold your attention. This story will never be among the upper crust of literary classics but it does afford the reader a pleasant wordy interlude that is sure to leave you with a smile and “feel good” feeling.
Alrighty, folks. This story, it could have easily been not well liked because it fell along the lines of the stuff I usually don't like: third person and contemporary romance. Not that I don't like contemporary romances, BUT, most of them just fall short of giving me a connection to the story or characters. Not the case with this one though.
Angelina and Trey are absolutely loveable and completely perfect together. They are what made this story what it is. Their friendship was nothing short of sweetness to the tenth power. I was captivated by their relationship from start to finish. Seeing how Trey really feels about Angelina, oh my goodness... I adored it. I adored him. I adored them. It all went deeper than the whole "let's pretend" and it was evident in all the moments they shared. Not many book couples can pull it off right, but Angelina and Trey certainly had me believing they were real.
Only In Vegas kept my interest all the way through. I couldn't get enough of it. Or enough of the romance. Or of Angelina and Trey. All of it. If you love a good romance (scratch that, a great romance), then you'd better check out this gem by Lindsey Brookes. I need to actually buy a copy now because I want to relive this story again.
This is a fairly quick read, lighthearted romance. Angel is tired of being labelled an ice princess in the bedroom, and can't grasp that it's not her that's at fault, it's just her bad taste in men. Deciding to take positive action she begs her best friend Trey to accompany her on a work trip to Vegas and teach her the art of seduction. To add to the spice her ex the revolting Rick will be there so she asks Trey to play the role of boyfriend to help prove to Rick that she's not the ice princess he has claimed she is.
It's a comedy if errors in a way, Trey and Angel are attracted to each other she thinks he's pretending to be into her, and he thinks she deserves better than him. They have a really hot time in Vegas then it all goes wrong on the journey home.
Revolting Rick wastes no time trying to win Angel back, despite her telling him she's not interested, and more confusion and mayhem occur.
There are some great moments in this book that make you laugh out loud, an incident with silk scarves and a maid with a feather duster being one of the best.
The ending wasn't one I expected, however it was well thought out and very acceptable to me, making this an enjoyable and entertaining read.
I wasn't sure how this story was really going to go, but I truly enjoyed it. I mean I knew they would get together in the end but I wasn't sure how exactly it was going to happen.
Every girl knows that you need the right guy to make you feel sexy and actually to want to have sex with them. For Angel she just hasn't been to into when it comes to the sex department of her relationships.
Trey is her best friend and her other best friend's brother. They live next door to each other and he is always there when ever she needs him. After a recent break up that she wasn't to heartbroken over, a business trip to Vegas comes up where she will be forced to take that trip with her ex and his new lover. The problem? He's spread the word that she's an ice princess and just plain mean things. So what is she gonna do? Invite Trey and have him teach her how to seduce a man.
This is a fun story about two people admitting they care about each other even before they knew it. Form sexy clothes shopping to discovering each other to moves, slimy ex's and wedding chapels. I seriously loved this book!
Angelina Rossi has known Trey for years. She calls him her best friend. When she has to travel for work and has to go with her most recent ex, she asks Trey to come along and pretend to be going out with her. *** This one has all the tropes I usually like: best friends to lovers, fake dating, one bed etc. But it isn’t working. I have some issues with a woman who expects a guy to give her an orgasm; learn to do it yourself. Plus she is unbelievably naive. No, that’s not it… the banter and the way she behaves is just so at odds with her supposed issue - ie. That she’s an ice queen. And BOY was that beaten into the reader. We get it you don’t need to repeat it a dozen times. It feels so wrong for her to teasing Trey that she doesn’t bite or whatever and then freaking out over sex. He calls her Angel… yeah, we know! Stop repeating it. Now they are going shopping for leather becasue she thinks that will make a difference… I just can’t. It’s not working for me. Did not finish at 30%
This was a cute lil story about best friends who have known each other forever, and never realizing how deeply there true feelings were for each other. This takes us on the journey of Angel and Trey as they embark on an adventure to Vegas.
Angel is known as the Ice Princess at work, thanks to her ex boyfriend and finds herself going to Vegas for work and of all people going with her....is the ex. What Angel needs is a hot/sexy hero and she finds that in her best friend and neighbor, Trey. Angel is determined to melt her Ice Princess persona and turn into a hot, sex kitten and asks Trey to help her get her sexy on. What Trey doesn't realize is that things are about to change forever between them.
Written as a multi pov. This does have a HEA.
Nice story line, good characters, easy to visualize descriptions to details and steady dialogue.
I picked up this book because I was headed out to Vegas for vacation. Score! Then I found out its set (in the beginning) in Pittsburgh near where I grew up. Double score!
The story in itself was cute, if not a little too long. You can only play will-they-or-won't-they for so long, and this story went on for 300+ pages. I did like the characters a lot, and I loved the settings of course, so the length is probably my only negative thought.
I would say check out this book if you're headed to Vegas (because all the places mentioned made me want to go back!), are interested in a very long story about two best friends who are (or not) in love, or for a different kind of heroine. One that's not vain in any way, but sometimes takes it a little too far the other way.
The story in the first few chapters is so hilarious. Especially the shopping part. It is about Angie who got dumped supposedly because she id the ice queen in the bedroom. Overcome with self-doubt, she complained to her neighbour aka her BFF (his sister also her BFF) and ask for his help in seduction. One trip to Sin city with What happen in Vegas stays in Vegas philosophy both embark in charade and seduction games. Days turned to nights as neon lights open their eyes in love right in front of them all along. Towards the end I do just want to kick the hero for dragging his feet. If he just talks to Angie, they would have been happy alot sooner. But thank god he got sense in sweeping Angie of her feet (Vegas style). I also hope her loser ex got what he deserve (should put in the epilogue or something coz he is a major jerk). Overall, it is great story.
*ARC from NetGalley and Publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
This was a mixed bag for me. Angel doesn’t seem to realize that her hang-ups about sex is brought about by her subconscious need to be in love with who she has sex with and really, to date…she hasn’t managed that. Then she gets a light bulb moment and thinks that having her best friend, Trey teach her to be a seductress is the way to go. Throw in a tip to Vegas and whoa, does she learn. Of course, feelings are engaged halfway through the lessons and what happened in Vegas didn’t necessarily stay in Vegas but spilled into their everyday lives and relationships. That’s when it got kinds draggy…you can only string the “when are they going to realize they are perfect for each other?” anticipation so much before the reader starts to want to get into the story and give them both a Gibbs-slap.
I really liked this book. It could be that I am Italian and could relate to the main character or that I was just in need for a cute, romantic, sexy, well written story! Lindsay Brookes accomplished a lot in this story. Her character's were well written and their relationship was well defined and the reader could watch it grow throughout the story. Who hasn't wondered if their best guy friend could be the love of your life. What I liked most about this story is that it was easy to read and I found myself falling in love with falling in love. I could not put it down. It had just enough agnst to make it real, and an ending I was hoping for. Great job Lindsey!