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Waking Up in Vegas
In the city that never sleeps...
Marissa Jung Waters is a workaholic – a Group Sales Manager by day and a cocktail waitress some nights at the newest lux hotel on the Las Vegas Strip - the Blossom. Despite being all for the grandeur of the Vegas hotel scene, she’s made a vow to stay away from the “sin” in Sin City after falling into it's trap. But, her resistance fades when she’s forced by her BFF Kayley to visit a nightclub to celebrate her birthday. While there, she meets (and kisses) a man that sweeps her off her feet, only to meet the woman he hooked up with seconds prior.
The following week, Marissa is called into a company-wide meeting announcing the new Director of Operations of the Blossom and Marissa’s shocked to see that it’s the man she kissed at the club. To add – it’s Kellen Zhang, the son of the owner of the Blossom Hotel, newly arrived from NYC to continue his journey of working in the family business.
On Kellen’s first day, he’s met with death glares and disrespect from the hotel’s employees. An heir in control? No thank you. To make matters even worse, he’s almost kidnapped on the casino floor. Kellen barely escapes, with the help of a familiar face coming to his rescue. He asks Marissa if she’d be interested in adding another job on her plate – work closely as his detective-slash-bodyguard to figure out who is out for him. Marissa’s hesitant at the offer – she’s already feeling a mix of emotions from their meet disaster, and Kellen’s trying to earn her forgiveness.
Will she be able to resist the man she can't stop thinking about? And what secrets will she unearth as she explores a side of Vegas she vowed to let go of?
Marissa Jung Waters is a workaholic – a Group Sales Manager by day and a cocktail waitress some nights at the newest lux hotel on the Las Vegas Strip - the Blossom. Despite being all for the grandeur of the Vegas hotel scene, she’s made a vow to stay away from the “sin” in Sin City after falling into it's trap. But, her resistance fades when she’s forced by her BFF Kayley to visit a nightclub to celebrate her birthday. While there, she meets (and kisses) a man that sweeps her off her feet, only to meet the woman he hooked up with seconds prior.
The following week, Marissa is called into a company-wide meeting announcing the new Director of Operations of the Blossom and Marissa’s shocked to see that it’s the man she kissed at the club. To add – it’s Kellen Zhang, the son of the owner of the Blossom Hotel, newly arrived from NYC to continue his journey of working in the family business.
On Kellen’s first day, he’s met with death glares and disrespect from the hotel’s employees. An heir in control? No thank you. To make matters even worse, he’s almost kidnapped on the casino floor. Kellen barely escapes, with the help of a familiar face coming to his rescue. He asks Marissa if she’d be interested in adding another job on her plate – work closely as his detective-slash-bodyguard to figure out who is out for him. Marissa’s hesitant at the offer – she’s already feeling a mix of emotions from their meet disaster, and Kellen’s trying to earn her forgiveness.
Will she be able to resist the man she can't stop thinking about? And what secrets will she unearth as she explores a side of Vegas she vowed to let go of?
- GenresRomance
394 pages, ebook
Published January 16, 2024
9 people are currently reading
194 people want to read
About the author
Brittany Arreguin
4 books27 followersBrittany Arreguin is a mixed-Asian romance author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is a full time Events Coordinator & reads a copious amounts of romance novels over the course of the year. She lives with her husband and cats, Princess Peach & Boo, and loves to frequent breweries and play video games when she's not reading or writing.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
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December 18, 2023disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
I loved this debut romance from Brittany Arreguin!
First of all, the setting is so much fun — my family vacations growing up were in Las Vegas, NV so I thoroughly enjoyed the use of the Strip & the hotels in general 🥰
Marissa Waters works as a cocktail waitress at Blossom and has a quick run-in with Kellen Zhang at another nightclub, only to realize he’s a player when she sees Kellen kiss another woman. Then, Kellen shows up at her work as the new Director of Operations at the Blossom Hotel & Casino. Aca-awkward! I don’t want to give away what happens after this as to not spoil the rest of the plot, but I was not expecting the hijinks and mysterious aspects of this story🙀
Marissa & Kellen’s connection with their forced proximity and workplace romance builds quickly & the steam is about a 2.5/5 🌶️ I had an absolute blast getting to know them & I loved that they were able to connect on so much, including being mixed-race.
I would absolutely read another romance or romantic suspense/mystery novel from Arreguin, and I am providing this honest review on my own accord after reading an ARC.
cw: harassment, kidnapping, physical violence, gun violence, anxiety and panic attacks, racism, mentions of food and eating, drinking and alcoholism, and gambling.
I loved this debut romance from Brittany Arreguin!
First of all, the setting is so much fun — my family vacations growing up were in Las Vegas, NV so I thoroughly enjoyed the use of the Strip & the hotels in general 🥰
Marissa Waters works as a cocktail waitress at Blossom and has a quick run-in with Kellen Zhang at another nightclub, only to realize he’s a player when she sees Kellen kiss another woman. Then, Kellen shows up at her work as the new Director of Operations at the Blossom Hotel & Casino. Aca-awkward! I don’t want to give away what happens after this as to not spoil the rest of the plot, but I was not expecting the hijinks and mysterious aspects of this story🙀
Marissa & Kellen’s connection with their forced proximity and workplace romance builds quickly & the steam is about a 2.5/5 🌶️ I had an absolute blast getting to know them & I loved that they were able to connect on so much, including being mixed-race.
I would absolutely read another romance or romantic suspense/mystery novel from Arreguin, and I am providing this honest review on my own accord after reading an ARC.
cw: harassment, kidnapping, physical violence, gun violence, anxiety and panic attacks, racism, mentions of food and eating, drinking and alcoholism, and gambling.
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December 20, 2023Oh hello!
Obviously, as the writer of this book, I would love to give this book a million stars. But, that's being very biased.
When I started writing this book in 2022, I had tried so many times to write a book in the past, but never felt like anything stuck. When I finished this draft for the first time, it was the first time that I thought something I wrote might actually be worthwhile to publish.
Waking Up in Vegas is a romance, but it's a lot more than that. It's for those who like adventure. It's for those who love reading about love stories in the most unexpected places. It's a story featuring two Mixed-Asian characters, something that growing up, I didn't see much represented in media.
I could ramble all about why I wrote this book and why I love it. I love the grandeur of Vegas & it's large casino resorts. I love movies like Rush Hour and Ocean's Eleven, that have those fun heist vibes. And I love when people fall in love. And I think that's why I loved writing this book. And hopefully you will enjoy reading it.
Xoxo, Brittany
Obviously, as the writer of this book, I would love to give this book a million stars. But, that's being very biased.
When I started writing this book in 2022, I had tried so many times to write a book in the past, but never felt like anything stuck. When I finished this draft for the first time, it was the first time that I thought something I wrote might actually be worthwhile to publish.
Waking Up in Vegas is a romance, but it's a lot more than that. It's for those who like adventure. It's for those who love reading about love stories in the most unexpected places. It's a story featuring two Mixed-Asian characters, something that growing up, I didn't see much represented in media.
I could ramble all about why I wrote this book and why I love it. I love the grandeur of Vegas & it's large casino resorts. I love movies like Rush Hour and Ocean's Eleven, that have those fun heist vibes. And I love when people fall in love. And I think that's why I loved writing this book. And hopefully you will enjoy reading it.
Xoxo, Brittany
February 10, 2024
This was a dnf from me. An editor would have been worth it. Too many typos and tense changes right off the bat. Sometimes it would lapse into first person present then back to first person past.
Also, the incident in the first chapter the FMC described was barely an incident.
Lots of telling, no showing.
Also, the incident in the first chapter the FMC described was barely an incident.
Lots of telling, no showing.
February 11, 2024
Such a poorly written book , upset I wasted so much time
December 31, 2023
Rating: 3.25/5
Thank you Brittany for an ARC of this book!
Overall, this was a fun romance with some elements of suspense! I enjoyed the mystery and watching our leads try to catch the villain. Cue the intrigue, hidden identities, and drama. 😉
But of course, this is a romance and I really enjoyed meeting Kellen and Marissa. I liked that, despite the insta-love, they still took time to bond with each other before they moved towards being a couple.
Kellen started as a stereotypical heir to an empire as he began his job at his father's hotel. But when our presumed playboy was lovestruck after meeting Marissa, I knew things were about to change. I loved that he wanted to make things right and went to apologize to Marissa after their meet-disaster. I also appreciated the progress he made with his family. He had strained relations with his father and seeing them bridge the gap was heartwarming.
As for Marissa? Our girl had secrets... That I won't spill bc we'd be heading into spoiler territory. What I will say is that her family provided a nice juxtaposition to Kellen's bc they were closer. That said, it was so relatable to see that even with supportive parents, there were things that held her back. While her parents did nothing directly, the weight of not wanting to disappoint them sat on her shoulders. So I enjoyed seeing her grow and pursue what made her happy!
There were a few things that didn't quite hit for me (but certainly weren't deal breakers!). The setup at the beginning felt disjointed and the progression of the plot felt abrupt at times. I would have loved more depth in the chemistry between Kellen and Marissa but, by the end, I did believe they were in love.
CN: open-door romance, harassment, kidnapping, physical violence, gun violence, anxiety and panic attacks, racism, mentions of food and eating, drinking and alcoholism, and gambling
Thank you Brittany for an ARC of this book!
Overall, this was a fun romance with some elements of suspense! I enjoyed the mystery and watching our leads try to catch the villain. Cue the intrigue, hidden identities, and drama. 😉
But of course, this is a romance and I really enjoyed meeting Kellen and Marissa. I liked that, despite the insta-love, they still took time to bond with each other before they moved towards being a couple.
Kellen started as a stereotypical heir to an empire as he began his job at his father's hotel. But when our presumed playboy was lovestruck after meeting Marissa, I knew things were about to change. I loved that he wanted to make things right and went to apologize to Marissa after their meet-disaster. I also appreciated the progress he made with his family. He had strained relations with his father and seeing them bridge the gap was heartwarming.
As for Marissa? Our girl had secrets... That I won't spill bc we'd be heading into spoiler territory. What I will say is that her family provided a nice juxtaposition to Kellen's bc they were closer. That said, it was so relatable to see that even with supportive parents, there were things that held her back. While her parents did nothing directly, the weight of not wanting to disappoint them sat on her shoulders. So I enjoyed seeing her grow and pursue what made her happy!
There were a few things that didn't quite hit for me (but certainly weren't deal breakers!). The setup at the beginning felt disjointed and the progression of the plot felt abrupt at times. I would have loved more depth in the chemistry between Kellen and Marissa but, by the end, I did believe they were in love.
CN: open-door romance, harassment, kidnapping, physical violence, gun violence, anxiety and panic attacks, racism, mentions of food and eating, drinking and alcoholism, and gambling
July 30, 2024
I read this while I was on vacation I'm Vegas. So obviously right off the bat I loved the setting. It was one of the only romance books that take in place in vegas but don't involve getting drunk and married in vegas, so I do love the storyline where she's a casino waitress and his father owns a hotel in Vegas.
The romance was very instalove and that was bothering me but then I got a little lost because to me it seemed so quick that the romance started but then they would reference that the book was taking place over several months, I missed that part which made it confusing. Also the drama in the story is very different then your typical romance drama, I actually liked the whole mystery suspense mafia storyline.
So overall yes I liked the book, but I have to talk about the typos.. I would read sentences over and over again trying to make sense of it and realize there was most likely a word that shouldn't of been there, that's whatever people make mistakes. But the cringiest typo was when she changed the FMC name, instead of saying Marissa she said Melissa, and it was a part where she was announcing her real identity, that confused me even more cuz she had a fake name of janessa, but then she said I'm melissa waters I actually thought it was another name she was going by and lied to everyone about being named marissa. But no, it was a typo. That was kind of cringe, but it's the author's debut novel and I think she will improve on the editing as she gets more success and is able to have her own editor, because I can't even imagine having to write it all then having to re read over again looking to make sure it was all written correctly.
The romance was very instalove and that was bothering me but then I got a little lost because to me it seemed so quick that the romance started but then they would reference that the book was taking place over several months, I missed that part which made it confusing. Also the drama in the story is very different then your typical romance drama, I actually liked the whole mystery suspense mafia storyline.
So overall yes I liked the book, but I have to talk about the typos.. I would read sentences over and over again trying to make sense of it and realize there was most likely a word that shouldn't of been there, that's whatever people make mistakes. But the cringiest typo was when she changed the FMC name, instead of saying Marissa she said Melissa, and it was a part where she was announcing her real identity, that confused me even more cuz she had a fake name of janessa, but then she said I'm melissa waters I actually thought it was another name she was going by and lied to everyone about being named marissa. But no, it was a typo. That was kind of cringe, but it's the author's debut novel and I think she will improve on the editing as she gets more success and is able to have her own editor, because I can't even imagine having to write it all then having to re read over again looking to make sure it was all written correctly.
January 9, 2024
🍾ARC REVIEW🍾
✨Waking Up In Vegas✨
4/5⭐️
Waking Up in Vegas was a full package; there was romance, drama, suspense, and a little angst, followed by a HEA✨🌼
Though there was kind of an insta-love attraction between the characters, there was still tension between them, and I enjoyed the buildup.
Marissa had a lot of secrets with her, and she also held herself back from doing something that she liked because she was scared that she would disappoint her parents, but it made me happy that she took that risk.
On the other hand, Kellen was an heir and had started his job at his father's hotel. At the initial stage, Kellen shared a strained bond with his father, and I thought it'd be like any other father-son relationship, with little to no communication and buried feelings that no one wanted to talk about, but Brittany took me by surprise. I loved how she showcased their bond and how it healed with time (it was my favorite thing about this book).
I didn’t feel like I was reading a debut novel; she did such an amazing job with the story and did justice to the characters.
Thank you! Brittany Arreguin for giving me this opportunity in exchange for an honest review.
✨Waking Up In Vegas✨
4/5⭐️
Waking Up in Vegas was a full package; there was romance, drama, suspense, and a little angst, followed by a HEA✨🌼
Though there was kind of an insta-love attraction between the characters, there was still tension between them, and I enjoyed the buildup.
Marissa had a lot of secrets with her, and she also held herself back from doing something that she liked because she was scared that she would disappoint her parents, but it made me happy that she took that risk.
On the other hand, Kellen was an heir and had started his job at his father's hotel. At the initial stage, Kellen shared a strained bond with his father, and I thought it'd be like any other father-son relationship, with little to no communication and buried feelings that no one wanted to talk about, but Brittany took me by surprise. I loved how she showcased their bond and how it healed with time (it was my favorite thing about this book).
I didn’t feel like I was reading a debut novel; she did such an amazing job with the story and did justice to the characters.
Thank you! Brittany Arreguin for giving me this opportunity in exchange for an honest review.
January 1, 2024
3.75⭐
PG-13 to R 🌶️
I am so excited for a book club friend's romance debut and honored to be one of the first reviewers!! Brittany is a romance loving queen and her book truly pays homage to this from nods to well-loved romance tropes to representation of mixed-Asian heritage and anxiety to the fun having a bit of a heisty mystery while falling in love.
This book truly has a little bit of everything in it which makes it such a fun read. I will say this felt like a debut as the pacing was sometimes a bit choppy and not all scenes were connected to each other. But at the end of the day, this was just so cute and I really enjoyed it. I know that Brittany will continue to grow as an author and I am so excited to follow Brittany on this journey because supporting a friend and loving romance books are two things I do best.
PG-13 to R 🌶️
I am so excited for a book club friend's romance debut and honored to be one of the first reviewers!! Brittany is a romance loving queen and her book truly pays homage to this from nods to well-loved romance tropes to representation of mixed-Asian heritage and anxiety to the fun having a bit of a heisty mystery while falling in love.
This book truly has a little bit of everything in it which makes it such a fun read. I will say this felt like a debut as the pacing was sometimes a bit choppy and not all scenes were connected to each other. But at the end of the day, this was just so cute and I really enjoyed it. I know that Brittany will continue to grow as an author and I am so excited to follow Brittany on this journey because supporting a friend and loving romance books are two things I do best.
January 5, 2024
I'd give this book 4.5 stars!
I don't think I've ever read a romance book with this much action, suspense, drama, and excitement. This book has it all! There were so many twists and turns and secrets.
Kellen and Marissa meet at a nightclub and they instantly hit it off! ...until they don't. They end up being thrown into dangerous situations where they work together to save themselves and the hotel.
Their love is so sweet. They only want the best for each other and grow through a crazy amount of challenges to arrive there. So happy for their happy ending!! Tropes include: workplace romance, instant connection, mixed Asian characters, billionaire romance, dual POV, and anxiety rep.
I don't think I've ever read a romance book with this much action, suspense, drama, and excitement. This book has it all! There were so many twists and turns and secrets.
Kellen and Marissa meet at a nightclub and they instantly hit it off! ...until they don't. They end up being thrown into dangerous situations where they work together to save themselves and the hotel.
Their love is so sweet. They only want the best for each other and grow through a crazy amount of challenges to arrive there. So happy for their happy ending!! Tropes include: workplace romance, instant connection, mixed Asian characters, billionaire romance, dual POV, and anxiety rep.
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January 7, 2024Author Swap Review
Thank you to Brittany for participating in an author's exchange with me. It's a relatively new thing for me to get people's debut novels and be asked to summarize my thoughts.
Waking Up in Vegas captures the dizzying, disorienting pace of Vegas life with a hint of darkness hidden underneath the glamorous and glitzy veneer. Fans of fast-paced books, romance books that roll with the punches, and romances with representation might enjoy this adventure. For a debut novel, this was a good read.
I hope this book finds the audience it was meant for.
Thank you to Brittany for participating in an author's exchange with me. It's a relatively new thing for me to get people's debut novels and be asked to summarize my thoughts.
Waking Up in Vegas captures the dizzying, disorienting pace of Vegas life with a hint of darkness hidden underneath the glamorous and glitzy veneer. Fans of fast-paced books, romance books that roll with the punches, and romances with representation might enjoy this adventure. For a debut novel, this was a good read.
I hope this book finds the audience it was meant for.
January 16, 2024
A romantic suspense story from debut author Brittany Arreguin. This book was super fun and actually suspenseful. Marissa was enjoyable and I liked seeing her form a relationship with Kellen. While their feelings felt a lot like insta love, they don’t dive head first into a relationship and still form a solid foundation. It’s a fun book and I loved the Vegas setting.
There were a few inconsistencies and the timeline was a little off but it was still a fun read.
*Thank you to the author for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
There were a few inconsistencies and the timeline was a little off but it was still a fun read.
*Thank you to the author for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars
April 26, 2024
⭐️ 2.5
This was a fun read set in my favorite place of all time!
I felt that the pacing was a bit off in several places (a new chapter would start and it felt like we had jumped ahead without filling in important details) and the dialogue was hard to follow at times. There were also some grammatical/editing errors, but it wasn’t as bad as other books I’ve read and I was able to look past it.
Overall it was a decent debut novel and since Vegas is my happy place I will give the next book in the series a shot when it comes out as well!
This was a fun read set in my favorite place of all time!
I felt that the pacing was a bit off in several places (a new chapter would start and it felt like we had jumped ahead without filling in important details) and the dialogue was hard to follow at times. There were also some grammatical/editing errors, but it wasn’t as bad as other books I’ve read and I was able to look past it.
Overall it was a decent debut novel and since Vegas is my happy place I will give the next book in the series a shot when it comes out as well!
June 4, 2024
"Waking Up in Vegas" by Brittany Arreguin is a fun, romantic read about unexpected love in the city of lights. The story follows the lives of two strangers, Olivia and Max, who wake up married after a wild night in Vegas. Despite their differences, they decide to give their impulsive marriage a chance. The book is filled with humor, heartfelt moments, and the ups and downs of an unconventional romance. Arreguin’s writing is engaging and her characters are relatable. It's a light-hearted, feel-good story that’s perfect for readers looking for a charming escape into romance.
October 28, 2024
Honestly… this book was awful. I don’t know much about the author but I hope this was her first book because it read that way. A lot of grammar mistakes (not that I have room to talk, but I mean it was bad), the storyline was literally not linear- it felt so all over the place, and the “smut” scenes were so CRINGE…. Like the way they spoke was awkward. I will not be reading the next in the series & I’m so glad it was on KU and that I didn’t actually pay for it. 🤮
October 23, 2024
This is my first DNF. I tried. I was getting into it, but the writing itself was hard to follow. Some people write the way that they speak and that's okay, but not for me. I struggled really hard with some of it. It just sounded broken. Maybe one day I'll try again, but I don't think it'll be anytime soon..
February 21, 2024
Overall, I like the plot of the storyline. My biggest complaint would be the plethora of spelling and grammar mistakes. In the day of spellcheck and grammar check, I would have hoped most of the errors would have been fixed/caught. Those at times made it less than a stellar read. Hence, a 3 stars
October 21, 2024
I was excited for a book that took place in Vegas and had half Asian main characters. There were plot points that seemed so rushed or outlandish that I thought they were dream sequences. I got a little whiplash from the pacing and status of the main characters “relationship”.
Want to read
May 1, 2024Free on kindle
February 2, 2024
If you're looking for an indie author that has written a great story, then this is a book you could consider. This was such a great, enjoyable romance with enough excitement and suspense that will keep you wanting more. It did not read like a debut story, but like an author that has several books under their belt. I loved most of the characters, especially Marissa, who so far is one of my favorite FMC this year. Kellen and his father's growth in the story was also a favorite of mine. I am so excited for this story to reach the masses and can't wait for the author's next book
I received a copy of the book via the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review of my own thoughts and opinions
I received a copy of the book via the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review of my own thoughts and opinions
April 24, 2024
This is a solid debut from Brittany Arreguin. Marissa and Kellen are instantly attracted to each other from the moment they meet and their chemistry is magnetic. There’s a little mystery surrounding Kellen and Marissa is tasked with helping keep him safe, bringing them closer together. I appreciated the anxiety rep and though there was some angst between the two they were really mature and level headed when it came to their disagreements.
I can’t wait to read more from Brittany.
Thanks to the author for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
I can’t wait to read more from Brittany.
Thanks to the author for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews