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Billionaire Boys Club #4
Once Upon a Billionaire
The Billionaire Boys Club is a secret society of six men who have vowed success—at any cost. Not all of them are old money, but all of them are incredibly wealthy. They’re just not always as successful when it comes to love…
As a member of the royal family in a small European country, Griffin Verdi’s presence is requested at the wedding of the century. The scholarly billionaire feels out of his depth in social situations, so a good assistant is required—especially when dealing with royal etiquette.
Unfortunately for Griffin, he’s stuck with Maylee Meriweather, a pretty, charming, and thoroughly unsuitable woman who doesn’t know a thing about high society—but she sure can kiss. Her lack of polish may sink Griffin, because after all, even his money can’t buy class. But through Maylee’s eyes, he’s starting to appreciate the simple things in life—if simple means the most complicated woman he’s ever met.
Maylee is everything Griffin isn’t—and everything he wants—if he can let down his guard and step outside his sheltered world…
The Billionaire Boys Club is breaking all the rules. Don’t miss other novels in the series from InterMix.
As a member of the royal family in a small European country, Griffin Verdi’s presence is requested at the wedding of the century. The scholarly billionaire feels out of his depth in social situations, so a good assistant is required—especially when dealing with royal etiquette.
Unfortunately for Griffin, he’s stuck with Maylee Meriweather, a pretty, charming, and thoroughly unsuitable woman who doesn’t know a thing about high society—but she sure can kiss. Her lack of polish may sink Griffin, because after all, even his money can’t buy class. But through Maylee’s eyes, he’s starting to appreciate the simple things in life—if simple means the most complicated woman he’s ever met.
Maylee is everything Griffin isn’t—and everything he wants—if he can let down his guard and step outside his sheltered world…
The Billionaire Boys Club is breaking all the rules. Don’t miss other novels in the series from InterMix.
263 pages, ebook
First published April 15, 2015
274 people are currently reading
3164 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Clare
69 books4,462 followersThis is a pen name for Jill Myles.
Jill Myles has been an incurable romantic since childhood. She reads all the 'naughty parts' of books first, looks for a dirty joke in just about everything, and thinks to this day that the Little House on the Prairie books should have been steamier.
After devouring hundreds of paperback romances, mythology books, and archaeological tomes, she decided to write a few books of her own - stories with a wild adventure, sharp banter, and lots of super-sexy situations. She prefers her heroes alpha and half-dressed, her heroines witty, and she loves nothing more than watching them overcome adversity to fall into bed together.
Jill Myles has been an incurable romantic since childhood. She reads all the 'naughty parts' of books first, looks for a dirty joke in just about everything, and thinks to this day that the Little House on the Prairie books should have been steamier.
After devouring hundreds of paperback romances, mythology books, and archaeological tomes, she decided to write a few books of her own - stories with a wild adventure, sharp banter, and lots of super-sexy situations. She prefers her heroes alpha and half-dressed, her heroines witty, and she loves nothing more than watching them overcome adversity to fall into bed together.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 523 reviews
August 13, 2016
I had such high hopes. I liked the first 3 books, but somehow, it's suddenly going downhill.
1. Gretchen was the heroine in the 2nd book in this series. Suddenly, she's transformed from struggling ghost writer to aspiring cookbook writer to ditzy & foul-mouthed girlfriend and antagonistic female, who's throwing another woman she deemed too ditzy under a proverbial bus, just to get back at the friend of her billionaire boyfriend, because she didn't like him. Why did this transformation come about? It's annoying.
2. Maylee's portrayal is such a cliche - a very negative cliche. I felt like this book set us back by 60 years.
3. I know this is pure fiction. But, fiction's gotta be, at the very least, well... good. A frumpy archaeology-loving billionaire Brit falls inexplicably in love with a ditzy blonde woman who was his temporary secretary. He does not fire her, because she's good at tying ties? Wow. Also, I still don't understand how Griffin recovered all his family's money back. What degree did he get? Was the money from previous archaeological digs? Seriously?????
Total let-down. I mean, this is what I waited months to read after Reese and Audrey's story???
1. Gretchen was the heroine in the 2nd book in this series. Suddenly, she's transformed from struggling ghost writer to aspiring cookbook writer to ditzy & foul-mouthed girlfriend and antagonistic female, who's throwing another woman she deemed too ditzy under a proverbial bus, just to get back at the friend of her billionaire boyfriend, because she didn't like him. Why did this transformation come about? It's annoying.
2. Maylee's portrayal is such a cliche - a very negative cliche. I felt like this book set us back by 60 years.
3. I know this is pure fiction. But, fiction's gotta be, at the very least, well... good. A frumpy archaeology-loving billionaire Brit falls inexplicably in love with a ditzy blonde woman who was his temporary secretary. He does not fire her, because she's good at tying ties? Wow. Also, I still don't understand how Griffin recovered all his family's money back. What degree did he get? Was the money from previous archaeological digs? Seriously?????
Total let-down. I mean, this is what I waited months to read after Reese and Audrey's story???
July 19, 2016
***3.75 Stars***
Another winner in this series!
Here we have Griffin, the snobby royal and Maylee, the country bumpkin. Two complete opposites in every sense, but by the end they turn out to be perfect for each other.
Griffin begins this book as a judgmental and pretentious ass (this comes from an upbringing where his family believes in old world royal protocols and only rubbing elbows with those in the same social class as them), but little by little Maylee softens him and pulls his head out of his ass...I mean helps him see that he's been living a rigid and snobbish life.
I have to say, if we didn't have Griffin's POV, I would have hated him. He had ZERO idea how to communicate with people. There were times where he meant well, but his word selection would be demeaning and hurtful. He just simply didn't know what was the right thing to say or how to say it. But by the middle of the book, he completely won me over and instead of getting mad, he'd get a big ol "Oh, Griffin..." from me.
Maylee was sweet, caring and spirited. She was a bit naive at times, but generally pretty likable. I wish she would have stood up for herself more and shared with Griffin how some of his comments made her feel...but overall, I really liked her ability to bring out the more human and carefree side of Griffin.
The ending turned into a big ol' cheesefest....but I kind of liked that the usually polished and rigid Griffin got a saccharine induced happily ever after.
June 26, 2015
This was book #4 in this wonderful series that I'm enjoying so much. Even though I love the series, this was not my favorite of the bunch. I didn't dislike it; but I had a few reasons why I couldn't give it any more stars than three. One of my bigger pet peeves when it comes to reading a romance books that I have is when the couple doesn't do "the deed" until later on. In the case of "Once upon a Billionaire" the hero and heroine don't "get it on" until past 80%...and nope...I am not exagerating! So this was a big hurdle for me.
Iam going to have to write more of my review later, but just wanted to say a few words before I headed out. I am looking forward to the fifth installment, as I really do love this series!!
Iam going to have to write more of my review later, but just wanted to say a few words before I headed out. I am looking forward to the fifth installment, as I really do love this series!!
August 25, 2021
I had to do a re-read to confirm about Jessica Clare just to be fair after the last one which I hated. This one is a little more like it. Silly, funny and frothy, the hero and heroine are polar opposites. She’s a country hick that says Lordamercy way too much, and he’s a very stiff, too proper and too cold to the point of being unlikeable at times.
They are forced to work together as he goes back home to his even more stiff, proper and even colder homeland.
The heroine has some of the best lines outside of the Lordamercy stuff and when drunk calls Griffin, Mr. Gryffindor which, as a Potterhead, I loved and wished JC had kept up. She also points out that anyone who doesn’t want notoriety as much as he says shouldn’t tool around in a limo with royal seal.
There’s a misunderstanding and he has to prove his love, and it’s all as cute as a basket of kittens with as much depth, but that’s not a bad thing.
The heroine
Mr. Gryffindor
They are forced to work together as he goes back home to his even more stiff, proper and even colder homeland.
The heroine has some of the best lines outside of the Lordamercy stuff and when drunk calls Griffin, Mr. Gryffindor which, as a Potterhead, I loved and wished JC had kept up. She also points out that anyone who doesn’t want notoriety as much as he says shouldn’t tool around in a limo with royal seal.
There’s a misunderstanding and he has to prove his love, and it’s all as cute as a basket of kittens with as much depth, but that’s not a bad thing.
The heroine
Mr. Gryffindor
March 2, 2015
ARC provided on behalf of PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW via NetGallery.
Griffin, he's the stuffy one. The one that doesn't play well with others. The scholar of the group... the regal bachelor that is pretty much helpless and a complete arse. When his attendance is required for his a royal wedding, royalty that is his bloodline, he must return home. The only problem is that his assistant is sick. When Hunter's assistant, Maylee is offered up as a option, Griffin has no choice but to blindly accept the offer.
For those that have read the prior books in this series, Maylee was a character that could not be forgotten. Backwoods and adorable as all hell, this girl is about to set Griffin into a major panic as he realizes just what kind of trick was pulled on him. Maylee left her trailer to make something of herself, ready for the challenge and ready to succeed to ensure that she could help her family survive. Her heart was pure and her smile was steadfast, but nothing prepared her for Griffin.
Maylee was so freaking cute, I just wanted to pinch her, while Griffin was just so dense and inept in his ability to see anything beyond himself. I found that whenever Griffin was musing about how he could make this work, venturing into dangerous territory, I was laughing at just how clueless he was. I never got angsty or angry over his actions but I just couldn't help but chuckle whenever this man put his foot in his mouth.
I have loved this series since coming across Stranded last year and have enjoyed each one that has followed. I love how JC ties these all together but gives us such a different story with each installment. I am looking forward to Jonathan's story next, what he says to Griffin was just the little nugget I needed to catch my attention.
Griffin, he's the stuffy one. The one that doesn't play well with others. The scholar of the group... the regal bachelor that is pretty much helpless and a complete arse. When his attendance is required for his a royal wedding, royalty that is his bloodline, he must return home. The only problem is that his assistant is sick. When Hunter's assistant, Maylee is offered up as a option, Griffin has no choice but to blindly accept the offer.
For those that have read the prior books in this series, Maylee was a character that could not be forgotten. Backwoods and adorable as all hell, this girl is about to set Griffin into a major panic as he realizes just what kind of trick was pulled on him. Maylee left her trailer to make something of herself, ready for the challenge and ready to succeed to ensure that she could help her family survive. Her heart was pure and her smile was steadfast, but nothing prepared her for Griffin.
Maylee was so freaking cute, I just wanted to pinch her, while Griffin was just so dense and inept in his ability to see anything beyond himself. I found that whenever Griffin was musing about how he could make this work, venturing into dangerous territory, I was laughing at just how clueless he was. I never got angsty or angry over his actions but I just couldn't help but chuckle whenever this man put his foot in his mouth.
I have loved this series since coming across Stranded last year and have enjoyed each one that has followed. I love how JC ties these all together but gives us such a different story with each installment. I am looking forward to Jonathan's story next, what he says to Griffin was just the little nugget I needed to catch my attention.
October 21, 2014
5 Fairy Tale Stars
OH.MY.GOD!!!! You want a cute cute cute SUPER CUTE read then Once Upon a Billionaire is for you!!!
I really love this series.
Summary
So there’s Griffin and he’s kind of like royalty for this made up country. He has to go back to his homeland because his sister is getting married. His assistant isn’t able to make it and so he needs a replacement, FAST!
Hunter is sick and is able to lend his assistant to Griffin. Griffin agrees.
The thing is, Maylee isn’t your typical gal. She’s country, poor and doesn’t know anything about refinement, but Griffin is stuck with her.
Review
I just can’t get over this book. First off, it’s totally funny. Yes, I’m talking like a valley girl, but when I think about Once Upon a Billionaire, it just brings smiles and giggles to my face.
How funny is the summary? There’s stuck up Griffin who is snobby and looks down on anyone who doesn’t have class, but he’s stuck with is hillbilly assistant! Too funny. You would think I would get annoyed by Maylee because she’s so stereotypical, but I do not. I love her!
I loved it when she put the commentary shampoo bottles in her luggage so the maids would refill the bathroom each day. Come on, EVERYONE does that, we just don’t talk about it.
Griffin and Maylee have the cutest banter. Griffin wants someone who works a certain way, like someone who uses a lap top instead of post its, but Maylee knows she is good at her job and doesn’t need Griffin cutting her down.
There’s plenty of drama with Griffin’s mixed feelings and his judgemental family. I also love how there’s a slow romance brewing. It’s not like bam sex, it’s a lot of high tension and adorable moments. I gobble the pages up like mad.
If you enjoy this series, you will love this one!
REVIEW | AMAZON
REVIEW | AMAZON
REVIEW | AMAZON
AMAZON
OH.MY.GOD!!!! You want a cute cute cute SUPER CUTE read then Once Upon a Billionaire is for you!!!
I really love this series.
Summary
So there’s Griffin and he’s kind of like royalty for this made up country. He has to go back to his homeland because his sister is getting married. His assistant isn’t able to make it and so he needs a replacement, FAST!
Hunter is sick and is able to lend his assistant to Griffin. Griffin agrees.
The thing is, Maylee isn’t your typical gal. She’s country, poor and doesn’t know anything about refinement, but Griffin is stuck with her.
Review
I just can’t get over this book. First off, it’s totally funny. Yes, I’m talking like a valley girl, but when I think about Once Upon a Billionaire, it just brings smiles and giggles to my face.
How funny is the summary? There’s stuck up Griffin who is snobby and looks down on anyone who doesn’t have class, but he’s stuck with is hillbilly assistant! Too funny. You would think I would get annoyed by Maylee because she’s so stereotypical, but I do not. I love her!
I loved it when she put the commentary shampoo bottles in her luggage so the maids would refill the bathroom each day. Come on, EVERYONE does that, we just don’t talk about it.
Griffin and Maylee have the cutest banter. Griffin wants someone who works a certain way, like someone who uses a lap top instead of post its, but Maylee knows she is good at her job and doesn’t need Griffin cutting her down.
There’s plenty of drama with Griffin’s mixed feelings and his judgemental family. I also love how there’s a slow romance brewing. It’s not like bam sex, it’s a lot of high tension and adorable moments. I gobble the pages up like mad.
If you enjoy this series, you will love this one!
REVIEW | AMAZON
REVIEW | AMAZON
REVIEW | AMAZON
AMAZON
June 10, 2014
So my first impression of this book was Gretchen is a bitch!! She's so focused on putting Griffen in his place that she doesn't care about the consequences for Maylee and not even passing on the correct information of what is required for the job. what a bitch! Of course Maylee is going to be looked down upon by all those royals and Gretchen sends her along like a lamb to the slaughter...
My second impression was that Maylee was super annoying. I get that Jessica Clare was trying to show us that she was innocent but what we got instead was a stereotype of a country bumpkin. just because someone grew up in a small town doesn't make them stupid. There is a big difference between an innocent optimist and stupidity and unfortunately Maylee was walking the fine line of TSTL ... i mean seriously? taking a pill after reading on the bottle that it shouldn't be mixed with alcohol? stupid. I never want to hear the word(s) lordamercy ever again.
Griffen. I sympathised with the poor guy. Was he a snob? Yes. He still came off as the most likable character in the book.
*sigh* this had so much promise and from what i skimmed it had some promise of some really good angst, i just couldn't read it without gritting my teeth.
My second impression was that Maylee was super annoying. I get that Jessica Clare was trying to show us that she was innocent but what we got instead was a stereotype of a country bumpkin. just because someone grew up in a small town doesn't make them stupid. There is a big difference between an innocent optimist and stupidity and unfortunately Maylee was walking the fine line of TSTL ... i mean seriously? taking a pill after reading on the bottle that it shouldn't be mixed with alcohol? stupid. I never want to hear the word(s) lordamercy ever again.
Griffen. I sympathised with the poor guy. Was he a snob? Yes. He still came off as the most likable character in the book.
*sigh* this had so much promise and from what i skimmed it had some promise of some really good angst, i just couldn't read it without gritting my teeth.
August 6, 2016
UGH!!!
Here my cast:
Maylee is SpongeBob
Me, feeling like Squidward Tentacles, reading Sponge Maylee story.
Which left for Griffin the Patrick's role, of course.
Here my cast:
Maylee is SpongeBob
Me, feeling like Squidward Tentacles, reading Sponge Maylee story.
Which left for Griffin the Patrick's role, of course.
March 27, 2014
Received this ARC from in exchange for an honest review.
I really wanted to like this book much more than I did. Unfortunately, the book hit some of my TERRIBLE PET PEEVES that just made me cringe throughout. The fact that I didn't stop reading is a credit to the author and the writing in general.
So, what were the pet peeves? You're gonna laugh, but... the names. You're gonna laugh, but the fake-ass sounding names. I'm sorry. A place called "Bellissime"? The hero's title being "Lord Montagne Verdi"? That means LORD GREEN MOUNTAINS. I'm sorry, to someone whose first language is Italian, that sounds so unbearably cheesy. It took me out of the story every time. Plus, at some point they say that the country's first language is French. Why the heck are all the names in Italian? Someone did not think this through.
Moving on to the actual story, the writing was actually quite good. I liked both the hero and the heroine quite a lot overall, even though there were two instances of dumbass behaviour on the heroine's part. When you have to have your character act in dumbass ways to service the plot, maybe you should reconsider the plot.
For the rest, I thought the relationship was quite sweet and progressed well. I mean, maybe they got to the in love part a little too fast but hey, I've seen worse.
I LOVED that we got to see so much of Gretchen from Beauty and the Billionaire! She was hilarious, and I loved her. In general the cameos from characters from the other books were funny, and almost never annoying/sequel bait-y.
Like with Jessica Clare's other books, the sex scenes were super hot. I think she writes some of the best sex scenes in the whole contemporary romance genre.
In conclusion, I liked this book quite a bit even though it didn't live up to some of the other books in this series. If you're a fan of the Billionaire Boys Club series, don't miss it! If you've never read one of these books before, though, go back to the beginning and read them! Or at least read Beauty and the Billionaire.
I really wanted to like this book much more than I did. Unfortunately, the book hit some of my TERRIBLE PET PEEVES that just made me cringe throughout. The fact that I didn't stop reading is a credit to the author and the writing in general.
So, what were the pet peeves? You're gonna laugh, but... the names. You're gonna laugh, but the fake-ass sounding names. I'm sorry. A place called "Bellissime"? The hero's title being "Lord Montagne Verdi"? That means LORD GREEN MOUNTAINS. I'm sorry, to someone whose first language is Italian, that sounds so unbearably cheesy. It took me out of the story every time. Plus, at some point they say that the country's first language is French. Why the heck are all the names in Italian? Someone did not think this through.
Moving on to the actual story, the writing was actually quite good. I liked both the hero and the heroine quite a lot overall, even though there were two instances of dumbass behaviour on the heroine's part. When you have to have your character act in dumbass ways to service the plot, maybe you should reconsider the plot.
For the rest, I thought the relationship was quite sweet and progressed well. I mean, maybe they got to the in love part a little too fast but hey, I've seen worse.
I LOVED that we got to see so much of Gretchen from Beauty and the Billionaire! She was hilarious, and I loved her. In general the cameos from characters from the other books were funny, and almost never annoying/sequel bait-y.
Like with Jessica Clare's other books, the sex scenes were super hot. I think she writes some of the best sex scenes in the whole contemporary romance genre.
In conclusion, I liked this book quite a bit even though it didn't live up to some of the other books in this series. If you're a fan of the Billionaire Boys Club series, don't miss it! If you've never read one of these books before, though, go back to the beginning and read them! Or at least read Beauty and the Billionaire.
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March 2, 2021Kraliyet ailesine mensup Griffin ve taşralı kızımız Maylee'nin hikayesiydi. Duygularımdam çok emin değilim. Normal şartlarda en ufak şeye ağlayan , aşırı duygusal karakterler beni gerer, sevmem. Ama nedense Maylee ve zırlamaları çok sevimli geldi 😂 Parlak ve neşeli bir kişiliği vardı. Ve duygularını uçlarda yaşayan bir kızdı. Ağlarken de gülerken de aşırıya kaçtığı oluyordu. Ve bu beni rahatsız etmedi. İlginç 🤭
Ara kitapta Luke ve Alex evlenme kararı almıştı. Bağlantıları Alex'in Griffin ile kuzen olmasıymış. Ve ufukta bir kraliyet düğünü olunca el mahkum Bellissime yolu göründü Griffin'e... Ama şu işe bakın ki asistanı tam da kızamık olacak zamanı buldu. Kravatını bağlayamayan, yanında nakit taşımayan, programını bile takip edemeyen Griffin için bu tam bir kabus. Bir de en az otuz-kırk çalışanı olması gerektiğini savunan annesinin diline düşmek var. Allah korusun😱😇 Bu yüzden Gretchen'in önerisi ile Maylee'nin geçici asistanı olmasını kabul eder. Ama nerden bilsin profesyonellikten uzak ucuz kıyafetleri, ingilizce bile olduğundan emin olmadığı bir dili, bilgisayar yerine post-it kullanmayı tercih eden bir asistan olduğunu. Doğru hitap şeklini bile bilmiyor Maylee😇 Bu bir ceza olmalı 🤭😂
Çekişmeli ve eğlenceli bir çiftti. Griffin zaman zaman tam bir hödüktü. Tamam anladık siz mavi kanlılar bir şey istemeyi bilmiyorsunuz, insan ilişkilerinde samimiyete çok aşina değilsiniz. Ama Allah aşkına güzel, mükemmel gibi iltifatlar da mı edemezsiniz. Neymiş uygunmuş🤦🤷 Kızı süsleyip püslüyor sonra doğal halini tercih ettiğine karar veriyor ve homurdanıyor. Birde kuaför sürpriz olacaktı. Ama toplum içine çıkmak için uygun hale gelmesinde iyi bir yol olduğunu söylemeden önce değil. Adam tam bir odun 🤦
Neyse aklı başına geliyor ama arada yine tekliyordu. 😂Genel olarak eğlenceli buldum ama normal şartlarda sevmeyeceğim şeyler vardı. Bu yüzden biraz kararsızım. Paramın peşindesin muhabbeti olmadığı için ayrı bir sevindim. Neyse efenim. Devam edelim.
Ara kitapta Luke ve Alex evlenme kararı almıştı. Bağlantıları Alex'in Griffin ile kuzen olmasıymış. Ve ufukta bir kraliyet düğünü olunca el mahkum Bellissime yolu göründü Griffin'e... Ama şu işe bakın ki asistanı tam da kızamık olacak zamanı buldu. Kravatını bağlayamayan, yanında nakit taşımayan, programını bile takip edemeyen Griffin için bu tam bir kabus. Bir de en az otuz-kırk çalışanı olması gerektiğini savunan annesinin diline düşmek var. Allah korusun😱😇 Bu yüzden Gretchen'in önerisi ile Maylee'nin geçici asistanı olmasını kabul eder. Ama nerden bilsin profesyonellikten uzak ucuz kıyafetleri, ingilizce bile olduğundan emin olmadığı bir dili, bilgisayar yerine post-it kullanmayı tercih eden bir asistan olduğunu. Doğru hitap şeklini bile bilmiyor Maylee😇 Bu bir ceza olmalı 🤭😂
Çekişmeli ve eğlenceli bir çiftti. Griffin zaman zaman tam bir hödüktü. Tamam anladık siz mavi kanlılar bir şey istemeyi bilmiyorsunuz, insan ilişkilerinde samimiyete çok aşina değilsiniz. Ama Allah aşkına güzel, mükemmel gibi iltifatlar da mı edemezsiniz. Neymiş uygunmuş🤦🤷 Kızı süsleyip püslüyor sonra doğal halini tercih ettiğine karar veriyor ve homurdanıyor. Birde kuaför sürpriz olacaktı. Ama toplum içine çıkmak için uygun hale gelmesinde iyi bir yol olduğunu söylemeden önce değil. Adam tam bir odun 🤦
Neyse aklı başına geliyor ama arada yine tekliyordu. 😂Genel olarak eğlenceli buldum ama normal şartlarda sevmeyeceğim şeyler vardı. Bu yüzden biraz kararsızım. Paramın peşindesin muhabbeti olmadığı için ayrı bir sevindim. Neyse efenim. Devam edelim.
July 4, 2018
This book is missing a steam. The steamy sex is off comparing to other 3 books. The story is also flat and lack of depth. The same with the characters. I can not feel the connection between the hero and heroine.
But some scene like how Griffin is lost without May Lee is hilarious. It cracks me up.
3 stars
But some scene like how Griffin is lost without May Lee is hilarious. It cracks me up.
3 stars
June 20, 2015
Once Upon A Billionaire is a bit unique from the other books, but has its own charm and style that captivates you. Now I had my own issues with this story, but quite frankly it was such an adorable modern fairy tale romance. I had a hard time not laughing through this story, it had its moments of witty come backs, endearing characters both main and side, and we see how being raised in a royal family may affect your personality and how you view others. This was a story that was very eye-opening, and we see a side to the “rich and titled” that you don’t normally see in books such as these. We see the negative side to living in a palace and all the proprieties that come with it. Along those lines we also see some positives as well, how inner strength can aide in this type of environment. At first, I had a challenge in liking the hero, he was quite mean and rude and needed a huge dose of fun. But we see that he gets that big dose and her name is Maylee. Now Maylee was so adorable, and I love how open and accepting she is. She also isn’t ashamed of her own personality or fashion style, she is true to who she really is. She has this affectionate nature that rubs off on Griff in ways you don’t see coming. What I also had fun was the secondary characters. We see how they play a integral part in the story, both the villains and the characters that win your heart, most especially the cousin that is getting married and her fiancée. There is a slow process of these two falling for each other, it isn’t quick or easy, and we have some hurdles they need to overcome, the biggest issue these two have is loving each other for who they really are, and that does come in slow increments. Also another aspect of the story I enjoyed was how Griffin won my heart in the end. He makes quite a few mistakes, but quite frankly, he owns up to them, he realizes when he hurts Maylee, and makes true efforts to become better and treat her with kindness more often. He may be a jerk but he doesn’t mean to be. He has this sincerity about him, and he is very clueless how to handle Maylee and struggles with her, but I felt like in the end, he is a hero that wins the reader over if you stick with him through the end.
Want to know more about Once Upon A Billionaire, see my full review
Addicted To Romance
Want to know more about Once Upon A Billionaire, see my full review
Addicted To Romance
May 2, 2014
VERY DISAPPOINTED!!!!! I was only 32 pages in before I couldn't take it and decided not to waste any more of my time on this story. It's beyond unbelievable, it's insulting to me and to the Billionaires Boys Club Series.
First offense, I don't get how Hunter (the serious non playful one) would allow his silly girlfriend to offer and send the most incompetent uncouthed person/assistant to Griffin. Especially when he saw how stressed he was about going to his cousin's royal wedding and facing his overbearing mother without an assistant. So not what a real friend would allow to happen especially when he's already in a bad way. That to me wasn't a time to play games or let your girlfriend try to teach him some stupid lesson.
Second and most egregious offense, Maylee has two cocktails and takes an anxiety pill once she's seated on his private jet and before she even meets her new employer. Then during their first conversation she's clearly under the influence, continuously calling him by the wrong name and once he's heard enough and tells her she won't be his assistant, she starts crying. He asks what it will take for her to stop crying she's responds "a hug". He rejects that request but she unbuckled her seat belt and folded herself in his lap. Come on now, who in their right mind would do this on their first day, first meeting! Then on top of that when he asks her to get off him she tells him no.
The character development for Maylee is nonexistent, she doesn't display any redeeming qualities for him to be intrigued by her in the 20 minutes maximum conversation / greeting they had. She's portrayed as an uncouthed, naive, small town southern girl whose a clutz and a horrible assistant but extremely nice. But then randomly turns into a pouty seductress who tells her new boss whose a stranger that she doesn't want to get off his lap and that she's a skilled assistant. Yeah very professional and as I said before extremely insulting!!! And it goes without saying but just so I'm clear I WILL NOT BE FINISHING THIS BOOK!!!!! Excitement Crushed!
First offense, I don't get how Hunter (the serious non playful one) would allow his silly girlfriend to offer and send the most incompetent uncouthed person/assistant to Griffin. Especially when he saw how stressed he was about going to his cousin's royal wedding and facing his overbearing mother without an assistant. So not what a real friend would allow to happen especially when he's already in a bad way. That to me wasn't a time to play games or let your girlfriend try to teach him some stupid lesson.
Second and most egregious offense, Maylee has two cocktails and takes an anxiety pill once she's seated on his private jet and before she even meets her new employer. Then during their first conversation she's clearly under the influence, continuously calling him by the wrong name and once he's heard enough and tells her she won't be his assistant, she starts crying. He asks what it will take for her to stop crying she's responds "a hug". He rejects that request but she unbuckled her seat belt and folded herself in his lap. Come on now, who in their right mind would do this on their first day, first meeting! Then on top of that when he asks her to get off him she tells him no.
The character development for Maylee is nonexistent, she doesn't display any redeeming qualities for him to be intrigued by her in the 20 minutes maximum conversation / greeting they had. She's portrayed as an uncouthed, naive, small town southern girl whose a clutz and a horrible assistant but extremely nice. But then randomly turns into a pouty seductress who tells her new boss whose a stranger that she doesn't want to get off his lap and that she's a skilled assistant. Yeah very professional and as I said before extremely insulting!!! And it goes without saying but just so I'm clear I WILL NOT BE FINISHING THIS BOOK!!!!! Excitement Crushed!
June 4, 2015
Oh boy this was one big disaster from the silly plot to the stupid characters names. Griffin Verdi or Lord Griffin Monte Verdi has to return to his own country for his cousins wedding. Griffin does not want to go he hates his royal relatives and their pompous behaviour. At the last minute his assistant Kip (whatever!) falls ill. Gretchen heroine from Beauty and the Billionaire thinks it will be a huge joke to send her mans silly and naïve secretary as a fill in. Gretchen dislikes Griffin who she sees as a massive snob.
Of course Griffin is appalled when he meets Maylee whom he views as a country bumpkin wearing polyester. But it's too late to do much about it now so he has to tolerate her, mostly because she can knot his tie perfectly!
The characters are mostly unpleasant, the biggest surprise was Gretchen who I really liked in her and Hunters book. But she turned into this foul mouthed crude harridan in this story. She was all over Griffin for his opinion of Maylee, but hang on she had the same opinion about her that's why she offered her as a replacement, to get at Griffin. As for Maylee she made me want to puke no one is that innocent or nice, she constantly spouts the word lordamercy that got on my last nerve. I disliked the implication that people from the country are all naive and silly.
I was also curious how Griffin became a billionaire his only interests were books and archeological digs. Despite the fact that Griffin is a pompous prig he was the most easy to relate to. I struggled to finish this.
Of course Griffin is appalled when he meets Maylee whom he views as a country bumpkin wearing polyester. But it's too late to do much about it now so he has to tolerate her, mostly because she can knot his tie perfectly!
The characters are mostly unpleasant, the biggest surprise was Gretchen who I really liked in her and Hunters book. But she turned into this foul mouthed crude harridan in this story. She was all over Griffin for his opinion of Maylee, but hang on she had the same opinion about her that's why she offered her as a replacement, to get at Griffin. As for Maylee she made me want to puke no one is that innocent or nice, she constantly spouts the word lordamercy that got on my last nerve. I disliked the implication that people from the country are all naive and silly.
I was also curious how Griffin became a billionaire his only interests were books and archeological digs. Despite the fact that Griffin is a pompous prig he was the most easy to relate to. I struggled to finish this.
December 20, 2023
Boring.
It's starting to get a little bit too formulaic in a way that is not very enjoyable.
Plus, I am not a big fan of the audiobook narrator who pretty much voices the entire series.
I may finish the rest of the books, but not now.
It's starting to get a little bit too formulaic in a way that is not very enjoyable.
Plus, I am not a big fan of the audiobook narrator who pretty much voices the entire series.
I may finish the rest of the books, but not now.
March 29, 2014
I had such high hopes for this book when I first started it. I love Jessica Clare books. It had a billionaire, a down on her luck but strong heroine, great sexual tension and a decent, if not far fetched premise. These are great things in a romance story but at sixty percent in it all fell apart for me.
Griffin, the hero, is a billionaire who belongs to a secret society of friends and a Viscount in his native country. He has to go home to his homeland for a family wedding. A royal family wedding. He would rather do anything other than that but family is family. His assistant comes down with the chicken pox and can't go with him. One of his friends' wives, who he doesn't get along with, offers him her husband's assistant for the trip. He's desperate, so he agrees.
Maylee is from Arkansas and the first person in her family to go to college and get a degree. She sends part of her paychecks back home to her family to give them a somewhat better life. She lives in an unsecured building in a hovel of an apartment. She doesn't have much but she's content with her life. When she gets the chance not only to earn doubletime but to travel, she's so very excited.
When these two meet, Griffin is a total asshat. He insults her at every turn even knowing that he desperately needs her help. To make matters even worse, he becomes attracted to her and still continues to belittle her. This happens through most of the book. At about sixty percent, I'd made my mind up that there would be no redemption for him in my eyes. Not even Jessica Clare's writing could make him likeable. Maylee was a precious heroine and I cried for her several times while reading this book. She was the one bright spot in this story. If you can stand a constantly cruel hero, give it a try.
Griffin, the hero, is a billionaire who belongs to a secret society of friends and a Viscount in his native country. He has to go home to his homeland for a family wedding. A royal family wedding. He would rather do anything other than that but family is family. His assistant comes down with the chicken pox and can't go with him. One of his friends' wives, who he doesn't get along with, offers him her husband's assistant for the trip. He's desperate, so he agrees.
Maylee is from Arkansas and the first person in her family to go to college and get a degree. She sends part of her paychecks back home to her family to give them a somewhat better life. She lives in an unsecured building in a hovel of an apartment. She doesn't have much but she's content with her life. When she gets the chance not only to earn doubletime but to travel, she's so very excited.
When these two meet, Griffin is a total asshat. He insults her at every turn even knowing that he desperately needs her help. To make matters even worse, he becomes attracted to her and still continues to belittle her. This happens through most of the book. At about sixty percent, I'd made my mind up that there would be no redemption for him in my eyes. Not even Jessica Clare's writing could make him likeable. Maylee was a precious heroine and I cried for her several times while reading this book. She was the one bright spot in this story. If you can stand a constantly cruel hero, give it a try.
July 12, 2019
This one was so cute
December 17, 2019
4/5 stars
April 16, 2014
Once upon a Billionaire
is author Jessica Clare’s fourth book in her Billionaire Boys Club-series. The series is about a group of filthy rich men who together have started a secret brotherhood that basically play poker together and discuss how to best reach success in business. Each book is about one of these men falling head over heels in love and the time has now come to the socially awkward aristocrat, Griffin Verdi.
Griffin Verdi has to travel home to his country, Bellisime, for his cousin’s royal wedding. The only problem is that his assistant/valet is out sick and he cannot possible face his mother without some staff of his own. He is out of options and is therefore forced to borrow his friend Hunter’s assistant for the trip. The only problem is that Maylee Meriweather has absolutely none of the traits Griffin needs in his assistants. She is completely unsuitable for this position, with her unpolished looks and her questionable etiquette. Griffin tries his best to change her into someone more suitable, but ends up hurting her feelings a lot and he slowly realize that maybe he likes her better like she already is.
My top list of ♥’s for Once upon a Billionaire:
♥ Endearing characters: : I loved both Maylee and Griffin. They are so different, but in so many ways perfect for each other. I loved Maylee’s character and especially her strength. No matter how much shit Mr. Griffin threw her way she kept her smile on and bulldozed through it all. Griffin is incredibly socially awkward with a major stick up his ass. But no matter how big this stick may have been, I could not help it but slowly falling for this stuck-up aristocrat. He tries so hard, but just could not get it right.
♥ Funny : I love the chemistry between Maylee and Griffin. All their differences led to so many funny moments and misunderstanding right from the beginning.
”Mr. Griffin, I’m mighty uncomfortable with you buying me
clothes. It ain’t right”
“It isn’t right”
“I know. I just said that”
Jesus Christ.
He constantly tries to correct her, but has very little success, much to his dismay. I cannot even begin to count how many times he tried to get her to call him by his proper title and not Mr. Griffin without success.
”Ms. Meriweather, I am the Viscount Montagne Verdi. You may call me Lord Montagne Verdi, or Mr. Verdi, but not Lord Verdi. Not Mr. Griffin.”
“That’s quite a mouthful”
♥ Modern fairytale : This truly is a modern fairytale. With Griffin being royal and everything. In many ways this reminded me of The Princess Diaries-series (that I loved so much growing up), but for adults and with much more romance.
Once upon a Billionaire is a perfect escape from reality, being a opposites-attract book, wrapped into a modern fairytale. This might be my favorite in this series so far and I cannot wait for the next one.
Griffin Verdi has to travel home to his country, Bellisime, for his cousin’s royal wedding. The only problem is that his assistant/valet is out sick and he cannot possible face his mother without some staff of his own. He is out of options and is therefore forced to borrow his friend Hunter’s assistant for the trip. The only problem is that Maylee Meriweather has absolutely none of the traits Griffin needs in his assistants. She is completely unsuitable for this position, with her unpolished looks and her questionable etiquette. Griffin tries his best to change her into someone more suitable, but ends up hurting her feelings a lot and he slowly realize that maybe he likes her better like she already is.
My top list of ♥’s for Once upon a Billionaire:
♥ Endearing characters: : I loved both Maylee and Griffin. They are so different, but in so many ways perfect for each other. I loved Maylee’s character and especially her strength. No matter how much shit Mr. Griffin threw her way she kept her smile on and bulldozed through it all. Griffin is incredibly socially awkward with a major stick up his ass. But no matter how big this stick may have been, I could not help it but slowly falling for this stuck-up aristocrat. He tries so hard, but just could not get it right.
♥ Funny : I love the chemistry between Maylee and Griffin. All their differences led to so many funny moments and misunderstanding right from the beginning.
”Mr. Griffin, I’m mighty uncomfortable with you buying me
clothes. It ain’t right”
“It isn’t right”
“I know. I just said that”
Jesus Christ.
He constantly tries to correct her, but has very little success, much to his dismay. I cannot even begin to count how many times he tried to get her to call him by his proper title and not Mr. Griffin without success.
”Ms. Meriweather, I am the Viscount Montagne Verdi. You may call me Lord Montagne Verdi, or Mr. Verdi, but not Lord Verdi. Not Mr. Griffin.”
“That’s quite a mouthful”
♥ Modern fairytale : This truly is a modern fairytale. With Griffin being royal and everything. In many ways this reminded me of The Princess Diaries-series (that I loved so much growing up), but for adults and with much more romance.
Once upon a Billionaire is a perfect escape from reality, being a opposites-attract book, wrapped into a modern fairytale. This might be my favorite in this series so far and I cannot wait for the next one.
November 26, 2022
3.5 stars rounded up
Meet Maylee:
A hillbilly.
A hick to the bone.
A girl with no filter.
The absolute star of this book.
And I loved her completely and utterly.
Then we have our way too stiff and way too proper Griffin.
A royalty in desperate need of a reality check.
A man who has never been shown any emotions or taught how to express his.
Charles, is that you? (*crying with despair lol)
So what we have here is a huge opposite- attract trope.
Was it done well?
Yes and no.
Yes, because you can actually feel how different they are, how completely wrong they might seem as a couple.
And yet, the chemistry was so good, u have no doubts that they actually belong together.
No, because there were way too many humiliating moments for our heroine and none for our hero, so the balance was off.
I gotta admit that Maylee was a hoot at times and I loved her character for that reason even more, but she was humiliated waaaaaay too much without any apologies or regret so I couldnt just let it all go.
There was just not enough grovel for me.
Another thing, a major one, was Gretchen.
I've loved this series because of Hunter and Gretchen's story in Beauty and the Billionaire.
But Gretchen?
She just broke the girl code.
And, well, what she did deserved a slap.
A strong one.
In a nutshell, she used Maylee (because she was so deeply southern and new and unaccustomed to NYC) to get back at Griffin.
Say what u want, but if a girlfriend of mine did any such a thing to one of our friends, I'd not only slap her (hard), but I'd also cut her out.
Bitches like that hold no respect of mine.
I do, however, understand that she had no bad intentions or anything, but what's done is done.
She did lose in my eye (not Hunter, though lol).
All in all, It was better than I suspected.
I didn't like the first 25% of the story but it got good later on.
I'm rounding it up because it's not a 3-star read.
But it's not a 4-star read, either.
I'm just going with the positive flow here.
Meet Maylee:
A hillbilly.
A hick to the bone.
A girl with no filter.
The absolute star of this book.
And I loved her completely and utterly.
Then we have our way too stiff and way too proper Griffin.
A royalty in desperate need of a reality check.
A man who has never been shown any emotions or taught how to express his.
Charles, is that you? (*crying with despair lol)
So what we have here is a huge opposite- attract trope.
Was it done well?
Yes and no.
Yes, because you can actually feel how different they are, how completely wrong they might seem as a couple.
And yet, the chemistry was so good, u have no doubts that they actually belong together.
No, because there were way too many humiliating moments for our heroine and none for our hero, so the balance was off.
I gotta admit that Maylee was a hoot at times and I loved her character for that reason even more, but she was humiliated waaaaaay too much without any apologies or regret so I couldnt just let it all go.
There was just not enough grovel for me.
Another thing, a major one, was Gretchen.
I've loved this series because of Hunter and Gretchen's story in Beauty and the Billionaire.
But Gretchen?
She just broke the girl code.
And, well, what she did deserved a slap.
A strong one.
In a nutshell, she used Maylee (because she was so deeply southern and new and unaccustomed to NYC) to get back at Griffin.
Say what u want, but if a girlfriend of mine did any such a thing to one of our friends, I'd not only slap her (hard), but I'd also cut her out.
Bitches like that hold no respect of mine.
I do, however, understand that she had no bad intentions or anything, but what's done is done.
She did lose in my eye (not Hunter, though lol).
All in all, It was better than I suspected.
I didn't like the first 25% of the story but it got good later on.
I'm rounding it up because it's not a 3-star read.
But it's not a 4-star read, either.
I'm just going with the positive flow here.
February 25, 2016
Once Upon a Billionaire is book four of the Billionaire Boys Club series.
This book is about Griffin Verdi one of the six billionaires in the secret society. He has been required to return to his home country where he is part of the royal family for a cousin's wedding. He needed a temporary assistant for the trip and Hunter offered him the services of his own PA, Maylee.
Maylee Meriweather was a sweet southern girl from Arkansas. She had moved to New York City to work so that she could help her family back home. She is adorable. She has such southern colloquialisms that she uses and it absolutely drives Griffin crazy. He works very hard to change her so that she will not embarrass him or herself while in the presence of his family.
This book really does have a lot of heart. Maylee feels the underlying tension in Griffin when he is around his family. Griffin has spent most of his life avoiding showing his emotions so he is making Maylee feel uncomfortable.
The words and terms that she uses made me laugh so much. I am a southern woman myself and I recognized her phrases. Griffin did not at first find it endearing or even proper English. He keeps calling her out on her speech and it is hilarious.
There are so many side stories going on with Griffin, Gretchen and Maylee that make this book just a real joy to read. I have loved each story so far and this one was just so funny it was easy to love. This is an awesome series and I will be continuing all the way through to the sixth book.
Happily on to book five.
This book is about Griffin Verdi one of the six billionaires in the secret society. He has been required to return to his home country where he is part of the royal family for a cousin's wedding. He needed a temporary assistant for the trip and Hunter offered him the services of his own PA, Maylee.
Maylee Meriweather was a sweet southern girl from Arkansas. She had moved to New York City to work so that she could help her family back home. She is adorable. She has such southern colloquialisms that she uses and it absolutely drives Griffin crazy. He works very hard to change her so that she will not embarrass him or herself while in the presence of his family.
This book really does have a lot of heart. Maylee feels the underlying tension in Griffin when he is around his family. Griffin has spent most of his life avoiding showing his emotions so he is making Maylee feel uncomfortable.
The words and terms that she uses made me laugh so much. I am a southern woman myself and I recognized her phrases. Griffin did not at first find it endearing or even proper English. He keeps calling her out on her speech and it is hilarious.
There are so many side stories going on with Griffin, Gretchen and Maylee that make this book just a real joy to read. I have loved each story so far and this one was just so funny it was easy to love. This is an awesome series and I will be continuing all the way through to the sixth book.
Happily on to book five.
July 19, 2016
3.5 Stars
February 15, 2019
"Once Upon a Billionaire" is the story of Marlee and Griffin.
When Griffin Verdi, the billionaire and royalty to the Kingdom of Bellissime is forced to go to his cousin Alexandra's wedding, he reluctantly concedes. That is until, his assistant falls sick! He is extremely disorganized, and in need, hence when Gretchen agrees to loan Hunter's assistant to him- he hastily agrees.
But meeting the unkept, scrawny, knitting blonde who is both drunk and drugged due to her panic on his private jet leaves him shocked, and annoyed! As his attempts to make her leave misfire, and he realizes she can tie his bow tie, he agrees to employ her for the time being.
Initially criticizing everything- from her looks, to her language and demeanor, Griffin soon realizes a kind hearted and hard working, spirited young woman hides under the baggy clothes..yet Griffin still keeps insisting on changing her. But as chemistry sparks between the two, and they discover the depth of their feelings, who will transform whom?
Honestly, I ADORED Maylee. This is a southern, mee-maw loving belle, who cared for everyone- from her family to all people working around her, having a wicked sense of humor, hufflepuff, loves knitting, does not give up even when people are nasty to her, efficient with killer work ethic and a overall loving personality. If I was in her place, I would have smacked the mighty Griffin a long time ago.
Griffin was a snobbish ass. High on pretentiousness, he was extremely condescending to the heroine in the first half of the book- and honestly hats off to her for having a thick skin, and taking in all his insults. That being said, I'm glad that he makes up for some of it at the end.
I laughed so hard at the h's antics, and her calling him Mr. Gryffindor made me crack up. Their delayed lovemaking was sexy, and the angst was sweet. This strangely reminded me of Ellie and Lothaire, and that is a compliment in itself.
Enjoyed it!
Safe
4/5
When Griffin Verdi, the billionaire and royalty to the Kingdom of Bellissime is forced to go to his cousin Alexandra's wedding, he reluctantly concedes. That is until, his assistant falls sick! He is extremely disorganized, and in need, hence when Gretchen agrees to loan Hunter's assistant to him- he hastily agrees.
But meeting the unkept, scrawny, knitting blonde who is both drunk and drugged due to her panic on his private jet leaves him shocked, and annoyed! As his attempts to make her leave misfire, and he realizes she can tie his bow tie, he agrees to employ her for the time being.
Initially criticizing everything- from her looks, to her language and demeanor, Griffin soon realizes a kind hearted and hard working, spirited young woman hides under the baggy clothes..yet Griffin still keeps insisting on changing her. But as chemistry sparks between the two, and they discover the depth of their feelings, who will transform whom?
Honestly, I ADORED Maylee. This is a southern, mee-maw loving belle, who cared for everyone- from her family to all people working around her, having a wicked sense of humor, hufflepuff, loves knitting, does not give up even when people are nasty to her, efficient with killer work ethic and a overall loving personality. If I was in her place, I would have smacked the mighty Griffin a long time ago.
Griffin was a snobbish ass. High on pretentiousness, he was extremely condescending to the heroine in the first half of the book- and honestly hats off to her for having a thick skin, and taking in all his insults. That being said, I'm glad that he makes up for some of it at the end.
I laughed so hard at the h's antics, and her calling him Mr. Gryffindor made me crack up. Their delayed lovemaking was sexy, and the angst was sweet. This strangely reminded me of Ellie and Lothaire, and that is a compliment in itself.
Enjoyed it!
Safe
4/5
August 26, 2016
Loved this story. I knew from the first time I saw Maylee in Beauty and the Billionaire, I wanted to see more of her. I was not wrong, she's a hoot. The first time Griffin meets her, on the plane, after she's had two drinks and one of her "Happy" pills, I laughed so hard I cried.
Lord Montagne Verdi or Griffin Verdi to his friends, is in need of a temporary assistant when his falls ill. He is required to attend the Royal wedding of his cousin in his home country of Bellissime. Spending anytime with his aristocratic family always puts Griffin in a mood. Now even more so since he's in need of help.
Enter Gretchen, the girlfriend of one of Grif's billionaire buddies, she has the perfect solution, Loan Griffin, Hunters assistant Maylee, for the trip.
This is the perfect story of opposites attract. Maylee is as hillbilly as they come, living most of her life in her home town of Pine Valley Arkansas. Griffin was born of Royalty, never having to do for himself. He cant tie his own tie, pick out his own clothes or even drive from point A to point B without someone doing it for him. The last thing he needs is someone like Maylee by his side, during this miserable trip.
But the more time Grif spends with Maylee, the more he learns to see past her cheap, ill fitting clothes, her wild out of control hair, and that atrocious drawl. He sees she is competent, kind, and a has a heart of gold.
Maylee learns that Griffin, is much more than the cold, unkind, rich Lord he shows to the rest of the world.
This is a great series, If you haven't picked up the others, I would highly recommend them.
Lord Montagne Verdi or Griffin Verdi to his friends, is in need of a temporary assistant when his falls ill. He is required to attend the Royal wedding of his cousin in his home country of Bellissime. Spending anytime with his aristocratic family always puts Griffin in a mood. Now even more so since he's in need of help.
Enter Gretchen, the girlfriend of one of Grif's billionaire buddies, she has the perfect solution, Loan Griffin, Hunters assistant Maylee, for the trip.
This is the perfect story of opposites attract. Maylee is as hillbilly as they come, living most of her life in her home town of Pine Valley Arkansas. Griffin was born of Royalty, never having to do for himself. He cant tie his own tie, pick out his own clothes or even drive from point A to point B without someone doing it for him. The last thing he needs is someone like Maylee by his side, during this miserable trip.
But the more time Grif spends with Maylee, the more he learns to see past her cheap, ill fitting clothes, her wild out of control hair, and that atrocious drawl. He sees she is competent, kind, and a has a heart of gold.
Maylee learns that Griffin, is much more than the cold, unkind, rich Lord he shows to the rest of the world.
This is a great series, If you haven't picked up the others, I would highly recommend them.
December 2, 2016
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Beware of Spoilers!
Star Ratings:
Heroine (Maylee): 24yrs old
Hero (Griffin): 28yrs old
Plot: 4/5
Grovel: sort off
Cheating: none
HEA: yes but a disappointing ‘epilogue’ set only ONE DAY after the end of the previous chapter
Triggers: none
Average score: 4/5
Best Line: “I’m a prat.”
Worst Line: “He gave her another scathing look. “Of course. I’m not poor.””
Personal Review:
A solid romance between an aristocrat and a hillbilly.
Random Ramblings
•The H was giving off major ‘elitist’ vibes and I was looking forward to his downfall in the form of his opposite in every way!
•I didn’t like that Gretchen made fun of Maylee
•Remember Maylee, Hufflepuff is Rowling’s favourite house!
•The conversation about a hug was hilarious!
•Goddamn that tie!
•Gretchen became increasingly annoying
•Intrigued by Jonathan
Overall Feeling:
“Lordamercy”
Beware of Spoilers!
Star Ratings:
Heroine (Maylee): 24yrs old
Hero (Griffin): 28yrs old
Plot: 4/5
Grovel: sort off
Cheating: none
HEA: yes but a disappointing ‘epilogue’ set only ONE DAY after the end of the previous chapter
Triggers: none
Average score: 4/5
Best Line: “I’m a prat.”
Worst Line: “He gave her another scathing look. “Of course. I’m not poor.””
Personal Review:
A solid romance between an aristocrat and a hillbilly.
Random Ramblings
•The H was giving off major ‘elitist’ vibes and I was looking forward to his downfall in the form of his opposite in every way!
•I didn’t like that Gretchen made fun of Maylee
•Remember Maylee, Hufflepuff is Rowling’s favourite house!
•The conversation about a hug was hilarious!
•Goddamn that tie!
•Gretchen became increasingly annoying
•Intrigued by Jonathan
Overall Feeling:
“Lordamercy”
August 1, 2015
Another great addition to the series
I really enjoy this series and pre-order each new addition added.
Griffin was a selfish royal who expected everyone around him to service his needs without question. Maylee is a country girl just looking to get ahead.
Great royal behind the scenes with Griff's family. It was nice to look in on Hunter's and Gretchen's relationship.
This wasn't the steamiest in the series, but the connections were believable and nice.
Can't wait for Jonathan's story.
I really enjoy this series and pre-order each new addition added.
Griffin was a selfish royal who expected everyone around him to service his needs without question. Maylee is a country girl just looking to get ahead.
Great royal behind the scenes with Griff's family. It was nice to look in on Hunter's and Gretchen's relationship.
This wasn't the steamiest in the series, but the connections were believable and nice.
Can't wait for Jonathan's story.
April 22, 2015
4.5 STARS
I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH. :)
#highlyrecommended
I LOVE THIS SERIES SO MUCH. :)
#highlyrecommended
February 10, 2025
Someone hand me the matches so we can burn this crap.
I'll say one of the biggest reasons for the negative review is the portrayal of southerners speech.
Griffin Verdi (Viscount) is attending a royal wedding and his faithful assistant gets sick. His good pal Hunter Buchanan (Book 2) offers to loan him his assistant, Maylee Meriweather (truly awful). Unfortunately, Maylee is a "redneck" from Arkansas, and has the speech and etiquette of a country bumpkin. Pretty cookie cutter from there, Griffin is appalled by her, he insults her, tries to change her, realizes he's fallen in love with her, she misinterprets something and runs away, he chases, HEA.
So....
SOUTH: Maybe this would be enjoyable to someone who isn't from the south, but since I am, I found it completely AWFUL. Instead of pillows, she pronounced it "pillars". We don't all speak like that and if she had some southern charm, that would be great, but the entire thing was full of ridiculous slang. Even though this reference will probably only be understood by those over the age of 50, I'm going to say it anyway. Maylee was written like she was Elly May Clampett from the Beverly Hillbillies. IYKYK
SEX: If there had been some sex, I might have forgiven some of the other crap. Sadly - there wasn't. They had their big 3rd Act breakup at 80% and they still hadn't had sex yet!! They finally had sex at the 94% mark, and it was a "one pump chump"! PLUS - neither one of them was a virgin!!! I might would have understood if she were a virgin saving herself (I'd still give it a 1 for that), but she wasn't!!! So what was the point of waiting all that time!?! Didn't make sense. Plus, during their moment of "passion", she cries out "Oh lort have mercy". JFC kill me now.
AUDIO: I didn't judge the book based on audio, but FYI it is AWFUL. I already thought Jillian Macie was a horrible narrator, but this made me homicidal.
If you can't tell - I hated it. I want to strangle this book.
I'll say one of the biggest reasons for the negative review is the portrayal of southerners speech.
Griffin Verdi (Viscount) is attending a royal wedding and his faithful assistant gets sick. His good pal Hunter Buchanan (Book 2) offers to loan him his assistant, Maylee Meriweather (truly awful). Unfortunately, Maylee is a "redneck" from Arkansas, and has the speech and etiquette of a country bumpkin. Pretty cookie cutter from there, Griffin is appalled by her, he insults her, tries to change her, realizes he's fallen in love with her, she misinterprets something and runs away, he chases, HEA.
So....
SOUTH: Maybe this would be enjoyable to someone who isn't from the south, but since I am, I found it completely AWFUL. Instead of pillows, she pronounced it "pillars". We don't all speak like that and if she had some southern charm, that would be great, but the entire thing was full of ridiculous slang. Even though this reference will probably only be understood by those over the age of 50, I'm going to say it anyway. Maylee was written like she was Elly May Clampett from the Beverly Hillbillies. IYKYK
SEX: If there had been some sex, I might have forgiven some of the other crap. Sadly - there wasn't. They had their big 3rd Act breakup at 80% and they still hadn't had sex yet!! They finally had sex at the 94% mark, and it was a "one pump chump"! PLUS - neither one of them was a virgin!!! I might would have understood if she were a virgin saving herself (I'd still give it a 1 for that), but she wasn't!!! So what was the point of waiting all that time!?! Didn't make sense. Plus, during their moment of "passion", she cries out "Oh lort have mercy". JFC kill me now.
AUDIO: I didn't judge the book based on audio, but FYI it is AWFUL. I already thought Jillian Macie was a horrible narrator, but this made me homicidal.
If you can't tell - I hated it. I want to strangle this book.
May 9, 2014
I debated on whether or not I was going to write a review for this book. But I’ve read and reviewed the previous 3 books in this series so I’m not going to make an exception. I loved the first two books in this series. My favorite is Beauty and the Billionaire. Who can resist a scarred, virgin hero? I know I can’t. The third book, The Wrong Billionaire’s Bed, was good but didn’t draw me in like the first two in the series. I was looking forward to Once Upon a Billionaire. We know very little about Griffin and I wanted to know more about this royal character. We were introduced to Maylee in Beauty and the Billionaire. She’s a transplant from the South trying to make her way in the big city. Griffin and Maylee are total opposites which should make their romance journey very interesting, right?
I’m going to preface by saying that I’m from the South. 90% of my family still live in Tennessee. I visit them once a year and whenever I’m down there, my southern accent kicks in like I’d never left. Unfortunately, Maylee’s southerness grated on my nerves because she was basically a country bumpkin who was set up to fail. Let me rewind a bit. Griffin has to attend a family wedding. His butler is too sick to travel. Griffin is in dire straits so one night at their poker game, Griffin mentions that he is in need of temporary help. Gretchen decides that she will set Griffin up with Maylee knowing that Maylee has zero experience with this kind of work. Maylee is rough around the edges and has zero skills. Not only is Gretchen setting Griffin to be aggravated with an incompetent employee but she’s also setting Maylee up to be ridiculed and yelled at when Griffin discovers that she’s not qualified for the job. I loved Gretchen in Beauty and the Billionaire. When did she become such a meanie? I didn’t find this funny at all. Why would she do that to Maylee who she thinks is a sweet person?
Maylee is a nice enough person who’s trying to better her life. Her only notable skill is that she’s a burn talker. WTF?! She talks to burns and they heal. Uh..okay. And we’re supposed to take her seriously. It would be different if this was said in jest but no. She’s serious. Maylee wants to improve her life but from what I could tell, she wasn’t doing much to improve it. She’s inappropriate and she’s constantly saying “lawdamercy”. If you’re in a professional environment, you should know when to turn on and turn off the hillbilly. It’s not endearing.
Griffin. Ugh. He’s a jerk. Plain and simple. Which makes me doubly mad at Gretchen for setting this up. He has no couth. He’s arrogant. I found nothing likable about him. He can go play in traffic for all I care. He is so mean and rude to Maylee. I found their initial attraction implausible.
I only read 25% of the book and I put it down, debating on whether or not I should continue. In the end, I decided I could not. I hated the characters. I like this series and I hope the next book is more enjoyable. I’m just going to chalk this up to a minor bump in the road.
I’m going to preface by saying that I’m from the South. 90% of my family still live in Tennessee. I visit them once a year and whenever I’m down there, my southern accent kicks in like I’d never left. Unfortunately, Maylee’s southerness grated on my nerves because she was basically a country bumpkin who was set up to fail. Let me rewind a bit. Griffin has to attend a family wedding. His butler is too sick to travel. Griffin is in dire straits so one night at their poker game, Griffin mentions that he is in need of temporary help. Gretchen decides that she will set Griffin up with Maylee knowing that Maylee has zero experience with this kind of work. Maylee is rough around the edges and has zero skills. Not only is Gretchen setting Griffin to be aggravated with an incompetent employee but she’s also setting Maylee up to be ridiculed and yelled at when Griffin discovers that she’s not qualified for the job. I loved Gretchen in Beauty and the Billionaire. When did she become such a meanie? I didn’t find this funny at all. Why would she do that to Maylee who she thinks is a sweet person?
Maylee is a nice enough person who’s trying to better her life. Her only notable skill is that she’s a burn talker. WTF?! She talks to burns and they heal. Uh..okay. And we’re supposed to take her seriously. It would be different if this was said in jest but no. She’s serious. Maylee wants to improve her life but from what I could tell, she wasn’t doing much to improve it. She’s inappropriate and she’s constantly saying “lawdamercy”. If you’re in a professional environment, you should know when to turn on and turn off the hillbilly. It’s not endearing.
Griffin. Ugh. He’s a jerk. Plain and simple. Which makes me doubly mad at Gretchen for setting this up. He has no couth. He’s arrogant. I found nothing likable about him. He can go play in traffic for all I care. He is so mean and rude to Maylee. I found their initial attraction implausible.
I only read 25% of the book and I put it down, debating on whether or not I should continue. In the end, I decided I could not. I hated the characters. I like this series and I hope the next book is more enjoyable. I’m just going to chalk this up to a minor bump in the road.
August 13, 2016
A downright adorable story. It’s a can’t put down, slap your knee funny and sweet tale.
Once Upon a Billionaire is the fourth book sibling in the Billionaire Boys Club series from Jessica Clare. And like all siblings they have similarities, but are unique in themselves. No two are ever alike, but they’re always entertaining.
Griffin and Maylee are both characters we’ve met in the previous books. If you haven’t read any, don’t worry, you’ll get to know them here and understand how truly wicked Gretchen’s scheming was to force them together.
Griffin is royalty, Maylee is a commoner. He’s a billionaire, she’s working to get money to her family. She’s soft, fluffy and tender and he’s a cold “prat” with a stick up is derriere. He’s Lord Fussiness and she’s a southern girl with a twang. His aloofness to her tenderness was cute to the extreme. The contrast between the two made for a lot of hilarity.
Due to circumstance and Gretchen’s previously mentioned machinations, they’re forced together but through that forced closeness they discover inner beauty in each other. Once they got to know each other better, their banter was flirty and sexy.
I found Maylee’s character very endearing with all her smiles and determination. The fact that she was terrible with etiquette did not reflect on her ability to do her job well, something that was not lost on Griffin. And the fact that she was also very understanding and observant gave their connection a depth that caught them by surprise.
Griffin, self-centered as he was, was not blind, very scholarly but also very male. It was wonderful seeing how he slowly discovers her many qualities while acknowledging his own shortcomings.
But that didn’t mean he didn’t manage to put his foot in his mouth one too many times.
These books keep getting better and I can’t wait for the next one.
For more of my reviews or those of my best book buds visit our blog.
Once Upon a Billionaire is the fourth book sibling in the Billionaire Boys Club series from Jessica Clare. And like all siblings they have similarities, but are unique in themselves. No two are ever alike, but they’re always entertaining.
Griffin and Maylee are both characters we’ve met in the previous books. If you haven’t read any, don’t worry, you’ll get to know them here and understand how truly wicked Gretchen’s scheming was to force them together.
Griffin is royalty, Maylee is a commoner. He’s a billionaire, she’s working to get money to her family. She’s soft, fluffy and tender and he’s a cold “prat” with a stick up is derriere. He’s Lord Fussiness and she’s a southern girl with a twang. His aloofness to her tenderness was cute to the extreme. The contrast between the two made for a lot of hilarity.
“You must be Mr. Gryffindor.”
“Griffin,” he gritted.
“I think I would be a Hufflepuff… they seem to be the happiest ones. Quite Homey, Huflepuff.”
Due to circumstance and Gretchen’s previously mentioned machinations, they’re forced together but through that forced closeness they discover inner beauty in each other. Once they got to know each other better, their banter was flirty and sexy.
“Hold still, Your Royal Fussiness.”
“Actually, my correct title would be Viscount Fussiness, or Lord Fussiness.”
I found Maylee’s character very endearing with all her smiles and determination. The fact that she was terrible with etiquette did not reflect on her ability to do her job well, something that was not lost on Griffin. And the fact that she was also very understanding and observant gave their connection a depth that caught them by surprise.
Griffin, self-centered as he was, was not blind, very scholarly but also very male. It was wonderful seeing how he slowly discovers her many qualities while acknowledging his own shortcomings.
“He liked that smile of hers. It was completely and utterly sincere, and her eyes shone when she smiled. Not many people were sincere around him, and he appreciated the ones who were.”
But that didn’t mean he didn’t manage to put his foot in his mouth one too many times.
These books keep getting better and I can’t wait for the next one.
For more of my reviews or those of my best book buds visit our blog.
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