“As I said, it’s Saraci. S-A-R-A-C-I. Learn to say it and learn to spell it. It’ll be yours one day…and so will I.”
When what happened in Vegas...didn't.
Raina Daniels and Lucas Saraci are sworn enemies. Warring dragons from rival factions. The Montagues and Capulets of the modern world...kind of.
To Raina, Lucas is a handsome egotistical maniac with green eyes and fangs she swears exist but hasn’t been able to prove. To Lucas, Raina is a beautiful, intelligent, maddening breath of fresh air who, in one presentation, reinvigorates what was becoming a medical career far removed from what he originally intended for it to be.
Yet, for two people who can’t stand to be around one another, they can’t seem to stop wanting to be around each other. So, when they find themselves at another conference, this time in Las Vegas, they try something different.
They try being nice. They try getting along.
They try thinking that a few drinks, a high-stakes poker game, and a private hotel suite won’t lead to anything except maybe a few lost dollars or seconds of dignity.
Until they wake up in bed together wearing matching rings with no recollection of the night before...sort of.
I have to be honest that I struggled with the first almost half of this book but glad (not ecstatic) that I did finish. I gave it a 3 because the final third of the book redeemed some of the first half (yep,there’s overlap), and because I like this author more often than not. I’ll detail what I liked and what I didn’t about this book.
Pros: -Lucas’s background and him sharing he assimilated into American culture so he could be accepted at the expense of who he truly was is VERY relatable, as an immigrant myself. His expressions of shame and guilt resonated with me. -the overarching message of being authentic and that you can only find that deep connection if you come to the table as your true self. -their frank conversation about their challenges/insecurities/experiences that shaped them at around 82% into the book - clear, honest, no pretense. -the fact that Lucas comes from a Turkish muslim family is not an experience I’ve read before and I really liked it along with the mention of some of the delicious dishes originating from that region. -touched upon some struggles: past disordered eating behaviors, undiagnosed mental issues of parents and the fallout for the kids and the parent-kid bond, learning disorders and how that can affect self-esteem. -the epilogue chapter was hilarious.
Cons: -the snarky banter/flirting was more miss than hit for me in terms of humor. IF author thought this snark ramped up the tension, I’m here to say it DIDN’T. All it did was ruin the tone for me to the point where I wanted to stop reading. -Raina had some valid concerns wrt trust/believing Lucas’s declarations initially but it dragged out too long before those concerns were explicitly voiced. It hindered the story development for me because as the reader, we usually have more insight into what both characters are thinking/experiencing but I felt in the dark with all the snark and only felt I understood some of the motivations for Raina being reluctant more than halfway through the book. -book could have been shorter…while I appreciate that the book is robust in that these folks have lives and their specialties are discussed, there was too much non-essential/pointless chatter. I skimmed regularly for the first half of the book, especially because of snark.
Loved this storyline and so glad Raina and Lucas got their storyline . Dr Lucas Saraci, who is Delilah’s instructor at John Hopkins wanted Raina from the moment he saw her. Although Raina didn’t like him when they first met she couldn’t stop thinking about him. Despite the book being over 300 pages I wanted more of these two. I loved the chemistry between them and how vulnerable they both felt about their feelings for each other despite both being people with strong scary personalities that took no prisoners. You can also tell the author did a lot of medical research as Lucas is a very successful ENT surgeon and it needed to plausible when he and other doctors would talk surgeon speak but also with this series Raina has a troubled past and I learnt a few things about eating disorders that I didn’t know before. So worth the 5 stars 🌟
I don’t know what it was about this book. I had the loooooooooooongest drought after picking it up and I struggled to finish it each time I picked it up.
The characters felt forced and boring. I couldn’t enjoy them or lose myself in the story. I kept wondering how many pages before I got to the end. On the bright side, the last chapter was pretty funny. So, something to look forward to.
These were at each other's throats until they weren't. If you do not enjoy the miscommunication trope, you would be screaming with me, would yall just talk to each other 🤷🏾♀️ besides that when they got there, all was right with the book.
I like this author's writing so I'm going to keep reading her stuff.
Raina and Lucas’ story was on point. This story was intellectually stimulating and hot as f…. The writing was perfect and the story was engaging in every way. Their story was relatable; this could have been any of us. What truly capped this read were these words…”We take things seriously at D..Y..D Station #9! This is a must read for all!
This couple started off like fire and ice and turned into infatuation. They were both feeling this same about each other and too scared to admit it. And then they both tricked the other into marriage. I just knew that when he showed up at the photoshoot, that they were going to incorporate him into it. I liked he relationship that he had with Delilah, she became his confidante and little sister. Loved the ending, when they found out she pregnant and they were both afraid to be happy, because they both believed that they didn't want kids. And fate bit them. And Delilah opening the deck of cards and telling them the poker hand at the bottom, Lucas realized that he lost the last hand of poker and they wouldn't have gotten married that night. And the game they played, the firefighter and the naked home owner. Still laughing. Loved their story. **Glad he put Emmaline in her place.
This is the married you in Vegas, fake marriage where they fall in love trope. However, this one plays a little differently. Lucas Sarachi knows he wants Raina Daniels as his wife. He’s told her that before the convention in Las Vegas. Raina also wants Lucas and neither of them are drunk when they get married. Also they’re both older and more established so while they’re unsure how much each other cares…they were always going to stay together.
It was a very spicy, yet interesting read. BTW I think this is more a 3.5⭐️star read. A little better than a 3, not quite reaching a 4.
Well, let me start with K. Alex Walker creates magic that you never want to end! I lived Lucas and Raina’s story. I don’t want to leave any spoilers bid done off the subjects touched upon we’re done so beautifully. Raina was confident, smart and beautiful on the inside as well the outside. Lucas was her perfect counterpart. They just blended so well together. I enjoyed touching base with her siblings. And the relationship between Lucas and her sister was sweet. Don’t pass this one up!
I thought Delilah was my favorite Daniel’s but now I think hands down it’s Raina. I think Lucas and Raina’s story is my favorite with Miguel and Delilah running neck and neck for first place. Lucas’s backstory made me love him and appreciate all he was able to accomplish, it also shows how quick people are to write you off without taking the time to understand why. They deserved the happy ending they got and the unconditional love they gave each other. This book was definitely a must read, K. Alex Walker did it again.
This story took me awhile to really enjoy it. I love the main two characters especially the doctor he was funny. The dick me down fire house # 9 was funny has hell.
K. Alex Walker delights with her light-hearted yet emotionally rich story, The Vegas Lie: A Fake Marriage Contemporary Interracial Romance. This story is a spin off from her series, The Boys From Chapel Hill. Dr. Lucas Saraci was featured in Breaking the Code and served as a mentor to med student, Delilah Daniels. He and Delilah have an amazing rapport as student/teacher/friend and then he encounters her sister, Raina! The two books overlap slightly but the most recent story can be consumed as a standalone. Lucas is present at a conference where Raina is giving a talk, and he approaches her with a snarky attitude, a hint of ridicule, and dismisses her science. He considers his approach to be light flirting while she takes offense at his tactics, even as she is smitten with his contrast of arrogance and charm. They contrive to meet again in Las Vegas, but what happens in Vegas does not stay there! Ms. Walker provides rapid fire banter and emotional resonance as these two somewhat broken people try to navigate and construct a viable relationship. The book contains areas of realistic conflict but their loyalty and support for each other was wonderfully fulfilling. I really enjoyed this story and was thrilled to see or hear about the characters from the previous series. As always, Ms. Walker brings the heat with equal helpings of heart and hope!
Wow, when I look back at all the wonderful reviews, I’m wondering if I read the same book. I did not enjoy this book at all.
I never felt a true connection between Lucas and Raina; sexual chemistry yes, connection, no. The push & pull between them went on for too many chapters but once they finally got into bed the sex was hot…but I still didn’t feel a genuine connection.
Raina’s sister Delilah was often more prominent and her character overshadowed Raina in many of the chapters. Lucas’ character was consistently vanilla and the story just seemed to drag along. The dinner party with the families had more drama than a high school play, and Lucas’ ex Emmaline was just a horrible add-in character. I guess the theme of the book was overcoming adversity (eating disorder, learning disability) but it was delivered in this exhaustive story.
I enjoy this author’s work and often buy the book upon release without reading reviews, but this one is in my “yuck” pile. Sorry, I did not enjoy this book.
What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas especially for Raina and Lucas. The first time these two meet, is doesn't end with the best first impression. At least it didn't seem so but neither could stop thinking about other. After another supposed chance meeting, Raina and Lucas realize that pretending is no longer a option and the journey to love begins. Raina and Lucas think they are opposites but after spending time together realize they have more in common than they thought. The connection between these two is undeniable which leads to a slow but passionate romance. I love how they both heal from past issues while steadily falling more in love every moment they are together and longing for each other when they are apart. This story was sweet as well as sultry and although it slows a bit in the middle, the main as well as secondary character interactions are engaging from start to finish.
This is romance! It’s been a while since I laughed this much from something that isn’t a reread and not written by Alexandria House. This book had me hooked from the very first page. The characters are amazing, they’re funny, relatable and I absolutely love all the relationships in here—romantic and otherwise (especially Lucas’s & Delilah’s friendship). Raina’s family is everything to me; they’re all so supportive and chill. This was the perfect break from books with dysfunctional and shady family members\friends.
To keep it one hundred, there’s no huge plot in here other than Raina and Lucas getting married and hiding it (or trying to) for half the book. It’s not a plot heavy story so some people might not like it, but this is definitely in my top five favorite romances ever. Because just like that, I’m sold on this author and I hope Raina’s siblings’ stories are either published or in the works. I’d love to see more of this family. The culture was rich, and seeing the two mesh was one of my favorite things.
All this isn’t to say the book was perfect because it wasn’t. The only thing stopping me from giving it five stars is the lack of transitions. At times it felt a bit jumpy. Things would just happen without any explanation or build up narratively and I found that jarring. I’m not sure if that makes sense but you’ll get it when you read it. In terms of the main characters, I despised how they couldn’t just come out and say what they wanted. I get that it’s part of the plot, but it wasn’t even complicated because they obviously adored each other and they were already married, the games were not necessary in my eyes. Also, they say each other's names entirely too much lol. It was borderline unrealistic.
Despite all that, this did not feel like 300+ pages. I had to buy the ebook from Kindle Unlimited and will be purchasing a physical copy. Best read of ‘24 so far.
Raina and Lucas meet at a conference where he doesn't endear himself to her. When he sees her later at a restaurant/bar he further insults her and let's say the color red looks really good dripping down his head. Who knew? It was his form of flirting but even a smart doctor should have known better.
They have a connection and it's Raina's sister Delilah who is engaged to Miguel, they have their own book. Miguel is the best friend of their brother, O.B. who is a quarterback who romanced Samantha and they have their own story too. Now, it's Raina's turn to fall in love.
Lucas is Delilah's professor/mentor/friend and she discovers to her delight, he has met her sister and has a thing for her. Raina and Lucas reconnect in a city where whatever happens there, stays there and they impetuously marry. You already know how the rest goes, they hem and haw about it being temporary and about being too drunk to know what they were doing, while secretly wanting to stay married.
This is the part of the book I didn't love, because it dragged on and on and every time they got near the good part, there was some interruption like a bad sitcom. Every reader knows that in romance that the kiss, moment or more happens at the 50 percent mark in the story. The wait factor for a real kiss took too damn long—never mind the more!
When they eventually get out of their own way, it's lovely to witness and they make up for the slow burn in record time—again, again and again and again. There are some wonderful and poignant moments in the story that saved this story from a 3-star rating. The last quarter percent of this book is everything. I hope to hear from Raina and Lucas again in the future.
I'm not sure what it is about this author but these books almost always give me what I'm looking for in terms of the feels and heat. The characters usually have depth and not perfect but lovable all the same. Raina is a billionaire's daughter, model, and business owner with a background in bio genetics and Lucas is a renowned doctor who teaches at Johns Hopkins. They meet when she's doing a presentation at a conference and Lucas is spellbound but you can't tell by his first interaction with Raina. Scathing remarks are the shield but really Lucas is leading with his ego. The rest of the book is them meeting again until they finally have a go of something more after getting married spontaneously in Vegas. I loved how much Lucas cared about what Raina thought of him and his vulnerabilities the author showed. Raina took a while to loosen up and open up in terms of her real feelings but once she did, it was amazing.
Even though I loved the book and the characters, I wanted more background and information about each of them. While learning that Enzo was Lucas's father was a surprise, it's something that I didn't necessarily feel needed to be concealed until closer to the end. Maybe I missed it in the father's description when Lucas was seeing him as a patient but Raina knew from their similar features. The enemies to lovers isn't really accurate either, more a dislike on Raina's end when they rust meet which is very much understandable given how Lucas came across early.
"I loved and enjoyed the dynamic between Lucas and Raina."
At the core of this captivating narrative lies the enthralling relationship between Lucas and Raina. The author skillfully navigates the intricacies of their connection, elevating it to a central pillar of the story.
"They are just what the other needs and balance each other out perfectly."
Lucas and Raina are both beautifully flawed characters. Despite their differences, they complement each other in ways that are heartwarming and believable. The author skillfully delves into the depths of their personalities, creating a connection with readers. Their symbiotic relationship adds an extra layer of authenticity to the story, making their journey resonate with readers long after the final chapter.
"I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this book to those who love good opposites attract love stories."
This book is a treasure waiting to be discovered by those who enjoy romance. The story is told with a perfect balance of passion, humor, and poignant moments, making it a delightful read for anyone looking for a heartfelt and engaging love story. There are no spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors in the original text.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from the author. This review is purely from my perspective, and all opinions are my own. I am under no obligation to review the book.
I have read the married in Vegas plot line but not by this author and that makes all of the difference. Raina and Lucas meet each other at a conference and though attracted to one another do not hit it off. What follows is the two lowering their guards, exposing their true selves and coming to find that they have more than just attraction going for them. Lucas makes his intentions known early on and in a very memorable way. The night in Vegas that leads to the nuptials is more than what it seems, won’t spoil it, but it’s not a mistake. Story is told from dual points of view and I enjoyed both aspects and the subplots. This story is connected to The Boys From Chapel Hill series which does not need to be read to understand it but Delilah from Breaking The Code is in this story a bit and Lucas and Raina were in hers as well; Delilah and Raina are sisters.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
My first time reading this author and I’m so glad my readers love affair started with The Vegas Lie. What an excellent,funny,heart tugging,sensuous story! Raina Daniels and Lucas Saraci may have started out with a combative verbal encounter but many months later when they meet again things will take a turn into the surreal because Lucas has never been able to forget Raina and sure won’t be letting her escape him again. There was so much more to this couple that slowly revealed itself and made for a most engaging read. I enjoyed watching from the side lines as the exquisite writing brought the characters to life and kept me invested and chuckling with their antics the whole way through this nicely steamy where it mattered romance. The epilogue was a HOOT and I fell over laughing so hard.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
First let me say that K. Alex Walker is a prime example of a masterful storyteller at work. Her prose is lyrical, intelligent, witty and alluring. When I delve into a book by this author I settle in my favourite reading nook and quickly become cocooned in literary bliss. Luca and Raina come from vastly different ecosocial backgrounds but connect through mitigating circumstances on a whole other level. They are highly intelligent people who are flawed and beautifully broken but manage to navigate through choppy waters to achieve a sizzling heartfelt loving relationship. And though Luca can appear to be arrogant and stoic his sense of humour is top tier. The story is brilliantly structured with poignancy, unmitigated humour, passion and adoration. I enjoyed this book. It is a captivating magical slow burn that is well worth the read.
K. Alex Walker never misses. This isn’t the best book I have read by her, but I still enjoyed it immensely. It is a straightforward, contemporary romance. No outside threat, no real drama other than two, very real people have to get out of their own, individual way to find love. Supporting characters are from the Boys of Chapel Hill series. The FMC is a supporting character from that series, and the MMC made a “guest appearance”. As with the Chapel Hill series, Walker touches on several a few real-world challenges; bigotry, classism, mental health, and learning disabilities, among other. She handles them well and does a great job of showing how people live, recover and/or react to them. I would rank the heat level at medium high - there is enough description to make you feel something, but it’s not erotica. Great read.
OMG! I love Lucas and Raina. This was a love at first sight couple, who didn't realize how strong their original connection would impact their lives. I appreciated Lucas' determination to figure out what it was about Ria that he couldn't get enough of just being around her. The fact that she grounded him and made him want to be the best version of himself. Interesting enough, Lucas was the same for Ria. He showed her his authentic self, and she embraced and encouraged him, which was a total turn-on for them both.
This book made me laugh, cry, and OMG, the sex scenes were HOT, HOT, HOT!
This being the fourth book in the Chapel Hill series, was an excellent way to bring all of the previous characters together, address some of the outstanding dynamics amongst the Daniels family, and provide a beautiful Happily Ever After.
I read all of the 3 stories about the childhood friends, two in which included the Daniele’s siblings and was hopeful Raina story would be told! It was a great read and well worth the wait! She was perfectly matched with Lucas. The H and h has great chemistry and I love hope the two were able to get to know each other more before falling into bed together. The characters from the previous series were mentioned, this book is a standalone. Definitely would recommend reading the previous series, this author is definitely becoming one of my favorite authors. I love how the characters aren’t perfect and have real life insecurities. Would recommend this book!
I was so excited to start this book !!! It started off really well and then fell off quickly for me . The story and the concept was a really good one but the author couldn’t keep the story and the cohesiveness of what she was trying to communicate on track . It was patched up , insta lovey to the max from the first few pages with no history or justification for that .Im sure that writing a book is a hard job and I’m no literary critic , but I feel it when words touch me , when a story makes sense and grows in on itself and feelings envelop you into the tale . This was not good . The fmc starts off as a badass bitch and turns into this mushy pushover , and the mmc is has all these tacky one liners . It’s a no . Read something else .I gave it 1 star because it started off very promising .
I loved this! I didn't expect to but it was such a cute story. Plus the racial/ethnic elements felt authentic and added to the story. Dr. S's relationship with Delilah was also adorable.
As I was reading this I could tell Raina's siblings also had stories so I may pick those up as well.
This put me in the mind of another fave of mine: That Thing Between Eli & Gwen by J. J. Mcavoy. Another great read if you liked this one, imho.
I loved their witty banter and snappy comedy backs! It was cute how they were falling for each other and also infuriating that she was missing clues showing how he felt about her. I know based on her experiences with life people and relationships it impacted how she viewed herself and how she thought people viewed her. It made it difficult to truly see that he was all in from the beginning. He was funny and an onion whose layers kept peeling back to reveal such a wonderful man. Awesome read!
I’m happy I’m ending 2023 with this book. I can honestly say that I was initially going to give this book four (4) 🌟🌟🌟🌟stars, but two significant scenes here really tugged at my heart, and I couldn’t conceive of this being a four-star book.
Lucas and Raina are so remarkable individually and as a power couple.
Their story culminates the entire Daniels family, which is beautiful and continues to expand.
Happy reading and wine drinking. More reviews in 2024.
This story made me smile and laugh out loud all the way through. I loved the main characters so much and the build up of their relationship in the story was well developed, leaving me feeling warm and engrossed in the story. I can't recommend this story enough to avid IR romance readers. This story and all the books written by K. Alex Walker are the best, I guarantee once you start reading this author's work, you will ignite a fire in you to read all her beautifully written stories.
I initially hesitated to read this book for months!!!!!! If only I knew then what I know now, I wouldn’t have waited so long. This book summed up was perfection, the humour was so sophisticated yet funny and witty. The relationship between rai and Lucas was pure hard to get banter but I loved how everything just developed and you really got to see the relationship between the two blossom !!!!! To how I loved this story I would read it again, I didn’t want the book to end that’s how much I grew attached to the story and the relationships.