Eva Simmons writes dark contemporary and gothic fantasy romance. With over twenty published books, Eva is constantly crafting new worlds and falling for the anti-hero in all of them. When Eva isn’t dreaming up stories or devouring every book she can get her hands on, she can be found spending time with her family, painting a fresh canvas, or playing an elf in World of Warcraft.
Eva is currently living out her own happily ever after in the Midwest with her family.
What a great conclusion to this trilogy! in the first two books, we had glimmers of Luce’s life: hardworking divorce lawyer, not interested in a serious relationship, stubborn, fiercely loyal to her friends. In this new book from Eva Simmons, Luce is the FMC so we get to know her a lot better: what drives her, how she is vulnerable, and what happens when she inadvertently ends up in a relationship with her boss/frenemy, Jesse. Like Luce, Jesse is stubborn, ambitious, and has stayed away from long-term, serious relationships. Until, of course, he and Luce end up together after a game of drunken truth or dare.
I really enjoyed the book. It was definitely spicy, but there were moments of vulnerability through which we saw the characters grow.
The side characters were also great. Of course, Luce’s best friends Kennedy (book one: Miss Matched) and Monica (book two: Miss Behaved) were featured, but the real fun side character for me was Mateo, Jesse’s assistant and friend.
All in all, a fun book and a fun series. And did I spot a set up for another series starring Luce’s three older brothers? It can’t be a coincidence that all three are single.
Thanks to Book Sirens and the author, Eva Simmons, for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Luce & Jesse are attorneys that work at the same firm with Jesse being her boss. She's a fierce & fabulous woman that I loved completely from the jump. Jesse didn't fare so well at the beginning since he came across as overbearing & not so delightful. Both of them don't want anything to do with relationships, since he has no time, and she's seen one too many nasty divorces. They have a work trip in Vegas that really shakes their lives up after too much alcohol, and a game of truth or dare. So they wake up married & now things get really interesting. I really loved these two together, but the supporting cast stole the show & entertained me to no end. Eva Simmons is a new to me author, so I'll be reading her previous work pronto! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
I was so excited to read Luce’s story! I love that she is a total take no BS lawyer with a killer show collection, yes please!
Luce and Jesse are everything one could want from an enemies to lovers office romance! They have such tension and passion for what they do and that in turn is present in their affections for each other. Add in a little side trip to Vegas and the outcome showed how they really felt about each other outside of the office.
Overall, I loved the dynamic between Luce and Jesse. I appreciated that his love for her never required her to waver from her wants or goals just like her love for him. This is a perfect example of how a real power couple supports each other professional and personally. Not to mention when the door closes and the question of who is in charge is clear 😉 (go Jesse!!).
I loved this romantic novel. It is exciting, fun, lighthearted and entertaining. It gripped my attention and interest from page one and held them until the end. I didn’t want to put this novel down once I started it and found it quite a quick read. I really liked the main characters and learning more about them as the story unfolded. I loved their unlikely love story. It was unconventional but enjoyable to read about.
I’m giving this novel 5 stars as I really liked it and I think other readers will like it too!
Miss understood is the 3rd book in the seattle singles series and a enemies to lovers romance. Luce is a divorce attorney and she is climbing the career ladder one claw at a time. She works with Jesse, who is her boss. She has feelings for him, which she keeps hidden but he also annoys her. He is a known womaniser and always has a woman on his arm so is best avoided. They go on a work trip to Vegas and after a tough day they go for drinks. After too many shots they play truth or dare. The next morning she wakes up with a massive hangover and no memory of the night before, that is until she see Jesse in her bed and a gold band on her ring finger and things start to become very clear. I loved the characters and story of the book and it has the right amount of spice. I truly recommend the book and would read more by the author. Thank you to the author for my review copy. It is available from the 2nd November.
What a love story. Luce and Jesse have known each other for two years and have fought each other the entire time. The fine line between love and hate finally comes to a head when they get drunk married in Vegas. They have a lot of things to work out, but loving each other comes so easily, even though they both fight telling each other. I love how two “never getting in a relationship” people fall so deeply, and completely in love with each other. A positively fantastic book that you can’t put down. Great.
OMG, I love this book well the whole series. this will be one of the series that I will go back and reread all over again. ms. Eve Simmons had done an amazing job writing all 3 books. I REALLY NEED TO BUY THE PAPERBACK BOOKS!
God do I love an enemies to lovers, fake dating/relationship romance! This book was so freaking good. I love Luce so much. She is so sassy and so freakin funny!! I loved that scene where they woke up the next day in Vegas 🤭. The way she ate up that man's body?! Um yes please! I loved the dynamic between Luce and Jesse. They were the perfect power couple! All 3 of these books in the Seattle Singles series were so good! I read each book out within a day and just loved them all ❤️. A perfect way to end my August indeed!
Lucy lost faith in love and happily ever after's a long time ago, and if she has learned one thing from her job it's that love doesn't last. Being a divorce attorney puts her in the middle of love gone wrong on a daily basis, as she watches these people divide their assets and get revenge it's plain to see that love isn't worth the trouble. So she just steers clear of it and pours herself into her work, it's not like she has time for a relationship anyhow, she has a ladder to climb and a fortune to earn! But what happens when love decides to find her instead?
From the opening lines of this one I found myself taken with these characters, they had this magnetic quality to them, they drew me in and made me want to know everything about them, and I what I found was downright delightful. These two are allergic to love, after being burnt by it they decided it just wasn't for them, and they have avoided it at all costs since. But love got tired of them ignoring it and came knocking, and it was one heck of a surprise to both of them. Sure they were attracted to one another, but it was a line neither were ready to cross. But you add in a few too many drinks and the wildlife of Vegas nights and you become brave and do things you'd never do... like say "I do"!
I really enjoyed this newest offering from Ms. Simmons, her words were captivating, heartfelt and wickedly entertaining! Highly recommend this one, these two will keep you thoroughly entertained and leave your heart skipping a beat!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
This is a cute book with some substance. I enjoyed Jesse and Luce. I liked their banter, their games of truth or dare, and their personalities. Accidental or fake relationships/marriages form one of my fave tropes. This one is a great example of that.
I read about a book a day (the Kindle app shows 342 through 11/30/22 for the year). I sometimes get really behind in my reviews and I apologize to this author for that since I did receive an ARC. As a result of reading so often - almost entirely romances on Kindle Unlimited or ARCs from booksirens, I have a lot of material to compare to. I now only leave about one or two 5 star reviews a month. I probably leave one 1 star review a month, a handful of 2 stars, mostly 3 stars, and a few 4 stars. So, a 4 star rating from me, is very good. To give a book 5 stars, it needs to be something I can't stop thinking about when I read. Something I want to tell friends who like similar books they need to read.
While I do recommend this book, it isn't one I'd recommend as a "must read." There's just a little something missing.
There were a few small grammatical errors. I have a particular pet peeve of authors who cannot use personal pronouns correctly and am flabbergasted by how many authors cannot. This author did use "I" as an object twice, which is not horrible, just a pet peeve. There were a few other small errors. One that was repeated and then at least one typo. For what is probably a self published book, that's not bad.
I will read more by this author in the future.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Okay, I’m going to just come out and say it: if the hero in this book would have been white, there would not be a problem. Not plot wise or otherwise. This book would have been around a four-star read for me. Because if he would have been white, the plot would have been spared from all of the harmful elements that were used to sketch this protagonist.
Unfortunately, the author did choose to create a Black male main character; and did so using some pretty hardcore stereotypes mixed with a heavy dose of fetishization. There is so. Much. Fetishization. And it felt really gross to read. Commenting on certain parts of anatomy as well as skin tone hit different when the character is not white; it’s a whole different vibe. This is the problem that happens when white (or white presenting) authors write characters of color without using sensitivity readers. It’s irresponsible at best, and super harmful at worst.
Do I think the author intended to fetishize her male protagonist? To play into racial stereotypes? I sure hope not. But the fact remains that that is what happened in this book, whether it was intentional or not. This book is a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of writing outside of your lived experience without doing the appropriate work.
As someone who has white privilege myself, I think it does a disservice when we gloss over all of these microaggressions and manifestations of implicit and explicit bias. If you see something, you need to say something. Yes, it’s fiction, but you still have to be mindful of the things you are writing about and do everything in your power to mitigate harm. Intentional or otherwise.
I recently had the pleasure of reading "His Daring Vow" by Eva Simmons, and I must say, it's a fantastic enemies-to-lovers romance that will leave you breathless. The female main character (FMC) and male main character (MMC) are well-developed and have undeniable chemistry, making their banter and interactions a joy to read. The secondary characters add depth and humor to the story, making it a truly enjoyable experience. The plot is engaging, and the flow is smooth, although I did find myself wishing for a bit more background information to fully flesh out the characters' motivations.
One of the things that sets "His Daring Vow" apart from other romance novels is its perfect balance of spice and sensibility. The romance is sizzling, but it's not explicit or filthy, making it a great choice for readers who prefer a more subtle approach to steamy scenes. The happy ending (HEA) is satisfying and heartfelt, without being too cheesy or over-the-top. As a standalone novel, "His Daring Vow" can be read on its own, but it's also book 3 of the Seattle Singles series, of which I’ve enjoyed book 1 and 2.
Overall, I highly recommend "His Daring Vow" to fans of romance, particularly those who enjoy enemies-to-lovers tropes. Eva Simmons is a talented author who knows how to craft a compelling story with relatable characters, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work in the future. If you're looking for a fun, sexy, and emotional read, "His Daring Vow" is an excellent choice. So, go ahead and give it a try – I'm sure you won't be disappointed!
Book three in the Seattle Singles series. This time we get to see how the third friend Lucy navigate an enemy’s to lovers romance.
I love how each of these are so different yet tie in together so well. Lucy is fierce and independent and takes absolutely nothing from anyone. I loved Jesse and once we really understood him his character just got better and better. There was a cool balance between their love life and working cases.
This was a great continuation to the series and I can’t wait to read more from Eva Simmons!
What’s worse than being forced to work with someone you despise on a case? Getting drunk and marrying them on a dare in Vegas.
Lucy has worked hard to prove herself as one of the top divorce attorneys in Seattle. Earning her “Ice Queen” nickname was well earned. For two years she has had to navigate her work life around her playboy coworker she can’t stand. When she is assigned to work along side him on a new case she knows it’s going to be difficult.
As a divorce attorney, her persecution of love has become jaded she’s lost faith in love even being possible for anyone at least not permanently.
When faced with the complications of her marriage to her boss things get complicated quickly and they have to come up with a plan to get them both out without tarnishing their reputations. Will it work or will it all come crashing down?
I like stories that empower women but some of the things seemed over the top then turned upside down. Luce went back and forth between ball busting to not quite vulnerable, then the next time she’d say it was all a mask to prove herself. Then she would space out thinking of the gossip mongers and someone would have to pull her back to reality. It didn’t seem consistent with who she was supposed to be. Then both Jesse and Luce seem to drop their hate almost instantly like it was never there in the first place. One minute they’re in their heads talking about how feelings might be under the surface the next they’re saying they don’t feel anything ? It was a bit of whiplash. On the other hand, I loved their chemistry. There’s a fine line between love and hate indeed! When they’re in a room together it’s masked by dislike at first but once they’re forced together it turns into a raging fire they can’t ignore. So overall it was a good plot, I just wish I hadn’t come out with a kink in my neck from the whiplash.
Hate to love, Work romance, Read. Review. Repeat, ARC for Honest Review, forced proximity, What Happens in Vegas, Waking up Married; interracial,
Thank you to Eva Simmons for letting me be apart of her ARC team. I have read this book in return for an honest review!
Miss Understood follows Luce and Jesse, both lawyers for a firm that they work at together. Luce is a strong headed, passionate and hard-working woman. Jesse, her boss, can come across as an ass and very overbearing. When a night in Vegas together and a game of truth or dare goes wild, how long will they let it carry on for?
I loved the two characters and I think that they work so well together. Luce is so independent and so fierce and I love a strong woman character like that! I think Jesse is a good strong character too and I think they mix perfectly and they compliment each other’s personality. I also loved how the friends are still heavily in the novels and you get some insight to how their relationships are doing! (If you haven’t read the rest of this series, you’re missing out).
I’m unfortunately not a huge fan of the fake marriage trope, but the writing of the book is really good! I really enjoy the way this author writes and I’m excited to read her books as she releases them. I really enjoyed this series as well (I still need to read the first book).
I like stories that empower women but some of the things seemed over the top then turned upside down. Luce went back and forth between ball busting to not quite vulnerable, then the next time she’d say it was all a mask to prove herself. Then she would space out thinking of the gossip mongers and someone would have to pull her back to reality. It didn’t seem consistent with who she was supposed to be. Then both Jesse and Luce seem to drop their hate almost instantly like it was never there in the first place. One minute they’re in their heads talking about how feelings might be under the surface the next they’re saying they don’t feel anything ? It was a bit of whiplash. On the other hand, I loved their chemistry. There’s a fine line between love and hate indeed! When they’re in a room together it’s masked by dislike at first but once they’re forced together it turns into a raging fire they can’t ignore. So overall it was a good plot, I just wish I hadn’t come out with a kink in my neck from the whiplash.
Hate to love, Work romance, Read. Review. Repeat, ARC for Honest Review, forced proximity, What Happens in Vegas, Waking up Married; interracial"
Jesse and Luce are highly successful lawyers at the same firm. The have a love hate relationship, always at each other’s throat so when they come back from a work trip in Vegas many are surprised to find they are married. Jesse is used to sex and one-night stands. He has no time for relationships. Luce has seen enough of ugly divorces and believes marriage is not for her. It all had to do with a game of Truth or Dare and they ended up very drunk and married. Once home, it starts as a business deal. Get through the next big lawsuit and they can go their separate ways. This book is a lot of fun. Jesse can have his pick of woman but only has eyes for Luce. While Luce is working hard as usual, all she thinks about is Jesse, but they refuse to commit. Luce’s protective brothers and Marine father add to the desire to protect someone who wants to take care of herself. Jesse’s assistant is great friends with Luce but can still put his boss in his place. Both Jesse and Luce have painful memories and have a hard time sharing. It is fun to see them finally begin to trust. Great characters and story.
Splendiferous. That will be the word I would use to describe the feeling I had while reading this book.
Luce and Jesse are successful divorce attorneys in the city. What will happen when the two nemesis were forced to work on a case and that happens to have a meeting in Vegas? Total hilarious dares and fun. That's what happened.
From accidentally marrying someone to realising that one was THE ONE from the start, totally swoon.
The scene I love the most: The proposal 🥺 (So cute and romantic ❤️)
Best line from the book: "Sometimes you find everything you ever wanted in unexpected places"
Genre: Contemporary romance
Tropes: - Enemies to lovers - Fake (accidental) marriage - Forced proximity - Work place setting - Divorce to marriage
Spice: 4/5 Plot: 4.5/5 Characters (development): 3.5 Place setting: 4/5
Thank You author Eva and Booksirens for providing me with this ARC book in exchange for honest review.
Luce and Jesse, both working at an attorney’s office, Jesse being her boss, can’t stand each other. Luce, being a woman, has to prove she has what it takes to make it in their world, Jesse being mad about his case being reassigned to her. For that case they have to work together, which takes them for a weekend to Las Vegas to interview a client, and end up waking up married. Eventually the night before comes back in bits and pieces and they remember it’s a game of truth and dare gone bad. For the sake of the case, and Luce trying to prove she’s not sleeping her way to the top, they agree to stay married for as long as necessary. Neither of them anticipated the feelings that would grow. And how they would deal with it.
This was such a fun read, the way they get into a fight over everything. But when things get more real, and the lines get blurry between what is fake and what’s not, their passion is combustible. I love an enemies-to-lovers, office romance.
Luce is a strong, confident divorce attorney and has a love-hate relationship with her boss Jesse. She finds him attractive, but also a cocky-know-it-all attitude. They are thrown together to work on a case that involves Jesse’s sister and find themselves in Las Vegas. After a truth or dare game, they end up married. They both realize as divorce attorneys no one will take them seriously if they have a quick divorce. They agree to get a divorce after the case is over, since that’s the most important thing. But now, they’re living together and start to see all the quirks that once was annoying is now attractive. What happens when one or both of them start to catch feelings? I really loved both characters and especially loved Luce who takes no crap from anyone. This is the first book I’ve ever read by Eva Simmons, but it won’t be the last. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Miss Understood is the last book in Eva Simmons’s Seattle Singles trilogy. This trilogy has become an instant fave, and I loved each character, but Luce and Jesse may hold a special place in my heart. I think I’ve said that for every character that Eva has written, not only from this trilogy but also from her Enemy Muse series, but I have reasons why I loved these two characters in Miss Understood.
I’m a huge fan of the Enemies to Lovers trope in romance books and love reading the banter between the characters before they become lovers. Luce and Jesse have been enemies since the moment Luce started working at the law office where they both work. Luce takes her job very seriously and is a workaholic, especially since she’s become one of the top divorce attorneys in Seattle while Jesse has lost several of his cases. He could learn a few things from Luce, and he’s forced to work on a case with her while she takes charge where it involves his sister being the witness.
Each book I’ve read from Eva has been hard to put down, and she’s become one of my favorite authors because of it. Her characters and the storylines she weaves for them can be heart-wrenching, inspiring, and unforgettable. This is exactly how I felt for each of the characters in the Seattle Singles Trilogy, and the same goes for Eva’s other series, Enemy Muse. You may get a sneak peek of those characters in this book because Luce goes to one of their concerts.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. I recommend this book to Contemporary Romance readers who love characters who don’t want something serious but end up falling hard for one another, especially when they are enemies.
As the second book of Eva Simmons’ that I’ve read, Miss Understood made me more of a fan! I loved Miss Behaved, the second book in this series, and this book was equally as fun! Perhaps not as romantic as Miss Behaved was but the spicy-ness and laughter I had between Luce and Jesse was the highlight of the book for me. And the truth or dare inside thing that they have between both of them…gosh, I want one day.
Luce was also empowering! The way that she was able to stick to her guts was great and the fact that was a lawyer?! Woahhhhh, my whole jaw is dropping.
Jesse was out of this world sweet and sexy and I genuinely felt so hot when I’d read him (someone give me an ice pack please).
Although Miss Behaved is my number one romance of Eva’s so far, I totally, one million percent suggest Miss Understood! I super loved it!
What happens in Vegas doesn't necessarily stay in Vegas. Luce Stevens and Jesse Davis, two of the most skillful divorce attorneys in Seattle, find this out in a big way but learn to navigate their lives and feelings for each other once they return home.
The beginning of this story didn't engage me like "Miss Behaved" and "Miss Matched" did, but once the story got going, it was a page-turner with quite a lot of spice. I was rooting for Luce and Jesse the whole time, even if they were too stubborn to admit that they were in fact in love with each other, which did get on my nerves a little bit throughout the story.
Otherwise, this was a cute love story that fans of contemporary romance will enjoy. Definitely recommended!
What could possibly go wrong when two determined single divorce laws are forced to work together in all places Las Vegas?, a lot especially apparently when it involves Luce and Jesse, so hold on to your money because this is one hell of a ride, and I am not sure who I would put my money on to come out on top.
As the story progresses, so does the heat between Luce and Jesse, I was impressed how Eva Simmons kept Luce true to being a strong, tough lawyer and that Jesse didn't try to change her, some great laugh-at-loud moments, and although it took me a little bit of time to warm to Jesse once you got to know him you couldn't help but love him.
Another great story from Eva. I honestly wasn't sure how I was going to like getting to know Luce better with her somewhat abrasive personality and lack of filter but it really worked and I enjoyed her immensely.
I feel like Jesse would have had a bit more push back with Luce just in general. He capitulated very quickly and just stopped that give and take they really had working for them. The build up of sexual tension was lacking a bit for me once he stopped arguing with her as much.
I love how well written the story was. It flowed nicely and little bits of humour laced all over to make you laugh out loud.
I don't know whats next from Eva but I cannot wait to find out!
This is book 3 in Simmons' Seattle Singles series and the first I've read from the series so far - it can be read as a standalone with no problems. I thought this was well written (a few repetitions but not overtly so) and captivating from the very beginning. I adored our main characters (Luce and Jesse) and thought the steamy chemistry between these two was well done and the overall feel was realistic. I think this may be the last in the series, but I'll definitely be checking out more from this author!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is my first book by Eva Simmons and I really enjoyed this book like a lot!! Like as soon as I started reading this book I was enthralled with the story! Some of the itbwas just a tad predictable but it was still so funny and enjoyable and spicy that it didn't take anything away from it. And the secondary characters, oh my some of them I am absolutely in love with!! And they just added that extra little sparkle. I really want to read the other books that are in this series. And I really loved that we got dual pov's. Jesse and Luse was definitely one of my favorite couples that I've read and their back and forth banter was iconic!! I highly recommend this book!!
This is my first book by Eva Simmons and I really enjoyed this book like a lot!! Like as soon as I started reading this book I was enthralled with the story! Some of it was just a tad predictable but it was still so funny and enjoyable and spicy that it didn't take anything away from it. And the secondary characters, oh my some of them I am absolutely in love with!! And they just added that extra little sparkle. I really want to read the other books that are in this series. And I really loved that we got dual pov's. Jesse and Luse was definitely one of my favorite couples that I've read and their back and forth banter was iconic!! I highly recommend this book!! ~ By Tina
I loved how strong, determined, and downright unapologetically FIERCE Luce is. Her friends are really well written too and provide some great comic relief (and lots of egging on. Especially Jesse’s assistant, whose name I can’t recall right now). I also loved how Jesse was kind of intimidated by her power, but never wanted her to change or have that power diminish.
I definitely found parts of the book frustrating. Particularly how Luce & Jesse couldn’t communicate with each other like mature, responsible, successful adults. But the spice level was good, the characters were great & it was a fun story to read.
Listen, this was a great read but it didn't blow me away. I'm conservatively at a 3.5 because it's exactly what you want from books like this….no more, no less. It felt familiar and there were parts that were slightly repetitive but it's a nice, quick spicy read. I will read the other series novels for sure.
Even though this is the final book in the series, I did not think I was missing out reading this as a standalone.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and honestly.