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WELCOME TO THE WEDPOCALYPSE
His name is Pestilence.
At least, that’s what they called him in college after an outbreak of a certain, ahem, intimately transmitted infection on campus.
Now in his thirties, Leo St. James is fully reformed from his playboy past. He has a fiancée and everything.
Oh, no, wait. He lied about that.
His fiancée doesn’t exist.
But when Leo’s boss sees him with his hand cupped around Amelia Darcy’s face, Leo has no choice but to call her his bride-to-be and promise to bring her to his company retreat.
Amelia isn’t amused, but she does see an opportunity. The data analyst in her recognizes the chance to gather some much needed information from a reputable source.
Because what does a shameless libertine know better than anyone else?
Only one thing: seduction.
Now that Amelia’s hit her professional goals, she’s ready to attack the personal. She’s going to get a boyfriend of her own, and Leo St. James is going to teach her how. Step by sizzling step.
All Amelia has to do in exchange is pretend to be Leo’s fiancée for four measly days at his company retreat. Nothing could be easier…as long as she doesn’t fall for the player, and realize her feelings weren’t all that fake after all…
His name is Pestilence.
At least, that’s what they called him in college after an outbreak of a certain, ahem, intimately transmitted infection on campus.
Now in his thirties, Leo St. James is fully reformed from his playboy past. He has a fiancée and everything.
Oh, no, wait. He lied about that.
His fiancée doesn’t exist.
But when Leo’s boss sees him with his hand cupped around Amelia Darcy’s face, Leo has no choice but to call her his bride-to-be and promise to bring her to his company retreat.
Amelia isn’t amused, but she does see an opportunity. The data analyst in her recognizes the chance to gather some much needed information from a reputable source.
Because what does a shameless libertine know better than anyone else?
Only one thing: seduction.
Now that Amelia’s hit her professional goals, she’s ready to attack the personal. She’s going to get a boyfriend of her own, and Leo St. James is going to teach her how. Step by sizzling step.
All Amelia has to do in exchange is pretend to be Leo’s fiancée for four measly days at his company retreat. Nothing could be easier…as long as she doesn’t fall for the player, and realize her feelings weren’t all that fake after all…
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 7, 2023
3440 people are currently reading
2085 people want to read
About the author
Lilian Monroe
83 books1,437 followersLilian Monroe lives in a luxurious jungle treehouse surrounded by lush greenery, with an army of scantily-clad men with rippling abdominal muscles ready to attend to her every need.
No, wait. That's not true.
Lilian Monroe spends her days dangling her feet into her pool, while a scantily-clad pool boy with rippling abdominal muscles feeds her chocolate-covered strawberries and massages her back.
Okay, okay. You got me. That's not true, either. Let's try again.
Lilian Monroe lives at home with her two children, three dogs, and twelve chickens. Her husband likes to work shirtless in the back yard. His sweaty, gleaming abdominal muscles ripple with every movement and he—
I'm sorry. I have to stop. Fine, I'll admit it. That one isn't true either.
How about this: Lilian Monroe loves thinking about men with rippling abdominal muscles serving her hand and foot, and she wants you to think about them too! She is an avid reader, writer, and lover of all things romance.
She loves everything from bad boys to billionaires. Her books are packed with sizzling-hot heat, action, suspense, and everything from second chances to single dads. She hates cheating and loves a good happily ever after (and rippling abs).
No, wait. That's not true.
Lilian Monroe spends her days dangling her feet into her pool, while a scantily-clad pool boy with rippling abdominal muscles feeds her chocolate-covered strawberries and massages her back.
Okay, okay. You got me. That's not true, either. Let's try again.
Lilian Monroe lives at home with her two children, three dogs, and twelve chickens. Her husband likes to work shirtless in the back yard. His sweaty, gleaming abdominal muscles ripple with every movement and he—
I'm sorry. I have to stop. Fine, I'll admit it. That one isn't true either.
How about this: Lilian Monroe loves thinking about men with rippling abdominal muscles serving her hand and foot, and she wants you to think about them too! She is an avid reader, writer, and lover of all things romance.
She loves everything from bad boys to billionaires. Her books are packed with sizzling-hot heat, action, suspense, and everything from second chances to single dads. She hates cheating and loves a good happily ever after (and rippling abs).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
June 24, 2023
Both Amelia and Leo let what others say about them shape how they perceive themselves. But it couldn’t be further from the truth. Amelia is a hard worker who has a mind for numbers and data. She’s built a successful freelance business and has just used her love of spreadsheets to pull off a wonderful wedding for her big sister. Yet, she’s still haunted by the nasty things her narcissistic ex boyfriend told her six years ago.
Leo had a rough childhood. His parents died and he and his older brother moved into their grandparent’s home. When they get sick, his brother takes care of everyone. After they pass away, Marlon buys Leo’s half of the house so he could go to college. Lost, he confides in some girls, but that gives him a bad reputation. Since then he decides to act like everyone believes of him. Until he finds a job that matters to him. Can an arrangement between them work or are they asking for trouble!
I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to everyone.
Leo had a rough childhood. His parents died and he and his older brother moved into their grandparent’s home. When they get sick, his brother takes care of everyone. After they pass away, Marlon buys Leo’s half of the house so he could go to college. Lost, he confides in some girls, but that gives him a bad reputation. Since then he decides to act like everyone believes of him. Until he finds a job that matters to him. Can an arrangement between them work or are they asking for trouble!
I enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to everyone.
April 9, 2024
~ MF Romance
~ Fake Engagement
~ Seduction Lessons
~ Forced Proximity
~ H and H in their 30s
~ Spicy
This was such a fun book to read. It’s very possible I loved it because there are so many of my fav tropes jammed into one book.
Leo is known as a playboy and a not so serious guy. Amelia has all her life together and she’s confident in everything except her dating skills. A panic moment leads to a deal between Leo and Amelia, fake engagement in exchange for lessons in dating/seduction. What could possibly go wrong. Oh yea and throw in a scooby doo like mystery in all this, and it’s just a funny sexy read.
I love a MMC that, on the outside appears like the happy go lucky playboy, but it’s just a mask they wear for whatever reason. All these things thrown together just made for a really good read.
~ Fake Engagement
~ Seduction Lessons
~ Forced Proximity
~ H and H in their 30s
~ Spicy
This was such a fun book to read. It’s very possible I loved it because there are so many of my fav tropes jammed into one book.
Leo is known as a playboy and a not so serious guy. Amelia has all her life together and she’s confident in everything except her dating skills. A panic moment leads to a deal between Leo and Amelia, fake engagement in exchange for lessons in dating/seduction. What could possibly go wrong. Oh yea and throw in a scooby doo like mystery in all this, and it’s just a funny sexy read.
I love a MMC that, on the outside appears like the happy go lucky playboy, but it’s just a mask they wear for whatever reason. All these things thrown together just made for a really good read.
July 3, 2023
DNF. The female lead was so grumpy and angry at the male lead for no real reason at the start and the story was not gripping enough to convince me to continue reading. She just seemed so judgmental that I didn’t really want to root for her. There was a lot drivel about the wedding which takes place at the start of the book; a lot of her negativity during the wedding which was really annoying to read.
July 14, 2024
Quickish Review
This book: Amelia and Leo’s story intrigued me with the mystery at its heart and it was their chemistry that kept me reading.
Overall series: individual romances featuringw two friend groups yet the books, for the most part, are pretty insulated. Work? Mentioned in passing but they don’t do much of it. Hang out with friends? The female MCs yes, the guys not so much. It’s implied they’re good friends but I barely see it. All in all, best for those who want very couple-centric romance and don’t mind repetitive inner monologues.
This book: Amelia and Leo’s story intrigued me with the mystery at its heart and it was their chemistry that kept me reading.
Overall series: individual romances featuringw two friend groups yet the books, for the most part, are pretty insulated. Work? Mentioned in passing but they don’t do much of it. Hang out with friends? The female MCs yes, the guys not so much. It’s implied they’re good friends but I barely see it. All in all, best for those who want very couple-centric romance and don’t mind repetitive inner monologues.
June 13, 2023
2.5!!!
August 10, 2024
wowzer!
I love Lillian Monroe’s midlife crisis series so I downloaded these and I’ve found a new favorite! This was utterly adorable and with a mystery to solve! Give it a go!
I love Lillian Monroe’s midlife crisis series so I downloaded these and I’ve found a new favorite! This was utterly adorable and with a mystery to solve! Give it a go!
May 28, 2023
I am a huge fan of Lilian Monroe´s books, but this one is very different from all others. Of course, Lilian´s essence is recognized all over the book. Anyway, the story is fantastic. Wonderful characters. Funny, unpredictable, exciting, and addicting. A bit of romance, comedy, mystery, friendship, love at first sight, and much more. Amelia is a shy person, a wallflower when talking about guys, first dates, and relationships. A bad experience from her past made her feel insecure and destroyed her self-esteem. On the other hand, Leo is the image of a Bon vivant. The handsome guy. The womanizer. His nickname at college was Pestilence (and don´t ask me why). A wedding party and suddenly their lives collide. A proposal. A deal. Amelia should be her fake fiancée during a retreat at the company he worked for. Leo should be her seduction coach. She only wanted him for his expertise in seduction. But fate had another plan. She was the one that could see him behind his mask. A mask he has worn to avoid pain and failure. Easier being the bag guy than the dumped one. His reputation was not the real Leo and Amelia was willing to prove it. A true love story. A must-read
March 31, 2024
Amazing!!
This is the first book in new series and what an intriguing beginning this story is.
This is a well written story which has family, friendships, humour, witty banter, emotions, challenges, engaging and realistic characters, romance, and love which all leads to an entertaining and steamy addictive page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
This is the first book in new series and what an intriguing beginning this story is.
This is a well written story which has family, friendships, humour, witty banter, emotions, challenges, engaging and realistic characters, romance, and love which all leads to an entertaining and steamy addictive page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
September 3, 2023
Only read this book to get to the next one.
I only read this book to get to the next one in the series. If I wasn’t curios as to connected books I would’ve skipped this one. It was just OK. 2.5 stars.
I only read this book to get to the next one in the series. If I wasn’t curios as to connected books I would’ve skipped this one. It was just OK. 2.5 stars.
October 15, 2023
This was cute! A summer beach read that you can finish in one day.
March 31, 2024
3.5
This was entertaining, but very run of the mill romance. Fell in love in a week, both think they don't deserve each other, a bit of ridiculous plot
This was entertaining, but very run of the mill romance. Fell in love in a week, both think they don't deserve each other, a bit of ridiculous plot
February 7, 2024
Pestilence. Dead. So f'in funny.
Feels like an earlys 2000's rom com. And I'm 10000% here for that.
Feels like an earlys 2000's rom com. And I'm 10000% here for that.
April 4, 2024
Rating: 3/5 stars
Main Tropes/Features: 3rd person POV, Rom com, Fake fiancé, Forced proximity, Flirting Lessons, Insta Love (2 week timeline)
Secondary Tropes/Features: MCs in their 30-40s, Only One Bed, Small town
Triggers: There are two potential triggers which are off page and told through recounts of past experiences. Whilst it can be said they had lasting impacts on the characters they are minimal in their descriptions and page time. Potential triggers are:
Leo and Amelia's book was an enjoyable easy read book with a feel good vibe to it.
Initially Leo was a flirty and charming hero who was carefree whilst Amelia lacked a filter and was a little terse (though that was more the stress of the situation than who she was). As the book progressed we learnt they were both highly ambitious and driven individuals and these professional sides to them were complementary. As they spent more time together and became closer their laid back sides and the enjoyment gained from poking at the other, riling them up, and making them annoyed made their romance development fun and enjoyable. Shared vulnerable moments were emotional and impactful on their relationship and on the reader as it showed their easy connection despite how long they'd known one another.
The plot does occur over a short timeline of two weeks so the romance is a little insta-lovery but it didn’t feel like it. The time spent together on Leo’s work getaway resulted in them being together constantly and allowed readers to connect to Leo, Amelia, and their story. The book had an enjoyable ending and bonus epilogue that wrapped up their story well and set up the next book.
I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in future books in this series and getting glimpses of Leo and Amelia’s relationship beyond what happened here.
Favourite Quote:
Main Tropes/Features: 3rd person POV, Rom com, Fake fiancé, Forced proximity, Flirting Lessons, Insta Love (2 week timeline)
Secondary Tropes/Features: MCs in their 30-40s, Only One Bed, Small town
Triggers: There are two potential triggers which are off page and told through recounts of past experiences. Whilst it can be said they had lasting impacts on the characters they are minimal in their descriptions and page time. Potential triggers are:
Leo and Amelia's book was an enjoyable easy read book with a feel good vibe to it.
Initially Leo was a flirty and charming hero who was carefree whilst Amelia lacked a filter and was a little terse (though that was more the stress of the situation than who she was). As the book progressed we learnt they were both highly ambitious and driven individuals and these professional sides to them were complementary. As they spent more time together and became closer their laid back sides and the enjoyment gained from poking at the other, riling them up, and making them annoyed made their romance development fun and enjoyable. Shared vulnerable moments were emotional and impactful on their relationship and on the reader as it showed their easy connection despite how long they'd known one another.
The plot does occur over a short timeline of two weeks so the romance is a little insta-lovery but it didn’t feel like it. The time spent together on Leo’s work getaway resulted in them being together constantly and allowed readers to connect to Leo, Amelia, and their story. The book had an enjoyable ending and bonus epilogue that wrapped up their story well and set up the next book.
I’m looking forward to seeing what happens in future books in this series and getting glimpses of Leo and Amelia’s relationship beyond what happened here.
Favourite Quote:
“I know I don’t deserve her. But she’s fucking incredible, and I’m never going to be with her again. I had less than a week with the woman of my dreams, and now I’m supposed to just go back to my life and pretend none of it ever happened. How the fuck do you think I feel about that? About myself?”
July 6, 2024
Conquest gets top marks for sexual tension between the main characters. Their romance was cute if a bit silly with the fake dating trope and the strange, strange lie Leo came up with about his fake fiancée. While the reveal of the lie was lampshaded with a "Google exists" I still felt it was off that Leo's boss was okay with Leo just lying for so long. Leo and Fred's relationship could have been shown a lot more. It seemed the author wanted them to have a pseudo-father/son relationship but it fell flat and become more a deux ex machina at the end. It bothered me a smidge that Leo didn't get any kind of real reprimand or punishment after Fred arrested and fired two other employees just a few pages before.
For the female lead, Amelia has a strong personality with a lot of hard edges and I appreciate that a character who was claimed to be smart actually was and shown to be throughout the novel. From Amelia having her own business to solving a mystery to the cute scene of the Sudoku puzzle it was refreshing that she was continually shown to be clever and intelligent. This worked well in opposition to her not being as confident in the romance department, though I did find her constant bemoaning about her inadequacies to be more of a concern that she should bring to a therapist not just a random hot guy. Her repeated lines of inadequacy got old after a while.
The mystery element felt very shoe horned in and a little odd overall to the flow of the novel. I understand wanting more of a reason to keep Amelia there but it felt a little silly in comparison to the general tone of the book. On the other hand, I appreciated the well executed use of red herrings and that the identity of the thief didn't come from out of the blue. I was able to guess who it was almost immediately but I think the author did a good job of laying down clues to let the reader reach their own conclusions with Amelia. I do wish there had been more of a reasoning as to why Cora was stealing from Fred since, as far as the audience knows, she had just started the habit that weekend even though she had been an employee with him for a very long time. I found it even odder adding in the element of Amelia's neighbor being in on it but I'm going to assume this is to set up another plot point for a future book. (Though the red herring of Amelia thinking her neighbors were actually just getting it on was so well done!)
While I found Amelia's friend group to be funny I do wish they would take about something other than dating. I know this is common in romance novels but Amelia is very smart and I just feel like it would have made the friend group more interesting if they had things in common other than talking about men and sex.
For the female lead, Amelia has a strong personality with a lot of hard edges and I appreciate that a character who was claimed to be smart actually was and shown to be throughout the novel. From Amelia having her own business to solving a mystery to the cute scene of the Sudoku puzzle it was refreshing that she was continually shown to be clever and intelligent. This worked well in opposition to her not being as confident in the romance department, though I did find her constant bemoaning about her inadequacies to be more of a concern that she should bring to a therapist not just a random hot guy. Her repeated lines of inadequacy got old after a while.
The mystery element felt very shoe horned in and a little odd overall to the flow of the novel. I understand wanting more of a reason to keep Amelia there but it felt a little silly in comparison to the general tone of the book. On the other hand, I appreciated the well executed use of red herrings and that the identity of the thief didn't come from out of the blue. I was able to guess who it was almost immediately but I think the author did a good job of laying down clues to let the reader reach their own conclusions with Amelia. I do wish there had been more of a reasoning as to why Cora was stealing from Fred since, as far as the audience knows, she had just started the habit that weekend even though she had been an employee with him for a very long time. I found it even odder adding in the element of Amelia's neighbor being in on it but I'm going to assume this is to set up another plot point for a future book. (Though the red herring of Amelia thinking her neighbors were actually just getting it on was so well done!)
While I found Amelia's friend group to be funny I do wish they would take about something other than dating. I know this is common in romance novels but Amelia is very smart and I just feel like it would have made the friend group more interesting if they had things in common other than talking about men and sex.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2024
Good
This is a slow burn romance even though Leo wanted Amelia from the moment he saw her he realised he is a player and she is far too good for him.
Amelia is all about the data and spreadsheets and she gets nervous around men that’s probably because her ex did a number on her and pretty much told her she is bad at everything ( kissing, sex the lot) so she thinks she is not girlfriend material but desperately wants to find a man to fall in love with.
Leo has been lying to his boss and colleagues saying he is engaged as they all pride themselves on family and his boss catches Leo & Amelia together on the day of her sisters wedding so he asks her to pretend to be his fiancee and he agrees to give her tips for dating even though he wants her to himself.
There were some funny moments at the retreat and I guessed the thief immediately, didn’t even doubt who it was as it’s always the lovey, kind one.
Lots of repetition in this book both Leo & Amelia constantly talk about their own failings and it became boring I stared skipping the pages when they stared again.
It was 82% and Leo still saying he wasn’t good enough for her, just far too much repetition with this in my opinion and it’s that repetitive I would say maybe 30/40 pages could have been scrapped if not more.
This book is written in the 3rd person and it’s one of my peeves as a reader as I like to read from the pov of the characters.
I literally stopped reading after 2 chapters as I just couldn’t get in to it as it’s written. I’m sure I have read this author before and it wasn’t written in 3rd person, it peeves me so much I’m not sure if I want to read the next in the series that’s how much I hate 3rd person story telling.
This is a slow burn romance even though Leo wanted Amelia from the moment he saw her he realised he is a player and she is far too good for him.
Amelia is all about the data and spreadsheets and she gets nervous around men that’s probably because her ex did a number on her and pretty much told her she is bad at everything ( kissing, sex the lot) so she thinks she is not girlfriend material but desperately wants to find a man to fall in love with.
Leo has been lying to his boss and colleagues saying he is engaged as they all pride themselves on family and his boss catches Leo & Amelia together on the day of her sisters wedding so he asks her to pretend to be his fiancee and he agrees to give her tips for dating even though he wants her to himself.
There were some funny moments at the retreat and I guessed the thief immediately, didn’t even doubt who it was as it’s always the lovey, kind one.
Lots of repetition in this book both Leo & Amelia constantly talk about their own failings and it became boring I stared skipping the pages when they stared again.
It was 82% and Leo still saying he wasn’t good enough for her, just far too much repetition with this in my opinion and it’s that repetitive I would say maybe 30/40 pages could have been scrapped if not more.
This book is written in the 3rd person and it’s one of my peeves as a reader as I like to read from the pov of the characters.
I literally stopped reading after 2 chapters as I just couldn’t get in to it as it’s written. I’m sure I have read this author before and it wasn’t written in 3rd person, it peeves me so much I’m not sure if I want to read the next in the series that’s how much I hate 3rd person story telling.
January 19, 2024
This was a fun, incredibly sweet read with lots of hilarity, games and competitions, lots of steam, a protective male lead, a broken female lead and even a side of mystery (and action, as a result of that!). ‘Conquest’ packs in so much that you’d be hard-pressed to not like something about it. Personally, I liked all of it!
Grumpy / sunshine (she’s the grumpy one).
Fake relationship / fake engagement.
Tit for tat.
Mystery (cozy-style).
Workplace drama / antics.
New England setting.
Excellent banter.
Teaching moments.
Broken leads.
Forced proximity.
Grand gesture.
I think my favorite part of this was the female lead—she’s very insecure when it comes to certain things (relationship-related things), but a strong lead when it comes to others (her comfort zones, knowing her stuff, her work life, etc.). She was emotionally abused in a past relationship and the author did an amazing job of portraying how that can change someone … but also managed to portray growth and the moment Amelia decided she was done ‘making herself smaller’ to please others, it was so powerful, so well done and timed really well.
A fun, inspirational read—presented as a light, funny RomCom.
And just like that, I’m dying for the next one. This one did wrap up nicely, but I’m officially into this world and these characters.
4.5 stars.
Audio:
Features dual narration and both narrators had great, smooth voices. I particularly loved how a few times once could be heard laughing over the other, or there’d be moments of them chatting over each other—it felt very real. Excellent editing! And overall sound quality was perfect.
5 stars.
Grumpy / sunshine (she’s the grumpy one).
Fake relationship / fake engagement.
Tit for tat.
Mystery (cozy-style).
Workplace drama / antics.
New England setting.
Excellent banter.
Teaching moments.
Broken leads.
Forced proximity.
Grand gesture.
I think my favorite part of this was the female lead—she’s very insecure when it comes to certain things (relationship-related things), but a strong lead when it comes to others (her comfort zones, knowing her stuff, her work life, etc.). She was emotionally abused in a past relationship and the author did an amazing job of portraying how that can change someone … but also managed to portray growth and the moment Amelia decided she was done ‘making herself smaller’ to please others, it was so powerful, so well done and timed really well.
A fun, inspirational read—presented as a light, funny RomCom.
And just like that, I’m dying for the next one. This one did wrap up nicely, but I’m officially into this world and these characters.
4.5 stars.
Audio:
Features dual narration and both narrators had great, smooth voices. I particularly loved how a few times once could be heard laughing over the other, or there’d be moments of them chatting over each other—it felt very real. Excellent editing! And overall sound quality was perfect.
5 stars.
June 22, 2023
Full disclosure: I downloaded this book on Kindle because I loved the cover design and I thought the title was “The Four Groomsmen of the Wedpocalypse,” which I thought was hilarious lol I didn’t realize that the bold red letters spelling out “Conquest” was the actual title 🙃🤷🏻♀️😂
Anyway, I digress…
I absolutely loved this book and felt all the things while reading it! I laughed, I cried, I smiled, I felt my heart soar and then I felt my heart sink, and then I laughed and cried some more! 😍
It was so good that I added the paperback version to my Amazon cart at the 60% mark. When I got to the 93% mark, I wished I had the paperback in my hands so I could clutch it to my chest and curl my fingers around the pages until they were all wrinkled because my heart couldn’t take the cuteness anymore! 🥹
I loved the plot twist that happens about a third of the way into the book! It was unique and kept things exciting. Think murder mystery but with a missing item instead of a dead body! 🕵🏻♀️
There’s a ton of fun banter and incredibly sweet moments throughout the entire book. The MMC was misunderstood by everyone but the FMC saw through the mask he wore. There was a third act breakup (boo! 👎🏻) but the MMC’s groveling was very good so that made up for it!
The way the MC’s connected, understood, and helped one another was absolute perfection! The spice was *insert Leonardo DiCaprio bites fist GIF here* 🥵 and the ending tugged on my heart strings (I’m still not over Leo’s ring revelation)! 😭
I can’t wait for book two to be released in early August!
Anyway, I digress…
I absolutely loved this book and felt all the things while reading it! I laughed, I cried, I smiled, I felt my heart soar and then I felt my heart sink, and then I laughed and cried some more! 😍
It was so good that I added the paperback version to my Amazon cart at the 60% mark. When I got to the 93% mark, I wished I had the paperback in my hands so I could clutch it to my chest and curl my fingers around the pages until they were all wrinkled because my heart couldn’t take the cuteness anymore! 🥹
I loved the plot twist that happens about a third of the way into the book! It was unique and kept things exciting. Think murder mystery but with a missing item instead of a dead body! 🕵🏻♀️
There’s a ton of fun banter and incredibly sweet moments throughout the entire book. The MMC was misunderstood by everyone but the FMC saw through the mask he wore. There was a third act breakup (boo! 👎🏻) but the MMC’s groveling was very good so that made up for it!
The way the MC’s connected, understood, and helped one another was absolute perfection! The spice was *insert Leonardo DiCaprio bites fist GIF here* 🥵 and the ending tugged on my heart strings (I’m still not over Leo’s ring revelation)! 😭
I can’t wait for book two to be released in early August!
August 30, 2023
Characters:
Amelia & Leo
Subpar Synopsis:
Amelia meets Leo, the best man, at her sister's wedding. His reputation precedes him of being a man-whore through college and beyond. When he runs into his boss, he quickly covers for a lie and insists that Amelia is his fiancé. She's stunned by the blatant lie long enough for him to try and convince her to keep up the ruse by joining him at his company's retreat. Initially declining, she changes her mind when she realizes that she's missing out on love, having believed she wasn't capable of attracting or keeping a partner after a mentally abusive relationship she had 6 years prior. She barters with him that she'll pretend to be his fiancé if he can teach her how to be seductive and score a date of her own. What should've been an easy 4 days turns into chaos when belongings start being stolen during the retreat and together they have to try and figure out who the culprit is before Leo's boss suspects them and their deceit. Forced to work together they begin to blur the lines of their agreement with true feelings but neither feels worthy of the other due to their own past damage.
Thoughts:
This was a cute palette cleanser. I enjoyed each MCs dynamic personalities and (while frustrating at times... as I'm sure it was intended) their attraction to each other had great chemistry.
Rating: 4.3/5
Amelia & Leo
Subpar Synopsis:
Amelia meets Leo, the best man, at her sister's wedding. His reputation precedes him of being a man-whore through college and beyond. When he runs into his boss, he quickly covers for a lie and insists that Amelia is his fiancé. She's stunned by the blatant lie long enough for him to try and convince her to keep up the ruse by joining him at his company's retreat. Initially declining, she changes her mind when she realizes that she's missing out on love, having believed she wasn't capable of attracting or keeping a partner after a mentally abusive relationship she had 6 years prior. She barters with him that she'll pretend to be his fiancé if he can teach her how to be seductive and score a date of her own. What should've been an easy 4 days turns into chaos when belongings start being stolen during the retreat and together they have to try and figure out who the culprit is before Leo's boss suspects them and their deceit. Forced to work together they begin to blur the lines of their agreement with true feelings but neither feels worthy of the other due to their own past damage.
Thoughts:
This was a cute palette cleanser. I enjoyed each MCs dynamic personalities and (while frustrating at times... as I'm sure it was intended) their attraction to each other had great chemistry.
Rating: 4.3/5
June 12, 2023
Conquest was so good. Lots of flirting and more.
Amelia has been working on her older sister's wedding for months. Now the wedding is here and the best man still has not shown up. Guests are getting uncomfortable so just as Amelia decides to start without him, the doors open and in walks a tall and gorgeous man. He's a little frumpy looking, so she automatically walks up to straighten his collar and bow tie. He just grins and watches. Now, game on!
For some reason Leo is drawn to Amelia. She is all over the reception checking on things, then she suddenly runs for the front door and he's on her heels. They reach her car and he asks where she's going. She forgot to pick up the cake, and he jumps in the car to help with her arguing the whole way.
Eventually the wedding turned out perfect, and Leo finds himself in a tough position. His boss has a work retreat coming and he needs Amelia to come. Especially after he just announced she's his long missing fiancee. But Amelia trades in favor for one of her own. Since Leo is such a playboy, she needs his help on how to seduce a man.
What happens when things get really uncomfortable for both of them. Some truly funny, as well as suspicious things start happening. Then add the heat! Combustible!
Loved this story. Can't wait for Marlon and Camille's story. Enjoy
Amelia has been working on her older sister's wedding for months. Now the wedding is here and the best man still has not shown up. Guests are getting uncomfortable so just as Amelia decides to start without him, the doors open and in walks a tall and gorgeous man. He's a little frumpy looking, so she automatically walks up to straighten his collar and bow tie. He just grins and watches. Now, game on!
For some reason Leo is drawn to Amelia. She is all over the reception checking on things, then she suddenly runs for the front door and he's on her heels. They reach her car and he asks where she's going. She forgot to pick up the cake, and he jumps in the car to help with her arguing the whole way.
Eventually the wedding turned out perfect, and Leo finds himself in a tough position. His boss has a work retreat coming and he needs Amelia to come. Especially after he just announced she's his long missing fiancee. But Amelia trades in favor for one of her own. Since Leo is such a playboy, she needs his help on how to seduce a man.
What happens when things get really uncomfortable for both of them. Some truly funny, as well as suspicious things start happening. Then add the heat! Combustible!
Loved this story. Can't wait for Marlon and Camille's story. Enjoy
August 17, 2024
This was so good! I love a fake fiancé story, but this is definitely one of the best ones I have read.
Leo and Amelia had so much chemistry from the start. The use of the dual points of view was really effective, especially when the point of view switched in the middle of an event so you could see it unfolding from both perspectives. I liked the progression of each character’s development-you get their back stories as they’re being vulnerable with one another and sharing their history with each other. Both of their insecurities stem from what people around them have said about them and things that happened in their past. They helped each other grow personally during the course of the retreat. I was so happy to see Amelia gain confidence after how her prick of an ex-boyfriend treated her.
The menagerie of characters in the main characters’ orbit was interesting and comical, and the retreat theft mystery added another fun layer to the story. The spice was good, but not overdone, which I appreciated.
I wanted to slap Leo for what he did, but I’m so glad they got their happy ending. The twist about the ring Leo gave to Amelia was also so adorable!
This was my first time reading this author, and I’ll definitely be reading the next installment in this series, which was perfectly setup at the very end of Leo and Amelia’s story. This was a solid five star read for me.
Leo and Amelia had so much chemistry from the start. The use of the dual points of view was really effective, especially when the point of view switched in the middle of an event so you could see it unfolding from both perspectives. I liked the progression of each character’s development-you get their back stories as they’re being vulnerable with one another and sharing their history with each other. Both of their insecurities stem from what people around them have said about them and things that happened in their past. They helped each other grow personally during the course of the retreat. I was so happy to see Amelia gain confidence after how her prick of an ex-boyfriend treated her.
The menagerie of characters in the main characters’ orbit was interesting and comical, and the retreat theft mystery added another fun layer to the story. The spice was good, but not overdone, which I appreciated.
I wanted to slap Leo for what he did, but I’m so glad they got their happy ending. The twist about the ring Leo gave to Amelia was also so adorable!
This was my first time reading this author, and I’ll definitely be reading the next installment in this series, which was perfectly setup at the very end of Leo and Amelia’s story. This was a solid five star read for me.
June 13, 2023
Entertaining Story
Lilian Monroe has written another wonderful story. I cannot wait to read about the other three groomsmen and their shenanigans with the women who are going to steal their hearts. Leo St. James has a reputation for being a playboy. Amelia Darcy is a data person who hasn’t dated in quite a while. She had a terrible experience with a former boyfriend, and that relationship called her to doubt herself in so many ways. Amelia meets Leo for the first time on the day of her sister’s wedding when he shows up late. When his boss stumbles upon them in the bakery and mistakenly believes that Amelia is Leo’s fiancé, the two of them enter into an arrangement. What follows is time spent at a work retreat on his boss’ estate, with a little mystery thrown in, and a lot of sexual tension. Amelia begins to learn things about herself with Leo’s guidance. As with the other of Lilian Monroe’s books, there is a little bit of angst, but these two do get their ETA. I love how she writes about characters who have self-concept issues and are able to learn how to overcome them within the story.
Lilian Monroe has written another wonderful story. I cannot wait to read about the other three groomsmen and their shenanigans with the women who are going to steal their hearts. Leo St. James has a reputation for being a playboy. Amelia Darcy is a data person who hasn’t dated in quite a while. She had a terrible experience with a former boyfriend, and that relationship called her to doubt herself in so many ways. Amelia meets Leo for the first time on the day of her sister’s wedding when he shows up late. When his boss stumbles upon them in the bakery and mistakenly believes that Amelia is Leo’s fiancé, the two of them enter into an arrangement. What follows is time spent at a work retreat on his boss’ estate, with a little mystery thrown in, and a lot of sexual tension. Amelia begins to learn things about herself with Leo’s guidance. As with the other of Lilian Monroe’s books, there is a little bit of angst, but these two do get their ETA. I love how she writes about characters who have self-concept issues and are able to learn how to overcome them within the story.
June 15, 2023
I really didn’t enjoy this book for like the first 50%. I even told my friends at dinner the other night about this random book I was reading that was horrible but I refuse to DNF books.
However. It got better. The retreat was funny and Leo is seriously the best. Amelia isn’t too shabby either.
What I hated about this? Could be stop with the shaming? Like I get it was part of his character- but how many times did we need to be reminded he was a man-whore who gave people chlamydia? How. Many. Times. A million evidently. The whole “Pestilence can never be good enough for her” got so old so quick it makes your head spin.
And her? The same thing, but with her ex who told her how horrible she was. I get it. Trauma. But so, so much time invested in telling us about it. Leo’s reaction to it and how he treated Amelia were the only saving graces this plot line had.
But overall, the book is cute and funny and does a solid job of showing how people can move on. I mean it takes til the last 30% of the book, but when you get there, it’s good.
Probably like a 3.75, rounded to four. I will for sure read the second book when it comes out in august.
However. It got better. The retreat was funny and Leo is seriously the best. Amelia isn’t too shabby either.
What I hated about this? Could be stop with the shaming? Like I get it was part of his character- but how many times did we need to be reminded he was a man-whore who gave people chlamydia? How. Many. Times. A million evidently. The whole “Pestilence can never be good enough for her” got so old so quick it makes your head spin.
And her? The same thing, but with her ex who told her how horrible she was. I get it. Trauma. But so, so much time invested in telling us about it. Leo’s reaction to it and how he treated Amelia were the only saving graces this plot line had.
But overall, the book is cute and funny and does a solid job of showing how people can move on. I mean it takes til the last 30% of the book, but when you get there, it’s good.
Probably like a 3.75, rounded to four. I will for sure read the second book when it comes out in august.
May 15, 2024
Loved it!
What a great story! I wasn’t sure about starting this book for a couple reasons. First, I have read a lot of fake relationship stories lately, and I was just a little tired of the lack of communication and instalove that can go along with them. Second, I typically don’t enjoy third person nearly as much as first person POV because a lot of authors can leave the reader confused on who’s saying or doing what when there are multiple males or females in the same scene, so when I started reading the sample and found it was in third person I almost just deleted it and moved on.
BUT…I’m so glad I gave it a chance! The story was easy to follow, with the dialogue sprinkled in nicely to keep track of who is saying and doing what. To me that’s a testament to a good writer. The characters were fun, a little quirky and well written. There was sweetness and humor, along with a bit of mystery and spice, which all made for a really great story. I’ll definitely be continuing with the rest of the series.
What a great story! I wasn’t sure about starting this book for a couple reasons. First, I have read a lot of fake relationship stories lately, and I was just a little tired of the lack of communication and instalove that can go along with them. Second, I typically don’t enjoy third person nearly as much as first person POV because a lot of authors can leave the reader confused on who’s saying or doing what when there are multiple males or females in the same scene, so when I started reading the sample and found it was in third person I almost just deleted it and moved on.
BUT…I’m so glad I gave it a chance! The story was easy to follow, with the dialogue sprinkled in nicely to keep track of who is saying and doing what. To me that’s a testament to a good writer. The characters were fun, a little quirky and well written. There was sweetness and humor, along with a bit of mystery and spice, which all made for a really great story. I’ll definitely be continuing with the rest of the series.
June 23, 2023
Loved this book!
I always find it hard to write a review, I have been told a number of times there's no right or wrong way to do it. So here it goes, this was such a fun book. It was funny, intriguing and wild. Leo was working as a party planner for the rich and famous and he loved it. Amelia was, for a not really knowing how to describe her, an analyst, computer, numbers girl. He had a bad reputation in college as being a player. Her ex-boyfriend broke her down in all aspects of her life, leaving her damaged. Leo traded favors with Amelia, he'd help her, if she'd pretend to be his fiance at a business retreat. I think I had as much fun reading about it as they did attending it. You'll enjoy all the antics and try to figure out "who done it". I figured it out right away. Love the descriptions of the mansion, the people, the games (team building), the prizes and the antics.
I always find it hard to write a review, I have been told a number of times there's no right or wrong way to do it. So here it goes, this was such a fun book. It was funny, intriguing and wild. Leo was working as a party planner for the rich and famous and he loved it. Amelia was, for a not really knowing how to describe her, an analyst, computer, numbers girl. He had a bad reputation in college as being a player. Her ex-boyfriend broke her down in all aspects of her life, leaving her damaged. Leo traded favors with Amelia, he'd help her, if she'd pretend to be his fiance at a business retreat. I think I had as much fun reading about it as they did attending it. You'll enjoy all the antics and try to figure out "who done it". I figured it out right away. Love the descriptions of the mansion, the people, the games (team building), the prizes and the antics.
June 27, 2023
4.5 stars
Fake relationship
Forced Proximity
Cinnamon role MMC
He falls first
Small town
What happens when a smart, successful, beautiful but insecure woman meets a "womanizing" partier who needs a fake fiancé fast? Conquest. They must strike a deal. He needs a fake-finance and she needs someone to teach her how to be attractive, sexy and back out in the dating world. He quickly realizes that she doesn't really need the help, but her confidence has taken a huge beating from a mentally abusive ex.
What I thought was going to be a quick, quirky fake-relationship book turned into a quite entertaining who-done-it. He must take his "fiancé" to a work retreat but things start going missing - engagement rings, jewelry, antiques, etc. To keep their non-relationship from getting found out, they team up to solve the thefts so everyone will quite questioning their relationship. And what are they going to do at the end of the week when they have to go back to their regular lives?
Fake relationship
Forced Proximity
Cinnamon role MMC
He falls first
Small town
What happens when a smart, successful, beautiful but insecure woman meets a "womanizing" partier who needs a fake fiancé fast? Conquest. They must strike a deal. He needs a fake-finance and she needs someone to teach her how to be attractive, sexy and back out in the dating world. He quickly realizes that she doesn't really need the help, but her confidence has taken a huge beating from a mentally abusive ex.
What I thought was going to be a quick, quirky fake-relationship book turned into a quite entertaining who-done-it. He must take his "fiancé" to a work retreat but things start going missing - engagement rings, jewelry, antiques, etc. To keep their non-relationship from getting found out, they team up to solve the thefts so everyone will quite questioning their relationship. And what are they going to do at the end of the week when they have to go back to their regular lives?
November 10, 2023
I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did! I sort of picked it up at random for reasons I don't really recall and then it sat on my TBR for a while. It was selected for me as part of a reading challenge and I put it off until very last - and it was one of the better reads of the 16-book batch!
It was my first Lilian Monroe book and I'll definitely be back for more - starting with the second in this series. The setup (in the last pages of this book) was too good!
The characters were a lot of fun and I very much enjoyed watching a character I related to in some ways be pulled out of her self-conscious shell by a gorgeous man (that's kinda the dream, right?).
My only complaint was that there were a lot of little britishisms that snuck their way into the book. A good editor might have caught them. But it wasn't a big deal, just a little amusing, considering the characters and setting were American.
It was my first Lilian Monroe book and I'll definitely be back for more - starting with the second in this series. The setup (in the last pages of this book) was too good!
The characters were a lot of fun and I very much enjoyed watching a character I related to in some ways be pulled out of her self-conscious shell by a gorgeous man (that's kinda the dream, right?).
My only complaint was that there were a lot of little britishisms that snuck their way into the book. A good editor might have caught them. But it wasn't a big deal, just a little amusing, considering the characters and setting were American.
September 18, 2023
Really Good
So it's possible this should be more of a 4 stars but I always deduct a star when I get yet another clichéd blonde heroine because at least 3 out of every four romance novels I read have the exact same hair color for the heroine and honestly how are we ever going to get to the point of true diversity in romance if we can't even diversify the white girl's hair color? There are more shades to beautiful than just blonde.
For the most part I really enjoyed this book but I deducted the other star for instalove. I mean the characters knew each other 2 weeks before vows of love and marriage proposals were part of the bargain and that's just really hard to swallow.
Overall though it was funny and personality wise I really enjoyed these characters. It's a story I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a fun contemporary romance.
So it's possible this should be more of a 4 stars but I always deduct a star when I get yet another clichéd blonde heroine because at least 3 out of every four romance novels I read have the exact same hair color for the heroine and honestly how are we ever going to get to the point of true diversity in romance if we can't even diversify the white girl's hair color? There are more shades to beautiful than just blonde.
For the most part I really enjoyed this book but I deducted the other star for instalove. I mean the characters knew each other 2 weeks before vows of love and marriage proposals were part of the bargain and that's just really hard to swallow.
Overall though it was funny and personality wise I really enjoyed these characters. It's a story I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a fun contemporary romance.
June 7, 2023
A phenomenal beginning!
I loved this book! It’s time for a new series from Lilian and this one is off the charts awesome! Amelia plans her sister’s wedding and her frustration with the best man knows no bounds. Soon they find themselves in a pickle as Leo and Amelia make a deal to act like a couple and let Amelia get some dating tips. There’s love and laughter abound as the two seem to draw closer together as the story unfolds. But wait…….there’s more! A week long work retreat for Leo will bring mystery as there is a thief in their midst! Add in some wonderful old friends and some amazing new ones and this story adds up to one must read story!
I read an ARC copy of this book and am volunteering my honest review.
I loved this book! It’s time for a new series from Lilian and this one is off the charts awesome! Amelia plans her sister’s wedding and her frustration with the best man knows no bounds. Soon they find themselves in a pickle as Leo and Amelia make a deal to act like a couple and let Amelia get some dating tips. There’s love and laughter abound as the two seem to draw closer together as the story unfolds. But wait…….there’s more! A week long work retreat for Leo will bring mystery as there is a thief in their midst! Add in some wonderful old friends and some amazing new ones and this story adds up to one must read story!
I read an ARC copy of this book and am volunteering my honest review.
August 26, 2023
Conquest was a really good story. It's a romantic comedy. It really is well written & I could relate to the main (woman) lead Amelia. She always faced issues dating & her ex complained how everything she did was wrong, even smexy time stuff. I really felt for her. Made my heart hurt a little. She just wants to find her person. Then there's Leo, who is misunderstood, Leo, and always reminded of his wild ways in college. I really felt bad for him in parts cause it seemed totally like people were pegging him wrong cause of his past. Watch these two come together after meeting at her sisters wedding & meeting Leo and the help they both wanted from each other. The ride is a little bumpy in their journey, but such a great funny, romantic, heartfelt romance that will leave you wanting more.
June 12, 2023
This is the first book in the Four Groomsmen of the Wedpocalypse series. I laugh and cried, perfect combo for a rom com. Leo has spent the last ten years living up to his college nickname Pestilence. He's convinced himself he's not worthy of someone to love. Amelia is not very confidant, awkward and a little nerdy. An ex did everything he could to tear down her confidence and self worth. Leo ropes Amelia in to being his fake fiancée in exchange for teaching Amelia how to attract a man but things start to feel too real between them. I absolutely loved their story and can't wait for book two! I received a copy of this book from the author and this is my honest review.
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