Never Been Tamed

by J.S. Cooper

I just announced my engagement to a hot billionaire.

Yes, you read that right. A billionaire.

And it was announced in the New York Frigging Times.

My family is ecstatic and already celebrating.

Only they don’t know the truth.



My engagement is faker than my Chanel handbag.

My fake fiancé, Jackson Pruitt, is paying me to pretend to be in love with him so he can inherit his family’s company.

How cliché!



My parents are planning free trips to Fiji.

I’m counting down the days to end this thing.

They don’t know he’s the same man I had a one-night stand with.

Or the man who was super annoyed when Lenny at the bodega gave me his number.

And promptly left me tied up to a bed for five hours.

How rude!



Now Jackson and I are headed to the Hamptons to convince his family our love is for real.

Only I want to gag.

If the hallway bathroom incident is anything to go by, he’s not going to make this easy on me.

I’m still blushing redder than a beetroot at the sounds all one hundred guests heard.

But believe you me, I’m going to have the last laugh.

Jackson Pruitt and I may not be in love, but will I make him go down.

Genres: Romance, Fake Dating, Second Chance, He Falls First, Contemporary, Rom Com, Found Family

332 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 30, 2024

Reviews

[Katja ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a 3.5 stars from me. The blurb had caught my attention. The book itself was an easy read, with lots of banter, angst and swooning but it was a tad unrealistic in my opinion. The characters showed some growth though, it just wasn’t my cup of tea for a rom-com.

[Jersy.the.romantasy.moms · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will start by saying this is the fake engagement trope done right (IMO). Sometimes, fake engagement or marriage plots just don't do it for me. But I loved how this one was handled and played out.

Zara Hathaway is a strong, independent woman with a huge heart. She is always putting others' happiness in front of her own. After getting fired from her job, she decides to indulge for just one night. That one night turn in to the best she's ever had, but it ended on a sour note.

Jackson Pruitt is the CFO Billionaire who loves his job and doesn't need anyone else. He has an epic night with a beautiful woman. However, due to a text message on her phone, he instantly on the defensive.

The two meet in 2 additional occurrences that prove their crazy hot chemistry. But both times end with a blow-up due to mis-judgment and miscommunication. Until Jackson does a little digging and finds out more about Zara. He also finds himself in a predicament, and she is his perfect scape-goat.

I loved Zara and Jackson's story. Their chemistry is fire! The miscommunication isn't crazy. So don't get scared away by that. Watching these two learn more about each other and their feelings growing through the crazy situations they find themselves in was wonderful! You will feel emotional bonding with Zara's character. There were lots of laughs throughout! And, lots of spice and sexy talk top this HEA off nicely!!.

[Tima · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Zara, the female lead, is busy enabling everyone else’s dreams at the expense of her own. Unfortunately, she’s now at the point where her finances aren’t going to let her keep going. On her last hurrah excursion, she has a one night stand. Then she has the unfortunate luck to turn up for a job interview at his work…

Jackson, the male billionaire lead, is used to people attempting to use or exploit him. When he thinks Zara is doing that, he’s very offended, having felt closer to her than anyone for a very long time. But he can’t get past his attraction to her and, when his grandmother starts setting up dates for him, he announces he’s engaged to Zara. Now he just needs to convince her to go along with the ruse…

This story is dual POV, and an over the top, contemporary billionaire romantic comedy. The blurb caught my attention and made me chuckle, so I picked the story up. I found it just way too over the top for my preferences. The story is well constructed, and has lead characters that experience personal growth, as well as steamy intimate scenes. It was just not my preferred flavour of rom com. If you like totally unrealistic but absolutely funny characters, who are definitely flawed, with interesting, equally flawed secondary characters, this story will suit you.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and this is my voluntary honest review.

[Chloe]

ARC Review.

The premise of this book was really very exciting, but unfortunately I just don’t think the execution was quite there.

I didn’t really like any of the characters and therefore couldn’t connect with them. I felt like the male main character was just plain nasty sometimes, and I didn’t enjoy his personality. I feel like sometimes the enemies to lovers sort of trope in books like these are often borderline unnecessarily mean, and it’s at detriment to the book, as it seems impossible that they would eventually fall in love.

However I did think the romance was cute when it got going, and the female main character’s relationships with her family and friends was really sweet. There were also a lot of funny and raw moments in this book that I really did enjoy. The last 20% of the book was really entertaining!

I have seen plenty of good reviews, so I feel like this might just be a me problem, but it just didn’t evoke any sort of feelings from me unfortunately.

[Brittany (Brit.tea.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a great time reading this book. It has everything you're looking for: tons of laughs, banter, angst, and hot spice.

Zara is a hardworking individual. She's the whole package and more, but she lost her job, leaving her in a tough spot financially. To make things worse, she already had a lot on her plate before losing her job. A lot of people depend on her, and she's doing all this on her own. She urgently needs a new job.
She meets Jackson at a bar, and they have a hot one-night stand, leaving Jackson wanting more.

Jackson needs a fiancé, and when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. He uses her desperate need for a job to his advantage, and this gives him the perfect opportunity to get what they both want.

JS Cooper is a new author to me; after reading this book, I know it won't be my last. 

[Emilee Kilmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, "Never Been Tamed is a fun/funny rom-com with just the right amount of spice and laughter. This story is a dual POV and is fully of romantic comedy. This story isn't very realistic, but what romance story is? Even with some parts of the book feeling slow, this was a pretty quick read for me. Some parts had me laughing out loud.

For the main character, I loved Zara. She is funny and has a big heart. She is used to putting other people dreams ahead of hers. Zara, with her financial troubles, has a last hurrah and finds herself having a one night stand....What happens when she finds herself in an interview for the guy she hooked up with?


I received an Arc of this book, and I am so happy that this was my first one!! I very much enjoyed reading it. Thank you to the author for that❤️

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

[Jennifer Weatherford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for billionaire romances.

You got Zara Hathaway who is worried about trying to find a job after she got fired from her job cause her repulsive of a boss wanted her to sleep with him and she refused. (Go girl!) She is also helping take care of her best friend who wants to be an actress and her sister who is slacking as a mom to two kids.

She meets Jackson Pruitt at a bar and they decided to have one night of hot passion. And boy was it hot. 🥵🥵 They decided to not share their names.

Well Jackson figures out quickly who she is and thought she was fishing for a story on him and his family. Surprise, she’s not.

Let me not spoil the rest but lord the angst, the spices, and can we talk about what a bad ass girl Zara is. This story was soooo good and so funny. I definitely recommend this book if you love billionaire romance and fake engagement.

Rate: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Troupe: billionaire romance, fake engagement

I received an ARC for a honest review

[Lina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering that this is my first book by J. S. Cooper, this was a very sweet and spicy love story.

Zara is a girl who just lost her job because she didn't want to sleep with her boss and is looking for a new one. Jackson is a billionaire who works as the CEO for his friend's company. Occasionally, his family tries to summon him to take over the family business and finally get married. One evening, he meets Zara and they have a one-night stand. After that, none of them could stop thinking about each other.

I will admit, there was quite a lot of misunderstanding between these two after their hot night. Zara always puts everyone else's needs and dreams before her own and, because of that, now she has no job, has no money for rent and is afraid to ask for help from her BFF and her sister. Let's not mention that she is always left watching after her nephews and most of the time her sister is a no-show. Jackson, on the other hand, is so used to people trying to use him and when there is a misunderstanding after his night with Zara, he is ready to think the worst of her. Thankfully, most of the things that went wrong between them are resolved pretty quickly. His grandma is a woman who wants to see him settled and is determined to find him a wife. One evening, one thing led to another, and he says that Zara is his fiancé. The thing is that he is so attracted to her and that was the only thing he could think of to take his grandma off his back.

I loved their chemistry. Every single time they meet, the sizzling attraction is off the charts. Being fakely engaged gives them the time to spend time with each other and fall in love for real. Their love scenes were so hot and passionate, and I can definitely see that these two belong together. What I loved in particular was that it didn't take them too long to admit their feelings and start being together for real ♥️.

There was still one thing that bothered me. I wished that Zara had been a bit braver and stood up for herself. Her sister was taking advantage of her every chance she got. In some scenes, Zara definitely needed to put her in her place. Her BFF was a wonderful person who supported her all the time. But in my opinion, Zara needed to tell her sooner about being without a job and about her money problems.

Overall, I enjoyed reading "Never Been Tamed".

***I received an ARC from the author and my review is given voluntarily.***

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jackson Pruitt needs a fake fiance

Jackson sees Zara in a bar and is attracted to her from the beginning. She is being hit on by an obnoxious man who won't take No for an answer. He comes to her rescue. She is there with a friend, but she thinks he's a Greek god, Zeus. He's handsome and sexy looking. She goes with him to the Plaza Hotel. At over three thousand dollars a night.
He has a wild night of sex with her. At times, these two get under each other's skin.
She has a big heart and doesn't know how to say no to her friends and family.
Her sister leaves her children for a triste with a man she meets at a bar. She knows Zara will take care of them. Zara doesn't tell anyone that she lost her job and doesn't know how she is going to pay the rent.
She goes on a job interview, but she doesn't have anyone to watch the kids. So she brings her six years old nephew and four year old niece with her. So, who is she interviewing with? None other than Jackson. The kids go wild, and she's embarrassed, and he tells her he wouldn't hire her.
Next, she tries a job as a stripper waitress in a private exclusive club. Again, she can't find a babysitter and has to bring the kids with her. The story is so funny. Why does she get put in these predicaments. The place allowed her to keep the kids in the dressing room.
A rich creapy guy offers to buy her panties and bra for thousands of dollars. Again, she can't seem to get away from this guy. So Jackson sees what's going on and comes to her rescue. Once she gets away, one of the other girls comes and
tells her, " her kid is sick."
Jackson thinks she is a terrible mother for bringing her kids with her to work.
Misunderstanding keeps these two bumping heads. He finds out she's the aunt and is trying to keep a roof over all of their heads. She feels obligated to take care of everyone.
But he needs her to be his fake fiance to meet his rich grandmother and his parents.
He offers to pay her. She doesn't want to be paid. But he offers to give her a million dollars to do whatever she wants.
These two are priceless. I love their interactions and bantering
Jackson has never been in love, and this is a new experience for him. He can't get her out of his mind and heart.
She has a secret that makes her refuse to say no.
You have to read this amazing love story by J. S. Cooper

[Rhylee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute Story But Has Issues

Spice 🌶🌶🌶

The best part about the book was the main charactes Jackson & Zara. All of the characters were well developed and the story was cute althought weak when it comes to any conflict and story arc. That being said, the book would have garnered more store, but it had some major issues that quite frankly are unforgivable to do to print with.

First, almost every page is loaded with both grammatical mistakes in the form of missing words, undeleted words and phrases, wrong words and an overall lack of grammatical editing and spell check. Then there's the bigger problem of no content editor. There are multiple places where the author forgot which character was speaking or being spoken to and used the wrong character name. Grandma calls Jackson his best friends name, name errors for Jackson, Zara, Lila happen multiple times. Then there's the content mistakes where Jacksons eyes switch from Green throughout the entire book to Aquamarine in one chapter than back to bright green. Then a few chapters before he tells Zara they are going to the Hamptons for a few weeks and a few chapters he tells her again for the "first time" because "she didn't know". Then there's calling she a he and vice versa.

Then theres the plot holes of finishing up the book without dealing with Jacksons parents and his father and the company. Why bring the father into the story like he's trying to turn over a new leaf and just sort of have him and his wife snub their son. None of the aholes were dealt with on either side of the family. Not Jacksons parents or grandparents, not Zara's money grubbing parents or sister and her being the worst Mother of the year either. The story was cute but anticlimatic.

The story looks more like a first or second draft then a finished piece of literature. It's obvious there was no spell check done, no editors look at this book and it was not beta read either. I'd like to read Lila's story because I enjoyed her character, but can't put myself through another unedited book because it ruins the flow of the story with the amount of errors no real plot and just shows disrespect for the readers paying for the books.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️️
🔥🔥🔥

This was my first book by J.S. Cooper but it definitely won't be my last! I really enjoyed this one as it had so many laugh out loud moments along with the spice! I loved Jackson and Zara's story!

Jackson is a billionaire who is looking to take over the company for his family but his grandmother insists he finds a high society wife. He has no interest in settling down and starting a family but his interests seem to shift when he meets Zara.

After they agree to have a one night stand, the next morning Jackson wakes up worried that perhaps Zara is just after his money. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Even though Zara is currently struggling to support not only herself but her roommate, her sister, and her sister's two kids she would never want to do that to Jackson.

They both feel as though what they had was different but the push and pull between the two continues throughout the book. Jackson eventually makes Zara a deal to pretend to be his fake wife but it has to be on her terms.

What I really liked about this book was the banter between Zara and Jackson! I enjoyed the spice as it was definitely spicing! I also swooned when Jackson realized he was in love with Zara!

However, I do feel that this book could have been five stars for me if a few things were changed a bit. I didn't like how Zara's sister treated her and was waiting for the moment when she finally stood up for herself but it never came. I also felt that the ending was pretty abrupt. It seemed like the main conflict was solved and then boom here's the epilogue.

But overall, I do recommend this book and it was a good read for me!

Read if you like:
💚 Fake engagement
💚 Billionaire
💚 Opposites attract
💚 Banter & Spice
💚 Enemies to lovers
💚 Mistaken Identity
💚 He falls first

[Nerea Cano Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by J. S. Cooper, this was a cute and spicy love story.
**I received an ARC from the author and my review is given voluntarily**

Zara is the FMC, and oh my poor little Zara, she just let's everyone walk over her, but she sees no wrong with it. I did felt so bad for her, and I really hoped she would stood her ground at the end and at least put her sister on her place, man that girl really needs humbling and placing her on her bottom.
Sadly Zara lost her last job, due to her previous boss trying to ehm do something she did not consent. Unfortunately, she’s now at the point where her finances aren’t going to let her keep going, so she needs to find a new job ASAP. She goes out one last time before everything crumbles down, and she has a one night stand. She did not expect to see him again, but she did...on her next Job Interview.

Jackson MMC, is used to people trying to use him or exploit him either for money or fame. When he thinks Zara is doing that, he is angry with her but at the same time he is really intrigued by her. But when his grandmother starts setting up dates for him, he tells her that he is actually engaged, to.. Zara. Now he only need to get Zara on board. Luckily he knows she is in a financial situation, so he is going to use that to his advantage.

It is a dual POV, it has some spicy scenes, it has a good sotry line, and the writting was good, the only thing some of the characters were just too much for me.
Her whole family? Her friend? I had to stop reading in some parts, I did wish Jackson really went more strict regards her sister and family at the end, but still was a very cute lovely story about a billionare and his one night stand, who end up in love and with their HEA.

[Kari Tidwell (karisbookstodevour) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun quirky read that takes a one-night stand turns it into a fake engagement and keeps the comedy and steam rolling as Zara and Jackson can’t keep their hands off each other and their families take overwhelming and over the top to a whole new level!
Zara has just announced her engagement to billionaire Jackson Pruitt and while she should be over the moon, the truth is it’s all fake. She needs the money and Jackson needs a fiancé so that his grandma and parents will back off with the matchmaking while he figures out if he’s ready to take over their billion-dollar company. It should be easy to act in love for a few months, except they started as a one-night stand and keeping their hands and mouths off each other seems to be impossible, her family sees nothing but dollar signs and start making crazy demands, and his family, with the exception of a zany family friend, think she’s not good enough for him. And none of this should matter since they’re playing pretend, but the feelings are moving as fast as their fake engagement.
Honestly this almost reads like a romcom, and I loved that about it. The situations Zara finds herself in, the way Jackson can so easily make himself look like a complete jackass, all prime romcom material. Then you get the deeper parts, the insecurities that Jackson and Zara have, the reason Zara refuses to tell anyone no, and you just kinda fall in love with them both. It’s fast paced, it has some loveable and not so loveable side characters, lots of steam, and it ends up being an absolute blast to read and wins you over completely, kinda like alphahole Jackson Pruitt does.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Never Been Tamed by J.S. Cooper is a captivating romance filled with humor, heat, and heart. Zara Hathaway, a kind-hearted woman who recently lost her job after rejecting her boss's advances, finds herself in a whirlwind when she meets billionaire Jackson Pruitt. Their story begins with an unforgettable one-night stand that leads to a series of misunderstandings and misjudgments.
Zara, always putting others first, is struggling with her family's demands while Jackson, wary of being used, is quick to judge. When Jackson announces Zara as his fiancée to fend off family pressure, they embark on a fake engagement that takes them to the Hamptons. Here, their chemistry is undeniable, and each encounter is filled with passion.
Despite the fake setup, genuine feelings start to emerge between Zara and Jackson. Their love scenes are intense and their growing bond feels natural. The way their relationship evolves is one of the highlights of the story, showing vulnerability and affection amidst the ruse.
One point of frustration is Zara's tendency to let her sister take advantage of her. A bit more assertiveness from Zara would have been satisfying. However, her best friend provides much-needed support and adds to the emotional depth of the story.
Never Been Tamed isn't just a steamy romance; it's a tale of trust and love. The humor is well-placed, the romantic tension is high, and the ending is satisfying. If you're looking for a romance that will make you laugh, swoon, and root for the characters, this book is for you. Zara and Jackson's journey from fake engagement to real love is a delightful read.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Jackson and Zara’s story. Jackson and Zara had an explosive one night stand thinking that they would not cross paths again only for Zara to go for a interview for a job that she really needs because of her commitments and in front of her is Jackson who thinks Zara had used him for his money and status only he is way off the mark because all Zara wants is a job. When Jackson’s grandmother starts to put pressure on him to get married he decides to get Zara to go along with a fake relationship and telling his grandmother that they are engaged which will not only get his family off his back but he will also be able to claim his inheritance and run the family company but what happens when fake suddenly starts to become and feel so real. This book will make you laugh with all the banter between Jackson and Zara and even though Zara is a hardworking person there were times that I really wanted to shake her and tell her to walk away from the toxic people who just wanted to use her and go and live her own life for herself and not everyone else. I loved Jackson and Zara together once they got over all the differences in opinion and communication problems with each other because they really are perfect together and for each other and even though there relationship had many ups and downs and was not plain sailing I am really happy that they eventually got the happy ending that they both deserved. This storyline pulled you in and kept your attention throughout the whole book and I definitely recommend that you read it and you will not be disappointed.

[Alondra · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I guess when love is fated in the stars, it doesn't matter how it begins.”

Zara and Jackson are in an arranged engagement that promises to be the wedding of the year. Zara needs money and Jackson, who she was only with one night, decide to make a deal so that Jackson's grandmother will be happy and leave him alone.


I loved Jackson's character from the beginning I only thought of Zara and in every sentence he showed what a millionaire he is. Zarah deserves more appreciation from her family and her friend, she is responsible for carrying everything financially in the house while the others have nothing to do with it.

I really liked the relationship and how fast it is, it is just what is necessary to hook the reader, I think the way the author writes and tells the story is good.

.
.
.

Zara y Jackson están en un compromiso arreglado que promete ser la boda del año. Zara necesita dinero y Jackson con quien estuvo solo una noche deciden hacer un trato para que la abuela de Jackson esté feliz y lo deje en paz.


Me encantó el personaje de Jackson desde el principio pensaba solamente el Zara y en toda oración dejaba ver lo millonario que es. Zarah merece mas aprecio de su familia y amiga ella es la responsable de cargar con todo lo económico de la casa mientras los demás nada que ver.

La relación y lo rápida que es me gustó mucho es justo lo necesario para enganchar al lector, me parece bien la forma en que la autora escribe y narra la historia.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Zara has a one - night stand with an unknown man, she has a great time... until the morning after, when the man thinks she's a reporter trying to get insider information on him. A few days later, Zara is looking for a new job after losing hers, and she ends up in an interview with the mystery man, Jackson. It doesn't go well and she doesn't get the job. Shortly after that, she finds herself at a club trying to make some quick money after seeing an ad for a job there. Enter Jackson. He sees her being cornered by a patron at the club and steps in to help her, and then takes her home. When Jackson is being pressured to date by his grandmother, he blunts out that he's engaged to Zara. He rushes to talk to her and offers her whatever she wants for her to pretend to be engaged to him. She finally agrees, and they start spending time together and slowly get to know each other.
I enjoyed this story and felt that Zara and Jackson had great chemistry throughout the story! I did, however, find many plot issues (like general inconsistencies throughout the story) that slightly bothered me while reading. I was able to overlook this for the most part, as I didn't want it to take away from the story itself. I am interested in reading more by this author but will keep this in mind when I do.

**Received an ARC and give my honest review**

[Courtney Hastings · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this for my honest review

Our FMC has been trying to help support her best friend while she tries to make it as an actress, as well as her sister and her two kids, because her sister isn't the most responsible, but she loves them. It would be ok if she didn't lose her job for NOT sleeping with her boss. When her and her friend go out to celebrate the play she was in, she runs into our MMC and she decides tonight I'm doing things for me. Our MMC is a billionaire who is instantly drawn to our FMC. They end up having one night at the Plaza, but she never asks for his name. Things get worse.for.our FMC when her sister runs off to Atlantic City and leaves her kids. Now she is trying to find a job, while toting them around. The first place she gets an interview for happens to be as an EA for our MMC - but he thinks she is there to spy on him as a reporter. Then out of desperation she tries an ad that says she could make $1500 a night - but she runs into him again. Finally he shows up at her door to propose they get fake engaged with benefits, so his grandma stops setting him up, and he can help her financially.

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

When love comes knocking a playboy billionaire falls hard in author J.S. Cooper’s latest Contemporary Romance, Never been Tamed.
MFC Zara Hathaway has dreams of becoming a lawyer someday but life has been placing a few heavy roadblocks in her way. Losing her job when she is the only breadwinner for her blended family is just one.
A night out brings her to the notice of billionaire Jackson Pruitt and the attraction for them both is hotter than a flash fire. Zara calls him Zeus, doesn’t want to know his real name and they spend one night of passion that because of Jackson’s false assumptions leaves things between them not in a good place.
I really enjoyed their story as fate keeps throwing them together whether they like it or not and between the banter, small dramas, family dynamics, spice, and humor a wonderfully written narrative emerged.
When Jackson impulsively blurts out to his nana he’s become engaged, expect things to really start crackling because the woman who has been consuming his thoughts everyday is the winner, albeit a fake one, for now!


I received a free ARC copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jennifer jenreadsromancebooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
2.5🌶️

Quotes:
“I guess when love is fated in the stars, it doesn’t matter how it begins.”

“I love you, Zara Hathaway. No lies. No jokes. No requests for breakfast in the morning. I want this engagement to be real. I want to make you fall in love with me. I will do whatever it takes. Please just give me a chance.”

Thought:
Pros….I did enjoy this book a lot. I’m a huge fan of fake engagement turn real love. The banter was absolutely hilarious. The rawness that was also touched on hit spot on.

Cons….I felt like the blurb was somewhat incorrect. *****Spoiler Alert**** He wasn’t paying her so he could inherit his family’s company. Also it made it sounds like she absolutely hated him but I really didn’t see or feel the whole enemies to lovers vibe.

I would also like to mention that this is book 3 in the Single and Sassy in the City series. I haven’t read any of the other books and I didn’t feel like I was missing any important information that would lead me to think you need to read them in any order.

Would I recommend this book? I would.

Tropes:
Billionaire
Fake Engagement
Opposites Attract
Mistaken Identity
Banter

[Korkoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two Lost Souls Uniting -
This was a heartwarming, but emotionally challenging story, that took me through a myriad of emotions, but each page turn had me hoping Jackson and Zara would get their happily ever after. Reading about Zara’s life really tugged on my heartstrings, especially after I read about the guilt she felt from her past, her family drama and the weight she carried on her shoulders taking care of her loved ones. Luckily fate brought Jackson into Zara’s life, where he made it a point to put her first, after they had a bumpy start to their relationship.

The chemistry between the Jackson and Zara was panty melting HOT and I am shocked their steamy moments didn’t melt my IPad, but more importantly, the story came together beautifully to make it a worthwhile story to read, that deserves to be recommended to every avid romance reader looking for an amazing book to indulge in for a few hours. Grab a copy of this book now and you definitely won’t be disappointed.

I received an advanced copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Darkstuff1991 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zara and Jackson won my heart!

I absolutely adored this story so much. Zara’s story was so amazing and I loved her. I seriously wanted to take those poor kids from her sister and give them to Aunty Zara to raise because dang that girl was a real piece of work. I loved how Jackson stood up for Zara when it was appropriate and somehow knew that she needed to work her own stuff out on the other and was just silent support. Don’t get me wrong he had his stupid idiot moments but he seemed to recognize when she was truly upset and showed true remorse for hurting her. I also loved the ending how she even after her history helped him come to a solution for his business that he could live with that wouldn’t compromise himself and yet still allowed for some catering to family members without just being a total doormat like she kinda starts out being but grows out of as the story progresses. This story is a story of emotional growth by two very strong scarred people who fall in love despite being on very different sides of the tracks and I was here for it!

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hang on because once you get started you want won’t to put it down until the last page has been turned. Zara in need of money enters into an agreement with Jackson who has the money offering it for her to be his fake fiancé for his family because he is tired the match making his family does so this time around, he arrives with his fiancé. But the problem was everything was supposed to be fake, yet all their feelings feel very real and the more they pretend the stronger the feelings grow making the lines between real and fake blur into one truth they are meant for one another yet they each keep thinking they promised fake to one another. They both have security issues yet neither of them wants to talk about it but will it lead them to the same path, will they be honest with one another about their feelings, will his family his choice of girl, and can they find something so much more than fake especially after fate threw a monkey wrench into their plans so maybe they will find their happiness?

[Maryann · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

Tropes:
-Fake engagement
- Billionaire
- Opposites attract
- Banter & Spice
- Enemies to lovers
- Mistaken Identity
- He falls first

This is a new to me author and I did enjoy this book. It's a one-night stand turned to a fake engagement story. Jackson is a billionaire and Zara, a hard-working individual finds herself without a job. Jackson's grandmother insists he find himself a wife, but he has no desire to settle down. His interests seem to shift after meeting Zara.

They have a one-night stand and Jackson at first, is worried Zara is just after his money. That's not the case that he comes to realize. They decide to be fake engaged, as it would benefit them both.

I did enjoy this book and could feel the chemistry between the main characters. There is some miscommunication in the book, but it isn't much to where it hinders the story. Never Been Tamed is a fun and sexy read!

It released April 30, 2024. I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Megan Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review

I was new to this author so didn't know what to expect going in but had seen some really positive reviews of previous books and they reached out to ask if I wanted to ARC read!

The overall concept of the book was great - one night stand turns fake marriage, playboy billionaire, feisty but caring FMC, banter between them both, it just wasn't my favourite read of this type of billionaire/ fake marriages.

I thought Jackson was a great MMC, playboy, flirty, dirty mouth, falls quick/ first and Zara as the FMC was feisty in a way, caring, previous trauma, banter with MMC. There dynamic when they were together was great and the chemistry 🥵 - WOW. But the first kinda quarter/half of the book had me a little frustrated and felt like we were going back and forth/ repetitive type vibes! But the second half of the book well... oh hot damn!!! This is where all the action is!

Funny, steamy, those cheesy ish romcom moments, drama - absolute bliss, I was here for it!

Overall a good read ❤️

[Gerardine Noonan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say only that I LOVED this book! It's another J.S. Cooper book to read and forget about your own life for a while.

Jackson is a paranoid very Rich and very Successful Man who is convinced that Zara is after a story about his live and the current family gossip.

Zara is a Woman who loves to look after everyone, covers Rent etc for her Best Friend and her Sister who arrived in their two bedroomed apartment with her two kids and not a care in the World! Life isn't easy for her at the moment and she is under a lot of pressure to make the Rent money on the apartment they are all sharing as well as trying to feed them!

Jackson and Zara meet in a Bar, she doesn't want to know his name and starts calling him Zeus. The Chemistry is there between the two of them from the first night they meet and the story continues from there with a lot of hiccups in between.

I won't say anymore as I don't want to spoil it for anyone else to read but this book was a brilliant read, had me laughing in between reading some Hot scenes that everyone is going to enjoy x

[Stacey G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was my least favorite of the single and sassy in the city series. I was disappointed in the character development of Jackson. I found him likable and sexy in the other books, but he was just “blah” in his own book. I really wanted to fall for him in this book, but didn’t. In all 3 books, I found the “dear diary, and dear Sandra” parts to be unnecessary. The whole premise of “fake fiancé” was bland. The father/son relationship should have been further expanded upon, because at the end of the book, I felt the mention of his father was irrelevant to the entire story. And in the Hamptons when he left Zara tied up for 5 hours was ridiculous. There is no way she’d forgiven him as easy as she did. And what a jerk! Oh, and how was she able to get on birth control in a day? They were using protection, which Jackson complained about, but the next day they were in the Hamptons with no protection. There were also a few typos where the name Ethan should have been Jackson and the name Luke should have been Lenny. I really enjoyed the 2 previous books, but this one was almost a DNF .

[HEATHER · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG this book had me laughing so hard!! I can't even tell you how many times my husband looked at me like I was crazy!! J.S. Cooper knows how to write a book that will make you LOL and Swoon. Zara and Jackson aka "Zeus" were so much fun. I loved how he was such a butthead in the beginning only to fall into a softy in the end! They have such great chemistry and I loved how it all fell into place. Zara's sister was the only character you wanted to knock in the head. Her niece and nephew were fun little characters. Her best friend Lila was a little naïve but she was a sweet character. This is a spicy rom-com book. If you haven't read a J.S. Cooper book then I would definitely recommend you try this one. I had such a great time reading this and can't wait for the next book. I HIGHLY recommend this book!

Thank you J.S. Cooper for allowing me to read this ARC in advance for my honest opinion.

[Jo-Ann Forrest · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zara just got fired and between, taking care of her niece and nephew, her bff Lila and her ditzy sister Elise. she is broke and was the only breadwinner. This woman is selfless, a caregiver, sweet trying to do the right thing for everybody on her own. Jackson Pruit is rich, entitled but needs a fiancé to get his family off his case and stop them from forcing him to marry an entitled heiress. He meets Zara at a bar and after one night of passion, he can't get her out of his head, but when faith intervenes, opportunity knocks and they can help each other. She becomes his fake fiance and he helps her out to get into law school and gives her enough money to take care of everybody and have them reach for the stars and make their personal dreams come true. However, Zara will change Jackson in the best way and when reality hits him, he realizes that he has no family other than his grandmother, Zara and her band of friends. Fun, sexy interesting story.