The Real Deal

by Amelia Hall

An enemies to lovers story for fans of Selling Sunset and The Hating Game.Piper Anderson has just landed the biggest listing of her real estate career, a high-end property in West Vancouver. This is what she’s been working towards, sacrificing weekends and evenings and basically her life for the chance to make enough money to send her sister back to school — she still feels guilty that Leighton dropped out of university to care for her when she got sick and she wants to make sure her sister gets back on track. Everything is looking up, except for one tiny, horrible That high end property? The biggest listing of her entire career? It turns out that Piper has to co-list with Aiden Miller, the insufferable, unbearable, infuriating realtor who stole her very first client and sent her confidence into a tailspin. Piper is not as naïve as she was two years ago, however, and she plans to show Aiden that she’s no longer someone to be messed with — they might have to work together, but she’s the real boss. And this time, she’s going to make sure that she comes out on top. Because this time, she won’t make the mistake of falling for him.

Genres: Enemies To Lovers, Second Chance

247 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 30, 2024

About the author

Amelia Hall loves beach sunsets, traveling and being swept away by a good book. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, watching a romantic comedy or hanging out with family and friends.

She is the author of several young adult books (under a different name) that have been positively reviewed by NPR and School Library Journal. One of her books received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly, while another was chosen as a Junior Library Guild gold standard selection. She is also a recipient of a Canada Council for the Arts Grant.

Originally from Vancouver, BC, Amelia now lives in a quaint town in southwestern Ontario that could definitely be the backdrop of a Hallmark movie.

Reviews

[Elizabeth O'Keefe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a super cute novel, picture some of your favorite shows, add the competition of the same line of work, dogs, life, and then the never ending desire for the star crossed lover.

Boom.

Perfection.

Cannot wait to read the next book Amelia comes out with.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Haley Huckabay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Real Deal
Author: Amelia Hall
Genre: Romance
Media: ebook
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

—————————

Favorite quote: N/A
Sum of this book in 5 words or less: Cuties.
KU: Yes

—————————

Themes: friends to enemies to lovers, enemies to lovers, real estate, cancer, divorce

—————————

Thoughts:

Short summary - Piper and Aiden are both real estate agents, and they have to co-list a luxury property together. They are forced to work together to get the property sold for a couple that is wanting to separate.

This book is marketed as an enemies to lovers rom com, but they were friends first before they became enemies. I think the added layer of friends first makes it so much sweeter when they get together - because they have a lot of shared history.

We get to explore themes of cancer - Piper even having thyroid cancer and beating it. She wears scarfs to cover the scar from it and it’s great character growth when she finally stops wearing the scarfs all together.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was entertaining and fun. I wasn't wowed by anything really. It was just a entertaining romance book. I really did like the competition that they had going on with finding a buyer for the house. I also loved seeing the female main character learn to trust again and open up more with everyone (especially about her cancer and the scar it left on her throat). This was pretty average for me. I loved how much of a quick read it was and it was just fun.

[Em Reads Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

this wasn’t my favorite. it was very prose heavy and light on the dialogue (i’m a banter girlie). i feel like they just kinda skipped over the fact that she survived cancer??

[Kshreene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: The Real Deal follows Piper, an overthinking hardworking realtor who is desperate for a big break in order to be able send her sister back to school and upgrade their lives. Said big break arrives in the form of a million dollar listing, but the downside is that she has to share it with Aiden Miller, someone who previously failed to reciprocate her feelings for him and also ended up betraying her trust. This new listing however forces them to be together and all this forced proximity might be shaking her resolve to keep him out of her heart. Can her heart win against her head?

Review: This book was very entertaining, and kept me interested and reading till the end to know what would happen next. It was a pretty quick read and I loved that the characters were portrayed very realistically and Piper especially was really relatable. One thing that I really liked was that Piper held her ground very well no matter how heart melting Aiden was. You usually see the FMC giving in really quickly to the MMC who has done her wrong, but that wasn't the case here, Piper opening up to Aiden was slow and satisfying. On the other hand, I liked that the MMC, Aiden, made mistakes and accepts them and promises to be better instead of having elaborate excuses to cover them up. A few things that bothered me however was that although the ending was good it could have been better and overall I think the story would have been better if it was a dual POV.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Amelia for this ARC!

[belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I'm not going to be won over just because he has gorgeously hypnotic eyes." — "Hot guys in glasses are kind of my thing." — "My stomach flips. I do love a man in uniform."

"It's not just makeup. You always look beautiful, P."

"We're a struck match, already burning."

"I wanted you very badly then and I want you very badly now."



TROPES:
• second chance romance
• grumpy x sunshine
• forced proximity
• real estate rivalry
• frenemies to lovers
• (cute pets!)



This was such a cute, fast-paced, second chance, debut rom-com! I loved seeing the FMC learn to trust again and open up more. I enjoyed the co-listing competition and the bet they made. I loved when he sent the dress over for the open house and how he made sure to include a scarf for her. I also loved how he stepped up for her during the photo shoot. "Piper, can you lose the scarf? It's a bit distracting." — "The scarf stays." I also quite enjoyed the relatable side characters (and pets!) I loved when he sent little gifts to her office. "Gift giving is clearly Aiden Miller's love language."



*Thank you to the author, Amelia Hall, for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.*

[em · Rating 1 out of 5]

this definitely wasn’t my favorite. i feel like a lot of important things were overlooked and the ending was pretty abrupt. it also lacked a lot of banter that an enemies to lovers book typically has.

thank you to netgalley and invisible string press for the arc copy!

[Charlotte Fawdington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I found this review very difficult to write. I know how difficult it is to receive negative feedback. However, I do want to be as honest as possible when doing these reviews.

Piper has just landed a huge listing, something that could be career changing for her since her career took the backseat while she fought and defeated cancer. Unfortunately, she has to co-list with Aiden, someone she once had feelings for, and someone who poached her first client from her when she was starting out. She hates him and, as far as she is concerned, he doesn't think her capable of doing her job. When asked to co-list this life changing listing, Piper has no choice but to say yes and is forced into close contact with Aiden. Sparks fly, arguments start, and Piper even discovers Aiden has a jealous streak following some ill-adviced dates.

I really wanted to love this book. The premise and idea of the story is amazing - I love the enemies' to lovers' aspects, the forced proximity, and the business rivals. Having grown up reading books like The Hating Game, I was so excited to see there be a new one on the scene. Unfortunately, I felt the writing fell flat. I really liked the idea of someone who was in recovery being a main character in a book, a smart successful woman who beat her health and became better for it, but Piper actually came across as whiny and spoiled. She assumed the worst of just about everyone, consistently attacking Aiden for everything he did that she deemed to make him untrustworthy and cruel. She took absolutely no responsibility for her own actions, placing the blame on everyone else. And Aiden just came across as very one-dimensional. I love a good book boyfriend, and I could see what the author was trying to do. However, I found his character fell short of the requirements. I also really struggled to see any chemistry between the characters - I could see their relationship working in the long run, however the fast pace of the book meant that their chemistry felt very rushed and, at times quite shallow. It was clear that Aiden truly adored Piper, but I wasn't getting any vibes from her, and the book was in her perspective. There were a couple of sex scenes, but they were only slightly explicit and, again, felt rushed and somewhat shallow. Like the characters were having sex just to have sex, not because there was a connection waiting for them at the end of the day. Tyler was an amazing character. However, he was not interested in women and had more chemistry with Piper than Aiden did.

I think that the story and the characters have so much potential, and I would love to see this book written with a slower pace and a dual point of view. I really would have loved to see some flirty banter, some back and forth between the characters. I would also have loved to see less on again/ off again in their relationship. That being said, I did stay interested in the story and always wanted to know what was going to happen next. I think that with a few tweaks, this book has the potential to be the next Hating Game.

3 stars.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Invisible String Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Real Deal releases April 30, 2024

Piper is a struggling real estate agent making a comeback in her career after being derailed by a health issue. (Trigger warning: mentions of cancer diagnosis and emotional healing after treatment) Aiden is a high rolling real estate agent who works for the family business. Together, they are tasked with selling a multi-million dollar home for a very wealthy couple.

This book was a fun read. It honestly felt like I was watching an HGTV show, in the best sense. It was oftentimes like a warm hug, comforting but engaging. Amelia Hall is an interesting writer who came up with an intriguing premise for an enemies to lovers romance, one which I hadn't seen before. The back and forth and slow burn kept me interested, and I really resonated with the main charecter when she would "spiral" in her emotions as she called it and worried about things in her life and relationship.

Piper and Aidan's relationship in the end feels a little rushed. She spends much of the book angry at him for previous actions in his career that ended up costing her, but they came together very suddenly when they ended up communicating about their feelings. This book mentions intimacy, but just touches the surface, which makes this a good read for people who prefer low to no spice in their reads.

The ending to this book was very abrupt. I was actually surprised when I read the last few pages, because I wasn't expecting such a sudden ending. There was a conclusion to the drama from the book and obvious resolution between the characters, but after the slow burn, I guess I didn't expect such a fast ending.

Overall, this was a fun, peppy read with an interesting and unique story. Common tropes like enemies to lovers are present, but not overdone due to the nature and novelty of the story itself.

[Yolanda | yolandaannmarie.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

[arc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Invisible String Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Real Deal releases April 30, 2024

Piper is a real estate agent in Vancouver and just lost a bidding war to a developer who was represented by another agent whom she has a murky history with.
As part of her revenge, she tries to poach this agent’s client, but what ends up happening instead, is them being co-listed on a multi-million dollar listing.

I love real estate, and I especially loved the Vancouver setting! Reading all of the niche locations was a joy — from Commercial Drive, to Coal Harbour, False Creek, Kits beach, Yaletown, West end, etc.
However, I found that this was pretty unconvincing as a romance novel.
It was clear that Aiden was trying to throw out very subtle hints that he was interested, but it was overshadowed by how heavily Piper’s two-year grudge was against him for previously poaching one of her clients.
For a romance, I really needed more communication between the two leads; I felt like I knew Piper’s sister more than the love interest, and majority of the book was spent having the female lead dating an entirely different character…
Piper and Aiden go from 0-100 in terms of having little to no flirtatious banter, to then having sex multiple times a day. There was a big lack of chemistry and believability, and I felt very distanced from the characters as a whole.
I think having Aiden’s pov to better understand him would have really helped.

cw: a prominent theme of overcoming cancer

[Lindsey Domokur · Rating 3 out of 5]

Piper is comiing back from an illness and really needs to catch a break at her job. It has been far too long since she has sold a house and had money coming in, and after her sister dropped everything to help her out when she was sick, she needs to do this for them. When a deal comes along that would make her career, the one downside is that she would have to co-list with the one person she can't stand. Aiden. He is back in her life after two years and she can't let herself fall for his charms again even if he seems to be genuinely happy she is around.
Two years ago she let her guard down and Aiden swooped in and stole a client from her, never again. With the two of them vying for being the one to bring in the buyer for this multi-million dollar property, the lines start to blur and she can feel herself falling again.
I wished that there would have been a little more enemies to lovers vibe here. I got that she was hurt and harbored a lot of feelings about what he did, but I didn't feel the tension there. Aiden was so sweet and genuinely liked her and wanted to help her but she couldn't see past what happened before.
This was a cute romance that was light even though it was heavy topics at some points. (TW-the main character is in remission from cancer the previous year and was worried about it coming back.) The end was resolved a little too quickly for me as well and I wanted a lot more from it. The tagline of the book being like "The Hating Game", threw me off because it didn't feel like that book and that is what I was expecting.

[The Closed Door Book Nook · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Real Deal tells the story of Piper and Aiden, two realtors who end up as co-realtors on a huge property that could make or break Piper's career. Aiden is the hotshot realtor who everyone wants, and who broke Piper's heart and stole one of her clients in the past. She has put her defenses up against Aiden so she can't be hurt--emotionally or professionally--by him again. As they begin working this real estate property together, will Piper be able to see that Aiden has changed and make their relationship "The Real Deal"?

I thought this book was a sweet, easy, quick ready. I loved both the characters of Piper and Aiden, and I though Piper was very relatable. I enjoyed the overall plot of the story very much; however, as a primary reviewer for closed door romance and clean reads, I am hesitant to promote on my platform as this is definitely more of an open book read after the 50% mark, and does have a moderate amount of language (a few instances of the F-word). I will say I did finish the book because I had already become so invested in the story line, but found myself "skimming" the last half due to sexual content and language. I would LOVE to see a clean or closed door version of this book because again, I absolutely loved the plot/storyline and the main characters. It is still definitely much tamer than a lot of the content in books today, but more than what I would like to read as a Closed Door Romance Reviewer.

Thank you Net-Galley and E-Arc for the Advanced Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[zoë ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Invisible String Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Real Deal tells the story of two realtors named Piper and Aiden, who used to be friends and had feelings for each other, but due to a circumstance fell out of friendship and are now finding their way back to each other after a couple of years.

This book wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t my favorite book ever either. There were a lot of things in this book that were important but seemed to be overlooked. For instance, her being a cancer survivor. We get a little bit about it, but I feel like that’s a very important plot point considering she talks about her wearing a scarf and her scar a bunch of times throughout the book. Also, Piper spends about 75% of the book being upset or angry with Aiden, even though they had already been “together” at this point in the book. The ending feels very rushed, in my opinion. It was SUCH a slow burn and then they were just together, just like that. When I got to the last few pages, I thought “This can’t be it”, but then the book ended.

Perfect book for people who want little to no spice in their books. It mentions them making out, and taking off clothes, but nothing beyond that. They also only have sex twice or maybe 3 times, so it’s not an important aspect of the story anyway.

Also, the last thing that kind of drove me away from the story. FMC’s best friend/coworker was just plain annoying. I could not get behind him at all.

[Marisa Ribeiro · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really charming and entertaining book to read. The dynamics and dialogue between the characters added depth and authenticity to the story, which drew me in from the start.

However, despite the engaging characters and storyline, there were moments throughout the book where the lack of detail left me wanting more. Certain scenes felt hurried, merely listing actions without providing the imagery needed to fully immerse myself in the story. As a reader, I craved more detail to paint a clearer picture of the characters' surroundings and emotions.

While the initial development of the main characters' relationship was interesting, I found myself questioning the realism of how quickly their relationship progressed. The rapid evolution felt somewhat rushed and lacking in the buildup that would have made their connection more believable.

Additionally, there were instances where the pacing of the story seemed to falter, with certain sections dragging on longer than necessary. These moments disrupted the flow of the narrative and made it challenging to maintain my engagement throughout.

Despite these shortcomings, The Real Deal still offers an enjoyable reading experience, particularly for those seeking a light-hearted and entertaining romantic story. It's a book that's sure to appeal to fans of the genre.

[lena_likes_to_read · Rating 3 out of 5]

This fast-paced book combines a rivals-to-lovers with a second chance romance.

Piper was such a realistic character, from the way she handles her personal life, to the way she handles her work life. The hesitation to show her scar makes her even more human. She isn't perfect, but also not broken. She has faced hardships and came out stronger.

Aidan is a cutie, he just had to see that he has to carefully explain why he does things. His communication skills did improve marginally throughout the book. He has, fortunately, seen the error and can now communicate like an adult. I understand why Piper was so hesitant to believe that he has changed his ways.

But, the best character in the book was Tyler. He gave me my favorite quote: ”Mr. Right Now can be a super fun distraction while you're waiting for Mr. Right.”

If I had to relate to any character in the book, it would be Piper's sister Leighton. She names all her plants after ACOTAR characters and has been forcing her sister to read the series. Honestly, same, but it hasn't worked for me either. I would love to have time to do ASMR videos and adopt a cat, but, alas, I'm only an 18yo uni student.

Thank you Netgalley and Amelia Hall for the e-ARC. All thoughts are my own.

[Tamarae · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Real Deal by Amelia Hall is a classic enemies to lovers romance that is filled with drama, a bit of chaos and of course romance. The characters were well developed, interesting and relatable.

Piper is healing from an illness and is in need of success at work. It has been far too long since she has sold a house and her finances are showing it. While I'll, Piper's sister dropped everything to help her out and she wants, no needs to show that she is ok.

An opportunity arises that would absolutely make Piper's career, however it would come at the cost of working alongside her long time enemy, Aiden. A few years prior, Piper let herself trust Aiden and he stole a client from her.

Aiden starts with his golden boy charm and Piper can feel her armor start to crumble but she cannot lose out on being the one to bring the client for this sale. Aiden claims to only want to help, should she trust him or will he once again betray her.

This was a cute, enemies to lovers romance despite covering some deeper and more intense topics. It was a great story but it felt rushed, resolved too quickly.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Reading Earful · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Real Deal by Amelia Hall
e-book on NetGalley
Overall:⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️
A fun enemies to lovers romp.

Piper is a young real estate agent in Toronto, trying to grow her business after it was set-back by thyroid cancer. Aiden is a fellow agent, but with legacy connections and unscrupulous behavior like stealing Piper’s client. Piper finally gets the chance to list a multi-million dollar property which will launch her career, but it requires working with Aiden. Can they successfully work together on selling the property? Has Aiden changed his ways or is Piper’s career and heart on the line?

As a real estate agent myself, I was very excited to read this one. I enjoyed the real estate setting and the descriptions of their efforts to sell such a valuable property. I was very impressed with Piper’s hustle and hard work, it will inspire my work. Overall this was a fun read and I would recommend to other fan’s of romance books. It had all the good elements – eccentric side characters, dogs, strong character development and a slow burn.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Claire Steckbauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Piper is a struggling real estate agent, while Aiden is selling multi-million dollar homes.
They get stuck co-selling a house and their frustrating past better not get in the way because Piper needs the extra commission.

HGVT meets Rom Com in this cute, quick read. I loved the real estate storyline and enjoyed the emotional ups and downs of listing a house.

Piper’s thoughts go spiraling at times- as in many relationships. I liked this element to the reading and thought it was a very honest approach to the romance. Piper and Aiden go from enemies to lovers after a slow burn. But then it skyrockets so fast, I didn’t realize the book was over. I had to re-read the last few pages because I didn’t realize it was the ending. I do wish there was a little more flirtatiousness before the quick shift.

Overall, a fun read with a creative story premise. If you love house selling shows, this is an enjoyable read.
Thank you NetGalley and Invisible Strings Press for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Releases on April 30, 2024.

[Stacey Kelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️
🌶️

This is a cute story with loads of potential that just fell kind of flat for me. This is told in only the FMC’s first person POV, and I really prefer a duel POV. I know that’s just personal preference, and if there had been more dialogue and banter and less just direct prose, I may have rated it higher.

I also didn’t care for how insecure the FMC, Piper, was. Yes, the MMC, Aiden, wronged her two years ago but he’s clearly changed and he’s apologized profusely. You either want to believe him or you don’t.

If you’re looking for a lot of spice, this is not that. You’re 70% through the book before any spice happens, and there’s not much spice at all. The ending is also super abrupt. There is still a lot of conflict from that point on and then in the last few pages, boom! Everything is fine and they’re in love with each other. The entire book is only 254 pages. It wouldn’t have hurt to take a bit more time to really develop that ending. All that said, it’s not a bad book, it’s just not my cup of tea.

[Lisa Benison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute Realtor "Rivals to Lovers" Novel with Potential and Great Background Characters

This is a quick novel with so much potential that I really wanted to like it more. Piper and Aiden are wonderful characters with compelling backstories and the setting in the Vancouver real estate market keeps the book different and interesting, but it could have been so much better if the reader had it from a dual POV instead of just Piper's angsty musings, and if there was more witty banter between them so the reader could sense more of the "spark" rather than just Piper's internal dialog. And that way we could better understand Aiden's reasoning behind his past actions. However, there was great character growth, I loved many of the background characters (her sister Leighton, "bestie" Tyler, and his friends), and I will give the next book in the series a try.

I was sent an ARC by the author and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[Anne Blakeney · Rating 3 out of 5]

This second-chance romance is completely written from Piper’s point of view as she comes face-to-face with a high-powered real estate agent who swooped in and signed a client she was wooing early in her career. It has your typical romance story-telling devices — high-stakes situations, he falls first, rival love interests, etc. — but I enjoy that the characters tackle real-life problems, too. Without giving too much away, there’s a cancer survivor, serious career and family discussions, and a few random surprises from secondary characters.

If I have any criticism, it’s that the pace of the story is slowed at some points by repeating background information or excessive details. I found myself skimming ahead at some points, and I suspect other readers will, too.

But, if you’re looking for a light summer read, this one delivers with light romance, interesting characters, and a fun storyline.

Thanks to #NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kay - kayreads_romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Amelia Hall, and Invisible String Press for this A R C!

All thoughts and opinions are my own 💕

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️

Find more on my IG @kayreads_romance

⚠️ !! Please be sure to check any TWs before diving in !! ⚠️

Tropes:
* Enemies to lovers
* Real estate agent FMC
* Rival real estate agent MMC
* Workplace rivals
* Cancer rep


Spicy chapters:
16 (kinda)
20

My thoughts while reading:
🚨ALERT SPOILERS AHEAD🚨

I don’t really understand the world of realty but I understand that we hate Aiden

Ugh I’m hoping he’s just a secret softie for Piper and will love her

I KNEWWWW HE WAS DATING MADELINE WHEN PIPER SAID SHE HAD FEELINGS FOR HIM!

I have been flying through this book! I am enjoying it so much!

I enjoyed the book a lot but I feel like the ending was rushed.
I wish we could have gotten to see more of Piper and Aiden together, as well as see Piper actually succeed at her job. It felt unfinished to me, but I did enjoy it while I was reading it!

[KGillespie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really enjoyable. It flowed easily so it was easy to get hooked right away and to stay engaged. This is going to sound weird but I liked how the main character had a scar on her neck. I know someone who recently had to have surgery on her neck so the person could relate to the main character and I think it’s good that a book has something a person could relate to. I will probably mention this book to the person I know who has a scar on her neck so she can see she isn’t the only one dealing with that problem (even if it is a fictional character). This book was also easy to enjoy. I kept wanting to read just to see what would happen next. I would say that I felt like the end just ended, maybe there could have been a little bit of a better end like having an epilogue. I would recommend this book and I plan on reading more books by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via voracious readers only

[Julie]

I wanted to love this book but I never really connected to the characters. Piper had a really great backstory and the struggle she was going through both in work and her health are compelling and should have made for a sympathetic heroine. But she just could not get out of her own way or get over what Aiden did to her, even though, yes poor form, but it was one client he stole. Is she that bad a realtor that was all it took?

As far as Aiden, he seemed like a mere caricature, he was never fully fleshed out. We never got the story of how these two became friends or even how a romantic element started. And though I think most romance readers can forgive so bad behavior, there might have been a little bit too much bad behavior on his part without an explanation as to why the reader should look past it.

[Rochelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looking for something cute and refreshing? Check out THE REAL DEAL by Amelia Hall

I thought this was an entertaining read that I enjoyed! It was quick, full of likable characters and I absolutely flew through the book.

I liked the growth for both Piper and Aaron. I especially liked how Aaron acknowledged his mistakes and had real character growth.

I would have liked more romance development between Aaron and Piper - the tension could have been a bit higher. I also missed seeing the happily ever after - the ending felt abrupt and I would have liked to see them together and see Piper do well at her job

I think Piper's previous battle with tyroid cancer was well handled - For such a fun book, it was handled with care and compassion.

Thanks to NetGalley and Invisible String Press for the ARC! Opinions are my own

[EJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

🏠Book Review 🏠
|| The Real Deal ||
|| Author: Amelia Hall ||
Format: NetGalley ebook
Read from: June 16, 2024 to June 20, 2024
2024 RG: 82/100

MCs: Piper Anderson and Aiden Miller

Piper used to have a crush on Aiden Miller. But he rejected her and stole her client and she never quite forgave him for that. She really needs the money to help out her sister, who has been taking care of her since her thyroid cancer surgery. Now she has a huge listing but it’s a co-listing. With Aiden Miller.

Aiden is a big time relator. He just got back from traveling the world after his dad died. But now he doesn’t really want to be in the real estate business anymore. That is, until he sees that he will be co-listing with his old friend, Piper.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

“…holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”

[Tia · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review!*

I loved the premise & setting of this book, stunning mansions & rich people? Sign me up! I enjoyed the start of this book however, unfortunately this fell a little flat for me by the mid way mark, the FMC & MMC began to get very childish (despite being in their 30s - from what I could gather) & I felt a bit like I was getting whiplash with the very quick changes in their situation. In my opinion this book could’ve done with being a bit longer & having a bit more background story & angst, I also would’ve liked to see a bit more of a wrapped up ending as it felt a little bit rushed. I’m so sad as I really wanted to like this book but it just wasn’t for me!

[Bre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Piper is a real estate agent who lives in Vancouver with her sister, Leighton. Piper is showing yet another house to her client when her ex friend, Aiden, also shows up to do the same. Due to circumstances of Pipers creating, she now has to co-list a life changing house with Aiden, and things start heating up. “I’m irritated that my body is responding to him, like it doesn’t care that he’s the last person on earth I should be attracted to.”
…and that's when you knew Piper was in trouble.
The story has a lot of Piper finding herself: learning to trust and feeling comfortable with herself in her own body.
Overall, it's a fun “enemies” (at least in Piper’s mind) to lovers romance and an interesting dynamic adding in the real estate aspect.

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute second chance, enemies to lovers romance set in the real estate world.

Piper deals with anxiety, trauma from her thyroid cancer surgery and is still trying to make her break in the real estate world.

Aiden comes from a real estate family and was set up for success from the beginning, yet he stole Piper’s client.

Now they have to work on a listing together…

This book was a relatively good time for me, I enjoyed it and it works as a great palate cleanser between fantasy books.

The teaser for the second book coming out in August had me hooked, and I’ll definitely give that a try when it comes out!

Thanks NetGalley and Amelia for the ARC.

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.7⭐️


El final está inconcluso y para colmo no hay epílogo.

No me gusto como Piper cayó tan rápido por Aiden, se supone que lo odiaba por robarle un cliente y además estaba avergonzada porque le dijo que tenía sentimientos por él, sin embargo, él le dijo que la veía como una amiga. Hubiera estado bien ver como se daba su lugar y no se dejaba ablandar por una cara bonita.

Lo de la apuesta fue culpa de Piper, ella solita se puso la soga en el cuello.

Hizo falta que Aiden tuviera povs porque al final no se que pensar de el.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for and honest review.