The Stranger

by J.L. Perry

When I woke to my phone ringing just after 5 am on a Sunday—my only day off—it was safe to say I wasn’t impressed. I answered the call with an abrupt, “What!” The audible gasp and berating that followed had me grumbling, “Someone better be dead, Mother.”

“After the relationship status you were tagged in on Facebook, no less, I very well could be,” was her reply.

Relationship status?

With who?

I immediately clicked on the app, only to find it was true.

Delilah St. James had one of those faces that was hard to forget, and I knew I’d never laid eyes on this pretty blonde with beautiful blue eyes before.

I could’ve let my assistant, PR company, or my lawyer deal with it, but against my better judgement, I clicked on the Messenger app.

“Do I know you?” I typed.



When my sister decided to post photos of her—on what was supposed to be my honeymoon—with my ex-fiancé on social media, I did something reckless and impulsive. I tagged her long-time crush, Spencer Prescott, in a fake relationship post. The last thing I expected was for him to reach out.

I apologised profusely and told him I’d take it down immediately, briefly explaining why I had done it, and he replied with something unexpected.

“Leave it up. What can it hurt?”

Minutes later, I got a friend request from his mother … immediately inviting me to brunch. I only agreed to go, so I could tell her the truth to her face.

What happened next was a domino effect that would change the course of all our lives.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Fake Dating, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers, Workplace, Drama

376 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 19, 2024

About the author

**OVERALL WINNER OF THE 2018 RWA RUBY AWARD FOR ROMANTIC BOOK OF THE YEAR**
Jodi is a wife and mother, born in Sydney, Australia. She recently moved to property in the Hunter Valley with her family for a tree change. Under the name of J. L. Perry, five of her books have been #1 Bestsellers; including BASTARD, JAX, HOOKER, NINETEEN LETTERS and THE BOSS. Foreign rights to some of her books have been sold to Germany, Hungary, Czech and France where BASTARD became a top #20 bestseller. Some of her other titles include, FINDING HIM, FINDING FOREVER, FINDING US, FINDING FORGIVENESS, THE THIEF, ONLY ONE NIGHT, MR. BLACK, MR. EDWARDS and THE STRANGER.

NINETEEN LETTERS was debuted under the name of Jodi Perry through publishing giants, Hachette where it won the RWA Ruby Award for 2018 Romance Book of the Year. She also secured a publishing deal in the UK, with Sphere, an imprint company of Little Brown.

J. L.'s love of romance and happy endings makes a perfect combination when it comes to writing her heartfelt stories. Her other loves are travelling, shopping, shoes and wine.

J. L. Perry would love to hear from you. She can be contacted here:

Email: jlperryauthor@hotmail.com.au
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1P9vuNc
Facebook Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/18894...
Amazon Authors page: http://amzn.to/1lUgadR
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1maWcei
Instagram: http://bit.ly/1NtKXU5

Reviews

[Dora Koutsoukou · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 🙄🤔⭐️s

The relationship between Delilah and her family was a bit of a stretch. 🙄
The story was lengthy, there were some dragging parts and plenty of drama.

[Sonya ♕Chatterbooks book blog♕ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a feeling that I was really going to enjoy this book when I first read the blurb and you know what? I was right. Humor, angst, sexual tension and an office age gap romance? Take my money why don't you!


After going through a horrible breakup and seeing her sister go on her honeymoon trip with her ex fiance, Delilah St.James does something naughty and out of the blue. Thinking that no one important is going to see her relationship status post, Lilah is shocked to see a message from her so-called boyfriend. But little does she knows, that message is only the beginning of a series of life changing events.



Spencer Prescott has everything that a successful man could ask for. He's driven, rich, has a successful company and a meddling mother that would not only do anything for him,but would love to see him settle down. Meeting Delilah was never the plan but as fate would have it, he's is about to be knocked off his feet.When a perfect opportunity arises, leave it to Spencer's mother to not only cement her mark in matchmaking, but she becomes a fierce and funny side character that you will instantly fall in love with.

I was not expecting to enjoy this book as much as I did but I'm so happy that I took a chance on this one. There were a few things about some of the side characters that grated on my nerves and I wished that the author would've delved into the reasoning behind all of it but aside from that, this was a really good read. I loved the main characters and I really liked that the hero stood his ground and knew exactly what he wanted. He was protective, steadfast, and was all in.

If you're looking for a sexy age gap office romance, I highly recommend this one.

[Alexandraa XX · Rating 3 out of 5]

The romance in here is soooo freakin romantic and very hot sweet like wow 😳❤️❤️ But the downfall about this book is the freakin family from the heroine side. It’s her real biological family but THEY ARE SOOOOO FREAKIN TOXIC 💀💀💀💀 This is actually the first time i read in a long time about a very toxic family. So i really wanna love this book and give it 5 stars but the family and the toxicity of it really ruins the whole book for me…

Also many times the hero always wants the heroine and then change his mind and then wants her again, like what are you five year old 💀💀 He always changes his mind and it gave me a headache reading his POV…
Idk about you but I don’t like a hero or a man in general to always change his mind like that. And not commitment 💀 LIKE I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR YOUR SH*T 😂😂😂


I know stories needs drama but this drama right here is too freakin toxic!!! Especially family drama and MANY UNNECESSARY CHILDISH TOXIC DRAMA 🥲🥲

Happy ending? Yes.








⚡️⚡️⚡️THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING MY REVIEW. Even if you hate my review i still say thank you so much cause you spend your time reading this one👻 I’m not a professional reviewer or professional reader. I’m just someone who likes to read novels that is safe and no cheating whatsoever. And many more that i like lol😆 I DID NOT GET PAID TO DO THIS. This is just basically me writing my review based on my personal opinion about the book if it’s safe or what I will write it all down just the way i like it 😏 I know my review can be very straightforward with the way i write it down all of it and not a professional writing because again I’m not professional reviewer anyway. And whatever negativity you might think of what i write or what my thoughts are on my review about a book, me and you are not the same person. I have my own types of book and you have your own. You have your own thoughts and same with me. You can’t control what I should write on my review and neither should I. I WILL NOT TOLERATE NEGATIVE COMMENT AND I WON’T EVER REPLIED TO IT. If you still don’t like what i write and my disclaimer here, IT’S A YOU PROBLEM. NOT MINE😙 HAVE A GREAT DAY❤️❤️❤️

Types of book that I’m looking for: SAFE, safe all the way from the beginning till the end🥵 No cheating, no unnecessary childish drama. Not too much OW DRAMA cause they are loud and annoying lol. NO to still having feelings about a ex especially wants go get back together tf no. NO to friends with benefits and still seeing other people type of sh*t. NO to hero or heroine who said i love you and have been obsessed but still likes to fvck around yeah big NO to that sh*t. NOOO to still married or still in a relationship with someone else while liking the main character, yeah they have to be single since the beginning. NOOO to a long separation and have someone else they have s3x with during the separation. NOO to too many times of separation and breaking up sh*t. NOO to toxic narcissistic characters.
I preferred the characters are loyal to the core, over the top possessive heroes since the beginning and never stops, main characters have unique jobs or talents, the hero adores and obsessed with the heroine so much, the hero fell harder for the heroine and don’t want let her go and fight for her. And most importantly EPILOGUE AND ESPECIALLY THE DECADES LATER SCENE…. HAPPY ENDING IS A MUST. Chemistry is a must too 🙏🏼

[Robyn Corcoran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved everything about this book. This is a romance story where you quite simply get lost in the words and descriptions of the scenes, settings, and characters. I haven’t read a contemporary romance that has made me feel like this in quite some time.

Spencer doesn’t know who hit him when Delilah entered his life; this petite dynamo completely gobsmacks him. Being the CEO of his own company, a workaholic and entirely set in his ways, the breath of fresh that is Delilah (although I am not sure Spencer would have called her that initially) sees him behaving in different ways and having his routine slightly out of alignment. 🤣

Delilah has the worst family ever; they truly are disgusting to her. Her real sister is like one of the evil sisters from Cinderella, crossed with The Wicked Witch of the West… oh, with a pinch of Cruella de Vil also thrown in. To be fair, her father is just as bad, too. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Fortunately, Delilah is a delightful young woman who somehow manages to survive as normal, a little battered but everyday normal. Phew, she is feisty when pushed, and her sassy nature makes for some very humorous moments in the story.

Special mention must go to Spencer’s mother, Eloise, who is such a classy lady with a big heart. She is elegant and stylish yet never sees Delilah in her budget-priced clothes as lower class.

Not wanting to give away anything else. I just wanted to say this is one of my top reads for 2024.

[Ajla Obic · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

This started off really great! I really loved the way Delilah & Spencer first met; I thought it was such a unique & entertaining meet cute & it had me feeling excited for their story! This book is FILLED with drama, & as someone who loves drama I was of course having a ball reading this🤭 it was amusing, funny, chaotic, & steamy. This was quite a fast paced book until the last 50 or so pages when it really started to slow down. & then you get to the end but there’s really no end in sight because it’s just epilogue after epilogue… it was completely unnecessary& dragged the book out so much that it started to get really boring & I wanted to stop reading asap.

Delilah is a sweetheart but the way she allowed herself to be belittled & abused by her family made me want to shake her! Yet despite how awfully she was treated she remained calm, kind, & empathetic. She was resilient & Spencer brought out her feisty, confident side. I loved the way Spencer was ready to help Delilah immediately. He was charming, charismatic, generous & protective. Special shout-out to his mum for being an absolute gem, especially towards Delilah🥹

Delilah challenged spencer & was constantly pulling his leg, which I enjoyed as we got to see a more playful side to this stoic, strait-laced man. I loved the way that Spencer was willing to do anything for Delilah’, & that he showed her that she was loved & appreciated which helped her confidence grow sm!

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞: fake dating, age gap, boss x employee, family drama, revenge romance, forced proximity, billionaire mmc

[Ani · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Просто запомни, че стойността ти не намалява, защото някой не може да я разпознае."

"Изцелението не означава, че болката не е съществувала. Означава, че вече не те контролира." ❤️

[Neapolitan670 📚🖤 · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a romance 💕 Our FMC appears to be the underdog and her sister always comes out on top. However, Delilah posts a message about a billionaire (gazillionare lol), the story progresses from this.

[Hanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m slowly getting back into reading again and when I got the chance to read The Stranger, I took it. I really liked all the books I’ve read by the author before and this novel isn’t an exception. I already can’t wait for the next book by this author. She writes in just enough details and I can imagine it so easily what she writes. The Stranger is just sweet, emotional, funny and steamy enough.

Spencer was the star of the book. He is smart, rich, determined, hot and hard working. Spencer owns his own company. His work is his life, but he’s very good at it. He’s good for his employees, but he keeps everyone at a distance. He tries the same with Delilah, but something changes in him. He becomes very protective over her. Spencer wants the best for her. He feels something for her what he has never felt for another woman.

Delilah is kindhearted, sweet and loyal. But she could be so childish sometimes, in my opinion. Her family (mostly her dad and sister) kept her small. Also her ex was anything but good for her. But still, her actions and words were childish sometimes. It made me roll my eyes. It did got better after 50% of the book, after Spencer and Delilah got closer, but I remembered it too well. I did like it that Delilah grew a spine near the end and Delilah’s mother redeemed herself. I also liked the relationship between Delilah and Spencer’s mother. Spencer’s mother is such a sweetheart.

The relationship between Delilah and Spencer was slow, but it felt natural. Delilah is still hurt from the betrayal and Spencer wasn’t looking for love. Spencer just wanted to help Delilah and Delilah only had Spencer to count on. Once they went for each other, it was on. It was hot. It was beautiful. It wasn’t always easy, but it was worth fighting for.

-- ARC provided in exchange for honest review --

[xS!kDollReaderx · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

Ok, this is a tough one for me to rate.
Overall, I enjoyed the story! I love a good fake dating, billionaire age gap.
I really struggled with the FMCs family dynamic. They couldn't give a f*ck that the FMCs ex fiance had cheated on her with her sister. Other than that, it was a good read.

💜age gap (10 years)
💜billionaire
💜fake dating
💜lack of love in the FMCs family
💜bulling by FMCs sister
💜cheating
💜self doubt by FMC
💜praise (good girl)
💜spanking

[Canan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kitaplardaki toksik aile bireyleri beni resmen çıldırtıyor.

Delilah'ın başta o ablası olacak illet olmak üzere ailesi resmen kazanda kaynatmalıktı.
Neyse ki Spencer ve annesi çok tatlıydılar da biraz toparlandı sinirlerim.

Çerezlik ama sinir bozucu aile üyeleri var.

[Alex Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s crazy that this book was inspired by a viral”fake” relationship post a friend of mine made. While this book is not what I normally would choose to read, I did enjoy it.

[DiDi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some days you want a nice easy read low on OW drama. This is it. We have a very unique setup with how the mains meet. MFC Delilah who was engaged but whose fiancé cheated on her with her older sister. The sister was always treated like a princes while Delilah was not, more like less of everything. Her and her fiancée were together for 4 years and she worked for his parents as a receptionist right out of HS. They fired after she took time off because she was so upset with what happened. So when she sees posts of them on what would have been their honeymoon she decides to tag her sister’s crush that they are in a relationship.

This starts their cute story with the MMC mother bringing it to his attention that he is in a relationship according to facebook. Delilah ends up working for the MMC Spencer and ends up staying with him. There is a little push pull from MMC but it’s not long and once he decides to move forward he is all in. There is an age gap of 10 years and their banter on that and other items is cute. The sex scenes were hot and not over done. I liked that once she found out that the ex had been cheating with more than her sister all along that she went to get tested for every type of STI as possible.

I’m not giving 5 stars because I felt like there was a little missing with her family. It was addressed how she was treated but I felt like the drama was so OTT with the father and sister and at the end it was just mentioned about her sister’s life but no real resolution. Also, the issue with the ex’s parents firing her and the response to cease and desist letter on using her picture in ad’s just sort of dropped off with no further comment. Also, no friends for either main seemed unrealistic but overall a solid read.

[Hopelessly Addicted To Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable read and I loved the premise of the storyline. When Delilah is betrayed with one click of a button she makes a decision that sets in motion events she never could have imagined. I adored Spencer, he really did step up to the plate when he could have reacted completely differently. I liked seeing them navigate their new relationship and felt like it evolved naturally from complete strangers to friends and then to a love story that was so cute to read. I loved Spencer's mum and the not to subtle ways she encouraged them to be a couple. They had amazing chemistry and liked how these scenes were written. My favourite parts were how in Spencer and his mum Delilah finally had people who were totally on her side it was the very least that she deserved. Despite the initial drama this was a feel good book that had me giggling and smiling as I read and left me with a warm happy glow.

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stranger was a well written and fantastic read. The plot got me hooked from the very first page and I loved both Spencer and Delilah’s characters. I loved the chemistry and the witty banter between these two and was rooting for these two. One impulsive Facebook relationship update brings these two together. I loved what a gentleman Spencer was and how protective he was of Delilah. Delilah was a gem with a heart of gold but I disliked her family specially her sister and her ex. My favorite character had to be Spencer’s mom , she was such a sweetheart and she was truly rooting for these two even when they two were denying their feelings. The story was captivating and so well written and from the very start I was hooked and couldn’t put the book down. It was unputdownable and I read the story in one sitting by staying up until 4am. I am glad it was the weekend and I was able to catch up on my sleep. This story reminds me why I love reading romance. It had everything I look in for a good story with gripping plot , well written story and bewitching characters and chemistry. I was introduced to JL Perry when I read her books few years ago and I read two of her books and I don’t know why I didn’t read all her books even though I had purchased some of them and they are on my kindle. After reading this book I will be reading the ones on my kindle and all the others ones that are published. Ms Perry knows how to write beautiful story. If you are a romance reader who enjoys a wholesome and heartwarming romance then look no further, Highly recommend this book. This book is definitely going in my re-read list . A must read.

[~lil maso~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Donna for Saucy Reviews on Kinky Korner

This book was fantastic and reminds me just why I love reading. It takes you away from all the drama and negativity and lets you escape. This story just swept me away, and I got lost in Delilah and Spencer's love story. I absolutely loved this story, and I loved just how hard the Prescotts went for Delilah. It was beautiful to read, and I loved them so much for it.

Now I refuse to spill beans, but this is a love story every woman would want. It starts out as a spare of the moment status on Facebook to this Cinderella story. This book is heartbreaking, disappointing (Delilah's family), heartwarming, fun, and a chemistry that just can't be denied.

As I mentioned, Delilah's family are horrific, and I just can't see how and why they treat her like they do. I'm still trying to get my head around it. For me, they back the wrong daughter every time, and I can't imagine why. Thankfully, the Prescotts are everything she needs.

This book, for me, is really a beautiful, no-nonsense love story. I totally recommend this book. I'm glad I picked this book up. It brightened my weekend.

*ARC received in exchange for an honest review*

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[Eve L. Fell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes yes yes!

5/5 ⭐️

This was my first book from this author but not my last! I enjoyed the story and I enjoyed her writing. I don’t read contemporary romance often but maybe I should start putting them into my rotation.

Delilah’s family is terrible. Her ex is now dating her sister and is on vacation with him at the honeymoon she paid for.

In an attempt to piss her sister off she puts that’s she’s in a relationship on Facebook with her sisters #1 crush. Spencer Prescott.

When Spencer gets wind of this make believe relationship he’s in he messages Delilah wanting to know why she did that. After the messages a whirlwind romance ensues.

I’m not typically a slowburn person either but I actually enjoyed taking my time reading this and laughing at the jokes and personalities in this book.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stranger

I went into this book blind. It turned into a great novel. From strangers to friends to lovers. How do you find the person you’ve always needed from a random request? What do you do when the lie turns into something true? Life is only lived once, but it’s the moments that count. Take a risk like Delilah and Spencer and you could find your hea. I give ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and 🌶️🌶️ definitely recommend.

[girlwithhearteyes]

DNF @ 30%. I’m surprised I made it to 30%, considering I was reading with one eyebrow perma-raised! The soapiness of the story was addictive, but it was sooo unrealistic. Who puts their high school report cards in their work CV? I also skipped to the end, and was very sad to see that the sister did NOT receive a satisfactory comeuppance, so I tapped out.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

             Reviewed For Saucy Review
                    On Kinky Korner

This book was fantastic and reminds me just why I love reading. It takes you away from all the drama and negativity and lets you escape. This story just swept me away, and I got lost in Delilah and Spencer's love story. I absolutely loved this story, and I loved just how hard the Prescotts went for Delilah. It was beautiful to read, and I loved them so much for it.

Now I refuse to spill beans, but this is a love story every woman would want. It starts out as a spare of the moment status on Facebook to this Cinderella story. This book is heartbreaking, disappointing (Delilah's family), heartwarming, fun, and a chemistry that just can't be denied.

As I mentioned, Delilah's family are horrific, and I just can't see how and why they treat her like they do. I'm still trying to get my head around it. For me, they back the wrong daughter every time, and I can't imagine why. Thankfully, the Prescotts are everything she needs.

This book, for me, is really a beautiful, no-nonsense love story. I totally recommend this book. I'm glad I picked this book up. It brightened my weekend.

[Marnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The definition of Romance is THE STRANGER.
/ˈrəʊmæns/ Romance: a feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love.

I absolutely loved THE STRANGER from Author J.L. Perry and for me, everything about Spencer and Delilah’s story succinctly defined the word ‘romance’. There most certainly was a feeling of excitement and maybe some mystery associated with the developing love between the characters of Delilah and Spencer!

In this ‘Office/Work Situation, age gap, billionaire, he falls first, growly alpha, cheating ex’ romance read, I was invested in Delilah and Spencer’s story from the first page.

Delilah was such a treat. She was a real cuckoo in her family though – loving, loyal, honest and honourable, almost to the point of being a doormat, until she wasn’t. Pushed to the point of an explosive reaction, I was impressed when she realised that some people DID have her back, and disappointingly, it wasn’t her family!!!

There was just something about her that drew Spenser in from that first text message. I loved the format presented in the e-book as it made very clear the texted communication between characters. And I also really enjoyed reading the visceral reaction she invoked in him on each of their early interactions. Yep, this most certainly was romance!

Spencer’s mum is the best thing since sliced bread. She was such a beautiful hearted dramatic classy lady that she made me cry. Her character was the epitome of a mother’s unconditional love, which extended to Delilah right from that first meeting where she came clean to Eloise Prescott about the events surrounding her relationship post with Spencer. Oh my poor romantic heart, Ms Perry really laid out the thick fluffy pillowy romance carpet! Her writing talent knows no bounds. From dark and edgy to full-on romantic comedy, she couldn’t have achieve it more beautifully than between the pages of THE STRANGER.

Every aspect about it was perfect, from the timeline and development of the relationship, the stumbling blocks, the V-E-R-Y heated moments, the insecurities of both parties (yep, even Spencer had some!!!) through to the bad players and their scenes. And I have to say that what I loved most was that there was no magic bullet to fix those rotten apples.

Just wow. Ms Perry absolutely delivered in the writing of THE STRANGER and I can with the best conscience say it’s 5-oh-my-heart-romance-Star worthy! Invest in your reading time by getting fab books like THE STRANGER! It’s time and money well spent!

#fbombromancereviews #mumsalwaysreading #bookblogger #bookreviewer #marnsreads #marnsj

[Ria Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, loved, LOVED

Let me begin by saying .... I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book!

THE STRANGER by J.L. Perry was EVERYTHING. From beginning to end Jodi's words flowed effortlessly, were flawless, and held me completely captivated. It is an age-gap, fake relationship, billionaire, workplace, he falls hard romance, which was heartwarming, heartbreaking, humourous, sweet, and completely engaging.

She's almost twenty-two and he's thirty-two, she struggles from day to day, he's a billionaire, two people from opposite sides of the track, and destiny is about to bring them together. Delilah St. James was betrayed by those who should have loved her, seeking revenge she turns to Facebook, updating her relationship to include a man she has never met. Spencer Prescott is woken by his mother informing him of a relationship he knew nothing about. Why would he? He's never heard of Delilah St. James.

Delilah never felt acceptance or love from her family if anything she was invisible to them, she lived her life constantly in her sister's shadow. Her confidence and self-esteem were nonexistent, yet she was the sweetest, most caring, and loving person. If only someone else could see the woman she was. She was such a strong person considering everything she had put up with from her despicable family, she also wasn't afraid of standing up to Spencer. Spencer is CEO of Prescott Enterprises; he is all business. Thanks to his meddling mother and meeting Delilah he knows fate is about to change everything. Spencer is a true gentleman; he gives Delilah something she has never had before ... kindness and consideration. Don't get me wrong though, this man can be a rottweiler when he needs to be. Their evolving friendship/relationship was wonderful to watch, the banter, arguments, respect, heat, it was all there as well as a love they never expected.

There is one character I cannot fail to mention, Eloise Prescott, Spencer's mother, She is simply magnificent and doesn't put up with other people's shite. She is the epitome of class, loves deeply, and definitely enjoys meddling in her son's life. I loved that she took Delilah under her wing, she gave her the mother Delilah always yearned for.

THE STRANGER is an emotional read, with themes including jealousy, betrayal, confidence building, nurturing, but most of all love. I have read all of Jodi's books and this one quickly moved to my number one from her, it was just that good.

Read and Reviewed for Reading Is Our Satisfaction

✨✨✨✨✨ FIVE FINDING LOVE STARS✨✨✨✨✨

[Monica · Rating 1 out of 5]

Delilah is such an annoying character. Her sister steals her fiancé, now ex, and they go on a vacation together, so she posts that she's in a relationship with the man (Spencer) her sister is infatuated with. The two talk and he agrees to let the post stay up. Then Spencer's mom shows up and Delilah tells her the truth and the mother sympathizes because she has also been cheated on.

Delilah's family prepares a dinner to welcome the sister and the cheater home and tell her to be there, she complains to Spencer's mother about the situation who then sends Spencer to the family dinner. Spencer offers her a job, because no one will hire her because the only place she has worked is her ex's dad's dental office and he fired her illegally but because that is the only place she's worked, she has to use it as a reference despite knowing the father of the ex is probably badmouthing her. Then Spencer suggests staying in a fake relationship and she is reluctant. Why? No one knows.

Delilah does nothing for herself besides tag Spencer in a post. He told her to leave the post up, his mother sought her out, his mother sent him to the family dinner as her fake boyfriend, she refuses the job Spencer offers her nor does she request a position lower on the corporate ladder so that she can at least have a job (because she knows no one else will hire her due to her receiving a poor recommendation from the dental office but she insists on searching fruitlessly), and Spencer has to convince her to fake-date him when she was the one that started it and would arguably benefit more than him from the arrangement.And she hasn't taken any action about being illegally fired from the dentist's office. Spencer even has to convince her of that.

I'm sure she does end up doing all the things I mentioned, but the fact remains that Delilah wasn't strong enough, clever, or ambitious to do anything. She just sits around waiting for people to tell her what to do or act in her benefit or against her. I can't respect that. She should have some intelligence, but she spends her days whining.

[Mimiru Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled on this book as a random recommendation by accident in a group I'm in based off of a picture going around. I wasn't sure what to expect going in, but this is my favourite contemporary billionaire romance to date this year! Spencer is such a cinnamon roll, and since I'm used to dark, unforgiving type MMCs he was a breath of fresh air! The plot of this book was great and very well written and the spice is ! 🥵

There are plenty of moments and phrases by Spencer in this book that makes me feel so called out. But there are two quotes that really stick with me:

⚔️"Healing doesn't mean the damage never existed. It simply means the harm that was inflicted on you no longer defines or controls your life."

⚔️"You didn't all of a sudden become selfish, Delilah. What you became was harder to manipulate … Don't confuse yourself between the two."

After her fiancé cheats on her with her sister, Delilah decides to get her own form of spiteful revenge by updating her relationship status on facebook - with Spencer Prescott, the billionaire boss of a company her sister Abigail interned for and fancied.

Caught completely unawares by this very public status update, Spencer reaches out to Delilah wanting to know who the heck she is and why. Although Spencer starts out with intentions of rectifying his new little social problem, he quickly starts falling for this mysterious, kind-hearted girl who suffers so much abuse from her family. Despite their age gap, can Delilah and Spencer come to terms with their growing attraction to one another?

🌸What to expect (some tropes and triggers):🌸
💛Billionaire romance
❤️Cinnamon Roll MMC
💛All the "Good Girls' that a girl can dream of 💦
❤️Strong and resilient FMC
💛Strangers-to-friends-to-lovers
❤️🌶️🌶️🌶️
💛No Cliffhanger (standalone)
❤️Age Gap
💛🔥 Slow-burn 🔥 (but when the going gets going...😉...it gets going)
❤️Protective MMC
💛Multi POV
❤️Swoony
💛HEA
❤️No Cliffhanger

💀Familial Abuse
☠️Cheating (not by MMC)
💀Slut shaming

[Wandering Bear · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first works by JL Perry that I have read and I did enjoy it.

So, what do you do when your sister and your fiance go on your honeymoon BEFORE you get married? That's right! You get back at your evil sister by going and changing your social media status to 'in a relationship' with your sister's crush - even though you've never met the guy!

Delilah comes from a terrible family, and thankfully, she somehow manages to not be like them at all. Her sister and father are as toxic as they come, while her mother isn't much better. Her ex isn't even worth mentioning. The fact her parents supported her sister at every turn instead of Delilah was astounding.

Spencer is the CEO of his own company and finds out about his relationship status through his early morning wake up call from his mother. She's angry and disappointed in him for not telling her, while he has no idea what she is talking about. For some reason, instead of getting his lawyers involved, he contacts this mystery woman himself through private messages.

And then the fun begins.

My absolute favourite character in the entire book was Spencer's mother, Eloise. She was wonderful and the way she defends Delilah is just beautiful.

4 stars

Tropes: Fake Relationship, Billionaire Romance, Age Gap, Roommates, Forced Proximity, Office Romance, He Falls First, Cinderella Vibes, Contemporary Romance, Possessive MMC, Boss/Employee

Triggers: Toxic Family, Bullying, Cheating, Self-Doubt, Emotional and Physical Abuse, Jealousy,

[Yvette89 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Billionaire
Age gap
Fake relationship
Work romance
Possessive MMC
He falls first

The main characters of the story are wonderful. Both Delilah and Spencer are keepers.

Delilah’s family is toxic. Her spoiled, entitled sister is the golden child. She should and does get everything she wants, including Delilah’s fiancé. Delilah was a better person than most, she put up with a lot from her family. Whenever she tried to speak up for herself, she was shut down and belittled. They never appreciated her and it was a bit sad.
She is someone who puts others first. She is loyal to a fault. But even a saint has their limits. Spencer helped her out a sticky situation. His support strengthened her. She grew more of a backbone without losing her sweet disposition.

Spencer was wonderful. I believe he fell for Delilah when he saw her profile picture and heard her situation. Once he met her, he became protective and possessive. He became her shield. He was surprised at his feelings for her and actually thought she was too young. He was 32 and she was 22. I loved the banter. She teased him about the age difference. It was cute and fun.

A fast paced mostly fun story. Delilah’s character wins in all levels over the golden child and I loved it. Spencer and his mother Eloise became her family. Their love and support was instant and enduring.

I love a good epilogue and this one was excellent.

[VoraciousReader · Rating 2 out of 5]

SO many things in the book that just didn't make sense.
1. Why is it that so many of these books have an h who is unbelievably gorgeous, sweet and $exy but yet can’t get/keep a man?
2. Why was Delilah’s father so furious when Spencer came to dinner? With his attitude toward his other daughter, I could understand him being indifferent but why angry?
3. After Delilah started working for him, Spencer said he was worried about the lines blurring between them. Wasn’t it a little bit late to worry about that since he started off pretending to be her boyfriend? Then, he tried to lend her money, talked his mom into taking her out shopping, paid for a whole new designer wardrobe and then forced her to live with him on weekends.
4. Spencer had found out some info about her ex-fiancé that he knew would really hurt and upset Delilah so instead of telling her at home, where they would have privacy, he waited till the next day and told her at work. 🙄🙄🙄
5. Why was Spencer so afraid that his employees might find out that Delilah was staying at his apartment when he knew that they already believed they were in a relationship?
6. If Spencer had evidence of his father’s illegal activities, why did he offer him substantially more than his shares were worth?
7. This book was just too OTT. The way that Delilah’s parents treated her and always took Abigail’s side was just too unbelievably ridiculous.

[Ann (Literary Lust) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Stranger. The story grabbed my attention immediately and held it throughout.

I absolutely adore Spencer, Delilah and Eloise. Spencer - I loved how kind, caring and protective he is of those within his close circle. Delilah’s personality shines and the strength she possesses is admirable – she goes through so much yet puts others before herself. The 22-year-old in me would most likely have done the same I have to admit, however, with a few more years behind me and a lack of tolerance that appears with age, I hoped that she would turn her back on those who hurt her - as I would now do.
Eloise brings something special to this narrative. We should all have someone like her in our corner!

I adored the interactions between Spencer and Delilah – their banter being a definite highlight. There are many moments that made me laugh and smile and many that made me swoon. I felt from their very first meeting that they could be perfect for each other and as their journey unfolded, I hoped that mutual feelings would develop. I loved the character development of Delilah throughout this story – in particular witnessing her maturity and strength grow.

I award The Stranger 4 stars. I’m sure you’ll enjoy Spencer and Delilah’s story as much as I have.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely charming delectable read. It hit so many of my reading buttons: funny, aghast, romance, hurt, anger and so much more. I fell in love with the main characters and most of the supporting ones as well. A few I would love to strangle but I’ll let other readers decide for themselves. As for the storyline, my gosh it was a good one. It grabbed me from the start and I hated to put it down but I had to get some sleep (Trust me I picked it up first thing the next day). Ms. Perry gave us a wonderful read that in my humble opinion any romance reader out there will love as much as I did. I highly recommend grabbing it up asap.

The synopsis above will give you the gist of the storyline so I won’t rehash it. But I will say my heart went out to Delilah. She has endured so much at the hands of her family that finding her way, even if it’s only temporary, into the Prescott family was sublime. Her banter with both Spencer and his mother was not only funny but a breath of fresh air. Watching the two of them rally around a total stranger melted my heart. Watching Delilah grow into the strong, beautiful woman she was always meant to be, was astounding and seeing her quite possibly find her place in life was pure magic.

2 Thumbs Up and 5+ Stars

[Colleen (The Book Lover Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
The Stranger was an engaging, sweet & steamy romance! Perry's writing was descriptive and really came to life. As I read, I could easily picture the scene in my head, playing like a movie.

Both main characters were well fleshed out and likable. I adored how sweet and kind-hearted Delilah's character was, and I loved how assertive and protective Spencer was. They complimented each other nicely, their growing connection was believable, and their chemistry was fire!

The conflict in the story was not over the top, but enough to cause a little tension and drama. I wanted to throat punch Delilah's Dad, sister, and ex more times than I could count. Wretched people. Mom was redeemable, but she still should have done more to stand up for Delilah, and therefore, she deserved a few throat punches herself! Perry did an excellent job at creating unlikable antagonists.

If you're in the mood for a sexy, age gap, rich ceo, office romance, grab yourself a copy of The Stranger and enjoy!

______

Genre- Contemporary Romance; Fiction

Tropes-
Fake Dating
Forced Proximity
Age Gap (10 years, both adults)
Billionaire CEO
Office Romance
Grumpy/Sunshine


*Complimentary copy for review provided by the author. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.

[Anni · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ – Sweet, Heartwarming, and Just What I Needed

The Stranger by J.L. Perry was exactly the kind of romance I was in the mood for. Sweet, heartwarming, and full of chemistry—it was the perfect escape from the darker, grittier mafia romance novels I usually read. Don’t get me wrong, I still need my fix of those intense reads, but this story was a refreshing and emotional change of pace.

Delilah and Spencer’s connection was anything but fake. Their chemistry was both tender and steamy, and I loved how naturally their relationship developed. Spencer’s mother was such a lovely surprise—so welcoming and genuinely kind to Delilah, which really added to the warmth of the story. On the flip side, Delilah’s family was just awful, especially her sister—truly frustrating in the best way that kept me emotionally invested.

The writing style flowed effortlessly, making it such an easy book to sink into. My only small critique (hence the half star) was Spencer’s constant focus on their 10-year age gap. I understood his hesitation, but it did start to feel a bit repetitive.

This was my first read by J.L. Perry, and it definitely won’t be my last. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series, The Deal!