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Villainous Summer
He was supposed to be her revenge…
What's a gal to do when she finds out her boyfriend of four months had a fiancee the whole time?
Make his life a living hell, of course!
Summer Townsend had never been one to forgive and forget. When her cousin was bullied, the boy ended up in the river. She made a sexist teacher cry in class and made a grown man drive into a tree. After being played the fool, she vows to be her ex’s worst nightmare.
All the energy she saved for her summer romance will now be funneled into pure vengeance.
Enter Donovan Logan. The charming stranger is the perfect addition to her plans. When she let herself into his unlocked house, she never imagined the devilishly sexy man would need her help.
Van never thought he’d end up back in his hometown after a terrible betrayal a decade before. When he returned to make amends, he never expected to find a beautiful woman breaking into his home. But she might be exactly the right person to get him through the summer. Pretend to be his girlfriend at work events. Show up at a party or two, charm his boss, nothing more. Neither is interested in something serious, so it should be easy enough, right?
As the weather heats up, they are drawn to one another irrevocably. When Summer’s plans reach a breaking point, they find themselves in danger of losing more than their hearts.
Will love make a villain out of them?
What's a gal to do when she finds out her boyfriend of four months had a fiancee the whole time?
Make his life a living hell, of course!
Summer Townsend had never been one to forgive and forget. When her cousin was bullied, the boy ended up in the river. She made a sexist teacher cry in class and made a grown man drive into a tree. After being played the fool, she vows to be her ex’s worst nightmare.
All the energy she saved for her summer romance will now be funneled into pure vengeance.
Enter Donovan Logan. The charming stranger is the perfect addition to her plans. When she let herself into his unlocked house, she never imagined the devilishly sexy man would need her help.
Van never thought he’d end up back in his hometown after a terrible betrayal a decade before. When he returned to make amends, he never expected to find a beautiful woman breaking into his home. But she might be exactly the right person to get him through the summer. Pretend to be his girlfriend at work events. Show up at a party or two, charm his boss, nothing more. Neither is interested in something serious, so it should be easy enough, right?
As the weather heats up, they are drawn to one another irrevocably. When Summer’s plans reach a breaking point, they find themselves in danger of losing more than their hearts.
Will love make a villain out of them?
272 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 20, 2024
9 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
September 3, 2024
Van (Donovan) & Summer: Book 2 of Seasons of Us: Revenge/ fake dating/ instant connection: This book was addictive and so much fun to read. Loved her loyal and fiery personality mixed with his patience and determination. This was a spicy read & I loved every minute of it. Looking forward to more from Linnea March.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 15, 2024
4 ⭐
1.5 🌶️
Tropes: Fake dating, he falls first, reformed playboy, small town
Summer just wanted to surprise her new boyfriend of 4 months by coming home from London early and showing up at his house. Instead, she discovered she was the other woman when he was tagged in a just engaged announcement online. Distraught, she confronts him anyway only to end up in Van’s house, soaked from the rain and in need of a ride home. When playboy Van gets invited over by his boss, Dennis for a parade watching party, but doesn’t expect Dennis to try and set Van up with his granddaughter too. Unable to get Summer out of his mind since the night she showed up in his house, he tells his boss that they’re dating. Summer agrees, planning to use Van in her plot to get revenge on her ex.
Overall this was a cute story that I enjoyed. The beginning was kind of confusing at first, when Summer first meets Van. He finds her in his house where she tells him she needs help, but then it just sort of ends there. It’s written like they’ve made a romantic connection but she doesn’t even find out his name until later.
***Possible Light Spoiler***
Along with that, I really do understand the trauma she experiences from discovering her boyfriend was using her to cheat on his fiancee, but it didn’t seem like a big enough issue for all the conflict later in the book. I expected there to be some other backstory to contribute to how she kept herself so closed off and hesitant to believe Van’s feelings were real. She kept sabotaging herself and it got old to me, especially since Van kept putting himself out there- Summer kept throwing his past in his face.
******
Those two things aside, nothing in particular stood out to me but it was a good book that I would recommend.
I received an advanced copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily
1.5 🌶️
Tropes: Fake dating, he falls first, reformed playboy, small town
Summer just wanted to surprise her new boyfriend of 4 months by coming home from London early and showing up at his house. Instead, she discovered she was the other woman when he was tagged in a just engaged announcement online. Distraught, she confronts him anyway only to end up in Van’s house, soaked from the rain and in need of a ride home. When playboy Van gets invited over by his boss, Dennis for a parade watching party, but doesn’t expect Dennis to try and set Van up with his granddaughter too. Unable to get Summer out of his mind since the night she showed up in his house, he tells his boss that they’re dating. Summer agrees, planning to use Van in her plot to get revenge on her ex.
Overall this was a cute story that I enjoyed. The beginning was kind of confusing at first, when Summer first meets Van. He finds her in his house where she tells him she needs help, but then it just sort of ends there. It’s written like they’ve made a romantic connection but she doesn’t even find out his name until later.
***Possible Light Spoiler***
Along with that, I really do understand the trauma she experiences from discovering her boyfriend was using her to cheat on his fiancee, but it didn’t seem like a big enough issue for all the conflict later in the book. I expected there to be some other backstory to contribute to how she kept herself so closed off and hesitant to believe Van’s feelings were real. She kept sabotaging herself and it got old to me, especially since Van kept putting himself out there- Summer kept throwing his past in his face.
******
Those two things aside, nothing in particular stood out to me but it was a good book that I would recommend.
I received an advanced copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily
August 19, 2024
An easy read with tinder hot romance and humorous elements.
What an entertaining read VILLAINOUS SUMMER from Author Linnea March was!! I loved it, and while I’d like to described it as a sweetish and relatively low angst book plot (as opposed to my normal darker ones), there was nothing sweet in Summer’s dogged determination to ‘not get mad, get even’ in her mission to make the ex’s life as uncomfortable as possible. All that, and a the chemistry between our main characters being as hot as hades made this a truly multi-faceted book.
I read this off the back of book one WREN’S WINTER, and it’s a little heavier in content because the ex-boyfriend was, in short, a scuzzball. Summer wasn’t a lady to be crossed either and her ideas of revenge was the stuff of legends. She was stubborn and frustrating, kooky, impulsive and scary. I just loved everything about her and very quickly, so did Van.
In fact, Van struggled with the fast progression in the strength of his feelings. His young teenage years didn’t pave the way for a young man with an amoral father figure. But he was still a man who treated women with consideration on a date, even if he’d pretty much been a one and done type of guy. He was every bit a gentleman toward Summer though, being a man who treated a woman like a lady, except where it counted – in the bedroom, and Van was all kinds of dirty talking alpha there, exactly who Summer hadn’t been looking for! Phoar!!! She was too scared to even believe their relationship could actually be real, instead insisting in believing it to be the fake temporary summer one they’d agreed to at the start. The sheer romance of VILLIANOUS SUMMER was huge and sweltering:
“I was being taken. There was no other word for it. The harder he t****t into me, the more I was giving away.”
I thought Adrian in WREN’S WINTER was all kinds of swoonalicious, but in Van, Ms March ramped allllll of those qualities even more and Summer found those results devastating to those fortified walls around her heart. Afterall, she had a plan, and nothing was going to sway her from that path, except maybe lots of O’s. Oh, and that inconvenient issue that Van just ‘got’ her. He ‘saw’ who she truly was and liked her all the more for it. This scared the pants off her, many times in fact(!) and while her continual refusal to move on could’ve become an area of frustration for me, it was well executed.
“To be seen is to be loved. But I’d never been seen like this before. Maybe most women would’ve been happy, but that kind of recognition? I wasn’t sure I liked it. If he saw me, truly saw me, he wouldn’t stick around. He wouldn’t want me.”
Believe me, he did.
Summer’s father also lacked in morals, and the number the ex was doing on her cemented her understandable doubt in the trustworthiness of men. Van took this in his stride, piecing together more of what she didn’t tell him, all while insisting they don’t actually tell lies to each other. He was a man secure in her body’s reaction to him, and he responded to it, v-e-r-y pleasurably!!! Annnnnnd, of course it was nothing like she’d experienced before 😋😛
So, a sweetish plot, relatively low angst and a tinder hot connection between our characters with enough of that action to ‘satisfy’ all parties (even the readers!) is the successful formula that Ms March has pulled together and it worked. And most of all, it didn’t give me even a sense of déjà vu, where you feel you’ve experience the book before only changed up a little.
Oh, and that road of retribution? Ms March turned off the sweet plot for that bit! It shocked me, it fitted, and she did it perfectly.
And this is why she is now an auto go-to author for me. I seem to be enjoying more of these lighter reads lately and if you’re like me where there’s a need to change things up a little, I highly recommend Linnea March as one to check out. I got started with her Prevalent Notion rocker series, so hit those too.
I loved VILLIANOUS SUMMER even more than WREN’S WINTER, and in that review I gave 5-sweet-tinder-romantic-Stars, so it stands that this one gets 5-sweetish-hades-hot-Stars as well!! Yeah, I’m a boringly consistent rater, but life is too short to spend reading books you don’t love! 🖤💞✶
What an entertaining read VILLAINOUS SUMMER from Author Linnea March was!! I loved it, and while I’d like to described it as a sweetish and relatively low angst book plot (as opposed to my normal darker ones), there was nothing sweet in Summer’s dogged determination to ‘not get mad, get even’ in her mission to make the ex’s life as uncomfortable as possible. All that, and a the chemistry between our main characters being as hot as hades made this a truly multi-faceted book.
I read this off the back of book one WREN’S WINTER, and it’s a little heavier in content because the ex-boyfriend was, in short, a scuzzball. Summer wasn’t a lady to be crossed either and her ideas of revenge was the stuff of legends. She was stubborn and frustrating, kooky, impulsive and scary. I just loved everything about her and very quickly, so did Van.
In fact, Van struggled with the fast progression in the strength of his feelings. His young teenage years didn’t pave the way for a young man with an amoral father figure. But he was still a man who treated women with consideration on a date, even if he’d pretty much been a one and done type of guy. He was every bit a gentleman toward Summer though, being a man who treated a woman like a lady, except where it counted – in the bedroom, and Van was all kinds of dirty talking alpha there, exactly who Summer hadn’t been looking for! Phoar!!! She was too scared to even believe their relationship could actually be real, instead insisting in believing it to be the fake temporary summer one they’d agreed to at the start. The sheer romance of VILLIANOUS SUMMER was huge and sweltering:
“I was being taken. There was no other word for it. The harder he t****t into me, the more I was giving away.”
I thought Adrian in WREN’S WINTER was all kinds of swoonalicious, but in Van, Ms March ramped allllll of those qualities even more and Summer found those results devastating to those fortified walls around her heart. Afterall, she had a plan, and nothing was going to sway her from that path, except maybe lots of O’s. Oh, and that inconvenient issue that Van just ‘got’ her. He ‘saw’ who she truly was and liked her all the more for it. This scared the pants off her, many times in fact(!) and while her continual refusal to move on could’ve become an area of frustration for me, it was well executed.
“To be seen is to be loved. But I’d never been seen like this before. Maybe most women would’ve been happy, but that kind of recognition? I wasn’t sure I liked it. If he saw me, truly saw me, he wouldn’t stick around. He wouldn’t want me.”
Believe me, he did.
Summer’s father also lacked in morals, and the number the ex was doing on her cemented her understandable doubt in the trustworthiness of men. Van took this in his stride, piecing together more of what she didn’t tell him, all while insisting they don’t actually tell lies to each other. He was a man secure in her body’s reaction to him, and he responded to it, v-e-r-y pleasurably!!! Annnnnnd, of course it was nothing like she’d experienced before 😋😛
So, a sweetish plot, relatively low angst and a tinder hot connection between our characters with enough of that action to ‘satisfy’ all parties (even the readers!) is the successful formula that Ms March has pulled together and it worked. And most of all, it didn’t give me even a sense of déjà vu, where you feel you’ve experience the book before only changed up a little.
Oh, and that road of retribution? Ms March turned off the sweet plot for that bit! It shocked me, it fitted, and she did it perfectly.
And this is why she is now an auto go-to author for me. I seem to be enjoying more of these lighter reads lately and if you’re like me where there’s a need to change things up a little, I highly recommend Linnea March as one to check out. I got started with her Prevalent Notion rocker series, so hit those too.
I loved VILLIANOUS SUMMER even more than WREN’S WINTER, and in that review I gave 5-sweet-tinder-romantic-Stars, so it stands that this one gets 5-sweetish-hades-hot-Stars as well!! Yeah, I’m a boringly consistent rater, but life is too short to spend reading books you don’t love! 🖤💞✶
August 26, 2024
I went into this book expecting a typical small town romance but this was not just that. This book was so much more dealing with intense themes (please check trigger warnings) and flawed characters.
Summer our FMC is a headstrong, stubborn, and fiercely loyal who will NOT forgive her cheating ex. Van our MMC is typical bad boy on paper but has a caring side that you will see in his subtle gestures.
When Summer breaks into Van’s house after confronting her ex, Van calls her back to cash in the favour and asks her to be his fake date. Van does not want a commitment and Summer is done with men so it should work out great for both of them right? Lol famous last words!
I loved Summer’s character. She is strong, knows what she wants, and will defend herself. I especially loved her petty and not so petty revenge on her cheating ex. That man deserved everything that Summer threw in his face. Honestly the way her mind worked baffled and intrigued me. Van started out being an alpha a-hole but not that typical cocky ones. He pissed me off in the beginning but got better over time and by the time I was done with the book, I was team Van all the way. That man will not back down from a challenge and his biggest challenge was to get Summer.
My only concern was insta-lust but given the length of the book it was expected. Do not go into this book expecting super slow burn and perfect characters. These characters are flawed but realistic and once you see where they are coming from you will end up understanding the way they act.
Overall, I am satisfied with the end and I especially loved how Van did not give up! We stan a man who knows what he wants and fights for it!!
Thank you BookSiren for the ARC. My opinions are based solely on my reading experience.
Summer our FMC is a headstrong, stubborn, and fiercely loyal who will NOT forgive her cheating ex. Van our MMC is typical bad boy on paper but has a caring side that you will see in his subtle gestures.
When Summer breaks into Van’s house after confronting her ex, Van calls her back to cash in the favour and asks her to be his fake date. Van does not want a commitment and Summer is done with men so it should work out great for both of them right? Lol famous last words!
I loved Summer’s character. She is strong, knows what she wants, and will defend herself. I especially loved her petty and not so petty revenge on her cheating ex. That man deserved everything that Summer threw in his face. Honestly the way her mind worked baffled and intrigued me. Van started out being an alpha a-hole but not that typical cocky ones. He pissed me off in the beginning but got better over time and by the time I was done with the book, I was team Van all the way. That man will not back down from a challenge and his biggest challenge was to get Summer.
My only concern was insta-lust but given the length of the book it was expected. Do not go into this book expecting super slow burn and perfect characters. These characters are flawed but realistic and once you see where they are coming from you will end up understanding the way they act.
Overall, I am satisfied with the end and I especially loved how Van did not give up! We stan a man who knows what he wants and fights for it!!
Thank you BookSiren for the ARC. My opinions are based solely on my reading experience.
August 2, 2024
Thank you to Book Sirens and Linnea March for the arc of Villainous Summer, out August 20, 2024!
📜Quick Summary: Summer is in love with Cory, the ever doting boyfriend. When she returns from London, she sees a social media post about his new engagement…and it’s not with her. With baggage from childhood, the mistrust of Cory, and her own spunky personality, Summer is swearing off boys. But when she bumps into Van, all the emotions and walls she built up are slowly tested. Will Summer be her own villain in this love story?
💡Thoughts and Feelings: This book is #2 in her Seasons of Us series, so make sure to read Wren’s Winter first! (You will binge read it; it’s a great read!) I couldn’t stop reading this one! Linnea writes simplistic, yet deep feels novels, that leave you wanting to know these characters in real life. I loved her first novel, and this second one peaked out past the first one. I loved the depth of their friendship, lust, romance, and then spicy love scenes. Watching them question and grow was also perfection. Summer is a hoot and a girl you definitely don’t want to cross! A fun, flirty, binge worthy read!
🙋🏼♀️Moving Character: Van takes my heart. His patience during their arguments- or tantrums- was pure gold. His heart always seemed to be in the best place, and he truly seemed like a hidden gem. I need more!
📖Read if you want: dual point of views, spicy love scenes, character growth, revenge on an ex
🌟Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 18, 2024
Villainous Summer by Linnea March is a romance between Donovan (Van) Logan, who met Summer Townsend quite by chance when she entered his home uninvited when running away from her cheating ex-boyfriend, who sent the cops looking for her. This chance encounter changed both of their lives and allowed two lonely people to find love in each other. Donovan Logan took a job with a technological firm when he returned to his hometown in Ridgewood. He left the city to return to his hometown to care for his single but not divorced mom, who uses a wheelchair in a senior facility. Summer Townsend is a hometown girl who heads the managerial team of a local historic hotel known as a wedding venue hotspot. When Donavan needs a date to call off his boss, who is trying to set him up with his granddaughter, he asks Summer to be his fake date for the event. In negotiating the terms, they extend the fake dating through the summer. As they date and get to know one another, they must decide if they can each risk opening up their hearts. They must weigh the pros and cons of going beyond the spicey nights to a real relationship. Add in an ex- who prompts Summer to release her vengeance full force in revenge for pursuing her when he had a girlfriend and was engaged. Drama and intrigue play out as the romance shifts into high gear, and the HEA for Van and Summer closes at the end of the book. Linnea March is a favorite author who writes steamy romances with a story that satisfies the harshest critics with HEA one can sigh over in the end.
July 29, 2024
This book begins with a cheating ex and a plan to make him pay. Perfect. I settled in for a nice summer’s read. 😎 It is now 2:30 am - I couldn’t put this book down.
Summer is feisty and no one is going to take advantage of her.
Van is quite literally minding his own business when Summer stumbles into his life.
For some reason, although their encounter is completely by chance, neither Van nor Summer can stop thinking about the other. Thus begins fake relationship hijinks with a little revenge, trust issues, and hit sex thrown in.
The love story in this book is perfect. He falls first, while she needs a little convincing. What I really enjoyed though, was the secondary plot. The revenge Summer seeks and the ramifications are just as interesting as her romance with Van. Summer is tough and she knows it. But that never turns Van off and he accepts her for who she is. In fact, he loves her more because of her toughness. Allowing a female character to be tough and not brushing it off as “bitchiness” or calling her a “nag” is not done often enough and I love that this author took the chance to really develop a female protagonist for this century.
The only issue I had with the book (and the reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5) was all the grammatical issues. Run-ons, fragments, and incorrect words abound and they distracted from the story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Summer is feisty and no one is going to take advantage of her.
Van is quite literally minding his own business when Summer stumbles into his life.
For some reason, although their encounter is completely by chance, neither Van nor Summer can stop thinking about the other. Thus begins fake relationship hijinks with a little revenge, trust issues, and hit sex thrown in.
The love story in this book is perfect. He falls first, while she needs a little convincing. What I really enjoyed though, was the secondary plot. The revenge Summer seeks and the ramifications are just as interesting as her romance with Van. Summer is tough and she knows it. But that never turns Van off and he accepts her for who she is. In fact, he loves her more because of her toughness. Allowing a female character to be tough and not brushing it off as “bitchiness” or calling her a “nag” is not done often enough and I love that this author took the chance to really develop a female protagonist for this century.
The only issue I had with the book (and the reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5) was all the grammatical issues. Run-ons, fragments, and incorrect words abound and they distracted from the story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 25, 2024
When he’s aware of all her scheming and plotting, but loves her anyway.
Summer is the unknowing other woman. It chaps her bottom she dismissed all the warning signs that her ex—Cory—wasn’t who he said he was. With a bitter taste for all things romance, Summer swears she’ll make Cory pay for wronging her. That is certain. Falling for the man whose house she walked into by mistake—not so certain.
Van wasn’t expecting to find a strange woman in his foyer seeking a safe place to hide out, nor was he expecting to be so taken with her. When his boss suggests setting him up with his granddaughter, Van says the first thing that comes to mind—he’s got a girlfriend named Summer.
While Summer is busy plotting her ex’s downfall, Van confesses to her the pickle he’s gotten himself into. His solution? They fake date to help each other out. Problem is can it really qualify as “fake dating” when they both are falling hard? Can Van convince Summer to lower her guard and give him a shot, or will Summer’s scheming be their downfall?
This was such a fun read. The humor carried through the whole book—Summer is so creative with her form of revenge. The spice was hot. And the dash of suspense was the right amount for this steamy, small coastal town, fake dating, revenge against ex, he falls first, humorous, reverse grumpy sunshine, contemporary romance.
You will enjoy this book—truly. My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Summer is the unknowing other woman. It chaps her bottom she dismissed all the warning signs that her ex—Cory—wasn’t who he said he was. With a bitter taste for all things romance, Summer swears she’ll make Cory pay for wronging her. That is certain. Falling for the man whose house she walked into by mistake—not so certain.
Van wasn’t expecting to find a strange woman in his foyer seeking a safe place to hide out, nor was he expecting to be so taken with her. When his boss suggests setting him up with his granddaughter, Van says the first thing that comes to mind—he’s got a girlfriend named Summer.
While Summer is busy plotting her ex’s downfall, Van confesses to her the pickle he’s gotten himself into. His solution? They fake date to help each other out. Problem is can it really qualify as “fake dating” when they both are falling hard? Can Van convince Summer to lower her guard and give him a shot, or will Summer’s scheming be their downfall?
This was such a fun read. The humor carried through the whole book—Summer is so creative with her form of revenge. The spice was hot. And the dash of suspense was the right amount for this steamy, small coastal town, fake dating, revenge against ex, he falls first, humorous, reverse grumpy sunshine, contemporary romance.
You will enjoy this book—truly. My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 27, 2024
“I’m going to kiss you because I can’t stand one more moment without your lips on mine.”
⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵
Villainous Summer is the second book in the Seasons of Us interconnected standalone series. This book was much darker than Wren's Winter so please check the trigger warnings before starting this one.
I enjoyed the characters in this story. This was a fun & quick summer read, which was the perfect read for the last few days of summer. I loved seeing some of the characters from the first book in the series as well as some new ones. Summer is fiercely independent, loyal, and incredibly kind to those she cares about and loves. Donavan (Van) is the classic alpha male bad boy but has a soft side for Summer and shows his love through acts of service. They were so perfect together and I loved their chemistry.
I also really enjoyed the story. I loved the summertime small-town setting and a couple of twists in the plot kept me engaged and excited to keep reading. I definitely wasn't expecting them. I love the fake dating trope in this book. It added so much pining and tension it added to the story.
⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵
Thank you so much to Linnea for the ARC copy of Villainous Summer.
Villainous Summer is now available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited!
⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵
Read If You Enjoy:
🖤 Spicy Small Town Romance
🖤 He Falls First
🖤 Fake Dating
⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵
Villainous Summer is the second book in the Seasons of Us interconnected standalone series. This book was much darker than Wren's Winter so please check the trigger warnings before starting this one.
I enjoyed the characters in this story. This was a fun & quick summer read, which was the perfect read for the last few days of summer. I loved seeing some of the characters from the first book in the series as well as some new ones. Summer is fiercely independent, loyal, and incredibly kind to those she cares about and loves. Donavan (Van) is the classic alpha male bad boy but has a soft side for Summer and shows his love through acts of service. They were so perfect together and I loved their chemistry.
I also really enjoyed the story. I loved the summertime small-town setting and a couple of twists in the plot kept me engaged and excited to keep reading. I definitely wasn't expecting them. I love the fake dating trope in this book. It added so much pining and tension it added to the story.
⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵
Thank you so much to Linnea for the ARC copy of Villainous Summer.
Villainous Summer is now available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited!
⛵⛵⛵⛵⛵
Read If You Enjoy:
🖤 Spicy Small Town Romance
🖤 He Falls First
🖤 Fake Dating
August 21, 2024
Wow, I just realized how the title and the main character are connected! Linnea, this book was a wild ride, and I was not ready for everything it threw at me!
Summer, a 25-year-old hotel manager, believes she's in a committed relationship with Cody—until she finds out he's actually engaged. When she confronts him, things escalate quickly, meaning she attempts to throw something at him and accidentally walk into someone else's house. That someone is Van, the homeowner, and their first encounter is anything but a meet-cute. But it sets the stage for all the hilarity that follows.
Summer and Van strike a deal to fake date for his work events, and, as it turns out, Van works for the grandfather of Summer's best friend, Devin. Meanwhile, Summer is also plotting to make Cody’s life miserable. Watching Summer and Van navigate their worlds and grow closer was so satisfying. Summer’s tough exterior forces Van to put in the effort to break down her walls, which made their relationship all the more compelling.
Without giving too much away, I can say you won't want to put this book down. While it does take a darker turn towards the end, the resolution more than makes up for it. I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Summer, a 25-year-old hotel manager, believes she's in a committed relationship with Cody—until she finds out he's actually engaged. When she confronts him, things escalate quickly, meaning she attempts to throw something at him and accidentally walk into someone else's house. That someone is Van, the homeowner, and their first encounter is anything but a meet-cute. But it sets the stage for all the hilarity that follows.
Summer and Van strike a deal to fake date for his work events, and, as it turns out, Van works for the grandfather of Summer's best friend, Devin. Meanwhile, Summer is also plotting to make Cody’s life miserable. Watching Summer and Van navigate their worlds and grow closer was so satisfying. Summer’s tough exterior forces Van to put in the effort to break down her walls, which made their relationship all the more compelling.
Without giving too much away, I can say you won't want to put this book down. While it does take a darker turn towards the end, the resolution more than makes up for it. I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Read
August 10, 2024Well I did enjoy this book it’s a little bit different.
Loved the interactions between the two leads hot, sexy, sweet and funny. He is charming, she is feisty.
Donovan “Van” Logan isn’t your typical alpha “I don’t do relationships/commitment” bad boy. He is alpha super confident in his prowess, sexy as and I just lapped him up. He doesn’t do relationships because of issues when he was young but is one of the good guys.
Summer Townsend is strong , feisty, impetuous with some anger issues all of which get her into “situations”. She has been hurt by her ex but isn’t taking it lying down.
Hated the other main character Cory Thompson, the ex, total pond scum you just want him to get his just desserts.
The other side characters were also well portrayed and added to the story which moved along at a good pace.
I Would have given it 5 stars but there was some violence in it which put me off a little.
Haven’t read this author before but will look out for her other books. Can definitely recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Loved the interactions between the two leads hot, sexy, sweet and funny. He is charming, she is feisty.
Donovan “Van” Logan isn’t your typical alpha “I don’t do relationships/commitment” bad boy. He is alpha super confident in his prowess, sexy as and I just lapped him up. He doesn’t do relationships because of issues when he was young but is one of the good guys.
Summer Townsend is strong , feisty, impetuous with some anger issues all of which get her into “situations”. She has been hurt by her ex but isn’t taking it lying down.
Hated the other main character Cory Thompson, the ex, total pond scum you just want him to get his just desserts.
The other side characters were also well portrayed and added to the story which moved along at a good pace.
I Would have given it 5 stars but there was some violence in it which put me off a little.
Haven’t read this author before but will look out for her other books. Can definitely recommend.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 11, 2024
What does one do when she finds out her new boyfriend has been cheating their entire relationship? Get revenge of course.
Summer finds herself walking to Donovans front door except he’s a stranger and she just broke in (is it breaking and entering if the door is unlocked?). Van finds himself needing a fake girlfriend for a work party and who better than Summer to fill that role? Summer has sworn off men and Van doesn’t do relationships. Perfect combo 👌
These two test each other. They fight and throw tantrums but deep down, they are IT for each other. Van is so patient with Summer even though he’s not sure why she’s completely broke by her ex.
I devoured this book in a day. I loved their banter back and forth and watching Summer be the villain towards her ex. It was such a fun, easy read but with a lot of emotion!
4.5 ⭐️
2.5🌶️
I really enjoyed the spice in this one. These two were in such denial for so long but once they finally opened up, holy moly! This was book two in the series but can be read as a stand alone. I really enjoyed seeing Wren from book 1! I can’t wait to see who the next one is about!
Thank you to Linnea for this ARC in exchanged for an *honest* review. All opinions are my own.
Summer finds herself walking to Donovans front door except he’s a stranger and she just broke in (is it breaking and entering if the door is unlocked?). Van finds himself needing a fake girlfriend for a work party and who better than Summer to fill that role? Summer has sworn off men and Van doesn’t do relationships. Perfect combo 👌
These two test each other. They fight and throw tantrums but deep down, they are IT for each other. Van is so patient with Summer even though he’s not sure why she’s completely broke by her ex.
I devoured this book in a day. I loved their banter back and forth and watching Summer be the villain towards her ex. It was such a fun, easy read but with a lot of emotion!
4.5 ⭐️
2.5🌶️
I really enjoyed the spice in this one. These two were in such denial for so long but once they finally opened up, holy moly! This was book two in the series but can be read as a stand alone. I really enjoyed seeing Wren from book 1! I can’t wait to see who the next one is about!
Thank you to Linnea for this ARC in exchanged for an *honest* review. All opinions are my own.
August 28, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. This book starts with drama, and keeps it up through out the entire book. You have a bad ass FMC who is literally embodies a woman scorned in and brings to life all the devilish ideas we’ve all wanted to inflict upon the men that hurt us. There are some trigger warnings to keep in mind: revenge porn and a brutal assault. It’s not your run of the mill love story, I like that the romance feels like it’s building up equally along side the story line. And it has a high level of spicy. Expect to jump right into the romance with very little build up. This was not a slow burn kinda love. The MMC and FMC have a lot of heavy to work through, but their character arcs are great and you can literally see them open up and change moment by moment throughout the book. I read this book without realizing there was a book 1 in the duet, and it’s honestly a good stand alone, I want to read the first to have more of the characters back story. This was a quick and easy read. Definitely recommend.
August 17, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The book begins with summer finding out that her boyfriend is cheating and is engaged to someone else now and she decides to make him pay for it
Summer is such a strong and feisty character and i absolutely admire her and have been cheering on her since the beginning of the book
Van and her relationship begins as fake but slowly builts up into something very beautiful
Van's character is very sweet and understanding and the way he waits for summer to let down the wall and let him in made me like him even more
Absolutely hated the ex Cory he's such a shitty character
Really enjoyed the pranks she pulled on him and was so happy with how it all ended for him
The other side characters are also very well potrayed
Overall the book is really enjoyable and one should totally go for it if they like the fake dating, he falls first trope and a badass fmc and the hero who loves her for it
The book begins with summer finding out that her boyfriend is cheating and is engaged to someone else now and she decides to make him pay for it
Summer is such a strong and feisty character and i absolutely admire her and have been cheering on her since the beginning of the book
Van and her relationship begins as fake but slowly builts up into something very beautiful
Van's character is very sweet and understanding and the way he waits for summer to let down the wall and let him in made me like him even more
Absolutely hated the ex Cory he's such a shitty character
Really enjoyed the pranks she pulled on him and was so happy with how it all ended for him
The other side characters are also very well potrayed
Overall the book is really enjoyable and one should totally go for it if they like the fake dating, he falls first trope and a badass fmc and the hero who loves her for it
September 9, 2024
I enjoyed Donovan and Summer’s story. She finds out her boyfriend of four months had a fiancee the whole time? So she wants revenge. Summer Townsend has never been one to forgive and forget. When her cousin was bullied, the boy ended up in the river. She made a sexist teacher cry in class and made a grown man drive into a tree. After being played the fool, she vows to be her ex’s worst nightmare.
All the energy she saved for her summer romance will now be funneled into pure vengeance. Enter Donovan Logan. The charming stranger is the perfect addition to her plans. When she lets herself into his unlocked house, she never imagined the devilishly sexy man would need her help. Pretend to be his girlfriend at work events. Show up at a party or two, charm his boss, nothing more. Neither is interested in something serious, so it should be easy enough, right? Or is it? It was an enjoyable and emotional read. And voluntarily leaving this review.
All the energy she saved for her summer romance will now be funneled into pure vengeance. Enter Donovan Logan. The charming stranger is the perfect addition to her plans. When she lets herself into his unlocked house, she never imagined the devilishly sexy man would need her help. Pretend to be his girlfriend at work events. Show up at a party or two, charm his boss, nothing more. Neither is interested in something serious, so it should be easy enough, right? Or is it? It was an enjoyable and emotional read. And voluntarily leaving this review.
July 31, 2024
Oh my gosh, this book is amazing!!! I had so much fun reading this book! Every woman and man needs a BFF like Summer. She is so caring and generous and best of all has a truly wicked mind when it comes to protecting her friends and helping karma dole out justice. When she found out that her boyfriend made her the "other woman", she sets out to even the score. I laughed myself silly picturing the butterfly scene!!! I love this woman. When she meets Van, a man who doesn't do girlfriends, under a stressful situation she agrees to help him out with his problem but won't trust him or give him her heart. When Van meets Summer he doesn't know whether he's coming or going, falling in lust or falling in love. All he knows is he doesn't want to let go! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 20, 2024
Summer found out that her boyfriend, Cory, had a fiancé after dating him for 4 months. He also shared naked pictures of her on the internet. Upset and caught in a downpour she knocks on a door and, finding it open, goes in. Van is living in his mother’s home and is surprised to see Summer standing there. He finds her attractive and asks her to be his girlfriend to prevent his boss trying to fix him up with his granddaughter. Summer agrees to act as his girlfriend and is plotting all sorts of things to get back at Cory. This book is a delightful book about standing up for yourself. I enjoyed watching Summer and Van get acquainted. Summer was very distrustful after Cory, and Van had a new job and his mother to take care of, so relationships were out for him. Van finds many ways to get Summer to trust again. Great book.
September 4, 2024
This is a fast paced, emotional story, full of banter, angst, action, friendship, drama, romance and steam.
Starting with an explosive breakup after learning her boyfriend was cheating, a small case of illegal entering, a plan full of revenge pranks and a little fake dating.
Summer and Van find they have much in common, but neither is looking for a relationship, unable to deny the chemistry and the easy connection between them, feelings soon grow.
But there’s a few secrets, her ex keeps showing up and there’s an epic and dangerous showdown that certainly changes things.
I loved the strength, stubbornness and complexity of the characters. They were realistic, charmingly flawed, vulnerable and so easy to love.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Starting with an explosive breakup after learning her boyfriend was cheating, a small case of illegal entering, a plan full of revenge pranks and a little fake dating.
Summer and Van find they have much in common, but neither is looking for a relationship, unable to deny the chemistry and the easy connection between them, feelings soon grow.
But there’s a few secrets, her ex keeps showing up and there’s an epic and dangerous showdown that certainly changes things.
I loved the strength, stubbornness and complexity of the characters. They were realistic, charmingly flawed, vulnerable and so easy to love.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 8, 2025
Second book in the series and enjoyed it as much as the first one.
When Summer finds out her boyfriend is a cheater and she was the other woman.She never forgives and forgets and wants revenge.
Donovan Logan has come back home to look after his mum.He left ten years ago and did not come back.
Summer and Donovan's first meeting is not great.The attraction is instant.When Donovan asks her to be hos fake girlfriend she agrees.
Donovan doesn't do relationships and Summer has lost all trust in men.
They both end up falling for each other,but don't admit to their ferlings.
They eventually get through their issues and get to their happily ever after.
Cannot wait for the next book in the series.
I recieved an advanced review copy of this book for free via booksirens and am voluntarily leaving my review.
When Summer finds out her boyfriend is a cheater and she was the other woman.She never forgives and forgets and wants revenge.
Donovan Logan has come back home to look after his mum.He left ten years ago and did not come back.
Summer and Donovan's first meeting is not great.The attraction is instant.When Donovan asks her to be hos fake girlfriend she agrees.
Donovan doesn't do relationships and Summer has lost all trust in men.
They both end up falling for each other,but don't admit to their ferlings.
They eventually get through their issues and get to their happily ever after.
Cannot wait for the next book in the series.
I recieved an advanced review copy of this book for free via booksirens and am voluntarily leaving my review.
August 13, 2024
Summer is fierce, and no one will take advantage of her.
Van is literally minding his own business until Summer walks into his life.
Although their meeting was entirely by coincidence, neither can stop thinking about the other. Thus begins the false romance, complete with revenge, trust issues, and hit sex.
The love story is perfect. He falls first, and she needs convincing. Summer desires revenge, and the consequences are as intriguing as the relationship. She is tough, and she knows it. Van never turns off, and he accepts her. In fact, he admires her because of her toughness. Allowing a female character to be tough and not dismissing it is not common enough.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Van is literally minding his own business until Summer walks into his life.
Although their meeting was entirely by coincidence, neither can stop thinking about the other. Thus begins the false romance, complete with revenge, trust issues, and hit sex.
The love story is perfect. He falls first, and she needs convincing. Summer desires revenge, and the consequences are as intriguing as the relationship. She is tough, and she knows it. Van never turns off, and he accepts her. In fact, he admires her because of her toughness. Allowing a female character to be tough and not dismissing it is not common enough.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 22, 2024
The MFC (Summer) took Revenge plot to another height. She was not playing! I would love her as my BFF lol. But it was a dangerous game she played (no spoilers) and her trust issues were deep. I like how the author balanced her strength with her vulnerability. The MMC, Van, was definitely the man for her. He called her on her BS and was the strength of man with the character to break down her walls. I loved his persistence and how he gave her space when she needed it, but never eased up his pursuit of her. Grumpy and sweet all in one. I was totally invested in their journey. Not too angsty, but so captivating. Highly recommend for people who love a short(ish) novel with relatable and loveable characters. Good read.
I received a free advanced copy of this book and this is a voluntary review.
August 25, 2024
Summer Townsend just found out that Cory Thompson, the man with whom she was building a beautiful relationship, was nothing more than a lousy cheater. She decided to drive over and confront him with the pictures of his fiancee, showing off her engagement ring that Summer took from the internet. The confrontation didn't go as she'd planned and when Cory called the police, she walked right in to the neighbor's house and saw the owner standing right in front of her. This was her serendipitous introduction to Donovan Logan, who would become her fake date, fake boyfriend, whatever they needed that didn't include a permanent relationship. At least, that's what they told themselves, but their undeniable chemistry and growing feelings gave them a chance at a happy ending.
October 18, 2024
From a fake romance to a lot of steam. 5*
Wronged, yet very feisty, strong female lead is someone Cory, her ex, should definitely not have messed with, but he will learn as the smart and social media-savvy Summe,r has a vindictive streak. He’ll regret the day he crossed her. Feisty she may be but the also somewhat calamitous Summer seeks refuge from the rain in the house of our male hotty. Van thinks that Summer wants to break into his house, so it is surprising that the unlikely pair end up as fake dating scenario, let alone it eventually turning very real with all the steam and feels. A HEA ensues in the end making this an enjoyable entertaining read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Wronged, yet very feisty, strong female lead is someone Cory, her ex, should definitely not have messed with, but he will learn as the smart and social media-savvy Summe,r has a vindictive streak. He’ll regret the day he crossed her. Feisty she may be but the also somewhat calamitous Summer seeks refuge from the rain in the house of our male hotty. Van thinks that Summer wants to break into his house, so it is surprising that the unlikely pair end up as fake dating scenario, let alone it eventually turning very real with all the steam and feels. A HEA ensues in the end making this an enjoyable entertaining read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 8, 2024
An outstanding book, and the 2nd in the Seasons of Us series. Her first one, Wren's Winter, was also a hit. Linnea has an amazing way of developing her characters and storyline where you feel you are right there with them, living out each moment as it is happening. Definitely a hard book to put down once you start reading. You quickly get engrossed in the drama the main character, Summer, is dealing with. Once Van enters the picture, sparks start flying and you get wrapped up in their unexpected journey. There's a bit of everything in this book, and crossing my fingers for a 3rd book in the series! A must-read!
August 18, 2024
This is book 2 in March's Seasons of Us series and while it can be read as a standalone, I think it's a great addition to the series and I personally think you'll love it enough you'll want to read book 1 (Wren’s Winter) too. That said, this book focus' on main characters Summer and Van. I adored this book. March delivers characters that are so relatable and a storyline that is captivating and addictive. I couldn't put this down. March gave me all the feels as well as a great level of sizzling chemistry that made this a perfect read for me. I loved every minute of it, and I can't wait for more!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 3, 2024
Love makes you do crazy things, and overlook details that should set alarm bells ringing. Being duped, and made a fool of? Well, there's just no telling what THAT will make a girl do!
Can Summer hide her 'crazy' from Vance? Or is he just the man to accept her just the way she is? And will she let him if he does?
What starts out as a relationship of convenience might be just what both of them never knew they needed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Can Summer hide her 'crazy' from Vance? Or is he just the man to accept her just the way she is? And will she let him if he does?
What starts out as a relationship of convenience might be just what both of them never knew they needed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 7, 2024
What would you do if you found that your boyfriend had a fiancée the whole time he was dating you. Well that happened to Summer, the trouble is that shes not the sort to forgive and forget. Then Van enters her life can they help each other, she obviously owes him after just walking into his home. This is one of those stories I didn't think I'd get into but then couldn't put it down. Summer is a great character she tries but always seems to cause havoc. Can Van help her or will it all end in disaster
August 17, 2024
Loved the story despite the beginning being a little confusing. It gets so much better and the ending is well worth the read. The biggest area that confused me was the London/sea location ambiguity. IDK why, but I couldn't process that very well. I'm guessing the back story starts in her hometown, then continues (via long distance) in London, then the story begins as she returns? IDK. It totally threw me off. But once the story grounds itself beyond the backstory, it was amazing and spicy (at least a 3 on the pepper meter).
August 27, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book. Once I started reading Villainous Summer, I didn't want to put it down. I wanted to keep reading so I could see what was going to happen next. The characters are great and the storyline hooked me from the start. I don't want to spoil this book for anyone, so I won't go into details. Please read the book blurb for some information about the book. I recommend reading this book! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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