Tempted: The BRAND NEW billionaire romance

by Maria Mesmer

If this is the debut of Maria Mesmer, I can’t wait for more! I devoured this book🤩 Who can say no to dual pov, forced proximity, great banter and a good sprinkle of smut? I SAY YES YES YES! Give me 15 more! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -Valerie G.

I could not put it down until I was finished. The characters were perfectly written and I rooted for Hailee and Alex until the early morning. No sleep and no regrets! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -Jennifer

This was an amazing read! I'd give it five and a half stars if I could! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -Kelsey M.


Hailee

Alex Blackwell is my boss. My brother’s best friend

He’s exactly the kind of guy I can’t stand.

But after accidentally falling face first into his lap I haven’t been able to make eye contact without blushing hotter than a house fire.

And now a security scare is sticking us under the same roof for the foreseeable future. I’m trapped and as much as he bothers me, I can’t stop thinking about those icy blue eyes.


Alex

If Hailee was any more bubbly I’d be able to burst her with a needle. Sometimes I wish I could.

My best friend’s little sister living in the room beneath mine is not my idea of a fun challenge.

She doesn’t seem to understand the risk.

My house.

My rules.

And I have only one.

Don’t tempt me.



What to know about

Bad guy/ Good girl
Forced proximity
Spicy slow burn
Enemies to lovers
Age gap
Forbidden romance
Has an HEA
Forced proximity
Dual POV

439 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 19, 2025

Reviews

[Katelynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was more of a 3.5 if not more for me. I thought the tension between Alex and Hailee was well done. I felt Alex's struggle to stay away from his best friend's sister. Hailee was a likable heroine and I appreciate her sense of ethics and even identified with her narcolepsy battle. Alex had a really surprising twist i didn't see coming and I liked the sense of danger that followed these two. I felt like this was a really enjoyable debut novel with lots of promise for a series!

[Chloe Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Tempted (ARC) by Maria Mesmer

“Now I’m wondering how I walked through life without this feeling. Without my stomach splashing like a magma chamber when Alex walks into a room. Without my heart ballooning until I fear it might burst when he presses his lips against mine. Suddenly I’m not so hard on myself for being a hopeless romantic the past few years. This is worth every bad date and picky left swipe. It all led me here. To Alex.”

I can’t believe this is Maria’s debut!
I love a billionaire romance book, I couldn’t put it down ✨
Excited to read more from Maria ❤️

Thank You NetGalley for the ARC 🫶🏻

[Danielle Muy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The character development in this book is top tier! There are no gaps into how, where or why we get our HEA and I loved the simple ending.
Finally a realistic billionaire as well as a female who isn’t afraid to fight for what she wants and is true to herself the whole book! I adore the main characters! I’m not to keen on the side characters, I just felt like Sophia was shady? Idky. And Lucas, he was weird to me. But Fabio and the glider guy, Sebastian ?were my favorite lol

4 stars because it was a little cutesy there at the end for me
2/5 spice, while there are a few spicy chapters, I felt like the smut leaned more towards closed door until the very end where it got more descriptive!

[Valérie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! If this is the debut of Maria Mesmer, I can’t wait for more! I devoured this book🤩 Who can say no to dual pov, forced proximity, great banter and a good sprinkle of smut? I SAY YES YES YES! Alex is the perfect grumpy billionaire MMC and Hailee is beyond relatable and funny! Their chemistry is off the charts! Give me 15 more of these please 🙏

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

[Nicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book has potential, as the set up is interesting, (some of) the characters are engaging and the writer (although this is her first book) clearly is talented. However, especially the second half left me feeling like the potential wasn’t fulfilled. Three out of five stars, as it is a promising debut and the writer exhibits talent.

Long review (spoilers ahead!):
Tempted focusses on Hailee and Alex.

Hailee is a 26-year old not quite living the dream in New York. She has dreams about adding to sustainability, but is stuck in the corporate offices of a mining company. She has a close relationship with her older brother after her father died, and has two close friends. She is funny, has acidic wit and is not afraid to stand up for herself. I liked Hailee a lot. Her inner monologue is funny and engaging, and something about her character felt original to me. The way Hailee was portrayed drew me into the story, and had me thinking in the second chapter: “This might turn out to be a lot better than just the standard best-friend-of-older-brother-porn-with-barely-a-plot story.”.

The CEO of the mining company is Alex, who also happens to be a good friend of Hailee’s older brother. He is devastatingly handsome, ruthless when it comes to business, and a playboy. Also: we find out in the first chapter that he apparently doesn’t have a refractory period (because God forbid any of the MMC in erotic novels actually have normal anatomy or stamina). I’ve got to say, I had a hard time liking Alex. He seems really one dimensional, very focused on sex, money and fame. Although we find out he is very interested in the FMC, it doesn’t really become clear why. Sure, she’s beautiful, and he seems to like how earnest and innocent she is. But really, that’s all there is to it.

Basic features:
- Age gap (10 years)
- Bad boy/playboy meets good girl
- Older brother’s best friend
- Forced proximity
- Slow burn (no action until about 50% of the book)

What I liked:
- Like I said, I really liked the portrayal of Hailee. Her deadpan humor had me cracking up a lot.
- The writer is clearly talented. She has a way with words that makes it easy to just keep on reading, and I finished this book in two days.
- I did NOT see the plot twist at the end coming.
- A lot of interesting side characters are introduced that make me want to read a next instalment in the series.

Things I didn’t like:
- The main problem for me was, that I felt the book changed genres about halfway through. It starts of as a classic erotic novel with a hint of plot and romance. But once they have sex, the book changes into a classic romance. All prior set up about Alex demanding total obedience and being scary in a sexy way are completely abandoned. And don’t get me wrong: I actually PREFER MMC that turn into big teddy bears around the FMC. It just didn’t make a lot of sense to me how he made a total 180 like that. Also: why set him up as dominant if you are not going to include it in the plot and/or spicy scenes?
- The basic trope (older brother’s best friend) plays a big role in the first 60% of the book, and then somehow stops mattering completely. There is no confrontation or even an explanation between the two friends, even when Alex bones his way through the French Riviera with Hailee.
- The age gap serves no purpose. It doesn’t add or change anything about their interactions. Also: Alex does not have the inner dialogue of a 36 year old at all. He might as well have been 24, for all his emotional maturity.
- The pacing really changes once the sexual tension is resolved. First, the pacing is quite slow and takes us day by day, and then all of a sudden we read how they have been having sex for three weeks. It felt rushed.
- The pivotal point in their relationship needed more explanation. First, they absolutely can not ever for no reason ever even kiss. And then, all of a sudden Alex decides he wants her to be his girlfriend.
- Alex running right back to his ex made 0 sense, and had basically no function in moving along the plot. Hailee’s reaction to it was even WORSE. She is so conscious of all the red flags, but now somehow blames herself? Get out of here.
- A lot of interesting backstory is never utilized. The sick niece? The dead parents? The brother who she is so close to? They are mentioned a couple of times and then somehow abandoned (for the next book?!).

Honestly, I could go on. I really enjoyed the first half of the book, but I kept expecting certain plot points to be resolved and they just weren’t. The change of tone also didn’t suit me. I would have honestly preferred a more traditionally romantic setting with him secretly pining for her while trying to stay away from her versus the whole playboy-dominant-no-refractory-period-sexgod set up, and I feel it would have suited the second half of the story a lot better.

Rating:
All in all, I give the story 3 out of 5 stars, as I do feel the writer exhibits talent and the book is definitely not bad for a debut. I will definitely read the sequel.

I read this book as a free ARC, and left this review voluntarily.

[ES · Rating 2 out of 5]

The actual writing was solid. I liked the inital tension between Hailee and Alex but overall Alex isn't a good fit for Hailee.

not only did the guy cause her to experience the most traumatic event of her life but he is the cause of why she didnt get to see her brother for a month, when they used to meet weekly. literally isolating her from her only family. And lets not forget the first thing he did post breakup was sleep with Paige. and then Alex writes a note asking her to chase him, like what?

also, she claims their time dating was magical but come on. They had a few good moments but what about the casino scene. Or the lies or the fact that he left her to go down a scotch, he attacked a guy because he couldn't control his anger and then did not even open up to allow her to comfort him. Their whole relationship seem very surface level and in less than 4 weeks, can you really call it love?

There was a lot of plot holes. Like who pointed the lazer at Alex? I also think Sophie and Alana are bad friends. I just get that vibe.

I dont think Hailee should have forgiven him, especially since he continues to lie to Lucas. Hailee basically went from one asshole/manipulator/liar (Ford) to another (Alex). The only thing that improved was the sex.

[Stephanie Burow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC of Tempted in exchange for an honest review.

A solid 4.5 stars for Tempted by Maria Mesmer, her literary debut, and honestly a smash hit! This book was a fun read filled with slow burn and angst that had me reading this one across a solid 24 hours just because I didn’t want to stop. Hailee and Alex’s story is well developed and plotted out so that this novel will be the first in the series. It also does a good job introducing the characters that will be featured in her next book, Damaged, which will be out this February.

In short, Hailee is worked at an unfulfilling job in New York for her brother’s billionaire best friend, Alex Blackwell. Her job has essentially morphed into a PR role due to serious allegations of money laundering through Alex’s mining corporation, but it’s not her passion. When her brothers banking institution he works for is implicated as well, things become too dangerous for Hailee and her brother, Lucas, to the point of getting wrapped up in an unsuccessful hit attempt outside a New York cafe. In light of everything, Lucas asks Alex to take in Hailee in order to have his security provide protection for her, at least until everything blows over (under the strict orders to keep his hands off her-I’m sure we are all well aware how that’s going to work out).

This book oozes slow burn and sexual tension all over the page. If you enjoy billionaire romances, a grumpy MMC, crime filled plot twists, forced proximity, one bed situations, then you’re going to want to check out Tempted! I do want to mention, the one small caveat about this book that I didn’t like, which was a detail in the plot line that kind of ruined Alex’s character for me. Spoiler alert ahead so turn back now if you so choose!! But essentially, after Hailee and Alex have a falling out, Alex immediately (and I mean within minutes) runs back to his side chick, Paige, to drown his feelings in booze and sex. Hailee essentially completely put herself out there, Alex made some pretty dark confessions that Hailee could not handle, and so she left-and within minutes he’s texting Paige for a booty call. That totally gave Alex’s character the ick factor that I could not shake, which sucked because I really liked his character up until that point. I’m not sure he ever made a full recovery for me, but I feel like that scene could have been written a little differently to not make Alex look like such a heartless dick, because from that point, it takes a pretty big change of heart to go from billionaire playboy to love sick puppy pining for Hailee back. Just too big of a character anomaly for me. But on the whole, I really enjoyed this read and will certainly be picking up Damaged in February to get James and Sophia’s story! Well done on the first book, Maria!

[Michelle Frater · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're a fan of angsty, drawn-out romances (emphasis on the very slow burn), then this might just be your next literary fix and it's certainly an impressive debut. The chemistry between Hailee and Alex is undeniable, and watching their relationship evolve was genuinely enjoyable—when it wasn’t getting derailed by yet another emotional misstep. I was all in, rooting for Hailee and Alex to finally break down their walls and surrender to their feelings. But Alex’s transformation from cold, commitment-phobic alpha to lovestruck romantic felt a little too abrupt. After chapters of resisting intimacy and avoiding Hailee, his sudden shift into unbridled passion was jarring and felt out of step with the character Mesmer had so carefully constructed. Up until that point, their dynamic had been a frustrating but believable push-pull. Just when things seemed to be heading in the right direction, one of them would say or do something to slam on the brakes. And it happened a lot. It took Alex more than half the book to even kiss Hailee, and then boom—cue the whirlwind romantic getaway. The pacing didn’t quite match the characters’ previous restraint, and Alex, the no-nonsense, emotionally unavailable businessman, suddenly tossing aside his principles (and his pants) felt too sudden. Hailee, on the other hand, was a total standout. Strong, self-assured, and refreshingly genuine, she brought light and warmth to every scene. Her spark really ignited when she was forced to live under Alex’s roof due to a security threat, turning the tension up to sizzling levels. She wasn’t afraid to challenge him or put her feelings on the line, and I appreciated her strength and openness in equal measure. What knocked Alex down a few more notches for me was his decision to rebound with Paige after the third act breakup with Hailee. That move felt not only out of sync with the “undying love” narrative but also kind of gross, especially after everything they’d been through. There were also some things about Alex that were never explored beyond a passing mention including intriguing hints about Alex’s darker, more dominant side, but unfortunately, those threads fizzled out with barely a follow-up. Similarly, the suspense and revenge subplots had real potential but didn’t quite land. Alex’s vendetta wrapped up in such a blink-and-you-miss-it way that it lacked the payoff it deserved. All in all, this was a solid, easy read with glimmers of intrigue and heat, but the emotional whiplash and rushed resolutions held it back from being truly unforgettable. It certainly won’t offend—but it probably won’t leave you breathless, either.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[BookDragonAshh · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Holy wow! I loved this book!

The writing style was easy to follow and flowed perfectly. It was easy to get lost in the story.

I absolutely loved the characters. Two people that came from completely different worlds and yet they clicked together so perfectly.

Alex is not your typical billionaire. I think the author did a brilliant job giving him plenty of depth. His backstory is heartbreaking and I think it makes him more relatable. On top of that, when we finally see his true personality outside of being the boss, it’s easy to overlook his ridiculous wealth and appreciate him as a person. Overall, he really was a damn good book boyfriend.

Hailee is the opposite of Alex. She doesn’t come from money and is a lowkey tree hugger. But between her personality and Alex’s, they are able to find some sort of common ground between them that makes them a beautiful couple.

The storyline was perfectly paced. There was always something going on and I never felt bored. I also never felt like it was rushed and we got a perfect amount of time with our characters as we witness their love blossoming.

The conflict in this story is completely believable if you can relate to billionaire problems lol. But seriously. I may not know what it’s like to have an unlimited amount of money, but somehow I felt like I could understand exactly why things happened the way that they did.

The ending was laid out perfectly. Not only were we able to see the depths of their love for one another, but we got a taste of them as a couple without conflict hanging over their heads. Overall, the story was wrapped up nicely and didn’t leave me feeling like it was lacking.

The whole time I was reading this, I felt like I was finally taking a breathe of fresh air. I haven’t read a book that has made me fall so effortlessly into the story in a long time.

All in all, Maria Mesmer has effortlessly become an instant read author for me. I enjoyed her writing and storytelling so much. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

I can’t wait to reread this one.

I would recommend to anyone looking for a billionaire romance that is about more than just showering the MFC in lavish gifts and showcasing how much money he has. There is so much depth to this book and more to Alex than the size of is bank account.

[vasi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the ARC of Tempted in exchange for an honest review.
Tempted is a new billionaire workplace romance between self-made billionaire Alex and Hailee.
A quick synopsis of the book: Hailee works for Alex´mining company that is facing money laundering charges. One day she finds herself in the midst of a shooting which leads to her moving in with Alex to ensure her protection. Only he has one rule for their arrangement: Hailee is not allowed to tempt him.

The premise sounded interesting to me and I love me a workplace romance. Sadly the pacing of this book felt off to me and I found myself more intrigued in the actual plot than the romance.

The author said that she loves brining characters to life and I understand the vision, but I was not that crazy about the execution. I feel like the weird pacing of the book contributed to me having difficulty getting connected to the two main characters. I did feel more sympathy with Alex, than I did with Hailee. There was a lot of inner monologues from both of the characters, which is the best way to get a glimpse into the characters head but I wish there was more dialogues between them, in order to depict the dynamic between the relationship a little better.
That being said, the character development was quite nice to read about, especially Alexes. He had a lot of conflicting feelings and these really came through in the course of this book.
The third act breakup was very much based on miscommunication and not necessary, however the reunion was worth the break up.

I did like the main plot and mystery aspect of the story. Again, for me that was the most interesting part of the story and I enjoyed reading about the strategic moves of Alex. It almost reminded me a bit of dark romance but was not quite there yet.
I liked James and I most likely will also read book two.
This book helped cure my reading slump and that alone deserves its own star.
Overall this is a three star for me and since this is debut novel I feel like there is definitely room for improvement. I will be #sat for the next works of the author!!

[Rachel Berosik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tempted By Maria Mesmer

I enjoyed this book, I am giving it 3.5 stars. Why, due to the fact that it is your typical enemies to lovers run of the mill book. Normally I give those 1.5 to 2 at best. I gave this one a higher number for several reasons. 1. The character development is very well done, you can tell that Maria took her time to outline the characters into what she wanted them to be. 2. The characters had chemister coming out of their butts! Man, there was enough heat with the 2 main characters that living up north here they could melt the snow. All this with a very slow burn, like the first kiss was like 60% of the way in. I really dislike slowburns, but Ihave said it before and will probably say it again that the character chemistry was enough to keep me intrigued.

At the end of the book in the author notes Maria writes that this is her first book. Unfortunately there are some parts that I went, “why was that written like that? I wonder if this is one of her first books?” When you read as many books as I do you catch things like that. Eventually I am sure you get your flow. I know that I am not a writer, so I applaud those who are. I do know that I am excited for Sophia and Jack's book that comes out next. Sophie was a fun side character, I do wonder if there was more to the Ford story or just take it at face value in this book. I am really hoping that we see the interaction from the phone call in the epilogue.
I received an advaced review copy for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

[Cecilia G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read this arc!

The first half of the book was really enjoyable. The tension and yearning were set up really well, we as readers knew exactly where things stood and how the mc's relationship was strictly boss-employee. The plot set up with the danger and excitement hooked you in as a reader. There were stalkers, hired hitmen, bombs, and questionable morality. It definitely set the overall mood as tense. The set up as an erotica was written very well with the mmc expressing his tendency as a dom and the fmc desiring to submit to the mmc in certain ways. The second half of the book is where I started to lose interest. It was no longer an erotica; there were only two short sex scenes, which was a let down considering this is marketed as an erotica book. The characters came off as a bit immature to me, I often got second hand embarrassment and cringed while reading some scenes. As for the danger and excitement aspect, it fell short in the second half. None of the danger and excitement continued from the beginning into the rest of the story, so that was a disappointment.

Overall, this was pretty good for a debut novel and I enjoyed reading this.

[Manolita Deguara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting to get hooked to this book like I did. I finished it in 3 days. 🫣

The relationship between Alex and Hailee was simply amazing, watching him change from the strict billionaire playboy to the sweet, gentleman for Hailee was melt-worthy.

ALTHOUGH, there were some that made me groan due to these two, like as soon as it started going well and they were showing signs of love, one of them does or says something that pushes the other one away, ugh hated a part of it and actually was not expecting it, you'll know to which part I'm referring to when you read it.

It also takes a while to get to the Happily Ever After, although I really want to know more about these two.

If you love these tropes, you'll enjoy this:
✨ Billionaire Romance
✨ Brother's Best Friend
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ "Mine"
✨ Grumpy x Sunshine

I'm also VERY excited on the prospect of a Sophia + James book, and can't wait to read it as soon as it comes out!

Thank you so much Book Sirens and Maria Mesmer for the eARC!

[Ashlee Panczykowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars. This book was so FUN. Billionaire boss and employee/friend's little sister romance.... sign me up. Hailee and Alex have amazing chemistry and the spice was great. This was a slow burn and nothing happened romantically until over halfway through the book. I devoured this book and loved that it wasn't just a romance novel it also had some mystery component too... which kept it interesting. What I liked about this book: how soft Alex was when it came to Hailee and I loved Hailee's character- she was funny, witty and confident. What I thought this book was lacking was I needed more. The storyline was quick, (which I usually like with these types of books) but I felt something was lacking. I wish the characters had a little more depth. I can't pinpoint exactly what was missing, but I overall liked this book and the author will for sure make a fun and spicy series. Thank you Victory Editing and NetGalley for this ARC. Of note the second book will be out in February per the authors note at the end and I cannot wait to read about James and Sophia.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute, funny and cheesy read.

The classic grumpy billionaire and bubbly best friend's sister who are trying to mask their feelings for each other but succumb to their feelings with time and close proximity. It was fun following both Alex and Hailee's stories. I would definitely say that this book focused more on the characters than the actual plot. Also a good amount of spice in this book.

The writing style was very easy to follow and I didn't see the plot twist coming! I feel like the ending was also perfectly laid out with the grand gesture and of course, Alex's story coming to a perfect end.

The only downside was that I found it to be quite repetitive at times and drawn out towards the end, but it didn't stop me from enjoying myself. I would also have loved to read more about Alex's backstory.

This was a 3.5 ⭐ read for me.

I cannot wait to see what Maria Mesmer comes up with next. This was a great first book. Also very excited for James and Sophia's story.

Thank you to Net Galley and Victory Editing for the ARC copy.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I wasn't expecting to get hooked to this book like I did. I finished it within a day. 🫣

The growing relationship between Alex and Hailee was lovely. Watching him go from cold, harsh billionaire playboy to the sweet, gentleman for Hailee was melt-worthy. HOWEVER, there was SO much whiplash between the two that I found myself groaning at them in some parts. As soon as you think they're good, together, in love - one of them does or says something that pushes them away even the slightest. LIKE KISS ALREADY.

Anyway - has a HEA, but it takes a while to get there. Loved the action and suspense throughout, and even though my heart broke at one part (you'll see), it was put back together by the end.

If you love these tropes, you'll enjoy this:
✨ Billionaire Romance
✨ Brother's Best Friend
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ "Mine"
✨ Grumpy x Sunshine

I'm also VERY excited on the prospect of a Sophia + James book soon!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Maria for the eARC!

[Megan Retic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tempted was a true romance novel. The story of Hailee & Alex was one that I figured would play out the way it did, but some of the details of how the couple came to be were quite surprising.

Maria is a very detailed writer, with me being able to visualize & place myself in every scene she depicted. Her medium- paced writing style definitely served its purpose and kept me on the edge of my seat, wanting more.

As for the characters, I love how Alex seemed to be off limits in the beginning, but was swept off his feet by Hailee, who wasn’t putting up with any of his crap.

Although I was expecting more, in terms of erotica, this book was the perfect balance. It took some time to get to the erotic portion, but once it got there, it was extremely descriptive and felt real!

I give this book 3.5 stars, only because the story did seem a little drawn out. However, I’m eager to read the next story of James & Sophia!

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hailee is a 26 year old woman that is living in NY, just making ends meet, working a job that she is not passionate about.

Alex is a blue eyed 36 year old man that is a handsome rich billionaire and also Hailee's boss as well as her brothers best friend. He works in the mining business. He is all business and status. He is someone that does not believe in love and believes that family is a liability and would be used against him. He is also someone who has many secrets that come between him and those in his life.

This was a good story that was fun to read. It was a slow burn romance with some spice and mystery elements as well.

There were a couple writing mistakes on the ARC (at least when moved over to Kindle for reading).

It took me 8 days to read this book and I gave it 3.5 stars.

[Eden Huntsman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive this book as an arc through netgalley.

This book is a billionaire romance where it’s a combination of brother’s best friend, boss, age gap, and forbidden romance. It takes you on a journey that has some mystery and adventure. It has spice and I mean the kind where he is never not ready for more. The FMC is fun and I love how she is able to open up and find something that she thought she would never find. The MMC was interesting to get to know and see insights from. He is grumpy and picky about his life and what happens in it. That includes never getting attached. The plot was okay. I feel like while you are waiting for answers you want to see them grow closer but we get moments of that and then it skips in time.
I definitely will read the next one that stars her friend.

[cait.wms.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would never have guessed this was the author's first book! I picked this up as something that I could consume in the evenings after work. It only lasted two evenings because I read it so quickly! I just kept telling myself, one more chapter, but I couldn't put it down!

I felt that this story was well balanced. There was tension, a little bit of intrigue, pining and then of course, betrayal. I really enjoyed getting both point of views throughout the story, It was nice to see Hailee stand up for herself and to see Alex knocked back a bit and him reevaluate what is actually important in his life. This was a great, light read and I'd definitely pick up the second that was set up there at the end!

Thank you to the author, Maria Mesmer and Victory Editing NetGalley for the eARC!

[Rady Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a wonderful plot and more to add that it was this author's debut novel. I honestly loved everything about this book.
The age gap, forbidden relationships, dirty talk, and the rules...
The whole story was a slow burn, quite emotional with a great twist...

"I walk slow. Chase me...."

The more you get into the story the more you understand Alex the male main character. Why he is the way he is - emotionally unavailable, yet he can´t think of anything else but Hailee.
And Hailee trying not to fall in love with Alex, though the way he looks at her and cares about her makes that quite impossible.
I truly loved the whole story, it was a good and steaming one.

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't a bad book, but wasn't a great book. It just seemed to be lacking....something. The storyline was just meh. The build up of some dark secret that Alex was hiding was anticlimactic. Throwing a narcolepsy diagnoses for Hailee was weird. The chemistry between Alex and Hailee wasn't anything special. The smut was vanilla and lacked much detail....it doesn't really start until 60% into the book btw. A positive...I didn't find any of the characters annoying. Usually once the FMC gets the D she turns into an insecure dummy who then starts nagging like an annoying housewife...Hailee pretty much stayed the same.

[Shelly Vaughan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read courtesy of #NetGalley. Not that you’d think a billionaire owner of a mining company & an environmentalist romance was realistic but between the extravagant gifts, HEA in only a month, never having birth control or safety talks, & the obsessed businessman dropping everything… it felt more like a fantasy book than romance. The spice was decent 2 out of 5. The writing was well done (not viciously repetitive) and the characters had as much of an arc as possible with a short book. #HEA #brothersbestfriend #forcedproximity #oppositesattract

[The Body Count Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5⭐️
3/5 🌶


While I loved the premise and forced proximity is a trope I like, Tempted was more than a bit predictable. The characters were well written but over promised and under delivered. Alex was basically said to be a dom but ended up being a very very soft dom. There was little dom-ness to the spicy scenes. The spicy scenes were the highlight of the book. Hailee was well written but annoying. The story had good bones but with the above ended up falling a bit short for me.

[Wendy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was given to me by Netgalley.
Every aspect of this book felt rushed, the relationship, the intimidate moments, through to the storyline. The storyline had promise, the non vanilla bedroom scene had promise but it just fell flat for me and I got bored. Hailee's character seemed awkward and that feeling that the character development was rushed. The ending was nice wrap up but there were parts I skimmed and thought I would not finish.

[Glenna Turney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book by Maria Mesmer and is AWESOME! The romance between Hailee and Alex. Hailee is off limits because Alex is her older brothers friend. Billionaires with Billionaire problems and men that have a hard time admitting their feelings.

This book for me was hard to put down. It made me cry, at times as well. You’ll love it!

*I received this ARC Kindle book from BookSirens. Thank You!

[Lauras Fiction Addiction · Rating 3 out of 5]

I fell into this book very quickly, the storyline was well written as it had a bit of everything I love: slow burn romance, tension, mystery and a sprinkle of Spice thrown in.
I would have liked the actual relationship between Alex and Hailee to develop a bit further, as it only plays out in snippets over a month. The eiplogue was needed!
All in all, a great debut novel.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

[loretta potz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this story

The story of Hailey and Alex is very well-written, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more books by this new author.

I would have liked to have known a little more backstory about Alex and his niece who died. It seems to have affected him greatly, but the reasons were not brought out.

Their love story was well-told, and I really appreciated the happily-ever-after where he followed her for a change.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Promising debut, but needs work. I enjoyed the overall plot of this book, but I think the author needs a better editor. I did not care for the way the spicy scenes were written and found myself rolling my eyes at them. I did enjoy Alex as a MMC and found him to be well developed but found the FMC to be a bit juvenile. I enjoyed the suspense elements of this book and the initial tension between the two main characters, but found the subsequent romance aspect lacking and unbelievable.

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tempted is an intriguing romance that blends two irresistible tropes—my brother’s best friend and falling for my boss—into one slow-burn, tension-filled read. It masterfully explores the pull of temptation and the inner battle to resist it, all while peeling back the glamorous facade to reveal the darker side of wealth and privilege. Both the hero and heroine are complex, magnetic characters whose chemistry keeps the pages turning.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for NetGalley.