Deep Pockets: A Forced Proximity Romance

Kings and Rivals #1

by Nana Malone

I was never supposed to have a crush on my best friend's little sister. Morgan is too young. Too innocent. And she's in far too much danger.

I’ve built a legitimate empire in New York, far from the life of shadows and violence in which I was raised. I'm heir to a dark throne.

When she needs temporary shelter, I allow her to crash at my place. Being this close to her, without touching her, hurts like hell. But I can play the white knight for a few weeks.

I have to stay away from her, even while I keep her safe.

Even if it means not touching her beautiful body.

Even if it means seeing the hurt in her eyes.

Then my former life comes crashing in. She doesn’t know how deep the stakes go—and I can't afford to let her find out. Protecting her means keeping her close, even if it means risking everything, including my own heart.

Deep Pockets is a steamy enemies-to-lovers romance filled with high-stakes tension, passion, and the thin line between loyalty and love. It’s a journey of tragic pasts, fierce protectiveness, and the realization that sometimes, the heart wants what it has secretly craved all along.

Genres: Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Forced Proximity, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Mafia Romance, Family Drama

296 pages, Paperback

Published March 12, 2025

About the author

Wall Street Journal & USA Today Bestselling author, Nana Malone writes Sexy Feel-Good Romance and loves of all things romance and adventure.

That love started with a tattered romantic suspense she "borrowed" from her cousin. It was a sultry summer afternoon in Ghana, and Nana was a precocious thirteen. She's been in love with kick butt heroines ever since. With her overactive imagination, and channeling her inner Buffy, it was only a matter a time before she started creating her own characters.

Reviews

[Nana Malone]

Available now!

Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and Kobo!
Amazon: https://geni.us/deeppocketsamz
Apple Books: https://geni.us/deeppocketsapple
Nook: https://geni.us/DPnook
Kobo: https://geni.us/DPkobo
Google Play: https://geni.us/DPgoogle

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3CoyiJq

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
📕: Deep Pockets by Nana Malone
Tropes:
Age Gap
Alpha Hero
Angsty
Band Of Brothers
Billionaire
Best Friend’s Sibling
Close Proximity
Enemies-To-Lovers
Heroine In Danger
Hidden Identity
Interracial/Multicultural
One Bed
Redemption
Suspense

Omg the tension in this book had me at the edge of my seat waiting for these two to finally give into each other!! This is my first book to read of Nana Malone and it sure as heck won’t be my last!!
Lance is Gwen’s best friend so he takes Morgan under his protection while she stays with him. I love a book that has you begging for them to get together a they finally do it’s like thank the book heavens lol!! The build up was worth it!!

[Pana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Finally our boy Lance gets his own series. I’ve been dying to know his backstory and what made him who he is.
Also the BANTER that Lance and Morgan had even from the previous series….goooood gawd!

If you want the full experience I highly recommend you read Nana’s other series, Kings of the Boardroom first before diving into Deep Pockets.

Tropes:
Age gap
Best friends sister
Difference of culture
Cliffhanger
Breeding k!nk

[Erin McN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lance is Gwen’s best friend. Morgan is Gwen’s little sister. Lance and Morgan have secretly had an attraction to one another. However, Lance has a dark past that he’s trying to keep locked away. Can Morgan handle Lance and his secrets? What is more important in a relationship; loyalty or honesty?

The connection between Lance and Morgan is fire. Loved their interactions especially when they were trying to connect on a relationship level.

I would love to see if Lance & Morgan have more in store for us!

[claire - clairesbooked · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lance has a crush on his best friend's little sister, Morgan. She's way too young and innocent for him, and comes with a messy family. Morgan has had a crush on Lance for as long as she can remember, but she's always thought he was into her sister. Lance finds Morgan living in unacceptable conditions, so he brings her home with him to keep her safe. Lance also has a messy family and past that Morgan knows nothing about. When that comes crashing into Lance's life, he does everything he can to keep his old life from colliding with Morgan, but it doesn't work.

Finally Lance and Morgan are here and boy was this quite the emotional ride! When Lance and Morgan are going through good times, they are magical together. When they are going through hard times, they really go at it. Their banter is everything in this book. Add all the secrets and past life experiences to that and you have one big explosion. This is a great start to their story and can't wait to see how Nana brings them together in the end! Also, I need to know Amber's story. I have a feeling there's something fishy about her!

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF: You love a “good girl” saying alpha guy who is obsessed with his girl and has a slight bedding kink.

[Nadine Bookaholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you read the KINGS OF THE BOARDROOM SERIES, you will also want to read this one because it is Lance and Morgan's (Gwen's best friend and her younger sister) story. And let me tell you, there was a reason we felt some tension between the two in the prior series. Grab the ice water, you're going to need it.

Morgan has been helplessly in love with Lance for as long as she can remember, and time after time, he has come to her rescue. But now she needs to give up on her childhood crush once and for all after they spend one night together and he utterly breaks her heart into a zillion pieces. It's a good thing her sister is on her honeymoon, so it will be easy to avoid him.

𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 ➡ https://bit.ly/NBReviewDP



**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books
You can find me here: Nadine Bookaholic's Links

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Book Review: Deep Pockets✨

📕: Deep Pockets
💻: Nana Malone

The last time you heard from me about Nana Malone, I was begging to get my Morgan and Lance story. And boy did she deliver…in the absolute best way only Nana Malone can. This is a new, breakoff series that picks up where The Kings of the Boardroom series (and the book Merger ended).

Every single time I read a new Nana Malone book I have to declare that now *THIS* one is my favorite one. I completely devoured this book. Full stop. I ATE THIS UP. It was absolute perfection. 10/10 would recommend. Zero flaws found.

While I obsessed over the story and love that grew between Gwen and Atticus, I love Morgan and Lance even more. They way she never needed someone to take care of her and he did it anyway. They way she never asked for help, but he offered it freely. Their relationship started off so rocky you begin to wonder how a (very hot) love story is going to blossom out of this, but of course, it inevitably did.

This book (and series) are great for fans of:
💼Billionaires
💼Sister’s best friend
💼Age gap
💼Found family
💼Corporate/Mafia intrigue
💼Enemies to Lovers
💼Strong female leads
💼Sisterly love

And, of course, it wouldn’t be an Nana Malone book without that cliffhanger of an ending. I’m already counting down the days until book two!

A very special thank you to Nana Malone for a copy of the eARC as well as a beautiful sprayed edges paper back!!!

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deep Pockets, book one in the new Kings and Rivals series and takes place in the same world as The Kings of the Boardroom series but it has a flavor of its own and new characters to enjoy.
It was easy to fall for Morgan and Lance. I loved their banter and the push and pull of their relationship. Lance can’t help but feel protective towards Morgan especially now that his brother knows about her and where he lives. Lance’s biggest fear is his past coming back and ruining everything he has worked so hard to get away from. Morgan just desperately wants to get out from her father’s control and find a way to pursue her dream job as a clothing designer. There are secrets on both sides and they both have complicated family dynamics that keep that thread of impending danger lurking throughout the story and I for one can’t wait to see how this all plays out.

[Amber Kemp Schuman · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Review 📚
⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫/🌶️🌶️

A huge thank you to Nana Malone and VPR Valentine for providing me with an ARC of Deep Pockets by Nana Malone!

This was my first time reading a book by Nana Malone, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from her writing. Deep Pockets turned out to be an engaging mafia romance that hits all the classic tropes.

The story follows Morgan, our FMC, who has unrequited feelings for the MMC. As we dive deeper, we get a glimpse into his perspective and discover that he’s also been secretly harboring feelings for her.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. However, there were moments when I felt like I might have missed some background or context by not having read the previous books in the series. It occasionally felt like parts of the story were disconnected, leaving me wanting a bit more depth.

If you’re a fan of:

Mafia Romance
Billionaire Romance
Forced Proximity
Best Friend’s Sister
Enemies to Lovers
Unrequited Love
Deep Pockets is available today!

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

So happy I got an arc for this book, I read it in one sitting (I was hooked from the dedication). The tension between the main characters was everything! The story follows Lance and Morgan, she happens to be his best friends sister so there is an age gap. This man was the perfect combination of dangerous and sweet lol I ate this book up and need the next one asap!

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can honestly say that if you have not read any of Nana's books before (like myself), you can easily start this new series without any prior knowledge and absolutely enjoy it.

The main characters, Lance and Morgan, absolutely carried this book with their chemistry, the tension between them, and their banter. Nana did a wonderful job of creating characters that were more than just surface level and more than just the circumstances they grew up in.

I really enjoyed the storyline, along with the twists and turns that helped add some layers to this dynamic world. Nana does a great job with the secondary characters by adding more dimensions to the family dynamics.

This story flowed really well and I really liked how everything blended together and delivered an entertaining book. And that cliffhanger - well done. I cannot wait for the next book.

[Nathalie Bosse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was a hell of a great steamy romance. Where he fell first, for his best friend’s little sister. He tried to protect her from all the wrongs that tried to put her down.
If you’re looking for an amazing enemies-to-lovers with lots of tension, passion and proximity. Nana Malone doesn���t disappoint on the first book of this series.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep Pockets

Wow! This story is incredible, intense, full of drama, suspense and attraction. The secrets of ones past never stay hidden. Can a relationship survive when secrets from one's past keep surfacing? Awesome story about two people who love each other deeply, but without trust what do they have?

[Lola]

DNF at 10%.
Might not pick up later

[Jess *lovetolovebooks* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Morgan and Lance have been circling each other for a few books now and it’s finally their turn to get a happily ever after…..but not without some payback, some bantering, and some explosions of chemistry.

After her terrible father burns all of her hard work and freezes her funds, Morgan is in desperate need of a place to stay. The last person she’d ever want to stay with is her sister’s friend Lance but hey at this point beggars can’t be choosers so she becomes his reluctant roommate. The two had a fabulous night together months ago at her sister’s wedding. It ended in disaster and a broken heart and Morgan has vowed to never fall in his trap again. Lance has a dark secret, a dark past, and it’s coming back to the surface and it could very well put Morgan in the crosshairs. He refuses to let any danger come to her. She gets under his skin and he can’t fight his desire for her any longer. The two start a battle of wills, a battle of paybacks and it’s only a matter of time before one of them will fall and break the rules of forgetting that hot night together ever happened.

4.5⭐️
3.5-4🔥

What to expect:
MF
Interracial romance
She loves fashion
Age gap
Billionaire
Hidden identity
Best friend’s sister
He knows her coffee order
He helps her practice driving
“Fuck it”
Light choking
He eats 🍑
Light breeding kink
He can dance
He cleans her up with his tongue after

TW/CW: discussion/mention of assassins, on page violence, on page wound care, blood, mentally & emotionally abusive father, he touches her while she’s asleep, quick discussion/mention of losing parents

[Melissa ❤️ bookaddict_fanatic · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5🌟

"sʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ғɪʀᴇ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴍʏ ʜᴀɴᴅs, ᴀ ᴘᴇʀғᴇᴄᴛ sᴛᴏʀᴍ ᴏғ ᴀɴɢᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇsɪʀᴇ ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ʀᴇsɪsᴛ."

Oh, how I've been waiting on the edge of my seat for Lance and Morgan's story, and Nana did not disappoint, but damn that ending!!!

Lance and Morgan had the hate/love relationship down to a science, but you just knew underneath it all, there was a desire for each other tenfold just waiting to explode. Well explode it did, and damn who knew Lance would be downright hot, hot, hot in the bedroom!! But sometimes, all good things come to an end, or someone can ruin the good, not realizing what they had until it's gone.

“ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ɪ'ᴍ ᴄʀᴀᴢʏ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ. ɴᴏᴛ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴠᴇʀsɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ғɪᴛs. ᴡᴇ'ʀᴇ ᴍᴇssʏ ᴍᴏʀɢᴀɴ. ʙᴜᴛ ᴡᴇ'ʀᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟ. ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ʏᴏᴜ, ᴍᴏʀɢᴀɴ. ᴀʟʟ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴄʜᴀʟʟᴇɴɢᴇ ᴍᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪ ɴᴇᴇᴅ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs ʜᴀᴠᴇ."

The twists and turns in this one will leave you reeling, but the angst, tension, and suspense will have you biting your nails in anticipation. Prepare to be jaw-dropped!!

[Shira · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ I don’t know what she puts in these books but they are addicting 😭

[Margo Wesley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gaddang this book was spicy af. It was lowkey a hard read, because everything was repetitive. *slight spoilers ahead*. The main girl (sorry I forget her name and don’t care to look back) and guys dynamic was predictable enemies to lovers but with no real reason because the guy always loved her, and fantasized her when she was a minor and he was… not! Oops must’ve been the wind. I don’t know if it’s the genre that’s not really for me, but it just feels so predictable. It was also repetitive even in the spicy scenes. Like I don’t know if people actually find that entertaining, or I’m not freaky enough, but…
Also, the mafia type background was kind of random, on top of every other plot line (each one being very weak and brushed over). In this book, I feel everything was brushed over, which might be cleared up because of a sequel? I don’t know if there is one (coming) or not, but I’m not sure I would read it. It basically goes hatred-spicy scene-fight-hatred-kiss-find out something new-spicy scene-guy does something bad-fight-make up/out-repeat. Maybe it’s just not for me, but I’d like a different cup of tea.

[Jasmine Jauregui · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way I was waiting for this one!!!


Omg I devoured it i couldn’t put it down!! The banter between lance and Morgan and their chemistry was chef kiss 🤭I love them but that ending tho😭 had me cussing so much but I can’t wait for the next one🥲

Tropes:

🖤: best friend little sister
🤍: age gap
🖤: enemies to lovers
🤍: spicy banter


4.5⭐️

[Isabella Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just meh for me. I couldn’t really connect to the characters. It bothered me way too much that the MMC was fantasising about her while she was a minor and he was VERY MUCH so an adult. It’s a fine line for me and i just couldn’t get past it. Sorry.

Thank you so much to Nana Malone and Valentine PR for the opportunity to ARC read this book.

[Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Direct / Amazon / Apple / Nook / Kobo / Google

Morgan has long held a crush on her sister's best friend, Lance, and it's not easy, because the man drives her nuts, in every way. Now though, she needs a place to stay, and needs a bit of protection, so she's staying with him, and the tension between them is thicker with every day. She shouldn't even be entertaining the thought, because she has other, better, things to worry about, than her attraction to her sister's best friend.



Lance has tried hard to leave his past behind him. He's amassed an empire by being smart, but having Morgan so near him all the time is taking his focus away from where it should be - his business and keeping the danger from his past away. Every day he falls deeper for her even knowing he's not good for her, and he just might be on the verge of something beautiful if he can continue to keep the danger at bay.

I have been waiting for Morgan and Lance's story since her sister Gwen and Atticus' story (Kings of the Boardroom series), and of course Nana definitely did not disappoint. Their antagonism thinly, ok, not at all, disguised their real feelings for each other, and their snark was top notch wit. I wasn't expecting the danger and the intrigue that his past brought, though, and it hurt at the end when the inevitable cliffhanger happened and they left things the way they did, because of that danger. I have faith in Nana, that she'll find a way to get them out of the mess they're in, and assuage my impatience for the next installment, High Stakes: A Forced Proximity Romance.



ARC provided by for an honest review.

Review / Release Blitz: Live Through Books Blog.

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[Linda Ketter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deep Pockets is book 1 in the new Kings and Rivals series from Nana Malone. It follows Lance (Gwen's best friend) and Morgan (Gwen's sister) as they traverse rocky roads of secrecy and lies.

We met both Lance and Morgan in the Kings of the Boardroom series last year. These two are like oil and water whenever they are in the same room. And this series starts with the same bickering between these two.

Lance wants to protect Morgan. He is always there for her. She thinks it is because he is in love with Gwen. But he has his own reasons.

Lance has a secret past. Atticus knows about it, but he is the only one who knows, as far as Lance knows. So when his past comes knocking on his door in the middle of the night, his first thought is to protect Morgan, even if that means breaking her heart in the process.

Morgan has dreamed of creating her own sustainable fashion line. But when her father exerts his control, she loses everything she has worked for. Instead of calling Gwen or Atticus, or even Lance, for help, she moves in to the home that is being remodeled and not fit for living in. Little does she know that someone has a tracker on her and knows where she is.

Lance exerts his control over her, much to her chagrin, and insists she moves in to his apartment. He sets her up with an internship that will help her pay her bills. And is basically just trying to help her while protecting her.

Sadly, Morgan does not have friends. She is so focused on her fashion line that she has no friends. So when a new woman joins the co-op where she works on her line, they become instant friends. But what is Amber's story? We know nothing about this woman, but my gut tells me there is something off with her.

After a drunken night of payback, Morgan makes it home to Lance waiting for her. She is late and did not check in with him so he is worried. More like scared that his past is now touching her.

Lance is trying so hard to keep his distance in order to protect her. But it is not working. He decides that it is better to keep her close in order to protect her.

These two are a hand grenade waiting to explode. Both physically and temperamentally. There are so many secrets that will start to see the light of day. Their lives will start to unravel. Will they be able to salvage a friendship, let alone a relationship? Or will it be a lost cause? Will his past rear its ugly head and catch Morgan in the spiderweb of their lives or will Lance be able to cut the head off of the snake? Sadly, we will have to wait until the next book to find out more.

I have to admit I love seeing these two in the good times. The driving lesson was pure entertainment. Their date was spectacular. Any girl would dream of an adventure like that. But these two are at each other's throats more than they embark on adventures.

[Sandy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

DEEP POCKETS is the first instalment in Nana Malone’s contemporary, adult KINGS AND RIVALS erotic, romantic suspense series set in the author’s Kings of the Boardroom world. This is billionaire businessman Lance Lakewood, and fashion designer Morgan Cristin-Becker’ story line. Lance and Morgan were first introduced to the reader in the KINGS OF THE BOARDROOM series.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Lance and Morgan) DEEP POCKETS focuses on the tempestuous relationship between our story line couple. Morgan Cristin-Becker has been in love with her sister Gwen’s best friend Lance Lakewood all of her life but Morgan felt Lance’s rejection down to her soul, and in the ensuing years struggled to move on with her life. When Morgan’s sister Gwen married to protect our heroine, Morgan has struggled to move on from the past including numerous betrayals at the hands of their father but Lance is determined to protect his best friend’s sister, even if it means getting up close and personal with the people who have destroyed her life. All is not well as Lance and Morgan’s relationship takes a turn for the better, when Lance’s past takes aim at our story line couple.

The world building follows several paths including the dysfunctional family dynamics of both Lance’s and Morgan’s estranged families. Lance grew up in a world of danger and death, as Morgan discovered her own life had been predicated upon a series of lies.

The relationship between Morgan and Lance is one of unrequited love; of obsession and heart break; of secrets and lies. Lance is desperate to protect our story line heroine but keeping secrets will push Morgan out of his life, into a world of danger and madness. The $ex scenes are provocative and impassioned without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of coloful, dynamic and sometimes questionable secondary and supporting characters: We are reintroduced to Morgan’s sister Gwen and her husband Atticus Price( (Kings of the Boardroom); fixer Silas McGill; Atticus’ brother Micah; Lance’s unstable brother Hector DuLac, Adele Beekman,and Morgan’s new ‘friend’ Amber.

DEEP POCKETS is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, secrets and lies, hatred and obsession, mistrust and misunderstanding. The premise is dramatic, gritty and raw; the romance is fated and passionate; the characters are charismatic, broken yet struggling to move forward. DEEP POCKETS ends on a cliff hanger-you have been warned

copy supplied for review

[𝓐𝓪𝓼𝓱 · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review: Deep Pockets by Nana Malone
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️¼ (4.25/5)
📖 Thank you to Nana Malone and Valentine PR for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Let me just say—Deep Pockets was the mafia romance fix I didn’t know I needed. This was my first time diving into a Nana Malone book (yes, I’m fashionably late to the party), and her writing style had me hooked from the jump. If you’re into sexy billionaires with a dangerous edge, emotionally-charged history, and the kind of slow-burn tension that sizzles… buckle up.

The story follows Morgan, our fierce, loyal, and slightly heart-bruised heroine. She’s always carried a secret flame for her brother’s best friend—but it’s been strictly off-limits. Or so she thought. Because surprise surprise—our broody, closed-off MMC? He’s been in deep for her too. Talk about delicious mutual pining with a side of “wait, you actually feel the same?!”

There’s forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers vibes, and unspoken tension that builds with every stolen glance. The banter? Sharply delivered. The angst? Served fresh. The chemistry? Off the charts.

That said, there were a few times where I felt like I was missing key context—especially around the side characters and world-building. While it absolutely works as a standalone, I could tell there was a deeper universe happening that I would’ve appreciated more if I’d read previous books in the series.

Still, Deep Pockets stands strong on its own as a steamy, high-stakes romance packed with emotional depth, unresolved history, and that sweet, sweet payoff. And now? I’m heading straight back to read the rest of this world because if this is what Nana Malone delivers, I need more.

⸻

⚠️ Trigger Warnings:
• Violence / Mafia-related danger
• Unrequited love themes (resolved)
• Some emotional manipulation / secrecy
• Mild language / threat situations

⸻

💘 Tropes & Themes:
• Mafia Romance
• Billionaire Romance
• Best Friend’s Sister
• Enemies to Lovers
• Unrequited Love (but make it mutual)
• Forced Proximity
• Protective MMC with a soft spot
• She thinks he doesn’t love her (but he so does)
• Dual POV

⸻

Final Thoughts:
If you love mafia romance with emotional slow burn, unresolved pining, and a touch of danger—Deep Pockets delivers. This is one of those reads where the tension and secrecy explode into a heart-melting, high-heat payoff. I’ll absolutely be back for more of Nana Malone’s world. 💼🖤💋

[Marcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded to 5 stars, because I need a conclusion. Having said that...Let me also say that Lance was definitely not who I thought he was...He was so much more! Wow! Deep Pockets is an age gap romance between Lance Lakewood, Gwen's best friend, and Morgan (Gwen's little sister). Of course we met both of them in Gwen and Atticus' story (Kings of the Boardroom series), but we did not really know these characters. Oh boya has Deep Pockets given us a deep dive into these characters, and their feelings for each other...and my word do they run deep!

In Deep Pockets, the first book in the Kings and Rivals series, we learn that Lance Lakewood has built his life around a carefully constructed reality, which begins to crumble once he gives into the feelings he has been harboring for Morgan, and spends the night with her. Following that evening Lance tries to keep his distance but his need to protect and be with Morgan wins out. Morgan, who, has been in love with Lance since she was a teenager, decides she doesn't want anything else to do with him after the way he treated her, but once her father ambushes her and tries to take away her dreams, Lance is who she turns to for help. Lance, who she realizes has always been there when she has need him. Once these two really and truly give into their feelings the story fully takes off and takes us on one of the wildest rollercoaster rides Nana Malone has ever taken us on.

Deep Pockets is such an intense read. I enjoyed every moment of the ride. Nana Malone's writing of Lance and Morgan's story is simply beautiful, and forces not only Lance and Morgan to confront moral dilemmas, but the reader also is faced to confront such issues, and question right from wrong. And while doing all of this...we also get to experience the love, passion, desire and real fear that Lance has when it comes to loving Morgan, as well as Morgan's love for Lance, but fear that he is just another man in her life who is trying to control her. Nana Malone's balancing of all of these themes is simply brilliant and makes this book such a great read. Grab your copies of Deep Pocket right now, you won't regret it! Bravo, Nana Malone on yet another well told story.

[BookNerdQueen · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars: 4.25
🌶️🌶️🌶️ Spice 3.75

Lance and Morgan have been dancing around each other for years. This book starts with the two learning a dance for her sister’s wedding (Gwen from the Merger), and Lance can’t help but do things to get under Morgan’s skin. Morgan has been in love for years with Lance, but something made that love turn into hate.

Now Lance has been gone off of Morgan before he knew that was but tried to deny his feelings for years since he is Morgan’s Sister’s best friend.

Events take place causing Morgan to rely on Lance when she’d rather go live in a ditch. Did I mention that our girl is stubborn? Lance offers her assistance, and from there, the collision course these two have been on explodes.

Lance, my man, my man, my man! He don’t play about his Spitfire. Ask Morgan’s daddy about that. The lengths Lance is willing to go for his woman has no bounds.

Oh, and the way he talks Morgan through it.. Lawdy, if that’s one thing he’s gonna do right it’s that.

Morgan is confident and knows what she wants. She won’t let obstacles stop her, she’ll figure out how to get stuff done. However, Morgan is stubborn, so you’re gonna get frustrated with her a bit, but she’s younger than Lance, and I feel like there’s more growth on the way for her.

Lance is a sucker for Morgan. Once he accepted his feelings he dived in deep. Lance has a past which of course, means there are secrets. As with most couples, these two don’t communicate properly. Morgan does more communicating but has her issues thanks to her raggedy arse daddy.

This book does end in a somewhat cliffhanger. Their journey isn’t over yet.

The spice- Lance gonna give it to her again and again and again.. lol.🥵

I enjoyed these two so much, and I loved Lance’s personality.

I can’t wait for High Stakes!

This is a BWWM book, and of course, I’m here for any book that shows Black Women being loved thoroughly and properly. 👸🏾

Age Gap (not too wide)
Enemies to Lovers
Best Friends Sibling
Suspense
One Bed
Angsty
Billionaire

[K.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deep Pockets by Nana Malone is so good, and I’m sure it seems I say this about a lot of the books I read. One, I read what I like; two, I love her books, and she has never let me down so far. Three, I finished this book and immediately messaged her even though I knew she would be asleep, considering the time change, to let her know she had gutted my heart…once again. The great thing about getting selected for an ARC from Nana was I squealed like a little girl; the bad thing is waiting for the next book like a loser and not being able to devour a whole series of hers in a sitting like I’ve done in the past…bit I digress.
Let’s talk about Morgan, she’s sassy, talented, and beautiful. She needs to grow up some, I’ll say, and the last page made me think so even more. I loved watching her character pull herself up over and over again to overcome all the challenges that were thrown at her. Part of growing up though, is learning from your mistakes, and she does that and I know will continue to do so in the next book too.
Now let’s talk about Lance, because yes please…he is dark, but trying to scrub himself up to be all clean. He wants to be someone entirely different than his past, not realizing he needs to find a way to embrace who he was with who he is, to truly be who he was meant to be. Yes, cheesy, but when he lets his guard down, he is a cheesy guy. His inner monologue was so real, his hesitations, his fears and all. I truly loved Lance, and that last chapter was a knife to my gut for him. I wanted to wrap him up and burn people down at the same time. To say I am waiting expectantly for the next book is the biggest understatement of the year! (5 stars)
If you have never read anything by Nana, jump in now for this series, but go back to the others. I also highly recommend the Hear No Evil series, I read that one in a weekend and paid dearly for the lack of sleep but *chef’s kiss*!

[Lisa Spofford · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 rounded to 5 stars on Goodreads and retail sites) DEEP POCKETS is the first book in the Kings and Rivals series by Nana Malone, a spin-off of her Kings of the Boardroom series. This is the book I wanted but didn’t know I was missing about Gwenyth’s sister, Morgan, and her best friend Lance: an age gap, best friend’s sister, secret history romantic suspense novel. Lance had a problem. He was suddenly obsessed with Madison, and he lost control and spent a night with her. But his past caught up to him so he sent her away that night to keep her safe. Meanwhile, Morgan’s father sabotage her dreams of becoming a fashion designer and demanded she take a job with his company or be cut off. Not wanting to bother her sister on her babymoon, she camped out in her apartment while it was gutted for renovation. Lance saw Morgan on the security feed, collected her, and moved her in with him. He had to juggle keeping his secrets, his secret mission, and his feelings for and overwhelming attraction to Morgan. Morgan began to forgive him, but Lance was withholding so much of himself. This was a an intense book. The overwhelming chemistry and high level of spice was one element, and the rollercoaster of emotions and potential dangers was the other. I admit to being quite surprised by Lance’s backstory as I was certainly convinced that he was the golden retriever friend in the previous trilogy, when in fact he is a definitely alpha-hero with a morally black past. I loved the enemies to lovers arc in Morgan and Lance’s relationship. I loved Morgan’s character and her determination to find success on her own terns, and I loved Lance’s mission. I hope that Lance will share his burdens with his found family, because they have the resources to help. This book ends on a cliffhanger, but I suspect that the author won’t keep readers waiting too long. I definitely recommend this book for readers who enjoy a darker, grittier romantic suspense. This book is reminiscent of a mafia romance, so readers who enjoy that sub genre should give it a try.

I received a free ARC of this novel via Valentine PR and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

[Ashlley · Rating 3 out of 5]

𝘿𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙋𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙗𝙮 𝙉𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝙈𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚
★★★☆☆

Thank you, Nana and Valentine PR for the ARC ♡

I'm not gonna lie, I struggled a bit with this one. While I loved the concept and the plot had a lot of potential, I had a hard time connecting with the characters and the overall story. Some scenes felt a bit underdeveloped, which took away some of the depth I was hoping for. And I wasn’t expecting the cliffhanger ending, so that left me feeling a little unsatisfied. And I guess that's also the reason why some scenes aren't fleshed out, because there's going to be a next book.

Morgan was tough for me to connect with. I feel like she wasn’t really trying to understand Lance, even though she knows how difficult it is for him to open up. It seemed like she expected him to lay everything out all at once, and then when the truth came out, she just bolted. I get that she can be mature in some ways, but her back-and-forth behavior was hard to tolerate at times. Though, to be fair, that also made her feel like a more real character because people can be messy.

As for Lance, I honestly forgot how old he's supposed to be, because sometimes he acts like a total manchild. Although, most of the time, it’s tolerable and even endearing. I liked seeing how protective he is of Morgan, and I appreciated that he’s the kind of guy who would burn the world down for the woman he loves.

One thing I really enjoyed was the banter between Lance and Morgan. Their chemistry was undeniable, and I liked how they danced around their feelings for each other, trying to hide what was clearly there.

Overall, while it wasn’t my favourite, I can definitely see a lot of readers enjoying this one. And honestly, I’m still curious to see how everything unfolds in the next book—I want to know what happens with Lance and Morgan!! And I'm still suspicious of Amber. I feel like she's up to something.

[Mags · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐

I was absolutely primed for a story featuring Lance and Morgan, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. The tension was palpable, and the push-pull between them was masterfully executed. This is why I found myself glued to the pages until 3 AM, and now I can't wait for the next instalment!

As Lance Lakewood is Morgan's sister's best friend, and their love-hate relationship is captivating, much to the chagrin of her sister Gwen, who just wants them to get along. But there's a deeper reason for their antagonism, and when everything finally comes to a head, they share an unforgettable few hours together.

But just when Lance begins to accept that Morgan is meant to be his, a blast from his past forces him to push her away. This leaves Morgan heartbroken yet determined to move forward with her life as an aspiring design student. But her father has other plans, insisting she abandon her dreams to join the family business—a move he believes is necessary. Little does he know, Morgan is ready to fight back.

This is when she reconnects with Lance, who swoops in to save the day by offering her a place to stay and setting her up to work at her brother-in-law's company. This way, she can fund her design dreams independently.

However, being back in close proximity to Lance comes with its own set of challenges, especially since she isn't sure if she can fully trust him.

And with sizzling romance, heart-wrenching drama, and sharp humour, this story is an absolute page-turner that I wholeheartedly recommend to everyone. But beware their is a cliffhanger!!

My thanks to Valentine PR/Nana Malone for the opportunity to read Deep Pockets. All thoughts expressed are my own. ☺️