Reaching Lily

by Vivacia K. Ahwen

Dorian is Lily’s new boss and he wants to rule her, own her, control her, and awaken Lily to the sensuality she never knew she possessed.

Let him in, or run away?

Dorian Holder arrives at work to clean house and change everything, including his dealings with intern, Lily DeWitt. Soon, he’s demanding Lily be subservient both in the office and in his luxury suite.

Lily once believed that sometimes giving in, and being someone’s Everything For Now, could be the ultimate power. But relinquishing total control is altogether more than she bargained for, and falling in love was not part of their agreement.

Genres: Romance

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 27, 2014

About the author

Long story short, Vivacia K. Ahwen retired from writing erotic fiction. The Lily books are a nice bit of nostalgia if you fondly miss the billionaire trope or want a trip back in time when the only Donald Trump joke was "The Apprentice is a terrible reality show." Angels Prey remains as amusing a satire to me now as it was back then, but my sense of humor isn't for everyone. I've pulled the links to all the books, since I don't recommend!
Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and review Vivacia's erotic romance novels or Witchology Magazine astrology columns. Thank you to Adam Neville for all things HarperCollins.

You can find me being my authentic Rachel Robbins of Maine self, painting up a storm, creating needful things, and advocating for epilepsy awareness at Right As Rain Eclectic Art.

If you want to check out my creations, here's a few links:

Right As Rain Eclectic website; new artwork posted biweekly!

https://www.rightasraineclecticart.com

I'm pretty good staying up on social media, but quit Twitter because of Elon's nonsense. [Also am GenX so don't do TikTok.] But you can find me here:

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/rightasrain...

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/rightasraine...

Got art? You can purchase from me directly (for best prices) or, at several Maine galleries, shops, spas, and eateries, or


Want to just say hi or get spoilers about how the Lily or Clarice series end? Because I *did* write outlines. My real address is rachelingridrobbins@gmail.com

Reviews

[Michelle]

I rarely DNF a book. But after finishing the prologue I just had to put this down. I thought, maybe I'd pick it back up but read through the first few pages of the first chapter and decided not to go further. I made it to 4%.

The main issue I had was the phrasing of the start of this story. The MC is expected to be from Boston, buy yet she speaks/thinks in a way that makes me picture someone from England rather than New England. The prologue is a mix of language. English (American) and English (European); the spelling of words, selection of vocabulary and the punctuation - all a mix up of both cultures.

This is a pet peeve of mine. when a story takes place in a specific region, the words need to fit. There are region specific terms that the most sophisticated of folks use as common speak. Other than the MC dropping an F bomb here and there, nothing about the start of this said, this character is a young woman from Boston.

[Rochelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really into this story when BAM cliffhanger!! Sucks. Please write the 2nd book.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, well, well, this was definitely an interesting read. I found Lily DeWitt in Reaching Lily by Vivacia Ahwen to be an interesting departure from the usual heroine. She was of course in distress but definitely not in a way that was common with this genre. She was a twenty-something year old that acted the part. She had a social life.
She found herself in the darnedest and weirdest situations and although, I was not a wild child of her caliber, yet she was somehow relatable. Lily can best be described as that friend that was always up to something and nothing all at the same time. She was a college graduate and was under employed for a company that showed little to no interest in her knowledge and skills and she was didn’t know the wiser.

Then one day, the most arrogant Alpha males to ever grace my Kindle app’s screen entered her life as the owner of the company she worked for and shook things up and forever changed her life. Dorian Holder was his name and being an A-hole was his game, as he changed the company her worked for and intruded on her girls-gone-wild life. He was a strange bird that has to be the most entitled jerk that knew what he wanted and when and how he wanted and he had his eyes set on that Lily.

Initially, I did not like him at all. I honestly thought I was not going to be able to finish the book because that ‘thang’ is a son-of-a-biscuit-eater’. But somewhere along the way, I actually started to like him in all of his awkwardness. And did I mention Dorian takes kink-foolery to an entire other level. However, as you read and hear from his sister you realized something is not quite right with him and I am still trying to determine is it because she is an over-protective younger sister or is something really off about that one.

I digress. Overall, I actually enjoyed their story. I really liked the way Lily and Dorian interacted with each other. How-so-and-ever, something is definitely missing from this story, a lot of storyline that remain unfinished, and is definitely off with Dorian. So, with an ending that left me dangling off of a random cliff in the Land of the Offa-doos, I am certainly looking forward to the follow-up novel.

All-in-all, my recommendation would be to jog on over and read Reaching Lily by Vivacia Ahwen.

A complimentary copy was provided by Harper Collins via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

For this review and others, visit www.runandreadthat.com.

[Heather andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dorian was just a weird fellow for me, "you can touch it, should you wish." His voice dropped to a purr. I reached up and pulled. A curious blend of silky and stiff filled my hand. "Now you can release me," Dorian holder said. He brushed my hand away. "You have a fine grip, Ms. Dewitt." I loved Lily she knows how to drive her man bonkers:
"Then I probably shouldn't tell you that I've been playing with my nipples the entire time we've been talking." Wow. Where did that come from?
"Jesus, Lily!" There was another loud honk. "I've got to get off."
Dorian he really is a tough nut to crack even at the end of the book he wasn't cracked, "Lily, I have another meeting in ten minutes. Don't make me walk in with a hard-on." Dorian is an intense guy but I guess he's honest, "I've just been aching to hold you and I'm a bit out of sorts. Had to keep trying to fight off hard-ons all day at the office." I'm not sure if the ending was a cliffhanger..I'm not sure if they're even a couple? This book sometimes had confusing aspects like the state of their relationship.

[Ane Margaux · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this through NetGalley for an honest review,

This was an interesting read. The concept was solid although the nature of their relationship threw me when it was first disclosed. The dynamic between Lily and Dorian was quirky and sweet although at times unnerving. The most frustrating aspect of this read is Ahwen's writing style. I feel there was a lack of organization or the way she switched between the present and flashbacks was a source of confusion. The dialogue was also occasionally frustrating. Sometimes it was all over the place and the reader has to backtrack and reread sections to understand what is being said.
Dorian scares me. I think he has a good heart but there is something not right in the buttermilk when it comes to that guy. His relationship with his sister is also a cause for concern.
Lily is a little aloof. She slowly sees this man changing her and she knows its strange but she's not trying to stop it.
I would most definitely be interested in reading a sequel. The series has a lot of potential.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Copy supplied by the Publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. Would have been 5 stars but for the fact that it's a cliffhanger.

I have to say that when I started reading this book I really wasn't sure I was going to be able to finish it but I hate giving up so I ploughed on and then, all of a sudden, it had me gripped. What seemed to start out as yet another Twisted Billionaire meets lowly, compliant, female and tries to seduce her into his weird world suddenly turned into so much more.

Lily has already decided that she has a very defined sub tendency and her new boss, Dorian, is as Alpha as they come. Things get very heated, very quickly, and the book suddenly explodes into a whole lot of emotions and more.

Then just as it reached a pinnacle the book finished leaving me wondering when the next one would be out because I NEED to know what happens next.

Loved it!

[Jdursi · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC PROVIDED BY HARPER COLLINS VIA NETGALLEY*

The first glimpse we get of a heart broken Lily is as she is fleeing from her life. After finishing the prologue, I knew this was going to be a book much different than I'm used to. I say that in a good way. My first thought was WOW the author gave away a lot of information. The author's writing only intrigued me more going forward. I enjoyed the pop culture references & often found myself laughing. I thought it was also very different that Lily would be telling her story & then make a comment about something that happened in the future. I loved that Reaching Lily was very character & story driven with a splash of the very naughty Mr. Dorian Holder. I definitely wasn't ready for the book to end when it did. That would be yet another trick Vivacia K. Ahwen had up her sleeve.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my I am not even sure as to where to begin. I was not sure of what I expected of this book. Let me say I was not disappointed. I loved the characters.

Lily, oh sweet Lily. She has no clue of her beauty. I love how she handles herself.

Dorian what an ass he can be. He is however, very aware of Lily's beauty. After a while the ass will grow on you. At least he did me.

I really enjoyed the interaction between Lily and Dorian. It immediately pulled me in and kept my attention until the end. I could not put my kindle down.

The end...yup a damn cliffhanger...I have not doubt though that it will be worth the wait for the next installment of Lily's and Dorian's story.

I am looking forward to reading many more books from this author.

[Marissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
Loved Lily's quirkiness and how she loved to torment Dorian. And Dorian with his mood swings but he was a hot billionaire. The beginning is a bit confusing, I didn't realize it was the future and sometimes the author would refer to something Dorian has done to Lily but then continue on in first person present time. Otherwise, I loved the banter, the things Lily thought and said, that I laughed out loud several times. I thought the writing style was different than what I normally read and it was a nice change of pace. I really want the next book so I can see what caused the opening prologue.

[Barone1997live.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was quickly caught up in the thrilling and erotic tale of Dorian and Lily. Even though Dorian seems to be hiding secrets, and Lily has secrets of her own, they are explosive together. I would like to find out a little more about what happened with Gwen, and exactly what Dorian's hang-ups are, and simply cannot wait to read the second book to see what happens between Lily and Dorian. The book started with her leaving Dorian, and the rest of it told their tale, but had a cliffhanger ending that never connected back to her leaving....

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

* ARC provided by the author for an honest review *

I had no idea I would love this book so much. Lily is such a strong female. I loved the story. I could not put down this book. Cannot wait to see what happens next for this "couple".

[Coribooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Main man was hot. Female lead was funny but annoying at times, Though it ended on a cliff hanger, not inclined to read the next

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darn series.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so uneven for me. There are parts I really liked, but other details I really had trouble with.

Let's start with the good stuff. I expected this to be a fast, smutty read. In this respect, it did not disappoint. Lily is your typical "doesn't know she's beautiful/diamond in the rough" heroine, while Dorian is the all-powerful, gorgeous dude that sees her potential. I liked that we begin at the end, with Lily taking off after Dorian has obviously broken her heart. I also liked that Lily isn't all virginal and naive when it comes to some kinky stuff. It's good to see a character that embraces her kinks.

The biggest downer for me were the British-isms. Both Lily and Dorian pepper their speech with British slang and phrases like "snog" and "I've rung you..." instead of "kiss" or "I called you..." which is the American terminology. Also, common words are spelled with the British spelling (ex. storey vs. story). None of this would be a problem if the book were set in England or the characters were ex-pats living in the US, however, it's set in Boston with American characters. Oops. I also disliked the use of "wicked". It's tossed in a couple of times like "wicked sorry" or "wicked smart", but it's so out of place with the way that the rest of the dialogue is written that it's really jarring. It feels like the author is trying too hard, like "See, see! We're in Boston!" Also, I know 50 Shades is the template for this (and a million other books), but please, PLEASE never type the words "inner goddess" again. Anyone. EVER.

The plot started out well, but toward the end it got jumbled and I had to re-read several sections to figure out what was going on. It felt like the author and/or editor got tired of checking to make sure the plot was clear and internally consistent somewhere around chapter 12 and just called it good enough. For example, in Chapter 15, Lily gets home to her apartment and kicks off her shoes. A few pages later at the beginning of Chapter 16, she takes her shoes off again while talking to her mom on the phone. The same shoes she already took off, no more than 10 minutes ago. There's really no reason that detail should have slipped through.

This is also the point in the book where the plot starts to really rush together. I really don't understand what the rush is, because there's a cliffhanger "ending" and there are clearly more books on the way. No need to cram some of this info into book one if you're writing several of them. The whole thing with Dorian taking Lily's mom to the ballet, then having dinner at her house? Weird. That needed a LOT more set up and development to fit into the story and should have been moved to a later installment if it was going to work. Not to mention the cliffhanger "ending" itself. Most cliffhangers bring you to a point where a decision needs to be made or a significant event has just occurred in order to set up the next book. This book just ends at the end of a chapter where nothing significant has happened with "to be continued".

[ItsAboutTheBook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review can be read at It's About The Book

3.5 stars

This strangely erotic tale of subservience and domination between an older boss and his very young co-worker is reminiscent of many books yet definitely stands apart.

Going to work on the train one morning, Lily spies a man she’s instantly in love with. Hot damn he’s amazing looking! She gets to work only to find out that “that” man is Dorian Holder–the man from “corporate” who’s come to clean house at Apollyon, Boston’s power gym chain. When he reveals himself as the head of the company that owns the gym and fires her boss, she’s even more thrilled yet concerned–is he going to make her pay for staring at him on the train?

Lily’s used to her copy writing skills being hijacked by other power players in the marketing department, so she sees an opportunity to get the truth to the corporate man–maybe if he likes her, she can use him to get the attention she deserves. As her plan unfolds, Dorian’s does as well. Their affair begins and before they know it, they’re hooked, line and sinker. But where is this going to lead?

The ending is sort of cliffhanger-ish, with more books to come. I’m not a fan of the serial erotica, but this one is very well done if you don’t mind them yourself.

This is a scandalously nasty, blatantly erotic read that’s both funny and irreverent, taking you totally into the mind of twenty-four year old Lily–who’s being pursued by one of the most dangerously attractive, addictive men she’s ever met–the first to crack open her wicked sense of libidinous play, to test her sexual prowess with the slap and tickle he knows so well. Master and sub, deliciously mixed with real-life context. This read is NOT for the faint of heart.

[Rhiannon Overby · Rating 2 out of 5]

*This book ends with a bit of a cliff hanger*

Lily sees an attractive man n the subway, only to realize that he's the CEO of the company she works for. She and Dorian soon get swept up in a relationship based on control and dominance.

I started off liking this book and the direction it was going, who wouldn't like a rich CEO dominating a young employee? Only Dorian and Lily have a relationship that's quirky, dominating, and just overall confusing. The more that I read the book, the more I disliked Lily as a character and the strange relationship that she had with Dorian. Overall I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to characters, however Lily just rubbed me the wrong way.

The writing style of Vivacia Ahwen also throw me off. She often flipped back and forth between present and past tense, confusing the reader and at times making it hard to follow.. It also really grated my nerves that she used first name, last name and title a lot. "Dorian Holder CEO this, Dorian Holder CEO that....I understood that his last name was Holder and that he was the CEO after the first 20 uses, I didn't need all of the others. The dialogue and scenes also felt very forced and unnatural.

While I would have loved to know what happened to get Lily and Dorian to the place they were in the prologue, I'm not curious enough to continue reading more of this series. Don't waste your time, there are many other D/s books out there written much better.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review*

[Jennifer Hajdics · Rating 1 out of 5]

So Utterly Rancid!

Was there an actual story that was supposed to be written? Because literally 85% of this book is about shopping, makeovers and spa dates. This book is 400 pages, think about that. Proper spelling, grammar and especially punctuation were non-existent, which is a huge pet peeve of mine. The characters sucked, I'm not going to sugarcoat it. The fact that they all refer to each other by their first and last names during general conversing was so annoying I can't even describe it. Lily was so boring! Her inner dialogue was mindless drivel used to fill up space in the book. Dorian was clinical and arrogant. Not in the hot sexy way. We got no insight into him at all. All He wants is to sleep with Lily. It's so disappointing when the sample of a book seems promising but the reality is the exact opposite.

[Erika · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a DNF for me. I got to about 15% and just couldn't read any further. My issue was the narrative and the actual story blended together to much. It was hard to separate the two. One second you would be in a conversation with two characters and then you would be in Lily's head and she would start rambling about things that had nothing to do with the conversation. So by the time the conversation picks back up you are totally lost. I couldn't follow the story line. Its a shame really, after reading the prologue I thought 'oo this sounds so good' but I just couldn't get into the writing.

So for now I have moved on. Maybe down the road I may give it another try but for now it has been put to the side.

Received from NetGalley for honest review.

[Izzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted a quick trashy read and this fit the bill. I would have rated it better if not for the ridiculous cliff hanger.

It opens pretty strong with our lady on the run but the cliffhanger still hasn't fulfilled that opening.

We quickly meet some amazing characters who also disappear very quickly. I want more development in those storylines which I'm hoping for in book 2.

Overall it's a pretty formulaic billionaire makeover love story but still enjoyable. Mostly I wish that the book didn't end on such a stopping point. I'm left with way too many questions right now that I want answered.

With the ending 2 stars but without a solid 3 of just middling hitting that craving for a good trashy book.

[Nickole Wells · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK so here is the small problems I have with this book. firstly when she was talking with Gwen in the beginning of the book there was so much slang that I honestly thought that they were speaking a different language. secondly I'm sorry no matter how hot u think someone is u still don't allow. ur self to be talked down to and cut down your living conditions. I thought that him and his sister were snobs but he kept telling her not to make assumptions about him. I'll read the sequel because at times I did LOL

[Angelspearl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly wasn't pleased with this book. I wanted something quick and racy to read and this I'm afraid just didn't do much for me. The plot was just pointless and it continued till the end to which there is a sequel which just annoyed me even more.

[Karen Lee-Johnston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read but slightly forgettable!!