His Reckoning: Forced Proximity,Roommates/Billionaire Romance

by Nicole Baker

He's arrogant, infuriating... and now her new roommate.

463 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 29, 2026

Reviews

[Sim-fully Ever After · Rating 4 out of 5]

4🌟, 3🌶️

I had such a good time with this one.

What started as a fun roommates-to-lovers romance quickly pulled me in with its banter, chemistry, and emotional depth. Kayla and Sawyer were complete opposites, but their interactions felt natural and entertaining from start to finish, and I found myself looking forward to every scene they shared.

Sawyer was definitely the highlight for me. Beneath his guarded, grumpy exterior was a character carrying a lot of emotional weight, and I enjoyed watching him slowly let someone in. I also loved how Kayla challenged him without trying to change him. Their connection felt genuine, and the mix of humor, tension, and vulnerability kept me invested throughout.

While there were a few moments that felt slightly repetitive, it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed the story overall. The emotional moments landed well, the chemistry was strong, and the ending left me with a smile.

This was an engaging romance with plenty of heart, and I’m glad I picked it up.

~~~~

Huge thank you to Nicole Baker and Grey’s Promotions for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨

[Nö Ğå · Rating 4 out of 5]

"هل ما زلتما تتظاهران بأنكما لا تريدان قتل بعضكما؟"
"لم يكن هذا هو الحال أبدًا."
هز دين كتفيه. "لقد انفعلت على جوردان أمس، وعملت لوقت متأخر، والآن تبدو وكأن أحدهم قد تحدى كبرياءك."
"أنا قادر تمامًا على كبح جماح كبريائي."
"هذا بالضبط ما سيقوله أي شخص إذا تعرض كبرياؤه للتحدي."

هي فهمته واهتمت به كما لم يفعل احد .. لم يحاول احد كما فعلت هي
ملياردير عازب وهي كاتبه قصص رومانسيه .. room mates. بالصدفه بعد ان اهانته بانه لايصلح ان يكون بطل روايه بل يبدو كشخصيه ثانويه

صدق المثل اللي قال < تعرف فلان اعرفه .. عاشرته .. لا معشرتوش .. يبقي متعرفوش >

من امتع الكتب اللي تخليك مش قادر من كتر الضحك .. سهوله المواقف والحوار قد ايه خطير

[Wendy Marie (myrisingphoenixera.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
2.5🌶️
🔥Billionaire
🔥Forced Proximity
🔥Roomates to Lovers
🔥Grumpy/Sunshine
🔥Alpha Male
🔥Dual First Person POV

What happens when a romance author temporarily moves in with a guarded billionaire? You get insane chemistry, banter, & tension so thick you feel it jumping off the page. Kayla’s best friend & roommate is moving in with her fiancé, leaving Kayla needing to find a new apartment. Sawyer offers for her to move in while she looks for a new apartment. Sawyer didn’t think she would dissrupt his life…boy was he wrong. These two are polar opposites, she’s sunshine to his grumpy, & the forced proximity creates yummy tension & banter. He isn’t the most approachable but that doesn’t deter Kayla. Sawyer is used to people being intimidated by him, but Kayla has no problem standing up to him, challenging him, & basically just getting under his skin. Sawyer is emotionally detached, controlling, & guarded. But underneath is a man who is battling demons from his past & doing everything he can to not let anyone get close, including his friends & family. Kayla has been struggling with writer’s block for weeks now. Sawyer catches her having arguements with her keyboard & narrating things out loud. Sawyer starts to see a pattern with her writing, after an argument or sexually charged moment, Kayla is able to write. So he suggests a mutually beneficial arrangement. Then when the tension finally snaps, Sawyer starts to unravel. Soon things with Kayla doesn’t feel temporary any longer. Their arguments were full of witty banter. The back & forth felt like you were watching a tennis match with them volleying quips back & forth. While their chemistry is undeniable, the deeper story of their relationship was developing underneath the romance. They balance each other out & they find something that neither knew was missing. While Saywer continues to fight his feelings, he is unknowingly falling harder for Kayla. She shows him that she’s there to help carry the weight of his past, not to fix him. When Sawyer thinks Kayla used him for material, everything falls apart. But when he realizes that wasn’t the case we get top tier groveling. There were times when phrases, even conversations, that felt very repetitive, making things feel choppy at times.

Plot: 4
Engaging: 4
Character: 4

Thank you Nicole Baker & Grey’s Promo for the gifted advanced copy.

📚All thoughts and opinions are my own📚
🐦‍🔥Follow me on socials @myrisingphoenixera.reads🐦‍🔥

A Few Favorite Quotes:
“The most arrogant man I’ve ever met might also be the most inconveniently useful writing tool in existence.”

“I’ve been in boardrooms, making billion-dollar deals, but nothing is as rewarding as hearing this stubborn, pain-in-the-a$$ woman scream my name.”

“I’ll make sure when I’m done with her, she never thinks of anyone but me when she’s naked.”

“You don’t deserve me giving you time to adjust. Not when you spent the entire night purposely driving me crazy.”

“Because you keep climbing on top of me like that, and eventually, I’m going to stop pretending I have any self-control.”

[BridgetReadsTooMuch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 2.5
I was really hoping to love this and counting down until it came to the appendage called my Kindle!

I had liked these characters, Sawyer and Kayla, from the previous book. The book is the 5th installment in the Empire of Love Series. Kayla was Melissa’s (His Confession) roommate, but now that she's living with Colton, she needs to find something more affordable. Melissa and Colton ask Sawyer if Kayla can move in with him while she figures her situation out. The bones and premise of the book seemed really promising. Who doesn’t love forced proximity?!! I thought we were in for a good one 🎉

They have this really delicious tension for the first half of the book–snarkiness, power/control games, button pushing, the whole nine..this was chef's kiss…I love the stolen glances, sexual tension, Sawyer becoming her muse, his acts of service...aww, swoon, the back and forth between the two…the “experimenting”, homegirl went for it to get her data 🤭 I thought at this point we had a good story happening.

Without trying to spoil things, but I am, so stop ✋reading if you don’t want to read them, but I’m hinting hard and spoiling like milk.

As we got to the second half of the book or the rising conflict, some things just seemed to feel off to me….

Sawyer had this seriously traumatic past that his buddies and siblings don’t even know about that he felt comfortable enough to tell her about. Look, I liked that she was respectful before he said anything when she realized that something happened when she noticed…something…and didn’t initially press, BUT when he had the nightmare and she went into questions the next morning when he wasn’t ready to talk about it, I didn’t love the approach. He suggested pushing it to talk about later, which was fine, but when the time came, instead of asking if he was sure he was ready like a supportive person would, she pushed him into it. Going through trauma like that, yes, you might say. “I’m ready”, but when the time comes, you can’t. It left me 🤢. Then some of the questions she was asking him were inappropriate for a trauma survivor. Don’t get me wrong I love that he shed his strong billionaire walls and was vulnerable with her, I just think there could have been a little more care taken in how this was written.
Kayla must be a superwoman 🦸 If you can get a man to tell you that deep dark secret in the handful of months, you’ve got the golden touch for sure, Kayla should teach classes!

I had some major second hand cringe or anxiety…after he told her all of his history, she then uses him and his background as the bkgd material for the hero in her book. At this moment, I no longer had respect for her and the book just fell short for me. I’m sorry, I saw the other reviews that absolutely loved her….I’m sorry, I know…the cheese stands alone!

Her doing that is such a slap in the face. In my opinion, he handled that better than most people would have. Yes, when we find out how she really sees him, sure that’s great, but who in their right mind does not have the common sense to ask to use someone’s tragic likeness for their hero or at least let them read it before sending it off to their editor ESPECIALLY when they are the only person that that person felt comfortable telling.

I know that most readers of these books are women and I get where Nicole was going with this, but I wasn’t onboard with this all turning around and her becoming the victim and him having to make this whole grand gesture and being the one to make her feel better.
Look, love her all you want, but let’s be honest, she absolutely screwed up, not him. He was completely justified in his reaction. What I’m about to say isn't said lightly…she should have been the one to be groveling and I am never one to say that–I started reading these kinds of books to see men grovel, because we don’t see it enough in the real world. I always believe the MMC should grovel, I relish a good grovel, but sorry, I can’t ride this train 🚂.

When they are making up in the last chapter, yes, she takes blame but she never actually says she’s sorry…you can take accountability but it doesn't mean you’re sorry.

I don’t know if this was an oversight or I missed it because the ending was rushed and unfinished but she never says, “I love you” to him in this book 😟.

I didn’t actually get the feeling that they were doing great in the Epilogue, why is he telling her not to leave him emotionally and why does she seem withdrawn on the couch by herself 🥺.

There were areas where it felt like scenes were repeated but written in a different way, timelines or dates were off, and dialogue seemed out of order.

This is me being picky, I live in NYC and grew up in an Italian area. I have to say I don’t know any Italian family that does not have at least one of the kids with a traditional Italian name, especially an Italian family that is cooking old country Italian food and having weekly Sunday dinner 🍝.

Look, I’ve loved the series up until this book, maybe I just really psyched this installment up in my head and was let down or because this was such a serious topic and she treated it like he told her that he used to run out of the classroom when he had to do presentations. Don’t get me wrong, the first half of the book was great, for sure. I would go as far as to say it was 😘 I just wish there was a little more care taken with the second half and the ending felt a little more secure.

Does this review mean I'm done and not going to read any of Nicole’s other books? No, I’ve liked all of her other books and I’m still going to be on pins and needles waiting on Dean’s book. I’m a sucker for a single dad/nanny romance 🥰

[Pebbles Lacasse · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a writer, I can relate

In writing a book, we always use parts of the people surrounding us. Their lives and past experiences influence us into creating stories often similar to true to life. We hope that the people don’t read it and take it poorly, but sometimes that happens. But when a sexy stranger comes into your life, because you had to move into his apartment, how can you not write a story pertaining to him? She watches him. She desires him. But she doesn’t really know him… Until she does.

[Brittany Lambert · Rating 2 out of 5]

good story, needed better editing

I really loved Sawyer and Kayla’s story, but there were too many times where dialogue streams got mixed up, characters seemed to be saying things that didn’t work in the conversation, or dialogue just ran for too long with no other scene development. And there were lots of inconsistencies - for example, MMC would close the distance between him and FMC on one page, and then take a step toward her 2 pages later - did he close the distance or not? There were lots of little details that were either repetitive or contradicted scene details established just before. I wanted to love this book more because the story was solid, but the inconsistencies took me out of it tbh.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you have that author where you never have any doubts and just know their book is going to be perfection every damn time? Nicole is that author for me, 100%!

His Reckoning was brilliant, hard hitting, and had the perfect amount of spice 🌶️ Honestly, I love Nicole’s books so much, and I’m always so excited to pick them up. This time was absolutely no exception.

Brilliant!! ❤️

[Emmy Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was an utter masterpiece and literally consumes my every thought right now. I’ve read a whole bunch of billionaire romances, with grumpy mmcs who ware emotionally constipated because of the trauma they went through, and the sunshine fmcs who have this “but I can fix him” mentality. But this one stands out to me in so many ways with the pronominal writing, unique characters and emotionally moving plot. For the most part the plot was very fun and very romcom like. They’re roommates and the forced proximity just makes them engage in flirty banter 24/7 and pretend they hate each other when they’re clearly falling. This was the forced proximity trope done right, bumping into each other in the kitchen, seeing him workout sweaty and half naked, and just getting into fun little arguments over every little thing. But when the tension snaps it’s a major fire hazard, they are hot as hell together and the chemistry in and out of bed is insane. I also loved their little “experiments” and banter about him helping “heal” her writers block and found it so funny how suddenly she could write whenever he’s in the room. But the turning point truly is when the book is finished, and that plot twist was just diabolical. I was crying my way through those last 50 pages and the ending was so damn emotional and beautiful. Sawyer has been through a lot and I love how Kayla doesn’t just love him in spite of it, but she loves him because of his trauma and how it made him so strong. She peeled back his layers, saw and accepted him, and as someone who carries a little baggage it resonated and healed me in ways I cannot describe. This book was beautifully made and will touch your hearts. I give it a 5/5

[millaxyy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25⭐️
I honestly don’t even know what to say.
I’m speechless.
I picked up this book completely by random and it was literally the best thing i’ve done because I was suffering from a major reading slump.
when I started reading I just couldn’t stop. even though it felt a little bit cheesy at first, it got REALLY GOOD.
I cried like I ACTUALLY criedd at the end😭😭.
anw I just really really loved and enjoyed every single part of this book 😞🙏🏻

[Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazon



When Kayla needs a place to stay, her friend's friend, Sawyer, offers up his place. She's an aspiring writer with writer's block, Sawyer's a very controlled billionaire, the two shouldn't work. But the longer they're around each other, the more they open up to each other, the more they slip into each other's hearts.



I really was not expecting Sawyer's backstory, not at all. But the way Kayla was there for him, the way she stayed, the way she saw him - so good! Billionaire stories tend to the cookie cutter, but that is not the case here, at all. The emotional layers of each character, the bond they formed, and the final obstacle they faced, are much more than the usual billionaire fare. The spice is 5 alarm hot, the scenes are delicious, when Sawyer directs them, and when he loses some of his control, whew! This is much more than the over the top usual. Kayla and Sawyer's story is surprisingly heartfelt, filled with intense chemistry, and a great secondary cast.



ARC provided by Grey's Promotions for an honest review.

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[Jenna Lundberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

His Reckoning by Nicole Baker completely consumed my life while I was reading it 😮‍💨🔥 This was my first Nicole Baker book, and now I absolutely understand the obsession because I could not put this story down. Between the explosive chemistry, emotional tension, forced proximity, banter, heartbreak, & vulnerability woven throughout the story, this book had me hooked from beginning to end.

Sawyer Maccini was EVERYTHING ❤️ Billionaire, emotionally guarded, controlling, intimidating, & trying so hard to keep everyone at a distance, but underneath all of that was a man carrying so much pain & emotional weight. Watching him slowly unravel because of Kayla was honestly addictive. The way he watched her, protected her, fought his feelings, & spiraled trying to maintain control while clearly falling harder every second had me obsessed. Sawyer is absolutely one of those MMCs who acts tough until the right woman completely destroys every emotional wall he’s built around himself 😮‍💨🔥

And Kayla was such a fantastic FMC ❤️ I loved that she was a romance author struggling with writer’s block because it added such an emotional & creative layer to the story. She was witty, vulnerable, relatable, & strong enough to challenge Sawyer at every turn without ever losing herself in his world. Their banter was incredible, & the forced proximity roommate setup created so many tension-filled moments like late-night conversations, flirty arguments, stolen glances, & all the chaos that comes from two people pretending they aren’t completely obsessed with each other 😂

One thing I loved most was how naturally their relationship developed. Beneath all the billionaire glamour, spice, & tension, this story became something deeply emotional about vulnerability, trust, & finally allowing someone to truly see you. Sawyer’s emotional walls never felt forced for the trope alone; they were rooted in real trauma, fear, & emotional baggage that made his character feel layered & believable. And the way Kayla slowly peeled back those layers & loved him not despite his scars but because of the strength behind them honestly wrecked me in the best way ❤️

The chemistry between them was INSANE 🔥 Nicole Baker absolutely nailed the tension throughout this book. The emotional longing was constant, & when the tension finally snapped?? Whew 😮‍💨 The spice was intense, emotionally charged, & blended perfectly with the emotional connection growing between them. I also loved the “writer’s block experiments” because those moments added humor, flirtation, & playful tension to the story.

But honestly, what made this book unforgettable for me was the emotional payoff in the final part of the story 😭 Without spoiling anything, the emotional shift near the end absolutely shattered me. I was crying through those last chapters because the story suddenly became so raw, vulnerable, & emotionally beautiful underneath all the romance & tension. Sawyer finally realizing what Kayla truly means to him — and how much he stands to lose — hit incredibly hard.

I also really appreciated the friendships & side characters throughout the book ❤️ The friend group dynamics added humor, warmth, & emotional depth that made the world feel even more immersive.

Overall, His Reckoning was emotional, addictive, spicy, heartbreaking, romantic, & impossible to stop thinking about ❤️ If you love emotionally unavailable billionaire MMCs, forced proximity, roommate tension, obsessive protective heroes, emotional vulnerability, angst-filled chemistry, & romances that completely wreck you emotionally by the end, this book absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR 😮‍💨✨

This is an ARC & these are my honest opinions. Thank you Grey’s Promotions for the opportunity to read this.

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

His Reckoning by Nicole Baker completely swept me away. This book had everything I love in a romance... intense chemistry, emotional depth, tension you can literally feel through the pages, and a hero who acts tough until the right woman completely wrecks his world.

Sawyer Maccini was absolutely everything. Billionaire, guarded, controlling, and emotionally unavailable on the surface, but underneath all that was a man carrying so much weight and trying so hard not to let anyone close. Watching him slowly unravel because of Kayla was honestly addictive. The way he watched her, protected her, and fought against his feelings while clearly falling harder every second had me hooked.

And Kayla was such a relatable and lovable FMC. A romance author struggling to write while suddenly finding herself tangled up in Sawyer’s world made everything feel even more emotional and authentic. She was strong, witty, vulnerable, and refused to let Sawyer intimidate her. Their banter, the tension, the stolen late night moments... every interaction between them felt charged with chemistry and emotion. Nicole Baker did such an incredible job building their connection naturally while still giving us all the angst and longing that makes romance so unforgettable.

What I loved most was how emotional this story became beneath all the billionaire glamour and spice. At its core, this was a story about vulnerability, trust, and allowing yourself to finally let someone in. Sawyer trying to maintain control while realizing he could lose the one woman who truly matters to him absolutely wrecked me in the best way.

Nicole Baker created characters that felt real, flawed, and deeply emotional while still delivering all the swoony and spicy moments romance readers crave. I could not put this book down and honestly did not want it to end. If you love protective billionaire heroes, emotional tension, forced proximity vibes, and romances packed with chemistry and heart, His Reckoning deserves a spot at the top of your TBR.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

His Reckoning was one of those romances where the chemistry between the characters keeps you turning the pages.

I’m always a fan of opposites attract romances, and Sawyer and Kayla delivered exactly what I hoped for. Their personalities couldn’t be more different, but that’s what made their dynamic work so well. The banter, tension, and constant push-and-pull between them made every interaction entertaining.

After Kayla’s best friend and roommate moves out to start the next chapter of her life, Kayla suddenly finds herself needing a place to stay. Enter Sawyer, who offers her a room in his home. What follows is a forced proximity, roommates-to-lovers romance filled with awkward moments, undeniable attraction, and plenty of tension.

One of my favorite parts of the story was Kayla’s struggle with writer’s block. As someone who loves stories about creativity, I found that aspect relatable and unique. Sawyer slowly begins to notice a pattern—that whenever they argue or have one of their emotionally charged exchanges, Kayla suddenly finds herself able to write again. It created some fun moments while also adding another layer to their relationship.

Sawyer may be grumpy, but underneath that exterior is someone who notices more than people give him credit for. Meanwhile, Kayla brings a lightness and energy that challenges him in ways he doesn’t expect.

This isn’t a super spicy romance, but the chemistry more than makes up for it. The emotional tension, witty banter, and gradual relationship development kept me invested from beginning to end.

If you enjoy billionaire romance, forced proximity, roommates-to-lovers, grumpy x sunshine dynamics, and characters whose chemistry jumps off the page, this is definitely worth adding to your TBR.

⭐️ Overall Rating: 4.5/5
🔥 Burn Level: 4/5
🌶️ Spice Level: 2.75/5
💧 Emotional Impact: 3.75/5

Thank you to Nicole Baker and Grey’s Promotions for the ARC opportunity. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Page Escapes by J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sawyer Maccini spends most of His Reckoning trying very hard to convince everyone — including himself — that he’s untouchable.

Unfortunately for him, Kayla exists.

This book gives exactly the kind of billionaire romance energy I signed up for: penthouse tension, emotional repression, expensive watches, possessive stares, and a man slowly realizing he is catastrophically obsessed with one woman. Sawyer starts off cold, controlled, and entirely convinced relationships are a waste of time, which obviously means he was destined to spiral the second Kayla moved into his orbit.

And spiral he did.

What really worked for me was the chemistry between them. Nicole Baker leans heavily into the quieter moments — lingering looks, late-night conversations, subtle jealousy, emotional vulnerability slipping through the cracks — and that made the romance feel more believable than just instant attraction and endless spice.

Kayla was also such a solid FMC. I liked that she challenged Sawyer instead of simply falling for the billionaire façade. Her being a romance author with writer’s block added a fun layer to the story because she almost sees through his emotional avoidance before he does. Their banter felt natural, and she brought warmth to a story that could’ve easily become too heavy with Sawyer’s broody intensity.

Sawyer himself is peak romance-book male behavior:
“I don’t do feelings.”
proceeds to emotionally combust when Kayla talks to another man.

The pacing slowed slightly in the middle, and I wanted a little more emotional depth during the final conflict resolution, but overall this was a really addictive contemporary romance with strong tension and satisfying emotional payoff.

[Ashley Jenkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first Nicole Baker book, and overall it was good. I love a good grumpy billionaire book, so I was very excited to be able to read this one.

In this book, the broody billionaire, Sawyer, lets a friend move in with him since her roommate got married and she can’t afford to live alone. Kayla is a romance writer who is sassy, feisty, and struggling with writers block. Sawyer may not be the most approachable, but he notices that he might be her muse in overcoming her writing struggles. And along the way, they slowly break down their walls and find the best in each other. These two have some instant chemistry that you can feel on the pages. They love to push buttons and there’s plenty of banter amongst them, which I really enjoyed! The spice in this was also just the right amount. I did enjoy the relationships between the characters and their friends as well. It was playful, but meaningful, exactly how friendships should be.

This writing could be described as choppy, especially with the dialogue, which sometimes made it hard for me to connect with. I did appreciate the inner thoughts and background that surrounded the dialogue.

This is book four in the series, and it is pretty much a true standalone. There is an introduction to the friends, whom I’m assuming the other books are about.

I really would rate this a 3.5 ⭐️ but since I can’t, I stick with a 3. It overall was a good read, it just didn’t hit me as much as I would’ve preferred.

This is an ARC read for me, and these are my honest opinions. Thank you Grey’s Promotions for the opportunity to read this.

[Bookish Check-ins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad to finally get to read Sawyer's story. After his interaction with Kayla (his friends didn't let him forget it either), I knew this would be a good one.

This story hooked me immediately. Before the first 10 pages I felt second hand intimidation from Kayla's descriptions of her surroundings. Nicole's ability to detail the scene, then provide an emotional connection to the characters quickly is something I've come to expect from her books.

I also appreciated that you can jump right in, even if you haven't read the previous books. You would be more familiar with the characters, but it's not required in order to follow this story (although I'd recommend reading them because the characters are fun to get to know).

As I continued to read I realized I had to quit bookmarking pages, but I enjoyed it so much. Kayla and Sawyer engaged in whitty banter throughout the story. Their interactions were fun, but also had depth that was portrayed without being too obvious.

The way they both struggled wasn't negative, it was part of their growth. I held my breath a few times when I was unsure how a scene would play out. Nicole does such an amazing job giving us breadcrumbs through this slow burn. I latched on to every piece she gave me and couldn't wait for more. The way she concluded the story actually allowed me to release the tension I had been holding. Nicole didn't make everything perfect, she made it real, which is why these characters stayed with me even after I finished reading.

[Dee Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book. I love forced proximity books, with grumpy/Sunshine and this is what this book was.
This book was about romance author Kayla and guarded grumpy billionaire Sawyer. Kayla's best friend moved in with her now fiance which left Kayla needing a new apartment. Sawyer offered his place not realizing what was about to take place in his life.

Kayla has been struggling with writer’s block for a while. Sawyer catches her having arguements with her keyboard. Sawyer starts to see a pattern with her writing, after an argument or sexually charged moment, Kayla is able to write. So he suggests a mutually arrangement. Then when the tension finally snaps, Sawyer dies to. Soon things with Kayla doesn’t feel temporary any longer. Their arguments were full of witty banter. The back & forth felt like you were watching a sports match. While their chemistry is very charged, the deeper relationship was developing underneath the romance. They balance each other out & they find something that neither knew was missing. While Saywer continues to fight his feelings, he is falling harder for Kayla. She shows him that she’s there to help carry the weight of his past, not to fix him. When Sawyer thinks Kayla used him for material, everything falls apart. That's when he realizes he was an ass, and we get top tier groveling.

Overall this is an absolutely wonderful book. I love the characters I thought they fit perfectly. The chemistry was amazing just everything about this book was amazing.

[Melanie Gates · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would actually give this a 4.5 if it allowed me!

TL:DR
🖤 Billionaire Romance
✍️ FMC is an author
☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine (or a good game of cat and mouse)
🏠 Roommates to lovers
🕯️ Slow burn
📚 5th book in series: Empire State of Love

First, thank you Nicole for allowing me to be an advanced reader of this novel.

This is the 5th book in the series, however, it is my first one from Nicole in this series. But, I was able to follow along easily and dig right into the story without missing anything. I'm excited to get back to reading the additional stories in the series.

I could not put this book down. This story featured romance, intense chemistry, amazing banter and details from secondary characters that continue the story. The story moves at a consistent pace, with a slow burn but plenty of heavenly banter to keep me giggling, smiling, totally understanding where they were coming from and occasionally smacking my head because it sounded like something I would do.

The reason I didn't give it the full 5 stars is in some places, the story became choppy in the way it was written which helped me get lost in the story and have to re-read a few areas. However, it didn't take away from the story, was just difficult for me. Would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a strong romance story.

[Madge Bear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sawyer and Kayla
Grumpy-sunshine
Billionnaire
Close proximity (roommates)

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+
SPICE: 🔥🔥

Why do I feel Nicole Baker doesn’t get enough recongition for her work? Another book that I have no doubt giving it 5+⭐️.

Sawyer. Man of control with several layers, and definitely not the hero of any romance book. Or is he??

Kayla. Loved this woman! She held her ground and was able to peel back his layers, and prove herself wrong - Sawyer is hero worthy of her romance books.

So many moments I loved in this book. Their push and pull conversations. My brain works fast so the way Nicole writes dialogues in a fast pace, normal conversation without several inner thoughts in between has me doing a happy dance. The tension that continues to grow each day, with each conversation/interaction was intense.

Sawyer with his layers finally shares a piece of him he has never shared before. Kayla stayed and grounded him. And Kayla - even wity her own shit with her mom, he was ther for her. These two seriously complimented each other. PS - the scene with her writer’s block and him rewarding her 🔥

The third act break up is never a fave of mine but with this one, it written beautifully. And the book within a book blurps, showing him just how much she saw him made his growth even more powerful.

[ReadMeRough · Rating 5 out of 5]

His Reckoning by Nicole Baker is a dark, intense billionaire romance that leans hard into obsession, control, and emotional vulnerability—and somehow makes it all work.

Kayla is a romance author stuck in a brutal writer’s block, while Sawyer Maccini is the definition of a grumpy, untouchable billionaire who thrives on control. When forced proximity throws them together as roommates, the tension is immediate—and explosive.

Let’s be real: the spice in this book is wild. Sawyer’s need for control shows up everywhere, especially in those scenes where he literally pushes her to write again—“Keep writing, I’ll give you more when you’ve earned it”??? Yeah… that sets the tone. Even their banter, like her casually thinking about food while completely turned on, adds this chaotic, real energy to their connection.

But underneath all that heat, there’s depth. Sawyer is battling nightmares and inner demons, and Kayla slowly becomes the one person he can’t shut out. Watching him unravel, even just a little, hit harder than I expected. And when he admits “This is my reckoning. With you.”—you feel that shift.

This book made me cry and blush at the same time, which is honestly the best combo.

[Lou Li Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Romance author with writers block meets billionaire grump who’s too arrogant for his own good - that right there has me sold. Book 5 in the Empire State of Love series, which follows the billionaire band of brothers finding their HEA. Sawyer is a workaholic who barely sees his penthouse apartment so his bestie Colton (book 4) offers it up to his wife’s former roommate.. the same person who put Sawyer in his place upon their first meeting.. not awkward at all! Kayla is a romance author, currently suffering from writer’s block but is full of sass and banter when it comes to Sawyer, so it’s no surprise life imitates art and she has a new muse. They deliberately rile each other up until the tension gets too much, sharing the same space will do that to you, but Kayla is not intimidated by Sawyer at all, she holds her ground and plays his game right back at him and soon, temporary doesn’t feel so temporary anymore. Another brilliant instalment from these billionaires who seem to show they are the best at grovelling!

I voluntarily reviewed a free advance copy of this book provided by the author. The opinions expressed are my own

[DomsLitCorner · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

This story follows Kayla (Melissa’s best friend and former roommate from His Confession) and Sawyer. Kayla is a romance author desperately needing a new place to stay after Melissa gets married. She’s outspoken, chaotic in the best way, and struggling hard with writer’s block. Sawyer, on the other hand, is the complete opposite: reserved, controlled, and very guarded. When he offers up his penthouse as a temporary solution, neither of them expects it to turn into anything more… but obviously that plan doesn’t last long.

I really liked their chemistry and banter, and I appreciated the deeper story happening underneath the romance. They balanced each other out so well and gave each other the sense of comfort and security they’d both been missing.

Overall, this was a really solid read with strong characters and a relationship that felt easy to root for. I’m definitely excited to see what the next book brings.

Thank you Nicole and Grey’s Promotions for an advanced reader copy of His Reckoning (publishing May 29, 2026).

[Jessica Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved His Reckoning by Nicole Barker. This was actually my first book by her, and now I’m completely hooked and can’t wait to read the rest of the series.

One of my favorite parts of the book was Sawyer and Kayla’s dynamic. Their chemistry felt so natural, and I loved how their relationship developed throughout the story. The banter, tension, and emotional moments between them kept me invested the entire time. They balanced each other so well, and I found myself rooting for them from the start.

I also really enjoyed the friendships in this book. The relationships Sawyer and Kayla had with their friends made the story feel even more real and added so much depth and humor. It wasn’t just about the romance — the friend group dynamics were just as entertaining and heartfelt.

Overall, this book pulled me in way more than I expected, and now I definitely need to go back and read the other books in the series. If the rest are anything like this one, I know I’m going to love them too.

[Ashley Bolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was everything I was hoping for. I have been wanting Sawyers book for a while and I will say I was not disappointed. I knew he had a story worth telling and boy was i right. The things he went through broke my heart. He was such a strong and resilient character. He needed control and his everyday life.But there was a reason he needed it. It was the only way for him to manage his life after what he had been through. Kayla becomes his roommate out of necessity, but she becomes so much more. She is a writter and best friends with Melissa. When Melissa moves in with her boyfriend, it leaves Kayla needing a place to stay until she can find a new place. Whatstarted out as a temporary living situation gradually progresses into more. Kayla starts to have writer's block and the only one that seems to help her is Sawyer. She sees him in ways that no one else ever has. She accepts him for who he is and doesn't try to fix him. That's why this book is so good. Sometimes the quiet acceptance speaks the loudest.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received and Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher.

This is the fifth book in the series and even though I haven’t read the previous ones I was able to follow this story.

Sawyer is a billionaire with a traumatic past that needs to be in control of everything. Kayla is a romance writer that needs a place to stay because her roommate moved out and her lease expired.

Things between them move at a reasonable pace, it is a bit of a slowburn with a little spice. What makes the book good is the connection between the characters. They both grow individually and as a couple eventually.

There are some tense moments however they get their HEA and the epilogue has the perfect segway for the next book in the series.

The main reason why I rated it 4 stars was because the writing was repetitive and a little choppy in some cases. I hope the editing has caught those issues before the release of the book. Is a book I’d definitely recommend once editing issues are corrected.

[b cozy book lounge · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the very first page, I was hooked and smiling. The banter, the chemistry, the tension, Nicole Baker absolutely nailed the push and pull between Kayla and Sawyer.

Sawyer, the billionaire businessman with a dark edge, agrees to let Kayla stay in his apartment while she searches for somewhere more permanent. Kayla, an author battling writer’s block, unexpectedly finds inspiration while spending time with him, especially during their gym sessions.

What I loved most was that Kayla never backed down from Sawyer. He’s used to people fearing him, but she gives as good as she gets, and their arguments and teasing were chef’s kiss. Their chemistry felt effortless, fun, and full of tension.

There’s mystery surrounding Sawyer that kept me invested, but it was the characters, both main and secondary, that made this such an enjoyable read. Fun, flirty, and completely entertaining, His Reckoning had me hooked.

[kingdoms.of.books · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read! A romance novelist becomes roommates with a billionaire. Mr. Grumpy Sunshine, a ruthless, untouchable, infuriatingly confident, emotionally unavailable, MMC who does not like to mix personal complications with living arrangements. The FMC is fun and sassy and is a successful romance author experiencing a writing slump. There is delightful tension and dialogue.

Kayla is determined to find out why a very confident Sawyer is uneasy about someone sleeping next to him. And, it appears, Sawyer is a very effective cure to her writer's block as he suggests sleeping together to fix her creative slump. He could prove to be a very useful writing tool. How much chaos will she create in Sawyer's life?

I loved Sawyer and Kayla including their engaging banter and character development. The supporting characters are also outstanding and likable.

[Pamela · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were moments of tension between Sawyer and Kayla that had potential, but the relationship never really came together for me. For most of the book, they just seemed to go in circles—Sawyer refusing to fully reveal his secrets while Kayla fought to maintain control and keep her guard up. Instead of building anticipation, it became repetitive and made the story drag.

Then, in the last 15% of the book, everything happened at once. We got the inevitable third-act breakup, the resolution, and the wrap-up in such a short amount of time that it all felt rushed. After spending so much of the book moving at a slow pace, the ending didn't have the impact I think it was supposed to.

I could see most of the major plot points coming from a mile away, so there weren't many surprises. The dialogue also felt overly verbose at times, and some conversations didn't quite make sense or flow naturally.
This one just wasn't for me. I could see glimpses of what the author was trying to do, but the pacing, predictability, and character dynamics kept me from really connecting with the story.

Overall, this was a 1.5/2 star read for me, although looking back, I almost wish I had DNF'd it.

[Rebecca Kush · Rating 4 out of 5]

🖤 Billionaire Romance
☀️ Grumpy Sunshine
✍️ Author FMC
🏠Roomates to Lovers

I went into His Reckoning by Nicole Baker expecting a darker romance, but I honestly loved how funny and emotional it was too. The FMC being a romance author was such a fun detail, and I loved watching her slowly find inspiration and her muse through the MMC.

One of my favorite parts was seeing the MMC open up to her over time because you could tell that did not come naturally to him at all. Their conversations and banter were so good, and there were multiple times I was legit laughing out loud while reading.

The chemistry between them felt so natural, and I ended up getting super attached to both of them by the end. The MMC’s past broke my heart but I loved them together so much!

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fifth book in this impressive series, and this is Sawyer and Kayla’s story.
Sawyer is a workaholic, who has a reputation of being ruthless, untouchable, arrogant, and not interested in relationships, while Kayla is an author, who is suffering from writer’s block. Kayla is not afraid to put Sawyer in his place, and they deliberately rile each other up.
This is a well written slow burn, easy to read story, with emotions, friendships, intrigue, tension, trauma, challenges, grumpy / sunshine, opposites attract, forced proximity, roommates / lovers, making choices, humour, witty banter, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining billionaire romance.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.