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Bargaining
I promised not to fall. He’s making it impossible.
When Cole Thorner walks into my father’s funeral, I can barely breathe.
He’s the boy who shattered my heart a decade ago—now a ruthless billionaire CEO who shouldn’t be here. But Cole hasn’t come to pay respects. He’s come with a honor the pact we made as teenagers and marry him for one year. In exchange? Five million pounds and the chance to save my family home from ruin.
It’s meant to be a business arrangement—nothing more. Cole needs to soften his icy reputation, and I’m the perfect the lovely, charming girl-next-door. He’s made it clear he has zero interest in being a real husband, and I’m determined to protect what’s left of my heart.
But then he takes me to Rome.
The city I’ve dreamed of becomes our honeymoon backdrop, and suddenly the boundaries I’ve drawn start to blur. The chemistry between us is undeniable.
So why does falling for Cole Thorner again feel like the most dangerous bargain I’ve ever made?
Bargaining is the first novel in the Thorner Brothers series—a billionaire romance with genuine emotional depth that takes readers from grief and heartbreak to healing and hope, perfect for fans of T L Swan and Rosa Lucas.
2026 by Sasha Lace. ℗ 2026 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
When Cole Thorner walks into my father’s funeral, I can barely breathe.
He’s the boy who shattered my heart a decade ago—now a ruthless billionaire CEO who shouldn’t be here. But Cole hasn’t come to pay respects. He’s come with a honor the pact we made as teenagers and marry him for one year. In exchange? Five million pounds and the chance to save my family home from ruin.
It’s meant to be a business arrangement—nothing more. Cole needs to soften his icy reputation, and I’m the perfect the lovely, charming girl-next-door. He’s made it clear he has zero interest in being a real husband, and I’m determined to protect what’s left of my heart.
But then he takes me to Rome.
The city I’ve dreamed of becomes our honeymoon backdrop, and suddenly the boundaries I’ve drawn start to blur. The chemistry between us is undeniable.
So why does falling for Cole Thorner again feel like the most dangerous bargain I’ve ever made?
Bargaining is the first novel in the Thorner Brothers series—a billionaire romance with genuine emotional depth that takes readers from grief and heartbreak to healing and hope, perfect for fans of T L Swan and Rosa Lucas.
2026 by Sasha Lace. ℗ 2026 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.
Audible Audio
Published July 15, 2026
About the author
Sasha Lace
12 books203 followersSasha Lace used to be a very serious scientist before she ditched the lab coat and started writing kissing books. Sasha lives in the North of England and is a mom of two young boys. Everyone in her family is soccer mad, so she knows way more about soccer than she ever wanted to know. As a scientist and mom, her hobbies include: mulling over the complexities of the universe, treading barefoot on Lego, chipping dried Play-Doh from fabric surfaces, dried flower arranging (because you can’t kill something twice), and writing about herself in the third person.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 19, 2026
Thank you Brilliance Publishing, NetGalley and Sasha Lace for this ALC.
This was my first book by Sasha Lace and I loved it!
First off, I was surprised by the English accents in this audiobook, but I loved them. It honestly made it even more special!
Cole is the son of a horrible man. He’s been made to feel his whole life like he’s nothing. He’s banished off to a private school far away from home. However, he finds a professor he really connects to, who also happens to have a daughter he has a major crush on. He comes to their home to work with the professor but starts a friendship with his youngest daughter Charlotte (an aspiring artist). They develop a strong friendship, and both have feelings for each other. However, when school is done Cole leaves and is never heard from again. Charlotte is devastated; she could have see them having a future together.
Cole has become a man out for revenge and a hard cold businessman. Yes, he’s a billionaire but he’s always trying to out do his father no matter what. He doesn’t have connections with people, he doesn’t even know, any of his names of his employees. He’s a workaholic and has been told by his brothers he needs to soften his image because people are not going to want to do business with him when he has the reputation, he does.
Charlotte has spent several years taking care of her father and has given up on her dreams of school and art. With her fathers passing she wants to do whatever she can to save his home. It’s not till the funeral of Charlotte’s father that Cole appears in her life again. He’s even more handsome and she’s shocked he came. Of course she’s cold towards him because of the way he left. However, he’s got a business deal that he thinks she’s the only one who can fill it. He needs a fake wife! Why not pick the one person he’s ever loved. The one person who makes him feel like a human!
I loved that Charlotte didn’t put up with Cole’s behavior. She often puts him in his place through out this book. I also loved that Cole really listened to what she would say. He did a lot of things for her throughout the book because he wanted to make her happy. Yes, he also did a lot of things that made me want to shake him! Haha! However, their love story with all the ups and downs is wroth the journey!
The narrators were fantastic! I’ve done John York before, but Kitty Kelly was new to me. I LOVED her!
I will look for the next book in this series when it comes to audio and more books by Sasha Lace. I really liked her writing style!
This was my first book by Sasha Lace and I loved it!
First off, I was surprised by the English accents in this audiobook, but I loved them. It honestly made it even more special!
Cole is the son of a horrible man. He’s been made to feel his whole life like he’s nothing. He’s banished off to a private school far away from home. However, he finds a professor he really connects to, who also happens to have a daughter he has a major crush on. He comes to their home to work with the professor but starts a friendship with his youngest daughter Charlotte (an aspiring artist). They develop a strong friendship, and both have feelings for each other. However, when school is done Cole leaves and is never heard from again. Charlotte is devastated; she could have see them having a future together.
Cole has become a man out for revenge and a hard cold businessman. Yes, he’s a billionaire but he’s always trying to out do his father no matter what. He doesn’t have connections with people, he doesn’t even know, any of his names of his employees. He’s a workaholic and has been told by his brothers he needs to soften his image because people are not going to want to do business with him when he has the reputation, he does.
Charlotte has spent several years taking care of her father and has given up on her dreams of school and art. With her fathers passing she wants to do whatever she can to save his home. It’s not till the funeral of Charlotte’s father that Cole appears in her life again. He’s even more handsome and she’s shocked he came. Of course she’s cold towards him because of the way he left. However, he’s got a business deal that he thinks she’s the only one who can fill it. He needs a fake wife! Why not pick the one person he’s ever loved. The one person who makes him feel like a human!
I loved that Charlotte didn’t put up with Cole’s behavior. She often puts him in his place through out this book. I also loved that Cole really listened to what she would say. He did a lot of things for her throughout the book because he wanted to make her happy. Yes, he also did a lot of things that made me want to shake him! Haha! However, their love story with all the ups and downs is wroth the journey!
The narrators were fantastic! I’ve done John York before, but Kitty Kelly was new to me. I LOVED her!
I will look for the next book in this series when it comes to audio and more books by Sasha Lace. I really liked her writing style!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The emotion absolutely pours off each page of this book. I swear at times I felt my heart being ripped from my chest and used to mop up tears from the floor. It's intense and raw and hopeful all at the same time and one of the best things I've ever read.
I love each and every one of Sasha's books because they are an inspiration for positive change. There is always character growth and a message that who a person starts out as is not who they have to remain. That means so much to me.
These characters feel incredibly authentic. Sure, I'm not a billionaire but the writing is absolutely rock solid, letting me experience all the ups and downs and understand motivation and action. It was brilliant spending time with Lottie and Cole and watching them together, creating sparks or doing everyday run of the mill things.
Ms Lace is so clever with her wordsmithing. I love sentences like the one about Malala Yousafzai buying Lottie's house and needing to knock down walls to fit in school desks, and another about finding an undiscovered edition of Pride And Prejudice with a bonus Mr Darcy chapter. Then there was Cole complaining about his brother because "...he was annoyingly cheerful and his nose was too straight.". They add flavour and humour and colour to each image.
The narrators are amazing! They bring lifelike energy to each character in the story and heighten my connection to them with the believability of every phrase. Their voices are wonderful to listen to, with gorgeous accents.
This is going to be a series and I can't wait for more!
I love each and every one of Sasha's books because they are an inspiration for positive change. There is always character growth and a message that who a person starts out as is not who they have to remain. That means so much to me.
These characters feel incredibly authentic. Sure, I'm not a billionaire but the writing is absolutely rock solid, letting me experience all the ups and downs and understand motivation and action. It was brilliant spending time with Lottie and Cole and watching them together, creating sparks or doing everyday run of the mill things.
Ms Lace is so clever with her wordsmithing. I love sentences like the one about Malala Yousafzai buying Lottie's house and needing to knock down walls to fit in school desks, and another about finding an undiscovered edition of Pride And Prejudice with a bonus Mr Darcy chapter. Then there was Cole complaining about his brother because "...he was annoyingly cheerful and his nose was too straight.". They add flavour and humour and colour to each image.
The narrators are amazing! They bring lifelike energy to each character in the story and heighten my connection to them with the believability of every phrase. Their voices are wonderful to listen to, with gorgeous accents.
This is going to be a series and I can't wait for more!
July 18, 2026
⭐️2
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 🖤
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me. I think my biggest issue with this book was Cole. I don’t mind a broody, grumpy MMC, but there’s a difference between being guarded and simply being disrespectful. Throughout most of the book, I just found his behavior so frustrating and it wasn’t until the last portion of the story that he finally seemed like he wanted to change, but by the end it felt too late for me to become invested in his character.
Charlotte, I wasn’t really sure how to feel about her. I understood why she agreed to the arranged marriage, but I found some of her expectations confusing. She entered the marriage for practical reasons, yet expected Cole to immediately behave like a devoted husband. It was just really confusing to me because she was contracting herself constantly.
This book also felt very predictable. I could see where the book was headed from the very beginning. So this book wasn’t really keeping me engaged. It was also hard when you really didn’t feel connected to both characters. They both came across as bland, and their chemistry wasn’t strong enough to make me root for them.
The audiobook was the reason I didn’t DNF this book. I really liked that it was duet narration, and the narrators did a good job. I loved all the accents, and it made the listening experience come to life.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ALC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 🖤
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me. I think my biggest issue with this book was Cole. I don’t mind a broody, grumpy MMC, but there’s a difference between being guarded and simply being disrespectful. Throughout most of the book, I just found his behavior so frustrating and it wasn’t until the last portion of the story that he finally seemed like he wanted to change, but by the end it felt too late for me to become invested in his character.
Charlotte, I wasn’t really sure how to feel about her. I understood why she agreed to the arranged marriage, but I found some of her expectations confusing. She entered the marriage for practical reasons, yet expected Cole to immediately behave like a devoted husband. It was just really confusing to me because she was contracting herself constantly.
This book also felt very predictable. I could see where the book was headed from the very beginning. So this book wasn’t really keeping me engaged. It was also hard when you really didn’t feel connected to both characters. They both came across as bland, and their chemistry wasn’t strong enough to make me root for them.
The audiobook was the reason I didn’t DNF this book. I really liked that it was duet narration, and the narrators did a good job. I loved all the accents, and it made the listening experience come to life.
July 15, 2026
First of all, LOVED the English accents and UK & Rome setting of this one! Makes me want to go back to Europe asap!! The narrators were fantastic! And at first I thought Charlotte was Scottish? But I think she just has a different English accent than Im used to. 😅. That’s just me not knowing all the subtleties of accents.
Charlotte & Cole’s journey was definitely a trying one! Especially with Cole’s grumpy attitude and his obsession to beat his father. Then there’s Charlotte still grieving and trying to sort out her life that’s been on hold for so many years. The emotional struggle was real and I enjoyed their journey to find one another again. I also loved how Charlotte did not let Cole boss her around even though she sees him constantly doing it to others!
𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸…
💙Second Chance
💙Childhood Best friends
💙Marriage Pact
💙Marriage of Convenience
💙Billionaire
💙Forced Proximity
💙Then & Now
💙Grief
💙One Bed
💙Dual POV
💙Open Door
I received an advance listening copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Charlotte & Cole’s journey was definitely a trying one! Especially with Cole’s grumpy attitude and his obsession to beat his father. Then there’s Charlotte still grieving and trying to sort out her life that’s been on hold for so many years. The emotional struggle was real and I enjoyed their journey to find one another again. I also loved how Charlotte did not let Cole boss her around even though she sees him constantly doing it to others!
𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸…
💙Second Chance
💙Childhood Best friends
💙Marriage Pact
💙Marriage of Convenience
💙Billionaire
💙Forced Proximity
💙Then & Now
💙Grief
💙One Bed
💙Dual POV
💙Open Door
I received an advance listening copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Promise to Collect
Unexpectedly witty, this story added moments of humor to balance its emotionally charged plot and characters. Charlotte and Cole have made a promise years before and he has come to collect, doesn't matter if the timing is a little inappropriate. Their reunion was tense and filled with mixed feelings. It kept me on the edge of my seating in suspense as I continued my curiosity into a well thought out plot. I really enjoyed how Cole overcame his past and wanted to make a future with the only person who has remained in his heart. The journey to get there was beautifully written!
Audiobook:
Narration for this book was absolutely fantastic. The chemistry between the characters was well performed. Kitty Kelly and John York pulled me into the story with their combination of tone and nuance that captured their characters. It was a wonderful listening experience that I absolutely enjoyed.
I am voluntarily reviewing this book.
Unexpectedly witty, this story added moments of humor to balance its emotionally charged plot and characters. Charlotte and Cole have made a promise years before and he has come to collect, doesn't matter if the timing is a little inappropriate. Their reunion was tense and filled with mixed feelings. It kept me on the edge of my seating in suspense as I continued my curiosity into a well thought out plot. I really enjoyed how Cole overcame his past and wanted to make a future with the only person who has remained in his heart. The journey to get there was beautifully written!
Audiobook:
Narration for this book was absolutely fantastic. The chemistry between the characters was well performed. Kitty Kelly and John York pulled me into the story with their combination of tone and nuance that captured their characters. It was a wonderful listening experience that I absolutely enjoyed.
I am voluntarily reviewing this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This one had me on an emotional roller coaster alongside the main characters. I felt it all. This story worked through so many emotions like grief, anger, heart break , parent trauma, healing and forgiveness that lead to reconnecting with a soulmate.
This 2nd chance romance was more than that it was a journey to healing and redemption for both main characters in different ways.
As the first book in the Thorner Brothers series I am completely invested in all of the brothers already! And excited for the next release.
The writing was well done. The character growth was impressive. Closed off main characters due to pain & trauma they each endured. Yet some how they both managed to grow emotionally and trust in love again.
This was an excellent read and I definitely recommend this one!
Plot 4/5 spice 3/5
This 2nd chance romance was more than that it was a journey to healing and redemption for both main characters in different ways.
As the first book in the Thorner Brothers series I am completely invested in all of the brothers already! And excited for the next release.
The writing was well done. The character growth was impressive. Closed off main characters due to pain & trauma they each endured. Yet some how they both managed to grow emotionally and trust in love again.
This was an excellent read and I definitely recommend this one!
Plot 4/5 spice 3/5
July 15, 2026
Billionaire Romance
Second chance
Only one bed
Friends to lovers
Marriage of Convenience
Dual POV - 1st person
Duet narration - Kitty Kelly & John York
Book #1 Thorner Brothers series
My first book by Sasha Lace and I was pleasantly surprised. The book is an interesting story and has captivating characters. I liked both narrators and felt they did a great job with the story. The story has lots of angst and emotions throughout the story. It is not a happy girl read, this one is going to make you feel the feelings. A great start to a series. I will be continue this series as it becomes available.
Second chance
Only one bed
Friends to lovers
Marriage of Convenience
Dual POV - 1st person
Duet narration - Kitty Kelly & John York
Book #1 Thorner Brothers series
My first book by Sasha Lace and I was pleasantly surprised. The book is an interesting story and has captivating characters. I liked both narrators and felt they did a great job with the story. The story has lots of angst and emotions throughout the story. It is not a happy girl read, this one is going to make you feel the feelings. A great start to a series. I will be continue this series as it becomes available.
July 26, 2026
Cole and Charlotte's story was so good. I love me a fake marriage/dating story so I was hooked with this one. I also love Sasha's writing so I couldn't wait to read this one! And it didn't disappoint. I wasn't even done with the story and I knew I'll be waiting for her to drop the next book in this series.
I love me a MMC who just wants to support his woman and Cole definitely wants to give her the world.
Can't go wrong with the billionaire man making his childhood love dreams come true.
The audiobook of this story really lets you feel the emotions that are going on in Cole and Charlotte's life. I think it really brings this story up a notch to hear it.
I love me a MMC who just wants to support his woman and Cole definitely wants to give her the world.
Can't go wrong with the billionaire man making his childhood love dreams come true.
The audiobook of this story really lets you feel the emotions that are going on in Cole and Charlotte's life. I think it really brings this story up a notch to hear it.
July 11, 2026
What a banger! This was my first Sasha Lace book, and I’m already excited to dive into more of her work. The narrators absolutely knocked it out of the park—I love, love, love duet narration, and they made the listening experience so immersive. The story was easy to follow, addictive, and had me hooked the whole way through. The chemistry was great, the pacing kept things moving, and I found myself not wanting it to end. A fun, engaging billionaire romance that I’ll definitely be recommending.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced listening copy ♥️
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced listening copy ♥️
August 2, 2026
I received an Advanced Reader Copy and am voluntarily reviewing it. This review is going to focus on the audio. This is a fake marriage book. I think the narrators made this book good. I enjoyed hearing the very different accents. The narrators gave readers the feelings of the characters at any given time. You felt Cole and Charlotte through their voices. I loved it. This book is good. Definitely worth a read but the audio will definitely blow listeners’ mind. The emotions and feelings that came through those voices will have readers involved in this story. Readers will not be able to put this book down. So many questions. Readers will not believe how everything turns out. Ms. Lace does it again. I'm here for any and everything that she writes.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews