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Love, New York #2
The Final Move
Not yet published
Expected 13 Apr 27After becoming accidental roommates, a flailing lawyer and a betrayed billionaire must navigate lies, loyalty, and their long-denied attraction when an old rival complicates their chance at love.
She’s out of options. He’s out of excuses.
When Celine Beaty quits her corporate law job in a quarterish-life-crisis, she finds herself living with her brother’s best friend, tech billionaire Carter Wolf, in his penthouse apartment—who just so happens to also be her lifelong nemesis. Little does she know that Carter Wolf has harbored a crush on her since childhood, and his cold shoulder is just a cover for his broken heart.
While Celine lies to her family about her life and career, Carter is blindsided by a corporate coup that could end with him losing his company. As their professional lives grow more complicated, their personal lives follow suit.
Because the longer the two live together, the more Celine realizes she may have misread Carter . . . and that living in the wolf's den might not be so bad after all. But as their carefully laid plans begin to crash down around them, they’ll have to lean on each other to have a shot at saving their careers—and their budding romance.
She’s out of options. He’s out of excuses.
When Celine Beaty quits her corporate law job in a quarterish-life-crisis, she finds herself living with her brother’s best friend, tech billionaire Carter Wolf, in his penthouse apartment—who just so happens to also be her lifelong nemesis. Little does she know that Carter Wolf has harbored a crush on her since childhood, and his cold shoulder is just a cover for his broken heart.
While Celine lies to her family about her life and career, Carter is blindsided by a corporate coup that could end with him losing his company. As their professional lives grow more complicated, their personal lives follow suit.
Because the longer the two live together, the more Celine realizes she may have misread Carter . . . and that living in the wolf's den might not be so bad after all. But as their carefully laid plans begin to crash down around them, they’ll have to lean on each other to have a shot at saving their careers—and their budding romance.
- GenresRomance
368 pages, Paperback
Expected publication April 13, 2027
About the author
Lauren Penny
5 books21 followersLauren Penny graduated from NYU with degrees in English, journalism, and dramatic literature. After working in magazine publishing, she earned her MBA and is now on the corporate side of the media business. When she’s not working or thinking up the next toe-curling comment for a bad boy team captain to whisper, she’s volunteering at adoption events for a local dog rescue, learning new languages, or making pasta. She lives in New York City (her true love) with her husband and latest foster pup.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This book had some of my favorite tropes (enemies to lovers and brother’s best friend) and on top of that, the yearning was next level! I love it when a main male character has been lost for his girl for a long time!
Celine and Carter have known each other for a very long time, and all of a sudden become roommates. This becomes one of the worst things to happen because Celine is convinced Carter can’t stand her, but in reality, Carter can’t trust himself around her. The story follows their shift from enemies (were they really?) to lovers filled with the funny banter and flirting every romance book needs!
I really enjoyed being able to jump back into the same world as Lauren Penny’s previous book, The End Goal. One thing I really love about Lauren Penny’s books is that her main female characters are strong and capable women. Celine is a fantastic lawyer and we get to see that in the book. Also, I loved watching as Carter pined for Celine! They finally figured it out and are a perfect match. This book was funny, engaging, steamy, and pretty cute. I’d recommend this book if you are looking for a fun and steamy romance!
Thank you to Lauren Penny, Dell, and NetGalley for an eARC of The Final Move in exchange for my honest review!
Celine and Carter have known each other for a very long time, and all of a sudden become roommates. This becomes one of the worst things to happen because Celine is convinced Carter can’t stand her, but in reality, Carter can’t trust himself around her. The story follows their shift from enemies (were they really?) to lovers filled with the funny banter and flirting every romance book needs!
I really enjoyed being able to jump back into the same world as Lauren Penny’s previous book, The End Goal. One thing I really love about Lauren Penny’s books is that her main female characters are strong and capable women. Celine is a fantastic lawyer and we get to see that in the book. Also, I loved watching as Carter pined for Celine! They finally figured it out and are a perfect match. This book was funny, engaging, steamy, and pretty cute. I’d recommend this book if you are looking for a fun and steamy romance!
Thank you to Lauren Penny, Dell, and NetGalley for an eARC of The Final Move in exchange for my honest review!
August 29, 2026
4.5 Stars
This read put me into a position I’ve never been in before. I requested the second book in a series without reading the first, but I missed out on an ARC of the first. Strange, I know! I got enough of a glimpse of Bree and Jake’s story not to be lost. The second book in the Love, New York series focuses on Celine, a lost lawyer, and Carter, a man fighting a corporate coup.
Celine’s brother, James, has been Carter’s best friend since childhood. While Celine thought Carter always hated her, she slowly found that opinion was very far from the truth. Celine quits her lucrative job at a top New York law firm when she realizes her ethics don’t align with the firm. She ends up moving into the apartment her brother lived in, but it is owned by Carter. It’s only until she can regroup. Celine and her cat, Cleocatra, spend their days in the cavernous penthouse perfecting resumes, performing self-care, and mixing odd ingredients into delicacies. When Carter comes home in the middle of the night, he is frightened to see a woman wearing a green face mask, her hair balled up in a bun.
From there, it is on! Celine wants to find a job as soon as possible, and Carter wants to do everything in his power to calm his libido anytime she is in his presence. Their banter is legendary. Slowly, Penny paints a picture of over a decade of longing on Carter’s side while Celine believed he detested her for just as long. While their professional lives are messy, they begin to develop somewhat of a friendship as they live as roommates.
My heart hurt for Carter when his relationship with his father was revealed. Celine’s relationship with her mother was another knife to the chest. These two were both dealing with difficult situations with a parent while their professional lives imploded. They slowly began to trust each other, and that trust finally let them cross the line.
I absolutely adored the Mob C, aka Movie of the Book Club. Celine, Bree, Alana, and Rory decided that talking about a book after they all read it wasn’t what they wanted out of a book club. Instead, they would get together and watch the movie version of the book. Sounds like a wonderful club to be in. Friends, popcorn, wine, and a good book boyfriend on screen is what I consider a good time. Plus, these four have such beautiful friendships; it makes me long for my old friends and some of the girls’ nights we “lit the world on fire”.
The Last Move was a magnificent combination of romance, comedy, friendship, and family drama. The chance to read as Carter and Celine’s walls came down made the journey worth every page. I may have started with book two, but The Last Move definitely left me wanting to go back and experience where this series began.
I received The Final Move for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This read put me into a position I’ve never been in before. I requested the second book in a series without reading the first, but I missed out on an ARC of the first. Strange, I know! I got enough of a glimpse of Bree and Jake’s story not to be lost. The second book in the Love, New York series focuses on Celine, a lost lawyer, and Carter, a man fighting a corporate coup.
Celine’s brother, James, has been Carter’s best friend since childhood. While Celine thought Carter always hated her, she slowly found that opinion was very far from the truth. Celine quits her lucrative job at a top New York law firm when she realizes her ethics don’t align with the firm. She ends up moving into the apartment her brother lived in, but it is owned by Carter. It’s only until she can regroup. Celine and her cat, Cleocatra, spend their days in the cavernous penthouse perfecting resumes, performing self-care, and mixing odd ingredients into delicacies. When Carter comes home in the middle of the night, he is frightened to see a woman wearing a green face mask, her hair balled up in a bun.
From there, it is on! Celine wants to find a job as soon as possible, and Carter wants to do everything in his power to calm his libido anytime she is in his presence. Their banter is legendary. Slowly, Penny paints a picture of over a decade of longing on Carter’s side while Celine believed he detested her for just as long. While their professional lives are messy, they begin to develop somewhat of a friendship as they live as roommates.
My heart hurt for Carter when his relationship with his father was revealed. Celine’s relationship with her mother was another knife to the chest. These two were both dealing with difficult situations with a parent while their professional lives imploded. They slowly began to trust each other, and that trust finally let them cross the line.
I absolutely adored the Mob C, aka Movie of the Book Club. Celine, Bree, Alana, and Rory decided that talking about a book after they all read it wasn’t what they wanted out of a book club. Instead, they would get together and watch the movie version of the book. Sounds like a wonderful club to be in. Friends, popcorn, wine, and a good book boyfriend on screen is what I consider a good time. Plus, these four have such beautiful friendships; it makes me long for my old friends and some of the girls’ nights we “lit the world on fire”.
The Last Move was a magnificent combination of romance, comedy, friendship, and family drama. The chance to read as Carter and Celine’s walls came down made the journey worth every page. I may have started with book two, but The Last Move definitely left me wanting to go back and experience where this series began.
I received The Final Move for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I will start with the obvious, I am upset that the main character has the same name as my brother that’s unacceptable. Moving on, this book is a delightful follow up to the first, the women of this friend group are all funny and have a backbone without falling victim to having the same personality. I really appreciate how fully formed the characters are without being caricatures of common personality tropes. Carter (blegh change the name I beg) was irritable sure but did have a personality beyond madly in love, building out the friendship with James was helpful in establishing that. He does need some serious therapy as his control issues are the worst I have ever seen and I’m saying that. Hello pot, I’m kettle. A Prozac prescription would change this man’s life. Also this is separate but I need it to be known that as I was reading this all I could think was this guy saw The Odyssey in 70mm imax, which is a lot more thought than I usually give to the men of romance books as typically they just stand there and grunt. I will say there is a serious Dobler-Dahmer situation happening here, if a not hot billionaire did the things this man did in this book they would in fact be served a restraining order. However, he is a hot billionaire so hello Jay Gatsby, I’m taking it easy on you because I’m a sucker for the he’s been in love with her his whole life trope for some unknown reason. Additionally, very much enjoy the third act whoa is this a thriller instead of a third act breakup some people may think it’s a bit much but I’m just having fun. Very ready for Rory’s book, Lauren I can get you my email if you finish it early, also I like James can he get a book, he passes my biggest test for men in romance books already in that he has at least one singular friend.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for this advanced copy!
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for this advanced copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Apparently one of my weaknesses is a man who has been hopelessly in love with the same woman forever, because Carter had me overlooking some behavior that would have had me telling Celine to change her locks in any other book. 😂
The Final Move was a fun contemporary romance that gave me several of my favorite things: forced proximity, childhood history, enemies-to-lovers energy, a billionaire love interest, and plenty of “these two just need to admit what is happening here” frustration.
What really worked for me was that Celine and Carter felt like actual people outside of their relationship. Both of their careers are basically imploding while they're trying to figure each other out, so there was enough happening beyond the romance to keep me invested. I also really enjoyed the history between them because it made the tension and eventual shift in their relationship feel earned rather than instant.
Now, Carter. Sir.
That man has some serious control issues. There were definitely moments when I thought, if you weren't the hot billionaire love interest, we'd be having an entirely different conversation right now. But then we get the man-who-has-loved-her-forever trope, and apparently I lose all ability to remain objective.
I also appreciated that the third act didn't fall into the predictable breakup-for-the-sake-of-having-a-third-act-breakup trap. Instead, things take a much more dramatic turn, and I was absolutely here for it.
This was funny, dramatic, romantic, and just an easy book to sink into. It didn't quite hit five-star territory for me, but I had a really good time with it and would absolutely continue the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
The Final Move was a fun contemporary romance that gave me several of my favorite things: forced proximity, childhood history, enemies-to-lovers energy, a billionaire love interest, and plenty of “these two just need to admit what is happening here” frustration.
What really worked for me was that Celine and Carter felt like actual people outside of their relationship. Both of their careers are basically imploding while they're trying to figure each other out, so there was enough happening beyond the romance to keep me invested. I also really enjoyed the history between them because it made the tension and eventual shift in their relationship feel earned rather than instant.
Now, Carter. Sir.
That man has some serious control issues. There were definitely moments when I thought, if you weren't the hot billionaire love interest, we'd be having an entirely different conversation right now. But then we get the man-who-has-loved-her-forever trope, and apparently I lose all ability to remain objective.
I also appreciated that the third act didn't fall into the predictable breakup-for-the-sake-of-having-a-third-act-breakup trap. Instead, things take a much more dramatic turn, and I was absolutely here for it.
This was funny, dramatic, romantic, and just an easy book to sink into. It didn't quite hit five-star territory for me, but I had a really good time with it and would absolutely continue the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 18, 2026
Due out April 13, 2027, The Final Move by Lauren Penny has a lot going on as a romance: forced proximity, a best friend’s forbidden little sister, a billionaire MMC, and an enemies-to-lovers plotline. Not only does he fall first, but he fell over a decade before she even had a clue.
It’s also a story about a 30-year-old woman who finally finds the courage to be herself rather than who her family wants her to be.
After quitting the job that made her miserable at a big New York law firm, Celine is temporarily living in her brother’s best friend’s empty luxury penthouse while she hides from her judgmental family and looks for a job that will let her afford a place of her own. But when the penthouse’s owner, Carter, makes a surprise visit home, Celine discovers that her brother had never asked permission for her to be there.
Successful technology entrepreneur Carter has spent the past decade avoiding his best friend’s little sister like the plague—ever since his feelings for her became impossible to ignore or act on because of bro code. Avoidance and rudeness have been his go-to tactics to keep her at bay. Celine detests him as a result: he’s hurt her too many times to forgive. But when they find themselves living in close proximity, Celine gradually uncovers the warm, generous man beneath the cold façade.
The Final Move is a solid forced-proximity romance, though not one of the greats. Perhaps there’s too much going on here, as the ending feels rushed and the character arcs are a bit thin. We needed more depth to both Celine and Carter. But Celine’s Mob C friend squad is a delight. If billionaire, enemies-to-lovers, he-falls-first romances are your jam, by all means give The Final Move a read. I'd give this 3.5 stars.
It’s also a story about a 30-year-old woman who finally finds the courage to be herself rather than who her family wants her to be.
After quitting the job that made her miserable at a big New York law firm, Celine is temporarily living in her brother’s best friend’s empty luxury penthouse while she hides from her judgmental family and looks for a job that will let her afford a place of her own. But when the penthouse’s owner, Carter, makes a surprise visit home, Celine discovers that her brother had never asked permission for her to be there.
Successful technology entrepreneur Carter has spent the past decade avoiding his best friend’s little sister like the plague—ever since his feelings for her became impossible to ignore or act on because of bro code. Avoidance and rudeness have been his go-to tactics to keep her at bay. Celine detests him as a result: he’s hurt her too many times to forgive. But when they find themselves living in close proximity, Celine gradually uncovers the warm, generous man beneath the cold façade.
The Final Move is a solid forced-proximity romance, though not one of the greats. Perhaps there’s too much going on here, as the ending feels rushed and the character arcs are a bit thin. We needed more depth to both Celine and Carter. But Celine’s Mob C friend squad is a delight. If billionaire, enemies-to-lovers, he-falls-first romances are your jam, by all means give The Final Move a read. I'd give this 3.5 stars.
August 25, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley and Dell Publishing for my ARC
This is the second book in Lauren Penny’s series and it was a fantastic read. Celine is a little down on her luck. She recently quit her job at a prestigious law firm because she is someone who cares about law and fairness. She is living in her brother’s best friend penthouse. Carter Wolfe is never around, always traveling and on the move. He is the CEO of a tech company. Celine has always disliked Carter. Her brother James and Carter have been friends since high school. Celine did harbor a crush on Carter but that soon faded after an incident when they were teens. Now Carter has returned because of a lawsuit with his company. And Celine and Carter are now in forced proximity. Each are harboring some secrets. Celine’s family except for her brother do not know she has quit her job as a prestigious lawyer and found employment as a legal aide. Carter has been distancing himself from his father because of his Alzheimer’s. The push and pull between them is always teetering on an almost kiss or confession of true feelings. Once they do they give in, it is so good. The spice is just right and the tenderness that Carter shows Celine demonstrates all the green flags. They each bring out more vulnerability with each other. This book does the tripe of brother’s best friend right. I cannot wait for the next book.
This is the second book in Lauren Penny’s series and it was a fantastic read. Celine is a little down on her luck. She recently quit her job at a prestigious law firm because she is someone who cares about law and fairness. She is living in her brother’s best friend penthouse. Carter Wolfe is never around, always traveling and on the move. He is the CEO of a tech company. Celine has always disliked Carter. Her brother James and Carter have been friends since high school. Celine did harbor a crush on Carter but that soon faded after an incident when they were teens. Now Carter has returned because of a lawsuit with his company. And Celine and Carter are now in forced proximity. Each are harboring some secrets. Celine’s family except for her brother do not know she has quit her job as a prestigious lawyer and found employment as a legal aide. Carter has been distancing himself from his father because of his Alzheimer’s. The push and pull between them is always teetering on an almost kiss or confession of true feelings. Once they do they give in, it is so good. The spice is just right and the tenderness that Carter shows Celine demonstrates all the green flags. They each bring out more vulnerability with each other. This book does the tripe of brother’s best friend right. I cannot wait for the next book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Girl power indeed.
.Can Readers join the fabulous girl crew a.k.a. Mob C.?
Know it's a fictional group but what an amazing, group of women. While this is certainly the highly anticipated romance of Carter and Celine, after the sly hints given in the Author's prior novel, "The End Goal", these fictional women embody 'girl power'. They show up for Celine, time and time again.
Her relationship with her mother has been tested since childhood as theoretically, her sister should be at her side. She's not. Thankfully, she has a wonderful brother in James (hope to see more of him in the future). Celine goes to great lengths to stay true to herself and yet live up to the image projected by her parents. With her friends, she's got a bite in her humor, support for their antics, and in a respected profession where she is at the top of her game but seems lost.
Carter is her childhood nemesis. Always on the periphery due to his best friend status with her brother, he seems rigid and unfeeling to her. Little does she know....
This is part of an interconnected series but truly can be read as a standalone. With all the little hints, can guess that Rory's story is next and cannot wait!
Thank you Ballantine | Dell. for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
#TheFinalMove #NetGalley
.Can Readers join the fabulous girl crew a.k.a. Mob C.?
Know it's a fictional group but what an amazing, group of women. While this is certainly the highly anticipated romance of Carter and Celine, after the sly hints given in the Author's prior novel, "The End Goal", these fictional women embody 'girl power'. They show up for Celine, time and time again.
Her relationship with her mother has been tested since childhood as theoretically, her sister should be at her side. She's not. Thankfully, she has a wonderful brother in James (hope to see more of him in the future). Celine goes to great lengths to stay true to herself and yet live up to the image projected by her parents. With her friends, she's got a bite in her humor, support for their antics, and in a respected profession where she is at the top of her game but seems lost.
Carter is her childhood nemesis. Always on the periphery due to his best friend status with her brother, he seems rigid and unfeeling to her. Little does she know....
This is part of an interconnected series but truly can be read as a standalone. With all the little hints, can guess that Rory's story is next and cannot wait!
Thank you Ballantine | Dell. for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
#TheFinalMove #NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What a joy it is to pick up a new to me author’s second book that has not been published yet. I also can’t wait to go back to Bree and Jake’s story in her debut novel.
We have some great banter, strong female sisterhood friends and a brooding but totally love sick brother’s best friend. We see our FMC grow her wings to become stronger in her own skin. Love an empowering storyline.
There were times when Carter comes off a little too stand offish to the point of appearing to be cruel but we understand with this duel narration that he feels this is the only way to maintain control of his attraction to Celine. I liked Carter’s evolution from angsty enemy to lovers but would have loved the transition to be less abrupt.
My other question was when Carter keeps thinking James (his best friend and brother to Celine) would not approve of him loving Celine. That revelation and his reaction didn’t line up with how he acted in earlier scenes.
If you love
Enemies to lovers
Brothers best friend
Forced proximity
Billionaires
He’s loved her from afar their whole life.
This book checked all those boxes and I thought the banter was snappy and sarcastic without feeling cheesy.
Who’s next in the 4 some group? Can’t wait!
We have some great banter, strong female sisterhood friends and a brooding but totally love sick brother’s best friend. We see our FMC grow her wings to become stronger in her own skin. Love an empowering storyline.
There were times when Carter comes off a little too stand offish to the point of appearing to be cruel but we understand with this duel narration that he feels this is the only way to maintain control of his attraction to Celine. I liked Carter’s evolution from angsty enemy to lovers but would have loved the transition to be less abrupt.
My other question was when Carter keeps thinking James (his best friend and brother to Celine) would not approve of him loving Celine. That revelation and his reaction didn’t line up with how he acted in earlier scenes.
If you love
Enemies to lovers
Brothers best friend
Forced proximity
Billionaires
He’s loved her from afar their whole life.
This book checked all those boxes and I thought the banter was snappy and sarcastic without feeling cheesy.
Who’s next in the 4 some group? Can’t wait!
August 31, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, I enjoyed checking out a new author!
I enjoyed the premise of this book and while it is part of a series the first book does not need to be read for this to make sense. Both books can be read independently however there are some spoilers if this book is read first.
I had several issues with the book.
My first being that I had to re-read many sentences several times because they did not make sense or didn't flow well.. I have never had to re-read as much as I did with this book.
Second, I don't think Carters full personality matched up. I find it hard to believe that a polite guy who has shyly watched and helped from afar and then was as gentlemen like as we was, was the same guy during spicy scenes. He felt like a complete different person once the scene became spicy, normally there would be some overlapping actions; making comments in the car, public or wherever, maybe some teasing or something. But he completely changed once sexy time started and it didn't flow well for me.
Third, the end felt very very rushed. He disappears and then his explanation is a short paragraph and all is forgiven, the vase gets more spotlight throughout the book verses his absence.
I enjoyed the premise of this book and while it is part of a series the first book does not need to be read for this to make sense. Both books can be read independently however there are some spoilers if this book is read first.
I had several issues with the book.
My first being that I had to re-read many sentences several times because they did not make sense or didn't flow well.. I have never had to re-read as much as I did with this book.
Second, I don't think Carters full personality matched up. I find it hard to believe that a polite guy who has shyly watched and helped from afar and then was as gentlemen like as we was, was the same guy during spicy scenes. He felt like a complete different person once the scene became spicy, normally there would be some overlapping actions; making comments in the car, public or wherever, maybe some teasing or something. But he completely changed once sexy time started and it didn't flow well for me.
Third, the end felt very very rushed. He disappears and then his explanation is a short paragraph and all is forgiven, the vase gets more spotlight throughout the book verses his absence.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was such a fun enemies-to-lovers/roommates romance. Celine and Carter have that perfect history where they’ve spent years getting under each other’s skin, only for living together to force them to actually see each other differently. I especially liked the fact that Carter’s coldness isn’t just because he dislikes her—there’s clearly a lot more going on underneath it.
Celine was really easy to root for. Her quarter-life crisis and career struggles make her feel more relatable than the typical romance heroine, and I liked watching her figure out what she actually wants instead of just following the path she thought she was supposed to take.
The roommate setup gives them plenty of opportunities for tension, awkward moments, and eventually realizing that their “nemesis” relationship might have been hiding something else all along. Carter’s personal struggles with his company also add some stakes beyond just the romance.
Overall, this was a cute, dramatic, and spicy read with a fun billionaire/roommate twist. The childhood history, forced proximity, and long-denied attraction made the romance especially entertaining.
Celine was really easy to root for. Her quarter-life crisis and career struggles make her feel more relatable than the typical romance heroine, and I liked watching her figure out what she actually wants instead of just following the path she thought she was supposed to take.
The roommate setup gives them plenty of opportunities for tension, awkward moments, and eventually realizing that their “nemesis” relationship might have been hiding something else all along. Carter’s personal struggles with his company also add some stakes beyond just the romance.
Overall, this was a cute, dramatic, and spicy read with a fun billionaire/roommate twist. The childhood history, forced proximity, and long-denied attraction made the romance especially entertaining.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5✨
review of advance copy received from netgalley.
not me requesting book 2 without realizing it was a series 😭 the first book isn’t even out yet and somehow i ended up reading the second book BUT honestly i’m so glad i did.
i love a good brother’s best friend romance when it’s done right, and carter secretly pining after celine since childhood while thinking she hates him??? yeah that does something to me 😭 the banter between them was SO good and i loved that celine actually had a backbone and stood up for herself.
i also really related to her wanting to figure herself out and find something she’s passionate about. and the mom??? she was such a bitch 😭 i was so irritated with her but towards the end i was like damnn - why am i about to cry???
i was a little stressed towards the end because ALEC??? fucking bitch. i just wanna talk 🙂↕️🔫
overall i really enjoyed this and i can’t wait for everyone else to read it 🥞🐈⬛🗽
review of advance copy received from netgalley.
not me requesting book 2 without realizing it was a series 😭 the first book isn’t even out yet and somehow i ended up reading the second book BUT honestly i’m so glad i did.
i love a good brother’s best friend romance when it’s done right, and carter secretly pining after celine since childhood while thinking she hates him??? yeah that does something to me 😭 the banter between them was SO good and i loved that celine actually had a backbone and stood up for herself.
i also really related to her wanting to figure herself out and find something she’s passionate about. and the mom??? she was such a bitch 😭 i was so irritated with her but towards the end i was like damnn - why am i about to cry???
i was a little stressed towards the end because ALEC??? fucking bitch. i just wanna talk 🙂↕️🔫
overall i really enjoyed this and i can’t wait for everyone else to read it 🥞🐈⬛🗽
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the eARC of this book.
This was a sweet and spicy ready. Carter and Celine had amazing chemistry even when “he hated her”. I loved the yearning from his POV and he was so good at taking care of her. One of my favorite scenes was when they were in the kitchen making breakfast and they just moved so fluidly around each other’s orbit. Mod C is amazing as always and I just love how these ladies show up for each other.
When Carter and Celine finally figured it all out, sparks flew and it was perfection. Carter taking care of Celine and her friends for the Paris trip was so sweet. I loved the epilogue and their HEA which I hope we get more of a glance into with future books for Mod C!!!
This was a sweet and spicy ready. Carter and Celine had amazing chemistry even when “he hated her”. I loved the yearning from his POV and he was so good at taking care of her. One of my favorite scenes was when they were in the kitchen making breakfast and they just moved so fluidly around each other’s orbit. Mod C is amazing as always and I just love how these ladies show up for each other.
When Carter and Celine finally figured it all out, sparks flew and it was perfection. Carter taking care of Celine and her friends for the Paris trip was so sweet. I loved the epilogue and their HEA which I hope we get more of a glance into with future books for Mod C!!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Celine is seriously SO funny 😂💕 I loved her personality, her unfiltered/unplanned thoughts, and especially her choice of words 🤣 She had me laughing throughout the book!
And Carter… the man that he is 😮💨❤️ The minute he finally came forward with his feelings, his actions spoke louder than words. 🥹 The redo prom scene was SO sweet, and the lengths he went through to make sure Celine felt appreciated? 🥺🫶🏼 MY HEART.
This book really gave us ALL the tropes 😍✨
💙 Brother’s best friend
☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine
🏠 Forced proximity / unexpected roommates
🔥 Enemies to lovers… but honestly, more like misunderstood 😏
I’m not surprised I loved this story because book one was such a breeze to read! 📖💫 And now I’m officially SO ready for book 3.. Rory & Aaron, I can’t wait 👀❤️🔥
And Carter… the man that he is 😮💨❤️ The minute he finally came forward with his feelings, his actions spoke louder than words. 🥹 The redo prom scene was SO sweet, and the lengths he went through to make sure Celine felt appreciated? 🥺🫶🏼 MY HEART.
This book really gave us ALL the tropes 😍✨
💙 Brother’s best friend
☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine
🏠 Forced proximity / unexpected roommates
🔥 Enemies to lovers… but honestly, more like misunderstood 😏
I’m not surprised I loved this story because book one was such a breeze to read! 📖💫 And now I’m officially SO ready for book 3.. Rory & Aaron, I can’t wait 👀❤️🔥
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
If you like enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, angsty “he fell first,” brother’s best friend — THIS IS A MUST ADD TO YOUR TBR.
I really enjoyed this novel so much, I will be going back to read the first in the series! Celine was fun and relatable. Carter was broody and moody (and sometimes bordered on being a jerk). But their banter and chemistry left me satisfied at the end.
Honestly, with these types of tropes in a romantic comedies, I usually fear the pacing will be tragic and the story too similar to others on the market. I was SO SURPRISED that wasn’t the case here. Lauren’s voice an author was fun and fresh to me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed this novel so much, I will be going back to read the first in the series! Celine was fun and relatable. Carter was broody and moody (and sometimes bordered on being a jerk). But their banter and chemistry left me satisfied at the end.
Honestly, with these types of tropes in a romantic comedies, I usually fear the pacing will be tragic and the story too similar to others on the market. I was SO SURPRISED that wasn’t the case here. Lauren’s voice an author was fun and fresh to me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 3, 2026
i went into this without reading the first book in the series, which is totally on me, but i definitely think this easily works as a standalone as well. at first of course i was quite confused about some things due to my lack of background knowledge but i quickly connected the dots. it was such a cute, fun, and feel-good story, and i found myself really enjoying the characters and their dynamics. there was just something so comforting about the whole book, and it was the kind of read that made me feel all giddy. im really glad i got the opportunity to read this, and i actually ended up enjoying it way more than expected!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 ⭐️
I liked this book!! I loved the plot and the characters. I could tell that the writing was planned out, and the language the author used was very well done. I love it when the characters are roommates, and Celine & Carter had great banter when they were! The yearning was so good!! You could tell that Carter had wanted her for years just by the writing.
I do think that the book could have been a bit shorter in the middle, because it felt like it was dragging on for a little. It soon picked up at the end though!
Overall, I recommend this book. Thank you, NetGalley, for letting me read an early copy of The Final Move!
I liked this book!! I loved the plot and the characters. I could tell that the writing was planned out, and the language the author used was very well done. I love it when the characters are roommates, and Celine & Carter had great banter when they were! The yearning was so good!! You could tell that Carter had wanted her for years just by the writing.
I do think that the book could have been a bit shorter in the middle, because it felt like it was dragging on for a little. It soon picked up at the end though!
Overall, I recommend this book. Thank you, NetGalley, for letting me read an early copy of The Final Move!
August 24, 2026
I received this book as an ARC from netgalley. I genuinely adored this book. It's a subtle Pride and Prejudice retelling. Like the apartment building being named The Pemberly and various characters actions. But it was so uniquely its own that I never felt like I was just reading P&P again. The yearning in this book is top tier. Chefs kiss. I will definitely be reading this again once it's in print. The Carter was never so broody that he was a dick and you could tell he truly loved Celine in a way that everyone dreams of! Love love love!
September 6, 2026
I enjoyed this one! The Final Move had a little bit of everything I look for: romance, tension, drama, and characters I actually wanted to root for. I liked the chemistry between the characters and definitely found myself getting invested in their story.
There were a few moments where the pacing felt a little slow for me, especially for the romance between the two characters to begin. Overall, I had a great time reading it. It kept me interested and I was happy with how everything came together in the end. Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
There were a few moments where the pacing felt a little slow for me, especially for the romance between the two characters to begin. Overall, I had a great time reading it. It kept me interested and I was happy with how everything came together in the end. Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I am a sucker for a broody billionaire romance! This was a quick read for me. Not the best book I’ve ever read but definitely enjoyable and I would recommend.
Celine and Carter were both likable and their relationship made sense. Celine’s friends were funny and I loved when we got to see some MOB C! Most of the plot points felt very surface level so I would’ve liked to see some things explored more.
All you need to be convinced to read this book though is…. HE HITS HER WITH A “WHY DO YOU THINK?” !!!!!! swoon
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for their eARC!
Celine and Carter were both likable and their relationship made sense. Celine’s friends were funny and I loved when we got to see some MOB C! Most of the plot points felt very surface level so I would’ve liked to see some things explored more.
All you need to be convinced to read this book though is…. HE HITS HER WITH A “WHY DO YOU THINK?” !!!!!! swoon
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for their eARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, and for introducing me to a fun new rom-com author!! 3.25⭐️
This was a cute, spicy rom-com!!! While this was a romance, I loved that the main character, Celine, was a strong, independent woman who had a storyline outside of her relationship with Carter. I did find that the plot was at some times predictable but overall this was a very easy, fun read. Excited to see which couple this series focuses on next!!
This was a cute, spicy rom-com!!! While this was a romance, I loved that the main character, Celine, was a strong, independent woman who had a storyline outside of her relationship with Carter. I did find that the plot was at some times predictable but overall this was a very easy, fun read. Excited to see which couple this series focuses on next!!
September 6, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this one! The story kept me interested, the characters were easy to root for, and overall it was just a really fun read. It wasn’t quite a five-star favorite for me, the third act felt predictable and frustrated me, but I had a great time with it and thought everything came together really well. Definitely an enjoyable read and one I’d recommend!
I really enjoyed this one! The story kept me interested, the characters were easy to root for, and overall it was just a really fun read. It wasn’t quite a five-star favorite for me, the third act felt predictable and frustrated me, but I had a great time with it and thought everything came together really well. Definitely an enjoyable read and one I’d recommend!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Disclaimer: I did not read the first book, and didn't find the book too confusing. I did find some things confusing, but eventually I got the hang of what was happening and who was who.
I absolutely adore enemies to lovers and forced proximity. Having both in this book was amazing.
I loved the depth of Celine and Carter's relationship, their relationship never felt shallow.
I did enjoy how giddy I felt, and how I looked forward to reading this!
I absolutely adore enemies to lovers and forced proximity. Having both in this book was amazing.
I loved the depth of Celine and Carter's relationship, their relationship never felt shallow.
I did enjoy how giddy I felt, and how I looked forward to reading this!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Final Move was such an enjoyable read! I really liked the characters and the chemistry between them, and the story had a great mix of tension, romance, and suspense. I especially enjoyed the twists and the little surprises along the way because they kept me curious about where everything was going. The pacing made this an easy book to get through, and I found myself wanting to keep reading to see how it all played out.
August 23, 2026
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
3.5 ⭐️ This book has all the tropes I usually go for, but for some reason didn’t keep me well engaged throughout. I thought some parts were hilarious and incredibly cute, other parts were a bit boring. Still enjoyed myself though!
3.5 ⭐️ This book has all the tropes I usually go for, but for some reason didn’t keep me well engaged throughout. I thought some parts were hilarious and incredibly cute, other parts were a bit boring. Still enjoyed myself though!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
✨Advanced readers copy-Thanks NetGalley! ✨
I absolutely loved this book/series so far and can’t wait to read more from this author. The long time rivalry, banter and smokey scenes made it hard to put the book down.
I absolutely loved this book/series so far and can’t wait to read more from this author. The long time rivalry, banter and smokey scenes made it hard to put the book down.
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