Blackmailed By The Hero

Gone Hollywood #2

by Julie Particka

A sexy category romance from Entangled's Brazen imprint...

The wrong bed. The wrong guy.

Party planner Vicky Stone is on a post-divorce mission. Not only does she intend to land her dream promotion, she's going to indulge in a night of hot hook-up sex. Preferably with the hunky actor she just met at a work function, no-fraternization rules be damned. Fortunately, his drunken directions included a right that should have been a left, landing her in bed with her brother's extra-hot, extra-off-limits best friend instead of the unemployment line.

And, oh, he feels good. Too good.

Bad boy Dante Palladino's forbidden fantasies are about to come true...until Vicky realizes who she's feeling up. And to find out she risked her job for sex with some loser? Not on his watch. Dante throws down the ultimate, albeit self-serving, blackmail. Vicky will date him-and only him-and her secret will be safe. But Vicky swore never to fall for another guy who could break her heart...and Dante's on course to do just that.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Contemporary, Erotica

169 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 11, 2015

About the author

Julie Particka was told to get serious about her future in Junior High. Several years after getting a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, she realized being serious was over-rated and went back to her first love–writing. Now rather than spending her days in the drudgery of the lab or teaching science to high school students, she disappears into worlds of her own creation where monsters sometimes roam, but true love still conquers all.

She can most often be located in the Detroit area with her favorite minions (the ones who know her as Mom) where she is currently hatching a plot for world domination. It involves cookies for everyone, so she’s pretty sure there’s no way it can fail…except the minions keep eating the cookies.

*NOTE FROM JULIE: While I will be updating my shelf with books I have read/want to read, I won't be rating them anymore unless I really LOVED them. If I add a book, it means I liked it, so don't take a lack of rating to mean anything bad. It wouldn't be on my shelf if I wasn't willing to recommend it.*

see also Seleste deLaney

Reviews

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

I want you, Vicky Stone. I've wanted you for five years, and I sure as hell want you to know I thought you were worth the wait."

First let me preface my review by saying that my lower rating had nothing to do with the book not being wonderful; it was a sweet and sexy romance. It has everything to do with my own personal preference. So please don't let my rating deter. Three stars, after all, means that I did enjoy it overall, just a few things kept it from being a 4 or 5 star.

Vicky Stone is Evan Stone's sister from Tempting Her Fake Fiancé. But if you haven't read that book, don't worry, because you can easily read this one as a standalone. If you're looking for a sweet brother's best friend romance sort of thing, this will definitely fit the bill. But don't let the title or the synopsis deceive you, because to be quite frank, I didn't really find Dante to be a bad boy in any sense of the word. Perhaps that's what kept this at a solid three stars for me; different expectations.

Dante Palladino has had feelings for Vicky as long as he's known her. Starting his career as a wrestling superstar and moving towards movies now hasn't exactly meant he's been a saint when it comes to women. But this is not the bad boy you might be expecting. Sure he's pierced in all the right places (and I mean THE RIGHT places) but for me that was as "bad" as he got. What he was, was a nice guy that made that evident from the very beginning. His motivation is honorable, even if his means aren't the best.

I enjoyed this book for the most part, but it was also missing a certain something for me too. An oompf of sorts. It just didn't have that Brazen feeling. I felt like I was reading a Lovestruck or maybe even an indulgence. Oh fine! It was just too "nice" for me. God! I feel dirty just writing that, but it's the truth. I needed a little more from this. The conflict at the end felt forced and contrived just to keep pushing the plot, though the resolution of it was sweet. But again, this was a definite case of it's me and not the book. It was simply just too sweet for my tastes. There. I said it.

If you enjoyed the first book in this series, you're sure to enjoy this one. My favorite part of the story was Vicky's best friend, Jade. So I'm really hoping her book will be next. I'm still a fan of this series, it was just that this book simply didn't wow me. It just was. Not great, not bad, and not anything I'd go back to, but still a fun read.

ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review

For more reviews visit

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - "Don't knock the vaj - those things can take a pounding and come back for more." Stars!

I really enjoyed Blackmailed by the Hero, being the second book in Julie Particka’s Gone Hollywood series we are now given Vicky Stone’s story, she is the younger sister of Actor Evan Stone (book one).



Dante and Vicky have history, being her brother’s best friend, Vicky has known him loosely for quite a while, but their initial meeting was just before she was due to get married. Seeing the unmistakable chemistry start fizzing between them at that initial meeting, Evan warns her off Dante, in the hope that she carries on down the aisle.

”I don’t want a hero… I didn’t ask for one, and I don’t need one.”

Fast forward five years, and Vicky now newly divorced is trying to move on with her life, waitressing for Elegant Entertainment her plan is to get enough experience and earn enough money to start her own event planning business.

Stepping out of her comfort-zone, puts her in the wrong bed, but luckily Dante is definitely the right guy… One is striving for independence, the other wants to give the sun, moon and stars and reading of them both moving past their pre-conceived impressions of the other, whilst negotiating the pitfalls of a relationship potentially in the public eye, was pretty enjoyable.

”Sorry, I don’t french this early.”

Blackmailed by the Hero, is a quick, sexy and enjoyable read. Lots of one liners and verbal sparring. The pre requisite villain, plenty of sexy-times and Dante Palladino has a little somethin’ special, which makes this girl’s nethers go all aquiver!

ARC generously provided by Entangled, in exchange for the above honest review.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vicky's best friend convinces her she needs to have a wild night of no strings sex. She's been divorced for two years and is more focused on her career, she's a waitress trying to work her way up to event planner. On the night she's looking for a little fun. she's working as a waitress at a party with a bunch of movie stars. Vicki gets an offer from a handsome actor to sneak back in later at night and he'll show her a good time. At the same party, she runs into her brothers best friend, Dante who she's always been attracted to but was warned by her brother to stay away. When Vicky sneaks back in later that night, she ends up in the wrong bed and is forced to do whatever it takes to keep it a secret so that she doesn't lose her job.

There were a lot of things I really liked about this book. There is witty banter, sizzling hot sexual tension, a little bit of drama, a brothers best friend storyline, a sweet romance, and some really good steamy scenes. I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more by this author!

**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**

[Janey · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 "Does this mean i'm special?" stars

Having met Evan Stone in the first in this series, this story follows the trials and tribulations of his sister, Vicky Stone.

Not wanting any handouts from her family, Vicky finds herself a year on from divorcing her husband, and attempting to make a life for herself, by herself.

At Elegant Entertainment, she finds herself swimming upstream in a river of the rich and famous, as she waitresses prestigious events that she may have previously attended alongside her brother.

On a particular night, her best friend, Jade, had suggested that she needed to bag a one night stand. That would help get her out of her funk, and give her the impetus to launch back into the dating game.

Dante Pallidino found himself at an affiliated party connected to the film he was currently in. He could do with going home, having had enough of this industry baloney, but to keep the bosses happy...

Who should he bump into but the very delectable Vicky, little sister of his best bud, Evan, and oh how she had grown. Having spent many formative years in her company, Vicky was a pure no go area in every sense for Dante.

After a shameless flirt with another actor within the film, Vicky psyches herself up for a night of no strings pleasure, until she finds herself directionally challenged and in the wrong place at maybe the right time.

This was an amusing, steamy read for me. I enjoyed Dante very much. He depicted the archetypical bad boy, but turned out to be so much more. This couple's chemistry was fizzing on first sight, and coupled with their amusing banter, it proved to be a great addition to this series.

"I will give you anything you ever want, but I am not a big, fat man with a white beard."

ARC provided by Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review..

[Amber .:★Wild Heart Reviews★:. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve been gathering my thoughts on this one for a few days. Blackmailed by the Hero is the second book in the Gone Hollywood series by Julie Patricka. The book itself is very well written, told from alternative third person point of views, and can be read as a standalone.

For me, this was one of the middle of the road books. There is nothing that really sticks out to me as over the top “oh my gosh”, but it’s still a great read. It is in the trope of friends to lovers, which is one of my favorite, but also second chance in a way. I won’t joke, I got anxious as Vicky did when she was tip-toeing down the hallway to the room she was looking for. So the story can immerse you into it.

Dante comes off as this bad boy, ex wrestler playboy who makes his way through a sea of women that all want to fall at the Inferno’s feet. He humors them for the most part, but there is more to him then just that. Vicky is coming out of a rocky divorce, her ex husband is a piece of work. She’s fighting to make a life for herself without leaning on anyone and I think that she actually does a pretty good job of it. Sometimes you want to bash her over the head because it seems like things don’t click for her until she sees them an exact way, but outside oft that, I liked her. There is an obvious amount of chemistry and sparks between the pair. It translates well to the reader.

So, all in all, I gave it a three star rating. I would honestly like to have given it more, but as I said before, it just wasn’t that memorable for me. Nothing stuck out. I did like the trope, I did like the storyline itself, and the characters. Oddly enough, Vicky’s best friend Jade stuck out to me more than both the main characters. She was hilarious and is the only one that I snagged a quote from in the book. Overall, would I recommend this book? You betcha!

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Find this review and more at kimberlyfaye reads .

I was excited to learn there would be another book in Julie's Gone Hollywood series and happy to get an opportunity to read it in advance of its release. Like its predecessor, Tempting Her Fake Fiancé, it was a fun and sexy addition to the Brazen line.

Blackmailed by the Hero is centered around divorcee Vicky and former fighter Dante, who just happens to be her brother's best friend. Recently reunited at a party (and later in a slightly uncomfortable – but not unfortunate – case of mistaken bedroom identity), the chemistry between these two was intense. There's a bit of history between them, so this story has a second chance romance feel and you know how much I love those.
I liked both Vicky and Dante. Even more, I liked how they helped each other move forward in the ways they both needed. She was looking to build her career and move on from her messy divorce. He was still battling the demons from his past and the crush he had on his best friend's sister. (*cough* Vicky *cough*) But, now that they're both single there's really no need to fight it. Looking for any opening to spend more time with her, he comes up with the blackmail scheme – which will totally come back to bite him in the ass eventually – but the sexy time was hot, the story was good and the drama was minimal.

Blackmailed by the Hero was a quick read and an entertaining one. I liked that we got to catch up with Stasia and Evan from the first book and I'm happy to see life treating them well. Brazen fans, and romance readers in general, will certainly enjoy this book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[Devika · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review..

[WTF Are You Reading? · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of things to like about this story. Unfortunately, none of them are or relate to, leading lady, Vicky Stone.

Full review will be up with the sun.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vicky and Dante have known each other for years.  Dante is Evan, Vicky's brother's, best friend. They first met a bit before Vicky was to be married and there were sparks then.  Evan didn't want that event ruined, so she was warned to stay away as well as Dante.

Now, it's five years later and Vicky is divorced for a year and trying to move on with her life-but not having a lot of luck doing it.  Her best friend thinks she needs to have a night of unbridled sex to get the ball rolling.  She runs into Dante at a party she was waitressing at. The sparks are there again, but Vicky remembers Evan's warning.  After a series of mistakes, Vicky ends up in Dante's bed instead of the intended target. Quite a melee ensues, but Dante vows everything will be alright as long as she dates him for a couple of weeks....

I really enjoyed Blackmailed by the Hero! Dante really isn't anywhere close to a dark and dangerous type man who would blackmail someone-but you gotta do what you gotta do!! He saw a chance with Vicky and took it. He really was very nice and sweet and ripped and Oh you get the picture-the perfect man. At least for Vicky he seems to be. She just needed to get past some impressions she had of him and the warning from her brother. Dante does a good job of showing her who he really is-not what the tabloids say about him. Vicky was a goner!

Julie Particka wrote a quick, flirty, and very sexy read! I loved the banter! The story flows nicely and I wanted them to get their HEA!  I wasn't disappointed!

4 Stars/3.5 Flames

This book was gifted to me by the Jeep Diva for an honest review.  The review and rating are solely my opinions.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this story through NetGalley from Entangled Publishing for an honest review. I'd say this book was between a 2.5-3 stars for me. It was ok, but I found my mind wandering a lot and didn't really connect with the characters, particularly the heroine. I really liked the first book about Evan Stone, who is the brother to the heroine, Vicky. I admire how she was reinventing herself after her divorce and restarting her life/career. Her brother wanted to support and help her, but she was doing it on her own. In the opening scenes while she's on the catering staff, she was quick and very witty. After that she was a smidge more stubborn with the hero, Dante, than I preferred. I will say that I initially thought Reed was going to be the hero, but was relieved the douche wasn't after their initial interaction. Although the middle was slow for me, I did enjoy the last 10-15% of the book as the pace and drama picked up. I really enjoyed Ms. Particka's first book so I'm looking forward to more from her.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vicky is no stranger to Hollywood and definitely no stranger to the alluring Dante. Vicky is in the process of rebuilding her life after becoming a divorce woman. The last thing she wants is a new man to consume her, and Dante is the man who has that very power. Vicky is looking to hook-up with someone with no strings attached. Things don't go as planned for Vicky when the man in the bed she crawls into is none other than Dante AKA her brother's best friend better known as the man who has tempted her even before she got married. Dante has always craved Vicky. Dante is hoping to save Vicky from possible reckless choices when he blackmails her into dating him. Dante and Vicky burn up the sheets with one another. While Dante is blackmailing Vicky into dating him, unbeknownst to Vicky he is also trying to save her from possible harm. Julie Parkicka out did herself with this book. Definite 5 out of 5 stars for me.

(ARC provided by Entangled Publishing in exchanged of an honest review)

[Bette Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vicky Stone just needs one night to really let loose and have a little fun. When she meets a bad boy actor at a party she's working, she decides tonight is that night! When she sneaks into his room and his bed later that night, she's in for a little surprise!!

Dante has secretly lusted after Vicky for a long time but due to his friendship with her brother she was strictly hands off! When she mistakenly slips into his bed rather than the bed of the loser she intended he decides he needs to save her from herself! He threatens to tell her employer exactly what happen unless she agrees to date him - only him!!

Loved this one! The chemistry between Vicky and Dante was amazing. The story was very well done and grabbed my attention immediately. Couldn't put it down. I highly recommend this one!

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Blackmailed By The Hero was a quick, fun and enjoyable read.

I liked both Dante and Vicky, their love story was entertaining and held my interest from start to end.

Looking forward to reading more from Julie Particka in the near future.

Thank you Entangled Brazen via Netgalley for the advance copy.

[Bec · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vicky Stone has decided she doesn't need a man to make her happy, but her best friend has thrown her a challenge to find a man and get laid. Except somehow, Vicky ends up in the wrong room only to discover her brother's best friend, Dante Palladino is on the receiving end of her attention. So, when he blackmails her into dating him, what is a woman to do but to agree? Will Vicky give Dante a chance at forever love, or did her ex cause her too much pain to give happy ever after another chance?

The brothers best friend trope is one of the best tropes in my opinion, and this story was an intriguing and satisfying read due to the main characters, most especially the hero; whether the hero can win the heroine over when she's already had one relationship that ended in divorce and has made her determined to remain single; and what Vicky's brother reveals that makes her brother realize how wrong of a decision he made when it came to her ex and Dante.

The way this story started had me liking the heroine immediately, as her friend is determined to get Vicky to let her hair down -- so to speak -- and finally find a man that can give her a night of wild abandon. Will Vicky be capable of propositioning someone? Will she go through with the plan if she does find a man to spend the night with? However, it was from the moment the heroine does something that leaves her embarrassed that this story became really interesting. Because the hero is determined to keep her out of the clutches of a total player, even if he has blackmail her to do so.

Both the main characters had me hooked from start to finish, especially because of their past history; what Vicky's brother did to make certain she wouldn't make a mistake, even though she ended up making one by marrying her ex; and the obstacles these two face on their journey to happy ever after. Vicky is strong and brave and I liked how determined she was not to rely on anyone, even though it seems she's struggling and everyone keeps offering to help her. Yet, she relied on someone once before and he didn't turn out to be all that good for her. No way will she ever look for someone to be her hero again, not when she can save herself. I also liked what the hero did for her to help her prove how she good she is at her job and prove to her boss that she deserves more responsibility.

While the hero, he's accomplished a lot going from being a well-known athlete to a movie star. He's confident and determined to do what's right for the heroine, and I liked that he would do whatever it takes to protect her, even knowing she'd be annoyed with him. I also liked the banter between the pair, as it certainly upped the sexual tension between Vicky and Dante until their wonderful chemistry spilled over onto the pages in sizzling sex scenes that illustrated how good these two are together.

Overall, Ms. Partricka has penned a seriously hot and delightful read in this book where the secondary characters entertained me just as much as the main ones, especially Vicky's best friend who was a real hoot and made me laugh. The way this story ended had me smiling, because of what Vicky's best friend did and had me sympathizing with the hero because of what happened to tear them apart. Yet, in saying that, I enjoyed how the heroine made things right between them. Her words were perfect, especially because sometimes having a hero in her life isn't a bad thing. However, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up nicely, because Vicky has finally achieved her dream and I liked the surprise she had for the hero. I would recommend Blackmailed by the Hero by Julie Partricka, if you enjoy the brothers best friend trope or books by authors Liz Crowe, Samanthe Beck, Maggie Kelley or Megan Erickson.

[Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blackmailed by the Hero is a short, not particularly interesting, read. Vicky Stone is in post divorce mode, trying to get her life together without a handout from her famous actor brother. She's low on the totem pole at an events planning company when she runs into her brother's friend, Dante "Inferno" Palladino, one time professional wrestler, now an actor, at a Hollywood party she's working at. When she ends up in his bed, stroking his er manhood, instead of in Reed's bed, the actor who had given her instructions on how to get to his room, she freaks out. Dante and Vicky had always had serious chemistry, but she had been about to get married, so her brother warned her off him. She knows ending up in Dante's bed can be bad for her, for her career, so she tries to walk away gracefully, but Dante has other ideas in mind. When he blackmails her into helping him plan a party for himself and Evan (Vicky's brother), she just knows she can't let herself lean on him, that she needs to do things on her own, or she'll end up letting yet another man give her a handout, bail her out of the mess she's gotten herself into.

I like Dante, it's obvious from the very beginning, the blackmail notwithstanding, that he's a great guy with a big heart. I don't like Vicky as much, she comes across as really strident, when all Dante had been trying to do is help her. I respect that she was trying to be independent, but she took it too far and just ended up looking ridiculously bitchy. Their connection is sweet, but it isn't very deep. Probably because Vicky kept Dante at arm's length the entire book, even when they were having sex. She never opened herself up, even after Dante shared really personal things with her. So, their chemistry was lacking and it cast a sort of muted pall over the book.

Not much really stood out about Blackmailed by the Hero. Dante is a good guy, but he doesn't have that alpha-ness to him that would make him memorable, and Vicky just seems like a caricature of a modern divorcée with no especially interesting traits. Even the "villain" of the story is kinda one note, boring and he doesn't even get his comeuppance. I think the only character I really liked is Jade, Vicky's best friend. Now, she would make for an interesting story. Blackmailed by the Hero isn't bad, it just isn't great or that memorable, so I couldn't justify giving it more than 3 stars.

I received an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review.

[Mariah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dante and Vicky were a fun pair and I really liked this book. Dante sounded so sexy with his Dwayne Johnson wrestling to actor back ground. He also saved a few damsels on set as well which makes him even more attractive. Vicky is picking up to pieces of what her Ex left behind from the divorce. With everything that progressed between Vicky and Dante I really wish I could have had a scene with the Ex. Overall I really liked this book and am excited for Jade's book.

[Char (1RadReader59) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story for once was different in the fact that the woman, Vicky Stone, didn’t want to be saved or taken care of by a knight in shining armor. It rested on her wanting to do so alone yet almost to solo. And at a risk to her safety. Vicky was a totally different than most LA types though. She could never seem to put it into words but she knew what was guiding her sails after her horrible marriage rustling in a divorce to Brandon her ex.
You see she was due to get married to him five years ago when she met her brothers best friend Dante (Inferno) Palladino an ex pro wrestler turned actor. Evan her brother is an actor and that is how they met. When she met him a few months before her wedding when she had gone to visit her brother. Dante had been working with him. They talked for a lot she had been attracted to him and his easy way about him. Then she left, not thinking anything of it.
For a couple of weeks she kept running into him sometimes alone and sometimes with Brandon. That didn’t seem off she just figured she just noticed him more since she would not before. Especially now knowing he was Evan’s. Then Evan had told her to keep her distance that Dante is bad news and because you know what they say about wrestlers. She didn’t but she wasn’t single so she wouldn’t have to worry, she was getting married. Although she did admit to herself that it was nice to receive the adding attention and have stimulating conversation.
Now though she’s divorced from Brandon a year but it had been two years since she had sex. Her friend Jade and she had been besties for a long time and pushed each other to make these milestones so we continue to move on in their lives. Vicky’s most extreme on for her was to have a one night stand to get back in with both feet into the dating world. She had three weeks or she would lose. Vicky really didn’t want to date until she got her live in order and worked in a job where she could support herself. That way if anything were to ever happen in the next relationship she would have her career to fall back on and not be left with nothing like with Brandon.
She was now working with Elegant Entertainment a party planning service. She was starting from the bottom with hopes of moving up one she was off probation. She wanted no handouts from her mom or brother. She especially didn’t want special treatment because her brother is a big ticket actor. Now being at the party she is on a kick thanks to her BFF Jade, to get laid. She didn’t even care if it was a client. So, when Reed Russell comes on to her and asks her up to his room after the party she said, “Okay.” He gave her directions and she waited for all the employees and the owner from Elegant to leave the mansion before she goes back into the mansion after driving her card to a dark spot in the parking area. One minor flaw in the plan. Reed’s room got changed and she didn’t know it. When she got into his room it was dark and figured he had fallen asleep but decided to move forward. You know it was now or never. She stripped part way down just in case it was only going to be a quickie. She gets in bed and decides to wake him up with a make massage on his woody she noticed. She starts slowly handling him but then realized she ended up in a bed with a man with a piercing on his member.
She stopped for a minute because then she remembered that at the party earlier she ran smack dab into Dante her one that got away. He was sparing with her like they always did in that fun way but this time it hurt and scared her as in risking her heart was too scary to risk. Anyway, he had mentioned that he had a member piercing. When all of a sudden Reed wakes up with a start saying her name. Then he says I thought you said you weren’t interested she said he was wrong.
The thought he had of having her and being in her made him roll her over in the bed holding her in his arms above her when he says, “I told you I only showed the piercing to women I really liked.” She paused her movements and then jerked back pushing him away. She did it so fast that she rolled off the bed hits the floor with a thud. Dante turned on the light next to the bed.
See how these two handle this new discover in their relationship. Find out how they maneuver a infatuation long held for one another, a want to be with each other but the fear that it brings, and for Vicky finding how to balance taking care of herself with allowing someone else to care for her too.
I totally enjoyed this story. It take you into the mind of a woman who was take advantage of by her ex and was scared by him emotionally. Coming to terms with the fact that she had let the best man she had ever met get away on here say only to find him again and allowing doubt to guide her. See how this man who never stopped loving this woman want to change his life basically so his could be worthy of her one day even if it never happened but more importantly to do for a man who had taken on the father figure in his life and helped molded him into a man. I give this 5 stars. Provided by Netgalley.com. Follow us at: www.1rad-readerreviews.com

[Pernille Olsen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was kind of boring, lackluster, and not at all a turn on

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Dreamy Alpha ex-Fighter Stars

This story is really about how sometimes big brothers mess up. Bad.

Vicky has been dependant and leaned on people all her life, whether at home her mother, her brother (a famous actor) and later on with her husband. She never lived by herself until she finally gets divorced from the emotional abusive douchewaffle that was the man she married. Now on a path of discovering her independence and self-worth, she is set on not receiving help or being rescued by anybody.

So what if she is living in a tiny apartment in a sketchy neighborhood, or if she’s been waitressing for over a year for an events planning company. She has a five year plan and she’ll soon be out of tiny skirts and horrible hours on her feet to move up the ladder of the company.

If only plans always went as they should.

Egged on by her best friend to “re-pop her cherry post divorce” she flirts with a famous actor and accepts his invitation to come back later and into the room he’s staying. Not 5 minutes later, she runs into Dante, her big brother’s best friend, and the man she would have broken up her wedding for… if only her brother hadn’t warned her against him.

Dante can’t believe his luck when he see’s Vicky at the party for the film he’s working on, he never could quite get her out of his head, even after 5 years, and now she is divorced… if only his best friend hadn’t told him to stay away from her.

Well, Vicky goes to the room she was invited to, get’s into bed with the man resting there and finds a very hot, muscled body with a big, pierced um… yeah, that turns out to be Dante. Horrified by her mistake she blurts out who’s room she was supposed to be in and now Dante is the horrified one as that guy is really bad news. He won’t let Vicky get near that prick and so sets in motion a plan to keep her away from him. Basically he blackmails her into going to dates with him and planning his birthday party in exchange for him not getting her fired from work for fraternizing with the guests at the party.

They are soon spending lots of time together and it gets harder and harder to fight the intense attraction they’ve always felt for each other. But everything doesn’t run smoothly as they both have some hung ups and issues from their pasts to deal with.

Dante was fantastic. Super hot, alpha, bossy, protective. Did I mentioned the tattoos and the pierced junk? Well, the ex wrestler turned actor was sweet and romantic. And he only wanted what was best for Vicky, he just didn’t find quite the right way to get it done. Still, I so wouldn’t mind a Dante of my own (piercing and all of course).

Vicky… *siiiiiiiigh* Vicky… *shakes head sadly*

I understood her need to do things on her own, but if your brother is rich beyond compare and he is offering to buy you a place so you can focus on getting your career and life on track, you don’t insist on wasting rent on a crap place. You let him buy a moderate house, then allow him to sell it when you’re back on your feet. I get going for complete independence, but at times Vicky could be stupidly stubborn on her views of how to get said independence, and in my opinion jumped to conclusions (and the wrong ones at that) way too easily. So I’ll have to say, she was not my favorite heroine.

Blackmailed by the Hero was a very engaging read, steamy and hot and quite entertaining. I’ll definitely be waiting for more stories by this author.


*I received a complimentary copy from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review*

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darn it, I completely spaced out and haven't yet read book one in this series, Tempting Her Fake Fiancé . I have no excuse--I own it, for pete's sake; fortunately, it didn't matter at all where book two in the series is concerned. I really enjoyed the author's voice here and the snippets we saw of Evan, Vicky's brother and the hero of Tempting, sparked my interest, so I'll definitely be fixing that issue--soon.

Dante "Inferno" Palladino is a classic good-guy hero--he's Evan's best friend, and back when he and Vicky first met there were some serious sparks going on, but she was about to be married so nothing actually happened. Oh, and her brother warned her off of him, saying his bestie was "bad news". (Which he's not, BTW. Note the first sentence of this paragraph. It's totally true. But it takes Vicky a while to clue in on that.)

But now it's five years later, and Vicky's divorce from her no-good, abusive husband is finally over. She's making a new life for herself on her own and on her own terms and things are going well except, well, she's been in a bit of a dry spell sexually speaking. So her best friend Jade (who will hopefully get her own book soon, because she made a big deal here about not believing in forever love and all that jazz, so clearly she's got it coming...) has dared her to have a one-night stand following the Hollywood party that Vicky's working at as the novel opens.

And so that's her plan.

Except it goes very wrong. Or very right, depending on your POV of the situation. ;)

From the start Dante's the consummate good-guy hero; except for the blackmail bit (which ended up making a lot more sense in the story than I initially thought it could have--though honestly, he should have copped to his motivation there way before he did) and Evan's so-called warning, he's constantly thinking of others before himself. Come to think of it, the "blackmail" isn't even an exception to that. Vicky has a hard time reconciling the thoughtful and considerate guy he is 99% of the time with the man who threatens her job in order to make him go out with her. Did I mention he should have confessed all to her earlier? But really his "bad boy" label seems a total misnomer here, from start to finish...other than his tats and a really interesting piercing.

Vicky was definitely a sympathetic character with her difficult psst and her determination to do things on her own, but at times it felt like she was causing unnecessary drama. She tended to jump to conclusions rashly and then lash out based on them, especially toward the end, and her insistence on not wanting to be "rescued" felt a bit over the top after a while. She eventually got over her hangup there, but it was a conclusion she should have reached earlier in the book. Still, she was essentially an enjoyable heroine.

The ending felt a bit heavy-handed, but it was cute.

Overall, this was a great weekend read, and I'm looking forward to more from this series.

Rating: 3 1/2 stars / B+

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Adria's Musings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on Adria's Romance Reviews

* A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review.

Recently divorced party planner Vicky Stone is trying to work her way up to her dream promotion without capitalizing on her Hollywood connections. Along the way, she plans on indulging in a one night stand, the hell with the no fraternization rules. Vicky believes the actor she just met at a work function will do quite nicely but as fate would have it, he gives her the wrong directions to his room and Vicky ends up in bed with a very familiar face.



Former wrestler turned actor Dante Palladino thought his wildest fantasy had finally come true when Vicky ends up in his bed. When he finds out the truth, that Vicky risked her job, her reputation and her safety for one night in a loser’s bed he resorts to blackmail. He tells Vicky he’ll keep the secret of her botched up rendezvous if she goes out with him and only him.

I don’t know what it was about Vicky that held my interest. Maybe it was that she was a divorced woman trying to find her footing after a tumultuous marriage to a man who belittled her, or maybe it was that she thought of herself as weak yet her actions proved that she was stronger than ever. I liked this character. Author Julie Particka made Vicky unsure of herself but still a naturally independent and strong woman. Vicky didn’t have all the answers for her life but she did know she wanted to find them on her own. I loved that she didn’t rush into a relationship right away because she was feeling lost or lonely. She was determined to prove that she could stand on her own two feet before she let anyone else in.

Like Vicky, there was something about Dante that just kept me coming back for more. I loved how the author balanced out Dante’s public reputation as a wrestler and actor with his private personality. Only a few lucky people were allowed to see what a great guy he was, how generous and kind. It made Dante seem a little more special than the average hero. He had a wicked sense of humor too, I can’t resist a kind alpha male with a sarcastic streak!

As a couple, Dante and Vicky were slow to come around, mostly on Vicky’s side. My favorite thing about their romance was that the author gave them time to get to know each other outside of their mutual attraction. It was still pretty sexy and steamy between them but there was always more to it than just sexy time, there was a real connection.

Blackmailed by the Hero brought sexy humor, steamy love scenes and two pretty neat characters together with minimum conflicts in a decent amount of pages. It’s not too long or too short and I enjoyed the author’s writing style and her characters enough to check out any upcoming work.


Final Verdict: Next book please?

[Sheri (Tangled Up In Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Tangled Up In Books

I received a copy of this book, from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review. In no way did this sway either my review or my rating.

Sneaking into the wrong bed mixed with a little second chance romance...the promise of laughter and steamy fun were calling out from that blurb. Though it was a bit frustrating at times it was still tons of fun and a whole lot of sexy!

My source of frustration within this book was Vicky's character. It's hard to decide how I feel about her because all the things I loved about her character were also the things that drove me crazy. She has this fierce independence due to the number that her ex-husband pulled on her, which is awesome and admirable but at times it was almost too much and over the top. She was so determined to go it on her own and be her own person that even the slightest hint at someone helping her get a leg up would set off her alarms and turn her snark from funny and playful to a wall of defense. She always expected the worst out of people and suspected evil-ish ulterior motives. It got kind of old at times and I just wanted to shake her. And it's not like her independence and determination were a bad thing, they're good, it was just too much. Everyone needs help sometimes.

On the other hand Dante who was fierce and charming and incredibly sweet, also had twinges of caveman-like tendencies. His protective, white knight complex would also go a bit far at times, though not quite as annoyingly to me as my issues with Vicky. When it came to Dante I couldn't help but think it was incredibly sweet and know that his heart was in the right place because he likes to do for people, it just clashed with Vicky at times and put a huge wedge between them.

One thing that nobody can deny though would be those sparks between Dante and Vicky. When things would get heated between those two it was explosive, of course with a 5 year build up to them inevitably hooking up how could it not be?

I liked the bits of backstory that we get for Dante. How his past has kept him grounded and real and full of heart and not some egotistical star. It was one of the things I worried about before starting the book seeing as how the title of the series is Gone Hollywood. I'm always wary when it comes to actors for characters. Thankfully there was nothing to be wary of with Dante.

I guess when all I have to complain about with a book is that a character is too independent...there's really not much to complain about! The storyline was fun and sweet and angsty and a whole lot of hot. I'm looking forward to see what else this series has in store.

Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book!

[Angela ReadingCave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Hotness! Blackmailed by the Hero is one smoking hot book. Never before has a wrong turned lead to such a perfect ending.

About two years ago, Vicky’s life got turned upside down- her husband wanted out. Instead of wailing in self-pity Vicky put her big gal pants on and decided to make something of herself. Sure, she could just depend on her actor brother to support her but now that she was alone she decided that she had to take care of herself. So she got an apartment and a job- she has a plan on how to get promoted within the next five years. She doesn’t mind the grunt work she is doing right now because well to be honest she feel s like she has to pay her dues. Her job has one rule no fraternizing with the party goers.

Vicky promises her bestie that she will have a one night stand within the next three months. She has been on a dry spell since her divorce and Jane is worried about her. When one hot actor hits on her, she decides why not. Too bad she ends up in another actor’s room, Dante- who just happens to be the same guy that she was enchanted with five years ago. Her brother’s best friend, who told her to stay away from him. Once Dante realizes who Vicky was trying to see, he is determined to save her from that mistake. The actor was bad-news bears.

Vicky is a determined and focused lady, I like that. She is trying hard to guard her heart and her head. I think at times she over guards herself but who wouldn’t after a devastating divorce. Her ex-hubby is a douchbag and she doesn’t want to end up with another one. She is strong even though she views herself as weak. There is a point in the story where I wanted to scream at her for being silly but I can understand where she is coming from.

Dante is one amazing guy. He really is trying to look out for Vicky. He is concerned for her, and is fearful of what would happen due to the other actor being a jerk. He tries to protect her but at times I felt that he was playing fast and furious with her job. He knows he can’t date Vicky because of the rules with her employer yet he tries anyway. Sometimes being the hero means to step away from the situation for a bit, and he needs to learn that.

I enjoyed Blackmailed by the Hero. The determination of Vicky to pull herself after her divorces is spectacular. The need of Dante to protect her is adorable. The scenes where they are together are smoking hot. I will never be able to go to the Opera again, without thinking of this book. If you are looking for a sexy love story this is the book for you.

The Reading Cave

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s back to Hollywood for the second novel in Julie Particka’s Gone Hollywood series and this time around you not only get the off limits brother’s best friend but also a hero who goes to extremes to do something good.

The hero and heroine in Dante and Vicky were always destined to be together but fate had other plans. A crappy marriage later and Vicky is single and Dante is ready to finally make his move. Even if it’s by blackmailing her for her own good.

There is just something about Dante that will have you falling quickly for him and rooting for him to get the girl of his dreams once and for all. Yes he technically blackmails her into dating him but it’s to save her from harm and okay maybe to get closer to her. He’s wanted Vicky for a long time after all.

“I want you, Vicky Stone. I’ve wanted you for five years, and I sure as hell want you to know I thought you were worth the wait.”

Divorcee and new party planner Vicky has a mission. Get her new career up and running, never rely on people and have a one night stand. She’s been putting her career first and it’s been two very long years without sex. But when she puts a plan into action to scratch that itch, she lands in bed with the wrong guy. Dante. Or maybe it’s the right bed after all.

“I don’t care how you touch me, Dante, but what I really want? I want you. That’s all. Nothing else."

When a little blackmail between friends leads to more, Dante and Vicky quickly start to fall for each other all over again. And when sides of both of them are shared it becomes even harder to stop the fall. But when Vicky loses her job over something Dante said, accusations fly and hearts are broken.

But with a little nudge from the people they are closest to, can these two lovers who are meant to be together find their way back to each other or will the walls they thought had crumbled keep them apart for good?

While this is the second book in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone. But do yourself a favour and read both, you will not be sorry. This was a fun, flirty read that’s a perfect weekend read.

This book was supplied by the publisher for an honest review.

[Amber at WickedGoodReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stubborn is as stubborn does.. and Vicky Stone is as stubborn as it gets. Determined to make a go of life, ON HER OWN, following a painful divorce - she is working as a low paid entertainment waitress just hoping for the chance to move up to party planner.
Dante Palladino is a former professional wrestler-turned-actor who has been best friends with Vicky's brother Evan for many years.
The two of them meet up unexpectedly at a Hollywood party where Vicky is working and looking to end her post divorce dry streak with a hot, no strings attached, one night stand.
The burning question: is Dante really the man Vicky's brother warned her to stay away from all those years ago? Or the thoughtful, sweet, romantic guy that Vicky is trying so hard NOT to get to know?
Falling in the category of "best friends sister", this book was right up my alley. It had all the necessary components - tattooed, muscled hero, down on her luck heroine, crazy but loyal best friend (I love Jade) and even a villain!
The author did an excellent job with the character description and development. They had clearly defined personalities that carried through from beginning to end. I really liked the story line and plot, although I felt it dragged just a bit with Vicky seeming to never cut poor Dante any slack even after proving himself to her numerous times.
The editing was pretty standard for an ARC. The author/editor made no mistakes with the grammar, punctuation and tense that I noticed. This made the book very easy to read and I appreciate that A LOT.
The only wish I have for this story, and it is very minor- when they are having a text exchange or any kind of message exchange - somehow differentiate those words from the rest of the text; possibly with italics, brackets.. etc. Those few parts got a little confusing.
This was a great, entertaining read for me and I will definitely recommend it to friends and im already looking for more from this author!
**Thank you Netgalley, Entangled Publishing and Julie Particka for the ARC**

[Misty (Reds Romance Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vicky Stone is recently divorced and finally living her life on her own terms, she is ready to get over her ex-husband, by indulging in a guilt free one night stand. So when a hunky actor offers her just that she is all to eager to take him up on his offer. He gives her all of his room details and tells her to meet him in his room after the party she is working at is over, so she does just that...only to find she has actually wandered into the wrong room, and comes face to face with her long time crush, and brother's best friend. While she would love to give into her desire for Dante, she decides it's best just to walk away, because she knows one night with him will never be enough, and she isn't ready to put her heart on the line...

Dante Palladino has admired Vicky Stone from afar for the last five years, and after having to watch her marry another man he has had to settle for his forbidden fantasies about her to get him by. But now armed with the knowledge that she is newly single he has decided it is time to devise a plan to get her into his arms, and hopefully in his bed...

This was my first time reading a book by this author, and I have to say that it left a very good first impression, so much so, I plan to revisit this series. One page in and I was immediately hooked, the story was so addictive that I lost track of time and ended up staying up til the wee hours of the morning just to finish it! The characters had amazing chemistry, and the anticipation of them getting together had me on the edge of my seat. One of my favorite tropes is second chance love stories and this one, definitely hit the mark!! Highly recommend you add this one to your reading list...it is HIGHLY satisfying!!

ARC requested through NetGalley, and kindly provided by Entangled Publishing in exchange for a honest and unbiased review.

[CatherineAA · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Vicky Stone is on a quest to do something out of the ordinary for her in celebration of her divorce: indulge in a one-night stand and she has just the perfect person in mind. Due to a mistake, she finds herself in the wrong bed, with her brother's best friend.

Five years ago, Dante Palladino met and fell for his friend's sister but her upcoming wedding prevented him from pursing the attraction. Now by a stroke of luck, she is in his bed and he's definitely not letting go this time, even if he has to resort to blackmail to get her to spend time with him.

Dante was portrayed as the bad boy ex-fighter by the media but he was in fact more. He knew the value of hard work but also learned that a helping hand made the struggle for success easier and so he was willing to lend Julie a hand in getting her career off the ground.

Vicky's ex-husband had demolished her self-esteem, so that she felt that she had to make it all by herself and Dante's tendency to swoop in and play hero was not something she liked, but with time she realized that accepting Dante's help was not such a bad thing after all.

BLACKMAILED BY THE HERO was sweet, fun and entertaining. My favorite character is Vicky's best friend Jade, with her lack of filter and I really hope she gets her story.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.





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[Vi · Rating 3 out of 5]

On a scale from 1-10 on the Brazen score, this book would get a firm 5. I liked it enough, but there wasn't anything that made me hate or love it. It was just okay. It's not a bad second-chance love story and I liked when Vicky and Dante were together, so it's worth a read. It was quick, simple, and to the point.

I admired Vicky for wanting to make it on her own and stand on her own two feet. I could empathize with her, not being where she wanted to be at in life, but still determined to get there. But that was where it ended for me. Nothing else about her personality really stood out to me and although there's nothing necessarily wrong with her, I was just meh with her. I especially didn't like her tendency to jump to conclusions, which created unnecessary drama.

I do so love it when a seemingly bad boy turns out to be a major sweetheart. As much as this book was the "Vicky show", I wouldn't have enjoyed it nearly as much if it weren't for Dante. He was a good mix of sexy with the tattoos, piercing, and that irresistible charm, but he's also a considerate, caring guy with a hero complex (in a good way). I really enjoyed the chemistry between these two characters and their scenes together were what kept me reading.

The story as a whole was a bit lackluster and there was never really much going on, which kept me from loving it, but I didn't dislike it. The drama was pretty low-key and it was the characters who kept the story going for me, so it's good thing I really liked them together or else I wouldn't have enjoyed the book at all. I'm definitely open to more from this author. I'm curious about the first book in the series as I caught a glimpse of Evan, Vicky's brother, but I didn't get to meet Stasia, his wife. Theirs seems like an interesting story.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the full review on Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous.

Note: This ARC was provided by Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Blackmailed by the Hero is the second book in the Gone Hollywood series by author Julie Particka and turns the spotlight on Vicky Stone, who was briefly introduced to readers in the first book as the male lead character's sister, and Dante Palladino. After divorcing her cheating ex, Vicky refuses to be dependent on anyone for anything. Seeing Dante again at a party she's working at proves that the feelings that were there when they first crossed paths still very much alive. However, they kept their distance from one another for five years, with some maneuvering from Vicky's brother Evan. Now, Evan's warning about Dante being a womanizer still plays in Vicky's waffling as to whether to act on her attraction to him or not.

I admit that Vicky was far more difficult to like than the previous female lead character, Stasia Grant, and it had a lot to do with how she treated Dante, who was simply a nice guy. Yes, he was pretending to blackmail her, but she could also see that he cared about her. Even with the need to be independent and Evan's words prior to her getting married, Vicky's supposed to be able to make her own decisions based on what she sees and experiences on her own. Dante was such a sweetie and his wanting to go above and beyond for Vicky certainly earns him bonus points on the book boyfriend scale. Overall, this was a fun read and a pretty good sequel as well. I'm giving book two, Blackmailed by the Hero, four out of five stars. ♥

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I thought this story was going to be about a couple of young guys trying to get one woman, but I was wrong. Vicky is just coming off of a bad divorce where her ex used her and cheated on her. It is hard for Vicky to get over these things and she just wants to work and make a way for herself without having to ask for help from anyone. Vicky is a waitress in a bar that has some pretty famous people come through there from time to time and her boss expects professional behavior from her at all times. When Vicky get lured one night to meet one of the actors in his room after hours, she has no idea what has gotten into her but goes through with it. When Vicky chooses the wrong door to enter, things take a turn for her, but not necessarily for the worst.

Vicky accidentally drops her work badge in the room she was in where she meet Dante, her brother's best friend from growing up. Vicky was embarrassed to learn that she was in the bed of her brother's best friend in stead of the guy she thought she was meeting. Her brother had always told her to stay away from Dante because of his past. Well, now Dante was telling her to stay away from this other guy she was supposed to meet because he was nothing but bad news.

When Dante hires Vicky to plan a party for he and her brother's birthday, things start heating up for the two of them. Dante is nothing but nice to Vicky and she can not understand how her brother can say that he has a past. I love the way that Julie keeps you guessing as to how things are going to turn out for these two. I am so glad that it ended happily for them and was flipping pages as fast as I could to find out!! Thanks Julie for a great, romantic quick read!! I look forward to more from you soon!!