Hanging by a Thread

Riley O'Brien & Co. #3

by Jenna Sutton

Thirty-year-old Bebe Banerjee is desperate to get rid of two things: her fiancé and her virginity. Escaping her arranged marriage might be impossible, but she refuses to give her firsts to an entitled jerk who lives on another continent. Instead, she devises a plan that guarantees another man will get her momentous firsts. But she never imagined that man would be Cal O’Brien, the gorgeous heir to the Riley O’Brien & Co. denim empire…
 
Although Cal has always been fascinated by Bebe’s brilliant mind and beautiful eyes, he’s never pursued her. She can’t stand the sight of him, and every time they’re in the same room, they end up trading insults. Yet when he finds out about Bebe’s bold plan, he makes his move, unaware of her upcoming nuptials. He promises to make her firsts unforgettable, but he doesn’t know how hard it will be to forget her when their arrangement ends.

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Contemporary Romance, Adult

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 7, 2016

About the author

Jenna Sutton is a former award-winning journalist who traded fact for fiction when she began writing novels. Surprisingly, the research she conducted for her articles provided a lot of inspiration for her books. She’s the author of the Riley O’Brien & Co. romances and the new Trinity Distillery series.

Although Jenna calls Texas home, more often than not, she’s somewhere else. Her love’s job takes him all over the country, and she tags along, just like a groupie follows her favorite band.

You can find out more about Jenna and her work at jennasutton.com. Sign up for her newsletter at bit.ly/1K8MaCH for the latest news and monthly giveaway.

Reviews

[sraxe · Rating 1 out of 5]

So...was it good? Should you read it?



Am I angry? Oh...no, no, no. I'm pissed the fuck off.

Where do I even begin? There's so much wrong here that I won't even be able to to cover it all. For a start, if you were hoping for a dive into Indian culture, sorry to disappoint. The closest Bebe gets to being desi is drinking chai tea, so that should tell you something.

Honestly, I wasn't going to read this. I'd forgotten about it until I saw the author dismiss my earlier concerns about the book. After that, I had people try to dissuade me from reading it. It wasn't worth reading something potentially racist and upsetting, they said. But it bothered me to see it get praised for the handling of Bebe and Indian culture. And I knew—I fucking KNEW—that she hadn't handled it well, and all it took was the synopsis for me to realize.

So I read it, and did so completely, because I wanted my review to be unimpeachable. So...let's do this.



First, let's talk about the racist, sexist mess that is Bebe. Bebe is the tropey, stereotypical nerdy brown person who's a virgin. The author has her obtain five stereotypical degrees: two science, one business, one medical, and one law. She started her bachelors at 15, graduating with two degrees in three years. (And despite being super smart, she's TSTL and makes the stupidest decisions.)

Bebe's a POC written by a white author...and she hates her ethnic name, Bindu. Sutton said there's no reason, she just hates it. Author Courtney Milan said it best here: "'Hating your name' is not something that happens in a vacuum." And the fact that this didn't occur to the author says a lot, also serving as a red flag for the rest of the book. Self-hatred is a real thing in marginalized communities. Diasporic POC who have "ethnic" names have dealt with racism and pressure to assimilate at one time or another. And the fact that, after being called out on this, the author didn't apologize or say she'd do better, she said it never occurred to her, then moved on. Like it's nothing to her...and that's because it isn't. But for those of us who have dealt with hating our names/cultures, it's not so easy.

If hating your name was nbd, you wouldn't have POC after POC writing poems like these, reclaiming it and their heritage.

• Unforgettable
• "Choi Jeong Min"
• To All the Little Black Girls With Big Names

Besides, why even have this? If she hates her name and there's no ulterior motive, I question its inclusion. Why not give her a name you found appealing and have her embrace it? Why did you, a white person, feel the need to have a POC hate their ethnic name? You really don't understand the racist implications here?

Not surprising, though. The entire book is racist.

Bebe is tokenized (but not really). What I mean is, Bebe is the only "good" brown person, while the others are terrible people. She's estranged from her family, for one. While her brothers and father are indifferent to her existence, her mother, Noor, actively hates her, which doesn't even make sense. Noor resents her because Bebe had been an accident, getting in the way of her rising medical career. What's never explained is why Noor didn't just abort instead of bringing it to term. She's a doctor, after all, and lives in the US, so it's not a far-fetched consideration. Desi women do have abortions, jsyk.

Additionally, Bebe has no acquaintances outside Cal's family and friends. Despite having "lived in several big cities—Baltimore, Boston, Chicago," and now San Francisco, the only friend Bebe makes is Teagan. Thing is, people of a similar backgrounds tend to gravitate towards one another. When living in a big city, a POC is likely to have POC friends. Bebe lived in major cities across the country and went to multiple schools, but she doesn't have one friend outside of Teagan.

This survey, by the Public Religion Research Institute, shows that you're likely to have friends of your own background. Although it doesn't cover South Asians, the data could easily be related to other ethnic groups. Aside from my lived experience, this is why I find it hard to believe that Bebe's friend circle is white, white, and more white. It's not a reflection of reality. We self-segregate, that's just a fact. And I have to question why it was decided to place the brown girl as a token in a circle of white people. With the way it is in the book, it's as if she's unable to trust her own, only white people.



And the language business? The author says that Bebe uses "kanya" with Teagan in order to "[stay] connected to her heritage." If she wanted to connect with her heritage, maybe Sutton should've had her embrace her culture, her name, eat/cook South Asian dishes, and have desi friends. Hell, even Bollywood movies and songs would put her more in touch with her culture than calling a white girl, who doesn't understand the language, "kanya." And, this word? Author says it's a "Hindi word." Except it's not. It's Sanskrit. So is "sundara," which is a word she says later. Sanskrit and Hindi are not the same.

She even starts calling Cal "pahale" (meaning first/before), which Sutton got the pronunciation wrong for. She uses "pa-hah-lee," but it's wrong. One: pahale is TWO syllables, not three. Two: The h is aspirated, not "hah." Last: It's not pronounced "lee" at the end! The nickname is stupid. I don't think any code-switching desi would use this as a nickname because, with certain lines (“So tell me, pahale, what do you want?”), it just doesn't work.

At the end, Cal and Bebe name one of their daughters Neela, which is dumb. Neela has blue eyes. Can you guess what Neela means? Blue. You really couldn't think of anything better than naming the kid with blue eyes...Blue? Seriously? Cal also has nicknames for his daughters, which doesn't make sense because he can't even speak Hindi.



And the arranged marriage plot? The author said I'd made "erroneous assumptions" about the arranged marriage plot. Yes...and no. I'll give her that I HAD made the wrong assumption. However, that's only because the author was misleading. This book doesn't have an arranged marriage. Bebe had been arranged to marry Akash in the past, but she called that off years ago. Then, because her family cut her off, she made a deal with Akash and they had an engagement of convenience. The deal was that she stays his fiancee and he'll pay for her schooling in return. At the point that she called it off and her parents disowned her, it ceased being an arranged marriage.

And what I meant about her not being truly a token is this: As a desi, I found nothing about Bebe relatable. She could've easily been renamed Becky and it would've been the same story because of how far removed she was from being South Asian. She hates her ethnic name and goes by a nickname. She has no desi friends. She's estranged from her family, so there's no family involvement, no culture. She doesn't even do minor things like watch Bollywood movies, take off her shoes at home, or refer to other desis with familial terms. There's no reference to religion, which doesn't make sense if she's trying to stay connected to her heritage. Even the arranged marriage wasn't an arranged marriage, it was an engagement of convenience, which I've seen in books with white characters. And I know there are desis who don't do these things, aren't religious, and don't have desi friends (etc), but it should to be noted here because she's so far removed from anything signifying what her heritage is supposed to be that she's essentially not desi. The only thing that ever hints at any South Asian aspect is her last name and dictionary-pulled "Hindi" words.

Hell, she doesn't even have brown eyes. Instead, she's given "gold eyes." Light eyes aren't bad, but it's something to consider racism-wise when authors employ these features for POC. Even her kids have light eyes (gold and blue). Of course, eye colour is complicated and not as simple as dominant/recessive, but I think it's kind of BS that all their kids inherited light-coloured eyes. And another point here that shows Sutton's racism is that she notes Bebe's eyes originating from "invading Persians." It stood out to me that she decided to mention Persians instead of the hundreds of years of white British colonialists.

My problem here is that Jenna Sutton said she wanted to write an Indian heroine...but then proceeded to write a token who's been stripped of anything that gives her character. She's so stripped of any racial identity, she could easily be swapped out for a white character and the narrative wouldn't change. If you have a well-written POC, you shouldn't be able to do that.

Another point is a pattern Author Alyssa Cole points out here: "Pattern I've noticed: 'diverse' romances in which the POC in a couple just happens to be inferior to the white character in some way." That was present in this book. Cal, the white character, is rich, sexually experienced, has friends and a close family unit, good looks, confidence, etc. Bebe has absolutely no advantage in this relationship. The only things she has going for her is her brain, but she tells him to ignore that in favour of objectification. But even if she didn't, she constantly says/does things that undermine her supposed intelligence. Why was the WOC put at such a disadvantage to the white, cis, het, wealthy male?



There's also the sexism. Bebe is written like a sexist wet dream. All her "firsts" are reserved for Cal, from picnics to virginity. After Cal, she starts wearing lingerie and dressing up, her style having been "boring with a capital B." Before Cal, “[she] was unaware of [her] sexuality. [Her] body wasn’t a source of pleasure. It was just there...like a household appliance.” She says that “[he's] probably been with a lot of beautiful women. [She's] sure they all complained that people didn’t take them seriously—that no one paid any attention to their brain, only their body. They probably whined about men objectifying them.” She follows it up with this gem:

“I want you to not take me seriously. I want you to ignore my brain and pay attention to my body. I want you to objectify me.”

But that's only the beginning. At one point, Cal jokes that every answer to her questions will cost her a blowjob, but she agrees that it's a fair trade. She's even the one to suggest going condomless because “even with proper usage, they have a very high failure rate. [She] don’t want to worry if one breaks or slips off or if [they] ... get caught up in the moment.” She tells him that “anytime either one of [them] wants sex, the other person has to agree, no excuses.” (lbr: that's meant towards women, who are assumed to make "excuses" to get out of sex.) The author even manages to squeeze in dick worship and praise him for his sexual talent. She also finds it unbelievable that Cal can lust after "someone like [her]," so she's grateful. She also constantly praises his looks.

“You are the most gorgeous man,” she breathed...

“I’m glad you think so.”

She met his eyes. “All women think so.”

On top of that, she's infantilized. Besides her exaggerated "innocence" (which is borderline stupidity), Bebe is short. While I have no problem with height, I do take issue with it if it's used to infantilize the female character. Her sexual innocence is not enough, so there's a scene in which, without asking her, Cal lifts her up and deposits her into a seat. And then later on:

...[B]efore she could even blink, he jerked her yoga pants and underwear to her feet. He stepped on her clothes, easily lifting her out of them...

Isn't that what you do to a child? You lift them and deposit them into seats. You lift them out of their clothes. He doesn't ask her, wait for consent, or help her to do it herself, he simply does it. There's no agency there. There's even a later scene in which he pats his knee and she obediently sits down on it. Not bad on it's own, but is when taken within context.

Cal, on the other hand, is a manwhore. He's gone on "hundreds of dates" and kissed and fucked "a lot of women." He has "plenty of experience" and has "had sex in a lot of interesting places," but prefers "locations where he could take his time." He's been with so many women that Bebe would have “a hard time catching up.” "With previous lovers, he’d been able to last for a good long time, both for foreplay and fucking." He says “you always remember your first,” then he proceeds to recount his first with Belinda McAllen, including positions (against the wall), and becoming a sexpert under her tutelage.

He was even in love with another woman, Saika, who he'd been ready to propose to. (And you know the author has race issues when, within the 3 pages the half-Japanese character appears in, she mentions her sushi skills.) A year ago, they broke up because Saika still loved her ex. I thought that maybe he'd been celibate during that time...but NOPE.

...Cal had grown up with [the Sullivan family's] daughters. In fact, he and their middle daughter, Erica, had fucked each other on and off since high school. It was mutually satisfying and never meant anything to either one of them.

After he’d broken up with Saika, he hadn’t been with anyone for months until he’d run into Erica at Quinn and Amelia’s wedding. He’d gone back to her hotel room, and they’d spent a very enjoyable night getting reacquainted.

He hadn’t seen her again until the Memorial Day barbeque at his parents’ house, and later that night, he’d gone back to her place. She’d given him a blow job, they’d had sex, and then he’d left

Because I was so looking forward to that information, especially at nearly 75%.

So while Bebe hasn't even felt an attraction to men before Cal, he's fucked everyone, including his sister's friends. While she fawned over him for years, he spent that time fucking women, and falling in love and almost proposing. (We're supposed to believe he's been in love with Bebe, but that's BS.) While things like picnics are new to her, he's done them with Saika. Periods? Other women have already shared that info, so Bebe isn't new. Although "he wanted Bebe more than he’d ever wanted a woman," there were some he'd wanted "quite badly." The only thing he hasn't done is a virgin (and supposedly condomless sex), but he gets that now. When it's revealed that she's had a thing for him all this time, Cal calls her "damn stupid" for making him "suffer" and fuck other women.

Oh, and Cal likes that Bebe is unaware of her beauty.

Bebe was unlike any other female he’d ever known. Without a doubt, she was the smartest woman he had come across, and he didn’t make a habit of surrounding himself with stupid women. The women he’d dated in the past had been both beautiful and bright. And they’d all been one hundred percent aware of how attractive they were.

Interestingly, Bebe seemed completely oblivious to her sex appeal.

A woman being aware of her beauty is truly terrible. How dare she have self-esteem! All her validation must come from me! Meanwhile, Cal is described as being conceited and confident, and says that “humility is overrated.” Don't you just love sexist double standards?!



Now, let's talk Akash, Bebe's fiance. First...the man of colour as a villain? Men of colour are constantly demonized, so the fact that Sutton decided to make him the villain is something else. The biggest issue is that Akash isn't evil. Bebe describes him as an "entitled, arrogant bully who lacked empathy." So, why is Akash such a villain? He's forcing Bebe into marriage. Villainous, right? Not really.

While Bebe had chosen to become engaged to Akash, he’d been forced into it. In order to take his place within the family company, his parents had demanded that he accept the bride of their choice.

He was fine with an absentee fiancee, which is why he paid Bebe's schooling in exchange. However, his parents started pushing for a wedding date, which is when he told Bebe they had to get married. Akash is pushed into a corner and forced into this, not even getting the option to let her go and find someone else because his parents are set on Bebe. Thing is, Akash is gay. (Yes, Sutton employed the Evil Gay trope.) He doesn't want Bebe but is forced to accept her. Truthfully, if Bebe hadn't accepted the arranged marriage to get parental approval, Akash wouldn't be in his current position. After that, his parents gave him no choice in the matter.

Why is he the villain? If anything, he's the one who deserves an HEA.

(Btw, the author uses the "Evil Gay" trope to make Bebe feel good about Akash's rejection. We definitely couldn't have the heroine being undesirable to ANY man. Every man must want her or he's gay...because lack of desire for a person is an automatic identifier of their sexuality.)

What happens to Akash in the end? We don't know. Bebe told his parents about the blackmail and he's gone. In the epilogue, Akash's parents are now godparents to Bebe's children. Wtf...why are the parents who'd been forcing Akash now made out to be these great people?



Lastly, let's talk publishing and why this book is a prime example of the issue. Fact is, while white authors get paid to write stories with POC so publishers can "diversify," they still won't go the extra step and hire POC. I'd like to say that you need to get beta readers, but there's only so much they can do. This book? I don't think any beta reader could've fixed it without a complete rewrite. If the very foundations are racist, there's no band-aid fix. Besides, it also relies on authors taking the advice of a beta. AND, it opens betas up to being thrown under the bus by the author following criticism.

When POC ask for diversity, they don't mean this. When I ask for diversity, I don't mean seeing myself filtered through a white lens. And that's not to say white people can't write POC, because no one can say that. However, if you haven't worked out and reexamined your racism, what are you doing writing about us? You don't just pull racism out of thin air.

These are the things that show me why you're not equipped to write POC. You don't understand these projections of your own racism. And racism is more than just physical violence or throwing slurs, it's in the microaggressions. It's in how publishers actively choose white voices over POC ones. It's Berkley, the publisher of Jenna Sutton's series, publishing 297 books between Dec 8th, 2015 and Jan 10th, 2017 and having only five of those be by visible POC. And how much is that? A negligible 1.68%.

All of this is why I'm pissed the fuck off. While #OwnVoices books are ignored, publishers instead choose to publish racist, sexist books like these. Not all representation is good representation. Bad/harmful representation only helps to perpetuate stereotypes.

Anyway. There was more I had issues with, but I can't elaborate due to space constraints.

So. In conclusion.

[Francoise · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Bebe Banerjee and Cal O’Brien are a match made in heaven, but they don’t know it yet! Bebe is Cal’s sister best friend and for years, they have been the best enemies, launching verbal missiles at each other. Bebe can’t believe that Cal is friendly to everyone but around her, he is a jackass. Both of them are bothered by the situation, though. Talk about a misunderstanding!

Bebe was born and raised in the United States, but has Indian ancestors. Years ago, her parents have arranged her engagement to the scion of a prominent Indian family. At the time, she had accepted to please them. Bebe is successful in her professional life, but her love life is non-existent. She dislikes her Indian fiancé and wants to break her engagement. She has decided that it’s time for her to craft a strategy to lose her virginity. But she didn’t expect Cal to volunteer to help her! Although she is afraid Cal is too much to handle for her, one kiss breaks her resolve to refuse his “help”.

Bebe’s inner thoughts about her devirginization plan were laugh-out-loud funny. She is a brainiac, and tends to evaluate all things in a very rational way. However, Cal meets her criteria for a “frenemies with benefits” relationship : he is good in bed (at least, she hopes), disease-free and she is sure that he is not a sadist or a serial killer!

Cal is a very engaging character. He was raised in a loving family and is nice, thoughtful, generous and yet cocky. He has had a thing for Bebe for years. To say that their banter was funny would be an understatement, it was outright hilarious.

At first, they decide to take it slow, getting to know each other better but soon the lines between friendship and love are blurring and deeper feelings are involved.

Jenna Sutton has woven a lovely story in a way that is fun, charming and sweet, with a perfect epilogue. I loved every minute of it! This book is the third installment in the Riley O’Brien &Co series, but it can be read as a standalone.

An advanced copy of this book was provided by publisher Berkley Publishing Group, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[v · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was just offensive and corny and I will elaborate when I'm less worked up

I’m not too sure where to begin with this book. Let me start with this: I have not read any of the other books in this series, nor have I read anything else by this author. I began reading this book because I wanted to see how a non-Indian author could write an Indian character. If you’ve been around for a while, then you may remember my review of Grin and Beard It, where I addressed that “I’d be pissed off if a white woman was out here profiting from a story she created about my people, our experiences, and our culture”. In retrospect, I could have worded that kinder, but prior to writing that review, I hadn’t thought much of authors writing outside their own race. It wasn’t until after writing that review and coming to that “revelation”, that I began trying to gauge WHY that was how I felt.

The first reason: In an ideal world, the stories of people of colour (POC) would be told by POC. For reasons beyond my scope of understanding, this is not the case, perhaps because stories of POC are pigeonholed, or perhaps we have a larger problem of systemic racism in the publishing industry? The second reason: I am skeptical about the authenticity of a portrayal of a POC by a non-POC. POC are making strides, we’re at a point where we can be vocal about what offends us, and people are being receptive and truly hearing us. Books are important, and literature in any form is educational. Misrepresentations fuel misinformation, which perpetuates the cycle of characterizing POC as nothing more than racial stereotypes. Poorly creating a character outside your race has the potential to be harmful. I genuinely fear the possibility of a regression towards these harmful stereotypes.

Despite my personal hangups, I do believe there are many talented, respectful authors able to create stories with POC characters that feel real. I cling to the hope that one day I will be able to read a story with a lead Indian character who is both inspirational and relatable. Unfortunately, Hanging by a Thread’s lead Indian character, Bebe Banerjee, is neither inspirational nor relatable.

Bebe Banerjee is a one-dimensional character comprised of a series of outdated racial stereotypes. She’s a 29 year old woman with: An eidetic memory, several university degrees, atrocious parents who have disowned her and favour their sons over their only daughter, and an intact hymen. The plot revolves around Bebe’s innocence (it’s more along the lines of stupidity) and her virginity. I am tired of the concept of virginity and the “older-virgin” trope, but that’s a rant for another time. Bebe had never had an orgasm, she had ever seen an erection, nor had she ever masturbated. I don’t buy it. Give me some SEMBLANCE of believability, for instance, the author could have incorporated Bebe being asexual/aromantic, but there was no mention of anything of the sort, Bebe was simply an embodiment of the “awkward isolated brown girl” stereotype.

Akash, Bebe’s fiancee through an arranged-marriage she accepted to seek parental approval, is also a one-dimensional character. His role is minor, yet his characterization consists of another stereotype of Indian men: He’s jealous, greedy, and eager to please his parents. Don’t get me started on the fact that he’s the so-called “villain” of the story, at this point, society’s vilifying of South Asian men comes naturally. AH wait to add salt to the wound, there’s also inclusion of the added “plot twist” of a BOMB going off in the building of a prestigious corporation. I don’t think I need to elaborate on how appalling this is.

Then there’s the glorification of the white male. The “love-interest” Cal O’Brien fits the reformed player trope, but apparently his heart is in the right place because he’s WANTED Bebe since the first time he laid eyes on her, it just took him 4 years and hearing that she was a virgin who’d never been kissed for him to act on it. He also has some weird obsession with describing Bebe’s skin and hair. We get it. She’s brown. Her hair is dark.

Bebe also meets all the criteria for the Eurocentric ideals of Indian beauty: She’s petite, her skin is the perfect shade of golden, she's curvy in all the riiiiiight places, hairy in all the right places (“trimmed in a neat triangle, neither bushy nor bare. It was just right”), with “nipples the color of his favorite chocolate truffles”. Side note: Bebe’s natural lips (on her mouth, just to clarify that) are described repeatedly as being pink. This could be a reach, but my general understanding was that usually nipples and lips (and labia) are all very similar in colour; so pink lips and brown nips? Unlikely? Right? I’m not trying to body shame, just pointing out that this didn’t add up for me. Back on track, I’ve saved the best for last, here’s a description of Bebe’s eye colour:

“Most Indians had coffee-colored eyes … Bebe’s eye color was the result of their ancestors mixing their DNA with invading Persians.”

This description is unnecessary, irrelevant, and utterly maddening; it also emphasizes the standard of beauty for desi women, which is that to be considered beautiful you must have light skin and light eyes. It also does little to discredit the fetishization of mixed-race children (once again, that's a rant for another time).

EDIT Just realized that I forgot to include this quote:

“No, I want you to stop. I’ve changed my mind.”
Cal, you fucking idiot! his cock shouted. Why did you have to be a nice guy and ask if she wanted to keep going?
“Okay. Don’t move. I’m going to pull out.”
“Are you crazy?” She squeezed her legs around his hips. “I was joking. Of course I want you to keep going.”

Nothing like the additional perpetuation of rape culture to well and truly fuck you up. The profanity is entirely warranted, no explanation ought to be required.

I can see the appeal of this author. I hope that her books with characters within her race are more accurately depicted, I just wish that she had given Bebe's character more thought. If she had taken the time to create Bebe more respectfully, Hanging by a Thread would have had a modicum of relevance to the life of the average Indian woman. Unfortunately, the result was sloppy and offensive.

I can’t even find it in me to be pissed off that this author is profiting from a story she created about my people, our experiences, and our culture because her representation of Indian culture is so blurred behind a lens of white privilege the only thing I see is a reflection of her ignorance.

[1-Click Addict Support Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS. BOOK.

Whoa. It completely exceeded my expectations, and I am SO IN LOVE with Cal O’Brien right now, I might struggle with this review a little.

I quite enjoyed Coming Apart at the Seams, which is the second in this series, and the only other Riley O’Brien & Co. book I’ve read. But as much as I enjoyed it, it pales somewhat in comparison to this book…

Book two was good. Book three is EXCELLENT. Funny, smart, charming, sexy AF and with enough tension to keep me coming back for more, I found Hanging by a Thread to be completely and utterly unputdownable.

The pacing was perfect. The characters—Bebe, who was one of my favorite things about Coming Apart at the Seams and Cal, who is now the proud owner of my whole heart—were delightful, lovable, and so damn right together that even a hint of angst was enough to give me the quakes. The story was one that just hit me at the perfect moment and gave me what I needed—swoons and feels and smiles and laughs.

The premise of Hanging by a Thread was a lot of fun. De-virginization plan, an unwanted arranged marriage and two people who think the other hates them, when actually… Well, you get the idea. It could have been too much, but by the skillful hand of Jenna Sutton, it wasn’t. It was EXACTLY enough. She ramped up the chemistry between Bebe and my sweet, family-orientated-but-still-completely-manly-and-alpha Cal until it was palpable. Electric. The stuff of which cold showers are made. And when she weaved in a little heartbreak, I wanted to wrap my arms around brilliant Bebe and protect her, forever. Thankfully, Cal was on hand to do the job for me. That man, I swear… *Sigh* (PS—Don’t even get me started on the epilogue… It’s THE BEST. That’s all.)

So…in case it’s not completely clear after this rambling mess of a review, I LOVED this book. (And Cal). And I hope you will, too. (But Cal is MINE). ~ Beth, 5 stars

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paige's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

4.5 stars

While the concept isn't anything new, the circumstances of her arranged marriage and the arrangement with Cal, kept me reading.

You could feel the distance and the cold and aloof behavior of Cal and Bebe early on in their relationship. Like his friends and family, I wasn't sure that their pseudo relationship was going to work.

Bebe is looking for her parents approval when she decides that an arranged marriage, brokered by her parents, is right for her. Although she is very smart, she's very naive when it comes to the opposite sex. I liked the juxtaposition of these traits. It helped when she was negotiating her relationship with Cal.

Cal is a bad boy who has just gotten out of a long term relation and is looking for a distraction. I loved watching him, albeit slowly, fall for Bebe. He gave her so many firsts I lost count.

I thought it held the right amount of drama and predictability to keep me interested. I enjoyed the book but thought the last few chapters and the epilogue were perfect.

Review copy provided for an honest review.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I want your sweet little cherry.” She gasped softly, and he tightened his fingers on her hips. “Are you going to give it to me?”

Bebe Banerjee has two problems that she needs to resolve as soon as possible: the first is her fiancé, a jerk she agreed to marry when it seemed like the arranged marriage would make her parents finally love her, and the second is her virginity. While getting out of the arranged marriage will be tricky at best, her virginity should be easier. She only has to find a willing guy. What she never expected was that the willing guy would be sexy Cal O’Brien, the brother of her best friend, and the man she has had a crush on since the first moment she met him. The one who has always been a jerk to her.

Cal has wanted Bebe since the first moment he met her, but she acted like she hated him, which made him act like an asshole in retaliation. But when he overhears her plans, he decides that he’s the perfect guy to make her first time unforgettable.

But what starts as a no-strings arrangement, soon starts to feel like so much more. What will happen when lust turns into love, and when Cal finds out about Bebe’s secret fiancé?

“What would you say if I told you that I’ve wanted you since the first moment I saw you?”

I had wondered about who Cal would end up since the first book, where he and his girlfriend broke up, who he had loved and wanted to marry. I was a bit afraid of what this would mean for his book, and whether the heroine would feel like the second best. But I was happily surprised to learn that he had lusted after Bebe for years, long before he met his previous girlfriend, and that he didn’t make a move because he thought she hated him. And the attraction has always been there. I loved how Cal was with Bebe, how being with her had a lot of first for him too. Never before had he been possessive over a woman, until Bebe, and I loved it.

She wasn’t oblivious, though, and over the years, she had noticed good-looking men. But she had never felt that zing of sexual attraction until she had met Cal four years ago. She hated the way he made her feel: gauche, nervous, and overstimulated. When he was near, sounds were louder, colors were brighter, and smells were stronger.

Bebe is super-smart who graduated school at a very early age, which has always made her feel out of sync with those around her. She had never known love and caring until she met Teagan and her family. Her family, especially her mother, has always made her think she’s not good enough, which is why she never thought Cal would ever be interested in her. And acting like she hated him was the only way to protect herself. Bebe did frustrate me at times with her belief that their relationship wouldn’t be permanent, and therefor she didn’t tell him the truth about the situation she was in. But after meeting her mother, and witnessing the hurtful things she said to Bebe, it made me understand her so much better.

Because he wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anyone or anything.

I just loved the romance. The insults they traded at first, hid such intense chemistry and when they finally decided to give into this attraction, things got very heated…. and I loved it! I loved that Cal took the time to woo Bebe before their first time, and I loved that the more time they spent together, the more they realised just how deep their feelings for each other has always been. Although I didn’t like how long Bebe kept the truth from Cal, I’m very glad that when Cal finally found out there wasn’t overlong and unnecessary angst. Their romance was hot, and sweet and romantic.

I also really liked the secondary characters, especially Ava Grace who is Amelia’s best friend, and Beck who is friends with the O’Brien brothers. The animosity between these two is freaking awesome, and I really hope we get a book for them.

I really love this series and all the family dynamics. A must read for all contemporary romance fans.

[Annamaria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five Amazing Stars!! Cal is your typical womanizer but has always had his eye on Bebe, who happens to be his sister's best friend. Bebe is engaged to a man that her parents chose for her. One day Cal overhears Bebe telling his sister that she needs someone to help her lose her virginity. Cal decides to be noble and volunteers to help Bebe lose her virginity. What will become of the two in a "friends with benefits" relationship, could they end up becoming something more? The author writes a very unique story with amazing chemistry between the two characters! This book is the third book in the Riley O'Brian Co. Series and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I will be looking forward to reading the rest of the series! Highly recommend It!

I received this book as an ARC for an honest review. This book was read and reviewed by Annamaria for Alpha Book Club.

Plot: 5
Chemistry: 5
Pacing: 5
Ending: 5
Character Development: 5

[Heather andrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cal is a compromising man, “I’ll show you my sock collection if you’ll show me the lingerie you bought when you went shopping with Teagan.” I loved Cal's personality he was a great guy, "...so I came to get you. I loaded you into Belva, and I easily carried you up three flights of stairs because I’m strong and manly. Once we were here, I stripped off your clothes with my eyes closed to preserve your modesty and tucked you in.” He gave an exaggerated wink. “From now on, I expect you to refer to me as your knight in shining armor.” I don't think I can express how much I love Cal, “toothpaste and floss are in the top drawer.” He patted her on the butt. “See you in bed.” I really liked this book the blurb had me nervous but I was nervous for nothing.

[BlackDahlia · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who grew up in the melting pot that is Los Angeles with friends of every color of the rainbow, I can vouch for the authenticity of Bebe. Having known people who are of Indian descent with strict family traditions, I felt that the author totally nailed the concept of someone who wanted to have independence but also wants to live life on their own terms without disappointing their family.

Having actually read the book, I can say that this novel is another win for Jenna Sutton. I have no doubt that she will continue to have success beyond this series, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

[Catherine (The Sassy Bookster) · Rating 4 out of 5]

HANGING BY A THREAD is a really sensuous treat; charming, sweet, funny and passionate. I loved Coming Apart at the Seams, but Cal O’Brien has become my favorite male in this series.

There is nothing sexier than a confident, successful man who loves his family and is incredibly tender with the woman in his life. Oh, and can cook and Cal checks every one of those boxes. I'm not even going to lie, the steam factor was set to very high and the air sizzled when Cal and Bebe were in the same vicinity. While the story-line is a familiar one, Ms. Sutton takes it to another level with endearing characters, exciting dialogue and a strong sense of family that flows through the entire book.

Cal has had the hots for his younger sister's best friend from the first day he was introduced to her, but her perceived disapproval of him set the tone for their combative exchanges until Cal realizes that he's got what it takes to help Bebe get rid of her pesky virginity.

Ms. Sutton did an excellent job in her portrayal of Bebe and made her someone that people can relate with because while she is intellectually smarter than most people, she still struggles with issues that the everyday person does. My heart broke for the young woman who felt like an outsider within her own family and could never get the approval of her selfish, self-centered family no matter how hard she tried to please them.

I just loved the epilogue of this book and it was one more way Cal stole my heart. I always look forward to a new installment in this series because I know I won't be disappointed and I hope that we haven't see the last of the O'Brien family yet. All I can say is get this book. Even better, get the entire series!


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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[Bff Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Opening another book in the Riley O'Brien Series is like slipping into your most favorite pair of the blue jeans. They just feel right! And, everything about this book feels so right! I desperately hope this isn't the end of this series.

The characters seem like old friends that you want to catch up with; just hang out and have a beer. They're charming, but down to earth and authentic. It was great to check in with Quinn and Amelia, Priest and Teagan, but hands down, Cal and Bebe are my favorite couple in the series. Their wicked tongues and lashing dispositions only mask some seriously repressed attraction. It's like watching the fuse on a bomb slowly light to a MAJOR explosion! Once they come together, the butterflies are constant as you realize what an incredible match they are for one another. Those sharp tongues and quick wits turn into some playful, sexy banter.

I love both Cal and Bebe. Cal is book boyfriend perfection - strong, confident, compassionate, affectionate, head-over-heels in love. He is also a neat freak with a passion for gourmet cooking. See what I mean....PERFECTION! Bebe is a fascinating mix of uber-smart and shockingly naive. Jenna Sutton's writing also manages to take a 30-year-old-virgin and make her NOT annoying! I think that is a feat of writing prowess in itself. In fact, I really really liked Bebe. She's caring, sweet and innocent without being a total pushover. The cultural details surrounding her Indian lineage are interesting and they create layers in the story making this a very unique and engaging plot.

Again, I hope that there will be more to come for the Riley and Co. gang. Hanging by a Thread can be read as a stand-alone, but you'll enjoy all of the other books in this series. Though the price-point on this series is a bit higher than I usually see; I think the quality of writing and interesting storyline makes it worth the extra pennies! I will definitely be recommending this series more often!

An advance copy was received in exchange for an honest review. The BFF Book Blog also uses a set of icon ratings. This book received additional ratings for: butterflies, happily ever after, hero, heroine, romance, steamy, supporting characters, and sweet.

[Francesca the Fierce (Under the Covers Book Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars



HANGING BY A THREAD is the third in the Riley O’Brien series and it’s definitely a sweet one. I have a love for series that revolve around family and this one is endearing. I don’t know why I didn’t realize where this pairing was coming from, but I was surprised when I started to realize this was an interracial romance (obviously I don’t read blurbs or look closely at covers once I’m following a series).

So Cal and Bebe have all had a hate relationship, on the outside. They’re actually both really attracted to each other but they thought they didn’t stand a chance so they opted for being contrary with each other every time they could. Until Cal overhears Bebe talking to his sister (her best friend) about her plan to loose her virginity. Cal immediately steps up to the plate and offers his help.

Once Cal and Bebe let the other in, I thought they were a really cute couple. Their interactions were fun and they fit well together. All while still having the rest of the family involved and around, which I love.

There is the topic of the secret that Bebe is keeping from Cal the whole time, the fact that she’s been in an arranged marriage engagement since the time she was 20. I think this was done well in terms of how she feels about the situation or deals with it, even though it was set up easy for her in my opinion with the backstory her family. It wasn’t a decision she struggled with much.

Ultimately, this was an enjoyable read but one that maybe I didn’t quite connect with as much as I wanted.

[Nelle Nazario · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh Bebe and Cal were meant for each other! There was so much tension I couldn't put it down! Cal is such a damn sweetheart. ,My heart broke for him so many times!

Bebe is determined to give him all her firsts! I truly enjoyed this entire book!

ps. the epilogue will make your heart swell.

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley for review.

[Janett The Pleasure of Reading Today · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the blurb of this book very interesting, that's what got my attention first, but once I started reading it I loved the storyline and the characters.
When I was in college one of my good friends who was Indian had an arrange marriage, I was a witness of what she went through and I think the author did an excellent job portraying Bebe and her situation.
I loved Bebe's chemistry with Cal, you can see they have feelings for each other than run deeper than the way they think the other feels. Bebe is sweet, intelligent, with a beautiful soul, she's also Cal's sister's best friend. Cal is a charmer and very sexy, he's also the man Bebe has had her eyes on for a while. When Cal overhears a conversation between Bebe and his sister, all bets are off and he decides that he's the man for the job and goes for it.
It's a bit of a messy web when they start but as everything starts to fall into place, it is a beautiful experience to live the journey with these characters. Great job by the author for creating a believable situation, with characters that you just want to see succeed. Fantastic epilogue as well.
I really enjoyed this sweet, funny, and delightful story. Although is part of a series, you can easily read this book as a standalone.

[The Book Junkie Reads . . . · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely charming. Fantastically funny. Sweet. Smart. Sexy. Swoon worthy moments. Cal and Bebe are truly a passion that will never wear out. The misconceptions of each other. The one family's expectations. The plan put in place change a future. The firsts shared, obtained, claimed. I wanted to put it down for a day and start all over again.

You will find intelligent conversation/banter. A deep/profound passion and chemistry. Humor/fun. Most of all the sweet endearing innocents of Bebe and the charming, smart, swoon worthy presence of Cal.

Sutton has done a beautiful job with weaving together a story that gives the test and trial of a virginal 30 year old woman of Indian descent where arranged marriages are a tradition. She handle the aspect of the marriage we tact and gave respect to the tradition. I found fun moments, charming characters, sexy hunky men, swoon worthy interactions, and a woman that knew what she wanted and went after it to satisfy herself first. Thank you Jenna.

I need to get/beg/borrow this series and just start from the beginning and bring myself current. I enjoyed this completely. Delighted all the way to the tips of my toes.
**This ARC was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

[Barbara Leuthe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book.BeBe and Cal were a great story.I need to read Quinn and Teagans stories and will actively look for them .I think i found a new favorite author!!!! I received this book free as part of goodreads giveaways.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book!!

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2016/06...

Sparks fly right and left in Hanging by a Thread . I was so excited to see Bebe and Cal finally give into their mutual attraction that has long been obvious to everyone but them. Author Jenna Sutton does not disappoint. Bebe and Cal’s story is romantic, sensual, and simply lovely to read.

I absolutely adored Bebe. She is utterly brilliant, but all her life she’s focused her studies and then her work at the cost of her personal life. She’s also someone who has been beaten down by those who should have loved her, and thus she doesn’t see the true value of all that she is (which broke my heart). Yet though Bebe is a bit vulnerable, she doesn’t cave under pressure. When she finds she cannot escape her arranged marriage (for reasons I won’t spoil), she doesn’t meekly give into her jerk of a fiancé’s wishes. Rather, she uses the little bit of time she has to claim her sexuality. She wants to find a man to be her first, but she never imagined that man would be her best friend’s brother…

It’s easy to see why Bebe has been attracted to Cal for years. He’s pretty much the perfect hero. Cal is smart, hardworking, sexy, caring, and heck, he’s even a talented chef – what more could you ask for? I loved the way he was completely gone over Bebe, even before he realized it. The two of them have been circling each other for years, trading barbs to mask the attraction each is too afraid to reveal to the other. When Cal offers to be Bebe’s lover, everything between them changes in the very best way. I loved watching their relationship unfold, because despite their attraction and the deal they make, Ms. Sutton lets things develop organically. While there are plenty of heated encounters in Hanging by a Thread , Cal and Bebe’s relationship isn’t all about sex. Cal doesn’t just want to be her first lover; he wants to be the one to show her a number of firsts. Their romance is a great mix of sensual highs and quietly sweet moments that made me smile more than once.

Normally I’m not a fan of the dreaded “big secret,” in this case Bebe hiding her engagement. However, Ms. Sutton handled Bebe’s predicament in such a way that while it was important to the tale, it never dragged the story down. My only wish is that we’d seen more of the climax of the story, as I think it would have made Bebe’s personal journey stronger. Even with this minor quibble, I adored Hanging by a Thread because Cal and Bebe are just that great together.

Hanging by a Thread is the third Riley O’Brien & Co. book, but it can easily be read as a standalone. That being said, the O’Brien family is definitely out in full force, much to my delight. The love the characters have for one another in this series – whether it’s romantic, familial, or the love between friends – adds an extra layer to the stories, making them that much more appealing. Even though the final O’Brien sibling has fallen in love, I hope this isn’t the last of the Riley O’Brien & Co. stories, because I’m just not ready to leave this world or these characters behind.


FTC Disclosure: 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.

[Anna's Herding Cats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.

Oh how I love this series! Sexy, playful, make-you-smile romance. Hanging by a Thread totally won me over.

Okay so the quick of it is Cal's sister is Bebe's best friend. Problem is...they can't stand each other or resist throwing a snarky barb in the others direction. Really, though, they're both harboring some hardcore lust and trying desperately to hide the fact. Until a little bit of eavesdropping presents a very interesting turn of events. Bebe...is in need of a man. Well, she's in need of a cock to help her with one very pesky hymen. Aaaaaand enter Cal who offers up his manly bits because, seriously, he wants this girl bad. And so begins a "de-virginization plan". Erm... "the cherry picking project". Or...the romance of Cal and Bebe.

These two were SO fun! I love a good antagonistic relationship and, whew boy, the fire and snark thrown between these two and seeing it turn into a sassy, cheeky teasing was entertaining as all get out. Bebe and Cal are charming and endearing. They're both awesome people and interesting too. Cal is solid. Caring and dependable and a good guy with a huge heart. He also has a passion for cooking (yay!) And Bebe. She's like smack-ya-stupid brilliant. Like in college at 15 been to law school and med school brilliant. But also very very innocent because practically every moment of her life has been about education and learning. She's also Indian which I thought was really interesting and different. I loved her. Her wide eyed innocence and lust for trying new things was absolutely charming.

I seriously loved them together. They aren't all about the sexy times...though, whoa, the sexy times are amazing--but about all kinds of firsts. Because of her upbringing--yall her parents are like the devil-- and focus on education Bebe hasn't experienced so many things that are so normal for most people. From simple things like picnics, breakfast in bed, seeing a musical to all of the intimate moments together. It tugged at the heart and gah it was just lovely seeing her enjoying herself and really coming to life as she and Cal spent time together. Sweet, lively and full of humor..they were an absolute treat.

Sutton continues to delight. Every book, every couple, every romance...beautiful, heart-warming, and sure to leave a smile on your face and a happy sigh leaving your lips. These books are just good for the reader-girl soul. Grab em. Grab em now! ;)

[Barb Lie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hanging by a Thread by Jenna Sutton is the 3rd book in her Riley O’Brien & Co. series. The focus of this series centers on Riley O’Brien & Co denim empire, and the O’Brien family who run it. Wheras, the earlier books centered around the business, Hanging by a Thread is fully a sexy steamy romance throughout.

Cal O’Brien is our hero, and a known womanizer. Cal has always had his eye on the unattainable, his sister Teagan’s best friend, Bebe. But every time Cal and Bebe are in the same room together, they show how much they hate each other to all who see them. Neither of them know the truth how they truly feel about each other.

One day, Cal is eavesdropping and hears Bebe tell Teagan that she is still a virgin, and is looking to find the perfect man to help her lose her virginity. Cal, being the noble man he is…lol…visits Bebe later and offers himself to “ De-virginization her”. Bebe, who unknown to others, has an unwanted fiancée forced upon her by her parents. She is trying to get out of it, and being in the emotional state, she rethinks her refusal of Cal to be her first. Bebe thinks Cal hates her, but because of her own attraction to him, she finally accepts his proposal.

What follows is very very sexy romance between two people who think nothing will come of this relationship, other than the fun they may have. As their romance heats up, their love and dependence on each other grows. Cal doesn’t see himself ever settling down, especially to one woman. Bebe, desperately trying to get out of her arranged prenuptials, knows she is falling head of heels in love with Cal. Will Bebe find a way to get out of the marriage? Will Cal stand by Bebe?

I love this series, and all of the O’Brien’s and their spouses. I really liked Bebe, as she was a smart, savvy, tough business woman, who was also a loyal friend. In the beginning, I wasn’t crazy about Cal, though he was a gorgeous hunk, and loyal to his family. I felt he was a bit arrogant and crass early on when he approached Bebe, but in a short period that did change as he became more enamored by her. Their sex scenes were very steamy, and you couldn’t help but love them together. I did think that this 3rd book in the series was much more erotic, with some of the story slipping into the background. However that being said, their chemistry was off the wall, and it was a fun story line about two people we rooted hard for. The ending with the fiancée was good, and I must say the epilogue was terrific. This is the way epilogue should always be. If you like sexy fun romances, I suggest you start this series from the start and get to meet all the O’Briens.

Barb
The Reading Cafe

[Books and Spoons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family can be your biggest source of support and love, or the place where insults are common, and verbal abuse galore.
Bebe's life choices have rarely been hers. Her powerful family has dictated most of her life decisions, or influenced the rest. Her life has been a void of the 'normal', and most of the 'first' young people have, had been missing in her life. The pain, hurt, and harm her family had delivered to her over the years was countless, and how she had survived it, and triumphed in her life, was nothing but admirable. Some of the behavior had roots in the cultural differences, most of it has been just malice. My heart ached for her, as her mother walked all over her. Most daughter/mother relationships can be difficult, but Bebe's was pure agony.
Cal's family is quite the opposite, always there to support each other, love each other, and to have each other's back, no matter what. I have loved getting to know them through the series, and grown very fond of them. It was lovely to see glimpses of their lives and relationships.
Cal and Bebe have amazing chemistry between them. The sizzle in the air, when they meet, is palpable. I loved that Cal was set to not have secrets from his family, to keep their relationship open to them. As the arrangement between them was mainly physical at first, it is understandable, that the story had several sex scenes, scenes that were red-hot in nature, yet beautiful and loving. They showed the development of their relationship, their feelings, while in the arrangement, growing and deepening, and fit into the plot, not only giving it spice and heat, but deeper understanding of their love and affection towards each other.
I completely got lost in the story, the families, the drama, the passion, and love. There's moments in the story that had me holding my breath in anticipation, moments that broke my heart as I was in tears, and moments that I laughed out loud. I adore the O'Brien family, the closeness they have between them. And Bebe, my heart went out to her, the mud her family, her mother, was shoveling at her, was heartbreaking, yet oddly familiar, and made her even easier to relate to. And a personal note, thank you for the epilogue, Ms Sutton, my heart was overjoyed.
This is a tale that I fell in love with, the characters were likable, easy to relate to, the passion and love between Bebe and Cal was blistering, yet they also liked and respected each other, enjoyed each other's company. There's no insta anything in the story, the time that is needed, was taken, the tale covering several months, and years. I swooned, I blushed, I shed tears, and laugh, and enjoyed the San Francisco scenery
~ Five Spoons

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review*

Every time I pick up a Riley O’Brien and Co. book, I am once again reminded of why I love the series and this author so much. Not only are the books extremely well-written and completely entertaining, but Jenna Sutton’s characters are always multi-dimensional, vastly intriguing, and utterly compelling. There hasn’t been one character I didn’t like and immediately feel a connection with, and all of them stand out long after the book has reached its end.

In Hanging By A Thread, thirty-year old virgin Bebe Banjeree is in a bit of a pickle, as she’s promised to a man she doesn’t love and only limited options to get out of it. But if she can’t find a way out of the mess she’s in, her fiancé is the last man she wants to be her first, which is why she decides to find another man to be her first everything instead. She wasn’t planning on Cal O’Brien offering himself up to her, but now that he has, she can’t say no to the gorgeous man who has always secretly made her body sing.

I really loved this book. Not only was it a refreshing read with a uniquely written plot, but it was also a natural feeling read that continually pulled me through the story. The characters were both written with depth and so well-layered they easily stood out to me, and what’s more, I liked them. Sure, Bebe was a little too snarky with Cal at the start, and Cal was a little too much of an ass to her, too, but they both had reasons for that and I understood those reasons pretty quickly because it was easy to get where they were coming from. And Cal was an amazing romance hero. Exactly the man Bebe needed and deserved. Totally loved him!

If you’re looking for a fantastic, well-written contemporary romance with lots of heat, wonderful characters, and a truly great storyline, Hanging By A Thread by Jenna Sutton is a must-read book. It far-surpassed my expectations for it, and it made me fall in love with this series and the brilliant cast of characters in it all over again.

Final Analysis

Excellent read! I loved it!

5 “Must Read!” Stars

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review*

Every time I pick up a Riley O’Brien and Co. book, I am once again reminded of why I love the series and this author so much. Not only are the books extremely well-written and completely entertaining, but Jenna Sutton’s characters are always multi-dimensional, vastly intriguing, and utterly compelling. There hasn’t been one character I didn’t like and immediately feel a connection with, and all of them stand out long after the book has reached its end.

In Hanging By A Thread, thirty-year old virgin Bebe Banjeree is in a bit of a pickle, as she’s promised to a man she doesn’t love and only limited options to get out of it. But if she can’t find a way out of the mess she’s in, her fiancé is the last man she wants to be her first, which is why she decides to find another man to be her first everything instead. She wasn’t planning on Cal O’Brien offering himself up to her, but now that he has, she can’t say no to the gorgeous man who has always secretly made her body sing.

I really loved this book. Not only was it a refreshing read with a uniquely written plot, but it was also a natural feeling read that continually pulled me through the story. The characters were both written with depth and so well-layered they easily stood out to me, and what’s more, I liked them. Sure, Bebe was a little too snarky with Cal at the start, and Cal was a little too much of an ass to her, too, but they both had reasons for that and I understood those reasons pretty quickly because it was easy to get where they were coming from. And Cal was an amazing romance hero. Exactly the man Bebe needed and deserved. Totally loved him!

If you’re looking for a fantastic, well-written contemporary romance with lots of heat, wonderful characters, and a truly great storyline, Hanging By A Thread by Jenna Sutton is a must-read book. It far-surpassed my expectations for it, and it made me fall in love with this series and the brilliant cast of characters in it all over again.

Final Analysis

Excellent read! I loved it!

5 “Must Read!” Stars

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

I really love the O'Brien family! This story involves Cal, one of the O'Brien kids and Bebe, his sister BFF. Sparks are evident between the two, even though they each pretend not to stand the other one. For Bebe, its hands off because a) he's her bestie's brother, 2) he makes her feel things no other man ever has and 3) she's engaged, albeit it a fake engagement, but still.

For Cal, he's been interested in Bebe from the first time he met her but its clear that she wants nothing to do with him. He doesn't understand what made her so antagonistic towards him but can't keep himself from sparring with her at any function they are at.

Things change when Cal overhears, ahem - eavesdrops, on a conversation between Bebe and Teagan where Bebe is lamenting her "V" status. When Cal offers to help her with her dilemna, Bebe says yes and thus begins the romance of Bebe's dreams. Cal knows that Bebe thinks this is just pretend on his part and he's not sure what he'll do when she discovers he's in this for the long haul.

The author did a wonderful job of creating characters that easy to love and root for. She also gave us a worthy and realistic villian (the fiance') which made the reader root for Cal and Bebe all the more.

[Becky Burciaga · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I enjoyed most about this book, was the intellectual banter and hilarity...wry humor and whip smart, witty banter. The author does a wonderful job of drawing you in with the differences in the dialogue that was unique to each character. There is such a sweet innocence to Bebe, a juxtaposition to her over the top intelligence. Never having found love within her family, she is finding it for the first time through Cal...who is introducing her to all her "firsts".

There are many different aspects of this story to enjoy, while you have the story of Cal and Bebe, also interwoven are the backstories of the other O'Briens. Ms Sutton has created a story timeline like I've never read before. Jumping ahead in time, but then filling you in shortly thereafter...this moved the story along at a quick pace and kept it interesting.

Though this is the first book I've read by this author, I plan on catching up with the first two books in the series...I truly enjoyed her unique style of writing and just how much depth and dimension she gives her characters.

This book was provided by Netgalley for my honest review.

[Gold Dust Editing & Book Promotions · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh what a tangled sheet we make, when we practice to procreate!

AND OH, HOW DELICIOUS THE FUN!

Cal O’Brien has stolen my heart and what a handsome thief he makes! He cooks, he cleans, he gives numerous orgasms. His charm should be patented and sold as an accessory with his jeans (yes, read the book and you’ll get that). There must be something about him not to like, but I’ll be damned if I know what it is!

And Bebe (aka Bindu)…what can I say about Bebe? She’s definitely a unique character. She’s smarter than Einstein and as clueless as Alicia Silverstone, but she’s also lovable, loyal, and trustworthy -not to mention open-minded, which one would have to be to be with Cal. They have almost too much fun (almost), and I couldn’t wait to see what they’d get into next. There was nothing outlandish going on, it was just a tasty (no pun intended) treat to read about them…okay, and maybe the pun was intended.

[namericanwordcat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I knew I was going to love this book and I did.

I loved the Bebe the heroine who is a super smart overachiever. I loved watching her come into her own.

The hero is lovely. They are great together.

The conflicts come from parts of themselves they need to work through as well as some external issues. She has to learn to esteem herself and he needs to come to terms with how careless (emotionially) he has been sex at times and taking for granted the love of his family.

There are all sorts of great details like his car and the book is a bit of a love letter to the San Fransico setting.

They adore each other and the sexy times are hot and do a great job developing the romance.

They were a bit more self deluded than I would have liked in terms of their relationship but that is a minor quibble.

A very good book! I really love Jenna Sutton's writing.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cal and Bebe's relationship may have started as an arrangement for her to lose her virginity, but neither of them went into it thinking it was just about sex. It became about Bebe experience a long series of firsts, that would eventually be only's for both of them. They had a few things going against them - her secret fiancé, blackmail and the truth about their feelings for each other - but Bebe figured out a way to finally deal with her problems and Cal showed her how loveable she was. Sweet, funny, charming, sexy and romantic, this if my favorite of the series!

I received an ARC via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review, all conclusions are my own.

[Angela Goodrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

This series just keeps getting better and better with each installment, and Hanging by a Thread is now my favorite book in the Riley O’Brien & Co. series…so far. Although we’ve met Cal and Bebe in the previous books, we didn’t learn enough about either of them to keep someone new to the series from enjoying this book as a standalone. That said, if you’ve read and enjoyed the previous books, then you’ll be happy for the chance to spend more time with the O’Brien family and the company their family has built and grown over several generations.

Cal is the middle O’Brien child and, like his siblings, takes pride in the job he performs for the family company. He works hard and enjoys his life, but wants what his brother and sister have found – that special person to love. He actually knows who he wants, but Bebe is his sister’s best friend and she made it clear from their first meeting that she disliked him. Yet no one knows that Bebe’s dislike is merely a smokescreen for her feelings – Cal was the first and only man who she’s ever been attracted to and, as a 30-year-old virgin, she still has no idea how to handle those feelings. Bebe’s inability to deal with Cal soon takes backseat to a bigger problem – her fiancé has reneged on their engagement of convenience and is now blackmailing her to marry him so that he can take his place in his family’s business. What makes the situation worse is that Bebe has no one to talk to about it because none of her friends know about the engagement, not even her best friend, Teagan. Even though Bebe can see no way out of the arranged marriage, she refuses to let Akash be her first, and getting rid of her virginity is something she can talk to Teagan about. Fortunately, Cal overhears that conversation and sees this as the perfect opportunity to work the woman out of his system…and if more comes of it, he wouldn’t be opposed to that one bit. What starts out as an arrangement, quickly becomes more as both Bebe and Cal are far more invested in the other than they’re willing to reveal. Just as they can envision a future together, Bebe’s life implodes and explodes, leaving Bebe to wonder if Cal will come to her rescue or be a casualty of the fallout.

I absolutely loved getting to know Bebe better. Sutton has crafted a character whose past is simultaneously impressive and heartbreaking, and I had no problem believing that she had reached the age of thirty with her virginity intact. Being one of the O’Brien siblings, fans of the series have spent some time with him in the past books, but it only scratched the surface of who Cal was and I really liked getting to know him better as well. I really liked how Cal took his time with Bebe, trying to guard his heart even as he tried to win hers, and I especially liked how he handled her with care once he realized exactly how inexperienced Bebe actually was. As for the chemistry between them, it was scorchingly hot. I was jealous of Bebe, and not just because of Cal’s sexual prowess. The man was a sweetheart when it came to wooing her. I have to say that I was surprised that he was willing to hear her out after her fiancé shows up, spewing his half-truths. As for Akash, Bebe sure showed him! I loved watching Bebe and Cal fall in love, as well as catching up with Quinn & Amelia and Teagan & Nick. Hanging by a Thread was an excellent addition to the Riley O'Brien & Co. series and even though Cal is the last of the O’Brien siblings, I hope that Sutton has plans for more books in the series, or at least a spin-off – after all, Ava Grace deserves her happily ever after.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS!

My first book by Jenna Sutton...and it will certainly not be the last! Wow. This book actually took me by surprise. I loved it even more than I expected. Some days it's hard to find 5 star reads. The books that will grab your attention, with a unique plot line and set of characters. Books that makes you want to re-read when you have a bad day. When I reached the last page, I wanted to re-read it all over again. Hanging By A Thread was one of my 5 star reads and I hope it will be one of yours too.

PLOT LINE - Bebe Banerjee is in a very problematic situation. Set up an arranged marriage to a man she despises with a passion. A guy she has agreed to married, just to find acceptance from her parents. Parents who will not give her the time of day because they know she'll be a disappointment no matter what she does. There is no way out of the arrangement, without tarnishing her family's picture perfect image. While focusing on her career path and set in an arranged marriage for the past 10 years, she didn't have time for fun. When the clock is ticking down for the nuptials, she doesn't want to give up all her first to a guy she hates. She has never been kissed, let alone intimate with a guy. Instead, she is willing to do something reckless. Have a bit of fun before being anchored down. And, the guy who has ever brought out some sort of reckless emotions out of her was Cal O'Brien. The guy who can break any girl's heart. When an agreement was set up with a deadline, she can make it through without getting too attached, right? The story was a mix of cute and sexy. It will grab your attention from the beginning because you will be hoping for a happy ending for Bebe. Once you meet Cal, you'll want a happy ending for him too.

CHEMISTRY - An enemies to lovers story, there is bound to be an intense connection between the two characters. From the moment they met, you can sense the tension building between the two. Since Bebe was engaged, the emotions she felt caught her by surprise. She shouldn't find this attraction to Cal. She didn't want to betray a business arrangement with her fiance, but she can't help what she feels. After bickering with Cal over the years, the tension grew, attracting Bebe to the possibility of losing herself and having a bit of fun for once in her life. When Cal finds out Bebe has never had a couple first ticked off her list, he is willing to help her out. Gosh, I don't want to spoil any plot lines but you are in for a journey with Bebe and Cal. All the things he do will make you swoon and fall in love with his character. You'll wish he was your boyfriend instead because Cal can be a gentleman at times and not so in other times ;) The chemistry is just amazing between the two.

*ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review