What do you think?
Rate this book
Silicon Valley Billionaires #1A
High Interest: Book One
Gabriel Betts is Silicon Valley's badass billionaire. He's a man who knows what he wants. But is beautiful CEO Lauren Taylor going to give it to him?
Being a scientist gives Lauren Taylor a purpose in life. At twenty-five, she's the CEO of a billion-dollar biomedical company, Paragon Laboratories. On the brink of a major discovery, Lauren lets nothing interfere with her work. The only thing she's not prepared for? Her overwhelming attraction to Gabriel Betts, the gorgeous and brilliant CEO of another Silicon Valley startup.
Billionaire Gabriel Betts is a successful scientist in his own right. He's made his way in the world by being an early adopter and never losing focus. Captivated by Lauren's brilliance and unselfconscious beauty, he's determined to win the reclusive female CEO over.
But what neither Gabe nor Lauren expects is the white-collar danger that's lurking in Silicon Valley... The danger that threatens not only their companies, but their very existence.
Cliffhanger Warning! Part 1 of a sexy, suspenseful three-part serial. All three parts are available now!
Being a scientist gives Lauren Taylor a purpose in life. At twenty-five, she's the CEO of a billion-dollar biomedical company, Paragon Laboratories. On the brink of a major discovery, Lauren lets nothing interfere with her work. The only thing she's not prepared for? Her overwhelming attraction to Gabriel Betts, the gorgeous and brilliant CEO of another Silicon Valley startup.
Billionaire Gabriel Betts is a successful scientist in his own right. He's made his way in the world by being an early adopter and never losing focus. Captivated by Lauren's brilliance and unselfconscious beauty, he's determined to win the reclusive female CEO over.
But what neither Gabe nor Lauren expects is the white-collar danger that's lurking in Silicon Valley... The danger that threatens not only their companies, but their very existence.
Cliffhanger Warning! Part 1 of a sexy, suspenseful three-part serial. All three parts are available now!
95 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 1, 2016
9 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Leigh James
46 books514 followersUSA Today and Amazon Top-10 Bestselling Author Leigh James is currently sitting on a white-sand beach, watching the sunset, dreaming up her next billionaire. Get ready, he's going to be a HOT one!
Just kidding! Leigh is actually freezing her butt off in Maine, USA, where she lives with her awesome husband, their great kids, and her BFF Choco the chocolate lab. But she promises that billionaire is REALLY going to be something!
Her books have been translated into German, French, Italian, and Portuguese. Leigh also writes Young Adult Paranormal Romance as Leigh Walker. Her smash-hit series Vampire Royals was previously optioned by Netflix.
Sign up to get new release notifications at: http://www.leighjamesauthor.com/subsc...!
Just kidding! Leigh is actually freezing her butt off in Maine, USA, where she lives with her awesome husband, their great kids, and her BFF Choco the chocolate lab. But she promises that billionaire is REALLY going to be something!
Her books have been translated into German, French, Italian, and Portuguese. Leigh also writes Young Adult Paranormal Romance as Leigh Walker. Her smash-hit series Vampire Royals was previously optioned by Netflix.
Sign up to get new release notifications at: http://www.leighjamesauthor.com/subsc...!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
February 10, 2017
Lauren Taylor has devoted her life to perfecting her medical technology and running her company, Paragon Laboratories. Just as she finally gets a breakthrough with the technology and thinks it will go to market soon she is approached by two very different CEO's offering to partner with her company. Gabriel Betts is a sexy, successful CEO who immediately charms Lauren and Clive Warren is a former member of Lauren's board that will do whatever it takes to weasel in on Lauren's development.
A bit of romance along with corporate espionage made this a great start to what could be a very interesting series. Lauren having dedicated her life to her work is a fierce business woman but very timid around the opposite sex and just discovering life outside of work. Gabe was a sexy billionaire that most woman would be thrilled to have wanting to impress and protect them. Toss in Clive, a rival competitor who doesn't take no for an answer and you have a series that shows some great promise.
Overall, cliffhanger warning on this little novella as it's only the beginning to a series but enjoyed reading it so far and would definitely continue.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
A bit of romance along with corporate espionage made this a great start to what could be a very interesting series. Lauren having dedicated her life to her work is a fierce business woman but very timid around the opposite sex and just discovering life outside of work. Gabe was a sexy billionaire that most woman would be thrilled to have wanting to impress and protect them. Toss in Clive, a rival competitor who doesn't take no for an answer and you have a series that shows some great promise.
Overall, cliffhanger warning on this little novella as it's only the beginning to a series but enjoyed reading it so far and would definitely continue.
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
December 23, 2015
3.5 making the best partnership possible stars. The story wasn't hard to read and was actually interesting. I think the lack of romantic contact and overly fast pace of the story bothered me. I will probably still read the next book just because I'm curious enough to want to know what happens next.
What did I like? The heroine is brilliant, self-sufficient, and incredibly wealthy. She is really modern in that she struggles to have a love and social life along with a prosperous career. I liked that the hero is more than supportive of the heroine's career while still being just a bit alpha.
What did I like? The heroine is brilliant, self-sufficient, and incredibly wealthy. She is really modern in that she struggles to have a love and social life along with a prosperous career. I liked that the hero is more than supportive of the heroine's career while still being just a bit alpha.
February 9, 2017
**ARC provided by publisher for honest review***
Wow, where did this come from! When I got this book I seriously did not expect a engaging read like this. I loved this book. Lauren is so driven and has so much passion for her work, she makes the rest of us look bad. She is a scientist on the verge of something great, and just when her work should start reaping rewards in walks trouble. Trouble comes in many forms. Some are yummy like Gabe, with his CEO status, and loyal boyfriend protector. Some trouble comes in insect for like Clive, that is a flea if there ever was one, wants to just ride on host and reap rewards. Also gotta love the sister Hannah, she is so fun and carefree and yet so insightful it is amazing. This does end in a cliffy like the description says, but this isn’t your typical throw-the-kindle-at-the-wall cliffy. The story does make you feel complete on many parts but wanting more and when it leaves you it does a brilliant job of keeping you interested without making you angry. So ready for the next though. New fan of Leigh James!
Wow, where did this come from! When I got this book I seriously did not expect a engaging read like this. I loved this book. Lauren is so driven and has so much passion for her work, she makes the rest of us look bad. She is a scientist on the verge of something great, and just when her work should start reaping rewards in walks trouble. Trouble comes in many forms. Some are yummy like Gabe, with his CEO status, and loyal boyfriend protector. Some trouble comes in insect for like Clive, that is a flea if there ever was one, wants to just ride on host and reap rewards. Also gotta love the sister Hannah, she is so fun and carefree and yet so insightful it is amazing. This does end in a cliffy like the description says, but this isn’t your typical throw-the-kindle-at-the-wall cliffy. The story does make you feel complete on many parts but wanting more and when it leaves you it does a brilliant job of keeping you interested without making you angry. So ready for the next though. New fan of Leigh James!
December 27, 2015
Lauren has got to let go and allow people who care about her to help. It's hard when you're protecting your life's work and most especially from someone you thought you could trust. Gabriel has taken an interest in Lauren and wants to get close to her. Not just for her brilliance but for who she is. It's a serial and I wish there was more to "book one" but I enjoyed it.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2017
"A copy of this book has been provided by CMG Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review "
3.5 stars
A good start to a new series.
The characters were intriguing, and rhe book well written. At the end of the book I still didn't know if I could trust the lead male character.
Look forward to seeing where the author goes with this story.
3.5 stars
A good start to a new series.
The characters were intriguing, and rhe book well written. At the end of the book I still didn't know if I could trust the lead male character.
Look forward to seeing where the author goes with this story.
January 7, 2016
Omg it was amazing
Wow nothing that I expected , I loved it it was amazing so intense and seductive, I can't wait to read the next book ❤️❤️
Wow nothing that I expected , I loved it it was amazing so intense and seductive, I can't wait to read the next book ❤️❤️
December 15, 2015
High Interest is the first book in The Paragon Series by Leigh James. It's a story that looks into corporate espionage. First, we meet the creator of Paragon, Lauren Taylor. Paragon is biomedical company, that works on producing and testing important devices, many of which Lauren hopes to bring to the world. She doesn't care for the fame or wealth, as long as she has enough to fund her experiments. Gabriel Betts is also a CEO; he runs the successful Dynamica and hopes that they can partner with Paragon.
Lauren is kind of boring and I also feel like she's a hyped up character with little background substance. She has a very stereotypical existence; brilliantly smart with little to bring her down, having created her own biomedical company. Yes, she's meant to be smart, but there's something about the way she's written that makes her seem less so. For example, when Clive Warren is known to be visiting the company, she can't think why he's been doing it. He even said himself that he's considering partnering with the company and wants information about their work, so why can't she or anyone else work out why he might be visiting...? Is it not obvious? Why do she and Gabriel, two supposedly smart people, need to spend so long determining what Clive's doing...? Gabriel Betts, as mentioned just now, is meant to be smart as well. Yet the majority of his existence in the novel is showing off. He doesn't really add anything really intelligent to it, simply showing off his money at every point. My other consideration is that, after only meeting each other twice, Lauren is unnecessarily laughing at Gabriel's comments as if she's trying to impress him. When I say comments, I mean things that aren't even meant to be jokes. It's weird and seems very forced. Not to mention, on their second date, Gabriel is talking about bashing Clive's head in, just for having a date with Lauren. The relationship between Lauren and Gabriel is very forced and neither of them seems likeable. I thought it unfortunate for her that she would want to continue dating him in the first place; threatening violence at such a non-issue is definitely a reason to steer clear of Gabriel. His constant threats to Clive are completely unnecessary.
Other characters also seem lack lustre. Hannah, for example, is Lauren's sister. She's very encouraging and seems to press Lauren into doing things that Lauren doesn't want to do. I wouldn't want to know her if she tries to make people do things that they don't want to do. It also seems like she's riding on her sister's coat tails; in the book, we don't see her do much save for trying to convince her sister to date rich men. Clive Warren is another potential love interest for Lauren, made to look utterly annoying. At first, Clive isn't as bad a person as the author makes him out to be. Yet, for some reason, Lauren makes him out to be a creep. He, like Gabriel, took Lauren out to a meal and made an offer to partner with the company. Yet, the author writes it as if Lauren automatically hates him, even though Clive has done nothing very different than Gabriel has. Until the next day, he didn't really do much wrong in my eyes. It's a double standard, really; we're obviously meant to prefer one male over the other, which (in my opinion) is a poor quality to the story. Yes, Clive did turn out to do something wrong, but those portions weren't written very well. It happens far too quickly and we don't get a lot of the back story of the situation, which is important to creating the scene. For example, we have little knowledge of their prior contact. They were meant to have known each other and then he went to China (he made a joke about taking her back there with him). So, he can't have been that bad of a person if she agreed to a date with him now. So, why is he such a bad person now...? I don't understand what the author is trying to do. Was it because he didn't ask her whether she ate meat or not? Lots of people don't do that...
The book itself has an interesting premise. I appreciate that the author has tried to write people to be intelligent, but that point doesn't really get properly put across. Especially considering that neither Lauren nor Gabriel seems to make very smart decisions. A few examples: spending an entire dinner on trying to figure out something that was completely obvious, Gabriel's constant threats of violence which would simply get him put in prison and accomplish nothing, and Lauren's ignorance to dating and how weirdly she was acting... Like I said, I appreciate the attempt to make smart characters, but these ones are just lacking. The book and basic plot seems kind of reminiscent of other things I've read and lacks a distinct uniqueness. It's a fairly typical dating portion as well; main character dates #1 and it goes well, then dates #2 and (for no reason) it goes badly. #1 (for no reason) wants to harm #2. It's not very original, especially given that there was no reason for either Lauren or Gabriel to initially hate Clive. For improvements, I think it could have all been explained a lot better and to have the work spread across a realistic timeline. There's obviously a lot of information that we're missing and a lot of things that the author didn't make available to the reader. It feels like there's a lot left on the editing room floor, if you catch my drift.
Overall, it's a book that I wanted to like; a book about corporate espionage in a biomedical company...? It sounds great! Yet, neither the characters nor events are very original. Plus, like I've said, there's a lot that just doesn't make sense. I don't think I'll be reading the second book.
I received a free eCopy of this book via Instafreebie and these are my honest thoughts of it.
Lauren is kind of boring and I also feel like she's a hyped up character with little background substance. She has a very stereotypical existence; brilliantly smart with little to bring her down, having created her own biomedical company. Yes, she's meant to be smart, but there's something about the way she's written that makes her seem less so. For example, when Clive Warren is known to be visiting the company, she can't think why he's been doing it. He even said himself that he's considering partnering with the company and wants information about their work, so why can't she or anyone else work out why he might be visiting...? Is it not obvious? Why do she and Gabriel, two supposedly smart people, need to spend so long determining what Clive's doing...? Gabriel Betts, as mentioned just now, is meant to be smart as well. Yet the majority of his existence in the novel is showing off. He doesn't really add anything really intelligent to it, simply showing off his money at every point. My other consideration is that, after only meeting each other twice, Lauren is unnecessarily laughing at Gabriel's comments as if she's trying to impress him. When I say comments, I mean things that aren't even meant to be jokes. It's weird and seems very forced. Not to mention, on their second date, Gabriel is talking about bashing Clive's head in, just for having a date with Lauren. The relationship between Lauren and Gabriel is very forced and neither of them seems likeable. I thought it unfortunate for her that she would want to continue dating him in the first place; threatening violence at such a non-issue is definitely a reason to steer clear of Gabriel. His constant threats to Clive are completely unnecessary.
Other characters also seem lack lustre. Hannah, for example, is Lauren's sister. She's very encouraging and seems to press Lauren into doing things that Lauren doesn't want to do. I wouldn't want to know her if she tries to make people do things that they don't want to do. It also seems like she's riding on her sister's coat tails; in the book, we don't see her do much save for trying to convince her sister to date rich men. Clive Warren is another potential love interest for Lauren, made to look utterly annoying. At first, Clive isn't as bad a person as the author makes him out to be. Yet, for some reason, Lauren makes him out to be a creep. He, like Gabriel, took Lauren out to a meal and made an offer to partner with the company. Yet, the author writes it as if Lauren automatically hates him, even though Clive has done nothing very different than Gabriel has. Until the next day, he didn't really do much wrong in my eyes. It's a double standard, really; we're obviously meant to prefer one male over the other, which (in my opinion) is a poor quality to the story. Yes, Clive did turn out to do something wrong, but those portions weren't written very well. It happens far too quickly and we don't get a lot of the back story of the situation, which is important to creating the scene. For example, we have little knowledge of their prior contact. They were meant to have known each other and then he went to China (he made a joke about taking her back there with him). So, he can't have been that bad of a person if she agreed to a date with him now. So, why is he such a bad person now...? I don't understand what the author is trying to do. Was it because he didn't ask her whether she ate meat or not? Lots of people don't do that...
The book itself has an interesting premise. I appreciate that the author has tried to write people to be intelligent, but that point doesn't really get properly put across. Especially considering that neither Lauren nor Gabriel seems to make very smart decisions. A few examples: spending an entire dinner on trying to figure out something that was completely obvious, Gabriel's constant threats of violence which would simply get him put in prison and accomplish nothing, and Lauren's ignorance to dating and how weirdly she was acting... Like I said, I appreciate the attempt to make smart characters, but these ones are just lacking. The book and basic plot seems kind of reminiscent of other things I've read and lacks a distinct uniqueness. It's a fairly typical dating portion as well; main character dates #1 and it goes well, then dates #2 and (for no reason) it goes badly. #1 (for no reason) wants to harm #2. It's not very original, especially given that there was no reason for either Lauren or Gabriel to initially hate Clive. For improvements, I think it could have all been explained a lot better and to have the work spread across a realistic timeline. There's obviously a lot of information that we're missing and a lot of things that the author didn't make available to the reader. It feels like there's a lot left on the editing room floor, if you catch my drift.
Overall, it's a book that I wanted to like; a book about corporate espionage in a biomedical company...? It sounds great! Yet, neither the characters nor events are very original. Plus, like I've said, there's a lot that just doesn't make sense. I don't think I'll be reading the second book.
I received a free eCopy of this book via Instafreebie and these are my honest thoughts of it.
September 25, 2025
So many twists and turns! Cute story.
April 29, 2016
I am always interested to read novels from new authors. That was the case with this books, as I have never read anything from this author before. I am completely addicted to series. I love the fact that characters can continue because I never want to give them up! So I was drawn to this book for several different reasons.
Lauren has some serious trust issues, but given her profession, I guess that makes tons of sense. It seems to drag into other parts of her life as well, which doesn't work very well when it comes to those aspects of her life. She is a very dedicated and driven person, not to mention loyal - to those who deserve it. She is forever dealing with her eternal struggle of how to have this amazingly successful career and a social life all in one. In her mind, you can only have one or the other - because one will take up all of your time. On the outside she is this composed, wealthy, driven, successful business woman, but on the inside she is every bit the female that we all are when it comes to all other aspects of her life.
Gabe is.. well, Gabe. He intrigues me, but at the same time I feel as though there is something more.. Something I have yet to be shown, just below the surface that is making it so hard to FULLY commit to liking him as much as I would like to. He is insanely charming, witty and seems to know exactly what to say and when to say it. Like Lauren, he is a wealthy man, having built his own company from the ground up. The two have a lot more in common than they think - but like most of us, life seems to get in the way exactly when you do not want it to.
Another character that deserves some mention is Lauren's sister. I know some people might not think she played a huge part in the novel, but I love some secondary characters just as much as I do the main ones and she happens to be one of my favorite. It gives us a look into how vastly excluded Lauren has made herself over the years. This book leaves us with a cliffhanger, but I knew that going into it so it did not come as a shock. It did leave me wanting more and I cannot wait to see what the next book has in store for us. I have some questions, so I am looking forward to having them answered!
One thing I do wish happened in this book, and probably the reason I did not give it the full 5 stars that I would have like to, is I wanted to see it slowed down a bit between Lauren and Gabe. The novel itself is very well written! It has romance but a dose of suspense, which makes it different form the contemporary romances, but has enough intrigue to keep you hooked through the entire thing! The content flowed effortlessly, but I felt that sometimes the things between the two could have been slightly slowed down a little, just to make it slightly more realistic! I do recommend this novel to anyone who likes romantic suspense, or just romance in general!
Lauren has some serious trust issues, but given her profession, I guess that makes tons of sense. It seems to drag into other parts of her life as well, which doesn't work very well when it comes to those aspects of her life. She is a very dedicated and driven person, not to mention loyal - to those who deserve it. She is forever dealing with her eternal struggle of how to have this amazingly successful career and a social life all in one. In her mind, you can only have one or the other - because one will take up all of your time. On the outside she is this composed, wealthy, driven, successful business woman, but on the inside she is every bit the female that we all are when it comes to all other aspects of her life.
Gabe is.. well, Gabe. He intrigues me, but at the same time I feel as though there is something more.. Something I have yet to be shown, just below the surface that is making it so hard to FULLY commit to liking him as much as I would like to. He is insanely charming, witty and seems to know exactly what to say and when to say it. Like Lauren, he is a wealthy man, having built his own company from the ground up. The two have a lot more in common than they think - but like most of us, life seems to get in the way exactly when you do not want it to.
Another character that deserves some mention is Lauren's sister. I know some people might not think she played a huge part in the novel, but I love some secondary characters just as much as I do the main ones and she happens to be one of my favorite. It gives us a look into how vastly excluded Lauren has made herself over the years. This book leaves us with a cliffhanger, but I knew that going into it so it did not come as a shock. It did leave me wanting more and I cannot wait to see what the next book has in store for us. I have some questions, so I am looking forward to having them answered!
One thing I do wish happened in this book, and probably the reason I did not give it the full 5 stars that I would have like to, is I wanted to see it slowed down a bit between Lauren and Gabe. The novel itself is very well written! It has romance but a dose of suspense, which makes it different form the contemporary romances, but has enough intrigue to keep you hooked through the entire thing! The content flowed effortlessly, but I felt that sometimes the things between the two could have been slightly slowed down a little, just to make it slightly more realistic! I do recommend this novel to anyone who likes romantic suspense, or just romance in general!
December 23, 2015
**Received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
High Interest by Leigh James takes the reader on a journey that is more than the traditional romance novel. This book has a well-developed storyline that was a nice change from your typical romance novels. The first difference was that the lead female was also a high powered CEO herself. She wasn’t your typical damsel that the billionaire takes under his wings. Don’t get me wrong there are moments that naivety take the forefront of the book but mostly she is a brilliant individual who is capable of doing things on her own.
Lauren is the CEO of Paragon that hasn’t really lived past her work. She is a genius and closes herself off not intently she just LOVES her work. It is all consuming to her and the center of her world. But when another threatens her work will she trust others to help her fight back?
Clive is a former board member of Paragon and has his own company now. He approaches Lauren to partner his device with her upcoming technology but she sees his flaws and refuses the offer. But Clive doesn’t take a liking to being turned down by her not only professionally but personally too. The lengths he is willing to go to control Lauren are high stakes.
Gabe Brett is the CEO of Dynamica and hopes to partner with Paragon to help market their next project globally. Upon their first meeting they are both attracted to each other but Lauren wants to keep it professional. Gabe’s inner caveman comes to life and he has an overwhelming need to protect Lauren from the high stakes backstabbing that takes place in Silicon Valley. But is Gabe someone that Lauren can trust or is he just another person after her secrets?
Leigh did an outstanding job keeping me connected to the characters and immersed in the world of High Interest. This book ends as a cliffhanger and I really can’t wait to find out if Gabe is truly the hot alpha male that wants to protect her or wants to use her along with Clive.
High Interest by Leigh James takes the reader on a journey that is more than the traditional romance novel. This book has a well-developed storyline that was a nice change from your typical romance novels. The first difference was that the lead female was also a high powered CEO herself. She wasn’t your typical damsel that the billionaire takes under his wings. Don’t get me wrong there are moments that naivety take the forefront of the book but mostly she is a brilliant individual who is capable of doing things on her own.
Lauren is the CEO of Paragon that hasn’t really lived past her work. She is a genius and closes herself off not intently she just LOVES her work. It is all consuming to her and the center of her world. But when another threatens her work will she trust others to help her fight back?
Clive is a former board member of Paragon and has his own company now. He approaches Lauren to partner his device with her upcoming technology but she sees his flaws and refuses the offer. But Clive doesn’t take a liking to being turned down by her not only professionally but personally too. The lengths he is willing to go to control Lauren are high stakes.
Gabe Brett is the CEO of Dynamica and hopes to partner with Paragon to help market their next project globally. Upon their first meeting they are both attracted to each other but Lauren wants to keep it professional. Gabe’s inner caveman comes to life and he has an overwhelming need to protect Lauren from the high stakes backstabbing that takes place in Silicon Valley. But is Gabe someone that Lauren can trust or is he just another person after her secrets?
Leigh did an outstanding job keeping me connected to the characters and immersed in the world of High Interest. This book ends as a cliffhanger and I really can’t wait to find out if Gabe is truly the hot alpha male that wants to protect her or wants to use her along with Clive.
January 17, 2016
*this book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review*
3 stars...
Lauren Taylor has dedicated her adult life to her biomedical company. Her parents died tragically when she was in college, and Lauren has revolved her life around the company and her research. In the six years since she's started her company, it's amassed billions of dollars. She employees her younger sister, and that would be the extent of her world. A former board member is threatening to expose her most anticipated program, however joining forces with another company may save her in more ways than one.
Gabriel Betts is no slouch in the biomedical field, as he also runs his own company. His interests in partnering with Lauren's company are double sided in the sense that he has interests in more than just her company. He's fiercely protective of Lauren when he learns of another man threatening what he knows she's worked damn hard for.
Can Lauren trust Gabe? Can she give a piece of herself away by allowing something other than her company to impose on her time.
I liked that this is something different: they're both brilliant scientist that have devoted their lives to their businesses. I did find it slow. It's an interesting read, but needed more beef to it. It's a quick read, and now that the characters are developing some sort of a relationship, I would anticipate the next book in the series to burn up the pages....
3 stars...
Lauren Taylor has dedicated her adult life to her biomedical company. Her parents died tragically when she was in college, and Lauren has revolved her life around the company and her research. In the six years since she's started her company, it's amassed billions of dollars. She employees her younger sister, and that would be the extent of her world. A former board member is threatening to expose her most anticipated program, however joining forces with another company may save her in more ways than one.
Gabriel Betts is no slouch in the biomedical field, as he also runs his own company. His interests in partnering with Lauren's company are double sided in the sense that he has interests in more than just her company. He's fiercely protective of Lauren when he learns of another man threatening what he knows she's worked damn hard for.
Can Lauren trust Gabe? Can she give a piece of herself away by allowing something other than her company to impose on her time.
I liked that this is something different: they're both brilliant scientist that have devoted their lives to their businesses. I did find it slow. It's an interesting read, but needed more beef to it. It's a quick read, and now that the characters are developing some sort of a relationship, I would anticipate the next book in the series to burn up the pages....
April 13, 2016
I received this book as an ARC for an honest review.
WOW, what a cliffhanger and the suspense continues! This book was hot and has some steamy sex scenes. This is a really great start to the High-Stakes Billionaires series. This was a different storyline, but it keeps you reading to the end to find out what happened. I enjoyed the characters, Lauren Taylor and Gabriel (Gabe) Betts. Lauren is a brilliant or genius scientist and CEO of Paragon Laboratories, a billion-dollar biomedical company; and Gabe is the handsome, sexy, billionaire who is also a scientist and CEO of a Silicon Valley-based company that produced lab-reading technology. Lauren was a workaholic and recluse because she slept and worked at her lab for six years working on a patch that could be used for a fraction of the price instead of a CAT scan. Until she met Gabe, things changed, and she knew she was in trouble because of her instant attraction to him.
Lauren and Gabe are surprised when danger lurks their way from an unknown source pertaining to Lauren’s patch. Gabe, who is possessive, tries to protect Lauren. Who could the unknown source be who is putting Lauren and Gabe in danger? Could someone they know be behind this? This book is intriguing, with some humor, and it also involves romance, mystery, and suspense. There are several twists and turns within the story that makes it interesting. This book will pique your interest. I cannot wait to read book 2.
WOW, what a cliffhanger and the suspense continues! This book was hot and has some steamy sex scenes. This is a really great start to the High-Stakes Billionaires series. This was a different storyline, but it keeps you reading to the end to find out what happened. I enjoyed the characters, Lauren Taylor and Gabriel (Gabe) Betts. Lauren is a brilliant or genius scientist and CEO of Paragon Laboratories, a billion-dollar biomedical company; and Gabe is the handsome, sexy, billionaire who is also a scientist and CEO of a Silicon Valley-based company that produced lab-reading technology. Lauren was a workaholic and recluse because she slept and worked at her lab for six years working on a patch that could be used for a fraction of the price instead of a CAT scan. Until she met Gabe, things changed, and she knew she was in trouble because of her instant attraction to him.
Lauren and Gabe are surprised when danger lurks their way from an unknown source pertaining to Lauren’s patch. Gabe, who is possessive, tries to protect Lauren. Who could the unknown source be who is putting Lauren and Gabe in danger? Could someone they know be behind this? This book is intriguing, with some humor, and it also involves romance, mystery, and suspense. There are several twists and turns within the story that makes it interesting. This book will pique your interest. I cannot wait to read book 2.
December 28, 2015
Silicon Valley's rougher than it looks Being a scientist gives Lauren Taylor a purpose in life. At twenty-five, she's the CEO of a billion-dollar biomedical company, Paragon Laboratories. On the brink of a major discovery, Lauren lets nothing interfere with her work. The only thing she's not prepared for? Her overwhelming attraction to Gabriel Betts, the gorgeous and brilliant CEO of another Silicon Valley startup. Billionaire Gabriel Betts is a successful scientist in his own right. He's made his way in the world by being an early adopter and never losing focus. Captivated by Lauren's brilliance and unselfconscious beauty, he's determined to win the reclusive female CEO over. But what neither Gabe nor Lauren expect is the white-collar danger that's lurking in Silicon Valley... The danger that threatens not only their companies, but their very existence. Loved everything about this book. The suspense left me guessing on what was going to happen next. Loved Lauren and Gabe. It like the two of them were meant to be. I really couldn't stand Clive. Can't wait to see what happens next. If you don't like cliffhangers then this book isn't for you? Thanks Netgalley for giving me the opportunity of reading this book.
February 9, 2017
Synopsis: Lauren Taylor is a medical scientist and her job is her life. Lauren is the CEO of a billion-dollar biomedical company, Paragon Laboratories. On the brink of a major medical discovery, nothing interferes with her work. The only thing she's not prepared for? Her attraction to Gabriel Betts, the gorgeous CEO of another Silicon Valley startup that wants to partner up with Paragon to help them expand worldwide.
Neither Gabe nor Lauren expect the danger that's lurking in Silicon Valley... white-collar business can be very dangerous especially with billions at stake!
This is part one of three of the Paragon series.
Thoughts:
*Intrigued from the start-scientist girl-YAY! A little choppy and would like more background info to start but super smart science girl meets hot science nerd guy? Yes!
*Some little things seemed implausible (25 year old college dropout head of a billion dollar bio-medical company??) but not enough to bother me or keep me from reading the rest of the story.
*I will be getting Part Two to see where this story goes. Interesting and not often seen storyline but I do hope that Lauren get a backbone and stands up for herself a little more. I don’t like wishy-washy females in my stories!
Neither Gabe nor Lauren expect the danger that's lurking in Silicon Valley... white-collar business can be very dangerous especially with billions at stake!
This is part one of three of the Paragon series.
Thoughts:
*Intrigued from the start-scientist girl-YAY! A little choppy and would like more background info to start but super smart science girl meets hot science nerd guy? Yes!
*Some little things seemed implausible (25 year old college dropout head of a billion dollar bio-medical company??) but not enough to bother me or keep me from reading the rest of the story.
*I will be getting Part Two to see where this story goes. Interesting and not often seen storyline but I do hope that Lauren get a backbone and stands up for herself a little more. I don’t like wishy-washy females in my stories!
April 24, 2016
Lauren is a scientist and considered a genius,. She's the CEO of Paragon, her own biomedical company. " After six years of testing, her creation, the "patch" finally works. When an unseen enemy threatens her creation, Lauren turns to Gabe.
Gabe is a billionaire geeky scientist and CEO of his own company. Gabe is using his overseas connections to help Paragon in getting the Patch to the medical community. Gabe falls for Lauren and when corporate espionage turns to murder, he will stop at nothing to keep her safe.
When Gabe meets Lauren, there's an instant attraction. He is the first man Lauren has looked at with a sexual interest. At first she rejects his advances, but Gabe wears her down. After losing her virginity to Gabe, the true Lauren emerges. The shy geeky scientist blooms into a beautiful woman who likes to drop the F bomb during very hot love scenes. I totally enjoyed reading this book. It holds your attention from the first page to the last. This story has drama, suspense and great sex. Gabe is hot and sexy for a computer geek ;) Looking forward to ready High Risk.
Gabe is a billionaire geeky scientist and CEO of his own company. Gabe is using his overseas connections to help Paragon in getting the Patch to the medical community. Gabe falls for Lauren and when corporate espionage turns to murder, he will stop at nothing to keep her safe.
When Gabe meets Lauren, there's an instant attraction. He is the first man Lauren has looked at with a sexual interest. At first she rejects his advances, but Gabe wears her down. After losing her virginity to Gabe, the true Lauren emerges. The shy geeky scientist blooms into a beautiful woman who likes to drop the F bomb during very hot love scenes. I totally enjoyed reading this book. It holds your attention from the first page to the last. This story has drama, suspense and great sex. Gabe is hot and sexy for a computer geek ;) Looking forward to ready High Risk.
June 25, 2016
The book blurb and my love for corporate espionage drew me into this interesting and fast-paced novella. High Interest by Leigh James is set in the start-up mecca of the nation, the Silicon Valley. It is a dog eat dog world out there and scientist Lauren Taylor is not only a newbie, she is smack in the middle of it. Luckily, she has her boyfriend and sister to help her make sense of it all.
If you like books about high powered people and corporate spying with some hot sex in between, then The Paragon Series is for you. High Interest is book one and it ends with a cliffhanger. Book two is due out early next month.
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
If you like books about high powered people and corporate spying with some hot sex in between, then The Paragon Series is for you. High Interest is book one and it ends with a cliffhanger. Book two is due out early next month.
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
January 5, 2016
It 's my first time reading this autor and I loved the story , the characters and the flow of the book. This is a super quick read, but one that still manages to build in a lot of romance. Gabe and Lauren are made for each other and I love the character of her sister Hannah too . I "m not gonna mention any spoilers , but now I 'm intrigued about what will happend after Lauren's company, Paragon Laboratories, has been hacked and her medical technology has been stolen by Clive Warren. She's in a race to get her invention to market before her enemies can. And what about Gabe, is he going to let her down ????
Off reading the next one this very moment ......
Off reading the next one this very moment ......
January 6, 2016
Lauren is on the verge of sharing her biomedical breakthrough with the world. Dedicating her life to bringing that vision to fruition has left her with no life outside of the lab. Gabriel may just be the one to bring variety into her life if she can allow herself to trust him... It's hard when a former member of her board is out to take her down; but maybe if she lets Gabriel in just a little, he can show her that she doesn't always have to do it on her own.
This book is part one of a serial, and I look forward to seeing what's next for Lauren.
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book is part one of a serial, and I look forward to seeing what's next for Lauren.
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 9, 2017
I really liked Part One. It has a unique storyline, it's engaging and maturely written. Lauren seems a bit stiff but I get that she has to be that way for her character to develop as the story continues. Gabe sounds like the perfect man to help Lauren loosen up and show her there is more to life. I also liked that both characters are on even footing. Both are CEO's of their own companies and financially equal. I look forward to seeing where Leigh James is going to take this story.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2017
this is a fast paced romance with some suspense. the story was well written and the characters worked well in the story. the story line gives this story a edge, so its not just another romance book. the ending does contain a cliff hanger and I cant wait to see what happens next. I really enjoyed the suspense in this book it kept me guessing and had me reading till the end, good job its only about 90 pages.
highly recommended
https://www.facebook.com/obsessedbook...
https://obsessedbookreviews.wordpress...
highly recommended
https://www.facebook.com/obsessedbook...
https://obsessedbookreviews.wordpress...
January 3, 2016
I received an ARC for a honest review.
3.5 rating
Lauren the CEO if a billion dollar biotech company on the verge of a huge release strikes a partnership with Gabe another CEO of a technology company. Lauren is being threatened by s former member of her board and she and Gabe start working together to bring this person down. In the meantime Lauren and Gabe start developing feelings for eaxh other which freaks Lauren out since she has trust issues.
This is a fast paced book that lays out the key players well. There is a cliffhanger which I cant wait to read yhe next installment.
3.5 rating
Lauren the CEO if a billion dollar biotech company on the verge of a huge release strikes a partnership with Gabe another CEO of a technology company. Lauren is being threatened by s former member of her board and she and Gabe start working together to bring this person down. In the meantime Lauren and Gabe start developing feelings for eaxh other which freaks Lauren out since she has trust issues.
This is a fast paced book that lays out the key players well. There is a cliffhanger which I cant wait to read yhe next installment.
January 3, 2016
Interesting fast paced novel, it earned the full four stars for me for the fact that it intrigued me to want to know what will happen next. Wish the author took her time with the characters make them a little more convincing.
Overall i enjoyed the story and the authors way of telling it. A good start to arouse someone's curiosity to a new series.
Thanks to the publisher at NetGalley for a chance to read this novel for an honest review.
December 28, 2015
http://thebookisonmytable.blogspot.co...
I absolutely loved this book. It was perfect. The plot, the characters, the development.
Lauren was the perfect woman, she's intelligente-smart, business-smart, driven, a bit socially awkward, and completely unaware of her effect on the people who surround her.
Gabriel was her complement in everything, he was the yin for her yang.
I´m anxious for the next one.
I absolutely loved this book. It was perfect. The plot, the characters, the development.
Lauren was the perfect woman, she's intelligente-smart, business-smart, driven, a bit socially awkward, and completely unaware of her effect on the people who surround her.
Gabriel was her complement in everything, he was the yin for her yang.
I´m anxious for the next one.
December 31, 2015
Got this book from Netgalley for an honest review:
They both arent on the same page because she is has some major trust issues. When they finally get together she still has trust issues. I get that they are both smart people with multi million dollar brains and companies. It ends on a cliff hanger that makes me wonder where it goes from there but since most of the stuff was dealt with I cant really wonder what is going to happen next...
They both arent on the same page because she is has some major trust issues. When they finally get together she still has trust issues. I get that they are both smart people with multi million dollar brains and companies. It ends on a cliff hanger that makes me wonder where it goes from there but since most of the stuff was dealt with I cant really wonder what is going to happen next...
April 12, 2016
A great read that had me not wanting to put the book down! Lauren is a genius that would much rather be in her lab than out in public, anywhere with anyone. Gabe draws her out of her comfort zone and I love that. There are ups and downs and I definitely would get frustrated at some of Lauren's decisions but the ride is worth it. I'm looking forward to the next step in their story.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 2, 2017
4 Stars
I am rounding up on this book because the author is really good at her writing but honestly this book didn't hold my attention. The fact of the matter is it started out boring for me. I am sorry but I didn't need so much background that made me not want to read further but I did and so this book is 4 stars
A quick read
Happy Reading
I am rounding up on this book because the author is really good at her writing but honestly this book didn't hold my attention. The fact of the matter is it started out boring for me. I am sorry but I didn't need so much background that made me not want to read further but I did and so this book is 4 stars
A quick read
Happy Reading
December 13, 2016
If you are a lover of suspense you will devour this book.
I was on my toes wondering what would happen next with Lauren and Gabe- they are perfect for one another but there's clive. I couldn't really handle him.
I look forward to see what will happen next.
I have to say it ends with a cliffhanger... so be prepared.
I was on my toes wondering what would happen next with Lauren and Gabe- they are perfect for one another but there's clive. I couldn't really handle him.
I look forward to see what will happen next.
I have to say it ends with a cliffhanger... so be prepared.
January 24, 2016
Intelligent and sexy
Deliciously entertaining with a smart main character facing off against a Silicon Valley corporate power play. Sweet and sexy, intelligent and fun, this is a great start to a new series from a dependable author.
Deliciously entertaining with a smart main character facing off against a Silicon Valley corporate power play. Sweet and sexy, intelligent and fun, this is a great start to a new series from a dependable author.
February 6, 2017
I love the style of writing. It was definitely not your typical romance book you see now a days, a nice change of pace. However it must was not my cup of tea.
February 22, 2016
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I already bought the next 2 books of the series. Leigh James is turning into one of my go-to authors.
I already bought the next 2 books of the series. Leigh James is turning into one of my go-to authors.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews