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Billionaire Bad Boys #3
The Bastard Billionaire
A BILLIONAIRE BAD BOYS NOVEL
Beauty and the Beastly Billionaire . . .
Eli Crane is one tough bastard. After an explosion left him injured and honorably discharged from the Marines, all he wants is to be left alone. Yet his brothers insist he take a greater role in the family business. They've hired him ten personal assistants-and Eli sent each one packing as fast as possible. But when beautiful number eleven walks through the door, Eli will do anything to make her stay.
Isabella Sawyer's employment agency can't afford to lose Eli Crane's business. Her plan: to personally take on the role of his PA, and secure her reputation with the wealthy elite in Chicago. But this beauty and her hot billionaire bad boy soon find themselves mixing business with pleasure in the most delicious ways. And passionate, stubborn Isabella won't rest until she tames this wicked beast . . .
Beauty and the Beastly Billionaire . . .
Eli Crane is one tough bastard. After an explosion left him injured and honorably discharged from the Marines, all he wants is to be left alone. Yet his brothers insist he take a greater role in the family business. They've hired him ten personal assistants-and Eli sent each one packing as fast as possible. But when beautiful number eleven walks through the door, Eli will do anything to make her stay.
Isabella Sawyer's employment agency can't afford to lose Eli Crane's business. Her plan: to personally take on the role of his PA, and secure her reputation with the wealthy elite in Chicago. But this beauty and her hot billionaire bad boy soon find themselves mixing business with pleasure in the most delicious ways. And passionate, stubborn Isabella won't rest until she tames this wicked beast . . .
384 pages, Unknown Binding
First published February 28, 2017
357 people are currently reading
3002 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Lemmon
200 books1,914 followersJessica Lemmon is a former job-hopper who resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dogs. She holds a degree in graphic design currently gathering dust in an impressive frame. When she’s not writing emotionally-charged stories, she spends her time drawing, drinking coffee, and laughing with friends. Her motto is Read for fun, and she believes we should all do more of what makes us happy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 355 reviews
February 28, 2017
NOW LIVE
*Amazon*B&N*
ENTER GIVEAWAY AND READ AN EXCERPT HERE.
Eli Crane is the last brother to find love, and the one that has the toughest time with it. Back home from war, Eli can't let go of the past and losing his friends overseas, which he blames himself for. He doesn't think he's good enough for anyone, not even his family, so he tries to push everyone away.
When Isabella comes into his life as his assistant he tries the same thing with her, but she's not one to allow a man to push her around and she stands her ground. For Isabella there's more at stake then a job as an assistant, her whole business could fail without the Cranes. But once she meets the ellusive billionaire she realizes her heart is also on the line.
I stayed up all night reading this because once I started there was no way I could put this book down. I found Eli to be a very complex and interesting character and I fell in love with him from the beginning. His character had a lot of development throughout the story and it really drew me to him since we got to see so much of his emotion. My heart physically hurt for him when it became clear how tortured he was with his past and all I wanted to do was hold him.
Isabella was a great heroine for Eli because she didn't take any of his shit. When he was an ass to her and tried to push her away she just pushed right back and didn't let him win. It was great to see their back and forth bickering and it really added some intrigue to the story since I just couldn't wait to see who would win each of their battles.
There's no overly dramatic moments in this story and I really liked that the author kept the majority of the focus solely on Isabella and Eli. Overall it was a very captivating and heartbreaking story that I think many will like. It could possibly be read as a standalone but I would recommend reading the series in order so you get to meet all the brothers as they get their girls.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
*Amazon*B&N*
ENTER GIVEAWAY AND READ AN EXCERPT HERE.
Eli Crane is the last brother to find love, and the one that has the toughest time with it. Back home from war, Eli can't let go of the past and losing his friends overseas, which he blames himself for. He doesn't think he's good enough for anyone, not even his family, so he tries to push everyone away.
When Isabella comes into his life as his assistant he tries the same thing with her, but she's not one to allow a man to push her around and she stands her ground. For Isabella there's more at stake then a job as an assistant, her whole business could fail without the Cranes. But once she meets the ellusive billionaire she realizes her heart is also on the line.
I stayed up all night reading this because once I started there was no way I could put this book down. I found Eli to be a very complex and interesting character and I fell in love with him from the beginning. His character had a lot of development throughout the story and it really drew me to him since we got to see so much of his emotion. My heart physically hurt for him when it became clear how tortured he was with his past and all I wanted to do was hold him.
Isabella was a great heroine for Eli because she didn't take any of his shit. When he was an ass to her and tried to push her away she just pushed right back and didn't let him win. It was great to see their back and forth bickering and it really added some intrigue to the story since I just couldn't wait to see who would win each of their battles.
There's no overly dramatic moments in this story and I really liked that the author kept the majority of the focus solely on Isabella and Eli. Overall it was a very captivating and heartbreaking story that I think many will like. It could possibly be read as a standalone but I would recommend reading the series in order so you get to meet all the brothers as they get their girls.
The Bastard Billionaire Playlist:
Welcome Home, Son - Radical Face
Hurt Like Hell - The Heydaze
Earned It - Jamsine Thompson
If You Ever Want To Be In Love - James Bay
Save My Life - ZZ Ward
Free - Broods
James Dean & Aubrey Hepburn (acoustic) - Sleeping
With Sirens
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
December 17, 2020
5/5 stars.
Eli is a babe.
Eli is a babe.
March 30, 2018
Review available at Under the Pages.
February 7, 2017
This beauty and the beast story is pure sexiness and wit.
Acclimating to civilian life after serving in the marines is never easy, but it’s especially tough for Eli Crane who was honorably discharged after an explosion took a piece of him, literally and figuratively. He’d like to be left alone working on the charity his trying to create. However, his siblings have other ideas. They’d love it if he took an active part in their hotel empire and have hired a personal assistant company to help him in this endeavor. How many times will he fire the smart, take no nonsense, won’t back down beauty before he realizes she’s not like any of the ten predecessors he’s severally dismissed?
Breaking away from the yellow brick road her parents had carefully set for her and starting her own business was not easy, but Isabella Sawyer is not only determined to succeed, she also loves her job and is exceedingly good at it. Therefore when Eli Crane threatens her company’s reputation she decides to take matters into her own hands by becoming his PA as task which would be easy enough if she didn’t find him overwhelmingly attractive. Can she tame the beastly billionaire?
Jessica Lemmon knows how to write romances that always feel fresh. The Bastard Billionaire isn’t just about a rich and attractive man, it also incorporates a military aspect as well as an office romance setting that is entertaining to read with its sexy, smooth flowing plot and delightful characters.
Out of the three Crane brothers Eli Crane seemed like the biggest a-hole of them all. With his reluctance to participate in the family business, wanting to be left alone and scaring off all of the personal assistants that were sent to him. But in truth he was a bit lost and underneath that hard and crusty exterior lay huge giving heart and a wounded soul that carried too much misplaced guilt.
Isabella Sawyer is a great leading lady! I just loved her determination and grit in addition to the fact that she didn't choose the easy, safe path her parents had set for her. She was independent and confident enough in herself to risk security for a career she loved even when her parents thought it was beneath her. And don’t even let me rant about her not taking any grief from Eli. It was fun and sexy as all get out.
The push and pull between the two was definitely good. Even though he was attracted to her, Eli did everything in his power to get rid of Isabella. But try as he might the only thing he accomplished was to amp up the sexual tension between them. Something that blew up in his face in a spectacularly seductive explosive scene involving a knife and scattering buttons from a blouse. Resistance to her was futile. They still had to find their footing in their new relationship, there was a lot of sweet sexy romance with some light angst in between. They weren’t alone though, they had family and friends helping them out.
Speaking of family and friends, I loved getting a glimpse of the entire Crane men and their women including their patriarch. But I especially liked getting to know Isabella and Eli’s friends. I hope we get a book for both or one for each!
The Bastard Billionaire is book #3 in the Billionaire Bad Boys series by Jessica Lemon. It is a charming, easy to read standalone contemporary romance. A must for Jessica Lemmon fans. Told from both points of view and has a happy ending.
Author's pinterest board -> https://es.pinterest.com/lemmony/the-...
Amazon -> http://amzn.to/2jTp2Ao
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via NetGalley and Tasty Book Tours. The excerpts taken are from that copy. *
More reviews * Stalk us on FaceBook * As well as Twitter * Pinterest Board for Book Teasers
Acclimating to civilian life after serving in the marines is never easy, but it’s especially tough for Eli Crane who was honorably discharged after an explosion took a piece of him, literally and figuratively. He’d like to be left alone working on the charity his trying to create. However, his siblings have other ideas. They’d love it if he took an active part in their hotel empire and have hired a personal assistant company to help him in this endeavor. How many times will he fire the smart, take no nonsense, won’t back down beauty before he realizes she’s not like any of the ten predecessors he’s severally dismissed?
“Did you forget for a second I had a handicap? Is that why you kissed me back?”
“By handicap, I assume you mean your horrible attitude.”
Breaking away from the yellow brick road her parents had carefully set for her and starting her own business was not easy, but Isabella Sawyer is not only determined to succeed, she also loves her job and is exceedingly good at it. Therefore when Eli Crane threatens her company’s reputation she decides to take matters into her own hands by becoming his PA as task which would be easy enough if she didn’t find him overwhelmingly attractive. Can she tame the beastly billionaire?
“She was strong-willed. Drop-dead gorgeous. Sharp and intelligent. But she didn’t yield to his belligerence. She didn’t wilt at his commands. Under his hands and lips, she became pliant.”
Jessica Lemmon knows how to write romances that always feel fresh. The Bastard Billionaire isn’t just about a rich and attractive man, it also incorporates a military aspect as well as an office romance setting that is entertaining to read with its sexy, smooth flowing plot and delightful characters.
Out of the three Crane brothers Eli Crane seemed like the biggest a-hole of them all. With his reluctance to participate in the family business, wanting to be left alone and scaring off all of the personal assistants that were sent to him. But in truth he was a bit lost and underneath that hard and crusty exterior lay huge giving heart and a wounded soul that carried too much misplaced guilt.
So this pic has nothing to do with what I'm writing but it HAD to be in the review.
Isabella Sawyer is a great leading lady! I just loved her determination and grit in addition to the fact that she didn't choose the easy, safe path her parents had set for her. She was independent and confident enough in herself to risk security for a career she loved even when her parents thought it was beneath her. And don’t even let me rant about her not taking any grief from Eli. It was fun and sexy as all get out.
The push and pull between the two was definitely good. Even though he was attracted to her, Eli did everything in his power to get rid of Isabella. But try as he might the only thing he accomplished was to amp up the sexual tension between them. Something that blew up in his face in a spectacularly seductive explosive scene involving a knife and scattering buttons from a blouse. Resistance to her was futile. They still had to find their footing in their new relationship, there was a lot of sweet sexy romance with some light angst in between. They weren’t alone though, they had family and friends helping them out.
“The palpable snap of attraction in the air was as inconvenient as it was enthralling. Eli Crane wasn’t easily enthralled.”
Speaking of family and friends, I loved getting a glimpse of the entire Crane men and their women including their patriarch. But I especially liked getting to know Isabella and Eli’s friends. I hope we get a book for both or one for each!
The Bastard Billionaire is book #3 in the Billionaire Bad Boys series by Jessica Lemon. It is a charming, easy to read standalone contemporary romance. A must for Jessica Lemmon fans. Told from both points of view and has a happy ending.
Author's pinterest board -> https://es.pinterest.com/lemmony/the-...
Amazon -> http://amzn.to/2jTp2Ao
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via NetGalley and Tasty Book Tours. The excerpts taken are from that copy. *
More reviews * Stalk us on FaceBook * As well as Twitter * Pinterest Board for Book Teasers
my-books
March 26, 2017Dear Reader,
The elusive third billionaire brother appears! Actually, you met Eli Crane in Tag's book, The Billionaire Next Door. It's hard to bring him up without giving away spoilers, but I'm committed. Okay, here we go:
Eli, the middle brother, is one tough customer. He knows how to be a good soldier, but now that he's home for good, he's not confident he can be a good man. His go-to of running people off works on everyone except his family...and his 11th assistant. Surely she'll be the last, right? Not as long as Isabella has a say in the matter. She's unflappable, and arguably as stubborn as Eli. At one point, Reese tells her she and his younger brother are "an exact match." But this tale is not without its challenges. When two hard-headed, sexually attracted people are forced to spend time together... well... I'm sure you have a pretty good idea how things turn out. Eli isn't sure he knows what love is, and to Isabella, Eli is the ultimate no-go: an emotionally unavailable Marine. The book is available February 2017, but you can check out the behind-the-scenes photoshoot of the cover on my website. Excerpt coming soon!
Happy reading!
xoxo
Jessica
The series:
The elusive third billionaire brother appears! Actually, you met Eli Crane in Tag's book, The Billionaire Next Door. It's hard to bring him up without giving away spoilers, but I'm committed. Okay, here we go:
Eli, the middle brother, is one tough customer. He knows how to be a good soldier, but now that he's home for good, he's not confident he can be a good man. His go-to of running people off works on everyone except his family...and his 11th assistant. Surely she'll be the last, right? Not as long as Isabella has a say in the matter. She's unflappable, and arguably as stubborn as Eli. At one point, Reese tells her she and his younger brother are "an exact match." But this tale is not without its challenges. When two hard-headed, sexually attracted people are forced to spend time together... well... I'm sure you have a pretty good idea how things turn out. Eli isn't sure he knows what love is, and to Isabella, Eli is the ultimate no-go: an emotionally unavailable Marine. The book is available February 2017, but you can check out the behind-the-scenes photoshoot of the cover on my website. Excerpt coming soon!
Happy reading!
xoxo
Jessica
The series:
December 8, 2020
4 Being All You Want To Be Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free
Those of us who have never served or have had family or loved ones in the Military can never know what it is like to experience all of the trials and emotional hurdles they have. Oh, we can and should be emphatic... and caring...but until you walk in someone's shoes...you never know what another person is going through.
Jessica Lemmon created the Billionaire Bad Boys series and gave us a powerful story about the youngest brother Eli in The Bastard Billionaire. We met this family of men; a single father raising three boys while growing his company. The loss of the mother impacted all three men. Each book showed how and it was a strong woman who led them through the maze of pain and distrust to show they each could love and be loved. This is a series which does not have to be read in its entirety to be enjoyed...however, each entry is worthwhile.
Eli is the youngest brother and the one who has fought any interest in the family business. He has been a soldier and remained one until events caused him to return home to recover from his wounds. He may have lost his leg...but in his mind, he should not even be here... Two of his team did not come back from the war...and he feels since both of them had a wife...and another with children...He does not deserve his life.
He has gone through rehab. He has mastered his prosthetic and even has different ones depending on what activity he will be doing. He is lucky in that money is not an issue...His life before the injury was such that he had a woman who wanted the "Whole Nine Yards" of marriage, house, and family. He wasn't really on board with it... and she would constantly let him know he was closed down and holding back. When he came home for the last time, injured...She stated "This wasn't what she signed up for..." reinforcing his need to shut down his heart.
It has been a while and Eli's brothers are hounding him to step up and join the family business as the COO. His Dad wants it and they think this would give him purpose. Eli wants nothing to do with it and has been showing them in the only way he knows how...
By being an Asshat...
Reese, the CEO of the company, has commissioned Isabella Sawyer's employment agency to provide Eli with a personal assistant to ease him gradually into the fold. Isabella came highly recommended by his wife and was hoping this would be the perfect solution.
Isa was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the Crane Organization. The boost to her young business of personal assistants would be huge. Isa told Reese this was a done deal and not to worry... she would find Eli the perfect candidate.
This is what Isa loved to do. She was someone who had the wherewithal to figure out how to make things happen for others...easing their worries and making life better. It was what she excelled in. Unfortunately, her family did not want to hear of any different path than the one they had set out for Isa to follow. Her family was old money. They had the largest financial firm in the area and expected Isa to be part of it.
For a few years, she was...but it was boring and not what she wanted. Another thing that she didn't want was to be used as a pawn by her boyfriend. It turns out this man had his sights set on becoming the future president of her family's company... and that was his motivator...When Isa decided to leave the family business... he gave her an ultimatum...Isa left and never looked back.
Her business became her only focus and now Eli Crane is causing so much mayhem, drastic matters will have to be taken to save her company's reputation.
For Eli has been systematically firing every single assistant Isa has sent...well, not every one... the ones he hasn't fired, they have quit...
Because like I said earlier...He has been an Asshat...Either too demanding, too distant and non-communicative...Rude... Bullying... or any number of things...
He has done it 11 times... with the last one leaving not only his assignment but telling Isa she didn't want to work for her agency either.
When Reese calls again with frustration about this situation...Isa tells him she is sending in her secret weapon...Her... She will go and do the assignment herself for a while... and get Eli up to speed. She explains to Reese, she will go in like any other employee- not the owner. Isa knows this is the only way to save this deal. Luckily she has her office manager who is extremely capable to hold down the fort.
When Isa comes into the loft, Eli is in the other room...She is prepared for whatever he has to throw at her... Eli starts his usual crap and yells out for her to leave, etc...When he doesn't hear her leaving, he comes out from the office and tells Isa to her face she can go.
Both of them take each other in...He is seeing a woman who is comfortable in her own skin... full, lush, and strong as she stands there in her high heels, pencil skirt, and silk blouse. She is seeing a man who has muscles rippling through his shirt...thick thighs... and piercing eyes surrounded by longish hair...and a full beard. Both are having a hard time looking away... but Isa tells him she is not leaving and he better get used to it.
It is a stand-off...
Oh, we know how this is going to play out... for sure. But oh, the ride is not as predictable as one would think. These two have chemistry alright...but there is a respect for what each of them brings to each other...Eli has many layers of pain... there is the physical with the phantom leg...which can be crippling...then there is his gnawing guilt of being a survivor. There is also his need to reassert himself as a man with a woman, too...All of this is in play and both these two come together while handling these issues.
I happened to like this read...both characters had to overcome personal complexities...but neither was disrespectful during any of it. I particularly liked how strong Isa was...she wanted more in her life now that she had experienced something good and satisfying... She was willing to make sure she got what she deserved.
Eli was yummy when he was open and revealing and the chemistry between them was strong. We also were able to have the other relationships with the brothers and dad ...seeing how all of them interacted. Our office manager who worked with Isa was a firecracker and I think there might be something brewing for her in the future.
All in all this series worked and this was an excellent entry.
The Billionaire Bachelor (Billionaire Bad Boys, #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Billionaire Next Door (Billionaire Bad Boys, #2)
The Bastard Billionaire (Billionaire Bad Boys, #3)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A Crane Family Christmas (Billionaire Bad Boys, #4)
A gifted copy was provided by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * * Spoiler Free
Those of us who have never served or have had family or loved ones in the Military can never know what it is like to experience all of the trials and emotional hurdles they have. Oh, we can and should be emphatic... and caring...but until you walk in someone's shoes...you never know what another person is going through.
Jessica Lemmon created the Billionaire Bad Boys series and gave us a powerful story about the youngest brother Eli in The Bastard Billionaire. We met this family of men; a single father raising three boys while growing his company. The loss of the mother impacted all three men. Each book showed how and it was a strong woman who led them through the maze of pain and distrust to show they each could love and be loved. This is a series which does not have to be read in its entirety to be enjoyed...however, each entry is worthwhile.
Eli is the youngest brother and the one who has fought any interest in the family business. He has been a soldier and remained one until events caused him to return home to recover from his wounds. He may have lost his leg...but in his mind, he should not even be here... Two of his team did not come back from the war...and he feels since both of them had a wife...and another with children...He does not deserve his life.
He has gone through rehab. He has mastered his prosthetic and even has different ones depending on what activity he will be doing. He is lucky in that money is not an issue...His life before the injury was such that he had a woman who wanted the "Whole Nine Yards" of marriage, house, and family. He wasn't really on board with it... and she would constantly let him know he was closed down and holding back. When he came home for the last time, injured...She stated "This wasn't what she signed up for..." reinforcing his need to shut down his heart.
It has been a while and Eli's brothers are hounding him to step up and join the family business as the COO. His Dad wants it and they think this would give him purpose. Eli wants nothing to do with it and has been showing them in the only way he knows how...
By being an Asshat...
Reese, the CEO of the company, has commissioned Isabella Sawyer's employment agency to provide Eli with a personal assistant to ease him gradually into the fold. Isabella came highly recommended by his wife and was hoping this would be the perfect solution.
Isa was thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the Crane Organization. The boost to her young business of personal assistants would be huge. Isa told Reese this was a done deal and not to worry... she would find Eli the perfect candidate.
This is what Isa loved to do. She was someone who had the wherewithal to figure out how to make things happen for others...easing their worries and making life better. It was what she excelled in. Unfortunately, her family did not want to hear of any different path than the one they had set out for Isa to follow. Her family was old money. They had the largest financial firm in the area and expected Isa to be part of it.
For a few years, she was...but it was boring and not what she wanted. Another thing that she didn't want was to be used as a pawn by her boyfriend. It turns out this man had his sights set on becoming the future president of her family's company... and that was his motivator...When Isa decided to leave the family business... he gave her an ultimatum...Isa left and never looked back.
Her business became her only focus and now Eli Crane is causing so much mayhem, drastic matters will have to be taken to save her company's reputation.
For Eli has been systematically firing every single assistant Isa has sent...well, not every one... the ones he hasn't fired, they have quit...
Because like I said earlier...He has been an Asshat...Either too demanding, too distant and non-communicative...Rude... Bullying... or any number of things...
He has done it 11 times... with the last one leaving not only his assignment but telling Isa she didn't want to work for her agency either.
When Reese calls again with frustration about this situation...Isa tells him she is sending in her secret weapon...Her... She will go and do the assignment herself for a while... and get Eli up to speed. She explains to Reese, she will go in like any other employee- not the owner. Isa knows this is the only way to save this deal. Luckily she has her office manager who is extremely capable to hold down the fort.
When Isa comes into the loft, Eli is in the other room...She is prepared for whatever he has to throw at her... Eli starts his usual crap and yells out for her to leave, etc...When he doesn't hear her leaving, he comes out from the office and tells Isa to her face she can go.
Both of them take each other in...He is seeing a woman who is comfortable in her own skin... full, lush, and strong as she stands there in her high heels, pencil skirt, and silk blouse. She is seeing a man who has muscles rippling through his shirt...thick thighs... and piercing eyes surrounded by longish hair...and a full beard. Both are having a hard time looking away... but Isa tells him she is not leaving and he better get used to it.
It is a stand-off...
Oh, we know how this is going to play out... for sure. But oh, the ride is not as predictable as one would think. These two have chemistry alright...but there is a respect for what each of them brings to each other...Eli has many layers of pain... there is the physical with the phantom leg...which can be crippling...then there is his gnawing guilt of being a survivor. There is also his need to reassert himself as a man with a woman, too...All of this is in play and both these two come together while handling these issues.
I happened to like this read...both characters had to overcome personal complexities...but neither was disrespectful during any of it. I particularly liked how strong Isa was...she wanted more in her life now that she had experienced something good and satisfying... She was willing to make sure she got what she deserved.
Eli was yummy when he was open and revealing and the chemistry between them was strong. We also were able to have the other relationships with the brothers and dad ...seeing how all of them interacted. Our office manager who worked with Isa was a firecracker and I think there might be something brewing for her in the future.
All in all this series worked and this was an excellent entry.
The Billionaire Bachelor (Billionaire Bad Boys, #1)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Billionaire Next Door (Billionaire Bad Boys, #2) The Bastard Billionaire (Billionaire Bad Boys, #3)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A Crane Family Christmas (Billionaire Bad Boys, #4)A gifted copy was provided by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
March 9, 2017
Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Full review posted at Confessions of a Pinay Bookaholic
We're down on the last Crane Brother, Elijah Crane. He's a former Marine who's rough on the edges. While serving his country, an incident change his life when a grenade blasted ending up him losing his leg and lives of his fellow mates. What he'd been through was difficult, grieving for loss, suffering a mild PTSD and coping with disability. It affected him emotionally making him brooding, sad and irritable. Since he's discharged, his brothers encouraged him to participate in their family business and they hired assistants to help him. Unfortunately, all of them drove away by his rudeness... except for one lady.
For all the well trained and efficient assistants she sent were fired, the owner of the Sable Concierge, Isabella Sawyer decided to be Elijah's personal assistant so as not to lose her long time wealthy client. Given with her experience, she thinks she can handle the bastard billionaire. He can fire her multiple times but she's too driven to quit easily.
When pot meets kettle, things can get more interesting. I have a soft spot for brooding heroes. They're mysterious, flawed and closed off but they can surprise you with their true persona. Elijah is a sweet, edgy and romantic man. Despite of his flaws and vulnerability, he truthfully expressed his feelings. I love his character growth throughout this book as he dealt with his personal issues. Among the female protagonists in this series, Isabella Sawyer is my favorite. She's fierce, independent, passionate and enthusiastic. I love she exhibits patience and understanding towards Eli. They may have arguments every now and then but it's amusing to see Eli met his match. The chemistry between them develops with intensity and their intimate moments blazed with hotness.
This book is wonderfully written, emotionally stirring and worth devouring. I enjoyed Elijah and Isabella's story very much.
Full review posted at Confessions of a Pinay Bookaholic
We're down on the last Crane Brother, Elijah Crane. He's a former Marine who's rough on the edges. While serving his country, an incident change his life when a grenade blasted ending up him losing his leg and lives of his fellow mates. What he'd been through was difficult, grieving for loss, suffering a mild PTSD and coping with disability. It affected him emotionally making him brooding, sad and irritable. Since he's discharged, his brothers encouraged him to participate in their family business and they hired assistants to help him. Unfortunately, all of them drove away by his rudeness... except for one lady.
For all the well trained and efficient assistants she sent were fired, the owner of the Sable Concierge, Isabella Sawyer decided to be Elijah's personal assistant so as not to lose her long time wealthy client. Given with her experience, she thinks she can handle the bastard billionaire. He can fire her multiple times but she's too driven to quit easily.
When pot meets kettle, things can get more interesting. I have a soft spot for brooding heroes. They're mysterious, flawed and closed off but they can surprise you with their true persona. Elijah is a sweet, edgy and romantic man. Despite of his flaws and vulnerability, he truthfully expressed his feelings. I love his character growth throughout this book as he dealt with his personal issues. Among the female protagonists in this series, Isabella Sawyer is my favorite. She's fierce, independent, passionate and enthusiastic. I love she exhibits patience and understanding towards Eli. They may have arguments every now and then but it's amusing to see Eli met his match. The chemistry between them develops with intensity and their intimate moments blazed with hotness.
This book is wonderfully written, emotionally stirring and worth devouring. I enjoyed Elijah and Isabella's story very much.
March 9, 2017
4.5 stars
The Bastard Billionaire was everything I was hoping for, Eli's story was just perfect.
The writing was beautifully done, the storyline was emotional, amusing and hot! Once I started reading I couldn't put The Bastard Billionaire down. I was so caught up with Eli and Isa I found myself turning the pages late into the night until I finished!
I loved watching Eli and Isabella/Isa's relationship develop. They were complex characters who I easily connected with. I felt their passion, and I felt their pain, especially Eli's.
These two had such a strong attraction/connection it was impossible for them to deny the feelings that grew stronger every day.
Isa was the perfect woman for Eli, she brought out feelings Eli had denied himself and overtime he started to enjoy life again.
All because Isa wasn't scared to push at his walls and ignore his grumpy a** lol
Another plus for me, was catching up with the previous couples. It was fun watching them all interact and seeing how life was treating them.
I especially enjoyed the scenes between the brothers and their father. They made me laugh with their antics & banter and they made my heart melt when they opened their hearts to Eli.
By sharing their feelings they were able to convince him he too deserved his Happily Ever After.
Overall, the Billionaire Bad Boys series has been a very enjoyable read. Author Jessica Lemmon has given us entertaining storylines and wonderful, memorable characters that will bring out all the feels with their story.
Each book can be read as a standalone and I highly recommend them all!
*Get Your Copy Now*
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Bastard-Billio...
B&N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-b...
iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-...
kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-...
*Thank you to the publisher Forever Romance via Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.*
The Bastard Billionaire was everything I was hoping for, Eli's story was just perfect.
The writing was beautifully done, the storyline was emotional, amusing and hot! Once I started reading I couldn't put The Bastard Billionaire down. I was so caught up with Eli and Isa I found myself turning the pages late into the night until I finished!
I loved watching Eli and Isabella/Isa's relationship develop. They were complex characters who I easily connected with. I felt their passion, and I felt their pain, especially Eli's.
These two had such a strong attraction/connection it was impossible for them to deny the feelings that grew stronger every day.
Isa was the perfect woman for Eli, she brought out feelings Eli had denied himself and overtime he started to enjoy life again.
All because Isa wasn't scared to push at his walls and ignore his grumpy a** lol
Another plus for me, was catching up with the previous couples. It was fun watching them all interact and seeing how life was treating them.
I especially enjoyed the scenes between the brothers and their father. They made me laugh with their antics & banter and they made my heart melt when they opened their hearts to Eli.
By sharing their feelings they were able to convince him he too deserved his Happily Ever After.
Overall, the Billionaire Bad Boys series has been a very enjoyable read. Author Jessica Lemmon has given us entertaining storylines and wonderful, memorable characters that will bring out all the feels with their story.
Each book can be read as a standalone and I highly recommend them all!
*Get Your Copy Now*
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Bastard-Billio...
B&N - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-b...
iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-...
kobo - https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-...
*Thank you to the publisher Forever Romance via Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.*
March 6, 2017
Wow, so this one was a doozy. I read and absolutely LOVED the first book in this series, and was naturally curious about Eli the brother serving overseas. I always knew it was coming, since this trilogy features the Crane brothers, so when this one showed up in my mailbox, I had to read it.
Eli is back home from the war after going through a horrific experience. When his two friends die trying to save him from an explosion, Eli not only loses his leg in the incident but himself as well. Now he is back home and Reese, his older brother wants Eli to take over as the COO of Crane hotels - which Eli has no interest in doing.
So Reese hires a company to provide assistants to Eli in hopes of forcing him to do the work, but all the women that show up at his door, go running in terror from the big bad monster holed up in his cave, until of course the owner of the company makes the appearance herself.
Isa doesn't like that every assistant that she sent over to Eli Crane doesn't make it past a day or so. Since she has a reputation to uphold the owner decides to do the job herself, if only for a couple of days.
Sparks fly, tempers flare, the two butt heads. Eli has finally met his match.
Guys, let me tell you. I absolutely LOVED the way this book started. I loved Eli and his grumpy bear persona and I loved Isa and her not taking crap attitude. There was a push and pull between them that was so entertaining. I found the entire thing ironic since Isa walked away from her family business and was trying to basically force Eli into his family business. The tension was great and then after they got together everything fell apart for me.
It ended falling flat, a bit boring and overall repetitive. I was expecting more and the way the book started, I thought there would be more. This book had SO much potential, but it almost felt like the author switched gears midway and went back to the comfort of her formula by the end of the book.
There was a plotline in the beginning of the book that was kind of left unexplored. There is a rocky relationship between Isa and her parents, and her parents don't like the Cranes and how they built their money. Isa's parents always wanted her to take over the business, but when she didn't, they gave it to her ex-boyfriend. Well, at the celebration dinner for him, her mother wanted to force the two together, but Isa shows up with Eli to stick it to her parents. I felt like more could have been done here, but there was no more mention of her parents or how disgruntled they are.
I was also surprised where the author decided to take Eli's future. Eli joined the military and never really had an interest in Crane Hotels, so I didn't understand nor liked the ending. Eli started his own thing called Refurb and it was a charity for veterans that need help getting around the house. I LOVED that, I was really hoping his future was more focused on that.
And of course, this is where the formula kicked in. Eli doesn't know what he wants for his future, even though EVERYTHING is going great between him and Isa and like the other book - he ends up hurting her. Big surprise there, I swear I rolled my eyes at that.
I wanted to love this more. The beginning of the book and I started off on a great note, but then it got boring, I started skimming, and some things that actually had potential were left on the sideline and the author went to her safety zone.
Overall, good... Nothing amazing, did not find this mind blowing, but I enjoyed the writing, and the characters and it was a pleasant read for the most part. I enjoyed it well enough to give it 3 stars.This review was originally posted on Night Owl Book Cafe
Eli is back home from the war after going through a horrific experience. When his two friends die trying to save him from an explosion, Eli not only loses his leg in the incident but himself as well. Now he is back home and Reese, his older brother wants Eli to take over as the COO of Crane hotels - which Eli has no interest in doing.
So Reese hires a company to provide assistants to Eli in hopes of forcing him to do the work, but all the women that show up at his door, go running in terror from the big bad monster holed up in his cave, until of course the owner of the company makes the appearance herself.
Isa doesn't like that every assistant that she sent over to Eli Crane doesn't make it past a day or so. Since she has a reputation to uphold the owner decides to do the job herself, if only for a couple of days.
Sparks fly, tempers flare, the two butt heads. Eli has finally met his match.
Guys, let me tell you. I absolutely LOVED the way this book started. I loved Eli and his grumpy bear persona and I loved Isa and her not taking crap attitude. There was a push and pull between them that was so entertaining. I found the entire thing ironic since Isa walked away from her family business and was trying to basically force Eli into his family business. The tension was great and then after they got together everything fell apart for me.
It ended falling flat, a bit boring and overall repetitive. I was expecting more and the way the book started, I thought there would be more. This book had SO much potential, but it almost felt like the author switched gears midway and went back to the comfort of her formula by the end of the book.
There was a plotline in the beginning of the book that was kind of left unexplored. There is a rocky relationship between Isa and her parents, and her parents don't like the Cranes and how they built their money. Isa's parents always wanted her to take over the business, but when she didn't, they gave it to her ex-boyfriend. Well, at the celebration dinner for him, her mother wanted to force the two together, but Isa shows up with Eli to stick it to her parents. I felt like more could have been done here, but there was no more mention of her parents or how disgruntled they are.
I was also surprised where the author decided to take Eli's future. Eli joined the military and never really had an interest in Crane Hotels, so I didn't understand nor liked the ending. Eli started his own thing called Refurb and it was a charity for veterans that need help getting around the house. I LOVED that, I was really hoping his future was more focused on that.
And of course, this is where the formula kicked in. Eli doesn't know what he wants for his future, even though EVERYTHING is going great between him and Isa and like the other book - he ends up hurting her. Big surprise there, I swear I rolled my eyes at that.
I wanted to love this more. The beginning of the book and I started off on a great note, but then it got boring, I started skimming, and some things that actually had potential were left on the sideline and the author went to her safety zone.
Overall, good... Nothing amazing, did not find this mind blowing, but I enjoyed the writing, and the characters and it was a pleasant read for the most part. I enjoyed it well enough to give it 3 stars.This review was originally posted on Night Owl Book Cafe
February 4, 2017
**The Bastard Billionaire generously provided in exchange for an honest review.**
4 "Beauty is a rare thing in war..." Stars
The third installment of the Billionaire Bad Boys series features the last of the Crane brothers as he navigates his way back into his life at home after being honorably discharged from the Marines. His struggle in acclimating to life his brothers and father want for him make Eli Crane an enigmatic and equally magnetic characters. His story highlights so many great romance tropes: frenemies to lovers, military romance, and family drama. Jessica Lemmon's gorgeous third person story telling gives us a fully realized and inclusive look into the life of this former solider and the girl who cracks his formidable shell.
The Bastard Billionaire, aptly title by the way, meets his match in Isabella Sawyer. She's a formidable and perfect woman to go up against Eli's curmudgeon attitude. I admired her feisty strength and disengaging charm. The two of them made sparks fly. Their passion and chemistry left it's mark on the pages and made for quite an enjoyable romance. There something so innately good about the two of them. There was an instantaneous feeling of peace when they met that went so much farther than simple attraction/lust. The kinship and trust and they development is what true romance is made of.
My only issue with this book is the way the author chose to wrap up their story. It feels incomplete to me. The abrupt ending left much to be desired between these two characters as well as the series, in my opinion. I was expecting an extended epilogue or something that shows these three Crane brothers in a future type light. Maybe that's my preference for epilogues muddling my thoughts but I had so wished to see something just a little more of Eli and Isa.
Other than that, there's not doubt all three Cranes and the women who snagged them will provide you with great romance reading. One of my favorite things about the series as a whole are the protective alphas. Their issues make them vulnerable and Lemmon does a perfect job of bringing those to light through the lens of a perfectly matched woman. I also love her use and development of pet names for her heroines. These books are easy, personable, charming, and fun with mild angst laced throughout leaving me totally satisfied as a romance reader and feeling grateful for having the chance to fall for this series.
May 4, 2017
4.5 "Wounded Vet Finds His Perfect Assistant at Love" Stars for the story and narration!
Lovers of military hero romances will not want to miss The Bastard Billionaire. I must admit that with a title like that, I almost didn't give this one a try. But please don't let the title scare you away. This is not a FSOG styled romance. Read the blurb or this review and you'll see. This romance is equal parts complex character development and fun, fiery interactions between the hero and heroine. What I loved the most, however, was that Ms. Lemmon proved that wounded vets can learn to live and find love again, even when they must learn to deal with a whole new reality of their battle scars (in this case a below the knee one-leg amputation). Additionally, Sasha Dunbrooke delivers a solid narration making this a good title to experience in audio format.
Eli Crane has given up his will to live. After his Marine career was cut short when his two friends gave their lives to stifle an explosion that also left him an amputee, he wishes it was he who had sacrificed his life instead. Afterall, he has no wife or kids, so why did they give up their lives for his? Eli's family, however, is equally determined to see him healed and back involved in the family's business as its Chief Operating Officer. The problem is Eli has no desire to let them in to his life again or play any role in the company. So when his family insists on hiring him personal assistants to help in this endeavor, he conveniently finds a way to scare them away. Ten personal assistants later, he's definitely winning this battle.
What Eli, however, did not count on was Isabella Sawyer. Isabella has her own fair share of family strife. To her parent's and her former boyfriend's great dismay, she refuses to take a role in her family business. Instead what inspires her is her own business venture which she started from scratch: an employment agency. But given that her agency depends on word of mouth and reputation, she can not afford to have a prominent family/business like the Crane's unhappy. And with Eli's track record, her business is bound to end up that way unless she takes drastic measures. So to save her business, she decides to take on the clandestine role of Eli's next assistant.
Of course this leads to a cosmic battle of wills, as Eli tries everything possible to convince Isabella to quit while Isabella in turn digs in her heals and refuses to leave. Even more dangerous is their undeniable attraction--one that neither can afford to indulge in, but also can't seem to stop. Can their possibly be a HEA under the circumstances?
Sasha Dunbrooke does a splendid job with the narration. Ms. Dunbrooke handles the basics with ease. For example, she produces clearly distinguishable and genuine gender sounding voices for each of Eli and Isabella. She also does this for a number of the secondary characters, though I must admit that Eli's brothers were a tad bit difficult to distinguish based solely on their voice. That said, as these parts were few and far between, it really didn't have much of an effect on my enjoyment of the audiobook.
Perhaps what I loved the best about Ms. Dunbrooke's narration, however, was her ability to perfectly time her delivery of the witty and funny dialogues between Eli and Isabella. Particularly in the beginning, when tempers flared hot and their encounters were inevitably explosive, Ms. Dunbrooke always delivered the lines with perfect timing causing me to chuckle as I was listening to the story.
All in all, I enjoyed The Bastard Billionaire a lot more than I had been expecting. Moreover, my heart really went out to Eli, an athletic and strong hero, who due to his injuries had to learn how to do everything again (from the physical tasks such as walking up stairs and even being with a woman) to the emotional ones of allowing his heart to be open to friends and a significant other again. Moreover, Ms. Dunbrooke's narration really brought the whole story to life for me.
Source: Review copy provided for review purposes.
Lovers of military hero romances will not want to miss The Bastard Billionaire. I must admit that with a title like that, I almost didn't give this one a try. But please don't let the title scare you away. This is not a FSOG styled romance. Read the blurb or this review and you'll see. This romance is equal parts complex character development and fun, fiery interactions between the hero and heroine. What I loved the most, however, was that Ms. Lemmon proved that wounded vets can learn to live and find love again, even when they must learn to deal with a whole new reality of their battle scars (in this case a below the knee one-leg amputation). Additionally, Sasha Dunbrooke delivers a solid narration making this a good title to experience in audio format.
Eli Crane has given up his will to live. After his Marine career was cut short when his two friends gave their lives to stifle an explosion that also left him an amputee, he wishes it was he who had sacrificed his life instead. Afterall, he has no wife or kids, so why did they give up their lives for his? Eli's family, however, is equally determined to see him healed and back involved in the family's business as its Chief Operating Officer. The problem is Eli has no desire to let them in to his life again or play any role in the company. So when his family insists on hiring him personal assistants to help in this endeavor, he conveniently finds a way to scare them away. Ten personal assistants later, he's definitely winning this battle.
What Eli, however, did not count on was Isabella Sawyer. Isabella has her own fair share of family strife. To her parent's and her former boyfriend's great dismay, she refuses to take a role in her family business. Instead what inspires her is her own business venture which she started from scratch: an employment agency. But given that her agency depends on word of mouth and reputation, she can not afford to have a prominent family/business like the Crane's unhappy. And with Eli's track record, her business is bound to end up that way unless she takes drastic measures. So to save her business, she decides to take on the clandestine role of Eli's next assistant.
Of course this leads to a cosmic battle of wills, as Eli tries everything possible to convince Isabella to quit while Isabella in turn digs in her heals and refuses to leave. Even more dangerous is their undeniable attraction--one that neither can afford to indulge in, but also can't seem to stop. Can their possibly be a HEA under the circumstances?
Sasha Dunbrooke does a splendid job with the narration. Ms. Dunbrooke handles the basics with ease. For example, she produces clearly distinguishable and genuine gender sounding voices for each of Eli and Isabella. She also does this for a number of the secondary characters, though I must admit that Eli's brothers were a tad bit difficult to distinguish based solely on their voice. That said, as these parts were few and far between, it really didn't have much of an effect on my enjoyment of the audiobook.
Perhaps what I loved the best about Ms. Dunbrooke's narration, however, was her ability to perfectly time her delivery of the witty and funny dialogues between Eli and Isabella. Particularly in the beginning, when tempers flared hot and their encounters were inevitably explosive, Ms. Dunbrooke always delivered the lines with perfect timing causing me to chuckle as I was listening to the story.
All in all, I enjoyed The Bastard Billionaire a lot more than I had been expecting. Moreover, my heart really went out to Eli, an athletic and strong hero, who due to his injuries had to learn how to do everything again (from the physical tasks such as walking up stairs and even being with a woman) to the emotional ones of allowing his heart to be open to friends and a significant other again. Moreover, Ms. Dunbrooke's narration really brought the whole story to life for me.
Source: Review copy provided for review purposes.
March 5, 2017
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Jessica Lemmon wraps up and concludes the The Billionaire Bad Boy Series with Elijah Crane’s story in The Bastard Billionaire. Eli is a former Marine who has been honorably discharged after an accident that left him with a missing limb. As a civilian, Eli’s family wants him to take an active part in the family business and so his family assigns him a personal assistant to help out. But Eli is a mean stubborn beast who easily scared off all his personal assistant well except Isabella Sawyer.
Isabella sees through Eli’s rough cranky personality. She constantly challenges Eli and puts him in his place. She is one personal assistant that Eli can’t seem to get rid of. Good thing too because Eli finds her attractive. There is something about Isabella that challenges him and he enjoys the fact that she can stand up to him. So what happens when Eli and Isabella finds themselves crossing the lines of business and pleasure? Will Eli be able to let Isabella in? And will Isabella show Eli that he is not broken?
The Bastard Billionaire is a sexy, emotional and heart-filled romance that was beautifully well written and executed. Jessica Lemmon brought forth two strong independent characters who are wildly attracted to one another and who were able to break down each other’s exterior walls. The beast definitely found his beauty in Isabella. So if you are looking for a story that was thoughtful and had lots of interwoven themes of family, love, and new beginnings then this book is definitely for you.
Jessica Lemmon
Jessica Lemmon wraps up and concludes the The Billionaire Bad Boy Series with Elijah Crane’s story in The Bastard Billionaire. Eli is a former Marine who has been honorably discharged after an accident that left him with a missing limb. As a civilian, Eli’s family wants him to take an active part in the family business and so his family assigns him a personal assistant to help out. But Eli is a mean stubborn beast who easily scared off all his personal assistant well except Isabella Sawyer.
Isabella sees through Eli’s rough cranky personality. She constantly challenges Eli and puts him in his place. She is one personal assistant that Eli can’t seem to get rid of. Good thing too because Eli finds her attractive. There is something about Isabella that challenges him and he enjoys the fact that she can stand up to him. So what happens when Eli and Isabella finds themselves crossing the lines of business and pleasure? Will Eli be able to let Isabella in? And will Isabella show Eli that he is not broken?
The Bastard Billionaire is a sexy, emotional and heart-filled romance that was beautifully well written and executed. Jessica Lemmon brought forth two strong independent characters who are wildly attracted to one another and who were able to break down each other’s exterior walls. The beast definitely found his beauty in Isabella. So if you are looking for a story that was thoughtful and had lots of interwoven themes of family, love, and new beginnings then this book is definitely for you.
Jessica Lemmon
March 7, 2017
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2maNKiQ
Oh fuck me. Eli is like my catnip. A growly, surly, Marine trying to figure out his life now that he's back home. I wanted to rub all over him. I sure did. lol
Okay so the quick of it is that Eli's main form of entertainment is scaring off the personal assistants his brother keeps sending him. Which is a problem for Isa since she runs the agency and has run out of assistants to send him. So...she goes herself because, really, she'll be damned if she lets one surly-though hot-billionaire ruin her business futures.
I love love LOVE surly heroes and had so much fun with Eli. He can be a total punk ass little shit but damn if he didn't win my heart. He has so much on his plate that I totally got it. He's dealing with survivors guilt, with learning to live life as an amputee, figuring out where he fits in now that he can't do his job as a Marine. But under all of it there's a lot of sweet, too.
And Isa was a fun heroine. The woman has a spine of steel, doesn't back down to a challenge and is straight forward even when dealing with sensitive subjects like his missing leg. I loved that she didn't shy away from his bad attitude early on and how much she did to try to help him through his struggles. I got a smidge frustrated with her towards the end but she managed to figure herself out before I got too annoyed.
The two together? Holy hell. They lit up a room. Totally one of those couples where you can just see the heat radiating off of them when they're near each other. Their dynamic was fantastic, the sex scenes sensual and a little of a challenge since he's an amputee and missing a leg. I wanted just a little more done with that but did really like how it was handled as well.
I loved seeing both of them grow and get over their hang ups, seeing them deal with their work lives, family and friends and just slowly figuring out what they were doing.
All in all? Exactly what I expect from Lemmon. Sexy, sensual, emotionally charged. With one seriously lickable hero.
*my only complaint? Calling a Marine a soldier.
September 5, 2021
4 solid stars
Eli is such a sweetheart... *dreamy sigh
I must admit I was hesitant at first. I read the first book in the series a few years back and tbh I couldn't stand it. But I'm a sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings and the synopsis sounded so good, I decided to give it a go. And I'm glad I did because the story is cute as hell.
We have Eli, a former soldier who battles with PTSD after losing his friends at war. What's worse, Eli is an amputee who lost his leg and now doesn't know how to come to terms with not only this new reality for him but also the gnawing guilt. So he shuts the world around him and doesn't let anyone get close to him.
Enter Isabella. She takes the role of his PA after he fired several assistants provided by her company. And Isa is determined to keep her job. And at first, she's all business. But their fascination with one another is strong and grows stronger with each page. And Isabella somehow manages to get through that wall Eli built around his heart.
And I loved it!
The chemistry was really good here, not gonna lie.
Why not 5 stars then? Well, as much as I adored the story and the characters, the ending wasn't my cuppa.
I wanted Eli to be the one to go after Isa, not the other way round. Isa got too needy and weak by the end and that spoilt the ending for me.
I needed Eli to get the complete control of his life and I'm not sure if I got that with the ending that we got. So that was my only bummer here.
But I still think this story was absolutely adorable and I loved it.
Absolutely worth reading.
I'll definitely try book 2 in the series. And maybe I'll try to reread book 1. My tastes in books change so maybe I'll like it more this time. We'll see.
But this book?
The cutest thing ever!
Highly recommend.
Eli is such a sweetheart... *dreamy sigh
I must admit I was hesitant at first. I read the first book in the series a few years back and tbh I couldn't stand it. But I'm a sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings and the synopsis sounded so good, I decided to give it a go. And I'm glad I did because the story is cute as hell.
We have Eli, a former soldier who battles with PTSD after losing his friends at war. What's worse, Eli is an amputee who lost his leg and now doesn't know how to come to terms with not only this new reality for him but also the gnawing guilt. So he shuts the world around him and doesn't let anyone get close to him.
Enter Isabella. She takes the role of his PA after he fired several assistants provided by her company. And Isa is determined to keep her job. And at first, she's all business. But their fascination with one another is strong and grows stronger with each page. And Isabella somehow manages to get through that wall Eli built around his heart.
And I loved it!
The chemistry was really good here, not gonna lie.
Why not 5 stars then? Well, as much as I adored the story and the characters, the ending wasn't my cuppa.
I wanted Eli to be the one to go after Isa, not the other way round. Isa got too needy and weak by the end and that spoilt the ending for me.
I needed Eli to get the complete control of his life and I'm not sure if I got that with the ending that we got. So that was my only bummer here.
But I still think this story was absolutely adorable and I loved it.
Absolutely worth reading.
I'll definitely try book 2 in the series. And maybe I'll try to reread book 1. My tastes in books change so maybe I'll like it more this time. We'll see.
But this book?
The cutest thing ever!
Highly recommend.
February 28, 2017
✱5 STARS!✱
☾I am such a sucker for these types of stories, I swear! I've been waiting for this book to come out for so long, when I read the summary for it I knew it was going to be a winner for me.
☾Elijah is a war veteran, he lost his foot and part of his leg due to his time in service. Since then he has been closed off and holed up in his house going through PA's like crazy. He can't seem to keep one for the life of him until Isabella comes along.
☾Isabella, the owner of Sable Concierge has been sending Elijah assistants back to back to the point where she doesn't have any more. She decides to take this task upon herself and be Eli's PA for the sake of her company. Her confidence and fierceness immediately captivates Eli in a way that he hasn't felt since before his accident.
☾Eli tries to push away his growing feelings for his assistant but can't seem to help it where her stilettos are concerned ;) His care for Isa is adorable, and the way they both open up to each other is wonderful to read. The end is so sweet and seeing all of the couples from this series together is so heartwarming. I would read book after book about these two if it were possible!
☾I am such a sucker for these types of stories, I swear! I've been waiting for this book to come out for so long, when I read the summary for it I knew it was going to be a winner for me.
☾Elijah is a war veteran, he lost his foot and part of his leg due to his time in service. Since then he has been closed off and holed up in his house going through PA's like crazy. He can't seem to keep one for the life of him until Isabella comes along.
☾Isabella, the owner of Sable Concierge has been sending Elijah assistants back to back to the point where she doesn't have any more. She decides to take this task upon herself and be Eli's PA for the sake of her company. Her confidence and fierceness immediately captivates Eli in a way that he hasn't felt since before his accident.
☾Eli tries to push away his growing feelings for his assistant but can't seem to help it where her stilettos are concerned ;) His care for Isa is adorable, and the way they both open up to each other is wonderful to read. The end is so sweet and seeing all of the couples from this series together is so heartwarming. I would read book after book about these two if it were possible!
March 9, 2017
5 Hot Marine stars!
The Bastard Billionaire is finally here...
Get ready Mr. Bastard-cocky-sure-of-himself, you’re about to meet your match.
After firing ten PAs, it was time for Isabella Sawyer -the owner of Sable Concierge- to step in and see what all the fuss was about.
Eli Crane tested all her patience with how he treated her employees. It was time someone called him on his bullshit and that someone would be none but her.
Leaving the family business and the family chosen husband to be, Isa worked hard to secure her own company and make it a success.
She won't let an angry moody marine destroy her work.
She would teach him how to control his temper...
“Without looking up, he spoke again. “You can leave.”
Bite me, Crane.”
Being honorably discharged from the Marines after losing his right leg, Elijah Crane didn't know how to get over his pain or acclimate with his new life especially with his brothers trying to get him into the family business.
Firing PA after PA was his way at showing his family that as far as Crane business was concerned, he was a failure. But when PA number 11 came swaying with her killing body, barely there clothes and distracting stilettos, he knew that he was in big trouble.
“Reese. That son of a bitch. He had to have known what he was doing when he had them send this assistant in particular. Eli shook his head. Low blow, brother.”
Hold your breath and get ready for some naughty office affairs. Eli Crane is about to take both a blow to his ego and a journey to Sable heaven.
Reading the whole series was a blast, a moment from heaven where you can curl and enjoy the delice these characters would offer.
Nb: Illustrations are from the author's pinterest page and website.
The Bastard Billionaire is finally here...
Get ready Mr. Bastard-cocky-sure-of-himself, you’re about to meet your match.
After firing ten PAs, it was time for Isabella Sawyer -the owner of Sable Concierge- to step in and see what all the fuss was about.
Eli Crane tested all her patience with how he treated her employees. It was time someone called him on his bullshit and that someone would be none but her.
Leaving the family business and the family chosen husband to be, Isa worked hard to secure her own company and make it a success.
She won't let an angry moody marine destroy her work.
She would teach him how to control his temper...
“Without looking up, he spoke again. “You can leave.”
Bite me, Crane.”
Being honorably discharged from the Marines after losing his right leg, Elijah Crane didn't know how to get over his pain or acclimate with his new life especially with his brothers trying to get him into the family business.
Firing PA after PA was his way at showing his family that as far as Crane business was concerned, he was a failure. But when PA number 11 came swaying with her killing body, barely there clothes and distracting stilettos, he knew that he was in big trouble.
“Reese. That son of a bitch. He had to have known what he was doing when he had them send this assistant in particular. Eli shook his head. Low blow, brother.”
Hold your breath and get ready for some naughty office affairs. Eli Crane is about to take both a blow to his ego and a journey to Sable heaven.
Reading the whole series was a blast, a moment from heaven where you can curl and enjoy the delice these characters would offer.
Nb: Illustrations are from the author's pinterest page and website.
June 25, 2018
The Bastard Billionaire turned out to be better than I could have expected. Why better?, because Jessica Lemmon took a story-line that could have been dark and angsty and made it the total opposite without fluffing the issues. Let me explain ... Our hero, Eli Crane, has serious PTSD. Not only does he have physical scars from his tours with the military, but emotional ones as well. Deep emotional ones. But the story didn't focus or zero in in on this. No, the story focused on Eli and Isa's journey. But she also didn't dismiss it or gloss over it. It was there. It was dealt with.
Now lets talk about these two crazy kids LOL I loved their characters hard. Their banter was addictive. They had chemistry and spark from the moment they met. I was sucked into this story quickly by them. Eli was developed so thoroughly that I could feel my heart both hurt and smile for him. And Isa was such a great match for him. She was fierce and independent and just plain strong! They were just perfect :) so it made for a one and done read (that's what I call it when I read a book in one sitting LOL).
I've enjoyed the story of these three brothers immensely. Each one of their stories can be read on their own, but together you not only get really good love stories, but also a very powerful family read. So read them all #TRUST
Now lets talk about these two crazy kids LOL I loved their characters hard. Their banter was addictive. They had chemistry and spark from the moment they met. I was sucked into this story quickly by them. Eli was developed so thoroughly that I could feel my heart both hurt and smile for him. And Isa was such a great match for him. She was fierce and independent and just plain strong! They were just perfect :) so it made for a one and done read (that's what I call it when I read a book in one sitting LOL).
I've enjoyed the story of these three brothers immensely. Each one of their stories can be read on their own, but together you not only get really good love stories, but also a very powerful family read. So read them all #TRUST
May 15, 2017
The Bastard Billionaire is the third and final book in this series. I have enjoyed my time with all three Crane brothers but there is something about Eli that he has replaced Reese as my No1 Crane guy (sorry Reese).
If you read my reviews often you know I try not to give too much away so I am not going to say much about Eli, to appreciate his story more you MUST read The Billionaire Next Door FIRST, my heart broke for Eli and the turmoil he was going through he even made me CRY.
Eli wants to be left alone with his guilt but his family will not allow this as they want him to join the family business especially Reese who keeps sending PA’s to work for Eli at his home and “Beast Crane” sends them ALL running until Isabella “Sable” Sawyer enters his life.
Isa has spent the last three years building up her company Sable Concierge and she is not willing to let one man destroy her business reputation so she takes on the job as Eli’s PA personally.
Isa takes none of Eli’s crap and soon business turns to pleasure as the sexual chemistry between these two nearly melted my kindle they are SCORCHING, ripping clothes off and any surface will do.
Will Eli be brave enough to risk his heart and take a chance on love with Isa?
I loved these two together they are my favourite couple from this series. It was great catching up with the rest of the gang as well and I loved the brotherly banter.
My only disappointment is with this being the final book there was no epilogue I would have loved knowing what happens a few years on.
This is the first series I have read by Jessica Lemmon and I will be definelty be reading more of her books in the future.
If you read my reviews often you know I try not to give too much away so I am not going to say much about Eli, to appreciate his story more you MUST read The Billionaire Next Door FIRST, my heart broke for Eli and the turmoil he was going through he even made me CRY.
Eli wants to be left alone with his guilt but his family will not allow this as they want him to join the family business especially Reese who keeps sending PA’s to work for Eli at his home and “Beast Crane” sends them ALL running until Isabella “Sable” Sawyer enters his life.
Isa has spent the last three years building up her company Sable Concierge and she is not willing to let one man destroy her business reputation so she takes on the job as Eli’s PA personally.
Isa takes none of Eli’s crap and soon business turns to pleasure as the sexual chemistry between these two nearly melted my kindle they are SCORCHING, ripping clothes off and any surface will do.
Will Eli be brave enough to risk his heart and take a chance on love with Isa?
I loved these two together they are my favourite couple from this series. It was great catching up with the rest of the gang as well and I loved the brotherly banter.
My only disappointment is with this being the final book there was no epilogue I would have loved knowing what happens a few years on.
This is the first series I have read by Jessica Lemmon and I will be definelty be reading more of her books in the future.
April 9, 2017
I liked it: not as much as book 1, but better than book 2!
September 14, 2025
So… this was the first book I read in the series.
Yep.
Totally skipped the order.
And guess what? Got spoiled for the first two books—oops 🙃.
But honestly? Didn’t care.
Because Eli Crane? Wrecked me.
Grumpy, wounded, sexy as hell ex-military billionaire who doesn’t want anyone poking into his scars.
And then Isabella walks in with all the flare of a thunderstorm. She's persistent, stubborn, not intimidated by his walls—and BOOM.
Sparks flying everywhere.
Short, sharp, fun read.
Banter? On point.
Chemistry? Instant and hot.
Plot? Predictable but in that delicious “I know where this is going but I’m loving every second” way.
Complaints? Eli can be too gruff sometimes. Like bro, chill.
But when he melts? MELTS.
And I was a puddle.
Exciting, steamy, fun. Totally worth jumping in out of order. 🖤🔥
Yep.
Totally skipped the order.
And guess what? Got spoiled for the first two books—oops 🙃.
But honestly? Didn’t care.
Because Eli Crane? Wrecked me.
Grumpy, wounded, sexy as hell ex-military billionaire who doesn’t want anyone poking into his scars.
And then Isabella walks in with all the flare of a thunderstorm. She's persistent, stubborn, not intimidated by his walls—and BOOM.
Sparks flying everywhere.
Short, sharp, fun read.
Banter? On point.
Chemistry? Instant and hot.
Plot? Predictable but in that delicious “I know where this is going but I’m loving every second” way.
Complaints? Eli can be too gruff sometimes. Like bro, chill.
But when he melts? MELTS.
And I was a puddle.
Exciting, steamy, fun. Totally worth jumping in out of order. 🖤🔥
April 4, 2022
I wanted to love this book. And I loved Eli. And I loved Isabella. But a little something was missing, the spark that would have made it a great book.
The idea of writing about a wounded war hero missing a limb and trying to readjust to his life was genius. And Eli was written exceptionally well. From the technicality of a prosthesis to the way to alleviate phantom pains, amputees’ everyday struggles aren’t glossed over and treated with the utmost respect. Eli’s losses aren’t limited to his leg, and his grief is palpable and part of the story. I loved that he wasn’t overly tragic. He was still a strong and determined character, bording on alpha.
Isabella was another strong character–hence the enemies to lovers trope. Try putting two forces of nature against each other and see how they blow up the world. She had opinions, she wouldn’t cave, but she wasn’t aggressive. She even was a caregiver at heart, and it was the reason for her career choice. She knew to push Eli when needed, while being there to care for him if necessary.
Their relationship was interesting. While Isabella needed someone to really see her–and Eli saw plenty of her–Eli wanted to be seen differently, not as someone incomplete. They pushed and pulled, sometimes even a little too hard. It was great. And the passion, the attraction, was definitely present. But I missed the love. Friends, yes. Co-workers with a lot of admiration for each other, yes. Romantic love though… At one point, I just decided to believe them.
The Crane family is back, even the father, and we even finally know what’s going on between Big Crane and his secretary. I enjoyed seeing more of him in this book. He has a beautiful scene with Eli that almost made me cry. Reese and Tag are their usual self, with heart eyes for their girls. The relationship between the Crane brothers seemed a little more developped than usual, and I loved it.
I felt a bit frustrated that Isabella didn’t get a closure with her parents. The situation is the same for her at the end, and Isabella’s family even disappears at some point. Sure, it highlights the fact that she’s independent, that she doesn’t need anybody so she doesn’t resent her parents for their lack of support, but I would assume that such a character would confront them.
Overall, this is a good book, with good characters and a solid story. I just didn’t see the spark.
Quickie
- Series: Billionaire bad boys #3 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #billionaire romance #office romance #enemies to lovers #military hero #amputee
- Triggers: not too graphic depiction of war injury, casual sexism, attempted assault
- Main couple: Isabella Sawyer & Eli Crane
- Hotness: 4/5
- Romance: 3/5
- + the subject of amputation and war injury is treated with respect
- – I couldn’t see the love for a long time–some affection and a strong admiration, yes, love though…
The idea of writing about a wounded war hero missing a limb and trying to readjust to his life was genius. And Eli was written exceptionally well. From the technicality of a prosthesis to the way to alleviate phantom pains, amputees’ everyday struggles aren’t glossed over and treated with the utmost respect. Eli’s losses aren’t limited to his leg, and his grief is palpable and part of the story. I loved that he wasn’t overly tragic. He was still a strong and determined character, bording on alpha.
Isabella was another strong character–hence the enemies to lovers trope. Try putting two forces of nature against each other and see how they blow up the world. She had opinions, she wouldn’t cave, but she wasn’t aggressive. She even was a caregiver at heart, and it was the reason for her career choice. She knew to push Eli when needed, while being there to care for him if necessary.
Their relationship was interesting. While Isabella needed someone to really see her–and Eli saw plenty of her–Eli wanted to be seen differently, not as someone incomplete. They pushed and pulled, sometimes even a little too hard. It was great. And the passion, the attraction, was definitely present. But I missed the love. Friends, yes. Co-workers with a lot of admiration for each other, yes. Romantic love though… At one point, I just decided to believe them.
The Crane family is back, even the father, and we even finally know what’s going on between Big Crane and his secretary. I enjoyed seeing more of him in this book. He has a beautiful scene with Eli that almost made me cry. Reese and Tag are their usual self, with heart eyes for their girls. The relationship between the Crane brothers seemed a little more developped than usual, and I loved it.
I felt a bit frustrated that Isabella didn’t get a closure with her parents. The situation is the same for her at the end, and Isabella’s family even disappears at some point. Sure, it highlights the fact that she’s independent, that she doesn’t need anybody so she doesn’t resent her parents for their lack of support, but I would assume that such a character would confront them.
Overall, this is a good book, with good characters and a solid story. I just didn’t see the spark.
Quickie
- Series: Billionaire bad boys #3 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #billionaire romance #office romance #enemies to lovers #military hero #amputee
- Triggers: not too graphic depiction of war injury, casual sexism, attempted assault
- Main couple: Isabella Sawyer & Eli Crane
- Hotness: 4/5
- Romance: 3/5
- + the subject of amputation and war injury is treated with respect
- – I couldn’t see the love for a long time–some affection and a strong admiration, yes, love though…
March 2, 2017
What a wonderful, sexy heartfelt story! I've wanted more Eli since I met him in book one, The Billionaire Bachelor, and I am so happy with the outcome. Excellent addition to the series!
Eli is just so wounded, and I don't mean from his missing leg. He's taken so much on his shoulders and has so many walls up. It made him super grumpy but somehow sweet at the same time. I couldn't wait to watch his barriers break down and for him to start to heal. I loved Isabella and her strength. She was such a strong, in charge character and I really loved how grounded she was. Eli and Isa together were awesome. I loved Eli and Isabella’s animosity and tension. They had a great chemistry happening and I loved watching it build and ignite.
Besides Eli and Isa’s building heat, there is a lot of underlying emotion happening as Eli works things out. I got choked up several times. Those walls though, they were killers and they made for some ups and downs in he and Isa's relationship. Even though I understood his pain and struggles, I didn't always like his actions and wanted to smack him on several occasions. I really enjoyed the build not only to their relationship, but to Eli's epiphany as well.
The Crane brothers are so fun and I love their good natured ribbing with one another and Merina and Rachel as well. When they got together it created some fun, light moments which where needed. I also love that there dad Alex, Big Crane, and the fact that he finally got some closure for his story that has been lightly talked about since book one.
Really great story with a good pace. I loved the details and the build. A nice amount of drama and a lot of emotion. While I did enjoy their push and pull for the most part, by the end I was more than ready for them both to get it together. The ending was sweet but wrapped up a little to nicely for me, it was still a great HEA though.
I love the feeling of peace I got after reading this and am so happy for the closure that Eli got. Isa is the perfect match for him. I love this series and I'm going to miss it. Great characters and a fantastic family, this series is a must read.
Complimentary copy received for honest review.
Eli is just so wounded, and I don't mean from his missing leg. He's taken so much on his shoulders and has so many walls up. It made him super grumpy but somehow sweet at the same time. I couldn't wait to watch his barriers break down and for him to start to heal. I loved Isabella and her strength. She was such a strong, in charge character and I really loved how grounded she was. Eli and Isa together were awesome. I loved Eli and Isabella’s animosity and tension. They had a great chemistry happening and I loved watching it build and ignite.
Besides Eli and Isa’s building heat, there is a lot of underlying emotion happening as Eli works things out. I got choked up several times. Those walls though, they were killers and they made for some ups and downs in he and Isa's relationship. Even though I understood his pain and struggles, I didn't always like his actions and wanted to smack him on several occasions. I really enjoyed the build not only to their relationship, but to Eli's epiphany as well.
The Crane brothers are so fun and I love their good natured ribbing with one another and Merina and Rachel as well. When they got together it created some fun, light moments which where needed. I also love that there dad Alex, Big Crane, and the fact that he finally got some closure for his story that has been lightly talked about since book one.
Really great story with a good pace. I loved the details and the build. A nice amount of drama and a lot of emotion. While I did enjoy their push and pull for the most part, by the end I was more than ready for them both to get it together. The ending was sweet but wrapped up a little to nicely for me, it was still a great HEA though.
I love the feeling of peace I got after reading this and am so happy for the closure that Eli got. Isa is the perfect match for him. I love this series and I'm going to miss it. Great characters and a fantastic family, this series is a must read.
Complimentary copy received for honest review.
February 23, 2017
My Rating:
4.5
Favorite Quotes:
Eli liked Merina. She was tough. She was bold and clearly had enough forearm strength to pull the stick out of Reese’s ass. At least partway.
This job had become like monitoring a wild animal. Feed it, stay out of its way, and try not to disrupt its normal pattern.
…you’re not open are you? You’re more like a screen over a window. I can see in, but I can’t get in.
…he couldn’t help watching her go. She wore that dress like she was doing it a service.
I haven’t dated anyone in three years and then the absolutely wrong guy comes along and I fold like an origami goose.
My Review:
Jessica Lemmon has created an interesting and intriguing family of smart, sexy, stubborn, and complicated alpha males with far too much money and sex appeal to be legal. I enjoyed watching each and every one of these obstinate men lose their minds and hearts to a feisty, smart, and witty woman. Each of Ms. Lemmon’s brothers was alluring, well-drawn, complex, and endearingly flawed. Eli and Isabelle’s tale was multi-layered as Eli was the most emotionally damaged and socially isolated of the three brothers. I adore strong and sassy female characters and I loved everything about Isabelle, she could hold her own and best any of the Crane boys with her clever observations and sharp wit, and enjoy the challenge while doing so. The storyline and writing were relevant, insightful, emotive, steamy, and frequently amusing with clever and snappy banter and Ms. Lemmon’s quick humor generously sprinkled throughout.
4.5
Favorite Quotes:
Eli liked Merina. She was tough. She was bold and clearly had enough forearm strength to pull the stick out of Reese’s ass. At least partway.
This job had become like monitoring a wild animal. Feed it, stay out of its way, and try not to disrupt its normal pattern.
…you’re not open are you? You’re more like a screen over a window. I can see in, but I can’t get in.
…he couldn’t help watching her go. She wore that dress like she was doing it a service.
I haven’t dated anyone in three years and then the absolutely wrong guy comes along and I fold like an origami goose.
My Review:
Jessica Lemmon has created an interesting and intriguing family of smart, sexy, stubborn, and complicated alpha males with far too much money and sex appeal to be legal. I enjoyed watching each and every one of these obstinate men lose their minds and hearts to a feisty, smart, and witty woman. Each of Ms. Lemmon’s brothers was alluring, well-drawn, complex, and endearingly flawed. Eli and Isabelle’s tale was multi-layered as Eli was the most emotionally damaged and socially isolated of the three brothers. I adore strong and sassy female characters and I loved everything about Isabelle, she could hold her own and best any of the Crane boys with her clever observations and sharp wit, and enjoy the challenge while doing so. The storyline and writing were relevant, insightful, emotive, steamy, and frequently amusing with clever and snappy banter and Ms. Lemmon’s quick humor generously sprinkled throughout.
February 26, 2020
3.5 Stars. The Bastard Billionaire is a steamy romance with a bit of depth. The main character Eli Crane, an ex-Marine, is an amputee due to an explosion while fighting overseas. Isabella Sawyer is a small business owner trying to make a name for herself. When they initially meet they both dislike each other.....but things change! Thanks to Books With Heart for my paperback copy of Jessica Lemmon's 3rd book in the Billionaire Bad Boys series and my magnetic BWH bookmark.
June 8, 2020
I thought that this book was good after I got into it
February 28, 2017
"The Bastard Billionaire" is my first book by Jessica Lemmon, and I have to admit that I totally selected this book based on the cover. Love the combination of the tattoos and the suit! I really expected this to be about a true bastard, not just a guy who acts like a bastard/jerk. But, even though it wasn't entirely what I expected, I was not disappointed.
The Story-
Eli was in the military and had a traumatic experience where he lost a leg and two friends. His wealthy family is desperate for him to take his place in the family business, but he wants to wallow alone in his depression/guilt. So, he acts like an absolute asshole to every assistant that is sent his way. Apparently his "meanness" has sent many an assistant away, crying. (Who are these weak women than can't handle a bit of a jerk?) Isabella happens to own the agency sending the assistants, and now she is planning on going in herself, pretending to be an assistant, in order to keep their business and smooth relations until she can replace herself with a viable option. Eli acts like a jerk; she takes none of his crap. (Surprise, surprise!)
My Thoughts-
The main reason I actually enjoyed this book despite the predictable plot and jerk hero is the heroine, Isabella. She is smart, self-assured, beautiful, and never whiny. Isabella is confident, and gives us someone to root for. Parts of this book dragged for me; it felt like a similar conflict kept arising between the two, only to be resolved, then to come back later. There are some excellent moments, though, that make this book thoroughly enjoyable. The "hot" scenes are both realistic and completely steamy at the same time: button snipping, I am thinking of you... And, our hero redeems himself fully in several critical scenes involving Isabella's past and insecurities.
The Bottom Line-
The billionaire aspect of this book is practically non-existent, which is a good thing to me. Eli doesn't act like a jerk because he's a billionaire; that actually barely registers in his life. He has some real issues to work through. Isabella is an excellent character: the perfect balance of soft and confident that many women aspire to. I recommend this book for fans of contemporary with strong female characters and damaged men. 4 stars
The Story-
Eli was in the military and had a traumatic experience where he lost a leg and two friends. His wealthy family is desperate for him to take his place in the family business, but he wants to wallow alone in his depression/guilt. So, he acts like an absolute asshole to every assistant that is sent his way. Apparently his "meanness" has sent many an assistant away, crying. (Who are these weak women than can't handle a bit of a jerk?) Isabella happens to own the agency sending the assistants, and now she is planning on going in herself, pretending to be an assistant, in order to keep their business and smooth relations until she can replace herself with a viable option. Eli acts like a jerk; she takes none of his crap. (Surprise, surprise!)
My Thoughts-
The main reason I actually enjoyed this book despite the predictable plot and jerk hero is the heroine, Isabella. She is smart, self-assured, beautiful, and never whiny. Isabella is confident, and gives us someone to root for. Parts of this book dragged for me; it felt like a similar conflict kept arising between the two, only to be resolved, then to come back later. There are some excellent moments, though, that make this book thoroughly enjoyable. The "hot" scenes are both realistic and completely steamy at the same time: button snipping, I am thinking of you... And, our hero redeems himself fully in several critical scenes involving Isabella's past and insecurities.
The Bottom Line-
The billionaire aspect of this book is practically non-existent, which is a good thing to me. Eli doesn't act like a jerk because he's a billionaire; that actually barely registers in his life. He has some real issues to work through. Isabella is an excellent character: the perfect balance of soft and confident that many women aspire to. I recommend this book for fans of contemporary with strong female characters and damaged men. 4 stars
February 28, 2017
3.5 “Billionaire Beauty & the Beast” Stars
ARC via NetGalley
Thank you, Forever!
This is the third book in the Billionaire Bad Boys series, and after reading all of them, I can honestly say Jessica Lemmon can’t disappoint when writing sexy billionaires and strong heroines.
As we get to the story of Eli Crane, the third brother, we’re introduced to yet again to another independent woman who’ll win the readers heart. Like Merina from book 1 and Rachel from book 2, Isabella Sawyer came into the Crane’s life to make an impression.
She’s a strong woman who gave up a privileged position running her family’s company to pursue her own dream. She wanted to start her own personal assistant company and she went for it, even if it meant going against everything her parents wanted for her. This journey made me like Isabella from the start, because it showed me she was a woman willing to work hard to make her dream come true instead of conforming to what other people thought her life should be like.
She’d need that strength in order to keep one specific client happy: Reese Crane, the main character in the first book and the brother of Eli Crane, a man her employees referred to as a monster, among other things.
Eli Crane is an ex-Marine discharged after an explosion left him injured and killed two of his friends. He lost one of his legs and is learning how to adapt to his new life now. For those who read book #2 in the series, Eli’s struggle and attitude won’t come as a surprise. He’s having a hard time adapting to his new reality, so he ends up taking it out on the wrong people. His family won’t leave him alone, and I love them for it, and to try to help (a.k.a. force) him back to the company, they hire Isabella’s firm to assist him.
The problem is Isabella has already sent every employee she could to help Eli, and they all come back crying. So the only solution she can come up with is to do the job herself. For a woman as strong as Isabella, Eli might be a challenge, but one she’s confident she’ll overcome.
The thing I always love about Beauty & the Beast-inspired tales is when they manage to portray the girl/woman as a strong character, because that’s the only one to make the chemistry with the Beast work. Isabella is just like that—she doesn’t let Eli scare her, and that catches his attention.
The chemistry between them is instant and they’re hot together. The obstacles to their romance are also well-portrayed, and I enjoyed how once again Jessica Lemmon managed to make their inner battles bigger and more powerful than any outside obstacle. This way, we get to see these characters grow and learn how to deal with their feelings.
This is actually the main theme for Eli: dealing with feelings. He’s a character filled with guilt, so he has to work on that before he can move on and give Isabella the love she deserves. His journey is well-developed and makes sense given everything he went through.
Writing the Beast-like character isn’t easy, either. He can easily move into dangerous territory if the author isn’t careful to make him likable and relatable. I didn’t have this problem with Eli, because I understood where his fears were rooted. Besides, having him develop a charity and work on a project that would impact so many lives also helped. I also thought Jessica Lemmon was respectable on her approach to Eli's disabilty, which is always nice to see.
I also enjoyed seeing Merina and Reese and Tag and Rachel, the couples from the previous books. Merina, Rachel and Isabella’s interactions were priceless, and the three brothers together were swoon-worthy. I loved seeing them all happy and united.
After reading the three books, I still think The Billionaire Next Door (book #2) was the best of them, but The Bastard Billionaire felt like the perfect conclusion to this series.
February 27, 2017
Coffee Dates with The Bastard Billionaire...
First Date: This final book belongs to Eli Crane, the youngest brother who has recently been honorably discharged from the Marines after he suffered a serious injury. Eli is angry, uncertain and feeling survivor's guilt. His brother's want him to assume the role of COO at Crane Hotels, but Eli won't leave his home. The solution? Send personal assistants to him. His brother hires Isabella Sawyer to secure PA's for him, and Eli is discarding them like tissues. Number sixteen left her office declaring Eli a monster. Determined to protect her companies reputation, Isabella decides to pose as one of her staff and take the job. Their first encounter has me giddy as once again Lemmon pulled me into the story. I love her characters and while she claims to write about bad boys all are truly good guys beneath the grumbles and gruff.
Second Date: Do you love wicked banter, snark and sizzling sparks surrounding your hero and heroine? You are going to love the interaction between these two. While it is complicated by missed signals and Eli's personal struggles the reader will find themselves laughing out loud and counting down the pages to the inevitable. Secondary characters, projects for Veterans and the Crane brothers and their significant others all added to the story. The Crane brother's looking to aid their brother offered Eli word of wisdom that provided humor. For fans of the series, you will be rewarded with some information about a previous couple.
Third Date: This third date brings misunderstanding, confusion and pushes Eli. Despite the steps he has made going forward, we have to bare witness to some setbacks. Even Isabella makes some mistakes, but I like how strong she is and her stance on never settling. We spend some time with the Crane clan as Eli find himself. All in all, this was a fantastic last date with moments that made me melt and swoon.
Copy provided by publisher This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
First Date: This final book belongs to Eli Crane, the youngest brother who has recently been honorably discharged from the Marines after he suffered a serious injury. Eli is angry, uncertain and feeling survivor's guilt. His brother's want him to assume the role of COO at Crane Hotels, but Eli won't leave his home. The solution? Send personal assistants to him. His brother hires Isabella Sawyer to secure PA's for him, and Eli is discarding them like tissues. Number sixteen left her office declaring Eli a monster. Determined to protect her companies reputation, Isabella decides to pose as one of her staff and take the job. Their first encounter has me giddy as once again Lemmon pulled me into the story. I love her characters and while she claims to write about bad boys all are truly good guys beneath the grumbles and gruff.
Second Date: Do you love wicked banter, snark and sizzling sparks surrounding your hero and heroine? You are going to love the interaction between these two. While it is complicated by missed signals and Eli's personal struggles the reader will find themselves laughing out loud and counting down the pages to the inevitable. Secondary characters, projects for Veterans and the Crane brothers and their significant others all added to the story. The Crane brother's looking to aid their brother offered Eli word of wisdom that provided humor. For fans of the series, you will be rewarded with some information about a previous couple.
Third Date: This third date brings misunderstanding, confusion and pushes Eli. Despite the steps he has made going forward, we have to bare witness to some setbacks. Even Isabella makes some mistakes, but I like how strong she is and her stance on never settling. We spend some time with the Crane clan as Eli find himself. All in all, this was a fantastic last date with moments that made me melt and swoon.
Copy provided by publisher This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
March 5, 2017
Absolutely loved it and I'm so glad I've found a new favorite author! Full review to come this week with my turn on the blog tour!
February 27, 2017
Jessica Lemmon really excels at writing stories that combine sweet, sexy and emotionally charged, and THE BASTARD BILLIONAIRE has all of that in the right amounts. I have been looking forward to this book since the first time Eli was mentioned and it was worth the wait.
Eli Crane planned on being career military but that plan was cut short abruptly when an explosion left him injured and took the lives of his friends and he's finding it hard to fall into Plan B - life as the COO of Crane Hotels. Surly, snarly and grumpy, Eli just wants to be left alone and has run off every assistant sent his way. But he's about to meet his match.
Isabella Sawyer needs the Cranes' business to boost her employment agency's profile and after Eli Crane chased off the eleventh assistant she sent him, it's time for her to handle this by herself. And Isabella is nothing but determined to save her fledgling company even if it means bearding the lion in his den.
But nothing prepares Eli and Isabella for the sparks that fly between them. Isabella is intriguing in a lot of ways to Eli and brings his libido roaring back to life. After her last relationship fizzled out, Isabella avoided the dating scene and focused all her energy on her business, so having her new albeit temporary boss light that fire in her is complicated, to say the least.
Isabella is magnificent. She's beautiful and wields her looks like a weapon, sexy, passionate, smart and independent. Eli is a very interesting character. Under the difficult exterior lay a really giving heart, which was also wounded by the loss of his friends and survivor's guilt.
Say what you will, but as their relationship goes from professional to personal they find themselves developing major feelings for each other, which bring up hidden emotional issues which they'll need to overcome for a chance at happiness and a future. Eli's struggles to open up in his relationships seem to predate his injury but his feelings of inadequacy have made it even harder for him to completely open himself up to anyone and it made my heart hurt for him. Isabella has found herself shortchanged emotionally multiple times by her parents and her ex and nothing but a full-throated declaration of love from Eli would do for her this time.
I really enjoyed reading this book and catching up with the rest of the Crane family and I liked how they supported Eli through his issues, without overwhelming him. I am so glad I got the chance to read this series and I highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.
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Eli Crane planned on being career military but that plan was cut short abruptly when an explosion left him injured and took the lives of his friends and he's finding it hard to fall into Plan B - life as the COO of Crane Hotels. Surly, snarly and grumpy, Eli just wants to be left alone and has run off every assistant sent his way. But he's about to meet his match.
Isabella Sawyer needs the Cranes' business to boost her employment agency's profile and after Eli Crane chased off the eleventh assistant she sent him, it's time for her to handle this by herself. And Isabella is nothing but determined to save her fledgling company even if it means bearding the lion in his den.
But nothing prepares Eli and Isabella for the sparks that fly between them. Isabella is intriguing in a lot of ways to Eli and brings his libido roaring back to life. After her last relationship fizzled out, Isabella avoided the dating scene and focused all her energy on her business, so having her new albeit temporary boss light that fire in her is complicated, to say the least.
Isabella is magnificent. She's beautiful and wields her looks like a weapon, sexy, passionate, smart and independent. Eli is a very interesting character. Under the difficult exterior lay a really giving heart, which was also wounded by the loss of his friends and survivor's guilt.
Say what you will, but as their relationship goes from professional to personal they find themselves developing major feelings for each other, which bring up hidden emotional issues which they'll need to overcome for a chance at happiness and a future. Eli's struggles to open up in his relationships seem to predate his injury but his feelings of inadequacy have made it even harder for him to completely open himself up to anyone and it made my heart hurt for him. Isabella has found herself shortchanged emotionally multiple times by her parents and her ex and nothing but a full-throated declaration of love from Eli would do for her this time.
I really enjoyed reading this book and catching up with the rest of the Crane family and I liked how they supported Eli through his issues, without overwhelming him. I am so glad I got the chance to read this series and I highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely mine.
Want more? Subscribe to my Newsletter on The Sassy Bookster.
Follow me on Twitter | Tumblr | Bloglovin’.
Like my page on Facebook.
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