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The Blaque Beauty Collection #1
Blaque Beauty and the Billionaire
Marlee Winters is on top of the world. With a devastating relationship well behind her and her interior design career in high gear, Marlee is thrilled when her firm lands a contract with billionaire developer Marc Ross. But when she discovers that her passionate, mysterious new lover is none other than the boss, himself, will Marlee lose everything, including her heart?
Billionaire real estate magnate Marc Ross is used to getting what he wants and he wants Marlee Winters. Caring, quirky and confident, she is nothing like the spoiled heiresses and supermodels he is used to dating. But convinced he has at least 4.6 billion reasons to hide his true identity, Marc rolls the dice and hopes for the best. But a vindictive ex -wife and an epic snowstorm are in the cards, threatening to destroy a future Marc didn't even know he wanted until Marlee walked into his life.
Will deception be the deal-breaker or is happily ever after written in the fine print?
Billionaire real estate magnate Marc Ross is used to getting what he wants and he wants Marlee Winters. Caring, quirky and confident, she is nothing like the spoiled heiresses and supermodels he is used to dating. But convinced he has at least 4.6 billion reasons to hide his true identity, Marc rolls the dice and hopes for the best. But a vindictive ex -wife and an epic snowstorm are in the cards, threatening to destroy a future Marc didn't even know he wanted until Marlee walked into his life.
Will deception be the deal-breaker or is happily ever after written in the fine print?
88 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 18, 2017
5 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Erin Lee Daniels
3 books73 followersErin Lee Daniels is an editor and romance author. After receiving a degree in Political Science and International Relations Erin Lee worked in the private sector before pursuing her lifelong dream of authorship. She lives in NYC and enjoys travel, cooking, collecting fine china, keeping a handle on her American Girl addiction and spending time with family and good friends.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
March 27, 2017
I saw this as a day in the life of Marlee mostly. I like that the author had a few of the characters portraying their own point of view in their own separate chapters in the book. Although, Marc and Marlee seemed to be the main interaction and attraction. The ending was quite charming.
March 15, 2017
Marlee Winters has an enviable life. She has an amazing career, and she meets all sorts of mover and shakers. How fascinating! She's also smart, beautiful, and adventurous. I want to be her!!!
The chemistry between Marlee and Marc kept me reading till I was done with the book. I love both of them, but that pesky ex-wife of his just can't seem to move on with her life. But, then again, I don't know many ex-wives who are actually nice to anyone they don't have to be nice to. They're vindictive and, on some level,
might even be evil. That's why they've been relegated to 'ex' status.
I like that the story was fast-paced. I also like the length of the story. It wasn't too long. It wasn't too short. Of course it could have been longer, but who's counting? I prefer to read quick stories because I never know when I'll have 'reading time' again. This is a very nice book to read when you have an open evening. Grab a glass of wine, dress in your softest pajamas, and curl up in your favorite blanket. You'll have a great evening while reading this book.
I received a free copy of this book.
The chemistry between Marlee and Marc kept me reading till I was done with the book. I love both of them, but that pesky ex-wife of his just can't seem to move on with her life. But, then again, I don't know many ex-wives who are actually nice to anyone they don't have to be nice to. They're vindictive and, on some level,
might even be evil. That's why they've been relegated to 'ex' status.
I like that the story was fast-paced. I also like the length of the story. It wasn't too long. It wasn't too short. Of course it could have been longer, but who's counting? I prefer to read quick stories because I never know when I'll have 'reading time' again. This is a very nice book to read when you have an open evening. Grab a glass of wine, dress in your softest pajamas, and curl up in your favorite blanket. You'll have a great evening while reading this book.
I received a free copy of this book.
February 26, 2017
3.5 Stars
I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
Interior designer Marlee Winters encounters billionaire Marc Ross while working on a design project for his lodge. She's never met or seen Marc and has no clue who he is when she strikes up a conversation with him. Intrigued that she doesn't recognize him he decides to go with it.
Interested in getting to know her better, he asks her out to dinner and she accepts. Enjoying the feeling of normalcy he decides to keep his anonymity by not disclosing his last name. Secrets always has consequences and when she discovers his identity her reaction is
The heroine even acknowledges that her reaction Still, I couldn't (despite her backstory) empathize with her, because she'd only known This scene did not take away from my enjoyment of the story. I like this author's writing style and I look forward to reading more of her books.
I voluntarily read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.
Interior designer Marlee Winters encounters billionaire Marc Ross while working on a design project for his lodge. She's never met or seen Marc and has no clue who he is when she strikes up a conversation with him. Intrigued that she doesn't recognize him he decides to go with it.
Interested in getting to know her better, he asks her out to dinner and she accepts. Enjoying the feeling of normalcy he decides to keep his anonymity by not disclosing his last name. Secrets always has consequences and when she discovers his identity her reaction is
The heroine even acknowledges that her reaction Still, I couldn't (despite her backstory) empathize with her, because she'd only known This scene did not take away from my enjoyment of the story. I like this author's writing style and I look forward to reading more of her books.
April 18, 2017
A fabulous and classy story beginning with Marlee a beautiful interior designer on a job with her boss Dorian in the east coast. During her very enthusiastic plans for design at essence sky- a high class place for the rich and famous , she is spotted by Marcus Ross who unbeknown to her is a self made billionare. He is attracted not only to her beauty but drawn to her character.
There is some conflict involving his materialistic ex-wife later on , however the story finishes on a surprising and very cathartic note. wow!
This was like unwrapping a present with anticipation and being stunned by what you find inside. The end of this story takes you by surprise.
There is some conflict involving his materialistic ex-wife later on , however the story finishes on a surprising and very cathartic note. wow!
This was like unwrapping a present with anticipation and being stunned by what you find inside. The end of this story takes you by surprise.
June 21, 2017
Short but sweet
With only 88 pages the author, Erin Lee Daniels, crafts a developed novella of romance and relationships. The main protagonist, Marlee Winters, an interior designer, lands a new contract, but she also lands a date with a mysterious man, Marc, who, charmingly, is also a billionaire, and enjoys Marlee not knowing that fact! The characters are well developed and there’s a lovely chemistry between Marlee and Marc, but at times I would have liked a bit more background.
Recommend ‘Blaque Beauty and the Billionaire’ for romance fans who love stories with the tease of new relationships.
Reviewed as part of 18+ Review Group, and received a free copy from the author for an honest review :)
With only 88 pages the author, Erin Lee Daniels, crafts a developed novella of romance and relationships. The main protagonist, Marlee Winters, an interior designer, lands a new contract, but she also lands a date with a mysterious man, Marc, who, charmingly, is also a billionaire, and enjoys Marlee not knowing that fact! The characters are well developed and there’s a lovely chemistry between Marlee and Marc, but at times I would have liked a bit more background.
Recommend ‘Blaque Beauty and the Billionaire’ for romance fans who love stories with the tease of new relationships.
Reviewed as part of 18+ Review Group, and received a free copy from the author for an honest review :)
March 1, 2017
The chemistry between Marlee and Marc drew me in almost instantly! Even from their first interaction, I could feel their connection. Both Marc and Marlee were extremely likable characters. His trouble with, Eva, his ex-wife and Marlee's work ambitions were extremely realistic but still incredibly enjoyable to watch play out.
Blaque Beauty and the Billionaire isn't an incredibly long read but it definitely takes you on a journey. You root for the hero and heroine to find their happy ending with every page turn. Of course, the course of love never did run smooth, but even then, the obstacles they face are well thought out and realistic. Only making you root for the starring couple even more. Marlee is absolutely adorable, Marc is incredibly sexy, and Erin writes them beautifully.
In addition, the prose in the book is gorgeous. It manages to be super descriptive, setting the scenes perfectly, without being overwrought. Erin Lee Daniels has included the perfect amount of drama, humor, burning hot chemistry to make this quick read absolutely amazing.
Blaque Beauty and the Billionaire isn't an incredibly long read but it definitely takes you on a journey. You root for the hero and heroine to find their happy ending with every page turn. Of course, the course of love never did run smooth, but even then, the obstacles they face are well thought out and realistic. Only making you root for the starring couple even more. Marlee is absolutely adorable, Marc is incredibly sexy, and Erin writes them beautifully.
In addition, the prose in the book is gorgeous. It manages to be super descriptive, setting the scenes perfectly, without being overwrought. Erin Lee Daniels has included the perfect amount of drama, humor, burning hot chemistry to make this quick read absolutely amazing.
March 13, 2017
The story is engrossing, romantic yet not too sweet and it progresses quickly without dwelling too much on the characters' pasts or background.
Still the characters are entertaining and believable and emotions as well as settings are described well. The chemistry between characters is palpable, their dialogues are witty and help move the story along.
It is a light read and I would have liked a little bit more originallity as parts of the story are a little bit predictable, such as the all too beautiful protagonists; problem caused by a lie aggravated by an evil ex; heroine getting into physical danger and needing saving (who saves her isn't predictable, yay!).
Possibly through formatting there are a few places where an odd word appears twice or out of place. However, all in all a great quick read for an evening in with beautiful and expressive use of language.
I have been provided a copy free of charge in exchange for a review (and I am a grammar crazy reader).
Still the characters are entertaining and believable and emotions as well as settings are described well. The chemistry between characters is palpable, their dialogues are witty and help move the story along.
It is a light read and I would have liked a little bit more originallity as parts of the story are a little bit predictable, such as the all too beautiful protagonists; problem caused by a lie aggravated by an evil ex; heroine getting into physical danger and needing saving (who saves her isn't predictable, yay!).
Possibly through formatting there are a few places where an odd word appears twice or out of place. However, all in all a great quick read for an evening in with beautiful and expressive use of language.
I have been provided a copy free of charge in exchange for a review (and I am a grammar crazy reader).
March 25, 2017
Charming and sweet, Blaque Beauty is a romance that will leave you smiling. Marlee Winters is a bright up and coming designer sent to work at a prestigious lodge owned by a billionaire and his ex-wife. Marc Ross happens upon Marlee and is instantly attracted to her. He fails to reveal himself and the result of this miscommunication will haunt their budding relationship. The shrewish ex-wife creates more drama and Marlee's heart is dangerously close to being crushed. Delightful and straight to the point, this is an awesome read with winning characters. This is well-written enjoyable romance. Entertaining read.
March 23, 2018
Another great romance and quick read from Daniels, who takes a plot that has been done over and over again and makes it fresh and entertaining. Marlee is likable and sweet, an instant reader favorite, and it is impossible not to want her to have a happy ending with Marc. They are both believable and don't fall into stereotypical roles. A feel-good story that will appeal to anyone looking for a quick treat that will warm your heart.
May 25, 2017
This was a wonderful romantic story that carried me away from the first chapter. I read it straight through (staying up too late) because I had to see how it ended. Marlee and Marcus jumped off the page for me. I loved seeing their relationship unfold and feeling the suspense when their newfound connection was threatened. I am really looking forward to reading more by this author.
March 9, 2017
It’s always great to see a strong woman steal the heart of a man who is used to getting what he wants! Quick paced and with interesting characters and witty dialogue. The chemistry between Marlee and Marc is on fire! Highly recommended for romance lovers. A great evening novella!
March 19, 2017
I give Blaque Beauty and the Billionaire a solid 4.5 stars I'm rounding up to 5. It was a great story about a clearly confident and capable black woman in her late twenties working for a sought after designer, and they're spending the week at a fancy chalet in Colorado for the purposes of being hired to help with a remodel. Marlee, the assistant of the great Dorian Pennington, runs into the owner of the hotel, Marc Ross (white male), one day while sitting in the Oak Room, and the chemistry between them was instant, palpable, and well-written.
For a fairly short read, around 25K words that I read in a few hours on a Saturday, I found this to be a solid, interesting story with interesting and multifaceted characters. The pace of the story flowed really well, and I especially liked how the time lapse between the final chapter and the epilogue took place to show that things had evolved in a really satisfying way that didn't happen too quickly. Major kudos for this!
Aside from the main characters, I found myself really liking the character of Dorian Pennington. She sounds like someone I'd really like in real life. I found her character to have a good, unique voice, and I could tell when she was talking, even without any dialogue tags, as was the case with other minor characters.
As for the author's tag-line, "80% sweet, 20% heat," I found this to be a good balance to let the story itself shine through. I did find the "heat" scene to be pretty hot, too!
I think this book might be the first BWWM book I've read, which is surprising to me, but even as a "white" girl, I really got into this story. I read this book free on Kindle Unlimited. Good story. I recommend.
For a fairly short read, around 25K words that I read in a few hours on a Saturday, I found this to be a solid, interesting story with interesting and multifaceted characters. The pace of the story flowed really well, and I especially liked how the time lapse between the final chapter and the epilogue took place to show that things had evolved in a really satisfying way that didn't happen too quickly. Major kudos for this!
Aside from the main characters, I found myself really liking the character of Dorian Pennington. She sounds like someone I'd really like in real life. I found her character to have a good, unique voice, and I could tell when she was talking, even without any dialogue tags, as was the case with other minor characters.
As for the author's tag-line, "80% sweet, 20% heat," I found this to be a good balance to let the story itself shine through. I did find the "heat" scene to be pretty hot, too!
I think this book might be the first BWWM book I've read, which is surprising to me, but even as a "white" girl, I really got into this story. I read this book free on Kindle Unlimited. Good story. I recommend.
March 14, 2017
Erin Lee Daniels’s story Blaque Beauty and The Billionaire is told in beautiful pros immersing the reading into a world filled with warmth and passion. Her beautiful interior designer Marlee is multidimensional and completely relatable. She creates a vivid picture of this character with such attention to detail your feel like you know her.
I love this description:
She was a vision – willowy and graceful looking, like a dancer, with a complexion that was a shade of brown so warm it made him instantly think of a glass of fine, Italian amaretto. She looked like liquid amber with exotic, expressive eyes that were dark and framed with long, inky lashes.
Everything about her was so… warm, including her voice, modulated and melodic at the same time.
A chance meeting with self-made Billionaire Marc, sends both of them into a spiral of desire and romance. I was glued to this book, and didn’t want it to end! The chemistry between Marlee and Marc was bone-searing hot. I’m definitely adding this book to my read again and again list!
I love this description:
She was a vision – willowy and graceful looking, like a dancer, with a complexion that was a shade of brown so warm it made him instantly think of a glass of fine, Italian amaretto. She looked like liquid amber with exotic, expressive eyes that were dark and framed with long, inky lashes.
Everything about her was so… warm, including her voice, modulated and melodic at the same time.
A chance meeting with self-made Billionaire Marc, sends both of them into a spiral of desire and romance. I was glued to this book, and didn’t want it to end! The chemistry between Marlee and Marc was bone-searing hot. I’m definitely adding this book to my read again and again list!
April 8, 2017
I don't normally read novellas but I really enjoyed this. The story revolves around Marlee Winters a design assistant and the billionaire Marc Ross. I liked the concept that Marlee was completely unaware that the man she is talking to is the owner of the lodge. Marc is used to female attention especially when they find out he is a wealthy man but because Marlee has no idea of this it allows him to form a relationship with her as an average man would. Part of me wanted him to come clean about his identity and part of me was enjoying the fact that he was having fun hiding it. A nice dilemma! The scene where they finally make love is well written and just on the right side of being steamy without being sordid. The background characters are Marlee's boss Dorian and Marc's ex-wife Eva. I got the feeling that if this had been a full novel that Eva's character would have been explored more as she seemed to have all the potential to be a bunny boiler. Great book to read with a bar of chocolate and a nice glass of Prosecco and go all out for indulgence!
March 2, 2017
This review is a part of a non-reciprocal reading project. Admittedly, I’m not the target demo for a romance novel, but “Blaque Beauty and the Billionaire” is a well-written novella that moves quickly and is mercifully short on saccharine sentiment. There’s an element of wish fulfillment here, as all of the characters come from nice families, any tragedies from the characters’ pasts aren’t dwelled upon, and their occupations take them to extravagant locales. The characterizations feel real enough, however.
Much of the drama hinges on the lead male acting foolishly, although the narrative addresses the issue fairly well. The story never lingers on any one scene for too long, and there are only a few instances of excessive prose. The dialogue also feels authentic, which helps to ground the story. If you want a quick romance, not too bland and not too spicy, this could be what you’re looking for.
Much of the drama hinges on the lead male acting foolishly, although the narrative addresses the issue fairly well. The story never lingers on any one scene for too long, and there are only a few instances of excessive prose. The dialogue also feels authentic, which helps to ground the story. If you want a quick romance, not too bland and not too spicy, this could be what you’re looking for.
March 24, 2017
This is a fast paced, emotionally packed novella, sure to keep you turning pages. Marlee is a girl who knows what she wants or thinks she does. She's got the perfect job as a designer and she's moving up the fast track, but when she goes on a mini job vacation she meets the most intriguing man in the lobby of the hotel she's suppose to be helping design. It's instant combustion. Unfortunately, she doesn't realize the man, Marcus, she finds so amazing is the billionaire boss she's working for. He hides the truth from her because he too finds her intriguing and doesn't want to scare her off. But lies always catch up with a person. This is really a sweet romance with just the right amount of hot woven in. Just when you think the romance has blown up Erin reigns it back in for that feel good happily ever after. I must give it five stars. I read it through without a hiccup and loved every minute of it. What a great little read!
February 27, 2017
Sexy, fast paced, sweet novella
I received an ARC copy from the author in return for an honest review and really enjoyed Blaque Beauty and the Billionaire. The characters are well-fleshed out and the story is a fast paced sweet, sexy novella.
Marlee meets billionaire Marc Ross without knowing who he is while working at her high-flying interior design job, and the sparks fly with their instant attraction. He's smitten and sweet with a spiteful ex wife who has her beady eye fixed on Marlee.
The couple run into some conflict when she realises he hasn't been upfront with her, but he's not an arrogant alpha and Marc knows a good thing when he sees it and knows how to grovel! For a quick read with a feel good factor, some heat and a wonderful HEA, I would definitely recommend Blaque Beauty and the Billionaire, and will be looking out for other books by this author.
I received an ARC copy from the author in return for an honest review and really enjoyed Blaque Beauty and the Billionaire. The characters are well-fleshed out and the story is a fast paced sweet, sexy novella.
Marlee meets billionaire Marc Ross without knowing who he is while working at her high-flying interior design job, and the sparks fly with their instant attraction. He's smitten and sweet with a spiteful ex wife who has her beady eye fixed on Marlee.
The couple run into some conflict when she realises he hasn't been upfront with her, but he's not an arrogant alpha and Marc knows a good thing when he sees it and knows how to grovel! For a quick read with a feel good factor, some heat and a wonderful HEA, I would definitely recommend Blaque Beauty and the Billionaire, and will be looking out for other books by this author.
March 11, 2017
I grabbed my copy using my Kindle Unlimited membership and I am so glad that I did. Marlee was an amazing female character. Marc was the typical billionaire. I don't mean the self-entitled type, I mean the typical billionaire who wants to be accepted for who they are and not for the size of their bank account. So it is only natural that when he meets Marlee, he doesn't tell her who he is at first. I really enjoyed seeing the two of them out on normal human dates, and not posh events. In fact there is not one time the two of them go to any posh events together. Sparks fly though when Marc's ex wife shows her jealous and spiteful side. I don't want to give too much away, so I will finish with just this: Make sure you put this on your to-read list and don't wait to long to read this story. I look forward to what else Daniels has in store for us.
April 9, 2017
Even though I am not a big reader of romance books, this one in particular has kept me hooked! The alternating perspective gave the story a more interesting aspect, in my opinion. The interaction between the characters, especially Marlee and Marc is so beautifully told.
I loved the quick development of the of the story, something new happened at the end of each page, unlike several other slow romance stories that would personally get me bored. And the emotions were so well presented! I don't know if I could relate because I had a similar situation myself (only it wasn't a billionaire... tough luck :p) or because the writer did such a great job! I'll settle for "both!"
Everyone who is not big fan of romance stories should read this one! It's really a breath of fresh air in your TBR, easy and fun to read.
100% recommendable!
I loved the quick development of the of the story, something new happened at the end of each page, unlike several other slow romance stories that would personally get me bored. And the emotions were so well presented! I don't know if I could relate because I had a similar situation myself (only it wasn't a billionaire... tough luck :p) or because the writer did such a great job! I'll settle for "both!"
Everyone who is not big fan of romance stories should read this one! It's really a breath of fresh air in your TBR, easy and fun to read.
100% recommendable!
February 25, 2017
I was given a copy of this novella in return for an honest review.
This is a quick, flirty, romantic novella by first time author Erin Lee Daniels. While the writing is formal, it is tightly written, moves along at a steady pace and is written in such a way that you can feel the happiness, sadness and frustration the main characters experience. Daniels does a good job of giving you the story from a few different perspectives without any "head jumping", which helps you get to know the characters that much better. I don't want to give anything away, but if you want a solid story about inadvertent deception and love at first site, then this is for you!
This is a quick, flirty, romantic novella by first time author Erin Lee Daniels. While the writing is formal, it is tightly written, moves along at a steady pace and is written in such a way that you can feel the happiness, sadness and frustration the main characters experience. Daniels does a good job of giving you the story from a few different perspectives without any "head jumping", which helps you get to know the characters that much better. I don't want to give anything away, but if you want a solid story about inadvertent deception and love at first site, then this is for you!
March 2, 2017
A fun read without pretensions
Marlee is an interior decorator on a roll - she has no time for men. Marc is a billionaire with a vindictive ex - he has little regard for women. Until they meet...
This cozy romance novella is proof that good writing can make any old dusty premise shine. The plot holds few surprises, but the vivid, descriptive prose, quirky, witty and intelligent, swinging from trashy to classy, keeps one turning the pages. A fun read for a day at the beach or an evening by the fireplace.
Had the story ended as strongly as it started, it could have rated five stars. For a first work, it certainly shows promise.
Marlee is an interior decorator on a roll - she has no time for men. Marc is a billionaire with a vindictive ex - he has little regard for women. Until they meet...
This cozy romance novella is proof that good writing can make any old dusty premise shine. The plot holds few surprises, but the vivid, descriptive prose, quirky, witty and intelligent, swinging from trashy to classy, keeps one turning the pages. A fun read for a day at the beach or an evening by the fireplace.
Had the story ended as strongly as it started, it could have rated five stars. For a first work, it certainly shows promise.
March 13, 2017
A nice sexy and sassy love story, very, very short read like a one night stand but this story has more meaning and pop to it. I instantly liked the story just the way Marlee and Marc’s had an instant attraction. I like a good romance story and not everyone can get me hooked on one so easily. The writing was tastefully done, plot moved fast just as fast as I wanted to turn the pages. A romantic story with two adoring characters that you can picture it on the screen one day. I think the author should expand on it as it’s really too short and that’s the only reason why I am tempted to give the story 4 stars.
April 4, 2017
This was a bit of a refreshing novella with a the billionaire genre. It's fast paced and a quick read.
Marc is an interesting character. He's not too brooding, not really alpha. He's really just right. Marlee is strong, but fragile due to a previous relationship. I was interested to read more about Dorian and hope she shows up more later in the series. She's sassy and doesn't tolerate much from people. I really liked her.
All of the characters in the novella are likable except Eva, but she's not supposed to be. The prose is well written and engaging. If you like romance novels with well developed characters, I think you would like this one
Marc is an interesting character. He's not too brooding, not really alpha. He's really just right. Marlee is strong, but fragile due to a previous relationship. I was interested to read more about Dorian and hope she shows up more later in the series. She's sassy and doesn't tolerate much from people. I really liked her.
All of the characters in the novella are likable except Eva, but she's not supposed to be. The prose is well written and engaging. If you like romance novels with well developed characters, I think you would like this one
February 26, 2017
What a lovely start for this author. I found this novella to be quite refreshing with all of the billionaire romances floating around out there. Her characters were well-developed, as well as real, and I felt myself inside the story. The dialogue was believable (something I look for) and the story flowed from one chapter to the next, never dragging as it took me along the journey. I enjoyed this story so much that I found myself wishing it were longer than a novella. Such a strong start, Erin Lee Daniels - hats off to you.
March 2, 2017
3 STARS= Good= Quite Enjoyable= I liked it...!
I found this novella a fast paced and an entertaining read. Characterization was good. I liked the fact that I was able to get an insight on the thoughts and feelings of both the main protagonists. The romance was sweet and both the emotional aspect and the physical chemistry were well balanced. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Disclosure: I received a free copy in exchange of an honest review.
I found this novella a fast paced and an entertaining read. Characterization was good. I liked the fact that I was able to get an insight on the thoughts and feelings of both the main protagonists. The romance was sweet and both the emotional aspect and the physical chemistry were well balanced. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Disclosure: I received a free copy in exchange of an honest review.
June 3, 2017
This is a solid 4 stars, possibly 4.5! Well written, psychologically sound, and just floated my boat! LOL
Erin Lee Daniels writes with a delicate touch, using metaphors and redundant thought patterns between the characters that show how much they are in sync and “meant” for each other. Very few writers can do this without it feeling manipulative and heavy handed to the reader. Her clever use of language painted moments that were brisk and very immediate interspersed with quieter moments of reflection. If I could say one thing, I would want those little nuggets of wordplay to be more evenly spaced throughout the storyline. I felt like it was a smidge sparse for my taste but maybe that made them more impactful when I read it? Maybe. You’ll know when you read the story, a clear image metaphor is created, and then it kinda floats like ripples on a pond to stillness and then another metaphor, ripples, floats, stillness … I like patterns of ripples upon ripples upon ripples! LOL But that’s just me. Cuz I'm just kinda an actiony sort of person! LOL
I’m always leery of reading an “ethnic” book or something that could be construed as politically correct. I dislike anyone, anywhere being singled out for any reason and get irritated, right or wrong, that there is a whole section of books for “Interracial” or some such nonsense because to me, it’s not about race, it’s about people. And these are books, just books, about people falling in love. Not political statements. I think by calling a book interracial, it cuts out half the population of readers because they might say, well, it’s not about me… I’m not that *insert color, sexual orientation, blah blah blah, whatever…*.
Buuuut, for the most part, this story is just about two people falling in love. There were small references to Marlee’s black-ness but I just LOVED the fact that the author did not call her African-American. Irritates the hades out of me. I don’t go around calling myself, “Yes, I am an American-White.” It just seems silly, to me. She called herself black, as in “Where does this town hide all of its black people?” (Which is incredibly funny in its moment in the story, btw, LOL) She didn’t say, “Where does this town hide all of its African-Americans?” One is ROTFL and the other is… trying too hard. And seriously is not funny.
But, also, knowing that the character is black, there are a few moments I went, “Eh?” as in, Marlee is referenced as having “silky hair.” I deal with a lot of hair, on a day to day basis, and I don’t consider black hair particularly silky, or cascading (as described in another moment in the book.) But that is me... being incredibly picky. Not really a big deal. Maybe my idea of “silky” is skewed… ;)
I did have a small, little issue, ok big, with Marlee saying stuff like, “I’m beautiful and I know it!” Ok, it wasn’t exactly that, lol, but yeah, it was almost as bad. And then there was the, “…with the respect I deserve from a man.” So, yeah, not exact words but the impression I was left with. Those comments aren’t empowering to me. They seem egotistical, whiney and I immediately think, “Who do you think you are? Someone special?” And yes, I do believe everyone is special (to themselves) and beautiful (no matter shape or size) but respect is earned, not demanded. And while Marlee herself is not a character that wouldn’t earn your respect, I immediately got my dander up over comments like those in a story, which always seem like telling (demanding?) instead of showing.
Rolling on to the relationship, I did love the moment when Marlee is confronting Marc about his “lie” and says, "This is the part where you Alpha male me into listening to your crap excuse so the conversation will be about your guilt.” I seriously went, “Omgawd! An author who gets it!” So, above, where I said this is well written and psychologically sound, it is at this moment where that is shown. Perfectly shown. Wrapped up and with a bow on top. This author turned the genre on its head right there!
And then amps it up an extra notch when at the end, Marlee can understand that Marc cares for her, cares deeply, but still is allowed her feelings and frustrations by the author. As people, we can’t always control our feelings. We can control our actions, and many times, by controlling our actions, we can control our feelings, but feelings are legitimately felt and allowed by this author. And, except for one not so subtle freak out on the part of Marlee, (where she ends up nearly naked in the snow! LOL) the characters have an adult conversation about their issues. Marc says, “I can’t make this up to you. It doesn’t work like that. But I can show you that I’m more than what’s happened in this narrow window.”
… siiigh… ;)
Yes. That’s how it works. Not, “All is forgiven. Kiss me now and let’s go boinking along!” like some other stories end. Can’t stand that. Can you tell I can’t stand that? LOL
In the end, romance stories are about relationships and when we read romance novels, right or wrong, (and maybe mostly subconsciously) we better understand and learn how to deal with our own relationships in life through a fun and fictional setting. Don’t like how that book relationship ended? Go read another book!
Some authors are better at writing relationships than others. Erin Lee Daniels is incredibly good at writing true to life relationships that satisfy.
Erin Lee Daniels writes with a delicate touch, using metaphors and redundant thought patterns between the characters that show how much they are in sync and “meant” for each other. Very few writers can do this without it feeling manipulative and heavy handed to the reader. Her clever use of language painted moments that were brisk and very immediate interspersed with quieter moments of reflection. If I could say one thing, I would want those little nuggets of wordplay to be more evenly spaced throughout the storyline. I felt like it was a smidge sparse for my taste but maybe that made them more impactful when I read it? Maybe. You’ll know when you read the story, a clear image metaphor is created, and then it kinda floats like ripples on a pond to stillness and then another metaphor, ripples, floats, stillness … I like patterns of ripples upon ripples upon ripples! LOL But that’s just me. Cuz I'm just kinda an actiony sort of person! LOL
I’m always leery of reading an “ethnic” book or something that could be construed as politically correct. I dislike anyone, anywhere being singled out for any reason and get irritated, right or wrong, that there is a whole section of books for “Interracial” or some such nonsense because to me, it’s not about race, it’s about people. And these are books, just books, about people falling in love. Not political statements. I think by calling a book interracial, it cuts out half the population of readers because they might say, well, it’s not about me… I’m not that *insert color, sexual orientation, blah blah blah, whatever…*.
Buuuut, for the most part, this story is just about two people falling in love. There were small references to Marlee’s black-ness but I just LOVED the fact that the author did not call her African-American. Irritates the hades out of me. I don’t go around calling myself, “Yes, I am an American-White.” It just seems silly, to me. She called herself black, as in “Where does this town hide all of its black people?” (Which is incredibly funny in its moment in the story, btw, LOL) She didn’t say, “Where does this town hide all of its African-Americans?” One is ROTFL and the other is… trying too hard. And seriously is not funny.
But, also, knowing that the character is black, there are a few moments I went, “Eh?” as in, Marlee is referenced as having “silky hair.” I deal with a lot of hair, on a day to day basis, and I don’t consider black hair particularly silky, or cascading (as described in another moment in the book.) But that is me... being incredibly picky. Not really a big deal. Maybe my idea of “silky” is skewed… ;)
I did have a small, little issue, ok big, with Marlee saying stuff like, “I’m beautiful and I know it!” Ok, it wasn’t exactly that, lol, but yeah, it was almost as bad. And then there was the, “…with the respect I deserve from a man.” So, yeah, not exact words but the impression I was left with. Those comments aren’t empowering to me. They seem egotistical, whiney and I immediately think, “Who do you think you are? Someone special?” And yes, I do believe everyone is special (to themselves) and beautiful (no matter shape or size) but respect is earned, not demanded. And while Marlee herself is not a character that wouldn’t earn your respect, I immediately got my dander up over comments like those in a story, which always seem like telling (demanding?) instead of showing.
Rolling on to the relationship, I did love the moment when Marlee is confronting Marc about his “lie” and says, "This is the part where you Alpha male me into listening to your crap excuse so the conversation will be about your guilt.” I seriously went, “Omgawd! An author who gets it!” So, above, where I said this is well written and psychologically sound, it is at this moment where that is shown. Perfectly shown. Wrapped up and with a bow on top. This author turned the genre on its head right there!
And then amps it up an extra notch when at the end, Marlee can understand that Marc cares for her, cares deeply, but still is allowed her feelings and frustrations by the author. As people, we can’t always control our feelings. We can control our actions, and many times, by controlling our actions, we can control our feelings, but feelings are legitimately felt and allowed by this author. And, except for one not so subtle freak out on the part of Marlee, (where she ends up nearly naked in the snow! LOL) the characters have an adult conversation about their issues. Marc says, “I can’t make this up to you. It doesn’t work like that. But I can show you that I’m more than what’s happened in this narrow window.”
… siiigh… ;)
Yes. That’s how it works. Not, “All is forgiven. Kiss me now and let’s go boinking along!” like some other stories end. Can’t stand that. Can you tell I can’t stand that? LOL
In the end, romance stories are about relationships and when we read romance novels, right or wrong, (and maybe mostly subconsciously) we better understand and learn how to deal with our own relationships in life through a fun and fictional setting. Don’t like how that book relationship ended? Go read another book!
Some authors are better at writing relationships than others. Erin Lee Daniels is incredibly good at writing true to life relationships that satisfy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2017
*** 4.5 STARS ***
I loved this book! The author was able to tell a perfect love story in less than 100 pages, which shows how talented she is! With charming descriptions and delightful characters, 'Blaque Beauty and the Billionaire' was a wonderful story, and I was hooked from the very beginning!
I gave off half a star due some minor grammatical issues, but there wasn't enough of them to take away from this adorable story. I definitely look forward to reading more stories from this author!
*I received a copy of this book for free, in exchange for an honest review*
I loved this book! The author was able to tell a perfect love story in less than 100 pages, which shows how talented she is! With charming descriptions and delightful characters, 'Blaque Beauty and the Billionaire' was a wonderful story, and I was hooked from the very beginning!
I gave off half a star due some minor grammatical issues, but there wasn't enough of them to take away from this adorable story. I definitely look forward to reading more stories from this author!
*I received a copy of this book for free, in exchange for an honest review*
May 11, 2017
I didn’t want to like this but I did. I am not one for the romance genre, particularly stories set in a pretty world with pretty people and their neat little complications along the path to some version of happiness. In this case a likeable billionaire (already a problem for me) named Marc sets his sights on a young, beautiful designer (home design-another matter of categorical disinterest to this reader) called Marlee. The fact that he doesn’t let on about his identity as the ultimate client to her firm is pivotal, but the way the author lets it all unfold is what makes the novella work.
Daniels does a fine job pulling at the heart-strings by telling the story through the eyes and thoughts of mostly these two characters I’ve mentioned. In doing so she gives us just enough about their pasts, accordingly, to show how seemingly harmless items during courtship can mercilessly yank both parties around by their vulnerabilities and threaten an otherwise promising relationship.
The last time I took interest in a millionaire romance was probably some early Mickey Rourke movie, where the guy’s complications and vulnerabilities were twisted together into some kind of puzzle of a knot, and with Rourke’s delivery this was just enough to keep me tilting my head and wondering what led up to the romantic failure in question-and this book is not that. Marc is a standup guy, a real prince, and a billionaire to boot and I’m sure there are many young readers out there who would love to see themselves in either his role or Marlee’s-the lucky woman making the lucky billionaire even luckier. Marlee herself is a character to admire, in her values (as evidenced by her regrets over a past affair with a married man, for which she could not be blamed by any stretch), the love of her work, and her capability of emotional depth (as seen at the climax of the conflict).
That I went into this story deconstructing it is my own problem-of course the law of averages puts likeable billionaires and their perfect young matches on the spectrum of plausibility somewhere. Congratulations to Daniels, who made me believe it had happened despite my cynicism.
Daniels does a fine job pulling at the heart-strings by telling the story through the eyes and thoughts of mostly these two characters I’ve mentioned. In doing so she gives us just enough about their pasts, accordingly, to show how seemingly harmless items during courtship can mercilessly yank both parties around by their vulnerabilities and threaten an otherwise promising relationship.
The last time I took interest in a millionaire romance was probably some early Mickey Rourke movie, where the guy’s complications and vulnerabilities were twisted together into some kind of puzzle of a knot, and with Rourke’s delivery this was just enough to keep me tilting my head and wondering what led up to the romantic failure in question-and this book is not that. Marc is a standup guy, a real prince, and a billionaire to boot and I’m sure there are many young readers out there who would love to see themselves in either his role or Marlee’s-the lucky woman making the lucky billionaire even luckier. Marlee herself is a character to admire, in her values (as evidenced by her regrets over a past affair with a married man, for which she could not be blamed by any stretch), the love of her work, and her capability of emotional depth (as seen at the climax of the conflict).
That I went into this story deconstructing it is my own problem-of course the law of averages puts likeable billionaires and their perfect young matches on the spectrum of plausibility somewhere. Congratulations to Daniels, who made me believe it had happened despite my cynicism.
July 21, 2018
This is a novella but certainly hits the spot. Marlee is a strong female character with goals and a plan to make her dream come true. Marc is a billionaire. Throw a nasty ex-wife and snowstorm into the mix and you get an interesting love story.
I love the chemistry of the characters and wish I could have spent more time with them.
I love the chemistry of the characters and wish I could have spent more time with them.
May 4, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. We'll written with likable characters. I found some of the conversation a little formal, but worth the read and I look forward to more works by this author.
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