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Roughneck Billionaires #2
Dirty Scoundrel
In a sizzling novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Dirty Money, there’s rich, and then there’s filthy rich when an oil tycoon takes being a roughneck billionaire to a new level.
Clay Price has everything he’s ever wanted, except the one thing money can’t buy—Natalie Weston. Years ago, Clay and Natalie were in love... until she turned down his marriage proposal. Now Clay and his brothers are oil-rich billionaires, and they can have whatever they want. And what Clay wants is Natalie in his bed, no matter what it takes. If it means being ruthless, he’ll do it.
Natalie gave up on true love years ago when the realities of the world destroyed her fairy-tale hopes. Giving up Clay is her biggest regret in life, and she’s excited to see him return... until she finds out why. Clay’s got one hell of a proposal for he’ll save her father’s business and bail Natalie out of debt if she’ll agree to become his very personal assistant. It’s clear that he wants more from her than just typing.
It’s also clear that Natalie has no choice. This scoundrel’s bet could destroy any hope they had of reconciliation—or it could bring them together once and for all...
Clay Price has everything he’s ever wanted, except the one thing money can’t buy—Natalie Weston. Years ago, Clay and Natalie were in love... until she turned down his marriage proposal. Now Clay and his brothers are oil-rich billionaires, and they can have whatever they want. And what Clay wants is Natalie in his bed, no matter what it takes. If it means being ruthless, he’ll do it.
Natalie gave up on true love years ago when the realities of the world destroyed her fairy-tale hopes. Giving up Clay is her biggest regret in life, and she’s excited to see him return... until she finds out why. Clay’s got one hell of a proposal for he’ll save her father’s business and bail Natalie out of debt if she’ll agree to become his very personal assistant. It’s clear that he wants more from her than just typing.
It’s also clear that Natalie has no choice. This scoundrel’s bet could destroy any hope they had of reconciliation—or it could bring them together once and for all...
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 21, 2017
59 people are currently reading
792 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Clare
69 books4,462 followersThis is a pen name for Jill Myles.
Jill Myles has been an incurable romantic since childhood. She reads all the 'naughty parts' of books first, looks for a dirty joke in just about everything, and thinks to this day that the Little House on the Prairie books should have been steamier.
After devouring hundreds of paperback romances, mythology books, and archaeological tomes, she decided to write a few books of her own - stories with a wild adventure, sharp banter, and lots of super-sexy situations. She prefers her heroes alpha and half-dressed, her heroines witty, and she loves nothing more than watching them overcome adversity to fall into bed together.
Jill Myles has been an incurable romantic since childhood. She reads all the 'naughty parts' of books first, looks for a dirty joke in just about everything, and thinks to this day that the Little House on the Prairie books should have been steamier.
After devouring hundreds of paperback romances, mythology books, and archaeological tomes, she decided to write a few books of her own - stories with a wild adventure, sharp banter, and lots of super-sexy situations. She prefers her heroes alpha and half-dressed, her heroines witty, and she loves nothing more than watching them overcome adversity to fall into bed together.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
November 21, 2017
I actually enjoyed the first book in the series. Boone and Ivy's story wasn't perfect but I had a lot of fun reading it. Unfortunately, this book didn't really work for me. As much as I still adore Jessica Clare's writing style, I had a lot of issues with the characters and just the overall story.
The setup was typical for a second-chance romance. Clay and Natalie are in love in high school and are planning a life together. But Clay is from the wrong side of the tracks and Nat's father thinks he's not good enough for Natalie. So he "intervened" and the relationship between Nat and Clay died that same day. Fast forward to seven years after, Clay is now a billionaire and Nat is struggling. All their fortune is gone and her father is sick and needs caring. So Clay stepped in but not out of the kindness of his heart but because he wants to get back at Nat for rejecting him years ago. So that's basically the premise of the story.
My number one problem with it was how little agency the heroine has. I may have been able to excuse that if at the end of the book or during it, she gained a bit of autonomy and was able to make decisions for herself and not just reacting to what the hero is doing. But that didn't really happen. Natalie was basically just a pawn for Clay and her father.
Even during that time when Clay and Nat were in high school and their subsequent breakup, everything that Nat did was reactionary. Things happened to her instead of her affecting things within the story. She never did anything but react to her circumstances. I don't blame her for accepting Clay's offer because she has nowhere to go. It made me hate Clay too because he was basically playing with her. She was nothing but a pawn to him.
Another issue I had with it was how the thing with her father was easily resolved. There was a pivotal moment in the book that should've had a great impact where
Also, I didn't really like Clay. He was wishy-washy throughout the book. He had all the agency in the world and yet it didn't make him interesting at least.
Overall, I can't say I would continue with this series. It's nothing personal but I just don't like reading about billionaire heroes who have all the power while the heroines have none. It was a fun trope before but it's starting to fall out of favor for me.
ARC provided by Berkley
The setup was typical for a second-chance romance. Clay and Natalie are in love in high school and are planning a life together. But Clay is from the wrong side of the tracks and Nat's father thinks he's not good enough for Natalie. So he "intervened" and the relationship between Nat and Clay died that same day. Fast forward to seven years after, Clay is now a billionaire and Nat is struggling. All their fortune is gone and her father is sick and needs caring. So Clay stepped in but not out of the kindness of his heart but because he wants to get back at Nat for rejecting him years ago. So that's basically the premise of the story.
My number one problem with it was how little agency the heroine has. I may have been able to excuse that if at the end of the book or during it, she gained a bit of autonomy and was able to make decisions for herself and not just reacting to what the hero is doing. But that didn't really happen. Natalie was basically just a pawn for Clay and her father.
Even during that time when Clay and Nat were in high school and their subsequent breakup, everything that Nat did was reactionary. Things happened to her instead of her affecting things within the story. She never did anything but react to her circumstances. I don't blame her for accepting Clay's offer because she has nowhere to go. It made me hate Clay too because he was basically playing with her. She was nothing but a pawn to him.
Another issue I had with it was how the thing with her father was easily resolved. There was a pivotal moment in the book that should've had a great impact where
Also, I didn't really like Clay. He was wishy-washy throughout the book. He had all the agency in the world and yet it didn't make him interesting at least.
Overall, I can't say I would continue with this series. It's nothing personal but I just don't like reading about billionaire heroes who have all the power while the heroines have none. It was a fun trope before but it's starting to fall out of favor for me.
ARC provided by Berkley
November 22, 2017
Wonderfully entertaining! Sexy yet heartfelt, mischievous and sweet. Original and engaging.
Holy hot roughneck! I fell hard for Clay Price and his inability to be ruthless and cold because nothing could ever change the fact that his heart belonged to Natalie Weston. Not the fact that she turned down his marriage proposal via her father when he was fresh out of high school, not the seven years it’s been since he saw her and certainly not the millions upon millions he’s now worth after he and his brothers struck black gold. I fell for this bearded sexy, swoony and a bit dirty man who’s determined to get his girl no matter the cost or the completely wrong approach he decided to take.
After she pushed Clay away, life would never be the same for Natalie. Love took a backseat to other more important priorities until seven years later when he came back. But the moment he presents his proposal her hopes wither once more because he’s not the same love struck boy she dated. He’s now a ruthless billionaire who’ll save her from bankruptcy in exchange for her.
Even though Clay’s approach to getting what he’s always wanted, which was Natalie, was absolutely the wrong way to go about it, I couldn’t help but fall for this very caring, thoughtful and guileless man. He’s a very original kind of hero in the romance genre. He’s a bit rough around the edges but his love for Natalie is absolute. It was clear he never stopped loving her and mostly they needed to grow up a bit and learn to communicate.
Just like his brother Boone, this incredibly sexy billionaire is almost too naïve, acting before thinking, throwing money around to get what he wants without apology.
If you look up demure, Natalie’s portrait would most likely show up. She’s modest and shy, understanding and forgiving and she loved Clay just as much as he did her. I really enjoyed watching these two characters come full circle and find their happy ever after.
There was sweetness and sexiness, a bit of drama and genuine heartache. I laughed and smiled and fanned myself and now I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
Dirty Scoundrel is book #2 of the Roughneck Billionaires series by Jessica Clare. It is a standalone contemporary romance told from both points of view with a happy ending.
Amazon -> http://amzn.to/2zQN4pV
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Holy hot roughneck! I fell hard for Clay Price and his inability to be ruthless and cold because nothing could ever change the fact that his heart belonged to Natalie Weston. Not the fact that she turned down his marriage proposal via her father when he was fresh out of high school, not the seven years it’s been since he saw her and certainly not the millions upon millions he’s now worth after he and his brothers struck black gold. I fell for this bearded sexy, swoony and a bit dirty man who’s determined to get his girl no matter the cost or the completely wrong approach he decided to take.
After she pushed Clay away, life would never be the same for Natalie. Love took a backseat to other more important priorities until seven years later when he came back. But the moment he presents his proposal her hopes wither once more because he’s not the same love struck boy she dated. He’s now a ruthless billionaire who’ll save her from bankruptcy in exchange for her.
Even though Clay’s approach to getting what he’s always wanted, which was Natalie, was absolutely the wrong way to go about it, I couldn’t help but fall for this very caring, thoughtful and guileless man. He’s a very original kind of hero in the romance genre. He’s a bit rough around the edges but his love for Natalie is absolute. It was clear he never stopped loving her and mostly they needed to grow up a bit and learn to communicate.
Just like his brother Boone, this incredibly sexy billionaire is almost too naïve, acting before thinking, throwing money around to get what he wants without apology.
If you look up demure, Natalie’s portrait would most likely show up. She’s modest and shy, understanding and forgiving and she loved Clay just as much as he did her. I really enjoyed watching these two characters come full circle and find their happy ever after.
There was sweetness and sexiness, a bit of drama and genuine heartache. I laughed and smiled and fanned myself and now I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
Dirty Scoundrel is book #2 of the Roughneck Billionaires series by Jessica Clare. It is a standalone contemporary romance told from both points of view with a happy ending.
Amazon -> http://amzn.to/2zQN4pV
More reviews * Stalk us on FaceBook * As well as Twitter * Pinterest Board for Book Teasers
September 20, 2017
4 Stars!
Clay and his brothers grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. After working the rigs for years the Price brothers struck oil and are now billionaires. And while they have all the money they can ask for, Clay is still not happy...
Natalie Weston is living her life taking care of her sick father. She tries to make a living and care for him but always wonders in the back of her mind about the boy she let go. The boy she never forgot, her high school love Clay Price. Clay has decided enough is enough and he wants his girl back so he makes her a proposition she can't turn down. Too bad it's not the offer her heart was expecting.
I really loved Clay, it was hard to dislike him despite his initial treatment towards Natalie. He truly loved her too much to treat her badly, and it really showed just how much he needed and cared for this girl.
"She's mine. It just fuels my possessiveness. Natalie was born to be mine, I realize. I'm never lettin' her go. Not now, not ever."
Natalie was a very understanding character, despite knowing the reason that split her and Clay up all those years ago she still remained forgiving and kind. She loved Clay and was a constant support for him whenever he needed her.
An overall great read! Can't wait for the next book in this series :)
ARC provided by Berkley Publishing Group via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
Clay and his brothers grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. After working the rigs for years the Price brothers struck oil and are now billionaires. And while they have all the money they can ask for, Clay is still not happy...
Natalie Weston is living her life taking care of her sick father. She tries to make a living and care for him but always wonders in the back of her mind about the boy she let go. The boy she never forgot, her high school love Clay Price. Clay has decided enough is enough and he wants his girl back so he makes her a proposition she can't turn down. Too bad it's not the offer her heart was expecting.
I really loved Clay, it was hard to dislike him despite his initial treatment towards Natalie. He truly loved her too much to treat her badly, and it really showed just how much he needed and cared for this girl.
"She's mine. It just fuels my possessiveness. Natalie was born to be mine, I realize. I'm never lettin' her go. Not now, not ever."
Natalie was a very understanding character, despite knowing the reason that split her and Clay up all those years ago she still remained forgiving and kind. She loved Clay and was a constant support for him whenever he needed her.
An overall great read! Can't wait for the next book in this series :)
ARC provided by Berkley Publishing Group via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
January 4, 2018
2.5 stars
The first half of this was really good - the love/hate aspect along with the hero trying to be an asshole but not really being one - worked well, but the second half was a letdown. It became boring and overly cheesy, which made me lose interest in the outcome of their story. Not sure I'll bother with the next one anytime soon, if at all.
The first half of this was really good - the love/hate aspect along with the hero trying to be an asshole but not really being one - worked well, but the second half was a letdown. It became boring and overly cheesy, which made me lose interest in the outcome of their story. Not sure I'll bother with the next one anytime soon, if at all.
November 24, 2017
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup. (on the blog 12/5/17)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2zf52PI
Clare has a twist on billionaires that'll have even the most indifferent sitting up and paying attention. The Price brothers? Roughnecks that hit it big and became overnight oil tycoons. They may be billionaires but these guys are still scruffy, crass and rough around all their edges. Mmhm.
The Gist: Revenge. And fucking someone out of your system. This...is the plan. Buy the girl who broke your heart years earlier, fuck her in exchange for paying off her debt, move on. Yeah. Yeah, yall. *pinche bridge of nose* Dick move.
Clay was a prick of epic proportions those first few chapters, whew, and I was fully prepared to hate him. But little glimmers of non assholeishness started peaking through. So I held on. And the little shit turned out to be worth it. Seriously worth it. He's a good guy just, er, misguided. lol But he can be sweet, generous and make a girl swoon.
And Natalie? I adored her. The girl is tough even if she's at her breaking point from caring for her elderly father, overwhelming debt and having literally no daily support. She keeps moving and working hard. I really felt for her and how trapped she felt. By her father, work, the desperate decision to sell herself to start over. She's sweet, kind, willing to forgive and just easy to like. She's also plus sized which was nice to see.
Romance-wise I was nervous but these two both wanted to be where they were despite the shady as fuck contract between them. They make blunders, feelings are hurt but they deal with it and the past issue that caused their breakup and you could tell they really never got over loving one another. And, yall, things were pretty dang steamy! And a little different in the bedroom, too.
Dirty Scoundrel turned out to be a surprisingly sweet second chance romance with characters I found myself rooting for and smiling over when all was said and done. Clare has an interesting series on her hands and I'm loving every second of these unlikely heroes. I'm ready for the next rough and tumble Price brother to fall. I sure am.
June 20, 2019
Recensione in ANTEPRIMA
.
Veronica - per RFS
.
Ciao fenicette, sono di nuovo qui con voi per recensire “L’uomo perfetto non esiste” (Roughneck Billionaires Series Vol. 2) di Jessica Clare. Se avevo amato il primo libro della serie, questo non è stato da meno e devo dire anche che è stato il più sorprendente.
Questo romanzo ci racconta la storia del secondo fratello Price, Clay. Non resisto, ve lo devo proprio dire: questi miliardari un po’ rozzi hanno il loro fascino, non sapete quanto! Clay, a differenza di Boone che è il primogenito, ha un carattere più pacato e funge quasi da paciere, sebbene nei primi capitoli l’autrice mostri un lato diverso della sua personalità, dovuto alla dolorosa ferita causata dal rifiuto di Natalie quando era ancora solo un adolescente (beh, non è proprio tutta colpa di lei, sia ben inteso).
Ma partiamo dall’inizio, come voi tutte appassionate lettrici del primo libro sicuramente saprete, questi cinque fratelli sono diventati tutti ricchissimi solamente da adulti, da ragazzi infatti non erano propriamente benestanti e hanno trascorso la loro vita all’interno di una roulotte. Lei, Natalie Weston, era la ricca figlia di un noto attore di Hollywood. A prima vista i due protagonisti sembrano una coppia male assortita, ma si sono trovati e innamorati nonostante le differenze. Purtroppo le cose non sono andate a finire bene per i due (diciamo non per colpa loro, poveracci!). Dopo sette anni, è tutto notevolmente mutato, o per meglio dire, la loro situazione economica è stata come scambiata, infatti, mentre lui è diventato miliardario, Natalie non era più tanto ricca, anzi, se la vogliamo dire tutta, gravavano su di lei problemi economici molto seri.
Nonostante tutto Clay non l’ha mai dimenticata e si ripresenta nella sua vita con un proposta indecente: Natalie dovrà diventare la sua assistente personale (per così dire…), e, facendo leva sui problemi economici di lei, riesce a farle accettare questo ruolo.
Ok che hai sofferto Clay, ma come puoi trasformarti da uomo sempre pronto a far da paciere in ogni situazione, a stronzo e farabutto in meno di un secondo? Ancora non me ne capacito. Si potrà pure rinsavire, ma “signur”, essere così maligno senza neanche parlare con lei e cercare di capire cosa possa essere successo, non si fa. Lei d’altro canto, ok che ha problemi economici, ma mandarlo a quel paese no… E chiarire neanche. La vendetta è capace di far emergere la stupidità umana in ogni sua forma (che poi lui tanto stolto non è, considerando che non l’ha mai dimenticata), per non parlare poi del puro masochismo, perché ci si debba sentire in colpa poi non lo so, non me lo spiego ancora.
Devo dire che ho amato i due protagonisti ma non vi nascondo che in più di un’occasione avrei voluto scuoterli e dirgli: “ma siete imbecilli o cosa”. Comunicazione tra di voi pari a zero, ho pensato.
L’unica certezza che ho avuto leggendo il libro è stata capire fin dalle prime battute che loro non hanno mai smesso di amarsi, e si sarebbero potuti risparmiare un sacco di problemi. Lo so che non funziona così nei libri, perché non sarebbe divertente.
Se i fratelli Price sono tutti così, ci sarà da divertirsi anche con i loro libri e visto quanti sono, ce ne saranno sicuramente altri.
Tra i personaggi secondari ho amato molto l’amica pazza di Nat e credo che presto la rincontreremo in un suo libro… anzi ne sono certa.
Devo dire che c’è stato un momento scioccante, e non vi dico altro perché dovete leggere il libro, ma quando mi sono imbattuta in quella parte, mi sono detta no, non può essere, non esiste, forse mi sono sbagliata e ho riletto svariate volte il passaggio. Uno di quei colpi di scena che non ti aspetti e che ti lasciano con la bocca aperta e gli occhi spalancati. Non aggiungo altro se no mi sfugge qualche dettaglio di troppo e vi rovino la lettura e questo non lo voglio, perché il libro merita.
Le scene di sesso sono descritte piuttosto bene, io personalmente non le ho trovate eccessivamente volgari ma sono molto dettagliate quindi siete avvisate.
Adoro quest’autrice, ho letto tutti i libri che ha scritto e quando vedo il suo nome su una copertina acquisto il libro a occhi chiusi perché so già che non mi deluderà e ora sarò qui fremente ad aspettare il prossimo libro della serie. È un’ingiustizia che non sia già domani, ma che vogliamo farci, è la vita di noi lettrici compulsive sempre ad attendere la prossima storia.
Come avrete capito il libro mi è piaciuto molto e quindi posso solo consigliarvi di leggerlo il prima possibile e immergervi nella vita di questi uomini rozzi e possessivi. E dico anche viva la rozzezza, nel senso buono del termine, perché su di loro questo lato è molto sexy.
.
Veronica - per RFS
.
Ciao fenicette, sono di nuovo qui con voi per recensire “L’uomo perfetto non esiste” (Roughneck Billionaires Series Vol. 2) di Jessica Clare. Se avevo amato il primo libro della serie, questo non è stato da meno e devo dire anche che è stato il più sorprendente.
Questo romanzo ci racconta la storia del secondo fratello Price, Clay. Non resisto, ve lo devo proprio dire: questi miliardari un po’ rozzi hanno il loro fascino, non sapete quanto! Clay, a differenza di Boone che è il primogenito, ha un carattere più pacato e funge quasi da paciere, sebbene nei primi capitoli l’autrice mostri un lato diverso della sua personalità, dovuto alla dolorosa ferita causata dal rifiuto di Natalie quando era ancora solo un adolescente (beh, non è proprio tutta colpa di lei, sia ben inteso).
Ma partiamo dall’inizio, come voi tutte appassionate lettrici del primo libro sicuramente saprete, questi cinque fratelli sono diventati tutti ricchissimi solamente da adulti, da ragazzi infatti non erano propriamente benestanti e hanno trascorso la loro vita all’interno di una roulotte. Lei, Natalie Weston, era la ricca figlia di un noto attore di Hollywood. A prima vista i due protagonisti sembrano una coppia male assortita, ma si sono trovati e innamorati nonostante le differenze. Purtroppo le cose non sono andate a finire bene per i due (diciamo non per colpa loro, poveracci!). Dopo sette anni, è tutto notevolmente mutato, o per meglio dire, la loro situazione economica è stata come scambiata, infatti, mentre lui è diventato miliardario, Natalie non era più tanto ricca, anzi, se la vogliamo dire tutta, gravavano su di lei problemi economici molto seri.
Nonostante tutto Clay non l’ha mai dimenticata e si ripresenta nella sua vita con un proposta indecente: Natalie dovrà diventare la sua assistente personale (per così dire…), e, facendo leva sui problemi economici di lei, riesce a farle accettare questo ruolo.
Ok che hai sofferto Clay, ma come puoi trasformarti da uomo sempre pronto a far da paciere in ogni situazione, a stronzo e farabutto in meno di un secondo? Ancora non me ne capacito. Si potrà pure rinsavire, ma “signur”, essere così maligno senza neanche parlare con lei e cercare di capire cosa possa essere successo, non si fa. Lei d’altro canto, ok che ha problemi economici, ma mandarlo a quel paese no… E chiarire neanche. La vendetta è capace di far emergere la stupidità umana in ogni sua forma (che poi lui tanto stolto non è, considerando che non l’ha mai dimenticata), per non parlare poi del puro masochismo, perché ci si debba sentire in colpa poi non lo so, non me lo spiego ancora.
Devo dire che ho amato i due protagonisti ma non vi nascondo che in più di un’occasione avrei voluto scuoterli e dirgli: “ma siete imbecilli o cosa”. Comunicazione tra di voi pari a zero, ho pensato.
L’unica certezza che ho avuto leggendo il libro è stata capire fin dalle prime battute che loro non hanno mai smesso di amarsi, e si sarebbero potuti risparmiare un sacco di problemi. Lo so che non funziona così nei libri, perché non sarebbe divertente.
Se i fratelli Price sono tutti così, ci sarà da divertirsi anche con i loro libri e visto quanti sono, ce ne saranno sicuramente altri.
Tra i personaggi secondari ho amato molto l’amica pazza di Nat e credo che presto la rincontreremo in un suo libro… anzi ne sono certa.
Devo dire che c’è stato un momento scioccante, e non vi dico altro perché dovete leggere il libro, ma quando mi sono imbattuta in quella parte, mi sono detta no, non può essere, non esiste, forse mi sono sbagliata e ho riletto svariate volte il passaggio. Uno di quei colpi di scena che non ti aspetti e che ti lasciano con la bocca aperta e gli occhi spalancati. Non aggiungo altro se no mi sfugge qualche dettaglio di troppo e vi rovino la lettura e questo non lo voglio, perché il libro merita.
Le scene di sesso sono descritte piuttosto bene, io personalmente non le ho trovate eccessivamente volgari ma sono molto dettagliate quindi siete avvisate.
Adoro quest’autrice, ho letto tutti i libri che ha scritto e quando vedo il suo nome su una copertina acquisto il libro a occhi chiusi perché so già che non mi deluderà e ora sarò qui fremente ad aspettare il prossimo libro della serie. È un’ingiustizia che non sia già domani, ma che vogliamo farci, è la vita di noi lettrici compulsive sempre ad attendere la prossima storia.
Come avrete capito il libro mi è piaciuto molto e quindi posso solo consigliarvi di leggerlo il prima possibile e immergervi nella vita di questi uomini rozzi e possessivi. E dico anche viva la rozzezza, nel senso buono del termine, perché su di loro questo lato è molto sexy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 21, 2017
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
I can't tell you how excited I was to see that I had been approved to get access to this title. I have been waiting for this book for like FOREVER. I really had a blast with book one Dirty Money. This series is about five brothers, who won the jackpoint rigging for oil and became billionaires overnight. This book is Clay's book and man he is yummy if he is a bit of a jerk sometimes. Now Clay has been in love with Natalie, they were once high school sweethearts. And then they were driven apart on the night he was going to propose to her, and they have been separated for seven long years. Neither Clay or Natalie have ever forgotten or been able to move on. In Clay's mind, there was only one woman for him and its always been Natalie. Natalie has been busy taken care of her father who had a stroke and then suffered from dementia and trying to keep them from going to the poor house. Clay wants Natalie back in his life and is willing to do anything to get her back. So he hatches up a crazy plan with the not so help from one of his brothers. He will give her an offer, take care of all her financial troubles, if she will become his "personal assistant". Yeah kinda a very crazy plan for a man that has an almost endless amount of cash on his hands. But our heroine reluctantly agrees. She hates the idea of practically selling herself to keep herself and her father afloat. But what goes from a sordid arrangement turns into an affair of love and trust and communication. Clay wants to appear hard and mean and a "scoundrel" but he caves the moment Natalie gets emotional.
At first I really struggled with the hero. I so didn't like how he treats Natalie at first, like he wants her to hate him so much he has to treat her like a bedmate. However he really grows on me, because he is SO flawed. He makes mistakes and he admits that they are stupid decisions and he should have just come clean with Natalie about how much he really loves her. Once they get everything out in the open and realize what drove them apart, this is where their relationship really blossoms and boy the swoons these two cause!! I quickly got over my not so good feels for the hero, and fell in love with him and Natalie too. I could see parts of myself in Natalie very easily. She isn't good in big crowds, she is more reserved but hardworking and loyal. I did love how devoted she is to her father despite how bad he treats her and always has in raising her. So I relaly liked how protective Clay was especially when it came to her father. And the family.....boy they were fun and entertaining. They remind me of big burly bears....rough on the edges but have soft and cuddly hearts. And this is true for Clay. He is very rough around the edges for sure, but he hasn't touched another woman since losing Natalie because he has never stopped loving her. *sigh* yeah he is pretty dreamy in moments in this story. I also was drawn to them as a couple. Because they fit so right together. And not just when it comes to sex. Once all the drama gets out of the way, and they learn the truth about each other, they fit like a glove, bound by the hip. They are so at ease with each other, comfortable, and are able to let go of the lost seven years.
Now I did want to mention that there is a bit of a cliffhanger...not really. More like a shocker toward the end. Not about the couple, but something happens to the family that shocked me and one I never saw coming. So fair warning. :0
Dirty Scoundrel is a fast paced, quick witted romance that leaves you laughing and full of smiles from beginning to end. Its packed with real life characters that put the reader through their paces, challenge and get a bit teary eyed in moments. THIS READER HAD A BLAST!!
I can't tell you how excited I was to see that I had been approved to get access to this title. I have been waiting for this book for like FOREVER. I really had a blast with book one Dirty Money. This series is about five brothers, who won the jackpoint rigging for oil and became billionaires overnight. This book is Clay's book and man he is yummy if he is a bit of a jerk sometimes. Now Clay has been in love with Natalie, they were once high school sweethearts. And then they were driven apart on the night he was going to propose to her, and they have been separated for seven long years. Neither Clay or Natalie have ever forgotten or been able to move on. In Clay's mind, there was only one woman for him and its always been Natalie. Natalie has been busy taken care of her father who had a stroke and then suffered from dementia and trying to keep them from going to the poor house. Clay wants Natalie back in his life and is willing to do anything to get her back. So he hatches up a crazy plan with the not so help from one of his brothers. He will give her an offer, take care of all her financial troubles, if she will become his "personal assistant". Yeah kinda a very crazy plan for a man that has an almost endless amount of cash on his hands. But our heroine reluctantly agrees. She hates the idea of practically selling herself to keep herself and her father afloat. But what goes from a sordid arrangement turns into an affair of love and trust and communication. Clay wants to appear hard and mean and a "scoundrel" but he caves the moment Natalie gets emotional.
At first I really struggled with the hero. I so didn't like how he treats Natalie at first, like he wants her to hate him so much he has to treat her like a bedmate. However he really grows on me, because he is SO flawed. He makes mistakes and he admits that they are stupid decisions and he should have just come clean with Natalie about how much he really loves her. Once they get everything out in the open and realize what drove them apart, this is where their relationship really blossoms and boy the swoons these two cause!! I quickly got over my not so good feels for the hero, and fell in love with him and Natalie too. I could see parts of myself in Natalie very easily. She isn't good in big crowds, she is more reserved but hardworking and loyal. I did love how devoted she is to her father despite how bad he treats her and always has in raising her. So I relaly liked how protective Clay was especially when it came to her father. And the family.....boy they were fun and entertaining. They remind me of big burly bears....rough on the edges but have soft and cuddly hearts. And this is true for Clay. He is very rough around the edges for sure, but he hasn't touched another woman since losing Natalie because he has never stopped loving her. *sigh* yeah he is pretty dreamy in moments in this story. I also was drawn to them as a couple. Because they fit so right together. And not just when it comes to sex. Once all the drama gets out of the way, and they learn the truth about each other, they fit like a glove, bound by the hip. They are so at ease with each other, comfortable, and are able to let go of the lost seven years.
Now I did want to mention that there is a bit of a cliffhanger...not really. More like a shocker toward the end. Not about the couple, but something happens to the family that shocked me and one I never saw coming. So fair warning. :0
Dirty Scoundrel is a fast paced, quick witted romance that leaves you laughing and full of smiles from beginning to end. Its packed with real life characters that put the reader through their paces, challenge and get a bit teary eyed in moments. THIS READER HAD A BLAST!!
November 21, 2017
The Roughneck Billionaires series by Jessica Clare has taken me by surprise. Dirty Scoundrel added to that surprise for sure!
Now, let me start with my 2 issues with the story. First, the trope is one of my LEAST favorite: miscommunication. Clay and Natalie were high school sweethearts until a miscommunication tears them apart. Now seven years later, Clay wants revenge. Which brings me to my next issue: Clay was an immature douche canoe for the first 30% of the book. He is so determined to get snooty Natalie to beg him for help and then crush her like a bug. Its not attractive.
With those things out of the way, the story got better for me. I loved that Ivy and Clay's brothers had a hand in attempting to help Clay. Natalie is dealing with a lot: her father is ailing, they have no money, and she has given up everything (Clay, college, a life) to take care of her dad. Her dad? Serious douche canoe. Hell, he is kind of a douche yacht! But, he is her dad and no matter what that isn't something she can turn her back on. Despite what Clay thinks of her, she is very kind hearted. I understood Clay's hurt as well (I wasn't thrilled about his reaction). These two made me sad! You realize how much they missed out on because of that one miscommunication!
Throw in Natalie's super strange BFF with the wackiness of Clay's family and you have some levity to Dirty Scoundrel that makes it a mix of heartbreak and joy! The twist near the end completely surprised me and changed the trajectory of the series for sure!
Finally, a note about the narrators of Dirty Scoundrel, Rudy Sanda and Chandra Skyye. I have long loved Chandra Skyye so I know that any book she narrates will be good. Rudy Sanda was a new to me narrator. He has the southern Texas twang down pretty well. I worry sometimes because
POV: dual 1st
Tears: no
Trope: miscommunication, fake relationship
Triggers: none
Series/Standalone: stand alone within an interconnected series
Cliffhanger:
HEA:
Follow by Tessa Bailey, Rock Chick Reckoning by Kristen Ashley, Axel by Harper Sloan, Kiss Marry Kill by Sidney Halston...then you will probably like Dirty Scoundrel!
Dirty Scoundrel
November 29, 2017
Disir has a great shelf entitled "indifferent shrugs" and I couldn't agree with her more.
I love the idea of a group of roughneck brothers who become oil billionaires and then each meets the woman of their dreams. I enjoyed the first book so I was looking forward to this one.
Clay Price lost the love of his life on the night he was going to ask her father for her hand in marriage. He might have been dirt poor but he was in live. Instead, he got dumped by proxy and, somehow, seven years later, he has never found anyone to replace her AT ALL, despite now being a billionaire.
Natalie Weston had it all seven years ago, the daughter of a fading movie star she was in love with Clay Price and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, until her father told her that Clay didn't want her to go to University and basically wanted her barefoot and pregnant in his trailer. As it happens she never got to go to University because that night her father had a heart attack and her life imploded. Now, seven years later she is broke, looking after her ailing father and trying to make ends meet by running a museum in their home dedicated to her father and his movie memorabilia. She hasn't had a chance to find anyone to replace Clay.
When Clay and Natalie meet again Clay decides he will be ruthless, he will offer Natalie, who has clearly fallen on hard times, a terrible bargain. He will solve all her financial woes if she will be his 'personal assistant' for as long as he wants. And he wants to lose his virginity to the girl he loved all those years ago.
Clay was kind of sweet (also, he comes across as maybe half a sandwich short of a picnic) but he also had a crude way of speaking, which I guess tells the reader he's roughneck! I found the constant use of the C word kind of offensive.
Natalie is a bit of a doormat, her father is manipulative and she lets him get away with it, she has self-esteem issues and jumps at the chance to be with the only man she's ever loved.
Basically, it's a comedy of errors in which Clay and Natalie are too nice to realise that they are in love, Cay throws money at every issue and Natalie worries about her weight.
It was sweet but I didn't love it.
I love the idea of a group of roughneck brothers who become oil billionaires and then each meets the woman of their dreams. I enjoyed the first book so I was looking forward to this one.
Clay Price lost the love of his life on the night he was going to ask her father for her hand in marriage. He might have been dirt poor but he was in live. Instead, he got dumped by proxy and, somehow, seven years later, he has never found anyone to replace her AT ALL, despite now being a billionaire.
Natalie Weston had it all seven years ago, the daughter of a fading movie star she was in love with Clay Price and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, until her father told her that Clay didn't want her to go to University and basically wanted her barefoot and pregnant in his trailer. As it happens she never got to go to University because that night her father had a heart attack and her life imploded. Now, seven years later she is broke, looking after her ailing father and trying to make ends meet by running a museum in their home dedicated to her father and his movie memorabilia. She hasn't had a chance to find anyone to replace Clay.
When Clay and Natalie meet again Clay decides he will be ruthless, he will offer Natalie, who has clearly fallen on hard times, a terrible bargain. He will solve all her financial woes if she will be his 'personal assistant' for as long as he wants. And he wants to lose his virginity to the girl he loved all those years ago.
Clay was kind of sweet (also, he comes across as maybe half a sandwich short of a picnic) but he also had a crude way of speaking, which I guess tells the reader he's roughneck! I found the constant use of the C word kind of offensive.
Natalie is a bit of a doormat, her father is manipulative and she lets him get away with it, she has self-esteem issues and jumps at the chance to be with the only man she's ever loved.
Basically, it's a comedy of errors in which Clay and Natalie are too nice to realise that they are in love, Cay throws money at every issue and Natalie worries about her weight.
It was sweet but I didn't love it.
April 7, 2020
TL;DR: THE PREMISE ALONE GETS AN F FROM ME
***
THE STORY:
The synopsis is way too kind on the actual set up of this book. If I had known what I was actually getting into, I never would have picked this up. Clay Price, the hero, is a disgusting misogynist asshole. He completely takes advantage of Natalie, who is down on her luck and desperate.
The synopsis makes it sound like Clay comes in and offers her a legitimate job and the sexytimes are implied. No. He basically tells her that the "assisting" he needs is with his dick. He continually brings up that he paid for her body. She is self-conscious about the weight she's gained since they first dated, and he brushes her feelings under the rug as unimportant. He essentially tells her that he still finds her screwable so she should be happy with her looks. And then, when she has real and complex feelings about her relationship with her father, he completely dismisses those, too.
I hated this book. I didn't even read the whole thing, line by line. I skimmed through most of it. Natalie's weirdo yoga goth friend was bizarre and essentially a punchline. The death of one of the side characters is completely sudden and only used a plot device. And I don't buy the romance between Natalie and Clay.
TECHNICAL ELEMENTS:
Besides the horrible plot and set up of this book, the poor characterization, and the glaring consent and shaming issues, it wasn't even that well-written. I hated all of the weird redneck slang inserted into the book. The POV switching was awkward and didn't transition well. But by far the worst part is how Clay treats Natalie. It was just irredeemable.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I cannot recommend this book. I will not be reading anything else by this author.
***
BOOK FROM NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
***
THE STORY:
The synopsis is way too kind on the actual set up of this book. If I had known what I was actually getting into, I never would have picked this up. Clay Price, the hero, is a disgusting misogynist asshole. He completely takes advantage of Natalie, who is down on her luck and desperate.
The synopsis makes it sound like Clay comes in and offers her a legitimate job and the sexytimes are implied. No. He basically tells her that the "assisting" he needs is with his dick. He continually brings up that he paid for her body. She is self-conscious about the weight she's gained since they first dated, and he brushes her feelings under the rug as unimportant. He essentially tells her that he still finds her screwable so she should be happy with her looks. And then, when she has real and complex feelings about her relationship with her father, he completely dismisses those, too.
I hated this book. I didn't even read the whole thing, line by line. I skimmed through most of it. Natalie's weirdo yoga goth friend was bizarre and essentially a punchline. The death of one of the side characters is completely sudden and only used a plot device. And I don't buy the romance between Natalie and Clay.
TECHNICAL ELEMENTS:
Besides the horrible plot and set up of this book, the poor characterization, and the glaring consent and shaming issues, it wasn't even that well-written. I hated all of the weird redneck slang inserted into the book. The POV switching was awkward and didn't transition well. But by far the worst part is how Clay treats Natalie. It was just irredeemable.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I cannot recommend this book. I will not be reading anything else by this author.
***
BOOK FROM NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.
July 5, 2018
If this author has heroes like this. Omg I want to read her entire backlog. These brothers are exactly what I crave. Not perfect by any sort of imagination but perfect when you glue all their imperfections together.. Gruff, rude, sweet, Romantic, hot, dirty, passionate, loyal, loving.. Omg 100% faithful from 1st sight.
Yes safety friends..
We've got 2 virgins and that means the rare unicorn of a celibate hero during a 7 yr separation.
Clay was absolutely amazing. I loved Natalie for him. I adored how they figured out what mistakes they made and learned from them
OK then Ms Clare breaks my heart with a side characters situation. I just can't deal!
OK heading to the next book then I'll be looking at all her others.
You've got a #stalker Jessica beware. #TopFav #PerfectHero #oneclicknow #SafeRead
Yes safety friends..
We've got 2 virgins and that means the rare unicorn of a celibate hero during a 7 yr separation.
Clay was absolutely amazing. I loved Natalie for him. I adored how they figured out what mistakes they made and learned from them
OK then Ms Clare breaks my heart with a side characters situation. I just can't deal!
OK heading to the next book then I'll be looking at all her others.
You've got a #stalker Jessica beware. #TopFav #PerfectHero #oneclicknow #SafeRead
January 11, 2018
This is another book from my blogger shame pile. This one appears to have fallen through the cracks in the midst of my move. I remembered enjoying the first book of this series, Dirty Money, so I wanted to make sure that I read this one. If you haven't read the first book, you will want to know the the Price Brothers are small town Texas roughnecks. They grew up dirt poor in a trailer, then got lucky and it it big in the oil business. That's how we now have four roughneck billionaires who haven't been so keen to move out of the trailer park.
Our second roughneck is Clay Price, the nurturing Price brother. Clay is usually the one taking care of people and making them laugh, but he has been down lately. Watching Boone and Ivy get ready for the delivery of their first child, Clay feels like something is missing in his life. He has started thinking about his high school sweetheart, the one that got away and stomped his heart in the process. And when the death of a friend makes him realize just how short life is, Clay decides to follow in Boone's footsteps and throw some money around to get what he wants. I liked Clay for the most part, but I wish there would have been more character development. I don't feel like we got to know him very well. I wanted to know more about his back story and current interests. Otherwise, he is a just a good ol' country boy, and seems to be more nice guy than roughneck.
Natalie Weston lead somewhat of a charmed life growing up as the daughter of a movie star. While she wasn't popular at school, she had a loving father and large family home. She also had a sweet relationship with Clay and didn't need anyone else. But when Natalie's father became overprotective and instigated a big misunderstanding between the couple, Natalie refuses to communicate with Clay and drives him away. Fast forward seven years and Natalie is broke and taking care of an ailing father, and totally unprepared for Clay Price to walk back into her life. Natalie was an okay heroine, but I wished she had better communication skills.
This story is a take on Indecent Proposal, but our nice guy roughneck couldn't quite maintain the scoundrel attitude. These two were driven apart by a misunderstanding and seven years wasn't enough to kill the feelings they felt for one another. However maturity has not quite come with age, and these two still aren't communicating like adults. There were a few times when I wanted to yell at them. But I did like how Clay took care of Natalie, even in the beginning he couldn't help but go beyond what was promised as part of his proposal when it came to taking care of Natalie.
I have a feeling the next book is going to involve Natalie's friend, Lexi, who was the complete opposite of a ray of sunshine. I am looking forward to that.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher, and I switched back and forth from the print book to an audio copy that I picked up from the library. Chandra Skyye is a good narrator and I enjoyed her performance. However, the male narrator sort of killed this story for me. He made Clay sound like Forrest Gump and Natalie like Ellie Mae Clampett. As a southern girl, I hate when people get the southern accent wrong, especially when they make the character sound like redneck rubes. So you may want to stick to print if you have the same pet peeve.
October 12, 2017
Millionaire/Billionaire books aren’t exactly the sort of reads I go after, simply because their implausibility severely impedes my ability to suspend disbelief for this sub-genre in romance. But Jessica Clare’s Roughneck Billionaires who start out dirt poor and had their fortunes skyrocketing because of oil are a bunch of men who defy my expectations of fictional corporate raiders. They’re crude, somewhat unkempt, sometimes brutally uncouth, filterless and madly alpha, which can be a refreshing contrast to the slick, suited men who manage more than swimmingly in both boardroom and bedroom.
‘Dirty Soundrel’ is Clay Price’s book and is pretty much a second-chance romance that picks up 7 years after an acrimonious breakup thanks to a meddling father who thinks the world of himself and less of his daughter and her boyfriend. An idiotic act of revenge however, doesn’t go according to plan and in rather predictable fashion, merely covers emotions that have never quite gone away, though it takes a while for both protagonists to face up to that fact.
Clay and Natalie did have a history together, which made them more believable as a couple. That they’d only had eyes for each other, even all these years later, did convince me that they did want and love each other, though that had gotten lost for a while. I did however, feel for Clay more than I did Nat (whom I thought needed to grow a bit more of a spine) who seemed to embody straight-shooting talk and practical sense in way that I couldn’t help but like him for it. Despite the blunt crudeness and his inability to deal with the opposite sex, Clay’s bumbling honesty and perception actually won me over—again, in contrast to Nat’s loyal blind spot to her father which seemed to suggest that advanced age and failing health are not only perfect reasons to excuse abominable behaviour but that it could be rewarded in the end.
‘Dirty Scoundrel’ is nonetheless, a low-angst read that focused more on the pairing than anything else, sometimes to the exclusion of what I felt were major events that could have been teased out more thoroughly when they happened later in the book. These twists were glossed over a little too easily, as was Nat’s interfering, manipulative (and sick) father’s own ‘happy ending’, so not having proper closure or comeuppance was exactly what my little black heart demanding but didn’t get. Wrapped up with a rushed HEA and an even more abrupt conclusion, ‘Dirty Scoundrel’ unfortunately fell a tad bit short of a great read.
*ARC by Netgalley and the Publisher
‘Dirty Soundrel’ is Clay Price’s book and is pretty much a second-chance romance that picks up 7 years after an acrimonious breakup thanks to a meddling father who thinks the world of himself and less of his daughter and her boyfriend. An idiotic act of revenge however, doesn’t go according to plan and in rather predictable fashion, merely covers emotions that have never quite gone away, though it takes a while for both protagonists to face up to that fact.
Clay and Natalie did have a history together, which made them more believable as a couple. That they’d only had eyes for each other, even all these years later, did convince me that they did want and love each other, though that had gotten lost for a while. I did however, feel for Clay more than I did Nat (whom I thought needed to grow a bit more of a spine) who seemed to embody straight-shooting talk and practical sense in way that I couldn’t help but like him for it. Despite the blunt crudeness and his inability to deal with the opposite sex, Clay’s bumbling honesty and perception actually won me over—again, in contrast to Nat’s loyal blind spot to her father which seemed to suggest that advanced age and failing health are not only perfect reasons to excuse abominable behaviour but that it could be rewarded in the end.
‘Dirty Scoundrel’ is nonetheless, a low-angst read that focused more on the pairing than anything else, sometimes to the exclusion of what I felt were major events that could have been teased out more thoroughly when they happened later in the book. These twists were glossed over a little too easily, as was Nat’s interfering, manipulative (and sick) father’s own ‘happy ending’, so not having proper closure or comeuppance was exactly what my little black heart demanding but didn’t get. Wrapped up with a rushed HEA and an even more abrupt conclusion, ‘Dirty Scoundrel’ unfortunately fell a tad bit short of a great read.
*ARC by Netgalley and the Publisher
November 20, 2017
Dirty Scoundrel is the second book in the Roughneck Billionaires series that is a standalone and a second chance romance.
Clay and Natalie are high school sweethearts. Clay has plans to propose to Natalie after meeting her father, Chap Weston, a former and very famous actor. What he doesn't know is that Chap has plans to break these two up.
Clay is left feeling that he isn't good enough for Natalie and that's why she broke up with him. Natalie is left feeling angry because she thinks Clay is breaking up with her because she wants to go to college and he just wants her to be stay at home wife focusing solely on his needs. Before the matter can be cleared up, Chap has a stroke the night everything blows up.
7 years later and Clay and his brothers are now billionaire's from striking oil. When an employee dies at one of their dig sites, Clay realizes he needs to seize the moment and what he wants to seize is Natalie. He's still angry about the way she ended things so he thinks he can use his billions to buy her to get her out of his system.
This was a strange but cute story. I liked the role reversal of the poor man turned rich and the rich girl turned poor part of the story. Both characters were likable and I wanted to see them together. Clay is not my usual type of Hero but I found that I still really liked him. He was just so nice you can't hate him. Even when he lets his brother talk him into being a scoundrel, it just doesn't work because it isn't who he is.
There is a lot of miscommunication between these two but that's the reason they are separated for 7 years and almost lose out on their second chance. Because of the poor background for Clay and his brothers, I did cringe a lot when the work ain't was used throughout the book. Overall, it was entertaining and I would be interested to read the other brothers stories. ARC provided by Netgalley.
Clay and Natalie are high school sweethearts. Clay has plans to propose to Natalie after meeting her father, Chap Weston, a former and very famous actor. What he doesn't know is that Chap has plans to break these two up.
Clay is left feeling that he isn't good enough for Natalie and that's why she broke up with him. Natalie is left feeling angry because she thinks Clay is breaking up with her because she wants to go to college and he just wants her to be stay at home wife focusing solely on his needs. Before the matter can be cleared up, Chap has a stroke the night everything blows up.
7 years later and Clay and his brothers are now billionaire's from striking oil. When an employee dies at one of their dig sites, Clay realizes he needs to seize the moment and what he wants to seize is Natalie. He's still angry about the way she ended things so he thinks he can use his billions to buy her to get her out of his system.
This was a strange but cute story. I liked the role reversal of the poor man turned rich and the rich girl turned poor part of the story. Both characters were likable and I wanted to see them together. Clay is not my usual type of Hero but I found that I still really liked him. He was just so nice you can't hate him. Even when he lets his brother talk him into being a scoundrel, it just doesn't work because it isn't who he is.
There is a lot of miscommunication between these two but that's the reason they are separated for 7 years and almost lose out on their second chance. Because of the poor background for Clay and his brothers, I did cringe a lot when the work ain't was used throughout the book. Overall, it was entertaining and I would be interested to read the other brothers stories. ARC provided by Netgalley.
July 6, 2019
Salve Confine,
Eccomi con un altro consiglio letterario che penso sia l'ideale per queste giornate da passare sotto l'ombrellone al mare o, ancora meglio, sotto al condizionatore a casa!
Grazie a Newton Compton editori ho potuto leggere il secondo romanzo della serie “Roughneck Billionaires” di Jessica Clare, "L'uomo perfetto non esiste", uscito lo scorso 21 giugno.
Questa volta leggeremo la storia di un altro dei fratelli Price, Clay.
Come suo fratello Boone e gli altri tre, ha guadagnato col petrolio ed è passato da una condizione di miseria a una di estrema ricchezza, ma rimane sempre il solito ragazzo arruffato e sporco di terra rossa che vive in una roulotte.
Ma i soldi sono utili quando vuoi vendicarti di una persona che ti ha spezzato il cuore quando eri solo un adolescente pieno di sogni e speranze e con pochi dollari in tasca.
È così che decide di mettersi sulla strada della sua ex, Natalie Weston, che sette anni fa lo ha lasciato senza neanche una spiegazione, mandando in frantumi i sogni comuni di una vita insieme.
Natalie Weston è la figlia della star Hollywoodiana Chad Weston, ora in pensione, malato e senza neanche un soldo.
Per andare avanti, Natalie è stata cotretta a trasformare il ranch del padre in una sorta di museo dei suoi successi, inoltre deve occuparsi di lui che, dopo un infarto, ha cominciato anche ad ammalarsi di Alzheimer, mettendo in pausa la sua vita.
Il suo cuore è occupato da un amore che è finito nel più triste dei modi, ben sette anni fa, quando il padre le ha comunicato che il suo ragazzo l'aveva lasciata perché non voleva che lei frequentasse il college, così quando se lo ritrova davanti, nel negozio di souvenir del museo, bello, più maturo e sexy da morire con i suoi capelli lunghi e la barba arruffata, Natalie va in tilt.
Clay Price, che ha capito le forti difficoltà economiche della ragazza, le fa un'offerta che non può rifiutare: un contratto secondo il quale lei diventa, per un periodo di tempo la sua assistente (in tutto!) e lui salderà tutti i suoi debiti, farà sistemare il museo e chiamerà delle infermiere professioniste per occuparsi del padre nel periodo della durata del contratto.
Natalie tirerà un respiro, alleggerita dai debiti e lui si riprenderà la rivincita di una vita, facendo sua una donna che di lui non ha voluto più saperne niente, comprandola.
Un progetto fatto a freddo quando ancora non aveva rivisto la sua ex e non era stato travolto dal fuoco della passione.
Ma davvero il buon Clay sarà capace di una cosa del genere?
E Natalie sarà capace di sopportare la situazione nonostante i sentimenti che ancora prova per quell'uomo?
Altro capitolo della nuova serie per la fantastica Jessica Clare, che con questi milionari ci sa proprio fare.
Inutile, come sempre, stare qui a tessere le lodi della sua penna.
Sappiamo già quanto è meravigliosa nel raccontarci le sue storie piene di amore e passione, sentimenti importanti, momenti tensivi contornati da molti momenti divertenti.
Un mix spaziale che risulta una garanzia se si cerca una lettura leggera che fa sorridere, ma anche, all'occorrenza, battere forte il cuore.
Anche questo romanzo, come gli altri, è un piacere da leggere per la sua scorrevolezza e semplicità di linguaggio, per i personaggi brillanti, per i dialoghi vivaci.
Natalie e Clay ci piaceranno moltissimo, tiferemo subito per loro perché da subito sapremo che sono stati vittime inconsapevoli del raggiro del padre di lei, che non voleva che la sua unica figlia andasse in sposa ad uno squattrinato che viveva in una roulotte.
Clay e Nat si appartengono da sempre e lo capiranno un po' tardi, ma quando ci arriveranno sarà per sempre.
Ci sarà un momento veramente triste da leggere e io ci sono rimasta molto male devo dire, ma non posso sbilanciarmi, mentre invece posso dirvi che in questo secondo romanzo si comincia a delineare la dinamica della coppia che sarà protagonista del prossimo. Vedrete di chi parlo quando leggerete.
Una cosa che mi ha delusa un pochino è che, questa volta, la storia tra i protagonisti non ha molti momenti, è un po' rettilinea, senza troppi eventi. Io avrei rubato un po' di pagine alle scene di sesso che, seppure non sono molte, sono comunque lunghe, e avrei dedicato le pagine recuperate a qualche altro episodio di vita dei due ragazzi.
Ma questo è giusto un appunto.
Vi consiglio di non perdere questo romanzo e tutta la serie in modo particolare.
Buona lettura.
voto 3.5
Eccomi con un altro consiglio letterario che penso sia l'ideale per queste giornate da passare sotto l'ombrellone al mare o, ancora meglio, sotto al condizionatore a casa!
Grazie a Newton Compton editori ho potuto leggere il secondo romanzo della serie “Roughneck Billionaires” di Jessica Clare, "L'uomo perfetto non esiste", uscito lo scorso 21 giugno.
Questa volta leggeremo la storia di un altro dei fratelli Price, Clay.
Come suo fratello Boone e gli altri tre, ha guadagnato col petrolio ed è passato da una condizione di miseria a una di estrema ricchezza, ma rimane sempre il solito ragazzo arruffato e sporco di terra rossa che vive in una roulotte.
Ma i soldi sono utili quando vuoi vendicarti di una persona che ti ha spezzato il cuore quando eri solo un adolescente pieno di sogni e speranze e con pochi dollari in tasca.
È così che decide di mettersi sulla strada della sua ex, Natalie Weston, che sette anni fa lo ha lasciato senza neanche una spiegazione, mandando in frantumi i sogni comuni di una vita insieme.
Natalie Weston è la figlia della star Hollywoodiana Chad Weston, ora in pensione, malato e senza neanche un soldo.
Per andare avanti, Natalie è stata cotretta a trasformare il ranch del padre in una sorta di museo dei suoi successi, inoltre deve occuparsi di lui che, dopo un infarto, ha cominciato anche ad ammalarsi di Alzheimer, mettendo in pausa la sua vita.
Il suo cuore è occupato da un amore che è finito nel più triste dei modi, ben sette anni fa, quando il padre le ha comunicato che il suo ragazzo l'aveva lasciata perché non voleva che lei frequentasse il college, così quando se lo ritrova davanti, nel negozio di souvenir del museo, bello, più maturo e sexy da morire con i suoi capelli lunghi e la barba arruffata, Natalie va in tilt.
Clay Price, che ha capito le forti difficoltà economiche della ragazza, le fa un'offerta che non può rifiutare: un contratto secondo il quale lei diventa, per un periodo di tempo la sua assistente (in tutto!) e lui salderà tutti i suoi debiti, farà sistemare il museo e chiamerà delle infermiere professioniste per occuparsi del padre nel periodo della durata del contratto.
Natalie tirerà un respiro, alleggerita dai debiti e lui si riprenderà la rivincita di una vita, facendo sua una donna che di lui non ha voluto più saperne niente, comprandola.
Un progetto fatto a freddo quando ancora non aveva rivisto la sua ex e non era stato travolto dal fuoco della passione.
Ma davvero il buon Clay sarà capace di una cosa del genere?
E Natalie sarà capace di sopportare la situazione nonostante i sentimenti che ancora prova per quell'uomo?
Altro capitolo della nuova serie per la fantastica Jessica Clare, che con questi milionari ci sa proprio fare.
Inutile, come sempre, stare qui a tessere le lodi della sua penna.
Sappiamo già quanto è meravigliosa nel raccontarci le sue storie piene di amore e passione, sentimenti importanti, momenti tensivi contornati da molti momenti divertenti.
Un mix spaziale che risulta una garanzia se si cerca una lettura leggera che fa sorridere, ma anche, all'occorrenza, battere forte il cuore.
Anche questo romanzo, come gli altri, è un piacere da leggere per la sua scorrevolezza e semplicità di linguaggio, per i personaggi brillanti, per i dialoghi vivaci.
Natalie e Clay ci piaceranno moltissimo, tiferemo subito per loro perché da subito sapremo che sono stati vittime inconsapevoli del raggiro del padre di lei, che non voleva che la sua unica figlia andasse in sposa ad uno squattrinato che viveva in una roulotte.
Clay e Nat si appartengono da sempre e lo capiranno un po' tardi, ma quando ci arriveranno sarà per sempre.
Ci sarà un momento veramente triste da leggere e io ci sono rimasta molto male devo dire, ma non posso sbilanciarmi, mentre invece posso dirvi che in questo secondo romanzo si comincia a delineare la dinamica della coppia che sarà protagonista del prossimo. Vedrete di chi parlo quando leggerete.
Una cosa che mi ha delusa un pochino è che, questa volta, la storia tra i protagonisti non ha molti momenti, è un po' rettilinea, senza troppi eventi. Io avrei rubato un po' di pagine alle scene di sesso che, seppure non sono molte, sono comunque lunghe, e avrei dedicato le pagine recuperate a qualche altro episodio di vita dei due ragazzi.
Ma questo è giusto un appunto.
Vi consiglio di non perdere questo romanzo e tutta la serie in modo particolare.
Buona lettura.
voto 3.5
August 15, 2021
fast read, it was fine.
the hero was kinda hot and cold i was not too sure about him, he was truly an asshole at the beginning. idk how i feel about him.
i also don’t like the “girl lost everything had to stay home and not pursue her future” plot, it’s just so common reading about poor girls and billionaires in books it’s 2021 guys
the issues between her dad and clay weren’t even solved in the end?????? why was that even something to begin with then…….
but i’m giving this 3 stars bc they’ve been separated for 7 years and didn’t forget each other at all, they were each other’s firsts and weren’t with anyone during separation :)
the hero was kinda hot and cold i was not too sure about him, he was truly an asshole at the beginning. idk how i feel about him.
i also don’t like the “girl lost everything had to stay home and not pursue her future” plot, it’s just so common reading about poor girls and billionaires in books it’s 2021 guys
the issues between her dad and clay weren’t even solved in the end?????? why was that even something to begin with then…….
but i’m giving this 3 stars bc they’ve been separated for 7 years and didn’t forget each other at all, they were each other’s firsts and weren’t with anyone during separation :)
November 1, 2017
MY RATING: 2.5/5
I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first Jessica Clare book and giving that this is book number two in the series of Roughneck Billionaires, it's not very fair for me to judge the book as part of the series. But seeing that each individual book can be read separately from its own, I'm going to judge solely based on Dirty Scoundrel by itself.
Dirty Scoundrel seemed to be following the troupe of enemies to lover romance and as well as second chance. I prefer my books to have a clear direction in where it is going and I guess because we really don't know what the heck our hero, Clay wants from Nat, I had to knock it down a couple of stars. Because really does Clay want to hate Nat and get her back for the humiliation and heartbreak she supposedly put her through or does he want to win her heart because I'm seriously confused here.
And furthermore, the conflict involved in this book focused majorly on miscommunication and having being manipulated by Nat's father which can be tiresome to read. If you're not into reading a story based on someone playing devils advocate I suggest to skip this one because you're going to have to read a lot about how this man moves the plot.
But you know what? I'll give credit when credit is due and the sex scenes inside dirty scoundrel were sufficient and good. There was tenderness and sweetness from both parties that I cared for immensely.
MY RECOMMENDATION:
It's an enjoyable read that you can get through but the quality in plot may be a whole lot similar to what you've read in the past. Read it if you want something sweet, sexy, and predictable.
I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first Jessica Clare book and giving that this is book number two in the series of Roughneck Billionaires, it's not very fair for me to judge the book as part of the series. But seeing that each individual book can be read separately from its own, I'm going to judge solely based on Dirty Scoundrel by itself.
Dirty Scoundrel seemed to be following the troupe of enemies to lover romance and as well as second chance. I prefer my books to have a clear direction in where it is going and I guess because we really don't know what the heck our hero, Clay wants from Nat, I had to knock it down a couple of stars. Because really does Clay want to hate Nat and get her back for the humiliation and heartbreak she supposedly put her through or does he want to win her heart because I'm seriously confused here.
And furthermore, the conflict involved in this book focused majorly on miscommunication and having being manipulated by Nat's father which can be tiresome to read. If you're not into reading a story based on someone playing devils advocate I suggest to skip this one because you're going to have to read a lot about how this man moves the plot.
But you know what? I'll give credit when credit is due and the sex scenes inside dirty scoundrel were sufficient and good. There was tenderness and sweetness from both parties that I cared for immensely.
MY RECOMMENDATION:
It's an enjoyable read that you can get through but the quality in plot may be a whole lot similar to what you've read in the past. Read it if you want something sweet, sexy, and predictable.
November 26, 2017
ARC provided by NetGalley.
Okay at first I wasn’t so sure about this book. But the more I read the more I loved I understood the things the heroine was going through just recently losing my father. I did not read the first book in this series so I wasn’t familiar with some things he kept talking about with his brother and his wife. Plus this is also my first book by this author. But overall it was a good read. Can’t wait to read the next books in the series.
Merged review:
ARC provided by NetGalley.
Okay at first I wasn’t so sure about this book. But the more I read the more I loved I understood the things the heroine was going through just recently losing my father. I did not read the first book in this series so I wasn’t familiar with some things he kept talking about with his brother and his wife. Plus this is also my first book by this author. But overall it was a good read. Can’t wait to read the next books in the series.
Okay at first I wasn’t so sure about this book. But the more I read the more I loved I understood the things the heroine was going through just recently losing my father. I did not read the first book in this series so I wasn’t familiar with some things he kept talking about with his brother and his wife. Plus this is also my first book by this author. But overall it was a good read. Can’t wait to read the next books in the series.
Merged review:
ARC provided by NetGalley.
Okay at first I wasn’t so sure about this book. But the more I read the more I loved I understood the things the heroine was going through just recently losing my father. I did not read the first book in this series so I wasn’t familiar with some things he kept talking about with his brother and his wife. Plus this is also my first book by this author. But overall it was a good read. Can’t wait to read the next books in the series.
November 2, 2017
Blinded by the thrill of young love, Clay and Natalie have their hearts filled with dreams. As high school sweethearts, the two make plans to marry and spend their lives together. A plan that is quickly met with resistance from Natalie’s father. After a little meddling on Natalie’s father’s part, the two find themselves fighting over the future. A relationship that fizzled after a lack of communication. An ending that would change the paths that these two would embark upon.
Now 7 years have passed since that break up, and Clay and Natalie are leading very different lives. With a plan of revenge in place, Clay heads back to the town that he once called home. When he lays eyes on Natalie, Clay quickly realizes that life is slightly different for the one that he use to love with all of his heart. Those feelings are pushed to the side because Clay has a proposition that will change Natalie’s life as she knows it.
What could go wrong when the man you used to love comes back into town as a billionaire?? Natalie knows that she is between a rock and a hard place with keeping her father’s property afloat. When Clay propositions Natalie, she gives up all of her dignity and decides she has nothing to lose. As the two quickly learn, its hard to ignore the feelings you have for that one true love. Destiny and fate will push these two to face a love that never quite fizzled out.
Dirty Scoundrel captured my attention right from the moment I read the blurb. Expecting a book with some seriously explosive fun, I dived right into reading. What I found was a bit disappointing. A plot that was by far appealing, but an execution that seemed to fall quite flat. There were parts of the story that were a bit unbelievable, and I can’t quite explain or it would give away major spoilers. So - I will do my best to explain what I think without giving away anything major.
The manipulation that kept Natalie and Clay apart for years was completely believable. A plan of revenge a temptation that made you want to glue yourself to the pages. That’s when things seem to get into the ‘falling flat’ pattern. There were twists that made you believe something ‘epic’ was headed your way. Then the ‘epic’ events never unfolded. There were a barrage of events that seemed to overshadow these twists. A little hard to explain without giving away details, but I can say the rushed HEA ending left me wondering why the ‘meat’ of the plot wasn’t the focus of this book!
Now 7 years have passed since that break up, and Clay and Natalie are leading very different lives. With a plan of revenge in place, Clay heads back to the town that he once called home. When he lays eyes on Natalie, Clay quickly realizes that life is slightly different for the one that he use to love with all of his heart. Those feelings are pushed to the side because Clay has a proposition that will change Natalie’s life as she knows it.
What could go wrong when the man you used to love comes back into town as a billionaire?? Natalie knows that she is between a rock and a hard place with keeping her father’s property afloat. When Clay propositions Natalie, she gives up all of her dignity and decides she has nothing to lose. As the two quickly learn, its hard to ignore the feelings you have for that one true love. Destiny and fate will push these two to face a love that never quite fizzled out.
Dirty Scoundrel captured my attention right from the moment I read the blurb. Expecting a book with some seriously explosive fun, I dived right into reading. What I found was a bit disappointing. A plot that was by far appealing, but an execution that seemed to fall quite flat. There were parts of the story that were a bit unbelievable, and I can’t quite explain or it would give away major spoilers. So - I will do my best to explain what I think without giving away anything major.
The manipulation that kept Natalie and Clay apart for years was completely believable. A plan of revenge a temptation that made you want to glue yourself to the pages. That’s when things seem to get into the ‘falling flat’ pattern. There were twists that made you believe something ‘epic’ was headed your way. Then the ‘epic’ events never unfolded. There were a barrage of events that seemed to overshadow these twists. A little hard to explain without giving away details, but I can say the rushed HEA ending left me wondering why the ‘meat’ of the plot wasn’t the focus of this book!
November 19, 2017
“I ain’t cut out to be a scoundrel. All I know how to do is be in love with you.”
You know, I’m trying to think of the best way to describe Dirty Scoundrel by Jessica Clare, and the first word that comes to mind is eccentric. Which is pretty accurate, when I think about it.
This is fun ride. It’s one of those books which makes me think I should maybe . . . probably . . . kind of abhor the hero, Clay, and his actions at first, but actually ended up finding them to be somewhat sweetly misguided. I mean, yeah, he starts off as a bit of a jerk, but the way Ms. Clare gives his inner conflict voice is quite charming, highlights his (many) flaws, and makes him a little more forgivable.
And definitely redeemable. Which is why I couldn’t seem to put this one down. I love how left of center these Roughneck Billionaires are. The Price brothers are unabashed rednecks, but they’re also good people. Okayyyyy, maybe not always, but their hearts come across as being in the right place, and that makes me feel a little warm and smooshy inside.
Which is a feeling I carried through much of this book. Natalie’s kind heart, forgiving nature and quirky friendship with Lexi certainly brought it on, as did Clay’s bickering, fighting, teasing relationship with his brothers. The way Clay and Nat skirted around each other even managed to bring it on—even as, sometimes, I wanted to roll my eyes at them.
Look, I feel like this one is not going to be for everyone. It’s crazy hot and a little bit silly—though there are one or two touching, emotional moments—but it’s also chockful of rough speak, crude remarks and questionable morals. And for me, it worked. It captured and held my attention. It made me laugh and feel good. It certainly brought my sanity into question at times.
And, ultimately, it all boiled down to one word, said with affection for this book and series: eccentric.
Thought I could be ruthless. A scoundrel.
I’m clearly an idiot, ‘cause right about now, all I want is to comfort Natalie and prove how much I love her. That I ain’t never stopped lovin’ her.
~ 4.5 Indecent Proposal STARS ~
You know, I’m trying to think of the best way to describe Dirty Scoundrel by Jessica Clare, and the first word that comes to mind is eccentric. Which is pretty accurate, when I think about it.
This is fun ride. It’s one of those books which makes me think I should maybe . . . probably . . . kind of abhor the hero, Clay, and his actions at first, but actually ended up finding them to be somewhat sweetly misguided. I mean, yeah, he starts off as a bit of a jerk, but the way Ms. Clare gives his inner conflict voice is quite charming, highlights his (many) flaws, and makes him a little more forgivable.
And definitely redeemable. Which is why I couldn’t seem to put this one down. I love how left of center these Roughneck Billionaires are. The Price brothers are unabashed rednecks, but they’re also good people. Okayyyyy, maybe not always, but their hearts come across as being in the right place, and that makes me feel a little warm and smooshy inside.
Which is a feeling I carried through much of this book. Natalie’s kind heart, forgiving nature and quirky friendship with Lexi certainly brought it on, as did Clay’s bickering, fighting, teasing relationship with his brothers. The way Clay and Nat skirted around each other even managed to bring it on—even as, sometimes, I wanted to roll my eyes at them.
Look, I feel like this one is not going to be for everyone. It’s crazy hot and a little bit silly—though there are one or two touching, emotional moments—but it’s also chockful of rough speak, crude remarks and questionable morals. And for me, it worked. It captured and held my attention. It made me laugh and feel good. It certainly brought my sanity into question at times.
And, ultimately, it all boiled down to one word, said with affection for this book and series: eccentric.
Thought I could be ruthless. A scoundrel.
I’m clearly an idiot, ‘cause right about now, all I want is to comfort Natalie and prove how much I love her. That I ain’t never stopped lovin’ her.
~ 4.5 Indecent Proposal STARS ~
December 22, 2017
Oh my, I kinda adore these rough, grumbly, dirty Roughneck Billionaires. They're so much fun to watch getting themselves in and out of trouble with the women in their lives! And Clay was no exception.
He's still trying to get over the love of his life, one Natalie Weston. Sure Clay has money, a job he loves and his brothers, but he's missing one thing: someone to share it all with.
Natalie is struggling. Forced to give up her dreams to take care of her ailing father, Natalie has never been able to give up on her one true love: Clay Price. So when he re-appears after seven years, she can't help but hope that maybe just maybe Clay feels the same way. Even if he's going about it completely the wrong way!
Sigh. I loved Clay. Seriously. I adored how he tried so hard to be a jackass and just couldn't pull it off. I loved the interactions with his brothers and how they treat each other as brothers are wont to do. I loved how he loved Natalie and was so worried about screwing things up that his worries really did make him screw up.
Now, Natalie, I struggled with a bit. She wasn't quite a doormat, but she didn't stand up for herself much, except when she was giving it back to Clay. But when it came to dealing with her manipulative father, she just cowed. And boy that man was a master manipulator.
Overall, I really did enjoy the enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance between Clay and Natalie. There were plenty of hot and sexy times, plenty of swoons, many cringes, and lots of brotherly love, even in the worst of times. I'm really looking forward to Gage's book! ~ Missy, 4 stars
He's still trying to get over the love of his life, one Natalie Weston. Sure Clay has money, a job he loves and his brothers, but he's missing one thing: someone to share it all with.
Natalie is struggling. Forced to give up her dreams to take care of her ailing father, Natalie has never been able to give up on her one true love: Clay Price. So when he re-appears after seven years, she can't help but hope that maybe just maybe Clay feels the same way. Even if he's going about it completely the wrong way!
Sigh. I loved Clay. Seriously. I adored how he tried so hard to be a jackass and just couldn't pull it off. I loved the interactions with his brothers and how they treat each other as brothers are wont to do. I loved how he loved Natalie and was so worried about screwing things up that his worries really did make him screw up.
Now, Natalie, I struggled with a bit. She wasn't quite a doormat, but she didn't stand up for herself much, except when she was giving it back to Clay. But when it came to dealing with her manipulative father, she just cowed. And boy that man was a master manipulator.
Overall, I really did enjoy the enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance between Clay and Natalie. There were plenty of hot and sexy times, plenty of swoons, many cringes, and lots of brotherly love, even in the worst of times. I'm really looking forward to Gage's book! ~ Missy, 4 stars
August 27, 2019
Vieni a leggere la recensione su: CrazyForRomance
Per acquistare il libro clicca qui
Ebbene sì, sono tornati i buzzurri arricchiti di Jessica Clare, e io non posso che esserne felice.
La serie si concentra su un gruppo di fratelli del sud degli stati uniti che ha fatto fortuna con il petrolio; lo stesso nome della serie, Roughneck, indica proprio gli operai dei pozzi petroliferi. Sono tutti ragazzi che hanno sempre lavorato duro, in un lavoro pesante e rischioso; perciò questo successo e i soldi se li sono guadagnati col sudore e col sangue. Per questo motivo sono piuttosto incline a perdonare i loro modi rozzi e ignoranti.
A me serve un eroe.
Siccome ho solo Clay Price, dovrò accontentarmi di lui.
Se nel precedente avevamo conosciuto Boone, il fratello maggiore, in questo nuovo volume facciamo la conoscenza di Clay, uno dei fratelli di mezzo. Clay è il più buono di tutti i fratelli. Quando vuoi qualcuno che faccia da paciere, qualcuno che perori la tua causa, qualcuno che rallegri l’atmosfera è a lui che ti rivolgi.
Ma Clay si è stancato di essere quello sempre buono, quello che incassa sempre i colpi con un sorriso. Ha deciso che è ora di cambiare registro e la prima cosa che farà sarà vendicarsi della sua ex che sette anni prima gli ha spezzato il cuore.
Lei, un ricca figlia di un attore famoso, l’ha malamente rifiutato dichiarando che non avrebbe mai sposato uno come lui.
Peccato che in realtà ci sia stato un grosso malinteso e quando la verità verrà fuori, riuscirà Clay a portare a termine la sua vendetta?
Continua a leggere la recensione su: CrazyForRomance
Per acquistare il libro clicca qui
Ebbene sì, sono tornati i buzzurri arricchiti di Jessica Clare, e io non posso che esserne felice.
La serie si concentra su un gruppo di fratelli del sud degli stati uniti che ha fatto fortuna con il petrolio; lo stesso nome della serie, Roughneck, indica proprio gli operai dei pozzi petroliferi. Sono tutti ragazzi che hanno sempre lavorato duro, in un lavoro pesante e rischioso; perciò questo successo e i soldi se li sono guadagnati col sudore e col sangue. Per questo motivo sono piuttosto incline a perdonare i loro modi rozzi e ignoranti.
A me serve un eroe.
Siccome ho solo Clay Price, dovrò accontentarmi di lui.
Se nel precedente avevamo conosciuto Boone, il fratello maggiore, in questo nuovo volume facciamo la conoscenza di Clay, uno dei fratelli di mezzo. Clay è il più buono di tutti i fratelli. Quando vuoi qualcuno che faccia da paciere, qualcuno che perori la tua causa, qualcuno che rallegri l’atmosfera è a lui che ti rivolgi.
Ma Clay si è stancato di essere quello sempre buono, quello che incassa sempre i colpi con un sorriso. Ha deciso che è ora di cambiare registro e la prima cosa che farà sarà vendicarsi della sua ex che sette anni prima gli ha spezzato il cuore.
Lei, un ricca figlia di un attore famoso, l’ha malamente rifiutato dichiarando che non avrebbe mai sposato uno come lui.
Peccato che in realtà ci sia stato un grosso malinteso e quando la verità verrà fuori, riuscirà Clay a portare a termine la sua vendetta?
Continua a leggere la recensione su: CrazyForRomance
November 20, 2017
***ARC Provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley***
3.5 Stars
Billionaires are, well, billionaires. They are suave, they are sophisticated, they live in mansions and they eat caviar.
At least that is the stereotype. And, then you meet the Price brothers. They are a different kind of billionaire...the kind that still live in the trailers where they grew up, or where they lived before they struck it rich.
And, they are so fun. They are different and there is an appeal to each story as they are different and they feel more accessible for this "normalcy"...even though they are a little rough around the edges.
Clay and Natalie were together when they were younger, and they split up after being manipulated by her father, which you learn very early in the story. And, well, Clay is not over Natalie and this makes him angry (although they don't know there was manipulation until later in the story) and, well, now he has money and he knows he can make people do what he wants in order to get access to that money.
I enjoyed this book overall, it was fun. There were parts of it that were a little over the top and while they did not totally work for me, I think they were intentional on the part of the author.
I recommend this title and I am looking forward to the next one in the series.
3.5 Stars
Billionaires are, well, billionaires. They are suave, they are sophisticated, they live in mansions and they eat caviar.
At least that is the stereotype. And, then you meet the Price brothers. They are a different kind of billionaire...the kind that still live in the trailers where they grew up, or where they lived before they struck it rich.
And, they are so fun. They are different and there is an appeal to each story as they are different and they feel more accessible for this "normalcy"...even though they are a little rough around the edges.
Clay and Natalie were together when they were younger, and they split up after being manipulated by her father, which you learn very early in the story. And, well, Clay is not over Natalie and this makes him angry (although they don't know there was manipulation until later in the story) and, well, now he has money and he knows he can make people do what he wants in order to get access to that money.
I enjoyed this book overall, it was fun. There were parts of it that were a little over the top and while they did not totally work for me, I think they were intentional on the part of the author.
I recommend this title and I am looking forward to the next one in the series.
March 31, 2018
Jessica Clare’s Dirty Scoundrel is the second book in her Roughneck Billionaires series. It’s also the first novel of hers that I’ve read, part of my quest to read more new to me authors this year (though she’d been on my to-read list for a while). The series name gives a good hint as to the background plot, that of poor ‘wrong side of the tracks’ brothers who strike it rich with a surprise find of oil on their land. Dirty Scoundrel is a second chance romance with a side of revenge, but if revenge is a dish best served cold, it’s doomed to fail in this hot and sexy story.
Seven years earlier, Clay Price had been in love with Natalie Weston and planned to propose. He knew he was probably not the sort of man her famous movie star father would approve of as a son-in-law, but while his pockets were empty, his heart was sincere. But somehow, things had gotten twisted all around and he and Natalie had broken up instead, with Clay believing that Natalie had been playing him for a fool all along. He headed off to follow in his father’s footsteps on an oil rig and put Natalie out of his mind, though she still claimed a piece of his heart. Now a wealthy billionaire and, along with his four brothers, owner of Price Brothers Oil, Clay has come home. He’s got money, he’s got success, but it’s not enough.
Where things have gone well for Clay, they haven’t gone so well for Natalie. Her father suffered a stroke on the night that she and Clay broke up, and while he thought she’d headed off to college and forgotten him, she’d in fact stayed behind to care for her father, discovering that he’d spent most of his money and leaving her to find a way to make ends meet. Natalie turned their ranch home into a museum with memorabilia from her father’s films, but it’s starting to get run down, and the medical bills are racking up.
Clay decides that if being nice doesn’t get him what he wants, then he’ll have to be ruthless. To that end, when he discovers Natalie’s circumstances, he offers her a deal. If she’ll agree to be at his beck and call as his ‘personal assistant’, he’ll pay all her outstanding bills and arrange for home care for her father so that she can be free to spend her days and nights with Clay. Natalie knows she can’t afford to turn Clay down, and reluctantly agrees to his blackmail. The sweet and caring man she knew has been replaced by a cold, hard, arrogant one. But the passion between them burns just as bright as it once did. Can it lead them back to love?
Based on the characterisations and actions of the principals, this romance straddles the line between the contemporary and new adult genres. When Natalie and Clay are first together, they are seventeen and they’ve both just finished high school. While there are a couple of flashback scenes, the majority of the story takes place seven years later – meaning they are twenty five, which seems pretty young for Clay to be a billionaire. The story is told in first person point of view, alternating between Clay and Natalie, and their general behavior and thought patterns are those of people in their twenties still finding their way. As well, Natalie has a best friend, Lexi, who runs a yoga studio and whom she texts with often. The text messages are yet another sign of the new adult nature of the story, as their messages to each other are more like those of teenagers than older adults.
Interestingly, while Natalie and Clay fooled around when they were first together, they never consummated their relationship in high school and are both still virgins. After they broke up, Clay put all his energy into his work and Natalie had found herself as caregiver for her elderly father (he was eighty when she was seventeen, and his last wife had abandoned him after his stroke). I was worried that in their first sexual encounter (which is hot by the way!) Clay would come across as too experienced for a self-professed virgin, but in fact, the author does a very good job of making them both hesitant but eager. For a ‘ruthless’ man, Clay doesn’t do anything without Natalie’s consent, and isn’t afraid to ask her if he’s doing things right (nor is Natalie shy to tell him what to do to make things better). For a little while they can forget the actual circumstances that have brought them together and indulge in their old feelings and the chance to make up for lost time. Once they start having sex, they’re both pretty addicted to it and there are several steamy scenes throughout the story. Natalie doesn’t have the figure she had in high school, and this makes her quite self-conscious but to his credit, Clay couldn’t care less that she’s not as thin as she used to be. In his eyes, she’s simply Natalie, and he’s as attracted to her now as he was then.
As with most series that involve family members, there are several scenes with Clay and his brothers that show their close ties. He talks the most with his brother Knox, who is his sounding board and gives him advice. Clay – of course – turns out to be not such a heartless fellow after all. In a variety of ways he surprises Natalie with little things that aren’t part of their contract, signs of the boy with whom she once fell in love. I really liked how the story unfolds as Clay realizes that his plan for revenge is failing miserably. There are some surprises that take things in a more serious direction than I’d expected but which drive Clay and Natalie to decide where their real future lies. Clay is definitely a roughneck – in language and actions – but is willing to own up to his mistakes and apologize, which makes him solid hero material despite a questionable start. Though I think an older couple would have kept the story on firm contemporary romance versus new adult ground, Dirty Scoundrel is an enjoyable and sexy story and I definitely plan to continue the series.
This review is also posted at All About Romance: https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Seven years earlier, Clay Price had been in love with Natalie Weston and planned to propose. He knew he was probably not the sort of man her famous movie star father would approve of as a son-in-law, but while his pockets were empty, his heart was sincere. But somehow, things had gotten twisted all around and he and Natalie had broken up instead, with Clay believing that Natalie had been playing him for a fool all along. He headed off to follow in his father’s footsteps on an oil rig and put Natalie out of his mind, though she still claimed a piece of his heart. Now a wealthy billionaire and, along with his four brothers, owner of Price Brothers Oil, Clay has come home. He’s got money, he’s got success, but it’s not enough.
Where things have gone well for Clay, they haven’t gone so well for Natalie. Her father suffered a stroke on the night that she and Clay broke up, and while he thought she’d headed off to college and forgotten him, she’d in fact stayed behind to care for her father, discovering that he’d spent most of his money and leaving her to find a way to make ends meet. Natalie turned their ranch home into a museum with memorabilia from her father’s films, but it’s starting to get run down, and the medical bills are racking up.
Clay decides that if being nice doesn’t get him what he wants, then he’ll have to be ruthless. To that end, when he discovers Natalie’s circumstances, he offers her a deal. If she’ll agree to be at his beck and call as his ‘personal assistant’, he’ll pay all her outstanding bills and arrange for home care for her father so that she can be free to spend her days and nights with Clay. Natalie knows she can’t afford to turn Clay down, and reluctantly agrees to his blackmail. The sweet and caring man she knew has been replaced by a cold, hard, arrogant one. But the passion between them burns just as bright as it once did. Can it lead them back to love?
Based on the characterisations and actions of the principals, this romance straddles the line between the contemporary and new adult genres. When Natalie and Clay are first together, they are seventeen and they’ve both just finished high school. While there are a couple of flashback scenes, the majority of the story takes place seven years later – meaning they are twenty five, which seems pretty young for Clay to be a billionaire. The story is told in first person point of view, alternating between Clay and Natalie, and their general behavior and thought patterns are those of people in their twenties still finding their way. As well, Natalie has a best friend, Lexi, who runs a yoga studio and whom she texts with often. The text messages are yet another sign of the new adult nature of the story, as their messages to each other are more like those of teenagers than older adults.
Interestingly, while Natalie and Clay fooled around when they were first together, they never consummated their relationship in high school and are both still virgins. After they broke up, Clay put all his energy into his work and Natalie had found herself as caregiver for her elderly father (he was eighty when she was seventeen, and his last wife had abandoned him after his stroke). I was worried that in their first sexual encounter (which is hot by the way!) Clay would come across as too experienced for a self-professed virgin, but in fact, the author does a very good job of making them both hesitant but eager. For a ‘ruthless’ man, Clay doesn’t do anything without Natalie’s consent, and isn’t afraid to ask her if he’s doing things right (nor is Natalie shy to tell him what to do to make things better). For a little while they can forget the actual circumstances that have brought them together and indulge in their old feelings and the chance to make up for lost time. Once they start having sex, they’re both pretty addicted to it and there are several steamy scenes throughout the story. Natalie doesn’t have the figure she had in high school, and this makes her quite self-conscious but to his credit, Clay couldn’t care less that she’s not as thin as she used to be. In his eyes, she’s simply Natalie, and he’s as attracted to her now as he was then.
As with most series that involve family members, there are several scenes with Clay and his brothers that show their close ties. He talks the most with his brother Knox, who is his sounding board and gives him advice. Clay – of course – turns out to be not such a heartless fellow after all. In a variety of ways he surprises Natalie with little things that aren’t part of their contract, signs of the boy with whom she once fell in love. I really liked how the story unfolds as Clay realizes that his plan for revenge is failing miserably. There are some surprises that take things in a more serious direction than I’d expected but which drive Clay and Natalie to decide where their real future lies. Clay is definitely a roughneck – in language and actions – but is willing to own up to his mistakes and apologize, which makes him solid hero material despite a questionable start. Though I think an older couple would have kept the story on firm contemporary romance versus new adult ground, Dirty Scoundrel is an enjoyable and sexy story and I definitely plan to continue the series.
This review is also posted at All About Romance: https://allaboutromance.com/book-revi...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
April 11, 2018
This was such a sweet second chance romance. Clay and Nat are such an easy couple to love and I just love all the supporting characters. I can’t wait for every Price Brother to get their own story. I love a blue collared H and this series takes the cake in that category, rags to riches and all that. There was something so sweet about this two first loves reuniting. Even when Clay was being a “Dirty Scoundral” he still had so many redeeming qualities.
August 31, 2021
I liked the premise of this book, but I didn't love the execution. Doormat heroines and scheming heroes don't appeal to me as much as they once may have. I didn't like the indecent proposal or the way Clay talked about Natalie. This is my first book by Jessica Clare and I will pick up another book by her in the future, but this one just didn't work for me.
December 31, 2017
1.5 Stars
I haaaaate giving this book such a low score, but it was just horribly done. From the writing to the plot, it just fell flat. I really liked the first book, but this was like someone else wrote it. Not my cup of tea.
I haaaaate giving this book such a low score, but it was just horribly done. From the writing to the plot, it just fell flat. I really liked the first book, but this was like someone else wrote it. Not my cup of tea.
July 3, 2019
3.5, carino come il primo, un po’ surreali ma per svagarsi sono ottimi!!
October 14, 2017
Dirty Scoundrel is another fun and sexy read by Jessica Clare. The hero here- Clay, the brother of the hero from the first book isn't as caveman alpha as his brother but he does have some of those tendencies (more toned down) when it concerns the heroine, Natalie. He wants revenge for her dumping him when she went off to college because her father manipulated the situation. But Clay still has strong feelings for Natalie, so his form of revenge is helping her and her now sick father (he has dementia), and give her great loving while he's at it so she'll never leave him again.
This is a rags to riches reunion romance of sorts. When Natalie was 17, she had the entire world at her feet because her father was a big time celebrity actor with money to burn through. Clay was dirt poor, and Natalie's father didn't think he was good enough for his daughter. He made Clay believe Natalie was only using him for fun since why would she want Clay when she's rich? Well, the tables were quickly turned. Clay became a multi-millionaire, and Natalie doesn't have two pennies to rub together. Her life is sad and depressing because she takes care of her father 24/7 while trying to make a go of a museum of sorts in their crumbling down mansion. When Clay re-enters the pictures, things turn around for Natalie in much better ways.
Clay does try to prove he's an alpha millionaire, but he's really a beta hero at heart. He adores Natalie even though he tries to blackmail her into being his assistant with benefits on the side. You'd think as the reader this would be disgusting, but Clay can't go through with it because he doesn't want to hurt Natalie. So he gives in and treats her like the princess, his princess.
The love scenes are uber hot, which has become Clare's trademark style. Clay and Natalie have great chemistry, and their dialogue is honest and true. There are nice moments of humor also.
A must read fun time contemporary romance that Jessica Clare is well known for. Also a rich bearded hero who throw his money away to make his woman happy is a big plus for me!
This is a rags to riches reunion romance of sorts. When Natalie was 17, she had the entire world at her feet because her father was a big time celebrity actor with money to burn through. Clay was dirt poor, and Natalie's father didn't think he was good enough for his daughter. He made Clay believe Natalie was only using him for fun since why would she want Clay when she's rich? Well, the tables were quickly turned. Clay became a multi-millionaire, and Natalie doesn't have two pennies to rub together. Her life is sad and depressing because she takes care of her father 24/7 while trying to make a go of a museum of sorts in their crumbling down mansion. When Clay re-enters the pictures, things turn around for Natalie in much better ways.
Clay does try to prove he's an alpha millionaire, but he's really a beta hero at heart. He adores Natalie even though he tries to blackmail her into being his assistant with benefits on the side. You'd think as the reader this would be disgusting, but Clay can't go through with it because he doesn't want to hurt Natalie. So he gives in and treats her like the princess, his princess.
The love scenes are uber hot, which has become Clare's trademark style. Clay and Natalie have great chemistry, and their dialogue is honest and true. There are nice moments of humor also.
A must read fun time contemporary romance that Jessica Clare is well known for. Also a rich bearded hero who throw his money away to make his woman happy is a big plus for me!
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