A Sibling's Dilemma

by Molly V. Lovell

Edric Kensington promised himself that he would never be close to anyone outside of his family. Ellie Kent promised herself that she would always do what she thought was right no matter what. Cassie Kent promised herself that she would never date a married man. Sometimes promises get broken. Sometimes feelings get hurt. Sometimes friendships collapse. Sometimes standards slip. And yet, sometimes people overcome their flaws and find love.

A Sibling’s Dilemma is a contemporary romance novel that revolves around two sisters: Cassie and Ellie Kent. Cassie is a private detective and Ellie is a recent college graduate. Cassie is hired by Charlie Logan, the CEO of a company specializing in virtual reality games, to spy on Charlie’s greatest professional rival—Edric Kensington. This is no easy task--Edric Kensington is known for being as cold and guarded as he is handsome. To successfully infiltrate Edric’s company, Cassie needs to have an insider work there. Her shy-and-sweet sister, Ellie, is the perfect fit. When Ellie first works for Edric’s company, she is afraid of the cold and aloof CEO, but, over time, she develops romantic feelings for him, just like Cassie develops feelings for Charlie Logan. The two sisters become torn between their friendship with each other and the feelings that they harbor for the handsome CEOs who have stolen their hearts.

303 pages, Unknown Binding

Published August 25, 2017

About the author

Molly V. Lovell is a law student at William and Mary by day, novelist by night. Her hobbies include writing (obviously), painting, looking at cute puppies, and reading books about political theory, a subject that Molly has a Master’s Degree in. Molly was born and raised in Amesbury, Massachusetts, by her two amazing parents and she now lives in Hyattsville, Maryland, with her loving husband.

Reviews

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bwahahahaha!!! Love it!

So, there are basically two love stories happening here. The men are wealthy CEOs. They both are heads of technology-driven empires. The sisters are getting by. Cassie is a private investigator, and Ellie, for all intents and purposes, is a college graduate with a Master’s degree. One relationship is healthy, in a naïve way. The couple is slow to express feelings towards each other. They bring out the best in each other. The other is just bad. Bad, bad, and more bad.

I always side with the strong confident female lead character. In this story, however, I was disappointed in most of her choices. If she’d just stick to her morals she’d be fine. Apparently, if you can piece together a justification you can still maintain your set standards. For example, it’s perfectly ok to break the law by swerving across the double yellow line to avoid running over the kid riding his bike too close to the road. The same as if I can help someone, who loves me as much as I love him, out of a bad marriage by ensuring his financial security, through any means possible, it’s all good, right?

Lesson? Actually, there’s a couple that comes to mind. First, love means being able to trust someone completely. A couple should be willing to share stories from their past. The story itself isn’t as important as the ability to share.

Another lesson is, do not compromise your morals for any reason, real or imagined. A person’s moral compass is an ingrained part of one’s soul. It exists for a reason. If someone crosses the line, don’t rezone your soul. Kick the person aside.

In the end, I found Cassie tolerable. Ellie and Violet are still my favorite people. Owen is destined for greatness. Let’s just hope he uses his talents for good instead of evil. I think he’ll be just fine. Edric is so much more understanding than anyone should be. After everything he’s endured, he’s still filled with love. And let us not forget Rosemary. She knows what’s best for everyone. She’s an angel.

[Cynthia Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cassie Kent, a private investigator just received a call of a lifetime. Edric Kensington, CEO of The Kensington Group requires her services! Within hours, she's made more money than she'd ever held at one time. Before she has a chance to complete her shopping list, another billionaire is calling her, offering a hefty sum to go undercover and become a mole at Kensington Group and deliver the blueprints to Kensington's latest technology reveal.

I love how this book jumps directly into the plot within the first two pages. No nonsense backstory, just a suspenseful plot.

This book definitely reminds me of a fan fic of Fifty Shades. Mr. Kensington has a lot of similar traits to Mr. Grey. Young CEO of a successful company, a big fat grump all the time, only dates models but the relationship never goes past casual sex, oh and of course they both fly helicopters. But Mr. Grey has a little more depth to him where were we are lacking quite a bit of Mr. Kensington's past. In fact, the only thing we really know about him is that he is the son of a deceased rock star. But where Kensington's personality lacks, Ellie Kent picks up. She's a complex character which a laundry list of personality flaws. She's quirky, shy, and unusually unsociable. But Edric is able to break down her walls of insecurity and fall madly in love with her.

A Sibling's Delemma is a cozy, clean read that was very much enjoyable.

[Hanna's Book Obsession · Rating 3 out of 5]

{I received this as an ARC in exchange or an Honest Review}

We start out with Cassie doing a job with hot CEO Edric. That gets her in the door to work with Edric's rival CEO Charlie Logan. Charlie hires Cassie to get information on Edric's new game releasing. Cassie enlist her sister Ellie to help her in this task.

We then switch to Ellie. She agrees to help out her sister even though she feels bad about deceiving someone. She becomes Edric's assistant. Ellie is painfully shy and its hard for her to try and trick her boss. The more time together they spend the more they both open up to each other. They become comfortable with each other and Ellie doesn't believe that Cassie should be working against him anymore but she won't stop her sister she just will not help her anymore. She starts to really care for Edric.

We also get Edric's Pov. He is rich an famous.The only things he cares about are is siblings and his company. He goes through assistants faster than you can drink a cup of coffee. They either quite or he fires them. He gives Ellie a chance because she reminds him of his sister. The more time they spend together the more he thinks about this painfully shy girl with the kindest heart he knows. He has never loved or cared for anyone besides his family but he can't stop himself from caring about Ellie.

I really likes Edric and Ellie. They are really cute. Ellie is such an interesting character she is so different and I love that. The only things I didn't like about the book was that it switched pov's way to much and it didn't really stay focused on what was happening in the beginning instead of it being all about Cassie helping Charlie it was more about Edric and Ellie's romance. We did get some of Cassie and Charlie but not enough in my opinion. I did really love Edric and Ellie though they were so cute!

[Eddie Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a feast of emotion! As I read there were many times where my heart strings were strummed. Great debut novel, Mrs. Lovell! I highly recommend this to any reader who is honest with themselves and looking for transparency in life.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks go to the author for the ARC of this book.

Not sure what I was really expecting with this book. It was a little like sweet and sour for me. I mean I really enjoyed the storyline, there's two romances going on really and I thought I knew what was going to happen at the beginning but it didn't happen the way I thought it was going to. That was good. I enjoy little twists like that.

Most of the characters I enjoyed except (and here comes the sour element) Edric. I really hated his character. He was unfeeling, he had no morals, he expected people to say how high when he said jump. He treated people like planks and that really wound me up. I get that he's this alpha whose attitude changes and it does but I just didn't gel with him.

I enjoyed the authors wit throughout the book, she really had me laughing at some of the dialogue and situations. I love when a book can have me laughing out loud. It's rare and when it happens it really surprises me.

Overall I really enjoyed it and i shall definitely look out for more reads by this author.

[Rachael Tamayo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A romance is a romance is a romance....right? 

WRONG.

The basics are here in this break out book from new author, Molly Lovell, but the characters are not like any you've met in other romances, I dare to say.  Boy meets girl, boy is a jerk, boy and girl clash while somehow managing to fall in love....and so it goes.

What I found delightful was Ellie, our main character. Such a real depth to her that I found her lack of confidence through the book impossible to become annoyed with. I actually found it rather charming. Without giving to much away, I've never read a character like Ellie. Despite her stand out qualities, she manages to snag the man...and it is a nod to the LOVE YOURSELF THE WAY YOU ARE movement, but not in the eye rolling cliche ways that you see everyday. Its beautifully different and stands out from any other that I've read before. I'm eager to see what Molly does in her next book. 

If I had to pinpoint one thing about this book, it would be that the romance didn't suck me in the way some others have.  I wasn't as drawn in and falling in love with him along with Ellie like I have in a few other books, but this book was great. Well written, amazingly well drawn out characters, and believable plot. 

4 very enthusiastic stars for this one. 

[Crystal Spieker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Siblings Dilemma was unlike most books I read. The main characters were sweet and soft. The whole story had a very gentle feel to it. Yet, there was just something about it that made me unable to put it down. I really enjoyed the multiple main characters and how they were intertwined and complimented each other. What really drew me in was that there were several sub-plots that all came together into one larger plot. All of this flowed together perfectly with the POV of Omniscient, yet with first person thoughts adding more depth then we would have found with just first person POV of each of the main characters. While I did find some of the plot to be a little predictable, I also found that it was presented in a non-predictable way which made it hard to put this one down. The main characters Edric, Cassie and Ellie could not have been more different from each other. Yet, the way they are developed throughout the story made it easy to identify and emphasize with each. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and would definitely recommend to anyone looking to curl up and read a sweet romance that will just give you all the good feels.

**Reviewed on behalf of Once Upon An Alpha

[Jennifer Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s the most exciting book I have ever read.
It’s only book one, but so far, it’s great!
A Sibling’s Dilemma is a good book that I really liked.
It’s about a girl named Cassie, a private detective who is hired by a guy named Edric. He says he will pay her a huge sum of money if she can find his little brother. She does, gets paid, and after he asks her to help him investigate someone he thinks is stealing his ideas, she recruits her younger sister, Ellie, to work for him.
Ellie falls in love with Edric and soon stops helping her sister spy on him. Meanwhile, Cassie investigates a guy named Charlie, who she knows works for a company called Virttrek. She soon falls for him and agrees to steal Edric’s ideas for a virtual reality game/headset. Ellie finds out, and in order to protect her sister, she admits she’s the mole.
After getting yelled at, she leaves and is on her way home when she gets beat up so bad she’s hospitalized. When Edric finds out that Cassie is the mole and Ellie is in the hospital, he feels so bad he gets back with her.
The three of them hatch a plan to get Charlie in trouble and Cassie records their conservation. What happens next? We never know, because the recording ends with Cassie saying Cassie out. The End.
I want to know what happens next, but that’s up to the author. Does Charlie get in trouble? Does his company get shut down? What happens to Ellie, Cassie, Edric, and Violet and Owen?
5 stars for this book.

[Cassondra Windwalker · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I haven’t been kidnapped in five years!”

The charm of this book lies in the dialogue and fast-paced action. Although initially the narrative was bit clunky, the voice of protagonist and private detective Cassie Kent is absolutely irresistible and had me laughing out loud in minutes. I thoroughly related to her impatient and irreverent attitude. I was taken aback by her sudden shift in personal integrity for what seemed to be a very flat and uninteresting character, but she surprised me by redeeming herself by the end of the book. Although elements of the story are fairly fantastic for a contemporary romance, the development of Cassie’s sister Elle and her love interest Edric keep the reader engaged at the expense of some reality. Elle, a survivor of child abuse who suffers from some physical maladies and painful shyness, had the potential to be annoying with her retiring nature but instead managed to be absolutely charming and likeable. This book speaks equally to the idea of loving people for who they truly are and at the same time to the transformative power of that unconditional love. A quick and enjoyable diversion from real life!

[Lana Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cassie Kent is a private detective. She has a client named Charlie Logan who offers her a small fortune to spy on a competitor, Edrick Kensington because Charlie claims Edrick is stealing his ideas. Cassie has met Edrick and isn't fond of him at all. She agrees to this deal with Charlie. In order to infiltrate the Kensington corporation, Cassie enlists the help of her brilliant sister, Ellie Kent. Ellie ends up getting a job as Edrick's personal assistant. Cassie wants Ellie to dig up info on Edrick's business practices and to sniff out whether he has stolen from Charlie Logan, but Ellie never really gets around to it because initially this she is terrified of Edrick Kensington and later there are other reasons. Ellie is an extremely shy young girl with absolutely no self esteem. She trembles and blushes a lot in uncomfortable situations. Later in the book you find out why she is so introverted and terrified of others, but her character does not play out like a typical heroine in a romance novel. Her sister Cassie on the other hand is brash, mouthy and a force to be reckoned with. At first I thought she would be the heroine, but sadly she gets embroiled in an affair with Charlie Logan who is married. Needless to say that doesn't work out. Ellie is really our heroine in this book. As Edrick discovers what a caring, giving person Ellie is he begins to treat her with more respect. He develops feelings for Ellie and she finds herself attracted to him. In fact she tells her sister she can't be involved in her plot to spy on Edrick. Will this come back to haunt her? Will the billionaire and the shy young girl who gives most of her money to charity and volunteers at soup kitchens find happiness? I sure kept reading to find out. This story kept me engaged from beginning to end. It wasn't a standard romance novel but it was good. Despite the fact I wished Ellie had grown a little more throughout the story, I liked her character and thought she was a good balance for the hero, Edrick. Initially he proves to be mean to about everyone he encounters, but he grows tremendously throughout the story because he sees such compassion and goodness in Ellie, who really is a rare person.
There were some editing issues that would make the story read better if addressed. Should the author ever decide to run an edit on the book one thing I would suggest is to not refer to main characters as the shy woman, the red headed woman, the private detective, the billionaire, etc. Use their names. The author set up the looks, personalities and careers of each person very well so it isn't necessary to repeat who they are and what color hair they have over and over. I thought it just got old. Despite the editing issues, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a sweet romance. It didn't bog down. It moved at a good pace and the author did a good job getting you to care for her characters.

[Treena Ross - Rockstar Book Muse · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

Sop this author is new to me in fact I had not heard of her until she reached out to me to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So first off excellent writing, second off Cassie Kent is the bomb I love her so much that I am fan- girling over her. Edric Kensington is swoon worthy too but I felt he needed a bit more depth but when push came to shove Cassie was on it and made up for anything that may have been amss. Cassie is an undercover detective and finds herself working for Mr. Kensington and making money like crazy but then she is asked to work undercover to get information from Edric's company dilemma? YOU BET

If suspense, good writing and some great characters are your thing then this little read with lots of has it all and I really do look forward to reading more from this author.

I volunteered to review an Advance Reader Copy of this book for Rockstar Book Muse

[SA · Rating 5 out of 5]

This romance book was very sweet and I read it all in one sitting. I loved that the heroine was not your classic beauty and confident female. She was intelligent, compassionate and shy at the same time. I found her character to be endearing. I loved how Edric Kensington, the jerk, arrogant, rich CEO of the Kensington group fell for her, as his heart was stripped layer by layer, and bared in the end. I loved reading about his struggle, his denial, his acceptance in the end. It was by no means a cliche bad boy, shy girl relationship. The characters were well developed and there was also a mystery folding beneath it all that captured my attention till the end. All in all, it was a beautiful and clean romance.

[Lucretia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a story of loving people for who they are. While it had themes of submission, it was a clean read, with sweet places. Ellie was the star of this book for me, though she was flawed in her own way, being mousey to the point I wanted to shake her and tell her she deserved better than Edric. That added a nice layer of realism. It was refreshing that it took time for them to fall for each other. I think that was mostly due to her being so shy and him being so walled off.

I really enjoyed the parts of the story about the company, and the family relationships. Edric’s brother had a great personality that added humor to the pages. I would have loved to have seen him more often.

Overall a sweet story of two people who are searching for love and acceptance whether they know it or not.

[Viki Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging and unique novel that doesn't follow any of the usual tropes one expects to see in romance. Characters are strong and individual, and even when they are shy or lacking confidence they have inner strength and growth. This is about the relationship growing between Ellie and Edric but it's also about the relationship between siblings and how the sense of responsibility of the older siblings towards the younger ones colours their character and helps make them who they are. There are quite a few little surprises and things I didn't see coming, and at times there's a touch of humour as well. An intriguing read that I recommend if you want a good length novel that's a little out of the ordinary.
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[Ari Ovalle · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, I thought this book was going to be about Cassie, but while she's a main character, she wasn't the total focus. It's Edric and Ellie. Edric is a brooding alpha male with a mysterious past. He's very cautious as to who he lets in. Very much the same with the shy and almost innocent Ellie. In fact, I think it turned Edric on even. They're relationship was every give and take, inch by inch. Yet, it was challenged when betrayal & heartbreak happens. Can they survive? The story is fast paced, intriguing, and leaves you in a good mood. Loved it.

[Amy Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story

I like to be surprised when I read a story. I don't read the synopsis if I can help it, and I just bring myself to open the book and start. Chapter one, I knew what Cassie was and that told a great story, just knowing from the moment you start reading. The book was well written and had a great depth of characters. I thought the story would go one way, when it went the other. I like that. Unpredictability and logic is best in a story. It makes sense, but filled with twists. A great story. Will read more of Lovell's work.

[Mette Barfelt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable story.

This story is about Edric and Ellie.
But the focus is also on Ellie's sister Cassie, who's a private detective.
I really liked the strong relationship between the sisters. Their love for each other and their loyalty is so beautiful.
The plot is great and the characters are well developed.
This is an enjoyable read and perfect for the beach or on a rainy day.

[Brianna York · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cassie is brash, to the point and brave. Her sister is sweet, shy and kind. I really enjoyed that this story paired the couple I least expected in love. This is a book filled with fun and spunky characters who stand alone and work together. As an added bonus, both female characters are complete and competent women who have their own unique selves and can carry their own stories alongside the main action of the book

[Christina Oswald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the storyline of A Siblings Dilemma. It's told in multiple POV's and the characters are likable.
There were a few editing mistakes, but they won't draw you away from the story.
I found myself laughing and crying while reading.
Reviewed on behalf of Once Upon an Alpha.

[Cynthia Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An appealing and memorable romance with characters that are unlike any others you’ll meet in the average romantic yarn. Delightful and touching, this one-sitting read is definitely worth a look.

[Susi Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this drama involving two sets of siblings. All the characters were interesting but my favourite aspect of the story was the appealing character, Ellie, and the really sweet romance she becomes invoved in. Ellie and her worldly-wise private eye sister, Cassie, are drawn into the ruthless corporate world of virtual gaming, which begins with Cassie's lucrative assignment to solve a suspected kidnapping. What starts as chance for some big money for the sisters throws up a series of problems as they become involved in different ways with the CEO of a gaming corporation, his brother and sister, and Cassie finds a love interest at odds with her own morale code. The situation tests the mettle of both sets of siblings in this satisfying story. Romance fans will enjoy this one.

[Heather Vaughn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is well written. I didn't want to put it down. Ellie is such an amazing character with a huge heart for others. I am glad she met Edric. I am glad that Edric gave her a chance with the job he gave her. Ellie is my favorite character. Oh who am I kidding I absolutely loved them all.

[Robin Goodfellow · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book for free. This does not impact my review in any shape or form. 

A Sibling’s Dilemma, by Molly V. Lovell, is a contemporary romance about two sisters trying to preserve their relationship, all the while tempted by love and money. After locating billionaire CEO Edric Kensington’s kid brother Owen, who was hung over from a college party, Cassandra “Cassie” Kent is propositioned by another CEO named Charlie Logan, who asks for her to bring back evidence that Edric’s company allegedly plagiarized Charlie Logan’s products for $5 million. Not wanting to pass up the opportunity, Cassie pressures her little sister, Eleonore “Ellie” Kent, to become Edric’s assistant as a way to get inside info. Things are further complicated when Ellie falls in love with Edric and Cassie with Charlie.

I enjoyed the relationship between Edric and Ellie. They’re very genuine with one another, even though Ellie has had to put up with so much. Despite her being clearly very loved, she’s a doormat. Personally, I see a lot of myself in Ellie back then, especially with my lack of confidence, people pleasing, and my desire to save people (even if everything’s fine). That being said, I don’t think I would’ve put up with Edric’s behavior. Ellie has trouble advocating for herself, and Cassie’s always been in her corner, so it’s natural for her to defend her sister. 

Which is why what she does in the book irritates me. Tremendously. She could’ve continued her private investigator business with a tight nest egg. She didn’t have to pressure her sister to take a job she didn’t want, nor did she have to steal blueprints all in the name of “love.” But she did. True, she and Ellie have been through some tough times, but her behavior, like Edric’s, would be enough for me to consider going low to no contact. I’m glad she comes to her senses towards the end, but she had me tearing my hair out.

Then again, it’s not surprising; when you dangle money in front of someone who’s struggled all their life financially, it’s easy to reel them in. The promise of love made the deal sweeter, I’m sure. But for all the bragging Cassie does, she’s certainly quick to lower her standards.

So for all its dark potential, I was disappointed that Cassie and Charlie’s relationship wasn’t fleshed out more. Even though they were already set up as foils, adding more detail to Cassie and Charlie's interactions would’ve better foreshadowed Cassie's internal conflict. The build-up would’ve made the last scene in the book more satisfying. 

That being said, I enjoyed the story and would give the book a 3 out of 5 stars. 

[Ana Calin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love special books – and this one doesn’t fall short on the SPECIAL side. It’s been a while since I’ve read interesting characters, and Lovell’s gave me something I’d been waiting for a good while. Cassie is a redhead with a fiery character and arrow-sharp goals, while her angelic albino sister will draw you into the depths of her apparently quiet personality.
The love story is not your every day boy-meets-girl. Destiny will take a convoluted path for Ellie and Edric. Their siblings - Cassie and Edric’s brother – will bring them together, but they will also challenge their relationship. Will Ellie and Edric’s love emerge victorious from the web of plots and schemes set by the very people they believe their allies? Taking this ride was totally worth it, and I can only recommend this book if you’re looking for something with character, depth and out-of-the-mainstream class.

[Amy Proebstel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Complicated Romance

The relationship of Ellie and Edric in A Sibling’s Dilemma reminded me of Fifty Shades of Grey in that he is a moody, wealthy, successful business tycoon and Ellie is a painfully shy, introverted, awkward female who becomes his assistant. Of course, this book is tastefully written regarding the romance and does not cross any lines for a clean story, other than some foul language. The story opens to Cassie taking on a private investigation case for Edric and then morphs into her sister’s story of finding her true love. The story takes a darker turn when we discover Ellie’s painful past and the reasons behind her shyness, but it does eventually have a happily ever after, with a twist.

[Genevieve Raas · Rating 5 out of 5]

“A Sibling’s Dilemma” is a really engaging and original story! Cassie is a detective, and with help of sister Ellie, try to learn more about her competitor Edric. Of course, when romance blooms, things don’t go according to plan.

I loved the arcs of the characters, and learning more about the reason why they are they way they are. For example, Cassie is strong and opinionated, while Ellie is soft and shy. I really enjoyed the romances the sisters find themselves involved in with two very interesting men.

Great and original story all the way around! If you love stories involving romance, siblings, and acceptance of one’s true self, then this is the book for you. Highly recommend!

[Claudia Picarra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Read

I enjoyed this story, the relationship between siblings is great. I really liked the relationship between Ellie and Edric they are sweet together. Cassie's impatience made me laugh, her transformation from the beginnig to the end of the book was great. The thing i liked most about this book is the idea of loving Someone for who they are.

[Jeannie Sharpe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book

You will love this book about Cassie and Ellie (sisters) and it’s easy to follow. Language was a bit strong in spots for my liking, but the author did a great job with keeping my interest. I would recommend this book to romance lovers. The romance was sweet and loving. That’s the best ❤️
Great job Molly