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Kiss Talent Agency #3
Lip Service
Dani
I just wanted to tell Hunter Kiss where he could shove the fancy phone he gave my little brother as an obvious bribe. I’m sorry/not sorry I hit him in the nose with it, but sports agents who come sniffing around with dollar signs in their eyes have to get through me.
But now I’m pinned between the wall and Hunter’s naked body, and I’m the one sniffing his unbelievably hot, freshly showered skin…and trying to remember I’m a strong woman who stands on her own two feet, not one of his peanut-butter-legged conquests.
Hunter
I make college football players into stars without having to bribe them, and I’m pissed Dani Cross thinks otherwise. But anger isn’t all she makes me feel. The pink-haired, pierced tattoo artist is so hot she makes me want to forget my own one night per woman, no exceptions.
Only she doesn’t trust me as far as she can throw me. (And trust me, that woman has an arm.) She’s been hurt, and it’ll take more than smooth talking to make her forget the pain. But for the first time in my life, I’m ready to lay it all on the table—even if closing the deal means offering my heart.
I just wanted to tell Hunter Kiss where he could shove the fancy phone he gave my little brother as an obvious bribe. I’m sorry/not sorry I hit him in the nose with it, but sports agents who come sniffing around with dollar signs in their eyes have to get through me.
But now I’m pinned between the wall and Hunter’s naked body, and I’m the one sniffing his unbelievably hot, freshly showered skin…and trying to remember I’m a strong woman who stands on her own two feet, not one of his peanut-butter-legged conquests.
Hunter
I make college football players into stars without having to bribe them, and I’m pissed Dani Cross thinks otherwise. But anger isn’t all she makes me feel. The pink-haired, pierced tattoo artist is so hot she makes me want to forget my own one night per woman, no exceptions.
Only she doesn’t trust me as far as she can throw me. (And trust me, that woman has an arm.) She’s been hurt, and it’ll take more than smooth talking to make her forget the pain. But for the first time in my life, I’m ready to lay it all on the table—even if closing the deal means offering my heart.
- GenresRomanceContemporaryAdult
150 pages, ebook
First published December 26, 2017
About the author
Virna DePaul
370 books989 followersA former prosecutor, Virna DePaul writes "heat, heart, & HEA" for Harlequin and Random House. She is also a bestselling Indie author, with Bedding The Wrong Brother being a top 100 contemporary romance on Amazon with over 150 5* reviews. www.virnadepaul.com
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
December 23, 2017
***Coming Dec. 26 - Full Review***
4 Insta-Lust CROWNS
I really want to love Lip Service. The synopsis drew me in and made me want to read it, but I just needed and wanted more.
Hunter is the uber-successful talent agent on the verge of signing the next up and coming football star, which is what puts him on the path to meeting Dani. From the moment readers meet him, he is nothing but arrogant about his skills in the office and the bedroom, and while he is at times overly-confident, he does back up his claims. This attribute seems to be the only aspect of his character that is developed. There are moments where readers see more, but they are fleeting and left me feeling like I didn’t really know this hero. What I did know, I enjoyed, but I need more from him to connect to him.
Dani has more depth and layers to her characterization. She has been damaged by her past, and there is a secret, although I guessed the secret early and most will, that prevents her from investing in relationships. All of this allows her to put up walls to protect herself. Underneath this emotionally closed off woman is an incredibly selfless heart. Her moments with her brother show who she is and what she can be if she allows herself to feel and to connect with others.
This story starts out with insta-lust and moves to insta-love. There are very few scenes if any that do not end up with these two going at it. The physical moments are HOT, but it didn’t really allow for the development of their relationship emotionally, making this part of the story two dimensional. Based on the characterization, the conflict is one readers will expect, but it is resolved very quickly, which matches the pacing of the book but, again leaves me wanting more complexity.
Lip Service is and quick and sexually charged book. From the very beginning, these two can’t resist each other, and for fans of fast and steamy reads then this is the book for you.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review
4 Insta-Lust CROWNS
I really want to love Lip Service. The synopsis drew me in and made me want to read it, but I just needed and wanted more.
Hunter is the uber-successful talent agent on the verge of signing the next up and coming football star, which is what puts him on the path to meeting Dani. From the moment readers meet him, he is nothing but arrogant about his skills in the office and the bedroom, and while he is at times overly-confident, he does back up his claims. This attribute seems to be the only aspect of his character that is developed. There are moments where readers see more, but they are fleeting and left me feeling like I didn’t really know this hero. What I did know, I enjoyed, but I need more from him to connect to him.
Dani has more depth and layers to her characterization. She has been damaged by her past, and there is a secret, although I guessed the secret early and most will, that prevents her from investing in relationships. All of this allows her to put up walls to protect herself. Underneath this emotionally closed off woman is an incredibly selfless heart. Her moments with her brother show who she is and what she can be if she allows herself to feel and to connect with others.
This story starts out with insta-lust and moves to insta-love. There are very few scenes if any that do not end up with these two going at it. The physical moments are HOT, but it didn’t really allow for the development of their relationship emotionally, making this part of the story two dimensional. Based on the characterization, the conflict is one readers will expect, but it is resolved very quickly, which matches the pacing of the book but, again leaves me wanting more complexity.
Lip Service is and quick and sexually charged book. From the very beginning, these two can’t resist each other, and for fans of fast and steamy reads then this is the book for you.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review
December 27, 2017
3.5 Hunter and Dani Stars
I feel a bit conflicted about my rating for this book. At times I felt like it was going to be a five star read for me. It has such a lot of potential and I loved the idea of the storyline (top sports agent falls for the sister of the guy he is hoping to sign up). Dani, as a heroine , is an interesting and likeable character and I was absolutely Team Dani throughout this novel. The passion in this book is white hot and the chemistry between our couple warranted some serious kindle freezer moments.
So, why not a five star read? There were two reasons for this. Firstly , it was all rather fast. I felt as if I had missed something and I got the whole gist of Dani's backstory but it felt like there were still huge blanks at the end of the book. I wanted more detail. Also, I wanted more of a build between Dani and Hunter. The instalust is not an issue for me, I think it works well most of the time, but I did feel less comfortable with the Instalove. Secondly, what was with Hunter and Lila? Lila is his long term on and off hook up. Neither wants a relationship but they seem very close. I didn't want to see him with her at all. They don't actually seal the deal but it was getting close to it I felt. I thought she would end up as a catalyst in Dani and Hunter's inevitable conflict section of the book but she didn't. He admits he doesn't want to have sex with Lila but then it felt like it was just left and they would be working together and that was that. Plus , why did Amy suddenly appear again? What was the background to that? Clearly she was a bit of an oddball but it didn't quite make sense.
I DID enjoy this book and at times I really liked Hunter, but there was much that felt unfinished. I think I was just disappointed that it didn't go into depth as much as I would have liked. I will be reading the next book in the series though.
HEA? More HFN I would say.
Cheating? Not strictly speaking. Certainly not once they are properly together but at the start of their meeting up Hunter very nearly hooks up with an old flame. They almost have sex but they both stop when it becomes clear he is thinking of Dani.
I feel a bit conflicted about my rating for this book. At times I felt like it was going to be a five star read for me. It has such a lot of potential and I loved the idea of the storyline (top sports agent falls for the sister of the guy he is hoping to sign up). Dani, as a heroine , is an interesting and likeable character and I was absolutely Team Dani throughout this novel. The passion in this book is white hot and the chemistry between our couple warranted some serious kindle freezer moments.
So, why not a five star read? There were two reasons for this. Firstly , it was all rather fast. I felt as if I had missed something and I got the whole gist of Dani's backstory but it felt like there were still huge blanks at the end of the book. I wanted more detail. Also, I wanted more of a build between Dani and Hunter. The instalust is not an issue for me, I think it works well most of the time, but I did feel less comfortable with the Instalove. Secondly, what was with Hunter and Lila? Lila is his long term on and off hook up. Neither wants a relationship but they seem very close. I didn't want to see him with her at all. They don't actually seal the deal but it was getting close to it I felt. I thought she would end up as a catalyst in Dani and Hunter's inevitable conflict section of the book but she didn't. He admits he doesn't want to have sex with Lila but then it felt like it was just left and they would be working together and that was that. Plus , why did Amy suddenly appear again? What was the background to that? Clearly she was a bit of an oddball but it didn't quite make sense.
I DID enjoy this book and at times I really liked Hunter, but there was much that felt unfinished. I think I was just disappointed that it didn't go into depth as much as I would have liked. I will be reading the next book in the series though.
HEA? More HFN I would say.
Cheating? Not strictly speaking. Certainly not once they are properly together but at the start of their meeting up Hunter very nearly hooks up with an old flame. They almost have sex but they both stop when it becomes clear he is thinking of Dani.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 24, 2017
Sometimes you just want a feel good book that makes time go quickly and puts a smile on your face. This was mine. Dani and Hunter are opposite in everyway but it works. The push and pull of their relationship was fun, sexy and empowering. For different reasons they gave each other strength and love. I received an early copy and voluntarily wrote my review.
January 4, 2018
4.5 star Review Lip Service (Kiss Talent Agents Book #1) by Virna DePaul
This is book one in her exciting new series and I have to say that she is off to a flying start; I do believe she has a winning series on her hand.
Dani and Hunter are complete opposites and I think that was one of the things I really enjoyed so much. Their almost adversarial relationship had me laughing and at times shaking my head.
Hunter is a tad obnoxious and yet there was something that drew me to him. He is a successful talent manager who is looking to sign Dani’s brother Chad, although she is equally determined he not.
Hunter is immediately drawn to and fascinated by Dani. Despite her determination to keep her walls up to protect herself, Dani soon realises that she is attracted to Hunter too.
This was a fast paced, quick read which I enjoyed. Lip Service proves that opposites do indeed attract and I look forward to more books in the series.
This is book one in her exciting new series and I have to say that she is off to a flying start; I do believe she has a winning series on her hand.
Dani and Hunter are complete opposites and I think that was one of the things I really enjoyed so much. Their almost adversarial relationship had me laughing and at times shaking my head.
Hunter is a tad obnoxious and yet there was something that drew me to him. He is a successful talent manager who is looking to sign Dani’s brother Chad, although she is equally determined he not.
Hunter is immediately drawn to and fascinated by Dani. Despite her determination to keep her walls up to protect herself, Dani soon realises that she is attracted to Hunter too.
This was a fast paced, quick read which I enjoyed. Lip Service proves that opposites do indeed attract and I look forward to more books in the series.
March 29, 2019
Love the premise but the writing style and the development of the story were a hard no for me. At times I was left with a “what...?!” feeling, where something that didn’t make any sense at all, or didn’t match the character.
For the characters, I actually couldn’t define Dani, she was hot, she was cold, she was all over the place. Hunter was ok, he was well defined and was consistent through the book. Another thing, their “aha!” moments were so forced out that I found it hard to believe in them. Maybe that’s the reason I felt like their relationship of love/lust was more imposed than actually there.
For the characters, I actually couldn’t define Dani, she was hot, she was cold, she was all over the place. Hunter was ok, he was well defined and was consistent through the book. Another thing, their “aha!” moments were so forced out that I found it hard to believe in them. Maybe that’s the reason I felt like their relationship of love/lust was more imposed than actually there.
April 7, 2019
Dani and Hunter have chemistry from the beginning, even though they are so not each other's type. Dani shows up at Hunter's apartment because she thinks that he is trying to bribe her brother into signing with him. Hunter has just kicked out an overnight guest when he is accidentally assaulted by Dani. They come up with a sort of bet regarding whether her brother will sign with Hunter. Hunter uses it as an excuse to see more of Dani. She is afraid of getting too close to Hunter because she thinks that if he finds out her secret, then he will leave her. When everything finally comes out, things don't go the way anyone thought
December 25, 2017
The playboy and the tough chick. How can anyone not love a woman who can hold her own against a charming, egocentric man used to having everything work out his way? Hunter and Dani have a lust - hate relationship. She knows his type and he stands his ground. She speaks her mind and he ruffles her feathers. Love of family has these two at odds. What begins as a battle of wills becomes a temptation of the heart. It's not about who wins the challenge, but how they play the game. Lip Service is a sassy, sexy and empowering fight to the finish romance.
September 2, 2018
While I enjoyed this book, the characters could have been so much more developed. I finished the book with lots of questions that were never answered...parts of the characters lives' were never explained.
June 24, 2022
Hunter and Dani keeps this story interesting with their tit for tat behavior. She is a tattoo artist who has experienced a lot in life. Hunter wants to work with her brother but Dani doesn't believe him when it comes to her brother. Hunter takes one look at Dani and he is drawn to her but he knows he has his work cut out if he is going to get close. This story will have you cheering for this couple to make it to a happily ever after. I voluntarily agreed to receive an ARC of tis book for an honest review.
May 12, 2024
DNF. Not my kind of book. Sex and nothing much else on both their brains
June 5, 2024
good read
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Well written with charismatic characters and enough alpha and feisty female traits to keep reader engaged. Loved the story and dynamics.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Well written with charismatic characters and enough alpha and feisty female traits to keep reader engaged. Loved the story and dynamics.
October 11, 2020
This story takes insta-lust and hate-at-first-sight and turns it into love. It’s very easy to see how much Dani cares for her brother. Heck, she’s sacrificed her whole life to look after him. Hunter knows there’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance, and it’s all about whether or not you deliver the goods. Hunter delivers. Every time. That doesn’t make him arrogant, it makes him darned good at his job. This pair mixes together like fire and gasoline: explosive and potentially deadly to everyone around them. We get to see hints of the sweet vulnerable man behind Hunter’s playboy mask, and I would have loved to see this explored further. I’m left feeling like I didn’t get to know his character very well. Dani’s all sharp edges and biting comments. I get that she’s developed these defenses to protect herself, but I wanted to see her learn to be kinder; to others and herself. There are also a couple of plot threads that get started but then don’t seem to go anywhere, and they’re things that I really would have loved to know more about. I still have questions that I want answers to. I’m hoping that other books in the series may circle back to provide them for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout as part of the box set.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksprout as part of the box set.
December 30, 2017
Lip Service is a short but pretty good read. The story is told through dual Points of View of Dani Cross and Hunter Kiss. Hunter is a Sports Agent and he wants to sign Dani's younger brother Chad because he's a talented Quarterback and he's ready to go Pro. Dani is trying to protect her brother. They are both completely different types of people but somehow it works.
Dani's a Tattoo Artist and she's really petite and has dark hair with some pink mixed into it. She has tattoo's and piercings. She's pretty much been the parent to her younger brother Chad. Their father would come and go breaking their mother's heart. Their mother died and the father never came back.
Hunter's tall and built and he's really clean cut. He's a talented sports agent. He's pretty much a player and only hooks up with most women just once. Dani is nothing like the women he usually messes around with but there's just something that draws him to her.
Dani's a Tattoo Artist and she's really petite and has dark hair with some pink mixed into it. She has tattoo's and piercings. She's pretty much been the parent to her younger brother Chad. Their father would come and go breaking their mother's heart. Their mother died and the father never came back.
Hunter's tall and built and he's really clean cut. He's a talented sports agent. He's pretty much a player and only hooks up with most women just once. Dani is nothing like the women he usually messes around with but there's just something that draws him to her.
January 22, 2018
4.5 Stars
If you are looking for a book that leaves you feeling fuzzy inside and smiling like a Cheshire Cat this is the book for you. They say opposites attract and that’s exactly what happens with Hunter and Dani, their feelings are more lust than love and both are prepared to do what ever is needed to do what they believe is right. . Hunter is a sports agent and he has his eye on Dani’s younger brother who happens to be a quarterback looking to go professional but Dani is not going to let him sign with just anyone and Hunter needs to prove himself. What starts as a battle of wills soon turns into lust and then feelings of the heart. Will these two opposites ever get their act together .......
This is a quick witty read that left me smiling, I loved the sassy Dani and even the egocentric Hunter won me over in the end, this is a perfect mix of love and humour and I’m looking forward to more in the Kiss Talent Agents Series.
If you are looking for a book that leaves you feeling fuzzy inside and smiling like a Cheshire Cat this is the book for you. They say opposites attract and that’s exactly what happens with Hunter and Dani, their feelings are more lust than love and both are prepared to do what ever is needed to do what they believe is right. . Hunter is a sports agent and he has his eye on Dani’s younger brother who happens to be a quarterback looking to go professional but Dani is not going to let him sign with just anyone and Hunter needs to prove himself. What starts as a battle of wills soon turns into lust and then feelings of the heart. Will these two opposites ever get their act together .......
This is a quick witty read that left me smiling, I loved the sassy Dani and even the egocentric Hunter won me over in the end, this is a perfect mix of love and humour and I’m looking forward to more in the Kiss Talent Agents Series.
December 27, 2017
3.5 Stars!
September 30, 2018
Okayish read.
November 28, 2018
3 Stars
Cute, definite insta love. A bit annoying at times but a nice background into Hunter Kiss.
Cute, definite insta love. A bit annoying at times but a nice background into Hunter Kiss.
Want to Read
March 29, 2019BBRL book club free book.
March 29, 2019
Too short and the plot jumped so quickly so it didn’t feel believable and the characters did not feel real
May 17, 2019
Very enjoyable story. Polar opposites attract, had crazy chemistry between them, both have never had anyone stay and has to learn to get over their fears.
November 18, 2019
I was not hooked by it.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews