A Mutually Beneficial Arrangement

by Christina C. Jones

Rowan Phillips is a woman on a mission to provide the best she can for the community served by the Cartwright Center. When things look bleak, a mysterious benefactor steps in with an offer that could be a win-win situation... or a catch-22.

This started - and finished - as a serial on the auhtor's blog. If you read it there, there is NOTHING new here.

Genres: Romance, African American Romance, Audiobook, Erotica, Novella

154 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2018

Reviews

[Rashawnda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED this book!!!! Baby!!! Where is my mutually beneficial arrangements because a bish is signing on the dotted lliiiiinnneeeee!!! 📝 Just call me Stevie Wonder 🎶 Here I am Baby, signed, sealed, delivered 🗣️I’M YOURS!!! 🎶

All Rowan wanted to do was provide a safe space for the kids!! She ran the community center like a well oiled machine and despite a lack of funds she tried her best to ensure that the kids didn’t lack in any area. Well lo and behold she’s presented with an offer she can’t refuse or hell wouldn’t want to.

Reed Bennett might’ve been running for office but he was campaigning heavily for Rowan! All it took was seeing her ONE TIME and he was captivated. What started out as a mutually beneficial arrangement for them both led to HEA.

Baby the scandals were scandaling and the snakes were definitely snaking!! This was a whole vibe and I was obsessed with all narrators!! They brought this story to LIFE!!! I will definitely be running this one back.

[Annette Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Mutually Beneficial Agreement was so good! I loved me some Rowan and Reid. Even though their romance was unconventional, their chemistry was intense and rather attractive. The community center where Rowan works is in dire need of some serious funds and Reid, in all his BDE glory, came in as a mysterious benefactor with a proposition. Spend a month with him, at his beck and call, and the community center will get the money it needs. I loved the concept behind this arrangement. Rowan is torn between feeling like a hired escort and doing what needs to be done to help the community center. After some drama with Reid’s crazy azz fiancé Enid, her dad, and an overzealous reporter (who happens to be related to Nubia), the community center gets the money it needs and Rowan and Reid ride off to their HEA in one of the Drake hotels. Speaking of the Drakes, we got to revisit with our Vegas crew for a quick minute. Asha, King, and the Drake siblings. AKA Black Vegas Royalty. A Mutually Beneficial Agreement was mysterious, dramatic, romantic, and sexy. I definitely recommend this book.

[Kameel · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW

What took me so long to read this book…this was such a good story I didn’t want the story of Rowan & Reid to end….Rowan was committed to her Community Center and she was going to do whatever it would take to have the center thrive, to include an arrangement between her and “Nick” a man, she had never seen before. I also enjoyed catching up with some of my favorite leading men from other CCJ projects.

[LoLoLuvsToRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I may have found my new favorite CCJ book! A Mutually Beneficial Arrangement was such a good book!

[Lette Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ I loved loved this book. It should be of no surprise because CCJ is one of my faves!!! Excellent narration. I LOVE when she has a full cast audio!

[Naomi'sBookNook · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's official! A Mutually Beneficial Arrangement is my favorite CCJ book! I loved Rowan and Reid. The salacious storyline was oh so naughty and delicious at the same time. Listen, Reid wouldn't have to pay me. I'd do it for free! Let me head on over to Amazon so I can buy the paperback because, A Mutually Beneficial Arrangement is definitely a book I plan to re-read often!

[Gemini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taboo and Sexy!

I’m a sucker for an unconventional romance. This book gave me just that. I didn’t expect to root for this couple, but their chemistry was so attractive. I just love the way “Mr. President” worshipped Rowan. I would love to read more about this couple!

[Byron Washington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really, Really Good👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

This may be one of my faves among the rather voluminous works of the inimitable Christina C. Jones. Kinda 50 Shady-ish without the azz whuppings, sprinkled with some political intrigue. It's set in the City of Sin, Las Vegas. All CCJ fans know how the Vegas characters get it in!!!😄😄😄

Buy it, read it and enjoy!!👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥👍🏾🔥

[WellReadRuby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t sure what to expect when first reading this BUt it was not this! Lol I loveddd it and now I have reference to go back Behind The Scenes and the Vegas Series where both Reid and Rowan are mentioned! Nubia Perry’s cousin was trash here and wasn’t much better in Behind the Scenes if I remember that right. All in all I loved this short! Rowan and Reid were a moment!!

[The Love Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this put a new twist on escort for a good cause! Rowan is the director of a community center that is STRUGGLING. So when she’s approached by the known fixer of Vegas with an offer from one of her clients she can’t refuse, things get GOOD.

The catch? In exchange for the plentiful donations that will keep the center running, Rowan must agree to be on call at all times….with a blindfold on. Rowan may not know who her benefactor and lover is from behind the mask, but Reid Bennett knows her and has his reasons for their…mutually beneficial arrangement.

This was a fun novella! I highly recommend the audio once it’s released since it’s a full cast done duet style! The voices were PERFECT and some of my favorite narrators. The ebook and paperback are available but the audio is exclusively through the author’s Patreon at this time!

TROPES: black romance/BIPOC, escort with a twist, hidden identity, novella, Vegas; full cast audio

[KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! I encourage and vote for an arrangement like this. Reid saw Rowan and knew that he had to have her by any means necessary! The hotel meetups and the matching sapphire jewels at the gala 🥰

[Lindaisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vegas doesn't sound pretty at all, but it sure does sound POPPIN! A Mutually Beneficial Arragnegment was definitely a beneficial read to me. Keep these stories coming CCJ!

[Wilki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen. This is the best short I have ever read in my life! I didn't know what to expect from such an arrangement, but hunty, it was surely mutually beneficial! Christina C. Jones has a special talent for making novellas seem like full length novels. She gives readers detailed history that helps you to understand why the characters are the way they are. It even gets you to see past maybe something you would never consider doing yourself and see it as something you would put on your bucket list! Rowan was a go-getter who needed someone like Reid to swoop in and shake up her life. I loved the concept behind the arrangement he made with her and felt it was very well written. The ending is promising and just right for these two considering the culminating resolution to the conflict that occurred.

[Anika · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took me 50-eleven years to read because I just couldn't get past the premise. Sex with a stranger? Blindfolded? I don't care how rich he is--it could be Bill Gates for all you know! When he takes your mask off, wyd? I mean...part of the enjoyment of stories like this is putting myself in a character's shoes and experiencing what they do. And when one of the senses is taken away--a crucial one--it takes me out of the story. I don't know... Everything ain't for everybody. The characters and the framework of the story helped me get into it. Once I did, it was a pretty enjoyable read much like CCJ's others; hence the rating. :)

[Whit · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a captivating page turner!
Talk about going the extra mile to save a community of under-served children. Rowan saves lives and to think she had to give up her control for a selfish, arrogant man, like Reid, was horrible.
Reid is engaged to an evil, deceitful woman, in order to fulfill his political aspirations. But that was his choice. He hated being under the Grant Family's control, but yet he turned around and did the same thing to Rowan.
UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE!!!!!

[Deirdre Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mutually Beneficial

No matter what I pick up to read by Christina C. Jones it's gonna be different and fun! Rowan and Reid's arrangement isn't new per se but from the mind of Ms. Jones it's a darn good adventure! I had a few side-eye moments and plenty of laughs! Good stuff here as always!!

[Rovonne Staten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

I’ve read this book a couple of times now, because I enjoyed it so much. When Rowan and Reid (love the names) met for the first time, I squealed with excitement like I was there with her in the moment. Great short for anyone that loves romance.

[Two Ts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

That was so good. This is the best short story I've ever read. It was filled with total hotness from beginning to the end. Great story.

[Shameka Erby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rowan and Reid

[Mrs Tee Booktique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blind ambition!

This story!!!!!... had me on the edge of my seat!!! The plot, the suspense, and the characters almost make me want to move to Vegas. Ro and Reid had that fire chemistry and keep it so interesting. The cameo appearances of the Black Vegas Royalty friends was a pleasant surprise. Fun and entertaining read!!!!

[October Readsss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rowan x Nick

Rowan is just a young woman with a big heart. She slaves & slaves & slaves away at her job at the Cartwright Center. All she wants to do is give kids a safe space that she had & give them some type of reprieve from realities of their real life. But how is she going to do any of that when she has more final notices in her inbox than she has money in her bank account. After losing out on a grant that she just new she was going to win, Vegas own Olivia Pope shows up at her door with an opportunity that's too good to refuse.

I was first introduced to Rowan in "Behind The Scenes" & even tho I only caught a glimpse of her, I honestly thought she was the sweetest. This book right here proved it & it also gave me a WHOLE LOTTA insight on Laurel lil smart ass comment in that book too 😂😂 I understood how Rowan felt about the agreement that she took part in, but I loved how Des & Nick kept it a buck with her! Like ma'am, you had PLENTY of times to say no, so please don't act like someone is holding a gun to your head. & lets not forget all those things that Nick was doing to you, WHEWWWW. I was too happy when Nick got to let go of Enid & her crooked ass daddy. Even without full context, I knew I ain't like her. What kind of name is Enid !? & Ewwwww, I can't believe that Nubia mf Perry is related to someone like Jeff 🤮🤢

I'm so happy that everything worked out for Nick & Rowan. But uhmm, CCJ where is Laurel book !? Where is the smart fuckboy with the patience of Job to tame her mouth & break her back in !?

[Livia · Rating 5 out of 5]

★¸¸.•*¨*•★Spoiler Free Review★•*¨*•.¸¸★

Writing Style: Dual POVs

Chapter Font Style Praise: I really liked how the chapter titles were designed and the use of the ampersand for chapter breaks.

Kindle Page Count: 154 pages

What I enjoyed most about this contemporary romance novel…
Steamy / Informative (Vegas politics) / Unpredictable / Easy-to-read / Entertaining / Complex characters / Witty / Original / Page-turner / Romantic / A tiny bit Twisted / Splashes of Ethnic lingo / HEA

Would I recommend this novel?
Yes, absolutely! I loved the premise and how the author executed it. I give it 4.5 stars! I had to knock down my rating a bit because of the distracting but overall minor typos.

What other book might you compare A Mutually Beneficial Arrangement to and why?
It reminded me a little bit of Alpha by Jasinda Wilder, another excellent secret identity lover romance that I highly recommend.

One of my favorite Reid moments of reflections…

‘No More Campaign.
No more Enid.
No, I wasn’t taking questions.
All I wanted was Rowan.’

Last but not least…additional comments
This was the first novel of author Christina Jones I’ve now read, but it won’t be the last. A big shout out goes out to my local book buddy Nichelle who picked it for our buddy read.

[Damilola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I really liked the plot of this novella, even though it had me clutching my pearls bc talk about scandalous - I can definitely see it as a movie or political show episode - gave me scandal vibes.

So plot wise, it gets a 4 star. Romance wise though that was extremely lacking & unbelievable to me, like sure they have sexual attraction, but an actual romantic/meaningful connection, enough for a full blown relationship after the pages are over - eh, I don’t really see it for them. Hence the overall 3 star rating.

Ending also felt a bit rushed, wish we got to see what happens with Jeff & Endid but I know they got what was coming to them, just terrible ppl. And wish we at least got an epilogue or something about them on a date or whatever, but overall it was a nice lil read

[Donna D Smalls · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this story

I liked the story because the content was good. So many programs for our struggling youth have been done away with by politicians that don’t care. Why are millionaires doctors lawyers and people of influence becoming politicians with lifetime retirements after one term. And the average working class are about to not even have social security when they retire. Crooked politicians who don’t give 2 f’s (excuse my French) about real people and their lives. I liked this story because it was a true depiction of the crookedness of the political process and it was just a good story overall.

[tayara tate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

I loved everything about this book i knew it was gonna be good when finished. Those sample sundays were everything and practically the whole book. Reid is the man baby and Enid should get all she deserve exposed to the world. Jeff was just a dumb lawn who fell for her tactics and still lose in the end. I loved the masked Zorro act he put on her when they met up and feeding blindly it was sexy get intriguing to not know who's the person behind the deal. You did it again girly and I'm looking for whatever you have planned next.

[Vernell Renee Howard Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lesson Learned!

This was a great story with a twist of a classic fairytale, Cinderella. A young woman who grew up in a community filled with despair but thrived with the help of the Cartwright Community Center returns to continue the legacy. In the process she gets her Prince charming, but Aahh! The twist. She is propositioned to help keep the community center funded and opened by agreeing to some questionable terms. All I have to say is no judgement at all because we make choices that benefits something we want whether it's good or bad. In this story it was a great decision for Rowan, Reid, and the children in the community. Great Read!

[vickie0822 · Rating 5 out of 5]

FanTabulous Read

Couldn't imagine a knight in shining armour, should make a mutually beneficial arrangement, that includes hotel rooms, blindfolds, and total secrecy. The proposition is beneficial to the communities most needy; children. 30 days x cha ching, that's a year past necessary = beneficial funds necessary to keep an inner city community center in the black. Only one problem, gotta give up the cookie, to the cookie monster, when he rings.....
Great read, chocked full of romance, mystery, and far but of scandalous!

[Dj · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rowan Phillips (Manager) is a woman on a mission to do the best she can for the community served by the Cartwright Center. When things look bleak, a mysterious benefactor Reid ‘Nick’ Bennet steps in with an offer that could be a win-win…covering any and all personal debt, any debt for the center—including the cost of remodeling, a lump sum large enough to cover utilities and any other reoccurring bills at the center for a year, money for the nutrition program, daily meals for 100 kids, and connects to people who will support the center or a catch-22 (on-call at any time).

[BookNotes by Niecy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love CCJ, but this was not my favorite. At what point wouldn't Rowan have called out the fact that the "anonymous" donor could have just donated if he really wanted to? This whole "i respect women who do what they have to" thing Reid was saying was wack. I really wish there had been more pushback on Rowan's part. I felt she gave in too easily. The whole "im doing this for me" really wasn't the case bc he could have just put the request out to her without tieing it with the community center.

Glad they did have a HEA, I guess.

[Natasha Stacey-Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal Read 📚 👏🏾 ✨️💯❣️

Excellent! Intrigue, betrayal, mystery, mayhem, politics, community, and electricifying spice. This was such a well crafted book. It could have been longer! The good girl MC, Rowan, was perfect, but her bend on morality was for the perfect reason 👌🏾. The male MC, Reid, was nasty and determined! His gangsta should have been let loose but I appreciated the spin on letting Des get extra leverage for later use. I loved this book, truly a page turner. This is a phenomenal read 📚 👏🏾 ✨️💯❣️