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Chicago Law #3
Happy Hour
A sexy NEW RELEASE ENEMIES-TO-LOVERS romcom standalone by a duo of USA Today Bestselling authors. NEW RELEASE price of 2.99 is LIMITED TIME ONLY!
The perfect man for her is the one she hates most. #gofigure
Dating is hard.
Dating in your thirties is even harder.
Dating in Chicago is harder still.
I haven't given up on finding my happily-ever-after, but in the age of swiping right and Netflix and chill, I'm wondering if everything is as temporary as my marriage turned out to be.
Truth is, there is one guy I can't get my mind off of.
Roarke Baldwin has salt and pepper hair I've dreamed of running my hands through and I'm pretty sure that if I checked he really does have a six pack of abs underneath his suit. And I've always wondered what that stubble on his face would feel like between my thighs.
The problem? He's the one man I hate more than my ex-husband…
His divorce attorney.
The perfect man for her is the one she hates most. #gofigure
Dating is hard.
Dating in your thirties is even harder.
Dating in Chicago is harder still.
I haven't given up on finding my happily-ever-after, but in the age of swiping right and Netflix and chill, I'm wondering if everything is as temporary as my marriage turned out to be.
Truth is, there is one guy I can't get my mind off of.
Roarke Baldwin has salt and pepper hair I've dreamed of running my hands through and I'm pretty sure that if I checked he really does have a six pack of abs underneath his suit. And I've always wondered what that stubble on his face would feel like between my thighs.
The problem? He's the one man I hate more than my ex-husband…
His divorce attorney.
294 pages, ebook
First published July 12, 2018
About the author
Piper Rayne
171 books8,042 followersPiper Rayne is a USA Today Bestselling author duo. Our goal is to bring you romance stories that have "Heartwarming Humor With a Side of Sizzle" (okay...you caught us, that's our tagline). A little about us... We both have kindle’s full of one-clickable books. We're both married to husbands who drive us to drink. We're both chauffeurs to our kids. Most of all, we love hot heroes and quirky heroines that make us laugh, and we hope you do, too.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 283 reviews
July 8, 2018
This is yet another fantastic story from Piper Rayne and it is the third and final book in the Charity Case Series. Well written and charismatic I really enjoyed the story and the connection between the two main characters in this book.
This is Hannah and Roarke's story. Hannah, having met Roarke in the courtroom in not the most pleasant of circumstances, where Roarke represented her now ex-husband in their divorce, she has taken an instant dislike for this man who gets right on her last nerve. Hannah is a successful, rich confident business woman with a sassy mouth, who gets Rourke all hot and bothered which comes across extremely well in this story, you get the impression that nothing can phase her at all - well all except one certain silver fox of a divorce lawyer Roarke Baldwin.
This man has an addictive personality that I was drawn to instantly. He's a charmer, good looking, cocky and knows exactly what he wants and what he want's is Hannah. The way he goes about trying to win her round was quite funny and sweet, their interactions and the banter between the two of them were priceless and entertained me all the way through this book. You have to give this man ten out of ten for perseverance for sure, but underneath all that cocksure attitude lies a different man with a background that you will enjoy peeling the layers back to find out more about.
The chemistry, the push and pull and the secondary characters whom we get to catch up with again from the first two books Manic Monday and Afternoon Delight all make this book a joy to read. This whole series has been great to explore, with characters I will remember for a long time to come. Awesome !!!
This is Hannah and Roarke's story. Hannah, having met Roarke in the courtroom in not the most pleasant of circumstances, where Roarke represented her now ex-husband in their divorce, she has taken an instant dislike for this man who gets right on her last nerve. Hannah is a successful, rich confident business woman with a sassy mouth, who gets Rourke all hot and bothered which comes across extremely well in this story, you get the impression that nothing can phase her at all - well all except one certain silver fox of a divorce lawyer Roarke Baldwin.
This man has an addictive personality that I was drawn to instantly. He's a charmer, good looking, cocky and knows exactly what he wants and what he want's is Hannah. The way he goes about trying to win her round was quite funny and sweet, their interactions and the banter between the two of them were priceless and entertained me all the way through this book. You have to give this man ten out of ten for perseverance for sure, but underneath all that cocksure attitude lies a different man with a background that you will enjoy peeling the layers back to find out more about.
The chemistry, the push and pull and the secondary characters whom we get to catch up with again from the first two books Manic Monday and Afternoon Delight all make this book a joy to read. This whole series has been great to explore, with characters I will remember for a long time to come. Awesome !!!
July 12, 2018
Looking for your next great romance read? You really don’t need to look further than this.
Enemies-to-lovers ✔
Incredibly hot and hard to resist silver fox ✔
The push-and-pull between the characters that gives the story its tension ✔
An easy moving plot that grabs and holds your attention ✔
Hannah and Roarke are two people who shouldn’t mix, but their attraction to each other just won’t die. She’s virtually sworn off another committed relationship. After her ex-husband cheated on her, destroying her self-worth and self-confidence, not to mention fleecing her for half of everything she owned, she wasn’t jumping at the bit to land herself in pain again. She definitely didn’t think Roarke should be the one she tested the waters with. He was not only more man than she was used to, but he was the attorney who helped her ex get everything he didn’t deserve. How can she lust so bad over someone she hates so much?
It was very easy to see things from Hannah’s perspective and not just because the story was told from her point of view. On top of the betrayals she suffered from the man she was supposed to spend her life with, Roarke was the guy who helped him keep on taking from her. But I didn’t like how she treated him. It was obvious from the start that who she imagined Roarke to be wasn’t the man he was. And yet she continued to give him a hard time. I found it hard to like her. She was rude, judgmental and condescending. To everyone it seemed. I was willing to suck a nut to get Roarke’s POV. Because of how difficult I found Hannah’s character to be, getting his perspective would have made this story a hell of a lot more palatable.
Overall, this was a story to enjoy and savor. I loved how witty these characters were. Their banter was something to look forward to as I progressed through each chapter. This story was about opposites falling in love. Period.
Happy Reading! xo
☆.｡.:* ARC provided for an honest review .｡.:*☆
Release: July 12, 2018 | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Heroine POV - 1st person | Heat: 3 | Standalone - Charity Case #3
For reviews and more, go to www.nbiblioholic.com
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Enemies-to-lovers ✔
Incredibly hot and hard to resist silver fox ✔
The push-and-pull between the characters that gives the story its tension ✔
An easy moving plot that grabs and holds your attention ✔
Hannah and Roarke are two people who shouldn’t mix, but their attraction to each other just won’t die. She’s virtually sworn off another committed relationship. After her ex-husband cheated on her, destroying her self-worth and self-confidence, not to mention fleecing her for half of everything she owned, she wasn’t jumping at the bit to land herself in pain again. She definitely didn’t think Roarke should be the one she tested the waters with. He was not only more man than she was used to, but he was the attorney who helped her ex get everything he didn’t deserve. How can she lust so bad over someone she hates so much?
It was very easy to see things from Hannah’s perspective and not just because the story was told from her point of view. On top of the betrayals she suffered from the man she was supposed to spend her life with, Roarke was the guy who helped him keep on taking from her. But I didn’t like how she treated him. It was obvious from the start that who she imagined Roarke to be wasn’t the man he was. And yet she continued to give him a hard time. I found it hard to like her. She was rude, judgmental and condescending. To everyone it seemed. I was willing to suck a nut to get Roarke’s POV. Because of how difficult I found Hannah’s character to be, getting his perspective would have made this story a hell of a lot more palatable.
Overall, this was a story to enjoy and savor. I loved how witty these characters were. Their banter was something to look forward to as I progressed through each chapter. This story was about opposites falling in love. Period.
Happy Reading! xo
☆.｡.:* ARC provided for an honest review .｡.:*☆
Release: July 12, 2018 | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Heroine POV - 1st person | Heat: 3 | Standalone - Charity Case #3
For reviews and more, go to www.nbiblioholic.com
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July 6, 2018
The silver fox can ask me for unlimited amount of favors he wants!!!!!
Sighhhh, Hannah Crowley and Roarke Baldwin are quite something. The push and pull between them is SOOOOOO INTENSE. I have been waiting for their story since I read Reed and Victoria's story in Manic Monday. Their intensity gave me goosebumps and made me giddy like a school girl. I love how chatterboxes Chelsea and Victoria immediately goes silent and watches the interactions of Roarke and Hannah like its a soap opera. I love those moments. Roarke and Hannah met during Hannah and her ex's divorce. Roarke was her ex's divorce attorney, and he was a steamroller during the divorce, getting her cheating ex more than he deserved, so understandably, Hannah is quite bitter about that. But its been over a year since the divorce, and Roarke is pursuing Hannah and boy does he make her crazy, argumentative, and second guessing herself. I love it, every inner thought was so damn funny about him and his arrogance and how hot he was. But, she needs to resist right??!! ☺️ I loved this book, seeing another side of Roarke instead of the ruthless, arrogant, cocky attorney was fantastic. He is so head over heels for Hannah....sighhhh.....Grab this book, and there is a surprise from Piper Rayne on their next series!!! So excited!!!
Sighhhh, Hannah Crowley and Roarke Baldwin are quite something. The push and pull between them is SOOOOOO INTENSE. I have been waiting for their story since I read Reed and Victoria's story in Manic Monday. Their intensity gave me goosebumps and made me giddy like a school girl. I love how chatterboxes Chelsea and Victoria immediately goes silent and watches the interactions of Roarke and Hannah like its a soap opera. I love those moments. Roarke and Hannah met during Hannah and her ex's divorce. Roarke was her ex's divorce attorney, and he was a steamroller during the divorce, getting her cheating ex more than he deserved, so understandably, Hannah is quite bitter about that. But its been over a year since the divorce, and Roarke is pursuing Hannah and boy does he make her crazy, argumentative, and second guessing herself. I love it, every inner thought was so damn funny about him and his arrogance and how hot he was. But, she needs to resist right??!! ☺️ I loved this book, seeing another side of Roarke instead of the ruthless, arrogant, cocky attorney was fantastic. He is so head over heels for Hannah....sighhhh.....Grab this book, and there is a surprise from Piper Rayne on their next series!!! So excited!!!
July 7, 2018
The silver fox has stolen my heart!
Mark your calendars....you're not going to want to miss this one!
Happy Hour is releasing on July 12th
Mark your calendars....you're not going to want to miss this one!
Happy Hour is releasing on July 12th
July 8, 2018
NO SPOILERS!
Happy Hour was a sexy, funny, and highly entertaining standalone romantic comedy in the Charity Case series, and I absolutely loved it! The storyline and characters were phenomenal, and I loved Piper Rayne's writing style and sense of humor. I've truly enjoyed every book I've read from this amazing author duo, but Happy Hour has definitely been my favorite so far!
The storyline was incredible. I honestly didn't know what to fully expect with Roarke and Hannah's story, but it was even better than I ever could've imagined. It was a sexy, sweet, and fun enemies-to-lovers romance, and had everything I wanted, needed, and so much more. I absolutely loved it from beginning to end, and couldn't get enough. Piper Rayne completely knocked it out of the park with Happy Hour, and I truly couldn't have loved it more.
The characters were fantastic. Roarke and Hannah were even better than I hoped they'd be, and I completely fell head over heels in love with them. I loved their personalities and red-hot chemistry together, and how their relationship progressed throughout. Roarke had many layers and was a lot different than I thought he'd be. He was kind, compassionate, and handsome, but a sweet/dirty talker too, which was a huge bonus. Hannah was strong and independent, but also kind and compassionate, and I felt an immediate connection with her. Roarke and Hannah were both stubborn at times, but they truly were a perfect match for each other, and I adored watching their love story unfold. Even though Happy Hour was solely written from Hannah's point of view, I still felt a strong bond with Roarke. Don't get me wrong, I would've loved Happy Hour even more from both of their perspectives, but Piper Ranye still won me over, and I absolutely loved the conclusion to Roarke and Hannah's story.
Happy Hour was a sexy, hilarious, and utterly addicting standalone romantic comedy, and I would HIGHLY recommend it and the rest of the Charity Case series! Piper Rayne did an outstanding job with this book, and it has been my favorite one from them to date. Happy Hour was excellent from start to finish, and I was ecstatic with the outcome to Roarke and Hannah's story. Piper Rayne has done a fantastic job with the Charity Case series, and I can't wait to read their next one, the Blue Collar Brothers series!
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews and other book news, please visit: https://theromancebibliophile.com
Happy Hour was a sexy, funny, and highly entertaining standalone romantic comedy in the Charity Case series, and I absolutely loved it! The storyline and characters were phenomenal, and I loved Piper Rayne's writing style and sense of humor. I've truly enjoyed every book I've read from this amazing author duo, but Happy Hour has definitely been my favorite so far!
The storyline was incredible. I honestly didn't know what to fully expect with Roarke and Hannah's story, but it was even better than I ever could've imagined. It was a sexy, sweet, and fun enemies-to-lovers romance, and had everything I wanted, needed, and so much more. I absolutely loved it from beginning to end, and couldn't get enough. Piper Rayne completely knocked it out of the park with Happy Hour, and I truly couldn't have loved it more.
The characters were fantastic. Roarke and Hannah were even better than I hoped they'd be, and I completely fell head over heels in love with them. I loved their personalities and red-hot chemistry together, and how their relationship progressed throughout. Roarke had many layers and was a lot different than I thought he'd be. He was kind, compassionate, and handsome, but a sweet/dirty talker too, which was a huge bonus. Hannah was strong and independent, but also kind and compassionate, and I felt an immediate connection with her. Roarke and Hannah were both stubborn at times, but they truly were a perfect match for each other, and I adored watching their love story unfold. Even though Happy Hour was solely written from Hannah's point of view, I still felt a strong bond with Roarke. Don't get me wrong, I would've loved Happy Hour even more from both of their perspectives, but Piper Ranye still won me over, and I absolutely loved the conclusion to Roarke and Hannah's story.
Happy Hour was a sexy, hilarious, and utterly addicting standalone romantic comedy, and I would HIGHLY recommend it and the rest of the Charity Case series! Piper Rayne did an outstanding job with this book, and it has been my favorite one from them to date. Happy Hour was excellent from start to finish, and I was ecstatic with the outcome to Roarke and Hannah's story. Piper Rayne has done a fantastic job with the Charity Case series, and I can't wait to read their next one, the Blue Collar Brothers series!
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews and other book news, please visit: https://theromancebibliophile.com
July 8, 2018
I have enjoyed reading this series not sure I can say which lady is my fave as all three women are interesting and unique characters. I was intrigued by this story having the hots for your ex’s divorce lawyer, the a hole that gave your money away to an undeserving a hole. The sexual tension and the lust factor between Hannah and Mr Baldwin (I mean Roarke) is strong. It is totally acceptable for her to hate him he seems to thrive on her hate.
It’s a new concept to me I haven’t read about a divorcee and her ex’s lawyer hooking up.
I love how Victoria and Chelsea are different with their approach to Victoria predicament. What can I say about Roarke, i like him he knows what he wants and he’s prepared to swoon her. She thought he was a big jack ass but truth be told she doesn’t trust him not to break her heart but he’s a better guy than she thought. What I really liked about this series is the closeness of the woman how they lift each other up.
It’s a new concept to me I haven’t read about a divorcee and her ex’s lawyer hooking up.
I love how Victoria and Chelsea are different with their approach to Victoria predicament. What can I say about Roarke, i like him he knows what he wants and he’s prepared to swoon her. She thought he was a big jack ass but truth be told she doesn’t trust him not to break her heart but he’s a better guy than she thought. What I really liked about this series is the closeness of the woman how they lift each other up.
July 14, 2018
3.5 stars.
April 11, 2024
A fun, light-hearted, fast paced and sexy read - 3.5 stars
I have been a fan of this pair since the beginning, Lennon will always be my #favouritebookbestie.
However by the time I read The Manny, despite the still very good writing, things started to feel a little repetitive and I took a break from them. I've eventually found my way back with this book, and whilst it wasn't quite "laugh out loud and get strange looks" funny, it totally caught my interest, drew me in and was one really good rom-com.
I'm not sure where the Happy Hour title comes from, other than the heroine and her two work colleague besties sometimes go to a members only club. Hannah is a trust fund girl but doesn't enjoy the trust fund lifestyle. Having been stomped all over and taken to the cleaners by her ex-husband she has sworn off romantic entanglements. Instead she is going to concentrate on her charity that helps young girls learn they have a voice that should be heard.
Roarke is the hot, silver fox lawyer who wants to persuade Hannah to give him a chance. Only trouble being he is the lawyer who represented her scumbag cheating ex. A venue catastrophe and a 5 favour deal lead to some very interesting times. Can Hannah not only forgive Roarke but also learn to trust another man with her heart?
Oh the snark and banter between Hannah and Roarke was huge fun, not to mention Hannah's internal musings. This pair had amazing chemistry and the book felt very steamy, despite there being no bump and grind action until around/after the half way point.
I loved Hannah and at first hated Roarke. However as we get to know more about him we see he isn't quite the awful man he was at first painted. He was just a man doing his job, though I would have liked to see more of a discussion/issue over what is legally allowed and what is morally right. Fighting to ensure that the cheating partner gets all they are entitled too didn't sit well with me.
I prefer dual POV in romance books, I didn't feel much of a connection to Roarke as we only ever hear Hannah's 'voice'. Even just a few chapters would have helped. When we get the cliched 'break up', I didn't really feel the emotion. It wasn't quite angsty or sad enough to earn more stars BUT it was still one very enjoyable read.
I have been a fan of this pair since the beginning, Lennon will always be my #favouritebookbestie.
However by the time I read The Manny, despite the still very good writing, things started to feel a little repetitive and I took a break from them. I've eventually found my way back with this book, and whilst it wasn't quite "laugh out loud and get strange looks" funny, it totally caught my interest, drew me in and was one really good rom-com.
I'm not sure where the Happy Hour title comes from, other than the heroine and her two work colleague besties sometimes go to a members only club. Hannah is a trust fund girl but doesn't enjoy the trust fund lifestyle. Having been stomped all over and taken to the cleaners by her ex-husband she has sworn off romantic entanglements. Instead she is going to concentrate on her charity that helps young girls learn they have a voice that should be heard.
Roarke is the hot, silver fox lawyer who wants to persuade Hannah to give him a chance. Only trouble being he is the lawyer who represented her scumbag cheating ex. A venue catastrophe and a 5 favour deal lead to some very interesting times. Can Hannah not only forgive Roarke but also learn to trust another man with her heart?
Oh the snark and banter between Hannah and Roarke was huge fun, not to mention Hannah's internal musings. This pair had amazing chemistry and the book felt very steamy, despite there being no bump and grind action until around/after the half way point.
I loved Hannah and at first hated Roarke. However as we get to know more about him we see he isn't quite the awful man he was at first painted. He was just a man doing his job, though I would have liked to see more of a discussion/issue over what is legally allowed and what is morally right. Fighting to ensure that the cheating partner gets all they are entitled too didn't sit well with me.
I prefer dual POV in romance books, I didn't feel much of a connection to Roarke as we only ever hear Hannah's 'voice'. Even just a few chapters would have helped. When we get the cliched 'break up', I didn't really feel the emotion. It wasn't quite angsty or sad enough to earn more stars BUT it was still one very enjoyable read.
July 6, 2018
I really enjoyed this one! Definitely my favourite in the series so far.
July 16, 2018
I do enjoy a story with strong female characters and Happy Hour has a wonderful selection of different but equally strong and interesting women in the forefront of the story. Then of course there is the leading man, an alpha male and we all know how much I like one of those!
The couple that this book focuses on is a truly unusual match.
Hannah Crowley, born into money, but determined to make her own choices and not be someone's trophy wife (as her mother intended her to be.) Intelligent and resourceful, Hannah runs her own successful foundation to help women (supported by her funny, supportive and no nonsense 2 friends Chelsea and Victoria.) She is a divorcee whose awful ex-husband got a lot from a marriage that he did not put a lot into, thanks in no small part to having an extremely effective and successful attorney .
The we have our alpha male, Roarke Baldwin, sexy, successful, a totally self made man who happens to also have been the attorney that helped Hannah's ex do so well out of the divorce.
You could understand Hannah being less than inclined to give Roarke any of her time but Roarke isn't who she assumes and when he makes her an offer she cannot refuse she begins to see that there is more to him than cold, efficient, divorce attorney.
I really did enjoy this story. Roarke may be an alpha male in every sense of the word but he is not a bullying type alpha, he is intelligent, successful, strong, respectful and sexy. You don't need to bully your way through life when you have all of those attributes. He does not apologise to Hannah for representing her ex in their divorce, he explains that he simply achieved what the law stated his client was entitled to. (Not a great consolation when you are the one that the law has left with the short end of the straw)
Hannah's trust has been damaged by her unfaithful, manipulative generally horrible ex and this does not make it easy for her to see any man as trustworthy and reliable, especially Rourke, with their complicated and conflicted history.
This was an enjoyable, well penned story that didn't gloss over the issues that would naturally arise. Happy Hour has healthy dose of romance, personal development and humour. The characters are interesting and there are a few times that you think you have a predictable situation and find out that your don't, which I do like in a book.
Piper Rayne have taken a initially impossible situation and examined the possibilities. Great stuff!
Thanks to Piper Rayne and Social Butterfly PR for granting me an ARC copy of Happy Hour. This is my honest review.
The couple that this book focuses on is a truly unusual match.
Hannah Crowley, born into money, but determined to make her own choices and not be someone's trophy wife (as her mother intended her to be.) Intelligent and resourceful, Hannah runs her own successful foundation to help women (supported by her funny, supportive and no nonsense 2 friends Chelsea and Victoria.) She is a divorcee whose awful ex-husband got a lot from a marriage that he did not put a lot into, thanks in no small part to having an extremely effective and successful attorney .
The we have our alpha male, Roarke Baldwin, sexy, successful, a totally self made man who happens to also have been the attorney that helped Hannah's ex do so well out of the divorce.
You could understand Hannah being less than inclined to give Roarke any of her time but Roarke isn't who she assumes and when he makes her an offer she cannot refuse she begins to see that there is more to him than cold, efficient, divorce attorney.
I really did enjoy this story. Roarke may be an alpha male in every sense of the word but he is not a bullying type alpha, he is intelligent, successful, strong, respectful and sexy. You don't need to bully your way through life when you have all of those attributes. He does not apologise to Hannah for representing her ex in their divorce, he explains that he simply achieved what the law stated his client was entitled to. (Not a great consolation when you are the one that the law has left with the short end of the straw)
Hannah's trust has been damaged by her unfaithful, manipulative generally horrible ex and this does not make it easy for her to see any man as trustworthy and reliable, especially Rourke, with their complicated and conflicted history.
This was an enjoyable, well penned story that didn't gloss over the issues that would naturally arise. Happy Hour has healthy dose of romance, personal development and humour. The characters are interesting and there are a few times that you think you have a predictable situation and find out that your don't, which I do like in a book.
Piper Rayne have taken a initially impossible situation and examined the possibilities. Great stuff!
Thanks to Piper Rayne and Social Butterfly PR for granting me an ARC copy of Happy Hour. This is my honest review.
July 16, 2018
The enemies-to-lovers trope is one that I really like and ‘Happy Hour’ is one of the few that I wanted to get into if only to read how a woman falls head over heels over her divorce attorney—one who helped her ex-husband screw her over (monetarily, at least).
Still, the sparks between Roarke Baldwin and Hannah Crowley have been hinted at for a while now and ‘Happy Hour’ is a story of a lost venue, a grudging turn to a nemesis and the subsequent build of a relationship that one has been hankering after more than the other.
The subsequent 5 favours that Roarke asks of the gun-shy Hannah is sweet-amusing in some ways; they’re all non-sexual and non-demeaning, as part of the contract and it was by and large fun to see how Roarke desperately tries to manoeuvre Hannah to where he wants her. The journey onward is predictable as a result: the favours draw Hannah and Roarke together, catalysing what we as readers know and expect that it would all end up as time between the sheets. The conflict itself is just as inevitable nonetheless and it’s something that’s been done dime a dozen times—addressing Hannah’s skewed view of men, their purpose and the place they play in her life.
The conclusion proved unsatisfying as a result. I did think it was unfair of Hannah to write marriage off completely after her very first one, even to a man who’d gone to bat for her in the end because it seemed to show there were some obstacles that Roarke couldn’t overcome in her life still, this being one of them, so much so that it felt as though they were still living in a compromised state as long as Hannah didn’t open herself to that possibility once more.
In contrast, Roarke came off as the sweeter, more open and vulnerable of the two, unlike the corporate shark I thought him to be. Solely written in Hannah’s POV, thereby exposing all her thought-processes that turned neurotic and paranoid at times, I know I would have preferred a glimpse into Roarke’s mind as well, particularly what he’d been thinking ever since he stuck her with the 5-favour-contract.
Most of the time, it felt as though Roarke had an insurmountable mountain to climb when it came to Hannah (her idiotic and sometimes bitchy self-denials and her refusal to trust) and what made me hesitant about my own rating about this book was how Hannah used her her mistrust of men after her disastrous marriage to judge everyone else who comes after. That she knew and admitted it, yet acted stupidly about it, made me feel sorrier for Roarke’s efforts that were doomed to fail because of her insecurities.
So if ‘Happy Hour’ started happy for me, it degenerated into more eye-rolling as I read on, mostly because I was rooting for Hannah to rise above her past—to be that sort of heroine is the kind I ship—but never quite got it by the end of it all.
Still, the sparks between Roarke Baldwin and Hannah Crowley have been hinted at for a while now and ‘Happy Hour’ is a story of a lost venue, a grudging turn to a nemesis and the subsequent build of a relationship that one has been hankering after more than the other.
The subsequent 5 favours that Roarke asks of the gun-shy Hannah is sweet-amusing in some ways; they’re all non-sexual and non-demeaning, as part of the contract and it was by and large fun to see how Roarke desperately tries to manoeuvre Hannah to where he wants her. The journey onward is predictable as a result: the favours draw Hannah and Roarke together, catalysing what we as readers know and expect that it would all end up as time between the sheets. The conflict itself is just as inevitable nonetheless and it’s something that’s been done dime a dozen times—addressing Hannah’s skewed view of men, their purpose and the place they play in her life.
The conclusion proved unsatisfying as a result. I did think it was unfair of Hannah to write marriage off completely after her very first one, even to a man who’d gone to bat for her in the end because it seemed to show there were some obstacles that Roarke couldn’t overcome in her life still, this being one of them, so much so that it felt as though they were still living in a compromised state as long as Hannah didn’t open herself to that possibility once more.
In contrast, Roarke came off as the sweeter, more open and vulnerable of the two, unlike the corporate shark I thought him to be. Solely written in Hannah’s POV, thereby exposing all her thought-processes that turned neurotic and paranoid at times, I know I would have preferred a glimpse into Roarke’s mind as well, particularly what he’d been thinking ever since he stuck her with the 5-favour-contract.
Most of the time, it felt as though Roarke had an insurmountable mountain to climb when it came to Hannah (her idiotic and sometimes bitchy self-denials and her refusal to trust) and what made me hesitant about my own rating about this book was how Hannah used her her mistrust of men after her disastrous marriage to judge everyone else who comes after. That she knew and admitted it, yet acted stupidly about it, made me feel sorrier for Roarke’s efforts that were doomed to fail because of her insecurities.
So if ‘Happy Hour’ started happy for me, it degenerated into more eye-rolling as I read on, mostly because I was rooting for Hannah to rise above her past—to be that sort of heroine is the kind I ship—but never quite got it by the end of it all.
July 10, 2018
Great ending to the Charity Case Trio, but then with Piper Rayne I have learn to expect nothing less. This series has been one of my favorites. The authors gave us 3 strong female characters and built three wonderful storylines about their 2nd chances at happiness. While these ladies became great friends, they formed that friendship while working for a charity foundation that helps women and their 2nd chances at love were all certainly very different indeed.
Happy Hour turned out to be one of my favorites. It’s Hannah’s story and I just knew I was going to be in for a wild ride. May I say the authors did not disappoint me. Hannah may be rich enough to have pretty much anything she wants and she may be a bit jaded after her ex-husband cheated on her causing their divorce, but she is also funny, vulnerable and one stubborn cookie, especially with people she thinks have wronged her such as Roarke Baldwin, her ex’s attorney. But Roarke has a thing for Hannah, and sets out to win her over and prove he’s not a bad guy. But can he (she’s pretty darn stubborn at times)? See what happens when Roarke has Hannah over a barrel and it’s either do him 5 favors (none of which can be sexual in nature) or her charity ball goes down the drain! Like I said, a wild ride for sure.
This is a laugh a minute type of book. These ladies are a riot and Hannah is bound and determined not to get close to Roarke no matter how sexy he is (especially in his boxers). The banter is hilarious, and even the serious times have an added spark that will keep you glued to the pages. I hated to see this series come to and end (however the horizon sounds promising - hint hint). I give this book and series a resounding 2 Thumbs Up and 5 stars.
Happy Hour turned out to be one of my favorites. It’s Hannah’s story and I just knew I was going to be in for a wild ride. May I say the authors did not disappoint me. Hannah may be rich enough to have pretty much anything she wants and she may be a bit jaded after her ex-husband cheated on her causing their divorce, but she is also funny, vulnerable and one stubborn cookie, especially with people she thinks have wronged her such as Roarke Baldwin, her ex’s attorney. But Roarke has a thing for Hannah, and sets out to win her over and prove he’s not a bad guy. But can he (she’s pretty darn stubborn at times)? See what happens when Roarke has Hannah over a barrel and it’s either do him 5 favors (none of which can be sexual in nature) or her charity ball goes down the drain! Like I said, a wild ride for sure.
This is a laugh a minute type of book. These ladies are a riot and Hannah is bound and determined not to get close to Roarke no matter how sexy he is (especially in his boxers). The banter is hilarious, and even the serious times have an added spark that will keep you glued to the pages. I hated to see this series come to and end (however the horizon sounds promising - hint hint). I give this book and series a resounding 2 Thumbs Up and 5 stars.
July 15, 2018
You know how there are series that you can't wait to read them so as soon as you get the books, they are the ones you read whereas others can take months or even years to read. Charity Case Series by Piper Rayne was one of that read as soon as I got the book series. I loved this series. From the romantic comedy side to the male leads. What made this book more awesome though was the friendship, relationship, and banter between the three main female characters of Victoria, Chelsea and their boss Hannah. You can't help but be caught up in their drama and antics. In book #3 we have Hannah's story which we have seen the brewings since Book #1 Manic Monday. This series started out as a Women's Divorce Club to each finding love a second time. If there's one guy, Hannah hates more in the world than her ex-husband it's the divorce lawyer Roarke Baldwin who was her husband's attorney. The thing is underneath her hate is this raging passion for him too where she wants to rip his clothes off and have her way with him. When Hannah gets into a jam and can't find a way she resorts to desperate measures and takes Roarke up on his offer to help. In exchange for him helping her, he asks for five favors so that Hannah can see a different side of him - not just the cutthroat divorce lawyer. With her charity gala on the line, she reluctantly agrees, and as the book goes on, we discover that Roarke isn't the cold-hearted jerk that Hannah painted him out to be and deep down he is a genuinely nice guy and even helps out at a couple of charities. Of course, Hannah has trust issues, so when her PI follows Roarke into a women's changing room - Hannah can't help but confront him for cheating. Can Roarke prove to Hannah he isn't a cheater and that he loves her completely or will Roarke prove to be the jerk Hannah believes he is and her idea of romance dashed forever? The other thing I loved about this series was A) seeing a quick sneak peek of Jagger again and at the end with the Bianco Brothers on display and a new set of three single girlfriends which as we can guess will lead us into the new series coming soon by Piper Rayne - The Bianco Brothers.
July 15, 2018
Roarke Baldwin has been chasing after Hannah Crowley since the beginning of the Charity Case Series and it has definitely peaked my interest. Who is this mysterious bulldog of a divorce lawyer that took half of Hannahs’ possessions? Who is this man that constantly appears in places that he shouldn’t and comes over to “talk” to Hannah. Well, all the questions are answered in the third installment of this series. Hannah is dead set on never getting married again and not even dating after her horrible experience. And Roarke is there to push her out of her comfort zone. He is persistent as all hell (kinda like the other men in this series) and goes above and beyond trying to get to Hannah. I loved that about this book, the persistence and determination that each of these guys showed towards the ladies they were trying to impress. Hannah is a ball buster to the core and it is awesome to see her melt for Roarke against her better judgement, it is even more beautiful to see her open up and trust again. Roarke is the curveball here because his character has so much character that my jaw was on the floor most of this book. His background is so much more diverse than I could have imagined and I liked it a lot. It showed a realism to him that I did not imagine I would get. All in all, I was so happy with this book, it ended the series well. I love that a powerful woman like Hannah got her Happy Ending with a man that cherishes her!
May 18, 2019
Oh. My. God. This is one of my favorites this year! Roarke! Love this one. Can't wait to read the others in this series.
avoid
July 16, 2018I may get Alex to read this for me 🤔
June 4, 2019
Immer wieder begegnen sich Hannah und Roarke und sie fühlt sich zu ihm hingezogen. Es gibt aber ein Problem, denn Roarke war der Scheidungsanwalt von ihrem Ex-Mann.
Der Einstieg in das Buch war sehr gelungen und der brilliante Humor der Autorinnen kommt direkt wieder zum Vorschein, so dass ich mich in der Geschichte direkt wieder wohlgefühlt habe. Auch die beiden Charaktere haben dazu beigetragen.
Hannah war sympathisch und ihre Unsicherheit in Bezug auf eine neue Beziehung nach ihrer gescheiterten Ehe hat sie sehr menschlich und echt gemacht. Roarke mochte ich ebenfalls sehr gerne. Ich mochte es sehr, dass er nicht als der unsympathische Anwalt dargestellt wurde, sondern einfach ein netter Kerl war, der alles getan hat, um Hannah von sich zu überzeugen und somit den beiden eine Chance zu geben.
Ich fand es sehr unterhaltsam und auch realisitsch wie sich die beiden besser kennengelernt haben. Die beiden haben gut zusammengepasst und ihre Chemie war auch für mich als Leserin spürbar.
Der Schreibstil von Piper Rayne war wieder sehr angenehm und flüssig zu lesen. Ich bin ein wenig traurig, dass auch diese Reihe nun wieder beendet ist und freue mich, dass es bald schon wieder Nachschub geben wird.
Der Einstieg in das Buch war sehr gelungen und der brilliante Humor der Autorinnen kommt direkt wieder zum Vorschein, so dass ich mich in der Geschichte direkt wieder wohlgefühlt habe. Auch die beiden Charaktere haben dazu beigetragen.
Hannah war sympathisch und ihre Unsicherheit in Bezug auf eine neue Beziehung nach ihrer gescheiterten Ehe hat sie sehr menschlich und echt gemacht. Roarke mochte ich ebenfalls sehr gerne. Ich mochte es sehr, dass er nicht als der unsympathische Anwalt dargestellt wurde, sondern einfach ein netter Kerl war, der alles getan hat, um Hannah von sich zu überzeugen und somit den beiden eine Chance zu geben.
Ich fand es sehr unterhaltsam und auch realisitsch wie sich die beiden besser kennengelernt haben. Die beiden haben gut zusammengepasst und ihre Chemie war auch für mich als Leserin spürbar.
Der Schreibstil von Piper Rayne war wieder sehr angenehm und flüssig zu lesen. Ich bin ein wenig traurig, dass auch diese Reihe nun wieder beendet ist und freue mich, dass es bald schon wieder Nachschub geben wird.
July 11, 2018
I loved Happy Hour. It’s one of the sequels to Manic Monday and while I enjoyed that book I liked this one so much more. Hannah grew up with money and thanks to her darling dad who raised her to think like an independent individual, she’s not pompous and has started a foundation women called RISE. she also has the hots (even though she denies it with every diner of her being) for Roarke Baldwin aka the Silver Fox aka the attorney who represented her cheating ex-husband in her divorce. Roarke has been trying to pursue Hannah for a while now, wanting to be the man in her life since they battled it out in court. A situation presents itself and Roarke shamelessly uses it to his advantage to force Hannah to get to know him as a man, not just a divorce attorney, and he doesn’t hide his plans either. He’s up front, center and honest with his wants and plan. This was a fun read and I’m looking forward to the next series coming out.
June 12, 2026
An absolute waste of my time. The MMC is precious and deserves so much better than the FMC. Plus, the sex was awful! PS.... I'm sorry I included so many quotes, but damn!!!! The man is exceptional and I just couldn't help myself!!!
Hannah Crowley (32-ish, trust fund baby, foundation director) is planning a fundraiser but her venue has cancelled and now she’s in a bind. Her ex-husband’s attorney offers to help her out in exchange for 5 favors…
Roarke Baldwin (41-ish, divorce attorney) has waited an entire year to make his move on Hannah. He’s given her time to heal because (1) her ex was a miserable twat who cheated, and (2) he knows she blames him for her husband getting favorable terms in the divorce.
Roarke’s favors are simple and not sexual at all. He just wants a chance for her to see the real him instead of the evil monster she thinks he is. Every time they start making progress, Hannah says something insulting and pushes him away.
They finally get together, but she immediately starts seeing “signs” that he’s not being truthful. Instead of talking to him about things, she decides to get “evidence” to prove she’s right….
Blah blah blah….. HFN.
SEX: What sex?! Their first time is at 56% with a condom and it’s over so quickly that you’ll blink and miss it! That’s the only time they’re together on page!! I was so pissed off! Then, we get an entire page and a half with her giving him a BJ. He returns the favor with oral and this is the extent of it, WTF is that?! Why do female authors tend to write detailed scenes of a male getting his goodies but completely fail at reciprocating for our girls?!?! I feel like too many of y’all aren’t getting proper oral IRL.
ROARKE: An absolute doll. He’s incredibly sexy, strong, and willing to be vulnerable for her. He waited patiently for an entire fucking year to give her time to heal before he made his move. I love him and he deserved so much better.
HANNAH: I get it. I seriously get how hard it would have been to get over her past. I’m an unreasonably jealous bitch and would have jumped to the wrong conclusions as well. But damn, he’s shown you who he is time and again and he at least deserved to be asked about what was happening and give him a chance to explain. I think she was way too hard on him. Always giving him shit. Basically, scrutinizing everything he does just trying to find fault.
BALANCE: Feels like the book is a 50/50 split between the time she spends with him and the time she spends with her friends. I got bored of hearing about her friends. I wanted way more Roarke.
AUDIO: This book is narrated solely by Kylie Steward and I have no complaints! She’s actually really good. I’m adding her to my “audio good female” list. I’ve had 3 good female narrators this week and it’s lifting my spirits!
Well, of course I recommend it!!! You need to see how beautiful Roarke is and then we can gossip about it.
“I promise to be one hundred percent invested in our relationship. I promise to love you unconditionally. I promise to be patient with you when your past experiences creep up on you and make you think crazy things…..I promise to be the support you need by your side, but never cast a shadow over you. I promise that we will stand united, always.”
Hannah Crowley (32-ish, trust fund baby, foundation director) is planning a fundraiser but her venue has cancelled and now she’s in a bind. Her ex-husband’s attorney offers to help her out in exchange for 5 favors…
“But I want a woman to come home to. A woman to warm my bed at night. A woman who doesn’t need me but wants me……I want you to be her, but first I’d like you to let me in by forgiving me for representing Todd. I want to put that behind us and start fresh.”
Roarke Baldwin (41-ish, divorce attorney) has waited an entire year to make his move on Hannah. He’s given her time to heal because (1) her ex was a miserable twat who cheated, and (2) he knows she blames him for her husband getting favorable terms in the divorce.
“Because I’m not trying to torture you by making you do these favors. I’ve always followed my gut intuition and they’re leading me to you. Has been since the moment I saw you and especially after you opened your mouth that first time and threw a jab my way. There’s something between us worth exploring.”
Roarke’s favors are simple and not sexual at all. He just wants a chance for her to see the real him instead of the evil monster she thinks he is. Every time they start making progress, Hannah says something insulting and pushes him away.
“When will I live that down? We’ve been over this, he was my client. I did what I needed to do. That will never change…… you have no idea how hard it was for me when I got the paperwork back from my PI guy. Your beauty and intelligence and strength radiated out of the pictures. I knew the hell he was putting you through. Then when I saw you at the first meeting….You have no idea how hard it was for me to keep my composure. For the first time in my career, I wanted to fire my client.”
They finally get together, but she immediately starts seeing “signs” that he’s not being truthful. Instead of talking to him about things, she decides to get “evidence” to prove she’s right….
“You’re the only one I want. I waited for you to be over that marriage for an entire year……. I’m no saint, granted, but I’ve never wanted a woman to wake up in my bed more than I do you….But I’m starting to think this just isn’t going to work. You’re never going to forgive me.”
Blah blah blah….. HFN.
“Our road may have started out bent in the wrong direction. We straightened it together …. I made you a promise that if we’re in this relationship, we walk side-by-side. I know you doubt that you’ll ever trust me because of your past. Well, I’m here with my hand out because we will walk that journey together, one day and one step at a time. Any branch that lays in our path, we’ll step over together.”
SEX: What sex?! Their first time is at 56% with a condom and it’s over so quickly that you’ll blink and miss it! That’s the only time they’re together on page!! I was so pissed off! Then, we get an entire page and a half with her giving him a BJ. He returns the favor with oral and this is the extent of it, WTF is that?! Why do female authors tend to write detailed scenes of a male getting his goodies but completely fail at reciprocating for our girls?!?! I feel like too many of y’all aren’t getting proper oral IRL.
ROARKE: An absolute doll. He’s incredibly sexy, strong, and willing to be vulnerable for her. He waited patiently for an entire fucking year to give her time to heal before he made his move. I love him and he deserved so much better.
HANNAH: I get it. I seriously get how hard it would have been to get over her past. I’m an unreasonably jealous bitch and would have jumped to the wrong conclusions as well. But damn, he’s shown you who he is time and again and he at least deserved to be asked about what was happening and give him a chance to explain. I think she was way too hard on him. Always giving him shit. Basically, scrutinizing everything he does just trying to find fault.
BALANCE: Feels like the book is a 50/50 split between the time she spends with him and the time she spends with her friends. I got bored of hearing about her friends. I wanted way more Roarke.
AUDIO: This book is narrated solely by Kylie Steward and I have no complaints! She’s actually really good. I’m adding her to my “audio good female” list. I’ve had 3 good female narrators this week and it’s lifting my spirits!
Well, of course I recommend it!!! You need to see how beautiful Roarke is and then we can gossip about it.
June 21, 2019
4/5 Sterne
The One Real Man
von Piper Rayne
Forever by Ullstein
„Der perfekte Mann ist der Mann, den ich am meisten hasse? Träum weiter.
Dating ist hart. Dating in den 30ern ist härter. Dating in Chicago ist am härtesten. Ich habe nicht aufgegeben, mein Happy End zu suchen, aber in den Zeiten von Tinder, Netflix und „chill mal“ frage ich mich, ob alles so vorübergehend ist, wie es meine Ehe war. Die Wahrheit ist, es gibt einen Mann, an den ich nicht aufhören kann zu denken. Ich würde gern meine Finger durch Roarke Baldwins Haare gleiten lassen, ich bin sicher, dass er unter seinem Anzug ein Sixpack verbirgt und ich habe mich immer gefragt, wie seine Bartstoppeln sich zwischen meinen Beinen anfühlen würden.
Das Problem? Er ist der eine Mann, den ich mehr hasse als meinen Exmann. Sein Scheidungsanwalt.“
Ich bedanke mich bei Netgalley und dem FOREVER by Ullstein Verlag für das kostenlose Rezensionsexemplar des Buches. Ich gebe hier meine unabhängige und unbezahlte Meinung zu dem Buch ab.
Ich habe bis jetzt alle Romane in dieser Reihe von dem Autoren Duo gelesen. Dadurch dass ich die Charaktere aus den voran gegangenen Büchern schon kannte, war es wie ein Wiedersehen mit alten Bekannten. Neugierig war ich vorallem auf den „Silberfuchs“, denn dieser schien ja in den anderen Büchern immer wieder für wahre Emotionsstürme bei Hannah gesorgt zu haben. In diesem Buch zeigte sich mal wieder, dass aus Abneigung Zuneigung werden kann, wenn man nur hartnäckig genug daran arbeitet. Aber wie sagte man schon zu Omas Zeiten immer wieder, Hass ist nur eine andere Form der Liebe. Also war auch bei Hannah schon immer etwas vorhanden, was der Silberfuchs nur geschickt hervorkitzeln musste und dies machte er wirklich sehr subtil und gekonnt. Ebenso gekonnt finde ich den Schreibstil und hier komme ich auch zu meinem Kritikpunkt. Man merkt den Autoren an, dass sie schreiben können und das auch routiniert. Aber Routine ist leider nicht immer alles, der Leser braucht auch hin und wieder einen Aha-Moment, eine Überraschung, etwas dass er vielleicht nicht gewohnt ist von den Autoren. Das heißt nicht, dass die Story nicht gut, der Schreibstil langweilig oder der die Charaktere uninteressant sind. Nein, ganz im Gegenteil, dennoch merkt man dass alles irgendwie gewohnt gut ist. Versteht ihr was ich damit ausdrücken möchte? Es fehlt das Tüpfelchen auf dem i um das Buch unvergesslich zu machen. Allerdings muss ich sagen, dass ich die Idee dieses Buch gleich als Werbeplattform für die neue Serie zu nutzen und die neuen Charaktere hier einzuführen wirklich lustig fand. Auch dass man am Ende einige Kapitel aus dem ersten Teil der neuen Serie einlesen konnte als kleinen Appetithappen. Denn diese Serie hört sich nach sehr viel Spaß an, drei Freundinnen ersteigern sich drei Brüder.
Dieses Buch war für mich leider das schwächste aus der Serie, weil mir der Kick fehlte letzen Endes und ich ziehe daher einen Punkt ab. 4 sehr gute Sterne, für eine gelungene und solide Story.
#liebesroman #romance #newadult #rezension #rezensionsexemplar #roman #bookstagram #piperrayne #foreververlag #ullsteinverlag #bücher #bücherliebe #booklover #reading #bookadict #theonerealman #loveandorder #leseratte #bücherwurm #bookaholic #lesen #lesenmachtglücklich #instabooks #readingtime #ilovebooks #netgalley #netgalleyde #ichliebelesen #buchnerd #ichliebebücher
The One Real Man
von Piper Rayne
Forever by Ullstein
„Der perfekte Mann ist der Mann, den ich am meisten hasse? Träum weiter.
Dating ist hart. Dating in den 30ern ist härter. Dating in Chicago ist am härtesten. Ich habe nicht aufgegeben, mein Happy End zu suchen, aber in den Zeiten von Tinder, Netflix und „chill mal“ frage ich mich, ob alles so vorübergehend ist, wie es meine Ehe war. Die Wahrheit ist, es gibt einen Mann, an den ich nicht aufhören kann zu denken. Ich würde gern meine Finger durch Roarke Baldwins Haare gleiten lassen, ich bin sicher, dass er unter seinem Anzug ein Sixpack verbirgt und ich habe mich immer gefragt, wie seine Bartstoppeln sich zwischen meinen Beinen anfühlen würden.
Das Problem? Er ist der eine Mann, den ich mehr hasse als meinen Exmann. Sein Scheidungsanwalt.“
Ich bedanke mich bei Netgalley und dem FOREVER by Ullstein Verlag für das kostenlose Rezensionsexemplar des Buches. Ich gebe hier meine unabhängige und unbezahlte Meinung zu dem Buch ab.
Ich habe bis jetzt alle Romane in dieser Reihe von dem Autoren Duo gelesen. Dadurch dass ich die Charaktere aus den voran gegangenen Büchern schon kannte, war es wie ein Wiedersehen mit alten Bekannten. Neugierig war ich vorallem auf den „Silberfuchs“, denn dieser schien ja in den anderen Büchern immer wieder für wahre Emotionsstürme bei Hannah gesorgt zu haben. In diesem Buch zeigte sich mal wieder, dass aus Abneigung Zuneigung werden kann, wenn man nur hartnäckig genug daran arbeitet. Aber wie sagte man schon zu Omas Zeiten immer wieder, Hass ist nur eine andere Form der Liebe. Also war auch bei Hannah schon immer etwas vorhanden, was der Silberfuchs nur geschickt hervorkitzeln musste und dies machte er wirklich sehr subtil und gekonnt. Ebenso gekonnt finde ich den Schreibstil und hier komme ich auch zu meinem Kritikpunkt. Man merkt den Autoren an, dass sie schreiben können und das auch routiniert. Aber Routine ist leider nicht immer alles, der Leser braucht auch hin und wieder einen Aha-Moment, eine Überraschung, etwas dass er vielleicht nicht gewohnt ist von den Autoren. Das heißt nicht, dass die Story nicht gut, der Schreibstil langweilig oder der die Charaktere uninteressant sind. Nein, ganz im Gegenteil, dennoch merkt man dass alles irgendwie gewohnt gut ist. Versteht ihr was ich damit ausdrücken möchte? Es fehlt das Tüpfelchen auf dem i um das Buch unvergesslich zu machen. Allerdings muss ich sagen, dass ich die Idee dieses Buch gleich als Werbeplattform für die neue Serie zu nutzen und die neuen Charaktere hier einzuführen wirklich lustig fand. Auch dass man am Ende einige Kapitel aus dem ersten Teil der neuen Serie einlesen konnte als kleinen Appetithappen. Denn diese Serie hört sich nach sehr viel Spaß an, drei Freundinnen ersteigern sich drei Brüder.
Dieses Buch war für mich leider das schwächste aus der Serie, weil mir der Kick fehlte letzen Endes und ich ziehe daher einen Punkt ab. 4 sehr gute Sterne, für eine gelungene und solide Story.
#liebesroman #romance #newadult #rezension #rezensionsexemplar #roman #bookstagram #piperrayne #foreververlag #ullsteinverlag #bücher #bücherliebe #booklover #reading #bookadict #theonerealman #loveandorder #leseratte #bücherwurm #bookaholic #lesen #lesenmachtglücklich #instabooks #readingtime #ilovebooks #netgalley #netgalleyde #ichliebelesen #buchnerd #ichliebebücher
July 7, 2018
5 Stars!
Piper Rayne is back delivering the third book in the Charity Case series and this might be the best book they've written yet. Sexy. Smart. Fast paced. Swoony. Happy Hour had every little thing that I love, crave and admire in a romance and this book left me with such a wicked hangover, making me want to go back for seconds... y'all seriously, Roarke is everything you want in an unforgettable book boyfriend.
He is a well known and sought out divorce attorney known as the silver fox. More specifically her ex's that took her to the cleaners. He's thorough, ruthless and formidable in the courtroom and just like he is with everything in his personal life.
She is smart, rich and a ruthless business woman with a heart of gold and a pocket to match it. She wants to despise him, she really really does yet her body yearns for him in every way when he's near.
Then he offers her help in exchange for five little favors in the foreseeable future. And when she agrees, the man has one plan...give him a real, authentic chance and make her fall head over heels in love with him. Easy sounding right? Wrong. She's gonna fight him every step of the way. Good thing he's in for the long haul.
Hannah and Roarke lit up my kindle y'all. At the end of book two in this series, I just knew that last word YOU was gonna have these two rocking my socks off. And spoiler alert! They totally did and some. Undeniable chemistry. Unforgettable favors. One divorce lawyer that gets what he wants. And one high society girl that is the one he wants... past be damned.
He's swoony, sexy, deep with intricate layers, and completely irresistible in every single way. She's smart, sassy, stern, and craves him more than delectable chocolate cake.
You gotta read this one and catch up with our favorites from Manic Monday and Afternoon Delight.
I highly recommend this book.
Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog
Piper Rayne is back delivering the third book in the Charity Case series and this might be the best book they've written yet. Sexy. Smart. Fast paced. Swoony. Happy Hour had every little thing that I love, crave and admire in a romance and this book left me with such a wicked hangover, making me want to go back for seconds... y'all seriously, Roarke is everything you want in an unforgettable book boyfriend.
He is a well known and sought out divorce attorney known as the silver fox. More specifically her ex's that took her to the cleaners. He's thorough, ruthless and formidable in the courtroom and just like he is with everything in his personal life.
She is smart, rich and a ruthless business woman with a heart of gold and a pocket to match it. She wants to despise him, she really really does yet her body yearns for him in every way when he's near.
Then he offers her help in exchange for five little favors in the foreseeable future. And when she agrees, the man has one plan...give him a real, authentic chance and make her fall head over heels in love with him. Easy sounding right? Wrong. She's gonna fight him every step of the way. Good thing he's in for the long haul.
Hannah and Roarke lit up my kindle y'all. At the end of book two in this series, I just knew that last word YOU was gonna have these two rocking my socks off. And spoiler alert! They totally did and some. Undeniable chemistry. Unforgettable favors. One divorce lawyer that gets what he wants. And one high society girl that is the one he wants... past be damned.
He's swoony, sexy, deep with intricate layers, and completely irresistible in every single way. She's smart, sassy, stern, and craves him more than delectable chocolate cake.
You gotta read this one and catch up with our favorites from Manic Monday and Afternoon Delight.
I highly recommend this book.
Reviewed for Renee Entress's Blog
July 12, 2018
After finishing Happy Hour I now feel like I don't have the right words to express how much I enjoyed this book or this series. But for starters I will say I have a major case of the warm and fuzzies towards Roarke. He was a truly fantastic character and probably my favorite person in the series. He was a really good guy, even if he's done things that aren't kindly looked at by others. The more we learned about him the more we could see and appreciate what a good guy he is. I'm so happy he and Hannah finally got their story. And what a great one it was. I enjoyed the build up of seeing the interactions between Hannah and Roarke in the previous books. It was like a teaser before the main event. And this was the perfect way to wrap up a great series.
I will continue to look out for future books by Piper Rayne as they continue to put out stories that I really enjoy and can get wrapped up in. They give you characters you can connect with and really come to like. I would definitely recommend any of their books and especially Happy Hour.
July 28, 2021
Und auch das letzte Buch der Reihe habe ich noch diesen Monat beenden können. Und ich muss sagen, der hat mir eindeutig am besten gefallen.
Nicht mal wegen der Protagonistin, denn die war mir manchmal zu blind und stur. Sondern vor allem wegen dem Protagonisten. Dieser war Anfang 40, hatte schon leicht grau melierte Haare, trug gefühlt immer einen Anzug. Heiß. Äußerst heiß. 🔥
Das war einfach mal was erfrischend anderes, als immer diese ewig jungen Anfang 20 jährigen. Keine Frage, diese Art von männlichen Charakteren mag ich auch, aber mal was reiferes ist auch nicht schlecht 😂
Auch ganz allgemein hat das Buch mir zugesagt. Ich mochte die Story und auch das Ende, welches schon die nächste Reihe des Autorenduos einleitet.
Ich bin auf jeden Fall sehr gespannt!
Nicht mal wegen der Protagonistin, denn die war mir manchmal zu blind und stur. Sondern vor allem wegen dem Protagonisten. Dieser war Anfang 40, hatte schon leicht grau melierte Haare, trug gefühlt immer einen Anzug. Heiß. Äußerst heiß. 🔥
Das war einfach mal was erfrischend anderes, als immer diese ewig jungen Anfang 20 jährigen. Keine Frage, diese Art von männlichen Charakteren mag ich auch, aber mal was reiferes ist auch nicht schlecht 😂
Auch ganz allgemein hat das Buch mir zugesagt. Ich mochte die Story und auch das Ende, welches schon die nächste Reihe des Autorenduos einleitet.
Ich bin auf jeden Fall sehr gespannt!
July 14, 2018
Great read!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I love how the authors kept leading us on about this man over the past couple of books. So when it came time for Hannah to get her own story, I was greatly anticipating it.
There’s definite fire between these two. Every time they saw each other sparks flew…. with contempt and even a touch of hate on Hannah’s side. Then Roarke turned to a bit of blackmail in order to get Hannah to converse with him and get to know him. The little smart on his part to work the contract.
Oh, there is fire there alright. Hannah really does have the hots for him and sweet Roarke is wearing his heart on his sleeve!! I love that he will do anything to get her to give him a chance.
However, I thought Hannah capitulated a little too fast. She got soft and smushy and gave in really quickly. And when she did that, the energy just wasn’t the same in the story.
Don’t get me wrong, I love these two together. But I never got that spark flying, breath holding, Oh My God feeling during the hot and sexy scenes. They seemed to go really rather quickly and we didn’t get that in-depth connection that I felt in the other two books.
However, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story and the authors did a great job crafting amazing characters all around that truly fit and worked well together. I just missed the extra heat and fire! But the ending…. so sweet and fitting!
Piper Rayne brings us another crazy yet fun story that is both entertaining and deliciously spicy. Definitely one to grab for your summer fun!
* copy received for review consideration
Full Review - http://amidlifewife.com/happy-hour-by...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I love how the authors kept leading us on about this man over the past couple of books. So when it came time for Hannah to get her own story, I was greatly anticipating it.
There’s definite fire between these two. Every time they saw each other sparks flew…. with contempt and even a touch of hate on Hannah’s side. Then Roarke turned to a bit of blackmail in order to get Hannah to converse with him and get to know him. The little smart on his part to work the contract.
Oh, there is fire there alright. Hannah really does have the hots for him and sweet Roarke is wearing his heart on his sleeve!! I love that he will do anything to get her to give him a chance.
However, I thought Hannah capitulated a little too fast. She got soft and smushy and gave in really quickly. And when she did that, the energy just wasn’t the same in the story.
Don’t get me wrong, I love these two together. But I never got that spark flying, breath holding, Oh My God feeling during the hot and sexy scenes. They seemed to go really rather quickly and we didn’t get that in-depth connection that I felt in the other two books.
However, I still thoroughly enjoyed the story and the authors did a great job crafting amazing characters all around that truly fit and worked well together. I just missed the extra heat and fire! But the ending…. so sweet and fitting!
Piper Rayne brings us another crazy yet fun story that is both entertaining and deliciously spicy. Definitely one to grab for your summer fun!
* copy received for review consideration
Full Review - http://amidlifewife.com/happy-hour-by...
December 20, 2020
I knew I was going to adore this one! I have been waiting for Roarke and Hannah's story since the first glimpse of them in this series. I mean, getting involved with your ex-husband's divorce lawyer?! SO MUCH YES. The chemistry burning between these two is HOT, even during the small glimpses in the previous books. It was amazing getting Roarke's backstory, and I totally fell for him in this one. Hannah is a strong female character that is just trying to protect herself, which I can totally get behind. Seriously, this book was everything I wanted.
July 11, 2018
This was my favorite of the series! I absolutely LOVED Roarke Baldwin! So cocky and confident with a hint of vulnerability and a heart of gold that he keeps to himself. I could easily see myself with him. I really liked Hannah, too. I totally get why she felt like she couldn't trust men and I totally applauded her when she realized she was wrong and what she did when Roarke called her on it. It broke my heart, but I was glad she was mature enough to admit she was wrong.
I love this writing duo and can not wait until the next series comes out :)
I love this writing duo and can not wait until the next series comes out :)
November 2, 2019
Man I really really really really really REALLY wish we'd gotten ANYTHING from Roarke's perspective.
I'm pretty sure the first two books included chapters from the heroes? So ... :|
I kept waiting/hoping for it - even an epilogue... but no.
Also ... the suspected cheating thing - whatever - I don't think it's a spoiler; obviously it was going to be a big thing Hannah had to work through since her ex husband cheated on her.
...
Guess Roarke is the best.
BUT I'M SUPER MAD AT HIM. UGH.
... I kinda also ... the ending.
I'm pretty sure the first two books included chapters from the heroes? So ... :|
I kept waiting/hoping for it - even an epilogue... but no.
Also ... the suspected cheating thing - whatever - I don't think it's a spoiler; obviously it was going to be a big thing Hannah had to work through since her ex husband cheated on her.
...
Guess Roarke is the best.
BUT I'M SUPER MAD AT HIM. UGH.
... I kinda also ... the ending.
May 17, 2021
This is the first time I have ever been this conflicted toward a book. The book itself is a five star read for me, I loved both characters and these authors almost never fail to deliver...but...there is a huge but in this book for me. I just couldn’t get over the fact that he was his ex’attorney and he helped him indirectly hurt her more by taking away part of her belongings that he certainly didn’t deserve...Hannah and Roarke crossed paths in her most hurtful period of her life and I can’t shake the thought that he played a huge part in that. This a romance novel and I don’t care that he kept saying he just got her ex what the law entails his rights were...there is a thin line between what the law says and what it is morally acceptable. He claimed that he felt a connection and was drawn to her from the very beginning, even by just looking at her pictures so why didn’t he just dropped the case ???? Why didn’t he just dropped her ex as his client instead of carry on like a sledgehammer ??? When I read a book I try to put myself in the heroines’ head and what I would do if I were her...if it was me I couldn’t get over the fact that every time I’d look him in the eyes I would still see the most terrible period of my life so I couldn’t really believe in a future for this relationship.
August 9, 2018
4.5 Stars
Hilarious! I loved it!
The first quarter of the book was so funny and I absolutely loved it. It ventured off more into the romance part after that which I still liked a lot but I really loved the first part the most with the push and pull between the characters. I loved Hanna as well as Roarke. Both gave it to each other pretty good and didn't hold back on witty remarks. She was a strong female character who could definitely hold her own and who found a perfect counterpart in Roarke. I loved to see that he also had a vulnerable side though, because she thought that he was arrogant when in reality he was only this tough lawyer at work but a real charmer and sweetheart on the inside.
The Story:
Roarke was quick-witted and determined to win Hanna over. Though she rather ran in the opposite direction of her ex’s attorney; the man who robbed her of half her fortune for this cheating bastard. Will he ever be able to make her see beyond that? Is there a chance for them to get over the circumstances on how they met?
Thoughts:
Roarke's a lawyer through and through in everything he did which was actually really refreshing to read because it was different to all the characters who usually rarely act in a way that lets you guess their profession.
He was actually really sweet. Who would have thought? And I liked how he took care of everything to show Hanna that he didn't need her money and only wanted her for herself. Obviously, he had a way with words and I was surprised that he wasn't anything close to what I imagined him to be.
He was thorough in what he did and seemed like to have a plan for everything. He surely liked to be in control of any situation but he still let Hanna have her freedom and voice instead of pushing his way on her, he was only nudging her in the direction. =P
Roarke didn't have it easy with a strong and independent woman like Hanna who got hurt and betrayed by her ex-husband. Naturally, she was suspicious and comparing his actions to her ex-husband’s and wondered if she could really trust a man ever again.
There was a glimpse into the next series at the end of the book but I only read what was part of Hanna's story because I never read sneak peeks of upcoming books. I just prefer to read the full book when it's out and I'm definitely going to read them.
Hilarious! I loved it!
The first quarter of the book was so funny and I absolutely loved it. It ventured off more into the romance part after that which I still liked a lot but I really loved the first part the most with the push and pull between the characters. I loved Hanna as well as Roarke. Both gave it to each other pretty good and didn't hold back on witty remarks. She was a strong female character who could definitely hold her own and who found a perfect counterpart in Roarke. I loved to see that he also had a vulnerable side though, because she thought that he was arrogant when in reality he was only this tough lawyer at work but a real charmer and sweetheart on the inside.
The Story:
Roarke was quick-witted and determined to win Hanna over. Though she rather ran in the opposite direction of her ex’s attorney; the man who robbed her of half her fortune for this cheating bastard. Will he ever be able to make her see beyond that? Is there a chance for them to get over the circumstances on how they met?
'The fucking bastard smiles like I just jerked him off until his cum dripped down my fingers like a melted ice cream cone.'
Thoughts:
Roarke's a lawyer through and through in everything he did which was actually really refreshing to read because it was different to all the characters who usually rarely act in a way that lets you guess their profession.
He was actually really sweet. Who would have thought? And I liked how he took care of everything to show Hanna that he didn't need her money and only wanted her for herself. Obviously, he had a way with words and I was surprised that he wasn't anything close to what I imagined him to be.
He was thorough in what he did and seemed like to have a plan for everything. He surely liked to be in control of any situation but he still let Hanna have her freedom and voice instead of pushing his way on her, he was only nudging her in the direction. =P
'Mr. Baldwin wants to play, I can fucking play. The most arrogant predator always underestimate their prey.'
Roarke didn't have it easy with a strong and independent woman like Hanna who got hurt and betrayed by her ex-husband. Naturally, she was suspicious and comparing his actions to her ex-husband’s and wondered if she could really trust a man ever again.
'He's the devil in the gray suit and if I don't treat carefully, I'm likely to forget it.'
There was a glimpse into the next series at the end of the book but I only read what was part of Hanna's story because I never read sneak peeks of upcoming books. I just prefer to read the full book when it's out and I'm definitely going to read them.
July 12, 2018
5 Stars...
So I wasn't sure if I would love this book and I wanted to love this book. Reason being for my concern was the hero, Roarke. If you've read the previous books in this series then you know that the heroine, Hannah, loathes this man. And she has a legitimate reason for her hate. I hated him too. And that was where my worry stemmed from. I wasn't sure Roarke would redeem himself in Hannah's eyes. Or mine as well.
Without saying too much I will tell you that Hannah is a divorcee who lost a grand amount of her assets to her selfish loser of an ex-husband. And Roarke was her ex's very successful lawyer. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. But here in this review, I can't say the words for fear of my review being kicked back for inappropriate use of language, lol.
Anyway, I learned to trust Roarke along with Hannah at pretty much the same speed. We both had trust issues here and needed time for Roarke to earn our trust. That said, it didn't take long. I was in love with Roarke sooner that I expected. In fact, he was not the person I perceived him to be. I don't regret misjudging Roarke's character because that make for an even better story. Roarke is indeed my favorite hero of the series.
I've read nearly everything by this amazing author duo. Their writing style is humorous and refreshing. Piper Rayne's heroines are strong, independent and caring. And their heroes are arrogant, yes, but they are sexy and sinful as well as loving and loyal. I always look forward to what comes next. That said, I can't wait for the next series! Love those Italian hotties!
This is my honest and unbiased review. Thank you for taking the time to read it. :)
So I wasn't sure if I would love this book and I wanted to love this book. Reason being for my concern was the hero, Roarke. If you've read the previous books in this series then you know that the heroine, Hannah, loathes this man. And she has a legitimate reason for her hate. I hated him too. And that was where my worry stemmed from. I wasn't sure Roarke would redeem himself in Hannah's eyes. Or mine as well.
Without saying too much I will tell you that Hannah is a divorcee who lost a grand amount of her assets to her selfish loser of an ex-husband. And Roarke was her ex's very successful lawyer. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. But here in this review, I can't say the words for fear of my review being kicked back for inappropriate use of language, lol.
Anyway, I learned to trust Roarke along with Hannah at pretty much the same speed. We both had trust issues here and needed time for Roarke to earn our trust. That said, it didn't take long. I was in love with Roarke sooner that I expected. In fact, he was not the person I perceived him to be. I don't regret misjudging Roarke's character because that make for an even better story. Roarke is indeed my favorite hero of the series.
I've read nearly everything by this amazing author duo. Their writing style is humorous and refreshing. Piper Rayne's heroines are strong, independent and caring. And their heroes are arrogant, yes, but they are sexy and sinful as well as loving and loyal. I always look forward to what comes next. That said, I can't wait for the next series! Love those Italian hotties!
This is my honest and unbiased review. Thank you for taking the time to read it. :)
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