Hard Drive

Tech Titans #1

by Marcella Swann

Can I tame the Bad Boy Playboy of Silicon Valley?


Damian He’s gorgeous and knows it.
A titan of the tech industry and not yet 30.
Models and starlets are his for the taking.
A billionaire.
And so very good at being bad.
I tell myself I don’t want him even though I do, in the worst possible way.
But I’ve got a secret that could ruin everything.



Gigi She’s brainy and beautiful and has a tongue as sharp as an ice pick.
I’m the face of a multi-billion-dollar tech company and I’ve got a rep.
I’m used to shallow and superficial but that’s not her.
That’s not her at all.
And it throws me.
Is she really worth the risk?
There’s only one way to find out.


It’s a dangerous Will she tame the Bad Boy or will she be the one who’s conquered?

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

140 pages, ebook

First published July 13, 2018

About the author

Marcella Swann has been putting words on paper for as long as she can remember. After working for years in the hard-boiled world of journalism, she how devotes her time to writing contemporary romances of strong-willed women who win the men of their dreams. As passionate about love as the beauty of a story well told, Marcella is a complete romantic and believes everyone desires their happily ever after. A small town girl from Louisiana, Marcella now lives in New York City and starts each day walking her Yorkie in the park. She also swings a mean kettle bell at the gym and loves karaoke nights with her friends.

Reviews

[Amanda [Novel Addiction] · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I might be in the minority here, because while this book was cute and fun, I am not enamored with it. There was little depth to it, and there characters lacked any real.. human-ness. The story itself was nothing new, and definitely predictable, but still, it kept me going because I was curious what was going to happen next.

I do want to say that this author has a truly poetic writing style. It doesn't come through all the time, but a few stray thoughts or phrases, sprinkled liberally throughout the book, made it obvious that this author knows what she's doing, I think she just needed more time and space to flesh out this story. I look forward to more in this series. It will be interesting to see further development in the series, and in her writing.

See my full review on my blog, Novel Addiction.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hard Drive - a review by Rosemary Kenny

A sweet novella without too much to tax the brain, Hard Drive: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance is Book 1 in the Tech Titans Series. A fairly typical - if steamy romance - is tells the customary story, of boy meets girl, even if the 'boy' is Damien Black, a 20-something tech genius and self-made giant of industry. Georgina - Gigi - Stevens hails from a hick town in North Carolina, but is keen to hide the fact, as she wants to be known for her business skills and not where she came from.
Meeting at Damien's cancer charity fundraiser, (showing he has a decent heart, to balance his playboy reputation), Damien's struck by Gigi's beauty and brains - like him, she's a tech genius and CEO of a company, who doesn't suffer fools gladly and afraid Damien will think of her as just another notch for his bedpost. If she surrenders her heart to him, she's sure to get it broken!

How can Damien prove her wrong? Can he convince Gigi of his true love for her?
Will she believe him when he professes his love? What does Damien think of Gigi's outlook on life?
When do Gigi and Damien realise they love one another?
Can Damien and Gigi prove they really love each other and ever realise their HEA potential?
It's a mystery and as in real life, sometimes the course of true love doesn't run smoothly at first, but this novella by the excellent author Marcella Swann, will surely lead to great things in future.

[Coco.V]

💝FREE on Amazon today (10/1/18)!💝

Blurb:
Can I tame the Bad Boy Playboy of Silicon Valley?

Damian Black: He’s gorgeous and knows it.
A titan of the tech industry and not yet 30.
Models and starlets are his for the taking.
A billionaire.
And so very good at being bad.
I tell myself I don’t want him even though I do, in the worst way.
But I’ve got a secret that could ruin everything.


Gigi Stevens: She’s brainy and beautiful and has a tongue as sharp as an ice pick.
I’m the face of a multi-billion-dollar tech company and I’ve got a rep.
I’m used to shallow and superficial but that’s not her.
That’s not her at all.
And it throws me.
Is something real worth the risk?
There’s only one way to find out.

It’s a dangerous dance: Will she tame the Bad Boy or will she be the one who’s conquered?

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet simple story of a poor country girl Georgina/Gigi Stevens and a tech titan Damian Black. Gigi was able to leave her home town on an academic scholarship to Brown University. There she majored in computer classes. She met her best friend Judy Mixson a trust fund baby working her way through Brown. The two of them settled down In San Francisco Silicon Valley for work. Gigi Stevens twenty-three is young and beautiful. She works in a male dominated field. She is witty, playful and a sense of humor. Everyone who's anyone knows Damian Black. He made his billions in the tech field. He gave a blow out party for cancer research. That's where he met Gigi. He then tracked her down and they started to date. This story covers a lot of feelings and emotions, fear, shame, nervousness, attraction and romance. Gigi was running away from her past and Damian did not know what his future would hold now that Gigi was a part of it. Gigi plans everything in her life. She has goals and works toward them. Damian's work philosophy is work is work and he is dang good and pleasure is pleasure and the twain shall never meet. As Damian get to know Gigi, he feels unsure and nervous. He doesn't understand it. He was not the type to be unsure or nervous. But now that he was getting to know Gigi, she changed his outlook on life. She gets an urgent call from her parents that she has not spoken to in five years. Her father is not well. Gigi feels so many emotions, guilt, fear and shame. She puts her life on hold to be there for them. She feels that this is the end of her career and that she no longer has anything to look forward to. She equates returning to her home as failure, which it is not. An enjoyable read.

[Paula]

Georgina "Gigi"Stevens - fresh out of Brown, an Ivy League college, lives in San Francisco, works in the research and development department of TrekTek

Damian Black - AKA "The Bad Boy Playboy of Silicon Valley," had built, along with his 3 partners SXz, the biggest, most successful music streaming platform "on Earth"

Judy Mixson - a trust-fund baby who had been Gigi's bff since their freshman year at Brown

Samiri Glen - a leading medical research firm partnering with TrekTekto raise 1/2 billion dollars for experimental Cancer treatments.

------------------

Gigi and Damian meet at a Saturday night party he is throwing to announce the partnership or SXz and Samiri Glen. When he leaves the stage to walk through the crowd, which basically parts for him like the Red Sea, until he walks between Judy ad Gigi - stopping to talk to Gigi who is not at all impressed by him, as all the other party goers are.

Monday, Damian shows up in Gigi's office, in TrekTek, and invites her to lunch. When she agrees he says "I'll pick you up at 10:30 at your place. When he arrives she's ready to leave. He keeps driving and she keeps guessing where they are going. They end up at San Francisco International Airport where they took a service road that ended up at a private jet . . which belonged to him

They stopped in NYC to refuel and then across the Atlantic. Barbara, the flight attendant, said they would be landing at Malpensa. Gigi asks if it is some island. Damian answers, "No, it's the international airport in Milan."

The story starts it's growth from here.

[Julianne Macneil · Rating 5 out of 5]

i read this book as part of an arc program. This is the funny romance between Gigi, a woman who is a genius and is starting to work in the tech world, and Damian, a young billionaire who made his fortune in tech. Damian is a bad boy playboy and has the ego to go with it. When Damian sees Gigi at a party he is hosting, he gets called away before he can ask her out so the next day, he shows up at her workplace to see her. Gigi is confused about why Damian is interested in her but she agrees to go to dinner with him. When Damian shows up, he takes her to his private jet and won't tell her where they are going. After a sudden romance, Gigi thinks Damian is never going to give up his playboy ways, so she doesn't answer his calls. When she gets a call from her estranged mother, she knows she has to return home and leaves without a word to Damian. Damian wonders what happened as he thought they had a connection, so he vows to learn where she went. I like this story and i thought Damien wasn't as bad as the press thought he was. I think Gigi and Damian really cared for each other. I think they had great chemistry and plenty of heat. Good one.

[Janet Taggart Baldwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marcella has written two books that I have read, My Dream Job and Hard Drive, and she is on my radar now! This book is better than her first! I loved these characters, Damien Black, the tech millionaire and Gigi Stevens, new in the industry but very brilliant. When they meet, sparks fly! But Gigi feels they are in two different worlds and shoots him down. That's something Damien is not used to having happen, actually NEVER happens! So he is fascinated with her and pursues her like a dog after a bone! Damien is such a sweetheart! Of course there are misunderstandings that throw a wrench in his plans and some problems come up with Gigi, but I love a HEA and we are all happy at the end. This is a wonderfully written book and I will be looking for more by this new talent. I received an ARC for an honest review.

[The Mysterious Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved My Dream Job, the first book by Marcella Swann that I’ve read, and among my “guilty pleasures” are billionaire romances, so it’s no surprise that I rushed to download and read (really should say “gobble up”) her Hard Drive: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance (Tech Titans Book 1). The romance between Gigi Stevens and Damian Black is both extremely well thought out and super hot. The plot and supporting characters were both superb s d the writing excellent. Frankly, but for the fact that I’m literally dictating this review to my husband from my hospital bed, I could go on and on with praises - the book definitely deserves it. Since I can’t do that I will simply note that the book is most definitely one to read, it is easy to highly recommend. I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in this series.

[Jami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damian is your typical rich playboy and Gigi is a woman in a man's world with a plan to make it on her own. Damian meets Gigi and something about her draws him in and makes him realize that he is read for a relationship and love. Something that he just didn't see in the cards or believe in for himself. The problem is to get Gigi to let down her guard and let him in. Shockingly to Damian he just can't seem to get her to believe in herself and to believe in them as a couple. The journey they go on is sweet and fun. I loved every moment and frankly would love more of their story. I feel like this was just a snap shot of the beginning and there is so much more story to tell. I recommend you one click and give this one a try. It is a fast read with a sweet story line.

I received an ARC copy in return for my honest review.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

DOWN BOY!!!
Talk about butting heads. Swann throws us another great read. She knows just how to tell a story that reels you in and keeps you captive until the last word. She takes no prisoners and throws caution to wind. She pulls us into a world she's created so deep until everything else ceases to exist. Strong characters that are well developed and believable. Their personalities are unique with qualities and traits that balance out perfectly. The scenes are so graphic and descriptive it paints a fantastic backdrop that really makes the storyline pop. Twists and turns abound limitless humor and tipping the scales. Remarkable job Swann bringing this read together beautifully. Great job, thanks for sharing this awesome read with us.

[Andrea Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author has a great talent for taking two very opposite characters and pairing them up in a way that goes 0-90 in nothing flat. I do worry about the longevity of some of these relationships because they seem to skip over the getting to know you phase altogether, but hey, it's fiction, right?

Damian and Gigi get to explore their feelings in a very unique way thanks to his heaps of money and private jet. This was actually really fun for me. Who wouldn't want to travel to Italy in order to explore feelings for someone? I enjoy that she's no doormat and he's not a total jerk.

This series is a fast-reading one with good romance and spicy love scenes. Would recommend if this is your kind of read!

[Misty Goan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this quick captivating, entertaining, romantic story with an an awesome storyline that is a rollercoster of emotions. It has humor, chemistry, and lots of passion. The story engaged me from the beginning with real very likeable characters. Gigi tech geek from poor neighborhood chance meets super hot billionaire Damien and immediately dislikes him.  Damien enamored with her wants her, and always gets what he wants. He convinces her to go to lunch with him. Little does she know this will be out of the country in Milan. Can their chemistry an passion overcome her feelings of her not belonging in that world. I voluntarily reviewed this ARC and recommend this wonderful story. 

[Patricia Kieffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard Drive by Marcella Swann
Gigi and Judy are going to a party put on by billionaire Damian Black. Damian is up on the stage making an announcement that he is starting a cancer fund and he was started out with a four hundred thousand dollars donation. Damian walks through the crowd and when he sees Gigi he stops in front of her and asked her a few questions and just walks away. Oh My Gosh, this is a great love story with twists and turns that keep you hanging on. I enjoyed this story and so glad Marcella Swann took me on such a wonderful read. I received an ARC and have voluntarily left a review. This is my honest opinion.

[MaLoBe · Rating 4 out of 5]

She is smart, beautiful, intelligent and got the job in Silicon Valley but she has low self-esteem. He is famous bad boy full of himself. They meet, there is instant connection and undeniable chemistry between them. In this book we will find banter, witty language, hot scenes and the boy who is lost for the first time when he wants to pursue one woman that is not all over him. Who is shutting out and running from him. HEA is not obvious and the story is well paced, characters well developed and easy to fall in love with.

[Beth C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlikely, but sweet story.

Enjoyable, but a bit too much with Gigi’s constant embarrassment of her upbringing and the feelings of unworthiness. She’s obviously beautiful and extremely intelligent and has overcome her home town drawbacks...so just be proud of how hard you’ve worked and get over it already.
And Damian, the playboy billionaire actually is caring and intellectual. But Gigi’s insecurities cause a rift in their new friendship/relationship. Can Damian get over it? Does he even want to?
Short and sweet with a nice, although slightly abrupt, ending.

[Jennifer Soppe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely start to what promises to be a great series.

Gigi, an educational app programmer, meets Damian, a tech billionaire, by chance at a party his company is throwing. As the story progresses perceptions get in the way, barriers begin to crumble, phone calls cause trouble and grand gestures save the day. This book has a lot going on for an afternoon read. Yet, the reader does not get confused from the author trying to pack it all in. Marcella Swann gives the reader emotional depth, dramatic situations and happy for now/happily ever after endings that are realistic and engaging.

[Laila Viking · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well written romance between two characters that both are a bit geeky. They hide their attraction for each other. But can they keep on doing that?
A story that is a mix of humour, chemistry, passion, emotions, twists and turns. It is written in such a way the characters feels real and very likeable. They come from different backgrounds but has mutual interests and love for each other. They just have to open up.
A very recommendable story that I wished was much longer.

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Damian Black so arrogant and soooo hot. So full of himself but so justified. Gigi was wary but completely smitten as I would have been. Damian is used to having woman falling at his feet without trying but Gigi is a real challenge for him as she plays very hard to get. Damian uses some real novel ways to win her over. There is also some humour along the way. Especially the Italian driver Eugenio. As he would say this book "Is good no? Read an ARC for an honest review.

[Sahar's Honest Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kidnapped

If you are single, and a billionaire asks you to lunch, would you go? You think he is arrogant and has an ego the size of Texas. Oh, and the lunch is at 10:30 at night. He is taking you to the airport. Is it time to get out of the car?

This is my favorite book by Marcella Swan. The humor was excellent, and it made me laugh out loud throughout the book. If you like romantic comedies, you just might enjoy this story.

[annette k · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drive me insane!!

Damian seem Gigi at a party he threw and was taken from the beginning. Gigi made it a hard sell, so Damian had to track her down. He knew this woman was like no other he had meet, so he pursued her until she accepted a date. Gigi had a lot of secrets from her childhood. She was ashamed of them but Damian wasn't. Can these two make it or will Gigi let self doubt destroy it?

[Darlene Fessenden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damien is the face of SXz tech company and a billionaire. Gigi worked for another tech company and when they met they were never the same. This is a wonderfully written story of two people from completely different backgrounds trying to find their way in life. Marcella has brought their story to life in an amazing way. I reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Kelly C Draper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good but not Great.

The male character was good but didn,t seem to work to be a millionaire. They did not have much detail describing looks and personalities but they made this this book a good a good read. Overall, I likes the story and suggest this book to all erotic fans but stayed vanilla throughout.

[Canna Erbes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cute romance story of two genies from tech world with different background upbringing. Gigi work hard to get where she is at today especially from her childhood that her parents were loving and very poor. She left home 5 years ago and hasn’t been back or called her parents since then and is ashamed. Gigi know all above Damian and his playboy ways. She refusing to be another knot on his bedpost. Damian is the face of a multi-billion-dollar tech company with a rep to uphold. Damian is used to getting his way especially with the ladies. Damian realizes his money does not impress Gigi. She has throws him off his game. Damian doesn’t take no from Gigi and gets her to agree to dinner finally. They have a great time, but when their dinner date is over Gigi does not return Damian calls and seems to vanish with no note or contact. Will Damian give up and not find out what happen to Gigi and his feeling towards her? Gigi gets a call from her parents when tragic strikes and she realizes what a horrible daughter she has been. She knows the best thing is to put her life and career on hold including Damian who has intrigue her and return home. I enjoyed reading this book.

[Mawgan Dipple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny witty read

Hard drive
9/10/18 5 stars

I only read a few pages and gigi had me cracking up, I just knew I was going to enjoy this book. With her friend judy the pair were funny and quick witted.
The book is fast paced and the banter between gigi and Damien is funny and amazing. Only the fear of letting the other in is stopping them from happiness. Great read.

[Paula Dowless · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!

What a sweet, romantic story! I loved the feels you get from Damien and Gigi.......such a perfect couple. I'm definitely adding this book (and the author) to my favorites list. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series. Thank you Marcella Swann for writing such a great story!!!!

[Shana Friedenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great for a quick read! The characters each had a well developed background for a short story, and the author made it very clear which points were important for the characters profile. However, sexually speaking, this book was misleading to me-there was only one sex scene, with very little romanticism between both characters until the end. Not what I would’ve expected for an erotica overall.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars, oh yes! Damian, wealthy guy, and a real wizard in the Tech Industry. Gigi matches perfectly in Damian world because she is also a geeky worker in this field, as well as beautiful. Both were quite smitten with the other but both had a difficult time admitting that fact. Love how the author uses humor to explain things. I highly recommend Hard Drive.

[Annie Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read that kept me reading until the end. I especially liked how real the main characters were portrayed and it made me like reading about them better for that.

I received this book as an arc and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shirley Klohr-Ricci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tough

Sweet emotional ride with two different characters from different backgrounds who find the love they have been looking for! Thanks for the incredible adventure,love this author and the wonderful stories she tells. ❤️❤️

[Trudy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Read

Fast paced story with super hot hero and heroine. I liked the fact that the main characters' POV was given throughout the book. Can't wait to read another book by this author.