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An Accidental Date with a Billionaire

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Samantha Matthews turned her back on her wealthy family to focus on social work. To some, she’s the heart of kindness. To others, she’s caught up in a never-ending battle to make up for the harm her family—and their companies—inflict on the world. So finding Samantha at a charity bachelor auction is hardly surprising. Only she’s just bid on the wrong guy. Oops.Samantha was supposed to bid on her brother’s bestie. But it’s nearly impossible to tell one stick-in-the-mud CEO from another, and somehow she’s managed to snag herself one dead-sexy Taylor Jennings. Only the completely insufferable billionaire cuts her off dismissively before informing her that sex is definitely off the table.Now Samantha’s ready for some sweet payback. She’s got plans for Taylor, and all of them involve heat, sweat, and hammering…for Habitat for Humanity. Only Taylor isn’t quite what she expected. And Samantha’s about to get just what she paid for.

139 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2019

109 people are currently reading
309 people want to read

About the author

Diane Alberts

34 books1,145 followers
Diane Alberts is a USA TODAY bestselling Contemporary Romance author with Entangled Publishing. Under the name Jen McLaughlin, she also writes New York Times, USA TODAY, and Wall Street Journal bestselling books with Penguin RandomHouse. She was mentioned in Forbes alongside E. L. James as one of the breakout independent authors to dominate the bestselling lists. Diane is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

Diane has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn’t until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author. Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and three cats. Her goal is to write so many fantastic stories that even a non-romance reader will know her name.
- See more at: http://www.dianealberts.com/about/#st...

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5 stars
133 (28%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
Profile Image for Wendy'sThoughts.
2,670 reviews3,284 followers
July 21, 2020
4 Neverending Date Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free
Diane Alberts Always Delivers. This starts out with a woman who has remade herself, running away from the sins of her father and mother. Think Madoff Ponzi scheme level of fraud. She was left by her parents to be put into foster care and had to work all by herself to become the woman she is now.


She is one who sees and seeks joy in everything. She works for a nonprofit which assists companies who are on the verge of bankruptcy and tries to help them hold things together. She volunteers at soup kitchens, builds with Habitat for Humanity, and gives of her time to many other charities all the while never dating. She lives very differently from the past wealth she knew and is happier for it.

Now she is stuck at a Billionaire Auction for charity because her best friend's brother hates being in this deal. She is there to bid on him and then leave. Unfortunately, the men's places in the schedule change and our gal bids on the wrong man...

Both of these people are relationship scared so when they decide to have a "date", it should work...only the date is so great... our no commitment guy wants this One Date to keep ongoing...

Interesting idea and Albert makes it work.

A gifted copy was provided by Entangled Publishing, LLC via NetGalley for an honest review.

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Profile Image for Claire.
2,324 reviews738 followers
April 1, 2019
4 - "Only with you…" Stars!

The phrase ‘Bachelor Auction’ is like catnip to this reader, so I knew I wanted to read An Accidental Date with a Billionaire as soon as I finished the blurb.

"You’re a mystery I can’t quite solve… but I intend to do my best to figure you out…"

Samantha Matthews has gone from riches to rags and now spends every day trying to give back something to others, while Taylor Jennings has gone from rags to riches, and spends every day taking ailing companies and in the main breaking them up and selling them off for profit, as you can guess opposites attract, and these two cause quite the mix when Sam mistakenly buys Taylor in an auction (all proceeds going to charity, as you would expect).

"I want you… And I intend to have you."

What begins as one date (as per the terms of the auction) extends to a weeklong date where Sam ends up staying at Taylors place, the rules are, as long as she doesn’t leave they are still on their first and ‘only’ date. As you would assume, the more this couple get to know each other, the more it would seem that although opposite in many ways, they also have a huge amount in common with each other. But whereas Taylor is willing to open up and share the less savoury parts of himself and his past with Sam, the same cannot be said for her…

What had been nothing more than revenge on some rich jerk she’d met at an event had turned into a magical evening with and attractive man…

The only reason this read wasn’t a five star for me was the fact I didn’t warm to Sam as much as I did Taylor, although her motivations were valid, I just didn’t like the double standard she held him against. That said, I pretty much read it in one sitting, and it didn’t massively detract from my enjoyment, I would have just liked her to open up a little more, a lot sooner than she did.

"I’m glad you were wrong that night."

Enjoyable, and easy to read, I hope Sam’s best friend is in line for a novel next.

ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
Profile Image for Deborah.
3,838 reviews496 followers
March 12, 2019
On the whole I enjoyed this book. I did have a couple of small issues but then when don’t I?

It starts with Samantha at a charity auction waiting to bid on her friends brother. She’s not paying attention at all and bids on the wrong man.

Taylor comes across as your typical rich arrogant and very handsome male. Sam thinks she has him all figured out and arranges their date accordingly.

Taylor is much more than she expected. He’s a man who came from nothing and worked his way up.

I really liked Taylor and it’s hard not to like Sam (although she did annoy me at times) she devotes her life to helping others. At times I felt it was too much, she was just too set and uncompromising.

“You’re not understanding.” She fisted her hands. “I couldn’t fall in love with someone who would put me in that position. It’s not me. It’s not who I want to be. I don’t want to be like them. And falling in love with someone wealthy…what if that changed me back to who I was? What if it made me forget what’s important in life—the sun, the fresh air...”

So yes Sam annoyed me at times but her life had been ripped out from her when she was young and it’s obviously had a profound effect on her.

Maybe I’m overthinking this.
It’s an easy, enjoyable romantic book. It’s what I think of as the perfect 3* read.

Call me picky and I am because this is such a minor point but...
The blurb states that Sam

‘...turned her back on her wealthy family to focus on social work.’

And this is true she did but I’d assumed that she’d come to this decision purely on her own. In fact her parents were arrested and she had to drop out of her Ivy League school due to lack of funds.

Like I said it’s a minor point but I went into this book under a slight misapprehension.


I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Neal.
1,790 reviews146 followers
April 14, 2019
Samantha's family is wealthy, but she turned her back on all of it to help others. She's known for her social work and many acts of kindness. But they don't always understand what drives her, redemption for what her family has done to others. Helping others is also what lands her at a bachelor auction, agreeing to bid on her best friend's brother. She does and wins, except her "prize" is a date with the wrong man. In he defense though, don't all CEOs look alike? A suit is a suit, right?

Trying to explain to "her" bachelor, Taylor, there's no need to follow through on their date, but she wasn't expected to essentially be dismissed, and informed they would not be having sex. Apparently, he seems to have found her lacking following the once over he gave her.

Well, she'll show him. The date is on and she'll be happy to inform him the only pounding she was interested in was him swinging a hammer onto a nail as he built houses for Habitat for Humanity. Except, not only did their paths cross due to mistaken identity, but it seems their impressions of each other were wrong as well.

Taylor is all about control, refusing to let his emotions show or get the better of him, but meeting Samantha changes his outlook on a lot of things. Taylor has worked hard, perhaps too hard at times, to make something of himself and is quite content with that, never intending to settle down. On that, he and Samantha agree as both avoid commitment.

But as they get to truly know one another, their beliefs on relationships change and they realize just maybe, with the right person, they can have everything they never knew they wanted.

One-click now and follow along as two people, both with chips on their shoulders for personal reasons, meet and are contracted to a date by accident...one they end up enjoying.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.**
Profile Image for Ella Heart.
91 reviews55 followers
March 10, 2019
4/4.5 Stars!

An ARC was provided to me by Netgally in exchange of an honest review.

Ok, This book was really good.

It had everything that would make it likable - i mean a rich understanding guy, a girl who everyone likes/loves who doesn't actually get on your nerves, painful past they can overcome together and sizzling chemistry that would keep the story going forward. And its not that the MCs didn't had any faults, they did, but even then i found myself enjoying the story. To be truthful, i would read more from the author if given the chance.

But the reason i couldn't give it the full stars is the same reason i have given it a 4/4.5 stars. It was just too perfect you know - the perfect length (not too short to keep you wanting more and not too long that it will start to feel like a burden), the perfect amount of humor and seriousness (not a bit extra where their wasn't one needed), some chessy line and some romantic ones without being over the top. It was the perfect package which i would love to read once, but i knew it would be because i knew entangled publication made it. I expected that. It is the perfect package but not something raw and real that would make me read it again and again.

In total, it is a book that you would enjoy in a warm summer afternoon, nothing more and nothing less.

Till next book then, Happy Reading Everyone!
Profile Image for Sissy's Romance Book Review .
8,992 reviews16 followers
March 30, 2019
An Accidental Date with a Billionaire by Diane Alberts is the story of Taylor and Sammy.
Sammy was once the daughter of a very rich man and had the best of everything. But then he got caught with his hand in the 'cookie jar' and all was lost. So she went forward to change her name and try to make things better by volunteering and doing good in the world. When her best friend ask that she help save her brother from a bachelor auction she does but ends up with the wrong man...Taylor.
Both have trust issue and swear they don't want anything long term but the more they get to know each other the more they start to think one date isn't enough.
Profile Image for Nonieღserenity2bliss.
2,023 reviews377 followers
March 11, 2019
I would like to rate this book higher, just because I really like Taylor. What can I say, I'm a sucker for a control freak. A hot, sexy, rich control freak. *cough*

I would like to say that I like Sam just as much, but I couldn't. At times, she gets on my nerves. I find her character somewhat judgmental and too quick to jump the gun. So much so that I felt really bad for Taylor who would always find himself needing to apologize to her.

I do like the pace of the story. I don't find it too slow or too fast. I think the pace allow both of the characters to grow, as a couple as well as individual.

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for the online copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Crystal.
Author 75 books427 followers
March 3, 2019
I loved Samantha, but I wanted to shake her at times. Taylor was just perfection. These two and their ongoing first date was just a wonderful book. I absolutely loved it!
Profile Image for TSN ☮.
1,577 reviews28 followers
June 10, 2024
Re-read June 2024

Just like I anticipated, this was a quick, light read that kept me entertained.

I like the writing style. The plot is interesting, the pace of the story is good, and it has a decent dialogue.
Definitely worth reading.

☛ I requested an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley, and I'm voluntarily making this review.
Profile Image for Maria Rose.
2,631 reviews267 followers
April 12, 2019
I enjoyed this fun, sexy, romance that starts with a case of mistaken identity but turns into a real relationship! Sam think she's bidding on her best friend's brother at a bachelor auction, but it turns out she's gotten herself a date with hunky, hardworking and wealthy stranger, Taylor. They are both no commitment types but they hit it off on their 'date' and end up not wanting it to end, thus ensuring that they'll spend lots of time together before having to decide whether to change their stances on relationships. Sexy scenes ensue. Things are complicated by Sam's past, her feelings about money (which Taylor has lots of) and by her job, which is in direct opposition to Taylor's. She tries to save small businesses while he is in the world of corporate acquisitions. Despite some of their philosophical differences they find common ground and get their happy ending in this insta-love romance. It was nice to see the Habitat for Humanity charity featured, and the emphasis on Sam's other charitable works. I've enjoyed Diane Alberts' writing in the past and am happy to see this new release from her!

Note: a copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review.
Profile Image for Jenn __Garden Of REden.
1,172 reviews64 followers
April 2, 2019
KRISTEN'S REVIEW

I have just come to accept that I love Diane! This book could be described as Insta-love and that was a-okay by me! The initial connection of Taylor (how hot is that name?) and Sam was felt and by 6%, I was getting butterflies in my stomach.
Taylor grew up poor, while Sam grew up rich. Taylor had a single mom after his dad died. Taylor had both parents. Once they grew into adults, Taylor made is life mission to never be hungry again and fought to get to the top. Taylor vowed to never take life for granted, never have the temptations of money again.
The two characters were SO similar, and so different, I found myself getting frustrated at them! I do feel Diane could have dug a bit deeper and gave us just a bit more raw feelings and thing book would have EXPLODED your heart and mind!
Perfect read if you have a day, or weekend free and you are needing a growling cave man who crumbles to his love!
Profile Image for Peggy.
1,012 reviews65 followers
March 8, 2019
This was a quick read and drew me in right from the beginning. I liked the premise and the characters. Both Sam and Taylor come with childhood baggage that they have to overcome in order to be together. It wasn't an easy journey to their happy ending, but as the story progressed both characters grew and each one had something to offer the other to help them do that. My only issues were that I didn't quite feel the full chemistry between the two that I would have liked, and there were times that I just wanted to shake Sam because she was a bit extreme.

I voluntarily read a digital ARC provided to me by the publisher through Netgalley.
Profile Image for Linda Quick.
1,329 reviews30 followers
March 6, 2019
Another winner!!! This is a delightful quick read that romance fans will love - it's charming, sweet, and sexy. I loved the characters, from the complicated and damaged Samantha, to the unexpected Taylor . Taylor begins as the stereotypical alphahole and Samantha is not impressed., however, this author shows that first impressions are frequently wrong. The author drew me in to their story and made me feel invested in it. I also enjoyed the way it enfolded from both points of view.

Fans of the genre will love this book. Put this one at the top of your TBR list.- you'll be glad you did. The author is on my must read authors' list.
Profile Image for Ayekah.
1,123 reviews
March 29, 2019
Accidentally perfect! I didn't put this one down, I was too engaged with the story. Why can't these kinds of accidents happen to me? Right!? I fell in love with the snapping, barking dog that was Taylor when we first get a glimpse of him. Yowza he is a commanding, demanding, ain't nobody got time for his nonsense man. I really felt for Sam who was there just doing her bestie a favor by bidding on her brother at a charity auction. The bestie is off to Vegas to get marries and her brother hates these things as much as Sam does so she agrees to go. Little problem is there's a mix up in the line up and she bids on the wrong man and ends up with Taylor. Sam has zero patience for this man or his business and every word that comes out of his mouth makes her even more snarky! I loved her sass! Sam left that life a long time ago and her backstory fills in as you get into the book. Taylor buys foundering companies and takes them apart for a living, he's a very wealthy man, he didn't grow up that way but he certainly lives that way now and he's all about control. Right down to what he eats on what night of the week. Sam works for a small business that saves foundering companies and tries to make a business plan to help them succeed or in some cases navigate the waters of a buy out. She knows this business. She hates the sharks that eat small businesses and puts people out of work and destroys their lives. Sam has her own schedule too, she volunteers with Habitat then serves at the soup kitchen every Saturday along with helping out at the no kill shelter. All her time is spent giving back. When the two decide to have their "date" and Taylor has a one and done rule, he decides after spending time with Sam he wants to extend their date. First for the whole weekend, then the week and the longer they spend time together the more comfortable it gets. When their official first date which Sam plans is working on a house for Habitat and Taylor has his own toolbox Sam is a little confused. But as she gets to know Taylor the more comfortable she gets, still she keeps her past off limits and she guards that fiercely. I loved watching these two, it was like playing television, the interaction and dialogue. Taylor softens a great deal and makes concessions about not having chinese take out on Sunday because that's what his schedule says and while these two have outrageous chemistry it's a delicious slow burn and wow, what a burn it was! Things heat up between the two, I loved the way the story unfolded and when the rubber met the road for them I felt so deflated. Which for me is always a sign of good writing, I was engaged enough to be invested in these two and the outcome. I loved that Diane included an epilogue which for me is always a plus. This is a fun, engaging, easy read that you will love to read.

Profile Image for Edit~A.
393 reviews26 followers
March 31, 2019
(Source: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Entangled Publishing, Indulgence and Diane Alberts.)

I have not had read Entangled book for awhile, before this, and it was a nice come back. The book was short, an easy read, romantic, and enjoyable.

“Dress casually,” she added. And there she did it again, surprised him almost speechless. He frowned. “Casually?”
“Yeah, you know. Jeans. Flannel. Boots.” She tipped her head, her blue eyes flashing with something he could only assume was amusement at his expense. “Do you own those?”
“I own everything, darling, including your apartment building,” he said cockily.
“My…?” Her jaw dropped. “Seriously?”
He gave her a wink. “See you at nine. Make sure you’re ready, I don’t like to be kept waiting.”
“Because your time is so valuable,” she shot back at him.
“You said it, not me.”


Samantha was a former rich elite, who turned her back on that world and money, because of her parents' crimes, and tried to stay away from all the wealth not wanting to be like them or corrupted by it. She kept the money she needed, ONLY, and sent everything else to charities. Through her action she was trying to right the wrongs of her parents by helping others.

“You’re so fucking beautiful, inside and out, and to be honest, sometimes I don’t know what to do with that.” He flexed his jaw. “Or with you. You’re just too good.”
She snorted, her cheeks heating. “No, I’m not.”
“Yes,” he said, his voice low. “You’re fucking amazing, and somehow you manage to have no clue just how special you are.”


In the very beginning Taylor comes off as a typical arrogant billionaire, but he is not. Unlike Samantha, he was poor and worked hard to become who he was. The interesting aspect of this book, was that they lived each other's previous lives, so they understood each other, but also wondered what the other sees in it that they never did when they were at that point.

The devil she ran from was him.

The book was lovely, but there was too much drama for my liking. While I understood it, I think it was kind of dragged through the story. I also did not like Samantha jumping to assumptions without talking or listening to Taylor, so that annoyed me a bit. However, overall, I enjoyed the read.
Profile Image for Penny.
610 reviews15 followers
April 3, 2019
3.5 “The never-ending first date” Stars

An Accidental Date with a Billionaire was a fun, sexy and entertaining read I enjoyed greatly.

Samantha stuffed up when she “won” a date with the wrong bachelor, and instead of rescuing her best friend’s brother she ends up with some random jerk CEO who couldn’t even bother to look up from his phone. When he basically writes her off, her pride dictates she teaches the a-hole a lesson and promptly sets up a date to make him suffer.

Taylor finds himself intrigued by Samantha’s apparent lack of interest in him. When their early date turns out to be working construction for Habitat for Humanity, he realizes he might have been completely off in his first impression of her. Similarly, Samantha’s expectation of how their “date” would progress is completely shattered when it turns out Taylor not only knows his way around a construction site but has actually worked with Habitat for Humanity before.

Taylor and Samantha share incredible chemistry and are soon trying to fight the pull. The more time they spend together, the more difficult it becomes to ignore their connection. But neither wants a relationship, and they’re totally wrong for each other, they’re just too different to even bother. Or are they?

I really liked both Taylor and Samantha. She was hardworking, strong and had an iron will. I struggled a bit with her insistence to ignore her feelings and how she kept at her self-imposed punishment. Taylor was a fantastic hero. He starts off as an inconsiderate jerk, sexy as hell sure, but a total ass. As we begin to know him and his feelings for Samantha shake up his uber-organized life, his softer, more playful side comes out to play and it was just awesome.

With some struggles, an epic eff-up and some seriously good groveling, An Accidental Date with a Billionaire had sweet romance, funny butt-heading, and sexy as hell shenanigans. While I was not completely blown away, it kept me smiling and I had a great time reading it.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book*
Profile Image for Lisa.
923 reviews26 followers
March 31, 2019
Sam is supposed to big on friends brother at a bachelor auction. Sounds easy enough excepts she doesn't know who the guy looks like and somehow bids on the wrong guy. That guy being Taylor and not at all what she expected. He might have money but he isn't spoiled or selfish. Sam had a silver spoon upbringing but that all crashed when he parents were caught stealing from their own employees. Now she's living a quiet life and giving back as much as she can in penance. Taylor on the other hand started out very poor with just him and his mom and sister. Now he's successful but he still gives back. I enjoyed this more than i thought i would. At times it seems that Sam to hung up not her belief that she couldn't be with Taylor because he had money. She never tried to get over what her parents did and put that on Taylor. There were parts i really enjoyed. Taylor and Sam were good together.
Profile Image for Isha Coleman.
8,929 reviews172 followers
April 14, 2019
They met by chance. Was it an accident or meant to be? Sam and Taylor have alot to learn when it comes to matters of the heart and money is at the center of it all. Alberts pours on the charm with a whole lot of heart and a great deal of common sense. An Accidental Date with a Billionaire begins with a case of mistaken identity and ends up being a sweetheart of a romance. Taylor and Sam have been thrown some heartbreaking curveballs in their young lives. Are they ready to accept that this time around the hands of fate finally got it right? Love is not always beautiful, but life has a way of working itself out.
Profile Image for Ofelia.
988 reviews3 followers
March 18, 2019
I really liked the story line but I found it kind of annoying and tiresome when Sam kept denying her feelings for Taylor. I know that she was traumatized by the actions of her parents and was afraid of rejection and what Taylor might think of her but the fact that she kept deflecting her true feelings was wrong. Overall this book was a fun read and I can’t wait to read more Diane Alberts books.


***Received this ARC by NetGalley as an exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Defying Tradition Allisia Wysong .
108 reviews3 followers
April 16, 2019
Samantha and Taylor were phenomenal together! This book had me laughing and yelling in my head and sometimes out loud. I wanted to shake both characters and hug them, LOL yes, it is that good. You will love the back and forth they give one another and the lesion to not judge a gorgeous rich man by his money. Taylor thinks he always must stay in control; he never lets his emotions or temper out of check. That is until he meets Samantha, all she wants is him to let loose a bit, not have to manage every situation. Yet even with the differences between them they are explosive in the one area that they can agree on, Bed. This leads to more time spent together on their “first date” because neither want a second. To understand this fully you will need to buy the book and read it. I will say this is the first book I have read by Diane Alberts and I was not disappointed by any shape or form. So please trust me and go buy the book, curl up in your favorite spot and enjoy Samantha and Taylors story.
Profile Image for Jo Reads Romance.
945 reviews67 followers
January 7, 2021


A bit middling
3 stars

The premise of this book sounded like the perfect romance novel concept - girl bids on wrong billionaire at bachelor auction and confusion and irritation soon turns to love and romance. Every part of me swooned.

So we have our heroine - Sam - and she bids on our hero - Taylor - as promised and we’re off to a great start. And then he’s slightly rude to her. And I mean slightly. There’s no arrogant, alpha billionaire thing going on here. He’s just a bit rude. Not saying it’s right - but he didn’t run over her puppy or anything.

And so Sam spends the first 1/3 of the book being an absolute cow to him. She’s judging him for his minor rudeness, her preconceived feelings about him because he’s rich and little else. Oh, and because of his job of doing the same thing Richard Gere did in Pretty Woman. And because she - somehow (I didn’t really care to try and figure it out) is on the opposing side of his business. Yet Taylor is such a sweetheart to her. He’s quiet, kind and seemingly desperate for her to like him for some inexplicable reason.

So at this stage I’m not very fond of Sam and Taylor is hardly ringing my sexy, take-charge, arrogant, billionaire alpha bells. Hmmmm.

The pair go on their date that they manage to keep extending as she doesn’t do second dates and he doesn’t do relationships. Sigh. But the concept of ‘the date only ends when I take you home - so I’m not taking you home' - was adorable. If someone said that to me, I’d be putty in their hands.

The story meandered along nicely. The writing was good and I was engrossed in the book and never left it sitting for long. Yet, there were so many, I don’t want to say ‘clichés’ (probably because I love a good cliché), but plot points that were used with a distinct lack of subtly. We had the moment our couple were in a restaurant and the heroine decides to "anonymously" buy a hard-up family dessert just so our hero could marvel at her caring side. And then when he ordered a background report on the heroine and then decided not to read it. Can you guess at what happened next? More sighs. And when Taylor decides to reject the practices that made him a billionaire - and instead comes around to Sam’s way of thinking by going into business with the failing company. And of course this allowed Sam to see he really was a good guy. There were just too many of these instances for my liking - too many tried and tested things just stuck into the story that ended up sticking out like a sore thumb and making me grumpy!

Overall I feel like I’ve been a little too harsh on a story that was ultimately quite readable and very non-offensive. It’s unlikely to set your world - or anything else - on fire, but it’s a decent enough read to while away a few hours. Just 3 stars from me.


Profile Image for Heather.
575 reviews10 followers
April 15, 2019
I really liked the blurb for this book and was excited to start reading it. And I enjoyed the first few chapters. But soon the story veered off and I started enjoying it less and less. I couldn’t connect with either of the characters. The author made them just too perfect. Sam, the daughter of a disgraced couple who cheated people out of their money, and Taylor, the billionaire who made his way from nothing but still remembers his roots. They both have a policy of only going out with a person once, so in order to continue seeing one another they decide to “extend” their date. This is pretty much where the book really lost me. I cannot imagine anyone simply moving in with another person whom they have only just met, regardless of the chemistry between them, just to maintain a silly illusion. Plus, Sam has a cat, whom she apparently has no emotional connection to since she’s more than willing to let the poor thing all alone with only her neighbor to check on it. She won’t even go back to her place for clothing or personal items, because that would end the “date,” so Taylor simply buys new things for her. It was just way too far-fetched and ridiculous for me. And I kept worrying about the cat! Sigh.
Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Sinamile .
424 reviews8 followers
August 4, 2019
ARC Review: Received for free via Netgalley for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

CW: ableist slurs

I actually enjoyed this. I really liked Taylor and Sam as individual character, and their relationship wasn't bad either. I was waiting for 5he drama to happen, because obviously it must, but it still hurt my heart when they were fighting because neither one wanted to bend for the other, like just break my heart why don't you. But they made up and that ending was sugary romantic and I loved it!

67% in the best friend's name changed from Izzy to Diane but that's probably fixed now because this review is LATE as hell. But its wasn't even a jarring thing, i go with the flow of things (and i love Izzy because she is me with her knitting and book writing).

All in all, a good read.
Profile Image for Sofia Grey.
Author 60 books281 followers
April 11, 2019
I loved the premise, and gobbled up the free sample from Amazon... but then it fell flat for me. Taylor was TOO perfect, and not even slightly jerky after the first meeting at the auction. If anything, Samantha was the jerk, and I cringed at how judgemental she was. Also, didn’t she think even once about her cat when she basically moved in with Taylor for days on end?

It was also borderline creepy how he told her to stay with him, and by the way, I’ve ordered a pile of new clothes for you, so that you don’t need to leave. Yeah, no.
Profile Image for Kayla Mahmood.
10 reviews1 follower
March 31, 2019
I loved this book. The relationship between the main characters was on fire 100%, couldn’t put it down once I started it.
Profile Image for Megan.
666 reviews60 followers
April 1, 2019
I loved the premise of this story, and it was fun and exciting seeing how it would all play out. Some things that happened were what I expected, and some were surprising, but overall I really enjoy the story.

Samantha Matthews used to have a charmed life. At least she thought so. Turns out her parents were stealing their wealth from their own clients and employees, and when they were arrested, Sam's whole life fell apart. Since then, she's turned her life around, and does what she can to try to atone for her parents sins. She volunteers her time with Habitat for Humanity, and various other charitable causes. She also works to try to help people save their companies from closure and consolidation. She agrees to do a big favor for her best friend by bidding on Izzy's brother in a charity auction. But, she isn't paying attention, and ends up bidding on the wrong guy. She's disgusted by the man's behavior, and thinks she'll teach him a lesson by forcing him to volunteer with her building a house.

Taylor Jennings is a very wealthy man, but he wasn't born as one. He's worked very hard to make his consolidation business a success, and he's lined his pockets in the mean time. He sees no issue with this and doesn't understand why anyone else would. When Sam is the winning bidder for him at the auction, he doesn't know what to make of her. Does she want a date? A business pitch meeting? Neither would surprise him. But he doesn't expect her to take him to a Habitat build, and try to make him feel bad about his choice of career. She's of course shocked when he's thrilled to be building, and thanks her for bringing him. She intrigues him like no other, and he wants to get to know her better, but they both admit that neither of them does second dates. Could they extend their first date for a while longer?

Taylor and Sam had a great connection. Their banter was witty, and fun, and they had no problem trying to take each other down a peg. They work at opposite ends of the spectrum in business, and neither of them can see how anything real can happen between them. But that doesn't keep them from wanting to try. Taylor has a regimented schedule, which has helped him to overcome a childhood where everything was out of his control. But, he's let those stringent rules overtake his life without realizing it. Sam is too scared to tell anyone about her past for fear of them hating her, but she's let that fear turn into a wall between her and the rest of the world. They both had to realize their issues, and find a way to overcome them if they had any chance of being together in the long run.

There weren't a ton of side characters here, as this was a shorter story so the focus stayed on the main story line. But, I'm definitely intrigued by Sam's best friend Izzy's story, as well as that of her brother, who got bought by someone else at the auction, and apparently wasn't upset about it at all. I'm assuming we'll be getting those stories at some point, which is great!

There were some setups here for some classic romance misunderstandings and overreactions, and those are not my favorite. While some of those things happened as I expected, others weren't so cliched. I was glad of that. There were some more intricate plotting decisions made that I appreciated, and it worked out better than I had hoped. Ultimately, Sam and Taylor had to decide what was the most important thing to them, and what they were willing to fight for. I enjoyed their story, and I hope we'll get more from this world.

ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Megan from Alpha Book Club
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April 18, 2019
As probably one of the more 'original' storylines that I've read in this genre, (although of course there are elements from other tropes), I have to say that I loved this. From the 'never-ending dates', to both of their hearts for others (and for each other of course), to the arguably nuanced back stories and motivations, I really enjoyed it. As soon as I got the book, I couldn't stop reading it. Genuinely.

Overall:
Yes, this plays into the whole idea of a 'billionaire' and the life of wealth, privilege and luxury that they have, but I truly felt that Alberts played this well by balancing it with a genuine look at how sometimes money can come from (and often large fortunes come from) taking advantage of others. I loved that there was a theme (at the risk of sounding like I'm in English class) of helping others. I mean their first date did start off at Habitat for Humanity, so... I loved their relationship throughout the novel, even if at times I wanted to slam my head against a door - but I suppose isn't at that the proof of a true connection - the fact that you care about their relationship (regardless of a guaranteed HEA)?

Characters:
Okay, so I LOVED Sam and her heart for people (especially given all the crap that her family put others through) but most of all, I loved how she refused to take other peoples' crap, particularly Taylor's. Gotta love that. Her sass and wit was pretty fun to read and I do admit to laughing out loud at some points. I admired her drive and ambition to right the wrong's that her family made and her true passion for others.
Taylor. Now there's a man I appreciate. No matter how much of a douchebag he seemed in the beginning, throughout the novel, I really grew to like him. Smart, a heart (no matter how he seems in the beginning), hard working and sharp, a great candidate for a match for Sam/hero of the story. Of course, the fact that he's handsome, wealthy and has great chemistry with Sam helps too! If there was one complaint I had about his character, it probably would just be that I felt he changed too quickly from seeming douchebag to suddenly being this helpful and outgoing guy. I don't know, perhaps there just wasn't enough of a transition, it was almost like he was two different people (one might argue that he has a facade, but still).
Storyline:
As far as originality of the storyline, although I can't personally say that I've read a story with a similar storyline, I'm sure that there are elements in this one that are similar to others. But I don't mind that at all. The plotting, I appreciated, because it was the perfect pace for me. It wasn't too fast, where if you jumped a few pages you'd have no idea what was going on, but it wasn't so slow that nothing happened. It was Goldilocks -just perfect.

Overall, I truly did enjoy this novel, hence the 4 star rating and I'd definitely be interested in some of Alberts other works. Simply a fantastic read for a quiet night in.

Note: I was generously provided an ARC of this novel from the publisher in return for an honest review, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
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