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Filthy Rich #1
Lush Money
A marriage of convenience and three nights a month.
That’s all the sultry, self-made billionaire wants from the impoverished prince.
And at the end of the year, she’ll grant him his divorce…with a settlement large enough to save his beloved kingdom.
As a Latinx woman, Roxanne Medina has conquered small-town bullies, Ivy League snobs and boardrooms full of men. She’s earned the right to mother a princess and feel a little less lonely at the top. The offer she’s made is more than generous, and when the contract’s fulfilled, they’ll both walk away with everything they’ve ever wanted.
Príncipe Mateo Ferdinand Juan Carlos de Esperanza y Santos is one of the top winegrowers in the world, and he’s not marrying and having a baby with a stranger. Even if the millions she’s offering could save his once-legendary wine-producing principality.
But the successful, single-minded beauty uses a weapon prince Mateo hadn’t counted on: his own desire.
That’s all the sultry, self-made billionaire wants from the impoverished prince.
And at the end of the year, she’ll grant him his divorce…with a settlement large enough to save his beloved kingdom.
As a Latinx woman, Roxanne Medina has conquered small-town bullies, Ivy League snobs and boardrooms full of men. She’s earned the right to mother a princess and feel a little less lonely at the top. The offer she’s made is more than generous, and when the contract’s fulfilled, they’ll both walk away with everything they’ve ever wanted.
Príncipe Mateo Ferdinand Juan Carlos de Esperanza y Santos is one of the top winegrowers in the world, and he’s not marrying and having a baby with a stranger. Even if the millions she’s offering could save his once-legendary wine-producing principality.
But the successful, single-minded beauty uses a weapon prince Mateo hadn’t counted on: his own desire.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 14, 2019
103 people are currently reading
2487 people want to read
About the author
Angelina M. Lopez
13 books517 followersWhen my kindergarten teacher asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up, I wrote "arthur." Since then, I've been a journalist for an acclaimed city newspaper, a freelance magazine writer, and a content marketer for small businesses. And I learned how to spell the word “author” correctly.
I write sexy stories about fierce women and the men lucky to fall in love with them. I’m a lifelong romance reader and fan, and a champion of the concept that good art doesn’t have to make you feel bad. Romance writers are re-writing the script about the meaningfulness of pleasure, joy, escapism, and fantasy in art, and I’m proud and honored to be part of that movement, a movement led primarily by women, for women.
Unfortunately and for too long, women who looked like me writing characters of color didn’t get a seat at the table. Today’s romance authors are changing that. I like to say I write adult fairytales when I’m discussing the escapism and over-the-top bonkersness of my books. But my belief that people of color deserve to be the recipients of joy, pleasure, fantasy and happily ever afters is very, very real.
The fact that my parents own a vineyard certainly seems fairytale like. I can’t promise I will always write about wine like I did in my first series. But my Instagram seems to showcase that pleasure of the moments — wine, cocktails, food, fun, family, friends, Supernatural — will always be part of what I deliver.
My first two books Lush Money -- named a Top 10 romance debut of 2020 -- and Hate Crush received rave reviews from Entertainment Weekly, NPR, and Booklist.
My first book in a new high-heat, small town, Latinx series, After Hours on Milagro Street, will be available July 2022.
You can find more about me at my website, AngelinaMLopez.com and at @AngelinaMLo on Twitter.
I write sexy stories about fierce women and the men lucky to fall in love with them. I’m a lifelong romance reader and fan, and a champion of the concept that good art doesn’t have to make you feel bad. Romance writers are re-writing the script about the meaningfulness of pleasure, joy, escapism, and fantasy in art, and I’m proud and honored to be part of that movement, a movement led primarily by women, for women.
Unfortunately and for too long, women who looked like me writing characters of color didn’t get a seat at the table. Today’s romance authors are changing that. I like to say I write adult fairytales when I’m discussing the escapism and over-the-top bonkersness of my books. But my belief that people of color deserve to be the recipients of joy, pleasure, fantasy and happily ever afters is very, very real.
The fact that my parents own a vineyard certainly seems fairytale like. I can’t promise I will always write about wine like I did in my first series. But my Instagram seems to showcase that pleasure of the moments — wine, cocktails, food, fun, family, friends, Supernatural — will always be part of what I deliver.
My first two books Lush Money -- named a Top 10 romance debut of 2020 -- and Hate Crush received rave reviews from Entertainment Weekly, NPR, and Booklist.
My first book in a new high-heat, small town, Latinx series, After Hours on Milagro Street, will be available July 2022.
You can find more about me at my website, AngelinaMLopez.com and at @AngelinaMLo on Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 253 reviews
April 13, 2021
I loved this modern day marriage of convenience romance! Not only is it a Royal romance with a prince hero, the heroine is a freaking CEO billionaire. It was perfectly hot and angsty, and I loved our main characters. I’m kicking myself for not reading this sooner!
dnf
May 25, 2020Audio..3 Stars...
The narrator wasn't bad but could have been better if she was more consistent with her male voice and emotional performance. I think the audio would have been better with a male narrator. This is a sexy story most likely to be listened to by women. A narrator like Jack Dupont performing with the sexy accent that was called for in this story would have motivated me to finish the audio.
Story dnf @ 36% because I wasn't feeling any connection between the h and H. There's too much telling and not enough showing. Other than attitude, I wasn't getting much sense of who the h and H were. It was more like they were role playing. I'm totally bummed to be dnfing this book because it's so hard to find a role reversal romance. The search continues.
PS....Yes, the heroine is a bitch, but so what?! Don't a lot of billionaire romances feature asshole heros. I'm sure she would eventually redeem herself.
The narrator wasn't bad but could have been better if she was more consistent with her male voice and emotional performance. I think the audio would have been better with a male narrator. This is a sexy story most likely to be listened to by women. A narrator like Jack Dupont performing with the sexy accent that was called for in this story would have motivated me to finish the audio.
Story dnf @ 36% because I wasn't feeling any connection between the h and H. There's too much telling and not enough showing. Other than attitude, I wasn't getting much sense of who the h and H were. It was more like they were role playing. I'm totally bummed to be dnfing this book because it's so hard to find a role reversal romance. The search continues.
PS....Yes, the heroine is a bitch, but so what?! Don't a lot of billionaire romances feature asshole heros. I'm sure she would eventually redeem herself.
December 23, 2019
I feel so lucky that I got to read this book, especially as an ARC! I just adored Roxanne and Mateo. Watching two people who started partially as enemies fall in love through friendship and understanding despite the fact that each fought it so hard was just wonderful to read. Both were complex and stubborn and proud and self-protective (They had wounds that matched each other really well as well as strengths), but also loyal and kind and caring, and just electrifying together (like so very hot and passionate and sexy but yet still very poignant somehow). They made their mistakes (a lot of painful mistakes) but I could understand each one because all their motivations were so clear and I was so rooting for them.
The side characters, both heroes and villains were also really well done (and hopefully some will one day get their own books and HEAs). Special shout-outs to Sofia and Roman and Carmen and Henry. I loved every twist and turn of the story and was genuinely worried about how the HEA was going to happen, but it and the epilogue were so worth it. It was just fabulous! Totally recommend devour this book the moment you get a chance.
The side characters, both heroes and villains were also really well done (and hopefully some will one day get their own books and HEAs). Special shout-outs to Sofia and Roman and Carmen and Henry. I loved every twist and turn of the story and was genuinely worried about how the HEA was going to happen, but it and the epilogue were so worth it. It was just fabulous! Totally recommend devour this book the moment you get a chance.
October 20, 2019
Being a huge reader of romantic fantasy and its subgenres, it's rare for me to grab a contemporary romance based off of early reader reviews I came across on social media. None of my libraries had it when it came out so I requested it and got lucky when one of them bought the book. The story is about billionaire Roxanne Medina who has decided she has achieved all, the goals she set out in her life before her and is ready to settle down. When I say settle down, I mean she wants the kid without the husband. She's used to being her own boss; in control. She is not interested in a man beyond his sperm. After careful consideration, or the pick of the litter, she settles on Mateo Esperanza (Prince of the Monte) to be her donor.
Mateo's vineyard, is struggling because his father isn't smart with their money (among other things). Said father strikes a deal with Roxanne to the tune of millions of dollars to save the vineyard in exchange for Mateo's generous donation. Mateo is not made aware of the specifics until he meets Roxanne and his pride doesn't want him to take the deal but he cares about his people and it doesn't seem too hard since he hate Roxanne initially. What his mind hates however, his body does not and he can't deny he's attracted to her. He signs into the contract which requires them to have sex three nights a month during her ovulation period and when she gets pregnant he walks away with lots of money. As easy as he thought it sounded, he starts to make things a little more complicated and then the rough waters become muddied as the story progresses.
I have to say overall the story for me was predictable. Four stars may seem high for a predictable story but I thoroughly enjoyed every encounter between Mateo and Roxanne. Their chemistry was burning the screen off my tablet. The way Angelina writes the book, it takes place on each night over the course of 6 months. The title of each chapter is Night One, Night Two, etc. I wouldn't say they're instant enemies but they really did not like each other from go. Roxanne is a strong woman covered in a giant money barrier that she recognizes. However, she's not prepared for Mateo who is pretty much up front about his wants, needs and desires even though he has a habit of putting himself down because he's so driven not to be his dad. Actually both characters are driven by a need to not be a repeat of their parents even though said parents still plague them both. Over the course of the story you get to see how each evolves thanks to the other and a love that blossoms not just with them but the people they surround themselves with.
If you love character struggle, steamy, sexy romance and the happiest of endings, I say definitely give this book a try.
Mateo's vineyard, is struggling because his father isn't smart with their money (among other things). Said father strikes a deal with Roxanne to the tune of millions of dollars to save the vineyard in exchange for Mateo's generous donation. Mateo is not made aware of the specifics until he meets Roxanne and his pride doesn't want him to take the deal but he cares about his people and it doesn't seem too hard since he hate Roxanne initially. What his mind hates however, his body does not and he can't deny he's attracted to her. He signs into the contract which requires them to have sex three nights a month during her ovulation period and when she gets pregnant he walks away with lots of money. As easy as he thought it sounded, he starts to make things a little more complicated and then the rough waters become muddied as the story progresses.
I have to say overall the story for me was predictable. Four stars may seem high for a predictable story but I thoroughly enjoyed every encounter between Mateo and Roxanne. Their chemistry was burning the screen off my tablet. The way Angelina writes the book, it takes place on each night over the course of 6 months. The title of each chapter is Night One, Night Two, etc. I wouldn't say they're instant enemies but they really did not like each other from go. Roxanne is a strong woman covered in a giant money barrier that she recognizes. However, she's not prepared for Mateo who is pretty much up front about his wants, needs and desires even though he has a habit of putting himself down because he's so driven not to be his dad. Actually both characters are driven by a need to not be a repeat of their parents even though said parents still plague them both. Over the course of the story you get to see how each evolves thanks to the other and a love that blossoms not just with them but the people they surround themselves with.
If you love character struggle, steamy, sexy romance and the happiest of endings, I say definitely give this book a try.
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March 25, 2022Review also available at The Smut Report.
Heat Factor: It’s hot. 🔥 Whew.
Character Chemistry: At first it’s like, “you’re really hot, we’re having sex,” but then eventually the emotional chemistry starts to sizzle.
Plot: Babies solve life problems (?) by creating more life problems (!!!)
Overall: I’m interested to see what this author does next.
Boundaries! They’re so important! Does the heroine have any? I had read the blurb before requesting an advance copy of this book, so I knew that we were getting into a marriage of convenience, but I was so disgusted by the heroine’s behavior in the first couple of chapters that I wasn’t sure she (or, by extension, the book) could be redeemed. Of course, the whole point (presumably) of the first couple chapters was to set us up so that we have some room to grow. I also caught myself after the first chapter and said, “If the hero were behaving like this, would I still be having these feelings?” I came to the conclusion of “yes,” but I also found it interesting that this book made me ask the question at all.
What happened? The heroine, Roxanne Medina, has decided that she wants a child. (As an aside, she always refers to this child as a girl, because apparently she’s not considered the possibility that she might have a son. If you’ve never had this experience, I assure you it has nothing to do with preference, per se, and it does happen.) Roxanne Medina has a ton of baggage, so she only wants a legitimate child with impeccable antecedents, and she wants this all to happen on her own terms. Did I mention that Roxanne is a billionaire who pulled herself up from a terrible childhood by her bootstraps? Of course she’s tightly wound.
Roxanne does her homework and finds someone with a lineage that would make anybody envious and who is also desperate enough to take her money in exchange for what is a pretty repellent agreement: 3 nights per month (peak ovulation, obvi) for one year in exchange for a divorce and a ton of money. And a child, hopefully. Of course, she wants the father to have a role in her child’s life. She’s not a monster. As a parent, I have to wonder what the hell she was thinking, considering that parenting is a frigging marathon that requires pretty much constant teamwork. But I guess she’s just not there yet. It is hard to imagine just how impactful this situation is until you’re already in the middle of it.
So Dr. Prince (or is it Prince Dr.? I’m going with the same order used for titled officers…) Mateo-with-a-lot-of-other-names is strong armed by his father, whose selfish excess has bankrupted his kingdom, into marrying Roxanne. But Mateo, he has principles. He is just a vintner with a PhD who is trying to do good things for his people. He works in the dirt and avoids his parents like the plague. When Mateo realizes what his father has done, he feels like he’s been whored out on the kingdom’s behalf. And he’s not wrong! He’s totally right! But we haven’t gotten to the parts that really repulsed me early on. I digress.
Roxanne’s approach to this relationship is clinical because of course she has to maintain control. We have very few glimpses into her perspective early on, allowing for very little empathy with her manipulative and domineering behavior. On the second night, when she and Mateo are married (he is unaware this is happening until it happens!!!), we get a little peek from her loyal attorney into why people might like her, but then she has sex with Mateo and walks out of the hotel room like the worst sort of John a handful of pages later.
AND THEN when Mateo is like, “Yeah, I’m not a prostitute. We need to talk this through,” and she’s like, “Your belief that you have power here is adorable.” it’s like...gross.
How on earth do you recover from that? As I intimated above, I stuck it through because I wanted to see just where Lopez was going with this, especially because I felt like we were doing a gender role reversal thing with the powerful, wealthy, billionaire being the heroine rather than the hero. And sticking it through was worth it. Why? You may well ask. First, because we’re talking a total of possibly 5 chapters, which is really very little of the book. But also because the two-dimensional flatness of people that you see at first glance is not the whole person. Because there is nuance in life, and sometimes it takes a minute for people to get one the same page. Because sometimes people who really need to be in control also need to find a safe space to let go of that control. And Lopez explores all of these things with Mateo and Roxanne. Because Roxanne is not the only one with baggage. And of course just for fun because he’s a prince and she’s a billionaire, these two are also susceptible to living out their lives in public, so safe spaces are somewhat hard to come by.
Short story, on Roxanne’s side we’re dealing with the whole I-can’t-get-emotionally-involved-in-this-because-emotions-are-messy-and-I’m-going-to-get-hurt nonsense, while on Mateo’s side we’re dealing with the whole I-can’t-live-with-the-failure-that-I-had-nothing-to-do-with-except-that-I-ran-away-instead-of-dealing-with-things-head-on inferiority complex nonsense. These guys are all about the nonsense, but so are a lot of people, and in this book I found them likable. Can’t say I’ve ever had either of their problems, but I did sympathize with where they were. Meanwhile, they’re falling for each other, so we also get all the we-have-an-arrangement-but-I-want-more-but-is-that-going-to-be-okay angst. The gender role reversal is executed all the way through with Mateo trying to figure out what being a man looks like to him in this relationship where he's next in line to be king and his partner really does have all the money and all the power. There’s a lot going on, and I’d argue that Lopez fleshes things out well, and her prose is engaging and well constructed. I wanted to stay on this roller coaster with Roxanne and Mateo. I was rooting for them to get out of their own way and find their HEA.
Oh, also, there is enough Spanish in this book (both protagonists being Spanish speakers, the hero a native speaker) that I periodically asked my husband for translations to make sure I was reading it correctly. Lopez does a solid job of clarifying the Spanish before or after the actual statements, so even if you have no Spanish at all, as long as you’re attuned to the situation, you’ll grasp what is meant, even without a direct translation.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Heat Factor: It’s hot. 🔥 Whew.
Character Chemistry: At first it’s like, “you’re really hot, we’re having sex,” but then eventually the emotional chemistry starts to sizzle.
Plot: Babies solve life problems (?) by creating more life problems (!!!)
Overall: I’m interested to see what this author does next.
Boundaries! They’re so important! Does the heroine have any? I had read the blurb before requesting an advance copy of this book, so I knew that we were getting into a marriage of convenience, but I was so disgusted by the heroine’s behavior in the first couple of chapters that I wasn’t sure she (or, by extension, the book) could be redeemed. Of course, the whole point (presumably) of the first couple chapters was to set us up so that we have some room to grow. I also caught myself after the first chapter and said, “If the hero were behaving like this, would I still be having these feelings?” I came to the conclusion of “yes,” but I also found it interesting that this book made me ask the question at all.
What happened? The heroine, Roxanne Medina, has decided that she wants a child. (As an aside, she always refers to this child as a girl, because apparently she’s not considered the possibility that she might have a son. If you’ve never had this experience, I assure you it has nothing to do with preference, per se, and it does happen.) Roxanne Medina has a ton of baggage, so she only wants a legitimate child with impeccable antecedents, and she wants this all to happen on her own terms. Did I mention that Roxanne is a billionaire who pulled herself up from a terrible childhood by her bootstraps? Of course she’s tightly wound.
Roxanne does her homework and finds someone with a lineage that would make anybody envious and who is also desperate enough to take her money in exchange for what is a pretty repellent agreement: 3 nights per month (peak ovulation, obvi) for one year in exchange for a divorce and a ton of money. And a child, hopefully. Of course, she wants the father to have a role in her child’s life. She’s not a monster. As a parent, I have to wonder what the hell she was thinking, considering that parenting is a frigging marathon that requires pretty much constant teamwork. But I guess she’s just not there yet. It is hard to imagine just how impactful this situation is until you’re already in the middle of it.
So Dr. Prince (or is it Prince Dr.? I’m going with the same order used for titled officers…) Mateo-with-a-lot-of-other-names is strong armed by his father, whose selfish excess has bankrupted his kingdom, into marrying Roxanne. But Mateo, he has principles. He is just a vintner with a PhD who is trying to do good things for his people. He works in the dirt and avoids his parents like the plague. When Mateo realizes what his father has done, he feels like he’s been whored out on the kingdom’s behalf. And he’s not wrong! He’s totally right! But we haven’t gotten to the parts that really repulsed me early on. I digress.
Roxanne’s approach to this relationship is clinical because of course she has to maintain control. We have very few glimpses into her perspective early on, allowing for very little empathy with her manipulative and domineering behavior. On the second night, when she and Mateo are married (he is unaware this is happening until it happens!!!), we get a little peek from her loyal attorney into why people might like her, but then she has sex with Mateo and walks out of the hotel room like the worst sort of John a handful of pages later.
AND THEN when Mateo is like, “Yeah, I’m not a prostitute. We need to talk this through,” and she’s like, “Your belief that you have power here is adorable.” it’s like...gross.
How on earth do you recover from that? As I intimated above, I stuck it through because I wanted to see just where Lopez was going with this, especially because I felt like we were doing a gender role reversal thing with the powerful, wealthy, billionaire being the heroine rather than the hero. And sticking it through was worth it. Why? You may well ask. First, because we’re talking a total of possibly 5 chapters, which is really very little of the book. But also because the two-dimensional flatness of people that you see at first glance is not the whole person. Because there is nuance in life, and sometimes it takes a minute for people to get one the same page. Because sometimes people who really need to be in control also need to find a safe space to let go of that control. And Lopez explores all of these things with Mateo and Roxanne. Because Roxanne is not the only one with baggage. And of course just for fun because he’s a prince and she’s a billionaire, these two are also susceptible to living out their lives in public, so safe spaces are somewhat hard to come by.
Short story, on Roxanne’s side we’re dealing with the whole I-can’t-get-emotionally-involved-in-this-because-emotions-are-messy-and-I’m-going-to-get-hurt nonsense, while on Mateo’s side we’re dealing with the whole I-can’t-live-with-the-failure-that-I-had-nothing-to-do-with-except-that-I-ran-away-instead-of-dealing-with-things-head-on inferiority complex nonsense. These guys are all about the nonsense, but so are a lot of people, and in this book I found them likable. Can’t say I’ve ever had either of their problems, but I did sympathize with where they were. Meanwhile, they’re falling for each other, so we also get all the we-have-an-arrangement-but-I-want-more-but-is-that-going-to-be-okay angst. The gender role reversal is executed all the way through with Mateo trying to figure out what being a man looks like to him in this relationship where he's next in line to be king and his partner really does have all the money and all the power. There’s a lot going on, and I’d argue that Lopez fleshes things out well, and her prose is engaging and well constructed. I wanted to stay on this roller coaster with Roxanne and Mateo. I was rooting for them to get out of their own way and find their HEA.
Oh, also, there is enough Spanish in this book (both protagonists being Spanish speakers, the hero a native speaker) that I periodically asked my husband for translations to make sure I was reading it correctly. Lopez does a solid job of clarifying the Spanish before or after the actual statements, so even if you have no Spanish at all, as long as you’re attuned to the situation, you’ll grasp what is meant, even without a direct translation.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
March 12, 2020
A lot of my friends have liked this and I was really excited about reading. I’m all for subverting gender roles, but...not like this. CW - non-con or dubcon depending on your reading of the scene:
More thoughts in this twitter thread: https://twitter.com/_AdeleBuck/status...
I was given an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
More thoughts in this twitter thread: https://twitter.com/_AdeleBuck/status...
I was given an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 10, 2020
Old skool romance for the twenty-first century! I cried three times. The sexy times are fire. The writing is beautiful. I don't have anything else coherent to say because I'm still basking in book afterglow.
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[Sidenote: I got hung up on why Roxanne couldn't just be artificially inseminated with Mateo's sperm for the first "month" of chapters, but I totally forgot about it and now can't believe I even cared. If you find yourself in the same place, push through--it's worth it.]
I received an ARC of this book.
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[Sidenote: I got hung up on why Roxanne couldn't just be artificially inseminated with Mateo's sperm for the first "month" of chapters, but I totally forgot about it and now can't believe I even cared. If you find yourself in the same place, push through--it's worth it.]
I received an ARC of this book.
September 16, 2019
Oh. My. God.
Let me just bask in this moment. That moment when you read a book that is just so perfect, every word from the very first to the very last, that you just want to hold on to that book, that moment, that feeling of utter contentment for just a while longer.
Every romance reader needs to read this book. Here are just a few reasons why:
1. So, I’m wholly over alphahole billionaire heroes who rush in to save the day and shy, doormat, damsel in distress heroines. However, what I didn’t realize I needed until I started reading it...a alphahole billionaire HEROINE. Yes, that’s right.
Roxanne Medina, self-made billionaire, wants a baby. She specifically wants a baby with Mateo Santos, the crown prince of Monte del Vino Real, a tiny Spanish principality on the brink of financial ruin. In exchange for marrying her and 3 nights of sex a month, she will provide him with the necessary funds to help rebuild the economy of his beloved principality, now in ruins due to mismanagement and overspending by his selfish, egotistical, narcissistic father, the king. Once she has her baby, they will go their separate ways. Due to her horrendous upbringing, it’s important to her that her baby’s father not be some anonymous sperm donor. She has targeted Mateo for a very specific reason.
2. As much as I dislike alphahole heroes, I also dislike helpless and hapless heroines. Mateo, while in a most precarious financial position, is anything but hapless OR helpless. He’s a prince with a Ph.D, grows vines in his own lab at UC Davis (as an aside, I live in Davis and I find it utterly charming when romance novels randomly name check my hometown), and is determined to be the polar opposite of his father. He has made some very unfortunate choices in an effort to distance himself from his father and ultimately, in an effort to save the people and place he loves most, he sells himself to Roxanne.
3. And what ensues is one of the most unique, brilliant, bold romance novels I’ve ever read. I adored every last bit of this book, was so sad to see it end and yet so excited to scream about to all of Romancelandia. A book that subverts the alphahole billionaire hero trope and makes us examine our own misogynistic biases, a book that dares question why we accept it without complaint when a man wants what he wants and goes after it with tenacity but when a woman dares to do it, she’s labeled “domineering” and “pushy” and a “bitch”.
4. Both Roxanne and Mateo are products of their upbringing in that Roxanne has been brought up believing she is unworthy of love and Mateo has been constantly embarrassed by his parents excesses and hurt by their careless neglect. Their behavior and the choices they make in the course of getting what each wants is not always on the up and up - they make a lot of questionable choices. But it’s those flaws, those human vulnerabilities, those moments when they let their guard down for each other that makes this story so beautiful and depthful and so full of heart. They start off as antagonistic adversaries fighting with each other and slowly evolve into a true partnership where they are fighting FOR each other. Also, let me just add, the sex scenes are SCORCHING HOT. And quite frankly, they do further the story - I think every single scene in this book furthers the plot or helps to develop the characters.
5. I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the supporting characters - they each have terrible parents but they also have people in their corners who obviously love and care for them and these characters are drawn just as vividly and I hope some of them get their own books.
All in all, I adored this book so so much and I cannot wait to share my love for this book.
Arc received in exchange for honest review.
5 stars
Let me just bask in this moment. That moment when you read a book that is just so perfect, every word from the very first to the very last, that you just want to hold on to that book, that moment, that feeling of utter contentment for just a while longer.
Every romance reader needs to read this book. Here are just a few reasons why:
1. So, I’m wholly over alphahole billionaire heroes who rush in to save the day and shy, doormat, damsel in distress heroines. However, what I didn’t realize I needed until I started reading it...a alphahole billionaire HEROINE. Yes, that’s right.
Roxanne Medina, self-made billionaire, wants a baby. She specifically wants a baby with Mateo Santos, the crown prince of Monte del Vino Real, a tiny Spanish principality on the brink of financial ruin. In exchange for marrying her and 3 nights of sex a month, she will provide him with the necessary funds to help rebuild the economy of his beloved principality, now in ruins due to mismanagement and overspending by his selfish, egotistical, narcissistic father, the king. Once she has her baby, they will go their separate ways. Due to her horrendous upbringing, it’s important to her that her baby’s father not be some anonymous sperm donor. She has targeted Mateo for a very specific reason.
2. As much as I dislike alphahole heroes, I also dislike helpless and hapless heroines. Mateo, while in a most precarious financial position, is anything but hapless OR helpless. He’s a prince with a Ph.D, grows vines in his own lab at UC Davis (as an aside, I live in Davis and I find it utterly charming when romance novels randomly name check my hometown), and is determined to be the polar opposite of his father. He has made some very unfortunate choices in an effort to distance himself from his father and ultimately, in an effort to save the people and place he loves most, he sells himself to Roxanne.
3. And what ensues is one of the most unique, brilliant, bold romance novels I’ve ever read. I adored every last bit of this book, was so sad to see it end and yet so excited to scream about to all of Romancelandia. A book that subverts the alphahole billionaire hero trope and makes us examine our own misogynistic biases, a book that dares question why we accept it without complaint when a man wants what he wants and goes after it with tenacity but when a woman dares to do it, she’s labeled “domineering” and “pushy” and a “bitch”.
4. Both Roxanne and Mateo are products of their upbringing in that Roxanne has been brought up believing she is unworthy of love and Mateo has been constantly embarrassed by his parents excesses and hurt by their careless neglect. Their behavior and the choices they make in the course of getting what each wants is not always on the up and up - they make a lot of questionable choices. But it’s those flaws, those human vulnerabilities, those moments when they let their guard down for each other that makes this story so beautiful and depthful and so full of heart. They start off as antagonistic adversaries fighting with each other and slowly evolve into a true partnership where they are fighting FOR each other. Also, let me just add, the sex scenes are SCORCHING HOT. And quite frankly, they do further the story - I think every single scene in this book furthers the plot or helps to develop the characters.
5. I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the supporting characters - they each have terrible parents but they also have people in their corners who obviously love and care for them and these characters are drawn just as vividly and I hope some of them get their own books.
All in all, I adored this book so so much and I cannot wait to share my love for this book.
Arc received in exchange for honest review.
5 stars
October 11, 2019
The Sitch
Our story begins when our heroine Roxanne Medina, billionaire CEO, has decided that she wants her own fairytale, but she wants it her way - to have a baby to love and care for, without the fuss of feelings or a real relationship with the baby daddy. And what better way to have that fairytale baby than with a Golden Prince?
Enter Príncipe Mateo Ferdinand Juan Carlos de Esperanza y Santos, whose evil daddy basically sells him and his golden sperm to Roxanne. Mateo wants nothing to do with this but is definitely forced into accepting the deal to save his homeland and his vineyards from the random unscrupulous businessman who wants to turn his home into a high class ren faire for the rich and famous. There are trials, tribulations, not to mention horrible villains to overcome, and along this complicated way, oh man does romance happen.
The Good
The latest fairytale telenovela in book form by Ms. Lopez captivated my attention from the very beginning and wouldn’t let go. The drama with a capital D was so intense at times I found myself gasping in Spanish.
Yes, I’m Latina and yes, that’s possible. All kidding aside, this is a story that I loved because it reminded me of my childhood and seeing the Latinx representation done well is always a treat (there’s some mild commentary about the things brown people go through to make it in business that I also found interesting). Just the Spanish phrases sprinkled throughout made me happy.
For a little background, I cut my teeth on telenovelas a la rodilla de mi mamá (at my mom’s knee). Much of my love for romance in all its forms was founded in my mom’s daily ritual of watching her telenovelas after a long day of work (for the record, my early 80s favorites were Cristal and Topacio). The love was so strong that I gradually started watching American soap operas, moved onto romance novels and the rest is history. So, this story is smack dab in the center of my wheelhouse.
Back to the lecture at hand….The Firsts (meet/kiss/love scene) are FUEGO, people. Sparks fly and vines set ablaze from the moment these two meet. The intensity of their attraction, despite the super sketch and problematic initial physical hookup (more on that later), Ms. Medina makes clear that these two are very, very, very into each other physically. And can I get a Gracias a Dios (thank God) for getting another pussycharmer hero? God bless the bilingual (heh) hero who loves going downtown so much he speaks to your kitty. Why yes, the dirty talking is 10/10/10
Anyhoodle, what really saves this from going down a potentially super dark path is the fact that Mateo and Roxanne’s relationship beats all get fair play. This is a very important distinction, because the time taken to really establish their emotional connection is what grounds the hot sex and allows the reader to go on that difficult journey with hope for a happy ending. Both characters are running from a real emotional connection, even as they are drawn to each other like magnets. Every time they fought that connection, it only got deeper. Like any truly soapy romance, when the inevitable fallout from bad decisions, secrets and outright lies come to light, there’s a reckoning but it only made their HEA that much sweeter.
The Bad(ish)
This is going to be a HUGE “Your Mileage May Vary” issue - this story setup is so outrageous it splashes around in some very melodramatic and problematic gray areas. Coercion and dub-con is most definitely in the very early stages of Mateo and Roxanne’s relationship. I mean like 80s soap problematic level of gray area (and EJami, a couple on DAYs in the last decade, but I digress).
Point is, even to this day, American and Spanish soap operas have not shied away from shaky, uncomfortable beginnings for couples. However, telenovelas have the luxury of playing out over a period of months/years to really allow the viewer to experience the tragedy and (if done well) see the characters process those sins, forgive and move on. In a novel, it’s harder to do this. I think the way Ms. Lopez chose to use her chapter titles to denote the passage of time helped. I also think balancing out Mateo and Roxanne’s power in the relationship when those deep emotional hits were dished out made a difference. At the end of the day, I did believe in the forgiveness and love between them.
Having said all that, this is why it’s so YMMV - it will not play to all audiences. This is a personal decision as to what lines you absolutely do not want crossed in your romance. For me, it was seeing those transgressions addressed and forgiven that made the story ultimately work for me.
Everything in Between
Now, because of the nature of this story, the villains were extra villain-y, horrible people with no redeeming values whatsoever.
These types of obstacles are standard in telenovelas, but overall, as I’ve gotten older, they tend to irritate me more than not. That’s just my personal preference though - I’d rather see some depth to all characters (“good” or “bad”), because it enriches the overall story. But I will admit, when villains are extra horrible and they get their comeuppance it can be extremely satisfying.
Now, what good telenovela doesn’t give you some intriguing supporting characters with their own stories to tell? I read the teaser for the next book and I’ll admit I was hoping for another hero for Sofia, but I’m intrigued to see where it goes. And if requests are being taken, I’d love to see Henry and Roman get their HEAs too.
I really enjoyed Mateo and Roxanne’s telenovela...I mean, romance - it was drama-filled, with a very hard beginning, but the journey was worth it for me. If you’re into soapy fairytales with Spanish flair, I would recommend this.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**
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August 12, 2021Just a tad long, but stupid angsty fun. A billionaire basically buys herself a princely stud and the drama begins. Sexy too.
October 20, 2019
I don't know if this was bad timing or me or what, but this didn't work for me and I really expected it to. Maybe it never recovered from the beginning (difficult heroines are one thing, but if you genderswap that first sex scene, I think people would have a lot more problems with it than I have seen anyone express about this book), but I never really bought the connection and all the parents were cartoonishly evil and I don't understand how in a fake monarchy, a king can just name whoever he wants his heir, legitimate or not? What monarchy was this modeled off of? I could just never get out of my head and enjoy it the way that I wanted to.
I am really bummed.
(That everyone keeps talking about it being a HP book in disguise kills me because I LOVE HP books when done right. [I also don't love them when they're terrible, see the many 1 star ratings I have given them.] Why did I not love this???)
I am really bummed.
(That everyone keeps talking about it being a HP book in disguise kills me because I LOVE HP books when done right. [I also don't love them when they're terrible, see the many 1 star ratings I have given them.] Why did I not love this???)
June 14, 2021
2019 Ripped Bodice Summer Bingo: Royalty
Content Notes:
Bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1a6oMfg6...
🍾💵Lush Money by Angelina M. Lopez🍾💵
“Medina,” his Titi said, all of her steel keeping her back straight in the chair. “Not Esperanza? I understand in America it is common for a wife to take her husband’s last name.”
It was a tradition they did not follow in Spain. Mateo sighed at her. “Titi, come on…”
Roxanne merely folded her hands in front of her. “I’m sorry, señora,” she said. “There are so many buildings I’d have to rename.”
*
💵Badass, confident, sultry, ice queen, and self-made billionaire heroine 💵 *
🍾Viticulturist/Spanish prince who is willing to do whatever it takes to save his kingdom🍾
💍A marriage of convenience, with the contract stipulating three nights of sex per month to ensure pregnancy.💍
🍆SO MUCH HOT SEX. Y’all are not ready. *fans self* 🍆
*
I’m mad that I didn’t pace myself even more because the author doesn’t have a backlist that I can devour immediately. This book reminds me of the best parts of telenovelas and Harlequin Presents: lush, over the top emotions, melodrama, and a lot of money. It’s smart, sexy, and brilliant. I recommend it. It’s out October 14 but available for preorder at e-retailers.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Content Notes:
Bookstagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1a6oMfg6...
🍾💵Lush Money by Angelina M. Lopez🍾💵
“Medina,” his Titi said, all of her steel keeping her back straight in the chair. “Not Esperanza? I understand in America it is common for a wife to take her husband’s last name.”
It was a tradition they did not follow in Spain. Mateo sighed at her. “Titi, come on…”
Roxanne merely folded her hands in front of her. “I’m sorry, señora,” she said. “There are so many buildings I’d have to rename.”
*
💵Badass, confident, sultry, ice queen, and self-made billionaire heroine 💵 *
🍾Viticulturist/Spanish prince who is willing to do whatever it takes to save his kingdom🍾
💍A marriage of convenience, with the contract stipulating three nights of sex per month to ensure pregnancy.💍
🍆SO MUCH HOT SEX. Y’all are not ready. *fans self* 🍆
*
I’m mad that I didn’t pace myself even more because the author doesn’t have a backlist that I can devour immediately. This book reminds me of the best parts of telenovelas and Harlequin Presents: lush, over the top emotions, melodrama, and a lot of money. It’s smart, sexy, and brilliant. I recommend it. It’s out October 14 but available for preorder at e-retailers.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 13, 2019
I so enjoyed this book and it came during a very difficult time. Unplugging for a few hours and reading...yea, that helped. Anyway...Roxanne wanted a fairy tale and she was going to get it even if she had to buy it and that is what she was determined to do when she set her sights on Mateo, the Golden Prince, of an impoverished Spanish country. All she wanted was marriage and 3 nights a month in order to conceive a child and she would pay enough to save his country and then give him a divorce. Sounds simple, that is until temper tantrums and changes and, oh yea, those pesky hearts get involved. Will they be able to survive it all when it turns out they actually like each other and then fall in love. Definitely recommend this one!
**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**
**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**
October 15, 2019
I absolutely adored this book. I will admit that when it started, I was concerned. I mean, Roxanne starts off unlikeable to the extreme and there were some very questionable decisions made. In her defense, Roxanne assumed that the King had talked to Matteo about the contract she'd negotiated with the king, but, of course, he had not. This winds up resulting in some pretty dehumanizing situations for Matteo and Roxanne apologizes, but seems incapable of making different decisions. However, as the book progresses and as the walls start to crumble, the relationship that builds between Matteo and Roxanne turns into a sexy, sweet, and fun partnership. I loved seeing Matteo and Roxanne support one another.
I think the side characters are definitely some of the best parts of this novel though, too. I'm so excited for Sofia's book!
Oh, and also, I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of this book from netgalley so thanks to Carina and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance!
I think the side characters are definitely some of the best parts of this novel though, too. I'm so excited for Sofia's book!
Oh, and also, I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of this book from netgalley so thanks to Carina and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance!
August 31, 2020
Pardon me while I chug a gallon of water, because this book has left me a bit PARCHED.
What a debut from Angelina M. Lopez. The marriage of convenience trope can be a finicky one, and this was a really interesting and sexy gender-swapped take on it. I enjoyed the dynamics of wealth and power than Lopez played around with here, and I really loved the characters of both Roxanne and Mateo. You've got some pretty hot steam, a few rom-com fairytale moments, a "difficult" (but honestly just misunderstood) woman, and everything in between.
What I'm still unpacking in my mind, however, are some of the initial sex dynamics in this novel. There were just some really gray area consent things towards the beginning of the book that I know would've read as potentially non-consensual if the genders were swapped, and I'm not sure how I feel about them yet. Just need more time to let them simmer.
That said, I can already tell that I really like this series and will 100% pick up Lopez's next book. Annnnnnd I'll take that gallon jug of water now.
Content warning: Discussions of child neglect, awful parents
What a debut from Angelina M. Lopez. The marriage of convenience trope can be a finicky one, and this was a really interesting and sexy gender-swapped take on it. I enjoyed the dynamics of wealth and power than Lopez played around with here, and I really loved the characters of both Roxanne and Mateo. You've got some pretty hot steam, a few rom-com fairytale moments, a "difficult" (but honestly just misunderstood) woman, and everything in between.
What I'm still unpacking in my mind, however, are some of the initial sex dynamics in this novel. There were just some really gray area consent things towards the beginning of the book that I know would've read as potentially non-consensual if the genders were swapped, and I'm not sure how I feel about them yet. Just need more time to let them simmer.
That said, I can already tell that I really like this series and will 100% pick up Lopez's next book. Annnnnnd I'll take that gallon jug of water now.
Content warning: Discussions of child neglect, awful parents
April 2, 2021
4.5 Stars / 4 Steam Fans
Lust Money was a new introduction to Angelina M Lopez, thanks to Nana Malone's #BrownNippleChallenge! Roxanne is a powerful, independent CEO that contracts Mateo's family into an arranged marriage deal. Mateo is a prince of a struggling wine-making country, and he is also dealing with some personal issues of his own. Roxanne and Mateo have this instant connection and attraction, but both have walls up that prevents them from riding off into the sunset. I loved the angst, push and pull, snarkiness, and strength of both characters. I was so in love with Angelina's storytelling that I dove right into the following book about one of the side characters.
Video review available in Week 12: Mar 21 – Mar 27, 2021, full weekly book reviews available on Steph's Romance Book Talk Patreon.
For other bookish content, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
Lust Money was a new introduction to Angelina M Lopez, thanks to Nana Malone's #BrownNippleChallenge! Roxanne is a powerful, independent CEO that contracts Mateo's family into an arranged marriage deal. Mateo is a prince of a struggling wine-making country, and he is also dealing with some personal issues of his own. Roxanne and Mateo have this instant connection and attraction, but both have walls up that prevents them from riding off into the sunset. I loved the angst, push and pull, snarkiness, and strength of both characters. I was so in love with Angelina's storytelling that I dove right into the following book about one of the side characters.
Video review available in Week 12: Mar 21 – Mar 27, 2021, full weekly book reviews available on Steph's Romance Book Talk Patreon.
For other bookish content, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.
August 21, 2019
Very strong debut with well-balanced characters, headstrong to the point where you're sitting on the edge because you *know* there will be a HEA but you can't wait to see how and in which way.
Loved the twists until almost the end, with unexpected turns and the epilogue was just sweet and adorable. <3
I'm very curious about the next book in the series, the preview was a great inside already. It's now waiting until June 2020.
This book gets 4.5 out of 5 stars from me. :3
Loved the twists until almost the end, with unexpected turns and the epilogue was just sweet and adorable. <3
I'm very curious about the next book in the series, the preview was a great inside already. It's now waiting until June 2020.
This book gets 4.5 out of 5 stars from me. :3
October 14, 2019
Lush Money is a debut novel by Angelina M Lopez. It's a classic marriage-of-convenience romance, between a head-strong, brilliant, self-made billionaire heroine and an honorable, intelligent, impoverished prince hero.
Roxanne had worked hard her entire life to build up her own multinational empire, to overcome her sad and neglected childhood. She always knew what she wanted and would make it happen. And what she wanted right now was to have a blue blood baby, a fairy-tale princess, without any complicated mess from having a husband. She thought Prince Mateo would be her perfect candidate, considering his financial struggles...
Prince Mateo was a world renowned viticulturist 🍇, running his own research group at UC Davis to improve the quality of a special grape vine from his home country. He had put in his sweat and blood to rescue their dying traditional winemaking business that was on the verge of bankruptcy due to his parents' negligent and extravagant lifestyle. The contract Roxanne had offered and the money to go with it seemed like a temporary solution to buy him some more time until he could finish his vine development.
Their relationship started off on the wrong foot: she was stubborn, self-centered, and presumptuous, he was unyielding and upright. But they had one thing in common: their flaming desires and mutual attraction to each other. Slowly Mateo has discovered the real brave, kind, and compassionate Roxanne. They had stood and fought side-by-side, gone through many obstacles to finally be true to themselves, to one another.
I really enjoy the story, the character development and their chemistry throughout the book, I've also learned more about viticulture and winemaking process. Although the writing sometimes seemed slightly hard to follow with very long sentences and some parts were a bit dragging, that did not take away my satisfaction! And I'm really looking forward to Princess Sofia's story next! It's a 4-and-1/2 ⭐️, steamy hot 🔥, off-the-chart sexy 📖, will leave you blush and fan yourself!
*ARC received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.* ✨Release date October 14, 2019!
Roxanne had worked hard her entire life to build up her own multinational empire, to overcome her sad and neglected childhood. She always knew what she wanted and would make it happen. And what she wanted right now was to have a blue blood baby, a fairy-tale princess, without any complicated mess from having a husband. She thought Prince Mateo would be her perfect candidate, considering his financial struggles...
Prince Mateo was a world renowned viticulturist 🍇, running his own research group at UC Davis to improve the quality of a special grape vine from his home country. He had put in his sweat and blood to rescue their dying traditional winemaking business that was on the verge of bankruptcy due to his parents' negligent and extravagant lifestyle. The contract Roxanne had offered and the money to go with it seemed like a temporary solution to buy him some more time until he could finish his vine development.
Their relationship started off on the wrong foot: she was stubborn, self-centered, and presumptuous, he was unyielding and upright. But they had one thing in common: their flaming desires and mutual attraction to each other. Slowly Mateo has discovered the real brave, kind, and compassionate Roxanne. They had stood and fought side-by-side, gone through many obstacles to finally be true to themselves, to one another.
I really enjoy the story, the character development and their chemistry throughout the book, I've also learned more about viticulture and winemaking process. Although the writing sometimes seemed slightly hard to follow with very long sentences and some parts were a bit dragging, that did not take away my satisfaction! And I'm really looking forward to Princess Sofia's story next! It's a 4-and-1/2 ⭐️, steamy hot 🔥, off-the-chart sexy 📖, will leave you blush and fan yourself!
*ARC received from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.* ✨Release date October 14, 2019!
November 15, 2019
I feel so bad/guilty writing this - literally feel sick to my stomach.
I know we're all conscious of "own voices" and reading and promoting such authors, etc.
[I mean I have my own PERSONAL thoughts/life on this thing ...
but as a whole - yeah. Support and promote own voices writers. And bloggers. Which ... 🙋🏻♀️ ANYWAY.]
... This heroine is a biiiiiitttttcccchhhhhhhhhh. Just a straight up nasty piece of work.
And I know you might be all "but Lime! You always say you love snarly/grumpy heroines!" and ... yeah. I do. But they need a REASON for it.
And yeah - I also get most likely whoever ... oops. Forgot her name. Roxanne. So yeah - anyway. I'm sure she has an excellent reason.
I read she's had a shitty upbringing, was poor, abandoned by her father...
Like yeah - that all sucks but that doesn't mean you just get to be a trash ass person?
I read 15% - I thought about DNFing before I got to 10% but kept trying to push on...
And I'm tapping out.
I'm sick of it. I don't care to suffer through enough of it to see WHY she's why she is. Because I know she's just going to continue to be THE. WORST. until it slooowwwwllllyyyy is dragged out of her as her ~relationship with Mateo Ferdinand Juan Carlos de Esperanza y Santos is cemented.
And I mean - I love the premise. It's like... a weird [not Princess Bride] but - small kingdom in ~Spain, needs money, he's trying to save all the things, has a terrible family, she's going to fund it ... O_o all for a baby.
Which like ... I don't get the logic? She's all "I can't/won't go to a sperm bank because my baby needs a father, but all of this is ENTIRELY TRANSACTIONAL" and it's just sex for babymaking purposes - and release 3 nights a week and otherwise they'll live entirely separate lives and she'll basically have no relationship with him other than joint custody.
It's ... pretty bananas.
(Also 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 of course OF COURSE she's under 30)
Anyway.
NOT JUST THAT.
She's just a straight up ASSHOLE. First, she goes over Mateo's head for the arrangement. Then she's a total dickbag at their first "meeting" which is actually a teleconference where she has [a nurse? an assistant?] just start jabbing Mateo without EVEN ASKING HIM. She pulls a hair for DNA, sticks him with a needle to draw blood - THEY DON'T EVEN ASK. And like ... this is ... obviously by Roxanne's orders/will. She also just continues on with her work ignoring him - WHO DOES THAT. WHO DOES THAT?!?!!?
Then she leaves him waiting 1-2 other times, they have sex ... I can't remember if it's the second(?) night they meet or first - and he's not even really into it but she blows him and climbs on then climbs off once he's ejaculated.
...
It felt like a violation.
If a hero had done that to a heroine people would be UP IN ARMS.
Just thinking about it now it's ratcheting up my anxiety - elevated breathing, heaviness in my chest. I think the hero says they didn't even touch. (Didn't touch?)
It was cheap and tawdry and ... almost coerced.
AND I KEPT READING TRYING TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE.
Obviously the hero is furious - he refuses to meet with the heroine so she bribes her way into his lab.
...
They have sex again, I think. Because of course why not. 🤦🏻♀️ Oh wait - I think he ... didn't ejaculate and turns the tables on her and leaves this time?
I can't remember. Each of their encounters is incredibly toxic and awful.
THEN. They meet at a pizza place and she's incredibly snobby.
Sure the server is a bit of a caricature and ignores her - but the heroine takes it out on the hero, accuses of him of being a manwhore, just ...
Even though she's the worst she always and ONLY assumes the absolute worst of the hero and jumps down his throat at ... zero provocation.
I'm especially sad because it started out SO well and I was really enjoying it and even chuckling at the very VERY beginning and ...
Nope. I'm out. No.
Honestly I'm ... contemplating a one star. (But again, the guilt...)
Also - I'm not sure if you're ... O_o allowed to put "you have to have sex with me" in a legally binding contract.
You know what? It's problematic enough/there are so many problems... I'm doing it.
F/DNF
I know we're all conscious of "own voices" and reading and promoting such authors, etc.
[I mean I have my own PERSONAL thoughts/life on this thing ...
but as a whole - yeah. Support and promote own voices writers. And bloggers. Which ... 🙋🏻♀️ ANYWAY.]
... This heroine is a biiiiiitttttcccchhhhhhhhhh. Just a straight up nasty piece of work.
And I know you might be all "but Lime! You always say you love snarly/grumpy heroines!" and ... yeah. I do. But they need a REASON for it.
And yeah - I also get most likely whoever ... oops. Forgot her name. Roxanne. So yeah - anyway. I'm sure she has an excellent reason.
I read she's had a shitty upbringing, was poor, abandoned by her father...
Like yeah - that all sucks but that doesn't mean you just get to be a trash ass person?
I read 15% - I thought about DNFing before I got to 10% but kept trying to push on...
And I'm tapping out.
I'm sick of it. I don't care to suffer through enough of it to see WHY she's why she is. Because I know she's just going to continue to be THE. WORST. until it slooowwwwllllyyyy is dragged out of her as her ~relationship with Mateo Ferdinand Juan Carlos de Esperanza y Santos is cemented.
And I mean - I love the premise. It's like... a weird [not Princess Bride] but - small kingdom in ~Spain, needs money, he's trying to save all the things, has a terrible family, she's going to fund it ... O_o all for a baby.
Which like ... I don't get the logic? She's all "I can't/won't go to a sperm bank because my baby needs a father, but all of this is ENTIRELY TRANSACTIONAL" and it's just sex for babymaking purposes - and release 3 nights a week and otherwise they'll live entirely separate lives and she'll basically have no relationship with him other than joint custody.
It's ... pretty bananas.
(Also 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 of course OF COURSE she's under 30)
Anyway.
NOT JUST THAT.
She's just a straight up ASSHOLE. First, she goes over Mateo's head for the arrangement. Then she's a total dickbag at their first "meeting" which is actually a teleconference where she has [a nurse? an assistant?] just start jabbing Mateo without EVEN ASKING HIM. She pulls a hair for DNA, sticks him with a needle to draw blood - THEY DON'T EVEN ASK. And like ... this is ... obviously by Roxanne's orders/will. She also just continues on with her work ignoring him - WHO DOES THAT. WHO DOES THAT?!?!!?
Then she leaves him waiting 1-2 other times, they have sex ... I can't remember if it's the second(?) night they meet or first - and he's not even really into it but she blows him and climbs on then climbs off once he's ejaculated.
...
It felt like a violation.
If a hero had done that to a heroine people would be UP IN ARMS.
Just thinking about it now it's ratcheting up my anxiety - elevated breathing, heaviness in my chest. I think the hero says they didn't even touch. (Didn't touch?)
It was cheap and tawdry and ... almost coerced.
AND I KEPT READING TRYING TO GIVE THEM A CHANCE.
Obviously the hero is furious - he refuses to meet with the heroine so she bribes her way into his lab.
...
They have sex again, I think. Because of course why not. 🤦🏻♀️ Oh wait - I think he ... didn't ejaculate and turns the tables on her and leaves this time?
I can't remember. Each of their encounters is incredibly toxic and awful.
THEN. They meet at a pizza place and she's incredibly snobby.
Sure the server is a bit of a caricature and ignores her - but the heroine takes it out on the hero, accuses of him of being a manwhore, just ...
Even though she's the worst she always and ONLY assumes the absolute worst of the hero and jumps down his throat at ... zero provocation.
I'm especially sad because it started out SO well and I was really enjoying it and even chuckling at the very VERY beginning and ...
Nope. I'm out. No.
Honestly I'm ... contemplating a one star. (But again, the guilt...)
Also - I'm not sure if you're ... O_o allowed to put "you have to have sex with me" in a legally binding contract.
You know what? It's problematic enough/there are so many problems... I'm doing it.
F/DNF
September 1, 2019
Lush Money is a very promising debut from an author I’m looking forward to seeing more from. Recently, I’ve been drawn to low drama romances with characters whose lives are imaginable. Lush Money is high drama and features a self made billionaire and the heir to a small European Kingdom. I loved it.
Roxanne Medina is a self made billionaire. She wants a child, wants the child to have a father, but doesn’t want to put in the effort a romance would require. Mateo Esperanza is the heir to the throne of a small Kingdom next to, or possibly surrounded by Spain, Monte del Vino Real. His tiny kingdom is known for it’s wine, but has been hit hard by bad management, an indifferent king, the demand for wines from France and California, and the looming danger of Climate Change. Mateo thinks he can save the country by developing a new wine stalk that will survive the changing climate and produce a high quality wine grape. His father wants to turn half the country over to a Disney like company that will turn it into a theme park, or in the alternative, sell his son to a billionaire who wants a baby and wants her baby to be in line for a throne. The two sign a contract to have sex three nights a month for a year at the end of which Mateo will get a huge amount of money to save his kingdom and hopefully Roxanne will be pregnant.
Roxanne and Mateo have a bad beginning. In fact, the first couple of times they have sex, the consent is dubious at best. Some people will be put off by the cold, angry sex they initially have, but if you move past that, they start to become real people to each other. Their feelings for each other are expressed through sex and lovemaking long before they are willing to say words to each other. Even at their worst, Lopez imbues them humanity and good intentions. You know you aren’t rooting for monsters even when they do damage to each other. The odd situation they’ve put themselves in and the continuing machinations of Mateo’s awful, awful father drive them to become partners and then friends, and then true lovers. So many things about this book could have gone horribly wrong, but they don’t because Lopez is a very good writer. Roxanne and Mateo are wonderful characters, surrounded by some wonderful side characters and some awful, narcissistic antagonists. I can’t wait to see what comes next. I really hope Lopez has plans for at least four of the side characters.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Roxanne Medina is a self made billionaire. She wants a child, wants the child to have a father, but doesn’t want to put in the effort a romance would require. Mateo Esperanza is the heir to the throne of a small Kingdom next to, or possibly surrounded by Spain, Monte del Vino Real. His tiny kingdom is known for it’s wine, but has been hit hard by bad management, an indifferent king, the demand for wines from France and California, and the looming danger of Climate Change. Mateo thinks he can save the country by developing a new wine stalk that will survive the changing climate and produce a high quality wine grape. His father wants to turn half the country over to a Disney like company that will turn it into a theme park, or in the alternative, sell his son to a billionaire who wants a baby and wants her baby to be in line for a throne. The two sign a contract to have sex three nights a month for a year at the end of which Mateo will get a huge amount of money to save his kingdom and hopefully Roxanne will be pregnant.
Roxanne and Mateo have a bad beginning. In fact, the first couple of times they have sex, the consent is dubious at best. Some people will be put off by the cold, angry sex they initially have, but if you move past that, they start to become real people to each other. Their feelings for each other are expressed through sex and lovemaking long before they are willing to say words to each other. Even at their worst, Lopez imbues them humanity and good intentions. You know you aren’t rooting for monsters even when they do damage to each other. The odd situation they’ve put themselves in and the continuing machinations of Mateo’s awful, awful father drive them to become partners and then friends, and then true lovers. So many things about this book could have gone horribly wrong, but they don’t because Lopez is a very good writer. Roxanne and Mateo are wonderful characters, surrounded by some wonderful side characters and some awful, narcissistic antagonists. I can’t wait to see what comes next. I really hope Lopez has plans for at least four of the side characters.
I received this as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 12, 2019
♡ AN E-ARC OF THIS BOOK WAS KINDLY SENT TO ME BY THE PUBLISHER THROUGH NETGALLEY. THIS DOES NOT AFFECT MY REVIEW IN ANY WAY. ♡
DNF. now that i've gathered my thoughts, i think it's time for a review.
to be quite honest, i don't know if the problem is me or the book. i really was excited for this one, had high expectation despite it having little to no hype in the book community. and yet i was disappointed.
the synopsis looked like everything i could ask for in a book. a latinx romance? a female self-made billionaire? girl power? yes? i just couldn't get into the book. i was constantly asking myself what the f*ck was going on. because quite frankly, i found the plot to be messy. i have had my fair share of messy books, but this one was...yeah. and it's sad because it had so much potential. i get that this book is supposed to have a LOT of sexy times, and i won't lie and say that wasn't one of the reasons i picked it up, but i found the sex scenes to be sometimes just...thrown. like the sex scene doesn't have any place during that moment, why would you add it, i just-. i get that it's the point, but still, i don't know...
but the part that annoyed me the most was the characters. i hated that roxanne made some decisions without even the slightest concern for mateo. like, it concerns him too? stop thinking only about yourself? i mean, she does apologize, but it just wasn't convincing to me. i couldn't connect with her.
so yeah, i don't know if i'll give this another try, butif i do it will certainly not be in the near future. it's just not for me right now. BUT. i do hope i get to read the author other books (when they come out), since i enjoyed the writing style because it's simple yet not flat.
i would recommend LUSH MONEY if you:
♡ like romance-centred books (obviously)
♡ enjoy and/or are comfortable with sexy times in books
DNF. now that i've gathered my thoughts, i think it's time for a review.
to be quite honest, i don't know if the problem is me or the book. i really was excited for this one, had high expectation despite it having little to no hype in the book community. and yet i was disappointed.
the synopsis looked like everything i could ask for in a book. a latinx romance? a female self-made billionaire? girl power? yes? i just couldn't get into the book. i was constantly asking myself what the f*ck was going on. because quite frankly, i found the plot to be messy. i have had my fair share of messy books, but this one was...yeah. and it's sad because it had so much potential. i get that this book is supposed to have a LOT of sexy times, and i won't lie and say that wasn't one of the reasons i picked it up, but i found the sex scenes to be sometimes just...thrown. like the sex scene doesn't have any place during that moment, why would you add it, i just-. i get that it's the point, but still, i don't know...
but the part that annoyed me the most was the characters. i hated that roxanne made some decisions without even the slightest concern for mateo. like, it concerns him too? stop thinking only about yourself? i mean, she does apologize, but it just wasn't convincing to me. i couldn't connect with her.
so yeah, i don't know if i'll give this another try, butif i do it will certainly not be in the near future. it's just not for me right now. BUT. i do hope i get to read the author other books (when they come out), since i enjoyed the writing style because it's simple yet not flat.
i would recommend LUSH MONEY if you:
♡ like romance-centred books (obviously)
♡ enjoy and/or are comfortable with sexy times in books
November 4, 2019
A refreshing take on the billionaire romance trope. The heroine is the cold billionaire that orchestrates the marriage of convenience, while the hero is the selfless one selling his body to save his people.
September 22, 2019
Début Novel by Angelina M. Lopez. And what a GEM it was. Superb book cover, checked. Amazing writing, checked. Great characterization, checked. That first sex scene together was very Hot. She just took what she wanted. The power play between the two was amusing to read. They started as enemies, per say, and they journey to friends was not without a few bumps in the road. We got to know some interesting secondary characters. Bring on book 2 about the sister, I can't wait.
Thanks the publisher and netgalley for this ARC. The opinions expressed here are all mine.
Thanks the publisher and netgalley for this ARC. The opinions expressed here are all mine.
August 27, 2019
Roxanne Medina has conquered small-town bullies, Ivy League snobs and boardrooms full of men. She’s earned the right to mother a princess and feel a little less lonely at the top.
When I started reading I couldn't put it down.Angelina M. Lopez is magnifysent and amazing writer.I cannot wait to read more of there books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this books.Can't wait for the next book.
When I started reading I couldn't put it down.Angelina M. Lopez is magnifysent and amazing writer.I cannot wait to read more of there books.Keep up the great work.You should definitely read this books.Can't wait for the next book.
dnf
February 26, 2023I was going to try to start this over and finish the book, but I realized I hated both main characters so what is the point.
DNFed @ page ~90
DNFed @ page ~90
October 21, 2019
I found this book to be fresh and entertaining. Latina woman Roxanna Medina is a self-made billionaire and a graduate from an Ivy League school. She is wanting to have a child and has worked out a deal with a King from a small country who is in desperate need of money for his son the Prince to be of service. She, of course, has had all of the proper tests done and all of this has been done without his knowledge. Prince Mateo Santos is working on a new type of grape for his region at the University of Davis and does not have time to be bothered by this request about a contract and meeting Roxanna. After meeting her and agreeing with the terms he changes some on the second meeting. She agrees for she wants a chance to be a mother. This story though really does not take off until you get further into the book when she goes to his country and starts to meet different people and then because of an accident to a person close to her she must go to Kansas where she is from, a small town. It is there that the story melds into a very nice love story with two people. That is until you find out that the people behind the scenes that want to destroy each of them are the people that raised them. When she professes her love for him he still is upset and she walks out. He then must find a way to fix their relationship if possible. Well maybe not, maybe she will try to fix their relationship who knows? Read this very good story to find out. It has very good characters and will keep you entertained. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars.
August 21, 2019
*4.5 stars*
I received a free copy in exchange for a fair review.
Roxanne Medina, self-made billionaire, gets what she wants in business and in life. And she wants Príncipe Mateo Ferdinand Juan Carlos de Esperanza y Santos. In her bed, three nights a month for one year. She'll have his heir, romance not required.
What follows is an absolutely delicious, soapy, and over the top clash of the titans romance for the ages, and the start of what will sure be a stunning career for debut novelist Angelina M. Lopez.
I adore when a romance novel starts with a bang and Lush Money will have you racing to keep up with the twists and turns of a plot *just* this side of ridiculous, but made utterly believable by the passion and strength of the character development. I cannot wait for more!
CW for cis-gendered language throughout, Roxanne wants a daughter, Mateo wants a son, and they talk about their potential child as such.
I received a free copy in exchange for a fair review.
Roxanne Medina, self-made billionaire, gets what she wants in business and in life. And she wants Príncipe Mateo Ferdinand Juan Carlos de Esperanza y Santos. In her bed, three nights a month for one year. She'll have his heir, romance not required.
What follows is an absolutely delicious, soapy, and over the top clash of the titans romance for the ages, and the start of what will sure be a stunning career for debut novelist Angelina M. Lopez.
I adore when a romance novel starts with a bang and Lush Money will have you racing to keep up with the twists and turns of a plot *just* this side of ridiculous, but made utterly believable by the passion and strength of the character development. I cannot wait for more!
CW for cis-gendered language throughout, Roxanne wants a daughter, Mateo wants a son, and they talk about their potential child as such.
June 5, 2021
Lush Money by Angelina M. Lopez is an incredible ride of a romance novel!
Billionaire Roxanne Medina offers Príncipe Mateo Ferdinand Juan Carlos de Esperanza y Santos a marriage of convenience to save his floundering kingdom. All Mateo has to do is marry Roxanne and spend three nights month with Roxanne trying to conceive an heir. If Mateo fulfills his end of the bargain for one year, Roxanne will give him a huge settlement and they can both move on with their lives.
I loved how Angelina M. Lopez turned the billionaire trope on it's head by writing an tough, hold no prisoners female billionaire. It was beautiful watching Roxanne slowly start to open up to Mateo, who was so wonderful, and slowly fall in love with him.
Lush Money is an impressive debut and I can't wait to read more from Angelina M. Lopez and her fabulous Filthy Money series.
Thank you NetGalley, Carina Press and Angelina M. Lopez for the advance reader copy!
Billionaire Roxanne Medina offers Príncipe Mateo Ferdinand Juan Carlos de Esperanza y Santos a marriage of convenience to save his floundering kingdom. All Mateo has to do is marry Roxanne and spend three nights month with Roxanne trying to conceive an heir. If Mateo fulfills his end of the bargain for one year, Roxanne will give him a huge settlement and they can both move on with their lives.
I loved how Angelina M. Lopez turned the billionaire trope on it's head by writing an tough, hold no prisoners female billionaire. It was beautiful watching Roxanne slowly start to open up to Mateo, who was so wonderful, and slowly fall in love with him.
Lush Money is an impressive debut and I can't wait to read more from Angelina M. Lopez and her fabulous Filthy Money series.
Thank you NetGalley, Carina Press and Angelina M. Lopez for the advance reader copy!
September 2, 2019
So, so good. Marriage of convenience is my favorite trope and it’s always interesting to me when it’s set in a contemporary romance. I loved the pairing of a billionaire woman and impoverished prince. Most often it is the other way around and I love the stereotype turned on its head. The vulnerability and sweetness on both sides really got to me. The dynamic between Roxanne and Mateo was excellent.
My only small complaint is the theme park bit was a little silly to me but I guess people have done stranger things for money. Maybe a casino would have made more sense? Regardless this small point didn’t detract from my enjoyment at all and the bad guys needed some sort of motivation.
What a debut novel - well done!
Thank you Carina and NetGalley for the ARC!
My only small complaint is the theme park bit was a little silly to me but I guess people have done stranger things for money. Maybe a casino would have made more sense? Regardless this small point didn’t detract from my enjoyment at all and the bad guys needed some sort of motivation.
What a debut novel - well done!
Thank you Carina and NetGalley for the ARC!
October 17, 2019
One of the most entertaining contemporary romances I have read in awhile. Maybe ever! Loved the characters, the settings, the drama, and the humor. The banter was amusing as hell, the voice was awesome, and the villains were deliciously bad. Add in heartwarming emotion, scorching sexytimes, and excellent writing, and the result is perfection!
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