Scandalous Engagement

Lockwood Lightning #3

by Jules Bennett

Delve into this scandalous friends-to-lovers romance, part of the Lockwood Lightning series from USA TODAY bestselling author Jules Bennett.

Their engagement may be fake but the chemistry is as real as it gets! Especially when one kiss with her best friend… changes everything.

Josie Coleman has the perfect plan to get rid of her bothersome ex-husband: pretend she’s about to marry again. But her fake engagement to her best friend, Reese Conrad, isn’t going as expected. His steamy, toe-curling kisses are anything but friendly…and their simple plan leads to very complicated feelings. Too bad that isn’t the only surprise Reese has in store…

From Harlequin Desire: A luxurious world of bold encounters and sizzling chemistry.

Lockwood Lightning:
Book 1: An Unexpected Scandal
Book 2: Scandalous Reunion
Book 3: Scandalous Engagement

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Friends To Lovers

187 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 14, 2020

About the author

USA Today Bestselling Author Jules Bennett has written for multiple publishing houses and currently has books with Harlequin and Kensington.

She loves to chat with readers through Twitter or her Fan Page on Facebook. You can also contact her through her website as well as stay up to date on her latest releases, book events, and awards. julesbennett.com

Reviews

[Ｙｅｓｓｅｎｉａ · Rating 4 out of 5]

４ ｓｔａｒｓ

I have a 𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓮-𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮 relationship with the friends-to-lovers trope. I just feel awkward. But now and then I gave it a try and fortunately this time I liked it very much.

It was believable how things progressed between them, how they went from friends to lovers in days, having their background. It was their friendship what allowed to build a good basis for the story.

Even if this charade showed them they still had things to discover about the other and how they probably took them for granted, it was refreshing to see they didn't take too long to confront their feelings.

I have to admit I liked 𝑅𝑒𝑒𝓈𝑒 more than Josie. He was a little braver than her and did it before her too, taking the leap. At first, he was all about enjoying the moment and not compromising because he just didn't have the time for a serious relationship, especially with his career being his priority (yeah! excuses) and his newfound origins. However, when he realized he was in love with Josie he took action. 𝒥𝑜𝓈𝒾𝑒 on the other hand was just stubborn. She was so afraid of getting outside the box she constructed for them as friends that she rejected him at first. I wanted to strangler her. Still, the good thing about her is that she just needs time to think, and then she takes what she wants.

The only thing missing for my liking was a little more interaction between their families. It's just me.

[Harper Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friends to lovers is always going to be my catnip, and Jules Bennett came through with another gem. I enjoyed Josie and Reese, but I have to say I was confused by Josie’s background. Is she Filipina? Hapa? It wasn't fully clarified. Aside from that, this was a great installment, and as someone who isn't much into the billionaire hero, this worked for me!

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Josie and Reese are best friends..They have been for a very long time..When Reese gets a letter and finds out he has brothers and he was adopted he is upset..he goes to Josie's as she is always there for him to lean on..While there her ex husband keeps dropping by and calling..when he does this time Reese tells him they are engaged..so starts a fake engagement for two weeks. Unknown to each they are hiding feelings they didn't know where there..Josie is very regimented..Reese wants to solve all problems. They go with this fake engagement as it keeps going on and on and getting news...They give into temptation and find they should have went there soon! It was a wonderful story of love and family! How 3 strangers are brothers that forge a bond. how over coming your strict upbringing to realize yes you deserve love with your best friend and can still be friends as well as lovers..A wonderful heartwarming story..I really hate that this story is done now!

[Amanda Humston-Barton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say this was my absolute favorite out of the series! I absolutely loved reading about Reese and Josie. This book kept you so intrigued to see what was going to happen next. I absolutely couldn't put this book down this is definitely a must read.All the books have been amazing!

[Carma · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/4 stars for Scandalous Engagement which is book 3 in the new Lockwood Lighting series by the author. In this latest installment we meet Reese Conrad and Josie Coleman.

Reese and Josie have been best friends for a long time and neither has crossed that line, until now. Josies ex-husband Chris has been calling and texting her non stop and she has had enough. She tells him that she’s moved on and so should he. When she shows up at the door moments later, Reese comes to her rescue and poses as her beau. But are they just pretending?

Reese has just returned from a trip to Green Valley, TN and is now harboring a secret he doesn’t quite know what to do with. He wants to confide in Josie but can’t bring himself to spit out the words just yet. When he steps up to be her pretend lover, all other thoughts go out the window. He didn’t know he craved her until he had a taste.

Josie and Reese find themselves swept up in a fake relationship that becomes all too real. With Reese needing to settle some business first, can he make Josie see that they belong together for real and always? I voluntarily read an advance copy without expectation for review, all opinions expressed are my own. I feel like this story didn’t flow as well as the other 2. I had questions are to why things were written or said that didn’t seem to move the story along at all. That left me a little underwhelmed at times, but still a good story.

[Stella Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scandalous Engagement!

This book is the third and final book in Jules Bennett’s Lockwood Lightning series. Although it could be read as a stand-alone, it really helps to understand the underlying mystery if you’ve read the previous 2 books.

Reese is the billionaire only-son of the Conrad’s restaurants enterprise, and Reese is eager to open his own Manhattan restaurant to put his own name on the map. Meanwhile, he’s still running all the other restaurants as his parents take a trip upon his father’s retirement. Imagine his shock to learn he’s adopted!!

Reese and Josie have been best friends forever! Even through a disastrous marriage (for Josie) and a broken engagement (for Reese), Reese has been there for Josie and vice versa. They have no secrets from each other! When Josie’s ex husband decides they need to reunite, Reese steps up to tell him that Josie and he are engaged. Now the two need to pretend as the news goes viral! But are they really pretending when they move beyond friendship to something much deeper!

This story is a fabulous end to this series. As usual with Jules Bennett’s writing, I found myself flipping pages to find out what happens next! I can’t wait for her next series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Lynn Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ready-made romance! Jules Bennett delights with a friends to lovers romance with the third and final book in her Lockwood Lightning trilogy. This series has been been a fast paced uncovering of secrets with each book centering on exposing the next puzzle piece. SCANDALOUS ENGAGEMENT is sure to please and brings a nice conclusion to the drama of the series.

Josie Coleman is easy enough to like. She married for all the wrong reasons, and now it's coming back to bite her when she can't get her ex to realize there is no future there for them. The only thing she can think of to try is claiming she has moved on.

Reese Conrad is easygoing and enjoyable. He has uncovered a secret that is weighing on him, but he's still quick to jump in and help Josie with her own problem. Of course their pretend engagement wasn't really planned out all that much!

I highly recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who loves their romance mixed with a little family drama. The entire series has been a lot of fun to read.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

We have come to the last book in the Lockwood Lightning series and it has ended with a bang. It’s a friends to lovers story and I loved how Reese and Josie took their friendship to the next level when they become fake engaged because Josie’s ex would not take no for answer when she did not want to reconcile with him and Reese stepped in to rescue the day and tells him they are engaged. It sets off a whole domino effect as these two longtime best friends try to fight the attraction that has been there since the day they met.

It was a great ending to the series and I also loved how the three brothers come together as a family and work together. This had lots of sexy, passionate moments as well as that romance and fun that is a Jules Bennett book. Always lots of wonderful characters to get to know. I can’t wait for her next new series to come my way.

Thank you to the author for a copy of her book to review.

[Julie Eichelberger-Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scandalous Engagement is the final in the Lockwood Lightning series but can be read as a stand alone story. This is one of my favorite tropes, best friends to lovers with a fake engagement turned real. Reese and Josie have been friends forever but when Josie's ex-husband won't leave her alone, Reese announces that they are engaged. Reese is dealing with getting ready for his new restaurant opening and also the fact that he is adopted and has two half brothers. When news of the engagement gets out, they decided to continue the charade until after the opening and then going back to being friends but the intimacy and growing feelings make that plan harder to continue. This is a great finale to the series. The character development and story structure is entertaining.

I received an advance reader copy from the publisher but all thoughts and feelings are my own.

[Nicole ReadingBetweenTheSheets · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love getting my hands on a Jules Bennett romance, but where this one is the final book in the Lockwood Lightning series, it is bitter sweet.

This fake-engagement/friends-to-lovers storyline is the romance featuring the third Lockwood sibling, Reese Conrad. When he steps in to help out his longtime best friend, Josie Coleman, get out of a broken relationship, he may have accidentally set them up for their future or for failure.

I loved this quick read romance! The characters were wonderful and this continuous storyline throughout this series has been so enjoyable! Definitely read An Unexpected Scandal and Scandalous Reunion before diving into Scandalous Engagement. This whole series is quicker reads, but I loved the twists, characters, and the little dilemmas that were in each book! 4.5 stars from me!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josie Coleman made a mistake when she married her ex-husband. She remedied that mistake but the ex won't take the hint that it's over for good. Reese Conrad is her best friend and as been forever. To help her out he tells the ex he's her new fiance'. Forced into a forced change in their relationship makes them both reevaluate that relationship. While the two of them are navigating this change Reese is also dealing with finding out who his biological father is and two half brothers he never knew he had. A great wrap up to the series Josie and Reese fake engagement makes them realize they were perfect for each other all along. Watching them them come to that realization was fun. Seeing Reese and Josie expand their family with Reese's two new new step brothers and their significant others was just icing on the cake. A quick fun read and a great way to spend a evening lost if a book.

[Judyrudy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scandalous Engagement is the third and final book in Jules Bennett’s Lockwood Lightning series. I’ve read all of the books in the series and this one was my favorite. Reese and Josie have been best friends forever and out of nowhere discovered themselves involved in a fake engagement. Originally their engagement was to put an end to Josie’s bothersome ex-husband. The more time they spent together the more they wondered if their engagement could become more. I loved watching both Josie and Reese as they fell deeper into their relationship. This was a fun read that I highly recommend reading. I received an advance copy which I chose to read and review. This is my honest opinion.

[Traci Westling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy to read and in exchange for an honest review! This is the third in a series & all I can say is That Josie and Reese are on fire ! These two best friends really do a great job with their fake engagement from the get go ! Sparks ignite from the very first kiss! These two truly did seem to exemplify exactly how best friends could find true feelings & love while faking it during their crazy busy professional lives . As always Ms Bennet lets the family Love & friendship shine through this beautifully set book & series! Bravo ! Highly recommended!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third book in the Lockwood Lightening Series - and what a great ending to this series! The unknown brothers, the romance, and the family dynamic - I would love another book in this series to see how the brothers continue their businesses and grow in their family as brothers!

Reese and Josie have been best friends forever, but Josie's annoying ex-husband causes them to have a fake engagement...until it turns into something more. As they become closer than ever can they continue to be only friends when the fake engagement is over? Another great book by Jules Bennett!

[Cindy Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jules Bennett writes another great book with Scandalous Engagement book # 3 in the Lockwood Lightning series. If you like friends to lovers books this on is for you. When Josie Coleman's ex-husband won't stop bugging her Reese Conrad(a friend) announces they are engaged. Of course it is a fake engagement that leads to hot chemistry between Josie and Reese. Also entwined in this story is Reese's secret! I encourage to read this story to see what Reese's secret is and how a HEA is reached. I am sure you will not be disappointed, I wasn't!

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun ending to the Lockwood Lightning series. Reese is reeling from discovering he is adopted with two siblings, but in the meanwhile jumps in and pretends to be engaged to his best friend Josie when her ex won’t leave her alone. Faking an engagement forces them to confront their deepening feelings for each other and see if they can find happiness.

Great ending and good friends to lovers romance. Great book for a quick escape.

Thanks to the author for a review copy.

[Jenniekenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was the perfect ending to the series. Best friends, fake engagement, hot chemistry and great characters.

One of my favorite lines...we are the right couple. AWWWW. Reese and Jo bring out the best in each other.

I love that the brothers and fiancés/wives. The ending made me laugh...I’ll take a puppy :D.

This book made me smile, have some awww moments. Jules never disappoints.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest, voluntary review.

[Michelle Pierce · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a perfect ending to this series. The previous two books in this series were awesome and this book was great as well and I really enjoyed Reese and Josie. Their friendship and bond really added to who they are and then add on a ‘fake engagement’ and let’s see what happens next. I also appreciated the bond between the ‘brothers’ and their ladies. Great story and the ending was a perfect beginning for Nick, Sam, and Reese.

[Linda Rimer-Como · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this to be a lovely read! Best friends, a fake engagement and revealed secrets make for an interesting story line. The characters have amazing chemistry and interactions throughout as Josie and Reese realize their true feelings. This was a great series that I thoroughly enjoyed. Don't miss out.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book; all opinions expressed are my own.

[Wioletta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Josie is being harassed by her ex husband to give them a second chance, Reese, being a great friend, tells him, that they are engaged. What are best friends for.
Now the lines are blurring, what is true, what is pretend. Then there is a issue of Reese's half brothers and a father, they all hate.

What a wonderful ending to a series. Loved it.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this final edition to the trilogy.

Reece just finds out he was adopted through a letter. His best friend has an ex that just won't quit. Using him as a new relationship to get her ex off her back, things start to take a more serious spin.

Lived these characters.

[Christina Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the final book in this series. Reese and Josie's friendship allowed for a nice transition into more. We got to see Reese's brothers and get a wrap up about their father. This was a quick, fun read.

[Lindsay Thompson-Sublett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved their story and the connection. The chemistry was great and I enjoyed this book in this series just like the others. I recommend this book and I'd love to have more with all three couples. Like a follow up with babies.

[Denise Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Sam and Josies story . Sam inherited his family’s restaurant chain and is opening a new location of his own in New York . Josie is a columnist for a newspaper and has been his best friend forever .

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scandalous Engagement is Josie and Reese’s story. A good friends to lovers romance. Another consistently solid romance. I enjoyed it.

[Norma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, loved this book.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

[Ana Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got to love a friend to lovers story and this 3rd installment in the Lockwood Lightning Series bought all the feels. Easy to read and can be read as a stand alone.

[Harlequin Books]

Categories
Sagas, Contemporary Romance

Miniseries
Lockwood Lightning (Book #3)

[Janeen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a great ending to this series.

Fake engagement, friends to lovers, family secrets. This book had it all.

Reese and Josie are definitely my favorite!