Pretty Prize

Rags to Riches #2

by Ella Goode

Since his mother’s death, Hunter Keal has had one mission—destroy everything Garrett Vandermeer holds dear. One by one, Hunter has taken over Garrett’s factories, properties, until all that is left is Rose Vandermeer. Hunter will have her, too, with or without her approval. Only the more time he spends with Rose, the more that Hunter falls under her spell until the only thing he craves more than revenge is her love.

Rose Vandermeer has spent years under the thumb of her controlling brother. She’s on the verge of escaping when she’s literally sold to a cold billionaire who sees her as nothing more than a pretty prize to be won. She might submit to his touch, his care, his tender keeping, but she’ll never give him her heart.

Genres: Romance, Novella, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Smut, Adult, Erotica

93 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 7, 2019

Reviews

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book more than the first! In this instalment we have Hunter who ends up buying his enemy’s sister to extract revenge on their family. Hunter blames the enemy for his Mother’s death so in return he wants to ruin that family. Hunter wasn’t counting on falling in love with Rose...actually... he didn’t believe he was capable of it!

I loved how Hunter treated Rose right from the start! She had been so sheltered by her a-hole of a brother for such a long time, she is skeptical of his motives for being so kind to her. Rose begins to let her guard down and also falls in love with her man!

Another quick and sexy read in the Rags to Riches series! I can’t wait to read the third!!!

[Nova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book but I have to admit I like the revenge angle.

Hunter has been planning his revenge on Garrett Vandermeer for decades, the man that was instrumental in his mother’s death, he is now in the position to take everything that he coverts and he coverts nothing as much as his sister Rose. But once he has Rose just where he wants her he finds that the revenge he planned is no longer what he wants, his feelings for the elusive Rose are more than he ever thought that he would feel. How can he convince her that he wants her for more than a prize and as a real wife?

Rose Vandermeet views her name and brother as a curse, never free to live a life she has spent most of her life locked away from the world but now that her brother is facing financial ruin she finds herself being sold to Hunter Keal. Thinking she is being moved from one gilded cage to another, she is unprepared for the lust and love she is feeling for the man who treats her as a princess but does he want her or just his revenge?

These two characters you cannot help but like both battered and bruised by the life that they have led but once together they heal. Great fast read.

[Sophia Triad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice little story of revenge that ends up as a passionate story of unconditional love.
Anyhow, being happy apparently is the best revenge in the end...

[Alaina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rose and Hunter were a nice addition to the Rags to Riches series.

Pretty Prize is all about how Hunter plans his revenge on some douche name Garrett. Ugh, even the name sounds douche-y (oops, sorry to all the people out there named Garrett). Well this douche was like the mega of all douches. He is a horrible business man and give zero fucks about anyone that works for him. Heck, they are all dying from fumes and shit and he just sees dollar signs. So, yeah.. I was down for all this revenge by Hunter because the dude didn't care about what he did.

So what did Hunter do? Well, he went from a poor guy to a really well off business man - but like the good kind because he cared about his employees. He also really wanted the one thing that Garrett kept secrets - his sister Rose. No one really knows her because he ships her off from time to time. He also kind of is selling her off to be married to the highest bidder. So, he is still a douche.

Hunter comes to the rescue for Rose because he ends up buying her. However, he actually already basically loves the girl before even doing this. Rose is kind of annoyed because she knew what her brother was planning but didn't know when and where it would be happening. It doesn't hurt that Hunter is a good looking man and would definitely treat her like a normal human being. Which he does in fact and they definitely start to mesh together.

Their chemistry was really good and I was happy that these two were sort of getting their own happy ending. One with Garrett not in the picture. This was a definitely cute book and it kind of made me excited to dive into the rest of the series - whenever I find the time to do so!

[Elizabeth Neal · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.5 Stars**

Hunter has had one mission in life - revenge. And he's so close to accomplishing it, finally, and he doesn't feel the least bit of guilt for Rose being caught in the crossfire. None at all. Nope. Not him.

Rose is the epitome of a princess in the ivory tower, no one to show her affection, and the one who does, in his own way, is her older brother, Garrick, and it's just a bit creepy. She's always known she has no say in her life, and having to sit there as he literally hands her over to some stranger is just more proof.

Hunter assures Rose he'll give her anything she wants, but what if she wants his heart? Can he provide that? A man that's so sure it died when his mom did? Will he make Garrick pay for not helping his mom when it could have made all the difference in the world? Is that more important than how Rose is beginning to make him feel? Will they get their HEA?

One-click now and follow along as two people, brought together for the wrong reasons, find a love that can heal even the most stubborn heart.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.**

[*CJ* · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Pretty Prize" is the story of Rose and Hunter.

What a pleasant surprise!

The marriage of convenience plot takes a whole new turn, when the h here is sold by her abusive brother to a seemingly asshole hero. Initially reluctant and wary, she is pleasantly surprised when underneath all the brooding and anger lies a sweet, caring and loving man.

I totally enjoyed this book. Romance, drama, angst and hot sex- this had it all! I really loved how the hero laid the world at her feet, and made her finally feel cherished, and finally understood the meaning of love himself. The epilogue was the cherry on the top.

Highly recommend.

Safe
4.5/5

[AvidReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars for this deliciousness!
Loved the strong yet sweet heroine and alpha hero. Their epilogue was so cute.
Recommended.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.
Short and sweet. Alpha male/revenge/forced marriage.

I cannot seem to hold back from binge reading all the latest steamy novellas-everytime that I renew my Kindle Unlimited membership.
These are usually such fun and quick reads like this one.
Ella Goode along with Ruby Dixon and Kati Wilde are probably my favorite authors in this genre.
I used to like Alexa Riley but all their titles have simply became way too repetitive of late to hold my interest anymore so I am going to pass on their contribution to this "Rags to Riches" collection..

[C.M. Steele · Rating 5 out of 5]

I freaking loved this book! The back and forth between the two of them made the heat intense. His love for her was undeniable. Such a sexy alpha!

[lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

It started with him marrying her for revenge...
but it ended with 👇
" I need you , Rose , I need you , Don't leave me"
She brought him to his knees 😁
Epilogue was so sweet with their 3 children and the 4th on the way ❤ loved it

[Darlene I read WAY to many books · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Hunter lord i love Hunter he was abit coldish for a moment but he had all the OTT alpha vibes.. protective, possessive and cocky af!!! And he had a plan revenge against Rose's brother for the pain he caused him when he was younger... she was just a pawn for a moment to get what he wanted.. but honestly the plan didn't work since Rose did play a hateish/love game.. with Hunter.. the chemistry was hawt i enjoyed them two!!

My only problem is.. the brother didnt get his.. :( he got money for selling his sister.. but nothing bad or karma happened to him :( which was disappointing

No ow/om drama, no cheating, sexy times, Drama, Virgin gal and not a manwhore

Recommend- yes
Cover- ⭐⭐⭐

Slowish-insta
Slight push/pull
Safe
Hea
Epilogue

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, this was not laugh out loud funny. This was soooo romantic and swoon worthy! Hunter and Rose are so right for each other. This was a very enjoyable read.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good

I enjoyed this story. It is just a tad on the darker side at the beginning. It is a little hard to like Hunter at first and you truly feel for Rose and the life she has lived up until now. Hunter’s views start to change very quickly after he marries Rose and he battles his inner feelings because they scare him. Rose is a saint. While she gave into her lust for Hunter she tried her hardest to not fall for him. She was a tough cookie despite all she had been through! I really liked these two together by the end.
Safety and Spoilers
Completely safe. No op drama. There is some minor things that cause a couple of small issues but nothing major. Some abuse mentioned, her brother was definitely emotionally abusive and bordered on physical. No hitting happened or anything sexual even though it looked like he lusted after her.

[Corandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Hunter ha estado planeando su venganza contra Garrett Vandermeer durante décadas, el hombre que jugó un papel decisivo en la muerte de su madre.Tomará venganza casándose con la hermana de su enemigo.

Rose Vandermeet ve su apellido y a su hermano como una maldición, ha pasado la mayor parte de su vida encerrada, pero ahora que su hermano se enfrenta a la ruina financiera, la entrega en matrimonio a Hunter Keal. Pensando que está siendo trasladada de una jaula dorada a otra, no está preparada para la lujuria y el amor que siente por el hombre que la trata como una princesa, pero ¿la quiere de verdad o solo desea su venganza?

Me encantan los temas de venganza y matrimonios de conveniencia, pero esta historia no terminó de gustarme, me parece que Hunter cambió de sentimientos de manera demasiado repentina, entiendo que es una historia corta, pero el cambio debería haber sido un poco más lento.
Sólo para pasar una tarde aburrida.

[Jen ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

MCs:
- Hunter, 28, billionaire tycoon
- Rose, 22(?), sister of Hunter's target for revenge

Book info:
- Novella
- No cheating / opd / 3rd act break up
- Arranged marriage
- Stalking
- Mention of death of a loved one
- HEA with epilogue (married with children)


Light and feel good read. No unnecessary drama and it's sickeningly sweet. ☺️

Hunter wants revenge after his mom dies from working in Rose family's company. He has been planning it for two decades actually. But when he saw Rose six years ago, his plan was still very much intact but he added Rose in it. He wants her and he'll do everything to have her. Which he did, through an arranged marriage.

This is a novella, so everything is fast paced. Rose was annoyed when she found out about the marriage thing, but she accepted her fate nonetheless. They got hitched, then that same day her anger suddenly was forgotten. Tbf, Hunter did all the sweetest things for her on their way to Rome. He knew everything about her, her likes and dislikes. I mean, the man was basically stalking and obsessing over her for years.

As days went by, they got to know more about one another. Rose saw the true Hunter, and Hunter realized that he can still love. Ultimately, they fell in love and got their HEA.

Overall, I enjoyed this. Light, cheesefest, and sweet story. I liked the epilogue too. I think epilogues always make it more exciting. ❤️

[Serena Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ella iluminó todos mis lugares oscuros y me amó de todos modos.



Pretty Prize de Ella Goode libro 2 Serie multiautor Rags of riches


Mí humilde opinión:

Hunter Keal ha querido vengarse de Garrett Vandermeer y lo ha logrado con creces, se ha adueñado de sus propiedades y empresas pero le queda la estocada final: Rose Vandermeer, su hermosa e inocente hermana.

Rose no tiene amigos idea de lo que planea su hermano pero cuando ve a Hunter se da cuenta rápidamente. Él planea venderla. No le sorprende, para su hermano no es más que un objeto valioso que puede vender.

Hunter al principio buscaba venganza pero pronto con su nueva esposa se da cuenta de lo que realmente quiere es su amor.



A mí me encanta Ella Goode, disfruto mucho de lo que escribe y este segundo libro de la serie multiautor me gustó más que el primero.



Me recordó un poco a otro libro de ella que también la protagonista era vendida como parte de un negocio.

Es una historia de amor sobre una venganza que se convierte en amor.

Hunter me asustó al comienzo, quería que Rose le dé un puñetazo más de una vez pero después cuando se da cuenta de sus errores, que dejó de sentir después de hacerse rico y solo respirar para vengarse de su enemigo (tomo aire) después de eso me encantó, fue como ver al verdadero Hunter.

Rose no me podía creer la fuerza para soportar tantos años con el imbécil hermano y luego ser vendida?

Me gustó ella por su fuerza interior y tener esperanza en que iba a salir adelante, si tenía que hacer lo mismo que Hunter, ahí iba.

Muy buena historia de amor y venganza. Lo encontré un poco más picante que lo que acostumbro a encontrar en los libritos de Ella pero estuvo muy bien, hot y pasionales está pareja.



Y como siempre, un dulce de leche como epílogo. Amo los que ella Escribe.

[Ivy Deluca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh? I mean, the setup is there for revenge and then it just kind of peters out. I know what I'm going to get when I read an Ella Goode book, so I'm not expecting a bit drawn out character piece but this story felt particularly sparse. Oh well, onto the next.

[Jami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunter is out for revenge on the one family that took his mother away from him at a young age. For the past 20 years he has plotted his revenge and now it is time. What he didn't expect was Rose. She was just supposed to be a pawn in it all. He didn't realize that buying her from her brother for revenge would change his whole world. Plans changed the moment he finally meets her. Instead of continuing to seek revenge, his end goal is to make her fall in love with him and see that it is not longer about the contract.
Rose knew this day would come. Her brother has kept her sheltered her whole life, only using her as a pawn. She knew the day would come when he sold her but she didn't anticipate it being to the cold hearted Hunter. She knew that she was a pawn, but her reaction to Hunter is something she's never experienced before. Can she convince Hunter to let go of the past and see the love they can have in their future?

-safe read
-dual virgins (nothing actually confirmed but a comment the H made, I'm going with he was a virgin as well).
-no om/ow drama
-Cute Epilogue (about 6 years out)

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was exactly like reading a Harlequin Presents but more steamy. Marriage of convenience trope. Heroine blackmailed into marriage. Hero marries heroine for revenge but he falls in love with her. He thinks he has a cold black heart but heroine heals him and brings him to life. Good read. Fantastic epilogue with 3 kids and pregnant heroine. Sweet and sexy read but writing style not for me.

[phoebess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty Prize was a truly great story but I would be happier if there weren't any mentions of that creepy "heroine's brother is in love with her" stuff.

[AℳY♔Queen of Fat cats♔Ain't no lie Baby Byebyebye]

New cover

*kisses kindle unlimited app*

[Fiona Fog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story hard! It had everything you could possibly want in a romance read.

Hunter our Hero has been waiting for what seems like forever to get his revenge on Garrick Vandermeer. This man destroyed any chance of Hunter having a happy life with a loving mother. He still remembers clearly begging Garrick for help when his mother became sick. His disregard for and lack of any feelings towards him still fresh in his memory even though it was years ago.

Rose our heroine, has lived in gilded cage, trapped by her brother Garrick. Her every move, is controlled by him. Where she went to school, who she associated with. She was never allowed from his sight. She knows it’s not normal but with him holding her aunt over her head she’s learnt to be dutiful sister.

Hunters goal is to destroy Garrick and the way to do that is with his sister. Ever since he saw her he’s been obsessed with her. Her beauty is undeniable. And he can tell himself he’s learning everything he can about her because of his need to get vengeance but it stopped being that a long time ago. He wants Rose for himself.

You get it all, Hunter is so unbelievably sweet, he tries to come across as this tough man but Roses presence completely blows that away. He wants to make her happy, he loves seeing the pleasure on her face when he does something nice. All he needs is her. He thinks he can’t love but everything he’s done for her is love.

My new favourite from this author.

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. 2.5 stars.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick but satisfying

Ella Goode always spins quick swoon-y reads and this one was no different. I wish the story had been a tad longer so the relationship had more time to develop between the two as it rather abruptly moved from contract marriage to soulmates but still enjoyed this one.

[One chapter more · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once again wrote a nice and long review only to have the connection cut off, without saving it... Hate when that happens and after last time you could think I have learned my lesson... nope...

Anyway, as much as I love Ella Goode- this was not her best writing spectacle. The first half of the novella was interesting an in the style of this author, only to have this spoiled with the second half which was quite hmmm... Underwhelming?

This is a reason for my 3 stars. I felt like Ella just gave up on a story, there was no action just mushiness. Well, you can't be perfect all the time, can you?

[Raine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forced marriage trope

Another good book by Ella Goode. This one is about a man named Hunter obsessed with getting revenge against an enemy and plots to take over his businesses and sister, Rose. Rose has been under the thumb of her brother and just found out that she is being sold to help her brother out of money troubles.

[Alba M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hunter ha querido vengarse toda su vida de los Vandermeer (no sé si lo he escrito bien) y hasta ahora lo ha conseguido. Sólo le queda un último eslabón, y es el hijo Garrik que no le costará mucho derribarlo visto que es un drogadicto alcohólico. Pero él tiene algo más en mente, Garrik siempre ha protegido a su hermana Rose quizá sí se la quita así habrá ganado su venganza... Sólo que en realidad Rose nunca fue parte de la venganza...

Me ha gustado, sí que confieso que al principio no, porque no le veía yo a Hunter mucho amor por Rose. Hay que decir que lo supo esconder muy bien, sobretodo porque era muy frío con ella. Pero cuando vio que ella se iba... Amigooooo ahí salió el verdadero Hunter lleno de sentimientos.
Me hubiera gustado que de todas formas ella le contase todo lo que el hermano le había hecho y que Hunter lo destruyese completamente, pero esa solo es mi yo rencorosa hablado 🤣.

En resumen, que es un historia genial para pasar el rato y que me he aficionado a esta autora tanto como a Alexa Riley.

[April Symes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty Prize by Ella Goode is book 2 in the Rages to Riches series. This is Hunter and Rose's story and is a standalone read.
Hunter is a coldly powerful businessman who is out to ruin a man. Rose is the "tool" that's used in the downfall of the man Hunter's out to get. Rose is a beautiful and innocent woman who doesn't know what to make of Hunter; Hunter didn't know that he would be given a deliciously tempting and sweet prize such as Rose in his quest for revenge. Without giving anything more away, this novella is sexy, fierce, and romantic. I loved the emotions and feels that occurred in this story. Rose and Hunter really have great chemistry between them. I can't wait to read more in this new interconnecting series.


My Rating: 4.5 stars *******

[Ꭿຖᥲ·♡ ྀི · Rating 4 out of 5]

°Virgin heroine
°Not sure if the hero was a virgin or just celibate
°Switching POVs
°Free of OW/OM drama
°No cheating
°No separation
°OTT alpha hero (28 y/o)
°Slight push/pull
°Intimate scenes only between hero and heroine
°Epilogue: around 6 years later married with 3 kids and another on the way

[Lynn Thinking out loud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunter is absolutely set on revenge. What he wasn't expecting was for Rose to be his sun.
Loved Rose and Hunter.
I would have liked to have known how all this revenge turned out for her brother.

I read an advanced copy of this book.