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Billionaires of Manhattan #5

Return Billionaire to Sender

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I may be a shy, lowly letter carrier, but when my beloved apartment building is threatened by a mysterious and reclusive billionaire, I’m willing to push the envelope. I’m going to march right up to Malcolm Blackberg’s fortress of fierceness and deliver a cease-and-desist notice he can’t refuse.

Except as soon as I get inside his gilded doors, things go sideways—I’m mistaken for Malcolm’s court-ordered emotional IQ coach, as if I’m acting out a wacky postal carrier cosplay.

They drag me in, a sacrificial lamb for the big bad. Make that big, smolderingly sexy bad.

So I make up a lesson involving a story about our building. He doesn’t seem happy. Can he tell that I have no idea what I'm doing?

Before I know it I’m flying around the country, up close and personality testing the most devilishly exasperating man I’ve ever met.

He’s scary for sure…but the way he sometimes looks at me turns my knees to jelly, and has me writing love letters to his gorgeous eyes, his mouthwatering smile, his impressive…package.

Our coaching sessions are getting hot-hot-hot, but I can’t let my guard down. If he ever finds out I’m a first-class fake, I’ll lose everything I’ve ever loved in this world!

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 20, 2020

915 people are currently reading
4131 people want to read

About the author

Annika Martin

46 books3,479 followers
Annika Martin is a NYT bestselling author who loves reading, taking pictures of her cats, consuming boatloads of chocolate suckers, and helping animals. She lives in the Twin Cities with her awesome husband and adorable cats.

Website: http://annikamartinbooks.com
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5 stars
2,088 (29%)
4 stars
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3 stars
1,756 (25%)
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115 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 685 reviews
Profile Image for Jacob Proffitt.
3,288 reviews2,127 followers
January 20, 2022
This is fifth in the series and the other stories setup some of the plot and introduce the characters in this one. So you probably want to read in order. And then move right on by.

Malcolm has been behind some low-grade panic for the other books because he bought the building that unites the series and rumors said he planned to kill it and build something else. One of the other stories even has a billionaire try to buy it from him at a highly elevated price. So I was mildly interested to see his reasons and get to know him and looked forward to how Noelle would grow to being able to assert herself.

And while I try to give a book its premise and I'm all good with this love for their building and keeping everything static forever, I wanted the plan they concoct to be, well, reasonable? Or how about just not stupid-bonkers with a side of sappy idiocy? But no. Their very cunning plan is to get him to watch a documentary they've pulled together so he'll get to know the residents. Because that will naturally evoke "empathy" and he'll scuttle the millions he has riding on the development project so they can stay in their dumpy building in their little found family unit that is already breaking apart anyway because of all the others moving out to stay with their new honeys!

And the plan for getting her access was kind of interesting and I feared it'd be stupid, too, only it wasn't. It was kind of clever and I liked the gal-team pulling a night of shenanigans to build Noelle a background that would withstand the likely scrutiny and then seeing her pull it off was interesting.

But that plan! It keeps coming back and back and I lost track of all the times Noelle said something like "you have to develop empathy for these people so that you'll see the pain you are causing and change your plan." And eventually saying that to his face and I just hung on. Because I kind of wanted to see if he'd eventually cave (hint: I really don't want him to. Caving is stupid on pretty much every level and not least because life isn't made to be static and efforts to make things stay the same are broken at their foundation).

Only then we get this stupid blackmail guy making Noelle miserabler than she already is in her deception. And her feeling helpless about it is manufactured nonsense! She has this amazing support system. That's the point of this story! And they're digital ninjas and caving to the Neanderthal who wants to steal her per diem (of all things) is like caving to a wheelchair-bound bully because he knows swears. "Oh no! He'll taunt me a second time!"

So I'm out. I've been on the ropes for a very large part of this and I wish I hadn't wasted so very much time. But that straw, small as it was, pushed me out at last.
Profile Image for Wendy'sThoughts.
2,670 reviews3,280 followers
August 10, 2021
5 Beautiful Bravery Stars
* * * * * Spoiler Free
This is a Book to Read. It is perfect for these times and filled my heart. It was smart, cunning, and oh, how it took me to a happy place.
It was a "David vs Goliath" story yet at the same time, another tale, all focused on how early personal pain can distort how we see ourselves, skewing who we could be.

Annika Martin's writing takes multiple views, strong POV's of each character, and makes you live it through their eyes and hearts. Everything worked for me and I felt so strongly for both of these people.

Go in blind or read other reviews if you need more of a push...But really, I promise you, this will be major fun, happy times, and totally worth the read.

Most Eligible Billionaire (Billionaires of Manhattan #1) by Annika Martin Most Eligible Billionaire (Billionaires of Manhattan #1)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Billionaire’s Wake-up-call Girl (Billionaires of Manhattan, #2) by Annika Martin The Billionaire’s Wake-up-call Girl (Billionaires of Manhattan #2)
Breaking the Billionaire's Rules (Billionaires of Manhattan #3) by Annika Martin Breaking the Billionaire's Rules (Billionaires of Manhattan #3)
The Billionaire's Fake Fiancée (Billionaires of Manhattan #4) by Annika Martin The Billionaire's Fake Fiancée (Billionaires of Manhattan #4)
Return Billionaire to Sender (Billionaires of Manhattan #5) by Annika Martin Return Billionaire to Sender (Billionaires of Manhattan #5)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Just Not That Into Billionaires (Billionaires of Manhattan #6) by Annika Martin Just Not That Into Billionaires (Billionaires of Manhattan #6)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...


~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
Little Did I Know...
Forcing Myself To Be Courageous...
Pushing Down My Usual Feelings
Of Flight Not Fight...
Would Put Me Into The Situation I Am In...

I May Be "Just A Letter Carrier"...
But When My Beloved Apartment Building...
Is Targeted To Be Taken Over By...
Malcolm Blackberg, Mr. Richy Rich...

I Decide To Pull Up My Big Girl Panties
And Fight For What Is Right...

So Far So Good...
Except, Instead Of Telling Him What For...
I Am Confused to Be Richy Rich's...
Court-Ordered Emotional IQ Coach...

Excuse Me...

Well, Not To Let An Opportunity
Slip Out Of My Hands...
I Go With It...

Now I Am Teaching Mr. Hot And Sexy...
Empathy By Using My Building As The Example...

My Serious Problem Isn't Only The Building's Demise...
It Is The Need For Me To Stop My Heart...

I Think I Must...


Return Billionaire to Sender (Billionaires of Manhattan #5)-October 20, 2020

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Profile Image for Annika Martin.
Author 46 books3,479 followers
Currently reading
October 21, 2020
I'm so thrilled at the love for Noelle-she is so special to me—quiet and shy and comfortable in the background, but she has to go big to save her friends!
And it's hard to be brave when you're not sure if you're doing things right.
And even harder when you have to pretend to totally understand a profession where you have no idea what you are doing! LOL.
Anyway, I feel so overwhelmed with gratitude for all of the amazing love and reviews. It means so much to me!
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width="400" height="400" alt="description"/> 400x400

I'm just a shy letter carrier, trying to save our building, but this sexy, grumpy, reclusive billionaire thinks I'm his emotional intelligence coach!
OMG how long can I keep this up?
Maybe just one more session…


description 400x400

Pre-order to get 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗕𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 the instant it goes live!
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803 reviews395 followers
October 23, 2020
(3.5 stars) I toyed with the idea of giving this 4 stars. It was a very enjoyable distraction and diversion for me. In addition, Annika Martin's writing style is pretty good and appeals to my CR reading taste. She gets into the characters' relationships more deeply than many other contemporary romance authors who are more interested in telling you when and how often what is tenting someone's trousers gets to where it wants to go. Yes, this CR by Martin has some hot sex scenes, but that's not all there is to it. It's more about the relationship development.

Of all Martin's billionaire rom-coms of this series, this one most strikes me as a variation of that Richard Gere/Julia Roberts movie, PRETTY WOMAN. Granted there's no hooker with a heart of gold, but we have a Richard Gere type billionaire, as ruthless in business and even grumpier than the original one, although he does do kisses on the mouth and is perhaps even better looking. And who doesn't like that fairy tale of a powerful rich man falling madly in love with someone farther down the food chain?

This is the fifth book in Martin's Billionaires series. All the books revolve around characters living in an old New York City apartment which has seen better days but still has lots of character, and there are lots of characters living in it who have developed deep friendships with each other. These residents of the apartment building are struggling, for the most part, to make it big in NYC and some (5, if you count this book) have managed to snag hunky, handsome billionaires along the way.

In this latest entry, the apartment building itself becomes an important part of the story, since it is up for demolition by handsome, hunky billionaire Max, along with the other buildings of the neighborhood, to make way for a new, modern complex. Well, the close-knit apartment dwellers are in outrage and despair, but what can be done? Knowing the end of life there was inevitable, they made a long video celebrating the building and its inhabitants, with lots of interviews and human interest footage.

The heroine of this book and one of the residents of the building, Noelle, shy and unassuming postal carrier, has the idea that showing this video to the billionaire mogul will change his heart and mind and save their home. So that's what the book is about. Getting that video in front of his eyes and getting his eyes opened to the fact that his business dealings have real life consequences that impact real people's lives.

Well, getting this done isn't easy and it will take some interesting contrivances and deceptions on the part of Noelle and friends to accomplish the task. The main deception by Noelle was not planned by her; it was just accidentally handed to her on a silver platter in an elevator, but from there on it required a good deal of careful planning and deceptive behavior to keep going with it.

I liked the idea of this. Good girl teaches insensitive man to be more sensitive. I guess there are two reasons I hesitate, however, to give it four stars. One is all the deception required for the plan to work and the fact that the plan itself did not strike me as really very effective and well thought out. The second hesitation involves the almost instant attraction this rich, powerful businessman feels for our unassuming heroine. This, it seemed to me, was mainly because of her quirky way of dressing and because she did not seem to be impressed by his wealth and power. Noelle was sweet but not so outstanding a personality, IMO, that she would make such an impact on a power-hungry, wealthy man who kept himself closed to feelings and relationships.

Well, one might say that was the point and that Noelle's sweet innocence was all it took to turn this guy around. I couldn't quite buy it but I did buy the whole story as a fun diversion and distraction. Improbable theme, but wouldn't it be lovely if possible.
Profile Image for Siobhan.
4,987 reviews596 followers
October 23, 2020
Return Billionaire to Sender is the fifth book in Annika Martin’s Billionaires of Manhattan series, but it works perfectly fine as a standalone story. Those that have read the prior books will love the moments when we get to see more of the characters we’ve been watching throughout the series, but it is a bonus instead of a necessity to understanding.

As always, Annika Martin sucked me in deep with Return Billionaire to Sender. I was addicted from the first page, and rapidly powered through the story to see how the pieces came together, unable to put it down until I had my answers. I’ll be honest and say I didn’t find this one as funny as I found the prior books – there were more smiles and giggles than loud laughter for most of the book – but that did not take away from the story. I was invested in every detail, in love with the way things developed, and was hooked on every page.

Without a doubt, if you’ve enjoyed the prior books in the series you need to read this one to see what happens next. It’s another winner from Annika Martin, one sure to have you unable to put the book down.
Profile Image for Amy.
3,009 reviews606 followers
February 12, 2023
2023 Review
Okay, so third time was the charm. I looked forward to this re-read and it didn't disappoint.

2021 Review
Girl tries to convince billionaire not to tear down her shitty apartment building.
I kept agreeing with the billionaire that the building needed to go.

Profile Image for Lori R..
1,399 reviews71 followers
October 19, 2020
LOVED LOVED LOVED!!

This story is a perfect example of why Annika is on my list of Rock Star Authors.

I didn’t want to put this down.
I was constantly thinking about it when I wasn’t reading, eager to get back. I gobbled it up, and I thoroughly enjoyed every delicious word.

Annika gives us THEE BEST grumpy, growly, assholish heroes with the biggest hearts buried way deep down!

Hated by everyone, feared by most, Malcom Blackberg was totally fine with that. Dealing with hate with easy. He has zero time for emotions.

Noelle was determined. Although shy, she had her mind set to do whatever it takes to get Malcom’s attention. Even if there are lies involved. And impersonating someone else. It goes against everything she believes in, but her friends are counting on her. She can’t let them down.

Well, she made it to his office, past his receptionist, past security, all because she was dressed in her work uniform. No one would suspect the mail carrier was up to something, right?

He was mesmerized with her.
He couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Couldn’t stop staring.
Then after a few sessions, he couldn’t get enough.
He started to get protective of her.
And he was so confused by this! Lol

I could SEE everything with each turn of the page.
Watching his massive, icy walls come down, slowing melting was a thing of beauty. Noelle’s goodness, her belief in him helped bring those walls down. She defended him, saw the good in him, fought for him. He was so not used to that.

Not only could I see everything, I could FEEL everything, too. All the nervousness, the intrigue, the attraction, the regret, the heartache, the anticipation, the lust...all of it. The author does a fantastic job at making that happen.

I fell for Malcolm. Hard. Big ol’ growly butt has a hard exterior, but inside , he’s all soft and squishy and lovey-dovey. That moment his heart got broken, I swear it felt as if my heart broke right along with his.

This book is a perfect addition to the Billionaires of Manhattan series.
So well-written, so full of emotion, and SO good!

I’d like to threaten Malcom with an X any day.
Profile Image for Penelope.
1,005 reviews1 follower
February 8, 2021
i know that this series' premises are built on the thinnest of strings held together by lack of thought and vibes but come the fuck on. malcolm had to watch 40 HOURS of amateur video about an apartment complex for his court mandated training while noelle just yelled out proprietary! and i'll give you an x!

aint no way malcom a billionaire when it's that easy to trick him and enter his inner sanctum. malcom was interesting and complicated. too bad he sucks!! being a billionaire already gave him -a billion points but he was an asshole that at no point renounced his capitalist ways and understood how fucking over people for a few extra million he would not miss is never the mood! and he was pro-gentrification. ugh

and fucking noelle. annoying as FUCK. supposedly shy but really a hypocritical selfish boring judgy mc judge everyone. you know who doesn't get to judge actual stella for not telling her shitty boss who wont provide her with healthcare goodbye? the girl committing fraud to save the 40 people she knows while not caring about anyone else! and you can't just choose random areas to have the most victorian of morals while doing what she did.

and was this book written like a year ago when trump was fucking over the usps??? martin made mail carriers sound boring and annoying.

EDIT: her outfit choices were atrocious! she dressed like a 7 year old who was finally given full reign over her own sartorial choices. hedgehogs and butterfly ties and the same suit in 3 colors is not relatable or quirky. the bitch walking around new york looking DERANGED and malcolm salivating at the gullet over unclipping (??????) her ugly ass tie??!!! i'm supposed to believe this?? or think the obsession with hedgehogs makes noelle personable? gotdamn this book annoyed me.
Profile Image for Wil Loves Books!.
1,528 reviews485 followers
June 6, 2021
Another awesome rom-com in this series!

This series of rom-coms by Annika Martin have definitely become one of our favorites! This is Noelle and Malcom’s book, we’ve met both in previous books. This is a romantic comedy through and through with mistaken identities and grumpy hero and lots of funny situations. Both Noelle and Malcolm are extremely likeable characters and their dynamic and banter is super cute. The audiobook narrated by Neeva Nevar and Will Watt is exquisite. Absolutely recommend!
Profile Image for Blair Babylon.
Author 118 books2,228 followers
October 22, 2020
Return Billionaire to Sender
Annika Martin’s billionaire romance *Return Billionaire to Sender* is signed, sealed, and delivered FABULOUS!

Plucky postal mail carrier Noelle is on a quest to confront bigshot billionaire Malcolm Blackberg, a real estate tycoon who bought and plans to demolish her cozy NYC apartment building. When she’s mistaken for his “emotional intelligence coach,” she runs with it, and I, dear reader, cheered her on the whole way.

This romping romcom has a first-class stamp of funny. Neither rain nor sleet can keep these lovers apart, but the dead of night will definitely get them together for some sexy times to write home about.

Definite five-star. Definite fun.
Profile Image for Leggoromance.
363 reviews597 followers
May 1, 2022
L'ho letto in una notte!
Davvero una lettura super carina!
Ho apprezzato molto il personaggio maschile
E anche come si scopre la verità
Profile Image for Elisabetta Veneziani.
871 reviews37 followers
May 8, 2022
4,5 ⭐️
L’ho letto troppo lentamente per i miei gusti questo libro 😖 ma in realtà l’ho trovato davvero carino! Una lettura piacevolissima e anche molto dolce nella parte finale 😍🥰
Profile Image for Ashley G..
681 reviews61 followers
August 3, 2022
I think this series is adorable. The intimate scenes don't match the tone of the rest of the book, but overall a cute romance
Profile Image for Katerina.
799 reviews318 followers
November 24, 2021
This was a fantastic book for me! I’m glad I read it after I read “Just Not That Into Billionaires” (which wasn’t the best). I haven't laughed out loud at a book in a long time. Contrary to popular belief, romcoms are extremely difficult to write correctly since the author almost never manages to make me laugh or feel the banter/sizzle in the relationship.

Noelle is passionate about preventing her building from being demolished. The apartment's tenants construct a 21-hour movie in which they express their love for the building and community. Many people have tried to approach Malcolm, the billionaire in control of the demolition, to stop it, but to no avail.

Noelle feels she will be able to do it as a letter/mail carrier. Noelle enters the corporate building, wearing her trusted uniform in an attempt to get close enough to Malcolm to be able to hand him the video. However, she becomes entrapped in a faulty elevator with a woman named Stella and they have a conversation. Stella despises her work as an “Executive Emotional Intelligence Coach”:

“There are two kinds of executives who get executive coaching from our company. There are the kinds that are excited to improve their skills, successful businesspeople who are fired up to be more effective leaders [however] I’m the person they send when the executive has been on the losing end of a lawsuit and the person is mandated by a court of law to undergo a program to be designed by an accredited executive coach to improve emotional intelligence skills”

Stella hates coaching prissy CEOs and abruptly quits her work after Noelle persuades her to pursue her passions of teaching. Once Noelle arrives at the Executive floor, the staff assume Noelle *is* Stella. Noelle crazily goes along with the misconception, and with the help of her tech friends (heroines from the previous books) crafts an online business persona as Stella. She pretends to be Malcolm’s “intelligence coach” for the next four weeks. She forces Malcolm to watch the 21 hr movie/documentary in their daily hour sessions in the hopes of increasing his empathy and preventing the impending demolition. There are some stellar, stellar parts to this book due to the crazy ruse of the heroine that did get a chuckle from me. I love that it’s a delirious scheme she commits to.

However, as the two protagonists fall in love, her fraudulent act, becomes a huge barrier between them. Malcolm was one of my favourite characters. This is how you portray a workaholic male lead who is also single-minded and a touch cruel. Despite her Girl Scout, good girl demeanour, he was very aware of her and always *saw* Noelle; she caught his attention right from the start.

I love these types of books where the billionaire assumes the heroine is someone she’s not. It reminded me of why I really liked this author, and the first two releases in this series. This trope is one she delivers impeccably.

Short separation; completely safe; no OP & no mentions of past other than her having one long term boyfriend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for aqsa.
674 reviews135 followers
November 19, 2020
i’m kind of crying because i can’t believe it’s over 😭😭😭 that was so much fun.

i’m sad that the series has ended- i thought willow might get her book too but i can see that it was all wrapped up nicely with the whole building arc.

i WILL say that i would’ve loved an extended epilogue with like all the gals & their boos hanging out because i think that scene was desperately needed

anyhow that was fucking fun as hell & i can’t wait for whatever ms martin comes up w next 😭❤️ i hope it’s a dark enemies to lovers because she’s especially so good w those

_____________

CANNOT FUCKING WAIT

i bet its about that dude who wont give the building away + the gf from the group who's a mail carrier omg
Profile Image for Sam I AMNreader.
1,622 reviews327 followers
July 10, 2023
I object to billionaires like I object to Dukes, but I seriously love reading about them. Martin's are always good because both parties work, and are competent! I'm not positive, but I feel like the first in this series many eons ago launched my competence porn shelf. That works here, her dialogue sparkles and at times her story telling can be very emotional. Overall, these are good fun, with feeling and I'm happy to say that this is maybe my favorite since the first. I had some serious reservations regarding the Noelle 's actions but Martin did not skirt those and presented a nicely paced sexy contemporary romance.
Profile Image for E-Reader Addict.
1,307 reviews46 followers
January 20, 2022
Well it’s a big fat giant X in the box for me with this one.

After five hours of listening, I’m with Malcolm - I’d pay $1,000,000 not to watch Elle’s stupid video. I can handle a ridiculous storyline (this whole series is based on outrageous situations), but I’ve laughed exactly ZERO times during this audiobook. The “hero” is a jerk with no apparent redeeming qualities and the “heroine” is, I don’t even know.

I just know I don’t even care about anyone in the book. So I’m DNFing and moving on.
Profile Image for Crazy About Love 💕.
266 reviews112 followers
October 19, 2021
⭐️ one star -

So disappointed in this one. I preordered it for my Kindle, I was super excited about it, as I loved the previous Billionaire series stories from this author - Fake Fiancé, Wake Up Call Girl - being my faves from Annika Martin (and stated in order of my preference), but this one missed the mark for me and remains a DNF.

It’s the heroine here that ruins it for me. The whole premise of her lying to the H, and being hung up on their building is just so stupid. Her ott attachment to her neighbors didn’t come off as cute, it’s just weird. Maybe I’m too old to understand this kind of fixation, cause I agree with the H and his observation to the h that it’s just not normal. It comes off as desperate and the lifestyle of an immature person, just too NA for me, I guess.

Disappointed as I enjoyed Fake Fiancé and Wake Up by this author so much. This one was a disappointing DNF.
Profile Image for Dilek VT.
1,548 reviews1,707 followers
February 27, 2023
DNF at 15%

A book can't be more boring than that. It sucks all the life energy out of you.

The plot is stupid and boring and there is no fun in it like in the other books in this series. What's more, or I should say, most importantly, the heroine is extremely annoying. I can't stand a person like her more than a minute in real life. She is the kind of person that gets on my nerves. I hated her from page 1 to the page I decided to drop the book.

I really have no idea how to describe the hero because up to the part I decided to drop the book, all he was fixated about was her butterfly tie and how much he wanted to untie it.

Normally, I would read it all and write a long rant about it but it's just so unbearable, sorry.
Profile Image for Ziezie.
818 reviews29 followers
May 21, 2021
I love all the books in this series but so far I love this the best!! Malcom and Elle are perfect together!! Finished with a huge smile on my face!
Profile Image for DemetraP.
5,721 reviews
January 6, 2021
I found myself skimming this book because I was bored. I liked the hero but the heroine was annoying. "I have to save our building, we're a family!"

I prefer Annika Martin's other books.
Profile Image for Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog).
5,820 reviews211 followers
October 20, 2020


Amazon / Nook / Apple / Kobo

Noelle is on a mission to get billionaire Malcolm to watch a video of her building, so he'll rethink his plan to tear their building down. Somehow, and in humorous fashion, she gets mistaken for his new "coach" and it's game on for Malcolm, because he has no idea what hits him when the slightly awkward but sweet letter carrier enters his life. She confuses him, confounds him, befuddles him and excites him. And of course he has no idea what to do with any of that. What will Malcolm do when he discovers Noelle's real identity? Will it end the good thing they've got going?



I always love it when a McGrumpster hottie gets brought to his knees and has no idea what's going on, let alone how to deal with it. Malcolm is glorious in his grumpy impatience, and even more magnificent when he's in Noelle's presence because this kind of awkward woman absolutely gets under his skin in the most delicious, fun ways and it's so entertaining to read as he falls and has no idea how or what or anything. I loved this sweet, funny, sexy story.

ARC via Valentine PR for an honest review.
Ebook also purchased via Amazon.


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Profile Image for Rachel.
77 reviews
November 8, 2022
y’all know I love a villain and this one was so funny. He’s the most villainous out of all the guys so far, he truly believes he doesn’t have a heart. Almost fooled me too because he is very stubborn to be fair. All it took was the US postal service to turn this guy “good.” He’s a glorified psych major with control issues and it’s hilarious. I love how this story progresses and even when you know Noelle is going to be exposed as not an emotional intelligence coach (it’s inevitable), it’s satisfying enough to me to see how the author chose to deal with it. This guy is also down bad for her the minute they meet and he’s such a maniac for how he obsessed over her and pretends he isn’t completely taken by her. The beginning of the book is also hysterical because you think there’s going to be misunderstandings about him but no he really is just the Onceler (Noelle is Lorax?). There’s a reason he has court mandated emotional intelligence training.
And come on, who doesn’t love a hot villain. He’s traumatized, yes but it’s less dark and more “what are you gonna do, become weirdly attached to bow ties on a woman instead of solve your issues first?”
I’ll let you guess.

rating:
Plot: funny! interesting and genuinely insightful on how people communicate. I actually liked hearing Malcolm’s comments and thoughts on the human condition. Imagine if he took psych 101 and solved his parental issues, instead of listening to anti-hero by Taylor swift first. But then our villain to simp for the USPS wouldn’t be nearly as fun. He’s also so ridiculous just as a person.


Incorrect quotes:
Anything Malcolm says
“I don’t have empathy but I feel what you feel”
“I don’t understand the point of helping others, I’m being good to trick other people, SEE haha”

Noelle:
“Whatever you have to say to sleep at night”
Profile Image for lowkeyreader.
5,466 reviews50 followers
October 22, 2020
So, I haven't read any of the books in ther series and this is my first read by the author. But I am making sure that I'm going to read more from the author because this rom-com is the bomb! Right from the start I know it was going to be promising. I loved Noelle's character, I loved her! Compared to her, Martin is this very dark, brute billionaire. He's kind of weird, or off to me (hahah). He's kind of an a-hole at first, you know. But nevertheless, I still enjoyed it. Weirdly, they're both kind of made for one another, they complement each other. They had great chemistry even though it was kind of a slow burn.

I look forward to reading more from the author!
Profile Image for Kandace Denys (bookish_kayy).
1,255 reviews
October 20, 2020
I’ve read one other in this series and knew I was in for a good time. The banter between the two, the slow burn goodness, it all came to a head with an excellent payout in the end. I giggled like crazy. Rom com gold in these pages.
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