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Roman Hawthorne is tall, devastatingly handsome, and has a jawline that is so sharp it could cut glass. He’s my dream guy on paper but let’s just say Roman is arrogant with a capital A.

When I meet him in a bar on a random Tuesday, I think I’ll never see him again.

But I do.

Every time I show up at that bar, Roman is there with his perfectly styled hair, dark brown eyes, and megawatt smile.

I don’t give him my number, but that doesn’t stop him.

Roman flirts from afar - sending me daisies and secret hidden messages that are impossible to resist.

I admit that he’s charming-as-hell, but I’m in all-work, limited fun mode since I just landed my dream job.

In other words, I intend to limit all of my fun to Roman and my bed.

But our uncomplicated connection soon takes a turn in a direction neither of us saw coming.

255 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 3, 2021

454 people are currently reading
295 people want to read

About the author

Deborah Bladon

101 books2,337 followers
Deborah Bladon had never read a romance hero she didn't like. Her love for romance novels began when she was old enough to board the bus, library card in hand to check out the newest Harlequin paperbacks. She was a Canadian by heart, and by passport, but you could often spot her in New York City sipping a latte and looking for inspiration for her next story. Manhattan was definitely her second home.

She cherished her family and believed that each day was a gift for writing, for reading, and for loving.

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5 stars
791 (54%)
4 stars
406 (27%)
3 stars
208 (14%)
2 stars
47 (3%)
1 star
11 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
Profile Image for Wendy'sThoughts.
2,670 reviews3,284 followers
September 29, 2021
Mirror Mirror On The Wall...
Will That Tall, Devastatingly Handsome Man...
With A Jawline Begging To Be Kissed...
Be At The Bar On A Tuesday...

Why Yes, This Man Is There...
Again And Again...

Roman Hawthorne Is The Type Of Man...
One Flirts With But Never Thinks Things Will Happen...

Yet They Do...

Romantic Things, Like Daisies, And Pep Talks...
Encouraging Words When They Are Needed...

And Then There Are Those Other Things...
Naughty Things...
Things That Make A Girl Like Me Blush...

It All Is Happening And Dreams Are Coming True...
Or Are They Really...

Roman Is The Dream...
But Could He Come With A Nightmare, Too...
Was I Just His Flower...


He Loves Me Not (The Hawthornes of New York, #1)

He Loves Me Not (The Hawthornes of New York, #1) by Deborah Bladon He Loves Me Not (The Hawthornes of New York, #1)
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Profile Image for Jeeves Reads Romance.
1,683 reviews797 followers
May 8, 2021
Light and sexy

This started strong and fizzled out along the way, but I enjoyed the vast majority of it. I always look forward to this author's light, sexy romances, and this was a solid one in a lot of ways. The banter and playfulness between Bianca and Roman was great, from their meet cute until the very end. They had definite chemistry, and I was intrigued about Roman's secret life. Unfortunately, I wasn't always sure of his motives. He spent so much time being sex-focused and insisting that what they had was "just fun" that I believed it too, so the transition into love was definitely jarring. And I still don't completely understand the need for all the secrecy. I can't really critique that part of the story without giving the twist away, but I can say - I didn't like it. So I enjoyed most of this low angst romance, but there are a couple of things I'm still scratching my head about.

The story follows Bianca and Roman, two strangers who meet at a bar. There's an immediate sizzle between them, but Bianca has a boyfriend, so it doesn't go further than two strangers having a drink together here and there... until that relationship ends. It's then that Roman makes his intentions clear: he wants her. Maybe not forever, but for more than a night. As the two get closer, their connection continues to grow. But Roman pulls away whenever things start to get real, and there are definitely things about his life that he's holding back. These two don't have any chance at a future unless Roman can be honest about his life.

This pulled me in right away, and I was loving the chemistry between Bianca and Roman. I always love an intense meet cute, and these two had quite the connection. I always really liked the mysterious element, even if it didn't play out in a way that 100% worked for me. It added a level of interest and had me turning the pages for sure. Where this falters is with Roman. He's a bit of a horndog at the beginning and sends some serious mixed signals, coming up with these romantic dates but also keeping things sex-focused. I'm not really sure that I agreed with his reasoning, and I'm not really sure when things took a turn for the serious. I have no MAJOR issues with the story, but there are things that could've been developed better, that's for sure. Overall, I found this to be highly readable, and I binged it in one or two sittings. So, there is a lot of good going on here.
Profile Image for Camila Matuella.
582 reviews
July 12, 2021
Esse livro é um bálsamo , sabe quando tu tá sentada na praia e ela tá vazia e tu fica olhando pro mar e vem aquelas ondas , e é tudo tão bonito e tão calmo, da uma sensação de felicidade , nostalgia, relaxamento? Esse livro é assim ele é easy, fofo, apaixonante, sem dramas, sem frescuras. Eu li sorrindo todo tempo. Aquele tipo de amor que tu sonha e pensa que nunca vai achar. Aí Roman aí Bianca que lindo foi ler a história de vocês, leve e doce.
Profile Image for Sare.
317 reviews17 followers
May 20, 2021
daha umutluydum üzgünüm... ben hiçbi aşk kitabına 5 veremicek miyim...
Profile Image for Arabesque.
171 reviews4 followers
December 16, 2021
Such a sweet story! I really felt for both characters, and laughed and cried with them...the fact that they can be honest with each other is awesome.🤗
384 reviews26 followers
May 23, 2021
A beautiful cute loving story...
Profile Image for Nevaeh.
6 reviews2 followers
March 19, 2024
I LOVEEEE THIS BOOK. i recommend this book to anyone that likes a cosy romance with a little bit of spice.
Profile Image for Anja Temin.
29 reviews2 followers
March 25, 2025
2 sterren – Het is weer één van die boeken die ik al snel weer ben vergeten.

Wat kan ik zeggen, het boek had absoluut zijn momenten, maar die waren zo zeldzaam dat ik het verhaal amper kan herinneren. Dat gezegd hebbende, het was een vlot lezend boek en prima tijdsverdrijf voor als je even niet nadenken wil. Niets bijzonders, maar als je iets luchtigs zoekt, voldoet het wel.
102 reviews
March 12, 2022
Too sweet,but a good for romance newbies

This was the first time I've read this authors books and I'm still undecided if I'll read more.
Sex scenes aside (which are reasonably tame for this genre), it's a very sweet, almost traditional romance (boy meets girl, both agree to no strings, inevitable love!). It's well written and flows at a good pace.
There's no real angst - the few bits of bad luck or surprisesare only a very small part of the plot. You can also see all of them coming a mile off.
The issue I have  -and I know I'm being pedantic here- is that it's just too good to be true and borders on the sickly side for me. Both Bianca and Roman are written as pretty much perfect people with great families and friends as well as newer members just fitting in. Whilst I don't like a book that exhausts you because so much bad stuff happens or a person's history is just sh***y,  I don't like the extreme of that either.
I can't say much about what happens without ruining it for other readers,although as I said, within a few chapters, you can see what's coming up.
These are the reasons for my apprehension in reading another book - although given Matt's personality shown here, it might be different enough for me.
If you like a gentle romance with no heartbreak, with some mildly steamy sex, this is for you. It's probably a good start point for those new to the genre as it can give you a feel of what type of romance you might like.
70 reviews2 followers
March 14, 2022
I'm really disappointed in this one. If I started seeing someone, taking them out to dinner and getting to the point where we're staying the night together, and I only just found our several dates and sexcapades later that he had kids he never told me about I would be extremely pissed off. Kids are something you mention in the first date, to some people it's a dealbreaker.

And the fact that the main love interest in this does just that instantly put me off from the story. It is so beyond not okay for so many reasons, and the additional fact that the main character didn't even care that he basically lied by ommision really got me steamed. He literally apologized to her over not telling her and she had to ask him why he was apologizing?!?! I mean I get not wanting to introduce your kids to a person before knowing whether or not they're going to stick around, but you should at least tell your boyfriend/girlfriend you have them in the first place. That's just shitty, unacceptable behavior.

So yeah, I did not like this book once that secret came out. A shame considered her calvetti series is one of my favorite of all time. I'm giving it a 3 star though because I liked it up until that point, and as always her writing is impeccable.
Profile Image for Thuy Taylor.
1,402 reviews19 followers
May 7, 2021
This story!! When a Deborah Bladon book drops on my kindle, I devour the heck out of it!!!! Roman and Bianca meet and sparks are flyinnnn highhh. I just couldn't put the story down, I love how DB writes her characters, you could feel the heart thumping sizzling chemistry in the air! This is book 1 in the Hawthornes of New York, Roman Hawthorne, successful businessman with a heart of GOLD! I don't want to give too much away because there are quite a bit of surprises here. Bianca and Roman meet when B is not having the greatest day, greatest couple of weeks. Roman is the man at the bar who is intriguing and the type of man that she senses gets what he wants. But, who knew how damn romantic Roman turned out to be! The daisies, how freakin cute and the anticipations between those two when the petals started to dwindle down. Soooooo good!

The secondary characters are great, I can't wait for their books. All the books are somewhat interconnected in some way. We do see Maren(Bianca's BFF) and Keats from "The Catch", not necessary to read prior to this book, but worth it because of Keats Morgan! Grab the book, its worth the read!
Profile Image for Shelley.
79 reviews
May 9, 2021
EXCELLENT!!

Wow! I wasn't expecting something so sensitive and, in my case, so close to my heart. Roman and Bianca are the perfect couple in every way possible from the beginning but having Roman know her dad before he died...that just sealed the deal. Obviously their chemistry is off the charts, I would expect nothing less, but after the big reveal of how B and V's dad died and the fact that Roman loved him too; well, it's easy to believe that George had a hand in bringing them together. I had tears in my eyes reading that shocking revelation. I can't wait to see who Matt ends up with and get to know the other siblings. I didn't even put Matt and Roman together as brothers! I thought he would turn out to be a cousin or something because I recognized his name as soon as you mentioned that he was a Veterinarian. It's surprising that you chose to bring his brother's story in before giving us Matt's HEA. Now I'm going to go nuts waiting for Matt to meet his perfect person! BRAVO!!
Profile Image for deborah ♡.
88 reviews3 followers
May 9, 2023
3.75 STARS

Okay, this book was pretty good, Roman was charming and I loved Bianca's personality. There were a couple of things holding it back though. The main thing was the secret Some other things are writing-based, the book was good but I didn't get consumed like I do with an amazing read. I had to basically force myself to finish this for my reading goal. However, I don't regret finishing it the ending was super cute!!! I love Iconic.

I also loved the side characters Matt (the drink thing was hilarious), Vivi, Paige, and Sabrina they weren't annoying which was great. In the end, I was actually sad that it was over and wanted more 😢. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book its not bad once you get to like 60% it really picks up after that.

Bye!
Profile Image for Vicky Johnson.
415 reviews
January 17, 2023
This was a fun easy read with little to no drama which is just what i needed the last few days.

Bianca and Roman were perfect for each other and i really enjoyed there story. He was driven and knew what he wanted and so was she and when they decided they wanted each other they both went for it.

The side characters were all great (although i think she forgave her mum too easily) and i'm looking forward to the next. To say the series is call the Hawthornes of New York we only met 2 of them. Unless there wont be anymore after these 2.

There are a couple or reasons it wasn't a five star read. (Spoilers maybe)

His kids came out of nowhere! I'm all for a dad been sensible and not introducing a woman to his kids until he is sure but we didn't know until Bianca did which seemed weird. Also the steamy scenes were not very steamy. Just as it was getting good it would kinda fade out and then pick after the event.

Other than that it was a nice read
Profile Image for Teresa.
140 reviews4 followers
May 6, 2021
Daisies

Absolutely amazing love story between Roman and Bianca. Love how they met and the instant sparks between them.And how she has spunk to handle her ex and her promotion.And the daisies wow how he found out they were special to her.One of the best parts when she found out he had twin and thought he was cheating.Love the part with the note in the candy bars, also pinball games liking different sports teams
How they had secrets to be found out the love they have for the families.His being a dad of twins and the best part is that fate brought them together him knowing her dad so so long ago.It was an amazing story very emotional sweet a book that you laugh and cry through it!Would recommend it for everyone one to read your an amazing author Deborah Bladon ❤

931 reviews7 followers
May 8, 2021
What a beautiful story this was. I was intrigued from the get go. Roman Hawthorne was the sexy, mysterious lawyer who is sitting at a bar on a Tuesday afternoon when he first meets Bianca. It's as though fate has stepped in when these two meet. There is an instant attraction, however the timing is not right. However, this does not deter the romantic at heart Rome, now that he has set his sights on Bianca, he turns up the charm and swoon factor to get her to agree to go out with him.

This story was heartfelt and romantic and ends with a twist of fate I have come to expect and always love trying to guess but never do. I hope to see more of the Hawthorne family in upcoming novels, this ever expanding world of secondary characters is always such a treat. Another fantastic story.
Profile Image for Bookaddict100 .
357 reviews4 followers
May 10, 2021
Bianca Marks is having a drink at a bar when Roman Hawthorne over hears Bianca say something to herself. Roman is quite taken with Bianca right from the start. When they see each other again, Roman let’s known his interest and promises honesty but, Bianca has just gotten burned in her most recent relationship. But, Roman is still determined and very creative and soon Bianca cannot resist the incredible man she has met. Everything seems so perfect until a long buried secret is uncovered. A twist of fate intervenes when something is meant to be.
This was a fun heartfelt story with a lot of chemistry and a swoon worthy book boyfriend with incredible creativity.

I received an ARC for this book and this is my review.
Profile Image for Dee.
543 reviews
May 20, 2021
Good Read

Sweet, unexpected love is always in the air in NYC with a Deborah Blandon book. After loving her last book XOXO I was looking forward to this read.
Bianca looking for a little change in work and in her personal life meets Roman at a bar and sparks fly.
Busy lives, past relationships woes, career goals are some factors that make this couple take their time to get to know each other . Roman sweetness shines in the pursuit of Bianca.
If your looking for crazy over the top drama it's not here and it's not needed because almost all of the side characters are integral to the storyline and that is the beauty of He Loves Me Not and Ms Bladon writing style so good.
Profile Image for Ann Mihailovic.
701 reviews7 followers
September 25, 2021
A great contemporary romance. He Loves Me Not by Deborah Bladon was a feel-good read about two characters who are intensely attracted to one another. Bianca just got out of a relationship and is afraid to get hurt while Roman has twin daughters. It was meant to be a little fun with no complications but the more time these two spend together, the harder they fall. Roman is a twin himself and hasn't told Bianca about his twin daughters. What happens when she thinks she sees Roman kissing another woman? Furthermore, what happens when she sees that the twin girls calling Roman 'Daddy'?
The connection and chemistry between Bianca and Roman was intense. This was another great romance story by Deborah Bladon.
Profile Image for Alis Renzi.
Author 5 books11 followers
March 29, 2022
Bianca e Roman sono quei personaggi che non hanno Dramma struggente due lacrimucce si ma nulla di eclatante. E adoro per quello. Rose e fiori sempre!

Bianca è una ragazza che si è appena mollata con il suo lui dopo corna varie. Romance è uno scapolo...
Si incontrano in un bar e scatta l'amore. Non subito però.
Iniziano un gioco di seduzione molto intrigante. Che porta il lettore in giro per NY.

Una bella storia. Corta ma emozionante.
E poi due belle gemelline rapiranno il vostro cuore anche! Ma di chi e chi sono?!
Dora e Georgie vi faranno innamorare come i loro genitori!!💜

Buona lettura Con questi 4!
Una bella storia d'amore dolce e sexy allo stesso tempo.
Corta ma intensa e con la giusta dose di mistero per il lettore.

E non vedi l'ora di leggere il due sul gemello di Roman!!😍
Profile Image for Naomi.
1,438 reviews56 followers
June 6, 2022
Deborah Bladon is a new to me author, but I was intrigued by the blurb for He Loves Me Not, so I had to give it a go. It turned out to be a good read, although it didn’t blow me away like I hoped it would.

I found it sweet, watching Roman and Bianca fall for one another. They had chemistry right from the start but were unable to move on it immediately. When the chance arose for these two, Ronan was focused on no strings and didn’t want a relationship.

I felt that Roman had secrets that he was holding onto, and I picked them early in the read. The twist was quite the coincidence, however it brought them closer together. I enjoyed how it all wrapped up, and the future that they will have together.
42 reviews
February 28, 2023
A Homerun!

The beginning of this love story between Roman Hawthorne and Bianca Marks hit everyone of my wants. This is a realistic story. The attraction is there but so is the build-up, the anticipation, and the dating. So many of today's romance books start with out-of-this-world-sex and then want us to believe that a true love story can be built on sexual attraction alone. Deborah Blandon found the right rhythm and created one of my favorite pure romance stories.

I found Deborah Blandon with The Calvetti's of New York series. I enjoyed the family dinamic but noticed that other couples were appearing throughout. I went back to The Wolfs of New York and read them in order. Overall Ms. Blandon did a wonderful job and is now one of my "Follow" authors.
Profile Image for Kathy.
85 reviews
May 12, 2021
What's Not to Love?

As a fan of Deborah Bladon I always look forward to her new release. You always get to meet her new characters who are somehow connected to characters & places from her previous books. The main characters in this one are Bianca & Roman who first meet in a bar & I'm thinking that this isn't a great start to their story. But the Author gets you interested & you can't wait to see what happens next. The twists & turns are there & you won't be disappointed with the outcome. As always I'm looking forward to the next book-maybe about Roman's twin brother Matt? Or Bianca's twin sister Vivi?
1,019 reviews4 followers
October 2, 2021
He Loves Me Not (The Hawthornes of New York Book 1)

Bianca is boyfriend cheated on her, she ended up walking out. Being upset she went to a bar in Manhattan. She met this guy who she was interested in, but she really was just by her last boyfriend. So she wasn't really ready for a new relationship. Slowly Roman sent her daisies and started a relationship. Chemistry was flying everywhere around between them. Getting together with each made it special. Roman had a secret or two. You need to read the book to find out what a excellent story this was. It's was awesome read! ENJOYED
Profile Image for Michal.
766 reviews64 followers
May 17, 2021
I loved this author early works.
More drama, angst, stories with meat that stoped my breathing sometimes and honest to god interesting characters.

Lately, they meet, some flirting, She's waiting for the fifth dait to sleep with him. He send her flowers.

* insert intensive courting*

He starts popping wherever she's at.
He has some not impressive secret that he was keeping from her (this time his a father).
I don't know why but she's struggling with the Revelation.

*Insert forced conflict*

Pausa in their relationship.

They got back together.

Rinse and repeat.

🥱
23 reviews
May 23, 2021
This was one of The best written by Deborah this one I thoroughly enjoyed. From the beginning to the end and it left me 😃 Deborah. All of her books have been written about romance however this was everything wrapped up in One.



I would recommend this one to everyone who loves a love story. It is happy st times and sad at the same time.i love how she intertwined with the others from previous versions.Family is very important in this one. The sex love.making was beautiful and special just a thought ....
Profile Image for Lisa Smith.
1,053 reviews
July 11, 2021
Chance to fall in love.

Roman Hawthorn was a lawyer and a single dad of twin girls, Dora and Georgie. Bianca wa a project manager for a real estate firm. On a Tuesday Roman and Bianca met at Rollys bar. Instant attraction, they didn’t exchange numbers but found different way to get messages to one another for date. Their attraction grew stronger, they were connected and Bianca would soon find out how.
166 reviews
December 24, 2021
the Power of our Loved ones from beyond

I loved getting to know the characters, Bianca and Roman. A chance meeting that is brought on by the forces beyond. I like to think that this is true. I had a feeling early on what the surprise secret would be but never imagined the connection that the would come to discover. I loved the slow build of the story, the anticipation of events to come and the happy ever after.
378 reviews
February 5, 2024
💥💕🥰

Bianca & Roman are a match made in heaven literally. Rome starts crushing immediately on B and starts pursuing her asap. B is drawn to him as well but is dating another man so she tries to ignore the connection.

When they are actually in love but haven’t said it yet a connection they had no idea about comes to light. In my opinion this connection makes their relationship even more intense and intimate
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews

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