Love Scammed

by Rilzy Adams

It’s the blind date to end all blind dates.When Monae Alexander turns up to Miami International Airport to meet her best friend, Tempest, for their anti-Valentine’s Day girls’ trip to Turks and Caicos, she realizes she’s been scammed. Tempest is nowhere in sight and soon Monae finds out that the trip was an elaborate scheme to get her to meet Hudson Bradley, a man Tempest had been trying to set Monae up with for months. Hudson has been played too, thinking he was heading overseas for a business trip and not a five-day Valentine’s Day getaway with a woman he’s never met before. It is the Valentine’s Day trip neither Hudson nor Monae asked for, but could it turn out to be just what they need?

Genres: Romance, Novella, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, African American Romance, Adult, Forced Proximity

142 pages, Paperback

First published February 13, 2021

About the author

Rilzy Adams needs only five things to survive: sushi, coffee, Prosecco, cuddles and words (though not in that order).

She's a lawyer by day - writer by 'whenever she can get the free time' and believes that love makes the world go 'round. It is no small wonder, then, that she can't help but pen tales of people falling in love.

Reviews

[Warda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ebook is FREE today (20/7/2022) on Amazon UK if you want to grab yourself a copy. Which you should.

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Wow. Just wow. Impressed ain’t the word. I cried actual happy tears! I feel overwhelmed!

I already knew I would be gone for this story, for these two characters within the first 20 pages, and by the end, I damn near lost my mind.

I want this to be my life. Why isn’t this my life?
How did I more or less lose my mind over a damn novella? Rilzy Adams wrote the dream, she penned the fantasy and had me close to flatlining with happiness.

One of the easiest 5-stars I’ve given.

How do I function now? 😭

[mina reads™️]

I vote for more romances with glasses wearing heroes 🥰

More thoughts here: https://youtu.be/F7q1gzeY0DI

[Dab · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t like everything about this book but it was a cute, dirty little story and that’s exactly what I was hoping for.

Monae and Hudson have been set up for a surprise, blind, five-days-long date and let me just say that I hope nobody did, or will do, anything like that to their friends or even their enemies, ever.

However, since it’s a romance the manipulative friends didn’t get the comeuppance they deserved because Monae and Hudson fell in love during the five days. Insta-love allergic people would probably cringe but I’m not one of them 🥰🥰🥰

Hudson was a perfect cinnamon roll of a man, he did and said all the right things and it was super sweet. Monae annoyed me once or twice (why was she laughing at him in bed? That’s so mean!) but for most of the time she was okay.

No drama, no third act breakup, no angst, pure brain candy!

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Scammed by Rilzy Adams did a good job at reminding me that I need better friends because none of my friends have ever tried to set me up on a blind Caribbean island vacation with a sexy man! I'm OFFENDED! Now, that that's out of the way, let's chat about Love Scammed. What can I tell you about Rilzy Adams' books? They are a whole lot of fun! I always leave her books feeling like I had the greatest time and had the best laugh. Love Scammed was no different. The book starts off with Monae, annoyed as hell, because her meddlesome friend, Tempest has scammed her into taking this girls trip without her. She soon finds out that this is all Tempest's plan to get her to hook-up with photographer Hudson. The girl is irritated but she soon strikes a conversation with Hudson and she can't deny the chemistry simmering between them. When they finally reach their destination of Turks & Caicos, the tension is undeniable and both realize that they will eventually be giving in to their attraction. As I said, this book is very entertaining and Rilzy Adams' characters make the story all the more enjoyable. Monae and Hudson have a great dynamic and watching them become comfortable with each other as they vacation and explore the island is a treat. As with Rilzy Adams' other stories, Love Scammed delivers with some high heat - yes, we get pseudo-public sexy times again! I also really enjoyed the fact that there was no external drama - this was a very low-key love story and I was into that! Highly recommend it if you're in the mood for a quick steamy read!

CWs: mention of intimate partner violence

Relationship disclosure: Rilzy Adams & I are mutuals on social media.

[gloria .☆ﾟ. · Rating 2 out of 5]

➥ 2 Stars *:･ﾟ✧

"Don't even," he said as he reached for her and pulled her into a cuddle.
"Don't what? I warned you that this pussy was magic, but you doubted me," she said with an exaggerated sigh. "At least you learned quick."
"You done?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he smacked her ass before kissing her neck. She wriggled into him when he slid a finger into her pussy while he massaged her clit with his thumb.
"Not yet," she said, but her breath was labored.
"Go 'head then, babe," he encouraged. "Get those jokes in while you still can."

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I promise I wanted to love this one so bad. The flirting just didn't work for me. Or any of the references tbh.

Strike 1: the girl references CASETIFY...
Strike 2: guy says the girl's pussy is wetter than NIAGRA FALLS (repeatedly)
Strike 3: girl performs the WHIP AND NAE NAE for him (because apparently her nickname - whip - is because she's good at it. And his new nickname for her is Nae Nae...)

The romance was cheap, ok? In future, I believe we could have focused on what this author is clearly good at - writing smut. Make it a little steamier, a little sluttier, a little hotter...next time. But! let's leave out the...

"You taste even better straight from the nut."

...line. That was...wacky hahahahahah...

The set up at the beginning of the story could have gone by faster so we had gotten pure character interaction and the romance, as mentioned, was just really lacking. Loved seeing the black love though 💕. (And the guy wears glasses...so cute!)

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[Lacey (laceybooklovers) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good novella! It made me wish I was at the beach sipping on a piña colada. I loved the setup of our MCs being scammed into going on a blind date vacation together by their best friend/cousin. The romance is dreamyyy and hot and fun. It’s perfect if you want something quick and low-drama.

[The Love Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This. Was. So. Good.

This novella was just what I needed. Hudson and Monae are set up on a blind date to end all blind dates. Monae's best friend and Hudson's cousin both agree that Hudson and Monae would make a great couple. They believe this so much that they have these two believing they are showing up to the airport for a vacation with friends. Turns out, it's going to be Hudson and Monae for a week together in Turks and Caicos. It doesn't take long before the two of them realize that their friends were on to something!

For being a novella, I loved the pacing of Hudson and Monae's relationship from strangers to lovers. They had so much in common outside of their sexual chemistry. You could tell that they'd make a forever couple. BUT, the smex?! Top tier HAWT. Like goodness, this author can write some spice!

This is only my second book from this author, but won't be my last because Love Scammed made my heart so happy!

TROPES: blind date; strangers to lovers; vacation/island location; OWN voices; BIPOC

TRIGGER WARNINGS: domestic/intimate abuse discussed from heroine's past

[Melanie (mells_view) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scammed into love!

I know I would be mad as all get out if someone tried to set me up line Monae and Hudson, but clearly it works out for them. Haha. They have a sweet and hot vacation even though they were tricked into it by their friends/family. I thought this read was good. It’s low angst, but I did appreciate the bit of angst there was. How Monae had a past and wanted to share it with Hudson so he knew her struggle to fall into feelings with him. All in all this was a good and quick read.

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sooo this was cute, if a bit slow. I'm on the fence if I like the slowness or not, because on one hand it's already insta love and a novella so if it was fast on top it wouldn't be that good, on the other it can't be too slow either.

It took a while for them to be comfortable with each other and I do like that. It wasn't even as steamy as I was expecting which is nice, because it didn't feel overwhelming and felt more natural. Especially that last scene, it's my favourite.

Also, I like that it seems a bit more plot than character driven? Another thing I wasn't expecting.

3.5

[Fadwa]

When the blurb said "The blind date to end all blind dates" it really was spot on. It's a fun quick one, where you can feel the tension and chemistry, it's in turns fun, funny and emotional. But be warn, that the feelings do move fast so if that's one oof your petpeeves stay away. But if you don't mind that I highly recommend it, I had such a good time reading it.

Also romance heroes who wear glasses will always have my heart.

[WhittyReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is literally the romance of my dreams. Sweet, sexy, passionate, and romantic. A must read romance that I recommend reading during the summer.

Tropes
-Black Romance
-Blind Date Romance
-Forced Proximity
-Low Angst
-Vacation Romance (perfect beach read)

Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Nikita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Scammed

Love, love & love. I could feel the attraction, the sexual tension, the desire, the tenderness, everything between Hudson and Monae. This was the perfect set up😄. I would this again and would read more about them, cause it was just so good.

[Annette Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Love Scammed, it's pretty clear to me I need new friends. My BFF has NEVER flown me to the Caribbean just to set me up on a blind date. How dare she! LOL! When I first started reading Love Scammed, I kept trying to figure out why Tempest and Russ sounded so familiar. Then, it dawned on me they were the characters from ATE. I had to work hard to remember Monae because, she didn't play a large role in that book. She and Hudson were absolutely perfect for one another. They had wicked chemistry right from the start. Tempest had been trying to set Monae up with Hudson for six months but, she wasn't trying to hear it. Monae was still getting over a really bad break-up and being set up with anyone was the last thing on her mind. Tempest, believing she knows what's best for her BFF, scams Monae into a "girls trip" but, doesn't show up. Russ hoodwinks his favorite cousin the same way and, lets just say, Hudson and Monae are not very happy with them. Once she gets past her anger and stubbornness, Monae realizes Hudson is not only a really good guy but, they have a lot of interests in common. She and Hudson have a great dynamic and they become comfortable with each other pretty quickly. It doesn't take long for the sparks to fly in Turks & Caicos and the sheets to start burning up. Love Scammed was a great read. There was humor, spicy sex scenes, and real adult conversation. My only complaint would be how abruptly it ended. It felt rather rushed. I feel like Hudson and Monae had a little bit more to give us. Other than that, I would highly recommend this book. Now I just need to know when is Wynn going to get her book?!!!

[Lorena ♡ (semi-ia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hudson and Monae were super adorable and super hot and the way their chemistry and relationship developed was so natural and beautiful. And I loved seeing Tempest and Russ from ATE here too.

I own so many of Rilzy Adams's books that I'm glad I'm finally getting through some of them while she gets me out of my reading slump. Now, I've only read 3 books by her but she has a magic for writing couples because I've loved the three of them so much.

[sil ♡ the book voyagers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rilzy never misses!!! I'm literally obsessed with anything she writes. All her stories are so FUN AND ENTERTAINING. The romance always delivers. The characters? Hilarious and so great to meet.

Love Scammed started on a high note when Monae and Hudson were set up to have a blind date in a beautiul resort without them even knowing they were about to have a blind date. And from there, it just continues to develop so organically, so naturally, the relationship is superb. Rilzy really knows how to write characters who are obviously attracted to each other. You see it so clearly!

Loved seeing Russ and Tempest again too. I needed to see what was going on with them, because their little short ended in a happy for now ending, and I wanted to know if they were still together or not. You can see I'm so invested with Rilzy's couples lol she has my heart and soul.

I want a Hudson for me. Where can I find one? Let him make me swoon with his words, his smiles and his moves. I'm ready to be set up for a blind date with Hudson, hell yeah.

[ReadnliftwithShar · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️

Enjoyed this one! A blind date in paradise for five days?! Where does one find friends with this kind of bag. I loved the chemistry between the characters. It was good.

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this in one of Milina's novella rec videos so obviously, I had to read it. I needed something short and hot after finishing a long series, and Love Scammed fit the bill perfectly.

This book follows Monae and Hudson, whose friends have been trying to set them up for ages. Their friends hoodwink them into going together on a 5-day vacation to Turks & Caicos to give each other a chance/see if there's anything romantic between them. They're both pissed but honestly, there are worse ways to spend 5 days.

These two have immediate chemistry and an easy rapport that builds into some truly excellent spicy times as the plot progresses. We also got a good deal of emotional baggage/trauma sharing, and I was pleasantly surprised at how good the communication was between Monae and Hudson. Love that for them. Highly recommend if you need a palate cleanser!

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rilzy Adams never misses. She continues to be one of my favorite novella authors

[Cherelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rilzy can do no wrong in my eyes

[Milinas Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great hot but romantic novella. Monae and Hudson find themselves in a weird situation when their friends send them on a vacation together as a blind date, without any warning. They thought they’re going with their friends, until the morning of the flight. But their friends insist their absolutely perfect for each other and - they are. Hot and quick. Hudson was the ultimate charmer. I loved it

[Dahyana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monae x Hudson

**Small spoiler

For the amount of frogs I've kissed in the past, I may need some new friends. I definitely have a bone to pick with those girls because they ain't never did anything like this for me 🤨😑
Hudson and Monae's love was so effortless and unproblematic. The transition from being skeptical about the set up from both parties, to not wanting to be apart or not able to keep their hands off each other was so smooth you might’ve missed it. Their banter…amazing, chemistry…amazing, compatibility…amazing, bedroom fun…absolutely amazing. This is the kind of love stories I live for. Boy meets girl, boy and girl date and fall madly in love. I wasn't expecting this story to be so romantic. I definitely thought this story was a vacation fling. But it was full of love and romance.
Although I loved the story, I have two remarks. Firstly, it was the fact that the author spent a lot of time telling us what the characters were doing and saying instead of having the characters do or say whatever she's telling us they're doing. Makes sense? Like the author would describe what's being said instead of having the characters have the conversation. That was throughout the entire book. So, for me, I would have wanted more dialogue between the hero and heroine. And secondly, the story felt like it ended abruptly. It felt like it ended on a climax, or near a climax. The two are getting ready to go back to the States, which could've been the real test of their relationship or something to see how they're making it work, but it just ended at the airport. An epilogue would have been nice to see how they were doing maybe a year later or further down the road. But alas.
Other than those remarks for me, this was a beautiful read. First book by Ms. Adams and I was thoroughly satisfied.
4.8⭐️

[maha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Scammed is a beautiful, quick love story between two people who don't expect to fall in love with each other. i had heard nothing but great things about it, yet was surprised by how quick i read it. it's typical rilzy adams: steamy yet extremely soft and cute.
i definitely recommend it for a quick novella to read during your free time!

[lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

black love on vacation ?? this GAVE

the connection between these two was palpable. this novella was short but i felt so much. i loved the incorporation of an unhealthy past-relationship and monae’s growth from that. hudson can absolutely get it, he was so perfect

[ariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶🌶

Tropes: acquaintances to lovers

TW/CW: 18+

Representation: black romances

Thoughts: let me tell you if my bestfriend tricked me into a vacation with some man I didn’t know I would beat her ass. But I will say this was cute at and these two made my heart happy.

[Joharis · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Monae is about to go on a 5 day vacation to Turks and Caicos with her best friend. Except it was all a lie and she's actually been set up on a blind date with a man she has refused to go on blind dates with 13 times.

If you're looking for a steamy, no angst short romance read then I HIGHLY recommend you check this book out. I really enjoyed reading about how much they like each other and seeing how comfortable they're with each other. The intimate scenes were HOT as Rilzy Adams does and I loved them. It was so sweet to read about how much Hudson was feeling for Monae.

[Djamilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hudson is THE MAN. Honestly, this book was cute, sexy, funny and everything I would want a book to be. Although the book only spans a couple of days, I really feel like we get to see great chemistry and communication between them. I loved this couple.

[Shades N Pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I say Rilzy never disappoints, I mean that shit. I want to question why I took so long to read this book, but I won’t. Love Scammed captured my attention and heart from the beginning and I didn’t want it to end. I will start by saying I’m definitely side eying my friends. Not one of these broads came up with the brilliant idea to send me on an all expense paid blind date trip. The disappointment.

“I’ve just never had anything that seems so… natural. So easy.”

I think this quote resonated with me the most because this story is the epitome of an uncomplicated insta-love story . Monae and Hudson easily clicked for me because they had so much in common. The way Rilzy was able to develop their relationship in such a short amount of time is astounding. Their communication, support, chemistry and ease they have with each other is unmatched. Hudson is definitely on my book bae list for 2021. He checks some of my important marks- a great listener, good in bed, supportive and successful. I liked how relatable Monae is when it comes to relationships. I saw myself in her and empathize with her struggles regarding relationships. Another plus for is the positive representation of friendship on both sides and Rilzy’s ability to embrace her Caribbean heritage in her stories. She always manages to bring the righty about if vibes to set the mood. This story is sweet, soft and heartwarming. The ending wasn’t what I expected but it didn’t effect my enjoyment. If you are looking for humor, chemistry, hot sexy times and great development in less than 200 pages, this is the read for you. It will give you hope that what you’re looking for is possible.

[babygyalreadit · Rating 5 out of 5]

This surprised me ugh it was so perfect. I’m always floored when authors do a wonderful job fitting so much important details in these short novellas. Monae & Hudson are tricked by their friends thinking they going on a friend vacation when really they setting them up on a blind date vacation for 5 days. Yep you read that correctly.

I was honestly expecting this to be an enemies to lovers type situation but I was wrong as much as Monae wanted to think she was fighting her attraction to Hudson she was not. She was putty in his hands and they fit so freaking well together.

Hudson, just another book boyfriend to add to my collection. This man was attentive, funny, gentle, charming, successful, romantic and just perfect… perfect for Monae. I love the setting on this being on vacation because the atmosphere was so relaxed with them going on excursions, tasting foods, going to dinners, drinking and dancing and overall just having a good time. Everyone wants their main character moment going on vacation and falling in love don’t they? I got to live that fantasy through these two and it was done perfectly.

This book also touched on some important topics such as abuse physical and mental abuse in past relationships and I loved that. Especially how well Hudson handled the news when Monae finally told him about her past.

This was a 5/5 read & 4/5 spice it was so hot. Also pls this is in 3rd POV so just be aware of that.

[Jenica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Scammed was on my radar anyway because it's Rilzy Adams and I'm a bit obsessed, but when I saw Nick's tweet about how she needs new friends because of this book, I decided I couldn't wait another minute to read this novella. I have now determined that my friends have GOT to step up their game because yes and omg.

CW: discussion of past intimate partner violence

[Lisette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved, Loved, Loved this!

This book was such a nostalgic feel for me. It was giving very much classic romance, boy meets girl, boy falls in love boy decides he wants forever. I absolutely loved it. Highly recommend if you're just looking for a good, steamy romance with great chemistry and low angst.