You can’t completely comprehend the term “shaken” until you find yourself playing an accidental game of Seven Minutes in Heaven with your lifelong unrequited crush at a swanky society fundraiser. —Hunter Bestia
Kristal: So I’ve just been kicked out of my family home... by my wicked step-mother. I know, I know, sounds like something out of a fairy tale.
More like a horror movie.
But even I have no sympathy for the poor-little-rich-girl sob story, and I refuse to take charity, so I’ve traded my camera for a waitress’s order pad and put my dream of becoming a world-renowned photographer on hold.
The problem is I can’t keep couch-surfing at my best friend’s tiny house. I need a new place to live—the sooner and cheaper the better.
Hunter: Thanks to a knack for coding and a whole lot of hard work, I’ve gotten almost everything I ever wanted growing up poor among the rich kids of Eastport Bay, Rhode Island.
Almost.
I’ve made my first billion, working with my six best friends is a blast, and women are throwing themselves at me everywhere I go.
Actually, that last thing wasn’t on my list.
There’s only one woman I’ve really ever wanted, and she’s still out of my league. All my money means nothing to her.
But then we end up accidentally spending seven minutes in heaven—in this case a dark room at a high society party—together, and I start to think she might not be so indifferent to me after all.
So I offer her a bargain she can’t afford to refuse. She’s desperate for a temporary place to live—my mansion has plenty of room.
And there’s no way I’m leaving Snow White out in the cold this winter.
Not when there’s even the smallest chance my lifelong unrequited crush might finally wake up and see I’m the prince she’s been waiting for.
Bargain with the Bachelor is a full-length sexy small town rom com take on the Snow White fairy tale. It’s a standalone secret crush, friends-to-lovers, roommates, fake dating billionaire romance.
Award-winning author Tru Taylor writes small town romance that's hot and sunny (and a little bit funny.)
She runs on Coke Zero and dark chocolate, lives for lunches with her girlfriends, and drives to the town beach several times a week to watch the sun set over the water.
She loves LOVE and will attempt to turn any show or movie she's watching into a romance whether it is one or not. Star Wars? A romance. Lord of the Rings? Clearly a romance. The Expendables? Okay, well not even Tru can redeem that one.
When she's not writing, Tru enjoys watching movies and reading books with happy endings, spending time with Mr. Tru and her two kids, and sneaking Hershey's Kisses from the top shelf of the freezer throughout the day. (Top shelf because... two kids. Enough said.)
Tru is the author of the Eastport Bay small town rom com series and loves living in a small New England town where she's surrounded every day by the beautiful coastal setting you see brought to life in her books.
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ STEAM: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 If I had to describe this book in one sentence, it would be: "a wild emotional rollercoaster with the best pay-off in the end."
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was not one of my favorite fairy tales, but this modern take might have changed my point-of-view on that.
Kristal is our book's Snow White. After being orphaned and left to her gold-digging stepmother, she finds herself penniless and homeless after said stepmother burned through her father's estate and her trust fund had been hacked into and stolen. She's currently crashing on her best friend's couch, trying to save money for her own place.
She runs into Hunter, who went to school with her when they were younger. He has had a massive crush on her since they were kids, but because he was from the other side of the Eastport Bay tracks, he always felt that he did not deserve the princess of his dreams.
I found myself frustrated at the beginning of this book, and eventually realized that it was the point. Because of their respective pasts, Hunter and Kristal struggled with communication and self-worth, two biggest obstacles to their happily ever after.
This book is a slow, slow burn, but the wait was so worth it. I normally reserve four steam points for erotica, but damn, that one scene was so vividly laid out that I needed a break from the heat.
I am looking forward to the more book in these series, because I really enjoyed this and its predecessor, Bookworm and the Beast. There are some references to the first book in this, but they are so well integrated that this book can stand on its own.
** I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.**
Tru Taylor is fast becoming an auto-read author for me. This one is so unique, I don't think I've read anything like Hunter and Kristal’s story. It was such an emotional rollercoaster ride with lots of ups and downs. And it's a slow burn. I find it very well written even though it's frustrating to see them not getting together. But it was so worth it!
I am already looking forward to more books in this series.
"A childhood crush for both Hunter & Kristal that never really went away. Twelve years might have passed but as soon as they meet up again all those old feelings come rushing back. Their romance is them trying to navigate who they both are now and would a relationship between the pair actually work? Both their emotions are up and down throughout the book, then there is the second guessing - it plays a big part for both of them. The underlying storyline of Kristal’s inheritance was brought into play at the beginning of the story and kind of went radio silent. Luckily it did get resolved towards the end and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. This happens to be my first book by this author and after reading this book I will definitely be reading more. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book."
Both Krystal and Hunter had crushes on each other in childhood. Even though twelve years have gone by, it seems the crushes are there. As their paths have crossed again, we have some role reversal, and Hunter still seems to say the wrong thing to Krystal.
The storyline is loosely based on Snow White, with a fun twist or two. Although like all fairytales, we get that happy ending, the meat of the story brings all the emotions. I enjoyed reading their tale, the insecurities, warts, and all as the two begin a friendship and then a relationship.
Thank you to the author for the advanced copy; this is my voluntary review.
3.5 stars. The hero was a little oblivious and anxious. Like most over anxious people, he thought things had more significance than they really do. Most other people don't care what others do.
This was a fun and interesting story. I wish it had more romance than it did but the actual plot and story was so well done that I did not mind that it was light on romance. In this story we get to know Jack's baby brother, Hunter. Jack was the main lead in the first book in the series but this story easily stands alone so you can read it without reading the first book. This book is a modern fairytale around the story of snow white.
In this story we meet Hunter who is a billionaire tech guy who grew up poor but is now rich. He runs into his high school crush Kristal at a charity event just before her whole life crashes around her. Four months later he runs into her again and her life is a mess and he wants to help. So he offers her to move into his home that he shares with his six best friends. But Kristal refuses until he asks her to join a reality show they are filming and thats how the chaos and fun begins.
This was an awesome tale. I loved it. Its full of flirtations, fun, romance, hot kisses, and a cast of characters I grew to adore. It made me laugh and yell at my kindle and I could not put it down. Its very light reading but it will make you laugh as you watch Kristal fall for Hunter and his friends,
I loved this story but I wish there had been more dates between Hunter and Kristal. Hunter at times seemed a bit on the wishy washy side and I would have liked him to be more decisive and had more confidence in himself. I adored Kristal and loved how she wanted to follow her dreams. She was a perfect heroine and I absolutely adored everything about her.
The author of this book is really something special. I love her imagination and how she is creating this modern fairytale stories and the creativeness behind them. The next story is a modern Cinderella story and we meet the main lead, Cinda in this story as she is Kristal's best friend.
I received a complimentary early release copy of this e-book from the author prior to release and am voluntarily leaving a review.
"Bargain with the Bachelor" was a charming modern retelling of "Snow White" featuring incredibly likeable, well-developed lead characters and an engaging plot. There was a ton of chemistry between aspiring photographer Kristal Bianco and billionaire tech genius Hunter Bestia, but for various reasons, each was afraid to admit that they'd had a crush on the other since high school. Hunter never felt as if he was good enough for Kristal, but when she fell on hard times after the death of her father, it seemed as if he'd finally have an opportunity to prove his worth by offering Kristal a place to live. There was quite a bit of push-pull between them, with conflicts arising due to Kristal's determination to stand on her own two feet and Hunter's stubborn refusal to share his painful family history, but it was obvious how much they loved one another. I found it very easy to cheer them on to their HEA.
There were some very interesting personalities and backstories amongst the various secondary characters, particularly Hunter's friends and housemates (aka "the dwarves"). I hope several of them will return in future stories. I'm also excited for Kristal's best friend Cinda's story, which will be based on my absolute favorite fairy tale, "Cinderella." The teaser included at the end of this book was so good!
Overall, I highly recommend this funny, sweet, and heartwarming tale for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book of the series.
*Review copy provided by the author/publisher via Give Me Books Promotions. All opinions expressed are my own.
So I liked this story. But I was annoyed. I wish they would just say what they mean. Hunter wanted Kristal. Has wanted her basically his whole life. He kisses her and wants her still. Finds out she isn't in a relationship anymore, wants her even more. Finds out about her, tries to impress her, offers her a place to stay, takes her out on an amazing date knowing all the things she likes and wants. Still wants her like crazy.
Amazing first date. Finally!! Not expecting to sleep with her because she's not that type of girl and he had waaaaay to much respect for her. But they want each other so badly, finally they are together!
Then he gives her the cold shoulder, RIGHT AFTER. Because of his past with his dad. Uhhh WHAT? you just worked SO FREAKING HARD to win her over. To get her to see you as more than a friend.
I HATE that. Hate hate hate. I loved Kristal. Down to earth, didn't want any handouts even though the world seemed to be crumbling down all around her. Sweet, caring. Hunter was a man boy. Rich, hot, great career he built, bunch of great friends... And he didn't know his ass from his elbow when it comes to doing what is right when it comes to the woman he loves.
I feel like I wanted to throat punch him for most of the book...lol
I received this ebook ARC, from the author, on the condition that I write an honest review. This book was exhilarating, in the love found between Hunter and Kristal, and heartbreaking in the emotions both characters suffer. They have both had a great beginning in their lives, but parental deaths have left insecurities in both of them. Hunter began as a poor kid, but worked hard to achieve wealth, and a good standing in his community. Now a wealthy owner of a start up company, he is living the life of a wealthy bachelor. Kristal’s life was just the opposite of Hunter, she was born in a wealthy family, and now is working as a waitress, without a place to call home. Her situation is beyond control, but she has good friends, and her own Prince Charming to help her. She begins to live with Hunter in his house of duplexes, surrounded by 7 wealthy men, and begins to have feelings for Hunter. Hunter has always had feelings for Kristal, but he keeps saying the wrong words to her. Eventually they resolve their problems, reunite, and obtain their HEA. I’ve read one other book written by Tru Taylor, and love her form of writing heartfelt romance stories, with great heroes, and heroines. I’ll recommend her book to anyone interested in anew version of fairy tales.
Before Hunter Bestia became a tech mogul, he was a shy, skinny and awkward boy who had a massive crush on Kristal Bianco. They were opposites in terms of social standing, yet Hunter's heart always yearned to be worthy of her. In a twist of fate, their fortunes are reversed, and Hunter finds himself in a position to finally "get the girl". Will he get out of his own way in time?
Kristal has always found Hunter sweet and attractive. But as her life turns out to be less like the fairytale others believed it to be, and more of a nightmare, she figures love and other fantasies haven't earned a front burner spot just yet. But a few white lies, steamy kisses and Hunter Bestia seem to make a liar out of her. Will her dream come true, or will she continue to have to imagine a happily ever after without Hunter?
I enjoyed this light, fun read. I loved the band of "dwarves", and found their dynamic to be quite interesting, with intriguing backstories. I am hoping that Tru Taylor treats us to more than one of their stories in the future.
I liked the teaser for the upcoming title, so I am eagerly looking forward to the next story now.
I voluntarily read & reviewed an ARC of this book.
This series has been like the retelling of fairy tells >>>- first in the series was "Bookworm and the Beast"... a RE-telling of >> beauty and the beast. This one, appears to be a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs....Characters are likeable the girl Kristal Bianco .. - ok she was nice to everyone in highschool ... Prince Charming (known as Hunter) is truly charming on the surface but has clearly got more going on. He was more appealing and interesting as to the why? ... he was the kind of man he was.... have to wait till almost the end before we find this answer ....but they both finally arrive at the HEA..... it seemed rushed at times... in the break up phase, then bam, all was good again... Hurt feelings are quickly amended to get to the proposal and wedding. Still a good read overall....
Kristal has her life turned upside down, complete with evil step mother throwing her out of her childhood home .. along with an ex who was mentioned in the first book..... now she is couch surfing and broke she doesn't know where to turn. Hunter who has had a crush on Kristal since he was twelve, has now became a Billionaire and can help her with a place to stay, with him and his other six co workers, but can he keep is true intentions and his past from coming out ?? so he and the guys devise a plan and she becomes their house mate yet does cooking and cleaning to earn a wage all the while Hunter is trying to get her to fall in love with him as he is with her...
This book took my soft squishy heart and broke it into so many little pieces. Hunter could almost be a gothic hero if he were a bit more dark and broody, he’s got the tragic backstory locked up. (See previous note about breaking my heart.) He’s never felt worthy of the girl of his dreams, but now that he’s made a success of himself, maybe he has a chance. I loved Krista’s independence and desire to make it in the world without relying solely on the power of her family name. Though, there were a couple of times that I thought her pride got in the way of her good sense. I adored these two together and the almost second-chance vibe that surrounded this pair. The quirky supporting cast nearly ran away with the show on more than one occasion and I’m itching to get my hands on all their stories at some point. I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author through Give Me Books Promotions.
Bargain with the Bachelor is a new twist on Snow White, and it was an entertaining read. Kristal is our heroine whose stepmother kicked her out of her family's home, which lands her couch surfing while working as a waitress. Hunter is the poor kid who worked hard to become uber successful, and he certainly has his eye on Kristal, as they played a version of Seven Minutes in Heaven at a society fundraiser. Despite the success he's gotten, he still feels like she's out of his league, but he still makes her a deal that she won't be able to refuse so let the crazy games begin. I really enjoyed this story a lot, but there were a couple of things that didn't quite make it the perfect rating. Now, I did really love Hunter, but there was a time or two when he didn't seem as strong as I thought he was but that's totally just me. It doesn't change the fact that I will be continuing on with this series since I'm now all in, so now it's your turn as I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
A childhood crush for both Hunter & Kristal that never really went away. Twelve years might have passed but as soon as they meet up again all those old feelings come rushing back. Their romance is them trying to navigate who they both are now and would a relationship between the pair actually work? Both their emotions are up and down throughout the book, then there is the second guessing - it plays a big part for both of them. The underlying storyline of Kristal’s inheritance was brought into play at the beginning of the story and kind of went radio silent. Luckily it did get resolved towards the end and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. This happens to be my first book by this author and after reading this book I will definitely be reading more. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
This retelling is less inspired than the first book in the series. Hunter has loved Kristal since grade school but never found the courage to tell her or ask her out. Kristal liked him as well but was too shy to ask him out. Fast forward to adulthood, he's now a billionaire and still in love with her but sees himself as the poor son of an alcoholic and unworthy despite the fact Kristal continues to show that money and status are not what she wants. Honestly I never felt like Hunter got past or dealt with his issues. Based on that, I'm not sure he deserves her - at any rate she's definitely the mature one in the relationship. I do like her friend Cinda which is the next book and Hunter's roommates I'm guessing will also get their own books.
This story is such an emotional rollercoaster! Hunter and Kristal’s journey is not an easy one. Their individual flaws are many but their love is so deep nothing can stand in their way. There’s so much passion between Hunter and Kristal you’ll definitely be falling right along with them!
‘No one—no one—had ever kissed me like that before. Like it was the only thing in the world he cared about, the only thing he wanted to do.’
This book has such a fun cast of characters you can’t help but love them all! It’s a clever twist on the classic fairytale and there’s no shortage of friendship, romance and family. This second book in the Eastport Bay Billionaires series is definitely a hit!
I received a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book in the “modern fairytale retelling” books by Tru Taylor. This book is loosely based on Snow White, and it was a great read. This book is Hunter Bestia (Jack’s younger brother- if you read the first book “Bookworm and the Beast” you’ll remember Jack) and Kristal’s story. I thought I loved Jack, well that was until Hunter came into the picture! Hunter couldn’t have been dreamier if he tried, oh my goodness! Swoon-worthy for sure. He is a gentle, old soul Prince Charming, and I fell in love with his character instantly. I loved how genuine Hunter was, and when he was self-conscious vulnerable about himself, I wanted to leap into the pages and give him a big hug. He truly felt that he was never good enough for Kristal and I loved how he gained more self confidence and put the demons of his past to rest. We see Kristal go through a lot of struggles throughout the book and Tru Taylor has a great way of making you invested in her characters right off the bat. Kristal was a great Snow White-esque character, she fell into the Billionaire Bachelor Pad with grace and interacted with all the friends really well. I was rooting for Kristal the entire book even though she bugged me sometimes. My only complaint with Kristal was that she was stubborn and headstrong, and I was getting frustrated with her when she was being like that. I think readers will enjoy watching Kristal grow and change throughout the book, who doesn’t love a dynamic character? I sure do! This book is well-written, it has a captivating plot that I couldn’t put down. I loved how this book didn’t end in a cliff hanger and was a Happily Ever After for our characters. You don’t need to read “Bookworm and the Beast” before you read this book but it’s a good idea because you get to fully immerse yourself in the Eastbay Port world that Tru Taylor creates. You’ll love this book if you like friends-to-lovers, and secret crush romance tropes in your books!
This is the 2nd book in this series and is Hunter and Kristal’s story. Kristal comes from a wealthy family and when her wicked stepmother kicks her out of the house, she puts her career choice of being a photography on hold, and she is working as a waitress to support herself and has nowhere to call home. Kristal and Hunter had a childhood crush on each other, and 12-years later after a game of 7-minutes in heaven, they know that their feeling have not diminished over time. This is a well written entertaining story which is heartfelt, and with emotions, tangible chemistry, friendships, and love. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
Fairy tale retellings - first in the series was beauty and the beast. This one, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Characters were likeable but never really got the attraction of Kristal Bianco (destiny insisted she play this role) - ok she was nice to everyone in highschool but... Prince Charming (here known as Hunter) is truly charming on the surface but has clearly got more going on. He was more appealing than she but they both finally arrive at the HEA but it seemed rushed a lot of time in the break up phase then bam, all good. Hurt feelings are quickly amended to get to the proposal and wedding. Still a good beach read overall.
Bargain with the Bachelor is book 2 in the Eastport Bay Billionaires, we met Hunter in book 1. This is a modern day fairy tale.
Kristal had it all and now she is left sleeping on friends couches, when Hunter offers a place to stay its with his own agenda. He has had a crush since high school, but back then he was the poor kid now he is a billionaire but what he doesn't realise is that the money doesn't mean anything.
Kristal and Hunter have chemistry, it builds throughout the book. I enjoyed reading this adaption and look forward to the next instalment.
Kristal has her life turned upside down, complete with evil step mother throwing her out of her childhood home now couch surfing and broke she doesn't know where to turn. Hunter has had a crush on Kristal since he was twelve, now he can help her with a place to stay, with him and his other six co workers, but can he keep is true intentions and his past from coming out? Good read, fun characters, feels and humor, great series.
Hunter has transformed himself to make himself be worthy of his crush Kristal and when she needs help he is there to provide it. What Hunter doesn't know is Kristal doesn't want monetary things from him, she just wants him and always has. I loved this story as it was a story of discovery and love. This is the second book in the Eastbay Billionaires and I can't wait for more.
I guess it was refreshing to read of a guy who is unsure of himself with the girl of his dreams. However I decided that it just wasn't as much fun to read the story. Here's my one grip. He didn't want to tell her about his family when he could of won her over because he reasoned she would have thought less of him. Yet after he messes things up with her he tells her anyway.... Hmmmm.
This book was okay. I was starting to get irritated with the FMC and MMC, especially the MMC. The reasons that the author came up with as to why the MMC was backing off after he told the FMC he liked her was just silly. I felt like I was reading about two children who like each other. It felt that the author was trying too hard to write a romance novel and following a trope, but it didn’t work for me.
Kristal and Hunter were fated to be with one another, too bad more than a faced has passed for them to get their chance at love. Through ups and downs, individual and collective challenges they are finally figuring it out, or are they?
It’s nice to see what happens to Jack’s brother in this continuation of Eastport Bay’s quaint little town, and seeing the expansion of characters.
No matter how many times I restart or return and redownload I keep getting a later book in the series downloaded instead of this one! The cover is correct but from the first page it’s word for word book four. Reached out to support for help and they didn’t help me.
Cute easy read. The dates read while accurate do not show my true reading. This is a book where cause I read multiple books at a time now-a-days, I often would only read a few paragraphs at time. In reality if I gave this true full attention, I would have had it read in less an afternoon. I will read more of this series and the author's books.
After reading book one, I definitely wanted to read book 2. I had fun with this story. I loved the “seven dwarves” but what takes it from a four star to a three star book is just my annoyance at the emotional whiplash the FMC experienced from the MMC. Luckily the author did redeem the MMC by the end, but it was annoying him running hot and then cold and then hot and then cold on her.
This was a cute retelling of the Snow White fairytale. The story was unique and totally sweet. I totally loved the concept of the “Dwarfs”. Imagine getting to live with 7 wonderful men in the Billionaire Bachelor House. Kristal was one lucky girl. Can’t wait for Cinda’s book.