Marcus

Love Undercover #4.5

by Lori Foster

They’ve been crushing on each other for months… So what’s holding them back?A sizzling new Love Undercover novella For Marcus Bareden, Lucy Cortland is more than the girl next door. She’s beautiful, funny and easy to talk to. He’d really like to get closer, but something about her occasional wariness sets off his spidey sense. When he was nine, Marcus was plucked from an abusive situation and adopted by the most amazing parents a boy could wish for. Lucy Cortland spent years overcoming an awful youth. Now, she’s got a great job, her own place and a super sexy neighbor. Marcus is warm, kind and they’ve become good friends. She’s only known him a few months, but their chemistry is undeniable. Yet for Lucy, getting close isn’t possible. Lucy believes no one could love her after what she’s been through. No one could understand…except maybe the guy next door, who knows how it feels to be mistreated and how hard it can be to learn to hope—even love—again.Don't miss the other titles in the Love Undercover series, including Getting Rowdy and Bare It All.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Novella, Contemporary Romance

137 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2022

About the author

Since first publishing in January 1996, Lori Foster has become a USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and New York Times bestselling author. Lori has published through a variety of houses, including Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin, Silhouette, Samhain, and Berkley/Jove. She is currently published with HQN.

Lori hosts a very special annual “Reader & Author” event in West Chester, Ohio. Proceeds from the event have benefited many worthy causes, including the Hamilton County YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter, the Animal Adoption Foundation, The Conductive Learning Center for children with spina bifida and cerebral palsy, and The One Way Farm, Children’s Home.

Each year Lori donates all proceeds from one book to charity. You can see the benefit romance books here: http://lorifoster.com/benefit-books/

Career Highlights
•In 2001, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Series Romantic Fantasy.

•In 2002, Lori’s book Too Much Temptation was the top-selling romance title for Amazon books.

•In 2003, Say No To Joe was the second “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for Waldenbooks.

•In 2004, Lori Foster was a clue in the New York Times crossword puzzle.

•In 2004, The Secret Life of Bryan was the “Bestselling Original Contemporary” romance title for the BGI group.

•In 2005, Lori received the prestigious Romantic Times “Career Achievement Award” for Contemporary Romance.

•In 2006, Jude’s Law was the “Bestselling Romantic Comedy” romance title for the BGI group.

•In 2007, Lori launched a new “urban fantasy” series under the name L.L. Foster. See more on her “dark side” at www.llfoster.com.

•In 2007, Causing Havoc was among Amazon’s Top Ten Editor’s picks in Romance.

•In 2008, Hard to Handle made #2 on The New York Times.

•In 2009, Servant: The Acceptance was Amazon’s #1 Editors’ Pick in Romance.

•In 2010, Lori was a clue in the USA Today Quick Cross puzzle.

Reviews

[☕️Kimberly (Caffeinated Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marcus was a quick and engaging romance filled with best friends, romance, and a cute cat that I devoured in one sitting. It’s a novella in the Love Undercover series but works as a standalone and is a light intro to the world. Fans of the series will love hearing about beloved characters and there is even a Rowdy moment. Be still my heart.

Lucy Cortland hides herself under oversized clothes, has an enormous heart, loves to bake & cook and watch the fights with the guys. She is friends with her neighbors, all guys including Marcus and they get together on fight night. The guys handle the pay-per-view costs and she feeds them appetizers and homemade cookies.

Marcus has been crushing on her for months, but Lucy is a little skittish, and he isn’t sure if she is interested. Lucy is definitely interested, but why would a guy like Marcus ever look twice at her?

The romance that unfolded was sweet, and Foster wrapped it up in a bow. It delivered confessions, sweet moments, and tender reveals. The reasons for Lucy’s hesitation were deep-rooted, & heartbreaking. Foster lightened the story with some laughs and a cute cat. All the feels in this novella. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marcus was a quick read featuring a cute friends to lovers romance between neighbors.

Marcus Bareden has been crushing on the girl next door for months but Lucy has never given any indication she returns those feelings until now. Lucy Cortland had a rough childhood and now that she's finally in a good place, she doesn't want to mess it up. Her feelings for Marcus complicate things as she doesn't believe anyone could love someone with a past like hers. But after an unexpected kiss, Lucy realizes Marcus may be the one person who can see past her baggage to the real her.

The Love Undercover books were fantastic so when I saw the author was releasing a new novella in the series eight years after the last book came out, I knew I needed to pick it up. The main character in this story previously appeared in the series as a child in Getting Rowdy. Marcus is different from the rest of the series in that it's straight contemporary romance while the rest of the series is romantic suspense. I do have to admit that was a bit of a disappointment for me as I prefer the author's suspense books.

Marcus and Lucy have been friends for the last six months after they became neighbors. I enjoyed the pair's friendship and how at ease they were with each other. Both Marcus and Lucy have crushes on one another but believe the other person isn't interested which is a trope I like. Eventually Marcus states his interest in Lucy and after a few hiccups, their romance builds from there. I will say Lucy was a bit frustrating at times as she was convinced she was nothing special and repeatedly told Marcus he couldn't be interested in her when he stated his feelings. The pair's romance does move quite rapidly as we near the end of the book but the strong foundation of their friendship helps keep it from feeling rushed. Oh, there's an adorable cat that shows up near the end that was a cute bonus.

Overall Marcus was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to readers of the series.

[Kade Gulluscio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marcus is book 4.5 in the "love undercover" series. It's novella length, coming in around 137 pages, so very easy to stay engaged with and finish quickly. I don't know if it's "necessary" to read the others in the series first, but I didn't, and I think I followed along just fine with everything.

We meet our male MC Marcus and FMC Lucy. Marcus was in an abusive home situation. He was eventually adopted by great parents, but his childhood was obviously traumatic. Lucy also has had a rough life. They meet due to their being neighbors, and there seems to be an insta-love situatoin for both of them. Lucy believes no one could love her again due to her past, but she's obviously wrong. She keeps Marcus in the friendzone out of fear of being hurt / rejected. But Marcus wants way more from her obviously. He eventualyl wins her over.

The character development was great in this book. It was sweet to watch them open up to each other and heal themselves together.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was very cute. I liked how both Lucy and Marcus were smitten with each other, but hadn't done much about it. But once that barrier was broken, they both were all in. It was fun to see how much fun they had with each other and how their friends reacted. I loved that finally Lucy felt safe to share her past, which allowed her to put it to rest finally. Better was how this one ended, maybe fast, but who cares, it was what these 2 needed.

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

didn't realize i had read so many from this series "Love Undercover" ... i got this one Getting Rowdy, Marcus and Run the Risk ... i think of the 3 i am gonna say 1. this one "Getting Rowdy". then Marcus and then "Run the Risk". i enjoy her cover models. not that i have to have a hot dude ...but i think several other authors in the past (not meaning Lori) they said that male covers did better than other book covers. i just want an eye appealing cover. what about you??!

Close Contact
book 3 of 4 from "Body Armor" series. from Nov 28, 2017. mixed martial arts. police romance. alpha male romance ebooks.

Never Too Much
came Nov 14, 2013. book 2 from "Brava Brothers" series. sister fiction. alpha male romance ebooks. women's friendship fiction.

Marcus
came out June 1, 2022. suspense. new adult & college romance. romantic suspense.

Run the Risk
book 1 from "Love Undercover" series. read through ebroswer. came out Oct 18, 2021. police romance. alpha male romance. alpha male romance ebooks.

All Fired Up - Lori Foster
book 3 in the "Road to Love" series. came out Nov 19. 2019. small town romance. alpha male romance ebooks. women's domestic life fiction.

The Summer of No Attachments
came out June 22, 2021. single women fiction. sisters. fiction. contemporary women's fiction.

The Little Flower Shop
came out May 9, 2023. small town romance ebooks. women's divorce fiction. sisters fiction. i will not usually pick up divorce books, if i know it is under that genre ... i just don't enjoy how they are are laid out ...this was okay ... didn't rub me the wrong way so to speak. book 2 of "Indiana Summers" series.

The Fearless One
book 2 in "Osborn Bros" series.
small town romance. women's friendship fiction. contemporary women's fiction.

Getting Rowdy
i truly can not get the info on Amazon about this book ...the one is a mass produced book ... but i always add the date of publishing and the bits of what it ... genre wise. nothing is there on Amazon ... Lori writes to much. LOL!! just kidding. take care.

A Perfect Storm
part of "The Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor" series. book 4. came out March 27, 2012. alpha male romance. alpha male romance ebooks. military romance.

[Lisa Gibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this short story about Lucy and Marcus. When we first met Marcus he was 9 years old and Rowdy intervened on his behalf. His father was neglectful and dragged him to a bar. He tried to shake down Rowdy, but BIG MISTAKE. But for Marcus, it was a life-changer.

Lucy has secrets that keep her from showing her true self, but Marcus sees her true self. Now he has to convince her she is good enough for him.

I loved meeting Lucy. She is a spitfire and can put Marcus and all his friends in their place. Marcus was a sweet kid who grew into a kind and loving man. It was fun to catch up a bit with some characters we knew from the Love Undercover series. Ms. Foster writes stories that make you wish you had people like these characters in your life.

[Sandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Marcus, adopted son of Reese and Alice, is now a cop himself. And he's super intrigued by his neighbor and falling in love with her. Just like his dad before him, but that correlation is never stated in book. He can tell that Lucy is hiding something, but he's content to be patient and wait for her to be ready to let him in.

Holy cow, what is it with my favorite romance authors writing horrible books this year? The plot was so predictable and the characters had very little development. We saw nothing whatsoever from the other characters, except perhaps the introduction to a new spin off by Lori featuring Marcus's friends. Hopefully they're more fleshed out stories than this one, with more character development and a better, less thin plot.

[Nathan Fencil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marcus grown up

I loved the little boy that Reese and Alice took in and adopted. So with them as parents and his love for them, I knew he'd be an amazing adult! His love and complete support for Lucy made me even more invested in his life. This is a perfect book, and Lori is awesome! I had a serious stroke in january, and was in rehab hospital until mid March and continue to try to recover more. My husband and daughter have been encouraging me to read again and this was the perfect book--not too long but long enough for my reintroduction to something I've always enjoyed. Don't miss this book, its awesome.

[Lynn Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overflowing with heart! Lori Foster is taking a jump back into her Love Undercover world with this year's charity novella and I couldn't have loved Marcus and Lucy more. Yes, it's novella length so the pace is quick, but the depth of emotion and signature warmth we are used to from Foster was spot on. I can't wait to see more of the friends we were introduced to!

Seeing Marcus all grown up, living a great life and falling for his forever love is super heartwarming to fans of the series.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that wants a short dive into an emotional story filled with charm.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick read for a good cause. Marcus and Lucy have been friends and neighbors for six months. They both like MMA fighting and have more in common than either of them realizes. Marcus wants more of a relationship, but Lucy holds back. Does Marcus stand a chance of getting Lucy to realize they could be great together? A feel-good story about friendship, overcoming the past, new beginnings, and a HEA.

[Michelle Graves · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it would have had more action in it. Marcus is a good cop, followed in his dad's foot steps. She knew he was falling hard and in love with his neighbor Lucy even though he didn't know a lot about her. They both have things in common. But there was a surprise from her past that scared the hell out of her but she'll figure it out with him by her side. I wish it would have been a little longer and had more action in it.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

Quick, sweet read. I can always count on Ms. Foster to write such swoony, caring, and at times a little over protective, heroes, and Marcus Bareden is no different! As are his best friends.
While Lucy and Marcus have had feelings for each other, they've been tiptoeing around each other. WhenMarcus finally takes that step to move them out of the friendship zone things go from zero to 100 in a heartbeat!
I enjoyed this "second generation" story from the Love Undercover series!

[Robin Franks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Wonderful story and couple. It was really nice to catch up with Rowdy and the others. Marcus and Lucy make a fantastic couple and I would love to have the other guys stories. They all sound wacky and like Lori Foster hero material. I would recommend this story to any adult reader that enjoys sexy romances.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

Always great when friends find love with one another.
So excited when I realized that Marcus was the little boy from Getting Rowdy (great book) and adopted by Reese and Alice from Bare it All (also a great book).
I definitely recommend this book as well as the other two I mentioned.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yay, I was so happy to finally get Marcus's story. With everything that he went through as a child, it was lovely to see how he's grown and watch him fall in love. While not the most adventurous story, it's a sweet novella and reminded me to reread the full series.

[Doreen Barile · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great story with Marcus all grown up.

I can't remember ever enjoying a story more than this one. I remember when Marcus was a young child in Rowdy's story. At least I think it was his. And now I get to enjoy this story of a grown up Marcus.

[Traci Westling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this !

Lucy & Marcus were a delight to enjoy !! I enjoyed that their difficult past issues were overcome as they learned to trust & open up with each other ! Great job LORI Foster once again !!

[Peni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended

I really enjoyed finding out more about Marcus and who he is after being "rescued." This short story was enlightening, romantic, and just fun. I'm looking forward to Bray's story.

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved Marcus’ and Lucy’s short story! Bray, Ford, and Knox were fun comic relief. Neighbors, friends-to-lovers.

[Lou Banks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marcus

I love the story. I had forgotten Marcus until I read about Rowdy in the book. I loved it. I am always happy to donate. A 5 star read. Lori Foster never disappoint.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

great way to finish the series

Absolutely loved this book, so nice to see Marcus grown up, and happy. Loved how you saw Rowdy, Reese, Avery and Alice come in and out of the book.

Mm -
Maybe we can get books for
Marcus’s friends.

[Christine D · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy

Cute story. I love the storyline with a great ending. The characters were awesome I hope that we get to hear their story too. It’s nice reading a series,too ! Thanks

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well…

Sadly I think I’ve simply outgrown stories by Lori Foster. I used to devour them, but the last few haven’t really captured my interest. I’m kinda sad.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

So darn cute.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these characters and how they find a deep and satisfying bond with each other. Their story is romantic and loving.

[Karen Locke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but sweet

Foster is one of my all-time favorite authors. I wish this had come a little sooner though. Loved the storyline.

[Nibrock · Rating 3 out of 5]

An awesome, very quick, read. Lots of fun watching Marcus and Lucy circle each other. A bit of a scare, but a whole bunch of cute guys to read about.

[Tones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very meh and the pacing felt super rushed. This makes me sad because I love the other stories in this series. And super love both Alice’s romance with Reese and Rowdy’s with Avery

[Jemi Fraser]

An enjoyable novella with great characters and fun glimpses at the future with some favourites!