Nico Wright hates me because of my sister’s actions. I hate him because of how he makes me feel. I’m all twisted up with attraction, longing, and a large dose of shame.
When I find out he’s the architect I need to help me get the old theater turned into a proper dance studio, I have no choice but to use his designs to bring my vision to reality. As I spend with Nico, I realize he’s the only one who understands how much I ache over losing my prima ballerina position at the Boston Ballet.
He, too, had his dreams shattered by people who claimed to love him. Just like me. I’m learning the real Nico. He cares too much. Unfortunately, I can’t let him fall for me, the younger sister of his ex-fiancée who already cost him his job and his reputation.
A sexy, new brother's best friend romance from USA Today bestselling author Alexa Padgett.
With a degree in international marketing and a varied career path that includes content management for a web firm, marketing direction for a high-profile sports agency, and a two-year stint with a renowned literary agency, award-winning author Alexa Padgett has returned to her first love: writing fiction.
Alexa spent a good part of her youth traveling. From Budapest to Belize, Calgary to Coober Pedy, she soaked in the myriad smells, sounds, and feels of these gorgeous places, wishing she could live in them all—at least for a while. And she does in her books.
She lives in New Mexico with her husband, children, and Great Pyrenees pup, Ash. When not writing, schlepping, or volunteering, she can be found in her tiny kitchen, channeling her inner Barefoot Contessa.
This one is kind of a twist on enemies to lovers, and Nico and Cassia seem to have fate fighting against them. To begin with anyway. Nico spots Cassia out one night at the bar and he's immediately attracted to her. Until his conversation with Cassia reveals that she's the sister of his ex-fiancée, the one who really did Nico wrong.
Which is fine, I suppose, since they never have to see each other again. Except Nico's sister has agreed that their firm will do the renovations for Cassia's dance studio. Poor Nico has been through a lot, taking over the family company from their father, trying to be there and provide for his siblings, and let's not forget the whole ex-fiancée fiasco.
Things haven’t been easy-breezy for Cassia either. Her professional career as a ballerina is over thanks to an injury that may keep her from ever dancing again. And she has a spoiled, entitled, nut bar of a sister to deal with, as well as trying to get her dance studio up and running.
Take strong family dynamics, suspense like only Padgett can pen, and characters you’ll love (or hate, as the case may be) and you get this phenomenal, compelling story of forgiveness, healing, and happy ever after. This one grabbed my attention and I sped my way through it, feeling every devastating low and euphoric high on this road to forever. A terrific addition to the series, you won’t want to miss this amazing, heartfelt romance!
Daring Draftsman is the third book in the Wright family series from Alexa. Though I loved the previous two books I was thrilled this time to finally find out why Nico Wright was so grumpy and had such a big chip on his shoulder!!
Nico meets Cassia a former principal ballerina who has suffered a career ending injury in a bar and after enjoying flirting with her is horrified to learn that she is the sister of his ex fiance Amanda and has a few nasty words to say to her that leaves her reeling. Amanda is the witch who almost ruined Nico's career with her false accusations. She uses people to get what she wants without caring who she hurts along the way, even if it is her own sister.
When Cassia finds that the "bar guy" is the architect whose firm she planned to use to redesign her dance studio she is ready to find another firm. Nico feels guilty about the way he treated Cassia after learning her story and getting a new one ripped by his sister realises that he has to do something to both keep Cassia's account for the business and make amends for his behaviour.
When Alexa introduces a kitten that Nico finds into the story I am a goner for him! I loved watching the way that he changed from being the gruff, mean person he was to be a kind and caring person towards Cassia. Realising that she is so different from her sister, is not out to hurt him and only wants to do good for the community he is quickly on board to help her with her dance studio project.
There was no way I was putting this book down until I finished it as I loved every minute of it. It was great to finally understand what had made Nico so bitter and jaded and also to see Cassia help him to become a better man and soften his attitude to his family and love, (though I am sure the kitten had a big part in it too).
Seeing Amanda finally get her comeuppance and Cassia finally getting the support she deserved from her family brought a tear to my eye. It is always good when the bad guy (or girl) loses and the good guy wins and Cassia well deserved everything that came to her especially Nico's love.
Another wonderful enjoyable love story from Alexa whose writing never disappoints me.
Daring Draftsman made me feel so many different things!! Nico is the oldest Wright sibling and he's been through quite a bit. He meets Cassia at a bar and they hit it off at first until he finds out who her sister is. He says some things that he regrets later, but by then it's too late...she officially hates him. Once Nico gets over the shock of Cassia being Amanda's sister, a woman who very nearly destroyed Nico without batting an eye, he feels so guilty for the things he said to Cassia he does everything he can to make it right and apologize but Cassia wants nothing to do with him. The things he said hurt her so deeply, and she feels that he's just like everyone else, judging her by her sister's actions. Nico doesn't feel that way, of course she doesn't know that, and she really doesn't want to hear his apologies, he does keep trying though and eventually wears her down because she sees a side of him that she really likes. Cassia has always lived in the shadow of her "perfect" sister Amanda, even her parents spent more time and attention on her than on Cassia, and she's still dealing with the hurt from all that. So Nico and Cassia have some things in common which they figure out over time. Nico even starts to open up to Cassia, and starts to feel things he thought he would never feel again. There is so much more to say, but I don't want to give anything away. Y'all just really need to read this book!! It's so amazing and Alexa even wrote books for Nico's brother and sister, so you can get the whole family!! You will love this book and root for Nico and Cassia to get all the good they deserve
A very captivating story! Talk about starting off on the wrong foot. First you have Cassia who is a well known ballerina but due to an unfortunate accident she can no longer perform. Then you have Nico who has taken on his father's business and the up hill battle to turn it around along with taking care of his siblings. He takes the brunt of it all on top of his break up with his ex fiance. After they first met and Nico found out Cassia was related to his ex the two became what you could call enemies. But the attraction was so strong between them. While he's trying to make amends with Cassia he can't put her out if his mind. They get to know each other as they deal with her studio and his competitor. This was an amazing story. I enjoyed their journey as they got closer. The way he cared for her and wanted to make sure she was happy was heart warming. It was great to see Cassia's sass as she stood up to Nico. This author did a phenomenal job with this story. I was pulled in and didn't want to out it down. I needed to know what was happening next. I highly recommend Daring Draftsman
I absolutely loved this story! I did not really like Nico after reading the first two Wright family novels. I thought he was a real jerk, even though he did love his siblings, but after reading this novel I understand him and his actions a little bit better and I actually really liked him. He comes across as sort of a sweetheart in this book. I really liked Cassia, the ballerina and his hated ex's sister. The story was very emotional and a little bit steamy at parts. I'm so glad I read this thrid book about the Wright family because I really wanted to like all the siblings and I love stories that are about two hurt or damaged characters. I received a review copy of this book and am leaving a voluntary honest review.
I absolutely loved this book. It's kind of enemies to lovers and very enjoyable. Nico and Cassia were great characters. When they first meet, Nico is attracted to Cassia, but then finds out that her sister is his ex fiancée who ruined his life. He says some things that he regrets to her and and they kind of become enemies. Nico's architecture firm is doing renovation on Cassia's dance studio and as they spend time together, they grow closer. Both have been thru some tough times. This was a great romance with a little drama, some suspense and plenty of heart.
Fabulous read. I could not put this book down. I could feel the depth of these characters as written by Alexa Padgett. I was really rooting for Nico and Cassia. Will Nico overcome what Cassia sister did to him to Cassia for who she is? Will this have a HEA? Read and find out. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
Wow, I totally enjoyed this book and devoured it in less than a day. I loved Nico and Cassia together. They both went through some pretty heavy things in their past but they were both able to work though it all and come together. This was a nice contemporary romance that I would highly recommend. I received an advanced reader copy and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.
I love how sensitive to others ,caring , pull no punches, these two families are. Loosing ones dream is hard but maybe fate will throw them another chance. Wonderful characters and part of a series. I received a free copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a honest review.
After a serious injury Cassia’s ability to perform professionally as a ballerina has come to and end and the situation is made even worse by the fact that she has been betrayed by those she should have been able to trust. She has a new dream for her future and that is to open a ballet studio however her first meeting with architect did not go well.
Nico regrets the way that he spoke to Cassia and he has now not only alienated her but his family as well however he has trust issues due to his past relationship with her sister. He soon realizes that she is nothing like her sister and the sparks fly but the past is about to play havoc with the present.
Both Cassia and Nico have pasts to overcome and even though they didn’t get off to the best start they are so supportive of each other both when it comes to the love they share and their dreams for the future.
Nico is to quick to judge Cassia and must redeem himself in order to get the renovation job she wants done and work his way into her heart. Original and interesting story line. Well written and edited. I received an ARC for an honest review.
This is book 3 in the Wright Family series. It stars three siblings who lost their parents young and this is about the last sibling, the eldest, Nico who runs the architecture family firm with his siblings and who has a very bad history with an ex named Amanda, who he was engaged to but who also stole some of his designs.
In this book we meet Cassia, a former ballerina who is also Amanda's younger sister. She meets Nico at a nightclub that she is at with her boyfriend stealing sister, Amanda. When Nico makes the connection, he treats her very badly because of his dislike for Amanda.
Cassia has a dream and that's to build a ballet studio and that's how she runs into Nico again as he is the brother of some of her friends who are planning on making her dream reality.
This is an enemies to lovers romance as Nico hates Cassia purely for her connection to Amanda. Cassia meanwhile understands his feelings as Amanda has been the worst sister in the world to her. Despite their feelings they work together and form a friendship and end up falling for each other.
There is a bit of a side story with someone trying to destroy Amanda's dream and some tampering with some of Nico's families projects. I loved how Nico's family and friends end up supporting him and Cassia and help them find out who is out to get them.
This was a wonderful conclusion to the Wright family series and I loved that it comes full circle and we get to see how Amanda ends up getting punished for her misdeeds as Nico rides off into his future.
I received a complimentary early release copy of this e-book from the author prior to release and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is book three in The Wright Family Series and it is Nico and Cassia's story and omg it is definitely a must read. Cassia had been a principle ballerina but after a accident her career was over and then add into the mix that her sister Amanda has also taken Cassia's boyfriend from her which is something that she had done before so Cassia moved into the house that her grammy left her and also she was due to meet with a architect for the dance studio and camp that she wanted to do so that she could restart her career but Cassie was also wary of other's, had trust issue's and was not very approachable due to what other's have done to her especially her mother and sister Amanda who thought that the world revolved around her and she was so selfish, self centred and thought that she could take what she wanted when she wanted it regardless of other people's feelings of who she hurts in the process. Nico didn't do relationships or commitments and is totally jaded after everything that he had gone through so when he met Cassia and realised who her sister was he was a completely different person and quite nasty and then found himself feeling guilty and couldn't get her out of his head but he needed to concentrate on there family architecture firm until Cassia walks in as a client and that is when thing's take a complete nose dive that he will need to sort out. This book takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions and it was so addictive that I read it in one sitting until the early hours of the morning as I just couldn't put it down as it was so addictive. I loved this book and I am now going to read book's one and two which is Nico's brother and sister's story and I definitely recommend you read this book and you will not be disappointed.
An exciting romance, fraught with tension and loss, as Nico and Cassia battle through their attraction for one another, as well as the past that keeps coming back to haunt them. Painted with the same brush as her self-absorbed and narcissistic sister, Cassia tries to keep her distance from Nico, especially after he roundly slated her when realizing that she is related to Amanda, who seems to spend her days spinning a manipulative web of evil and destruction. When she sees that Nico is not only willing to help her with the theatre that she is renovating, but also to assist her with seeking the medical help she so desperately needs, Cassia's guard starts to crumble. Nico, on the other hand, is dealing with more than just the damage done by his ex-fiancé Amanda, but other repercussions from the past, resulting in a tense relationship with his siblings. In learning to understand Cassia, Nico begins to understand the result of his actions and sets out to acknowledge his own passion. With Amanda continuing to weave her destruction, the plot does come to a head, but with their family and friends pulling together they finally trap the perpetrator and the novel comes to a sweet conclusion. I received a copy of this novel as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.
If you like manual labor kind of guys, this book may be right up your alley. Whether he's in his architecture office working with his siblings or in the field managing a construction project, Nico is a panty-melting hunk. So, he meets tantalizing Cassia at a bar. Who thinks this can go anywhere? Well, it does; after fits, starts, stalls, and much squabbling. You'll hopefully never meet a sister as nasty as hers is. And her sister just happens to be Nico's former fiancé. Reading about her history as a prima ballerina was a new area of education for me and it was well written and interesting. Likewise, his profession as an architect and contractor was too. Some of their aspirations for their futures seemed to come together more rapidly than I'd have thought possible. Their challenges in the renovation of her studio were beyond their ability to deal with for way too long to suit impatient me. Obviously he was not a billionaire who just flings money around and catches the bad guys with electronic wizardry as some guys do.
Daring Draftsman is the third book in The Wright Family Series. I am happy to be able to say that I have enjoyed reading all of the books in this series. Each story has its own set of characters. Each with their own story to tell and great stories they are. Each character has their own hurt and pain that they are suffering with. Each book pulls on the old heart strings.
Daring Draftsman is Cassia’s and Nico’s story. Cassia is going through a rogue time at the moment. Cassia is a ballerina. Being a ballerina has been a dream of Cassia almost all her life. But when she breaks her leg she loses her position as a prima ballerina with the Boston Ballet. Cassia decides to open up her very own dance studio.
Everything is going great until her sister Amanda comes for a visit. Cassia has not had anything to do with her sister since she caught her in bed with her ex-boyfriend. Cassia does agree to meet her sister for a drink.
At the bar, Cassia lays eyes on this hot dude who is there alone. At first, they seem to be hitting off well until he learns who her sister is. Amanda is Nico’s ex-fiancée. Once he learns who she is Nico turns into a different man as he has not gotten over what Amanda put him through. Nico doesn’t know all the things that Amanda has done to Cassia if he did would he treat her as he did?
Cassia left the bar that night hoping never to see Nico again but her wish was not to be as he is the one person she needs to help remodel her new dance studio. She was ready to walk out and forget the whole thing but Nico is the one who wrote up the plans for her new studio. Plans that she loved very much.
The more time Cassia and Nico spend together the more they get to know each other. They soon learn that they have more in common than they would ever have guessed and that most of their problems exist for the same reason or person.
Cassia’s and Nico’s stories were just as good if not better than the first two stories in The Wright Family Series. Once I heard about Nico’s story I couldn’t wait to read it. Daring Draftsman pulled me into its world with the first word.
There were some pretty big twists that kept me glued to the pages. I never saw these twists coming either. They took me by surprise although I don’t know why. Oh, man, I should have seen it a mile off but I didn’t. Of course, that is what makes a great writer when you can’t see it coming, right?
I highly recommend Daring Draftsman to all those romantic fans out there. Come grab your copy of Daring Draftsman today!
Nico is troubled. He has had enough ups and downs to last him a lifetime, so a chance meeting with a beautiful woman shouldn’t be causing him so much stress, but Cassia happens to be his ex-fiancés sister so falling for her would be the nail in the coffin for him. But there is something about her that makes him care. He wants to help her but also figure out a way to live his life in his own way now that the family business is doing so well.
When his family steps up, Nico finds a way to forgive not only himself but to look forward to a new future, but would that be with Cassia or is he too afraid to tell her the truth?
I read this book voluntarily for an honest review.
I love this series from Alexa Padgett, all 3 of her books as part of the Cocky Hero Club. It features Cassia, a retired ballerina, and Nico, the glue that held his family together after their parents died. I loved Cassia. She has such a gentle soul and kind heart. Nico, on the other hand, has been burned badly by Cassia's sister and has built protective walls around his heart. My heart softened regarding Nico after the backstory comes to light. Daring Draftsman checked off all my boxes: lovable characters, detestable baddies, strong story, and a lovely HEA ending. I loved everything about this book! 5 stars
The rain was pounding down here as I started this book. I soon realized I had beta read this, but a rainy day plus recalling how much I loved these characters had me diving back in. What an amazing experience to see this book from draft to finished product. Nico and Cassia will quickly become some of your favourite characters as they each battle their own demons and try to move past a rocky start to knowing each other.
Padgett delivers the perfect amount of tension and heart to make this book feel like a warm blanket on a rainy day. Get ready to fall for two characters, who will have you hoping enemies to lovers can really work.
Nico and Cassia have a remarkable story. Both with harsh pasts and insufferable dealings with perceived loved ones. The injured principal ballerina and architect/construction worker have a roller-coaster of a ride together. Loved the secondary characters and well-written plot line. Their story was emotional, super steamy, a little angst and even suspenseful. A great addition to the Cocky Hero Club world.
I loved the instant attraction between Nico and Cassia. It was going well...until it wasn't. I loved that even though he needed to make things right, Nico overdid it. Although, I thought he was sweet. I loved how they helped each other hold on to and chase the dreams that they thought had passed, while also mending some fences along the way.
In Daring Draftsman, Nico is the last of the Wright siblings to find his perfect match. Yet before he and Cassia can find their HEA they have to overcome past hurts caused by one and the same person - her sister. Take about evil! This story has a lot of tension, family drama, a bit of suspense as well as some really sweet and tender moments. A great romance!
I have loved the first two books in this series. I always finish a book thinking they are my favorite couple. This time, I know Nico and Cassia are my favorite couple in this series. Nico has had to handle so much secrecy, financial trouble, accusations, and fraud in such a short time. In trying to keep everyone safe from the disastrous news that would destroy precious memories, he has become bitter and alienated himself from his family. In this story, Cassia brings back the light to Nico. His life was incomplete until Cassia came in and threatened him. Cassia has also had an undesirable childhood. A sister that gets whatever she wants at the cost of Cassia’s feelings, morals, and career. Cassia has more than a chip on her shoulder when it comes to her family. So trusting someone who has experienced her sister to the fullest is a hard pill to swallow. What I liked about this story is the honesty and love that bleeds from the pages. Nico and Cassia have a real relationship, not a fairytale one. It’s hurtful, messy, wonderful, and confidence-building. They tell each other the truth even though it hurts. While both have been burned badly, they risk showing each other their heart. Because of this, they help each other heal and love. I love how Nico comes out of his shell and rights all his wrongs. I love how he acts like a high schooler that can’t wait to see his crush each day. It’s adorable that a grown man can get giddy over a girl. Cassia and Nico show that honesty and teamwork can make any relationship worthwhile.
This is one of those series, that I am sorry to see end. I could read more about the Wrights, even if it was just snippets, and be a happy camper.
Note: If you haven't read the other two books in the series, I highly suggest you do before starting Daring Draftsman. It's not that it can't be read as a standalone, but a lot of Nico's back story is within the other books. It's briefly mentioned here, but you won't get the full effect of why he's angry or what he's sacrificed.
Nico Wright had his whole life ahead of him when tragedy struck. First personally, then professionally. He didn't have a choice, and it's made him a grumpy man. Cassia loved ballet until an injury finished her career. Now, she's pursing her passion project, and it places her right in the line of Nico's fury. No matter how much chemistry they have, or how much they want to get to know each other, they really shouldn't. They have a common enemy waiting in the wings to destroy them both.
Arrogant Architect is always going to be my favorite in this series. There's just something about the story that will literally rip your heart in pieces. I thought Nico's story would feel the same way. There's so much built-up animosity for Nico, that you can't help but think he's going to explode. That's not the case. The story is more focused on the events surrounding them versus their relationship. It loses a little of the appeal, but not enough to stall out the story.
I was eagerly awaiting the last book in The Wright Family series. Nico, the oldest Wright sibling, intrigued me since reading Magnetic Medic and became even more of an enigma with Arrogant Architect. He is moody and seems to have a permanent scold on his face. But Daring Draftsman puts him into perspective, giving him a vulnerable side I wasn't expecting.
Nico is a contrasting figure. Up to this point, he was always in charge and so sure of doing the right thing. Or at least, that's what everyone thinks. When he meets Cassia, his core beliefs are tested. She is beautiful, smart, and caring, everything he would like in a partner. Yet, she is the sister of the very woman who broke him. So hurts her with words, which he will soon regret.
Cassia is not only dealing with the betrayal from her sister Amanda, but with the aftermath of the injury that ended her professional career as a prima ballerina. The truth is both need to heal from their pasts.
Their story is captivating and the way their trust evolves is simply mesmerizing. Nico will tell Cassia things he has never told anyone, not even his siblings. And Cassia's strength, determination, and sass are something else. Their journey is simply beautiful. So this book is not only a great addition to the Cocky Hero World but a story that left me smiling.
This is a wonderful addition to this incredible series, and this is Nico and Cassia’s story. Nico is an architect for the family business, and he is the ex-fiancée of Cassia’s older sister. When these two cross paths Nico is not very nice to Cassia, who is a former ballerina, because of her sister, but when she needs an architect to create her dream, she has no choice but to work with him, as she wants to turn an old theatre into a dance studio. When someone is out to destroy Cassia’s dream, can these two move from enemies / lovers? This is a well written story which has family, friendships, mystery, suspense, challenges, tension, intrigue, drama, and love, which leads to an entertaining and addictive page turner. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend. I received a free copy of this book via Give Me Books and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This book was delightful and captivating! This well written book was the second book I had read by Alexa, the first one being Nico’s brother Knox which I enjoyed and also from the Cocky Hero world. Nico has the weight of the world on his shoulders and doesn’t make the best first impression on Cassia who has had a tough life including a career ending injury. Nico tries to redeem himself but continually makes things worse. Try as they might to dislike each other, the chemistry between them keeps things interesting. I was hooked wanting to know what was going to happen next plus I was also cheering for them, despite their setbacks they were perfect for each other. I want to read Addi’s book (Nico’s sister) to get an understanding of the 3 siblings. I received this book as an arc for my honest opinion. This book is part of The Cocky Hero Club but can be read as a standalone.
This story begins with the immediate attraction between Nico Wright and Cassia, but everything changes when he discovers that she's the younger sister of Amanda, his ex-girlfriend who almost ended his career. But Cassia is nothing like his sister. After an accident, she had to abandon her career as a prima ballerina for the Boston Ballet, but intends to continue teaching children in her new theater. And that's where her and Nico's paths cross again, as he will be responsible for the renovation of the place. As they work to make Cassia's dreams of her studio come true, the attraction between them only grows and they decide to give the feelings that arise a chance, and also face threats to Nico's new job as a constructor. I loved the story and the new characters, and I loved having revisited the characters from the other books. I highly recommend the reading.
I really loved Cassia and Nico’s story. These two each have baggage, Nico, a relationship gone horribly wrong and Cassia living in her sister's shadow, always wondering when the next shoe would drop. So trust is big for both of them and when they meet things don’t quite go the way you think they will. Both wronged by the same person who will remain unnamed (Amanda) Cassia’s sister, who is an evil witch who takes and takes and never takes responsibility for her actions. Well it’s coming! Can the two overcome their past and move forward to an amazing future or will they let the evil witch win? Guess you need to read it!