The Deal-Breaker

by Holly Whitworth

Emma Adler is content with her life. She owns the flower shop her and her childhood best friend Claire have dreamed of since they were little girls. Having lost her parents years earlier, Emma isn't ready to love someone. So, when Baker Hayes, the one guy Emma despises the most shows up at her dinner table one night, she wants nothing to do with him. Baker seems to have other plans with why he wants to get to know Emma. Are his intentions with her good ones or is he hiding a secret that could break Emma's heart all over again.

Genres: Romance

267 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 22, 2022

Reviews

[Kims.reading.nook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bestfriends Emma and Claire are living out their childhood dreams; together they own and run their flower shop 'Blooms' in the heart of New York. Emma is still working through the unexpected loss of her parents, but Claire has been there for her every step of the way.

Out for dinner and drinks one Friday night at their local bar, they are approached by real estate moguls Baker & Ryan Hughes. One thing leads to another, and Emma and Baker spend the night together. But she doesn't know that there was an ulterior motivate to Baker approaching her that night... why did they single them out? And when Baker realises how incredible Emma is, will his secret blow up in his face?

First things first, Emma and Claire's friendship is so special. They've been through so much together and although we don't hear Claire's perspective or learn too much of her backstory in this book, I'm so excited to read more about it in A Love That Blooms 💕

Baker and Emma have many ups and downs throughout the book and I appreciate that it's a sweet, closed door romance. I enjoyed the friends to lovers, he falls first type stories and that Emma is a strong woman with big dreams, who hasn't fallen for Baker just because he's good looking and wealthy.

I loved this story and I can't wait to follow this up with A Love That Blooms. This story is out now; go support a beautiful Indie Author by reading her books!

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma owns a flower shop with her best friend in NYC. Baker is millionaire real estate agent with his brother Ryan. The boys are trying to land a huge deal at work, but need to change their play boy image. They see the girls out one night and devise a plan to make them look like they have changed their ways. Only Baker starts to catch real feelings for Emma.

This was such a sweet story!! I loved the friendship between Emma and Claire, how Baker falls for Emma, and Baker’s family! Catherine, his mom, is one of my favorite characters throughout this series! I also loved the twists in this book that I did NOT see coming!

[Sydney Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨✨✨BOOK REVIEW✨✨✨
The Deal Breaker by @hollywhitwrites

1/2 Hayes Brothers Series
Indie Author
Wrote the book in 6 weeks!!

Tropes:
Enemies to Lovers
Millionaire MMC
He Falls First
Love at First Sight
Relationship Bet
Sweet Romantic Gestures
Cracked Door
Dual POV

Emma & Baker! 😍 They are so good together and I love that he is so protective over her from the beginning! And he is the best at sweet romantic grand gestures!

If you love:
Golden Girls Marathons
How to Lose a Guy in 10 days!
Best Friends
Fate
Family
Following your heart
Dreams
Flower shop owner
New York City
Surprises

Scenes I love:
The gym scene. Same Emma same. I too would fall on my butt after running and trying to keep up 😂

The closet! That was so sweet of him! I love the sweet romantic gestures he does for her! It’s always out of love! And honestly that closet is goals!

And when he had the custom blooms shirts😍😍 I bought the shirt before I read the book! So I was reading the book in my Blooms shirt and I just love it so much!
(You can get The Blooms shirt or The Threads Shirt from @calib_ and use code HOLLY10 for 10% off, works for the whole store too!!)

The break in had my absolutely stressed! And they were in there! I love books that have unexpected twists like this and it definitely was a good one!

How to lose a guy in 10 days reference. Now this was just thrown in there as a movie they could watch but anyone who knows me knows how much
I LOVE Matthew McConaughey. So any reference to him or his movies is an automatic win in my book!

I can’t believe who did it! And I love how it was written. I won’t give it away but Holly you did amazing!

I loved the bonus scene! I love that we get to see how the meet from his point of view!

Synopsis:
Emma Adler is content with her life. She owns a flower shop with her best friend Claire.
Something they've dreamed since they were little girls. Having lost her parents years earlier, Emma isn't ready for love. So, when Baker Hayes, the one guy Emma despises the most shows up at her dinner table one night, she wants nothing to do with him. Baker seems to have other plans with why he wants to get to know Emma. Are his intentions with her good ones or is he hiding a secret that could break Emma's heart all over again?

[Sara | Letsgetlostinreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book so much I literally couldn’t put it down. Emma and Ryan’s story is not traditional but still super cute. Vibes are 50 shades of grey x the cheat sheet. Read this if you liked those!

Emma and her best friend, Claire own a flower shop in NYC, fulfilling their dream of owning one in a big city.
Emma and Claire decide to go out for drinks & dinner one night after closing the shop and are approached by brothers. Famous brothers.

This book is about friendship, fate, family and following your dreams.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this one. The story is fine but the writing is abysmal. Sentence structure and grammar were very lacking. DNF'd at 31%.

[Hannah Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debut novel was the first of Holly’s now 3 books, with more to come! She wrote it in 6 WEEKS 😳 and honestly I wish I had that kind of ability to write.

I loved the idea for this book! Best friends living their dream of owning a flower shop in NYC - what could be more idyllic than that?! AND they meet a couple of hot billionaire brothers that just happen to be single…? Okay, sign me up!

Emma and Baker are the enemies to lovers that you have been looking for. He falls first, and boy does she get swept off of her feet!

Now, I don’t know if I could have accepted all of the amazing things he does for Emma, but she accepts it all with such grace and I think it really works for them!

I also have to give a shout out to Bakers parents because they were the sweetest side characters! I love how protective his dad is of Emma from the word go and his mom is just adorable!

There were a couple of moments where I felt the timing was a little off in conversations. But, this was her first novel and I’m SO excited to read her other works to see what she comes up with! (I just bought her newest Over the Fence!)

So, if you love he falls first tropes with a dash of enemies to lovers, a bit of a found family feel (for Emma), a billionaire MMC, and dual POV?? This is your book!

3.75 ⭐️ rounded up.

[Racquel ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a nice quick love story read - it was a nice change of pace. This book was great! I was hooked in the first couple pages and was excited to see how it ended, especially with how fast it started. Another one of Holly Whitworth's books that I read in a day. I couldn't put the book down. It definitely did not disappoint. I loved all the characters and I loved the friendship Claire and Emma had -> was shocked and excited to see a Claire pov chapter. The little twists in this books were definitely something and had me ->😱🫢 Overall, a wonderful read and definitely recommend. Definitely can't wait to read A Love that Blooms soon :)

[Melanie Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this sweet romance between billionaire Baker, and Flower shop owner Claire!
The first book in this duology, and it tells the sweet story of Emma and Baker. Emma runs a flower shop with her BFF, Claire in NYC, after losing her parents. Baker, sells real estate with his brother, Ryan. Baker is working on a deal that could earn him a log of money, so he makes a deal with both id brother and his potential client. Except he ends up falling in love with Emma 🥰

Emma and Baker’s relationship and love story is so sweet! Emma didn’t want to like him, and after Baker shakes her a different side of himself than she is used to seeing, she allows herself to open up to him. Baker tho, he falls first and I just love him 😍 he will do anything to keep her happy ♥️

[Courtney Dawn]

This is the second book I've read from Holly, and I really loved it! Super cute, dreamy men, flowershop, loved it all!
I loved the friendship between Claire and Emma, and I absolutely loved Bakers mom, Catherine!!! There were some surprises along the way that I didn't expect but totally added to it. Overall, I really enjoyed this!

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

📣I LOVE BAKER HAYES📣
*contains a quote but it’s not a spoiler*
Holly never fails to provide swoon-worthy, intricate stories. I absolutely love the way she always writes not only a beautiful romance, but also incredible friendships at the same time. We all know we couldn’t make it through life without our #1 girl by our side, and Holly gives us those relationships too. And The Deal Breaker is no different 🙌🏻
I absolutely loved how Baker and Emma’s story unfolded, and how Baker and Claire (Emma’s bestie) developed a friendship too. Baker respected Claire and her opinion of him which is such a 🙌🏻green🙌🏻flag! 🌿 (You get a leaf because there is no green flag emoji 🙄)
There were plot points I was NOT expecting that made this story SO GOOD and Holly never fails to surprise me 🤯🫨🤭
And let me just tell y’all… everyone say THANK YOU HOLLY for writing Baker Hayes because I was screaming crying throwing up giggling and kicking my feet when this man said “you are my dream, I want to be the one to save you when you need saving” MAAM 🫠😭💖🙌🏻🫨 and that’s just ONE SWOONY THING HE DOES/SAYS
Seriously friends. Go read this book like now 🫶🏻📖💐✨💖

[Kate Fredrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore a good enemy to lover’s story! Especially when the man falls first and decides to not be an enemy anymore. Emma is a flower shop owner who is living her dream with her best friend Claire. It's the two of them against the world after her parents’ tragic death and she is proud of making it on her own. Baker is a multi-millionaire real-estate businessman from New York who has a womanizer history. One fateful evening and one dumb idea from Baker's brother Ryan leads to a chance encounter between Emma and Baker. But there is something about Emma that Baker quickly realizes could make him change everything about who he is and what drives him as a person. He is set to do everything he can to prove he can be the man of Emma's dreams. This book is filled with sweet simple romantic moments along with grand gestures and proof that maybe there is such a thing as love-at first sight. This is the perfect story for anyone who loves a good Golden Girls marathon, a little spice but gentle fades to the door closing, surprise twists and turns, and support from unexpected people.

[kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma is a florist and owns the flower shop, Blooms, with her best friend, Claire. They grew up together ever since they were little and get along like sisters. One day, Emma and Claire go out to the bar where they meet the famous NYC realtors, Baker and Ryan Hayes.

Baker approaches Emma and they have a one night stand except Baker sees her at the local coffee shop and realizes that it’s not a one night stand, it’s more like love at first sight (but the 2nd time).

Baker and Ryan want to make a deal to buy some buildings, but the owner needs to see that the Hayes brothers are serious and are ready to settle down instead of their womenizer lifestyle. After seeing Emma at the coffee shop, he calls the deal off. He just wants to be with Emma.

Baker and Emma are so natural with each other. What could possibly go wrong?

Holly did an amazing job telling the love story between Emma and Baker. I really enjoyed the dual POVs and how special Baker made Emma feel.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Award for best MMC goes to Baker Hayes!
I enjoyed this book. I thought FMC Emma and MMC Baker had great chemistry. I got a great sense of how they felt about each other just from their interactions. Baker is a stand-up guy and I need more guys IRL to be like him!!!
The relationship did seem to move super fast, but that didn't bother me as much as it normally would because it seemed like the author's intention was to showcase the relationship and feelings the characters had towards each other. The "love at first sight" thing worked for this one. And I looooved that he fell first. I haven't read much of that trope, and turns out that I like it!
Also, side character Catherine (Baker's mother) is the kind of mother we all need 🥹
There were some minor things that I thought could have been played out better, but those things didn't take away from the overall plot.
If you're looking for a cute romance novel that's readily available on KU and a quick read, this is a good one!

[Delaney Marsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Deal Breaker

Baker Hayes: the MMC. #1 Who wouldn’t fall in love with that name alone? #2 He is swoon worthy from the get-go. #3 The thoughtfulness that he provides the people around him is so unique & flows throughout the story.

Emma: the FMC. #1 She fights loving so hard. #2 Her strong will, passion and love for her work shows throughout. #3 She no matter what puts her best friendship at the tippy top of her life.

I think this book was good. The swoon worthy thoughtfulness from Baker read a little forced in some parts; but I still loved it. The grammar & misspells took some of my enjoyment, but I’m a teacher and my brain is basically trained to notice all of those things. It’s absolutely a story I would recommend & I CANNOT wait until I get my hands on A Love That Blooms.

[Ally (art.bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received an ARC a couple of months ago for Holly's third book, Over the Fence, and absolutely devoured the book. I knew then that I had to add her first two to my TBR. I was looking for a cute romance and let me tell you, The Deal-Breaker was the perfect choice! I enjoyed falling into Baker and Emma's story so much. The way that he showed up for her so much made my heart melt. He knew exactly what she needed! I also loved how he respected her independence and never made her feel like she had to give it up. We love a supportive MMC 👏 I'm so excited to read A Love that Blooms soon 🤗 make sure to add this one to your TBR!

Read if you like:
🌸 he falls first
🌸 dual POV
🌸 independent FMC
🌸 how to lose a guy in 10 days 😉

"Our new place also has Baker's only request: a kitchen with enough space for an occasional slow dance."

[Libbi Sweet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an adorable and quick read. Literally ran through this one. Idk why it sucked me in so much, but I was legit 35% of the way in before I even blinked. It’s a perfectly paced read. It never drags with too much info or unimportant info. It isn’t so fast that you feel like you have whiplash from starting and stopping too soon.

The story is somewhat predictable, but that’s so comforting. The end has such a fun nugget of info that it takes it from a 4 star read to a 5 star read for me.

I love Emma and Claire’s friendship. I love the love story. I love it all.

TW:: deceased parents. They do not die during the story, but the loss is mentioned and discussed several times.

[Gabrielle Villari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was very cute. It was sweet how Baker fell first and honestly I would’ve loved if the bonus chapter was included in the story so that we could fully understand how quickly he fell for Emma.

It was fully understandable why Emma took longer to open up as she has had her heart broken before - while not by a boyfriend, but still would make it extremely difficult to open up.

I look forward to reading the next story about Ryan and Claire.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast paced and engaging read! I loved the meet cute moment, once you read this you will too!
Baker and Emma develop as characters and find themselves along the way, I was happy to see it happen.
Claire was a fun side character and I love a good best friend character! This was a perfect first Holly read! I can't wait to read more! ❤️

[Hannah Zornes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LIVED for Baker and Emma's story, I was sucked in fast and finished within 3 hours. I couldn't wait to get started on book two so I finished it that evening too. Holly has a way with words and I enjoyed every second of this love story!

[Haylee • haylsbookshelf •]

A flower shop with your best friend! That’s the dream right there 🌷 both Baker & Emma had sweet characteristics, & the fast pace always kept you engaged & guessing what happened next. If you’re looking for a fun, quick paced read check out this one!

[Rachel Darden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t wait for more!

Such a good read! I know there has to be another after that ending and I’m going to be anxiously waiting to read what else Holly writes!

[Ashley Garris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this sweet romance book!! The story was so cute and left me wanting to read more!

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! Emma and Bakers story is so cute and I can’t wait to see where the next book goes! I loved the way it was written! Perfect for a quick, feel-good read!

[Kayla C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet billionaire romance! Baker is so generous and wants to give Emma the world. I loved how Emma learned to open up through out the book and found family in the journey.

[Khush · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baker and Emma are so adorable!!! I read this book in one sitting and absolutely loved it!! Emma and Baker deserves the world.
I can't wait to read more books by Holly.

[Elizabeth Lyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. The concept was adorable and I loved the characters. I kept picturing them in my head. The story flowed naturally and Holly's writing let's your imagination run. I'm excited to dive into her other books!

I wish I could rate this more of a 4.5 stars but Goodreads doesn't allow that. I rate it 4.5 stars because it's amazing and also hard to please. Holly is also one of friends and I'm just getting started with her books by reading this one!

Go read it! It won't disappoint you!

[Phoebe Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been sitting on my tbr for a while now and I'm so glad I have now read it. Once I started it was basically impossible to put down. Emma owns a flower shop with her best friend and Baker works in real estate with his brother. The relationship this pairing share is absolutely adorable. I love the emotional growth of both of them during the course of this book. I love how well written and plotted this story is. I read three of Holly's books before this one and I just know that I will read every book she hits publish on.

[Destiny Kindsvogel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not usually one to leave a review, but I need to share.

While I thought the book was okay, the writing of it was so awful. Grammar, punctuation, wording, layout- it was all really hard to deal with. I found myself wanting to edit my way through the entire book like I was in college again peer- reviewing a paper for class.

If stuff like that doesn't bother you, you'll enjoy it well enough.

[Taylor Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

You had me at millionaire MMC🥵 The sweetest flower shop owner Emma, had her walls up when she met Baker and wasn’t looking for love. He was persistent and shows her how much he truly cares for her💐