Call It What You Want

Lawson Lovers Series #1

by Britt McKenna

All of this is fake. The expensive dates, the luxury vacations, the smoldering kisses… No way am I catching feelings for my fake, billionaire boyfriend.

Nope... No way.

--♥--

Five years.

That’s how much time I wasted tied down to my narcissistic, cheating ex. When my brother asks me to help launch his new tech company, I jump at the chance for a fresh start.

Forget men. Forget romance. My family and career are all I care about.

Then, I run into my brother’s new investor at the launch party.

Literally.

Immediately, the tall, dark, and handsome billionaire is annoyed. Apparently, women are constantly throwing themselves at him, hoping to get in the pants of his expensive 3-piece suit and dip their fingers in his family’s immense wealth.

Disgusting.

I’m determined to prove him wrong and keep my distance, but then my ex crashes back into my life, threatening to ruin everything.

I'm more than a little surprised when Mr. Investor steps up and offers me a deal. Pretend to be his girlfriend for the summer to keep his old-fashioned family off his back, and he'll make sure my brother's company is a success.

Two birds, one stone.

What could possibly go wrong?

--♥--

Call It What You Want is book one in the Lawson Lovers Series. It is a steamy standalone novel with no cliffhanger.

Genres: Romance, Fake Dating, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Workplace, Chick Lit, Billionaire Romance

408 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 12, 2023

About the author

Lover of all things romance, Britt McKenna is a contemporary adult romance author for those with spicy taste buds. ;)

Get your FREE copy of Loving Lawson: A Lawson Lovers Prequel by joining her newsletter at www.brittmckenna.com

Reviews

[NMmomof4]

DNF @ 67%

I just couldn't get into it. I was reading it for so long and was never all that eager to continue. The H is all about the h unless the M word gets thrown in. The h is judgmental but also sending him mixed signals. I never really connected with either mc and I was kinda bored.p because I didn't feel their connection either. It could be a me thing!

[Kim Whitehead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute read.

[Lu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book, it was interesting, and it was fun. I 100% liked it but I did not love it. It felt like something was missing (I don't know if it was in the book or in me lol) It could be my fault because lately, I have not been in the mood to read. So, I'll give it another chance another time, when I'm in a better mood to be more partial.

I know I did not enjoy the time jumps, but at the same time, I understand them. I hated the kidnapping/brother's best friend's unrequited love trope. It felt unnecessary, and over the top. Also, the MMC was an absolute asshole in the third act break up even though it was he who caught feelings first (which I loved) and insisted on having a real relationship. It was like ''now that I have you I'm gonna fuck all up just for the hell of it''

Huh, I have more negative feelings towards this book than I expected. But I do know that I enjoyed it.

[meghann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good! Avery was everything, and I loved getting to know her and her siblings after reading the prequel about their parents. Adam is for sure book boyfriend material. I was not expecting how things played out, and I could not put this down until I had finished it. There was one character we were introduced to that was definitely intriguing, so I was so happy to see they are part of book two. I am so excited for this series to continue.

[ells · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If you break my heart, then so be it. I’m not afraid of any future, except for the one where you aren’t in it.”

STOP IT RIGHT NOW. I LOVED THEM. so so wholesome🥹🥹🥹🥹
the way he even got involved with the italian mafia to save her. SWOON

[Tjasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I get the hype

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got to 52% and still nothing had happened. At the point where this woman started turning down the hot Spanish guy who had been thoughtful, monogamous and caring for 3 months towards her even though they were in a fake relationship… I was out.

[an6ra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm such a sucker for fake dating tropes 🤭 Also what's up with that ending? It suddenly turned into a mafia romance 🙄

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good!

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not bad, not bad.

Have I read this trope a bajillion times? Yes. Do I care? Absolutely not. I loved this take on it.

The characters were written so very well and in a way that mashes me want to read mores of the series.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful for a very cold March weekend read.

[zen_s · Rating 2 out of 5]

a tad wee bit long-winded... but overall is okay.

[Ally Doby (Schleicher) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in this series, told in dual person POV, filled with all the emotions and steamy chemistry. This series picks up years later after “Loving Lawson” and follows Julia and Eric’s children as they journey through life and find their true loves.

I love that Avery is always trying to repair other people. I love that even though she has had her fair share of heartache, she is usually alway happy and loving life. I love that Adam is forced to calm his ways ways or lose everything he has worked hard for. I love that when it comes to Avery and her sass from their first meeting, he had the urge to protect her at all cost.

Avery and Adam had more than just the physical attraction once they started to get to know each other, you could clearly see the energy between them. There were a few times that I felt the story was a little drug out, but not enough to lose my interest. I also don’t think the Adam did quite enough to prove to/help show Avery with her insecurities, but again, that didn’t make me like him any less or lose my interest.

I think this will be a great series, the rest of the Lawson siblings definitely need to have their stories told. I can’t wait to see that happen and what the mystery/suspense and drama will be with them. I guessed the person behind the mystery/suspense of this book somewhat early on, but I definitely did see the reason why or the resolution on that one coming.

I received an advanced reader’s copy via BookFunnel and am voluntarily leaving this review. These thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Cait M · Rating 3 out of 5]

29-year-old Avery has just broken up with her long-term boyfriend after discovering him cheating. She relocates to L.A. from New York and takes a job running PR for her younger brother's tech start-up. At a party, she literally runs into Adam Moreno, a spanish billionaire and the main investor in her brother's company.

Adam is the CEO of his grandfather's luxury goods business, which was already successful but has flourished under his leadership. Unfortunately, his grandfather is threatening to replace Adam with his cousin if he doesn't repair his tarnished, playboy image.

Adam and Avery enter a fake-dating relationship to rehabilitate Adam's reputation, and of course, their attraction becomes magnified by proximity. Avery begins to see that she may have been too quick to judge Adam as she gets to know him better and she learns of his giving and protective nature.

There is a sub-plot with some baddies that need to be stopped, but most angst comes from the internal conflicts; Avery is a fixer, but only so she can avoid problems in her own life, and Adam is afraid of commitment because of the failure of his parent's marriage.

This book contains descriptive love scenes.

[bookishWife · Rating 2 out of 5]

I will call it what I want. Awful book.

How is someone who got caught in a p*rn star 10 days prior managed to be in a serious relationship with someone? Is that even believable? How stupid his grandfather was?

The book itself is too long, considering it's only around 3 months timespan? I'm not sure I like Adam. He's like causing trouble here and there by thinking with his d*ck. Considering he raised by a good grandparent was confusing.

Yes, I agree that his demeanor change after his fake relationship with Avery and he suddenly become book boyfriend material. But can you really blame Avery to be wary of Adam's intention? Some of Avery's words seems harsh to Adam, but that's the truth.

And their separation was a joke. Adam got scared so he tucked his tail and run. While Avery ready to talk like an adult, he just gone silent. Then MONTHS later he realized his mistake and try to apologize, but Avery only forgive him not wanting to get back together (of course honey).

Then come to event where they can be together again, but now it's Avery turn to be a wimp. They separated again (Avery's doing) for MONTHS again. It's just.. WHY?

[Stephanie Bolen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd rather be spit roasted and hogtied

The first half of the book is him pulling out all the stops to woo her into giving their relationship a real shot. She is leery and agrees against her better judgement. They are happy for a month then he breaks up with her. She is the adult in the relationship, the break up, and the aftermath. She honestly communicates her feelings and thoughts. He's emotionally stunted and it's even addressed in the book. He isn't even the hero in the half baked subplot. Why the heck would you ever give him another shot? He could have left you alone or y'all could have just been friends. But he wants the whole package and people rarely tell him no so, he pursues you. And when you try to keep it light, he demands everything only to turn around and deliberately hurt you. He realizes his mistake when he sees you enjoying yourself without him. Then he pursues you again. Nope.
You get one chance. One. If a man doesn't see your worth when he gets to know you. If he doesn't understand that he best do everything that is in his power to keep you and keep you happy, then find another man.

[Patricia Brioux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, so I just finished this and while I liked it, I didn’t love it. The story started off strong with great chemistry between Adam and Avery—the passion between them was everything I hoped for, and the connection between the two felt genuine. The early chapters were full of promise, but unfortunately, about halfway through, the book lost some of its momentum. The turning point for me came post Spain. First off, I hated how Spain just ended, there was no follow up with the cousin which I found extremely odd and then when Avery hired Adam’s ex; what was that? it felt strange and she seemed too indifferent about it. Additionally, Kyle's minor role throughout the book left me puzzled and his character felt odd. He made feel unsettled rather than intrigued if that makes sense. Yes, I understand what his role was but his character should have been more explored for what he was being set up as. That being said, and despite these issues, I still believe there’s enough depth in McKenna’s writing to make me curious about the next book in the series. Heather’s story might hold more promise, and I’m willing to give it a try out of pure curiosity to see where the series goes from here.

[Carrie O · Rating 5 out of 5]

When interests align, Adam Moreno persuades Avery Lawson to be his fake girlfriend and rehabilitate his public playboy image. Satisfying Adam's grandfather is the key to being named successor in the family business, and his grandfather wants a settled family-minded man running their companies. Avery has the skills and experience to rebrand Adam and the motivation of not wanting to see her brother's primary financial investor lose control over said investments. It's a win-win-win for the two of them and their extended families if all goes well.

It's a richly woven tale of shared interests, unexpected enemies, and the surprise of finding something you didn't know you were looking for or even hoped to find. One of the longer romance novels I've read lately, and the first of Britt McKenna's I've seen, but well told and easy to recommend. I'm enthusiastic for the next of her books in the Lawson Lovers set.

I received a free advance copy to read, and my review is my own and voluntary.

[Judy W · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. More like 2.75 stars. It's the 'fake date the billionaire' trope which has been done to death. At least the characters here are well fleshed out and not too stupid. No talking with their 'bits' at least. Avery is coming off a 5 year relationship when she finds out he was a cheater. She swears off men and becomes the PR agent for her brother's start-up company. Adam is the Spanish investor for the company with a bad reputation that is wearing thin on Grandpa who runs the family conglomerate. *Yawn. Lets help each other out by pretending to be boyfriend/girlfriend. Where have I heard this trope before? Oh yeah. Everywhere. Overlooking the tired trope there were still some issues. She seems stupid for not giving their great chemistry a chance and he seems like an idiot for finding a perfect companion and then turning feral over the word "marry". Still, when they were together and acting like adults it was a pleasure to read.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank Britt for letting me Arc read this book. I loved loving lawson so to read about this daughter was so fun to read. I love Adam is so possessive and protective of Avery. I love the fake dating a billionaire and how Avery is not phase by Adam. The spice was so good as always. I love when Avery meet Adams family and how the were sneaking around to have spicy time. I was so made when they were running from each other when they really cared. Omg then the thing that happen to Avery what such a shock factor. What's a twist of events. I love how Adam went after Avery and showed how much he loved her. Over all such a good book.

[Pabbro · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars!!

I’m new to this author and I really enjoyed her writing style. I’m looking forward to reading more of her work.

I really enjoyed Avery and Adam’s story. Their relationship was quite the roller coaster ride. But their chemistry was off the charts. I liked that there was a mystery/suspense element to their story. The last 20% of their story had me holding my breath. I didn’t know if they would get their HEA.

I highly recommend reading Call it What You Want if you enjoy fake dating stories with a mystery element to it. You won’t be disappointed. I give it two thumbs up!!

[Merry Jelks-Emmanuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adam and Avery's story take off right from page one. Their first encounter doesn't go well but it sets them up for a rollercoaster romance filled with action-packed twists and turns that leaves you breathless and cheering for this couple to get their chance for happiness. It is a descriptively well written story that had me connecting with Adam and Avery.
I am volunteering to leave a review for an ARC of this book.

[Tanisha Deanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by Britt and I loved it. I loved how Avery was mature and didn’t let his past relationships effect her view of him. She also didn’t let personal relations get in the way of business. The book had a shocking turn of events that I did not expect. I love a good HEA.

“I’ve never let myself fall for a woman, Avery. But I didn’t just fall for you. I collided, head first and heart open.”

😩😩😩 this made me swoon.

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting, Fun, Romance story full of sass without being too cliche.

I really enjoyed this read. A full light-hearted story about two well crafted and complex characters that show depth in a relationship that is anything but typical. I found myself reading into the night to see where the storyline took me. I am pleasantly surprised with the storyline and satisfied with the ending. I will be checking out the next book in the Lawson series.

[Kami · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This had some moments that seemed to drag but other than that I did enjoy this. I really like a smart and not overly dramatic fmc. And surprisingly I liked hearing the pov from the mmc. Sometimes female authors aren't good at speaking/thinking like a man, and I really felt this one was realistic. My biggest con of this story was the big event involving the brother's business partner. Not sure it made sense and that whole thing was explained.

[Patty McGovern Pugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book

Avery & Adam what a wild ride they went through to get their Happy Every After! Wow! I just finished the last page of this book and I have to say it blew me away on how great it was. I read a lot of books and when one stands out I like to leave a review and let everyone know to buy this book! I have never read any book by Britt McKenna but I will now she is an amazing author!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first and definitely won’t be the last book I read by Britt McKenna. I seriously loved Adam & Avery and going on their journey. I was captivated from the first page to the last. I loved that there was a little drama and a little suspense. I loved watching Avery & Adam find their way to happily ever after.

I am immediately jumping into Heather’s story. I am not ready to walk away from these characters and their world.

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

[Carole Mckee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A WOW story

Avery begins her association with Adam as his PR to clean up his reputation. Admittedly their beginning as a little strained and rough, to say the least. Avery had just gotten out of a bad relationship and Adam never had one. Over the course of their time together they were many things to each other. It wad a bit of a roller coaster. But a great story with wonderful characters. Avery's family Is awesome. I loved the book.

[Liz]

DNF...at almost 80%. I almost made it but just couldn't do it anymore.

Why oh why can't characters communicate...and when they are adults...I just can't handle it.

And why oh why...do "strong" females act like such idiots. I can't stand the heroine that refuses help in obvious situations. She gets mad at him when she is cornered and basically sexually assaulted because she "had it under control" 🙄

[lisa_lou_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

✔️Fake relationship
✔️kidnapping
✔️Billionaire Playboy
✔️Spice

This book has it all.
What starts has a fake relationship to help rebuild the reputation of Adam Moreno, ends up in a live story.
This is a slow burn, but when it heats up…
There is a kidnapping twist.


This book was given to me as an ARC for honest review.