The Surprise Seduction

Landry Love #5

by Amy Alves

I don't break the rules. And falling for my little sister’s best friend would definitely be breaking the rules. Getting her pregnant was downright irresponsible.

GARRETT
Aria is young. Too young.
My little sister’s best friend is a shameless flirt—a free-spirited whirlwind of emotions. She shouldn’t appeal to me in the least.
I’m looking to settle down with a suitable woman—someone mature, put-together, and not clingy, needy or emotionally dependent.
Aria Davenport definitely does not fit this list.
Yet the painfully beautiful minx is impossible to ignore.
For one night, I give into temptation and let my need for her take over.

ARIA
After years of secretly pining and not-so-secretly flirting, the grumpy yet mysteriously alluring Garrett Caldwell finally looks my way.
Maybe it was only once, and maybe that was exactly what we agreed to, but that one scorching night ties us together for the rest of our lives.
An unexpected pregnancy with the town's hot doctor—a man I’ve never been able to keep my heart in check around—certainly has this small town talking.
Suddenly he claims to want more, and I can’t help the doubt from creeping in. Knowing our relationship would be built on feelings of responsibility and obligation would break me.
So I guard my heart against the one man who has the power to destroy it.

————

The Surprise Seduction is a standalone, steamy, age gap, best friend's older brother, surprise pregnancy, opposites attract, grumpy sunshine romantic comedy.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Small Town Romance, Contemporary Romance, Surprise Pregnancy, Enemies To Lovers, Doctors

348 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 6, 2022

About the author

Follow her: https://amyalvesbooks.com/links
Amy is an avid reader of romance, fantasy, and science fiction. Fine, mostly romance, but she sprinkles in other genres now and then.
She began writing a couple of years ago and it’s been a journey she didn’t know she was meant to take. Now she writes the stories she craves and the characters she hopes are real to someone, somewhere.

Reviews

[Ms reads a lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute!

This is the story of Aria, the fun, flirty and flighty photographer, and Garrett the serious, smart and stodgy doctor. Garrett is Aria’s BFF’s older brother. Aria has had a crush on Garrett since she was a teen, but he wasn’t interested since he was 9 years older. She moves away for college, but comes back to their small town of Landry years later after her life falls apart. They have what is supposed to be a one night stand, but ends up turning into much more because of an accidental pregnancy.

I read this as a stand-alone and didn’t feel like I missed anything. The series takes place in the town of Landry and the books follow the characters in that town. I love a small town romance, and this book delivered! It was really cute, with a lot of small town charm and quirky side characters.

My only complaint: I feel like the TW section of this book over promised but under delivered. This is the TW:

This book contains lots of sexy scenes…

As soon as I read that I was STOKED! Small town charm, accidental pregnancy AND a lot of smut?! Sounded too good to be true! Maybe my definition of “lots” is different than this author’s, but I would most certainly rate this as VERY tame. There were only 3 good smexy scenes in it! Not what I would call “lots”! 🤣

[READ ME ROMANCE · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Surprise Seduction is book five in the Landry Love series by Amy Alves. I have read the others in this series and was looking forward to learning more about our mysterious, broody hero, Garrett Caldwell. If you haven’t read the previous books, you can easily jump in here, or start at the beginning with The Experiment, where we meet Jesse Caldwell when he is house sitting for his older brother, Garrett, while he’s overseas participating in Doctors Without Borders.

Aria Davenport has been best friends with Chloe Caldwell who found love in book four, The Love Words, and basically grew up with their family. Aria has been openly crushing on Garrett since her teens. He’s about nine years older and never looked at Aria as anything other than an annoyance, but now that he is back in town and she’s all grown up, he can’t fight his attraction for her any longer.

The Surprise Seduction follows Garrett and Aria in this opposites-attract, age-gap, off-limits, romance that is filled with lots of tension, laughs, tears, and joy. Garrett is a tall, dark and handsome, straight-laced, orderly, rule-following family doctor with a plan how to find the perfect mate. Aria is a beautiful, flirty, free-spirited, talented photographer coming into her own as she has paternal abandonment issues and reflects on her past relationships that all ended with her being hurt.

The overview states that their first night of passion results in a pregnancy, and I felt for Aria so much. After all these years, why does he want her now? Is it out of obligation or because he loves her? The author does a wonderful job with the character development and build-up, and tastefully explains their relationship and how they fell in love.

I do believe we are all products of our past, and although I felt Aria was crass and inappropriate at times, she was really just covering up her own insecurities while trying to get his attention. I admire her inner strength and knowing what she wanted and felt she deserved. Aria was always honest and true to herself with no filter, which made her endearing.

Even though Garrett struggled with the right words, he was so humble and sweet, and showed her how he felt every single day with his acts of kindness and protective nature. I swooned on many pages like when he offered his home, hired her in his medical office, went shopping for baby items and assembled the crib, cooked and cleaned, supported her dreams of opening up her own photography studio, etc. Although she seemed appreciative, respected his career, and wanted to work and earn her own money, I would have found her more likable if she made an effort to reciprocate, and ate healthier knowing it was important to him and their unborn child.

Regardless of these few quirks, I was totally invested in their relationship, and found them very relatable. This book has all the feels including lots of super hot steamy scenes as Garrett and Aria had undeniable chemistry, and I routed for them from the beginning.

I love all the interconnected family members and friends, even the crazy, nosey townsfolk who often appear. I do feel this book was a bit long and repetitive in spots, such as how Aria kept repeating her feelings about wanting to be loved.

I liked that they had to fight for their HEA, could admit when they were wrong and talk things through, and reached out to others to help them see the truth, which is that they were meant to be together. Loved the surprise ending and set-up for the final book in this series which I will definitely be reading.

[Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazon / Amazon Worldwide

The first, and probably only, time, Aria ever made headway with her relentless torturing of her crush, her best friend's older brother Garrett, it figures that the consequences of that night would be lasting, permanent kind of consequences. There went the idea that they could pretend it never happened ...

Garrett's been driven to distraction for years by his sister's best friend, Aria. He's successfully managed to avoid her, but the one time. The one time, that he gives in, and suddenly things just got...interesting. Now they're in each other's lives forever. Can Garrett convince Aria she's more than just an obligation, more than just a duty? Or is this serious doctor never going to be able to properly tell her how he really feels, has felt for years now?

All I gotta say is that Garrett is a saint! Aria drove him bonkers forever and he never snapped. The one time he did? Yeah I could see that coming a mile away, but the journey was fun. It was a bit angsty, and these two opposites had me wondering if they'd ever get their shit together and be on the same page, but really, I was rooting for them and glad when they finally made it all work.



ARC provided by Social Butterfly PR for an honest review.

Review / Release Blitz: Live Through Books Blog.

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[Lina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read Amy Alves' books before and I liked them. When I saw "Landry Love" series, this one caught my eye, because it had my favorite tropes.

The beginning of their story was definitely strange. To be honest, I didn't like Garrett's attitude at first. Because he was doing his best to avoid Aria at all costs.

She had a difficult time believing he loved her for her and not because she was pregnant. Because he pushed her away for too long. He realized his mistake quite early in the story.

I still love the fact that he owned up to his screw-ups and finally started doing something in order to win her heart. Because she already loved him at that point, but didn't believe that he was capable of loving her. I was so happy that he finally proved himself to her. With his every action, his every touch, he showed her that he loved her. And I honestly believe him. Her hopes and dreams about being together with Garrett were coming true. In the end, I could see they belonged together.

I will not miss mentioning their love scenes were very hot. There was so much heat and passion. The smut was plenty for me and I caught some kinky moments 🥵.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading "The Surprise Seduction" ♥️.

[Moni · Rating 4 out of 5]

* ARC in Exchange of Honest Review *

This is my first ever read from Amy and I'm glad that there was not one moment where I was distracted or disappointed. While Garrett Aria story is a part of Series, It can be read as a
standalone.

[Michelle Wolff]

This was an ARC read and a good one at that!

I’ve never read a book by Amy Alves before but after reading this i will definitely pick up her other books.

Aria had known Garret through her Best friend Chloe since her early teens and had a crush on him just as long. Garrett has always seen her as too young for him until he no longer did but would never act on it.

The ensuing back and forth and teasing and sexual tension is hilarious, heartwarming and sexy!

I won’t tell you how it ends but damn what a good read!!

Definitely recommend this if you like romance, unrequited love, and a happy ending!

[Rose Romance Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Surprise Seduction is book five of the Landry Love series. Can be standalone but I least recommend reading the first book of the Series The Experiment to get a good idea of who all the characters are. The Surprise Seduction is an age gap, opposite’s attract, best friends brother accidental pregnancy romance.
Aria has been secretly crushing and flirting with Garrett, her best friend Chloe’s older brother. Garrett has fighting his feelings for Aria, but finally gives in to one hot night which results in an unexpected pregnancy. Uptight serious Garrett and spontaneous Aria work together building a relationship.
This is well balanced with a little bit of everything, drama, steam, and emotional. I loved the push and pull of the opposite personalities of Aria and Garrett that kept me captivated through the whole book. Garrett makes a great book boyfriend. I like Garrett’s strong silent type personality that is a gentleman in the streets and an alpha in the sheets type of hot. This is another great book from a great series. I highly recommend this book and recommend giving Landry Love series a chance.


I was honored to receive an ARC and voluntarily leaving a review

[Nagma (Take A Look At My Bookshelf) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Surprise Seduction by Amy Alves is the fifth book in the Landry Love series. This is an age-gap, opposites attract, best friend’s brother, accidental pregnancy romance. Aria has had a crush on her best friend’s older brother since she was a teenager and because of the roughly ten-year age difference, Garrett has always seen her as his sister’s annoying friend that’s too young for him.

I loved Aria and Garrett together. These two had amazing chemistry, banter, and their connection was off the charts. These two made each other better when they came together. Garrett was this swoon-worthy, overprotective, and caring man. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Aria at times, but I like that she strived to be better.

The Surprise Seduction was well-written, and we saw a lot of well-loved characters from other books. This story is steamy, spicy, and I’m here for it. There was love, steam, angst, drama, and a great storyline that made this an amazing book.

Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Amy [Book Addict Reviews] · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Aria and Garrett. They have known each other for years. Aria has been crushing on Garrett for years, even though he was her best friends older brother. Garrett was drawn to Aria even though he should be. He is older than her, she is close with his family. She is completely forbidden.

I loved the chemistry. The tension. The banter. There is so much between them. Aria loves love and Garrett is much more closed off. When Garrett opens up though….the man is downright swoony and it is impossible not to completely fall for him. Though, even grumpy Garrett is still loveable.

I loved seeing Aria and Garrett try to figure out everything between them and all the changes happening to both their lives. They are complete opposites, yet the two of them are perfect for each other. They balance each other out so perfectly. There is a lot of ups and downs when it comes to their relationship, but in the end everything is worth the wait.

If you’re looking for an opposites attract, best friends brother, surprise pregnancy, small town, forbidden age gap romance this is one to check out!

[Candy Habin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Garrett is serious, logical, stubborn and set in his ways but has a strong protective and loving side that will make you melt. Aria is a little flighty, outgoing, and knows how to have fun. They are ultimately the complete opposites which makes their interactions a joy to experience. There's plenty of steam, humor and enough feels to keep you begging g for more.

The banter between Aria and Garrett is the best I've read in a while, and their chemistry will have you feeling like you stepped in a sauna! Watching these two grow as individuals, and together while discovering everything they have been looking for is right there with each other was absolutely wonderful. Throw in all of the amazing side characters and quirks and shenanigans of a small town and I couldn't get enough!

[Misty (Reds Romance Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aria Davenport has been crushing on her best friends older brother for quite sometime, he's the one guy she wants, but can't have. Or so she thinks...

The Surprise Seduction is a sultry and emotional forbidden romance that will have you utterly captivated within a few pages. The sexual tension and constant temptation floating around between these two was more than they could handle, and they finally found themselves giving in to their need for one another. One simple rule, one night of between the sheets fun, and then they go back to their normal lives as if it never happened.

But one positive test a few weeks later changes everything. Suddenly their plan of "never happened" hits a minor snag. Now they find themselves tied together in ways they never expected.

This first time read did not disappoint, it had enticing drama, heart-squeezing emotion, tormenting angst, and off the charts steamy times... it was the full package!! Highly recommend you get your hands on this one, it's characters are certain to keep you thoroughly entertained from beginning to end!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Haz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. I really enjoyed this story between aria and garret, garret is the older brother to aria best friend chloe and his also a doctor, aria was a flirty young girl of eighteen and got a bit to flirty with garret that put her friendship with chloe in a awkward situation , wanting to get away from all the drama aria moves to San Jose with chloe and done a bachelor degree But Nine years later and aria now packing up and coming home to Landry now having to face her past, will the same people still be there who she left behind ( garret) and how will aria feel once she sees the person she had a crush all those years ago are the same feelings still there and will aria finally do something about it this time , this had emotions, drama, romance, friendship, love and laughter that you can't get enough of the main characters

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book and this series with the quirky and amazing characters from the town of Landry are a must read!

Aria and Garrett could not be more opposite, which makes their interactions incredibly entertaining. Aria and her free spirit keep Garrett on his toes, and when he finally gives in to the feelings he's been denying, we see a side of him that was surprising in a very good way.

Fun, sexy, steamy, sweet, and swoony describes these two and their amazing story! Definitely my favourite of the series.

[Cyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very satisfying read. The 10-year age Gap and best friend's brother hit the spot. Aria has struggled with finding love and affection in her life and choosing the wrong men, influenced by her parents relationship. Appreciated that at 27 years old she was reflecting on her life choices and being introspective. It was done in a way that was heartfelt for the reader and I didn't feel like I was having an after school special or agenda pushed on me. The growth in the characters in their relationships felt very natural. This book has a lot of feels in it, it's funny and well written. Has a great bonus epilogue. And this couple is hot together. This is my first book by this author and I didn't have a problem jumping in at book 5. There's a great cast of supporting characters.

[Romance Reads Reviewed by K · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Surprise Seduction is book five in the Landry Love series by Amy Alves. It's a small-town/age gap/sister's best friend/ surprise pregnancy romance written in 1st person, dual pov.

I loved Aria and Garrett. Once Garrett allowed himself to have feelings for Aria, he became a swoony, overprotective man with a soft side.
I admired how Aria wanted to be better and not repeat mistakes from the past and how she stood by that.
These two had great chemistry that radiated from the pages.

This story is more steamy because there were more sex scenes and the scenes themselves were descriptive and sexy like we are used from Amy Alves.

The Surprise Seduction is a well-written novel with lots of character development. Characters are all quirky and super lovable.

As usual in the Landry Love series, we get all the small-town antics that are hilarious. These people are crazy but in a good, funny way.

Love, steam, humor, angst, drama, loveable characters, and a great storyline make The Surprise Seduction my favorite book in the Landry Love series.




I received an ARC from the author but am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garrett and Aria have known each other since they were kids and Arias crush on him has probably been just as long lol but Aria is off limits to Garrett so when a one night agreement leaves them with more then they bargained for Aria is scared about Garrett’s true intentions. I loved loved loved Garrett!!!!! He was so absolutely perfect that anything Aria did to him annoyed me to no end lol. I did like her but wished she would have gotten out of her own way much sooner

[Victoria Wyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aria is constant flirting with Garrett, she makes it seems as though it is harmless playful flirting but she really does want him. He is her best friend's older brother, like 10 years older than her. He tries to shake it off but the undeniable attraction he has for her has him giving into the the feelings. Really a good read, enjoyable, entertaining and well written.

[lowkeyreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoyed and devoured Aria and Garrett's story. I loved just how much fun Aria had teasing Garrett since they've known each other. I loved the reaction she would get from Garrett every single time, their banter is always funny. These two is definitely entertaining until that one time Garrett couldn't hold back his feelings for her anymore. And that led to them having a surprise of a lifetime.

I loved how Aria held back after that and she become this serious person. Because that did Garrett in. I just loved the tension between them. I know that Garrett always has feelings for her, but Aria's is definitely not as clear as his. It was definitely a journey for these two and I loved how the author wrote it!

[Romcom Queenie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was jammed back with so many tropes - the age-gap, little sister’s best-friend, surprise pregnancy, grumpy guy and quirky girl he keeps his feelings from. You can definitely read this as a stand-a-lone, but thoroughly enjoyed catching up with the previous characters. Can Garrett keep his feelings for Aria hidden or will her working for him finally break him and show how he truly feels? He sees her as a distraction and she loves to rile him up. With a surprise pregnancy she questions why he suddenly shows how much he cares. Will he be able to convince her that they are meant to be together before it’s too late? Garrett and Aria had a lot of interaction so you really grow to love these characters and are routing for them to get together. Great book from beginning to end. Love the Landry series and can’t wait for Sean’s book. I received this advanced copy for my honest review.

[caffe.and.books (Aimee) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5 stars for small town Landry!


One thing I can guarantee you’ll get from this wonderful story is that love wins! No matter how hard to try to convince yourself things aren’t meant to be.


Garrett is a stubborn ass, I wanted smack him on several occasions..all while also wanting to jump his bones 😉 Aria is amazing, she is flirtatious and fun. What I really loved in this story is the amazing character development, both Garrett and Aria grew in the best ways. They certainly had some obstacles to overcome separately and together.

This is really the package deal of books, you’ll get humor, off the charts sexual tension, chemistry, angst and overall LOVE! I am obsessed with Landry and can’t wait for Sean and Sadie.

[Devin Sloane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love a grumpy sunshine pairing, but no matter what the trope, Amy never, ever fails to provide the goods. Sweetness, steam, emotion, and that all encompassing sense of family and community.5 Twinkling stars.

[LivingLovingReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is another fun steamy read by the amazing Amy Alves! I love the flirty banter from Aria, and the gruff no nonsense personality of Garrett, and when you combine them- boy do the sparks fly!

The Surprise Seduction is such a great read and another amazing addition to this wonderful series! You can’t help but to fall in love with not only Aria and Garrett, but the town too! This is a definite five star read!

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aria & Garrett’s story is perfect and proves that if you're meant to be with someone, no matter how many years pass by, love will always conquer all. The Surprise Seduction offers the full package: humor, combustible chemistry, sexual tension, and angst, all paired with so much shared history that you can feel the depth of the relationship. It has a flawless emotional build-up that leaves you feeling deeply connected to both characters and makes you laugh so hard you almost pee your pants throughout this book. The twists and turns keep you grinning from ear to ear. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

[Isha Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Between these pages resides soulful temptation. Garrett and Aria turn a work in progress into an emotional whirlwind that will knock your feet out from under you. The Surprise Seduction is a second chance that's been years in the making. Alves tackles heartache with a heavy hand and a hopeful heart. From frustrating to irresistible Garrett and Aria are a contradiction that keeps readers guessing and hearts invested.

[Brittany Caraballo · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautifully unexpected story - this is my first of the Landry series, and I am pleased with the depth of the characters and the small town setting. Aria is fun to read, emphatic, and Garrett reminds me of my guy. Stodgy, pragmatic, difficult to vocalize emotions. They both make a good blend of good and bad choices that contribute to the plot and help the characters feel real. Great HEA ❤️

[Reading In the Red Room · Rating 4 out of 5]

Garrett is a doctor in his small town. He loves his job and his family, his sisters best friend now that’s a different story. Aria is feisty, independent and has a thing for her best friends brother. Not only does she have a major crush on him, she knows how to push every one of his buttons. This was a great funny quick read. I was extremely entertained with this well written story. Between the small town gossip, the family drama and Aria and Garrett’s undecided friendship or are we more than friends…there was a lot going on. The characters were well developed and all had great banter with each other. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

[Lucy Scrupps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh! Yes yes yes!
This book was fantastic. I totally adored Aria and her sassiness from the first page. Aria and Garrett are perfect for each other.
I couldn’t absorb the words fast enough! I loved it! Well done Amy, another triumph!

[Alyssa Hutchins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first steamy romance novel and I am here for this genre now. I loved every minute of this book and read it in less than 24 hours. I thank you Amy Alves for turning me onto this genre that I will now be reading regularly. Excuse me while I go back and read all the others in this series.

Garret has been avoiding his little sister’s best friend for years. She just was too young, but Aria was relentless. Eventually after moving away and coming back, they find themselves right back to how they were years ago. Until an unexpected pregnancy throws a wrench in things.

I fell in love with Aria and Garret quickly. Alves does such a nice job setting up the characters and making them likeable. Their ups and downs kept me just hoping things would work out in the end.

I read an advanced reader's copy of this book and am giving my honest review.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book surprised me in every way possible. Going into a series in the middle usually stresses me out because I like to read from the beginning but this book proved me wrong. I didn't have any issues diving into this one. I loved this small town with a close knit family and Garrett. Gosh I just fell for him immediately.
Aria has played with Garrett since she was a teenager. Flirting with him shamelessly even though he was her best friends brother and ten years older. Garrett just found her annoying until she got older and he no longer found it annoying. He found it annoyingly irresistible. One night they both give in. What happens next will delight you and made for a great story.
I'll definitely be reading the rest of this series because these characters are just amazing. The author has a new loyal reader right here.

[Claire Hatwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so bearing in mind this is not the first Landry book I’ve read, it’s probably fairly obvious I like Amy Alves books… I have to say this one is probably my favourite so far.

I don’t want to say too much and spoil it, so I won’t, but it’s full of twists and turns and of course romance.

I’m looking forward to the next one! 💖