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Preston Brothers #2

Bachelor Auction

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Marcus Preston wants a relationship built on love and trust, but the woman he wants made it clear long ago she's only interested in fun and games. Yet, moving on proves difficult when no one else can erase the memory of the night they shared last summer.

Charlotte Reese doesn't believe in love, marriage, or happily ever afters. An occasional one-night stand is all she needs to take the edge off her loneliness and enhance the bad-girl image. An image she uses to discourage commitment-seeking men—especially Marcus, the only man to melt both her body and her heart.

When Charlotte wins Marcus hot off the block of Houston’s Most Eligible Bachelor Auction and they’re forced to spend the weekend together, she seizes the opportunity to seduce him. It's the only way to extinguish the attraction sizzling between them once and for all. But for Marcus, it’s all or nothing. He won’t be seduced. Instead, he’ll show Charlotte she has more to offer a man than sex.

270 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 9, 2010

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123 people want to read

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Darah Lace

22 books77 followers

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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
Profile Image for booksireadinthedark.
71 reviews1 follower
April 3, 2023
I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review thanks to @fallencrestcrew and @darahlace



It took me a while to get into this book. This is a great slow enemy to lovers story. I enjoyed the back and forth between Marcus and Charlotte , even though I wanted to yell and tell them to get their sh*t together. I don’t mind a some back and forth between characters but something about Marcus bothered me, I wasn’t a fan of him. Although this is a standalone there are references to things that happened in book one.. so I may have to read it now. I would recommend this book but check out the triger warnings, it wont be for everyone.
Profile Image for Book Reading Gals  .
1,062 reviews38 followers
April 17, 2016
Title: Bachelor Auction

Series: Preston Brothers Book #2
Author: Darah Lace

Genre: Romance

Blurb: Marcus Preston wants a relationship built on love and trust, but the woman he wants made it clear long ago she's only interested in fun and games. Yet, moving on proves difficult when no one else can erase the memory of the night they shared last summer.

Charlotte Reese doesn't believe in love, marriage, or happily ever afters. An occasional one-night stand is all she needs to take the edge off her loneliness and enhance the bad-girl image she uses to discourage commitment-seeking men' especially Marcus, the only man to melt both her body and her heart melt.

When Charlotte wins Marcus hot off the block of Houston's Most Eligible Bachelor Auction and they're forced to spend the weekend together, she seizes the opportunity to seduce him and extinguish the attraction sizzling between them once and for all. But for Marcus, it's all or nothing. He won't be seduced. Instead, he'll show Charlotte she has more to offer a man than sex.

Thoughts: Things aren’t always what they seem….and Marcus learns that the hard way in Bachelor Auction. Both Marcus and Charlotte are fighting their very real desire for each for their own personal reasons. Charlotte isn’t interested in anything permanent, and goes above and beyond to portray an image of herself that is fun and fancy free. Marcus on the other hand is interested in anything less! Unfortunately, he has also bought into the whole ‘image’ Charlotte shows to the world – and he also believes that Charlotte is a little too free with her affections. Their chemistry is not going away though – and when a few of their family and friends get together to set them up by changing Charlotte’s bid to win a date with Marcus, the couple winds up spending far more time together than they had anticipated. Marcus slowly finds himself given peeks into the character of the ‘real’ Charlotte…and he wants to see more!

This is a sweet little romance that has a depth to it that pulls you in slowly and has you really rooting for these two mixed up characters. Both are attracted to each other, yet they never seem able to get their acts together and get over some of their baggage and hang-ups to take a chance on each other. I was a little irked at Marcus for being so willing to believe all the bad publicity and negative image that Charlotte had and fight for what he wanted, but overall I really enjoyed the story and the romance between these two characters.

Rate: A
Review by: Sarah
http://www.thebookreadinggals.com
Profile Image for Nicki.
Author 21 books269 followers
February 9, 2023
I love the Preston Brothers!

Bachelor Action is a deliciously languid toe-curling slow burn of a book and Marcus Preston is to die for. 


I didn't want to like Charlotte. Maybe because I am envious of women who ooze sensuality. Or perhaps I wanted Marcus for myself. But in the end, Charlotte won me over, and I found myself rooting for her. I even teared up on her behalf.


I love the Preston Brothers. Spencer’s antics made me gooey and I can't wait for the rest of the books in this series. I am curious to see which brother takes first place in my heart.


Profile Image for Aja&#x1f43c;✨.
54 reviews3 followers
March 8, 2023
"ARC REVIEW"

Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Spiciness: 1 star out of 5

I’m back for my 3rd ARC review for this contemporary romance by Darah Lace.

Disclaimer: I haven’t read the first book of the series, Unmasked. I struggled a bit reading the first few chapters because there were references about events that happened in Unmasked which I didn’t understand or was unable to appreciate as much as those who have read the previous book. But I think it could be read as a standalone.

I have read a lot of books about guys who are commitment-phobes and the girl the one ready to find love and ready to settle down. So, I found it very refreshing to see roles reversed in this book.

We have Marcus Preston, one of Houston’s most eligible bachelors, participate in a bachelor auction. The prize: a date with said bachelor. Of course, all for the benefit of a chosen charity as is in any high society. Unlike his other brothers (except for Spencer), is looking to find that special someone. He’s ready to find love and he has set his sights on one woman, Charlotte Reese.

The problem is Charlotte Reese is not looking for a relationship. It’s a casual relationship or nothing at all with Charlotte. So, when Charlotte wins the auction for Marcus, they are forced to spend the weekend together. But Charlotte and Marcus have unresolved history.

Darah Lace takes readers on an unforgettable weekend with our lovebirds. Read about Charlotte and Marcus, their push-and-pull, banters and amazing chemistry in this slightly spicy contemporary romance.

Profile Image for Leslie || original book nerd.
926 reviews42 followers
March 18, 2023
The Bachelor Auction - The Preston Brothers #2 - Review

Couple: Charolette & Marcus

Author: Darah Lace

Tropes: billionaire romance, southern romance, high society romance, unrequited love romance, he falls first romance

Review: This book is about Charolette and Marcus and is a great quick read for anyone liking billionaire romances. Both characters are super headstrong and resilient despite everything in their past.

Marcus is one of the Preston brothers and has a lot of respect in the upper echelon of Texas. We are introduced to him and his “unrequited” love right away. While most of books in this trope are usually the woman who has unreturned feelings, this was a nice twist. However, I soon began feeling bad for him since it was so obvious how much he liked Charolette and she was too oblivious to the hurt she was causing him.

Charolette is a s elf proclaimed party girl who refuses to get attached and has spent all her life cultivating the image she wants. Her main conflict in this book is herself and learning to love herself. At times in this book I really wanted to shake her and tell her to look in front if her for the perfect man. I enjoyed reading the evolution of her character and how it suddenly clicked for her that Marcus was not gong anywhere.

The couple overcomes many battles for a HEA and I was happy for them. I would recommend this book for anyone who loves a hot and quick read!

Rating: 4/5, while Marcus was swoon, Charolette made me so angry!
Profile Image for Kirsty Warner.
89 reviews1 follower
March 25, 2023
Keeping him at arms length has always been the plan.... Until it isnt.
With conspiring family and a good cause at risk can these two play nice for the sake of the charity and hospital? or will years of misplaced hostility and avoidance be the way forward for these two.

It is an amazing change of pace to see the beautiful Charlotte being the one to keep a man at arms length. Rather than the more typical story line of the men running for the hills when a woman wanting commitment comes a sniffing around!

Darah keeps you guessing at every turn what will unfold on the will they wont they story line throughout and it most definitely pays off.

Marcus and Charlotte right off the bat seem like the most opposite of people in every way...but looks sure can be deceiving cant they?

There are so many insecurities between both main characters that it is completely relatable with the hidden turmoil they experience.
Darah shows a vulnerability to Marcus and Charlotte that makes for great hidden insights to the characters and how they have become the people we are now reading about without leaning to heavy on the past itself with light reference where necessary.

And just when you think we are headed for the happily ever, a mere few words are spoken and the trajectory is all thrown off again!

Love a curve ball and Darah throws them at every turn!!
A Must read for sure.. You do not want to miss the Preston Brothers.
Thank you for allowing me to ARC read this and I cannot wait for what comes next.
578 reviews1 follower
August 4, 2024
Angst & Attraction at Its Best!

Bachelor Auction is book 2 in the Preston Brothers series and I recommend starting this series from the beginning with book 1, Bachelor Unmasked. The characters and events from book 1 carry through to this book and I think it will be enjoyed much more knowing that back story which definitely affects the characters here.

These characters were intriguing in the last book and I am so glad we get to learn more about them. The Hero and Heroine in Bachelor Auction teeter between attraction & detachment, desire & disinterest, passion & aversion. The push and pull of these characters drive them to the extreme and cause actions & reactions that may leave them both wanting but you will want for nothing reading this entertaining book. You will definitely need tissues for the ending! I can’t wait for the next one in the series.
123 reviews8 followers
April 14, 2023
It's like Book 1 was flipped on its head, in all the best ways
In Bachelor Unmasked (book 1), the heroine is hiding her attractiveness. In this book, the heroine is putting on a show of over-the-top sensuality to hide her sensitivity. Given her family history, she doesn't trust men, nor does she want a relationship. But she and Marcus have been fighting their attraction for years.
When he doesn't give in, she takes matters into her own hands - please pay attention to the trigger warning in the front of this book - which results in what I consider a hot and emotional scene.
I really love Darah Lace's skill at unpeeling the layers of her characters, and showing us that not everything is as it seems.
Profile Image for ChunkyMamaBook.
113 reviews3 followers
January 22, 2025
Nice short read. Rather steamy. Loved the forced proximity & enemies to lovers trope, so well done. I loved that the characters for their happily ever after. Charlotte & Marcus deserve happiness and I'm glad they found it in each other even if it took up until the end of the book to realise that.
Profile Image for LynnMarie.
856 reviews79 followers
September 17, 2010
Denise’s Review

Wow.!
You have heard the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” many times before, and this is a motto I hold near and dear to my heart. However, there are times I believe authors title their works with artful deception. The novel ‘Bachelor Auction’ is just that. Granted, beyond the title and the cover, reading the book’s description should be an indicator of its depth, but I still wasn’t prepared for the long, emotional journey through which Ms. Lace guided me. This was truly a remarkable novel.

Based on the characters’ rich history, I believe this might be one in a series of “Preston brothers” novels, and I’m definitely out to get whatever I missed. Even still, I had no trouble following the plot or the characters.

What did I love about it? Oh, pretty much everything. You have Marcus Preston, cool and controlling, always in charge of himself, and Charlotte Reese, a woman with a self-inflicted bad girl image. The role reversal was incredibly well executed. Marcus won’t settle for anything less than full commitment, love, and family, whereas Charlotte has witnessed the destruction of a marriage firsthand, and understands men to be interested in only sex. Therefore, sex is what she offers, seemingly to anyone who shows interest.

To make matters more complicated, Charlotte and Marcus have a past. Not a tangled past, but a past—and while they definitely want each other, their desire is conflicted by their individual ghosts. Marcus sees Charlotte the way she wants to be seen, whereas Charlotte sees Marcus as a man who might offer more than sex but leave her broken-hearted.

The characterization in ‘Bachelor Auction,’ complete with the wealth of emotion Ms. Lace weaves with language left me completely absorbed, pulled in, and draw so tight I could barely tear my eyes away. More than that, the slow, steady journey on which Marcus and Charlotte embark leads to sizzling chemistry, a half dozen “is this it????” moments, and complete, utter satisfaction with the conclusion.

Do not, do not, do not miss this book.




5 Tea Cups!
Profile Image for Aja&#x1f43c;✨.
54 reviews3 followers
March 16, 2023
"ARC REVIEW"

Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Spiciness: 1 star out of 5

I’m back for my 3rd ARC review for this contemporary romance by Darah Lace.
Thank you to @fallencrestcrew for choosing me to review this book.

Disclaimer: I haven’t read the first book of the series, Unmasked. I struggled a bit reading the first few chapters because there were references about events that happened in Unmasked which I didn’t understand or was unable to appreciate as much as those who have read the previous book. But I think it could be read as a standalone.

I have read a lot of books about guys who are commitment-phobes and the girl the one ready to find love and ready to settle down. So, I found it very refreshing to see roles reversed in this book.

We have Marcus Preston, one of Houston’s most eligible bachelors, participate in a bachelor auction. The prize: a date with said bachelor. Of course, all for the benefit of a chosen charity as is in any high society. Unlike his other brothers (except for Spencer), is looking to find that special someone. He’s ready to find love and he has set his sights on one woman, Charlotte Reese.

The problem is Charlotte Reese is not looking for a relationship. It’s a casual relationship or nothing at all with Charlotte. So, when Charlotte wins the auction for Marcus, they are forced to spend the weekend together. But Charlotte and Marcus have unresolved history.

Darah Lace takes readers on an unforgettable weekend with our lovebirds. Read about Charlotte and Marcus, their push-and-pull, banters and amazing chemistry in this slightly spicy contemporary romance.

Ps.
I loved the ending but given the setting of it I think this would be a great “near Christmas” release.

Profile Image for BookSnuggle.
1,233 reviews4 followers
March 16, 2016
"Bachelor Auction" by Darah Lace is book two in the "Preston Brothers" series. This can be read as a standalone. This is the story of Marcus Preston and Charlotte Reese.

Marcus and Charlotte shared a night together last summer and he cannot forget her. Charlotte cannot forget him either, but she doesn't believe in true love or relationships. Charlotte is more into one night stands. This is her way of protecting herself from getting hurt. Marcus wants more than a one night stand so he hasn't perused her after that night.

Marcus and Charlotte are forced to spend a weekend together since she wins him in Houston's Most Eligible Bachelor charity auction. Marcus wants Charlotte to know that she has more to offer than sex. Now the battle of wills is on. Will Charlotte seduce him in an attempt to get him out of system or will Marcus hold out for all of her?

At times you may want to shake Marcus and Charlotte but you will love how everything plays out. I loved the characters and the humor in the story. I look forward to reading the other books in this series.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley/The Wild Rose Press for an honest review. FYI, contains mature content.
Profile Image for Wishy Reads.
374 reviews21 followers
March 25, 2023

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Genre: Billionaire
Spice: Yes 🥵
Series: Preston Brothers, book 2

Thoughts - I really enjoyed the first 3/4. The push and pull between Marcus and Charlotte was great. The auction was humorous and then the kids! Ughhh my heart melted for them. The last 1/4 delves into non consent which I just didn’t like for the storyline, also it just felt like the story ends suddenly which I wasn’t a fan of. Other than those two points I really enjoyed it. As well as the follow on from the characters/ story from book one 😊

Plot - Charlotte and Marcus shared a night of passion last summer, and they’ve since been avoiding each other despite an obvious attraction. Not content with this their friends and family intervene rigging the bachelor charity auction so there forced to spend the weekend together. Will this be the push they need to start their relationship or will it cause a rift they can’t come back from.

* Forced proximity
* ⚠️trigger warnings
* Enemies to lovers
* Non consent

“I want you, Charlotte. I need you.”
Profile Image for Donna Sweeney.
661 reviews15 followers
March 6, 2016
Kindly provided with an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.......

Bid on this one fellow readers !!!

This was top notch !!!. Its Marcus and Charlotte's tale. Charlotte wins her bid in the "Bachelor auction" for Marcus.....that would be great if she intended to bid !!!. This was brilliantly written, plenty of witty lines, I laughed out loud and I had many a "slide down my seat" moment when I cringed at funny but embarrassing parts.

Overall I just really enjoyed this read. I would have happily bid to get me some Marcus Preston !!!

Well done Darah for a brilliantly witty, romantic read ! Many thanks for this opportunity xx

Later peeps xxx
Profile Image for Maggie Hesseling.
1,367 reviews13 followers
March 25, 2016
Marcus is manipulated into taking part in a bachelor auction by his brothers and then bought for Charlotte by her best friend. Unfortunately they have history, bad history, as marcus hates that she's so frivolous and flirty. But then again, how well does he really know her?

A great story, but I wish that the reveal was slower. I had thought that Marcus would have been more shocked by what he'd found out and then more self-reflective of how wrong he was about her. I was a little let down by the transformation in him, it seemed as if Charlotte had to do all the changing in his eyes.
Profile Image for Jessica Crucitti.
14 reviews
April 9, 2023
Charlotte is a party girl in societies eyes and enjoys the company of "many" men. But is it just a front? Her father is also the man that stole from Preston Enterprises.

Marcus draws the short straw for the bachelor's auction to spend an evening with someone. But who bids on him is who he has been trying to avoid.

He loves her, but she wants one night to rid him out of her system for good.

I will say the part where Charlotte takes what she wants. I didn't prefer that scene in the book.

I would have loved to see more interaction between the two characters after everything happened.
Profile Image for Cas H..
417 reviews3 followers
February 1, 2016
Marcus and Charlotte have always have sexual chemistry, but when Charlotte unintentionally purchases Marcus at a Bachelor Auction, things really heat up.
I really liked this book. I laughed and cringed and wanted to read more.
This book can be a stand alone book and I look forward to reading more in this series and more by this author.
I received a free copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.
Profile Image for Emma bramley.
2,570 reviews26 followers
June 20, 2020
what a fab read, really enjoyed the story line, the characters were well written and the story flowed brilliantly. I must say I was left wanting more at the end, just because it was such a good read. this is the first book I've read in the series and I am defiantly looking forward to more.

highly recommended
https://www.obsessedbookreviews.com/
Profile Image for Heather andrews.
9,520 reviews162 followers
January 4, 2016
Marcus is a caring man and I loved him right off, "Marcus knew she was teasing, but her comment stirred the gnawing guilt that had been festering in the back of his mind for months. “Are you having financial trouble? Because if you are—” I really enjoyed reading the book.
Profile Image for KyAnn Waters.
Author 85 books173 followers
April 22, 2023
love the stubborn path to love

I loved this book. Misunderstandings and assumptions keep them from finding love but the steamy chemistry keeps the sexual tension electric between these two
Profile Image for Kim Mccoy.
14 reviews3 followers
February 19, 2011
Great read that makes me want to check out more of the Preston men!
Profile Image for Tracy .
786 reviews8 followers
January 2, 2013
This man did what he had to do! Great chemistry. Enjoyable read! Love these types of stories.
Profile Image for James N.
9 reviews
May 14, 2014
Loving this series waiting patiently for the other brothers..please huury
Profile Image for Bliss Brant.
Author 5 books1 follower
January 18, 2015
The Preston brothers are hot hot! Can't wait for Darah Lace's next release.
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