Thank you to Lauren Blakely and her team for the advance reader copy of Kismet, the third book in the Happy Endings series.
The premise of this one is super intriguing and it sure delivered! From a one-night stand to an office romance, set in charming London, you couldn’t ask for more.
I am a member of Lauren Blakely’s review team, but I stand by my reviews remaining honest and true.
“When a scorching hot one-night stand with a stranger turns into a deliciously forbidden office romance…
My first evening in London feels like kismet when I bump into a charming, book-loving Englishman, and by the end of the night, he’s making me see stars. I’m floating when we make plans to meet again.
Then fate decides to pull a fast one on me.
Turns out my smoldering new lover is my red-hot competition, and we’re vying for the same promotion at the elite auction house I crossed an ocean for.
If that’s not enough, the hottie and I are forced to work together on a brand new collection.
Every. Single. Tempting. Day.
What’s an American woman in London to do?
Staying far, far away would be the safe choice, especially when I learn about his past and how it mirrors mine.
But I don’t always play it safe with my heart…
Contents Include: A grumpy/sunshine office romance, secret gardens, knee-weakening kisses by the river and a hero who loves books.“
Check out my more detailed thoughts below…
- Characters: Heath is our hero, he’s a Londoner who loves reading. We meet him as a pretty lonely guy, having been widowed four years ago. His company HighSmith buys Jo’s company Bancroft. Enter Jo, our heroine is a New Yorker who loves reading. Now that the company she works at has been sold, she is being relocated to London. She is an incredibly driven and hard worker, almost at her deficit. She has been chasing the climb up the corporate ladder at the expense of her love life. Something many readers may relate to. Jo connects to previous books through Easton her cousin (Come Again) and Emmerson her best friend (A Wild Card Kiss).
- Setting: London as a setting is taking a special place in this story. When Jo first arrives her London is a city of bad memories and her personal baggage. What Heath’s London represents is a chance to make good memories and to forge a home for herself. I loved all the places in London our characters went to, it was nice to spend some time in London rather than the settings of New York and San Francisco where many of Lauren Blakley’s recent books have been set.
- Pacing: This book felt a bit longer than previous Lauren Blakley releases. It really helped our characters develop their friendship before they dived into any sort of something more. The later part zoomed by and no part of this story drags. I read it in a day!
- Romance: I loved these two together. This may come as no surprise to the readers of this blog, I love reading romance novels and just reading in general. So I adored reading a love story between two readers. It was just a huge plus to have Jo be a fervent fan of romance, and have Heath never ever judge her for it. I haven’t read an office romance in quite a while and I loved Lauren Blakley’s take on it. Not only do they work together, but they are also vying for the same position. This does nothing to staunch their chemistry or their overwhelming need to kiss each other. All their scenes together were wonderful.
Kismet receives four out of five stars.
You can pick up the story here & 100% of the royalties are going to humanitarian efforts in Ukraine!
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Thank you again to Lauren Blakely and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!
