Lauren Layne is the USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. Before Lauren became an author, she worked in online marketing and e-commerce. Lauren graduated from Santa Clara University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science that she has yet to put to good use. She is a Seattle native and she currently lives in the Pacific Northwest. If you are looking for feisty heroines and headstrong heroes, this woman’s work is what you should be reading. Have you met the ladies of Stiletto? Read on to find out how you can get your hands on a copy of sharp, sexy and contemporary romance.
Lauren Layne is well known for writing the ‘Redemption’ series, and the prequel to this series is titled ‘Isn’t She Lovely’ and it talks about the rules being clear until a fake relationship ends. She puts a new adult spin on Pygmalion, also the inspiration for Pretty Woman, and gives the classic love story its edgiest twist yet. The series begins when someone discovers that pretending that they are not falling in love would be harder than pretending they actually are.
When Stephanie Kendrick sacrificed her entire summer in order to pass a screenwriting course, she was pissed off to be paired with a spoiled frat boy for their writing assignment. Then again, Ethan is not likely to fall for a girl with Goth clothing, black-rimmed eyes and piercings. Stephanie might also not be Ethan’s type, and he’s probably pinning for a leggy blonde to drape around his arm. The summer scene in Hampton starts off with Ethan trying to impress upon his mother that he is so over that pampered girl who turned out to be a heartbreaker. Thinking of using Stephanie as a pretense, Ethan decides that a makeover and wardrobe change is all she needs. He also tempts her with free rent in a luxurious house.
However, when Stephanie enters Ethan’s privileged life, the “acting” starts to feel very real. The kisses and touches that they wanted to fool the Hamptons community ends up manipulating them. So Stephanie is forced to start asking the hard question that she is too timid to ask herself: Is Ethan getting smitten with the real Stephanie or for a dolled-up princess that he would like to see? This sets the scene for a romantic story that neither of them would ever had imagined.
Stephanie’s character comes out as someone edgy, witty, snarky, sarcastic, and sometimes downright bitchy. Then you have Ethan, a handsome frat boy who’s funny and also a smart ass. His character is enjoyable and this makes the story highly engrossing. This is a book that you can read in just one sitting and you will find it sweet, charming and funny. The book is not very long and there is also the lack of an epilogue, which is slightly disappointing. However, if you are looking for the classic romantic story between a privileged preppy jock and a rebel Goth chick, this book is highly recommended.
The first book in the Redemption series by Lauren Layne is titled ‘Broken’. This adult novel tells a story of a girl with secrets, a guy with scars, and a love that could save them…or destroy them. Olivia Middleton is a woman who abandons the glamorous life in Park Avenue to live in a remote location in Maine. Everyone assumes that she is a do-gooder but she has some skeletons in the closet. By helping out an ailing war veteran, she is not providing charity but penance.
On the other hand, Olivia’s client can’t be considered the thankful elderly person that she imagined. Instead, he is a brooding young man who doesn’t have the inkling to become Olivia’s source of redemption. His burning gaze and taboo touch might just be Olivia’s undoing. War veteran Paul Langdon does not need to look at the mirror to see a person who has ceased to be the good-looking quarterback that he was prior to the war. He’s conscious of the fact that he is now ugly, both physically and emotionally, and he has decided to exile himself from the rest of the world.
Paul’s father has given him an ultimatum, which is to tolerate Olivia for a couple of months or else his inheritance is gone. The beautiful twenty-two-year-old makes Paul long for some of the things he never could have. As Olivia shreds away at his defenses, Paul finds that keeping himself distant is proving more and more difficult. So Paul has a decision to make, and it is whether to allow Olivia to help them heal one another or forever remain broken. This is a story of two spoiled and damaged disasters looking for redemption.
Once again the author has delivered a wonderful romantic story with great characters. Isn’t She Lovely was an excellent book but Lauren Layne has written an even better book thanks to Olivia’s character. When you read the first book, you might not have any sympathy for Olivia based on what happened between her and Ethan. However, her redemption becomes true thanks to the beautiful story that is told. Having had the easy life while growing up, she commits a huge mistake and she’s now looking to find forgiveness. Her redemption path consists of caring for a war veteran but she is surprised to find a young, boastful and thoroughly scarred man who is also good looking.
Paul being angry can be expected from a person who has been through hell and the war in Afghanistan has taken a toll on his life. He is now a recluse, and he definitely is not looking for a caretaker. However, when he meets Olivia, he discovers that she’s a young and beautiful girl who has no bad attitude. Three months is all the time that they have together but it is enough time for Olivia to conquer Paul’s heart of stone and make him open up to her. At times Paul was really nasty to Olivia but as they say, love conquers all. If the prequel and first book of the Redemption series are anything to go by, readers can expect to be thoroughly entertained by the writing of Lauren Layne.
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