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One more step

The attraction between Jade and Dean is instantaneous and when Dean looses his strategically placed towel, it's game on. For the night, at least. You know, to prove how much Jade's changed her non commiting ways. What could possibly go wrong? Given my rating, it won't come as a surprise that I never really connected with this book.

There were several things I did enjoy so let's start there. First off, I loved the fact Jade was eight years older than tabloid sensation Dean. Yes, thirty two is still sexy, dammit! And don't you forget it! Did I lay that on a touch thick? Anywho, I'm all for a reversal of the ever popular older man younger woman deal found in most romances. I also loved the fact Jade owned her sexuality and never resorted to slut shaming herself.

You're better than that, girlfriend! I also loved the fact Jade is a curvy size My size 12 self was completely on board with this. So what didn't work? For me, it comes down to the fact I never really connected with Jade and when I don't like a heroine, it makes it mighty difficult to enjoy the book. She spends the majority of her time telling herself she CAN'T feel certain things and her logic had me reeling at times. It would destroy them both.

That logic permeated the story and never rang true to me given Jade's obvious love of sexy times. Was she planning on living her life without hot sex all of a sudden? Why strive for a committed relationship at all? I get she's scared to repeat her mother's mistakes, but everything just seemed off to me. Dean fell prey to a mad case of instalove when it came to all things Jade and that was a connection I never really felt. While the writing is solid and nothing obviously off putting led to my 2. ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review View all 18 comments.

Apr 21, Irene rated it liked it Shelves: The writing was well done and the sexual chemistry between Jade and Dean was hot. While I found the storyline held my interest I didn't connect with the characters as much as I would have liked and this affected my overall enjoyment. Thank you Entangled Brazen via NetGalley for the advance copy.

Apr 26, Christine rated it liked it Shelves: There were a lot of things to like about this, but none were the heroine, Jade. She's supposed to be this curvy, confident career woman but Jade is instead immature, self-absorbed, inconsistent, and, frankly, bratty. I kept wondering why Dean, a much younger upcoming tv actor, was so gaga for her, aside from their obvious sexual chemistry.

Dean marvels over and over how perfect and amazing Jade is, while Jade just picks fights and lashes out at Dean. Even the blowup this afternoon had been contri There were a lot of things to like about this, but none were the heroine, Jade. Even the blowup this afternoon had been contrived to a point. She'd been hunting for something-anything-wrong with him.

Sadly, the most tender and appreciative Jade ever gets about Dean comes oddly enough from an anal sex scene and it is Dean's first time: She wanted to be his first more than she even wanted her damn orgasm right now. For reasons she wasn't willing to examine too closely, she wanted something special between them, and for a lot of guys, this was as special as it got.

After a one-night stand, Dean agrees to pose as Jade's boyfriend to help her get back together with Isak, a Swedish actor and her ex-boyfriend. Both Dean and Jade survived difficult childhoods which made them leery of love and commitment. But while Dean comes to the realization that he wants to have a real relationship and become the man he believes Jade deserves, Jade is hardly as mature despite the eight-year difference in their ages. The author has a breezy, contemporary tone that heightens the steamy banter and sex scenes.

Unfortunately, there were several awkward plot contrivances that were jarring. Dean offers to babysit Jade's best friend's brother's baby in an effort to make her realize she doesn't want to settle down with Isak.

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Jade and Isak meet by accident at a travel agency wouldn't these Hollywood people have assistants or the Internet to make their travel plans? Then Jade and Isak run into each other again on a hiking trail. Jade gets sick and apparently only one photographer remains in L. Dean and Jade end up at a couples' retreat which bans physical contact between them. There's a fake audition and jealous co-stars.

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By the time Isak launched into a description of his Swedish hometown, I'd just about had it with the meandering zig-zag path of this story. I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. While the Jade and Dean connection weaved an amusing and interesting story, Isak is still a little bit of a mystery. I thought that there would have been a little more interaction with Isak working to get Jade back instead of taking a back seat to Dean and Jade. Jade was a character.

Isak was one of her exceptions until he asked her to leave and go back to Sweden with him. Then Isak walks in and the plan formulates. As for Dean, he has his own insecurities and they just build and build the more that he is with Jade and living this charade. As he starts to really understand that he is getting true and real feelings for her, he knows that he has to do whatever it takes to make her look at him as more than a sex toy and possibly consider him for the role of the one to spend the rest of her life with instead of Isak.

So, he will show her that he can be husband material and becomes just like Isak … missionary, boring, falling asleep. As I said, I thought Isak would have been a little more interactive in this story so there is not much that I can really say about him. He really does come across as boring, laid-back. I think he thought of Jade as someone to help fill his time and someone to come home to after all his traveling. He expected her to give up her career, her family and her home to live in a small town in Sweden with his family.

He thought she was getting the better end of this deal … all I saw was an arrogant ass that had no concerns for what she was giving up, only what he was gaining. Julia Patricka did a nice job of giving us a fun story. It was fresh, but you knew where the story was going. It shed light on some problems of growing up in the system and of being the product of a broken marriage. It was filled with some mind-blowing sex scenes and some romantic scene.

She gave us the right mixture of sex, fun and, in the end, love. Review copy provided for an honest review. Jun 06, Chu rated it really liked it. Who can tame Jade Easler? Jade had enjoyed her singlehood and all the perks that comes with it, but with her friends settling down and having lives of their own — she suddenly felt that there was more to life than playing around.

But there was only one man she thought of keeping, and he went away. Now, he was back in town, and he was just in time to catch her after she slept with the sexy and charming Hollywood up and coming actor, Dean Hartley. She just hope Dean wants to play the role of her fake boyfriend. The moment she asked his help to convince her ex she was ready to settle down, he easily agreed. He has his own agenda — he gets to convince her that she was worth more than the boring white picket fence that her previous flame was offering her.

If Dean is persistent, Jade can be really stubborn sometimes. I wonder how long will it take for Dean to make her realize, or would she ever realize it? Would his plan work? Can he break her walls? Can he convince her? Review originally posted on my blog Purchase Links: Twitter Facebook tsu Instagram More of my reviews at http: May 31, Cocktails and Books rated it liked it Shelves: This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books Hollywood romances are one of my guilty pleasures.

Add in a fake romance and I'm all over it. Jade is a woman who is comfortable in her skin and not afraid to go after what she wants, without strings attached. For someone who was a bit of a polar opposite to me, I could appreciate her living her life the way she wants. But when she deci This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books Hollywood romances are one of my guilty pleasures.

But when she decides she needs to start changing her life, not because she feels she needs to change but because her friends are all settling down, I started having issues. For someone who was supposedly so in charge of her life, I didn't see how her friends settling down made it imperative for Jade to do the same. And then I had to wonder why she thought her ex-boyfriend was the one that got away when she didn't really want what he was offering.

It seemed like she was only going along with the life change to keep up appearances with her friends, rather than something that she really wanted. And the fact that she would quickly use her one night stand to play off as her fake boyfriend when moments before she couldn't push him out the door fast enough. None of it sat right with me, mainly because of None of it sat right with me, mainly because of Jade. I knew why Dean had decided to play along. He felt a connection to Jade immediately and was willing to go along with her little plan because he was hoping to change her mind.

But I just couldn't understand Jade sticking with her plan to win back her ex, when she had definite feelings for Dean. I'm sure others will like this story. It is very sexy, which showed just how compatible these two characters are. But Jade turned me off, which made it hard to like the story. Apr 20, Angela rated it it was amazing.

Jade is a free single woman unashamed of having an active sex life. Who is Dean to turn down a sexy woman who is offering him hot sex? I really loved this story because it was steamy and completely captivating from the very beginning. Definitely consistently written story so I never felt bored or forced while reading. I would give this novel 5 stars.

Jun 07, Jeannie Zelos rated it liked it. Dullsville all the way and not Jade at all. I loved Jade and Dean together, loved the way he let her be herself and she let him be Dean, not his actor persona he has to show everyone else. Then of course all gets turned on its head when both have a change of plan and rethink. Three, an ok read. ARC supplied by Netgalley and publisher Apr 21, Misty Reds Romance Reviews rated it really liked it.

The minute that Jade Easler learns that the "one that got away" is back in town she starts to devise a special plan to land him back into her life and hopefully back into her bed. She decides the best way to win his attention is to make an appearance on the arm of another man, namely another successful actor, so she proposes her idea to her latest conquest actor Dean Hartley. Dean agrees to help her out, and she thinks there is no way her plan can fail now Sometime things tend to g The minute that Jade Easler learns that the "one that got away" is back in town she starts to devise a special plan to land him back into her life and hopefully back into her bed.

Sometime things tend to get a little complicated when you begin to mix business with pleasure After spending one night with famed Jade Easler, Dean Hartley is quite certain that one night with her didn't even scratch the surface of what he had in mind for her, and he immediately wants more He is desperate to spend more time with her, so when she proposes he act as the new man in her life to make her ex jealous, he jumps at the chance in hopes that he can convince her to forget about the ex and give them a chance.

Now he just has to find a way to prove to her that he can be the man she should spend forever with This was my second visit to the Gone Hollywood series, and I have to say that this visit was even hotter than the first, with each page I turned the hotter it got and the more my need for a fan grew!! Particka definitely packed this one with plenty of sizzle!! I loved the characters in this story so much, they came with a realistic quality that made them seem very relatable, they were also equipped with big personalities that shined through, and a smoldering chemistry that could not be denied.

It was refreshing to read a story with a strong female heroine, that was able to stand toe to toe with the alpha male character in the story, and give him just as much as he gave her, Jade was something else!! Overall it is a fun read, filled with eccentric characters, and lots of blush worthy moments! I highly recommend you give this one a try Make sure you bring a fan along too!

Apr 30, Sam rated it it was amazing.

Playing the Perfect Boyfriend

My guilty pleasure is romance books and Playing the Perfect Boyfriend satisfied that need completely. The characters had real troubles and it created a real story. I will definitely be reading more by Julie Particka. The writing was really good. I got the book as an advanced reader copy from Netgalley and there was almost no errors in the book, which is rare for an ARC.

I was so satisfied with the story. Like I said above, the c My guilty pleasure is romance books and Playing the Perfect Boyfriend satisfied that need completely. Like I said above, the characters were real and you could really connect with them. I loved reading the story and the mix of the sexy scenes with real emotions.

Jade is a spitfire. She has her opinions, sassiness, and is not scared to back down from a fight. She seems fearless, but of course there is underlying baggage to make her seem more human. She does not want to be held back by love, even though she thinks that she does. I will admit, I wanted to smack her half the time and tell her to wake up and open her eyes. Other than that, I loved her character because she embodies how confident women should feel about themselves.

No one should feel ashamed of how they look and be comfortable in their own skin. Dean, to me, seems absolutely amazing. Instead, he played along with her and took her sassiness in strides. He also appreciated her for her. He did not care about her appearance or whether she was always on, he just wanted a real person and he accepted whatever she had to offer. He was pretty great.

This book was so good. It is a part of a series, but all the books are stand-alone, so you are able to read one without reading the others. If I were you, I would read all of them for some great stories, but if this is the one that interests you the most, then go pick it up!

May 13, Samantha Bilodeau rated it liked it Shelves: For more reviews like this, see my blog: Musings of Madjy To be perfectly honest, this book wasn't exactly my cup of tea. It's got a good amount of kink and fantasy, along the lines of 50 Shades. That said, I would still recommend this to someone who enjoys contemporary romances that involve role-playing, use of restraints and spanking with paddles, and anal sex.

Sex is a very big part of this sto For more reviews like this, see my blog: Sex is a very big part of this story, but there are also some interesting plot twists if you are willing to suspend your disbelief and immerse yourself completely in the fantasy. The descriptions of everything and the dialogue are well-written, and the setting is well-chosen.

I didn't necessarily care much for Jade, the heroine in this, though. She feels like someone who is a lot younger than she is, and I had a hard time understanding why exactly she would consider Isak at all, or why she dated him for 3 months prior the longest she had dated anyone when the "sex was unremarkable" and they "got along fine. If she had been early 20s instead, it might have been more believable.

There also wasn't necessarily a lot of romance involved in this, in the sweet sense, as the focus between Dean and Jade seems predominantly to be on how much sexual chemistry they have and how much Dean loves that Jade is "open to anything.

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What happens when a fake relationship turns into something unexpected? She only ever wanted to make her ex jealous, but somehow ends up in a relationship with hot Hollywood newcomer Dean. I loved this couple, from their first flirty encounter to their HEA, you never quite knew what they would be up to next. Dean and Jade are not your conventional couple and that suits them perfectly. To have it any other way would be an injustice to both of them. Jade and Dean just fit, despite the reasons that bring them together. For two people against relationships, they manage to fall into one quite comfortably, but when real feelings start to come into the fake relationship things go from easy to complicated.

Can they find their way to a movie style HEA or will their time together crash and burn? Jade would never accept that and to throw Dean at her was perfect. Jade is a unique character and she deserved her own unique love story which she not only got but she also got the delicious Dean who could not be any more swoon worthy if he tried. I may not be doing the best job at selling this book to you dear reader, I know.

They are just a couple who are perfect for each other even when they are both trying so hard to be the right person for the other and stuffing it up. Like I said they just fit.

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Do you believe that this item violates a copyright? I will definetely have a look at the other books by this author. Or maybe, it can happen than you start feeling that what you already have is not enough. If I were you, I would read all of them for some great stories, but if this is the one that interests you the most, then go pick it up! So I really recommend it.

Plus they have unbelievable chemistry that will heat up your e-reader. This book is the reason I never pass an opportunity to read a book by this author. I loved it and hope you do too. May 25, Kathleen Bruce rated it it was amazing. I've read the Gone Hollywood series, where we meet Jade, Vicki's best friend. And when she is introduced She is a firecracker! I fell in love with her personality. If you haven't read Blackmailed by the Hero, you might find Jade a little hard to like at first, especially if you don't like how she acts around Isak, the person she "thinks" she has to settle down with.

And no offense to Vicki but she's a terrible friend because she perpetuat I've read the Gone Hollywood series, where we meet Jade, Vicki's best friend. And no offense to Vicki but she's a terrible friend because she perpetuates this. I know that Jade told her that Isak was one of the closest to being the one to settle down with. Jade becomes a lesser version of herself to please him, that's what he's in love with.

And while this makes me sad, this makes me love her all the more, it makes her a more real, more rounded character. Now onto Dean, who is younger than Jade, a TV heart throb and a painful past all of his own. But I think the fact that he's had to pretend, be someone else he sees through Jade, sees her insecurities and sees all her positivities, her awesomeness and starts to fall for her, for her, not some made up thing to make him happy.

And he got roped into playing the boyfriend, knowing Jade is wrong for Isak and he's going to show Jade that he is right for her, flaws and all. There are some very very sexy scenes. So read it if you love the sexy and role playing and all things fun in the bedroom. May 05, Tami rated it it was amazing Shelves: This is a note to the author: OMG it was adorable and the spicy sexiness of their role-playing This story had a very strong female that wasn't afraid of speaking her wishes.

The utter confidence I want when I grow up. And the sweet, sexy, strong alpha male who got to dominate her in the bedroom May 09, Bette Hansen rated it liked it. Not a favorite of mine but overall a pretty good read. It's well written and has some strong characters. Myself, I just couldn't warm up to these characters, especially Jade.

I found her to be a bit obnoxious and couldn't see why a handsome younger successful guy like Dean would be interested in her.

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