After losing his best friend to another guy, the notoriously too-confident Max Emory suddenly feels lost. He may have devastatingly good looks, an abundance of charm, and a claim to one of the biggest hotel empires around, but he has no ambition anymore. So when his fed-up friends decide they’ve had enough of his moping, they sign him up to be the next bachelor on the reality series Love Island. And between his pride and his forged signature on an ironclad contract, Max just can’t say no.
Now he’s stranded in paradise with twenty-four women, one terrifying goat, and Becca, the breathtaking barista who already turned him down back home. The closer Max gets to Becca, the more determined he becomes to win her over. As she gets to know him better, things start heating up. But is Becca really after Max’s heart—or is she after the cash prize she could claim once the cameras stop rolling?
Releases June 9th (tomorrow!)
If you know me at all, you know I have a heart-on for Rachel Van Dyken.
She’s one of my favorites. Ever. Of all time.
And Max? God that guy is funny. He made me laugh until my sides hurt in The Consequences of Loving Colton. Not
everyone can pull of a fake engagement to gay man quite like Max can. He’s
loyal, you’ve gotta give him that. He loves Milo (his best friend) fiecely but
someone else has taken over the best friend gig. It’s time for him to step
aside and learn to live his own life. Easier said than done.
Max has been living in Jason (Milo’s brother) and driving him bat shit
crazy, so when given the chance to sign Max up for a reality show – much like The Bachelor – he can’t pass it up. You
can imagine how crazy things get on that island… Before he leaves on his
journey, Max makes a sad attempt at getting the attention of the Starbucks
barista in town. She more or less blows him off. Guess who ends up on the
island with him? Uh huh, you guessed it, Becca.
“I like you.” Max nodded. “You fight fire with fire. I think if we ever get off this island and the world gets taken over by zombies, I want you as my second-in-command.”
“Aw.” I nodded. “Sweetest thing a guy’s ever said to me.”
The two of them (Max and Becca) form some kind of crazy alliance in order
to save him from the other crazy women on the island. There’s a catch, though.
At the end of their time together, the winner (which they’re hoping is Becca)
must decide if she wants Max or a fat stack of bills. (I think she can also
pick both, if I remember correctly…) Now Max has to see if Becca will chose him
- their friendship, and blossoming love - or choose the cash and run.
“Let’s go be insane together.”
And that invitation right there… was the beginning of the end. Because I knew I would never say no to him. He could ask me to bungee jump, and even though I was terrified of heights, I’d do it. I’d do it because it was Max asking and he made me feel like I could do anything.
I cant get enough of Rachel’s writing, but even I have to say that this
read was a little over the top. Some of the things that happened were just
insane, entertaining but insane. I really enjoyed this installment in the Consequence
series, The Consequence of Revenge, just not as much as the first. I can’t wait to see where Rachel takes
us next. I’ve developed gimme hands and they want Jason’s story. And don’t even
get me started on Reid.
Son of a possessed goat. I was screwed. Oh, wait, no, that’s
what I would have been doing had my satanic brother not knocked on my door and
barged in.
Becca moved slightly, her face planted against my stomach.
Her breath hot on my skin. Shit, I was in a bad place, a very bad place. She
would be the death of me and the last thing I needed was for Reid to think I
was getting all hot and bothered because Hades had eaten another pair of my
underwear.
“’Sup, Bro?” I tried to act casual as I placed my hands
behind my head and exhaled.
Reid’s eyes narrowed. “You look funny.”
“I just woke up.” I faked a yawn. “You’re no perfect male
specimen in the mornings either, my friend.”
“Right.” Reid looked around the room, his eyes wildly
searching for something. “Have you seen Becca? I went to her hut to remind her
about the morning confessional and also make sure she knew what time her date
with you was, but she was gone.”
I shrugged. “Maybe she died.”
Becca pinched me in the ass.
My body jerked.
“Maybe. She. Died.” Reid repeated, his eyes narrowing more
and more by the second.
“I was kidding!” I laughed nervously. “She’s probably just .
. . swimming. You know.” My throat was drier than the desert. “With the fish.”
“Becca hates fish.”
“She hates sharks,” I corrected. “Fish aren’t sharks. Do you
even watch the Discovery Channel when I turn it on?”
“Swimming, huh?”
“Yeah, she loves swimming, one of her favorite things to do,
next to, you know . . .” Me, HA! “Art.”
“Art?” Reid looked confused. “What kind of art does she do?”
I can neither confirm nor deny that Becca was actively
squeezing something that should never be squeezed in that way. Ever. And I do
mean. Ever. Ever. Ever. “Er . . . she does nude art.”
And the squeeze just got worse. I kicked my feet, hoping to
land one on her, but she kept squeezing.
“Nude art?” Reid laughed. “Wow, that’s kind of hot.”
“Everything about Becca’s hot.” I shrugged.
The squeezing stopped. Hey, I’d done something right!
“You really like her, don’t you?”
“Yeah, man, I really do. She’s . . . incredible.”
Was it wrong to be a bit sad at the loss of her hand?
“Hmm.” Reid scratched his head. “Hey, what’s Hades have in
his mouth?”
I followed the direction of his gaze and felt my face pale.
Becca’s dress. Hades had somehow grabbed it in the middle of the night and was
now apparently trying to find the best way to deface it, if the way he was
sitting on it was any indication.
“My dress!” I blurted. “I brought one just in case . . .”
“Dude!” Reid held up his hands. “What? Is there something
you need to tell me? I mean you’ve always been sort of, like, metro, but . . .”
Damn it!
While trying to think of a great comeback . . . I nearly
seized. As what had once been a hand was replaced by something a lot more
inviting.
Damn that woman.
Damn that tongue!
I shuddered.
“You okay?” Reid got closer to the bed. “You look a little
sick.”
“Stop!” I gasped. Holy shit, I didn’t know my name. What was
my name?
Reid, most likely sensing my distress, chose that moment to
sit, yes, SIT on my bed. The same bed that I planned to purchase and send home
and put in the middle of my living room and stare at. I would refer to it as
the miracle bed. Because what was taking place? Miracle.
I clenched the sheets in my hand and swallowed as sweat
trickled down my face, “No, man, hell.” I trembled. “I’m just . . .” Breathing
ragged, I licked my lips. “Not feeling, right . . . shit, right there.”
“What?” Reid’s concern quickly turned to suspicion.
“Er . . .” I shook my head. “I’m going to puke!”
Reid jolted off the bed. “Dude, you know how I feel about
puke!”
“Then”—oh look, heaven!—“go away!” I clenched my teeth
together, snapping them as my entire body went rigid.
“Fine!” Reid held up his hands. “Just don’t forget about
your confessional.”
The door slammed behind him at the exact same time I saw a
billion stars give birth to tiny planets. It was also the same time that I saw
the secrets to the universe and waved at a unicorn as it floated by me.
I lifted up the sheet. Becca looked at me innocently, then
shrugged.
“Can I keep you?” I asked.
“That depends . . .”
“I’ll sell Reid.”
“You don’t have to sell Reid.”
“Really, I don’t mind. He can go live in Alaska for all I
care, just tell me I can keep you. I want to freaking wrap you up, put you in
my pocket, and never let go. Don’t make me beg.”
“Yeah.” Becca laughed. “You can keep me, but we may have to
do something about the goat.”
Hades stomped and then promptly peed on Becca’s dress.
“So naked art, huh?” She winked.
It’s all fun and games…until someone’s heart is broken.
They’re not kids anymore, but Milo Caro is certain that
Colton Mathews will only see her as his best friend’s little sister for the
rest of their lives. After all, he made that clear the night before she left
for college. But four years later, her brother is getting married and Colt’s
the best man—and guess who is the best man’s last-minute date?
Milo vows to use the wedding to either claim the smoldering
firefighter’s heart or douse this torch for good. When Max—her best friend from
college, who may be carrying a torch of his own—crashes the party, they devise
a plan to make Colt see what he’s missing. But after Colt catches on, he
decides to cook up his own revenge.
Now it’s personal. Colt and Milo are at war, and between
Max’s questionable acting methods, an unfortunate trip to jail, and a maniacal
fiancée, what could possibly go right?
Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and their snoring Boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at www.rachelvandykenauthor.com
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