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The Grumpy Devils #1
A Deal with the Devil
He might not be the devil, but working under him for six weeks is my idea of hell.
Hayes Flynn is an arrogant jerk known best for his scotch habit and the way he spreads his British “charm” all over Hollywood, never with the same woman twice.
He’s the last person I want to work for, except he has a face I can’t look away from, and the longer we’re together, the harder he is to hate. Because under that smug exterior is a heart he doesn’t want to show—one that was badly broken a decade earlier.
A part of me wants to fix it for him before I leave…but can I do it without breaking my own in the process?
Hayes Flynn is an arrogant jerk known best for his scotch habit and the way he spreads his British “charm” all over Hollywood, never with the same woman twice.
He’s the last person I want to work for, except he has a face I can’t look away from, and the longer we’re together, the harder he is to hate. Because under that smug exterior is a heart he doesn’t want to show—one that was badly broken a decade earlier.
A part of me wants to fix it for him before I leave…but can I do it without breaking my own in the process?
300 pages, ebook
First published August 10, 2021
4,434 people are currently reading
46.8k people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth O'Roark
40 books6,612 followersElizabeth O’Roark lives in Washington, DC with her 3 children. After many years spent writing scintillating brochures about amniocentesis and heart surgery, she is thrilled to have found a job that allows her to just make s*** up.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,994 reviews
June 26, 2022
slap my ass and buy me a beach house cause i'm in love with hayes flynn
premise was really not sounding like my thing and i'm pretty jaded when it comes to enemies to lovers stories but the banter here... primo. the plot? also great. the length of this book after reading one too many 600 page KU contemporary romances? absolutely perfect.
setting also rocked. read this on a beach, thank me later.
premise was really not sounding like my thing and i'm pretty jaded when it comes to enemies to lovers stories but the banter here... primo. the plot? also great. the length of this book after reading one too many 600 page KU contemporary romances? absolutely perfect.
setting also rocked. read this on a beach, thank me later.
April 30, 2023
I just want a friend who will find me a job as a hot doctor's assistant where I earn 4k a week. He doesn't even need to fall in love with me..it's really not that much to ask for, riGHt?! 😤
Read this like 9 books ago so my memory is kinda fuzzy with details, but one thing I'll never forget is that Hayes and Tali had sex sixteen times im one night. Congratulations are in orders for Hayes for his impressive...stamina and Tali for... being able to walk the next day. 💫🥳
Read this like 9 books ago so my memory is kinda fuzzy with details, but one thing I'll never forget is that Hayes and Tali had sex sixteen times im one night. Congratulations are in orders for Hayes for his impressive...stamina and Tali for... being able to walk the next day. 💫🥳
May 22, 2022
The sheer perfection of this book. I have no words. This gif represents how f*cking delicious the sexual tension was in this. One of the best written slow burns I have ever read.
Have you ever read a book without a SINGLE FLAW in it? If not, this will be your first.
If you are not a romantic person, this book will turn you into a hopeless romantic. If you are an atheist, this book will have you praying for a church wedding and for this d!ck every sunday. She is beauty, she is grace, she does not over extend miscommunication tropes in your face. She will make you squeal like a teenage girl. 
As the disgusting Swiftie that I am I cannot deny this book will enter my very well known "drop everything now, meet me in the pouring rain, kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain" list.
This book will make you feel like you are the main fucking character, on the way out from your corporate american job, you realize in the middle of the hot streets of New York City that there is one asshole you can't get out of your head.
You will throw away your starbucks coffee in the nearest trash can, call a CAB (not a taxi, its NYC) and run back towards where he works just to find out he was already on his way to do exactly the same for you.
You will look at each other and you will finally tell him with blurry eyes (because you can't keep this confession within you any longer): I hate you. He will say: I know.
He will grab you by the neck to kiss you so deeply and fiercely that your entire life will escape from you and inside that single moment you will become one. You will curse him, hate him, wish he was dead but you won't regret it any longer.
Because you finally said fuck it, fuck this, fuck keeping my heart at bay, fuck lying to myself, just for that one single moment of blissfulness when you are finally able to let go and just give in to whatever the fuck it is that you feel for that man standing right in front of you.
And that ladies and gentlemen is how I feel when I read this book, congratu-fucking-lations to Elizabeth O'roark one more time. For creating the most mind-blowing, perfectly constructed enemies-to-friends-to-lovers since Nick and Jess from New Girl.
I hope this book makes you as happy as it made me. It is funny, light-hearted, well written, well developed and just a fucking amazing time overall. This book made me forget I hate romcoms. All Heil Elizabeth.
December 17, 2021
2 stars. I don't even know where to start this review. I am disappointed with this book...maybe because I had high hopes for it. So many people seemed to like it - friends on goodreads, people posting about it on Reddit. I really expected good things. Unfortunately, this book just didn't impress me. Not only was I feeling extremely frustrated with the hero in the beginning, but I really didn't feel like the hero & heroine had any kind of genuine connection. The writing felt weak to me, and left me feeling frustrated throughout the entire book. I hate books which make me feel like the heroine deserves better, but this was one of those where I was hoping she wouldn't end up with the hero.
The first 20% of this story - AKA: the hero's "manwhore" phase - frankly, I find this part of the story to be EXTREMELY REVOLTING. I am all for sexual exploration, I am not a prude, nor do I expect people to stay celibate. But this part of the story was just one huge turn off. He brings women home, and then since the heroine is his assistant, she is the one who has to deal with sending them home. He brings home different women almost every night in the beginning. He comments on how sexually satisfied they are, how great in bed he is, how big his dick is, etc. He makes the heroine send them home, send them flowers, take them to breakfast, etc. He even brings home a woman who looks like her, followed closely by three women at once. Gross.
But what makes it worse? He claims that he loved her from the moment he saw her. Just no. This was SIX MONTHS before the start of the story. He didn't make a move, left her alone, and just pursued tons of OW.
A quote from near the end of the book, sorry for the spoiler:
He catches my hand. “I’ve been in love with you, I think, since the day I saw you reading in the rain as you walked into work,” he says. 🙄🙄
And the final nail in this book's coffin for me? She's only been with 2 men. The first, her boyfriend of 10 years, who cheated on her, and rarely was able to make her orgasm. The second, a ONS right after her boyfriend cheated on her. So once again, we have a hero who is a manwhore and a heroine who has never had good sex.
Some background about the hero: he was hurt really badly by his ex-fiancee, so he turned into this unfeeling person who drowned his feelings in work, alcohol, and sex. But it had been SEVEN years for him. The heroine was cheated on too, why didn't she go out and have a string of meaningless sexual encounters? If she had, I would have enjoyed this story much more. Instead, we get the same old shit, different book. There's a level of misogyny in so many romance books - this one included - and I'm just no longer able to tolerate the double standard.
One other thing about this book that bothered me, that I feel deserves a mention... once again, the heroine is "not like the other girls". She's better, smarter, prettier, wittier, etc. The "other girls" are just skanks who are only good for sex. But the heroine - she's amazing and deserves everything. 🤨
Even ignoring everything that I've already mentioned, this book was just lacking in other ways. The story didn't feel complete. The connection between the MCs felt lacking. There were secondary characters who could have been more fleshed out but where instead just left flat and mostly irrelevant. All that being said, I don't recommend this book.
I usually don't add a lot of quotes to my reviews, but I felt like adding a few here... because of how fucking ridiculous some parts of this story felt.
If I thought he’d ever actually imagined me during sex, I’d probably orgasm right where I stand.
I feel like this heroine needs her head examined. She wants him to think about her while fucking OW????
I spent so much time looking down on him for the way he lives, but are his threesomes and foursomes any worse than me revenge fucking Matt’s closest friend in LA? Are they any different than my long runs at night on the bike path? It’s all just a way to drum out the emptiness.
Yes, it's different. And I hate the author for trying to make it seem like what she did once compares even slightly to what he did for 7 years. It's a joke.
“Better than banging three girls at once?” I nudge him with my shoulder. He looks around. “Is that an option at the moment? Is that what you meant when you said we’re surfing? Because if so, I’m one hundred percent in.” “Sadly, no,” I reply.
HAR HAR. A perfect example of the constant reminder of the hero's sexual escapades.
I place my hands in front of my face. “I’m the person you hired to get rid of girls like me,” I whisper. “I was just trying to make sure you didn’t have to ask me to go. I knew what this was going into it. I didn’t want to put unrealistic expectations on you.” He pulls me onto his lap, and I go willingly—straddling him, finding his mouth. And I don’t know how I can miss something I’d barely had until two days ago, but I know it deep in my gut: I’ve missed this. I’ve missed him, as if he’s a critical organ I was failing in the absence of. “I can’t believe you’d still lump yourself in with them after this weekend,” he says, leaning back to grasp my face in his hands.
Why wouldn't she? How is she actually different? Just because he had sex with her more than once?
SWE or Unsafe depending on preference: Hero is a manwhore who has sex with multiple women and has the heroine send them home the next day. We don't get the hero's POV, so we don't really know when/if he stops. We just know that he doesn't do it in front of the heroine after the first 20% or so. Otherwise, it is never actually clarified. The heroine has only ever been with 2 men. Her b/f of 10 years, and a ONS. Bad sex with both. After the initial 20% of the book is over, there are CONSTANT reminders about the hero's sexual escapades, so while he may not be doing anything explicitly, it's frequently mentioned. There's a separation before the end and it's not clarified if there are other partners for the hero. Given his sexual past, I wouldn't be surprised.
TW: Both hero & heroine cheated on in the past, death of a parent, alcoholism
The first 20% of this story - AKA: the hero's "manwhore" phase - frankly, I find this part of the story to be EXTREMELY REVOLTING. I am all for sexual exploration, I am not a prude, nor do I expect people to stay celibate. But this part of the story was just one huge turn off. He brings women home, and then since the heroine is his assistant, she is the one who has to deal with sending them home. He brings home different women almost every night in the beginning. He comments on how sexually satisfied they are, how great in bed he is, how big his dick is, etc. He makes the heroine send them home, send them flowers, take them to breakfast, etc. He even brings home a woman who looks like her, followed closely by three women at once. Gross.
But what makes it worse? He claims that he loved her from the moment he saw her. Just no. This was SIX MONTHS before the start of the story. He didn't make a move, left her alone, and just pursued tons of OW.
A quote from near the end of the book, sorry for the spoiler:
He catches my hand. “I’ve been in love with you, I think, since the day I saw you reading in the rain as you walked into work,” he says. 🙄🙄
And the final nail in this book's coffin for me? She's only been with 2 men. The first, her boyfriend of 10 years, who cheated on her, and rarely was able to make her orgasm. The second, a ONS right after her boyfriend cheated on her. So once again, we have a hero who is a manwhore and a heroine who has never had good sex.
Some background about the hero: he was hurt really badly by his ex-fiancee, so he turned into this unfeeling person who drowned his feelings in work, alcohol, and sex. But it had been SEVEN years for him. The heroine was cheated on too, why didn't she go out and have a string of meaningless sexual encounters? If she had, I would have enjoyed this story much more. Instead, we get the same old shit, different book. There's a level of misogyny in so many romance books - this one included - and I'm just no longer able to tolerate the double standard.
One other thing about this book that bothered me, that I feel deserves a mention... once again, the heroine is "not like the other girls". She's better, smarter, prettier, wittier, etc. The "other girls" are just skanks who are only good for sex. But the heroine - she's amazing and deserves everything. 🤨
Even ignoring everything that I've already mentioned, this book was just lacking in other ways. The story didn't feel complete. The connection between the MCs felt lacking. There were secondary characters who could have been more fleshed out but where instead just left flat and mostly irrelevant. All that being said, I don't recommend this book.
I usually don't add a lot of quotes to my reviews, but I felt like adding a few here... because of how fucking ridiculous some parts of this story felt.
If I thought he’d ever actually imagined me during sex, I’d probably orgasm right where I stand.
I feel like this heroine needs her head examined. She wants him to think about her while fucking OW????
I spent so much time looking down on him for the way he lives, but are his threesomes and foursomes any worse than me revenge fucking Matt’s closest friend in LA? Are they any different than my long runs at night on the bike path? It’s all just a way to drum out the emptiness.
Yes, it's different. And I hate the author for trying to make it seem like what she did once compares even slightly to what he did for 7 years. It's a joke.
“Better than banging three girls at once?” I nudge him with my shoulder. He looks around. “Is that an option at the moment? Is that what you meant when you said we’re surfing? Because if so, I’m one hundred percent in.” “Sadly, no,” I reply.
HAR HAR. A perfect example of the constant reminder of the hero's sexual escapades.
I place my hands in front of my face. “I’m the person you hired to get rid of girls like me,” I whisper. “I was just trying to make sure you didn’t have to ask me to go. I knew what this was going into it. I didn’t want to put unrealistic expectations on you.” He pulls me onto his lap, and I go willingly—straddling him, finding his mouth. And I don’t know how I can miss something I’d barely had until two days ago, but I know it deep in my gut: I’ve missed this. I’ve missed him, as if he’s a critical organ I was failing in the absence of. “I can’t believe you’d still lump yourself in with them after this weekend,” he says, leaning back to grasp my face in his hands.
Why wouldn't she? How is she actually different? Just because he had sex with her more than once?
SWE or Unsafe depending on preference: Hero is a manwhore who has sex with multiple women and has the heroine send them home the next day. We don't get the hero's POV, so we don't really know when/if he stops. We just know that he doesn't do it in front of the heroine after the first 20% or so. Otherwise, it is never actually clarified. The heroine has only ever been with 2 men. Her b/f of 10 years, and a ONS. Bad sex with both. After the initial 20% of the book is over, there are CONSTANT reminders about the hero's sexual escapades, so while he may not be doing anything explicitly, it's frequently mentioned. There's a separation before the end and it's not clarified if there are other partners for the hero. Given his sexual past, I wouldn't be surprised.
TW: Both hero & heroine cheated on in the past, death of a parent, alcoholism
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2022
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
I loved this book very much. It was heartwarming and I appreciated how it made me feel.
The Plot – the good and the bad:
Hayes has a sad history. His mother and father were never good parents. His fiancé left him for his father and married him. Her ex fiancé is now his step mother. This event made him lose all his trust in women and shaped how he lives his life now. He works too hard and earns a lot of money as a doctor. He has one night-stands with numerous women. And he hasn’t had a relationship with another woman for 7 years after how his fiancé left him.
Tali (Natalie), is another wounded person. Her boyfriend of 10 years cheated on her and therefore, she has also now lost all her trust in men. She is a writer, trying to finish her first novel and during that time, she ends up being Hayes’s temporary assistant.
Tali has a lot of presumptions about Hayes but the more she gets to know him, the more she understands that she was awfully wrong.
The way they slowly bond and trust each other is very sweet and endearing. I loved every minute of it. I just wish their kissing and sex scenes were more impressive because with all the pent-up energy, I expected more passionate scenes but anyways, I loved this couple so I won’t complain about it much, but just saying it.
*********************************************
The book has its beauty but it also has its flaws.
For example, although he has had too many women in his life, she had only two and one was her boyfriend of 10 years and the other was the revenge fu*k with his best friend for one-night. The boyfriend wasn’t good in bed and I don’t know about the other but I don’t like it when he is so experienced and she is not and this is the case here. Besides, our hero is the first man who goes down on her. She never ever experienced it in her 10-year relationship.
Another flaw is the heroine’s constant state of not being sure about him. She always assumes the worst. She is so afraid of being hurt again that it takes her a long time (until nearly the end of the book) to see that Hayes is crazy in love with her.
Hayes shows how much he cares but he doesn’t say the words for a long time because he is also vulnerable. That’s why it takes a lot of time for them to see that they both love each other. It is kind of frustrating after a while. I was yelling at a point at them, telling them to confess their feelings!
The book is, in fact, quite uneventful. It is solely based on their daily routine and daily interactions. In most cases, I hate uneventful books because they are usually boring but in this book there was not one moment that I got bored. Just the opposite. I might have read many pages more than once 😊❤️😊
There are so many things that make you keep hooked. First of all, there is good banter in this book and I really laughed many times. All their humorous interactions are unique and precious.
Secondly, I loved how they desperately needed each other and how deeply they loved each other.
Also, I liked how much she tried to help him to be the doctor he intended to be at the beginning of his career, not the one who is obsessed about earning money now. She also cared about his health and I liked how he allowed her to change him. She tried to stop his constant drinking and dangerous eating habits by giving him healthy food and vitamins and he was always soft towards her, doing whatever she says.
*********************************************
At the beginning of the book, you may be annoyed with his reaction when he finds her as his temporary assistant in his house but just wait: there is a good reason why he acts the way he acts on that first day.
You must also know that this is not the first time they meet. They met 6 months ago but there is a reason why he did not act on his feelings for her.
*********************************************
The book has a happy ending with an epilogue. I normally prefer babies a few years later because I want my couple to be lovers for a few years before becoming parents but again in this book, the writer seems to have felt the need to rush for a baby. Although I didn’t like it, I tried to make my peace with it.
*********************************************
Also, if you subscribe to the writer’s page, you can also read the Bonus Epilogue, named “The Honeymoon”. Although its title is “The Honeymoon”, it doesn’t cover their honeymoon in Maldives. It’s about something else. Therefore, do not expect a hot epilogue on the sunny and sexy islands.…
*********************************************
Safety:
The book is not safe for some readers because the hero sleeps with other women after he meets our heroine. I usually don't mind it but I know some readers hate it, so just be forewarned.
As his assistant, she spends a lot of time in his house and she witnesses his one-night stands, even a foursome with three women. However, the numerous women he brings home at that first week stops abruptly and he doesn’t sleep with any other women after that.
*********************************************
Writing:
The book is written from the 1st person point of view, the heroine’s.
The Bonus Epilogue that you get when you subscribe to the writer’s page is written from the hero’s point of view.
The writing is good, it makes you feel. I just recommend the writer to improve herself at writing hot scenes (both kissing and sex scenes). They felt short of my expectations.
* P.S. For passionate and perfect love-making scenes, read "Veiled Innocence" and "Black Swan Affair". They are the books with which I compare whatever I read.
*********************************************
Rating:
All in all, the book has its good and bad sides, which may change from one reader to another. Although I got annoyed with certain things, my love for the book never changed. I loved it despite the things I didn’t like.
Now, in the end, I feel like I should show my dislike about "the unplanned and very early pregnancy" and my disappointment in "the unsatisfactory hot scenes" by deducting a few points, which I normally would; however, I really can't give this book anything but 5 stars for the way it has made me feel - I just can't. Therefore, I hereby declare that I am only deducting 0.5 point for everything I was not OK with because the book has made me feel generous, as you see...
I hope, if you decide to read it, you will also love it as much as I did.
*********************************************
QUOTES from the book
“Are you...are you wearing my date’s dress?” he asks, horrified.
The silver lining to having nothing left to lose is that...I have nothing left to lose. “Do you like it?” I whisper, raising nervous, hopeful eyes to him. “I disposed of her, just like you asked.”
He’s frozen. There’s confusion in his gaze, and the tiniest seed of dawning terror. “What?” he barks.
I bite my lip and clasp my hands together like a penitent child. “I thought you’d like it. Now we can be together forever.”
His mouth hangs open and I can read his thoughts so clearly—This can’t be happening. Oh my God, what has she done?
***
“You’re far too chipper and well-rested to be doing anything interesting at night.”
“Maybe I’m just capable of enjoying my leisure time without letting it destroy me the next day.”
“Tali,” he says, rubbing his brow as he stands, “any man sleeping with you would keep you up all night long whether it was in his best interest or not. He wouldn’t be able to help himself.”
***
He flashes me his filthiest smile. It’s absolutely pathetic how that smile works on me, worming its way through my blood, replicating in every cell like a virus.
***
“No offense, but that sounds extremely dull,” he replies. “A good sex scene is essential to any meaningful work of fiction.”
“Ah, yes. I remember the blow job in Pride and Prejudice. Very tastefully done.”
***
“That’s not a ‘little get-together’. That’s a wedding. Did you finally find someone worthy of you? Just so we’re clear, I’m not sure you can legally wed your own reflection.”
He climbs to his feet. “I’m still hoping that law gets changed.”
***
“Obviously, in a perfect world, I’d be your first choice.”
“Obviously,” I say, my lips humming along the lip of my glass. “It’s so hard to find a man who will buy me drinks, fuck me and never call again.”
***
He likes to feel cared for. He likes that someone in his life wants things for him aside from what he does for them in return.
*********************************************
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October 9, 2024
3 - 3.5 Stars
This was cute and I enjoyed the banter...but I feel like I've already read better versions of this same story line before.
This was cute and I enjoyed the banter...but I feel like I've already read better versions of this same story line before.
Read
November 13, 2022dnf because there are only so many hours in a day and i refuse to waste them on mediocrity
August 19, 2021
3 💘🤔🤔⭐️s
A single pov slow burn romance read.
While the first half was engaging and had my interest, as the story was unfolding the characters’ development was inadequate. Regarding the plot, it felt as if some things/scenes were missing or the author never thought of elaborating.
While both main characters had quite a drama in their lives, either with their exes or their families, the heroine was slightly frustrating since she never stood up to them, until towards the end of the story.
I was waiting for one - just one! chapter with Hayes’ pov, instead I only got a few lines throughput the story declaring his feelings.
I liked their chemistry but I missed the deep feelings between them.
The epilogue was short and tbh I felt a little tricked that I had to subscribe to the author’s newsletter as to receive a bonus epilogue. (I didn’t!)
The title was not suitable to the story. Talia made the deal with her friend Jonathan as to go and work for Hayes… I wasn’t aware of a deal between the mcs. 🤷🏻♀️
A single pov slow burn romance read.
While the first half was engaging and had my interest, as the story was unfolding the characters’ development was inadequate. Regarding the plot, it felt as if some things/scenes were missing or the author never thought of elaborating.
While both main characters had quite a drama in their lives, either with their exes or their families, the heroine was slightly frustrating since she never stood up to them, until towards the end of the story.
I was waiting for one - just one! chapter with Hayes’ pov, instead I only got a few lines throughput the story declaring his feelings.
I liked their chemistry but I missed the deep feelings between them.
The epilogue was short and tbh I felt a little tricked that I had to subscribe to the author’s newsletter as to receive a bonus epilogue. (I didn’t!)
The title was not suitable to the story. Talia made the deal with her friend Jonathan as to go and work for Hayes… I wasn’t aware of a deal between the mcs. 🤷🏻♀️
December 2, 2022
Uh.. what? WHAT? I've been blindsided by yet another jaded billioner with a secret soft spot for the girl and only her.
No, but seriously. This was so good, it's making my top 5 of the year. Wtf, right?
I had no idea this was a slow burn when I started reading and boy, it took them almost 70% of the story to finally touch. This book made me work for it so hard, I was literally panting when it finally happened.
The sexual tension, chemistry and banter between these two is the kind of slow burn I die for.
I don't mind if there isn't any smut as long as they are horny for each other. And you could feel how much they ached for one another in this book.
Their banter made me laugh out loud, and I absolutely love it when that happens. I go feral when a book makes me actually laugh for real. And these two had me cracking up.
Hayes is my current book husband and I’m obsessed. OBSESSED. He friking bought her a beach house to show her how much she meant to him. COME ON! I have a type when it comes to grumpy assholes. When they are billioners and spend all their money in pampering their girl... Poetic cinema.
Elizabeth O'Roark's writing is surprisingly beautiful. There are some lines that truly touched my mushy slilly heart for real. If you check my notes, you can see how this book unraveled me into a stupid mess, it's kinda funny ngl lmao.
No, but seriously. This was so good, it's making my top 5 of the year. Wtf, right?
I had no idea this was a slow burn when I started reading and boy, it took them almost 70% of the story to finally touch. This book made me work for it so hard, I was literally panting when it finally happened.
The sexual tension, chemistry and banter between these two is the kind of slow burn I die for.
I don't mind if there isn't any smut as long as they are horny for each other. And you could feel how much they ached for one another in this book.
Their banter made me laugh out loud, and I absolutely love it when that happens. I go feral when a book makes me actually laugh for real. And these two had me cracking up.
Hayes is my current book husband and I’m obsessed. OBSESSED. He friking bought her a beach house to show her how much she meant to him. COME ON! I have a type when it comes to grumpy assholes. When they are billioners and spend all their money in pampering their girl... Poetic cinema.
Elizabeth O'Roark's writing is surprisingly beautiful. There are some lines that truly touched my mushy slilly heart for real. If you check my notes, you can see how this book unraveled me into a stupid mess, it's kinda funny ngl lmao.
January 18, 2023
4.25 stars
Enemies to lovers, workplace romance, and a whole lot of fun. I enjoyed Hayes and Tali’s story so much!
Tali has a lot going on in her life. She’s been single for a year, her father has been gone for about the same amount of time, and she seems like the only one in her family with it together. Oh, and she’s drowning in debt. When her bet friend Jonathan needs a replacement for him for 6 weeks as an assistant to the surgeon of the stars, Tali begrudgingly agrees. The money is too good to pass up.
This is when we meet Hayes Flynn. At first, Hayes is a grouch and sleeps around a ton. Doesn’t seem much like book boyfriend material, right? But with time things with Hayes change. We start to learn more about him and see a different side of him. My favorite thing about this book is how Tali always gave back what Hayes was throwing at her. They had the best back and forth teasing.
I love a slow burn romance with great banter and this one hit the spot. It has so many romantic moments and a grumpy yet lovable hero and strong willed heroine. I’m excited to read more from this series and hopefully get more of this couple in these books!
Enemies to lovers, workplace romance, and a whole lot of fun. I enjoyed Hayes and Tali’s story so much!
Tali has a lot going on in her life. She’s been single for a year, her father has been gone for about the same amount of time, and she seems like the only one in her family with it together. Oh, and she’s drowning in debt. When her bet friend Jonathan needs a replacement for him for 6 weeks as an assistant to the surgeon of the stars, Tali begrudgingly agrees. The money is too good to pass up.
This is when we meet Hayes Flynn. At first, Hayes is a grouch and sleeps around a ton. Doesn’t seem much like book boyfriend material, right? But with time things with Hayes change. We start to learn more about him and see a different side of him. My favorite thing about this book is how Tali always gave back what Hayes was throwing at her. They had the best back and forth teasing.
I love a slow burn romance with great banter and this one hit the spot. It has so many romantic moments and a grumpy yet lovable hero and strong willed heroine. I’m excited to read more from this series and hopefully get more of this couple in these books!
May 3, 2024
Update ⇢ This book is just as good on audio as it is in physical or electronic format. It has easily become an all time favorite.
After seeing a friend post about this, I decided to give it a try during my short social media break. All I can say is, THIS is what enemies to lovers should look like. The contempt these two characters had for each other sizzled, their banter was epic, and the spice, although not at the forefront (which I actually liked) was hot hot hot.
I found myself laughing out loud more than a few times while reading this. Elizabeth O’Roark might just be my new queen of banter. The dialogue was on top notch, the story flowed at the right pace throughout and I loved the extent to which she was able to develop not only the main characters, but a few of the supporting characters who will be featured in other books within the series.
Is this book pretty formula? Yes. Does it include the typical cliches? At times. But I have not read a indie romance I have liked this much in a while, nor an enemies to lovers done well. I am already onto book two in the series and cannot wait to complete it. This author definitely has a new fan in me.
After seeing a friend post about this, I decided to give it a try during my short social media break. All I can say is, THIS is what enemies to lovers should look like. The contempt these two characters had for each other sizzled, their banter was epic, and the spice, although not at the forefront (which I actually liked) was hot hot hot.
I found myself laughing out loud more than a few times while reading this. Elizabeth O’Roark might just be my new queen of banter. The dialogue was on top notch, the story flowed at the right pace throughout and I loved the extent to which she was able to develop not only the main characters, but a few of the supporting characters who will be featured in other books within the series.
Is this book pretty formula? Yes. Does it include the typical cliches? At times. But I have not read a indie romance I have liked this much in a while, nor an enemies to lovers done well. I am already onto book two in the series and cannot wait to complete it. This author definitely has a new fan in me.
August 14, 2021
The first 60% of the book was fantastic with all the banter and the little touches and sneaky looks the MCs had, creating and incredible tension between them.
It had so much potential but the last part didn’t deliver for me because of 3 things:
- She started constantly mentioning his ex or one night stands when he approached starting a relationship with her to keep him away. It was annoying seeing her insecurity show in that way and how much it hurt him.
- Her family dynamics was the worst, she should have stood up for herself sooner.
- Their relationship went from 0 to a 100 in a matter of 20 pages making it unconvincing.
It had so much potential but the last part didn’t deliver for me because of 3 things:
- She started constantly mentioning his ex or one night stands when he approached starting a relationship with her to keep him away. It was annoying seeing her insecurity show in that way and how much it hurt him.
- Her family dynamics was the worst, she should have stood up for herself sooner.
- Their relationship went from 0 to a 100 in a matter of 20 pages making it unconvincing.
April 12, 2023
“I’m having a little get-together Friday,” Hayes announces as he takes his seat at the counter Monday morning. “I’ll need...stuff.”
“Could you be slightly more specific?” I ask. “Since I’ve never seen your parties, I don’t know if ‘stuff’ means a few six packs of Coors Light, or a kilogram of cocaine.”
“Could you even get a kilogram of cocaine?” he asks. “Is that something I should have been hitting you up for all along?”
“I have no idea. I never learned the metric system.”
He rolls his eyes and mutters bloody Americans under his breath. “No, I don’t require cocaine. Just a bar and food. And music. And a valet, I guess. Two hundred people, maybe.”
I groan. A valet? Two hundred people? “That’s not a ‘little get-together’. That’s a wedding. Did you finally find someone worthy of you? Just so we’re clear, I’m not sure you can legally wed your own reflection.”
He climbs to his feet. “I’m still hoping that law gets changed.”
I can't seem to get enough of these Devils, and the fact that this one Devil in particular was not only British but charming af, definitely isn't helping with my newest obsession.
👨⚕️𝗔 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗟 - 𝗕𝗬 𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗭𝗔𝗕𝗘𝗧𝗛 𝗢'𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗥𝗞👨⚕️
★𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
★𝗬𝗔/𝗡𝗔/𝗔: 🅽🅰/🅰
★𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙳𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙻𝚂 #𝟷 (𝙱𝚄𝚃 𝙲𝙰𝙽 𝙱𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙳 𝙰𝚂 𝙰 𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙰𝙻𝙾𝙽𝙴)
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦: 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 - 𝙲𝙷𝙸𝙲𝙺-𝙻𝙸𝚃 - 𝚂𝙼𝚄𝚃
★𝗣𝗢𝗩: 𝚂𝙸𝙽𝙶𝙻𝙴 𝙿𝙾𝚅 - 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽 - 𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚂𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴
★𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: 𝙿𝙻𝙰𝚈𝙴𝚁 𝙼𝙼𝙲 - 𝙱𝙾𝚂𝚂𝚡𝙴𝙼𝙿𝙻𝙾𝚈𝙴𝙴 - 𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙾𝚄𝚂 𝙳𝙾𝙲𝚃𝙾𝚁 𝙼𝙼𝙲 - 𝙿𝙾𝚆𝙴𝚁/𝙷𝙴𝙰𝙻𝚃𝙷 𝙸𝙼𝙱𝙰𝙻𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 - 𝙰𝚂𝚂𝙷𝙾𝙻𝙴 𝙴𝚇𝚎𝚜 - 𝙵𝙰𝙺𝙴 𝚁𝙴𝙻𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿 - 𝚂𝙴𝙲𝚁𝙴𝚃 𝚁𝙴𝙻𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿 - 𝙹𝙴𝙰𝙻𝙾𝚄𝚂𝚈 - 𝙼𝙸𝚂𝚄𝙽𝙳𝙴𝚁𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶𝚂
★𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: 👥👥👥👥/5
★𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼/5
★𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧: 📜📜📜/5
★𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦 & 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: 💀💀💀½/5 (𝙳𝙸𝚂𝙵𝚄𝙽𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻 𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙻𝙸𝙴𝚂 - 𝙲𝙷𝙴𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶 (𝙽𝙾𝚃 𝙱𝙴𝚃𝚆𝙴𝙴𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙼𝙲𝚂) - 𝙳𝙴𝙰𝚃𝙷 𝙾𝙵 𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙻𝚈 𝙼𝙴𝙼𝙱𝙴𝚁𝚂 - 𝙰𝙻𝙲𝙾𝙷𝙾𝙻𝙸𝚂𝙼 (𝙵𝙼𝙲'𝚂 𝙼𝙾𝙼 - 𝙼𝙼𝙲 𝙳𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙺𝚂 𝙰 𝙻𝙾𝚃, 𝚃𝙾𝙾, 𝙰𝚃 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃) - 𝙼𝙴𝙳𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝙲𝙴𝙳𝚄𝚁𝙴𝚂 - 𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝙿𝙰𝚂𝚃 𝙼𝙴𝙳𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻 𝙵𝙰𝙸𝙻𝚄𝚁𝙴𝚂)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧: 🔥🔥🔥🔥/5 (𝙺𝙸𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙿𝙴𝚃𝚃𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙾𝚁𝙰𝙻 𝚂𝙴𝚇 - 𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙻𝙸𝙲𝙸𝚃 𝚂𝙴𝚇 𝙱𝙴𝚃𝚆𝙴𝙴𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙼𝙲𝚂 - 𝙳𝙸𝚁𝚃𝚈 𝚃𝙰𝙻𝙺𝚂 - 𝙼𝙼𝙲 𝙸𝚂 𝚂𝙴𝙴𝙽 𝚂𝙿𝙴𝙽𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙽𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃 𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷 𝙼𝚄𝙻𝚃𝙸𝙿𝙻𝙴 𝚆𝙾𝙼𝙴𝙽 (𝙾𝙵𝚃𝙴𝙽 𝚂𝙸𝙼𝚄𝙻𝚃𝙰𝙽𝙴𝙾𝚄𝚂𝙻𝚈) 𝙳𝚄𝚁𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚂)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬/𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🚒🚒🚒½/5 (𝙿𝚁𝙴𝚃𝚃𝚈 𝙷𝙾𝚃 "𝙹𝚄𝚂𝚃 𝚂𝙴𝚇" 𝚂𝙴𝚇)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: 💣💣💣/5
★𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🤐🤐🤐/5 (𝙼𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴 𝙻𝙰𝙽𝙶𝚄𝙰𝙶𝙴 - 𝙶𝚁𝙰𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲 𝙳𝙴𝚂𝙲𝚁𝙸𝙿𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝚂𝙴𝚇 - 𝙱𝙾𝚃𝙾𝚇 𝙸𝙽𝙹𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂)
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🌻🌻🌻/5 (𝙽𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙷𝙰𝙿𝙿𝙴𝙽𝚂 𝚄𝙽𝚃𝙸𝙻 𝟽𝟶% - 𝙿𝙸𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶)
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🌹🌹🌹½/5
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: 💔💔½/𝟱
★𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗘: ❌ (𝙵𝙼𝙲 𝙶𝙾𝙴𝚂 𝙾𝙽 𝙰 𝙳𝙰𝚃𝙴 𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷 𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝙵𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙽𝙳 𝙱𝚄𝚃 𝙼𝙼𝙲 𝚂𝙷𝙾𝚆𝚂 𝚄𝙿 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝚂𝚃𝙴𝙰𝙻𝚂 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝙷𝙾𝚆)
★𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 𝙵/𝙼
★𝗥𝗘𝗣: 𝙵𝙼𝙲'𝚂 𝚂𝙸𝚂𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙷𝙰𝚂 𝙱𝙰𝙳 𝙰𝙽𝚇𝙸𝙴𝚃𝚈/𝙿𝚃𝚂𝙳 - 𝙶𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙵 - 𝙰𝙻𝙲𝙾𝙷𝙾𝙻𝙸𝙲 𝙿𝙰𝚁𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝙵𝙸𝙶𝚄𝚁𝙴
★𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗦-𝗧𝗢-𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🖤/5
★𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚:
★𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚: 🎶𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙿𝙰𝚂𝚂 - 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙽𝙴𝙸𝙶𝙷𝙱𝙾𝚄𝚁𝙷𝙾𝙾𝙳🎶
▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰
If you've read The Wall of Winnipeg and Me and loved it and the slow burn aspect of it, you can't miss this book.
While Tali and Hayes cannot be compared to Gemma and Ben (#3), their love story gave me plenty of butterflies and they're definitely the perfect introduction to The Devils series.
This book contains almost all my favorite tropes and O'Roark's writing is just as likeable as it was in The Devil You Know.
I loved the complexity of Hayes's character and his personal development; Tali is fantastic, and I'm starting to believe O'Roark's can't write a bad female main character. I'll need to get to book #2 as soon as possible and meet Drew so I can confirm my theory.
Plotwise speaking, this flowed perfectly and was a quick and easy read, with little angst and a lot of sweet and sexy moments.
The narrator, Rose Dioro, was simply perfect. I appreciate that she didn't make cringey voices and yet was able to give every character their distinct personality.
Oh, and, as usual. I'd like to thank the editor of this book for always choosing the most handsome men for the covers of this series. Let's all thank Chema Malavia's parents for providing him such fine genes. 'Preciated.
January 30, 2023
3.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise. The banter. The flirtation. The heat.
The Not-So-Good: The fact that we didn't get the H's POV. I think this could've contributed a lot to the story and their connection.
The Bad: The ending. I hate when we wrap up the conflict and the book at the same time. I need some time in between! I felt like this could've been so much better closure with a glimpse into their future.
Overall: This was better than I expected! I liked their banter and their development of stronger feelings was great. I just wish we ended with more. Overall, I enjoyed it!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Tali and Hayes' story. Tali is in a bad place from taking care of her family and when her friend offers her his job temporarily, she jumps on it even though she despises his boss. Hayes is plastic surgeon to the stars and too gorgeous for his own good. They butt heads, but after a while Tali starts seeing past the grumpy walls Hayes has erected around his heart from being hurt in the past. They end up as two people untrusting of the other sex but developing feelings all the same. There's some secrets revealed, some ex and family drama, and some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This was told in Tali's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I thought it flowed well and I never skimmed.
Instalove: No, they form a friendship of sorts first then develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Hayes. I liked him. I appreciated his humor and how he cared for others even though he didn't like being vulnerable.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Tali. I liked her. I just really wanted her to stick up for herself more with her family.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. Slow burn because they aren't intimate until around 72ish%.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: Not on page
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in a pretty good place but right after their conflict is resolved (kind of), so I will call this a HFN ending
Safety: This one should be either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise. The banter. The flirtation. The heat.
The Not-So-Good: The fact that we didn't get the H's POV. I think this could've contributed a lot to the story and their connection.
The Bad: The ending. I hate when we wrap up the conflict and the book at the same time. I need some time in between! I felt like this could've been so much better closure with a glimpse into their future.
Overall: This was better than I expected! I liked their banter and their development of stronger feelings was great. I just wish we ended with more. Overall, I enjoyed it!
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Tali and Hayes' story. Tali is in a bad place from taking care of her family and when her friend offers her his job temporarily, she jumps on it even though she despises his boss. Hayes is plastic surgeon to the stars and too gorgeous for his own good. They butt heads, but after a while Tali starts seeing past the grumpy walls Hayes has erected around his heart from being hurt in the past. They end up as two people untrusting of the other sex but developing feelings all the same. There's some secrets revealed, some ex and family drama, and some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This was told in Tali's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I thought it flowed well and I never skimmed.
Instalove: No, they form a friendship of sorts first then develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 4 stars. Hayes. I liked him. I appreciated his humor and how he cared for others even though he didn't like being vulnerable.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Tali. I liked her. I just really wanted her to stick up for herself more with her family.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Hot. They have some hot tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. Slow burn because they aren't intimate until around 72ish%.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: Not on page
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in a pretty good place but right after their conflict is resolved (kind of), so I will call this a HFN ending
Safety: This one should be either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences
July 31, 2021
Consider me smitten, charmed, seduced, and utterly romanced by this story, and by these characters. This novel is a sexy blend of sophistication, banter, friendship, love, and steam. With her effortless prose, Elizabeth O’Roark captured my heart with her charismatic and relatable characters. She showcased a love story that was a symphony of heat, passion, and raw vulnerability. It was the perfect romantic reading escape. I LOVED IT!
Delivered with an effortless pace, a wonderfully developed plot and easy to love characters. I was hooked with their story from the get-go. Hayes was irresistibly charismatic with his quick wit, dirty British mouth and big thoughtful heart. On the surface, he seemed like a commitment-phobic playboy with a wild streak. But underneath all of that, there were so many moments that showed the real man he was - a good, kind-hearted saviour who was just guarding his heart. He was afraid of hurting someone and being hurt and was, in his own way, trying to do the right thing. Tali, had an equally charming personality, and easy to relate with. She made me laugh, she made me feel. I believed every single ounce of her charm and connection to Hayes. And my gosh, that connection...hot, raw, passionate. I felt every sizzle, every spark, every intense pull. I just loved the dynamic between these characters, and the way their attraction and friendship bloomed. And from their semi-antagonistic back and forth, to their sizzling chemistry, to their heart melting happy ever after.
I am in utter bliss right now. I practically inhaled this book in one sitting. This book owned me. Hayes Flynn was the epitome of ultimate book boyfriend when it came to his affection for Tali. Fantastic and FLAWLESS....A Deal With The Deal brings all the feels and more. What I loved most about is that it was the perfect mix of humour, fun, emotion, angst and steam. I found it incredibly hard to put down. Elizabeth O’Roark is one of the very best romance authors I've ever read. Her stories are addictive, sexy, and full of heart. Overall, I can’t say enough good things. I’m still trying to recover from the swoon that overcame me as I read this romance. It was funny, sexy, heartfelt, everything that makes for a perfect book. I'm 99% sure that this book will be in my TOP 10 at the end of 2021. I'm so in love. A must read for any romance lover who is looking to get lost in a story that will make you smile and feel.
Delivered with an effortless pace, a wonderfully developed plot and easy to love characters. I was hooked with their story from the get-go. Hayes was irresistibly charismatic with his quick wit, dirty British mouth and big thoughtful heart. On the surface, he seemed like a commitment-phobic playboy with a wild streak. But underneath all of that, there were so many moments that showed the real man he was - a good, kind-hearted saviour who was just guarding his heart. He was afraid of hurting someone and being hurt and was, in his own way, trying to do the right thing. Tali, had an equally charming personality, and easy to relate with. She made me laugh, she made me feel. I believed every single ounce of her charm and connection to Hayes. And my gosh, that connection...hot, raw, passionate. I felt every sizzle, every spark, every intense pull. I just loved the dynamic between these characters, and the way their attraction and friendship bloomed. And from their semi-antagonistic back and forth, to their sizzling chemistry, to their heart melting happy ever after.
I am in utter bliss right now. I practically inhaled this book in one sitting. This book owned me. Hayes Flynn was the epitome of ultimate book boyfriend when it came to his affection for Tali. Fantastic and FLAWLESS....A Deal With The Deal brings all the feels and more. What I loved most about is that it was the perfect mix of humour, fun, emotion, angst and steam. I found it incredibly hard to put down. Elizabeth O’Roark is one of the very best romance authors I've ever read. Her stories are addictive, sexy, and full of heart. Overall, I can’t say enough good things. I’m still trying to recover from the swoon that overcame me as I read this romance. It was funny, sexy, heartfelt, everything that makes for a perfect book. I'm 99% sure that this book will be in my TOP 10 at the end of 2021. I'm so in love. A must read for any romance lover who is looking to get lost in a story that will make you smile and feel.
July 23, 2022
the heroine didn’t deserve hayes and i stand by that
March 23, 2024
Hovering between 3 and 4 stars. Minor spoilers below.
This is a weird one because I reaaaally hated the beginning of this book. For the first ~25% of the book, I was toying with the idea of DNFing and thinking about how it was a 1-star book. My problem with the beginning is that the characters just launch into bickering, but it doesn't seem natural or make sense. They both seem to absolutely hate each other at first sight for absolutely no reason. Tali starts a job as his personal assistant and is immediately rude to him. I found her obnoxious, extremely unprofessional, and snarky to the point where I was cringing during every interaction between them. I also found Hayes to be a bit of a douchebag. Any guy who is constantly bragging about how good he is at getting girls off (and how big his dick is) is kind of a red flag to me. Like are you overcompensating? What a tool.
Everything turned around about 30% in, and then I could not put this book down. I think it's when they stopped pretending to despise each other and started to just be friends. Their banter became funny. Hayes's jealousy became hot, and his comments about his sexual appetite towards Tali also became kind of hot instead of douchey. The last half of this book was amazing and fully brought this book up from 1-star in my mind to 4-stars. I loved their amusement park day and their trip to Laguna Beach. I also loved when Hayes bought Tali the dress, made her pretend to be his gf at the birthday party, punched her ex boyfriend in the face, and took care of Tali when she got sick. I'd love to read some bonus chapters from his POV after they got awkward after their first time sleeping together or when he found out she had to move to Kansas. This might be the first time I've read a book where I hated the enemies part of it, and I loved the friends-to-lovers part of it.
Overall, a rocky start, but ultimately this was a really good contemporary romance between a grumpy boss and his temporary personal assistant (a character who is also an author working on a fae fantasy romance book throughout this book!).
This is a weird one because I reaaaally hated the beginning of this book. For the first ~25% of the book, I was toying with the idea of DNFing and thinking about how it was a 1-star book. My problem with the beginning is that the characters just launch into bickering, but it doesn't seem natural or make sense. They both seem to absolutely hate each other at first sight for absolutely no reason. Tali starts a job as his personal assistant and is immediately rude to him. I found her obnoxious, extremely unprofessional, and snarky to the point where I was cringing during every interaction between them. I also found Hayes to be a bit of a douchebag. Any guy who is constantly bragging about how good he is at getting girls off (and how big his dick is) is kind of a red flag to me. Like are you overcompensating? What a tool.
Everything turned around about 30% in, and then I could not put this book down. I think it's when they stopped pretending to despise each other and started to just be friends. Their banter became funny. Hayes's jealousy became hot, and his comments about his sexual appetite towards Tali also became kind of hot instead of douchey. The last half of this book was amazing and fully brought this book up from 1-star in my mind to 4-stars. I loved their amusement park day and their trip to Laguna Beach. I also loved when Hayes bought Tali the dress, made her pretend to be his gf at the birthday party, punched her ex boyfriend in the face, and took care of Tali when she got sick. I'd love to read some bonus chapters from his POV after they got awkward after their first time sleeping together or when he found out she had to move to Kansas. This might be the first time I've read a book where I hated the enemies part of it, and I loved the friends-to-lovers part of it.
Overall, a rocky start, but ultimately this was a really good contemporary romance between a grumpy boss and his temporary personal assistant (a character who is also an author working on a fae fantasy romance book throughout this book!).
March 28, 2023
This book was everything I wanted in a boss/assistant romance! A rich, grumpy surgeon + the quick witted, tough skinned girl who is his temporary assistant.
Hayes is a plastic surgeon, and when his normal assistant goes on leave for a few months, Tali steps up to take over. Hayes is an a$$ from day 1, but Tali refuses to back down or take his sh!t (good for her, I personally would have cried). Not only does she match his quick wit and intelligence, but she does little things to try and make his life easier. Hayes has never really had someone who cared about him, and Tali has always been the person to take care of everyone else first. Slowly they form a friendship, but one that is highhhh in tension. What they intend to be a one time hook up to “get it out of their system” (bc that always works) turns into more than they planned.
There is something about the “rich billionaire who never takes a day off until he meets her and decides she’s more important than his work” plot line that just does it for me every time. Hayes was a major workaholic grump with trust issues, but as soon as he gets a shot with Tali, it’s game over, he changes his ways. Tali has never had anyone put her needs first, so I just loved their dynamic of finally finding their person in each other. Their banter was hilarious and their chemistry was next level. This was my first book by this author and I can’t wait to read more!
Hayes is a plastic surgeon, and when his normal assistant goes on leave for a few months, Tali steps up to take over. Hayes is an a$$ from day 1, but Tali refuses to back down or take his sh!t (good for her, I personally would have cried). Not only does she match his quick wit and intelligence, but she does little things to try and make his life easier. Hayes has never really had someone who cared about him, and Tali has always been the person to take care of everyone else first. Slowly they form a friendship, but one that is highhhh in tension. What they intend to be a one time hook up to “get it out of their system” (bc that always works) turns into more than they planned.
There is something about the “rich billionaire who never takes a day off until he meets her and decides she’s more important than his work” plot line that just does it for me every time. Hayes was a major workaholic grump with trust issues, but as soon as he gets a shot with Tali, it’s game over, he changes his ways. Tali has never had anyone put her needs first, so I just loved their dynamic of finally finding their person in each other. Their banter was hilarious and their chemistry was next level. This was my first book by this author and I can’t wait to read more!
October 5, 2021
3 stars 💫
“Are you...are you wearing my date’s dress?” he asks, horrified.
“Do you like it?” I whisper, raising nervous, hopeful eyes to him. “I disposed of her, just like you asked.”
💉how did i not know this came out months ago.... i'm literally on her mailing list 🥲
💉 the first half gets 2 stars from me and the last half gets 4. it was cute but nothing new and the hero was kinda cliche and uninspiring
💉 i'm still holding out hope for milly from the Parallel series to get a book 🤞🏽🙏🏽
January 1, 2025
I am OBSESSED with Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, so I was excited to go back and read this book. Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me. I didn't feel the angst since it was really just internal conflict preventing then from being together. I wanted a bit more from the plot, too, so I wasn't as engaged as I wanted to be. I do think the absolute angst of book two set me up with too high of expectations for this one, so I just didn't love it as much as I wanted to.
May 30, 2023
There was a lot to love about this book, and the banter was the main thing for me! Love a good banter give, banter take relationship! I also love a reforms playboy who falls hard and a sassy heroine who doesn’t take his shit and ask for more!! Natalia, or Talia, is taking over temporarily as Hayes’s assistant while her friend goes overseas to adopt a baby with his husband.
She’s doing this purely for the money since she’s in way over her head with her mom and her sisters and all the responsibility that comes with them. She’s kind of dreading it too since Hayes is renowned for his playboy love them and leave them lifestyle…which Talia is forced to clean up on day one. She’s tasked with seeing off his lady loves and making sure they leave with flowers and a smile, and zero expectation of anything more. Fun, right?
But Talia sees what Hayes tries to hide, that he’s running from his life by staying constantly busy, drinking his sorrows away, and losing himself on one night stands. She begins to take care of Hayes, and little by little gets him to shed his icy exterior. She gets him to eat healthier, to take time off, to experience a little bit of life. And as they grow closer, she’s starts to worry that she wants more of Hayes than he’s ready to give, maybe more than he’s even capable of giving.
I loved Talia’s humor and her caretaking of Hayes and I loved Hayes period (aside from all the sleaze at the beginning) and really enjoyed their relationship every step of the way. This did kind of feel like a collection of romance to-dos, and I’m not sure if it’s just me. Takes care of her when she’s sick, prerequisite work trip with one hotel room, evil exes…and it really took me out of the story that Talia was so naive about Hayes feelings but spent the entire book noticing them and filing them away…girl, you’re in your 20s, you aren’t that naive. I don’t know, I loved lots about this book but I was not obsessed with it. But! I did enjoy myself and I have a new book boyfriend and an FMC fangirl crush!
She’s doing this purely for the money since she’s in way over her head with her mom and her sisters and all the responsibility that comes with them. She’s kind of dreading it too since Hayes is renowned for his playboy love them and leave them lifestyle…which Talia is forced to clean up on day one. She’s tasked with seeing off his lady loves and making sure they leave with flowers and a smile, and zero expectation of anything more. Fun, right?
But Talia sees what Hayes tries to hide, that he’s running from his life by staying constantly busy, drinking his sorrows away, and losing himself on one night stands. She begins to take care of Hayes, and little by little gets him to shed his icy exterior. She gets him to eat healthier, to take time off, to experience a little bit of life. And as they grow closer, she’s starts to worry that she wants more of Hayes than he’s ready to give, maybe more than he’s even capable of giving.
I loved Talia’s humor and her caretaking of Hayes and I loved Hayes period (aside from all the sleaze at the beginning) and really enjoyed their relationship every step of the way. This did kind of feel like a collection of romance to-dos, and I’m not sure if it’s just me. Takes care of her when she’s sick, prerequisite work trip with one hotel room, evil exes…and it really took me out of the story that Talia was so naive about Hayes feelings but spent the entire book noticing them and filing them away…girl, you’re in your 20s, you aren’t that naive. I don’t know, I loved lots about this book but I was not obsessed with it. But! I did enjoy myself and I have a new book boyfriend and an FMC fangirl crush!
February 16, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. In the beginning I really hated Hayes but once I got to understand why he is the so closed off just makes sense. ❤️
Tropes:
Grumpy/sunshine
Boss/employee
Rich guy/ poor girl
Family loss
Tropes:
Grumpy/sunshine
Boss/employee
Rich guy/ poor girl
Family loss
December 31, 2023
5/5 ⭐️ This is a reread for me and I loved it even more than the first time I read it. I just loved Tali and Hayes so much. They were so amazing together. They had great chemistry as well throughout the whole book. It was such a good slow burn 😌.
Definitely recommend if you love a grumpy hero that falls hard for the heroine ❤️
And there was a cute care taking scene in this book and I’m always a sucker for those 🥺❤️
📖 First read rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
Definitely recommend if you love a grumpy hero that falls hard for the heroine ❤️
And there was a cute care taking scene in this book and I’m always a sucker for those 🥺❤️
📖 First read rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
March 3, 2023
4.5-star **SPOILERS under Sexual History**
Funny and romantic with a secretly-obsessed manwhore Hero.
#1. I loved how H loved her:
a.) how he fell in love with h's character. It wasn't lust-centered, although their sex chemistry was obvious.
b.) how secretly obsessed he was with her @ 1st sight. But couldn’t act on it due to her friend’s warning re: her current life situation.
c.) his somewhat-secretive jealous-possessiveness over her so he showed up on her date with OM and joined them the whole time,
d.) how he made time for her to do things she liked to do without her knowing that he was doing it just to spend time with her.
#2. Good romance/rom dev and emotion with bits of angst and humor.
Some LOL-snickering moments due to h’s wit and snark.
#3. Likable chars with good char dev.
Loved h’s char with her combo of realism and hope/frankness and secrecy/sexiness and sweetness/kindness and limit-setting. Loved how she handled life crises with practicality and general good attitude.
Loved how usually-controlled and -distant manwhore H became celibate and vulnerable with h because she mattered more and more to him. And, as used to sexual sharing as he was, he was adamant about not wanting to ever sexually-share h, whether it be with another man or woman.
Sexual History:
25yo temp-PA h had 2 lovers before H. Her 1st lover was her BF since high school who she was with for 10 years (lived with him in college and moved to LA from NYC with him for his acting career). Her 2nd lover was a ONS with her ex-BF’s friend as revenge sex and then ghosted him after. H was her 3rd lover and her first received-oral.
Popular 30s British plastic-surgeon H had some previous Gfs including his last GF who he was with for a couple years and who he was kinda engaged to when he agreed with her that it was “time” for them to be engaged when she dragged him to a jewelry store for an engagement ring. However, she cheated on him with his father when he was on a business trip and told him their relationship wouldn’t have worked out anyway since H didn’t have enough love for her since he only loved himself. She ended up marrying H’s father and having a daughter with him. After their breakup, H became a manwhore who smexxed a woman once with full disclosure of sex-only and then moved to the next. In the first week or so when h became his temporary PA, she had to shoo about 4 women out of his bedroom at different times except for the 2 women he had a 3some with one night. He became celibate for the next 2 months, after the 3some since he became only interested in h.
Funny and romantic with a secretly-obsessed manwhore Hero.
#1. I loved how H loved her:
a.) how he fell in love with h's character. It wasn't lust-centered, although their sex chemistry was obvious.
b.) how secretly obsessed he was with her @ 1st sight. But couldn’t act on it due to her friend’s warning re: her current life situation.
c.) his somewhat-secretive jealous-possessiveness over her so he showed up on her date with OM and joined them the whole time,
d.) how he made time for her to do things she liked to do without her knowing that he was doing it just to spend time with her.
#2. Good romance/rom dev and emotion with bits of angst and humor.
Some LOL-snickering moments due to h’s wit and snark.
#3. Likable chars with good char dev.
Loved h’s char with her combo of realism and hope/frankness and secrecy/sexiness and sweetness/kindness and limit-setting. Loved how she handled life crises with practicality and general good attitude.
Loved how usually-controlled and -distant manwhore H became celibate and vulnerable with h because she mattered more and more to him. And, as used to sexual sharing as he was, he was adamant about not wanting to ever sexually-share h, whether it be with another man or woman.
Sexual History:
25yo temp-PA h had 2 lovers before H. Her 1st lover was her BF since high school who she was with for 10 years (lived with him in college and moved to LA from NYC with him for his acting career). Her 2nd lover was a ONS with her ex-BF’s friend as revenge sex and then ghosted him after. H was her 3rd lover and her first received-oral.
Popular 30s British plastic-surgeon H had some previous Gfs including his last GF who he was with for a couple years and who he was kinda engaged to when he agreed with her that it was “time” for them to be engaged when she dragged him to a jewelry store for an engagement ring. However, she cheated on him with his father when he was on a business trip and told him their relationship wouldn’t have worked out anyway since H didn’t have enough love for her since he only loved himself. She ended up marrying H’s father and having a daughter with him. After their breakup, H became a manwhore who smexxed a woman once with full disclosure of sex-only and then moved to the next. In the first week or so when h became his temporary PA, she had to shoo about 4 women out of his bedroom at different times except for the 2 women he had a 3some with one night. He became celibate for the next 2 months, after the 3some since he became only interested in h.
July 5, 2022
Loved this one so much. He's a famous plastic surgeon, she's in a financial bind and takes the job to be his temporary personal assistant for a hefty paycheck. Top tier banter, delicious slow build up of tension, and swoony and romantic moments.
Boss/employee is usually a no thank you from me but I loved this one a whole lot.
Will be in my next vlog
Boss/employee is usually a no thank you from me but I loved this one a whole lot.
Will be in my next vlog
January 28, 2023
this was just alright. enjoyable but nothing about it stood out and neither did i feel my heart cling to the story and characters.
rtc possibly after i get some shut eye😪
rtc possibly after i get some shut eye😪
August 22, 2022
This turned out way better than I expected. Which just points out the value of low expectations, I suppose. I was worried about the whole man-whore aspect of the story, particularly as he makes seeing his women off part of his assistant's job. So Tali gets to see the parade and that's not a good look and sets up the most troubling expectation of his behavior in relationships.
Fortunately, I noticed (though Tali didn't) that this stops days after she gets his attention. It's single-PoV, so we aren't in his head at all and any clues the reader gets is filtered through Tali's conclusions. And she's not wrong about some of her assumptions. But she’s not terribly right, either.
Which gives them time to get to know one another despite their mutual attraction. And to live up to the potential the other sees. I loved the support they give and their response to that care is very heartwarming.
I will say that key to engaging with this story is being able to take Tali seriously, and that isn’t always a given. I mostly bought into it, even though I found much of it overwhelming (as does Tali, actually). I thought dealing with her pressures worked as character development and it felt fully reasonable that she took some time to figure things out. The misreads of Hayes were a bit harder to take because you could see her hesitation hurt him deeply. But even those felt reasonable given her history and expectations. And that he was as hesitant to put it all out there as she was meant they shared some of the blame when they ended up hurting one another.
And I even liked that his growth story was very similar to her own and that usually annoys me as being redundant. Only it worked in this story because while their arcs were more or less the same, their personalities were different enough that you could see them trying to translate to each other as they helped and cared for each other. Like, Tali finds satisfaction in making things better for other people. Whereas Hayes needs someone who can keep up with him and challenge him at the same time. Which makes them a good fit and with some lovely banter to serve as a love-language.
The only thing I had a hard time with was Tali’s novel. Who gets big advances these days? And having the plot explicitly parallel her own relationships (to the point that she blanks on the story when her love life takes a setback) makes me question how the heck she is ever going to write another book? Is she writing fiction or a fantasy autobiography? This is not a good model and a writer should know better.
I could hedge and call this four stars. Or even 4½ with rounding down so I don’t have to justify something I know isn’t going to be to general taste. Hayes’ early womanizing is reprehensible even if he’s up-front and honest about it. And it’s a thing I generally find very off-putting (which is why I was paying such close attention to when it stopped). But the fact is that I thoroughly enjoyed this story and laughed out loud way more than I expected. So I’m going with all five stars as an accurate reflection of my enjoyment.
A note about Steamy: There are two explicit sex scenes that go on a bit putting this not-quite into the middle of my steam tolerance. They were a bit magic/romancy so I didn’t actually buy them at all as a thing and I’m not sure the requisite energy can be sustained by merely biological processes.
Fortunately, I noticed (though Tali didn't) that this stops days after she gets his attention. It's single-PoV, so we aren't in his head at all and any clues the reader gets is filtered through Tali's conclusions. And she's not wrong about some of her assumptions. But she’s not terribly right, either.
Which gives them time to get to know one another despite their mutual attraction. And to live up to the potential the other sees. I loved the support they give and their response to that care is very heartwarming.
I will say that key to engaging with this story is being able to take Tali seriously, and that isn’t always a given. I mostly bought into it, even though I found much of it overwhelming (as does Tali, actually). I thought dealing with her pressures worked as character development and it felt fully reasonable that she took some time to figure things out. The misreads of Hayes were a bit harder to take because you could see her hesitation hurt him deeply. But even those felt reasonable given her history and expectations. And that he was as hesitant to put it all out there as she was meant they shared some of the blame when they ended up hurting one another.
And I even liked that his growth story was very similar to her own and that usually annoys me as being redundant. Only it worked in this story because while their arcs were more or less the same, their personalities were different enough that you could see them trying to translate to each other as they helped and cared for each other. Like, Tali finds satisfaction in making things better for other people. Whereas Hayes needs someone who can keep up with him and challenge him at the same time. Which makes them a good fit and with some lovely banter to serve as a love-language.
The only thing I had a hard time with was Tali’s novel. Who gets big advances these days? And having the plot explicitly parallel her own relationships (to the point that she blanks on the story when her love life takes a setback) makes me question how the heck she is ever going to write another book? Is she writing fiction or a fantasy autobiography? This is not a good model and a writer should know better.
I could hedge and call this four stars. Or even 4½ with rounding down so I don’t have to justify something I know isn’t going to be to general taste. Hayes’ early womanizing is reprehensible even if he’s up-front and honest about it. And it’s a thing I generally find very off-putting (which is why I was paying such close attention to when it stopped). But the fact is that I thoroughly enjoyed this story and laughed out loud way more than I expected. So I’m going with all five stars as an accurate reflection of my enjoyment.
A note about Steamy: There are two explicit sex scenes that go on a bit putting this not-quite into the middle of my steam tolerance. They were a bit magic/romancy so I didn’t actually buy them at all as a thing and I’m not sure the requisite energy can be sustained by merely biological processes.
July 11, 2023
oh i LOVEDDDD this book
March 6, 2024
an enemies to lovers steamy romance between a surgeon and his assistant, i didn't know i was signing up for something so mediocre.
December 31, 2022
I truly loved everything about this!
December 2021 Shhlutty Read:
• December 1-31: https://bit.ly/Dec21SR
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