A Friendly Engagement (A Friends First Novel)
by Christine Warner
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | All Romance | Kobo Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published by: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: June 23, 2015
Length: 233 Pages
What's a little engagement between friends?
Omar Esterly is married to his job. But when Omar sets his sights on a potential, family-oriented client, his confirmed bachelorhood becomes a problem. Fortunately, his friend and employee, Devi Boss, has the perfect plan...
Okay, so it wasn't exactly Devi's plan to become her friend's fake fiancée. Lies aren't her style. However, Omar offers her a big, beautiful raise - enough to track down the missing father she's never known - and Devi reluctantly agrees to the whole engagement hoax...
This was supposed to be a no-strings-attached win-win for both Devi and Omar, but when they cross the line between friendship and...well, something more, Devi realizes she's made a huge mistake that just might cost her both job and friend - falling for her fiancé. Excerpt: “I’m glad you approve. How about you? Fantasies?”
At the moment her fantasy was stripping down naked and letting him have his way with her. Damn, if he didn’t make a move soon, she might take the reins and have her way with him. Screw not making the first move. She’d push him back against the mattress and climb aboard. Being on top definitely had advantages. Goose bumps erupted on her flesh at the thought. She wanted him, but she didn’t realize the intensity until now.
From over his shoulder the television caught her eye. Her favorite part in the movie filled the screen. “I do have a fantasy. Kind of a silly one.”
“Now you have to share.”
“Mine involves a superhero. He’d hang upside down from the building, I’d remove his mask just enough to reveal his lips, and we’d kiss—of course all of this would happen after he came to my rescue.”
“Would you tell him he’s amazing?” S
he felt her face heat, again. “Of course.”
“And that’s all? I would bet money you’d fantasize about more than a kiss.”
A bubble of laughter escaped. “You got me. Afterward he’d carry me to a romantic oasis by the water, he’d give me the most incredible foot massage, and we’d make passionate love on a bed littered with rose petals—in assorted colors.”
“Rose petals?”
“Oh yeah. I’m sure I’m not the only one with this fantasy. If you’re going to do it, you might as well enjoy it with a superhero. Plus, this is my fantasy. I get it the way I want.”
“Nice to know about your superhero, but I revealed a fantasy about you. I thought you’d reciprocate.” The teasing quality left his voice, and his eyes darkened as they circled the obvious peaks of her nipples through her bathing suit cover-up.
She swallowed. How the hell could he turn her on with just a few words, or looks? “Who said I don’t think of you as my superhero? After all, you rescued me from painful feet and carried me upstairs…”
MY REVIEW:
A Friendly Engagement by Christine WarnerMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A Friendly Engagement by Christine Warner is a 2015 Entangled Publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This friends to lovers contemporary romance is a sweet and spicy, easy to read, contemporary romance.
Omar is all work and no play, a trait he inherited vicariously from his father. But, when a potential client he has been after for a long time remains aloof, Omar thinks presenting himself as a family man will get his foot in the door. I knew Omar never gave much thought to the fall out of such an arrangement, and he is surprised by how it all turned out.
Devi has worked for Omar five years and all her attempts to coax him into enjoying life a little more have failed. But, now Omar is obsessed with landing this client, to the point of trying to snare the account by concocting a fake engagement, and trying to get honest to fault, Devi to go along with it.
Devi finally relents and agrees to Omar's preposterous plan, but this scenario now has the couple seeing each other in a different light, one they never considered, even after five years of being great friends. But, Devi has ruled out marriage for herself and Omar of course has made it quite clear he doesn't want a family. But, as the two begin falling in love their priorities begin to shift. However, Devi is on a personal quest of her own, and when she finally makes some progress, the truth she discovers is absolutely stunning and could put an end to her budding romance.
This story has a nice balance of romance, intimacy and conflict, with a touching and heartwarming element added in for good measure. What I liked most was seeing two people focused on their work, without much else going on in their lives, discover there is much deeper meaning to life.
I like more mature couples in my romance novels because while there must be conflict, the angst isn't off the charts. The sensuality in the book was some of the best love scenes I've read in a while since the author described lovemaking with a playful tone, with more than just a physical connection in play, which is becoming rare these days, much to my dismay.
Omar's character is the one with the most growth potential since he has a sad childhood and was turning into the same kind of man his father was. Devi too has some major issues to deal with, but she is a person who seemed able to process things better and was better equipped to handle life's unexpected curve balls.
I loved Omar's grand gesture for Devi in the end, which as quirky as it was, was also really romantic and sweet and most 'animated' Omar ever got in the story, showing his ability to have fun and live a little.
I've been quite frustrated as of late with some contemporary romances, but I found this one to be enjoyable and pleasant.
A Friendly Engagement Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | All Romance | Kobo Books
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Christine Warner is living her dream in Michigan along with her husband, three children, one laptop and a much loved assortment of furry friends.Besides laughing and a good round of humor, Christine enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, reading, writing but no arithmitic. A confessed people watcher, she finds inspiration for her stories in everyday activities. She loves to read and write about strong heroes and determined, sometimes sassy, heroines.
A girl gone wild, at least where social media is concerned, Christine enjoys meeting other avid readers and writers on Facebook, Twitter and her website.
- Christine's Media Links: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Newsletter | Street Team | Amazon Author Page
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