Pretending He's Mine: Lauren Blakely
Once upon a time in New York City, there was a down-on-his-luck actor named Reeve, who was talented and gorgeous in that dreamy, broody sort of way that makes all the women swoon. But show biz is a rough biz – he lost out on a part in a big film, and now his day job hours have been cut too. What’s a handsome young thing in need of a role to do?
Enter Sutton Brenner. She’s sexy and shrewd and the most top-notch casting director there is. She’s this close to landing a coveted gig casting a film based on a best-selling mega-romance novel, but there’s a catch. After one too many transgressions with lovely single ladies, the film’s philandering producer has been put on a short leash by his wife, who’s forbidden him from working with anyone unattached.
So the happily single Sutton strikes a pact with Reeve – play the role of her fiancee until she closes the deal, and he’s guaranteed to get an audition for the starring role in the film. But as the two play pretend, the lines between make-believe and matters of the heart start to blur. Especially after that hot night in the balcony of the Broadway theater. And that scorching afternoon in the stacks of the New York Public Library. Who’s playing who? Or is someone else really the director in the secret affair of their lives?
PRETENDING HE’S MINE is a 30,000 word companion novella in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling CAUGHT UP IN US series. (It’s not necessary to have read CAUGHT UP IN US to enjoy PRETENDING HE’S MINE. This is not a sequel. However, CAUGHT UP IN US fans should be pleased to know that Jill has several scenes and that both Kat and Bryan appear in a key scene in this novella!)
This is a short, sweet, sexy read and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It is a companion novella to CAUGHT UP IN US that is also a favorite read of mine. Lauren Blakely's writing style just draws you in, makes you comfy with her characters, makes you laugh, and it just flows so well.
Sutton wants a job casting the actors for a big erotic film. But the Producer(or his wife) does not want to hire a single woman. So Sutton ends up in need of a fiance' fast! So a phone call later, and actor Reeve takes the offer he cannot refuse. It is a win-win situation. She would get her casting job and he would get an audition. Should be easy...
Sutton: a smart, talented, sweet, sassy, and controlling Brit. She likes things her way and on her terms. Her longest term relationship is with her beloved dog. She is all business and no play...and she does not date actors.
She was such an alpha woman in the workplace--all take-charge and full-speed-ahead. But her, in his arms, she was different. She seemed vulnerable, but maybe that was just because she was damn near quivering under his touch. As if she was letting down her guard. She was the sexy librarian unpinning her hair and taking off her glasses for him.
Reeve: I adored from the beginning. He is flirty, sexy, easy going and I love how he taunts Sutton. And he teases her both verbally and physically and drives her into a frenzy. Seriously hot!
Sutton had never gone for those kind of guys. Truth be told , she'd always had a thing for hipsters. A little bit of stubble, a little bit of attitude, a tattoo on the arm, jeans that showed off a fine piece of ass.
Yes, he was every bit the boy toy. He was every cougar's dream, even though Sutton wasn't a cougar. But she'd always had a bit of a crush on him. He was adorable, and yet, had the chased-with-danger look in his eyes. She'd never regretted calling him in for any audition. He was witty, clever, and frankly, irresistible.
They have lots of flirting and foreplay, an intense attraction, and sizzling chemistry. And they share steamy, sexy times in the most unlikely places.
It was like a chemical reaction, the two of them. They had that kind of physical attraction that smacks you hared, and turns you inside out in a second. Instant and electric, and you feel like you can set the world on fire. They could have known each other for years or been two strangers who met on a train--their bodies were magnets for each other.
And his hands, the way he touched her was as if she'd given him the secret code to her body, the right numbers and the proper combination, and he'd unlocked them.
Their fake relationship is so good, that it begins to feel all too real. But both of them are so confused by the other that they cannot tell what is real, what is fake, and what is really happening. After all, Reeve IS an actor. I loved them together. They had it all: witty rapport, attraction, common interests, and complimented each other's personalities well. Reeve totally made me swoon. Seriously, he did.
I liked having Jill, Kat, and Bryan back from CAUGHT UP IN US. I think Jill should be getting her own story soon and there was a glimpse of possibility mentioned in this one. I especially liked Bryan's part in this novella and a conversation he had with Reeve. Her characters are well developed, completely fun, and likable. And even though this was a novella, I still felt like I got enough story to be satisfied. And I was so happy to have some fun extras at the end of the book!
Thank you to Lauren Blakely for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review
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