Hot Asset by Lauren Layne Pages: 266
Series: 21 Wall Street #1
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Setting: New York City
Source: ARC, NetGalley
Also in this series: Hard Sell
Also by this author: Steal Me, I Wish You Were Mine, Cuff Me, I Think I Love You, Hard Sell , Passion on Park Avenue
Goodreads
A sexy agent hounds Wall Street’s hottest new wolf in an exhilarating novel from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne.
Ian Bradley is the definition of a Wall Street hotshot: seven-figure salary, designer suits, and a corner office. His drive off the floor is just as potent. Every woman who knows him has felt the rush. But now he’s met his match in Lara McKenzie—a woman with the power to bring Ian to his knees.
An ambitious, whip-smart daughter of FBI agents, Lara is a rising star in fighting white-collar crime. Her latest case—the investigation of Ian Bradley for insider trading—could make her career. She knows a scoundrel when she sees one. Ian fits the bill: a cocky, ridiculously handsome bad boy with a slick swagger.
She’ll do anything to prove he’s guilty. He’ll do anything to prove he’s not. But it’s only a matter of time before their fierce battle of wits gets oh so hot and personal. Now, taking down Ian has become more than business for Lara. It’s become a pleasure—and there’s more at risk than she ever dreamed.
Hot Asset kicks off a new series by Lauren Layne and its centered around powerful stock brokers! I have never had any interest in stocks or the stock market, but leave it to Lauren Layne to make it seem sexy!
Ian is a douche. He pretty much tells us that on the first page. He is rich, powerful, sexy, and he knows it. But he isn’t the guy who cheats to get ahead, so he knows when the SEC comes sniffing around, something is up. Lara is trying to get into white collar crimes for the FBI and is cutting her teeth in the SEC. She is sure Ian is guilty of insider trading, but he has a way of making her doubt herself. In classic Layne fashion, the banter is on point. Both Ian and Lara are well educated and whip smart so their verbal repartee is just as witty as they are. Both are passionate about their jobs and I enjoyed that aspect of the story. While I know little about the world of wall street, these two are both deeply engaged in the good and the bad about it! I liked that both Lara and Ian found it important to be ethical. Their relationship felt more real because you can tell they are both good humans. With each chapter I fell more in love with them both.
Hot Asset gives us a blistering enemies to lovers in a world filled with adversarial relationships. I really enjoyed Ian and Lara even though I didn’t expect to. They are driven and mature, which I really appreciated; sometimes I get so tired of the unsure, woe is me, angsty romance. I also loved that they are genuinely good, honest people. There was something sexy about that for some reason. Finally, I found the resolution of the story (before the epilogue) to be incredibly satisfying. I would explain, but… spoilers. Just know that once again, Layne gives me characters I loved with a plot I appreciated for its realism.
Side note: I haven’t listened to the audio, but its narrated by Zachary Webber so I want to listen to the audio!!!!
- POV: dual 1st
- Tears: no
- Trope: enemies to lovers
- Triggers: none
- Series/Standalone: stand alone
- Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
- HEA: View Spoiler »
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The Allure of Dean Harper by RS Grey, Seducing the Defendant by Chantal Fernando, After the Dark by Cynthia Eden…then you will probably like Hot Asset!
Hot Asset
Yay, I’m so glad you enjoyed this one. I just adored Ian and Lara. I can’t wait for Hard Sell now. Great review.
[…] visited NYC when I was 16 and in the Macy’s Parade! However, reading Hot Asset by Lauren Layne made me want to go […]