A Tycoon’s Bargain by Avery Laval

At a society bachelorette auction, a hedge fund king gets more than he bargained for…

When Cassie Harris squeezes herself into a too-small neon designer dress for a bachelorette charity auction, she realizes there’s nothing she won’t do for her landscape design business. Her biggest client is hosting the New York society event solely to show off her own filthy-rich, dead-sexy Australian boyfriend. And she’s using Cassie to make herself look good. Cassie steps on stage, humiliated. But an unexpected bidder spends an enormous sum on her, causing gasps throughout the gala. The winner? Thom King, her biggest client’s boyfriend. Cassie can kiss that account goodbye—and her fledgling business along with it.

Thom King has no interest in society girls with grand designs on his wallet. But he has a huge interest in getting that ridiculous gown off of the hourglass figure of Cassie Harris. And once he gets to know her, his interest only grows. She’s as hardworking as he is, as focused, and as smart. Before he met Cassie, women were mere distractions from his hedge fund. Now, Cassie’s the only thing Thom can think about.

But Cassie doesn’t believe a man like Thom can love at all, let alone love a woman like her. And that means Thom will have to use all of the charm and seduction at his disposal to prove her wrong.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33259027-the-duchess-deal

Title: A Tycoon's Bargain
Author: Avery Laval
Series: Sin City Tycoons
Pages: 93
Genre(s): Contemporary, US
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I am a huge fan-girl of Avery Laval and the Sin City Tycoon’s - just putting that out there as a disclaimer before I start waxing lyrical about this book. And the book definitely deserves to be fawned over.

But first, the important parts. This is book 3.5 in the Sin City Tycoon’s series. (It’s a novella at only 93 pages so it’s a point five!) but each book in the series stands alone and doesn’t contain those bloody annoying cliffhangers you see everywhere these days. For those of you following the series (and you really should because it’s great), Thom is one of Grant (from A Tycoon’s Jewel)’s buddies from their school days.

The story kicks off straight away with Cassie about to go out on stage “like a sausage in a tutu”, according to her boss, in front of a crowd of the very best of New York society. Of course I’m going to root for the underdog, especially when the target of a mean girl. But Cassie impressed me on her own merits in the way she dealt with the situation and the whole inference that she wasn’t as modelesque as the New York socialites in attendance. It didn’t bother her at all. The predictable way for an author to go, would be to have her character have rousing speeches or monologues about how she didn’t care - she loved herself regardless yada yada yada. Cassie just got on with it. She felt in the situation then dealt with the situation. None of this “Thom’s too hot for me” or “I need a man to show me that my body is beautiful”. And it was more empowering because there was no hullabaloo around the situation. And the fact that Cassie was also sharp, bright, sassy and fun didn’t hinder my love for her either.

Then there was Thom.

Sigh.

I just want a Thom for my very own. He was gorgeous (which obviously doesn’t hurt) but he was dedicated, determined and so sarcastic and funny. So funny. I love a man who can laugh at himself and the situations. It was bloody adorable. If Cassie and Thom weren’t so perfect for each other then I would have wanted him for my very own. The perfect man.

As I said, the pair were funny - there was banter - yay! - and I actually laughed out loud on a number of occasions. The writing was dazzling and the story flowed by so fast that you got completely absorbed in the characters and their story. I could see it, feel it, smell it…

This book was just a joy - and it reminded why I love romance. It had the great couple who you genuinely like and want to root for. It had the humour. It had the banter. And it has the feel good, stomach jumping romance that leaves you feeling just a little bit giddy and in love. 5 well-deserved stars.