The Bachelor’s Promise
by Naima Simone
Bachelor Auction #3
Publication Date: August 29, 2016
Genres: Adult, Entangled: Indulgence, Contemporary Romance
BUY:
Synopsis: Aiden Kent never expected to see Noelle Rana again. He’s determined to keep his distance from the beautiful enigma wrapped in denim and leather. He can’t trust anyone with the last name Rana. But he made a promise to his dying mother, and it isn’t long before Noelle invades his personal space. He can’t stop thinking about the exotic beauty’s alluring curves.He wants the daughter of his enemy, and he’s determined to have her…if only for one night.
If Noelle wants to move forward with her life, she must make a deal with the devastatingly gorgeous, broody millionaire Aiden. He made a promise years ago, and she’s come to collect—even if it means facing down the only man who ever broke her heart. And there’s a really good chance he’ll do it again.
EXCERPT #1:
“What exactly do you want from me, Noelle?” Aiden shifted forward, his tone hardening, the patrician lines of his face sharpening.
Noelle inhaled a deep breath…a big mistake. His clean, fresh, rain-and-earth scent filled her until she could practically taste it. Taste him.
The hell? Where had that thought come from? Whatever feelings she’d once had for him had been ground under the heel of humiliation, rejection, and pain.
“I need you to pay my graduate-school tuition.” She paused. “For Boston University.”
“Boston University,” he repeated, ice dripping from each syllable. “You’re applying to Boston University.”
“Have applied,” she corrected, voice soft. Wary. “And have been accepted with a partial scholarship. I start in January. I can cover all of my other expenses. Only the rest of the tuition has to be paid.”
“What are you playing at, Noelle?” he growled. Anger seemed to radiate from him, beating at her. “Of all the cities and colleges, you choose here? Do you think I’m stupid? I’m not one of your father’s marks. You can’t con me. What else aren’t you telling me?”
“Nothing,” she insisted, insulted. “I have an apartment and a job. I arranged those before I left Chicago. I’ve been providing for myself and others for years without your assistance, and I really don’t want it now, but I have no choice.”
Screw this. Yes, her father hadn’t been a model citizen—unless it was a citizen of the Cook County DOC. But she wasn’t him. Damn if she’d let him—him—make her feel…dirty. Unworthy.
She stalked forward, allowing anger and hurt—yes, damn it, hurt—to propel her forward when caution would’ve been prudent…safer.
“Look, believe what you want. I could quote the damn Bible from Joseph to Jesus, and it wouldn’t change your opinion or erase your suspicions. But if you think coming to you and asking for help was easy, then all those millions have made you soft in the head.” She snorted, shaking her head. “At this moment, though, I need you to keep your promise to Caroline more than I care about offending your tender sensibilities with my presence. She wanted me to have the money. So how about this? Send the tuition payment directly to the university, and you don’t have to worry about seeing me again. You can go on pretending I don’t exist, and I can forego the pleasure of you staring at me like I’m something you scraped off the bottom of your shoe.”
Giving him a tight smile, she pivoted and marched for the door, desperate to escape the room before she did something stupid…like allow the tears stinging her eyes to fall. Damn it! She’d been teased, bullied, and sneered at more times than she could remember, much less count. Yet none of those mean girls or leering guys who assumed she was an easy fuck just because of her last name had been able to drag one tear from her.
Only Aiden possessed that power.
Damn him.
“Noelle, we’re not finished. Don’t you walk out that door.”
Like hell she wouldn’t. She was a grown-ass woman. Self-sufficient. Mature.
So she did the only thing a grown-ass, self-sufficient, mature woman could do in her situation…
She flipped him off and walked out.
There are few things that you need to know about my reading habits before I start the review.
- I’m a Harlequin junkie. Like hardcore. I covet the lines Presents, Desire and Intrigue.
- I’m a sucker for the billionaire. There, I said it. Don’t judge me.
- I love my heroine’s that are mouthy, smart, too sexy for their own good and literally have no filter.
- I love the tropes. The more the merrier.
- Indulgence is my all time favorite line from Entangled. 🙂 See 1-4 for why I do.
Okay, that is out of the way, so you can see why I devoured this book and now need to go back and read Lucas’s story. Aiden is the type of heroine that I love in category romance. Heart of gold, mushy when it comes to the heroine but tries to project that he is the alpha*ole that everyone expects. *sigh* Throw in that he’s backstory and Noelle’s is so intertwined with each other and yep, I’m a goner.
Noelle is a breath of fresh air. She will not and doesn’t take crap from Aiden. There were a couple of parts that miscommunication came up but nothing earth shattering. It was more based on their perception of how they both grew up and what transpired them to grow apart. And having her brother show up? Good law… Again, you just have to read it.
Ms. Simoe knows how to write an emotional, character driven romance. You know going in that you will read about a couple that you will cheer for, cry for and ultimately sigh for in the end. Noelle and Aiden are one of those couples. She never leads on to what is revealed in the later chapters but one thing about Noelle is a shocker to me but it made sense. 🙂 It shocked Aiden, too and I loved that. He was speechless, which isn’t often.
I loved how Lucas and Sydney fit into the romance. I definitely need to read their story since Aiden and Lucas are best friends. It seems that Aiden’s words to Lucas were thrown back at him and Aiden had some major thinking to do.
Overall, if you are looking for an all out sexy, intelligent, hero/heroine that are smart and you want them to be together forever, you need to read Aiden and Noelle’s story. It will make you believe in the power of love and more.
CATCH UP WITH THE OTHER BOOKS IN THE BACHELOR AUCTION SERIES…
BUY:
Synopsis: Billionaire Lucas Oliver is hell bent on revenge. And his plan begins when Sydney Blake—the stunning daughter of his enemy—is tricked into bidding on Lucas at a bachelor auction. Then he serves up a little blackmail…followed by a marriage proposal Sydney has no choice but to accept.
Sydney has been controlled by her family her whole life. When Lucas threatens to reveal her father’s shady business, she is once again forced to do her duty for her family. But worse—oh so much worse—is the rush of lust that Lucas ignites in her blood.
Lucas is determined to make Sydney suffer, but it’s tough when he can’t keep from touching her–or thinking about touching her–all the time. She’s not fairing much better since she’s engaged to a darkly handsome beast intent on destroying her entire family…along with her heart.
BUY:
Synopsis: He promised to stay away…but some promises are made to be broken
Plain-Jane computer programmer Khloe Richardson needs a date—one to make the prince of her dreams jealous. Maybe then he’ll finally see her as a desirable swan and not the ugly duckling in the second office from the left.
But when she bids on a bachelor at a charity auction, the man she wins is millionaire Niall Hunter—who once made intense, passionate love to her and then left without a word. She’s determined not to let her guard down again—among other things—around the infamous Irish lothario.
Niall never imagined his penance for one hot-as-hell night with his best friend’s little sister would be transforming her from a shy wallflower to a sultry siren. Helping her attract another man is torture…especially when he promised his friend he’d stay away. Plus, she wants forever, and he’s not a forever kind of guy. But Niall can’t stop wanting her. Can’t stop touching her. Can’t stop, period. And damn if he can remember why he has to…
ABOUT NAIMA SIMONE
Naima Simone’s love of romance was first stirred by Johanna Lindsey, Sandra Brown and Linda Howard many years ago. Well not that many. She is only eighteen…ish. Though her first attempt at a romance novel starring Ralph Tresvant from New Edition never saw the light of day, her love of romance, reading and writing has endured. Published since 2009, she spends her days—and nights— creating stories of unique men and women who experience the first bites of desire, the dizzying heights of passion, and the tender, healing heat of love.
She is wife to Superman, or his non-Kryptonian, less bullet proof equivalent, and mother to the most awesome kids ever. They all live in perfect, sometimes domestically-challenged bliss in the southern United States.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Newsletter | Amazon Author Profile
I think this was an amazing review, and I’m THRILLED you enjoyed The Bachelor’s Promise! Thank you SO much! And thank you for sharing and spotlighting the book, too! LOL! <3