The Schemer by Avery Flynn

In previous books in the series, we've met both Tyler Jacobson and Everly Ribinski. We know that Tyler has been working his whole life to leave his past behind him, to make his wealth mean something. We also know that Everly lives on the floor above him and wears heels, mostly to piss him off.
In this book, we get more of the back story of how they met and came to have the lust/hate relationship that we've seen. We also get to see how Tyler and Everly begin to build a relationship. And it's hard because they both came from neighborhoods that weren't exactly elite. But while Tyler is trying to escape, Everly is in no hurry to change herself in order to try and join the pretentious wealthy (or even just the wealthy). But Everly can get Tyler access to a family with whom he is trying to make a business deal so they strike up a deal and end up spending a lot of time together.
There is a delightful B story that (and I don't usually say this) could have been built out more -- maybe a novella? -- between two older characters.

Four stars
Follows The Charmer
This book came out January 8th, 2018
Listened to this book on Audible Escape
Opinions are my own

Intercepted by Alexa Martin

Marlee Harper has devoted her life to her NFL-star boyfriend for ten years. Ten. Years. She's dealt with his tantrums, she's put up with the WAGs that mock her, and she's been devoted. Too bad he hasn't been. So she dumps his ass and makes a vow never to date another athlete. Even the quarterback who she had a hot one-night stand with a bazillion years ago. The one who kept her grandmother's necklace and even gave it back.
This was a fast, fun, and fluffy book. I had to read the end to make sure it was worth reading because it took me awhile to get into it but it was fun and Marlee's character growth was mostly amazing though it did happen in, like, the last sixth of the book.

Three and a half stars
This book came out September 11, 2018
Hard copy from library
Opinions are my own

The Charmer by Avery Flynn

Across the floor at a fundraiser, Hudson Carlyle notices Felicia Hartigan. He wants to paint her. She wants to date his brother's ex-best friend. So they strike up a deal. But he wants to do more than help the ant researcher get her man; he'd like to get her in bed. Too bad that stupid jealousy keeps rearing its head. It's not like he wants to stay with her forever, right?
An okay story. Like the first book, not much of the relationship between the two of them other than the physical but a fun story.

Three and a half stars
Followed The Negotiator
Followed by The Schemer
This book came out September 25th, 2017
Listened to this book on Audible Escape
Opinions are my own

The Negotiator by Avery Flynn

Clover Lee knows that her mom had to get married and ended up in their small hometown living a small life. She's determined not to have the same thing happen to her so she is determinedly doing the most interesting jobs she can find in the most interesting places she can find. The latest is a job as a "buffer" for Sawyer Carlyle.
Sawyer's father died recently so he's been really cautious about upsetting his mother, even when she keeps bringing him potential wife candidates. He's told her to stop be she is determined. During interviews (which Sawyer's brother actually set up after Sawyer made a joke about needing a buffer), Sawyer's mother shows up and Clover, surrounded by bodyguard types, is the one who sends her away. Then Clover gets Sawyer all hot with her negotiating skills and the two embark on not only a six-week job but also a physical affair (which Flynn goes to great pains to make sure that we understand that a) Clover is not actually his employee and b) she initiates, which is a little heavy but appreciated.)
Of course, Sawyer's mom's motives aren't as clean as they seem but I didn't really get the ending. Nor did I really see Sawyer and Clover melding. The sex was hot but outside of that? It was a lot of tell, not show.

Three and a half stars
Followed by The Charmer
This book came out April 24th, 2017
Listened to this book on Audible Escape
Opinions are my own

Parental Guidance by Avery Flynn

Defenseman for the Ice Knights, Caleb Stuckey is one of the hockey players caught by an Uber driver trash talking the women they've slept with. As the most senior player, he's the one that is held in the crossfire by his company. He needs some good press as soon as possible. What does his team suggest? That he join a reality show where parents choose dates for their children.
Zara Ambrose is a miniaturist who is juts trying to break into the business and trying to get over a childhood where her father took care of everyone but her. Now he wants to be a character actor and him getting some speaking lines on the reality show means that he can get his SAG card.
The reason these two get together is pretty shaky but the story is still pretty fun. We get to know both Zara and Caleb and watch as they move from people willing to fake five dates to a couple in love.

Three stars
This book came out May 31st, 2019
I listened to this book on Audible Escape
Opinions are my own

Aurora Blazing by Jessie Mihalik

Bianca von Hasenberg has done more than enough for House von Hasenberg. She married a monster who changed her in ways no one should have to suffer. But she now uses her differences, the differences she can never tell anyone for fear of being a medical experiment for the rest of her life, to enhance her information network. Also working for her? Woman who were in similar positions until Bianca saved them. Their gossip keeps her in the know, both for her family and for herself. Since her husband died, she has also become a security expert while tucking away money for herself. It is all of her skills that make her think she can save her brother when he is kidnapped. Of course, she was targeted at the same time but that doesn't worry her as much. Nor does the fact that someone is setting her up to be the fall guy for her brother's disappearance. Too bad her path is further complicated by one of her father's security guys, her former love, Ian.
I hadn't finished the first book but my library book was about to expire so I listened to this one and didn't feel like I had missed anything. Mihalik managed to add enough of the first book for backstory but without the info dump.

Four stars
Follows Polaris Rising
Followed by Chaos Reigning
This book came out October 1st, 2019
Borrowed this as an audiobook from the library
Opinions are my own

The Blacksmith Queen by G. A. Aiken

Adjacent to Aiken's Dragon Kin series (though you don't have to have read any of those books to understand what is going on), this book dumps you into a land where the king has died and his sons have all immediately started killing each other off in order to inherit the throne. However, there is a seer who has proclaimed that the next ruler will actually be a woman.
From there, we are dumped in the middle of a fight where a boy, Samuel, is saved by a blacksmith, Keeley. But then... there's a lot of world-building. We meet Keeley's family, including her sister, Gemma, who left and has returned a rather "chunky" nun. Also introduced is Keeley's sister Beatrix who is reported to be the next queen. But will it be her or is the prophecy somewhat murkier than first thought?
It took me awhile to get into this book. I love the zaniness of Aiken (especially in her romance series writing as Laurenston) but it took a lot of time to get to a point where the world was built enough to really enjoy the craziness that I think this series will get into. Normally Aiken is much better at building the worlds simultaneous to getting characters developed. For me, the book was sort of a bell curve with the best part of the book being the middle but you sort of had to wade in to get to it. Hopefully the second book will be better because all of the back story will be behind.

Three stars

Followed by The Princess Knight
This book came out August 27th, 2019
I borrowed this as an ebook from the library

Note: I borrowed this as an audiobook later and it was even BETTER
Opinions are my own

Reread as Audible audiobook January 2024