The Bastard Billionaire by Jessica Lemmon Series: Billionaire Bad Boys #3
Published by Forever on February 28th 2017
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 384
Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Publisher
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I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A BILLIONAIRE BAD BOYS NOVEL
Beauty and the Beastly Billionaire . . . Eli Crane is one tough bastard. After an explosion left him injured and honorably discharged from the Marines, all he wants is to be left alone. Yet his brothers insist he take a greater role in the family business. They've hired him ten personal assistants-and Eli sent each one packing as fast as possible. But when beautiful number eleven walks through the door, Eli will do anything to make her stay. Isabella Sawyer's employment agency can't afford to lose Eli Crane's business. Her plan: to personally take on the role of his PA, and secure her reputation with the wealthy elite in Chicago. But this beauty and her hot billionaire bad boy soon find themselves mixing business with pleasure in the most delicious ways. And passionate, stubborn Isabella won't rest until she tames this wicked beast . . .
Wow, so this one was a doozy. I read and absolutely LOVED the first book in this series, and was naturally curious about Eli the brother serving overseas. I always knew it was coming, since this trilogy features the Crane brothers, so when this one showed up in my mailbox, I had to read it.
Eli is back home from the war after going through a horrific experience. When his two friends die trying to save him from an explosion, Eli not only loses his leg in the incident but himself as well. Now he is back home and Reese, his older brother wants Eli to take over as the COO of Crane hotels - which Eli has no interest in doing.
So Reese hires a company to provide assistants to Eli in hopes of forcing him to do the work, but all the women that show up at his door, go running in terror from the big bad monster holed up in his cave, until of course the owner of the company makes the appearance herself.
Isa doesn’t like that every assistant that she sent over to Eli Crane doesn’t make it past a day or so. Since she has a reputation to uphold the owner decides to do the job herself, if only for a couple of days.
Sparks fly, tempers flare, the two butt heads. Eli has finally met his match.
Guys, let me tell you. I absolutely LOVED the way this book started. I loved Eli and his grumpy bear persona and I loved Isa and her not taking crap attitude. There was a push and pull between them that was so entertaining. I found the entire thing ironic since Isa walked away from her family business and was trying to basically force Eli into his family business. The tension was great and then after they got together everything fell apart for me.
It ended falling flat, a bit boring and overall repetitive. I was expecting more and the way the book started, I thought there would be more. This book had SO much potential, but it almost felt like the author switched gears midway and went back to the comfort of her formula by the end of the book.
There was a plotline in the beginning of the book that was kind of left unexplored. There is a rocky relationship between Isa and her parents, and her parents don’t like the Cranes and how they built their money. Isa’s parents always wanted her to take over the business, but when she didn’t, they gave it to her ex-boyfriend. Well, at the celebration dinner for him, her mother wanted to force the two together, but Isa shows up with Eli to stick it to her parents. I felt like more could have been done here, but there was no more mention of her parents or how disgruntled they are.
I was also surprised where the author decided to take Eli’s future. Eli joined the military and never really had an interest in Crane Hotels, so I didn’t understand nor liked the ending. Eli started his own thing called Refurb and it was a charity for veterans that need help getting around the house. I LOVED that, I was really hoping his future was more focused on that.
And of course, this is where the formula kicked in. Eli doesn’t know what he wants for his future, even though EVERYTHING is going great between him and Isa and like the other book - he ends up hurting her. Big surprise there, I swear I rolled my eyes at that.
I wanted to love this more. The beginning of the book and I started off on a great note, but then it got boring, I started skimming, and some things that actually had potential were left on the sideline and the author went to her safety zone.
Overall, good… Nothing amazing, did not find this mind blowing, but I enjoyed the writing, and the characters and it was a pleasant read for the most part. I enjoyed it well enough to give it 3 stars.
I enjoyed this one, too. Though I pretty much agree with a lot of unexplored subplots. I feel like there’s a little background (or there should’ve been) as to why the Sawyers hate the Cranes.
Eh sorry this ended up kind of disappointing. I hate when that happens in a book you expect more from. Great review!
Oh boy, sorry to see this one was ultimately a letdown. Especially after such a strong start. And I’m always so annoyed when a character behaves or makes decisions that are seemingly out of nowhere (and out of character). Glad you were still able to enjoy the characters and overall story, though. Great, honest review!
I am really glad I read your review. I have seen this one everywhere. I would be nuts of the drama toward the end, that always puts me off. I am going to skip this. Thanks so much!
Good enough to read then. I do not always need amazing
I’m so sorry about the ending; but boy, the beginning and so many other aspects you mention still have me wanting to read this one. I haven’t read the first two books in the series so I’ll definitely start there. Thank you for the great review and for adding to my TBR 😉
Wow this sounds like a great read. I am going to need to check this one out. I am sorry about the ending that is rough when you become so invested in a book. Great review!
Need to try her books
Well, this is a genre I don’t gravitate toward so I can skip this one but I am curious about the author. Even if it didn’t wow you, at least it looks like it was entertaining. 🙂
Sorry this didn’t blow you away, it happens though, even from favorite authors, it just sucks when it does. 😉
I had fun with this one and I am sorry it fell short for you. I wasn’t surprised by his decision, honestly, I expected it.
The formula stuff can be good up to a point because one can relax in what they already know and love, but it can also go stale and leave no cool tension or expectation. I will get to this series eventually.
Nice review, Lily!
I dislike when stories start off on a high and then end up bombing out, as I can relate to your feelings on this one. Hope your next read will be better. Thanks for sharing.
Ahh, this one sounded like it had so much potential Lily, I love snarky romances where the female protagonist isn’t afraid to give it back to the arrogant love interest. It sounds like ti went downhill once they got together though which is a shame. Hopefully the next book in the series piques your interest more. Wonderful review Lily <3 <3
Bummer that this started out with such potential and then fell into predictability. I hate that 75% mark so many romances fall into with over the top dramatics that sour the story. Glad to hear you enjoyed the story overall, Lily. Great review! 🙂
sometimes with this author, I have a hard time getting into the story. I like the characters she writes though, so it keeps me reading her.
OH, I totally get your opinion! I can look back and see where Lemmon’s “formula” kicked in but honestly, I kind of go looking for that when I read her books. Especially in a series, I don’t expect her to deviate too far. I was kind of surprised, myself, that Eli chose to go back to work, but he is his Dad’s son in the end. And his dad was a Marine, too, so I kind of thought, “okay, I makes sense to me”.
But I totally love your review!!!! And ya know, I never read Reese’s book � Only the last two (bad Lemmon fan).
Noooo . . . I was so hooked while reading your thoughts on the amazing start, how disappointing that it ended up being flat and repetitive � That annoys me as well, so I can relate.
Aw bummed you didn’t like this one. I had a good time with it. With him and the hotel. I felt it wasn’t that he didn’t want to be there but that he didn’t feel he deserved to be there. He needed to get his charity up and running and feel like he’d earned forgiveness before being a part of the family again kinda thing.