Thoughts I Had While Reading Final Offer

If you haven't heard the final book in Lauren Asher's Dreamland Billionaires series is now available! Final Offer tells the story of Callahan (Cal) Kane, and takes us on the journey of Cal making his Grandpa's final wishes happen. Of course it takes Cal back to the small town he ran from years ago, and has him returning to Lana's life. This small town, hate to love, second chance romance is going to be interesting. I don't think this happily ever after is going to be easy to accomplish.

As I did with Princess of Hawthorne Prep, I figured I would jot down my thoughts as I read the book. So if you're curious, please keep on reading. I don't think I'm giving any spoilers, but if I did, I apologize. Also if you want to read my full review, it is posted over on Goodreads.

Thanks for reading,
Laura

• Well that was an interesting start to the story!

• Loved how Lana put him in his place right away, and kicked him out.

• Wonder what Grandpa Kane is up to with having Cal return to the lake house? I also wonder what his letter to Cal said.

• Ugh I was hoping that Cal was in recovery, but based on what went down at the hotel that isn't the case. It's only a matter of time before he gets into trouble, and/or someone gets hurt.

• That meeting with the lawyer was kind of eye opening. I wonder why that clause was put in?

• I wonder WHY Cal has to sell the lake house. That part isn't 100% clear, or at least not to me.

• Oofta this small town has it out for Cal. I'm not liking that one bit. Why doesn't Lana tell them to knock it off?

• Those words that Declan spoke clearly struck a cord. Which they definitely should have.

• Cal showing interest during that board meeting caught my attention. He clearly is interested in the company! He just downplays it because that is what is expected. It's almost as though he wants to be underestimated by others.

• Oooh Cal's dad is the worst. He is out to hurt his son with his words, and it shows. Yet at the same time it seems like Cal is taking after him a bit.

• Loving the fact that Lana has a plan in place to push off the sale of the house.

• Cal isn't making it easy on her one bit, and is determined to get the job done at all costs.

• Ahhh! Cami's birthday party! So cute, and dang that's a large party!

• That's quite the trip he's just offered! I wonder what other things he has up his sleeve.

• OH THAT'S WHAT IT IS! Dang he spent a lot to make this happen.

• Loving the family reunion! I am glad the brothers are able to all get together with their busy schedules. Plus the women are meshing perfectly together. 

• Also I am proud of Cal for setting up rehab for himself, and hoping this time is when it clicks for him.

• I feel like drama/conflict is about to happen.

• OH NO! She shouldn't have found out like that! Poor Lana!

• Oooh that fight was a doozy. I don't blame Lana for saying what she did. At the same time she should have listened before reacting. (in my opinion of course)

• Rehab is going to be good for Cal, I just know it.

 

• Well I did not see THAT person walking into the AA meeting! Still an ass, and is clearly only thinking of himself.

• Glad to see Rowan made the call with the offer that he did.

• So how is Cal going to fix all this? It seems like the odds are stacked against him.

• Okay I'm liking this solution. I see what's happening and I approve. Swoon!

• That board meeting was interesting. I also enjoyed what Cal had been up to behind the scenes. Underestimated as always, until he shows people that he knows what he's doing.

• That meeting with the lawyer!!! OH MY WORD! So that just happened. It feels good to see that outcome. 

• Now that the book is over, I'm not certain what to think. I'm conflicted. On one hand I enjoyed a good portion of it. On the other I'm not sold on this couple. There are so many issues that need to be worked out. I still don't like how the addiction storyline was handled. Plus Lana didn't always it right with me. She was combative and always throwing the past, as well as his addiction, in Cal's face. Then there's the fact that Cal threw money around like it was nothing. Which I get it he has $25 billion, but dang! My mind just cannot wrap around the fact that he just spent like he did.

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Terms and Conditions by Lauren Asher {a review}

Terms and Conditions by Lauren Asher is now live!

Get ready my friends...Declan and Iris's story is absolutely fabulous! This slow burn, age gap, fake marriage had my complete attention from chapter 1.

If you've read The Fine Print, then you know the basics of what is going on. Declan's Grandfather has died, and in his will he gave very specific instructions for his grandsons. Following those instructions is paramount to receiving their inheritance. So in The Fine Print, we watched Rowan fight it tooth and nail. Now in Terms and Conditions, we get to see Declan go through his journey. Of course Seth (dad) is right there front and center as our antagonist. Naturally he does what he does, and pushes all the buttons to get a rise out of his son. Anything to keep Declan from becoming CEO. Yet Seth underestimates Iris, and her ability to read the room. She sees what is happening, and jumps in to defuse the situation. Of course as all of this is going on, Declan and Iris are falling for each other. They may be "married", but they also know that was just a contract. Now, can they achieve their happily ever after? Or will it all blow up after a disagreement? And will they land the Dreamland Tokyo contract?

It's been a while since I read The Fine Print, and I remember really enjoying that story. So when I heard about Terms and Conditions, I knew I had to get my hands on the book. Even more so since I saw tidbits of Declan and Iris in that book. You could see the curiosity, the attraction, the chemistry, the longing. And it wasn't just one party trying to hide their cards, it was both of them. While I knew that Declan and Iris would end up together, I wasn't certain what sort of battle they would have to go through to get to their happily ever after. 

Having now read Terms and Conditions, I loved how it all played out. From the lead up to the engagement party, to the wedding, to the honeymoon, to everything that happened from that point on, to the realization of love, to their happily ever after, I could not put this book down. Now I did mention above that this book is a slow burn, and it took a while for the romance to kick in. Once our characters stopped denying what they were feeling, the romance flowed. 

Now that drama? Oh my word. Okay wait, I'd say there were really a couple of moments where I wanted to grab a few characters and smack them upside the head.  I fully admit that Seth Kane had me wanting to do that a few times! UGH, that man. But it wasn't just Seth. It was occasionally Declan as well. It wasn't until at Dreamland that Declan understood what he needed to do. I appreciate Mr Y talking him through that, and that talk really impacted Declan.

Back to Seth Kane for a moment...I have this feeling he is going to redeem himself in Cal's story. That there will be an explanation for why he is the way he is. Although I would be perfectly fine with Lauren Asher proving me wrong on that.

The journey toward reconnecting was an interesting ride. I loved going through that, and then finding out what had been planned. The fact that these two finally found their happily ever after had me smiling. I also enjoyed that Cal was involved in their reunion.

I gave this book 4.5 stars on Goodreads. Honestly about the only thing that kept it from being a 5 star read was that I wanted to know what happened between the reunion and the epilogues. There were some storylines that were not wrapped up in that regard, and so I didn't feel I could give it a full 5 star rating. Maybe answers will be given in Cal's story? I could only hope!

Speaking of Cal's story, I cannot wait to see what Lauren Asher has planned for that one. My gut tells me it's going to be a second chance romance, but I don't know anything more than that. 

I highly recommend that you go grab Terms and Conditions. It was a wonderful read that was emotion filled at times, but also shows the ups and downs that Declan and Iris went through. I do want to add a small content warning for discussion of past abuse.  So know that it is brought up, but it is handled carefully.

Thank you for taking time to read my thoughts on Terms and Conditions. Read this book! Declan may be a serious grump, but he has Iris by his side to push that grumpiness away.

Laura

Cover Design: Mary @ Books and Moods

Declan

I'm destined to become the next CEO of my family's media empire.

The only problem? My grandfather's inheritance clause.

Fulfilling his dying wish of getting married and having an heir seemed impossible until my assistant volunteers for the job.

Our marriage was supposed to be the perfect solution to my biggest problem.

But the more we act in love for the public, the more unsure I feel about our contract.

Caring about Iris was never part of the deal.

Especially not when breaking her heart is inevitable.

Iris
My plan to marry Declan was simple in theory.

Move in together. Throw a wedding. Have a baby.

We set rules to prevent any kind of issues.

Ones that were never meant to be broken, no matter how much Declan tempts me.

But what happens when our fake relationship bleeds into our real one?

Falling in love was never an option.

At least not for me.

 

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Meet

Plagued with an overactive imagination, Lauren spends her free time reading and writing. Her dream is to travel to all the places she writes about. She enjoys writing about flawed yet relatable characters you can't help loving. She likes sharing fast-paced stories with angst, steam, and the emotional spectrum.

Her extra-curricular activities include watching YouTube, binging old episodes of Parks and Rec, and searching Yelp for new restaurants before choosing her trusted favorite. She works best after her morning coffee and will never deny a nap.

 

Connect with Lauren

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Thank you to Lauren Asher, and Valentine PR, for providing me with an advanced review copy of Terms and Conditions.

Terms and Conditions by Lauren Asher {cover reveal}

 

Lauren Asher has revealed the cover for Terms and Conditions!

This is the second book in the Dreamland Billionaires series, and I am so excited for it to be released! Ahh, cannot wait to return to this setting, and catch back up with the characters.

Releasing on February 24, 2022

Cover Design: Mary, Books & Moods

Declan
I'm destined to become the next CEO of my family's media empire.

The only problem? My grandfather's inheritance clause.

Fulfilling his dying wish of getting married and having an heir seemed impossible until my assistant volunteers for the job.

Our marriage was supposed to be the perfect solution to my biggest problem.

But the more we act in love for the public, the more unsure I feel about our contract.

Caring about Iris was never part of the deal.

Especially not when breaking her heart is inevitable.

Iris
My plan to marry Declan was simple in theory.

Move in together. Throw a wedding. Have a baby.

We set rules to prevent any kind of issues.

Ones that were never meant to be broken, no matter how much Declan tempts me.

But what happens when our fake relationship bleeds into our real one?

Falling in love was never an option.

At least not for me.

 

Pre-order your copy today!

Add to your Goodreads TBR!

 

Meet Lauren

Plagued with an overactive imagination, Lauren spends her free time reading and writing. Her dream is to travel to all the places she writes about. She enjoys writing about flawed yet relatable characters you can't help loving. She likes sharing fast-paced stories with angst, steam, and the emotional spectrum.

Her extra-curricular activities include watching YouTube, binging old episodes of Parks and Rec, and searching Yelp for new restaurants before choosing her trusted favorite. She works best after her morning coffee and will never deny a nap.

Connect with Lauren

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | BookBub | Pinterest | Newsletter

The Fine Print {a review}

Happy Thursday my fellow readers!

Today is the day that The Fine Print by Lauren Asher is available, and let me tell you, if you enjoy theme parks, a work place romance, and/or billionaire romance, then you're going to want to read this one. Or if Grumpy/Sunshine is your go to trope, then again, The Fine Print would be a good book for you to pick up.

Brady Kane, the founder of Dreamland, has recently died. Before he died he wrote a few letters to various people. Three of those letters went to his grandsons. Within those letters were tasks each person needed to accomplish, and there was a deadline. Don't follow through, there goes your stake in the company. Harsh? A bit yes. Needed? Yes. Rowan is the first to tackle the mission. He figures he can return to Dreamland, put in his six months, and be done. He does not care for the theme park, and it brings back memories he'd rather not face. Shortly after his arrival he is attending a morning staff meeting. It is there where he meets Zahra for the first time. She's late to the meeting, loud, and not paying attention. It's irritating Rowan. He's already trying to think of ways to get rid of her. Zahra pays this mysterious man no mind, and goes on with her usual routine. It isn't until a little bit later, when Rowan's name is announced, that she realizes she's sitting right next to the new park Director. A bit later, Rowan is talking with the "Creators" about what needs to be done with the park, and the deadline that he has for them. One of the leads asks about opening up the employee suggestions a bit earlier than normal. While hesitant, Rowan agrees. That night, Zahra has a bit to drink, fills out the form with her true feelings/suggestions, thinks she hits save, and calls it a night. The next morning she realizes that she didn't hit save, she hit submit. But you see, Zahra has a history with the park, and with Brady Kane. Brady knew that Zahra wanted to be a Creator, and she had been working on a plan for a while. That is until her ex took her idea and ran with it. What happens next in the story is the journey toward Zahra and Rowan's HEA. It's quite the trip, and at times you may find yourself wanting to yell at Rowan. Or maybe that was just me.

In the beginning of the book, I was all in. I loved that Grandpa had given these men certain tasks. I wanted to watch how that all played out. I can't lie, in the beginning Rowan ticked me off. He was such a jerk, and it just irritated me. It seemed as though there wasn't one caring bone in his body. Rowan was all work, and anything else didn't matter. Whatever made the company the most money was all that mattered. A decent wage for employees? Nah. Good health insurance? Absolutely not. No one was complaining, so all was fine. I really liked how as the story unfolded, Rowan was starting to question things. As for Zahra, I loved her from the beginning. She is a strong female who knows what she wants. She wants to be a Creator at Dreamland. She wants to be near her family. She wants the best for her sister Ani. I also loved how she challenged Rowan left and right. She could see behind his mask. She knew there was a better man struggling to break free. He just needed a little push. This story was just so good. Yes, there were times where I wanted the pace to pick up just a little bit, but at the end of the story I see why it had to play out the way it did. I understand. When the big dramatic moment happened, my heart crashed. I was worried that Zahra and Rowan weren't going to get their HEA. Obviously they did. (I only read HEAs, with the exception of one book that broke me.) And how their HEA played out, just warmed my heart.

I cannot wait to see what happens in the next Dreamland Billionaires book, Terms and Conditions. Which brother is getting their story told? No clue, but I'm hoping it's Declan. And so help me Iris had better be his end game. If not, my kindle will be thrown.

Absolutely recommend the book. Take a trip to Dreamland for yourself, and fall for the setting! I think you'll fall for the characters along the way too.

Thank you for reading my thoughts,

Laura

Rowan

I'm in the business of creating fairy tales.

Theme parks. Production companies. Five-star hotels.

Everything could be all mine if I renovated Dreamland.

My initial idea of hiring Zahra was good in theory, but then I kissed her.

Things spiraled out of control once I texted her using an alias.

By the time I realized where I went wrong, it was too late.

People like me don't get happy endings.

Not when we're destined to ruin them.

Zahra

After submitting a drunk proposal criticizing Dreamland's most expensive ride, I should have been fired.

Instead, Rowan Kane offered me a dream job.

The catch? I had to work for the most difficult boss I'd ever met.

Rowan was rude and completely off-limits, but my heart didn't care.

At least not until I discovered his secret.

It was time to teach the billionaire that money couldn't fix everything.

Especially not us.

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Meet Lauren Asher

Plagued with an overactive imagination, Lauren spends her free time reading and writing. Her dream is to travel to all the places she writes about. She enjoys writing about flawed yet relatable characters you can't help loving. She likes sharing fast-paced stories with angst, steam, and the emotional spectrum.

Her extra-curricular activities include watching YouTube, binging old episodes of Parks and Rec, and searching Yelp for new restaurants before choosing her trusted favorite. She works best after her morning coffee and will never deny a nap.
 

Connect with Lauren

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Facebook | Facebook Group | Instagram | Twitter | BookBub | Pinterest | Newsletter

Thank you to Lauren Asher and Grey's Promotions for providing me with an advanced copy of The Fine Print.