Temporary by Sarina Bowen and Sarah Mayberry

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The most beautiful man I've ever seen is the one who can ruin everything...

The first time I lay eyes on Callan Walker, I know he’ll be trouble. With his smug grin, hot Aussie accent and thousand dollar shoes, he’s just the kind of rich guy who always gets what he wants. 

And he wants two things: a night of sin, and my cooperation as he outmaneuvers his powerful mother to take control of his uncle’s estate.

I can’t afford either one. I’m the only thing standing between my little sister and the foster care system. He may have money and charm on his side, but I have something even more powerful -- pure desperation. This temp job at his mother’s company can become a full time job for me. It has to. 

But when Callan’s eyes rake over my body, sometimes I forget my obligations. His piercing gaze finds the fun, optimistic girl I used to be and not the tired person I’ve become.

And it works--if only for a moment. Our night together was a mistake. I can't afford to get sucked into his high-powered family’s treachery. But the closer I get to Callan, the more layers I find beneath those expensive clothes. Though I can’t forget this is temporary. He’s temporary. I have too much to lose. 

Too bad my foolish heart didn’t get the memo...


Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review


I'd been so distracted this summer that this latest title from Sarina Bowen and Sarah Mayberry kind of snuck up on me. All of a sudden here's this book and not going to lie, it made my day because it's no secret that I'll read anything that Sarina Bowen writes.

Told from alternating POVs, Temporary is about two people - Callan and Grace - who both have uncertain futures ahead of them that are tied to the company that Callan's mother runs. Grace, who's been raising her teenage sister on her own desperately needs for this temp job to become permanent so that she can continue to provide for the two of them. Callan has the opposite problem. He walked away from the family business years ago because he and his mother don't see eye-to-eye on many things. He took his disillusionment and drowned them in a playboy lifestyle that he's enjoyed so far though it's become less satisfying these day. Callan and Grace are thrown together upon the death of his beloved uncle whose property and holdings in the company are now up for grabs. Grace is assigned the task of inventorying those belongings, preparing them for auctioning, and also uncovering anything of interest and reporting directly to Callan's mother. Callan is certain that the plans his mother has for his late uncle's things are not what he would have wanted. He's now motivated to make sure that his uncle's legacy is fulfilled knowing full well that it goes against his mother's plans. That part he doesn't mind. In fact, it's a bonus to piss her off. What he's not keen on is that it means possibly undermining Grace's work and the job stability that she's hoping the completion of this assignment will bring. 

I liked this idea of two individuals with vastly different end goals who are forced to work side by side. It makes for an interesting and complicated scenario as they unexpectedly become friends and give in to their attraction. I was nervous about how it would end being that it's inevitable there'd be some fallout and one of them would be burned. I like to see characters grow and Callan does just that by shedding his playboy persona and taking on more responsibility. For someone who's been content drifting through life he becomes more focused and gains purpose. As for Grace, as much as you root for her as the underdog you still shake your head at some of her foolish decision. Yet it's hard to fault her too much because she's taken so much upon herself that it's nice when she does something that's just for her.

Temporary has been a fun pairing of an author I love with one who's new to me. It's a lovely frenemy-to-lovers romance that comes with the bonus of a sexy Australian accent and some sexy magic time. I mean, seriously, who's going to say no to that?

~ Bel

Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

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Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.

Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.

When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself.

Despite the rather unbelievable premise, Being Sloane Jacobs was quite fun and I couldn't help but fall for it while reading it during the Winter Olympics.

It took a little bit to buy into them trading places and adapting easily to each other’s lives. They're from opposite backgrounds with contrary dispositions, there was no telling which way this would go. I think I spent half the time convincing myself to go with it and the other half worried about how and when their ruse would be discovered. At some point, I ended up being more concerned with what the two Sloanes were mentally working through than all the other stuff.

Essentially, they’re both overwhelmed and exhausted by their own lives. They’re expected to behave a certain way, deliver certain results and follow a pre-destined path towards glory. Seems impressive on paper but when real life intrudes and shakes their faith in themselves and their respective families, suddenly all that they’ve been working towards has become unbearable. So trading spots isn’t such a bad idea after all. It’s a mental vacation from their lives and a chance for some breathing space. This break is exactly what they need to get their heads sorted out. As the weeks go by, they meet new friends (and enemies), learn challenging new repertoires, engage in some out-of-character high jinx and of course, there are boys involved. They eventually have to return to reality but by then they come to terms with what they have and face head on their fears and anxieties over their futures.

All in all, Being Sloane Jacobs is cute with a side of mischief – just enough to sweeten your day!

~ Bel