4 Ease and Love Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free - It's Live!!!
There is nothing more fun then a sexy confident man bantering with a woman who oozes strength, a bit of skepticism of said banter from the sexy man and then have the man have the rug pulled out from under him with a twist regarding the woman he is bantering with...

Layne Layne is a master of those types of set ups and in her new book, Hot Asset (21 Wall Street, #1), she has hit the ground running. This is a story centered on finance, insider trading , SEC investigators and what is the truth. We are given very strong main characters and from the start I was all in.

Layne takes us through a "forbidden and complex" romance between Ian Bradley, the Wall Street hotshot and Lara McKenzie, an ambitious white-collar crime SEC investigator. Each are the best in their field. Each must cooperate in order to prove their case... Ian to show he did nothing wrong and Lara to find the evidence of insider trading a tipster has said happen.

But what happens in the process of this investigation is these two people start to see each for who they really are... not the per-conceived assumptions they believed...

Ian is hot, confident and a bit arrogant- hey, he has been dealing with all the Wolfs of Wall Street from a surprisingly young age. He realized he needed to work harder and smarter than the rest...and the women were willing to play with the one and done way of the times. Yes, he could be considered a player... but he was always respectful and kind.

What others have no clue about is the deep feelings he has of doing the right thing for his clients and others. He never came from an easy background... he wasn't one of the Elite Brotherhood.... nope, more rebel....But always ethical and believing in doing the legal actions.

Lisa is known as the most truthful and determined SEC investigator. No matter whatever her reports say, they are clear and backed by evidence impossible to refute. Time and time again, she has found the goods on illegal activities or she has said clearly, nothing has happen. Her word is respected by all parties.

This is woman who has been wanting all her life to be an FBI agent like her parents and this one case has been presented as her step up by her boss. Lara is just as ethical as Ian and wants all of the necessary information from the informer... but her boss told her to just "get the guy".

I was hooked from the start with these people. Each had back stories which gave us understanding of who they were before they met... and we were able to see their growth.

The chemistry worked and the chances they took were integral to the story. Each saw through their own assumptions of who they thought the other was...it allowed them to grow together and be stronger.

One of the highlights of this new series was the introduction to Ian's Bros... the 2 other rebels in the firm. Both have shown their own personalities and possible love interests... so Bring It On Layne... I will be ready.

If you enjoy romances like Julie James’ FBI series (beginning with Something About You) I think you will really enjoy Hot Asset by Lauren Layne. This is a fast-paced romance with two commanding leads.



Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) agent Lara McKenzie has been handed the case of a lifetime–or at least, the case that may finally get her a job at the FBI working with white collar crimes. It’s her dream job after being raised by two FBI agent parents herself and she will do whatever she can to finally make it come true. In this case, it means proving that Ian Bradley, confident Wall Street trader, is guilty of insider trading.

It should be an open and shut case but there are some elements of the case that are niggling at Lara’s mind. She is a methodical and practiced agent, used to closing cases and proving the wrongdoing but with Ian, well that’s easier said than done. Her attraction to him is a big no-no first of all. Second of all, well, things just aren’t adding up. Why won’t her boss share the person who made the claim about insider trading against Ian? The more Lara investigates, the more she realizes she has to put her stereotypes of Ian aside and look at the case, and him, with the facts she has in front of her. And something isn’t adding up.

Ian knows he is innocent. At first, he doesn’t think the case will go anywhere, but the more Lara investigates, the more Ian is starting to realize he has an even bigger problem: he really, really likes Lara. Ian is definitely a stereotypical love ’em and leave ’em Wall Street guy but when it comes to Lara, he cannot get her out of his mind. But do these two have any chance at making their feelings come to life?

Hot Asset jumps with chemistry from the opening pages. Lara wants to write Ian off. Ian wants to jump Lara’s bones and be done with it. They both soon realize that the connection between them will not be that easy to sever. What really drew me into this story was when Lara and Ian started to put their misconceptions aside and get to know each other. Their romance is incredibly engaging and visceral. You feel that “will they won’t they” tug from the very beginning but it turns into something more special as the investigation looms heavier in their minds. Lara, who is used to putting all the clues together to get her right answer, can’t fit these pieces together and she definitely can’t figure out how to deal with her feelings. Lara is ambitious and wants to be part of the FBI. She doesn’t have much time for dating and well, Ian is a bit too intense for her.

Ian didn’t think he would ever be drawn to a woman like Lara: intelligent, hard-working, a bit reticent and starchy, but somehow can handle all his foibles like a pro. He knows he is innocent and he just wants to see the conclusion of this investigation because maybe, they can try dating and see where things go. I liked Ian’s brash personality but he definitely has a softer more vulnerable side which sneaks out in some of his conversations with Lara, and his foster parent, Dave. Makes for a fully fleshed character.

Hot Asset is available now. This is an exciting and satisfying romance. Lauren Layne continues to push all my buttons in the right way!

Wall Street is getting its day on the romance market in Layne’s first book to a new series.

This book was a bit shorter in length then what I typically expect from a Layne romance, but that may be due to the tropes and the challenge of pulling off this story without the hero being unlikeable.

We have rich, attractive, Wall Street investment broker Ian Bradley facing off with an SEC investigator Lara McKenzie. Ian’s the guy who always gets the woman and doesn’t do relationships. Then there’s Lara who’s been so focused on her career she doesn’t do anything but eat, sleep, and work her butt off towards that dream goal of getting into the FBI. It’s a match made for conflict, tension, and so it appears… dual first person POV. Not my favorite point of view, but I’ve enjoyed it before.

What works, Layne’s natural talent for telling about life in the big city. The crisp details, every setting easily transports me. The entire cast is set up seamlessly, including the couples for the remaining two books. The characters and their troubled, yet fabulous lives. We’ve all got skeletons and monsters lurking in corners, but in the meantime, they’re rich and able to spend money out the wazoo. I tend to enjoy escaping into that reality knowing full well I’ll never live it. The conflict, tension built from an informal SEC investigation and an all-consuming attraction, on Ian’s side of things, to the one woman he can’t lay a finger on.

Which leads me to my concerns…

Bradley’s main conflict through the entire story is his attraction to Lara. It’s not only the highlight, but the entire thing. While there is a little subplot of finding out who’s trying to frame him for insider trading, it plays backseat fiddle to him fighting lust and desire for a woman he can’t have. A woman he realizes is dedicated to the fundamentals of truth and justice. Plus, Lara’s no one-night stand woman. She’s they type who wants something real, which is exactly what Ian doesn’t want. The cat and mouse is all right, but carrying most of the story becomes a bit of an issue.

My other problem is that every time Ian says he’s not going to force her to act on her feelings, doesn’t want her to act without knowing he’s innocent, but then dangles his want over her head it reads a bit toxic to me. Additionally, he attempts to break the ground rules she puts in place to keep them both safe in the professional capacity. Not exactly heroic, and something I find myself turned off by more and more. Thankfully, Layne resolves this issue as best she can with the characters and the subject matter, I can’t go into more detail without the dreaded spoilers. In the end, I didn’t love this book as much as I wish I did.

The resolution and some of the turns and twists were things I didn’t expect and others were. The final grand gesture turned out to be nice, sweet, and fitting for the modern, chic world Layne is creating. I can only hope the next book in the series puts Layne back in that sweet, auto-read spot for me.

~ Landra

I absolutely adore LL's books. This new series started off with a bang. I can't wait to read more of this group!

I love this author. Her dialogue is superb. While I did love the relationship between the hero and heroine, I equally loved the friend dynamic. I was not a fan of how the book started off with him listing how much of a douche he is. But I loved his development. I really admired how there was no grand misunderstanding and fight, just a "normal" couple dealing with their relationship

Most of you already know what a big fan of Lauren Layne I am. I'm always excited to dive into a story by her. I was even more hyped for 21 Wall Street because she goes back to write about her in-suit heroes in NYC. As a first book, Hot Asset delivered in many ways. Though not my favorite read from Lauren Layne, it was a solid addition to my LL library.

Ian Bradley is a hero who takes time to warm up to. As someone who grew up without many opportunities, he has forged a path to success for himself by working hard and pushing himself to the limits as a Wall Street broker. While on this journey, he has become somewhat of an ass with a reputation of a player. Over the course of Hot Asset, we learn this isn't somewhat true and that Ian possesses a deeper persona than just that of a notorious player. While I won't say that Ian was a favorite LL hero for me by any means, I grew to enjoy his character over the course of the story, when we got to know his past better. I was especially fond of him when he interacted with his coworkers and friends. A more fun side to him emerged that I found very likable. Now, Lara, I connected with more than I did with Ian. She was an ambitious SEC agent with dreams of working for the FBI. Her drive and resilience were the highlights of Hot Asset for me. She was whip-smart and didn't allow Ian to walk all over her despite how hard he tried. Lara also was an honest woman who strived to find the truth and was ready to put her job on the line for the truth. I very much admired that about her.

When Lara and Ian meet, the sparks fly between them, but when he finds out she is here to investigate him, his attitude isn't the nicest. Still, there was plenty of banter between the two and the mild hate-to-love dynamics were more than enjoyable. Lauren Layne always writes clever and delightful dialogue so her books are a pure joy to read even when I'm not 100% convinced by the characters. The romance developed satisfyingly and the two had some good chemistry together, something that LL is known for in the romance community. I have to say, more than I was invested in the romance between Ian and Lara though, I was dying at the interactions between the secondary characters. Ian's friends, who will also be getting books, were so intriguing and fun. We were given glimpses to the future couples and let's just say that I am ready to sell my soul for the third book. ;)

All in all, this was a decent romance read. I had fun reading it and am eagerly waiting for the next book. You can never truly go wrong with a Lauren Layne book!

I loved this book. Straight out of an episode of Suits, hotshot Wall Street investor, Ian, in in trouble with the SEC for potential insider trading. This book is smart, fast paced and extremely well written. Each character is intriguing, charming and, of course, smoking hot.

SEC investigator, Lara, is the perfect compliment to Ian. Their dynamic is a challenging, slow burn. Each with their own goals to prove Ian’s innocence or guilt, they can’t resist the temptation of being together.

With each twist and turn, I loved the friendships that supported one another, the humor, and the wit. Smart, sexy books are some of my favorites, making Hot Asset a top notch read in my books.

Ian Bradley has gotten everything he has ever wanted. He worked hard all his life and he is now enjoying the fruits of his hard work.

But there's something that he wants and he can't have, and she seems to be the person who can destroy everything he has.

Lana works hard too, she wants to build a career for herself and this is the case that could make her or break her, but things aren't as easy as she thought they would be.
There's no black and white with Ian and she is not sure how to handle that. On paper he seems guilty but once she gets to know him she realise there's no way he could have done what he is accused of.

The attraction between them is crazy and they are fighting with all they got to stop from just letting go, because that would mean destroying both of their careers and lives.

As days go by they realise these could be what they were both looking for but they must trust each other,even when it seems impossible.

Fun and entertaining love story where opposites more than just attract they collide and it couldn't be better.

I enjoyed this book although not quite as much as many of Layne's other books. It has the usual snappy dialogue and fast pace I've come to expect from Layne's books. It also has some pretty great characters. I was worried about whether I would like the Wall Street setting, but it worked well. Despite all this I didn't quite connect to the book as much as I would have liked. I'm looking forward to revisiting it since I was on the verge of a reading burnout when I read this which may have impacted my enjoyment of the book.

Ian Bradley is in trouble and unless he can prove his innocence, he's going to be arrested for a crime he didn't commit. However, he knows finding the information he needs is going to be difficult, especially with the SEC agent assigned to his insider trading investigation determined to do everything she can to find the evidence to prove he's guilty of what he's being accused of. Will Ian be able to charm the SEC agent enough to prove he's innocent or will he go down for a crime he didn't commit and lose his chance at happy ever after with the first woman that has tempted him into considering more than casual hook-ups?

What an highly-entertaining, fast-paced, enchanting read Ms. Layne has delivered in this first book of her 21 Wall Street series where the main characters were incredible due to their back stories and everything they go through on their journey to happy ever after including this pair going from enemies to lovers and what happens during the investigation that makes the heroine question things when it comes to her job. With the way this story started, it had me hooked as Ian is charming, confident and charismatic and I loved the moment Lara and Ian come face-to-face because there's plenty of chemistry between them, and yet, she knows who he is but he has no clue that she's about to turn his life upside down. What will he think of her when he discovers her identity?

As for the dialogue, it was intense due to the main characters back stories, especially that of the hero. He's been through a lot in his life, but he didn't let his life hold him back. Instead, he's done well for himself, which is proven by everything he's achieved. While the heroine, she's ambitious; hard-working; determined to find the truth and get justice, if Ian or someone else is guilty; and I liked every decision she made throughout this story, as it shows she has integrity and won't let someone get away with committing a crime.

Overall, Ms. Layne has delivered another incredibly captivating read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was off-the-charts; the romance was hot and had me loving this couple together; and the ending had me cheering for this couple's happy ever after because they face tough obstacles to be together, especially with what happens. Will Lara find the evidence to help Ian? Will Ian be cleared or will he go down for the crime he's being accused of? However, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up perfectly because Ian is more than ready to take his and Lara's relationship to the next level and show her that she's the one. I would recommend Hot Asset by Lauren Layne, if you enjoy the enemy to lovers trope or books by authors Jessica Lemmon, Kira Archer, Jennifer Probst and Lucy Parker.

Lauren Layne and her Wall Street series is one that kicks off with tons of foreplay that will make you say right now. We have two people who from the outside seem opposite but together they have something in common. Ian knows he's hot and can have any woman yet Lara is one tough cookie. Throughout the book we see them arguing with each other and boy this cat and mouse game is HOT. Lauren Layne new series just made Wall Street sexy.

"I received an eBook copy from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own."

Wow I have to say that Lauren Layne has done it again. I absolutely loved this book. It was amazing. Not only did we get to read a romance book but we were once again brought into a family and this one is on Wall Street. I can't tell you how much this book made me laugh. I honestly could not put it down. Ian was such a hot, sexy man. He pushed all of my buttons and then some. Lara was so sweet and so lonely. Both of them were not looking for anything at all they just fell into each other. This book takes so many twists and turns. There is so much friendship and family. I honestly cannot wait until the next book and the one after that. Lauren Layne did an amazing job of taking two different people and placing them in each others path. In that path many things are going on. I cannot wait to read about Wall Street again. Thanks NetGalley. I voluntarily reviewed this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun read!

He’s a Wall Street trader and she works for the SEC and has to find proof that Ian is guilty of insider trading. I loved Ian and Lara, and oh boy were they in a pickle or what, lol.

I loved how focused and passionate Lara is, she wants to get to the FBI and this seems like the best way. She’s very professional when investigating Ian, and even when things start to get hot with him, she keeps that attitude.

Ian has the money to have fun and fun he has, lol. But this frustrating woman just can’t get out of his head. I loved their interactions and banter and they were great wwith Ian’s friends. I loved Lara’s newfound friends. She’s awesome and needed some girls in her life.

I loved the ending of this, how they make things work and that was a great epi.

Sooo looking forward to reading about Matt and Kennedy!

*Thank you Netgalley for providing a copy for which I’m giving my honest opinion*

I feel a little guilty about not enjoying this book. I generally really like Lauren Layne's books and I'm surprised about how boring I found this book.

The book itself is well written and the characters are basically likable. It's just really boring. Ian and Lara are both characters that I felt like I have read a bunch of times and there were zero surprises in the book.

Ian is the Wall Street bad boy who grew up rough and clawed his way to the top. He is an unapologetic alpha male/player cutting a swath through the single ladies of Manhattan.

Lara is the nerdy (but effortlessly gorgeous) nice girl who just wants to be taken seriously as she focuses intensely on doing her job so she can springboard her success to an even better career.

I could have forgiven the cliche characters but I really hated all the insider trading parts.

I did like the secondary characters so I expect to enjoy the next books in the series more, as they should not have the secondary insider trading snooze fest elements.

This is an amazing start to this series!!!!!

Ian has overcome a lot of adversity to become the powerhouse broker that he is now so when Lara shows up from the SEC and accuses him of insider trading, he's going to do everything to clear his name and prove his innocence. Lara is a by-the-book SEC investigator trying to make her way to the FBI. All she needs is one big case to prove that she has what it takes.

The chemistry between these two is off. the. charts!! The slow burn made it that much more intense. I loved absolutely everything about these characters and all of their friends. I laughed so much and I couldn't put this down. I found myself trying to solve Lara's case right along with her. I really can't wait until the next book in this series!!!

*This is my voluntary review of an advanced reader copy*

Lauren Layne just never disappoints. She just nails it every single time. Some books more than others, but they are all nailed LOL Her style is so easy to just get lost in the story and she makes sure her stories have just the right amount of humor to make your heart giddy with excitement. I dunno, she just makes me feel good while I’m reading her books. I don’t know any other way of putting it.

Okay, so let’s review. So Ian is a big shot on Wall Street. Self made big shot. He climbed out of the system and made a name for himself. He’s a playboy thru and thru. Doesn’t get attached and plays by the book on Wall Street. Lara is an SEC agent investigating Ian. But what seems to be is not always what is …. Lost of backdoor shenanigans going on in this book that will kinda, maybe keep you guessing but the real attraction is our opposite leads, Ian and Lara. On paper, they should hate each other … but the heart wants what the heart wants. :)

I was genuinely entertained by this story. The only part I would have liked to have been a bigger deal was the talk/question Ian had with Dave … it turned out underwhelming and anticlimactic and there’s a build-up in the story for it so I thought that was a missed opportunity in the storyline. But a very very very tiny point LOL

Copy provided via NetGalley for review

Hot Asset kicks off Lauren Layne's new series, 21 Wall Street. While the writing was phenomenal as always, I felt the characters or rather the hero was a little lacking.

Ian is just so arrogant and unlike-able that no matter how much of his backstory is thrown into the mix, it doesn't make up for it. There is also the insta-love that it is thrown in that is just unbelievable. Lara is going after her dreams and deserves so much in the world that it seems like she just settled with Ian to be honest. He spends part of the book railroading her and making sure everything falls back on her that it doesn't seem like a HEA for Lara. The supporting characters were good as well and I look forward to reading their stories but I just can't deal with Ian.

Love or your job? What do you do when the two come crashing together in a sexy romance story where the hero can be both a douche but also a good guy,and also the man you need to overcome to get the job you desire so much. A new series from Lauren Layne that gives plenty of sexy banter which i love and two characters that make you swoon and laugh and want to read more of. Looking forward to see where this series goes with the other characters.

This is the first installment in the 21 Wall Street series and if they keep going like this story did then we’re in for a treat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story and beyond excited to see where the series takes us. Ian and Lara are such a cute couple and I loved their group of friends. There was great chemistry and banter too. More please!

This was my first time reading a Lauren Layne book and I am definitely a fan! I have had Lauren's books on my TBR for awhile and I even own one or two but I just havent had a chance to read them yet. So luckily I was asked to review Hot Asset because I will be reading the rest of the books in this series as well as Lauren's entire back list!

Hot Asset is Ian and Lara's story. Ian is a hot shot on wall street who has come from nothing and worked his way through school and work to get to the position he is in today. He also works hard and play even harder, a partier who has no shortage of women interested in him. Lara on the other hand is a play by the books worker, and she works just as hard as Ian for the SEC, a department that investigates insider trading... and she is investigating Ian. I really enjoyed this part of the story and how this leads these two to meet and fall in love.

I really enjoyed the tension between Lara and Ian and was rooting from them to be able to come together as a couple. It was a mystery as well in regards to if Ian had done what he was accused of (I never thought so ahah!) and who had put the tip in against him. I also loved how Ian realized he didn't need any other ladies but Lara and how she was the one for him. I really loved both of these characters but especially Lara, she as so determined and knew what she wanted for her career and was going to make it happen.

I also loved the side characters in this one. Matt, Kennedy, Sabrina, and Kate where also so awesome. I loved the friendships Ian had with them and how Lara seemed to ingrate into their lives and became friends with them as well. I can't wait for Matt's book which will be the next book in the series. And the epilogue was soo cute!!
*from my goodreads review*