Dnf-ed at 50%. I did not really enjoy it. Not the worst, but didn't want to waste my time so I stopped reading this.

Unfortunately, this novel focused so much on the sex it did not develop any sexual tension and I did not care much for the characters.

The Debt, written by Jackie Ashenden is published by the relatively new M&B imprint - Dare. This series of books are racier, steamier and the main characters aren’t necessarily the archetypal traditional M&B hero/heroine.

Ellie Little is a chauffeur who wangles a job with billionaire Ash Evans in order to persuade him not to pull his financial investment in her father’s car business. Ellie lost her mother when she was young and has always lived in her brothers’ shadows. Her father is in dire financial straits as he had to pay Ellie’s assaulter a large amount of money. Ellie has two days to persuade Ash not to pull the financial plug on her father’s business. Both of them get rather more than they bargain for when Ash convinces Ellie to masquerade as his fake girlfriend so that he can get one over on his step brother and purchase some islands that he wants. The chemistry between the pair is hot but will it last?


As an exfighter Ash is portrayed and comes across to the reader as very protective of Ellie and vice versa. I have followed Jackie’s career (via twitter) and enjoyed the books published prior to her foray in to M&B. Her heros are still slightly quirky, unusual, alpha males with a twist be it that they are broken or gritty characters shaped by past experiences. Her heroines are fiesty, independent and force to be reckoned with! Ellie’s father appears, even by the end of the novel, to be a very very unlikeable character. I always enjoy Jackie’s novels and look forward to the next one!!


I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for a honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley

A fast paced, emotional read, with engaging characters and an original narrative voice.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Mills & Boon Insiders for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ash is a self made man who started from the bottom and made himself into a force to be recon with. He is emotionally damaged and does things his own way until he met his temporary driver Ellie who wants him to do her a favour. Ellie challenges Ash at every turn to the stage that he ends up confessing why he fell out with his half brother. This book is a must read. i couldn't put it down until the last page.

The author brings her originality to this #Dare novel and makes it a sexy, glamorous, romantic story, full of conflict. Self-made billionaire Ash and car designer Ellie are both emotionally scarred, but they’re survivors and see enough similarity in each other to learn to trust. What starts off as a purely sexual adventure, becomes something more dangerous and potentially life-changing.

The story told from alternative points of view is amusing, intense, sensual, and fast-paced. The emotional journey is tortuous, but worth the pain, the romance is lovely and the ending perfect, for this sexy story.

I received a copy of this book from Mills and Boon via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I thought that this was a really good story and I was hooked right from the outset!

I found that the book had very well developed and believable characters which helped carry the story so well.

I found the writing style easy to read and the story was straight to the point.

I thought that the book flowed very well and it was one I found hard to put down as I just wanted to carry on reading to see how it would end!

It is 5 stars from me for this one, I thought it was an excellent story - very highly recommended!!

An intense story of emotionally charged feelings.

From being in tight control and controlling the out comes. To floundering around in a new playing field of admitting to and understanding feelings of love and commitment.

With a happy ever after ending to this romance

An entertaining and passionate romance.
Chauffer Ellie Little engineers herself a job driving billionaire Ash Evans in order to get close to him and convince him not to pull the plug on his investment into her father's car business, but gets more than she bargained for when the two find themselves attracted to one another, and Ash needs a pretend girlfriend to convince an associate to sell him some islands (and get one over on his estranged half brother in the process).
What I really liked about this book was that Jackie Ashenden has given a lot of emotional depth to her characters, and Ash in particular is not your stereotypical billionaire, but rather has overcome his tough upbringing and made a point of trying to prove himself in the world. The fact he is ill-tempered and scarred from his years as a street fighter only adds to his appeal as far as Ellie is concerned, and, as she (and the reader) begin to see beyond the front Ash puts on for the world, we actually see him as a successful but vulnerable man who just wants to be accepted, but can never forget his roots.
Ellie is similarly well created, and is more than a match for Ash as she begins to break down the barriers he has put up around himself, whilst also revealing her own vulnerabilities. The two work well together and form a believable relationship, and, as the story progresses, you really do hope that Ash can overcome his reluctance to let Ellie into his life on a more permanent basis.
Without spoiling the plot, the closing stages of the story provide an emotional conclusion as Ash is forced to confront his feelings, and his honest conversation about the past with his mother is a highlight of the book.
Overall, this is an enjoyable romance about finding acceptance and learning that sometimes you need to look beyond what you see.

The story of Ellie and Ash.

Shehas got herself a job as his driver so she can try and talk him in to giving her family business more time to pay off his investment. Before she gets the chance to talk to him, sparks fly and they end up together in the back of the car. He agrees to help her but he wants something in return, but what will happen when they return back to real life?
A short, entertaining read.

Steamy, full of passion and lots of angst, this is a great fast paced read. Everything I have come to expect from the Dare books by Mills & Boon and this does not disappoint, this book will leave you hot under the collar and ecstatic about it. More please !

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion