OMG OMG OMG
This book was so good and I’m cursing myself for not reading it sooner.

It’s about Violet who is this like New York expert. Growing up there she knows all the ins and outs of society. So her boss/ pseudo grandmother tasks her with making her newly found grandson fit to become CEO of her company. Violet being the people pleaser she is accepts.

Cain is angry at his new grandmother and Violet for challenging him that he won’t fit in and will quit their little task to make him a New Yorker. So he takes on the task begrudgingly going around with Violet changing his clothes and looks and exploring New York.

I adored this book. I read it so fast because it was such an easy and enjoyable read. Both the main characters are so lovable and I was waiting on the tip of my toes for them to confess their love. I loved Violet becoming the version she wants to be and Cain unknowingly helping her with that.

Their romance gave me the slowburn I needed. Their kisses were like fireworks. They spent so much some bickering and then learning they aren’t all that different. I loved every time he called her Duchess. I melted. I wish I was better at putting my love for this book in words but just know I did absolutely love it. Will definitely reread.

This was a really fun story to read about and I love a book set in New York. I loved the characters and the premise, it was all very sweet.

Fun story - no real surprises in it but it was an entertaining read which I enjoyed. The characters drew you in.

I really enjoyed Made in Manhattan by Lauren Layne, it’s the second book of hers that I’ve read and has left me even more desperate to catch up on her back catalogue.

Made in Manhattan is a modernised, gender flipped take on Pygmalion, in which Violet, our FMC, has been tasked with preparing Cain, our MMC, to take up the mantle of his long lost grandmother’s business. Violet is every inch the perfect New York socialite, whilst Cain is very much the outsider, having been born and raised in Louisiana and then expected to play a part and become someone who he’s not. Yet along the way both Violet and Cain discover there are far more joys to be found in being true to yourself.

This was such a fun and fast read. It’s the kind of story you become immediately immersed in and fly through. In both our MCs Layne has created rich and layered characters who are both trying to figure out who they are and who they might yet become. Each has their own difficult past that has shaped their paths so far, but in meeting each other, and in pushing each other’s boundaries, they come to discover they can be more than simply what has become expected of them. I loved that though this story is rooted in a male ‘makeover’ that Layne allowed both characters their own self discovery arcs.

The chemistry between Violet and Cain was excellent; their opposites attract snarky banter worked so well, as did their developing willingness to be more open and vulnerable around each other. This was a slow burn build up but with excellent tension throughout, leading to (you guessed it) a very steamy pay off.

Overall I really enjoyed this one and would certainly recommend it.

Thank you to Headline Eternal for providing a copy of this book via NetGalley – views remain my own.

This was really enjoyable. A very loose retelling of Pygmalion, Made in Manhattan features Violet – a Manhattan socialite who knows exactly how to move through the social scene without ruffling feathers – and Cain – her mentor’s long-lost grandson from Louisiana. Noted as a reverse My Fair Lady, the story sees Violet attempting to turn Cain into someone his grandmother can pass over her company to. But, of course, there’s more to Cain than the rough bad boy from New Orleans, and with his help Violet discovers a different, more assertive side to herself.

A lot of this book centres around appearances and first impressions, and there’s a nice message underlying about looking beyond these. Violet is a people-pleaser, through and through, and unsure about what she actually wants from life. After the death of her parents, she has struggled to grow into her own person, instead folding into whatever other people need her to be. In contrast, Cain seems sure of his life, and he initially wants to keep his distance from his long-lost grandmother and the whole social scene she and Violet are part of. They clash, both instantly identifying exactly which of the other’s buttons to press. These scenes were among my favourites in the book, especially as their teasing turns into something a little bit deeper.

It’s one of those books with an excellent supporting cast, too, from Violet’s best friend – the only one she can truly confide in – to her sort-of-maybe-boyfriend Keith, who offers the kind of security and stability Cain doesn’t seem able to. Of course, there’s some back and forth, moments of longing, and times when Violet and Cain seem on the verging of reaching the same page together. This book is escapism at its finest – it’s heart-warming, funny, and a really lovely rom com to get totally lost in.

In Made and Manhattan we join Violet - one of society's elite. She has been tasked with teaching her friend's grandson, Cain, how to fit in with society (how to dress, act, etc). Cain isn't keen on the challenge shall we say! He goes along with it due to the potential at the end but somewhere along the way, feelings develop.

For me it was a 3.5 out of 5 really. A sweet predictable story. I liked the last few chapters, that bumped up the rating for me. It needed a little bit more drama or excitement which started to come through towards the end. But a cute read.

I don't think I've enjoyed a book this much in a very long time! I read this in one sitting because I couldn't bear the thought of putting it down without knowing what happened next. I knew that Layne was an established romance author but I had not had the pleasure of reading her works before. I definitely want to dive into her back catalogue now! I just thought the chemistry between Violet and Cain was so strong, and I love the whole enemies-to-lovers, opposites attract tropes that Layne had going on, especially between Violet's uptight New York-ness compared to Cain's broody Southern gentleman ways. The bickering and constant back-and-forth between them put a smile on my face and I honestly didn't want it to end! It really felt like the perfect romance, and one that stands a league apart from a lot of the other 2022 romances I've read recently.

Lauren Layne is fast becoming a much loved author for me.

I devoured this latest book over a few hours and when I did take a short break from it Cain and Violet were on my mind.

It's a modern day Pygmalion story, but with a difference and with fat more of a message to it.

In fact the transformation of one of the characters is truly wonderful and completely unexpected from your first impressions of them.

I do love a great light hearted romance novel and this was exactly what it was, and what I needed to read as I read it. I loved it a lot.

Thank you Headline Eternal and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I sadly could not get into this one and I think that this is a 'me' problem as it seems that everyone else seems to have enjoyed it!

Sorry!!

You know what they say about opposites attract. You couldnt get more opposite than Violet and Cain.
Violet has lived on the upper east side all her life while Cain is from Louisiana now living in New Orleans. When his paternal grandmother shows out of no where and brings him back to New York to take over the family business. Cain is like a fish out of water and needs some help to fit in.
Violet has lived her life being a people pleaser, doing whats expected of her. When Violet is asked to give Cain lessons on how to fit in she reluctantly agrees. Cain isnt an eager student and makes it very hard on Violet. As they start to spend time together and get to know each other. Lessons are learnt, can they find their way to a happy ever after ? ARC requested from netgalley, this is my voluntary review.

I adored this book, the make over trope was amazing and I fell in love with both main characters so quickly. The romance was swoon worthy and I loved the slow build up, you could see small things that were slowly changing as the two main characters began to see each other for more than they show everyone else.

Highly recommend this book, I read this over two days, could not put it down.

I love Lauren’s writing and when this came up I knew I had to request it.
I love books set in New York and romances even more so! It’s definitely a book you can binge, I finished it in less than a day!

This is the first book that I've read by Lauren Layne but it certainly won't be the last.
I have to admit, I was immediately drawn in by the New York setting and this is like a classic rom com, one that you could easily see up on the big screen.
It is a slow burn enemies to lovers/grumpy, sunshine romance but I enjoyed the modern My Fair Lady retelling.
I also enjoyed the trip to New Orleans too.
It was a quick, easy read and I can't wait to read more from Lauren Layne very soon.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was fun, light and enjoyable and a nice way to lose yourself into a different world of privilege and wealth for a little break from reality!

Did I request this because of the name and my intense love of the Jennifer Lopez film of the (almost) same name? Yes. Did I have a good time reading it even though it wasn't just a book of the aforementioned film? Also yes.

I finished this in a day, which with a 6 month old is no mean feat! And I managed to get it done in a day because I had a jolly good time reading it! Whilst predictable and a tad tame it was a good romp set in one of my favourite places in the world. It was inoffensive and fun, and considering the last couple of years we've had, I think that's exactly was people need. I sure did anyway.

My biggest gripe was probably the overall character of Violet. She just wasn't for me, and as the main character and only POV we get, this was a big hurdle and a large reason why I only gave this 3 stars.
She was... dull.
Okay, this may be a large part of the book, her development from her mundane life to living for herself, but there just wasn't enough development for me, just not enough evolving to truly grab my attention.
The only character I truly wanted to read about was Ashley and she barely made any appearances.

Overall, I may have found it predictable and cliche, but that's not neccessarily a bad thing! I had fun, it was a light-hearted, easy read and that's why I liked it!

I loved this book a lot. And a lot more than I thought I would. Whenever I see a blurb say a ‘retelling’ I’m always like, next…it’s just not my thing. I’m a ‘if I want to read the story I’ll just read the original kinda gal’, you know?

But I would call this a reimagining or rather just inspired by rather than a retelling. The story takes inspiration from My Fair Lady but really just in the basic plot alone and the rest of the book completely stands on it’s own independent from that idea

I enjoyed it, so, so much! It was such a fantastic light and fun read and I just adored the writing from @laurenlaynebooks

This felt very different from the other Lauren Layne books I’ve read before and it’s definitely my favourite of hers I’ve read so far.

I would love to read more from her older catalog though as I hear this is more similar to them. Let me know if you have any recc’s for where I should start?

Here is the blurb…
“Raised in the privileged world of Upper East Side Manhattan, Violet Townsend always says the right things, wears the right clothes, and never rocks the boat. So when a friend of her beloved grandmother asks Violet to teach her newly discovered grandson how to fit in with the city's elite, Violet immediately agrees. Her task? To prepare Cain Stone to take his place as heir to his family company . . . but he's not exactly an eager student.

Born and raised in rural Louisiana, Cain is only playing along for the payout at the end. He's not interested in a relationship with the grandmother he just met and has no patience for the uppity Violet's attempts to turn him into a suit-wearing, museum-attending gentleman.

But somewhere between antagonistic dinner parties and tortured tux fittings, Cain and Violet begin to find a begrudging respect for each other - and perhaps even something more.”✨

Advanced copy from Netgalley

I blitzed through this book over the weekend as I just could not get enough. Light and witty I enjoyed every second. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a lovely book to read. I loved Violet and Cain separately and together their chemistry sparked off the page! Fantastic easy beach read with all the smiles

Made in Manhattan by Lauren Layne was a fun, heartwarming, slow-burn romantic comedy about Violet and Cain, who it's safe to say were completely opposite in every way.

They are likeable characters who had great back and forth banter. It was cute to see that as much as they try to deny it, they slowly start to discover as they spend more time together that the age-old saying opposites attract is very true.

Overall an easy light romance read. I like the author's reading style, and I’m looking forward to reading more from her.

The perfect romance read! I adored the characters of Violet and Cain along with their family and friends.
I liked how engaged I felt in the plot and it had just the right amount of cliché for a romance novel.