I found this book a little too fast paced for my liking. There was so much opportunity for expanding the blackmailing plot line and I felt that even the conclusion to it all was a bit rushed. It was almost like I blinked and the book was over.

That being said, I did like the overall story. I always appreciate a fake dating trope, but I do wish it had more time to happen a little more organically. Ali was sweet and I appreciate her attempts at avoiding giving into Jared's demands and actually being honest about what was going on when Christopher asked her. I do also love a guy falls first/mutual pining scenario, and Christopher was the protective MMC we all love.

It was a fun read, just not totally for me.

Ali has tried to keep things professional with her boss but when a man is that good looking, it's difficult. When her ex comes back to haunt her, she has no choice but to make a deal with Christopher that could ruin both of their lives.

This was a fun fake dating, workplace romance with some spice and suspense thrown in!

3.5 stars. Firstly I'd like to thank the author, Jade Church, for the eARC for an honest review as part of her ARC team. I was really looking forward to this one because I really loved the first one in the series - In Too Deep.

I did find the beginning a little slow. I was just waiting for Ali to tell Christopher about the private video her ex was threatening her with. I did have a problem with this storyline from the beginning due to the fact that threatening someone with a private video has been illegal since 2021 thanks to the TheNakedThreat campaign. If the police are in his pocket go to different police. He ended up getting arrested in the end anyway. A lot of trouble could have been saved. But it's fiction so we move.

I enjoyed the spice in this book which I always do with Jade Church's books. I did find this book rushed. There was a tiny bit of slow burn but then they fell in love and the fake dating trope lasted a very short amount of time which was really disappointing as it's one of my favourite tropes. Also the resolution with the ex being arrested seemed to happen pretty quickly. I also love the 'touch her and die' trope but it didn't fit in this book. Christopher is a softie and that is how he is presented throughout - the touch her and die situations just didn't fit with who he is as a character.

I did enjoy having Rose and Blake in this book! My favs from In Too Deep. When I finished the last chapter and turned to the Epilogue I was shocked to see it so quickly end. Overall, it was a quick easy romance read with a few flaws.

This is my first time reading a book by Jade Church and it was so incredibly good!!! This book was fantastic from the beginning and had me immediately hooked. The whole romance thriller trope was addicting and I loved ever second of it. The characters were so enjoyable and entertaining and very funny. I loved the banter and the quick jokes between friends and the main povs. My expectations for this book were surpassed and I really wish I was able to read Jade’s first book In too Deep. So so good!! Thank you Jade and NetGalley for this arc!!

★ · . Tempt My Heart - jade church

4.5⭐
3🌶

Thank you to NetGalley and Jade Church for the ARC of Tempt My Heart in exchange for providing an honest review. (pub date 30th june)

In tempt my heart, Ali (short for Alison) battles her attraction to her boss and also her friend, Christopher. However, that is not her only problem. She is also facing troubles with her ex and the risk of getting blackmailed by him. As the deadline nears, she has to decide to risk betrayal or stop him with Christopher’s help.

I enjoyed the book and felt that it was engaging. The plot was interesting, and although done before, I enjoyed how the story jumped straight into the problem (her situation between her and her ex) instead of dragging it out, making it a fast-paced, quick and easy read. Another thing is how they did not have an insta-love or love build up, but when the story started, she already had an attraction with Christopher, which was great as it made the story shorter and easier to read.

I really enjoyed learning about the characters too. The characters had an interesting development, especially the main character. Alison used to be scared of her ex, but at the end of the story, she became stronger towards her ex and stood up for herself. I also loved how she went from hiding her feelings for her boss for fear that it would ruin their friendship to openly admitting her true feelings for him. Alison is a really great FMC and I definitely want to learn more about her.

I also adored the relationships she had. My favourite was definitely her relationship with her mother-checking in on her and how she openly admits to her the problems she’s been facing. And her relationship with her friends, how close they are and how they comfort and protect each other was really admirable.

And the smut scenes were INSANE, especially a certain scene. I loved the romance and the smut was so good, it was written really well. The romance aspect of the book was really captivating and the author struck a perfect balance between simplicity and depth.

The author also made the characters come to life through their distinct voices and mannerisms was commendable, making them feel authentic and relatable.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book as the characters development and relationships were well thought out. Although this is my first book I’m reading from the author, I would definitely be checking out other books by this author soon! Would definitely recommend if you're looking for a fast-paced and fun romance book.

(please check TWs for this book.)
(cross posted from goodreads/netgalley/instagram)

i received this arc trough netgalley
this was the second book in the living in cincy series but this can be read as a standalone. its a quick fun read to read when in a slump. its also pretty steamy. i didn't went in with big expectations so i wasn't disappointed but i didn't love the book.
first of all, its 3rd person narration which isn't a problem but i find myself getting bored and not really being as interested as i would be with other narrations.
its very light forbidden romance as he's her boss, there's fake dating, touch her and you die (in a very literal way which made me cringe). it felt like the author was trying to fit in different tropes without it being relevant or useful for the book. it felt forced, tropey and wattpad-y.
the dress shop scene should've been good but it made me cringe so hard for some reasons (i think thats just about personal preferences tho, it wasn't that bad)
the writing was very on the nose, i felt like a child who needed explaining every steps of the way.
overall this was a quick fun read like i thought it'd be, and all the tropes and cliche were on brand for this type of romance so i cant blame the author for this. i just think a few things (as i said before) would've made my reading experience better.

Fake dating with the boss? Yes please!

Pros-
*Christopher
*Protective MMC
*Look how well you're taking me
*Fake dating trope
*Christopher
*Good banter
*Likable (and hate-able) characters
*Christopher
*Fast paced
*Spicy
*Not sure if I've said it yet but Christopher.

Cons-
*Too short, could do with being an easy 100 pages longer.
*Because of the above the ending felt rushed.

Loved this and it was going to be 5 stars up until the last 20(ish) pages when things started hitting hyperspeed.

Tempt My Heart by Jade Church is a quick, easy read and is very enjoyable. It's a sequel to In Too Deep but can be read as a standalone. Although it isn't overly unique, it's definitely an entertaining workplace romance with a fun plot. This book has an exceptionally written villain and I found myself extremely angry on the main characters behalf. I found the romance to be very fast burn, which I didn't seem to mind in this instance.

Overall, I recommend giving this book a go if you're looking for something simple and fun.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

TLDR; Fast-paced read with a promising plot but the writing style felt lacking.

This was my first time reading one of Jade Church’s books. Between the raving reviews on BookTok and the… less than favourable opinions I’d seen elsewhere, I wasn’t sure what to expect but the plot seemed interesting and I approached the read with an open mind.

I was looking for a fast-paced easy read to get me out of a reading slump and I have to say this book delivered. Honestly I read the majority of it in one sitting and felt the chapters were flying by.

HOWEVER, as I’ve seen other readers express, I think the author’s writing style just isn’t for me. I found it simplistic and at times felt as if someone was *telling* me a story rather than me *experiencing* the story for myself. I’ve seen some other reviewers mention it kind of reads like Wattpad and I have to admit, in some places, I agree.

Now for the tropes:
Fake dating, secret crushes, touch her and I’ll kill you… Yes yes yes! I was all for it when reading the blurb and during the early stages of the book.

But :( the MCs got together way too fast for my liking. I do admit I prefer a much slower burn and this could be a case of personal preference, but it honestly got to the point where I skipped over the last 3 spicy scenes cause I was bored of it. Again, I know this might be personal preference rather than a negative point, but the plot quickly lost that juicy tension that the fake dating trope can create and I was very disappointed to find this.

Easy quick read. I finished it in a day during my commute. I picked this book up for the fake dating and off limits trope made even better by the romantic suspense/she's in danger and needs saving trope. I was not left dissapointed because their chemistry is everything. Christopher is Christian Grey.

true happiness and love. Church does an excellent job of conveying Charlotte's emotions through the writing, and readers will feel a deep connection to her.

Jade Church's writing style is impressive, and I particularly appreciated how she managed to keep the story unpredictable and engaging. I found the pacing to be just right throughout the book, and I loved the little twists and turns that kept me hooked. The chemistry between Charlotte and her love interest was electric, and the romantic scenes were well-written and poignant.

Overall, I would highly recommend Just a Temp of the Heart to anyone who enjoys contemporary romance novels. It's a heartwarming and thought-provoking novel that will leave you with a smile on your face and a newfound appreciation for the transformative power of love.

Tempt my heart is a fast paced easy read. The storyline is gripping with a slightly more elevated ‘motive’ to the romance than other contemporary romance books. At times it may feel too fast paced- maybe some more downtime with the couple outside of the bedroom would help us fully fall in love with them- but ultimately it doesn’t matter too much, you still root for them, and you still swoon hoping you will one day have a love like that.. just maybe with less stalker involvement.

This was a quick and action filled read. It involves a workplace romance, friends to lovers and a jerk of an ex who is willing to do some pretty horrible things to get what he wants. While I didn’t get fully immersed in the story or characters, it did keep me interest and the spice in it was definitely decent.

Thank you NetGalley for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

After reading ‘In too Deep’ I was hesitant to pick up this book, but I decided to give Jade Church a second chance and start this book without any prejudice or bad feelings. And I have to say, this book was maybe not good, but better than the first book.

One of my problems with ‘In too deep’ was the writing and it still doesn’t work for me. It felt off the whole time, but since there are so many raving reviews for this book, this seems to be a me-problem.

I have to say I liked the characters in this book a little more than in the first book.

Will I pick up another book by Jade Church? Probably not. It wouldn’t be fair to me or her. I don’t seem to be compatible with her writing style, but if you don’t have the same problem, especially with 3rd person narration, then you should give it a go.

Thank you, NetGalley and Jade Church for the ARC of Tempt My Heart in exchange for providing an honest review.

This is a devour-in-a-single-day book! It’s not life-altering or Pulitzer-winning, but it is exactly what you want out of a spicy contemporary romance.

Ali’s ex boyfriend is blackmailing her with a sex tape to get a secret scoop to her sexy, sweet boss’s partner’s wedding to socialite/businesswoman Rose Dalue. The ex is definitely unhinged, but it's a good thing that her boss, Christopher, is super rich, protective, and has been pining for Ali for as long as she has been for him. Enter the fake relationship. The fake part lasts for about a day before they realize that they’ve both been into each other forever and Christopher uses his many *assets* to help Ali take care of her ex problem.
There is a lot of reference to the couple from Church’s first book of the series In Too Deep, so if you are familiar with David Blake and Rose Duloe then you’ll love this one - but as it’s an interconnected standalone, you don’t have to have read In Too Deep to enjoy Tempt My Heart!

I was honestly not expecting this level of spice, and it was a nice change that Ali was the more domineering partner in the bedroom. The drama was high-level, but I’m not mad about it. The side characters were interesting enough that you know they could easily be next up in this Living in Cincy Series.

⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

I received this book as an ARC and YALLLL…… THIS BOOK……

I love that this book somewhat tackles a topic that is very relevant in todays world, and the way it was handled was realistic and I loved how it ended.

-Fake dating
-Workplace romance
-Touch her and Di* vibes
-He likes her to take control.

Possible triggers-
-Revenge P*rn
-Physical roughness
-Arson

I don’t normally love third person books because I feel some of the story gets a little lost but this was not the case here.

I had to pause and collect myself after some of the spicy scenes. The dress shop was *chefs kiss* Christopher is a sexy man 😍

This book was very well written. I will definitely be reading more from Jade.

Other reviews will be going up on Instagram and TIKTOK as well

Thank you Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book.

I loved this book! It was easy to read, funny, cute and predictable but in a good way. The spicy scenes were quite good and I loved that even though the book is rather short, it doesn't feel like it. I thought the pace was good, it was well described and the characters were lovely (apart from Jared obviously).

I want to end this review by a moment/quote in the book that made me smile and melted my heart: "I lied before, by the way. My favourite color is red"

I really enjoyed this! The spice in it was next level but I also thought the love interest was really sweet.

I liked the realism in some of the spicy scenes where there’s a mention of contraception, and even though the power plays are hot I liked that consent was at the forefront.

The suspense was fun too, Jared was a jerk.