Thank you Get Red PR, Lexi Blake, and 1001 Dark Nights for the gifted copy!

Contemporary romance • Grumpy and grumpier • Enemies to lovers • Opposites attract

“I choose me. I choose us.”

This was such a nice surprise. The cover originally drew me in. Then I thought the premise sounded cute and fun. But it was so much more. Complicated characters full of heart, breaking past internal barriers to truly experience joy. Thriving not just surviving anymore. The push and pull, hilarious banter, and tender moments of letting the curtain fall. I laughed and I cried. I couldn’t love the ending more.

“Yes, this is a mistake, but I want to make it. One selfish decision. Something only for me.”

“I want this. I want to love someone, to go through life with these people who fill my soul. With people I can’t leave alone to face the storms inside them.”

“You can’t. You can’t give up your dreams for me.” “What if I just figured out you are my dream?”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🔥🔥

The story goes like this: a beautiful house needs renovations and two opposites are hired as constructor and designer (I liked the switch in typical roles, she's the constructor, he's the designer) but this whole project is going to be filmed to be a show (that part felt lacking, I wanted more TV show scenes).
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We get this amazing setting: a historical Gilded Age house in NYC and a woman who's in love with it. So if like me you have a thing for architecture and history this backdrop is incredible. I liked the strong women vibe, particularly because this is the first book of the series I read. But I didn't feel like I missed something (so cheers to that).
Harper's (FMC) struggles of who she really was and who her family expected her to be was super relatable. Now for Reid (MMC) I wished he was less I'm-a-designer-don't-care-about-the-building-per-se (if that makes sense) but I liked his loyalty, not cared much for his initial vibe unlike his brother's personality that was super charming.

I sometimes felt like there was too much going on and like mini stories between side characters that weren't really necessary and a bit distracting.

If your looking for a fun story this book is just that, easy to read and with characters you wish you knew in real life, particularly the women.

I'm new to this series so I was a little confused by the different characters the first couple chapters. Once I got that figured out, I really got into it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Not all of us have great relationships or get the support we need from our mothers. Sadly, I could relate to the dynamic between Lexi and her mother. Now, where do I find a Reid Dorsey? I loved how this character was written and would love to read more. Thank you to Blue Box Press and NetGalley for the advanced read.

📚 Book Review: Built to Last by Lexi Blake
✨ Genre: Romance, Romantic Comedy

📖 Page Count: 308

📅 Date Finished: 21 April
📅 Release Date: 27 May

📝 Synopsis (No Spoilers!)

Harper Ross is employed by one of her close friends to work on a major renovation project and reality TV show, alongside a somewhat difficult day job as CEO of a major family-owned construction company. But Harper isn’t thrilled about her friend’s choice of designer - Reid Dorsey - and they instantly clash.

💭 First Impressions

I loved the cover of this book. I haven’t read any Lexi Blake before but knew she’s a bit of a writing powerhouse and had been meaning to get around to it, hence being really keen to get my hands on an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from NetGalley ahead of publication. Thanks Blue Box Press! This meant I hadn’t read the two books already released in the series so was coming in cold. First impressions on picking it up was I loved the writing style (more on that later) and even though I wasn’t gripped by the architecture and building aspects of the story (I’m sorry I have no idea what the Gilded Age is! And still don’t!) I loved the story anyway, and especially loved Harper & Reid.

👥 Characters

I loved the characters - they were fun, relatable and interesting. I liked the back stories for the FMC and MMC and think they were great for setting out why the characters would react how they did. Harper Ross struggles with her family’s dated views about working women, despite their reliance on her. At times, I thought Harper’s mum’s character could risk being a little clunky and reductive - too stereotypically wedded to her views - but it didn’t cross the line where it put me off, and I think explained Harper’s character and reactions to events well. Reid was also well-written and their interactions were great - I loved their dialogue and clashing around the design. One aspect I found a bit difficult as a fresh reader was the mums. Without having read the other two books, I didn’t entirely understand who they all were and how they fit into the story, so that was a little tricky to follow. Last thing on characters was the female friendship - I loved that it was at the heart of the series.

🌍 World-Building / Setting

As someone who learnt what a brownstone was probably in the last 12 months, I’m not really the target audience for this kind of setting but honestly renovation and DIY is having a moment so any of the girlies (and boy-ies?) who are spending weekends at the DIY store and on HouseTok will love the Gilded Age mansion setting.

✍️ Writing Style
Lexi Blake’s writing style is so appealing to me. I’m an absolute sucker for pace, action and short sentences - which keep you turning the page. No wasted words <3. Lexi Blake also does a great chapter structure - see Chapter 3 as an example. The action wraps up, and then there is a minute to sit with the character and see how they are reacting emotionally to what just happened - so you’re building the emotional connection to the character and wanting to know what happens next. One quick thing - I’m not 100% sure but I think there might’ve been a typo in Chapter Thirteen: “cling to one-syllable words when he guts lusty”. Was that supposed to be “gets”?

🔥 Favourite Moments / Quotes

“Why? Why do we have to put a time limit on it?…Are you a delicate flower who can’t handle a little conflict?”
“No one who lives in this home will ever use a sippy cup. And while we’re at it, no, they won’t save the plastic cups from Yankee Stadium or have a single red Solo cup. And I desperately want to kiss you right now. Like I need to walk away this second round I’m going to do something that will send our director right back to whatever spa he recovers at.”

👀 Reaction to other reviews
Some of the other reviewers didn’t like the enemies-to-lovers depiction, finding it a bit mean-spirited. There was a moment in Chapter 9 that I thought was a little bit too mean, but otherwise I took away that they were deliberately riling each other up knowing that they both enjoyed it - and otherwise wouldn't have taken it so far if they were actually getting upset. Another thing that came up was finding it difficult to get past the first chapter and too much reno content. I’ll be honest I skipped past a lot of the reno chat because I have no idea about that, but didn’t think you really needed to pay too much attention to it unless you wanted to,

On the more positive side, other reviewers also mentioned Harper’s family (who were truly so annoying) and the ‘found family’ theme - I think readers who can relate to this will enjoy the book more.

📚 Overall Thoughts

I really enjoyed this book. I must’ve finished it in about 2-3 days and two sittings, and just absolutely zoomed through it. Will now be going back to read the other books - especially Ivy’s! I think it’s the sort of thing I’d recommend for a beach read or a plane journey where you want something light to enjoy and let time pass quickly. Or maybe a bit of a detox after a work day. To up my rating to 5 stars, I think I would’ve wanted something a bit more unique to help it stand out from other similar books in the genre.

⭐ Rating: 4.5/5 stars (I’ll round up to 5 on the system)

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#BookReview #Bookstagram #WhatImReading #BookRecommendation #BookLover #ReadersOfInstagram #BookishThoughts #BookAesthetic #BookwormVibes #BookTalk #CurrentlyReading

This was a fun, unique read! I loved the setup—three best friends living out a pact they made in high school and chasing their big city dreams - one of them finally getting the chance to renovate the home of their dreams.

Harper is such a hardworking, determined character. I really love HGTV so this was so enjoyable for me. Her dynamic with Reid (the designer on the project) had some great tension and banter, but I wish their relationship had gone a bit deeper. The romance felt a little rushed for me, or maybe just not as fleshed out as I was hoping.

Where this book really shined, though, was in all the details outside the romance—the renovation process, the friendships, the business side of things. It made the story feel full and grounded. That said, there was one character who was way over the top and kind of took me out of the story whenever they showed up.

Still, overall a solid read with a great premise and a lot of heart. Would definitely recommend this book!

Thank you NetGalley, Blue Box Press and Lexi Blake for the opportunity to be an ARC reader in exchange for an honest review.

Ok, the banter was bantering!!! So freaking good!

This was such a cute story. I really love the renovation aspect, it felt fun and fresh and all the HG tv lovers out there would love it. As I mentioned at the beginning of this review, THE BANTER, was soooo good and made me fall in love with these characters. I also really loved the friendships and relationships- I haven’t read the rest of the series but I know I would love the other stories just from this little peek.

The one thing that I can’t get past about this story was Harper’s family… absolutely insufferable people that made me so mad every time they spoke. I wish Harper would’ve chewed them out more tbh…

Sometimes, a book opens so strongly that you’re instantly pulled into the story, unable to put it down.

Sometimes, a book opens so strongly that you’re instantly pulled into the story, unable to put it down. That was almost my experience with Built to Last, the third book in Lexi Blake’s Park Avenue Promise series. But why almost?

I received an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) through NetGalley since Built to Last publishes on May 27, 2025. Many romance series feature different couples book-to-book, and a great portion of those series are designed for stand-alone reading experiences, meaning a reader doesn’t need to read the other books in the series to understand the plot or get to know the characters. But after beginning this third book, I found myself pausing.

When the opening pages hinted at Book 2’s coupling, I knew I wanted to read that story, too. Following that sudden burst of curiosity, I grabbed both previous books and absolutely devoured them.

And let me tell you, it was so worth it.

The Park Avenue Promise series centers around three best friends - Ivy, Anika, and Harper - who made a pact back in high school to not only always be there for one another, but also one day, make it big in Manhattan.

What unfolds over the series is not only a heartfelt exploration of love, ambition, sisterhood, but also the strength that comes from being seen and supported.

A Quick Look Back – The First Two Books

Book 1 – Start Us Up
Ivy Jensen, once heralded in the tech industry for her innovative medical forms company, is trying to rebuild her career after a devastating betrayal that causes her to have to sell that same company. Hint: it includes a really slimy ex. Pretty quickly, we’re introduced to Heath Marino, a brilliant but eccentric coder who dreams of creating a matchmaking app in honor of his grandmother, Lydia, a famed matchmaker in her own right. Ivy and Heath’s partnership blossoms with warmth, understanding, and emotional tension as they try and fail to keep things strictly professional. It’s a slow burn full of growth, healing, and even second chances.

What I loved about Start Us Up is how we met the vast majority of characters who make this series sparkle. We meet Ivy’s best friends - Anika and Harper - in high school and then again in adulthood. We experience the tension between Ivy and her mother, living together but still somehow estranged. CeCe - Ivy’s mentor - jumps off the page in all her quirks and kindness.

You meet even more characters, such as Heath’s roommate, but at the center of it all is a strong sense of sisterhood and found family.

Book 2 – My Royal Showmance
Book 2 follows aspiring movie producer, Anika Fox. For a chance to produce her own film, she goes undercover as a production assistant on the set of a royal reality dating show. Except, she finds herself participating as a candidate, instead. There, she meets Luca St. Marten, a duty-bound king playing the TV game for the good of his struggling country. It’s a whirlwind romance laced with longing.

The opening of this book clearly sets the stage for an emotional plot rife with tension and betrayal, but it doesn’t come from who you might expect. Being on the set of a reality show made me wonder what was real or performed, perfectly aligning with Anika’s secret assignment. You also meet her mother, her mother’s business partner, key members of the production set, along with an entire cast of women who are on the show for a variety of reasons. Each chapter revealed more to love.

Book 3 - Built to Last – Harper’s Story
Which brings us to the third book, where Harper Ross gets a taste of living her dreams.

In Built to Last, she finally has the opportunity to renovate one of the Park Avenue mansions. The location itself is a symbol of success and a full-circle moment for her and her friends. In fact, Anika owns it, and has hired her for part of the restoration and construction work. The twist? She’s not working on it alone. Reid Dorsey, a talented designer who dropped out of the public eye after his renovation show with his brother abruptly ended, is brought in to collaborate.

They get off to a bad start, as any enemies-to-lovers book begins. Still, sparks fly.

What starts as an intense workplace friction slowly transforms into mutual respect and, eventually, something deeper. Something calm and understood. As a reader, I found myself invested in their back-and-forth journey. Their journey took longer than most enemies-to-lovers storylines I’m familiar with, but so much about themselves and their backgrounds had to not only be revealed, but also worked through. Being with the other person - wholly - came with facing several obstacles.

I won’t spoil anything more, but if you’re curious, you have plenty of time to read books 1 and 2 before Built to Last publishes next month!

Characters & Found Family

One of the shining stars of this series is CeCe. She began as Ivy’s mentor, slowly transformed into Ivy’s mother-figure, before developing almost into the fairy godmother for all three women. The series would not be the same without her, and not just because of how Built to Last ends. She supports each woman - Ivy, Anika, and Harper - and uplifts their sisterhood.

As for the main trio, their friendship is a constant thread throughout the series. Even as each book focuses on one woman’s journey, the others are never far behind—with words of encouragement, witty banter, and the kind of support only soul-deep friends can offer. Friends we all want and hope to have. The idea of a village comes to mind, because they honor their bond through each part of their lives.

I think that’s why I appreciate each of their love interests, who truly could not be more different. We struck gold there, or rather, Lexi balanced the wants and wounds of her couples in ways that continually carry each story forward. As a writer, I’ll be thinking of these pairings and their journeys for a long, long time.

Writing Style & Pacing
More to that point, Lexi writing is effortlessly engaging. It’s a nice blend of heart, humor, and heat. If there was a recipe to be had for romance novels - and there isn’t, believe me, we’ve all looked - she’s nailed it. Each book flows with a natural rhythm that makes binge-reading all three an absolute joy. I never found myself wishing for more or less, for a moment to happen quicker or slower.

Truly, I think what Lexi does best is give her characters the space to be vulnerable without ever losing their spark.

Final Thoughts
Built to Last was the perfect finale to a beautifully written trilogy. Watching Harper come into her own—both professionally and personally—while allowing her sisterhood to help was so satisfying. The backdrop of a renovation thematically worked with the different threads Lexi weaved, between books and for Harper’s specific stand-alone story. The initial promise made between these women ultimately became fulfilled across the series, and it left me wishing for a sisterhood of my own.

But is the Park Avenue Promise series really complete?

Given that Lexi has written 117 books across 11 different series and subgenres of romance, I’m hopeful this isn’t the last time we see these characters. Perhaps Darnell Green, Heath’s roommate, will meet someone after all is said and done if Anika produces a movie adaptation of his novel. Maybe we’ll get to see CeCe’s love story, though her late husband is never actually seen within the current books. Ivy’s mother eventually falls for CeCe’s driver, Thomas, as a very small side plot. Then there’s Heath’s grandma, Lydia, who is an absolute scheming delight. I refuse to believe her matchmaking days are behind her, but I can also say I’m curious about how they began, especially having read Lunar Love earlier this year.
Oh, and who could forget the entire cast we are introduced to in Book 2, on the set of the royal reality dating show?

There’s no telling where Lexi could take this series next. I know I’m looking forward to finding out, and I hope you’ll consider giving the series a read!

This one is a second-chance romance with all the feels—deep history, undeniable chemistry, and that perfect slow burn that makes you want to shout “JUST KISS ALREADY!” at your screen. Lexi Blake builds characters you believe in, ones with scars and soft spots, grit and grace.

Jax and Presley? They’re the kind of couple that makes you root hard and feel everything—from their heartbreak to their healing. The blend of small-town charm, sizzling tension, and emotional honesty had me hooked start to finish.

If you love stories about love that lasts, even when life gets messy—this one’s for you. Romantic, real, and ridiculously satisfying. 💕🛠️

I give this one a solid 3.5 stars rounded to 4. I realized something about myself while reading this book. I absolutely love Lexi Blake, but hate the enemies to lovers trope. If you do love it, then you'll love this book. The ending did bring it all together, and I enjoyed it, but the fighting stresses me out. That is on me and not Lexi Blake. She is one of my favorite authors and can definitely write a good book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lexi Blake, and Blue Box Press for the opportunity to read this book.

Book three in this delightful series did not disappoint. There are many secrets woven into this story - for the main characters, the secondary characters, even the house they are all rehabbing. The ending where everything is displayed to perfection.
Harper and Reid's love story is a rocky one. Physical attraction is one this and they have it in spades. But for a relationship to foster they need to trust one another and for a large percent of the book they do not. But when they do, when they both finally let go of the fear, it's a perfect union.
5 stars for this end of the series. Thankyou to Netgally and Lexi Blake for a sneak peek. The entire series was fab but this one was the best.

This one was a mixed bag for me, which is why it landed at a 3-star rating. I had a really hard time getting into it—the first chapter just didn’t grab me, and I almost gave up. But I’m glad I didn’t, because once I got to the second chapter, things picked up fast. I ended up reading almost half the book in one sitting.

The banter between Reid and Harper was definitely a highlight—it felt like their own quirky love language, and it brought a fun energy to the story. I even saw the ending coming a few chapters ahead, but honestly, the way Lexi wrote it still made it enjoyable.

That said, the pacing and storytelling felt a little disjointed. One moment they’re at a wedding chatting, and the next, she’s in his hotel room—with very little in-between. The relationship development felt rushed, and I didn’t feel much of a connection to the characters. The themes of feminism and family dynamics were interesting, but the chemistry between the leads didn’t quite land for me.

Overall, it’s a lighthearted read with a cute premise and a few standout moments, but I just wanted more emotional depth and a smoother narrative. Enjoyable, but not unforgettable.

DNF @ 30%.

I really, really wanted to love this book but unfortunately I had a hard time connecting to the characters and the story. Even though I feel the “renovation theme” was extremely well detailed, it completely overshadowed the romance and the development of the characters.

3.5🌟
2.5🌶️
Enemies to lovers, forced proximity romance. This was a fun book to read. I really enjoyed all the characters and conflicts (even though the mother was insufferable). My only complaint is how little we saw of the relationship building between Harper and Reid. Wished we had more deep conversations between them. Definitely interested in reading the other stories in this series.

I've been a long time fan of Lexi Blake and she did not disappoint. I enjoyed reading this modern day HEA. The characters continuation from other books in the series were excellent. Free ARC for honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for allowed mg me to read this arch. I thought this was a light hearted and fun read with an interesting plot. I personally didn’t feel much of a connection to the characters and felt that the relationship could have been developed more. Cute story nonetheless!

This is a cute enemies to lovers book focused on Reid and Harper. They get off to a rocky start, not quite enemies but potential enemies, and soon find their chemistry is off the charts. Loved the banter between the characters, the friendships that are unwavering, and the added enjoyment of the HGTV part. Overall a great read, and wonderful final book in an awesome series.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Harper and Reid appear to come from two different worlds. Harper was the daughter her father never wanted, so she was raised to be the son he wanted in the family’s construction business. Reid appears to have been raised with a silver spoon, however, things are not always what they seem. These two both have the weight of their worlds on their shoulders and are more a like then they originally thought. We start out with a misunderstanding on Reid’s part, because such a beautiful woman could never be a contractor. And it goes from there…

This was fun. We have some banter, drama and a beautiful found family. I loved Harper from the beginning, however, how she maintained a relationship with her family for so long is beyond me…. Burn that bridge. You see the sisterhood between Harper and her two best friends from the beginning, as well as, how much the moms love these girls and it was absolutely beautiful. From giving advice and guidance to offering to hire an assassin… two very different methods for solving problems. I loved it.

Thank you NetGalley and Blue Box Press for the ARC.

I am a huge fan of traditional romance, but I have to admit that there are certain “tropes” that I enjoy more than others. One of my absolute favorites has always been “enemies to lovers.” Because of this, I was extremely excited to read this book. I was a bit nervous about reading the final book in a series that I had not yet read the first two books of, but, thankfully, I was still able to read it as a “standalone.”

I will say that while it initially did take a minute for me to get into the book due to the background information given from the second two books, but eventually I did get really hooked into the book. I liked that it was told in first person.

This book has one of the most satisfying endings I have read in quite a while. Although I started to see both of the twists coming (I mentally stood up and clapped after one of them), I still enjoyed them both.

All in all, I definitely enjoyed this book. I would absolutely love to read a bonus epilogue!

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

It was hard to read. The storytelling feels disjointed, with a lot of things left out. One moment they’re at a wedding just talking, and in the next chapter, she’s already in his hotel room. Their relationship development is barely explored. The themes of feminism and family dynamics are interesting, but where’s the chemistry between the characters?