Stud Finder (1001 Dark Nights) by Lauren Blakely Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated on September 26th 2017
Pages: 120
Amazon
Man seeking woman: Hot, rich, smart, witty, self-made multimillionaire Internet genius seeks classy, intelligent, sexy, fun-loving woman who’s interested in settling down and sharing all the good things.
There. Best. Ad. Ever.
I will absolutely find the woman of my dreams, someone who’ll love me for me. Even if my sister thinks I need help dating, I’m confident I can pull this off, courtesy of the great worldwide web.Let me just hit the upload button right now...***No. Just no. As a woman and a professional matchmaker, I can’t let Dylan Parker run this ad. He’s the catch of all catches. That’s why his sister has asked me to help her ridiculously good-looking, insanely rich, but socially clueless brother find a woman. As a broker of happily ever afters, I’m known as the Stud Finder since I make a great living pairing wildly successful women with men who won’t fleece them but will adore them. After all, what woman in her right mind wouldn’t fall in love with Dylan?
I mean, besides me. It totally won’t be me.
If you follow my reviews, you know that I’ve read more than my fair share of mediocre novellas. Stud Finder proves that yes, Virginia, there are excellent ones out there. This is the second novella I’ve read and enjoyed by Lauren Blakely, and I think she should give a master class in the art of writing novellas. This book may be short, but it packs one heck of a lively punch.
I adored Evie and Dylan. They are both developed, fun-loving characters. In some ways they are opposites, but also well suited. Blessedly, the story manages to avoid the common pitfall of insta-lust. Evie and Dylan’s initial attraction to one another is platonic and based on their carefree, genuinely kind personalities. As their friendship grows, so does the sexual chemistry. The result is a pleasurable slow burn that is perfectly paced.
I’m normally a fan of epilogues, but I could have done without the last chapter—which reads like an epilogue—and the actual epilogue(s). I found them to be on the cheesy side, and the story feels complete and very satisfying without them.
Stud Finder is lighthearted, flirty, and exceptionally entertaining. If you’re looking for a charming diversion, this book has you covered.
Recommended for fans of:
Matchmakers
Romantic comedy
Yoga
Bubble tea
**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.**
Excerpt from Stud Finder
“What?” I bare my teeth. “Do I already have seaweed stuck in my teeth, and I didn’t even order it?”
She shakes her head, her smile never vacating her pretty face. “They say on a first date, you can tell more about a man from how he treats the waiter than anything else.”
“And what did you learn?”
“You were quite nice to him.”
“Why would anyone not be nice, though? I don’t get it. I don’t get why someone would treat a waiter, a server, a cabbie, a hotel clerk, a salesperson—anyone—like a douche.”
“I don’t know, either, but it happens.”
“I don’t need to put someone down to feel good about myself.”
She rests her chin in her hand, studying my face. “You’re an interesting man, Dylan.”
“Am I?” I peer at her over the top of my glasses.
“You are. So tell me, what do you do for a living?” She rolls her hands, saying go with it.
“Oh, is this the role-play?”
She nods. “Practice date banter.”
I chuckle, mostly to myself, since it seems too silly to put the car in reverse. But I have to remind myself that Evie is on the clock and doing her job. “I’m an entrepreneur.”
Her blue eyes sparkle. “How interesting. Do you love it?”
“Absolutely. I’ve wanted to start my own company since I was a kid, and I love making things, growing a business, building it up, and selling it for gobs of money. What about you?”
“I’m a matchmaker, and yes, I always wanted to do this.”
“How so?”
“When I was a little girl, I loved setting up my dolls.”
I crack up, enjoying the image of her playing matchmaker to dolls. “Seriously?”
“I had a purple bucket of Ken and Barbie dolls as well as a stuffed panda, and the panda served as the great arbiter of romance amongst the dolls, deciding which couple would be allowed to spend a night in the Barbie house.”
I drag a hand through my hair. “That might be one of the best stories ever. Since basically, you are now the stuffed panda.”
About Lauren Blakely
A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, sweet, and witty. She also writes USA Today bestselling LGBTQ romance.
With fourteen New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than 100 times, with more than 55 titles on the USA Today Bestsellers list alone. She’s sold more than 4.5 million books. A Brown University graduate, Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and is the vegetarian at your dinner party.
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