Come As You Are

Come As You Areby Lauren Blakely is a contemporary standalone romance told in dual POV between Flynn Parker, a multi-millionaire tech genius and Sabrina Granger, a poor but excellent reporter with a passion for masquerade balls and dirty dukes. Flynn has had enough of being chased for his money. Once bitten, forever shy as far as he is concerned. When a charity function hosts a masquerade party this is his chance to meet someone who doesn't see him as his financial worth but sees him for who he is. Little does he expect to run into his Angel and play Dirty Prince Charming to her Dirty Cinderella. Sabrina has been through the wringer as far as relationships go. Her mother is a piece of work who abandoned her & her brother, leaving him in her care. Her fiancé up and left to China TWO WHOLE DAYS before her wedding, and now her job as a reporter is gone thanks to the company going out of business. Attending a charity masquerade ball her best friend co-ordinated is a chance for her to network and get back out there... For work and maybe for a date too. She doesn't expect the biggest opportunity of her life to happen not once, but twice that same night. Shame one comes in direct opposition to the other. Now Sabrina has to make a choice - love or money... Well-written, perfectly-paced, this story was cute, quirky, sexy, and a wonderful insight into some of the lesser known sights in and around New York. I absolutely enjoyed this - hope you do too!

I said it for his brother. I'll say it again for Flynn. Hooray for hot, successful nerds!! Especially one with a dominant streak. Holy hotness! *fans self* I loved Come as you Are!! As always Lauren Blakely brings the charm. The humor. The undeniable chemistry. She brings us characters that are so relatable yet so unlike anyone else. And, of course, she brings the heat. The forbidden element in Come As You Are is all kinds of delicious. Sabrina and Flynn share an insane connection right from the start. However, because they must work together on a project that will benefit both, they're forced to not act on their blooming feelings for one another. I loved loved loved the tension that builds as they spend more and more time together. I also love the little touches and comments they can't help but make. It felt like I was suffering right along with them. I wanted them together as much as they did. As I mentioned above, the characters are amazing. I love their quirkiness. Flynn and Sabrina are quick with a grammar joke, a verse of literature or fabulous wordplay. They love weird, kitschy things. Understand each others hopes and wishes. They're fun and flirty and just perfect. This book is a character driven book and Sabrina and Flynn absolutely shine. Flynn Parker rivals my favorite Blakely hero, Clay Nichols, in the dirty talking department. Oh man!! It was unexpected but very welcomed. Not to mention crazy hot. I will admit, an audible "dayuuum" escaped my mouth during Sabrina and Flynn's first intimate scenes. Yep, it was that good. In this book, Flynn and Sabrina set out to find "treasures" throughout the city. Locating all the obscured charm New York has to offer. The way Lauren Blakely describes a new place is majestic. She continues to add new items to my "places to visit" list. It's incredible. Lauren Blakely has never disappointed. If you're looking for a sweet, funny, sexy forbidden romance, I highly recommend Come As You Are.

Usually you'd find me here gushing about the newest #BlakelyBoy that I’ve fallen in love with, but today I'm all about the girl! Sabrina Granger is who I'd want to be, if I was just starting out in my adult life! She's a little bit quirky, incredibly devoted, strong, independent, and determined. I love the relationship she has with her brother, how committed she is to making sure he has everything he needs to realize his dream, even if it means putting herself second. Pretty sure she is my favorite of Ms. Blakely's heroines, she really is quite awesome. Now, this is not to say that I wasn't totally head over heels for Flynn Parker, because I was. I really was. He's charming and adorable, extremely loyal (I want to be one of his employees), and always has time to listen, which I found totally endearing. Together, Sabrina and Flynn are just delightful! From their very first meeting, to the “Another Epilogue”, Come As You Are is everything that is good and right when it comes to a Lauren Blakely romcom. It was sexy and sweet, and there was a playfulness between the characters that I just loved. I adore how Ms. Blakely incorporates the locations into her stories and leaves me wanting to hop on a plane to visit all the unique places she mentions. And this book was no exception- I even found myself Googling some of them, to see if they really existed! It was fun to visit them alongside Sabrina and Flynn, it was such an entertaining way for them to get to know each other. Come As You Are is sweet and sexy, with just the right amount of humor and heart. Ms. Blakely truly is the queen of the contemporary romcom. I don't know how she does it, but as long as she keeps writing characters and stories as enjoyable as this one, I'll keep coming back for me!