C.D. Reiss leaves me in awe. Every. Single. Time. How can I possibly write a review that can convey all the things she does to me? She is truly the master of words and the keeper of my heart every time I open one of her books. Don’t ever think you can predict where her stories are going to go based on the synopsis. You can’t put her into a box. Her plots and characters are always unique and unpredictable yet everything always feel so natural and effortless.
Bombshell is the story of the A-List Hollywood Actor and his off-limits Nanny. The chemistry between them is undeniable, but given their circumstances and previous experiences, giving in to those feelings can only end in disaster. Brad and Cara were the perfect match. Emotionally and physically, they completed each other in the best ways possible. And Sweet Christ on a cracker, the dirty talk! I loved that Cara could give Brad a run for his money in that department. Add an adorable 5 year old girl who seems wise beyond her years and intent on being a matchmaker, and you could stick a fork in me and call me done. There are plenty of books to go around in the Forbidden Romance genre, but CD Reiss breathes new life into any and every trope she tackles with her extraordinary characters, all-consuming feels and intoxicatingly beautiful words.

This is my first book by CD Reiss, and it certainly will not be my last! Bombshell is an interesting look into the life of Hollywood’s Elite and what happens when a Bombshell is dropped at your door. Fans of Single Father Romances will certainly enjoy this book as well.  
This book introduces us to Cara Dumont who is a nanny for the elite class of families in Hollywood, She is used to the demands and requirements that are necessary to care for the children of the rich and famous, but when she is brought before Brad Sinclair, playboy and newly found out father to a six year old little girl… all bets are off!
This story right from the start keeps your fingers swiping as you read. Your heart hurts for Nicole who has lost so much at a young age. The chemistry between Cara and Brad is there from the beginning. Some of the secondary characters were great, I loved them and hope they find there happy ever after, but some of the other characters rubbed me a little bit in the wrong way.
This book is a 4 star read for me and I certainly look forward to more in the Hollywood A-List Series!

So where to begin.  I liked the premise of the story and the execution was ok, but for some reason I didn’t fine the spark I was looking for.  Brad is a celebrity and he has become a surprise father to a 5 year old daughter that he didn’t know he had…..or did he….. He ends up hiring two nanny’s to help take care of his daughter.  Cara was sweet and I did love the way she connected to Nicole, but I wasn’t a fan of Brad and his playboy ways.  Overall a good read, but I wanted more.

Hero 3 stars / Heroine 4 stars / Steam 3 stars / Plot 3 stars / Overall 3.5 Stars  
Keys: Dual POV, MF, Sweet, Surprise Child, Can be read as a standalone

Here's something I know to be true: when I go running to social media to share about a book I've just finished, I know it's a five star book for me. I know that I have a compulsion to tell everyone who follows us in our bookish bubble how much I want them to read it and love it as much as I did. I want to ohh and ahhh over it. Bombshell was one of those types of books. 

Here's the thing, I haven't met a C.D. Reiss book I haven't liked. I've liked them all. I still remember the very first time I saw the cover and synopsis for Beg and how one wintery night I sat glued to my couch as blew through as much of that series as was released and impatiently waited for more. That being said, I've found that while the Drazens are my comfort C.D. Reiss reading (isn't that so weird, since they're so fucked up? I guess it's that I know going in they'll be fucked up that makes it okay? I don't know--a though for another day, I suppose), I really love when she writes something that is outside of their world. I loved ShutterGirl, Hard Ball, and now Bombshell and the worlds she's created in these novels. All three of these novels put me in environments so foreign to my south Louisiana world and yet the emotions and relationship complications that run throughout the novels are easily recognizable and relatable. 

So what was it about Bombshell that made it one of those novels that I could not put down? Maybe it was how much I liked Cara; I liked how real she was with herself--she didn't try to make her position any more than it was and she read the people around her so well that she rarely seemed to falter. I loved how much she loved what she did and that she always put the children first. I loved her professionalism and that it never seemed to make her cold, just aware of how tenuous her place in the world could be in certain circumstances? Or maybe it was Brad and how undouchey he actually was once I got to know him better. I so appreciated how honest he was about how he felt when it came to Nicole and Cara. I liked that he was a mess but he really never tried to run from it--or if he did, he never ran for long--and that he faced the fall out from decisions he made. I respected both of these characters so much. Or maybe it was being in the inner sanctum of a celebrity world and seeing how the "help" viewed things versus how the "star" viewed things. Perhaps, too, it was Brad's family and Cara's backstory, and how they sorta fought their desire but couldn't and how much fun it was to see them falling for each other. I don't know if any one of these things did it or if it was the collective that did me in, but boy did I fall hard for these characters and this story line and I am super hopeful that the next book in this series of stand alones is Blakely because I absolutely feel that there's a ton of story to tell there. 

Thanks for giving me such a great distraction from this crazy world we're in, C.D. Reiss; I can't wait to see what you distract me with next.

I would recommend it for its depth. The romance was magnificent but to me that wasn’t the most important component of the book. It was that of family. Family coming first. CD Reiss did such an amazing job balancing these elements out.

This book just didn't work for me.  I DNF so no review left.  There was nothing wrong with the  book - I think it was a rare case of it just not meshing with my reading tastes right now.

Get it. Read it. Love it.
 
Omg I love this book so much. I couldn't put it down. Kept me up all night. Love the story and little miss. Bombshell. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

J'avais hâte de lire ce roman de CD Reiss car j'avais déjà lu une des ses précédentes romances et j'avais apprécié ma lecture. Ce fut également le cas pour Bombshell que j'ai dévoré en une soirée. Même si l'intrigue est prévisible, j'ai tout de même passé un bon moment en compagnie de Cara et Brad

Cara DuMont appartient à la célèbre agence de nanny tenue par Laura. Cette agence s'est spécialisée dans le recrutement de nannies qui travailleront pour des célébrités. Nous sommes donc dans les nounous haut de gamme et nous allons donc entrer dans un monde de prestige où l'argent coule à flot mais ne fait pas pour autant le bonheur des enfants dont elle a la charge. Autrefois , elle a travaillé au service de Ray Heywood qui a dû cesser de faire appel à ses services car la maman avait peur que Cara s'occupe aussi du papa en plus de sa fille Wilcox. Mais Cara n'est pas ce genre de jeune femme car elle est très sérieuse et professionnelle. Quand vous travaillez pour des familles célèbres, vous êtes aussi sous le feu des projecteurs et le moindre faux pas peut vous être fatal. Cara travaille en binôme avec son amie et collègue Blakely Anderson qui paie encore le prix de son erreur passée. Céder aux sirènes de Joshua Trudeau fut une erreur monumentale et elle n'a pas tardé à faire la Une des tabloïds qui s'en sont donnés à coeur joie. Cara ne touche pas de ce bois et elle veut à tout prix éviter de tomber dans ce pièce. Or quand elle va venir en aide à Bradley Sinclair, les choses risquent bien de se corser.

J'ai bien aimé le personnage de Cara car il est évident qu'elle est faite pour ce métier et qu'elle a à coeur de veiller au bien être des enfants dont elle a la charge. Sa rencontre avec Nicole Garcia , la fille de Brad en est l'exemple même. C'est une jeune gamine de 5 ans qui a perdu ses repères du jour au lendemain et qui est assez capricieuse. Même si Nicole a su me donner le sourire, j'ai trouvé qu'elle prouvait à certains moments qu'elle faisait preuve d'une grande maturité et d'une grande intelligence et par moment être assez agaçante. Il est évident qu'elle tombe dans une famille où les moyens financiers sont sans fond mais la flopée de cadeaux qu'elle reçoit parfois frôle l'indécence. C'est un jeune papa qui ne sait pas encore s'occuper de sa vie et ce n'est certainement pas en faisant d'elle une gamine pourrie gâtée qu'elle s'en sortira dans la vie. Et c'est en ce sens que j'ai fortement apprécié Cara car elle est hermétique à toute cette abondance. Elle veut clairement donner une certaine éducation à cette enfant qui manque de repères et elle veut aussi guider ce père dans ces nouvelles fonction. La mission sera d'autant plus dure qu'elle sera très vite sous le charme du bellâtre mais elle résistera coûte que coûte à ses envies. Pourra t-elle tenir sa langue et rester à sa place ? Pourra t-elle résister au charme de Mr Sinclair ?

Brad Sinclair est un acteur au sommet de sa gloire qui a toujours su compter sur une ribambelle de domestiques pour réaliser le moindre de ses gestes. Il n'a aucun sens des valeurs et en plus je l'ai trouvé très immature. Il a perdu tout sens de la réalité et semble parfois aussi capricieux que sa fille. Il est un grand amateur des fêtes où ses amis ne sont pas de bons conseils. Je ne dirais pas que je n'ai pas apprécié Brad car ce n'est pas le cas mais il ne m'a pas vendu du rêve. J'avais l'impression de voir un enfant boudeur qui voulait absolument avoir ce nouveau jouet qui lui plaît tant. Ce nouveau jouet étant bien évidemment Cara. Il est forcément habitué à ce qu'on cède à tous ses caprices et c'est donc rafraîchissant de le voir batailler pour obtenir ce qu'il veut auprès de Cara. Ce qui est aussi gênant à son sujet est qu'il ne sait absolument pas s'occuper d'un enfant. On peut concevoir qu'il soit un tout jeune papa et que deux semaines ne sont pas suffisantes pour tenter de faire connaissance avec Nicole mais je n'ai pas ressenti ce besoin. J'aurais donc aimé ressentir cet amour paternel le plus rapidement possible mais ce ne fut pas le cas malheureusement . C'est donc sans doute pour cela que j'ai eu à accrocher au personnage de Brad. Je m'attends à ce qu'il me vende du rêve et malheureusement je n'ai pas succombé à son charme. Brad gagnera t-il en maturité ? Saura il aller de l'avant et intégrer sa fille dans sa vie très bien remplie ?

Bref j'ai passé un bon moment de lecture mais il me manque ce petit truc en plus qui m'aurait mis des étoiles plein les yeux. L'histoire de Nicole est sympathique mais pas assez attendrissante à mon goût. CD Reiss signe donc une romance assez prévisible mais toutefois agréable.

3 . 5 Sweet Stars! 

It's been forever since I read a CR Reiss book and this was quite the cute story. 

Brad Sinclair is a Hollywood hearthrob player and at the top of his career.  So the last thing he needs is a scandal. 

Cara DuMont is a nannie with baggage and boundaries.  One of those hard boundaries is working for the Hollywood A-list. 

Nicole is the bombshell of a scandal when Brad is all of a sudden strapped with a child.  A child he never knew about and now how does he juggle Hollywood and being a father.  With a fluke meeting Brad sees how good Cara is with Nicole that he demands she help him out.  Now he just has to keep his attraction to her at bay. 

Cara knows the ins and outs of the A-listers and she tries to stay clear of them.  Especially the gorgeous playboys.  But that doesn't mean she can't fantasize about her new boss.  

Cara and Brad's attraction is potent and sweet.  I loved the evolution of both of these characters.  It was super sweet and I will definitely read more from this author and this new series.

I’m not sure what I want to say about this book.  I LOVED the storyline and I adored the characters.  Bombshell was charming and emotional intense – I thought it was an amazing read.

In Bombshell, Cara is a professional nanny and she has set rigorous standards for herself so that she doesn’t end up on the cover of some rag magazine at the grocery store.  Basically, besides taking care of her charges, all she wants to do is avoid dads like Brad.

Men who are too sexy to ignore.  Men who ooze charm.  Men who are selfish and put their needs about everyone or anything else around.  Bastards with great smiles and hot bods.

Anyway, Brad and his daughter want her in their lives and they are relentless in their pursuit of Cara.  This is was made Bombshell a must read romance.  The flirting and banter is engaging as well as entertaining.  The daughter is adorable and smart.  You want more from all the characters.

There were a couple of moments that I wanted to throw my device and/or throttle Brad.  The man just ping ponged back and forth between being a man who I wanted to fall in love with to a man I couldn’t stand being in the same room with.

More than I wanted to be violent though, I wanted these characters to figure things out and to get their happily ever after.  Their lives left me devouring page after page to get to that point and it’s just awesome.  So it you’re looking for a hot, cocky playboy getting his ass kicked by love (and parenting) – don’t miss out on Bombshell.

This was my first book by the author so I didn’t no what to expect. I loved the synopsis and Hollywood romances so I knew I was on to a winner here despite never of having read the author before.
This was a beautiful story. It was sweet and full of romance but it was also quite funny in places.
I fell in love with both characters Brad and Cara.
Brad is a Hollywood super star who had no idea he was the father to Nicole. He has no clue how to look after a child at all so he has to find a Nanny. (Cara)
Brad was swoon worthy. I fell head of heels for him. He is known for his bad boy ways and loves it. He has the good looks and charm to easily win women over. The fact he’s a Hollywood mega star definitely helps him to. Lol
He hires Cara as Nicoles nanny. What he didn’t expect to happen when hiring her was to fall in love .
Their relationship is a slow burner that will keep you gripped. They have sizzling chemistry that starts slow but then turns in to red hot love.
Nicole us by far the sweetest girl ever. She will melt your heart over and over again.
I love this unique story.

Unfortunately, "Bombshell" is a disappointment. The writing is subpar, the story is trite, and mainly, the protagonists are annoying. I enjoyed "The Games Duet" by this author, but "Bombshell" didn't have the same emotionality or a compelling storyline to make me recommend.

4.5 stars

Bombshell by CD Reiss is a very good read.

The writing is well done, the storyline captured my interest from the first page and the characters were likable and very relatable.
I loved how the relationship between Brad and Cara unfolded. They had a strong attraction/connection which grew stronger the more time they spent together. 
Watching Brad connect with his little girl Nicole touched my heart, fatherhood was not something he was prepared for, but with the help of Cara he soon finds himself relishing in the role.

Bombshell by CD Reiss is a beautifully written romance with a storyline that will entertain you all throughout the book and I highly recommend it.
Looking forward to the next book in the Hollywood A-List series.

*Get your copy now*
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*Thank you to Montlake Romance via Netgalley for the advance copy.*

Ms. Reiss’s portrayal of actor Brad Sinclair as a single, Hollywood dad is layered and complex. Brad is surrounded by people who want to use him. He’s made a few key friends in the industry, but I had no idea there was so much depth to celebrity politics. And his personal assistant is a veritable silk dragon. I don’t think I’ve ever read such a viscous combination of bristling charm and underhanded Southern civility. Brad clearly struggles with giving up the life he’d planned for himself, but he also has these moments of sweetness and fatherhood, where his love and pride for his new daughter shine bright. Ms. Reiss weaves a delicate, believable balance and lays bare a man with a good heart making hard choices.

This story is beautiful, moving. I expected Hollywood heartthrob Brad Sinclair to be swoon-worthy, but I didn’t expect such depth of character and life. And Cara, she’s spectacular too—a seething mass of wanting under that cool, calm, collected, and so very capable professional exterior. The craft and punch of the story easily kept pace with the rioting personalities and impossible circumstances, and the effect is a hand-to-chest, big-eyes, can’t-get-enough swell of emotion.

I’m not a kid person, and I’m a tough sell on children in romance settings (wait, why am i reading a nanny romance? Hot celebrity actor, duh!), but Nicole is downright adorable even when she’s mid-terrifying-tantrum.

And, of course, Bombshell is sexy. So very sexy. Cara and a Brad build up a sizzling tension before getting down and dirty.

Without spoiling anything, I have to say that the ending is a little bit heart-breaking. Ms. Reiss didn’t hold back on the hard decisions. And yet. And yet…it still didn’t end there. This book is storytelling gold. I have rarely read a romance nestled in such a skillfully crafted story framework. Bombshell is an amazing read. Blew through it in a day, and it’s no short story. Easily one of the best romances (or fiction in any genre) of 2017.

Bombshell is a GraveTells Recommended Read!

I have to admit that when I first heard the premise of Christine Reiss' latest, I wasn't exactly thrilled. Hot Hollywood hunks and surprise babies generally aren't my thing. Especially the surprise baby part. What was my queen of the dark places of the heart thinking? I count on her to take me to dark and angsty places, make me think, haunt my dreams, challenge my notions of what a romance is. How the hell is she going to do that with an A- list Hollywood manchild and a precocious five-year-old? Was this going to be "Three men and a Baby" minus two men? Ugh.
Well, it turns out I worried for nothing. Brad Sinclair is a bombshell in his own right in the Reiss universe. The Reiss hero is usually perfectly suited up, controlled and at the top of his game in every way even when the world around him is spinning out of control. You never see him sweat. Brad is a hot mess manchild - a beacon for the paparazzi with his antics and sexual exploits - and he couldn't be more enticing, poignant, funny, painfully self-aware and sexy as hell. He is this unusual mix of vulnerability and Southern fortitude that you can't help but fall in love with. A stunningly gorgeous, A-list actor and perennial party boy with an aversion to pants, Brad's world is upended when a bombshell named Nicole lands in his life, with her beautiful, long hair, demands and penchant for ponies. And with Nicole comes Cara, a professional nanny who wants nothing to do with Hollywood spotlight. She has two rules - no celebrities and no single dads. She is the best in the business, and another in a long line of Reiss heroines who are ambitious, smart, kind and relatable.
But Nicole and Brad want her - rules be damned. And you think you've already figured out how this all ends up. Maybe you have. That won't matter because the journey that Ms. Reiss takes us on is magical. It's a sexy, sweet slow burn with the push-pull of a forbidden attraction and outside forces and inner doubts determined to keep them apart. They fight their feelings, focusing on the sweet and wise little girl at the center of their shared universe, only to have it turned into this delicate dance of the courtship that turns incendiary. Bombshell is funny, stunningly romantic, sometimes light and frothy, and sometimes poignant and raw. As always, the writing is lyrical and totally modern, begging to be read aloud. And all those things I count on her for? Mission accomplished.
Bombshell may be sweet, but it's a rich, complex, decadent chocolate cake of an novel you'll remember long after you lick the plate clean.
5 decadently sweet stars

4.5 Stars
This book was everything I needed and more...it was sexy, funny, Hollywood fame, hot single dad and full of depth!  Meet Brad .... hollywoods sexy and famous newly single dad! He's lost and not ready to give up his fun but fatherhood for adorable Nicole is unstoppable. Then he meets Sexy, hot Nanny Cara!!!! She is everything he wants and just can have!!! Cara doesn't do fame and fortune and wants nothing to do w/ Brad! She stears clear of jobs for celebrity as she doesn't want to be in tabloids. Can Brad get what he wants and get Cara to work for him and then call for him??? Secrets, Lies and Ex's can also bring another layer of obstacles for this couple to ever get started.....Can Cara forgive and trust a man??? Will she ever let Brad in???

Grab yourself a copy and dive in!!! I couldn't put it down and read it in a day!!!

Review by Stacey

Bombshell is actually the first book that I have read from CD Reiss, but I have heard nothing but good things about her books so I was really excited to give this one a go. Unfortunately this wasn't what I had been hoping for, but it seems like others have said that her other books are better so I am curious to give her other books a shot. 

Bombshell centers around Hollywood bad boy Brad Sinclair. For those who have read Shuttergirl, he will be familiar to you, but if you are like me and haven't read it you can understand this one just fine as this is a standalone story. Brad finds himself suddenly a father after a cute five year old is dropped in his life after losing her mother. Cara DuMont doesn't do celebrity fathers after some bad experiences, but as a nanny who sees a young adorable girl in need of help she finds herself saying yes to a temporary position taking care of Brad Sinclair's young daughter Nicole. She never expected or wanted to fall for him as well as his daughter though, and she quickly realizes that no matter how hard she tries she is unable to fight the connection she feels to them. 

Part of my issues here were the characters. I felt like Brad had his moments where he was completely unlikable, and unfortunately that continued throughout the entire book. Right up until the very end, I just had so many times where he was a self-centered jerk and really didn't seem to think about any kind of consequences. I never felt like there was a true turning point for him, and that had me not believing that there could be anything truly real for these two. Cara talked a good game about how she couldn't be with him and was against anything unprofessional, but when it came down to it she hardly put up a fight. She seemed to change her mind far too easily and I couldn't relate to her or get behind it. All that being said though, I really never felt like the connection between these two was fully formed. It felt like it was strictly physical, and I just didn't believe in the long term for them. They had great chemistry and a ton of attraction between them, but that was it for me. Nicole was adorable, and I did believe that they both cared about her but I wanted to see more. 

I also felt like a lot of this story was about Brad wanting someone to help make his life easier with  Nicole, and that he at least partially was just looking for a mother figure for her. While he said that wasn't true, at times his actions, thoughts and words spoke to a different story. As much as I wanted to feel differently, that never changed as I continued to read. While I had been hoping for more, I had to force myself at times to pick this book back up. It just didn't hold my attention like I wanted it to, and without feeling invested int he characters or story it made it hard at times to want to read. Overall, this wasn't one that I would recommend, at least if you are new to CD Reiss like I was. I will give some of her other books a shot since I have heard so many good things about her, but for me this one was just okay and was more problematic than successful.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

Very cute. Loved the blended family dynamics. I don't usually enjoy hollywood romances but CD Reiss has a knack of crafting believable characters and situations.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
3.5 stars
M/F Romance

Blakely is an amazing friend. Despite some questionable choices early on, which you can chalk up to learning experiences with a douche bag, Blakely never lets Cara down.

Cara is a nanny – she loves her job, but understands the politics of it too. Even though Cara is very professional, she's also not afraid to tell parents how bad they mess up – in a professional manner. But she's also amazing at keeping secrets.

Nicole is the daughter that Brad never knew about, but is in his life now, due to her mother's death. While he's still trying to figure out how to become a dad, Cara saves the day during a messy situation. While Cara has vowed not to work in the industry, she's pulled in by Brad and his daughter for a temporary contract.

Despite their best intentions, temporary doesn't really work. With the spotlight comes people always taking your photo and those photos are bound to be released. Let's just say that there is drama. I did think that this story was somewhat drawn out, but in the end, it goes where it needs to.


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆
There were a lot of aspects of this book and most of them were well developed and written. Bombshell is actually Alex's unknown daughter, who was dropped in his life after her mother was killed in a car accident. Alex's PA and former girlfriend, Paula, has nicknamed her Bombshell and treats her as if she is contagious – but only when Alex is not looking.

Cara is a nanny, a well sought after one, who can usually have her pick of assignments. What she doesn't want is to be a part of a celebrity household, she has no desire to be a part of that world. That is, until a little girl named Nicole, crying in a bathroom, steals a part of her heart.

This is a story told from alternating view points and I'm interested to see who is the subject of the next book.


Rachael – ☆☆☆☆☆
Another awesome book by CD Reiss. I really enjoyed the story of Brad and Cara. Watching Brad learn how to be a father and figuring out just what is important to him was really fun. I loved the ball-busting, tow-the-line Cara as well.

I love that we get to see that everyone is not perfect, both normal people and celebrities. Things don't always go as planned and mistakes made in the past follow us for a long time.

Cara falls for Nicole, the little girl that is unceremoniously thrown into Brad's fast-paced, party filled life. Cara didn't want the job, but when she is demanded by both daughter and father, she gives it a go, hoping she can leave her friend behind with the job after a short time. Too bad she falls hard for the little girl as well as the father.

I absolutely loved every part of this book and the unique way we got to see how being famous isn't so easy and how much it affects someone's life as well as anyone who comes in contact with them.

Way to go Ms. Reiss. Another great read.


Kris – ☆☆☆☆☆
I adore author CD Reiss. I've read everything she puts out, so when this came up for review I jumped at the chance. This is a new series, first book. I really like the premise. It's Hollywood Nannies and their high-profile bosses and Hollywood elite people.

I loved Brad Sinclair's character. He's the new, hot star in the scene, rose up from nothing. Good old boy from Arkansas makes it big. He finds out he has a daughter, Nicole, when her mother dies in a tragic accident. Little Nicole lands in his life like a bombshell. What does Brad Sinclair know about raising a kid? He's the Hollywood play and party boy! While trying to find a new nanny job, Cara is at the office with her agent and is helping her friend and fellow nanny try to clean up a mess poor little Nicole had in the bathroom. Cara seems to be the only person Nicole will stop crying for and Brad decides he needs her in his new father life, NOW! Cara doesn't work for single daddies, too much can go wrong! Just look at what happened to her friend, Blakely, she's on the cover of every trash mag in town as a homewrecker. Cara has lived a life by her nanny code, don’t get involved and be the utmost professional, but Brad really tests every last reserve Cara has.

I loved the chemistry and the against everything odds moments these two came up against. Cara is a great leading character, trying to fight her feelings and, of course, failing. I loved Brad's southern boy charm and Cara's worldly demeanor and how much they clashed and came together. Very much enjoyed this story! looking forward to #2!

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: “I don’t understand the picture-in-the-bathroom-mirror thing. Don’t these people have friends?”

Brad Sinclair, Hollywood a-lister, and well known bad boy is known for his wild parties and revolving bedroom door but when he becomes the sole parent to a five-year-old little girl he knows he will have to make some serious changes to in his lifestyle.

Cara DuMont is a super nanny to the rich and famous and only has one rule-no Hollywood heartthrobs. When her agent temporarily places with Brad Sinclair and his little girl Nicole for 30 days, Cara isn’t happy but figures not much can happen in that short a time period. But the more time Cara spends with Brad and Nicole, the more she falls in love with both of them and begins to think that maybe this rule was meant to be broken.

Bombshell opens on a unique and amusing meet cute. Cara is in a meeting with her agent about a new job when she begins to receive SOS texts from her best friend and fellow nanny,  Bradley.

–Wipes. Please say you have wipes. Now.

–What’s happening? Where are you?

–Hallway ladies room. Bring. Wipes.

Cara hurries to the ladies room only to discover Bradley in the middle of a literal shite storm with a hysterical five-year-old and an upset stomach. As Cara helps to clean up and settle the little girl, her father and his bodyguards burst in and she is hit by the arrow of lust.

I was used to celebrities and actors. Star power had no effect on me anymore.

But he was different.

[…]

He was just stunning. One of a thousand like him.

Maybe a hundred.

A dozen.

Fine. You could count the number of men that gorgeous on one finger.

Cara isn’t a fan of celebrity dads-especially gorgeous ones. She watched her best friend lose everything and become a pharaoh in Hollywood when she made the mistake of believing a celebrity serial cheater with a nanny fetish. Cara herself just lost her last position because her single dad employer got engaged and his fiancee was jealous of Cara.

“It’s not fair. Because they only want pretty nannies. Having their children touted around by someone unattractive is like a black mark on their records. And we’re like inanimate household accessories until the person in the house with the dick feels sad or lonely.”

Brad Sinclair, Hollywood heartthrob, is at his wit’s end. He is due to start a new film in Thailand in a few weeks and was just made a single parent from a forgotten one night stand. All his little girl does is cry these days but when he sees her tear free in the arms of a gorgeous woman, he’s determined ot hire her no matter what.

I picked up Bombshell on a whim. I’ve always been a fan of employer/employee romances and I liked the premise of a jaded nanny to the stars who falls in love with a celebrity dad against her better judgment. The story is told in the first person through dual narrative. I like first person narrative when both protagonists are given a voice. A story gains depth when you are able to see the emotional and physical growth of the relationship on both sides. A standalone romance contemporary, the hero, Brad, was first introduced in ShutterGirl-book one in the Hollywood Project series starring Brad’s best friend and how he met his wife.

The storyline is pretty straightforward and low-key in drama and conflict, which surprised me. I had expected some high-pitched melodrama because of the setting and subject matter. A strong plotline and character base produces an enjoyable romance with a nice balance of humor, heart, and some racy love scenes. Amusing narrative and honest emotional reveals gives us an intimate view of Hollywood through the eyes of the ‘help’. I loved seeing the extent in which Cara goes to protect her charge, redeem Brad, and help these two grow into a family.

“Lady, you have no idea what you are talking about. I’ve done the best I can. I was going along as pretty as you please before this bombshell dropped-”

“She’s not a bombshell. She’s not a problem to solve. She’s a human being you made.”

The attraction between Brad and Cara is instantaneous and it gives birth to some heavy sexual tension. There is some bulking at the attraction, especially on Cara’s end. She doesn’t want to be in the limelight or gossiped about and she knows that will happen if she and Brad go that route. But she soon learns that the attraction is only growing stronger the more time they spend together. I loved Cara and Brad. They are great together and individually. They are both intelligent, forthright, industrious people who aren’t afraid to grab what they want and/or tell it like it is.  Reiss does a great job with Cara but she really excels in her characterization of Brad. She doesn’t sugar coat him or makes him this enigma who discovers he has a child and instantly becomes responsible super parent. He’s not a bad guy but he is a little selfish and self-absorbed. He has no idea how to be a father and it takes him awhile to find the confidence he needs.

She was mine and Nicole was mine and he’d stepped in that. He had stepped in my house and tried to take something that belonged to me.

They fit perfectly together. She grounds him while he softens her edges. Sexually, this couple is OFF THE CHAIN. They know what they want, how they want it and aren’t afraid to tell one another.

“You’re in for a treat, sweetheart. Us southern boys eat p*ssy like pie. And I love pie.”

An interesting cast of secondary characters help to round out the story and provide some background as some backup Cara’s observations while others help/hinder depending on their motivation.  Brad’s parents are a delightful mixture of southern sensibility as they treat Brad as their son and not the huge star he is. Paula, Brad’s assistant, provided some of the melodrama I was looking for while Bradley, Cara’s bff, looks to may be the heroine of book two.

I did have some issues with the manner in which the “secrets” revealed. They were all piled on at the end and felt more like a device to push Brad and Cara over the last major hurdle.  Also, there were a couple of scenes that seemed a bit of an overkill for the results. Regardless, the ending is a bittersweet mixture of love, redemption, and forgiveness with a lengthy epilogue that leaves the reader happy and content with the outcome.

Grade: B