Rachel Van Dyken made me want more and more of this series it seems that way with each book she releases. I dived into this and could not put it down LOVED IT!

3 Wine Glass #Review of The Playboy Bachelor by Rachel Van Dyken

Rachel Van Dyken presents readers with a fun enemies turned lovers plot, blending plenty of angst into the mix, in The Playboy Bachelor.

Margot McCleery had the perfect life growing up, despite being a quiet bookworm, until an accident took away everything. Her parents. Her leg. Even her best friend. Now she leads a quite life as a romance author, never leaving her home out of fear, and dodging her Grandma Nadine's well-intentioned interventions. But Margot's seemed to have lost that last battle when her grandma bids on and wins at a bachelor auction, and said bachelor turns up at her own front door.

The last thing Bentley Wellington wants to do is face his childhood best friend, the woman he abandoned when she needed him most, but in order to please his grandfather and earn a coveted position at his family's company, Bentley must spend the next thirty days with Margot, completing a list left for him courtesy of both of their grandparents. As Bentley follows that list and pushes Margot out of her comfort zone, he never expected to be pushed himself - right out of his womanizing ways and right into the arms of the one woman he has always loved.

The Playboy Bachelor provided a fun and witty dialogue with a wealth of humor. Margot and Bentley gave as good as they got, knowing just which buttons to push on each other for the most damage, and the most reward. While these two could get pretty mean in their discourse, they were evenly matched. The push and pull between them spans the entire book, and while that kept me turning the pages, the lack of communication and the drawing out of their problems turned frustrating fast. Margot and Bentley share a history that was deep, dark, and full of heartache.While I could sympathize with their turmoil and reasoning, I couldn't get past their impulsiveness and quickness to anger. Which impaired my ability to really like them. I also had some problems with the sex scenes in the story. The first sex scene was anticlimactic, and felt like it was missing pieces, which was surprising coming from this veteran author. Another nagging little aspect was that despite continuous chatter and jokes about women poking holes in condoms, the couple never seemed to use any themselves. :-/

All in all, The Playboy Bachelor was an okay read. For some reason, this series by RVD just isn't doing it for me like all of her other books. However, I am really interested to see how the next book, Brant's story, goes. Each of The Bachelors of Arizona can be read as a stand-alone in my opinion, because while family members and past characters do show up in the story, the overall story-arc isn't integral to each stories enjoyment.

Friends can last a lifetime…..or not!! There was a time in life when Margot McCleery and Bentley Wellington were close friends. A shoulder to lean on when you needed it. Then a tragic event took place that left their lives irreparably changed. A fissure that that led to a lead to the demise of their friendship. Something that forever changed how each would lead their lives.

Fast forward several years…..Bentley is currently in the middle of standing on the auction block. A date with Bentley is the prize. The winner? Margot’s very creative grandmother. With a few ‘tricks’ up her sleeve, Grandma puts Bentley into Margot’s path once more. Since that tragic day, Margot has become a recluse. Her only connection to the outside world is through her writing. Margot became a best selling romance author, but has never left her home to discover all that this life has to offer.

Bentley reveals to Margot that he will be ‘hers’ for an entire weekend. Something that Margot finds appalling and intimidating all at the same time. These former friends hold nothing back, and let the daggers fly. One minute the two are at each others throat, and the next they are miles apart. Bit by bit the two rediscover tiny snippets of their friendship. A long forgotten notion between the two. As their time together winds down, can Bentley earn Margot’s trust and companionship once again?

The Playboy Bachelor is the second book in the Bachelors of Arizona series. While the first book had me hooked from beginning to end, this novel didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The entire premise of this book is losing a best friend that you are attracted to, and the road that leads you back to one another. The push and pull between Bentley and Margot was definitely genuine and riddled with hurt feelings. A definite connection to any reader.

What I found not as appealing is the predictability in the story. It was easy to see where the plot was headed even from early on. The highlights for me revolved around Margot’s grandmother. What a cat-bird!! Definitely the life of the party!! While the connection I felt to this story wasn’t as strong as the first book in the series, I still enjoyed reading about Margot’s journey. Sometimes answers are staring you in the face. All you have to do to uncover them is have a leap of faith.

I loved the way that these two come together, how they work through their past and embrace their present. It wasn’t pretty, it was raw, honest and real with some brutal truths and tear inducing battles. But life isn’t always a bunch of roses, mistakes are made, but the heart wants who the heart wants and these two hearts were always destined to beat as one. Loved this one, painful at times, poignant, hilarious, swoon worthy and emotional. Fantastic read.I loved the way that these two come together, how they work through their past and embrace their present. It wasn’t pretty, it was raw, honest and real with some brutal truths and tear inducing battles. But life isn’t always a bunch of roses, mistakes are made, but the heart wants who the heart wants and these two hearts were always destined to beat as one. Loved this one, painful at times, poignant, hilarious, swoon worthy and emotional. Fantastic read.

A friends to enemies to lovers book that has many funny points as well as touching moments. Margot McCleery was 'gifted' a man from her feisty grandmother. It seems grandmom bought Margot's old ex best friend turned enemy at an auction for her lonely grandmother. The last thing Margot wants is a man, especially when the man is none other than Bentley Wellington.

Bentley Wellington's grandfather thinks Bentley needs to spend some time with the closed off Margot. As Bentley spends more and more time with Margot he begins to realize he feels something more. He just needs to convince the very closed off, Margot of this.

The chase begins but is Margot willing to let her broken heart be caught? Can Bentley convince her he's not just a playboy bachelor and that he does want more? This book has a lot to offer in the way of emotions, you get a few laughs, a few tears and whole lot of love.

***ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley***

Margot and Bentley were best friends in high school, and then there was a tragedy in Margot's life, and one in Bentley's too...and they didn't see one another for a number of years.

Until her grandmother buys Bentley in an auction in hopes of shocking her shut-in granddaughter into living her life again.

And, there is some manipulation on the side of Bentley's family trying to keep them together for longer than the original weekend.

I liked Margot and Bentley, and I liked them together...but I never really liked the way they got together and I never totally believed in it. I thought it was a little over the top, and I just didn't really connect with it.

The issue I had with the beginning made it tough for me to feel really connected with the characters, which made it tough. I didn't dislike it, but the "meet cute" at the beginning did impact my enjoyment of the rest of the story.

I liked that both of them were a little broken, that there were things they both needed to get past and both accept and learn to live with. I liked the story arc and the character development, and I liked the growth of the characters.

I do recommend this title and I did enjoy it overall.

Wow! This is my first Rachel Van Dyken Romance, and it won't be my last. This book was stupendous. Bentley and Margot, clueless best friends who both want more, have inter-related crises, then don't see each other for 10 years. To survive the trauma, they both develop strategies that stunt their lives, until they are forced to face their problems together. This sounds depressing, but because of Bentley's ways of coping, the book is intense and very funny at the same time. In a lot of romances, the love interests have certain misconceptions or fears or personality traits which cause the conflict keeping them apart. The Playboy Bachelor falls into this category, however, in this book it is done flawlessly. I never thought their fears were contrived or what was keeping them apart was unrealistic at all. It made all kinds of sense, and was intrinsic to how Margot and Bentley had coped with the trauma they experienced. Even though many characters, including M. and B., are not the nicest or easiest people to get along with, I still liked them and was rooting for them from beginning to end. I definitely recommend this book. It is one of the best romances I have ever read.

An ARC was received for an honest review.

Rachel Van Dyken does it again in the second of her The Bachelors of Arizona series! Mixing all the best comic aspects that I discovered when I first read The Bet with enough heart and passion to endure more than a few sighs. Bentley Wellington and Margot McCleery prove that sometimes to get a second chance you've got to take a leap. These two have secrets, fears and a whole lot of regret between them. Thankfully their meddling grandparents know exactly the push they need to finally confront all the bad in order to find their happily ever after. Full of al things I love in an RVD rom com, these Wellington boys are falling one by one. Meddling grandparents are 2 for 3 so far, and I can't wait for The Bachelor Contract to see number three go down!

I have loved every book that I have read by this author and this one was no exception. Excellent story!
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

I have never read a book by this author that I didn’t absolutely LOVE and this book was no exception. Although, this one was unique in its story-line, I would still recommend it to everyone I come across.

The Playboy Bachelor is the second book in The Bachelors of Arizona series. Just so you know, this is a true standalone. I did not read book one and usually even when authors say it’s a standalone, I end up wishing I had read the first book to completely understand what is going on. Not with this one! I jumped right in and couldn’t put it down!

Both Brantley and Margot carry the scars of their past around like a scarf dousing them in misery. Both lost and needing each other to find their way home.

This was an emotional read. I loved the sweet elements of it and that sometimes what you need to heel is a second chance on life and love.

There is something about the way Rachel Van Dyken writes her books that has this book whore returning for more. There hasn’t been a series of hers that I haven’t loved and The Playboy Bachelor is the next installment in The Bachelors Of Arizona series and I think I may have loved Bentley even more than I did Brock and I LOVED him so that is saying a lot. I tend to love a cocky sometimes huge asshole hero, watching them fall, watching them fix the mistakes of their past, seeing what happened to turn them the way they did, just makes me love their character more. Trust me the manwhore Bentley is has all of those traits and more.

My heart broke for Margot, for the way she shut herself away, for the way she felt as less of a woman because of what happened to her. Underneath all that surly, mean spirited at times is a woman who lost so much in one single sweep that you can understood where that bitterness came from but at the same time wished you could take it all away. Margot and Bentley used to be best friends, what tears them apart had tears in my eyes, my heart breaking and my stomach in knots. Both of them suffered and both dealt with it in their own self destructive ways.

These two together are perfect, they balance the other out, they have chemistry and they have history. Reading about everything had me enthralled; I couldn’t and didn’t put the book down until I was finished. This is easily a book I can see reading again and again. I am looking forward to the next book; I wish I was reading it right now because I have a feeling that it is going to be angst filled and emotional. The Playboy Bachelor will wish that you could bid on your very own Bentley and is a book that I can easily say needs to be on your TBR lists today!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review.

Have you ever had that one friend who's had something happen to them - something traumatic?  They turn into themselves and completely change the person they used to be?  Sometimes that can be a good thing but for this book you really just want to give Margot a hug and pull her out into the sunshine.  

Margo and Bentley used to be best friends.  That was before a tragic accident changed everything for her - and him.  These two - their story is so sweet.  Your heart will ache for them when you read their story.  A big part of the mess they find themselves in, now as adults, could have been saved if either of them had demanded a conversation with the other.  

Instead - tragedy struck.  Bad things do happen to good people and that's definitely shown in this story.  The hardest part for Bentley is to tame his playboy ways.  It's easy to keep up the persona everyone thinks you are because that's the front you've always shown them.  It's hard to tame one but it can be done.  Margo had no intention that it will be her to tame Bentley from his playboy ways though.  

Gosh I think I'm talking in circles here.  This is definitely another great story from Mrs. Van Dyken.  I would recommend reading this and the others in this series as well.  By the way - there is a happy ending to this story!

What a fabulous story! Rachel Van Dyken really knows how to write a modern fairy tale! You will want to one-click this book for sure.

Margot is as stubborn as mule, but very likable nonetheless. Bentley was equal parts sweet and infuriating. They brought out the best, and worst, in each other. Their banter was hilarious.

The plot was unique; I enjoyed references to my favorite fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast. It was fairly fast moving and kept me reading, anxious to see what happens next. I was pleased to get glimpses of the infamous Grandma Nadine. She really does steal the show.

I am a big fan of Rachel Van Dyken, and this newest book didn't disappoint! She is an automatic one-click for me. The Playboy Bachelor is the second book in the series. It can definitely be read as a standalone, but you will want to read the entire series. I can't wait for Brandt's story!

This is the second book in The Bachelors of Arizona series and I really enjoyed it. The story and the characters really pulled me in. There were so many swoony moments.

Margot and Bentley were very likable characters and the chemistry between them was intense. The banter between these two had me laughing numerous times. This book had it all for me.

Margot keeps to herself and has been hurt. She so desperately wants to live again and be a normal person. That’s hard to do when you have a hard time letting people in. She is a strong person and just has to realize that about herself. I was pulling for her through the entire book. She was the perfect heroine.

Bentley was a very sought after bachelor who had a different woman most nights. He never settled down because no one compared to his best friend. After being around Margot again old feelings start to come resurface.

This book had the perfect amount of angst, friend to lovers, passion and comedy. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in this series.

This is a great second book in The Bachelors of Arizona series. They are stand alones, but both books are great.

Bentley, Bentley, Bentley....Manwhore, will almost sleep with any women there is. Doesn't care if they're married or not. He's a playboy. But is it really who he is?

There is a lot more to him. He's hiding. He hides from feelings. He is the fun brother, he has to make sure everyone else is happy.

When he was auctioned, the auction was in the first book, a little old lady "bought" him. Well, he knows this lady and he really knows her granddaughter.

Margot and Bentley were bestfriends. But then tragedy struck. She was in a horrible car accident. Bentley never came to visit her, not once. He just dropped her. Or did he?

"Think you can trust the playboy with your heart?" Bentley can have mine, that's for sure!

There's always a lot more to the story. And there are two sides.

Margot is a recluse, she has her reasons, and I can't say I don't blame her. I think a lot would have the same thoughts as her, if we were in that situation.

This is such a great read. The grandparents and Nadine, man are they evil, but in a good way. It's actually kind of funny how evil they are with putting all of this in motion.

I think Brant's book is going to break my heart. I just know it. I can't wait to read it though. The way Rachel Van Dyken writes these stories, it pulls you in and doesn't let you go. You feel like you are there with the characters. She is one of my favorites

I will admit Bentley drove me absolutely crazy. It was hard to understand in the beginning the what and whys of Bentley and Margot’s relationship breakdown. I could completely understand her anger with him because he completely abandoned her in her time of need. What was difficult for me was understanding Bentley’s reasonings. How could he do that to her? If they were truly best friends, why?

I’ve never had that type of anxiety, nor know anyone who does – unless they hide it extremely well. But I have to say, Rachel Van Dyken definitely opened my eyes to how severe and suffocating extreme anxiety can be and the effects it has on people. Thank you for that valuable information. I truly feel like I’ve learned something very important.

The Playboy Bachelor is one heck of an emotional journey. Both Bentley and Margot had so many sides, the side they showed to the world, the side they showed to their family, the side they kept hidden from everyone else. The emotional pain they both suffered was heartbreaking. The wit and humor that would sneak out was refreshing and promising. The tender, sweet, romantic moments were so heartwarming and moving.
This is gritty, raw, emotional, and full of angst. It’s a story of second changes, redemption and forgiveness, healing and growth, romance and unconditional love.

I look forward to book three and what is in store for Brant!

**Advanced copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

The Playboy Bachelor is the second book in The Bachelors of Arizona series, but can be read as a standalone. If the first book was sort of a Cinderella retelling, this one was a bit of a reimagining of Beauty and the Beast.

"How the hell was he going to tame the redheaded Beast? And damn it, he was more than a little bit leery if that made him Beauty in this scenario. Because he knew just as much about romance as he knew about love. Which was absolutely nothing."

Margot was a recluse after an accident that took her leg and her parents lives. Bentley, an unrepentant womanizer, is forced to spend a month trying to woo her in order to appease his grandfather.

"...his life was a boring, useless cycle of using women and hiding who he really was from the world."

The Playboy Bachelor is a little different than what I had expected. It isn't a RomCom, although there are plenty of laughs to be found. This story is an emotional and sweet second chance romance about not giving up on life and on each other.

“So basically, you have to just trust me. Think you can do that, Margot? Think you can trust the playboy with your heart?”

Playboy Bachelor was such a great read. To start, I'm not a fan of 3rd POV. BUT I could not put this book down. I had to read it whenever I got a chance. I just loved the characters, Bentley and Margot so much. Each had a lot of baggage and stuck in a dark place. But due to some sneaky grandparents, the two are thrown together and unknowingly help each other to the light.

I just loved the story and writing. The dialogue between Bentley and Margot was just so much fun. And I love second chance at love romances!

In The Playboy Bachelor we meet Margo, a smart woman hiding her damaged heart, and Bentley, the family glue that wanted more from life! Both Margo and Bentley were interesting characters because they are layered. Each is more than they appear!

Margo and Bentley's story is a bit of a second chance romance/former friends-to-more trope. They were friends in high school until an accident tore them apart and cost Margo her parents. They are thrown together again thanks to meddling grandparents. Margo isn't willing to go easy on Bentley! If witty banter is your thing, you will fall in love with these two! I was furious at Bentley for his actions after the accident, and honestly, I'm not sure I ever really rooted for him throughout the rest of the book. However, they were in HS, so I tried to remind myself that teenagers are hormonal and make terrible decisions. But still....

Margo's pain and emotional turmoil is believable and it really tugs at your heart. I loved that she was a romance author! Books about authors always win me over a little. Bentley hides his caring nature behind his jokes and playboy antics, but Margo sees through him. My biggest struggle with this book was the lack of communication about real things. Witty banter abounds, but REAL conversations about their issues were minimal for most of the book. I expect this type of lack of communication from YA characters, but in adults, I find it incredibly frustrating!

My feelings on the story were so mixed at times! I liked Margo, but I wanted better for her than Bentley. I understood Bentley, but I still thought he was a horses ass. I wanted them to talk, but understood they hid pain behind witty banter. The whole book was a constant back and forth for me.

I am beginning to think that RVD's contemporary romances aren't for me. I LOVE her darker, mafia series and her PNR series. I really enjoyed her romantic comedy series too. But, I haven't really come across a contemporary romance of hers that was a 5 star read.
Link live on 8/29/17

3.5 Stars

This book was just okay for me. Not because it was badly written but because I never totally fell for Bentley.

Cocky guys can be funny and likeable. Guys who have been manwhores can be redeemed. Guys who are too cocky are annoying and are manwhores who constantly talk about their past conquests to someone they have feelings for are icky.

I understand that we're supposed to believe that Bentley uses sex and women to hide all of his hidden pains and anxiety but it just felt like he went overboard with the constant innuendos and bragging. Based on the few flashbacks of Bentley and Margo as teens, I didn't really buy into the idea that he had such strong feelings for her. Which sounds weird when you understand what he went through in regards to her. I just never FELT what he felt, I was only told what he felt. Perhaps some more scenes with them as teens (w/o the other girls) would have turned this around for me.

However, I think that the author did a fabulous job portraying Margot and the things she went through at 18 years old and how she was coping with them 10 years later. I also enjoyed when the brothers Brant & Brock made appearances. Even when Brant was being a drunken jerk I could see the good side of him and I can't wait for his book!!

*I received an ARC from NetGalley for voluntary review