Make Me Want is a good fit for readers looking for a lighthearted and funny contemporary romance that explores themes of self-discovery, friendship, and the complexities of love and desire.

I decided not to finish this book because I didn't feel a strong connection to the story or characters. I will not be rating it or writing a full review, but I appreciate the opportunity.

I have been reading Katee Robert for years and she never disappoints! I loved Gideon & Lucy’s story! Friends to more was great!

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

What a great start to a new series by one of my favorite go-to authors!! I had an immediate connection with Lucy and her self-image issues. I loved how Ms. Robert addresses this issue and doesn't shy away from the affect people's comments can have on people...even those they're "supposed" to love.

And oh my Gideon...I just want to swoon all over him!! He's in love with this woman, but doesn't know how to show her his feelings since he's had a hand in breaking her heart... but there's something Lucy needs so she comes to Gideon for help... little does she know this opens the window for him to make his move!!

I loved the way these two interacted and they're seriously HOT together!!! The story just flowed so well and I loved both Lucy and Gideon so much!!

I'm a huge fan of Robert and I love pretty much everything she writes. Make Me Want was a great friends to lovers story that I enjoyed.

This book was so ridiculously hot that I went out and bought a paperback copy to gift to one of my friends. I shoved it in her hands and told her she HAD to read it. She then did the same for another one of her friends. Katee has a way of writing heroes and heroines that BURN UP THE PAGES.

Received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

That was fun. It was hot and touching and exactly what I expected. Watching Gideon and Lucy come together was tons of fun. He's wanted her for years, but while she dated his friend, he kept his distance...until he had to tell Lucy her fiance was cheating on her. Two years later, she summons him for help in finding a husband...but she wants more too. She wants help becoming a better lover. So they begin a relationship where he'll help her in both cases. Whenever the bedroom becomes involved, though, it isn't long before lines get muddled. He's loved her from afar and now "afar" is very close.

Robert has a way of making you care about the characters in her writing. I found myself getting choked up when things got bad between Lucy and Gideon and then again as the book came to an end. I'm looking forward to seeing what Robert has in store for Roman...

Didn’t address the workplace power dynamics in a way that felt safe to read given current events. Didn’t finish.

Steamy, hot, and the perfect beginning of a great series.

The one thing Lucy needs is what Gideon can give her and when he does everything will change.
Strong characters, great plot and full of anticipation make this a great beach read.

A must read.

ARC received for review

Friends, ok used to be friends and now aren't, to lovers. She has a problem she knows he is the expert to solve. They hook-up, lots of sex and mixed up feelings later there is an HEA.

His yummy BFF is up for love in the next book

Ah yes, the joys of dealing with guilt. Friends to not to client? It sounds odd but this is anything but...

Make Me Want is a friends to client with benefits book. Or maybe it's a fairytale? He's wanted her forever. She wants his help. Guilt compelled him to do as she asks. Her desire keeps her going back for more.

This steamy, lusty affair is going to keep you busy and engaged. Straying from these pages while reading is not likely, no, because Make Me Want does just that.

3 stars
I love Katee Robert's books. I was quick to read this one. It was just ok for me. It was short and fast read. There was just something missing keeping megrim loving it. It could have been because it was not a long story. I usually love marriages for convince.

This was the first book for Harlequin's Dare line that I read and I really enjoyed it. It was a sexy, fast read and fun story. I love when the hero has a secret love or longtime crush on the heroine. And the marriage of convenience added another fun trope to the mix. Add hot sex and some BDSM scenes and this was one fun read. Perfect for the beach or vacation in the summer.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Make Me Want by Katee Robert
Book One of the Make Me series
Publisher: Harlequin Dare
Publication Date: March 6, 2018
Rating: 4 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

“I want everything.”

She’s taking control. And it’s driving him wild!

Lucy Baudin’s ex did a number on her self-esteem, but it’s time for her to regain control. In her job as a lawyer she’s bold, confident. But in the bedroom she needs inspiration to reawaken her inner seductress. Asking her friend Gideon Novak for help seems wrong…yet so deliciously right!

What I Liked:

I don't know why I put off reading this book for so long! It was published nearly a month ago, and I kept pushing it off for some reason. Katee Robert is one of those romance authors that never seems to disappoint me, and I was definitely not disappointed by Make Me Want. This book was one of Robert's hottest books to date, and also one of the strongest, emotionally speaking.

Lucy Baudin and her ex-fiance split two years ago, and nothing has been the same since. Two years later, she is hoping to get a position at work, but her boss is very traditional and wants to see her married before promoting her. So she enlists her friend Gideon to help - he's a headhunter, and one of the best in the business. But she also wants his help in another way - she wants to have better sexual experience before going into her modern marriage of convenience. Gideon has always been a player and his reputation in the bedroom is legendary. But when it comes to Lucy, Gideon doesn't mess around. He has had feelings for her since he saw her at a bar six years ago - but his friend Jeff beat him, and Gideon would never break the bro code. Finding a husband for Lucy and giving her sex lessons? Shouldn't be too hard... right?

I don't love the "best-friend's-girl" trope - in which the hero is in love with the girl, but she's dating his best friend, boo hoo. BUT. I didn't hate it in this book! Dare I say, I actually think the trope worked here. Jeff cheated on Lucy and Gideon found out, and told her, though he waited a month to do so (for good reason - don't demonize him). When Jeff and Lucy split, Gideon and Lucy stopped being friends... and the whole time Jeff and Lucy were together, Gideon never made a move or a pass, he was always a gentleman (in the friend zone). So there was no cheating (Gideon and Lucy never messed around while she was with Jeff), and the story starts with Jeff and Lucy already having split up. This worked for me.

Jeff did a number on Lucy's sexual confidence, hence why she wants lessons from someone (Gideon). In the beginning of the book, Lucy is a little timid and shy when voicing what she wants in the bedroom. But by the end of the book, she is much more assertive. She states exactly what she wants, with full honesty, just like Gideon asks. I liked seeing this character development. I liked seeing a woman who can vocalize what she wants.

Gideon has always felt guilty for not telling Lucy sooner, about Jeff cheating on her. When she comes to him wanting a few favors, he agrees, partially because of the guilt he still feels. He always had feelings for Lucy, but never said anything, never tried anything. Gideon is so selfless in this book, and sometimes it got frustrating. He never voiced what he wanted, he always made everything about Lucy - which was good because it was all about Lucy and her crazy plan. I wanted him to speak up about what he wanted though, because he was setting himself up to get hurt in the process of achieving Lucy's plan.

But one thing I liked about this book was that Lucy started to realize that Gideon never vocalized what he wanted, he never made demands or lost control or anything like that. He always made everything center around her, which was good... until she realized that she wanted him as more than a friend, but she didn't know what he wanted. I liked that she realized that what he wanted mattered a whole lot, not just what she wanted. It's great to be assertive; but it's also great to listen to what your partner wants.

And that's something I think romance writers get wrong sometimes; the heroine can be brash and loud and outspoken, and demanding in the bedroom. That's cool. But she should also be listening to her partner too. It's not just about her and what she wants. It's good to vocalize what she wants. It's bad to never ask what her partner wants or never listen or pick up on the fact that he doesn't vocalize.


Anyway, Robert addressed this, which was good. I would have thrown the PROBLEMATIC flag all over this book, had she not. Healthy relationships are balanced, not one-sided to hear the woman roar (or whatever). I'm a feminist saying all of this. Don't be selfish. Don't be a silent accommodating doormat, but don't ignore your partner and put your needs/wants first all the time.

The sexy times were super super hot in this book. I feel like this might be one of Robert's hottest books, if not the hottest. There were sooooo many sexy times, for such a short book. I mean, it wasn't all sex, but I expected maybe three? There were more than three. And all of them were different, unique, and super steamy.

The ending has both characters turning around, realizing their mistakes, and realizing the other person's side of things. Gideon does some groveling, but Lucy also has to do some soul-searching, and she realized she was a coward as much as he was being a martyr. I liked this. It wasn't her being high and mighty, you-need-to-apologize-for-everything-because-I'm-not-wrong-in-this-situation. There was a mutual "I-messed-up-please-forgive-me".

All in all, I enjoyed this book. I had a great time reading it. I liked the tropes, I loved the steamy times, and I adored the ending.

What I Did Not Like:

I wanted to see Gideon lose a little of his tightly leashed control. He did in like, one scene? I know this book was more about Lucy, but still. Gideon is a living, breathing man - and a main character, at that. It should have been as much his story as it was hers.

Would I Recommend It:

I always tend to recommend Robert's books because they're super hot, addicting, and quick reads. This book is not exception. If you like steamy contemporary romances novels, this book (and any of her books) is a good one for you. It's somewhat short (though not too short) and there is a HEA!

Rating:

4 stars. I'm a little sorry I waited so long to read this book! I'm not sure what held me back. This sexy book should be on every romance reader's TBR! And book two - I can't wait to read Roman's story!

Katee always brings the heat in all her books. The chemistry between her characters is always scorching. That was no different in this one. Lucy needs a husband to progress in her job at her law firm she calls in a favor from former friend Gideon, and yep they want each other. The whole marriage of convenience is a trope I love, sadly this was so predictable that even the hotttttnesss of this couple couldn't save the amount of times I put this book down. If you are discovering this trope or Katee then definitely give this one a shot, but if you are waiting for something more original, read it when you are bored.

3 ehhh stars.

I am typically a Katee Robert fan, so of course I was willing to read and review Make Me Want. Sadly, I have tried to read/start this book three times!! For some reason, I just cannot get into this one. At first I thought that it was just me. But by the third time I decided to fully give up on this book. It might just be the book?!?!

Thank you for allowing me to try this one. I know that not all books are made for all people. I will continue to love and support Katee Robert!

*Because I am only giving this one 3 stars, I do not feel it would be fair to Katee to post my thought on my blogs social media sites or any purchasing sites.

Make Me Want is Katee Robert's first novel in her new Make Me series for the Harlequin Dare imprint. I've only read a couple of her novels so far, and I have to say that among them, Make Me Want is my favorite so far, and it gets a 5-star rating from this reader.

The principle characters in this novel are Lucy Baudin, an up and coming attorney who has been moving up the ladder at her law firm, but realizes that if she wants the partnership she's been working toward, she'll need a husband to get it, since the firm is rather old-fashioned and looks askance at unmarried women. What can I say? It's the way the corporate world works, and I'm glad that Ms. Robert included that piece of reality in her novel. Lucy was engaged two years earlier, to Jeff, but broke it off when the man who was close friends with both of them, Gideon Novak, finally told her what he'd known for some time, that Jeff was cheating on her. Additionally, Jeff was highly critical of her, especially in bed, and so not only were her plans for a happy marriage burnt to the ground, so was her confidence as a woman, and she hasn't dated in the two years since the breakup, instead devoting her time and energy to her career. She's also not been in touch with Gideon in that time, and Gideon has felt guilty not only for being the bearer of bad tidings, but for knowing about Jeff's cheating for more than a month but not speaking up sooner. Additionally, Gideon has also harbored secret feelings for Lucy since the day they met. He stepped aside out of deference to Lucy's involvement with his friend, Jeff, but he still harbors feelings for her, even though they've steered clear of one another since the breakup.

As is happens, Gideon is one of the best corporate headhunters in the business, and he's shocked when Lucy contacts him and tells him she's in need of his services--she knows and trusts him and his business acumen, but when he shows up at her office, he's shocked by exactly what services she needs him for--to find her a suitable husband and soon, so that she won't be overlooked for the partnership opportunity that's that's rapidly approaching. When she finally talks him into headhunting for a husband, she further shocks him with one more request--she needs sex lessons. Her former fiance was less than enthusiastic about their sex life, and she wonders if it's her fault that he strayed. Gideon, she knows, doesn't do relationships at all, and he has the reputation as quite a womanizer, but a highly skilled one, and although he's hard to convince, she finally gets him to agree to teach her what he knows, as well as to find and screen potential husband candidates.

To say that both characters get far more than they bargained for in this deal is putting it mildly. The chemistry between these two friends is off the charts, heat being something I've come to expect from books in the Harlequin Dare series, but so is the emotional, physical and intellectual connection between these two characters in this friends-to-lovers romance novel. I loved the honesty and exclusivity that Gideon demands in this strange relationship, and I truly liked the fact that both characters were fully developed as equals in this relationship. Make no mistake, I love a good alpha male hero, but the tenderness and thoughtfulness with which Gideon and Lucy treated one another was incredibly refreshing.

While this trope is nowhere near a new one to this long-time romance reader, I found this novel to be more emotional, more smartly written, and more deeply involving, and it's progression from start to finish flowed more seamlessly, and was a much more sexy, smart and satisfying read than many other friends-to-lovers novels I've encountered over the years, and I simply cannot wait to read the upcoming novels in what promises to be an incredibly addictive series.

I voluntarily read and advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

Lucy Baudin needs to get back into the dating game and ASAP. Her career is hanging in the balance. If she wants to move up in her firm she needs to find herself a husband... and soon. Enter Gideon Novak, headhunter, an old friend and the man who revealed the secret that ended her engagement to the guy she thought would be her one and only love forever.

Gideon is still holding on to the guilt that he was responsible for ending Lucy's happiness. SO when she hires him to find her a husband he is eager to help. But then she proposes that he coach her in the bedroom since her confidence was shattered when she found out about her cheating ex-fiance. At first, he resists. Why? you ask. Because he's only been in love with her since the day he met her. But since she chose Jeff she was off-limits. And she still is, bro-code and all.

But when she finally convinces him to agree with her plan, he finds it almost impossible to do the job she's hired him for; finding her a husband. Again you ask, why? Because he wants to apply for the position.

I received an Advanced Reviewers Copy from #NetGalley for voluntary review consideration.

I love a good friends to lovers and this is definitely one of those! Plus it's HOT!!! And my first read of Harlequin's new DARE line and it did not disappoint!

Katee Robert has such an amazing ability to write so many different genres and I love them all! Romantic suspense, RomCom, thriller, and they all knock it out of the park!

Lucy wants a date - well a husband really but she'll start with a date - so she contacts her good friend Gideon to find her dates. Only problem is that Gideon has been secretly in lust/love with Lucy for years but his buddy got her first and so he watched from afar. And now she tells him that she needs some bedroom lessons after her ex gave her a performance complex.

What then starts is a hot, HOT, search for Lucy's husband and to build up her self esteem. I just can't wait for Roman's story!

Katee Robert is one of my favorite authors. I like her writing and I always (or almost always) enjoy her books. So, it was almost certain that I would like this book. And I did. I liked the plot and the characters despite their flaws. The main plot is not very original since we have seen many times stories where the hero or the heroine fall for the person who is trying to matchmake them with other people, but the characters are the ones who made a difference. And the author's writing, of course, to be fair. I was very happy with what I read. Gideon was not as good as some other heroes Robert has written *cough*Dmitri *cough*, although he was decent. I also wanted Lucy to wake up and see what was in front of her the whole time. Those things didn't bother me much as you can see from my rating. I would like to see more of these characters and hopefully, Lucy's potential love interests will also get a book after Roman does. I am happy to see that the author began a new series so soon after the O'Malleys ended. I missed them and now I will get a chance to read more from Katee Robert. Of course and I would recommend the book. I enjoyed it and so will you. It's a good book and it's low on angst.