This is a story about two friends who have more or less kept their attraction to each other suppressed for four years, 1.) because Lucy was in a relationship, and 2.) the man Lucy was in a relationship with was Gideon's best friend.

Gideon and Lucy haven't seen each other in two years after Gideon told Lucy about her ex-fiance's philandering, and Lucy, reeling from everything her ex ever said about her prowess in the bedroom, swears off dating and throws herself into her work as a defense attorney. She's up for a promotion, but her bosses are misogynistic assholes and won't look twice at her unless she's settled down into a marriage. That's where Gideon comes in.

Lucy comes up with a plan to enter into a marriage of convenience, but because she hasn't dated anyone since her last disastrous relationship, she calls Gideon for help. She wants him to compile a list of suitable bachelors who will be open to what she wants, but because she also wants it to be a "real" marriage with sex, she wants to gain more confidence in the bedroom and erase all the negative things her ex said, and this is where Gideon comes in again. Literally (heh).

This book is predictable; you're able to pretty much guess how it all plays out, but honestly? That didn't bother me. It's a contemporary romance, and it hits all the tropes, but it's such a fun read that I didn't think much of it. I will say that, towards the end, both characters were annoying me with their presumptions of each other, but I also get it. If anything, despite its predictability, this book touches on fear and how difficult it is to not only open yourself up to someone, but to be vulnerable and to trust in the other person that they'll be there for you. At 159 pages, you can easily read this in one sitting, and I can't wait to see what book is next in this new Dare line.

Overall Rating: 3.5 Stars

Lucy an Gideon are a spicy and sexy combination. I loved reading this book. Lucy needs help in the sex and fun department who better to ask than her male friend and possibly more? What happens when words are put into action? Will their friendship last or will it fall apart? Thank you for allowing me to read this and write about it.

You guys know that I'm a big Katee Robert fan. I'll read anything from her. When I heard that she was one of the authors hired by Harlequin to launch their new sexy line, Dare, I was excited for her. Having read all of her books, I knew she was one author who could most definitely when it comes to the sexy.

Make Me Want was a decent read for me. I can't say that I was wowed by the story, but I got out of it what I was promised - a quick, dirty and smutty read! The story is about Lucy who needs a husband so she can climb up the ladder at work - I know, I was side-eyeing this plot too - so she decides to hire her friend, Gideon, to help her regain some confidence in the bedroom and lure a husband. Poor Lucy had some serious self-esteem issues that she had to work through with Gideon thanks to her gross ex. I will say that Gideon and Lucy had a lot of fiery chemistry between them. Obviously, as Gideon shows her the ropes, he inadvertently falls in love with her. While the physical chemistry was on point here, I didn't really see the emotional connection between the two. I would have liked to see them grow more as a couple outside the bedroom and a lot of their scenes were in the bedroom.

All in all, Make Me Want was not a bad book. If you want some quality smut, give this one a try! I'm looking forward to reading the next book because I like the sound of the characters in that a lot. Plus, look how fun the cover is for that one! Doesn't it make you want to go to the beach? The fella isn't horrible looking either! ;)

What’s it About? Lucy used to date Gideon’s best friend who was a total loser and jerk to her all while Gideon sat on the sidelines, secretly in love with her. Now Lucy is single, hasn’t seen Gideon in a while since her relationship ended but she knows she can come to him for help which she does. She needs a husband ASAP in order to move up in her career and she feels Gideon can help her. Well, now Gideon is torn between helping her find a man worthy of her and throwing his hat into the ring because he still cares for her. So in between teaching Lucy to have more confidence in the bedroom, and looking for potential candidates to fill the role of husband, Gideon’s trying to show Lucy that not only is she an incredible woman, but that he’s the best man to be her husband.

Overall reaction to the story? Harlequin has a new line which is supposed to be super sexy and honestly if Katee Robert is one of the authors in that new line then you’re off to a really good start because this woman excels at making things H-O-T without making the plot suffer for it. She’s one of my go-to authors when I need a romance with hot sex and cheeky characters. Gideon and Lucy’s friends-to-lovers romance was just the thing to break me out of my funk this week.

There was a bit of a role reversal with Make Me Want, see Lucy wants Gideon to help her find a husband because if she wants to move up in her career she apparently needs to be married. *eye roll* While I wouldn’t hesitate to call out the author on this seemingly unrealistic situation, all I have to do is take a good look into some businesses to see that yeah, this B.S. is still a thing. All I’m sayin’ is that I would have totally been Lucy’s co-worker Georgia before I bent to that crap. Lol. But anyway back to Lucy’s dilemma, she needs Gideon to not only look for potential husband candidates but to help her get her sexy back after her ex-boyfriend/Gideon’s ex-friend all but destroyed her confidence in her personal life. I totally got behind this plot from the beginning.

Lucy is the kind of character that has two sides to her, professional and personal. She’s a total badass in her career, driven, successful, and ambitious which I loved. An ambitious woman is total gold and that’s what she is but to balancing out that awesomeness is her deep rooted insecurity when it comes to her personal life. Her ex tore at her confidence until she found out he was cheating on her and broke things off but by then the damage was already done. I felt for this character and I wanted her to get exactly what she didn’t know she needed, someone who loved her as she was and encouraged her to be herself no matter what.

Her arrangement with Gideon wasn’t so much him teaching her to be sexy but him creating a comfortable environment where she could find herself on her own. I really, really found that sexy about Gideon. He didn’t go into their arrangement intending to change Lucy into his version of the perfect woman, he already loved her for who she was, and he wanted her to see that she didn’t need to change, just be confident in her own wants and needs. That’s just so hot I couldn’t even deal with it. He was alpha enough to be sexy but not controlling to be a turn off. Did he get kind of “Grr” because of his jealousy? Yep, but when he pushed, Lucy pushed back, creating some SUPER HOT sexytimes that Katee Robert excels at. *bows down to the queen of sexy times* It never fails, a Katee Robert romance novel raises the temperature no matter where the reader is at.

Her books need a warning label. One with big red letters that says “WARNING: Contents of this book may spark spontaneous combustion, temperature spikes, and/or the dragging off of romantic partners to the nearest available surface. Proceed with caution.”

If Make Me Want is a measure of what to expect from this series by Robert I’m going to need ice… A lot of it. I can’t wait for Roman’s story!


Click It or Skip It? Click It. In reality none of Katee's books should be missed so...

Make Me Want by Katee Robert Published by Harlequin (US & Canada) Harlequin Dare was a great quick read. I loved the concept and the character development, I want to first thank all parties that made it possible for me to receive an arc through Netgalley. Katee Robert you are a new author to me but I am impressed.
Make Me Want does exactly that it makes you want to keep reading until the very last page. I believe if I wasn’t sick and working I would have finished this book in one sitting. I loved the back story that brought Gideon and Lucy together and I loved the concept of a corporate headhunter trying to find someone a husband. Can you say interesting!!!!! It is highly refreshing that the two main characters had no plans of getting together and avoided it in the beginning and you as the reader have to keep reading to see if he finds the Man She Wants or Becomes the Man He Wants. I romantic page turner I dare you to try if you want to find out if the girl gets the guy. 4 Want more Stars from me. The only question I have is what’s next?

Yep, I devoured this book in one sitting. It had me from page one - hook, line, and sinker.

Lucy is a successful lawyer with a soaring career. Her personal life; however, needs some help. A previous relationship has left Lucy with wounds that still haven't healed so she calls on an old friend to help her move on.

I enjoyed the characters and would highly recommend this quick read. Thanks to Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my unbiased review!

I just couldn't get over the sex lessons premise. The whole relationship wasn't held together enough for me to even finish the book. DNF at 40%.

Katee Robert amps up the steam in Make Me Want for Harlequins cheeky new imprint Dare. A sexy friends to lovers story with a little bit of angst to counter the heat :)

Gideon is a recruitment specialist and as such can read people very well, what he doesn't expect is a phone call out of the blue from a former friend and secret crush Lucy to help her find a perfect match to be her....husband!!!!

Lucy is a lawyer and knows the only way to climb the ladder is to project the ideal image, that of both career driven independent woman and family orientated female. However, thanks to the implosion of her previous engagement, Lucy has no desire to marry for love. In order to protect her heart, she will settle for a marriage of convenience and mutual respect. Although the idea that love could grow from the arrangement is something she secretly hopes for.

Gideon harbors a lot of guilt over his part in the break-up of Lucy's previous relationship - it was Gideon's bravery that finally clued Lucy into the cheating ways of her ex, Jeff. While Gideon has nothing to feel guilty about, he still considers helping Lucy a way of atoning for the mistakes of the past. There is also the underlying attraction to Lucy that Gideon can't deny; along with the friendship they had formed and both Gideon and Lucy have missed tremendously.

It is this attraction and bond of friendship that leads Lucy to the second part of her request for help. The verbal and emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of the douchebag, Jeff, has severely dented her self-confidence, especially where intimacy is concerned. Therefore, she wants Gideon to provide her with lessons in seduction to ensure she can make a marriage work on a fundamental (physical) level.

Things escalate quickly between Gideon and Lucy, passion and a sense of comfort and security neither have experienced before. As the feelings grow between them, Gideon is determined for Lucy to see him as her future and no-one else. Unfortunately, Gideon's guilt is still very much a driving force in his thoughts and actions; so when an incident along with a trusted friend's careless words, it sends Gideon reeling with Lucy's heart as collateral damage. 

Make Me Want shows that love is worth fighting for - even if it takes 6 years to achieve ;)

Lucy asks Gideon to use his skills a headhunter to help her find the many who will fill the position as her potential husband. There are just so many directions this can go, but there is a steamy, sexually charged ride ahead before they figure out that there are no candidates better than Gideon himself. I finished this one in a single sitting and really enjoyed this story along the way.

Having read and enjoyed the second half of Katee Robert’s O’Malley series (I plan to go back and amend the fact I have not read the entire series), I was eager to dive into something new by the author. A new series meant I could follow a story through from the start, watching things unfold and allowing me to appreciate all the small details. Thus, I was more than happy to jump at Make Me Want.

I’ll be completely honest about this one – I was rather disappointed. Forbidden Promises, Undercover Attraction, and The Bastard’s Bargain set my expectations of Katee Robert much higher than what Make Me Want provided. Compared to the other Katee Robert books I have read, this one fell rather flat.

The story is much like many other romance books on the market, and I was constantly waiting for something to pop out and grab me. While there were plenty of steamy scenes to try and distract me, it was glaringly obvious there was nothing overly unique about this one. It’s a popular trope done well, but it isn’t anything special. It is enjoyable, but it will not blow your mind.

If I’m being brutally honest, there were points towards the end of this book where I started to skim events – I was holding out for something amazing, willing to skip parts in the hope of finding the good stuff. I enjoyed it, sure, but I couldn’t pick this one out of a line-up for other books in this genre. Whereas the O’Malley books I read had something that made them pop, this one falls into the shadow of other books.

Don’t get me wrong, I am interested in reading the next book in the series. I’m holding out hope that the next book will grab me more than this one did. I’m also interested in Katee Robert’s other new series, so this hasn’t put me off reading more of her work.

Make Me Want may not have been what I was hoping for, but it was an okay read to pass a bit of time.

I am a big fan of Katee Robert and her books and I was really looking forward to this new series and, while Make Me Wantwas a good read I have to say that for me it wasn't one of KR's best ....maybe it's down to the fact that it's a different line and seems a little more mainstream, I'm not sure but, even though I felt that way about the book, I still enjoyed it for the most part.

I liked the premise behind the story and you could see how things were gonna go but that old communication - or lack of it - issue threw up problems for the pair. 

I loved Gideon, he was quite the leading man and I liked that once he had his eye on Lucy being his prize he was determined to go for what he wanted... until he didn't! For a big, successful, confident businessman, at points, he wasn't so sure of himself when it came to Lucy.

Lucy had had her fair share of bad luck when it came to love and she set out on a path to ensure she knew what was coming in her personal life so she couldn't get hurt again but wasn't prepared for how she'd feel about Gideon... and while for a lot of the book she was confident and on the same page as he was, there were times when I wished she'd woman-up and believe in herself more. 

A good read and I'm looking forward to Make Me Crave which is Roman's story. 

3.75*

Clearly this sexy book should have a warning label on it to not read in a public location. It has a 4 STAR Hotness rating in my opinion and the hot steamy interactions between Lucy and Gideon are written very descriptively. I recommend a bubble bath, a glass of wine and low lights for this very enjoyable read.

Lucy is someone I get. Many women and even some men will relate to her and what happened with her ex. For me I felt that her reactions and feelings were spot on as well as realistic for her situation. The added part of the story where she contacts Gideon for help may seem far fetched to some but I believe that most people would do the same with someone they trusted of the opposite sex.

Gideon is a man most woman dream about. There is a hardness to his personality that gets balanced whenever he is with Lucy. As a reader I enjoyed the dialog of the book as you get Gideon's side as well as Lucy's side. It always adds to the story to get two points of views and see where they go from there. And by doing this the reader will come to love Gideon because they will see he is a much deeper man than the surface hotness.

I give this 4 STARS and recommend that anyone who enjoys some heat in their books read Author Katee Robert's books.

I enjoyed this book, it was a short and quick read. The writing was engaging and the chemistry between the main characters was undeniable. The characters are easy to relate to. Gideon is not an overbearing alpha. Beneath his controlled exterior, he is vulnerable, insecure even and his feelings for Lucy run deep. She needs his help and he never leaves a friend hanging. And yet, their arrangement is risky, he doesn’t want to jeopardize his friendship with her. Lucy is feisty and independent. She trusts Gideon but the ghost of her previous relationship is coloring her interactions with him.

Katee Robert sure does know how to turn up the heat, this story was very steamy in places. I loved how Lucy and Gideon respected each other and worked well together. Of course, this is the kind of short story where you know exactly what’s going to happen and admittedly, the plot was a bit thin. Still, all in all, this book was an enjoyable read in the new Harlequin collection. 3.5 Stars

I really enjoyed this one. It had the perfect balance of heat and story. I really liked Gideon. He has so much guilt when it comes to Lucy, but she is also the one who got away. Now he's between a rock and a hard place when she comes to him to help her find a husband. Another thing I loved about this book was watching Lucy find her confidence in the woman she is. This book sucked me in because of the characters. Lucy and Gideon had me so invested in their journey.

I love Katee's other books that I have read, and the blurb on this one sounded amazing. Gideon was a bright spot for me and they definitely had some smokin' moments. But at the end of the day Lucy drove me batty and I just couldn't find a way to like her enough to connect with her story.

Deliciously decadent! A delve into a quirky friends-to-lovers type of story that takes us from the lows of past love to the highs of awakening a whole new life with each other. The characters are flawed enough that they keep the strife fairly high. The overall plot is enjoyable and brings us a fitting happily ever after to enjoy!

Attorney Lucy Baudin needs some excitement in her life, and she thinks she's found the perfect way to get it! She's in a rut and knows it, but when an idea comes to her, she looks up an old friend to put her plan into motion.

Headhunter Gideon Novak isn't so sure about Lucy's plan, but if it puts her in close proximity, he's more than willing to help out! Will they part as friends when it's over, or will he convince her once and for all that he deserves more than she's offering?

I'm a huge fan of Katee Robert's O'Malley series, and even though romance without suspense isn't really my thing the cover and the author sold me on this book. As with all Robert's books I've read so far, the characters had a lot of depth and interesting connections. The chemistry between Lucy and Gideon was great from the start, but Lucy wasn't looking for him. She needed a husband quick, and she wanted a nice safe choice. She just wanted Gideon to help her feel capable of keeping her new husband interested in the bedroom after not having great experiences in the past. Gideon agrees but only to keep her from going to someone else...someone else who might not care about her like he does. He's tasked with finding her a husband, but will he be able to let her go?

This story had fabulous characters and moved at a fast pace with lots of chemistry. I am thankful to have had an opportunity to read an ARC from Net Galley.

Make Me Want is the first novel I’ve read from Harlequin’s new Dare line:

“Harlequin Dare stories push the boundaries of sexual explicitness while keeping the focus on the developing romantic relationship. Come meet the sexiest men alive!” from Harlequin.

So, honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. Many of the sexually explicit novels I’ve read in the past few years have blurred together because they offer nothing new, each seeming to have jumped on the Fifty Shades of Grey bandwagon so it’s like hearing a tune covered over and over by different singers without change-up or finesse.

However, Make Me Want by Katee Robert exceeded my expectations and delivered a novel that made me care about the characters and story as well as needing a fan to lower the temperature.

Two years ago Lucy was engaged to Gideon’s best friend until she discovered (via Gideon) that he was cheating on her. However, during the time that they were together, the ex-fiance made Lucy believe that she wasn’t passionate enough or good enough in bed, which was why he roamed. So for two years, Lucy has concentrated on her career and has risen to the point where she expects to be promoted. It’s a good-ole-boy network though, and Lucy believes the only way she can advance is if she’s married. Thus she calls Gideon, the headhunter, old friend, to help her find a prospective husband and also to give her lessons in making love.

If anyone else had given him such a proposition, Gideon would no doubt have walked out. But this is Lucy, the woman he fell in love with when he first saw her. The woman he couldn’t get out of his mind. The woman who made him become a player, so he could never commit or have a real relationship with anyone else.

For me, the reason why this novel worked is because it was clear Lucy and Gideon cared for each other. They had an established relationship before, based on a good friendship. They could talk to each other about all kinds of things. And their chemistry worked for me.

And, I really liked Gideon. By the end of the novel, I thought, “mmmmm, Gideon.”

I do wish, however, that for all of the ambition and strength that Lucy had in her law career–and you do need it for that cutthroat work–that she had a similar strength with regards to being proud of herself as a human being rather than be victimized by a two-timing ego-maniac. Alas, if that were true, she would never have contacted Gideon for sensual lessons and we would have been without a sensual novel.

By the way, this is the first novel I’ve read by Katee Robert and won’t be the last.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Captivating, compelling and deliciously sexy, Make Me Want is a pulse-racing contemporary romance that will send readers’ heart rates soaring. With a fantastic heroine, a gorgeous hero and plenty of red-hot passion, searing sensuality and uplifting romance, Make Me Want will certainly make you want to read more scorching romances from Katee Robert.

After her ex boyfriend had done a number on her and left her self-esteem in tatters and her confidence at an all time low, lawyer Lucy Baudin’s inner seductress is desperately in need of reawakening. Although at work, she’s tough, ballsy and absolutely fearless, when it comes to her personal life, Lucy is a petrified wallflower who is absolutely petrified of dipping her toe back in the dating pool. Lucy needs all the help she can get to get her mojo back and when she realises that the only way she can continue to progress in her career is if she has a man by her side, she realises that her friend Gideon Novak might be able to help her in the boardroom and in the bedroom!

In his line of work as a professional headhunter, Gideon is used to hearing unusual requests from his clients – but he can honestly say that this is the first time he has been asked to procure a husband! Still, as the best friend of Lucy’s former fiance, who had been the one to inform her of his many infidelities, Gideon feels that he owes Lucy a favour and he will do whatever it takes to assuage some of the guilt he feels at having been the one to break the bad news about her ex. However, things get even more complicated – not to mention even more heated – when Lucy wants Gideon to give her lessons in how to be a sex kitten…

Gideon agrees on one condition: that he has Lucy exclusively for the duration of these lessons. Gideon and Lucy soon realise that practice does indeed make perfect, however, neither one of them is prepared for the maelstrom of emotions that consumes them and that turns their convenient arrangement into something real neither one of them expected…

Will Gideon and Lucy find that elusive happiness which they’ve been searching for for so long? Or is their relationship destined to remain a purely physical one with no strings attached?

Katee Robert deftly balances steamy sex, spicy mischief and heart-pounding shenanigans with uplifting romance and powerful emotional intensity. Make Me Want is a sassy page-turner that readers will not be able to put down featuring a terrific and relatable heroine, a swoon-worthy hero and plenty of drama, tension and romance to keep romantics everywhere gleefully turning the pages late into the night.

A superb sizzler that will appeal to fans of Sylvia Day and Christina Lauren, Make Me Want is a fantastic read steamy romance fans are going to devour in a single sitting!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Rachael – ☆☆☆☆
I absolutely loved the premise of this story. It was interesting even if you could see the way it was headed way ahead of time. Following along the internal debates and struggles both characters have was great. They both wanted the other, but thought they were all wrong for each other for different reasons. However, as Gideon gives Lucy lessons in the bedroom while trying to find a good match for a loveless marriage, we find they aren't so far apart as they initially think.

There is some past pain that will always be in the back of both their minds and it causes both of them hesitation to break past the 'friends' line and put themselves in a place where they can become the one that gets hurt.

While I enjoyed the story, having a fairly predictable plotline was a letdown as I love surprise twists. I would not hesitate to pick up another book by this author though.