Matt Cannon is the Boy Wonder in Wall Street, whose knack for numbers has seen his meteoric rise to become the youngest broker in prestigious investment firm, Wolfe Investments. However even his brilliance has not stopped his fall from grace after his cousin's wild bachelor party landed Matt's picture in the Wall Street Journal. The resultant bad publicity requires a drastic change in image, as ordered by the firm's leaders. He reluctantly recruits the assistance of Sabrina Cross, a professional 'fixer' whose vast social connections and ingenious methods have helped many clients get out of dire situations. The only problem is, Matt and Sabrina have a history - the complicated enemies-with-benefits kind of history. When they met several years ago through their shared best friend, Ian, the attraction was instantaneous and they did not hesitate to act on it. The morning after however was a complete cold douche, setting off a chain-reaction that defined their subsequent encounters - animosity and animalistic sexual attraction makes for a highly combustible mix, invariably leaving both burnt and scarred, until the next encounter when they irresistibly gravitate towards one another for more of the same.

Sabrina knows accepting Matt's request to be his stand-in girlfriend for the next number of weeks is like walking willingly into an inferno, her sharp repartees and wit hardly adequate to protect her against thermal injury. As they spend more and more time together in the guise of contractual necessity, the hate morphs into something even more dangerous than carnal attraction.

"Why do I get the sense I'm being insulted somehow?"
"Because it's me," I say, reaching out and capturing and errant curl, just because I can."And because it's you. And because over the years you've built up so many damn walls where I'm concerned, you won't hear a damn thing I say without first filtering it for an insult."

My first book by Layne, and I liked it very much. It had greater emotional depth than expected. Matt was not your typical entitled, handsome, rich bastard. Sabrina was just the right balance of strength and vulnerability. They both lug a fair bit of emotional baggage around courtesy of their messed up childhoods respectively and it took them a while to learn to offload some and share the rest of their burdens.

Loved this!!! The fake relationship trope is deliciously angsty and rife with complications. Toss in the Wall Street aspect and the sexiness is ratcheted up several rungs. This book was so sharp, so smart, so well written. The push and pull, the quiet longing, the sexual tension... so freaking good. This series is officially my favorite from Lauren Layne. I can't get enough.

Another enjoyable story by Layne. I love her books and this one did not disappoint. She has fun characters and their tangled relationships are always a joy to read

Does Lauren Layne ever write a bad book? I think no. Hard Sell is the latest in a long list of faves. Office romances aren't always my favorite, but all that goes out the window when it's one of Lauren's books. The perfect combination of fun, sweet and sexy.

While a bad-boy reputation used to be cheered on Wall Street, these days it turns off clients. Photographed with a stripper during a bachelor party in Vegas, Matt Cannon has to fix his reputation fast by getting a steady girlfriend… without actually getting a steady girlfriend. His solution is Sabrina Cross, a onetime-fling who is, more important, well connected among the Manhattan elite. And—most important—he knows that Sabrina hates him and would never accidentally fall for him. This modern enemies-to-lovers romance hits the heart hard in all the best ways. - Adrian Liang, Amazon Book Review

Lauren Layne writes booknip for me. Her characters are always real, the dialogue always whip smart, and the happily ever afters always delightful. Hard Sell is no exception.

Lauren Layne is the queen of romance and this book showcases what she does best. If you’ve not yet started this series you really need to consider stopping what you are doing and diving right in. Layne, never fails to provide a fabulous reading time and will sweep you away to romantic bliss. Fabulous characters, the right amount of angst and sexual tension take the lead in this book two of the amazing Wall Street series. Don’t miss out.

Once again Lauren Layne managed to make me smile with her spot on dialogue and her engaging characters. The premise of Hard Sell is tried and true - the fake relationship between two characters that strike sparks in all the right ways. The relationship shouldn't have worked, but we readers know that inevitably fake will be real! This installment of the 21 Wall Street series could stand alone, but the series setting is strong and the secondary characters are layered enough to interest me in reading more. I did not enjoy the first person point of view utilized in the book, but it was still an entertaining story. I think what I enjoyed most was the banter between characters, that moved the story along quickly. I look forward to the next book.

Matt Canon, the youngest broker from Wall Street was caught in an uncompromising position… er, situation, marring his reputation and that of his colleagues and bosses (The Sams) from Wolfe Investments. To do damage control, Matt’s friends suggested the services of Sabrina Cross, a PR genius, who would surely help clean up his act and stature.

Only problem was, Sabrina hated his guts. But they had to tolerate each other and pretend to be lovers to make everything work, or else, Matt’s clients and potential business associates would drop him. Including Jarod Lanham, billionaire extra-ordinaire who also got his eyes on Sabrina.

While at first, Matt came across to me as a hard-core playboy. But his sensitivity to Sabrina’s needs and him listening to his friends was a major point for me. I liked how his character developed eventually and how he easily sneaked his way to my heart. Sabrina is also a competent personality, strong and subdued in her own little way, although broken due to familial issues, (actually both she and Matt were). The compelling support of their friends did a big role in their lives, that’s why I would have loved to have read the first book in the series to get to know them well.

Hard Sell by Lauren Layne is simply addictive. I always love a love-hate relationship, fake romance and enemies to lovers trope, and Layne’s writing made this story more interestingly intense. I can’t wait to read Kate & Kennedy’s story, soon!

Thank you Montlake Romance for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Our next couple in the 21 Wall Street series are Matt Cannon and Sabrina Cross. We've seen these two in the previous book and they intrigued me ever since. I knew their chemistry will be explosive and it's no surprise I'll enjoy this... A LOT.

Hard Sell is a frenemies-to-lovers book and the youngest broker of Wall Street is in trouble. Matt's reputation is tainted after a bachelor party in Las Vegas and headlining on newspapers. His clients are wary which caught his bosses' attention. To fix his troubles, he asked his frenemy, Sabrina, to be his fake girlfriend and convince his clients he's a committed man. However, they had a deal wherein their arrangement is professional: No hookups and no falling in love with each other.

*Sighs* I'm enticed on Matt and Sabrina's relationship. They're so compatible and I can't help swooning. They may be cynical with each other but their chemistry? FIREWORKS. I love their constant bickering and sexual tension. Both of them have problematic parents making them commitment-phobe and in spite of their issues both characters are independent, career driven and strong-willed.

It's only Sabrina who can put up with Matt and remorseless call him out. She got the sass and toughness I love in a heroine. She helps everyone but fears falling in love with Matt because it might be unrequited. I'm sorry Ian but Matt dethrones you as my favorite hero in the series. I love him and the only thing I dislike is when he took time for him to profess his love for Sabrina. Just a minor setback. The ending almost tear me up when he redeemed himself.

I'll definitely read more Lauren Layne's books. I'm starting to love her novels and I can't wait for the final book because it's about Kate and Kennedy. I'm betting it'll give me lots of feels.

Final rating: 4.5 / 5 stars

I am a huge fan of Lauren Layne. I know with her books that I'm going to smile, I'm probably going to cry and I'm definitely going to fall in love. Hard Sell is the second installment in the Wall Street series and it definitely did all of those things for me. I devoured this book in one sitting.

This a true story of frenemies to lovers. Matt and Sabrina have known each other for years and have guarded themselves against the other for most of them. But when Matt needs help with his image, there's nobody he'd trust more than Sabrina. I fully believed that.

I loved that even though these two had a brief past misunderstanding-that really neither bother to clear up-they were still willing to help each other. They had a fabulous slow burn going on, and neither wanted to admit it. There chemistry crackles on the page and I was invested in them right from the start.

I genuinely liked both of these characters and understood where both were coming from. I rooted for them from start to finish. I thought Sabrina was smart, tough and vulnerable all in one. Matt was smart, sexy and guarded. Watching them circle each other was fascinating. Now, as this was the second in the series there were also characters from previous books here that made their appearances. They didn't take any attention away from Matt and Sabrina, and I was glad to catch up with them again. I'm also really looking forward to the next book in this series. I just loved these characters and their world.

The writing here just sucked me in from start to finish. I normally wouldn't think a Wall Street setting would be something I'd love reading about but this author has a way of just pulling me in and making me fall for all of her characters and situations. I absolutely love how she does that. She's a one click author for me and books like these showcase why. I loved this book and would highly recommend it.

Another slam dunk by Mrs. Layne! I love this series and loved this book. Sabrina and Matt have so much chemistry that you can just feel it coming out of the book. They want to act like they hate each other but they both really like the other one.

This book is a dual POV with a strong Hero and Heroine. They both give just as good as they get. Matt and Sabrina are friends -"ish". They are friends and half way civil because they have the same mutual best friends. However, Matt actually needs Sabrina to help him with a work thing so he hires her to help. She at first declines but Matt puts himself at her mercy. That is when this book gets fun because then they are together all the time and they finally stop fighting their attraction and give in.

I can't wait for Kennedy and Kate's book!

I received a free copy for an honest review.

First off, I love Lauren layne.
Nothing she writes is ever bad. There's only a spectrum of ranging from 'had fun while reading it' to 'I would re read it countless times'. This book I have already read multiple times.
Synopsis:
Matt is partners in the Wall Street Firm, Wolfe Investments. Ian is lifelong best friends with Sabrina. Matt & Sabrina hook up (friends with benefits) throughout the 4 years they’ve known each other. Both, Matt & Sabrina don’t believe in love, they don’t believe in romance So what happens when Matt needs Sabrina’s help to make it look like he’s in a committed relationship. Can they both pretend and not get emotionally involved, keep love out of the their relationship?

Review:
It has a strong sassy independent heroine, a gorgeous successful slightly commitment shy hero and chemistry off the charts. It also has my favorite trope of falling for each other while pretending to be together. This is one of Lauren layne's strengths. Right from her redemption series, she's quite an expert in taking a story that has been done countless times and giving it a fresh and unique take that leaves you begging for a happy ending and coming back for more.

The writing flows smoothly. Both Matt and Sabrina are extremely likable and the supporting characters (Lara, Ian, Kennedy and Kate return from book 1) are a treat to read.
Tl;dr Do not miss it

Great characters that make me want to read more about them. Loved all of the banter. Can’t wait for the next one!

I’ve been in a book slump. Somewhere in all of my one-clicking, I’d lost my favorite feeling in the world - swooning. I want the tingle. I want to feel invested. I want my heart to race and I want to feel giddy. I desperately miss foreplay in romances because lately everything I’ve read has either had a case of insta-lust or insta-love, I.e., wam - bam, thank you… what was your name again?!?

So when I put a new Lauren Layne book on my Kindle, I stopped what I was doing, and said thank you to the book gods. I knew the characters she created and their love story would be just what I needed.

And boy did she deliver. Hard Sell is a sexy and fun as hell enemies to lovers romance. Matt and Sabrina are everything I could ever want from my main characters. Their quick wit and banter was engaging. Their passion was enticing and freaking burn down the house hot. I was consumed by their story and I could put their book down.

But more than anything, their vulnerability to love made them feel real. I wanted them to drop their defenses and to surrender to all that was happening between them. My heart was all in with this couple. They made this book a must read.

If that is not enough to entice you, this book is also filled with friendships and hilarity. It makes you wish you lived in Layne’s made up word and could have drinks with her crew. They’re an amazing group and I can’t wait to see what happens next with them.

Hard sell is the second book in the series and I am not sure if I would call it an improvement from the first one. I think I liked that more. There was something about this one that didn't sit well with me and I didn't enjoy the story as much as I would have liked to. I didn't get why Matt's actions at the bachelor party had such an impact that he was forced to find a suitable girlfriend. I also don't understand why Matt said that he didn't have opportunities to sharp his mind even further when his parents are rich.

I know some of you care so I feel like I have to say that both, Matt and Sabrina, slept with other people between their hookups, but after they became a "couple" they stopped.

I didn't love either character. I don't know why, but I couldn't even pick a side on who was right and who wasn't and that doesn't happen often. Kennedy and Kate were more interesting and I can't wait for their book. Friends to lovers is a favorite genre of mine.

The spark between Sabrina and Matt was missing and when a new person came into the picture, I wasn't sure that something wouldn't happen between Sabrina and him. I don't know what Jarod's agenda is and I hope we will find out when we get the third book.

I am feeling generous and that's the reason I am not considering to give a lower rating to the book
5 likes

Filthy rich, youngest broker on Wall Street Matt Cannon’s life is a mess. After a scandalous fling that made headlines, big bosses order Matt to get a girlfriend and get serious with life. PR Sabrina is ready for the job – a pretend girlfriend. Sabrina is feisty, sassy, no monkey business kind of girl. She is sure she can handle this big bad boy, or can she? What happen when all the “fakeness” turn into something real? I love the hilarious banters, the foreplay slow burn romance. Love the story line enemies to lovers with a small twist. Swoony, romantic, and entertaining read! <3

Layne's books are an automatic buy for me (but only for a free weekend as I often can't put them down!) and this instalment of the the Wall Street series didn't disappoint. The characters are so strong and likable and you just want to hang out with them while the pace of the story flowed easily.

Focused around Matt and Sabrina, this tells the story of two people who have worked hard to not be friends (whilst enjoying some benefits). When Matt needs some help Sabrina reluctantly agrees to help but with a few rules to keep things in their place. Their stubbornness and consent need to challenge each others is what has kept them apart but coming back to each other and makes thing interesting but it's support for each other that's needed to move them onto the next stage.

This was a fun and easy story that also has substance and dialogue feels authentic to the storyline. I'm really looking forward to Kate and Kennedy's storyline and wondering if Jarod will be getting a story too.

I received a copy of this book for free from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

When two dominant personalities clash with this much fire you know there are bound to be a sky full of sparks! Matt is a Wall Street power broker who finds his partying ways splashed across the front page of the newspaper prompting his boss to make an ultimatum that’s shocking for this happy bachelor. When he’s ordered to find a love interest and stay out of trouble or lose his job, Matt asks lovely and successful PR genius, Sabrina, to come to his rescue. How in the world did these two former lovers think they could keep their hearts from getting involved? It was so much fun watching these two head strong characters spar with each other because it’s obvious where there’s smoke there’s fire and their sexual chemistry flares hotter than a match. Yet underneath all that bluster are two lonely people terrified of trusting their tender hearts. I read a complimentary copy of this book provided by Kensington Books through NetGalley and all opinions expressed in my voluntary review are completely my own.

I am a huge Lauren Layne fan!! My blog partner suggested her and I as hesitant at first. I am so glad that I took a chance with her work!

If you are a of her Sex, Love & Stiletto as well as her Oxford series, then you will LOVE her 21 Wall Street series. Truthfully, I want to work at all of these places. I love the characters!! They draw you in and make you want to be their friends! I root for each and every one of them. Oh, and did I mention the witty comments that Lauren is able to add in. I love it!!

If you have not read Lauren Layne before, her 21 Wall Street series is the perfect series as an introduction. You will be hooked, and then you will need to read her ex, Love & Stiletto as well as her Oxford series!! Then you will thank me for introducing you to her work.