4-4.5 stars.

Oh, how I loved this.

This time we have Claire and Scott, we knew her in the previous book and we heard of him there as well. Now these two tell their story and it’s hot!

I loved Claire from before, but I was so glad to hear from her and really get to know her and the death of her husband altered her. I truly felt for her, I wanted to hug her and be her friend. She was truly lovely and lost and I loved how she finally found her path.

Scott sure is rough around the edges, but he was such a great character. He was nothing like I thought he would be and that was a pleasant surprise. This guy was awesome and absolutely the PERFECT guy for Claire. He had his own things to overcome, but with Claire’s help he showed who he truly was: and incredible guy. <3

I loved this, this was a great addition to this series and I can’t wait to read the next!

P.S.: Bob! Loved her hard.

*Thank you to the author for providing a copy for which I’m giving my honest opinion*

Claire and Scott are a breath of fresh air in Lauren Layne’s Love on Lexington Avenue. I truly enjoyed this slow burn romance with two wonderful characters who had great banter. This an entertaining story with a great storyline and even better characters. I cannot wait for the next installment in the series!

Going into this, I had no idea what to expect, all I knew was that I wanted more of the characters I met in Passion on Park Avenue. And this book did not disappoint.

Claire and Scott are one of my favorite type of pairings; she is sassy and has the biggest heart, while Scott is so grumpy he is downright rude. So the result is one amazing, impossible to put-down, romance.

Before I talk about said romance, I wanna talk about the characters.

Claire has had the worst year ever. Not only did she lose her husband, but she discovered in the worst way, that what she thought was a good, happy marriage was everything but. So, as hard as she tries to not let it get to her, she is incapable of letting go of the hurt and just puts on a brave face. I have to admit, Claire is easily one of my favorite characters in romance, because even if she’s strong, she’s also really vulnerable and that makes her REAL and HUMAN. She doesn’t need to be perfect all the time, she doesn’t need to be put together 24/7h, and though she tries her hardest to, there are moments where she just.. can’t. And that just makes you love and root for her happiness more. Another thing I loved about this character, is how, instead of alienating her husband’s mistresses, she befriends them. And that strength alone speaks volumes of her character.

Scott, on the other hand, remains a mystery until this book. We meet him for a little while in Passion on Park Avenue as Oliver’s contractor best friend who’s hardly ever in one place for long and that’s about it. We get a deeper look into his character in this installment (duh, it’s his book!). Scott is also a character who has been wronged before, in kind of the same way as Claire, but while Claire didn’t let it change her heart, Scott closed off his heart completely, became jaded and devoted his entire life to his career.

Which brings me to the romance; these two, against all odds, make SENSE. They just do. Claire doesn’t let him get away with his rudeness and he actually listens to her. Their development is slow but at the same time not really. Their chemistry is amazing, they bring out the best in each other, open each other’s eyes about a lot of things and also accept each other just as they are. I loved them, I loved their scenes, I loved their development and I loved how Scott was willing to give up everything he ever thought was IT for him to be with her. Because, at the end of the day, SHE is IT for him.

Similar to my Passion on Park Avenue review, as much as I loved the romance, my favorite part about this series remains the friendship. OH MY GOD!

I am now, a 100% convinced Naomi, Claire and Audrey have ruined me for every friendship ever. The circumstances in which theirs was born just makes it all the more better. These three are each other’s (unlikely) support system, each other’s go-to and not only for superficial stuff. I loved how their friendship is also about the real stuff and doesn’t stop at gossiping and giggles. They TRUST each other, they LOVE each other, they SUPPORT each other. They may have all just gone through one of the shittiest thing in their lives, but they got each other out of it, so no matter how bad it was, they got the best thing out of it : their friendship.

This has officially become one of my favorite series ever, and I absolutely CANNOT wait for Audrey and Clarke’s story and seeing more of these characters. I just know I will love it.

Love on Lexington Avenue finally got me out of my reading rut! Lauren Layne does it again with a quick and light hearted read based in glitzy Manhattan. As I was devouring the chapters, I was laughing out loud, and I would highly recommend for a great end-of-summer read!

In the second book of the Central Park Pact series, Claire Hayes is recovering from her cheating husband's death, and trying to find herself again with the help of her friends, Naomie and Audrey. If you want to learn more about how this unique friendship formed, I would definitely recommend reading Book 1, Passion on Park Avenue. As a favor to a friend and a break from his regular work, Scott agrees to renovate Claire's apartment. At first, Claire thinks Scott is abrasive and rude, but Scott turns out to be a charming and philanthropic gentleman. Are they both willing to risk it all to follow their hearts?

Thank you to Netgalley and Tasty PR for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I cannot wait for the third book about Audrey's story in this dynamic series!

I loved Passion on Park Avenue so I knew I had to read this one too. It is a contemporary romance with a few Laugh out loud moments. Claire and Scott seem like an unlikely couple but they end up having adorable banter. I loved the happy ending which Claire so deserved. This novel focuses on friendship, love and finding and believing in yourself. I was so excited when Claire found her happily ever after which she so deserved!

When her philandering husband died kind of in flagrante delicto, Claire skips out on his funeral and ends up meeting two women who were his unknowing girlfriends. The three become friends and some time later Claire is wandering around in her ugly house wondering how her life became so blah. She realizes this while eating a vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting on her 35th birthday. She is pondering her choices to redecorate her house and realizes the colors are all variations of white.
Scott Turner is used to doing big corporate jobs, not re-dos for rich bored housewives, but he agreed to do the job as a favor to a friend. When he sees Claire's house he realizes it needs a lot of help and he wants to be the man to do it. Claire, he's not so sure about but they agree to work together.
I loved how this story played out. Yes, obviously it's an opposites attract theme but are they really opposites where it counts? Scott can be a jerk but Claire can be a prig and they keep finding ways to annoy each other. However, it is really one long sexual tension riff that has a big payoff. Their friends totally push them together but life tries to pull them apart. Old hurts need to be forgotten and chances taken before these two can have their HEA.
You don't need to have read the first book in the series, Passion on Park Avenue, to enjoy this one but it's such a good book that you really should!

We met Claire Hayes in the first book in this series. Claire is the widow of Brayden, the man who was having an affair with a few different women. Outside of Brayden's funeral, Claire meets Naomi and Audrey, two of these women and a great friendship begins.

It's been a year since Brayden's death and Claire thinks she is ready to move on with her life. First up is renovating her brownstone. When Naomi's boyfriend Oliver recommends his friend Scott Turner for the job you just know there will be fun. Scott has always been chasing something in his life, but he just doesn't know what it is. He prefers to keep life simple, including only one night stands. Imagine his surprise when he first meets Claire and she is not the old widow he thought she would be. She is also not the typical Upper East Sider.

As Claire and Scott spend more time together they fall into an easy rapport. Claire even starts telling Scott how she wants his help to get her back into the dating world starting with finding just a one night stand. At first things are fun until Scott realizes that he may want Claire for himself. It will take a huge leap of faith for this wandering loner to realize that maybe what he has always been looking for is standing right in front of him!

I just adored Claire and Scott. Claire's life was stuck in a rut and she desperately needed to redefine herself. I loved how she just jumped right in....sometimes a little hesitant but she still did it. I also really loved Scott. I love a man who can work with his hands....one of my weaknesses! I loved their banter back and forth and quite a few times I found myself laughing out loud! These two together were perfect and I just adored their happy ending.

Lauren Layne consistently writes books that I adore! So I knew I'd love this one too, and it did not disappoint.

Watching Claire and Scott fall in love after the betrayal Claire suffered was swoon inducing. The moments of humor were great and the relationship between Claire and the women who most would figure she wouldn't be friends with was just great :)

Scott is totally risk adverse as is Claire, but boy does this make for a slow burn wonderful romance by the incalculable Lauren Layne. I have almost fun out of superlatives for her books. There is not a one I haven’t read. I always know that I will always have major “feels” for any book she writes, but must say i am absolutely loving this series. A series of three women all wronged by the same guy who become friends and find their HEA. Wasn’t sure how Claire and Scott were going to get there, but loved how the story progressed and stayed entertained the entire time!

4.25 stars--LOVE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE is the second instalment in Lauren Layne’s contemporary, adult CENTRAL PARK PACT romance series focusing on three friends: Naomi Powell, Audrey Tate and Claire Hayes-three woman who would discover there were all in a relationship with the same man. This is thirty-five year old, widow Claire Hayes, and renovator Scott Turner’s story line. LOVE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalment is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading book one PASSION ON PARK AVENUE for back story and history.

SOME BACKGROUND: Approximately one year earlier, Claire Hayes, newly widowed discovered that her husband of seven years was having numerous affairs including affairs with the two women who would become her best friends. The Central Park Pact was an agreement to never let one another fall for a womanizer like the man with whom they had all fallen in love.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Claire and Scott) LOVE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE follows Claire Hayes, one year after the death of her philandering husband. Having just turned thirty-five years old, wanting something new in her life, Claire decides to renovate her Lexington Avenue home with the recommendation of her new best friend Naomi Powell. Enter contractor/renovator Scott Turner, and the man with whom Claire would fall in love. What ensues is the acrimonious but building relationship between Claire and Scott, and the potential fall-out as the renovations to Claire’s home, come to a close.

Scott Turner never expected Claire Hayes- a smart-mouthed, young widow who struggles with her place in the world. Not one to do relationships, Scott finds himself attracted to Claire Hayes, but a ‘friends with benefits’ relationship is all he is willing to offer. Having been burned in the past, Scott isn’t willing to lose his heart to anyone else. Claire Hayes has struggled with what happened and why. Having turned what could have been a disaster into a triple friendship with the other women scorned by her cheating husband, Claire battles her attraction to Scott knowing their time together comes with a deadline.. Believing herself too vanilla and boring, Claire begins to step out of her comfort zone with the help of the man with whom she will fall in love. The $ex scenes are all implied.

We are reintroduced to Naomi Powell, and her significant other Oliver Cunningham (Passion on Park Avenue #1), Audrey Tate and her best friend Clarke West.

LOVE ON LEXINGTON AVENUE is a story of friendships, support, struggle and love. The premise is engaging and energetic; the romance is passionate and sweet; the characters are a little broken, colorful and fun.

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Loved it! I didn't love the 1st one in the series as much as I wanted to but this one was awesome. Lauren Layne created two incredibly likable and down to earth characters in Claire and Scott. A great story line with the right blend of humor and romance, what more could you want? I couldn't put it down. I love all of Layne's series and I love that all of the characters from previous series installments make an appearance in the latest books.

If you read Layne’s, Passion on Park Avenue, you probably had some idea that her next book in the Central Park Pact series would feature Claire and Scott. This series is based on three women - all of whom were involved with the same man and find this out the morning of his funeral. Claire was the wife (the others were girlfriends) and feeling hurt to her core, she doesn’t think she’ll ever recover - enter contractor Scott here to renovate her Manhattan brownstone.

Layne did an amazing job of writing the sexual tension between Claire and Scott without getting too steamy (for those of you who like low steam, this will be in your wheelhouse) and never sacrificed plot, dialogue or banter. As much as I loved Naomi’s story, Claire’s immediately catapulted to the top of my list with LoLA. It’s not necessary to read PoPA first to enjoy this one - but they are both so good that you really should!!

When Claire finds out at her husbands funeral that he left behind not only a wife, but also a girlfriend and a mistress she decides to rid herself of everything her husband owned and hires a contractor to re-do her Upper East Side brownstone. Scott Turner is surly, tells it like it is, and fills out his flannel shirt like no other. Claire is intrigued. Maybe her brownstone isn’t the only change she needs to make!

I found it fascinating that the three women Claire’s husband conned all became fast friends. Their unique friendship is a fun aspect to this series and that history makes it easy for the reader to root for each of them to find their love match. Claire is very practical and kind of reminded me of myself, so of course I loved her! LOL. I also like surly alpha men so loved Scott immediately. I liked how they talked straight with each other and that their attraction was a slow burn. He might’ve thought she was attractive right from the get go, but it wasn’t until she started to “see” him that way that their thoughts became actions.

I liked Lauren Layne’s style of writing a lot. This was my first novel of hers and I’m definitely going to read the first in this series. I fell in love with all three of these women, but even more I liked the heat level on the romance. They became friends first and the love scenes were more of a fade to black. It was a nice change of pace and reminded me how much I love sweet romances! I’m going to be checking out Layne’s other novels and maybe refreshing my browser to “sweet” instead of “Stanky” on heat level. 🙂 ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a free copy of this ARC through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

4.5 Stars

Lauren Layne has been a favorite contemporary romance writer of mine for some time now. Every single one of her books reminds me of a chick flick that I’ve made the hubs watch with me. Love on Lexington Avenue completely fits that bill as well.

Claire is recently widowed. I’d like to say she lost the love of her life, but she was the wife of a two-timing jerk who had a long-term mistress and another piece on the side of that. Normally you’d think that would make these woman natural enemies, but instead it is the bond that has brought them together and now they are all looking out for each other. Making sure history doesn’t repeat itself and they never end up with the wrong man again.

Claire is ready to start moving on with her life. First step, update the brownstone she shared with her husband into something from this decade and make it hers. Second step, start flirting, well at least practice flirting since she was never really good at it. Third step, get out of her comfort zone and be less Vanilla and more Strawberry Lemonade. Then Scott walks into her life.

Scott is not her type, not at all. He wears flannel, says exactly what is on his mind with little to no filter, is a here today gone tomorrow kind of guy. To say he has commitment issues is to say that “A day without sunshine is like, you know, night.” – Steve Martin. Still there is something about him and as she gets to know the man and his dog, they find a nice friendship and comradery. Even if they do fight over where she is going to put pink in her house.

Scott knows that Claire is completely off limits. She is the friend of his best friend and he never sticks to relationships so he knows that this woman is untouchable, except he can see how much she desperately needs to be touched. Good guy that he is, he has decided to help her. Scott agrees to help Claire learn how to pick up a guy, she says she’d like a no strings situation and that is what he does best, he can show her the ropes…right? That isn’t jealousy seeing her talk to another man. Or is it?

It was great to watch the banter and tension build between these two until it boils over and neither can deny what they are to the other. Still lots of little stumbles along the way to get to the great chick flick moment at the end.

My one and only disappointment with this series in general is that Lauren Layne has decided make everything PG-13. All sex scenes are fade to black, this is the first series I’ve read that she has decided to do that. I very much enjoy that payoff moment in a contemporary romance so for me I’d like a little more on that front but I’m sure there are other readers out there looking for a little less on that front and so this is definitely for them.

I love the characters and could identify with Claire in her struggle to figure out what to do with the rest of her life now that she can be/do anything. The friendship between the trio of girls was also great and I loved how there, they were for each other.

I’m definitely looking forward to the next book in this series that should be a best-friends to lovers situation. I love that trope.

Welcome to Manhattan and the love of Manolo Blahniks….
Love on Lexington Avenue is a hilarious enemy to lover’s romance to make you laugh out loud, cry, and keep turning the page to see what crazy antics the Central Park Three will do next….and how true love rises from heartache and sorrow.
First line: It all started with a cupcake
Last line: “We’ll figure it out. Later.”

Friends can be found in the strangest places. For Claire, Audrey and Naomi that place was Central Park after learning the man they were dating and living with was married. Yes, the wife, the mistress and the girlfriend are best friends because of Claire’s deceased cheating husband. Newly single, Claire can reinvent her life and seeks solace in renovation her apartment on Lexington Avenue for HER. In walks Scott Turner, world renowned contractor and Oliver’s friend (Passion on Park Avenue, Book #1) to help with the renovations. Through all the hammering, painting and flooring he agrees to become a dating coach and help her snag a one-night stand since he’s the resident expert. My favorite scene: Scott helping Claire to pick the perfect outfit for bar hopping.
Layne writes sexy, funny romances that make you forget and forgive all the close door sex scenes. What I love most about Love on Lexington Avenue, women supporting each other as men come and go in their lives. Life after heartbreak is not easy to overcome. I know from experience it’s hard to bounce back. I understand living in the “vanilla”. The journey Claire takes makes me want to experience more of life for myself and that’s a great book. Now if only I can snag a pair of Louboutins!!!!!

Oh how I Loved this sweet, charming and adorable, second chance romance. This had it all and I didn't want to stop reading. Ms. Layne's writing always manages to bring you right into the scene with her characters. Her descriptive use of language makes each scene very realistic and the emotions the characters are feeling, so believable.

I really have enjoyed this series so far and Claire’s story has been my favorite. Although this is a series, each story is a stand alone but I would encourage you to read them in order.

Claire is bored her husband has been dead for a year, so she decides to remodel her Upper East Side Brownstone to make it her own. Scott Turner is a good friend to Claire’s friends Naomi and Oliver, and he offers to do the remodel for Claire.

But these two are opposites in every way. Where Claire is refined and polite Scott is blunt, callous and downright rude. Both of them have been burned and are somewhat jaded and broken from their past relationships. But being thrown together on a daily basis, it doesn’t take them long and they are getting on each other’s nerves. Especially with an attraction and chemistry that is off the charts.

But when Claire asks for Scott’s help to hook up and have a fling with someone else, although he knows he isn’t good enough for her, he still wants her. Will their attraction and chemistry be enough to help them find a HEA? You will need to read this to find out.

I loved every minute of this Fantastic, Adorable, Charming, and Completely Enthralling Romance!

I love Lauren Layne books. When I am in the mood for a fun Romance, she has become one of my go-to’s and Love on Lexington Avenue didn’t disappoint.

I’ll admit that the first book in this series, while still good, was not one of my favorites and I was a little hesitant going into this one. However, I enjoyed this one so much more. I really liked the main couple, Claire and Scott. I shipped them right from the beginning. I loved how their bickering turned into friendship and then more. I thought that while they had a lot in common, they also balanced each other out well.

I enjoyed seeing the other characters from the first book, as well. Claire’s friends, Audrey and Naomi, whom she first met when she found out her recently deceased husband was having an affair with both of them. Naomi still isn’t my favorite character (and was mostly the reason why the first book didn’t work for me as much), but I enjoyed her much more in small doses. I’m really looking forward to reading Audrey (and Clarke’s) story next. I also really liked seeing Oliver again. He shows up a lot in this book since he’s friends with both Claire and Scott.

One thing that I do really love about this series is that there is a lot less graphic stuff than in most of Layne’s other books. I know some people see that as a negative, but I am here for it. Even though the plot of this book had a lot of discussion about the idea of casual one-night stands, which I didn’t love, it never really went into graphic description and that just makes me like this book that much more.

Overall, I really enjoyed Love on Lexington Avenue. I loved the characters and the romance and the humor. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series!

Overall Rating (out of 5): 4 Stars

Thank you @gallerybooks @_lisafilipe @NetGalley for the eARC #partner|⁣
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Love On Lexington Avenue by @laurenlayneauthor is the second book in the Central Park Pact series. I haven't read the first book, Passion On Park Avenue, but after enjoying this book so much, I am definitely making time to read it soon! ⁣
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Love On Lexington Avenue follows widow Claire Hayes as she attempts to move on with her life following her husband's death. I love how this book dealt with the very real but tough situation of widowhood, especially young widowhood since Claire is only 34 when her husband passes away. Part of her journey involves remodeling their brownstone which brings contractor Scott Turner into her life. ⁣Scott has been hurt in the past, covered it up, and moved on without actually dealing with what happened. His rough, tough exterior exterior rubs Claire the wrong way. These two annoy each other and squabble and before long Claire is having fun annoying Scott and Scott enjoys sparring with her. Claire is also trying to get back into the dating scene before she realizes she doesn't want to be with anyone besides Scott and Scott is insanely jealous every time Claire tries to connect with another man. Scott isn't big on commitment which is fine when Claire thinks she's just looking for a fling, but before long real feelings develop.
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I majorly LOVED this book! Claire is such a strong woman, determined not to get hurt again by a man. I cheered for her through the entire book as she dealt with the betrayal of her husband, realized her feelings for Scott, and redefined her life. I loved the celebration of female friendship through Claire, Naomi (book 1), and Audrey (book 3). These ladies are confident, independent, and look out for the best for each other. And Scott -- completely my type apparently because I swooned so hard over this hero's rough edges covering up his tender heart. This book follows two characters who want to tear down the walls around their hearts and move out of their comfort zones but find it scary, which is something that I think we can all relate to in one way or another. This book fades to black on the romance scenes but Lauren Layne builds the tension and crafts the setting so masterfully that I didn't miss the details at all. The sarcastic banter in Love On Lexington Avenue is laugh-out-loud funny and a delight to read. I have found a new favorite author and I cannot wait to go back and read book one in this series and then book three when it is released in January 2020!

Love on Lexington Avenue is the second book in Lauren Layne's Central Park Pact series. We met both Claire and Scott in the first book, Passion on Park Avenue (Naomi & Oliver's story).

Claire is a widow who is looking to completely renovate her Lexington Avenue brownstone. Scott is a leading contractor looking for a change. Scott is Oliver's best friend and Claire is Naomi's. Because of this, Scott was recommended to Claire. At first glance, the pair could not be more different. Somehow these differences worked and I thought they were absolutely perfect together. I really loved that Claire and Scott had a very adult relationship. In too many books we see 30 somethings acting like teenagers. I really appreciate that Layne had both Scott and Claire acting like adults, even when they disagreed.

If you are looking for a heartwarming romance definitely pick this one up on 9/17. I am now counting down the days till Audrey's story! Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Love on Lexington Avenue is a very delightful addition in Laurens Layne’s latest series, The Central Park Pact. I loved the unique premise from the very start of book one, and as the Jilted wife in this series, I felt the worst for what Claire experienced. I am so excited that we got her story and I loved getting to know her. But it is a rough road to her HEA. There’s so much to love about the connection and misconnection between Claire and the enigmatic Scott Turner, a man who entered Claire’s life as they are both in the middle of personal transformation.

Meeting in this time of their lives isn’t ideal, but Layne does an amazing job advance the plot through their business relationship. The story is formed around Claire preparing to move on without Brayden and deciding to renovate the home they once shared. Enter playboy contractor Scott Turner. While the two share friends who share the same social circle, she discovers his bad manners and he discovers the depth of her pain. But Scott brings with him an adorable female dog named Bob who quickly wins Claire over and a friendship between Scott is not far behind. The two, Scott and Bob, help Claire think outside the “vanilla cupcake” rut she’s been stuck in. After Scott plays her wingman he imparts a bit of wisdom that I think hits on everything Claire needs to hear at this moment of her journey (and gave me food for thought) too:

“I learned early on that we create our own narrative. It doesn’t matter what other people say about us as long as we know who and what we are. And here’s the other thing people don’t want you to know: you don’t have to be the same thing all the time.”

With that to mull over, Claire allows Scott in a little more, knowing the risk she’s taking. She’s the type of character that I really enjoyed getting to know. I love how empowered but still vulnerable she was. As always, Layne throws out a gut-wrenching moment where the hero royally messes up. Claire uses it as a learning moment and with a stiff upper lip she swallows the pain and starts to recognize her strength. More importantly, it’s a learning moment for Scott too as he realizes the impact of his words on his own heart.

Love on Lexington Avenue is among my favorites from Layne. I have already taken the privilege afforded of having an early copy and have now read it twice. I highly recommend the series and well, everything by Lauren Layne.