This is the story of Audrey, recently widowed, and Scott the contractor who is renovating her home. Audrey and Scott have both been burned by relationships in the past and are not looking for a relationship. But, as the renovation heats up, so does their relationship!

This is the second book in the Central Park Pact series, but didn’t feel like I needed to read the first one to understand what was going on. Also, there are hints in the book that a third one is one the way.

Fun, light, funny in spots. A charming romance with a big grand gesture romantic ending.

This is a sweet and enjoyable summer read. I recommend you give it a try. 4/5

Thank you Netgalley and Gallery books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is out September 17, 2019.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for a copy of this book in exchange for a review!! I loved Claire and Scott’s story!! 😍 I read the first of The Central Park Pact Series earlier in the summer and liked it! This one was even better! I loved seeing how Claire recovered from her cheating husband! Also, it was great to see how Scott and Claire connected! If you loved Passion on Park Avenue, I bet you will love this one too! If you haven't read either book, I highly recommend the series!

First Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery, Pocket books for the ARC.

I must say that I enjoyed this book more than I did book 1. The idea of a widow befriending her husband's mistresses is quite interesting. Claire, the widow needs a change so she remodels her home... Enter Scott, who has his own relationship issues. Their relationship between them is funny and sweet and has some very nice moments.

If you are a fan of romance, def give these books a chance.... just know the female characters are strong women - you won't find damsels in distress.

This one I adored. No one does heart tugging romantic gestures the way Lauren Layne does! Claire and Scott their journey made me so invested on how everything will turn out! I love this series from the first book but I adore Claire and Scott the most.

Claire Hayes is moving on. After the revelation that her departed husband had a girlfriend and a mistress, she makes the decision to start over. First on her agenda is to renovate their Upper East Side brownstone and make it a reflection of the new woman she desires to become. When she meets Scott Turner, a highly sought-after contractor, her simple vision of out-with-the-beige and in-with-the-pink becomes a bit more challenging.

Rough-around-the-edges, Scott has no patience for the privileged widow. He agreed to take on the project as a reprieve from his usual corporate office do-overs and expensive hotel renovations. What he hadn't factored in was an opinionated woman looking to make a mark of her own. Although she may be paying the bills, Scott is not used to someone else trying to call the shots. Not to mention his own dog seems to like Claire more than his owner.

Love on Lexington Avenue is the second book in the popular Central Park Pact series. While each book can stand alone, I highly recommend starting at the beginning with Passion on Park Avenue. This latest release has an HGTV appeal with the fix-it-up theme and decorator jargon. The witty dialogue and attraction between Claire and Scott make the story fresh and highly addictive. Finding true love is never easy, especially for these two who are reluctant to take a chance on romance. With charm, sass, and sexy dialogue, book two captured my heart. Can't wait for January 2020 for the the release of book three, Marriage on Madison Avenue. This romantic comedy series set in the city that never sleeps is cleverly chic and lots of fun.

5 STARS

Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne is such an awesome book ! This is a standalone but since I somehow missed Book One I now have that also on my TBR list. ( Passion on Park Avenue )

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review - opinions expressed are my own & have not been influenced in any way.

I am giving this book a Night Owl 🦉 award because I was up into the wee hours of the morning to finish - just could not put it down.

This is not your typical romance ; yet there is plenty of sizzling chemistry & an amazing HEA. Lauren Layne has written some really outstanding romances & this is definitely one I would like to re-read as I was so hooked on Claire & Scott’s story !!

Claire Hayes is changing her life from vanilla to strawberry lemonade - beige / cream / vanilla to pink / fuchsia / magenta !!!
Why ... you ask ? The past year she has spent in emotional limbo grieving the death of her cheating husband Brayden the guy that was the love of her life - or so she thought until discovering his secret life of girlfriends & mistresses ...

Scott Turner is hired by Claire to update & renovate her brownstone on Lexington Ave - NYC. He is very well known in his field & would normally be priced out of Claire’s budget but something really challenges him to take on this project & it might just subliminally also have something to do with feisty Claire.

I do not get emotional when reading a book very often - but I did actually tear up a few times & felt like my heart was breaking as well for these characters. There are some completely laugh out loud moments ( Hamptons - Beach scene what a way to exercise the spirit of a cheating husband / boyfriend / lover ) ... but it’s also so true to life & often about how difficult it is to start over.

I love that Scott actually listens to Claire - proven several times but specifically with how “spot on “ his renovations to her home are that they allow Claire to move forward in her life.

Not only is this book a great romance but there are definitely some life lessons to learn as well about getting your heart broken but being brave enough to change & go for what you want - so happy that Scott & Claire get their amazing HEA

Love on Lexington Avenue is an absolutely delightful read !! Don’t miss it !! I think you will become a HUGE fan of Lauren Layne’s as well !!

Love on Lexington Avenue initially drew me in by it's gorgeous cover. The synopsis sounded fresh and so cute and romantic. The story itself was wonderful. I loved watching Claire slowly open up and begin to live her life again. She started off vanilla and then blossomed into a strawberry lemonade cupcake. I was rooting for her the entire book. I loved the relationship between Claire, Naomi, and Audrey. More sisters than friends, they had each other's backs in every single way. The bonfire scene was one of my favorites. I loved Claire and Scott. The way she opened Scott up from running away from every relationship in his life. Lauren Layne not only made you care about Claire and Scott, but every single character in this book. This is definitely a five star read. I can't wait to get this in physical copy. Also, I can't wait to read the next chapter in this story with Audrey. Very well done!

I read Passion on Park Avenue a few months ago and immediately fell in love with the trio of ladies bonding over their misfortune of having known the same man (ahem, very intimately). Naomi was the mistress (her story is Passion on Park Avenue), Audrey was the girlfriend and then there was the wife Claire. Claire feels so much humiliation - not just because her husband was cheating on her with multiple people - but because she thought what they had was real. She thought that she was the perfect wife and that her husband loved her for who she was.

It's only right then, that she's going through a bit of a crisis. She wants to spice up her life and add in pops of color (specifically pink) to what she thinks is a rather dull life. Enter Scott Turner, the contractor who she decides will help her remodel her home. I love grumpy heroes, and Scott fits the bill perfectly. He doesn't lavish Claire with fancy words and tells her exactly what his opinions are on her house and other matters that she doesn't really care for. Scott is honest and straightforward and I love that about him. The relationship between Claire and Scott gradually morphed into something more than a contractor and his client and I enjoyed the ride.

Both of these characters have a lot of feelings that are left unresolved, because of people in the past that have hurt them. They are so complicated, but loving and both of them always have such good intentions. Once I picked up this book, I read it over the course of a day and literally could not stop reading it. This book was a solid 4.5 stars for me. I can't wait for Audrey and Clarke's story!

**ARC kindly provided by TastyBookPR, NetGalley and Gallery Books in exchange for my honest review**

This book was even better than the first in the series even though Claire's story was the one I was least excited to read. However even though she is an incredibly prickly character Layne makes her so sympathetic from the first page with her quest to be less of a vanilla cupcake. After being betrayed by her husband she is certainly entitled to have some thorns. So when she decides to redo her dated brownstone and in walks Scott, a very sought after and attractive contractor who fuels his wanderlust by by taking far flung international jobs, she is not prepared to want more than a pink kitchen from him. Scott might not have been quite an Oliver level hero but he comes close and his dog, Bob, adds points in his favor. I loved the way he paid attention to Claire and her needs and the ending was swoon worthy. Book three cannot come soon enough for me.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this super fun book. It was a fast and cute read. The characters were quirky and it was great how the story line all came together in the end. This was great!!

I couldn’t wait for book 2 in this series! After both getting to know the girls and getting Naomi’s story, I knew that I couldn’t wait for Claire’s especially with her role in the trio. After taking a look at her life and the betrayal she endured, Claire has decided to get out of her comfort zone and do things that are less “vanilla” and more out of the box. In an attempt to implement that into multiple aspects of her life, she decides with her upcoming home renovation, she will throw away the home dreams she’s had for years and yet start fresh and with whatever comes to mind. Referred by Oliver, Scott is determined not to take this job, but one look at the house and the woman who owns it and he’s already lost his battle. As the two get to know each other, both being unforgiving and abrasive in their personalities, they develop a common bond and friendship, which quickly turns into more. But with Scott never staying in one place for too long and denying the relationship and feelings he has for Claire, the ultimate question is if they will end up together or implode. I love Lauren’s storyline ideas and her style of writing. After reading book one, these things are what kept me coming back and anticipating book two and beyond!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Having read and loved Passion on Park Avenue earlier this year, I’ve been eagerly anticipating Claire’s story in Love on Lexington Avenue. This turned out to be everything I wanted and more.

Just like its predecessor, this reads like you’re losing yourself in watching a movie. You can visualize every single scene playing out like it’s on screen in front of you. I love books like this.

In my opinion we got a lot more depth to the friendship between the three ladies in this book. It was so wonderful to see them bonding ever more.

I knew reading Claire’s story would break my heart a little. She was obviously the one who had to deal with the Brayden fallout in a much more public way. Reading her journey of healing made me shed a fair amount of tears.

Her story truly was emotional, beautiful and touching.

I’m enamoured with this series and I’m full of giddy and anxious joy over the upcoming Marriage on Madison Avenue.

I enjoy all of Layne’s novels. She continues her trilogy of novels about three women who discovered that they all had been sleeping with the same man and have, surprisingly, become the closest of friends.. This one centers on Claire, the widow. She’s wealthy and wounded from her discoveries about her husband. She decides to redecorate her brownstone. Enter Scott, a prominent contractor who has done important projects all over the world. But something about her house appeals to him and he takes on the job.

Both Claire and Scott have been wounded by past romances. They now have to navigate their mutual attraction as well as their resolve not to get involved in anything permanent. Of course, that resolve is not going to last.

I enjoyed seeing Claire bloom with the help of her two friends. Scott is an appealing guy who also has a genius for renovation. And his dog is a sweetheart. It all adds up to an entertaining and fun read.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

4.5 Loving This Series Stars
* * * * 1/2 Spoiler Free
When Lauren Layne ponders on a series, she is laser-focused on just what works. She creates a world we all would want to be a part of...We are given characters who are smart, unique, capable in their own right and believe in having each other's back. Having these type of women friends out there overcoming real emotional obstacles has always been Layne's strong suit. The huge plus is she also knows how to write men who are equals to the women.

With The Central Park Pact series, we have three women who ended up having a singular thing in common...someone who had turned out to not be who they thought they were...By bonding over this, the women decided to be solid in making sure each did not fall into the same trap again...No More AssHat Men.

Claire Hayes has had to overcome more than most in life. She had a cheating husband, he had done it in secret to her but her social circle seemed to know what a sh!t he was. She is now at a point where she is questioning most of her choices and has discovered being the good conservative widow doesn't feel quite right. Her new friends, the women who have been there for her, seem to know how predictable she is...and Claire realizes in a moment she no longer wants to be BEIGE...

A change is needed...No, not just a change, an overhaul. With the influx of insurance money, Claire will finally be able to redo the townhouse. No one telling her what to do, all the choices will be hers.

Scott Turner is in need of a project that was NOT a corporate building or swanky hotel. Those jobs can sometimes be mind-numbing with no outlet for creativity. Scott found himself working with friends in the city for a quick little reno and they suggested his name to Claire. The idea of working with the classic type of brownstones known in the city piqued his interest. What didn't thrill him was the idea of dealing with a pampered, damaged princess.

Being a bit of a jerk, Scott showed up extremely early with attitude. Claire being the polite person takes all of this in and starts to explain what she is interested in doing with the house. She wants to make it her own... no trace of her past life. And the way to do it is to not have any beige. The new color she has decided will be her is PINK...

Oh, Hell No.

Scott and Claire banter back and forth and a compromise is made. He will work with certain colors if he is given free rein in the kitchen. This is something Claire can work with. The other thing which Claire can work with but is shocked to feel is her attraction to this rude manly man.

Scott is also confused about his attraction to Claire. During the time he is working in her home he sees how strong this woman is. He is taken by her caring for others and the way she looks out for him even though he has been an ass at times to her. Soon the both of them become too interested to ignore the pull and fireworks happen.

This entry was extremely solid and the way these two came together was delicious, perfect Layne. All of the other characters had their moments and we were given a strong nod to the next book and how it will unfold. Those who enjoy Lauren Layne, New York City and smart sassy women and their men will totally enjoy this.

Clair Hayes a widow from the upper east side who lost her cheating husband Brayden Hayes in a tragic boat accident (Karma much 🙄) . So now Clair is stuck trying to pick up the pieces trying to start over . Out with the old in with the new , she decides to have extreme house makeover/Renovation . Her best friend Oliver suggested Clair hires his old time friend Scott who is a successful contractor .




And that’s when the romance starts to unfold . Clair shares with Scott how she’s feels boring and forgettable, she’s never felt she was good enough or worthy and always doubted herself . And now that Brayden is gone and out of the picture for good, she wants to start finding herself again . Scott being by her side guiding her all the way through .


I personally thought this book was the cutest read ever ! So adorable loved all the characters in this book . Some parts made me laugh out loud with Clair and Scott’s witty comebacks and banters towards one another . However I felt this book was too fast paced for me which I don’t mind . I’m just a sucker for a slow burn romance and I personally felt Scott and Clair rushed things way too fast. It did not give me that slow burn feel that I normally look for in a romance novel . All in all I found this book to be super cute and such a great summer read I loved every bit of it !!

This wasn’t my favorite Lauren Layne book, but I still enjoyed it even though it took me awhile to get into it. I liked the first book in this series better, but am still interested in the next book.

Love on Lexington Avenue is the second in a trio of books about 3 women wronged by the same (dead) man. This book is about Claire, the widow (the other two are the mistress and the girlfriend. Don't ask me to differentiate, this is some next level daytime soap drama).

Anyway, Claire is….vanilla. She is blonde, she likes white decor, and her favorite flavor of anything is literally vanilla. In an effort to shake things up and become more exciting (strawberry lemonade is her desired flavor vibe), she hires a contractor to help redesign and redo her entire brownstone on Lexington Avenue. GUESS WHAT SHE FALLS IN LOVE.

Ok, I liked this story fine. Honestly, and sadly, despite wanting to reinvent herself and live a more colorful life, Claire is just boring and forgettable. I wanted to connect more with her - I mean honestly, vanilla is a delicious flavor and it's not boring, it's classic, and yes maybe I see a tiny bit of myself in reflected Claire and I was really rooting for her but anyway...I digress.

I literally could not remember the name of the contractor and had to look it up so that's how memorable Scott is. He is the typical hyper-masculine, flannel-wearing, scruffy construction guy to Claire's wealthy femininity and demurity.

I'm not saying this to be mean, I really like other books I've read by Lauren Layne, and this story is really cute and happy. But the characters are just...forgettable. Worth a read if you like romcoms and the author, but not worth jumping to the top of your TBR.

Lauren Layne has done it again!

This book is full of self discovery, passion, friendship and closure.
In book one, Passion on Park Avenue, Claire, Naomi and Audrey form an interesting friendship. They all have one thing in common, they were all involved with Brayden Hayes.

One year on Naomi is happily settled with Oliver. Now it is Claire's turn! Problem is Claire is still living in the house she shared with Brayden, surrounded by his stuff. If she was ever to move on properly, she needs to get out there a make changes. Starting with the house first. Enter Scott, Oliver's contractor friend. Claire and Scott do not hit it off, however the chemistry between them is blinding!

This book has so many layers. Each storyline is new and fresh! I cant wait for the next book!

Thank you netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really enjoying this book until the end. When I got to the ending, it got bumped up to love! This was such a light and fun romance, with a completely dreamy ending. Both Claire and Scott were complicated characters and I really enjoyed watching them both grow and fall in love. This will be the perfect read to chase away the end of summer blues when it publishes on September 17th.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Love on Lexington Avenue is the second book in the Central Park Pact Series and it follows the story of Claire and Scott. Now, if you remember from the first book, Claire is actually the widow of Brayden and it was Brayden's death that brought this whole story into motion. When Brayden passed away, Claire might have lost her husband, but she gained two amazing friends and has discovered the woman she lost along the way. 

When we meet up with Claire in Love on Lexington Aveune, Claire is ready for the next phase of her life. She's tired of the status quo and is ready to make some colorful changes with her life. And what better way to start this change, then a home renovation. What Claire didn't plan on was Scott.....Scott is looking for a change of pace from corporate renovation and despite his reservations, working with Claire might just be what the doctor ordered.....

Overall, I found this book to be a really fun and enjoyable read. I loved getting to know Claire and see how things with Brayden truley effected her. I loved that despite everything she had been through, she came out stronger than ever and formed an unbreakable friendship with two women that she should hate. I feel like Claire's character came a long way since we first met her. She wasn't just this meek and fraigle thing. She was strong and ready to take on the next phase of her life. She might not have been looking for love, but you know how the saying goes, it hits you when you least expect it. 

Speaking of love, I really enjoyed Scott and Claire together. Of course they butted heads in the beginning, but the tension and chemsitry was there. Both Scott and Claire had their own baggage and weren't ready to put their hearts on the line. Their romance had a nice slow burn to it. I enjoyed watching them try to figure things out and fight for their happily ever after. 

Love on Lexington Avenue was a terrific read from beginning to end. I loved getting to catch up with Claire and the girls. I enjoyed getting swept up in all that was Scott and Claire. Claire's story wasn't just a romance, but it was also a journey of self discovery and letting go. This story has real, strong characters. It is sweet, yet swoon-worthy all at the same time and has just the right balance of steam and angst. In the end, Love on Lexington Avenue will leave you with a smile on your face and butterflies in your belly. This is the pefect book to spend your summer afternoon getting lost in. And I for one, can not wait to see what lies ahead for us with the next book in this series!