Love on Lexington Avenue is the second book in the Central Park Pact series. This book focuses on Claire, Brayden Hayes widow who he cheated on with Naomi (heroine of book one of the series) and Audrey. After the two woman make a pact on the day of his funeral to look out for each other, Naomi found love. Claire decided to revamp her home, and Naomi’s boyfriend Oliver suggested his pal Scott. Scott is emotionally unavailable and only does one-night stands, and doesn’t stay in one place for too long. The two of them don’t like each other, but agree to be amicable to complete the project. Obviously, as in any romance novel, feelings start to brew.

To say I love this series is an understatement. When I was approved for the ARC of this book, within 24 hours of finishing the first, I was ecstatic! Lauren Layne is the perfect author for fans of Lauren Weisberger, Emily Giffin, and Sophie Kinsella. She has brought a new flair to chick-lit that I didn’t even know I craved. Her description of Manhattan is accurate to a tee, and makes me feel as if I am roaming the streets of my favorite city, while cuddled up on the couch with her books.

Overall, this book featured the same witty writing and great scenery present in the first one. I was also more invested in Claire’s story than I was in Naomi’s, because I had had two books to get to know her. I can only imagine how invested I’ll be in Audrey’s story in book 3.

Again, Layne has earned 5 out of 5 stars from me for Love on Lexington Avenue. This series is spectacular, as is this book. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival (and praying for an advanced copy again) of the third book in the series.

*Important Note* I was given a digital Advanced Readers Copy of this book thanks to the author, NetGalley and Gallery Pocket Books. All opinions are my own.

I don't know if there's a single thing in the romance genre that I love more than a grumbly, growly, reluctant hero. You know the type. With the scowling and the rolled eyes and the exasperation. With the cranky attitude and the biting wit and the absolutely irresistible warm soft underbelly. I live and die for these heroes, and so it should be no surprise that I am head over heels for Scott Turner and this story in general.

I was a little nervous going into this book. I liked the first book in the series well enough, but it didn't captivate me quite the way I wanted it to. And while I adored the sisterhood that was formed between Claire, Naomi, and Audrey - I wasn't so sure I was going to be fully on board for their happily-ever-afters.

So, it's extra super rewarding that I was here for every minute of this story. It felt softer and more emotional. I appreciated the sensitivity that was given to Claire's grieving process and the time she took to heal. I loved how unexpectedly gentle Scott was with her - that warm underbelly on display even as he tried so hard to hide it. I adored this love story and even better? I am now waiting in breathless anticipation for Audrey's story because this series just hit its stride and I am craving so much more!.

2.5 Stars

I struggled a bit with this one. It took me a while to get into and while I like both Claire and Scott, I had a hard time connecting to their story. I still loved all of the side characters just as much as in the first book and hope Audrey and Clarke’s story is next.

I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Another fun book in this series. Cleverly written, and thought out make this a book you wont want to put down. I will definitely recommend .

I LOVED this book – second in the Central Park Pact series, it eclipses the first.

Claire decides to try dating again, after all its been a year since her philandering husband died. Enter her contractor who is looking for a change of pace from his busy lifestyle and her brownstone is the perfect job! Sadly, Scott is not interested in dating, but eventually agrees to be her wingman, what could go wrong?

This book had so many funny moments, great dialogue between Scott and Claire, not to mention you could feel the tension coming off the pages. Claire was someone that you could completely empathize with, having been literally screwed over by her husband, you are rooting for her to get on with her life and to create a new normal for herself. Scott is easy to love in spite of his grumpy exterior, its easy to see that is not who he really is!

I loved the way Claire teased Scott when it came to what she wanted in her home, and how he always looked out for her even when he didn’t want to. Also I loved that there were so many facets to him! Its hard to put into words how much I really enjoyed this book, but when I finished the final page, I just had such a good feeling about this one! Some books just bring joy to you and this is one of them.

I CANNOT wait for the third book in the series – I have a feeling it’s going to be my fav!

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this Advanced Copy in exchange for an honest review!

I am a sucker for a good romance series! After reading Passion on Park Avenue and really enjoying it, I knew I had to continue with Love on Lexington Avenue.

Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne continues where Passion on Park leaves off, but a year later almost to the day that Naomi, Audrey, and Claire met and made their infamous pact. This time the story is all about Claire, who has decided it is time to move on and overcome her grief and anger towards her newly deceased cheater husband. To start off she decides to renovate her house. What she didn’t bargain for was falling for her handsome, rugged contractor Scott Turner.

I loved this book! I thought Love on Lexington Avenue was even better than Passion on Park Avenue! Scott and Claire had the perfect slow burn romance that left me unable to quit reading because I wanted to find out what happened next. I also loved reading about all the same characters that were in Passion on Park, and I enjoyed the role each one played in this book and their altogether friendship.

I really enjoyed the characters individually too. Claire really develops throughout the entire book. I appreciated her ability to pick up the pieces and do something meaningful with her life. Her self-discovery and reinvention were inspiring.

And Scott---swoon I would like to have him as my contractor! All scruffy and hard on the outside, but inside super sensitive and just as jaded as Claire was!

I loved the ending when she finally got to see the kitchen remodel! That was probably my favorite part of the whole book!

I recommend this book and The Central Park Pact series, and I can’t wait until I can get my hands on the third one! Thank you so much to Gallery Books and NetGalley for this advanced ecopy in exchange for my honest review!

I enjoyed this light romantic read. Although this was the second book in the series, I had not read the first and had no problem reading this one as a stand alone.

4.5 STARS!

Love on Lexington Avenue is the second installment in the Central Park Pact series by Lauren Layne. This charming second chance romance follows a young widower and a brooding contractor.

Claire Hayes has just turned 35 and she has come to the realization that she's vanilla and... boring. She needs some strawberry lemonade 🍓 🍋 in her life. Determined to rid her home of any reminders of her past, Claire sets out to redesign her home and make it her own. Enter Scott Turner, the gruff, brooding, and rather rude contractor assigned to take on Claire's project. However, sooner rather than later Claire realizes she's in way over her head with this particular project and man.

Scott Turner needs a change of pace from the corporate world and he's more than ready to take on the challenge of Claire's house. He makes it perfectly clear that he will not put up with a damaged pampered princess on his job site. Cue in the sexual tension and chemistry. The more time Claire and Scott spend together the more their attraction for one another grows. They are two very different individuals, scorned previously by love, yet they find love where it's least expected. Yes! The sweet, sweet angst.

Thank you, Lauren for another wonderful story. I'm so freaking ready for Audrey and Clarke's novel! It may just be my favorite 💜


*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Gallery Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

I really enjoyed the first book in this series and was excited for Claire's story. She was sassy and sexy in a quiet way which fit her personality to a tee. I loved how she gave as good as she got and then some. The spitfire banter between her and Scott was fantastic. I loved how Layne was able to showcase Claire's vulnerability and her search for her identity after her marriage while highlighting Scott's protectiveness and his burgeoning feelings for her. This story was fantastic!

Scott Turner and Claire Hayes couldn't be more different if you tried. She is Upper West Side and he is low-key Williamsburg (at first glance) but when Scott is hired to rehab Claire's UWS brownstone, the back and forth banter and the attraction between them develop into a friendship that is amazing to watch. And Gah!! - their connection could not be denied!! I loved how different they were at first glance but the more they got to know one another, the more similar they were. I was obsessed with how they were drawn to one another despite Claire's vow to stay away from all relationships after her disastrous marriage and Scott's need for minimal ties and committments. This story hit me right in the feels and I now desperately need Audrey and Clarke's book now!!

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review! 5 stars! ~Ratula  

Full Review: http://bit.ly/2JBXeiH

I just adore this series! These women are realistic and readers will have no issue connecting with them on a deeper level. Lauren Layne writes Love on Lexington Avenue with heart and I enjoyed following Claire's journey to love. She is the one I have really been wanting to read about since book 1 and I loved this book to pieces!

If you are looking for a quick modern romance, look no further! Love on Lexington Avenue had everything I was looking for in a fun, easy, summer read. This book is the second in a series, although you don't need to read them in order to know what's going on. The main character, Claire, is recently widowed from her cheating husband. With the help of his girlfriend and mistress turned friends and a hot contractor, Claire starts to rebuild her life after him.

This book read like a rom-com movie to me. In fact, I would LOVE to see this book turned into a movie. The banter between characters was charming and the ending was perfect (although a little predictable)! Lauren Layne has a made me a fan and I have already bought her other Central Park Pact book, Passion on Park Avenue!

Although I was apparently stuck under a rock for a period of time and missed the first book in this series, I was excited to have the opportunity to read this one because the blurb sounded really fun. I have read many Lauren Layne books in the past and have enjoyed them, so I was expecting much the same with this one. And I did enjoy it--quite a bit. But it was different than the other books I've read by this author in that it didn't have the steamy sex scenes. Personally, I can do without the details; my imagination works just fine, thank you. So in that sense, I found this story quite refreshing, particularly since I read so much that I find myself skimming most of the sex scenes in romance books anyway so that I can get back to the plot. This one has plenty of plot as Claire tries to find herself again after years in a sham of a marriage, and Claire and Scott both struggle to find their way to each other. The characters are likeable, the writing style is smooth, and the story itself is easy to get lost in. This can certainly be read as a standalone (as I did), but I liked it enough that I'd now like to read the first book in the series, and I'll be anxiously awaiting the next one as well.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley and Gallery, Pocket Books for providing an ARC for review.

I always enjoy reading Lauren Layne's books. They are generally smart, sexy, and witty. Love on Lexington Avenue is definitely one of those. The second book in her series about three unlikely friends who cope with life together after discovering they'd all been sleeping with the same man. Meeting each other at his funeral! These stories are both heartfelt and hilarious at the same time. The upper crust of Manhattan have their secrets as well as their own scars. Claire and Scott's story is exciting and real and won't disappoint the romantic at heart!

I am a huge fan of Lauren Layne and her writing.

This is the story of Claire, the widow from the Central Park Pact. She is in the process of renovating her home so she hires Scott. They clashed but there is an inherent attraction.

This was a bit angsty romance where they don't hook up until 60% but it was worth it. Oh and it's not steamy, if you are l0oking for steam then pick up the Stilletto series.

I absolutely loved the ending.

Just what I needed! Some books have a godsend quality in providing a light, fluffy, easy, fast read that's perfect for where you are in your life, or after a book that rips your heart out. Claire is starting to make her way through her grief and bitterness, and the romantic connection grows through its own stages of grief in ways that may seem simplistic in their easy connections, but it's that smooth flow that makes this book a gem. A worthy follow in the Pact series, this one is a ready-to-go poolside read.

Really cute story! I thorough enjoyed this book. It was steamy without being trashy and fun without being ridiculous! I will be reading more from this author in the near future!

If you know me, you know I love a Lauren Layne romance. She's one of my go-to authors for all things contemporary romance. That being said, the first book in this series, Passion on Park Avenue, wasn't my favorite. I liked it, but I didn't love it. It made me wonder how I was going to feel about Love on Lexington Avenue. I had nothing to worry about. I absolutely loved it! Love on Lexington Avenue was everything I expected it to be. It continued the strong friendships from the first book, had a cute romance, and was fun to read.

Claire, Audrey, and Naomi were back and ready to support each other. This was Claire's second chance at love so she was the star, but it was nice to see her friends there to give her advice. Even Oliver and Clarke got on the advice giving. It was fun for them all to be involved. I also liked seeing things from Claire's perspective since she was Brayden's wife.

I was surprised at how much I identified with Claire. It had nothing to do with the relationship aspect of the story and all to do with the way she felt about herself. I liked that Claire knew what she didn't want out of life, but needed help figuring out what she did. It was inspiring to see her step out of her normal self-imposed boundaries. This didn't pertain to me, but I also liked what LL had to say about having children through Claire.

Scott Turner was the perfect person for Claire. He was one of the good guys. I liked how her experiences meeting him to falling for him made a difference in her life. He was the opposite of what Claire expected to want, and I thought that was cool. Plus, he had a cool dog named Bob. I also liked how he was connected to the gang through Oliver.

I really loved Love on Lexington Avenue. It was fun, sweet and just a feel good romance. Now, I cannot wait for Audrey's book!

From the first book, I absolutely loved the friendship between these ladies! I'm so happy Claire got her own book (and Audrey's to come)! I really enjoyed getting to go behind her guarded exterior and see her suffering and human side. Nothing like a little romance to flip ones world upside down! I was super drawn in by the home facelift aspect (showing my age? lol) and having a hot contractor like Scott really just fueled every woman's fantasy. The new (rich) layers of Scott kept being a surprise to the point that he couldn't get any more perfect. I would have liked him slightly more flawed, to be honest. But I loved their relationship and that Claire got hers (in more ways than one). Can't wait for book three!

Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne is the second book in the Central Park Pact series. Claire Hayes’ husband died the year before, and after his death she found out that he had been a serial cheater. When her cynicism about love and relationships is challenged by the person she least expects, her rough around the edges contractor, Scott Turner.

I thought Love on Lexington Avenue was a more compelling story than the first book in the Central Park Pact series. The development we see in Claire throughout the story as she struggles to deal with her conflicting feelings of grief and anger makes her an intriguing character. The push and pull between Claire and Scott is funny and flirty, even when its on the topic of heavy subject matter. I enjoyed that the focus wasn’t all on the cheating, dead husband, but on Claire’s personal development and her discovering who she wants to be now that the identity of wife was stripped away from her.

Looking forward to the next book in this series.


ARC provided in exchange for my honest and thoughtful review.

I’m a huge fan of Lauren Layne. I have yet to read a book written by her that I didn’t love. This is just another one to add to that list. They story is so cute. I love the slow build to their attraction. Beautiful and perfect.
I love this series. I can’t wait for the next one!