Cover Image: Temptation

Temptation

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Dating a friend!

Lawyer Zoe Riva and venture capitalist Connor Ashton are friends and her law firm works for his company. But when Zoe was injured falling off an electric scooter, things started getting complicated after Connor volunteered to keep an eye on Zoe after she hit her head. Zoe had been engaged once during high school but she ended it to go to college. Ashton wasn’t the most social person and when he had enough of social situations, he just wouldn’t show up for things.

Zoe is finally giving into the attraction to Connor after being known for dating losers is big deal so they don’t want their friends to know that are dating until they know they have a relationship.

Temptation is the second book in the Bad Angels Series and is a standalone but reading the series in order makes the background of the book more enjoyable.

P.S. Now I want Nate’s story!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

The second book in Inara Scott's Bad Angels series sadly didn't feature any lovable pets like the first one (at least not until late in the book), but was a solid romance between Connor, a tech genius angel investor and Zoe, the patent attorney for his firm. Connor and Zoe are good friends through their mutual work together. Connor's been mooning over Zoe for 3 yrs, but afraid to make a move because he's known for self-sabotaging all of his potential relationships. Due to an incident as a child, he truly believes he's not capable of love or trust and he likes and respects Zoe too much to start something. Zoe always thought he was cute, but she is a woman fighting for respect in the tech world and can't afford to get involved with a client so he's hands-off as far as she's concerned.

Once Zoe has an accident and is forced to stay overnight at Connor's apt so he can watch her for a concussion, the walls between them start to break down. When Zoe asks Connor for assistance in wooing a potential new client, he in return asks her to help out his brilliant physicist mom with her bridge club and they start to spend more time together outside of work where their mutual attraction takes off.

Connor and Zoe were perfect for each other. Both of them were givers and caretakers although they'd both been hurt in the past and tended to hide that part of themselves. They were also both smart, driven, and professionally successful so there was no power imbalance. Zoe was a great role model as a professional woman making her way in STEM, acknowledging the barriers she faced, but not whining over them, and coming up with ways to still get the clients, work, and respect that she wanted and deserved. In addition, I loved the GPGs (the geriatric physicist grannies) consisting of Connor's mom and three female scientist friends who were fiercely competitive bridge players and who had all faced and overcome similar barriers in their work life.

Was this review helpful?

Another fun book from Inara Scott's Bad Angels series!

Connor and Zoe were both easy characters to like and their chemistry is evident from the very beginning. The scooter accident and Connor caring for her in the beginning were adorable, and their friendship and relationship grew naturally from there. The change from friends to more didn't feel rushed at all.

There are appearances by their coworkers and friends and I liked getting a little update on Tess and Mason who were the couple from the first book in the series. This book can be read as a standalone, but book one was great and I recommend reading it as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This is a sweet story about two people who learn that playing with fire is going to put their hearts at risk. Connor and Zoe have known for a while, he is one of her clients. But still they have never interacted more than professionally and been closed friends.
Until that scooter accident, making Zoe see Connor in a new perspective, so far from his nerdy and a bit of unsocial man, who have a successful company but totally sucks with dating.
It took a moment to see what was beneath the surface. And when they were together, the chemistry was off the charts.

Both with demanding careers, not really looking for a relationship, what worse could happen?
When they teamed up for projects, the line between business and pleasure was going to be more than blurred. A recipe for disaster for two workaholics. Between their coworkers and family, it was hard not to act on it, and mostly to hide their emotions when it came to their meddling.

The friendship between Zoe and Connor was a solid foundation for this something more, even if they weren't really aware or mostly avoiding the truth. When they tried to keep it separated, it was even harder with their friends, not to let their feelings shown.

Connor was the kind of guy for didn’t like to socialize or felt uncomfortable to parties and Zoe was the firecracker who liked to enjoy her friends company or having fun. I appreciated how honest they were about themselves but they were so terrible to communicate when it came to their status.

Some couple issues would have been handled in a better way because it felt a bit dragged out to me, like this none issue they seemed to be believe in, but their actions spoke louder than words. Overall, I enjoyed reading their story.

Was this review helpful?

What happens when a shy, introverted, super-smart rich guy, who happens to be an off-limits client, suddenly gets noticed by a smart, sexy, attorney who is just a little bit uncoordinated and in need of a helping hand. It ends up being an explosive mix and a fun book to get lost in.

Zoe has made a habit of keeping herself just a little bit separated from even her closest friends and Connor tends to get hidden in his work when he doesn't want to deal with situations around him, but he's been secretly in love with Zoe since he first met her and this is his chance. When he is kind of forced into being her knight in shining armor when she gets hurt and he feels it's his fault. How did she not notice how hot Connor was all along!

Suddenly Zoe and Connor find themselves in a position to work together and just see exactly what they've been missing so far. It's a fun journey and I had a great time getting to know everyone. I'll be looking for the earlier book in this series and see what happens to the rest of this group as the stories progress. I received a free advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and I really enjoyed it!

Was this review helpful?

**I received a copy of this book from Entangled Publishing and Net Galley in exchange for a voluntary and honest review. My opinions are my own and not solicited in any way**

Temptation by Inara Scott is the second book in her Bad Angels series. Ms. Scott is a new author for me so I'm reading this as a stand alone without any problem. Although I now need to read Heartbreaker which is Tess and Mason's story.

At her client's urging Zoe Riva is riding a electric scooter for the first time what she didn't count on was crashing into a post while waving at Connor Ashton (did a mention she was gazing at his butt?) Her wrist is fractures and she has a mild concussion which Connor volunteers to watch her for any worsening. It was funny reading how hard it was not to get on her computer or phone and not get caught. Knowing they are lawyer and client means they shouldn't be involved but could they just say it's a fling? But it's Connor's mom and her GPG (Geriatric Physicist Grannies) who are hilarious and teach Zoe how to play bridge and love Connor's scones.
Connor Ashton loves his friends and their Livend company but he really doesn't know how to be around women but Zoe has been a friend who he wonders if they could be more. Her scooter crash and having to be watched for 24 hours gives him an opening to explore if there's more. Trying to hide their feelings from their friends becoming hard. When Zoe goes decides to go for Southcycle's business has Connor teaching her about Whiskey, electric engines and sports temptation is hard to resist.

I did love this book with Zoe, Connor, The GPG's and of course Milton who a virtual assistant to Connor's mom. I give this book 4.8 stars .

Was this review helpful?

Zoe and Connor are two people who should not be together. They both know they shouldn't be together because there is a lot at stake in their life. Then, Zoe has an accident and a subsequent concussion. Connor tends to her during this time and everyone knows what happens when one takes care of another, they start to fall for each other. It's obvious where this is headed. The question is whether or not Zoe and Connor will survive the head on collision intact Even though a bit of predictability is present, this is still a worthwhile fun read. It's light, charming and entertaining.

Was this review helpful?

A romance about two troubled souls, both nerdy and brilliant but wit troubled backgrounds and difficult family relationships. She is an engineer and a lawyer, (girls please note this possibility), and he is an IT engineer.
They work together and office rules say no romances with co-workers but.. a nice story with good characterisation.

Was this review helpful?

Zoe is a high-powered patent attorney known for her strong litigation skills in the courtroom. Despite appearances, she has been hurt badly in the past and is emotionally vulnerable.

Connor is a millionaire, who is rather socially inept. He has also been badly hurt in the past. Despite having secretly been in love with Zoe for years, he doesn’t believe he deserves to find happiness or have a permanent relationship.

Zoe and Connor agree to have a no strings “fling” believing that their sexual chemistry will eventually die out. However, they begin to realize that the sparks have not only not died out, but very real feelings have also entered the picture. Can two somewhat broken people learn to trust another person enough to find real love?

Was this review helpful?

When I started this book I was in need of something that would lift my spirits and remind me why I enjoy escaping into a book so much. Fortunately, Temptation was just what I was looking for. The book tells the story of Connor, who has been in love with Zoe since he first met her. The only problem is that he's rubbish with relationships and she is a lawyer with the company that deals with his company, which means that she's off-limits. After an accident on an e-scooter Connor and Zoe find themselves spending more and more time together and the attraction is not just one way.
Both Zoe and Connor are great characters. They both have issues with relationships from their past and their upbringing, but in many ways, it is this that makes them perfect for one another. Connor is very sweet and caring, despite thinking that he's not. I have to admit that I do love a caring hero in these kinds of books, so he was onto a winner already. Of course, their issues mean that it's not smooth sailing, but that's what we come to expect and want from these books after all. There was nothing insurmountable and I was left completely satisfied by the end.
The secondary characters are great, particularly Connor's mother and her friends. Who wouldn't love a group of geriatric female physicists who play bridge? This is the second in a series and while I think that the couple from the first book appear, I don't' think it mattered that I hadn't read their story. I also assume that a future couple already has a few sparks flying between them in this one.
This was an enjoyable read and exactly the kind of book that I was looking for. Great stuff.

Was this review helpful?

Temptation indeed! Did I ever love Zoe in this book and I learned a lot about whiskey drinking, thank you Connor very much! Come in and enjoy Connor and Zoe's story, it's a little forbidden, a little klutzy, a splash of curmudgeon, a shot of lust and some super swirl romantic moments. Toss in Connor's wacky mom's bridge club and it's the perfect foil for Zoe and Connor's tale.
Zoe is an attorney with the group that works with Connor's company. He and his two partners have taken Livend into the public eye. Connor is the quiet introvert who prefers to stay behind the scenes, he's uncomfortable in social settings and doesn't like making small talk. He's also been crushing on Zoe for as long as he's known her.
When Zoe is testing out a clients scooter and sees Connor and ends up hitting a light pole, Connor insists on taking her to the hospital and doesn't leave her. He also takes her home after and looks after her. Zoe isn't known for her physical grace, despite her beauty, she's a bit of a klutz and a wee bit short. That means she doesn't get asked to play basketball with the guys on the weekends where informal deals are often made. Zoe is trying hard to build up her own client base and wants to go after a business that the owners rep is one of the "boys club" so she asks Connor for his help brushing up on all the things this owner seems to fancy, whiskey, basketball and of course the new electric motorcycle that his company just developed. Zoe is not just a patent attorney but has a degree in engineering as well, so she's no dummy. She's just not well versed in the world of the boys clubs.
The author does a great job weaving that into the story without it being overdone. That's not what the story is about, but it's a great subplot. Connor agrees to help Zoe if Zoe will help him spy on his mother, he thinks she's experimenting with cold fusion in her garage and refuses to let him see what she's doing in there. Makes him highly suspicious so under the guise of a 4th needed for Bridge, she agrees. Zoe has a great time playing cards with Connors mom and her friends and she feels like she has friends. Zoe's history isn't great and neither is Connor's and these two have an uphill battle along with the two of them hiding their relationship. Or they think they're hiding it, but are they really.
Connor drove me a little nuts at times, his negativity and undermining things with Zoe made me want to slap that man-child hard. Angry and annoyed I was. Right in there with Zoe. Even after his friends talked to him, Connor the ostrich.
I loved this book and am loving the series. While I thought this was a little slow in places, it still works like a charm and in the end that's what it's all about. Yes you should read this. Inara writes a great story!
4.5 stars
arc from NetGalley and Entangled for an honest review

Was this review helpful?

2 stars
This book was not for me. I am not sure why, maybe because I didn't read book one.... but I couldn't get into it.

Was this review helpful?

Zoe is a partner in a law firm together with 2 other male partners. Their biggest client Livend Capital also happens to be also headed by 3 partners. The 6 have grown to firm friends and interact both socially and professionally.
When Zoe tries out a scooter as a favour to one of her client’s who wanted her to try out their product, she quite literally bumps into Connor, and ends of spectacularly crashing head first. As a precaution for concussion, Connor is adamant in taking Zoe home with him so that he can keep an eye on her, given that she lives alone & has no one.
When Zoe confides that she is hoping to land a major client who has a leading edge company that designs and builds electronic motorcycles who has a reputation for being somewhat sexist, she asks Connor for help in coaching her so that she can hold her own in a “guy” conversation; whiskey, sport and motorcycles are the 3 things the prospective client is passionate about & it just so happens that Connor is an expert in all 3 (of course).
Connor is just the most wonderful beta hero. He is the quiet guy of the group but a technical genius. Naturally shy and introverted, who avoids parties and crowds. He can get immersed in a project to the exclusion of everything else & conveniently uses that excuse to avoid going out. Connor has been attracted to Zoe from the start but with their client-customer relationship has not acted on it. Until he & Zoe start regularly seeing each other as he “coaches” her.
A solid read.

Was this review helpful?

***I received an e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Inara Scott and Entangled Publishing LLC***

4.5 stars

Inara Scott's Temptation is the second in her Bad Angels series and I liked it even better than the first. Connor’s had secret feelings for Zoe since they met, so when he bears witness to her fall, he insists on taking care of her. They’ve always been friends, but they grow closer, close enough that Zoe asks for his help and he asks a favour in return. Increased time in the other’s company makes their chemistry impossible to ignore. They both know getting involved is a bad idea for multiple reasons, not the least of which is their professional ties and the fear of losing the other person’s friendship. But they’re both adults. Both believe they are capable of a casual fling without risking their hearts. Believing and doing are not always the same thing.

Zoe is my favourite kind of character. She’s strong while still vulnerable. She’s giving, thoughtful, understanding, whip smart, a tiny bit snarky, and completely unafraid to tell it like it is, even if she knows it might be hard for the other person to hear. She’s got integrity, empathy, and drive, and she’s not willing to let anyone tell her she isn’t as capable as any man. She may not understand her worth when the story begins but she sure as heck does by the time the story’s done. That said, I fell in love with Connor too. It was incredibly easy to relate to some of the things he struggles with: making small talk, schmoozing, big parties and other overwhelming social situations. He is the kindest soul; he coaches youth basketball, bakes and delivers scones to his mom every Saturday, buys 2 extra recliners so his best friends don’t steal his favourite chair. He’s introverted, but that makes him a good listener, and when you can get his attention, he gives you all of it. I really liked that he balanced his work persona—with its’ intensity, busyness and high stakes—with a private life that his 2 business partners don’t know about.

Now Zoe and Connor together? Nuclear meltdown with all of its alarms and buzzers and warnings. This wasn’t a slow burn in the sense of waiting forever for our couple to get together. The chemistry is there from the first pages. Every forbidden touch seems to jump off the page with its preciousness. The lines that are crossed are done so with caution and thought. Yet somehow Scott seems to keep the sizzle between them hot and constant. The reader gets to watch their unacknowledged feelings develop and deepen with each chapter. Their connection is undeniable despite Zoe’s and Connor’s insistence that it’s only sex.

If I could change anything, it would be that Connor’s growth came a tiny bit more quickly. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Zoe’s lightbulb moment and her utter acceptance with zero hesitation, but I certainly wasn’t expecting the same thing from Connor. It would have been totally out of character. I cherished the moments when he allowed himself to wonder about a future. I guess I wanted just a tiny bit more introspection, a little more fight—not physical but emotional—rather than silence or quiet acceptance we often got. That makes it sound like I wanted Connor to be different. I really didn’t. I just wanted to be more in his thoughts while he figured out his feelings.

I would recommend this book to everyone. It was a great read!

Was this review helpful?

I’m loving these Bad Angels, who are the so bad at all. Connor and Zoe both had pasts they were letting define their present, and it took a lot of love to heal and move forward. Romantic love, friendship love, and some family love too. Just a really great book!

Was this review helpful?

Zoe and Connor are two people who should not be together, and they both know this. A lot is at stake, like careers and hearts. Zoe has a bit of an accident and a subsequent concussion. Connor tends to her during this time. They are obviously attracted to each other, but a relationship is a stupid idea, unless it's a no strings attached kind of thing. Those always work out so well. Seriously? It's obvious where this is headed. The question is whether or not Zoe and Connor will survive the head on collision intact. Even though a bit of predictability is present, this is still a worthwhile fun read. It's light, charming and entertaining. Definitely a must read for romcom fans. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Conner has had a "thing" for Zoe for quite some time. Zoe is a partner in the law firm that represents Conner's company and that means that it would be a bad idea to get involved withher...especially given his track record!

Conner happens to witness Zoe's scooter accident and takes on the task of making sure that she doesn't suffer from a concussion. Together they make a plan to help each other out with problems. She, to be able to speak intelligently with a client she wants to woo, and he, to figure out what kind of experiment his scientist mother is hiding in her garage.

Inara Scott creates characters that readers will fall in love with!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thanks #NetGalley #Entangled #Temptation

Was this review helpful?

Temptation is the first book I have read from Inara Scott and I really did enjoy it, despite not being my usual genre. This is part of a series but I didn't feel like I lost out on anything by not reading the first.

Was this review helpful?

This is the 2nd book I have read by this author and I absolutely loved this as much as the first. Her characters are so well developed and so are the supporting characters. Zoe was a great heroine who I couldn’t help but love. She is a pint sized dynamo lawyer, with sass and alit of determination. Connor is the sexy/nerdy self made millionaire. Connor gets wrapped up easily in work and forgets about work events and dates.

Connor and Zoe have know each other for 3 years. Zoe is a partner in a firm with Rafe and Luke. They represent Connors business LiveEnd Capital that he has with his friends Mason and Nate.

The story line was believable, funny and sweet. This book is wrote with dual POV. I can’t wait for Nate’s story in the Bad Angels Series.

I received an advanced copy for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Zoe is an attorney and works mostly with patents. Connor is a tech genius and he and two friends own a company. Zoe works for the law firm that represents them. Connor is introvert, works a lot, and forgets special days. He has liked Zoe for years but never thought he was good enough for her. When Zoe wrecks a scooter, Connor sees it and takes her to the hospital. She stays with him because she has a concussion and needs to be woken up every so many hours. They decide to have a ‘secret’ fling and to have no expectations of each other. But when Zoe reveals her feelings, will Connor screw it up or acknowledge his feelings?
Good story with romance, secret relationship, and a geriatric bridge club. First time reading this author and I really enjoyed it.
* Voluntarily read and reviewed this for NetGalley *

Was this review helpful?