Cassie Miller is a struggling student after her parents stopped supporting her when she quit medicine school and started her masters in environmental science. She turned into babysitting, and suddenly finds herself hired as the nanny for Brook Wellington’s son, Noah. Brook is the CEO of the family’s multimillion dollar business and a divorced parent. Oh, and fourteen years older than Cassie. Can the relationship exist despite these common tropes?

So I enjoyed this one a lot. Starting with the narration, first person from Cassie’s POV, which I actually seem to favor. First person works well with this story as it makes Cassie relatable, and keeps Brook an enigma and unattainable. It definitely made me join Cassie in her Brook crush. I have not been reading reviews as I was going to be reading this so have missed on the Cassie criticism, which I’m told centers around maturity? I had no problem whatsoever with the character. She seemed a responsible and genuine 24 year old. There were two of Noah’s teachers that sort of entered the romance possibility and not sure why the author introduced in the first place. However, I wouldn’t call Cassie a player by any means and it helped cement her feelings for Brook in the end. If anything my issue was the age gap as I’m not crazy about the trope.

I have to read more Bryant books. Period. The chemistry was present between the mains and the narration flow was great. I had been struggling with reading, and all of a sudden I wanted to keep knowing about these women and their story. This was a pretty straightforward romance which is fine by me. Not everything needs to be so complicated when people are attracted to each other. There were some family dynamics (imagine that) on both sides that were well managed, although the angst lover in me would have liked to see a bit more on the Wellington argument of a 24 year old gold digger.

One of my favorite things about the book was Cassie’s relationship with Noah. I loved how the author worked on their relationship and made it feel genuine. At times, the children feel merely acceptable with the one main, but one could easily see the bond Cassie and Noah shared. When she said that Noah holding her hand was the highlight of her day, my heart melted a little.

Overall, an enjoyable age gap, nanny to lovers romance. 4.25 stars

ARC generously provided to me by BSB via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I honestly feel the title, the cover and the blurb don’t do this book any justice. The book is far better than those 3 things make I out to be.

Let me start with some of the negatives:
There are some characters introduced in the beginning of the book you don’t read much more of further on. I liked the grandmother, so I missed that. Didn’t care much for the best friend, but there were some obvious misses there.
The Wellington family seems nice until they aren’t and switch it’s right back around again.
In the first chapters I really didn’t like Cassie, I had to warm up to her. She seemed superficial, only thinking about material things and money.. And Brook, just the spelling of the name made me so confused.

Once I warmed up to Cassie and the story that unfolds, and the romance, no actual emotion, I got really invested in this book. I really didn’t want the story to end. I like that the steamy science are more about connecting and emotions than just sex. The characters are really building a strong emotional connection. I also love the quirky and sarcastic sense of humour.

I loved this book! I was in love with both Cassie and Brook, and it was almost compelling watching them going around each other, and getting closer day by day. Their chemistry is perfectly written, and the whole book is just too cute to miss it!

Bryant brings to life a saucy and sweet romance about two phenomenal women in this unconventional love story.
Most contemporary lesbian romance I read is told from the dual perspectives of both female leads. That is not the case for this story and I believe it benefited from the single point of view. The story is told from Cassie's perspective and her view of Brook and their circumstances is engaging and delightful.
Cassie and Brook have a strong and instantaneous attraction. Their spark and chemistry adds to the difficulties of remaining professional as employer/employee. This is a quick build yet slow burn story. I enjoyed the build up and the relationship not just between Cassie and Brook but also between Cassie and Brook’s son Noah.
The characters are all compelling and fun to meet, though there were a few that I enjoyed and expected a few more interactions from but after their use as plot devices they disappeared from the story. The dialogue between characters was natural and often funny. Cassie was exceptional in this regard.
Cassie is often suave and bold then just as often awkward and self-conscious. She is incredibly loveable and a joy to follow.
The story is full of emotional turmoil. The highs and lows as well as the many different family aspects really sucked me in and kept me captivated.
The romance is sweet and sassy as it builds but once it ignites it burns so brightly its blinding at times. The romance is sensual and steamy. I really enjoyed the connection between them.
Bryant really blew it out of the park with this one and I loved every second of it.

Typically I like Kris Bryant's books and I was really looking forward to reading this one. Overall I thought it was enjoyable, but it didn't grab me like some of her other works have. I felt like the ending came very abruptly and without any real resolution between the two main characters, Cassie and Brook. While the sex scenes were good, there still seemed to be something missing in their chemistry together. Cassie wanted the long term relationship, but Brook never seemed like she could put her past failed relationship in the past and move forward with Cassie. There was always something standing in her way, whether it was work or her son or their age difference. It never seemed like she committed to Cassie the way Cassie did to her. That was disappointing for me. I really liked Cassie's character and wished she had somehow been able to break more of the walls down with Brook.

So while most of the book was enjoyable, it left me wanting more and wishing it had looked further into their relationship. Maybe a sequel would be good for this book.

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Great romance. Kris Bryant does an excellent job pulling you into this story absolutely loved it. Read this you will not be disappointed.

I wanted to love this book. I wanted to give it all the stars and then some. It has so many things I adore: ice queen, age gap, forbidden love/workplace love but it was just...okay. I think my huge expectations are a bit to blame, but for the most part, this feels like a HFN instead of a HEA.

Why? Some red flags include: Cassie’s only contribution has been to introduce video games and fast food/junk food, two things Brook has tried to keep her son from until this moment. Cassie is young, attractive and super-confident. She loves women, she sees the beauty in every woman and that, coupled with Brook’s jealous nature is not going to be good in the long run. I don’t hate Cassie, she’s twenty four, she should be out there, playing the field as the first generation where being gay is actually accepted, marriage equality is not some far-off unreachable goal. She should be proud to connect with other out lesbians. She should be building a life together with someone instead of just being fitted into an existing one, complete with child and toxic ex.

This is the rut of age-gaps. Bryant brilliantly wrote a realistic 20-something and yeah, she’s perfectly captured the passion and single mindedness of that age. But also the impermanence and not the immaturity, but the fact that Cassie is not completely the adult she is meant to be.

Read this with a soft mind, don’t think too much like I did and this is a wonderful story with lots of sexual tension and hot scenes.

I hate to be that one, but I thought the sex scenes were a bit...coarse for the strict-romance category. I see that the author wrote this as a bit of fluff and fun after a bunch of heavy-hitters, so that may be it. I found the repetitive use of “slit” and “fuck” very real and raw, somewhat jarring in an otherwise pure romance read. I also had trouble with Cassie’s femme vibe (caring a lot about clothes and makeup) suddenly having her take the typical old-school butch role in the bedroom. I never really had a clear vision of her, maybe due to the first-person POV, and I’m also an old foagie so maybe the more fluid mindset of the new generation is beyond me.

And who has an entire drawer full of toys? Jesus Christ, Brook, your Amazon history has got to be the reason you’re on Santa’s naughty list. I applaud Bryant’s ode to realism with including washing and lube, so major kudos from me there.

Basically, this is a wonderfully, professionally written novel that should be a super awesome read with lots of good stuff in it. Our gals really enjoy each other and there’s enough tension and other stuff to keep you occupied.

Think too much and it falls apart, so don’t do that and you’ve got an amazing read. My rating is four stars.

I requested this book, thinking it might be a fun read. It actually turned out to be a book that was very hard to put down. The story grabbed me immediately and the characters were fun, likable, and believable and the story itself was engaging, fun, and sexy.

I realized halfway through reading this that one of the main reasons this book held my interest is because the dialogue was very natural and didn't feel forced or fake. The love scenes were also fun to read!

I'd heard of this author before but I don't think I've read any of her books. That will definitely change!

This was a nice, light romance with not a lot of stakes, but with a lot of heart. I was actually surprised I shed a couple tears during one of the few emotionally heavy moments near the end of the book. I was also surprised that I genuinely liked Cassie, but understood where some of the chemistry between her and Brook felt off. If anything, my biggest complaint with the book was how Noah was depicted - he acts a little too precocious for my tastes at times, but it is more of a minor complaint.

Cassie is a single twenty something that has been cut off from her family's fortune for wanting to choosing a different career than what her parents wanted. Being broke and desperate, she accepts a job as live in nanny for the charming Wellington family. The only problem is that she is attracted to Brook Wellington, her charge's beautiful mother. Cassie has to navigate her attraction, and the realization that maybe the Wellington's might be the family she might what to spend the rest of her life with.

I loved that Cassie had a crush on Brook, but it took Brook a little longer to express her feelings. Cassie felt like a twenty something, too - a kid who resented her family for pulling the rug from under her financially. Her work ethic did make up for the fact that she sounds a little spoiled and bitter - she has good reason to be that way. Cassie carries the narrative, but I still would have liked to see what Brook's point of view would have been.

I still liked this more that most of the reviewers here, but I think it really hinges on whether or not readers like Cassie as a lead. If Cassie is the type you'd like to read about, this is definitely for you.

The subject of Temptation by all appearances should be a gateway to naughty happenings. Mega bucks businesswoman Brook Ellington dabbles in afterhours fun with her son’s very attractive nanny, Cassie Miller, who seems to effortlessly turn every woman’s eyes, including that of her boss’s. Understandably, there’s a lot of steamy scenes and longing looks but given that there’s a 14 year age gap, an employee/employer dynamic, and a well-off girl/millionaire girl rift, there’s also plenty of angst in trying to figure out if this is a romp or the real thing. There’s also the richy rich Wellingtons who aren’t too keen on one of their own getting it on with the help, even if she is a moneyed daughter of physicians.

I feel like I’m an outlier here because I like Cassie. She’s a hard working grad student who cares about the children, her family and friends, and most especially her beloved grandmother. Yes, she’s a little immature and petulant but she’s 24! I do wish we had learned a bit more about Brook because other than sex, it’s hard for me to grasp her motivation here. Overall, another good Kris Bryant ride which I enjoyed.

The book was well written. A little tropy. I felt the characters were well written and likeable, just felt like it was missing something.

I loved this book. I’m slightly disappointed that I can’t be the nanny in real life, because the apartment, the kid and the boss all sound amazing. A perfect book to dream about. The kid’s dialogue is a little advanced for a six year old, but it doesn’t detract from a great story. The build up is nicely paced and it takes a while for the leads to get together, which I like, as it doesn’t feel rushed. The sex is hot. Another bonus to the story. The secondary characters could have been more included in places, but only because I wanted the book to last longer. In reality they are all nicely judged and written well. I’ve already read other books by Ms Bryant, but I’m going to check whether I’ve missed any, as I really rate her as an author now.

Nothing amazing or new here. The writing is alright, but nothing great. The story is simple and passes the time.

'ARC provided by both NetGalley and The Publisher in exchange for a honest review'

**'I always knew that a good writer is one who keeps what others throw out and then I realized that a good writer is also one who throws out what others keep..'

Compelling read!
With all the overwhelming and glowing interpretations that other readers have posted about this remarkably well written story, I will only add to theirs with just a brief viewpoint. Because everything that has been stated is all that I most definitely agree with.
'TEMPTATION' is both a stirringly written tale of raw attraction, tenderness, passion etc. and an engrossing steamy page-turner about falling in Love and the circle of a family unit.
I must admit that as I got deeper into the storyline and seeing that developing close relationship forming between Cassie & Noah with their playful bantering, this part did start to grow on me in part because of his adorableness and Cassie knowing what he needed as a kid.
There's so much more going on in this book but i'll let other readers words say it all.
Furthermore, I do believe that it will take a savoring and thorough reading of this quirky, charming book to really unearth all things pertaining to Cassie, Brook, Noah, all their families and lets not forget those close friends because this story will tug at readers emotions and even end up being an unforgettable read.

Temptation by Kris Bryant follows Cassie a newly broke grad student and Brook Wellington the COO of her family’s shipping business and Cassie’s new boss. Brook hires Cassie to be a nanny for her pretty perfect son Noah, offering a great salary, health benefits, and even an apartment on her estate. All of this is a god-send to Cassie who was recently cut off by her parents when she quit med school for a different post-grad degree. The only problem is is that from the beginning Cassie is a little in love with Brook who should be totally off-limits.

This book is fun, sweet, and funny. It was nice to watch as Cassie integrated into the Wellington family. The interactions between Cassie and Brook’s son Noah were heart-meltingly sweet. The development of the relationship between Cassie and Brook felt well-paced and believable. And the sex scenes were plentiful and very hot.

The book, and Cassie, repeatedly describe Brook as an ice queen, but she really didn’t come off that way to me. She just came across as a woman dedicated to her job and son and genuinely nervous about disrupting their stability with a potentially ill-advised relationship. She didn’t strike me as cruel or very cold. Maybe I'm an ice queen and that's why I couldn't see it. I think Brook is more like a light frost queen.

Both Brook and Cassie seemed like such genuinely nice people that at times I almost wished one of them would slip up more to complicate them.

This is an age-gap romance, though there was a lot of emphasis on Brook looking and acting young. Personally I like it when there is a noticeable difference that just doesn’t matter. But still, Kris Bryant did a great job at writing that age difference in the characters' behaviors. It was fun to watch Cassie’s bit-of-a-hot-mess antics early on play against Brook’s maturity.

Let me tell you, I am sick of these types of books, where the nanny and boss fall in love. But, it’s Kris Bryant, who is one of the best writers in this genre so I was going to read it and buy it regardless. And as always with Kris, she nailed it! I loved the dialogue, I loved the MC’s, and how the story flowed. I would read a follow up story on these two characters. Well done

Temptation was a fairly angst-free and sweet romance. According to some reviews, there were quite some Cassie haters, but I didn’t find her all that bad. She is young, yes (a 24 year-old is practically a puppy in my eyes) and she let her eyes roam over all the pretty women surrounding her (who wouldn’t?), but I found her actually pretty mature for her age. And she was very good with the children. Besides, she can’t help growing up in an affluent household. Being cut off from the gravy train would be a shock to every young adult.

I was more in tune with the very capable (and older) Brook, however. It would have been nice to have her pov as well, but Kris Bryant obviously wanted Cassie to tell the story and that’s fine, it didn’t really spoil the book for me.

And even when I didn’t see them as a couple at first (even Brook herself wasn’t seeing it), leave it to Bryant to give them oodles of sexual chemistry to make you a believer. So all in all, maybe this was not Bryant at her best, but it was an enjoyable read.

f/f explicit

Themes: Nana, mommy issues, the single nod, Cassie is a puppy, money, live-in nanny, Thanksgiving, ski trip, gaming, Noah is adorable.

4 Stars

* This ARC was provided by Netgalley and Bold Strokes in exchange for an honest review.

Cassandra "Cassie" Miller, aged 24, a college student who's a bit down on her luck;

Brooklyn "Brook" Addison Wellington, aged 38, the millionaire COO of Wellington Enterprises, a conglomerate of grocery stores and an import/export business;

Noah Wellington, Brook's six year old son.

Cassie's well-off parents wanted her to follow in their footsteps and become a doctor. She had other ideas and when she told them she didn't want to be a doctor, they cut off financial help. Finding herself living with her beloved Nana, she had to find a job.

Enter Brook Wellington, in need of a nanny for her precocious six year-old son, Noah. Noah is smart, sweet and he becomes instantly attached to Cassie.

Brook is icy, distant and keeps everyone at arm's length. How can Cassie crack that chilly barrier Brook has put up around herself?

This story has it all: It's a well-written, well-edited age gap/ice queen/slow burn story that flows, has great character and villains, obstacles and resolutions. Now I know what all the screaming has been about regarding Kris Bryant. This is my first, but certainly not my last, Kris Bryant book!

I was given an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

To be honest, I gave this one an extra star strictly for the sexy scenes. Holy smokes. This book is majorly steamy!

The plot is fine. It's a really fast read. There are some sweet scenes, some drama, some sadness. Overall, not bad.

The main character, Cassie, though. I was not a fan. She is supposed to be 24 or 25, but she acts like a spoiled brat. It made a relationship between her and Brook seem unbelievable. She throws tantrums and storms off multiple times. I found her really annoying. There were some other good characters, but it is hard to love a book when you don't love the protagonist.

I definitely plan to read more by Kris Bryant, but hope I enjoy the characters a bit more next time.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers, Bold Strokes Books Inc., of Temptation for affording me the opportunity to read the book and review it.

I’ve heard a lot of positives about the author’s work, but this is the first novel of hers that I have actually read. I noted that she had said this was a departure in genre from her usual offerings, and that she just wanted to write a lighter flirty romance for Temptation.

Light and flirty it certainly is. This is a well-written lesbian fiction with likeable well-defined characters and the storyline flows well. There was good rises and falls to ensure it wasn’t just a “girl falls for girl and then they get a HEA”. I thought the additional characters certainly enriched the story and added extra layers to the background and the main characters. The characters of Nana and Noah certainly added depth and were pivotal to the central theme and plot.

This novel will be pleasing for readers who love a May-December romance, and an extra bonus for those who love a rag to riches story and there were strong inclinations of an ice queen melting into a puddle or several once the romance took hold. However Bryant managed to avoid it being predictable, changing the setting, and scenes, mixing it up with different characters flitting in and out of the storyline. There were subtleties in the subtext that could be missed with a quick read. I’m not sure if this was a deliberate choice or not, but this could easily have been further developed, for example exploring the potential relationships with Trina and Natalie.

It’s not perfect and there were some niggles. The convenience of the extra perfect accommodation and all the trappings I found a bit overkill. And I couldn’t understand how someone at 38 and in such a senior role within the family business was suddenly subjected to a staged intervention on the basis of someone seeing her come out of a bedroom. And there were a lot of lesbians in the supporting characters, so much that it felt again like overkill.
Having said that, there was much to enjoy about this novel and Bryant certainly fulfilled her wish to create a light flirty novel which should have wide readership appeal. It engaged my interest from start to finish and I enjoyed the journey of Brook and Cassie. On the basis of this novel I would certainly love to read more of the author’s work.