Cover Image: Reckless Envy

Reckless Envy

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Member Reviews

Joss Wood did her thing with this book, it was really good and I really enjoyed reading it, will definitely recommend to a friend to read! Love all the Harlequin books!!!!

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FULL REVIEW ON FRESH FICTION
RECKLESS ENVY by Joss Wood continues the enjoyable Dynasties: Seven Sins continuity series with an emotional whirlwind of a romance. Emily and Matt are two characters tangentially related to the overarching connecting storyline through this series--the devastating Black Crescent scheme that ruined families in a well-off New Jersey town, the ramifications that have rippled onward and outward for years. Emily has always done everything by the book, but when her family is threatened, she will do whatever she has to do to keep them safe and financially secure. . . even if that means she’s engaged to someone she doesn’t love. Matt has always strived to be the best to prove to his family he’s worthy of their formidable name and wants everyone to know he can do whatever he sets his mind to do, be it running a successful investment firm or having the woman he let slip by years ago. Emily and Matt have an instant attraction and it’s fun to watch Matt convince Emily that she means more to him than just a conquest to one-up his business rival. Emily has a lot to worry about--her distant parents, her dependent brother, and her family’s reputation that’s on thin ice after they’ve tried to regain their status in their wealthy community. There are mentions of characters from earlier books and a few more things are added to the narrative that will surely come into play in the next books in the series, too. RECKLESS ENVY by Joss Wood is a dramatic and glamorous story and a fun addition to the Dynasties: Seven Sins series.

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4.25 Stars / 3 Steam Fans

The fifth book in the Seven Sins Dynasty series shows how the Black Cresent Scandal affected Emily and Matt. Emily is the town princess, and Matt is the older guy and contender to take over Black Cresent as the CEO.

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Matt Velez is the kid from the wrong side of the tracks. Growing up he was Velez brother who was trouble and was never considered the favorite son. He’s now a successful grown man with everything but the woman he’s always longed for. While he was wrong side of the tracks, Emily was the town darling. No one would ever consider him as a suitable mate for her, so he made a point of being a real jerk to her to ensure they never ended up near each other where he’d be tempted to pursue her. However, that hasn’t worked well for him. He still wants Emily and she’s about to marry a man who’s even less suitable for her than him.
Emily Arnett was a good girl. She once had her sights set on Matt Valez but years ago, he humiliated her and made it quite clear that he saw her as nothing but an inexperienced child. Now Matt is back in their small and letting her know that he’s very much interested in her, but for Emily it’s too late. Too save her family’s name and business she must marry a man she loathes.

I had a hard time connecting with this book. I couldn’t connect with characters I felt like Emily wasn’t consistent with her approach when it came to Matt. As for Matt, I like an alpha as much as the next girl, but he was a bit too pushy for me. Also, the pacing seemed a little off to me as well.

I’m not a fan of reading a series out of order and this is book number five. I’ve never read any of the other books which might have something to do with my inability to connect. However, this appears to be an intriguing overall storyline. I think I may go back and try the other books and see if that helps. I wouldn’t recommend this as a standalone. If you have read the first few books, don’t start with this one.

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**FULL REVIEW**

"Jealousy and envy might've been hi initial motivation when he'd first found out about her engagement; he couldn't tolerate the thought of Morris having someone he so desperately wanted."

Another installment in the Dynasties Series and it did not disappoint. I mean, who doesn't love a competitive alpha male after a strong-willed woman who gives him all the sass...it pays off in big rewards.

Just like the other books in this series, this focuses on one of the seven deadly sins; Wood does a great job of making sure we know exactly which one our hero experiences and believe it or not, even some of our side characters too.

Enjoyable and quick to read, love scenes exactly as you'd expect from a Harlequin novel. I look forward to the next one.

**3.5 Want What You Can't Have, Stars

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Great second chance/enemies to lovers romance. There was a lot of angst and steam, which I loved. I was hooked, and the characters were pretty great.

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***ARC Provided by the Author***

DNF at 28%

I never felt a connection between Matt and Emily. And neither of them ever felt like real people to me, which definitely didn't help.

I'm unable to recommend this title.

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Reckless Envy by Joss Wood is the fifth book in the dynasties Seven Sins series. I thoroughly enjoyed Wood's work with Matt and Emily. You might say you run into a bit of a love triangle if you can you call what this trio shares as love.

Matt is inline for the CEO position of Black Crescent but it's just to help make his portfolio a little thicker. He wants his current company to keep him on and feels an offer from somewhere else will help entice his current board. While in town to pursue this opportunity with Black Crescent he runs across the woman that got away. He won't let that happen again and taking her off the arm of his enemy makes it even sweeter.

Emily will not be so easily ran over. She is being black mailed by her current fiance and the man who taught her everything about being rejected walks back into the scenes at this exact timing is to much of a coincidence. Does Matt really want her or is he just trying to out do Nick?

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Matt and Emily’s book is a second chance with a twist! I loved how she made him work for it, and he was willing to do what it took to get the chance to romance her! A great continuation of the main story as well!

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This was such an interesting book that took me by surprise the way I wound up enjoying it. I picked this up because it's in the Seven Sins series, which I've been really enjoying, and I read the premise and was kind of like, "wait, what?" I was not sure it was going to work for me at all, but you know, it did!

Essentially, this book is about Emily Arnott being blackmailed into marrying this bad guy. She's had a crush on Matt Valez for quite some time and he's finally done resisting her. Why? I'm not 100% sure that his reasoning exists, but he is done, only now she's engaged. So Matt's trying to figure out why she is with this guy, who is terrible, and he has this vague idea something is definitely wrong because it doesn't make any sense for Emily to be with him. There is cheating, if you consider a blackmailed into it arrangement to be something where you can cheat on someone.

While I never fully felt like I understood Matt's motivations for pursuing Emily, I did really like Emily herself. Honestly this book felt a little bit like an over the top episode of like, The O.C., and I was here for it. There were definitely things that irked me, like this obnoxious emphasis of everyone thinking Emily is like an angel. But I liked that Matt wound up calling her an imp. All in all, I enjoyed this one and will definitely pick up other books from Joss Wood in the future!

Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for the review copy!

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Reckless Envy by Joss Wood is the fifth in the multi-author continuity series from the Harlequin Desire imprint. Matteo Velez and Emily Arnott are known as the bad boy and the good girl. Matt is a few years ahead and well-versed in his role as one who loves-em-and-leaves-em-satisfied, while the town tends to view Emily just short of wearing a halo. That vast divide is what has Matt turning down Emily’s shy approach, although his intense desire to pursue it has him using unnecessary cruelty as he refuses.

Years later the spark of attraction hasn’t dimmed for either of them, but Emily’s not interested in throwing herself at someone who doesn’t want her a second time. Plus there is the matter of her unwanted, blackmailing fiancé...

Matteo has always wanted Emily, but he recognizes how unsuitable he is for her. She’s getting married but he can tell she isn’t exactly excited. He intends to find out what is driving her, and if that means a little time in her presence, he’ll enjoy every second...

Joss Wood’s second chance story is a delicious fantasy come true, with well written characters and a page turning plot. Emily satisfies as a woman who knows what she wants and works hard for it. And Matteo is equally appealing. So much fun to see them prevail this time in this terrific read.

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I struggled with this one, I didn't love the way the book opened and I found the hero to be unlikeable due to his playboy nature. This was a second chance type book, but please note the hero hooks up with another woman. I think if you're fine with that type of plot this one would work. This was a DNF for me at 33%

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Story starts with introduction of Matt & Emily six years prior in which drunk Emily attempts to flirt & have a ONS with Matt who turns her down and goes and hooks up with OW.

From that point on, I struggled to finish because in my romances, I do not need Hero having sex (even off page) with someone other then heroine. The fact that he is a major Manwhore who has ONS and flings was a huge turnoff as well. Even in the present once he reconnects with heroine, he is still looking for hook ups such as a line in which he stated that had he not run into Emily, he would have totally taken the OW offer of hot sex. That in my book is not a Hero I can route for if he can't keep it in his pants. It does not make me believe in HEA and him not cheating on her at some point in the future or him having STD and lot's of children out there with plenty OW.....

The rest of the story unfortunately did not get better for me I am sad to say.

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