Dirty truths may be hard to read but they expose what we may feeling deep down and find us a new lease on life! This is a Sex in the City meets Mad Men, in an emotional book on accepting the past! Elle Napier was struck by lighting dying for 3 minutes. While she was recovering she kept working, now back at the office she get called out by the the man himself West Maxwell. Owner of Made Gents and billionaires recluse man without one imperfection (that he will let show). Elle is ready for a new lease on life and that means quitting but not before her final swan song to West. West is broody and closed up which is hard when he became the new guardian of his niece Scarlett. Scarlett hates New York and everything is represent. When West makes Elle an offer to help his niece she will do it for free as a mentor. Elle is hardworking, free spirited, and a caring person the complete opposite of West. Elle and West relationship took a slow burn approach with West being hard to read. I loved Elle attitude from when she left the office and rediscovered herself. Elle was able to draw West in a new light, and show him what he has been missing. At time I wanted to cry from Elle and the outsider she felt at times but still made the best of it!

A very sweet romance, with loveable characters and a great storyline.

Such a satisfying ending with the perfect amount of closure. I flew through this book, was the perfect pick me up.

Thanks NetGalley and Montlake for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Elle and Scarlett!

Elle Napier had decided enough was enough after her near-death experience with her aneurysm and her publisher pulled her most recent column and told her to rewrite it by using the column to tell him she quit. Publisher West Maxwell didn’t know what to do with Elle because he was used to everybody following his directions, but he was surprised that he asked her to help his niece Scarlett and she turned him down, but she would be her mentor.

The Dirty Truth is a true enemies to lovers story where Elle is close to her family and friends and West definitely isn’t close to anyone even though he has custody of Scarlett.

I really loved that Elle wasn’t going to change to suit other people, but I think Scarlett was my favorite character.

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

The Dirty Truth takes the billionaire trope, adds a troubled teen and a fun writer to bring together a story with a lot of heart and growth. I really liked the characters a lot and would have even loved it to be longer to get more of the character growth. I recommend this one for a quick read with plenty of chemistry.

I absolutely loved this book. Love the fierceness in Elle and how she made the changes in her life. Love how she speaks her mind and how West falls for her. Love how she pulls out his truths and how she cares for his niece. Love their ending.

I swear I say this every time I finish a Winter Renshaw novel but in all honesty, <i> The Dirty Truth </i> <b> IS ONE OF HER BEST BOOKS EVER!!! </b> I loved everything about Elle and West and their dynamic banter!!! This story had heart, swoons, a sassy badass heroine and a hero you will adore!!! I just loved everything about it!!!!

Ok. Everyone who knows me knows that if you include some form of correspondence (texting/emailing etc.) in a story, you already have my attention. Well this story will have you DYING!! Elle and West were amazing. Their chemistry was dynamic, their banter was passionate and fiery and GAHHHH...Renshaw included amazing ARTICLES (you'll understand when you read) that had me smirking and cackling the whole time. I legit read this story in one sitting. Nothing could tear me away from them!!

Overall, <i> The Dirty Truth </i> has everything you've come to love from this author and more!!! READ THIS NOW! 5 stars! ~Ratula ❤️

This was a quick and enjoyable read, finished in one day.

Elle was an intriguing character. I don't think I've ever read a story with the same medical history before. So refreshing to read a new set-up! I loved her new attitude to life, and her determination to be completely authentic and to demand being treated well.

West was your typical Renshaw hero: cold and aloof on the surface, but a loving yet wounded soul deep down. It was heartbreaking to learn about his motivations, and I think he could have handled a lot of things better by having open and honest conversations, especially where his niece was concerned.

I'm deducting a star because there were a couple of instances that threw me out of the story as being unlikely if not impossible (including one heinous breach of privacy from Elle's former manager), and there seemed to be some set-up regarding West's father that was never explored.

Overall, however, the characters and dialogue were on point, and the pacing was quick without being rushed. This author is a definite favourite and I always look forward to her next book with eager anticipation.

A BRILLIANT ROMANCE TO KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF!

WHAT’S YOUR KRYPTONITE? “It’s your heart. That’s your kryptonite.”
A perfectly and completely disarming romance comes at the perfect time for the perfect year. Open your mind, your life, your outlook, and your heart to this innervating and refreshingly entertaining enemies-to-lovers romance that speaks to the life-changing nature of serendipity. If not for Elle’s situation, there would be no intersection with West and everything that follows.

Journalist Elle Napier and self-made gazillionaire West Maxwell – the publisher of a magazine celebrating the perfect man based on West himself -- are two passing ships in the night that never would have crossed paths. But they did, and that made all the difference. A woman at a crossroads in life with a promise “to engage only in the things that give life joy and purpose” meets her match in a frosty-edged, control freak hiding behind a superficial life of illusion and materialism, who doesn’t yet know that the truth can set him free. She’s his wake-up call to become the man he could be. That’s the “dirty truth” and this book is simply EVERYTHING.

West is a publishing titan with an ordered life and clueless guardianship of his teen niece. Elle is the Carrie Bradshaw of advice columnists at his magazine and forced to embellish truths contrary to her quest for a truthful, meaningful existence. Their first kiss is a kismet moment-in-the-making. These polar opposites are perfectly matched in a setup with a little bit of angst, alot of heart, a magnum of poignancy, addictive swoon, and a perfect recipe for keeping the fires of love burning. The “dirty truth” is true romantic perfection. This is life and love in all its imperfect glory -- real people talking real feelings in a standout romance that carved a special niche in my heart, and her bestie roomie is funny AF.

Yes, this is Winter Renshaw’s best work yet and a stellar romance that’s a masterpiece of life and love. “The Dirty Truth” is an unforgettable, poignant, sexy, charming love story of hard truths, laughter and tears, endless quotable lines, profound tidbits of wisdom, and a love that made me melt. Fresh, insightful, madly entertaining with a slow build and slow burn that set a heady undercurrent of chemistry on fire, like no other. Every nuance of the love story, the passion, and even the heartbreak was inspiring like the best kind of fever dream. This beautiful, eye-opening, life-altering book touched my soul, yet with all the captivating romance elements we crave. A thought-provoking, great romance with a heartfelt message of life and love.

“Sometimes you have to do something drastic in order to be the person you were always meant to become.”

I always enjoy Ms. Renshaw's writing style so when The Dirty Truth became available for review through NetGalley, I was anxious to get my hands on it and I'm so glad I did. Elle, the female lead, is quite an interesting character in so many ways. She's a curious journalist whose gone through some life-changing moments and those moments have caused her to question her priorities in life. I love Elle! West, the male lead, is the owner of the magazine for which she writes and I believe in his own way he's questioning his priorities as well. He's definitely a force to be reckoned with-a very strong alpha in many ways. I love both of these characters so much and I felt truly invested in their story. They were both written with real depth and understanding. This was an emotional read that brought me to tears, while also being quite thought-provoking. The scars and baggage and fears that Elle and West bring to their story make this read was so relatable. I definitely recommend The Dirty Truth if you're looking for something a little bit different in the contemporary romance genre. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm grateful to have been given an opportunity to have read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

Ok so I'm not sure how to rate this one so I'm going to write down my thoughts here and hope that it helps to settle on a rating.
So, overall I really liked the storyline. But I felt that it fell a little short of the great story it had the potential to be. Like, the storytelling felt a little flat and cold, with a lack of description of how the characters were feeling.
I think it had the potential to be angsty and really bring up those feelings, considering that West is characterized as a cold, hard man and Elle softens him. And with his niece being in the picture, it could have been more poignant. There were scenes where the dialogue felt grave and deep and serious, but the characters were shown to be grinning or smiling or teasing each other. It felt a bit disconnected.
The backbone of the story was great, I think the execution did not work for me.
I think a 2.5 star rating it is.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Talk about a ride of a story with great characters and a romance that has me rooting for it from start to finish. I didn’t get too close to any of them in the beginning and I love that both had to work their way throughout the book for me to enjoy their moments and love.
This is one of those books that will stay with me for longer than usual because I enjoyed it more than I was expecting and I know that many people will do it too.

The Dirty Truth is so much more than romance. It’s an emotional and heartfelt journey that will undoubtedly stay with you long after you reach the end. 

A few words and I was captivated by this unique story as someone who has been through things that make it impossible for you to be who you were, although vastly different from Elle’s experience. It changed the very fabric of who I was. A moment that makes you question who you are, and in that I felt a deep connection to Elle. 

Elle had a brush with death and was really embracing life. She was determined to make the changes necessary in order to live her best life. She was sunshine and sass. I adored her immensely. She was the opposite of West in almost every way, and exactly what he needed. 

West was much more complicated. There was so much depth to his character, and he showed the world what he wanted them to see and nothing else. He had a commanding presence in the boardroom. He was zeroed in on what he wanted to accomplish, and emotions weren’t a part of that. He had no intention of letting anyone in, much less opening up to someone about his past. Yet, it felt as though all those walls he had built up began to disintegrate the moment the sparks flew between him and Elle. 

The chemistry between West and Elle was magnetic. With one small touch, the chemistry they shared was palpable, and that was only the beginning. Every moment is built on the tension between them, an intoxicating slow-burn that’s infused with every emotion from heartbreak to heartwarming. 

The Dirty Truth was mesmerizing from start to finish. An emotionally gripping blend of kinetic chemistry, a sunshiny heroine with a dollop of sass, a guarded hero, every emotion from heartbreak to heartwarming, and witty banter, adding up to a tension-filled slow-burn that will stay with you long after you reach the end.

The Dirty Truth is a pretty good quick-ish read. It is a slow burn with both MCs in their 30s and a little bit of a power imbalance at the beginning with West being Elle's boss. A lot happens in this story but it flows beautifully with no loose ends left. I loved Elle's determination and search for the truth about West Maxwell. West's devotion to Scarlett is simultaneously heart-warming and heart-wrenching. All of the characters felt very real and well developed as did the conflict, and the best part is there was no miscommunication. While there are some heavier topics here the book as a whole doesn't feel weighed down, and left me smiling.

4.5⭐

The Dirty Truth is my first introduction to author Winter Renshaw and even though I'm not the biggest fan of slow-burn romance this one was a huge win for me.

As it was such a fast-paced, entertaining tale full of characters and situations that are relatable and engaging too, and with a nice balance of drama, sweetness, romance, emotion and heat. This was a great read. That I honestly struggled to put down, and I'd definitely read more from this author in the future.

Another stellar story from Ms. Renshaw, another reason to be even more of a fan!

This story checked all my boxes for a romance. 

This story of West and Elle is smart, swoony and the sparks between these two was on fire!

Elle has had a literal life-changing experience and had an epiphany concerning her current career and what she wanted to do. Add some Dove chocolate quotes and she makes big moves. I loved her tenacity to speak the truth, but also how she didn't really realize her own truth. 

West is a tough nut to crack, but once Elle does, you get to see his swoony insides. There is a reason why he the way he is and when you find out it, well it made me a bit weepy. When he brings Elle into his world to help, it just reaffirms what a gem he has had in his orbit.

From the glittery high rises of Manhattan to the desolate small towns of Nebraska, you are taken on a journey of self-discovery, self-preservation, love of family, and the sometimes dirty truth.  

Well done, Ms. Renshaw! Another jewel in the crown of your talented writing tiara!

The Dirty Truth is only my second Winder Renshaw book and it will not be my last. I loved this book, I was sucked in from the first chapter and it only got better. Her writing is great and I loved all of these characters.

This is a fantastic enemies to lovers story! I read it in 2 days because I could not put it down. All the characters are damaged in one way or another and life brings them together and they all learn that sometimes people are not what they seem. Elle has had some life changing events that lead her to change what's not working in her life. West has everything anyone could want in life, or does he? He has just taken custody of his teenage niece and he is lost. Scarlet has had to leave the only life she has known to move in with her uncle who does not really know her, all she wants is to be alone.

This book is a sweet and emotional romance and I loved it! The writing is great and the story will make you want more! I highly recommend this book.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Montlake for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I'm a HUGE Winter Renshaw fan. She is a go-to author of mine when it comes to great contemporary romances thanks to her great ability to write a wide range of stories. I love a slow burn romance so I was excited to dive into this one for that reason alone. Plus, who doesn't love watching a stone cold man slowly melt into love?

I think it helps the reader to go into this book knowing the expectations. There is no denying that this book is a slow burn romance. Emphasis on the "slow" because I felt like it wasn't until the 70% mark that that Elle shows an inkling of something more than attraction to West. I get that her past encounters with him weren't positive and he is a firmly closed book when it comes to his own feelings, but I wanted a little more tension; perhaps some more lingering looks between them that hint that there is something brewing. Because these two do make a great pair, I just wanted that chemistry highlighted more.

To me, this book was more of a modern character story about two people learning to embrace life after some hard experiences. Everything is well thought out and the characters have great evolution. So I can appreciate the sentiment that this story wants to focus on living your life without holding back, to take chances and hold nothing back. But I also appreciated that it showed that success doesn't come overnight; that relationships and your career take work and perseverance. You have to work for what you want if that is what you truly want.

So that's why I felt like the romance was more of a side element to their individual stories to help show how these characters have evolved in the time we have met them. It works with all the other elements to bring forward a really great, well rounded story about making the life you want to live.

This was a fantastic enemies to lovers trope with lots of heart. West Maxwell was a man who looked like he had everything. Owner of a successful magazine publication, good looks, and a social media profile making him the envy of every man in Manhattan. Elle, a columnist at his magazine is the first to come close to breaking through his facade when she writes a scathing piece on her boss, then abruptly quits.

This is only the beginning of their love-hate relationship when West decides to ask Elle to be a mentor to his rebellious fourteen year old neice Scarlett. Through these personal interactions, we start to see Elle break down the barriers Wes has built over the years and why he is the man he is. There was a lot of personal growth from both these characters and their feelings didn't just magically appear, they grew as they got to know one another, I really enjoyed this one.

Elle & West served up workplace enemies to lovers in such a beautiful, profound way. At least, that’s how it started, but when Elle writes something for his magazine that he doesn’t like and pulls the plug on it, we have to g9 more in depth to find out why.
Add in Scarlett, a mentorship and people that are all growing from grief in one way or another, and this was too cute to skip out on.

I always love and enjoy every single book that Ms. Renshaw writes. There is no difference with this book love every of bit of it. Fascinating, sexy, and beautiful in one entire story.