Vanessa Jared is divorced, 40, and is trying to make a comeback after the slump she’s in. She’s ready to be savvy and sexy. But when a sexy sheriff Michael shows up asking for her help, she has no idea what’s in store for her.

I really enjoyed the diversity in this story and the characters. I even enjoyed the older second chance. I typically don’t go for those, but this one had so much strength to it. And it has a bit of K-Drama mixed into it, and anyone who knows me knows I love a damn good K-Drama.

The author made the characters and storyline so compelling and addictive. There’s heart and humor in this story

Vanessa Jared's Got a Man by LaQuette was a wonderfully written book about starting over. Single, Savvy and Sexy never looked so good! This book was amazing. I enjoyed the love story of Michael and Vanessa. Starting over done right.

An interesting book. I enjoyed all the characters. Also I appreciate that it was a quick read. What I really liked was that this book was about an age group (40) that doesn’t get a lot of love in the romance genre. The steamy scenes were great and the chemistry was definitely there between the main characters. Overall a fun read. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of "Vanessa Jared's Got a Man", written by LaQuette. This novel was released on September 20th, 2022.

Overall, I rated this novel a 3.5/5 stars!

I will admit that this novel was not entirely what I expected, and that I did, in fact, judge a book by it's cover. Oops :) The fact that it was colorful and had diverse characters pictured on it was what drew me in. I was slightly taken aback by the fact that the main character was 40-something, because I am typically used to reading more about people between college-aged and close to 30's. However, that did not completely take away from my experience while reading the book.

She is newly divorced after 20 years of marriage and is trying to recover from the various forms of abuse that she has endured from her ex. She meets Michael in an unexpected way and ends up falling for him.

This book has a lot of my favorite things, but also has some of my not so favorite things. Let’s start with the not great so we can end with all the good this book has to offer.

Third Person POV… I don’t usually read them because I am a visual reader but I like to put myself in the POV of the FMC and that’s hard to do with 3rd person. I feel like I’m creeping into the characters widows haha and the ✨scenes✨ Weren’t as descriptive as I like but still good and a good amount for a contemporary romance.

Now what I liked about the book… if you know me you know I like messy situations and this had the type of mess I love!!! It does seem like insta lovey but I like that about it. They’re also grown folks!!! Like finding love later in life is just as sexy ya know if not sexier cause they usually know what their doing. Even though this is a cop romance( he’s a small town sheriff) it didn’t have no weird shizz. Black FMC!!!!! Love.

This review is all over the place but all of that to say the book was good and I do recommend!

Thanks to ST. MARTIN's PRESS for this book! This was a good enemies to lovers. Romeo and Juliet you could neva!!

Vanessa Jared’s Got a Man by LaQuette tells the story of Vanessa after her divorce and her second chance story. I loved how strong and determined she was and the friendships she has. She had never intentions of seeing her ex again, but when Michael shows up at her door asking for help. Michael loves his sister and will do anything for her. Vanessa did not want to get involved until she saw something she wanted back.

I loved the friendships in the story, the connections and enjoying a story with older characters. Vanessa and Michael never saw the other coming, but I enjoyed reading their journey, together and separately. This was such a charming and emotional story and I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

Happy reading!

This woman is so due for a good man after her toxic marriage. Who better than the brother of her ex's new fiance, right? The circumstances of their meeting and joining forces only makes their mutual attraction that much harder to resist. An interesting request from a protective brother maybe caught Venessa by surprise, but sometimes the best things come when you don't expect them.
Gotta say the cover really drew me in, so congrats to the artist and it's great to see authors who really pay attention when choosing the cover as the visuals should represent the characters and the story.
Thanks Netgalley for the chance to read this book and give my honest opinion.

I love the fact that this was a story about an interracial couple. Vanessa is a black woman, who is strong and independent and is learning to live a life after escaping a marriage of 20 years. A woman who is learning to love herself again, and love the concept of love again. Then you have Michael, a Korean man who has spent his whole life caring for others- especially his younger sister Cindy even more so since his parents tragically passed away; finally trying to put himself first and love again. The story is about two people who fall in love in their 40's in not the most "traditional" way. Michael seeks Vanessa out to help him stop his sister Cindys marriage to Karl... otherwise known as Vanessa's ex husband. Personally for me- this wasn't my favorite read. I just am not a fan of insta love and insta attraction. I just felt that things moved so quickly for the timeline they were in. Everything happened within a week or two and I just couldn't really vibe with it. This might be a perfect book for many, because I did enjoy many aspects of it but for me personally I just couldn't get too invested.

I went into this book having heard some mixed reviews so I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised. This book was fun and heartwarming, and I loved that the characters were a little older but still going after their HEA. I can't wait to see if LaQuette will continue this series with the side characters in this book, it seems perfectly set up for them to also get HEA's and I'm excited to see what happens.

I read "Vanessa Jared's Got a Man" by LaQuette on NetGalley. I really enjoyed how Vanessa grew so much as her own person in this book, with the help of some great friends. As a woman who was held down in her marriage, Vanessa really came into her own and was able to help others also.

This is the 3rd book that I have had the pleasure of reading by LaQuette. I love her writing style, her characters are awesome, the hero and heroine are in their forties and the plot is simply the best. With this being LaQuette’s debut Romance comedy, I must say she did an awesome job. Vanessa Jared is now single after being divorced from her cheating domineering, emotional abusive her husband. Vanessa joins Savvy, Sexy Singles Club where she meets Janae and Cree. These three women form a bond. Michael is a sheriff from a neighboring town in need of Vanessa’s help. Michael needs/wants Vanessa to help him keep his sister from marrying her no good husband. As Michael and Vanessa team up to for the good of Michael’s sister the two are getting closer and closer. I so love how Vanessa is coming back into her own with her life taking a turn for the better. In Michael, Vanessa finds what she did not have in her ex-husband. These two have great chemistry and they bring on the steam and heat. I also enjoyed the camaraderie between the characters. I surely hope that Janae and Cree get their book.

I received an ARC via NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin.

The title of this book made me think of the song “Chante’s Got a Man, by Chante Moore from 1999. Some of the lyrics are:

Chante's got a man at home (I gotta go home)
It hurts me your man's leaving you all alone
I can't help it that your baby's bad
Creeping out, cheating on ya, beating on ya
Chante's got a man at home
And he's sure good to me
Now why'd you let him beat you down
No, no, what's up with that
There's good men around
Don't you know how beautiful you are inside girl
And don't you let nobody go and steal your pride
Oh no no, I know your thing girl

This music artist is a black woman who found love and happiness with a man that she now loves. This book encompasses this song drilled out to its essence. This is a romance novel but also a book of self-discovery for Vanessa. This book opens with Vanessa leaving a horribly emotionally abusive marriage. It fast-forwards two years after the divorce and follows her life as a newly single woman. She’s not put herself out there (in the dating world) since the divorce. So, when a police chief shows up at her door to convince her to come to his small town and speak to his sister, that is now engaged to her ex-husband, she’s skeptical but wants to help.

The storyline seems implausible to me. After two years after leaving her ex, would she really get entangled in his mess to help a stranger? Maybe. While in said town, would she then be stranded there due to car trouble when she has unlimited income? Possibly. Then would she stay a week in the police chief’s house and fall hopelessly in love? Doubtful. It felt a little forced to me. She has two friends in the same town who can’t take her home or let her stay with them while her car is being repaired. I had more questions while reading this book rather than being immersed in the story.

Overall, it was a nice read, and I was able to finish it over a weekend. Both characters were likable and had relatable flaws. The nuances in this author’s writing were also enjoyable. If forced proximity and insta-love stories interest you, then you should pick up this book.

I just reviewed Vanessa Jared's Got a Man by LaQuette. #NetGalley www.netgalley.com

Two years after her divorce, Vanessa Jared is still struggling to get back to a normal life. She discovered her husband of twenty years had been cheating on her, but that was only the surface reason for her hurt. He’d been emotionally abusive and controlling throughout their life together. When Michael, sister of her ex’s current fiancée, arrives at her door, asking her to open up those wounds so his sister doesn’t suffer the same fate, Vanessa reluctantly agrees to talk to her. Along the way, she starts to catch feelings fur Michael, but doesn’t yet trust herself or anyone else in a healthy relationship.

Vanessa Jared’s Got A Man is a humorous, deep romance, with lots of spicy scenes, a strong female main character, and lovable, endearing supporting characters. The abuse and control is not described in detail, it’s just briefly mentioned. It definitely held my interest and wasn’t entirely predictable like most rom-coms out these days. Highly worth reading!

Can we just admire this hot and sexy and sensual cover for a moment?absolutely gorgeous!!!

I was immediately drawn in the story and my heart went to the protagonist. Vanessa reminded me so much of my smart, sexy and sensitive friend and all the turmoil and emotional pain of her divorce and how difficult it was for her to re-build her confidence and start her new life. LaQuette shows life as it is from the courage it takes to file a divorce and walk away from an abusive partner to how hard it is to start trusting people, how even a simple comment can rub you wrong way because you don't want to be patronised or taken advantage of. We also see other aspects of divorce through the secondary characters and their challenges. My admiration for creating realistic, relatable characters in an age group which doesn't get enough representation in romance and not shying away from portraying real life problems.

While Vanessa is rediscovering her independence and what it means to take care of yourself so that you can love and take care of others, Michael is also doing his own balancing act of being a strong, protective older brother without either spoiling his little sister or never letting her spread her own wings. There's also wonderful cast of supporting characters- fully developed and well-differentiated with their own unique voices that add more humour and genuine emotion to the overall story.

The chemistry between the protagonists- oh my gosh! Normally I don't go for anything insta, including instalust, but here there's all this immediate powerful attraction Vanessa and Michael feel for each other, all this tension that keeps building up. When they do act on it, it feels natural and it's hot, hot, hot, it's like fireworks going off on a New Year's Eve. Once again, I am so happy to see the author showing that asking for and expressing consent is crucial.

LaQuette's writing is engaging and I could almost hear my friends talking and teasing each other on a night out. With all that, there is a certain gravitas- she knows that the issues she's raising are important and have to be dealt with in a sensitive way.

All I can say, I can't wait to come back to Monroe Hills for more hot and sizzling romance!

#VanessaJaredsGotAMan:⁣
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When Toni Braxton was singing about, “and I can’t get you out of my head” she was seeing in the future to this book, Vanessa Jared’s Got A Man, because I cannot get this book out of my head! Admittedly, this is my first LaQuette book, but it will not be the last.⁣
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First off, I want to talk about Vanessa Jared herself. This women is inspiring and phenomenal. I love how LaQuette wrote her as a character. We have this strong, amazing, caring, intuitive woman, who is healing. She is a victim of emotional abuse on the behalf of her ex-husband, and she’s what many would consider an unsuspecting victim of it. The vulnerability was so realistic as EA is something no one should endure, but just like other abuse, strong, powerful women can fall prey to an abuser. I loved that Vanessa was cautious, but still understood her true worth once she was in the process of healing. Maybe it’s because the characters seemed to be in their 40s..ish, but as I grow older, I can appreciate this type of character because I’ve seen it first hand.⁣
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The many times I squealed, or hand over mouth, or hand clutching pearls were so good. This book is very steamy, but Michael and Vanessa’s connection was undeniable. I did do an audio combo, and headphones around smaller ears is definitely needed. AKA if you’re in the school pickup, you better change to Spotify. The readers of the audio were wonderful and highly recommend the audio.⁣
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I LOVED The Savvy, Sexy, Single club! They gave me Farrah Rochon’s TBP trio feels. Each woman was completely different, but they all had an understanding and caring for the other to truly have a meaningful relationship. They held each other accountable, but still gave the love and care a true friend would.⁣
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Thank you so much @smpromance @orangeskyaudio for the gifted copy! I could not put this short, but sexy, read down! Vanessa Jared’s Got A Man is out today!⁣
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*As always, if you’re a BIPOC reader and want my ARC of VJGAM, DM me and I’ll send it over, no strings attached. Let’s put own voices books in the hands of own voices readers. ❤️⁣
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#SMPInfluencer #smpromance #laquette #MilesOfPages #Bookish

Vanessa Jared was in an abusive marriage for 20 years, but with the help of therapy, a divorce support group, and the women in her Savvy, Sexy, Singles Club, she is ready to start getting her life back on track. Then Michael Park, a sheriff in a small town, asks Vanessa for help convincing his sister that her fiancé, who happens to be Vanessa’s ex-husband, is bad news. Will their undeniable attraction to one another get in the way of stopping Mike’s sister from making a big mistake?

I love romance books, but the characters tend to be in their 20s or early 30s. As a woman in my 40s, I was thrilled to read a romance featuring characters in their 40s! It was even more relatable because it was set in an area very close to me. The small town where Mike lived was charming, and I was glad Vanessa got stuck there! I loved Vanessa, and her friends were incredible! Vanessa went through so much and, after a lot of work and support, she became strong and independent. While I’m not a fan of insta love, I was a fan of Mike. He was protective, caring, and sweet! He and Vanessa’s chemistry was seriously off the charts! 🔥🔥🔥 This was a fun, spicy, sweet read with diverse characters who had depth and heart! I really hope this will become a series!

First off, the cover of this book is stunning!

While being a romance novel, the author did touch on sensitive subjects such as divorce and domestic abuse. I loved how Vanessa dealt with her past and allowed herself grace moving forward. Her two best friends, Cree & Janae, were hilarious and so supportive! The relationship between Michael and Vanessa unfolded at the right pace. The connection between them was spicy hot, like all the peppers hotttt! I will for sure be reading more from this author!

What makes this book different:
I loved that LaQuette chose to write about second chance romance in 2 grown adults! The main character, Vanessa, is a 40-year-old woman, recently divorced, who is finding her way being newly single. She was married to Karl for 20 years...literally half her life. So, all she knew was life with him. Vanessa is very real in that way; many women are trying to navigate life outside of marriages and starting to come into their own.

Michael Park, the main male character, seeks out Vanessa to try to help his younger sister, Cindy, before she marries Vanessa's ex-husband. He is a fixer; you can tell he really loves those around him. He really wants the best for others, and because of that trait, he puts himself on the backburner. He is loyal almost to a fault...he enjoys his career, he loves his sister, and he cares for his friends. What has Michael done that was completely for him, taking all others out of the equation?

You put Vanessa and Michael together, and they are the cutest. Both of them wanted the same thing but didn't know how to exactly express that or explore that option.

What I enjoyed:
-Healthy male relationships: oftentimes, minority males, are written as the antagonist. I loved that Michael, Derrick, and Adam were all minorities. They all had their own careers and were well educated. They were not out here being with every woman around town just because they could. They were respectful and respected in their friend circles and community. Adam was the epitome of a "tell it like it is" friend. He did not hold back when it came to Michael, and I loved it!

-Women empowerment: Can we take a moment to recognize how BOSS Vanessa, Cree, and Janea are? These women literally are the life of the party...they may not have it all together, but they know their worth! They are able to hold their own and do not need a man...and I love that part of the story. They didn't need to be rescued; they weren't distressed. They were coming out of previous relationships and learning to live their lives for them!

What I didn't like:
There wasn't anything that I didn't enjoy in this book. I found the characters to be relatable and complex.

Overall, Vanessa Jared's Got a Man is a well written novel. I liked the mature relationships; the ones that cultivate self-love and compassion. I don't think I've read the forced proximity trope before...I can dig it! Karl, Vanessa's ex...complete jerk! And you can tell he knew he was a jerk. He had "privilege" written all over him.

I highly recommend this book. It's perfect for a quick read. The plot was great. There was some spice...LaQuette can write a sex scene Ya'll!

This one was a solid 4/5 stars for me!

What can I say but WOW! I absolutely loved this book. The slow-burn romance, the diversity, the spice. Such a fun fast pace book with an unusual storyline. I can't say I've read any other book with this plot line.

Vanessa is a newly divorced women who thankfully escapes her abusive ex-husband and is seeking some enlightment in a divorce support group when she meets two other women recently divorced. Through this meeting these friends create their own support group and become best friends. I have to say I absolutely loved the friendship between these ladies it felt so refreshing reading women building up women like this. We all need friends like Janae and Cree.

After two years Vanessa finds herself struggling and her life takes a spin when an attractive Michael Park shows up on her doorstep with a wild proposition.

This book was wonderful and I can't wait to read more of LaQuettes future books

Thank you to NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.