the spice! omg! I love Mann's writing becuase even though she is mostly smut she always has a fire plot as well. it doesn't feel like I'm just reading to get to the spicy parts, I find myself actually invested in the plots of her books as well and this one was no different. I really love this series and I highly recommend! the best smut books I've ever read.

Sexy, demanding, lawyer boss is unbearable and mean because all he wants is to be down his interns pants again.... this book was a lot of steam with a little bit of character development (and I'm not complaining)

I feel like this book was very predictable and had a good story, and sometimes, that's all you want in these types of steamy romances romances.

Thank you to netgalley for an ALC of this title in exchange for my honest thoughts

Okay, so this book was just not for me. There was 3 main reasons why it didn't work.

1. The hero and the heroine thought only about seggsual things with each other from the first page. And on EVERY SINGLE PAGE after that, one of them was making a comment about the others body. For me, that isn't erotic, it shows that there is nothing else between them.

2. The hero was cruel. I don't care if he was trying to push her away. They are in a work environment. A work environment where her FAMILY members work. He was demeaning to her behind her back and in her face. He let his lust for her make him cruel and petty. He just made my skin crawl by the end of it. And the AUDACITY for the heroine's cousin to even say to her that Declan is just being mean to push her away. And for that to make the heroine... excited... like we're on a freaking school playground? He was undermining her possible future by being cruel because his dick couldn't calm down. NO!

And finally, 3. When there was the big "reveal" in the 3rd act and they both come clean about some things... SHE IS THE ONE APOLOGIZING TO HIM? Hell to the damn NO!

I'm just speechless. I don't normally go off this much with a bad review for me but there was nothing romantic or erotic about this book for me. I was very disappointed.

2 stars
4 on the spice scale

CW: misogynistic pig of a male lead

I received an Audio copy for review

I think the male narrator took some getting used to for me. He didn’t have the finesse or the suave of an alpha type man who commands the attention of everyone in the room just by his mere presence. The female narrator is one of my favorites out there. She has a softness and innocence she portrays while also commanding a scene. She made this story interesting and fun because she felt like her characters. She brought Hannah from the pages and made her come to life.

This is a sex driven story that leaves little build up between Declan and Hannah. Between the generic plot, there were moments that ignited the pages and made it hard to deny the chemistry between them. This book is full of sexual innuendos and at times was a *bit* cheesy, but this book is one of the steamiest ones I have read. I think this is for those who love characters that have chemistry, but the story is a bit lacking in substance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ALC

Thank you Netgalley for the audio copy.

This one was just a bit too much steam spice for me. It started off ok, and usually I like alpha males but Declan was tad over the top for my taste. Hannah was a great female lead.

I enjoyed the actors narration, and will definetly check out Marni Mann again.

Excellent book, I don’t usually love the workplace romance but this was done very eloquently. The voice actors were nice to listen to. All in all, would recommend!

Summary: When Declan Shaw, hotshot litigator known for his player ways, and his intern Hannah Dalton (who also happens to be the boss’ cousin) are forced to work together, sparks ignite. From the boardroom to the bedroom, these two cannot get enough, but for how long?

Thoughts: I am pretty sure this is the steamiest book I have ever read, topping Birthday Girl by Penelope Douglas which had been top tier. I definitely blushed quite a bit while reading this. While a lot of erotica feels forced to me and a bit cringey, Marni Mann did an excellent job at creating open door scenes that felt natural (dirty mind you) but natural and not forced or awkward.

I binged this in just a couple of hours on audio and definitely enjoyed seeing the progression of not only the MCs relationship, but the growth shown by Declan as he navigates his first significant relationship. My only criticism is that I wish there had been a bit more character development to help me connect emotionally to these characters but I know that new adult/erotica tends to be more plot heavy.

Read if you like:
•enemies to lovers
•workplace romance
•forced proximity
•slight forbidden love
•alpha male
•erotica

I do a mix of audio/reading and I will say I think the narrates did a great job bringing all the steam in a way that didn’t feel forced. If you are an audiobook lover, I think audio is the way to go.

"The Intern (Dalton Family 4)" by Marni Mann
Price paperback: $ 14,35
Price ebook: $ 4,99 (as of 01/18/2023)
Price audiobook: $ 42,87 (as of 01/18/2022)
Audiobook length: 9hrs 51mins (unabridged)
Audiobook narrator: Kelsey Navarro, Tim Paige
Page count: 357 Pages (according to publisher's information)
ISBN: 979-8987106037
Publication date: 12/23/2022 by Marni Mann --- 01/03/2023 by Dreamscape Media (Audiobook)
====================

In advance:
Reviews are always a personal opinion. Many thanks to Dreamscape Media for providing me with the audiobook as a free review copy, which in no way influences my opinion!
====================

Blurb:
In the legal world, everyone knows my last name. So, when Declan Shaw—the hottest, most ruthless and sought-after litigator in the state—comes in to mentor my class’s mock trial, I decide not to reveal that piece of personal information.

I want a one-on-one with him like I’m any other law student, especially when we go out to celebrate after class.

But the one-on-one ends with us in the alley behind the bar.

With us stripping off our clothes.

With me screaming his name.

It’s desperate-to-have-you, no-holds-barred, downright filthy sex.

And then, he ghosts me, like a complete alphahole.

But a few weeks later, when I walk into The Dalton Group—my family’s law firm—where I’m starting my internship, my new boss is waiting for me.

The man I despise.

The man I can still taste in my fantasies.

Declan Shaw.
====================

Book/series title & cover:
"The Intern" is book four in the Dalton Family series by Marni Mann. The volumes are self-contained, each with different protagonists, but build on one another, so reading in the correct order is recommended.
====================

Characters & Plot:
Hannah is an absolutely ambitious, very smart young woman, almost at the end of her law degree. Declan is the best-known trial attorney in and around Los Angeles, extremely good-looking, but an absolute alpha type and sometimes downright rude. Hannah and Declan meet at a sham negotiation. Their night out ends with a quick but intense act behind the bar, and Hannah is certain she will never see Declan again—except in the courtroom—until Declan is assigned to mentor her on her internship. Declan isn't too keen on being a mentor anyway. However, when he is also assigned to Hannah, his mood sinks to its lowest point, which Hannah feels every day. The celebrity attorney and the only woman "he CANNOT have"...
====================

Writing style:
"The Intern" is alternately told from the first-person perspective of Hannah and Declan. The writing style is humorous, nicely fluent and easy going.
====================

My conclusion:
Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm an absolute audio book junkie, that I like sexy stories with explicit scenes - and "The Intern" offers all of this.
The author Marni Mann has created a great protagonist in Hannah, who I really liked with her self-confidence and her determination. Basically, she has known her entire life what she wants to achieve, is very consistent and simply clears obstacles out of the way. As a reader, I was already familiar with her from previous books of the series, but Declan was new to me. Declan isn't a guy you love from the start. He's an ass and absolute macho. Yes, he is successful, and he has certainly done something for it, and yet his manner at the beginning is definitely not what I would expect from a man. But I also got to know another side of Declan and gradually grew to love him more and more.
The chemistry between Hannah and Declan is explosive and I was immediately drawn into the story, which Savannah Peachwood and Lee Samuels certainly contributed to. Both are among my absolute favorite speakers and have done a very good job here too: they carried me away and were very easy to understand even for me as a non-native English speaker.
My conclusion: If you like it sexy and hot, this is exactly the right book for you, just like the other parts of the series. A clear recommendation from me!

5 von 5 ★★★★★

Hannah is a super smart law student who is related to lawyers at a prominent group. During class one day, Declan comes to speak to the class and she is smitten. The become involved, and she is then, unknowingly, assigned to be Declan’s intern. Power differentials, trying to hide feelings, and a lot of sex. Like, a lot. At some points, it did not add to the story at all. I skipped over some of the scenes just because they became a bit monotonous. Definitely steamy!

4/5*

Plot 4/5 | Characters 3.5/5 | Romance 3/5 | Spice 3/5 | Writing 4.5/5 | Audiobook 5/5

What a great introduction to Marni Mann's novels. This was definitely a spicy read and basically exactly what I was expecting based on the book cover and the synopsis. This age-gap, work relationship was a big push and pull between the strong and sassy Hannah and the alpha hole she works under, Declan. I am not going to lie- after the first 15 minutes of this book, I just about put the whole thing down. It started off too strong, too shallow and too alphahole ( never thought I'd EVER say that) for my liking. But, as I was reminded by one of my favorite little people on the planet, you should never give up on a book. So I hung in and the plot became more interesting as it progressed. This book was very HOT and STEAMY which I am never opposed to and the characters had good chemistry. Now the very unpopular opinion, my least favorite part of this book was Declan. Usually, I am all for an alphahole getting his ass handed to him by a strong and tough leading lady but for 90% of this book, Declan was just a complete jerk. I didn't feel like his character developed at all. Learning to kiss someone on the lips doesn't qualify as quality character development. He is just a player and other than being an incredible lawyer and other than being able to manipulate a jury, I am not sure what Hannah saw in him. Physical chemistry only goes so far. He did clean up his act in the end by doing nice things for her, but I am surprised she even gave him the time of day to even let it get that far. All that being said, I still liked this book a lot and I do look forward to reading more Dalton Family books and more books by Marni Mann. Just because I didn't fall in love with the MC, that doesn't mean he isn't someone elses dream. Maybe another Dalton man will do the trick?

If you like forbidden workplace romances with lots of steamy scenes, an age-gap and family situations, this is the book for you. Very enjoyable and I am excited that this is a series.

Highly recommend the audiobook! Fantastic narrators!

* I was lucky enough to receive a free ARC of this audiobook from Netgalley and the author and this is my honest opinion of it*

I just couldn't get through this book. The narration was great. It started off okay, but I wasn't a fan of Declan. I thought he was a jerk, and I just couldn't connect with him throughout the book. Huge thanks to Netgalley and the audiobook publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

4.5/5 ⭐️
4/5 🌶️
5/5 🎧

I thoroughly enjoyed this dual narration. The narrator’s really brought the story to life. And the chemistry between them was phenomenal.

As for the storyline, The assumptions, miscommunications, and retaliation provided the angsty background to the various spicy scenes peppered throughout. It definitely kept things hot and bothered, but I was also rooting for the MCs to get their heads screwed on straight for their HEA. This was entertaining from the storyline to the spice and made even better by the narrators. Definitely recommend!

Amazing is not enough. This one had me stopping every once in a while to gather myself off the floor. The spice is truly amazing.

I had the opportunity to listen to audiobook for this and it is amazing! The narrator brought the characters to life and immersed me into the book. Highly recommend the audiobook!

Declan and Hannah are magnificent. Declan is your typical cocky lawyer who thinks the world bends to him, granted I love it. Hannah knows what she wants and she goes for it. She is determined and make sure no one walks over her. Love her.

The two of them together makes for an incredible pair. The way their relationship grows kept me wanting more. Never while reading did I want them break up or move on. They needed to be together.

There are things that test their relationship but I love how their influence on each other helps them get through that.

But the spice is incredible. It doesn’t take away from the plot just adds so much to it.

I recommend this book to anyone.

Hannah is just starting her law career when she meets Declan, who is established and well known. One quick encounter, a misunderstanding and that is that..or so they both think. Much to their surprise, Declan is assigned to be her mentor at her family law practice. And so they have to navigate the will they, won’t they, over the top alpha male, steamy, fighting to get closer and at the same time to stay away from each other to finally find their way to their HEA. I found Declan not to be terribly likable so it wasn’t my favorite of the series. Great narration.

Unfortunately, this wasn't for me. I will certainly try this author's work again.
I listened to the audio. Both narrators were very good.

omg i couldn't stop listening to this book!! the narrators were phenomenal!! i'm a huge fan of the enemies to lovers trope and this book definitely delivered. hannah and declan gave me the perfect combination of banter, sexual tension and character development. i cannot wait to recommend this book to everyone!! 💕

This is the first book I've read/listened to by Marni Mann. I give it a 4.5 Star rating. It was a great standalone. I did some research to see if there were previous books since I was curious about some of the other characters. I found that this is book four of five. I am definitely interested in going back to the beginning of the series to start at book one. This was well written with a great storyline and genuine characters. It took me time to like Declan. He had to grow on me. But I liked Hannah from the beginning. I had a smile on my face when it ended.

Savannah Peachwood and Lee Samuels are excellent narrators. They have easy to listen to voices and performed with emotion. This audiobook rolled like a movie in my head. Perfection.

Thank you NetGalley and Valentine PR for the audiobook copy of this book. This is my voluntary and honest review.

I really enjoyed the narration of this one! I always love dual narrators but also really love when they try to stay true to the characters and bringing them to life.⁣
⁣
I love an enemies to lovers all day every day and this hit the mark on the end. Declan and Hannah had amazing banter. Declan definitely dealt with some anger issues and at times seemed unreasonable but I loved his growth through the story. ⁣
⁣
Hannah seemed to have a great head in her shoulders and always seemed to make rational decisions and she was brilliant. I always love a baddie female main character. I thought she should’ve let Declan grovel a little more from time to time but I imagine if he was that sexy and growly, it would be hard to resist.⁣
⁣
This was HOT from start to finish. « Gimme your mouth. » will never leave my brain. ⁣
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4 ⭐
3🌶

Tropes:
▫ Workplace Romance
▫ Age Gap
▫ Enemies to Lovers
▫ Forced Proximity

Review:

I was given an audio of this book to review and i thoroughly enjoyed it! Savannah Peachwood is one of my favourite female narrators and it was my first time listening to Lee Samuels and I was not dissapointed.

Hannah Dalton is in law school and looking at interning at her cousins firm. She meets Declan when he sits in on one of her classes for a mock interview. Hannah and a group of other students go out for drinks with him afterwards and have one hell of a hot hookup.

Thinking she will never see him again, imagine her surprise when she turns up to her mentors office for her internship, and it is none other than Declan. Declan is a giant alphahole towards Hannah for a lot of the book, he hates the close proximity to her because of how much he wants her.
I loved the push and pull between them, and how steamy the spicy scenes were! Declan has one hell of a mouth on him!!

Once again M Mann delivers a sexy, steamy and addictive story!! I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook, and these narrators did a fantastic job portraying the dirty-talking alpha attorney hero and the sassy and brilliant intern heroine.

From the first moment Declan Shaw is introduced he is pure sex in a suit, and the chemistry between him & Hannah is instant and explosive. Their connection, passion, and all-consuming need of the other was HOT. I shivered at times when the narrator's deep voice portrayed Declan, whether it was in the office or the bedroom.

After their initial connection, the angst, tension, banter, and battle of wills between these two characters just builds and builds until you can't take it anymore.... and neither can they. These two are fire whether they are arguing or have their hands on each other. I loved Hannah's determination and tenacious spirit - with Declan and her career; and of course every time a Dalton brother made an appearance, I swooned and sighed.

This book is pure enemies to lovers addictive goodness! Can't wait for Camden's story which is next! Well done to M Mann and the narrators!