2.5 ⭐️

I think I probably would have liked this more if I had known what I was getting into. Since this was my first book by this author I think my expectations were a bit different than they should have been.

I did have a fun time reading this but it is about 80% smut and also heavy on the insta-love. The entire book only spans about a week with day 1 being the first time Maverick and Bridget meet. I was expecting this book to bring the spice based off of the synopsis but even though it was 80% smut I still kind of feel like it didn't deliver in that respect. If I'm going to read a book that is predominantly smut there needs to be something unique or crazy about it and this was pretty basic in that department.

The reason why I had to bump this down from 3 to 2.5 ⭐️ is because I could not stand how Maverick spoke to Bridget a lot of the time. He starts calling her "baby" literally during their first interaction and never stops over the course of the book. He also LOVED to man-splain things to her which was irritating. There's a scene in here where him and his brothers are talking and Bridget is sitting in the room with them watching the conversation. After the conversation ends Maverick walks over to her and re-tells her everything that was just said in the conversations even though she was there...like she couldn't comprehend it on her own without it coming from him. There's a decent age gap between the two of them (10+ years) and I felt like these moments sort of came across like he was treating her like a child which made the age gap kind of cringey.

I did like the characters and would definitely be open to reading the rest of the series because like I said I did have a good time with this and I think going into the other books knowing what I'm about to pick up will definitely help centre my expectations.

Received a copy for review.

Boss/employee: age gap
I love these quick, spicy but not emotionless books. This is the perfect reset read
Bridget is a math genius who was expelled from MIT because of a terrible professor. She loved her job, even if her boss is a sexist jerk.
Maverick is in town to get a project on track. When shot woman spills iced coffee on him and he receives a misspent email, he knows he’s found the woman of his dream.

MAN HUNT (ON A MANHUNT BOOK ONE)

Release Date: 12/27/22
Kindle Unlimited: [ ]YES [X]NO
Stand-alone: [X]YES [ ]NO
Author: Vanessa Vale
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5
Spiciness rating: 🌶🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
POV: Dual, first person
Main Characters: Bridget & Maverick
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Tropes: age-gap; small town; insta lust; fast burn; praise k!nk

Review:

You know when you read a book and it seems to end way too fast? Man hunt is a normal sized book (around 300-350) and I read it super fast! I LOVED Bridget and Maverick’s relationship. The age-gap + praise k!nk? Yes, please, give me more of that!

Bridget had only had bad experiences with men and was wary of them, she just wanted to work and be left alone. Then it enters Mav… oh Mav, the guy was swoony as heck!! His only flaw? Call himself old, if he is old and I’m older than him, what am I? I don’t like when characters in their 30-40’s keep calling themselves old…

Anyways, the book is romantic, super hot and fun. It ends introducing the next book that also is very promising!!


*** I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book that I got from Valentine PR through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. ***

I have a new book boyfriend and his name is Maverick! This steamy romance and a protective alpha male will make you weak in the knees.

I have wanted to start this series for a while now and am so glad I finally got to it. It's a bit of a retelling of Sixteen Candles. Bridget is a shy woman who likes to stick to her comfort zone. When her best friend Mallory, challenges her to fill out a sex quiz, it makes her nervous. But she has to finish it before their girl's night. So, she answers all the questions and hits send on her email. Oops. It looks like she accidentally sent it to her boss, Maverick. He is sexy as hell and they actually met earlier in the day when she spilled coffee on him. At the time, she had no idea who he was. To say Bridget is panicking is an understatement. She knows it will lead to her being fired. But what surprises her most is that Maverick tells her he is ready to fulfill all her fantasies based on her sex quiz.

I loved how steamy it got between Bridget and Maverick. Their chemistry is through the roof. And yes, there is an age gap but it doesn't matter because they are meant for each other. What I liked most was how Maverick was able to get Bridget to see how special she really is. I totally understand her self-doubt/self-worth because her past wasn't the best and it's so fulfilling to see her growth throughout the book.

This is a must-read for all my smut readers! It has everything I love about a steamy romance. Vanessa Vale's writing is so good that I already bought book 2!

What happens when you email your sexy new boss a sex quiz? Well...he emails you one back of course.
This instalove story brought the spice and the over the top possessive hero that I've come to expect and love from Vale. Bridget is the quirky, nerdy heroine that I found myself relating to. It was refreshing to see a character on the nerdy side. She has insecurities from past relationships that filter over into her here and now. Maverick does a great job at showing her his attraction up until the end. I loved this story and it would have been a solid 5 star read for me if it wasn't for the ending/conflict. This man up and left her to attend to another woman (not going to spoil, but there's no cheating) after a sexy night with Bridget. He is gone for days and while he tries to call he owed her so much more than a call. There was absolutely no reason he couldn't have talked to her before leaving or you know not go at all. She COMES TO HIM and there is absolutely no groveling. She was owed so much more and I felt like she was coming off as a doormat for him. I needed more strength from her and a lot more groveling from him for how greatly he messed up. Especially given her past. Again, this was a feel good story with the instalove goodness and possessive hero that I love, but I needed more from the characters for the conflict.

A steamy quick paced romance. The book pulled you in right from the first chapter and didn't let up until the very end. The banter between the main characters was sweet and spicy. I really enjoyed the author's writing style and can't wait to read more by them!
Thank you Netgalley and Valentine PR & Literary Management for the arc!

I liked reading this one, I enjoyed most the setting of a work romance, employee and a boss who is a giant next to her. It was a nice spicy story that was quick to read. I love that it has a happy ending.

This was a quick, steamy romance that featured a billionaire, small-town, age-gap and boss/assistant. There was a lot of insta-love in this book too! Maverick was a possessive MMC who knew he liked Bridget upon first meeting. Bridget was a bit of a mess, and had that "inexperienced" nerdy girl thing happening (not a fave). It seemed to work in this case though.

This book was a quick, palate cleanser that was a quick and easy read. This was my first Vanessa Vale, but I will check out some more of them in the future! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.

So the whole story takes places over the span of 48 hours, and if you overlook the absolute lack of plot and just soak up the vibes & smutty goodness of the book then you’ll like it.

Man Hunt by Vanessa Vale is a fast-paced, spicy romcom with a ton of nostalgic throwback moments.

Bridget has been burned by a man before. Her college professor used her and left her emotionally scarred and paranoid. Her boss is a sexist pig. Her best friend is a terrible (but funny) influence, and her sister just wants what's best for her.

While grabbing her morning coffee, Bridger encounters a giant of a man who she promptly spills her coffee all over. Of course this ends up being her boss' boss, and a slight obsession begins for both of them.

He's much older.
He's technically her boss.
He's protective and alpha and stands up for her with no hesitation.

Aaaannnnndddd he also happens to be the accidental recipient of an email containing answers to a sex quiz she took a la Sixteen Candles.

I really enjoyed Man Hunt. There were some moments where you definitely had to employ the suspension of disbelief, but that's par for the course with romances. Maverick made the slightly awkward moments worth it. That man has a mouth on him!

The spice in this book is top notch. Lots of praise and mild dominance plus some super sweet moments to even it all out.

I give Man Hunt 3.5 - 4 stars. Why the range? Because the ending ticked me off just a bit. The tension seemed too contrived and out of character. Maverick seemed like the kind of guy who would have taken Bridget with him no matter what. The rest of the book was entertaining enough to make up for it though!

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

I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a book this much in along time. This was completely OTT Instalove but it came with a great story and a cast of characters who all deserve their HEA. The heroine was adorable and the hero was all kinds of bossy hotness! Definitely recommend and I can’t wait for the next book.

I ate this story up in one sitting. It was an age gap with the spiciness that makes your cheeks go red. I loved the instant attraction between them but I would have liked the love to have more time to develop instead insta love, nevertheless I enjoyed reading it. It was cute with a side of spice.

Quick Summary: A hot and bothered romance

My Review: Manhunt by Vanessa Vale is book one in the On a Manhunt series. It features the relationship of Maverick James and Bridget Beckett.

About the Billionaire: Maverick James is a thirty-seven year old businessman. He is successful, driven, focused, and single. To some, he is ripe for the picking. He, of course, wants no part of that. When a sweet, young woman accidentally bumps into him, he suddenly finds himself wanting some of what she doesn't seem to be offering. How can he get the very attractive brainiac to see what he is serving up?

About the Brainiac: Bridget Beckett is a twenty-two supercomputer when comes to math and physics. Her past is filled with memories of MIT, loss, betrayal, and grief. She is desperate to keep the job she has, and she is not willing to mess things up. When a secret missive meant for her friend mistakenly finds its way into the inbox of the boss of her boss, she is mortified. Why is she secretly turned on by the sexy CEO?

My Final Say: This is a zero to one hundred, super spicy romance. It's fast-paced and doesn't slow down. The older man/younger woman trope is alive and well in this one. Readers who want a lust at first sight love match will really enjoy this quick read.

Other: The author did a good job with setting up the other characters. They were interesting enough to draw attention without taking the focus away from the story leads. I look forward to reading more about the James brothers and about Bridget's family and friends.

Rating: 3.25/5
Recommend Yes
Audience: A
Status: R
Level: 🌶🌶🌶

Thanks to the author and to Valentine PR & Literary Management for making this work available for review. The words I have shared are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

This one has a cute premise and had some really fun moments in it. The idea of sending the wrong thing to your boss is so relatable! I always love a good small town romance too. This book was lighthearted, funny and fun! There were a few things I didn’t love about this story but it didn’t stop me from finishing it out. I’m sure the series gets better with each book as the author grows! 😊

Bridget accidentally emailed her answers to a sex to her boss Maverick. She is a lot younger than him but he's really intrigued by her....

Lots of fun and sexy scenes. Love the humour and wit. The romance is kind of an insta-love.... I am okay with it because the book is so funny and made me laugh so many times.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

While the premise of "Man Hunt" initially peaked my interest I really struggled with the writing style of this book.

I don't typically mind age gap or insta love tropes in books but the way they were presented in this storyline wasn't for me.

Readers with different preferences may find aspects of this book enjoyable. It covers many popular tropes such as Age Gap, Strong Possessive MMC, Small Town, Insta Love and Workplace Romance.

Thank you Vanessa Vale, Net Galley and Valentine PR & Literary Management for providing me with a copy of this book.

This book is spicy in the best way. It’s instalove which is not my thing but still cute. This was so hot that I’m not mad about it. Maverick gives daddy dom vibes in the best way. The dirty talk was stellar. It was a quick and easy read and I finished it in a day.

loved the cover of this book but the content itself just wasn’t for me.

as a short woman i love a height difference. yes! do tell me that this woman was short and this mmc was as tall as henry cavill. but it felt like their height difference was brought up every three pages. and with really odd descriptions too. the first time they meet he describes her height as a “little peanut” and then proceeds to call her a half pint. it’s gonna be a no from me.

i do love the idea of lindy and dex being the featured couple of the sequel but i unfortunately don’t think i’m going to be picking it up

Thank you to netgalley and Valentine PR & Literary Management for an e-arc of this book!

Tropes:
-Age Gap
- Insta-ove
- Billionaire Boss
- Small Town Romance
- Workplace Romance
Bridget is an assistant for a project management company. Maverick is one of the owners of the company.
Their meet cute involved spilled iced coffee and was followed by the accidental delivery of a sex quiz. Bridget and Maverick's chemistry and connection is instant. He taken with her when they first meet but she doesn't trust him because other men in her life have proven men can't be trusted. I couldn't put this down. It was funny, sweet and hot. I loved that Bridget is young and a little quirky she is also really smart.

it was super hot reading their banter back and forth. They absolutely were sparking off one another and him egging her on was just delicious. They are so compatible and it was steamy when she'd react to his teasing. Yummy!!