OH MY GOODNESS LAUREN ASHER DOES IT ONCE AGAIN!!

Love Redesigned was everything and more. Especially with this book surrounding Mexican characters, it is even more special to me. You don’t read too many books about Mexicans and this was absolutely perfect. So, thank you Lauren for writing and giving us Mexicans representation in a romance book because you don’t get that very much. It filled me with so much happiness to be represented in a book by such an iconic author. The Spanish and the family in this book made me feel right at home. I loved every second.

But seriously, Julian and Dahlia having that rivals to lovers romance was all consuming!! It was so beautiful, and so entertaining!!! I loved their tension and banter and the way they mended together so perfectly. I will never get over these two wanting each other for years and just finally waiting for that moment where they could give in. I am forever obsessed with this book!!!

What you can expect to find in Love Redesigned
-friends to enemies to lovers
-second chance romance
-small town romance
-one bed
-billionaire hero

Dahlia and Julian have countless memories together growing up. But it's the last bitter memory of them together that Dahlia remembers the most. Dahlia needs a chance of pace after her fiance dumps her and their interior design show. Needing some time away from the limelight, Dahlia decides to come home to Lake Wisteria. Dahlia does not expect to literally run into Julian on her first day back. Soon these two find themselves working together to renovate an older home in Lake Wisteria. Will they be able to mend their relationship and try at a second chance?

Love Redesigned was such a sweet romance! There was minimum drama, no third act breakup and both Dahlia and Julian had so much history between them. The banter between Julian and Dahlia was always so fun. I loved that Julian tried to be a grump, but he would literally do anything to make Dahlia happy 😍. I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the house they were renovating and liked how it was woven throughout the story.

If you're looking for a small town, second chance romance pick up Love Redesigned!

LAUREN ASHER NEVER LETS US DOWN. oh my gosh this book was phenomenal. the childhood friends to rivals with forced proximity!! such a fun combo and she delivered on all of it. the banter and bickering had me actually laughing out loud. the mutual pining that neither wanted to admit to!! Dahlia’s healing journey was so sweet. i loved their families so much, the moms were the stars of the show sometimes honestly. i already love this new cast of characters and i am just so excited for the rest of the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for providing the ARC.

One of the things I really enjoy the most about Lauren Asher's books is how she is able to weave a romance together with just enough drama to make the story interesting. The conflicts don't feel forced or silly, but rather the result of very real situations that manifest themselves in hard ways.

I enjoyed Julian and Dahlia's story as a rivals-turned-lovers second chance romance. Julian is a very reticent character who has a tendency to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. Dahlia is reeling from a failed engagement to the man she ended up with after Julian broke her heart ten years ago. This results in relationship built on distrust, competitive rivalry, and animosity right from the start that they then have to overcome.

I loved seeing Julian's vulnerability as he tackles the demons from his past and Dahlia regaining the trust she had in herseld when dealing the demons of her present. As a result, you get a soft, emotional story of two people who just want to find love with each other after so many years of being apart.

If I had have one criticism, it would be that some of the arguments that happened earlier in the book felt a little too much for two people who would end up together, but it does also serve as a way to illustrate how messed up things were and how they were able to come together and move past all of the animosity.

Very enjoyable read. I'm eager to read the next in this series.

I was super intrigued to dive into a new series from Lauren Asher. Once I had the ARC in my hands I was worried about the length. but I am here to tell you don’t dismay! Lauren Asher is so damn good at writing a quick, compelling yet chunky book.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…
Characters: Dahlia and Julian are the lead characters of Love Redesigned. Let’s start with Dahlia who I found intriguing from the first few pages. She had this quiet tenacity about her, no wonder she went from small-town girl to designer with an HGTV-like show. I loved how determined she was, which is what made Julian her perfect match. He puts the billionaire in Lakefront Billionaires and has done mighty well for himself while sacrificing his wants and desires. Both the characters lost their fathers and it shaped who they are as people, and Lauren did such a good job showcasing how that can affect people in two very different ways. Another character that stood out to me almost right away was Julian’s brother, Rafa who I clocked as the hero of the next instalment the minute he walked on the page as a single dad, with a new nanny.
Setting: Lake Wisteria is the setting for this book and it felt one part gossipy small town with both the Muñoz and Lopez families playing a large role in cheering on the romance. This was balanced with the whimsical nature of the founders’ homes and the renovation of such historic houses. If you’ve read the Dreamland Billionaires then Lake Wisteria will ring a bell, and do not fret Lauren found some great ways to weave a few cameos. I like this town and I cannot wait to read future books set in it.
Pacing: I read most of this book in about a day as within just the first few chapters I found myself hooked and had no desire to let go. I alluded to just how terrifyingly a brick this book looks but everyone who I have talked to who has read it had a similar experience where it just flew by. I have never seen a romance novel with footnotes before and I loved this! It was awesome to include lots of bits of Spanish, from the terms of endearment to the insults I loved this little touch.
Romance: Yes this is childhood friends to rivals to lovers, and yes I ate up every second of tension. Most of this book is filled with our couple pranking each other and getting into tizzies but then it just makes those heartwarming quiet moments so impactful. It is a slow burn but I loved every second from the early embers to when the spark burst and the characters could not keep away from each other.

SO fun! lauren asher has cemented herself as THE billionaire romance writer and i cannot WAIT to read more of this series! julian and dahlia were so spirited and hilarious to watch and their tension and chemistry was off the charts! I'm forever a fan!

LOVE REDESIGNED is the first book in Lauren Asher’s Lakefront Billionaires series. Dahlia Muñoz returns to Lake Wisteria where she is begrudgingly reunited with her childhood rival and family frenemy, Julian Lopez. Dahlia and Julian team up to renovate a historic house together, and being in close proximity makes it all the more difficult to deny their feelings for each other.

The cast of side characters was truly delightful! Who doesn’t love some meddling, matchmaking mothers? I loved the lake town vibes & this book truly covered all of my very favorite tropes 🥹

🩵 small town romance
💜 childhood enemies to lovers
🩵 second chance romance, my favorite trope 🫶
💜 dual POVs
🩵 forced proximity
💜 only one bed
🩵 home renovations

Some difficult topics were discussed but each was handled with so much care. The characters’ fears & struggles weren’t just glossed over, which led to such strong character development.

I can’t wait for book two!!

This was too good! Lauren Asher has done it again! I loved Julian so much! I cannot wait to read more of this series!

Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books for a ARC of Love Redesigned!

I had a lot of fun reading this! I love a good childhood friends/rivals romance. I can't put my finger on it exactly why, but for me this is probably 3.5 stars. It took awhile for things to get rolling. But it was great once we got there. I really appreciated the communication of Dahlia and Lucian towards the end. And I liked that there was no third act breakup. I'm knit picky about a few things, but overall I had a great time reading this.

I loved this book! It was the first book I've read by Lauren Asher and it won't be my last!

Julian and Dahlia have known each other and battled with each other forever, their mother's are best friends. They have not spent time together since Julian dropped out of college after his father's death and Dahlia stayed in California to create a design business complete with a tv show and an engagement to Julian's former roommate. When Dahlia returns home struggling with depression after her engagement ends Julian tries to avoid her but the mother's are not having it. Julian has no choice but to agree to a project with her and hopes it speeds her departure. Instead it ends up forcing them to spend time together and deal with their fears and insecurities and grief. But after all that has gone before will they be able to trust themselves and each other?

It includes real life challenges with life and grief and mental health which I like because it makes it more real. It also is a bit spicy so don't read this if you don't want spice. All in all I really enjoyed it and can't wait to return to Lake Wisteria.

Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5 stars

Love Redesigned is the swoonworthy second chance/childhood rivals to lovers romance. When Dahlia returns to Lake Wisteria after a heartbreak and career setback, the last person she wants to see is Julian. Julian, her childhood rival and the man who broke her heart in college. When the two are forced together to renovate a house, sparks begin to fly once again.

I absolutely loved this book. The banter was perfection. The chemistry was scorching. The small town vibes were immaculate. I was rooting for Julian and Dahlia to figure out their issues and fall back in love. The home renovations were an excellent bonus.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story! It's my favorite Lauren Asher to date.

There were parts that felt a little to drawn out, but once the wheels get traction, this was full steam ahead to the HEA.

I loved the rich cast of side characters and the warmth of family just overwhelmed this book. I loved getting to know them.

This book is full of mutual pining, coming to accept yourself and admitting your true feelings. Not just about love but about what you truly want.

We explored grief, depression, and infertility but they never felt too heavy. They added to the depth and realness of the story.

Julian was a grumpy man of few words whose hiding some deep feelings. Watching what he does about it was a sight to behold. When he gets a second shot with Dahlia after so many years of no hope... he will pull out all the stops.

I really recommend this Romance!

4.5 stars
2.5 on the spice scale

This is my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it and how she wrote the characters. It was a great pallette cleanser book when you’re needing a good book to binge read!

This is the first book in a spin off of the Dreamland Billionaire Series and it’s set in a small town with Dahlia and Julian who are childhood rivals. I definitely loved the banter between the 2 characters and I actually giggled in parts because of the pranks they played on each other.

You’ll like this book if you like these tropes:
Childhood rivals
Second chance romance
Billionaire romance
Forced proximity (loved this part of the book)
Home renovation
Childhood dreams coming true

“I’m not done with you."
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I think this might be my favorite Lauren Asher book to date, and that’s saying a lot since I’m obsessed with Formula One and her Dirty Air F1 series.

Dhalia and Julian grew up as childhood rivals — with their mothers being best friends — but just when they got to a point where their relationship might change to something more romantic, tragedy struck and that possibility disappeared.

fast forward almost a decade (in which they haven’t had anything to do with one another), and they find themselves back together in their small hometown. Dhalia has come back to reset after a terrible break up and losing her home design tv show. Julian is now a billionaire after developing a profitable app with his cousin and expanding his family construction company into successful luxury business. neither wants anything to do with the other. but with the help of some meddlesome mothers, these two find themselves partnering on some home renovations, and their old attraction quickly reignites. unsurprisingly, it doesn’t take long for these friends-with-benefits to realize they are developing some very real feelings. Dhalia doesn’t trust herself for anything more than a casual physical relationship regardless of her feelings, and she doesn’t trust Julian not to break her heart again. but Julian is determined not to let the girl of his dreams get away again.

when Dhalia gets an offer to star in a new show in San Francisco, can these two learn from their past mistakes and trust each other enough to build a future together?

filled with heaps of comedic relief, Love Redesigned examines grief and anxiety in a raw way while showing it’s possible to move forward with love and trust.

Dhalia is a relatable boss woman that I’d die to be best friends with, and Julian is a swoony, rough-around-the-edges family man. put them together, and you’ve got this riot of a good time! I’m already dying for the next book!

•

read if you like:


♡ big family gatherings
♡ billionaires
♡ childhood rivals
♡ dual pov
♡ family business
♡ forced proximity
♡ home renovations
♡ he’s obsessed
♡ interior design
♡ jealousy
♡ local festivals
♡ “look at me”
♡ mclarens
♡ one bed
♡ overcoming past insecurities
♡ prank wars
♡ pro/con lists
♡ second chances
♡ small town romance
♡ spontaneous weddings
♡ “that’s my girl”
♡ tv home design shows
♡ working with your hands

trigger warnings:

☞ infertility
☞ parental death
☞ depression
☞ anxiety
☞ grief
☞ toxic relationships

•

thanks to Bloom Books for sending me an early copy for review!

This book was everything! I've been waiting for this for so long and I'm so excited I got the chance to read it early! This author has been a favorite of mine since I first read the fine print by her. Every single one of her books has been between a 4-5 star read for me and Love Redesigned is no different. Julian and Dahlia were the most perfect way to kick off this new billionaire romance series! This author's writing flows so seamlessly that you don’t even feel like you’re reading. I felt like I could picture the scenes and hear them out loud in my head. This book made me cry so many times (in the best way) and had me laughing and smiling to myself. I love the way this author interconnects her characters and series and lines up the next books in her series. I’m so excited for the next book in the series!

4.25 ⭑

This was super cute! Julian was a man obsessed with his woman, and I was LIVING for it! He may think he’s protected by his stony exterior, but it is clear that Dahlia was his kryptonite. All of the things he did out of his love and appreciation for her—all the while she believed he hated her—were so precious.

The banter in this book was SO good. I think the rivals to lovers and (kinda) unrequited love made for good tension, quick wit, and moments of comedic relief throughout some of the book’s heaviness.

Honestly, this could have stood to be longer, in my opinion. I felt like the beginning of Julian and Dahlia’s intimate relationship felt kind of random. Yes, we had build up with the forced proximity, but I didn’t feel like the story was at that point when it happened. I feel like more of a slow burn would have been better!

As always, Lauren did a fantastic job of incorporating heavier topics into a sweet romance story.

I can’t wait to see what happens in the rest of this series!

Lauren Asher could write a grocery list and I would throw my money at her. The start of a new series is just what the girlies needed and this did not disappoint. A flawless read for me. Can't wait for the world to fall in love.

Prefacing this with, I love Lauren Asher. However, this one didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I couldn’t relate to the characters and they felt immature.

Thank you for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

This was a great read overall! Fans will definitely feel comfortable reading it, as it feels very much like her other books stylistically. If you like childhood friends to lovers trope then this is the book for you. Easy to fly through and be lost in the book.

As always, Lauren Asher creates magic with her every word, weaving a story that is entirely character-driven, and then glued together by her inimitable quirky wit and swoon worthy romance. I couldn’t put this down.