I have a high expectations for this book because of the blurb. But I was so confused the I more I read this. I almost DNF this. I think the plot are a bit scattered.
The miscommunication of the main characters was a bit off. I tried but I think this book is not for me.

“Thank you NetGalley for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.”

Brilliant read, loved every bit of this book. It was everything, and I love this author and their books. Highly recommend

Ellie Davis has had enough. Humiliated after her engagement explodes in the worst way--she finds her fiancee with another woman at her engagement party and ends up arrested after she attempts to destroy his car--her career and personal life implodes. Add to that a kidnapped dog and attempted sheep murder, she sets out to make her ex pay.

Hugh is on tiny Fernley Island to wrap up his father's estate, selling off the property he inherited to Ellie's ex. However, his plans change when he meets Ellie and is swept up in her attempts to exact revenge.

Ultimately, this book is trying to do a lot, and, as a result, sort of fizzles in the third act. On one hand, it's a romantic suspense/romantic mystery, as Ellie uncovers her ex is using his latest business deal to expand his drug trafficking empire. On the other hand, it's a traditional romance, with Ellie and Hugh falling fast and facing a third-act breakup. One of the things I like about romantic suspense is that most of the tension and drama comes from that suspense, not from a clash between the two main characters. Instead, we wrap up that storyline and then move to the more traditional romance plot. In comparison, that tension is pretty underwhelming.

* Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review! *

Ellie wants revenge against Jason, her rat of an ex, but what she gets is love with Hugh the man she hires to help her with oh so many things, This is as trope-y as can be but the set up is good and the plot entertaining. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read for a rainy day.

First of all, thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read the ARC of this book.

I’m going straight to the point with this one: unfortunately, I couldn’t get into this story at all, even though it was so promising. The main female character wants to get revenge on her ex and, while she’s trying to do that, she falls in love with another man who helps her doing that: it really sounds like my kind of romance.

However - from the very first few chapters - I found the story a bit scattered. While I usually get into a book after around 50 pages, it just didn’t happen here. The more I read, the more I would be bored, annoyed and confused.

But it’s not all negative: I really liked Hugh, the main male character and, although I think that the romance was a little bit unrealistic considering they only knew each other for a few days - maximum a week - I honestly would have fallen in love with him in such a short period of time too.

I was so excited about this book so you can imagine how disappointed and sad I am to only give it two stars, but I wouldn’t be true to myself if I wasn’t completely honest in my reviews. I’m still so unbelievably grateful for this opportunity and I want to emphasize that this is only my opinion about a book that I can see - by reading other reviews - many other people really liked.

Even after their breakup, Ellie Davis can’t seem to shake her ex-fiancé. First it was the cheating, then it was the rumors, and now she finds out Jason’s been trying to get his greedy hands on her parents’ property. Where does it end? With revenge, Ellie decides.

But she might just need a little help first.

Enter Fernley Island’s OddJobs app. When the local boat mechanic she hires sends his nephew instead, Ellie has to readjust her plans to account for Hugh Hartford, who’s handsome, brooding, and only in town for a few days. But he keeps showing up, so Ellie keeps hiring him. Little does she know Hugh has his own reasons for investigating Jason Brownlow…

As more evidence against Jason turns up, so does the heat between Ellie and Hugh. But if revenge is a dish best served cold, can their spark survive—or will the secrets between them burn it out?

This story was very cute and easy to read. I enjoyed the cast of characters, as well as the main characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

<b>Four Steps To Perfect Revenge by Lillian Monroe was a heart touching contemporary small town romance . With a heroine with a wild and fierce heart and a hero who is a bit lost and broken but no less perfect.</b>

Hugh just wanted to get out of the cosy, dreamy, moss covered, sleepy island of Fernley after selling the inherited land left by his father who abandoned him & his father. Then he meets Ellie. who has been hunned and cheated and humiliated by her rich dbag ex fiancée who is also planning to turn the island into a retreat for the rich people. Hugh gets roped into this revenge plan of Ellie while falling for this quirky and sassy woman who has been broken by the man.What will happen when Ellie comes to know about his early decision to do business with her cheating fiancée even though Hugh has already turned him down?

<b>I loved Ellie's spirit. Her family has a bad protection of being rebellious and troublemaker for the good kind of reason. She always worked hard to get out of the shadows but the truth is she is a true Davis and she cannot stand for any kind of unfairness and wrong thing. She had to take down Jason who is all powerful and rich and the people of the island actually think he is a great person. So she has an uphill task .And Hugh was a surprise accomplice. Now he is the kind of man who captures all the attention whenever he comes into a scene . He has this large brooding alpha personality that mesmerises and captivates everyone. Even though he has a lot of demons inside, especially coming from his father's abandonment, he is a good man at heart and this island is dredging up lots of pain and grief and anger for him. He is very confused and emotionally divided but he has great morals and he is nothing like his father. He refused to do business with a scumbag like Jason after knowing how that person is literally polluting the island and destroying the lives of people like Ellie I love how Ellie has a fierce spirit and how she wants to stop every evil even if it's out of her power. Ellie and Hugh started as reluctant almost criminal kind of friends ( all those undercover missions). But slowly Ellie started depending on Hugh. She started falling for him and he made her feel so much worthy of all the respect and love… something she hasn't gotten in a long long time. She has a lot of insecurities and vulnerabilities thinking that people are always thinking the worst about her and when the truth of Hugh's old deal with Jason came out, it broke her. But I think she overreacted a bit , and especially when Jason already said that Hugh broke the deal with him even before Hugh had serious feelings for Ellie! Then she ran away from all the emotional issues but our guy is something else. He grovelled and pursued and slowly broke down her walls, thawed her heart and made her see that he is actually In love with Ellie and that he wants to build a life with her at the very island that brought painful memories to him. This virgin island was a very interesting set up of a story. I think the island and the colourful people gave this book a different kind of personality. I just think Ellie was a bit too hard on Hugo and that part is probably unnecessary but overall it was a romance full of all kinds of intense emotions , slow burn chemistry and complex characters.</b>

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

This book has everything you know and love about Lilian Monroe's books. Laugh out loud first few pages in, hot alpha, fierce heroine, a little suspense, some heat and a totally satisfying HEA. You will fall in love with Hugh and Ella, and of course Louie!

In my opinion, this book is a little different from the other books written by Lilian, although you can recognize the essence and the emotion that she puts in each word while writing. This book is a story about resilience. It´s about a strong woman who never thought giving up was an option for her. Her world was crumbling and her life was a failure, but she had to fight until her last breath. An amazing story about Ellie and Hugh. Her life turned upside down when her fiance, a powerful man, cheated on her and she decided that revenge was the best answer. Hugh had just inherited a piece of land from his father, a man who abandoned him when he was a little boy. Hugh was all muscles and Ellie just wanted a little help. A recipe for disaster, of course. Two broken hearts in different ways. Two haunted souls. Together they could conquer the world. But how to trust someone when your experience shows that people can't be reliable? Anyway, it is not only a love story. It´s about deep feelings and life the way it is. The book is emotional, romantic, funny, easy to read, unpredictable, and realistic. The characters are incredible. I recommend it.

What a crazy start to a great story. You have two characters that have so much chemistry from the very start. They fight their feeling through most of the story. But it keeps you hooked. When Ellie does all her crazy acts and Hugh stays by her side you wonder when these two will finally fall for each other. There are so many twists in the story and I love how it all plays out. You won't regret read this story. Another great read from Lillian Monroe.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This was an interesting premise. I must admit, it made me laugh a few times. I liked the idea of the book, but the main character Ellie seemed somewhat juvenile. I truly did not see the issue with Hugh. He didn't really lie to her-just didn't tell her everything. The police were horrible. I could understand her frustration with them and some of the town. I am not sure why she had to spend the night in jail or even have a mug shot. The book was slow in places but I really liked Hugh and the gain. Her family was super supportive. 3.5 stars

3.5 stars - The writing is fun, with a little steam thrown in for fun. I enjoyed Four Steps to the Perfect Revenge except for the fact that the hero, Hugh, let the deception linger for so long. I start skipping pages around chapter 23.

I wanted to read FOUR STEPS TO THE PERFECT REVENGE because what bonds people together better than giving someone their due? And in a humorous way?

Romance stories thrive on miscommunication, but in this story it went to a bad place because it didn’t make sense in light of all the other factors. As such, it changed how I felt about the characters and the story - ok, Ellie. If I were Hugh, I would not have been able to overlook this. I finished the book because I wanted to find out how the revenge thing worked out, and that fell pretty flat.

Conflict is necessary in keeping interest in a story. In this case, it didn’t feel right to me.

I received the book from NetGalley and this is my voluntary review

This is such a fun rollercoaster of a read that'll have you laughing, swooning, and even feeling a little mischievous. I mean, who wouldn't want to get back at someone who's done them wrong, right? From the same author who brought us the hilarious "Dirty Little Midlife Crisis," Monroe knows how to weave revenge and romance into a tale that's nothing short of entertaining.

So, we meet our heroine, Ellie Davis, who's been through the wringer thanks to her conniving ex-fiancé, Jason. He broke her heart with his cheating ways, then spread nasty rumors about her, and now he's eyeing her parents' property! But Ellie's not about to let him off the hook. She's got this impulsive and brilliant plan for revenge.

Now, you know how these revenge plans go, right? They hardly ever turn out as expected. Ellie thought she was hiring a boat mechanic through Fernley Island's OddJobs app, but she ended up with the boat mechanic's nephew, a new to the island Hugh Hartford. He's big, handsome, brooding, and only in town for a short while, making him the perfect twist to Ellie's carefully crafted revenge plot.

As Ellie and Hugh's paths keep crossing, sparks fly, and there's undeniable heat between them. But when you've got revenge on the menu and secrets simmering beneath the surface, you can't help but wonder if their budding romance can withstand the fiery truth.

Ellie's dealing with a heavy sense of isolation, and it feels like the whole town of Fernley Island is against her. Thanks to Jason's dirty tricks and rumors, she feels like she has been cast as the "villain" in their breakup, and that's created a cloud of mistrust and hostility around her.

Feeling like an outcast is tough, and she's determined to prove she's not the person the town thinks she is. She wants to regain her lost dignity and respect, and her quest for revenge is a big part. But as the story unfolds, we get to see Ellie's journey of self-discovery and healing, and how her view of the town's opinion starts to change.

Enter Hugh, and Ellie realizes that not everyone in Fernley Island despises her. The town shows its caring and supportive side, giving Ellie a glimmer of hope that maybe she's not as hated as she thought.

"Four Steps to the Perfect Revenge" takes us on a heartwarming and hilarious journey as Ellie navigates her emotions. Her shifting perspective on the town and its people is a big part of her character development and the overall story. Trust me, you're going to love every moment of it!

I received an advanced copy via NetGalley and all opinions are my own.

This is a fast paced and funny five-star read. It won’t be one everyone will love, as I didn’t always, but overall, it was so good, I honestly couldn’t put my finger on why I didn’t like it all, so it could just be me in a funk. Ellie was great, you immediately got behind her, and felt her story, cheering her on even when we really shouldn’t. Ellie was headstrong and a little crazy but aren’t we all when it comes to our pets and exes. Wynn, I didn’t feel so much for, she didn’t do anything wrong, I just don’t feel we got to see her so much that we really knew her, I liked Mables troupe and the other characters from the island, they all shared as part of the story, but I don’t know I would have thought Wynn would be there more. I enjoyed the chemistry and the fission between Ellie and Hugh, and his whole back story gave him a nice depth, you can understand where he comes from. Overall a good story that will entertain you.

Lilian Monroe knocked another one out of the park! I love her stories and the way she brings the characters to life. Hugh and Ellie are no exception! Ellie is the first one we meet and she is feisty and a little crazy (in a good and funny way)! She meets Hugh in her craziness and the adventures start for the 2 of them! He is a talk, dark and handsome man that believes in right and wrongs and wants to help Ellie. He wants get the the bottom of his choices on what to do with his inheritance, because his choice effect not just him, but the entire Island. I love how the book flows with not just them, but her family and friends! You root for Ellie clearing her name and getting her vengeance on her ex and are surprise when Hugh steps in to help. Ms. Monroe knows how to write a book that completes not just the main characters story, but all the other stories in the book that she created to bring the book to a finale….. or a continuation (ex: next book). Awesome read!

I received this book off netgalley for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. This book had a bit of everything in it. The storyline was good. There was a bad guy a swoon guy Hugh. Ellie was a great female character she was a tough cookie who stood up for herself which you don't see alot In books and Louie the dog I loved him and who Ellie adored. Lionel was a great character too. If you want a nice read for me it was a page turner of a island with a bunch of characters that are there for each other. And we all love a happy ending don't we then this book is for you.

I’m solidly in the middle with this book, Ellie and Hugh were a great couple, or non-couple. They had good chemistry and balanced each other perfectly. We also met some fabulous side characters, which honestly can make or break a book. The grandma and her posse, the parents, the townspeople… magic! I was also really happy with the author’s descriptions of the island; I could practically see, smell, and hear the island every time it was described. Bravo on that. It’s not easy to make a place come alive through words alone.

I didn’t love the pacing of this book. It felt like it really dragged in some places, especially “step 4.” It definitely wasn’t the fast-paced story promised in the blurb. I also feel redundant because I mention this in quite a few books, but I don’t love the new adult vibe that gets tossed in to a lot of books. I’m talking about the really wishy-washy, existential crisis stuff when a character has to discover who they are. I feel like it toes the new adult line when that becomes a major plot point, and then it feels like it was added for length and to up a word count. Ellie was super annoying with this. Like girl, come on. The world isn’t out to get you because you have a garbage ex-fiancé. Finally, I really, REALLY did not understand the conflict between our two mains. The fact that Hugh inherited land from the father he never spoke to shouldn’t have been an issue for Ellie. Even if he didn’t tell her about it up front, he made his mind up really early on that he wasn’t going to throw his hat in with Jason. I’m not sure what the issue is. In fact, it should’ve been the opposite of an issue because they succeeded in blocking the resort development. I don’t know, maybe I missed something crucial somehow.

Anyway… thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advance review copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

this book could've had so much potential but the miscommunication was annoying. the female character was super immature. I wish I liked it more.

I was excited about this book when I read the blurb, but just had the hardest time really going all into it. I liked Jason well enough, but Ellie was a harder character to get behind. This was a 3.5 star book rounded to a 4.