Ava Rani shines once again in the third book of her billionaire bio-tech series.

I was so looking forward to Xander’s book as I CONSUMED the first two and I feel like though these are interconnected standalone, this story is better when you read the first two in the series before venturing into Xander and Penelope.

I love how Ava writes her characters, their romantic relationships, and their friendships. They are somehow so light and yet meaningful.

Ava treats her characters with love and grace. It’s not a typical story because they feel more real than most characters ever do—
Instead of act three break ups—
It’s just a conflict of real people journeying through circumstances

The HEA feels earned, and the found family makes me tear up. I love the characters so much, and I'm eternally thankful for the additional epilogues Ava Rani graced us with.

Thank you so much to both Ava Rani and Avon for a copy of this ARC.

You can absolutely tell that the author has hit her romance writing stride with this 3rd book. Her main characters had so much more depth and personality and her side characters felt like a true, loving, found family vs flat characters we just learn about on the page. I ate this one up in a day. I absolutely love Xander and frankly want to read more MMC like him.

My only two issues with this book were that I felt like the conflict and resolution with her sister felt rushed. I would have liked to see it drawn out a little longer towards the beginning of the book. My eyes also glazed over with the legal jargon about all of the mergers, but that's more of a me thing than the book's issue.

(Also disclosure this is the series I accidentally picked up in the middle, so I've read books 2 & 3 and now I'm going back to start book 1 lolol)

4.75/5 stars and I can't wait to see whatelse Ava releases!

I enjoyed The Charmer! It had a lot of the classic billionaire romance tropes I love, but with an added international flair and found family dynamic that gave it heart.

The Manhattan/Singapore setting was such a fun surprise! It totally gave Crazy Rich Asians vibes and added a fresh dimension to the billionaire romance genre.

Xander Sutton! Oh, Xander. What a swoony, romantic simp. The man remembered every single detail about Penelope, and he was the king of acts of service. They never felt over the top or performative. Just genuine love in action.

I still felt the warmth and loyalty within the friend group, and it was heavy on the found family trope, which I love. The dynamics were funny, supportive, and full of love.

Penelope as a main character fell a little flat for me. She’s described as a powerful, high achieving lawyer, but we barely get to see that side of her. Most of her arc is tied to family drama, which, while realistic and emotionally charged, overshadowed her strength and independence. Her personal growth didn’t feel as earned as I wanted it to. Xander’s trauma was touched on but not explored deeply. It was more of a background note than something integrated into the relationship or driving his actions. The emotional payoff at the end felt unearned and underdeveloped.

As much as I liked them together, I couldn’t tell you why they loved each other, and did not feel their romantic connection as much as I would like. Their past interactions were vaguely referenced and lacked emotional depth. For a slow burn, it didn’t feel like it simmered long enough. They were cute, sure, but not deeply compelling.

The writing bothered me because the dialogue and exposition sometimes pulled me out of the story. There were moments that felt overwritten or clunky, making it hard to stay immersed.

The pacing and plot was also off. There were stretches where the story dragged. The ending conflict in particular didn’t fully make sense or hit with the weight it was supposed to. Penelope’s family drama, while an important plot point, felt like a repetitive device that lacked meaningful resolution or layers.

I’m glad I read this book, because Xander alone makes it worth it. Ava Rani writes with a romantic, heartfelt touch, and I appreciated the effort to weave in deeper themes like familial pressure, identity, and love as healing. That said, I wish the emotional arcs had gone further and the romantic development had been more robust. Still, it’s a sweet, slow burn with a ton of charm (pun intended), and a satisfying close to the Biotech Billionaires series.

Rating: 3.75 ⭐️ rounded up to 4 for the found family vibes and my soft spot for Xander!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ava Rani, and Avon for the eARC of this book.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC of The Charmer y Ava Rani.
"The Charmer is an unsettling and engrossing read, perfect for those drawn to psychological fiction where morality is never black and white. Ava Rani skillfully unravels the illusion of charm, leaving readers haunted by the unsettling question: When does persuasion become manipulation?"

I got this ARC and realized I had the first book from Christmas so I decided to read that, get the second book to read and then read the ARC. The first two books were fine, easy to read but nothing really grabbed my attention and I probably wouldn’t have continued the series if I weren’t trying to. One person in the first two books who DID grab my attention was Xander, who happens to be the main male character in the third book! It honestly was more fun reading his and Penelope’s story but it could easily be because I read about their tension throughout the other books. It was refreshing to read how they dealt with issues, most books have someone leaving in hurt panic and the other has to chase them, which is fun still but I enjoyed this way much more!

good, 🌶️romance novel with a fun, strong FMC and a charismatic MMC. i felt there were some things that could be explored more but as a whole 3.5-3.75 stars. tysm for the arc.

Thanks netgalley for the ARC!! It's been a minute since my last billionaire romance and fake marriage. Overall, this was a 2.5 stars for me.

Things I enjoyed:
- Manhattan x Singapore setting - gave Crazy Rich Asians vibes
- Xaden - he was such a simp for her and remembered every small little detail about Penelope, which led to some very romantic acts of services.
- Found family - I jumped into the third book of the series, without reading the first two so I felt I missed some background context, but it was evident the support and love this friend group had for each other.

Things I felt were lacking:
- Penelope - she was fine IMO... she's apparently a very strong lawyer but then was so weak when it came to her personal life. While I can see how that happens (family trauma is so real), the majority of the drama surrounded her family so we didn't get to see very much of her strong side.
- Xaden's trauma - while this was explored, it felt a little surface level to me. We didn't really see this explored in Penelope & Xaden's relationship until the end and it felt weak.
- Their relationship - they were cute together, but I cannot tell you why they were in love with each other. They alluded to their history and tension but with so little explanation. It felt like they had 2 pretty average moments in the past that I would say leaned more friendly than anything.
- Writing - the writing was great but there was something about the exposition / dialogue that would throw me off. I wasn't fully engrossed in the world or the characters.

4.5⭐️

Xander and Penelope’s story was the perfect end to this series! I’m a sucker for marriage of convenience and this totally delivered!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

The story starts out with Penelope needing to marry to get her inheritance. Xander is in the same friend group, and has had a crush on her for awhile.

Overall, I enjoyed this book! The friend group was funny and close-knit. I liked watching Xander and Penelope's relationship flourish.

I felt like there were many parts to this story that caused the storyline to drag on. I also felt like the ending conflict didn't make sense. And Penelope's family issues were used as a plot device very frequently, but was not fleshed out enough to make it believable.

Tropes:
Marriage of convenience
Found family
Billionare x billionare
Black cat x golden retriever

Who doesn't love a billionaire's romance story? This was a fun, quick read (despite its length) that really touches on found family vs blood. I haven't read the previous 2 books & don't think it deterred from this reading. There are quite a few explicit sex scenes in case that is/isn't your thing. Overall a solid 4 star romance for those who like this trope.

What would you do to reach your happily ever after ending? Would you put trust before fear?
Adventure before family? Happiness over playing it safe? Set against a backdrop of wealth and privilege in New York and Singapore, the main characters in this story's temporary marriage will put everything they think they want to the test.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley.

Some books sweep you off your feet, and The Charmer by Ava Rani does exactly that—with a smirk, a stolen glance, and just the right amount of slow-burn tension. From the very first chapter, I knew I was in for a ride. This book effortlessly blends humor, heart, and sizzling chemistry, making it impossible to put down.

The protagonist is sharp, witty, and refreshingly real, and the love interest? Pure charm wrapped in a little bit of trouble. The banter between them is perfection—equal parts flirtatious and emotionally charged, keeping me grinning like an idiot one moment and clutching my heart the next. Ava Rani crafts characters who feel alive, their struggles and triumphs weaving together in a way that’s both deeply emotional and endlessly entertaining.

The romance is a slow burn, but oh-so-worth it, with just the right amount of tension to keep you flipping pages. And let’s not forget the side characters—because they bring so much depth and warmth to the story, making this world one I never wanted to leave.

If you love books with undeniable chemistry, swoon-worthy moments, and characters who stay with you long after the last page, The Charmer is a must-read. Highly recommend! 💕📖

A billionaire romance is one of my favorite tropes. I think this one might be my favorite in this series so far. The chemistry and the steam between the two main characters is just. Phew! Amazing.

I received an ARC copy from Netgalley and HarperCollins. All opinions are my own.

Firstly, I'd like to start off by saying that I haven't yet read the other two books in this series, so I was slightly confused at the mention of the other characters and their past. However, this didn't stop me from reading and enjoying the story. Penelope Chen-Astor and Xavier Sutton truly do have a sizzling romance, and their characters are well-developed. The plot is engaging and easy to read. There are a lot of references to luxury items and a lot of business talk and rich-people activities, which had me dazed and somewhat confused. However, it does live up to my expectations. It's a mix of drama, tension, romance, erotica, and lavishness. I really want to learn more about Singapore, thanks to this book, and when I have the time, I will read and review the first two ones! Four stars, would recommend to a friend!

The Charmer is the final book in the Biotech Billionaire universe.

Penelope ran away from her controlling family in Singapore for a life of independence, as a lawyer in Manhattan. But this can all be taken away from her because of the demand in her grandfathers will. Penelope has to be married for a year, in order to get her inheritance.

Xander, is a billionaire and co-founder of Dawn Capital. Most women can't resist his effortless charm and easy smiles. He's use to winning hearts, except when it comes to Penelope. She's immune to Xander and all hiss charm, so when the opportunity to become Penelope's fake fiancé presents itself, he takes it.

I love the slow burn between Penelope and Xander. Penelope is use to putting her needs last and Xander doesn’t take life too seriously, so it was great seeing their give and take dynamic. Xander has been pining for Penelope for years and I loved how he made her feel safe enough to open up to him. Watching him change from a carefree man to a man that has embraced his feelings and understands Penelope was 🤌🏻 perfection. And seeing Penelope on the receiving end of dedicated friends was beautiful. I really do love the found family trope.

💚Billionaire romance
✨Friends to lovers
💚Marriage of convenience
✨Intercultural romance
💚"My Wife"
✨Angst!
💚Black cat x Golden retriever
✨He falls first and harder
💚Tight-knit friend group
✨Found family

I have not read anything by Ava Rai and enjoyed The Charmer. Penelope and Xander were great. I enjoyed reading their story. I also enjoyed the business aspect of the story. I enjoyed the other characters and will read their stories as well. I can't wait to read more by Ava Rai.

This was exactly the kind of book I needed—a perfect palate cleanser that had me smiling the whole way through. There’s just something about a billionaire romance that hits so right, and even better? Penelope is also rich and powerful, so there’s no tired damsel-in-distress trope here.

The fake marriage setup is always a win, and Xander? Total charmer (pun absolutely intended). Their chemistry was effortless, the banter was fun, and the slow shift from business arrangement to very real feelings had me hooked. Plus, the mix of high-stakes legal drama, corporate intrigue, and meddling family members kept things interesting without taking away from the romance.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book!

I have been waiting to finish the trilogy and this did not disappoint! So cute and so steamy. I really enjoyed the friends to lovers via a marriage of convenience bc the love story comes across naturally. Penelope and Xander just seem so realistic, not that the other couples don’t but their story comes across with a sense of reality. Sometimes the business and law lexicon get lost on me but it wasn’t enough to really dnf but it did get me a bit frustrated with it but that’s in all three of the books. Also Ava Rani gets her 10s for BIPOC romances that are just delightful and aren’t stereotypical tropes of BIPOC characters. I cannot wait to get the physical copy to finish my set!

Tropes: he falls first, fake dating/ arranged marriage/ marriage of convenience, friends to lovers, billionaire romance, found family. Mild spice.

I have devoured this entire series this month, and I was so excited to get to Xander’s book.

It’s always the ones who seem the most carefree who really have the most going on underneath the surface. Xander was absolutely another confirmation of that. I adored him in the first two books and loved getting to know him on a deeper level in this one. He was so sweet and such a genuinely good person to his core. Anyone he cared for was certain to be treated with kindness and respect. Penelope was at the top of his list. And speaking of lists…swoon AND steam delivered by Xander for Penelope. All of that doesn’t mean Xander was a pushover though. He had the power and means to do what he needed to do to secure futures and shutdown people who needed to be shutout, and he didn’t hesitate to do it.

Penelope was an interesting and dynamic character in her own right. She had such a lovely growth arc throughout this book and I loved watching her bloom — under Xander’s care and through her own gained confidence and sense of self. I will always cheer for a woman learning how and when to put herself first and make her own wants and needs a priority. Penelope had a lot of complex family dynamics to work through and I was really proud of how she handled herself.

I’ve loved being introduced to Ava Rani’s work through this series and look whatever to anything else she has coming. Thank you to Avon via NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A totally enjoyable fluffy romance – this one is of the ‘marriage of convenience to satisfy an inheritance clause’ variety. The characters are extremely likeable with a strong female lead, a sweet and devoted male lead, and a large group of friends/chosen family. I have not read the first two books in the series, and while it is not necessary to do so, I honestly did feel at a slight disadvantage (it was difficult at first to remember the connections between all the friends, and there was some healthy fomo based on all the allusions to past events I had not experienced). But I was still charmed by the characters, especially the ‘he falls first’ storyline. And the story is a fairly classic fantasy romance of rich and beautiful people attending lavish events and jetting off to beautiful locales that was pure fun. The HEA was never really in doubt, and I appreciated the clear intent and reliability of this novel to satisfy all the promises of its genre.