I really enjoyed this book! The romance between Penelope and Xander was beautiful and their chemistry was off the charts. While it did take me a minute to get into the story due to all of the characters and the finance talk, I don’t think you’ll have that issue if you start this series from the beginning. It was a really solid romantic story and there’s a really strong found family dynamic throughout the entire book.

Definitely looking forward to going back and reading the rest of the series, and anything Ava writes next.

Thank you to Avon for this ARC via NetGalley.

Ava Rani has done it again in the third installment of the Biotech Billionaires series. These are interconnected standalones.

The Charmer is written in first person, dual POV. We meet Penelope Chen-Astor and Xander Sutton.

Vibes found in The Charmer are Marriage of Convenience complete with "My Wife", friends to lovers, one bed, "fuck-it" list, he wants to take care of her, she's a parentified daughter, both are billionaires, black cat/golden retriever.

LOVED THIS!

The third in the Biotech billionaire series is a steamy marriage of convenience that takes place largely in Singapore. I liked it but it wasn't my fav of the series. Good on audio and recommended for fans of Lauren Asher's Lakefront billionaire series. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this a lot! Loved the Singapore and Manhattan bits and really loved the diverse representation through the characters.

This was enjoyable, witty and had emotional depth.

I will definitely read more by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ava Rani, Avon and Harper Voyager for giving me an advance reader’s copy of this book.

I think... I need to read more billionaire romances? That is certainly a sentence I never thought I would write, but as advertised "The Charmer" was incredibly charming.

While "The Charmer" is a standalone novel, and can definitely be read as a standalone, I did feel like there was some context I was missing having not read the previous two. However, Part of this could have been due to the writing style where the author would allude to past events the characters experienced together, the details of which were revealed later. Either way, having read this one I'm stoked to read the other two.

Do I think billionaires should exist in real life? No, absolutely not. But was I obsessed with the glitz, glam, drama, and high society of it all of this book? One thousand percent. I think "The Charmer" was what I wanted "Crazy Rich Asians" to be (Sorry "Crazy Rich Asians", I saw the movie first). It was very romance forward but also sucked you into its world of legal drama, familial obligation, and glittering parties. There was absolutely some insider trading and RICO violations happening, but in a sweet way? I wouldn't have thought that possible before reading this book (in fiction, please don't commit fraud IRL).

The characters were fun and likable, the plot kept me hooked, and the romance made me kick my feet. I couldn't really ask for much more.

4 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

This WHOLE series is very Gossip Girl vibes BUT this story has a twist of "Crazy Rich Asians"! If you were a fan of Lauren Ashers "Lakefront Billionaires" Series you will LOVE everything about Avas series! Thank you to Netgalley, one of my FAVORITE publishing teams over at Avon and Ava for this eARC!!! it was OUTSTANDING!

What to Expect:
So many tropes!!!
Marriage of convenience
Friends to lovers
Only one bed
Spicy to-do list
Circle of Best Friends
Intercultural Relationship
Full Golden Retriever loving boyfriend!

NOTE: Some trigger warnings!
- Death of parents
- Discussions of depression
- Arranged marriages
- Touching on verbal/physical abuse

My Thoughts:
This might be my favorite out of the series so far. I have LOVED each story, obviously always hard to compete with the first, BUT I was waiting for Xanders story since we meet in him in book one! He is the definition of Golden Retriever! We learn from book one and two just how sweet, kind and loyal he is to everyone he loves. How guarded he is as well. I loved getting to see the depth of his individual growth, but also how much they two of them heal together. We get a glimmer of the start of Penelope and Xander in Book two but we get all the juicy details in this one.

Penelope the main lady of the storyline, is FIERCE. She shows a lot of personal growth through this story. I really enjoyed that her story is focused on her bravery, and willingness to learn not just about herself but what she is willing to and not willing to compromise on. That doesn't just pertain to her relationships, or the marriage she could have had to please her family, but also what she wants for her life as a whole. She wins the lottery finding someone who knows she doesn't need him, but is willing to give her the world in ways she didn't know she wanted/needed/ or would be willing to ever ask for. That might be my favorite part of the story is her finding a way to not be afraid to ask for love and support when she usually wouldn't.

All that to say my favorite out of the series! If you haven't had the chance to read any of them in this series YOU MUST get to ordering them!!!!

Synopsis:
Penelope Chen-Astor ran away from the stifling expectations of her wealthy family in Singapore for an independent life as a high-powered Manhattan lawyer. But familial duty comes crashing back when her grandfather’s will demands she be married for a year to claim her inheritance. She’d walk away from it all, but her mother’s assets are at stake too, and this is the only way Penelope can see to protect her.

Enter Xander Sutton, the billionaire co-founder of investment group Dawn Capital. With his effortless charm and easy smiles, he’s used to winning hearts, but Penelope’s always proven immune to him. When she’s backed into a corner and asks Xander to masquerade as her husband for a year, he sees a golden opportunity to finally win over the only person who’s kept him at arm’s length—but the closer they get, the harder it becomes to play pretend.

What begins as a strictly business arrangement quickly spirals into steamy encounters and genuine emotions. When meddling relatives, corporate espionage, and high-stakes legal battles come into play, Xander and Penelope will have to decide if the inheritance is all they stand to lose when the year is done...

Penelope is in need of a man to marry for a year so that she can get her inheritance from her stuck up family. Xander Sutton is a billionaire with a great sense of humor who seems to be perfect for the job. They already know each other, why not embark on this business deal together? But when the tension starts to build and the friendship turns into something more, it no longer is about the inheritance.

While this is an interconnected standalone, I do wish I had read both books prior to reading this. I think it would have made me feel a little less confused and more invested in the side characters. This book had a great blend of sexual tension and spice and even though it took me a while to get invested, I really did enjoy it!

Thanks for the ARC! The Charmer is a fun, fast-paced romance with just the right mix of family drama, legal tension, and emotional depth. Penelope and Xander have a great dynamic, with clever banter and believable growth throughout. The marriage-of-convenience trope is handled with charm, and the settings—especially the scenes in Singapore—add a vibrant backdrop. A satisfying end to the Biotech Billionaires series.

This is a romance series that involves three best friends who are bio tech billionaires. These books can be read alone, but I have enjoyed the series. I highly recommend for lovers of romance.

I really adored this book. I loved the storyline and the characters and their development. The evolution of Xander and Penelope’s relationship was so natural feeling and nothing really felt forced or too fast or too slow for me. The individual development of both of them was also very smoothly paced. It came at the time where it made sense and moved the story without feeling like it was solely to move the story along if that makes sense. Very well written. Very loved.

Ava Rani has my entire heart, and this series has my entire heart. It was Crazy Rich Asians meets Suits in the best way and if it doesn't become a major motion picture I simply will riot. Rani has a wonderful talent in making one feel immersed this lavish word with corporate politics that have sizzling and concise. I especially loved the MOC trope for this novel, one that made me feel like the moment the love was real, the pay off would be fantastic and I was correct!

The Charmer by Avi Rani
Biotech Billionaires series #4. Contemporary diverse romance. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Penelope Chen-Astor became a high-powered lawyer to escape her family’s expectations. But times up for her and she’s pressured to head home to Singapore and get married to a pre-selected groom that will benefit the family coffers.
Penelope doesn’t want to marry. At least not to the provided groom. Xander Sutton offers an alternative which turns their fake relationship to passion and feelings.

He falls first. A sexy premise that is enticing and steamy. High end deals, money, and brands I can never afford. That’s ok. It’s fun to read about it and know I’m probably more comfortable in casual and easy.
New York, Singapore and all right places, plus an enamored lover with lots of sex appeal and money to spend. Why not enjoy the ride?

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

"take me with you, or have adventures on your own and then come back to me...and not because i'm afraid to lose you - because i want to be with you, however you'll have me. my heart it yours. whether it is perfectly intact or riddled with cracks. so do your worst. break whatever you want. i'm not scared; i can take it."

this was so cute, a mix between crazy rich asians, suits, and gossip girl that also reminded me a little of the kings of sin series by ana huang (one of my favorites). honestly, the summary alone already told me this book would be up my alley, and i was not wrong. i really enjoyed seeing how xander and penelope's relationship developed and how they both grew as individuals. while it is an interconnected standalone, i did occasionally feel like reading the first two books would have made this one make more sense, especially in the beginning. additionally, the pacing did seem a bit inconsistent, slow at the start and a bit rushed at the end, but overall i still enjoyed the book and will likely read it again after reading the other books first.

the charmer, the final installment of the biotech billionaires trilogy, is available now! thank you to both ava rani and good girls pr for the arc! *this is my honest review and all thoughts, words, and opinions are my own*

The next book in the series, The Charmer was a solid read. This is my first book by this author and I would love to read her again. Xander and Poppy are both in business part of their careers. Xander being in the tech field and Poppy being a lawyer. Knowing each other through friends, they decide to fake date for a year to help Poppy get what she wants completed from her grandfather. Xander has always had a special thing for her. This was a cute read that made me laugh at times. The perfect marriage of convenience and fake dating with a strong FMC lead.

I received this ARC through the publisher and I am voluntarily reviewing this book, opinions are my own

I love this book. I love this series. I started with the audiobook of The Spare which got me excited about audiobooks. I immediately requested the charmer when I saw it on netgalley. I love all the characters and feel like I am in their friend group. Each character is so well rounded and relatable.This series is great for those wanted to read romance but wants more than romance.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Avon and Ava for the arc of The Charmer, out now!

This was my first read by Ava and I am so going back to read the rest of the series. The Charmer is book 3 in the BioTech Billionaire Series. I love me a billionaire romance, but more than anything, I LOVE a Marriage of Convenience. Add in a “My Wife” moment? It will be devoured by me! ‼️✨

This was like if Crazy Rich Asians and Gossip Girl had a child. Crazy Rich Asians is one of my favorite movies ever, add in some gorgeous spicy scenes and a steamy bucket list and here we are, The Charmer.

Penelope is the daughter of wealthy parents, and with that comes conditions she needs to follow…a condition where she needs to be married for a year to get her inheritance. So Xander comes into the picture. Xander is a man so down bad that when Penelope asks him to be her fake husband, he jumps at the opportunity to prove he’s good enough for her. The amount of angst in this book??? I love me some angst and yearning!

Ava did a beautiful job at blending in the black cat x golden retriever vibes with the scenarios they were put in. The story flowed well and I truly had a great time reading. Yes, even when I teared up at some parts because we had to touch on the heart.

I loved both Penelope and Xander separately as much as I loved them together. Penelope is strong and confident and Xander is loyal and a lover, add in their banter, they were psych a fun time!

Also the Spicy To-Do-List came with a Spicy NSFW art work that I am obsessed with😮‍💨🌶️ (you can find it on Ava’s page) I need you to find it, because it’s everything!!!

Thank you again for the arc, so excited to read more by Ava 🫶

- Marriage of Convenience
- Black Cat x Golden Retriever
- “My Wife”
- BANTER!
- Crazy Rich Asians x Gossip Girl
- Escaping a Controlling Family

I was expecting a light-hearted marriage of convenience book. But this book tackled a lot of big issues, and handled them all reasonably well. However, I found the relationship between Xander and Penelope to be a bit forced/underdeveloped. That could be on me for not reading the first two books in the series before this, but I suspect I’d still have that gripe.

I really enjoyed this one, although I wish I would have read the first two before this one so I had a better understanding of the relationships between the friend group I still didn’t feel lost during any of it. I loved the banter between Xander and Penelope and the pacing of this one felt so natural. This was a fun, easy read and I can’t wait to go back and read the first two!

Ava Rani does it again with such a swoony romance! Every time there is found family I know it is an Ava Rani book. She is unstoppable with her banter!

Penelope Chen is the heir to a Singaporean family wealth, and she has been betrothed to someone she grew up with for years. Building a career and life in New York was a way to live her life to the fullest before Duty called, but when it actually comes knocking and her mother's livelihood and comfort are contingent on her marriage, her hand is being forced.
Xander Sutton is the happy-go-lucky charismatic guy who seems to always have it together on the outside but feels misplaced and broken on the inside. Penelope has always intrigued him, so when the opportunity to pretend to be her fiancé arises, he plays into it. And when it turns out that actually marrying each other will save Pen from her betrothal, he says yes.
Entering a marriage of convenience was never part of his plan, but if it's the only way to keep her, he'll take it.
After they marry, they encounter a number of hurdles together, but it only brings them closer, and the attraction they feel for each other only grows until they can't fight it anymore and give in. They choose each other through all the turmoil and Ioved seeing both of them drop their defenses and give into their hearts.
Vikas and Rebecca were wonderful on this title, embodying these characters and bringing all their complexities to life. What a fun, rewarding way to finish this series!