Cute read!

When three best friends get involved in a reality show renovating a home that they've loved since their teenage years, they are in for a big surprise.

Ivy, a computer hacker, Anika, who's in charge of the show, and Harper, the contractor are best friends. When they get to work on the historic home, Harper needs to make friends with the design team, Reid Dorsey. Their attraction runs hot, but they clash at every turn in their opinions.

Both Harper and Reid grew up in emotionally abusive homes, so having a chip on their shoulders is nothing new. But when they get to know the real person behind the pain, they slowly fall in love.

But Reid is hiding a big secret from Harper. When an ex from his past shows up, he tries to get rid of Harper by any means possible. But Harper is just as stubborn as Reid. And she decides to finally fight for what she wants for once.

*I received an ARC by the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Built to Last by Lexi Blake is a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance filled with witty banter, sizzling chemistry, and the charm of a grand renovation project. Harper and Reid’s clashing visions turn into something deeper, making this a heartwarming and satisfying read. I enjoyed this book and rated it five stars.

Review of “Built to last” by Lexi Blake - Blue Box Press - review copy

I have not read anything by this author before, but I have only come across words of praise about this book, so I am very much looking forward to getting started with the book and seeing what it can do.

Three young women make a pact in high school to always be friends and to one day make it big in Manhattan.

Harper Ross has always dreamed of working on one of the magnificent brownstones of Park Avenue. Now one of her closest friends has bought the house of her dreams and hired Harper to do the construction work. She wants to showcase the renovation on a television show for her brand-new production company. It's the same grand home she and her friends promised themselves they would be able to afford one day. Working on it isn't the same as living in it, but it's all a part of Harper's grand plan to grow her father's construction business into one of the biggest in the city. The only obstacle - the designer on the project.

Reid Dorsey believes in the balance between beauty and functionality. As one of Manhattan's new voices in design, he's excited to get to work on a true Gilded Age property. If only the owner had selected a contractor he enjoyed working with. Oh, Harper was brilliant and her work was excellent, but she has an opinion on everything - and it's usually the opposite of his.

 Over the course of the job, these enemies start to see different sides of each other, and suddenly their fights don't seem so bad. But when the project is threatened, they might have to choose between their jobs and the beautifully designed future they could share.

Assessment:
I was pretty much out on this one seeing as it was book 3 in a series. But having said that, I think it's written really well. All three girls are mirror friendly and I could see myself in each of them. The language is fluent throughout and I like the dialogues between the girls. I think you see them grow through the book, but also individually.
No doubt that the imagery and layers were used well, as well as lots of emotions and descriptions which is a plus.

I give 5 hearts out of 6 hearts because I had a good reading experience, and now I'm looking forward to reading the first two and more from the author.
🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

I love a good enemies to lovers trope as well as found family, and this story definitely delivers! I have not read the other 2 books in the series relating to the FMC’s two best friends, but that did not detract from my experience while reading this one. The story started off strong and hooked me in at the jump with the sexual tension between the FMC and MMC- but what got it past 3 stars for me was the family drama, legal dramas and how the characters navigate those obstacles while also navigating their mental/emotional obstacles. The writing style being blunt and choppy though was not for me, thus I knocked off a star for that. But overall it was an enticing story with a fun twist at the end and a worthwhile read!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. 3.75⭐️

Built to Last delivers exactly what I love in a Lexi Blake romance—chemistry that crackles, a touch of danger, and characters with layers worth peeling back. The second-chance romance between Taylor and JT is both passionate and heartfelt, grounded in a shared past that makes every moment more charged.

Blake balances the emotional pull with suspense and small-town charm, weaving in family dynamics and community ties that make the setting feel alive. I was hooked from the first reunion scene to the final, deeply satisfying ending.

Perfect for readers who want their romance with heat, heart, and just enough edge to keep the pages turning.

Lexi Blake delivers a heartfelt, smart, and utterly satisfying romance in Built to Last, a story that blends second-chance dreams, enemies-to-lovers tension, and the unshakable bonds of female friendship. Whether you're new to the series or a longtime fan, this book stands strong on its own—no prior reading required.

At the heart of the novel is Harper Ross, a tough, talented contractor working to elevate her father’s construction business in the cutthroat world of New York real estate. When her longtime friend hires her to renovate a historic brownstone for a new TV show, it feels like fate—until she’s forced to collaborate with Reid Dorsey, a rising star in design who views beauty as a blueprint and disagrees with Harper on almost everything.

From the moment Harper and Reid meet, sparks fly—not just romantic ones, but the kind that come from clashing egos and deeply held visions. Their banter is whip-smart and believable, and Blake handles their transition from reluctant partners to something more with a deft, slow-burn pacing that feels earned. Harper is ambitious, grounded, and refreshingly driven, while Reid’s charm and creative passion make him the perfect foil—and eventual partner.

One of the book’s standout elements is its celebration of female friendship. Harper and her two childhood best friends share a pact and a dream, and it’s that bond that gives the story its emotional core. There’s also an empowering message about building your future—both literally and metaphorically—and choosing love that complements your ambitions, not compromises them.

The high-end renovation backdrop adds a fun, HGTV-esque flavor to the romance, with just enough design details to appeal to anyone who’s ever dreamed of gutting a brownstone (or binge-watched Fixer Upper).

Oh my gosh what a great conclusion to this series! So fun and sweet! I had such a good time with Harper and Reid and I didn't want it to end! And that ending!? So damn sweet! I HATED Harper's family, I liked how that story concluded, but I wish there could've been just a little bit more of a follow-up in the last chapter, but it was still good. I absolutely love Lexi Blake's writing style and this did not disappoint! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

A fitting ending to a fun series!

Harper and Reid's story is an antagonists-to-lovers story with another "reality" TV twist--this one's a home reno series rather than a dating show. It's about friendship and found family and of course, finding your HEA with the one person who is meant for you.

Restoring a Guilded Age brownstone has long been a dream of Harper's--but she didn't quite anticipate all the challenges it would bring, primarily from her day job (working for her family's construction company) and the annoyingly hot designer she's been forced to work with to do it. And all that's before they open up the mansion walls and see the disaster that is the building's electricity...

But there's more to Reid than meets the eye, and the secret he's hiding could bring everything crashing down around them (though hopefully not the house? That, at least appears to be in good repair at last) Harper needs to find the courage to fight for herself and her relationship with Reid to find the HEA she deserves--the HEA that the 3 BFFs have been working toward their whole lives.

Spoiler alert: she does!

The third book in the series, Built to Last builds upon the stories that came before and they all should really be read in order to get the greatest impact.

Rating: 4 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Such a fun and witty romance with an interesting setting. I enjoyed the banter and the hostile to hot romance lol. The chemistry was fast but enjoyable. I also liked the ending and how the book tied into the entire series.

First of all, I want to thank Blue Box Press for providing me with an arc copy of this novel. I had never had the chance to read anything by Lexi Blake before but I have to admit that I was completely won over by her talent. Now I’m definitely eager to explore the rest of her novels.

Tropes
Enemies to lovers
Workplace Romance
Found Family
Grumpy x Grumpier
Forced Proximity
Not a meet cute

“Built to Last” represents the final chapter of the “Park Avenue Promise” trilogy, but it can easily be read as a standalone story without feeling like you’ve missed any previous pieces.

The protagonist is Harper Ross, a determined woman who has transformed the family construction company into her own business. When one of her best friends buys a beautiful Park Avenue brownstone (the same house where as high schoolers they had made their pact to “conquer” Manhattan) Harper finally sees her lifelong dream coming true. The renovation project is not just a professional opportunity, but also the key to saving the company from the financial problems inherited from her father. But every dream has its price, and hers is called Reid Dorsey. This talented designer, former reality show star about renovations, is convinced that beauty and functionality go hand in hand, while Harper is a purist who wants to preserve every historical detail of the building. Their first meeting is a disaster: he expects to meet a male entrepreneur and ends up offending her unintentionally. From that moment on, it’s open war. Forced to work together under the eye of reality show cameras, Harper and Reid find themselves trapped in a whirlwind of fierce arguments, burning looks and a tension you could cut with a knife. But when Reid’s past secrets emerge and a particularly problematic ex starts blackmailing him, both will have to decide if it’s worth risking everything to build something that can truly last.

Harper Ross is stubborn just enough, ambitious without being ruthless and tough enough to stand up to anyone in a male-dominated industry. Her personal battle against a toxic family (especially a mother who considers her a failure for not getting married) adds depth to the character without ever making her appear like a victim and her evolution into a woman capable of setting boundaries with the latter made me feel extremely close to her.

Reid Dorsey starts as the classic arrogant man but under that gruff facade he hides a heart of gold and wounds that are still open. His troubled past and the secrets he carries with him make him vulnerable in a way that makes it impossible not to get attached to him.

Harper and Reid are not the classic “grumpy x sunshine” duo but they are both grumpy and when they clash it’s pure entertainment. Their verbal duels are sharp, funny and charged with a sexual tension that you can feel from the first pages. But what makes their relationship special is how it evolves from pure antagonism to mutual respect, until a mature and deep love. Reid becomes the first man in Harper’s life to truly support her, even going so far as to confront her problematic family. Their relationship is built brick by brick, making the journey realistic.

The style is fluid and engaging, capable of making you laugh on one page and moving you on the next and the pov is single, from Harper’s point of view.

I did not realize this was the part of a series when I requested it. As there was no indication of it being #3 in a series until I began reading it. So, that sort of irritated me a little. While I did like the banter and slow burn between the characters the big reveal of the “secret” or “twist” had me ready to DNF the book at almost the 80% mark! It was a poor attempt to cause drama, and keep the reader engaged when they already were to begin with. Completely unnecessary in my opinion and nothing short of lazy writing. It made what would’ve been a 4 or 4.5 star read a 2 at best. Sadly, I do not recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the E-ARC.

It is always so much fun to see two characters who at first have so many differences, but they begin to fall from one another, despite those differences. Harper and Reed have to work together and have different points of you but you quickly see how they actually do belong together. I also really loved the female relationships throughout this book and how they helped each other find love as well as happiness in how they created their own life for themselves.

working on a park avenue brownstone had always been one of harper ross's biggest dreams, and it's about to come true when one of her best friends hires her to do the construction work on her new house.
the biggest challenge? the project's designer.
the two of them might not be fans of each other, but as the work progresses, they begin to see each other in a new light.
when unexpected trouble puts the entire renovation at risk, they're faced with a tough decision - protect their careers or take a chance on what's growing between them.

this was my first ever lexi blake book, and my first from the park avenue series - and i'm happy to say it didn't disappoint!
i went into this one without reading the previous books in the series, but for me it worked perfectly as a standalone.

i enjoyed the story a lot! it kept me entertained throughout.
the main characters, harper and reid, were such a fun duo to read about. i really enjoyed their love/hate dynamic and the enemies to lovers tension. also, the sarcastic comments and the banter had me hooked.
both of them had complicated issues with their families and i could feel the growing connection between them. watching their relationship develop throughout the story was satisfying.

harper's family was so frustrating - honestly, those scenes with her mother were soo hard to get through because of how insufferable she was.
the story also focused a lot on side characters, which was fun and added depth, but at times i felt it kinda overshadowed harper and reid.

i wasn't a huge fan of the blackmail subplot, and the whole "crazy ex" trope really isn't my thing. still, the writing style really worked for me. i would've loved to get reid's point of view too, if i'm being honest.

overall, i had a good time with this one. it made me smile, i was engaged throughout, and i'd definitely recommend it if you're into found family, second chances, and enemies to lovers romances!


*thanks to NetGalley, Blue Box Press, and Lexi Blake for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!*

This would have been a solid 4 stars if it weren't for the last 20% of the book. The whole blackmailing thing was completely unnecessary and took away from the romance. I hate when a couple is finally coming together in a slow burn and drama hits at the end and the final thought I'm left with is Is this even worth it?. Also it ruined Jeremiah for me and made me question if Blake actually wanted us to like him. He was by far my favorite character (more so than even the main couple) and then she wrote the "twist" and I just think he's a bad person. Not just a bad character. Just morally bad. I would've liked this more if I had DNFed.

This was my first book in the series, so I did lose some of the FMCs girlfriends history, but that did not deter this from being an entertaining read. What starts out as headclashing, between a designer and a contractor, soon becomes, respect, desire and love. Lots of back and forth banter keeps the momentum going.

#netgalley #BuilttoLast

I loved this book so much as soon as it was release i brought the paperback, i felt it took a little to get into the story but once it did i was hooked

BUILT TO LADT by LEXI BLAKE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Built To Last is the third (#3) and final book in the Park Avenue Promise series

Contractor Harper Ross takes time off from her daily job with her family production company to work on the restoration project of her dreams - a magnificent brownstone on Park Avenue owned by one of her closest friends.

Reid Dorsey and his brother own a design company and have been hired to make over the Gilded Age property. Reid’s excitement for the challenge is dulled however when he can’t work with his contractor of choice but instead is forced to work with Harper.

Despite an undeniable instant attraction Harper and Reid butt heads at every turn, envisioning totally different outcomes for the beautiful house. Harper is determined to restore historical integrity of the house whilst Reid is all about an up to date modern interior. Harper is already fighting to restore her late father’s production company despite her family throwing every possible distraction in her way but she’s determined to hold fast to her childhood dream for the house. Can the pair work through their differences and ignore the sexual tension for the time it’ll take to complete this restoration?


-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

*Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book. All comments are my own honest, unbiased opinion*

I’ll start by being honest, this is my first book in this series. In fact it’s my first ever book by Lexi Blake. Despite not having read the previous books in the series and so missing some of the character buildup’s I didn’t find that it detracted from my enjoyment of the book. This book can absolutely be read and enjoyed as a stand alone.

There are plenty of quirky characters in the story and they keep your thoroughly engaged with their antics throughout. I enjoyed the back and forth between the main characters and they were played off against each other well. Their relationship developed steadily and you could definitely feel the connection between them.
Harpers interactions with her family, particularly her mother were frustrating at times and you just wanted to shake Harper and demand she stand up for herself! The big ‘secret’ that Reid and his brother were keeping was pretty obvious and I felt that there react to what happened a bit OTT - hence the 4⭐️ . The book definitely grabbed me enough to make me go back and read the first two in the series.

Thank you so much Lexi Blake and the publishing company for letting me read the E-Arc of this book. I loved the first interconnected standalone of the Park Avenue promise, every book is so different yet gives so much light to the characters and what they are battling, built to last comes full circle if you want to get all the feels of Ivy and Anika start with the first brings so much more connection to each one of them.

4 Stars! This is the 3rd and final book in the ‘Park Avenue Promise’ series and can be read as a standalone. At times I did feel like I was missing something and maybe if I had read the first 2 books, I wouldn’t have felt lost at times. The main characters were Harper and Reid. I liked both of them, though they could be kind of mean to each other. I loved the snarky banter, sarcastic comments and the love/hate, enemies to lovers relationship. Harper’s family was easy to dislike. A few surprising twists I didn’t see coming and loved. This was an entertaining book and I enjoyed reading it. Definitely worth it.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

These two are wild together. The heat, the banter, the explosion all add up to a very feisty couple. Harper and Reid will entertain you, surprise you, and bring on all the tender feelings as you learn their backstories and the secrets and pain they carry. The audiobook is a fabulous way to enjoy this novel. This series of three friends making their way in Manhattan has become a favorite and I've grown to love these characters and their love interests. I can only hope there are more stories to come.