This was my very first Lexi Blake book, and wow, what a way to start! Although it’s the third in the Park Avenue Promise series, it can absolutely be read (or listened to!) as a standalone. I had no trouble jumping in and immediately connecting with the characters.

From the very first chapter, Harper and Reid’s chemistry pulled me in. The tension between them was electric, and their design debates added such a fun, playful twist to the storyline. I found myself completely invested not just in their romance, but in how their renovation project would turn out! And once their relationship began to unfold, it was heartfelt, emotional, and incredibly satisfying to watch them grow together both personally and professionally.

What really made this audiobook stand out, though, was the narration. The voice actors brought so much depth and nuance to the story that I truly felt every emotion. The banter, the tenderness, the heartbreak, the laughter… it was all so vivid. The performances made the characters feel real and grounded, and they elevated an already great story into something unforgettable.

I also loved the broader cast of characters, each one unique, vibrant, and full of personality. The friendship between the three women, who feel more like sisters, gave the story so much heart. And seeing both Harper and Reid confront their difficult pasts to build a healthier, more loving future was deeply moving. I was in tears by the end.

This audiobook was everything I love in a romance: funny, emotional, passionate, and ultimately hopeful. With standout narration and a story full of charm and depth, this was an unforgettable listen. I’ll definitely be diving into the rest of the series!

Thank you so much to Valentinepr and Brilliance Audio for the complimentary ALC!!

Lexi Blake's "Built to Last" offers a pleasant enough escape into the world of high-stakes renovation and a simmering enemies-to-lovers romance. While it delivers on its promise of a charming premise and some enjoyable banter, the execution sometimes feels a bit too by-the-numbers, preventing it from truly shining.
The setup is immediately appealing: Harper Ross, a determined contractor with big dreams for her father's business, finally gets her shot at a magnificent Park Avenue brownstone. Adding a layer of intrigue is the involvement of her friend's new production company, turning the renovation into a TV spectacle. Enter Reid Dorsey, a rising star in design, whose meticulous vision clashes spectacularly with Harper's practical, opinionated approach. The stage is perfectly set for a classic "opposites attract" dynamic.
Blake excels at crafting the initial friction between Harper and Reid. Their professional disagreements and strong personalities lead to some genuinely entertaining arguments and witty exchanges. It's clear they're both brilliant at their jobs, which adds a nice layer of respect beneath their squabbles. As the story progresses, the thawing of their "enemies" status feels organic enough, with glimpses of vulnerability and understanding peeking through their professional facades.
However, the transition from animosity to attraction, while anticipated, sometimes lacks the emotional depth to truly make the reader root for them wholeheartedly. The overarching plot, particularly the external threat to the project, feels a bit generic and doesn't quite elevate the stakes as much as it could. The characters, while likable, occasionally lean into established archetypes without offering much in the way of surprising complexity.
"Built to Last" is a perfectly fine read for those looking for a light, low-angst romance with a fun backdrop. It's a quick, enjoyable journey through a lavish renovation and the predictable, yet comforting, progression of a work-based relationship. It’s a solid three-star effort: enjoyable, but perhaps not built to last in memory as a standout.

I didn’t realize this was a series when I started but they can all be read as standalones. Harper is the contractor on this pretty big renovation and the designer, Reid, starts off on the wrong foot. They don’t get along at all but the tension is through the roof. There is a lot of family drama from both sides but it kept it interesting. Reid's brother, Jeremiah, was the best and he was so funny. This book kept me entertained the entire time and made me want to read the other two stories.

I've really enjoyed reading this series about three high school friends, Ivy, Anika and Harper, who dreamed of living on Park Avenue while on a field trip to the historic Banover Place mansion. In each of the two previous stories, Banover Place "played" a character role and not just a location. Built to Last features Harper Ross, and the renovation work she's doing to upgrade Banover Place to be sold in order to help Anika's husband's small country (book 2, My Royal Showmance). She's forced to work with a Reid and Jeremiah Dorsey, a former reality show design team. Right away they're at odds with Harper favoring the historic aspects and Reid trying to turn the space into a functional residence, and all of it is being captured on film since the renovation project is also a reality tv show. Angry tensions soon spill over into a passionate night, but Harper knows this can only be a fling since he'll move on to his next tv project after Banover Place is done.
I love the strong found-family relationships Ivy, Anika and Harper created with their sisterhood and extended to their mother-like mentors. These became key as Harper had to navigate the continual badgering of her mother and cousin concerning their family business, and as she tried to sort her feelings and priorities when it came to Reid and the skeletons in his past. Loved how the author finished the series!
Audio narrator, Kitty Bang, did a fantastic job voicing all the characters, giving each a distinct personality and sound to avoid confusion about who was speaking.

I’m so excited that the audio for this book is finally out. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a 4/5 stars for me. I think I would have given it a 5/5 if I had read the other two books before it because I would have been even more invested in the characters.

You know a book is written well when some of the characters make you rage scream and shake your head at them while listening to it in your car. I loved all of these characters so much and I’m definitely going to have to go back and read the other books in the series. I would highly recommend reading this one! I loved the premise of renovating houses. It’s light hearted and made me chuckle at times but also touches on some real life problems and struggles that people go through.

First off I love everything Lexi Blake writes. And because of that I was very excited for opportunity to read ( listen) to this early. This series has been such a fun ride. Built to last takes place after My Royal Showmance. In this story Harper finally gets what she has always dreamed of and is working on one of the magnificent brownstones of Park Avenue. However the new contractor Reid and Harper can’t agree. The story goes from there and it is an extremely enjoyable ride. This is a Grumpy and Grumpy romantic and I absolutely loved it. While this is a stand alone you the other two books aren’t necessarily I would still recommend reading them first to get the full experience.
And as always Kitty Bang does an amazing job narrating.

Thank you to Lexi Blake, Netgalley, Blue box publishing and Brilliance Audio for this ALC

5 Star Review Built To Last (Park Avenue Promise #3) by Lexi Blake
 
eBook/Audio
Built To Last is the third book in the Park Avenue Promise series and it was an entertaining, fast paced, well written story that ticked all the boxes for me.

From the first chapter to the last I was riveted to Harper Ross and Reid Dorsey’s story.

From the moment they met, the sparks flew. What will happen when they finally admit the attraction they feel for one another?

I enjoyed their journey as their relationship progressed. If anyone deserved a happily ever after then it is these two.

The narration by Kitty Bang was good but I will admit to preferring male narrators for the male characters. She brought both the characters and story to life for me. Not only are is her voice easy to listen to but she brought the drama, passion, humour and romance to her performances.

Listened to this on the go and loved it! The narrators brought Harper and Reid’s tension and chemistry to life perfectly. Their banter? 🔥 Their emotional moments? 💔💖 So well done.

If you enjoy enemies-to-lovers with depth, ambition, and NYC glam, this one’s a great listen. Bonus: perfect for a weekend binge!

"You are everything like me. You are practically the female version of me."

Grumpy x grumpier is the main trope here. And it is good. Watching these two get in the way of each other was delightful, funny, and really made me on edge whether they'd be able to pull of the HEA. I love the renovating a home theme, the secret buyer who was making life impossible, the side characters were funny and so supportive of the two MCs. I was taken by surprise and was kicking my feet at some points and I absolutely loved that. This is light on the spice, cute, infuriating, and satisfying.

I haven't read the others in this series but will be! This can be read as as standalone but you'll be curious about the stories of the other couples. I'd also love to see Jeremiah's story!

I received the ALC for this book and the narrator, Kitty Bang, is great. Her voices for the different characters, her pacing, and the flow kept me engaged. The book is written in first person which I love.

"You seem far angrier than was described."

tropes include:
*enemes to lovers
*women supporting women
*best friends
*family drama
*workplace romance
*opposites attract

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Lexi Blake and Valentine PR for the opportunity to listen/read this!

This was a sweet and slow burn romance with a grumpy/grumpier dynamic that grew on me the more I listened.
Harper and Reid don’t get along at first, but their banter and tension made the story fun.
I loved how their relationship slowly developed into something deeper.
It started a bit slow, and It took me a while to get through the first quarter, but I’m glad I stuck with it because it really picked up halfway through. Even though it’s the third book in a series, I had no problem following along. It worked well as a standalone. The emotional layers added depth, and while the plot was predictable, but it was still enjoyable. Kitty Bang did a solid job with the narration, each character had a distinct voice.
Very grateful to the publisher for my copies

I audibly chortled multiple times and had a feeling I knew the twists but was so happy how they played them out! It was sweet and funny and the narrator did amazing with differing voices being different but not trying too hard. I need to go back for the other sisters books as this is third in the series!

This is the 3rd book in this series,unfortunately I haven't listened to the first 2 books..But that doesn't matter as this is a standalone and even though it does mention the 2 romances that happened in the previous books,it doesn't impact on Harper and Reid's romance.
Harper works in construction and has taken over her fathers failing buisness,making it as successful as possible.
Her Father left them in a lot of debt and her family are NOT understanding about this.Harper seems to be the only one in her family who is trying to save the buisness.
She is hired by her friend to renovate an old Brownstone she just bought.
She has also hired Reid Dorsey on the project he is an interior designer and is famous.He had a show on T.V along with his brother Jeramiah but that show no longer is in production.
Well Harper and Reid clash from the start they disagree about EVERYTHING..But they are so attracted to eachother and the chemistry is simmering everytime they argue.
Until one day the sexual tension boils over and they cross the liand the sex is so HOT !!
There is alot more to this story though than just the romance Reid has a secret,and there is an ex girlfriend who causes trouble.
Harper is up to her neck in family drama honestly her family are impossible and Reids brother is also keeping secrets that is impacting Harper and Reid's relationship.
This audiobook is single handedly narrated by Kitty Bang who does and excellent overall performance of ALL the characters in this story.
She was excellent and a delight to listen too.
There were some parts of the book that I felt were tiresome but it does improve and gets exciting and intriguing.
Overall Built To Last is an interesting audiobook and I did enjoy it.
great Listen.
4 Stars.

🅰🆄🅳🅸🅾🅱🅾🅾🅺 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆


I have loved this series from the beginning. I loved the lifelong friendships between the girls and then the friendships that came after with the "moms" and the guys they fell in love with.

This series is all about love: love of 3 girls who grow up together and become women, love of found family, made family, love of all kinds!

Harper gets her HEA with a grumpy/grumpier trope and I loved it.

ps.. There's a bonus love story I wasn't expecting but so glad it was woven into the story!

Kitty Bang has narrated this entire series and I love her voice, but I do wish it was dual narration!

Love this book! It is the perfect ending to the series. Not only did we get a love story but a story about finding a true family. Harper and Reid have a grumpy grump romance and it works. They both must find peace with themselves and then each other. There was a couple of fun twists at the end. Love the audiobook as well. 10/10 recommend this series!

🛠️Built to Last by Lexi Blake🛠️

Harper has always dreamed of growing her father’s construction business since she was young. With some hiccups and the sudden passing of her father (prior to the start of the story), she’s given an opportunity when one of her closest friends purchases Harper’s dream home and enlists her to renovate the house for a TV renovation show. The only problem is the designer, who pulls rank due to him being a new voice of design.

Harper and Reid battle each others’ skills and wits and with enough heat and tension, it’s ought to snap, right?

As the 3rd and final book in the Park Avenue Promise series, this book was a delight. I will admit, I wasn’t aware it was the 3rd book until I was already invested but I wanna review this as a new reader to this author.

There was a slow beginning, and there was a moment or two I wanted to quit, but I stuck with it and I’m so glad I did. I felt like I could follow the story regardless of not reading the first 2 books and it kept me invested once I was.

This was an audiobook, so I should mention that the narrator was part of why I wasn’t vibing so much in the beginning.

Overall, I loved the chemistry between Reid and Harper. Their character back stories were super compelling and not overdone like they could’ve been.

This book will be available in all forms on May 27th. Thank you to @valentine_pr_ @brilliancepublishing and @netgalley for the advanced listening copy

This book was a slow start for me, which is why I gave it 3 stars, but once it picked up, I found it to be a well-written romance. Built to Last was my first read from this author, and even though it’s the third in a series, it worked well as a standalone—I didn’t feel lost at all. The story was light, flirty, and fun, with a good amount of spice and some emotional depth that didn’t weigh it down. While the plot was predictable, it was still an enjoyable, easy read.

I love it when a book surprises me and this one did for sure. It started out good with a grumpy/grumpier workplace romance but quickly morphed into a deeper story. The undying drama played out nicely and didn’t feel overwhelming which does sometimes happen. Harper and Reid are so perfect together and I really enjoyed the way their relationship progressed, and especially the way they fight for each other. I am looking forward to going back to the first two books of them series.

Kitty Bang narrated this as a solo narration and she did an amazing job giving every character their own unique voice and personality. I usually listen at 1.8-2.0x but for this one I had to speed it up a bit more and ended up at 2.5x for a comfortable listen so if you’re having trouble with the timing you may need to play around with it a bit. I encourage doing so because this book gets better and better as it goes!!

OMG, I devoured the ALC of Built to Last by Lexi Blake, and I am obsessed! This book is the perfect blend of heart, hustle, and just the right amount of enemies-to-lovers tension to keep you up way past your bedtime (guilty 🫣).

Right off the bat, I was hooked by the premise: three best friends chasing their Manhattan dreams? Yes, please! Harper Ross is such a boss. She’s fierce, driven, and knows her way around a power tool, what’s not to love?! Watching her fight to grow her dad’s construction business while working on the brownstone they dreamed of in high school gave me all the nostalgic, feel-good vibes.

And let’s talk about Reid Dorsey. Ughhh, I wanted to smack him and kiss him all at the same time. His snarky back-and-forth with Harper is chef’s kiss perfection. The way their relationship slowly shifts from butting heads to brushing hands? Total slow-burn magic. Their chemistry is undeniable, and you feel it in every scene they share, whether they're fighting over crown molding or falling for each other in the middle of a renovation disaster.

The backdrop of Park Avenue, the glam-meets-grit of restoring a Gilded Age home, and all the sparkly, aspirational vibes of making it big in NYC just make this story pop. Lexi Blake totally nails that blend of strong female friendship, career ambition, and swoony romance.

Built to Last isn’t just a love story, it’s about chasing dreams, building legacies, and finding love in the mess of it all. I’m counting down the days until the next book in The Park Avenue Promise series drops. If you love strong women, banter-fueled romance, and the magic of second chances, run (don’t walk!) to get this book in all formats! 💕🔨✨

10/10 recommend. Your TBR pile just got better.

This was a really great book. I love a romance expecually when it comes between two characters that outwardly seem to be very different. The writing was done well I didn't realise this was apart of a series when I started it witch is a error on my part. Overall I did really enjoy it thought.

Harper and Reid have my whole heart! I loved the story and these characters but I have to give so much credit to my love of this story to Harper (fmc). She was beyond strong and hard working. The feminist in me felt proud to be a woman and wanted to be in her world to cheer for her and take on my own business.