The Arrangement

Rating: 3.5/5
(I received a free copy from the publisher, The Wild Rose Press, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)
***Minor spoilers***

Michelle has an interesting problem. Or set of problems. She left her old job because her new boss treated her like a maid and wasn't doing his job well, she has a crush on the boss at her new company, and she sometimes has sexual daydreams all of a sudden. Her closest friends are Russ and Coral - Coral who she tells everything to, and Russ who she has an "arrangement" with. Russ and Michelle used to be together and in love while in college, but broke up when Russ started drinking and dropped out of college. Now, they just hook up whenever they feel like they need it. However, it seems that Russ isn't happy with their arrangement anymore, Coral keeps urging them to get back together, and her daydreams are getting so bad that sometimes she has trouble discerning reality from fantasy.

I found this book both infuriating and enjoyable. The characters were decent, I never became angry enough to want to put it down for an extended period of time, and it made me cry a time or two. As a result I was pretty happy with it, but what I found most infuriating was how Michelle was acting throughout the book. To be honest, I didn't particularly like or dislike Michelle. She had some good characteristics and some bad ones as can be expected. However, what really bothered me about her was her decision making. Sometimes I understood her side of things. She's someone who likes to be in control, and that can affect her decisions. However, there were times when she missed something right in front of her face, and when she didn't realize the impact her decisions made. She was really quite ignorant for someone who worked in a newsroom and needs to pick up details.

On the other hand, I really liked Russ as a character. I was rooting for him the whole time, but he made some bad decisions too. Those didn't make me nearly as upset though. Towards the last quarter of the book I was really flying through it because it held my interest the entire time. I of course knew how the book would end, but I enjoyed getting there anyway. It was a concept I've never read about before, and it's particularly interesting to read in this context. The one thing that I kept noticing throughout the book was that the passage of time was extremely strange. Sometimes from one chapter to the next it would be 5 minutes, and sometimes it would be 5 weeks. Most of the time it took a few pages for me to determine which it was. I think a big improvement would be to either label the date under the chapter heading, or incorporate how much time has passed within the first couple of paragraphs of a new chapter.

Overall, this was a pretty good read that kept me entertained most of the time. It was predictable, but it was still enjoyable to read and see exactly how things went down. The characters were good, some better than others, but I didn't hate any of them. Things really picked up in the last quarter of the book, and I ended up trying a few times, which I applaud Ayers for. Despite the couple of negatives, I'd definitely recommend this to someone looking a romance novel to read.

https://coyoteuglyswaggerbookblog.wordpress.com/2016/10/17/the-arrangement-by-brandy-ayers/

i really liked this book first book ive read by brandy but would definitely read more recommended

This one read less like trashy erotica and more like a well-written romance. The sex scenes while explicit helped to enhance the story. There may have been more than were absolutely necessary but the it did not take away from the plot. Michelle's plight was realistic and understandably terrifying. At first it seems sexy to have those daydreams but then when we see how they negatively affect her life, you feel her pain and wonder at her sanity. I like how the author tied Michelle's daydreams to her relationship with Russ. As a whole this book was a nice mix of the erotic with a good storyline.

Unlike anything else that I have ever read. Elle was an amazing leading lady who knows what she wants. Well written, with steamy scenes that will leave you breathless!

Brandy Ayers is a new author to me and this is the first of her books that I have read. I liked the book and would recommend it.

Michelle has an undiagnosed disorder that makes have issues distinguishing between reality and fantasy.  Her sexy fantasies cause issues with her friends as well as her work.  Now she is caught between two men, her work and knowing what is real or not.  This is a fast paced read with lots of emotion and drama.  I liked the characters as well as the story.  This is an intriguing and steamy read.

Sometimes fantasies are more than just fantasies.  Elle has some pretty steamy fantasies about Russ, Jeremiah, even random strangers.  But when the lines between fantasy and reality blur, it's time to deal.  The relationship between Russ and Elle is beyond HOT.  I wanted to skip over the fantasies and realities of her relationship with her boss because I was rooting for Russ the whole time.  He is tender, masterful, kind and strong.  Russ has grown as a man and it was gratifying when Elle finally acknowledged that along with a few other issues.  Although I enjoyed Elle's fantasies I could feel her pain as she grasped for control.  Pleased with the author in how she acknowledged that there was not an easy, quick fix to Elle's problems.  Happy ending was even hotter than the fantasies!

This book was intense the way her brain would go into daydreaming n the sex in this book was great. I loved the ending of this book

Honestly The Arrangement is one of the hardest books I have ever had to review because I sort of hated it and I sort of hated it. 

For the most part, this book was fast paced and entertaining. I was never bored and I was always dying to find out where the story was going. 

On the other hand, at certain parts in the book it felt like the poor man's 90210 because of the so called "steamy" scenes. They were not only dull but they caused me some discomfort. I did not enjoy Michelle as a character at all, I found her to be boring and she made some predictable moves and actions in my opinion.

Overall, I recommend this book to those who are looking for a quick and entertaining read. However, if one is looking for a gripping and moving story, then this might not be the book for you.

I was intrigued by the premise of this romance, and it did make for an interesting story. Michelle's undiagnosed disorder was what made it really interesting for me, and I would have liked to have seen more made of it, rather than the slightly naff HEA-style end it had. Although that ending was quite a long time coming - I got pretty frustrated with the whole will they/won't they thing dragging on for so long, although the reasoning was explained well, I guess I'm just impatient. This is definitely one of those books with a bunch of pro's and cons that makes it hard to review and settle on a star rating. There were lots of reasons why I liked it - the characters and dialogue were great, touching on mental health intrigued me, and there was a certain realism to it that caught my interest. But my frustration with it tempered my enjoyment enough that I'm not sure I'd read it again. I would give the author another chance though if I come across her again.