Review: "The Billionaire's Club: New York Boxed Set (The 100 Shades Hotter Edition)" by Jackie Ashenden


Note: This ARC was provided by St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Billionaire's Club: New York Boxed Set (The 100 Shades Hotter Edition) consists of three books, each one about the very single, very rich, and very hot Morrow brothers. The books were previously released individually and this boxed set has been touted as "expanded" and "hotter" than the originals. Not having read the single releases before, I can't really vouch for whether the ones in the boxed set are indeed "expanded" and "hotter" versions but they're definitely not lacking in the steaminess department and based on the total number of pages here and the ones posted for the individual books on Goodreads, these appear to be longer. ^.^

The Billion Dollar Bachelor is the first book in the set and is the story of Jax Morrow, the oldest brother and CEO of Morrow Incorporated, and Pandora Garret, the only daughter of one of the biggest crime lords in the state. Jax is tired of being the controlled man he is in and out of the boardroom and bedroom while Pandora is tired of being controlled by her father. When they meet, they have no clue who the other is, sticking with the nicknames "Snow" and "Hunt", from fictional characters Snow White and the Huntsman, and throwing all caution to the wind by spending the night together. In the clear harshness of the morning, both Jax and Pandora are forced to face reality and over the next few days, make realizations about themselves and their future together.

The Billion Dollar Bad Boy is the second book in the set and is the story of Donovan Morrow, the middle brother and the head of PR for Morrow Incorporated, and Victoria de Winter, manager of the De Winter Group. Van refuses to sell the historic docklands that he feels is part of the family legacy he wants to keep, even though his brother Jax insists it be sold immediately. Victoria desperately wants the property, knowing her adoptive father believes it was originally theirs and thinking that this may finally give her the promotion she's worked for. Other than both wanting the docklands, Van and Victoria also happen to share an undeniable attraction to one another. Their lives within their families leave them with more in common than they think, but they need to decide what they want more--approval from their respective fathers or a life with each other.

The Billionaire Biker is the third book in the set and is the story of Sean Morrow, the youngest brother who left the family five years ago to join a motorcycle club, and Abigail Prescott, Sean's former best friend and now a member of the PR department of Morrow Incorporated. Sean and Abby spent one night together five years ago before Sean suddenly walked off, leaving not just his family but Abby as well. When Sean's brothers summon him back to the family fold, Sean isn't exactly sure how he fits into the whole family business situation. Being the illegitimate son of their father made life difficult for him and he feels he's better suited sitting on his Harley than sitting in an executive's chair. However, seeing Abby again and learning a secret she's kept for five years has him wanting to redeem himself. The thing is, wearing a tailored suit and being the prodigal brother is much easier than dealing with all the ghosts of his past. Sean's first instinct is to run but can Abby and his brothers convince him to stay?

Among the three stories, the last one was my favorite and maybe it was because it didn't feel like the transition from lust to love was too quick. There was history there and the male lead character seemed the most jaded and had more issues to deal with. The first two felt a bit rushed, especially the second one, but love doesn't exactly follow a set time frame, right? ^.^ Of the brothers, Van was my favorite because he carried a lot of pain behind the public persona he presented but he never allowed it to make him overly cynical or hateful. Of course, all three brothers were quite irresistible so choosing just one was difficult. ♥ Pandora was my favorite female lead character because she may have had a sheltered life but she had spunk. ^.^

My biggest "complaint"? I was bothered by the title of the series. I kept thinking it should be The Billionaires' Club, with the apostrophe after the "s" and not before. Maybe I'm being petty but I can't help it. The teacher and editor in me notices stuff like that. Of course, that doesn't really have anything to do with the books themselves since all three pairs had definite spark and their love stories were all interesting to read. I'm curious about the original incarnations of the books but maybe I'll save those for a future read and make my comparisons then. For now, I'm giving The Billionaire's Club: New York Boxed Set (The 100 Shades Hotter Edition) four stars out of five. ♥

Release Date: 28 October 2014

Date read: 24 October 2014

Learn more about author Jackie Ashenden here.

Pre-order a copy of The Billionaire's Club: New York Boxed Set (The 100 Shades Hotter Edition) and grab a copy of Ms. Ashenden's other books on Amazon | Barnes & Noble.


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