Swoon! Guys in suits, smart women, and sexual tension through the roof, and an SEC investigation.

This book was so good. Ian and Lara we're both smart at their jobs, knew what they wanted and both were willing to risk it all to get what they wanted.

I loved how Ian understood that Lara needed to fulfill her dreams even if they didn't need the money. I can't wait to read the rest of the series. ( )

It feels like it's been 5 years since I've finished a book. Wow. Once again, Lauren Layne came through when I needed her. Read my full review here. ( )

Please see all of my reviews on my blog at www.robinlovesreading.com.

Ian Bradley is a very successful investment banker for Wolfe Investments. His best friends are Matt Cannon and Kennedy Dawson and they are also his coworkers. This job, his seven-figure salary and an office to die for didn’t come easy. He had a very bleak past. He has worked incredibly hard, including growing up in the foster system, to get where he is today. Everything could come toppling down, however. He has been accused of insider trading and is under investigation.

Ian is a self-described manwhore. He never sleeps with the same words woman twice. When Ian sees a woman in the break room at the office, he lays down the charm really thick. From the outset, she challenges him. Lara McKenzie does not bite. Worse yet, Ian discovers she is the very SEC agent hired to investigate him.

Lara is completely shaken by Ian. Simply put. Well, he was just . . . too much. Too tall. Too charming. Too masculine. Wait. He could end up behind bars and it is her job to do just that. She never loses. Lara’s long-term career goals depend on finding Ian guilty. She wants a white-collar job with the FBI. This just may be her ticket. As Lara spends time looking for evidence or proof against Ian, both are fighting a sizzling attraction. Ian’s career is at stake. Lara’s future is at stake.

Hot Asset is written in dual first person points of view, each alternating chapter written in either Ian's or Lara’s perspective. This is done in an effective, lighthearted manner and is peppered with humor. This is the first book in the 21 Wall Street series. What a great couple to start with!

This sizzling story is fast-paced with a wonderful ending. Quite naturally, we are introduced to a bevy of characters, who no doubt will have roles in successive stories. I am certain that their stories will be just as delicious. Lauren Layne is new to me, but not for long, as my very next read is Hard Sell, book two, available now. Book three, Huge Deal, is slated for February, 2019. ( )

The allure of Lauren Layne is that she can tempt a heart while teasing the mind. Hot Asset is assuredly a temptation but Ian and Lara are more than just sensual eye candy. Behind the sharp pressed suits and icy attitude, Lara has a quick mind. She's more than just a pretty face, she's a determined woman with her sights set on her prey. Ian is a distraction she can't afford. He knows how to push her buttons. He's frustrating, sexy and has a few aces of his own. Her aim is to bring him down, but her heart may prove collateral damage in the fall. Hot Asset is a smartly written cat and mouse game of seduction that will keep the surprises coming until the very end. ( )

Hot Asset kicks off a new series by Lauren Layne and its centered around powerful stock brokers! I have never had any interest in stocks or the stock market, but leave it to Lauren Layne to make it seem sexy!

Ian is a douche. He pretty much tells us that on the first page. He is rich, powerful, sexy, and he knows it. But he isn't the guy who cheats to get ahead, so he knows when the SEC comes sniffing around, something is up. Lara is trying to get into white collar crimes for the FBI and is cutting her teeth in the SEC. She is sure Ian is guilty of insider trading, but he has a way of making her doubt herself. In classic Layne fashion, the banter is on point. Both Ian and Lara are well educated and whip smart so their verbal repartee is just as witty as they are. Both are passionate about their jobs and I enjoyed that aspect of the story. While I know little about the world of wall street, these two are both deeply engaged in the good and the bad about it! I liked that both Lara and Ian found it important to be ethical. Their relationship felt more real because you can tell they are both good humans. With each chapter I fell more in love with them both.

Hot Asset gives us a blistering enemies to lovers in a world filled with adversarial relationships. I really enjoyed Ian and Lara even though I didn't expect to. They are driven and mature, which I really appreciated; sometimes I get so tired of the unsure, woe is me, angsty romance. I also loved that they are genuinely good, honest people. There was something sexy about that for some reason. Finally, I found the resolution of the story (before the epilogue) to be incredibly satisfying. I would explain, but... spoilers. Just know that once again, Layne gives me characters I loved with a plot I appreciated for its realism.

Side note: I haven't listened to the audio, but its narrated by Zachary Webber so I want to listen to the audio!!!!

 

• POV: dual 1st


• Tears: no


• Trope: enemies to lovers


• Triggers: none


• Series/Standalone: stand alone


• Cliffhanger: no


• HEA: yes with a great epilogue

The Allure of Dean Harper by RS Grey, Seducing the Defendant by Chantal Fernando, After the Dark by Cynthia Eden...then you will probably like Hot Asset!

 


Hot Asset





See full review on The Book Disciple ( )