Early Review: One Night Standard (Standard of Love #2) by E.F. Dodd

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Boston real estate developer Jamie Standard is about to close one of the most important deals of his life when a gossip rag releases an article painting him as a modern day rake. The bad press threatens to torpedo the deal and tank the largest green building project his company has ever undertaken. With the deal circling the drain, his business partners advise him to escape the limelight and visit his sister, Jocelyn. She happens to be the hospitality manager of L ’Atelier, a hot new resort hotel on the Vegas Strip, so as exiles go, it’s top tier. Especially when he runs into a gorgeous redhead at the airport.

Coral Triton has reached the pinnacle of her career as a professional mermaid by landing a new job at L ’Atelier. Not just to headline a live action mermaid show, but also help create a vision for everything from set design to choreography. Things are on a definite up-swim for her, and only get better when the hot blond guy she bumped into at the airport turns up at her hotel. But, she’s in Vegas for a job – the job – not a guy, so anything beyond one night is out of the question. With a brief note and one last look, she bails the next morning.

Only to be introduced to him days later as her boss Jocelyn’s brother. And Jocelyn thinks Coral is the perfect person to help solve Jamie’s PR problem back in Boston. If Coral will agree to fake a relationship with Jamie, it can restore his reputation, save his business deal, and slingshot Coral higher into the public eye. A win-win-win, right? But when there are no cameras and fake starts to feel all too real, can they keep their heads above water, or will love pull them both under?
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First line:
As each bag that wasn't mine tumbled its way down the somewhat dented slope of Baggage Claim 5 in the Harry Reid International Airport, anxiety wrapped its spindly fingers around a higher branch in the paranoia tree taking root in my brain.
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Source:
eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
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Rating:
3.25 Tails out of 5
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Rating:
November 1, 2024
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One Night Standard is a fun romance! Coral knows what she wants and isn't afraid to take it. Jamie is charming and thoughtful. Coral just moved to Las Vegas to start a new job: planning the new mermaid show at the L'Atelier. Jamie is coming off bad press from an article that tried to paint him as a guy who uses girls and then tosses them aside. He is visiting his sister in Las Vegas to get away from the scrutiny in Boston. I kinda liked having the script flipped and the MMC being the insecure one. And I liked the ending that didn't have everything tied up in a neat bow; there's still room for growth in our main characters and their relationship.

The first quarter of the book is both of their first day and night in Vegas, after that it picks up a bit. Though, it was fun to see Coral and Jamie meet and flirt and get to the place that will eventually develop into a relationship.

This was a fun read and I definitely recommend it for anybody looking for a confident FMC with a sweet MMC.



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