Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: The Deal – Z. Elizabeth

Title: The Deal (The Deal#1)

Author: Z. Elizabeth

Genre: Erotic Romance

Release Date: December 1, 2014

Synopsis

One feud.
Two families.
One secret.

What happens when you fall for the enemy?

Thanks to their fathers’ feud, Nicole and Craig have been enemies since the moment they were born. But six years ago they fell in love… They just never told each other.

Motivated by their grandparents’ money, they agree to a simple deal: Stay married for a year and unravel the secrets and lies surrounding their fathers. Bound together, they must figure out why the two former best friends have spent the last thirty years ignoring one another and prohibited any contact between Nicole and Craig.

Craig is more than happy to uncover their fathers’ past if it means he gets Nicole for real.
Nicole wants to keep the past exactly where it is and she will fight Craig every step of the way.
With only limited time together, delving into their family history could be the mistake that will break both their hearts.

What happens when secrets and lies are revealed? Can Nicole and Craig live their Happily Ever After after waiting six long years to be together? Or will one secret be enough to break them apart, just like their fathers?

‘I’m doing this for us, Nic’

*THE DEAL is suitable for 17+ due to graphic sex scenes and language*

*This is a STANDALONE novel. Book two is a companion novel.

Reviewer:
Rating:

Reviewer’s Thoughts

3.5 Cocktails

The premise of this story is what caught my eyes.  Two people strong armed into a marriage in order to receive their inheritance.  But the author did a great job of taking this circumstance, which could have gone very wrong, and made it work.

Nicole and Craig have been raised to be enemies due to some fight between their fathers when they were seventeen.  No one speaks of what happened or why, but somehow fate has a way of bringing them together anyway.  First, at college when their mutual friends overlapped and second, when their grandparents make a wild stipulation in order for them to each receive their inheritance.  For Nicole and Craig, they can either make the best of it and do what they need to for a year to get their money OR they can discover they each have the same secret desire for more.

I really enjoyed Nicole and Craig together.  Even when she was being a bit too bitchy in an effort to save her heart and he was a bit douchy trying to hide his feelings for his wife.  But when these two finally start acting like a married couple.  A real couple.  Then they become a couple I was invested in seeing their HEA.  Their parents secret, which spills over to them, doesn’t do them any favors, especially when they have trouble saying what they wants and need from each other outside the bedroom.  But when they’re forced to really look at what’s important, they learn from their parents mistakes and find that HEA.

THE DEAL was a great way to spend an afternoon.  Nicole and Craig were very hot in the bedroom, but I truly enjoyed following the two of them as they realized they both wanted the same thing.

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I turn back to the waves, pick up my bag and grab my phone. John looks over my shoulder, wondering just what I am doing but I sit closer to him and lean in so my cheek is next to his. This feels totally weird but I am going to document this moment and remind him that I gained his trust, albeit, a little too fast, but we are now Father and Daughter-in-law and we haven’t had a picture together yet.

“Um, Nic, just what the hell are you doing?” John asks but I reply with my arm around his shoulder and my arm stretched upwards with my phone. I smile into it, catching John’s expression. A mix of confusion, amusement and disbelief at what I am doing.

“Taking our first Father-in-law/Daughter-in-law photo, now smile, John!” I demand, smiling into the camera. John follows suit and I snap the image. I bring the phone so both of us can see the picture and I laugh. He certainly looks like an older version of Craig and he really is a DILF. I know for a fact when Craig and I have kids he is going to be the yummiest DILF imaginable and I cannot wait!

“Well, Papa Thomas, that is your birthday present sorted.” I giggle, locking the phone and throwing it to the bottom of my bag. John shakes his head and stares back out to the ocean.

“You know, Nic, I had you down all wrong. I thought you were a spoilt little girl who was exactly like her mother, but you are nothing like her. You’re like your father; strong, determined, and loyal. I’m so lucky that in some backarse way you and Craig found each other and I’m proud to call you my Daughter-in-law.” John admits and I look to him, tears filling my eyes. It’s hard to swallow but I push the lump down. I lean forward and wrap my arms around his neck, wanting a hug. John’s arms wrap around my back and he laughs at my emotions, rubbing my back as I sniff the tears back.

“You have no idea how much that means, DILF.” I murmur, drawing back from him. I smile widely at him and gather up my belongings, ready to leave and dart to Kelsie’s to pick up my suitcase. “I’ll see you around, Papa Thomas. Don’t be a stranger now we are BFF’s” And with a wink I begin to walk away from him.

“What’s a DILF?” He shouts after me and I let out a hearty laugh. I turn around and begin to walk backwards.

“Google it.”

Z. Elizabeth is a debut author who grew up in Wales, UK and wishes she knew how to speak fluent Welsh. Bore da (Good morning), Wedi Bleno (tired) and Ydw (yes) just don’t cut it.

Reading has always been a part of her life since she was a young kid and writing came quickly after she discovered her love for studying English Language and writing fiction. Since graduating with a degree in BA Journalism, writing is embedded into her everyday working and personal life. At 15, she finished a full length novel and thought nothing of it until now. The Deal is loosely based upon that story and it’s one that she is hugely proud of writing and re-writing and re-writing…

When she isn’t slaving away at her day job, you can find her daydreaming about her book boyfriends, reading the next hot book out or binge eating with her friends, continually shocking them with the filth that flies out of her mouth.

Z. Elizabeth hopes that her characters end up on your book boyfriend/girlfriend lists and her book ends up on your favourite list, maybe even your bookshelf.

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