Catching up with Claire, Audrey and Naomi is always a good time. They all were cheated on by Claire's husband and while the story is #2 in a trilogy, I think the book stands alone rather well. It's nice to have the backstory but not necessary to enjoy the story.

Claire decides it is time to revamp the home she had with her husband and hires Scott to fix things up. Along the way, Claire starts to learn who she really is and the things she likes. Scott, resistant to taking the job at first, he warms up to the idea and the two go from enemies to lovers (of course).

Overall, this installment was fine? But overall, I think the book was flat and Scott annoyed me. Hoping for a strong finish with the last book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. ( )

easy read, better than most ( )

Love on Lexington Avenue by Lauren Layne is a 2019 Gallery Books publication.

A little flat- but still a light, entertaining read

I loved the first book in this trilogy and have been looking forward to reading this second installment. I was slightly surprised that Claire’s story was sandwiched in the middle. I thought Claire, the one who was legally married to the scoundrel that brought these women together, deserved the strongest feature, and as such, she’d have the starring role in the finale. Shows how much I know.

After discovering her deceased husband was a serial philanderer, Claire is trying to move on with her life. Despite knowing her husband was a cheat, she’s having a hard time letting go of her feelings for him. Also complicating her ability to move forward is her secret vow to never fall in love again. However, determined to step outside her comfort zone, Claire decides to shake things up in her life. For starters, she decides to renovate her Brownstone- and not necessarily in a low-key, traditional manner.

Enter Scott Turner, the contractor Claire wants to hire to help with the remodel. For Scott, redoing Claire’s home is small potatoes compared to his usual jobs. Because of that, he initially planned to pass on the job, thinking it beneath him, and not worth the bother of dealing with the rich, spoiled, ‘princess’ type, he presumes Claire to be.

But the Brownstone instantly calls to him so, despite getting off to a rocky start with Claire, it’s a job he can’t refuse.

Despite their differences, Claire finds Scott easy to confide in and before he knows what has hit him, he gets sucked into Claire’s plan to enjoy the pleasurable benefits of romance without the emotional connections that could lead to heartache.

Although Scott cheers Claire on, seeing her going out with other men, casual though it may be, is driving him crazy!!

This is a nice, easy to read contemporary romance, with a light tone all throughout. Yet, I had hoped for a story with a bit more emotional depth for Claire. This book, unfortunately, is a little bland and all too predictable.

Not to over analyze a book intended to be fun and humorous, but in my opinion, casual hookups replacing traditional dating, romance and relationships have become a very repetitive storyline that crops up entirely too often in contemporary romance. For me, it has become a boring, unimaginative plot element that I have a hard time relating to.

That said, the chemistry between Claire and Scott has some sizzle, and I enjoyed their banter. Character growth saves the story from being pure fluff, and despite its predictability, it might be the right book for you if concentrating on heavy topics sounds too depressing right now.

I loved the super cute ending, and I did close the book with a smile on my face, which is something to be grateful for.

I’m still looking forward to Audrey’s story and am hoping the trilogy closes on a high note. So, despite feeling a little let down by this one, it is still a mood lifter and was an enjoyable enough read, overall.

3 stars ( )

Much like the first in this series, this book was cute fluff, which is precisely what i'm looking for in my pandemic reading. My only complaint is that the characters were a little too mean to each other during the "obstacle" stage of the book. I know its meant to reflect the "damage" done to them in prior relationships but it was a little much for this type of book, in my opinion. ( )

The widow, the mistress, and the girlfriend of the dead guy make a pact to save each other from the wrong guy. Claire (the widow) has mourned for a year and is now going to remake the brownstone she shared with her husband. Realizing she has been looking at the same bland design that the house is currently in, she decides it is time to radically change the house and add color to it. Enter contractor Scott who wants a change from his usual big office/complex work. They fight. They get to know one another. They do not want to be attracted to each other. It does not work that way.

I liked this story. It can be read as a standalone but I want to read the first book in the series before the last book comes out. It is fun. Claire does not want the spotlight but she wants people to look at her, see her. In Scott she finds that person but she wants to try her wings. Scott agrees to help and he is not much of a wingman. But Claire is a smart woman. I liked her. I liked her strength and vulnerability. I rooted for Claire. I wanted her to get what she wanted and not what someone else wanted her to have. I loved the scene at the beach when they finally empty the one room. A classic!

I look forward to the next book. ( )