The Billionaire's Bargain

my first time reading a book like this and it really wasn't bad! pretty cute

*I received a free copy in exchange for a fair review* I adore Naima Simone, and her books are without question brilliant. I did read the entire story and loved how the steamy hate between Isobel and Darius developed into steamy hate sex, then love. The premise of hooking up as "strangers" during a blackout is also super fun and sexy and I love a marriage of convenience, and Simone knocks it out of the park with heat, character development, and soapy good fun. Darius believes his best friend's ex, Isobel, is a liar, a cheater, a horrible woman he helped bring about his friend's demise in a reckless car accident. Darius has been fed these feelings by friend and his friend's parents, the some people who helped raise him and helped launch his multi-billion dollar company. But after the sexy and mysterious woman who helps him avoid a panic attack during a blackout at a gala turns out to be Isobel, Darius can't connect the two versions of the woman he thinks he knows, and he can't also help but fall in love with her son. A marriage of convenience seems the best way to make sure his friend's child is raised not in poverty, but convenience turns into so much more. For all the excellent story-telling, this one, alas, just hit my top unforgiveable actions buzzer and I couldn't come back from it. A mild spoiler - What kept me from enjoying the story was when Darius threatened to take custody of Isobel's small toddler son away from her. I cannot forgive a hero who ever threatens to take children away from the heroine, especially when it is a case of him being a billioniare and her having nothing but her love for her child. Unforgiveable. Ultimately, they end up with an emotionally satisfying HEA for more readers, but for me there is no grovel big enough to make up for this huge mistake. BUT, if that isn't a deal breaker for you, you can never go wrong with a Naima Simone!