Heather Fueger
**Advanced copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review** This is the first book in the new Vegas Billionaire series by Heidi McLaughlin and I felt it was a solid first offering. Macey Webster has been down on her luck for as long as she can remember. She grew up on the "wrong side of the tracks" and has always had to worry about not only having a safe roof over her head, but also where her next meal might come from. Since she had her daughter Morgan, she's wanted nothing but to give her daughter the life that she's never had. In order to do that, she's having to make some difficult decisions on how to bring in the money needed to move them to a safe place. Having starting stripping to bring in the money needed, Macey learns of an opportunity to go to Las Vegas for a week to make some quick cash. She entrusts Morgan's care to her friend Steph and heads to Sin City. Finn McCormick is no stranger to women and one-night stands. He's sworn off relationships, love and entanglements. The last person he expects to encounter playing blackjack at the casino is a woman he had a one-night stand with back in high school. When he realizes she's lost every cent playing the card game, he makes an offer that shocks him and that she can't refuse - he wants her to do whatever he wants for a week and he'll pay her handsomely. With Morgan to support at home, Macey knows that while the last person she really wants to get involved with is Finn, she knows he's likely the answer to the financial quandary she's been in. As Macey and Finn spend more time together, feelings begin to emerge, but will either one of them be able to, or want to, face them? Or will Macey still hold a grudge from so many years ago and will she try to turn the tables on him? I enjoyed this book and think the Heidi McLaughlin did a great job telling this story. I'm looking forward to the next offering in the series!
5 people found this review helpful
Bette Hansen
I enjoyed this one although it seems it is my week to read books with leading male characters I love to hate! Macey is a down on her luck single mom doing what she has to do to get ahead. She's been trying for 1o years now though so she takes a chance and goes to Vegas to earn some quick cash stripping in the clubs there. She had me up to this point, then she makes an insane decision and my respect for her takes a huge hit. Finn is a club owner is Vegas and can't believe his eyes when he sees Macey, a girl from his hometown, losing big in one of his clubs. Seeing how devastated she is at losing her money Finn offers up a proposal. One week - she belongs to him and he'll pay her double what she lost. He's arrogant, bossy, and demanding. And Macey loves it!! Definitely a book I recommend.
Kim Cermak
Macey is a single mom of a ten year old girl, Morgan, who is living paycheck to paycheck trying to get out of the hell hole she and her daughter live it. Working two jobs, one at a diner and one at a strip club, she is doing whatever she can to make her situation better. When Macey learns of an opportunity to double her income working in Las Vegas, she leaves her daughter with her friends and heads out to make a better life for her child. Finn McCormick is the owner of Allure, a casino/hotel in Vegas. He does not believe in relationships let alone marriage and fills his bed with woman who believe the same. Finn comes across Macey in his casino, trying to double her earnings from stripping. Luck is not on Macey’s side and she loses everything she has worked so very hard for. Finn recognizes Macey from his past and propositions her to be his for one week…for $30,000. A week of parading her around while at meeting with potential investors, a week of no strings attached sex, sounds good, right? I feel the author did an amazing job of telling Macey’s story. I felt her struggle, I felt her sadness for what she could not provide for her daughter. All the emotions were there. When it came to Finn, he just felt so cold to me. I just couldn’t find anything to connect with him on. His past was screwed up but it wasn’t told in depth which I felt would have explained so much more about him. There is a plot twist…one I saw coming a mile away. Once that happened, there seemed to be such a drastic change in everything. The one other issue I had was that NO ONE realized this woman was a stripper. NO ONE. Not a single one of Finn’s friends or even his potential investors. How is that even possible?? I just didn’t feel any certain way about this book. It wasn’t great, it wasn’t horrible. It reminded me way too much of the movie Pretty Woman.