Love Arranged

Lakefront Billionaires #3

by Lauren Asher

The final book in the Lakefront Billionaires series by New York Times bestselling author Lauren Asher.

LORENZO
Five months. Two people “in love”. One fake relationship with an expiration date.
Sounds simple enough.
The problem is, Lily Muñoz and I have history.
So, when she volunteers to date me so I can improve my public image, I should say no.
Our past complicates everything, but since my future depends on her, I agree to her plan.
Faking it for the public is expected, but falling in love in private?
That isn’t part of our arrangement.

LILY
Using a dating app sounded like a great idea, up until I discovered Lorenzo Vittori was my match.
My sister’s boyfriend hates him. My mom is wary of him.
And me? I’ve spent the last year avoiding him.
But when my business is threatened, I’m forced into teaming up with Lorenzo to save it.
All I need to do is help him win the mayoral election, and he promises to protect my shop.
It doesn’t take me long to learn that I’m not cut out for fake relationships, but Lorenzo?
He isn’t capable of a real one.

Genres: Romance, Fake Dating, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Billionaire Romance, Small Town Romance, Fiction

562 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 19, 2025

About the author

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About Me:

Lauren Asher is a New York Times, USA Today, Sunday Times, Globe and Mail, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of contemporary romance. She enjoys writing about flawed yet relatable characters you can’t help falling in love with and fictional worlds you wish were real.

Her favorite activities outside of writing include DIY projects, binging old episodes of Parks and Rec, and searching Yelp for new restaurants before choosing her trusted favorite. She works best after her morning coffee and will never deny a nap.

Reviews

[Lauren Asher]

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[Yana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, is this what it feels like to read a good book finally?! The fact that I’m in the biggest reading slump ever and still giving this book 4 stars should tell you everything you need to know about it 🙂‍↕️

[maria (catching up) · Rating 2 out of 5]

જ⁀➴ 2 ✰

It should be a crime for a book this terrible to have this gorgeous cover😔


It genuinely pains me to give this rating to a book I was so excited to read—especially as the finale of a series I had been emotionally invested in. I was anticipating a powerful, emotional conclusion, but instead, I got what might be one of the messiest and most frustrating reads I’ve ever experienced.

╰┈➤ minor spoilers mentioned

Let me start with the positives, because it wasn’t all bad. I actually really enjoyed the beginning. The setup was promising, and I found myself having fun with the characters and the overall vibe of the story. For a brief moment, I thought I was in for a solid emotional ride. But as I kept reading, the excitement began to fade—and fast. I also enjoyed the cameos of Julian and dahlia!! {my forever loves💜}


. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [ writing & pacing ] ࿐ྂ

The writing style just didn’t work for me this time. I’m not sure what changed between this book and Lauren’s previous works, but something definitely felt off. A lot of the dialogue came across as cringe and awkward, like it was trying too hard to be intense or profound. There were moments where I genuinely felt like I had skipped a paragraph—because the flow was so jarring and disjointed. Conversations felt forced, and important emotional beats were either rushed or repeated to the point of exhaustion.

Speaking of repetition, the story itself was so painfully repetitive. I can’t count how many times the same points were rehashed—especially around why Lorenzo had to become mayor. It felt like we were reminded of that fact every five pages. And if it wasn’t that, it was Lily crying over Lorenzo… again. And again. And again. It got to a point where I was practically begging for anything else to happen, because it felt like the plot was stuck in a loop.

. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [ lack of emotional depth ] ࿐ྂ

One of the main reasons I fell in love with Lauren's writing in the past—particularly in Love Redesigned—was the emotional depth. That book made me feel things. Sadly, none of that magic was present here. I kept waiting to connect with the characters on a deeper level, to feel the heartbreak or the longing… but it never came. And that’s perhaps the most disappointing part, because this book had all the elements to be emotional. It just failed to execute them in a meaningful way.

. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [ push and pull ] ࿐ྂ

Let’s talk about the romance—or whatever that was supposed to be. The push-and-pull dynamic between Lily and Lorenzo was exhausting. They keep insisting that they only have eyes for each other, that no one else matters—but their actions are hot and cold, inconsistent, and frankly immature. One chapter they’re fine, joking and flirting, and then the next they’re ignoring each other or in a full-blown argument over something that barely makes sense. This cycle dragged on for over 400 pages. At some point, it stopped feeling like romantic tension and started feeling like emotional whiplash

. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [ characters ] ࿐ྂ

Lily

I really tried to root for Lily, but honestly? She might be one of the most frustrating and immature female main characters I’ve read in a while. She claims to be empathetic and caring, always worrying about others’ feelings, but her actions say otherwise. She was selfish, stuck in her own narrative, obsessing over how Lorenzo broke her heart—every single chapter. Her inner monologue was repetitive, her behavior was childish, and her emotional development was practically nonexistent. I found myself rolling my eyes more than once at her decision-making.

Also the fact that she stopped using clothes of colors just because men were rejecting her has to be one of the weirdest things I have read🤐

Lorenzo

Now… Lorenzo. I don’t even know where to begin. His behavior started out charmingly intense, but quickly veered into concerning territory. At times he genuinely acted like a mafia boss instead of a romantic lead. Here’s one quote that really threw me:

“I’m tempted to sneak into the bathroom and shut her phone off, all because I don’t like the idea of her listening to another man’s voice while she’s naked.”

Besties, she was showering while listening to music…. and this was Lorenzo’s reaction. Like wtf🤨

He snatches my phone straight from my hands. “You redownloaded the app?”
“Yes.”
“Interested in meeting someone else?” He types in the password, but it fails. He scowls as he tries another code and unlocks my phon

He constantly invaded her privacy, {gave her a bracelet that have a tracking gps inside} controlled her space, and justified obsessive, over-the-top behavior with his anxiety and OCD. And while I do completely understand that mental health can influence behavior, it wasn’t portrayed with the care or nuance it deserved. Instead of creating a layered, realistic portrayal, the book used his conditions as an excuse for unhealthy behavior—and that didn’t sit right with me.

. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [ chemistry ] ࿐ྂ

Unfortunately, the chemistry between Lily and Lorenzo was… well, nonexistent. I didn’t feel the connection. Their romantic moments felt forced and lacked authenticity, and the smut scenes were hard to get through—not because they were explicit, but because they were cringe. I found myself skimming those parts just to move on.
And to top it all off: a third-act breakup… when they weren’t even officially together? Make it make sense.

Another thing is that usually Lauren’s books are slow burn. But this was SO INSTA LOVE, which make sense because it’s fake dating but still it could have been better imo


. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ [ final thoughts ] ࿐ྂ

This was such a disappointing conclusion to a series that had real potential. The book felt rushed, the characters lacked growth, and the emotional impact was nowhere to be found. The only thing that genuinely made me smile was getting to see Julian and Dahlia again—they were the highlight.

Overall, I’m just frustrated. This review is a bit all over the place because I honestly don’t have the energy to structure it perfectly—kind of like how the book itself felt, if we’re being honest.

All I can say is… I really hope I never have to read another character like Lily again.

Also this is a me problem but I got to the point in my life that I can’t even read about billionaires being billionaires LMAOOO, so I couldn’t stand most of the talks in this book

#EatTheRich‼️‼️‼️



_______________________________

┆ ⤿ 💌 ༝ pre-read:

TO WHOEVER DECIDED TO APPROVE ME THE ARC, I HOPE YOUR PILLOW IS COLD ON BOTH SIDES🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

I’m going to pull out an all-nighter with this book

_______________

I just finished love unwritten and I’m even more excited for this one🤭

Can’t wait to see the dynamic between Julian and Lorenzo because the way Julian CANNOT stand Lorenzo is so funny🤣

╰┈➤ “Julian says he has the perfect place to bury a body should I need it.”
“Did you hear that, Lorenzo?” Julian asks from the living room.

Also this being one of the few scenes in which lily and Lorenzo are together in love unwritten😩😩

╰┈➤ ”Lorenzo is whispering something into Lily’s ear that has her nostrils flaring and her cheeks turning red. I know she can hold her own when it comes to men, but my protective instincts rear their ugly head.
Before I have a chance to interfere, she shoves at Lorenzo’s chest, which only makes him laugh. He reaches for the hand that pushed him and plants a kiss across her knuckles.”


___________

The covers of this series never misses😌 I’m obsessed with them.

___________

OMG THE TROPE ITS FAKE DATING!!!!🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️🤸🏻‍♀️

one of my favs. August needs to come faster😩 I can’t wait to see the cover because this series have some of the best covers I’ve seen in my life🫴🏻🫴🏻 I hope it’s blue🩵😽thank you Lauren for making the cover blue

[Ayman · Rating 5 out of 5]

their love sounds like a ‘cigarettes after sex’ song. my freak mode was ON during this entire book. fake engagement but is anything but fake and he claims he has no feelings for her but his actions say otherwise?!? i was locked tf in. 🤓

as soon as lorenzo showed up in this series and he was a potential love interest, i knew his book would be my favorite. there’s something about the anti-hero, ‘individual that everyone is scared of’ that gets me going. like people in this small town really thought he ate children and was in the mafia. meanwhile mf has ocd and is just minding is own business. i love a man with issues. like the scene when he was checking every part of the car (hood, tires, everything) before their rode trip (as if he didn’t already check it on the way to her) was the most freaked out ive ever been and there was no romantic intention behind it. (his ocd tendencies) it’s the little things ✨

and i fr had no reason crying as if i lost my entire bloodline reading about his past trauma and upbringing. he could burn my house down and i’d still be in love with him. like i just wanna protect him (with my body.) idk like, i just have this maternal instinct towards this 30 something fictional man. like i just wanna breast feed him, tuck him into bed, turn him into a labubu and hang him off my purse???!! nothing too much 🫩

AND Lily Muñoz really said IM GONNA MAKE HIM FUCKING WORK FOR IT! cuz there’s nothing better than a man that claims he has “no feeling for her” but really is just suffering in silence and blames himself for his inactions. she hasn’t seen Lorenzo in over a year, yet doesn’t hesitate to face him again when her livelihood is in jeopardy. PERIOD QUEEN YOU BETTER LET HIM KNOW!

and when he swapped out her credits cards in her purse and replaced them with his BLACK CARD, my entire personality shifted. this book was emotionally layered, the slow burn payed off, and i wish someone decides to plagiarize it so I can unintentionally read it again (this is obviously a joke🫣)

[Maddy ✨ ~The Verse Vixen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lakefront Billionaires— The End of an Era...🌊


And with that, the Lakefront Billionaire series reaches its final chapter—like ripples fading on Lake Wisteria.

Here's to Six souls, three couples, two set of siblings, families, and one unforgettable friend group—each leaving footprints on the shores of Lake Wisteria.

To the story that shattered me and stitched me back together again. It’s a goodbye that doesn’t quite feel like one… a story that will echo in my heart long after the last page.

Here’s me, standing tall, ready to defend Lorenzo with every ounce of my chaotic heart.Best book in the series so far,you can't convince me otherwise!!

Full review and love-letter to follow soon…

------
ೃ ⁀➷ Pre-view:🎯

Ahh! This blue beauty just arrived! — POV: You’re the ARC I’m about to annotate within an inch of your life🪄📚 Fake dating, here I come🤸🏻‍♀️
---
Politics, Paparazzi & the Problematic Ex—it’s fireworks or a felony..


Let’s talk about The Final Lakefront Billionaire (a.k.a. Lorenzo “I Have Trust Issues” Vittori meets Lily “I’d Rather Be Anywhere Else” Munoz). Lauren Asher really said “let’s throw political drama, fake dating, unresolved sexual tension, and family disapproval into one spicy marinara pot and stir.”
Five months of faking it? Babe, I can’t even fake a smile for five minutes—Lily Muñoz deserves hazard pay.

🏙️ Welcome back to Lake Wisteria ⛲, where the skyline’s pretty, the scandals are messier, and Lorenzo Vittori’s PR crisis is YOUR new boyfriend
👀 You matched on a dating app, screamed, and then agreed to fake-date him anyway (therapy is expensive, okay?)

~We’ve got:
✅One smoldering Italian billionaire with emotional walls higher than the Eiffel Tower
✅ A woman who just wanted a normal dating app experience (girl, why did you swipe right?)
✅ An enemies-to-lovers fake dating scheme so loaded with longing, it could fund the next city project
“Black Ties and White Lies”
✅ A mother’s side-eye that could curdle milk
✅ And of course, a mayoral campaign—because nothing screams romance like public image management 🙃
"Fake it till you make out"
✅“Lovers on the street. Delulu in the sheets.“Lights, camera, fake attraction—until someone catches feelings and ruins everything.”
✅ A slow burn so tense you’ll want to shove them in a closet and lock the door
✅ Spicy café dates, staged hand-holding, and enough longing looks to fuel a novella
✅Two words:One. Bed.💥💳
✅The final Lakefront Billionaires book, where one fake relationship, two very complicated people, and five months of public lies somehow turn into a full-blown heart crisis. 💅
✅ Public Lies, Private Eyes, and One Hell of a Deal “Politics made them partners. History made them enemies. Chemistry made them doomed, And babe, it’s about to explode in designer suits and broken promises." Flings, Rings & Other Expensive Things... (cue Bad Idea Right? by Olivia Rodrigo blasting in the background)

And Now Let’s talk about that book cover—because oh honey, it’s giving blue heartbreak, blue luxury, blue tension, and just a splash of fake dating delusion. 🎨💙

The shades of blue? STUNNING. Cool-toned like Lorenzo’s carefully curated image, icy like the front Lily puts up, and deep like the emotional drowning they’re both about to experience. It’s elegant, rich, and just moody enough to warn you: somebody’s gonna catch feelings, and it’s gonna hurt.

🧊 He’s got that "blue-suit, blue-glass, blue-blood even blue balls" billionaire vibe.
💙 She’s about to walk into this arrangement with her heart wide open and not a single safety net.
🌀 And us? We’re just here watching them fake it till they break it—while the color palette foreshadows all the emotional carnage.

So yes. They’re getting the blues.
Fake dating never looked so aesthetically doomed.💔
-Let’s not pretend we didn’t all lose our collective minds when we saw that delicious little glimpse in Book 2:

“Lorenzo is whispering something into Lily’s ear that has her nostrils flaring and her cheeks turning red. Before I have a chance to interfere, she shoves at Lorenzo’s chest, which only makes him laugh. He reaches for the hand that pushed him and plants a kiss across her knuckles.”

-EXCUSE ME?! That’s not just fake dating behavior—that’s “I’ve been obsessed with you for years but I’ll pretend this is casual while my heart combusts” energy💥

✨ The whisper?? Intimate.
🔥 The shove?? Tension.
💋 The hand kiss?? Game over. I’m emotionally compromised.

Now pair that with a cover dripping in moody blues and you’ve got a story soaked in denial, chemistry, and absolutely no chill. This is about to be messy, forbidden, and full of “Who do you belong to?” energy.
I need popcorn 🍿 and a playlist with nothing but SZA and The Weeknd.
There’s angst. There’s tension. There’s jaw clenches.
There’s enough jealousy to fuel a soap opera revival.
It’s 90% tension, 10% regret, and 100% bad decisions. 🚨 LET’S F*CKING GOOOO. 🚨🔥
Fake dating has never felt this dangerously real.
And baby, the expiration date? Just got blurred.💥 -Bring it on, Mr. Vittori.
You want fake love?
Then fake love me harder!!!💋

[shanayaa · Rating 2 out of 5]

➳ 1.5/5 stars

“To those who dream of falling in love.
And to anyone who fears it.
Love is one of life’s greatest rewards,
so long as you’re prepared to work for it.."

Well well, who would’ve thought that the one book i had sky-high hopes for would end up being the one i couldn’t vibe with at all? like istg, i was sooo excited the second lauren announced it I even made a bet with my brother that it was going to be an easy five stars. guess who lost? ME. because no matter how much i tried, i just couldn’t for the life of me fall in love with this book, its characters, or the plot. and trust me, i really tried. i stuck through till the very last page, holding onto hope that maybe something would click, maybe it would suddenly give me that feeling. but nope, it never happened.

The thing is, i adore this series. like genuinely, the first two books had my whole heart, so rating this one low feels almost like a betrayal. i wanted to love it so bad that i was even ready to overlook the fact that second chances aren’t exactly my thing. but that’s the crazy part it wasn’t even about the trope. it was everything else. it just felt… off. like it didn’t have that usual lauren asher magic. the story was tedious at times, the characters felt shallow, and the depth and development i usually crave were nowhere to be found. at points, i caught myself thinking it didn’t even feel like it was written by lauren.

so yeah, i’m disappointed. more than anything because i went in so sure this would be another all-time favorite. i was rooting for it, i was ready to fall in love again, but instead i closed the book feeling kinda hollow.

➳ ABOUT THE BOOK

"If I can’t fix us, it won’t be for a lack of trying on my part. I’ll give her my all, and if that still isn’t good enough, then I’ll find a way to be more of whatever she needs. Because Lily Muñoz is mine, and I’ll stop at nothing until I become hers."

This is the third and final book in the Lake Wisteria series, and honestly, I had such high hopes because I’ve been in love with this series from the start (and still am). But this one just left me so disappointed it actually hurts to think about how much more it could’ve been. The last book in a series is supposed to feel like a final goodbye, where you get to see all your favorite characters one last time, and when that goodbye isn’t done right, it leaves you with this weird kind of sadness. That’s exactly what this book did to me.

The story follows Lily Muñoz, the younger Muñoz sister, who’s determined to save her family’s legacy and shop. She’s willing to do anything for it even date her crush who broke her heart a year ago. Putting aside her pain, she decides to help Lorenzo win an election in exchange for saving her shop. As the story goes on, the line between fake and real feelings starts to blur, and of course, since it’s a second chance romance, it ends happily. Just… not in a way that left me happy.

➳ ABOUT THE CHARACTERS

╰┈➤ LORENZO VITTORI

"I’m as obsessed with Lily now as I was when we got together, and no amount of therapy will cure me of my addiction. That choice was intentional, because if loving Lily to the point of obsession is wrong, then I never want to be right."

Okay, I’m gonna be straight up brutal here because what the actual hell was this male character? The constant hot-and-cold behavior had me pulling my hair out. Like, I swear there were moments where I just wanted to shake him until he came back to his senses. I was hoping he’d be this charming but slightly detached guy in a calm, mysterious way but nope, he was detached and rude in the straight-up asshole way (iykyk). And don’t even get me started on how many highs and lows he put Lily through. Like, sir, pick a freaking lane.

First off, this man had zero communication skills. He ghosted her without even a message. And the worst part? He gave her hope only to rip it away later when he always knew he was talking to Lily. He knew exactly what she wanted: a happily-ever-after straight out of a romcom. If he never wanted that, he could’ve been clear from the start. But instead of being upfront, he kept up this fake façade and then crushed her once they met IRL. And THEN, magically, when he realized being a “gentleman” (emphasis on pretend gentleman) helped his reputation and boosted his election campaign, suddenly he’s nice to Lily not out of love or decency but because the world was watching.

And before anyone comes at me with the “but he was hurt too” argument yes, I get it. He lost his parents young, and that’s horrible. No child deserves that. But it doesn’t give him the right to ruin someone else just because he’s hurting. And don’t even get me started on his possessiveness. Like honestly I like my men possessive but this was infuriating. He tracked her location, literally gave her a bracelet just to track her… like, where are the boundaries? He had compulsions and control issues, fine, but he never once communicated about them, and that’s where it crossed the line.

And let’s talk about those sweet words he threw around whenever he wanted something ugh, it messed with me. It was manipulative at best, and honestly, I was done with it. At the end of the day, he was just boring. The most tedious MMC I’ve read in a long time. And maybe if his life had been explored more, I could’ve understood him better. But no we got one page (literally one page!!) about him talking about losing his parents, zero backstory about his mafia ties and also about the rumours, his abusive relationship with his uncle, nothing about his OCD or compulsions. Nothing. Like Lauren could’ve given us depth, given us reasons, but instead, I got… absolutely FUCKING nothing.

╰┈➤ LILY MUNOZ

"Maybe we were always doomed because neither of us is willing to sacrifice for the other. I won’t leave, and he won’t stay.
It’s a tragedy that would make Shakespeare proud, and one I don’t fully understand."

Lily, oh Lily. I honestly don’t even know where to start because I was so excited to finally read her book. She’s been one of my favourite characters since the very beginning her bubbly personality, her charm, that whole sunshine vibe she carried was everything. So imagine my disappointment when I opened this book and realized she didn’t even feel like the same Lily I fell in love with in the other books. It was like someone completely rewrote her personality, and not in a good way.

She turned out to be one of the weakest, most spineless FMCs Lauren has ever written, and it honestly broke my heart. Like, how do you take such a bright, charismatic character and make her obsessed with a man after just two months of random texts? And not only that, but when he ghosted her, she went running into the arms of another guy who, let’s be real, treated her like trash. And instead of standing up for herself, instead of fighting back, she just let it slide as if she had done something wrong. That’s not the Lily I was waiting for.

What made me even more mad was how quickly she jumped into the fake-dating situation with Lorenzo. In her head, she kept saying how much she hated him, how hurt she was by what he did but when it came down to it, she didn’t hold him accountable. She didn’t make him work for it. She didn’t even give him the earful he deserved. And it’s like… girl, if someone ghosts you, hurts you, dismisses you, and you still go running back the second they kiss you? Where is the self-respect?

The part that really did me in was the bracelet situation. When she found out Lorenzo was literally tracking her, she was pissed for about two seconds and then she legit PUT IT BACK ON. I actually gasped at that scene. Like, no. Absolutely not. That’s not romantic, that’s toxic. And it made me so mad because Lily deserved a man who cherished her, who made her feel safe, not someone who kept hurting her and then using his trauma as an excuse.

And yes, Lorenzo eventually came around and “became the man for her,” but at what cost? He dragged her through so much pain, insulted her choices, made her doubt herself, and broke her down before he finally decided she was worth it. And what did Lily do through all this? She stayed. She kept hoping. She kept chasing him because she was scared she wouldn’t find anyone else. And that, more than anything, is what gutted me. Because Lily was genuinely a good person warm, kind, loving and she deserved so much more than the bare minimum she got.

➳ FINAL THOUGHTS

"Because so long as I love you and you love me, we can get through anything together. That much I can promise.”

I went into this book wanting to love it so badly, but honestly, it just left me disappointed in ways I didn’t expect. Since this was the last book in the series, I was waiting for that big, emotional goodbye the kind that makes you feel like you’re truly letting go of characters you’ve grown attached to. But instead, it felt flat and unfinished, like we never really got that moment of closure.

With Lily and Lorenzo, I kept hoping for growth, for accountability, for something that would make their love story feel worth it. Lorenzo had his moments, I’ll give him that. He remembered her love for the garden and fixed it up for her, he chose her favorite color for the ring, and he even adopted the dog she couldn’t those were sweet touches. But the problem is, so much of it felt manipulative, like little acts to keep her tied to him, rather than genuine gestures born out of love.

And the proposal scene?That really stung. She literally asked him to stop, and he went ahead anyway just because he wanted control. That wasn’t romance; that was him ignoring her voice completely, which made me so sad because Lily has always been someone who dreamed of the romcom-worthy moments. She didn’t get that. She got the bare minimum.

To be fair, I do appreciate that Lorenzo eventually realized he needed to change, and the fact that he chose therapy and started working on himself was probably the best thing he did. But still, his character felt so underdeveloped. His past, his trauma, his supposed “mafia ties” all of it was brushed over like an afterthought. And his behaviour was exhausting to read: saying one thing in his inner thoughts, doing the opposite in his actions, and only treating Lily right when it benefitted him or when other people were watching. The constant hot and cold felt like a mind game more than a romance.

And then there’s Lily. My girl deserved so much better. I was waiting for her to finally stand up, to make him grovel, to make him earn her forgiveness. But she never did. She just kept letting it all slide because she believed he had his “reasons.” And that’s what broke my heart the most Lily, who had always been so full of charm and sunshine, settled for crumbs when she should’ve demanded the whole damn cake.

"Lake Wisteria is my home, but Lorenzo…he is my heart. I don’t want to have to choose between one or the other."

At the end of the day, I just wanted more more depth, more accountability, more romance that actually felt real. I adore Lauren Asher and this series will always have a special place in my heart, but this finale just wasn’t it for me. The rating I gave is out of love and respect for her and her writing, but if I’m being honest, this book didn’t give me what I was hoping for.

⚘ "Overall, If you’re in the mood to lose brain cells over whiplash-level hot and cold behaviour and a plot that forgot what depth even means, congrats you just found your perfect match" 💌

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

💌 — a sweet little note :-

to my gorgeous girl lils!!

i literally cannot thank you enough for sticking through this chaotic mess of a book with me and for letting me rant non-stop about every little thing that drove me insane. just know i adore you endlessly and i’m sooo grateful we got to read it together because honestly, god knows i would’ve quit halfway without you. i know we were both hyped for this one and it kinda sucks that it didn’t deliver what we wanted, but at the same time? i wouldn’t trade the experience of buddy reading it with you for anything. it was messy, frustrating, hilarious in all the wrong ways but somehow still so fun just because you were there. love you loads & loads, and i can’t wait for us to pick another book (hopefully one that doesn’t make us scream in rage lol). 🤧💕

— shanayaa <3
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

୨ৎ pre-read:
⤿ started - August 18, 2025

omg omg i finally got this beauty after waiting for ages, im so so excited ughhhh!!!🤧🤌🏻

— buddy reading with my gorgeous angel lils!! 💌

[vanesa (pike‘s version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

another reason for me to keep living

[Tuba barzani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Update :(
Now that i have finished reading it I don’t know how i feel about it I don’t know if it’s because i had high hopes or what but this one was not as good as her other books at some points I felt like this was written by someone else not laureen 😭
I hope her next novel is better i love her writing ♥️

3.5 ⭐️
“I can’t until 2025 for loreenzo and lily’s book 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭”

[Madison Kait · Rating 5 out of 5]

sooooo how do i move to lake wisteria???? cause like this series does something to me. THIS is my perfect romance, and so was love unwritten. this series is etched in my bones now & i fearrrr has taken top spot for interconnected standalones🤍🕯️🧺🌾

[Alyssa Nieves · Rating 2 out of 5]

Why are all of my most anticipated reads letting me down this year? 😭

Love Redesigned and Love Unwritten were 2 of my favorite books that I read last year. 5 stars for both of them and they have my heart!!! I was waiting months for this one to release and I was so excited for Lily and Lorenzo’s story after all of the buildup from the first 2 books. But alas, the book has released, I have read it, and it has disappointed me. I didn’t HATE this, but it just did not give what I needed it too.

I did enjoy being back in the Lake Wisteria setting and getting to see some of the characters that I loved from the first books, but this did not have the same small town family charm that the previous books did. I also honestly didn’t care about either main character. I liked Lily in the previous books, but I just didn’t connect with her like I thought I would. I also just didn’t like Lorenzo. I didn’t like him in the previous books, and I was hoping that this book would redeem him for me, but I still don’t like him LOL. He was toxic and controlling and I just couldn’t stand the man. The romance felt bland, there was such a lack of communication, and the timeline was a mess. I just wasn’t really feeling it which is so sad and disappointing.

I was really hoping for a better ending to one of my favorite series but the first 2 books are still so special to me so at least there is that!

ok, going to go cry now!

[⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ Kim ⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

જ⁀➴ 3 stars

“When you find the one person in the world who sees you—who takes the time to collect every broken piece of your spirit and helps you put it back together—you don’t let them go.”

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ °❀⋆.
...and our time in Lake Wisteria and the Lakefront Billionaires (plus one multimillionaire) trilogy comes to a close. I think this is my favorite book out of the entire trilogy, which, quite frankly, isn't saying much considering I didn't really like the first two books. This wasn't spectacular by any means, but I did enjoy Lily and Lorenzo's story out of all three couples.

Lily Muñoz is trying to get herself back on the dating scene. She downloads an anonymous dating app, Eros, under the name Ana and hits it off with a guy named Laurence. Little does she know, Laurence is actually Lorenzo Vittori, one of the candidates running for Lake Wisteria's mayoral position, and her family isn't particularly fond of him. With rumors of him being in the mafia, to personal issues he's had with her sister's boyfriend, Julian, there's no reason why she should fall in love with him. When devastating news arises that could jeopardize her family business, she falls into an unexpected alliance with Lorenzo....as his fake girlfriend.

I wanted to start this review off by saying that I already had my own biases against Lorenzo going into the story, but I tried to keep an open mind about him. Ever since we were introduced to him in Final Offer, I knew that he had some weird vibes about him that I couldn't exactly place my finger on. Turns out, I guess my assumptions were kind of true? He came off to me initially as someone who would end up in a dark mafia romance, and I guess to some degree that wasn't entirely false? It just wasn't in the way that I thought.

It's very clear that he cares a lot about Lily and her well-being, which was really sweet. From taking care of her when she's sick to helping her fix her car among other things, it was so adorable to see what is usually a very stoic, serious man turn into an absolute gentleman around her. I also loved his relationship with his parents, and **that** scene made me tear up. If you know, you know. I honestly wish we got to learn more about his past and his relationship with his parents growing up; they seem like amazing people.

I also love how Lily and Lorenzo complement each other. It was so symbolic to see Lily go from this almost lifeless, boring person going through the motions of her life and putting all her colorful clothes and her personality away to wearing bright, vibrant colors again once she and Lorenzo spent more time together. I think it's such a beautiful thing to feel like when you're truly in love, everything seems to shine a little brighter, the colors more vibrant, and everything just feels better in general.

More importantly, they helped each other work through their baggage, especially when it came to Lily helping Lorenzo. As always, I think Lauren Asher does a good job at bringing mental health rep into her characters and portraying them in a way that helps you understand what it's like to live with anxiety, depression, etc. With that being said, however, the biggest thing I had an issue with was Lorenzo himself, and it goes hand in hand with that. Now, I understand why he does what he does; it's because of his OCD that drives him to feel like he needs to be in control of everything all the time, because he's scared of what will happen if he's not in control. However, I don't think that if I were Lily, that I would forgive him for uh....I don't know, basically tracking her location without her consent? As someone who has been stalked before, I know what it's like to feel like your privacy is just gone and you can't live in peace. If I were Lily, I would feel like that would be grounds to just never trust a person ever again, because that's a complete invasion of privacy. Like, what in the "Violet!" by Waterparks is that???? (Look up the lyrics to the song if you don't know what I'm talking about yet, and you'll see exactly what I mean.)

You can't blame your behavior on your mental health; that's something that you have to work through and come to terms with. He was just SO controlling that I felt like I was suffocating, and this is a fictional character in a fictional world, FFS. This particular line made me SO uncomfortable; I'm sure it was supposed to come off as "aw, he's just jealous haha how cute" but to me, this was just fucking insane:

"I’m tempted to sneak into the bathroom and shut her phone off, all because I don’t like the idea of her listening to another man’s voice while she’s naked."

For context, Lily was singing along to a song in the shower, which JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE SUNG BY A GUY. Are you kidding me? Some of my favorite artists/bands are guys-Fall Out Boy, Chase Atlantic, Alex Warren-just to name a few. Heaven forbid I'm not allowed to sing along to "Hum Hallelujah" in the shower. Like, be so for real; Lorenzo and Lily are in their late twenties and Lorenzo acted like a complete asshole at times to the point where he almost surpassed Declan Kane as my least favorite Lauren Asher MMC.

It was also extremely exhausting to see Lorenzo struggle with his feelings for Lily the entire time. He constantly went back and forth about whether or not he actually loved her and I wanted to bang my head against a wall every other chapter because what do you mean this book was 530-something pages and he couldn't make up his damn mind? All of Lauren Asher's books are super long and are supposed to be slow burns, neither of which I mind, and while I did feel the tension between Lily and Lorenzo in some of the scenes, I feel like both of them constantly going back and forth and this push-and-pull game they had going on for a majority of the book also took away from the moments I did like about this, which is basically everything I've already mentioned previously in this review. Once you add the campaign discussions and strategizing, and Julian and Dahlia occasionally making appearances here and there, I feel like the romance took a backseat, and at times, it didn't feel like a romance novel- it just felt like any other contemporary fiction novel with a sprinkle of romance and passive aggressiveness. I honestly felt like Lily was too forgiving at times towards Lorenzo for some of the things he did.

As always, the epilogues Lauren Asher writes are just stinking adorable. Please read the extended epilogue if you can; I think it was such a perfect way to end the series, and I don't think it could've or should've ended any other way.

If we're walking about the series as a whole in comparison to the other series Lauren Asher's written, I still think that the Dirty Air series lands on top, followed by Dreamland Billionaires and then this one. I can't wait to see what Lauren Asher has in store next! (PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE LET IT BE THE DIRTY HEIRS SERIES. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO ALL OF THE DIRTY AIR COUPLES AND THEIR KIDS.)





P.S. SANTIAGO ALATORRE REFERENCE MADE IN THE STORY AHHHHHHHHH
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ °❀⋆.
Trigger/content warnings: sexual content, death of loved ones, on-page depictions of OCD compulsions

⋆˙⟡ 𝑅𝑒𝒶𝒹𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓊𝓅𝒹𝒶𝓉𝑒 (8/20/2025, 11:18 AM): Okay, why does the first few chapters already have me hooked? I'm trying to keep my expectations at a reasonable level, but the prologue already had me hooked...

⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹 (8/19/2025): Happy publishing day to Love Arranged! I’m really hoping this is a case of “third time’s the charm”🥹🤞🏼🍀🩵⛲️

⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹 (4/17/2025): Okay, so I'm definitely going to get wrecked for saying this, but this entire series so far did not meet my expectations. I'm not sure what it is, but I just couldn't bring myself to care about any of the characters as much as I did with the Dirty Air series and even the Dreamland Billionaires series. If you haven't gotten your pitchforks out yet, you probably will when I say I also don’t know how I feel about Lorenzo yet; he's been giving me weird vibes ever since he was introduced in Final Offer. I'm hoping he proves me wrong.

But dang it, as soon as I saw this cover?! My jaw dropped. I'm not going to lie, this cover is so pretty!🩵🤍🦋🫐 I love the baby blue vibes the cover's giving!

(P.S. What's everyone's bets on the length of the book? I'm going to say at least 500 pages LOL. Update (6/12/2025): LOL I WAS RIGHT, IT'S 560 PAGES)

In the meantime, here are my reviews on Love Redesigned and Love Unwritten!

Love Redesigned
Love Unwritten

[Fairuz ᥫ᭡. · Rating 4 out of 5]

𐙚⋆˚✿˖° 3.75 stars (audio saved me from giving it lower tbh, Noah B. Perez & Ruby Corazón killed it 🎧)

──★ ˙🧷 ̟ !!

So… this book was definitely different from the previous Lakefront Billionaires installments. The first two had me full-on emotionally invested, crying into my snacks, while this one? Felt a bit surface-level, but in a fun, guilty-pleasure kind of way. I had high expectations coming in, and while it didn’t fully hit, it still had enough charm to keep me hooked.

Lily Muñoz — queen of sass, loyalty, and knowing her worth 💖. I love that she made Lorenzo earn back her trust instead of falling for him blindly.

Lorenzo Vittori — the hot & cold mayoral chaos of my dreams 😌💥. He’s a classic alpha male, but hearing his POV and learning about his past softened him big time. Still a little intense, but I was here for it.

Dahlia & Julian — minor appearances but still shining ✨. I missed them so much 🥹


─── ౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

What I loved:

The banter. Lily and Lorenzo’s texts and snarky exchanges were everything. I was smiling like a loon half the time 😭.

Seeing Lorenzo open up about his OCD, family, and grief? It gave him depth beyond the alpha exterior.

Returning to Lake Wisteria and its quirky townspeople brought back the cozy vibes I’ve loved since book one. Small-town vibes is just unmatched.

Bonus epilogue = cherry on top 🍒. Perfect little wrap-up.


The messy bits:

Romance started a little fast—those initial texts didn’t totally convince me their feelings were real yet.

Push-and-pull in the middle? A tiny drag.

Third-act breakup (sort of) 😭 Lorenzo could’ve handled that way better. I wanted more groveling, sir, seriously.


All in all, it’s chaotic, messy, and adorable. Fake dating, enemies-to-lovers vibes, alpha man learning vulnerability, and a female lead who knows her worth? Yes, please. Even with its flaws, it gave me the addictive, binge-worthy romance I was craving.

Lauren Asher delivers addictive romance every single time. Lily and Lorenzo’s story wasn’t perfect, but it hit enough notes to keep me grinning, swooning, and shouting at my audio player. Lake Wisteria will live rent-free in my heart forever.

𐙚⋆˚✿˖° Final verdict: 3.75⭐️ – messy but lovable, frustrating but cute, and audio really saved the day.

[manas · Rating 2 out of 5]

➳ 1.5 ☆

now...two/three stars can either taken as “glass half full” or “glass half empty.” i am honestly in the middle of both when it comes to my feelings of this book. the narrators, as always, gave us a top tier performance. noah perez is TALENTED and i am grateful he did every point of view for this series because no one else could've done this justice. as always, i am a book collector so when i saw this third book was coming out, i ran to buy the trilogy which promoted me to actually start reading these books. the covers are beautiful and lauren clearly put a lot of effort on the internal touches. i am so grateful i have all of them on my shelf because they look so pretty together. lastly, i loved buddy reading with my best-friend, vee. go check out her review. i love you.

tropes — 🦋💜🫐🐬🪻

☆ fake dating
★ dual point of view
✮ interconnected stand-alone
☆ found family
★ billionaire romance
✮ small town romance
☆ forced proximity
★ ocd representation
✮ grumpy x sunshine

coming off of the high that was, love unwritten this book disappointed me. lauren asher is a hit or miss author for me, but this is the first book from her where i have no clue what my feelings are. on one hand, this book is very easy to read and brought back a lot of positive emotions since it's an interconnected series. getting to see my favorite characters and interacting with the found family that's been built has been special. however, this book is not exempt from critiques because i have a lot...

💙 ── lily
unfortunately, lily was deeply desperate and annoying which brought a very weird tone to this story. i really tried to understand her character—to root and sympathize with her—but she was irritating me from start to finish. the entire duration of the novel is her being pathetically in love with lorenzo and circling his every move while receiving next to nothing from him. i HATE this trope as it never works in romance. in her monologue, dialogue, and conversation with a character was just her obsessing over him and asking everyone why lorenzo isn't in love with her...this was beyond mundane to read about for over 500 pages. her identity was reduced to being the archetype of “i can fix him.” speaking of lily's character, her actions and reactions also felt very self-centered and for her own benefit. at no point in their relationship did i understand their deportment. we as the audience don't know why she loves him, or how she loves him, because we never get to see development.

🩵 ── lorenzo
speaking of the other half, lorenzo equally pissed me off—if not more. he was an utter bitch ass to everyone and there was literally no reason for this tomfoolery. again, at no point in this story are we able to understand his actions or reactions to his surroundings. it felt like watching a child throw a temper tantrum over materialistic values. unlike lily, i found it very difficult to sympathize with lorenezo since he gave us nothing. just zilch. this is sad because i felt like he had potential in the beginning of the story, but his character moved in circles the entire time. in parts, he is trying to tax the rich (real), run for mayor, and be a shein mafia don...like, i am hella confused as to what his character is supposed to represent. there are some scenes were i was on board and finally starting to like him, only for lorenzo to pull some creepy ass overprotective move which soured the mood. the possessiveness was NAWT attractive at all & came out of nowhere—ruining the vibe of the story.

── the romance
brother no. the romance is the focal point in these types of books, but where was the romance? everything was either moving at snail's pace, or we were moving in space. lily and lorenzo for starters, never felt like equals. they aren't on the same page about anything and had a constant loop of will we or won't we. they meet through a dating app and lily comes off really strong which has lorenzo wondering if this relationship is a good idea. after meeting at a party and making out in the prologue...he ghosts her before they run around like children, annoying everyone and their mother, before going into a fake relationship to save their ass. sounds like a mess, doesn't it? that's because it is. the execution of this mess is even more laughable because there was no believability factor. this is not a slow-burn nor is it even a fast-burn because nothing. fucking. happens.

the banter, the teasing, and the overall buildup of them getting to know each other felt like a waste since we never feel what they claim to feel. the entire plot revolved around the concept of who can be pettier and get away with it. their romance completely lacks any real connection and was solely based off of the circumstances around them. their back and forth was also jarring as hell since one chapter they are playing this picture-perfect couple—only for the next one to be hit with some territorial bullshit which made me uncomfortable. a lot of his problematic jejune behavior was chalked up to his ocd. as someone who suffers from ocd, i am never going to tell someone they are incorrect or invalid for feeling a certain way. however, in this case, there was always a convenient outing that he used every time he fucked up. lily and lorenzo had no buildup of friendship, trust, and least of all love. they just wanted to fuck, which is real and valid...but why are you wasting my time with these childish antics? just go ahead and fuck and move along.

this book being the conclusion of this series is very blaring since we spend next to no time with the other characters. there should've been more scenes—happy moments that showcased this final chapter being over. instead, we got some futile third act break up and more antics from these nincompoops. MANCHILD.

tension, buildup, banter ≠ being ninny buffoons.

i am so glad this nonsense is over.

[anne ꕮ (semi-ia) · Rating 1 out of 5]

“Because Lily Munoz is mine, and I'll stop at nothing until I become hers.”

── .✦✩°𓏲⋆ 1.5 stars

⤿ tell me my luck is cursed with the romance genre this year cause wdym that my most and crazily anticipated read of the year had to flop so fucking hard?

i was beyond excited for the release of love arranged ever since i found out it was about lorenzo and lily with fake dating trope. the way lauren fed with us their crumbs in the previous books, i was so suree that this would end up being my most favorite of all. however, props to lauren for turning my nightmare into a reality because this turned out to be the worst of all.

⟢ tropes ⊱
✶ enemies to lovers AND second chance of sorts
✶ she fell first, he fell harder
✶ forced proximity
✶ fake dating
✶ grumpy x sunshine
✶ dumb fmc x asshole mmc

⟢ characters ⊱
✶ liliana munoz – no fucking way is she the sister of the motherest dahlia munoz. nope. i refuse to believe it. because while dahlia has the spine of steel, this girl has none to begin with. she was so damn naive and annoying that despite my numerous attempts to like and sympathize with her, i ended up being sort of indifferent to her by the end.

now listen there’s nothing wrong with being a hopeless romantic who unapologetically chases the man she loves. however, in lily’s case, she was a doormat dressed up as a lovergirl.

yes there were a few moments where she stood up for herself and put lorenzo in his place, but they were overshadowed by her constant yapping about her love for him and how she always empathizes with him (even when he treats her like shit) yada yada. in simple terms, she turned out to be a complete doormat and i truly detested that progression of her character.

✶ lorenzo vittori – my biggest grief regarding this book.
i loved his character so much from the crumbs we got in love redesigned & love unwritten. he was portrayed as this enigmatic bad boy who one would voluntarily make bad decisions for.

however, in this book lauren proved that some characters are better off as concepts than reality. lorenzo vittori is the prime example of that. he transformed from a charming and mysterious (possibly morally grey) rich dude to an asshole and creepy rich dude. i get it that he had his issues and i truly sympathized with everything he went through, but the way he treated lily with his hot and cold attitude (even after he admitted to falling in love with her???) pissed me the fuck off. he was the most inconsistent mmc in the romance genre i have read so far.

i felt like lauren wanted to created a complex man with humane flaws but instead ended up producing a man child with borderline controlling tendencies. i could have overlooked his digressions had he been portrayed with much more nuance and dimension. but alas, his mental disorder was glorified to dress him up as just a flawed character when in reality, he's a creep.

I’m tempted to sneak into the bathroom and shut her phone off, all because I don’t like the idea of her listening to another man’s voice while she’s naked.

how charming.

the only thing i appreciated about him was that his self-awareness of being stinky ass.

⟢ lorenzo & lily ⊱
⤿ talk about the biggest fumble in the entire series. with the way the prologue was set up with him breaking her heart and then topped with the fake dating trope, they could have served so much angst, yearning and tension.

however, guess what happened?
lily being a fucking doormat and glutton for lorenzo's shitty attitude is what happened.

the first few chapters had some tense bantering, i will admit, but after that things went downhill so fast. there was no tension, no push and pull, no forbidden moments or the “is it fake or is it real” kinda scenes. nada. it’s like she hated him for a few chapters but then remembered that she lacked a spine so off she goes falling for him again. he would literally do the bare minimum (sometimes even not) and she would start daydreaming about their marriage and kids (obviously this is a hyperbole but you get my point).

additionally, lorenzo’s hot and cold attitude towards her irritated me rather than make me anticipate them becoming a thing. this is particularly because the conflict between them seemed immature, petty and way underdeveloped. he would hurt her, apologize, she would fold for him and suggest him to do better, he would promise to be better but he wont be and the vicious cycle continues.

also putting a tracker in her bracelet and almost threatening her to keep wearing it? what the actual fuck?

“Now, do you want me to follow you around everywhere, or will you be a good fiancée and wear my gift?”

i get that he was traumatized with what happened to his parents and his mental disorder but nothing, I REPEAT, NOTHING excuses shit like this. and he only apologized because she was done with his sorry ass and dumped him??

also, i fucking hated how he acted all possessive over her but refused to commit and admit his feelings too? like wtf do you want? her to remain miserable with you? (yes actually)

He snatches my phone straight from my hands. “You redownloaded the app?”
“Yes.”
“Interested in meeting someone else?” He types in the password, but it fails. He scowls as he tries another code and unlocks my phone.

there was no romance, no chemistry, no love. they were not only a toxic couple but also an extremely badly written one.

⟢ what i liked ⊱
✶ JULIAN AND DAHLIA. my babies. their shoulders must hurt from carrying this series alone.
✶ daisy. such a cute dog and yet got stuck with such horrible parents, aka lily and lorenzo.
✶ the portrayal of grief. my heart did break when lorenzo broke down by the end of the book. in fact, this is the only reason why i gave it 1 star because the way the grief of losing your close ones was portrayed was so realistic and heartbreaking.
✶ they had a few cute moments. keyword: few

⟢ what i disliked ⊱
✶ this entire book. jk. not at all
✶the plot and writing.this didnt feel like it was written by lauren who gave emotionally charged books like love redesigned and love unwritten. no. this felt like a book written by someone who was in a haste and wanted to just get done with this shit.
every character in the book felt flat and one dimensional and had this been the first book of hers that i read, i would have not only discontinued this series but also never touched another book by her again. the pacing was so damn slow that i almost dnfed it multiple times. and i think it's pretty clear by now how i feel about the shitty plot.
✶the third act break up was hilarious and the dumbest one i've witnessed so far. in fact this whole book is dumb as hell and fried my remaining two brain cells.
✶ the epilogue ending with them not divorcing.


moral of the story : cease all expectations you might ever possess regarding any unreleased book.

────୨ৎ────

Love Redesigned - 3.5 stars
Love Unwritten - 2.5 stars
Love Arranged - 1.5 stars

[Fiza · ia · Rating 4 out of 5]

꒷⛲— oh yeah Lorenzo can ride the cars (he's so fond of collecting) all over me.
‎
‎as someone who's suffered from severe ocd, like washing my hands a CRAZY amount of times (even asking my mom over and over if they were clean), crying in bathroom thinking that something bad would happen to someone just cuz I thought about it, etc etc and then kept getting annoyed easily when my head was quite literally flooded with these thoughts — i related to Lorenzo on molecular level.
‎
‎and yes if you'd ask me which was my fav book in the series? it'd definitely be Love unwritten.
‎
‎but Lorenzo might just be the hottest one for me! idkkk man but he gave me that chiseled , tan, sleek, 3-piece-suit, broody, scrumptious, pathetic asshole vibes 😋🍭

— 3.75 stars ★

[Delaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lorenzo, the man you are😮‍💨

[veerali · Rating 2 out of 5]

⁀ ⊹ ₊ When you find the one person in the world who sees you—who takes the time to collect every broken piece of your spirit and helps you put it back together—you don’t let them go

this book was the biggest, most disrespectful fuck you to my reading list this year, and to my entire soul.

you know when you have that one book you’re hyped for? yeah, that was love arranged for me. after reading love unwritten, i thought that lauren will feed us gourmet with this one. what i got instead? a platter of disappointment so potent, it basically gave me and manas food poisoning.

so, let's get into the pressing matter of why this was a colossal fail of 2025 (because it felt like a future disappointment that reached back in time to mess up my present). first off, the tropes. on paper they were chef's kiss. we have fake dating, grumpy x sunshine, and found family. these are my comfort tropes, my literary equivalent of a weighted blanket and a good cup of chai.

but here? it's like lauren asher had a checklist of popular tropes and just ticked them off without actually understanding how to weave them into a compelling narrative. the fake dating felt forced, the grumpy x sunshine was less opposites attract and more one person is miserable for no good reason and the other is just there, and the found family? lmao. what found family? they were there as a background element that was supposed to add depth but just floated around, untethered and pointless.

⁀ ⊹ ₊ If loving Lily to the point of obsession is wrong, then I never want to be right.

now, onto the characters, and trust me, writing about them is going to give me a migraine (if you want the full, unbridled rage fest, go check out manas's review. she articulates the pain better than i) but let’s try. our female main character, lilly. girl, my heart genuinely ached for you, but also, babes, you were so, so desperately coded to an alarming degree. her "will a man ever love me?” internal monologue on repeat for 65% of the book. sixty-five percent! that's more than half!!

my inner monologue while reading was just constantly screaming. if a man isn't giving you the bare minimum, if he's not treating you with respect, if he's making you wonder "does he even like me?". THROW HIM! set his house on fire and never look back! but no. lilly, bless her heart, spent an ungodly amount of time questioning, and basically simping over lorenzo. give me a fucking break.

⁀ ⊹ ₊ Once upon a time, I wished our story would end with a happily-ever-after, only to realize Lorenzo is the villain in mine.

and then lorenzo. okay, i genuinely appreciated the representation of his OCD. as a reader, i'm always interested in understanding why characters are the way they are, what shaped them, what makes them tick. it adds layers, complexity, and makes them feel real. however, sometimes his trauma gave a convenient excuse for him to just be a raging dick. we get very little, if any, substantial information as to why he's such a consistently mean, brooding, emotionally unavailable human being and because we don't get that deep dive, it's just gets annoying. nah, that's not a personality trait. that's just poor character development.

⁀ ⊹ ₊ I'll keep making her dreams come true. From now until forever. In this life and the next, I promise to always hold up to my end of our new arrangement - our forever plan.

and the romance? i'd call this a fast burn out. because the characters were apparently in love with each other in the prologue itself? like, what the fuck. we don't get any tension here. none. nada. zilch. it lacked any genuine emotional depth or believable development. it was so damn superficial, rushed, and unconvincing.

⁀ ⊹ ₊ She might as well be my first and last because no one from my past compares, and there won't be a single person who ever will.

OH MY GOD. the third act was so messy, so overblown, so unnecessary, i genuinely wanted to throw my book across the room. i was rolling my eyes so hard, i think i saw my brain. just fucking leave me alone, okay? let me escape!

idk, but romance has lost its touch nowadays. or maybe i'm just getting jaded, but seriously, the number of new romance books that genuinely hit different is dwindling. it feels like everyone's chasing trends, ticking boxes, and forgetting the actual heart of what makes a romance novel great: believable connection, character growth, and a narrative that makes you root for the couple. this book was a prime example of everything i'm tired of in the genre. i don't know if i can read any new romance books anytime soon without a healthy dose of skepticism and a strong prove me wrong attitude.

before i go curl up in a ball of despair, i wanna say thank you to my bestie, manas, for reading this with me. we truly suffered through this together, and our talks were probably the only good thing that came out of this whole ordeal. forever grateful to call you my best friend, hehe.

[Anila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.25⭐️

Can’t believe this is the last book in the series, but I’m so happy it ended on a high note🙈

I think Dahlia is still my favourite female lead of the series, but Lily would have to be my second favourite. She knew her worth and despite her feelings for Lorenzo, she made him work to earn back her trust and forgiveness after he broke her heart. I also really admired her determination, loyalty and kindness. She was just very likeable.

From the snippets we got in the previous books, I was always intrigued by Lorenzo and so it was great to be inside his head and learn more about him, especially his family background. He could be harsh at times, but with his POV, we understand why and that his actions wasn’t with ill intentions. It actually really hurt my heart to see how the townspeople were treating him. I mean even my favourite man Julian could be so rude towards him. However, I liked how the town slowly came to adore him and got rid of this misconception that he was a villain. I do think Lorenzo could be too much of an alpha male at times, but I still loved him.

The romance moved a bit fast at the start. The author gave us a few text messages between Lily and Lorenzo to lay the foundation for their relationship, but it wasn’t enough for me to truly believe they had developed feelings for each other. It’s a small complaint though because I honestly loved these two as a couple and couldn’t get enough of the banter between them. Lily could be very sassy so it made for some very good dialogue and fun interactions between them. I also really liked how Lorenzo learned to be vulnerable and was able to open up to Lily about his family and tragic past. There was a bit too much push and pull in the middle of the book, which dragged the book for me, but thankfully it only lasted a few chapters. The third act breakup (sort of?) was annoying as well and I wished Lorenzo would have handled the situation better instead of lashing out at Lily.

As for the supporting characters, it was great to see Dahlia, Julian and the rest of the community of Lake Wisteria. It was something that I felt was lacking with book two since the story mainly took place in Hawaii. And so, it was great to return to the small town vibes that I loved from the first book. I have to give credit to Manny who was the most amazing best friend to Lorenzo. I couldn’t get enough of that duo.

All in all, I had the best time reading this book and can’t wait for whatever series Lauren Asher releases next!

Also, thank you to my girl Ashlyn for buddy reading this with me❤️

————————-

Pre-read: IT'S TIME!!

[nadine · Rating 5 out of 5]

give it to Lauren Asher to write the perfect small-town billionaire romance

[Ri ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

LORENZO VITTORI? BIG SMAGH.

i will be needing at least three business days to recover from the hangover this series gave me 😭💖 i loved it so so so much!


BRING ON ALL THE FAKE DATING 😈 im so ready for lorenzo and lily 🤭💘


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

i need this book in my hands like i need air!

i just know this gonna be so good if they are like this already 😋

“Lorenzo is whispering something into Lily’s ear that has her nostrils flaring and her cheeks turning red. I know she can hold her own when it comes to men, but my protective instincts rear their ugly head. Before I have a chance to interfere, she shoves at Lorenzo’s chest, which only makes him laugh. He reaches for the hand that pushed him and plants a kiss across her knuckles.”

[vanessa ۶ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 stars.
“Lily Muñoz is mine, and I’ll stop at nothing until I become hers.”
With this book, the Lakefront Billionaire series closes its final chapter—like waves gently fading against the shores of Lake Wisteria.
Six souls, three couples, two sets of siblings, and one unforgettable friend group have etched themselves into my heart, each leaving behind something I’ll carry with me.
This story tore me apart and somehow pieced me back together, and even though it’s over, it doesn’t feel like goodbye—it feels like a promise that it will stay with me forever.
And as for Lorenzo? I’ll defend him with every bit of my messy, loyal heart.

“I’ll keep making her dreams come true. From now until forever. In this life and the next, I promise to always hold up to my end of our new arrangement - our forever plan.”

Lorenzo Vittori:
Oh, Lorenzo. He’s the kind of man who walks into a room and instantly makes you distrust him—polished, sharp, and way too sure of himself. He’s arrogant in that “you want to slap him and then kiss him” kind of way, and honestly? That’s half the reason he’s so addicting to read. On the surface, he’s all about power, politics, and image—but the cracks show, and when they do, it’s devastating. There’s this ache beneath his confidence, this fear of loving too deeply, and watching him try (and fail) to keep Lily at arm’s length was equal parts frustrating and heartbreaking. He’s a mess, but the kind of mess that keeps you hooked.

“When I open my wallet to grab my credit card, I find all of them missing except for a black one with Lorenzo’s name on it.”
LILY YOU ARE SO LUCKY, AHH

Lily Muñoz:
Lily is the backbone of this story. She’s strong, stubborn, and determined to protect what’s hers—her business, her family’s trust, her own heart. I loved how she didn’t just roll over for Lorenzo’s charm; she pushed back, challenged him, and reminded him that she wasn’t going to be another pawn in his game. She’s practical and level-headed, but also so deeply human in her vulnerability. Her inner conflict—wanting to stay away from him but being drawn in anyway—made her feel real, like someone you’d root for not just because of romance but because of who she is.

“I’m starting to wonder if you have a thing for blonds.”
“Is that a problem?”
“Only because I’m not one.”

Together:
Lorenzo and Lily’s dynamic is fire and gasoline. Every scene between them carried tension so sharp it was almost unbearable. Their banter was biting, their chemistry undeniable, and their history gave everything this simmering layer of unresolved emotions. They were messy, stubborn, and flawed—but that’s exactly why they worked. Because when they let their walls fall, when they finally stopped pretending, it wasn’t just passion—it was release, redemption, and something neither of them thought they’d deserve.

“If loving Lily to the point of obsession is wrong, then I never want to be right.”

At the end of the day, Love Arranged is more than just a fake-dating trope done well—it’s a character-driven story about two people who should never have worked, but somehow made perfect sense. The tension, the banter, the vulnerability—it all built into a romance that felt messy, real, and unforgettable. Lorenzo and Lily left their mark on me, and while their journey was full of chaos, it was also full of growth. I laughed, I got frustrated, I swooned, and in the end, I believed in them. That’s all I could really ask for.

“To those who dream of falling in love. And to anyone who fears it. Love is one of life’s greatest rewards, so long as you’re prepared to work for it.”


LORENZO YOU’RE LUCKY TOO.

And just like that, we’ve reached the end of the Lakefront Billionaire series 😭. Saying goodbye to these characters feels like leaving behind a group of friends I’ve laughed with, fought with, and fallen hopelessly in love with. Love Arranged wasn’t just the finale—it was the farewell, the perfect messy bow that tied everything together. Lorenzo and Lily’s story gave me exactly what I needed to close this chapter, even if my heart isn’t ready to let go. These characters will echo in me long after the last page, and though it’s goodbye, it feels more like “see you later.”

────୨ৎ────

Pre-review:
I Forget to mention that it was a br with Fiza 🤍, even though I finished it before her but she is reading it with her friend, hehe don't blame me.
Five months of fake dating. A lifetime of real feelings. Welcome to the disaster.
🚨 YEAH IT’S TIME FOR THIS BOOK MORE OF LIKE SAYING GOODBYE FOREVER,
but I am very ready to cry.😭

He’s faking it for the votes. She’s faking it for survival. But their hearts? They didn’t get the memo. I am already SAT.🪑

[benedicta]

you are telling me I have to wait more than 365 days for it??? 😭😭

[Emma.catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

“To those who dream of falling in love. And to anyone who fears it. Love is one of life’s greatest rewards, so long as you’re prepared to work for it.” 💘

Lauren Asher is an auto-read for me but this book blew me away; it is one of the BEST ‘fake relationship’ romance I have read.

There is SO much to love about this book but I believe most of it is because it felt so genuine and heartfelt 🥰💖✨ Lorenzo and Lily has quite the story; it is no simple fake arrangement…with a whole town in the balance, this could easily go one of two ways, but which every path this story takes, the stakes are high!

"A fake relationship can’t work between two people who desire each other. Too many lines would be blurred, and every limit I’ve set would be challenged. Maybe even destroyed." ❤️‍🔥

One fake relationship. 2 people ‘in love’. And, a whole town hanging in the midst.

What I LOVED about this ‘fake relationship’ was that they BOTH had something to gain (and lose!) from it. A lot of the time this type of story is male dominated, with little or no benefit to the female involved. However, in this case it was actually Lily’s idea. She voluntarily agrees to date him to improve his public image so that he will be voted mayor. Meanwhile, it benefits and protects her family business. Never mind the fact that they both of history and underlying feelings for each other. Faking it for the public is expected, but falling in love in private? That wasn’t part of the deal. The real question is: Is Lorenzo capable of a fake OR real relationship?

One thing I can ALWAYS count on from Lauren is a STRONG female lead. She writes powerful, independent and inspiring women into every story and this was no exception. I already LOVED Lily from the previous books in the series so I was excited to read a book dedicated to her. I loved how Lauren developed her character in this novel to be a lot more than meets the eye.

"Her eyes sparkle with a confidence I find irresistible." 🙂‍↔️

Lorenzo is a much better man than I thought he was. I have to admit prior to reading this instalment, I was not a fan. But a girl can change her mind right? He has A LOT of internal trauma and troubles, and I truly felt for him. He is a OCD representative in this book; his need for control is deep and has spanned across decades. He opens up a lot over the course of the book and Lauren has done a fantastic job at developing him into a complex character. Furthermore, the loss of his parents serves as an important reminder not to take our relatives for granted. Lauren delves deep into the topic of grief, and makes it common ground for both him and Lily.

"His strength. His resilience. The confidence he exudes, and the way he brings out the same in me. He makes me want to believe in myself again and my ability to handle anything that comes my way, because I know that if I struggle, he will be there to support me until I can hold my own." 😌💖✨

This was a fantastic finale to what has been a highly emotional and enjoyable series. I can’t quite believe that this is really the end of the Lakefront Billionaires series 😢 Over the course of the series, I have become so intertwined in this small-town community. I am saying a sad farewell for now, but I look forward to whatever Lauren graces us with next…📚💖🌟

"To wish is to hope, and that’s the one thing no one can take away from you."🥹🙌🏽🥰💖🌟

4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨

[Noi (in & out) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish we got more.
more on the OCD
more of his obsession
more of his past
just more...
-------
IT STARTS WITH TEXTS
-------
Telly, if you see this, I'm only going to read 5 chapters a day until you join our BR. Promise <3
-------
We got a cover! I love the fountain already

[lauren‎♡₊˚ &#x1f9a2;・₊✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5💫

why are her books so long😭 still enjoyed it tho! rtc

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just had another bang-my-head-against-the-wall moment after finishing the third book in this series. Honestly, why didn’t I pick up a Lauren Asher novel sooner? Why did I waste precious hours ignoring her brilliance and still dare to call myself a romance lover? Shame on me! Cue me booing myself, pelting my reflection with imaginary rotten tomatoes (okay, fine, it was just spaghetti sauce, but that should count). Once I got that out of my system, I dove into praising this book—a story that gave me such a fabulous time, even though it doesn’t include my absolute favorite trope, enemies-to-lovers. Thankfully, it made up for it with my beloved runners-up: fake fiancée and forced proximity. And let’s not forget the delicious hint of small-town, second-chance romance vibes woven into the mix.

I’ll admit, mafia romances don’t usually do it for me, so I was more than relieved to discover this isn’t one—even if the Italian hero comes from a casino-owning family with mafia rumors trailing in the background. Instead, what we get is something so much better: Lorenzo and Lily, two utterly adorable main characters who ignite every chapter with fiery, combustible chemistry. Their banter is flawless—sharp, witty, and sometimes achingly tender. I especially loved the text exchanges at the beginning, unfolding through their dating app connection. It was the perfect way to reel me in before their first in-person spark exploded into a kiss that set the tone for the entire rollercoaster ride.

Lorenzo, still haunted by the tragic loss of his family to a drunk-driving accident, is struggling with his OCD while trying to rebuild his life. After selling his shares in the family’s casino, he decides to run for mayor in his small town—an uphill battle against the powerful Trevor Ludlow. To appear more settled and electable, he’s advised to find a fiancée, which leads him to the dating app…and Lily. But when their undeniable connection culminates in that first passionate kiss, Lorenzo panics, shuts down, and disappears, leaving Lily rejected, heartbroken, and confused.

Lily, determined yet vulnerable, wants to give Lorenzo another chance despite her brother-in-law Julian’s strong opposition (he happens to be Lorenzo’s archenemy). But when Lorenzo ghosts her, she makes the ultimate mistake: rebounding with Richard Ludlow, a decision that jeopardizes her beloved flower shop and the family business she has poured years of her life into. Suddenly, her only way forward is teaming up with the very man who shattered her heart—becoming Lorenzo’s fake fiancée to help him win the election and, in turn, protect everything she’s worked for.

But the deeper their scheme runs, the blurrier the line between faking and feeling becomes. Lorenzo’s vulnerabilities and Lily’s strength intertwine in ways neither expected, and what started as an arrangement soon turns into something worth fighting for. Together, they must confront family betrayals, personal demons, and the Ludlow grip on their town—all while learning that the bravest thing they can do is be honest about what they want from each other.

Overall: This book is entertaining, steamy, and engaging in all the right ways. I devoured it with a smile plastered across my face and my heart racing during the most emotional moments. It’s the perfect blend of angst, heat, and heartfelt growth, and I’m already impatient to dive into the rest of the series—and every other Lauren Asher book I can get my hands on. Consider me a converted fan for life!

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[⊹ ࣪ ˖ ꒰ঌ mimi ໒꒱ ⊹ ࣪ ˖]

i don’t want to talk about it 😭😭😭 rtc …



———

pre read : yayyyyyyyy !!! it’s finally out 🥹 pls don’t disappoint 🤞🏼

[Grace Quan · Rating 4 out of 5]

ੈ✩‧₊˚Review !!ੈ✩‧₊˚

“If loving Lily to the point of obsession is wrong, then I never want to be right.”

‎ . ✷ ‎┊⤿ 📚 tropes ⋆. ✷

✦Second chance
✦Fake Fiancé
✦Small town
✦Grumpy x Sunshine
✦OCD representation
✦One bed
✦Dog parents

‎. ✷┊⤿ 💬 my thoughts ⋆. ✷ ̊

Without fail, I find small town settings claustrophobic. However, the setting of this book didn't leave me feeling suffocated because I absolutely fell in love with the characters. More on the characters later, but they weren't the only thing I loved about this book.

The plot. Guys I was actually invested in the plot beyond the romance aspect. It was just high stakes enough for me to actually keep my attention. The middle definitely dragged and I think this book could have been at least 100 pages less. I mean, a 550+ pages for a contemporary romance is wild! Not as crazy as the last one tho.... Anyway the high stakes plot for sure saved the boring middle and kept me motivated to finish.

‎ ‎. ✷┊⤿ 🦋characters ⋆. 𐙚 ✷

❤︎ Lily❤︎

Lily was the small town's "Princess." Everybody in the town adores her. The thing is, I really don't get why they all love her so much? I mean she's decently sweet and she helps run her mother's flower shop, but besides that, we don't get much insight to why the whole town's protective of her. It made her character seem very incomplete. I do love that Lily has a childish side that she expresses through her clothes. What saddens me is that she chooses to hide that part of herself away from the world. Too many men have told her that she's just too much and she should dress more normal. Lily has a hard time trusting people with that aspect of herself.

“If a man wants to get to know me, he needs to work for it. Then, once they earn my trust, I’ll whip out the pastel dresses, crochet tops in every color yarn, and my custom-painted sneakers with satin ribbons for laces.”

❤︎Lorenzo❤︎

I'm not going to rant and scream how perfect Lorenzo was, because truthfully, he was far from perfect. But, that was one of my favorite things about him. He struggles from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and I think the author did a great job portraying it with sensitivity and respect. If there's one thing we love: IT'S A MAN WHO GOES TO THERAPY 🔥 Lorenzo had a rly great growth arc and seeing him working through his problems was the hottest thing.

Lorenzo wasn't your average cutout of a torture man, he had more layers and depth and I loved seeing him grow. That said he did have some red flags.

🚩Put a tracker bracelet on Lily w/o her consent.
🚩Hot and cold behavior. He gave me whiplash with how quickly his moods changed
🚩Protective to the point of toxicity

Not all bad tho....here's the green flags:

✅Runs for Mayor, leadership rooted in compassion and community
✅GOES TO THERAPY
✅Emotional vulnerability and growth
✅A character you can definitely root for
✅Sweetie pie 🥧
✅Adopted a dog for Lily

‎. ✷┊⤿ 💌Epilogue ⋆. ✷

The epilogue/extended epilogue were very heartwarming. I'm a person who usually skips the epilogues because they are almost always filled with babies and weddings and I actually couldn't care less. But....I loved this book so much I caved and read both epilogues and I didn't mind all the babies and married bliss.

‎. ✷┊⤿ 📖Quotes I loved ⋆. ✷

“You don't have to hold my hand without an audience."
"Maybe I like the way your hand fits in mine.”

“It must be a trick. It doesn’t make sense that someone who attracts positive attention and exudes kindness with every interaction likes me.”

“Lily Muñoz is mine, and I'll stop at nothing until I become hers.”


. ✷┊⤿🎵Song of the book ⋆. ✷

All of Me by John Legend

1:55 ───〇───4:29

You're my end and my beginning

Even when I lose I'm winning

4 stars ✰

----------------
🌀『𝓹𝓻𝓮-𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭:』🌀

Format: 🎧📱
Date Started/ended: 8/27-?
Star prediction: ★★★★ ½ (high hopes!)

જ⏜➴ It's the end of an era 😭 The final trip to Lake Wisteria, and I’m not ready to say goodbye.

This series has been such a delight, and I’m hoping Lauren sticks the landing with a satisfying conclusion.

MANIFESTING LORENZO BEING THE HOTEST LAKEFRONT BILLIONAIRE 🥵🔥🌶️🤞 If this finale doesn’t absolutely end me, I’m sending it back 😭🍷

[ames · Rating 5 out of 5]

lauren asher you have rocked my world

[LiL (catching up)]

·:*¨༺ pre-read ༻¨*:·

Started my most anticipated read yesterday and I’m so excited for it! I’ve been waiting for it since final offer so hope it delivers!

-buddy reading with my sweetest girl on earth shanaya 🤍✨