What do you think?
Rate this book
A Smooth Operator
He's a heartbreaker with a scorecard.
She's his dirty secret.
No need to ask...he is A Smooth Operator!
I'm Remi Drake, the king of Memphis nightlife. At under thirty, I own the hottest spots in town, and believe me, I enjoy every perk that comes with it.
Echo is my sister's friend—she used to be the designated ugly fat friend (DUFF) in high school. Now, she's a cancer researcher with a PhD. She's no longer fat but curvy and sexy; and then there's that amazing brain of hers. Plus, she’s always had a thing for me.
One night, things get out of hand and I pitch the idea of an acquaintance-with-benefits no strings, no promises, and most importantly, no one can ever know. Just fun. Perfect, right? Except it isn't. Jealousy and old feelings twist our no-strings-fling into something complicated.
When Echo overhears me say terrible things about her in front of my friends, she decides she's had enough of my bullshit. By the time I figure out that Echo is the one for me, it's too late. I've already lost her
A Smooth Operator is A Modern Vintage Romance. Get a dose of '80s-style Mills & Boon romances with dual POV and a sexy touch. Indulge in your favorite tropes…
✔️ Friend's brother
✔️ Secret affair
✔️ Hero owns a nightclub
✔️ Heroine works in STEM
✔️ Other woman drama
✔️ Heroine overhears hero say hurtful words
✔️ A whole hell of a lot of grovel
✔️ No cheating
She's his dirty secret.
No need to ask...he is A Smooth Operator!
I'm Remi Drake, the king of Memphis nightlife. At under thirty, I own the hottest spots in town, and believe me, I enjoy every perk that comes with it.
Echo is my sister's friend—she used to be the designated ugly fat friend (DUFF) in high school. Now, she's a cancer researcher with a PhD. She's no longer fat but curvy and sexy; and then there's that amazing brain of hers. Plus, she’s always had a thing for me.
One night, things get out of hand and I pitch the idea of an acquaintance-with-benefits no strings, no promises, and most importantly, no one can ever know. Just fun. Perfect, right? Except it isn't. Jealousy and old feelings twist our no-strings-fling into something complicated.
When Echo overhears me say terrible things about her in front of my friends, she decides she's had enough of my bullshit. By the time I figure out that Echo is the one for me, it's too late. I've already lost her
A Smooth Operator is A Modern Vintage Romance. Get a dose of '80s-style Mills & Boon romances with dual POV and a sexy touch. Indulge in your favorite tropes…
✔️ Friend's brother
✔️ Secret affair
✔️ Hero owns a nightclub
✔️ Heroine works in STEM
✔️ Other woman drama
✔️ Heroine overhears hero say hurtful words
✔️ A whole hell of a lot of grovel
✔️ No cheating
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2024
808 people are currently reading
504 people want to read
About the author
Maya Alden
49 books937 followersA top 20 Amazon Bestselling Author, Maya Alden pens angsty contemporary romances.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews
Read
August 15, 2024Maya Alden’s books make me so mad but I just can’t stop reading them😭
July 7, 2024
The hero is a "smooth operator" that calls the heroine "poopy pants" repeatedly. And she still sleeps with / falls in love with him.
Girl.
Girl.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2024
More torture porn.
The best that can be said for the hero is he isn't as bas as the one in Best Served Cold and he does try and make amends. As a romance reader at what point is the point of no return. I'm tired....you can read about his awfulness in other reviews or just read the book.
Two highlights for me are, one, after hearing some horrific things from the hero and his posse, the heroine lets loose and tells them how she feels, and, two, the H's father says they aren't right for each other because he doesn't deserve the heroine.
I can understand a young heroine, as in teen, falling for the cute who's mean, but it's more difficult to understand how these supposedly smart women are so in love with men who treat them like crap emotionally and verbally, but love is not blind, but stupid. Daily reflection is over.
Triggers: references to child abuse, slapping, and, sadly, realistic portrayals of social bias and racism.
The best that can be said for the hero is he isn't as bas as the one in Best Served Cold and he does try and make amends. As a romance reader at what point is the point of no return. I'm tired....you can read about his awfulness in other reviews or just read the book.
Two highlights for me are, one, after hearing some horrific things from the hero and his posse, the heroine lets loose and tells them how she feels, and, two, the H's father says they aren't right for each other because he doesn't deserve the heroine.
I can understand a young heroine, as in teen, falling for the cute who's mean, but it's more difficult to understand how these supposedly smart women are so in love with men who treat them like crap emotionally and verbally, but love is not blind, but stupid. Daily reflection is over.
Triggers: references to child abuse, slapping, and, sadly, realistic portrayals of social bias and racism.
August 16, 2024
See, this is my own fault because I should’ve know better than expecting something different from the author.
Once again she’s managed to have no representation on the cover of the actual characters. The book describes the h as a curvy ‘half-black’ woman. First, why is ‘half-black’ better than black? Why can’t she describe herself as a black woman? And second, why is the model of the book cover a skinny white woman rather than someone that accurately describes the heroine?!? (Just reverse image search and you’ll find the actual images from that photo shoot)
This is the second time this has happened, and the author continues to do a disservice for women of color by having no representation in the cover, and by having the heroines and/or also be ashamed of who they are.
This sucks.
Once again she’s managed to have no representation on the cover of the actual characters. The book describes the h as a curvy ‘half-black’ woman. First, why is ‘half-black’ better than black? Why can’t she describe herself as a black woman? And second, why is the model of the book cover a skinny white woman rather than someone that accurately describes the heroine?!? (Just reverse image search and you’ll find the actual images from that photo shoot)
This is the second time this has happened, and the author continues to do a disservice for women of color by having no representation in the cover, and by having the heroines and/or also be ashamed of who they are.
This sucks.
October 13, 2024
This was just ok for me. I can go with an OTT soapy plot with the crazy ex and insanely bigoted mother, but I have little patience for immaturity, and grown ass people calling Echo Poopy Pants because she ate Fiber One bars (my dad called them Fart bars) was beyond my limit, and it sort of ruined it a bit for me.
This kind of read like an 80’s evening drama. Echo was the unwanted orphan niece of the help for the UBER rich Drake household. Over the years she was friends with the daughter, Lani (stuck up) and in love with the son, Remi (jerk face). The book opens with them grown, and Echo has made a success of herself, but the others haven’t changed.
I read a lot of dicey stuff and am bored easily, so keep that in mind, but I thought this took a while to get going. The first 11 or so chapters felt like adults acting like they were in high school and that wasn’t great for me. Things picked up around 40% though. Also, I didn’t find the “betrayal” to be that unforgivable. It was mean sure, but nothing he hadn’t said 10 times already in the first 50% of the book. Honestly if given a chance of that or say having someone cheat on me, I’m going to pick that one every time. 🤷♀️ Now I’m not saying the girl didn’t deserve better just that I didn’t hate on her for forgiving him.
Bottom Line- It was ok. I like this author, and I think she’s great with the betrayal, but IMHO she needs to work on the trauma recovery – groveling—making amends part because it’s unbalanced. But I think she did a nice job with Remi’s personal growth, and I did believe he grew up and really loved and will be good to Echo. They were really cute by the end.
This kind of read like an 80’s evening drama. Echo was the unwanted orphan niece of the help for the UBER rich Drake household. Over the years she was friends with the daughter, Lani (stuck up) and in love with the son, Remi (jerk face). The book opens with them grown, and Echo has made a success of herself, but the others haven’t changed.
I read a lot of dicey stuff and am bored easily, so keep that in mind, but I thought this took a while to get going. The first 11 or so chapters felt like adults acting like they were in high school and that wasn’t great for me. Things picked up around 40% though. Also, I didn’t find the “betrayal” to be that unforgivable. It was mean sure, but nothing he hadn’t said 10 times already in the first 50% of the book. Honestly if given a chance of that or say having someone cheat on me, I’m going to pick that one every time. 🤷♀️ Now I’m not saying the girl didn’t deserve better just that I didn’t hate on her for forgiving him.
Bottom Line- It was ok. I like this author, and I think she’s great with the betrayal, but IMHO she needs to work on the trauma recovery – groveling—making amends part because it’s unbalanced. But I think she did a nice job with Remi’s personal growth, and I did believe he grew up and really loved and will be good to Echo. They were really cute by the end.
August 15, 2024
1. If you’re looking for grovel, you’re not going to find it here. The H, Remi, was a shallow, self absorbed, entitled d0uchebag who treated the h, Echo, like total trash for YEARS so of course, she was “in love” with him. They started sleeping together and he made her keep it a secret because he was embarrassed by her low social standing. The H overheard him saying some unbelievably nasty things about her, calling her a “leech”, a “charity case”, a “fat b!tch” and a “f*cking nobody”. She walked out on him and he stayed drunk for a week; when he went to her place to try to get her back, she told him in no uncertain terms that they were done. Literally two pages later, they were already spending nearly every day together and she agreed to date him again.
2. The ending of the book was so anticlimactic. Remi told his mother that Echo was his girlfriend, she would be coming over for Thanksgiving dinner and that his mother better behave herself and she did. He also told his mother that they would be getting married and she accepted it relatively easily and they never did find out what she had against Echo’s mother. That whole conversation was just forgotten.
3. Note to author: you can't stretch your hamstrings “by pulling my ankle up to my a$$”. Your hamstrings are in the BACK of your leg.
2. The ending of the book was so anticlimactic. Remi told his mother that Echo was his girlfriend, she would be coming over for Thanksgiving dinner and that his mother better behave herself and she did. He also told his mother that they would be getting married and she accepted it relatively easily and they never did find out what she had against Echo’s mother. That whole conversation was just forgotten.
3. Note to author: you can't stretch your hamstrings “by pulling my ankle up to my a$$”. Your hamstrings are in the BACK of your leg.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
August 30, 2024I marked this as spoilers because I have so much hate for the MMC that this review will absolutely come off as negative even though the author is excellent and should be given a chance based on your own preferences for her plot lines, and for no other reason.
FIRST UPDATE
I’m only 11% into this book and I can’t help disliking the characters this author writes. The betrayal plots this author has are exceptionally good. But when you write such unlikable characters I am completely turned off from reading these books. The MMC has called the FMC in his mind and to her face a loser and a homewrecking wh0re and I’m supposed to believe that her lifetime crush on him will lead her to enter into an FWB with him after all this?
No way would that happen to someone who has worked so hard for everything she has, despite all the people still in her life keeping her down. Another thing I don’t like, is the elitist world this author has her characters in. It is so extremely depressing how miserable they all are, and yet NOBODY cuts these toxic people out of their lives, all because it’s their society and they have to stick together. It’s very Dynasty’esque. All of them stabbing each other in the back but still supporting each other because rich stays with rich.
It’s not a vibe I like to read. This is the fourth book I’m reading by this author and I love the idea of the betrayal plot line but I don’t like anything else about her books. I’m not sure if I’ll walk away from this author because her books are so brutal and I look for that. But the HEA’s are not realistic or truthful to the characters or the plot of the book. Nearly all the MMC’s should have been kicked to the curb and replaced with better men who would respect the FMC’s from the beginning and not after they egregiously f”k up.
UPDATE
In the first 15% of this book the MMC has derogatory thoughts and comments about everyone he knows, his sister, father, mother, his current girlfriend, his sisters fiance who is also his unwanted best friend or a best friend he outgrew but can’t get rid of, to be precise. He is so unkind and he hasn’t even started his FWB with the FMC yet. Ugh.
17% UPDATE
That poopy pants shit is pissing me off. I don’t read romance so the MMC can be this immature over the age of 16. He’s close to thirty(!) and yet he keeps calling the FMC poopypants. I am absolutely disgusted (channeling Molly Weasley’s voice for this lol) by these characters.
44% UPDATE
They are finally at the hooking up stage. And immediately after their first hook up, he still called her poopypants. What the fuck is wrong with this man?!? The FMC had also told him a sad truth about her childhood just before he called her that! The MMC has ZERO sympathy, empathy, ANY pathy(!) or any level of respect a person could have for anyone, for the FMC and I HATE HIM!!
I literally bought every published work by this author, but idk if I can take these HORRIBLE MMC’s anymore. This is only the fourth book I’ve read from MA. I don’t feel like she writes romance. She writes betrayals. Going into any of her books for romance with HEA’s is the absolute WRONG mindset or understanding to have with this author. In which case, I’m 100% the wrong audience for her writings. I absolutely HAVE to have romance with HEA’s. The hate she invokes for her characters is NOT the feeling I want to have from my romance books.
Be mad at them, sure I’m fine with that. Disappointed? I mean, who hasn’t been disappointed by loved ones a time or two in life and in fiction?!? Mr Darcy pissed me off with that stick up his ass in pride and prejudice, but I fell for his upper crust hoity toity grovel and rectifying actions. But HATE?? No, uh uh, nope, not looking for that kind of negativity in my life or books!! It’s why I never read wuthering heights. That is a hate book which uses love as a justification to be a terrible person. Heathcliff was a villain. A sad villain but a villain nonetheless. So if the hate I feel isn’t for a villain, I absolutely don’t want it. I’m NOT a forgive, forget, and fall in love with the trash kind of person. No sir!
48% UPDATE
The confrontation, FINALLY! It was not that bad or a gut punch, which is what I read betrayal stories for, because the MMC has said all of this to the FMC’s face throughout this book so far. It wasn’t news that he believed this way about her. It wasn’t a shocker. The FMC knew, all the side characters knew. I as the reader ALREADY knew from page one that the MMC was a snobbish self centered POS who looked down on anyone outside of his rich social circle. So it was wasted page time to get to the halfway mark for this lackluster explosion of vitriol by the MMC that he has repeatedly said ad nauseam. I already know, I won’t believe the HEA so now I’ll probably skim it while rolling my eyes all the way. I wish I could lose calories that way because this is going to be a work out of epic proportions I’m sure. Smh.
FINAL UPDATE
I just want to clarify a few thoughts. Maya Alden is a phenomenal writer for betrayal stories! All of them have plot lines that are interesting if not original. The only original’ish one I’ve read so far is Best Served Cold, and that only because it was so brutal and a complete violation of the FMC no different than r@pe in my eyes. But that’s a thought for another review.
Anyway, this author gives emotional depth up to a point with all her books I’ve read so far. Her FMC’s are hard working, ambitious women, to be admired at the very least. The MMC’s are absolute trash IMO, and a lobotomy is their only recourse to correct their deficiencies. But unfortunately and unbelievably, that’s not what happens to them.
Usually their guilty consciences are what motivate them to develop alternate personalities and that is what the HEA’s are based on. Alongside a healthy heaping super mega dose of BBS from the FMC’s. I hate that but this author honestly pulls it off.
As I mentioned above this is probably not for me, and I absolutely do NOT want people to turn away from this fantastic author because her stories are worth reading at least once. I have trouble with her books because her characters are personally loathsome to me. These are not characters I like to read about. There is nothing wrong with my honest opinion of that.
Now as for the final thoughts on this book. I still stand by the HEA being unearned. The MMC just flooded the FMC with his presence in her everyday life. He saw her daily, texted her, let people know he was with her. Basically he actually dated her and that was all he did. His “I’m sorry’s” were sincere but I don’t really believe a person who was is so fundamentally flawed and raised to believe he was better than the “help” would change on a dime like that. It would have had to be a more significant situation, like he became broke or was somehow forced to learn to live more like average people, before I would acknowledge a true change in his character and morals. This is a man who was fully aware of the circular social sex circle he was involved in, but was somehow ignoring it to talk himself into marrying one of these promiscuous high society partners, all because she came from the “right” family. That was willful blindness right there. And no way you are going to tell me that STD’s weren’t floating around between all of them. Smh.
Anyway, I’m basically saying there wasn’t enough on page anything to have changed the MMC for the better. Trauma changes people. This book had no trauma for the MMC. He just decided to be a better person to his FWB out of sheer guilt for words he had said many times before to her face.
I admit I am low balling this story because I hated the MMC so much. I also don’t like reading supposed romances and being pissed off for 90% of the story because of a primary character. This book is definitely for someone because it was well written, but just not me. Good luck.
FIRST UPDATE
I’m only 11% into this book and I can’t help disliking the characters this author writes. The betrayal plots this author has are exceptionally good. But when you write such unlikable characters I am completely turned off from reading these books. The MMC has called the FMC in his mind and to her face a loser and a homewrecking wh0re and I’m supposed to believe that her lifetime crush on him will lead her to enter into an FWB with him after all this?
No way would that happen to someone who has worked so hard for everything she has, despite all the people still in her life keeping her down. Another thing I don’t like, is the elitist world this author has her characters in. It is so extremely depressing how miserable they all are, and yet NOBODY cuts these toxic people out of their lives, all because it’s their society and they have to stick together. It’s very Dynasty’esque. All of them stabbing each other in the back but still supporting each other because rich stays with rich.
It’s not a vibe I like to read. This is the fourth book I’m reading by this author and I love the idea of the betrayal plot line but I don’t like anything else about her books. I’m not sure if I’ll walk away from this author because her books are so brutal and I look for that. But the HEA’s are not realistic or truthful to the characters or the plot of the book. Nearly all the MMC’s should have been kicked to the curb and replaced with better men who would respect the FMC’s from the beginning and not after they egregiously f”k up.
UPDATE
In the first 15% of this book the MMC has derogatory thoughts and comments about everyone he knows, his sister, father, mother, his current girlfriend, his sisters fiance who is also his unwanted best friend or a best friend he outgrew but can’t get rid of, to be precise. He is so unkind and he hasn’t even started his FWB with the FMC yet. Ugh.
17% UPDATE
That poopy pants shit is pissing me off. I don’t read romance so the MMC can be this immature over the age of 16. He’s close to thirty(!) and yet he keeps calling the FMC poopypants. I am absolutely disgusted (channeling Molly Weasley’s voice for this lol) by these characters.
44% UPDATE
They are finally at the hooking up stage. And immediately after their first hook up, he still called her poopypants. What the fuck is wrong with this man?!? The FMC had also told him a sad truth about her childhood just before he called her that! The MMC has ZERO sympathy, empathy, ANY pathy(!) or any level of respect a person could have for anyone, for the FMC and I HATE HIM!!
I literally bought every published work by this author, but idk if I can take these HORRIBLE MMC’s anymore. This is only the fourth book I’ve read from MA. I don’t feel like she writes romance. She writes betrayals. Going into any of her books for romance with HEA’s is the absolute WRONG mindset or understanding to have with this author. In which case, I’m 100% the wrong audience for her writings. I absolutely HAVE to have romance with HEA’s. The hate she invokes for her characters is NOT the feeling I want to have from my romance books.
Be mad at them, sure I’m fine with that. Disappointed? I mean, who hasn’t been disappointed by loved ones a time or two in life and in fiction?!? Mr Darcy pissed me off with that stick up his ass in pride and prejudice, but I fell for his upper crust hoity toity grovel and rectifying actions. But HATE?? No, uh uh, nope, not looking for that kind of negativity in my life or books!! It’s why I never read wuthering heights. That is a hate book which uses love as a justification to be a terrible person. Heathcliff was a villain. A sad villain but a villain nonetheless. So if the hate I feel isn’t for a villain, I absolutely don’t want it. I’m NOT a forgive, forget, and fall in love with the trash kind of person. No sir!
48% UPDATE
The confrontation, FINALLY! It was not that bad or a gut punch, which is what I read betrayal stories for, because the MMC has said all of this to the FMC’s face throughout this book so far. It wasn’t news that he believed this way about her. It wasn’t a shocker. The FMC knew, all the side characters knew. I as the reader ALREADY knew from page one that the MMC was a snobbish self centered POS who looked down on anyone outside of his rich social circle. So it was wasted page time to get to the halfway mark for this lackluster explosion of vitriol by the MMC that he has repeatedly said ad nauseam. I already know, I won’t believe the HEA so now I’ll probably skim it while rolling my eyes all the way. I wish I could lose calories that way because this is going to be a work out of epic proportions I’m sure. Smh.
FINAL UPDATE
I just want to clarify a few thoughts. Maya Alden is a phenomenal writer for betrayal stories! All of them have plot lines that are interesting if not original. The only original’ish one I’ve read so far is Best Served Cold, and that only because it was so brutal and a complete violation of the FMC no different than r@pe in my eyes. But that’s a thought for another review.
Anyway, this author gives emotional depth up to a point with all her books I’ve read so far. Her FMC’s are hard working, ambitious women, to be admired at the very least. The MMC’s are absolute trash IMO, and a lobotomy is their only recourse to correct their deficiencies. But unfortunately and unbelievably, that’s not what happens to them.
Usually their guilty consciences are what motivate them to develop alternate personalities and that is what the HEA’s are based on. Alongside a healthy heaping super mega dose of BBS from the FMC’s. I hate that but this author honestly pulls it off.
As I mentioned above this is probably not for me, and I absolutely do NOT want people to turn away from this fantastic author because her stories are worth reading at least once. I have trouble with her books because her characters are personally loathsome to me. These are not characters I like to read about. There is nothing wrong with my honest opinion of that.
Now as for the final thoughts on this book. I still stand by the HEA being unearned. The MMC just flooded the FMC with his presence in her everyday life. He saw her daily, texted her, let people know he was with her. Basically he actually dated her and that was all he did. His “I’m sorry’s” were sincere but I don’t really believe a person who was is so fundamentally flawed and raised to believe he was better than the “help” would change on a dime like that. It would have had to be a more significant situation, like he became broke or was somehow forced to learn to live more like average people, before I would acknowledge a true change in his character and morals. This is a man who was fully aware of the circular social sex circle he was involved in, but was somehow ignoring it to talk himself into marrying one of these promiscuous high society partners, all because she came from the “right” family. That was willful blindness right there. And no way you are going to tell me that STD’s weren’t floating around between all of them. Smh.
Anyway, I’m basically saying there wasn’t enough on page anything to have changed the MMC for the better. Trauma changes people. This book had no trauma for the MMC. He just decided to be a better person to his FWB out of sheer guilt for words he had said many times before to her face.
I admit I am low balling this story because I hated the MMC so much. I also don’t like reading supposed romances and being pissed off for 90% of the story because of a primary character. This book is definitely for someone because it was well written, but just not me. Good luck.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2024
My gawd!
That awful nickname they call her by!
The a-h included!
He knew - everyone knew - that she has a crush on him since forever.
The a-h resents that she even dares to do so. Since she is so beneath him - in class and looks!
She is the niece of their housekeeper and comes to live with her when her (probably a prostitute) mother dies.
His sister starts off as her bff and confidante, but slowly over the years, goes over to the shiny side - wingman to the malicious and conniving ow, his gf.
They all poke fun at her and enjoy doing it. The aunt is a soulless hater. The lady of the house, the mmc's mom makes sure she never forgets her place, treating her as an unpaid maid.
Now, in the present , the mmc finds himself attracted to her and when his fiancee, the ow cheats on him, he finds solace with her. Finding her company soothing and the sex amazing.
But!
He almost calls her that hateful nickname after they start smexing - letting her know where she really stands with him, smashing her heart in the process but thankfully dashing her hopes visavis him.
The amount of racism, classism and body-shaming! (In a way, I admire how this author never glosses over these things but puts a bright, revealing spotlight on it)
I guess all of this is part of the story - her story.
How she's really so much above these rich but entitled and pathetic parasites (the whole childhood posse grows into a bunch of cruel worthless bullies) - the zero included.
How she turned every deprivation and her lonely, sad childhood into an unbelievable success story - she's a well revered and sought after biotech scientist.
And the mmc - is just an regular rich guy with a privileged background who owns few upscale restaurants. Funded by his family's wealth. No match!
He is really such a wimp - that he could not even call out the guy, his employee, who his fiancee cheats on him with.
As this author promises angst via ill-treatment so I cannot complain about the story pans.
But I can very well dislike the unpromising and unequal mmc.
She deserves a much better guy.
All he has to recommend him is - he's her lifelong crush and maybe that he's rich and the true heir of the biotech company that she finally inherits from his dad - a great guy who too deserved a better life-partner.
Can we judge ppl for having self-serving and shallow ppl as spouses?
3* - for the fmc and the author!
That awful nickname they call her by!
The a-h included!
He knew - everyone knew - that she has a crush on him since forever.
The a-h resents that she even dares to do so. Since she is so beneath him - in class and looks!
She is the niece of their housekeeper and comes to live with her when her (probably a prostitute) mother dies.
His sister starts off as her bff and confidante, but slowly over the years, goes over to the shiny side - wingman to the malicious and conniving ow, his gf.
They all poke fun at her and enjoy doing it. The aunt is a soulless hater. The lady of the house, the mmc's mom makes sure she never forgets her place, treating her as an unpaid maid.
Now, in the present , the mmc finds himself attracted to her and when his fiancee, the ow cheats on him, he finds solace with her. Finding her company soothing and the sex amazing.
But!
He almost calls her that hateful nickname after they start smexing - letting her know where she really stands with him, smashing her heart in the process but thankfully dashing her hopes visavis him.
The amount of racism, classism and body-shaming! (In a way, I admire how this author never glosses over these things but puts a bright, revealing spotlight on it)
I guess all of this is part of the story - her story.
How she's really so much above these rich but entitled and pathetic parasites (the whole childhood posse grows into a bunch of cruel worthless bullies) - the zero included.
How she turned every deprivation and her lonely, sad childhood into an unbelievable success story - she's a well revered and sought after biotech scientist.
And the mmc - is just an regular rich guy with a privileged background who owns few upscale restaurants. Funded by his family's wealth. No match!
He is really such a wimp - that he could not even call out the guy, his employee, who his fiancee cheats on him with.
As this author promises angst via ill-treatment so I cannot complain about the story pans.
But I can very well dislike the unpromising and unequal mmc.
She deserves a much better guy.
All he has to recommend him is - he's her lifelong crush and maybe that he's rich and the true heir of the biotech company that she finally inherits from his dad - a great guy who too deserved a better life-partner.
Can we judge ppl for having self-serving and shallow ppl as spouses?
3* - for the fmc and the author!
August 16, 2024
This book for me was just so unrealisticlly mean. The H in my eyes was unredeemable. In all honesty this book wasn't for me at all. I hated it from beginning to end. Everyone is calling her poopy pants because she ate high fiber bars. 🤷 I mean.. It was just too OTT and just not my type of angst. Sorry
September 27, 2024
congratulations to maya alden, i didn't know that "modern vintage romance" means that i have to read about one of the worst mmc i've ever seen in my life. don't get me wrong, i love dark romance, i love bully romance but they are labeled as what they are: dark and bully romance. i wasn't to have a problem with a "modern vintage romance" or that what i thought haha.
i love some questionable mmcs, my all time favorite male chatacter is literally a sociopath and i don't particularly care about it. but remi drake? you will NEVER be loved by me. he's stupid, insufferable, selfish, like.. he's probably enough to stop acting like his stupid ass sister and their insufferable friends (minus david, i love you my sweet boy) but no. half of his behavior was unnecessary, who tf fucks with someone and then is about to call her with that disgusting "poppy pants" nickname once again? who tf fucks with a girl in love with him to begin with when he spends literally most of his time acting like she isn't a person? "I'd never actually allowed myself to see Echo as a living, breathing person with emotions", remi is so dreamy, isn't he?
i don't even want to start about the side characters, they are insufferable too, especially lani !(dear god, i wanted to insert myself in the book and strangle her to death during the scene with that jetemy guy), tommy, marina or petal or whatever her name was.
not gonna lie, i give one stars for echo because her pov was relatable and i loved how real she was, for dallas aka remi's father, and because this whole thing about racism, differences, social status, was interesting but i'm sorry, you literally have to hate women to call this book a modern vintage romance and end up the book with echo and remi being together after everything he said about her.
god probably wanted to see if i was his stronger soldier and i'm definitely not.
p.s: i wanted to give two stars and then i looked at the cover again and ca we laugh for five minutes? echo is supposed to be a half-black cury women, she is described as it in the whole book (that's why i also find the mention of racism interesting too) but is the half black and curvy in the room with us in the cover lmao
i love some questionable mmcs, my all time favorite male chatacter is literally a sociopath and i don't particularly care about it. but remi drake? you will NEVER be loved by me. he's stupid, insufferable, selfish, like.. he's probably enough to stop acting like his stupid ass sister and their insufferable friends (minus david, i love you my sweet boy) but no. half of his behavior was unnecessary, who tf fucks with someone and then is about to call her with that disgusting "poppy pants" nickname once again? who tf fucks with a girl in love with him to begin with when he spends literally most of his time acting like she isn't a person? "I'd never actually allowed myself to see Echo as a living, breathing person with emotions", remi is so dreamy, isn't he?
i don't even want to start about the side characters, they are insufferable too, especially lani !(dear god, i wanted to insert myself in the book and strangle her to death during the scene with that jetemy guy), tommy, marina or petal or whatever her name was.
not gonna lie, i give one stars for echo because her pov was relatable and i loved how real she was, for dallas aka remi's father, and because this whole thing about racism, differences, social status, was interesting but i'm sorry, you literally have to hate women to call this book a modern vintage romance and end up the book with echo and remi being together after everything he said about her.
god probably wanted to see if i was his stronger soldier and i'm definitely not.
p.s: i wanted to give two stars and then i looked at the cover again and ca we laugh for five minutes? echo is supposed to be a half-black cury women, she is described as it in the whole book (that's why i also find the mention of racism interesting too) but is the half black and curvy in the room with us in the cover lmao
April 17, 2025
The whole book is a NO from me. My entire mind voice through this book was "girl pls no" and "what the fuck did u just say man"
Here's a piece of my mind:
""You don't know who you are?" I whispered.
I felt him move his lips close to my ear. "I feel like I'm always having to
pretend to be strong, cool, a hot stud—what did you call me once—oh, yes,
a smooth operator.""
Newsflash
U aren't bro. Ur just an asshole
He wasn't smooth or an operator. The fact that the female lead put up with him is a clear indication she needs therapy.
The female lead was a doormat and the male lead was all too happy to fucking trample her. He kept going hot and cold in personality and this book didn't work for me.
P.S i only read this book for carlos sainz the actual smooth operator 😭😭
Here's a piece of my mind:
""You don't know who you are?" I whispered.
I felt him move his lips close to my ear. "I feel like I'm always having to
pretend to be strong, cool, a hot stud—what did you call me once—oh, yes,
a smooth operator.""
Newsflash
U aren't bro. Ur just an asshole
He wasn't smooth or an operator. The fact that the female lead put up with him is a clear indication she needs therapy.
The female lead was a doormat and the male lead was all too happy to fucking trample her. He kept going hot and cold in personality and this book didn't work for me.
P.S i only read this book for carlos sainz the actual smooth operator 😭😭
October 9, 2024
I love all of her books. At least the ones I have read this far. The only thing that bothers me is that I need more grovel
August 21, 2024
Love Maya Alden’s books and I enjoyed this one a lot. There was angst and grovel. I love how Alden lists the tropes in her books with little checkboxes. Everything about her writing is a comfort/rage read for me and I’m here for it! She’s rapidly releasing so many books now and it’s making my little angst-loving heart so happy! Also loved that the h is a minority who is thriving in a STEM field.
August 17, 2024
Guilty pleasure 🤷🏻♀️😂
October 9, 2024
Tags: biker-non-mcclub, bully, child_abuse_alert, cruel-cruel-hero, curvy-beauties, doormat_heroine, friends-brother, friends-with-benefits, grovel-remorseful, hero-does-heroines-nemesis, hero-hurts-heroine, hero-loved-or-loves-ow, heroine-second-best, hurtful-words-overheard, manwhore-philanderer, mean-mean-girls, older-hero-younger-heroine, over-the-years, ow-drama, read, rejection-contemporary, rich-hero, southern-romance, unlikable-hero, unlikable-heroine, unrequited, weak-hero, weak-heroine
July 6, 2024
I love this trope. The overheard hurtful words drama. This was delicious. I really liked how it flowed. I am completely on board with the way the book went. The grovel was great. It was a lot of changed behavior and not as much crying grovel. It was good. I really don’t have anything negative to say I do wish there had been a little more epilogue or negative impacts on the others around the couple.
Overall maya really is giving us some of the best with these modern vintage stories.
I did get an arc but doesn’t change my opinion
Overall maya really is giving us some of the best with these modern vintage stories.
I did get an arc but doesn’t change my opinion
August 16, 2024
The society snobs are a bit too cliché, and she’s sadly lacking a backbone for 1/2 the story. She finds her backbone and he manages to get his act together, grovel and earn their HEA.
September 24, 2024
It was ok! The h just made it easy and the grovel was barely there. I really wish she realized her worth a lot sooner.
August 15, 2024
idk why I even try to read from this author 🤡
August 16, 2024
Your friend was banging your girl and you didn’t fire him? Yeah, okay.
April 11, 2025
3 my ears are hurting ⭐️ 🎧
I listened to the audiobook, and it is probably interfering with my experience of this book!
It was, hands down, the 2nd. worst audiobook of all time. The worst was Neon Gods, narrated by Captain Haddock himself from the adventures of Tintin. Back to the review, the southern accents were so over the top, I could barely make it through the book. Remy was supposed to be this rich, old money family, and yet he had this weird, working class pronounciation like he had worked his whole life on a shrimp boat. I had a very hard time with it.
The beginning of the story had me in a chokehold though, I couldn’t stand Remy, and I love it, when books make me care! But then it went downhill fast.
Echo, with an IQ of 170 😱 was such a doormat, and something didn’t really compute with me.
Maya told me she was smart, with a STEM PHD!!! and yet she showed me none of that in her decision making.
It became very soapy, and I am here for the entertainment, so I am down with that, but where I was involved in the beginning, I became detached l. because it got too superficial. The whole mom drama, was built up and built up some more, and turned out to be a major dud in the end. Everything was wrapped up to fast without much ado.
I guess the bones and idea was good, but perhaps executed a little swiftly.
Remy acted like a child most of the time, who still called his mother, Mama! He is supposed to be a big shot restaurateur! Come on. He is hanging out with his high school friends every weekend😂 there was a lot of inconsistencies like that. I still enjoyed the beginning hence the 3 ⭐️ which as I write this feels a little generous?
Should you read it? Sure it’s a good time if you keep your expectations low. DO NOT LISTEN TO THE AUDIOBOOK 😂
I listened to the audiobook, and it is probably interfering with my experience of this book!
It was, hands down, the 2nd. worst audiobook of all time. The worst was Neon Gods, narrated by Captain Haddock himself from the adventures of Tintin. Back to the review, the southern accents were so over the top, I could barely make it through the book. Remy was supposed to be this rich, old money family, and yet he had this weird, working class pronounciation like he had worked his whole life on a shrimp boat. I had a very hard time with it.
The beginning of the story had me in a chokehold though, I couldn’t stand Remy, and I love it, when books make me care! But then it went downhill fast.
Echo, with an IQ of 170 😱 was such a doormat, and something didn’t really compute with me.
Maya told me she was smart, with a STEM PHD!!! and yet she showed me none of that in her decision making.
It became very soapy, and I am here for the entertainment, so I am down with that, but where I was involved in the beginning, I became detached l. because it got too superficial. The whole mom drama, was built up and built up some more, and turned out to be a major dud in the end. Everything was wrapped up to fast without much ado.
I guess the bones and idea was good, but perhaps executed a little swiftly.
Remy acted like a child most of the time, who still called his mother, Mama! He is supposed to be a big shot restaurateur! Come on. He is hanging out with his high school friends every weekend😂 there was a lot of inconsistencies like that. I still enjoyed the beginning hence the 3 ⭐️ which as I write this feels a little generous?
Should you read it? Sure it’s a good time if you keep your expectations low. DO NOT LISTEN TO THE AUDIOBOOK 😂
February 1, 2025
It was mediocre. Started feeling forced towards the end.
Statements were made just to make them. Words to fill the quota. How many words needed to make it a full novel??
Statements were made just to make them. Words to fill the quota. How many words needed to make it a full novel??
March 18, 2025
Remi Drake is rich snd white, Echo is poor snd not white. This forms the basis of their complicated relationship.
Echo is brilliant and whatever she has gained in her life has been hard won. Everyone around her assumes she had been given it, what’s worse is that Remi implies she gained it on her back.
Remi enters into a relationship with Echo that he insists they keep secret. Echo over heard Remi speaking really poorly of her and she walks away. That is when Remi realizes he loves her.,
Not going to sugarcoat this Remi’s mum is a piece of work you are going to hate her, Remi and his dad setting her straight was something to read.
Echo is brilliant and whatever she has gained in her life has been hard won. Everyone around her assumes she had been given it, what’s worse is that Remi implies she gained it on her back.
Remi enters into a relationship with Echo that he insists they keep secret. Echo over heard Remi speaking really poorly of her and she walks away. That is when Remi realizes he loves her.,
Not going to sugarcoat this Remi’s mum is a piece of work you are going to hate her, Remi and his dad setting her straight was something to read.
October 5, 2024
2 stars. I’m speechless at how dreadful the hero was. He was genuinely TERRIBLE. So why am I giving this shit an additional half star instead of leaving it at 1.5? It’s simple. I. Love. Angst. And. Crying. And I did cry whenever Echo was faced with derision and cruelty. However, she WAS a doormat and considering Remi had zero redeeming aspects, I’m lost as to why she liked him in the first place. The side characters were god awful as well, especially Sierra. What a horrible character. I also despised how some chapters just felt so brief, as in the next one skipped to a new scene entirely. Like slow your roll.
December 12, 2024
This was actually so bad. The only reason I read it was because I need short books to get my reading goal
October 22, 2024
What did I just read?!? The MMC is a jerk with serious racist undertones. The MMC’s family, except for his dad, are the same. The FMC is half-Black and tolerates atrocious behavior from MMC and family simply because of her low self-esteem and traumatic youth.
The MMC tries to sell the problem as a class issue when it’s very clearly a class and race issue. His mother is a pure racist and yet he maintains a relationship with her and so does the FMC!!! MMC at one point emphasizes that FMC is half-Black in response to her comment that his mom doesn’t like her Black self. Seriously?!? That’s his response? Is that supposed to mean she’s not completely tainted since she’s only half? What a trash panda he is!
This MMC didn’t deserve the FMC and she needed to learn some self-respect because she seems to be ashamed of herself. Who would be with a guy like that?
This wasn’t a romance or a love story; it was a pathetic tragedy. Pathetic that the FMC tolerated this treatment and tragedy that she allowed his mother, sister or MMC to have any access to her after their hateful, racist behavior.
I Imagine the author felt that she was writing a story that clearly demonstrated the FMC was a far better person than the other characters in the story. However, in the author’s view, it appears that being “better” means tolerating abuse and turning the other cheek rather than standing up for yourself and shutting down mistreatment. I’m disgusted by a story that attempts to redeem a MMC that is that horrible and minimize the severity of racist behavior. And I’m even more disgusted that the villain, his mother, apparently has no real consequences for her behavior. Her son still loves her. Her husband stays married to her. The FMC continues to tolerate her—and presumably exposes her future child to her. Never mind that she expressed racist views, regularly said hateful stuff, and physically abused FMC as a child!!!
0 stars if I could. And this author is now on my “never read” list.
The MMC tries to sell the problem as a class issue when it’s very clearly a class and race issue. His mother is a pure racist and yet he maintains a relationship with her and so does the FMC!!! MMC at one point emphasizes that FMC is half-Black in response to her comment that his mom doesn’t like her Black self. Seriously?!? That’s his response? Is that supposed to mean she’s not completely tainted since she’s only half? What a trash panda he is!
This MMC didn’t deserve the FMC and she needed to learn some self-respect because she seems to be ashamed of herself. Who would be with a guy like that?
This wasn’t a romance or a love story; it was a pathetic tragedy. Pathetic that the FMC tolerated this treatment and tragedy that she allowed his mother, sister or MMC to have any access to her after their hateful, racist behavior.
I Imagine the author felt that she was writing a story that clearly demonstrated the FMC was a far better person than the other characters in the story. However, in the author’s view, it appears that being “better” means tolerating abuse and turning the other cheek rather than standing up for yourself and shutting down mistreatment. I’m disgusted by a story that attempts to redeem a MMC that is that horrible and minimize the severity of racist behavior. And I’m even more disgusted that the villain, his mother, apparently has no real consequences for her behavior. Her son still loves her. Her husband stays married to her. The FMC continues to tolerate her—and presumably exposes her future child to her. Never mind that she expressed racist views, regularly said hateful stuff, and physically abused FMC as a child!!!
0 stars if I could. And this author is now on my “never read” list.
November 11, 2024
Was waiting for this one to drop....
Were my expectations met? Sadly no.
It was good dont me wrong, i sacrified a few hrs sleep on a work night to finish always saying the dreaded "one more chapter.."lie but for what remy says about echo and how he treats her there just wasnt enough grovel. I mean he does shed a few tears and he does make the effort and yes i think some ppl would find his efforts satisfactory but idk if its the plus size girl in me but if i heard someone i loved calling me what he calls echo i definitely wouldve made him work for it longer and harder. And usually i think maya creates stronger characters but Echo just wasnt one, i mean she was one resilient Woman rising up from the childhood she had and i loved that about her but she took so much crap from remy and her "friends" and i know its bc of her childhood that she kept letting that treatment go on but...at some point you gotta grow a spine right? I mean after their first night together shes ready to just let it be a great memory with him but then he craps all over it by saying awful things to her and making her feel small and what does she do? Lets him come back the next week. I dont want this to deter u from reading this book it was good. I dont regret reading it i just wish echo made remy feel a bit more of the pain she felt and in extension we the reader had to feel.
Spice:8/10
Grovel:6/10
Were my expectations met? Sadly no.
It was good dont me wrong, i sacrified a few hrs sleep on a work night to finish always saying the dreaded "one more chapter.."lie but for what remy says about echo and how he treats her there just wasnt enough grovel. I mean he does shed a few tears and he does make the effort and yes i think some ppl would find his efforts satisfactory but idk if its the plus size girl in me but if i heard someone i loved calling me what he calls echo i definitely wouldve made him work for it longer and harder. And usually i think maya creates stronger characters but Echo just wasnt one, i mean she was one resilient Woman rising up from the childhood she had and i loved that about her but she took so much crap from remy and her "friends" and i know its bc of her childhood that she kept letting that treatment go on but...at some point you gotta grow a spine right? I mean after their first night together shes ready to just let it be a great memory with him but then he craps all over it by saying awful things to her and making her feel small and what does she do? Lets him come back the next week. I dont want this to deter u from reading this book it was good. I dont regret reading it i just wish echo made remy feel a bit more of the pain she felt and in extension we the reader had to feel.
Spice:8/10
Grovel:6/10
August 18, 2024
This author is really good at writing heartbreak and betrayal. You can literally feel the heriones pain.
Let's just say this herione was more forgiving than me and leave it at that. I do not think his sister or mom suffered enough, and his mom definitely should have been cut off.
3.5 stars rounded up for heartbreak, angst, and drama.
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Let's just say this herione was more forgiving than me and leave it at that. I do not think his sister or mom suffered enough, and his mom definitely should have been cut off.
3.5 stars rounded up for heartbreak, angst, and drama.
I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 17, 2024
This book was ok. A very quick read, but I didn’t like how much the Remi (the mmc) continued to insult and call Echo (the fmc) derogatory names for a good chunk of the book. The groveling was not near the amount it should’ve been with how cruel and insulting Remi was. I did like how much Echo seemed to grow over the course for the book, and how she was able to stand up for herself after years of torment. Personally, I don’t like books where the mmc is constantly awful to the fmc. I love Enemies to lovers, but this veered more towards cruelty to lovers, which I don’t like.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews