FOOL ME ONCE (FIRST WIVES CLUB #1)

From Weekday Brides to First Wives, a dazzling series about four women and their alliance of newfound friendship, unexpected love, and second chances.

Cynical divorce attorney Lori Cumberland lives by one motto: Love is grand, but divorce is a hundred grand. With one failed marriage under her own personal belt, Lori had fallen hard and early—and it isn’t something she plans on repeating. She’s content focusing on the temporary marriages of her rich and famous clients. When she joins some of her recent divorcées on a celebratory cruise, her only vow is fun, sun, and new friends. But Lori finds herself tempted by a jury of one.

For Reed Barlow, falling into the world of private investigation was easy. He knows the law and knows how to avoid breaking it—all while doing his job. His rule to live by? No emotion, no involvement…until Lori. His charming smile and cocky attitude distracts Lori and lowers her guard, which is exactly what Reed desires.

But what appears as a one-time-only flirtation may be a plot orchestrated by Reed. As he’s taking his investigation to a dangerous level, it’s Lori who could end up in jeopardy. Reed has only one shot for Lori to grant him a second chance. But if he comes clean with her, he blows his cover. And that just might cost him the opportunity for an alliance of family…and of love.

Release Date: September 19, 2017

Montlake Romance

Contemporary Romance

First Wives Club #1

Review copy provided by publisher

Liza's Review:

I have to say that Fool Me Once just really didn't completely work for me. I loved the Weekday Brides series, and was excited to get to revisit some of my favorite characters in the spin-off First Wives Club series. However, something about the story just fell flat for me.

As this was the first book in the series, there were many characters to reconnect with or meet for the very first time. There was lots of information about each female character and her prior husband to keep up with, as well as a suspense element that I felt led me in the wrong direction for part of the book. I liked both Lori and Reed, but really didn't feel like they received enough overall attention as the main couple with all the other characters that had focus in the book.

I did really like Lori and Reed as a couple, even knowing Reed was holding back information from Lori. They had great chemistry once Lori started to let down her guard. I loved that Reed became protective not only of Lori but her friends as well. I did want to smack him upside the head when I discovered all he had kept hidden from Lori and her friends. I will say I felt like he did a great job showing Lori how important she was to him in the end and loved how he groveled to get back into her good graces.

Since I have loved so many other books by Ms. Bybee, I will totally give the next book in the First Wives Club a try. While the amount of information in Fool Me Once felt like information overload to me, I really do feel like others will probably enjoy this book more than me. I did love the character development that occurred with many of the characters and do look forward to revisiting these characters in the future.

Rating: 3 Stars (C-)