Title: Dirty Scoundrel
Author:  Jessica Clare
Publisher/Year:  Penguin Publishing 11/21/17
Length:   207 Pages
Series:  Roughneck Billionaires #2

Overview

Clay Price has everything he’s ever wanted, except the one thing money can’t buy—Natalie Weston. Years ago, Clay and Natalie were in love…until she turned down his marriage proposal. Now Clay and his brothers are oil-rich billionaires, and they can have whatever they want. And what Clay wants is Natalie in his bed, no matter what it takes. If it means being ruthless, he’ll do it.

Natalie gave up on true love years ago when the realities of the world destroyed her fairy-tale hopes. Giving up Clay is her biggest regret in life, and she’s excited to see him return…until she finds out why. Clay’s got one hell of a proposal for her: he’ll save her father’s business and bail Natalie out of debt if she’ll agree to become his very personal assistant. It’s clear that he wants more from her than just typing.

It’s also clear that Natalie has no choice. This scoundrel’s bet could destroy any hope they had of reconciliation—or it could bring them together once and for all…

My Thoughts

I had forgotten about this series – no idea how, but it’s nice to get back into it.  I remembered quite quickly though all that happened in the first book since these a memorable brothers! We met Boone in the first book and now it’s Clays’ turn.

This is aa really sweet story of how life can really throw you curve balls when you only believe what you are told and you don’t question it.  That’s what happened for Clay and Natalie back when they were seventeen and in love.  She was wealthy and the daughter of a hollywood superstar and he was nothing.  but they worked.  they meshed, until they didn’t.  All at the hands of her father.  We’re brought to the present, 7 years later when we see that maybe life can spin things in an interesting way.

Clay with the help of one of his brothers has a moment of clarity where he realizes that he’s not fulfilled in life and that he let the best thing in his life get away.  He’s not willing to accept that and proposes the unthinkable to get her back.  Of course any self respecting woman would turn him down, except that there is so much more to the story.  Natalie needs his help, even if she doesn’t want it.  And she quickly realizes that she needs him.  even if she doesn’t want to want him.

That’s where our twisted little story takes us.  Back into the the midst of a romance that was perfect years ago but is completely changed now.  The dynamic that they had as teens is very different, their life perspectives are changed, the importance of things reversed.  The question becomes when do you cut your losses?  when do you decide that you can’t have everything that you want and that if you did, it would come at a price that’s far too high to pay.

Similar to the other series that we’ve really enjoyed by Ms Clare, we get these innocent romances.  Like one of the other main duos in another book, we have a pair here that is experienced in life, but not in romance.  They are both virginal (literally) with their feelings for one another the true driving force.  That backfires of course and i think that we come to a decision that no matter how much you try, it’ll never be as you want it.

There’s a part of this story that totally throws me – and while there was a tease mid-way through the book, i was completely surprised and a bit upset.  I’m sure there was a reason for why our author took the story in a specific direction, but i don’t know that i agree.  I guess i’ll have to see how that plays out in the other installments of this series since i’m sure they’ll have intertwining story lines like this one did with Ivy and Boone.  So on that note – enjoy! and i’m off to find the next mountain man!