*ARC* The Bachelor Auction - Review

The Bachelor Auction (The Bachelors of Arizona #1)

By: Rachel Van Dyken

Published: October 4, 2016 by Forever

352 pages

Source: Netgalley ARC from publisher 

(Goodreads / Amazon)

Summary:

Cinderella never had to deal with this crap.

Jane isn't entirely sure that Cinderella got such a raw deal. Sure, she had a rough start, but didn't she eventually land a prince and a happily-ever-after? Meanwhile, Jane is busy waiting on her demanding, entitled sisters, running her cleaning business, and . . . yep, not a prince in sight. Until a party and a broken shoe incident leave Jane wondering if princes---or at least, a certain deliciously hunky billionaire---maybe do exist.

Except Brock Wellington isn't anyone's dream guy. A prince would never agree to be auctioned off in marriage to the highest bidder. Or act like an arrogant jerk---even if it was just a façade. Now, as Brock is waiting for the auction chopping block, he figures it's karmic retribution that he's tempted by a sexy, sassy woman he can't have. But while they can't have a fairy-tale ending, maybe they can indulge in a little bit of fantasy.

MY REVIEW:
Having read lots of other books by Rachel Van Dyken, when I saw this one on Netgalley I knew it would be one I would enjoy. #1 - I trust the author's writing of NA romance and #2 - hello, Cinderella-esque story? Plus, as a bonus which I later realized, there is the side character of Nadine, the crazy, yet beautiful and extremely wealthy, grandmother from The Bet series. She just adds spice wherever she shows up!

This story was fun and entertaining and steamy. Brock Wellington is a 35 year old billionaire who can never say no to anyone, and definitely not his grandfather. Being groomed to take over his grandfather's company, he feels he owes an amount of debt that he isn't capable of repaying after his parents were killed at the age of 12 and his grandfather took on raising him and his brothers. So he takes on mountains of responsibility, all at the sacrifice of any kind of personal life. As such, he earns the nickname from his brothers "Boring Brock". Now he finds himself nearing middle age and lonely. Success and wealth isn't everything in life. Until he has a run in with a beautiful girl who breaks her shoe and he allows himself to consider something more.

Jane is a 21 year old girl who is being run over by her older sisters. Having taken over her parents cleaning business after they passed, she truly feels like Cinderella - cleaning for everyone else and never having anyone, especially her sisters, consider her feelings. Someone like Brock is so far out of her league she doesn't give much serious thought to the handsome sweet man who bought her a shoe replacement that cost more than her month's rent. Needing money, and wanting to get away from her sisters, she accepts a job to clean a ranch house for three weeks to prepare it for it's next tenants. What she quickly learns is that the next tenant is none other than, Brock Wellington!

If you love contemporary romances, then give this story a read!

Favorite Quotes:
Well, that and the fact that they were family and family stuck together. Even if family exhausted you, stressed you out, and made you want to scream at least ninety percent of the time.

"The idea does have merit, but no, I didn't sic Fred on you. I'd like to think I'm more creative than that."

"And us mothers, grandmothers - we're all given that same gene from God. The one that allows us to inflict fear into the most wicked of toddlers, gives us the ability to multi-task and still enjoy life, the ability to love through the mud, sweat, tears, the strength to wake up every day and breathe life into the world, to make it a better place - so know when I say this, I do not say this lightly. I say this with the utmost wisdom from years of being a woman."

Language Rating: 2 (medium)
Mature Content Rating: 2 (medium)
Final Rating: 3.5 stars