REVIEW: Exclusively Yours by Nadine Gonzalez

Exclusively Yours by Nadine Gonzalez  is a sexy second chance romance set in the world of high stakes real estate in sultry Miami.

When Leila Amis took the job as assistant to real estate mogul Nicolas Adrian she learned a lot of tricks of the trade, and ended up having a heated affair with him. But when he made the decision to move to New York, she wasn’t about to give up her career aspirations to follow him there.

A year later, Nick has returned but Leila is wary about getting involved with him again. She’s got her own boutique real estate company going and is busy drumming up new clients. Nick wants her back, and he’s not above hiring her to be his agent to spend more time together. But having already had a workplace affair, she’s determined to keep him at arms’ length as long as he’s her client. Misunderstandings compounded their time apart. Can they find a way to move forward and get their happy ending?

I had a hard time connecting to Nick at the start. In the era of #MeToo, his actions as a boss could be construed as harassment. For example, he asks Leila about her personal relationship status; implies at a business dinner that he and Leila are a couple when they are not; makes inappropriate comments about her appearance, etc. But Leila isn’t bothered by these things and she makes it clear that their relationship will only last for the eight weeks until he moves to New York. Once he’s gone, Leila has other problems to deal with and moves on with her life.

Leila is focused on her career and isn’t willing to be Nick’s ‘assistant with benefits’ in New York which is why she ends their relationship when he moves. Her parents died when she was younger and she was taken in by her aunt, an elderly woman now who is ill and whom Leila is determined to see has the right care. Having Nick back definitely puts the drama back in her life. They have a tempestuous relationship, argue often, indulge in passionate sex, have issues with jealousy and need to learn to communicate better. It’s a sign of their strong feelings for each other that they are both frustrated with the status quo.

In the second half of the story we learn more details that made me warm up to Nick. When his last assistant wanted to find a job that would enable her to spend more time with her kids, he helped her find a new position. When he moved to New York and lost contact with Leila, he came back to try to track her down, not knowing she’d moved away for a few months to spend time with her ailing aunt. He wants Leila to know that he views her as an equal partner and respects her career. With this in mind, I found it easier to root for a happy ending for the couple. It’s not without some more drama in the form of one of Nick’s ex-partners but they do finally admit their true feelings for each other and get a happy ending with a sweet epilogue.
 

Book Info:

Publication: Feb 20, 2018 | Harlequin Kimani |

Eight weeks is only the beginning…The moment Leila Amis meets her gorgeous new boss, top Miami Realtor Nicolas Adrian, she’s headed down a road of no return. When their explosive attraction culminates in a night of intense passion, she proposes a brief fling that must end when Nick leaves town in just eight weeks. But on the eve of his departure, he turns the tables…and their clandestine affair ends in bitter regret.A year later, Nick still feels the pain of Leila’s rejection after he asked her to move to Manhattan with him, only to have her vanish from his life. Now he’s back with an irresistible offer in the magical city where Leila runs her own boutique real estate agency. As they give in to long-suppressed desire, Nick’s plan to win her back is threatened by a professional rivalry. With even more at stake this time around, can he seal the deal and make Leila his forever?