Hard Sell by Lauren Layne

He’s a Wall Street wolf. She’s been hired to tame him. From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne comes a wildly sexy novel of business and pleasure.

Twenty-eight and filthy rich, Matt Cannon is the youngest broker on Wall Street. He may be a “boy wonder,” but he’s every inch a man. Ask any woman—any night. But when Matt’s latest fling makes scandalous headlines, his clients get anxious, and his bosses at Wolfe Investments level an ultimatum: keep his assets zipped, get a “real” girlfriend, and clean up his act. Only one woman can help Matt with something this hard.

For PR genius Sabrina Cross, the best fixer in Manhattan, playing Matt’s steady is going to be a challenge, even if it’s just for show. They already have an explosive history, she can’t stand the cocky party boy, and worse—she can’t stop thinking about him. So who’ll dare to break her “no touching” rule first? Because when that happens, Matt and Sabrina’s game of let’s pretend will get so hot it could set both their reputations on fire.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary – ☆☆☆☆
What happens when a bachelor party in Vegas gets a little out of hand and the bosses in New York see it in the newspaper? No one is happy and the clients are starting to pull away. So now it is time for damage control.

When Matt Cannon gets called into his bosses’ offices, he cannot think of why but when the two Sams show him the newspaper with a picture of him, he doesn't know what to say. But when they tell him to straighten up or lose his job, Matt can't believe what he needs to do and only one woman can help him.

Sabrina Cross is a fixer and she can fix Matt's problem. But only one problem first, they can't stand each other. So how is she going to play Matt's steady girlfriend without them killing each other? Sabrina's only condition to the contract is there will be no fooling around while she is his pretend girlfriend. That would only make things more complicated. Because there are sparks between them that could burn down all of New York City.

Can Sabrina and Matt make it until the Wolfe Gala without falling for each other? Will Matt win his biggest client with Sabrina's help? Or will Matt lose the biggest client to win over Sabrina? Will forever be enough for the both of them?

I really enjoyed the first in this series and loved Matt and Sabrina just as well. And now I can't wait for Kennedy and Kate. Author Lauren Layne knows how to write the hot and sexy Wall Street men that are alpha all the way, until they meet the woman that steals their heart. Another great addition to this series.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series, and I loved book one, so was excited to get to read the next installment. With Ian settled with Lara, just Kennedy and Matt are footloose and fancy free. As it turns out, Matt's exploits make the Wall Street Journal, and he is going to have to do some major damage control if he wants to save his career.

Cue Sabrina, Ian's best friend and a fixer by trade, coming to his rescue. The two of them have had four years of meeting each other thanks to Ian, and they have a love-hate yet-often-sex relationship, which neither of them understand. But for the planned devoted girlfriend set-up to work, she insists that sex is off the table.

I always find Lauren Layne's characters interesting, but these two are definitely in a mould of their own. Matt has a very unconventional home life, which has definitely put him off any form of permanence and romance, even if he finds himself irrationally desiring forever with Sabrina. Sabrina had a terrible childhood, but has pulled herself up by the bootstraps, and will not make herself vulnerable again, even if Matt tests her resolve.

As we get to read both their viewpoints, we know the inevitable will happen, but just how will it all fall into place... their friends have a ball being along for the ride... but Kennedy better watch out, his turn must be coming!


Jordan – ☆☆☆☆☆
I am a huge Lauren Layne fan and I love that I can always count on her for a lovely read with a happily ever after. I read the previous book in the 21 Wall Street series, Hot Asset, which is not necessary to read in order to enjoy book #2 (Hard Sell). However, the Wall Street Wolfe’s are HOT and an easy sell. Honestly, I’m obsessed with these guys. After being completely charmed by Hot Asset, I have been waiting to finally read more about Sabrina and Matt’s rocky history!

Hard Sell follows the story of Matt, who is somewhat of a wunderkind, but his playboy ways have caught up with him and after a recent stint at a Vegas bachelor party, his bosses, the Sams, are giving him an ultimatum to clean up his image – get a real girlfriend. After the recent SEC investigation, the company can’t take any more bad press. Matt needs a girlfriend to make him look settled and clean up his playboy image. And who better for the role than Sabrina Cross, NYC’s ultimate PR consultant/fixer upper. The only problem is their explosive history, which means a “no-touching” rule has to be established. But rules were meant to be broken.

Ever since reading about Matt and Sabrina in the first book, Hot Asset, I’ve been so curious to finally read their story. Sabrina and Matt have phenomenal chemistry and it practically leaps off the pages. Hard Sell easily sucked me into the life of Manhattan’s Wall Street guys and kept me reading into the night. Another fantastic addition by Lauren Layne. I can’t get enough of these guys. Honestly, this series has quickly stolen my heart and I can’t wait to see what Layne does in her third installment. Plus, I’m so excited to finally see what happens in Kate and Kennedy’s story.

5 STARS for Hard Sell by Lauren Layne

Also Available in the 21 Wall Street Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

For reviews & more info, check out our Hot Asset post.

Lauren Layne, a former e-commerce and web marketing manager, moved from Seattle to New York City in 2011 to pursue a full-time writing career. Her first book was published in the summer of 2013, and since then, she’s written more than two dozen romantic comedies, hitting the New York Times, USA Today, iBooks, and Amazon bestseller lists. She currently lives in New York City with her husband.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Hard Sell (21 Wall Street #2) by Lauren Layne to read and review.