Okay, so it goes without saying this one is definitely for ADULTS ONLY. Joshua is all they say with his icy billionaire persona build to ward off the public eye more than attract it, though attract is something they can't help but be with his visual attributes and the scandalous past inherited from his father before him. He's not the bad guy, though he'll let you believe he is if it means leaving him alone, but some people simply won't take no for an answer. Enter Sophie...a headstrong reporter that inadvertently turns the public's eyes to him and his family once again, FIFTEEN YEARS after the scandal that rocked them to the core! I say inadvertently because while she was bringing it to the spotlight again, she had wanted to take a new angle...but someone was less than forthcoming with an interview, and she had a bit of anonymous inside information, so things spiraled back again. Like I said though...some don't take NO for an answer. A few more meet-not-so-cute moments later and neither one can deny there's something between them...but whether or not it burns brighter than the sun or torches them to ashes has yet to be seen. Any guesses which way it goes?

Guess away, I won't reveal the BIG TRUTH...but speaking of which, let me share MY big truth. I enjoyed the story, though I could have done with a bit less heat, but I did have one lingering question. Why introduce such a big plot point if it wasn't going to be fully explored? I mean, there was already plenty going for it without the added drama piece, but it left me pondering and feeling a little hung out to dry. However, despite that little hiccup, I still had a BLAST getting to know both characters. Joshua is so much more than he lets on, and Sophie is far more tender than her earned hardened exterior allows her to be. I can see why one of the sins is pride...the inability to accept that you're not perfect and we're always striving to better ourselves has got to be such a heavy weight! Good thing these two have each other to help carry it...at least for a little while...or maybe even more...

Recommended read for adult Contemporary Romance fans and enemies-to-lovers trope readers! ( )

Full review appeared at Reader's Edyn on 05/10/20

Sophie is one-heck of a reporter, having received accolades galore. Her latest focus is on Joshua Lowell and the devastation his father caused several members of Falling Brook fifteen years ago when he embezzled from the trust fund he ran and disappeared. Now as the anniversary of the debacle approaches, she is writing about Joshua intending to put a different spin on the story. She’s uncovered a lot of information and it would seem that the heir of the Lowell family is much more than he displays for the cameras – an altruistic side he never exposes. But Joshua refuses to participate so she runs with the story she has – and garners his attention full force. Invited behind the scenes for a follow-up story, they each glimpse a side of one other that they normally keep well protected. Sophie doesn’t have a past she is proud of either and Joshua is exactly the kind of man who will shatter her. She should stay far away, but that magnetic pull is fierce and before too long, each succumbs to the flaming desire, terrified of how their own story will end.

Joshua isn’t about to trust the head-strong reporter any farther than he can throw her. Keep your enemies closer is the old adage, so he’ll be sure to do so. And maybe the benefits that follow aren’t so bad either. But Sophie has a way of slipping right under Josh’s armor of protection and quickly has him yearning for a life that he long since left behind – scattered to the wind with his father’s betrayal – Josh, the only one to step up and right all of the wrong none of them saw coming. But with his past and people always scrutinizing him, Josh trusts no one. They always leave him anyway in one way or another. Sophie will be no different. So when she suddenly appears to have betrayed him, he is quick to lash out first, never giving her a chance to leave him. He knows it is inevitable anyway. But his mistake could cost him his perfect match in every way and a shot at a life he never dreamed he could ever get back.

I have read Ms. Simone in the past and have enjoyed her work. It’s also been a minute since I have immersed myself in some sexy Harlequin reads. When I came across a new series made up of seven books by seven authors and Ms. Simone kicking them off, I knew I had found something I wanted to dive into. At this point, I have obtained the first three books in the series, so I will be able to continue at least that far in the series. After reading this wonderful book, my excitement has jumped a notch. At just over 200 pages, this book can be devoured easily within a couple of hours. The story started off with a crazy amount of tension and sexual chemistry and kept on giving. Despite their growing feelings for one another, the mistrust lies heavy, like an elephant in the room. Once Josh and Sophie give into their undeniable, nearly tangible attraction, the sparks fly and the defenses crack even further. But the suspicion remains – at least on Josh’s part.

I appreciated Josh’s sense of responsibility and determination to set right the mess of destruction left in his father’s wake. But this inspiring trait also becomes his crutch and greatest flaw. He has become so worried about judgment upon himself based on his father’s decimated reputation, that he loses sight of who he used to be and what he once wanted for his life – preferring to forget about that period in his life since it can never be reclaimed. But Josh isn’t doing it just for himself. He is also trying to repair his mother and brothers’ reputations through his own efforts. But for all of his attempts, he has only garnered disgust from his own siblings who see him as a copy of their traitorous father. Sophie, however, sees past all of this. In her thorough investigative journalism, she has uncovered the Josh of the past and can see the man inside, lying dormant under the tough business mogul persona he projects to the rest of the world. She also realizes that their time together is more than likely going to be limited, so she does her best to help him realize a way back to his old self; the person he lost, and who he longs to be despite his adamant claims otherwise. Sophie draws him out and gives him a kind of hope for the future he hadn’t been able to grasp since taking over the hedge fund. She also recognizes that an artist with talent that oozes out of his pores like Josh’s does isn’t one to be wasted. Unexpectedly, she is given a tool to nudge him in the right direction. If it helps create those small glimpses of happiness he keeps carefully guarded, she isn’t above making use of that tool.

What I do not understand is what happens with the DNA tests. This is the foremost reason that Sophie and Josh end up agreeing to help one another. But other than the reveal of who leaked the results to Sophie, nothing else ever comes of it. It’s revealed early on that Zane supplied a lot of Sophie’s article information, so him giving her the results is no spoiler. However, his book appears to be next, so I am hoping there is some kind of closure to this cliffhanger component. Or are we to assume it was all a ruse and never true? It’s unclear and a bit aggravating. Zane is one of the family heirs that was destroyed by Senior Lowell’s duplicity, so he’s got a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas. I am also assuming that Josh’s brothers will have a book of their own, but I could be wrong. I felt that they were left unfinished also. Their assumptions that Josh had turned into their father was cruel and unfair. Given Josh’s search he now has going on, I would say reconciliation is in the air. So there are a few things left wide open and annoyingly incomplete, but I can only guess those elements with tie-up somewhere in the next six books. I also felt the ending was a bit rushed. Granted, the book isn’t all that long anyway, but another chapter or two would have been nice. Don’t get me wrong. It was a perfectly romantic grand gesture for a billionaire romance, but it was fast. Given Sophie’s resolve in their last encounter, her rapid capitulation in that particular scenario didn’t fit and also would have likely affected her career reputation, so a bit off for this specific character.

Despite the oddities above, I found this book enjoyable and a fascinating start to a new Harlequin series. I will be jumping into the next book soon and look forward to seeing how the series progresses. Will the authors have worked together on the plots, or just written something as a stand-alone that doesn’t incorporate the previous books? I don’t know. But I will soon. I truly hope for intersecting plots. If you are looking for a quick read, enjoy millionaire romance, and crave hot and steamy, then this book will bring satisfaction. Ms. Simone did a great job in setting this series up, guaranteeing my return for the next installment.

Kindle version provided by NetGalley/Harlequin in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Ruthless Pride by Naima Simone
Dynasties: Seven Sins Series #1

Joshua Lowell is abruptly interrupted by his assistant while working on another business issue when Sophie Armstrong, reporter, walks in. He has been ignoring his email and messages. He gives her a bit of time, realizes he has no interest in her project and sends her on her way. That is in the first few pages but a lot more happens in the rest of the book.

This is a story of two people focused on their jobs. Both have goals based on those jobs. Neither trusts anyone much and trusts the idea of “love” even less. Will they find a way to trust and move forward or will their past baggage stand in the way?

What I liked:
* Sophie’s desire to be evenhanded when reporting. She is also more willing to be open, I think, than Joshua was.
* Joshua’s willingness to step in and make things right when his father had made them so very wrong. I felt for him from time to time but also hoped he would wake up and see things more clearly.
* The hint about the backstories of both
* Wondering about Joshua’s brothers – will they show up in books in the future?
* The idea of a series written by more than one author but all linked together

What I did not like:
* Joshua’s father – unless there is more to the story than appears in this book
* Joshua’s family – his brothers who seemed to lack his moral compass
* Feeling like there was more to the story than showed up in this book – and – there is. Why? Because this is a miniseries and as such the story will be eked out a bit at a time.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in the series? I think so

Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars ( )