BOOKWORM REVIEW: Made in Manhattan by Lauren Layne
STEAM: 🔥🔥🔥
I love retellings, and this reverse My Fair Lady retelling hits the spot.
Violet is being asked by Edith -- the woman who took Violet under her wing as her own after they both lost all of their family -- to groom her newly discovered grandson to become the next CEO of Edith's billion-dollar company. Cain is a little rough around the edges for New York's East Side society, and the Louisiana native needs to fit in before his biological grandmother's board of directors vote on him to inherit the company.
While Cain agrees to be made over by Violet, it doesn't mean that he won't make her task harder than it already seems.
I love the progression of Cain and Violet's enemies-to-lovers story. They both have good intentions tangled in miscommunication and emotional baggage, and we get to see that being unraveled as they see it, too. Cain is really a big softie underneath that gruff exterior, which he throws up when he is feeling mighty defensive. But we slowly discover that there is more to him other than being the prodigal grandson, and while he sometimes pushes the boundaries of being an irredeemable jerk, he manages to put himself back into Violet's and our good graces. Violet is on the other side of the same coin as Cain. I love the character arc of this people-pleasing uptown girl finding her own voice and her own passion, and while Cain encourages her on this path, the journey is driven completely by her.
The entire cast also captured my heart. I love the no-nonsense Edith. A woman who can honestly say whatever she is thinking and put grown men in their place is #lifegoals for me. Violet's best friend Ashley is really all of us trying to yell at Violet and Cain to get their act together. Alvin and his ailments. Adorable little Coco who not only melted Cain's stone heart, but ours as well.
This read is a slow burn, but the tension kicks off in the early chapter. Lauren Layne does a fantastic job of inserting small touches, gasps, and side looks that keep us wondering when these two will finally get their act together and do it.
I love the exploration of New York and New Orleans, two of my favorite cities. It was great to see the balance between well-known tourist spots and activities and the hidden gems. It made imagining Violet and Cain's story in my head all the more vivid.
If you're looking for a classic enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity read with lots of tension and steam, I highly recommend this book.
** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. **
ABOUT THE BOOK
From the New York Times bestselling author of the Central Park Pact comes a reverse My Fair Lady for the modern era about a pampered and privileged Manhattan socialite who must teach an unpolished and denim-loving nobody from the Louisiana Bayou how to fit in with the upper crust of New York City.
Violet Townsend has always been a people pleaser. Raised in the privileged world of Upper East Side Manhattan, she always says the right things, wears the right clothes, and never rocks the boat. Violet would do anything for the people closest to her, especially her beloved grandmother. So when she asks Violet to teach the newly-discovered grandson of her friend how to fit in with New York City's elite, Violet immediately agrees. Her goal? To get Cain Stone ready to take his place as heir to his family company...but to say he's not exactly an eager student is an understatement.
Born and raised in rural Louisiana and now making his own way in New Orleans, Cain Stone is only playing along for the paycheck at the end. He has no use for the grandmother he didn't know existed and no patience for the uppity Violet's attempts to turn him into a suit-wearing, museum-attending gentleman.
But somewhere amidst antagonistic dinner parties and tortured tux fittings, Cain and Violet come to a begrudging understanding--and the uptight Violet realizes she's not the only one doing the teaching. As she and Cain begin to find mutual respect for one another (and maybe even something more), Violet learns that blindly following society's rules doesn't lead to happiness...and that sometimes the best things in life come from the most unexpected places.
Violet Townsend has always been a people pleaser. Raised in the privileged world of Upper East Side Manhattan, she always says the right things, wears the right clothes, and never rocks the boat. Violet would do anything for the people closest to her, especially her beloved grandmother. So when she asks Violet to teach the newly-discovered grandson of her friend how to fit in with New York City's elite, Violet immediately agrees. Her goal? To get Cain Stone ready to take his place as heir to his family company...but to say he's not exactly an eager student is an understatement.
Born and raised in rural Louisiana and now making his own way in New Orleans, Cain Stone is only playing along for the paycheck at the end. He has no use for the grandmother he didn't know existed and no patience for the uppity Violet's attempts to turn him into a suit-wearing, museum-attending gentleman.
But somewhere amidst antagonistic dinner parties and tortured tux fittings, Cain and Violet come to a begrudging understanding--and the uptight Violet realizes she's not the only one doing the teaching. As she and Cain begin to find mutual respect for one another (and maybe even something more), Violet learns that blindly following society's rules doesn't lead to happiness...and that sometimes the best things in life come from the most unexpected places.
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Narrated by: Sura Siu
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MEET LAUREN LAYNE
Lauren Layne is the New York Times bestselling author of romantic fiction. Her books have sold millions of copies, been translated into more than a dozen languages. Lauren has been featured in Oprah Magazine, Publishers Weekly, Glamour, The Wall Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She lives with her high school sweetheart in New York City.
Connect with Lauren
Website: https://laurenlayne.com
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