Kristie J’s review of Dirty Money (Roughneck Billionaires, Book 1) by Jessica Clare
Contemporary Romance published by Intermix 17 Jan 17
This is the first book in a new series by this author, and this is the first time I’ve read any of her books. She seems to write a number of books about billionaires, and as soon as I see that in the title, I’m out. Now, if the book is about mechanics, say, then I’m in. So though this series is about a family of billionaire brothers, they came late into their wealth and, therefore, are not the suave, debonair sort. In fact, they couldn’t be less like that.
This is Boone Price’s story. He’s the oldest brother and the one who actually discovered the oil on their lands. Now for those old enough, think Beverly Hillbillies and that’s the kind of the family this is. As a side note, I don’t think there is a chance in hell this show would be on the air in today’s times – but that’s a side thought. In today’s times another show that might apply is Duck Dynasty. One could also think of the Winston brothers written by Penny Reid and they are somewhat similar. The Price brothers are rednecks and proud of it.
But Boone is getting pretty tired of how ‘suits’ keep looking down on him and not giving him the credit or respect that is owed to him. And it really is. He’s rich as all get-out and now runs a very successful company that employs thousands of people. He really does live up to the saying ‘you can’t judge a book by its cover.’ But in order to get respect, he figures a classy woman by his side is in order, and when he sees a real estate flyer with a young woman on it, he decides she’s the woman he needs and wants. And when Boone wants something, nothing stops him from getting it.
Ivy Smithfield is the young woman Boone has decided on. She’s quite bemused at the lengths Boone is willing to go to impress her. At first reluctant to go along with his plans, she only wants to be the real estate agent to sell him a home. He lives in a trailer but uses the need to buy a home as his ‘in.’ But eventually his charm and relentlessness wears her down. There is a big problem, though, that she doesn’t want to tell him. She’s not the classy woman he thinks she is. In fact, she is dirt poor and living in a trailer herself, while she tries to help her younger sister get into college. She doesn’t want him thinking she’s after him for his money, so she keeps this a secret. And, as we all know, a secret kept is never a good thing, because it always comes to light.
I have mixed feelings about this book and I’m not quite sure how to rank it. I think Boone is a great character. I get quite a kick out of Boone and his refusal not to get what he wants. He does so in such a charming, cute, and funny way that makes it hard not to like him.
Ivy is a bit too much of a doormat for me. She lets the people she works for treat her like dirt and constantly steal whatever prospects look good in the real estate firm. Plus, she’s a bit too determined to take everything on her own shoulders, where she should be sharing some of the burden with her younger sister, in my opinion. I think Boone proves that he is serious about her and he wouldn’t hold it against her.
But my real issue is the copious amount of sex in the book. It went on for pages and pages and pages with everything but sex in the kitchen sink thrown in – though that might be there, since I skipped the vast majority of it. Now I have no issues with sex in romance. I’d be in trouble if I did, since it’s in most of the books I read, but for me this is overkill – or oversex, as the case may be. It isn’t until after I read the book and looked it up that I noticed this is marketed as an erotic romance, so it seems rather unfair of me to punish a book for being what it is, doesn’t it? I guess I’m just better off with a warm or hot meter than burning. I would have preferred to learn more about Boone and his family in particular.
I read the next book and this burning question wasn’t answered in it either, but it’s driving me nuts wondering about the mothers. There are five brothers. They were raised together by their father, a real piece of work by the sounds of it, but other than mentioning all different mothers, the reader doesn’t find out anything about them. And my inquiring mind wants to know.
Grade: B
See Tabs’ review here.
Summary:
Boone Price and his brothers know oil; at least, the dirty, backbreaking side of working an oil rig. But when their scrubby, worthless hunting land turns out to be sitting on top of one of the biggest oil wells in North America, they go from the rig to the boardroom and end up billionaires practically overnight.
Now with enough money to do whatever he wants, Boone is developing a taste for fine things. And the finest thing he’s ever seen is Ivy Smithfield, local realtor. Boone’s determined to win her affection and show the world that he’s more than just a dirty fool with a bit of money. Ivy’s classy and beautiful – she’ll make the perfect trophy wife. The fact that she’s sexy and funny is just a bonus.
There’s one tiny problem – Ivy’s as dirt poor as Boone was. Her carefully crafted veneer of luxury? All an act to promote her business. What’s Boone going to do when he finds out the woman he’s falling for is, well, in his league?
No excerpt available.
Other books in this series:
