Dirty Charmer by Emma Chase

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Title: Dirty Charmer
Author: Emma Chase
Series: Royally #5
Published by: Indie
Release Date: May 19, 2020
Format: eARC
Pages: 264
Genres: Romance, Contemporary
Source: Valentine PR
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2020 New Release Challenge, Lenoreo's COYER Quarantine Edition
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ B&N ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ iBooks ✩ IndieBound ✩ Book Depository
My rating:

Blurb:

Abigail Haddock is stunning, sensible, and some would say…stuffy. But it’s not really her fault. She was raised in one of Wessco’s oldest, most affluent, aristocratic families—“stuffy” is their middle name. So is successful. Abby’s working overtime to distinguish herself as a top-notch physician, just as her family legacy demands.

She doesn’t have time for nonsense.

Tommy Sullivan’s all about nonsense.

Sure, he’s an elite bodyguard with lethal skills and co-owner of the renowned, S&S Securities Firm—protector of the wealthy and titled. But he’s also rowdy, fun and thoroughly irresistible.

Tommy knows how to have a good time, and he’s never seen someone more in need of a good time than Abby. The lass needs long, wet, filthy kisses—STAT—and he’s just the man for the job.

It doesn’t take long for a wildly sexy, sinfully satisfying, no-strings attached arrangement to turn into something more. Something sweet and addictive and real. But Tommy and Abby are too royally stubborn to admit it.

Opposites attract, everyone knows that. But can they last—can they love…for forever?

My Review:

I received a free copy through Valentine PR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

4 stars — I totally didn’t realize this was a spin off from the Royally series!  That made my heart happy, and honestly I don’t know why Wessco in the blurb didn’t clue me in, but I guess I just wasn’t thinking.  It was great to get glimpses of the other happy couples in this one, but it was mostly focused squarely on Tommy and Abby.

I had a hard time concentrating on this one, and I honestly can’t figure out why, because I enjoyed it…it just didn’t suck me in for reasons unknown.  I’m going to call it COVID brain and leave it at that…

Tommy was definitely a blue collar, filthy mouthed, unapologetic rake.  But the kind you can’t help but love for some reason.  He has great intentions, and deep inside he’s a very caring guy.  He’s just the kind of guy who has been happy in the state of his life up until a certain redhead turns his head.  He’s very guy-guy, without the toxic parts of masculinity if that makes sense.  He’s incorrigible.  He’s sex-focused.  But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a lot more going on, and a lot more to provide.

Abby was one of the first characters that is described as high strung and buttoned up who genuinely seemed that way even to me.  She had all these expectations, some from her family, but most placed on her shoulders by herself.  It broke my heart to see her killing herself for something that I’m not sure she actually wanted.  Which is not the being a surgeon part — you could feel her passion for that.  It was the needing to be the best of the best that wasn’t really her.  It was nice to see Tommy bring out the hidden fiery side of her.

They complemented one another so well, in a way only opposites can sometimes.  They brought balance to each of their personalities.  I loved that they enjoyed the opposite sides of one another, and generally didn’t want to change that about the other.

I kind of like that they really did have a fuck buddy arrangement, and that while they liked each other, the arrangement wasn’t an excuse…they were genuinely enjoying one another, and it just developed into more.  That was unique and I appreciated that.

The pacing of this romance was so unlike what I’m used to reading.  We got to see a HUGE passage of time, at multiple instances, and I wasn’t expecting that.  Strangely it helped me feel more confident in the feelings they had developed for one another, and for the growing they each needed to do on their own.  But I was also thrown off by it — so it was both a pro and a con in the story for me.

I loved that they both had challenging families, in opposite ways…and that they both had great friends supporting them in the background.  And I can totally see some other stories being set up from this one — that makes me so excited!

All in all it was exactly what I always know I’ll get from Ms. Chase, and it was delightful.  I can’t wait until my brain gets back on track, because I am totally checking out the audiobook for my reread.