Surprisingly slightly deeper than I assumed it would be, made it a more interesting read. ( )

This was a fun, light read and fits nicely in with the series. We meet three women who were all taken in by the same lothario, the wife, the girlfriend, and the mistress. They make a pact to help keep each other from getting bamboozled again. This first in the series introduces the characters nicely and gives a taste of the rest of the series as each woman finds her match.

This hits many of the rom-com tropes: both characters have damage, some they acknowledge and some they haven't dug into yet. They have loathe to love, interfering friends and family, communication breakdowns, secrets come to light, and misunderstandings aplenty. ( )

Absolutely a light, fun read. Enjoyable female bonding over a cheating scumball ~ the dénouement is delightful, as the three women cope with the New York City high-flier snobs and fast-paced big-city life. The success of each woman in overcoming their obstacles to a satisfying life is well-crafted writing. Highly recommended if you enjoy the chick-lit genre with plausible, okay, semi-plausible outcomes. A great pandemic escape-read. ( )

Lauren Layne is one of my favorite go-to authors for when I need a story with a guaranteed happy ending, some fun romance, witty banter and not a lot of smut. Her new series, Central Park Pact, centers on three women who meet in a not so usual way. This first book focuses on Naomi and her childhood nemesis Oliver. When the two reunite, Oliver has no idea who Naomi is and she of course, intends to keep it that way.

As usual for book centered on friends, I found the fledgling friendship the most interesting relationship of the story with the actual romantic part taking back seat. I enjoy relationships where the women are friends first and then the romance part happens around the friendship. Anyway, back to the romance part. As Naomi begins to navigate her new normal, she ends up realizing that she actually *likes* Oliver and maybe, just maybe, she isn't as broken as she thought.

In terms of content, minor spoilers but potential content issues for some people so Oliver's father has Alzheimers and it is a plot point. There's also some cheating, though all past tense. And Oliver's father was also quite the ass when he was younger so there's some of that misogyny that comes through. None of this distracts from the story and while all incidents play into the here and now, if some of that is not your thing, maybe steer clear of this one.

I'm giving this book a 3 out 5. It was fun and quick to read. The book comes out on May 28 but is up for pre-order on Amazon now.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy. ( )

“Passion on Park Avenue” is a witty, slow-burning, enemies-to-lovers romance. Boasting an intriguing premise and likable characters, the story pulled me in the right from the very start.
This book had the perfect balance between banter, sweet romance, a dose of real-life hardships without being too sad, and a bit of bling (never out of place in a rom-com.)
Oliver and his struggle with his father, who has Alzheimer's disease. I appreciated it very much because it was written very well.
The author scattered so many layers into this story; unusual friendships, funny scenes, a bit of snark, a bit of heartbreak, and a whole lot of touching moments. Not to mention a super sweet ending and happily ever after. I listened to the audiobook through the Scribd app. ( )