From the award winning author of romance and romantic suspense, HelenKay Dimon comes a sizzling new story from Cosmo Red-Hot Reads from Harlequin.
Welcome to Need to Know—Because a Woman Can’t Be Too Informed Dating in D.C. is like navigating an apocalyptic wasteland populated by men in expensive suits with zero mating potential. Need to Know provides all the information a savvy single woman like you needs to avoid dating disasters. By night, Jordan McAdam is the proprietor of a popular website that rates D.C.’s hottest bachelors—everything from how quick they are email you back to their skills in the sack. She’s been burned once too often to accept any man at face value. By day, her job as an office temp puts her in the perfect position to do a little fact checking on her rich and powerful subjects. When her latest assignment brings her face to face with the sexy but mysterious Forest Redder, Jordan decides to do a little “hands on” research of her own. To Jordan, he seems like the perfect man – but she knows there is no such thing. Moreover, there’s a big problem: Forest knows Jordan’s the woman behind the scandalous site—and Jordan knows he knows. Will he expose her secret—or find his own posted on Need to Know?
HelenKay Dimon is a divorce lawyer-turned-romance author. After dedicating years to helping people terminate relationships she now writes romance novels full time. Her books have earned praise, appeared on bestseller lists, won numerous awards and twice been named Red-Hot Reads and excerpted in Cosmo. She sometimes writes erotic romance, sometimes writes romantic suspense and sometimes writes contemporary romance. But no matter what she's writing her books are always filled with smart banter and sexy times, and a HEA is guaranteed.
-"Sharp writing and plenty of sexy romantic sizzle..." - John Charles, Chicago Tribune
-"So smart, sexy and fast-paced, I devour her stories." - Lori Foster, NYT bestselling author
-"Lots of heat with lots of humor." - MaryJanice Davidson, NYT bestselling author
-"She's a delight." - Christina Dodd, NYT bestselling author
I was familiar with HelenKay Dimon's writing since I read and enjoyed a novella which was part of the anthology SEAL of My Dreams. Well, I thought it was a good idea to request an ARC of her upcoming novella Everything You Need to Know, and it is very unfortunate that I was wrong.
I apologize in advance for my negative review but it's best to be honest. I kid you not but I fell asleep while I was reading this story. Even though I really tried to like the characters and the plot, it saddens me to say it wasn't meant to be. Somewhere along the line my interest simply petered out.
It's difficult to put a finger on it but my main problem might have been that I could not connect with the MCs. There was absolutely nothing special about them and I must also say that I need more than a description of a tall, dark haired man with green eyes who is allegedly hot and sexy. That's not good enough for me. I. Need. Substance. I. Need. Emotion. I didn't enjoy the build-up either and the sex was uninspiring and very bland. And don't get me started on the lack of depth and character development. Also, I did not feel their chemistry (what chemistry?) and the storyline fell totally flat for me. And while the writing was all right, there was absolutely nothing that wowed me about this book. Going into this story I knew that the plot might be lacking some credibility. Still, I just wanted to read something nice and light. What I got, however, was a boring book. Again, I'm sorry to say it didn't do it for me at all.
**ARC courtesy of Harlequin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
I am a tiny bit sad after finishing Everything You Need To Know by HelenKay Dimon because I have now read through all of the Cosmo Red-Hot Reads that I had on my Kindle. Y’all, these books are so perfect for when you are feeling behind on your Goodreads reading challenge and also want an ego boost for reading something so fast. While I have had mixed results so far with this line of books, I am glad I picked Everything You Need To Know for last because I genuinely enjoyed it, I liked it even better than Fearless by Tawny Weber. Seriously, if you must choose just two books from the Cosmo line, pick these two – Fearless and Everything You Need To Know as both feature awesome heroines, sexy love interests and interesting plots. Read the rest of my review here
Rating: 3 stars What I Liked: I thought this had an interesting and different concept at its heart. The writing is strong, as it always is in Dimon’s books. It’s not the fastest paced or the most action-packed, but its simplicity was enjoyable. I liked both main characters and how they handled situations, they were quite similar in a lot of respects and I found them both likeable. I thought the central relationship was a nice, easy one; there were very few complications in their relationship, which was nice, and their chemistry was strong. The sex scenes are very well-written and sexy, which surprised me given how gentle most of their relationship felt to me as a reader. Gentle, as in relatively conflict free. What I Didn’t: I didn’t really hate anything. If anything, I’d just have liked it to be a bit longer and maybe a bit more fleshed out. Overall: That said - the book was an easy, fun read, and it did that well. The backstories were complicated but were woven quite well into the story and didn’t detract from it. It was good. Would I Recommend It?: Yes, if you want a quick contemporary romance that’s low on conflict but with some sexy scenes. Would I Read Something By The Author Again?: Yes. Content Warnings:
FTC: I requested this from NetGalley as I have enjoyed this author’s work before. She has been on the site before but I have no actual relationship with the author.
This line excited me when I saw it on NetGalley and I pretty much requested them all. Short, sexy novella’s by some of my favourite authors? Sign me up. This one was a lot sexier than anything I have read from HelenKay Dimon before and I enjoyed both the set up and the story.
Jordan is the CEO of the online Dating advice site, Need to Know which rates the bachelors of DC and creates an online community where ladies can share their stories and advice on dating some of the best and worst. I absolutely loved this set up, the anecdotes amusing me whilst the premise making me wonder if it was at all possible in real life. Whilst researching one of the serial daters, she runs into Forest Redder. He’s a hottie who sets her blood alight and, even more oddly, he doesn’t have any negatives on her site. The man seems to be too good to be true but is he?
I did like Jordan but her constant second guessing gave me a headache. True, the old adage once bitten, twice shy will always run true, but there should be a limit to the amount of times you can use the old boyfriend as an excuse to be single. I really didn’t like that she kept a secret from him. She was dooming them to fail by not being upfront and I could only see them with an expiration date which didn’t make the story easy to relate to.
Forest I loved. The man saw what he wanted and he went for it. He was oh so sexy and oh so bossy; he was the perfect hero. He treated her well and, even when he knew that she was keeping secrets, he made the decisions on their relationship with a calm head. I honestly thought he was a little too good to be true, waiting for the other shoe to fall, but it really never did. He was just dreamy.
Overall, this is a sweet yet steamy novella with characters that really drew me in. If you like your romance with a little humour and heat, this is one you should try.
Shel: This is ANOTHER quick read that I really enjoyed; it was fun and well written. Jordan has this great website to help other single women avoid the pitfalls of the dating scene she's had to endure. Forest is a young, single, power player in D.C. While she's 'undercover' getting details on a slimeball for her site, they spot each other and despite their denials, they are TOTALLY interested in each other! With a little cat and mouse and a little 'help' from their friends, they take a chance to see if this lust-y thing they have is anything more than that.
Court: I really liked it too. I was completely surprised, though I'm not sure why. I have a great love affair with Harlequin novels (aka, i love 'em) and I really enjoyed this one. Elle and Jordan are seriously hilarious. They are seriously soul sistas, looking out for the greater good of the women of D.C. (I mean c'mon..there are some weird dudes in this book!) but at the end of the day they are holding out hope for the one. That was super super fun.
Shel: The website queries, the banter between Elle and Jordan and Wen and Forest, the balance of steam and story, the low angst and HEA ending all make this a very pleasurable read. From this read alone, I'd definitely be interested in reading more of Dimon's work. Court: I think I enjoyed it that much more because we knew it was a novella (we've been trying to make sure so we're not disappointed when it ends) going in and for that reason I was aware of the pace of the novella and these peeps relationship. Sometimes ya just have to go with the flow, and I was in love with Forest from the get go. He is ultra alpha, but the back and forth with Jordan knocks him off his feet. It was epic!
One of my favorite short reads this month! Yep, yep! Check it out, yo!
Jordan McAdam owns the website Need to Know where women can get the 411 on the male dating pool in D.C. When women complain about the men they are dating Jordan does everything she can to verify the claims made against them. Her best source of information is the temp agency she uses to get close to the men in question. It’s through the temp agency she meets Forest Redder, the sexy, rich bachelor who’s not listed on her site. He’s the type of guy she hates, but there’s something about him that makes her hot, hot, hot. In any case, she has no intention of getting to know him better. Until he uses his pull to get her a temp job in his company because he wants to get to know her better. Forest typically gets what he wants, but he’s never met someone like Jordan. Who will win the battle of wills?
This is a creative and decently written contemporary romance. The sexual tension builds quite nicely and when the sexy steaminess finally happens it’s woo doggy! Both Jordan and Forest have baggage they need to overcome and it’s done fairly well for how short the book is. I like Jordan, her friend Elle and Forest’s friend Wen, but it took me longer to warm up to Forest. Probably because I’m not big on the ultra alpha males. He does tone it down further into the story, so I ended up liking him quite a bit by the end. I’d like to see Elle and Wen get their HEA, maybe with each other? Hmmm…
Jordan secretly runs a website called Need to Know that collates reports from women about the men they date in order to help others avoid the douchecanoes. She'll often do the ground work herself to confirm/deny reports. Forest encounters her when she's assessing one of the men (Ryan) by working as a temp at his office. Sparks fly, attraction is undeniable, they start dating. Turns out they both come from dysfunctional families. When Ryan goes on the attack saying his deal with Forest fell through because of incorrect rumours started on Jordan's website, she has to choose between revealing her biggest secret & thereby her anonimity and losing her man.
Everything You Need To Know by Helenkay Dimon Publisher: Cosmo Red Hot Reads (from Harlequin) Publication Date: October 15, 2013 Rating: 4 stars Source: eARC from NetGalley
***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***
Summary (from Goodreads):
Welcome to Need to Know—Because a Woman Can’t Be Too Informed Dating in D.C. is like navigating an apocalyptic wasteland populated by men in expensive suits with zero mating potential. Need to Know provides all the information a savvy single woman like you needs to avoid dating disasters.
By night, Jordan McAdam is the proprietor of a popular website that rates D.C.’s hottest bachelors—everything from how quick they are email you back to their skills in the sack. She’s been burned once too often to accept any man at face value. By day, her job as an office temp puts her in the perfect position to do a little fact checking on her rich and powerful subjects. When her latest assignment brings her face to face with the sexy but mysterious Forest Redder, Jordan decides to do a little “hands on” research of her own. To Jordan, he seems like the perfect man – but she knows there is no such thing. Moreover, there’s a big problem: Forest knows Jordan’s the woman behind the scandalous site—and Jordan knows he knows. Will he expose her secret—or find his own posted on Need to Know?
What I Liked:
Well, it's been quite some time since I picked up a romance read! My last review posted on my site - of Spinning Gold by Vivi Andrews - was written months ago, as I read the book months ago. I've been reading a lot of Young Adult novels recently - and quite a few of them have been sequels, which is nice. But it was refreshing to pick a romance read, for a change! I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed them.
This book is a novella, so it wasn't a full-length story between Jordan and Forest, but it was a great story nonetheless. Jordan with her Need To Know business, and Forest with his millionaire self - lovely combination. The "CEO" and "secretary" angle is a little overused in romance novels, but I don't read too many contemporary romance stories - and certainly not recently - so I was okay with that.
The plot was pretty straightforward. We have the almost immediate chemistry between Jordan and Forest - upon sight, it seemed - and then we have Forest's business with Ryan Peterson, a former employer of Jordan (technically, he wasn't her employer, but whatever). Jordan is thrown into the mix because she owns Need To Know, a site where women post things about men that they have previously dated, or ask questions about men they want to date. Jordan put Ryan Peterson on the site, even though they didn't date.
This is a big deal, because Forest recently backed out of a business deal with Ryan, right around the same time that Jordan stopped working as a temp for Ryan, and also, when she put information about him on Need To Know. I think we all know where this is heading - Jordan gets hired to work for Forest, Forest has no idea she runs Need To Know... exactly.
This story is really cute, in my opinion. I loved watching Forest and Jordan fall (stumble?) in love. The chemistry between them is fiery hot, but sweet, at the same time. Jordan is so bold, but not in an aggressive way. Forest is definitely bold as well, but in an alpha male, manly, controlling way. Despite him being controlling, I really like how Dimon brings him across to readers. He's a genuinely good man, and of course, very yummy. But seriously - he's a good guy. Almost too good.
The ending is as we expect most romance novels - it wraps up nicely, and perfectly, especially for the two protagonists. I'm not complaining - I expect this from romance novels. And I like the ending of this book. This book was worth the read!
What I Did Not Like:
There wasn't anything that really stuck out to me, that I didn't like. This story is condensed to a novella, so it is very short. A lot needs to happen in a novella, to build the world, the plot, the characters, and so on. I kind of wanted more from this story - more of a build-up of intensity between Forest and Jordan. I'm not saying that their relationship was rushed - it really wasn't - but as a reader, I would have loved to see/read more interactions between Jordan and Forest.
Also, at times, Forest seemed a little *too* perfect. And the whole thing with him being a black sheep? Meh. It didn't really make me believe that he was a "bad boy" - the stereotypical alpha male with a tragic past. But that's okay. I liked him anyway.
Would I Recommend It:
If you're looking for a quick romance read, then I definitely would. It's really short, but a lot happens, and nothing felt rushed or instant. Fans of adult contemporary romance novels may enjoy this book - I know that I did! But then, I don't read too many adult contemporary romance novels though. But I still enjoyed this one!
Rating:
4 stars. I think it's my adult-reads drought that I've recently experienced, but I really enjoyed this book! I'm happy I had the chance to read it, and that took that chance.
Have you ever been on a date with a guy so patently rude or deliriously boring or just plain bizarre that you wished you could spare other women the trouble? Both hands up and waving right here! Or maybe I wouldn’t have. Believe it or not, I wish only the best for people, and that means giving everyone the chance to find the right person for them. Just because I find a guy boring doesn’t mean that some other woman won’t click with him right away, right? Yeah, but I also don’t want anyone to have to settle. And there are some dating behaviours that definitely should just be stopped. So the premise of Everything You Need To Know, one of the latest from Cosmo Red-Hot Reads from Harlequin, appealed like nuts.
Jordan is a temp by day, but by night she’s the genius behind Need To Know, an online service that provides a forum for members (all women) to dish the dirt on Washington, DC bachelors. It’s become popular with single women tired of putting up with the bullshit foisted on them by DC’s eligible (or not) power brokers. Part of Jordan’s job is to substantiate some of the more outrageous claims. Which is where the temp job comes in handy. She’s been researching a particularly disgusting individual by temping for him when she meets one man notably absent from her website’s database: Forest Redder.
Her colleague, Elle, suggests rumours of a confidentiality agreement her forces his dates to sign. Jordan’s not convinced, but she can’t imagine why there isn’t loads of information on such a hot guy.
She runs into him again very soon when she’s crashing a wedding to confirm or deny rumours about a guy who only sleeps with bridesmaids. (Hee — it’s called bridesmating. Like a modelizer, only a bridesmaidizer. And just like that, I’ve worked Adam Levine into another post.) Forest threatens to out her unless she dances with him. Things progress deliciously from there.
Right, that’s all I’m going to say on the synopsis, because it’s a quick read and I don’t want to give away the whole story. It’s a lovely, fun novella that made me smile a whole bunch. The writing was a bit awkward throughout, which is something I’ve found common to all the Cosmo Red-Hot Reads I’ve read so far, but it gets a bit smoother once Jordan and Forest start bantering. That was a bit of a relief, I have to admit.
I was, however, left with a lot of questions that I guess there wasn’t room for in a novella. For instance, by the end I’m still not entirely sure why Need To Know doesn’t have anything on Forest, but maybe I missed something. And I was kind of surprised by how easygoing Forest was about the whole website thing in the end. But overall I enjoyed this for what it was: a quick, fun story with a few steamy scenes and some much-needed female camaraderie.
Jordan’s a delightful character who would have worked well in a longer novel — just an average woman who’s sick of the dating craziness and is struggling to find the right guy. The brilliant thing is that instead of just whining, she does something about it, something really smart and sisterly that also solves another problem — the fact that she’s been laid off. She has a secret agenda that gives her loads of confidence where others might falter. I really felt her confidence come through on the page: she’s not “just” a temp or a wedding crasher, she’s a woman who knows exactly what she’s doing professionally, even if she’s a bit lost personally. That allows her to go into ridiculous situations involving ridiculous guys with humour and perspective. Or maybe I’m reading too much into this. Still, in the end, I loved the story, even though I thought it could have used a bit more fleshing out and a stronger editorial hand.
Lila
Reviewed from ARC. Published by Cosmo Red-Hot Reads from Harlequin on October 15, 2013.
After losing her job at a law firm, Jordan McAdam picked herself back up and started Need To Know – a website that offers exclusive membership to the women of the Washington D.C area about the local eligible bachelors. Need to know if your date skimps out and leaves you with the bill? Need to know if the lines your date is feeding about wanting to settle down are genuine or just to get you into bed? Are you concerned about the friendship your date still maintains with his “estranged” wife? All of these and more can be answered on the Need To Know website. Jordan has been burned before and now she works to maintain the site that helps other women weed out the bad ones.
Jordan’s day job as an office temp allows her to get close enough to some of the city’s rich and eligible to be able to confirm or deny questions and rumours. When her latest position puts her close to Forrest Redder, she realises that Need To Know has never had an inquiry or request for information concerning him – but there are rumours. He’s wealthy, he’s successful and he’s bound to crop up sooner or later. Seeing as he seems to have his eye on Jordan, she decides that it can’t hurt to do a little research…
Forrest is intrigued by Jordan when he first sees her temping at the office of a former business associate. So much so that he arranges for her next job to be at his company, albeit with someone else. Forrest wants to know more about her. The more he gets closer to her, the more he suspects she might be behind the website Need To Know, which he’s been hearing about lately but can’t seem to find out too much about. Will Jordan ever trust Forrest enough to let down her guard and confess her secrets? Or are her past experiences and her job going to lead to her tarring Forrest with the same untrustworthy brush?
Everything You Need To Know was a quick and relatively enjoyable read that kept me engaged in a way with the character’s fates but perhaps not overly invested. I loved the idea of the Need To Know website and the snippets included in the book from the site with members requests were really clever and funny. I actually wish that the book had included a lot more about the website – more of the requests for information, more of Jordan’s research to confirm or deny. It seemed something that was really promising, that could definitely add something different and interesting to the story but I’m not sure the author really embraced it to its full potential especially concerning Forrest himself. It was unusual that someone so well known, rich and attractive hadn’t come up on the site at all and I think if Jordan had been attempting to confirm or deny something on him when they met and the attraction began, it might’ve added a depth to this story and a conflict that I felt it lacked.
Both Jordan and Forrest felt a little too bland, like they both didn’t really have a personality of their own. Their interactions were easy, there was nothing really kept you wondering what would prevent them from getting together or at least would seem to prevent them from getting together. I did enjoy the fact that Forrest knew it was Jordan who ran the site but he sat on this information, waiting for her to come to him and admit it to him herself, even though she knew he knew as well. It felt as though Forrest was more invested at times than Jordan but it’s entirely likely she was holding herself back from becoming invested because she had been hurt before.
This was a pleasant read which didn’t tug too much at my emotions or require me to invest too much into it, which was pretty much exactly what I needed at the time. However I do think it suffered from its lack of length and the lack of depth to the characters and their interactions. If you’re looking for something with real chemistry and charged emotions, perhaps skip this one. It’s definitely more on the lighter side.
Jordan started one of Washington’s D.C. newest and hottest websites around, Need to Know. It’s an anonymous website where the single ladies of D.C. can log in and find out information about the bachelor men in the city. An excellent resource to weed out the crazies and keep hold of the good guys, Jordan finds herself the most popular lady in D.C. (with the ladies at least). Her temp job helps her cover her identity, all while verifying any and all information she can about the bachelors on her site.
Forest is a tough nut to crack. As one of the most eligible bachelors of the city, Jordan is determined to get any information she can on him. But Forest has other ideas, mainly ones that involve the two of them naked together. As Jordan’s site gains more and more notoriety, Forest hopes that she will trust him with her secret, despite the fact that he’s already found out all the details.
I enjoyed this book. It had a different premise than I’ve ever seen before in romance, and I loved LOVED the idea behind a need-to-know dating site. If my college campus would have had something like this, I could have avoided a lot of dating disasters back in the day. :D
The romance in this one was so well done. I loved that both Jordan and Forest had some pretty heavy baggage going into their relationship, but despite that and the secrets, the two of them were still able to come out on top. It was clear as day that these two were perfect for each other. Jordan was able to pull Forest out of his work, and get him to live a little. While Forest was able to give Jordan a helping hand, not just with her business but with advice for her personal life as well. They were each other’s sounding board and strong shoulder, and I adored them together.
Dimon has also done a wonderful job creating some serious sexual tension between these two. While most of her books are hot, Hot, HOT, I thought this novella was perfectly balanced between the sexual chemistry, the tension, and finally the actual smexing. I know this novella was written as a Cosmo Red Hot Short Story, but I can only hope that Dimon will get the chance to revisit Jordan and Forest in the future.
The secondary characters in this story rocked as well. Between Forest’s best friend, Wendell, to Jordan’s best friend, Elle, the entire cast of characters was fun to read. I especially loved the moments when Jordan and Elle would sit down together and go over the horrific and hilarious stories they had uncovered about the bachelors of D.C. I laughed and cringed at the thought that they were all probably true!
All in all I thought Dimon did a wonderful job creating a truly unique romance short. I adored Jordan, and thought she was the perfect heroine for Forest, the ultimate hero. The storyline itself was fun and sexy and full of hilarious little anecdotes. I can’t wait to see what Dimon comes up with next. I give Everything You Need to Know a B
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW by HelenKay Dimon Advanced Reading Copy Published: October 15, 2013, Harlequin Cosmo Red Hot Reads
My rating: 4.5 of 5 ⭐️
The dating scene in D.C. is a minefield for women. Having fallen victim to her own share of dating fails with a number of promising candidates who seemed to have potential, Jordan McAdam started up a website that allowed women to share information and compare notes on some of the city's most eligible bachelors. A website that has gained steady popularity. Jordan works through a tempt agency during the day, and with her various assignments, puts her into contact with a number of the target bachelors her website writes about. Close enough contact to be able to gather some information.
This is how she meets Forest Redder, a successful and handsome bachelor, about whom very little is known, especially when it comes to his dating history. Forest is not Jordan's type...... or so she tells herself, but he is immediately drawn to her and makes sure that they will be in close proximity for the near future. Continuously pushing boundaries, Forest is finally able to get Jordan to let down her guard and let him in, but never all the way. She guards the secret of her involvement with the website Need to Know closely, even though Forest's company as well as Need to Know are being threatened by the same person.
Jordan's upbringing has made her very suspicious, no only of men's motivation, but also her own and therefore she questions everything and trusts nothing. She knows she should tell Forest about Need to Know, but waits until it is almost too late.
****
Wow! What a great little book!! I love HelenKay Dimon...... love how, even in a short like this, she can cram a complete character development with the appropriate context and all!! Not to mention a hot as hell love story, with some angsty moments and a carry-on of baggage; A powerful, somewhat intimidating and gorgeous leading man with a hint of vulnerability and an unintimidated, independent, yet insecure, feisty and beautiful heroine.
Both main characters have allowed themselves to be tainted by their upbringing, their parents and their negative experiences, no longer trusting their own instincts or feelings. They each have devised a set of rules they feel safe with, that is.......until they meet each other, and then all bets are off. The rules are broken, the feelings come out, the insecurities are tested and tried and all the baggage is exposed. And for once each of them is fully exposed.
So much so tightly packed in this novella, you feel you've had the full content of a novel. No wasted words here! I loved it, would love to have read more......
✨This compact, taut and sexy tale packs quite the punch!!✨
**ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Harlequin in return for an honest review.**
Cute book. It read fast. My first by Ms. Dimon and I think I will be going back for more! :) Full review on Book Reviews
I have been slowly making my way through Cosmo Red Hot Reads from Harlequin. They are all novella length and have sexy, fun stories that can usually be gobbled up in one sitting. My latest one is Everything You Need to Know by HelenKay Dimon. She is a very popular author but I haven’t had the chance to pick up any of her work so I was happy to finally be able to read her.
Jordan has created the website Need to Know in order to help the woman of D.C. navigate through the tricky dating field. For a fee, members can request info on a man and then have their questions answered by other members. I had some concerns at first about the validity of the info because couldn’t anyone slander a man they were not happy with, but as the book went on we were shown how Jordan and her friend took opportunities to make sure the information was correct.
Forest Redder is one man that is not on the site and Jordan wonders how that is possible. He is wealthy, attractive, single and surely he goes out on dates, so she isn’t quite sure what to do when he sets his sights on her. She does her best to stay away from his type. After all, it was a failed relationship with one his circle that caused her to start Need to Know. Plus, she was raised by a mother than has been married many times and engaged twice as much. She never wants to be her mom and fall for the closest available man.
Forest is a little different though. Even if you take away their smoking hot chemistry, he listens to her. He is sweet and he isn’t the perfect little rich boy she initially thought him to be. Jordan has a hard time letting go of her fears though and when the time comes for her to tell the truth about her business she fails the test. Miserably. If she wants to keep Forest around she had better find a way to open up and let him see all her secrets!
Everything You Need to Know is a fast read. I found the characters to be likable and have the perfect amount of angst. The concept of Need to Know is cute and each chapter starts with a member asking advice about a man and another member answering. Some of the questions are quite funny and I cringe to think they could be real. If you are looking for a way to try this author or for something cute to fill a couple of hours, you should grab this book. Final grade- B
Normally I find that books start well and either stay that way or slowly get worse. Everything You Need to Know broke that rule. When it started it was ok but it got better as it went along instead of worse.
I think the issue I had at the beginning of this book was the whole website thing. The main character runs a website where women go to talk about their dates with men in the local area. It means you can check up on the man you are going out on a date with before you date him, like a directory. I have to say that I really don’t like that idea. Although Jordan did her best to verify all the information on the site it is impossible to vet everything and if a man set up a website like this about woman we would all go mad. It is especially bad because it affects the professional life of some of the men on the site which is not fair to them or the people who work for them. It really took me some time to get my head around the whole idea and I wasn’t a fan of it at all.
Everything else about this book was pretty good and when I settled in I ended up really enjoying it. The characters were a little hit and miss. Jordan got on my nerves a little bit, her hang ups about her mother went a little too far and I hated her stubborn streak especially towards the end. She nearly lets her happily ever after escape because she is too proud, because she thinks she doesn’t need anybody which is not true. Forest was awesome, I thought he was charming, sweet and had his head firmly screwed on. He shared a lot with Jordan and she shared nothing with him but instead of walking away he fought for them but she had to do the work because he had already put everything in. He wanted to be with her but not for anything less than an equal trusting partnership.
There was loads of chemistry between them and I liked the romance. Despite the issues I had with Jordan they just worked together. This is the second of the Cosmo Hot reads I have read and so far I have enjoyed both of them. I would recommend this to contemporary romance fans, it is a short and sweet read.
The publisher provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
3.5 stars-EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW is the latest contemporary romance stand-alone storyline from author Helenkay Dimon and Cosmo Red Hot Reads. I am not sure if Helenkay has plans for any more books surrounding the premise of this particular storyline, but there are plenty more stories to tell.
The premise focuses on Jordan McAdam and her website for single women hoping to uncover the truth behind some of Washington DC’s most eligible bachelors. Need To Know is a website where members post about their experiences with the men in the Washington DC area and women looking for information only need to ask a question and it will be answered. And of course, the bachelors are not too impressed with what is being said when the comments and revelations begin to affect their personal, private and corporate lives.
Jordan is currently working for a temp agency and her latest assignment will find her face to face with Forest Redder- a man whose dating history remains a secret and one that Need To Know and Jordan are desperate to uncover.
The relationship between Forest and Jordan begins as a business arrangement but soon becomes something much more and Forest begins to suspect that Jordan is hiding a secret and knows much more about the Need To Know website than she is letting on. As Forest begins to uncover the who and what of the site, Jordan knows that once the truth is revealed their relationship will never be the same.
Helenkay Dimon invites the reader into a world of what ifs and whys. Each chapter begins with a request for information about a bachelor and a response from someone who has had experience with the man. It is really quite intriguing especially when you read the questions and answers.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW is a fast-paced novella with an interesting twist on the rich man/young woman scenario. The characters are relatable. Forest’s friend and VP Wen is a great equalizer to Forest’s uptight personality and cold façade; and Jordan’s BFF and co-owner on the website Elle is the perfect foil for Jordan’s anxiety. Here is where I hope that Helenkay Dimon will continue the series as each of these characters has a prior history that is waiting to be told.
I was curious about this novella simply because Jordan, the heroine, is an office temp like me. Unlike me, Jordan has an entrepreneurial spirit. After numerous bad, weird and downright frightening dates with many of DC's most eligible men, Jordan decides to start an anonymous online database called 'Need to Know' to help other single women navigate dating the business and political elite men in DC.
She meets Forest on a temp assignment when he shows up for a meeting with her creeptastic boss, Ryan. That sets the ball in motion for Forest and Jordan to meet again, this time at Forest's company as a temp for his business partner Wen. Jordan and Wen eventually give in to their mutual attraction and have to work through an issue complicated by Jordan's new online service and by pesky Ryan's public campaign blaming said service and Forest for a business setback.
It's a quick read of course, but there were several quotes that stuck with me.
"Cheating isn't sacred. Any man who is stupid enough to do it should get caught..." says Forest to Wen, his business partner.
Forest thinks to himself, 'No doubt she would be wild in the bed. He could sense it. He sure as hell had played a fictional movie of it in his head enough times over the past week. Those legs wrapped around his waist and -'
"In other words, you wanted to see her naked, so you stuck her in my office space," Wen says to Forest.
'Forest almost jumped out of his chair when Wen's voice screeched through his thoughts.' (This had me chuckling!)
'Her thoughts raced back and forth from a common-sense-hands-off policy for Forest to a maybe-she-could-try-him-just-one-time insanity. No doubt about it. The man turned her mind to goop,' reflects Jordan. (Forest and Jordan are on the same lustful track, ha!)
"The only worthwhile risks are the big ones," says Elle, Jordan's business partner and friend. (This applies to so many things in life!)
'She wrapped her arms around his neck.' "I'm definitely falling," admits Jordan to Forest.
"Good, because I didn't want to jump alone," Forest responds.
The complication is resolved rather nicely without too much prolonged drama. Jordan even gets a member request to confirm the rumor that Forest is seriously dating. 'Need to Know staff: Confirmed. He definitely is not available.'
I received this book from Netgalley for an honest review.
This was a good book. It was a funny read, I was either giggling or smirking throughout the whole thing. And with the day I have had, that was definitely needed. And let me tell you, the humor is really what made this book. Now don't get me wrong, this really was a good story and I thought the characters were great. Heck, I was even excited because the author used the word underwear instead of panties. Yes I hate, HATE that word. Sigh, but sadly soon the word panties was thrown in there. But that and some downtime where the story seemed to slow down some are my only complaints.
So the characters were wonderful. I really liked Jordan and her feisty attitude. Her best friend was hilarious also. Some of the things that came out of their mouths had me busing out laughing. Especially when they were talking about the guys on the website they had. Some of the stuff I believe a couple of the guys I have dated are guilty of doing. So anyways, her story is after losing her job and having a few horrible dates, she decides to start a website to make woman aware of what they may be getting themselves into. I think that was a fantastic idea, maybe I should start one here. So while working her temp job and investigating a gentleman (ha!) for her site, she meets the elusive Forrest Redder. He was actually a little bit of a change from the guys I have been reading about lately. He had a little bit of alpha in him but the man didn't breathe it. But that did seem to fit him. Now he seems to notice Jordan and he can not seem to get her out of his head. And here our little tale starts. He is all of a sudden on a mission to get Jordan and learn all her secrets. As he said in the book, he loves a challenge. I really thought they were ok with each other but the seemed to show more passion and feelings in the bedroom. Outside of it there were cute but ehh I didn't get much from them. So together they get about a 4.5, individually I would give her a 8 and him a 7. So as I said the humor is what really made this book, the characters were likable and the story was good. I really do wish you could do halves on Goodreads because I would give this book a 3.5.
I shouldn’t be surprised I enjoyed Everything You Need To Know as much as I did because every time I read her she blows me away with her ability to write a novella and make it read like a full length novel. While short the characters were well developed, the plot entertaining, and the sex scenes smoldering.
Jordan McAdam is a self made woman running a website to help the women of Washington DC navigate the dating waters. It’s reputable and it is successful. While Jordan still temps at businesses sometimes to check on facts for Need To Know, the website pretty much is her sole employment. While on a job she meets two men who her subscribers would love to know about but no one seems to have information on. Trouble is the minute she makes contact with Forest Redder, she knows she’s in trouble and he’s the last thing she needs but he tempts her like no other.
Forest Redder is a man who is use to getting his way in business, with women, and in life. So when Jordan interests him yet doesn’t really give him the time of day he finds a way to put her within his reach. I have to admire his upfront approach and with a woman like Jordan, it’s pretty much needed.
I just have to smile when I think back on this book, I loved Forest’s pursuit of Jordan and the fact that Jordan despite her convictions just can’t keep away. The heat between them is so evident and when they get together they are combustible. But it’s more than that, they both share really personal stuff with each other which not only lets the reader in on their backgrounds and their psyches but also shows the building trust between the two.
This is a novella, it moves at a rapid pace and while I would have loved a longer story between these two, I didn’t felt cheated. It was so easy to fall in love with these two and believe their story. This author continues to impress me with her ability to pack a full story in a novella. Everything You Need To Know is proof of that and I can’t wait to see what she puts out next!
Jordan McAdam doesn't know what "her type" of man is, quite, but she knows what it's NOT: the typical business and political elite of D.C., where little flaws like concealing current wives and fiancees, and continually "forgetting" a wallet are often discovered too far into the dating process.
If only a single woman had a way of finding out what she needed to know before getting in too deep. Like the man they dubbed The Urinator, whose flaws include always speaking of himself in third person (confirmed), being a blowhard (confirmed), and pissing on his date's front porch after she refused to have sex with him on the first date.
I received an advance copy of this novella from NetGalley and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.
After the law firm she worked for folded following the financial collapse, Jordan is taking temporary assignments as a personal assistant, which just happens to put her into perfect position to observe and confirm reports for the new subscription-only website she's created, Need to Know. She's halfway to her goal of a thousand paid subscribers, only four months after setting it up with her neighbor and best friend, Elle.
Hot, sexy alpha male Forest Redder is everything Jordan is wary of, and no one on Need to Know has filed any reports on him. Is it true what Elle says, he requires a confidentiality agreement from anyone he sees more than a few times?
This is a terrific, funny novella; Forest is suitably hot and sexy, but is an alpha male who's not afraid of an alpha woman. Jordan is smart, sexy, and unafraid to pursue her dreams, though somewhat wary of bouncing from man to man, like her mother. Loved the "reports" and "replies" that are featured in each chapter. I don't think there is enough barrier here between Jordan and Forest that this would work as a full-length novel, but as a novella, it works beautifully.
Posted on Les Romantiques - Le forum du site Reviewed by Fabiola Review Copy from the Publisher
Even if the author is translated by Harlequin France and J’ai Lu, I don’t remember having ever read one of her books. It’s with this novel that I discover her and I must say that I really liked her style but most of all the humor present in the whole novel.
I really liked the heroine, Jordan McAdam. She’s decided to create her website after the infidelity of one of her exes but she’s not embittered to the point of rejecting the whole male sex. The idea of the website listing all the bachelors in Washington D.C. with their qualities and their flaws is really original. I also really liked the hero, Forest Redder, who is considered as a cold being but yet hides his passionate nature. Simply, he doesn’t like to open his heart... except with Jordan.
From the beginning of their relationship, things sizzle between them but our main characters will take some time before making out. So there are few sex scenes, something I didn’t expect. Indeed, EYNTK is part of the new Cosmo Red Hot Reads line which was introduced as spicy. But for me, it’s only a detail, the sex scenes have never been an essential element for my evaluation of a novel.
The secondary characters are really interesting too, I’m talking about Jordan’s flatmate who’s also co manager for her website, and about Forest’s business partner and friend. I really liked their interaction which brings more humor to a story already full of it.
The author’s style is flowing, the entire novel doesn’t lack of anything and the ending is really satisfying. There’s no suspense, just the story of a couple who meets, gets to know each other, falls in love, and ends up together. A beautiful contemporary story, in short.
A very enjoyable novella that has some steamy hot scenes as the hero and heroine have chemistry that sizzles.
Jordan McAdams is the creator of a website that is making some waves in the D.C. area. Need to Know is a place for women to post notes about dating the most eligible bachelors in D.C. Jordan has even been known to go undercover using the temp agency she works for to make sure that when something is posted is it verified. This is where she first meets Forest, a man who makes a very big impression on her.
Need to Know is half way to the goal of a thousand members and many feel it is a wonderful way to navigate the perils of dating, members pay dues for information on bachelors and they trust those who run the site. I really enjoy the posts at the beginning of each chapter, they are very fun and witty as women answer inquiries of others.
Forest Redder is a businessman who first meets Jordan while she is gathering information on a man who not only is a jerk to women but also has questionable business dealings which Forest knows about and is breaking off his relationship with him. Of course, the man blames Need to Know which causes Forest to want to investigate, at first never realizing that the woman who has stolen his heart is the one responsible for the site, but when he finds out will he expose her?
This is a cute, fun novella that has exciting characters who keep you interested until the end.
Jordan McAdam has had nothing but terrible dating luck. She decided to start a website where woman can be warned if their is date is a worm or a winner. Her job as a office temp helps her check the prospective dates out but then she runs into Forest Redder on one of her temp jobs and he's taken with her. He's totally the kind of man she wants to avoid. Forest is a force to be reckoned with though and he finds out where she works and requests her and makes it a" no way to get out it" of situation. Problem number one is he's not what she thought. She finds herself falling for him. Problem number 2 is the website. It's causing problems for both of them. A guy one of her previous jobs goes on the attack of both Forrest and her website. Should she confide in him and tell him she owns the website or hope he figures a way out of the problem for both of them without telling him. Can she trust him enough? This is the dilemma she faces. Trust or not? The cover for this book is enough to get a woman to buy it. It's the story inside that will get that woman to read and enjoy it. HelenKay knows how to write a sizzling romance. I discovered her a little over a year ago and have enjoyed pretty much everything i have read of hers since. This book is no different. It's a fast sexy read that sizzles right off the pages or in my case my Kindle Fire. If you need a evening with a fun, sexy read this one will definitely fit the bill!!
I love the idea of Jordan’s website. It’s absolutely necessary these days, especially for online daters. It would be great to know which ones are duds before even really giving them a shot. Although, I do think one is needed for each gender cause there are equally crazy/craptastic women out there as there are men. With that said, I liked Jordan and Elle and their banter. I could easily see myself hanging out with them having a glass of wine. Those moments and the website information requests at the beginning of each chapter helped move the story along, otherwise it was a tad bit slow.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Forest is pretty dang hot and I definitely wanted to get to know more about him, but I also needed things to progress a little faster. Once we got to know Forest, I really started to like him. His backstory was pretty interesting and different. I appreciated that and I love what he did for Jordan regarding Need to Know. If this had moved along a little quicker, I probably would have enjoyed it more, but the beginning dragged a little more than I would have liked. Otherwise, this was a pretty good novella.
Arc provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review
Jordan es una mujer que maneja un sitio web donde saca los trapitos al sol de los solteros más codiciados de Washington. Su trabajo como temporal en oficinas, le permite estar cerca de esos solteros ricos y poder conocerlos mejor para dar esos consejitos tan escandalosos a sus clientes. Cuando conoce a Forest, el tipo del que nadie sabe nada, se siente atraída por él, pero sabe también que él es de los tipos peligrosos. Sin embargo, él termina contratándola como temporal en su empresa y ahí es donde empiezan a conocerse mejor. Siendo sinceros, al principio, Forest me caía mal y creí que sería el típico patán pero oh my goodness! terminó sorprendiéndome para bien. Me gustó cómo se desarrolló la relación de pareja, con él siguiéndola y ella rechazándolo. Me encantó la química entre los dos, la manera en que su relación se va desarrollando, me sentí enganchada con ambos y terminé adorándolos por igual. Una historia mucho más intensa de lo que imaginé. Con una idea muy original, fue muy divertida y la verdad me gustó mucho, mucho.
*Este libro fue enviado para reseña via NetGalley. Los comentarios se basan en la lectura de la novela, no percibimos ninguna remuneración por ellas
“You think I’m going to have sex with you in Wen’s office just so you can work me out of your system?” The door shut with a crack. “I’m really hoping the answer to that question is no, or there will not be enough bleach in the world to get me back in that chair”. She hadn’t even realised anyone came in until she peeked around Forest and stared into her temporary boss’s eyes, bright with amusement.
I totally loved this book, both Jordan and Forest are great characters and have a great banter between them. Both were smart in control and happy with their lives. They both have best friends, Elle and Wen who are also well written and the “cameo by text” of Jordan mother is great – especially when it leads to the hilarious “Do you think of your parents having sex” conversation. The little chapter headings that are excerpts from the website are fantastic, to the point where I was laughing so often that I was reading them aloud to a poor bemused friend that was visiting. This was light hearted and fun but didn’t descend to fluff. Oh and steamy – very steamy! What more could you ask for!
Everything You Need to Know by HelenKay Dimon A, blaze, no kink, contemp, 105 pages
Jordan owns a website that shares the nitty-gritty about all the bachelors and playboys of our nation's capital with all the single women looking for love. Forest is the owner of a large company, and more importantly, a mystery. Nobody knows anything about him or his love life (past or present). So for Jordan, it started out with a good healthy dose of attraction with the excuse of getting the down low for her website. For Forest, it started out as a challenge and quickly became something a lot more. But while Forest is beginning to think things might be getting serious, Jordan's running in the opposite direction. She's terrified that her instant attraction and need for Forest means she's turning into her maneater mother.
Flirty, sexy fun from beginning to end. The perfect balance between all things good in a romance. Strong, determined alpha. Independent, intelligent woman. Their budding relationship was sweet and tender. Their chemistry was hot, hot, hot. A must-read for fans of HelenKay Dimon or anyone who hasn't tried her yet.
**HelenKay Dimon is a personal friend so take this review however you’d like.**
Everything You Need to Know by HelenKay Dimon was my introduction to the Cosmo Red-Hot Reads series and I loved it! By night Jordan is the head of the D.C. website, Need to Know, that rates the hottest bachelors and shares their secrets and bad habits. By day she’s been serving as an office temp to integrate herself in the offices where the men work to validate what’s being said about them. One of the hottest prospects in the city, Forest, has been pretty illusive until she’s able to score a position in his office. But Jordan never thought that D.C.’s hottest bachelor would be chasing her. These two have amazing sparks but when the possibility of ownership of the website could become public, Jordan has to face her fears and learn to trust Forest of lose him forever. This is a novella and Ms. Dimon did a great job of building in the romance, the heat, and the conflict in such a short period. I almost wish we’d be able to visit these characters again because I’d love to see Forest’s co-worker, Wes, brought to his knees by love. Great read!
Why I read it: I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley
What worked for me (and what didn’t): Like my other Cosmo Red Hot Read, this one surprised me because it had more story and the sex, while steamy, wasn’t something which occurred immediately. A relationship (a fast one but a relationship nonetheless) was developed prior to the couple getting physical. (That’s not to say there’s necessarily anything wrong with a story which starts with a bang (or even a real life encounter) but merely, it’s not what my mind went to when I saw the label “Cosmo Red Hot Read”. Perhaps that says something about me.
This novella centers around Jordan McAdams who works temporary office jobs, but at night is the founder of a website that allows DC women to share information on the men they are dating. She is trying to help women in her area wade through the lemons in the dating scene and find the gems, when she herself isn't sure she is meant to have a relationship.
A great easy read that comes out in October - there is great witty dialog, some heart racing intimate scenes, and a great plot.
I will post a more detailed review closer to the release date.
Great Debut Harlequin Cosmo reads!
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review