Mr. Wicked - this book was a great read. Grayson and Jovana - loved seeing them get their HEA. Grayson a true alphahole - who met the right woman she captivated him from the beginning. I loved that Grayson had so much growth in the book and was able to eventually realize his feelings. I loved that Jovana was so true to herself and what she felt between them and had the patience to navigate the relationship as unconventional as it was when it started. All the characters in the book just added that much more to the story. And....so much spice.... So good!!

Thank you for the ARC, Marni.

“We don’t lose ourselves in women. We find ourselves.”

Grayson has no desire to change his life. As far as he’s concerned he has it all. Money. Fame. Women without attachments. What could be better.

Jovana is a wonderful person. Compassionate, hard working, generous. She wants a simple life. One filled with passion, love and to be shared with family and friends.

So what we have here are complete opposites. She’s falls hard. He doesn’t fall at all. Until he does…

Grayson screws up and needs Jovana to help him fix it. She’s willing, but she makes him work for it.

In true Marni fashion this one is steamy and sweet. I really enjoyed seeing Grayson open up and discover just how much better life could be when shared.

Even though Grayson is a successful businessman due to his dating app that allows others to find love that is not what he wants as he enjoys being single and intends to stay that way. When his playboy way hits social media, he needs to remedy the damage and the most efficient way is marriage however he didn’t expect it to be to Jovana, the woman he would only allow himself to spend one night with even if he might want more.

Although the evening Jovana spent with Grayson was everything she could want and more he wasn’t willing to give her what she needed so they went their separate ways. Now he is back with an offer that is too good to refuse but this time she would have some rules of her own.

Jovana’s fun and feisty personality is the perfect match for Grayson’s determination to remain emotionally distance. She challenges him at every turn which only makes their interactions that much more entertaining and the heat between them radiates off the pages.

Steamy hot right from the start. Grayson is one of the owners of a thriving dating app. He’s a playboy, forever bachelor. But after him celebrating on a yacht goes viral he has to clean up his act and show that he not only believes in love, but marriage. Our his company may lose all its momentum.

Enter in the steamy hot one night stand he can’t get off his mind. Jovana believes in a love like her parents. She thought she’d found that UNTIL Grayson announced “this is a one night thing”. But even after the hurt of that she kept tabs because she knew it could be real. So when she’s propositioned to fake date and marry Grayson for a year, she agrees.

Grayson either has a hard time keeping his hand to himself or is really good at faking attraction for the media. This book is filled with lust and desire. The characters were likable and how could you not root for Jovana.

3.75⭐️
Grayson Tanner doesn't believe in relationships which makes the fact that he is the founder of marriage arm of his dating app, Hooked that he started with his 3 best friends, all the more ironic. With the success of Hooked, Grayson finds himself a bit of a celebrity in and around Boston and that newfound celebrity has caused him to not use his own app. He finds his one night stands the old fashioned way.

Jovana is a part-time waitress in a bar where she supplements her influencer business while she is trying to make it a success. Jovana believes in the fairy tale, she is looking for a long lasting love like her parents.

When these two meet they are instantly captivated by each other, Jovana feels the chemistry and believes that it is more. Grayson sees his next one night stand and has no desire to see Jovana past their one night.

But when scandal hits Hooked, Grayson is going to have to do the one thing he swore he would never do, get married to save his company. Jovana is the woman he has chosen to be his wife, 12 months of courtship and marriage and then they will part ways and hopefully Grayson can save his company.

There were parts of this story I really enjoyed, I really liked Jovana. She was so sweet and caring, she really put up with a lot from Grayson. He is surly and demanding and not very happy with this arrangement and he takes it out on Jovana. But she stays by him and puts up with it while slowly trying to break down his walls. I also enjoyed Grayson's journey through this book, I like how he eventually stopped fighting his feelings for Jovana and let her in. And of course, this book was fantastically spicy 🔥.
The banter between Jovana and Grayson was also a lot of fun, especially in the beginning of the book.

I will say this book was a bit insta-love for me, especially on Jovana's point. I also felt like the end of the book was rushed a bit. I also would've liked a little more information on Grayson's backstory. There was a brief mention of it, but it was such a huge component of who he was that I would've liked more information on that.

This is the second book In this series, and this is Grayson and Jovana’s story.
Grayson has just successfully launched “Hooked” an app he cofounded with two of his best friends, but his life turns into a PR nightmare after some pictures of him were leaked, and he needs to redeem his image quickly. Jovana is a hopeless romantic, and is a social media influencer, and she agrees to marry Grayson to redeem his image.
This is a well written story which is easy to read, with emotions, a fake marriage, opposites attract, secrets, humor, witty banter, romance, redemption, and love, which leads to an entertaining, unpredictable, and steamy addictive page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

I always love Marnie's books and look forward to them eagerly. With that being said Grayson Tanner is one alpha you will love reading about. This is a beautiful, grumpy, alpha, billionaire who loves his bachelor life until Jovana appeared in it.

Mr. Wicked!!!

Marni has done it again!

To say I am enjoying the Hooked Series is an understatement! This Series is unforgettable!

I absolutely Loved book two “Mr. Wicked”!This is one of my favorite tropes! Fake Marriage’s are so much fun to read!

This book was original and hooked me from page one! This was a page turner with lots of witty banter and steam!

Jovana abd Greyson’s story pulled me in and I read it in a day!

I could not turn the pages fast enough!

Well done Marni Mann! You’re like a fine wine, you just keep getting better!

I gave this book 5 stars!

No spoilers with my review!

I love a good fake marriage trope! Greyson and Jovana are perfect. Greyson and Jovana were intense and the chemistry was great. I love the storytelling and the way the characters intertwine.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
🌶️🌶️.5

It took me a hot minute to warm up to Greyson Tanner and all of his alpha-holeness. Him and his friends are the founders of a popular dating app, and Greyson makes it clear to the people he gets involved with what he wants and the things he can give them. A relationship is one thing Greyson does not want. He has never wanted anything more with a woman because of the things that happened with his parents. He wasn’t going to put his heart on the line, only for it to be stomped on. Until Jovana. He was immediately enthralled by her, but Greyson, being Greyson, pushed her away and was completely awful to her. Months after their first meeting, Greyson makes a fool of himself, and he ends up costing him and his friends lots of money and memberships to their app. There was only one thing he could do to gain back the trust of the app members and his friends: get married, and Jovana was the perfect choice for a fake wife. Jovana was the light where Greyson was the dark. She thrived on being bubbly and chatting with people (she was an influencer), and Greyson really wanted nothing to do with people. Jovana was perfect for Greyson, and even though their relationship was fake, Jovana’s feelings weren’t. Something about Greyson attracted Jovana, and once she got beneath the surface, she could see why he was the way he was about relationships. Jovana never gave up on Greyson, even when he tried to push her away, and when something awful happens to Jovana, Greyson realizes his true feelings for her. These two were total opposites, but they balanced each other out well. Jovana could really dish out the sass when Greyson was being rude, and Greyson knew how amazing Jovana was even when he tried to push her away. Good read!

“You mean how much of an asshole you were, not are. You’ve come a long way… Mr. Wicked.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶

Marni my spicy queen never fails. I loved Mr. Hook Up and I couldn’t wait for Grayson’s story. The grumpy/sunshine trope is my jam. I devoured this book and fell hard for this alfahole.

Grayson Tanner is the co-founder of the Hooked dating app. He has found himself in a PR crisis. This billionaire bachelor was captured on a viral video toasting to bachelorhood on a yacht surrounded by six ladies. He swore he would never get married. Not a good look for the creator of the marriage arm for the app. This incident harmed the company. They started to lose members at a rapid pace. The PR team had to step in to change his image in order to help save the company. One way to change his image would be to get married. The woman they want him to marry was a one night stand he had recently. Jovana Winters is someone he can’t seem to stop thinking about. She’s a romantic at heart. Can she change his image and his feelings about marriage?

I loved Grayson and Jovana’s banter. She knew how to handle him. When Jovana would talk back ,he didn’t know how to react. Those moments were priceless. Grayson ,with all his talk and Alfa male status is a big softy when it comes to her. I loved those moments. Now, let’s talk spice. The spice hits in true Marni fashion, right at the beginning. Damn these two were hot together. I can’t wait for Daddy Holden’s book. Bring on the single dad. I’m excited for it.

Tropes: billionaire, alfahole, one night stand, fake dating, opposite attract, grumpy/sunshine.

Thank you so much Marni and Netgalley for the arc

I can honestly and truly say I really loved this ARC. It was right up my alley being a millionaire who lives in Boston, and a girl who’s on her way to also being rich by making her own money.

This book was the perfect size and spaced well. While it can be a standalone, I have not read book 1 and plan to go back and read it. I feel like I missed a few details like whatever happened with the Face app.

I pictured Jovana as Megan Fox and Grayson as Glen Powell, idk why, they just popped into my head lol.

I look forward to reading more from this author!

Jovana doesn't do one-night stands. Greyson only does one-night stands, but when his behavior starts impacting the company he developed with his best friends he quickly learns that he will do anything to turn things around, including asking the one woman that he has never forgotten to become his fake girlfriend.

A sulty return to the world of Hooked bachelors from the queen of spicy one night encounters. Mr. Wicked is indeed wickedly sexy as we see dating app co-creator Grayson find himself in the greatest irony of all. The consumate bachelor finds himself in a bit of a PR snafu- and now his well-loved no-strings, no relationships ways are a threat to public perception of his new app. And it seems the only way to fix it is to do the very thing he loathes..and that his app peddles...get in a serious, on the path to marriage relationship, at least in the public eye. Did someone say fake dating?!

But Grayson has a an opportunity with Jovana - his latest one night stand (oh so spicy!) who just so happens to also be an influencer. Grayson can't quit admit to himself that while he intended for this to be just one night, Jovana has stayed on his mind....and now he's in his orbit. And he wants her, even if his head keeps reminding him he doesn't do real relationships. Even if Jovana wants one...but has her own secret baggage.

These two are most certainly fire together- Marni Mann always delivers the spice. If you're in your more recent era of Marni story telling, this one has that similar insta-attraction/insta-fall vibe that makes her stories fast paced both emotionally and physically. I've calibrate do that relationship vibe - so I know to expect a ultra steamy, light, and lower angst fun and firey read. This one had so many tropes I love- opposites attract, age gap, super alpha playboy hero, a bit of a good girl x bad boy feel, and of course the fake relationship dynamic that is always a lot of fun. I've really been enjoying the audios of the more recent Marni stories- ultra consumable and easy listens.

While I enjoyed book 1 of the Hooked series, Mr. Wicked was an even better read. I loved the dynamic between Grayson and Jovana. It was spicy, passionate, and sneakily sweet; especially when Grayson let down his walls. I also appreciated that while Grayson was prickly and rude at times, Jovana rarely let it get to her. She just gave it back as good as she got. What started as a hot one night stand, turned into a sweet love story with a reluctant bachelor and the girl who stole his heart without him knowing it. This is definitely a book you need in your library and a series that just keeps betting better and better.

After a successful product launch of the marriage arm of their dating app Hooked, Grayson returns to the office amidst a scandal of his own creation. To fix the company image and his reputation, a crisis manager and co-founders demand that he has to put his playboy lifestyle away and settle down. When they meet at a bar to discuss things, his steamy one night stand Jovana catches his eye and also that of the crisis manager. After some negotiating and ultimatums, Jovana and Grayson agree to fake date, live together, and wed. At the end of one year, they can divorce. Grayson is determined to protect his heart, but having Jovana under his roof will put his heart and his desire for her to the test.

I loved how even though Jovana fell first, she didn’t let Grayson off the hook for the fairytale love story she always dreamed of. It just had an unorthodox start. I’m always a sucker for a strong FMC. And while I’m not always a fan of a fake relationship romance, Marni made me love it in Mr. Wicked with the chemistry between the two characters and their amazing dialogue. While Grayson’s actions affected the company, Hooked took a backseat to their courtship and love story, as unorthodox as it might have been. I really enjoyed this book from start to finish. It was better than the first and it will be fantastic to see if Marni can top it with the single dad of the Hooked trio.

He did a bad, bad thing....

Many times over with plenty of different women, only, a certain video is made public after an IPO and its affecting the company's value.
The solution? Grayson Tanner needs to fake it with Jovana.
Jovana is his recent one night stand (that's all Grayson is good for, one and done, its the basis for the app). Grayson does indeed meet his match with Jovana, who has a monumental task ahead of her. But she does have plenty of steamy benefits along the way.
Recommend.
4.5

Mr Wicked is the second novel in the Hooked series about three college buddies and the dating app they create whilst still at college.

Mr Wicked brings Grayson to the forefront. The serial 'one and done' man. The eternal bachelor.

Let me tell you that it's righteous 'seeing' this calous a$$hole get his comeuppance in the most spectacular way!

There is nothing that really sets this novel apart from others with a MMC one night stand aficionado except in the way that the author gives the FMC the sass and skill to cut Grayson off at the knees.

Jovanna is more than a match for Grayson. Showing sass and spice and a whole lot of self-awareness that means she can only be coerced so far before she lays it all out for him to endure.

The path, though predictable, is pretty and spicy and fun to experience.

I can't wait to see what happens next in 'Hooked'!

Thank you to Valentine PR for letting me be a early reader for Mr Wicked by the lovely Marni Mann.
If you love Fake Relatioships/Marriages, Billionaire Characters/Tropes, Gotta have all the spice types of books, look no further than Marni's book Mr. Wicked.
This was a interesting story about Grayson and Jovana. You know how it goes. There is always that Bachelor guy who doesnt wanna commit to anyone, he just wants to have fun. Yet there might be a reason he needs settle down in order to get his life in check and his company from avoiding bad circumstances. Until Jovana comes into the picture. Will she turn his life around? Can he do a fake relationship or will actually fall for her and commit?
Reading Mr Wicked, you def will feel that steam, that romance and that good chemistry between the two characters so be sure to check this one out!

4.5⭐
Marni Mann is back with a delicious alphahole who meets his match in Jovana. Who he first meets at the bar he frequents with his two friends and business partners and Grayson is immediately hooked and after some serious flirting he convinces her to go home with him.

But Jovana isn't expecting it to be a one and done. Only that's the way Grayson works so she walks away after the best sex of her life determined to put "Mr Wicked" well and truly behind her.

But that's a lot easier said than done. Especially when your gorgeous sexy alphahole one night stand is dominating the celebrity gossip sites after a big win at work sees him heading off on a super yacht with six women and a couple of male friends.

However, the gossip sites fail to mention the other guys and catch a video of Grayson celebrating single hood with six sexy bikini clad females which isn't exactly great for his arm of the app he's co-created geared towards marriage.

So a crisis PR company is brought in to manage Grayson and decide the best way to save the app and his reputation is to get him married off.

Something Grayson has no intention of ever doing.

But they've seen his connection and chemistry with Jovana who happens to be an up and coming influencer as well as a bartender and the perfect choice for him to marry.

Only Jovana always thought she would marry for love and experience the same magical romance her parents have.

Yet, Grayson is determined that is never going to happen. But Jovana is sure there is something between them and that given time she can get underneath his shields, shitty behaviour and general assholeness.

And with such great story development and characters including a really strong female MC. Not to mention the perfection that is Mr Wicked and soooooo much chemistry. This is a fantastic read. That I would happily recommend to all.

Mr. Wicked indeed. Grayson has made it over the top clear about what he thinks about relationships and how he wants his life to be. So, after one night with Jovana he doesn’t expect to still be thinking about her. Jovana is nice and sweet and a bit of the complete opposite of Grayson. I wasn’t sure where their story was headed but it had me hooked. Their banter and bickering mixed with the tension of feelings was so strong. Trying to fix a PR nightmare Grayson created was nothing Jovana expected but she was determined, and she knew how she felt from the beginning. Grayson was also determined, just to get through it all without losing his mind - but life always has different plans.