Hot Asset

by Lauren Layne

A sexy agent hounds Wall Street’s hottest new wolf in an exhilarating novel from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Layne.

Ian Bradley is the definition of a Wall Street hotshot: seven-figure salary, designer suits, and a corner office. His drive off the floor is just as potent. Every woman who knows him has felt the rush. But now he’s met his match in Lara McKenzie—a woman with the power to bring Ian to his knees.

An ambitious, whip-smart daughter of FBI agents, Lara is a rising star in fighting white-collar crime. Her latest case—the investigation of Ian Bradley for insider trading—could make her career. She knows a scoundrel when she sees one. Ian fits the bill: a cocky, ridiculously handsome bad boy with a slick swagger.

She’ll do anything to prove he’s guilty. He’ll do anything to prove he’s not. But it’s only a matter of time before their fierce battle of wits gets oh so hot and personal. Now, taking down Ian has become more than business for Lara. It’s become a pleasure—and there’s more at risk than she ever dreamed.

“[A] playful romance…Layne populates her world of high-stakes finance with charismatic characters, and the fast-paced story works well with the simmering sexual tension between the leads…It’s easy to root for this couple.” —Publishers Weekly

“Layne can always be counted on to create an engaging, steamy, and thoroughly rewarding reading experience.” —RT Book Reviews

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

The weekday lunch hour on Wall Street is everything you’d expect—plenty of suits and martinis and pretension. Nobody bothers to look twice at a woman in a boring blouse and four-year-old stilettos bought at Nordstrom Rack.

Yes, men just love my combination of forthright and awkward.

“What the heck is day cleavage?” She holds up her thumb and forefinger to her cleavage as though she’s measuring something. “No more than a half inch or so, see?” “What’s night cleavage?” She widens the gap between her fingers. “An inch, at least.” I shake my head in wonderment. “It’s like you’re from a different planet.”

My Review:

I always enjoy Lauren Layne’s enticing stories, they beckon me. I adore her amusing and sharp wit but not as much as I love her endearing flawed yet vulnerable characters. In Hot Asset, the two main protagonists initially appeared to be complete opposites in every arena.

Ian was a wealthy playboy and self-made success story as through his relentless efforts and keen intelligence, this survivor of multiple negligent foster homes became a Yale graduate and had worked hard to earn his spot near the top of the food chain in his Wall Street firm. He was also a dirty talking sex machine who appeared to have a hard edge but was layers deep with a marshmallow center, although no one knew of his charitable efforts as he played nearly as hard as he worked and never bedded the same woman twice, “because I don’t have to.”

Lara was a tightly wound, honest, and hardworking government employee who followed the rules, yearned for career advancement and acceptance into the FBI, and had no social life. As the SEC agent that arrived at Ian’s office to personally investigate him, she was unimpressed with his slick approach. They were at odds yet seemed to enjoy bantering and antagonizing each other yet each also fought a building respect and attraction. Yet there was something just not right with the case and allegations against Ian.

I am excited with Ms. Layne’s new 21 Wall Street series, as this installment has started it off with the propulsion of a space rocket that was locked and loaded with a cast of quirky yet alluring characters. I doubt I could tire of them and am already greedy for the next volume.

Author Info

Lauren Layne is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than two dozen romantic comedies. Her books have sold over a million copies, in eight languages. Lauren’s work has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Glamour, The Wall Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She is based in New York City.