Tycoon by Katy Evans Publication Date: June 20th, 2017 Genre: Contemporary Romance
Tycoon, an all-new standalone from Katy Evans is available now!!!
He wasn’t always this rich. This hot. This difficult.
Aaric Christos was a guy who protected me. Wanted me. Maybe even loved me.
That man is gone.
In his place is the most powerful real estate tycoon in the city.
He’s a cold, ruthless, aggressive businessman.
The only one who can save me and my startup from ruin.
It takes every ounce of courage to put my pride aside and ask for his help.
I didn’t expect him to offer it easily.
And he doesn’t.
Instead, he vets me harder than he’s vetted anyone.
Don’t invest in what you don’t know, he says.
He's assessing every piece of me, to the point I've never felt so bare.
I yearn for the boy I once knew, whose touch once craved me.
Putting it all on the line will be worth it, I tell myself.
Excerpt:
I hop off the train and walk several walks to his building.
It’s a brownstone in Park Avenue, one of the most elite of the elite spaces in town.
My lungs feel a little bit overworked from awe as I head up the steps to the double doors, grateful that I came dressed to kill in a little black dress, a jacket, and pumps. Simple, but effective.
See, I may be feeling a little awkward, but at least I don’t look it.
I’m greeted by his maid. She’s dressed in black and white, her hair drawn back in a neat bun, her expression stoic and formal as she leads me down the hall to a gorgeous study.
I catch my breath when I notice all the books and shelves.
It’s like a reader’s paradise in here. There’s a sleek chrome bar, a modern mahogany glass-topped desk, and two huge whiskey-colored leather chairs that almost swallow me up when I’m instructed to wait in one.
I drum my fingers, inhaling the scent of leather and wine, remembering a guy I knew with his mechanic navy-blue uniform, black streaks on his jaw, his big nose always the first thing you’d see, which was a pity because he had beautiful eyes and a really sinful pair of lips.
He’s living in luxury now. Wow. Good for him.
I hear footsteps approaching and the little hair on my arms prick at attention. My head turns as a tall, dark figure steps into the room, and the most intimidating guy I’ve ever seen enters and crosses the room toward the desk. He walks like he’s the shit…his strides proud and composed, elegant and powerful.
Christos, I hear myself breathe in surprise.
He’s so tall now…six three, at least. Dirty-blonde hair, gold-green eyes, chiseled jaw, and a gorgeous profile.
All in black, he looks very much a New Yorker.
He’s wearing a black jacket, black pants, and a black turtleneck beneath the jacket...
I stare at him, my jaw hanging a little bit open. The man is….all man. Testosterone. Muscles. Height. Width. My chest hurts all of a sudden because I realize…
The boy you knew is gone.
I force myself to stand. “Thank you for seeing me.”
He heads to the bar to pour two drinks, then he prowls over, takes the whiskey leather chair across from mine and leans forward, pushing a glass of cognac with one finger across a small table, toward me.
And he waits.
In silence.
But my stomach dips as if he’d said something ultra-sexy and decadent.
“You might not remember me, I’m sorry to be reaching out like this,” I say, nervous.
“What do you want?”
There’s a pleasant shiver as he speaks. Recognition of his voice, even though it’s far deeper than I remember.
“I was told you sometimes invest in startups.”
“I’d say more than sometimes.” He raises his eyebrows as if I should’ve done my homework better.
Ugh, Bryn! Focus! Be SMART! Make yourself and your business irresistible! A silence settles as he eyes me, slowly setting his drink down as he leans forward and finally, unexpectedly, smiles. At me.
It’s just a smile.
But the world tilts under its impact.
“Hello, little bit.” Amusement touches his gaze as he tilts his head and watches me. “You know, I’d think you’d have grown up the ten-plus years since I last saw you. At least an inch.” He leans back in his seat, seemingly displeased. Wow, this guy is not the lanky kid I knew once. This guy oozes danger.
Every ounce of “boy” is gone. Oh God. For a moment I wish that we could go back in time and I could discuss my startup with the guy I knew before.
But time travel is not really my talent, and it seems like I have yet to see if I even have any special talents at all—depending on what this guy thinks.
“I grew two in width,” I shock myself saying.
He laughs then, his eyes drinking me in openly.
“Shame on you, you’re not trying to see if it’s true?” I ask him, frowning now.
He shrugs casually, his lips curved at the corners. “I can’t help it. Something has to have changed.”
“Why?”
“Because nothing good ever lasts. Even you, little bit.” A smile touches those unforgettable gold-green eyes.
A shiver runs through me. Because…
Christos recognized me.
“I can tell you’re as incorrigible as ever.” I shake my head, but I’m smiling, truly just relieved that he recognized me.
“I try to be,” he purrs dangerously.
I’m feeling warm all of a sudden. I can’t believe I’m staring at him so much, but it’s like I cannot take my eyes away. He looks achingly familiar, but at the same time, so different I cannot help but stare and track the differences in his features. The way his jaw squared out even more, the way his body filled out with hard, lean muscles that shift and ripple beneath his expensive designer clothes. I cannot believe that this is a guy I knew once.
He seems to silently be taking in my changes too, his keen stare allowing me to see that he seems to approve of it all. Even the dress I’m wearing. “You changed enough for the both of us,” I blurt.
“Really. How so?” he asks.
“You grew into your nose.”
“Really?” He chuckles as if despite himself.
“Width and height too. Quite a bit,” I add.
“Anything else,” he prods, one eyebrow rising.
“You learned how to dress.”
He looks down at his black suit. “This old thing?” He grins, then shifts forward, sobering up. “What can I do for you, Bryn? Considering I’m rather surprised to see you here, I’m eager for you to satiate my curiosity.” His stare becomes keen.
“So am I. I didn’t expect to be here,” I admit, and for a moment when I look into his eyes, all I see is someone I’ve seen before. Someone who belonged in my life long ago. “You know when you had that misplaced crush on me and told me one day I’d know what it felt like to throw pebbles at someone’s window wanting them to open? I’m sort of throwing rocks here.”
“Not to sing me a love song,” he says flatly, his eyes shuttering.
“No. Well, you know that was never....I mean...” Don’t bring up your rejection of him, Bryn! “It’s for something better. Business.”
“Go on.”
“I knew that’d get you.” I smile privately. “So it’s true your love is money now.”
“She gives back what I put in. Though her ass isn’t as juicy as I like,” he says nonchalantly.
“Wow. No matter how polished you look, your mouth is still as crude as ever.”
“Thank you,” he purrs, his eyes grinning at me.
I laugh. Then I sober up and realize he’s waiting for me to speak. “I’m looking for money for my startup,” I say.
“How much.”
“One hundred thousand.”
“I don’t invest less than a million.” He twirls his whiskey in his glass, eyeing the liquid.
“Well then, I’ll ask for a million.”
He raises his brows, setting his glass down. “It’s not how much you want to ask for, it’s how much the company’s worth.” Eyebrows up, he skewers me with a cold, intimidating look.
“It’ll be worth more than a million, trust me,” I bluff.
“Good for you. Except…” he leans back with a rustle of clothes, every athletic inch of his black-clad body flowing sinuously like a feline with the move, “considering that has yet to happen and I’ll need to trust you on that, my trust needs to be earned.”
This version of Christos is even more intimidating than the old one, unfortunately.
I try to hide it, keeping my voice as level as possible. “How does one earn your trust?”
“I’d tell you if I were interested, but I’m not exactly sure that I am.” He eyes me as if debating in silence.
This guy is the only guy in the world that unnerves me in this way, and I can’t seem to slow the fast pounding of my heart in my chest as I try to remember what I came here to say.
“I have a full presentation for you. I’m not taking no for an answer.” I reach into my briefcase.
“Darling. Are you ready?”
I start at the female voice and glance at a gorgeous woman striding into the study. Christos continues looking at me as he stands and reaches for the cell phone the woman extends out.
“We’re done here,” he answers her as he pockets the phone, his gaze remaining on me.
“I’ll wait for you in the car.” She leans up and kisses his jaw, her hands proprietary on his chest, then sends me a woman-to-woman claiming look, before she swishes away, all glittering jewels and lean body.
There’s a silence as he approaches, and for a second all I can hear is the sound of a toilet flushing, taking my only opportunity with a possible investor away.
“I’ll think about it,” he says.
“Christos.”
“I said I’ll think about it,” he says from the door.
“Please do,” I say as he exits the room. I cup the sides of my mouth, “I’ll be back tomorrow. Same time?” I say jokingly.
I’m surprised when I hear footsteps returning. He pauses when our eyes meet. “I’ll make contact,” he says, raising his eyebrows meaningfully, “If I’m interested in hearing more.” He nods. “Nice to see you, Bryn.”
“Nice to see you. Christos.”
Well, that went sort of awful.
When you're a Katy Evans fan, you will definitely understand me when I say, I have been anticipating Tycoon the moment it was posted on social media sites. I was soooo giddy I could not contain my excitement that the moment it hit my reader, I have nothing else in mind except, FINALLY with all heart eyes and grabby hands. I devoured it and I hardly put it down. Lordy! Tropes like this is my weakness. Childhood friends with a past history...friends to lovers... Gahd! It just screamed "second chances of love" and I tell you, IT.IS.MY.KRYPTONITE! The feels this book often associates with always got me. Just imagine all the hot scenes and the grovelling, the winning each other part? I am a sucker for that so I ravished Aaric and Bryn's journey from start to finish and my verdict? I love it!
Yes I do! Katy Evan's character's Aaric and Bryn is easy to connect with. Man, when she portrayed Aaric as "The Legend. The guy with the Midas touch, and the golden eyes to match." , I was like, This is another book boyfriend in the making. Talk about swoony eyes and ovary explosion and this is it. I rooted for him until the end and I was so glad I did. He is alpha like no other. His commanding nature got me. I swooned and melted with his words like some freaking woman obsessed with the man of his dreams. And then there's Bryn, her sassy and strong nature caught my heart. Her determination to chase her dreams molded through her past experiences made me love her even more. She just felt so real that every description of her felt like you knew her all along. Together, sparks fly...they are explosive like fireworks in it's glory details. With their past history, I rooted for them even more. I was cheering for them to realize and pursue the love they have for each other buried deep within and just needed to be nurtured. Suffice to say, I just needed their HEA.
"There's always been a you and I. Except only you and I know it. Only you and I know all the touches that never happened. All the kisses we never took. All the damned dances I didn't dance with you."
Gah! Coming from Aaric, those words above just weighed too much that I felt like my hearts gonna combust with all the feels. I swooned and I almost fainted because man... this is Aaric we are talking about! And as the story progresses, I enjoyed my journey with them even more. If you think the cover enough is beautiful and intense, read this book and be enchanted with Katy's words and lines as she will give you a beautiful ride of love of second chances. It's angst-ish, enough to keep you on the edge. Blended with a tease, seduction and swoony parts, be ready to be romanced. However though, it hurts for me to say this, but I'll be honest. I was kind of looking and wanting for more because at some point, I feel like the story was rushed nearing the end. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed every moment I had with this book. The feels and the emotions seeping through the pages were just balanced and on point. I was touched, I even cried and I fell in love together with them because it's so hard not to. Plus who wouldn't enjoy this author's penchant of teasing you with her hot scenes until you'll gonna get hot and bothered, then explode with them. But there was lacking. No matter what it is, I was still into the positive note and just left it be.
In the end, I still love it. I love Bryn and Aaric and I love the plot. I may have questions and was looking for more but I could not deny the fact that I was a given a beautiful ride of chasing one's dream and then finally falling in love. It left me heart warming feels and I guess it's more than enough. Again, you can never go wrong with Katy Evan's works. It's a must read!
“It’s never been a game with you.”
One of the things that I can always count on in Katy Evans stories are her strong and dominant alphas. It doesn’t matter what the situation is or the time frame, once you pick up any of her books, you know for sure you’re going to be getting one hell of a sexy alpha male that would do anything for you. This story was no exception and even though this wasn’t my favorite, you still can’t take away the fact that this author writes some pretty kickass heroes.
Bryn is now at her wits end with finding the proper funding for her new business. Having gone through her fair share of tragedies to last her a lifetime, all Bryn wants to do is make her clothing company a successful business. But that dream is going to need ALOT of money and there’s only man who can give it to her. When that person turns out to be someone from her past, how will Bryn manage?
“He’s the biggest what if I’ve ever had in my life. The one you always wonder about.”
This is one of those stories where going into too much detail, will be a spoiler on all levels. So instead of doing that, I’m just going to say what worked, and what didn’t work for me. I think I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, I really liked Aaric. He was one of those characters that you just took an instant liking to even though he had a mysterious aura about him in the beginning. He truly seemed genuine and thoughtful in certain scenes and I liked that about him.
Sometimes in a book we will get flashbacks to give us a glimpse into the past and to see how some actions cemented another characters future and most of the time, we love it. I liked that this one gave us flashbacks because I wanted to see how Aaric and Bryn were twelve years ago and what specific moment shaped them into the adult they were today. But….. I was left feeling unsatisfied. I wanted MORE from those moments and sadly I didn’t get that.
I love a second chance romance so whenever I see a storyline that has it, I drop everything to start it because what person in their right mind wouldn’t? This story had all of the makings of a perfect second romance and believe me when I tell you, I was rooting for this couple so damn hard. Did they have a lot of outside drama and stupidity on their part? Hell yes and while I Crave drama in my reads, I wasn’t a fan of this one. I also feel like the ending just left me with a wide open door and for someone like me that needs to dot all of her I’s and cross her t’s, I feel extremely nervous with the way certain things were left up in the air like that.
If you love a second chance romance, you might want to give this one a try.
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About the Author:
Katy Evans is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Her debut REAL shot to the top of the bestselling lists in 2013 and since then 9 of her titles have been New York Times bestsellers. Her books have been translated into nearly a dozen languages across the world.
Connect with the Author:
Email: katyevansauthor@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorKatyEvans
Twitter @authorkatyevans
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