Romance Recs

Billionaire Romance

• Jordan & Devonnie • Season 2 • Episode 20

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We prefer our billionaires fictional and written by women. Devonnie and Jordan discuss the most extravagant of tropes; billionaire romance. There are marraige contracts, high end male escorts, lavish gifts, and even some ancienct paranormal money being thrown around in these recs. No matter your tax bracet, you're sure to find your next read. 

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Devonnie:

Welcome to Romance Recs. We're three romance obsessed besties sharing book res broken down by genres and tropes so you can be sure you're getting exactly what you want out of your next read. You can find us on Instagram, TikTok and threads at romance Recs pod. Hi guys, this is Deb here. Hi. Hi. Hi. I'm actually reading too much to list right now, so I'm gonna plead the fifth.

Jordan:

Oh, you're just not even gonna.

Devonnie:

I don't, I really, I cannot tell you where to, I, there's an audio book. There is. A Kindle book there's about to be a physical book. I yeah. Too much.

Jordan:

And on that note, hello, I'm Jordan. I am reading Unexpected Delivery by Jillian West. You'll get to hear more about that in a later episode. Heads up. just started reading an Arc, A Forbidden Alchemy by Stacey McEwen. I got it.

Devonnie:

What?

Jordan:

Yeah.

Devonnie:

Wait, did you read the other ones?

Jordan:

this is

Devonnie:

that part of the series? Oh, this is the new, I'm so jealous. Yeah.

Jordan:

Not really because you'll get to listen to it eventually or read it. So really arcs are just like, anyways. And I am listening to, on Libby Heavenly Bodies by Imani Iru. Irie Iru. I always

Devonnie:

Are you?

Jordan:

I always, yeah. I finally picked it up and I'm so mad I didn't start sooner. So on that note, buckle up for some bookish banter because it's the two of us today.

Devonnie:

Yes.

Jordan:

Once again, we hit a tr Yes, once again, we hit a trope that was just not doing it for Christina. And also she's on spring break right now when we had to record this. So she's doing family stuff so there's more to life than just romance books, apparently

Devonnie:

Right. Who knew?

Jordan:

not me.

Devonnie:

So you only got two bookish besties talking to you today, but we do have a genre today that we are so excited to talk to you about and it's right on time for tax day. You know

Jordan:

Yeah. Did you pay your taxes

Devonnie:

I did, oh, I paid my taxes. I can't wait for somebody else to be paying them for me. Okay. I need somebody else to be handling the finances and any one of these mmcs can.

Jordan:

But they don't because they're in a certain tax bracket and they do not have to pay

Devonnie:

Is that how it works?

Jordan:

They do not. Well, I mean, that's the big thing right now, right? Because we're talking about

Devonnie:

Billionaires. Woo. Sound. The

Jordan:

The only kind of billionaire I appreciate

Devonnie:

Yeah. Yeah. Honestly, yeah. I like my billionaires fake and written by women.

Jordan:

Uhhuh.

Devonnie:

that's, honestly I haven't met a one that I enjoy in real life. I also haven't met any billionaires, so

Jordan:

I was just gonna say,

Devonnie:

control group. It's a very tiny control group. But, you know, you

Jordan:

I don't want to meet them. I'm gonna be honest,

Devonnie:

I wanna meet a good one. I wanna meet

Jordan:

I don't think there is such thing as a morally good billionaire

Devonnie:

There has to be, there are billionaire women. I am putting faith in our speech. You know what, let me take

Jordan:

can be.

Devonnie:

me Yeah. You know, because 92%, so I'm gonna stop. You're right.

Jordan:

make me look things up. Do not make me whip out Google right now.

Devonnie:

Yeah. I'm just gonna stop. I'm just

Jordan:

There's probably people screaming at this podcast right now. I bet Glen is listening and Glen is like Dev and then she wants to listen because I just imagine Glen is

Devonnie:

Yeah. She's no, fuck the patriarchy. That's what Glenn is yelling.

Jordan:

Just

Devonnie:

Anyway Glenn, if you're listening, you might not because I'm about to fawn foam drool over these mmcs and maybe some billionaire FMCs. You never know. It's a mixed bag. Yeah, I'm.

Jordan:

it.

Devonnie:

Yeah, because that's just how I roll. I love me a good billionaire. I'm not gonna lie to you guys. I'm so, I'm, I am actually really excited about this trope genre.

Jordan:

Yes, both. I do have a quote from one of my Recs for today. So this is from Endless by Devin Sinclair because each of us knows what it's like to go through something alone and desperately needs someone to be there with you, especially if someone is going to judge you. The fear climbs up your spine and your throat, and it feels like your lungs are so full of rocks, you can't take a full breath. All you want is someone to stand in that space with you.

Devonnie:

Hmm.

Jordan:

I know. It's so good.

Devonnie:

I really do

Jordan:

to stand with you. Just to be there in your space.

Devonnie:

You know. That's really sweet. I wasn't gonna read a quote, but then I started thinking about what my first book, that my first rec that I have for you guys is gonna be. And this book is so quotable and I didn't even think to pull a quote from this book. There's so many things about I love about it, so I'm gonna try to find one, but I'm not gonna tell you what book it's from.

Jordan:

Okay?

Devonnie:

Okay. I'm just gonna read this one that pops up. This is not the one I wanted, but this is the MMC to his FMC. You forfeited your rights the moment you became a fiance. Careful, Declan, your misogyny is showing. I really like that. I really like that.'cause this FMC when I tell you this billionaire's putty in her hands. Yeah, she gets him down to the bone. So that's a little sneak peek. What's what's to come and I'll let you guys know more about that when I let you know what my first record's gonna be.

Jordan:

Oh, love that. Okay, well, I'll go first then. So you don't have, give that away. We'll add a little suspense for

Devonnie:

I know everyone's like Declan.'cause that name is, I'm sure it's in a bunch of billionaire, but it's not like a, you know, so I'm sure y'all are probably thinking

Jordan:

Declan is a very, like old money name. Okay. So I'm gonna, my first rec will be endless by Devyn Sinclair. The quote I just read from, okay, this is Omega verse. This is, I think I mentioned it in another episode in maybe our why Choose episode, but I didn't give details on it. I know I reced the second book in the Clarity Coast Omega verse, which is priceless, but endless is the first book in the series. They're interconnected standalones. Okay. This girl she finds out that he had been having an affair with his secretary when he dumps her. So he dumped her out of the blue, kicked her outta their house after four years. Okay? And so she like, and he makes it seem like this is all her fault. She's, you know, not exciting enough. Not this, not that she moves, never wants to see him again, but they same circles, so she has to go back to town for her sister's wedding. And her ex is the best man because of course,

Devonnie:

Right.

Jordan:

and that's actually how her sister and her fiance met was through them because he was a friend of her ex's,

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

right? So. She doesn't wanna show up alone. She's just kind of been wandering aimlessly, working really hard, but has made work her whole life and she doesn't really have anything to show else to show for it, which I wanna say a career is commendable. And if that's what you have to show for yourself, it's not, that's just what I have to show. I just wanna say that to all the women working right now. Now you can fucking get it. So proud of yourself. Anywho, so she hires a pack of male escorts. These are extremely like high end male escorts. Okay? She finds out about them through her friend, who is a reporter who did a report, who wrote up a whole article on them. But it was, they like, she had to sign NDAs. She didn't mention their names, their faces. They are not like, they're like secret, right?

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

And so she breaches confidentiality and is you need to bring this pack. They are so cool. Just bring them, they're professionals. They'll do this for you. They do weekends with women, like they, they do this. So she's of course feeling nervous, but she meets them. And in this world, like Alphas can't, because this is a mega verse. People, alphas can tell when an omega is their scent match. Like when they meet and she is, and they're like, fuck, this isn't a job. We can't take her money. But they continue to go through the weekend with her and it is just, I don't wanna give too much away, but holy shit. And then you find out that they are actually super successful and one of them is like really popular musician and like they. Are super wealthy. We find out later. I don't wanna give all like what they all do away, but they all have their own stuff. They kind of just do this as like a side, almost like a side hustle because they enjoy, like helping. Omegas is basically where this came from, but it's wild and it's so

Devonnie:

so is she a billionaire too, because how could she afford them? Or do they just not charge

Jordan:

Her family is definitely old money. She doesn't have a lot. I think she kind of gave some of that up and, but she has, I, I don't remember the exact bank account details, but

Devonnie:

it's mostly them. They're the purse

Jordan:

well, yeah, they everybody's loaded. Everyone's loaded. And it's, it is just so good. Like this pack is the whole time. They don't wanna scare her off. So she has to find out on her own when she goes into heat, but she doesn't, and it's just like all of this stuff. And she's this is just, this is not about we're not doing sex. I'm not paying you for that. But then what she does and there's like all of that and they just, the whole timer having to bite their tongues and be like, we're not taking her money. We can't there's no way. But then she thinks it is just wild. It's so fun. It's like a classic trope of bring an escort with you

Devonnie:

Right?

Jordan:

to a wedding or a funeral or whatever, and then you end up falling in love. But it's so much more fun.'cause there's the added omega verse

Devonnie:

Right. It's like multiple escorts.

Jordan:

Yeah.

Devonnie:

I love that. You know, I really hated that you said this started because her fiance or boyfriend or whatever was cheating on her with the secretary because I am about to introduce my first rec, which actually is a secretary to Billionaire Romance. So I'm so sorry. There's no cheating involved. It's arranged marriage or Marriage of Convenience, I should say. Not arranged, but the book is Terms and Conditions by Lauren Asher. And I know some

Jordan:

Yes,

Devonnie:

listeners, I know y'all are probably like, oh yeah, I love that. I love that because this is like the best book in the Dreamland billionaire series. It is book two. It is the best one. Declan and Iris, when I tell you the passion, the I they're just so compatible. And my favorite thing is Declan is like the big brother, right? He's the one like. Getting everybody in gear and taking care of things and making sure, you know, things are, people are doing what they're supposed to do, but what are you to do when your grandfather gives all of his grandsons an inheritance clause where you guys have to do these things to basically remain billionaires. And for Declan, everyone, I feel honestly the other two brothers, they got it easy. They did not have to get married, they had their own tasks. Declan had to not only get married, but also have a baby within the first year. I think that was his clause, which is so psychotic because like it is diabolical. But in this world where like in the normal world, you're like, it's the modern times my love, we're not doing this in this world. Like money is money. We've got money on the table. If you do this for me, you are going to be very wealthy. And also Iris kind of wanted a kid already, so I was like, all right, I married this man. What

Jordan:

no. I was just gonna say I don't know how the other half lives. Maybe this does happen.

Devonnie:

True. This is probably you know what? I

Jordan:

school money. Grandpa wants

Devonnie:

very normal. I, this is probably very, and also to keep like the bloodlines something, I feel like they're doing this. Yeah my favorite things about for me, what makes a billionaire romance a really good one is how sappy how down bad, how the billionaire becomes when it's anything to do with their, like person. Declan, once he really got into the groove of it, of like them doing this fake romance, which by the way, it wasn't originally supposed to be Iris. He had a plan and then that fell through and Iris was like, you know what, let's do it. Because she's his assistant and her job is to get things done. And she's whatever, I'll do it. Let's move on. I know you like I've known you for years. Let's figure this out. We can do it. It's, this is a job. I am doing a job. But when he gets into his, my wife era, stop. I love them. Of course they're rocky times because at the beginning, you know, it's fake, it's planned. And Declan is like this hardcore billionaire businessman. So he misses a lot. Iris is like just living her dream, like doing things she wants to do, working, writing. But there is actually, I don't wanna give this away. I was gonna tell you guys something, there's something Declan does at the very beginning of Iris working for him. That makes her job easier, that he, and he makes it a company wide thing, do you know? Yeah. He makes it a company wide thing. Once he notices something about her without a second thought. And when I tell you that made me melt because it's something that she's really affected by, and he sees it once and literally like the next day he's Hey everybody, we're doing this way. And he never says why he changes this thing. He doesn't say why she later on finds out. And it's just, it's the sweetest, sweetest thing. So I really love them together. Of course, you know, I love me, a black girl from Infinity to Infinity. So Iris is a beautiful black woman. And I just love watching black women be loved out loud and also with a lot of money. So,

Jordan:

And given all the resources

Devonnie:

Yeah. Yeah stack that up, everything. I love to see it, but yeah, Lauren Asher, right, and then I know that they have the baby. Ah, it's really sweet. And especially Lauren. Asher has this way of melting her series together. This is her second series. And then she also has a third one out that I'm really enjoying as well. Definitely has billionaires in it, but I don't have a rec from that series. It's the lakefront Billionaire series. But you see a lot of characters from her series pop in and out of the other series, and so that's really fun to read if you're kind of in the Lauren Asher universe. But yeah, that's my first rec. I think everyone should read that if you're looking for just nice romance, a little bit of drama, suspense, spice. Yeah. Get into terms and conditions for sure.

Jordan:

I'd love that you do a classic billionaire because I'm gonna turn around and do completely wild the wrong bride by. Gina Showalter and Jill Monroe. Okay, so picture this. It's a school teacher from Oklahoma vacationing in Scotland. It's her dream vacation. She went by herself. She went, she saw the Scottish Highlands. She's been dreaming of marrying a Scottish man in a kilt her entire life. Imagine this little Oklahoma girl with men and kilts on her wall. Okay. Her name is Elizabeth. Darcy, or L Yes. Pride and Prejudice. Okay. There may be some correlations between this story and that. So, you know, she's at the end of her trip. She's walking down the road. It's raining. Of course. She's I'm gonna stop at a pub before I go, you know? To the airport. I have one hour left and she sits down to get out of the rain, right as you do. And this stunning woman walks over to her and strikes up a conversation she sits there with her, you know, booze and talks to l which people call instead of Elizabeth. It's, she goes by l she has her cranberry juice and they're just talking and she's asking her questions about her life. Like also, why are you telling this strange woman about your life? I don't know. But you are like, you're talking like she's asking very pointed questions and then all of a sudden everything goes black. It's a

Devonnie:

do you mean?

Jordan:

swap. It is a mother fucking body swap. People, she wakes up in a wedding dress, Al does,

Devonnie:

What the

Jordan:

looks in a place she's never been. She doesn't feel right. She looks in the mirror and it's the face and body of the woman she was talking to in the restaurant. She literally freaky Friday. This bitch on purpose is,

Devonnie:

What?

Jordan:

and she is now living and the night before married Callen Bruce, let me tell you.

Devonnie:

Okay. That's a strong name though.

Jordan:

Callen Bruce an enigmatic, I don't even know how to say, I hate that word. Enigmatic. I can, it, like it gets stuck in my mouth. Billionaire, Scottish billionaire, okay. And that he runs an elite empire, okay? But behind his public persona. He is a king. What kind of king? A berserker king. Uhhuh.

Devonnie:

Okay.

Jordan:

Uhhuh. He is a motherfucking berserker. I know he's a billionaire and he, she lives a billionaire life in this Scottish castle. Okay. All this wealth. All of a sudden she has this, she used to be this poor little, you know, rural Oklahoma girl, and now she's in a world with they're at war with shapeshifters, but it's not known to the world. So she, at first she's what do you mean? She hears the term berserker. And so she calls her old phone, and the girl that like body swapped with her right, is you're not gonna fuck this up for me. I'm gonna break your mother's heart. If you do, I need to get away. I didn't wanna marry him, blah, blah, blah. So the girl that she swapped bodies with, I. Had to marry him because of, I don't really wanna say like it, it has to do with their lore, right? The berserker lore. But she had just cheated on her betrothed with his brother and forced them into a dual to the death. Like she caused a whole bunch of shit and then dipped. So he thinks that L is this other girl. And she's no, it's not. And he's well, body swapping is legal. Like I'd have to kill both of you if you it. It's this whole thing. But all the meanwhile, she has all these resources, but he won't give her the money. So she's trying to get him to trust her and so she's can get the black car and she's, and then he takes her shopping eventually. It's just like broody. And I really recommend listening to this one because the accents.

Devonnie:

That is so good.

Jordan:

Well, and it's so funny because the woman she did a body swap with did her homework. She would randomly change accents. So just to, everyone thought she was just being a bitch and like trying to like annoy everyone. So when Elle comes in and is in her body and she's just talking like in a Oklahoman American, he's could you knock it off? This is your worst accent yet. I feel like I fucking hate this American accent. She's I dunno anything else. But it still fits the character. So like when I tell you they like cross the t and dotted the i's it's so funny, but also pretty serious. It is just so good and still a billionaire romance. So

Devonnie:

Yeah,

Jordan:

enjoy that. Locked, locked in a Scottish castle

Devonnie:

Yeah, no, I actually love that.

Jordan:

In modern times, this is not old, this is now. So,

Devonnie:

that's actually super interesting. I feel like I'd have fun reading that. It sounds like a fun read, like you just like giggling and kicking your feet

Jordan:

And I loved the berserker. You don't see enough Berserkers. So for those of you who don't, I haven't even talked about, for those of you who don't know, a berserker is like old school almost I mean there was a lot in Viking mythology, but like where when they go into battle, they go into a blind rage and they will just take, kill anything around them. They grow to super human size and strength and so he thinks his wife, his mate is supposed to be able to calm him. So then there's that whole element and it's just so cool.

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

It was fun. It.

Devonnie:

No, I love be a good Berserker story.

Jordan:

Hot in a kilt. In a

Devonnie:

Yeah, right. Berserker. The kilt is crazy. Okay. My next rec might be a little controversial just because it's a series and I can, I don't know if I've seen this author on like people's, no, we don't wanna read you list. So if she is, I'm sorry. Okay. I read the, these were like my entry into like romance. I would say. I read these years ago, but I always think of this series and it is the This Man Series by Jody Ellen Malpas. And this series, I don't know, like I said, it was my first intro into this type of billionaire romance where like I started with Harlequin and those kinds of stories, which always has that kind of element. But this was like modern, they were in London, I think, where they, or in England somewhere in this story. But it follows Jesse Ward and Ava osha. Ava OSHA is an interior designer and she has been tasked with redecorating some things in the manor. The manor is Jesse Ward's building. It's like a little invite only club. Little boys club. What Ava doesn't know is it's also a schmucks club. Okay? she walks in, she meets Jesse for the first time, and she is hypnotized. But there's something about her saying run, like this is there's something he's giving off that's not giving. Oh my God, I wanna melt at your feet. It's giving, oh, this might be bad for me. So she runs pretty much, she like, tries to avoid him tries to figure out how she can do this job without interacting with him, without seeing him or feeling these feelings she has for him, because she's very into him too. And when he gets like a stick up his ass about Ava what? He becomes obsessed. I would definitely say that he become like unhealthily obsessed with her. Everything about her. He needs her. He wants her. It's obviously it ends. It's a happy ever after, right? They fall in love, yada, yada, yada. But he is a very wealthy man and he will stop, he will use those resources to show his obsession. And I'm telling you, that's what I really, I love the money spending in a billionaire romance. I want you to spend the money and I wanna see what, how, what the groveling is looking like when you're coming to spend the money. When you're wooing, I need the money to show up. Like when you're a billionaire, it's all about the pockets. How deep are they? What are you doing? What are the acts of service here?'cause it all has to do with the money in these stories. So yeah, he definitely he wastes no expense. If money needs to be spent, he's spending it like on her easily with no second thought. But there is with all that being said, there's this darker like. I wanna say psychol, psychological thing, but there's something deeper and dark, deep and dark in Jesse's past that. He's like pushing away, trying to hide, trying not to like, have Ava see it. Because I think even at the beginning he doesn't want her to know that it's a sex club. So she eventually finds out. So he find, he like basically tells her she's redecorating this room to do this. Yeah. And there are other things in his past that he doesn't wanna share things that he's not proud of. It's all trauma based. Like it's a lot of things that have happened and he's, you know, working through it and whatnot. But the relationship between them two is just so funny because Jesse has never heard the word no in his life. And Ava says it to him repeatedly. So. You know how they get when they don't get what they want. Yeah, she, I mean, she falls a lot. I definitely remember yelling, stand up girl. No, you said no already walk away. So there was a moment where I was like, oh my God, she's giving me a headache. But there were more moments when I was like, good for you. Like I was shocked at that. Some of the things she would do tell him no and stay home. Tell him, oh, I can't come, I gotta stay home. Things like that. So,

Jordan:

Okay.

Devonnie:

yeah, I like that. I think it's a fun read. And there's honestly there's gotta be 8, 9, 10 books in this series. Really and truly there's only five or six and it follows Ava and Jesse and it's crazy that their story alone could turn out so many books, but I read all of the books and it all made sense. You got a lot of cliffhangers that were kind of like shitty but yeah. But there were a lot, there are spinoffs to their series. So you, most of it, I think it's vis POV or like you get Jesse too, but like a lot of it is like her characters going through these things and then you get Jesse. But there, I think there are one or two books that are retold specifically from Jesse's POV, which gives you a lot of insight into his brain and like all the things he was working through, which is, it was nice to read that. But yeah, so if you're looking for a series that you can just binge, I honestly think this a heavy contender for sure.

Jordan:

Okay, I see. That's where I have a problem with a lot of billionaire romances. I can't stand when the men it never quite feels like the respect level is there and they really just buy the loyalty and affection or buy their way out of everything. And the women constantly are making excuses for them and folding. I just have no patience for that because I read, listen, Meghan March has a lot of stuff. Okay. And I actually read a few Meghan March, but like I read some billionaires of hers and I was just like, that's what I couldn't. I couldn't keep going and it even technically ended on a cliffhanger, but I'm like, yeah, it ended with spoiler alert, it ended with her leaving him like and running away because he stayed in a meeting too late after a bunch of other stuff, right? And I'm like, good, I'm gonna not read the second book and pretend that she actually left him and this is how it ends, because this is how it should end. He does not deserve her. Like he is literally keeps trying to buy her attention. And I'm like, fuck you dude. There's no other redeeming qualities for you right now. And so that's where I get into billionaire romances and I'm like, okay, what's gonna happen here?

Devonnie:

Yeah, I definitely need the FMC to be feisty and to put the, like I need it to be very much your money is not all that. Like you're, you are actually not all that.

Jordan:

if she's a and if she's a softer FMC, she needs to know her worth

Devonnie:

Right.

Jordan:

she needs to find her voice in some way. But yeah, I'm just like when there's that big of a different like power imbalance, like I just, I gotta see it.

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

Gotta see them taken down. Anyways that's my rant today. My feminist rant. So I'll just do a quick off to the races. Okay. Dev is cringing. Okay. Everyone loves Elsie. Everyone

Devonnie:

I love Elsie. I am a Elsie

Jordan:

stan her. Okay. Don't come for us. This was my first Elsie Silver book and I just listened to it. Okay. It just became available on Libby. Everything is so long on the wait list. It's a billionaire Romance, bitches. Is it her best writing? I can already tell. This is like one of her first books and I could tell it is well written. It's a good one because. The way they meet is fucking hilarious. So it starts out really funny. Okay. You just have to follow, you should not read this book if you want the Best romance you've ever read, but it is an entertaining book. Okay. And I think it's because the MMC shoves this foot in his mouth so many times in kind of a sexist way, not even

Devonnie:

Oh, yeah.

Jordan:

and so that's where I didn't feel like he redeemed himself enough, she goes by Billy, okay? Obviously most people will assume that is a man. she works with horses, okay? She's a horse trainer, and Vaughn just took over his grandpa's ranch, okay? They raise race horses and someone that's helping him run the ranch. Recommended Billy. He did not catch that it was a woman. But his mom has also been trying to set him up with women and has literally been sending women to him as she gets outta the car. And he has had, he is at his last thread. Okay? So he goes off, he walks over, he is just turn around and get your ass back in the car and tell her I don't want anything to do with this. And she's excuse me. And so he makes an ass of himself even more and says things. And she just, and I do love Billy. I love this character. She made the book okay. And she's mouthy and she just gives it right back. She's oh, okay. And who the fuck do you think I am? So they have this back and forth and it's not clicking for him, it's just not, and she doesn't give him. Any, no. So she turns around and walks into his manager and he's Billy, you're here. And he's what the fuck?

Devonnie:

Oh,

Jordan:

She's you could've asked for my name,

Devonnie:

right.

Jordan:

even asked what my name was. Willamina nice to meet you. I mean, it just was so perfect. And so that kind of set the scene for it to be an enemies to lovers. But he is a billionaire. She comes from her dad was the, a prime minister. Like she was raised in that world. But she's on her own now and she cut herself off, and he's got money. He runs a ranch. Everybody's got money. So much money. I mean. You can buy her a horse worth millions of dollars just because she loves it and I love that for them. So it's a controversial one that I was gonna do a really short thing of, and I did a long one, so there you go.

Devonnie:

Yeah, I know. And I mean, yeah, like I love Elsie Silver. Like when I talk, I just, everything about her books just bring me so much joy. And to be fair, I could put her whole Rose Hill series on the billionaire thing, but I thought I'd control myself. But yeah, the, I know, right. The first series is you know, you gotta, she makes you work for it.

Jordan:

Well, it's early writing too. I actually

Devonnie:

right. And you

Jordan:

I like reading that. I like seeing the progression.

Devonnie:

right,'cause you can tell'cause right now, book three in the Rose House, like Elsie's in her bag. She is writing what I need to read. Okay. So yeah. Anyway, I love that you reced an Elsie Silver book because I do love her. All right. My next rec is actually going to be a brief little thing because I, I have a sneaking suspicion that I have already spoken about this book on the podcast, but I cannot remember for the life

Jordan:

It's been hundreds of recs at this point,

Devonnie:

Yeah I'm so sorry if I've already reced this, but it is only for the Week by Natasha Bishop. This story, I. Follows Janelle Cross and Rome Martin, and to be very clear and transparent, I am not sure if the word billionaire has ever been used in regards to Rome. He, we know he's very wealthy. I don't know if he's a billionaire. I don't know if that was like specifically used. I can't remember. But he does billionaire things. Okay. He does billionaire things, and in my eyes, that makes him a billionaire. Anyway, let me set the scene.

Jordan:

please.

Devonnie:

and Romer in Tulum. Janelle and Romer in Tulum. They are parts of a friend group that are there for a wedding who's getting married. You ask Janelle's sister. A Marie. A Marie, I think that's her name. Yeah. Who's Amar you marrying? Janelle's ex. So it's definitely one of those. And Janelle is still the maid of honor.

Jordan:

This is wild to me. Just wild. And I know this happens in real life, and

Devonnie:

It happens. And I've read so many books with this specific thing it, it like grinds my gears, but Janelle is here. You're just like, miss me. Yeah.

Jordan:

I'd go and

Devonnie:

Right. Go have a drink. So that's the thing. Janelle is like constantly telling her family, guys I'm fine. Like I'm good. Peace to him. Let peace be with them. Like we weren't compatible. I'm happy that they are, but like everyone sees Janelle as being like bitter and like upset about it when she's not. She's just trying to distance herself and not have to see it everywhere.'cause it is kind of weird when your ex and your sister start a relationship and then get married. That's very strange. That's not normal

Jordan:

about it. I'd punch

Devonnie:

It's just so bad. The worst part about it. Yeah. His sis, her sister, is actually the biggest bitch. And I was blaming it on Bridezilla, right? I was like, oh my gosh, she's just a bridezilla. Right. But no, it's she's very vindictive. She's definitely the baby of the family gets what she wants. And so that attitude plays out a lot. Janelle is all, and the, and something Janelle has to learn is how to say fucking no. How to prioritize yourself. By the end of the book, I think she starts to get that with the help of our main man, Rome.

Jordan:

Save your peace, protect your

Devonnie:

Rome. Rome. Rome. What can I say about Rome? Not too much on Rome. I'm not gonna say too much on Rome. The book is called Only for the Week because they're in Tulum for a week. So whatever stays what happens in Tulum stays in Tulum, Rome and Janelle decide that while they're there, they're gonna get a little frisky again. They are part of the same friend group, and I really do think Natasha needs to write a book for every single friend group.'cause when you read this book, you can see the other relationships that could possibly be happening. And I would love to read about those. But yeah, they're all part of the same friend group. They know each other. Rome is also Arnold, I think that's Janelle's ex best friend. So they've come in contact before, right? They've always, and Rome has been secretly pining because from jump, he knew that Janelle's ex did not deserve her, but he was just there, like yeah. Tried to avoid her. Didn't wanna come around her. So Janelle thought Rome hated her because. He was just in his feelings. He was like, I can't feel like this about my best friend's girl. I wish he would've acted on it and saved her the piece anyway.

Jordan:

this is so common. Men. Why are you friends with men that you feel this way about? This is a pet peeve of mine. Men will just be out here oh yeah, he's an asshole to women. Like he, he cheats on his girls all the time and he treats them like shit. And I know he's manipulative, but he's my boy. Fuck that noise. Like then I don't wanna be with you either. Like

Devonnie:

Right. Like, why are you letting the slide?

Jordan:

sorry. But Rome is

Devonnie:

know. In real life, Rome is great. I was about to say, not too much on Rome. Again, we gonna forgive Rome. Okay. He's doing his best. But yeah, so the entire trip in to it is just the way Natasha writes. There's specific scenes that she writes, like off top. I'm thinking about the club scene where she writes and you're just like, oh my gosh. It's so vivid. You feel like, I've never been to Tulum, but I feel like I have felt that party scene. There are things that Rome, there are things that Rome says, and oh my gosh, in public, why would you say this to me in public? And he's talking to Janelle. He's not talking to me, but there's just, oh, there's some stuff he said. I'm just gonna give y'all one please. If this, if y'all don't listen to anything else I'm saying about this book, listen to this line. Janelle asks Rome. How his drink tastes. And he responds by saying something to the effect of, it would taste a little better with you in it or something. Or it, it would taste a little better if I had you on my top. So to the effect of saying, it would taste better if I had just finished eating you out or something. That's what he's saying to her just out in the, and I'm like, interesting. I didn't know that was flirting. I think I like it.

Jordan:

Is doing things for me that I

Devonnie:

I was unaware. I enjoyed but yeah.

Jordan:

again. Play it

Devonnie:

Yeah,

Jordan:

Let me think about

Devonnie:

It was just, so there are a lot of moments like that and you don't really see Rome's money come into play until towards the end of the trip. He does something for Janelle that honestly every reader in their life would love every reader on Would, he would eat this up and I'm not gonna give it away, but it's like it, he does it and I'm like, wow. Because number one, it shows how much money he has. Okay. But number two, it shows that he's been paying attention to her in a way that no one else has. He just saw something about her and he was like I'm gonna give her a solution. I'm gonna make sure she prioritizes herself. Which is honestly the, that's what I love about Billionaire Romance, is when they do something and it's just like second nature, like they're just gonna do it and whatever. Yeah. And then you get a little happy ever after, of course. But I really, and of course black people black on black,

Jordan:

And of course black people,

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

you're, I love that. And of course, you know black

Devonnie:

Yeah. That's an added bonus. You know? I love it. I love it when I get to read Black Love like that again, especially when the black love, you know, surrounds a black woman who's getting her money spent on her and getting her little whims. And the other thing is Janelle doesn't need his money. She's actually very successful. Let's be fair. She's, she is very, and she's in medical I can't remember if she's a doctor or ob, GYN. Yeah, so she already, she's doing her thing, but it's just really nice. It was really nice to read and it's fun. It's very short, so you could totally read this quickly. But yeah. Natasha, give us the rest of the crew please. Thank you. Bye.

Jordan:

The last one I'll mention for mine, and I think you've, I don't think it's the same series, but it's by Sarah Kate. So keep

Devonnie:

read a lot of Sarah.

Jordan:

yeah, keep me. It's number one in the Sinful Manner series. This is the latest one. I got to listen to an a LC of this and whew

Devonnie:

Hot.

Jordan:

ha ta. Okay. Again, I'm going back to Scotland. So apparently I like my billionaire's Scottish.

Devonnie:

ITish.

Jordan:

Ooh. Got some people mad about that one. So this is a marriage in convenience. He is a billionaire who refuses to leave his tower, so sylvie Sylvie Devereaux.

Devonnie:

Ooh,

Jordan:

She's a New Yorker.

Devonnie:

Yes.

Jordan:

super tough. She's a daughter of very famous parents, but they're super negal neglectful as super famous, rich people are. But I mean, she's used to it. She don't give, she doesn't give a shit, at least on the outside. And so she's there with her boyfriend, fiance. I forget him at this point'cause he's so far gone in, Scotland. And they, she is also kind of nerdy. She wants to sneak into Barkley manner. Okay. To get a glimpse of a family heirloom. It's just really weird thing. So she sneaks in not realizing that it's like privately owned and someone is actually living there and she runs in to this big Highlander, brute of a man. And she gets caught, right? And they have this altercation full of angst and hate sexy. And so then she leaves, she has her own money problems, right? Because her parents cut her off.'cause she doesn't do, what they want her to do and all this stuff. So she is in trouble financially. How is she gonna live without money?'cause. She needs money her parents are artists. That's where it comes from. And they want her to live a certain lifestyle and she doesn't want to, so they cut her off all this stuff. A few weeks later, she's approached in her home by Killian's family. Killian Barkley is, Barklay is the man who lives in the manor and they have a proposal for her. They want her to move to Scotland and marry him to improve his Playboy reputation. And after one year, if she stays with him for one year, no, like big scandal, like if they can, if she can help them, she'll get$10 million.

Devonnie:

Yeah, I am up, I'm doing it. Sign me up. Do, does the plane take off tonight? All right.

Jordan:

Yeah, so Sylvia agrees'cause she's yeah, I need money. And they want her because they heard the story of her breaking in, but her like Up to him and they're like, you could hear

Devonnie:

You

Jordan:

know anyone that could deal with his bullshit.

Devonnie:

I was wondering how they even found her.

Jordan:

Yeah. It's still super weird, but

Devonnie:

but we'll lean into it.

Jordan:

So she knows that it's more deceptive than he realizes'cause they think like he does it for his own reasons. They say there's this big clause family shit, I guess. But of course she grows closer to him like the longer the year goes on. And he's got he's got his own demons. He's working through a lot. Trauma and stuff. Like when I tell you he does not, he has, he is agoraphobic, so he does not leave his mansion, but his mansion is also known. It's called the Sinful Manner series for a reason. He throws rages, he throws sex parties in this manner. He and his friends are known to just get wild. So, because he doesn't go anywhere and his friend, like it all comes

Devonnie:

He brings everything to him. Okay.

Jordan:

comes to him.

Devonnie:

Not your being an agoo, but also needing to be like surrounded by people.

Jordan:

Well, something happened when he left, he just can't. Yeah.

Devonnie:

okay, there's a lot to unpack there.

Jordan:

and then there's things, they both have the things that they need to work through. And the whole time I'm reading it, I'm like oh, there's BDSM. There is a sex party involved, obviously. Oh, there's jealousy. I mean, I. There's everything. And by the end though, I didn't think I was as invested as I was, and by the end I was sobbing. I

Devonnie:

Really?

Jordan:

And that's what made this book for me. So I didn't realize I was that invested until it was too late.

Devonnie:

Yeah, right. The tears were streaming you, you're thinking, this was like a three, three and a

Jordan:

I'm so happy for them. They've been through so much.

Devonnie:

Yeah. I love that. Sarah's writing, honestly, like she has, she wrote one of my favorite books of all time, and that is, give Me More. And this Salacious Players Club, when I tell you something about that book made me cry, I laughed. It's ugh. It's a throuple, eventually a throuple. It's really two married people and their friend. but yeah give me more. I really enjoyed that book, so I definitely know Sarah's writing can kind of hit you outta nowhere, like the way she develops the characters, so

Jordan:

Yeah. Loved it.

Devonnie:

I agree. I love that for you. Alright, my last rec is going to be the Princess Bride, which I know I've mentioned before. Again, can't remember what episode, but I'm gonna give it to you again. Because this is a Yeah, exactly. And this series is like really good. Like I enjoy it. It's just, it's fun, it's light, it's, I don't know, it's very cute. Princess Bride by JJ McElroy. I think there are two or three books in this series. It follows Galahad. When I saw you, I hated the names that

Jordan:

Okay, now I remember you recommending

Devonnie:

Dear. Yeah.'cause I'm pretty sure, I'm pretty sure I said this. Yeah. Galahad, Gail Roia and Odette Winter. Their names could not be any I just don't love it. But anyway, gala, Gail and Odette gala is surprisingly, he's like a prince about to be, become a king, but they're broke. The royal family is broke and so they look at. America and they're like, who can we partner with? And that's where, oh, that's family comes in. She's an American heiress. I think her family owns hotels. That might be a lie, maybe. Anyway, she ha her family has lots and lots of money and so the two families come together and this is a deal. We're gonna bring wealth and relationships and our kids have to get married. These two are definitely of the mind that, are y'all kidding us? This is the modern times. No one's doing this. We're not gonna just marry for money. That's so weird. Of course they still do it. And they're both convinced that they're not that because, oh, because there, there are stakes, right? Gail wants to take care of his country. He wants to make sure everybody's good. He needs to stay in power to do that. He needs the money. So he's trying to do, he's very duty bound, like duty before everything, which, you know, can cause some dribble. And then Odette she cannot get her money until she marries. So it's very Declan, but reversed. So really sh odette's the money. And she's a black girl, so we love to see it.

Jordan:

But she still has to get married.

Devonnie:

But I know, isn't that unfortunate? She can't even get her money. She's, she has money, but technically she doesn't because the inheritance needs to be released, you know, so they have to get married and they basically try to figure out how to, like each other. And it starts off with them really. They're their like attraction to each other is there, but they're navigating one being from two different countries. Similar lifestyles as far as like pomp and circumstance and paparazzi and all that. But now they're having to figure each other out and it's just, honestly, sometimes it's really heartwarming to see some of the things that happen. There's like drama too and I don't know, there's just a lot that happens in it. But it is such a fun read and I feel like definitely worth mentioning, especially when the money starts to come into play and they start doing things like she runs off to es rvia is that the name of the country? I can't actually remember the name of the

Jordan:

reminds me of Genovia, like princess

Devonnie:

Yes. And you know, I'm, maybe that's not the pronunciation of it, but I think I say it that way because of Princess Aries. Yeah. But yeah, it's a quick fun read. Well, not quick, because there are multiple books, but

Jordan:

Psych.

Devonnie:

gonna lie to you. Yes. Like it's it is fun. The characters are hilarious. Watching them do things for each other, with each other and try to pretend to be like a normal couple in public is very awkward and so fun to read up until they like get it together. Like when they're pretty much into each other. Cannot be without each other. There's a couple missteps. And you know, I wanna say, I want to say that this takes place in Seattle.

Jordan:

Oh

Devonnie:

I feel she's in Seattle. Hold on. I'm sorry. Please hold.'cause I actually do have to look this up. Boy Odep one, and I remember seeing where he comes to her house. Man, I'm, I don't think, I think this might be two. Okay. Yes. Here it is. Prince Gale is sent to Seattle, so that was also something that I found really cool while I was reading it, because there's places that they went that reminds me of obviously living here in Seattle. So yeah, that was really fun to read too. That's another plus I would say whenever a story takes place in somewhere, I know, I'm like more excited to read it. So, especially if it's so like off the cuff Seattle, not a lot of people write about Seattle and I feel like more people should, but when they do, you know, I like

Jordan:

It's always sleepless in Seattle

Devonnie:

Yeah, you've got mail is You've got mail Seattle too. Yeah, that's, we need the Prince. I need this

Jordan:

something set in like Fremont I mean it's obviously gonna be a queer romance,

Devonnie:

You gimme something, say in F months. Oh my god, I hate it.

Jordan:

Fine. Ballard fine.

Devonnie:

was just about to say Ballard. Not the Ballard Farmer's Market. I heard,

Jordan:

good. There's so, it's so good. It's huge now. Hey, PNW. Come on down. But you know what else is great.

Devonnie:

what?

Jordan:

Do you know what else is great around here? At the end of July, there's this really awesome book meetup in Renton. Yeah. July, I think 27th. It's the last Sunday in July. Yeah. Yeah. And you can get all that information on our socials soon.

Devonnie:

soon.'cause we're hosting

Jordan:

really amazing people.

Devonnie:

Do say so ourselves.

Jordan:

fun. Last year was a blast. It's a second annual.

Devonnie:

Yeah. We're gonna give you what you need. You are looking for romance in Seattle or Seattle adjacent. Look no further than right here. We've got your

Jordan:

Fictional romance there. But like best girlfriend, romance because let's be honest, that's way more solid. It

Devonnie:

Yeah. It's just so

Jordan:

Your friendships are. So, so we're here for you.

Devonnie:

Yeah.

Jordan:

Come on

Devonnie:

I love you. We got you covered.

Jordan:

So this is Deb's, you know. Favorite. If you have questions, comments, you wanna chat about Billionaire Romance, you just, even after listening to this, you have questions. Reach out to Dev, not me. She is here for you.

Devonnie:

I love it. Give me all the billionaire romance acts like, yeah, gimme the ones that eat down that you could not put down, because the men were SAPs.

Jordan:

in this economy,

Devonnie:

right?

Jordan:

in this political con climate, I mean, we're

Devonnie:

I'm gonna read a billionaire romance.

Jordan:

government takeover, so we just wanna go to a place where billionaires aren't the scum of the earth. So thank you so much everyone for listening to us really ramble,

Devonnie:

Truly.

Jordan:

about Billionaire Romance. If you're looking for more Recs, be sure to follow us on Instagram, TikTok Threads at Romance Recs pod. You can also find our discord through our links on Instagram and threads. You can find our favorite book res from our favorite episodes, as well as behind the scenes content. Again, that's at Romance X Pod, so make sure to give us a follow, and we'll be back in two weeks with another episode.

Devonnie:

Yeah. And also please remember that if you're listening, you're probably not a billionaire, and today's probably the last day for you to file your taxes. Okay, babes, I love you. Stay smart. Bye.

Jordan:

Bye.