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The Prenup
My name is Charlotte Spencer and, ten years ago, I married my brother's best friend. I haven't seen him since.
Charlotte Spencer grew up on the blue-blooded Upper East Side of Manhattan but she never wanted the sit-still-look-pretty future her parents dictated for her. Enter Colin Walsh, her brother's quiet, brooding, man-bun-sporting best friend, and with him a chance to escape.
He's far from Charlotte's dream guy as but they need each other for one thing: marriage. One courthouse wedding later, Charlotte's inheritance is hers to start a business in San Francisco and Irish-born Colin has a Green Card.
Ten years later, Colin drops a bombshell: the terms of their prenup state that before either can file for divorce, they have to live under the same roof for three months.
Suddenly this match made in practicality is about to take on whole new meaning...
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 11, 2019
796 people are currently reading
9261 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Layne
59 books10.4k followersLauren Layne is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including Hot Asset, Hard Sell, and Huge Deal in her 21 Wall Street series, as well as her Central Park Pact series. Her books have sold more than a million copies in nine 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,021 reviews
July 9, 2019
I kept waiting for him to grow some balls.
It didn’t happen.
It didn’t happen.
August 21, 2019
*Spoilers*
Not everyone will love this book but for me, every aspect of the story worked.
It was sexy (with zero sex scenes), funny, with great characters and believable conflicts and although some reviewers had a problem with Colin's OW drama, I, otoh, found it plausible considering Charlotte's and Colin's history; moreover, it was the only arc that made sense.
Bottom line, I laughed all through and wished it wouldn't end.
July 14, 2019
What a deal breaker this book was… me getting to *that* part of the story like
This is gonna be a very spoiler-y review
At 21 Charlotte decides she no longer wants the life mapped out by her parents. Instead she marries her older brother’s nerdy best friend, Colin, to gain access to her trust fund and in turn Colin would gain a green card. No sooner has the ink dried on their marriage license does she jet off to San Francisco to start her own very much successful business.
Ten years later after very limited communication between the married pair, Charlotte receives an email from Colin. She flies back home and sees Colin for the first time in a decade and lo and behold gone is the bearded, man bun with the homeless vibe to be replaced by an eye candy. Colin reveals he wants a divorce; however, much to both their dismay Charlotte’s brother had put a stipulation on their prenup stating that both have to live together for 3 months prior to their divorce (Did I mention Colin is a lawyer, ouch). Charlotte uproots her life and moves into Colin’s apartment. The pair are practically strangers and they mix like oil and vinegar. Rahrah some up&coming closure on Charlotte’s end with her parents. Charlotte is on a mission to break through Colin emotionless robot self and get him to like her because
Just when we think things are progressing between the two and Colin showing what may seem like interest DING DONGGGGGG RINGALING BISHES Colin’s fiancée (Rebecca) is at the door. YIKES! Could not have hosed out the non-existent, possibly budding chemistry between the two faster. There’s just so many things wrong here for me to even want to root for Colin&Charlotte. Honestly for a good half of the novel I thought Charlotte was kinda a mess but turns out Colin was the real fk up. If you are gonna wait for Colin to grow a pair, don’t hold your breath. It’s a pathetic enough excuse to tell someone you couldn’t find the right time to drop the I’m engaged bomb... maybe try it in the same sentence when you ask for a divorce. To add insult to injury he was still engaged to OW pretty much up till the last chapter of the book. BLEUGH
Jumping to Charlotte real quick. I was iffy about her character with her “I’m not going to be the other woman/wrecking a relationship” proclamation cos for a moment I doubted her, given her actions and emotions. I mean there were the almost-moments (AND YA I KNOW IT TAKES 2 TO TANGO SO I’M COMING BACK FOR YOUR ASS COLIN) and times she would crave the reciprocation of feelings towards the end. And yeah yeah I get the whole the heart wants what it wants whatever but damn woman. On the other hand, Charlotte does redeem herself by the end unlike a certain asshat. She tries to be the bigger person around Rebecca and ultimately when it mattered most, she made the selfless decision and bowed out early because if you love someone you’d put wanting their happiness above your own. And props to the character development she had, I liked the last convo Charlotte had with her mother where she thought of how she would have responded as a younger-her compared to the matured-her. In a conversation where instead of listening to argue your point and getting your way, you actually took in what is said and considered the other person’s perspective and that maybe it held some truth. So ya, this book wasn’t a total flunk (because of Charlotte) but it still kinda was… LOL
BECAUSE STUFF YOU COLIN AND THAT STICK UP YOUR ASS. Honestly, this guy was pretty much a brick wall with the smallest drop of personality. Fake marriage or not, I can’t be rooting for Charlotte&Colin when this bloody idiot is engaged to another (even if it was a result of an ultimatum- you make your bed etc). Maybe before you get yourself into a serious relationship get your marriage sorted out first. Wouldn’t that be the decent thing?? HMM??? I mean there was nothing stopping Colin from ending their marriage earlier and it didn’t even come up until Rebecca gave the engagement-ultimatum (spells like true romance). And maybe tell your current wife who you are trying to divorce about said fiancée so it doesn’t come outta left field and sets some boundaries between the two of you. It makes all the potential moments of Charlotte&Colin growing closer feel icky and gross. Like the times Colin’s stares lingered on Charlotte or when he admitted to temptation like Charlotte needing to stop wearing her silk PJs because
Yeah fuck off. That isn’t romantic, that’s just disgusting. In no way, shape or form am I gonna read that line or something about a taken-guy being tempted as swoon-worthy or otherwise. That’s a clusterfuck.
To top it off this guy did have feelings for his fiancée and then somewhere in between I’m to believe he also developed some for Charlotte too. WHAT THE FK EVER. Like honestly, can someone even explain to me for certain what it was that made him fall for Charlotte? Because it was done poorly in the book. To me, Colin would have probably married Rebecca given how late he ended it with her. Like what was the turning point for him to realise Charlotte was it. The “you don’t know what you have till it’s gone” cliche? Or? Because P.A.T.H.E.T.I.C either way. All in all, Colin was an indecisive, selfish dickhead.
Neither of the two were celibate during the 10 year separation (yay charlotte)
And there were no lines crossed by Charlotte&Colin, just toeing the line. No one gets cheated on is what I’m meant to say. WELP I MEAN BESIDES ME BEING CHEATED OUTTA MY TIME FOR THIS STUPID “ROMANCE" BOOK.
This is gonna be a very spoiler-y review
At 21 Charlotte decides she no longer wants the life mapped out by her parents. Instead she marries her older brother’s nerdy best friend, Colin, to gain access to her trust fund and in turn Colin would gain a green card. No sooner has the ink dried on their marriage license does she jet off to San Francisco to start her own very much successful business.
Ten years later after very limited communication between the married pair, Charlotte receives an email from Colin. She flies back home and sees Colin for the first time in a decade and lo and behold gone is the bearded, man bun with the homeless vibe to be replaced by an eye candy. Colin reveals he wants a divorce; however, much to both their dismay Charlotte’s brother had put a stipulation on their prenup stating that both have to live together for 3 months prior to their divorce (Did I mention Colin is a lawyer, ouch). Charlotte uproots her life and moves into Colin’s apartment. The pair are practically strangers and they mix like oil and vinegar. Rahrah some up&coming closure on Charlotte’s end with her parents. Charlotte is on a mission to break through Colin emotionless robot self and get him to like her because
Just when we think things are progressing between the two and Colin showing what may seem like interest DING DONGGGGGG RINGALING BISHES Colin’s fiancée (Rebecca) is at the door. YIKES! Could not have hosed out the non-existent, possibly budding chemistry between the two faster. There’s just so many things wrong here for me to even want to root for Colin&Charlotte. Honestly for a good half of the novel I thought Charlotte was kinda a mess but turns out Colin was the real fk up. If you are gonna wait for Colin to grow a pair, don’t hold your breath. It’s a pathetic enough excuse to tell someone you couldn’t find the right time to drop the I’m engaged bomb... maybe try it in the same sentence when you ask for a divorce. To add insult to injury he was still engaged to OW pretty much up till the last chapter of the book. BLEUGH
Jumping to Charlotte real quick. I was iffy about her character with her “I’m not going to be the other woman/wrecking a relationship” proclamation cos for a moment I doubted her, given her actions and emotions. I mean there were the almost-moments (AND YA I KNOW IT TAKES 2 TO TANGO SO I’M COMING BACK FOR YOUR ASS COLIN) and times she would crave the reciprocation of feelings towards the end. And yeah yeah I get the whole the heart wants what it wants whatever but damn woman. On the other hand, Charlotte does redeem herself by the end unlike a certain asshat. She tries to be the bigger person around Rebecca and ultimately when it mattered most, she made the selfless decision and bowed out early because if you love someone you’d put wanting their happiness above your own. And props to the character development she had, I liked the last convo Charlotte had with her mother where she thought of how she would have responded as a younger-her compared to the matured-her. In a conversation where instead of listening to argue your point and getting your way, you actually took in what is said and considered the other person’s perspective and that maybe it held some truth. So ya, this book wasn’t a total flunk (because of Charlotte) but it still kinda was… LOL
BECAUSE STUFF YOU COLIN AND THAT STICK UP YOUR ASS. Honestly, this guy was pretty much a brick wall with the smallest drop of personality. Fake marriage or not, I can’t be rooting for Charlotte&Colin when this bloody idiot is engaged to another (even if it was a result of an ultimatum- you make your bed etc). Maybe before you get yourself into a serious relationship get your marriage sorted out first. Wouldn’t that be the decent thing?? HMM??? I mean there was nothing stopping Colin from ending their marriage earlier and it didn’t even come up until Rebecca gave the engagement-ultimatum (spells like true romance). And maybe tell your current wife who you are trying to divorce about said fiancée so it doesn’t come outta left field and sets some boundaries between the two of you. It makes all the potential moments of Charlotte&Colin growing closer feel icky and gross. Like the times Colin’s stares lingered on Charlotte or when he admitted to temptation like Charlotte needing to stop wearing her silk PJs because
“I’m engaged, but I’m not a saint, okay?”
Yeah fuck off. That isn’t romantic, that’s just disgusting. In no way, shape or form am I gonna read that line or something about a taken-guy being tempted as swoon-worthy or otherwise. That’s a clusterfuck.
To top it off this guy did have feelings for his fiancée and then somewhere in between I’m to believe he also developed some for Charlotte too. WHAT THE FK EVER. Like honestly, can someone even explain to me for certain what it was that made him fall for Charlotte? Because it was done poorly in the book. To me, Colin would have probably married Rebecca given how late he ended it with her. Like what was the turning point for him to realise Charlotte was it. The “you don’t know what you have till it’s gone” cliche? Or? Because P.A.T.H.E.T.I.C either way. All in all, Colin was an indecisive, selfish dickhead.
Neither of the two were celibate during the 10 year separation (yay charlotte)
And there were no lines crossed by Charlotte&Colin, just toeing the line. No one gets cheated on is what I’m meant to say. WELP I MEAN BESIDES ME BEING CHEATED OUTTA MY TIME FOR THIS STUPID “ROMANCE" BOOK.
February 15, 2021
No ❤️
It's been a few days and I've cooled off (a bit), so let's talk about this train wreck:
(there will be spoilers 🥺)
〰️ The hero is a cheater (emotional cheating is a thing) ;
〰️ the heroine has a stereotypical gay best friend who only exists to uplift her because of course, gay people have no real need, they live to serve their straight friends, really ;
〰️ THE HERO IS A CHEATER ;
〰️ the hero is also a coward, who waits for the very last page to get his shit together ;
〰️ "We should probably find out sooner rather than later if we can tolerate each other, no?" introduces the only (fade to black) sex scene, because that's just so exciting isn't it ;
〰️ it's 2021 and the heroine still says things like, "that person is my spirit animal" oh, fuck you ;
〰️ the heroine and her parents are very very rich and somehow I'm supposed to like them??? How??? I THOUGHT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO EAT THE RICHS. I don't give names to my food, that's just gross, ugh ;
〰️ both MCs have no real personality except for wanting (and mostly failing) to bone each other;
〰️ I've written "hero" and "heroine" because for the life of me, I can't remember their names and my memory isn't that bad?? Help?
〰️ I CAN'T BELIEVE I'VE SPENT HALF OF THE BOOK NOT AWARE THAT THE HERO HAD A FIANCEE ;
〰️ said fiancée is pictured as a harpie, because of course.
I do love romance novels, but this? Absolutely not.
For more of my reviews, please visit:
It's been a few days and I've cooled off (a bit), so let's talk about this train wreck:
(there will be spoilers 🥺)
〰️ The hero is a cheater (emotional cheating is a thing) ;
〰️ the heroine has a stereotypical gay best friend who only exists to uplift her because of course, gay people have no real need, they live to serve their straight friends, really ;
〰️ THE HERO IS A CHEATER ;
〰️ the hero is also a coward, who waits for the very last page to get his shit together ;
〰️ "We should probably find out sooner rather than later if we can tolerate each other, no?" introduces the only (fade to black) sex scene, because that's just so exciting isn't it ;
〰️ it's 2021 and the heroine still says things like, "that person is my spirit animal" oh, fuck you ;
〰️ the heroine and her parents are very very rich and somehow I'm supposed to like them??? How??? I THOUGHT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO EAT THE RICHS. I don't give names to my food, that's just gross, ugh ;
〰️ both MCs have no real personality except for wanting (and mostly failing) to bone each other;
〰️ I've written "hero" and "heroine" because for the life of me, I can't remember their names and my memory isn't that bad?? Help?
〰️ I CAN'T BELIEVE I'VE SPENT HALF OF THE BOOK NOT AWARE THAT THE HERO HAD A FIANCEE ;
〰️ said fiancée is pictured as a harpie, because of course.
I do love romance novels, but this? Absolutely not.
For more of my reviews, please visit:
April 30, 2021
✩⡱ original rating 2019: 4.5 stars
✩⡱ re-read April 2021: 3.75 stars
Whenever I'm in a reading slump/feel one coming, I re-read my favorite books. This time it was The Prenup . While I still enjoy this book a lot the second time around, I didn't love it as much and that is because I've read To Have and to Hate recently and these 2 books are very similar with the marriage-of-convenience trope and the H having a girlfriend/fiancé while living with the h situation resulting in OW drama. It bothered me more now Colin having a fiancé, but I still felt Charlotte's pain whenever Colin spend time with OW. Colin's POV would been much needed.
***
original review
So when I'm traveling I just need some light reads between stops when I can read some chapters in the bus or car. Lauren Layne is the perfect author for that! Honestly I didn't expect anything from the book and I absolutely loved it!
Charlotte Spencer is such a mood! I loved being in her head and reading her thoughts. It was so hilarious! :D I could read her POV forever!
Then we have the broody moody hero with the quirky sassy heroine?! It's as much as my kryptonite as it is yours. No denial. Colin didn't speak much, but when he spoke it made me smile so hard. Colin and Charlotte's banter were everything. Their back and forth, I couldnt get enough.
The next point: Charlotte's pain every time Colin was with his fiancee. Yes, I felt her pain as it was mine. I was hurting with her.
I'm deducting half a star cause it felt like the book just started when it ended. We never see Charlotte and Colin as a couple. Sure they were married the whole time but it was fake and they were roommates for the most part of the book. When did they actually get together? Like in the last 5 Percent of the book. THE LAST FIVE. FIIIVE. FÜNF, CINQ, CINCO, CINQUE PERCENT!!! And then there is the epilogue... like what just happened? And additional 10 Chapters of them living their REAL domestic life would be nice. Okay now I'm done complaining, looking at my rating I loved this book very much!
✩⡱ re-read April 2021: 3.75 stars
Whenever I'm in a reading slump/feel one coming, I re-read my favorite books. This time it was The Prenup . While I still enjoy this book a lot the second time around, I didn't love it as much and that is because I've read To Have and to Hate recently and these 2 books are very similar with the marriage-of-convenience trope and the H having a girlfriend/fiancé while living with the h situation resulting in OW drama. It bothered me more now Colin having a fiancé, but I still felt Charlotte's pain whenever Colin spend time with OW. Colin's POV would been much needed.
***
original review
So when I'm traveling I just need some light reads between stops when I can read some chapters in the bus or car. Lauren Layne is the perfect author for that! Honestly I didn't expect anything from the book and I absolutely loved it!
Charlotte Spencer is such a mood! I loved being in her head and reading her thoughts. It was so hilarious! :D I could read her POV forever!
Then we have the broody moody hero with the quirky sassy heroine?! It's as much as my kryptonite as it is yours. No denial. Colin didn't speak much, but when he spoke it made me smile so hard. Colin and Charlotte's banter were everything. Their back and forth, I couldnt get enough.
The next point: Charlotte's pain every time Colin was with his fiancee. Yes, I felt her pain as it was mine. I was hurting with her.
I'm deducting half a star cause it felt like the book just started when it ended. We never see Charlotte and Colin as a couple. Sure they were married the whole time but it was fake and they were roommates for the most part of the book. When did they actually get together? Like in the last 5 Percent of the book. THE LAST FIVE. FIIIVE. FÜNF, CINQ, CINCO, CINQUE PERCENT!!! And then there is the epilogue... like what just happened? And additional 10 Chapters of them living their REAL domestic life would be nice. Okay now I'm done complaining, looking at my rating I loved this book very much!
July 14, 2019
2.75 Stars
November 12, 2019
Meeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
July 28, 2019
3.5 stars
A really quick cute read. I just really wanted more!!
A really quick cute read. I just really wanted more!!
how-about-never
July 6, 2019€100 he wasn't celibate. Is that cheating, or did they find a cool excuse?!
Laughing without reading it, a comedy indeed! 🤣🤣🤣
Laughing without reading it, a comedy indeed! 🤣🤣🤣
January 17, 2021
✰ 4.5 Stars ✰
song rec. - Open Your Heart by Madonna.
-ˏˋ My Initial Take ˎˊ-
What happens when you combine Lauren Layne queen of "chick lit" and my personal favorite trope arranged/marriage of convenience?
I've gotta be honest. I was scared to read this book. I remember being so excited when this book came out last summer. The synopsis sounded amazing, the tropes present were my favorite, and LAUREN LAYNE penned one of my favorite fluffy reads, Walk of Shame. Then the reviews started rolling in. . .
To put it charitably, a lot of people seemed to find faults with The Prenup. *cough* the entire first GR page is littered with 1/2/3 star reviews *cough* That combined with the 8.99 price tag? next please. BUT THEN, the fabulously amazing Tears of Venus said to me, and I quote -
Let me tell you guys something, I bought this book so fast my bank account didn't even have time to whimper (okay i kid i had a gift card). Every book so far that Mina's recommended to me has been a winner, so I was. . .cautiously optimistic. And at first I was. . .whelmed. But then, BUT THEN, I hit about 20% and I realized something. THE PRENUP had put this big cheesy smile on my face (and it remained there until the end of the book). I was laughing out loud, I was talking to my kindle (yes my mom told me to shut up), I was highlighting like crazy, 144 what what, and I physically could not put the book down. When the ending finally hit I automatically felt so damn sad because I. wanted. MORE. Colin and Charlotte's love story isn't perfect. In fact Mina listed out all the reasons I probably wouldn't like this book, and yet I was able to overlook all of them. Ultimately reading THE PRENUP felt like falling in love.
-ˏˋ The Plot ˎˊ-
What's a girl to do when the guy she spontaneously married to get her inheritance/his green card wants a divorce? THE PRENUP follows Charlotte + Colin fulfilling their 3 month prenup clause.
Due to this being a marriage of convenience things start out a touch. . .awkward. Colin is aloof and uptight and Charlotte wears her emotions on her sleeve. So why are they slowly growing closer?
-ˏˋ The Highlights ˎˊ-
✧ Our Main Couple ✧ Oh how I loved Charlotte and Colin. Separately they were great, but together they were amazing. They not only brought out the best in each other, but they also clearly just enjoyed spending time together. That sounds weird to say but hear me out. Sometimes in romance books the main couple may have chemistry coming out the wazoo, but they don't appear particularly happy(?) to be in the same room together. Or, at least to me, their dynamic sounds stressful as fuck. But, Colin and Charlotte? There was this easiness between them.
Not only did I adore them together but I loved them separately as well. Charlotte as a heroine was such an unexpected delight that I couldn't help but be a little in awe of her. She has the kind of kindness that comes from a place of true honesty, and a dash of self awareness. I loved that she wasn't afraid to own the mistakes of her younger self, she was constantly trying to be the best version of herself, and she owned her emotions with heart and confidence. Another aspect to Charlotte's character that I appreciated was the way she stuck up for herself when it was necessary. She wasn't afraid to put Colin in his place and then move on. She set the precedent for how she expected to be treated and that was that.
Now when it comes to Colin I was a bit. . .conflicted, AT FIRST. In the beginning just like Charlotte I wasn't sure what to do with Colin. See Charlotte and I are similar in that we want people to like us. In addition like Charlotte when I'm feeling, well, any emotion, it is written all over my face. Seriously my friends used to ask me if I was sick if I wasn't at least talking at 1,000 words a minute. Due to that, I really related to not only Charlotte's thoughts of Colin, but Colin as well. People like Charlotte - and I - are. . .a lot to handle. Colin is someone whose default is to keep his emotions inside. He doesn't lead with his heart, and when he does show he cares it's going to be in a subtle way.
That's why like Charlotte when I finally started to really pay attention to Colin I realized that he was actually a lot more thoughtful, caring, loving, and charming then at first glance. Watching Colin Walsh deal with the tornado that is Charlotte Spencer was pretty entertaining and lovely to watch. I know that some people were extremely put off by Charlotte and Colin and I get that. To me however, they are wonderful individuals, and even lovelier when they are together.
✧ The Subtly of the Romance ✧ The romance in THE PRENUP sneaks up on you slowly and then BOOM, it's suddenly all you can see. You become wrapped up in the growing love between Colin and Charlotte, and you're left hoping and praying that these two crazy kids will take a chance on each other. I may have said this earlier, but it bears repeating. The romance in THE PRENUP felt like the act of falling in love, and that was the immediate feeling I identified upon finishing this story. LAUREN LAYNE smartly wrote a book that superbly showcases the act of falling in love, and we the readers are a silent audience along for the ride. The romance between Colin and Charlotte develops subtly in the most natural way possible.
It starts with tiny sparks of attraction -
Then it slowly turns into playful banter with an added tentative friendship -
Slowly mutual respect organically develops -
It then morphs into an achingly quiet unrequited love -
Until finally, finally, that love is requited and return fully -
Essentially the romance between Colin and Charlotte felt so right, and so natural, that I couldn't help but become swept up in this story.
✧ The Banter ✧ If you guys are familiar with any of my positive reviews then you probably know that even a book I hate can be saved if the banter between the main couple is, on point. There is nothing I enjoy more than a couple whose conversations are both playful and flirty. When romance couples have good banter it shows that, not only are they actually well suited for each other, but it also demonstrates what their love language is. THE PRENUP was no exception. The playfully romantic banter in this book was some of my favorite, and not only did it demonstrate just how perfect this couple was together, but it was also their way of showing affection and love.
Personally I think the most important thing in a relationship is the ability to just communicate. THE PRENUP showed that because at first glance Charlotte and Colin have nothing in common. Their personalities could not be more different, and their lives have greatly diverged. And yet, the more comfortable they get with one another the more their communication and banter begins to grow. These seemingly uncommon people actually connect on not just a physical level, but an emotional one as well. They are completely comfortable talking, joking, flirting, and just simply being together.
Basically I started this book because of @TEARS OF VENUS, and stayed due to the fucking amazing banter.
✧ The Mother Daughter Moments ✧ THE PRENUP may be marketed as a romance, and while yes that is accurate, that's not all it is. You come for the romance, but you stay for the achingly truthful mother daughter relationship. You see Charlotte came back to New York City partly because of the prenup, but she also came back because of her mother. These two had a troubled relationship 10 years prior to the book that left their relationship very strained. However, Charlotte has decided its time, she wants her mom back in her life.
The way Charlotte and her mom fought with each other felt so real and true to what most peoples (or maybe just my mom and i) relationship is like with their mom. As teenagers we push our moms away and then as we get older we realize that our moms are one of the most important people in our lives. LAUREN LAYNE demonstrated a very real version of the mother daughter relationship, or least one I could see my truth in. One of my favorite moments in the book is when Charlotte leaves for San Francisco and there's a knock on the door. Now I, like many of you probably, expected it to be Colin on the other side of the door. But instead it was her mom, and when she asks what her mom is doing there she says -
That entire scene, to me, truly encapsulated what a mother daughter bond is.
✧ I Will Follow You into The Dark ✧ This is less a detailed explanation of what I liked and more so me showing you one of my favorite moments between Colin and Charlotte.
Excuse me while I go cry 😭✨
-ˏˋ What DIDN'T Work For Me ˎˊ-
✧ Rebecca (sorta) + That Rushed Feeling ✧ Okay, so. As you can tell from this review I really REALLY loved this book. However, there were a few things that I wasn't a fan of. Namely the Rebecca drama. I got why it was there, I respected why it was there, but I didn't want it to be there. I even would've been perfectly happy with it IF the epilogue had given me more. Instead the book that was SHOWING me everything suddenly started TELLING me everything. It made me sad, and I wished we got a least one more cute moment between Colin and Charlotte.
-ˏˋ In Conclusion ˎˊ-
I fucking adored this book. I haven't felt that exhilarating feeling of falling in love in a while, so thank you LAUREN LAYNE . Charlotte and Colin's story was everything I didn't know I needed right now. Therefore, if any of you guys are or have been interested in this book I implore you to GO FOR IT. Seriously you won't regret it.
I meet his eyes, and for a single moment, they seem to darken before he looks away. What do you know? He does know how to smolder.
song rec. - Open Your Heart by Madonna.
-ˏˋ My Initial Take ˎˊ-
What happens when you combine Lauren Layne queen of "chick lit" and my personal favorite trope arranged/marriage of convenience?
pure. FUCKING. magic✨
I've gotta be honest. I was scared to read this book. I remember being so excited when this book came out last summer. The synopsis sounded amazing, the tropes present were my favorite, and LAUREN LAYNE penned one of my favorite fluffy reads, Walk of Shame. Then the reviews started rolling in. . .
To put it charitably, a lot of people seemed to find faults with The Prenup. *cough* the entire first GR page is littered with 1/2/3 star reviews *cough* That combined with the 8.99 price tag? next please. BUT THEN, the fabulously amazing Tears of Venus said to me, and I quote -
i have a rec for you but i gotta know. . .
how do you feel about no sex but plenty of tension in a book?
Let me tell you guys something, I bought this book so fast my bank account didn't even have time to whimper (okay i kid i had a gift card). Every book so far that Mina's recommended to me has been a winner, so I was. . .cautiously optimistic. And at first I was. . .whelmed. But then, BUT THEN, I hit about 20% and I realized something. THE PRENUP had put this big cheesy smile on my face (and it remained there until the end of the book). I was laughing out loud, I was talking to my kindle (yes my mom told me to shut up), I was highlighting like crazy, 144 what what, and I physically could not put the book down. When the ending finally hit I automatically felt so damn sad because I. wanted. MORE. Colin and Charlotte's love story isn't perfect. In fact Mina listed out all the reasons I probably wouldn't like this book, and yet I was able to overlook all of them. Ultimately reading THE PRENUP felt like falling in love.
-ˏˋ The Plot ˎˊ-
What's a girl to do when the guy she spontaneously married to get her inheritance/his green card wants a divorce? THE PRENUP follows Charlotte + Colin fulfilling their 3 month prenup clause.
“We can’t get divorced until we live under the same roof for three months. As husband and wife.”
Due to this being a marriage of convenience things start out a touch. . .awkward. Colin is aloof and uptight and Charlotte wears her emotions on her sleeve. So why are they slowly growing closer?
-ˏˋ The Highlights ˎˊ-
✧ Our Main Couple ✧ Oh how I loved Charlotte and Colin. Separately they were great, but together they were amazing. They not only brought out the best in each other, but they also clearly just enjoyed spending time together. That sounds weird to say but hear me out. Sometimes in romance books the main couple may have chemistry coming out the wazoo, but they don't appear particularly happy(?) to be in the same room together. Or, at least to me, their dynamic sounds stressful as fuck. But, Colin and Charlotte? There was this easiness between them.
“I didn’t have time to put a road trip playlist together—” “Thank God.”
“Don’t be grumpy just because I don’t have any Irish jig music ready to go.”
“Irish jig music?” he says, giving me an incredulous look.
“Fine, what do you like to listen to?”
"Well, according to you, ‘Danny Boy’ on repeat.”
Not only did I adore them together but I loved them separately as well. Charlotte as a heroine was such an unexpected delight that I couldn't help but be a little in awe of her. She has the kind of kindness that comes from a place of true honesty, and a dash of self awareness. I loved that she wasn't afraid to own the mistakes of her younger self, she was constantly trying to be the best version of herself, and she owned her emotions with heart and confidence. Another aspect to Charlotte's character that I appreciated was the way she stuck up for herself when it was necessary. She wasn't afraid to put Colin in his place and then move on. She set the precedent for how she expected to be treated and that was that.
“I would like to point out that people are allowed to grow and change. And I have.” “Have you?” Colin murmurs.
“Yes. Something you might have noticed if you weren’t so busy brooding and avoiding me.”
Now when it comes to Colin I was a bit. . .conflicted, AT FIRST. In the beginning just like Charlotte I wasn't sure what to do with Colin. See Charlotte and I are similar in that we want people to like us. In addition like Charlotte when I'm feeling, well, any emotion, it is written all over my face. Seriously my friends used to ask me if I was sick if I wasn't at least talking at 1,000 words a minute. Due to that, I really related to not only Charlotte's thoughts of Colin, but Colin as well. People like Charlotte - and I - are. . .a lot to handle. Colin is someone whose default is to keep his emotions inside. He doesn't lead with his heart, and when he does show he cares it's going to be in a subtle way.
“But no cuisine can compete with pasta.”
“I wouldn’t know. You ate most of mine.”
“We agreed to split them.”
“No, you ‘suggested,’ we split them, didn’t take no for an answer, and then ate the lion’s share of each.”
That's why like Charlotte when I finally started to really pay attention to Colin I realized that he was actually a lot more thoughtful, caring, loving, and charming then at first glance. Watching Colin Walsh deal with the tornado that is Charlotte Spencer was pretty entertaining and lovely to watch. I know that some people were extremely put off by Charlotte and Colin and I get that. To me however, they are wonderful individuals, and even lovelier when they are together.
✧ The Subtly of the Romance ✧ The romance in THE PRENUP sneaks up on you slowly and then BOOM, it's suddenly all you can see. You become wrapped up in the growing love between Colin and Charlotte, and you're left hoping and praying that these two crazy kids will take a chance on each other. I may have said this earlier, but it bears repeating. The romance in THE PRENUP felt like the act of falling in love, and that was the immediate feeling I identified upon finishing this story. LAUREN LAYNE smartly wrote a book that superbly showcases the act of falling in love, and we the readers are a silent audience along for the ride. The romance between Colin and Charlotte develops subtly in the most natural way possible.
It starts with tiny sparks of attraction -
“Are we setting off sparks? Do I set you all aflame?” I say, giving him my best Jessica Rabbit look, which, honestly, isn’t all that good.
“No,” he says curtly. And though I can’t say for sure given the darkness inside the back of the cab, I could have sworn his gaze lingered on the hem of my dress as he says it.
Then it slowly turns into playful banter with an added tentative friendship -
“Hey! You found me.” He holds up his phone.
“I tracked your phone.”
“That’s creepy.”
“You did it to me just last week to see if I was near a gelato shop.”
“Which you were.”
“I was eight blocks away.”
“And yet, when you got home, there was coffee gelato in one hand. For me. And chocolate in the other. For you. So who’s the real winner in this scenario?”
Slowly mutual respect organically develops -
“How am I supposed to pull this off?”
“Charlotte, you are one of the most determined, successful people I know. Has there ever been anything you wanted that you haven’t gotten?”
It then morphs into an achingly quiet unrequited love -
There’s something here—something between us that goes beyond a green card, my trust fund requirements, and a prenup. Every day that’s passed, every morning we share eggs and coffee, every time I manage to make him laugh, I’m more certain that Rebecca’s not the one for him. Every day, I’m more desperate for him to see it.
Until finally, finally, that love is requited and return fully -
He’s holding my left hand, the ring poised at the tip of my fourth finger as his gaze searches mine.
“Do you love me, Charlotte?” His accent’s thicker than usual, his expression both adoring and a little unsure. I nod emphatically, desperate to reassure him.
“I thought you knew. I fell in love with you weeks ago. It was highly inconvenient.”
Essentially the romance between Colin and Charlotte felt so right, and so natural, that I couldn't help but become swept up in this story.
✧ The Banter ✧ If you guys are familiar with any of my positive reviews then you probably know that even a book I hate can be saved if the banter between the main couple is, on point. There is nothing I enjoy more than a couple whose conversations are both playful and flirty. When romance couples have good banter it shows that, not only are they actually well suited for each other, but it also demonstrates what their love language is. THE PRENUP was no exception. The playfully romantic banter in this book was some of my favorite, and not only did it demonstrate just how perfect this couple was together, but it was also their way of showing affection and love.
“I don’t have any vases.” I tsk.
“How can you not have a single vase?”
“Because until right now, I’ve never had a single flower in my home.”
“Well, that’s just silly.”
“Feel free to survey the heterosexual men in your acquaintance who live alone, and ask them how many of them have vases.”
Personally I think the most important thing in a relationship is the ability to just communicate. THE PRENUP showed that because at first glance Charlotte and Colin have nothing in common. Their personalities could not be more different, and their lives have greatly diverged. And yet, the more comfortable they get with one another the more their communication and banter begins to grow. These seemingly uncommon people actually connect on not just a physical level, but an emotional one as well. They are completely comfortable talking, joking, flirting, and just simply being together.
As has become my cooking ritual, Madonna is blaring, and as such, I don’t realize Colin’s come home until he’s standing in the kitchen, wearing his usual why is this happening to me?expression.
Basically I started this book because of @TEARS OF VENUS, and stayed due to the fucking amazing banter.
✧ The Mother Daughter Moments ✧ THE PRENUP may be marketed as a romance, and while yes that is accurate, that's not all it is. You come for the romance, but you stay for the achingly truthful mother daughter relationship. You see Charlotte came back to New York City partly because of the prenup, but she also came back because of her mother. These two had a troubled relationship 10 years prior to the book that left their relationship very strained. However, Charlotte has decided its time, she wants her mom back in her life.
“You didn’t even try to fight him, did you? You want to go back to New York.” Want to? No. Definitely not. But … I think I need to. That city and I have some unfinished business.
The way Charlotte and her mom fought with each other felt so real and true to what most peoples (or maybe just my mom and i) relationship is like with their mom. As teenagers we push our moms away and then as we get older we realize that our moms are one of the most important people in our lives. LAUREN LAYNE demonstrated a very real version of the mother daughter relationship, or least one I could see my truth in. One of my favorite moments in the book is when Charlotte leaves for San Francisco and there's a knock on the door. Now I, like many of you probably, expected it to be Colin on the other side of the door. But instead it was her mom, and when she asks what her mom is doing there she says -
“What I should have done ten years ago, Charlotte Elizabeth Spencer. Following you to California to tell you that running away from your problems is no way to live your life.”
That entire scene, to me, truly encapsulated what a mother daughter bond is.
✧ I Will Follow You into The Dark ✧ This is less a detailed explanation of what I liked and more so me showing you one of my favorite moments between Colin and Charlotte.
“I’d have gone with you. To Ireland. If things tomorrow went badly.” I’d go anywhere with you.
Excuse me while I go cry 😭✨
-ˏˋ What DIDN'T Work For Me ˎˊ-
✧ Rebecca (sorta) + That Rushed Feeling ✧ Okay, so. As you can tell from this review I really REALLY loved this book. However, there were a few things that I wasn't a fan of. Namely the Rebecca drama. I got why it was there, I respected why it was there, but I didn't want it to be there. I even would've been perfectly happy with it IF the epilogue had given me more. Instead the book that was SHOWING me everything suddenly started TELLING me everything. It made me sad, and I wished we got a least one more cute moment between Colin and Charlotte.
-ˏˋ In Conclusion ˎˊ-
I fucking adored this book. I haven't felt that exhilarating feeling of falling in love in a while, so thank you LAUREN LAYNE . Charlotte and Colin's story was everything I didn't know I needed right now. Therefore, if any of you guys are or have been interested in this book I implore you to GO FOR IT. Seriously you won't regret it.
May 24, 2020
5 I-dont-even-mind-the-lack-of-sexy-time stars
I saw this meme :
It made me think of this book and how it practically has no sex in it.
Now I wholeheartedly agree with the meme! I like my books with a generous side of fornication (i looked up "fancy word for sex" on google and it produced this one, so yeah fornication it is 🤣).
That being said, I LOVED this book.
I saw this meme :
It made me think of this book and how it practically has no sex in it.
Now I wholeheartedly agree with the meme! I like my books with a generous side of fornication (i looked up "fancy word for sex" on google and it produced this one, so yeah fornication it is 🤣).
That being said, I LOVED this book.
July 7, 2025
3 stars.
September 27, 2019
I am surprise to enjoy this book more than i thought. I read miss Layne book in the past and i end up shelves it under DNF. The Prenup offers a fun cute story of marriage of convinience. But the characters split from 10 years and come back together.
I like Charlotte. She is sassy,held no prisoner, quirky, controlling type of character. The story is told from her POV. The character develop well. What is missing is the hero's POV. Without the hero's POV, i feel the story is lacking a bit.
Asied from that, i enjoy this book very much.
4 stars
I like Charlotte. She is sassy,held no prisoner, quirky, controlling type of character. The story is told from her POV. The character develop well. What is missing is the hero's POV. Without the hero's POV, i feel the story is lacking a bit.
Asied from that, i enjoy this book very much.
4 stars
October 8, 2020
Friends, bad news.
I didn’t like this book. And I was so excited!!
It’s not awful or anything like that but the romance didn’t do it for me… and since it’s a romance book. Well, yeah, it sucked but I just could not see Colin and Charlotte together. It wasn’t insta-love but, aside from getting your typical warming up to each other scene, there weren’t romantic parts per se and that’s because Colin is engage so I guess Lauren didn’t want it to be a story about cheating BUT one can also make the argument that cheating isn’t inherently physical. Once you start developing romantic feelings for someone else, that’s cheating to me.
Out of the blue feelings were being felt and “I love him” thoughts were thrown around like ???? Excuse me? Where’s the connection, Madam? Did I miss the part where these two fell in love with each other?
Anyway, I liked some things here and there but there isn’t that much to like. This is so sad because my mission is to read all Lauren Layne’s books (and even though I knew there were going to be books I wouldn’t like, I never thought it was going to be this book) and now this. I’ll still read the rest of her work but the fact that this is a recent release kinda amazes me.
I didn’t like this book. And I was so excited!!
It’s not awful or anything like that but the romance didn’t do it for me… and since it’s a romance book. Well, yeah, it sucked but I just could not see Colin and Charlotte together. It wasn’t insta-love but, aside from getting your typical warming up to each other scene, there weren’t romantic parts per se and that’s because Colin is engage so I guess Lauren didn’t want it to be a story about cheating BUT one can also make the argument that cheating isn’t inherently physical. Once you start developing romantic feelings for someone else, that’s cheating to me.
Out of the blue feelings were being felt and “I love him” thoughts were thrown around like ???? Excuse me? Where’s the connection, Madam? Did I miss the part where these two fell in love with each other?
Anyway, I liked some things here and there but there isn’t that much to like. This is so sad because my mission is to read all Lauren Layne’s books (and even though I knew there were going to be books I wouldn’t like, I never thought it was going to be this book) and now this. I’ll still read the rest of her work but the fact that this is a recent release kinda amazes me.
August 4, 2019
full july romance wrap-up on my blog: here!
"My name is Charlotte Spencer and, ten years ago, I married my brother's best friend.
I haven't seen him since."
Before reading Passion on Park Avenue, I decided to give Layne's newest release a try: The Prenup is a story of a marriage of convenience turning real. Charlotte and Colin got married when they both just finished college, however, in order to get divorced later in life, their prenup tells them they need to live under the same roof for at least a few months. One problem though: they can't stand each other. This book had it all for me. This was so fun: the writing, the scenario, the romance, everything the Prenup promises, it delivers on. This reminded me a lot of Christina Lauren's romances I've read in the past and I would 100% recommend this or read this again. A solid five star read!
"My name is Charlotte Spencer and, ten years ago, I married my brother's best friend.
I haven't seen him since."
Before reading Passion on Park Avenue, I decided to give Layne's newest release a try: The Prenup is a story of a marriage of convenience turning real. Charlotte and Colin got married when they both just finished college, however, in order to get divorced later in life, their prenup tells them they need to live under the same roof for at least a few months. One problem though: they can't stand each other. This book had it all for me. This was so fun: the writing, the scenario, the romance, everything the Prenup promises, it delivers on. This reminded me a lot of Christina Lauren's romances I've read in the past and I would 100% recommend this or read this again. A solid five star read!
February 3, 2021
3.75 stars
Much like one of my GR friends, Julia ❤︎, I was scared off by this one pretty hard by the reviews, so it’s sat on my tbr for a good while now. Our mutual GR friend, Mina’s(Tears of Venus) review of TP popped up in my feed not too long ago & I was very convincingly swayed as well to give it a-go.
I went with a mix of listening & reading the Prenup. I must say Brianna Cohen was absolutely the perfect choice by LL to narrate as Charlotte. She nailed it. She offered up a pleasant Irish accent for the hero as well when the hero spoke (as this book was only from Charlotte’s POV).
- I’m gonna be super honest here - Near the start, Colin’s actions (his whole general vibe really) began to give me a sinking sense of déjà vu(totally triggering unfortunate memories of the “hero” from another book/different author I loathed). I might’ve pleaded with my tablet a smidge to not go there 🤭, between knowing how much Mina loves this book & hoping she wouldn’t disown me as a book buddy if he ruined it for me & ya know, avoiding the whole feeling of wanting to bleach my brain all over again had I in fact found part 2 of that book in this one. Okay okay, the latter might be a slight exaggeration 🤏 lol. But sometimes low key asshole piss me off more than the average asshole who waves their flag freely. So for several chapters my hackles were only getting more raised tbh because of him, but — there is a big BUT! Mina 😉 — thank goodness this hero (& the plot) did NOT continue all the way down that rabbit hole, so I actually came around to him after he dropped some of the ‘tude. **That said, while dual POV isn’t always a necessity for me & I did manage to find a way to warm up to him anyway, but here I still wish his POV was included so I could’ve understood him better in early on.
Despite the shaky ground with the hero for a bit, Charlotte proved worthy of being in the conversation as LL’s best heroine. Considering how much I really enjoy all the Stiletto & some of the Oxford gals, that’s saying something. She’s got this Elle Woods’-esque pretentious charm that shouldn’t be so endearing, yet it is incredibly so. Albeit with more sarcasm & awareness that is. She saved the book for me during my struggles early with the hero. Then she tugged so hard at the heartstrings caring so much about Colin’s happiness over her own in the latter stages. I loved the turn of events with her strained relationship with her parents, especially what happened with her mom towards the end.
I would’ve preferred a little stronger heat between them, but thanks largely to Charlotte just being Charlotte & then Colin finally getting his shit together, The Prenup turned out to be a fun read with some feels.
Much like one of my GR friends, Julia ❤︎, I was scared off by this one pretty hard by the reviews, so it’s sat on my tbr for a good while now. Our mutual GR friend, Mina’s(Tears of Venus) review of TP popped up in my feed not too long ago & I was very convincingly swayed as well to give it a-go.
I went with a mix of listening & reading the Prenup. I must say Brianna Cohen was absolutely the perfect choice by LL to narrate as Charlotte. She nailed it. She offered up a pleasant Irish accent for the hero as well when the hero spoke (as this book was only from Charlotte’s POV).
- I’m gonna be super honest here - Near the start, Colin’s actions (his whole general vibe really) began to give me a sinking sense of déjà vu(totally triggering unfortunate memories of the “hero” from another book/different author I loathed). I might’ve pleaded with my tablet a smidge to not go there 🤭, between knowing how much Mina loves this book & hoping she wouldn’t disown me as a book buddy if he ruined it for me & ya know, avoiding the whole feeling of wanting to bleach my brain all over again had I in fact found part 2 of that book in this one. Okay okay, the latter might be a slight exaggeration 🤏 lol. But sometimes low key asshole piss me off more than the average asshole who waves their flag freely. So for several chapters my hackles were only getting more raised tbh because of him, but — there is a big BUT! Mina 😉 — thank goodness this hero (& the plot) did NOT continue all the way down that rabbit hole, so I actually came around to him after he dropped some of the ‘tude. **That said, while dual POV isn’t always a necessity for me & I did manage to find a way to warm up to him anyway, but here I still wish his POV was included so I could’ve understood him better in early on.
Despite the shaky ground with the hero for a bit, Charlotte proved worthy of being in the conversation as LL’s best heroine. Considering how much I really enjoy all the Stiletto & some of the Oxford gals, that’s saying something. She’s got this Elle Woods’-esque pretentious charm that shouldn’t be so endearing, yet it is incredibly so. Albeit with more sarcasm & awareness that is. She saved the book for me during my struggles early with the hero. Then she tugged so hard at the heartstrings caring so much about Colin’s happiness over her own in the latter stages. I loved the turn of events with her strained relationship with her parents, especially what happened with her mom towards the end.
I would’ve preferred a little stronger heat between them, but thanks largely to Charlotte just being Charlotte & then Colin finally getting his shit together, The Prenup turned out to be a fun read with some feels.
April 13, 2023
[Reread 2023 – 5 Stars]
[1st read 2019 – 5 Stars]
Reread 2023: Some parts were a tiny bit slow but the book is short so whatever. I would have also liked to get Colin’s POV to see what he was thinking but other than that I still loved the book as much as I loved it the first time around. The heartache was *chef’s kiss* and I don’t remember the epilogues being so cute?? 🫶
***
5 STARS!
I don't care what others say. This is my kryptonite, my guilty pleasure and I absolutely loved it!
If you're on the fence, read other reviews, there is another woman involved, so definitely not for everyone.
[1st read 2019 – 5 Stars]
Reread 2023: Some parts were a tiny bit slow but the book is short so whatever. I would have also liked to get Colin’s POV to see what he was thinking but other than that I still loved the book as much as I loved it the first time around. The heartache was *chef’s kiss* and I don’t remember the epilogues being so cute?? 🫶
***
5 STARS!
I don't care what others say. This is my kryptonite, my guilty pleasure and I absolutely loved it!
If you're on the fence, read other reviews, there is another woman involved, so definitely not for everyone.
September 30, 2022
It started reading like chick lit, she was too “in your face” with designer shoes, make up and too chaotic. But I loved to see how she evolves with the story and stops being selfish to start caring about things.
It was a cute but superficial read so I wouldn’t expect great things from it but it still was entertaining and fun.
It was a cute but superficial read so I wouldn’t expect great things from it but it still was entertaining and fun.
nope-nope-nope
July 11, 2019Not into heroine as a backup and basically second best. If you dont like OW drama this is not the book for you.
September 16, 2019
3 'Don't ask stupid questions' stars!
I really hate to rate this only three stars but I really felt like it was missing too much...I needed more.
I wanted to love Colin but he was so closed off and broody that we really don't get to know him and because of the single POV we have no idea what he's thinking or feeling. I did love the fact that even though this was a marriage of convenience he still took time out of his Sundays to have dinner with his in-laws.
I'm so glad that Charlotte has grown out of her rebellious young adult phase and has become a successful business woman. I applaud her for building a life for herself on her own...even though she really could have handled the situation 10 years ago a whole lot differently.
The main thing that was missing for me in this story was that I just didn't feel the connection between Colin and Charlotte. There was no sexual tension. They were living in the same apartment but never saw each other. They barely spoke to each other. I had a hard time believing that any deep relationship was building.
I felt that this was just a "nice" read. Nothing spectacular about it. Unfortunately it left me wanting so much more than what it gave me.
I really hate to rate this only three stars but I really felt like it was missing too much...I needed more.
I wanted to love Colin but he was so closed off and broody that we really don't get to know him and because of the single POV we have no idea what he's thinking or feeling. I did love the fact that even though this was a marriage of convenience he still took time out of his Sundays to have dinner with his in-laws.
I'm so glad that Charlotte has grown out of her rebellious young adult phase and has become a successful business woman. I applaud her for building a life for herself on her own...even though she really could have handled the situation 10 years ago a whole lot differently.
The main thing that was missing for me in this story was that I just didn't feel the connection between Colin and Charlotte. There was no sexual tension. They were living in the same apartment but never saw each other. They barely spoke to each other. I had a hard time believing that any deep relationship was building.
I felt that this was just a "nice" read. Nothing spectacular about it. Unfortunately it left me wanting so much more than what it gave me.
July 10, 2019
3.5 'Turbulent and calm' Stars!
This definitely reiminds me lots of Passion on Park Avenue and what I felt after finishing it, especially regarding the writing, the couple and the development of their love story. Again the relationship between Charlotte and Colin is extremely slow paced. Yes, their story together and everything happening between them is sugary sweet and I did enjoy that a lot! Still, I missed more of that sexual tension I know LL knows how to write, having some steamy scenes and seeing more of these two as an actual couple.
Obviously, I still loved it because this is Lauren Layne we are talking about! The Prenup is a sweet, slow paced love story of marriage of convenience in LL's style and if you are a fan of that, surely check this new release out!
This definitely reiminds me lots of Passion on Park Avenue and what I felt after finishing it, especially regarding the writing, the couple and the development of their love story. Again the relationship between Charlotte and Colin is extremely slow paced. Yes, their story together and everything happening between them is sugary sweet and I did enjoy that a lot! Still, I missed more of that sexual tension I know LL knows how to write, having some steamy scenes and seeing more of these two as an actual couple.
Obviously, I still loved it because this is Lauren Layne we are talking about! The Prenup is a sweet, slow paced love story of marriage of convenience in LL's style and if you are a fan of that, surely check this new release out!
August 31, 2019
4 “Can you please fall in love with your wife?” Stars
This was super ADORABLE. CUTE. FUNNY. SEXY.
Colin and Charlotte had great chemistry and the romance was slow burn, which is my absolute favorite. There was a little bit of angst (yay!) and I didn't mind the OW drama because it was necessary for this specific story. Sure I wish Colin had gotten his head out of his ass earlier, but I still enjoyed this a lot.
September 7, 2022
5+ STARS!!
The Prenup may be marketed as a romance, and while that’s accurate, that's not all it is. For me, this book was more about the change in Charlotte’s life, about her relationship with her family, about her growing up and trying to be the best version of herself. That's probably the reason why I accepted so easily that the story is told in only Charlotte’s POV. And let's be honest, I don't remember I have ever rated a book that was written only in one POV higher than 4 stars. I usually hate it and believe that the second POV in a romance can only benefit the story... Here, it didn't bother me that much. She was so wonderful, adorable and strong, I was really in awe of her. I loved her. I adored her. I got her.
Colin and Charlotte's love story isn't perfect. Oh heck, this book isn’t perfect. But I just couldn't put it down. There was something very poetic about it... And I loved the banter so much. It was witty, funny and flirty.
Is it too early for a re-read?
The Prenup may be marketed as a romance, and while that’s accurate, that's not all it is. For me, this book was more about the change in Charlotte’s life, about her relationship with her family, about her growing up and trying to be the best version of herself. That's probably the reason why I accepted so easily that the story is told in only Charlotte’s POV. And let's be honest, I don't remember I have ever rated a book that was written only in one POV higher than 4 stars. I usually hate it and believe that the second POV in a romance can only benefit the story... Here, it didn't bother me that much. She was so wonderful, adorable and strong, I was really in awe of her. I loved her. I adored her. I got her.
Colin and Charlotte's love story isn't perfect. Oh heck, this book isn’t perfect. But I just couldn't put it down. There was something very poetic about it... And I loved the banter so much. It was witty, funny and flirty.
Is it too early for a re-read?
July 31, 2019
The Prenup by Lauren Layne was such a disappointment – nothing really seemed to happen. There were all these mundane scenes between the protagonists that did not develop the romance in their relationship (at best, they were friendly/tolerated each other). Nevertheless, both characters proclaim their love for one another in the last 5% of the story and decide to remarry (!). Needless to say, the lack of chemistry and romantic development made this scene feel like it came completely out of left field.
Desperate to flee her parents’ control, Upper East side born and bred Charlotte Spencer needed to gain access to her trust fund in order to live the life that she wanted to live. Realizing that she had to marry someone to inherit her trust, she enlisted the help of her brother’s best friend, Colin Walsh. As luck would have it, the Irishman needed a green card to stay in the US and start his own practice. After a short trip to the courthouse, she took off to San Francisco on a one-way ticket and didn’t look back. Fast forward 10 years later, Charlotte is now the CEO and founder of a multimillion-dollar social media consulting firm. A surprise email from Colin leads to the discovery that they have to live under the same roof for 3 months before being able to initiate any divorce papers. When Charlotte moves back to New York and into his apartment, she soon realizes that the guy she barely noticed a decade ago is now a successful, delicious hottie…
I was baffled at how she fell in love with him. Even more so, how he fell in love with her was completely inexplicable. They did NOT have any romantic scenes together and any moments that they did share were of them bickering – not playful banter but exasperated-with-each-other fighting. It was exhausting to read. Their relationship was such a slow progression from distant-roommates-to-kind-of-friends that the jump from Colin tolerating her to suddenly proclaiming his undying affections in that final scene felt like whiplash. They were too many missed opportunities where something would start to happen but would end before it even began. For example, when he surprised her with the antique ring that she had admired on their trip, the moment was interrupted by the doorbell. (Although, I did appreciate that he never initiated anything with her while he was with someone else). The novel just seemed to wrap things up too quickly for their “love” story and that happily-ever-after epilogue to feel believable.
Moreover, I couldn’t root for a hero who clearly didn’t know what he wanted. He even proposed to someone else, despite feeling lukewarm towards her. The novel was written solely in Charlotte’s perspective so his stoic nature never gave any indication on how he felt about her or his fiancée, Rebecca. If Colin truly loved Charlotte as he so proclaimed, he would have broken up with Rebecca long before the end of the 3 months (it was only revealed that they broke up in that final scene). Instead, he was stringing her along all whilst enthusiastically counting down their 3 months timeline to Charlotte. It was incredibly selfish of him and it never seemed like Charlotte was a priority in his life, which made me question why she was so gung-ho over him. I was also disappointed in that final scene that ended up with Colin proposing. He said that he could barely resist her in her short pajamas and when she wore his t-shirt/boxers to bed. But what was it, outside of her beauty, that made her the one for him? Was it the fact that she challenged him, made him feel like he could open up to her? Nada. He didn’t mention any other attributes that drew him into her. His entire speech was so superficial and for that, I was frustrated by yet another missed opportunity.
As always, I enjoy Lauren Layne’s writing style and it made this book really easy to read. Another thing that I liked was the progression of Charlotte’s relationship with her parents and how they addressed the underlying issues that drove her to escape to San Francisco. That was actually realistic. Despite these two small wins, the concept and execution didn’t work at all. Perhaps if it was in dual POVs or if there were an additional 200 pages to fully explore the romance, then I would have enjoyed The Prenup a lot more. However, the pathetic hero and lack of any romantic development made the novel – especially those last few pages – completely unpalatable.
Desperate to flee her parents’ control, Upper East side born and bred Charlotte Spencer needed to gain access to her trust fund in order to live the life that she wanted to live. Realizing that she had to marry someone to inherit her trust, she enlisted the help of her brother’s best friend, Colin Walsh. As luck would have it, the Irishman needed a green card to stay in the US and start his own practice. After a short trip to the courthouse, she took off to San Francisco on a one-way ticket and didn’t look back. Fast forward 10 years later, Charlotte is now the CEO and founder of a multimillion-dollar social media consulting firm. A surprise email from Colin leads to the discovery that they have to live under the same roof for 3 months before being able to initiate any divorce papers. When Charlotte moves back to New York and into his apartment, she soon realizes that the guy she barely noticed a decade ago is now a successful, delicious hottie…
I was baffled at how she fell in love with him. Even more so, how he fell in love with her was completely inexplicable. They did NOT have any romantic scenes together and any moments that they did share were of them bickering – not playful banter but exasperated-with-each-other fighting. It was exhausting to read. Their relationship was such a slow progression from distant-roommates-to-kind-of-friends that the jump from Colin tolerating her to suddenly proclaiming his undying affections in that final scene felt like whiplash. They were too many missed opportunities where something would start to happen but would end before it even began. For example, when he surprised her with the antique ring that she had admired on their trip, the moment was interrupted by the doorbell. (Although, I did appreciate that he never initiated anything with her while he was with someone else). The novel just seemed to wrap things up too quickly for their “love” story and that happily-ever-after epilogue to feel believable.
Moreover, I couldn’t root for a hero who clearly didn’t know what he wanted. He even proposed to someone else, despite feeling lukewarm towards her. The novel was written solely in Charlotte’s perspective so his stoic nature never gave any indication on how he felt about her or his fiancée, Rebecca. If Colin truly loved Charlotte as he so proclaimed, he would have broken up with Rebecca long before the end of the 3 months (it was only revealed that they broke up in that final scene). Instead, he was stringing her along all whilst enthusiastically counting down their 3 months timeline to Charlotte. It was incredibly selfish of him and it never seemed like Charlotte was a priority in his life, which made me question why she was so gung-ho over him. I was also disappointed in that final scene that ended up with Colin proposing. He said that he could barely resist her in her short pajamas and when she wore his t-shirt/boxers to bed. But what was it, outside of her beauty, that made her the one for him? Was it the fact that she challenged him, made him feel like he could open up to her? Nada. He didn’t mention any other attributes that drew him into her. His entire speech was so superficial and for that, I was frustrated by yet another missed opportunity.
As always, I enjoy Lauren Layne’s writing style and it made this book really easy to read. Another thing that I liked was the progression of Charlotte’s relationship with her parents and how they addressed the underlying issues that drove her to escape to San Francisco. That was actually realistic. Despite these two small wins, the concept and execution didn’t work at all. Perhaps if it was in dual POVs or if there were an additional 200 pages to fully explore the romance, then I would have enjoyed The Prenup a lot more. However, the pathetic hero and lack of any romantic development made the novel – especially those last few pages – completely unpalatable.
August 28, 2021
Ten years earlier Charlotte Spencer and Colin Walsh were married. He needed a green card and she wanted access to her trust fund so that she could escape her confined life in Manhattan and set up her own business. It was a win-win for both of them. Now ten years later Charlotte lives in San Francisco, and is CEO of a successful business, living the life she always wanted. However, when Colin gets in touch to say he wants a divorce, things are complicated by a pre-nup that it appears both of them overlooked. In order to be able to file for divorce the pair must first have lived together for three months. Now Charlotte finds her entire life uprooted as she has to move back home and face her past, including her tricky relationship with her parents, yet the trickiest thing of all may be her growing feelings for her husband!
My first read from Lauren Layne, this was such a fun read. I was hooked from the very beginning and the intriguing premise of the story. Parts of it put me in mind of The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, and the movie is even referenced in the story, with its theme of marrying for a green card and having to face all the interviews by Immigration Services. Indeed the book very much has a classic rom-com feel to it and was a very easy read, as well as quite a short one.
I really liked Charlotte as the main character, she is very warm and sassy and lives in the moment, rather the opposite to Colin who is very uptight and closed off. I thought that the pair had fantastic chemistry together and it was enjoyable to watch their developing feelings for each other. The story is told completely from Charlotte's perspective, and because Colin is such a difficult character to read, it was at times hard to know what he was thinking or feeling, however I think as the story went on it became pretty obvious he did have feelings for Charlotte too, even if she didn't appreciate that.
Things between them are complicated further by the fact that Colin is in fact engaged to someone else, the reason why he wants the divorce in the first place. I appreciate that some readers might be put off by this angle to the story, however, it was very much a plot device that was sort of needed and I'm not sure how the story would have worked without having Rebecca there. That said she is a very one-dimensional character, there only to serve a purpose, and whilst there is no overt cheating in the book, there is emotional cheating, and therefore this may not be everyone's cup of tea.
An aspect of the story I particularly enjoyed were the family dynamics. Charlotte comes from an upper class family, where she has always felt rather the black sheep, never conforming to what her parents expect of her, and their strained relationship through her rebellious younger years reached a climax when she married Colin and took off with her trust fund money. I liked the reconciliation between both parties here, especially Charlotte and her mother, and the recognition on both sides of their own part in the blame and working towards a closer relationship.
Overall for me this was a light and easy read, with a good old-fashioned rom-com feel to it. Yes the story was pretty predictable and clichéd, but in the best sort of way where it was just very feel-good, which sometimes is all one is actually looking for. I'm certainly going to be checking out some more of Lauren Layne's collection.
My first read from Lauren Layne, this was such a fun read. I was hooked from the very beginning and the intriguing premise of the story. Parts of it put me in mind of The Proposal with Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, and the movie is even referenced in the story, with its theme of marrying for a green card and having to face all the interviews by Immigration Services. Indeed the book very much has a classic rom-com feel to it and was a very easy read, as well as quite a short one.
I really liked Charlotte as the main character, she is very warm and sassy and lives in the moment, rather the opposite to Colin who is very uptight and closed off. I thought that the pair had fantastic chemistry together and it was enjoyable to watch their developing feelings for each other. The story is told completely from Charlotte's perspective, and because Colin is such a difficult character to read, it was at times hard to know what he was thinking or feeling, however I think as the story went on it became pretty obvious he did have feelings for Charlotte too, even if she didn't appreciate that.
Things between them are complicated further by the fact that Colin is in fact engaged to someone else, the reason why he wants the divorce in the first place. I appreciate that some readers might be put off by this angle to the story, however, it was very much a plot device that was sort of needed and I'm not sure how the story would have worked without having Rebecca there. That said she is a very one-dimensional character, there only to serve a purpose, and whilst there is no overt cheating in the book, there is emotional cheating, and therefore this may not be everyone's cup of tea.
An aspect of the story I particularly enjoyed were the family dynamics. Charlotte comes from an upper class family, where she has always felt rather the black sheep, never conforming to what her parents expect of her, and their strained relationship through her rebellious younger years reached a climax when she married Colin and took off with her trust fund money. I liked the reconciliation between both parties here, especially Charlotte and her mother, and the recognition on both sides of their own part in the blame and working towards a closer relationship.
Overall for me this was a light and easy read, with a good old-fashioned rom-com feel to it. Yes the story was pretty predictable and clichéd, but in the best sort of way where it was just very feel-good, which sometimes is all one is actually looking for. I'm certainly going to be checking out some more of Lauren Layne's collection.
July 29, 2019
When your BlueBlooded Life screams BORING...
What do you do...
Well, Charlotte Spencer sort of pissed off her Hoity-Toity Family...
Was Threaten by being cut off...
And with no real employment skills...
Charlotte did what any 21 years old would do...
Figure out a way to take advantage of the Trust Fund with her Name on it...
Thank you, Granny...
But in order to get her grabby hands on it...
Granny said she needed to be married...
With no real boyfriend on the horizon...
Charlotte's brother had the answer...
Colin Walsh had his own ideas...
Irish born but wanting to make his mark in NYC...
He was the solution to Charlotte's problem...
And Charlotte would be the Wife he needed to claim Green Card Status...
Perfect, Right...
For 10 Years it nearly was...
But now Colin wants out and Charlotte says fine...
Only there is one little hiccup...
The Prenup- July 9, 2019
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
What do you do...
Well, Charlotte Spencer sort of pissed off her Hoity-Toity Family...
Was Threaten by being cut off...
And with no real employment skills...
Charlotte did what any 21 years old would do...
Figure out a way to take advantage of the Trust Fund with her Name on it...
Thank you, Granny...
But in order to get her grabby hands on it...
Granny said she needed to be married...
With no real boyfriend on the horizon...
Charlotte's brother had the answer...
Colin Walsh had his own ideas...
Irish born but wanting to make his mark in NYC...
He was the solution to Charlotte's problem...
And Charlotte would be the Wife he needed to claim Green Card Status...
Perfect, Right...
For 10 Years it nearly was...
But now Colin wants out and Charlotte says fine...
Only there is one little hiccup...
The Prenup- July 9, 2019
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
June 28, 2019
***ARC Provided by the Author***
I have been a fan of Lauren Layne's from the very first time I read one of her titles. I love the worlds she builds, the characters, the stories she tells, and the way she makes you care about each of the characters and feel like you know them. It's because of how completely she draws you in that I have read all of her titles. I've loved them all. But, there is something about this book and but there's just something about Charlotte and Colin.
What I can say, with certainty, is this is absolutely, 100% the best book she has ever written.
If you haven't read anything by her, start here. If you have, you are in for such a treat...and, I can't lie, I am a little jealous of those reading this one for the first time...because this book is an example of storytelling perfection.
Don't get me wrong, I am not saying I haven't loved all of her other books, I have. There is just something about this story. The way it weaves from one event to another without ever losing the central focus, the way it brings in secondary characters without losing sight of the central characters and telling their story. It all just works, and it works very well.
I think it is, as it always is with Lauren Layne titles, the depth of the characters. These are real people. You feel their emotion. You cheer for them, and you want the best for them. You get mad at them when they mess up, you cringe for them when they make bad decisions. But, most of all, these are people and not characters in a story.
Without giving too much away, this is the ultimate slow burn. The slowest. But, the tension, the want you feel between them as they get to know one another and slowly fall in love builds to what is possibly the hottest kiss in all of romance. Ever.
Charlotte and Colin are married...for convenience. And, it's the ultimate marriage of convenience. But, while this is a familiar trope (he needs a Green Card and she needs a husband to get her inheritance) that is where any feeling that you may have read this before comes to a total stop. You haven't. It feels different, it feels more real and, as you have fallen in love with them, and been there for their journey as they fall in love with one another, your heart is fully along for the ride in a way that I will not be able to adequately describe.
I can't say enough about how much I just loved this book. So, I think what I will close with is a recommendation that you read this title for yourself.
I absolutely loved and recommend this title.
I have been a fan of Lauren Layne's from the very first time I read one of her titles. I love the worlds she builds, the characters, the stories she tells, and the way she makes you care about each of the characters and feel like you know them. It's because of how completely she draws you in that I have read all of her titles. I've loved them all. But, there is something about this book and but there's just something about Charlotte and Colin.
What I can say, with certainty, is this is absolutely, 100% the best book she has ever written.
If you haven't read anything by her, start here. If you have, you are in for such a treat...and, I can't lie, I am a little jealous of those reading this one for the first time...because this book is an example of storytelling perfection.
Don't get me wrong, I am not saying I haven't loved all of her other books, I have. There is just something about this story. The way it weaves from one event to another without ever losing the central focus, the way it brings in secondary characters without losing sight of the central characters and telling their story. It all just works, and it works very well.
I think it is, as it always is with Lauren Layne titles, the depth of the characters. These are real people. You feel their emotion. You cheer for them, and you want the best for them. You get mad at them when they mess up, you cringe for them when they make bad decisions. But, most of all, these are people and not characters in a story.
Without giving too much away, this is the ultimate slow burn. The slowest. But, the tension, the want you feel between them as they get to know one another and slowly fall in love builds to what is possibly the hottest kiss in all of romance. Ever.
Charlotte and Colin are married...for convenience. And, it's the ultimate marriage of convenience. But, while this is a familiar trope (he needs a Green Card and she needs a husband to get her inheritance) that is where any feeling that you may have read this before comes to a total stop. You haven't. It feels different, it feels more real and, as you have fallen in love with them, and been there for their journey as they fall in love with one another, your heart is fully along for the ride in a way that I will not be able to adequately describe.
I can't say enough about how much I just loved this book. So, I think what I will close with is a recommendation that you read this title for yourself.
I absolutely loved and recommend this title.
July 12, 2019
I really want to give this book a four star but I can’t.
Yes, it’s fictional but this isn’t romance or romcom.
Collins is like a brick.
Charlotte deserves better—up until the last page this guy was with his “so called fiancée”?
How can you be in love with another woman when you’re with another?
Rebecca showing up with the ring too is weird. She knows of the relationship, she knows that they’re separating soon. That’s a bad filler.
Yes, it’s fictional but this isn’t romance or romcom.
Collins is like a brick.
Charlotte deserves better—up until the last page this guy was with his “so called fiancée”?
How can you be in love with another woman when you’re with another?
Rebecca showing up with the ring too is weird. She knows of the relationship, she knows that they’re separating soon. That’s a bad filler.
July 24, 2019
Lauren Layne rocked this book. Full of wit and laughter. This is my first read by this author and I fell in love. Cute, fun and irresistible characters.
I definitely recommend this book for your next read.
I definitely recommend this book for your next read.
July 10, 2019
this was EVERYTHING.
loved charlotte and colin's characters, both successful, hardworking and focused. the situation that they were in at the beginning was quite hilarious to be honest, him being super uptight and her being super eccentric. their chemistry was undeniable and their personalities were perfect for each other, it was inevitable.
though i have to say i was not satisfied with the final chapters. i expected an incredible scene when they finally got together after all that happened yet i was unfulfilled even with the 4-5 supposed epilogues, but it does deserve a 4/5 rating (not focusing on the end) 😣
loved charlotte and colin's characters, both successful, hardworking and focused. the situation that they were in at the beginning was quite hilarious to be honest, him being super uptight and her being super eccentric. their chemistry was undeniable and their personalities were perfect for each other, it was inevitable.
though i have to say i was not satisfied with the final chapters. i expected an incredible scene when they finally got together after all that happened yet i was unfulfilled even with the 4-5 supposed epilogues, but it does deserve a 4/5 rating (not focusing on the end) 😣
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