Lilyya ♡'s Reviews > Worth Every Penny

4.5 stars

”because there’s only one you, and I love you. I fucking love you, Kate Lansen. you’re one in a million. one in a billion.“

❦ age gap
❦ slowburn
❦ billionaire
❦ ennemis to lovers
❦ workplace romance
❦ brother’s best friend

the only thought that consumed my mind as I devoured this debut novel was, 'I can't believe this is the author's first book!' I genuinely loved every aspect of it, despite not being a fan of the 'brother's best friend' trope, which is often accompanied by the infamous homosapien act of 'don't sniff near my sister🧌'.

as I delved into Worth Every Penny , I discovered that the narrative was cemented on the slow-burning development of the romance and the mutual pining between the characters, rather than the said trope. I appreciated that the storytelling was orchestrated in a certain way to conceal a significant revelation, which I had intuited as a reader, but wasn't explicitly aware of until the big reveal. I was impressed by how Rae Ryder’s masterful scheming connected various subplots, culminating in a surprising twist that caught me off guard.

when it comes to the main characters, I was pleasantly surprised to find that they were both lovable and well-developed, whether painted as an entity or as individuals. Kate, in particular, stood out as a strong and hardworking female character, driven by the aspiration to complete her father's last project and honor his memory. she was refreshingly free from caricatured plot-line-arcs, such as the silly girl who harbors a crush on her brother's best friend-turned-enemy, and accessorily boss. instead, she was a multi-dimensional character who navigated her emotions with vulnerability, even as she struggled to cope with her father's death and her mother's suffocating hyper-fixation on withering everything she said or did. Nico, on the other hand, was the archetype of the rich and imposing boss, but with a twist. he consistently spoke with perfect timing and insight, whether defending Kate or offering words of wisdom. I found myself genuinely fond of his character, despite his tendency to earn Kate's cold shoulder - and couldn't blame her for it either. he didn't always deserve her ire, but his actions often led to misunderstandings and hurt feelings.

all in all, it was an enjoyable read and i’ll certainly be looking forward to this author’s future works, especially for one particular side character (one of Nico’s brothers !).

many thanks to the author for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

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he’s a billionaire AND her brother’s best friend 😋