Author: Lauren Helms
Publication Date: August 2020
Kevin
With everyone around me settling down, I’m happy to continue
living my life single and carefree.
That is unless I can convince the concierge, Lucy Wilson at
425 Madison to finally take me up on that offer to go out on a date.
She’s beautiful, friendly, and her compassion for each and
every one of the residents is admirable. Something tells me that she doesn’t
see herself that way at all though.
This is why I’ve made it my mission to break her out of her
overly cautious shell starting with a lucky penny and a $10 raffle ticket.
It was all supposed to be a little fun but when a large dose
of lucky graces us, everything suddenly becomes unexpected.
Lucy
He thinks I don’t see him, but I do. Oh yes, I’ve been aware
of the all too good looking Kevin Harper for quite some time now.
The thing is, I’m not sure that we have enough in common and
I sure don’t have the free time for a social life between my job and school.
Dating? That’s pretty far down on the list of things I’d like to check off -
not by choice.
That is until Kevin convinces me that a little fun is good
for the soul.
What started as a $10 raffle ticket turned into a vacation
in Vegas and a whole lot of expectations that neither of us saw coming.
I always believed in fairy tales, but I wonder if what we
have is too good to be true. I can only hope that it’s true what they say…
After all, 425 Madison is the perfect place to fall in love.
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My thoughts:
Unexpected Expectations is the first book in the third "season" of 425 Madison Avenue series. I love this series and it was a pleasure to return to familiar characters again. This one is Lucy and Kevin's story. I thought this was a great romance. It was also a great advertisement for why you should never just get married on impulse without first getting to know your future spouse. Communication is key in every relationship and, boy, this couple needed to learn that the hard way. I liked them both, although I wanted to smack Kevin upside the head a few times for being a butthead. I was rooting for them. I loved the solution that Kevin came up with to see if things would work out. It made me want to put him on my book boyfriend list.
If you haven't yet delved into this series, I highly recommend it . Each book can be read as a stand alone, so don't worry about having to catch up. Just pick one and dive right in.
Excerpt
Copyright @ Lauren Helms 2020
My fingers brush the smooth copper coin reminding me that I
have a second mission to complete. I pinch the coin between my fingers and walk
toward the concierge desk. Just like I hoped she would, there stands one of the
most beautiful women I’ve ever seen. Standing around 5’4, the golden-haired
beauty has curves in all the right places. She’s soft around the edges, but I
can tell by the way her uniform fits her body that she’s got a sexy as fuck
body underneath. Today, her thick locks are pulled low in the back, but her
waves fall over her shoulder. I’d love to give that hair a yank in the throes
of passion. Shit, I’d love to do a lot of things to this girl.
I’ve flirted with Lucy for a while now, and she’s one of my
favorite parts of visiting the building. I’m not a shy man, and I enjoy a good
romp between the sheets, but Lucy, I could tell right off the bat is the kinda
girl you don’t have meaningless romps with. Nah. She’s a
take-home-to-your-momma kind of girl.
My mom would love her.
Maybe, one of these days I’ll ask her out. Heck, I don’t
even know if she has a boyfriend or not. It’s never stopped me from flirting,
but flirting is harmless. The lady seems damn good at her job, maybe she is
just that good at dealing with flirts like me every day.
I come to a stop in front of her, leaning my arm on the
desk.
“Heya, Lucy. Seen any tangerine trees or marmalade skies
lately?” The Beatles reference earns me a stunning smile.
“Hi Kevin, how are you today?”
I give her my sexiest smirk. “I’m better now that I’m seeing
your gorgeous face.” My words hit their mark, and Lucy’s cheeks turn a sexy
shade of pink.
“Okay, Mr. Charmer.” She giggles a bit. I always feel like
an accomplished mother fucker when I get a girl to giggle. Especially a girl
like Lucy, she’s not a giggler. Which is something I dig about her. Besides her
looks, she seems to be whip-smart and down to Earth. Most likely, she doesn’t
come from money, or why would she be working this gig? She has to deal with the
rich and spoiled day in and day out, and she doesn’t lose her cool. I’ve seen
her in action, and I’ve seen the way some of the residents treat her. I’ve had
to bite my tongue a few times. As Jake has reminded me, this place is private
property, I can be banned from the building.
I snap my finger, pretending to recall something important.
“I actually have a gift for you.”
Two dainty eyebrows arch in surprise as I lift the penny
between my thumb and forefinger.
“A penny?” Her tone is full of amusement.
“Yup. I found a penny outside the building. You know what
they say, “If you find a penny, pick it up, if it’s heads, you’ll have good
luck.” I smirk as I finish the saying. Pleased with the soft smile that plays
at her kissable lips.
“You know, I’ve never told anyone this before…” She leans
toward me and lowers her voice as if she doesn’t want anyone to hear. “When I
see a penny on the ground, if I notice its tails up, I lean down and flip it
over. Hopefully, I can help someone else find a little good luck.”
My heart slams against my chest. Her words nearly cause me
to stumble. Who is this woman? She takes the time to flip over a penny just in
case the next person who comes along can find a lucky penny? Why does hearing
this nearly shatter my charming, nothing gets to me-exterior?
Why?
Because I do the exact same thing.
I clear my throat.
“Don’t worry, Lucy girl, your secret is safe with me.” I
extend my hand toward her, and she holds out her hand. I carefully place the penny
in her open palm and slowly drag my fingers across her bare hand. I’m expecting
the sizzle from our touch, but I don’t miss Lucy’s reaction to our chemistry
when I hear her tiny intake of breath.
She closes her hand around the lucky penny and pulls her
fist in toward her chest, holding it to her heart.
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But wait, there’s more!
Don’t miss Boyfriend Maintenance and Flawless Foundations,
both by Lauren Helms, featured in the first two seasons!
About Lauren
Lauren Helms is a romance author her nerdy and flirty
contemporary words. Lauren has forever been an avid reader from the beginning.
After starting a book review website, that catapulted her fully into the book
world, she knew that something was missing. While working for a video game
strategy guide publisher, she decided to mix what she knew best--video games
and romance. She decided to take the plunge and write her first novel, Level Me
Up. Several published novels later, Lauren, with her book bestie, also formed
PR company, Forever Write PR, to help other authors promote their books.
Lauren lives in Indianapolis, Indiana sharing her love of
books and video games with her own Gamer Boy husband and three little kid nerds
who will hopefully grow up to share the love of things that united Lauren and
her husband on their own happily ever after.
Welcome to 425 Madison Ave the perfect place to fall in
love. Rounding out the summer with some hot city nights and coasting into fall
with more cool characters at this famous high-rise, 425 Madison is returning
for a third season!
With some familiar faces and some brand new residents -
you'll be sure to find an author you love and a trope to ignite your taste buds
after all 425 Madison IS the perfect place to fall in love!
We’ve got an amazing line of up must-read romance authors
including, Lauren Helms, Allie York
J Marie, Kay Gordon, Marcie Shumway, Aubree Valentine, S.L.
Sterling, and Fiona Tulle
Prepare for pages packed with new romances, characters, and
tropes all from the same well-loved high-rise apartment building in NYC.
Season One and Two feature stories from some of your
favorite romance authors: Leigh Lennon, MK Moore, Allie York, Aubree Valentine,
Kay Gordon, Lauren Helms, Sylvia Kane, Katy Ames, KC Enders, Marci Shumway, and
C. Lesbirel. All these authors came together, each with a standalone romance
for you to enjoy. Covering all of your favorite tropes each tale offers you
something new, something different.
Make sure to follow the 425 Madison Avenue Facebook page for
more on release dates, cover reveals, and author spotlights. For exclusive
excerpts, giveaways, and news subscribe to our 425 Madison newsletter!
