Rating: 4.5 stars
Buy Links:  Amazon | iBooks | Amazon UK
Length: Novel

Rowe Prince has put his heart and soul into developing an app that will help EMTs provide a faster and more accurate response in the field. After his twin sister’s death, Rowe has made it his mission to honor her memory through what could be a life-saving app. But Rowe is a poor guy from small-town Indiana and getting any of these New York companies to even listen to his pitch is proving impossible. Rowe is running out of time and money and so, in desperation, he decides to crash a fundraiser and hope he may be able to talk to his last option in person.

Rowe ends up with a ticket to the fundraiser meant for “Sterling Chase,” so he decides he will pretend to be the billionaire owner of the company by the same name, the very company that gave him his first rejection. What Rowe doesn’t realize is that Sterling Chase isn’t actually a real person… which is something Bash Dayne knows all too well, as he and his four best friends founded and own the company. When Bash meets Rowe at the event and realizes Rowe is impersonating the owner of his company, he decides to play along for a bit and catch Rowe in the lie by pretending to be “Sterling’s” new personal assistant.

Bash is wealthy beyond his wildest dreams, but lately he has just not found much joy in life. He likes working with new projects at Sterling Chase, but even that is leaving him feeling adrift right now. Bash has also been chasing excitement in the form of wild travel adventures, but that is not giving him the spark he seeks anymore either. When Bash encounters Rowe, something about the absurdity of it all has Bash entertained. He can’t help but find Rowe charming, even knowing he is up to something shady, and so he keeps the ruse going, despite his friends all telling him it is mistake.

As the guys spend time together, the connection between them grows. Even as the truth comes out about who they each really are, Bash and Rowe find that not only are they crazy attracted to each other, but that they really like one another as well. But while things are hot and intense between them now, the future is uncertain. Rowe has a life and responsibilities back in Indiana, and he can’t see how a poor, small town guy like him is ever going to fit in with Bash’s billionaire lifestyle. For his part, Bash’s focus has always been on his company, and he isn’t sure he wants a relationship. Not to mention that trouble is brewing at Sterling Chase that could hurt both men. But Bash and Rowe have fallen hard for each other, even under these wild circumstances. If they give the relationship a chance, there may just be a happy ending for both of them.

Prince of Lies by Lucy Lennox was just so much fun, I totally adored it! The story generally divides into three (unequal length) parts. The book opens with Rowe about to crash the fundraiser seeking to get some face time with the head of a company who could bring his app to market. This part is pretty much all hijinks, as Rowe is literally the worst liar in the world and he gets himself into increasingly complicated entanglements as he tries to pretend he is a “quirky, eccentric billionaire.” Rowe not only knows nothing about the uber-rich, but he has no idea that Sterling Chase isn’t actually a real person. Of course, he is aided by the fact that no one else knows that either, as Bash and his fellow founders keep their ownership a secret to protect their privacy after their first app went gangbusters and made them all billionaires. The whole situation is absurd and silly, but fun. The goofy stuff isn’t always my style of humor, but it ended up working for me, mostly because Rowe is incredibly endearing and also because Bash is having so much fun with it. Bash knows immediately that Rowe is faking all of this and he can’t help but want to see just how far Rowe is willing to spin all this out. I did find it hard to believe that Rowe genuinely thought everyone was falling for this ruse, as he truly is a terrible liar and his claims and antics get increasingly more absurd. But this portion nicely sets up a chance to get to know both men and see them start to get to know each other.

Though the set up is fun, I was really pleased that Lennox didn’t drag out the charade of the fake identities throughout the book. Though both guys are starting to fall for each other pretty fast, they share the truth about who they are before things get physical. I think this was a good decision, as it gives us a chance to see Rowe and Bash connect authentically with each other. They are so different in many ways, but they fit so well. There is a joy to Rowe, and he is such a sweet, kind, and caring guy. He helps to bring some light back into Bash’s life, and Bash finds himself charmed by Rowe despite himself. And Bash is supportive and encouraging to Rowe, helping him believe in himself more and see himself as worthy. They are sweet and sexy and just really lovely together.

The final conflict is one I don’t want to get into too much, as it is not revealed in the blurb and it is theoretically a surprise. To be honest, it was clear to me early on where things were going (and it will probably be clear to many readers), but again, Lennox takes things in a little bit of a different direction than I was expecting, which I loved. This portion gives the guys a chance to really work together, as well as adding some nice found family moments as the other company founders (and Bash’s best friends) get involved. These guys are a lot of fun and Lennox teases out some of their potential stories, and it sounds like we may get some more books for them, as well.

Overall, I just really enjoyed this story. I loved Rowe and Bash together and found them great characters with a really fun dynamic. I think the book balances the bit of silliness and absurdity well with some more grounded and serious moments. Lennox fans should love this one, but I think this story is a great choice for anyone who enjoys contemporaries with a dose of humor.