Customer Reviews

The Billionaire Next Door (Silhouette Special Edition)

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Every so often one picks up a book and for some reason it hits all of those deep buttons we try to ignore. In other words, we all like a Cinderella story even if we think we are far too sophisticated to want one! Sometimes series fiction rises above itself by being well-written and peopled with characters that get under your skin. For me, this book, despite its inane and rather juvenile title was one of those times when I was sure I was about to read something silly and shallow but I was, in fact, moved and entertained greatly.

Nurse Lizzie Bond hasn't had it easy. She works hard and lives modestly, caring for an elderly neighbour and mentally inadequate mother. When her neighbour dies, she tries to locate his family but when she does, she runs into a whole wall of contradictions. Working through them brings her close to Sean O'Banyon - Wall Street giant with a hurt soul and a heart full of angst. Seemingly opposites, Lizzie and Sean are each the missing half of the other.

This book is the first of a trilogy telling the stories of three brothers whose horrific childhood has marked each of them deeply. I, for one, can't wait for the next instalment for the author writes well, creates wonderfully well-rounded characters and tells a damned good story. Wonderful stuff!

I received my book yesterday and read the whole thing within two hours-- I simply couldn't put it down. I'll skip a long synopsis and instead state that Sean and Lizzie were definitely a random coupling. Lizzie is financially responsible for her mother, working two jobs to support them both. Sean is a rich playboy who earned every dollar of his money by putting himself through school. However, once he meets Lizzie he realizes that she might actually care about him for who he is and not his money. Jessica took the time to provide a good backdrop for Sean and why he has issues with trust. Excellent character development--at the end I was emotionally invested in ALL of the characters and not ready for it to be over so soon.
Jessica did a good job setting up the storylines for his brothers--I myself am definitely looking forward to Mac's story!
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a happily ever after with a few predictable bumps and twists along the way.
Also for those familiar with The Black Dagger Brotherhood we have a brief mention of one those lovely men in leather :) For those who are not familiar you are seriously missing out.

JR Ward (aka `Jessica Bird') wrote `The billionaire next door' in 2007, the same year that `Lover Revealed' (Butch's story) and `Lover Unbound' (Vishous's book) came out.

`Billionaire next door' definitely has all the romantic characteristics we've come to expect from JR Ward. Strong Alpha male with a fractured background. Angelic heroine who pulls the hero out of his drudgery. And of course, hot sex scenes. I wasn't actually expecting such explicit sex because the book was published by Harlequin Silhouette, and for some reason I have this idea that Harlequin romance books are a little tame when it comes to the nitty gritty. The sex scenes aren't as hot and heavy as they are in the `Blackdagger' books (not so many dirty detailed descriptions - damn!) but they are sizzling and definitely add spark to Sean and Lizzie's romance.

`Billionaire next door' reminded me quite strongly of Rehvenge's book `Lover Avenged'. Rehvenge and Sean are both rich, successful Alpha males who had abusive childhoods. Elena and Lizzie are both nurses, currently experiencing tough financial times by being their single-parents soul providers - Elena's father had a form of Alzheimer's, while Lizzie's mother has some sort of mental disability. For a good portion of the book Sean keeps secret his true career and financial success from Lizzie, for a plethora of reasons - just as Rehvenge kept quiet about his being a nightclub owner (among other shady dealings).

There is a small nod to the `Blackdagger Brotherhood' during one of Sean's childhood flashbacks. He mentions that growing up his father wasn't much of a cook, and so Sean and his brothers relied on the kindness of his best friends mother. The best friend in question was one Butch O'Neal. Has to be the same cop turned vampire, right? Butch is a Southie boy who had a big family - and Sean mentions that Butch was one of five kids. Reading that small Blackdagger reference had me doing a little fan-girl squeal.

I really, really liked this book. It has all the best aspects of the Blackdagger Brotherhood, minus intense plot, heavy action and heroes vs. villains. It's just romance - boy meets girl and everything that ensues.

Perhaps the only negative thing about the book is the fact that it beautifully sets up a series (subsequent books intended to tell the story of Sean's older brother, Mick and younger brother, Billy) that by all accounts JR Ward has no real intention of continuing. It's a real shame because there is plenty of potential here - but rumour on the chat boards is that since the `Blackdagger' books blew up, Ward put the `O'Banyon Brothers' on the backburner indefinitely.

But `Jessica Bird' did write an earlier series for Harlequin, the `Moorehouse Legacy' series has 4 books, and I intend to read all of them because I was so impressed with `The Billionaire next door'.

This story was a little heavy for a romance and kind of depressing. I didn't find it very romantic. Guess this is not my kind of story, but it was well written and I see from the other reviews a lot of people liked it. Lizzie was poor and perfect and Sean and his two brothers were rich and broken..nice ending.

Without a doubt one of my favorite contemporary authors. I LOVE this woman's writing. She has a gift. She can put you into a characters mind, give them strength, yet they aren't perfect. Each of her characters has their own unique personality. I love that! One of my biggest complaints about most authors is that they seem to give me the same story in every book I read. I do expect HEA's, but I still expect a unique journey to finding that HEA in each book. I mean whose life will be a carbon copy of another? Ms. Bird is truely a talent when it comes to giving me what I expect. 1. HEA, 2. a unique story, 3. Characters that I would love to meet and befriend. People I can relate to on some level...no I am not a billionare, but I can relate to the struggle and daily issues. I recommend any book written by either her or her alter ego J.R. Ward. You won't be disappointed!

The emotions are palpable in this one. The hero has a very painful past, and you get the feeling that the heroine is the only person in the world who could help him get over it. These two are truly meant to be together, but the path to true love is anything but easy. Sean is a strong, sexy, tortured hero and Liz is a sweet, loving heroine. The emotion and heat between them is phenomenal. Highly recommended.

I read the reviews before purchase, and I agree! Definitely one of J.R Ward's (Jessica Bird's)better books. While not of the paranormal variety like BDB it still scored! Ignore the tacky title and hokey cover and just read it for yourself.

I tend to avoid these kinds of books, but this one was amazing. Definitely not a fluff book. The character development and emotion was deep. It dealt with some serious and realistic emotional trauma that stems from childhood abuse, and not just in a once or twice convenient way. Sean and his brothers suffered a great deal from their father growing up and all three men have lasting issues.

I am VERY disappointed that Bird (JR Ward) has halted this series right when it started. I guess she wants to make the money off the jumped-the-shark BDB series. I was SO looking forward to reading more about Sean's brothers, Billy and Mac, but this is it! It feels like the other two are left hanging. I want to get inside Mac's head and see how he dealt with the abuse being the oldest and the one who suffered the most. I wanted to see how Billy went from the stuttering baby brother to the pro NFLer.

There's even a little mention of a younger Sean going over to his buddy's Butch O'Neils house for dinner

I really really really hope this series continues eventually. Please, Ward, this series has amazing potential!

THE BILLIONAIRE NEXT DOOR was written in 2007 and has a noticeably darker tone than Jessica Bird's other contemporary romances (The Moorehouse Legacy) This could be because Bird was already writing as JR Ward and 2 books into her Black Dagger Brotherhood series when she wrote this and it shows, in a great way. Including a flashback moment where we're given a squeal worthy glimpse of Butch O'Neil as a young boy. Without comparing the two this is a great romance that hooked me from page one with original characters, a moving storyline and (wow this is Harlequin?) scorching hot love scenes.

Sean O'Banyon as our tortured alpha-male hero (love that combination) comes from an abused childhood and has spent his life trying to not only forget where he comes from but overachieving to compensate for it. He is now a ruthless Wall Street business mogul who most financiers fear and is worth a cool billion and change. When Sean's father dies he's forced to go back to South Boston and deal with the details, back to a place that he and his brothers had promised each other they'd never return to again, their childhood home.

Lizzie Bond is an ER nurse who for the last couple of years has rented the ground floor apartment of Eddie O'Banyons duplex. During that time the two formed a friendship and as the lonely old mans health began to fail Lizzie found herself taking over more and more of his homecare duties as he didn't appear to have any close family.

When our couple meet there's no denying the instant chemistry between them however that's the only thing that is undeniable; Lizzie's doesn't know that Sean's loaded and while he's enjoying this anonymity he's also trying to figure out if she was after his father's money and not break his confirmed-bachelor code of ethics. Because Sean doesn't let women in, he doesn't trust them and he certainly doesn't ever allow himself to wake up beside them in the morning. Its just that the nightmares have returned and she's right downstairs.

What a great read my only disappointment would be that Bird (thus far) hasn't completed this series. Leaving me hanging with a great introduction and already formed attachment to Sean's super yummy and mysterious brothers, Damn.

The Billionaire Next Door by Jessica Bird
Silhouette Special Edition # 1844 - August 2007
The O'Banyon Brothers - Book # 1

The day Sean O'Banyon received his scholarship to Harvard Business was the last day he had ever set foot in his father's South Boston duplex. And not too long after his younger brother Billy was offered a football scholarship and then his older brother Mac felt it was time to join the Army. The O'Banyon brothers had escaped and they'd lived up to their vow of never looking back. Lizzie Bond had been renting the first floor apartment in Eddie O'Banyon's duplex since she graduated from nursing school more than two years ago. Though her landlord was a grouchy bitter man, they'd formed a friendship with the older man keeping his tenant safe, and Lizzie making sure he ate, took his meds and paid his bills on time. It upset Lizzie that when he took a heart attack and then a week later another, that he'd died alone after she had promised she'd be there with him. Receiving the phone call from his father's tenant had been a shock, but Sean felt the weight of the world had suddenly lifted from his shoulders; the O'Banyon brothers were finally free. More than a decade has passed since he'd been in the duplex, but he was the best equipped of the brothers to deal with packing up the contents. Sean knew it would be hard, but hadn't expected all the nightmare memories to come flooding back. The only bright spot was Lizzie, but was she for real or someone who knew about his billion dollar net worth and wanted a piece.

Sean is a recurring character from Ms. Bird's earlier books. He's a Wall Street genius with tremendous drive and a ruthless streak. He has close friends but steers clear of lasting relationships with women. Lizzie wants love and a permanent home; she's been working two jobs to save up to further her education and to cover her flighty mother's expenses. Sean doesn't reveal his wealth to Lizzie; this gives him the freedom to finally pursue a woman who likes him for the man he is. This was a really good book and I enjoyed reading Sean and Lizzie's journey to a HEA. :D