The Billionaire Book Club by Max Monroe

Category: Romantic Comedy 
Publication date: 09/10/2019
Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Cliffhanger: I dunno
Heat Level: I dunno

It’s been a while since I hated a hero as much as I hated the hero in this book. He really outdid himself, though.

via GIPHY

Plot overview: Douchebag manwhore Caplin stalks young, beautiful Libby. And instead of having him arrested, she falls for him. Because sure. Why not?

This makes me sad because I actually really like the author’s writing style. It’s fun and light and she has a way with witty banter. With a different hero, this one might’ve been a keeper for me. But sadly, because the book hinged on the odious Caplin, I couldn’t bring myself to finish. 

Oh, Caplin. How I hate thee. Let me count the ways:

1. Self-proclaimed “playboys” who take pride in bedding different women all the time and actively avoiding anything resembling human emotion make me want to vomit.
2. Anyone who takes what he calls “pussy calls” (a “clever” revision of a “booty call”. And by “clever” I mean gag-worthy, of course) after he’s met the heroine. 
3. After he meets the heroine and fails to get her name and number, he stalks her. And I don’t mean he attempts to arrange a meet-cute by waiting around the last place he saw her and hoping to run into her. I mean he actively digs into her life and invades her privacy. There’s nothing adorable or charming about stalkers, I’m afraid. 
4. When he finds her (after stalking her, of course), he makes a lewd sexual joke. When she rebuffs him, he offers her a job. Because, sure, who WOULDN’T want to work for a guy who stalked you and propositions you in the grossest way possible? 
5. When he’s propositioning the heroine, he’s approached by one of his past fuck buddies, who is portrayed as nothing more than a vapid bed-warmer. To make it clear to the reader that the heroine “isn’t like other women because she’s so special?” Gag. 

I actually really liked Ruby...right up until the point that she found herself laughing at Caplin’s lewd jokes instead of running in the opposite direction from the dude who openly stalked her and seemed super proud of it (he called himself an “opportunity maker.” I call him a restraining order waiting to happen.)  All I could do at that point was side-eye her on behalf of every woman who has ever been stalked and harassed. Because we all know that if Caplin had been ugly and poor, this would’ve been an episode of Criminal Minds as opposed to a “hilarious rom com.” 

So, long-story-short, I wanted to nut-punch the hero. I find that when I want to nut-punch the hero in a romance, that’s a problem that can’t be overcome by simply maning through and reading the rest of the book. So I DNFd like my life depended on it. And I haven’t looked back since.

via GIPHY

 
Does this book contribute to or help crush the romance stigma?
I don’t know if it contributes to the romance stigma, but it’s not doing much to promote the male species.

Other, far less sucky reading suggestions

Sensational, sexy romance reads available in Kindle Unlimited (for now)

Hilarious romantic comedy reads available in Kindle Unlimited (for now)

Crazy sexy billionaires we'd choose over Christian Grey any day