How hard can it be? 

That was the question rolling around Larissa Mason’s mind just before she asked Hollis Hudson to be her fake boyfriend. 

It was only supposed to be for five minutes, after all. 

Granted, that was also before she felt his hand on the small of her back as he charmed the heck out of her family. 

She hadn’t heard his laugh yet either. 

And it was definitely before she saw the football god shirtless. Otherwise, she would’ve had an idea of just how hard some things could be. 

It turns out that pretending to be in love with a crazily handsome, somewhat enigmatic, and absolutely unforgettable tight end (that has an amazing tight end) is easy. 

Reminding herself that just because opposites attract doesn’t mean they’re forever is much harder. 

What they have isn’t love—it’s a relationship pact. Right?

Review:

4 stars for The Relationship Pact! 

I love Adriana Locke and everything she writes and The Relationship Pact was no different! Hollis and Larissa were great for each other and I was so interested in their story. 

From the moment they both met I was so intrigued, you could feel their connection rising from the pages. I loved their first scene together and how they met. 

Larissa was such a ray of sunshine and never let Hollis get away with pushing her away and hiding within himself. She pushed him to open up to her so he could truely understand just how much people love and care for him and that it’s ok for him to be happy. I loved her constantly asking questions because she was genuinely interested in everything Hollis had to say. Larissa had such a magnetic energy around her that I felt drawn to. 

I loved Hollis too, he had so many layers after going through so much. I was so interested in Hollis’ story and could tell that he was hiding some deep secrets while portraying a man that only cares about his abs with such confidence. I loved uncovering what makes him tick and how he became the way he is, even if it hurt my heart. Adriana really knows how to tug at your heartstrings. 

I also have to give a shoutout to Judy… I loved her character. 

Adriana has a way of making her characters charms fly off the pages in her books and carry the story. I love how layered all of her characters are but they always have the perfect balance of depth and comedic nature about them to make you really fall in love with them. This can be said about The Relationship Pact. 

This is part of a series of connected standalones written by three different authors so you don’t need to read all three books to know what is happening. Before reading this book, I had only read book number one and I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. It just made me more curious about the book I hadn’t read. 

If you love stories about finding where you belong and the love of family you choose, this is for you. 

Although I’ve finished this review, I couldn’t be an Adriana Locke fan without giving a shoutout to Lincoln Laundry… I was so psyched when I read that he as in this book. I love cameos from other characters that I love (I also love the Mason family but Lincoln has a place in my heart!).

*ARC kindly received from the author in exchange for an honest review*

I reach for the chair in front of me. Instead of finding leather, my fingers brush against something else. Something warmer. Something smoother and rougher all at the same time. 

My heart jumps in my chest at the same moment that my head snaps to the side. 

Oh. Shit. 

The most beautiful set of hazel eyes I’ve ever seen traps my gaze. The warmth of the chocolate brown is cooled by the spring green embedded in the orbs. Gold flecks twinkle as the man slowly withdraws his palm away from mine. 

I open my mouth, but I’ve somehow forgotten how to speak. 

“Hey,” he says, his southern drawl rippling across my ears. “You can have it.” 

I shake my head to try to jolt myself out of the haze I’m in. “I … I can have what?” 

His full, pouty lips split into a sexy smirk. “I meant the chair, but if there’s something else on your mind, just let me know.” 

My heart flutters in my chest as a wave of heat courses through my body from head to toe. 

A couple of days’ scruff peppers a sharp, chiseled jaw. His skin is sun-kissed and imperfect and there’s the slightest mole beneath his left eye that gives a bit of softness to his appearance. His body is long, well over six feet, with broad shoulders and a thick chest. 

It’s one heck of a picture. 

Slowly, oh-so-slowly, the fog in my brain lifts. 

“Can I buy you a drink?” he asks. 

A crazy idea pops into my brain. The longer that I watch the stranger peer at me from under his thick lashes, the more it seems possible. 

Crazy, yes, but possible. 

“Want to do me a favor instead?” I ask before I can talk myself out of it. 

My chest rises and falls in quick succession as he, and I, ponder my question. He narrows his eyes as he undoubtedly considers why a woman he just met might need his help. 

His heavy brows tug together. “That depends on what it is.” 

Blood pours through my ears as I realize I’m teetering on the edge of something impetuous. Again. I’m about to do the one thing I told myself I wouldn’t do. 

Wasn’t I going to put the brakes on this kind of thing? Didn’t I swear that I was not going to tangle myself up with men? Wasn’t I going to save myself time and energy until good men come back into the universe? 

I look up and down his long, muscled body. 

I bet he’s a damn good man. 

“Are you going to ask or not?” he asks, killing me softly with a playful quirk of his brow. 

Screw it. 

I take a quick lungful of air and commit to this insanity. “I’m going to need an answer to two questions.” 

“Shoot.” 

“Quickly.” 

He grins. “I can’t answer them if you don’t ask them, beautiful.” 

I steady myself against the term of endearment and stay focused. 

“Do you have a girlfriend?” I ask. 

His eyes sparkle with mischief. “I like where this is going.” 

“That’s not an answer and we’re running out of time.” 

“No,” he says hurriedly. “Hard no. Definitely not. No girlfriend.” 

“Second question …” I take another deep breath and then go in for the kill. “Will you be my fake boyfriend for five minutes?” 

His grin knocks the breath I’m holding right out of me. “When do we start?” 

For Hollis and Larissa, starting is the easy part. It’s ending their fake relationship that’s hard. Fall in love with them here: https://geni.us/Hq6TNb 

USA Today and Washington Post bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own. 

She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather's nice and there's always a piece of candy in her pocket.