Love Redesigned: A Second-Chance Rivalry Romance (Lakefront Billionaires, 1)

ARC Review I swear I feel like it's been so long since I've read a book by Lauren Asher and now that I've read Love Redesigned, I feel so content with my life right now. Coming back to her world of new billionaires has me so excited since just with the first book, there was so many great characters. From Julian and Dahlia, I can't even express how much I love them and, honestly, they might be my favorite Lauren Asher couple. Also, the side characters, OMG, I simply can't wait for the next books of this series since I just know that the couples are going to be mind blowingly phenomenal. I kind of have a feeling about who will be the other couples but I'll keep that to myself and just hope that I'm right. I've read a good majority of Lauren Asher's books now and I have to say something about Love Redesigned is just so different, I feel like her writing has improved, not saying that her past work is bad, but this book just had a completely different element from her past ones. I think one of the most important parts that I loved was the constant culture and spanish speaking in the book. It's no secret that I'm Latine and growing up, having main characters that were BIPOC wasn't really seen and even now with a spike in Latino characters, the authors have not grown that much. Based on a study from Wordsrated, Latino authors have increased by 2.96% since 2010 which totals the Latino representation to 7.62% in the publishing industry. I have to appreciate the work that Lauren Asher is doing because not only is she breaking a barrier in the publishing industry but she's having her characters be represented in the best way I've seen. I honestly can't express how much I appreciate Lauren for this book because for some, this might not seem like a big deal, but to little me that was expected to be a minor character in a story, she made us front and center with the best representation that I could've asked her. Now to the book, the banter between Julian and Dahlia was truly addicting and something that I just eat up when I'm reading books. There's just something about it that left me wanting more and I just felt like I was a part of their lives. The chemistry between all the characters was just very comforting since you can tell that there's love within each other and that at the end of the day, when one of them feels alone in reality they're not since their family will always be there to support them. The meaning of family is really strong in this book and I'm just a complete sucker for that since my family has a big impact on me. Julian was a very interesting Hero and I honestly didn't expect him to be the way that he was. Is he a possessive jealous alpha? Yes, but there's just something about him that doesn't leave a weird taste in your mouth if he was real. I just feel like he was a gentleman with some jealous tendencies for his heroine which is completely valid. He was just such an interesting Hero that I haven't read in a while, he was just the perfect man and I can see why Dahlia was intrigued with him. Although we don't get to see his growth on paper, we can see that from the incident to now that Julian isn't the same person and has improved himself. I love that he's able to admit that and still acknowledge that he still has work to do which makes me love him more since he doesn't see his vulnerability as something weak. Dahlia, she was just baby girl and after everything she went through with you know who, I just wanted to give her a big hug. The way her character was written, I just felt like she was a friend that was telling us the chisme about her life and that of Lake Wisteria. There were so many great moments that we get with her and I just loved seeing how the story went through her eyes since it was definitely different from Julian. She has honestly been my favorite character of the year and I just hope that we get to see more of her in the future books. Overall, I genuinely can't recommend this book enough since there's just nothing that you won't like from this book. The characters, the plot, and the setting just leaves you craving more from this world and the characters. I just love this book so much and I genuinely think it's one of the best books of 2023. Trigger Warnings: -Mentions of Infertility Issues -Mentions of Death of Parents -Panic/Anxiety Attacks

This was a hard review for me. It took me 2 days to get through the first half of this book and 2 hours to finish the second half. It was well written and there were a lot of things I loved, but it moved extremely slowly. I ended up loving the plot and all the characters, but getting there was almost a chore. There was nothing about the plot or story I didn’t like, it just wasn’t holding my attention in the first half. I loved Julian’s character arc. He had loved Dahlia for most of his life but never knew how to show it. I loved his banter with Dahlia, which eventually turned into pranks. I loved him getting more in touch with his feelings and giving himself a chance to feel his way through his decade of grief over losing his father. He started the book very closed off, but Dahlia being back in his life really jump started his heart. Dahlia was the perfect match for Julian. He broke her heart and cut her out of his life ten years ago and she was coming out of a toxic relationship that followed that heartbreak. She had a lot of work on herself to do and I loved that she was doing that. She had just as big of a character arc as Julian. She had a lot of mental hurdles to overcome and a lot of secrets she needed to deal with. I loved the Hispanic flair of this book. Both Julian and Dahlia had short tempers and burned so hot and their Hispanic heritage definitely came out in those characteristics. I loved the Spanish phrases that Lauren added and Julian and Dahlia’s over the top mothers. As a whole I loved this book. My only complaint was the pacing in the first half of the book.

If there's one thing I love is when authors connect their books together somehow and Lauren Asher has always been really good at doing that. I really enjoyed getting a glimpse of our Kane men. When I started reading this book and saw that the characters were Hispanic and that some things were in Spanish I was concerned about the accuracy of it. That's one of my major pet peeves, however Asher did it so well. I mean the fact that Julian confessed his love for Dahlia in Spanish has more significance that you could ever know. So why am I just giving it a 3.5? I felt like the animosity between Julian and Dahlia got built up so much that I expected their relationship to be a little more slow burn, however it just happened so fast that it sort of felt dimensional.

I was sold the moment I read this dedication: "To those whose love language is words of affirmation. Your praise kink is safe with me (and Julian Lopez). I'm a firm believer that you find the right books to read at just the right time in your life, and that is definitely true with Love Redesigned. Not only is it my favorite Lauren Asher book to date, but I identified with this book so deeply that it will forever be one of my favorite books. 💜 "Funny how confidence can take years to build and only a few interactions to destroy." I honestly can't think of a single thing that I didn't like about it. The plot was wonderful. I laughed (a lot), I cried, and I giggled. It was beautifully laid out, giving you the opportunity to truly feel the ups & downs along with the characters. There were so many lines, especially in Dahlia's point of view, that resonated with me. "Keeping up false pretenses was a craft I honed over the years, making sure no one could see through the mask I held in place to shield my anxiety, insecurities, and relationship issues." The relationship between Julian and Dehlia was perfect. Julian definitely raised my standards, which were already impossibly high due to my many books boyfriends, but I think this line is one that really sealed Julian's place on my list of ultimate book boyfriends: "Whatever it is, I'll fix it Whoever hurt her, I'll ruin them. And whenever she needs someone to lean on, I will be there." And this because, I mean.. 🤷‍♀️ "Words of affirmation are my love language." He wraps his hand around the back of my neck. "Explains why you love being called a good girl while riding my cock." I could go on even longer about how much I loved this book but I'll wrap it up. It's definitely one of my top 5 books of the year and I can't wait to read the next one!

Julian and Dahlia. Where do I start? Julian, our MMC, definitely has a grumpy attitude but is sweet, thoughtful and a heart of gold. That hard exterior crumbles when it comes to Dahlia whom he is absolutely in love with and would do anything for. Dahlia, our FMC, unfortunately has lost her way and herself however we see her as loving, kind and down-to-earth. They both have some healing to go through and its wonderful to see the growth. Also, instead of running away from their fears, they are both forced to face them and choose to overcome them both individually and together. Julian and Dahlia grew up together and have been rivals since practically they were born. Their pranks, their banter their heartache and romance made for a great story. I tend to annotate and use book tabs for my emotions felt through a book and this book made me laugh from start to finish. Julian and Dahlias talents and passions gave me major HGTV vibes. Another thing I enjoyed about the book is the family dynamic. Julian and Dahlia grew up together due to their mothers being close from childhood. And due to the fact of their mothers being close, both families spend a great deal of time together for dinners and holidays. Love Redesigned is a great beginning to Lauren Asher’s new series. Julian and Dahlia are a great couple and I found myself cheering them on. Their love story was an emotional rollercoaster built on second chances and enemies-to-lovers. The supporting characters all played a beautiful role and there a few surprise character from Lauren Asher’s other series that pop up. ⭐️4/5 🌶 2/5 Tropes: Billionaire Enemies-to-lovers Small town romance

Este libro!!!!!! Lauren Asher knocks it out of the park every time. If you were a fan of her Dreamland Billionaires series, you’ll enjoy this book and it’s many mentions of the Kane brothers. If you were one of those rare people that didn’t enjoy that series, why are you still here, Hater?!?? Begone!!!!! Love Redesigned centers around main character Dahlia Muñoz, and interior designer who has finally returned hometown after a bad breakup with her fiancé. She runs to the safety of Lake Wisteria where she hopes to recuperate from some terrible news, but a fender bender throws a past mistake by the name of Julian Lopez right back into her face. Time has treated him well and he’s looking more handsome than ever, but she’s done trusting men with her heart—especially when he’s broken it once before. She’s determined to stay away from the striking billionaire, but reality has a different plan. Julian can’t stand to be in the same room as the girl who got away all those years ago. His fondest memories all trace back to his childhood rivalry with Dahlia, but he’s locked all that away. She’s back in town fresh from a break up with his former friend and ex-roommate Oliver, and old feelings are already starting to resurface. How can he avoid the only girl he’s ever really loved? Julian and Dahlia have always been at odds, even when they were kids. Now they’re all grown up and their meddling mothers won’t let go of the idea that they’re perfect for each other. Julian’s mother somehow swindles him into a joint project with Dahlia and sits back to watch the fireworks explode. This was such a good progression from rivals to lovers. They pushed each other to be better and I liked the even though they “hated” each other they still admired each other’s accomplishments. I giggled so much throughout this book reading their insane banter. The stuff they say to each other is a stones throw away from unhinged, but I was kicking my feet with each threat of murder. It’s all in good fun though, and definitely made me crack up at the ridiculousness of it all. I might be a little unhinged myself because I feel like this was the best kind of relationship. They had mean nicknames for each other, inside jokes, and sooooo much tension. When they finally gave in, I was dancing with joy. There’s so much going on in this book. Between their meddling families and Dahlia’s hateful ex, I was hooked. Sure it was all predictable, but it didn’t take away from the satisfaction. I’m in love with this world Lauren Asher has created. With each new character I find myself being pulled in more and more. Plus there was the added joy of these characters being Latinx. It was such a fun difference from the Dreamland Billionaires and it was entertaining to embrace their culture. They reminded me so much of my own Hispanic family. The translations in book were so helpful, and made for a smooth reading experience. Haters will hate, but I’m fully invested in this family and I’m already looking forward to seeing all the ways the nanny makes Rafa lose his mind in book two.

I would recommend this book to anyone. It was an easy read. It had some of the best tropes; billionaire, small town, childhood rivals, and one of my favorites-second chance. We meet Julian and Dahlia, who have known each other since they were kids as their families are close, which forced them to grow up together, but they were always pranking each other, competing against one another, and just bantering back and forth. Julian is a billionaire app developer and Dahlia is a well known interior designer that has a show renovating house with her fiancé who comes back to her hometown after a devastating breakup with her ex fiancé, who was also Julian's college roommate! (Yea, I'll let you read about how that all took place). Anyway, Julian's mother really wants Julian to team up with Dahlia on a home project to pull her out of the sadness she's been feeling since her broken engagement. Julian is hesitant to do it, but basically breaks to his mothers request. With the time that Julian and Dahlia are forced to spend together it starts to bring back old feelings that maybe weren't all to do with hating each other or being rivals afterall. They are forced to acknowledge those feelings that they have both tried to deny for years. This story was just so swoon... that praise the Julian give Dahlia that really starts to bring back her confidence that she was lacking is precious. His ways of remembering things about her that she never knew he paid attention to was just the sweetest. I love a good second chance romance. It forces the characters to evaluate their feelings while also trying to communicate about what hurt them in the past and testing them on how they can move past it if they want to see a future together. I loved how Julian wasn't going to give her up this time, no matter what it took. He was in it to convince her that his love for her was here to stay.

In my humble opinion, Lauren Asher can do no wrong. I absolutely love her books and this was no exception. Final Offer and Redeemed are two of my favorite books, and I was excited to dive into this one because I knew I would love it. First of all, the cover is just so pretty! The purple and the gazebo and the paint samples... it all just works. I'm excited for another series and to read about hot billionaires and the women they love. It's such a guilty pleasure, and Lauren Asher does it so well. I fell immediately for Dahlia and Julian and was kicking my feet and giggling throughout the entire book. I love the growth they both showed, and Dahlia is such a force. I wanted to knock her ex's teeth out but Julian was her knight in shining armor and she deserves it. I would consider this not only a childhood rivals to lovers trope, but also a second chance romance in a lot of ways because Dahlia and Julian lost out on their shot once, and they basically become enemies but really, they've just been in love with each other this whole time. There were some really fun and laugh out loud moments, like them crashing their cars into each other upon meeting again, pranks pulled, breaking each other's phones, even getting ARRESTED together. The smut was SUPER HOT too, like I was just sweating and crossing my own legs. Their sexual tension after literal decades and chemistry was tangible and jumped off the page. I REALLY loved the footnotes at the end of each chapter that explain the Spanish translations, because even though I know Spanish, I really appreciate when this added to a book because I know others might not be familiar. I think it's crucial when you are writing characters of differenct races who speak other languages, and I think Lauren Asher did a great job. It was such a treat for me to see characters from the other books, like Cal, Alana, Cami, mentions of Declan and Iris and even Elias Cruz. I loved this book and I cannot wait for the rest of the series!

Dopo aver letto il primo libro della Dreamland non ero rimasta troppo colpita dall'autrice, ma questo romanzo ha ribaltato completamente la mia opinione. Il mix tra evoluzione dei personaggi, sviluppo della storia e tutte le difficoltà che affrontano è perfetto, ci sono state scene che mi hanno lasciato l'emozione addosso per pagine intere. L'ambientazione è molto suggestiva senza essere stucchevole, così come le sfaccettature che caratterizzano i protagonisti: Julian non è il solito milionario vuoto, ma deve solo capire come riscoprire le emozioni che l'hanno accompagnato negli inizi del suo lavoro. Dahlia, d'altronde, deve combattere per ritrovarsi e tornare ad amarsi dopo che la sua essenza è stata quasi del tutto risucchiata, e chi meglio della persona che ha l'ha sempre spronata e sfidata per farlo? Mi è piaciuto davvero tutto di questa storia e mi ha lasciato anche una grande curiosità per i prossimi romanzi della serie!

Was für ein Buch, so schön von Anfang an. Eine perfekte Liebesgeschichte, mit so wundervollen Charakteren sowie den Kane Brüdern. Es hat alles gestimmt, besonders Julian. Ohhh, Julian, ich glaube, ich habe mich verliebt, für mich ist der Traummann!Sensibel, selbstlos, sarkastisch und humorvoll und so liebenswert. Dieser Mann ist ein Traum. Er hat sie vom ersten Moment geliebt und hat das in jedem seiner Taten ihr bewiesen.

It is a lovely and funny romance, with a lot of love and family interaction. A good caracter development for the main couple. Nice reading!

Lauren Asher ate once again. THIS BOOK FELT LIKE A WARM HUG—i love all these characters already, Julian and dahlia have my HEART. the way Julian was literally ready to give up everything for her was 😭😭😭 he’s the standard. i can’t wait for this series to continue <3

The cutest romance story. You fall in love with and route for the characters in the story! A great read! Can't wait for book 2 coming out in June.