Passion on Park Avenue by Lauren Layne
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

From the author of the New York Times bestselling Stiletto and Oxford series, the first in a sizzling new series following the unlikely friendship of three Upper East Side women as they struggle to achieve their dreams and find true love and happiness in the city that never sleeps. 

For as long as she can remember, Bronx-born Naomi Powell has had one goal: to prove her worth among the Upper East Side elite—the same people for which her mom worked as a housekeeper. Now, as the strongminded, sassy CEO of one of the biggest jewelry empires in the country, Naomi finally has exactly what she wants—but it’s going to take more than just the right address to make Manhattan’s upper class stop treating her like an outsider.

The worst offender is her new neighbor, Oliver Cunningham—the grown son of the very family Naomi’s mother used to work for. Oliver used to torment Naomi when they were children, and as a ridiculously attractive adult, he’s tormenting her in entirely different ways. Now they find themselves engaged in a battle-of-wills that will either consume or destroy them…

Filled with charm and heart and plenty of sex and snark, this entertaining series will hook you from the very first page.



I'm looking forward to the next book in this trilogy since each book is about one of the women who got taken in by the same sleazeball man! One is the deceased's wife and the other two are his mistresses. These women make for the perfect trio of friends.

The writing is good, there is humor, the romance aspect is a little frustrating (when the deed finally gets done, it is with the perfect 'fade to dark' scene) and the story is a little repetitive, but one of the lessons a reader will learn is that pride goeth before a fall and this makes up for some of the flaws. There is also another serious aspect to this book and that is about Alzheimer's. This made for a surprise twist to the storyline of this book.

I ended up enjoying this book much more than I thought I would. It is way more than your typical chick-lit romance.


*ARC supplied by publisher.


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