Review: ‘Just One Night’ by Carly Phillips
Just One Night
by Carly PhillipsSeries: The Kingston Family #1
Published by CP Publishing on April 20, 2021
SubGenres: Contemporary Romance
Format: eBook
Pages: 282
Source: Kobo Plus
Audience: 18+/Adult
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She's the woman he can't live without.
The one he can't risk screwing up their relationship by sleeping with her.
Linc Kingston doesn't accept anything less than perfection. Not in his billion-dollar business or in his personal life. He has it all, except one thing: his personal assistant and best friend in his bed, moaning his name. No matter how much Linc wants her, she's completely off-limits.
Jordan Greene grew up the daughter of the housekeeper at the Kingston estate, where she met and bonded with Linc at a young age, despite their economic differences. But no matter how close they are now or how much their attraction simmers beneath the surface, they're still from two different worlds. Besides, Jordan isn't about to risk losing her best friend for one sensual night.
Jordan might be the only woman who can handle Linc and his domineering, bossy attitude, but beneath that gruff exterior is a vulnerable man who, despite his wealth, has had a less-than-charmed life. And when Linc's father dies, she's there for him--unwavering in her friendship.
Until one night of passion and a positive pregnancy test changes everything.
I love reading romance books that feature the “Friends to Lovers” trope, especially when the characters have known each other since childhood. It’s intriguing to see how well they know each other yet remain unaware of one or both’s long-standing romantic feelings. Another reason why I love this trope and reading is how, eventually, the two characters become more than friends. This is precisely the case in Just One Night, the first standalone book in Carly Phillips’s The Kingston Family series.
Storyline: Jordan and Linc have known each other for years, having grown up together because Jordan and her family used to live on the Kingston family’s estate. Jordan’s mom was the Kingston family’s housekeeper back in the day, and she warned Jordan not to give in to her feelings for Linc due to their different financial backgrounds. Now, as an adult, Jordan works for Linc as his assistant. She not only keeps him in check at work but also his personal life. She knows that Linc didn’t get along with his father very well and that he wasn’t easy to grow up with. Now, she is there for Linc when he finds out a secret that his father is hiding from the family. She’s also there for him when he discovers that his father may have jeopardized the company that Linc took over from him after he passed away.
My Thoughts: I loved Linc and Jordan’s love story and how these two were always pushing and pulling as adults when it came to becoming more. Linc knew he shouldn’t cross the line with Jordan because he didn’t want to lose his friend, and Jordan felt the same way. But it was inevitable that they ended up together, and I was rooting for them the whole time to be together.
One of my favorite things about Linc was how he didn’t care what anyone thought about him being with Jordan. He would stick up for her, even when it came to her mother and how she was against them being together due to what others would think. Even some of Linc’s own family was rooting for him to take the leap with Jordan finally. Jordan, though, was hesitant, especially when something happens between them that is unexpected.
There is an unplanned pregnancy that happens, and it’s not only with the main characters. The one thing that drove me crazy was how Linc reacted when he got the news. He didn’t take it well, and I felt for Jordan, especially since she had something that happened to her in her past that she was still hurt from, and I wanted to go through the book and comfort her. However, I understood Linc’s reaction because he was taken by surprise and he also didn’t want to end up like his father. Linc’s father wasn’t a nice guy, which readers will find out in this book.
I’m so glad I picked up Just One Night on a whim because it’s been a while since I read a Carly Phillips book. Now, I need to make time to go back and read other books she’s written, including the rest of this series. I love the well-developed, lovable, unforgettable characters she writes and the happily ever afters she gives to her characters, even when they can be emotional.
I give Linc and Jordan’s HEA 4.5 stars and look forward to diving more into the Kingston family series.
Single/Dual POV: Dual POV
Standalone or Part of Series: It’s an interconnected standalone in the Kingston Family series.
Would I recommend this book? Yes. If you enjoy reading Friends to Lovers romance stories, then Just One Night is a much read.
What to Expect:
✓Billionaire Romance
✓Workplace Romance
✓Boss/Employee
✓Childhood Friends to Lovers
✓Surprise Pregnancy
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About Carly Phillips
NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller, Carly Phillips is the queen of Alpha Heroes, at least according to The Harlequin Junkie Reviewer.. Carly married her college sweetheart and lives in Purchase, NY along with her crazy dogs who are featured on her Facebook and Instagram pages. The author of over 75 romance novels, she has raised two incredible daughters and is now an empty nester. Carly’s book, The Bachelor, was chosen by Kelly Ripa as her first romance club pick. Carly loves social media and interacting with her readers.
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