Review: The Bachelor Auction by Rachel Van Dyken

The Bachelor Auction by Rachel Van Dyken

(The Bachelors of Arizona #1)

October 4, 2016

Genre: Contemporary Romance 18+

Contains: sex, language, sexual references

Cinderella never had to deal with this crap.

Jane isn't entirely sure that Cinderella got such a raw deal. Sure, she had a rough start, but didn't she eventually land a prince and a happily-ever-after? Meanwhile, Jane is busy waiting on her demanding, entitled sisters, running her cleaning business, and . . . yep, not a prince in sight. Until a party and a broken shoe incident leave Jane wondering if princes---or at least, a certain deliciously hunky billionaire---maybe do exist.

Except Brock Wellington isn't anyone's dream guy. Hell, a prince would never agree to be auctioned off in marriage to the highest bidder. Or act like an arrogant jerk---even if it was just a façade. Now, as Brock is waiting for the auction chopping block, he figures it's karmic retribution that he's tempted by a sexy, sassy woman he can't have. But while they can't have a fairy-tale ending, maybe they can indulge in a little bit of fantasy...

This was another fun read from Rachel Van Dyken. What was my response when I heard a modern twist on Cinderella combined with RVD's humor? Yes, please! Jane and Brock's story was a really creative take on Cinderella. "Plain Jane" is an actual house cleaner, and lives with her two truly awful sisters. But somehow fate brings Jane into the sights of Brock. "Boring Brock" may be wealthy, but his life is heavily tied to his Grandfather's wishes. One such wish is a bachelor auction with Brock as the main prize, only solidifying grandfather's control over Brock. How can Brock please his grandfather without sacrificing Jane?

There were a lot of great things about this story, one of which was RVD's trademark humor. Not only did Brock and Jane have some cute, funny banter, but Brock's twin brothers brought the level of hilarity up a notch or two. I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of the "manwhore," which both of Brock's brothers are, but as brothers and friends to Jane, they are awesome and I loved them in this story.

I also liked the main characters, Brock and Jane. Now, admittedly they took some warming up to. Both have suffered from being doormats for many years. My instinct is to shake them and give them back bones. But together they really are a perfect match. Healing each other's demons and giving each other a reason to hope and strive for more. They were so sweet together and I couldn't help but root for them.

This may not be my favorite RVD book. But it was a solidly enjoyable love story with a sweet couple and fun twist on the Cinderella fairy tale.

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