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Two entrepreneurs compete for a property but secure the biggest win of all—each other—in this second chance romantic comedy by USA Today bestselling author Sharon C. Cooper.
Spoiled, fickle, and prissy are only a few of the adjectives that have been used to describe Morgan Redford. Though she’s never had to worry about money, she’s determined to make a name for herself on her own terms. Her new venture won’t be an epic fail like her former professional cuddling service or the short-lived pet hotel. This time, through the nonprofit she cofounded, Morgan is doing something meaningful—helping teens who are aging out of foster care—and she’s got her eye on a property that could house these kids. But the competition is steep, and one of the bidders is someone she never expected. . . .
When real estate developer Drake Faulkner learns that his ex—the one who ghosted him years ago—is a potential buyer for the property his eccentric mentor is selling, his competitive streak amps up. No way is he letting her win the property he wants. Bitter? Yes. Petty? Probably. But his mentor has a stipulation: potential buyers must participate in an Ironman competition of sorts for the property. Drake refuses to play along with this ridiculous demand, until he discovers Morgan has signed up. If Little Miss Can’t Run a Block Without Gasping for Air is doing it, he will too. But as the gauntlet of games heats up and forces them to face the past, they are met with a pull that feels all too familiar.
Now, if only they could keep their eyes on the prize instead of on each other—but who’s to say they can’t do both?
Two entrepreneurs compete for a property but secure the biggest win of all—each other—in this second chance romantic comedy by USA Today bestselling author Sharon C. Cooper.
Spoiled, fickle, and prissy are only a few of the adjectives that have been used to describe Morgan Redford. Though she’s never had to worry about money, she’s determined to make a name for herself on her own terms. Her new venture won’t be an epic fail like her former professional cuddling service or the short-lived pet hotel. This time, through the nonprofit she cofounded, Morgan is doing something meaningful—helping teens who are aging out of foster care—and she’s got her eye on a property that could house these kids. But the competition is steep, and one of the bidders is someone she never expected. . . .
When real estate developer Drake Faulkner learns that his ex—the one who ghosted him years ago—is a potential buyer for the property his eccentric mentor is selling, his competitive streak amps up. No way is he letting her win the property he wants. Bitter? Yes. Petty? Probably. But his mentor has a stipulation: potential buyers must participate in an Ironman competition of sorts for the property. Drake refuses to play along with this ridiculous demand, until he discovers Morgan has signed up. If Little Miss Can’t Run a Block Without Gasping for Air is doing it, he will too. But as the gauntlet of games heats up and forces them to face the past, they are met with a pull that feels all too familiar.
Now, if only they could keep their eyes on the prize instead of on each other—but who’s to say they can’t do both?
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Excerpts-
From the cover
Chapter One
With a death grip on her cell phone, Morgan Redford sprinted down the quiet hallway as fast as her four-inch Louboutins could carry her. She rushed past the large copy machine and the small conference room before sliding to a stop when she reached her best friend's office.
"Oh, my God, Izzy!" Morgan panted and stumbled into the tuna-can-size space. "I'm so glad you're here. I need your help!"
Isabella bolted from her seat and rounded her desk. "What? What happened?" She gripped Morgan's shoulders. "Are you hurt? Is it one of the kids?"
Morgan waved her off, shaking her head as she eased out of her friend's grip. Still huffing and puffing, she leaned forward and placed her hands on her knees, swiping a few microbraids out of her face in the process.
"Morgan, so help me . . . You're scaring me. If you don't tell me what happened, I'm going-"
"Give me a second. Running through the halls in these shoes and these tight-ass pants," she wheezed, "takes a lot out of a woman." She finally stood upright. "Okay, I have a TikTok emergency. I need you to help me with one of the dances, and I need you to do it now. Otherwise, there's going to be hell to pay."
Isabella's stormy gaze bore into her like two serrated knives, ready to twist and turn into her gut.
Morgan frowned. "What? What did I do?"
"Are you freaking serious right now?" Isabella stomped past Morgan and slammed the office door. "Your ass scared me to death! If you ever barge in here like that again, you really are going to need help because I'm going to wrap my hands around your scrawny little neck and-"
"All right, all right, geez," Morgan said, eying her friend.
Tall, with olive skin and long, orange-ginger hair that was pulled into a messy ponytail on top of her head, Isabella Jeter, her best friend since kindergarten, was a knockout even on her bummiest days, like today. Instead of her usual work attire-a nice blouse and dress pants-she sported an old, fitted T-shirt and worn, gray sweats that made her look grungy from the neck down, but that didn't detract from her perfectly made-up face, and she still wore her signature red lipstick.
She was dressed down since she planned to finish painting the small, upstairs multipurpose room.
Isabella continued glowering.
"Calm down. There's no need for threats of violence," Morgan told her.
Isabella threw up her hands. "I can not believe you," she snapped, and marched back to her desk.
Morgan stood speechless as her friend and business partner dropped down into her leather desk chair.
"Why are you mad at me? This is important." Morgan set her phone down and leaned on the desk. "Last week, the kids challenged me to a TikTok dance, and I totally forgot about it. I'm not prepared and, Izzy, if I don't make a good showing, I'm never going to hear the end of it."
Isabella continued glowering. "Why am I mad? 'Cause you scared me to death. I thought something was really wrong. Mo, I love you like a sister, but everything I love about you also drives me nuts. You're acting so flippant about the meeting you have in a couple of hours, and instead, you're worried about your damn dance moves. Where are your priorities?"
"Iz, my priorities are on point. Why are you trippin'?"
Isabella pounded her fist on a stack of file folders. "Because this meeting is important, Morgan. Open Arms needs that building, and you know that," she said. "Instead of strategizing a plan, you're out there perfecting your Cardi B shuffle or whatever! You don't have time to be clowning around."
Six months ago, she and Isabella had founded the nonprofit Open Arms with...
Reviews-
September 12, 2022 Long-lost loves compete in Cooper’s light and delightful sequel to Business Not as Usual. Fun-loving Morgan Redford is passionate about her new nonprofit, Open Arms, which aims to support young adults who are aging out of foster care. She puts in a bid on a property that could house these teens only to find that her first love and college sweetheart, sensible developer Drake Faulkner, is after the same house—and the quirky seller will accept the bid of whoever can win a series of physical competitions. When Drake’s parents died leaving him the sole guardian to his toddler twin siblings, Morgan couldn’t handle the responsibility and left him without a word. Drake was devastated, and seeing Morgan again reawakens old wounds. Still, the building in question was designed by his father, so he’s determined to stay focused, keep his distance, and win the Ironman–style showdown for the house. Meanwhile, Morgan hopes to prove that she’s matured and is finally ready for the life Drake once planned for them. There are plenty of smiles in store, if not all-out laughter, as the competition ramps up. Morgan and Drake’s palpable chemistry, emotional connection, and admirable personal growth make them easy to cheer on. Readers will be charmed. Agent: Melissa Jeglinski, Knight Agency.
October 1, 2022
Los Angeles real estate developer Drake Faulkner finds out his top competition in the race to purchase an eccentric billionaire's building is none other than spoiled and fickle Morgan Redford, his ex-college sweetheart. Older and wiser, Morgan is determined to explain to Drake why she broke his heart without even a goodbye all those years ago while also not giving him an inch in the competition. She needs the building to help her growing non-profit serving teens aging out of the foster care system. As the Ironman-inspired race proceeds, Morgan lets Drake and his siblings (14-year-old twins whom he is raising) into her heart. But she still wonders if she's cut out for the domestic bliss Drake has wanted with her for all these years. VERDICT With plenty of physical humor, hijinks, and heart, this is a fun, steamy second-chance romance that builds on the world Cooper began with Business Not As Usual. Recommended for readers who also enjoyed Farrah Rochon's The Boyfriend Project.--Elizabeth Gabriel
Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
November 1, 2022 Cooper (Business Not As Usual, 2022) delivers another cheeky rom-com featuring two Black entrepreneurs who are former college sweethearts fighting for the winning bid on the same property. Morgan Redford never completed her fashion degree, but she's still a talented designer whose one-of-a-kind outfits hug her curves perfectly, a detail that ex-flame Drake Faulkner notices even after a decade apart. He was crushed when Morgan left college for Europe, but raising his siblings while enrolled in school and working part-time prevented him from dealing with his broken heart. Ten years later, Morgan is more mature and ready to turn her nonprofit into a blossoming community center for foster kids aging out of the system, and she needs this Hollywood property. Unfortunately, so does Drake, who wants the building his father designed to preserve his family's legacy, and he won't budge even though Morgan is starting to squeeze her way into his frigid heart. Trust and responsibility go hand-in-hand in Cooper's surprisingly funny, sexy, and realistic romance with movie adaptation potential. Recommended for all libraries.
COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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