The Bachelor Auction

Rachel Van Dyken

Oct 2016 · Sold by Forever

About this ebook

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 favßade. 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 . . .

Ratings and reviews

4.5 The Bachelor Auction is the first book in the Bachelors of Arizona series. I couldn't be a bigger fan of Rachel Van Dyken if I tried. I've read all of her books and I love them all for very different reasons. The Bachelor Auction is a little different Rachel book. Yes, this is a modern take on Cinderella but it's also more sexual and more adult than some of her other books. Brock is trying to run his family business. He's thirty-five years old, but he's never let himself have fun. That's what his twin brothers are for. They are fun, crazy, womanizers who make Brock's life a living hell sometimes. Their grandfather comes up with a scheme to help the company with their publicity issues. A bachelor auction and Brock is the first to be auctioned off. On a rare night when he's not the usual boring Brock, he meets a sweet, beautiful stranger, Jane. She breaks her shoes and is whisked away by Brock. She can't help but be instantly attracted to him. His smell, his face, the caring way he handles her. And the way he gets her new shows. Really pretty, expensive shoes. But it's too much to take and she runs. Brock needs to find her. There's something about her that got under his skin and he needs to see her again. Jane runs a cleaning company and is hired for a job out of town. Just when she almost forgets about Brock he show ups where she's working. And he's not leaving. Their attraction grows more and more every day. He's sexy and has a dirty mouth, but he's no prince. So, Jane has to deal with sexy Brock, an ass, a cock and Brock's crazy twin brothers. Brock wants Jane. More than anything he's ever wanted, but he's about to be auctioned to the highest bidder. How is this his life? Being back in his childhood home is bringing back memories he doesn't want to face. Can Jane help him move on? Will Brock go through with the auction and leave Jane behind? I enjoyed this story. Brock and Jane have hilarious banter and I loved the twins. I might be looking forward to their stories more than I was looking forward to this one! "You know, once you go Brock you never go back." "It would be bad enough if there were only one of you, but there's two. Literally." "Good, then you have two minutes to remove every stitch of clothing on your body and meet me in my room." "What, no please?" "Now. Please." "Only a complete idiot would walk out of this room right now." "Which is why it's so surprising you're still here." "Cute." "I thought so."

THE BACHELOR AUCTION is a modern-day Cinderella story full of laughs, saucy sexual innuendo, drunken playboys, evil bitches, a conniving grandfather, a lonely workaholic prince and a beautiful maid that’s anything but plain. WOW! Rachel Van Dyken captured my attention from the very first page and held it tightly all the way to the end! I am thoroughly enchanted! Brock Wellington is super dreamy! Of all his brothers, he’s known as the responsible, level-headed and boring one! He’s busy helping his grandfather run their company and looking after his twin brothers who spend more time partying and womanizing than being in the boardroom. Jane is a sweet, kind and hard-working woman with two of the most ungrateful sisters ever created. They share a house and the evil sisters (bitches) guilt Jane into cooking, cleaning, laundry and even loaning them money. Jane’s parents both passed away and her father asked her to keep the family together, so that’s what Jane’s been doing, despite the mental and physical toll it’s taking on her. One night at a party, Jane falls into the eyes of the most handsome, kind and charming man she’s ever met. This perfect stranger rescues her from a humiliating wardrobe malfunction and when she breaks a heel on her shoe, he buys her new ones. This simple act of kindness sets off a chain of serendipitous events neither Brock nor Jane ever expected or imagined! I loved so many things about this story! I loved that Brock and Jane are so much more than their labels and their stations. They hurt and bleed and yearn and hope and they tugged hard on my heartstrings. I loved the idea of a Cinderella story with so many exciting twists. I loved the humor and witty dialogue. I can’t tell you how many times I laughed out loud! What I didn’t love were Jane’s sisters. They were mean, cruel, heartless and mean. I hope something equally nasty happens to them….like going to jail for tax fraud or losing their hair or maybe having a house dropped on them! It was hard to read their scenes, but they were needed to shape Jane’s character throughout the story and then to give her the strength she needed in the end. And then there’s Brock’s younger brothers who are twins—Bentley and Brant—and blatant womanizers, philanderers, man whores, alcoholics and a whole bunch of other naughty/bad boy things. They were fun for a laugh and definitely loved their brother enough to help him find happiness. I loved that Bentley and Brant were so much more than the stereotypical playboy. I’m excited to see if they get their own books! The boys’ grandfather was tough to figure out. He was both hard and soft and yet held his cards close to the vest. I wasn’t sure what he was up to until it was finally revealed! There’s also a wacky “fairy godmother” type that was a hoot and a half! I absolutely loved her and I know readers will too! This is my first read by the author and I absolutely loved it. I laughed, I cried, I loved. And I highly recommend THE BACHELOR AUCTION to any reader searching for her—or his—happily ever after. ***I want to thank the publisher for generously offering me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All conclusions reached are my own***

Brock Wellington – Boring Brock – lives his life according to his grandfather’s wishes and for the family business, out of guilt. He can’t say no to him, not anymore. And when Brock’s grandfather announces that he’s auctioning him at a charity event, Brock wants to say no, but of course, he doesn’t. Even when it’s clear that his grandfather set up the auction to marry off Brock to pacify the shareholders, mostly because Brock’s wayward younger twin brothers Brant and Bentley are decidedly not helping, image-wise. Poor Jane – Plain Jane – runs her deceased father’s business, the Cinderella Cleaning Company, and she is frazzled, mostly due to her two selfish, lazy older sisters: Esmeralda and Essence, who treat her like a slave. Jane can’t help herself but try to deal with it; she promised her father that she’d keep the family together, and her two sisters are all she has, but it’s killing her. One evening, her dreadful sisters drag Jane to a club, where Jane breaks a shoe, and is rescued by a gloriously handsome and charming man in whose world she does not belong: Brock’s. I knew going in THE BACHELOR AUCTION that I should not expect a realistic story, after all it is based on Cinderella, so no big surprise there. Right from the start, the premise is rather preposterous and highly improbable, and this more than I could have imagined. Brock comes off as rather beastly; Brant and Bentley are obnoxious, oversexed jerks; Essence and Esmeralda are broad caricatures; and Brock and Jane are, let’s be honest, doormats. THE BACHELOR AUCTION is a book I should not have liked, and yet I loved it! I am not exactly sure what makes it work as well as it does, apart from the sheer comic genius of Rachel Van Dyken writing the most hilarious dialogues I have ever read! How funny? Think classic Laurel and Hardy or Abbott and Costello! THE BACHELOR AUCTION is an uproariously funny farce, with characters painted in neon colours, and where the events unfold at a dizzying pace. This book is a magnificent comedic tour de force that might have been an epic fail in the hands of a lesser writer. And yet, amidst the surreal hilarity there is a tender and sweet romance, ingenious plot twists, and superb character development; the proof? I ended up loving Brant and Bentley, and I can hardly wait for the next instalment featuring the latter. It takes a lot to make me laugh out loud while reading, and few books have made me laugh so much over the years. If you need a really good laugh, THE BACHELOR AUCTION is THE book to read! I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

About the author

Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of new adult, regency, and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor. She keeps her home in Idaho with her husband, son, and their snoring boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at www.rachelvandykenauthor.com.