Hey ForeverBookers,
How are you all today? I hope you’re well!
I’ve just finished reading “Terms and Conditions” by Lauren Asher and I BLOODY WELL LOVED IT!!!!! It had everything I look for in a good book and more, from the romantic tension and boy, oh boy was there a LOT of that, to the emotional/vulnerable parts that make our MC’s seem like real people.
“Terms and Conditions,” book 2 in the Dreamland Billionaires series, starts with our FMC, Iris who’s set her boss, Declan up on a date so he can get married in a convoluted ceremony, so he can claim his inheritance from his grandfather. His grandfather made separate wills for each of his grandsons. Rowan, who’s the central character of the first book, “The Fine Print” needed to find a woman to accept him. Declan needs to do that, but also marry her and have a child with her. Luckily for him, Iris already works with him so knows him very well. While she doesn’t just accept Declan for who he is, she does slowly fall in love with him, but what terms and conditions, to use the title of the book does she need to accept and does Declan accept her as she is? I’ll let you read for yourself, but it’s very sweet!
I read this for a readathon, which was were
Reading Rivalry - Red and Green on cover (May) - the cover for “Terms & Conditions” is green and white!
Spoilers Below…
“I’m not the one getting married.”
His eyes flicker over my face. “No, but you’re the puppet master who accomplished the impossible.”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
“Now I know something is wrong with you. Are you…sad Declan’s getting married?” His voice drops lower than usual.
A laugh bursts out of me. “What? No.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
My head hangs and a few spiral curls fall in front of my eyes.”
This is on page 1 of the book. Iris is down in the dumps because she didn’t get a job she applied for. It’s got nothing to do with Declan’s impending nuptials. Although when she learns that his fiancée, Bethany left him it puts an idea in her head. Why can’t she be said fiancée? Why can’t they fake a marriage to get Declan’s inheritance?
From the beginning of the book we see Declan as a strict tool of a man. He just wants what’s best for him. This is shown in, “She wasn’t cut out for the job.”
“And what would you like me to do with that information given the fact that we have a hundred people waiting to hear about your engagement to some mystery woman? I’m all ears.”
He stares back at me with narrowed eyes, and I glare right back at him with my hands on my hips.
Cal makes a loud slurping sound as if the remind us of his presence. “I’m also interested in hearing how this will all pan out. Father will be just thrilled to hear about Declan’s failed engagement.”
Oh my God. While his father is unaware of Declan’s letter from Brady Kane detailing the requirements for his inheritance, he isn’t stupid. There’s a reason he is a successful businessman after all. I have no doubt if he catches the faintest hint that this engagement is false, he will go running to Brady’s lawyer. And if the lawyer believes him, Declan could lose everything.”
Iris obviously cares about Declan. We see this from the start of the book. She knows him really well, as I said above. I love it when our main characters already know each other before the plot starts. I’m fine with characters getting to know each other too but it just progresses a bit quicker when they already know each other as in this case. In “The Fine Print,” Zahra and Rowan met at the beginning of the book so they didn’t have years of knowledge of each other to work off.
When Declan meets Iris’s mom and Nana, he’s not put off by how different they are to him.
“Is now a good moment to tell you about the time Iris set a church on fire?” Mom grins.
“I can’t wait to hear about this one.” Declan doesn’t even try to hide the amusement in his voice.” This was refreshing to read. I don’t know the last book I read where the man wasn’t slightly afraid of the girl’s family.
After they’re married, Iris and Declan’s honeymoon isn’t all Iris wanted. Declan is on his phone a lot, working. He doesn’t know how a husband is meant to act, I guess. He hasn’t had any role models. His father certainly isn’t a good example to follow. Iris walks out at one point. But Declan does redeem himself somewhat when he spots an animal that Iris said she wanted to see. This bonds them more.
Speaking of bonds, Cal, Declan’s middle brother is a big part of “Terms And Conditions” too. He’s Iris’s best friend, though. This is established on page 1 of the book. As her best friend, he’s there for her in whatever aspect she needs him to be. But he’s also Declan’s brother, as I said. Cal has a bigger part in “Terms and Conditions” than he did in “The Fine Print.” He’ll have a bigger role in his book, “The Final Offer,” which I’m excited to get to sometime in the future! What happens to our main characters from “Terms and Conditions?” Is married life easy for Iris and Declan to navigate or do they struggle more than they’re willing to admit? I’ll let you read for yourself but the plot is very romance focused which I loved!
Well, I absolutely LOVED “Terms And Conditions” sooooooo much! I’d say it was now my favourite contemporary of the year so far. I obviously don’t know what books I’ll read in the latter half of the year but this will definitely make my top 10 of 2026 somewhere. I think it’s quite hard for a contemporary to be in top spot but at the moment I’d say that this is my top book barring rereads, of the year! The romance was one of the best I’ve ever read. It wasn’t too slowburn that it was annoying, but it wasn’t just a quick “I love you” for either character either. They both had obstacles to overcome to find the love they were seeking. I loved watching their struggles/challenges and maybe reconciliation at the end.
I’m reading “Lore Olympus, Volume 3” by Rachel Smythe next, which I’m super excited to read. I’ll review that in a short form way as I did with volume 1 and 2 so stand by for my review of it, coming soon…
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