From the publisher:

Romance is the biggest scheme of them all in this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy from beloved author Alexa Martin.

Emerson Pierce loves everything about being a kindergarten teacher except the painfully low salary. It isn’t until she hears about Petunia Lemon—an opportunity to sell makeup products, make some extra money, and meet a group of skin-care aficionados—that she begins to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Sure, it sounds a little too good to be true, but what’s the worst that could happen?

Investigative reporter Lucas Miller didn’t always have a chip on his shoulder…until his wife joined Petunia Lemon, drained their savings, and filed for divorce. Now he’s a little bitter, a lot single, and determined to expose the company. After infiltrating their largest convention yet, the last thing he expects is to lose sight of his mission for one night with the gorgeous woman at the bar.

When Emerson and Lucas learn that she’s his daughter’s teacher, they decide to ignore their scorching chemistry. Until things with Petunia Lemon turn downright diabolical and Emerson turns to Lucas for help. They work together to bring the company down but can the two come out on top in this pyramid scheme of love?

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Emerson is a young kindergarten teacher who genuinely loves her job — so much so that I couldn’t help wishing my own kids had a teacher like her. But teaching, like many professions dominated by women, is notoriously low-paying. So when her principal enthusiastically invites her to a Petunia Lemon meeting, promising she’ll have a great time, Emerson decides to give it a try.

The event is a high-energy affair that sweeps Emerson up in its excitement, and she signs up on the spot. Petunia Lemon sells skincare products through multi-level marketing, but like most MLMs, it requires a substantial upfront investment and ongoing costs that Emerson can barely afford. She makes her first payment with her emergency credit card—already a red flag.

After the meeting, Emerson heads to the hotel’s rooftop bar. She loves Old Fashioneds and heard this place makes exceptional ones. The crowded bar offers only a tiny corner table, but before her drink even arrives, a gorgeous man asks to share her space. He introduces himself as Luke Miller, and Emerson is immediately smitten. That Old Fashioned gives her more courage than usual, and soon she and Luke are heading to his room for what she assumes will be a one-night stand—one that will change her life in ways she never imagined.

The next morning, Emerson finds Luke working on his laptop. When he reveals he’s writing an exposé about Petunia Lemon, she’s furious and storms out, convinced she’ll never see him again. So much for the best sex of her life.

As the new school year approaches, Emerson busily prepares her classroom. To her complete shock, Luke walks in with his adorable daughter Isla, who will be in Emerson’s kindergarten class. Luke is divorced and shares custody with his ex-wife—a difficult woman who happens to be close friends with Emerson’s principal. It turns out his ex-wife’s involvement with Petunia Lemon contributed to their marriage’s collapse, which sparked Luke’s investigation into the company.

Meanwhile, Emerson’s financial situation deteriorates as she gets deeper into Petunia Lemon. While she enjoys the friendships she’s formed at the weekly parties, months pass without a single sale or new recruit. When she tries to invoke the company’s “money-back guarantee,” she wastes days on fruitless phone calls that lead nowhere.

As Luke and Emerson see more of each other through his daughter, their attraction reignites. When Luke asks her to spy on Petunia Lemon from the inside, Emerson is fed up enough to agree.

Once Luke’s exposé is published, chaos ensues. When Emerson’s principal discovers she was the informant, she tries to have Emerson fired. But while Emerson is a people-pleaser by nature, she refuses to be a pushover. She fights back — and with Luke by her side, they get the happy ending they deserve.

This was an entertaining read with just the right amount of spice. Martin is one of my favorite contemporary romance authors, and this book showcases her talents beautifully. If you haven’t discovered her work yet, this is an excellent starting point. My only minor complaint is the book’s title, which doesn’t seem to connect to the story in any meaningful way—but that’s a very small quibble with an otherwise terrific read.

7/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

HOW TO SELL A ROMANCE by Alexa Martin. Berkley (July 15, 2025). ISBN: 978-0593816356. 384p.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025 at 9:00 AM and is filed under Book Reviews, Fiction, Romance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.