Series Review: The Agency by Stella Gray

Fresh Fridays: On Friday, I review a brand new series (ie. only has one book released so far) to see if the series is worth keeping up with. Here is this week’s offering:

The Agency Series

Synopsis for Secret Offer (from Goodreads):

We’ll marry her off to the highest bidder…but I’ll pay the price.

The Agency is an open secret among men of a certain tax bracket.

You need a wife who understands your lifestyle? We’ll hand-select options from the eligible daughters of men who’d love to cement a business alliance with you. Sometimes, the daughters don’t even know they’re being set up.

That’s my specialty: I run a Caribbean resort so exclusive it doesn’t even have a website, arranging meet-cutes between rich men and their future trophy wives.

I wasn’t looking for love myself.

Blair found me, brooding on a beach the week before my next client showed up.

She made me break my rule about never going back for more. Over and over again. Our one-week stand was hotter than July on the island.

And then my client introduced me to the daughter who doesn’t know he’s signed her with the Agency. The woman I’m in charge of setting up with one of the men her father has chosen for her.

Blair.

SERIESous’ Top Picks: Must Read Author
Author: Stella Gray
Series: The Agency
# of Books: 3 (Full Reading Order Here)
Book Order: Connected
Complete?: No
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Heat Rating: Hot
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Date: February 8, 2024 – ongoing
Source & Format: Author–eARC

Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:

Once I read my first Stella Gray book, Broken Bride, I knew I found a new must read author. I love her contemporary romances with their blend of heat, drama and fantastic characters. So when I read the synopsis for the first book in this series, I was completely on board!

What I Liked:

–Forbidden Romance–

WOW, the chemistry between these two was fantastic! Even without the angst of a forbidden romance, I loved how well they complimented each other. They truly brought out the best in the other. But that added layer of the starcrossed lovers to their story, just magic and it made everything have higher stakes. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next!

–The Plot–

I thought the marriage bidding was an interesting premise. I love a good dark romance and that element to the plot brought a suspenseful edge to the story. I couldn’t wait to see how it would all unravel when the truth was revealed.

What I Didn’t Like:

–It Felt a Little Rushed Near the End–

This is a bit of a stretch as I really just enjoy this book from start to finish, but I think the conclusion could have been teased out a little more to resolve the various plot points. It just made the plot seem slightly lopsided.

My Expectations for the Rest of the Series:

While the rest of the crew in the agency didn’t have a huge role in this novel, we got just enough of them for me to wonder what their stories would be like. I’m excited to see what passionate romance will happen next.

–June 18, 2024– Book #2: Cruel Offer

I’m a little torn on this one, but only because I loved the first book so much and this one is quite different. This book is a little more hard and fast. It lacked that deeper connection between the characters like the first book did to me. But that is also to be expected with 2 leads who aren’t really sure what it means to show love. It’s weird to say but this was almost like a slow burn romance even though these two have been heating things up in the bedroom from the start.

I think the other thing holding me back on these two was the plot and how it just appears a little out of nowhere? It just didn’t totally add up for me about why this whole arrangement was necessary in the first place.