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Mari Carr
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Hard and Fast: Billionaire Boss (Italian Stallions Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Mari Carr (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.6 out of 5 stars 520 ratings
A nerdy gamer girl plus her sexy billionaire boss equals one hell of a steamy opposites attract romance.

Penny is tired of being seen as the gamer, the crazy cat lady, the mom-jeans-wearing, YouTube-bingeing, quirky IT girl. She’s barreling toward 29 and ready to make some changes…in her appearance and her nonexistent love life. But she’s smart enough to know she needs help—and who she needs it from. Her billionaire playboy boss, Gage Russo.

Bachelor Gage’s life is typically full of excitement, on the work front and in the bedroom. He’s never lacking for female company and he rarely sleeps alone. Regardless, lately, he can’t shake feeling bored. That is, until Penny challenges him to a friendly wager…one he promptly loses. Her prize? Lessons in seduction—from him.

Lines get blurred as Gage pushes harder…moves faster…teaching Penny things she’s only ever fantasized about. But the playboy with all the smooth moves makes one big mistake when he fails to tell his sexy student that the lessons are no longer fake, and what he wants from her is very, very real.
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  1. Book 2 of 8
    Italian Stallions
  2. Print length
    311 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    June 28, 2022
  5. File size
    2.1 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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From the Publisher

"Don't fall in love with me."
"I won't."
It was the first lie Penny had ever told him...and he pretended it was the truth.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It was sweet, sexy, and fabulous! I'm couldn't put it down. My kindle is still smoking." ★★★★★ A, Goodreads

"Oh my bursting heart...another AHHHHMAAAAZING, steamy, angsty, heartbreaking and heart mending romance filled with all of feels and lessons you could ever want." ★★★★★ Nancy Kehl, Goodreads

"Omg, this book made me laugh out loud!" ★★★★★ Jenna, Goodreads

"Hard and Fast was an amazing mix of playful banter, extremely sexy and sensual scenes and some truly heartfelt moments that blended together to give readers one heck of a romance." ★★★★★ Janine from The World Was Hers for the Reading, Goodreads

"Mari Carr has definitely delivered another fantastic addition to her new Italian Stallion series." ★★★★★ Marni Ortiz, Goodreads

"This book made me laugh A LOT, it made me cry A LITTLE, and it gave me an amazing HEA!" ★★★★★ Carissa, Goodreads

"I loved every word of it." ★★★★★ Sharon Jones, Goodreads

"If you are looking for a super spicy romance with an extraordinary heroine you should check out Hard and Fast." ★★★★★Becky Burrier, Goodreads

"Just WOW!" ★★★★★ Xantippi Leska, Goodreads

"Hard and Fast is the one read you need to put on your summer reading list." ★★★★★ Maureen Ames, Goodreads

"I been waiting for the next book in this series, and it was so worth the wait." ★★★★★ Rowena, Goodreads

"Hard and Fast burns it's way under your skin." ★★★★★ Isha Coleman, Goodreads

"This isn't an ugly duckling story; it is an empowerment story." ★★★★★ Dar, Goodreads

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B09Q1FZ6PK
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Mari Carr Books LLC (June 28, 2022)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 28, 2022
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.1 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 311 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 520 ratings

About the author

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Mari Carr

Mari Carr

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Virginia native Mari Carr is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller of contemporary sexy romance and romantic suspense novels. With over two million copies of her books sold, Mari was the winner of the Romance Writers of America’s Passionate Plume award for her novella, Erotic Research. She has over a hundred published works, including her popular Wild Irish and Compass books, along with the Trinity Masters series she writes with Lila Dubois.

Find Mari on the web at www.maricarr.com. Sign up for Mari's newsletter and never miss a release or special sale - https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/e3b4s4

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
520 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book to be a fun and engaging read with well-developed characters, and one customer particularly appreciates the story between Penny and Gage. Moreover, the book receives positive feedback for its beauty, heat level, and sweetness, with one customer noting how it helps readers gain confidence. Additionally, customers praise the book's pacing, with one describing it as graceful in its development.

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15 customers mention "Readability"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and fun to read, with one customer particularly appreciating the story between Penny and Gage.

"This was such a fun book...." Read more

"Loved this installment. The main female character being an IT needs, was so different and refreshing. Also, kitties. So much fun." Read more

"I loved this book and related so heavily to the FMC. The MMC is awesome too!..." Read more

"...that has everything going for her, but most importantly she is unbelievably smart and in a field that typically isn’t female...." Read more

5 customers mention "Character development"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, with well-developed main characters and engaging secondary characters.

"...The characters were well rounded. The secondary characters (very important to me) were impactful...." Read more

"...There’s also appearances by characters from the previous book, so it didn’t feel like it exits in a bubble, even when it’s a standalone book...." Read more

"...I loved the personalities of these two characters. They are both opposites, and initially they only share the common bond of gaming...." Read more

"...Once again Mari Carr shows she is a master at character development...." Read more

4 customers mention "Beauty"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book beautiful.

"...Helping Penny realize that she is a lovely, confident, brilliant woman makes Gage finally start to realize that the little tingle in the back of his..." Read more

"...She is beautiful in more ways than she can see. It is just going to take a little more for her to see it for herself...." Read more

"Brains and Beauty are gorgeous..." Read more

"Sexy !!!..." Read more

4 customers mention "Heat level"4 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the heat level of the book, describing it as unbelievably hot.

"...But like all Mari Carr novels, yummy, hot, considerate guys make you forget to write your review...." Read more

"...Lots of steamy, sweet, a little angst, mixed with the craziness of the Morettis and the Russos. Loved it!!...." Read more

"This one is hot!I really enjoyed this book( as well as the first one).Penny is a perfect..." Read more

"Unbelievably hot and sweet!..." Read more

4 customers mention "Sweetness"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book sweet, with one describing it as yummy.

"...But like all Mari Carr novels, yummy, hot, considerate guys make you forget to write your review...." Read more

"...Lots of steamy, sweet, a little angst, mixed with the craziness of the Morettis and the Russos. Loved it!!...." Read more

"...( non perfect main lady and Gage was amazing and sweet...." Read more

"Unbelievably hot and sweet!..." Read more

3 customers mention "Confidence"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate how the book helps readers gain confidence, with one mentioning it's the perfect guy to help them find themselves.

"...Helping Penny realize that she is a lovely, confident, brilliant woman makes Gage finally start to realize that the little tingle in the back of his..." Read more

"...He is the perfect guy to help her find herself & lose “something” before her milestone birthday...." Read more

"...Gage helps Penny come out if her shell and helps her gain confidence in herself. Love this book and this series! Can't wait for the next book!" Read more

3 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, with one noting its amazing flow and graceful development.

"...The story and pacing was graceful in its development...." Read more

"...I didn’t want it to end. The writing and flow of this book is amazing. I absolutely recommend this book." Read more

"Hard and Fast is so so good!..." Read more

Loved everything about this book!
5 out of 5 stars
Loved everything about this book!
There was so much about this book that I just loved. Penny was much more than your typical nerdy girl, which endeared her to me, she was turning twenty-nine and wanted to change things up in her life and instead of going on just thinking about changing things she actually did it...with the help of her boss Gage. I know from experience that many people say they want to change things but are really just too scared to actually do it especially if they are shy, which at first I thought Penny was but really she was just socially awkward and that can be worked on and overcome if you aren't afraid of doing things. Penny was a beautiful person both inside and out but she kept herself hidden behind big glasses and oversized clothes so it wasn't like Gage had much work to do...well in that area anyway. LOL Gage is a billionaire playboy who loves the company of women almost as much as he loves gaming so when Penny makes a bet with him he's surprised at how much he wants to lose. I really liked that although he was the boss he didn't mind hanging out with the "Nerd Circle" which is what his group of three IT specialists call themselves. It was fun to watch them all interact and the way the guys worshiped him because he was a playboy and a nerd which gave them hope was a blast. Penny and Gage are great together and I for one were rooting for them right from the beginning. I haven't read the first book in the series but it is on my TBR, if you did you have met Penny previously because she is Rhys' sister. I know I will be going back and reading that one and definitely reading the next because this book was not only HOT it had great secondary characters and I want to know more about all of them. If you enjoy Steamy Contemporary Romances, Boss / Employee Romances, Friends to Lovers Romances, or Opposites Attract Romances I would highly recommend this book to you. Happy Reading!!!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Raelikestoread
    5.0 out of 5 stars shout out to nerd girls
    Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    This was such a fun book. Billionaire boss, teach me, friends to lovers- so many ways this could have crashed and burned, but I had a feeling that after how well i surprising enjoyed the first book in the series (my first by this author) that this would, at the very least, be hot but it was better. The characters were well rounded. The secondary characters (very important to me) were impactful. The story and pacing was graceful in its development. It didn’t feel like it jumped around, rather walked you through how they found their HEA in eachother while healing each others wounds. Really, really good.
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  • Mmelachat
    5.0 out of 5 stars Game On
    Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Loved this installment. The main female character being an IT needs, was so different and refreshing. Also, kitties. So much fun.
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  • knitplaywithfire
    4.0 out of 5 stars Sometimes what you are looking for has always been there
    Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Okay totally forgot to review this one for some reason. But like all Mari Carr novels, yummy, hot, considerate guys make you forget to write your review.

    Penny is a gamer and is happy with her four little furry feline roommates but she is about to turn 29. So maybe it is time to make some changes to her life. Number one is losing her virginity. But Penny isn't sure how to turn herself into a sexy vixen who will attract a guy to make this happen. So turns to the one person she knows who can help her - Gage. Gage Russo is a fellow gamer and happens to be her boss. Awkward much?

    Gage Russo has a reputation as a player and a man who knows his way around the female body (in a good way. Get your mind out of the gutter please.) Gage has a feeling something is missing in his life but isn't quite sure what it is nor is he too bothered to figure it out. But Gage loves a challenge. So when Penny asks for help, Gage is all in.

    Helping Penny realize that she is a lovely, confident, brilliant woman makes Gage finally start to realize that the little tingle in the back of his mind is that his life is missing that special someone. And that the special someone is the lovely woman who has always been there for him - his friend, Penny.

    And this is where things start to turn sweet and mushy in the way of Mari Carr. And this does not mean unrealistic or over the top but with some angst and steam.
    One person found this helpful
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  • M. Carter
    5.0 out of 5 stars Related to FMC So Much
    Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    I loved this book and related so heavily to the FMC. The MMC is awesome too! There was an attraction between them for a long time that neither acknowledged, but when they did, woah buddy. The conflict between them was believable and resolved in a way that makes sense. Both of the main characters were well developed and felt like they could be friends of yours. There’s also appearances by characters from the previous book, so it didn’t feel like it exits in a bubble, even when it’s a standalone book. I can’t wait to read the rest of this series.
    Helpful
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  • jjdejong
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brains and Beauty are gorgeous
    Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    I just loved Gage and Penny! As we learn more about each of them, we start to very slowly understand what makes them tick. Penny may not realize just how truly amazing she is and with the help of Gage breaks out of the “nerd” mode she has put herself. She still loves her D&D and video games, and she is still amazing at coding and computers, but she has a beauty that is just as gorgeous as her intelligence. Gage is holding himself away from ever falling for anyone. He has the typical hit them and leave them mentality and figures this assignment will be no different. When Penny asks him to help teach her how to more, he takes the bet. Lessons become so much more for each of them and when the time comes, and the lessons are over will they still be able to walk away?

    Seriously loved that we get a FMC that has everything going for her, but most importantly she is unbelievably smart and in a field that typically isn’t female. Let’s be honest, how many women do you know that play video games? It really isn’t as many as you would hope, but yes they do and they are amazing. Gage has some baggage that as we learn more about him and his brothers, we find out how he became the playboy that he is. Except there is so much more to him than what he allows others to see and when those walls are lowered and shows Penny, you can see the man for what he is and how much pain he carries.
    One person found this helpful
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  • BookBoleyn
    5.0 out of 5 stars Penny wasn't the only one who needed lessons!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Penny is about to turn 29. She's got a job she loves. Friends and family she adores. Four furry feline roomies to keep her company but she has one problem. She has no game. She turns into an awkward tongue tied blushing fool around men she is attracted to. And on top of it all, they never see her as anything more than one of the guys. Which is fine by her brother Rhys and all her honorary Moretti brothers.

    So she decides to take things into her own hands. She is not going to turn 29 and run the risk of approaching her 30th birthday still single and most definitely not still a virgin. So she asks the one person she thinks will be able to turn her into a sexy vixen. Or at least make it so she knows how to flirt, act sexy, dress sexy, and blow someone's mind. Her boss, Gage Russo.

    He's a player. He knows how to get a woman's attention. And since he started hanging out with herself and her fellow IT guys, Toby and Rich, she's heard the advice he's given them. So she takes her shot and asks him for his help.

    Little does Gage or Penny expect their lessons to not only unlock Penny's confidence but also helps Gage realize what's missing in his life.

    Lots of steamy, sweet, a little angst, mixed with the craziness of the Morettis and the Russos. Loved it!!.

    I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Pansy Petal
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fun read
    Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    It is a bit inspiring to read a story about two people so perfectly matched. To be seen has to be a dream for everyone. I know it is for me. How lucky can a girl be when she finds it! This was such a fun read.
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  • Unknown
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sexy !!!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Couldn't put this book down , when a man teaches you how to look sexy , how to please a man ,who what do you say, but read this book !❤️🔥
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Top reviews from other countries

  • TA
    5.0 out of 5 stars yes please!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 5, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    So hot I couldn’t look at it without blushing. I love this series and have already downloaded the next one
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars A good series of books to follow
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 1, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Good book
    Report

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