Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick 
 The Offer by Karina Halle is a standalone sequel to her book, The Pact. The Offer features Linden's brother Bram and Steph's best friend Nicola. I honestly loved The Pact, so I couldn't wait to read The Offer. I didn't know if it would be able to compete with my love for The Pact, but it was such a good story, and honestly I think it was every bit as wonderful as The Pact was. Karina Halle has once again proved to me why she is one of my favorite authors, and why she is a go-to every time I am looking for a great book! 
 Nicola Price is a proud single mother that is working to provide a better life for her daughter. Just when it appears things are headed in the right direction, she gets fired from her job. Having no idea how she will continue to provide Ava, things go from bad to worse when they find out that Ava has juvenile diabetes. When the arrogant playboy brother-in-law of her best friend offers to come to her rescue, Nicola's first instinct is to turn him down. But knowing that she needs to think of Ava, she reluctantly agrees to move into an apartment in the building he owns for no rent until she can get back on her feet. But when Nicola and Bram start to get to know one another, she quickly realizes that he isn't what he seems at first. But just when things appear to be looking up, Nicola is given yet another shock that changes everything. 
 I really liked these two. They had so much chemistry and attraction right from the start. The sparks between them were so easy to see, and I couldn't wait to watch them eventually explode. But the great thing about Nicola and Bram is that there was so much more to them than just the physical. Nicola was a proud and independent woman, and she didn't want to take handouts from anyone. I liked that her daughter was always her priority though, and she did what she had to for Ava. Bram went through a lot of women, and he made a lot of mistakes. But he was also charming and sweet, and he was so much more underneath his facade. He really looked out for Nicola and Ava, and he was also determined to do what he could for others in need as well. 
 Overall, this was another winner from Karina Halle. It was funny and sexy, but also emotional. I felt for every single character in this book at one time or another, and it was clear that they were all dealing with more than most people knew. Bram and Nicola kept up such strong faces for those around them, never letting others see what was really going on behind the scenes. I loved seeing them learn to let each other in and how they finally were able to open themselves up to someone else. I highly recommend The Offer to contemporary readers, but honestly this is just a great story regardless of what genre romance you like to read. I cannot recommend Karina's books enough, and I cannot wait to see what she writes next. 
 **ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**