Public Relations

by Tibby Armstrong

Billionaire playboy Peter Wells pays for sex. His girlfriend-for-hire arrangements are tidy, simple, and not apt to land him with a palimony suit. When an anonymous gossip columnist reveals his predilections for escorts and control, Peter vows revenge.

Georgia Whitcomb is a lot of things--incognito journalist, aristocrat, and best friend to a sleep deprived and slightly neurotic editor--but she isn't really girlfriend material. She’s old money pretending to be no money, and has her independence to maintain.

When the paper won't name its source, Peter buys the business and dubs Georgia his personal assistant. Georgia is mortified to learn exactly what type of person Peter is--generous, compassionate, demanding. Peter is unprepared for the deep passion and commitment Georgia inspires from him.

As Peter's past comes to light, the walls around Georgia's heart erode and her lies begin to unravel. In the end, there seems to be no way to reveal her true self without destroying their fragile romance. With Peter's investigation peeling back the layers of her deception, only one thing is the fallout from falling in love will be front page news.

Genres: Contemporary, Romance, M F Romance, Adult, Audiobook, Contemporary Romance

300 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 21, 2013

About the author

Tibby Armstrong is an author of Paranormal, Contemporary, and LGBTQ Romance fiction.

Tibby hangs out on social media at https://www.facebook.com/groups/tibby..., dreaming up new plots and teasing readers with snippets from her works in progress.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. Full review posted April 24, 2014





Ignore the bad cover and you shall be rewarded…

Jesus Christ on a crutch. Where is my hidey-hole? I *think* it's the first time that I enjoyed a story about a billionaire playboy. No wonder, though, because it's nothing like Fifty Shades of Grey. Granted, it started off rather mediocrely, showing off the filthy rich chairman of Wells Industries, Peter Wells, seeking release in meaningless sex at an event hosted by New York's social elite. No, correction. It was the other way round; he got his flavor of the month off and rewarded her services very generously. Regardless, it kept me turning the pages, mainly because I really liked the heroine, Georgia Whitcomb, aka…nope, not going to tell you…and I was ready to explore Peter's personality that had been carefully cultivated in the media with the friendly assistance of his PR buddy Carl (whom I found very interesting, BTW). Also, while the first sex scene between H/h was hot, the gymnastics involving that interlude made me roll my eyes a little bit. Besides, I think my joints did groin in sympathy. Overall though, the smexin' was sensual and very enticing. Anyway, long story short, to me Public Relations ended up as a real winner and between 40 % and 60 % I was thoroughly intrigued as well as satisfyingly entertained. Frankly, there was so much more than met the eye. Yet at the same time I felt mournful for what was about to happen because let's face it, the premise of the story manifested a situation an affair that had to be doomed.



If you have read the blurb then you know that Georgia Whitcomb was very willing to unravel Peter Well's "dirty" little secret that he paid for sex by publishing a social gossip piece. When Peter sees the headline, he's distraught and angry, and since the columnist remains anonymous, he buys the paper and picks Georgia as his personal assistant. One thing leads to another when these two get to know each other and Georgia realizes her predicament: She did wrong by him. Thus, the blissful bubble couldn't last, could it?



I loved seeing Peter opening up. The transition from being the controlled, powerful and aloof businessman to a much more accessible and very likable and relaxed human being who fell in love was very rewarding to witness. In consequence, I found the character and story development to be very interesting as well as compelling. The family dynamics were fun, barbed, entertaining and painful all at the same time and I'm looking forward to reading Niall's story, the rogue of the Well's family. His profession is highly intriguing, to say the least. Bring it on, Tibby!



Credit where credit is due because Tibby wrote a strong and likable female lead character. I'm hard on my heroines and this time round, however, the heroine did appeal to me quite a bit. Of course she comes with a little bit of baggage but which heroine doesn't in today's romance books? Her estranged father is a literal manwhore and Georgie caught him in flagranti more often than not when she was still a kid. That led to her conviction that she didn't want to end up as any man's conquest of the week or month. Until she meets Peter. A man who did not seek emotions or intimacy. A man also who guarded his heart behind a steel armor. Yet she has hopes that their liaison will develop into a real commitment. Although her treacherous little column might thwart her plans.

I couldn't get rid of the impression that some parts of the story referred to a fairytale, and I think that Public Relations depicts, in a way, prodigal son meets fairytale princess which I didn't mind at all because it was well-accomplished.



John Mayer -- Why Georgia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybbDIz...

Public Relations is one of those rare billionaire playboy books that provides lots of story and less sex. As a matter of fact, I was very pleased that the author did not drown her characters in a shallow sex festival. Bottom line, Public Relations offers a great cast of main and secondary characters (I also liked Sid very much), engaging writing, good dialogue and is definitely worth a try for those readers who prefer a billionaire story that explores the main characters' actions and backgrounds quite thoroughly in lieu of coital positions.



Public Relations is my first read by Tibby Armstrong but definitely not my last. I'm ready to check out her backlist in the coming weeks and since I'm a sucker for M/M stories, I'm beyond pleased that I will be able to switch between M/F and M/M because she provides both.

Recommended read.


Warning
Public Relations contains spanking but after having read numerous erotica books I wouldn't label it as BDSM.

[Fran P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been in a slow, progressive book funk, so, I totally needed this! To be honest, I didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I did. In fact, it's been a while since I finished a book in one sitting.

I know the premise sounds quite cliche — yes, billionaire playboy — but it's a really entertaining read.

Sure, there were times when I got a little bit confused with some transitions that I had to go through previous sentences just to fully understand how point A became point B. But it was really not a big issue (and maybe it was just me).

I loved the characters, and both Peter and Georgie had their fair share of personal angst, of course. It wasn't over the top like most books of its kind, and that made it more awesome in my opinion. I especially enjoyed the conflict and resolution of the story, and it basically ticked all the right boxes for me.

Public Relations is not your typical billionaire story. It has more heart than mere heat, though the steam factor was certainly pretty hot — a bit of spanking involved too. Recommended read!

[Lisa Arbitrary - AttentionIsArbitrary M/M Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

~ ~ ~

A Sexy, Fully Developed Romance with Angst, Wealth and Spanking Good Writing!

I love Tibby Armstrong, her writing, her characters and her. I was challenged to a buddy read by Deirdre, who knows damn good and well that I rarely read hetero-romance these days. But, since we have both highly enjoyed Tibby's MM Hollywood Series No Apologies how could I say no? Was it a mistake to veer off into het-landia? Absolutely not.

From the lightening quick beginning I was immersed into New York's elite and dazzling high finance fundraising scene. Enter Peter Wells the Billionaire Bachelor who wants no commitments, but all the control. I found him to be the perfect scoundrel, even to the degree of honestly hating him...for a while.

At the same soiree journalist Georgia Whitcomb glimpses Peter in a very compromising position (well, actually his paid escort is in "the" position). Georgia dedicates her next column to Peter and all hell breaks loose. And the fun ensues.

Peter is running an empire to gain control over his life and Georgia is just running away. However, she finds herself under Peter's control and in his lap and we get to live in the lap of luxury.

Across the room, all eyes were on them. Sounds of work had stopped entirely. [...]Peter shifted his attention over his shoulder to his employees, and everyone scattered like he'd pulled a pin on a grenade and thrown it into their midst. As they went back to their foxholes, he returned his focus to Georgia.
"That's two." He held up two fingers. "Three's my limit."

Georgia is no dwindling wall-flower though. She's strong willed, mouthy and an able adversary to Peter's swift, decisive actions. It's really the threat of a spanking that does her in though. I mean what nice, aristocratic girl could argue against that, right? And boy, oh boy, does this playboy know how to deliver.

From high rise elegance to working class warmth this story wound it's way into my heart. And from kitchen, to shower, to boathouse to palace the sex-fest that these two enjoy wound it's way into my...uh... Well, let me put it this way, Tibby Armstrong can write one hell of an erotic scene.

Honestly though, there are two sides to this book. The fun escapades and the deep rooted issues that both MC's have to work through to find their happiness. Tibby makes them work for it and when they reach their "ah ha" moments you do too.

As a bonus: I absolutely adored Sid and hope to see more of him and his new boyfriend. I think they need a nice short to let me know they're alright.

[Jona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoy this lushly written tale of sensual delights... It’s a winner!

[Liz F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for Sara at www.HarlequinJunkie.com

Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley


I am so relieved! I saw the title of this book and thought it was going to be about two public relations executives finding each other, 'gettin busy' at work and falling in love. Which would be great, but having to read about public relations as a job? Ugh. I just kept putting it off longer and longer. I finally realized that the sooner I started it, the sooner it would be over. Thankfully, all of that negativity and pessimism was a huge waste of time! This book was a lot of fun to read!

The heroine, Georgia, was a pretty decent character. I wasn't all the way in love with her, though. I thought she was a little uninteresting. Don't get me wrong, even boring people deserve love and happily ever afters; it's just that Georgia was so...blah and I don’t know why! She's a freaking countess, first of all, and second, her family is filthy rich. Between one of those two things, there should have been SOMETHING interesting in her. Plus, her mom wasn't around and she was raised by her father. He was a pretty bad father, what with his having sex with lots of women, occasionally even in front of Georgia! There was a plethora of material to work with but she just fell flat to me. Georgia has to hide her true identity from Peter, which is pretty easy until she starts falling in love with him. She claims to want to come clean but she has several opportunities to do so and she CHOOSES not to tell him. Not even after she realizes that he's obviously trying something completely foreign to him: have an intimate relationship. She knows that it’s hard for him and he's making this huge effort to be open to what is happening between them. And all that time, she's sitting there, lying to his face. I really thought that she was being disrespectful and low class. I know, I know! That sounds really harsh. No, I don't need my heroines to be perfect and I DID like Georgia. She has some perfectly wonderful qualities - she's a very hard worker, she's trying to make it on her own and without her father's money, she's a loyal and loving friend. I liked her, but I didn't love her.

Peter, on the other hand, was phenomenal! He was such a bastard at the start of the book. I was glad that he (and his ego) were knocked down a peg or two by the article that Georgia published! But, like always, the more I got to know him, the better he got. He grew up dirt poor and has worked his tail off to get where he is today. That made him likeable from then on. But the fact of the matter is that he DOES pay for women. He does so because it’s easier and he has MUCH more control over someone who is essentially an employee. So it wasn't too hard to dislike him at the start! It was pretty great to watch his character evolve as the story progressed. Man, he’s got such a great history and such a rich back story! And the author only gives small amounts of information as the story goes along, so it feels real or organic and less like an information dump. The only down side to Peter was that towards the end of the book, he sort of does a 180 with his feelings about Georgia and he gets a lot of input from others. I really didn't feel like Peter was the kind of guy who would need someone to tell him how he feels and that’s what happened. But even that wasn't awful. I just thought it seemed a little odd, a little out-of-character for Peter.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I know it doesn't sound like it but its true! I may not have loved every single aspect of the main characters but they WERE fun to read. The secondary characters were also well written and had great insight into the main characters. Georgia could be really fun and I loved when she would put Peter in his place! And oh did he deserve it sometimes! It was also great to see the scenes with Peter and his family. Even better, I could see the way that Peter related to his family changed over the course of the book. I think anyone reading this would be pleasantly surprised at how good the book is and how much fun it was to read!

[Mtak91 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I really really enjoyed this book. Not only was it different than Tibby Armstrong's MM writing style but it was different than other billionaire playboy books.

Cause I wonder sometimes
About the outcome
Of a still verdictless life

Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Am I living it right?
Why Georgia, why? Why Georgia - John Mayer

My thoughts:

1. The writing style was simply fantastic. All throughout the book I kept thinking 'Wow this is so different' but I couldn't pinpoint exactly why. The writing was more formal may be, more descriptive, there's more narration and exposition. Then yesterday I was helping my sister with her creative writing assignment and I whipped out my ever-present Writing Fiction: The Practical Guide from New York's Acclaimed Creative Writing School and I was like AHA!!! The description is multi-sensory which is why I loved it so much. All my senses were engaged while reading and for me it made the characters and setting come to life and play out like a high definition movie in my head!

2. IMO this is one of the most realistic, relatable and well-written billionaire playboy stories. For starters, there was a reason Peter was the way, the reasons were explained, given a background of why/how/when/where. AND His belief/attitude change wasn't abrupt, out of the blue or just because he lusted after the heroine so much that he eventually 'loved' her, conveniently I might add. Its not like I want you I want you I want you then BAM I can't live without you.

3. I loved both Peter and Georgia; their banter, interplay, chemistry (very sensual as well as hot) and their relationship. I also liked that both learned things about themselves through the other, it's not just the billionaire who needs an attitude adjustment, Georgia changes too. Furthermore, for once in a billionaire playboy book, the heroine doesn't need saving!! She already saved herself long before the book's events began. So thank God for that!

4. I really liked the Thanksgiving and Christmas scenes. One of the many instances where you could see different facets of both characters.

5. I also really liked that the MCs didn't just jump into a relationship. It was a slow build up, with ups and downs (not too much though) that added realism to the story.

6. Carl's character really interested me. I would love it if there was a book about him!

All in all, this was an enjoyable, hot, interesting and very well-written read. Definitely recommended

P.S Love John Mayer. Love the song. Nice touch :)

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even know where to start. This book is absolutely amazing from beginning to end. From the very first line to the resolution, I was invested in these characters and their happy ever after. This isn't your typical billionaire story. This is about two people on far more equal footing than they understand. It's about them finding their way *through* themselves and emerging stronger, more capable of finding that true HEA they deserve. Neither of them are perfect (thank you, Tibby) and their flaws only make them more real, more sympathetic to me.

One of my absolute favorite parts of the entire story is in the middle, and that's where you know Tibby Armstrong has written a stunning book. There is no drag, there is no slow down or boring section. I don't want to give anything away, so let me just say this: the part with Peter's family? It's rich and dynamic and I'm clearly in love. This is my favorite book she's written, hands down, and I'm a definite fan of all her works.

[Tirtra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Part of the deal on having unrepentant, brooding assholes as an MC is that, in the end, they redeem themselves. Sorry Peter, but while solving your own inner demons (what about everybody else's) and analyzing why you're such a dick might be of some interest to a therapist, this romance reader needed a little bit more.

In other books where I heavily disliked one MC, the other MC was sometimes good enough for me to enjoy the book because then the anchor for my enjoyment is not the romance, the HEA, but the happiness and wants of the character themselves. In this specific book, I'm not sure whether Georgia's wants are actually healthy... Georgia's bursts of physical insecurity, her reliance on Peter to soothe those over, her self-blaming for Peter's tantrums, and her readiness to jump back into Peter's arms at the flip of switch all point to a terrible, toxic relationship.

[papilloNIndigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

[Namika · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good book!

[Steelwhisper · Rating 1 out of 5]

[Paige Prince · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had Public Relations on my tbr shelf for a while. I glom *everything* Tibby Armstrong writes like a crack addict looking for her next fix, so I'm honestly surprised it took me this long to read PR. I blame school. Gets in the way of everything and leaves little time for the simple pleasures in life. Thank God that's done. :)

I was pulled into the story from page one. Georgia and Peter intrigued me from the start. I wondered how on earth these two would be pulled together. He's a playboy billionaire and she's a mysterious countess who hides her titles and works at a newspaper as a gossip columnist. They are both flawed and scarred, haunted by the ghosts of their pasts, and neither seem to want a relationship...ever. When she writes a scathing (and true, although entirely one-sided) column about him, I immediately thought "well, they're never going to pull off a relationship. Sorry Tibby, but you may very well have written yourself into a corner this time."

I'm so sorry to have doubted you Tibby. I bow at your feet in humble apology for how wrong it was. Not only did you manage to pull it off, you managed to make me love them almost more than I love Greg and Aaron (my #1 book boyfriends of all time)! I tried to read PR slowly, because I never wanted it to end. Sadly, I'm incapable of reading slowly. Happily, I own the book on my iPad, so I can read it as many times as I want!

I loved the emotion between them, when it was red hot (and I'm pretty sure my iPad almost caught fire a few times) and ice cold. Granted, I always root for a HEA, Tibby has a masterful way of writing a scene where you can see and feel everything happening on the page.

If you're looking for a fantastic (and steamy!) romance, make sure you pick up Public Relations by Tibby Armstrong. You won't be disappointed.

[Davielle Danielle France-Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter wells is such a troubled man with a kind heart!!!!

Both of them had daddy troubles...Go figure!!!! HAHAHAHa!!! Georgia felt that her dad was exploiting women so she had hatred for any man that paid women to have sex with them.....so when she saw Peter paying that women it just set off her playboy switch.

She saw the kind man that Peter Wells is...he was really genuine...cared about his family

My breaking point was when he invited to meet his family...I screamed YES!!! She is the one who can turn his sorrows into joyous occasions!!!

FIVE SEXY STARS...this is a quality book!!!!

It had drama, flair, fireworks...the whole..shbang!!!! It was 4th of July wrap up in one...I don't know how Peter and Georgia could be without each other...i love them together...i love how it ended!!

I wanna to know how his brothers shine....

This book was worth the hours I spent reading!!!!

[Gloria Herrera for As You Wish Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

See review at Long and Short Reviews Website http://www.longandshortreviews.com/ To be posted January 2014

[Wati · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 beautiful stars!

really loved the story! The writing and the characters were really great. I loved how the story went without being too predictable or too reallsitic. Loved the drama there!