Review: The Favor by Suzanne Wright

Vienna Stratton knew she only had herself to blame. You didn’t let yourself become indebted to a man like Dane Davenport, no matter how badly you needed his help. As his personal assistant, she was very aware that the globally successful CEO was ruthless and unforgiving. 

Of course, if she’d known he’d request that she be his wife for twelve months, she’d have hesitated in accepting his help. Because what she’d learned from Dane was that the devil wasn’t ugly and terrorising. He was seductive and captivating. He hummed with whispers of temptation – the temptation to sin and surrender, to let him brand and possess you. He awakened every need and fantasy you had.

He could even make you love him.

I don’t think my love for office romances is any secret, so believe me when I say this is one of the BEST I’ve ever read (and I’ve read many).

Vienna Stratton has worked as the PA of the coldest and most manipulative man for 4 years, which is 3 and a half years longer than anyone has ever lasted. They have a professional relationship and she’s one of the only people who’s willing to call him out on his bullshit (not in front of people of course). Vienna happens to owe Dane Davenport a favor for something he helped her out with once and now he’s about to collect.

Dane’s uncle was married to his job just like Dane is but later on regretted not having gotten married or found someone in life so in his will, he leaves trust funds to all 3 of his nephews under the stipulation that they’d have to be married for a year before their thirty-eighth birthdays. Dane didn’t bother with the fund before because he wanted to make something of himself by himself and now that he’s accomplished it, he’s ready to get his share. This is where Vienna comes in. Dane is now thirty-seven so he needs Vienna to marry him and stay that way for a year after which he’ll get the fund and they can amicably divorce.

They come up with a ruse and fake dates leading up to the wedding in Vegas. Vienna moves in with Dane and the more time they spend together, the more she sees a different side to him. And the more she finds herself falling for him. Dane was so swoon worthy. He’s so protective of Vienna and literally ruins lives of people who dare to cross, insult or bring her down. But of course, life isn’t that simple because someone’s always trying to separate them. Either it’s Dane’s family; his brother Travis, and sisters-in-law Hope and Jen, or it’s Vienna’s foster sister Heather or her ex-boyfriend Owen.

I loved the relationship between Vienna and Duke. She’s the only person who calls him out on his bullshit and when he’s being an ass. Dane also considers Vienna the only person he trusts fully and whose opinion he truly cares for. No one else. We slowly see Dane comes out of his shell and he’s willing to do so much for Vienna. When she’s lonely, he’ll just silently come sit with her. When she wants to go to the zoo and has no one to go with, he’ll go with her and actually engage. It was adorable. And the fact that he destroyed people’s lives for just insulting Vienna made me so giddy. In the end, he’s even willing to change himself and his ways so Vienna can have the things she wants out of life with him rather than someone else. (That REALLY got to me, I loved it so much.)

All in all, Suzanne Wright has instantly become one of my favorite authors and the Favor has made it onto my list of favorite reads of 2022 easily. (You know the list is always very long). Her plot building, characters, writing and just everything overall was perfect and I can’t wait to read more books by her in the future.

Suzanne Wright lives in England with her husband, two children, and her Bengal cats. When she’s not spending time with her family, she’s writing, reading, or doing her version of housework – sweeping the house with a look.

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