💍 Book Review: Terms and Conditions by Lauren Asher

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5) - But honestly, I would easily give this a 100/10 if I could! 

When I picked up Terms and Conditions, I was expecting a fun, trope-y rom-com. You know—the kind you can read in a weekend, full of banter, tension, and predictable swoons. What I didn’t expect was how emotionally attached I’d get to Declan and Iris—or how much this “marriage of convenience” story would end up tugging on my heartstrings.

Lauren Asher really knows how to mix slow-burn chemistry with heart. This is the second book in her Dreamland Billionaires series, following The Fine Print, but honestly, it holds its own. You can read it as a standalone (though fair warning—once you meet these brothers, you’ll want to read them all).

🖋️ Plot Snapshot

Declan Kane is the oldest of the three Kane brothers—a workaholic CEO who thrives on control, routine, and zero distractions. Iris, his longtime assistant, is the one person who knows how to handle him. She’s efficient, unflappable, and just a little too good at keeping her feelings buried.

Then comes the catch: Declan’s inheritance has a condition. To take over the family company, he has to get married and stay married for a year. Cue Iris stepping in as his “temporary” wife.

Of course, what starts as a business arrangement quickly turns into something deeper. Their fake marriage is filled with small domestic moments, emotional tension, and the kind of slow-burn intimacy that makes you forget to blink.

💔 Characters That Stay With You

Declan might be the grumpiest of grumpy heroes, but underneath the icy exterior is a man shaped by family trauma and impossible expectations. His emotional walls make sense, even when they’re frustrating. Iris, on the other hand, is pure sunshine—patient, warm, but far from naive. Watching her stand her ground and call Declan out when he retreats into himself made me root for her even more.

Their chemistry? Off the charts. But what really got me were the quiet moments—late-night confessions, awkward breakfasts, or the little slips when “fake” feelings start to feel dangerously real.

🌧️ What I Loved

• The banter. Declan’s dry sarcasm vs. Iris’s calm wit—perfection.

• The emotional payoff. When Declan finally lets himself love Iris, it feels earned.

• The found family element. The brothers’ dynamic adds warmth and humor.

⚠️ What Didn’t Work (For Me)

If I had to nitpick, the middle dragged just a little. Declan’s emotional self-sabotage can be infuriating (though realistic). There were moments I wanted to reach into the pages and shake him. But then again—that’s kind of the point.

💬 Final Thoughts

Terms and Conditions is the kind of book that makes you smile, sigh, and stay up too late, saying, “Just one more chapter.” It’s steamy but surprisingly heartfelt, full of growth, vulnerability, and the reminder that love sometimes looks like letting someone in, even when it terrifies you.

If you love tropes like grumpy x sunshine, fake marriage, or slow-burning with emotional depth, you’ll fall head over heels for this one.