Jacobs' Fine Furnishings is Dell Jacobs' lifework. His daughter Keisha got an offer for her dream job as an interior decorator, when Dell has a stroke. Dell's son, Tyrell, who was supposed to manage the business, leaves unexpectedly for what he perceives as a better opportunity, and reliable, dependable Keisha has to stay to manage the family affairs and delay yet again pursuing her dreams.

She has been talking on the phone with Gabe Campos, a young billionaire, to discuss the future of the business for several months. He wants to acquire Jacob's Fine Furnishings, which has been going downhill for some time; they're losing very important clients, one by one.

One snowy, stormy night, Gabe is on his way to meet Keisha in person to discuss the sale of her father's business, but even more so because he wants to see the woman who possesses a voice that is beginning to drive him crazy. On his way, his rental car breaks down, Keisha takes him in, and sparks fly; Gabe ends up staying the night. Neither of them however expected their first meeting in person to be so troubling; they were not prepared to be so attracted to each other, while being business rivals. Even though Gabe can hardly resist making a move on Keisha, he has become hell-bent on avenging what he sees as a wrong committed against his natural father, and the guilty party seems to be Dell Jacobs.

BETTING THE BILLIONAIRE is a novella, but a complete story nonetheless. I particularly enjoy Ms. Flynn's easy style of writing: simple, flowing and yet very efficient. We know and understand these characters, their lives, their motivations, and we care for them. What pleases me the most about BETTING THE BILLIONAIRE is that Keisha is Afro-American, while Gabe isn't, and it has nothing to do whatsoever with the story line, and I think it's simply wonderful and natural. Ms. Flynn is definitely an author to watch.

Book Summary

If that man calls her one more time… So what if Gabe Campos is a model-dating billionaire who gets Keisha Jacobs hotter than a Ferrari’s engine on the straightaway? He keeps pushing her to sell her family’s furniture business, but she’ll never give in—not unless she wants to give her father a second heart attack.

All Gabe should be thinking about is how he’ll finally get revenge on the man who killed his father. But when he meets the man’s daughter, Keisha, instead of focusing on destroying Jacobs Fine Furnishings, he can’t get her warm-whisky voice out of his mind.

Forced by a snow storm to spend the night together, their passion ignites. The next day, however, it’s back to business. The only way Keisha can save her family is to win a bet with the billionaire. But neither realized their hearts are part of the bargain…