Review: The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst

The Marriage Bargain  (Marriage to a Billionaire #1)

by Jennifer Probst

Purchase Links: Amazon  Barnes & Noble

E-book 212 pages

Goodreads

Blurb:

A marriage in name only…

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner, Alexa Maria
McKenzie, casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend’s older brother—the powerful man who once shattered her heart.

Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn’t believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his father’s corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister’s childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he’s offers Alexa a bold proposition.

A marriage in name only with certain rules: Avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year so the rules shouldn’t be that hard to follow, right?

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Review:

The Marriage Bargain is the kind of book I love to read. A rich Hero who has to marry and ends up with his sister best friend who he has known forever, has been secretly crushing on her, vice versa. Books like this if written well will have intense moments. Unfortunately The Marriage Bargain fell flat. It was easy to put down, scenes seemed pushed as they did not flow and very predictable. There were no memorable moments. The Spell at the beginning of the book was just thrown in to make The Marriage Mistake seem like a book that has not been done before. It had nothing to do with the book.

Nicholas character is boring and a bit too wimpy. I felt his character was suppose to be arrogant but was not feeling it.

Alexa, I enjoyed as she was a strong heroine who at the beginning of their arrangement made if very clear on certain things. I enjoyed how her character stayed strong will through out the book.

The sex scenes are hot at times but there was no real chemistry between Nicholas and Alexa.

This series does have potential with good storylines even though most of the books have been done before. I already have The Marriage Mistake (Marriage to a Billionaire #3) and will give another chance in this series before I buy #2 or continue on with this series.

Cali here I come!

Yay baby I am heading off to Monetery, CA tomorrow for a fun family vacation. I might be MIA for 2 1/2 weeks.  I will try to post if can but I have this huge, loving, crazy Italian family that are non stop.

ARC Review: Can't Hurry Love by Molly O'Keefe

Can't Hurry Love (Crooked Creek Ranch #2)

by Molly O'Keefe

Publisher:  Bantam

Purchase Links: Amazon Barnes & Noble

E-book 386 pages

Goodreads

Blurb:

From award-winning author Molly O’Keefe comes a wonderfully written contemporary romance about second chances at life and at love.

Tori Baker, the penniless widow of a disgraced financier, is ready to stand up, be counted, and make a new life for herself and her beloved son in Texas. She’s taking over Crooked Creek ranch, her birthright, and turning it into something special. All that stands in her way is Eli Turnbull, a rugged, too-handsome cowboy who wants the land just as badly.

If Tori wants a fight, Eli will give her one. He’s devoted his life to Crooked Creek, and he’s not about to let some pampered city girl—even one as brave and beautiful as Tori—turn it into some silly spa. But Tori’s and Eli’s burning anger and frustration only fuel heat of another kind: uncontrollable passion. And soon they each realize that the person standing in their way is the one they can never do without.

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Review:

I was curious about Eli from Can’t Buy Me Love #1 and my heart ached for him in Can’t Hurry Love. His mother left him and his dad when he was eight and never seen her since. His dad took it out on him by drinking, barely feeding him and never cared if he went to school.

I went into Can’t Hurry Love knowing I did not like Victoria, but I was hoping she would turn out better than her spoiled brat character from Can’t Buy Me Love. Oh My Goodness she became just flat out evil and mean. She is turning the ranch into a spa and hires Eli’s mom as the architect, knowing that she left Eli when he was young and he was not going to be happy about it.

I was enjoying Can’t Hurry Love until Victoria’s betrayal. I did not feel she redeemed herself from this. Kudos to Molly O’Keefe for writing an intense betrayal scene and loved the out come of it. It was nice to see Eli not take it too well. Eli’s character I adored and loved his relationship with Jacob. Even though I was not big on Victoria and Eli’s relationship and think he deserved better, the epilogue was sweet and sad.

I really wanted to like this book more, but it is so hard when most of the characters are mean, unlikable and never redeem them selves.

ARC review provided by NetGalley for an honest review.