FRISKY FALL SATURDAYS: THE MARRIAGE MERGER by JENNIFER PROBST + GIVEAWAY

Summer is over, but just because the temperature is dropping, doesn't mean we have to stop reading scorching hot books! Frisky Fall Saturdays is a weekly post dedicated to steamy books. . Feel free to join in. (let us know so we can add a link to your post) As those leaves start piling up in the yard, ignore them and pick up a sexy book!

The Autumn Review
Globug and Hootie Need a Book
Insightful Minds Reviews


**The books featured on FRISKY FALL SATURDAYS are for adults. If you are under 18 years of age, or do not like smexy books, please stop here. **



Series: Marriage to a Billionaire #4
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: 7/30/13
Format: Paperback
Source: Received from publisher for review.
Rating: 3 stars

Her sisters have found wedded bliss with their wealthy, wonderful dream men, but not Julietta Conte. She’s stayed on terra firma as top executive of the family’s corporation, La Dolce Famiglia bakery. Work is her passion, and her trendy Milan apartment her sanctuary . . . until Sawyer Wells, a masculine masterpiece in a suit, lures her out of hiding with an irresistible offer: an exclusive partnership with his international chain of boutique hotels.

Julietta’s been burned before—and trusting her brother-in-law’s friend, whose powerful gaze alone has her rethinking the best use of a conference room, is the riskiest proposition. But with a once-in-a- career chance to take the bakery global, will she mix stone-cold business with red-hot seduction?

 

The Marriage to a Billionaire series is one I've meant to pick up since I first heard about it. A lot of my friends have good things to say about the books and Probst's writing. So when a bright and shiny copy showed up on my doorstep, I put The Marriage Merger on my short list.

And now I've read The Marriage Merger, and I'm a bit conflicted. I liked it, but something about the story just didn't connect with me. It's possible that this is a case of "It's me, not you", because I enjoyed the writing and I mostly liked the characters. I think my issue is, I'm over the "damaged millionaire who must dominate the woman who is born to be submissive, only she doesn't realize it yet" trope. I'm just...I've read too many of them, and quite honestly, it seems that I'm just not into dominant, damaged businessmen. That's not to say that I don't like Alpha men, 'cos I totally do. A lot. I think I'm just at a place in which I like my book men to be slightly more down to earth.

Okay, so now my personal thoughts are out of the way. Other than my lack of enthusiasm for this type of leading man, I enjoyed The Marriage Merger, at least once I reached the halfway mark. The story got off to a fairly slow start for me. I would explain why it felt slow, but I truly don't remember much of it, even though I read it this morning. I felt like I was on autopilot. I can say that once Sawyer and Julietta started connecting on a true personal level, my heart joined the party.

The second half of The Marriage Merger was enjoyable and I flew through it. I liked seeing Julietta and Sawyer really get to know one another, and quietly fall in love, though the both deny it. Sawyer's (tragic) and Julietta's (loving but pressuring) backgrounds are explored and do explain their hang-ups. From there on out, the story took an easy to predict path, but was still enjoyable.

Now for the steam. I've read a few reviews that mention The Marriage Merger having "too much sex". Um....what?!? I didn't think it was too much, in fact I could have handled a lot more! Too each his own, I guess. I personally found the intimate scenes between the two to be very, very hot and well-written.  Believe me, there were some moments that definitely left me flushed and fanning myself. I give The Marriage Merger two enthusiastic thumbs up for the steam.

The Marriage Merger was a book that I did struggle with initially, but wound up enjoying. I've notice several readers who've mentioned that the other books in this series are stronger. I truly believe those who are into this type of hero, the tortured, dominant millionaire, will find what they're looking for.


Favorite Quote:

  "I love you, Sawyer. This is more than sex. More than business or companionship or something on paper. This is about how I feel when I look at you. About the way you protect Wolfe, and how you respect me, and how you make me a better person. A whole person. It's about the man I see every day. I believe he has everything to give; he's just afraid to take it. I'm not going to be afraid anymore. I'm going to be brave enough for both of us."  ~pg. 341
 
 

The Marriage to a Billionaire Series

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GIVEAWAY

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About the author
Jennifer Probst wrote her first book at twelve years old. She bound it in a folder, read it to her classmates, and hasn’t stopped writing since. She took a short hiatus to get married, get pregnant, buy a house, get pregnant again, pursue a master’s in English Literature, and rescue two shelter dogs. Now she is writing again.

She is the NYT and USA Today bestselling author of The Marriage Bargain. She is published both erotic and sexy contemporary romance with Entangled, Decadent, Red Sage and TWRP. She has also written a children's book, Buffy and the Carrot, co-written with her twelve year old niece, along with a short story, "A Life Worth Living." Visit her website for more info!

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