Summary
RSVP to my Marriage of Convenience
I swore I would only get married if my life depended on it. Oh, the irony.
Many things have happened over the past few weeks that I didn’t see coming. My family imploded. Our business was turned upside down. And someone threatened to harm me if I didn’t make good on my father’s promises.
But the biggest thing I didn’t see coming?
Foxx Carmichael demanding marriage.
He’s doing it out of loyalty to my brother. I know that. But I can’t help but think if, through that deliciously hot, grumpy exterior, my bodyguard doesn’t have ulterior motives.
There’s no denying the fire in his touch or the heat in his blue eyes. He protects me with a ferocity that leaves me breathless. He makes me rethink many things I thought I knew for sure—like my position on marriage.
But how we dance around our fake relationship makes me wonder what part of this is pretend. None of it matters if he doesn’t admit he feels the same way.
Our sham wedding will fall apart as soon as the threat is contained. But what happens if the flames between us burn everything to the ground first?
Review
(audiobook) It was an unexpected but almost perfect recipe. A little savory, with the banter and the dynamics between Bianca and Foxx; a little sweet, with lots of feelings; a lot spicy, because it was hot; and even a bit salty, with the suspense added at the end. But it was missing one vital ingredient: the build up.
We dive right into the story, and though Bianca and Foxx work on some level, the fact that their common past is only written in memories and conversations made it less effective. Bianca appears bitchy and Foxx too closed off, when they need to make us feel the unbearable tension between them.
But as I said, it still worked. The energy between them–the banter is excellent–compensates enough. You can feel the agonizing months of denial, the repressed desires, the torture of forbiddance. Bianca’s taunts are the spark igniting their passion. She provokes Foxx constantly to make him snap, because she can’t stand his refusal.
But that’s only the first part of the story. This book works in three very different acts. The first act is sexy, and all about Bianca trying to crack Foxx’s armor. When it’s official that there could never be anything between them–because Foxx is loyal to Bianca’s brother–is when the author throws a wrench: Foxx and Bianca enter a marriage of convenience in the second part. It’s the sexy romcom part. Because Foxx’s job is to protect Bianca, he goes in willingly, knowing it’ll become harder to resist her.
And that’s when both characters grow. They open up, to each other first, then to others. The illusion of relationship force them to consider what a relationship entails, and that it isn’t so bad after all. I loved the way Foxx opens up. He’s mostly seen as someone not caring, when in fact he cares too much, and that’s why he must keep his heart closed off: emotions might cloud his judgement, and he needs it to protect the people he loves.
And the last act is a bit more tense and suspenseful. While Bianca’s situation has been developped mostly in another book, I felt there were enough details offered here to get the gist of it, and to understand what is at stake in this last part. Not only does it add to the reading experience–when everything seems to go too well, another conflict in the story keeps the reader interested–but those last events are also necessary to complete the characters’ growth, especially Bianca’s. Now they can finally be together, happily ever after and all. Well done.
The narration was exquisite. The female narrator captured Bianca’s strong character, and there’s enough grumpiness in the male narrator’s voice to make Foxx come alive. They’re both so talented that they enhance the experience, in my opinion. And if it wasn’t for the frustration of not getting Foxx and Bianca falling in love, I’d say this audiobook is perfection.
Quickie
- Series: Carmichael family #5 (can be read as a standalone, connected to another book by the author)
- Hashtags: #romantic suspense #forbidden romance #brother’s best friend #ex-military #bodyguard #marriage of convenience
- Triggers: violence, parental abuse
- Main couple: Bianca Brewer & Foxx Carmichael
- Hotness: 4/5
- Romance: 4/5
- + the comparison between Bianca’s and Foxx’s families was interesting
- – it was a bit frustrating to have a good portion of the romance, the beginning of it at least, only mentioned as memories
Stalker mode
You can subscribe to Adriana Locke’s newsletter on her website.
You can also follow her on Facebook.
Vero Ticker 