Author: Ilsa Madden-Mills
Genre: Sports romance, marriage-of-convenience/inheritance
Pages: 327
Release Date: December 5, 2023
My Blurb for My Darling Bride
Emmy has finally escaped an abusive relationship and flees from their trip in Las Vegas to a motel in the remote desert. When a creepy guy takes notice of her alone at the motel, she latches onto the first man she sees, pretending he is her boyfriend. Thankfully, he plays along, but when her ex-boyfriend finds her again, she steals her faux boyfriend’s fancy new Lamborghini, leaving just a note to say she’d leave it at the airport for him.
Things aren’t going well for Graham. After a serious and potentially football career ending concussion, Graham is on the mend and on a joyride, vacation testing out his new car when it gets stolen by the woman he just helped. That would be fine if it hadn’t been stolen again from the airport by someone else and totaled.
On top of all that, Graham needs to get married, so he can get his family inheritance for his brother, but he doesn’t even have a girlfriend. After tracking down Emmy in Manhattan, Graham thinks blackmailing her into marrying him to avoid jailtime for stealing his car might just work out perfectly.
My Thoughts on My Darling Bride
Another marriage of convenience/inheritance story! I read 2 books with this similar trope almost back-to-back which I do not recommend. But putting that aside, I enjoyed this book. I actually listened to it as an audiobook (check out my list of Kindle Unlimited romances that include the audiobook for free here)! But I’ll be completely honest, I kind of hated the female narrator. She was so breathy, like in a trying to be sexy way, even just in regular conversation which was so weird.
If you’re looking for a sports romance, this really isn’t it. Even though Graham’s a football player, the book doesn’t really revolve around his games or the other players and football.
I liked Emmy’s character a lot. I liked the whole working at a bookshop and taking care of her siblings and family – her sister grew on me and I think had good intentions! There was the domestic violence situation with her ex-boyfriend, which could be a potential trigger warning for some, but I felt like it wasn’t too detailed or lengthy in the book.
Graham was plenty likeable, and we love a guy that cares for his family, and specifically his gay brother who has been wronged in the family will. He’s also facing his own demons with the repercussions of his latest concussion and where his career is headed. I loved to see him, and his football friends get involved with the bookstore. I feel like that kind of caring character is typical in Ilsa books.
Overall, an easy “sports” romance book to read, light on the sports, and heavy on the marriage of convenience/inheritance trope. Fun characters that have their own respective depth with side characters that add to the story as well.
Farewell Thoughts
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