The Marriage Bargain (Billionaire Games: Book 1)
Julian is a French billionaire with a complex problem. He needs a wife in-name-only to convince his father why he cannot marry the woman who his father previously picked out for him. Camille is a not-so-successful actress who answers Julian’s ad for the role of her life. If she can convincingly play the part for 6 months, she may not win an Oscar, but she will be $5 million richer. Julian said she was perfect for the part, but Camille is not so sure she can pull it off.
She would have rejected the deal altogether, but circumstances beyond her control put her in a situation where she needs the money. Against her better judgment, she accepts the job because she knows that she does not have any options. Living it up in luxury for 6 months beats waiting tables to make ends meet. The hard part for Camille is reminding herself that none of the charade is real. I think most girls would swoon from a hot guy reading the phone book in French. So I know that Camille probably had stars in her eyes when Julian called her “cheri” and casually touched her affectionately as if it is second nature for him. I am sure the French accent was probably very sexy and charming too.
Meanwhile, Julian’s ex-girlfriend (the reason for the fake marriage in the first place) is in her ear shamelessly telling her that while Camille maybe the wife, SHE will be the mistress taking care of him. Seriously? Since when does mistress status upstage the legal rights of the wife? The ex-girlfriend did not know that Camille held all the cards.
There was a great cast of supporting characters that helped the story along. Besides the meddling father and jealous ex-girlfriend, it was great that Camille found an ally in her mother-in-law. And while I was not sure I would like her best friend, she ended up being a great friend as well.
Overall, I liked the book and the way it ended. Camille had her insecurities and that is what made her adorable. Julian might have got married for the wrong reasons, but he was lucky enough to marry the right woman. The way the book ended was too sweet. I was gushing and saying “Awwwwwwww”!
I have a soft spot for this typical fairy tale romance. It is in no way believable but the story is sweet without being corny. I think we all would like to believe there are uber-rich down-to-earth handsome men out there that fall for lower middle-class women who do not allow wealth to corrupt their outlook on life and how they treat people.
Everyone needs to buy The Marriage Bargain (Billionaire Games: Book 1)
Received a copy of The Marriage Bargain
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