| 
Reading The Marriage Mistake is ... a mistake.
The book in one sentence: A sexual chase ending in an arranged marriage.
Synopsis of The Marriage Mistake by Jennifer Probst: Carina Conte has had a crush on her brother Michael’s best friend, Max Gray, since she was a teenager. Now she’s earned her MBA and come to work at Michael’s new venture, America’s fastest-growing bakery empire. But some things never change: her family still treats her like a child. With three drop-dead gorgeous siblings, she’s still the ugly duckling of the bunch. And Max, the company’s new CEO, still barely notices her.
Max knows Carina Conte is strictly off limits. But hot-blooded lust wins out at a conference when the two share a scorching one-night stand—and are busted by her mother! Now, forced by old-world Italian tradition into a marriage he’s not ready for, Max is miserable—and Carina is furious. Her new husband is about to realize that hell hath no fury like a woman transformed.
My two cents: This isn't my usual fare but I do enjoy some chick lit once in a while. The reviews seemed rather good and I needed something different. But reading The Marriage Mistake was, for me ... a mistake. Don't even think of picking it up lest you want to waste precious time on a piece of badly written fluff.
Granted I had never read any of the others in the series (this is the third book), but even as a standalone it doesn't work on so many levels. Why?
- I won't go into the story because the lack of it really should've triggered some warning signs. It's a classic "can't have it, but can't not have it" and the tension became weary and overdrawn out.
- Ah Carina, Carina. Transformed from a once lovestruck silly girl to a woman fully aware of her sexual prowess. From innocent to savvy businesswoman. What a caricature -- totally unnatural, totally schizophrenic, and totally unlikeable (I think it was the shorts with the high heels that did me in). Sorry, Carina, I just couldn't buy into your character.
- Do. You. Like. Dramatic. Sex. Scenes? Well, go for it then. But if I have to read "Own. Possess. Claim." (page 104) or some variation thereof, I think I am going to puke.
- What is it about getting what you want? Max finally gets Carina in bed but remains unhappy. Carina finally marries Max but is unhappy. What a miserable feeling throughout the book!
- Side rant: Another Gray? Sheesh, when will people stop with the Shades of Grey references?
I received a copy through Goodreads First Reads.
The Marriage Mistake by Jennifer Probst
No comments
Post a Comment