Book Review: The Magnate's Mail Order Bride

Author: Joanne Rock
Title: The Magate's Mail-Order Bride
Publisher: Harlequin Desire
Publish Date: April 4, 2017
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: 

A mix-and-match mock engagement?

Ballerina Sofia Koslov's career is on the line when she's accosted at the airport by a rich, reckless playboy who thinks she's his mail-order bride! But the playboy's levelheaded brother, Quinn McNeill, solves the media snafu with a switcheroo. He'll pretend to be her legitimate fiancé to protect her reputation—and to protect his family's business deals from her father's wrath. Sofia's one condition: they'll share the spotlight as a loving couple but won't share a bed. But soon Quinn's gentlemanly ways strike a chord, and Sofia's dying to renege on that condition and have a real fling…

The Magnate's Mail-Order Bride is part of The McNeill Magnates series.

Review: I read Teri Wilson's "His Ballerina Bride" last year, and I loved it.  Getting to know more about the dance profession more is really what drew me to this book, plus JoAnne Rock is one of my favorite Desire authors.

This was a case of the fake fiance, which is a rather common plot, but one that really worked well in this story. Sofia's father wants her to get married, and Quinn's brother somehow picked her on an matchmaking site.

That's when things get going. Quinn (who is Cam's brother) offers to help her out of the mess by acting as her fiance until after her audition.

What makes their fake relationship so wonderful, is how it isn't fake. These two have such fabulous chemistry and they develop a friendship very quickly and though they don't seem to have much in common, these two really work well together.

When the fake relationship becomes real, you really root for them. They are one couple that really work together. I find a lot of romance relationships don't seem to show any common ground between the hero and heroine, but that really isn't the case.

Quinn respects Sofia's career and they show care about each other's personal lives. When an illness befalls a member of Quinn's family, Sofia shows support and Quinn goes to her. (I don't like to give away too much, but this really impressed me with the book)

This was one of the best Desire novels that I've read in a long time. Great characters and a great story. I can't wait for the next book!

Rating: 5 flowers

Tasty Book Tours Book Review: Secret Baby Scandal

Two Fabulous Prizes...Enter Below!

SECRET BABY SCANDAL

Bayou Billionaires #4

Joanne Rock

Releasing May 1st (Digital)

Releasing May 10th (Print)

Harlequin Desire

His proposition: pretend they’re a couple to end a scandal. But she has secrets of her own…

Tatiana Doucet has dealt with sexy, arrogant athletes most of her life. But Jean-Pierre Reynaud is a whole different animal—in bed and on the field. Unbeknownst to him, their one amazing night produced a son. Now her family’s biggest football rival is back, offering a seductive wager she can’t refuse.

Jean-Pierre despises the media. When rumors fly, he knows a fake relationship is the perfect diversion for the tabloids—and Tatiana’s unbridled passion is the perfect diversion for Jean-Pierre. But when she drops a baby bombshell, the scandal will rock them both!

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This is the last book in the Bayou Billionaires mini-series, and I have to say, I'm going to miss the Reynaud brothers and their football franchise.  I have read every book in this mini series and they are all very enjoyable read.

This is another book with a baby before the wedding, much like the first book in the series, His Pregnant Princess Bride, only  this time Jean-Pierre. They had a fling and it resulted in a baby. I like how Joanne has made both hero and heroine admirable characters that work together well and have great chemistry. They also have a shared past together, which makes the night that resulted in the baby more than just a one night stand.

I think if the NFL had more players like the Reynaud's I might watch more football. 

It is also wonderful to see the characters from the past books again. It is a nice way to wrap things up as we get to deal with Gervais and Erika's wedding in this story. I really am going to miss these characters. I wish there would have been more time spent with them in this book.  That was probably the one thing that was a bit of a let down for me in this book, because I really felt like I knew this family.

I definitely recommend this one and the other for fans of sports romance.

Rating: 5 flowers

Four-time RITA nominee Joanne Rock has never met a romance sub-genre she didn't like. The author of over seventy novels enjoys writing contemporary romance and medieval historicals alike, recently exploring Young Adult romance under a pseudonym. An optimist by nature and perpetual seeker of silver linings, Joanne finds romance–in all its forms-- fits her life outlook perfectly. When she's not writing, Joanne enjoys travel, especially to see her favorite sports teams play with her former sports editor husband and three athletic-minded sons.

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Don't Miss the rest of the Bayou Billionaires

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Tasty Book Tours Book Review: His Secretary's Surprise Fiance

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Joanne Rock Romance Gift Pack

HIS SECRETARY'S SURPRISE FIANCE

Bayou Billionaires #2

Joanne Rock

March 1st (Digital), March 8th (Print)

Harlequin Desire

Her boss wants her in his office—and as his bride!

Adelaide Thibodeaux grew up with Dempsey Reynaud, and she's worked for him for years. But when the billionaire football coach springs a surprise engagement to keep her from resigning, it's a low blow. Just as she's ready to strike out on her own, she's stuck in a fake relationship with her boss, biding her time…

But soon Adelaide faces a second blow: she's actually falling for the man! Can a relationship founded on a lie become the real deal? Or will they fumble before the end zone—and stay in the friend zone?

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I have to say that I love the Bayou Billionaires. In this book we are focusing on Dempsey and Adelaide. Dempsey is the Reynaud that was born out of wedlock in NOLA's Eighth District. He felt he had to prove himself to get where he is, and Adelaide was his bff, and now she's his assistant.

These two have super chemistry together, stemming from their years long friendship. I was really surprised that it took so long for the two of them to end up in bed together, but when they did. Whoa! The sparks were flying!!

These two really had a love for covering themselves with chocolate!

The proposal scene is the absolute best even if things went completely awry. Dempsey should get all kinds of props creating the most romantic proposal. 

I have to admit, I love stories, with fake relationships that end up being way more than that and this one was just so good. Plus you still get to see Gervais and Erika from the last Bayou Billionaire book.

I'm really loving this mini-series!

Rating: 5 flowers

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Three-time RITA nominee Joanne Rock has never met a romance sub-genre she didn't like. The author of over seventy novels enjoys writing contemporary romance and medieval historicals alike, recently exploring Young Adult romance under a pseudonym. An optimist by nature and perpetual seeker of silver linings, Joanne finds romance–in all its forms-- fits her life outlook perfectly. When she's not writing, Joanne enjoys travel, especially to see her favorite sports teams play with her former sports editor husband and three athletic-minded sons.

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Bayou Billionaires Series

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Book Review: A Blazing Little Christmas

I'm a little late with some of my Christmas books, but this was actually one I picked up at either Goodwill or Half Priced Books. Its an anthology of 3 stories that center around one lodge in Lake Placid, NY.

Two out of the three stories are really great, the middle story is so so. All of them are filled with steamy sex.

The first story is by Jacquie D'Alessandro and its call Holiday In Bed. The two characters Eric and Jessica are engaged restaurant managers trying to save their relationship. Their families are going nutty planning their wedding and they would like nothing more then to just run away and say "I do."

After reading a few of the scenes with Jessica's mom and Eric's sister, its no wonder the couple's relationship is on the rocks. But one has to wonder where both of their spines are? I don't care how much you love a family member, I can't imagine going several months letting them control something as important as a wedding.

I loved some of the flashback scenes in this one. Oh and there's a lap dance scene that will have anyone reading running off for a cold shower!

The second story is Joanne Rock's "His For The Holidays." This is the so-so one for me. I liked Heather and Jared but the plot of a couple that had wild weekend together 5 years before suddenly getting together again, with revenge on someone's mind, didn't do it for me. Plus everything got wrapped too a little too easily in their story.

The last story is "Dear Santa" by Kathleen O'Reilly, one of my favorite Blaze authors. I really liked the concept of this story. Rebecca has lost her job at an exclusive school, because she had the kids write letters to Santa. She gets a letter saying Santa's bought her a weekend getaway at the Timberline Lodge and that's where everything starts happening and by everything I mean, running into a guy she went to school with.

He's not big on Christmas, but he turns into her Christmas present. There's more to this story than just hot sex too, but I won't give that away, you'll just have to read it for yourself.