Ilsa Madden-Mills is back with a new full-length book, and it's a companion novel to her Strangers in Love series, albeit with a very loose connection! My Darling Bride is a standalone, and it features Graham Harlan, the twenty-nine-year-old star tight end for the New York Pythons who is dealing with an injury incurred in the middle of the Super Bowl that leads to a near-death experience, and Emmaline Darling, the twenty-seven-year-old manager of a small, independent bookstore called A Likely Story in Manhattan and who lives with her younger siblings, Jane and Andrew, and Jane's daughter, Londyn. In order to help his younger brother, Brody, secure the family inheritance, Graham knows he has to comply with the stipulation mentioned in his late grandmother's will: marry a woman. Now, for someone like him, you'd think it wouldn't be a problem. However, Graham isn't in a relationship with anyone--he isn't even seeing anyone, period. So, what's a guy to do? Well, blackmail the woman who stole his Lamborghini, of course. He won't press charges if Emmy agrees to marry him and stay until the inheritance is received. Then they can go their separate ways and Graham could focus his attention on his one true love: football. But what if Graham's true love is actually this super sassy bookseller turned darling bride...and soon-to-be ex-wife?
Darling! Simply darling! I adored this book, and that's saying something considering the whole marriage of convenience romance trope isn't my favorite. When I call this book a standalone, it truly is that. While Tuck Avery (Princess and the Player) is mentioned, he plays no role in Emmy and Graham's story whatsoever. River Tate (The Revenge Pact) makes a cameo here, but it's Jasper (whose last name continues to escape me, but he was a barely a blip on the radar in Beauty and the Baller and a true supporting character in Princess and the Player) who makes his charmingly persistent presence known, what with now being Graham's self-appointed bestie and shadow and the Pythons's starting quarterback. But it's the main characters, Graham and Emmy, who truly own this story. They're strike an agreement, one that is mutually beneficial, with both believing that they would walk away once the Harlan inheritance was released. Alas (not really), love comes along, and well, best laid plans and all that. These two were great because they had dimension to them, with back stories that offered up interesting personal histories without making things overly complicated. I was happy about this return to Ilsa Madden-Mills's Pythons world--fingers crossed for Jasper's book--and My Darling Bride receives five stars.
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Popular Highlights in this book
“I’m sorry, darling. I’m yours, I’m here, and I’m not leaving. I came back from the dead—for you.”Highlighted by 916 Kindle readers- “I had my surgery the night of the Super Bowl. You and I were in the same hospital on the same night, Mount Sinai.”Highlighted by 763 Kindle readers
- “This isn’t about the NDA. I don’t want him near you, Emmy. You’re my wife, and it worries me that he might hurt you. Don’t you understand?”Highlighted by 747 Kindle readers
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Romantic and Entertaining
“Maybe sometimes, things really are meant to be.” Ilsa’s writing has a magnetic quality. It’s hard to set her books aside because of their well-paced narratives, intriguing side characters that leave you craving more, and a perfect blend of sweetness and spice — and that is all found in “My Darling Bride”. Emmaline Darling’s bold decision to break free from an abusive relationship brings her to an Arizona desert motel. A twist of fate unfolds as football star Graham Harlan becomes an unexpected ally in her journey, creating a heartwarming “meet-cute” moment. However, the story takes an unexpected turn when Emma “borrows” Graham’s Lamborghini for a hurried trip to the airport. Graham not only locates her in Manhattan but presents an intriguing proposition loaded with a “you owe me” undertone: marriage. He says that marrying is essential to get the inheritance his brother needs, connecting their lives in a complicated mix of responsibility and necessity. When Emma and Graham are together, there’s a palpable warmth that fills the room. Whether it’s their closeness, playful banter, flirtation, or unspoken yearning, the ache in your chest intensifies, drawing you into the perfect blend of angst and simmering desire they share. Emma’s dedication to her family resonates deeply. Graham recognizes this, realizing that what she offers is precisely what he has been missing in his own life: “Her loyalty and self-sacrifice to others? It’s challenging for me to comprehend because I’ve never had someone like that in my life…” This dynamic adds a layer of depth and emotion to their love story, making it all the more memorable and delightful.
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- nicandbooksReviewed in Australia on November 9, 2024
You are mine. You are my saving grace, my reward, my happiness, my darling.
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