The Marriage Bargain: Billionaire Games, Book 1

I picked up The Marriage Bargain to read because I wanted something light and fun and maybe a little cheesy to read. This was light for sure, but it was a bit too annoying at times, everything was way too quick, it just didn't work overall for me. Not even for a cheesy read.*some slight spoilers ahead*Julian is a super rich French man in the states looking for an actress to play his wife for six months. His father wants him to marry this girl, Madeline, but he doesn't want to. Apparently the only way to not marry her is to marry someone else. The thing is they would really get married and the girl would act like his wife for six months and then they would divorce. He won't have to marry Madeline, and the girl will go away with $5 Million. Win win win.Camille works for a tabloid in LA. She gets sent on assignment to see what Julian wants. As soon as Julian sees her he knows she is the one. He is attracted to her and wants her to play his wife. Camille originally refuses as she doesn't like to be deceitful, she won't marry him to gather dirt on him to write a story about him. When she tells her boss this she gets fired. So lo and behold she rethinks Julians proposition and agrees to marry him. As long as they marry right away in Vegas before they head over to France to meet the family.Of course they both are super attracted to each other with means they are falling in love. Julian warns Camille that Madeline will not be happy that Camille is marrying him, that she might make stuff up and try and run her off, but she shouldn't listen to her. He is trying to protect Camille and he knows Madeline and his father will try to get rid of her. *slight spoiler ahead* So what does Madeline do as soon as they meet? Tell Camille how she might marry Julian, but she will be his mistress. And Camille believes her! She believes that Julian will be sleeping with Madeline while he is married to her. Why? I am not sure. It is obvious this is one of those things Julian warned her about, and why would he marry her if he is just going to be with Madeline? Why wouldn't he just marry Madeline and then divorce her when he gets tired of her or something if that is what he wanted? It made no sense. Things like that throughout the story just bugged me. So then Camille was a bit standoffish with Julian and when she catches Madeline in Julian's bed on their wedding day (while Julian was in the shower) she just believes everything Madeline says. It was just like come on. At least trust Julian to be more discreet if he were going to do something like that. It was just ridiculous and not in a way I like. Then when Julian finds out what Madeline has been saying and tells Camille oh don't be ridiculous, Madeline is just making that up to try and run you off Camille is just like oh! Of course. How silly of me. You are right. Okay so you have this whole drama llama deal with Madeline that just goes on and on and then is resolved in two sentences? Okay. Great.Really the story overall didn't work for me. Everything happened so quickly. Julian and Camille apparently fall in love, and by fall in love I mean they are super attracted to each other and like having the sexy time. They really make this fake marriage work! Yey them. Only not really. All of the stupid drama was just annoying. There is drama thrown in at the end when Julian finds out what Camille does for a living, or did, but Camille refuses to explain anything, refuses to actually speak at all, so he has to assume that what he finds out is true. It was just stupid! It was like Camille why don't you just tell him what happened? Why do you refuse to say anything when he asks you? Why? You make no sense! There wouldn't be this drama if you just opened your mouth and spoke to Julian, but you don't cause you are an idiot. Frustrating and definitely not the book for me.This review was originally posted to Jen in Bookland

GIRL BOOK!This is a fantastic story that reads much like a fairy tale. Every so often I crave a little mood-lifter - something 'girlish' that leaves me feeling like the world is a happy place once again. The world inside this book fit the bill perfectly! In it we find the handsome rich cultured man looking for freedom - only to find that he is unexpectedly mesmerized by an average woman whom he hires to excuse him from a family marriage arrangement. We have a beautiful setting - a chateau in France with great food, beautiful beaches, gardens, yachts, fashion and jewels. What more could a girl ask for? Aside from all these great 'perks' there really is a story here. I was reeled in quickly and couldn't stop reading.What this book is NOT...this is NOT one of those over-written chick lit "romance" books that calls for excessive eye rolling and occasional gagging. It IS good, clean romance, expertly written to be "for-real-romantic". By the cover (which is beautiful, btw) I had expected a chick-lit so called romance with alot of heavy breathing involved. If you've come across even a few of those as I have, you really begin to worry any time you pick up something that looks at all 'romance-ish". I assure you, there is NONE of that cheapy-Harlequin stuff going on in this well written novel. This book had alot of 'Pretty Woman' feeling to it which is the highest relatable compliment I can think of. Likeable characters & an equally UNlikeable villian. I felt a connection to the characters in a way that makes you think of them long after you've closed the book. They stay in your heart somehow.As this is a self-published book, I also seem to expect those annoying misspellings, grammatical errors, etc, etc. This book was VERY well edited and free of error. This, to me, speaks highly of the author. To care about the presentation of your work means to be proud of what you have to offer. Pride in the work so often equals finding something truly special.I did luck out and find this book temporarily in the free book section. This IN NO WAY reflects upon the rating I have given. I feel like this was a book offered free only for recognition purposes - exactly what I'm hoping for when scanning the free books. The writing, I feel, is comparable to other Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Lauren Weisberger, Emily Giffen titles that I have read. I would not hesitate to purchase a Sandra Edwards title in future.

The Marriage Bargain; Billionaire Games, Book 1 is by Sandra Edwards. This is a cute book and one which is easy to read quickly. It doesn’t have a lot of twists and turns so that you have to pay close attention. Instead it is one which can be read with little attention and it is still good.Camille Chandler is a tabloid journalist who is sent by her boss to answer an unusual ad in the L.A. Trades. “Wanted: Single actress for an extended gig abroad” The ad isn’t too unusual; but the writer is. Julian De Laurent is a mega-rich French playboy who is constantly surrounded by lovely women. Why would he be advertising like this? Camille is sent by her boss to find out more about this.Julian is frustrated. He needs a regal actress to fill this role. His standards are high but those of his father will be higher. He needs to find someone who looks and acts like she had been groomed to be the wife of a rich man. As he is about to give up, Camille walks in. She is perfect; but when she finds out what the job entails, she turns him down.When she goes back to her office, her boss gives her an ultimatum. She takes the job and writes a tell-all about the family or looses her job and any chance of getting another one any time soon. When she loses her job, she goes back to Julian. He has to help her. She decides to accept the job without the intention of writing anything about it. However, she doesn’t’ tell Julian what had happened. Was that a mistake?

I was sent this book by the author. I found it to be a nicely written, pleasant romance, ideal as a holiday read. Camille Chandler is a journalist who has been sent on a job to meet Julian De Laurent to find out why he has placed an advertisement for an actress. Camille establishes that Julian needs a temporary wife, and is shocked when he offers to pay her millions to be that wife for 6 months. Camille immediately refuses, but has a change of heart when her boss threatens to fire her and ruin her reputation as a journalist, if she refuses to take the job. Determined not to be compromised she sticks to her principles and quits her job. When realisation hits she changes her mind, and agrees to the marriage, but neither get what they initially expect…

I loved this book, it starts off so simple - just a business agreement one very rich man desperate to not follow his families wishes to marry. A struggling writer/actor who takes on a job just for the money - until she realised that not only did Julian have a body to die for, was beautiful to look at and Camile wasn't sure that she could keep her hands to herself.It turned out to be a very interesting read, twists and turns in all directions - with a very spoilt brat of an ex-girlfirend, who tried her hardest to split Julian & Camile upSandra Edwards you do write a very lovely story, and I'm looking forward to reading more of your work

I loved this book, I read it in about three sittings. It's very much like pretty women but I don't know many people who don't like that story/film!! Easy to read, likeable characters, fast paced and a good storyline. It's predictable, no twists and turns but it doesn't need it. I will definitely be reading more by Sandra Edwards. My only comment would be that some parts could even be filled out more as some scenes do skip past a little too fast but overall.... good job!

My major problem with this book was the female protagonist. She just didn't seem like a realistic 3D character. It seems like a little thing but the fact that Camille was so unsophisticated and sheltered that she thought that 'cheri' was someone's name rather than a French endearment, really irritated me and instantly made her unbelievable as a character and tarnished any enjoyment of the story. For someone who has graduated from a top university with a degree in journalism not to be familiar with this is crazy. It's basic French, but even if she'd never studied it, portrayals of French people in TV, films and books often have a character calling people 'cheri'. I just couldn't accept that she was a supposedly intelligent and well educated individual but was ignorant of this.More generally, the premise of this book is a familiar one. In fact, it was so familiar I thought I'd read it before but realised whatever version of it I had previously known was actually better developed and resolved.Despite this, it was a pleasant undemanding story and if you don't read regularly or have much to compare it to, go for it.

This was a nice easy read- ideal for something not too challenging. It's pretty predictable but that doesn't make it boring. Yes there are parts that are cheesy and parts where the main character is a bit of a snob- but overall it's likeable. Can be read as a standalone as the further books in the series appear to be based on secondary characters.