The Marriage Mistake (Marriage to a Billionare, #3) by Jennifer Probst

Nov 08, 2012 Blacky *Mistress of doom* rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-contemporary, arc, oooooooooooooooooooooooo, 4-stars-for-quality, 4-stars-for-enjoyment

This one was GREAT! Definitely the best from this series

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A lovely romance about a girl in love with her brother's best friend for ages :D now a woman, starting in the familly business, and determined to move on

Carina has been in love with Max since she was a teenager, but he only saw her as a baby sister. Now, after graduation, she comes to America and starts working in the family business. Max is surprised by her, how much she matured, and how she doesn't swoon all over him anymore

Carina...more

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Oct 14, 2012 BamaGal rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cont-romance, netgalley-edelweiss

3.5 Stars. I enjoyed this one much more than The Marriage Trap. The stories are still a bit on the fluffy side, but I liked Carina a good deal more than I liked Maggie from the 2nd book; so that made a big difference for me.

Carina has been in love with her older brother Michael's best friend Max all her life. Max has never seen her as anything except as his almost-sister. Carina goes off to college to get her business degree so she can join the family business. She comes to New York, where Micha...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Saly rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: single-titles, virgin-heroines, rom-contemporary

Rating 2.5 stars
This is the third book in a series by Jennifer Probst and it was one I was looking forward to, since in the second installment of the series we met the heroine Carina, who was shy and awkward and was madly in love with her brother's best friend Max.

The Marriage Mistake opens a few years later and Carina has just completed her MBA and is moving to America to work in her brother's company. It is something that is expected of her but isn't her passion, which is painting. She though...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Mer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: a-f, a-cr, favourite

5+ stars

Thanks to Simon & Shuster (via NetGalley) for this ARC.

Oh my... I loved this book. It was so good. So good I stayed awake and had panda eyes on the next day.

This story was way intriguing and interesting, it got me hooked until the end. I really liked the sexual tension between Carina and Max. It was super uber hot. With the brand new sexy, beautiful, artistic Carina, she's definitely a great match for hot, brooding, commitment-phobe Max. I also liked their banters, their conversation...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Belinda rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: frustratingly-sexy, hot-lusty-love

I'm sorry did the heat go up in my room, or am i just imagining things..

This book was phwoah... i mean there were some seriously hot sizzling scenes between the main two.. and i won't lie i enjoyed every minute of it. In fact I think those scenes are what made this book great.

It was a fairly easy read, with a typical girl loves boy, boy rejects girl, girl grows up and ignores boy, boy wants girl... and then a forced marriage after a steamy night of sex (okay so that part wasnt how most books wou...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Angela the Fair ~Lusty Lace~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012

Review also posted at Under The Covers Book Blog

The Marriage Mistake is the third installment of Marriage to a Billionaire by Jennifer Probst. I must say that this book is the best of the three. Ms. Probst mastered the art of sexual tension, smexy scenes and managed to add a heart-warming element to the story, not to mention the swoon worthy hero.

Max and Carina are two people who are career minded. Max already established in the business world with Michael Conte, Carina’s older Brother. Carina...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Georgia Cruz rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I have got to get those love spell book and cast a request for Earth Mother to bring me one and only man I truly want in my life: Kellan Kyle

***
Okay, so here's my review now. I love this story because it's a combination of sexy-romantic-funny ride all in one package. I even laughed hard in this particular scene where they talked about "Fifty Shades of Grey". I mean they even have the same name Maximus Gray. I bet the author was inspired with the book especially the dominance sex scene. Haha! Her...more

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Nov 09, 2012 Novel rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, bolt-from-the-blue

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This is an okay read for me. It's light and quick read... nothing spectacular or memorable.

Carina has been in love with her brother's best friend since she was young. He's 8 years her senior and he doesn't look at her as a woman. In his eyes, she'll always be his best friend's little sister and definitely off limits. After a few years, Carina finds herself in New York working as an assistant for Max as part of her training as a future CEO of the company. After a mind-blowing, no-strings attached...more This is an okay read for me. It's light and quick read... nothing spectacular or memorable.

Carina has been in love with her brother's best friend since she was young. He's 8 years her senior and he doesn't look at her as a woman. In his eyes, she'll always be his best friend's little sister and definitely off limits. After a few years, Carina finds herself in New York working as an assistant for Max as part of her training as a future CEO of the company. After a mind-blowing, no-strings attached night with Max in Vegas, they were both busted by Mama Conte. Due to their Italian tradition, the two were forced into marriage that the two did not anticipate.

After reading The Marriage Trap, I was really looking forward to read The Marriage Mistake because it seems so interesting. It's sad to say that It didn't meet my expectations. In book 2, Carina was portrayed as a shy and a pushover character. She wants to please everyone that she ends up tucking her own dreams away. In this book, she's supposed to be different... She's supposed to be a stronger and independent woman. Honestly, aside from the physical make over, it looked like she never really changed. She is working for La Dolce Maggie after getting her MBA when her real passion is in art and painting. It's obvious that Carina never got over her feelings for Max, I find her belief that she'll get over him after sleeping with him sound ridiculous. Also, I was furious at her when she agreed to marry Max and later became upset with him about the "forced" marriage. It was her choice to begin with, but, she never stood up for herself and allowed her mom to bully her into marrying Max. Max is a likable character. He's rich and good looking but have commitment issues. I really liked the married man Max. He's so attentive and giving as a husband to Carina. Too bad she's too busy sulking to see his good nature.

What I liked about this book is the glimpse of the married lives of the characters from the previous books. I'm still going to read Julietta's story. I'm wondering if Sawyer is going to be her guy. He's the only new character introduced in this book...so, yeah, maybe he is!(less)

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Oct 19, 2012 Sara (is in love with boys who love boys) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, edelweiss, a-must-read, adult, can-t-miss-book, erotica, favorites, romance

The third installment in the Marriage to a Billionaire series is stunning. I didn’t think Nick and Alexa from The Marriage Bargain could be topped and then I met Michael and Maggie from The Marriage Trap. Of course I loved them; I was so connected to their story I didn’t think I could read The Marriage Mistake until a friend told me to cut the cord and dive in. Max and Carina, I have to say my cheeks got the ultimate workout from the constant smile on my face as I read every word of their story....more

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Dec 11, 2012 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2012, review, romance

Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/11/27/...

I’ve been waiting for Carina’s story ever since she first stepped onto the page in The Marriage Trap. She was so young and bubbly and full of life and I adored her. Now that she has her own story, I have to say that I think this book might be my favorite in the series!

Carina has had a crush on her brother’s best friend, Max, for as long as she can remember. After years of his treating her like a little sister, she has given u...more Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/11/27/...

I’ve been waiting for Carina’s story ever since she first stepped onto the page in The Marriage Trap. She was so young and bubbly and full of life and I adored her. Now that she has her own story, I have to say that I think this book might be my favorite in the series!

Carina has had a crush on her brother’s best friend, Max, for as long as she can remember. After years of his treating her like a little sister, she has given up and is now determined to work in the family business and finally put Max behind her. Little did Carina know she was going to have to work side-by-side with Max, and that Max would be determined to keep an eye on her every move.

Max never saw Carina as a woman–she was always the little sister of his best friend. But now that she has blossomed into an incredible woman, Max can’t seem to get her out of his mind. He will do anything to keep an eye on her, but fights the attraction between them with everything he has. Until one night in Vegas. And that night leads to something Max never imagined, a shotgun wedding with Carina, and a wife whom he is falling for, who seems to have fallen completely out of love with him.

I really can’t express enough how much I love these marriage of convenience stories. And like I said before, I think this might be my favorite in the series, because Carina and Max spent a majority of the book flirting and dancing around each other before the wedding actually took place. I liked that we had this really intense sexual tension build up before get to that one night in Vegas, and the consequences of the actual wedding.

I still love Carina so much after this story. Although she is a little more jaded in this story then she was in the previous book, she is also more grown up. She knows what she wants, and she isn’t afraid to take it. My heart literally hurt for her that she felt that she had to hide a piece of herself away from her family, and that it took her so long to really come to terms with what she really wanted out of life. I loved that she was somewhat cold to Max, that she made it perfectly clear to him she wasn’t going to hang onto his every word like she did as a young woman. I loved that she was able to make Max squirm by being somewhat aloof and distant.

I was a little worried that Max would come off as a jerk, but I actually ended up really liking his character. His own insecurities over his fate with the company really resonated throughout the book, and I was a little surprised that he had never said anything to Michael before. The way that he tripped over himself whenever Carina was around was great too. It was nice to see a flip-flop with their characters: Max chasing Carina instead of the other way around.

Although the reasoning behind the forced marriage was a little weak, I still loved it. Poor Carina having to face off against her mother and admit that she was still somewhat in love with Max… I would have killed my own mother for forcing me to marry someone she knew I was in love with, whom I felt didn’t love me back. Talk about being forced into a miserable situation! But I loved the way it all played out. How Max was able to finally come to terms with him own feelings, and woo his wife once and for all.

The romance from beginning to end was great. I loved the slow burn and sexual tension from the first major chunk of the book. I loved watching Max dance around Carina while still trying to keep her at an arms length. Once they actually got married, the book was winding down, but I loved the way that Max was so determined to have Carina be happy in their marriage, that I thought his big gesture was so sweet!

All in all I think this is my favorite book in the Marriage to a Billionaire series. Max and Carina were both fabulous characters, and I loved getting the chance to see their happily ever after. The romance was so well done, from the strong sexual tension to the explosion of passion, to the forced marriage and dealing with that fallout. I think Probst has ended this trilogy on a high note, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
I give The Marriage Mistake a B+(less)

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Nov 30, 2012 Lily (Lily Pond Reads) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: challenge-2012, reviewed

Courtesy of Gallery Books through Edelweiss in exchange of an honest review.

Carina Conte has had a crush on her brother's best friend and her own childhood friend Max Gray since she was a teenage girl. After suffering an embarrassing night, Carina runs off to earn her MBA degree leaving Max and her feelings for him behind. When she returns to work at her brother Michael's new bakery, she is still treated by everyone in her family, including Max as if she's a child. Carina has a warm heart and i...more Courtesy of Gallery Books through Edelweiss in exchange of an honest review.

Carina Conte has had a crush on her brother's best friend and her own childhood friend Max Gray since she was a teenage girl. After suffering an embarrassing night, Carina runs off to earn her MBA degree leaving Max and her feelings for him behind. When she returns to work at her brother Michael's new bakery, she is still treated by everyone in her family, including Max as if she's a child. Carina has a warm heart and isn't really fit to take over her brother empire in the long run, as she let's things slide with employees more easily then Max does. Max cannot ignore the fact that the girl who practical grew up with is now a woman sporting very womanly curves. Thought even Max has a hard time treating her as a grown up. In his mind he still remembers the emotional teenager she use to be, that would cry.

Carina has her own goal now in the states, she want's to be like an American woman and is tired of being treated like a child. When she sees Max, the unmistakable attraction has her ending up in his arms over and over again, but never crossing the boundary. When the two are forced to go on a trip to Las Vega's together on a conference, she manages to talk Max into a one night stand. An evening that was suppose to rid both of them of the sexual tension between them. Too bad her mother arrives the next day and demands marriage if Max wanted to save his and his families honor.

I truly enjoyed this book, and I have to say I almost feel bad for missing out on the first two. But reading this one has given me the drive to try the other two as well, starting with book one since it appears it would make more sense with the revisiting characters. The attraction between Max and Carina sparks fast throughout the book. I love their characters a lot, and I really did like Max. My heart broke for him learning about his past and why he had a hard time finding himself a good man for any woman, especially Carina. I thought her brother Michael and her mother were very annoying. Forcing her into marriage like that was ridicules, just because she had she had a one night stand. Thought later one when she explained why she did it, it made me smile.

The first half of the book was about Carina wanting people to look at her as something other then a child. She was a grown woman and she had her needs. Of course she wanted those needs to be taken cared of by Max himself.

The second half dealt with the almost forced marriage and the hardship they had to endure being thrown into it like that. I was expecting something more then a plain Vegas marriage, but it wasn't really expended one.

Both Max and Carina were very likeable characters, and the story took me on a roller-coaster ride, especially when I found out why Carina had left – it nearly broke my heart. Beautiful and sexy story, with amazing writing and wonderful character. I cannot wait to back track and read more.(less)

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Nov 08, 2012 edzkie♥§*.*§♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: steamy-books, books-i-love-so-so-much

Carina glanced down at the page. Okay, time to summon Earth Mother.She quickly recited the words to summon the powers of female earth to conjure her a man with all the qualities written on her list.
Then she threw the paper in the fire....Instead of a long list of qualities, her list held the power of one single name. The name of the man she’d been in love with her whole life, the man who looked upon her as a little sister, the man who was worldly and sexy and dated some of the most beautiful wo...more

Carina glanced down at the page. Okay, time to summon Earth Mother.She quickly recited the words to summon the powers of female earth to conjure her a man with all the qualities written on her list.
Then she threw the paper in the fire....Instead of a long list of qualities, her list held the power of one single name. The name of the man she’d been in love with her whole life, the man who looked upon her as a little sister, the man who was worldly and sexy and dated some of the most beautiful women in the world, the man who left her tongue-tied during the day and wracked her body with hot-blooded need during the night.

Maximus Gray.

This story starts from unrequited love of Carina to her brother best friend, Maximus Gray, for ages. Now, she's ready to move on with her life, new start away from her overprotective family, experience & explore her sensuality as a woman.She will proved to Max that she no longer "the baby sister" but the mature, independent & definitely so over him. But the Chemistry & sexual tension between this two was hotter & stronger even if they try to fight it.

The Vegas trip to seal a deal & seal their fate.Mama Conte was my favorite in this book aside from H/H. Her manipulation between Maggie & Michael extend up to this book ending in a Marriage Mistake. Carina's feisty attitude combine with Maximus Grey hotness makes this book entertaining, full of passion, with a mixture of bit BDSM inspired by #50shades..super sizzling!!!

fave line:

▬“You really are a bastard, aren’t you? Christian Grey has nothing on you.”

He laughed with her. “My name might be similar, but I’d never say ‘Laters, baby.’ ”

Her mouth fell open. “You read it!”

He looked offended. “Saw it on Twitter. Now don’t piss me off or I’ll torture you with Cool Whip.”

▬ "I love you. I've always loved you, but I needed to love me more before I could give you what you need. The question was never will I come back to you. The question is, will you come back to me?"

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Dec 10, 2012 Shelly Bell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

I downloaded it and read it today. Steamier than the first two and I loved it.

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Nov 03, 2012 Kristy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, contemporary-romance

I really enjoyed reading this contemporary romance by author Jennifer Probst. This is the third installment in the Marriage to a Billionaire series, but definitely works as a standalone. This story is centered around Carina Conte and the crush she has had on Maximus Gray since she was a teenager. The problem is Max is her brother's best friend which makes her off limits. To make matters more complicated, Carina has come to work for the family bakery empire and has to work alongside Max, the comp...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Fiona Marsden rated it 4 of 5 stars

Max and Carina have known each other forever. He loves her like a sister. She loves him with her whole heart. But not any more. Max doesn't do commitment and he chooses women who are guaranteed to fail in relationships.

Only trouble is that now they are working together, there is a whole chemical reaction thing happening. It is obvious to everyone that these two are meant for each other. But both have issues that make it impossible to believe in a happy ending. But a one night stand will change...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Eva rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, series-books

I enjoyed this one, about the same as I did The Marriage Trap, I guess so far neither of them are able to unseat my love for Alexa and Nick's story. At any rate, I liked that we were given a continued glimpse into the earlier character's story. Carina was beginning to bug me a little with her insecurities especially when Max made it obvious that he wanted to make this work. Momma Conte is definitely a force to be reckoned with, I loved when she revealed to Carina how she had to get involved with...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Kelly Moran rated it 4 of 5 stars

*This review is for the 3 books in the Marriage Series.*

THE MARRIAGE BARGAIN
Alexa McKenzie needed to save her home, and billionaire, Nicholas Ryan, needed a wife to inherit his father's company. When Alexa conjures a love spell, the two get more than they bargained for.
This is my first time reading a Probst, and will definitely not be my last. She hit the NY Times and USA Today bestseller list after this, and for good reason. This is an author to keep an eye out for. I love that she was able to...more *This review is for the 3 books in the Marriage Series.*

THE MARRIAGE BARGAIN
Alexa McKenzie needed to save her home, and billionaire, Nicholas Ryan, needed a wife to inherit his father's company. When Alexa conjures a love spell, the two get more than they bargained for.
This is my first time reading a Probst, and will definitely not be my last. She hit the NY Times and USA Today bestseller list after this, and for good reason. This is an author to keep an eye out for. I love that she was able to take a used theme like this and twist it into something funny, sweet, and addicting. And fresh! An author who knows her characters and how to plot, as well. Bravo.

THE MARRIAGE TRAP
Billionaire Michael Conte needs to find a fiancé to satisfy his late father's wishes so his younger sister may marry to have her happily-ever-after. Free-spirit Maggie Ryan does not fit into his traditional world, but she'd get something out of this arrangement if she agrees to help. Both may find that they are just what each other needs.
I was looking forward to reading Maggie's story, as I fell in love with her as a secondary in the first book. This didn't disappoint. And Michael is hot! I love the "love spell" element to these stories. It gives the books a cute tie-in. Perfect setting in rural Italy, adoring family, and steamy scenes. Not to be missed.

THE MARRIAGE MISTAKE
Carina Conte has had a crush on her older brother's best friend since she was a girl. But when she casts a love spell on Max Gray, he doesn't overlook her anymore. And now they find themselves in a compromising position that may just bind them forever.
My only quirk with this book is the blurb gives away the entire plot, and the big twist doesn't befall until more than halfway through. I kinda felt cheated. In saying that, since we first met Carina in the other books, I couldn't wait for her to get her man. This was not without the touching moments and humor Probst draws readers into, as well as the deep-rooted family ties. It was so nice to see Carina's journey growing up and watching her become a woman too. Recommended.

*Note: Michael's other sister, Julietta, receives the love spell book at the end of the last story from Carina. Not sure if there is another book coming with her or not.
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Apr 30, 2013 Michelle rated it 5 of 5 stars

GREAT book!! The writing was excellent!! The marriage didn't even take place till after 60% of the story. I wanted to read this because it's about Italian people and I'm Italian, so I loved that personally:) understanding the whole fear your mama thing and etc.

Loved Carina!! She was ballsy, sassy and took no Sh** and at the same time was compassionate, sweet, intelligent and was just a strong woman. Even though she had self worth issues, she did have self respect for herself. MAX, was complicat...more

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Mar 21, 2013 Teri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

"The Marriage Mistake" is a fun, sexy, enjoyable, light read and I loved it. It features one of the most common romance themes - the ugly duckling who's been in love with the handsome and older bst friend of her brother, but he never noticed her until the beginning of the book. While it's not such a smart or realistic story, I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked this book, a lot more than the first two in the series and a lot more than a lot of books with a similar plot. That's mostly beca...more

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Mar 19, 2013 QiJia 치쟈 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: jennifer-probst, read-in-2013, owned

A simple fun read by Ms Probst again.

This time the story focuses on Carina and Max, where Carina had always has love and longed to be noticed by Max,her brother's best friend.

And so it's a typical childhood romance storyline where they FINALLY had a one night stand(after all the sexual tension these two have been torturing themselves with) and *whamp!* got caught by Mama Conte (I do adore her!) and thus a wedding in Vegas is in order.

The Marriage Mistake has a better buildup than the previous t...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Romancing the Book rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, romance

Reviewer: Sarah L
Source: Netgalley
Sarah L's review was first posted at Romancing the Book's blog.

The Marriage Mistake is book three of the Marriage to a Billionaire series by Jennifer Probst. Even though it is the third book in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone. In fact, this is the only book in the series I have read and while there are some allusions to past books this in no way detracted from the story nor made me feel lost in any way.

Initially, I found Carina's character to be a ve...more Reviewer: Sarah L
Source: Netgalley
Sarah L's review was first posted at Romancing the Book's blog.

The Marriage Mistake is book three of the Marriage to a Billionaire series by Jennifer Probst. Even though it is the third book in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone. In fact, this is the only book in the series I have read and while there are some allusions to past books this in no way detracted from the story nor made me feel lost in any way.

Initially, I found Carina's character to be a very strong, determined, independent young woman but beneath the surface we learned that she really was a troubled individual with feelings of inadequacy. She started off as a force to be reckoned with and seemed to have a great can do attitude but we soon learned that she was actually very insecure and unhappy with the direction of her life. I did not fully understand the reasoning behind several of her choices later on in the story, especially those involving Max, but it was admirable the way she did what she needed to do to grow into the strong, independent woman we initially thought she was.

Max had baggage of his own as well. Having been deserted by his father at a very young age he was terrified to let anyone close. Having thought of Carina as a younger sister most of his life, he was confused and fought desperately the feelings she brought out in him. The author does a great job of visualizing the struggle that Max faced while he wrestled and came to terms with his feelings.

In some aspects, it seemed the plot moved a bit too fast and we missed some key elements of how the characters were feeling and what led them in the direction they chose to take. After marrying Max we abruptly learned Carina quit her job and decided to focus on her passion. This was a great move on her part but I couldn't help but be a bit disappointed that there was not much leading up to this. Where was the interaction with her husband?

Overall, this was a light enjoyable read that I finished in no time at all. This was my first Jennifer Probst novel and it will not be last. If you are looking for a quick, steamy read that has a little bit of depth to the characters then I recommend giving this one a try.(less)

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Jan 20, 2013 Moira rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: age-difference, erotica, friends-to-lovers, menage-read, millionaire-billionaire, marriage

Oh God, you can totally tell that this was wrote post Fifty Shades of Grey before the book is even mentioned. I never really felt the need to write a review but I was so disappointed with this book I need to vent or I'll never get to sleep.
In my opinion this was the worst in the series so far. It had the potential to be amazing, and in spots it was, but it just fell short in the end. Carina had the potential to be a strong female character but I felt she fell into a stereotype of Anastasia from...more Oh God, you can totally tell that this was wrote post Fifty Shades of Grey before the book is even mentioned. I never really felt the need to write a review but I was so disappointed with this book I need to vent or I'll never get to sleep.
In my opinion this was the worst in the series so far. It had the potential to be amazing, and in spots it was, but it just fell short in the end. Carina had the potential to be a strong female character but I felt she fell into a stereotype of Anastasia from Fifty Shades. At times she had a strong will of steel but one look or kiss from Max and it crumbled. She would try to be strong but it wouldn't last long. God, and when she said "Are we doing the Fifty Shades of Grey thing?" I lost so much respect for her and the story. And then she had to go and compare Max's and Christian's surname, why couldn't there be any originality. I know the whole millionaire/billionaire dom/virginal innocent woman thing is really popular but do you really need to compare it to another book. From that point on I connected the book with E.L. James as well as Jennifer Probst, which is a shame because she is an amazing writer. I know people probably loved it because of the similarities but I just can't. When Max wants to use sex to show her how much she means to him, that she belongs to him I nearly cried in frustration. I don't even have the words to say how annoyed and disappointed I was.
I almost forgot the pretext of the story of how they had to marry after they were caught sleeping together. God, show some backbone woman and stand up for yourself. If you don't believe he truly loves you don't marry him, no matter what well-intentioned mothers might think. What happened to coming to America to find who you are away from your family. But no, her mother knows she has always loved him so she must enforce the marriage so she can find herself. How exactly is she meant to find herself in a marriage she was forced into. There is always going to be resentment there. She finally does something I can respect and focuses on herself and what she really wants and needs, but for me it was too little, too late.
I know most people probably disagree with me, but as I said I just needed to vent. I think I just need to stop reading books with stereotype Fifty Shades' character because I'm always left feeling disappointed when the male is an ass and the female is weak.(less)

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Jan 16, 2013 Jill rated it 1 of 5 stars

*Actual rating is 1.5 stars

Having read many glowing reviews of this book, I was very excited to discover that I had won a copy as part of the Goodreads First Reads Contest. I was expecting a light, breezy read that I could escape into. Something to warm the heart during the cold, winter days. However, instead of escapism at its best, what I got was a book that was a bit of a chore to get through.

There were many problems with this book. Most of them stemming from the fact that frankly, the writi...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Kimberly K rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fluff-mind-candy, romance, contemporary-romance, series, romance-series, books-that-could-be-a-lifetime-movi, a-little-steamy

Review for all 3 books in the series.

As a whole, I give the series 3 stars. There were times where I thoroughly enjoyed it and other times I was just annoyed. But these are basically lifetime movies in book form so you have to take read them with a grain of salt. The books were at the best when the couples were talking and getting to know each other. With the exception of all the men apparently being extremely well-endowed, generous, skilled lovers, the characters were pretty different from book...more Review for all 3 books in the series.

As a whole, I give the series 3 stars. There were times where I thoroughly enjoyed it and other times I was just annoyed. But these are basically lifetime movies in book form so you have to take read them with a grain of salt. The books were at the best when the couples were talking and getting to know each other. With the exception of all the men apparently being extremely well-endowed, generous, skilled lovers, the characters were pretty different from book to book--even if the story arcs were mighty similar.

Book 1: Bargain

Loved Alexa. She was a great character. Nick took some getting used to but eventually grew on me. I absolutely loved the toddler/bathroom scene. Hilarious.

Book 2: Trap

Maggie was funny and I liked the bluntness of her character. But I have to say that Michael was probably my favorite of the leading men in this series. I liked that their story mostly took place in Italy, but I wish Italy had played more of a character. Instead, it almost felt like they could have been just about anywhere. I did get quite annoyed with Maggie's constant insistence that Michael was in love with Alexa. She acted rather childish about the whole thing, but I guess it did help set up yet another pretend marriage.

Book 3: Mistake

Carina was a feisty little thing in this one and I liked seeing the evolution of her character since being introduced in 'Bargain'. However, I had a hard time buying the sheltered 26 years old virgin bit and just how badly she was ready to lose it. I think I could have bought it a bit more if her character was closer to 23 or 24 max. Overall, another "cute" book.

As a whole, I recommend this series to anyone looking for a little fluff/mind-candy with just a little bit of steam. It's not serious stuff, and the plots often feel a bit contrived, but I think most people expect that when reading books liked these. Oh and they are super short--which is good. Any longer would have been too long.(less)

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Dec 27, 2012 Moon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: love, hot-reads

This book was AMAZINGGG !! It was no less than a roller coaster ridee ....Aaahh wish it never ended :$
I began reading 'Marriage to a Billionaire' series when I first came across the hottie cover of The marriage bargain !! I wanted to instantly read it so I downloaded the pdf and WOAH !! This author totally knows to make you eager and await you for scenes :P :P Well in the first book it was surprising how she kept scenes every time and made you all crazy for Alexa n Nick !! Then when i started r...more

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Dec 23, 2012 Anna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: brain-junkfood, i-have-a-crush, lovey-dovey

It was a bit creepy (what with the whole you had sex so obviously you should marry in two hours and spend the rest of your life together, because we aren't in the 21st century and virginity is still the base of marriage) and a lot sweet (come on, the way he doesn't realize his feelings for her is adorable).

Either way, halfway through I really felt like punching someone because they were stuck in the same honor-bullshit-limbo, and seeing as how I grew up in a neighborhood where I was the only gir...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Joy (joyous reads) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley, own

I read the first book to this series a while back; and if I may be honest, I can say that I barely remember what happened in that book. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that memorable. The third installment was mildly interesting but it still didn’t rock my boat. In my experience, mind blowing books in this genre are typically hard to find, unless they’re written by Lisa Kleypas.

Anyway, The Marriage Mistake has a plot that have been used, misused and abused since the beginning of time: girl in love wit...more I read the first book to this series a while back; and if I may be honest, I can say that I barely remember what happened in that book. Unfortunately, it wasn’t that memorable. The third installment was mildly interesting but it still didn’t rock my boat. In my experience, mind blowing books in this genre are typically hard to find, unless they’re written by Lisa Kleypas.

Anyway, The Marriage Mistake has a plot that have been used, misused and abused since the beginning of time: girl in love with her brother’s best friend but the boy could only see her as a baby sister. Growing up, they’re pretty much status quo - with the girl still pining for the boy. This time though, she’s willing to move heaven and earth to have the boy, er man even if it would only be for a night. Complications arise when the Conte matriarch surprises them the day after and forced their hands to marry.

I don’t really know anything about Italian family traditions and what not, so I can’t say how preposterous it was to have Carina’s mom forced them to marry just because they had a one-night stand. I would imagine reputations are quite important, hence the extreme resolution to one night of indiscretion.

I don’t get how Max kept comparing himself to his father who abandoned him when his mom got pregnant. I mean, he was basically going through women like crazy but he wasn’t giving them false hopes that they’ll be something more. He’s a playa, sure. But it doesn’t explain why he thinks himself unworthy of Carina. To be honest, his insecurities tired me out. It was pretty obvious how different he was from his father but he kept subjecting himself through the rigamarole of self deprecation.

Carina constantly threw herself at Max’s mercy – which I get, to a certain degree. He’s always been the one for her so she did everything to get his attention. Her epiphany toward the end felt like a means to draw the story longer. Because in all honesty, the major plot conflict (the marriage mistake) didn’t really happen until there was about a quarter left to the book. Again, I can only scratch my head. The better half was spent Carina chasing after Max and Max pulling and pushing Carina.

As far as Carina’s concerned, I saw moments of strengths from her especially when it involved Max. But I couldn’t believe how easily she was swayed by her mother.

The conflict was manufactured at best but then again, I didn’t go into this book expecting too much. It screamed dime store romance to me, I’m sorry.

Overall, I wish I could say I had fun with this book but I really didn’t. It wasn’t a painful experience, per se. It was more like…I was going through the motions. (less)

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Nov 28, 2012 Marian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: jennifer-probst

Give me some hot verbal banter any day. This book totally delivered.

Carina Conte has been in love with Maximus Gray for as long as she can remember. But he only sees her like a little sister, as he is best friends with her brother, and co-CEO of the family corporation. After a humiliating episode, she goes off to college, earns her degree, and becomes a smart, outspoken young woman, not the young, prone to drama girl she once was. Her brother wants her to work for the family company, and Max ge...more

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Nov 24, 2012 Nicolesouders rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: modern

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 23, 2012 Christine rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: hero-heroine-are-great

This book was a little better installment than the 2nd in the series. Carina Conte has had a long time crush on family friend Max Gray. He on the other hand has worked hard to see her as his little sister and someone who he should care for as a good big brother should. After the offering to Mother Earth of finding her perfect man, the story fast forwards a few years and Carina has gone from being a pudgy, emotional maturing young lady to a pretty solid knock-out (at least on the surface) . She h...more This book was a little better installment than the 2nd in the series. Carina Conte has had a long time crush on family friend Max Gray. He on the other hand has worked hard to see her as his little sister and someone who he should care for as a good big brother should. After the offering to Mother Earth of finding her perfect man, the story fast forwards a few years and Carina has gone from being a pudgy, emotional maturing young lady to a pretty solid knock-out (at least on the surface) . She has come in to the family business and wants to be taken seriously as a woman and a businesswoman and in Max's life and bed. Her only problem is convincing her family she is ready and most of all Max. This where at times the book shines in such a cute way. When employees call in sick she send flowers or cooks for them. Rather silly but based on what we read about her character in an earlier book this seems totally like something she might do. The flip side to her coin is her quest to experience passion at all costs and in this area the book wobbles a bit. she acts at times as dumb as a box or rocks but then her "core" melts so much that her juices run down her thighs and at the outset she knows she wants a man of passion who will direct and "dominate" in the sexual arena but give her permission to release her inner slut. I am not saying that in a pejorative way just that for an innocent she sure speaks, thinks and at times acts like a seasoned woman.

In all this book was fun because watching Carina morph was interesting up to a certain point then she became annoying but she levels out in the end. Max is a relish dish and he asserts small elements of his dominant side which made for some interesting (but relatively tame) acts between the two.

The appearance of Maggie, Michael Mama Conti and the others was fun but wisely in small doses. So I say if u r looking for a quick, enjoyable read. Give this a try. This series may have jumped the shark so if the author intends to write about the next sister in the Conti Family my suggestion would be to move all if not most of the action away from the family business. Something like on the way to a bakery convention in italy the private family plane stalls out and lands on a deserted island and the two survivors Julietta and the hot tar pilot must do everything to survive Lions, Tigers, Sun, no shelter and passion... Some totally different twists and since Ms. Probst seems to be tugging this series towards a lite 50 Shades type scenario then being spanked with a palm frond won't be so bad.(less)

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Book 4 ???	15	245	Mar 24, 2013 01:16am
Q&A with Jenn...: The Marriage Mistake, book three coming November 3rd!	7	57	Sep 13, 2012 04:54pm

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The Marriage Mistake (Marriage to a Billionaire #3)

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