The Pretend Christmas Bride

Morally Grey Billionaires #7

by L. Steele

He’s my new boss
My sworn enemy
And now my arranged husband...

Edward Chase. Ex-priest. Now, General Manager of the London Ice Kings hockey team and the new CEO of the Davenport empire.
The first time we met I spilt coffee all over his $10,000 suit.
He looked at me like I was an inconvenience.
I despised him at once.
So, imagine my shock when he turns out to be my new boss?

He’s stern, forbidding and determined never to love again.
I’m a curvy romantic, who believes in happily ever afters.
He’s heartless...
...and will stop at nothing to make his inherited company a success.
Including agreeing to a marriage of convenience...
But when his bride doesn’t turn up for the wedding,
He insists I stand in.
With conditions...

We will not share a bed.
There will be no feelings involved.
We will be strangers bound only by duty.
I want to refuse,
We’re opposites after all.
...but this is my chance to escape my hateful step-mother and step-sisters.

Staying under his roof, the chemistry between us escalates.
When my new husband calls me ‘my wife’ in front of our families and friends,
I hope he has feelings for me.
And when we’re trapped in a lighthouse with only one bed, over Christmas
... I know he does.
But what happens when he reveals his secret...?

Filled with forbidden longing where every stolen moment counts, this stand alone forced proximity, billionaire holiday romance is an emotional rollercoaster, where she falls first, but he falls harder. A journey from enemies to lovers, this is a multilayered winter romance of how opposites attract, the power of vulnerability, and the triumph of true love. There is no cheating, no other woman drama and no third act break up. There is however breathtaking angst, heartfelt groveling and an unforgettable HEA . Also a champagne swigging Great Dane who plays matchmaker.

Genres: Romance, Christmas, Enemies To Lovers, Holiday, Contemporary, Dark Romance, Plus Size

Kindle Edition

First published December 21, 2023

About the author

L. Steele loves to write romance novels featuring powerful men and strong women who bring them to their knees. When she's not writing she enjoys trading trivia with her filmmaker husband, watching lots and lots of movies, and walking nature trails.

Reviews

[Viv “BookVixen” Gutierrez · Rating 3 out of 5]

SAFETY SPOILERS AHEAD!! Beware!

This is a hard one to rate. There were things I really loved about this book, but then there were things I hated about it. For one, it’s NOT safe. And, secondly it’s erratic. One minute the hero seems to be totally uninterested in a relationship, being forced into one because of his grandfather, but then in a complete 180 whiplash, he’s known the heroine for a year and has orchestrated matters to make her his own. Going so far as to stalk her. So which is it? Detached disinterest? Or so obsessed he’s driven to stalking? You just can’t have both.

Now, I LOOOOVE a good stalker romance and if the hero hadn’t been so bipolar I might’ve bought it, but considering he’s sooooo heartbroken over his lost “love” and that’s why he’s so resistant to ever being emotionally engaged or attached to another woman, what the hell is he doing stalking a woman and pretending he isn’t emotionally attached to her? It made no sense. And that’s what I really really REALLY hated about this story. I could’ve bought his obsession and devotion to the heroine if we weren’t constantly being bombarded with reminders of the woman he loved and lost as she slimed away from him for his best friend. Dude why are you sad? Any woman that would be so fickle and faithless is a skank and you should be thankful you found out what a sleazy scumrat she is. I also found it truly repugnant and repulsive that the heroine is faced with meeting her—what an insult to inflict on the heroine, to force her to face some sleazy female the hero has previously rutted. I had to take a break—on account of my skin crawling and the rage.

And then there was his weird faux, pseudo-celibacy. Apparently the hero hasn’t penetrated a woman since Trashy OW slimed her way to another man. BUT, that hasn’t stopped him from going into sex clubs and touching other women and watching others. What in the actual fuck?! This wasn’t a flex or swoony or anything but gross. Touching a woman SEXUALLY is still a form of sex and you don’t get any brownie points just because you didn’t stick your dick into one. UN-fucking-believable.

Also, what the fuck is this trend of every hero going into sex clubs? Can it die a painful death please?

This could’ve been an awesome story if it wasn’t so corrupted by OW and manwhore sliminess. I felt like the heroine was being given the crumbs from the hero, as if she was in the shadow of a skank and she was second best. She was so sweet and strong and deserved so much better than the hero who spent a year knowing her and was still obsessing over Trashy. And again, you just can’t have a hero obsessing over one woman while still mooning over another.

I like this authors writing style and I loved the premise of a fake relationship, of enemies to lovers, I also loved the stalking, but the sleazy OW and the manwhore elements made my skin crawl and stopped this from being a swoony read.

Not safe. Hero’s past is mentioned ad nauseum to the point I was nauseous. OW is mentioned repeatedly and is on page. Heroine is a virgin and belongs only to her hero. No OM, no sharing. Faithfulness of hero unknown since meeting heroine. Mentions of going to sex clubs to fondle STD-traps and watch them masturbate and have sex is mentioned but unknown if he continued doing this after meeting heroine. Epilogue only available thru newsletter signup.

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wasted

Wasted too much on sex scenes which may appeal
to some readers but didn't carry forward story of recovery from a major life experience. Characters changed behavior and grew in maturity. That should have been focus.

[Carley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe half a star

This book absolutely baffled me.. there was no sense of purpose.. I kept getting whiplash one minute there here next they're there.. one minute he doesn't like her next he likes her.. then I feel bamboozled.. I read the description and I said sure sounds almost up my alley..
Quotes pulled from description:
"I despised him at once."
No she didnt
"So, imagine my shock when he turns out to be my new boss?"
No she wasn't he literally handed her a business card and said arrive on Monday at 8am..
"Including agreeing to a marriage of convenience... But when his bride doesn’t turn up for the wedding, He insists I stand in."
Where is this supposed other bride? That didn't happen..

I wrote in my notes app with my thoughts while I read so it'll be a wee bit chaotic. I'll give my final verdict after that.

-The repetitiveness of this book is crazy.. if I gotta hear one more time that he was a priest...until he wasnt... because of her.. or Sinclair and I are close because of the bond we have because of the incident there's a level of trust with us, or he was the general manager of the london hockey team🙄 I could easily take out every repeat of those three sentences from page 1 to 131 and I would trim the book by at least 10 pages.

-😮‍💨 I'm failing to see the point here. He's in love with his ex who's now with his bff and they're having a baby.. he won't shut up about it in his POV. Won't placate his WIFE that he's not in love with her. Leads said wife on and then 2 seconds later making her feel like crap because he cant get his sh*t together and blaming it on her... the whiplash is giving me a friggin headache... this book is dumb lol

-"But the lack of reaction to seeing Ava assures me thoughts of her no longer hold sway over me. The only woman who occupies my mind now is Belle. And it's been her from the moment I saw her."
No it hasn't lying sack of sh!+

-Oh sweet... he just threatened to cheat on you and you're go-to answer is to strip for him. Sigh...

-"You can always leave." "And you’d go to the BDSM club?" I glance away, then back at her. "You were right. I said it because I wanted to get a rise out of you. I would never touch anyone but you, Belle. You should know that. You are my wife. My. Wife."
...uh no she doesn't know that because you treat her like garbage.. ugh

-"You’re gorgeous," he murmurs, and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. "You deserve better." "I want you." "I’ll never be able to give you what you want."
"I don’t believe that." "Believe it."
I literally heavily sighed and scrubbed my face.. the whiplash this book gives me is headache inducing. I have no words... and if I did they're not good ones.

- if this is the bar for men.. boy we are in trouble, I love dark romance books so I'm all for unhinged men.. but Mira's standards are lower than dirt. "One side of his lips lifts. Another almost-smile. Whoo-hoo, that’s a score right there for me.".. 👈case in point

-and now he's been stalking her for a year.. its like this author was given a choice on a list of tropes and asked which one you want and she said yes. And then she tried to cram it all into a muddy story.. that doesn't make sense. This dude has been pining for his ex.. but then claims to have stalked her for a year when 45% of the first half of this book he's woe is me ill never get over my ex and I've vowed to never love again. Give me a break this story is just getting more and more unbelievable

-circling back.. explain to me how this dude is SO obsessed with her that he's put cameras everywhere.. then infiltrated himself into her life to get her to marry him.. all that just to treat her like garbage??? Make it make sense.

- "Everything I did…was from a place of wanting to woo you."
funny way of showing it buddy. This made me lol

- “If I had been a better man, not so focused only on my own needs, I’d have stepped in. It’s why you should have married someone better, someone who could be more open with his emotions and give you the emotional security you deserve. Someone 'more normal.' Someone who’d give you a white picket fence and a house in the suburbs and⁠—"
My dude you didn't give her much of a choice.. marry me or your father's company goes bankrupt.. 🤯😵‍💫

-im 65% into this book and if I have to hear "is it because of the incident " one more time.. I'm gonna throw my kindle.
- "That’s what I’ve been reduced to since she moved into a spare bedroom down the hall."
What do you mean she moved to the spare bedroom... THATS WHERE YOU PUT HER WHEN SHE MOVED IN. Jesus I'm irritated

-"Before I can stop myself, I throw off the covers, then inch closer. I play my mouth over his, not touching him, but drawing of his breath."
For someone whose had strep throat more times than I want.. back the eff up why are you breathing on him?!?

My thoughts and opinions now that I'm done..
Thank the lord- pun intended- I'm done. I feel like I'm not catching a break with dud after dud. This book was too much of everything.. literally the author wanted every trope you can think of in this book and it just didn't blend well at all.. to be frank it's like 2 books in 1- one book where MMC is pining for his ex and is mad at the world and has to get married to someone he does not want and makes its very clear he does not like her. Then book 2 is MMC being a stalker and has been completely obsessed with FMC. Then throw in a smidgen of religion.. 2 seconds of christmas.. which you'd think with Christmas is the friggin title of the book there would be... idk... more Christmas?! Nothing about this book was good.. nothing about this book screamed romance or love.. the FMC was annoying from the start.. she seemed so immature with her babbling and lack of all experience.. I unfortunately would not recommend this book.. the description of the book is a lie the title of the book is a lie.. anyways glad to be done 🙄😮‍💨😵‍💫

[Andrea Smierciak · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have been waiting for Edward's story forever and boy can I say this book does not disappoint. Once you start reading you will not put it down. Edward is a true dominant alpha hole of course but Mira is the perfect partner to stand up to him. We learn so much about his past and what led him through his life path. You want to shake Edward many times to have him open his eyes and realize the gem Mira is and how much she cares. Mira is so sweet and innocent and is beyond patient while she learns and sees Edward for the person he is. She helps him navigate his past and come to terms with "The Incident" and helps him heal. So many questions we have had about Edward and what happened are finally answered in this book. Just like all of the alphahole men in these series they become such softies with the wives. This book has it all if you want emotion, heartbreak, anger, love, sex with friendship and loyalty.

[Elizabeth Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

At long last, Edward finds his soulmate in Mirabelle. As with all of the heroes in this series, he creates his own nickname for her. While all of her friends and family call her Mira, he calls her Belle. The main conflict between the two of them is that he’s is obsessed with her and engages in the usual alpha behavior displayed by all of the big bad billionaire’s in this series. Luckily, that’s not the only conflict.

This book has been a long time coming. We’re first introduced to Edward in book 6, and that continues into book 9. At that point, Edward has left the clergy for Ava, but he quickly comes to realize he’s running away from his past. To recap from the previous books, Ed asks Baron to look after Ava while he leaves London. Naturally, he leaves Ava without telling her, breaking her heart. When he comes back, Baron and Ava are sleeping together. Feeling obligated, she goes back to Edward, but he soon realizes she really loves Baron. So, Ed leaves again, this time, travelling the world, determined to figure out his life once and for all. While out and about, he sees Mirabelle for the first time in Brooklyn, NY. Yes, she’s another ex-pat American in London, which is where she meets Edward for the fist time. If you’re familiar with these guys, it will come as no surprise that Ed has been watching her since his first sighting a year ago. Will she forgive him? Of course, she will.

So, here we come to the crux of the story. Ed still hasn’t figured out his sh!t. He still struggles mightily with aftereffects of the abduction when he was a teen. He no longer speaks to Baron or Ava, unable to see them so happy while he’s not. He’s alienated from God and from the Church. Clearly, Ed has some soul-searching to do. It’s not easy, particularly his resolution with the Church. His transformation is powerful, it’s emotional and touching. In my opinion, it’s the highlight of the book. When he finally comes to terms with what happened during the abduction, it eases the path to reconciling with Baron (and vicariously, with Ava), but more importantly, with his faith. The ending is everything you hope it will be. I’m very proud to say I worked on the editing and development of this particular book.

[Sophie Koufes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pretend Christmas Bride cover is stunning to view and is just the beginning of this beautiful Christmas read. Edward ‘ Priest’ Chase and Mirabelle (Mira) Young were written in the cards. I’m so happy how the story turned out. I adore Mira and her personality is perfect for Edward. I loved Edward since way back when I first met him in the beginning of The Big Bad Billionaires series and I am thrilled he is getting his hea with Mira.
Edward’s character is compelling and very complex. This book digs deep into his character and shows him remodeling himself. Oh, and the angst & spicy is perfect. Mira is sweet yet, not a pushover and I love how she stands up for herself and what she wants.
The writing style is addictive and brings the characters together passionately.
I have read every single book by L. Steele and this one is one of my favourites. Although, I love every single book by this author this one will always hold a special place in my heart ❤️.
I highly recommend reading this Christmas book, it’s the perfect fireside story.
I cannot wait for The Davenports series to come out next year.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh. i dunno. this one ended cute enough. but mira was driving me crazy for probably the first 65% of this book.

again, i know it doesn’t seem fair for me to be so down on all the fmcs in books while not being nearly as discerning about the men. but in my defense, the draw for me when it comes to books like this is usually the way these dark, broody guys kinda soften with their partners.

and i want the fmcs to be fun and likable and kind. so reading mira’s whole spiel about how she’s so in love with edward and how he really should tell her about his childhood trauma, it just feels really acerbic in this way that makes her character feel grating.

there are a lot of books where the fmcs make the choice to share personal details about their pasts with the mmcs, but then they get shitty when the men aren’t doing the same thing. and that’s really frustrating to me because it feels unfair. just because you choose to share something personal with someone does not mean that person is indebted to share their secrets with you. and she has this continuous inner monologue like “he needs time, i’ll respect that…” and then two lines later she’s like “why won’t you tell me?????? you should tell me.”

and then when he finally does tell her, she’s like “oh…maybe i should’ve believed him, because this is fucked up and forcing someone to discuss something like this is extremely heartless.”

i dunno, maybe that’s a weird complaint, but it was basically the only thing i was thinking about while reading this. except for the sex scenes, which were pretty decent.

but generally, this book had so much potential, and just really needed a longer timeline and a bit more fleshing out.

mira claims she’s in love with edward after like 2 weeks and 3.5 conversations, which all just feels so weird to me.

[Bonny Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far one of my favorite books about "the Seven"; also one of the most emotional. I loved Edward's story. He is a former priest; probably the most effected by the incident that happened to the seven in their youth. He's a little kinkier than the rest and struggles the most. It leads to some conflicting decisions in his life. He's a lost soul and believes no one would ever want or love him if they knew his secrets. He feels unworthy. He has trouble verbally expressing his emotions, his feelings to Mira. He might, sometimes, be better at showing her with his actions, but his lack of emotion and refusal to speak leave her doubting. (She's had her own self-esteem issues because of her past.) And how can he show her when she's decided she needs her space from him and isn't sure she can trust him anymore?

Yes, he's made some mistakes; but it's his feelings of worthlessness and fear of letting anyone get close as well as lack of trust that guided his actions. You will cry for Edward because even though he has trouble expressing his feeling to her or anyone, even when he wants to, we, the readers, are privy to his inner thoughts and turmoil. We bleed for this man who's trying so hard to make things right.

Yes, Edward has struggled the most and been faced with more trials since the incident and the road to his HEA is fraught with emotion.

This is book 9 in The Big Bad Billionaires series about "the seven". Yes, I know 7 billionaires and 9 books. The first 5 each tell Sinclair's (Sin), Saint's , Weston's, Damian's and Arpad's stories. They can all be read as stand-alones. The last 4 tell Edward and Baron's stories with Ava, the three were best friends and their stories are intertwined. Book #6 is Edward and Ava, but obviously we don't get an HEA. Book #7 is Baron and Ava, but again, their story doesn't end in this one. Book #8 is Edward, Baron and Ava and Baron gets the girl. This one, book #9, is Edward and Mira's story and he finally gets his HEA. I have to admit, I did not read books 6, 7 and 8 prior to reading this one and still ... I found it emotional and loved it. Some of the history of the previous books is covered briefly in this one so the reader isn't lost...but imagine if I'd read that history in detailed real-time! I might have cried even more for Edward! Now I'm going to have to read those books as well! 5 stars for this one.

[Katherine M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I even start? I have been waiting so long for Edward and Mira’s story. It was definitely worth the wait and the best one yet! If you’ve been following along you know Edward is a former priest, one of The Seven, and experienced a traumatic incident in his past. He’s the one who seems to have been affected the worst. But then in walks Mira, at their best friends wedding, who proceeds to spill coffee on his suit and is so nervous and anxious about it that she can’t keep saying whatever is on her mind. The interaction was hilarious and embarrassing and I couldn’t stop laughing.

This is not just a romance story, but more of a journey about a man who loses his faith and then finds redemption, hope, love and himself again. And about a woman who had a tough life and was never appreciated and talked down upon but ends finding herself as well. And together they find peace. At first, Edward is cold, unfeeling, harsh and not fun to be around, while Mira is a ray of sunshine despite what happens to her. I loved the progression of Edward throughout the book and the many spicy scenes were very tasteful and intuitive into his mind. I only wish Mira had been a little softer on him after finding out what happened to him. So he was a little obsessive….I sure wouldn’t have complained lol.

All in all it was a wonderful book. L. Steele really has a gift for writing and I thoroughly enjoy all her books.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intrigue, Betrayal, Drama, Momentous Transformations and Plenty of Steamy Romance! Edward’s fight to free himself from the demons of his past is a gallant and emotional battle that literally rocked my world. Mirabelle, his saving grace, brings light into his darkness, as she discovers a new strength within herself as well. These strong and sublime characters took me on a remarkable emotional journey. I truly loved Eddie and Belle’s love story. I have excitedly waited for Edward’s book as the final story within the group of “The 7” and was not disappointed whatsoever. I yelled out loud, shook my head and fists and cried actual tears reading this book. I was so compelled and enraptured by the tender moments (and there are many) as well as the torrid ones between them and thanks to this author’s incredible talents…. I FELT IT ALL!!! Don’t miss this enthralling book that will give you the most amazing literary experience of your life.

[Daisy Nijs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not read all books in this series yet, and this one is a standalone, but there is a past for Edward. And I will definitely read those books in the near future, because those stories also have made him the man he is today.
Edward is all alpha and I love it. He needs a wife, Mirabelle wants to get out from her stepmother and her siblings. And when Edward makes her a proposition, she knows it is her chance. And over time, things that he made sure he didn’t want, those things do happen and everything becomes very real.
In personality, Mira and Edward are true opposites, but they fit perfectly together. Throughout the book, you can see how he changes for her, it’s in the small things.

[Amber Risser · Rating 5 out of 5]

My jaw drops. "Were you born this rude?" "No, it's a skill I've perfected over many years." This quote made me laugh so hard.
" Crawl to me." She gapes. "What?" "Don’t make me repeat myself," I warn. 🥵🥵 enough said!”
This book was absolutely fantastic. The spunkiness and sassiness in Mira wonderful and I loved that she was always pushing Edward as well as sassing him.
Edward…where to begin…🥵🥵 that man…is swoon worthy in all the wrong (right) ways. Stalking, forced marriage, BDSM….daaaammmn. He had me from the first encounter when he asked how Mira was at following directions. And then again everytime he called Mira a good girl. I need more!

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pretend Christmas Bride by L. Steele is a morally-gray romance. Priest is the kinda man who is good at hiding his emotions and his motives. I was floored at revelations from him to Belle that I didn’t even see coming.

The spice is everything in this novel and the relationship is amazing. I found myself wanting to know more about their lives and relationship and didn’t want it to end.

I have a new book boyfriend. Again. 😅

Bibliophilebookstackswithdi on IG

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know I'm being generous with my rating, but it's cos Edward finally got his HEA...spoiler... all these books have some form of HEA. I was not a fan of Edwards from previous books, and of course, he started out as a douche yet again (will he ever learn) but he was quicker turning it around and grovelled to Mira A LOT even learning from his mistakes and actually listening to her for once.

[Anna Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pretend Christmas Bride cover is stunning to view and is just the beginning of this beautiful Christmas read. Edward ‘ Priest’ Chase and Mirabelle (Mira) Young were written in the cards. I’m so happy how the story turned out. I

[Jessica Sexton · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5⭐️
4/5🌶️

This whole world L Steele has written is wonderful! To see couples again after their books is amazing! This is an arranged marriage that of course turned out not so bad and I loved seeing Edward finally open up! This was a great read!

[Teresa R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will Belle Save Her Beast?

Edward is the most traumatized of the 7. Will Belle be his salvation or will his manipulations to get her into his life destroy all his hopes and hers as well.

[Maggie Rhodes · Rating 1 out of 5]

There were a few times I almost had to put this book down and dnf it which is says a lot about this book because I never do that. This was the first book I've by L. Steele and will probably be the last I know this is part of a series but it can also be read as a standalone so lets get into it! 

 

We start out when the fmc, Mira spills her cup of coffee on the mmc Edward, the only thing we know about Edward really is that he was a priest and now is as you guess right a CEO billionaire, Mira then completely word vomits for a couple of pages before she can stop herself and brings up that he was a former priest at the end of all of this he OFFERS HER A JOB as his personal assistant. When Mira gets there the hr manager showing her around has her baby daughter with her and when she starts crying Edward starts to tell her off saying that an office is not place for a baby...... is he wrong? To which Mira starts yelling at him saying he should have a daycare in the office.... wtf I don’t know of any corporate office that has a daycare but he tells her that it’s good that she yelled at him because he doesn’t want yes men around him like ok there’s a lot of room for it to be a yes man but ok. 

 In about a week he asks her to marry him because that’s his grandfather's requirement for him to be given CEO that he be married after he takes her to a BDSM sex club, and when he brings her in the back HER FATHER IS THERE, her father is also a CEO but his business is suffering and Edward is going to give it the cash it needs to get back on its feet so she agrees to marry him. He tells her they will only be married in name and while they would live together, they wouldn’t sleep in the same bed, and he would ‘be discrete’ with other women.  

This is why i don’t like Edward they have an argument a week into their marriage about him not opening up and when they are having sex he calls it ‘making love’ for the first time on his desk, this man has not come inside of her each time they had sex and he told her he only penetrated her to fulfill his g-pa's wishes, and when she calls him out rightfully so he tells her to clear the rest of his day because has going to the sex club to be with other women and can you guess what happens? That's right she strips and lets him do what he wants to her, so he won’t go. This is when I almost had to stop, I didn’t like either character and was literally skipping through the excessive sex scenes. 

The only reason I kept reading was to figure out what this ‘incident’ that kept getting mentioned that was the reason he could never open up to her, he also mentions something that she would never forgive him for  

*Spoiler* 

HE HAD BEEN TRACKING HER FOR A YEAR!!! Even though there was nothing to remotely suggest that not even in his inner monologue until it's revealed, apparently, he has seen her a year prior and decided she was the one, so he had cameras in her room, phone and kindle WTF?! And the way he was going to make sure she couldn’t leave him was to switch out her birth control pills with vitamins and she’s not even mad because as she mentioned a LOT in the book, she wants kids. That's about half of the stupid sh*t in this book, there’s also a dog lol. Sorry for the ramble I was so excited to read this book based on TikTok and the tropes, but it was probably my most disappointing read of the year and I don’t think I’ll read anymore by this author. 

[Rebmay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mira (short for Mirabelle) comes from a wealthy family. She made a bargain for her freedom until she must return home for an arranged marriage her father will set up for her. Until then, she keeps her distance. Even though she has lost her job and is subsisting on ramen noodles, she is not yet desperate enough to go back to home and give up freedom or have to interact that with her stepmother and stepsisters. When she encounters Edward at her friend’s wedding, Mira manages to spill coffee all over him (aided by Tiny, the Great Dane that seems to have matchmaking tendencies). He is glowering, grumpy and intimidating while she is overly chatty, blathering and very nervous. Her habit of speaking her thoughts aloud is hilarious and seems to bring a spark of something resembling interest and perhaps amusement to his eyes. Those gathered around, many of them his friends, definitely take notice of their encounter. After she calls him an alphahole, Edward stuns Mira by offering her a job, and she is in no position to refuse it, a fact he has made it his business to know and use to his advantage.

Edward has a lot of pain bottled up inside, and has abandonment and trust issues. He has lost his faith and his moral anchor. Edward thrives on challenges and being the GM of a hockey team is no longer challenging. His new position is CEO of his grandfather’s company, to the dismay and frustration of his five half-brothers. One caveat: Edward must get married to secure his position and be his heir apparent. He makes it known to Mira that her father has all but given her to him and she is to be his bride. If she refuses, her father and her family will pay the price. Edward tells her it will be a marriage in name only, though everyone else must believe it is real and that are in love, hence she must sign a NDA. She will be trapped in a loveless marriage, have no real freedom of her own and no children will be born of love with a man of her choosing. She is well and truly trapped by this agreement, by Edward and her own far too forgiving and generous heart.

Mira has no idea that Edward has set a trap for himself too. He is already in love with her, his Belle, but he is deep in denial and unwilling to open his heart to another woman, to more hurt and pain. Edward is proud that Mira stands up to him, especially in defence of others. She tests his control at every turn, and likes a challenge as much as he does. His intimidating and dominant nature doesn’t scare her away. He constantly tests her mettle and her control, perhaps because he is fighting to maintain his own. Mira keeps pushing his emotional limits and boundaries in an effort to excise the hurt and pain and give him a chance to heal. Could this man with such terrible emotional wounds and heavy burdens on his soul really open his heart to love, to her? Their story is heartwrenching and riveting, with a whole lot of emotional baggage, secrets, steamy interludes and family drama.

Edward’s happily ever after is everything I hoped it would be. Mira is truly his soulmate, the one to bring him peace, healing and everlasting love. I received a copy of this amazing book and I am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

[Jordan · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 12%

The only reason I made it as far as I did is because I tell myself I have to give books at least 10% before I drop. Just in case. 12% is because I finished the chapter I was reading.

Off the bat, before you even get to chapter one, the content warnings are censored like it was copied from social media. “Sp1cy”. Using capital O’s in words. Maybe the capital letters were a tie in to something else, but it felt very social media copy and paste for a book. Yay for content warnings, but this is where they should be transparent and easy to read, not censored. The next page is the sun signs for both the characters with personality descriptions. I did not read this because I would like to get to know the characters through the story, not have their personalities laid out for me beforehand. This almost felt like a cheat so the author didn’t have to flush them out as much in the actual story.

Now onto the actual book…

The first line of this book is “You’re with child?”. I immediately wanted to drop. Right there. This isn’t some fantasy nor is it historical. But we are starting off with someone saying ‘with child’. Okay, sure. Worst possible start.

Use of the word “smuthead”. Casual, as if that’s a word everyone uses on the regular. What the hell?

Describing a Great Dane’s tail as “flag-like” and it being a cute whoopsie moment when she trips over said tail. A Great Dane’s tail is a deadly weapon. It is a whip. It will murder someone when they are excited. It is anything but “flag-like”.

If the dog wasn’t enough, Edward (MMC) is described as having a diamond hard jaw. Not going to lie, I lost it. I screenshotted that and sent it to my friend laughing at the Twilight-esque reference of it. The MCC’s last name is Chase, which made that even better. And the term “Team Jacob” is said out loud at least once.

There was so much mental chatter that the flow of events was really contrived. Spilling coffee on Edward turned into a two chapter event. It was the driest conversation ever. Edward was mostly staring at her and Mira (FMC) was blabbering anything and everything that came to mind. So quirky, and she comments on that too. Then we carry on in a whirlwind of more horrendous descriptions and internal monologue laced with an FMC who is completely out of touch with reality.

This could have been a great selling point with her family background, but she really just flies between being ditzy on the verge of an airhead to snappy all while being stupid. It’s one thing to be learning your way in the world, but it’s another thing to try and argue that someone is insensitive for having a child-free workplace. Or being appalled an employer ran a background check, calling it “invasive”. Could have been a great point of showing how sheltered the FMC was and how clueless about life she was, but it came across as her being annoyingly self righteous.

TL;DR: I could not get over the horrible descriptions and weird word choice/phrases mixed with the absolute mess of characters and setting up the plot. I could not wait to DNF this, and if I wasn’t about giving books at least 10%, I wouldn’t have made it past the first page.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am torn as to how to review this but not because it isn't well-written. In fact, it is some of the author's best work, but I had a hard time connecting with Edward and Mira. It has everything to do with the Edward I came to know from Billionaire's Sin and what I hoped for his HEA. I'm in the minority because I had hoped for Edward to find his soulmate in Ava and felt slightly sad that she ended up with Baron. With that said, Edward is now a shrewd businessman who has just resigned as the Manager of the London Ice Kings and his grandfather has requested (more like ordered) that he attend a family meeting. When he walks into the office, he's surrounded by five men whom he's never met, but are all his half-brothers. As the eldest grandson, Edward has been chosen by his grandfather to be the next CEO with the requirement that he take a wife. Mirabelle Young comes from a dysfunctional home, emotionally bereft of feeling since her mother's death. Her father remarried, but the stepmother and two stepsisters are beyond evil. Her father isn't home enough to see what she's been enduring because he's still grieving, but he also has to keep the business floating. He has arranged a marriage for Mira but, until then, she can live life the way she wants. Looking for a new job, she lands in Edward's crosshairs and after mutual insults are thrown, he hires her to start tomorrow. She doesn't know much about him, other than what her girlfriends have said about him, but she gets an interesting introduction that shows him at his growly best. This is the woman he's going to ask (again, order) to be his "fake" wife. They are an odd pair, let's make that Edward is an odd husband, to say the very least, since he has declared their marriage a sex-free zone. It's only been 18 hours since they've met, but Edward has his ways of convincing her. It's after they're married that the story slows down and there's quite a bit of repetition of words and subject. Mira is a curvy woman which was made perfectly clear by the numerous descriptions of her body, especially her thick, lucious, fleshy, plump thighs. In this case, less would have been better. As for the "secret" of the incident, that was a frequent argument between them and sometimes it felt like Mira was badgering him. The separation near the ending didn't feel quite believable because Mira lost the ability to understand why Edward did what he did. All in all, I really enjoyed the story, especially that there was minimal angst and very little bad behavior by Edward.
As always, the narration was perfectly done by the duo of Shane East and Aura Ash. They do an amazing job portraying the characters, bringing them to life and humanizing them with their emotions, attitude and personality. They do more than give their characters their voices, they fall into the roles and become the character.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I saw you and my world rightened.”

The Pretend Christmas Bride was an all-consuming, emotional story that captivated me from the first page to the last. Edward and Mira were absolute perfection together and I was completely obsessed with their heartwrenching and angsty journey.

“Seeing myself through his eyes gives me the self-assurance I thought I’d never find.”

Mira was pure sunshine. I loved her selflessness and how she gave of herself to others. She was such an empathetic character that was full of love and light. She even showed kindness to those who had beaten her down and stolen her confidence. Her goodness and light was just the sort of soul that Edward needed to heal the pain of his past while he was able to give her the self-confidence to find peace within herself.

“It was only after marrying her and realizing there was no better sound in the world than calling her ‘my wife’ that my world found its axis. I found my grounding. My anchor. My re-entry back into reality. My equilibrium. She is my foundation. My life. Mine.”

How my heart hurt for the torment that Edward felt. He had been through so much trauma in his life, but when he set eyes on Mira, she brought him a sense of peace. Sure, he was stalkerish and possessive and way over the top in how he won over Mira, but somehow, it worked for him. His complicated past and morally gray character just made him that more attractive and his dark soul needed someone like Mira to bring him into the light. She helped him begin to face his past and to let go of his demons.

“The only time I find any measure of stillness is when I’m with you.”

The banter as well as the heat and electricity between these two was off the charts HOT! Add in their undeniable emotional connection and these two were absolutely soulmates. Their journey was angsty and full of secrets and betrayals, but the pain and heartbreak they went through lead to such an emotionally compelling and fulfilling story that it was so worth it. Once I started Edward and Mira’s story, I could not put it down and I’m so excited for the next book in this series.

[Maz · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have read the Sevens story/series then you will know Edward deserves his HEA.
Edward, Ava and Baron's story was complex and heartbreaking. I really didn't know how all this would work out. But as you read the story it makes sense how he may have had feelings for Ava, it wasn't as strong as it is for Mirabelle. He didn't give his all to Ava. Where he could walk away from Ava without to much hesitation, to where he couldn't spend a day away from Mirabelle without feeling like he was dead inside.
So to say, I was ecstatic to read Edward and Mira's HEA. He so deserved it. He was the most damaged one out of all of them. He and Mira were perfect Grumpy and sunshine.
We get to see Edward as the alpha hole, possessive, touch her and unalive and a Dom. *swoon*
The Mirabelle was the inappropriate speaking one, says the funniest stuff, loves with all her heart and just kind. But she has the worst step mum and sisters that have emotionally and mentally abuse her. Bully her for her Curvy plus size body. Yet she is still so kind.
I was so happy when things started to look good between them, until Edward reveala some secret which could be that destroys his marriage.
I will tell you, Edward would win the grovelling award. He is just amazing.
I did think Mira repeated and requested the space constantly for weeks. Although most of his actions, she knew had solid reasons.
Their journey wasn't an easy one but both gave each other strength and purpose.
Loved meeting new characters aswell as the old.
Also that cheeky dog Tiny, just love him and his antics. We knew he is the matchmaker the 7 needed. ❤️
This was the perfect ending to the 7's tragic stories.
I'm now intrigued on all of Edwards half brothers stories. They should be fun. Loved Edwards Grandpa Arthur.
Quotes I Liked:

"She…is turning me into someone who’s obsessed with her every move, her every breath, her every gesture."

"Remember this moment, baby. Remember how much I want you. Remember how every part of me needs you. How every breath I take is for you. Only you. Remember."

[Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing screams holiday spirit like a billionaire roping you into a totally fake marriage for totally logical reasons—because heaven forbid a man with unlimited resources not resort to a rom-com setup to solve his problems. But here we are, and honestly? I’m not mad about it. In The Pretend Christmas Bride, our heroine agrees to a contract marriage that’s supposed to be all business. (Spoiler: it is not all business.) What starts as a simple exchange—pretend to be the perfect bride, cash the check, and avoid emotional entanglements—soon turns into stolen glances, heated moments, and a deep, soul-baring connection that nobody saw coming (except literally everyone who has ever read a romance novel).

L. Steele knows exactly what she’s doing, and she leans hard into the tropes. Fake dating? Check. A brooding billionaire who probably stares out of windows dramatically? Check. A contract that definitely states no falling in love in bold print? Triple check. But here’s the thing—while it follows the predictable holiday romance formula, it does so with enough heat, chemistry, and oh no, we’re actually catching feelings moments to keep you turning the pages faster than a department store runs out of wrapping paper in December. The dialogue crackles, the tension simmers, and if you can set aside the sheer what even is this logic factor of the premise, it’s a wildly entertaining ride.

Now, is it deep? Not particularly. Does it reinvent the fake marriage trope? Absolutely not. But if you’re here for swoony moments, steamy scenes, and the kind of holiday romance that’s equal parts ridiculous and irresistible, you’ll have a blast. Plus, while it’s book #7 in the Morally Grey Billionaires series, you can dive in without reading the others—though why stop at one morally dubious billionaire when you can collect the whole set? 4 stars for the drama, the tension, and the sheer commitment to making every page a moment, even if some of those moments are best enjoyed with an eye-roll and a glass of wine.

[Char (1RadReader59) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This was so wrong on a lot of levels, like all of the other books. These men DO NOT KNOW THE MEANING OF BOUNDARIES OR LAWS. So, let's just say that. But, as one of the original seven, not too surprising. However, you would think that they had all been kidnapped, bound, and gagged. This would not be a form of kink they would choose to use on others even in kink.

Edward took it to the next level, for sure. Mild manor Priest turns creeper. Even while he was with the hockey team, he seemed like he was still on the right path, but then in this book, some deep dark secrets come out that the average woman would turn tail and run from. But that is the thing, in each of these tales all the men go after the weak, flawed women they know are faking their strong, “I am woman hear me roar” persona until they make it. To get them through and to keep people, namely the men away, or should I say the weaker men away.

But these strong, wealthy, powerful, alpha holes know how to breach the walls of their prey to get what they want. And that is what Edward did to Mira. He manipulated situations, broke laws, and made her vulnerable enough. So Mira couldn’t refuse his contract for work-slash-trap. He made her fall in love with the lifestyle of kink, little did he know she was halfway there because she was an avid reader, and BDSM was her book of choice. What he didn't count on was that she would be a virgin the first time they did have it.

Causing him to take on feelings something that started to change his plans, too. Damn It! He felt an intervention coming on. And when he was the one that used to be called in to spearhead them, this was not good. The thing I loved about all the books is the fact of how the men fought so hard not to be in touch with their feelings, and by the end the women were not having it any other way. And it was like the old saying, “If mama not happy, ain’t nobody happy!” So, by the end the women all had the men eating out out of their hands.

[Giorgina Meduri · Rating 5 out of 5]

My review has been left & posted!!

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fake Fiancé, Pretend Wife, Steamy-Romance-Close Proximity, Secrets, Stalking, Love and yes a Happily Ever After!!
True Friendship~True Love~Acceptance ~Redemption
We waited a long time to learn and read Edward’s story and it was definitely worth the wait!! Mira is exactly what Edward needs in his life. She is a sweetheart but a badass when it comes to Edward finding his way. He needs Mira to help him break through his past and finally find happiness.
In The Pretend Christmas Wife we get more then a glimpse of why Edward chose the path he did. So much more to Edward then I ever imagined. We come to understand why he became a Priest, why he left and how his actions did not set him free from his past. We meet several new characters and I have to say I love them!! Mira and Edward have a hard start as he is a true alpahole, dominant and it’s mostly because he feels he doesn’t deserve her. Edward pulls some things that makes Mira question their relationship. Ugh I don’t want to give anything away…this was such a good book that I didn’t want to end. Happy to say by the end of the book we have closure to many situations in Edwards life. All the whys will be answered. I had so many questions and I love that by the end of the book they were all addressed!!
Not sure how she does it but L. Steele has once again given us a great read. If you want emotional, heartbreaking, angry, honest feelings and yes closure…you want Edward & Mira.
The Pretend Christmas Wife does not disappoint!!
Bravo Ms. Steele you’ve given us another brilliant book.
(P.S. I Love Tiny!!❤️)

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling reading, wonderful and much awaited and worth every moment, I loved it
I have read every one of the books in this series and have been waiting for this book to come out so that I could read and discover how the wedding ending was for Mira and Edward, two characters who have almost become part of the family because I have read the books not just once but several times and have been waiting for this read especially and I was not disappointed.
Edward believes that he has lost his only chance with the love of his life, Ava had then fallen for the man that had been sent to watch over her Baron. Edward does not believe he deserves to be happy, to be loved and yet he knows that without her in his life it just would have no real meaning.

Mira has never forgotten about Edward and she has always believed that no one is ever beyond redemption and has always believed there was more to his actions than she knows and is determined to learn the truth.

Love is something that she believes is worth fighting for no matter what and as this story develops and she learns more about the going on she is sure that they will be able to make it if they are honest with each other.

I will not spoil the plot for other readers so I will recommend that you read this book in one sitting, I know that you will love every moment of this story.

I assure you that you will love every moment of this book it is simply a fantastic read.
I voluntarily received and review an Advanced Reader Copy
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading any future publications; keep up all the great writing.

[Kimberley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a serious love-hate relationship with this book.

I understand that Edward has baggage and trauma, there was no need to mention it so consistently throughout the book. He claimed he knew she was the one stalking her, invading her privacy and being rude to her. Did I mention that while claiming he knew that from the first time he set eyes on her, he was still obsessed with his ex, what she was doing, and the fact that she married his best friend and they were expecting a baby? How he avoided all his friends because they ran in the same circles. Then tricking her into marrying you, treating her like crap, blackmailing her family etc. I thought Sinclair was bad and it does mention that out of all of them, he probably had the worst of it, though to be honest since he and Baron had the same experience, why was he the more traumatized one?
Kudos to Mira for being one of the first to let the MMC know that what he did was crap and she wouldn't stand for it. However, that didn't last long.
I spent more time feeling as though I was reading the same thing every other chapter. It felt similar to the book he had with Ava and Baron. It had the potential to be so much more.

As usual loved Tiny and I felt enamoured by his half-brothers hopefully, they get their spin-offs ( I know Nathan has one but I am partial to Knox). G-Pa still feels as though he knows more than he is letting on as well and I cannot wait for that. Another positive is that I like the friendships the female characters have developed. Their willingness to take out whoever they need to for their friends is admirable, though they are a bit too forgiving to the men.

[Minnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐|5🌶|4🥵
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I got an ARC copy of this book to write an honest review.
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OK, I have to confess I haven't read Edward's first story yet 🙈 I can say, it's not necessary to understand this book, but I know I will read it soon. Not only Edward's first book but ALL of L. Steele's books. It's now the second book I've read, and I already know I love her books.
Edward has a really really good heart, but he doesn't show it. He thinks because of "the incident" when he was a kid and everything that happened after, he is a bad guy. But he isn't. Yes, what happened with Ava (his first story) wasn't good, but honestly, it brought him Mira in the end 😍 Mira is such a cute good girl. Her life wasn't all sunshine. Her mother died at childbirth. Her father grieved a lot and thought it would be good for her to have someone who could be a mother to her, so he married again. But it started a little Cinderella story. Because her stepmother and her two half-sisters, bullied her because she is a plus-size girl. She always knew she would have an arranged marriage... And still, she is such a happy girl 😁
The first two chapters of this book are soooo funny. I couldn't stop laughing 🤣 Mira thinks a lot. But she also talks A LOT. And if the other person doesn't say anything, she talks even more. And she asks a lot of questions which she answers herself. And sometimes, she thinks and doesn't realize that she said these things... 🙈 And with chapter 9 it starts to get VERY spicy 🥵


Follow me on IG for more
https://www.instagram.com/minnie.love...

[Jennifer Leigh (jenjenbookfan) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pretend Christmas Bride is the much-anticipated 7th book in the Morally Grey Billionaires series by L. Steele, featuring a spicy marriage of convenience/Christmas romance for Edward and Mira!! Edward is a complex character that takes the morally grey train straight to stalker town😱, but there are so many layers to him that you can kind of understand his motives, as you learn more about all he has been through. The plot was intriguing throughout with a plus-sized heroine, a former Priest Alphahole with enough emotional baggage to fill a 747, twisty family drama, plenty of angst, and enough steam to start a wildfire! Seriously, Edward is a dominant dirty talker of the highest order… Be prepared to blush!🥵😏 For me, though, this was about two people finding that one person who could help heal the wounds of the past, and bring them into the light. I could relate to Mira on her body image issues, though not on her horrid family. Edward’s battle was much more profound in that the incident from his childhood that he suffered through with his 6 friends led him to this moment as an adult where he lost his faith, his belief in love, his best friend, and honestly his belief in himself. His emotional journey throughout this story was a pleasure to watch, especially with the other members of the Seven and their significant others popping in along the way. Don’t miss this one!!

I received an ARC for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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