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Designing Love #2
Marriage by Design
Family first. That motto has ruled Angie Corcarelli’s life since she took over her beloved late father’s construction business. When she discovers a new highway project will destroy the homes he once helped build, she’ll fight passionately to protect his legacy—even if it means battling her best friend’s stuffy and infuriating ex.
Stuart Perrault also knows a thing or two about family allegiance. For the past fifteen years, he’s worked hard for his family’s engineering firm, waiting for the day he’d be named CEO. But a recent botched project has shaken his father’s faith in him. The last thing he needs now is a loose cannon like Angie interfering with the new highway plans.
When Stuart’s father insists he wine and dine Angie to change her mind, he reluctantly obliges, but soon wonders if he’s bitten off more than he can chew. The fiery carpenter isn’t as irrational as he expected, and she has a knack for making his strident self-control unravel.
The more time Angie spends with Stuart, the harder it is to see him as the cold, calculating guy she’d believed him to be. But falling for each other would mean disloyalty to their respective families. Are their feelings strong enough to warrant challenging their family ties?
Sensuality Level: Sensual
Stuart Perrault also knows a thing or two about family allegiance. For the past fifteen years, he’s worked hard for his family’s engineering firm, waiting for the day he’d be named CEO. But a recent botched project has shaken his father’s faith in him. The last thing he needs now is a loose cannon like Angie interfering with the new highway plans.
When Stuart’s father insists he wine and dine Angie to change her mind, he reluctantly obliges, but soon wonders if he’s bitten off more than he can chew. The fiery carpenter isn’t as irrational as he expected, and she has a knack for making his strident self-control unravel.
The more time Angie spends with Stuart, the harder it is to see him as the cold, calculating guy she’d believed him to be. But falling for each other would mean disloyalty to their respective families. Are their feelings strong enough to warrant challenging their family ties?
Sensuality Level: Sensual
- GenresContemporary
202 pages, Paperback
First published August 10, 2014
10 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Elley Arden
43 books184 followersElley Arden is a born and bred Pennsylvanian who has lived as far west as Utah and as far north as Wisconsin. She drinks wine like it’s water (a slight exaggeration), prefers a night at the ballpark to a night on the town, and believes almond English toffee is the key to happiness.
Elley writes provocative, emotional, contemporary romances, where Mr. Not-My-Type ends up being Mr. Right.
Elley writes provocative, emotional, contemporary romances, where Mr. Not-My-Type ends up being Mr. Right.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 18, 2014
Marriage by Design is a sweet, satisfying read. It's easy to feel for Angie and Stuart right away--they're both such sympathetic characters that even though what they want appears to be on opposite ends of the spectrum, you hope they are both somehow satisfied in the end.
Which they are, because of the requisite HEA, of course. But do they end up with what they originally thought they wanted...?
If you've read Baby by Design, book one in the series, you know that there's already built-in conflict--Stuart used to date Trish, Angie's best friend, and Trish's husband, Angie's brother Tony, can't stand the guy. Family is just about everything to Angie, so she's going to have a hard time accepting and giving in to her attraction to Stuart.
Stuart's family also creates conflict--his father has pitted Stuart and his younger brother Ethan against each other practically since birth, making the two of them compete for the family business. Stuart thinks he's finally got the upper hand--maybe--all he has to do is obey his father and manipulate the woman he's quickly falling for...
But no worries, because it's just business, right?
Ms. Arden did a nice job with the enemies-to-lovers troupe here. Angie and Stuart's early antagonism crackles off the page, as does their attraction. Their chemistry, from their earliest, most antagonistic scenes, is undeniable. The path to their mutual HEA is nicely set up, and it's definitely satisfying when you get there. In the meantime, it's a fun, sexy read.
Marriage doesn't require you to have read Baby, but you see enough of the continuation of Trish and Tony's story to make you curious about how the two of them got together. I'll definitely be reading more from this new-to-me author in the future!
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Which they are, because of the requisite HEA, of course. But do they end up with what they originally thought they wanted...?
If you've read Baby by Design, book one in the series, you know that there's already built-in conflict--Stuart used to date Trish, Angie's best friend, and Trish's husband, Angie's brother Tony, can't stand the guy. Family is just about everything to Angie, so she's going to have a hard time accepting and giving in to her attraction to Stuart.
Stuart's family also creates conflict--his father has pitted Stuart and his younger brother Ethan against each other practically since birth, making the two of them compete for the family business. Stuart thinks he's finally got the upper hand--maybe--all he has to do is obey his father and manipulate the woman he's quickly falling for...
But no worries, because it's just business, right?
Ms. Arden did a nice job with the enemies-to-lovers troupe here. Angie and Stuart's early antagonism crackles off the page, as does their attraction. Their chemistry, from their earliest, most antagonistic scenes, is undeniable. The path to their mutual HEA is nicely set up, and it's definitely satisfying when you get there. In the meantime, it's a fun, sexy read.
Marriage doesn't require you to have read Baby, but you see enough of the continuation of Trish and Tony's story to make you curious about how the two of them got together. I'll definitely be reading more from this new-to-me author in the future!
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2014
I received a copy of Marriage by Design by Elley Arden in exchange for an honest review.
Angie is carrying on the family construction business that meant so much to her father for so long. She basically flips houses and usually it’s not a problem, except now, her opponent in a row of homes that she is interested in is her best friend’s ex-boyfriend Stuart. She really wants those row houses and Angie is prepared to put up a fight and Stuart won’t know what hit him – until she begins seeing him with new eyes. Stuart on the other hand is fighting for validation from his father to run the family business and he’s settling in to fight for the company until he begins seeing Angie in a new light. But with Stuart’s father pushing him and Angie together to get her off their company’s case the two begin to feel something that should be taboo, with her being his ex’s best friend. The intertwining of the characters and the storyline made for a great story about family, loyalty, friendship and acceptance and love. I thought sometimes Angie’s character was a little nuts, but I loved Stuart’s character, his father though, not so much, he caused so much strife between the brothers. It’s all about family.
Angie is carrying on the family construction business that meant so much to her father for so long. She basically flips houses and usually it’s not a problem, except now, her opponent in a row of homes that she is interested in is her best friend’s ex-boyfriend Stuart. She really wants those row houses and Angie is prepared to put up a fight and Stuart won’t know what hit him – until she begins seeing him with new eyes. Stuart on the other hand is fighting for validation from his father to run the family business and he’s settling in to fight for the company until he begins seeing Angie in a new light. But with Stuart’s father pushing him and Angie together to get her off their company’s case the two begin to feel something that should be taboo, with her being his ex’s best friend. The intertwining of the characters and the storyline made for a great story about family, loyalty, friendship and acceptance and love. I thought sometimes Angie’s character was a little nuts, but I loved Stuart’s character, his father though, not so much, he caused so much strife between the brothers. It’s all about family.
September 2, 2014
This novel is so hot that it sizzles. At the same time, Arden tells a very romantic tale that will keep you coming back for more. This novel has both substance and character. Work and romance combine in an atypical manner to create a fun yet intense novel that I couldn’t put down for a second.
I quite enjoyed Angie in the first novel of this series, and she gets even better here. Paired with an unlikely, but perfect, male lead Arden creates a brilliant couple to focus her story one. I love that the story, although revolving around them, isn’t solely about these two. Their families play key roles in this tale, making it about so much more than just two people. There is a member of the supporting cast that I immediately disliked. Don’t get me wrong, he was well developed for his part, but as a person, I seriously disliked him. I found myself hoping that the main characters would see it too.
My final thoughts? I didn’t think this series could get much better after the first novel. I was definitely wrong. Arden just keeps getting better and better. And don’t you worry; this novel could easily be read as a standalone or as part of the Designing Love series.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
I quite enjoyed Angie in the first novel of this series, and she gets even better here. Paired with an unlikely, but perfect, male lead Arden creates a brilliant couple to focus her story one. I love that the story, although revolving around them, isn’t solely about these two. Their families play key roles in this tale, making it about so much more than just two people. There is a member of the supporting cast that I immediately disliked. Don’t get me wrong, he was well developed for his part, but as a person, I seriously disliked him. I found myself hoping that the main characters would see it too.
My final thoughts? I didn’t think this series could get much better after the first novel. I was definitely wrong. Arden just keeps getting better and better. And don’t you worry; this novel could easily be read as a standalone or as part of the Designing Love series.
Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this work in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2014
3.5 stars
I 'discovered' Angie in the first book in this series, and my goodness, was she a spitfire even there, too! I felt sorry for the poor bloke who would land into her life...
Then you meet Stuart in this story, and suddenly, you're not sorry at all, even though you kinda pity him for having to go up against the force of nature that is Angie Corcarelli.
It's obvious hate-at-first-time-hearing-the-name for both of them, and you've never seen more sworn enemies. These two go at it with no holds barred. It's actually funny to see them trying to win the upper hand each time...until the passion can no longer be denied and what simmers beneath the surface bubbles forth and lays siege to everything else.
This book focused more on the relationshop between Angie and Stuart rather than mingling in all her riotous family, but we see good slices of her family life - all boisterous and full of love - as well as the direct opposite which is Stuart's family.
Elley Arden is definitely a burgeoning queen of contemporary romance, and she is now a go-to author for me. Give her books a try; you won't regret it!
I 'discovered' Angie in the first book in this series, and my goodness, was she a spitfire even there, too! I felt sorry for the poor bloke who would land into her life...
Then you meet Stuart in this story, and suddenly, you're not sorry at all, even though you kinda pity him for having to go up against the force of nature that is Angie Corcarelli.
It's obvious hate-at-first-time-hearing-the-name for both of them, and you've never seen more sworn enemies. These two go at it with no holds barred. It's actually funny to see them trying to win the upper hand each time...until the passion can no longer be denied and what simmers beneath the surface bubbles forth and lays siege to everything else.
This book focused more on the relationshop between Angie and Stuart rather than mingling in all her riotous family, but we see good slices of her family life - all boisterous and full of love - as well as the direct opposite which is Stuart's family.
Elley Arden is definitely a burgeoning queen of contemporary romance, and she is now a go-to author for me. Give her books a try; you won't regret it!
July 27, 2014
Review to follow
August 27, 2014
Another great book from Elley couldn't put it down. love the Corcarelli's and hope to read more soon :)
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews