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The Husband Gambit
by
Marry me for 1 year. Payment: $1.2 million.
Hayden Somerset is convinced the ad is a joke, but he responds anyway because, hello, $1.2 million. He’s broke, living in a tiny apartment with two roommates, and exhausted from praying his ancient car survives just one more week. His skyrocketing rent and crushing student loans aren’t helping either. At this point, there isn’t ...more
Hayden Somerset is convinced the ad is a joke, but he responds anyway because, hello, $1.2 million. He’s broke, living in a tiny apartment with two roommates, and exhausted from praying his ancient car survives just one more week. His skyrocketing rent and crushing student loans aren’t helping either. At this point, there isn’t ...more
Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 489 pages
Published
November 15th 2018
by L.A. Witt
(first published November 6th 2018)
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This book is slow with a capital “S”. 😒 My God, 60% and nada action. Not even an intense UST. ☹️ The winded version of Ambrose family drama went on and on and on and on. 🙄 And Hayden grated on my nerves so bad. He’s a real whiny little b**ch in the beginning. Although he made up for his actions in the end, it was a little too late for me. and the plot??? “PREPOSTEROUS!” 😂 By all means, it was a very well-written and well-edited book. It’s just .. too slow-burn and more telenovela-ish for my liki
...more
Aug 23, 2019
Snjez
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audiobooks,
re-reads
Family drama and all the talk about money and Hollywood elite aside, I really enjoyed this story. I liked Hayden and Jesse, they were lovely together. Their relationship is slow paced, which I liked, and I think the "fake husband" trope was done really well here.
This was my first book by this author, but, to be perfectly honest, I picked it up because it was narrated by Greg Boudreaux and Michael Ferraiuolo. Both were absolutely fantastic. I'm sure their narration made me enjoy this story so mu ...more
This was my first book by this author, but, to be perfectly honest, I picked it up because it was narrated by Greg Boudreaux and Michael Ferraiuolo. Both were absolutely fantastic. I'm sure their narration made me enjoy this story so mu ...more
Aug 16, 2019
Meags
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
mm,
audiobook,
fake-relationship,
panties-just-went-poof,
lgbt,
romance,
lights-camera-action
3.5 Stars
Hayden is a broke, aspiring actor, working at a pizza joint to make ends meet and living in cramped quarters with his two best buddies (who are also dirt poor). When he finds a personal ad seeking a gay man who is willing to enter a one-year marriage arrangement for the sum of 1.2 million dollars, Hayden can’t resist making contact to find out more.
Jesse is a film make-up artist, born into a life of privilege as a son of Hollywood magnate, Isaac Ambrose. Isaac’s success and influence i ...more
Hayden is a broke, aspiring actor, working at a pizza joint to make ends meet and living in cramped quarters with his two best buddies (who are also dirt poor). When he finds a personal ad seeking a gay man who is willing to enter a one-year marriage arrangement for the sum of 1.2 million dollars, Hayden can’t resist making contact to find out more.
Jesse is a film make-up artist, born into a life of privilege as a son of Hollywood magnate, Isaac Ambrose. Isaac’s success and influence i ...more
Narration: ***5+++ Michael Ferraiuolo + Greg Boudreaux = audiobook heaven Stars***
Story: ***3 generous audiobooks-make-everything-better Stars***
Story: ***3 generous audiobooks-make-everything-better Stars***
4.5 stars
This is, hands down, the best use of the fake husband trope I have ever read. It’s never been a favorite trope of mine but the fact that Jesse wasn’t attempting to save his reputation or keep an inheritance but had a higher, more selfless purpose, made this a delight to read. The author’s writing skills didn’t hurt it either! Jesse is a kind of a poor little rich boy but he balances well with Hayden’s everyman character, both crafted to be intelligent and interesting figures. They discu ...more
This is, hands down, the best use of the fake husband trope I have ever read. It’s never been a favorite trope of mine but the fact that Jesse wasn’t attempting to save his reputation or keep an inheritance but had a higher, more selfless purpose, made this a delight to read. The author’s writing skills didn’t hurt it either! Jesse is a kind of a poor little rich boy but he balances well with Hayden’s everyman character, both crafted to be intelligent and interesting figures. They discu ...more
I liked it, but I am a bit torn over the story too...
Both Hayden and Jesse are super likable guys with a slightly over the top humor and attitudes that fit the setting of L.A. and Hollywood very well.
And the plot seems to match the slightly exaggerated MCs perfectly.
Jesse Ambrose is one of the sons of the famous Ambrose acting dynasty. His father, Isaac Ambrose is an A league actor who rose to fame with macho action movies. He taught his son early on that he wouldn't be accepted within the famil ...more
Both Hayden and Jesse are super likable guys with a slightly over the top humor and attitudes that fit the setting of L.A. and Hollywood very well.
And the plot seems to match the slightly exaggerated MCs perfectly.
Jesse Ambrose is one of the sons of the famous Ambrose acting dynasty. His father, Isaac Ambrose is an A league actor who rose to fame with macho action movies. He taught his son early on that he wouldn't be accepted within the famil ...more
Oh this one's a cracker, it fully hits all the right notes for a fake boyfriend/husband trope and has a real villain that you absolutely want to see get his just deserts.
Both Jessie and Hayden are brilliantly complex men, each with hang-ups which define the way they approach the relationship and they needed a shake or two to get them to play ball!
Jessie's family are poster people for dysfunctional and there were times when - if I could have reached into the book and smashed their faces into a br ...more
Both Jessie and Hayden are brilliantly complex men, each with hang-ups which define the way they approach the relationship and they needed a shake or two to get them to play ball!
Jessie's family are poster people for dysfunctional and there were times when - if I could have reached into the book and smashed their faces into a br ...more
2.5 Stars!
First off this was completely unrealistic. The reasons for needing/wanting the fake husband didn’t make much sense.
And don’t even get me started on the politics.
I did manage to finish this one, but once again I’m reminded that the LA Witt of late is just not for me.
First off this was completely unrealistic. The reasons for needing/wanting the fake husband didn’t make much sense.
And don’t even get me started on the politics.
I did manage to finish this one, but once again I’m reminded that the LA Witt of late is just not for me.
When Hayden Somerset sees an ad seeking marriage in exchange for over a million dollars, he thinks–as any rational person would–that it is a joke. Or some kind of porno/serial killer set-up. He is broke though–and I do mean broke–so he, in a fit of madness probably brought on by an excess of ramen, writes an email asking for more information. He is shocked when a day later he walks into a restaurant to find a stunningly hot man waiting for him, and not some kind of kinky killer clown. A man who
...more
Audiobook.....excellent narration!!!
The story....the premise was a bit OTT, but the MC’s together worked for me.
Angst...very little.
UST..some.
Heat...didn’t come into play until later, but these guys got into each other!
Love...slow burn, sweet and solid.
Plot...powerful Hollywood father threatens his son if he marries a man. Hard to buy in Hollywood, but I can go with the premise that there are bigots everywhere. Like I said, the storyline was a bit OTT.
HEA...solid as fuck!
The story....the premise was a bit OTT, but the MC’s together worked for me.
Angst...very little.
UST..some.
Heat...didn’t come into play until later, but these guys got into each other!
Love...slow burn, sweet and solid.
Plot...powerful Hollywood father threatens his son if he marries a man. Hard to buy in Hollywood, but I can go with the premise that there are bigots everywhere. Like I said, the storyline was a bit OTT.
HEA...solid as fuck!
This story takes the cake for the ungodly amount of redundant narrative that I eventually just skipped over. Although I mostly enjoyed the fake boyfriend trope and cast of characters, this book could easily have been trimmed by a third.
Great 'fake relationship' romance!
Although the scenario seems a bit far-fetched, the author presents it in a reasonable enough way, so I could get happily on board and enjoy the show! And that is exactly what I did.
So what's to like?
.) Hayden: (the rich poor boy) I liked his down to earth and sensible approach to the whole affair, his shock at how the rich and famous live, his practical outlook on life and his warm and caring personality.
.) Jesse: (the poor rich boy) No idea how someone so 'norm ...more
Although the scenario seems a bit far-fetched, the author presents it in a reasonable enough way, so I could get happily on board and enjoy the show! And that is exactly what I did.
So what's to like?
.) Hayden: (the rich poor boy) I liked his down to earth and sensible approach to the whole affair, his shock at how the rich and famous live, his practical outlook on life and his warm and caring personality.
.) Jesse: (the poor rich boy) No idea how someone so 'norm ...more
I hated this book. I know, I know. I should have just thrown in the towel at the 50% mark when I thought my rage was going to overcome me. I KNOW!
This was not a good time and I couldn't wait to finish.
And truly, I don't feel comfortable even writing a review about any of it. I FUCKING HATE POLITICS!
Ridiculous. ...more
*3.5 stars*
It was good. I liked Hayden and Jesse. Story was okay.
But.... It was told in so much dialogue. Guess I found out that I don't like that particularly way of story-telling too much. It distracted me. ...more
Aug 18, 2019
MishyJo
rated it
liked it
Recommended to MishyJo by:
Tessi4M
Shelves:
audible-finished,
lgbtq
I don’t know how to rate this. The narration was INCREDIBLE. I could listen to either of these narrators read the phone book. They carried the story. If I had been reading or listening to a lesser narrator I think I might’ve been bored.
I must admit the whole "fake relationship / husband for hire" theme is my drug of choice, and Witt does a wonderful job in pulling this off in "The Husband Gambit."
We get loads of background on Jesse Ambrose and his majorly dysfunctional father who is a Hollywood heavy hitter. You can completely understand why Jesse has committed to bringing him down, and why he feels the "fake husband" plan will succeed. Hayden is a great character and you also get why he is willing to marry Jesse for money, an ...more
We get loads of background on Jesse Ambrose and his majorly dysfunctional father who is a Hollywood heavy hitter. You can completely understand why Jesse has committed to bringing him down, and why he feels the "fake husband" plan will succeed. Hayden is a great character and you also get why he is willing to marry Jesse for money, an ...more
Very cute and charming fake marriage trope with a side of Hollywood and politics. Come for the fake marriage, stay for the characters who will leave you with a bunch of goopy, warm feelings while also making you laugh. Hot also. I mean, it's LA Witt, so of course it's hot. :)
...more
Wow, this was so good! I really really enjoyed this one.
Jesse Ambrose is one of five kids of Isaac Ambrose, Hollywood royalty - an actor, director, producer. He's filthy rich and has a ton of influence.
Which is why it's been so hard for Jesse or anyone to get proof of how horrible Isaac Ambrose really is behind closed doors.
He's homophobic, racist, sexist...I could go on. But the main thing dealt with in this is his homophobia, because Jesse is gay, and Isaac Ambrose hates that he is. So much ...more
Jesse Ambrose is one of five kids of Isaac Ambrose, Hollywood royalty - an actor, director, producer. He's filthy rich and has a ton of influence.
Which is why it's been so hard for Jesse or anyone to get proof of how horrible Isaac Ambrose really is behind closed doors.
He's homophobic, racist, sexist...I could go on. But the main thing dealt with in this is his homophobia, because Jesse is gay, and Isaac Ambrose hates that he is. So much ...more
2.5 stars!!! 🙄 I should have liked it.. I typically like fake-boyfriend/husband type stories and I was excited after reading the premise; but the story never took off. 😬 Hayden and Jesse though likable MCs just didn't have enough chemistry to sell the slow-burn.. and this was the slowest of all slow burns.. almost glacial..🙄😰. And the book was loooong.., I had to skip pages sometimes 😴 I just got bored reading about Jesse's evil family and villainous father over and over again.. They overshadowe
...more
5 Stars for the narration.
3 Stars for the story.
3 Stars for the story.
I struggled with this one. I felt like...I should have liked it.
But it was lukewarm at best.
I tend to enjoy the fake boyfriend/husband trope. I'm still not certain why I didn't enjoy this one.
Jesse hires a fake husband with one purpose. He wants to out his father (a famous wealthy actor with his eye on taking over the local political ring) for the homophobe that he truly is.
And well...the father was just as ugly as you would imagine.
Jesse was sweet.
Hayden was great.
But it never really came t ...more
But it was lukewarm at best.
I tend to enjoy the fake boyfriend/husband trope. I'm still not certain why I didn't enjoy this one.
Jesse hires a fake husband with one purpose. He wants to out his father (a famous wealthy actor with his eye on taking over the local political ring) for the homophobe that he truly is.
And well...the father was just as ugly as you would imagine.
Jesse was sweet.
Hayden was great.
But it never really came t ...more
L. A. Witt has written some of my favorite books. This is not one of them. I loved the overall plot of the story, but what brought it down for me was Hayden.
First of all, why would he even hesitate to accept such a fantastic offer. Then turning down a new car and turning down the diamond wedding ring made no sense. After all, it was Jesse’s parents paying for the ring. Knowing this marriage would end after a year his actions were stupid. He also walked around with a chip on his shoulder which I ...more
First of all, why would he even hesitate to accept such a fantastic offer. Then turning down a new car and turning down the diamond wedding ring made no sense. After all, it was Jesse’s parents paying for the ring. Knowing this marriage would end after a year his actions were stupid. He also walked around with a chip on his shoulder which I ...more
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.75 stars
The Husband Gambit is a well-written, but relatively ordinary romance that relies heavily on the fake marriage trope. Jesse and Hayden are fully dimensional and the author has done an excellent job of giving them solid backstories and enough detail to make them relatable. Hayden has something of a chip on this shoulder regarding money, which is more than understandable, but it doesn’t always make his character likable. But I understood where he was coming from mo ...more
3.75 stars
The Husband Gambit is a well-written, but relatively ordinary romance that relies heavily on the fake marriage trope. Jesse and Hayden are fully dimensional and the author has done an excellent job of giving them solid backstories and enough detail to make them relatable. Hayden has something of a chip on this shoulder regarding money, which is more than understandable, but it doesn’t always make his character likable. But I understood where he was coming from mo ...more
You WILL need to suspend belief for this book to truly make its mark on you. I did and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
The whole "fake boyfriend/husband" troupe is one I enjoy always and this certainly didn't disappoint.
I enjoyed every heart to heart and OTT moment equally and wished it never ended. Great book. ...more
The whole "fake boyfriend/husband" troupe is one I enjoy always and this certainly didn't disappoint.
I enjoyed every heart to heart and OTT moment equally and wished it never ended. Great book. ...more
A miss for me : I enjoyed the start but it quickly petered out : too preposterous and too “black and white” for my tastes. As for what I call the hotness trademark I love from this author, I didn’t find it there.
PS : **Thank you, Amanda,** for this gift. That was so nice from you, mwahh !!! 😘
PS : **Thank you, Amanda,** for this gift. That was so nice from you, mwahh !!! 😘
Guy from Hollywood royalty family offers $1.2 million dollar one year marriage contract to another guy as his form of activism against a father who lies about his liberal leaning politics. His father is the antithesis of liberal, very much conservative. Definitely LGBTQ unfriendly. This is Jesse Ambrose's way to expose his father's policies to people who are being sucked in to his lies. It's the only way he can think of to show people the man who wanted his own son out of his home at fifteen whe
...more
Aug 05, 2019
Valerie ❈M/M Romance Junkie❈
added it
Audio 5 BILLION 🌟⭐️🌟⭐️🌟 I hope this is not the last time that two of my absolute favorite narrators work together.
Story? Not so much. I hate politics. I hate homophobic assholes. I don't want to read them in my romance. Yes. I know those things exist in the real world, but I read to ESCAPE the real world. Even with the best narrators in the world, this story did not allow me to escape my troubles.
I refuse to lowball rate Greg and Michael. They narrated the hell out of this book, but even they ...more
Story? Not so much. I hate politics. I hate homophobic assholes. I don't want to read them in my romance. Yes. I know those things exist in the real world, but I read to ESCAPE the real world. Even with the best narrators in the world, this story did not allow me to escape my troubles.
I refuse to lowball rate Greg and Michael. They narrated the hell out of this book, but even they ...more
I liked the story and LOVED the audio!!
Excellently narrated by Greg Boudreaux and Michael Ferraiuolo!
4.5 stars
Excellently narrated by Greg Boudreaux and Michael Ferraiuolo!
4.5 stars
Miss Witt is either a huge hit or a huge miss for me. This one was mostly a hit. I have had this book on my shelves since January, intrigued by the blurb but put off by the awful cover. Yes, I am superficial, I know.
Hayden and Jesse is an amazing couple. Their chemistry is amazing. But there was some times when I just wanted to scream at them to get their shit together. Their thoughts and feelings got repeated one too many times. Like yes, we get it.
I loved that the characters were so free to ...more
Hayden and Jesse is an amazing couple. Their chemistry is amazing. But there was some times when I just wanted to scream at them to get their shit together. Their thoughts and feelings got repeated one too many times. Like yes, we get it.
I loved that the characters were so free to ...more
**grm** ** spoilers down**
This book started so well, Hayden's thoughts were funny and pretty realistic and there was a ton of humor, and I really loved his roommates, but then with more pages and chapters I started to feel annoyed by the fact that every 2 seconds he was talking about him being poor or of how he had to survive with few dollars, or sometimes he couldn't eat etc... one time ok, two ok too, but saying this every page? nope.
The relationship had a slow burn and I kinda liked that, but ...more
This book started so well, Hayden's thoughts were funny and pretty realistic and there was a ton of humor, and I really loved his roommates, but then with more pages and chapters I started to feel annoyed by the fact that every 2 seconds he was talking about him being poor or of how he had to survive with few dollars, or sometimes he couldn't eat etc... one time ok, two ok too, but saying this every page? nope.
The relationship had a slow burn and I kinda liked that, but ...more
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“Letting go of a dream was supposed to be heartbreaking, not liberating. Maybe that meant it hadn’t been a good dream for me after all.”
—
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