MARRY ME by Melissa Brayden
- Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, November 16th 2021
- Genre: Romance
- Format: Ebook (eARC)
- Page Count: 290 pages
- My Rating: ★★★★ (4/5)
Click on the cover for my review on Goodreads.
Ally and Megan’s chemistry was off the charts! From their first kiss to all the intimate scenes, I felt warmth in my stomach—always a good sign that the romantic connection is well-written.
Allison “Ally” Hale, a fourth grade school teacher, and Brent Carmichael, eldest son of the rich Carmichael family, are getting married. With Ally’s parents’ financial security on the line because the Carmichaels have the power to make or break their oatmeal bars, no one expected Ally to develop feelings for the locally famous wedding planner, Megan Kinkaid (Black, biracial), a friend of Brent’s. Should Ally ignore her growing attraction to Megan, or shoot for a chance of having a happier future?
I really enjoyed the little dates Ally and Megan went on. Their interactions during those scenes strengthened their chemistry, and I just love that they got to be cute together. The fact that there wasn’t much cheating was also a plus in terms of the reading experience. Ally is such a no-filter woman it’s endearing. I love that her finding herself attracted to another woman didn’t sent her into a sexuality panic and that most of the characters were pretty supportive, too. There were a total of two awful characters in the book, one from the Carmichaels and one from Ally’s family. I definitely had to take deep breaths whenever they showed up in the story.
The main issue I had was with both Ally and Megan failing to stand their ground. At the obligatory conflict point, I felt like they both gave up, and me, as a reader, gave up, too. I got tired of them choosing the short-term easy way out, and by the time I finished the book, I still had some doubts about their HEA, which isn’t a great feeling when you’re reading romance.
Nevertheless, the overall experience of reading Marry Me was good and I’m upping my rating for the wonderful chemistry they had. I love feeling like I’m melting inside and Brayden certainly delivered a great pairing. However, if you don’t enjoy Brayden’s more dramatic books, then the conflict and surrounding events in this one might irk you a little.
content warnings: manipulation, graphic sex, cheating, alcohol (recreational), vehicular accident
Buddy read with Gabriella! Check out her review here!
I received a digital review copy from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.
