salythereader

I really enjoyed Jennifer Probst first book but I think I like The Marriage Trap a bit better. Maggie Ryan is the photographer sister of Nick(the hero in the previous book), who is smart, successful and independent and great at hiding her feelings after the lonely childhood she and Nick had. Her best friend and brother's wife set her up with Michael Conte a year back and she felt a spark but was rejected so she convinced herself that Michael was in love with Alexa.

The reason I liked this book was Maggie and her sassiness that hid past hurts and vulnerabilities. She acted so blase but craved love and family like so many others but didn't believe she had it in her. Seeing her gel with Michael's family was amazing, as an outsider she could see how Michael was being patronizing to his three younger sisters and taking on the role of responsibility too far and she was not afraid of laying it all out.

A foolish family tradition stands in the way of Michael's sisters happiness so he asks Maggie to be his pretend wife and she agrees on one condition, that he stay away from Alexa and though it pains him to do so, since Alexa is a close friend, he agrees. He has always felt the attraction between them but because of his friendship with Alexa and her family he doesn't want to risk a relationship going bad.

Michael was a great hero, he loved his family and had given up his dream of racing for them to run the family baking business, plus even his frequent dating was an attempt on his side to find "the one", never guessing that Maggie would be that person, prickly, sassy Maggie who is the complete opposite of what he thought he wanted and has walls all around her.

The book was sexy, sweet and even heart-breaking when we hear what happened to a young Maggie. Yes, the book could be corny especially the last part but I still enjoyed it.

ARC provided by the publisher through Edelweiss