The Marriage Bargain

Marriage to a Billionaire, Book 1

By: Jennifer Probst

Narrated by: Coleen Marlo

Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

To save her family home, impulsive bookstore owner Alexa Maria McKenzie casts a love spell. But she never planned on conjuring up her best friend's older brother - the powerful man who once shattered her heart.

Billionaire Nicholas Ryan doesn't believe in marriage, but in order to inherit his father's corporation, he needs a wife and needs one fast. When he discovers his sister's childhood friend is in dire financial straits, he offers Alexa a bold proposition: a marriage in name only with certain rules. Avoid entanglement. Keep things all business. Do not fall in love. The arrangement is only for a year, so the rules shouldn't be that hard to follow, right? Except fate has a way of upsetting the best-laid plans.

©2012 Jennifer Probst (P)2012 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Full of nonstop sexual tension that crackles off the page." (Laura Kaye, author of Hearts in Darkness)

Just what I was looking for!!!

Powerful alpha male...reluctant strong female lead....can she chink his well honed armour...does she even want to?

Nice hot scenes, WONDERFUL sexual tension, and lovable characters. The narrator was a bit too breathy for me, but didn't ruin anything.

I will be downloading the rest of the series ASAP!

Loved it.

This was light and sweet with some of the funniest happenings. The best laugh was the hiding of all the dogs.

You Can Find Better

This story is based on a trope that is often done, and when it is done well, it can be entertaining. That wasn't the case here. There were times this book had potential, but that potential was never truly realized. The main characters often came off as ridiculous and immature, and the conflict in this plot was too trite and contrived to ever hold my interest.

Coleen Marlo was good enough as a narrator.

I recommend this only to people who have very low expectations of romance novels in which the protagonists enter into a marriage of convenience before their happily ever after.

A sweet little romance.

Alexa and Nicholas, AKA, Nick strike a deal for a fake marriage because of her need to help her parents keep their home and his need for his will to be enforced he has to be married. They are long time childhood rivals, which from the beginning, also held an undercurrent of romance.

The couple grow closer over the year that they are married and passion builds between them. There are, of course, some unknown factors that I don't want to share and spoil the story, but it is a very sweet romance I really enjoyed.

The Marriage Bargain

This one was just fun. I listened to it on audio and even though I have it in print I really prefer audio these days since I am busy and it keeps me sane. Alexa is in need of money to help her family keep their home and she casts a love spell but didn't expect Nicholas Ryan. He is marriage adverse and doesn't believe in love but he needs a wife, quick. They enter a contract and all is well until lines are crossed. Will they survive the outcome?

not bad

finished it at one time some portions reminded me of fifty shades nice quick read

Took a while to get into it, but there after I was

What did you like best about The Marriage Bargain? What did you like least?

It is really an epic love story with all of the cheezie things that go along with it. I was not crazy about the narrater.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

It was a little bit predictable, but will not change it one bit.

What aspect of Coleen Marlo’s performance would you have changed?

Her tone could vary a bit more and sje could read it with a bit more emotion.

Could you see The Marriage Bargain being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No, because there is a lot of movies and TV seriesses with the exact same story line.

Any additional comments?

Overall I enjoyed the book.

If you like....

cheesy romance novels, you will love this book. Easy to follow shallow plot. Enough said.

Loved Marriage Bargain

This is great writing. The narrator, I didn't enjoy but it wasn't horrible. This is worth taking the time to read/listen:-)

Simple story...not to deep or remarkable

What did you like best about The Marriage Bargain? What did you like least?

This novel had a lot of potential. If I was the editor I would have given it back to the author and said, great characters....great start, but go back to the drawing board and work on the plot & get deeper with the characters. I thought the hero, Nick, was good, but somehow got lost at the end. The heroine Alexandra was interesting as well, but came across very barky & moody...just a little too sharp & curt with Nick, at times.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

When the two characters fall in love.

Have you listened to any of Coleen Marlo’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to any of Coleen Mario's other performances. I thought she did a good job, overall.

Could you see The Marriage Bargain being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Not really....it's a pretty simple story & the plot was rather anticlimactic.

Any additional comments?

Jennifer Probst came across as a young writer. Hopefully, in the next few years she'll perfect her craft.