Blog Tour: Fake Fiancée by Ilsa Madden-Mills
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Synopsis:
From WSJ Bestselling Author Ilsa Madden-Mills comes a new stand-alone contemporary romance.
Fake engaged to the hottest quarterback in the country? SCORE.
They say nothing compares to your first kiss,
But our first kiss was orchestrated for an audience.
Our second kiss . . . that one was REAL.
He cradled my face like he was terrified he’d f*ck it up.
He stared into my eyes until the air buzzed.
Soft and slow, full of sighs and little laughs,
He inhaled me like I was the finest Belgian chocolate,
And he’d never get another piece.
A nip of his teeth, his hand at my waist . . .
And I was lost.
I forgot he was paying me to be his fake fiancée.
I forgot we weren’t REAL.
Our kiss was pure magic, and before you laugh and say those kinds of kisses don’t exist,
Then you’ve never touched lips with Max Kent, the hottest quarterback in college history.
Three months. Two hearts. One fake engagement.
Review:
Fake Fiancee was a really fun, cute read. Sunny and Max were so sweet together, even if they messed things up at times. It was such a fun read.
Max is the star quarterback on campus. Football is his life. He won't ever put anything before that. He can't. There are plenty of football groupies that try and hook up with him, but he is not really into that. He was dating this one girl, but that ended badly not that long ago and now he is just focused on playing the best he can. He doesn't need the distraction a girlfriend would be.
Sunny also has her share of bad relationships. She recently got out of one herself with an athlete so she has told her self no more athletes! When she needs a ride to class one day and Max realizes they are going to the same class he of course offers her a ride. And that is where things get interesting. They are both attracted to the other, but don't want a relationship. Plus their exes will both be in class with them so why not pretend to be together to stick it to their exes? No harm there and it will be mutually beneficial. Of course things aren't that easy. Their feelings don't stay fake even if they want them to. And that causes problems because...well this was never supposed to go anywhere for either of them.
I really loved both of these characters. Sunny was so strong to get to where she is, but a bit fragile at times as well. I loved that. And Max? Well he doesn't always think thing through before he does them, but when he cares about someone he really cares for them. He was sweet even if he messed up at times.
This was a great read. Only the second book by this author I have read, but I definitely need to read more. This was a wonderful story to get lost in on a cold winters day.
*Note: I received a free copy of this book for voluntary review consideration
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Excerpt:
Max stalked over to the barrier that divided the stands from the football field and jumped it. The fans went nuts as he brushed past them, some not even realizing it until he was down the aisle. The Jumbotron followed him.
“Good Lordy, what’s he doing?” Mimi asked, clutching at her chest.
“I don’t know,” I said rather weakly, taking the chance to study him the closer he came. He was beautiful, his shoulders impossibly broad. To add to the distraction, his helmet was in his hand and all that dark brown hair was flowing around his chiseled features as if he had a fan in his face. My Viking.
“He’s coming over here,” Mimi commented.
He was. But why?
I stopped breathing . . .right when he came to a halt in front of me and knelt down on one knee.
Eyes the color of a wild ocean gazed at me.
He took my left hand in his right one.
“Max,” I breathed, my heart fluttering.
He gazed up at me. “Sunny Blaine, will you marry me?”
The stadium went wild. In a daze, I looked up at the Jumbotron and felt like I was watching this happen to someone else. Camera phones flashed all around us.
My first clear thought was I’ll kill him.
Aloud, nothing came out but a faint wheeze. Clearly someone had stuffed a giant wad of cotton in my mouth. Clearly I needed something a lot stiffer to drink than this Diet Coke. Clearly my fake boyfriend was a freaking raving lunatic.
He sat his helmet on the ground next to my feet, reached inside it and pulled out a small black box.
No, no, no!
The box opened, and my stomach churned at the sight of the large round solitaire diamond ring that was nestled on the black silk. I blinked repeatedly to clear my vision.
With deft fingers, Max eased it out of the lining and slipped it on my left hand.
I stared down at it. Then back at him.
I was going to murder the hottest quarterback in the country.
Kiss her, Kiss her, the crowd chanted.
We were the focal point of the entire world.
Max stood and tugged me up with him until we were standing. He slid his hand around my neck and pulled his face to mine. The sky was blotted out as he kissed me.
But I hadn’t said yes!
I wouldn’t say yes.
Not to a fake engagement.
The applause of the stadium was deafening. And his kiss—it was deadly. Despite my rage, my body craved him. His lips were hot, so hot, and my tongue met his with a vengeance. We kissed hard, and I nipped at him, my teeth scraping across his lips. But the only one who’d end up bleeding in this scenario was me.
He eased back to take me in, and with a final look at my face he gave a thumbs-up sign to the entire stadium. They went nuts, chanting his name.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered in my ear, letting his hand trail down my arm as he stepped back from me. He walked away backward, eyes on me the entire time. The announcers for the game told everyone who might have missed it that Max Kent had just asked his girlfriend to marry him, and she’d said yes. More cheers came as they replayed him on his knee in front of me with a giant YES written across the top.
I plopped back down in my seat. Frozen.
“. . . did you see her face? Shocked . . .”
“. . . most romantic thing in football . . .”
“. . . luckiest girl in the world . . .”
My face went hot. Even my ears burned. I wanted to crawl under a seat.
God.
What a lie.
The half ended and our offense came out to the field, snapped the ball, and Max threw it straight to Tate who ran it in for another touchdown. My chest constricted and anger churned in my gut.
I didn’t care who won.
I hated football right now. Most of all, I hated Max Kent, and I was going to make him pay.
About the Author:
She's addicted to all things fantasy, including unicorns and sword-wielding females. Other fascinations include frothy coffee beverages, dark chocolate, Ian Somerhalder, astronomy (she's a Gemini), and tattoos. She has a degree in English and a Master's in Education. When she's not pecking away on her computer, she shops for cool magnets and fuzzy pajamas.
She loves to hear from readers and fellow authors. Email her at ilsamaddenmills@gmail.com.
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