The Unwanted Wife

The Davenports #1

by L. Steele

He’s my brother’s best friend
My fake husband...
And doesn’t believe in love

Nathan Davenport, CEO of the Davenport empire is my complete opposite.
He hates chocolate. I’m a size sixteen dessert chef.
He only wears black. I love glitter and pink.
He’s grumpy, while I look on the brighter side of life.
Too bad his piercing blue eyes, and high cheekbones haunt my dreams.

When he offers to loan me the money to save my bakery.
I have no choice but to agree.
Except he has conditions:

I must pretend to be his wife for a year
I must fake my feelings for him so his family believes our relationship.
I must stay by his side for the duration of our arrangement so he can claim his inheritance.

I don’t even like the man, surely I can get through this charade without developing feelings for him?
Except living in close proximity with him, our chemistry escalates
I know I am falling for the wrong man.
For when I tell him: “I love you,” he growls: “Love was never part of the equation...”

This is an opposites attract, forced proximity, one-bed, marriage of convenience, and a best friend’s brother, billionaire romance with a plus size FMC. It is a complete standalone.

Genres: Romance, Marriage Of Convenience, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Billionaire Romance, Audiobook, Military Fiction

366 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 7, 2024

About the author

L. Steele loves to write romance novels featuring powerful men and strong women who bring them to their knees. When she's not writing she enjoys trading trivia with her filmmaker husband, watching lots and lots of movies, and walking nature trails.

Reviews

[Rachel Santillan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Spoilers and Profanity

What the fuck did I just read???? This entire book is absolutely insane, I chuckled because I couldn’t believe this was “real”.

I was enticed by the good reviews and the character (Skyler aka Sterling) is described as 5’4” size 16 curvaceous woman and I was like, wait a minute that’s me!!! Let me get in as a character, with some hunky book boyfriend.

Except Skyler talks poorly about herself to the point it’s uncomfortable.

Also Nathan….her love interest - the way he’s described as a 6’5” muscular build, even his thighs are “huge” makes me imagine a John Cena/The Rock body type. Then she says he looks like Jake Gyllenhaal AND he has different colored eyes - which is fucking creepy to me. So you’ve got a 6’5”Jake Gyllenhaal, John Cena, with husky dog eyes! He’s possessive, manipulative, into some way to weird kinky shit - the cat and mouse game of hide and seek or whatever the fuck that was, fucking weird! Once he catches her, he pins her down, and she takes anal!! With his massive horse size dick, that just slides right in….Okayyyy right. This is supposed to be their wedding night and he’s determined to take her virginity from all her “holes” he is super aggressive AND too much for the scene of her being pure at their wedding. Not only that, after she gives him a BJ, he cums on her face, then proceeds to rub his cum all over her face like moisturizer!!! What the fuck!! Way too much and degrading to me, for this scene. Cum shots can be hot sometimes, but not in this storyline.

Then we find out that her marine brother died a year ago and she’s been imaging conversation with him due to trauma of not accepting he passed away, and she has a nightmare where it all comes back to her, and Nathan “hid the truth” from her.

we’ve got PTSD, suicide, war injuries, trauma, memory loss, a failing business, a rich “hero” who’s manipulative and creepy. Oh and survivor guilt and a friend who had a TBI that needs special care.

Nathan is also the brothers best friend who falls in love with his sister on her 18th bday by their “secret kiss” and he’s 15 years older than her. She barely legal and he’s a 33 year old man at the time, gross to me. Age gaps are fine, when it’s not a fucking teenager!!

I get now in the story she’s 24 or 25, but it’s all just fucking weird.

The family dynamic is also wild.

The uncle falling for his son’s fiancé, while she is walking down the aisle to a missing groom, and decides to tell her to marry him instead at the alter, because he was mesmerized when he saw her - more, what the fuck is going on????

Then the books just ends....

Oh and Sterling/Skyler gets pregnant but we have to download a separate epilogue to read that she has a boy and names him after her brother and his dad, who is also a fucking looney tune.

Basically this shit was wild and weird as fuck, and I have no idea what I just read. I’ll go back to my easy sports romances, because this shit was an absolute hell the fuck no for me.

[Marguerite · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t have time for this nonsense.

[Liz · Rating 1 out of 5]

I haven’t even finished this book yet and I am struggling
I sincerely think this is going to be the extremely few books that I DNF. So much “TikTok” references and it just feels forced . I hate that she says “OMG” like she’s five and I know that these books are in their own way, a fantasy - but the obsession from both feels unrealistic. Disappointed quite frankly in the way she described the characters even. Why is it so pushed that she’s “plus sized” . She tried to hard to “empower” her female characters . All of it is just over the top nonsense. So disappointed as I typically enjoy her books. This feels rushed and to the point that her reader will just read whatever she writes because she’s accumulated a large fan base. I really hope that her next book is better . I also sincerely hope that other people DID enjoy this book as she is a great author - this one just did not do it for me .

[Ani Alac · Rating 1 out of 5]

So many things

I’ve never read a book like this. It has a veteran with PTSD who is a rich boy who behaves like he’s been rich all his life, a virgin chubby chick who knows what BDSM is and enjoys sex without the least bit of embarasement (all from reading about it). Ms. Goody cares about the disabled friend, her friends somehow know rich older people who come from a very different walk of life but serve to get messages to her rich veteran love with PTSD. Oh, can’t forget about pop culture mixed in, including tik tok and an actually explanation what it means to go viral.
I got to page 134 somehow and just could not continue. I’ve read bad books, but never this bad that I felt the need to leave a comment.

[josielynnn3 · Rating 2 out of 5]

what. the. actual. fuck. was. that. book.

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf at 163 pages. e. l. james should be imprisoned for coining the phrase “kinky fuckery” and every author who used it after that should be eaten by bears.

this book uses it at least twice.

skylar has a “cute and quirky” habit of using tv show titles instead of swear words. this is supposed to highlight how she’s “fun and different.” to me, it’s incredibly distracting because i think about how i would react if someone spoke like that to me. i would have them committed. imagine someone saying “what the golden girls are you doing” and tell me it doesn’t make you want to be dead.

there’s also just some weird pandery stuff in this. i understand that the “book girls” tend to have a lot in common, but we’re not a monolith. please stop writing books that toss out like…”spicy booktok hashtags” for no reason.

i just do not think this book is for me.

[Mercedes Stafford · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I have to read one more time, " his thighs tighten," I may very well scream. Like, what does that even mean? Or one more time, her trying to be cute and use movie titles instead of cuss words like just cuss already and be done with it! The number of times she mentions tiktok or booktok is unbelievable. DNF this book at roughly 50% . There's a good way to write this trope, and this wasn't it. And I will not even begin to go into the fat shaming this MFC does to just herself for attention from the MMC.

[D · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wtf was this? Garbage. Zero stars. This was so weird/cringey and awful. Probably one of the worst books I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading.

[Jasmine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I regret reading this.

[Tweeg · Rating 1 out of 5]

My first by this author.
Didn't like:
- the h's swear word substitutes
- the repetition of the same things - over and over
- h's unrealistic response to sex given her lack of experience
- unrealistic, not believable wedding night
- no substance to the H and h's relationship, only ott sex
- the H thinking about sex while talking to the h about her brother's death
- names and shapes of the h's baked goods
- no wrap up or epilogue for this story. Instead it goes straight into the start of next book in the series - which I'm not interested in. Nor am I interested in signing up or following a link to get a conclusion to this story.

[Daisy Nijs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Nathan, where this begins as you being harsh and if you help Skylar, she has to do something for you too, you quickly turn around and become this man who protects what’s his.
Skylar is everything that Nathan is not. She is all sunshine, he’s grumpy. But for the sake of saving her business, she will pretend to be his wife. But it was never really pretending in the first place.
This is the first book in the new series, and you can’t help but fall head over heels for Nathan and Skylar.

[Karina]

Another book about a babbling plus size woman who pines for the older muscular man …

[BookishRaquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Star Rating: 4/5 ⭐
My Spice Rating: 3/5 🌶️

What you’ll find:
- Marriage of Convenience
- Grumpy/Sunshine
- Opposites Attract
- Forced Proximity
- Billionaire Romance
- Brother's Best Friend
- Curvy FMC
- Age Gap

The Unwanted Wife is the first book in the Davenports series. This is my first L. Steele book, and it was a really good read. Right from the start, I knew I would not be able to put it down.

This story follows Nate and Skylar, who end up in a marriage of convenience that is mutually beneficial for them. Skylar needs money to help keep her business afloat, and Nate can offer it to her. Nate needs to marry to be named CEO of a Davenport business. Skylar's brother is Nate's best friend. On Skylar's 18th birthday, they shared a kiss that neither had forgotten. Although they were forced into their marriage, they found their happily ever after.

The Unwanted Wife is a compelling and addictive story filled with humor, supportive friendships, secrets revealed, a revenge plan, a dysfunctional family, surprising twists, steamy scenes, and undeniable chemistry between Nate and Skylar. The characters are well-developed, and the story is well-written. The author did an excellent job pulling me into the characters' world and evoking various emotions. I am excited to continue reading more in this series and dive into other books written by L. Steele.

Thank you, L. Steele, for the e-ARC. Opinions expressed are my own.

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes:
Marriage of convenience
Brothers best friend
Age gap

This is my 4th L.Steele book now and so far I have enjoyed all of them a lot! I always get to a point of no return with them and have to binge read the rest of the book which is always so fun.

This one was enthralling from the start. I was curious to see where everything would play out and honestly I did not guess the twist!

I loved Nathan’s POVs cause he was so overprotective and he really did just love Skylar so gosh darn much. Seeing his feelings grow & how he let his walls down for her 🥰🥰

I really liked the positive rep for BDSM that was in the book and how the open conversation about sex was had.

Spice:
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Range & Rep:
Adult romance
Plus size rep

[Sophie Koufes · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brand-new series called The Davenports brings its first exemplary read in The Unwanted Wife. I have fall in love with these characters and their romance. The writing is fantabulous and the cosmos has a solid foundation. In L. Steele style she brings an entertaining story with friendships, harrowing moments, humour, secrets, unforeseen twists and so much more. The characters are complex and compelling personalities. Nathan Davenport starts out serious but there is a whole other-side of him you won’t want to miss. You can’t help but fall for him. Skylar is a sweet and spirited pastry chef who you want to be friends with. Nathan and Skylar are polar apart that bring out the best in each other.
I highly recommend reading this contemporary romance novel as it will bring jubilation, turn on the water works and rejuvenate your mind.
I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series The Unsuitable Marriage.

[sahar (warner's version)]

I need to read this because the video i just saw on reels is fucking HILARIOUS 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[Kalu Schifano · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Unwanted Wife

Thank you L. Steele for delivering a beautiful story. This brother’s best friend marriage of convenience Romance has become my favorite this year. Nathan and Skylar’s story is so unique and it has an unexpected twist that I didn’t see coming which makes the book even more interesting that you can’t put it down. The book starts with PRIMROSE HILL map, this first page got me hooked since I was able to see the townhomes where Sinclair & Summer, Michael and Karma, and Dr Weston and Amelie were living. This page gives you an idea where all the characters live and how they interact with each other. If you have read her previous books it gives you a thrill to continue seen all these characters interacting with Nathan and Skye but if you haven’t read any of her books, this book is so well written that you can follow their own story but I bet you would be interested in knowing each of the characters stories. Nathan and Skylar story starts with Skylar struggling financially to keep her bakery afloat. She is an independent woman who followed her dreams but she is going through a rough patch and needs money to keep her business running. That’s when Nathan comes to the picture. When he first showed up to the bakery, he seems arrogant and full of himself not interested in investing his money to help Skylar. However, when he sees her again something snapped inside him which made him come up with this marriage arrangement in which both would benefit from it but what he didn’t expect was to get emotionally involved that he couldn’t walk away from her. I love the fact that Skye push him to show his real feelings towards her and made him realize that since the moment they kissed on her 18th birthday, she was it for him. I loved the possessiveness, and loving side of Nathan. He worshipped Skye in a way I have never seen before and it actually makes you jealous… lucky girl. He protected her and cared for her even when she didn’t notice. If that’s not love idk what is. After they get married, they go through this newly wed phase where they can’t keep their hands from each other especially after Skylar lost her V card to him. Everything is going good for both of them when reality hit and changed Skylar’s life forever. Nathan finally comes clean and fears to lose her which made him change his mind, instead of thinking about revenge, he wanted to become the better version of himself so his wife would be proud of him. At the end they get their HEA.

[Minnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐|5🌶|4💞

The first book in the new Davenpots series. It's not completely new. You can read it as a standalone, but you have a lot of old characters appearing again. And I love that. The author had created her own universe. You know how it is when you finish a book and have to say goodbye to your beloved friends... Because the characters become our friends, or at least they do for me 😎

But let me come to this book... It's again a masterpiece. I loved it. The characters are so wonderful. And the plot twists... Especially the one at the end of the book... I didn't see that coming 😱 And I cried soooo much 😭

Nate is... Let me say it with a quote: "We want all our alphaholes to be cinnamon rolls at heart." And that he is. He is so extremely OTT protective and yes, also possessive. And sure he is huge in EVERY way 😉 His dominance comes only when they get hot. And they get hot A LOT of times 🥵 Take care of your Kindle or stay far away from everything flammable with your paperback...

I love the way Sky curses 🤣🤣🤣 God, who can really do that all the time? I would have to think about it too long so I would forget to curs 🙈 But she is very creative. You can see that with the naming of her pastries. I love that so much.

I'm still not sure what I should think about Arthur. It looks like he wants the best for everyone, but G-pa is not the easiest man...

This book is definitely a must-read!


Follow me on IG for more
https://www.instagram.com/minnie.love...

[Layla · Rating 1 out of 5]

The fuck did I just read?

Is this book for real?

A curvy FMC who always puts herself down and shamefully calls her self fat.
An MMC who communicates with grunts and snarls

Not to mention that MMC and his best friends aka the FMC's brother are /were in the army and the uber glorification of them fighting "terrorists" and how them serving protects her at home.

GIVE ME A BREAK.

[abi]

my fave trope :)

[Britney · Rating 1 out of 5]

Omg this was awful, the only reason i didn't dnf was so I could shit talk it at book club after.

[Feriel B]

can we collectively agree to stop writing so many female main characters who talk so badly about themselves ? she spent the entire book self deprecating herself, calling herself fat. this is EXACTLY why i hate reading books about plus size female main characters because instead of giving us confidence and body positivity, we get told that she feels ugly and fat until her knight in shinning armor gives her validation and tells her she's pretty. miss me with that BS.
while HE is described as a tall muscular powerful bachelor that every girl he meets trips over herself for him. fuck off 💀💀

I have only read ONE book where the H was the one plus size and it was an MM book and so well written, yet we get this crap about women all the damn time.

[girlwithhearteyes]

DNF @ 19%. I love a soapy romance, but there were too many pop culture references and romance meta for my liking. And I am sad about DNF-ing because Shane East is one of the narrators.

[Tina · Rating 1 out of 5]

The premise of getting contract married was intriguing enough. However, the story was not well executed and led to a lack of interest. Finished it because I was already invested but wouldn’t recommend

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt like the beginning and the 2nd half were two different books, especially for the characters and their dialogue. Wanted the author to find a lane and stay in it. Felt a little all over the place.

[Gwen|| Bookish Blondie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was not a good book. The dialogue is hilariously bad. The spice was gratuitous and while people can like what they like, I didn't enjoy the kinks explored in it.

[✈︎ kaitlyn]

dnf at 47%
why does she keep looking at the mans pants 😭
After reading the other reviews I can confidently dnf this now

[*CJ* · Rating 2 out of 5]

“The Unwanted Wife” is the story of Skylar and Nathan.

So basically this is supposed to be a poor heroine finds funding for her dying bakery from her brother’s rich best friend by agreeing to be his contract wife. Anyways feelings get involved and then there’s a happy ending.

Writing and plot was underwhelming. I actually didn’t like how the heroine described herself, and I also didn’t enjoy the sex scenes.

Not for me

Unsafe
2/5

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75⭐️
3🌶

I listened to this as an audiobook

Review to come

[Michellelovesreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a good book