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The Lasker Brothers #7
The Unwanted Bride: An Arranged Marriage Romance
He got a fake fiancée to avoid an arranged marriage...except she turns out to be his arranged wife after all.
Ambitious, driven and independent, billionaire Huxley Lasker refuses to marry the vapid bride his family has chosen to further their legal dynasty. Instead, he asks Grace Lain, a hot one-night stand from a few weeks earlier, to be his fake fiancée.
But Grace turns out to be the arranged wife—and their one-night stand has left her pregnant.
The Unwanted Bride is a standalone romance with all the feels and a happy ending!
Ambitious, driven and independent, billionaire Huxley Lasker refuses to marry the vapid bride his family has chosen to further their legal dynasty. Instead, he asks Grace Lain, a hot one-night stand from a few weeks earlier, to be his fake fiancée.
But Grace turns out to be the arranged wife—and their one-night stand has left her pregnant.
The Unwanted Bride is a standalone romance with all the feels and a happy ending!
Audible Audio
First published September 20, 2024
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About the author
Nadia Lee
75 books2,812 followersBilingual former management consultant Nadia Lee has lived in four different countries and enjoyed many adventures and excellent food around the globe. In the last eight years, she has kissed stingrays, got bitten by a shark, and petted tigers.
She shares an apartment overlooking a river and palm trees in Japan with her husband, winter white hamsters and an ever-widening pile of books. When she's not writing, she can be found digging through old Asian historical texts or planning another trip.
Visit Nadia on her website or her blog. You can also say hello on Facebook or Twitter.
She shares an apartment overlooking a river and palm trees in Japan with her husband, winter white hamsters and an ever-widening pile of books. When she's not writing, she can be found digging through old Asian historical texts or planning another trip.
Visit Nadia on her website or her blog. You can also say hello on Facebook or Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 456 reviews
February 12, 2025
3.5 ⭐ (rounding up cuz of the fmc and there's no 3rd act breakup!)
Long, and I mean, loooooong rambling. 😂
Two years ago, Huxley (30s?) and Grace (20s?) met when she asked him to give her a ride after her mother was taken to the hospital and she was unable to call for a cab. After he dropped her off, she gave him her number in hopes that he would call her how she could pay, but he never did. Also, he didn't fully see her face because she's soaked and her hair was hiding it. Once they got into the hospital, Grace quickly left and didn't take a good look at Huxley's face either.
Two years later.
Huxley has his own advertising company and made a name for himself. Although he did go to law school to appease his family, he didn't take the board cuz he's not interested in becoming a lawyer and doesn't want to do anything with his family's firm. Yet his mom and grandma won't stop badgering him about changing his career.
Anyway, the mom and grandma arranged a marriage with one of their firm partners, that Huxley has no idea of. When they finally told him about this, pissed was an understatement for what he was feeling at that moment. They told him either marry one of the granddaughters of that partner or they would take away 25% of his ownership in his advertising company.
On the other side, Grace just found out that her boyfriend has been cheating on her with her witch half-sister. See, Grace was a result of an affair, but her mom didn't know at that time that the man was married. The sperm donor didn't want to do anything with them. But when her mom got sick, she had no choice but to introduce herself to the sperm donor and his family to ask for monetary assistance. And since then they've been treating her like sh*t, but she takes it all because her mom is way more important than her pride and dignity.
Grace and her half-sister were the options that Huxley had for the arranged marriage. But Huxley didn't know them or even know their faces, and Grace had no clue of this arrangement at all. No one told her cuz the evil half-sister and her half-sister's mom were so sure that Huxley was going to pick the witch.
Back to the present time, she's at a bar wanting to get over her ex, so she decided to have revenge sex with someone better than the douchebag. And Huxley came into the picture by rescuing her when one man couldn't take a hint and understand "no". They talked, and one thing led to another, and they spent that night together. But she snuck out the next morning, as she wants to avoid the awkward moment when morning comes, and she also has no idea what to do as this was her first time having a ONS too.
Four weeks passed, and Huxley's mom and grandma are becoming more persistent with the marriage deal. And he thought that if he has a fake fiancée, then they won't be able to force him to marry someone else. So he called the number that Grace had given him two years ago to call in his favor. And they were both surprised to see each other in the restaurant, and Grace eventually agreed to the fake engagement cuz she wanted to really pay him for his help that time.
Then another three weeks passed, and Hux finally decided to introduce Grace to his family. Grace also just dropped the bomb that she's pregnant (from their ONS). Coincidentally, it was also the day that his grandma chose to introduce the half sister to him. So everyone was surprised when he told them that he's engaged to Grace. Her sperm donor's family was there, and each member was furious with the sudden turn of events. This is also when Huxley changed and became an utter jerk.
Hux thought that Grace had orchestrated their meeting two years ago. He also thought she trapped him with the baby. And everything that happened between them was just a carefully laid out plan so that at the end of the day he's gonna end up marrying one of the granddaughters. He called her a conniving bitch (inner monologue) and even asked for a paternity test, and Grace didn't fight him on it.
The thing is, all Grace ever did in her life was to fight back against her sperm donor's family. Not one did she back down against their treatment of her, but they always used her mom's condition to control her. Apparently, they're paying for her hospital bills and treatments, and whenever they wanted Grace to fall in line, they always threatened her they're going to stop the payment if she didn't do what they wanted her to do. She did her best to choose her fights, but sometimes she has really no say in things.
So to see Huxley being a jerk to her was infuriating to read. On top of her wicked family, she has to fight back again when it comes to Huxley because of his judgment about her.
This guy not just gave Grace the whiplash but also the readers. I think for the 60%-ish it was hot and cold with him. One minute he's sweet, thoughtful, and caring; the next he's an utter twat who couldn't give two sh*ts about Grace.
And Grace, freaking Grace, was so understanding because she wanted to see where he was coming from. But while being patient with him, I'm glad she always stands up for herself and speaks her mind. She never lets him get away with his awful treatment, but she also accepts so easily his lame apologies. 🤦♀️ Her mom really raised a nice person; this girl didn't even have a mean bone in her body. I love and hate that she's way too nice and forgiving.
I won't consider her a doormat because those characters never stand up for their beliefs and never voice out their thoughts. And Grace wasn't like that; she knows when to speak out and let the other people know that she's not having any of their shitty attitude. From the start up until the end, this woman never backs down, even though she thinks no one got her. It was her and her mom against the world. Tbh, it was Grace who carried this entire book.
As for Huxley, this guy made my head spin with his push and pull, hot and cold treatment. He hates her because of his wrong assumptions. If he just talked to her and actually listened to what she had to say, then he would've seen how much he's so wrong with all of his judgments. But he did get his act eventually, and that 180 made me scratch my head because I didn't know or understand what happened. Like what made him want to be a decent guy to Grace all of sudden. They didn't even discuss his jerk phase, and all of a sudden they're acting like a real couple, and he's being sweet and devoted to her. Like, what gives???
He did sweet things for her in the last quarter of the book, so that made him marginally tolerable in my eyes. But I still didn't like him as a character; I can't get past his asshole behavior.
Anyhoo, this is such a freaking long review. 😂 I did enjoy the story mainly because of Grace. I loooove her character and she deserves all the good things this fictional world has to offer. 💖
Book info:
- Billionaire romance
- Fake engagement turned real
- ONS
- Surprised pregnancy (from ONS)
- Loss of a loved one (parent)
- Physical Assault (towards the h)
- No cheating, separation
- No V (last: h - weeks, H - no info)
- OMD/OWD
- HEA (3 yrs later, married with a son)
Notes:
— OMD1. Her cheating ex showed up twice, I think to cause some issues, but Grace was not having any of it.
— OMD2. Her friend Adam was in love with her and asked her to choose him. He was willing to raise the kid because he thought that Grace was only with Huxley because of his money, and he's now paying for her mother's medical bills. He told her he loved her and that he's going to marry her should she decide to divorce Huxley. But Grace never saw him in a romantic way; she only loved him as a friend.
— OWD1. Not really, her delusional half sister made some drama in the story because she thought she should marry Huxley instead of Grace. She only wanted him for his money, but Huxley didn't even care about her existence.
— OWD2. Not really, his freaking assistant made me wish I could get inside the book and smacked her. She was in love with Huxley, and he's oblivious to it. His brothers and Grace saw it, but Hux was too stupid to notice it. She was condescending towards Grace and made a lot of things to put a wedge between them. I'm just glad that these two have trust and are faithful to each other. She made some remarks that made it look like she and Hux were having an affair when that's not even the case. I think for most of the second half, Grace kept telling Huxley that she's not comfortable with Madison, but he kept defending her, saying she's professional and best with her job. He had a blind spot for her, and it was annoying and painful to see Grace voice out her complaints all the time only for Hux to ignore them. He eventually saw what everyone around him was telling him—too late for my liking, but I guess there's nothing I can do about it.
— The plot twist with her mom was so heartbreaking. Grace and her mom didn't deserve that. 💔😭 I wish her sperm donor's family suffered so much, but it wasn't even shown on page and more like told.
Long, and I mean, loooooong rambling. 😂
Two years ago, Huxley (30s?) and Grace (20s?) met when she asked him to give her a ride after her mother was taken to the hospital and she was unable to call for a cab. After he dropped her off, she gave him her number in hopes that he would call her how she could pay, but he never did. Also, he didn't fully see her face because she's soaked and her hair was hiding it. Once they got into the hospital, Grace quickly left and didn't take a good look at Huxley's face either.
Two years later.
Huxley has his own advertising company and made a name for himself. Although he did go to law school to appease his family, he didn't take the board cuz he's not interested in becoming a lawyer and doesn't want to do anything with his family's firm. Yet his mom and grandma won't stop badgering him about changing his career.
Anyway, the mom and grandma arranged a marriage with one of their firm partners, that Huxley has no idea of. When they finally told him about this, pissed was an understatement for what he was feeling at that moment. They told him either marry one of the granddaughters of that partner or they would take away 25% of his ownership in his advertising company.
On the other side, Grace just found out that her boyfriend has been cheating on her with her witch half-sister. See, Grace was a result of an affair, but her mom didn't know at that time that the man was married. The sperm donor didn't want to do anything with them. But when her mom got sick, she had no choice but to introduce herself to the sperm donor and his family to ask for monetary assistance. And since then they've been treating her like sh*t, but she takes it all because her mom is way more important than her pride and dignity.
Grace and her half-sister were the options that Huxley had for the arranged marriage. But Huxley didn't know them or even know their faces, and Grace had no clue of this arrangement at all. No one told her cuz the evil half-sister and her half-sister's mom were so sure that Huxley was going to pick the witch.
Back to the present time, she's at a bar wanting to get over her ex, so she decided to have revenge sex with someone better than the douchebag. And Huxley came into the picture by rescuing her when one man couldn't take a hint and understand "no". They talked, and one thing led to another, and they spent that night together. But she snuck out the next morning, as she wants to avoid the awkward moment when morning comes, and she also has no idea what to do as this was her first time having a ONS too.
Four weeks passed, and Huxley's mom and grandma are becoming more persistent with the marriage deal. And he thought that if he has a fake fiancée, then they won't be able to force him to marry someone else. So he called the number that Grace had given him two years ago to call in his favor. And they were both surprised to see each other in the restaurant, and Grace eventually agreed to the fake engagement cuz she wanted to really pay him for his help that time.
Then another three weeks passed, and Hux finally decided to introduce Grace to his family. Grace also just dropped the bomb that she's pregnant (from their ONS). Coincidentally, it was also the day that his grandma chose to introduce the half sister to him. So everyone was surprised when he told them that he's engaged to Grace. Her sperm donor's family was there, and each member was furious with the sudden turn of events. This is also when Huxley changed and became an utter jerk.
Hux thought that Grace had orchestrated their meeting two years ago. He also thought she trapped him with the baby. And everything that happened between them was just a carefully laid out plan so that at the end of the day he's gonna end up marrying one of the granddaughters. He called her a conniving bitch (inner monologue) and even asked for a paternity test, and Grace didn't fight him on it.
The thing is, all Grace ever did in her life was to fight back against her sperm donor's family. Not one did she back down against their treatment of her, but they always used her mom's condition to control her. Apparently, they're paying for her hospital bills and treatments, and whenever they wanted Grace to fall in line, they always threatened her they're going to stop the payment if she didn't do what they wanted her to do. She did her best to choose her fights, but sometimes she has really no say in things.
So to see Huxley being a jerk to her was infuriating to read. On top of her wicked family, she has to fight back again when it comes to Huxley because of his judgment about her.
This guy not just gave Grace the whiplash but also the readers. I think for the 60%-ish it was hot and cold with him. One minute he's sweet, thoughtful, and caring; the next he's an utter twat who couldn't give two sh*ts about Grace.
And Grace, freaking Grace, was so understanding because she wanted to see where he was coming from. But while being patient with him, I'm glad she always stands up for herself and speaks her mind. She never lets him get away with his awful treatment, but she also accepts so easily his lame apologies. 🤦♀️ Her mom really raised a nice person; this girl didn't even have a mean bone in her body. I love and hate that she's way too nice and forgiving.
I won't consider her a doormat because those characters never stand up for their beliefs and never voice out their thoughts. And Grace wasn't like that; she knows when to speak out and let the other people know that she's not having any of their shitty attitude. From the start up until the end, this woman never backs down, even though she thinks no one got her. It was her and her mom against the world. Tbh, it was Grace who carried this entire book.
As for Huxley, this guy made my head spin with his push and pull, hot and cold treatment. He hates her because of his wrong assumptions. If he just talked to her and actually listened to what she had to say, then he would've seen how much he's so wrong with all of his judgments. But he did get his act eventually, and that 180 made me scratch my head because I didn't know or understand what happened. Like what made him want to be a decent guy to Grace all of sudden. They didn't even discuss his jerk phase, and all of a sudden they're acting like a real couple, and he's being sweet and devoted to her. Like, what gives???
He did sweet things for her in the last quarter of the book, so that made him marginally tolerable in my eyes. But I still didn't like him as a character; I can't get past his asshole behavior.
Anyhoo, this is such a freaking long review. 😂 I did enjoy the story mainly because of Grace. I loooove her character and she deserves all the good things this fictional world has to offer. 💖
Book info:
- Billionaire romance
- Fake engagement turned real
- ONS
- Surprised pregnancy (from ONS)
- Loss of a loved one (parent)
- Physical Assault (towards the h)
- No cheating, separation
- No V (last: h - weeks, H - no info)
- OMD/OWD
- HEA (3 yrs later, married with a son)
Notes:
— OMD1. Her cheating ex showed up twice, I think to cause some issues, but Grace was not having any of it.
— OMD2. Her friend Adam was in love with her and asked her to choose him. He was willing to raise the kid because he thought that Grace was only with Huxley because of his money, and he's now paying for her mother's medical bills. He told her he loved her and that he's going to marry her should she decide to divorce Huxley. But Grace never saw him in a romantic way; she only loved him as a friend.
— OWD1. Not really, her delusional half sister made some drama in the story because she thought she should marry Huxley instead of Grace. She only wanted him for his money, but Huxley didn't even care about her existence.
— OWD2. Not really, his freaking assistant made me wish I could get inside the book and smacked her. She was in love with Huxley, and he's oblivious to it. His brothers and Grace saw it, but Hux was too stupid to notice it. She was condescending towards Grace and made a lot of things to put a wedge between them. I'm just glad that these two have trust and are faithful to each other. She made some remarks that made it look like she and Hux were having an affair when that's not even the case. I think for most of the second half, Grace kept telling Huxley that she's not comfortable with Madison, but he kept defending her, saying she's professional and best with her job. He had a blind spot for her, and it was annoying and painful to see Grace voice out her complaints all the time only for Hux to ignore them. He eventually saw what everyone around him was telling him—too late for my liking, but I guess there's nothing I can do about it.
— The plot twist with her mom was so heartbreaking. Grace and her mom didn't deserve that. 💔😭 I wish her sperm donor's family suffered so much, but it wasn't even shown on page and more like told.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2024
I had many issues with this book. The miscommunication trope was extreme and so much of the conflict was unnecessary and could have been solved with a simple conversation. Most of it wouldn't even be difficult conversations, but just normal conversations you have with someone when you are in a relationship. There is a revenge scheme by one of the main characters that is very illegal and somehow it goes unpunished even though it goes viral, and one of the (many) lawyers in this book even helps. If this lawyer is so amazing as we were lead to believe throughout this whole series, why didn't she stop the illegal and frankly, gross revenge plot rather than participate? There was too much, yet somehow not enough going on. I didn't feel like the main characters even liked each other for most of the book. What really pushed me over the edge though was this quote: “It’s only an abortion if the baby is unwanted. Otherwise, it’s murder.” WTF?
I didn't come into this book expecting a literary masterpiece, but I didn't expect this level of ridiculousness. There were also a number of plot points that weren't really resolved.
I didn't come into this book expecting a literary masterpiece, but I didn't expect this level of ridiculousness. There were also a number of plot points that weren't really resolved.
September 23, 2024
I had the unfortunate experience of reading The Unwanted Wife by Nadia Lee, a book that disappointed me on several levels. While romance novels often carry familiar tropes, this one pushed the limits of my patience with its overused and poorly executed devices. The story revolves around Grace and Huxley, a married couple struggling to connect emotionally, though they clearly have no problem in the bedroom. Unfortunately, instead of compelling character arcs or meaningful development, the plot is weighed down by nonsensical miscommunication, unrealistic family dynamics, and excessive sex scenes that leave little room for substance.
The Problematic Female Protagonist
Grace, the main female character, was portrayed as incredibly forgiving, to the point of being a doormat. It was frustrating to watch her continually allow Huxley to mistreat her without holding him accountable. Even when she had every reason to stand up for herself, she would instead let things slide, making her character appear weak and passive. I personally would never allow a man to speak to me the way Huxley spoke to her, and it was disheartening to see Grace do exactly that.
One moment that stood out was when Huxley accused Grace of not being honest with him, despite the fact that he was the one keeping secrets. Instead of confronting him, she internalized the blame, a pattern that persisted throughout the novel. Here's an example of her constant forgiveness:
"I know he didn't mean to hurt me, I just wish he would see me for who I am..."
This quote highlights Grace's constant rationalization of Huxley's bad behavior, making her character more frustrating than sympathetic.
Huxley: The Unforgivable Male Lead
Huxley was, quite frankly, an asshole. His treatment of Grace was appalling, and his hypocrisy was difficult to stomach. The way he allowed his assistant to interfere in their marriage was disgusting. How could he not see that his assistant had ulterior motives and was actively driving a wedge between them? It seemed obvious to everyone but him, which only made his ignorance more infuriating.
"She's just doing her job, Grace. You're overreacting."
This is a prime example of how dismissive and blind Huxley was. Not only was he oblivious to the assistant's manipulations, but he was also completely unsupportive of Grace's feelings. His refusal to communicate like a mature adult was central to the problem, and instead of addressing their issues, they would often just engage in angry sex. The lack of communication in favor of physical intimacy was tiresome and, frankly, ridiculous.
The Miscommunication Trope
Speaking of communication, or rather the lack of it, the entire novel seemed to hinge on the "miscommunication" trope. This is one of the most frustrating clichés in romance novels, and it was painfully overused here. Every single conflict between Grace and Huxley could have been resolved with a simple conversation, yet they would continually avoid discussing their issues. Instead of dialogue, the book relied on misunderstandings, which became increasingly aggravating as the story progressed. The worst part was that this miscommunication was not even believable. Any couple with such severe communication issues would have divorced long before the events of the novel unfolded.
Overemphasis on Sex Scenes
If I had to sum up my biggest issue with the book, it would be the overwhelming amount of sex scenes. Every time the characters had a chance to work through their issues, they would resort to physical intimacy instead of having real, meaningful conversations.
"The passion between them was undeniable, but it did nothing to heal the cracks in their relationship."
This could have been an opportunity to show how empty their connection was without true communication, but instead, the novel kept circling back to sex as a solution to every problem. This made the book feel shallow and devoid of substance, with little attention paid to the emotional development of the characters.
Overall, The Unwanted Wife was a frustrating and disappointing read. Between the overly forgiving female lead, the hypocritical and infuriating male character, the unrealistic family dynamics, and the reliance on tired tropes, this book failed to offer anything new or meaningful. The constant miscommunication and overemphasis on sex scenes only made it worse, leaving me with little to enjoy or connect with. If you're looking for a romance with depth, emotional growth, and believable characters, this is not the book for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2024
Before reading....
i am ready for this book...
can not wait to see what will we have in store for Huxley but i am kind of exited for Jeremiah parts...
need this..
After....
I was so excited for this book... but in the end, I don't really know what to feel... there is so much drama, and it is definitely not suited to read as standalone for anyone out there wondering because there are so many side characters from previous books that will make you confused....
i am ready for this book...
can not wait to see what will we have in store for Huxley but i am kind of exited for Jeremiah parts...
need this..
After....
I was so excited for this book... but in the end, I don't really know what to feel... there is so much drama, and it is definitely not suited to read as standalone for anyone out there wondering because there are so many side characters from previous books that will make you confused....
June 23, 2025
Reread June 2025- I wanted to try the spinoff series, so I decided to refresh myself with the characters. Huxley is the cousin of the brothers in The Huxley’s series. His mother (Jeremiah) is around a lot, but he was only around a few scenes.
***Original Review***
This was pretty good with a fair amount of drama. I did peek at the reviews, and I do think the tone might be what some are finding off-putting. To me, this has a soapy, dramatic feel to it, so it’s going to feel overdramatic not super realistic. (not a swoony romance) If that’s what you’re looking for, you might not like it. It’s not telenovela level with everyone slapping each other, but no one acts like this in Real Life. They’d be arrested, but in Pretend Land, it works. The blurb doesn’t give much away so this will have general plot outline spoilers.
***Original Review***
This was pretty good with a fair amount of drama. I did peek at the reviews, and I do think the tone might be what some are finding off-putting. To me, this has a soapy, dramatic feel to it, so it’s going to feel overdramatic not super realistic. (not a swoony romance) If that’s what you’re looking for, you might not like it. It’s not telenovela level with everyone slapping each other, but no one acts like this in Real Life. They’d be arrested, but in Pretend Land, it works. The blurb doesn’t give much away so this will have general plot outline spoilers.
October 27, 2024
I enjoyed the story but not that romance or the hero if that makes sense.
Heroine is the illegitimate daughter of the worst family ever. They don't just treat her poorly but are out and out physically and emotionally abusive. Trigger warning on that alone as despite the heroine marrying a man that has the power to shield from anything and everything, it doesn't. So basically another heroine, another female, that gets the squat beaten out of her while (most) of the other character remain unscathed.
The H wants to punish and humiliate the heroine for what he perceives is her lie. My problem with heroes like this is that we have to assume that they are basically utter idiots. His the man with the money and the resources to vet a woman he proposes to, let her explain, and not be so bloody trusting of third parties. You have to wonder how these H's become tycoons?
The bright spot is their wedding. The H's irresponsible but charming father shows up to steal the show and dote on the heroine. Fun stuff and a light moment in an otherwise dark book.
Back to the heroine and her family. Triggers...
Heroine is the illegitimate daughter of the worst family ever. They don't just treat her poorly but are out and out physically and emotionally abusive. Trigger warning on that alone as despite the heroine marrying a man that has the power to shield from anything and everything, it doesn't. So basically another heroine, another female, that gets the squat beaten out of her while (most) of the other character remain unscathed.
The H wants to punish and humiliate the heroine for what he perceives is her lie. My problem with heroes like this is that we have to assume that they are basically utter idiots. His the man with the money and the resources to vet a woman he proposes to, let her explain, and not be so bloody trusting of third parties. You have to wonder how these H's become tycoons?
The bright spot is their wedding. The H's irresponsible but charming father shows up to steal the show and dote on the heroine. Fun stuff and a light moment in an otherwise dark book.
Back to the heroine and her family. Triggers...
October 18, 2024
“The unwanted bride” is the story of Grace and Huxley.
In theory it could have been a beautiful tale of a chance encounter between two strangers that turns into so much more. In reality it was a mess that I thoroughly disliked.
The hero and heroine had zero trust and spent the whole book being suspicious of each other. Every single character was evil or had dubious motives. There was so much physical violence, lies, deceit. The characters barely communicated apart from the bedroom. And the hero was not nice or redeemable.
I wanted to dnf but persevered in hope for a light at the end of the tunnel.. but alas, I wish the characters didn’t end up together.
Unsafe
1/5
In theory it could have been a beautiful tale of a chance encounter between two strangers that turns into so much more. In reality it was a mess that I thoroughly disliked.
The hero and heroine had zero trust and spent the whole book being suspicious of each other. Every single character was evil or had dubious motives. There was so much physical violence, lies, deceit. The characters barely communicated apart from the bedroom. And the hero was not nice or redeemable.
I wanted to dnf but persevered in hope for a light at the end of the tunnel.. but alas, I wish the characters didn’t end up together.
Unsafe
1/5
October 6, 2024
Drama Filled Guilty Pleasure
Arranged marriage, accidental pregnancy, millionaire, grumpy sunshine trope romance. (With all the drama). This is my favourite kind of guilty pleasure. This story revolves around Huxley and Grace. Grace is an illegitimate child of a powerful man with a cruel family, stuck under their thumb in order to pay her mother’s medical bills. After catching her boyfriend cheating - she goes to drown her sorrows in a bar she’s never been to- looking for revenge - and who does she find, but Huxley. Huxley is about to be in a bind himself when his grandmother is forcing him to marry one of her business partners daughter or give up a quarter of his company to her. Thinking he was going to stump his family, and find his own fake fiancé, Huxley asks Grace to in. Neither knows who the other really is and how fate has funny plans some times.
Arranged marriage, accidental pregnancy, millionaire, grumpy sunshine trope romance. (With all the drama). This is my favourite kind of guilty pleasure. This story revolves around Huxley and Grace. Grace is an illegitimate child of a powerful man with a cruel family, stuck under their thumb in order to pay her mother’s medical bills. After catching her boyfriend cheating - she goes to drown her sorrows in a bar she’s never been to- looking for revenge - and who does she find, but Huxley. Huxley is about to be in a bind himself when his grandmother is forcing him to marry one of her business partners daughter or give up a quarter of his company to her. Thinking he was going to stump his family, and find his own fake fiancé, Huxley asks Grace to in. Neither knows who the other really is and how fate has funny plans some times.
November 9, 2024
There was a lot of unnecessary miscommunication and the angst didn’t deliver as much of a gut punch as it was easily resolved. I mostly enjoyed it though.
March 30, 2025
All of the relatives should have been covered with glue and left in the desert to be consumed by desert scavengers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2025
Finally Huxley’s story! But I won’t recommend reading this as a standalone. Huxley is amazing and frustrating in his own ways.
The only reason I gave this book a 4 star is because it leaves you literally hanging, wanting to know what happened to Grace's dad, step mom, and half siblings. This book could have been great but fell short, in my opinion. I’ve really liked the Lasker Brothers series, but this might be my least favorite. The plot was rolling along okay but devolved into soap opera drama too much at the end.
Ch 49 🤯🤯😱😭
audible listen 🎶
The only reason I gave this book a 4 star is because it leaves you literally hanging, wanting to know what happened to Grace's dad, step mom, and half siblings. This book could have been great but fell short, in my opinion. I’ve really liked the Lasker Brothers series, but this might be my least favorite. The plot was rolling along okay but devolved into soap opera drama too much at the end.
Ch 49 🤯🤯😱😭
audible listen 🎶
March 20, 2025
2.5 Stars
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The potential and premise
The Not-So-Good: The lack of emotional connection I felt towards either of the characters or their relationship
The Bad: The OTT drama and villains in the h's family
Overall: I thought I would give this author a try, because she definitely gives good blurb. Unfortunately, it didn't work for me just like Contractually Yours (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) didn't really work for me either. I was hoping for some yummy angst and maybe some unrequited love, but didn't get it. The drama was soap opera-esque and not in a good way, which seems to be what my issues were with the other book I read from this author. I guess she's just not my style 🤷🏻♀️
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Grace and Huxley's story. They have a hot one night stand after Grace finds her boyfriend in bed with her evil half sister. Grace leaves before things get awkward because she thinks he isn't local and she can't handle a long distance relationship with all the stress she already has with an evil family and her mom in a coma. Only Huxley finds her in an unexpected way and then propositioned her to be his fake fiancé to get his controlling family off his back, only to soon find that she is actually one of the people that his family has been pushing him to marry all along. There are some big secrets revealed, a good bit of family drama, some sweet and some sexy scenes...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Grace and Huxley's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part. I did feel like a few times I was a little bored, but not enough to skim.
Instalove: Instant connection and lust, but they don't talk about feelings of love (inner thoughts or out loud) until close to the end
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Huxley. He was alright. Yes, he was a jerk at times, but it was more about his marshmallow underneath and naïveté/obliviousness towards his assistant that wasn't my favorite.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Grace. I liked her and how she didn't get bitter even though her circumstances warranted it at times.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with a cute epilogue and what I would call a HEA
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The potential and premise
The Not-So-Good: The lack of emotional connection I felt towards either of the characters or their relationship
The Bad: The OTT drama and villains in the h's family
Overall: I thought I would give this author a try, because she definitely gives good blurb. Unfortunately, it didn't work for me just like Contractually Yours (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) didn't really work for me either. I was hoping for some yummy angst and maybe some unrequited love, but didn't get it. The drama was soap opera-esque and not in a good way, which seems to be what my issues were with the other book I read from this author. I guess she's just not my style 🤷🏻♀️
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Grace and Huxley's story. They have a hot one night stand after Grace finds her boyfriend in bed with her evil half sister. Grace leaves before things get awkward because she thinks he isn't local and she can't handle a long distance relationship with all the stress she already has with an evil family and her mom in a coma. Only Huxley finds her in an unexpected way and then propositioned her to be his fake fiancé to get his controlling family off his back, only to soon find that she is actually one of the people that his family has been pushing him to marry all along. There are some big secrets revealed, a good bit of family drama, some sweet and some sexy scenes...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Grace and Huxley's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part. I did feel like a few times I was a little bored, but not enough to skim.
Instalove: Instant connection and lust, but they don't talk about feelings of love (inner thoughts or out loud) until close to the end
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Huxley. He was alright. Yes, he was a jerk at times, but it was more about his marshmallow underneath and naïveté/obliviousness towards his assistant that wasn't my favorite.
h (heroine) rating: 3.5 stars. Grace. I liked her and how she didn't get bitter even though her circumstances warranted it at times.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with a cute epilogue and what I would call a HEA
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
September 26, 2024
1.5⭐️, purely out of respect for the Lasker brothers
I usually enjoy Nadia Lee books and I’ve been waiting to finish up the Lasker brothers series but this had some seriously problematic issues.
First, Grace’s revenge for (what is essentially) a Reddit post was to live stream revenge porn. Which is illegal in 48 states (including California where this story takes place) and can be elevated to a felony in some of those states. Viv and Peter are shitty people but to glorify something that plagues a lot of women (at least enough women that legislative action has been taken to address it across most of the United States) was a questionable call.
Second, this line:
“It’s only an abortion if the baby is unwanted. Otherwise, it’s murder.”
What fresh hell is this? Abortions are undertaken for a number of reasons, and not necessarily because a baby is unwanted.
On top of that, the OWD, the miscommunication, and the fact that it didn’t even really feel like Huxley liked Grace for a good chunk of the story really made this one fall flat for me. Maybe I’m too much of a feminist and I’m taking this too seriously. It left me with the ick.
I usually enjoy Nadia Lee books and I’ve been waiting to finish up the Lasker brothers series but this had some seriously problematic issues.
First, Grace’s revenge for (what is essentially) a Reddit post was to live stream revenge porn. Which is illegal in 48 states (including California where this story takes place) and can be elevated to a felony in some of those states. Viv and Peter are shitty people but to glorify something that plagues a lot of women (at least enough women that legislative action has been taken to address it across most of the United States) was a questionable call.
Second, this line:
“It’s only an abortion if the baby is unwanted. Otherwise, it’s murder.”
What fresh hell is this? Abortions are undertaken for a number of reasons, and not necessarily because a baby is unwanted.
On top of that, the OWD, the miscommunication, and the fact that it didn’t even really feel like Huxley liked Grace for a good chunk of the story really made this one fall flat for me. Maybe I’m too much of a feminist and I’m taking this too seriously. It left me with the ick.
December 10, 2024
4.5 stars
This book was MADE for my soapy goodness shelf.
Premise: Huxley is trying to avoid a forced arranged marriage by faking an engagement to his one-night-stand Grace… except she turns out to be his intended bride. Grace is the poor mistreated affair daughter of a rich dude, and suffering his/his family’s abuse because they’re paying for her mother’s treatment. There are misunderstandings galore because these two idiots are no good at communication, but who cares when “who did this to you?”s and “my wife”s are peppered throughout?
The story was 100% unbelievable but oh-so-additive. I needed to see Grace’s evil family get slapped, and I’m happy to report there was on- and off-page revenge, even if most of it wasn’t legal and with so many lawyers they should have known better.
I did side eye the tone shift in the third act though, with a plot point that was darker than I was prepared for and made the ending bittersweet in an otherwise soapy read. Also some dialogue that really raised my eyebrows.
But again… 100% unbelievable and best enjoyed with that in mind!
P.S. I hope Tolyan gets his own book. He only appeared in two brief scenes but stole the show.
This book was MADE for my soapy goodness shelf.
Premise: Huxley is trying to avoid a forced arranged marriage by faking an engagement to his one-night-stand Grace… except she turns out to be his intended bride. Grace is the poor mistreated affair daughter of a rich dude, and suffering his/his family’s abuse because they’re paying for her mother’s treatment. There are misunderstandings galore because these two idiots are no good at communication, but who cares when “who did this to you?”s and “my wife”s are peppered throughout?
The story was 100% unbelievable but oh-so-additive. I needed to see Grace’s evil family get slapped, and I’m happy to report there was on- and off-page revenge, even if most of it wasn’t legal and with so many lawyers they should have known better.
I did side eye the tone shift in the third act though, with a plot point that was darker than I was prepared for and made the ending bittersweet in an otherwise soapy read. Also some dialogue that really raised my eyebrows.
But again… 100% unbelievable and best enjoyed with that in mind!
P.S. I hope Tolyan gets his own book. He only appeared in two brief scenes but stole the show.
September 21, 2024
I truly loved this story from page one to the final chapter. Sexy and heart wrenching, with twists and turns that will have you gasping and begging for more. The story was amazing in that it hit so many of my emotions, loss, grief, love, anger, happiness but it didn't feel like a roller coaster, each paged flowed seamlessly to bring this story together for me with an ending that left me smiling. The Lasker family loves each other more than anything and have each other's backs no matter how difficult the situation is…and I couldn't love them anymore than I already do. After reading all 7 books in the Lasker brothers series, Huxley is officially my FAVORITE!! I can't even begin to explain what this story did to me, the emotions it evoked from me and when I say this is a book that needs to be read.....YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK (and the entire series)!!!
September 30, 2024
Hold on to your britches and get ready for the ride! Nadia Lee did not disappoint in this butterfly inducing love story. If you are familiar with Nadia’s writing then you will be no stranger to laughing out loud one second and swooning with all the feels in the next! This book is filled with second chance love, a surprise pregnancy, a possessive Hero and a strong Heroine. Huxley and Grace are meant to be and fate definitely proves that throughout this spicy love story. Our Hero Huxley is determined to NOT bend to his family’s will but the jokes on him when fate has other plans! I could not put this book down and read it into the wee hours in the morning and when I finished it, all I could do was sigh with happiness. This book is well worth the read!
December 8, 2024
The miscommunication trope was overplayed. But better storyline than some of the others. Maybe a 3.5⭐️.
September 28, 2024
2.5? 2?
These books are so toxic, I don't know why I keep reading them.
I didn't get why Grace would go through with the marriage. Huxley didn't want her. Her controlling father and family didn't want her to marry him. She was worried about losing the money for her mom that her father was paying and knew that Huxley wasn't going to pay. Why bother? And she was supposed to beg Huxley to... not get married? You just don't show up. Don't say "I do." It was very confusing why there needed to be a marriage and she had to move in with him right away but since it is a novel I just ignored the insanity and kept reading.
I was super annoyed that this "smart" woman would sign a prenup without reading it, especially when her future child is involved. When she discovered she gave up her rights to the kid, she wasn't appalled or worried. She acted like he would never invoke that paragraph, or whatever legal jargon is appropriate, and it was never addressed. Um.. get that changed right away!!! And it was so weird that they were all beating each other up with no consequences. This isn't the wild west.
There were so many issues with this book but these are the ones that stuck with me.
These books are so toxic, I don't know why I keep reading them.
I didn't get why Grace would go through with the marriage. Huxley didn't want her. Her controlling father and family didn't want her to marry him. She was worried about losing the money for her mom that her father was paying and knew that Huxley wasn't going to pay. Why bother? And she was supposed to beg Huxley to... not get married? You just don't show up. Don't say "I do." It was very confusing why there needed to be a marriage and she had to move in with him right away but since it is a novel I just ignored the insanity and kept reading.
I was super annoyed that this "smart" woman would sign a prenup without reading it, especially when her future child is involved. When she discovered she gave up her rights to the kid, she wasn't appalled or worried. She acted like he would never invoke that paragraph, or whatever legal jargon is appropriate, and it was never addressed. Um.. get that changed right away!!! And it was so weird that they were all beating each other up with no consequences. This isn't the wild west.
There were so many issues with this book but these are the ones that stuck with me.
October 15, 2024
I didn’t want to Finish this book , I almost shelved it every 12 pages .
I made it to the end .
Still not impressed
Reminds me of those pay to read chapter by chapter Ai things ….
I don’t rate DNF .
So saying this , to verbalize I read it page by page and wouldn’t recommend .
I made it to the end .
Still not impressed
Reminds me of those pay to read chapter by chapter Ai things ….
I don’t rate DNF .
So saying this , to verbalize I read it page by page and wouldn’t recommend .
November 24, 2025
4.25⭐️
September 19, 2024
Huxley and Grace 😮💨
The final Lasker Brother is here and you are not ready for it!!
Nadia did such an amazing job with Huxley and Grace. This book has it all:
• Arranged marriage
• Fake engagement
• One-night stand
• Touch her and die
• Surprise pregnancy
• Found family
• She falls first
• He falls harder
• Billionaire
• Revenge/Karma
Huxley is being forced into an arrange marriage – but he will do anything to get out of it. So why not marry his one night stand Grace – funny how the universal works – turns out his new wife – was the arrange wife & now she’s pregnant. The way I eat this whole story up 🤌🏻
A MUST READ!!! - My favorite from this series.
The final Lasker Brother is here and you are not ready for it!!
Nadia did such an amazing job with Huxley and Grace. This book has it all:
• Arranged marriage
• Fake engagement
• One-night stand
• Touch her and die
• Surprise pregnancy
• Found family
• She falls first
• He falls harder
• Billionaire
• Revenge/Karma
Huxley is being forced into an arrange marriage – but he will do anything to get out of it. So why not marry his one night stand Grace – funny how the universal works – turns out his new wife – was the arrange wife & now she’s pregnant. The way I eat this whole story up 🤌🏻
A MUST READ!!! - My favorite from this series.
March 6, 2025
These two are toxic as fuck and act like actual children. A little bit of communication could've saved like 20 chapters. Literal fucking rage bait at some points. Huxley fucking up the people who wronged his wife was very satisfying though, had me kicking my feet.
September 23, 2024
4.5 Stars
The last Lasker brother gets his story. Not gonna lie Huxley almost lost me, but he quickly redeemed himself. I felt for Grace. Man did she dealt an ugly hand for family on her father's side. Her father and his family are utter scum. She so needed a turn around of luck and a fake marriage with Huxley sounds like an answer to a prayer. Though that doesn't go as planned. This book had me hooked! The "my wife" and touch her and die vibes were so good. The moment Huxley goes to avenge Grace and make those pay was one of my favorite moments. Any time seeing karma work is always satisfying. The Lasker clan rallying around Grace warmed my heart. Oh my gosh the last chapter was so perfect and it made my heart so happy. This is a must read!!
The last Lasker brother gets his story. Not gonna lie Huxley almost lost me, but he quickly redeemed himself. I felt for Grace. Man did she dealt an ugly hand for family on her father's side. Her father and his family are utter scum. She so needed a turn around of luck and a fake marriage with Huxley sounds like an answer to a prayer. Though that doesn't go as planned. This book had me hooked! The "my wife" and touch her and die vibes were so good. The moment Huxley goes to avenge Grace and make those pay was one of my favorite moments. Any time seeing karma work is always satisfying. The Lasker clan rallying around Grace warmed my heart. Oh my gosh the last chapter was so perfect and it made my heart so happy. This is a must read!!
November 15, 2024
Reference to Taylor swift and overuse of sexual names for food because omg she's so awkward and not like the other girls
I wanna kms
I wanna kms
April 2, 2025
I DEVOURED THIS BOOK
10/10
I didn’t want this to end. Loved the plot, characters, the energy and the vibe. Everything was amazing I wanted more. I couldn’t concentrate as I was thinking about this book so much
give me more!!
Technically this is a “standalone” but also book 7 in the series, I want to know more about Huxley’s brothers
10/10
I didn’t want this to end. Loved the plot, characters, the energy and the vibe. Everything was amazing I wanted more. I couldn’t concentrate as I was thinking about this book so much
give me more!!
Technically this is a “standalone” but also book 7 in the series, I want to know more about Huxley’s brothers
February 5, 2025
3.5 Stars
This was more emotional that I thought it would be. I love coming back to these series that are comfort reads. I would have loved to see more of the brothers and their families, but it was great to see a little better side to Ted and Joey. I wish there would have been a more visible (on page) retaliation to the crap people, but otherwise, a good story. The audiobook narration was great, and I can't wait to read the last story.
This was more emotional that I thought it would be. I love coming back to these series that are comfort reads. I would have loved to see more of the brothers and their families, but it was great to see a little better side to Ted and Joey. I wish there would have been a more visible (on page) retaliation to the crap people, but otherwise, a good story. The audiobook narration was great, and I can't wait to read the last story.
September 26, 2024
WOW. The loyalty, patience, kindness, protectiveness, and badassness of these two main characters is something to look up to.
December 1, 2024
This was a cute little book. I liked it
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