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The Bad Boy's Fake Wife

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Marrying the bad boy is a dangerous game... even if it's fake.

Jonathan Thompson is the last person I'd ever marry—even pretend to marry. Grover Hill’s notorious bad boy and my brother's best friend, we’ve always irritated each other. I'm all adventure; he's all work.

Now I’m back in town living with my brother, and to complicate things more, he lives next door.

Jonathan must marry to inherit his family empire.

My brother sees a a fake marriage.

He needs a wife, and I need help with my fledgling writing career.

At first, it seems impossible. But the way he looks at me, those steamy kisses and stolen moments reveal a different side of him. A side I never expected.

Just when I'm ready to admit my feelings, his ex waltzes back into the picture, stirring chaos.

Caught in the crossfire of emotions, I find myself risking everything for love and determined to fight for a marriage neither of us anticipated.

203 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 31, 2025

18 people are currently reading
28 people want to read

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Nora Daniels

19 books17 followers

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5 stars
25 (45%)
4 stars
19 (34%)
3 stars
3 (5%)
2 stars
5 (9%)
1 star
3 (5%)
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for Lori Albertson.
590 reviews47 followers
March 31, 2025
This was a nice, sweet romance. Meeting Emma and Jonathon and watching them realize they’re in love was a treat.

… that’s the thing about emotions—no one truly knows what you’re feeling unless they can see the cracks in your heart.
156 reviews3 followers
March 26, 2025
Emma and Jonathan have been adversaries for years. When Jonathan needs a fake wife his friend Reed suggests his sister Emma. This was such a cute book, an enemies to lovers storyline. Enjoyed both the main characters and Reed and Mia. Also loved how Jonathan got so protective of Emma and the beach and the Ferris wheel. A delightful read and a great way to spend an afternoon.
207 reviews5 followers
March 31, 2025
This book drew me in from the beginning with the two main characters, Emma and Jonathan. Emma needs a caffeine fix and goes to her favorite neighborhood coffee shop. She is certain that the “universe clearly has a personal vendetta against me.” She and Jonathan have a past and Emma isn’t too keen on sharing the same space with him. Her first instinct is to run and hide. As a woman, she wishes the ground would just open and swallow her, so she can escape this nightmare. Jonathan would come in on the day when her “hair looks like a squirrel made a nest in it.”
As she commiserates with Mia, who works for her, about Jonathan and how she can’t possibly let him see her looking this way. Emma tells Mia she’s not concerned about her looks as much as she doesn’t want to have to deal with him. She finds Jonathan extremely irritating and doesn’t want an interaction with him. Unfortunately, Jonathan has heard their conversation and Emma’s cheeks are lit up with embarrassment like a Christmas tree.
Why does he get under her skin and drive her crazy?
Emma “left town to follow her dream of becoming a renowned author” and all she has is one hit book. That book paid her rent and left her hoping for bestseller fame. Unfortunately, her second and third books were complete flops. She is depressed, has no inspiration to write, and wondering what her next step will be. Emma really needs to get her writing groove back.
Jonathan has his own troubles. His grandfather passed away and left him his business. As he arrives at work, he’s greeted by his best friend and co-worker, Reed. He informs him there is a board meeting and a lawyer is also there. It seems as if Zain, his cousin, thinks he should be in charge instead of Jonathan. His grandfather knew Zain should never oversee the business. Zain can’t oversee anything. It seems they’ve found a loophole in the will. There’s a clause that states he can’t inherit the company because he isn’t married. He is deemed unfit, and the business should go to Zain since he’s already married. “The stipulation is clear: to serve as CEO, you must be married or at least engaged.” Jonathan can’t believe this; what does marriage have to do with running a company? Then he remembers his grandfather talking with him about companionship. How his wife kept him grounded and not always thinking about work. Jonathan cannot let his grandfather’s company go to Zain or there won’t be a company. He announces that there won’t be a problem, he is engaged to someone he loves and is looking forward to spending his life with. Of course, Zain accuses him of lying, but Jonathan will not allow his grandfather’s company to go under due to Zain’s inability to run the business. He promises Zain he’ll be getting an invitation soon.
Jonathan knows he must find someone to marry, but who? It must be believable in order for him to retain the company. His friend Reid, who happens to be Emma’s brother, tells him they should get married. Emma is outraged and wants no part of this scheme. Emma can’t even manage to remain civil while in the same room he’s in. How does he think she’ll agree to marry him? Reid thinks it’s the perfect situation for them. Jonathan will be married and will retain ownership of his grandfather’s company. Emma could write a story based on their situation and have her next book published.
Profile Image for Emily Pennington.
20.8k reviews361 followers
March 30, 2025
Fighting for Love . . .

Bad boy Jonathan Thompson is the worst possible candidate for marriage that Emma can imagine, even knowing it would be fake! Jonathan is Emma’s brother Reed’s best friend. But she has never gotten along with him. They are nothing alike. She likes fun and he’s a work-a-holic. Since Emma moved back to town, she is temporarily living with her brother, and Jonathan lives next door. Jonathan now needs to get married so he can claim his inheritance, since the lawyer pointed out the stipulation that to serve as CEO, he must be married or at least engaged. Emma’s brother convinces her to pretend to be in a fake marriage to Jonathan to convince the lawyer and the board that he’s fit to take over the company, especially since the “marriage” will help provide inspiration for her writing her book. Reed even suggested she write a “murder mystery” to get her excited at the idea of killing off the husband! She eventually decides to give it a try, and soon things start to feel real as they get to know each other. But the arrival of his ex Jessica is big trouble! She tries to press up against him and he moves several steps back. She reaches for his hand but he pulls it away, reminding her he is married now and will not disrespect his wife, but that means nothing to Jessica who continues trying to make contact with him. When he continued to resist, she got angry and let an important “secret” slip out. But she warns him this isn’t over. Will he warn Emma that things may get rough going forward? Is their fake marriage actually worth fighting for? Or was it never intended to be real?
Profile Image for Samantha Bosnick.
196 reviews5 followers
March 31, 2025
I enjoyed reading this book, loved the banter between the characters, the one thing I wish the author would of done is explain what Emma gets out of pretending to be her brothers bestfriend Jonathan's fake wife.

Emma is a writer and she's having a major writers block and has moved home and living with her brother. She's hoping to get out of her slump.

Jonathan is Emma's brother's best friend, he has been groomed all his life to take over his families business. Which his cousin somehow with lawyers told him he won't inherit it, as he's not married, in haste of the heated meeting he states he is engaged and getting married soon.

Reed, Emma's brother comes up with an insane idea, Jonathan and Emma to get fake married. Emma freaks out, she doesn't like him, doesn't like being around his condescending ass. Jonathan feels that there is no chance in hell as she hates him. Can't stand being around him, even though he can remember every detail of her, and even her coffee preference after five years not seeing her.

She agreed to the fake marriage. Maybe he will be the motivation she needs to write her next bestseller, and maybe he gets the power and money of his families business. Things can change, heats could break or? 💕

One of my favorite lines from this book, early in page 11, "If you want me to leave you alone, I will. But I don't think that's what either of us really wants." (His assumption, then he walks away).

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Lindsey Adams.
1,134 reviews22 followers
April 8, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️️⭐️/ ️🌶️

Nora Daniels has done it again with her latest clean romance novel. I love the familiarity that her writing has become for me and she is an author that I can escape with for a few hours. Her stories are heartwarming, sizzling with low spice, and characters that are easy to love and relate to.

Emma is an author with a massive writer’s block. Hoping to overcome said block, she returns home, moving in with her brother. She is hoping a change will help disrupt the block and lead to another amazing book. Jonathan is Emma’s brother’s best friend and CEO of his family business. When his inheritance of the business is tied up until he is married, Reed (Emma’s brother) suggests they get married to help Jonathan out.

Emma has never liked Jonathan and sees him as someone who hasn’t had to work for anything. Yet, she learns that Jonathan knows and remembers a lot about her. The tension between these two is palpable throughout the book and as their feelings grow within their fake marriage, you know it won’t be long until fake turns very real!

Don’t let clean romance fool you. You still get the tension, drama, and romance. The heat level is low, but the feelings it brings up are hot. I love Nora’s writing and am never worried about whether I will like her latest release. I know I am going to love whatever she writes and look forward to her next book!

As always, review any author notes before reading.

Tropes:
📚Clean Romance
💲Contract Marriage
📚CEO MMC
💲Author FMC
📚Dislike to More
💲Best Friend’s Sister
Profile Image for Mitzi Neiderhiser.
77 reviews
April 3, 2025
The Bad Boy's Fake Wife is a wonderful story about how life changes before we even realize it. When we meet Jonathan and Emma, they draw the readers attention and hold while keeping the story fun and moving forward.

Jonathan is the CEO of his grandfather's company and working hard to keep his job. He has been at the head for a bit and trying to turn the company around when he finds a little known glitch - he needs a wife to keep the job. Enter Emma, his best friend's little sister and Jonathan's bickering partner. Emma is struggling with returning home and writer's block. So what are these two old bickering friends to do, why get married of course!

This story kept my attention from the beginning and I enjoyed watching the main characters slowly learn what their friends already knew. Love and hate are just a step apart. I would definitely recommend this book. The story is fun and holds your attention waiting to see what happens next.

I received an ARC of this book and I am leaving my honest review.
495 reviews5 followers
April 25, 2025
Emma is an author ,she got back to Grover Hill , her first book was successful but the other’s not so great, she got back for some inspiration.
she went to the coffee shop to meet her friend Mia , Jonathan her brother’s friend a guy that everytime she sees and feels under her skin came inside .
She was nervous because it almost 5 years that she went away and didn’t see him.
he went to sit near her from the counter and asked her how is she doing, but she didn’t like his presence and went out.
Jonathan as a ceo of the family company, the lawyer called for a meeting , he says that if he wants to still to be the ceo he has to marry or be engaged or the company fell in the hands of his cousin.
His Friend Reed suggested that would be good if they could get married, it benefits both of them.

A great story that I loved reading
Highly recommended






597 reviews
April 6, 2025
Emma has had one awesome book published, but the two following were complete flops, and now has writers block. Returning home to her older brothers home to collect herself has not helped but has made worse her block. Johnathan has inherited his grandfather's business and has made a success of it, until Zane his brother digs in finding a clause no one noticed stating Johnathan needed a wife to inherit the business. Emma's brother Reed is Johnathans quiet partner an̈d confidantent. Emma has despised him for years because he torments her, pushing her buttons. Reed comes up with the idea that they should have a fake marriage for the minimum of one year to fulfill the requirements of his grandfather's will. Whenever Emma is around Johnathan, she is inspired to write either due to anger or sadness. Emma comes to find out that Johnathan has read every book she wrote and loves them. When they are forced on a honeymoon, some guy leers at Emma, then makes suggestive inappropriate remarks, which she doesn't really hear, but Johnathan does. When the guy refuses to shut up and move along, Johnathan punches him in the jaw hard enough to knock him on his butt. Emma is secretly pleased someone other than her brother stands up for her and makes her think about him in a much better light. This was an enjoyable book that leaves you feeling really good at the end and is worth all five stars.
Profile Image for Jane litherland.
4,177 reviews75 followers
April 2, 2025
Grover Hill’s notorious bad guy . Also her brother’s best friend . Who was it said it was a good idea to fake wed? Yeah her brother had it in his head! Jonathan Thompson needs a wife so he doesn’t end up in strife and without his father’s company thanks to a stipulation of a will that’s a bit overkill. She needs help with her writing career ,a leg up or a word in an ear, This is their pact as a matter of fact . But it becomes unclear ,the lines a bit blurry .steamy kisses and cross hairs determine that he cares and so does she . But then turns up an ex and there’s quite a bit of uncertainty on her part ,just what lies in his heart. . Well it’s not quite a mystery but an awesome romance story. Great writing ,the storyline sublime . I surely had a good time reading
Profile Image for Sandra.
182 reviews2 followers
March 27, 2025
This book is basically when everyone can see it but you. This follows Jonathan, who needs to find a wife to save his company and Emma, a writer who needs a dose of inspiration. They have a difficult past with each other but have to come together.

This book was a fun read for me. It was a light and easy read. The pacing was really good and the storyline was solid. If you like small town romances and two people who go back and forth with each other than this might just be the book for you.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Sheri Bolinger.
438 reviews2 followers
March 31, 2025
If you love books with push and pull, fight and grit, sass and banter, fake marriage that may be more real than either expects, then you will love Jonathan and Emma's story. These two were so great, frustrating, but great! They fight non stop but their chemistry is off the charts. I absolutely love how Jonathan really sees Emma and is her biggest champion, even when they fight! Then there is Emma, super feisty but caring. These two get each other. It's just whether or not they will allow themselves to see it and then fight for it!
4,589 reviews32 followers
April 10, 2025
This book was entertaining. Unless you are brand-new to the fake marriage genre, you know from the start that the marriage will not remain fake. What distinguishes this book is that even knowing that the book still keeps us engaged and reading. We get a fake marriage, conflict, troubles, humor, an interfering ex, an unscrupulous cousin and a couple that have known and fought with each other for years. Emma and Jonathan just have to figure out what their friends and family already know, they really don’t hate each other.
40 reviews
April 15, 2025
This was a very good decision

I eased into this book not knowing what to expect. I had stopped reading mysteries and suspense as a conscientious decision to allow less anxiety into my life. This was a very good decision. I enjoyed the characters and their footprints in each other's lives. History says a lot about character and authors tell us a lot too. Really liked the premise which was well developed and not a thin adaptation of other books. Looking forward to reading more of Nora Daniels' work.
532 reviews
March 30, 2025
Jonathan is now the CEO of his grandfather's company. His greedy cousin Zain challenges him to fulfill the married clause otherwise Zain becomes the CEO. So Jonathan asks Reed, his best friend, to convince his sister Emma to become his fake wife. Then Jonathan in turn will help her break through her writer's block. Jonathan and Emma get married and go off on a honeymoon. Jonathan and Emma face many problems there and when they return home as they try to keep up the fake couple charade.
Profile Image for Merry Jelks-Emmanuel.
13.4k reviews155 followers
March 31, 2025
He needs a wife to save his company and when Emma is suggested their path begins and lines blur. Will the fake relationship between Jonathan and Emma turn the tide for true feelings to surface and will it finally lead these two to a happily ever after. This enemies to lovers' story are endearing and had me all caught up in Jonathan and Emma.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Ineta.
1,423 reviews11 followers
March 31, 2025
Emma and Jonathan's story goes from enemies to lovers. Well written, I enjoyed the bantering and funny moments. They are so different and not each other's choice at all. But being in fake relationship they discover different side of each other's.
I like fake marriage romances a lot. And this was one to enjoy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Lcr.
908 reviews7 followers
April 24, 2025
The Bad Boy’s Fake Wife is a stand-alone read as well as being part of a series about fake relationships.
Jonathan and Emma have always known each other and have always been polar opposites.
Suddenly they find they need each other so cue the fake marriage. This book has a lot going on with a few surprises and some laugh out loud moments too. I enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone looking for a good, easy read book.
Profile Image for Lucia Valenzuela.
2,034 reviews12 followers
March 30, 2025
Emma has serious writer’s block. Jonathan has immediate need for a wife to maintain control of his grandfather’s company. I love how everyone else can see what is really happening with them as a couple. Interesting story that will hold your attention. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.

I received this book from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Teresa.
473 reviews12 followers
March 31, 2025
This was so good! I love the tension between them and how they both felt without the other knowing. Great characters. Love the plot.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Tracie.Reads📚.
22 reviews1 follower
April 7, 2025
This was a quick read! Brothers best friend. They act like they hate each other at first. There is a lot of tension and chemistry!! If you like enemies to lovers you will like this book. Such a great read!!!

I received an Advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Barbara Tobey.
3,018 reviews86 followers
March 29, 2025
This is a quick, light read. Engaging enemies to fake spouses that actually love each other romance. Thanks to Booksprout for providing a copy. My review is voluntary.
Profile Image for MileHighSunshine.
370 reviews2 followers
April 6, 2025
Emma has just moved back to her hometown and is feeling like a failure. As she goes to get coffee - the one thing that always makes her happy, who does she see but Jonathan. They are immediately going at each other as it had always been in the past.

Jonathan then makes a rash announcement at his company when his cousin, Zane, makes trouble.

They somehow get to the point of actually agreeing to participate in a fake marriage!?!

You’ll laugh and have your heart tugged throughout the rest of the book. A great book to read when you want to relax. You won’t regret it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving my review based solely on my opinion.
1 review
April 6, 2025
Sweet love story

A quick and easy read.
Emma and Jonathon loved each other since they were teenagers and just needed a nudge in the right direction.
954 reviews14 followers
April 11, 2025
This was a pretty fun read. Moments that made me chuckle and ended with some excitement at the party mixed with romance and drama made for a well rounded book.
6 reviews1 follower
January 25, 2026
The book has a very good plot. However I didn't feel the connection between Jonathan and Emma. I felt like the book was missing something and couldn't enjoy it 100%
2,355 reviews28 followers
March 31, 2025
A little twist on a marriage of convenience, which seems to only benefit the groom at first. It wasn't really specified how she benefited from the arrangement although her groom does seem to become her muse, helping her over her writer's block. This is an enjoyable story with some surprises along the way. I received an ARC copy of the book and this is my honest review.
Profile Image for Barbara Hackel.
2,860 reviews46 followers
April 14, 2025
It's a marriage of convenience---well for the groom anyway. He needs a wife to obtain leadership in his Grandfather's business and proposes a fake marriage to his best friend's sister. (I'm still not sure what she "gets" out of this arrangement!) She's an author, and apparently her creative juices are flowing like crazy thanks to the fake marriage.
Many verbal sparring sessions ensue. Their emotions run high. And yet they seem to get away with their brazen plan...maybe.
Enjoyable story with some surprises along the way.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews

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