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Marswood Harbor #1
Better Off Wed
Pros of marrying a stranger at first a fresh start, a cute new small town home, and an escape from my spectacular disaster of a life. one bed, one extremely grumpy husband, and zero chemistry. (That last part was a lie.)
Gideon Mars made it very clear he didn’t want a wife. I made it very clear I didn’t need a husband. We shook on it, signed the paperwork, and agreed to share one bed like two reasonable adults who were absolutely not attracted to each other.
Reader, we were not reasonable adults.
When someone began leaving threats around town with my name on them, my scarred, brooding, overprotective husband stopped pretending faster than I could say this wasn’t part of the deal. Which was a problem—because the more he showed up for me, the harder it got to remember why I’d built my walls in the first place.
I came to Marswood Harbor to start over quietly. Gideon was not interested in quiet—because that man will burn everything down before he lets the world touch what’s his.
Hard No is a steamy romcom packed with an arranged marriage, a marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers heat, grumpy/grumpy banter, only one bed, a scarred protective hero, forced proximity, and a matchmaking grandmother who is absolutely not sorry. HEA guaranteed.
Gideon Mars made it very clear he didn’t want a wife. I made it very clear I didn’t need a husband. We shook on it, signed the paperwork, and agreed to share one bed like two reasonable adults who were absolutely not attracted to each other.
Reader, we were not reasonable adults.
When someone began leaving threats around town with my name on them, my scarred, brooding, overprotective husband stopped pretending faster than I could say this wasn’t part of the deal. Which was a problem—because the more he showed up for me, the harder it got to remember why I’d built my walls in the first place.
I came to Marswood Harbor to start over quietly. Gideon was not interested in quiet—because that man will burn everything down before he lets the world touch what’s his.
Hard No is a steamy romcom packed with an arranged marriage, a marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers heat, grumpy/grumpy banter, only one bed, a scarred protective hero, forced proximity, and a matchmaking grandmother who is absolutely not sorry. HEA guaranteed.
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 30, 2026
About the author
Lilian Monroe
86 books1,529 followersLilian Monroe lives in a luxurious jungle treehouse surrounded by lush greenery, with an army of scantily-clad men with rippling abdominal muscles ready to attend to her every need.
No, wait. That's not true.
Lilian Monroe spends her days dangling her feet into her pool, while a scantily-clad pool boy with rippling abdominal muscles feeds her chocolate-covered strawberries and massages her back.
Okay, okay. You got me. That's not true, either. Let's try again.
Lilian Monroe lives at home with her two children, three dogs, and twelve chickens. Her husband likes to work shirtless in the back yard. His sweaty, gleaming abdominal muscles ripple with every movement and he—
I'm sorry. I have to stop. Fine, I'll admit it. That one isn't true either.
How about this: Lilian Monroe loves thinking about men with rippling abdominal muscles serving her hand and foot, and she wants you to think about them too! She is an avid reader, writer, and lover of all things romance.
She loves everything from bad boys to billionaires. Her books are packed with sizzling-hot heat, action, suspense, and everything from second chances to single dads. She hates cheating and loves a good happily ever after (and rippling abs).
No, wait. That's not true.
Lilian Monroe spends her days dangling her feet into her pool, while a scantily-clad pool boy with rippling abdominal muscles feeds her chocolate-covered strawberries and massages her back.
Okay, okay. You got me. That's not true, either. Let's try again.
Lilian Monroe lives at home with her two children, three dogs, and twelve chickens. Her husband likes to work shirtless in the back yard. His sweaty, gleaming abdominal muscles ripple with every movement and he—
I'm sorry. I have to stop. Fine, I'll admit it. That one isn't true either.
How about this: Lilian Monroe loves thinking about men with rippling abdominal muscles serving her hand and foot, and she wants you to think about them too! She is an avid reader, writer, and lover of all things romance.
She loves everything from bad boys to billionaires. Her books are packed with sizzling-hot heat, action, suspense, and everything from second chances to single dads. She hates cheating and loves a good happily ever after (and rippling abs).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 220 reviews
June 17, 2026
It was readable.
Both characters are far too insecure and incapable of conversation. They got more whiny and self focused as the story progresses. I really didn’t rate Gideon, looking at his behaviour objectively, he's not a great option. They know each others issues but are too wrapped up in themselves to really support another. Honestly forget the wedding and choose therapy people!
There's no growing bond, until almost 90% these two are far from a united front. Then there's some drama before everything is fine; medical problem fixed, magic-peen for the win. It lost the optimistic second star there.
The mysteries? First was obvious even if it didn't make sense, second completely ridiculous and even less sense. Plus there's foreshadowing done with a sledgehammer for a future character arc.
But there's a Harbour presumably near the sea? With a population of five people beyond the umpteen Mars family members to marry off. For some reason a security firm and not the cops are responsible for town (I think it's a town) policing.
Oh and an epilogue 8yrs later.
Both characters are far too insecure and incapable of conversation. They got more whiny and self focused as the story progresses. I really didn’t rate Gideon, looking at his behaviour objectively, he's not a great option. They know each others issues but are too wrapped up in themselves to really support another. Honestly forget the wedding and choose therapy people!
There's no growing bond, until almost 90% these two are far from a united front. Then there's some drama before everything is fine; medical problem fixed, magic-peen for the win. It lost the optimistic second star there.
The mysteries? First was obvious even if it didn't make sense, second completely ridiculous and even less sense. Plus there's foreshadowing done with a sledgehammer for a future character arc.
But there's a Harbour presumably near the sea? With a population of five people beyond the umpteen Mars family members to marry off. For some reason a security firm and not the cops are responsible for town (I think it's a town) policing.
Oh and an epilogue 8yrs later.
May 19, 2026
Gideon and Sadie misread each other from the start — though Sadie has flashes of clarity on that front, they both are clearly lacking in body language 101 skills. If it wasn’t for the sweet, loving, innocent, non-invasive, gentle nudges of Gideon’s diminutive grandmother, Etta — Who I want to be when I grow up, they’d still be two equally scarred, equally lonely souls, living equally alone.
*** Very, Very Good Stuff ***
*** Recommended ***
MMC:
✨Gideon
FMC:
✨Sadie
HEA/Cliffhanger:
✨HEA
Series:
✨Book 1: Marshwood Harbor
Tropes:
👉small town romance
👉he falls first
👉marriage of convenience
👉found family
👉forced proximity
👉protective mmc
👉scarred mmc
👉arranged marriage
Triggers:🛑see content warning page/author’s website for full list🛑
💥18+
💥 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️, mf, open🚪sex
💥profanity
*** Very, Very Good Stuff ***
*** Recommended ***
MMC:
✨Gideon
FMC:
✨Sadie
HEA/Cliffhanger:
✨HEA
Series:
✨Book 1: Marshwood Harbor
Tropes:
👉small town romance
👉he falls first
👉marriage of convenience
👉found family
👉forced proximity
👉protective mmc
👉scarred mmc
👉arranged marriage
Triggers:🛑see content warning page/author’s website for full list🛑
💥18+
💥 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️, mf, open🚪sex
💥profanity
May 31, 2026
Decent read
For the first 59% of the book, we had the same non communication going on and on and on. I was about to dnf as it was really getting old. I did manage to finish the book. The villain of the book made no sense and was, in my opinion, unnecessary. Still the writing and story made for a decent read. This will be a series and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. This is a standalone.
For the first 59% of the book, we had the same non communication going on and on and on. I was about to dnf as it was really getting old. I did manage to finish the book. The villain of the book made no sense and was, in my opinion, unnecessary. Still the writing and story made for a decent read. This will be a series and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. This is a standalone.
June 12, 2026
DNF at 30%
The miscommunication dragged on for too long. Too much internal monologue. Too much self hatred for both characters. I lost interest fast.
The miscommunication dragged on for too long. Too much internal monologue. Too much self hatred for both characters. I lost interest fast.
June 1, 2026
Super miscommunication trope but it was insta love for the both of them
It’s an arranged marriage, both have a lot of issues and a little abandonment trauma, still the book is funny and entertaining
Safe
Not very smutty
Both mcs are amazing and interesting!
I stopped reading this author because there was never a good grovel but in this book there’s no break up or fight
It’s an arranged marriage, both have a lot of issues and a little abandonment trauma, still the book is funny and entertaining
Safe
Not very smutty
Both mcs are amazing and interesting!
I stopped reading this author because there was never a good grovel but in this book there’s no break up or fight
June 1, 2026
This story proves you can heal and fall in love at the same time
Were there so many times where I wanted to scream at each character “OMG JUST TALK IT OUT!” in equal measure? Oh yes. So many, many, (and yup you guessed it) many times. And yet the story was lovely. From the innovative grandmother, to the quirky townsfolk, to this family full of mischief and everything in between, I loved the detail that went into setting each scene. I felt a part of the town, as if I could see it in my mind’s eye, as these two explored their feelings for each other while also solving a mystery. The twist at the end that also confronted the fears of our hero was a full circle moment in growth, acceptance, and bravery. I was so proud of our heroine and how she faced her own demons and bullies. She was very relatable in how the world had picked her apart. I’m so curious about the feud and can’t wait to see more of the story unfold.
Were there so many times where I wanted to scream at each character “OMG JUST TALK IT OUT!” in equal measure? Oh yes. So many, many, (and yup you guessed it) many times. And yet the story was lovely. From the innovative grandmother, to the quirky townsfolk, to this family full of mischief and everything in between, I loved the detail that went into setting each scene. I felt a part of the town, as if I could see it in my mind’s eye, as these two explored their feelings for each other while also solving a mystery. The twist at the end that also confronted the fears of our hero was a full circle moment in growth, acceptance, and bravery. I was so proud of our heroine and how she faced her own demons and bullies. She was very relatable in how the world had picked her apart. I’m so curious about the feud and can’t wait to see more of the story unfold.
July 15, 2026
A story of two wounded souls that find comfort in each other .. maybe not right away tho' loved the twist and turns, good story very captivating
June 19, 2026
Sadie feels like an unmarried outcast in her wedding industry family. She also has vaginismus, making intimate relations difficult for her. She's been betrayed, rejected & abandoned by previous partners. Desperate, she enters into an arranged marriage of convenience. Gideon is being blackmail by his grandmother to marry or be cut out of the will. Gideon was scared in a fire & struggles with self-esteem & abandonment issues. He feels that no one can love a "beast" & though the undeniable chemistry between the two is there, they each have to become honest & vulnerable to see the real truth. It's a very sweet & raw love story & though these issues may not impact the reader, I feel they can relate to the self esteem & self doubt issues.
June 1, 2026
Decent new series
These books are not going to win any writing awards but they are easy reading escapism. She's opened up a huge door for a series that has scope to just go on forever.
This book - the premise to the story was not bad but fairly superficial. What i find particularly frustrating with this writer is the constant internal monologue and repetition.
Will I continue with the series- yes!
These books are not going to win any writing awards but they are easy reading escapism. She's opened up a huge door for a series that has scope to just go on forever.
This book - the premise to the story was not bad but fairly superficial. What i find particularly frustrating with this writer is the constant internal monologue and repetition.
Will I continue with the series- yes!
June 29, 2026
It was 383 pages of something. The good bits were good and the bad bits were truly terrible.
July 13, 2026
Notes for me
Gideon - scars that he thinks turn Sadie off
Sadie - wedding business. It’s failed because of her ex fiancée.
Opens with Gideon’s Gma Etta meeting with her family. She’s concerned their small town and family heritage is dying out. The condition to inherit her fortune is marriage and children.
Gideon and Sadie met on a dating app Gma put together. Sadie moved there to marry him. They haven’t even officially met yet. As she walks down the aisle Gideon looks unimpressed and unhappy. Sadie slips on a rose petal and falls. He helps her up saying maybe this is a sign they should call it off. She refuses.
Sadie’s life back home had fallen apart. Her wedding dress business crashed, her fiancée broke up with her. She had nothing to lose. She has a physical issue where intimacy is incredibly painful.
They sign the wedding license but have 6 weeks before it’s filed. In case they change their mind.
Gideon only has one chapter in his POV. However each chapter has a couple of lines at the end on how he’s feeling.
This entire story is miscommunication. Personally it was exactly what I was in the mood for. I enjoyed it! I will definitely read Jack’s story.
Safety
No Vs
She thinks of past partners and how it pertains to her physical issue.
He was engaged before his accident. His ex makes an appearance causing misunderstanding that’s cleared up quickly.
Gideon - scars that he thinks turn Sadie off
Sadie - wedding business. It’s failed because of her ex fiancée.
Opens with Gideon’s Gma Etta meeting with her family. She’s concerned their small town and family heritage is dying out. The condition to inherit her fortune is marriage and children.
Gideon and Sadie met on a dating app Gma put together. Sadie moved there to marry him. They haven’t even officially met yet. As she walks down the aisle Gideon looks unimpressed and unhappy. Sadie slips on a rose petal and falls. He helps her up saying maybe this is a sign they should call it off. She refuses.
Sadie’s life back home had fallen apart. Her wedding dress business crashed, her fiancée broke up with her. She had nothing to lose. She has a physical issue where intimacy is incredibly painful.
They sign the wedding license but have 6 weeks before it’s filed. In case they change their mind.
Gideon only has one chapter in his POV. However each chapter has a couple of lines at the end on how he’s feeling.
This entire story is miscommunication. Personally it was exactly what I was in the mood for. I enjoyed it! I will definitely read Jack’s story.
Safety
No Vs
She thinks of past partners and how it pertains to her physical issue.
He was engaged before his accident. His ex makes an appearance causing misunderstanding that’s cleared up quickly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2026
“You don’t need a man to give you permission to step into your power.”
Pros of marrying a stranger at first a fresh start, a cute new small town home, and an escape from my spectacular disaster of a life. one bed, one extremely grumpy husband, and zero chemistry. (That last part was a lie.) Gideon Mars made it very clear he didn’t want a wife. I made it very clear I didn’t need a husband. We shook on it, signed the paperwork, and agreed to share one bed like two reasonable adults who were absolutely not attracted to each other. Reader, we were not reasonable adults. When someone began leaving threats around town with my name on them, my scarred, brooding, overprotective husband stopped pretending faster than I could say this wasn’t part of the deal. Which was a problem—because the more he showed up for me, the harder it got to remember why I’d built my walls in the first place. I came to Marswood Harbor to start over quietly. Gideon was not interested in quiet—because that man will burn everything down before he lets the world touch what’s his.
Sadie didn’t feel very engaging to me. I get that hitting rock bottom is hard but she seemed as though she just gave up. There was so much fire in her at the wedding and then it just disappeared? She’s settling into a small town and doesn’t seem to try for the most part. Sure, she goes on walks around and becomes friends with ONE person, but there’s minimal effort there and then she wonders why she feels alone or outcast. I could relate to her frustrations about her condition - as a chronically ill girlie myself, I do just want my body to work normally - but other than that, she wasn’t a great character for me.
Gideon is supposedly this big, gruff, scarred man who intimidates people. He has a career in security and helps others. So why did his inner monologue we get at the end of every chapter read like an immature teenager? I can totally understand feeling vulnerable because of his scars and the years of looks etc can wear a person down. However, he reads as someone emotionally undeveloped and almost deliberately dismissive. He claims to have all these feelings and despite seeing some of them reciprocated, he immediately denies everything and throws a hissy fit. I just couldn’t find him attractive at all.
This book would not stop popping up on my social media. The snippets it would offer did intrigue me and when I saw it was available on Kindle Unlimited, I thought F it, I’m going in! Now I rather wish I hadn’t… The plot has promise but just feels poorly executed. We just go round and round and round in circles with the same things the entire book. There’s some minor threats yet the thing that seems to take priority is petty vandalism. We’re constantly told about a business that bloomed from a passion and literally never see her doing it beyond a few pages. Considering it’s a small town, I expected more characters to make themselves known but it’s so focused on the family. Yet, we also know nothing about them! Everything felt so surface level that I struggled to find enjoyment because I knew what someone’s job was but that was about it. The romance had a lot of promise but just seemed to fizzle out. Both partners were stuck in a cycle of “I want them but they don’t want me” and didn’t proactively do anything about it. So I checked out of their relationship early on. I hoped things would chance but no luck there. The spice was okay and whilst I appreciated a caring male partner who insisted on the woman’s pleasure and not making her feel guilty about her condition, these scenes couldn’t save the story for me. The ending was very abrupt and whilst a “major” plot point was solved, it still felt very unfinished. Unfortunately, I can’t see myself continuing with this series - especially if all written in this style.
Overall, Better Off Wed is a book I had high hopes for and just really didn’t appeal.
⭐️⭐️/5
Pros of marrying a stranger at first a fresh start, a cute new small town home, and an escape from my spectacular disaster of a life. one bed, one extremely grumpy husband, and zero chemistry. (That last part was a lie.) Gideon Mars made it very clear he didn’t want a wife. I made it very clear I didn’t need a husband. We shook on it, signed the paperwork, and agreed to share one bed like two reasonable adults who were absolutely not attracted to each other. Reader, we were not reasonable adults. When someone began leaving threats around town with my name on them, my scarred, brooding, overprotective husband stopped pretending faster than I could say this wasn’t part of the deal. Which was a problem—because the more he showed up for me, the harder it got to remember why I’d built my walls in the first place. I came to Marswood Harbor to start over quietly. Gideon was not interested in quiet—because that man will burn everything down before he lets the world touch what’s his.
Sadie didn’t feel very engaging to me. I get that hitting rock bottom is hard but she seemed as though she just gave up. There was so much fire in her at the wedding and then it just disappeared? She’s settling into a small town and doesn’t seem to try for the most part. Sure, she goes on walks around and becomes friends with ONE person, but there’s minimal effort there and then she wonders why she feels alone or outcast. I could relate to her frustrations about her condition - as a chronically ill girlie myself, I do just want my body to work normally - but other than that, she wasn’t a great character for me.
Gideon is supposedly this big, gruff, scarred man who intimidates people. He has a career in security and helps others. So why did his inner monologue we get at the end of every chapter read like an immature teenager? I can totally understand feeling vulnerable because of his scars and the years of looks etc can wear a person down. However, he reads as someone emotionally undeveloped and almost deliberately dismissive. He claims to have all these feelings and despite seeing some of them reciprocated, he immediately denies everything and throws a hissy fit. I just couldn’t find him attractive at all.
This book would not stop popping up on my social media. The snippets it would offer did intrigue me and when I saw it was available on Kindle Unlimited, I thought F it, I’m going in! Now I rather wish I hadn’t… The plot has promise but just feels poorly executed. We just go round and round and round in circles with the same things the entire book. There’s some minor threats yet the thing that seems to take priority is petty vandalism. We’re constantly told about a business that bloomed from a passion and literally never see her doing it beyond a few pages. Considering it’s a small town, I expected more characters to make themselves known but it’s so focused on the family. Yet, we also know nothing about them! Everything felt so surface level that I struggled to find enjoyment because I knew what someone’s job was but that was about it. The romance had a lot of promise but just seemed to fizzle out. Both partners were stuck in a cycle of “I want them but they don’t want me” and didn’t proactively do anything about it. So I checked out of their relationship early on. I hoped things would chance but no luck there. The spice was okay and whilst I appreciated a caring male partner who insisted on the woman’s pleasure and not making her feel guilty about her condition, these scenes couldn’t save the story for me. The ending was very abrupt and whilst a “major” plot point was solved, it still felt very unfinished. Unfortunately, I can’t see myself continuing with this series - especially if all written in this style.
Overall, Better Off Wed is a book I had high hopes for and just really didn’t appeal.
⭐️⭐️/5
June 6, 2026
ما راح أتخطى ثُنائي هالكتاب🤌🏻🥹
تخيلو بس، زواج مدبر من خلال تطبيق مواعدة، هي عدها تشنج بالعضلات السفلية وعقدة نقص عن نفسها واستحقاقها، وهو يكره نفسه بسبب الندوب!
بالأول واضح كانت رواية كوميدية وعادية، حسيت كأنه شي عادي، بس الكاتبة مرة عجبتني، حكت عن مواضيع كتيرة، وبعيدا عن البلوت، طلعت غلطانة بالنّهاية😭💔
تخيل يا عزيزي، تلاقي نفسك متزوجه ع اساس خوارزميات تطبيق، وهالزوج يصحى الصبح كل يوم يجيب لك لتيه ماتشا بس لأنك كتبتي بسيرتك ذاتية انك تحبي الماتشا، ومو بس كذا، لا جلس يصادر الماتشا من مدينة ثانية لبلدتهم عشانها بس😮💨✋🏻
وفوقها، يسوي لها الفطور، يهتم براحتها، لما يلمسها يتأكد ألف مرة إنها ما بتتأذى، ياخي عسللل عسللللل😭😭😭😭😭🎀
أما البطلة، فحرفيا كانت مهشمة، عدها ندوب داخلية، مُهشمة من الأهل، وحبيبها السابق، ونفسها، لدرجة تشوف نفسها ناقصة، عمري ما حسيت كذا ببطلة، وقوتها وشخصيتها الكوميدية مجرد غطاء عن آلامها🥹💔
حبّيتها جدا، أول مرة أحب كذا رواية، شعوري متناقض عنها بسبب اشياء معينة، ورغم ذا، حبيت كل شيء، علاقة الابطال رغم إنها سريعة شوي بس كانت حلوة، كانت فيها كتير لمحات عن الحب، اكتشاف الذات، تهشيم الذات، كيف البطل مِعطاء، وكيف البطلة تحاول قدر الإمكان تثبت نفسها🥹🎀
I love it, and i'll wait to next book! 😭✋🏻
تخيلو بس، زواج مدبر من خلال تطبيق مواعدة، هي عدها تشنج بالعضلات السفلية وعقدة نقص عن نفسها واستحقاقها، وهو يكره نفسه بسبب الندوب!
بالأول واضح كانت رواية كوميدية وعادية، حسيت كأنه شي عادي، بس الكاتبة مرة عجبتني، حكت عن مواضيع كتيرة، وبعيدا عن البلوت، طلعت غلطانة بالنّهاية😭💔
تخيل يا عزيزي، تلاقي نفسك متزوجه ع اساس خوارزميات تطبيق، وهالزوج يصحى الصبح كل يوم يجيب لك لتيه ماتشا بس لأنك كتبتي بسيرتك ذاتية انك تحبي الماتشا، ومو بس كذا، لا جلس يصادر الماتشا من مدينة ثانية لبلدتهم عشانها بس😮💨✋🏻
وفوقها، يسوي لها الفطور، يهتم براحتها، لما يلمسها يتأكد ألف مرة إنها ما بتتأذى، ياخي عسللل عسللللل😭😭😭😭😭🎀
أما البطلة، فحرفيا كانت مهشمة، عدها ندوب داخلية، مُهشمة من الأهل، وحبيبها السابق، ونفسها، لدرجة تشوف نفسها ناقصة، عمري ما حسيت كذا ببطلة، وقوتها وشخصيتها الكوميدية مجرد غطاء عن آلامها🥹💔
حبّيتها جدا، أول مرة أحب كذا رواية، شعوري متناقض عنها بسبب اشياء معينة، ورغم ذا، حبيت كل شيء، علاقة الابطال رغم إنها سريعة شوي بس كانت حلوة، كانت فيها كتير لمحات عن الحب، اكتشاف الذات، تهشيم الذات، كيف البطل مِعطاء، وكيف البطلة تحاول قدر الإمكان تثبت نفسها🥹🎀
I love it, and i'll wait to next book! 😭✋🏻
June 15, 2026
Enjoyable read
The book started off unexpectedly. Etta is the matriarch of the family and doesn't want to see the town her father built so she devises a plan to repopulate. She was going to set up arranged marriages for her grandchildren whether they liked it or not. First up is her grandson Gideon. He doesn't want to get married so when Sadie arrives at the church and starts walking down the aisle, he is not the most friendliest person. Sadie almost turns around but figures this is her last chance at ever being married. The marriage starts off rocky mainly due to each other's insecurities and not being truthful. This story has angst but also suspense as someone graffities the businesses around town and then someone starts stalking Sadie. I loved the ending of the book and they got their happily ever after. When I first read Sadie's condition, I had to look it up to see if it really is real. Turns out that condition does exist. Learned something new from this book.
The book started off unexpectedly. Etta is the matriarch of the family and doesn't want to see the town her father built so she devises a plan to repopulate. She was going to set up arranged marriages for her grandchildren whether they liked it or not. First up is her grandson Gideon. He doesn't want to get married so when Sadie arrives at the church and starts walking down the aisle, he is not the most friendliest person. Sadie almost turns around but figures this is her last chance at ever being married. The marriage starts off rocky mainly due to each other's insecurities and not being truthful. This story has angst but also suspense as someone graffities the businesses around town and then someone starts stalking Sadie. I loved the ending of the book and they got their happily ever after. When I first read Sadie's condition, I had to look it up to see if it really is real. Turns out that condition does exist. Learned something new from this book.
June 3, 2026
Awesome
This was so much more than I expected. It’s full of humour, feelings and brilliant characters. It’s a great start to a new series.
Sadie and Gideon (and Grandma Etta) really kept me entertained. There’s matchmaking afoot to build the town and these two are the rookie couple. They’ve both got some baggage and have a few hurdles to clear, but feelings soon start to grow.
With tension and angst, laughter and tears, miscommunication, slow burn steam, interesting family dynamics, intrigue and healing, this small town romance kept me eagerly turning the pages
I can’t wait for the next book.
This was so much more than I expected. It’s full of humour, feelings and brilliant characters. It’s a great start to a new series.
Sadie and Gideon (and Grandma Etta) really kept me entertained. There’s matchmaking afoot to build the town and these two are the rookie couple. They’ve both got some baggage and have a few hurdles to clear, but feelings soon start to grow.
With tension and angst, laughter and tears, miscommunication, slow burn steam, interesting family dynamics, intrigue and healing, this small town romance kept me eagerly turning the pages
I can’t wait for the next book.
June 1, 2026
I loved the insta love aspect of it even though they both had their own issues of insecurity. Repeatedly. I still enjoyed it.
The one thing I did not care for was the “villain” probably would have made more sense if it was his ex and not hers.
The one thing I did not care for was the “villain” probably would have made more sense if it was his ex and not hers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2026
just okay. Fine quick read but nothing stands out or stays with you when you’re are done.
June 17, 2026
Is this WHOLE book a miscommunication trope? Yes. Did I enjoy myself reading it? Also yes.
May 31, 2026
This book was everything I love about romcoms: love, self awareness, smart women, more love.
June 26, 2026
Twists and turns - but too much internal dialogue with FMC and MMC of self sabotage and doubt for me.
June 25, 2026
Both characters are clearly insecure and incapable of communicating. I feel like most of their problems would be resolved if they actually sat down and communicated with each other.
June 16, 2026
I actually really enjoyed this book. I love the arranged marriage trope in books. Though the ones I read were mafia-related. This was definitely different, and I appreciated its modern take on arranged marriages. From the beginning, there is a lot of miscommunication between our MCs on how they feel internally and about each other. But I do love the yearning they both display. How Gideons ' possessiveness shows at times. When I first started reading, I was getting a bit of a Beauty and the Beast kind of vibe, only to reach a part of the book where a side character literally calls the MC's that. Though I think the side character was using it in a negative way, whereas I was appreciating it. Beauty and the Beast was one of my favorite Disney movies as a kid, and I love reading people's interpretations of it, whether it's a retelling of the story or their own rendition of the term.
June 1, 2026
Great start to a series
This is the first book in the Marswood Harbor Series and follows Gideon and Sadie as they navigate an arranged marriage.
With Gideon’s grandmother Etta the matriarch of the family, she devises a plan to have the vast majority of her descendants that are unwed, to be matched and married to keep the small town they reside in and her line going, long after she passes.
This causes much tension and anger and this story sure has enough of that between Sadie and Gideon.
Even with their electric chemistry these two people have a lot of problems medically and emotionally to overcome, but there is also fun times, steamy moments, trouble and misunderstandings to be resolved.
A wonderful storyline with loveable characters throughout.
I’m excited to read more in this series.
Thank you to Lilian Monroe and Pelican Cross Promotions for the opportunity to read this story.
This is the first book in the Marswood Harbor Series and follows Gideon and Sadie as they navigate an arranged marriage.
With Gideon’s grandmother Etta the matriarch of the family, she devises a plan to have the vast majority of her descendants that are unwed, to be matched and married to keep the small town they reside in and her line going, long after she passes.
This causes much tension and anger and this story sure has enough of that between Sadie and Gideon.
Even with their electric chemistry these two people have a lot of problems medically and emotionally to overcome, but there is also fun times, steamy moments, trouble and misunderstandings to be resolved.
A wonderful storyline with loveable characters throughout.
I’m excited to read more in this series.
Thank you to Lilian Monroe and Pelican Cross Promotions for the opportunity to read this story.
June 9, 2026
How anyone could give this 5 stars is beyond me, every character in this book sucks except for Caroline. Literally all their problems could have been solved with actual adult communication and therapy. Sadie’s complete lack of self esteem was so annoying, and Gideon wasn’t much better.
June 5, 2026
So I read up to about 52% and then I skimmed through the rest . The non-communications / miscommunication Trope is strong with this book. Honestly it's too much.
The mmc's grandma once her grandkids to have children and Revitalize the town because they haven't had a lot of babies being born and more people are leaving. We're not really told a lot just a family meeting about the arranged marriages we just kind of get thrown in at their wedding where they first meet each other. At this point at least we aren't told how the FMC finds out about the dating app arranged marriage thing we're just told that she did it because she just broke up with her boyfriend who was a shitty person. Then you have the FMC who has feminine issues which I do like being represented I just feel like she had a lot of weird Vibes about it and the way that she addressed it was really kind of odd. The FMC at this point has had multiple times that she's been able to tell the MMC about her medical issue but instead of doing that she doesn't and the MMC takes that as her not liking him because he had been in a fire and that created scar tissue. He is the oldest grandchild of Etta who also owns a lot of places in the neighborhood. Then you've got the fmc's family who apparently deal with the wedding industry and she also makes dresses and such. She closed her business got married but on the questionnaires you chose one out of 10 for the sex area and so did he and she thinks that they connected because of that being a big deal or so she thinks. But basically it's back and forth this whole time and they have 6 weeks from the wedding stay at his late grandfather's cabin and then after the 6 weeks they can decide if they want to file the marriage license or if they want to rip up the license and go back to life. There's also this underlying issue of certain people in the community not wanting people to move in and other people being fine with it. There's this whole Mr titty person who keeps tagging local businesses with blue spray paint and they soon realize it's more than one person doing it and someone is also attacking the FMC because they are drawing on her car or slashing her tire. Its just alot. Oh and then you throw in the fact that the FMC is also now receiving unknown phone calls that she didn't answer cuz she thought they were spam but then she gets a text message basically telling her that the MMC doesn't want her and he saw the text messages and then brought her home but they didn't really do anything about it it was kind of weird I don't know I just feel like if someone was messaging me that I would have been like on top of it not like oh let's just go home and hang out no like what.
Especially since you are also being introduced to every other character that's going to be in other books. Although I do like how they kind of sprinkle some of the pairings into the story but still focus on the primary couple in the book.
"When he spotted Lola being marched into Marswood Security, Connor folded like a cheap suit. The whole story came blubbering out of him—how he, Glenn, and Lola didn’t want to be subjected to arranged marriages. How they’d concocted a plan to make the town look unappealing. How they targeted family properties because they didn’t want to get other people involved, other than a select few who annoyed them. Ivan Popov had been rude to Lola, for example, and Glenn had tagged his shop in retaliation."
...
"Henry kept the gun in his lap as he drove. His movements were jittery, his gaze glassy. His pupils were pinpricks that gave me shivers every time he glanced at me.
“It didn’t have to be this way,” he repeated for the hundredth time. “If you’d just come back to me like you were supposed to, this wouldn’t have had to happen. But you left, Sadie. You left and got married. You shouldn’t have done that.”
The mmc's grandma once her grandkids to have children and Revitalize the town because they haven't had a lot of babies being born and more people are leaving. We're not really told a lot just a family meeting about the arranged marriages we just kind of get thrown in at their wedding where they first meet each other. At this point at least we aren't told how the FMC finds out about the dating app arranged marriage thing we're just told that she did it because she just broke up with her boyfriend who was a shitty person. Then you have the FMC who has feminine issues which I do like being represented I just feel like she had a lot of weird Vibes about it and the way that she addressed it was really kind of odd. The FMC at this point has had multiple times that she's been able to tell the MMC about her medical issue but instead of doing that she doesn't and the MMC takes that as her not liking him because he had been in a fire and that created scar tissue. He is the oldest grandchild of Etta who also owns a lot of places in the neighborhood. Then you've got the fmc's family who apparently deal with the wedding industry and she also makes dresses and such. She closed her business got married but on the questionnaires you chose one out of 10 for the sex area and so did he and she thinks that they connected because of that being a big deal or so she thinks. But basically it's back and forth this whole time and they have 6 weeks from the wedding stay at his late grandfather's cabin and then after the 6 weeks they can decide if they want to file the marriage license or if they want to rip up the license and go back to life. There's also this underlying issue of certain people in the community not wanting people to move in and other people being fine with it. There's this whole Mr titty person who keeps tagging local businesses with blue spray paint and they soon realize it's more than one person doing it and someone is also attacking the FMC because they are drawing on her car or slashing her tire. Its just alot. Oh and then you throw in the fact that the FMC is also now receiving unknown phone calls that she didn't answer cuz she thought they were spam but then she gets a text message basically telling her that the MMC doesn't want her and he saw the text messages and then brought her home but they didn't really do anything about it it was kind of weird I don't know I just feel like if someone was messaging me that I would have been like on top of it not like oh let's just go home and hang out no like what.
Especially since you are also being introduced to every other character that's going to be in other books. Although I do like how they kind of sprinkle some of the pairings into the story but still focus on the primary couple in the book.
"When he spotted Lola being marched into Marswood Security, Connor folded like a cheap suit. The whole story came blubbering out of him—how he, Glenn, and Lola didn’t want to be subjected to arranged marriages. How they’d concocted a plan to make the town look unappealing. How they targeted family properties because they didn’t want to get other people involved, other than a select few who annoyed them. Ivan Popov had been rude to Lola, for example, and Glenn had tagged his shop in retaliation."
...
"Henry kept the gun in his lap as he drove. His movements were jittery, his gaze glassy. His pupils were pinpricks that gave me shivers every time he glanced at me.
“It didn’t have to be this way,” he repeated for the hundredth time. “If you’d just come back to me like you were supposed to, this wouldn’t have had to happen. But you left, Sadie. You left and got married. You shouldn’t have done that.”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2026
I won’t give this book a one star review because I reserve those for books that are hate reads. And I kind of hate to give this a two star review because it did capture my attention and I did read it in one afternoon by the pool. But, there are several things about this book that takes it down from a three star review in which I would say it was a decent read to a solid two star review.
Let’s start off with the biggest trope in the book to me was miscommunication. Someone said in their review that the miscommunication trope went on too long and I have to agree. The entire miscommunication trope is centered around two main characters who possess absolutely no communication skills. The miscommunication between Gideon and Sadie is purely from neither of them being able to express out loud thoughts that they are having. The book is so much internal communication, that it is almost comical.
Then you have the fake marriage trope, which I don’t really love to begin with, but I really don’t like it in this book. You have the matriarch of the family who deems that her grandkids need to get married so that the town can re-populate and not die. But this is a town that is on the coast of Maine and has large mansions that people people stay in for a week or two. So you would assume that there is some kind of tourism business or support that needs to happen for these residence that have the mansions. But according to the grandmother, it is a dying town. So, she concocts a dating app or maybe a matchmaking app. But you never really know how the outsider marrying into the family gets connected to this app. Like, why and how did Sadie get connected to this app that led her to being fake married to Gideon? And how exactly does the grandmother think all of her grandkids having spouses and potentially children keep this town from dying? I mean, I understand that obviously more people getting married means more people in town, but you still need more outsiders to come into town that are not marrying into your family to make the town grow.
Then you have two mysteries going on in the book. As one reviewer said, the first mystery doesn’t really make sense but is kind of plausible and then you have the second mystery which makes absolutely no sense. It is so far-fetched. A little spoiler for you, the second mystery is about someone stalking Sadie and vandalizing/threatening her. And it turns out to be her ex, but there is absolutely nothing that makes sense for why her ex would have tracked her down to a tiny town in Maine in which she got married to a guy there. And why would he want to track her down? It makes no sense.
Circling back to the miscommunication trope, there really doesn’t seem to be a lot of character development or growth for Gideon or Sadie. They are both so insecure about their issues and those issues play into the miscommunication trope and really keep the characters from growing.
This is a read it or leave it book. I don’t regret reading this book, but I definitely have a ton of questions that will never get answered. But I think I’m going to give book two a chance because I kind of wanna see if book one was a fluke or if this nonsense, non-Sequitur writing/storytelling/tropes will continue.
Let’s start off with the biggest trope in the book to me was miscommunication. Someone said in their review that the miscommunication trope went on too long and I have to agree. The entire miscommunication trope is centered around two main characters who possess absolutely no communication skills. The miscommunication between Gideon and Sadie is purely from neither of them being able to express out loud thoughts that they are having. The book is so much internal communication, that it is almost comical.
Then you have the fake marriage trope, which I don’t really love to begin with, but I really don’t like it in this book. You have the matriarch of the family who deems that her grandkids need to get married so that the town can re-populate and not die. But this is a town that is on the coast of Maine and has large mansions that people people stay in for a week or two. So you would assume that there is some kind of tourism business or support that needs to happen for these residence that have the mansions. But according to the grandmother, it is a dying town. So, she concocts a dating app or maybe a matchmaking app. But you never really know how the outsider marrying into the family gets connected to this app. Like, why and how did Sadie get connected to this app that led her to being fake married to Gideon? And how exactly does the grandmother think all of her grandkids having spouses and potentially children keep this town from dying? I mean, I understand that obviously more people getting married means more people in town, but you still need more outsiders to come into town that are not marrying into your family to make the town grow.
Then you have two mysteries going on in the book. As one reviewer said, the first mystery doesn’t really make sense but is kind of plausible and then you have the second mystery which makes absolutely no sense. It is so far-fetched. A little spoiler for you, the second mystery is about someone stalking Sadie and vandalizing/threatening her. And it turns out to be her ex, but there is absolutely nothing that makes sense for why her ex would have tracked her down to a tiny town in Maine in which she got married to a guy there. And why would he want to track her down? It makes no sense.
Circling back to the miscommunication trope, there really doesn’t seem to be a lot of character development or growth for Gideon or Sadie. They are both so insecure about their issues and those issues play into the miscommunication trope and really keep the characters from growing.
This is a read it or leave it book. I don’t regret reading this book, but I definitely have a ton of questions that will never get answered. But I think I’m going to give book two a chance because I kind of wanna see if book one was a fluke or if this nonsense, non-Sequitur writing/storytelling/tropes will continue.
June 27, 2026
This is my 2nd and last book by this author. This should have been a 'rom-com.'
The plot is ridiculous. I need to believe a little bit in the story but this one is beyond belief. The dominating matriarch of a family with several sons, in a small town in Maine that is dying out because of a failing lumber and saw mill industry, decides she'll demand they get married to repopulate the town. Gee, I'm surprised the Chamber of Commerce hasn't thought of this for other dying towns. Let's see: Get married, have babies, wait 18 or so years until they can have babies but with whom, since the town will be full of cousins? How are the brides chosen? Why, using this grandmother's dating app of course!
OK, setting that aside, we have the first son, Gideon, 'forced' to marry Sadie who agreed to this marriage to somebody she's never met or even talked to. Why would she agree to leave everything behind and do this? Because she's 31, and her ex just called off their wedding. It's either marry Gideon or move back in with her parents. (There's a whole deal about how her wedding dress business collapsed. So why not get a job with another business since she's talented?)
He's furious that he's forced to do this. She's furious that he is glaring at her with obvious hostility. Both people have issues. Despite being devastatingly handsome, Gideon is scarred from burns, and Sadie has vagismus (guess whose magic peen will cure her when nothing else has worked?). She puts '1' for interest in sex on her application, so what dating app would match her with a man who wants sex? She does that to hide her condition.
She falls walking down the aisle; he picks her up, and she discovers how hot he is and how horny she is. "I'd forgotten how good it felt to be in someone's arms." They have their first conversation, in the aisle of the church. ALL this before they even make it to the altar, in the first 10% of the story, in Chapter 2. THEN we meet Mr Titty, the local graffiti artist, who tagged the church doors with, yes, titties. Turns out that Gideon runs the security business for the two; there aren't any cops (dying town, remember?).
Then they discover somebody slit the tire on her car (she drove straight from the city to her wedding). She wonders if it was Mr. Titty. OMG, WTactualF is this? It is beyond ridiculous. I simply cannot read it. DNF.
The plot is ridiculous. I need to believe a little bit in the story but this one is beyond belief. The dominating matriarch of a family with several sons, in a small town in Maine that is dying out because of a failing lumber and saw mill industry, decides she'll demand they get married to repopulate the town. Gee, I'm surprised the Chamber of Commerce hasn't thought of this for other dying towns. Let's see: Get married, have babies, wait 18 or so years until they can have babies but with whom, since the town will be full of cousins? How are the brides chosen? Why, using this grandmother's dating app of course!
OK, setting that aside, we have the first son, Gideon, 'forced' to marry Sadie who agreed to this marriage to somebody she's never met or even talked to. Why would she agree to leave everything behind and do this? Because she's 31, and her ex just called off their wedding. It's either marry Gideon or move back in with her parents. (There's a whole deal about how her wedding dress business collapsed. So why not get a job with another business since she's talented?)
He's furious that he's forced to do this. She's furious that he is glaring at her with obvious hostility. Both people have issues. Despite being devastatingly handsome, Gideon is scarred from burns, and Sadie has vagismus (guess whose magic peen will cure her when nothing else has worked?). She puts '1' for interest in sex on her application, so what dating app would match her with a man who wants sex? She does that to hide her condition.
She falls walking down the aisle; he picks her up, and she discovers how hot he is and how horny she is. "I'd forgotten how good it felt to be in someone's arms." They have their first conversation, in the aisle of the church. ALL this before they even make it to the altar, in the first 10% of the story, in Chapter 2. THEN we meet Mr Titty, the local graffiti artist, who tagged the church doors with, yes, titties. Turns out that Gideon runs the security business for the two; there aren't any cops (dying town, remember?).
Then they discover somebody slit the tire on her car (she drove straight from the city to her wedding). She wonders if it was Mr. Titty. OMG, WTactualF is this? It is beyond ridiculous. I simply cannot read it. DNF.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2026
Better off Wed
Gabriel and Sadie
Small town, arranged marriage
This was a good story. A quick and easy read that introduces you to the tiny town of Marswood Harbor, Maine. And one very rich and determined grandmother with a plan and an algorithm to revitalize and repopulate the town her family founded. Starting with her unmarried grandchildren.
Sadie has agreed to marry a stranger to escape her family. Being the only unmarried member of a family that lives and breathes all things wedding, she has become the overlooked member. Never good enough, never what any man expected when they date. She’s made herself small and inconsequential. Her underlying health problem doesn’t help. She waits to be left once the truth comes out.
Gabriel has agreed to marry Sadie to save his security business, that keeps him and several other family members employed. Grandma holds the purse strings to the funds he used to start it. Gabriel is the last person anyone expected to be a groom. A fire left not only his skin scared but his confidence as well. He knows people only see his scars. No one looks deeper than his appearance. They don’t see the gentle, kind and loving soul buried deep within him. He’s always waiting for the next person to shun him or turn away in horror.
Until Sadie. She took the time. And loved what she saw. It was lust at first site, that quickly changed to love.
These two have communication problems. Instead of talking they assume. Then walk away. Secretly both are in love with the other. Just afraid to take that leap.
One thing that drove me nuts was the inner dialogue that kept rehashing the same things over and over and over again. It seems to be the writing style of this author, she’s done it in most of the other books I’ve read of hers. Too much over thinking.
That being said, I did like the book. I loved the characters and the family dynamic. No cheating. It’s a great start to a new series. I can’t wait to read the next one.
The story is told mostly from Sadie’s point of view. Gideon gets a little blurb at the end of each chapter. They have a few things that pop up that need solving but eventually find their happy ending.
Gabriel and Sadie
Small town, arranged marriage
This was a good story. A quick and easy read that introduces you to the tiny town of Marswood Harbor, Maine. And one very rich and determined grandmother with a plan and an algorithm to revitalize and repopulate the town her family founded. Starting with her unmarried grandchildren.
Sadie has agreed to marry a stranger to escape her family. Being the only unmarried member of a family that lives and breathes all things wedding, she has become the overlooked member. Never good enough, never what any man expected when they date. She’s made herself small and inconsequential. Her underlying health problem doesn’t help. She waits to be left once the truth comes out.
Gabriel has agreed to marry Sadie to save his security business, that keeps him and several other family members employed. Grandma holds the purse strings to the funds he used to start it. Gabriel is the last person anyone expected to be a groom. A fire left not only his skin scared but his confidence as well. He knows people only see his scars. No one looks deeper than his appearance. They don’t see the gentle, kind and loving soul buried deep within him. He’s always waiting for the next person to shun him or turn away in horror.
Until Sadie. She took the time. And loved what she saw. It was lust at first site, that quickly changed to love.
These two have communication problems. Instead of talking they assume. Then walk away. Secretly both are in love with the other. Just afraid to take that leap.
One thing that drove me nuts was the inner dialogue that kept rehashing the same things over and over and over again. It seems to be the writing style of this author, she’s done it in most of the other books I’ve read of hers. Too much over thinking.
That being said, I did like the book. I loved the characters and the family dynamic. No cheating. It’s a great start to a new series. I can’t wait to read the next one.
The story is told mostly from Sadie’s point of view. Gideon gets a little blurb at the end of each chapter. They have a few things that pop up that need solving but eventually find their happy ending.
Read
August 2, 2026Rating: 5/5
Spice: 3/5
Tropes/themes: grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, arranged marriage, feelings of inadequacy, self-worth, physical scars, stalking, mystery, small town
Sadie decides to agree to an arranged marriage after being matched with Gideon. She really doesn't have any other options since her ex sabotaged her business and her self-worth. She doesn't want to have to move back in with her parents, since they treat her as worthless since she's unmarried. Her relationships have never worked out because she has a medical condition that makes her pelvic floor muscles contract painfully with vaginal penetration. So, she has been made to feel broken, worthless, and has been taught that sex and sexual acts are transactional. She's hoping an arranged marriage will guarantee her a partner, but she still longs for love and a happily ever after.
Gideon agrees to the marriage because his grandmother is blackmailing him. She owns 51% of his company and will dismantle it if he won't go through with the marriage. And his company employs a lot of his family members. Gideon suffered some pretty bad burns in a fire a few years back and has some bad scarring on half of his face, neck, shoulder and forearm. His fiancé at the time left him because of the disfigurement, so Gideon doesn't believe any woman could find him attractive and stay around.
Once they meet on their wedding day, there's instant attraction, but their emotional hangups cause them to push the other away and there is a lot of miscommunications. Then it comes to light that maybe someone in town wants to harm Sadie.
I honestly couldn't put this book down. I read it in one day and would love to read it again! The characters were so well developed, even if most of the book is from Sadie's POV. I could feel the emotions and the feelings of pain and worthlessness of the characters as a physical ache! LOVED IT!
Spice: 3/5
Tropes/themes: grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, arranged marriage, feelings of inadequacy, self-worth, physical scars, stalking, mystery, small town
Sadie decides to agree to an arranged marriage after being matched with Gideon. She really doesn't have any other options since her ex sabotaged her business and her self-worth. She doesn't want to have to move back in with her parents, since they treat her as worthless since she's unmarried. Her relationships have never worked out because she has a medical condition that makes her pelvic floor muscles contract painfully with vaginal penetration. So, she has been made to feel broken, worthless, and has been taught that sex and sexual acts are transactional. She's hoping an arranged marriage will guarantee her a partner, but she still longs for love and a happily ever after.
Gideon agrees to the marriage because his grandmother is blackmailing him. She owns 51% of his company and will dismantle it if he won't go through with the marriage. And his company employs a lot of his family members. Gideon suffered some pretty bad burns in a fire a few years back and has some bad scarring on half of his face, neck, shoulder and forearm. His fiancé at the time left him because of the disfigurement, so Gideon doesn't believe any woman could find him attractive and stay around.
Once they meet on their wedding day, there's instant attraction, but their emotional hangups cause them to push the other away and there is a lot of miscommunications. Then it comes to light that maybe someone in town wants to harm Sadie.
I honestly couldn't put this book down. I read it in one day and would love to read it again! The characters were so well developed, even if most of the book is from Sadie's POV. I could feel the emotions and the feelings of pain and worthlessness of the characters as a physical ache! LOVED IT!
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