Extravagant pay-your-own-way destination weddings. Money-dripping ice swans. And reception DJs who keep the “Chicken Dance” on repeat. Some brides are simply not having it. They’ll rebel against white lace—and won’t let “special day” crazy stop real love. Leila Darling is past done with the supermodel thing, especially the mega-parties and high-profile flings that have done nothing but leave her alone and jaded. She’s got the talent to be a serious actress, but the industry sees her as a high-maintenance, impulsive party girl with a reputation for leaving men in the dust—especially TV producer Carter Bain.
Carter’s had his eye on Leila for years, so when a bet gives him a chance to get close to her, he accepts. With the goal of getting Leila the image makeover she needs and Carter the star he desires, the game is on. Get married and stay married for six months. If Leila lasts, she gets her pick of his A-list roles. If Carter wins, she’ll take the hot sidekick part he’s offered.
But as their “I do” turns up all kinds of heat, Leila and Carter find they have more in common than they ever imagined. Are these two prepared to put business aside and surrender the ultimate prize, their hearts?
USA Today bestselling author and native New Yorker Kwana Jackson aka K.M Jackson spent her formative years on the A train where she had two dreams: (1) to be a fashion designer and (2) to be a writer. After spending more than ten years designing women’s sportswear for various fashion houses, Kwana took a leap of faith and decided to pursue her other dream of being a writer. A longtime advocate of equality and diversity in romance (#WeNeedDiverseRomance), Kwana is the mother of twins and currently lives in a suburb of New York with her husband. When not writing she can be found on Twitter @kwanawrites, on Facebook at facebook.com/KmJacksonAuthor, and on her website at www.kmjackson.com.
K.M. Jackson’s The Betting Vow is the third standalone story in the Unconventional Brides series. The series takes a lighthearted and humorous view of the institution of marriage and all the trappings that go along with the ‘perfect’ wedding. This story veers into marriage of convenience territory in an entertaining and fun romance that starts with a bet and ends in true love.
Leila Darling is a famous supermodel for whom the daily grind is losing its appeal. She’s hoping to use her fame to land herself a serious television role with Sphere, World Broadcasting’s new nightly programming and their upcoming show Shadowed Dreams that is looking for a woman of color to play the lead lawyer. The network has a new sitcom, Brentwood Drive with a role that definitely plays into Leila’s party girl reputation, but she knows she’ll be typecast for years to come if she takes it.
Carter Bain is a well-respected TV producer whose investment dollars for the new programming are dependent on star recognition. A famous face like Leila’s is exactly the draw he wants, but he and Leila have differing opinions on where she’d fit best, her reputation preceding her. Carter’s good friend Jasper, who just so happens to be Leila’s manager, suggests a way for them to decide the issue. He proposes a bet to be settled by a game of poker. If Carter wins, Leila will read for the role of the hot sidekick in Brentwood Drive and accept a contract if offered. If Leila wins, she’ll read for both roles and get to pick the one she wants. If Jasper wins, the stakes are higher. Carter and Leila must agree to a six month marriage of convenience, ostensibly an image makeover for Leila which marriage to the staid and steady Carter Bain would provide. If one of them bails before the six months are up, the other wins. If they both last, Leila gets her way (she is after all, Jasper’s bread and butter). They all agree to the terms, and Jasper wins the game. Carter and Leila agree to an in-name-only relationship in private, though in public they’ll have to appear to have fallen in love in a whirlwind courtship. But the more time they spend together, the more complicated it gets. What happens when your in-name-only spouse becomes the one you want for real?
While most people would hesitate to marry a stranger they’ve known for less than twenty-four hours, it works in this story because of the go-between, Jasper. He knows both parties well, and more importantly, they trust him. Also, the point of the Unconventional Brides series is to take some pretty quirky marriage ideas and make them into a fun and entertaining read without going too far into the realm of the unbelievable, and I think the author succeeds well here.
Leila may have a superficial reputation as a party girl who is afraid of commitment but it’s not quite reality. Yes, she enjoys a good time, but in every one of her failed relationships she’s given her all, and gotten her heart broken in the process when her partners have ended things. Her most recent breakup resulted in a particularly nasty move by her ex who wrote a song that rocketed to the charts about how she’s a man-eater who can’t commit. Most men have been more interested in her looks than in her as a person and quite honestly haven’t deserved her. She’s smarter than they give her credit for, and she’s already gotten positive reviews for a small part she played in a new sci-fi movie. She’s committed to her marriage to Carter to further her career goals and while she may be attracted to him, she’s not going to let it deter her.
Carter has secretly had a crush on Leila for years, so meeting her in person (and then marrying her!) is pretty much his dream come true. Like most men, he’d been taken in by her reputation and unfairly judged her talents accordingly, but to his credit, Carter quickly realizes that he’s misjudged her and his respect for her is evident. Where Leila is bright and bubbly, Carter is the opposite, steadfast and calm. He’s a genuinely nice guy who knows a good thing when he sees it, and when he’s been wrong, he’s not afraid to admit it. He can’t hide his attraction to Leila though, nor can she hide hers to him, so their fake marriage becomes pretty real in the bedroom in some sexy love scenes. The conflicts in the story mostly relate to Leila’s image, and trust issues for them both.
One thing that is noticeable is that both main characters have a strong and positive relationship with their families. They each have concerns over what their parents will think of their sudden marriage, a clear indication from the start that family is important to them. Leila has lost her mother but is very close to her father and has three overprotective brothers to boot. Similarly, Carter is very close to his mother and it’s as important to him that she like Leila as it is that Leila like her.
The story moves at a good pace until the end, when things are a bit rushed and some of the story points are left unresolved. However there’s no doubt that Leila and Carter are happy with their marriage and plan to stay together. I’m glad to have taken a chance on this new to me author and I definitely plan to read the previous books in the series. If you want a lighthearted look at a modern marriage, The Betting Vow is worth the read.
The pacing was off. The setup was good, but there was sooo much set up in this short book that there wasn't much time for anything else. I have no idea when they fell in love. There wasn't much in the way of conflict or, even, really much resolution.
Leila was my favorite character out of the series. Even though everyone else had her written off as only being a one trick pony she was determined to show them that she could be more then a model and she was destined to be an actress. In comes Carter and from the moment he saw Leila he wanted to.know more about her and he was very much intrigued by her. I loved how natural they were with each other. Carter was very patient with Her. There where many funny parts to this book and both sides of their family are very protective and I enjoyed those parts of the books so much as they showed another side of the characters. I loved this series so much that I am secretly hoping for a fourth book want to know what's going on with all of my favorite characters from throught the series.
The Betting Vow was my favorite of the three books in this Unconventional Brides series. We've seen Carter in the other books and he always came off as super work focused and willing do whatever it takes to succeed in business. I don't think love and romance was ever on his radar. I was thrilled when he made the insane bet with model/actress Leila because I knew he was getting in over his head. Leila was just as focused and willing to do whatever it took to further her career and get to act in a serious role. Their romance was sweet. Neither of them wanted to admit they had feelings developing, but both were open to giving into the experience.
The Betting Vow (Unconventional Brides) by K.M. Jackson The lighter side of love with some serious issues thrown in for good measure. K.M. Jackson and her band of Unconventional Brides make the grade, as they throw shade and bring on the laughs while finding their heart's desire. Leila and Carter know that love is a serious business, but with humor and compromise, falling in love can be a treasure worth waiting for. The Betting Vow bets on happily ever after and scores big time.
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
While part of a series it is not required to have read the previous stories to follow this one. While I had read the second story, I missed the first along the way and it didn't impact the enjoyment. In fact I did not recognize and backstories I may have missed.
I am always partial to the fake marriage stories. I mean, they are always going to get to the end of the agreed upon timeline with their feelings in tact and be able to walk away right? OK, so you know that is not going to happen but the fun part for me is the journey along the way and how fast those feelings actually do come in to play.
It is also fun when you have one character who is uptight (Carter) and one who is a wold card (Leila). To be honest, while this is how the characters were described, once they entered the fake marriage, their personalities seemed to do a little switch.
At the end of the day, this was a fun story that entertained me. It delivered exactly what I was expecting it to.
First of all, this book is NOT 3600+ pages as listed. It's more like 200. Second, the first part of the synopsis (the hook) has nothing to do with the story. There's no 'special day,' with or without ice swans.. Leila and Carter request a quickie preacher sent up to their hotel room for a frills-free exchange of vows.
As for the characters, I didn't much care for Leila. Whenever something happened, her knee jerk reaction toward Carter was always 'you're trying to screw me over.' There was no trust at all. I understand that her history of bad relationships colored her thinking, but she never seemed to look at her own role in them, either, why she kept hooking up with losers. At some point, wouldn't you think she'd do a little self-examination? Carter comes across as an incredibly standup guy. A normal guy would have just said 'you know what, I'm out of here, no job is worth it' after the first few times Leila refused to listen to him.
Also, as far as I know, supermodels do not get to scarf bacon, biscuits, burgers, and fries. Except maybe on Leap Year Day. I'm pretty sure the metabolism fairies just aren't that kind.
Finally, while Leila is described many times as African American, we're never given a description for Carter. Maybe Jackson does this intentionally?
I was grateful to be able to read this new-to-me author, but I probably won't be checking out the rest of the series. It might be exactly what you're looking for, however.
Leila Darling is looking to make a career change from supermodel to actress, but without a way in, she'll never get a chance. So, when a bet grants her the opportunity to improve her reputation by marrying TV producer Carter Bain, she takes it. Yet, the more time she spends with Carter, the more Leila begins to see that their deal is more than business. Will the pair give their marriage a real chance, or will they go their separate ways once the six months they agreed to are up?
This series is an absolutely brilliant concept, and I have loved every book, because the main characters are well-developed and face such challenging obstacles that just make a reader want to know more about how these couples are going to achieve their happy ever after. The way this story started had me wanting to laugh at the heroine's predicament, as being a supermodel has made her jaded and determined to make a change, so the industry stops seeing her as an high-maintenance and impulsive woman that uses men then leaves them high and dry when she's done with them. Will she be able to change her career with little to no problems or will she face competition from those determined to annoy her such as one of the secondary characters that Leila has a total problem with?
As for the dialogue, it was intense, entertaining and had me loving both the main characters, as the heroine provides quite a challenge for the hero. Will the hero be able to win Leila's heart since it's palpable he wants more than an 'in name only' marriage, even though he does his best to hide his feelings from her by burying himself in work? However, the dialogue wasn't all intense. There were some really good light-hearted moments that had me amused by this couple's use of the words 'Wifey' and 'Hubby' and the way they tease each other, as they adjust to their new arrangement. Moreover, the heroine is strong, brave and I liked how determined she was to go from being a supermodel to an actress. Really, it's the best thing for her, considering what one of her exes have done that makes her out to be the bad guy when he was the one in the wrong.
While the hero, he's hard-working, determined to help the heroine in any way he can because of the bet, and I liked how he stood up to those that he'd known for years for the heroine. She's good at what she does and deserves a shot at acting, and I liked that the hero realized how good she was because she needs someone like him on her side. I also liked the close friendships he shared with his two friends, Aiden and Vin, and that they could tease each other when it came to things in their lives especially women. Yet, what I liked most of all about the hero is how he handled the moment he met Leila's family. Really, it seemed nothing phased the hero, no matter how embarrassing a situation.
Overall, Ms. Jackson has delivered a wonderful read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was fantastic; the romance delightful and did justice to this couple's intense chemistry; and the ending had hoping that the hero would do right by the heroine and that their bet and marriage wouldn't be null and void. Luckily, Carter isn't afraid to stand up to his boss; a man that's been more like a father to him than his own father. However, I liked how things worked out for the heroine when it came to her career, even though everything could have turned out differently because of what happens to her towards the end. I would recommend The Betting Vow by K.M Jackson, if you enjoy the fake relationship trope, the marriage of convenience trope, or books by authors Kianna Alexander, Tina Martin, Farrah Rochon or Rochelle Alers.
Title: The Betting Vow Author: K. M. Jackson Pages: 342 Genre: Romance, Adult Fiction Rating: 3 out of 5 stars Another lovely romance novel for those who wish to live their dreams of love through the pages of a novel. This story is about Leila Darling, a top model who is recovering from a recent breakup. She meets Carter Bain and embarks on a bet to marry the man for six months. Thus, the entertainment ensues. Oh No's The dialogue was drawn out a little much in parts. Such the introduction between the two characters and the little in between scenes of description. They were greatly unneeded and could have been put to better use on more getting to know each other scenes. The ending felt very rushed. I feel that the the book could have gone on for so much longer. The whole plot seemed to just come to a spontaneous end. I wish there had been a lot more than a hurried fight and ending of the bet their whole story was about. Yay's Leila is a bae and her description is perfect. I imagined her to look like Nafessa Williams a bit. Her character was so well thought out that I really loved her. The way she bonded with Carter was different and I enjoyed their playful banter as well. Which leads to my next Yay. The romance was really cute between the two main characters. Leila and Carter were so great to watch bond and discover things about themselves. Also Carter liking Leila already made this like ten times cuter because he actually wanted this. Finally, This was a cute romance novel that will pique your interest if you are into them. Also would be a great beach read since the pages are easy to read making it a fast page turner. A good recommendation for this book would be the Maid For Love by Marie Force. Favorite Quote "What you should know about me, Ms. Darling, is when I say I'm in, I'm in. " Pg. 74 │Goodreads│Instagram│Previous Post│ -PM
Lelia Darling is an over the top model aspiring actress who is known as the love them and leave them type. While in Vegas at a party for a Vodka brand, ends up making a bet with her manager Jasper and his friend, Carter Bain. Carter is a television producer and wants her for a certain show. Lelia wants to do a different show, so they make the bet to get married and stay married for at least 6 months. The end of the six months will decide what show Lelia will do.
I Appreciated the fact that even though they married without knowing each other, they took time to get to know each other. You could feel that they cared for each other and were determined to make the marriage work. I also liked the fact that they balanced each other out, with Lelia being the wild child and Carter being stuffy. It was a fun and entertaining story and a great way to end the series.
I RECIEVED AN ADVANCE COPY FROM NET GALLEY FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
This was my fave of the three books. The premise of a bet that involves a 6 month marriage hooked me and I truly enjoyed reading about Leila and Carter. They're so different but the opposites attract angle worked.
Carter was so obviously into Leila from the start, that the poor man never stood a chance with this bet. And we saw the chemistry and sparks fly between them even though they were at odds thanks to the challenge that brought about the bet in the first place.
I liked that the growth of their relationship felt real. That while there was the TV show that Leila wanted to read for VS the one Carter (initially) and his boss thought she should read for, was an obstacle between them, as things progressed, Carter too believed Leila should test for both.
I just thoroughly enjoyed this one. I wished Jasper, Leila's agent and friend, was getting a book though. I liked their relationship alot! But I think the series may end at 3 books.
As usual, I really enjoyed this Unconventional Brides installment. Light but not made of fluff, this sweet and sexy story (whoa, that's a lot of s words without one cuss, go me!) Is great for a fun weekend read.
We get a deeper look into characters we've gotten glimpses of in the first two books and see them INA whole new light. Jackson once again delivers an alpha male who isn't a complete tool as a great match for a strong, intelligent woman.
I always enjoy the escape Jackson provides, and though these books may not hit my "most favoritest bestest books ever" list, the writing is consistently good, the characters are easy to relate to, and the romance is lovely. Oh, and the sex ain't too shabby either ;)
I have read the other books of this series and was interested in seeing what was in store for Carter. Now that I have the read in hand it took me too long to get started. And it took me even longer to finish it. I liked the book but was not overly satisfied. It was just another read that gave me two characters that fell in love in between. Since it was not much about Leila that I could recall reading in either of the other books it was Carter that carried this one for me. I thought he deserved more, but then I got to see Leila and what she went through. It took too long for me to feel comfortable with them both as a couple. It was easier to warm up to them as individuals than as a couple.
I absolutely adored this book. When I saw it was coming out, I rushed to buy TO ME I WED so I wouldn't miss anything. I'm glad I did. This entire series is exactly what I'm looking for in a romance. I was a little worried I'd have trouble warming up to Carter, but he won me over soon enough. Leila is a great heroine. With her backstory, I kept worrying we'd run into a subplot with Carter cheating at some point, but the author wisely steered away from that course.
A terrific end to a terrific series. I'm only sad there aren't more.
***I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***
An entertaining read, and original- nothing else quite like it in the genre of mass market romance. The plot could have been developed a lot more- the main characters love wasn't believable, and there was too much page space spent on characters beating themselves up for being awkward- not very compelling given that the two main characters are super model and highly successful, attractive businessman. The space would have been better spent on dialogue and building the relationship between the characters. There wasn't a lot of content in terms of interactions between the characters and moments where you could see the relationship growing.
First time reading K.M. Jackson and I can say with conviction that it will not be my last! I feel in love with Leila and Carter....Carter is in the running to become my new book boyfriend ;) When they decide to get married to help each other's image, neither Leila or Carter can ignore the sparks that fly between them...and pretty soon it becomes obvious that maybe marriage isn't the worse thing for them. I laughed, cringed and rooted until the end...can't wait to check out the other books in this series! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Leila is a supermodel who is done with that lifestyle. Leila is a party where she meets Carter. Carter has always been intrigued by Leila. Lelia wants something different from her life. Leila and Carter make a bet but she had to agree to the terms of the bet first.
I thought this was a good read. Leila and Carter’s relationship started out as a bet and helping each other out. I loved how over time you could see their relationship start to change and how they genuinely started caring about each other. I really enjoyed reading this series!!!
This one was quite an entertaining read. It got a few eye-rolls from me with all the (light skinned) "super sexy, super beautiful super model with long hair who eats a lot but stay thin" and all, but the plot was actually interesting. I liked how things started awkward between Leila and Carter, even if the latter had had a crush on the former for some time when they finally met. They made a hot and sexy couple.
I just finished reading this series, and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed each book. We always want to fight love never realizing its not an easy feat. Our hearts get broken so much that when the right one comes along we don't always see it because of fear. This series has opened our hearts to love. It makes you want to get back out there and try. That you really can have your happily ever after.
I love a good romance, and this delivered. Married after losing a bet, Carter wants to present a family man vibe at work and Leila wants to tone down her party girl image. I felt like Cater developed feelings from lust a bit too fast, but overall I enjoyed it anyway, and the story was fun. I'd still kind of like to know what that final meeting was about, though.
I really enjoyed each of the three books in this series for the realistic portrayal of three professional, accomplished women who happen to fall in love.
I was only bummed that each book, and as a result the whole series, ended rather abruptly! After so much development, I was invested in the characters across the series, so this aspect was a bit disappointing.
3.5 rating I picked this book up on a whim and did enjoy the story. It is about a model who wants to go into acting and a man who is trying to get this woman into his frivolous series he is designing. Needless to say, she wants a meaningful part and he has yearned after this woman for years! Romance! Was a fun read.
Feels rushed and unfinished at the end but solid for a good chunk of the story
I was ready to love this all the way to about 90% in, but the ending was so rushed that it was kind of a let down. But not in a "never read her again" kind of way. The author is really talented, and I enjoyed the rest of her books that I've been introduced to but this one just doesn't feel finish
When you want the world to see and know the real you and your capabilities, there are always others that try to keep you in the box they have clearly placed you in. I am glad that Leila kept her eyes on the prize and went for what she wanted and that Carter got on board.
I am really glad I stumbled upon this series. These stories are well written, enjoyable, and move along in a great way. I liked Carter from the first book, so I’m glad he finally found love.
I have been reading this off and on for almost three weeks and I decided I just needed to finish it. I ended up skimming a lot and the end seemed rather abrupt. Might be closer to 2 stars.
I liked the others in this series but felt like this one lacked heart. There seemed to be less connection, it was like a constant battle without any character growth or true relationship forming.