Picture Imperfect

Imperfect #4

by Mary Frame

When a fake relationship starts to feel all too real with the wrong person, Gwen McDougall must choose between the perfect charade, and the imperfectly perfect love that lies with the other brother.

Brent Crawford, the swoon-worthy tight end for the New York Sharks, is caught in a career crisis of epic proportions. Accused of assault, he's teetering on the edge of losing his sponsors faster than a linebacker chasing a quarterback. In a Hail Mary move, he turns to Gwen McDougall.

Gwen, a former fashion model turned aspiring photographer, yearns for a break from the predictable. Craving more than staged shots of second-tier celebrities, she seizes an opportunity to transform her craft. All she has to do is fake-date Brent to help restore his tarnished image. Simple, right? After all, he's Brent Crawford, the epitome of perfection.

Enter Marc Crawford, the other half of the Crawford brothers equation. With an imperfect face marked by snowboarding scars, Marc is a quirky mix of sensitivity and humor.

As Gwen immerses herself in Brent's world, she discovers that the heart she truly desires beats beneath the scarred exterior of Marc. Caught in a love triangle that would make even the nimblest wide receiver dizzy, Gwen must decide between reneging on her deal to fake the picture-perfect illusion of love with Brent, or give up her photography dreams for the imperfectly raw truth that rests in the arms of Marc.

Hold onto your helmets because this rollercoaster romance is about to unveil the imperfections hidden beneath the glossiest of surfaces! Get ready for a wild ride where love, laughter, and unexpected twists make for a playbook worth following.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Sports, Ebooks, New Adult, Amazon

266 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 27, 2018

About the author

Mary Frame writes romantic comedies with quirky characters, steamy moments, and banter that will make you blush and snort-laugh at the same time. She’s a full time mom with a full time job and has no idea how she manages to write novels, but it probably helps that she's a dedicated introvert. She doesn't enjoy writing about herself in third person, but she does enjoy reading, writing, dancing, and damaging the ear drums of her co-workers when she randomly decides to sing to them.

She LOVES hearing from readers and will not only respond but likely begin stalking them while tossing out hearts and flowers and rainbows! If that doesn't creep you out, e-mail her at: maryframeauthor@gmail.com

www.maryframe.com

Instagram: @maryframeauthor
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorMaryFrame
Bookbub: @MaryFrame

Reviews

[Mary Frame]

Seriously, I'm never going to rate my own books lol...WHY IS THIS EVEN AN OPTION FOR THE WRITER?

Anyway...I really, really, REALLY loved writing this book. I don't know what else to say about it, except I hope it makes you happy when you read it. But I guess that's how I feel about everything I write. If you're having a bad day, or week, or month, or whatever, maybe I can help make you smile, or laugh a little and forget about your troubles for a time or two. That's the goal! And it's coming in about 20 more days! I can't wait!! <3 <3

Mary

[Tracy C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Mary Frame's writing and humor. Gwen and Marc were fantastic. She helped him get out from under his fathers expectations. So glad that Marc finally got what he deserved.

[Coco.V]

💝 FREE on iBooks today (11/15/2018)!💝

[Anna Theurer (Anna's Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author and it will not be my last as this book is a quick, sweet, enjoyable read and the perfect twist on the stereotypical fake girlfriend romance. Picture Imperfect is the 4th book in Mary Frame’s Imperfect series. I do believe that this book can be read as a standalone (although there is apparently some character overlap) as I have not read the previous 3 books and I have no trouble following along. That being said, I fully intend to go back and read the rest of the series because I enjoyed this book so much.

This is what I would call an atypical, sports, fake girlfriend romance. There is humor, heartache, secrets and betrayal, sweetness, good chemistry, and a HEA. The characters are well-developed, likable, and relatable.

Gwen is a former model whose reputation was ruined a year ago, stifling her new career as a photographer. She is kind-hearted, dedicated to her craft, and a bit lonely. Yes, she has her faults, but that is what makes her relatable. Brent is an upcoming football player, the good ole American golden boy who becomes embroiled of a scandal not of his doing. Given that both Gwen and Brent had their relationship ruined by the same person, they engage in a fake relationship. Marc is Brent’s scarred older brother. He is an amazing brother. He is hard working and supportive and the opposite of the carefree Brent. I couldn’t help but love Gwen, Marc, and Brent as well as some of the other secondary characters. They are strong, endearing, and all with unique traits. They kind of people I would love to have as friends.

I like the author’s twist on the fake relationship. It didn’t follow the typical formula of the woman has a fake relationship with a hot, famous male and she falls for him. Brent would be the stereotypical, perfect guy while Marc falls under society’s version Mr. Imperfect when compared to his brother. However, Marc is absolutely perfect for Gwen. The two have a bit of a slow burn romance. Picture Imperfect is told from Gwen’s and Marc’s POV which I enjoyed because I like being able get a peek into each of their thoughts. The book moves at a good pace with no parts that lagged. Overall, this book was an entertaining, humorous read with 3 strong, likable main characters and a unique twist on a fake relationship romance. I received this book as an ARC and I voluntarily leave this review.

[Rejane]

It’s either very attractive and irresistible or ugly unattractive. Why not a middle field? 🤔🙄

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked reading this book. I found the complex relationship between three people quite interesting. The female lead character Gwen McDougall is a strong-minded person. She has lived through some of the worst emotional turmoil and eventually with the help of her sister was able to overcome it. Gwen treats everyone with respect regardless of color, race or creed. She left a successful modeling career to pursue her dreams of become a photographer. Right now, she accepts any job because she has bills to pay. However, her dream is to do more serious photography on the cultures in the world on the brink of extinction. She never gives up hope that one day someone will receive her presentation and hire her to do it. Rejections so far. Then on a photoshoot, she meets Marc Crawford and immediately finds him to be a beautiful male specimen to be photographed. But Marc is very conscience of the scars on his face and feels no one would ever be serious with him. His experience has been that women cling to him only to meet his football star younger brother Brent. The two brothers could not be more different from each other. Brent got the looks, height and famous career. Marc on the other hand is not as tall Brent. Brent is over six feet and Marc is under six feet. Brent has a toned physique, while Marc is no slouch, he is slim but not built like Brent. Marc has been the go-to guy in his family. He takes care of his father at work. His father owns the company. But Marc is only an employee not a stock holder. Marc has always taken care of Brent ever since their mother died. Marc has been both mother and father to Brent. Marc's father is always taking advantage of Marc's good nature. He even mocks him to his face in regard to his facial scars. Marc's father is pathetic. When Brent's reputation takes a hit, Marc suggests Gwen act as Brent's girlfriend. Brent and Gwen start making appearances but, she is falling for Marc and does not know what to do. The good thing is that Marc is developing feelings for Gwen but his insecurities about his looks hold him back from pursuing her. Then Brent becomes attracted to Gwen and the trouble begins. This is an emotional story of Gwen's, Marc's and Brent's internal and external "scars". An excellent story and I do recommend it. I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Judy Christiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly love all of Mary Frame's books! This one was not an exception to that statement. It starts as quite a few romance stories do, a "fake" dating situation that will become a course to real love. This story is a bit different though, in that Gwen does not fall for the fake boyfriend, Brent (who most of the world would see as the prize guy) but she falls for his brother Marc (who is the" imperfect" one, but "perfect" for her).

I fell in love with Marc also. I could easily see that Gwen would pick him over his brother and I was cheering them on and hoping for a happy ending. Since it is a romance book, I felt assured that my wishes would come true.

Mary Frame does an amazing job of character development in a somewhat short story. There are a few plots going on and all are handled very well. Her writing draws emotions from the reader; some happiness, some sadness and a lot of laughter.

The story is very positive and uplifting and just the right amount of sexy.

The next book in this series will be Brent's story. I have already picked the perfectly imperfect gal for him. I would like him to meet Scarlett (she is from Texas and she bakes delicious cupcakes and other deserts and is a bit naive) and fall head over heels in love with her! Fingers crossed :)

I received the ARC of this book from the author for an honest review. That was very easy to do. Her books have brought me so much pleasure; I want to share my feelings about her writing to others.

[Mela]

Ok. Sometimes my expectations are very low. Sometimes I like to read a sweet, uncomplicated romance. But after about half of this story, I had enough. It was definitely too sweet, too simple, the characters too obvious and one dimensional. Especially for an adult book (not YA/teenage).

Nonetheless, if it is still for free on Amazon you can give it a try if you are in a mood. It wasn't completely badly written.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve just finished a third book in this series in 3 days…..and no I did not only do that (still gotta work). They are just really easy and fast books to read. These books are refreshing and cute. I like that they are not overly sexual (like some other romcom books).

The first book in the series is still my favourite, but this one is still quite good. Though now that I think back on it I feel like not much happened in the book, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it’s kind of perfect when you just want an easy read.

[☆☆Hannah☆☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was another good read in the series. It had been awhile since I've read any of these so until I read another review I didn't know how any of these characters were related to the past books. In this one we have Gwen and Marc. Marc is the brother of a famous foot ball player named Brent. Brent and Gwen fake date and of course it doesn't go as planned. Good news for Brent though. He is getting his own book next. So it will be good to see what happens for him.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved reading a story where the hero is the ugly duckling - the less handsome brother, the shorter one, the scarred one, yet so kind and attentive. And the siblings are so close, it was endearing. I enjoyed the heroine’s honesty too.

[anita.thebookaddict]

💚 Book free today 12/02/18 on Amazon US 💚🎄

[Jessica Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read Mary Frame before, and really like her books. I enjoy big series, where everyone is connected and gets a story. The writing and chemistry of this book were great, but I’m never a fan of cheating. This wasn’t blatant cheating, but definitely hugged the line closer than I enjoy, hence the low rating. Still want to read more of her books and this series though .

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn, I wrote a long review and copied it (to be safe) but instead overwrote the whole thing with the letter C!

So this is another winner from Mary Frame featuring Gwen, the sister of Gemma from Practically Imperfect. Gwen was a model but is now trying to make a living as a photographer. She got a big break when one of her photos appeared in a huge advertisement in Times Square, but then a nasty gossip magazine article accused her of having a meltdown and behaving erratically so the good work dried up until a chance picture at a restaurant lands her some good publicity and a chance to help out at a magazine shoot for New York's 20 sexiest people.

Brent Crawford is the new tight end for the New York Sharks, he's young, rich, handsome and a nice person to boot. He and his older brother Marc turn up to the photoshoot and Brent is practically the only celebrity who appears to be genuinely pleasant. When Brent is falsely accused of assault his agent suggests he needs a wholesome girlfriend to refute the allegations, step forward Gwen.

So far, nothing different right? The trouble is Gwen doesn't find Brent half as appealing as his serious older brother. Hell-o love triangle.

This has all the hallmarks of a classic Mary Frame novel. It's quirky, clever, funny, it features strong female characters and endearing male characters. Loved it, loved it, loved it.

Mary Frame is an auto-buy for me and has never disappointed.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! I this is the best story. This author is new to me but I will definitely be one clicking more of her books. So well written and funny and it kept my attention from the beginning to the end.

Brent is a pro football player and the star in the family. His brother Marc has always made sure Brent and his career were put front and center. Actually Marc puts everyone but himself front and center for whatever they need or want. Marc suffered damage to one side of his face from an accident and since that time he knows he is scared and thinks he is the lesser of the two brothers. He has come to terms with the fact all the women want his brother Brent so even when his girlfriend goes after his brother he isn't terribly surprised.

Gwen is a struggling photographer. She was a former model and has the build and looks for it but her heart just wasn't up for all the fake that went along with that industry so she changed careers and is trying to be seen as more than a beautiful blond. When events puts her and Brent together you would think those two beautiful people are perfect for each other. Well the love gods have other ideas.

I absolutely loved this story. It is so well written and gives a different twist to pretend lovers turned real. I loved everything about this book and highly recommend it. I was given a copy to read and review and give my honest opinion. I loved it. Definitely 5 stars and now I am off to find more from this author

[Mom's Guilty Pleasure · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Some scars are invisible.”

This is book 4 in the Imperfect Series. It is my first Mary Frame read and I’m kicking myself for not reading the books in order. I obviously don’t know if I missed anything, but I feel in love with the characters and wish I had their backstories. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series, but don’t want to give away whose story it is!

“I’ve been so good at pushing people away for the last year I didn’t realize how much I was holding back who I am and what I’ve been missing out on.”

This book has everything you’d want in a book! It’s filled with heartfelt moments, self discovery, healing, regret, secrets, chemistry, sexy times, friendship, heartache, betrayal and hope. I was cheering for this couple and didn’t know how it was going to pan out in the end...cliffhanger or conclusion.

[RoseyLovesBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ex-model turned photographer Gwen McDougall gets tons of job offers after saving a woman from a rape, which is how she ends up at a photo shoot where she meets the handsome new NFL star Brent and his hot brother Marc. Marc Crawford dumps his girlfriend Marissa after he walks in on her trying to seduce his brother Brent. Marissa retaliates by writing a career ruining article claiming that Brent tried to come on to her when she was drunk. Brent's agent Starlee comes up with a solution ... recover Brent's gold boy image by getting a girlfriend quick ... someone famous, but not too famous. Hot but likeable. Gwen agrees to be Brent's fake girlfriend in exchange for help with her photography career but didn't expect to fall for Marc. But with so much at stake, can Gwen and Marc be together?

Picture Imperfect is a fun, drama-filled and steamy story that will suck you in

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

FINALLY!! A romance novel where the H isn't the epitome of ridiculously unrealistic manly perfection! It isn't even that one side of his face is scarred; he is just a plain, normal guy who doesn't have the face and body of Adonis, nor does he have the attitude of a tortured bear or manwhore, like ALL the other heroes in romancelandia. Thank you Mary Frame!!! ;)
Loved the story and the characters, but I will say my one little complaint is that, at least in the beginning, there were some story incongruities. For example, at first Warren from News Weekly is Starlee's husband and then when she mentions him she says he's her friend, little mistakes like that. Very minor in my opinion, but something the editing people will want to stay on top of.
I highly recommend this book, it's very refreshing and Marc and Gwen are PERFECT for each other!
5 Stars!

[Becky Burciaga · Rating 5 out of 5]

With the perfect twist to the fake relationship storyline, the story takes you into the machinations of the flawed mind...creating a snowball affect of adversity to the innocent.

The originality with which the concept transpires draws your in, exposing the frailty of the mind and how we see ourselves. The characters' vulnerabilities and flaws, some internal some external, were created with the perfect blend of anguish and strength, written with such originality that the story is unique and fresh.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the author. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

[Nicole Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another incredible book by Mary Frame!
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Let me just start out saying I love The Imperfect Series. So much. And this book is an excellent addition to it! I loved Gwen and Marc and as always with Mary's books, there is a lot of smiles and laughs, cheesy, cute yet romantic moments, and wonderful writing! Not to mention the relatable characters, you can help but love! I loved the brief cameos of previous characters as well! I definitely recommend this book!

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the perfect series and it was so great to see previous characters make an appearance in this book (book 4) of the series.

The characters are interesting and the way the romance unfolds is believable. I’m not a fan of love triangles, but some how this works.

There’s def some very funny moments, one of my favourites was the “meme war” - you have to read it to find out more!

I received a copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.

[Tracey Tranter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read from Ms Frame and it definitely won’t be the last.

I enjoyed the dual point of view from the two main characters.

The story has humour, heartbreak, friendship, stalking and sex scenes. This very entertaining story. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. I also intend reading the books in the series before this one.

I voluntarily reviewed and advanced reader copy of this book on behalf of Hidden Gems.

[TabReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marc & Gwen

I had this book on my kindle for a while and only read it after I read book 5 in the series.

The story was fine. Marc was my favorite kind of beta hero and I loved that he wasn’t physically perfect, Gwen was strong and smart, but still had realistic insecurities. There were some fun moments and overall it was cute story but it seemed like the plotting was overly contrived. It just didn’t click with me like this author’s books usually do.

[Marija · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I fell in love with this story and I am looking forward of reading the next and he ones before from this serial.
It just keeps you and moves you through the story until the very end.
The storyline is great, characters well developed and the author did excellent job in bringing a story that is making us readers to feel different emotions while reading.

[Bernadette Cinkoske · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. The characters were very well-drawn. There are a couple of plot twists over the normal "fake relationship" trope. I recommend this book.

[Diely · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful characters and great love story.

This has to be my favorite book from this author so far. And that's big, considering that "Criminally Imperfect," the second book in this series (which I highly recommend) became one of my all-time favorite romance novels.

I love a story with multi-dimensional, realistic characters. I'm so sick of "Playboy billionaires," and "Bad Boy types," and other cliche heroes. Marc, the hero in this story stole my heart, with his adorable mixture of strength and vulnerability. Just like his face scars protect him from being "too good to be true," I loved how his (often funny) conflict with his impossible boss/father kept him human, balancing his extreme kindness. In spite of being a gorgeous former model with a load of self-confidence, Gwen the heroine was also humanized by the story of her "breakdown" and her history of emotional abuse. The secondary characters were also rich, and made me wish they were real so I could meet them.

I also love when a story is a slow-boil romance instead of cringe-worthy Insta-Love (or Insta-lust). I deeply enjoyed the process of seeing the characters fall for each other gradually, as they deepened their connection in a very believable way. The best part was that, by the time they get together, you are already in love with them and rooting for their love.

I've had quite a few disappointments lately, trying new authors. It is great to have a to-go author you know will never disappoint you. I can't wait for the next book on the series!

[Cait M · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 🌟
This was the best so far in this series. A quick read with a great build-up and just the right amount of angst.

These characters are older than the college-age characters in the earlier books, and it shows.

Gwen is an Ex-fashion model, now trying to make it in NYC as a photographer. She meets football star Brent on a 'sexiest-of' shoot and, while he is friendly and sweet, she is instantly interested in his elder brother Marc who is there keeping him company.

Marc is a workaholic, keeping the successful family business afloat by wearing multiple hats, though he would rather be doing something else with his life. After a teenage snowboarding accident left him injured and scarred, Marc has seen countless women using him to get to his popular brother. He is fiercely protective of Brent and Brent relies heavily on him as a problem solver.

When a vindictive reporter spreads lies about Brent, his sports agent suggests he fake a relationship. He suggests Gwen because she seemed friendly and down-to-earth when he met her.

Gwen and Brent are purely platonic, but while he's away for football, Gwen spends her time with Marc. He has always interested her. Despite his belief, his facial scars are not off-putting, instead, he appeals to Gwen's artistic nature. Gwen is lovely inside and out and Marc is completely smitten but doesn't want to ruin things for his brother's reputation. Cue the angst...

This book contains descriptive love scenes.

[Heather Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 4 of the Imperfect series and can technically be read as a stand alone but each set of main characters were side characters in previous books. I read this one in one sitting because I didn’t want to stop reading it. Gemma is Gwen’s older sister from book 3. She lives in NYC and is a former model turned photographer. Marc is the brother of a famous football player with a scarred face whose girlfriends always date him to get to his famous brother. When his brother rejects one, she writes a scandalous article about him filled with lies. His agent wants him to get a girlfriend asap. She approaches Gwen and offers to help her with her photography dream if she will fake date the football player. But what happens when both brothers start having real feelings for Gwen? Will she return the feelings, and to which brother? No spoilers here, you’ll have to read to find out. Onto book 5!

[KayLynn Zollinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious, sweet and sexy. Best book of this series so far by a long ways. This was a fun spin on the fake relationship trope. Instead of the two who are faking for the camera falling in love, it was the faking it girl (Gwen) falling in love with the fake interest's (Brent) brother, Marc. I loved it. I loved the banter between the brothers (Marc and Brent). I loved the flirting and banter between Gwen and Marc. The chapters in Marc's POV were hilarious. His internal dialogue was snarky with a big dash of self deprecation. It was funny, somewhat heartbreaking, and entirely relatable. What I loved most is that Gwen saw beyond Marc's scars and into his heart and soul and fell in love with him for him. And to her he was the most beautiful man alive. Full tears mode. Perfect 5/5 soulmate couple.

Quotes
For 420 dollars, those oysters better sing and dance and shower me with compliments before I eat them.
[For damn real though.]

My thoughts are turning me into a loser.
Time to eat my feelings.
[Classic Marc POV. Relatable AF.]

[Karen Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know authors write series and try to leave readers wanting to read the next. But I read INDIVIDUAL books, and I like for all the issues to be resolved, or at least not just left with questions. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and this author's writing style, and it was nicely edited. It would have been a five except for leaving questions about Brent. I gather from the advertisement at the end that the next book will be his (and one of the girls we met in this book), but his just disappearing with no response to Marc's telephone calls left me a little cold. And I'd have liked to see more about the penalties imposed on his stalker and the villain in this book.