More Than Friends

Millionaire Matchmaker #1

by Kacy Cross, Kathryn Cantrell

Two friends, one fake marriage, and a pinky swear that their relationship will stay exactly the same…
Nomi Hannon is down but not out, determined to put her life back together after a career-ending mishap. Running for city council is a step in the right direction. Too bad she just accidentally starred in a compromising photo that her squeaky-clean opponent is all too willing to use against her. Marrying the guy in the photo—her best friend, the only stable force in her life—will solve the problem. Right?

Malone DuMar’s not looking for a wife, not after his ex-fiancée stole his company. But Nomi is the one person he can count on. There’s no way he’s going to turn his back on her when she needs him most.

It's a simple plan. Only pretend. That’s the deal…until the kiss that changes everything…

Love in the City Series
More Than Friends
More Than A T.V. Husband
More Than Her Bodyguard
More Than Her Leading Man
More Than Her Ex-Husband

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Ebooks, Novella, Contemporary Romance, Amazon, Marriage Of Convenience

193 pages, Paperback

First published January 3, 2019

About the author

I write romance novels starring swoon-worthy heroes that you can share with your daughter, the ladies at church and your grandmother without fear because my books never contain bad language, violence or adult content. I live in Texas where I’ve seen bobcats and beavers near my house, but sadly not one cowboy. I’m raising two mini-ninjas alongside the love of my life who cooks while I write, which is my definition of a true hero.

Come for the romance, stay for the happily ever after. My books will make you laugh, cry and swoon–cross my heart.

Follow me on Bookbub to get alerts when I have new releases and sales: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kacy-...

Find my books here: https://kacycross.com/

Reviews

[Rebecca❀°✶•. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

It was a cute read but I just didn't feel connected to any of the characters and the concept of the story was so good, but not executed as well as it could've been. It felt very easy for them to fall for each other and if they'd been friends for so long why was it only happening now?? I just felt quite confused about it.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by Kacy Cross and I must say it is a refreshing and delightful read that sparkles with witty banter, tender romance and likable characters who will charm their way into your heart. I cannot believe I haven’t discovered Ms. Cross until now. If you love Robyn Carr and Sherryl Woods romances then I’m sure you’ll love this author and her books!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very fun read! I haven't read many contemporary romances, but this one was really fun. I loved the relationship between Nomi and Malone and it was so fun to see it grow throughout the book.

[Sue Stinnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best Friends

Interesting book about best friends who marry without benefits of marriage to help her political campaign. Sweet and clean romance.

[Karen (BaronessBookTrove) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. A fake husband to get life back on track?
Fake Marriage to her Best Friend by Kacy Cross played in my head like a Hallmark movie would do on my tv screen. I loved it, and since it's short, that makes it even better deal. I found it easy to come back to after a morning of housework, and it was perfect for doing that.
Nomi Hannon
Nomi Hannon is the female main character and the one we follow in some chapters of the book. She is a lawyer who is trying to remake herself so that people will forget her twin brother and the reason why he is in jail. That is a tall order for someone who is trying to be elected to the city council and with a nasty opponent. Instead, her friends, especially one that is a love advice guru, suggest marrying Malone. Supposed to be easy right? Nope. She is in a world of trouble, especially when feelings come into play that shouldn’t be there for her solid oak beam of a friend that she wants to be in her life forever.

The things I like about Nomi is that she tries to keep impersonal because she knows Malone as well she knows herself. Malone doesn’t do relationships or feelings. Nomi seems to be a great lawyer, but she doesn't bring that into her everyday life. The one thing that I dislike about her is that she knows that Malone doesn’t do touchy-feely, but she might have been had it all wrong. Well, at least the wanting to be with Malone part.
Malone DuMar
Malone DuMar is the male main character and the one we follow in some chapters or scenes of the book. He is a great character that got his heart broken and can’t seem to move forward. Malone is an inventor who had somethings go wrong with his ex-fiancé Camille, and his business venture. After that, he has chosen to close off and doesn’t want anything to do with feelings. Well, that is until Nomi. It’s with her that he thinks that he does deserve it even if it might be a bit hard to admit.

Do I, Malone DuMar, deserve a good love life with the woman I love? Or do I deserve to cut her off as I did with my inventor's brain? Those are the two questions that Malone has to figure out for himself. Along with if he wants to go back to inventing.

The things that I like about him is that he is a very passionate person, and Malone strives to live in the moment. For example: when Malone is working at Paulo’s being the pizza server than he does his best at being a pizza server. The one thing that Malone works the most for is being the best fake husband he can for Nomi, which scares him. The idea that I dislike about him is that he won't talk about Camille so that Nomi or anyone else would hurt him in that way. However, without knowing what hurt him, they won't know what not to do or how to help him.
Five Stars
Fake Marriage to her Best Friend by Kacy Cross is a wonderfully romantic read. Ms. Cross has a way with her words that make it seem like a video is playing in my head while I was reading her book. I could picture the characters, their lives in Texas, and where they worked. It was fantastic, and I was able to finish it quickly, which is another plus on its side. I am giving this book five stars since it was tender and delightful.

I am recommending this book to all romance readers of any variety out there. This book is a sweet and clean romance.


Other Books in the Series

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Fake Marriage to Her Best Friend by Kacy Cross. 

Until the next time,



Happy Reading!

This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun clean romance. Best friends who belong together but couldn’t really see it until they were already married. This was an enjoyable book to read.
This book is based on two friends working hard to be there for each other while at the same time trying to sort through their own personal drama. In the beginning, the story is all about their attempts to evade their past. Both had serious betrayal issues. But somehow, together while in this charade of marriage, they found a way to move beyond their hurt to have a HEA.
While I found their reason to get married based on a (fully clothed but in a compromising position) picture a little unbelievable, the story was still cute and worth the read. The characters were very well written. I liked how the story ended. It caught me by surprise. Some times when reading a book you have in mind how you think the book should end vs. how you know the author will probably end it. Well the story ended very much like how I had hoped. So thumbs up from me! I do love a happy ending.

[MoonGarden · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters are in their heads A LOT and that means tons of emotions. So if you are looking for light and fun and flirty, this isn't it. This is emotional and sometimes hurts. It's about two people who care about one another deeply but they've both experienced betrayal and pain, so they are trying to figure out how to trust and really put their faith in one another. That said, I loved it.

[Tammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice, sweet, best friends to lovers story. The premise may have been a bit of a stretch, but that's often the case with these kind of books. It really didn't bother me because I thought the book was sweet, romantic, and even a little sexy with those kisses. There was so much chemistry and I loved Malone. I do think that the book title could be better though.

[Sara Glancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic "Fake" relationship read by Kacy Cross! This book was terrific! A definite MUST ADD to you reading list!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, sweet, cute. I liked it and will gladly read more from this author.

[Sara Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of grammatical errors but cute little story.

[Payton Kinnison · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute clean friends to lovers romance.

[Paula Byczkowska · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confused, that's how I feel... Oni tak wiele razy zmienili zdanie czy coś do siebie czują czy nie, że ja już nie wiem co się tam działo

[Kristine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fun book

This book was will written and edited. The storyline was great and the characters were real. I wanted the book to go longer. Fun read.

[Char (1RadReader59) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book that seemed to mostly take the viewpoint of the male character, Malone Delmar. Best friends to Mikel and Nomi Hannon all through high school and beyond.
Until Mikel lands himself in prison taking the law firm with him and almost his sister. Being the crusader that she is about right and wrong. By the way, Malone loves about her. She defends her brother as the evidence mounted in the case which was not in Mikel’s favor. Hence, why Mikel is in prison.
Now, she was alone even her fiancé dumped her over the scandal. The one person who never abandoned her was her brother’s running buddy and best friend, Malone. He kept an eye on her and he even told her when a condo became available next to him.
It was a little self-contained within the development that the condo is its staple and shops anchor with a quad in the center to socialize where she has met other women Katie, Carolina, Lilith, and Eliza. She really could practice law any more who would hire her.
However, she still volunteered at the homeless shelter giving advice on legal issues and helping with forms. Now, however, see so many injustices she is running for Dallas City Council. She, of course, was not able to throw the money needed to run this grassroots campaign. Not to mention her reputation and family connections muddied the waters.
But then she wasn’t watching where she was going and coming out of the printers truly trips over Malone. Landing on the bottom of the heap. For the first time ever, she could say she was ever not in a hurry to move. Yet, when she for the first time ever saw this fire in Malone’s eyes and it wasn’t anger, she couldn’t get up fast enough or put out of her mind the idea of seeing Malone as a man for the first time.
She lost everything else. She couldn’t lose the one person in the world that means everything to her. With the chance of trying a relationship and if not working. He felt the same way. Yet, it scared them both.
But in just the short walk to her office, she checks her email and someone had captured the picture of her and Malone on the ground. Now, he running mate was using it against her. Already, seventeen news feeds want an interview.
When her friend comes in with her solution it sounds simple, could she do it? Would he agree? Her thought was to have Nomi ask Malone to marry her and they live a fake marriage.
See how this all works out for them. What it does for or against their friendship. Who agrees and who doesn’t.
I really enjoyed the story a lot. It was a little slow for me at the beginning but, once I got going, I was in. Fast read. No cliffhanger, very nice. I give this: 4 stars. Provided by the author. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall this book was a hit with me. I enjoyed the story, laughed at their misfortunes and dis~ease in situations and felt badly for Nomi. The few things I did not care for, the book starts with her name being misspelled. From then on I had a difficult time reading it as Nomi once Naomi was put into my head. The idea that a photograph would push her into marriage to achieve her goal was so last century to me. However, taking the fake fiance trope a step further and marrying her best friend, I just enjoyed the story and characters and how they all interacted. This author has a wonderful way to create a descriptive phrase. Very colorful. Fun and flirty.

[Ady Weasley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nomi quiere un puesto político pero una fotografía que podría resultar totalmente inocente, si no fuera por las palabras de su oponente la obliga a tomar la decisión de embarcarse en un matrimonio con su mejor amigo Malone...todo parece ir bien hasta que ambos cruzan una linea que no debieron.

Fue un libro corto, aunque me tardé un poco mas de lo normal en leerlo, influye mucho el idioma porque en unas partes tenia que volver a leer para entender la idea que la autora quería plasmar.

Tiene el cliché de amigos que por una situación se terminan enamorando...pero para ser sincera creo que no lo supo desarrollar bien. la forma en que terminan involucrados es un poco tonta , la relación se desarrolla muy rápido pero entre su tira y afloja de repente ya estas al final del libro...creo que ninguno de los protagonistas logra tener un verdadero desarrollo personal pues ambos deciden abandonar algo importante y te dejan como si el hecho de convertirse en esposos fuera el punto mas alto de su desarrollo personal.

ahora bien al ser una historia corta puede servir para una lectura en un viaje, o para salir de un paro lector.

[Julia Bailey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sadly just couldn’t get into this book and had to force myself to finish it.

Never connected with the two main characters which made the book harder to read.

The storyline is a simple one, friends helping each other out in one’s time of need, to only register that deep down they love each other. However the overall storyline seemed to just take so long to get to anything juicy. (There’s nothing juicy) No plot twists either. I also at times became lost in the writing style, who was talking and which feelings belonged to whom.

Overall just didn’t get on with this book. A great concept but wasn’t for me. It needed more life in the book, more background, a plot twist; anything to make it more compelling and exciting.

[Maddie Murrow · Rating 1 out of 5]

omg i HATED this book. i get the concept. friends to lovers, cute, just not for me in this story. First off, I didn't even know they had been best friends for so many years. How the book started, it seemed like they hated each other. The writing was so boring. It was like the author really focused on each thing way too much. First, the marriage, and then the fact that they are just friends and that's it, and then the kiss (it went on way to long) and then realizing yeah yeah they are meant for each other. There were things that felt like it was just put there because why not, like her brother being in jail and just random details to fill the gaps. I just was really struggling getting through this book. Again, cute concept, just not for me

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was hard to follow. I didn’t buy into the characters, their story or their connection. The “best friends” reference is used a bit loosely since Malone was BFF with Nomi’s brother. I liked the concept of the story, but not a fan of the execution. Too much push and pull through the entire thing. ⭐️⭐️

[Sharlene Legay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring

This book was not entertaining. I skimmed through because it wasn't appealing two me.This could have gone in so many different ways.

[Tressa (Wishful Endings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

FAKE MARRIAGE TO HER BEST FRIEND is a combination of two favorite tropes: best-friend and marriage of convenience. Throw in some great girlfriends, humor, and plenty of chemistry and you have a fun and sweet romance that readers will definitely enjoy.

I really liked these characters. Nomi is this mix of uptight, fun, clueless, and passionate. Malone is a super laid-back, intelligent, sweet, hard-working guy. He's also super rich, but Nomi doesn't really know that or exactly his whole story there. They are best friends, but they have kept a lot of things close to the chest and it takes a lot for them to start opening up and work through their issues. Their pasts still pretty much control them until they realize that they could lose something more important if they don't let go. I always enjoy this trope when romance develops between best friends. It just lends more to the romance when the characters have known each other a while versus falling in love over a few days. The friendships, humor, and sizzling chemistry really made this story fun. There were several characters introduced at the beginning and it took me just a little bit to figure out who was important and who was who, but I got them all down and am curious about their stories.

This would have been a 4-star read from me except for a few things... I didn't quite buy the whole actually marrying someone for a political run for city council. It just didn't seem that big of a position for a newbie politician to be quite that drastic, especially when an engagement would have worked just as well. I also wasn't sold on Nomi running for politics. It just seemed kind of a weird plot point to go that route versus her networking more by getting on a board somewhere or working with other attorneys. Then I also wasn't crazy about her brother and the whole fallout there.

In the end, was it what I wished for? I really enjoyed reading this. I couldn't help smiling through most of it and it left me with that feeling of contentment readers expect from these types of stories. I plan on reading the rest in the series. If you're a fan of sweet contemporary romance that is just plain fun, then definitely give this a try!

Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publicist, which did not require a positive review nor affect it in any way.

[K B · Rating 5 out of 5]

The prequel:
5 stars
I received a free copy othe the short story Fake Marriage to Her Office Crush { Uptown Brides: The Prequel}: Katie and Ivan by Kat Cantrell and this review was given freely.
A fast paced attraction at first sight,fake date to more romance where Ivan poses as Katie's fake fiance in order to become closer to her and a brief introduction to the matchmaking Carolina.

1
Fake Marriage to Her Best Friend (Uptown Brides: a Sweet Romance Series Book 1)

5 stars
I purchased a copy of the clean novel Fake Marriage to Her Best Friend (Uptown Brides: a Sweet Romance Series Book 1): Nomi and Malone by Kat Cantrell and this review was given freely.
Easy flowing with a good introduction to the diverse Vivo residents and coworkers. When her twin brother and business partner Mikel is convicted of fraud resulting in her losing both her legal practice and her fiance, local homeless shelter advocate Nomi Hannon enlists the help of her high school best friend, former CEO of Dumar Technology now pizza maker, Malone DuMar in a marriage of convenience to help her win a Dallas City Council seat but almost loses him in the quest.

2
Fake Marriage to Her T.V. Husband (Uptown Brides: a Sweet Romance Series Book 2)

4 stars
I purchased a copy of the clean novel Fake Marriage to Her T.V. Husband (Uptown Brides: a Sweet Romance Series Book 2): Lilith and Dane by Kat Cantrell and this review was given freely.
Easy flowing and complex with a happy ending. When Lilith's vindictive and jealous half sister Rohina Kaplan sabotages Relacher's Spa, owner Lilith Parker agrees to participate on the Bride at First Sight reality TV show to improve good publicity only to discover that the man she falls for is a surgically transformed high school classmate, cybersecurity agent Eugene "Dane McClarren" Danehart Long, also out for revenge.

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, I am a sucker for fake dating tropes. I don't know why, but I just love them and typically when I come across them I read it. So, naturally when I stumble across the book with a title such as this one naturally I needed to read it. Typically tropes such as this one, you kind of have to wave away the reasoning to start fake dating (or fake marriage although it was real?) so I didn't care too much about the reasoning, especially since it seemed a little far-fetched.

Cantrell's writing was good, but despite them apparently best friends I didn't really get the best friend vibes from them starting out. It seemed like it went straight to the fake marriage aspect of the book. I would have really liked a little setup, have them hang out together prior to the compromising photo so I was able to get a sense of how their friendship was.

I enjoyed the story to a point because then the miscommunication started setting in, with assumptions causing a major rift. Plus, Malone drove me crazy with his hot and cold actions towards Nomi, and his inability to communicate with her. I adored Nomi though because she was practical and level headed, Plus she understood exactly what she was asking Malone for. Still, I was rooting for these two despite my frustrations. One other thing I wish Cantrell had done was flesh out the branching stories such as Malone's ex-fiance and her business stealing ways, or Nomi being haunted by not being able to defend her brother. I would have really enjoyed the book had we seen a resolution to these angles.

Overall, the book was exactly how I thought it was. It was a light read that didn't feel too heavy and I finished it in one sitting.

[Brigitte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short and sweet friends to lovers romance is rather entertaining.

Malone has been badly betrayed in the past, and now his trust in the opposite sex is non existant. Sure, he has friends, and his best one happens to be a woman.

Nomi has lost more or less everything that matters to her, and now she is working hard to redeem her reputation.

Having a fake marriage between two best friends should be easy, especially when boundaries are set from the outset. In this case, it creates a whole lot of unease. Neither Malone nor Nomi is willing to lose their best friend, but what happens when there is more to their friendship?

The banters between Malone, Nomi and their friends are untertaining. A pleasant read.

[Marea Quijano · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as a part of the Sweet & Sassy Anthology. It is my first book by this author.

I really enjoyed it. It was an easy read that kept me captivated. I enjoyed the characters Nomi and Malone. Nomi was trying everything she could to overcome her past. Malone was her best friend who would have moved the moon to help her.

I loved how their friends thought there could be something more. Both Nomi and Malone struggled with their feelings - wanting their to be more, afraid what the other one was thinking and afraid of looking their friendship.

The final declaration of love at the end was beautifully written!! I was so happy with how the book ended. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author!

[Priscila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The setting for the "fake marriage favor" to be asked seemed a little surreal, but it worked for the rest of the story. I liked the fact that both Nomi and Malone knew each other for nearly 10 years, and thus there was a level of trust established between them. I also liked that they actually talked about the issues they were facing, or that were coming up in their relationship (as it started to shift). I think the ending was really sweet and fitting for them.

PS: Usually the first book in a series hooks the reader to continue it, but having read the 3rd one, I'm not going to be following it anymore.

[K B · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
I purchased a copy of the clean novel Fake Marriage to Her Best Friend (Uptown Brides: a Sweet Romance Series Book 1): Nomi and Malone by Kat Cantrell aka Kacy Cross and this review was given freely.
Easy flowing with a good introduction to the diverse Vivo residents and coworkers. When her twin brother and business partner Mikel is convicted of fraud resulting in her losing both her legal practice and her fiance, local homeless shelter advocate Nomi Hannon enlists the help of her high school best friend, former CEO of Dumar Technology now pizza maker, Malone DuMar in a marriage of convenience to help her win a Dallas City Council seat but almost loses him in the quest.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nomi and Malone have been good friends for years and as they were caught in an accidentally compromising photograph, they "fake" marry to save Nomi's city council campaign. What started out as a "fake" marriage turned into something so much more, where they battled with their feelings for one another. This was not a RomCom as there wasn't much humour in the book, it had angst and lots of emotion all written from a dual POV. The characters were both well developed and there was a good storyline. It was a clean romance (only kissing). The book copy I received was written under Kathryn Cantrell, so assume the author uses a pseudonym.