The Marriage Trap and The Marriage Mistake by Jennifer Probst

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Contemporary Romance

I received both The Marriage Trap and The Marriage Mistake from Edelweiss.  The books are the second and third in a series.  I haven’t read the first book but that didn’t make any difference in following the stories. At the heart of each story the main character uses a love spell found in a book.  They write what they want in a husband, do the spell and then burn the paper in a fire that is part of the spell.  The theme in both books are marriages that do not start as love stories but end up with a HEA. The love spell brings  exactly what Maggie and Carina asked for in a husband.

Here is the Goodreads summary for The Marriage Trap:

In order for his sister to marry, Italian billionaire Michael Conte has to find himself a bride – and fast! When he learns that photographer Maggie Ryan is going to be in Milan, Michael hatches a plan to introduce her to his family as his “fiancée.” Never mind that Maggie is confident, independent, and a control freak. Never mind that she’s everything he doesn’t want in a wife… and everything he wants in his bed!

Convinced that Michael is in love with her married gal pal, Maggie agrees to keep up the ruse if he’ll keep away from her friend. Besides, she’s not attracted to charming, ridiculously hot billionaires who drive her nuts. Once they’re in Italy, however, everything changes – and the sexual tension between Maggie and Michael goes from simmer to naked nuclear meltdown!

Both Michael and Maggie are great characters.  Both have run from the mutual attraction.  When you add the characters from Michael’s family you have a great mix.  Watch for how Michael’s Mother influences the story.  She is really sneaky.  This is a fun, interesting book that would make a good weekend read.  The characters in the next book play a part in The Marriage Mistake.

Here is the Goodreads summary for The Marriage Mistake:

Carina Conte has had a crush on her brother Michael’s best friend, Max Gray, since she was a teenager. Now she’s earned her MBA and come to work at Michael’s new venture, America’s fastest-growing bakery empire. But some things never change: her family still treats her like a child. With three drop-dead gorgeous siblings, she’s still the ugly duckling of the bunch. And Max, the company’s new CEO, still barely notices her.

Max knows Carina Conte is strictly off limits. But hot-blooded lust wins out at a conference when the two share a scorching one-night stand—and are busted by her mother! Now, forced by old-world Italian tradition into a marriage he’s not ready for, Max is miserable—and Carina is furious. Her new husband is about to realize that hell hath no fury like a woman transformed.

This is another quick fun read.  Carina and Max have a long history.  It is fun to see Carina try to ignore her feelings for Max and as Max is realizing his feeling for her.  Some of the time lines in the book did not mesh.  I think it was probably because this was an arc and had just not gotten everything edited.  The characters from the first two books were a part of this story.  Michael’s and Carina’s Mother is also at it again in this story.

Both are feel good stories and enjoyable reads.  That book with the love spell is still out there so there may be another story or two in the series.

Gallery Books published The Marriage Trap and The MarriageMistake you Jennifer Probst in 2012.