This couple's meet cute had me cracking up! Poor Graham didn't know what hit him.

Ilsa Madden-Mills did an incredible job with this marriage of convenience story about two broken hearts with a lot more to lose. Each character had their own issues they brought to the relationship but also their own strengths that really helped lift the other up. I adored the quiet protector that Graham turned out to be and the fierce mama bear Emma was. Both had such a solid and endearing relationship with their siblings that they'd stop at nothing to protect them. Even getting married to a stranger.

My Darling Bride had just enough drama that you felt pulled in and captivated but it was never just for the sake of chaos and a shocking plot twist. Madden-Mills did a fantastic job of thoughtfully navigating the hardships necessary to pull Graham and Emma apart but also force them back together. There's nothing worse than reading a book that has drama just for drama's sake.

I fell hard for the family dynamic in this story, on both characters sides. Their upbringings were different but they shared a fractured past that each could relate to. That really helped shape their respect and appreciation for one another and why the marriage was not only necessary but beneficial for both in unique ways.

The sports component of the read was there but it was kind of a secondary trope. So if football isn't for you, you needen't worry!

Loved the ending of the book and how it all came together. All the side characters brought this book to life and truly shined more love and light on the two main characters. Couldn't be happier with how it ended! Now Jasper......