Audiobook Review: The Marriage Trap by Jennifer Probst

The Marriage Trap
Marriage to a Billionaire #2
Author: Jennifer Probst
Reader: Madeleine Maby
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
run-time: 7hrs 6 mins
Released: October 2nd 2012
Review Source: Simon & Schuster Audio
Available: Amazon

<blockquote>Summary: (from goodreads) To satisfy his late father’s wishes, hot and single billionaire Michael Conte must find a bride—someone who will fit into his traditional family back home in Italy—and fast, so his engaged sister will be allowed to wed. With no intention of being tied down, Michael “proposes” to fiery, free-spirited photographer Maggie Ryan: if she will play the part of his fiancée during her trip to Milan for a photo shoot, he will keep away from her married best friend, Alexa, and stop making Maggie nuts with their too-close-for- comfort flirtations. But once in Italy, sexual tension sparks the hottest no-strings- attached arrangement on any continent. Could marriage be the most enticing trap of all?</blockquote>

So, I'm outing myself! These books are my guilty pleasure...I love the "little bit naughty, little bit nice" writing style of Jennifer Probst. These books with their quirky heroines, beautiful men and steamy scenes are just plain fun to read. I usually catch myself smiling, panting and laughing out loud, when I am reading them. The Marriage Trap was no different....I thoroughly enjoyed it!

In this second book, Maggie Ryan has possession of the silly spell book that her best friend Alexandria (heroine of book 1, The Marriage Bargain) swears helped her to find and marry the man of her dreams. As a successful photographer, Maggie seems to have it all on the surface but lately she seems to keep focusing on what she doesn't have, a committed relationship that might someday lead her to the perfect marriage with children. So after a few drinks and feeling a little buzzed, Maggie thinks, "why not try that silly love spell?" So she grabs a piece of paper and makes the required list of all the qualities she craves in a man. She builds the small required fire, recites the required mantra and then burns the list, as required, with the help of tequila (not required but a definite plus!)
Michael Conte is a beautiful Italian billionaire who is running the family business and living his perfect life alone in the U.S. He stepped into the role as head of the family and business when his father passed away. He has since always put his family, still living in Italy, first. Taking care of his strong willed yet traditional mother and three sisters was a deathbed promise to his father that Michael has no intention of breaking. This latest "crisis" call from his sister must be handled immediately. His mother refuses to let his sister marry the man of her dreams as long as her brother remains unmarried. The solution is clear: Michael needs a bride asap. When Michael finds out through a mutual friend (Alexa) that Maggie is heading to Milan for a photo shoot, he thinks he has found the perfect answer. The catch is getting Maggie to agree to his crazy plan. He wants to take her home and introduce her to his family as his "fiancee" and if he can have her in his bed during the deception, so much the better!

Maggie has a price for her participation: She wants to keep Michael away from Alexa (Maggie's best friend, who is married her brother). Maggie is attracted to Michael but is convinced he really wants her friend, even at the expense of her marriage. So Maggie agrees to Michael's deception with his promise to stay completely away from Alexa. But Maggie can't seem to push back her overwhelming attraction to Michael and when they arrive in Italy and start sharing the bed as a married couple the sexual tension is off the charts. The steamy "almost" love scenes are hot but, like a bucket of cold water, chaos ensues as Michael's mom wants to re-do the wedding within the week with the family present. Maggie emotions get all mixed up as she is embraced by and starts really feeling like part of the family. She is shocked when she realizes that she has done the unthinkable...she has fallen in love with her fake husband. Michael is also fighting his desires as he comes to term with the fact that Maggie is everything he never new he wanted. These two had me laughing out loud as they misunderstood and misjudged each other one minute and couldn't keep their hands off each others body the next.

The question that keeps you turning the pages is: Will Michael and Maggie get out of their own way long enough to reach out for "happily ever after"?

Jennifer Probst writing style makes for a very enjoyable read. The Marriage Trap is a feel good book that will have you picking it up again to read (or listen) as a refresher when the next book in the series is ready for release. Fun and funny, hot and steamy all rolled in to one.