the_joyful_book_club 's review for:

The Wrong Bride by Catharina Maura

3.0

medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

---

 I wanted to love this story so much. And the parts I enjoyed were REALLY good. But the rest sort of fell apart on me. 

Grandma Anne is the matriarch of the Windsor family. It's a family tradition for arranged marriages, and while she initially chooses Raven for Ares, he ends up dating Hannah, Raven's older sister. Grandma Anne allows this, but when Hannah delays the marriage for the third time, she's had enough. Raven's family wants to be a part of the Windsor media conglomerate to save their own company. In Hannah's place, Raven must step in as Ares' wife. 

Understandably, this causes mayhem. 

This story reads a lot like a soap opera. The twists started to become a little silly to me, especially because some didn't go anywhere. At one point, secrets start being revealed but they come out of left field and are just a crutch for the characters to use them as insults later in the story. 

This is initially a slow burn until around the halfway point, but then the spiciness kicks in hard. Raven and Ares' love does shine through, and Ares has a way with words. I found myself swooning over him more than a few times. 

Oddly enough, there is decent character development for both Ares and Raven throughout this book. Ares sets boundaries and learns to be the husband that Raven deserves (although he wasn't off to a terrible start, all things considered). Raven learns to stand up for herself, and we see her become more confident and self-assured throughout. 

Overall, this story was a fun read. It's not life-changing but I don't think every story needs to be either. This book is available in a Special Edition at Barnes & Noble and is available on Kindle Unlimited too.