Julian Worth isn’t a man with time to spare. Ruling his billion dollar empire with an iron fist, work is the true love of his life. Which is why when it comes to marriage, a strategic alliance matters more than love. Julian is more than ready to sign on for a little superficial dating and a marriage of convenience if it allows him to take his company to the next level. What he wasn’t ready for … was the woman who shows up as his prospective bride.
Holly Abbott has spent her whole life coming in second. Being born four minutes behind her twin sister has defined her life. But when her headstrong sister refuses to go along with their father’s plan to marry her off into a cold business arrangement, Holly has to step up. Knowing the infamous Julian Worth will only entertain marrying the Abbott heir, Holly sets her identity aside to transform into her sister. It’s an easy enough plan. A few dates with a man who isn’t hers won’t hurt anyone.
Except Julian is nothing like the ruthless tycoon she expected. Soon she’s left to wonder, what will happen when her sister comes back and worse, how will she ever be able to give up a man who doesn’t even know her real name?
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This was a good romance and I enjoyed it.
I really would hate to think I’d have to get married for a business merger, but I guess it’s still done to a certain extent today. I would hope I could get a an awesome one like Julian, who isn’t as cold as he seems. It was so good to see Holly become her own person thru this and they made a very striking couple, both in looks and personalities. Great chemistry!
If I had to describe this in one word, it would be anticipation. Waiting until it all comes to a head and it surely did. But love can conquer all, or so it’s said, and I had to keep reading to make sure that Julian and Holly got their ending after all the lies and subterfuge. This did get a bit slow for me so close to the end, and they just wouldn’t give it up.
Wait!! Theres another storm coming just as Holly and Julian are about to walk down the aisle, but this one is bearing down on Lillian, I think.
Yes, now I’m ready to read Lillian’s journey too.
I received an advance reader’s copy thru Netgalley and am giving my thoughts voluntarily.
Love this author – still waiting on a book 2 for this one!!
I admit I’m kind of on the fence about this one. The premise was interesting. A father pushes his daughter into an arranged marriage by blackmailing her. And there was an interesting twist: the daughter meant to marry disappears and her twin sister must take her place. Holly finds herself caught in her father’s machinations. The family business is failing and he tells her that if she doesn’t play the part of her sister and win over her intended fiancé it will mean people will lose their jobs. She agrees to the charade, believing that her errant sister is trying to find a way out of the mess, and that the man she is fooling is as unfeeling as her father. It turns out that while Julian, her intended, is a successful businessman, he couldn’t be more unlike her father. Holly tries to play the part of her sister, but soon finds herself falling for Julian and revealing her true self to him. But of course their relationship can’t continue without Holly revealing her deception, something she can’t do if she wants to save employees livelihoods. I couldn’t help but feel like the father was made to be an outright villain, and he felt a little cartoony for it. SLIGHT SPOILER And when Lillian returns and everyone honestly thinks Julian can’t tell that she isn’t Holly, I just had to roll my eyes. A man who has the intelligence to build a successful company from the ground up, but he isn’t able to distinguish between a woman he has spent weeks with and has been intimate with and a woman he has just met despite her physical likeness to her sister? Please. END SPOILER There was just too much belief to be suspended with this story for me to really enjoy it.
Note: I received a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Julian and Holly’s story was a moving, emotional and wonderful adventure in Betraying the Billionaire by Victoria Davies, book one in her Abbott series. My heart ached for Holly as I too was that shy, insecure young lady. Being the second born twin has affected and defined her entire life. When her sister goes MIA her uncaring father decides she will take her place (think twin switch) and marry Julian Worth as part of a business deal. What type of father does this sort of thing? Not just offer a daughter as part of negotiations but forces one to become the other. Abandoned as a baby, Julian grew up in the foster care system, not knowing or understanding true love or how to love. It was easier for him to deal with an arranged marriage than take time away from work, his first and only love, to woo someone. After meeting Holly, Julian finds himself falling for her and feeling like the luckiest man in the world; as does Holly. When Holly’s twin finally returns and chooses to take her rightful place, Julian suspects something is going on. Julian is no fool; he knows the woman with him is not Holly. Also, he begins to question their father’s business dealings and wondering what he is hiding. It takes a couple of clever, angry sisters and an aggressive businessman to uncover the shady dealings and dissolve the business de, take down an unethical CEO, and save the girls’ legacy. The stars align as Julian pulls off that magical grand gesture to win Holly’s love.
Ms. Davies wrote a wonderful and emotional story that is not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with sexual chemistry, amusing banter, and endearing characters giving Julian and Holly a chance for happiness, love and a future together. I highly recommend Betraying the Billionaire to other readers.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
I really liked this book and that is why it gets 4,5 stars from me.
It is funny but most of the time throughout this read I had the lyrics to the chorus of “You can’t always get what you want” by The Rolling Stones in my head.
“You can’t always get what you want,
You can’t always get what you want
You can’t always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you find
You get what you need”
Holly is a twin born four minutes after her sister so she is not an heiress and has always seen herself as second best and feels like a little grey mouse with nothing to offer. She never does anything unsafe and obeys her father because she doesn’t see any other choice.
Since her sister Lillian leaves without a word, after Julian (a billionaire ceo) propose an arranged marriage and company merger her father agrees to without giving her any choice, Holly takes Lillian’s identity and meets Julian to save the arrangement. Holly and Julian are intrigued by each other and Julian opens up to the possibility of dating and getting to know each other and Holly finds herself falling deeper and deeper for Julian and the other way around. She gets stronger and stronger because of the connection and she starts standing up for herself and those she care about. But what happens when her sister returns and her father wants them to swap back and what happens to everything she worked for since she started seeing Julian and how will he react when she tells him the truth?
Holly and Julian is such a great couple and their chemistry is through the roof wow, but the misunderstanding and the drama at the end can be a little too much.
But if you open yourself up to love and take a chance you might get what you need.
I can definitely recommend this book if you like romance, love and drama.
I got this book for free through Entangled Publishing and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Loved this book and could not put it down! I love a good twin switching places romance and this one was definitely one of the best I’ve read.
Our heroine Holly is the sweet and unassuming twin, eager to help cover for her sister Lillian, even if f it means pretending to be engaged to Julian, Lillian’s fiancé. Of course you know sparks will fly! But even I was surprised by how quickly Julian was attracted to Holly. While Julian is a determined, and let’s be honest, a ruthless businessman, he’s still a sad and lost little boy inside. Maybe that’s why he’s drawn to Holly, because she represents comfort and caring.
I wanted to throat punch the twins’ father through the whole book…so great job writing that villain, Victoria Davis! I did really like Lillian all that much, either…maybe we saw a sneak peek into her future match, though…that was definitely intriguing!
Engaging characters, great dialogue, a few twists and a lovely romance…another winner from Davies!
Amazing Enemies to Lovers type Book! Victoria Davies wows you with every word.
Holly Abbott had to step up to help the family even if it was uncomfortable – she stepped into her sisters’ shoes and pretended to be her when it was time to meet her sister Lillian’s intended. For an arranged marriage that her sister didn’t want, but as Holly got to know Julian Worth she fell in love with him, but she knew with the deceit she would lose him.
Julian was marrying into a family to merge their businesses not more, nothing less. That is until he got to know Lillian (Holly) and began falling in love with her. Until it all falls apart – how can the merger or the marriage be saved?
This was a unique twist on an “opposites attract” romance. I liked the setup and that the two twins were opposites. I particularly enjoyed reading about Holly and how she struggled to find her place. I thought the romance was well-done, with the banter between Julian and Holly especially true-to-life. The overall concept that the heart knows what it wants was a great message. I only wish that Holly’s father got a bit more of what he deserved. Overall, it was a good read, and I would recommend it. Thank you to NetGalley, Entangled Publishing, and the author for a complimentary pre-release digital ARC of this book.
This was fun.
We have Julian and Holly; he’s supposed to marry Lilian (Holly’s twin sister) in order to merge their companies. But when Lilian disappears, it’s up to Holly to take her place and hope Julian doesn’t realize this.
I liked both characters, I loved Holly and her selflessness, and I was so rooting for her to be selfish for once in her life and take a chance on Julian. It hurt to see how her father treated her (good God, that man) and how in turn, she viewed herself for that. She had so much worth and I was so happy Julian was able to see that and made HER believe it. 🙂
Julian was a jerk at first, I wasn’t much of a fan but I quickly warmed up to him, simply from the way he treated Holly. He had a rough past, so I could understand his hang ups.
There were some ups and downs and I was desperate to know how thing would be fixed! I loved the ending for these two, and I loved the glimpse we had of Lilian’s story. Also, there’s QUITE a lot to fix in terms of her Dad in future books. Grrr.
*Thank you to Entangled Publishing for providing a copy for which I’m giving my honest opinion*
4.5 Stars!
Wow, what a totally engrossing novel from author Victoria Davies. Betraying the Billionaire grabs you right from the start and the compelling story never falters. The two primary characters, Holly Abbott and Julian Worth, have seductive chemistry, and their romantic courtship is replete with discovery, desire and love. After enjoying quite a few of Ms. Davies’s offerings, her books have become an “auto-buy” for me.
Holly and Lillian Abbott are identical twins. Their father is a control freak, and instead of working hard to secure the almost bankrupt future of the family’s business, he attempts financial freedom by using his daughters as pawns. Lillian, the older twin and heir to millions, is supposed to marry Julian Worth, a kind, hard-working, self-made billionaire. Their marriage would keep the wealthy Abbott’s in the red. Lillian escapes her father’s clutches in order to seek out a better solution to their financial problems, leaving Holly no choice but to step-up and become Lillian. Holly has always been the quiet twin, doing whatever her father asks of her. She is a good person and will do whatever is necessary to prevent her colleagues from losing their jobs. Julian is okay with an arranged marriage, since being loved and being in a family was never a part of his foster care upbringing.
This is a quick-paced story with well-defined and exciting characters. I loved the way Ms. Davies evolved Holly and Julian’s relationship, with discovery, emotion, and longing. Holly’s father was amazingly mean, and his ability to hurt was never ending. If you are looking for a contemporary romance with some surprising moments, a bit of deception, and a happily ever after that will leave a smile on your face, read this book.
Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
I really enjoyed this book a lot. Julian and Holly were great main characters and it didn’t take long for them to tug on my heart. Especially Holly who was so caught in her father’s trap. She was practically invisible to him and others. Well, until her father John needed to use her. She knew that her father just saw them as tools to use to his advantage; in any way he saw fit. And he knew ways to force them into line.
Everyone was quick to see her twin sister Lillian. And as much as that hurt her she also loved her sister so much. The nice thing was that it was mutual. They were super close and as often as the could had each other’s back. And for the most part, that is all of the people that were in their corner. Lillian was NOT interested in marrying someone like Julian but she was looking for another way to rescue both herself, the family company and their employees.
The emotions in this book were really well done with some good secondary people as well. Julian’s early life was really tough but he’d also made some close friends that now work with him in their company. Jason and Ryan had their own area of expertise and the 3 of them had a tight friendship as well. When Julian had his first meeting with “Lillian” it was all business to him with little or no feelings to his fiancee at all. He was in it for a blue-blood woman as his wife, business connections and a company merger. It was a pretty cold blooded deal. It was really good to get a look at the better man that he had underneath all the “shark in business”. It takes a while though. The more I got to know the real man, the more I wanted him to win in love.
The story does come to an interesting end with one thing not completely taken care of but the main characters do get their H.E.A. There is also an interesting twist for Lillian that REALLY makes me want to know her story now. I will be watching for it.
“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
Being born four minutes after her identical twin sister, has set Holly Abbott, second in life. Her grandmother was very clear leaving her estate to the first born. Now that her father wants to join businesses with billionaire Julián Worth, he has set his mind to marry her sister Lillian off. Except when Lillian runs away, since we wants no part in her father’s schemes, Holly has to take her place. Transforming herself into Lillian’s personality and clothing, isn’t hard for Holly, she’s had a lifetime of experience.
Julián Worth is a self made billionaire. The only thing he’s missing is a name to take him into the right circles, which is why a marriage of convenience with the Abbott name, is exactly what he’s looking for. What he wasn’t expecting is the feisty Lillian to put him in his place. He is really intrigued, which says a lot for him, since he is always calculating everything in his life. The last thing he was expecting, was to fall for this beautiful woman.
Holly is in trouble. She has now fallen for Julián, and she can’t tell him her true identity. He will surely hate her if he finds out her deception, but what if she’s honest with him. Surely he will understand..
I truly enjoyed reading this intriguing and wonderful love story. Another great book by Ms. Davies!
I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
BETRAYING THE BILLIONAIRE by Victoria Davies is the story of Holly Abbott and Julian Worth.
Holly and Lillian are twin sisters but Holly is the ‘oldest’ so she is the ‘heir’ to the family. So when a business deal is struck with Julian to marry the oldest sister he is on board. Julian is all business and if his business needs a marriage to help him out then so be it. Although Holly and Lillian are twins they are completely different in attitude and action..but they do look somewhat a like. So when Lillian gets cold feet and leaves, Holly steps up to the plate until her sister comes back. What started out as pretend starts to feel to real for Lillian.
Loved their story…hope to read more from this author.
Betraying the Billionaire is a sweet arranged marriage romance story. Holly was born into money, however, she doesn’t act like it. She works hard, she is down to earth and isn’t one to go around flaunting her wealth and privilege all over the place. She also was treated like the black sheep of her family, especially being a few minutes younger than her identical twin sister, Lillian.
Julian was also different from the typical billionaire hero. He had a rough life, he built his company from the ground up. He wasn’t a player and even with going into an arranged marriage his first plan or thought wasn’t to go and find a mistress.
I enjoyed this story. It was such a fun read and the whole twin swap was a different twist. Holly and Julian were super sweet and so right for each other. I loved reading about their relationship and watching it evolve from a business deal to true love.
This is a great summer read!
Fun read. Holly has to fill in for her sister. Julian doesn’t realize he is dating a fake. This is a fun story that unravels as Holly finds it harder and harder to keep up her charade with Julian. Once her sister returns things become even more complicated. It is a little heartbreaking but everything turns out right in the end.
Arranged Marriage.
A delightful story involving switched identities, self-sacrifice, lies and betrayal. Loved the story – recommended read. I will be looking to read more by this author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Holly’s father is domineering and has plans for her and her twin sister. When their father pushes Lillian too far she bales leaving Holly to step in to portray her. Will she be able to pull off the deception of marrying Julian in place of Lillian and as she gets to know the man, her heart is becoming a driving force. Will she be able to pull of betrayal without losing her heart? I voluntarily agreed to receive an ARC of this book for an honest review.
ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Nothing is going well for Holly Abbot. Her father has run her family’s company into the ground with his less than honorable business practices. In order the save the company and all of its employees, her identical twin sister, Lillian, agrees to marry billionaire Julian Worth. But Lillian vanishes before meeting her new fiancée, leaving Holly to deal with the situation. While Holly is trying to find Lillian and bring her home, she is forced into pretending to be her twin. Holly tries to maintain her distance with Julian but the two have an undeniable chemistry and sparks fly whenever they are together.
It has been a really long time since I’ve read a book about twins switching places. I thought this was a great summer read. It is not too angsty but has a fun storyline and two characters that you can’t help but root for.
Everything in Julian Worth’s life revolves around his business, it’s all about making more money and finding new ways to top the competition. Even if that means doing something like signing on the dotted line to marry a woman he barely knows, just to strike up a worthy business deal, and merge companies with fellow business giant. It’s not like he is going to fall in love with the girl…it’s just business! Or is it?
Being the daughter of a business tycoon comes with it’s disadvantages, everything in your life revolves around maintaining the family business… it’s a life Holly Abbott knows all to well! But her father’s latest business deal is a real doozy, he wants her twin sister to marry a fellow business tycoon so that they can merge companies and save the family business from going under. But her sister isn’t so willing to sign-up for the task, even if it means saving the family business. So Holly steps up and offers to take her place. All her life her sister has been stealing the spotlight in the family, and Holly would love to have her chance to shine… even if it is on the arm of a complete stranger.
Betraying the Billionaire is a charming little faux relationship tale brimming in heart-string tugging feels and toe-curling swoons! This couple is brought together for the sake of business, but somewhere along the line unexpected feelings start to come into play, and things take an interesting turn for them. I really enjoyed this one, it had drama, unexpected romance, and deception… the perfect recipe for a captivating tale. Ms. Davies well penned words and enchanting characters brought smiles and a happy heart, impressive first read indeed!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, via NetGalley, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.
After reading Betraying the Billionaire by Victoria Davies I now have another author to add to my favorites lists.. This is a super enjoyable easy read with likeable characters who just happen to have loads of chemistry. I was hooked from page one. Now I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
#BetrayingTheBillionaire #NetGalley