From New York Times bestselling author Katy Evans comes a hot romance about two strangers and their race to fall in love.If someone had bet Nell a million dollars that she would be saying “I do” to a complete stranger on national television, she’d have called them crazy, but with her crushing student loan payments sending her deep into the red, she’s out of options. This should be nothing more … should be nothing more than a business transaction—until she sets eyes on her groom, and everything changes.
The game is on the instant Luke spots Penelope “Nell” Carpenter. He’s out for the money, yes, but getting a little dirty with Nell doesn’t sound too bad either. Everyone knows he’s not the marrying kind, so it’s a good thing it’s just for show. God knows he’s the worst guy his pretty wife should pick for real.
They have nothing in common, but if they want the grand prize, they’ll have to beat out eight other couples. Proving that total opposites attract should be easy enough…as long as they don’t fall in love in the process.
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Darling, if I had the chance to win a million dollars and get married to Luke my answer would have been HELL yes.
Katy Evans sparked some magic in my life with her new book Million Dollar Marriage. This story was both amazing as it was unique.
I couldn’t remember the last time I adored a book so much from the first chapter on. It was the first book I’ve read from the author and it won’t be the last because Million Dollar Marriage is an absolute five star read.
A book every romance reader should take a shot at!
Would you get married to an absolute stranger just for money? And let’s say that you absolutely hate the man/ woman, would you still do it? Well, for Luke and Penelope aka Nell there wasn’t another option, but get married and compete in a reality show for the crushing amount of one million dollars.
The concept of the book alone grabbed me from the blurb on. I haven’t read anything like it and I was a bit scared that I wouldn’t like it, but I was downright wrong. One way or another the whole idea I had around this book was completely different from the way Katy Evans wrote it. And that made me fall in love from the start on. It was fast-paced and gave the reader a view into the journey of the two main characters on their road to winning that price.
Not only was the concept so brilliant, but the characters were also extremely unique and something that only enhanced the story even more. She wrote characters that were easy to fall in love with and the spotlight for this one goes to Penelope Carpenter. The woman that was so different from all the other characters I got once introduced to.
Nell was a smart woman, with many degrees under her belt. But like the saying goes God gives and takes which is why Nell lacked social skills and saw the world completely different than any other human.
She feared what came after graduation, but feared her student debt even more. The only solution she sees is competing in a reality show that gravitates around the concept of marriage. She hated the entire idea completely and she hated it even more when she met her partner in crime, Luke.
Just like Nell, Luke had some money problems. Problems so deep that made him too enter the competition. He was strong-willed, competitive and so different from the booksmart Nell. Two opposites, but while Nell thought of him as a thug when she saw him for the first time, Luke was completely interested in the peculiar girl.
Nell was easy to love and transformed a smile on my lips the whole time I read this story. But at the same time, this character felt so real. I could imagine her so clearly, picture her carrying a book everywhere she went. And Luke? Luke stole my heart. He was handsome, sexy and absolutely irresistible. He’s social, loved by all and has a soft spot for our heroine.
And they had so much chemistry that was through the roof. I rooted for them from the beginning on and seeing them fall in love was a magical experience. I couldn’t get enough of them. I had this grin on my face every single time something interesting happened between the two.
Furthermore was Million Dollar Marriage a book filled with humor. Something I’m starting to enjoy more in books and when it is written by Katy Evans you bet your ass you’ll be laughing. The humor aspect makes this read even more enjoyable.
Katy Evans stole my heart with words and only a good author has the ability to take someone away from this planet into the story. To forget time for just those hours you are reading it. I loved her writing and I loved her take on the storyline. Million Dollar Marriage is here for you to enjoy, fall in love with and devour.
*ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
Though this book is part of the authors Million Dollar series neither of the characters play a major part of the other’s story. Million Dollar Marriage focuses on Luke and Nell.
Luke is the owner of the bar you’ll read about in Million Dollar Devil. He’s been through the ringer in life and is looking at Million Dollar Marriage as a way to pay off the debts he’s encompassed in the last few years.
Nell, sort for Penelope, is a PHD and a perpetual student. She refused to follow her parent’s path laid out for her so she’s been amassing quite a huge debt with college loans. Million Dollar Marriage could be her way above water.
This story throws these two in the deep in right away. There’s no thinking about it – if they want to win they have to sign on the line and compete together. There’s tons of obstacles in their way and I don’t even mean the stunts the TV program throws at them. Luke and Nell just need to figure out if they’re worth it. You know they say when life throws you lemons you make lemonade. These two didn’t get a chance to make lemonade but they did what they could with what they had. Definitely helped them in the end…that’s for sure!
Steamy opposites-attract tension-filled highly entertaining adventure with captivating wit, humor and heart. A binge-worthy read!
Million Dollar Marriage by Katy Evans is a tale of a fake marriage, reality TV, and opposites attract! The story is perfect for fans of shows like Love Island, Beauty and the Geek, The Amazing Race, or even the Bachelor-you know, if they got married in the beginning of the show, not the end! I’m not a fan of reality TV (unless its a prison show-I’m obsessed. Don’t judge me), but I thought this book sounded really interesting!
Nell, our heroine, is so relatable to me!! She has a mountain of student loan debt and a serious case of social awkwardness! Also, she is very introverted. But, student loan debt is no joke, so I can totally understand why she was willing to push through her personal struggles and attempt the show. Seriously, I get it. I SO GET IT. Luke is not introverted and not socially awkward. He is trying to save his bar and is just up for anything!
I loved these two together! What started out as a fake relationship in order to get money turns into real feelings. Oddly, it seemed natural. Yes, they are in a completely unnatural situation, but the pressure of competing and being reliant on your “spouse” forced these two to get to know each other. As opposite as they seemed, Luke is perfect for Nell.
Million Dollar Marriage by Katy Evans was such a joyful read! Low angst (yay!) and lots of swoonworthy moments made Million Dollar Marriage a “read in one sitting” book for me and I think lots of readers will appreciate it! While it is kind of related to Million Dollar Devil (Luke was the best friend of the hero from that book) you do not need to read Million Dollar Devil first. I enjoyed Million Dollar Marriage more-Nell and Luke were fantastic!
5 Stars!
Penelope “Nell” Carpenter is a 25 yr. old literature major living in Atlanta, Georgia who is deeply in debt with student loans. Out of options she decides to audition for a new hit reality show where the top prize is a million dollars. This could be just what will fix all her problems. The only issue is she’s a nerdy introvert who is uptight, high strung, and socially awkward. This show is totally not her scene, and she would be completely out of her comfort zone, but she’s desperate. That’s how she finds herself saying “I do” to a stranger on national television.
Luke Cross is a gorgeous 28 yr. old guy who grew up in downtown Atlanta, and owns a bar that’s in jeopardy of closing if he doesn’t find a solution soon. Broke and up for anything, he jumps at the chance to save his bar. The show is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and he’s excited to play the game.
When bad boy Luke and good girl Nell meet they are complete opposites. They are about as night and day as two people can get, but they must work together and think of the situation as a business arrangement, and nothing more. They are on a crazy adventure played out on tv for the entire world to see. Soon they are in it to win it, and don’t want their time to end. As brains and brawn collide the passion between them is inevitable. As he teaches her to live in the moment, what is to be for show starts to feel so very real.
Million Dollar Marriage (Million Dollar #2) by Katy Evans was fabulous!!! We first meet Luke as Jimmy Rowan’s best friend in Million Dollar Devil. He’s the hot, tattooed, sexy beast, and Nell is the prim, proper, innocent rule follower. Opposites attract in this fun, lighthearted, story about falling in love. This was like the Bachelor and the Amazing Race mixed into one show. It was extremely entertaining, and full of adventure, emotion, and amazing chemistry!
Million Dollar Marriage For The Win!
THIS book is SO good! The storyline is a fun, adventurous page turner, and the sexual tension had me giddy with anticipation. Luke Cross is raw, rough, and super HOT! I loved it! Katy Evans’ has once again nailed it!
Luke and Penelope’s love story was incredibly refreshing. Different than anything I have read before. I really enjoyed watching these complete opposites work through uncomfortable situations and unsavory challenges. Their confessionals were insightful and a lot of fun to read. This story could not have been more entertaining. It was like watching a really good, angst filled episode of The Amazing Race!
From the very start, Luke was so patient and protective of Penelope. He was a gentleman, but oozed sex and masculinity. He had me swooning and salivating all over the pages! I adored Penelope, and I really liked how she blossomed from a meek church mouse to a confident woman. The growth of both characters was endearing. Together, they were unstoppable.
Million Dollar Marriage is a 2019 Must Read! If you are looking for an entertaining read, something outside the typical romance trope, but with all the heat and angst, this it it! I highly recommend!
Review by Lys
Ever since the dawn of reality TV several decades ago, viewers have been hooked on a different varieties this genre offers. From talent-search shows to home improvement to games. Katy Evans provides a fun and exciting romance developed in a reality TV competition.
Nell Carpenter loves to study so much she’s about the finish her PhD, but focusing solely on her education while avoiding the real world has caused her to amass half a million dollars’ worth of student loans she can’t figure out how to start paying until her best friend takes her to a reality TV show audition which Nell gets. Can she accept the major twist the show requires of its contestants? Given her social awkwardness, can she find a way to win?
Luke’s bar is close to going under and the only way for him to save his family’s legacy is to get his hands on a whole lot of money. Luckily he’s charming, charismatic and easy on the eyes and the reality TV show’s producer knows he’ll bring in the ratings. Unfortunately he’s partnered with the shyest woman on earth with whom he has nothing in common. Can they find a way to beat the rest of the couples and not fall in love while doing so?
I was curious about this author, so when I got the opportunity to read Million Dollar Marriage I jumped at the chance even though I had read a very similar plot several years ago (Playing Games by Jessica Clare). The story was a fun and exciting slow burn which I enjoyed very much, particularly reading about Luke who capture my attention from the very beginning.
Katy Evans is skilled at pulling the reader into her stories, getting them hooked and wanting more. Million Dollar Marriage had a fast paced and thrilling plot combined with a slow burn enemies to lovers romance. I couldn’t wait to see what Nell and Luke would have to do next and how they would react to each of the game’s tasks and then read about the fallout during all their one-on-one time.
As I mentioned before, the plot was reminiscent of another romance based on reality TV, but the characters as very different and therein lies its own appeal. Nell and Luke would’ve never found a connection with each other under different circumstances, but having been forced to get married and endure difficult challenges helps them find an emotional connection that surprises them both.
Million Dollar Marriage is book #2 of the Million Dollar series by author Katy Evans. It is a standalone contemporary romance, told from both points of view with a HEA.
4.5 Opposite Attracts Stars! This storyline is fantastic and unique. I loved the banter and chemistry between Luke and Nell. You will be hooked from the beginning and go back and forth between laughing and swooning. I highly recommend this book.
4 1/2 tres magnifique stars! This is a super fun story with characters you can really get behind from the get-go. I really enjoyed the first book in this series but I liked this one even more. I like Katy Evans writing style a lot! Luke and Nell are about as opposite as you can get, but when forced to be a team in a reality show, they find out how much that really doesn’t matter. I was cheering this couple on from the beginning and totally enjoyed going through their adventures with them! Loved the epilogue so much!!!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC!
Luke is a owner and bartender at a bar. He finds himself having business financial problems and trying to figure out how to pay the bills. Nell is going for her doctorate degree and is incredibly smart but doesn’t really have a outside life away from studying. Now student loans are piling up and Nell needs to figure out her next plan. There is a new reality show offering a million dollars is this the answer to both of there problems or is this a big disaster waiting to happen and end up with people getting hurt
Million Dollar Marriage takes place in a reality show in which single and adventurous people sign up to get the opportunity to earn one million dollars.
Nell and Luke sign up but they couldn’t be more opposite..you know what they say about opposite attraction!
This a sweet, sometimes comical,feel good romance.
~BREAKDOWN OF RATINGS~
Plot~ 4/5
Main Characters (hero/heroine)~ 4/5
Secondary Characters~ 4/5
The Feels~ 4/5
Pacing~ 4/5
Addictiveness~4/5
Angst~ 4/5
Steam/Hotness/Chemisty ~ 4/5
Theme or Tone~ 4/5
Flow (Writing Style)~ 4/5
Backdrop (World Building)~ 4/5
Originality~ 4/5
Ending~ 4/5
Book Cover~ eye catching
Series~ Stand-alone
Source~ Kindle eBook – ARC for honest review
Would I read more from the author? Yes
Would I recommend this book? Yes
Million Dollar Marriage is book two in the Million Dollar Series but it can certainly be read as a stand-alone, it’s a fast paced entertaining fun adventure that captivated me from the first page.
Luke Cross and Penelope “Nell” Carpenter both need money and they need it quickly so when they see a sign up for a new reality show called Million Dollar Marriage neither of them hesitate after all getting married to a stranger is just the means to an end…….
Luke and Nell are total opposites he is a high school drop out who wants to live life to the fullest and she is the girl that always has her nose stuck in a textbook, could this sweet sexy hero bring out the adventurous side of the academic heroine and what happens when they both find out that there are more important things than money….guess you need to read the book to find that out.
This book has all the feels you want and expect in a great read, it’s entertaining, it’s an adventure, it’s funny and it will have you laughing a lot and off course there’s the chemistry which is off the charts but it wouldn’t be a Katy Evans book without some angst and this book has just the right amount. Looking forward to more from the Million Dollar Series.
If you love opposite attracts, cute and fun reads then look no more. Million Dollar Marriage is such a fun read. I love Nell (Penny) she is your somewhat lacking in inner confiedence, a book worm and just all around wondeful. Luke is what can i say he brash and just has this sexy way about him. He will make you swoon. I love the fight between Nell and Luke. They couldn’t be anymore opposite if you tried but yet somehow they really work. You feel the slow building of chemistry as the challenges they face go on. I love the strength that both Nell and Luke bring to the competition. This was absolutely fun to read. You get pulled in from the start and simply fall in love with Luke and Nell. Go one click this one today.
Only Katy Evans can surprise me like this! Million Dollar Marriage was completely different from anything I have read by her. And yet it is so brilliant in it’s crazy, creative and exceptional qualities. A romance set in the deceptive and manipulating world of reality tv show, it creeps slowly in your heart and before you even know, you are under the hypnotic spell of Katy Evans.
Penelope Carpenter and reality tv show belong to two different planets. She is a genius academician who appreciates classical music and fine things of life. When the stupid student loan compels her to sign up for a cheesy , gimmicky and celebrity reality show called Million Dollar Marriage, she has never ever thought she will have to endure someone like Luke Cross. A gorgeous, sinfully sexy and dirty man with even dirtier mouth and impossible sex appeal. Now they are “partners” and they can’t stand each other. The unpolished, uncivilized, arrogant and cocky bastard is driving Nelle nuts! Or is it the attraction she is desperately trying to deny?
This story was a refreshing take on romance. There was no love at first sight, no dating, no normal or usual things you read in romance. It was about building trust and partnership in real world scenerio. As Luke and Nelle navigates and tackles the challenges, they forge a bond stronger than any conventional relationship. Their initial goal may be the money but they gradually realizes nothing is more important than true love. And Katy Evans is going to make your world go upside down at the end. Nelle can be a little bit wound up and annoying because she was not giving any appreciation for Luke’s help. But Luke will break her down eventually and that’s the sweetest thing to read. It was a full on adventure I had with this unlikely couple. The chemistry was spot on and oh so seductive! I laughed and cried and swooned. And the drama was absolutely captivating and kept me hooked up till the end.
Opposites attract was given a whole new level of significance in Million Dollar Marriage by Katy Evans. It was emotional. It was sexy. It was insane and mindblowing in a crazy way. It was an epic and phenomenal ride all over the world with the most extraordinary emotions and nuclear hot passion!
Received ARC for Honest Review
I’m not a reality TV watcher in real life, but it was entertaining what Penny and Luke had to go through with the challenges they were given. Boy did Penny not like Luke in the beginning. It was kinda fun watching them start to like and depend on each other. The epilogue was really sweet and I really liked how everything turned out.
This book has it all. Romance, reality, you name it. Nine “married couples” at the chance of $1 million dollars. Not your normal married couples, complete strangers. Total opposites. Can they get through their challenges together or be eliminated. Luke is amazing. A guy without a high school diploma paired with Penny a college graduate with her doctorate. But you know what they say opposites attract. Each needing the grand prize to pay off debt. Penny has her student loans and Luke has multiple mortgages for the bar that his grandfather left him. Penny is a woman who is quiet and keeps to herself. She doesn’t have many friends. Not very close with her parents either. Luke, a fun guy who is outgoing and never wants to settle down. The challenges they go through keeps you rooting for them over the other couples. Each challenge bringing them closer together and closer to that grand prize. But through those challenges trusting each other and depending on each other becomes more important.
This book was an amazing and fantastic read. Risking elimination with each challenge has you on the edge of your seats. Penny and Luke find themselves in last place most of the race but they never give up. They truly become a couple. It may have started out with two complete strangers but it ended with a trusting, loving couple. One you cannot help root for to grab the grand prize as well as each other.
3.75 stars–MILLION DOLLAR MARRIAGE is the second instalment in Katy Evans’ contemporary, adult MILLION DOLLAR erotic, romance series. This is twenty-five year old, Dr. Penelope ‘Nell’ Carpenter PhD, and twenty-eight year old, bar owner Luke Cross’ story line. MILLION DOLLAR MARRIAGE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalment is revealed where necessary. Luke was first introduced in book one Million Dollar Devil.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Nell and Luke) MILLION DOLLAR MARRIAGE follows the reality TV show Million Dollar Marriage where qualifying contestants find themselves married to a complete stranger on day one. Enter twenty-five year old, Dr. Penelope ‘Nell’ Carpenter PhD, and twenty-eight year old, bar owner Luke Cross, who are paired together for their antagonising personalities, contrary discipline, and opposite physical appearances. Nell owes a half-million dollars in student loans, and Luke’s bar is mortgaged for the same amount. Winning the Million Dollar Marriage game would benefit both but falling in love was never on the agenda. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Nell and Luke, and the potential fall-out as perceived betrayal threatens to pull them apart.
MILLION DOLLAR MARRIAGE is a story of opposites attract where a game show similar to ‘Married at First Sight’™ combined with ‘The Amazing Race’™ finds the contestants battling for a one-million dollar prize package. Our heroine, Dr. Penelope Carpenter struggles with her attraction to a man who is her complete opposite, while Luke Cross quickly becomes enamored of our story line heroine. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.
We are reintroduced to YouTube sensation James Rowan (Million Dollar Devil); Luke’s grandmother, as well as a large number of contestants and officials with the reality game show.
MILLION DOLLAR MARRIAGE is a story of ‘battle of wills’, opposites attract, and physical endurance as our couple muse endure a series of obstacles before crossing the finish line. As the contestants slowly succumb to a losing battle, Nell and Luke’s time together forges a stronger bond, leading them towards a happily ever after. The premise is entertaining; the romance is seductive; the characters are colorful and charismatic but it took me awhile to warm up to our story line heroine who struggled to accept Luke as her game show partner.
Penelope (aka Nell) Carpenter is a student to graduate with yet another degree she has PHD’s and no social skills but what she does have is debt and lots of it, her student loans are building up she has no job and no way to pay them, So when her friend says she is auditioning for a reality TV show she tags along she’s never going to make it through but she is so wrong.
Luke Cross Manager of his grandfather bar that is slowly sinking and going under he need’s cash and fast his friend Jimmy aka James (Million dollar devil) tells him he needs to go on this reality TV show his good looks, people love him he can do this what can be so hard about it how wrong was he.
Penny and Luke are teamed up as a couple in order to go through to the next round they need to marry each other at the beginning of the show, what happens after that is hilarious you see them go through so many challenges and falling so hard for each other to say the opposites attract is an understatement, he gives Penny the confidence that she needs and she gives him her true self something he never dreamed he could have, will they win or will they still stay married after the show you need to read it to find out.
I absolutely FLOVE Luke and Nell’s story. I’m a big Bachelor fan so this story screamed at me. It was fun, steamy and I just loved it.
A fun romp through a reality TV world. I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end! The concept, the characters, the writing, YES!! I loved absolutely everything!!
Strangers meet and fall in love everyday, normally through dating, hooking up, friendship, work, etc…but reality TV is such a huge part of the television watching world in general, so the idea where people are forced together and then have to work together is always a fascinating socialization concept.
Take for instance the game show, Survivor, which has been around now for about 20 years. We are not only drawn in by the physical challenges, but the social aspects that only reality TV can bring. This is the concept behind Million Dollar Marriage. Social, emotional, and physical. I’d totally watch this fictional show if it became a reality.
Nell (Penelope) is a total brainiac, having worked hard to achieve her PhD, but has she ever watched a reality TV show? No. How did she become a contestant on Million Dollar Marriage? With a little convincing by her best friend to go to the casting call and all the student debt she has piled up to achieve her educational status, so it didn’t take much coercion at all, actually. With her nose constantly in a book, Nell has little to no social skill, plus the heaviest thing she lifts are big books. Can she actually win this game?
Luke is a physical powerhouse, plus he is already business owner owning his own bar. His social game is top notch. He can win with his hands tied behind his back, seriously is that a challenge because he would totally win it. Like Nell he too has a mountain of debt and could use the cash to pull himself out of it. With the assets he brings to the table he’ll win this game even if it means being tied up, tied down, or tied to someone else in matrimony, just don’t ask him to complete a puzzle, that might prove a challenge, you see Luke never graduated high school, he is the complete opposite of Nell in just about every possible way, so being each others partners may be his biggest challenge.
Part of the overall game, did you see the dropped hint of matrimony above? You see Million Dollar Marriage isn’t just a pretty title for a reality TV show. Nell and Luke first have to decide to stay married during their time while on the show, then eventually work together to win each challenge before the other teams do so they can make it to the end and actually win the game.
Together they might just be the best team or perhaps the worst, but if they don’t try they will never know. The social experiment of the game is so much more than Nell and Luke ever expected. Each of them grow and learn from the other without really realizing it, but the real question at the end of everything is…can they actually survive outside of the game? Can they work out in the real world? Could they really sustain a life together when they are completely opposite in every possible way?
Opposites attract, but do they last?