I was sixteen when I vowed I would never marry him. We shook on it. Pinky swore. Even put it in writing and all but signed our names in blood. It was the one and only thing we ever agreed on. To the world, he’s Prince Ian, Duke of Montcroix, second in line to the Chamont throne. Panty-melting accent. Royal charm. Hypnotic presence. Blindingly gorgeous. Laundry list of women all over the world who … women all over the world who would give their first born for the chance to marry him. Most eligible bachelor in the free world …
But to me, he’s nothing more than the son of my father’s best friend—the pesky blue-eyed boy who made it his mission to annoy the ever-loving hell out of me summer after summer as our families vacationed together, our parents oblivious to our mutual disdain as they joked about our “betrothal.”
He was also my first kiss.
And my first taste of heartbreak so cataclysmic it almost broke me.
I meant it with every fiber of my soul when I swore I’d never marry him.
But on the eve of my 24th birthday, His Royal Highness has the audacity to show up at my door after years of silence and make a demand that will forever change the trajectory of our lives: “We have to break our pact.”
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They’re Enemies… Turned LOVERS Who’re Deal’n With “The Marriage Pact!”
There’s a Pact that’ll NEED Broken… Why?
ONLY For the sake of a King Claim’n a Throne!
or Sooo He’d have Her Believe,
When He Proposed “The Marriage Pact,”
To HER after such a long absence…
Especially, after inflicting such Pain~ ALL those Years Before!
But the Reality is Different…
As there’s Lies, Deceptions, & Betrayals afoot in this Game of Royal Inheritance!
“The Marriage Pact” is a RollerCoaster of Emotions…
Who’s gonna Survive the Turmoil Intact!?!
I was granted, via B00|{$P®0UT, an ARC of Winter Renshaw’s “The Marriage Pact.” I recommend this book to others based upon its own recommendations. All opinions expressed within this review are uniquely my own & freely given!
Until next time… Happy Reading!
Can he be her Prince? Does she have to kiss more frogs to find out???
The Marriage Pact is a fun and entertaining story by Winter Renshaw.
Julian is a real life prince. Emelie is a teacher. Their parents have been friends for years so Julian and Emelie have known each other since they were children. When they were teenagers they had a summer fling that did not end well. It was so bad for Emelie, as it broke her heart, that she swore she would never marry him and did not want to see him again. Since then they have not had any communication between them.
Now it is 8 years later and Julian needs something from Emelie…………her hand in marriage. Like that is even a possibility right. Not in this lifetime buddy, Prince or no Prince it just ain’t happening!!! Well it seems there could be one little thing that might make Emelie do it and it is the root of all evil in this world – MONEY!!! It seems Emelie’s family has been struggling financially since her fathers death so a marriage of “convenience” might be the ticket of this predicament. But whose “convenience” would the marriage be for? Julian you see has some ulterior motives in this transaction. Namely he still have feelings for Emelie all along and this might be the ticket to getting what he wants.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are all my own.
Strong male and female lead, a HUGE misunderstanding that led to heartbreak back when and drove them apart. After eight years, they are thrown back together in the most curious of ways. Overall, it’s a compelling story that alternates first person POV from Julian to Emelie and back again. Some twists thrown in for good measure, all but one of which were very plausible to me. I would read more of this author’s work.
This was an awesome read I felt like this was WR version of beauty and the beast in a way lol all the angst and feels are there.
Julian and Emelie were childhood friends. Then came lovers and Julian did the worst thing he could do. He left and that was something Emelie could never get over. Now Julian needs Emelie’s help and in order to take the throne there is something he needs from her in order to make that happen. There is love, hatred, sadness, and love again. Enjoyed this read and can’t wait to see what WR has next!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Innocence and time lost
—>>> A relationship which never got to fully bloom between childhood sweethearts finally gets a second chance eight years later when Julian literally shows up in the middle of the night to throw down a deal which he thought Emelie would not be able to refuse. After all, it was for the ultimate greater good: the stability of his country’s monarchy. He just needs her to achieve it. Ironically, she turns out to be the only woman he can trust since he last saw her. Great romancing with a twist or two you might not see coming!
I loved this book it has Well developed and engaging characters with loads of steam and chemistry making for an enjoyable storyline to follow.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This story features Julian and Emelie. They were each other‘s first loves as teenagers. Things happened and they vowed never to marry each other. It’s been eight years since then. Now, he needs a wife and thinks she would be perfect. This is a very busy story. Plot twists galore! This is a second chance romance that takes us on a little, far-fetched journey to a made-up island kingdom. I was so invested in their story. The first 85% of the book was fantastic but then it all fell apart. They just kept repeating the same lack of communication issues until I actually lost interest. The end was shockingly disappointing. It went a direction that made NO sense whatsoever.
Intense royal romantic suspense
In typical Winter Renshaw style, no true love ever goes ahead as planned, and there are always currents that underlie the relationship of every couple especially in Emelie and Julian’s story. Each of them put the intense hates on each other, and I wondered what could have gone so wrong, but, the truth is more insidious than I could have imagined.
Told in my favourite dual POV, it was Julian’s voice that made me question his motives. While he professed his utter disdain for her, he gave small hints towards more romantic feelings, but I still thought that this surely couldn’t be the case.
It was Emelie that my heart broke for. She was in an impossible position and despite her past history with Julian, the intense feeling just wouldn’t stay hidden. Julian is confusing her, and she can’t understand his anger after what ‘HE’ had done to her, and to be honest, neither could I.
The written chemistry between these two made for great reading, and when a third person is thrown in the mix, it all starts to come to a head. This is why I love Ms Renshaw’s writing.
My only issue is that the book wrapped up fairly quickly, and the issue that was the crux of their relationship was almost a by-product of the story towards the end. Still, books written by Winter Renshaw will always be my automatic one click, and are always time and money well spent. 4 Stars.
Royally emotional!
Young love ended before it could really begin. It ended so bitterly that it led to a pact that Emelie would never ever marry Prince Julian no matter how hard their parents tried to push them together.
Eight years later, Julian needs a favor from Emelie and needs to break that pact.
Wow, emotions flowing all over the place! So much anger and resentment is still there but as more past secrets are revealed, the more my eyes were misting. Things begin to look up but I was just waiting for that other shoe to drop and -plop- there’s that other shoe and there’s those misty eyes again!
So many high and low emotions to weed through the b.s. of the past and the present and turns I never saw coming.
I loved this book and totally, royally recommend it!
A quick read and a delightful modern day story of a Prince Charming with a twist. Emelie grew up knowing Julian as the annoying boy whose family came to North Carolina each summer to relax from the everyday stressors of running a Camelot like country. Julian quickly changed from being the anoying boy who left frogs on her pillow to her first crush and then it all went to hell. Years later, the last person Emelie expected to show up on her doorstep prosing marriage is Julian. What surprises her more is that she may be considering that proposal. There are many, many twists and surprises in this book that will keep you reading and unable to put it down the same as me.
I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest and totally voluntary review.
*** I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.***
Well this was a different take on a a girl and her Prince Charming. So the title pretty much says it all. The marriage pact is about lost love and a chance of redemption but not your typical second chance romance.
Emelie grows up knowing Julian is a Prince but she only sees a different person because his parents visits her family during summers in the United States. So when they were younger they made a pact and went on with their lives. Then Julian shows up on her door step and tells her they need to break the pact. The hostility she has towards him is crazy. Which you will find out why later in the book. You also notice that Julian seems hesitant about it and has his own agenda for them to get married. Emelie agree to help him. However she has her own request with her agreement. So they both set off on rediscovering their love and during this time revelations are made between the two of them. Which then they realize that they lost so much time with each other that they make up for it. Then the big day comes but something is revealed and hearts are broken. However there is a happy ending because Julian finally tells Emelie why he did what he did. I honestly felt bad for Emelie with her going through her heartbreak. However, I feel that she really didn’t try to see Julian for who he really is. She only got a glimpse of his life as a Prince, and she really didn’t try to see him as the Prince just the guy that she spent summers with. There is a happy ending and glad they finally found their love for each other. Overall this book was a great book.
An absolutely fantastic royal romance .
Emelie is a school teacher that hasnt gotten over her heart being broken 8 years ago by Julian.
And now on her 24th birthday the panty melting Prince is on her doorstep asking her to break her promise and marty him!! .He needs a wife to take over the throne and she is the omly woman he trusts.
Can the two former childhood friends forgive each other for the heartbreaking summer 8 years ago?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I normally love her books. I did not really like this one. I finished it because I kept thinking it would get better. Very unbelievable.
Julian and Emelie’s parents are close friends and they grew up summering together. Julian always played the role of a pesky older brother, until one year their relationship and feelings for one another changed. When a misunderstanding happens between them, they lose touch and try to move on. When Julian shows up unexpectatnly on Emelie’s front steps she is shocked and old feelings start to resurface. She has a hard time wrapping her head around his request, but can’t turn him down his offer. Their chemistry was amazing and both characters were likeable, I just felt like their storyline was a little unbelievable. I’m always excited to read this authors books, but I could not get into this one, so I was a little disappointed. I would highly recommend this authors other books, this one just wasn’t for me.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What happens when you go years with a misunderstanding that has changed your whole outlook of life? Well, this book is pretty much a testament to that.
Emelie and Julian were sorts of friends when they were kids until they turned 16 and then things changed one summer. However, years later, Julian comes to Emelie and asks for a favor that will change both of their lives. However, what Emelie doesn’t realize is that Julian has been planning his revenge for years and he has just been given the keys to the kingdom to do just that.
Emelie is forced to face truths from years ago that she never wanted to talk about, and it is all because of Julian. After everything these two have been through will they find the love they want.
Julian needs to take over as King of his country from his father, but traditions states to be King that he must be wed. With their parents being friends, Julian and Emelie grew up together while spending summers together. Emelie is a teacher and is surprised when Julian shows up to ask a huge favor. Can Julian convince Emelie to marry him? Can Emelie get past her hate for Julian and be what he needs her to be? Can Emelie and Julian move past hurt feelings and betrayal to find their happily ever after. I really enjoyed The Marriage Pact by Winter Renshaw. The Marriage Pact is full of chemistry, drama, intrigue, and twists and turns. I would definitely recommend The Marriage Pact by Winter Renshaw. I received an ARC of this book from Hidden Gems, and I am leaving my honest review.
Another first read from a new to me author, The Marriage Pact is a second chance, contemporary, royal romance. It follows the story of Prince Julian showing up to Emelie’s doorstep eight years later after their teenage falling out. They grew up summering together with their families in North Carolina’s home of Emelie. They couldn’t stand each other but one summer, all of it changes. They fell in love but something happened that broke their young hearts. They made a pact not to marry one another. Yet, years later Prince Julian came to ask Emelie’s help. That is, to break the pact that they’ve made. Will they finally have their second chance romance? Will they have the dream, royal wedding?
I’d consider The Marriage Pact as a perfect royal romance read. It definitely has all the right ingredients to it. I have quite enjoyed it since I am closet sucker for this kind of romance. I may or may not have harbored a crush once upon a time on a famous royal *dreamy sighs* so reading this story was kind of feeding my craving I haven’t fed for a long time.
The ending was kind of open ended for me. I don’t know. I feel like there will be a spin off on this world or a novella because that ending kind of leave a lot to happen. It is one full of promise, of things to happen, whether good or bad for the main characters. All in all, perfect summer read!
3.5 stars
Emelie and Julian vowed to never marry each other, so why’s he on her doorstep asking her to break that pact?
Prince Julian and Emelie were childhood friends and tormentors, then lovers, but that ended badly and it’s been 8 years since they saw each other. Neither can say they’re exactly fond of each other (or are they?), but Prince Julian needs a wife to take over his country’s rule from his mentally ailing father. Who better to ask to be his wife of convenience, but his Emelie?
The Marriage Pact was a mostly entertaining enemies to lovers romance. It definitely did not go the way I thought it would, which is sorta of good and sort of bad. I like that it’s not the usual. However, the twist in the plot was a bit out there and definitely not my favorite part of the story. I like Emelie and Julian but throughout most of the story I have to admit that I wanted to smack them both and make them simply talk to each other. Their miscommunication was pretty ridiculous and annoying at times. But, their chemistry partially made up for the annoying parts and I found myself mostly enjoying this one. It’s not my favorite by Winter Renshaw, but it’s still readable and entertaining.
Emelie was whisked into every little girl’s dream of becoming a princess by marrying a man she loved but felt had betrayed that love. This story was sweet but felt a little too predictable and far fetched. I enjoy Winter Renshaw’s writing and always enjoy her books but this one was not one of my favorites. I’m sure every woman would like to find their own Julian!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Fairytale with a twist…
Emelie and her family have always spent the summers with her father’s best friend and his family in North Carolina. It was a wonderful tradition that grew the friendship between Emelie and Julian, but when a girl turns 16 and sees a handsome boy who starts treating her the way she wants to be treated, what is a girl to do? But when things take a turn for the worst that summer and they part ways as bitter enemies, will they stay that way? Can there ever be forgiveness? What happens when Julian shows up late at night at her house eight years later?
Julian is trying to protect his family and his country, but to do so, he needs Emelie’s help. Will she agree to help him after their past? Will she agree to break the promise they made to one another? But what happens when Julian finds out the truth and has a lot more love in his heart that he ever did before?
This story is filled with so much drama, anger, frustration, love, lust, romance and some triggers. But what a twist on Prince Charming. This is a second chance romance with forgiveness and so much more. You will not be disappointed. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.