Marrying My Brother's Best Friend:
A Single Dad, Accidental Baby Romance
(The Billionaire's Secret, Book 4)
Author: R. S. Elliot
Publication Date: February 19, 2021
Available Now: Kindle
If you've been following along my reading journey, you know I am very much an advocate for reading a book series in the intended order.
Most of the books I read tend to be part of a larger universe, where characters and story lines intermingle in a way that makes sense for the overall arc of the series and allows the author to get their readers to buy in.
Full disclosure: I read the first three books in the Billionaire's Secret series some time ago, strictly for pleasure, which is why I'm only posting a review about book four of the series, Marrying My Best Friend's Brother. However, as always, I suggest checking out the first book in the series and make your way through to really get the full emotional impact that R.S. Elliot provides readers of the series. You can check the series out here!
Now for my review...
I am the type of reader who truly invests in a story, in the characters, and in the universe an author creates. In the current climate of authors self-publishing, a reader never truly knows what type of story they are walking into. The covers of romance novels are absolutely meant to draw the eye, most of them featuring scantily clad god-or-goddess-like models in various states of undress or physical entanglement.
Am I also the type to be swayed by a hot as sin cover?
Yes, I sure the fuck am!
That being said, R. S. Elliot has been hit and miss for me, depending on the series. I loved all three of the previous books in the Billionaire's Secret series, but was not so sure about all of the books in the Billionaire's Obsession series - I've currently just finished the boxed set and I loved Beauty and the Boss as well as Teacher and the Boss.
I really had no idea what to expect from Marrying My Brother's Best Friend when I received an advanced copy, but I loved the premise.
Synopsis:
Aaron
My best friend’s little sister was always off-limits.That’s especially true now that she’s my lawyer.
I need her to help me keep custody of Ava.
My daughter is the most important thing in my life.
Between being a single father and running a Fortune 100 company, there isn’t room for anything else.
Certainly not with Sarah.
Her brother would kill me if I ever touched her.
Not to mention, she would violate her legal ethics getting involved with a client.
But old feelings aren’t so easy to suppress.
And ending up in bed with Sarah is only the start of the complications to my life and my heart.
Sarah
Aaron Moore is a grade-A jerk.
At least, that’s how I remember my older brother’s best friend from high school.
It didn’t stop me from crushing on him back then, though.
Only now, he’s a client.
He also isn’t the person I thought he was at all.
A determined businessman. A dedicated father. A passionate lover.
Once we cross that line, there’s no going back, despite what it could cost me.
But forces work to keep us apart and take what’s most important to him.
Only I have a secret…one that will change everything and that I won’t be able to keep hidden for long.
Of the four books in this series, this is the one that had my heart absolutely aching. Seeing both main characters struggling so hard against their feelings for one another in order to ensure the well-being of a child had me in tears more than a few times. The investment in Aaron and Sarah was so, so real for me. I found myself having to put the book down for a bit with every obstacle and twist in the story line, but I am happy to say that all of my anxiety over the mountains this pair had to climb was rewarded in the end.
R. S. Elliot truly does emotional stories well. This is not an author that simply cranks out a book series to make money. There is no rushing over the small details and getting straight to the steamy love scenes. You are introduced to the characters and provided with in-depth backgrounds, relatable side characters that help move the story along, and a well-thought out plot with believable roadblocks and satisfying payoffs by the time you reach the end of the book.
I would definitely recommend adding R. S. Elliot to your list of authors to follow, and make sure you start at the beginning of each series to get the most out of your reading!
A copy of Marrying My Brother's Best Friend was provided by BookSprout in exchange for an honest review. All opinions regarding the story are my own.
