| Title | : | Blissfully Married (Married, #4) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 181 |
| Publication | : | First published September 15, 2016 |
Sidney’s matchmaking business is suffering. When her best friend convinces her to put on a fake engagement ring to boost customer confidence in her, she reluctantly agrees. Couldn’t hurt to try, right? And when her childhood crush comes walking in, she’s glad to have her fake engagement as an excuse not to get involved with him. He shattered her heart ten years ago, and she can’t take another painful Blake incident.
Blake can’t believe it when he sees Sidney, all grown up. She looks amazing. But she’s also off limits, or so he thinks. When he finds out she’s not really engaged, he’s confused as to why Sidney would lie to him. He makes it his goal to coax the truth out of her, even if he has to go to great lengths to do it.
Blissfully Married is a sweet romance, with no graphic content. This can be read as a stand-alone novel.
Blissfully Married (Married, #4) Reviews
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I must admit I haven't read any other books by this author(or in this series). I've had my eye on them for a while now but hadn't picked any up. This was part of the
Love and Romance: 15 Sweet Contemporary Romances box set. Although it is #4 in the series it can be read as a stand alone. I really enjoyed it lots. Fun, fast, fluffy, lots of sparks, humor, funny(and embarrassing) situations, great characters and lots more. I can't wait to go back and read the other books in this series. I do have #2 and almost started it right after finishing this one but with some review books lined up I'll have to wait a little bit.
Sydney has had a big time crush on her brother's best friend since she was little. In an attempt to show him how she feels, the situation goes awry and leaves Sydney hurt and heartbroken. Jump ahead 10 years later and she has a new and struggling matchmaking business. She knows her stuff but when potential clients realize she isn't in a relationship they bolt. Who could trust her to know how to match them up when she can't even find a match herself? Lightning bolt moment...her friend Mia has a brilliant idea, Sydney just needs to pretend to be engaged and get her business booming, then she can quit pretending.
Perfect solution right? WRONG! Sydney and Mia's brother take several "engagement" pictures just for use in the office. There's no way anybody else will find out about this...until they DO and it escalates OUT OF CONTROL. Sydney's mom is beside herself with enthusiasm that Sydney has finally found "the one". Everyone is pushing for information and trying to get Sydney to commit to a date and wedding plans.
Who might you ask is the culprit for spreading the rumor that Sydney is "engaged"? Why it's none other than the long time no see crush of hers. The very one who happens to move back into town after 10 years. And the very one who happens to be walking by her office, sees her, walks in and notices Sydney all grown up after all these years. The same one whom Sydney can't stop thinking about but has tried so hard to push from her heart after it being crushed years ago. Yep, I'm sure you guessed it, her brother's best friend Blake.
He's back and he's divorced and available. Oh and I should say that he's on to Sydney's little ruse but she doesn't know he knows she's not really engaged. So what ensues is pretty funny with Blake trying to give Sydney plenty of opportunities to confess, Sydney embarrassed about the whole situation, her family pushing the engagement to speed up and work clients picking up. As I said earlier, some funny but also embarrassing moments throughout the book. So a little bit of a predictable storyline but if you're looking for a fun, clean, contemporary chick-lit romance grab it and gobble it up. From reviews for the first 3 books in the series it seems like most everyone loves the books but that the first one is the favorite.
Content: Clean
My own personal copy as part of a box set.
Happy Reading!!! -
FREE on Amazon today (10/26/2017)!
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Yay! I love getting a new book by Victorine Lieske. This was a pre-order, auto buy for me because I really enjoy her books. They are light, fluffy and full of sparks. I read through this one so fast- maybe too fast- and I loved every minute of it. :) Now I'm behind on my review reading but I don't regret it!
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2.5 Stars. I did not like this book nearly as much as the other books in the series I've read. I had a really hard time liking Sidney. Blake was a little better, but I honestly didn't care much for him either. I just couldn't understand any of the choices Sidney made and found her really annoying. I also didn't really get why Blake pursued her so hard. While I definitely recommend this series to Fake Relationship fans, I think it's ok if you skip this one.
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This was a really cute story. I liked the way the relationship developed between Sidney and Blake and how they already had some history in common, even though it wasn't all good.
Some of the situations were funny and some even awkward which made them even funnier as Sidney figured out that she could trust Blake and give her heart to him.
This story has all the right ingredients: not too long or too short, lots of humor, well-developed main characters and a great set of secondary characters, and plenty of sweet romance.
(I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.) -
Rating: 3.5 stars
I liked this book, okay. It's pretty straightforward, a sweet cozy kind of romance story. It's clean, not even a dirty word.
Sidney's matchmaking business hasn't been going well lately because her clients has been finding it hard to trust her because in her personal life, she hasn't found her perfect match. Mia, her friend stages a fake engagement by clicking loads of pictures of Sidney with Ted and also brings her a fake engagement ring to make it real. Ted is a nice guy and is Mia's brother, a computer junkie. At that time, the idea seemed appropriate but when Blake, Sidney's childhood crush comes knocking at her office's door, she knows she is in trouble. He not only knocks but also asks her to find him a perfect match.
It had been going well but soon the news of the engagement spreads and causes her trouble. Also her cover gets busted soon! As Sidney and Blake spends time together, they reminisce over their old memories when they were kids. Blake hadn't noticed Sidney much when they were young but now that she has transformed into a woman, he finds it hard not to notice her.
The rest...you'll know when you read it :p
This was a fairly good book compared to the the ones I have been reading for two days. It has got some nice characters, well set up scenes, a mushy-gushy plot and lots of romance. A sweet romance story with strong characters. I loved Sidney and Blake was also charming.
Ratings :
Plot: ⭐⭐⭐.5
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Narration: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Writing Style: ⭐⭐⭐.8
Language and Vocabulary: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ -
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
Sidney's matchmaking business is suffering. When her best friend convinces her to put on a fake engagement ring to boost customer confidence in her, she reluctantly agrees. Couldn't hurt to try, right? And when her childhood crush comes walking in, she's glad to have her fake engagement as an excuse not to get involved with him. He shattered her heart 10 years ago, and she can't take another painful Blake incident.
Blake can't believe it when he sees Sidney, all grown up. She looks amazing. But she's also off limits, or so he thinks. When he finds out she's not really engaged, he's confused as to why Sidney would lie to him. He makes it his goal to coax the truth out of her, even if he has to go to great lengths to do it.
MY TAKE
This is the fourth book in this series that I've listened to by Lieske. Her stories are always filled with heart and humor.
Blake is adorable, and Sidney's a fun character. I loved how their old friendship found its way back, and they were able to remember how much they had enjoyed each other's companies. One of my favorite parts in a book like this is when they share so much of their history. It gives them a great connection.
Melissa Sternenberg, the narrator, did a great job.
4 1/2 star If not for the problem being something that could have been solved with a simple conversation, it'd have been 5 stars. -
Blissfully Married
Sidney has been in love with her older brother's best friend her whole life. At 16, she made a fool of herself in front of him and she doesn't want to relive that humiliation and risk falling in love with him again. After 10 years away, he suddenly comes back into her life, moving back into the area to be close to his ill mother. So, Sidney pretends to be engaged to her best friend's brother to keep him at arm's length and strengthen her resolve not to fall in love with him again.
Blake develops feelings for Sidney, and when he discovers that she's been lying about her relationship with Ted, he tries to get Sidney to come clean with him so that they can have a relationship of their own. Having experienced a difficult marriage and divorce, he wants to have a relationship with Sidney based on trust. Why won't Sidney trust him?
This, in true Victorine fashion, was wonderfully well-written, humourous, had engaging characters (no pun intended!), the plot flows at a fast pace, the romance is clean with no swearing. I loved it and I highly recommend it! Another 5 star read! -
Sidney's matchmaking business is suffering and so her best friend Mia talks her into having a fake engagement -- just a picture on her desk with a fake fiance, and a fake engagement ring - it was supposed to be so simple!
Sidney hasn't seen Blake in 10 years - surely that's enough time to get over a lifetime crush and the humiliating incident that resulted from that crush, right? Blake walks into her place of business, and just like that her fake engagement is about so much more than boosting her business - it's about protecting her heart from him!
Blake and Sidney together were really fun - and watching Sidney try to navigate the tangled web of her deception was pretty entertaining.
Content: Very clean
Source: Kindle Unlimited -
A cute romantic comedy!
I have to say that I really enjoyed this book! The playful banter between the two main characters was so fun and hilarious. I loved the storyline and the way it progressed and flowed. The romantic tension was wonderfully done without being dirty. I got a bit frustrated at the very end though- after all the drama and build-up I felt like it was solved and ended too suddenly. I wish there could have been an extra chapter before the epilogue. Still a very cute story though!!!!! -
Unfortunately, I found most of the characters to be shallow with low self-esteem. I was disappointed in the way the protagonists seemed to be chasing their tails all the way through the book. The story’s most redeeming quality is that it is a clean romance, but that only carries limited weight on its own. Even Ms. Lieske’s unique brand of humor was insufficient to rescue this offering. Maybe I just had a bad week, but I was unimpressed with “Blissfully Married.”
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How about a swoon for the cover right? I love it! Her hair, her make-up. I want to do my hair like it!
I loved the silly antics between Sidney and Blake when they first meet up again after a 10 year separation. It was funny how out of control things got and the twists the author took. However, I couldn't relate to why Sidney kept pushing Blake away after the continued examples of his feelings for her, even after his declaration! Ugh, she drove me a little crazy with her craziness. It got the happily ever after I wanted, but it didn't feel as enjoyable as I had hoped. Maybe after all the angst the ending seemed too quickly wrapped up.
On a steaminess level I would rate this a hot PG. Nothing leaving me blushing or feeling uncomfortable. For that I am very grateful! -
This was different from all other 3 books before it, but in a good way different. It was nice to have the whole build up until the very end. This one was a bit harder to read just because it was a more of a back and forth and not a starting off growing happy together.
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Cute. Short and sweet. Not sure how the h could ever make a living running a matchmaking business the way she does, but that's really just a vehicle for the story. There's a lot of communication issues but that's the point of the story.
Well-written and edited. -
Hmmm.... not crazy about his getting married and divorced in the decade they were apart. I'd really hate to read this and find out she's the second choice.
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Sorry this one just wasn’t my cup of tea. I didn’t become engaged with the characters and the plot was a little weak, but it did have several light hearted scenes. Happy reading/listening!
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I'm not a fan of childhood friends/second chance love stories, but this seemed to have potential so I decided to read it. It's a bit different than the first two books in the series (I haven't the third one yet). The heroine actually has a good relationship with her family.
Hero/heroine chemistry is good. -
I really love to read Victorine E. Lieske's books. This one was nice. It somehow reminded me of skinny love. Her other books ( Married series) always managed to make me laugh out loud but this one wasn't really lol kind of book. Thank you for write such a blissful, enjoyful books. I hope you to continue this wonderfull series. I will always wait your upcoming exciting books happily.
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Blissfully Married by Victorine E. Lieske is a blissful read. There's nothing I love better than a romantic comedy. Romance and laughter — it's the perfect match, right? Lieske's characters are quirky and kind, and laugh-out-loud funny.
Sidney is a professional matchmaker. But no matter how good she is at this, who'll trust a matchmaker who cannot find herself a match?
When yet another potential client ditches her just because Sidney lacks a mate of her own, Sidney hits on the perfect solution: She'll just pretend to be engaged to her best friend's brother.
But when her mother believes the deception, the problems begin. And when Blake, the man Sidney has been in love with all her life, the one she's spent years trying to forget, walks into her office... Well, you know Sidney's problems have just begun!
The chemistry between Blake and Sidney was sparkling even as they struggled to keep their relationship on the level of friendship. I love second-chance romances from the past and this one charmed me with its sweet, honorable characters. Sidney's friends and family formed a wonderful supporting cast that added quirkiness and spice along with lots of warmth.
(I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.) -
Sidney’s new business as a matchmaker isn’t growing much. There just aren’t enough people who want to commit to her service. Maybe it’s because she’s single, with nobody of her own on the horizon. Her best friend, Mia, has a great idea that should help speed up the business. The plan involves becoming engaged, sort of, to Mia’s brother. This sets off a series of events that will make your head spin.
When an old boyfriend enters the picture, things get awkward. Sidney’s parents start making wedding plans, the old boyfriend starts thinking maybe he’d like to pursue the former relationship, and Sidney is in a quandary as to how to set things straight.
Jump on the merry-go-round with Victorine Lieske’s romantic comedy of errors. She has a flair for creating dialogue and situations that keep the pages turning. The only somewhat negative thing that jumped out at me was that the characters sometimes over analyze whether they should or should not act upon their inner feelings. BUT, it’s easy enough to get beyond that, because the story line is captivating. -
This is a great read: it's sweet and clean.
The author made Sidney and Blake a real couple, and they're pretty cute together. I loved Mia and I want to see, who her sister ends up with. I'm betting on one of the other characters, but who knows.
I really liked that the writing is clean and the story flows well. You'll want to curl up with a cup of tea or coffee and enjoy the ride the author will take you on with these two individuals, who are obviously made for each other.
I received this free book in exchange for an honest review. -
Sidney runs a dating service, but her single-status undermines her success with potential clients. Her best friend convinces her to do a fake engagement to help her business, and it seems to work…until Blake—a flame from her past—walks inside and threatens to destroy her heart once more. Like the other books in this series, this one’s fun and crazy at times. The scenarios Sidney lands herself in made me laugh. Another great book by this author. **I received a copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.
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Another cute book in the series
I liked this one as well. The premise was fun in the beginning, but took a back burner later on. The characters were cute and some things were funny. It felt rushed and slow at the same time because weeks of time would go by and we would begin a new scene, but then nothing really happened. I thought their end choice was weird but whatevs, it's not important. Overall it was cute and I don't regret reading it -
I adore sweet, fun romances like this one!
Cute story line of bringing the past and the present together in an awkward way--so like true life. Oh, the things we do for love and pride. Sidney and Blake will quickly find a way into your heart. You will be anxious for each encounter they have together--such great writing! I have read every book in this series and have absolutely loved each one. -
Another match made in heaven!
I loved this sweet romance when the character's white lies become overwhelming and her pride gets in the way. Taking chances on love again is hard for them both, but so worth it in the end. I have loved all of her books in this series. -
I was frustrated with this one. I don't like it when an author writes a storyline around one misunderstanding after another. And I felt that the main character was a little immature.
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Actual Rating: 3.75 stars.
I don’t know if this got such a good rating from me naturally or if I was just so desperate for an escape from my pre-dentist appointment nerves yesterday that I marathoned my way through it in a couple of hours. I got the Married series as an ebook bind-up late last year for cheap (or possibly free?) and I have NOT been having success with this series at all. The highest rated book in this series so far was 2.25 stars and then BAM out of nowhere book 4 hit me like a freight train...and I really liked it?? Who am I?
Blissfully Married is a story about a woman who pretends to be engaged in order to make her matchmaking business more legitimate. As the clients start rolling in, she has to keep up pretenses in the small town with everyone she knows. Including her mom, dad, sister, and childhood friend/forever crush who has just returned home. Some would take the opportunity to make this a fake engaged romance which is all well and good. But the absolute PINING, the desperation, the LONGING that comes from her being fake engaged to one guy while being so drawn to her childhood friend? My heart. Some of you may be wondering, ‘why is she like this?’ or ‘what does it say about her that her favorite romances always include so much angst?’ And to that I say I don’t know and I don’t want to know. I just want to keep eating up all of this angsty goodness. It doesn’t help that the male lead in this one finds out about the fake engagement really early on and we get to see him try to get the truth out of her without coming right out and saying it. How he attempts to...not necessarily seduce her, but show her how strong their chemistry is.
Of course, we still run into some of the problems that seem to be standard for this series. It’s too short by far. A little over 150 pages just isn’t enough. I wish the side characters felt more real, I wish there was more fleshed out about the actual conflict, I wish the ending didn’t feel like being pushed out a door and it being slammed right behind you. I also don’t like how for every single novella in this collection you have to suspend your disbelief in some way. But, still, somehow, I managed to have a really good time with this one. And it’s thrown me for a loop. How will I feel about the final novella? Who the hell knows?
