Book: Marriage on Madison Avenue
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steam: 💨
Synopis: Can guys and girls ever be just friends? According to Audrey Tate and Clarke West, absolutely. After all, they’ve been best friends since childhood without a single romantic entanglement. Clarke is the charming playboy Audrey can always count on, and he knows that the ever-loyal Audrey will never not play along with his strategy for dodging his matchmaking mother—announcing he’s already engaged…to Audrey.

But what starts out as a playful game between two best friends turns into something infinitely more complicated, as just-for-show kisses begin to stir up forbidden feelings. As the faux wedding date looms closer, Audrey and Clarke realize that they can never go back to the way things were, but deep down, do they really want to?

Review: I haven't read the first two in the Central Park series, but I definitely will after reading this one (luckily these can be read as stand alones). This was a light, but very entertaining romcom that I devoured in one sitting. Both Clarke and Audrey are imperfect characters, but they are perfect for each other (everyone can see this but them😂). Their honestly and easy banter is a great part of this book and will have you invested in their HEA.

If you're looking for a quick, but enjoyable read look no further than Marriage on Madison Avenue. This cute read will brighten your day and leave you smiling.

AHHHHH

seriously I have yet to hate one of this authors books. She is a hard 4-5 always. This was a slow start but then wow I wanted every single moment of this. this was perfectly sweet even if the MC wanted to ruin the book every 5 minutes... love it! This book lost a star for me because of how annoying MC female was and how slow the beginning was. I am still obsessed with this author and this series is unique for sure

4.5 stars

Marriage on Madison Avenue by Lauren Layne is a beautifully written, heartwarming read and I really enjoyed it.

After reading the previous books in the Central Park Pact series I was excited to get my hands on Marriage on Madison Avenue, Audrey Tate and Clarke West story.
I can honesty say that author Lauren Layne has delivered a beautiful, romantic and heartwarming read.
I loved watching the romance slowly unfold, after being best friends for such a long time it was scary giving into their feelings and just enjoying the passion they've managed to keep at bay.
These two made me laugh and swoon all throughout the book, they have amazing chemistry and are totally in sync with each other.
I loved them together and they totally deserved their happily ever after.

Overall, Marriage on Madison Avenue is a great addition to the Central Park Pact series and a wonderful way to sign off on the series.
I've enjoyed all the books, each book warmed my heart and I highly recommend them all.

Start reading NOW!
https://laurenlayne.com/marriage-on-m...

*An ARC was provided in exchange for my honest thoughts.*

I love this series. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the other women of the Central Park Pact and their beaus in the previous two books. But I know I can't be the only one who was desperately waiting for this conclusion with Audrey and Clarke. All I can say is "Yay!" I absolutely adore this charming friends to lovers romance. Well written, swoony, and cute, I was so happy to have finally read this story. Lauren Layne made it very easy to root for all these characters.

The friendship between Aubrey and Clarke is everything!! They had great chemistry and wonderful banter. I just love how they could rely on each other leading to a fantastic slow developing love.

I'm a little bummed to see this series come to an end. The bond between the three women is better than ever in this final book. Still my favorite thing in this series. I can't get enough of the uplifting, girl power between them. I love, love, love this series so much!!

4.5 Stars!
Audrey Tate is a 29 yr. old New York socialite often referred to as the Madison Avenue princess. She’s a lifestyle blogger and social media influencer with over a million people following her every move. She loves her job, but hasn’t had much success in romance. What she did have was great friends. This includes her best friend since childhood. She couldn’t remember a time when Clarke West hadn’t been her person. He was her fiercest defender, and most loyal companion. He was the one person who knew her best, and she could always count on him for anything. That’s why, when he needs her to pretend to be his fiancée she agrees to a fake engagement.

Clarke West is a wealthy, charming gorgeous playboy who was raised on the Upper East Side. He has quite the reputation with the ladies, but that never stops his matchmaking mother from trying to control his love life. In a classic moment of rebellion, he announced to her that he’s engaged to Audrey. He always went out of his way to do the opposite of his mother’s wishes, and hoped she would now leave him alone.

Audrey has been Clarke’s other half since the age of seven. They shared a lifelong friendship, and she was the most stable relationship in his life. They cared about each other’s happiness, and she was his home. They’d always kept things strictly platonic, but during their fake engagement the lines of friendship become blurred as they start to enjoy the just for show kisses. Forbidden feelings ignite, and pretending begins to feel real.

As Audrey is planning the perfect dream princess wedding things get complicated between her and Clarke. She no longer believes in fairy-tales, but she can’t deny she’s feeling butterflies for the one man she never thought she would. Every day their feelings get a little clearer, and everything gets a little messier between them. As they start to want more will they decide to play for keeps, and will Audrey realize happily ever afters and Prince Charming’s do actually exist?

Marriage on Madison Avenue (Central Park Pact, #3) by Lauren Layne is a forbidden, friends to lovers romance. It’s the final installment in this wonderful series, and the book I’ve been so looking forward to. Clarke was super swoony, and this book had it all. Real long lasting friendships, humor, heat, romance, and love. I really enjoyed this story and this series!

This is the cutest series. I have been hooked since the first book. As I read each book those characters became my favorite, I can safely say Audrey and Clarke are now my favorites! I have been looking forward to these two and I was not disappointed. I loved being back in this world and more importantly seeing Naomi, Oliver, Claire and Scott throughout this book. I am so sad to see this series come to an end. This series introduced me to Lauren Layne and her writing and it has made me a huge fan of hers. I will definitely be reading more of Ms. Layne's work. This book and series is an ABSOLUTE must read!!!

This book is such an amazing ending to a fantastic series!! I was really looking forward to reading about Clarke & Audrey's friends to lovers romance and the way Lauren Layne approached this trope definitely didn't disappoint! I certainly wasn't expecting the whole "fake engagement/ fake wedding" approach, but it honestly worked so well for Clarke & Audrey that I totally bought into it. I loved the friendship between the 2 and as they began to realize that they loved each other... sooooo much fun!! I thoroughly enjoyed the development of the friendship between Naomi, Claire, and Audrey throughout the series, and being able to 'watch' each of the ladies fall in love was so much fun (and the men in the books are certainly HOT, HOT, HOT)!! If you're looking for a fun and enjoyable shorter series to read, I'd highly recommend reading the Central Park Pact series... you won't regret it!!

*Thank you to NetGalley & Gallery Books for sharing this enjoyable ARC copy in exchange for my honest review. I loved reading every word in this book.

3.5stars--MARRIAGE ON MADISON AVENUE is the third and final instalment in Lauren Layne’s contemporary, adult CENTRAL PARK PACT sweet romance series focusing on three friends: Naomi Powell, Audrey Tate and Claire Hayes-three woman who would discover there were all in a relationship with the same man. This is thirty-one year old, businessman Clarke West, and twenty-nine year old, social media influencer Audrey Tate’s story line. MARRIAGE ON MADISON AVENUE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty but I recommend reading book one, PASSION ON PARK AVENUE, for back story and history.


SOME BACKGROUND: Approximately 18 months earlier, Claire Hayes, newly widowed discovered that her husband of seven years had been having numerous affairs including affairs with the two women who would become her best friends. The Central Park Pact was an agreement to never let one another fall for a womanizer like the man with whom they had all fallen in love.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Clarke and Audrey) MARRIAGE ON MADISON AVENUE follows the childhood, best friends to lovers, fake fiancé relationship between thirty-one year old, businessman Clarke West, and twenty-nine year old, social media influencer Audrey Tate. Audrey Tate considers herself a loser at love, and social media appears to agree calling her cursed when it comes to men and love. As her best friends begin to fall in love, Audrey becomes the odd woman out until Clarke West offers a deal that would likely stop his mother from trying to set him up with a woman from his past-a fake engagement to quiet the haters but an engagement that quickly spirals out of control. What ensues is the fall-out of a relationship that is threatened by jealousy and the inability to see the forest for the trees.

Audrey Tate and Clarke West both consider themselves non-marriage material, and continue to reiterate the belief at every opportunity but as the ‘fake’ engagement begins to take on a life of its own, our couple struggle between head and heart preferring to ignore the obvious when it is obvious to everyone else.

The relationship between Audrey and Clarke is a best friends to lovers/fake engagement that finds our couple doing what couples have done from the beginning of time but Audrey refuses to acknowledge the elephant in the room believing herself cursed to never marry or fall in love. Clarke struggles with a failed relationship from the past, a relationship that is hoping for something more. The $ex scenes are all implied and fade to black.

All of the previous story line couples play secondary and supporting roles: Naomi and Oliver (Passion on Park Avenue), Claire and Scott (Love on Lexington Avenue), as well as the introduction of Clarke’s mother and father Linda and Alton West; and his ex-girlfriend Elizabeth Milsap.

MARRIAGE ON MADISON AVENUE is a story of jealousy, controlling parents, past mistakes, and moving forward in life. The premise is entertaining; the characters are energetic; the romance struggles in the face of secrets and lies, and in this I did not feel the connection between our story line couple, and I struggled to like our story line heroine.

From the outset Audrey is quick to dismiss any action that resembles a loving relationship but it is her friendship with Clarke that is battling to survive. From my perspective, Audrey is immature and self-centred, and all she cares about is her social media image, but again, it is her image that forced our couple to take drastic steps in an effort to fend off trolls and commenters. Clarke’s mother Linda is desperate to reunite Clarke with the woman from his past but Clarke only sees Audrey, a woman who is unable to see beyond the immediate gratification of social media. MARRIAGE ON MADISON AVENUE is a frustrating read but the author has done her work if she can get an emotional response, one way or another.

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Loved this third installment in the series! I love a good fake-fiance/fake-dating trope. I loved Audrey and Clarke's relationship, and I am a firm believer that solid relationships are even better when based on a foundation of friendship and respect. Was very fun to read their story. This is such a great romance series and I highly recommend! Lauren Layne has become a new go-to author for me.

To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of best-friends-to-lovers romance tropes. I avoid reading most of them due to my personal preferences(that would be a long rant), but in the past few years I have occasionally come across a few good ones that have changed my mind!
On the other hand I lovvve romance novels with a marriage of convenience setup! It's one of my top favorite tropes! So, when I found out that one of my favorite contemporary romance authors was coming out with a new book that had both, I was like hmm..🤔
I'm kidding!😂
I pounced on this book like a hungry lioness and devoured it in a day! Because it's an LL book and I love her writing!
Marriage on Madison Avenue is the third book in the Central Park Pact series, and if you've read the previous two books like me, you'll know what I mean when I say that I've been rooting for Audrey and Clarke to get together!

Quick Series Background : The Central Park Pact series consists of standalone books that feature each of the three women who were romantically involved with the same guy - Brayden(but they didn't know about each other). When they meet each other on the day of his funeral, instead of hating each other in the typical manner, they decide to make a pact to warn each other about any potential liars/cheaters that they might date in the future and this is how the story(plus a beautiful friendship) starts!

In Marriage on Madison Avenue we get to meet the last of the three friends, Audrey Tate, who is a social media influencer and Clarke West, her best friend! Audrey loves what she does and she's quite good at it! Clarke looks like a carefree playboy from the outside, but he has had to work hard to prove himself as the successor for his father's company! Audrey and Clarke have been best friends since childhood and have had each other's backs through thick and thin. This includes getting into fake relationships/engagements when he needs to escape an overzealous fling!

So, it's natural that Clarke announces his engagement to Audrey when his mom tries to set him up with his lawyer ex-gf who left him for a job in Washington D.C. And when Audrey's latest dating shamble(her first since Brayden) lands her in the sights of @ScandalBoyNYC and his trollish comments(think Gossip Girl 2.0 but NYC), she needs a fake relationship to keep her image steady! So, what starts off as a temporary fake engagement, turns into something that is more longer! But, when will these two realize there's nothing fake about the sparks between them?

I loved the slow development of the relationship between Audrey and Clarke in this one! The reason I do not like best-friends-to-lovers romances is because I find it hard to believe that you could be so close with someone for so many years and only after so long you realize that you guys like each other? Shouldn't the spark have always been there? Plus, what if you end up ruining your friendship?
LL handled all these things so beautifully in this book and that's why I loved it!

My favorite thing about an LL book is that you're guaranteed to find well-developed characters with beautiful friendships and relationships! They may not be anything like you, but they will definitely be relatable! Plus, you can escape into the glitzy Manhattan world that she creates for you!

I have loved seeing the bond between Audrey, Naomi and Claire blossom into such a strong friendship! I admired Audrey's confidence but at the same time I felt so sorry for her when she kept blaming herself for being the 'other woman'(even though she knew nothing about Brayden's other relationships).
Clarke was an awesome hero! His relaxed playboy attitude was just a front that many people except Audrey didn't notice! He's always there for his closest friends and is quite the hard-worker. I loved seeing him navigate the tough relationships that he had with his family and watching LL peel off each new detail, layer by layer was beautiful! The chemistry between him and Audrey was delicious.

I think my only complaint about the whole series would be the fade to black scenes! Lol! They just don't have the same steam level as the author's other books, which I absolutely love!
I'm super sad to see this series end, but I hope we might see some of our favorite characters as cameos in her other books sometime in the future!(We got to meet Alexis Morgan from Wedding Belles in this one, and I was so happy to see her again as I loved her in To Love and To Cherish!)

I'd definitely suggest picking this one up if you're in the mood for a classy contemporary romance with adorable characters and beautiful friendships! There's no way you'll not enjoy this!

Such a sweet story! I loved this adorable rom-com and will definitely be reading more by this author!

What a great story! I've really loved the whole Central Park Pact series. I highly recommend all of the books. Honestly, the whole fake fiance thing isn't really one of my favorite themes for a romance book but I really enjoyed this one. Audrey and Clarke's story was just so enjoyable to read. It definitely made me laugh out loud. Don't miss this series!

The third book in this wonderful series by Lauren Layne was everything I have come to expect from her stories. Although this is totally a standalone, I had read the previous 2 books. I love that the connecting thread with these books is explained in each book as a prologue. Clark and Audrey grew up as best buds but never were romantically involved. As adults they are still best friends but circumstances are such that they use each other as fake “fiancés “ whenever they feel the need. This wonderful best friends to lovers was a joy to read. As said in acknowledgements her editor felt this was “ “the most Lauren Layne” of the series” and I totally agree!

Really enjoyed this series ender! Audrey and Clarke were such a fun couple and I loved seeing how their relationship develops! I highly recommend this series!

4 Friends Can Be Lovers Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free
The Central Park Pact has been a strong Lauren Layne series. It had everything I love about Layne's work. Lots of Manhattan locations and touchstones. Characters who are accomplished but still have their quirks and need to work them out and most of all, strong female friendships.

Layne has made a career in creating women who are there for each other. They are not catty or cruel. They are supportive and will talk "the hard talk" when necessary.

The structure of this series allows each book to be read alone because of the prologue, however, if you like to have the full feeling of the relationships of the women and the series then best to start at the beginning with book one. You will not be disappointed.

We have met Audrey Tate and Clarke West and they are the perfect best friends. Both come from the Monied Stratosphere of NYC Society. They have been there for each other since childhood and never crossover into dating or desire.

Clarke is the charming playboy who has worked to prove to his father he deserves to take over the company when it is time. His parents are looking for him to settle down and find his partner for life. His mother thinks he should have a woman who is accomplished, professional and perfect.

Not Audrey...

Audrey is a free spirit. She has found her way with the internet. She is an Instagram Influencer with a huge following. If she posts a pic that has a certain hat on her cute head... they will be sold out in a moment. It was something she just fell into and her blog and Instagram are now her career.

Audrey was the type of girl who dreamed of the perfect happily ever after and thought she was getting it with the man she had loved for years. It turns out he was married Not separated as he told her. It was through this man Audrey met Naomi and Claire. Each had ties to the man. They decided to be there for each other and not let them fall for a$$hats ever again. Unfortunately, Audrey didn't heed their dislike for another fella she thought might be the one...He turned out to be a freak and ends up causing her more pain.

Audrey decides she just doesn't deserve real love. She is fine with it. She has her friends, her blog and followers and that will have to do.

Clarke has been there for Audrey and she for him...and when Clarke is annoyed with his mother for setting up a situation she had no business doing...He tells his mother he is engaged to Audrey, again.
Yes, this is the third time he has pulled this and Audrey finds out through texts and twitter.

So this is the premise of these two coming together...Clarke to piss off his mom and Audrey to dispell another blogger who has it out for her. The pretend develops into way more before they know it...but what is real and what is pretend.

I love Layne's writing yet this was not as strong as the first two books for me. It could be the fact I am not an Instagramer, etc. I can appreciate how consuming and hard it is to produce consistent work. I think I just didn't find it easy to relate to Audrey or Clarke as the other characters from the other books.

I did like the continued focus on New York City and the events. Layne brought in the Wedding Belles and that was fun. I do recommend the series as it presented all different types of relationships to have. Layne has a solid way to have you fall in love with her work.

Do you like a friends to lovers romance? It's one of my favorite tropes! Audrey and Clarke have been best friends for years. A fake engagement will help him evade his matchmaking mother and will help Audrey combat internet trolls. But what happens when the engagement starts feeling all too real?

Marriage on Madison Avenue was the perfect ending to The Central Park Pact series. I love these characters! They seem so real. I really felt for Audrey and Clarke and how their pasts were still hurting them. It was wonderful to be on the journey with them to their happily ever after. One of my favorite parts of the book was the dialogue. The story also flowed very well. And it was fun to see all the wedding planning. If you've read the other two books, this one has some great scenes with Claire and Naomi too. If you're looking for a light, fun romance, I highly recommend this one! Thank you to Gallery Books and Goodreads for my copy!
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What a fabulously fun book! I absolutely adored Audrey and Clarke and their journey from friends to lovers.

I did not read the first two books in this series and I don't feel like I missed out on anything, but I will definitely go back and read them soon because I really liked Naomi and Claire.

4.5 STARS!

Marriage on Madison Avenue by Lauren Layne is the final installment in the Central Park Pact series. Here, we follow Audrey and Clarke's story, two best friends who later realize they're in love.

Audrey Tate is the fun-loving one amongst the three women. She blames herself for Brayden's actions thinking she ruined Claire's happiness, so she begins to believe she doesn't deserve her own happily ever after.

Clarke West is your typical single man living in the social light of the Upper East Side. He's a womanizer who hasn't settled down yet despote being in a long relationship previously.

Audrey and Clarke both face a dilemma. An internet troll is bashing Audrey and spilling the tea, while Clarke's mother is trying to get him back with his ex, Elizabeth. So these two best friends decide to help each other out and get fake engaged.

The more time Audrey and Clarke live up the farce of their engagement and wedding planning the sooner they realize what was in their faces the whole time; the fact that they've been in love with each other all this time. There's always that ex that has to stir the pot and in this story it was no different.

Overall, this was a sweet, fastpaced slow burn romance with just a touch of angsty feels at the end. Such a fun series! I'm going to miss these characters and their friendship/bond. Thank you so much to Gallery Books and Lauren Layne for the chance of discovering these books. I'm excited to read more from this author!


*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Gallery Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

Marriage on Madison Avenue by Lauren Layne is the 3rd book in the Central Park Pact series, and my first book by this author. Can men and women ever be just friends? Audrey Tate and Clarke West have been best friends since they were children. As adults they agree to be fake engaged, but with the faux wedding getting closer, how do they really feel? I really enjoyed this book, and plan on reading books one and two next. I highly recommend this romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I'm telling you all, Lauren Layne has a gift. I'm not a big fan of friends-to-lovers stories; the easiness and familiarity between the main characters usually bore me to tears because I always need that extra spice for me to feel excited but Lauren Layne... how does she make the banter, even between long-time friends, so much fun?
I was also positively surprised to see that both Audrey and Clarke were "genuine" friends who've never EVER thought about hooking up before. In childhood friends-to-lovers stories there tends to be one who already harbors feelings for the other (from what I've read so far) so it was refreshing to witness both their feelings develop naturally.

Okay so full disclosure, this easily could have been a 3 star as well. The problem with being a mood reader is, you either hate a book because absolutely EVERYTHING rubs you the wrong way (even though it shouldn't) or you're completely aware of its weaknesses but love the book anyway.

What I didn't like
➤ I didn't feel the main couple's chemistry (as lovers) as much as I would have liked.
Everyone who has been reading Lauren Layne's last few releases knows that they are pretty low in heat, i.e. they are clean romances. Personally, I don't have a problem with it, sometimes it's nice to get more "quality time" with the couple and not get interrupted by a sex scene every few pages BUT, I do think that this particular trope here would have benefitted from a descriptive sex scene or at least a little bit MORE than what was shown. As I said before, the change from friends to lovers happened quite naturally but that specific SPARK was missing to make me really love them as a couple.
➤ A bit more discretion would have been desirable. The characters (be it Audrey and Clarke or Audrey with her friends) always had what was supposed to be a "private" conversation in very public places. It was very convenient that no outsider ever overheard their conversation, or else the secret would have been spilled long before they even got that far with their fake engagement.
➤ I wasn't a big fan of the conflict. It was pretty predictable.