4.5 Darling stars!

Emmy Darling flees Vegas to escape her ex and finds herself trying to avoid another guy who is creeping her out. When Graham Harlan passes by Emmy, he notices something isn't right between the beautiful girl and the guy she is talking to. Immediately, he is pulled into the situation when Emmy tells the guy that Graham is her boyfriend, and though the lie ends up doing its job and pushing the guy away, it is the start of something between Emmy and Graham that they never saw coming.

When Emmy's ex shows up to at the motel, she finds herself running again. This time she has no choice but to take the Graham's gorgeous Lamborghini to the airport to get away. When Graham shows up in Manhattan with pictures of his totaled sports car, he gives her an ultimatum - marry him or he will go to the police.

My Darling Bride is a sweet, funny, heartwarming marriage of convenience that is sure to put a smile on your face. Emmy and Graham are wonderful characters who are full of depth. They have both been through things that have broken them and they both have walls surrounding their hearts; however, Emmy and Graham have a way of breaking down each other’s walls when they least expect it.

Emmy and Graham have their own health issues and they find themselves facing the fear of the what-ifs and have to make hard decisions about what they need to do. Neither want a relationship but will do what it takes to help the ones they love. What should have been a simple plan is anything but when both have feelings that sneak up on them and they don’t know what to do with them.

There are some ups and down, sweet and swoony moments, and a whole lot of heart, heat, and humor. They grow together as they discover the things that matter most. I felt like their relationship was well paced and though some interactions were a bit over the top, I loved them together. I believed their emotions and the goodness of their hearts. I also loved their relationships with their siblings and loved the growth Graham had with his father.

Overall, My Darling Bride gave me just want to needed to keep a smile on my face long after the last page. I thoroughly enjoyed Emmy and Graham and adored their darling love story.

I've always enjoyed this author's books, so I expected that I would enjoy this one as well. What I didn't expect was just how much I would enjoy it.

Emmy and Graham are just so perfect for each other. Emmy is all kinds of sassy and a little bit quirky, and would do anything for her family. She's also fresh out of a toxic relationship. Graham gets pulled into orbit just when he needs a wife....for a short time. I absolutely loved, loved, loved watching their story play out!!!

My Darling Bride is another fun, delicious romance from one of my favorite authors! Ilsa Madden-Mills brings her A-game again and gives us a fabulous cast of characters that will capture your imagination from the first chapter until the last.

Graham and Emmy were so realistic as the two leading characters, both with wounded hearts, whose unconventional meeting leads them into a fake relationship which proves tougher to manage than they initially thought. It's hard to hide those real feelings that crop up while you're trying to fake it!

They are surrounded by a cast of supporting characters that make up their families that were incredibly fun to get to know. I'll be anxiously awaiting another book with Jane and Jasper ASAP...just saying! This story breezed right along with smart, witty dialog and interesting action that kept me turning the pages quickly to see what would happen next.

There just wasn't anything I didn't like about all these characters and this story. It was a sweet, savory, satisfying read that left me with a big smile on my face. Ilsa Madden-Mills delivers yet another top-notch romance that will grab your heart and keep it captive until the end. Grab it and enjoy!

Cute fauxmance to romance goodness from the first page to the last.

Graham and Evie's lives couldn't be any more different if they tried, yes they work.

It is not all sunshine and roses, they both have some deeper struggles that they need to work through,and I love how they help each other through it all, and their slow burn will keep you reading.

Though they did give me emotional whiplash a lot of the time!

The side characters really make this story something else. Family and friends like these are what we all need in our lives.

Graham Harlan and Emmy Darling are two complete opposites, but they're both intriguing characters. And if you're a fan of those marriages of convenience where the MMC keeps doing super romantic and ultra sweet things for the FMC, you're going to love this one. But Graham and Emmy also pack some heat.

There's a few elements that made this a bit more of an emotional read. Emmy's ex abuses her, and she's also got a heart condition. This may be one of the first books I've read with that element where she doesn't die or almost die though, which was nice. Graham is also coming back from a major concussion and surviving almost death. Which makes he question his mental state.

They have some sweet and swoonie moments, and a whole lot of heart, heat, and humor. They grow together as they discover the things that matter most. I felt like their relationship was well paced and though some interactions were a bit over the top, I loved them together. I believed their emotions and the goodness of their hearts. I also loved their relationships with their siblings and loved the growth Graham had with his father.

His book left me with a big smile on my face and I realize I needed the pick me up after reading the dark theme books I have read prior, highly recommend this author.

What a fun fake marriage book! I flew through reading it and couldn't put it down. The two main characters (Emmy and Graham) had an adorable meet-cute and the book took off from there. A group of loving and funny group of family and coworkers brought humor to the story. If you're looking for a sweet, quick read that will leave you with a smile, read My Darling Bride.

This was a fun dual POV, marriage of convenience romance between a pro football player and a cat-loving, bookstore owner. Graham needs a wife to inherit money and help his gay brother achieve his dreams, while Emmaline is cash-strapped trying to support her younger sister and pay rent on her dead grandmother's NYC apartment. Great on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Meghan Quinn or Tessa Bailey. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I especially enjoyed the disability rep (post-concussion syndrome him and heart condition her).

This was a really good one. Emmy meets a very good looking man while on the road. She uses him to get away from a sketchy looking man while she's at a hotel. She finds out though that she needs to escape fast. And wouldn't you know the goodlooking man has a ride. Problem is, she doesn't ask.

That goodlooking man? He's an NFL player who needs a wife. Who better than the woman who took his car?

I really enjoyed the side characters. Both Emmy and Graham had suffered loss (which is really spoken about) and is still affecting them and their relationships to others. They both really love their families and would do anything to help their siblings. That was something I really admired about the both of them.

There is gross ex's and health issues. There's steam and stubbornness. I also liked Emmys job. It's my dream job too and to see the love she had for it really shown. I hope we get to visit then again!

Couldn’t put it down!!
This story has everything…it’s funny, insightful, a bit quirky, full of heart and it made my chest ache. This lady has the most amazing gift of bringing characters you can’t help but fall in love with. Emmy is the sweetest, strongest person…her sense of family and her devotion to those she loves is so great to read…but she isn’t a push-over, her love and care is fully reciprocated by her siblings. They have such a wonderfully close bond and I couldn’t get enough of it!

Graham is a bit grumpy, a lot guarded but also hides the biggest heart. One he is only used to sharing with his brother, who is hilarious by the way, and very close friends. A heart that has been through the wringer…resulting in him being closed off and passionate about only one thing…football.

These two are fire together, the author writes their connection so brilliantly…I just wanted more of them..
Can they see their way through their marriage of convenience or will both their tender hearts be broken beyond repair?

Loved it, loved the side characters, (will we be meeting a certain argumentative pair later?🙏), loved the storyline…just loved everything about it!

This was a fantastic book. It was so emotional, beautiful and yet filled with such a sweet romance with a little bit of angst.

Emmy and Graham enter into a marriage of convenience for Graham’s inheritance and while trying to convince their friends and family of their romance, they are also convincing themselves. I loved how strong Emmy was and her ability to feel and accept her feelings and announce them no matter the outcome. She’s the perfect match for Graham and his fears. The health plot lines in this book are an emotional addition that had me crying in some chapters!

I hope we see a Jane book in the future!

My Darling Bride was a sweet, entertaining read filled with a good amount of emotion and angst. I liked Emmy and Graham, their ups and downs, and the want and need between them. I enjoyed them coming together.

This had a good start and I loved Graham and Emmy meeting, the chemistry between them, and the setup for the marriage of convenience. It felt exciting in the beginning and I liked getting to know them, I felt for them and where they were at in their life. I enjoyed them fighting their feelings as they got to know each other while living in close proximity. Emmy and Graham’s family and friends added some nice, fun scenes to break up the tension between the couple and that was enjoyable as well.

I thought this started out strong. I flew through the first half and thought it was great. Somewhere in the middle that changed and it felt very fast-paced and things were glossed over, a bit more telling than showing. There were a lot of small things happening and bits of drama involved and sometimes it seemed like a lot. I was pulled in enough to keep on reading because I wanted them to get their HEA.

Overall, I thought this was a good story with a nice amount of emotion and cute scenes mixed in. It was not very in-depth but there were enough details to keep me invested.

Oh the feels in this story. The fears of not just Emmy but also Graham, this story can get intense and hilarious at the same time. From how they meet to how he convinces her to marry him, it is sweet, hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. While their chemistry is off the charts and their whole six degrees of separation aspect of their lives, they enter this agreement which they fully did not expect to take the turns that it did. I loved the laughs, the emotional moments and so much more between these two.

What a fun story! A crazy wild ride!I love how I can’t pick my favorite book from this author because they are all different and so good!!!
Who couldn’t love this sweet bookstore manager and the recovering NFL player. From the minute Emmy and Graham meet you go along for it all. The banter, chemistry, sweet, sweet moments, family and so, so much more! This is fake marriage at its best! Be prepared because once you start you are not putting it down!!!

Romantic Comedy, Fake Relationship/Marriage of Convenience, Sports Romance, Grumpy/Sunshine. Yes, yes, yes and yes, please; I am here for all of it! There are some parts that I enjoyed, but I found myself more interested in the side characters (I can definitely see a book for Jane and Jasper) because they brought a lot of levity and laughs to a book that I wasn't expecting to have such serious and somber elements...

TW: (view spoiler on Goodreads)

I would have loved to focus more on building Emmy and Graham's relationship; I feel like they weren't ever really together on page enough in that regard to have the chance to build that emotional connection I was craving. Ilsa is so good at the emotional amp up that I was waiting for Graham to "fall first" but he was so distant and constantly gone that all I really got was lack of communication and angst.

From the sweet play on names in the title of this work to the mayhem of this couple's fated love My Darling Bride was everything readers have come to love about Ilsa Madden-Mills books!

Football star Graham Harlan achieved his greatest play on the field when he defied death in a play gone awry. Questioning the very reason for getting up everyday for a good portion of his life Graham's career end loomed large. Emmaline "Emmy" Darling was a breath of fresh air with the world on her shoulders. For all the responsibility she carried for her family her love life was the complete opposite with disastrous romantic choices featuring heavily.

When fate crashed Graham and Emmy into each other in their personal versions of great escapes the comedy of errors began with this pair resulting in a fake relationship with as many laughs as tears. This couple had a great push and pull that took them all over the emotional gamut. Pretty much opposites, Graham was protective, reserved and suspicious while Emmy reached for happy, was open and embracing. Where things started to gel with this couple was their shared traits of loyalty, kindness and the pain they carried from past trauma. Both Graham and Emmy were two characters who will easily capture readers' interest and hearts.

Ms. Madden Mills easily captured this couple's chemistry from the start with their witty banter and notable attraction. This eccentric pair made for some very entertaining encounters that were easily played off of the poignant ones. When Graham and Emmy's potential for having feelings for each other became obvious and could no longer be ignored as fake, the angst and vulnerability took over for some serious emotional struggles. This author excels in standout secondary cast. Every one of them should take a bow and contributed greatly to Graham and Emmy's story as a whole.

Ilsa Madden-Mills has perfected the art of creating likeable and relatable portrayals. This writer's character exchanges are always spot on and never irrelevant. Her signature fated love gives glimmers of hope that there is someone out there for everyone. My Darling Bride is the wedding of the year and a great read!

Wow, I loved this novel! Once I started I could not put it down, from the first chapter I was was hooked and locked in. I love when a novel reaches out and grabs me and takes me for a fun ride. This novel did exactly that! I loved Emmaline And Graham. OH my gosh I loved the dialogue and banter. So good! I love novels with a sports theme. I especially love a cute meet for the main characters. This novel checked all of my boxes. Loved it! I can't wait to see what is coming next from this author!
Edit

She's Running and Hiding from her Ex.
He is recovering from a possible career ending accident, he's lost as to what comes next.
A chance meeting is their first interaction with each other.
Both are train wrecks. Both are totally committed to being single.
An Inheritance Clause, a car theft, a struggling family, and fate throws them together.

Graham and Emmy could be the perfect couple to help each other out.
But what happens when feeling get involved??

HA! This book!!
I loved both G and Emmy, their families and their friends.
They both had me in fits of laughter at times yet their emotional journey was anything but.
Both so similar yet also opposite.
This book was just perfect, a read that gives you all the good vibes, filled with emotion, twists, and beautifully written.
Depth to the characters that have them feeling like your friends, and I just didn't want to put it down.
I absolutely loved it!!

My Darling Bride by Ilsa Madden-Mills was a fake marriage trope with two gorgeous scared people trying to fix themselves. They’re thrown together after disastrous events and end up together. They were both fiercely loyal to their family and looked the perfect couple until they were.
It had bookstores and football games to make for an interesting story. It was a spicy and sweet romance that had me smiling at the end.
3.5⭐️
Thanks Montlake via NetGalley.

This author really is my go to for when I need a feel good read. She always delivers!

Who doesn’t enjoy a marriage of convenience/fake marriage when it combines an NFL Superstar questioning his life and a book/cat loving heroine who didn’t mean to steal his sports car…

Graham was all kinds of yummy and I could definitely see myself being friends with Emmaline.

You get a great balance of LOL moments with a perfect dose of feels too. I loved it!

Ilsa Madden-Mills is one of my favorite authors and this was another winner from her. While this had some funny moments, I felt that there was a lot of seriousness as well with both Emmy and Graham's health issues and Emmy's past. Both of them were reluctant to open their hearts, but watching them fight it and eventually give in was so good.