The Tycoon's Socialite Bride

I totally like the premise of the book and the different dynamics in play. I especially liked the power dynamics which was different than what was the norm at the time this book was written. The political intrigue was on point. The romance was on point. What wasn't on point was the third act conflict where MC starts blaming the conflict on her being Black. Mind you, the entire time and I do mean the entirety of the book had no racist conflicts. Can we place the blame at the shoes of systemic racism for a lot of things occurring in the book, yes, but this wasn't the case in the book. To make the fight be about her claiming a certain treatment because she was black when the color of her skin has never been an issue, felt manipulative and if anything trivializes racism. It makes it something to fall back on when nothing else exists.

I didn't like it. It wasn't necessary. It was disappointing.

I thought this was a fun, fast-paced romance from a debut author to watch. Marcus and Pamela have an electric relationship - the sparks can be felt from the very beginning, and it's impossible not to root for a happy ending. Each has baggage from the past that could derail their happiness, and the author allows her reader to understand the motives behind their sometimes seemingly poor decisions. The author is clearly a fan and student of contemporary romance, and this fits well in the genre. I thought the big “reveal” about the relationship between Pamela and her ex was a bit anticlimactic, and would love to see a more polished title, but overall was very entertained by the novel.

(I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via Netgalley for review in exchange for my honest opinion.)