Marry Your Billionaire
by C. J. Anaya
My rating 4 out of 5 stars
Marry Your Billionaire: A Modern Cinderella?
First of all, as an author of erotic novels, I feel it’s my duty to warn my readers, who also follow my reviews, that this book is nothing like the ones I write. Marry Your Billionaire is a totally smut-free romantic comedy.
And I recommend it to all incorrigible romantics out there because it will satisfy your thirst for romance and to jaded readers because it will warm your heart. C. J. Anaya’s a talented author I’ve just discovered, but certainly will follow her work very closely.
Although I don’t usually read romantic comedies, I occasionally watch movies in the genre. In fact, my all-time favorite comedy is Some Like it Hot. Therefore, I’m aware I shouldn’t expect a realistic plot from this kind of story. After all, no matter how gorgeous Tony Curtis looked in drag, it’s hard to believe Joe’d have gotten away with pretending to be Josephine for that long, right? LOL
That’s why I knew going into this book that I’d need to exercise some suspension of disbelief. However, I think that need went a bit too far and it ended up getting in the way of my enjoyment of it and that’s the main reason I knocked off one star in my rating. I mean, I found it hard to cope with the basic idea that sparkled the whole story. I couldn’t come to terms with the fact that a successful businessman in the online dating industry, trying to do some much needed damage control after the media painted him as an opportunistic womanizer and dishonest business owner, would consider participating in a ‘Who-wants-to-marry-a-millionaire’ kind of reality show as a good idea. Really? I wholeheartedly agreed with Midge’s vehement and eloquent speech about all the many reasons why that was a horrible idea. And then, not long after that, she’s onboard with it. What?!
Granted, she was blackmailed into taking part in the show by her own father. That sounds plausible, right? No! Midge’s own issues with her parents, and the way she dealt with them in the past, seemed a bit exaggerated. In fact, for a supposedly level-headed person she comes across as quite the drama queen. And stubborn. Moreover, it’s very unlikely that a person who avoided the spotlight and walked away from fame and fortune like she had done, would open up about private affairs of the heart on a TV show as she did in the final taping session. Also, the lack of punishment for the villain didn’t sit well with me. Finally, I couldn’t see this story as a retelling of the Cinderella tale as Midge was a trust-fund kid herself.
On the other hand, there are many qualities to the book. The writing style is fluent, elegant, and engaging. C. J. Anaya paints a vivid picture with words. Character development is skillfully achieved. The main couple is interesting and their interactions are entertaining. The supporting characters add to the story and help move it forward. My favorite one is Blanche, by a long shot. Her sassy, non-nonsense attitude is the kind I admire. Also, it was refreshing to read about a millionaire playboy, who was actually a sensitive and non-promiscuous bachelor looking for his better half. I mean, right after meeting Midge he says, “I plan on sweeping her off her feet, turning her world upside down, and laying bare my heart while winning hers in the process”.
The fact that it takes quite a few twists and turns for him to accomplish his goals speaks volumes as to the quality of the plot. Speaking of which, both plot and setting are well-written. The use of third person POV in alternating perspectives between the two main characters is always a favorite of mine. C. J. Anaya handles it admirably.
Finally, on a very personal note, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the author has lived in Brazil, where I grew up. I share her admiration for Djavan, a Brazilian talented songwriter. His song Faltando um Pedaço is also one of my favorites.
** I read this book with my Kindle Unlimited subscription**
