Review: Black Tie Optional by Ann Marie Walker

BLACK TIE OPTIONAL
Series: Wild Wedding #1
Genre: Contemporary, Romantic Comedy
Author: Ann Marie Walker
Release Date: May 30, 2017

The Proposal meets Two Weeks Notice in Ann Marie Walker’s new standalone romantic comedy, Black Tie Optional, which New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst calls, “a fun, sexy romp that will keep every reader entertained!”

Everything about Coleman Grant III oozes power and sex. And not the perfunctory kind either, but the sheet clawing, heart stopping, gasping for air after you’ve screamed so loud you can’t breathe kind. From his dark wavy hair that stands in an artfully rumpled mess, to the blue eyes that sear your skin, to his full, sensual lips – on the surface he’s pure perfection.

Too bad he’s an asshole. An arrogant, uptight corporate raider hell bent on destroying the environment one species at a time.

Everything about Olivia Ramsey screams hippie humanitarian. From her blond hair tied in a sloppy bun, to her faded jeans with the Bonnaroo patch sewn on the thigh, to her combat boots still splattered with mud from the previous day’s site visit.

So it makes perfect sense that they would get married. In Vegas. Stone-cold sober.

Cole needs a wife. Olivia needs to save an endangered species. But what starts as a marriage of convenience soon turns into a battle of wills and sexual tension. Love is a game, and Olivia and Cole are ready to win.

AMAZON | iBOOKS

What do you want, Olivia?” he’d asked.
“Everything,” she whispered.

Well, hello there, new series to obsess over. It’s nice to read ya. Ha! See what I did there? OK, that was totally cheesy so just ignore me. But seriously though, Ann Marie Walker has a super fun new series in the works and this was a great way to start it! Black Tie Optional was cute, sexy, and fun. If there’s one thing this author can do, it’s write one heck of an intense alpha and may did she strike gold with the grumpy, cynical billionaire Coleman Grant III. #Yum

Now I love me a good marriage of convenience trope and man did this book bring it. The opposites attract force was strong with this one. Here you have a tree loving, animal saving, vegetarian activist meet brooding alpha billionaire and boy do the spars fly. I loved the banter between Cole and Olivia and Olivia definitely wasn’t shy about telling him what she thinks of him. #Winning

Cole has a problem; he needs to get married in less than a week to get ownership of his father’s company that he helped build into the success that it is now. His viper grandmother brings everything but the warm and fuzzies in her bid to make sure that he doesn’t. What’s a guy to do? Propose marriage to a woman that’s been driving him nuts for month in her Save The Bats campaign. So what if they accidentally had one of the most sizzling one night stands while in Vegas. This is all business now. If only he can continue to keep his hands off her and his grandmother wasn’t determined to prove their marriage for the shame that it is.

You drive me fucking crazy,” he growled before once again claiming her mouth in an unforgiving kiss. A battle he was destined to lose waged inside him. He’d sworn to himself that what happened in Vegas was nothing more than a drunken lapse in judgment. A one-time event never to be repeated. But even though a part of him already knew he’d regret it later, all he could think about was how much he wanted her.
“Really?” she rasped. “’Cause I don’t give you a second thought.”

I seriously enjoyed this book! A LOT! So you’re probably wondering why the 3.5 rating. This is entirely a reader preference thing, so do take this with a grain of salt; but the heroine didn’t quite work for me. Keep your tomatoes to yourself now! I fully admit it’s a me thing. I’m just not a fan of the tree hugging save the world types. *cringes* Oh man, that sounds terrible doesn’t it? But I can’t help it. There were just certain aspects of her personality that slightly grated on me. Cole was simply delicious and made up for almost all of it. I also really loved Livvie’s family. This would have been a solid 4 star read for me if not for the ending. I couldn’t help feeling like it was very abrupt. I wanted more closure with the grandmother. More details. It felt somewhat rushed and I just wanted….more.

Aside from my few quibbles, this was still a fabulous read and I can’t wait for the next in the series.

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