The Unwanted Marriage Dion and Faye's story
Reviews
As far as arranged marriage stories go, this was probably one of my favorites. I liked how they had always known that they were going to be married. Dion’s character was really great too.
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻.5
Heroine:🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧.5
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨.25
First Impressions
The Unwanted Marriage is the third installment in the Windsors and is the most recent release of the series. This has your very classic style of arranged marriage with a few twists to the story. I wanted to love this one as I did the previous two but it had some aspects to the plot that just didn't quite work for me. I really wanted to love it more though. Its just the way the conflict with the heroine and her father was resolved that felt a bit off, how its implemented in the plot was a bit weird for me. But other than that, the story itself was solid in the green and I had so much fun with this one and the one brother that definitely is a bit darker in his own way. I love his element of being the protective older brother.
First Line
When my grandmother asked my siblings and me to gather in our formal drawing room, I'd known.
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Dion Windsor
The oldest of his siblings, the leader of the group, has a darker past and runs many financial business matters for his family.
The Heroine: Faye
A profession pianist, been groomed to be the bride of the oldest Windsor, been abused by her family and manipulated
Summary
Dion and Faye have been betrothed to marry since they were young children. Both of their mothers were best friends. And both have known majority of their lives that they were destined to marry. Faye was forced to become a professional pianist by her father, and its a huge part of her own identity now. Her father constantly abuses and manipulates her to be the perfect bride for Dion. Dion has lived his own life away from his fiancee, sowing his oats you could say. But when his grandmother makes the announcement, he knows that he will have to face the woman he has neglected for many years. There is a huge age gap between them, so it makes sense why he has kept his distance from her. Faye starts to understand what real freedom is like with Dion and how he only encourages her own independence and will but Faye will have to choose whether to stay with him for good...
What I Loved
There are so many parts to this book that was so fun to read. There is something about this author and how she writes romance that just instantly appeals to me. I honestly love how she writes arranged marriages and how each book has a different form of an arranged marriage. This is honestly my favorite trope and I just never see it in romance so it's really refreshing to see. What I really liked to this one was Dion. I adored the hero so dearly and well eventually the heroine I did eventually fall hard for. What really makes this book work so well is the way that Dion sees Faye and fights for her in his own way. We see what a strong protector he is for those he loves, how tortured he is over the death of his parents but most especially his mother. He bears so much guilt over it, and seeing him work through his issues and find peace was so satisfying to read. Then we have Faye who lives in such a difficult home situation, but has so much strength in her spirit. And when she marries Dion, we see her inner spirit just blossom in the best of ways. The connection that she and Dion have is very bold and intense but be prepared to get swept away by fierce moments of emotion that only this author is capable of.
What I Struggled With
Some aspects to the plot and some actions of the heroine I wasn't a complete fan of. First off the abuse aspect to the story wasn't executed very well. I struggled with how it plays out and the hero learning of it. I think it was dragged out secretly too long, and he should have learned about it a bit earlier in the book. Then we have the relationship that Faye has on the side with her "boy toy" and I didn't like her for these actions. She knew she had an arranged marriage, but wasn't honest in her relationship and I honestly felt so bad for this other guy because he was in love with her and she pretty much knew there was no future for them and led him on and even risked him being in danger. I understand why she did it, she wanted to choose her experiences and I get that, but the way about it was wrong.
Overall View
The Unwanted Marriage is a poignant, packed with deep emotion, with layered spice and a story that packs a punch!
Favorite Quote(s)
think this is what I’m developing an addiction to — real moments with her. No pretense, no expectations, nothing standing between us. I want more of this, of her.
He is my ultimate dream, my greatest wish. It just took me a while to realize that.
“What if I don’t know which version of me is real?” I smile at her, knowing all too well how she feels. “Then give me all of you, every last jagged fractured piece. Give me all of it, Faye, because those pieces you think are broken? They complete me.”
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance
Character Types: Billionaire, Pianist, Tortured Hero, Abused Heroine
Themes: Family Bonds, Heart/Touching, Dirty Talk, Music
Tropes: Arranged Marriage, Love Triangle, May To December (Age Gap)
Book Perspective
Duo POV
Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Relationship Conflict
Song This Book Inspires
Tightrope by Michelle Williams
Recommendation For Reading Order
You can do either.
Steam/Spice Explanations
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Grandma finally had some sort of redemption arc happening so I hope she'll get better in the next books haha
Her father was a PIECE OF SHIT. OMG How can someone choke their own daughter at breakfast like a normal Friday afternoon acitivity. I was shocked to my core.
I didn't even get mad after a certain some point because I didn't look at him as human anymore and instead I counted down the days Dion would find out and skin him alive.
It was interesting in the beginning but becomes boring later on
Highlights
He is my ultimate dream, my greatest wish. It just took me a while to realize that.
I always knew I’d make her cry, but I never realized how deep those tears would cut.
I let go of him and take a shaky breath as I run a hand through my hair, my heart fractured beyond repair. “She likes chamomile tea after a long day,” I murmur eventually . “So I keep dried chamomile flowers in the house, just for her. And when she can’t sleep, she likes to compose. She’ll hide out in the living room and hum tunes as her mind works through the notes. She likes input though, so if you can give it to her, she’ll appreciate it. That’s how you can get her to fall back asleep on rough nights.”
Eric stares at me wide-eyed, and I offer him a shaky smile. “I love her, Eric. With all I’ve got, all I am. Offering her a divorce has nothing to do with you. I’m doing it because she deserves to finally be free and independent, but if my choice leads her back to you… then you’d better make sure you love her more than I do. Treat her better, love her harder, be the man I could never be. All those things I can give her that you can’t? That’s just money. I’ll give her enough, so that won’t matter.”
😭
“I think your kindness was wasted on my father,” I murmur. “It’s clear he doesn’t value his life, so why should we?”
Dion chuckles, the sound a low rumble that brings a smile to my own face. He looks at me with such pride that I can’t manage to hold his gaze.
“You heard my wife. Get him out of our house, and out of our lives. Give him a chance to run, but if he doesn’t heed my words and attempts to appear in front of my wife ever again, remove him permanently.”
never thought this series would be murderous haha it's so unhinged for a normal romance I love it😂
I take in his pained expression, the way his voice wavers, as though it kills him to even say the words. I can see it in his eyes. He thinks that losing me is inevitable.
“When we composed together, it seemed like you missed playing, but I was sure you’d say no.”
“I couldn’t,” I murmur, shaking my head.
“Why?”
I reach for her and gently brush her hair out of her face. “Because you asked me to play.”
“Just like that?”
I nod. “For you? Always.”
He pulls back a little to look at me, his gaze dark. “I think I’m in love with you, Faye Windsor. If ever there was a chance I’d let you go, it’s gone now. You are mine, and you will be for the rest of your life. There’s no hiding from me. There’s no place you could go where I wouldn’t hunt you down.”
“My wife doesn’t lift a finger in our own home — I’ll be damned if I let her lift one in yours,” I tell him, before raising our joined hands to my lips to kiss the back of her hand, my gaze unwavering.
She draws a shaky breath and then she does the most wonderful thing. She smiles at me and leans in, a shy look in her eyes as she presses a sweet kiss to my cheek . I don’t think I’ve blushed in years, yet that’s exactly what she makes me do as she scrambles off my lap and disappears into our bedroom.
The door slides closed behind her, and I fall back onto the bed, grinning like a fool. I’m well and truly fucked.
He BLUSHED😭😭 that's my kryptonite
He powers it on, and my eyes widen as the words How to win over Faye come into view.
“Hell no,” I murmur, trying to stand up, but Ares throws his arm around my shoulder and keeps me seated.
😂
When I asked him why he’d gotten so drunk last week, he wouldn’t answer me, but it makes sense now. It must have killed him to search through photos of his parents, just to find one of my mom for me.
'Worth it,' he’d said when he saw me smile. At the time, I hadn’t realized what it had cost him to give me back those memories.
“Keep being good for me, baby, and I’ll be good to you too. So good."
She doesn’t know it yet, but she’ll be my downfall. I just hope I don’t take her down with me.