The Marriage Bargain (The Original Heartbreakers Book 6)

Brock is a one and done kind of man with demons in his past that he is always trying to run from by drinking too much and sleeping with a new girl every night. Lyndie is a woman with an abusive past who can’t handle any sort of violence and doesn’t like being around men who drink.  Brock is good friends with Jude and Daniel. Lyndie is good friends with Dorothea and Ryanne. So the two are always seeing each other. She has seen him at the Scratching Post and know all about his conquests. He knows about her violent past and the fact that she seems to fear him. They both desire each other but have not acted on it because of all of their baggage and the fact they don’t want to ruin their friends relationships.  When Brock is told his father has died, he heads back to New York and finds out that his father's will requires him to get married in order to inherit the family business. He hates his mother and his mother hates him so he sees this as the opportunity to get a little revenge and decides that if he has to get married, very temporarily, in order to get that vengeance there is only one woman he can see himself married to - Lyndie.  It also helps that he has had the hots for her ever since seeing her at the Scratching Post, so it is a win-win if he can convince her to trust him.  Lyndie swore never to get imprisoned again in a marriage, but when Brock proposes a 1-month marriage she sees it as the opportunity to get something she has longed for - a baby. A deal is struck and they are married, but Brock is keeping one very big secret even while he tries to win her trust and her secrets.  Lyndie cares deeply for Brock and what he has survived and the longer she stays married to him, the harder it becomes to say goodbye, but when his secrets are revealed, will she be able to forgive him in order for both of them to finally have happily-forever-after or will she find herself alone once more?

Can’t Get Enough was the sixth book in the Original Heartbreakers series by Gena Showalter.Brock Hudson was one of the former military hunks in Strawberry Valley that owned LPH Security Company. He was the king of one night stands - a man who wasn’t loved by his parents and had no interest in love or family. His family was his military brothers/best friends, Daniel (Can’t Hardly Breathe) and Jude (Can’t Let Go).Lyndie Scott had been abused by the men in her life, her father and husband. Neither were still living so she had a new lease on life and was determined to be free and independent.Brock and Lyndie lusted after each other but never acted upon it. They were distant friends through their besties who were married to each other. They had no interest in messing with the dynamics of the group so they remained friends. However, circumstances brought them together for mutual interests. Brock’s father died leaving him millions in an inheritance if he married. Lyndie was never marrying again but wanted a baby. Neither wanted forever, but both could give each other what they each wanted, at least temporarily. Thus the story began....Can’t Get Enough was told in a dual POV; however, to set the foundation for the storyline, we heard primarily from Lyndie for several chapters near the beginning. Showalter built humor and suspense into the plot with complimentary stories, alongside the many challenges and baggage that both Brock and Lyndie carried. It was a journey of letting the past go, starting over and believing in a future of hope and love.All in all, it was another enjoyable book in the series. Showalter hasn’t announced additional books; however, Braydon, Brock’s half brother, was introduced with teasers for more. I’m all in and can’t wait to see what Showalter brings us next.

Recently the topic of reality in fiction, particularly romance fiction, has been discussed in various reader groups. I admit to bringing it up in a round-about-way in the Angelically Devilish Reader group. While I know anything can happen to anyone, anywhere in fictional stories, I’m a great proponent of romance having a strong basis in reality. It’s lovely to see that real situations with relatable characters can have happily ever after. Let’s face it, real life is harsh and brutal, and it can often be difficult to see the good in all the bad. Hope, in all forms, is needed now more than ever.I’m not surprised Gena Showalter takes reality and shows a genuinely beautiful side of extreme darkness. In her latest, "Can’t Get Enough", Ms. Showalter takes on domestic abuse, physically and verbally, and masterfully shows the lasting effects it can have on victims. She also handles a very harsh reality with beauty, grace, humor, and oh, so hot sexytimes. Everything she’s done so well through her “Original Heartbreakers” series.With book six of the series, although that should NOT deter a new reader as each book can be read as a standalone, the budding relationship between Lyndie Scott and Brock Hudson from previous books, is showcased. They’ve taken their time to find each other, Lyndie not ready to trust others and Brock, not ready to believe in himself. Having to learn how to trust and believe in each other, while reconciling their pasts and trying to find strong footing for the future, makes for one of the best reads of 2017 for me!I’ll admit to being a Gena Showalter superfan. Ms. Showalter’s books are among the first in the romance genre I started reading and she’s not once disappointed in all these years. Any story she writes and publishes is a guaranteed one-click, pre-order for me. "Can’t Get Enough" is no exception!

Amazing, heartbreaking and a glorious feel good read. I love Gena showalter and I have read every single one of her books, she is my favourite all time author and this is another incredible insight into her world of characters she has. It was a tough subject for her characters background story of abuse and she does it meticulously. I am so glad to hear we might be getting some more heartbreakers books, I just can’t wait for the next alien huntress and lords of the underworld books too!

Having read a lot of Gena Showalter's earlier work I've stuck with her, but now it's time to part ways. Obviously she is phoning it in with ridiculous plots and horrendously cliched characters. This book is just badly written and it wouldn't surprise me is computer edited. Don't bother buying this as it's an embarrassingly ridiculous read.

Ah, I wanted to love this book... but it just wasn't sing-the-praises for me. While, unlike other reviewers, I didn't find Lyndie super annoying, the story was just okay. Gena's Strawberry Valley series of books have become, for lack of a better word, too incestuous. First with Jessie Kay sleeping with all three heroes (including the man her sister eventually married!) in the first three books in the Original Heartbreakers series, and then with the three best friend heroines meeting and falling in love with the three best friends who just moved to town in these latest three... it's just too much! A little variety goes a long way. If you made it this far in the series, I would recommend you read it, just for the closure.

*2 1/2 stars*There was so much potential for this to be an amazing book but sadly it just wasn’t.I have loved the original heartbreakers series since book one and was so excited to read this. The story line was great in the previous books the characters were great but when it actually came time for their turn they kinda sucked.This book felt rushed and was a very 2 dimensional reading experience which I hate, I couldn’t get lost in the characters it seemed like she was more interested in throwing in sex scenes then actual character/storyline depth

Wasn't bad but felt that story didn't really go any wherePaid for a book not a novella15% of the book filled with rubbishDisappointed with this being the end of the seriesFell shortSell it for half the price