The Marriage Contract (The O'Malleys #1)
by: Katee Robert
Publication Date: June 2, 2015
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Age Group: Adult
Source: e-ARC received via the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 368 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo | BAM
My Rating: 4/5 stars
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katee Robert begins a smoking hot new series about the O'Malley family-wealthy, powerful, dangerous and seething with scandal.
Teague O'Malley hates pretty much everything associated with his family's name. And when his father orders him to marry Callista Sheridan to create a "business" alliance, Teague's ready to tell his dad exactly where he can stuff his millions. But then Teague actually meets his new fiancée, sees the bruises on her neck and the fight still left in her big blue eyes, and vows he will do everything in his power to protect her.
Everyone knows the O'Malleys have a dangerous reputation. But Callie wasn't aware just what that meant until she saw Teague, the embodiment of lethal grace and coiled power. His slightest touch sizzles through her. But the closer they get, the more trouble they're in. Because Callie's keeping a dark secret-and what Teague doesn't know could get him killed.
Having really enjoyed Katee's Brazens, I was super excited to see she was writing a new series about the O'Malleys, a powerful family in Boston. This book was sexy, fun, and intense. I loved the politics behind the three most powerful families in Boston- the O'Malleys, the Hallorans, and the Sheridans.
I really enjoy reading books where there's a more suspenseful element added to the plot. The book begins with Callie getting herself into a rather dangerous situation that escalates quickly and because of that turn of events, she finds herself linked to Teague O'Malley. A marriage between the two would be beneficial to both families in terms of power, and it becomes obvious that the Hallorans are really put out by this. War is imminent now between the families, what with the Hallorans' need for revenge because of the key event that begins the story.
I really loved Teague. His dedication and protectiveness of his family is a beautiful thing to witness and I love how that carries over to Callie, as well. He might not want any part in the family business, but he won't go against them either. He will see this through with Callie and I have to admit I love how quickly she became important to him. The two have some serious sexual attraction going on and I felt Robert handled their romance really well. It developed rather quickly, but it honestly didn't bother me. With the added element of the impending war between families and the pressure Teague and Callie are under to protect their people and keep control of their responsibilities, I felt it worked.
I also really enjoyed Callie's character. She is fierce as well and I like how she will also do what it is necessary for her family, being her father's heir. The girl has guts to do what she did, and I can't fault her making the choice she did.
We get to know quite a few secondary characters in this one, including Teague's siblings, and the Halloran sons, James, and Ricky. James took me by surprise and while he certainly makes some mistakes in this one, I am beyond excited for his book next. Carrigan was another character I liked, but was wary of. I wasn't sure of her intentions and was afraid she would try to manipulate Callie. I loved that we got to see some action with her another character and I am so excited to see how that's going to play out!
Overall, I think this is my Katee Robert book. I like her Brazens, but this one just added so much more that I was completely engaged in finding out how everything was going to go down. One last thing: I want my own Teague. Where can I find one? ;)
She was
so wrapped up in her misery, she didn’t realize she was no longer alone until a
rough male voice cut through her spiraling thoughts. “Want a smoke?”
Callie
opened her eyes to a man offering her an opened pack of cigarettes. He was
attractive in a brutish sort of way, his jaw square, cheekbones to kill for,
and shoulders filling out his expensive suit in a way that didn’t look the
least bit comfortable. “I don’t
smoke.”
“Now’s
as good a time to start as any.” He shook one out and handed it to her, and
then lit the one dangling between his lips. “I hear we’re going to be married.”
This was Teague O’Malley? She tensed,
but he seemed content to stand in this dark alley with her and share his
cigarettes. Now that she knew what to look for, she recognized the same
coloring that his father and older brother had—sun-darkened skin and near-black
hair. His dark eyes weren’t as cold as Seamus’s, but that didn’t comfort her in
the least. All it meant was that he was a better liar than his father was.
“What do you think about that?”
He
shrugged. “It doesn’t really matter what either of us thinks, does it?”
“No, I
suppose it doesn’t.”
She
wanted to know why he’d followed her out here—if there was something he’d
wanted to say that couldn’t be said in front of both their combined
families—but he seemed content to enjoy his cigarette in silence. Maybe he’d
needed the respite as much as she had? All too
soon, it’d be time to step back into the chaos and let the events neither of
them could stop begin, but right now they were just two strangers, sharing a
moment of silence.
Can we really be strangers if we’re
already engaged?
She
pushed the thought away, determined to enjoy this stolen moment in time before
reality set back in. By the time she finished her cigarette, her hands had
almost stopped shaking. She crushed the remaining bit under the toe of her
sky-high heels and turned for the door. Only to
find her way blocked by Teague.
He was
taller up close, well over six feet, and broader as well. The man looked like a
bruiser, which was fitting because it was exactly what he was. He stared down
at her with beautiful dark eyes, and her demand that he get out of her way died
in her throat. While she was debating her options, he reached up, quick as a
snake, and snagged the silk scarf around her neck. She made a grab at it, but
it was too late. Teague
took a step closer, and then another, backing her against the wall, his eyes
narrowing at her neck. “Show me.”
“Leave
me alone.” Was that her voice, weak and wavering? She took a shuddering breath,
all her hard won calm disappearing. “Get out of my way.”
He kept
going as if he hadn’t heard her, stopping less than an arm’s reach away. God,
he seemed big this close up—bigger than Brendan, bigger than her brother had
been. He cupped her chin, his grip painless but completely unmovable, and
tilted her head back to bare her neck. “Who hurt you?” There was a promise of
violence in every line of his body.
“No
one.”
“Now, I
may not be the smartest man in the world, Callista, but I know what the imprint
of a man’s hands on a woman’s neck looks like.” His thumb moved, tracing the
line of Brendan’s fingers that she could still feel digging into her skin.
Teague’s touch didn’t hurt, though. It felt…almost good.
She
swallowed, the move pressing her throat more firmly against his thumb. “It
won’t happen again.”
“You’re
right. Because I’m going to kill the bastard.” He kept stroking her skin, his touch
doing strange things to parts of her body that weren’t anywhere near her neck.
“Tell me his name.”
She
wouldn’t, even if the man who’d hurt her wasn’t already dead. Even in their
messed-up world, murder was a last resort—something to be avoided at all
costs—not something you did for a woman you barely knew. “No.”
“Your
father hasn’t been keeping what’s his safe.” Another stroke, this one closer to
her jawline. “That’s his mistake—one I won’t be making as well. His name,
Callista.”
She’d
never considered herself one to crack under pressure, but this man put his
hands on her and spoke in that quiet, confident way that promised violence to
anyone who touched her, and she was dangerously close to losing control. Which
kind of control was up for grabs, so she went with the least likely to reveal
her secret.
She
kissed him, her heels giving her enough height that she barely had to go up on
her toes. Her lips brushed his and for one interminable second she was sure
neither of them took a breath.That was
all it took. He let
go of her throat to cup the back of her head, and then she was in the middle of
the single most devastating kiss of her life. His tongue stroked hers, claiming
her mouth—her body—as his own. His hands stayed in place even as he continued
the assault on her mouth, his touch headier than the nicotine. She arched
against him, tilting her head to allow him better access, and he growled in
approval.Whatever
she’d expected from this kiss, it certainly hadn’t been desire. Though desire
was too tame a word. She’d felt desire before, and this wasn’t it. This
was…need. All-consuming need that devoured everything in its path, leaving only
destruction in its wake.
Katee Robert learned to tell stories at her grandpa's knee. Her favorites then were the rather epic adventures of The Three Bears, but at age twelve she discovered romance novels and never looked back. Though she dabbled in writing, life got in the way-as it often does-and she spent a few years traveling, living in both Philadelphia and Germany. In between traveling and raising her two wee ones, she had the crazy idea that she'd like to write a book and try to get published. Her first novel was an epic fantasy that, God willing, will never see the light of day. From there, she dabbled in YA and horror, before finally finding romance. Because, really, who wouldn't want to write entire books about the smoking-hot relationships between two people? She now spends her time-when not lost in Far Reach worlds-playing imaginary games with her wee ones, writing, ogling men, and planning for the inevitable zombie apocalypse.
by: Tessa Bailey
