ARC Review: Merger to Marriage by Addison Fox

I have been excited to read Merger to Marriage (Boardrooms & Billionaires Book #2) by Addison Fox since I first saw the cover! It definitely drew me in, and after reading the blurb I knew for sure that it was something I wanted to check out. I was a little apprehensive about it at first, because I haven't read book #1 (Tempting Acquisitions). I'm sure that if I would have read book #1 first, that I would have had more insight into some of the characters, but I had no problems navigating through this one or feeling lost. This book can be read as a stand alone.

Merger to Marriage is the story of Mayson McBride and Holt Turner. They meet at Mayson's sister's wedding and the attraction is instant. They have a one night stand, in which she gives him her middle name (Elizabeth) and leaves the next day without leaving a trace. Even though both Mayson and Holt planned on only one night, they both quickly realize that they cannot stop thinking about each other and the night they shared. A party at Mayson's sister's house offers them both the chance to reconnect and pursue the possibility of more nights together.

I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't seem to get into it. I kept waiting for something to change and really draw me in, but it never happened. I never felt the connection between Mayson and Holt, and I didn't feel connected to them either. It just didn't seem real to me. The whole thing seemed rushed and forced. I wanted to like Mayson, but I found her character to be extremely wishy washy. One minute she was upset that Holt was proposing marriage even though at the time he didn't love her, and the next she was upset that he was saying they had no future because he felt guilty for some troubles in his past. I felt the same way about Holt. He would say one thing and then turn around and do the complete opposite. I am usually a huge fan of the one night stand to marriage/lovers trope, but this one just didn't seem to offer anything new or fresh.

Unfortunately for me, even the secondary characters were mostly unlikeable. I found Holt's mother to be completely horrid, and Mayson's father wasn't much better. I also didn't understand how the entire book her father was so not interested in Mayson and her sisters and did everything to basically undermine them at every turn. Then suddenly towards the end of the book he is offering advice to Mayson and playing the role of supportive dad. It just seemed like an abrupt switch in personalities. Overall, I just never felt the emotions were there and I never could get invested in the hero and heroine. Sadly, this is not a book I would recommend.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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