A review by cassdoudoumis
The Accidental Engagement by Maggie Dallen

5.0

I was given an ARC of this wonderful piece of work from NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. And an honest review you’ll GET.
Actual Rating: 4.5/5 stars


Holy crap
The Accidental Engagement was phenomenally constructed in a way that pulled on your heart strings at all the right times. As soon as I saw Accidental Engagement I knew I was going to see someone being with the wrong person, and usually I’m not a big fan of those. Marrying the wrong person ends up meaning that the female or male lead has met the right person and is too afraid to break off the original relationship. Which also ends up leading to a dumb love triangle – which I am not a fan of. But no, that was not the case in this love story.

Ivy Sinclair works as a hostess at a very well known hotel restaurant – and for someone who had newly moved into New York City with hardly any money to her name, her job was a pretty sweet deal. Her night had been relatively normal until Jack Everett, world famous Playboy, bursts through the restaurant’s front doors in need of a place to hide. Once the coast is clear of the man chasing Jack down, he expresses his gratitude in obviously the most acceptable way (not really) which had been a kiss. Of course, those around them that had witnessed everything took that as a photo-op moment and the next day their faces were plastered everywhere.

Enter badass, businessman Daniel Gladwell – who just wants to make the whole thing go away so he can close this merger that’s been over his head and in the works for 2 years. Suggesting that Jack and Ivy form a fake engagement to show that Jack’s playboy lifestyle has been put to rest, Daniel also threatens Ivy’s job if she refuses to accept his offer. With really no choice, she accepts, which means that now she must lie to her family for the very first time in her life. Which ends up being the hardest part.

Daniel is a mixture of professional, sexy, seductive, smart and so many other amazing qualities. But he’s also off limits right now – especially when Ivy’s job is on the line. There are no room for mistakes. But when her and Jack have no chemistry other than the fake kind, and he proves to be nothing more than an amazing friend and person, Ivy can’t help but steal glances at Daniel whenever she can. Unfortunately, Daniel’s past has convinced him that he does not deserve a future with someone like Ivy, and that she will be better off without him.

FAT CHANCE IN THAT HAPPENING.

These two revolve around each other in such a hypnotic way that you just want to shove them together and say “Don’t. Move.” Daniel keeps letting his past get the best of him and he ends up playing so many mind games with Ivy that she can’t keep up. All he ends up doing is hurting her more and more as he pushes her away.

I was really glad that Jack ended up being as playful and funny as he was in this book. He was such a good secondary character to have because Ivy really did need a friend to walk alongside her – not someone who was going to make it harder for her. I half expected Jack to start sleeping around with people despite their plan, but was genuinely pleased to see that he did care about something other than girls. He’s portrayed as playful right from the beginning and his character developed in maturity, but his personality still shone through.

Daniel is a hardass but he’s smoking hot so Ivy is thrown off balance. As much as she’d like to hate him – which would make everything a lot easier by the way – she can’t help but become transfixed by everything he does. One day their sexual tension gets the best of them and they share a game changing kiss. For once, the imaginary blueprint Daniel has constructed for his life has not gone according to plan and despite his best efforts, he can’t seem to get back to not wanting to be with Ivy. He lets a little bit of who he really is shine through, and what a wonderful person that is. Maggie Dallen’s debut novel was a hit in my eyes, and I look forward to anything more she wishes to publish. The Accidental Boyfriend looks like it’s next on the list and if it’s about Holly and Jack then I look forward to getting my hands on it. I think readers who just enjoy new adult, contemporary romance novels will be in for a treat.