Breaking Up with Barrett is a romance between a gardener/housekeeper's daughter engaged as a fake fiancee by an alpha billionaire, who actually had a secret plan in motion. The characterization and the twist were actually good, but I don't like the manipulation by the MMC and the not-quite-reasonable reaction from the FMC.
Barrett "The Shark" English is the tough head of the most prestigious investment banking firm in Philadelphia, who always gets what he wants, even if he had to play a little dirty. When his reputation started to affect his business deals, he was advised to find a fiancee... and he picked a fake one... Emily Edwards, daughter of his family gardener/housekeeper, someone who was forever at the periphery of privilege... but only as an observer. In fact, she's being paid for each appearance alongside Barrett to his functions. And Emily had a crush on Barrett for a long time, even as she knew she did not belong in that esteemed circle... and one way, she will have to break up with Barrett, for real. But what the Shark wants, the Shark will get...
WARNING: spoilers follow
Turns out Barrett had an eye on Emily for a LONG time, ever since he was a child and she was a baby. This whole "hire her to pose as fiancee" and "chance meeting" were NOT coincidences, but engineered situations, because she always thought she never had a chance, she was never good enough not being a blueblood, and so on. And he, through his manipulations, hope to get her to see she can be with him. My problem with this book is mainly with how Emily reacted when she learned that she had been manipulated all along. She accepted such trickery as evidence of his love rather than his manipulation almost immediately. I'd think most people would at least be outraged initially by the manipulation. She's clearly not a doormat, but this sort of thought process is almost fatalistic and indicates a low-self esteem when it comes to him.
But the twists are good, as it's a constant push-pull between them, she enjoys being his girl, even if it's merely acting, but when she realized she had actually fallen in love (even though he was sort of her crush) and kissed him with real passion, she basically gave the ring back and ran from his life, believing she had failed as his fake fiancee, that he had to engineer a new situation to force her back to see him. Is this doormat, or strong woman? You be the judge.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Can a common girl love a blueblood? How about pretending love? Can such pretend love turn real? Or was he playing her all along?
Tropes: fake engagement, family pressure, unrequited love, hot for boss
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
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