A Billionaires and Bridesmaids Novel - The Billionaire and the Virgin

I enjoyed the previous books and all the flawed characters, this one however was a real let down. Hardly any story, the characters are flat and annoying and the sex scenes made me cringe, endless useless conversation and inner monologues - just get on with it.

I received an ARC from Jessica Clare in exchange for a honest review.

I really love Jessica Clare's her `Billionaire Boys Club' series. So when I first received this story I thought it the latest book in this series but no! This is the first story in a new series named `Billionaires and Bridesmaids'.

Marjorie Ivarsson is a bridesmaid at her friend's wedding. Nothing special you would think but her friend Bronte is marrying a billionaire and the wedding is taking place on the groom private island!! Marjorie doesn't know how to feel about this but she's very happy for her best friend. She met Bronte at work where they both were waitresses. Marjorie lives a quiet life. She lost her parents at a young age and she was raised by her grandparents and their friends . So she's more comfortable around old people and playing bingo then she is with people of her own age. Plus she's very tall for a woman and in her experience boys nor men like that. So she hasn't date much and that's why she's still a virgin.

Robert Cannon is a hot-shot TV producer (and a notorious playboy!). He grew up in foster care and had to fight his way to the top. He did this by making not so friendly women shows showed on a men channel. Now he was a new idea, he wants to have a business channel and he needs Logan Hawkings help with this. So when he hears that Logan is taking a vacation on an island, he follows him there. But nothing is going like planned. Logan doesn't want anything to do with him. So when he's thinking about a new way to convince Logan to help him, he's enjoying the beach.

It's here that he meets Marjorie. She saves him for drowning. She doesn't know who he is but there's an instant attraction between the both of them. And it's here that start a cat and mouse game between Marjorie and Robert (or Rob as she calls him) and Robert and Logan. Because Rob loves the fact that for once a woman wants to get to know the real `him' and doesn't want to seduce the famous TV-producer to get a part in one of his shows. (And he doesn't care that she's tall for a woman, he's man enough to love her long legs). So he takes her places where he hopes that nobody will tell her who he really is (especially Logan) but that's not the only problem. Marjorie has never had a date in her life so she's very unsure what to do, so she asks advice from her friends but is that a good idea?
Isn't it better to just be who you are? And what will happen when they have to leave the island and have to go back to the real world? Is it just a holiday fling or is there something more happening?

I must confess that at first I wasn't sure that I would like Rob Cannon but just like Marjorie I fell in love with him. He isn't a typical `hero' but I found him perfect for Marjorie. I enjoyed this couple very much and I was glad to see some of the other women/couples back in this book. It was also great to read about Bronte and Logan wedding. Just like in her other books I had lots of fun. I think that it's a wonderful idea to write a new series about the bridesmaids and with so many couples formed in the other series I'm sure that we will have a lot of books to look forward to.

Steamy...sexy...sweet...

The Billionaire and the Virgin by Jessica Clare was a fun read. It was exactly what I expected and I was pleasantly surprised to find myself laughing out loud several times. I was a little worried at first expecting all the cliches to present themselves but alas the story was different and told very well. This was a quick read, done in one evening, sort of reminded me of a romantic comedy I might watch on the big screen.

Marjorie Ivarsson is your run of the mill 20 something virgin. LOL sort of...

Marjorie was raised by elderly grandparents surrounding herself with everything old. She's a bit of a misfit. Not just in personality but in stature. She's 6'1" and lanky and therefore teased a lot. She forgets her peers and sticks to the old people. Naive is definitely a good word to describe her. Her experience is limited and old fashioned. So when she meets the brash, filthy mouthed, sexy, Robert Cannon, she's not quite sure what to think.

Both are on this private island, Robert is vacationing and Marjorie is attending her good friends wedding. They meet each other quite unconventionally and comedy ensues. I enjoyed the banter between the two. The inner dialogue had me cracking up at times. Neither of them really knew what to do with each other and watching them try to navigate each others worlds...well...you just have to read it!

I was appreciative that although there is sex, it's not necessarily the driving factor in this story. So even though it may appear predictable it really is a sweet romance that should leave you smiling.

*A copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

3 stars--THE BILLIONAIRE AND THE VIRGIN is the first installment in Jessica Clare’s new contemporary, adult Billionaires and Bridesmaids erotic, romance series-a spin off from her best selling Billionaire Boys Club series-that will focus on the upcoming nuptials of the Billionaire Boys and the women that they love. This is billionaire entrepreneur Robert Cannon and waitress Marjorie Ivarsson’s storyline. You do not have to have read the Billionaire Boys Club series to understand the premise but the new series focuses on the weddings of the couples we met in Jessica’s original series, and the introduction of new billionaires and friends.

Told from third person point of view the storyline follows Marjorie as she is tasked with being a bridesmaid at her former co-worker’s wedding-Bronte Dawson and Logan Hawkings (Stranded with a Billionaire #1) destination wedding. Marjorie is a 6’1” twenty four year old naïve (almost cloistered) virgin who was raised by her elderly grandparents following the death of her parents. Marjorie has spent most of her life surrounded by senior citizens and is at her most comfortable socializing with the silver-haired seniors-in this she is socially inadequate, inept and awkward with people her own age and men. Marjorie’s low self esteem and poor self image is a by-product of her height and the resulting negative comments throughout her life. Rescuing a near drowning Robert Cannon finds our heroine lost in a strange world where Robert’s vulgarity and crude language are matched by the size of his wallet and their attraction to one another.

Robert Cannon is a self made billionaire, a television producer who made his money through the virtual world of trashy television and The Men’s Channel. He is a man whose language is blue, and his reputation with the women precedes his introduction. But Marjorie is oblivious to Robert’s history, his business, his money and his connection to Logan Hawkings. Robert is stalking Logan in the hopes of negotiating a television deal.

The relationship between Robert and Marjorie is one of immediate attraction but Marjorie’s over the top naivete and Robert’s crude and vulgar personality are distractions to the overall enjoyment of the storyline and likeability of the couple. Their first couple of dates are a disaster, uncomfortable and would have sent most people packing. But Robert persists in his pursuit of Marjorie until the truth about how he makes his money and his connection to Logan is revealed. Marjorie will return home heartbroken and lost. The sex scenes are intimate, exploratory and at times, awkward due to the heroine's lack of experience.

All of the previous storyline series’ heroines are present but their significant others (excluding Logan) are more or less absent or silent. The bridesmaids are ever present and offering advice about dating, relationships and sex.

There comes a time when too many reminders and the redundancy of some of the plot points make it difficult to enjoy a story. We are constantly reminded about Marjorie’s lack of experience and her height; and Robert’s overuse of cuss words and swearing became a bit too much especially in a romance storyline.

I love Jessica’s BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB series-her heroes and heroines, their stories and their love but something was missing from THE BILLIONAIRE AND THE VIRGIN-there was no spark, no palpable energy, no real connection and very little sympathy for our hero. In fact, the writing did not ‘feel’ like Jessica Clare but more like someone else. It wasn’t until Robert’s return to civilization did the story take on a completely different feel.

If you are a fan of Jessica’s BILLIONAIRE BOYS CLUB I would still recommend giving the new series a try. I am hoping my disappointment in this storyline is a fluke and the next installment will pull me back into the fold.

The Billionaire and the Virgin (Billionaires & Bridesmades #1) by Jessica Clare

Marjorie and Rob

Ok well, the story is not what I'm used to. However, it is a fine story! We've got a main female character who 6 feet 1 inch tall and a main male character at 6 feet tall. To add to the height variation our female character lead likes to wear high heels, like 5" heels high, which make her feel attractive and according to Rob, they make her legs go on for miles. I never thought I could grasp that concept of a woman taller than her man but this story is so darn charming that the height factor didn't even matter to me.

Marjorie was raised by her grandparents therefore she seems to have a connection to the elderly. She knits, she plays bingo, and everything else geriatric in between. She's still a virgin... basically because of her height and the company she keeps. When she goes to a Caribbean island for her friends wedding she meets Rob. The combination between meeting Rob and, I believe her location and atmosphere bring her out of her "elderly" shell. She's funny, she's witty, and she's the perfect date if you're pushing 84... Bwahaha!

Now that I've told you about Marjorie, I find it funny that now I'm going to tell you that Rob is the absolute reverse. He's a playboy, he's an jerkface, and he's not in the market for a girlfriend or a relationship. I had a hard time connecting to him at first because I felt like everything that came out of his foul mouth was fabrications. He totally grew on me throughout the story and by the end he had won my heart over ten fold.

The story is very endearing and amusing and sometimes even heartbreaking. You'll enjoy magnificent highs and horrific lows, but once you reach the climax you'll be glad that you put forth the effort and time to read this. The pacing is sometimes slow but not bad. The dialogue sometimes feels corny but that just adds to the humor. I really enjoy Jessica Clare's books. She seems to know how to relate to her readers on so many diverse levels.

4 stars!

Marjorie Ivarsson is a hardworking waitress and a old soul who spends most of her time socializing with the elderly instead going out to the bars with other women her age. Spending time playing bingo and watching the price is right is her sense of normal considering that she was raised by her grandmother when her parents passed away. 



As her friend get’s ready for a wedding on the groom’s private island, Marjorie goes out to relax on the lagoon, but instead of a relaxing she ends up saving a man from drowning. Little did she know she’s just landed her very own billionaire.


Can these two polar opposites form a relationship or will this just be a vacation fling?

Jessica Clare is a new author to me, but she hasn’t gone unnoticed. I’ve always wanted to read her books, but never had the time. When I saw that I could review this book I jumped at the chance. 

I love that not only is Marjorie’s an old soul, but she’s taller than the average woman. She’s unique in many ways, but also has an aura of innocents surrounding her. When she saves Rob from drowning she finds herself curious about this man who screams power and his looks aren’t bad either. 


For me, I connected with Marjorie even though I’m the complete opposite in height wise. As I grow to love her through the story I couldn’t help, but dislike Rob. In the very beginning I felt like he was a snob, letting money speak for him. I was turned off by how rude he was to his employees and how easy it was to have him suddenly “switch” his personality when it came to Marjorie.



I know it might seem like I’m judging the book and I was in the beginning. Normally I would have just stopped, but I wanted to see the book through. Perhaps he would redeem himself. Well...for me I didn’t see any redemption. I still didn’t like him. I felt like he was the man you would write as the enemy, not the main character. However; my love for Marjorie and her friends certainly grew and I really enjoyed certain scenes that were laugh-out-loud moments for me. Besides my dislike for Rob I felt like the plot, pace and growth of the story was detailed very well. 



~Reviewed On Behalf Of Once Upon An Alpha

**ARC for Honest Review**

This is the first book in the Billionaires and Bridesmaids series by Jessica Clare and is a spin-off of of her popular series, the Billionaire Boys Club. This is a fun and sizzling pairing of 2 people that can't be more different in morals or lifestyle. Hardworking, naive, Marjorie Ivarsson was raised by her grandmother and is more comfortable with the geriatric generation than her own. Marjorie is clever and funny but because of her insecurities from being tall and lanky, has no experience with men. When she's invited to be a bridesmaid at her friend Bronte's wedding, she enters a whole new world. One day while walking on the beach she saves handsome, hot-shot TV producer Robert Cannon from drowning and was captivated by the gorgeous man. Robert is a foul mouth, crass, notorious playboy. He has become successful and rich by producing entertainment that isn't exactly aboveboard. But men love his shows and women with low self esteem were constantly vying for his attention to get their 15 minutes of fame. When Marjorie saved him, he thought she was an angel and wanted nothing more than to be a better man for her. He was sick of being used and wanted more respect and he found the motivation to be better in Marjorie. They both were out of their elements and so went about the wrong way of impressing each other. They were not being their true selves, afraid that other wouldn't like them if they knew the truth. This leads to many disastrous and funny situations along with many misunderstandings. Rob was hard to like at first because of his boorish ways and Marjorie's naivete was a bit over the top at times but I love to see character growth and I was not disappointed. I was charmed by them and rooted for them as they faced the hard truths and they won me over. This is a fun and sexy story and I look forward to more from Ms. Clare!
I received this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of my weekend audiobook adventures, and it carried over into listening in the morning while I was getting ready and going to work. The bad thing about listening in short bursts like that (for me, anyway) is that I don't feel totally connected to the story because I am starting and stopping so much.

Our hero in this first installment of the Billionaires and Bridesmaids series is Rob Cannon. Rob owns a TV network known as the Man Channel where he produces a show similar to Girls Gone Wild. After learning all of this about Rob, the only person I could envision him as was Joe Francis. No matter what I did, I just could not get that picture out of my head. So that kinda ruined his character for me. He was a bit of a sleazeball, but I ended up liking him by the end. I just couldn't get into the romance b/c I had the wrong picture in my head.

Marjorie is an old lady in a 24 y/o virgin's body. She even has her friends call her "Marge." Yikes. She is also 6'1", stork-like and insecure. I loved how Rob treated her, helping to build her self-esteem and not intimated when she was 6" taller than him in her heels. I usually like to envision myself as the lead character of the story, but I did not have a single thing in common with Marjorie, so I could not do that here. She was an okay character, just not one I could relate to, and she got on my nerves a little bit.

So this was somewhat of a fluff read, just straight romance from the first meetcute, through the relationship building, then the drama, and a nice epilogue. This is a spinoff of the Billionaire Boys Club series, which I have not had the chance to read yet, so I kinda wish I would have started there. It seems that most of the secondary characters in this book were from that series, and I would have liked to know their backstory. So even though this was not my favorite by this author, I am a big enough fan and interested enough to continue reading the series.

Marjorie is standing up in her friend’s destination wedding when she meets Rob Cannon, billionaire TV mogul. She saves his life, and he changes her. But when she finds out that runs a “Girls Gone Wild” type of man channel, can love conquer that?

The Good, The Bad and Everything In Between
-Who doesn’t want a billionaire to fall in love with them?: The premise is one I can get behind - billionaire who is madly attracted to you on sight and will do anything for you. You know. As they do.

-Marjorie’s a tall gal: I loved that Marjorie is, physically at least, a departure from most heroines. She’s 6’1” and she’s willowy, not all curves. She’s always been made to feel less than because she doesn’t fit into your standard definition of beauty. When you address this type of insecurity, more often than not it’s because a heroine is overweight, or curvy. You don’t see height as a factor very often and it made this stand out for me. When you add in the fact that she was raised by her grandparents and is more at home at a bingo hall than a nightclub, and you’ve got the makings of a very individual kind of gal. She’s a very likeable heroine and I just loved that she didn’t just cave at the first sign of difficulty, but she stuck to her ideals and she didn’t excuse anything just because she “loved” Rob.

-Rob’s boorish and crass, and absolutely likeable: Rob’s got a real big “you can go eff yourself coming at me like that” kind of attitude and basically, yes he's a dick. I can see how that would be offputting to some. He’s never cared what anyone thought of him and he’s made a living being a misogynist. He’s not perfect, but his transformation for Marjorie and his love for her (and especially her height) won me over completely:

“Any man who’s not secure enough to be seen with a gorgeous woman who just happens to be taller than him doesn’t deserve the aforementioned gorgeous woman. He can go eff himself.”

He treated her with care every step of the way, and when he screwed up, I just wanted him to fix it and get her back.

-Sexy times, and plenty of them: The sex, lordy the sex was copious and well done.

-It’s a fantasy, so it definitely goes there: It’s fantastical, not a bit believable and a bit predictable, but that didn’t diminish my enjoyment. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but there’s no need to. It’s a fantasy erotic romance and works well as such.

The Bottom Line
I really enjoyed this romance and I definitely recommend it to those who like light, funny, easy reads with a not your everyday kind of heroine.

**ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review**

In a spinoff to the Billionaire series the Billionaire and the Virgin was a great installment and I cant wait to read more in the series. Marjorie and Rob meet in a "meet cute scenario" that has to be the most unusual one. I know that some may not have liked Rob and yes he is obnoxious, loud, rude and deceitful but come on, he is best type of obnoxious. loud, rude and deceitful...he is also sweet, romantic and and good businessman, who goes after what he wants and he wants Marjorie, ah to be wanted liked that! I could swoon! It was a wonderful story, great side players, his assistants are funny and I hope there will a story coming for one in particular.....It was so fun to have all the other characters show up for this book, it was a great warp up to Bronte's and Logan's story. After Reese Rob is my favorite

Excellent. You gotta love a guy who cusses like a sailor and doesn't care that his woman is taller than he is in heels {and goes out of his way to buy her the tallest heals to show her off}. Good book. A note to consider--even though each book is a standalone HEA, it's better to read them in order so you are introduced to the characters along the way rather than after the fact. If this is not a big thing for other readers, then dive into these books. Definitely worth the read.

It took quite awhile for the story and the characters to grow on me, especially Robert. More than once I almost gave up finishing the book just because of how frustrated I became. Yet there were a few redeeming moments that made the story worth while. I like getting to see an individual grow and mature even if it isn't all the way through we do get to see the beginnings of maturity set in and that I did like. The Billionaire and the Virgin was a good story and I look forward to seeing what Jessica has in mind next.

Another fantastic read from Jessica Clare. I love the new characters in this book. In true Jessica fashion the characters are unique (Marjorie is over 6 feet tall, Rob is a misunderstood "Joe Francis")
I love that this is a slight continuation of the Billionares Series. The story line is great. Marjorie is a bridesmaid in Bronte's wedding. She meets Rob and can see beyond his public persona. The book gets
steamy and hot! ( I love how Jessica makes us wait for the hot scenes, it's so worth it)
I can't wait for the next book in the series. Out of all of the "erotic series" I enjoy Jessica's the best. She always creates unique characters, the steamy hot scenes are always on point and the plots are very creative.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

A fast paced, easy to read novel. I liked the premise of the story…plain girl meets bazillionaire playboy and love is in the air.

One thing I was not overly fond of was the vulgarity of Robert Cannon. I don’t use the f*** word in real life and not really a fan of it in my reading. There are SO many words in the English language that the use (or in this case, overuse) of the f*** word is not necessary. I must also say that I found the sex scenes a tad graphic as well. I like my love scenes with innuendo, not being laid out explicitly with foul language. The following example has elements of being too explicit for me as well as showing how words can lead the reader to visualize the scene. This dichotomy within the story is something I did struggle with throughout the read and in fact is what drove me to finish the story:

“Her little shivers of reaction were driving him mad, his cock aching and hard in his slacks. The fabric was sticking to the head of his dick thanks to the pre-cum he was leaking, but he ignored it. He ignored everything but Marjorie`s soft sighs, her little movements that told him of pleasure, and her obvious anticipation.”
The ‘Sweetheart’ endearment was what made the read for me. For the longest time Marjorie did not let Rob use his term of endearment for her, but once she became comfortable she let Rob know and then you could just feel the love between the two.

I thought the pace for ‘THE’ night was good and showed Rob’s thoughtful side. He did seem very respectful and aware of what a big deal this evening would be for Marjorie. I must say that his sensitive side (albeit only visible when with his lady love) is what could have made my rating up to a 3 if…… Oh well.

I found the writing well done, the story itself easy to read. The premise is cute and I enjoyed getting to read about Brontë and Logan’s wedding (the first billionaire couple from book #1 of the Billionaire Boys Club). Nice to reminisce with old friends :) .

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Great book, great story even though its nothing new. I loved the character development of Rob the hero. Marjorie was already adorable and Rob was adorable in the end. Once again, sweet story, smooth writing and one of the best written sex-scenes I've ever read.

Brought to you by OBS reviewer Andra

A fast paced, easy to read novel. I liked the premise of the story…plain girl meets bazillionaire playboy and love is in the air.

One thing I was not overly fond of was the vulgarity of Robert Cannon. I don’t use the f*** word in real life and not really a fan of it in my reading. There are SO many words in the English language that the use (or in this case, overuse) of the f*** word is not necessary. I must also say that I found the sex scenes a tad graphic as well. I like my love scenes with innuendo, not being laid out explicitly with foul language. The following example has elements of being too explicit for me as well as showing how words can lead the reader to visualize the scene. This dichotomy within the story is something I did struggle with throughout the read and in fact is what drove me to finish the story:

“Her little shivers of reaction were driving him mad, his cock aching and hard in his slacks. The fabric was sticking to the head of his dick thanks to the pre-cum he was leaking, but he ignored it. He ignored everything but Marjorie`s soft sighs, her little movements that told him of pleasure, and her obvious anticipation.”
The ‘Sweetheart’ endearment was what made the read for me. For the longest time Marjorie did not let Rob use his term of endearment for her, but once she became comfortable she let Rob know and then you could just feel the love between the two.

I thought the pace for ‘THE’ night was good and showed Rob’s thoughtful side. He did seem very respectful and aware of what a big deal this evening would be for Marjorie. I must say that his sensitive side (albeit only visible when with his lady love) is what could have made my rating up to a 3 if…… Oh well.

I found the writing well done, the story itself easy to read. The premise is cute and I enjoyed getting to read about Brontë and Logan’s wedding (the first billionaire couple from book #1 of the Billionaire Boys Club). Nice to reminisce with old friends :) .

*OBS would like to thank the publisher for supplying a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review*

Great book, great story even though its nothing new. I loved the character development of Rob the hero. Marjorie was already adorable and Rob was adorable in the end. Once again, sweet story, smooth writing and one of the best written sex-scenes I've ever read.

Title: The Billionaire and the Virgin
Author: Jessica Clare
Series: Billionaires & Bridesmaids, #1 (spinoff of Billionaires Boys Club)
Publisher: Intermix
Date: February 17, 2015

This book was supplied to me through NetGalley for an honest review.

Marjorie Ivarsson is the picture of naivete. A hardworking waitress raised by her grandmother, an evening playing bingo is her sort of socialising. But when she's invited to be a bridesmaid at her friend Bronte's wedding, she enters a whole new world.

Whisked away to the billionaire groom's private island, Marjorie is awe-struck by the glitz and glamour. But what dazzles her most is notorious playboy and hot-shot TV producer Robert Cannon.

After Marjorie saves Robert from drowning in the island's turquoise lagoon, she can't help but feel drawn to him. But she's not the only woman intrigued, and with his wild and womanising ways, they couldn't be more wrong for each other. With the blistering attraction between them becoming hard to ignore, and the idyllic, irresistibly romantic island as their playground - will opposites attract?

Rating: 2 out of 5

I have to say this is the lowest rating I have ever given a book that I actually finished. The writing was not bad and the plot could have been interesting. The main problem was I hated Robert, the main male character. His personality is completely obnoxious. Yes, there are extenuating circumstances. Yes, he tries to become a better person for the woman he falls in love with . . ., but it wasn’t enough to save the book.

Having Marjorie being totally inexperienced and living in a world far from the norm made it even worse. She is more comfortable with the elderly than she is with her own generation. She talks like them, has the same values as they do (which is not necessarily a bad thing) , and, for Pete’s Sake, she plays shuffleboard!

So, of course, she ends up with Robert who makes Hugh Hefner look good.

Most of the time, I purchase the books I have reviewed. Even though I have received free copies, I like to support the authors. That will not be the case with this book. It’s not terrible and I wish I had read the books in the original series (Billionaire Boys Club) before this one. Now my opinion of the series will always be colored by a very unlikeable character.

I love Jessica's Billionaire series, but this one was not good. I did not like the characters, they were boring. The two main characters didn't really have a spark and I didn't care about either of them enough to read the whole book. I stopped in the middle to bored to go on. I hope the next one is better.