Review: Just Say You Love Me by B. Love
Just Say You Love Me by B. Love Published by B. Love Publications on August 1, 2017
Genres: African American, Love & Romance, Romance
Pages: 252
Format: eBook
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
Luana Berry’s plate is full. Not only is she juggling two jobs and an internship, but she’s doing so while maintaining a 3.8 GPA at the most expensive private school in Memphis, TN. Just a few months away from being the first college graduate in her family, Luana plans to continue her education and become a Lawyer. There’s just one thing standing in the way of her dreams – her brother, Lucas Berry.
Jaxon Jeffries’ plate is full. Not only does he have his own investment firm, but he’s also on the city council and running for mayor. When his parents suggest that he take a wife to soften his image and show his loving, compassionate side to voters, Jaxon is against it – until he saves Lucas Berry in exchange for the chance to have his sister Luana.
With Lucas being the reason Luana had the opportunity to even attend college, she feels obligated to help her brother during his time of need. So much so that when the choice is his freedom or her singleness she agrees to stand by Jaxon’s side as his wife.
Jaxon and Luana have one goal – to prove to the world that they love each other before election day. Neither desire real love, especially from each other, but the more time they spend together the more they realize love is no respecter of persons, time, deals and enemies made, or hearts that intend to be saved.
I have never been a fan of the marriage of convenience trope, mainly because the books I’ve read with that theme weren’t necessarily great. However, B. Love may cause me to give it another go because I just read Just Say You Love Me and absolutely loved it.
Luana Berry’s love and loyalty belong to her brother, Lucas, so when he gets himself into trouble, she is willing to enter a marriage of convenience to mayoral candidate Jaxon Jeffries to ensure Lucas’s freedom.
Jaxon Jeffries is a man on a mission; he is passionate about his company, his people, and his community. Being mayor is a foregone conclusion to him but in order to get all of the support he needs, his parents have convinced him he needs to take a wife. He has no plans of doing so at present time but for the love of his community and the need to create change, he is willing to do it. This is when Luana Berry enters his life.
I didn’t think I would like Jaxon, I assumed he would be too cold or distant once he and Luana entered this agreement but I was proven wrong. He may become one of my favorite B. Love heroes when it’s all said and done. As much as he wanted Luana, he didn’t push her. He didn’t overwhelm her in a bad way and was adamant about her coming to him when she was ready and not pushing himself onto her.
Luana had a lot to work out within herself before she truly felt ready to love and be loved in return; rough upbringing from her parents and their distance, and a codependency on her brother that was unhealthy among other things. I appreciated the fact that she wanted to make sure she was whole before going into a relationship with Jaxon to avoid requiring him to be more than he needed to be because of her past.
Luana and Jaxon had a lot to work through once this temporary situation showed promise of something more permanent. Faking it for the public was the least of their problems when jealous exes, shady pasts, vindictive parents, and their own ambitions reared their ugly heads.
It was great to see LuLu (I loved his nickname for her) and Jax’s relationship evolve and manifest into the very essence of love overflow that they both wanted and needed.
LuLu and Jax’s love was unexpected and some would even say, inconvenient, but it was what both of them needed. Just Say You Love Me is a tale of patience, mending brokenness, and love that complements and doesn’t complete.
Natalya is the author of All The Things I Never Said, a soul-stirring collection of short stories, prose and love letters for the soulful wanderers, the brokenhearted and the hopeless romantics.
You can follow her rantings and occasional sparks of brilliance on Twitter @NatalyaMuncuff.
- Review: Kiss of Life by Louise Lennox - July 21, 2021
- Release Blitz: Kiss of Life by Louise Lennox - July 13, 2021
- Review: The Alpha’s Affair by Dria Andersen - June 7, 2021
