There are lots of reasons for choosing a book to read. Books are chosen every day to enlighten and instruct, to indulge a passion for a particular subject, to experience something outside the normal realm of existence. Then there are those books chosen to read simply for escape. Some readers turn to sci-fi and worlds created through imagination, while others turn to mystery or even horror for the thrill it can send racing up their spine. Then there are the romance readers who chose the opportunity to ride along on the chase for a happy ending and the chance to feel, in part, a connection to that happiness.

A foolish bet is made and lost, leaving Jonathan Trent to either take a heavy business loss and face personal embarrassment, or find and marry someone within one month and remain married for six months. An investigation of Kelsey McClaire leads Jonathan to believe she is the perfect choice to ‘play’ his wife and solve both his dilemma and her debt situation. After meeting her, however, Jonathan quickly realizes that he would like to do more than just act married with Kelsey. Now he only needs to convince his new bride that the marriage can last longer than six months…he's thinking maybe sixty years or so.

Kelsey McClaire’s first marriage left her with two things: an eye-opening view of marriage and an enormous pile of debt. The offer to play pretend wife for only six months, to have all her debts taken care of, as well as being secure financially afterwards, should be the answer to all her worries. Kelsey agrees, only to find she now has all new things to worry about. Things like constantly reminding herself that being Mrs. Trent is only temporary and that she is a bought and paid for wife. But most of all that it is only make- believe and that the growing feelings she has for Jonathan cannot possibly be real or ever be returned…or can they?

This is a light and fun read. There's not a lot of mystery to this plot; you know right from the start that even though these two are supposed to be ‘just pretending,’ the attraction is very mutual and these mutual feelings will have to be addressed eventually. What you don’t know is where, when, and how, which for readers who love this type of fare, that's the whole point. Watching someone find the person of their dreams, then fight to work through any obstacles in the path of attaining that dream, is the foundation on which romance novels are built. So if spending a pleasant afternoon peeking into the lives of two people on a quest for that elusive happy-ever-after is what you seek, then this one is for you.

Reviewed By Johnna
© July 2005