Chloe's father's will forced her into marrying Paul in Las Vegas. She only did this because she had so many people depending on her; and if she did not, the huge company she inherited would be parted out, and thousands of people would lose their jobs. So she went into that Las Vegas hotel, talked to the stranger on the phone, met him in the bar and married at an Elvis chapel. He was bigger than she had expected, drunk and seriously attractive. Not the wedding of a girl's dreams, by any means. And then, the finalities of the consummation finished--the consummation in itself being a pretty remarkable all-night event--he left the hotel room before she even woke up.

It was not until she was on the phone with her lawyer and friend Devon Wentworth that she realized that the name on the marriage license was Everest Beaumont. She had married the wrong man. After the two week search, Everest was found --a prominent businessman--living in seclusion on a mountain, in Montana. She had to fly to Montana with the divorce papers in hand and confront face to face Mr Handsome Broad Shoulders with Muscles. And she didn't find out until after she showed up in his remote cabin that he not only did not remember much of their night together, but he had been under the impression that she was a hooker. He even offered to hire her another night, as long as she was there. The marriage turned out to be a huge surprise to him. He was a man who was going to do the right thing. That meant he had to get the divorce, and give up this woman to the man to whom she was engaged. Too bad their passion--and everything else--was so compatible.

Surprisingly Everest was a fan of her writing, but hadn't figured out yet she was that Chloe. And she was a fan of his Beaumont clocks. After getting snowed in and spending some time together, the marriage of inconvenience was starting to look better than the marriage of convenience that had been arranged for her. Poor Chloe. She had to follow the letter of the will when she really wanted to follow her heart. She had to get that divorce, or Paul was going to sue. Things might be different if she had a relationship to fight for. If Grandpa and Gladys had anything to say about it, she and Everest would stay married. But Everest didn't love her anyway. Did he?

Michelle Pillow is turning out to be a terrific surprise. I knew she'd mastered horror; and I knew she had vampires down pat. I knew handled the paranormal novel like a champ. It shouldn't have taken me by so much by surprise to see that she could handle a contemporary romance too. This is a fun read set in a contemporary situation with people the reader gets to know and care about. This is amazing for a first contemporary. Everest and Chloe have a dynamic chemistry, tremendous sexual tension that draws them together with an inevitable conflict that drives them apart. Michelle Pillow makes it all look so easy. I can't wait to see what new genre she'll conquer next.

Reviewed By: Allie B
© Sept 004