Marriage

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He will bed her…
Elise Carlton is looking forward to having her freedom. Years as a trophy wife have left her wary. But there is one man to whom she is not immune….

For revenge and for pleasure!
Vincente Farnese is rich and devastatingly handsome, his own special brand of dark Italian temptation! But it is no coincidence that Vincente has sought out Elise. What will she do when she discovers he wants her only for revenge?
 

My Review:

I started out feeling really good about this book, it was an interesting premise and suspense was well-built.  The chemistry between them was almost a compulsion, and I loved seeing them both drawn to each other and surprised by the intensity of their feelings.  The first time they made love was a revelation for them and the hero reacted by panting and murmuring in wonder "who are you", which was really a great image. 

But then the hero/heroine manipulate each other, find out the hero's secret motives, and are so cold to each other that it puts a distance between them. 

Back Cover:

Stavros Denakis is furious when Tessa Marlowe turns up without warning. Weary and cynical through his experience with women, Stavros suspects the wife he hardly knows is a gold digger—surely she's here to claim her share of the Denakis millions. But Tessa is a temptation that he can't resist….

Bedded by her gorgeous Greek husband, Tessa realizes she has fallen in love with him, and longs for their marriage to become real. Only, Stavros, though he may be passionate in private, remains cold in public, and is determined they stay wedded only in name…. 

My Review:

They married four years ago in name only to escape a civil war mess.  They got separated, he thought she'd died, but at present she comes to him on the eve of his engagement to another woman to return his ring (she never knew it was a legal marriage).  He's immediately suspicious of her motives and thinks it's a blackmail attempt.

Thanks Liz for mailing me this book, and it was kind of you to autograph it!  I got it in the mail yesterday and devoured it!

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He needed a wife.  And he needed her tonight, if not sooner. 

Enter Zara Lovett.  His ex-fiance's best friend.  Her hair a spill of honeyed silk framing whiskey eyes.  Zara, who'd strode into Alex Carlisle's life on killed legs and lit a powder keg in his gut.  It was chemistry, the kind of powerful, explosive mix Alex made a habit of avoiding - until today.  Because the fireworks between them changed nothing.  He still needed to satisfy the terms of his father's will. 

That was his goal.  That was his duty.  That was what mattered.  And he'd make sure Zara said yes. 

My Review:

Yum yum!  This was the third and final "Princes of the Outback" story.  It was about Alex, the older brother, who as soon as he learned about the will's clause had a woman chosen and was set on heading down the aisle and doing this right, making his baby have a steady family environment.  It's ironic the way the series concludes, and who ends up being the first one to knock their woman up is quite funny.  The revelation scene had me choking with laughter at the indignity of it. 

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Twelve months ago their marriage was perfect...Then Billionaire Tyler Benedict returns home to find his bed empty and Lianne, his wife, gone! Now Tyler will do anything to get his bride back! Tyler hires Lianne to be his personal lawyer-it's a deal she can't refuse. But this time Lianne is wise to Tyler's ways, he's after more than just a business arrangement; he wants her back where he feels she belongs...at his bidding!  

My Review:

This was refreshing!  The hero loved his wife, and told her that clearly from the beginning.  When lies were told about him being involved with another woman, the hero didn't get stuffed up on pride and refuse to explain himself, he simply told her the truth: it's a lie, and wanted her to trust him.  When she didn't trust him, he didn't give up on her like other heroes have, instead he set a very determined plan into action, as soon as he physically could (three months went by before he could get away to chase after her), to get her back. 

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'I never meant to do it...she was just there when I needed someone...'

Rachel and Daniel had three adorable children and a strong marriage - or so Rachel had always believed. But her happy existence was shattered when she was told that Daniel had been having a, affair. Then she realised that they'd been growing apart for years. Rachel wanted to save her marriage - but was it too late  

My Review: 

Holy crap.  I cried like mad during this book, even the happy loving moments between them made me cry.  I needed to pull out the kleenex.  This book is about Daniel and Rachel, who married when she was 17 and pregnant with the first of their kids.  They have been together seven years, and through those years Daniel has gained business success and his life has changed, but he's tried to keep his family life separate from that, keep his family as his "garden in the vile jungle".  During a bad period where all three of their kids were ill, Rachel was run-down, and Daniel was under threat of a business takeover, Daniel started seeing another woman... a colleague at work who he started seeing outside the office.  He quickly came to his senses, and he never had sex with the other woman, but he still felt what he did was cheating and he felt a lot of guilt.  Rachel was told by a third party about it, and it nearly destroyed their marriage, but she stayed and fought through the pain. 

Rico left the country because of a scandal about his involvement with the Sinclair sisters (16 and 18 year old daughters of his boss).  He was married with a baby on the way, and the scandal was based on lies and hurt him professionally and personally, very badly.  Four years later, the youngest Sinclair sister confesses her lies and Rico sees his chance to gain back his reputation and get revenge.  He determines to use Danielle (the older Sinclair) as his means of revenge.  She needs help with a stalker, so that gives him an excuse to get near her.  He offers protection, but he really wants revenge: to marry her and get an heir out of her, to make up for what he lost because of her family.  Danielle is innocent in all this, and soon the hero feels bad for involving her.  But Danielle has kept a secret herself, which is hurtful and makes a future for them doubtful. 

Back Cover:

A second baby - a second chance?

She'd been crazy to marry Charles Savage m the first place! And now, Beth was convinced that nothing - least of all her - would keep Charles from the woman he really loved.

Beth's marriage to Charles had effectively ended when she'd lost the child he so desperately wanted. There was no point in pretending she was still needed m his life. Especially when that other woman could offer him so much more - a son. His son?

Beth had reason to believe it was. Would her own pregnancy-which she discovered after she'd left Charles - even matter to him now?  

From House Calls To Husband
Christine Flynn
Silhouette Special Edition Romance
243 pages
copyright: 1998
isbn: 0-373-24203-4

Do You Take This Doctor?

I had the hardest time getting a copy of this book but I am so glad I made the effort!  Trish had me laughing and crying in this one.  Loved the hero's loud huge family.  Reminded me of mine!