Virgin Bride

NFM

Back Cover:

Arrogant Italian Paolo Venini needs to marry. And English rose Lily Frome will make a perfect, convenient wife.

As Lily struggles to adapt to Paolo's glamorous world, Paolo whisks her off to Italy's beautiful Amalfi coast to spend their wedding night. But Paolo expects more than just a marriage in name only—after their vows have been exchanged, Paolo intends to claim his virgin bride as his own….

My Review: 

She works for a charity, she goes to the hero for a donation, and she ends up as his pretend fiance to please his ill mother.  After his mother's unexpected recovery, they need to further perpetuate the engagement.  Soon the hero is lusting after her and sees a real marriage to the heroine as a very appealing and satisfying prospect.  He sets about railroading her into marriage.  She fights it because she knows his history with women: a failed engagement, a marriage that lasted a matter of months, and a string of casual affairs.  He seems the type to bore quickly and she doesn't think she could survive it.

Back Cover:

Revenge, passion and an arranged marriage…

Duke Javier Herrera needs a wife in order to inherit his family's banking business. In Grace Beresford, whose father swindled Javier out of millions, Javier can take revenge and a convenient wife.

At first, Javier just wants Grace's body. But this small price she refuses to pay…despite their explosive mutual attraction. How long can Grace remain his wife in name only?   

Favourite Scene: (*cracks up* He tells her she might as well go ahead and knee him!)

‘I don’t hate your touch—that much is obvious—but I hate myself,’ she whispered brokenly.

‘But we’re married!’ Javier said explosively. ‘If you won’t make love with me when you’re my wife, what the hell would you have done if I’d only offered to help your father in return for you becoming my mistress?’

Grace shivered. ‘I would have done anything to save Dad from prison,’ she said honestly. ‘I was even prepared to have sex with you, although it went against everything I believe in, but I’d planned on getting drunk first so that I wouldn’t remember too much about it.’

Javier rolled onto his back and swore savagely in his native tongue. ‘You are so good for my ego, querida. Why don’t you just kick me between the legs and have done with it?’  

Marcos Ramirez has been planning his revenge for over 20 years.  Kidnapping "party girl" Tamsin Winter on her way to her wedding is part of the revenge.

Tamsin is marrying a re-known wife-beater as part of a business deal in which she is suppose to secure a safe life for her ten year old sister.

164. The Princess Bride (Virgin Brides, 1 / Long, Tall Texans, 18) – Diana Palmer, Silhouette Romance #1282, March 1998, ISBN: 0373192827, 185p.

Featuring: Tiffany Blair and Kingman (King) Marshall

Cade Lorimer has to find Tess Richie and bring her back to his stepfather.  The stepfather thinks Tess may be his long lost granddaughter.

Tess had been on her own since she was fifteen.  She is content in her own life, but when her grandfather has an episode she agrees to go with Cade to meet the man.