Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Terrific conclusion to the series. Elaine Moss laid down an edict that her three grandchildren had to be married by a certain age or lose the family company to their detested Uncle Jerome. The first three books in the series were their stories. Their cousin Veronica, Jerome's daughter, was not included because she was already engaged. But, furious at her father's underhanded actions at the end of the previous book (How to Marry a Bad Boy), Ronnie begged her grandmother to include her in the mandate to stick it to her father.
The day before her 30th birthday, Ronnie and her fiancé are in Vegas for a conference. They plan to marry that night to fulfill the mandate. At the last minute, Jareth decides they should attend some big wig's party instead. I hadn't liked Jareth from his first appearance in an earlier book. I thought he was selfish and obnoxious, so I wasn't surprised when he bailed. I also suspected that her father had a hand in the situation. Devasted, Ronnie despairs of fulfilling the mandate and preventing disaster for her cousins. Then she is approached by a man she noticed during her presentation.
Wes Brody first appeared in the series' opening volume, Their Marriage Bargain. In that story, he was the bad guy with information that could ruin the Moss family business. But his co-conspirator ended up marrying the oldest Moss and destroying the information, wrecking Wes's plans for revenge. I had a feeling that we'd see him again. Sure enough, he showed up at this conference, hoping to find a way to get close enough to Ronnie to get the information he needed. He never expected to marry her.
The sparks between Ronnie and Wes are incendiary from the start. In addition, Wes can be a charming and romantic guy. The backstory of his life after his father's death was heartbreaking, and his need to clear his father's name was understandable. He leaps at the chance to marry her but also feels guilty about the deception. Ronnie is bowled over by Wes's charm and willingness to help her and takes him up on his offer for a marriage of convenience.
I enjoyed watching the development of Ronnie and Wes's relationship. Their attraction was undeniable and irresistible from the beginning. Wes's charm and attention filled a hole in Ronnie's life, left by her mother's death and her father's actions. She fell hard for him very quickly. Wes doesn't expect to fall in love with Ronnie, but he does, and the guilt of his deception eats away at him. He wants to come clean but is afraid of her reaction. There are some sweet scenes between them as their love grows, but Wes always has that feeling of a sword hanging over his head.
Wes's secretive search for the information he needs continues. He knows his time is limited because as soon as Ronnie's cousin Caleb and his wife return from their honeymoon and see him, the jig will be up. But before he can confess to Ronnie, a family emergency brings everyone together, and the truth comes out. I ached for Ronnie and her pain at Wes's betrayal and for Wes, who only wants to love her. There is painful fallout from the revelation and a surprise that complicates their future. I loved the ending; an unexpected discovery changes everything and brings Wes and Ronnie back together. The epilogue, including a twist involving Ronnie's father, Jerome, was terrific.
The day before her 30th birthday, Ronnie and her fiancé are in Vegas for a conference. They plan to marry that night to fulfill the mandate. At the last minute, Jareth decides they should attend some big wig's party instead. I hadn't liked Jareth from his first appearance in an earlier book. I thought he was selfish and obnoxious, so I wasn't surprised when he bailed. I also suspected that her father had a hand in the situation. Devasted, Ronnie despairs of fulfilling the mandate and preventing disaster for her cousins. Then she is approached by a man she noticed during her presentation.
Wes Brody first appeared in the series' opening volume, Their Marriage Bargain. In that story, he was the bad guy with information that could ruin the Moss family business. But his co-conspirator ended up marrying the oldest Moss and destroying the information, wrecking Wes's plans for revenge. I had a feeling that we'd see him again. Sure enough, he showed up at this conference, hoping to find a way to get close enough to Ronnie to get the information he needed. He never expected to marry her.
The sparks between Ronnie and Wes are incendiary from the start. In addition, Wes can be a charming and romantic guy. The backstory of his life after his father's death was heartbreaking, and his need to clear his father's name was understandable. He leaps at the chance to marry her but also feels guilty about the deception. Ronnie is bowled over by Wes's charm and willingness to help her and takes him up on his offer for a marriage of convenience.
I enjoyed watching the development of Ronnie and Wes's relationship. Their attraction was undeniable and irresistible from the beginning. Wes's charm and attention filled a hole in Ronnie's life, left by her mother's death and her father's actions. She fell hard for him very quickly. Wes doesn't expect to fall in love with Ronnie, but he does, and the guilt of his deception eats away at him. He wants to come clean but is afraid of her reaction. There are some sweet scenes between them as their love grows, but Wes always has that feeling of a sword hanging over his head.
Wes's secretive search for the information he needs continues. He knows his time is limited because as soon as Ronnie's cousin Caleb and his wife return from their honeymoon and see him, the jig will be up. But before he can confess to Ronnie, a family emergency brings everyone together, and the truth comes out. I ached for Ronnie and her pain at Wes's betrayal and for Wes, who only wants to love her. There is painful fallout from the revelation and a surprise that complicates their future. I loved the ending; an unexpected discovery changes everything and brings Wes and Ronnie back together. The epilogue, including a twist involving Ronnie's father, Jerome, was terrific.
