Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Overall, this was a good book. Maddox has just discovered that his father will give a majority share of the ranch to the son with the most elaborate wedding. He has been vocal in his refusal to marry but is now rethinking his stance. He hatches the idea of finding a woman willing to enter into a marriage of convenience long enough for him to secure his claim. Then he meets Adeline.
Adeline's father owns one of the area's largest ranches. He and his wife are very conscious of their position (snobs), and he is very controlling in his attitude toward his daughters. As the story opens, Adeline has reached the breaking point in the job arranged for by her father and decides to quit. She wants to open her travel agency, but her father won't loan her the startup money she needs. I liked Adeline's decision to stick up for herself after how her coworkers and bosses treated her.
The first meeting between Adeline and Maddox was interesting. Maddox has quite the eye for the ladies, and Adeline immediately attracts his attention. She also notices him, and they strike up a conversation. I liked their banter as they commiserated about controlling fathers. Underneath their teasing, there are also sparks of attraction. After hearing Adeline's story, Maddox floats his idea to her, but she turns him down.
Adeline reconsiders when she has another run-in with her dad. When she shows up at the ranch to talk to Maddox, he takes her agreement and runs with it. This is where Maddox started to irritate me. He is so consumed with beating out his brother for control of the ranch that he doesn't consider all the ramifications of their deception. Adeline at least felt guilty about it, though she was willing to go along.
As Maddox and Adeline begin their deception, neither expects the attraction or the feelings that grow between them. There were some sweet scenes between them as they got to know each other. Unfortunately, Maddox's laser focus on his goal causes him to ruin many of those moments by reminding himself and Adeline that their relationship isn't real. By the time they give in to their attraction, Adeline realizes she's in love with Maddox, but he is still fighting his feelings. I ached for Adeline as she admitted she wanted more than he was willing to give and did what she had to do to protect herself. Maddox earned every bit of his misery while coming to grips with his feelings and guilt. He redeemed himself somewhat in the end through his emotional confession to Adeline.
The portrayal of the two sets of parents was very interesting. Maddox's parents are warm and accepting of Adeline, and I didn't get much of that controlling feeling from his dad. I felt that Maddox could have avoided much of the angst if he had talked to his dad about his feelings regarding the ranch. Adeline's parents gave off a completely different vibe. Her father is obnoxious in his refusal to accept Maddox as Adeline's choice, and her mom is a bit of a doormat. I understood Adeline's need to get away. There is clear growth on both sides by the end of the book, and I enjoyed seeing the changes happen.
Adeline's father owns one of the area's largest ranches. He and his wife are very conscious of their position (snobs), and he is very controlling in his attitude toward his daughters. As the story opens, Adeline has reached the breaking point in the job arranged for by her father and decides to quit. She wants to open her travel agency, but her father won't loan her the startup money she needs. I liked Adeline's decision to stick up for herself after how her coworkers and bosses treated her.
The first meeting between Adeline and Maddox was interesting. Maddox has quite the eye for the ladies, and Adeline immediately attracts his attention. She also notices him, and they strike up a conversation. I liked their banter as they commiserated about controlling fathers. Underneath their teasing, there are also sparks of attraction. After hearing Adeline's story, Maddox floats his idea to her, but she turns him down.
Adeline reconsiders when she has another run-in with her dad. When she shows up at the ranch to talk to Maddox, he takes her agreement and runs with it. This is where Maddox started to irritate me. He is so consumed with beating out his brother for control of the ranch that he doesn't consider all the ramifications of their deception. Adeline at least felt guilty about it, though she was willing to go along.
As Maddox and Adeline begin their deception, neither expects the attraction or the feelings that grow between them. There were some sweet scenes between them as they got to know each other. Unfortunately, Maddox's laser focus on his goal causes him to ruin many of those moments by reminding himself and Adeline that their relationship isn't real. By the time they give in to their attraction, Adeline realizes she's in love with Maddox, but he is still fighting his feelings. I ached for Adeline as she admitted she wanted more than he was willing to give and did what she had to do to protect herself. Maddox earned every bit of his misery while coming to grips with his feelings and guilt. He redeemed himself somewhat in the end through his emotional confession to Adeline.
The portrayal of the two sets of parents was very interesting. Maddox's parents are warm and accepting of Adeline, and I didn't get much of that controlling feeling from his dad. I felt that Maddox could have avoided much of the angst if he had talked to his dad about his feelings regarding the ranch. Adeline's parents gave off a completely different vibe. Her father is obnoxious in his refusal to accept Maddox as Adeline's choice, and her mom is a bit of a doormat. I understood Adeline's need to get away. There is clear growth on both sides by the end of the book, and I enjoyed seeing the changes happen.
