It was nothing personal, just a business arrangement. Ryan McKay is a multi-millionaire with a problem. He needs a bride to fulfill the terms of his grandfathers will. Unfortunately, the one he chose just bailed on him and hes hours away from losing his company. Enter Faith Lewis his demure, devoted assistant. Ryan convinces Faith to step in and marry him, assuring her their marriage is merely a business deal. Ryan is certain he can keep this strictly impersonal. After all, hes the product of a loveless marriage and for years has sealed his own heart in an icy stone. Despite Faiths warmth, compassion and allure, hes convinced hes immune to her charms. Faith will do anything for her boss, but marry him? The shy virgin sees herself as plain and unattractive, a product of a bitter mother who drummed into her head that she wasn't worthy of a mans love. But she agrees to help Ryan fulfill the terms of his grandfathers will, hoping she doesn't lose her heart to him in the process. But love rarely listens to logic, and what follows is anything but business.
I got lost in this story, which means it was a great catch of a book. I listened to it as an audiobook during some of my more daunting tasks at work and caught myself pausing because I wanted to make sure I was actively listening and didn't miss anything. It had some clever, cute lines that I had to play back in order to write down: "Reverend, there's been a slight change in brides." "The last thing he needed was to fall in love with his wife." This is the first I've read for a while that was a third person point of view (POV). It was constantly giving insight from the main characters thoughts instead of having to wait until the next chapter to catch the other's POV. I can believe that a man would have a plan to try to persuade a girl into his pants, but this man continually was questioning what women were thinking. His tactic that finally worked would have won me over too, so I completely understand how Faith fell for him. She did seem a bit naive, but I could see myself if put next to such a head strong character, turning into a shy, confused girl. As the story went on you began to fall in love with Ryan, who was kind of an ass and so closed off at the beginning. I definitely wouldn't mind him as boyfriend material or hell husband material since he was looking so desperately for a bride. I'd rate him all mine. I have read a lot of marriage pact books as well as even seen movies involving staged marriages in order for one or both parties to receive benefits or uphold to a contract, or a will with a catch, but this one I'll remember above them all. It felt like their little dates could have been a montage in a movie as I imagined two adults swirling around on a merry-go-round acting with the heart of kids with this new found love they never thought they'd find. Even thought the cover might look pretty dark, mysterious, and sexy, this book focused on two characters who evolved into two better people and two hearts that merged as one. I smiled quite a bit, laughed once or twice, and fell in love with these two characters. Although there was a steamy side with a sex scene or two, I liked that he teasingly would mention her as a sex addict and would allude more typical newlywed gestures.