"Marriage of convenience"

When Stone Lachlan's mother tells him she will give her corporation to him if he will marry and stay married for a year, he has trouble thinking of a woman he can stand to be around for more than five minutes, let alone a whole year. While he is pondering that problem, he discovers that his ward, Faith Harrell, whom he has secretly supported ever since both of their fathers died in a boating accident, has quit school.

Upon accidentally discovering that her father had not left her well off when he died, as she had believed, but that Stone Lachlan had been supporting her and her mother for years, Faith feels that she cannot impose on his generosity any longer, so she has quit school and gotten a job. When Stone objects, she tells him that she will be 21 years old soon and that it is her obligation to support herself and her invalid mother. Furthermore she feels that she should pay back all the money he has spent on them over the years. That's when Stone comes up with a way for Faith to repay him, and support her mother at the same time. He convinces Faith that a marriage of convenience for the next year will be the best way for them to help each other out. Faith agrees to the deal and she, her mother and Clarice, her mother's aide, move into Stone's huge home.

I enjoy marriage of convenience plots. They get the couple together in a situation where they are able to spend time together, offering an opportunity for them to get to know each other in a short period of time. I enjoyed seeing Stone and Faith falling in love, each fighting his or her feelings for various reasons. I was disappointed that the story contained several separations when one of them would feel threatened by the growing feelings between them and leave - sometimes for days. I would have enjoyed the book much more if there had been more of an attempt at communication. I did enjoy the parts of the book where they were together and building a relationship, so if you are not bothered by short separations this can be an entertaining, fast read.

Reviewed by Janice Bennett
Posted February 23, 2002

Summary

Stone Lachlan never thought marriage ? especially one of convenience! ? would be this complex. After all, he and Faith Harrell had agreed to marry for purely practical reasons, so there should be no question about the terms of their "relationship." But resisting a young woman as appealing as Faith was like trying to win a war without any weapons. And it seemed the harder they fought not to fall in love, the closer they came to losing the battle....