If she elects to marry him, will her vote deliver
happiness?
He asked a simple question.
But will she answer yes…or no?
It's too much, too soon. When wealthy contractor Steven
Fortune proposes to Ellie Hernandez, the beautiful and principled mayor of
Rambling Rose, Texas, no one is more surprised than Ellie herself. Until
recently, Steven was practically her enemy! But his offer of a marriage of
convenience arrives when the secretly pregnant mayor is at her weakest moment.
They can pull off a united front for a short time, can't they? Surely she won't
fall for another man who insists he isn't interested in the long haul…
Good book. Ellie is the young and popular mayor of
Rambling Rose. She loves the town and its people and is determined to do what
is best for them, even if that means standing up to the wealthy Fortunes and
their plans. She has had more than one run-in with Steven Fortune and his hotel
plans. There's more than antagonism causing sparks between them, but she won't
be seen consorting with the enemy.
But Ellie is also in a bit of a predicament. She recently
ended her relationship with a man, only to discover she was pregnant with his baby.
He made it plain he had no interest in being a father and left the country to
pursue his career. That leaves Ellie pregnant, unmarried, and worried about the
reactions of her constituents. Ellie always holds herself to very high standards
and feels she's letting everyone down.
Steven is the oldest in his family, charming,
good-looking, and used to things going his way. He has his vision of where he
wants the Fortune properties to go, and nothing will deter him from making it
happen. Clashing with Ellie is frustrating but also stimulating, and he looks
forward to winning her over.
I enjoyed seeing Steven and Ellie's encounters. She focuses
on the town's residents, while Steven seems more interested in the high-end
tourists he envisions spending time there. I could feel her frustration as her
efforts to get through to him fell on deaf ears. I especially enjoyed seeing
her take him to talk to ordinary people. He's charming and easy to talk to, but
he still doesn't get it.
One thing he does get is his attraction to her and how
much he enjoys her company. While she resists dating him, she isn't opposed to
the idea of being friends. As a friend, he offers her a marriage of
convenience, giving her the cover to preserve her reputation with the town.
Ellie is hesitant to accept, fearing that their chemistry could lead to
heartbreak. I liked Steven's feelings of protectiveness toward Ellie and his
desire to take care of her. But as they start their married life, Ellie
realizes she wants more than Steven agreed to when they hatched this plan. I wanted
to shake Ellie when she ran instead of talking to Steven and risking rejection.
I hurt for Steven, who had no idea she was unhappy until after she left. An
unexpected visitor helped Steven see the truth of his feelings. I loved the
ending and seeing them finally admit their feelings to each other.
I loved the importance of family in this book - family of
the blood and the heart. Both Steven and Ellie were adopted, which had a significant
impact on their lives. Ellie's history made it easy to see the impact on her
life and actions and why she made her decisions. Steven's backstory was easier
but still profoundly affected his life. I loved how close he was to his parents
and siblings.
But will she answer yes…or no?
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