A marriage of convenience can test even the best of
friends.
Holden Henry is every girl's dream -- kind, funny,
outgoing. A catch in every sense. Despite my wrong-side-of-the-tracks
upbringing, he's been my friend forever. He has no idea I've had
more-than-friends feelings for him for years, and I intend to keep it that way.
When I'm forced to return to the small town where we grew
up, I'm faced with a big, fat problem. Being a good pal, Holden offers me a
too-tempting solution: a marriage of convenience. It's a crazy plan…but I'm
desperate enough to try it. Besides, he's not just saving me; we'll be helping
each other.
The catch? We have to stay married for a year. But once I
inherit the company of my dreams and Holden launches his own start-up, we can
go back to being just friends, right? Except…what if he figures out that I've
been in love with him forever? Worse, what if I have to choose between the
career I've always wanted and the man I can't live without?
Terrific friends-to-lovers romance. Once I picked it up,
I couldn't put it down. The story is told from alternating points of view, switching
back and forth from Chloe to Holden. I enjoyed this method because of the
insight into the main characters' thoughts, feelings, and motivations, and this
was no exception.
Chloe grew up in Dragonfly Lake. She was a shy girl from
what many called the wrong side of the tracks. Bullied by some of the "mean
girls," Chloe had one person she considered a friend - Holden Henry. Chloe
couldn't put Dragonfly Lake behind her fast enough after graduating, but she
and Holden remained friends. They kept their friendship going through texts,
emails, and his occasional visits to Nashville. Now the Executive Vice
President of a boutique hotel company, Chloe ends up back in Dragonfly Lake
supervising the construction of a new hotel.
Holden also grew up in Dragonfly Lake except for a few
years in middle school when his family moved away. He went back to live with
his grandparents and finished high school there. He reconnected with Chloe, and
it was as if they'd never been apart. Holden runs Henry's restaurant with his
two brothers, Cash and Seth, but he has bigger dreams. He and his friend Kemp
want to build a brewery to complement the restaurant. They've done the research
and have the building but lack the start-up funds they need.
Chloe's life takes an unexpected turn when her boss is
diagnosed with cancer and sets up a competition between Chloe and a coworker to
see who will be named president and heir to the company. She then sets up specific
stipulations, including requiring that Chloe put some balance in her life
(she's a workaholic) by showing that she's in a successful relationship. Who
else can Chloe turn to for help but Holden? I loved Holden's immediate
willingness to step up and be her "fake boyfriend." When her boss, Angelica, exhibits skepticism
about the relationship, Holden dives into the deception and claims they just
got engaged. I loved how Chloe and Holden sat down and talked about the
decision to get married and the ramifications for each of them. Chloe worries
that Holden is sacrificing too much for no gain, so she offers to invest in his
brewery. She also insists on an expiration date for the marriage, believing
that one year should be enough to seal the deal.
Chloe's biggest concern is coming out of their deal with
her heart intact. She's been in love with Holden for years, and living with him
will cement those feelings. Holden is utterly clueless about Chloe's feelings
for him and still sees her as his friend. That is until he sees her in her
wedding dress and suddenly notices what a beautiful woman she is. Holden's
off-hand comment about wishing the wedding night was real gets Chloe thinking about
not missing out on what she's been dreaming about for years. This step is the
first in a journey that takes Chloe and Holden where they never expected to go.
I loved watching the relationship between Chloe and
Holden develop. Though they've been friends for a long time, being married
exposes their fears and insecurities. Holden is aware of Chloe's feelings of inferiority
from her childhood but doesn't realize how deep those feelings are at first. I
loved his support of Chloe and her dreams and how he encouraged her to let go
of her fears and reach out to others. Meanwhile, Holden feels that he's not
pulling his weight in the family business without having his brewery up and
running. With Chloe's commitment to supporting his dream, he finally feels like
a full partner. It was great to see how the deception began to feel real and
right as they spent time together as husband and wife. But each of them is
reluctant to risk their friendship by confessing the change in their feelings.
Then comes betrayal and disaster. The confrontation with
her boss broke my heart for Chloe, but I loved how she stood up for herself and
gave Angelica an earful. However, the whole scene did a number on Chloe's
belief in herself. I ached for her as she pushed Holden away though I also
wanted to shake her for not accepting his comfort and support. I hurt for
Holden, who finally realized the depth of his feelings for Chloe. I liked
Chloe's realization of her mistake, her self-examination, and the advice she
got from her friend Presley and what she did with it. The twist at the end was
unexpected, and I loved what it meant for her future. Her big scene with Holden
was emotional and romantic.
The epilogue was terrific. It was sweet to see how Chloe
surprises Holden. I'm also intrigued by the short scene with Seth and suspect
that it is the lead-in to the next book. I can't wait!
I liked the secondary characters of Holden's brothers,
Seth and Cash. I'm looking forward to reading their stories. Cash seems wound a
little tight, so it will be interesting to see who loosens him up. I'd also
like to see Holden's partner Kemp get a story. He impressed me with his
cautions to Holden regarding his marriage - he could see the pitfalls. I also
enjoyed seeing more of Hayden (Holden's sister) and Zane from True Hero. I loved
that couple, and it's neat to see how they are doing.
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