Novel
Excited to read this book before anyone else? Apply now to become an ARC reader
Request ARC accessRevised manuscript...**** GETTING 4-5 Star reviews now on Amazon!
Please READ NOW or re-read if you read an earlier version.
Want to read a slow-burning, friends-to-lovers romance? Escape to 1956, England, and New York City in its heyday!
She needed to escape. He offered a solution—but risking his heart wasn’t part of the plan.
England, 1956. Eighteen-year-old Katie Clarke is out of time. Her well-meaning parents are pushing her to accept reality and a wealthy brute. She’ll have everything—everything except love. The dream of true love is desperately slipping away.
When charming Dane Wellington, the handsome son of her family's landlord, discovers her plight, he proposes an unconsummated marriage of convenience, with a guaranteed annulment. She’ll have a new life with endless possibilities.
Their endearing friendship ignites into flames of desire when unexpected bed-sharing shatters every sworn boundary. But as Dane's ironclad self-control is crumbling, Katie realizes she's fallen for a man who's vowed never to love.
Dane faces his worst nightmare as the annulment looms and an ocean divides them: he wants her more than his next breath. But past wounds run deep, and the three pivotal words she needs to hear may be the ones he can never say.
Will he protect his heart—or love her evermore?
3.5 star for me. Katie Clarke wants love and happy ending,but being promised to older man so her father can pay the debt it's not happy ever after.
Dane Wellington step in and offer her a marriage of convenience,science he doesn't plan to bed her,after a while annulment should be easy enough.
They grow to care for each other,even when Dane still carry on with his girlfriends.
Will Dane change his mind and make it a real marriage?
Will he see the difference between love and lust?
It was easy enough read,for fans of giggling virgin and seductive rake with emotional twist.
Thank you author for arc.
This book felt stepping into the most beautiful, dreamy relationship ever, where every little detail came together perfectly. You can really imagine the setting, the people, and the emotion in the air. The family moments were touching and heartfelt, showing how much love surrounded the couple. There’s also a gift scene that totally melted my heart, and it’s one of those things that makes you think, “Wow, they really know each other.” You can tell this day has been a long time coming for them, and the payoff is so satisfying.
It’s written in a way that makes you feel the closeness without losing the romance in the details. It isn’t just about attraction, but about two people who’ve been through a lot and finally found peace together. The way it ends leaves you with that warm, safe feeling, like you’ve just witnessed the start of their forever.
Thank you, Pen Pinery for the Advanced Reader Copy. All opinions are my own
Set in 1950's England, we follow the story of Katie Clark and Dane Wellington, two young adults who grow up in each other's orbits - even though they're not close friends. Dane learns of Katie's impending forced marriage to a lecherous older man to whom Katie's dad owes a large gambling debt. In order to protect her from a life of servitude, Dane marries her himself. Theirs is not a romantic marriage, but one that allows her to attend school and obtain both her education & a chance at choosing her own path in life. All the while, Dane is still free to (mostly) live his life as a confirmed bachelor with lots of girlfriends.
Over time, a sweet romance evolves between these two well-matched friends - and it seems that maybe Dane will leave his bachelor days behind him.
I enjoyed many of the characters in this novel - especially the family and some of the friends. It was also interesting learning a bit more about education, culture, and the role of women in 1950's England in comparisson to the U.S. There seemed to be a loss of focus in some of the copy around friend groups that weren't fully developed. But it didn't detract too much from the storyline. *I did note several typos in the ARC copy I recieved, but am not sure how to submit those to the author/publisher.
To be honest it was very hard for me to review this book. As the author has written some of in it with improper english. I found it difficult to read in this manner. And I couldn't quite follow the storyline. I stopped at chapter 2.