"Another hit by Carly Phillips!"

In Yorkshire Falls, NY, there is a contest to match no others. Ever since Raina Chandler came down with her "heart condition", the pressure has been on for her three sons to marry and produce grandchildren for her before she dies. One would think that youngest son Roman's marriage would have ended it. (He lost a coin toss in THE BACHELOR and ended up the sacrificial lamb of the brothers. I REALLY have to go back and read that book next.) One would be wrong to assume that flamboyant Raina would be happy with one son married off.

Middle son Rick is next in line for Raina's plans. Again, one would think that Raina would skip him and go to Chase, her oldest, but Raina never does anything halfway, and of all her sons, Rick needs to let go of old hurts and find a good woman in the worst way. Enter the story in question.

Fresh from a fake 911 call in which his most avid pursuer tries to seduce him yet again, Rick has decided that his mother's meddling has to stop once and for all. On his way to tell her, he gets another call. After the last and considering the circumstances, it's not hard to understand why Rick would think this one was another setup, but it's not. Marriage-shy Rick (but with very good reason) encounters Kendall Sutton, a pink-haired bride still in full wedding regalia broken down by the side of the road.

Kendall has made a lot of mistakes in her life, but breaking off her engagement wasn't one of them. Their deal had been one of convenience. They both needed something, and when that entailed sleeping together and making a show of a relationship, it was fine, but marriage was a little too much to ask of friends. Kendall's entire life has been about upheaval, moving from family member to family member. Her parents were never home, and even her angry fourteen- year-old-sister isn't close to her. Running is Kendall's name, and as soon as she sells the house her aunt left to her, she will move on. Rick knows that too, and he hatches a plan.

It's another deal of convenience. Rick will help her accomplish the task of making the house sale-ready, if Kendall pretends to be his girlfriend to get the suitors to back off. Neither one wants a permanent relationship so this seems perfect, until feelings they don't want start cropping up. Can Rick look past old hurts and give love another chance? Can Kendall learn to put down roots and let people close to her again?

I enjoyed this book enough to want to read the other two. The sex was vanilla but very heartfelt. Rick and Kendall were well-drawn and well-motivated, though the author did harp on their reasons a little too often for my personal tastes. I'm a repeat-it-once/maybe-twice sort of reader, but this may not bother other readers. The secondary characters are also wonderful, including Kendall's sister Hannah, Raina, and Eric. Hannah did things exactly as I would have expected, making me wonder if Ms. Phillips has children. I will admit having an Eric and a Rick in the same book stopped me at about two moments, before what I read made sense again. It is easy to follow these books out of order, so don't worry about which you start with.

Personal pet peeve. . . There were a few too many coincidences for my tastes, but it wasn't overpowering. For instance, Rick talks about wanting a dog when he was married, and you learn he took in strays as a child (which is not mentioned until it's convenient). Then Kendall comes home and finds a very friendly stray on the doorstep, which forces her into more responsibility, forces her to put down roots, and forces her to ask Rick's help, since she doesn't know anything about raising a dog.

Reviewed by Brenna Lyons for Sensual Romance.

Reviewed by Sensual Romance
Courtesy Sensual Romance
Posted June 9, 2003

Will this sexy single get down on one knee?

Summary

There isn't a woman in town who's immune to the legendary Chandler charm.

Yet so far single cop Rick Chandler has managed to fend off the marriage-minded advances of Yorkshire Falls' entire female population. A past mistake has taught him never to put his heart on the line ... until he answers the SOS of a real-life runaway bride. In spite of her pearly gown and tiara, Kendall Sutton vows to never wed - which makes her the ideal pretend lover who can ward off Rick's legion of admirers. When their passionate charade flames into the real thing, Rick is suddenly thinking about two words that spell forever after. But will Kendall ever say "I do?" Can awoman who's had it with weddings tie the knot with the town's most popular playboy?