Monday, March 11, 2013

Waking Up Married by Mira Lyn Kelly


Skeptic scale: ♥♥♥♥

Babies, girls obsessed with babies, men who love babies

Not typically my favorite theme for romance novels. (Although - thank God there was no weird reference to how he longed to see "her belly filled with his baby". Ew. It seriously bums me out when I read that.) 

But this one snuck in my reading pile and didn't suck and despite the baby theme was a fun read! The writing was snappy and fun and I didn't realize till a third into it that it was a Harlequin series book. I shocked myself by 4-hearting it and actually went back and re-read it to make sure. Yep, it was an ok book and made it me smile.

He: Rich, successful businessman on holiday in Vegas to "get over" his broken engagement. He's not terribly fussed about having broken his year long affair. Why? He doesn't believe in love, she did and he can't give her any more than a surface relationship.

She: Having given up on finding a husband with whom to have a kid, she's decided to go the artificial insemination route. Before taking that step though, she is in Vegas for a cousin's wedding when she runs into H with his rocking bod and "classically handsome" face. After getting super drunk, they get married at a cheesy Vegas chapel.

Conflict: He can never love any woman. And can't be with a woman who expects love. He wants a marriage of convenience. She wants a baby. She has given up on finding love but then (obviously) falls in love with him and as soon as he realizes that she has done that he distances himself.

Very formula and all that but the first bit where they meet and deal with the effects of their drunken night is actually quite entertaining. The rest of it dragged somewhat but it kept me engaged.

The main issue I had was this - when they decide to stay married, how come she just packs up her life and moves across the country to live with him? I mean, he could be a psycho! And come on sister, you have a job and friends and a life too! Why doesn't HE effing move? So she wants a baby and he's a good sperm donor candidate - but doesn't this mean he had dibs on this kid too? What kind of father refuses to love someone? wtf!!! These points don't come up obviously but they seem pretty relevant.

One thing is clear to me, the romance industrial complex has made the word L-word into some sort of magical spell. Say it and everything suddenly becomes brushed by Technicolor, HD, 3D, only-watch-in IMAX intensity. Really? I mean, I love potato skins.

...

Nope. Nothing happened. They were awesome before and they're still awesome now and my saying the magic L-word didn't really change the facts.

Whatevs. It was a quick, entertaining read. He had weird emotional issues (but that's standard romance novel hero fare) but then there was a satisfying grovelling scene where, like a brave kamikaze he drops himself and his L-bomb into the both of them and wins the war.

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