Series: Knight Family (Book 1)
He set out to seduce her for all the wrong reasons -- but found himself falling in love with her for all the right ones.
Alex Knight is dead -- or so everyone thinks. A widowed logger baron with a risk-taking streak, he took on a South American engineering project and was reported dead after a rebel attack. So when he turns up back in Maine very much alive, his grieving family is shocked. But the biggest shock is Alex's, when he discovers he's now married -- to a woman he's never met.
Sarah Banks is ready for a change from running a quiet Bed & Breakfast, and working for the Knight family offers not only a bigger opportunity, but also the family life she yearns for. So she's glad to help secure custody of Alex's orphaned children, whom she's come to love, by marrying their father by proxy before he's legally declared dead. But when Alex returns, the sexy, determined woodsman upends all of Sarah's plans. Because suddenly she's married to a passionate stranger with an easy smile...and tumbling headlong into a fiery dance of seduction.
Another fantastic book by Janet Chapman, full of her trademark humor, heat, and family. Alex has been away in South America working as an engineer. Unfortunately, he was caught in a rebel attack and reported to his family as being killed in the attack. Imagine his surprise when he makes it out of the jungle and home again, to find himself married to a woman he's never met.
Sarah grew up on an isolated island where she ended up running her family's B&B after her parents' deaths. She also married quite young to a bully of a man. After his death and that of her mother-in-law, she was very happy to accept Grady Knight's offer of employment as housekeeper and nanny. Quickly growing to love the family, she was happy to marry the deceased son by proxy to protect the children, gaining the children she's always wanted without the inconvenience of a husband. Alex's surprise resurrection plays havoc with her plans - and her emotions.
The first meeting between Alex and Sarah was funny and a little heartbreaking. Alex's confusion over being confronted by his "wife", and held at bay by gunpoint, had me chuckling, while Sarah's fear at being confronted by a wild-looking and angry man made me ache for her. With the rest of the family away, Alex and Sarah are left to deal with explanations on their own - with the help of some whiskey-laced lemonade and the resulting poor decisions. One romance novel inspired dream results in an alcohol-enhanced passionate encounter, and equally passionate regrets a short time later. Alex makes a first class idiot of himself, shouting wild accusations and kicking Sarah out of the house. I loved his father's reaction when he showed up in the morning and how he made Alex feel like the jerk he was. All Alex has to do is find her and convince her to come back so that they can then figure out what to do. I loved that Sarah didn't make it easy for him, setting the tone for the development of their relationship.
I liked both Sarah and Alex. Both have been hurt in the past, making each of them reluctant to marry again. Finding themselves married to each other is not what either wants, but they have to let it play out for a little longer. Alex is actually a pretty nice guy, a terrific father, and feels guilty for the way he treated Sarah. He'd really like to change her opinion of him, but he'll have to get her to trust him first. That's going to take a little doing because he has a hard time keeping his hands off her. Sarah doesn't have much in the way of life experience, having been isolated for most of her life. She tends to base her thoughts and actions on the characters in the romance novels she reads, which gets her into trouble when Alex doesn't quite fit that mold. I found it especially amusing that the romance novels that Sarah quotes are other books that Janet Chapman wrote. I laughed out loud at this: "He's not even real," Sarah ground out
"He's the figment of some demented woman's imagination."
I thoroughly enjoyed the development of Alex and Sarah's relationship. Both of them get a great deal of enjoyment out of pushing each other's buttons, creating sparks of all kinds. Sarah is determined to resist the attraction she feels for Alex, fearing the loss of her hard-won independence if she gives in to him. Alex quickly realizes that he doesn't want to lose her, and tries to seduce her into staying. I also liked how quickly Alex came to understand Sarah and what made her tick. She was an intriguing mix of naïve and worldly. I ached a bit for her cynicism over the way men treat her and her wish for a romance hero of her own. From driving lessons to ice fishing, so many of their encounters had me laughing out loud because they didn't go the way they expected. But there were also some really sweet times, such as the way that Alex cared for Sarah when she was injured and Sarah insisting that they accept her help when it's needed. An unexpected complication gives them extra motivation to work things out, but even that isn't enough for Sarah if Alex can't convince her that he really cares. I loved the ending, as both of them finally take the risk of confessing their feelings.
There is also a bit of suspense running through the book. Strangers in the woods and vandalized equipment have everyone on edge. I loved Alex's protectiveness toward Sarah when she runs afoul of those strangers. But it is Sarah who saves the day in an intense, though somewhat amusing, rescue mission to keep Alex from walking into a trap.
The secondary characters are terrific, too. Alex's kids, Tucker and Delaney are adorable. Tucker is the little boy who is thrilled to have Sarah as his new mom. Delaney is Alex's eleven-year-old daughter who is smarter and more observant than he realizes. I loved some of the things she said, and the way she helped take care of Sarah. Alex's father, Grady, is something of a schemer. He has multiple plans goings, most of which he keeps to himself until he's ready to spring them on the family. From the sports camp to the mill, he has his reasons. I also liked Alex's brothers, Ethan and Paul. There is plenty of teasing, but the love and support are also evident. There's a bit of a teaser for the next book, with a contentious encounter between Ethan and the mill foreman (forewoman?).
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