By: Cara Lynn, guest reviewer
Janet Evanovich is one of my favorite writers. I really enjoy her Stephanie Plum series. So when I saw Wife for Hire, I figured I'd give one of her other books a whirl. It's quite lightweight and fairly short (especially since the print is larger, which is a bit annoying to me.)
I give it a 2.5-3.
It was a fun and fast read, not nearly so complex in characters or plot as the Plum novels. But it was a good diversion.
Hank Malone, from Vermont, and Maggie Toone, from New Jersey, are made for each other. Both were trouble in their childhoods, neither wants a life that is particularly predictable.
Malone has advertised for a pretend wife in order to look stable enough to qualify for a bank loan to run his apple orchard. Malone is also hoping to avoid the women who are chasing him. What he advertises for and what Toone is are two different things.
Toone is in process of writing the memoirs of an aunt, who just happened to be a madam.
Throw in assorted characters, such as Elsie, the housekeeper, who is particularly funny, a bit like the grandma in the Plum novels, but different; both sets of parents, who in their own ways are characters themselves; long time friends and small town busybodies, and you have a recipe for a lot of fun along with some twists and turns.
Of course, they fall in love, getting involved very quickly, maybe a bit too quickly for me. Throw in some assorted (funny) kidnappings, due to a misunderstanding, and things get complicated, but are eventually sorted out.
All's well that ends well. And it leaves you with a smile on your face.
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Originally posted 2008-12-04 03:27:58. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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