Today, I’m reviewing Temporary Wife Temptation, book one in the Heirs of Hansol series, a contemporary romance by Harlequin Desire author Jayci Lee.
Title: Temporary Wife Temptation
Series: The Heirs of Hansol, book 1
Author: Jayci Lee
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Desire
Publishing Date: February 1, 2020
Length: 224 pages
“You want me to find you a wife?”
“No. I want you to be my wife.”
Blurb: Garrett Song is this close to taking the reins of his family’s LA fashion empire…until the Song matriarch insists he marry her handpicked bride first. To block her matchmaking, he recruits Natalie Sobol to pose as his wife. She needs a fake spouse as badly as he does. But when passion burns down their chaste agreement, the flames could destroy them all…
Will they end up with more than they bargained for?
****
The stakes are high in Jayci Lee’s debut novel. Garrett Song, as the blurb states, needs a fake wife because his grandmother has already handpicked one for him. Natalie Sobol can’t resist Garrett’s offer because she needs a fake husband if she’s to secure adoption of her beloved niece she already thinks of as her own daughter.
What the two don’t count on is the sizzling chemistry erupting between them. They’re simply supposed to go their separate ways after they get what they want.
I really enjoyed Natalie. She’s a go-getting, but private and quiet, yet a determined and fearless woman who knows what she wants. Her nerves of steel are well painted in this novel because she’ll stop at nothing to adopt her niece, or secure the position as HR that she covets from the beginning of the novel. She’s the kind of heroine readers root for, and I believe you’ll root for her, too.
As for Garrett, as powerful as he is, he did fall a wee bit short of the mark as a hero. Now don’t get me wrong. I liked Garrett. I really did. But I felt like he needed a little “something” to him that I can’t put my finger on. Still, he has a nice arc the author draws that is complete by the end of the novel.
I also loved the setting of L.A. I’m not sure why, but when I read a novel about the rich and famous, L.A. is my favourite place for them to be, and the author paints a great picture of this famous city.
The secondary characters don’t overshadow the main characters, as some are apt to do in novels. They have their place, and when it’s their turn to share page time with the main characters, they do their job in a great way that makes them interesting and a part of the novel that is needed. I especially adored Garrett’s sister and Mrs. Kim.
The dialogue is smart, snappy, and witty. The chemistry between the duo is insta-attract, but being that the novel is only 55k, having them together right away eyeballing each other is necessary.
I especially loved the look into Korean culture. The Song family are a wonderful new cast of characters to read about, so I’m looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
If you enjoy category romance, especially about the rich and famous, you’ll enjoy the author’s debut novel. It’s a wonderful read, and one I recommend.
Have you read Temporary Wife Temptation? If so, do you agree with my review? If you haven’t read the novel, are you willing to now after reading my review?
Maggie Blackbird 