Sandy M’s review of A Debt Paid in Marriage by Georgie Lee
Historical Romance published by Harlequin Historical 17 Feb 15
As I was reading the opening scenes of this book, I knew I was going to like everything about it to the very end. This is my first book by Georgie Lee, and she kept me entertained and invested in these characters the entire way. Those opening scenes? What a way to start a relationship.
Laura Townsend is desperate. Her uncle has lost her father’s drapery business, and she’s determined to get it back. At gunpoint. In the money lender’s own home. His bedroom to be exact. While he’s bathing. The gal definitely has grit. Even after spying her first naked man as Philip Rathbone emerges from his tub. That doesn’t throw her too off track, though. She demands he return the store’s inventory; he refuses. He also lets her go instead of calling law enforcement. Little does she know she’ll be seeing more of the man very soon.
In fact, the next morning Philip is at Laura’s door with a proposal of his own. He has need of a wife, someone to take care of his young son, help with his teenage sister, and assist him in his business. What he doesn’t need is love or romance, he’s still in love with and grieving for his late wife. Taking both Laura and mother in, in exchange for her varied assistance, is worth any risk, now knowing how smart and independent the girl is. Little does he know how quickly she will get under his skin and into his heart.
I really enjoyed this book because it’s mostly a character-driven story and a lot of times those don’t work for me. If an author doesn’t pull me immediately into the characters’ lives, get me invested right away, chances are I won’t like much about them. So kudos to Ms. Lee for creating characters who are interesting and charming, have determination and drive, and are very likable and sympathetic to hold your interest page after page. Even the secondary characters are well done. I really enjoyed Laura’s mother and Philip’s sister, both individually as well as when they’re together, getting along famously like they’ve known one another for years. There’s even a bit of villainy when Laura’s uncle has a mind for revenge.
I look forward to reading more of Ms. Lee’s works. Be sure to pick this one up soon. It’s well worth an afternoon of quiet reading.
Grade: B
Summary:
“What am I to him? A contract? A convenient solution?”
Laura Townsend’s plan to reclaim her family’s merchandise backfires when she creeps into moneylender Philip Rathbone’s house and threatens him with a pistol, only to find him reclining naked in his bath!
The last thing she expects is to see this guarded widower on her doorstep a couple of days later armed with a very surprising proposal. A marriage of convenience may be Laura’s chance to reclaim her future, but she won’t settle for anything less than true passion. Can she hope to find it in Philip’s arms?
Read an excerpt.
