Bought: One Bride

Wives Wanted! #1

by Miranda Lee

Richard Crawford is rich and successful, and thinking about his latest potential acquisition. Richard wants a wife who'll give him children - but he doesn't want to fall in love. The Sydney millionaire spots the perfect candidate: Holly Greenaway is a sweet, pretty florist, and her livelihood is in peril. Richard sees his opportunity - he can buy Holly, possess her, without letting his emotions get involved . . .

Genres: Harlequin Presents, Harlequin, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Harlequin Romance, Category Romance

192 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 2005

About the author

Maureen Mary was born on 1945 at Port Macquarie, a popular seaside town on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, and is the youngest of four children. Her sister was the novelist Wendy Brennan (Emma Darcy). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. When Miranda was ten, her father was transferred to Gosford, another coastal town in the countryside, much closer to Sydney. After leaving her convent school, she briefly studied the cello before moving to Sydney, where she embraced the emerging world of computers. Her career as a programmer ended after she married, had three daughters and bought a small acreage in a semi-rural community. Following this, she attempted greyhound training, as well as horse and goat breeding, but was left dissatisfied.

Miranda yearned to find a creative career from which she could earn money. When her sister suggested writing romances, it seemed like a good idea. She could do it at home, and it might even be fun! It took a decade of trial and error before her first romance, After the Affair, was accepted and published. At that time, Miranda, her husband Tony, and her three daughters had moved back to the Central Coast, where they could enjoy the sun and the surf lifestyle once again. Not long into her writing career, Miranda committed herself to writing a six-book series entitled, The Hearts of Fire, with a deadline of just nine short months. Bravely, her husband left his executive position to stay home and support Miranda’s writing career. He learned to cook and to clean, two invaluable household skills. Numerous successful stories followed, each embodying Miranda’s trademark style: pacy and sexy rhythms; passionate, real-life characters; and enduring, memorable story lines. She has one credo when writing romances: Don’t bore the reader! Millions of fans world-wide agree she never does.

Miranda was the sister of the late author, Emma Darcy.

Reviews

[Somia · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy and light read, not the strongest in the Wives Wanted series bit still not bad. I haven't read this since I was a teen and whilst it wasn't the sigh inducing romance I was hoping for/remembered it was a reasonably good read. Easy and light. Things happen quickly.

Wish there had been a scene where Holly's stepmom, stepmother and ex got some of what they deserve.

[Mou: Fae of Heartfelt ARC · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok.

[seton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't too comfortable about Richard preying on the 12 years younger, much poorer, more naive Holly. He didn't want to marry for love again after being betrayed by his first wife so he files an application at a marriage agency. Yet, he doesn't want to be wed for his money so he latches onto Holly with a disturbingly single-minded focus.

[Tmstprc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice characters, nice story.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought: One Bride is the first book in the Wives Wanted series by Australian author, Miranda Lee. Richard Crawford has been widowed 18 months and feels it’s time to find a wife who’ll give him children. He doesn’t need love: the autopsy on his wife taught him his love for her was wasted, so he goes to Wives Wanted for a mate. Holly Greenaway’s life has been miserable since her father died; it gets even worse when her greedy stepmother decides to sell her father’s florist shop, the only thing Holly really wanted from her father. A chance meeting between Holly and Richard soon has Richard pursuing Holly: she’s the perfect candidate for marriage, definitely not the gold-digger that the other women he has dated seem to be. But Holly wants to marry for love. Richard takes a step that puts Holly in his arms, but will he tell her the truth? This delightful romance has likeable characters, snappy dialogue and a classic plot. Characters from the previous Wives Wanted novels make appearances in this one. One of Lee’s better romances.

[Diya✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

[Vikas Rawat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe the Ending was hushed up. The novelist is an amateur.

[رومولا الن emmajain-book · Rating 3 out of 5]

قرأتها بعنوان خيالها بيننا بترجمة منتدى روايتي
روايه ممتعه مليئة بالرومانسية

[Roub · Rating 1 out of 5]

i did not like it! this was far from The Tycoon's Trophy Wife which is one of my fav, n i guess spoiled me 4 this book. i felt richard fell too quick 4 holly n vice versa. he did not even no her. after only one date, he was confiding in her, telling her abt reece n alanna. going too quickly 4my tastes! also it's mentioned she's not stunning or gorgeous, so how was he hooked from the 1st time !? amazingly, he just had instant lust !when she did not even wear sexy clothes or makeup 2 compensate 4 being rather plain

[Sandra R · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice entertaining, fluffy romance with steamy romance scenes that were fun to read. Usual M & B format (poor heroine, rich hero). An entertaining read set in Australia and well written, by a favourite author of mine that has been writing for many years. I liked both the H/h and it kept me smiling. 3.5 stars. 💞

[Saranyag · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick read.

[More Books Than Time · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice but nothing memorable or special. Romance seemed too pat.

[Ευαγγελία Πρατσόλη · Rating 4 out of 5]

Για να είμαι ακριβής 3,5/5,0 *

[Sara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was a bit disappointed with this one.
First of all I thought the h was a virgin since someone shelved the book as virgin h. I prefer a virgin h but its not a big no if she's not. Even tho she isn't a virgin she comes of as very naive. She has never had an orgasm tho (eye roll). Secondly I wanted more angst and drama. I was expecting that they would marry and maybe the h discovers why the H married her. But as soon as something was reviled they discussed it and it was over. There is also an evil stepmother and stepsister that could hav been a source for drama but no. They have one short scene in the book. I was hoping for some real drama when it was reviled that the H bought the h's flower shop so she would be dependent on him. This is in the last 40 pages, but as the rest it's resolved fast.
ILYs and HEA.

[Mari Pequenos Retalhos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exatamente o que você pode esperar de um romance de banca. Curto, com descrições de locais incríveis e caros e um final feliz previsível. Sinceramente, exatamente o que a gente precisa de vez em quando.

[Mimilikestoreadandwrite · Rating 2 out of 5]

reread 09/11/23: HP meets the sexual revolution. Not Miranda Lee at her best.