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Contract Brides #2
Strategy for Marriage
Cattle Baron Ashe McKinnon discovered an uninvited guest at a family wedding-the groom's ex-girlfriend. Acting swiftly to prevent a scandal, he persuaded the gorgeous Christy Parker to become his surprise date for the occasion!
Embarrassed by her impulsive urge to gate-crash the event, Christy agreed to this pretense. But should she have allowed herself to visit his impressive Outback home? He'd made it clear that any marriage to him could be no more than a business arrangement-and she was in danger of falling for her handsome rescuer....
Embarrassed by her impulsive urge to gate-crash the event, Christy agreed to this pretense. But should she have allowed herself to visit his impressive Outback home? He'd made it clear that any marriage to him could be no more than a business arrangement-and she was in danger of falling for her handsome rescuer....
- GenresRomanceHarlequin Romance
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2002
8 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Way
614 books163 followersMargaret Way was born and educated in the river city of Brisbane, Australia. Before her marriage she was a well-known pianist, teacher, vocal coach and accompanist, but her hectic musical career came to a halt when her son was born and the demands of motherhood dictated a change of pace.
On a fortuitous impulse she decided to try her hand at romance writing and was thrilled when Mills & Boon accepted her first effort, Time of the Jacaranda, which they published less than a year later in 1970; a feat that brought tears to her father's eyes. Some seventy odd books have followed resulting in a loyal readership whose letters provide a source of support and encouragement. A driving force in all her writing has been the promotion of her much loved country, Australia. She delights in bringing it alive for her readers; its people, way of life, environment, flora and fauna. Her efforts so far have not excited official recognition, but she expects one day she will be awarded the "Order of Australia."
Her interests remain with the arts. She still plays the piano seriously, but her "top Cs" have gone. She is still addicted to collecting antiques and paintings and browsing through galleries. She now lives within sight and sound of beautiful Moreton Bay and its islands, inspiration for some of her books. Her house is full of books, spectacular plants, Chinese screens and pots. She is devoted to her garden and spends much time "directing the design and digging and providing cold drinks and chocolates."
On a fortuitous impulse she decided to try her hand at romance writing and was thrilled when Mills & Boon accepted her first effort, Time of the Jacaranda, which they published less than a year later in 1970; a feat that brought tears to her father's eyes. Some seventy odd books have followed resulting in a loyal readership whose letters provide a source of support and encouragement. A driving force in all her writing has been the promotion of her much loved country, Australia. She delights in bringing it alive for her readers; its people, way of life, environment, flora and fauna. Her efforts so far have not excited official recognition, but she expects one day she will be awarded the "Order of Australia."
Her interests remain with the arts. She still plays the piano seriously, but her "top Cs" have gone. She is still addicted to collecting antiques and paintings and browsing through galleries. She now lives within sight and sound of beautiful Moreton Bay and its islands, inspiration for some of her books. Her house is full of books, spectacular plants, Chinese screens and pots. She is devoted to her garden and spends much time "directing the design and digging and providing cold drinks and chocolates."
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 6, 2018
Everyone was pretty gross in this one, which you could call a train wreck caught in a typhoon of tackiness (and wackiness), to paraphrase my friend booge's expression.
We meet the heroine as she gate-crashes the wedding of her ex-boyfriend, who jilted her in favor of a millionaire heiress, but still wants the heroine as his bit on the side. Who does that???
The heiress' cousin, the big, Alpha, cattle-rancher hero, spots the gate-crashing heroine and instantly falls in hot lust with her, even as he slut-shames her as a tarty scorned woman out to make trouble for his sweet cousin. He grabs her and threatens to throw her out ...then proceeds to introduce her as his girlfriend to the unknowing bride and a very embarrassed groom. That was his big strategy to avoid a scandal, who the hell would think this up?
After the wedding is duly performed and the bride and groom safely sent on their honeymoon, Hero "emotionally blackmails" the heroine to spend a month's leave from her job at his cattle station to help him babysit his other cousin's plot moppets. The plot moppets' devoted mom is totally on board with this, handing her kids over to a total stranger who, as far as she knows, is merely the hero's latest bimbo. And the heroine actually feels guilty to refuse this favor for a set of complete strangers, who just happen to be the relatives of the woman her ex-boyfriend jilted her for. WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE PEOPLE THINKING, ARE THEY ALL WACKED OR SOMETHING? Seriously, inquiring minds want to know.
Once the hero gets around to propose to the heroine...you know...as you do when you've spent a couple of weeks together...he decides the best way to announce the engagement is at a family dinner where he has invited his recently married cousin and her husband, the heroine's jilter. Then, EVERYONE acts supremely surprised and shocked when the cat is let out of the bag, and the proverbial shit hits the fan at his announcement. Just what two lovers always dream of, to have their engagement announcement drowned out in shouts, tears, blood, and a bunch of hostile relatives. What, they couldn't wait for Thanksgiving,like the rest of us?
Oh yeah, and if all that wasn't trainwrecky enough, MW also managed to throw in an insane OW whose jealousy was "boiling up within her like a witch's cauldron" and gets up to all sorts of mischief. ROFL. I need to sit down and check my eyebrows haven't fallen off after this read!
We meet the heroine as she gate-crashes the wedding of her ex-boyfriend, who jilted her in favor of a millionaire heiress, but still wants the heroine as his bit on the side. Who does that???
The heiress' cousin, the big, Alpha, cattle-rancher hero, spots the gate-crashing heroine and instantly falls in hot lust with her, even as he slut-shames her as a tarty scorned woman out to make trouble for his sweet cousin. He grabs her and threatens to throw her out ...then proceeds to introduce her as his girlfriend to the unknowing bride and a very embarrassed groom. That was his big strategy to avoid a scandal, who the hell would think this up?
After the wedding is duly performed and the bride and groom safely sent on their honeymoon, Hero "emotionally blackmails" the heroine to spend a month's leave from her job at his cattle station to help him babysit his other cousin's plot moppets. The plot moppets' devoted mom is totally on board with this, handing her kids over to a total stranger who, as far as she knows, is merely the hero's latest bimbo. And the heroine actually feels guilty to refuse this favor for a set of complete strangers, who just happen to be the relatives of the woman her ex-boyfriend jilted her for. WHAT THE HELL ARE THESE PEOPLE THINKING, ARE THEY ALL WACKED OR SOMETHING? Seriously, inquiring minds want to know.
Once the hero gets around to propose to the heroine...you know...as you do when you've spent a couple of weeks together...he decides the best way to announce the engagement is at a family dinner where he has invited his recently married cousin and her husband, the heroine's jilter. Then, EVERYONE acts supremely surprised and shocked when the cat is let out of the bag, and the proverbial shit hits the fan at his announcement. Just what two lovers always dream of, to have their engagement announcement drowned out in shouts, tears, blood, and a bunch of hostile relatives. What, they couldn't wait for Thanksgiving,like the rest of us?
Oh yeah, and if all that wasn't trainwrecky enough, MW also managed to throw in an insane OW whose jealousy was "boiling up within her like a witch's cauldron" and gets up to all sorts of mischief. ROFL. I need to sit down and check my eyebrows haven't fallen off after this read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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May 19, 2021 ZZZZZzzzz
I’m not going to rate, because I skimmed huge hunks of it. The book starts with Christy sneaking into her ex’s wedding to get back at him, which is right up there with the typical HP H’s revenge via orgasms… her master plan is to sneak into his wedding and wave at him. 🥱 The rest was just weird, and not in a whacktastic way.
The couple meets, and for some reason she agrees to come home with him to babysit his cousin’s kids, which was just strange. Then it gets boring AF with them having occasional non-emotional, non-witty banter, and filler with the two kids. There’s really no longing, angst, or romance. There’s a smidge from a delusional OW, but she’s not on page very much. An OTT dramatic dinner, followed by one of the lamest arguments ever…then HEA epilogue without really addressing any of the drama from dinner.
Bottom Line- I found this awkward with no feels, and was bored the majority of the book.
I’m not going to rate, because I skimmed huge hunks of it. The book starts with Christy sneaking into her ex’s wedding to get back at him, which is right up there with the typical HP H’s revenge via orgasms… her master plan is to sneak into his wedding and wave at him. 🥱 The rest was just weird, and not in a whacktastic way.
The couple meets, and for some reason she agrees to come home with him to babysit his cousin’s kids, which was just strange. Then it gets boring AF with them having occasional non-emotional, non-witty banter, and filler with the two kids. There’s really no longing, angst, or romance. There’s a smidge from a delusional OW, but she’s not on page very much. An OTT dramatic dinner, followed by one of the lamest arguments ever…then HEA epilogue without really addressing any of the drama from dinner.
Bottom Line- I found this awkward with no feels, and was bored the majority of the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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July 1, 2013هروب ...إلى النسيان
مارغريت واي
اكتشف النبيل آش ماكينون ملك تربية المواشي ضيفة غير مدعوة في حفل زفاف عائلي ...إنها الصديقة السابقة للعريس!
فتصرف بسرعة ليحول دون وقوع كارثة وادعى أن الجميلة كريستي باركر هي ضيفته وأنها المفاجأة التي أحضرها للمناسبة .
شعورها بالارتباك بسبب رغبتها في إفساد الحفل جعل كريستي تجاريه في هذا الإدعاء .
لكن هل ستخاطر بالبقاء في مزرعته بعد أن أوضح لها بأنه لم يثق بامرأة في حياته وأنه لا يؤمن بالحب ؟ وبعد أن أعلنت له بدورها أن لا شيء يرضيها أقل من ... الحب الحقيقي ؟
مارغريت واي
اكتشف النبيل آش ماكينون ملك تربية المواشي ضيفة غير مدعوة في حفل زفاف عائلي ...إنها الصديقة السابقة للعريس!
فتصرف بسرعة ليحول دون وقوع كارثة وادعى أن الجميلة كريستي باركر هي ضيفته وأنها المفاجأة التي أحضرها للمناسبة .
شعورها بالارتباك بسبب رغبتها في إفساد الحفل جعل كريستي تجاريه في هذا الإدعاء .
لكن هل ستخاطر بالبقاء في مزرعته بعد أن أوضح لها بأنه لم يثق بامرأة في حياته وأنه لا يؤمن بالحب ؟ وبعد أن أعلنت له بدورها أن لا شيء يرضيها أقل من ... الحب الحقيقي ؟
October 21, 2011
Återigen, dessa Harlequin-böcker hade kunnat bli så mycket bättre om man bara hade slipat lite mer på storyn. Det som räddade denna boken var de underbara miljöbeskrivningarna. Plus att jag behövde en lättsam, lättsmält romantisk bok efter en obehagliga, men bra, Kepler-boken.
May 9, 2020
A bit predictable. Too many words, but enjoyed it.
September 29, 2025
I love Margaret Way
She's my favorite romance writer. I highly recommend her. Try "Boardroom Proposal" as a starter. I do like this one. Give her a try!
She's my favorite romance writer. I highly recommend her. Try "Boardroom Proposal" as a starter. I do like this one. Give her a try!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews