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A Matter of Marriage
Can a marriage of convenience become a marriage of forever?
After her father’s untimely death, grieving hotel heiress Julia Fairbanks is shocked by the stipulation in his last will and testament. She must marry within six months of his death or lose her livelihood and beloved home, the 400-room Hotel Grand Victoria on the shores of San Diego’s Coronado Island. Julia is determined to manage the hotel even though her bold choice raises eyebrows. Finding no way around the stipulation, she begins her search for a husband, unaware that someone in her midst wants her out of the hotel forever. Dead.
Alex MacLean, an emotionally and physically scarred drifter with secrets, arrives at the storybook-style Hotel Grand Victoria in answer to an advertisement for carpenters. A job offer for the position of husband is not what he had in mind. However, he can’t resist appointing himself protector of the hotel’s beautiful owner when an attempt is made on her life. His attraction to Julia grows quickly, but Alex wants love and a family, not a marriage of convenience. Not only that, Julia doesn’t know about his past, and Alex wants to keep it that way.
This sensual historical romance novel has approximately 76,000 words and is about 309 pages in length.
After her father’s untimely death, grieving hotel heiress Julia Fairbanks is shocked by the stipulation in his last will and testament. She must marry within six months of his death or lose her livelihood and beloved home, the 400-room Hotel Grand Victoria on the shores of San Diego’s Coronado Island. Julia is determined to manage the hotel even though her bold choice raises eyebrows. Finding no way around the stipulation, she begins her search for a husband, unaware that someone in her midst wants her out of the hotel forever. Dead.
Alex MacLean, an emotionally and physically scarred drifter with secrets, arrives at the storybook-style Hotel Grand Victoria in answer to an advertisement for carpenters. A job offer for the position of husband is not what he had in mind. However, he can’t resist appointing himself protector of the hotel’s beautiful owner when an attempt is made on her life. His attraction to Julia grows quickly, but Alex wants love and a family, not a marriage of convenience. Not only that, Julia doesn’t know about his past, and Alex wants to keep it that way.
This sensual historical romance novel has approximately 76,000 words and is about 309 pages in length.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2013
39 people are currently reading
97 people want to read
About the author
Ann Collins
10 books7 followers Ann Collins loves adventure stories that feature history, suspense, mystery, and romance. Her first published novel, PROTECTING JENNIE, currently an e-book from Harlequin Historicals, won the romance division of the San Diego Book Awards. Ann also wrote the now out-of-print cultural manual, HOW TO LIVE IN AMERICA: A GUIDE FOR THE JAPANESE, which was published in Tokyo, Japan. Ann taught English in Japan and has traveled extensively. She enjoyed learning foreign languages and taking photographs as her souvenirs. Her love of photography has grown with the advent of digital cameras. Landscapes, seascapes, and nature are her favorite subjects to photograph. In her travels now, she keeps her eyes and ears attuned to the next scene and story to capture her attention. The quote she included on her author profile is about never giving up. Writing books is very hard work, and the task of creating an entire book can be overwhelming, but if you want it bad enough, you keep moving forward scene by scene, chapter by chapter. You don't give up.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 4, 2020
Historical Romance: Typical romance. Fine but nothing will stand out.
January 3, 2018
I am really fussy when reading historical romance, but this book I loved. It has all the elements - complex character development, deep emotions, a little suspense and romance. It is well written and kept me wanting to find out what happens next, I had to keep turning the pages! Always a good sign when reading.
You can clearly see the author loves history and captures the elements of that time beautifully.
An author to look out for.
You can clearly see the author loves history and captures the elements of that time beautifully.
An author to look out for.
December 3, 2015
Alex MacLean, a drifter with a hidden past and Julia Fairbanks the owner of the 400 room Hotel Grand Victoria on the shores of San Diego’s Coronado Island come to agree on A Matter of Marriage.
Slowly he reveals his secrets and the hurt he carries with him while repeatedly keeping Julia safe from an assassin. She finds she has an unknown step-brother, staff that have betrayed her and a murder to solve of one of the guest in the hotel while finding the love of a good man. She also faces her fear of having children. Alex and Julia find the mounting threats bring them closer together and romance follows the wedding of two strangers with lots in common to build a strong marriage.
I love a romance with lots of mystery to keep you guessing on who done it and A Matter of Marriage delivers.
Slowly he reveals his secrets and the hurt he carries with him while repeatedly keeping Julia safe from an assassin. She finds she has an unknown step-brother, staff that have betrayed her and a murder to solve of one of the guest in the hotel while finding the love of a good man. She also faces her fear of having children. Alex and Julia find the mounting threats bring them closer together and romance follows the wedding of two strangers with lots in common to build a strong marriage.
I love a romance with lots of mystery to keep you guessing on who done it and A Matter of Marriage delivers.
November 22, 2013
Pretty good! A down on his luck carpenter as a second chance at love.
Well written easy read. Description of the places and characters was very well done. I could imagine walking inside the Hotel and around the grounds. Could even see the walk from the Hotel to the Dr. cottage and the beach.
Julia and Alex were brought to life as were the secondary characters.
From Dr.Dolan, his wife and daughter as well as Tyler Wolff, Theo the bellboy and even Mr. Chalmers and the Maître D' to the old biddy Mrs.Hensley and her dog. They all kept me captivated read this in on sitting. This was a fast fun easy read.
Well written easy read. Description of the places and characters was very well done. I could imagine walking inside the Hotel and around the grounds. Could even see the walk from the Hotel to the Dr. cottage and the beach.
Julia and Alex were brought to life as were the secondary characters.
From Dr.Dolan, his wife and daughter as well as Tyler Wolff, Theo the bellboy and even Mr. Chalmers and the Maître D' to the old biddy Mrs.Hensley and her dog. They all kept me captivated read this in on sitting. This was a fast fun easy read.
December 16, 2013
I enjoyed the book a lot. It is not everyday that a girl inherits a hotel during a period which girls were looked down upon for running businesses. However, her father left a stipulation that she has to get married within 6 months. Julia tries paying various guys to have a marriage of convience. However those all fall through and she ends up proposing to Alex who has his own secrets. Someone is also out to kill Julia and there is also a potential buyer for the hotel. But Julia does not want to sell. There are a few twist that I did not see coming that added to the story.
November 30, 2013
Liked this story. I guess I like arranged marriages and out if convenience. I found it difficult to put this book down as.wanted to find out what happened next. I stayed up till 3 am and it was worth it.
May 1, 2014
3.5 stars.
November 25, 2013
A delightful romantic mystery which could be classified as a beach read. The plot is predictable, but the characters are enchanting and well developed. A great way to spend a rainy afternoon.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews