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Million Dollar Wife
When a tangle of frustrations and responsibilities prompts movie heartthrob, Bryce Courtland, to turn his back on the Hollywood singles scene and hire a mother for his precocious twins, he finds the perfect candidate in his sister's best friend, Marja: a small town college professor whose long-ago teenage crush on him still brings a blush to her cheeks.
Responding to Bryce's immediate need for childcare, and as a favor for her best friend, Marja Lindstrom accepts a temporary assignment as tutor/nanny. Bryce has a more permanent arrangement in mind and stuns Marja with a marriage proposal — a marriage proposal with a twist.
Will a million dollar salary convince her to take a chance, change careers — and open her heart?
Responding to Bryce's immediate need for childcare, and as a favor for her best friend, Marja Lindstrom accepts a temporary assignment as tutor/nanny. Bryce has a more permanent arrangement in mind and stuns Marja with a marriage proposal — a marriage proposal with a twist.
Will a million dollar salary convince her to take a chance, change careers — and open her heart?
237 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 7, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
September 16, 2017
A worthwhile read!
This is a sweet, poignant romance. Two people scarred from past love, the hero losing his first and only love to death, the heroine losing her first love to infidelity (his of course not hers). Both scared but needing each other. Bryce is a famous actor whose wife has been dead for 2 years. He has twin girls who are growing up wild without a mother. Marja is a studious teacher who is a friend of Bryce's sister, Anne. Anne throws them together and before long Bryce has asked Marja to fill a role of a lifetime - contractual wife. Marja agrees to marry Bryce mostly for the girls sake, as she has come to love them. But before long realizes that she loves Bryce too and wants his love in return. But will Bryce ever be able to love her? Can he let go of his dead wife's memory? Will she only ever be a contract wife? This book was satisfying. I enjoyed watching Marja come out of her shell. I liked the pacing and writing and thought the author developed believable characters considering some of the less than believable plot points. My only criticism was that I wish that Marja had made Bryce "sweat" a bit more before taking him back. He was quite horrible and cruel, and frankly Martja deserved a longer conclusion (more time to go off, figure out HER worth and then make him grovel). His lackluster "I love you" honestly shouldn't have been enough to make her forgive him. But other than that disappointing point the novel was a well worth it read.
This is a sweet, poignant romance. Two people scarred from past love, the hero losing his first and only love to death, the heroine losing her first love to infidelity (his of course not hers). Both scared but needing each other. Bryce is a famous actor whose wife has been dead for 2 years. He has twin girls who are growing up wild without a mother. Marja is a studious teacher who is a friend of Bryce's sister, Anne. Anne throws them together and before long Bryce has asked Marja to fill a role of a lifetime - contractual wife. Marja agrees to marry Bryce mostly for the girls sake, as she has come to love them. But before long realizes that she loves Bryce too and wants his love in return. But will Bryce ever be able to love her? Can he let go of his dead wife's memory? Will she only ever be a contract wife? This book was satisfying. I enjoyed watching Marja come out of her shell. I liked the pacing and writing and thought the author developed believable characters considering some of the less than believable plot points. My only criticism was that I wish that Marja had made Bryce "sweat" a bit more before taking him back. He was quite horrible and cruel, and frankly Martja deserved a longer conclusion (more time to go off, figure out HER worth and then make him grovel). His lackluster "I love you" honestly shouldn't have been enough to make her forgive him. But other than that disappointing point the novel was a well worth it read.
September 19, 2013
wow this would be one of the best books I have read in a long time even better was the fact it was free on Amazon.
Bryce is a windowed dad to twin girls. Marja is a university teacher and best friends with Bryce' s sister Anne.
Anne sets the 2 up by introducing Marja as a step in mother figure for the girls. Bryce sees am opportunity to offer Marja a marriage on paper only. As the wheel and deal with his full on life as an actor Marja struggles wurh feeling towards Bryce that he doesn't feel the same way. Little did she know that add time passes he figured that agreed the death of his ex wife they're is room for her. And the love she has for his kids he deals with his feelings, but is it all to late when Marja his missing after a fight?
There was so much emotion that went into this book and to me was written really well. Definitely one I would read again
Bryce is a windowed dad to twin girls. Marja is a university teacher and best friends with Bryce' s sister Anne.
Anne sets the 2 up by introducing Marja as a step in mother figure for the girls. Bryce sees am opportunity to offer Marja a marriage on paper only. As the wheel and deal with his full on life as an actor Marja struggles wurh feeling towards Bryce that he doesn't feel the same way. Little did she know that add time passes he figured that agreed the death of his ex wife they're is room for her. And the love she has for his kids he deals with his feelings, but is it all to late when Marja his missing after a fight?
There was so much emotion that went into this book and to me was written really well. Definitely one I would read again
September 16, 2013
This was more tame than most books I tend to read but undeniably charming. It felt like a long read but still flowed quite well. I got this as a freebie and it was well worth my time. I will definitely recommend to others especially for free.
September 24, 2013
I got this one free on amazon and the free part it`s not the only good one, it was fun reading this one ... i loved it
September 15, 2013
Great book. I really enjoyed the story. I loved the secret code between best friends.
September 20, 2013
Nice book and a different type of 'love' story.
November 4, 2013
I enjoyed the story. I felt this contract agreement was based on romance not greed. I would recommend this story to others.
May 1, 2014
Great read if...you enjoy romance stories, overcoming loss, slightly complex characters, stories about Hollywood people, fun scenes, fun whit, and a happily ever after!
May 17, 2014
Very romantic with a modern twist. So wort the read, I could not put it down. It's a must read
March 26, 2018
Great book
This is a great book for some fun light reading. While I think the lead female is a little to hung up on some things and the male lead is oddly the last one to understand himself it is still entertaining. Just enough of the heart, excitement and sex to make this a good read.
This is a great book for some fun light reading. While I think the lead female is a little to hung up on some things and the male lead is oddly the last one to understand himself it is still entertaining. Just enough of the heart, excitement and sex to make this a good read.
April 5, 2018
Very well written story line!! This book is intriguing!!
Simply could not put this book down!! It has romance, mystery, doubts, and intrigue all rolled into one ball. I cannot wait to read another book by this author!!!
Simply could not put this book down!! It has romance, mystery, doubts, and intrigue all rolled into one ball. I cannot wait to read another book by this author!!!
May 27, 2014
I am between not liking this book and feeling that maybe it was kind of okay. Therefore my 2.5 stars and I will try to explain.
Million Dollar Wife could have been a very good book with some tweaking! I like the portions of the storyline but, for me, throughout the book I felt as though something was missing, like I was waiting and expecting an AHA moment that never really came. It was not a satisfying ending for me. When I finished it left me feeling uneasy and frustrated. There were things mentioned in the book that were left unresolved. Yes there was an HEA but....and that is another problem. In every 'marriage of convenience' book I read (which is everyone I can get my hands on) they tend to end the same way. Something tragic-esque has to happen for the H to realize that he is in love with this now-wife.
IMO Marja, the convenient now-wife, was a brilliant professor who had abundant knowledge on childhood development and was excellent with his children., She was also a doormat in the worst way. Her thoughts of herself and her marriage were always negative, even when she said she was not going think that way anymore, she still did. For me, that just became so monotonous I wanted to grab her and shake some sense into her. Most men are not overly fond of weak women with such low self worth and she was weak in many areas where it would/could have been a huge pay off for her to be strong, even faking it if she had to. Her insecurities were overwhelming and redundant. She did have backbone at times but when she should have let him have it or opened up dialog because of something he said, did, or for shutting her out, she would be the one to end up apologizing to him and taking all the blame...for everything...all the time. The men I know don't care for the 'I am not pretty-I am frigid- if you make love to me you will leave me-I am not good enough-my looks and image will never measure up to the arm candy you deserve to have on your arm-type of woman.....and on and on it continued to go.
I was disappointed in Bryce's character. He has a trigger temper and has no idea how the things he says hurt her...deeply. In his world it is all about him. He's a big movie star who has his every whim catered to. He is arrogant and extremely bossy, barking out orders to anyone and everyone and expecting them to be followed immediately. He has a huge entitlement issue and it just gets old after awhile. The further into the book I read, the more I began to dislike him. He is an absent father and husband so ensconced in his acting career that he thinks of no one but himself. He was even demeaning at times and I just grew to like him less and less as time went on. There was one positive thing about Bryce. He was monogamous and because of that I thought I was really going to like this man. Wrong!
Bryce's wife passed away 2 or 3 years ago...hard to know for sure because the timeline in this book was not at all clear...and he was bent on living in the past...with his dead-wife on his mind all the time. His twin girls needed a mother and that is where the marriage comes in. How do you think you would feel when you are making an effort to grow closer to your husband and you find him just standing and staring at his wife's portrait. Then he tells his now-wife that he didn't just love his dead-wife but he worshiped her and still does! Way to go Bryce. What an unfeeling a$$. There was way to much Sally (dead wife) in this book for my reading enjoyment. Poor Marja, Sally's pictures were everywhere in this house/shrine.
There is an unexpected twist towards the end that was so out of place in this story. I thought what the heck. It was out of the clear blue sky and so unnecessary. It cheapened the ending of the book in my opinion because it did not fit.
Do I recommend this book? You should decide for yourself but I will say that I would not read it again nor mention it to my reading friends.
Million Dollar Wife could have been a very good book with some tweaking! I like the portions of the storyline but, for me, throughout the book I felt as though something was missing, like I was waiting and expecting an AHA moment that never really came. It was not a satisfying ending for me. When I finished it left me feeling uneasy and frustrated. There were things mentioned in the book that were left unresolved. Yes there was an HEA but....and that is another problem. In every 'marriage of convenience' book I read (which is everyone I can get my hands on) they tend to end the same way. Something tragic-esque has to happen for the H to realize that he is in love with this now-wife.
IMO Marja, the convenient now-wife, was a brilliant professor who had abundant knowledge on childhood development and was excellent with his children., She was also a doormat in the worst way. Her thoughts of herself and her marriage were always negative, even when she said she was not going think that way anymore, she still did. For me, that just became so monotonous I wanted to grab her and shake some sense into her. Most men are not overly fond of weak women with such low self worth and she was weak in many areas where it would/could have been a huge pay off for her to be strong, even faking it if she had to. Her insecurities were overwhelming and redundant. She did have backbone at times but when she should have let him have it or opened up dialog because of something he said, did, or for shutting her out, she would be the one to end up apologizing to him and taking all the blame...for everything...all the time. The men I know don't care for the 'I am not pretty-I am frigid- if you make love to me you will leave me-I am not good enough-my looks and image will never measure up to the arm candy you deserve to have on your arm-type of woman.....and on and on it continued to go.
I was disappointed in Bryce's character. He has a trigger temper and has no idea how the things he says hurt her...deeply. In his world it is all about him. He's a big movie star who has his every whim catered to. He is arrogant and extremely bossy, barking out orders to anyone and everyone and expecting them to be followed immediately. He has a huge entitlement issue and it just gets old after awhile. The further into the book I read, the more I began to dislike him. He is an absent father and husband so ensconced in his acting career that he thinks of no one but himself. He was even demeaning at times and I just grew to like him less and less as time went on. There was one positive thing about Bryce. He was monogamous and because of that I thought I was really going to like this man. Wrong!
Bryce's wife passed away 2 or 3 years ago...hard to know for sure because the timeline in this book was not at all clear...and he was bent on living in the past...with his dead-wife on his mind all the time. His twin girls needed a mother and that is where the marriage comes in. How do you think you would feel when you are making an effort to grow closer to your husband and you find him just standing and staring at his wife's portrait. Then he tells his now-wife that he didn't just love his dead-wife but he worshiped her and still does! Way to go Bryce. What an unfeeling a$$. There was way to much Sally (dead wife) in this book for my reading enjoyment. Poor Marja, Sally's pictures were everywhere in this house/shrine.
There is an unexpected twist towards the end that was so out of place in this story. I thought what the heck. It was out of the clear blue sky and so unnecessary. It cheapened the ending of the book in my opinion because it did not fit.
Do I recommend this book? You should decide for yourself but I will say that I would not read it again nor mention it to my reading friends.
September 13, 2013
There was nothing really wrong with this book barring a couple of minor typos (Marja becomes Mara at one point for example).
Bryce is a world-famous film star, a widower with twin daughters he is still in love with his wife and has resisted all lures from other women –his sister has set him up with any number of women but he is not interested.
One night at a party at his sister's house Bryce is hiding in the library when he is joined by Marja – she is overwhelmed by the party and trying to hide out too. Bryce is dismissive of Marja, too tall, too thin looks like a school teacher – pretty sure she was wearing glasses too although they seem to disappear after this scene.
What is apparently a year later (time seems a bit vague in this book), Bryce comes home from work at midnight to find Marja in his kitchen. Apparently his daughters have driven off yet another nanny and there is no time to hire a new one so his sister, Anne, has roped in Marja who has a degree in child psychology (or something) and is a college professor (presumably between tenures?).
Within a day Bryce decides that Marja would make the perfect mother for his daughters – they need a mother not a nanny – and proposes a deal. Marja to marry him and be a mother to his daughters for 10 years, at US$1 million a year. Although she is horrified, Marja is already half in love with the twins so she agrees, but there are stipulations, after 12 months she wants to adopt the twins and there will be no sex – Bryce counters that after 12 months there will be sex.
Everything after this was a bit wishy-washy. Marja has a bit of a make-over, Bryce realises he finds her very attractive. She has been rejected and humiliated by her first husband which makes her wary of men. He has a bad temper. Blah, blah.
And then, out of nowhere, at about 80% there is a random suspense plot WTF?
There were also hints at supernatural with Bryce feeling a cold breath against the back of his neck more than once.
Also, there seems to be a storyline where Bryce realises his first wife was not such a nice person – but it doesn't go anywhere. Why can't he just find love a second time rather than suggesting that his first wife was somehow undeserving?
So, as I said, nothing intrinsically wrong with it, I didn't LOVE either of the characters or the twins and there seemed random plots which appeared out of nowhere. The love scenes were old school Mills and Boon – in fact I couldn't swear hand on heart that they actually did IT!
Bryce is a world-famous film star, a widower with twin daughters he is still in love with his wife and has resisted all lures from other women –his sister has set him up with any number of women but he is not interested.
One night at a party at his sister's house Bryce is hiding in the library when he is joined by Marja – she is overwhelmed by the party and trying to hide out too. Bryce is dismissive of Marja, too tall, too thin looks like a school teacher – pretty sure she was wearing glasses too although they seem to disappear after this scene.
What is apparently a year later (time seems a bit vague in this book), Bryce comes home from work at midnight to find Marja in his kitchen. Apparently his daughters have driven off yet another nanny and there is no time to hire a new one so his sister, Anne, has roped in Marja who has a degree in child psychology (or something) and is a college professor (presumably between tenures?).
Within a day Bryce decides that Marja would make the perfect mother for his daughters – they need a mother not a nanny – and proposes a deal. Marja to marry him and be a mother to his daughters for 10 years, at US$1 million a year. Although she is horrified, Marja is already half in love with the twins so she agrees, but there are stipulations, after 12 months she wants to adopt the twins and there will be no sex – Bryce counters that after 12 months there will be sex.
Everything after this was a bit wishy-washy. Marja has a bit of a make-over, Bryce realises he finds her very attractive. She has been rejected and humiliated by her first husband which makes her wary of men. He has a bad temper. Blah, blah.
And then, out of nowhere, at about 80% there is a random suspense plot WTF?
There were also hints at supernatural with Bryce feeling a cold breath against the back of his neck more than once.
Also, there seems to be a storyline where Bryce realises his first wife was not such a nice person – but it doesn't go anywhere. Why can't he just find love a second time rather than suggesting that his first wife was somehow undeserving?
So, as I said, nothing intrinsically wrong with it, I didn't LOVE either of the characters or the twins and there seemed random plots which appeared out of nowhere. The love scenes were old school Mills and Boon – in fact I couldn't swear hand on heart that they actually did IT!
September 11, 2013
Contemporary movie star Pygmalion romance where a childhood best friend to Bryce Courtland's sister Anne, Marja Lindstrom is from their hometown in Michigan and trust worthy, but widower Bryce needs a mother to his twin daughters Heather and Holly so he makes an arrangement for at least a year and up to ten years of marriage with Marja to raise his children. There is a sweet romance with the 'marriage of convenience to lovers and more plot'.
Star Bryce Courtland has to keep working on movies while he is popular but he needs someone to help and love his daughters because the series of nannies are not permanent or a good solution. So Marja has a lot of deal with from day one, not to mention that she has always had a crush on her best friend Anne's older brother which makes her more then a little awkward and intimidated whenever they are in the same room, which makes it really difficult for Bryce to convenience his new wife, Marja to make it a 'real' marriage including some sexy time. Marja Lindstrom has a difficult position because she wants children but can't have any because of a traumatic miscarriage in her first marriage so she is very invested in sticking out the year and adopting Bryce's daughters as her own. She also has an attraction to Bryce, but can't separate the man from the movie star at first.
Everyone gets a HEA, but I wasn't sure that the kidnapping had to happen to make this story complete, it was a little too much.
237 pages and kindle freebie
2 stars
Star Bryce Courtland has to keep working on movies while he is popular but he needs someone to help and love his daughters because the series of nannies are not permanent or a good solution. So Marja has a lot of deal with from day one, not to mention that she has always had a crush on her best friend Anne's older brother which makes her more then a little awkward and intimidated whenever they are in the same room, which makes it really difficult for Bryce to convenience his new wife, Marja to make it a 'real' marriage including some sexy time. Marja Lindstrom has a difficult position because she wants children but can't have any because of a traumatic miscarriage in her first marriage so she is very invested in sticking out the year and adopting Bryce's daughters as her own. She also has an attraction to Bryce, but can't separate the man from the movie star at first.
Everyone gets a HEA, but I wasn't sure that the kidnapping had to happen to make this story complete, it was a little too much.
237 pages and kindle freebie
2 stars
October 3, 2013
3.5
I liked this story, although not sure how realistic it is. Don't get me wrong, plenty of people would do anything for a million dollars, so ten million would definitely buy someone a wife. Especially if the guy isn't a slouch in the looks department, abuser, or psycho in general. However, not many men I think would buy a wife or I would hope, risk their children's welfare on such an arrangement. Mind you, Marja definitely did not appear to be crazy and as his sister's college best friend, he probably could trust that she was the best choice for such an arrangement given her history.
Outside of the above, a lot of this played out pretty well and pretty realistic I would think. Her insecurities based on her history and his fame was definitely fitting. Even his reactions seemed spot on. I do have to agree with someone else who noted the ending was kind of off, but given there needed to be a "hit him over the head" moment for him to realize he loved her...I guess it worked.
I liked this story, although not sure how realistic it is. Don't get me wrong, plenty of people would do anything for a million dollars, so ten million would definitely buy someone a wife. Especially if the guy isn't a slouch in the looks department, abuser, or psycho in general. However, not many men I think would buy a wife or I would hope, risk their children's welfare on such an arrangement. Mind you, Marja definitely did not appear to be crazy and as his sister's college best friend, he probably could trust that she was the best choice for such an arrangement given her history.
Outside of the above, a lot of this played out pretty well and pretty realistic I would think. Her insecurities based on her history and his fame was definitely fitting. Even his reactions seemed spot on. I do have to agree with someone else who noted the ending was kind of off, but given there needed to be a "hit him over the head" moment for him to realize he loved her...I guess it worked.
June 18, 2015
Million Dollar Wife was a surprise and the title fit the story perfectly. The character development is wonderful; I loved Heather and Hope and how smart the twin eight-year-olds are as they keep the adults challenged and still being sweet girls. The father is a famous actor and only wants privacy for his family after his first wife died.
He makes a contract with his second wife and then the romance starts with lots of twists and turns. His sister, Anne sets it all up and he finds he can't resist the shy and insecure but beautiful woman that his sister picked for him and it worked to give him everything he wanted and a new love he did not expect. This is a beautiful romance with elements of danger while it deals with emotions and loss of love ones too.
He makes a contract with his second wife and then the romance starts with lots of twists and turns. His sister, Anne sets it all up and he finds he can't resist the shy and insecure but beautiful woman that his sister picked for him and it worked to give him everything he wanted and a new love he did not expect. This is a beautiful romance with elements of danger while it deals with emotions and loss of love ones too.
September 3, 2016
I really liked this book! It was funny, sad, enlightening and a fun read. I liked all the different scenarios and how they eventually all twisted into one. I liked how the main star wanted nothing but the best for his kids and didnt want to leave them with a nanny anymore. Its nice to have a family thing and not all broken up and all the shuffling around. It was a well written story with lots of great descriptions!
September 2, 2016
sex was good. but the progression of their relationship irritated me. i just could not understand why she married him (or why he married her) if number 1 they did not love each other (which is fine but...) number 2 when he wanted to have sex with her but KNEW she did not want to have sex with him. and number 3 why in gods name she was acting like a 16 year old virgin with the sex.
September 12, 2013
Would have given this 4* but just didn't like how the story concluded. I loved the chemistry between Marja and Bryce and their developing relationship. The plot within the last two chapters seemed un-necessary and didn't fit.
December 27, 2014
Contemporary romance
Good story and we'll developed characters. Liked it but didn't love it. What the main characters lacked, their extended family members made up for making this story more endearing.
If you want a Cinderella story then this is for you.
Good story and we'll developed characters. Liked it but didn't love it. What the main characters lacked, their extended family members made up for making this story more endearing.
If you want a Cinderella story then this is for you.
April 16, 2015
A Million Dollar Read.
This book was fabulous. It mad you laugh and made you cry but most of all it kept your interest. If I get the chance to read any more of O'NEILL'S books I hope they are as good as this one.
This book was fabulous. It mad you laugh and made you cry but most of all it kept your interest. If I get the chance to read any more of O'NEILL'S books I hope they are as good as this one.
September 20, 2013
Loved the chemistry between characters but got kind of bored with them dancing around their feelings & thoughts. Guess I am more of a straight forward kind of person. good read but not extra exciting
October 13, 2013
Nice quick mindless read. Likable characters. Predictable plot that had more potential than the author gave but not horrible. Helped me over a reading slump.
November 25, 2013
3.5 stars
not a bad read, nothing too taxing, quite predictable, but still, an enjoyable hour or two.
not a bad read, nothing too taxing, quite predictable, but still, an enjoyable hour or two.
February 10, 2014
Really loved this book, couldn't put it down
January 23, 2015
Okay, kept at it but didn't push me to finish
April 9, 2015
surprisingly good
February 16, 2016
Pleasant read!!
I really enjoyed reading this book as this author put it together with great characters, a good storyline with some humor.
I really enjoyed reading this book as this author put it together with great characters, a good storyline with some humor.
March 11, 2016
This is a very easy read and had enough to keep me interested throughout the entire book.
It would make a good holiday read whilst relaxing on the beach.
It would make a good holiday read whilst relaxing on the beach.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews