It's Only Make Believe

by Roseanne Dowell

When Michele Markey is forced into marriage to the son of a long time family friend, the only stipulation she makes is he must remain faithful. Brad Lawson agrees, but faithful is one thing, celibate is another. Too bad Brad’s assistant is determined to break up the marriage. Is Brad keeping up his end of the bargain on those extended business trips and late night appointments? Or has he taken up with his sexy assistant again?


Formerly Satin Sheets


4.0 out of 5 stars A Classic Modern Romance!, November 28, 2007
By
Editor, Author, Publicist (Denver, Colorado) - See all my reviews
This review is Satin Sheets (Mass Market Paperback)
A classic modern romance! Michelle and Brad don't want this arranged marriage, but, as usual, allow their parents wishes to prevail. The merging of two important families is not what they had in mind for a future. But as the honeymoon begins, a magic that cannot be denied ignites sparks between them. Constant separations, interference from a female employee and misunderstandings keep them both guessing as to the other's true feelings. With each connection, their romance grows but neither accepts it at face value. This novel is a true page turner, urging the reader onward, hoping for that final crescendo of love.

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Contemporary

173 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

As the second youngest of six children, I always had a vivid imagination and loved to make up stories. I often sat and daydreamed about imaginary characters and lost myself in books and make-believe worlds. My love of writing began as a teenager, but it wasn’t until recent years that I pursued it seriously. With encouragement from fellow book-club members, NEORWA and my husband, I began writing and submitting my work. Although Satin Sheets was my first published novel, I have over forty articles and stories published in magazines such as Good Old Days, Nostalgia, and Ohio Writer along with several online publications. Besides teaching three writing courses for Long Story School of Writing, I taught a writing course at Cuyahoga Community College. My books are available at Amazon.com http://amzn.to/tnqgR2. In my spare time, I enjoys spending time with my six children, fourteen grandchildren and great grandchild. My hobbies include ceramics, knitting, quilting, and jewelry making. But after my family, my first love is writing. I reside with my husband of years in Northeast Ohio. You can visit my website at: http://www.roseannedowell.com

Reviews

[Jennifer Schencker · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was awful. So painful to read but like an accident you can't turn away from, I forced myself to finish it. The idea had potential but the story wasn't developed enough, the editing was horrific, and the main characters were ridiculously wimpy. What couple doesn't talk at all? How can a husband constantly fly off on so many business trips at the whim of his client? And they fall in love with each other but have barely spent any time together? Then the author added in one of those unexpected pregnancies, which is a stupid way to add complexity to a romance. Not to mention bringing in the whole side mini story about the maid's love and kidnapped child. WHY?! The main character doesn't like how her mother acts and talks, then turns around and uses similar vocabulary and attitude. And then of course it was all wrapped up neatly and quickly in some conversation we weren't part of but ought to just believe. This writing felt very amateurish to me and desperately needed an editor. I actually laughed when I read in the About the Author that this author was a writing instructor. She either isn't a very good one or doesn't listen to her own teaching.

[Grapie Deltaco · Rating 1 out of 5]

I honestly don't know what I was expecting from this book- I grabbed it on a whim from the secondhand bookshop- but regardless, I wasn't expecting insta-love, a whiny female protagonist who's supposed to be a grown adult woman and yet is terrified of communication in any way, an oblivious himbo of a man, the most random and unnecessary child kidnapping plot, a million fade-to-black "love making" scenes for a book promoting the lust of their entire relationship, the most predictable and blah "surprise" pregnancy plotline, and a comically evil ex-girlfriend said himbo keeps around for some reason as his assistant ?

Even in Brad and Michelle's internal narration they say "darn" and "heck."

Is this book good? No, I didn't think so at all.

Did this book, however, pull me out of a reading slump? 100% yes it absolutely did.

I don't care that I rated it one star, I'm going back to that bookstore to pull more cheesy looking books just like this one the next time I'm struggling to motivate myself to read.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did, it reminded me a little of Marie Kelly's The Wedding Deal, I mostly liked the characters and the fact that there was also the little side story with Louise but I just couldn't get my head round the fact that Michelle put up with Ruby or that Brad was just so clueless, without giving anything away I can't say more but it just didn't work for me, I know for this story to work there has to be conflict and doubt but it was overdone to the extend of being unbelievable.
If you can get past this then it's a nice read which should have been better.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wondered all through the book why it got such poor reviews and I think it was because of the way it ended. It was just too "neat" wrapped up to quickly, the main characters didn't really work out their problems. They had a quick convo and it was over.

[Lu Bielefeld · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got free on Kindle and I thought it was pretty cool!
Didn't know the author and I'm going to look for other books.
The story is predictable, but holds the reader's attention.
Recommend!

[Trisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

First time reading this author, found it a good quick read. Read it in just over an hour. Found some parts I just skimmed as it felt like filler but had an abrupt ending. Over all not bad.

[K.M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one was a bit of a snooze fest. I can't quite wrap my head around how two adults were unable to effectively communicate what they wanted from each other. Too farfetched for me to believe. And I didn't connect to the main characters in any meaningful way. Ah well, it was an Amazon freebie so no money was lost.

[Bookformymood · Rating 2 out of 5]

Parecia engraçado mas é uma história idiota. Heroína é burra e o marido é atrasado mental. Depois há coisas que não fazem sentido- a mulher não tem o telemóvel do marido e é a colega do marido que atende as chamadas dele ?!

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

awful, crappy. I hate lead characters with no backbone. Thank God I finished it in 1 day and didn't waste much more time on it. Going in the trash so I don't make a mistake & read it again.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

;loved this book ,

[Stef Stimson · Rating 2 out of 5]

ok for a free book the female lead was to much of a pushover