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Kavanagh #2
A Suitable Groom
The perfect couple
Veronica Grant needed a man to take to her cousin's wedding in order to keep her matchmaking mother at bay. A man like Fergus Kavanagh. He was the perfect suitor -- rich, charming and sexy. If he'd accompany Veronica, her mother wouldn't mention marriage in weeks!
Fergus had matchmaking relatives of his own he wanted to avoid, so he proposed a pact: he would be Veronica's pretend lover if she would be his. Only, Fergus did the unthinkable: he fell in love with Veronica. A woman who had a very good reason to stay single.
Veronica Grant needed a man to take to her cousin's wedding in order to keep her matchmaking mother at bay. A man like Fergus Kavanagh. He was the perfect suitor -- rich, charming and sexy. If he'd accompany Veronica, her mother wouldn't mention marriage in weeks!
Fergus had matchmaking relatives of his own he wanted to avoid, so he proposed a pact: he would be Veronica's pretend lover if she would be his. Only, Fergus did the unthinkable: he fell in love with Veronica. A woman who had a very good reason to stay single.
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
5 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Liz Fielding
565 books469 followersHi, I'm Liz Fielding, and I'm a best selling contemporary romance author with more than 15 million books in print and Katie Fforde wrote, when honouring me with the Romantic Novelists' Association's Outstanding Achievement Award in 2019 said - "Liz Fielding's books, with their warmth, humour and emotion, have charmed millions of readers. She is a true star of the romantic fiction genre..."
And now I've turned to a life of crime with my first cozy mystery. Murder Among the Roses, published on 18 April 2023 - of which Katie Fforde also said, "I was gripped from beginning to end..."
Reading is a big part of my life. I love witty, contemporary romances, not too much sex,, Women's fiction by the likes of Fiona Harper, Julie Cohen, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jennifer Crusie and Barbara O'Neal. And I love crime fiction that isn't too gory, or focussed on clue hunting, but is big on character.
My best loved series at the moment are the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths, The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch and the Libby Sarjeant Mysteries by Lesley Cookman. I've just read the first in the Georgina Drake crime series from Kate Hardy and looking forward to the next.
For news and excerpts of my new releases, visit me at http://www.lizfielding.com and sign up for my newsletter
And now I've turned to a life of crime with my first cozy mystery. Murder Among the Roses, published on 18 April 2023 - of which Katie Fforde also said, "I was gripped from beginning to end..."
Reading is a big part of my life. I love witty, contemporary romances, not too much sex,, Women's fiction by the likes of Fiona Harper, Julie Cohen, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jennifer Crusie and Barbara O'Neal. And I love crime fiction that isn't too gory, or focussed on clue hunting, but is big on character.
My best loved series at the moment are the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths, The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch and the Libby Sarjeant Mysteries by Lesley Cookman. I've just read the first in the Georgina Drake crime series from Kate Hardy and looking forward to the next.
For news and excerpts of my new releases, visit me at http://www.lizfielding.com and sign up for my newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 17, 2024
Sweet, sad story of a woman who was jilted by her fiance after she was diagnosed as infertile. The vile fiancé and his witch of a mother dumped her immediately and replaced her at top speed with a satisfactory broodmare. Ever since then, heroine has hardened herself and focused on her career, intending to never marry. In fact, she doesn’t even date. She has a super successful business and great friends but underneath, she hides a lot of sadness, partly because she has kept this “Seekret Shame” to herself. Her bully of a mother and her other, suffocatingly well-meaning relatives stubbornly keep matchmaking her in the hopes that she will finally marry and start having babies.
As the story begins, our weary heroine is dreading another family wedding where she is going to be forcibly match-made by all her relatives. When she spots the perennial bachelor hero on her morning train, she hatches a plan. She convinces him to become her pretend boyfriend just so she can get through her cousin’s wedding without being harassed by her match-making relatives. Their cute banter across breakfast in the train’s restaurant cart was very reminiscent of Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint’s first scene together in North by Northwest. The heroine even matches EMS’ cool, classy, blonde elegance while the hero has CG’s trademark British charm and dry wit.
Back to our story: H and h’s little masquerade seems to work at first, but then, unwittingly, their little charade snowballs into a semi-official engagement, partly because Heroine’s dragon lady mother is feverishly setting up plans for a monster wedding and partly due to their supposed relationship making it to the news!
Eventually, h and H realize they have fallen in love and want to make the engagement real. The heroine “confesses” her “Seekret Shame” to hero and he reacts EXACTLY how a great romantic hero should: with love, compassion, and absolute, unconditional acceptance. The hero has a hard time convincing the heroine he loves her for HER, not for her Fallopian tubes. The ex-fiancé and his mother from hell did such a number on heroine, as did her own mother who belittled her career and made it clear that her worth as a woman was SOLELY tied to marriage and babies, that it was just painful to see the heroine’s persistent lack of self-esteem, even in the face of hero’s devotion.
I really wish the villains of the piece had gotten some comeuppance including heroine’s vile mother. Instead, the author concludes the story by gifting her protagonists with a very implausible miracle baby. I am sure a majority of readers will swoon at that ending but I, for one, thought it was a shame that the message of the book - which seemed to support the idea that true love between two people does not hinge on procreating but simply on loving each other because that’s miracle enough - was lost with the arrival of the miracle baby. As if to say the hero nobly settled for less than perfect happiness but thankfully little baby arrived to make their HEA REALLY complete. I think that Helen Brooks’ treatment of the subject of infertility was handled much more satisfactorily in her beautiful tearjerker The Price of a Wife. Just my two cents.
As the story begins, our weary heroine is dreading another family wedding where she is going to be forcibly match-made by all her relatives. When she spots the perennial bachelor hero on her morning train, she hatches a plan. She convinces him to become her pretend boyfriend just so she can get through her cousin’s wedding without being harassed by her match-making relatives. Their cute banter across breakfast in the train’s restaurant cart was very reminiscent of Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint’s first scene together in North by Northwest. The heroine even matches EMS’ cool, classy, blonde elegance while the hero has CG’s trademark British charm and dry wit.
Back to our story: H and h’s little masquerade seems to work at first, but then, unwittingly, their little charade snowballs into a semi-official engagement, partly because Heroine’s dragon lady mother is feverishly setting up plans for a monster wedding and partly due to their supposed relationship making it to the news!
Eventually, h and H realize they have fallen in love and want to make the engagement real. The heroine “confesses” her “Seekret Shame” to hero and he reacts EXACTLY how a great romantic hero should: with love, compassion, and absolute, unconditional acceptance. The hero has a hard time convincing the heroine he loves her for HER, not for her Fallopian tubes. The ex-fiancé and his mother from hell did such a number on heroine, as did her own mother who belittled her career and made it clear that her worth as a woman was SOLELY tied to marriage and babies, that it was just painful to see the heroine’s persistent lack of self-esteem, even in the face of hero’s devotion.
I really wish the villains of the piece had gotten some comeuppance including heroine’s vile mother. Instead, the author concludes the story by gifting her protagonists with a very implausible miracle baby. I am sure a majority of readers will swoon at that ending but I, for one, thought it was a shame that the message of the book - which seemed to support the idea that true love between two people does not hinge on procreating but simply on loving each other because that’s miracle enough - was lost with the arrival of the miracle baby. As if to say the hero nobly settled for less than perfect happiness but thankfully little baby arrived to make their HEA REALLY complete. I think that Helen Brooks’ treatment of the subject of infertility was handled much more satisfactorily in her beautiful tearjerker The Price of a Wife. Just my two cents.
October 6, 2020
Love a hero in pursuit story. Veronica, who appears in Gentlemen Prefer Brunette's as the OW has good reason to resist his charms.
HEA was probably a little too convenient but overall the story was emotionally satisfying.
HEA was probably a little too convenient but overall the story was emotionally satisfying.
October 10, 2020
Was just okay.
Nothing bad, no angst, no misunderstandings, no OW/OM so well and no excitement either.
Very sweet. Girl and boy are both charming successful and sweet. And they fall for each other, so their pretend engagement becomes real soon after, and a miracle baby in the end.
If you are tired of some of the trainwreaks and shitstorms out there, go for this one as a breather.
Nothing bad, no angst, no misunderstandings, no OW/OM so well and no excitement either.
Very sweet. Girl and boy are both charming successful and sweet. And they fall for each other, so their pretend engagement becomes real soon after, and a miracle baby in the end.
If you are tired of some of the trainwreaks and shitstorms out there, go for this one as a breather.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2020
I own a dogeared copy of this book and have read it multiple times.
I have many passages marked as favourites!!!!
Its a very sweet book. The Hero Fergus falls in love instantly with the Heroine. Both of them are portrayed as being older than the average age of M & B Heroes and Heroines......and they conduct themselves with such dignity!!
Though this book can be read as a stand alone, it would be better if the books of the side characters are read first because, quite a few references to earlier incidents are made, which will make for better understanding.
The book is set in the fictional town of Melchester. (Apart from this book, the author has written a few more books set in this town)
Story outline -
The Hero overhears his two sisters Poppy and Dora planning to match-make.
The Hero is escaping the wedding preparations of his younger sister Poppy.
The Heroine is reluctantly attending her cousin Felicity's wedding.
The Heroine wants to avoid her Mother's matchmaking attempts.
So they decide to team up and decide to pretend-date each other.
Thanks to an interfering aunt, the dating turns into an engagement!!!
The Hero's sister Poppy has gone to school with the Heroine's Cousin Felicity and happen-chances to attend the wedding and the cat is out of the bag.
The Heroine Veronica works for Nick.
And in his book, he was supposedly in pursuit of her as the supposed other woman. (That is a delightful read too)
My recommended reading order of the books that have come before this book and.....
Links to the books
Claudia Beaumont & Gabriel McIntyre
(ALIAS)
Poppaea(Poppy) Kavanaugh & Richard Marriott - Wild Lady
Pandora(Dora) Kavanaugh & John Gannon - His Little Girl
Nick Jefferson & Cassandra(Cassie) Cornwell - Gentlemen Prefer... Brunettes
For questions about Poppy's Book here's the Link to the Author's Blog - http://lizfielding.blogspot.com/2007/...
I have many passages marked as favourites!!!!
Its a very sweet book. The Hero Fergus falls in love instantly with the Heroine. Both of them are portrayed as being older than the average age of M & B Heroes and Heroines......and they conduct themselves with such dignity!!
Though this book can be read as a stand alone, it would be better if the books of the side characters are read first because, quite a few references to earlier incidents are made, which will make for better understanding.
The book is set in the fictional town of Melchester. (Apart from this book, the author has written a few more books set in this town)
Story outline -
The Hero overhears his two sisters Poppy and Dora planning to match-make.
The Hero is escaping the wedding preparations of his younger sister Poppy.
The Heroine is reluctantly attending her cousin Felicity's wedding.
The Heroine wants to avoid her Mother's matchmaking attempts.
So they decide to team up and decide to pretend-date each other.
Thanks to an interfering aunt, the dating turns into an engagement!!!
The Hero's sister Poppy has gone to school with the Heroine's Cousin Felicity and happen-chances to attend the wedding and the cat is out of the bag.
The Heroine Veronica works for Nick.
And in his book, he was supposedly in pursuit of her as the supposed other woman. (That is a delightful read too)
My recommended reading order of the books that have come before this book and.....
Links to the books
Claudia Beaumont & Gabriel McIntyre
(ALIAS)
Poppaea(Poppy) Kavanaugh & Richard Marriott - Wild Lady
Pandora(Dora) Kavanaugh & John Gannon - His Little Girl
Nick Jefferson & Cassandra(Cassie) Cornwell - Gentlemen Prefer... Brunettes
For questions about Poppy's Book here's the Link to the Author's Blog - http://lizfielding.blogspot.com/2007/...
July 19, 2012
A sweet romance. I loved the silly way their engagement occured.
September 9, 2018
This is a fun, light read. The characters and their situation are entertaining. It's a feel-good book, bordering on rom-com, perfect for a beach read or weekend escape.
December 29, 2012
...Whatever.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews