The Seduction of His Wife

Logger #1

by Janet Chapman

He set out to seduce her for all the wrong reasons -- but found himself falling in love with her for all the right ones.

Alex Knight is dead -- or so everyone thinks. A widowed logger baron with a risk-taking streak, he took on a South American engineering project and was reported dead after a rebel attack. So when he turns up back in Maine very much alive, his grieving family is shocked. But the biggest shock is Alex's, when he discovers he's now married -- to a woman he's never met.

Sarah Banks is ready for a change from running a quiet Bed & Breakfast, and working for the Knight family offers not only a bigger opportunity, but also the family life she yearns for. So she's glad to help secure custody of Alex's orphaned children, whom she's come to love, by marrying their father by proxy before he's legally declared dead. But when Alex returns, the sexy, determined woodsman upends all of Sarah's plans. Because suddenly she's married to a passionate stranger with an easy smile...and tumbling headlong into a fiery dance of seduction.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Historical Romance, Marriage Of Convenience, Adult, Mystery

338 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

January 22, 1956 – October 28, 2017

Hey guys its Jessica. Sorry I’ve been MIA for so long. I apologize for the long overdue wait for Janet’s next book. You’ve all been very patient and loyal fans that she loves. She has been working on this book over the last year and a half while dealing with her battle with cancer. It saddens me to say that she peacefully lost this battle this past weekend while her family was by her side. I apologize if this feels sudden, she was a very private person even to her family. And she truly thought of all of you as her family. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.

Janet Chapman is the author of twenty-two contemporary and magical romance novels, all of which are set in her beautiful state of Maine. She lives in a cozy log home on a beautiful lake with her husband, surrounded by an eclectic assortment of wildlife that she finds both entertaining and inspiring. Probably best known for her Highlander Series (a saga of twelfth century warriors rebuilding their clans in modern-day Maine that now spans three generations), Janet also has two spin-off magical series (Midnight Bay & Spellbound Falls) and several contemporary family series set on the coast and in the mountains. With over three million books printed in six languages, her stories regularly appear on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller’s lists.

When she’s not writing (well, when she should to be writing but isn’t), Janet and her husband are traveling the state in their camper throughout all four seasons; hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, and generally rubbing elbows with Mother Nature while always keeping an eye out for colorful new characters—human and beast—to put in her stories.

author's obituary

Reviews

[Cheesecake · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK well maybe not really 5 stars but it was a fun ride with humour, fun action, and romance... and no dull moments!

Alex is a woman-hating stick in the mud, who loves his kids
Sarah is a naive, plucky heroine who really does have heroic tendencies.

Alex shambles home after surviving 10 days in the jungle running from drug lords (er something like that anyways... it's not important). He envisions his family's tears of joy at his return. What he gets though, is a house empty of anyone except a suspicious lady who claims to be married to him... but doesn't know who he is.

There are good reasons for this and that all gets dealt with easily, but also with a few good chuckles from the reader. Now we have a couple who are married, yet strangers and alone together for the night until the rest of his family returns.

Their truce devolves precipitously to him kicking her recently devirginized self out of the house without letting her get a word in edgewise. I was livid!!!
But don't worry, he makes good and the rest of the story is them getting to know each other over a few weeks. It's a nice arc from him thinking the worst of her to him conniving how to keep her. Throw in the snarky brothers, conniving father and some evil smugglers and there's just never a dull moment in the Knight household.

Some people might be annoyed by her naivety but I thought it was explained away well. She grew up in a small island community where her parents died when she was still a teen, leaving her to fend for herself. That didn't go so well. She is now 29 and still a virgin... yes that was a little hard to swallow!

Safety is all good. Sarah is a virgin. Alex's wife left him and their kids 5 or so years ago and died shortly thereafter. There's no mention of other women since then and he is pretty suspicious of all women so I figure he's been celibate. But I'm just guessing.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.8 STARS.

Hardly any reviews about this book in GR which surprised me so I decided to write one. (I read author profile, sadly this talented author no longer with us. RIP)

I pick this book because I wanted romance with different settings than my usual read. This book delivered. Easy read with full of romance, humor and I learned new things about living near the mountain (Canadian border) and some winter fishing with strong and loveable H/h. Feel like I'm part of their family.

[Crista · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is the perfect 3 star for me. It wasn't great, it wasn't terrible, it was just ok.

My main gripe is with Alex. I just didn't like him. He was an arrogant, horrible, spiteful man who, in my mind, didn't deserve Sarah. The first three chapters where Alex learns that he's been unknowingly wed to Sarah and his treatment of her were enough to make my stomach turn. Why Sarah would look back onto their first "encounter" with anything but disgust is beyond me.

Although he spends the rest of the book trying to make things right, he still has "lapses" where he treats her rudely and badly. I find nothing romantic about that.

The kids were sweet and a nice addition to the story. I really liked Grady, Alex's dad, and wondered how such a wonderful man could've sired such a jerk! I also am intrigued by Ethan. However, he did show some tendencies to be a complete jerk like his brother so I think I 'll contemplate whether or not to subject myself to the sequel "Stranger in His Bed".

I understand why this book would appeal to some, but it just wasn't for me.

[Booklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was awesome,totally adored the book such a wonderful heart warming characters,the plot is gr8 and even the funny scenes are good

Sarah Banks's husband died leaving her nowhere to go. She worked at his family's bed and breakfast, where she met the Knight family. She is now living with them in Maine as their housekeeper and caretaker for Alex Knight's children, Delaney and Tucker. Alex has been in Brazil for three months working as an engineer in the jungle. Eleven days ago his family was told that he had been killed. Grady, Alex's father, asked Sarah to marry Alex by proxy in secret and to adopt Delaney and Tucker to prevent Alex's deceased ex-wife's family from taking the children.

Sarah never expected to meet her handsome husband and Alex is shocked to come home to find Sarah there. He has no idea what to make of this gorgeous stranger he is married to. Sarah and Alex are very wary of each other and even after a night of shared passion, they struggle to make something of their relationship.

The Knight family, are good, genuine people and their lakeside home is peaceful and charming. Alex is ruggedly handsome and somewhat domineering, but Sarah knows just how to handle him. She is gorgeous, sweet and strong willed. Although it does take Alex and Sarah a while before they give in to their hearts' desires

Liked everything about the story,the relationships between all characters may it be between Brothers,sarah-children-Sarah-Father-in-law ,aleax-sarah all of them were gr8 and they bonded nicely ,really liked the fact how Alex when accepts that Sarah is a good woman and he loves her,he starts his seduction will not give away any spoiler go n read it

Sarah's driving and Alex's curses dear lord i laughed so hard,then the book that Sarah reads and Alex intervenes when she is at a interesting point ..........it was a gr8 book

Definetely a keeper
Recommend it

[PepperP0t · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sheltered housekeeper and future entrepreneur Sarah Banks longs for her own business, children and to live her life like one of the merry widows in her romance novels. Marrying her employers deceased son by proxy and adopting his children seemed to be the perfect solution since she wouldn't have to have a husband she didn't want. That is until father, engineer and widower Alex Knight came home after being presumed dead. But he has no intention of marrying again either. After quite the rocky start with miscommunications, misunderstandings and rash actions by both Alex and Sarah, this emotionally damaged couple began to find a way to each other.
Having never read this author I had no expectations of this read, but I was immediately interested in these characters and excited about this journey. The writing style, characters, plotting and storyline were all done well although the story itself was formulaic. I couldn't stop smiling at Sarah, who had no real life experience and based her actions on fictional heroines. She was even funnier when she wasn't quite certain how to fit arrogant alpha Alex into the role of romance novel bachelor hero. Just like one of Sarah's novels, Alex and Sarah had a very cute courtship and I enjoyed their good-natured bickering in addition to the close-knit atmosphere provided by the secondary characters. Although there was always the possibility that the children would become "too cute" and the characters themselves were rather thin, all of the family members added their distinct personalities to provide a sense of fullness to the story. As the couple learned to fall in love and support each other as a family unit, they discover someone is systematically trying to ruin Alex's family's home and business which adds both a bit of suspense and mystery to an otherwise straightforward romance. This light, easy read is perfect for a rainy afternoon.

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is book one the "logger " series. Published in 2006, this is a contemporary romance with just a little suspense.
When I picked this book out, I thought the premise was interesting. But, after reading the mixed reviews, I wasn't sure what to expect.
Alex Knight, ( I love that name), a widower with two kids, is presumed dead. His father, Grady, is afraid the children's maternal grandparents will try to get custody, so he ask Sarah to marry Alex by proxy, then adopt the children. She agrees to the scheme. This way she would have a family without having to find a husband.
There's just one hitch. Alex isn't dead. Now they are both in a marriage neither of them wanted.
This one started off with promise. But, Sarah's backstory was a little odd to say the least. Alex cant seem to decide if he just wanted Sarah around temporarily or if he really wanted a marriage. I was a little unclear on that at times. Sarah seemed to be immune to Alex after their first "encounter ". So, the chemistry was sort of bland. The suspense part didn't pick up until the very end and was the best part of the book.
Overall a C-

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic book by Janet Chapman, full of her trademark humor, heat, and family. Alex has been away in South America working as an engineer. Unfortunately, he was caught in a rebel attack and reported to his family as being killed in the attack. Imagine his surprise when he makes it out of the jungle and home again, to find himself married to a woman he's never met.

Sarah grew up on an isolated island where she ended up running her family's B&B after her parents' deaths. She also married quite young to a bully of a man. After his death and that of her mother-in-law, she was very happy to accept Grady Knight's offer of employment as housekeeper and nanny. Quickly growing to love the family, she was happy to marry the deceased son by proxy to protect the children, gaining the children she's always wanted without the inconvenience of a husband. Alex's surprise resurrection plays havoc with her plans - and her emotions.

The first meeting between Alex and Sarah was funny and a little heartbreaking. Alex's confusion over being confronted by his "wife", and held at bay by gunpoint, had me chuckling, while Sarah's fear at being confronted by a wild-looking and angry man made me ache for her. With the rest of the family away, Alex and Sarah are left to deal with explanations on their own - with the help of some whiskey-laced lemonade and the resulting poor decisions. One romance novel inspired dream results in an alcohol-enhanced passionate encounter, and equally passionate regrets a short time later. Alex makes a first class idiot of himself, shouting wild accusations and kicking Sarah out of the house. I loved his father's reaction when he showed up in the morning and how he made Alex feel like the jerk he was. All Alex has to do is find her and convince her to come back so that they can then figure out what to do. I loved that Sarah didn't make it easy for him, setting the tone for the development of their relationship.

I liked both Sarah and Alex. Both have been hurt in the past, making each of them reluctant to marry again. Finding themselves married to each other is not what either wants, but they have to let it play out for a little longer. Alex is actually a pretty nice guy, a terrific father, and feels guilty for the way he treated Sarah. He'd really like to change her opinion of him, but he'll have to get her to trust him first. That's going to take a little doing because he has a hard time keeping his hands off her. Sarah doesn't have much in the way of life experience, having been isolated for most of her life. She tends to base her thoughts and actions on the characters in the romance novels she reads, which gets her into trouble when Alex doesn't quite fit that mold. I found it especially amusing that the romance novels that Sarah quotes are other books that Janet Chapman wrote. I laughed out loud at this: "He's not even real," Sarah ground out "He's the figment of some demented woman's imagination."

I thoroughly enjoyed the development of Alex and Sarah's relationship. Both of them get a great deal of enjoyment out of pushing each other's buttons, creating sparks of all kinds. Sarah is determined to resist the attraction she feels for Alex, fearing the loss of her hard-won independence if she gives in to him. Alex quickly realizes that he doesn't want to lose her, and tries to seduce her into staying. I also liked how quickly Alex came to understand Sarah and what made her tick. She was an intriguing mix of naïve and worldly. I ached a bit for her cynicism over the way men treat her and her wish for a romance hero of her own. From driving lessons to ice fishing, so many of their encounters had me laughing out loud because they didn't go the way they expected. But there were also some really sweet times, such as the way that Alex cared for Sarah when she was injured and Sarah insisting that they accept her help when it's needed. An unexpected complication gives them extra motivation to work things out, but even that isn't enough for Sarah if Alex can't convince her that he really cares. I loved the ending, as both of them finally take the risk of confessing their feelings.

There is also a bit of suspense running through the book. Strangers in the woods and vandalized equipment have everyone on edge. I loved Alex's protectiveness toward Sarah when she runs afoul of those strangers. But it is Sarah who saves the day in an intense, though somewhat amusing, rescue mission to keep Alex from walking into a trap.

The secondary characters are terrific, too. Alex's kids, Tucker and Delaney are adorable. Tucker is the little boy who is thrilled to have Sarah as his new mom. Delaney is Alex's eleven-year-old daughter who is smarter and more observant than he realizes. I loved some of the things she said, and the way she helped take care of Sarah. Alex's father, Grady, is something of a schemer. He has multiple plans goings, most of which he keeps to himself until he's ready to spring them on the family. From the sports camp to the mill, he has his reasons. I also liked Alex's brothers, Ethan and Paul. There is plenty of teasing, but the love and support are also evident. There's a bit of a teaser for the next book, with a contentious encounter between Ethan and the mill foreman (forewoman?).

[♡ Sassy ~ Amy ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of a series, but it can be read as a stand alone book. I have read all JC books and thought they were great. This series was one I did not have, so I bought them & Low and behold... here I am.

The book was great, but I absolutely HATED Sarah.

Sarah - Beautiful, busty blond... I cannot stand weak women & she seemed very pathetic. She was obsessed with TV & her romance novels. I know people like that, and they are just WEEEIIRD!! So I put her in this category. ALSO, this has one of those classic scenes where she thinks she's dreaming, ends up having sex with a sleeping guy for him to wake up at the end & throw her out because he can't believe it happened, only for him to really want her back & shortly there after find out she's pregnant. Shocker there! (NOT!)

Otherwise, Alex is the Hot eldest hard working logger son of Grady who was believed to be dead only for 11 days & his dad Grady decided he should marry him by proxy to their hot house keeper, so Alex's ex-in-laws would not sue for custody of Alex's 2 children. He find Sarah HOT and then obviously decides he wants to keep her. He decides he needs to seduce her to get his way. She thwarts all his efforts by being blunt & no matter what he says to complement her, it seems to backfire.

Yes absolutely, there are some cheesy moments in this book where you have to laugh & say "WHATEVER!" but the good far out weighs the bad. I think the little side story of strangers in the woods was also just thrown in there, but hey. It can't all be about a fickle girl in a fantasy world... Hey! I read, but real is real. I wish I could pick the alpha male in my book to marry, but I don't think "hmmm... what would so and so do in my place"...

[penelopewanders · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had read a few other books by this author that came by as a ring like this one. I'm starting to think I'll duck out of the next one. I enjoyed the setting, winter wilderness with ice fishing scenes etc, and I enjoyed the references to the romance novels the heroine was reading, which were amongst those that I'd read. What I enjoyed far less were the actual characters, the mouse who is supposed to be a feisty heroine, the raving stereotypes - she can't drive or do anything technical, (going so far as to get welder's flash while changing a light bulb - and this after having apparently read the warning... puhleeze), he can't cook or think clearly anytime she takes a deep breath.... He's thrilled because she's teaching his little girl to cook and sew while the little boy is handing tools to his uncles out in the garage... Ah well, there are so so many books out there, it's good to know I really don't need to read them all.

[Astraycat · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the beginning, I really hate the hero!His behavior is so ridiculous that I can't believe it. How can the heroine forgive him is beyond me. However, at the story goes, I begin to enjoy the reading.

[Jody · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first of Janet Chapman's books I have read. I have seen many of her Highlander books and got curious. I think I picked this one up because it such an interesting premise. What if you married a man who was presumed dead but then was really alive? Do you stay married? Do you Divorce? This is what happens to Sarah Banks. Sarah grew up taking care of others at an Inn on Crag Island. She also took care of her father and married a gay man. She finally becomes the housekeeper for the Knights only to be talked into marrying the oldest brother, Alex, who is believed to be killed by South American Rebels. When he shows up, Sarah and Alex aren't sure what to do. Alex is sure Sarah is a gold-digger like his first wife and throws her out in the middle of the night. After apologizing, Alex is not only attracted to Sarah but begins to fall in love with her. Sarah is afraid to let herself really care for Alex. This is a good solid romance. I can't wait to read the companion book about the brother Ethan.

[Lady Raven RAVE! · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book for me sometimes Sarah made me get a are you for real look on my face but she was still likable along with Alex and the whole family,I am about to read the second book hope it is as good. This is the first read for me from this Author. I did like how the author incorporated her other romance novel in the story, the book Sarah was reading.

The only thing i don't like is that the story didn't need to be so many pages, i guess thats why some readers think some stories are being dragged out.

[Gorgeous Zaina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a wonderful time reading this book, it was a very pleasant surprise to find this sweet treat of a very short series. I haven't started reading Ethan's and I am demanding the storys of the rest of the Knight family.
Not fair miss Chapman totally not fair.

Running to see what happens to a lady who fired her Boss "snicker".

[Season · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was really cute. Everything fit in place really well.

[mad4rombks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-read.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable book.

[Nessy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book off putting. There is no such thing as a Scarlett Johansson look alike sex kitten, who is obsessed with romance books, wants to have sex and is still a virgin. I could buy that she is attractive and likes the books but she literally begs a man she has known for a few hours to take her virginity after he acts like a jackass. NO! It is also established that she knows how attractive she is and knows how to flaunt it yet she was just waiting for some dick head to accidentally fuck her... I repeat NO! I also would like to point out that unless she has lost the use of her leg, Sara is fully capable of controlling her limbs and therefor pushing on a gas pedal without flooring it. She is an educated woman who has a highly successful business I think she can manage not to act like she is seizing whenever she encounters machinery.
Other than the sexist issues in this book, it was also boring. There was barely a plot. The bad guys only showed up momentarily when Alex needed to act like a cave man. 80% of this book was Sara cooking/cleaning.

[Mathilde Jensen · Rating 1 out of 5]

The plot in this one is contrived. The main female character marries a dead man by proxy to save two children- but he shows up alive.

It annoys me when the writer chose a female lead who is a door matt. She has been trapped in a scam of a marriage before and now she lands herself in it again.
The dead man arrives home - finds himself married, gets drunk - sleeps in her bed- takes her virginity- without giving her pleasure- and kicks her out in the midle of the night - in the midle of the night so she has to walk on foot for miles - and then he tracks her down gives her a half-hearted appolygy.
Then he convinces her to come back, so his father who hatched the marriage scheme dont look bad.
I mean, come on! Why does female writers and female readers love females who acts as punching bags and male heroes who takes their haunted pasts out on innocent women? You have to be a masochist to go back to him after the way he treated her. But all she does is cook and clean. Are we in 1950s?
Dnf

[Henrika Juknaite · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The Seduction of Sarah" is a captivating romance that beautifully blends unexpected twists with heartfelt emotions. Jennifer Ryan has crafted a compelling story that kept me hooked from the very first page. When Alex Knight returns from the dead to find himself married to a woman he’s never met, the ensuing chaos and chemistry are both hilarious and touching.
Sarah Banks is a relatable and strong heroine, yearning for a sense of family and belonging. Her initial decision to marry Alex by proxy adds an intriguing layer to the plot, and watching her navigate her feelings as she gets to know the real Alex is a delightful journey. Alex, with his rugged charm and easy smile, is the perfect counterpart, and their fiery encounters are both steamy and romantic.
The dynamic between them is electric, and the development of their relationship feels authentic and heartfelt. This book is a delightful escape filled with passion, humor, and the complexities of love. Highly recommend for anyone looking for a fun and engaging romance that tugs at your heartstrings!

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe this gets better, but it's off to such a horrible start I just don't care to keep reading. In addition to the implausible beginning and horrible actions of the male lead, there are loopholes. If Sarah has been there as housekeeper, teaching the kids, sewing curtains, being Mary Poppins for months, why didn't Alex even hear of her? Was there zero communication with the family while he was on this big engineering project? If not, there's no rationale. The whole thing makes no sense. Yes, you need to make up the plot to get the story going, but this is just too contrived and unbelievable - not only the story but the thoughts and actions of the characters. And.. I can't stand the male lead. DNF. Rated 2 for technically good writing.

[TinaMarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alex returns home from a near death experience, knowing everyone thinks he's dead, he's looking forward to seeing his family only to discover a strange woman claiming to be his wife. Alex doesn't take this very well and even after explanations are made he doesn't treat her well. He quickly learns the error of his ways and spends the rest of the time trying to convince her to remain his wife. Sarah has been badly used since her parents died at seventeen and wants no part of being Alex's wife, she only became his wife by proxy in order to protect his children. Toss in mysterious men in the woods, attacks and vandalism and you have a nice Chapman read. Sweet romance.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book that keeps your attention from the beginning to the end. Alex Knight finds himself married to Sarah Banks without his knowledge after his father received word that he had been killed in Brazil. Grady Knight knew that Alex’s late wife’s parents would try to take his two grandkids. With the help of his friend, the Judge, Grady arranged for a proxy marriage before he told anyone of the news of Alex’s death. Everyone was surprised when Alex shows up after fighting for thirteen days through a jungle to arrive safe at home. What happens now? Thus the name of the book. Great read.

[Ebony · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so bonkers and ridiculous and over the top and I loved it!
Someone suggested it on a book blog I follow and after reading the description given how could I not want to read it? It reminded me of a an old school romance. The storyline was kind of unbelievable (married by proxy?), the hero was a total alpha, the heroine was silly and sassy and couldn’t drive and the plot just kept getting better and better.
It was the exact kind of crazy sauce, over the top, out there read I needed in my 5th COVID lockdown. Truly epic 😀

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping to get some nostalgia out of this book, because not only is it set in the region of Maine where I grew up, but my family were also loggers. Ultimately, I was disappointed. The book may be set in Maine, but other than the woods and the snow, there is really no sense of place here. They never even leave the family's property, for the most part. And even once I got passed the implausibility of the marriage set-up, Alex really got on my nerves. Though I did enjoy the inclusion of a skidder in the book's action.

[LOVEROFBOOKS · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit of a letdown.

I liked it ok but not enough to keep and read again. I almost gave up after how harshly the Hero treated Heroine at first. He did redeem himself. I guess I did not enjoy her plugging her other books in this one either. I didn't really feel the chemistry between them too much either. I found it difficult to finish but I did.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been reading sex Ed and consent books to find ones to give to my preteens. This seem to make me particularly sensitive to the many parts of this book where he asks to kiss her or more, she says no, he says OK I know what you want, and does it anyway. So, while I mostly enjoyed the characters in the flat it was hard for me to really like the story.

[Margie Raaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book started out so good. And it was so unique that it hooked me right from the start. And the driving ability of one of the characters will crack you up. It introduced us to this family and I'm hoping to read more about them

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the MCs. The male MC was really sweet on his wife even though at first he was a huge jerk, but he apologised and from then on treated her like his queen. And the female MC was also so strong, resourceful and had so much love for everyone. I'm happy that they got a happy ending.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the whit and humor that Janet Chapman has in her books. I laughed more from this story than I did from the last two books of hers and I laughed while reading both of them.

If you are looking for a funny romance then I highly recommend this book. ENJOY

[Jennifer Gottschalk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mesmerising read with a strange beginning and predictable yet satisfying ending.

This novel explores themes of family and includes a mix of action and romance.

At times the pacing was a bit slow but overall I enjoyed this book.