What do you think?
Rate this book
Lembaran Baru/Husband By Arrangement
An arranged marriage?
Maddy had agreed to meet her husband-by-arrangement -- but she had no intention of marrying him! Her plan was to pretend to be the very opposite of a suitable wife!
Millionaire tycoon Dex Fitzgerald was relieved to meet Maddy -- no one would make him marry this! But they couldn't hide the attraction that sizzled between them.... A night of searing passion was inevitable, and when it happened, would Dex discover the real Maddy -- the one he'd want to make his bride...?
Maddy had agreed to meet her husband-by-arrangement -- but she had no intention of marrying him! Her plan was to pretend to be the very opposite of a suitable wife!
Millionaire tycoon Dex Fitzgerald was relieved to meet Maddy -- no one would make him marry this! But they couldn't hide the attraction that sizzled between them.... A night of searing passion was inevitable, and when it happened, would Dex discover the real Maddy -- the one he'd want to make his bride...?
264 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2003
14 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Sara Wood
254 books33 followersSara Wood was born in England. She has wonderful memories of her childhood. Her parents were desperately poor but their devotion to family life gave her a feeling of great security. Sara's father was one of four fostered children and never knew his parents, hence his joy with his own family. Birthday parties were sensational her father would perform brilliantly as a Chinese magician or a clown or invent hilarious games and treasure hunts. From him she learnt that working hard brought many rewards, especially self-respect. During her degree course she met her husband, a kind, thoughtful, attentive man who is her friend and soulmate. At 21, she married and had her first son at 22. Now she has another three children. She loved teaching in Sussex which she did for twelve years.
Her switch into writing came about in a peculiar way. Richie, her elder son, had always been nuts about natural history and had a huge collection of animal skulls. At the age of fifteen he decided he'd write an information book about collecting. Heinemann and Pan, prestigious publishers, eagerly fell on the book and when it was published it won the famous Times Information Book award. Interviews, TV and magazine articles followed. Encouraged by his success, she thought she could write too and had several information books for children published. Then she saw Charlotte Lamb being wined and dined by Mills & Boon on a television programme and decided she could do Charlotte's job! But she'd rarely read fiction before, so she bought twenty books and analysed them carefully, then wrote one of her own. Amazingly it was accepted and she began writing full time.
Sara and her husband moved to a small country estate in Cornwall which was a paradise. Her sons visited often; Richie being married to Heidi and with two daughters; Simon rushing in after some danger- filled action in Alaska or Hawaii etc, protecting the environment with Greenpeace. Sara qualified as a homeopath, caring for the health of her family and friends. But Paradise is always fleeting. Sara's husband became seriously ill and it was clear that they had to move somewhere less demanding on time and effort. After a nightmare year of worrying about him, nursing and watching him like a hawk, she was relieved when they'd sold up and moved back to Sussex. Their current house is large and thatched and sits in the pretty rolling downs with wonderful walks and views all around. They live nearer to the boys (men!) and see them often. Richie and Heidi are expecting another baby, Simon has a baby son and a new, dangerous, passion flinging himself off mountains (paragliding). The three hills nearby frequently entice him down. She adores seeing her family (mother, mother-in-law too) around the table at Christmas. Sara feels fortunate that although she's had tough times and has sometimes been desperately unhappy, she is now surrounded by love and feels she can weather any storm to come.
Her switch into writing came about in a peculiar way. Richie, her elder son, had always been nuts about natural history and had a huge collection of animal skulls. At the age of fifteen he decided he'd write an information book about collecting. Heinemann and Pan, prestigious publishers, eagerly fell on the book and when it was published it won the famous Times Information Book award. Interviews, TV and magazine articles followed. Encouraged by his success, she thought she could write too and had several information books for children published. Then she saw Charlotte Lamb being wined and dined by Mills & Boon on a television programme and decided she could do Charlotte's job! But she'd rarely read fiction before, so she bought twenty books and analysed them carefully, then wrote one of her own. Amazingly it was accepted and she began writing full time.
Sara and her husband moved to a small country estate in Cornwall which was a paradise. Her sons visited often; Richie being married to Heidi and with two daughters; Simon rushing in after some danger- filled action in Alaska or Hawaii etc, protecting the environment with Greenpeace. Sara qualified as a homeopath, caring for the health of her family and friends. But Paradise is always fleeting. Sara's husband became seriously ill and it was clear that they had to move somewhere less demanding on time and effort. After a nightmare year of worrying about him, nursing and watching him like a hawk, she was relieved when they'd sold up and moved back to Sussex. Their current house is large and thatched and sits in the pretty rolling downs with wonderful walks and views all around. They live nearer to the boys (men!) and see them often. Richie and Heidi are expecting another baby, Simon has a baby son and a new, dangerous, passion flinging himself off mountains (paragliding). The three hills nearby frequently entice him down. She adores seeing her family (mother, mother-in-law too) around the table at Christmas. Sara feels fortunate that although she's had tough times and has sometimes been desperately unhappy, she is now surrounded by love and feels she can weather any storm to come.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 10, 2020
leído marzo 2014
Meh....
Meh....
March 14, 2013
3 Stars ~ Their families had become divided when a tragic accident took both Maddy's and Dexter's parents. They'd been partners in a horticultural nursery in Portugal, and with the deaths one family forced out the other. Maddy was eleven and she traveled to England with her Grandfather where they lived a life of struggle. Dexter was fifteen and remained in Portugal with his grandparents until he went out in the world as a horticulturist gathering new plants for their nursery. Maddy's now turned 30 and her grandfather is anxious for her to marry. Likewise, Dexter is a widower and his grandmother wants him to marry and provide an heir. Together the grandparents want to reunite the families and have arranged for Maddy to travel to Portugal in the hopes of marriage to Dexter. Maddy doesn't want to marry but to keep her ailing grandfather happy she decides to make the trip but she determined to present herself an a totally unsuitable wife for Dex. She arrives with burgundy hair, bold makeup, and flashy and sassy clothes and an attitude of fun and dollar signs. Of course, Dexter's grandmother is appalled but Dexter thinks this is rather funny, and he pretends to be smitten with Maddy also in the hopes of dashing his grandmother's matchmaking. Only beneath their charade is a very real chemistry that smolders.
This is a charming love story. Dex and Maddy share a childhood and a love of the nursery farm in Portugal. They come with their own personal demons. Maddy's certain that no man will really want her when they learn of her secret and Dex is sure he doesn't ever want to risk his heart again. These two are soul mates. Maddy's antics at the start of this story are laugh out loud fun. Ms. Wood was wise to introduce the light hearted first as the events that follow and from the past are very emotional. I'm glad Dex and Maddy found their HEA
This is a charming love story. Dex and Maddy share a childhood and a love of the nursery farm in Portugal. They come with their own personal demons. Maddy's certain that no man will really want her when they learn of her secret and Dex is sure he doesn't ever want to risk his heart again. These two are soul mates. Maddy's antics at the start of this story are laugh out loud fun. Ms. Wood was wise to introduce the light hearted first as the events that follow and from the past are very emotional. I'm glad Dex and Maddy found their HEA
October 16, 2020
Very weak plot and typical cliche characters. Would have liked the characters to have more development and have more about the families before the accident and afterwards. Honestly, Maddy was much more fun letting loose and really playing up the gold digger side. When she did tone it down it wasn't as entertaining. Dex seems so cold most of the time, only time he is remotely human is when he is working and dealing with the nursery.
The views are very scenic though based on the description.
Overall, a quick and forgettable story.
The views are very scenic though based on the description.
Overall, a quick and forgettable story.
May 12, 2018
Forgettable and a bit boring started off with so much promise her misbehaving to look unsuitable to the H via a MOC but it just kind of spluttered about a bit and I got bored
February 3, 2021
Αγαπημένα αρλεκιν
August 8, 2012
Aku lumayan suka dengan cerita ini, baik dari alur cerita, tokoh ataupun settingnya...Sebenarnya ini bukan kali pertama aku baca novel ini. Novel menceritakan seorang gadis Maddy yang setengah dipaksa kakeknya untuk menemui cucu laki2 temannya. Dexter adalah cucu laki2 tersebut, sebenarnya Dexter & Maddy adalah teman masa kecil, mereka semua pernah hidup dalam satu rumah. tapi karena kecelakaan yg menewaskan kedua orang tua mereka akhirnya kakek Maddy meninggalkan Quinta. Maddy berusaha mengagalkan pertunangan tersebut dengan berpura - pura menjadi wanita liar yang seronok & mata duitan sehingga Dexter & neneknya akan menolak dirinya.
Dilain pihak Dexter juga tidak ingin menikah lagi setelah kematian bayi & istrinya.
Yang lucu disini...Dexter akhirnya memanfaatkan ketidaksopanan Maddy utk menggoda neneknya, Dex mengatakan ia menyukai Maddy padahal neneknya saat melihat Maddy langsung mengambil keputusan utk membatalkan renacana pertunangan mereka.
Saat Maddy tiba di quinta, saat itu Quinta sudah tinggal puing2, estate tersebut habis terbakar karena kebakaran hutan disekelilingnya. Maddy yg menghabiskan masa kanak2nya di Quinta sangat sedih mengetahui hal itu........ia ingin menghibur Dex, sedang Dex berpikir bahwa Maddy akan segera cabut pulang ke Inggris jk mengetahui rumahnya terbakar habis & menganggap dex sdh jatuh miskin. Maddy meminta maaf ke dex & menjelaskan bahwa selama ini ia hanya pura2.......bahwa ia benar2 turut sedih atas kehilangan Dex....akhirnya jadian deh mereka. Tapi masih ada masalah lain, sehingga Maddy tidak mau menerima lamaran Dex......
Dilain pihak Dexter juga tidak ingin menikah lagi setelah kematian bayi & istrinya.
Yang lucu disini...Dexter akhirnya memanfaatkan ketidaksopanan Maddy utk menggoda neneknya, Dex mengatakan ia menyukai Maddy padahal neneknya saat melihat Maddy langsung mengambil keputusan utk membatalkan renacana pertunangan mereka.
Saat Maddy tiba di quinta, saat itu Quinta sudah tinggal puing2, estate tersebut habis terbakar karena kebakaran hutan disekelilingnya. Maddy yg menghabiskan masa kanak2nya di Quinta sangat sedih mengetahui hal itu........ia ingin menghibur Dex, sedang Dex berpikir bahwa Maddy akan segera cabut pulang ke Inggris jk mengetahui rumahnya terbakar habis & menganggap dex sdh jatuh miskin. Maddy meminta maaf ke dex & menjelaskan bahwa selama ini ia hanya pura2.......bahwa ia benar2 turut sedih atas kehilangan Dex....akhirnya jadian deh mereka. Tapi masih ada masalah lain, sehingga Maddy tidak mau menerima lamaran Dex......
February 19, 2015
This was a surprisingly warm and touching story.
Maddy is dead set against marrying a man she hasn't seen since she was twelve years old, despite the fact that he could raise her standard of living. So, to let her granddad down easy, she decides to act so outrageously that her intended will be too horrified to further the alliance.
Dex has no intention of remarrying, but something about Maddy draws him in. At first, he thinks her a gold digger, but as he gets to know her, his opinion changes for the better.
A very engaging read.
Maddy is dead set against marrying a man she hasn't seen since she was twelve years old, despite the fact that he could raise her standard of living. So, to let her granddad down easy, she decides to act so outrageously that her intended will be too horrified to further the alliance.
Dex has no intention of remarrying, but something about Maddy draws him in. At first, he thinks her a gold digger, but as he gets to know her, his opinion changes for the better.
A very engaging read.
June 5, 2019
Maddy had agreed to meet her husband-by-arrangement--but she had no intention of marrying him! Her plan was to pretend to be the very opposite of a suitable wife! She arrives with burgundy hair, bold makeup, and flashy and sassy clothes
Millionaire tycoon Dex Fitzgerald was relieved to meet Maddy--no one would make him marry this! But they couldn't hide the attraction that sizzled between them.... A night of searing passion was inevitable, and when it happened, would Dex discover the real Maddy--the one he'd want to make his bride...?
Millionaire tycoon Dex Fitzgerald was relieved to meet Maddy--no one would make him marry this! But they couldn't hide the attraction that sizzled between them.... A night of searing passion was inevitable, and when it happened, would Dex discover the real Maddy--the one he'd want to make his bride...?
September 13, 2016
Humor Mixed with Pathos
A story with nicely developed characters and a heavy sense of humor make for a good story. Two grandparents want their grandchildren who haven't seen each other in 20 years to marry. The heroine thinks if she shows up looking and acting totally opposite from what the hero and his mother expect she can go back home. Hero doesn't want marriage either and acts like He is attracted to this wild woman. of course, it backfires on both of them.
A story with nicely developed characters and a heavy sense of humor make for a good story. Two grandparents want their grandchildren who haven't seen each other in 20 years to marry. The heroine thinks if she shows up looking and acting totally opposite from what the hero and his mother expect she can go back home. Hero doesn't want marriage either and acts like He is attracted to this wild woman. of course, it backfires on both of them.
September 16, 2010
I'd like to say I've read many a sillier book, but I haven't.
February 3, 2014
a very easy read, be predictable.
December 12, 2018
Laughed, cried and laughed my way through it.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews