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Green Card
William Harper has it looks, money, power. There’s just one tiny problem—he’s about to be deported. He needs a green card. Fast. An American wife is the easiest way to get one. But where will he find a woman to marry him on such short notice? Elizabeth Barrett is a full-time student, part-time dog walker, and weekend tutor. With a roommate who just ran out on her and neck deep in tuition payments, she needs money. Now. Harper just might make her an offer she can’t refuse. He thinks he’s worked out the perfect deal, she thinks she’s signed up for an easy job. Neither of them bargained for the ride of their lives.
648 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 13, 2014
85 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Adams
27 books299 followersElizabeth Adams is a book-loving, tango-dancing, Austen enthusiast. She loves old houses and thinks birthdays should be celebrated with trips—as should most occasions. She can often be found by a sunny window with a cup of hot tea and a book in her hand.
She writes romantic comedy and comedic tragedy in both historic and modern settings.
You can find more information, short stories, and outtakes at eadamswrites.com
She writes romantic comedy and comedic tragedy in both historic and modern settings.
You can find more information, short stories, and outtakes at eadamswrites.com
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
January 9, 2018
Dear Reader,
Once in a while a book quietly sidles up to you,nestles its way into your heart,happily resides there until it has told you its story and lingers,refreshing your memory with some delightful flashbacks of adorable incidents centred around a simply adorable couple!
This was an utterly addictive read,one couched in beautifully descriptive language, relating a story of love with undeniably questionable origins but one that thankfully developed as a slow burn romance,sprinkled with the requisite spice that resulted in a heartwarming and deliciously rewarding tale.
A wonderful story seamlessly embroidering a variety of threads to form a tapestry rich in humour,romance,friendship and love,I recommended this tale to all lovers of romance!
Ms Adams,I applaud you for penning such a heartwarming and compelling tale. Thank you for such an enjoyable reading experience! I loved every minute spent with William,Lizzy and their extended family!
Once in a while a book quietly sidles up to you,nestles its way into your heart,happily resides there until it has told you its story and lingers,refreshing your memory with some delightful flashbacks of adorable incidents centred around a simply adorable couple!
This was an utterly addictive read,one couched in beautifully descriptive language, relating a story of love with undeniably questionable origins but one that thankfully developed as a slow burn romance,sprinkled with the requisite spice that resulted in a heartwarming and deliciously rewarding tale.
A wonderful story seamlessly embroidering a variety of threads to form a tapestry rich in humour,romance,friendship and love,I recommended this tale to all lovers of romance!
Ms Adams,I applaud you for penning such a heartwarming and compelling tale. Thank you for such an enjoyable reading experience! I loved every minute spent with William,Lizzy and their extended family!
June 26, 2018
When Disguise, No Matter How Abhorrent, Is a Necessity!
TYPE OF AUSTENESQUE NOVEL: Not exactly a modern-day P&P, this is more like a Darcy and Elizabeth inspired contemporary romance.
SETTING: Modern-day, Manhattan, New York
WHY I WANTED TO READ THIS BOOK:
- So many reasons – modern-day romance, Elizabeth Adams, forced/marriage of convenience scenario!
- Made me think of The Proposal – which I adored!
SYNOPSIS:
In her modern-day romance, Green Card (first edition published in 2014), Elizabeth Adams tells the story William Harper, who is desperate to remain in the US and not be deported back to England, and Elizabeth Barrett, the short-on-funds-full-time student, who agrees to play the part of Will’s wife for the next couple of years in exchange for some hefty financial benefits. In order to stay above suspicion for Immigration Services, Liz and Harper must look like the real deal. And because William Harper is an eligible and wealthy bachelor in the public eye they must act like the real deal too. This marriage of convenience is supposed to be fake, but what happens when in starts to feel real?
WHAT I LOVED:
- A Captivating Premise: I love that both Will and Liz are virtual strangers and that their relationship starts off with a contract and a secret. While there is no animosity or infamous insults between the two – they do recognize right away the differences in their upbringing, status, and personalities. And instead of having time to warm up and get to know each other, they are forced to become engaged and marry all within ten days of meeting each other. I enjoyed witnessing how Will and Liz coped with these abrupt changes in their lives and the challenges they faced when they merged their lives together (like all married couples do!).
- Not Exactly P&P: I loved that the premise didn’t really resemble the plot for Pride and Prejudice in anyway. It left a room for new possibilities and I enjoyed not knowing what to expect. However, there are many characters in this story that resemble characters from Jane Austen’s tale, such as: Elizabeth, Darcy, Jane, Bingley, Charlotte, and Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. It was fun to spot some recognizable personalities!
- Well-Drawn and Engaging Characters: You know the characters are interesting and well-crafted when four hundred pages doesn’t feel like enough. I adored Elizabeth Barrett from the very first page – she is fun-loving, warm, quirky, and has a spirited. I want to be her best friend! And while Will at first seems like detached and business-like, he has some hidden layers and a caring heart. I loved how he was willing to change and go out of his comfort zone for Liz. I admired how real both characters felt, how real their relationship felt. It wasn’t a fairy-tale or overly melodramatic, it struck the perfect balance.
- An Emotional Journey: I loved seeing how things developed between Liz and Will. How they grew from business partners to roommates, from friends to lovers. It was quite lovely to witness. In addition, I enjoyed observing how both characters dealt with some personal/family issues throughout this story. There is a surprising amount of emotional healing and growth in this tale.
- Memorable Moments: I love those scenes that stay with you long after you finish reading and this story is full of them – their first public date, the first night at the cabin, when Liz comforted Will, the talent show… *sigh*
WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:
- Such a small quibble, but I thought there were perhaps too many extended family members introduced. Especially since many of the cousins, aunts, and uncles don’t play an integral part in the story and appear only once.
CONCLUSION:
Fresh and enthralling – Green Card is a beautifully expressive tale of finding love, happiness, and home when and where you least expect it. I adored the romance, the characters, their journey, the trips they went on, and the food they ate! (Bonus: there are 6 delectable recipes in the back of the book to try!)
NOTE: Due to a few brief intimate scenes and uses of strong language I’d recommend this book for Mature Audiences
SECOND NOTE: According to the author this second edition of Green Card has undergone some major edits and there is whole new chapter that isn’t in the first edition.
Austenesque Reviews
TYPE OF AUSTENESQUE NOVEL: Not exactly a modern-day P&P, this is more like a Darcy and Elizabeth inspired contemporary romance.
SETTING: Modern-day, Manhattan, New York
WHY I WANTED TO READ THIS BOOK:
- So many reasons – modern-day romance, Elizabeth Adams, forced/marriage of convenience scenario!
- Made me think of The Proposal – which I adored!
SYNOPSIS:
In her modern-day romance, Green Card (first edition published in 2014), Elizabeth Adams tells the story William Harper, who is desperate to remain in the US and not be deported back to England, and Elizabeth Barrett, the short-on-funds-full-time student, who agrees to play the part of Will’s wife for the next couple of years in exchange for some hefty financial benefits. In order to stay above suspicion for Immigration Services, Liz and Harper must look like the real deal. And because William Harper is an eligible and wealthy bachelor in the public eye they must act like the real deal too. This marriage of convenience is supposed to be fake, but what happens when in starts to feel real?
WHAT I LOVED:
- A Captivating Premise: I love that both Will and Liz are virtual strangers and that their relationship starts off with a contract and a secret. While there is no animosity or infamous insults between the two – they do recognize right away the differences in their upbringing, status, and personalities. And instead of having time to warm up and get to know each other, they are forced to become engaged and marry all within ten days of meeting each other. I enjoyed witnessing how Will and Liz coped with these abrupt changes in their lives and the challenges they faced when they merged their lives together (like all married couples do!).
- Not Exactly P&P: I loved that the premise didn’t really resemble the plot for Pride and Prejudice in anyway. It left a room for new possibilities and I enjoyed not knowing what to expect. However, there are many characters in this story that resemble characters from Jane Austen’s tale, such as: Elizabeth, Darcy, Jane, Bingley, Charlotte, and Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. It was fun to spot some recognizable personalities!
- Well-Drawn and Engaging Characters: You know the characters are interesting and well-crafted when four hundred pages doesn’t feel like enough. I adored Elizabeth Barrett from the very first page – she is fun-loving, warm, quirky, and has a spirited. I want to be her best friend! And while Will at first seems like detached and business-like, he has some hidden layers and a caring heart. I loved how he was willing to change and go out of his comfort zone for Liz. I admired how real both characters felt, how real their relationship felt. It wasn’t a fairy-tale or overly melodramatic, it struck the perfect balance.
- An Emotional Journey: I loved seeing how things developed between Liz and Will. How they grew from business partners to roommates, from friends to lovers. It was quite lovely to witness. In addition, I enjoyed observing how both characters dealt with some personal/family issues throughout this story. There is a surprising amount of emotional healing and growth in this tale.
- Memorable Moments: I love those scenes that stay with you long after you finish reading and this story is full of them – their first public date, the first night at the cabin, when Liz comforted Will, the talent show… *sigh*
WHAT I WASN’T TOO FOND OF:
- Such a small quibble, but I thought there were perhaps too many extended family members introduced. Especially since many of the cousins, aunts, and uncles don’t play an integral part in the story and appear only once.
CONCLUSION:
Fresh and enthralling – Green Card is a beautifully expressive tale of finding love, happiness, and home when and where you least expect it. I adored the romance, the characters, their journey, the trips they went on, and the food they ate! (Bonus: there are 6 delectable recipes in the back of the book to try!)
NOTE: Due to a few brief intimate scenes and uses of strong language I’d recommend this book for Mature Audiences
SECOND NOTE: According to the author this second edition of Green Card has undergone some major edits and there is whole new chapter that isn’t in the first edition.
Austenesque Reviews
July 3, 2018
I have had this book on my Wish List for some time and now that it was available to borrow from Kindle Unlimited I jumped at the chance to read it. It has been highly rated in the available reviews. This is a modern variation which is only very loosely reflective of any of JA's P&P. There are characters with similar personalities/behaviors to canon but the events are entirely this author's story. While the families of both main characters also have similar structure they, too, have their own path in this tale.
Andrew Jamison, attorney for William Harper advises the latter that an ex girlfriend has perjured herself in presenting his reasons for being in the USA and that an investigation may result in William's Visa being withdrawn and his being expelled. The best solution would be to marry an American citizen for a little over the two years necessary for him to acquire his permanent Visa. Andrew suggests that his girlfriend's, Jen Barrett's, sister, Elizabeth might be an excellent candidate for that role. She would benefit financially as she was struggling to pay for her education towards her doctorate and living expenses. Andrew also thought that she could be trusted to abide by any legal agreement they put into place and would be able to pull off her role in deceiving the press, the public and the Immigration Services. William's businesses would suffer great financial set-backs if he could not remain in the states to bring closure to a deal which had had recent set-backs.
Things move quickly and all the angles are considered. A whirlwind romance with a quick wedding in Vegas is pulled off and the couple keeps appearances in place with making public appearances/dates and moving in together. Both are introduced to the other's family and it is here that we find similarities to canon as William's family is high class with expectations for their offspring - Elizabeth does not fit those. And when he meets her family he finds a mother who has nothing complimentary to say about her second daughter. Her parents are divorced but continue to live close to each other. William's only immediate family is his sister, Jessica, but Elizabeth forms a close friendship with a cousin.
The author dates each chapter as to how far they are in time into their marriage, knowing that shortly after the 2 year mark and his receiving a permanent Visa time will be up and their pre-nuptial contract acted upon. Lizzy had her own addition to that paperwork, wisely suggesting that as they would be living together that long the chance of their sleeping together at some point was a real possibility and that they had to add wordage to cover any slip up with birth control methods.
This journey as the couple get to know each other and to become best friends was intriguing. Both find insights into how the other has suffered at the hands of their parents in their upbringing and as they offer solace for the empty spot that neglect has left in the other's psyche.
This is one of those tales which grab your attention from the get-go. While we are guaranteed a HEA the twists and turns getting there made for a very interesting read.
There were two memorable passages as Will's relationship with his parents and Lizzy's relationship with her mother have "Ah-ha" moments...even though his parents are both deceased.
Andrew Jamison, attorney for William Harper advises the latter that an ex girlfriend has perjured herself in presenting his reasons for being in the USA and that an investigation may result in William's Visa being withdrawn and his being expelled. The best solution would be to marry an American citizen for a little over the two years necessary for him to acquire his permanent Visa. Andrew suggests that his girlfriend's, Jen Barrett's, sister, Elizabeth might be an excellent candidate for that role. She would benefit financially as she was struggling to pay for her education towards her doctorate and living expenses. Andrew also thought that she could be trusted to abide by any legal agreement they put into place and would be able to pull off her role in deceiving the press, the public and the Immigration Services. William's businesses would suffer great financial set-backs if he could not remain in the states to bring closure to a deal which had had recent set-backs.
Things move quickly and all the angles are considered. A whirlwind romance with a quick wedding in Vegas is pulled off and the couple keeps appearances in place with making public appearances/dates and moving in together. Both are introduced to the other's family and it is here that we find similarities to canon as William's family is high class with expectations for their offspring - Elizabeth does not fit those. And when he meets her family he finds a mother who has nothing complimentary to say about her second daughter. Her parents are divorced but continue to live close to each other. William's only immediate family is his sister, Jessica, but Elizabeth forms a close friendship with a cousin.
The author dates each chapter as to how far they are in time into their marriage, knowing that shortly after the 2 year mark and his receiving a permanent Visa time will be up and their pre-nuptial contract acted upon. Lizzy had her own addition to that paperwork, wisely suggesting that as they would be living together that long the chance of their sleeping together at some point was a real possibility and that they had to add wordage to cover any slip up with birth control methods.
This journey as the couple get to know each other and to become best friends was intriguing. Both find insights into how the other has suffered at the hands of their parents in their upbringing and as they offer solace for the empty spot that neglect has left in the other's psyche.
This is one of those tales which grab your attention from the get-go. While we are guaranteed a HEA the twists and turns getting there made for a very interesting read.
There were two memorable passages as Will's relationship with his parents and Lizzy's relationship with her mother have "Ah-ha" moments...even though his parents are both deceased.
April 19, 2025
Soooooooo good!!
Reviewed in Canada on June 13, 2019
What a thoroughly entertaining and wonderful story. Just simply excellent! Amazing dialogue throughout, something important to me as a reader. Personalities plus! A page turner from start to finish. I hated to see it end. Well written by a great author. Well done!
Update October 9, 2020—I’ve read this book multiple times, and still enjoy it. Green Card was the second “modern” Elizabeth-Darcy book I ever read; Linda Wells’ A Perfect Fit being the first. I was hesitant to read moderns but I’m so glad I did. Reading these books opened up a whole new category/genre for me. I first read this on Kindle, but with all of Elizabeth Adams’ books, I loved it so much I purchased it for my Kindle library.
November 12, 2020 - Audiobook- Wonderful!
January 4, 2023 - Elizabeth Grace is so adept in masterfully capturing so many voices, accents and genders. This performance is absolutely outstanding.
January 11, 2024 - Just completed what has become an annual read (at least) for me. I absolutely love love love this book. I believe this is also my favourite of Elizabeth’s Grace’s audiobook performances in the JAFF genre. I simply cannot praise it enough.
Reviewed in Canada on June 13, 2019
What a thoroughly entertaining and wonderful story. Just simply excellent! Amazing dialogue throughout, something important to me as a reader. Personalities plus! A page turner from start to finish. I hated to see it end. Well written by a great author. Well done!
Update October 9, 2020—I’ve read this book multiple times, and still enjoy it. Green Card was the second “modern” Elizabeth-Darcy book I ever read; Linda Wells’ A Perfect Fit being the first. I was hesitant to read moderns but I’m so glad I did. Reading these books opened up a whole new category/genre for me. I first read this on Kindle, but with all of Elizabeth Adams’ books, I loved it so much I purchased it for my Kindle library.
November 12, 2020 - Audiobook- Wonderful!
January 4, 2023 - Elizabeth Grace is so adept in masterfully capturing so many voices, accents and genders. This performance is absolutely outstanding.
January 11, 2024 - Just completed what has become an annual read (at least) for me. I absolutely love love love this book. I believe this is also my favourite of Elizabeth’s Grace’s audiobook performances in the JAFF genre. I simply cannot praise it enough.
April 11, 2015
William Harper is an English business man. He is handsome, rich and very popular. The only thing he does not have and desperately wants, is a green card in order to keep working and living in the US. According to his lawyer and friend Andrew, the easiest way to get one is to marry an American girl, and he happens to know just the right one: Katherine Bishop. She needs money to finish her studies and might be willing to help William.
“Green Card” was a thoroughly fun and entertaining book that I really enjoyed reading. It had so many lovely scenes and though it was quite a long book, I read it pretty quickly because I was really curious to know how it ended. The story was focused on William and Kate of course, their relationship and personal lives, but there were also other very interesting characters to meet. Such as Kate’s family and William’s sister. It was intriguing to see how their experiences mingled with the protagonists’ lives and made the plot engrossing.
The premise of the book is interesting. I do not think I could do what Kate did, because faking a marriage and being so close with a stranger (because that is what William was to Kate) would be too weird and I could never handle a situation like that. That is why at the beginning I could not completely accept Kate’s choice to be really a wife to William, and her willingness to share everything about her with him. But then, I started to understand them, their feelings and what both meant to each other.
The character I loved the most was William. At first, I thought he was a little too brooding and unpleasant. He never showed his feelings openly and had I been Kate, he would have made me feel a little uncomfortable. But after I got to know him better I totally forgot his behaviour in the beginning. He was sweet, romantic and so thoughtful! His marriage with Kate was fake but he was a real husband, always ready to make Kate happy. He talked to her, he laughed with her, he listened to her, he needed her advice and always wanted to know her opinion about everything. I really appreciated this aspect of his personality and I loved to see how his relationship with Kate helped and changed him.
One aspect I really loved was the fact that the author allowed readers to see what happened some years after Will and Katie’s marriage. It was beautiful to see how their families and friends had changed and what life had brought them. My only quibble is that some scenes were a little slow and sometimes I had the impression that there were too many details that made them a little difficult to follow. Though I love it when a story is filled with detailed descriptions, I found that some parts were just too long and I thought they could have been shorter. Also, there are several, though mild, intimate scenes and some girls talk a little too spicy for my liking.
Overall, “Green Card” was a good read that I would recommend to people who enjoy contemporary light stories. You will love to meet the Harpers!
*My thanks to the author for providing me with an e-ARC copy of the book.
“Green Card” was a thoroughly fun and entertaining book that I really enjoyed reading. It had so many lovely scenes and though it was quite a long book, I read it pretty quickly because I was really curious to know how it ended. The story was focused on William and Kate of course, their relationship and personal lives, but there were also other very interesting characters to meet. Such as Kate’s family and William’s sister. It was intriguing to see how their experiences mingled with the protagonists’ lives and made the plot engrossing.
The premise of the book is interesting. I do not think I could do what Kate did, because faking a marriage and being so close with a stranger (because that is what William was to Kate) would be too weird and I could never handle a situation like that. That is why at the beginning I could not completely accept Kate’s choice to be really a wife to William, and her willingness to share everything about her with him. But then, I started to understand them, their feelings and what both meant to each other.
The character I loved the most was William. At first, I thought he was a little too brooding and unpleasant. He never showed his feelings openly and had I been Kate, he would have made me feel a little uncomfortable. But after I got to know him better I totally forgot his behaviour in the beginning. He was sweet, romantic and so thoughtful! His marriage with Kate was fake but he was a real husband, always ready to make Kate happy. He talked to her, he laughed with her, he listened to her, he needed her advice and always wanted to know her opinion about everything. I really appreciated this aspect of his personality and I loved to see how his relationship with Kate helped and changed him.
One aspect I really loved was the fact that the author allowed readers to see what happened some years after Will and Katie’s marriage. It was beautiful to see how their families and friends had changed and what life had brought them. My only quibble is that some scenes were a little slow and sometimes I had the impression that there were too many details that made them a little difficult to follow. Though I love it when a story is filled with detailed descriptions, I found that some parts were just too long and I thought they could have been shorter. Also, there are several, though mild, intimate scenes and some girls talk a little too spicy for my liking.
Overall, “Green Card” was a good read that I would recommend to people who enjoy contemporary light stories. You will love to meet the Harpers!
*My thanks to the author for providing me with an e-ARC copy of the book.
April 11, 2019
William Harper has a problem. His work visa is running out and he may get deported. His best friend and attorney, Andrew Jamieson, makes a suggestion that he marry an American woman to get his Green Card. He knows just the woman! What they both don't know is how it will all end.
Elizabeth Barrett is a student working three jobs to afford her rent, tuition and the necessities of life. But now her roommate has walked out, and she doesn't know how she is going to pay her rent. When she is offered a deal from her sister's boyfriend to marry his friend that will cover all her expenses and then some, she goes for it.
"Was she the side salad to his main dish?" (quote from the book)
Oh, those first impressions! With 'Pride and Prejudice' undertones, this story is fun, flirty and at times poignant. As Will and Lizzy work together to be 'a couple', they each learn what love truly is all about! I would have to say the 'Brazil Butt Lift' scene was hilarious and I loved how both Will and Lizzy each were able to clearly see what the other could not in their relationships with certain members of their own family.
March 29, 2015
I'm a sucker for stories about people getting married and then falling in love. I just think it's a great, fun situation. This book uses it beautifully and I had a great time reading it. I particularly liked Kate's characters -- she was upbeat and fun and just the kind of person William needed to loosen up. It had a bit of Pride and Prejudice inspiration, but didn't really follow the plot. You could see how the characters were inspired by P&P though. Overall a fun, sweet, romantic read!
October 13, 2025
I loved Green Card, Tbh I love every Elizabeth Adams book. But this time instead of 5 stars, only 4 because I found it to be so longwinded sometimes. Elizabeth Grace also did a great job in narrating, you understand everything perfectly, no lisping and even imitated perfectly when the characters were sad,angry etc.
I‘m definitely glad I bought it and can listen to it again. Worth it! I love William Harper and Elizabeth Barrett!
I‘m definitely glad I bought it and can listen to it again. Worth it! I love William Harper and Elizabeth Barrett!
August 9, 2020
Audiobook Review
After relishing the author's Ship to Shore earlier this year, I was determined to continue with her backlist and new releases. I had my eye on this particular one since I spotted the title. I've seen romcom movies with this theme and thoroughly enjoyed them so I was eager to dive into Green Card. The author slowly builds from fake to real in a relationship full of friendship and heartwarming feelings, a conflict that was low angst, but still added tension to the plot, and an entertaining plot and engaging cast of characters.
Green Card opens with wealthy business mogul, William Harper, in a tough spot after a spiteful ex sets immigration on him. The only way to keep from being deported is to get his green card through marrying an American. William enjoys New York and hesitates only for a moment before letting his best friend and lawyer, Andrew Jamison, talk him into making his pitch to Jamie's girlfriend's sister, Elizabeth Barrett. They are a pair of opposites and first encounter and subsequent encounters start out rough, but slowly he finds an unexpected friend and their fake marriage- two year agreement suddenly starts to feel pretty real.
Elizabeth Barrett has a lot of brands in the fire all to live away from her family home and finish her education. Her flaky roommate ditched her leaving her with all the rent and it's one set back too many. Starched up William Harper isn't her idea of husband material, but the contract can relieve her struggles tremendously and it's not like any of it's real, right? But, getting to know each other and seeing behind the facade to the real person makes her want things she can't have. Or can she?
I do love when opposites meet and the sparks start to fly. Then, there is the strangers getting married and forced into proximity to add a few more pinches of spice. And, the humor moments were off the hook at times (sending your sorta friends- sorta not real hubby to the drug store for some girly stuff said how real it was, but also had me rolling at the real life. It was a set up to a story that I was bound to love- and I did. Granted, the story took it's time and the relationship built brick by brick. There were times of conflict because of course the pair of them had some marital spats, but the angst stayed relatively low all things considered.
His family and her family moments had me sitting up for both the modern-day class differences and because I got to see them really come together as a couple and have each other's backs. William's struggles are most deeply with a parent who has passed on and Liz's are with a live parent who doesn't like her. My heart went out to them both.
The book covers the whole two-year time span with time skips from event to event with the real life and dialogues playing a large role. Many people might find this pace a tad slow, but for the most part, I didn't mind. I liked being with this pair in their world.
As to narrator, Elizabeth Grace, I enjoyed my first encounter with her work. She voiced William and Liz so perfectly. I could see the characters and the whole story so well in my mind's eye. She did male and female, age, class, and emotions spot on. I look forward to listening to more of her work.
In summary, I ask myself why I waited so long. This was delightful through and through. So easy and entertaining, swoony, and heartwarming. I do believe I need to get going on that backlist for more. For those who like slow build, easy reading contemporary romance for a marriage of convenience plot, here's one to tickle your fancy.
My thanks to the author for providing a copy of this book to listen to in exchange of an honest review.
After relishing the author's Ship to Shore earlier this year, I was determined to continue with her backlist and new releases. I had my eye on this particular one since I spotted the title. I've seen romcom movies with this theme and thoroughly enjoyed them so I was eager to dive into Green Card. The author slowly builds from fake to real in a relationship full of friendship and heartwarming feelings, a conflict that was low angst, but still added tension to the plot, and an entertaining plot and engaging cast of characters.
Green Card opens with wealthy business mogul, William Harper, in a tough spot after a spiteful ex sets immigration on him. The only way to keep from being deported is to get his green card through marrying an American. William enjoys New York and hesitates only for a moment before letting his best friend and lawyer, Andrew Jamison, talk him into making his pitch to Jamie's girlfriend's sister, Elizabeth Barrett. They are a pair of opposites and first encounter and subsequent encounters start out rough, but slowly he finds an unexpected friend and their fake marriage- two year agreement suddenly starts to feel pretty real.
Elizabeth Barrett has a lot of brands in the fire all to live away from her family home and finish her education. Her flaky roommate ditched her leaving her with all the rent and it's one set back too many. Starched up William Harper isn't her idea of husband material, but the contract can relieve her struggles tremendously and it's not like any of it's real, right? But, getting to know each other and seeing behind the facade to the real person makes her want things she can't have. Or can she?
I do love when opposites meet and the sparks start to fly. Then, there is the strangers getting married and forced into proximity to add a few more pinches of spice. And, the humor moments were off the hook at times (sending your sorta friends- sorta not real hubby to the drug store for some girly stuff said how real it was, but also had me rolling at the real life. It was a set up to a story that I was bound to love- and I did. Granted, the story took it's time and the relationship built brick by brick. There were times of conflict because of course the pair of them had some marital spats, but the angst stayed relatively low all things considered.
His family and her family moments had me sitting up for both the modern-day class differences and because I got to see them really come together as a couple and have each other's backs. William's struggles are most deeply with a parent who has passed on and Liz's are with a live parent who doesn't like her. My heart went out to them both.
The book covers the whole two-year time span with time skips from event to event with the real life and dialogues playing a large role. Many people might find this pace a tad slow, but for the most part, I didn't mind. I liked being with this pair in their world.
As to narrator, Elizabeth Grace, I enjoyed my first encounter with her work. She voiced William and Liz so perfectly. I could see the characters and the whole story so well in my mind's eye. She did male and female, age, class, and emotions spot on. I look forward to listening to more of her work.
In summary, I ask myself why I waited so long. This was delightful through and through. So easy and entertaining, swoony, and heartwarming. I do believe I need to get going on that backlist for more. For those who like slow build, easy reading contemporary romance for a marriage of convenience plot, here's one to tickle your fancy.
My thanks to the author for providing a copy of this book to listen to in exchange of an honest review.
August 26, 2020
Audio book listen: 8/25/2020 -
Really enjoyed the audio book. Loved that the narrator used different tonality and inflection for voices and that you can hear the difference if a person was calling from a hallway or texting. The additional affects where greatly appreciated and enhanced the narration of the story.
Re-read 1/9/18 (reprinted with additions)
Read: 03/1515
This book is loosely based on Pride and Prejudice (Moderation adaptation with a twist)
I rate this book as a 4.5 stars
Premise:
William Harper is a high power business man from England with looks and money. He's working on a major deal and can't risk his work visa expiring due to some issues. His quickest solution is to get a green card and by doing so he needs to marry fast and to an American.
Katherine Bishop is a full-time student, part-time dog walker, and weekend tutor who has brains, quirks, and some sass. With a roommate who just ran out on her and neck deep in tuition payments, she needs money.
William is introduced to Katherine through his attorney/best friend "Andrew" who is dating Katherine's sister. They agree to an arrangement, but can they go from strangers to friends? How will they live together without killing each other? Can they keep this enormous secret from all their friends and family?
This is the second book I've read by this author and I really enjoyed it. Well written and had me laughing out loud on several occasions. It also has moments where it tugs at your heartstrings.
This novel takes you on a journey where two people get to know one another, for better or for worst... personally, professional, and let's not forget each other's family! It melds to people from different cultures and has you vested in their lives.
I love that the novel also provided recipes of the meals prepared. I haven't tried any, but look forward to doing so in the future. I would definitely recommend this book as it fun, romantic, and a modern day P&P.
Quibbles:
Towards the end of the book it felt a bit rushed. The epilogue didn't answer some of the issues/questions that were raised in the story-line. It left many unanswered questions like did the siblings (Will & Jacqueline) ever read their mother's journal. How did they deal with each of their parents knowing what they did. What about Kate's and her mother's relationship? I would of love for those later years in the epilogue to be extended a bit more. There are a few spelling/grammatical errors as well.
Due to some intimate scenes, I recommend this book for a mature audiences. Note that I also received this book as an Advance Reader's Copy to provide an honest review.
Really enjoyed the audio book. Loved that the narrator used different tonality and inflection for voices and that you can hear the difference if a person was calling from a hallway or texting. The additional affects where greatly appreciated and enhanced the narration of the story.
Re-read 1/9/18 (reprinted with additions)
Read: 03/1515
This book is loosely based on Pride and Prejudice (Moderation adaptation with a twist)
I rate this book as a 4.5 stars
Premise:
William Harper is a high power business man from England with looks and money. He's working on a major deal and can't risk his work visa expiring due to some issues. His quickest solution is to get a green card and by doing so he needs to marry fast and to an American.
Katherine Bishop is a full-time student, part-time dog walker, and weekend tutor who has brains, quirks, and some sass. With a roommate who just ran out on her and neck deep in tuition payments, she needs money.
William is introduced to Katherine through his attorney/best friend "Andrew" who is dating Katherine's sister. They agree to an arrangement, but can they go from strangers to friends? How will they live together without killing each other? Can they keep this enormous secret from all their friends and family?
This is the second book I've read by this author and I really enjoyed it. Well written and had me laughing out loud on several occasions. It also has moments where it tugs at your heartstrings.
This novel takes you on a journey where two people get to know one another, for better or for worst... personally, professional, and let's not forget each other's family! It melds to people from different cultures and has you vested in their lives.
I love that the novel also provided recipes of the meals prepared. I haven't tried any, but look forward to doing so in the future. I would definitely recommend this book as it fun, romantic, and a modern day P&P.
Quibbles:
Towards the end of the book it felt a bit rushed. The epilogue didn't answer some of the issues/questions that were raised in the story-line. It left many unanswered questions like did the siblings (Will & Jacqueline) ever read their mother's journal. How did they deal with each of their parents knowing what they did. What about Kate's and her mother's relationship? I would of love for those later years in the epilogue to be extended a bit more. There are a few spelling/grammatical errors as well.
Due to some intimate scenes, I recommend this book for a mature audiences. Note that I also received this book as an Advance Reader's Copy to provide an honest review.
March 25, 2024
SPOILER ALERT: This review may contain *** SPOILERS ***
>>Rating: mature with adult themes discussed, language, and sexual content
>>Angst Level: slight and only stressful in places.
>>Source: Won as part of the ‘Elizabeth Adams’ Collection’ in a drawing on Rita’s blog ‘From Pemberley to Milton [2017].
I’m not crazy about modern JAFF stories; however, this was cute. I liked the characters and their situation was unique to the P&P story we are so accustomed to. It worked.
Alicia Winters [a Caroline Bingley wanna-be], was a woman scorned. She set in motion William Harper’s need for a wife so he could stay in the US with a green card. He was in the middle of negotiations that could make or break his company and family holdings. He was desperate. He had a girlfriend that knew someone and that was all it took. Elizabeth Barrett was a graduate student with student loans, a roommate who jumped ship on her, a need to finish her degree, and she didn’t want to trouble her family. This was the arc our story took as the machinations required to put that need for a green card in motion. It was a long story as it encompassed a two-year span of time where they needed to stay together for him to receive a 10-year residency. This was their story arc. It was not too stressful and I enjoyed the various characters. Well, not the shrew that threw him under the bus. The Bannett family was hilarious.
>>Rating: mature with adult themes discussed, language, and sexual content
>>Angst Level: slight and only stressful in places.
>>Source: Won as part of the ‘Elizabeth Adams’ Collection’ in a drawing on Rita’s blog ‘From Pemberley to Milton [2017].
I’m not crazy about modern JAFF stories; however, this was cute. I liked the characters and their situation was unique to the P&P story we are so accustomed to. It worked.
Alicia Winters [a Caroline Bingley wanna-be], was a woman scorned. She set in motion William Harper’s need for a wife so he could stay in the US with a green card. He was in the middle of negotiations that could make or break his company and family holdings. He was desperate. He had a girlfriend that knew someone and that was all it took. Elizabeth Barrett was a graduate student with student loans, a roommate who jumped ship on her, a need to finish her degree, and she didn’t want to trouble her family. This was the arc our story took as the machinations required to put that need for a green card in motion. It was a long story as it encompassed a two-year span of time where they needed to stay together for him to receive a 10-year residency. This was their story arc. It was not too stressful and I enjoyed the various characters. Well, not the shrew that threw him under the bus. The Bannett family was hilarious.
January 23, 2018
Unputdownable!
What an absolutely fabulous read. It's the kind of book that you don't want to end I slow read on purpose to make it last longer. It is a substantial read at over 500 pages which gives many hours of entertainment. Not a dull moment from start to finish, I absolutely loved it!
I thought it was warm, thoughtful, exceedingly funny, emotional, romantic, passionate and thrilling.
This contemporary romance is not quite a P&P variation but I recognised several of the characters although the names were partially or completely changed. It was not hard to recognise ODC in Elizabeth Barrett and William Harper though.
William Harper, CEO and old money rich has jilted the wrong girl and she is bent on revenge. Months before an expected big merger with his company, she tips of the immigration authorities about possible foul play. The only way to get to stay when the merger takes place is via a green card which means he must marry quickly. Luckily, his lawyer, Andrew Jamison, has a girlfriend with a sister in need of cash. The young student Elizabeth, is currently working three jobs to cover her tuition and living expenses. Struggling to pay rent after her roommate bailed she gets an offer she can't refuse...
I loved how the author made this a thrilling and captivating read without any angst. There were fights and misunderstandings but nothing really horrible happened but I still was not able to put it down. As proof I write this review at 0245 at night... There were no lack in tender, loving moments though and I laughed out loud several times. The end was particularly emotional and was very cleverly done. The character development was a joy to follow and very believable. There are so many parts that I loved that describing them all could fill a novella but I laughed at their first meeting at a restaurant. There was a lot of romantic trips to cabins and Greece and emotional visits to family on both sides.
Heartily recommend this book!
What an absolutely fabulous read. It's the kind of book that you don't want to end I slow read on purpose to make it last longer. It is a substantial read at over 500 pages which gives many hours of entertainment. Not a dull moment from start to finish, I absolutely loved it!
I thought it was warm, thoughtful, exceedingly funny, emotional, romantic, passionate and thrilling.
This contemporary romance is not quite a P&P variation but I recognised several of the characters although the names were partially or completely changed. It was not hard to recognise ODC in Elizabeth Barrett and William Harper though.
William Harper, CEO and old money rich has jilted the wrong girl and she is bent on revenge. Months before an expected big merger with his company, she tips of the immigration authorities about possible foul play. The only way to get to stay when the merger takes place is via a green card which means he must marry quickly. Luckily, his lawyer, Andrew Jamison, has a girlfriend with a sister in need of cash. The young student Elizabeth, is currently working three jobs to cover her tuition and living expenses. Struggling to pay rent after her roommate bailed she gets an offer she can't refuse...
I loved how the author made this a thrilling and captivating read without any angst. There were fights and misunderstandings but nothing really horrible happened but I still was not able to put it down. As proof I write this review at 0245 at night... There were no lack in tender, loving moments though and I laughed out loud several times. The end was particularly emotional and was very cleverly done. The character development was a joy to follow and very believable. There are so many parts that I loved that describing them all could fill a novella but I laughed at their first meeting at a restaurant. There was a lot of romantic trips to cabins and Greece and emotional visits to family on both sides.
Heartily recommend this book!
April 26, 2018
5 wonderful stars! This is one of my favorite JAFF stories to date! Loved everything about it. The romance was dreamy! ❤️
April 4, 2015
4.5 stars!!
I loved this story! Green Card is a fun romance that captured my attention so much so that I didn’t want to put it down! It's a low angst story. Yes, there are small disagreements, but not the gut wrenching moment that sometimes I can’t bear to go through before the happily-ever-after. Instead, it seems to come smoothly to the HEA and finishes up with an excellent epilogue!
William Harper is in a bit of a bind. He is working on a huge merger and due to a problem with his visa may have to leave the country, which could potentially kill the deal. He needs to find a way to stay in the country…fast! His lawyer and best friend, Andrew, comes up with the idea of William getting married to obtain a Green Card. Andrew just happens to be dating a girl whose sister would fit the bill perfectly!
Katherine Bishop is smart and witty and a struggling-to-make-ends-meet grad student. When presented with the plan that would alleviate her financial problems and allow her to focus on school, she is intrigued! And after meeting William she agrees to the plan.
To make this work, they agree to live together and tell no one that their marriage isn’t a real one, except those involved in the plan. I loved how up front Kate is, even considering that being in close quarters for a couple of years could lead to sex. She wants any complications that might arise from that to be included in the settlement. Smart girl, that Katy!
I also saw many parallels to Pride and Prejudice here. Not with the storyline, but mainly in the characters. For example, Katherine is the second of four sisters, born into a dysfunctional family. She is best friends with her older sister, Jenny, who is happily dating William’s best friend, Andrew. William is wealthy, handsome and thinks he should marry someone from the right circles. His parents died when he was in his twenties, leaving him to run the family business and take care of his much younger sister, Jacqueline. The difference here is that William and Jacqueline are not as close as Darcy and Georgiana. There are more, and I won’t name everyone, but I had fun picking out the characters that I found similar to those in Pride and Prejudice!
Another fun thing, Kate loves to cook, and she is cooking all the time for her and William. Which he comes to love! You know what they say…a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach! At the back of the book, Elizabeth Adams includes some of Kate’s favorite recipes. The day after I finished the book, I made some Oatmeal Spice Cookies! They were delicious!
I would high recommend reading Green Card! Shortly after reading Green Card, I read Elizabeth Adams first book, The Houseguest: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary which I love too! I hope Ms. Adams has more books for me to read in the near future!
***FTC Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of the book from the author for my honest review.
I loved this story! Green Card is a fun romance that captured my attention so much so that I didn’t want to put it down! It's a low angst story. Yes, there are small disagreements, but not the gut wrenching moment that sometimes I can’t bear to go through before the happily-ever-after. Instead, it seems to come smoothly to the HEA and finishes up with an excellent epilogue!
William Harper is in a bit of a bind. He is working on a huge merger and due to a problem with his visa may have to leave the country, which could potentially kill the deal. He needs to find a way to stay in the country…fast! His lawyer and best friend, Andrew, comes up with the idea of William getting married to obtain a Green Card. Andrew just happens to be dating a girl whose sister would fit the bill perfectly!
Katherine Bishop is smart and witty and a struggling-to-make-ends-meet grad student. When presented with the plan that would alleviate her financial problems and allow her to focus on school, she is intrigued! And after meeting William she agrees to the plan.
To make this work, they agree to live together and tell no one that their marriage isn’t a real one, except those involved in the plan. I loved how up front Kate is, even considering that being in close quarters for a couple of years could lead to sex. She wants any complications that might arise from that to be included in the settlement. Smart girl, that Katy!
I also saw many parallels to Pride and Prejudice here. Not with the storyline, but mainly in the characters. For example, Katherine is the second of four sisters, born into a dysfunctional family. She is best friends with her older sister, Jenny, who is happily dating William’s best friend, Andrew. William is wealthy, handsome and thinks he should marry someone from the right circles. His parents died when he was in his twenties, leaving him to run the family business and take care of his much younger sister, Jacqueline. The difference here is that William and Jacqueline are not as close as Darcy and Georgiana. There are more, and I won’t name everyone, but I had fun picking out the characters that I found similar to those in Pride and Prejudice!
Another fun thing, Kate loves to cook, and she is cooking all the time for her and William. Which he comes to love! You know what they say…a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach! At the back of the book, Elizabeth Adams includes some of Kate’s favorite recipes. The day after I finished the book, I made some Oatmeal Spice Cookies! They were delicious!
I would high recommend reading Green Card! Shortly after reading Green Card, I read Elizabeth Adams first book, The Houseguest: A Pride and Prejudice Vagary which I love too! I hope Ms. Adams has more books for me to read in the near future!
***FTC Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of the book from the author for my honest review.
September 4, 2020
This is more of an "inspired by" Pride and Prejudice novel than a modern retelling. For me it was a pleasant read but predictable and wayyy too long.
William Harper is one of those insanely rich British tycoons running the family business and living in New York, the sort that feature prominently in chick lit however scarce they may be in real life. Elizabeth Barrett is a grad student scraping by on multiple part-time jobs and simultaneously taking far more classes than anyone ever does in grad school. (Five per semester? I was considered nuts for taking three.) Their lives have nothing in common--except that William's best friend and attorney is dating Lizzy's sister. So when William gets in trouble with immigration and his attorney friend suggests that his best shot at staying in the country is to fake-marry an American, he makes a business proposal to the strapped grad student. They must marry and live together for two years, till he gets his ten-year green card, and then he will make her a generous financial settlement and they will go their separate ways.
Well, already you can tell where this is going and you would be right. If you can accept the implausible (and distastefully dishonest) premise, the rest plays out in standard Cinderella fashion. What kept me going was the character of Lizzy: she is unnaturally cheerful, avoiding temper tantrums for the most part, and comfortable in her own skin with a kind streak a mile wide. William is more Darcylike and therefore less charming to me, oblivious to how stuck up he really is. It was for the most part a pleasure to watch them get to know each other and negotiate the parameters of their unlikely relationship. If the author could have gotten over focusing on how gorgeous they both are, I would have taken more pleasure in their company; but the focus on hackneyed romance-novel tropes kept me at arm's length much of the time.
Given a couple married from the start, however artificial the marriage might be, it is inevitable that sex would come into it, so I accepted that aspect of the story even though it was way too much for my taste and way overwritten. Oddly for a prude like myself, I was more bothered by the excessive displays of wealth, Lizzy's comfort level in accepting gifts and benefits from William, and the author's minimal grasp of aspects central to the story like British manners, the lives of the super-wealthy, how business is conducted, what graduate school is like, and the economics of publishing. I guess I prefer my fantasy to be more grounded in reality. So points for the heroine's good nature but not much else for me.
William Harper is one of those insanely rich British tycoons running the family business and living in New York, the sort that feature prominently in chick lit however scarce they may be in real life. Elizabeth Barrett is a grad student scraping by on multiple part-time jobs and simultaneously taking far more classes than anyone ever does in grad school. (Five per semester? I was considered nuts for taking three.) Their lives have nothing in common--except that William's best friend and attorney is dating Lizzy's sister. So when William gets in trouble with immigration and his attorney friend suggests that his best shot at staying in the country is to fake-marry an American, he makes a business proposal to the strapped grad student. They must marry and live together for two years, till he gets his ten-year green card, and then he will make her a generous financial settlement and they will go their separate ways.
Well, already you can tell where this is going and you would be right. If you can accept the implausible (and distastefully dishonest) premise, the rest plays out in standard Cinderella fashion. What kept me going was the character of Lizzy: she is unnaturally cheerful, avoiding temper tantrums for the most part, and comfortable in her own skin with a kind streak a mile wide. William is more Darcylike and therefore less charming to me, oblivious to how stuck up he really is. It was for the most part a pleasure to watch them get to know each other and negotiate the parameters of their unlikely relationship. If the author could have gotten over focusing on how gorgeous they both are, I would have taken more pleasure in their company; but the focus on hackneyed romance-novel tropes kept me at arm's length much of the time.
Given a couple married from the start, however artificial the marriage might be, it is inevitable that sex would come into it, so I accepted that aspect of the story even though it was way too much for my taste and way overwritten. Oddly for a prude like myself, I was more bothered by the excessive displays of wealth, Lizzy's comfort level in accepting gifts and benefits from William, and the author's minimal grasp of aspects central to the story like British manners, the lives of the super-wealthy, how business is conducted, what graduate school is like, and the economics of publishing. I guess I prefer my fantasy to be more grounded in reality. So points for the heroine's good nature but not much else for me.
October 13, 2021
This light non-canon modern Austenesque fiction is entertaining and an easy read at 4.5 stars. Adams picks the right professions and life positions for the main characters to be able to adapt them well to the modern era, and the premise is unique and easily adaptable to the twosome's classic characterizations, which she works with seamlessly.
I won't get into a synopsis and I'll avoid spoilers for this book. Plenty of other reviewers take that challenge and fulfill it well enough. My reviews are always technical reviews of the items that would make or break a good novel that the reader appreciates and often notes, no matter whether consciously or not.
The plot is well drawn out and complete without unnecessary side plots and devoid of plot holes or contrivances. The story did drag a bit at a back story dump with an old boyfriend, though.
The long list of relatives makes for a boring half-dozen pages in the first place, and then a repeat of much the same in a couple places later. If they don't get a line, don't give them a name! And don't introduce more than three or four people in a chapter. This disrupts the flow of the main story arc. I think that if this boring section and some other issues were trimmed, this easy read of a book would be shorter.
Another issue that took away from the flow was the inconsistency in point of view, in other words, head-hopping. I'm not talking of the type where the author just forgot to show the breaks between sections where the POV changed, I'm talking about paragraph to paragraph head-hopping where it's sometimes hard to follow whose head we're actually in. This author needs to learn some POV discipline.
Now for the spelling. There were a couple "typos" such as "for of five" instead of "four or five" and It'. Word pairs needing contractions gave sentences an awkward feel. The author probably was used to writing Regency novels and slipped. It is not "Cirque de Soleil" but "Cirque du Soleil." Finally, homophones included shown for shone, eek for eke, and principle for principal. Shame on the editor.
Scene setting was excellent, and the reader could see themself in the situation all of the time, yet it never took away from the action.
Dialogue and narrative balance were slightly weighted towards the former, making the story move ahead quite well, yet the reader never waited for a timely explanation--there it was.
The romance was well-developed and believable, not taking any short-cuts, and working well with the overall plot to the climax and fitting in perfectly.
Humour was a character in this book, and it was balanced well and did not take over.
Steamy scenes were well introduced and fit into the book as part of the plot. In other words, there was nothing gratuitous about the sex. For readers who prefer not to read these scenes, there were a lot of them, so it's kind of hard to skim over them--you miss a nuance of the book. In fact, you miss an important structure of the book (I'm avoiding a spoiler here).
The cover is a bit unnerving. I don't care for it. If I were to put my finger on why, I think it has to do with the font and colour choice more than anything else. The composition and theme seem well done for the story line and certainly it's a cover that stands out among others. But it's not for me.
I don't tend to read modern JAFF, yet when I do, I tend to be surprised at how well I like it. I think that's because I tend to only read well-liked books that come highly recommended like this one. Of course, before I read this, I also knew that Elizabeth Adams is a really good writer--a go-to writer among JAFF authors.
All in all, I have to agree with those who picked this book as a top JAFF fic. It's got its own brand of magic within it and it doesn't spoon feed the reader the happy ending that the reader wants. Instead, it takes them on a journey that's enjoyable and comfortable.
Disclaimer: I'm a JAFF author, and some might claim that my review is a conflict of interest. However, I was a reader first, and my reviews are honest and impartial. I write them for the reader and the author.
Excuse typos in this review. I was having a tough time typing tonight for some reason. LOL.
I won't get into a synopsis and I'll avoid spoilers for this book. Plenty of other reviewers take that challenge and fulfill it well enough. My reviews are always technical reviews of the items that would make or break a good novel that the reader appreciates and often notes, no matter whether consciously or not.
The plot is well drawn out and complete without unnecessary side plots and devoid of plot holes or contrivances. The story did drag a bit at a back story dump with an old boyfriend, though.
The long list of relatives makes for a boring half-dozen pages in the first place, and then a repeat of much the same in a couple places later. If they don't get a line, don't give them a name! And don't introduce more than three or four people in a chapter. This disrupts the flow of the main story arc. I think that if this boring section and some other issues were trimmed, this easy read of a book would be shorter.
Another issue that took away from the flow was the inconsistency in point of view, in other words, head-hopping. I'm not talking of the type where the author just forgot to show the breaks between sections where the POV changed, I'm talking about paragraph to paragraph head-hopping where it's sometimes hard to follow whose head we're actually in. This author needs to learn some POV discipline.
Now for the spelling. There were a couple "typos" such as "for of five" instead of "four or five" and It'. Word pairs needing contractions gave sentences an awkward feel. The author probably was used to writing Regency novels and slipped. It is not "Cirque de Soleil" but "Cirque du Soleil." Finally, homophones included shown for shone, eek for eke, and principle for principal. Shame on the editor.
Scene setting was excellent, and the reader could see themself in the situation all of the time, yet it never took away from the action.
Dialogue and narrative balance were slightly weighted towards the former, making the story move ahead quite well, yet the reader never waited for a timely explanation--there it was.
The romance was well-developed and believable, not taking any short-cuts, and working well with the overall plot to the climax and fitting in perfectly.
Humour was a character in this book, and it was balanced well and did not take over.
Steamy scenes were well introduced and fit into the book as part of the plot. In other words, there was nothing gratuitous about the sex. For readers who prefer not to read these scenes, there were a lot of them, so it's kind of hard to skim over them--you miss a nuance of the book. In fact, you miss an important structure of the book (I'm avoiding a spoiler here).
The cover is a bit unnerving. I don't care for it. If I were to put my finger on why, I think it has to do with the font and colour choice more than anything else. The composition and theme seem well done for the story line and certainly it's a cover that stands out among others. But it's not for me.
I don't tend to read modern JAFF, yet when I do, I tend to be surprised at how well I like it. I think that's because I tend to only read well-liked books that come highly recommended like this one. Of course, before I read this, I also knew that Elizabeth Adams is a really good writer--a go-to writer among JAFF authors.
All in all, I have to agree with those who picked this book as a top JAFF fic. It's got its own brand of magic within it and it doesn't spoon feed the reader the happy ending that the reader wants. Instead, it takes them on a journey that's enjoyable and comfortable.
Disclaimer: I'm a JAFF author, and some might claim that my review is a conflict of interest. However, I was a reader first, and my reviews are honest and impartial. I write them for the reader and the author.
Excuse typos in this review. I was having a tough time typing tonight for some reason. LOL.
June 14, 2020
Contemporary Romance, inspired by Pride and Prejudice
Unputdownable!
Even as a reread, this book spellbounded me. It has everything you could ask for in a book. A thrilling and imaginative plot, hilariously funny moments, sizzling hot encounters and heart-wrenching emotional twists and turns.
Heartily recommend this book!
Rated: Mature
Reread: 13-14.06.2020
Unputdownable!
Even as a reread, this book spellbounded me. It has everything you could ask for in a book. A thrilling and imaginative plot, hilariously funny moments, sizzling hot encounters and heart-wrenching emotional twists and turns.
Heartily recommend this book!
Rated: Mature
Reread: 13-14.06.2020
September 4, 2025
I enjoyed it, this is a charming modern variation, and feels real.
It's just so very long, and in the end the main obstacle is that they spend two years not talking about how they feel about each other, even as they tell each other to talk to other family members about how they feel.
There are so many minor characters that I had a hard time keeping them straight. They aren't named for any Austen characters that I could recognise at sight (well, there is Caroline, but she's a friendly figure), so I kept going back and searching for previous mentions. Who the heck is Harry again?
The angst level is pretty low throughout, although both Will and Liz have some family-related issues.
Steam level: some sexual content.
It's just so very long, and in the end the main obstacle is that they spend two years not talking about how they feel about each other, even as they tell each other to talk to other family members about how they feel.
There are so many minor characters that I had a hard time keeping them straight. They aren't named for any Austen characters that I could recognise at sight (well, there is Caroline, but she's a friendly figure), so I kept going back and searching for previous mentions. Who the heck is Harry again?
The angst level is pretty low throughout, although both Will and Liz have some family-related issues.
Steam level: some sexual content.
did-not-finish
October 5, 2024DNF @ 4%. Green card marriage situation (as expected, given the title). I’m not a fan of the writing style, which is very dialogue heavy. YMMV.
January 5, 2015
This book was between a four and a five. I think I would have given it a four, but because it held me so captivated for 36 hours, I felt it deserved a five.
I also almost did not put this on my Pride and Prejudice shelf. It's not REALLY a variation. But it is.
This book is about a cute adorable British man who is some huge CEO in America, William Harper, who needs to get married really fast for a green card. He ends up marrying the heroine, Katie, who needs money for tuition and rent, and as the British man is loaded - it works out. They work out a settlement and set a time to get divorced, and just learn to cohabitat.
There are definitely some things that don't make perfect sense, and the explanations themselves are a little...flimsy...like she doesn't want her parents to know he's loaded....yet she takes them to their private beach house in the Hamptons...I think mama would know that the dude is loaded. Also her dad is supposed to be super perceptive, yet he only seems to make one observation in the entire book.
There's also randomly a handful of typos. I think Ms. Adams needed a better writing assistant...lol
But overall, I couldn't put this book down. It was adorable. I loved seeing how their relationship progressed and became a real relationship by the end. I think perhaps they both should have realized sooner than they did that they meant more to each other. I mean they realize they are best friends, partners, and more (wink wink)...what do they think a successful marriage is?
On a more positive note, I loved the very subtle ties to P&P. I mean it was so subtle that people may argue with me that there were any! Katie and the heroine in P&P - Elizabeth - are both happy, smart, and kind of quirky girls, with long dark curly hair. They fall in love with rich standoffish and awkward men. They both have older sisters that they love, and said older sister is dating the heros best friend. Both girls are closer to their fathers, and the father is a smart, sarcastic, and a book lover. They also had strangled relationships with their mothers. Darcy, the hero in P&P, and William share the fact that their parents died, and they have only one sibling who is much younger.
However in this version, the sister to the hero is actually older than Katie. Which makes it a bit different. Also, the two do not get along at the beginning (I mean it's not like they hate each other but still...no love) and she only kind of warms to her by the end. Katie's other sisters Heather and Tiffany are pretty different from Kitty and Lydia. Although Katie often gets mad at William's snobbishness, she doesn't ever actually hate him, except for the brief period of a few days when they are fighting does she even have anything but respect for him. William does not realize his real feelings for Katie very quickly at all, unlike Darcy. Katie's sister, Jen and her boyfriend really don't break up, and the only disagreement they have definitely has nothing to do with William. Nothing dramatic happens to Katie's younger sisters.
So...lots of interesting ties, but that's all they are...ties. It is not really a variation. It's a completely new story, which...borrows characteristics from P&P.
So... I loved this book, and I will definitely read it again. Probably soon.
I also almost did not put this on my Pride and Prejudice shelf. It's not REALLY a variation. But it is.
This book is about a cute adorable British man who is some huge CEO in America, William Harper, who needs to get married really fast for a green card. He ends up marrying the heroine, Katie, who needs money for tuition and rent, and as the British man is loaded - it works out. They work out a settlement and set a time to get divorced, and just learn to cohabitat.
There are definitely some things that don't make perfect sense, and the explanations themselves are a little...flimsy...like she doesn't want her parents to know he's loaded....yet she takes them to their private beach house in the Hamptons...I think mama would know that the dude is loaded. Also her dad is supposed to be super perceptive, yet he only seems to make one observation in the entire book.
There's also randomly a handful of typos. I think Ms. Adams needed a better writing assistant...lol
But overall, I couldn't put this book down. It was adorable. I loved seeing how their relationship progressed and became a real relationship by the end. I think perhaps they both should have realized sooner than they did that they meant more to each other. I mean they realize they are best friends, partners, and more (wink wink)...what do they think a successful marriage is?
On a more positive note, I loved the very subtle ties to P&P. I mean it was so subtle that people may argue with me that there were any! Katie and the heroine in P&P - Elizabeth - are both happy, smart, and kind of quirky girls, with long dark curly hair. They fall in love with rich standoffish and awkward men. They both have older sisters that they love, and said older sister is dating the heros best friend. Both girls are closer to their fathers, and the father is a smart, sarcastic, and a book lover. They also had strangled relationships with their mothers. Darcy, the hero in P&P, and William share the fact that their parents died, and they have only one sibling who is much younger.
However in this version, the sister to the hero is actually older than Katie. Which makes it a bit different. Also, the two do not get along at the beginning (I mean it's not like they hate each other but still...no love) and she only kind of warms to her by the end. Katie's other sisters Heather and Tiffany are pretty different from Kitty and Lydia. Although Katie often gets mad at William's snobbishness, she doesn't ever actually hate him, except for the brief period of a few days when they are fighting does she even have anything but respect for him. William does not realize his real feelings for Katie very quickly at all, unlike Darcy. Katie's sister, Jen and her boyfriend really don't break up, and the only disagreement they have definitely has nothing to do with William. Nothing dramatic happens to Katie's younger sisters.
So...lots of interesting ties, but that's all they are...ties. It is not really a variation. It's a completely new story, which...borrows characteristics from P&P.
So... I loved this book, and I will definitely read it again. Probably soon.
March 4, 2015
A good novel will give you a good storyline and is well written. A great novel is not only well written but puts you into the story and the characters themselves. You can relate to the characters and events while sensing everything they do and what is happeng at the time. I think this is a great novel.
The story is about 2 people from different cultures and walks of life. They both have different needs and goals. They team up to accomplish those needs with a very airtight contract. They cover all the what lfs. Eventually they discover one small piece that was omitted and could change their lives forever.
Their journey brings together honesty, integrity, friendship, ideals and love into their relationship.
They deal with two different cultures and walks of life. They deal with two diffferent sets of family circumstances and disfunctional sets of family.
From page 1 this novel is hard to put down. I can envision this as being book one in a series and each sequential novel following some of the lesser characters in their own journeys.
This was the first of Elizabeth Adams novels that i have read. I will reading more. I give this book 5 stars and recommend it to every romance reader.
The story is about 2 people from different cultures and walks of life. They both have different needs and goals. They team up to accomplish those needs with a very airtight contract. They cover all the what lfs. Eventually they discover one small piece that was omitted and could change their lives forever.
Their journey brings together honesty, integrity, friendship, ideals and love into their relationship.
They deal with two different cultures and walks of life. They deal with two diffferent sets of family circumstances and disfunctional sets of family.
From page 1 this novel is hard to put down. I can envision this as being book one in a series and each sequential novel following some of the lesser characters in their own journeys.
This was the first of Elizabeth Adams novels that i have read. I will reading more. I give this book 5 stars and recommend it to every romance reader.
July 16, 2021
Jane Austen has been around for long enough that Austen inspired fics rarely read as fanfiction . But this book was full of so many traditional fanfic tropes that it seemed to have more in common with Fifty Shades than it did with Pride and Prejudice.
> The hero buys the heroine a red convertible for her birthday
> She ends up working in a company that he owns
> The heroine's boss is inappropriate with her, and the hero steps in to fire said boss.
> It's way longer than it needs to be
> Casual slut-shaming (her roommate is literally referred to as skanky-[insertname])
> Casual transphobia
> Very not like other girls. Most women aside from the heroine and her few friends are oh so horrible, and are botox-, clothing-, status-obsessed harpies 🙄.
On one hand, I had a lot of nostalgia reading something that reminded me so much of 2005 fanfic but I remember exactly why I stopped reading fanfiction.
Rereading Modern Love, sent me on a hunt for other enjoyable P&P inspired books but this really wasn't it.
> The hero buys the heroine a red convertible for her birthday
> She ends up working in a company that he owns
> The heroine's boss is inappropriate with her, and the hero steps in to fire said boss.
> It's way longer than it needs to be
> Casual slut-shaming (her roommate is literally referred to as skanky-[insertname])
> Casual transphobia
> Very not like other girls. Most women aside from the heroine and her few friends are oh so horrible, and are botox-, clothing-, status-obsessed harpies 🙄.
On one hand, I had a lot of nostalgia reading something that reminded me so much of 2005 fanfic but I remember exactly why I stopped reading fanfiction.
Rereading Modern Love, sent me on a hunt for other enjoyable P&P inspired books but this really wasn't it.
November 20, 2017
Playful banter, snappy dialogue, witty comebacks ... conflict, romance, ideals, humor ... this is the PERFECT romance novel those of us who appreciate well-written dialogue. It looks daunting, but it reads like a fast-paced screenplay. A delightful vacation read--light, easy, fun with the perfect level of suspense. I found myself laughing out loud along the way, recognizing characters from both my New Jersey roots and my rural Kentucky upbringing. A couple of scenes even made me tear up. If you're in the mood for a romantic comedy but would rather curl up with a good book than watch a movie, grab a copy of Green Card by Elizabeth Adams and enjoy! (Warn your family and friends, though, that you're not going to be available for a while. I got sucked in and ended up devouring this book in two days!)
February 22, 2024
I enjoyed this on my second reading.
The only thing I didn’t like is an epilogue that you have to go to. I WAS NOT able to get to it, the site is defunct.
I love this book so much. I laugh every time I think about the “Hey, Big Spender!” scene.
The only thing I didn’t like is an epilogue that you have to go to. I WAS NOT able to get to it, the site is defunct.
I love this book so much. I laugh every time I think about the “Hey, Big Spender!” scene.
August 14, 2018
Loved it!
The beautiful road to love gave new meaning to bumpy. From misunderstanding galore to loving moments to FINALLY acknowledging they belong together, this wonderful and funny tale was just damn good. Well worth the time!
The beautiful road to love gave new meaning to bumpy. From misunderstanding galore to loving moments to FINALLY acknowledging they belong together, this wonderful and funny tale was just damn good. Well worth the time!
November 20, 2017
A very enjoyable romance.
This is a fun and very lovely book to read. It tells the story of Will and Lizzy, who marry for expeditious reasons, and then slowly fall in love. It left me with a very warm and happy feeling at the end. If you are looking for a pick-me-up when feeling down, this is the book to read.
This is a fun and very lovely book to read. It tells the story of Will and Lizzy, who marry for expeditious reasons, and then slowly fall in love. It left me with a very warm and happy feeling at the end. If you are looking for a pick-me-up when feeling down, this is the book to read.
August 12, 2018
This is a Pride and Prejudice inspired modern day tale of William Harper- rich and powerful English CEO about to be kicked out of America as he has no Visa - and Lizzy Barrett- student and literary enthusiast who agrees to a marriage of convenience so Harper can get his Green Card.
Right from the beginning, I loved these characters. Their marriage has to be just over two years duration before they get the divorce they agreed on at the beginning, and the chapters track the progression of their marriage. This is a long book but doesn't feel like it all and now it's finished I want to read some more!
It's a really lovely tale of friendship, family and relationships that is beautiful, funny and heartbreakingly sad. Despite books of this nature being predictable, I was still anxious to get to the end and see how these two were going to work it all out.
This book is one of of those that should come with a warning.... it will consume many hours of your life.... probably in one sitting! I don't say this about many books but I really loved it from the second I started it. This is definitely one I'd read again!
Right from the beginning, I loved these characters. Their marriage has to be just over two years duration before they get the divorce they agreed on at the beginning, and the chapters track the progression of their marriage. This is a long book but doesn't feel like it all and now it's finished I want to read some more!
It's a really lovely tale of friendship, family and relationships that is beautiful, funny and heartbreakingly sad. Despite books of this nature being predictable, I was still anxious to get to the end and see how these two were going to work it all out.
This book is one of of those that should come with a warning.... it will consume many hours of your life.... probably in one sitting! I don't say this about many books but I really loved it from the second I started it. This is definitely one I'd read again!
November 12, 2017
Harper needs a green card and his only way of getting it is an American wife. His friend and lawyer recommends Lizzy, her girlfriend's sister.
They have a deal and they need to be together a bit more of two years. In the meantime they have to live as a couple and have dates and attend events.
Harper is very serious, duty-bond. Lizzy is intelligent, spirited, determined ad lively.
Harper is a young CEO. Lizzy is getting her MA but she has several jobs to pay her bills.
Modern variation of Pride and Prejudice that you cannot miss!
They have a deal and they need to be together a bit more of two years. In the meantime they have to live as a couple and have dates and attend events.
Harper is very serious, duty-bond. Lizzy is intelligent, spirited, determined ad lively.
Harper is a young CEO. Lizzy is getting her MA but she has several jobs to pay her bills.
Modern variation of Pride and Prejudice that you cannot miss!
August 5, 2019
My opinion seems to be quite unpopular but this book definitely wasn't one of my favorites. I liked the characters, but somehow the story felt meh. Nothing eventful really took place and it dragged for soooo long. I think the book would have been better if it were half the length, because god was this boring. I had high hopes for this one because P&P (okay, it is only slightly inspired but I'll still say it) and convenience marriage (is there a better duo? I don't think so!)
Anyway, it wasn't great, nothing special took place and it was too long. It felt more like a boring diary.
Anyway, it wasn't great, nothing special took place and it was too long. It felt more like a boring diary.
February 22, 2023
AMAZING
Ms Elizabeth Adams does it again. This modern day JAFF storyline is so evocative and so overwhelming. She pulled me in and was not able to stop. I am actually writing this review after reading the book for the second time. I finished it and reread as soon as I finished because I didn't want to leave the world of Lizzy and William. It's that good.
Ms Elizabeth Adams does it again. This modern day JAFF storyline is so evocative and so overwhelming. She pulled me in and was not able to stop. I am actually writing this review after reading the book for the second time. I finished it and reread as soon as I finished because I didn't want to leave the world of Lizzy and William. It's that good.
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