Substitute Wife

by Anne Marie Winston

A CONVENIENT MARRIAGE

To a widower raising two growing kids alone, it seemed the perfect arrangement. Tom Hayes had always admired his next-door neighbor, and he knew she was having a hard time herself. So why shouldn't they get married? It would be strictly business, after all.

Tannis Carlson thought maybe this marriage of convenience was the answer for a lonely divorcee struggling with a backbreaking mortgage. Friendship, affection, a readymade family--and none of the dangers of falling in love. But she hadn't been this man's substitute wife very long before she was dreaming of being the real thing ....

Genres: Fiction, Romance

184 pages, Paperback

First published April 22, 1994

About the author

Anne Marie Winston is a Pennsylvania native and former teacher. She began reading romances a long, long time ago and considers getting paid to write them the ultimate in occupations. Always a book lover, Anne Marie didn't begin writing her own romance until 1989, when she was at home with two babies, too many diapers and too much time to consider insane, risky career moves. She sold her first book in 1991 and to date has published more than thirty novels of romance fiction.

Reviews

[Naksed · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good, compelling writer, and an angsty set-up: Widower proposes a marriage of convenience to his dearly departed wife's best friend so she can help him raise his kids. Also he is missing having a woman to share his life with and he has always had the hots for the heroine, even going so far as giving her a steamy kiss while he was still married to his first wife. This had good potential to be a satisfying story but unfortunately, the hero grew increasingly cruel, to the point of being irredeemable, at least for me.

He spies on her for months as she bathes in the nude in her outdoor hot tub not knowing she has a peeping tom stalking her. He tries to get her to accept a babysitter job, then a friends with benefits situation, before finally resigning himself to proposes a cold-blooded marriage of convenience. As he stands at the altar, he literally thinks about his first wife standing next to him, knowing she can never be replaced, and getting angry at the heroine for accepting his proposal, one that HE badgered her into.

Predictably, this second marriage is fraught with his abrupt mood swings and rages. He lashes out at his new wife frequently, every time she disagrees with him when he is being irrational. He has the nerve to tell her she was a bad friend to his wife and must have been happy she eventually died of cancer! He forces her to confess her love for him, knowing he will not reciprocate. This asshole basks in the glow of heroine's love for him but he has no problem mistreating her, screaming at her for comforting her stepdaughter as she experienced her first menstrual cycle instead of letting him deal with it, because she has NO rights over HIS children. Not content with merely screaming at her, he punches a hole in the wall to further frighten her.

The heroine went from someone who seemed strong to becoming a spineless, leaky jellyblob ruled by her traitorous body and eager to forgive all. It was all the more sad because she divorced her first husband for being emotionally and verbally abusive. How did she get into this same mess again? *sigh* And don't even get me started on all the gross sex scenes that took place in the basement hot tub. I guarantee it is a carpeted basement with wall to wall wood paneling that smells like mold and misery. YUCK!

[Diedre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good dead other woman, fill in wife trope. Was surprised how much I liked it. He wasn't as "perverted" as some reviewers suggest. A horny dude for sure. Loved the emotional draw you got from the heroine and the wake up call from the hero. It had a good solid reason for his behavior toward his new wife and why he kept holding on to his dead wife. Loved the heroine! She had a bad marriage prior to the hero and had to overcome insecurities. She had such a good, loving heart in her quiet ways of service.

[Priscilla · Rating 1 out of 5]

O protagonista Tom é um sujeito um tanto estranho, daqueles que nos fazem subir o muro e fechar a janela. A heroína, por sua vez, passa de uma mulher forte e independente para alguém chorosa que diz sim para tudo.

São como dois livros diferentes que foram mesclados para fazer uma única história.

A Nova Cultural também lançou mão do seu velho artifício de mudar o nome da personagem principal de Tannis para Camila.

[Prac Agrl]

DNF

[LBW · Rating 5 out of 5]

MOC with a dollop of Sarah's Child (Linda Howard). Good chemistry between H/h and sexual tension galore. Kind of refreshing that there is so little OW/OM drama. Excellent synopsis from Fiction DB:

To a widower raising two growing kids alone, it seemed the perfect arrangement. Tom Hayes had always admired his next-door neighbor, and he knew she was having a hard time herself. So why shouldn't they get married? It would be strictly business, after all.

Tannis Carlson thought maybe this marriage of convenience was the answer for a lonely divorcee struggling with a backbreaking mortgage. Friendship, affection, a ready made family--and none of the dangers of falling in love. But she hadn't been this man's substitute wife very long before she was dreaming of being the real thing ....

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strong willed widower convinces his next door neighbor to marry him. She loves him and his children, but he isn't willing to enter into another marriage where his heart comes into play. So... will she win him over?

[Stacy Simpson · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I hate to admit it this book wasnt half bad....I love the male character his description is excactly what I wan tin a man so maybe that is why this almost held my interest!

[Bekki McClish · Rating 2 out of 5]

2nd time Ive read it.