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The Heirs of Hansol #1
Temporary Wife Temptation
“You want me to find you a wife?”“No. I want you to be my wife.” Garrett Song is this close to taking the reins of his family’s LA fashion empire...until the Song matriarch insists he marries her handpicked bride first. To block her matchmaking, he recruits Natalie Sobol to pose as his wife. She needs a fake spouse as badly as he does. But when passion burns down their chaste agreement, the flames could destroy them all...
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First published February 4, 2020
131 people are currently reading
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About the author
Jayci Lee
58 books1,262 followersJayci Lee writes poignant, sexy, and laugh-out-loud romance featuring Korean American main characters. Her books have been in O, The Oprah Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Entertainment Weekly, Hollywood Reporter, E! News, and Women’s World. Jayci is retired from her fifteen-year career as a litigator because of all the badass heroines and drool worthy heroes demanding to have their stories told. Food, wine and travel are her jam. She makes her home in sunny California with her tall-dark-and-handsome husband, two amazing boys, and a fluffy rescue.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 316 reviews
March 1, 2020
2 stars
My 8 am chemistry class was more interesting than the chemistry between these characters.
This was a very random pick. I just wanted to read something short and different. Unfortunately, I had many issues with this book.
The time jumps; EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER starts in a different time zone. Every. Chapter. It was so confusing and irritating. And it lead to,
The lack of details; the book was so on the surface and so basic. It lacked those important details about the characters and about what’s happening. And everything was too rushed. When a chapter ends, the second one starts in a different galaxy!!
The chemistry; as I said it was nonexistent! The author was trying to convince you that there’s an attraction while there was nothing. Everything was so dull and so meh.
Insta whatever; so this was really strange. It felt like they had an insta-something, love or attraction or whatever, but maybe they hadn’t. The thing is, I couldn’t really tell. I felt nothing.
How we could’ve exchanged the hero with a board and it wouldn’t have made a difference; there’s that thing that kept on happening multiple times and it was really annoying. The heroine always initiated the kiss. Or the hero would step close but just stand there and the heroine would be the one to close the distance and kiss him. She’s the one who confessed her feelings first (and he completely ignored what she said) it was so frustrated I was like “Heeeey how about you start participating a little?”
Silly argument; I have teenagers sisters that tend to fight a lot. And you know how sisters fight? How it’s always on something silly? Well, surprisingly those characters argument was more silly! I couldn’t take them seriously, and what was more annoying is them arguing and fighting in a chapter, then all is forgiven and forgotten in the next one. They literally made up in the next chapter.
I will try not to pick random books again.
My 8 am chemistry class was more interesting than the chemistry between these characters.
This was a very random pick. I just wanted to read something short and different. Unfortunately, I had many issues with this book.
The time jumps; EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER starts in a different time zone. Every. Chapter. It was so confusing and irritating. And it lead to,
The lack of details; the book was so on the surface and so basic. It lacked those important details about the characters and about what’s happening. And everything was too rushed. When a chapter ends, the second one starts in a different galaxy!!
The chemistry; as I said it was nonexistent! The author was trying to convince you that there’s an attraction while there was nothing. Everything was so dull and so meh.
Insta whatever; so this was really strange. It felt like they had an insta-something, love or attraction or whatever, but maybe they hadn’t. The thing is, I couldn’t really tell. I felt nothing.
How we could’ve exchanged the hero with a board and it wouldn’t have made a difference; there’s that thing that kept on happening multiple times and it was really annoying. The heroine always initiated the kiss. Or the hero would step close but just stand there and the heroine would be the one to close the distance and kiss him. She’s the one who confessed her feelings first (and he completely ignored what she said) it was so frustrated I was like “Heeeey how about you start participating a little?”
Silly argument; I have teenagers sisters that tend to fight a lot. And you know how sisters fight? How it’s always on something silly? Well, surprisingly those characters argument was more silly! I couldn’t take them seriously, and what was more annoying is them arguing and fighting in a chapter, then all is forgiven and forgotten in the next one. They literally made up in the next chapter.
I will try not to pick random books again.
February 17, 2020
This is the second modern-day marriage-of-convenience story I've read in the last six months, and just like Jodie Slaughter's White Whiskey Bargain, Temporary Wife Temptation flew into my top 10 books of all time. I'm beginning to think this is my ultimate catnip trope, and Jayci Lee executed it with perfection in this sexy, emotive, super-romantic book.
Reading a fantastic category romance is like a shot of the good stuff straight to your heart, and this one was definitely fantastic. It gave me that beaming, glowy, Oh-yeah-this-is-why-I've-loved-the-genre-since-I-was-12 feeling you get every so often when you stumble across a book that truly rocks your world. Garrett was such a classic romance alpha, but I love how, for him, that included hyper-respect for his elders and a genuine appreciation of Natalie's professional prowess. Nuance! Modernity! Smoking hotness! He has it all!
Natalie was his perfect match, not just because she loved so hard and so beautifully (the story with her niece was wonderful and significant and personally touching to me) but also because she was such a badass determined woman who, just like Garrett, drilled down to her goals and did what she had to do. It's just that, unlike Garrett, she was way better at figuring out what her real goals actually were, LOL.
Watching these two panic as their fake, convenient relationship became something more was so delicious. The most fun I've had in a long time, really. I'm just so glad I read this! Now I need to figure out how to get that gorgeous US cover in paperback here in the UK.
Reading a fantastic category romance is like a shot of the good stuff straight to your heart, and this one was definitely fantastic. It gave me that beaming, glowy, Oh-yeah-this-is-why-I've-loved-the-genre-since-I-was-12 feeling you get every so often when you stumble across a book that truly rocks your world. Garrett was such a classic romance alpha, but I love how, for him, that included hyper-respect for his elders and a genuine appreciation of Natalie's professional prowess. Nuance! Modernity! Smoking hotness! He has it all!
Natalie was his perfect match, not just because she loved so hard and so beautifully (the story with her niece was wonderful and significant and personally touching to me) but also because she was such a badass determined woman who, just like Garrett, drilled down to her goals and did what she had to do. It's just that, unlike Garrett, she was way better at figuring out what her real goals actually were, LOL.
Watching these two panic as their fake, convenient relationship became something more was so delicious. The most fun I've had in a long time, really. I'm just so glad I read this! Now I need to figure out how to get that gorgeous US cover in paperback here in the UK.
March 17, 2020
"I think you should save your mother's ring for someone you love. Someone you want forever."
"Then the ring will never see the light of day." He let out a short, humorless laugh. "I don't intend to marry for love and forever. Not everyone buys into that fairy tale. Certainly not me."
A chill ran down her spine at the finality of his words. pg. 80
I'm going to be rating and discussing this title as a Harlequin Desire book.
I generally avoid Harlequin Desires because they feature rich people. I'm just not interested.
But this was actually pretty enjoyable.
Garrett Song is the VP of Hansol Inc. and the heir apparent. He is part of an elite and rich Korean-American family. His grandmother shocks him by announcing that he will get married, to a woman she's already picked out for him, from a 재벌 family.
"I arranged the match with your best interest at heart. Jihae is a lovely, accomplished child from a well-respected jae-bul family. She will make a good wife and mother."
"My best interest? And it has nothing to do with having a jae-bul granddaughter-in-law who will bear you jae-bul grandchildren?" The only way to obtain the power and authority of a jae-bul - the rich, pseudoroyal families in Korea - was through birth or marriage. No matter how successful, the Songs were still part of the nouveaux riches, not a jae-bul family. pg. 20
Garrett, in a moment of panic, lies to his grandmother and tells her he is already engaged. And he won't give the woman up for some arranged marriage!
Natalie Sobol is the VP of HR at Hansol Inc. She is rich, but not as rich as Garrett. But still pretty rich. ANYWAY. Her sister and brother-in-law died in a car accident and she is desperately trying to get approved to be the adoptive mother of six-month-old Sophie. A rich husband would be a huge boon to winning custody.
So they work out an arrangement - they will wed. Garrett will get protection from his grandmother's meddling and Natalie will get a boosted chance at winning her niece. They agree sex is not going to be part of the bargain.
If you like this sort of thing - marriage of convenience, contract marriage, and etc. - this is a great book. Really A+. We have the slow smolder. A red-hot hero and a slow burn with a smart and confident heroine.
Garrett is a bit disgusting to her in one scene, but it's never repeated and it seems out of character for him. He's not usually cruel. Which makes the 'fight' they get into at the end extra-stupid. Lee explains it well, but I'm just not buying his out-of-character accusations. I know there has to be drama, but I wish Lee had found a better and more organic way of doing this.
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
Sadly, despite ALL the build-up and hype about Garrett, he's not good in bed. I was very disappointed. It's very wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am. Makes me depressed. They had good kissing! They had relatively exciting makeout sessions! I thought he was going to bring it in the bedroom.
Nope. He just has PinV sex with her. Full stop. Kiss, put penis inside her repeatedly, roll off her. WTF. Please no. Can't you have fingering? Eating vulva? Some slow foreplay? Anything? Throw me a bone, here. What is with all this quick, frantic fucking?
And he never gets any better at it. Sometimes, in romance novels, the first time for a couple is rushed because 'he is too excited' and 'he just can't help himself' or some shit. Pathetic, but at least temporary. Then in later sex scenes he redeems himself by taking it slow and / or engaging in lots of foreplay. Forgivable. HERE, no matter how many times they fuck, he never gets any better at it. It's going to be quick vaginal intercourse for the rest of her life. Poor woman. :(
I mean, Garrett is a good guy. He helps her out. He has her back. He's considerate (out of bed). He also gels with her very well - I feel like they truly like each other as people. I feel like they make each other laugh and are comfortable with each other. It's a good match.
It's only the sex that is a let-down.
He'd plowed into her like a beast when he should have coaxed her body into accepting him with more ease. pg. 162
He seems to know it's a mistake, but is unable to stop himself. Not only the first time. Any time. Lazy asshole.
TL;DR Good-hearted hero, despite one or two missteps. Strong, kind heroine. If you like marriages of convenience / contract marriages, I would highly recommend this book. It's interesting, Lee is not a slouch with the writing.
Don't read it expecting good sex, though.
ROMANCE CATEGORIES
#OwnVoices Romance - Garrett is Korean-American, Natalie is half-Korean, and Jayci Lee is Korean-American
Contemporary Romance
Millionaire/Billionaire Romance
Non-Virgin Heroine
Marriage of Convenience
He's VP of Hansol Inc.; She's VP of HR at Hansol Inc.
Takes Place in L.A., California, U.S.A.
NAMES IN THIS BOOK
"Then the ring will never see the light of day." He let out a short, humorless laugh. "I don't intend to marry for love and forever. Not everyone buys into that fairy tale. Certainly not me."
A chill ran down her spine at the finality of his words. pg. 80
I'm going to be rating and discussing this title as a Harlequin Desire book.
I generally avoid Harlequin Desires because they feature rich people. I'm just not interested.
But this was actually pretty enjoyable.
Garrett Song is the VP of Hansol Inc. and the heir apparent. He is part of an elite and rich Korean-American family. His grandmother shocks him by announcing that he will get married, to a woman she's already picked out for him, from a 재벌 family.
"I arranged the match with your best interest at heart. Jihae is a lovely, accomplished child from a well-respected jae-bul family. She will make a good wife and mother."
"My best interest? And it has nothing to do with having a jae-bul granddaughter-in-law who will bear you jae-bul grandchildren?" The only way to obtain the power and authority of a jae-bul - the rich, pseudoroyal families in Korea - was through birth or marriage. No matter how successful, the Songs were still part of the nouveaux riches, not a jae-bul family. pg. 20
Garrett, in a moment of panic, lies to his grandmother and tells her he is already engaged. And he won't give the woman up for some arranged marriage!
Natalie Sobol is the VP of HR at Hansol Inc. She is rich, but not as rich as Garrett. But still pretty rich. ANYWAY. Her sister and brother-in-law died in a car accident and she is desperately trying to get approved to be the adoptive mother of six-month-old Sophie. A rich husband would be a huge boon to winning custody.
So they work out an arrangement - they will wed. Garrett will get protection from his grandmother's meddling and Natalie will get a boosted chance at winning her niece. They agree sex is not going to be part of the bargain.
If you like this sort of thing - marriage of convenience, contract marriage, and etc. - this is a great book. Really A+. We have the slow smolder. A red-hot hero and a slow burn with a smart and confident heroine.
Garrett is a bit disgusting to her in one scene, but it's never repeated and it seems out of character for him. He's not usually cruel. Which makes the 'fight' they get into at the end extra-stupid. Lee explains it well, but I'm just not buying his out-of-character accusations. I know there has to be drama, but I wish Lee had found a better and more organic way of doing this.
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
Sadly, despite ALL the build-up and hype about Garrett, he's not good in bed. I was very disappointed. It's very wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am. Makes me depressed. They had good kissing! They had relatively exciting makeout sessions! I thought he was going to bring it in the bedroom.
Nope. He just has PinV sex with her. Full stop. Kiss, put penis inside her repeatedly, roll off her. WTF. Please no. Can't you have fingering? Eating vulva? Some slow foreplay? Anything? Throw me a bone, here. What is with all this quick, frantic fucking?
And he never gets any better at it. Sometimes, in romance novels, the first time for a couple is rushed because 'he is too excited' and 'he just can't help himself' or some shit. Pathetic, but at least temporary. Then in later sex scenes he redeems himself by taking it slow and / or engaging in lots of foreplay. Forgivable. HERE, no matter how many times they fuck, he never gets any better at it. It's going to be quick vaginal intercourse for the rest of her life. Poor woman. :(
I mean, Garrett is a good guy. He helps her out. He has her back. He's considerate (out of bed). He also gels with her very well - I feel like they truly like each other as people. I feel like they make each other laugh and are comfortable with each other. It's a good match.
It's only the sex that is a let-down.
He'd plowed into her like a beast when he should have coaxed her body into accepting him with more ease. pg. 162
He seems to know it's a mistake, but is unable to stop himself. Not only the first time. Any time. Lazy asshole.
TL;DR Good-hearted hero, despite one or two missteps. Strong, kind heroine. If you like marriages of convenience / contract marriages, I would highly recommend this book. It's interesting, Lee is not a slouch with the writing.
Don't read it expecting good sex, though.
ROMANCE CATEGORIES
#OwnVoices Romance - Garrett is Korean-American, Natalie is half-Korean, and Jayci Lee is Korean-American
Contemporary Romance
Millionaire/Billionaire Romance
Non-Virgin Heroine
Marriage of Convenience
He's VP of Hansol Inc.; She's VP of HR at Hansol Inc.
Takes Place in L.A., California, U.S.A.
NAMES IN THIS BOOK
December 27, 2020
I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher (Harlequin Books) for promotional purposes.
First off, I just want to say that I was very happy to see that this was an Own Voices (Korean American) romance. It’s nice to see Harlequin embracing other cultures since they aren’t typically the most diverse. I really liked how Korean culture was incorporated in the book. It added a more personal touch to the story.
Another aspect I liked was the big emphasis on family and becoming a family. I found all the family moments to be very sweet.
One thing I didn’t like was the time jumps. The pacing of the book moved super fast. From one chapter to the next, a lot of time would pass. There were quite a few things that we didn’t get to see since it happened off page.
As for the plot, it is fairly basic but that is to be expected from this sort of romance. I didn’t love the conflict at the end. It felt a little out of left field. It only seemed to serve the purpose of having a last minute conflict.
Overall, despite its shortcomings, this was a solid Harlequin romance. I am planning on continuing the series. I hope that Harlequin continues to publish more Own Voices romances.
First off, I just want to say that I was very happy to see that this was an Own Voices (Korean American) romance. It’s nice to see Harlequin embracing other cultures since they aren’t typically the most diverse. I really liked how Korean culture was incorporated in the book. It added a more personal touch to the story.
Another aspect I liked was the big emphasis on family and becoming a family. I found all the family moments to be very sweet.
One thing I didn’t like was the time jumps. The pacing of the book moved super fast. From one chapter to the next, a lot of time would pass. There were quite a few things that we didn’t get to see since it happened off page.
As for the plot, it is fairly basic but that is to be expected from this sort of romance. I didn’t love the conflict at the end. It felt a little out of left field. It only seemed to serve the purpose of having a last minute conflict.
Overall, despite its shortcomings, this was a solid Harlequin romance. I am planning on continuing the series. I hope that Harlequin continues to publish more Own Voices romances.
September 15, 2020
3.5 stars.
I love a good marriage of convenience trope and this one had some intense chemistry between our two main characters right off the bat. I loved how Garrett and Natalie worked together and they both needed something out of the marriage, so they were both all in. Since this was so short, though, it was missing some of that romantic development I like in my marriage of conveniences. We pretty much skip over their first two weeks of marriage and there was a scene where they go on a retreat together and will have to share a room, but something happens and they literally leave before even spending one night there. SUCH A MISSED OPPORTUNITY. ONLY ONE BED!?!?! There were so many moments that had the potential to really build tension and emotion, but they were skipped over.
I really loved how both Natalie and Garrett started to become attached to not only each other but also to each other's families. The baby was adorable and I liked how stern yet loving Garrett's grandmother was. I'm also excited that Garrett's sister gets the next book! I will say, though, that there was a conflict at the end that I REALLY don't like in romances that defeats all of the growth and trust established throughout the book. I don't want to spoil anything, but this is something I personally don't enjoy and it really made me annoyed when it happened in this book.
Overall, this was a fun romance that I mostly enjoyed. I do wish it were longer and developed the tension in the relationship more, but it was a fun read.
I love a good marriage of convenience trope and this one had some intense chemistry between our two main characters right off the bat. I loved how Garrett and Natalie worked together and they both needed something out of the marriage, so they were both all in. Since this was so short, though, it was missing some of that romantic development I like in my marriage of conveniences. We pretty much skip over their first two weeks of marriage and there was a scene where they go on a retreat together and will have to share a room, but something happens and they literally leave before even spending one night there. SUCH A MISSED OPPORTUNITY. ONLY ONE BED!?!?! There were so many moments that had the potential to really build tension and emotion, but they were skipped over.
I really loved how both Natalie and Garrett started to become attached to not only each other but also to each other's families. The baby was adorable and I liked how stern yet loving Garrett's grandmother was. I'm also excited that Garrett's sister gets the next book! I will say, though, that there was a conflict at the end that I REALLY don't like in romances that defeats all of the growth and trust established throughout the book. I don't want to spoil anything, but this is something I personally don't enjoy and it really made me annoyed when it happened in this book.
Overall, this was a fun romance that I mostly enjoyed. I do wish it were longer and developed the tension in the relationship more, but it was a fun read.
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September 9, 2020This was a very quick read I picked up on a whim when I wanted something short to listen to while doing chores and I...did not like it. It had its strengths but when it came down to it, the things I disliked were far more than the things I did like, so here is a short list of everything.
Things I liked:
- The family dynamics and how family oriented both main characters are.
- The tropes: I love me some marriage of convenience with some instantaneous mutual attraction.
- The sexual tension.
Things I didn't like:
- Most of the romantic development happened off page so it was difficult for me to root for a relationship that I didn't witness developing. there were also some inconsistencies where one minute Garrett is keeping Natalie at arm's length and the next he's being all cute and attentionate and domestic and the flip-flopping is never acknowledged.
- The sex scenes are...really mediocre, focusing on the penetrative act, no foreplay, no mention or use of any other type of sexual act, just one and done once penetration happens, as if it's the end all be all of sex.
- This book has the whole "I can't live without you", "my life has no meaning without you" thing which I hate with passion. Like, I get heartbreak is excruciatingly painful and takes time to heal, but having a relationship be the center of your world, literally making your life lose meaning when it's done isn't the romantic thing people make it up to be, it's actually unhealthy.
-
Things I liked:
- The family dynamics and how family oriented both main characters are.
- The tropes: I love me some marriage of convenience with some instantaneous mutual attraction.
- The sexual tension.
Things I didn't like:
- Most of the romantic development happened off page so it was difficult for me to root for a relationship that I didn't witness developing. there were also some inconsistencies where one minute Garrett is keeping Natalie at arm's length and the next he's being all cute and attentionate and domestic and the flip-flopping is never acknowledged.
- The sex scenes are...really mediocre, focusing on the penetrative act, no foreplay, no mention or use of any other type of sexual act, just one and done once penetration happens, as if it's the end all be all of sex.
- This book has the whole "I can't live without you", "my life has no meaning without you" thing which I hate with passion. Like, I get heartbreak is excruciatingly painful and takes time to heal, but having a relationship be the center of your world, literally making your life lose meaning when it's done isn't the romantic thing people make it up to be, it's actually unhealthy.
-
January 25, 2020
I read this for the Lunar New Year Readathon and enjoyed it so much. The chemistry between Garrett and Natalie is ON FIRE. Theirs is a fantastic marriage of convenience romance, with a great dose of angst and grovel at the end. It's a fairly quick read – it is a Harlequin category romance – and while I wish we could've had more time with the story so parts would be more fleshed out, I really loved getting to know our main characters and their families.
Natalie is strong heroine, capable of going head to head with Garrett, who is very much an alpha hero. They need a marriage of convenience so that Natalie can adopt her orphaned niece and Garrett isn't forced to marry a stranger his grandmother picked out for him, while still attaining his CEO seat. Their arrangement is perfectly methodical and logical, but the desire and heat between them changes everything the more they spend time together.
This was such a great debut romance from Jayci Lee and I cannot wait for more of her books, not just in this series but her upcoming foodie romance, A Sweet Mess! I'm all for reading more Asian romances by Asian authors.
Natalie is strong heroine, capable of going head to head with Garrett, who is very much an alpha hero. They need a marriage of convenience so that Natalie can adopt her orphaned niece and Garrett isn't forced to marry a stranger his grandmother picked out for him, while still attaining his CEO seat. Their arrangement is perfectly methodical and logical, but the desire and heat between them changes everything the more they spend time together.
This was such a great debut romance from Jayci Lee and I cannot wait for more of her books, not just in this series but her upcoming foodie romance, A Sweet Mess! I'm all for reading more Asian romances by Asian authors.
January 25, 2020
Oh man I really liked this. It’s that “oh noes we can’t have sex….ok well maybe once...ok lets have lots of sex but no love….damnit! I’m in love and I can’t tell you!” push and pull that I dig because you know it’s going to pay off. Yes, there’s a comfort to this type of storytelling, one I enjoy greatly.
I have such a soft spot for fake marriage turns real trope. The Firsts aka (Meet/Kiss/Love Scene)? Great. With a touch of angst, but not too much, Garrett and Natalie’s romance had instant chemistry but their relationship builds slowly. They need to get married for different reasons, but even if there's a power imbalance in their positions (he's basically owner of a company and she's an employee), the romance doesn't suffer for it. There’s oodles and oodles of unresolved sexual tension that drives a good part of the book, but when the fireworks kick in, it doesn’t lose that momentum because you know they’re desperately in love but not wanting to show it.
On the flip side, the cultural diversity worked for me, but admittedly I’m not in a position to speak to the accuracy of the Korean representation. I thought Garrett’s family was well drawn, and I only wished there was more time spent building Natalie’s family beyond the minimum. I know there are certain constraints with a category romance, and they were definitely felt here. The passage of time especially, and not getting to see certain beats play out for sake of page count stood out to me. But it’s what I expect for category romances, so I didn’t really hold it against the overall tale.
If fake relationship that inevitably turns real sounds like it’s your jam, I’d recommend it. Garrett’s sister, Adelaide, is next up and I say sign me up for this bit of soapy goodness. I can’t wait.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**
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August 1, 2020
Super cute fake-marriage wish fulfillment featuring two HOT ASF characters of colour!!
Garrett's Korean and Natalie's half-Korean, and I really liked how their heritage played a part in the story. Overall, the instalove + HEA made for a quick and fluffy read (a lil too fluffy for me ngl), and I'd absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a diverse whirlwind romance!
Garrett's Korean and Natalie's half-Korean, and I really liked how their heritage played a part in the story. Overall, the instalove + HEA made for a quick and fluffy read (a lil too fluffy for me ngl), and I'd absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a diverse whirlwind romance!
January 20, 2020
Temporary Wife Temptation by Jayci Lee is a sexy modern marriage of a convenience romance and a solid debut by a new author to the genre.
Garrett Song knows what’s expected of him by his traditional Korean family – to take over the reins of Hansol, the family’s fashion retail dynasty as CEO. To do this, his grandmother has planned an arranged marriage as part of a business deal to merge with Vivotex after which she’ll promote him to CEO from his current VP position. But Garrett wants to have some things on his terms, including the woman he marries. Defying his grandmother while still attaining the CEO position could be tricky unless he can find a ‘wife’ in short order.
Natalie Sobol has worked hard for Hansol and her current position in human resources is good, but there’s a possibility of promotion in her department. She worked as interim VP of HR previously, and knows she can do the job. But her sister and husband have recently died in a car accident, leaving her as guardian to her beloved niece Sophie, and the baby’s unexpected illness caused her to miss the interview for the VP position. Determined to get another chance, Natalie knows which club Garrett hangs out at and finds him there. Though Garrett doesn’t recognize Natalie at first out of her usual work uniform and dressed for a night out, the truth comes out quickly. And with it comes a possible solution to Garrett’s problem.
Garrett knows that Natalie can do the VP of human resources job and offers a trade. If she’ll agree to a short marriage of convenience he’ll make sure Natalie gets the job. Everyone will come out ahead. Garrett will have more control of his own destiny and be able to show his grandmother that he can still make the merger with Vivotex on his own terms. Natalie, fighting a custody battle with her niece’s grandparents on her deceased brother-in-law’s side can show the court a stable family life to help her adoption plans. But when the attraction between them heats up, will their fake marriage start to feel a little too real?
I liked a lot of things about this romance. The cover is terrific and accurately portrays how I picture the couple. Natalie is Korean American, and not as well versed in traditional Korean culture as Garrett is, but she’s interested and willing to learn more about her heritage and she wants to make a good impression on Garrett’s grandmother (even if she doesn’t agree with her planning an arranged marriage for him). Thwarting grandmother’s plans means uncertain consequences for Garrett in terms of his CEO position but he’s smart and confident in himself and his abilities. Natalie isn’t that comfortable with the fake origins of their relationship (telling everyone they were secretly dating) and hiding that from his grandmother but she’s determined to live up to her end of the bargain (and truth be told, when Grandmother realizes she’s getting a cute great-granddaughter out of the bargain, she’s not all that unhappy). The ethics of their dating relationship is skirted over by making a quick transition to the wedding so that the gossip about it and its impropriety get taken over by best wishes for the marriage.
Garrett is quite stubborn though when it comes to having an actual relationship with Natalie. Despite their mutual attraction he keeps himself at an emotional (and physical) distance for a few weeks after their wedding day, to Natalie’s disappointment. She knows Garrett isn’t interested in love and tries to keep herself from developing feelings for him even though when they are in public and pretending, it’s easy to forget that they’re not a real couple. Eventually they give into the attraction and share some sexy scenes but Garrett doesn’t want to admit that he’s falling for Natalie. There are some plot points thrown in for extra drama that were a bit over the top and made Garrett doubt Natalie’s true feelings and intentions. When things come to a head, he has to make up for some mistakes to prove to Natalie that their marriage is worth fighting for. I was glad to see Natalie stand up for herself and not let Garrett off easy. I would have liked to see more development of a relationship between Garrett and his new daughter Sophie – while Sophie’s existence is one of the reasons for their marriage so that Natalie could get custody, she sometimes seemed like an afterthought and not integral to the story.
Overall, the story is an interesting and entertaining one, with complex characters who grow over the course of the story and get a well deserved happy ending. The family dynamics and cultural context are well described and I’m looking forward to reading about some of the secondary characters in future books by this author.
This review appears at Harlequin Junkie: https://harlequinjunkie.com/review-te...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher for review.
Garrett Song knows what’s expected of him by his traditional Korean family – to take over the reins of Hansol, the family’s fashion retail dynasty as CEO. To do this, his grandmother has planned an arranged marriage as part of a business deal to merge with Vivotex after which she’ll promote him to CEO from his current VP position. But Garrett wants to have some things on his terms, including the woman he marries. Defying his grandmother while still attaining the CEO position could be tricky unless he can find a ‘wife’ in short order.
Natalie Sobol has worked hard for Hansol and her current position in human resources is good, but there’s a possibility of promotion in her department. She worked as interim VP of HR previously, and knows she can do the job. But her sister and husband have recently died in a car accident, leaving her as guardian to her beloved niece Sophie, and the baby’s unexpected illness caused her to miss the interview for the VP position. Determined to get another chance, Natalie knows which club Garrett hangs out at and finds him there. Though Garrett doesn’t recognize Natalie at first out of her usual work uniform and dressed for a night out, the truth comes out quickly. And with it comes a possible solution to Garrett’s problem.
Garrett knows that Natalie can do the VP of human resources job and offers a trade. If she’ll agree to a short marriage of convenience he’ll make sure Natalie gets the job. Everyone will come out ahead. Garrett will have more control of his own destiny and be able to show his grandmother that he can still make the merger with Vivotex on his own terms. Natalie, fighting a custody battle with her niece’s grandparents on her deceased brother-in-law’s side can show the court a stable family life to help her adoption plans. But when the attraction between them heats up, will their fake marriage start to feel a little too real?
I liked a lot of things about this romance. The cover is terrific and accurately portrays how I picture the couple. Natalie is Korean American, and not as well versed in traditional Korean culture as Garrett is, but she’s interested and willing to learn more about her heritage and she wants to make a good impression on Garrett’s grandmother (even if she doesn’t agree with her planning an arranged marriage for him). Thwarting grandmother’s plans means uncertain consequences for Garrett in terms of his CEO position but he’s smart and confident in himself and his abilities. Natalie isn’t that comfortable with the fake origins of their relationship (telling everyone they were secretly dating) and hiding that from his grandmother but she’s determined to live up to her end of the bargain (and truth be told, when Grandmother realizes she’s getting a cute great-granddaughter out of the bargain, she’s not all that unhappy). The ethics of their dating relationship is skirted over by making a quick transition to the wedding so that the gossip about it and its impropriety get taken over by best wishes for the marriage.
Garrett is quite stubborn though when it comes to having an actual relationship with Natalie. Despite their mutual attraction he keeps himself at an emotional (and physical) distance for a few weeks after their wedding day, to Natalie’s disappointment. She knows Garrett isn’t interested in love and tries to keep herself from developing feelings for him even though when they are in public and pretending, it’s easy to forget that they’re not a real couple. Eventually they give into the attraction and share some sexy scenes but Garrett doesn’t want to admit that he’s falling for Natalie. There are some plot points thrown in for extra drama that were a bit over the top and made Garrett doubt Natalie’s true feelings and intentions. When things come to a head, he has to make up for some mistakes to prove to Natalie that their marriage is worth fighting for. I was glad to see Natalie stand up for herself and not let Garrett off easy. I would have liked to see more development of a relationship between Garrett and his new daughter Sophie – while Sophie’s existence is one of the reasons for their marriage so that Natalie could get custody, she sometimes seemed like an afterthought and not integral to the story.
Overall, the story is an interesting and entertaining one, with complex characters who grow over the course of the story and get a well deserved happy ending. The family dynamics and cultural context are well described and I’m looking forward to reading about some of the secondary characters in future books by this author.
This review appears at Harlequin Junkie: https://harlequinjunkie.com/review-te...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher for review.
February 14, 2020
I overhyped this book so much and was disappointed by the pacing and characters who kept gasping and putting their hands to their mouths to show shock or how the male character blamed her to push her away even if he knew there would be no way she could have done it....
January 23, 2020
I do love a good fake relationship story and I love this cover, so I was thrilled to read this one.
I really liked Natalie and Garrett. They’re both driven and a little people dumb and it’s amusing to see them try to figure out how a relationship works. I loved Garrett’s family and the culture that came with them. I especially loved his sister and I’m really hoping for a companion book there.
Plot wise, I was left wanting more. The chemistry is nearly instantaneous and thankfully they do spend some time getting to know a bit about each other. However, I could have easily done with 100 more pages of them talking and learning about each other. The blow up was sort of what I expected and while the grand gesture was great, I definitely would have liked an epilogue.
Overall, it was a quick read with characters I really enjoyed. I look forward to reading more from Jayci.
**Huge thanks to Harlequin for providing the arc free of charge**
I really liked Natalie and Garrett. They’re both driven and a little people dumb and it’s amusing to see them try to figure out how a relationship works. I loved Garrett’s family and the culture that came with them. I especially loved his sister and I’m really hoping for a companion book there.
Plot wise, I was left wanting more. The chemistry is nearly instantaneous and thankfully they do spend some time getting to know a bit about each other. However, I could have easily done with 100 more pages of them talking and learning about each other. The blow up was sort of what I expected and while the grand gesture was great, I definitely would have liked an epilogue.
Overall, it was a quick read with characters I really enjoyed. I look forward to reading more from Jayci.
**Huge thanks to Harlequin for providing the arc free of charge**
March 10, 2020
Not even gonna lie. The cover is what caught me. That cover is pure sexy fiyah!
----
Nice deployment of the fake marriage trope. Enjoyed it as a nice, easy read.
----
Nice deployment of the fake marriage trope. Enjoyed it as a nice, easy read.
November 30, 2021
This was a short read. There isn't a lot of angst and the overall story as well as the chemistry between the MCs was rushed. The conflict and resolution left much to be desired in terms of building the anticipation. But overall, it is a sweet read that you can get into without too much investment.
January 26, 2020
I can always be enticed by a fake engagement ala arranged marriage scenario. But add other elements such as traditional Korean family, office romance, and new to me debut author...I had to snag it.
Temporary Wife Temptation is the first of the Heirs of Hansol series about a traditional Korean American family in the fashion industry. The first to get his story is promising businessman Garrett Song who honors his family right up to the point his grandmother announces she has arranged a match between the heir of her company and the heiress of an old money Korean family in the same industry. Garrett got burned early by love when his mother passed away leaving their family destitute and then the one woman he gave his heart to crushed it. He has no plans to marry, but he does want the CEO position in the family company and a contract with another business who values a married family man over a swinging bachelor. Time to find a temporary wife...
Natalie Sobol, daughter of an American GI falling for her Korean mother and then not wanting a thing to do with his two daughters, a mother and sister passed away, and now a legal fight to adopt her sister's daughter, knows a thing or two about not wanting to chance the pain of a permanent marriage. Yet, her chances of adopting her niece grow exponentially if she has the powerful Song name and a husband to lend a certain cachet before the social worker, paternal grandparents, and the judge so a temporary husband is just the thing.
Only, Garrett and Natalie discover that pulling off the deception for others is simple compared to the deception going on in their own hearts once they are together.
All the things I was anticipating when I picked up this book took place. I liked both Garrett and Natalie and bought into their personal reasons to come together and it was fun seeing them fight the spark of attraction that grew deeper as they were together as a couple, partners in reaching their goals, and even as parents. The illusion became fact and, of course, that was the conflict of the story since both had reasons to fear something permanent, too. I loved learning more about Korean traditions which were there as background and even motivations at times without feeling cliche or dabbed in.
The romance went from sensual to steamy even while this pair were fighting attraction. The big moment was there and just as painful as I imagined, but it was a wake-up call to them both particularly Garrett who resisted love most of all. He blew it, but he did have a little help. He was stubborn and I wanted to kick him in the pants, but his sister and bestfriend lit a fire under him. Incidentally, looking forward to their story.
I really only had one niggle. The transitions were abrupt. The story would leap from one scene into the next in abrupt breaks in time where the old scene ended without resolution and the new scene showed it resolved in the interim and moved onto something new. I still got a sense of the romance development and how things came to be with the business and family stuff, but it was in summary after the fact at times. Some I didn't mind, but others I felt needed to play out before my eyes so I could connect better with the story. Not a huge issue, but it was there.
In the end, this was a quick read full of spicy romance, engaging characters, and a fun fake engagement-marriage that hit the spot. I would recommend this for those who enjoy contemporary romance with a spicy Asian flavor in the sophisticated business world.
My thanks to Harlequin for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Temporary Wife Temptation is the first of the Heirs of Hansol series about a traditional Korean American family in the fashion industry. The first to get his story is promising businessman Garrett Song who honors his family right up to the point his grandmother announces she has arranged a match between the heir of her company and the heiress of an old money Korean family in the same industry. Garrett got burned early by love when his mother passed away leaving their family destitute and then the one woman he gave his heart to crushed it. He has no plans to marry, but he does want the CEO position in the family company and a contract with another business who values a married family man over a swinging bachelor. Time to find a temporary wife...
Natalie Sobol, daughter of an American GI falling for her Korean mother and then not wanting a thing to do with his two daughters, a mother and sister passed away, and now a legal fight to adopt her sister's daughter, knows a thing or two about not wanting to chance the pain of a permanent marriage. Yet, her chances of adopting her niece grow exponentially if she has the powerful Song name and a husband to lend a certain cachet before the social worker, paternal grandparents, and the judge so a temporary husband is just the thing.
Only, Garrett and Natalie discover that pulling off the deception for others is simple compared to the deception going on in their own hearts once they are together.
All the things I was anticipating when I picked up this book took place. I liked both Garrett and Natalie and bought into their personal reasons to come together and it was fun seeing them fight the spark of attraction that grew deeper as they were together as a couple, partners in reaching their goals, and even as parents. The illusion became fact and, of course, that was the conflict of the story since both had reasons to fear something permanent, too. I loved learning more about Korean traditions which were there as background and even motivations at times without feeling cliche or dabbed in.
The romance went from sensual to steamy even while this pair were fighting attraction. The big moment was there and just as painful as I imagined, but it was a wake-up call to them both particularly Garrett who resisted love most of all. He blew it, but he did have a little help. He was stubborn and I wanted to kick him in the pants, but his sister and bestfriend lit a fire under him. Incidentally, looking forward to their story.
I really only had one niggle. The transitions were abrupt. The story would leap from one scene into the next in abrupt breaks in time where the old scene ended without resolution and the new scene showed it resolved in the interim and moved onto something new. I still got a sense of the romance development and how things came to be with the business and family stuff, but it was in summary after the fact at times. Some I didn't mind, but others I felt needed to play out before my eyes so I could connect better with the story. Not a huge issue, but it was there.
In the end, this was a quick read full of spicy romance, engaging characters, and a fun fake engagement-marriage that hit the spot. I would recommend this for those who enjoy contemporary romance with a spicy Asian flavor in the sophisticated business world.
My thanks to Harlequin for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 24, 2021
If you're looking for a quick romance to get over a reading slump, Temporary Wife Temptation is definitely for you. I inhale any book with a marriage of convenience trope, and the chemistry between Garrett and Natalie is sizzling.
I'd say the big downside of this one is that because it's so short, there aren't really too many obstacles that stand in our protagonists' way, and we never get to know them super well. Everything just clips along at a nice pace, but sometimes that's all that I need.
Content warning: Mentions of family deaths
I'd say the big downside of this one is that because it's so short, there aren't really too many obstacles that stand in our protagonists' way, and we never get to know them super well. Everything just clips along at a nice pace, but sometimes that's all that I need.
Content warning: Mentions of family deaths
May 24, 2020
*I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
*3.5 Stars!*
Temporary Wife Temptation was a book that first caught my attention the day the cover was revealed and it was love at first sight.
Like, can we please take a moment to appreciate how stunning this cover is?!
HIS STARE. HER DRESS. THAT POSE. THIS COLOR SCHEME.
Okay, enough of me salivating over this cover, let's get into this review.
As the VP of one of the country's top fashion retailers, Garrett Song is all business and no play. But when his grandmother insist that he be engaged before he can become CEO of the family company, Garrett Song must find himself a wife to play the part. Currently filling the role as the VP of Human Resources for Hansol Incorporated, Natalie Sobol has to balance her new responsibilities while trying to gain custody of her niece. But when she misses an important meeting to turn her temporary role into a more permanent position, she seeks out Garrett's help for a second chance. The two end up striking up an arrangement in order to help them both get what they want, but when feelings start to blur the lines between them, will it get in the way of Garrett and Natalie of achieving their goals?
Temporary Wife Temptation sucked me in from the start and I couldn't put it down. I immediately felt the chemistry between Natalie and Garrett and I honestly spent most of my time screaming "just kiss already" because the angst was killing me. Although my patience couldn't take it, I did enjoy the slow burn between these two. I really loved how important family was to both Garrett and Natalie. Even though this started off as just an arrangement, Natalie was working hard to impress Garrett's grandma because she knew it was important to him. Garrett even surprised me when he stepped up and was being so caring with Sophie. It was adorable!
I only have two issues with this story. My first issue was with the conflict. It was such a juvenile move and I was scratching my head because Garrett was totally overreacting and he just made assumptions instead of just talking to Natalie. My second issue was with how the conflict was resolved. I think because the conflict occurred so close to the end of the story, there wasn't much of a build up to the resolution. Everything was quickly forgiven and then the story ended and it left me wanting for more. We needed a few more chapters to wrap things up to have a more satisfying end.
Overall, Temporary Wife Temptation was a great start to a new series and I'm excited to see what happens in the next book!
*3.5 Stars!*
Temporary Wife Temptation was a book that first caught my attention the day the cover was revealed and it was love at first sight.
Like, can we please take a moment to appreciate how stunning this cover is?!
HIS STARE. HER DRESS. THAT POSE. THIS COLOR SCHEME.
Okay, enough of me salivating over this cover, let's get into this review.
As the VP of one of the country's top fashion retailers, Garrett Song is all business and no play. But when his grandmother insist that he be engaged before he can become CEO of the family company, Garrett Song must find himself a wife to play the part. Currently filling the role as the VP of Human Resources for Hansol Incorporated, Natalie Sobol has to balance her new responsibilities while trying to gain custody of her niece. But when she misses an important meeting to turn her temporary role into a more permanent position, she seeks out Garrett's help for a second chance. The two end up striking up an arrangement in order to help them both get what they want, but when feelings start to blur the lines between them, will it get in the way of Garrett and Natalie of achieving their goals?
Temporary Wife Temptation sucked me in from the start and I couldn't put it down. I immediately felt the chemistry between Natalie and Garrett and I honestly spent most of my time screaming "just kiss already" because the angst was killing me. Although my patience couldn't take it, I did enjoy the slow burn between these two. I really loved how important family was to both Garrett and Natalie. Even though this started off as just an arrangement, Natalie was working hard to impress Garrett's grandma because she knew it was important to him. Garrett even surprised me when he stepped up and was being so caring with Sophie. It was adorable!
I only have two issues with this story. My first issue was with the conflict. It was such a juvenile move and I was scratching my head because Garrett was totally overreacting and he just made assumptions instead of just talking to Natalie. My second issue was with how the conflict was resolved. I think because the conflict occurred so close to the end of the story, there wasn't much of a build up to the resolution. Everything was quickly forgiven and then the story ended and it left me wanting for more. We needed a few more chapters to wrap things up to have a more satisfying end.
Overall, Temporary Wife Temptation was a great start to a new series and I'm excited to see what happens in the next book!
February 6, 2020
With its absolutely stunning cover, Temporary Wife Temptation is a book that just begs romance readers to pick it up. Jayci Lee's debut novel does not disappoint and delivers on the marriage-of-convenience trope beautifully.
To get his meddling grandmother and her arranged-marriage proposals off his back, Garrett enters a deal with the woman in the running for the VP of HR at his company - in exchange for temporarily marrying him, he will ensure that she gets the job that she desperately needs. Garrett Song is not a man of many words. He is somewhat stoic and you just know that underneath that hard exterior is a man capable of intense passion. Watching Garrett slowly unravel around Natalie was a treat, and I may have hollered once or twice when he let his more sexy side emerge. Personality-wise, Natalie was pretty much the opposite of Garrett. She was much more open about her emotions. She recently lost her sister and brother-in-law to a car accident and was trying to raise her baby niece. Unfortunately, she is also in a custody battle with her niece's grandparents. Knowing that being married will make her look better in court, she agrees to marry Garrett. I liked Natalie a lot. She was dealing with all these upheavals in her life, but she handled like a champ - there was no bitterness or complaints from her, only love for her niece. Her outpouring of love balanced out Garrett's more unflappable nature
While the two are determined to view this marriage as a transaction, feelings do develop as readers anticipate. The progression of their relationship felt natural to me and the steamy scenes are very rewarding. As much as I love the sexy times in this book, what I enjoyed reading the most about was Garrett and Natalie's conversations on their shared or different views. You see them open up to each other through these conversations, and oof, my heart! I especially enjoyed all the insight into both of their Korean backgrounds and what that meant to them. The Korean traditions, in particular, were seamlessly incorporated into the storyline. We also have an interesting secondary cast in Temporary Wife Temptation. Garrett's grandmother delighted me with her headstrong, but sometimes soft personality. My only minor quibble is that I would have perhaps liked to see a bit more scenes of Garrett interacting with baby Sophie because truly, who can resist a seemingly apathetic hero coddle over a cute baby?
All in all, Temporary Wife Temptation wasn't just a book with a great cover - the interior is as excellent as the exterior. I'll certainly be picking up the subsequent companion novels in this series as well as whatever Jayci Lee decides to write. I'm a fan.
To get his meddling grandmother and her arranged-marriage proposals off his back, Garrett enters a deal with the woman in the running for the VP of HR at his company - in exchange for temporarily marrying him, he will ensure that she gets the job that she desperately needs. Garrett Song is not a man of many words. He is somewhat stoic and you just know that underneath that hard exterior is a man capable of intense passion. Watching Garrett slowly unravel around Natalie was a treat, and I may have hollered once or twice when he let his more sexy side emerge. Personality-wise, Natalie was pretty much the opposite of Garrett. She was much more open about her emotions. She recently lost her sister and brother-in-law to a car accident and was trying to raise her baby niece. Unfortunately, she is also in a custody battle with her niece's grandparents. Knowing that being married will make her look better in court, she agrees to marry Garrett. I liked Natalie a lot. She was dealing with all these upheavals in her life, but she handled like a champ - there was no bitterness or complaints from her, only love for her niece. Her outpouring of love balanced out Garrett's more unflappable nature
While the two are determined to view this marriage as a transaction, feelings do develop as readers anticipate. The progression of their relationship felt natural to me and the steamy scenes are very rewarding. As much as I love the sexy times in this book, what I enjoyed reading the most about was Garrett and Natalie's conversations on their shared or different views. You see them open up to each other through these conversations, and oof, my heart! I especially enjoyed all the insight into both of their Korean backgrounds and what that meant to them. The Korean traditions, in particular, were seamlessly incorporated into the storyline. We also have an interesting secondary cast in Temporary Wife Temptation. Garrett's grandmother delighted me with her headstrong, but sometimes soft personality. My only minor quibble is that I would have perhaps liked to see a bit more scenes of Garrett interacting with baby Sophie because truly, who can resist a seemingly apathetic hero coddle over a cute baby?
All in all, Temporary Wife Temptation wasn't just a book with a great cover - the interior is as excellent as the exterior. I'll certainly be picking up the subsequent companion novels in this series as well as whatever Jayci Lee decides to write. I'm a fan.
February 20, 2020
This was such a cute book! Readers know right off the bat that Natalie and Garrett are perfect for each other, but the fun is watching them fumble towards this realization. It also helped that both of them were such likable characters. Indeed, I liked everyone - with perhaps the exception of Natalie's niece's grandparents, who are fighting Natalie for custody.
The real struggle for Garrett and Natalie happens after the wedding, when they constantly fight against their attraction to one another. But the best part is that they also genuinely like each other as well. As they pretend to be the perfect family for relatives, co-workers, and Natalie's niece's social worker, the couple figure out that they are actually are a great for one another.
I really like the fake dating/fake marriage trope, and Temporary Wife Temptation does it so well! I can't wait for the second book (about Garrett's sister) to come out in the fall.
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC!
The real struggle for Garrett and Natalie happens after the wedding, when they constantly fight against their attraction to one another. But the best part is that they also genuinely like each other as well. As they pretend to be the perfect family for relatives, co-workers, and Natalie's niece's social worker, the couple figure out that they are actually are a great for one another.
I really like the fake dating/fake marriage trope, and Temporary Wife Temptation does it so well! I can't wait for the second book (about Garrett's sister) to come out in the fall.
Thank you to the publisher for an ARC!
December 18, 2019
Hero’s grandmother wants to marry him off to a woman of her choice. Hero who is anti-marriage decides to enter in a fake marriage with heroine who is fighting to get custody of her niece.
The story was interesting in itself since I don’t think I ever read a Korean Hero/heroine before, but it fell flat for me and lost my interest when you get Hero’s POV of how heroine is not his type (aka not attractive enough, etc.). How can I believe in their attraction & love after those thoughts? For me, it ends up being more lust then love and “settling”.
Received an ARC courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
The story was interesting in itself since I don’t think I ever read a Korean Hero/heroine before, but it fell flat for me and lost my interest when you get Hero’s POV of how heroine is not his type (aka not attractive enough, etc.). How can I believe in their attraction & love after those thoughts? For me, it ends up being more lust then love and “settling”.
Received an ARC courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
February 19, 2020
Romance is not a genre I read, but I am very happy I gave Temporary Wife Temptation by Jayci Lee a go. Although the overall plot became predictable early on, I still ended up enjoying this novel and that’s a lot coming from a non-romance lover. I rolled my eyes once and that’s huge coming from me. 😆 I would read more for this author.
Many thanks to Harlequin Desire for this gifted copy via NetGally, in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to Harlequin Desire for this gifted copy via NetGally, in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2020
My first read featuring Korean Americans written by a Korean American. So well done, bringing in enough cultural input to feel authentic to me without it become the crux of the story. And the steam, wooo-wee, this is steamy. I could read this again and again.
January 19, 2022
INITIAL THOUGHTS:
I've been meaning to read this series because LOOK. AT. THAT. COVER!!! Good thing Scribd has the audiobooks available.
Temporary Wife Temptation hits tropes I enjoyed before--workplace romance, fake relationships, solo parent. It was indeed an enjoyable read and I'm loving seeing more POC characters in the romance scene.
The good: Korean/Korean-American leads, family-oriented characters, some angst, chemistry between characters
The bad: Random time jumps, spicy scenes aren't spicy enough, I hate the reason for the conflict, the male lead was irritating.
Full review to come maybe?
☁ THE CRITERIA ☁
🌼 Intrigue:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Main Character:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Significant Other:⭐⭐☆☆☆
🌼 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Writing Quality:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Character Development: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Romance: ⭐⭐���☆☆
🌼 Plot: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Enjoyment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Audiobook Production:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
☁FINAL VERDICT: 3.86/5 ☁
📚 Blog ♡ Booktube ♡ Bookstagram ♡ Facebook ♡ Twitter 📚
I've been meaning to read this series because LOOK. AT. THAT. COVER!!! Good thing Scribd has the audiobooks available.
Temporary Wife Temptation hits tropes I enjoyed before--workplace romance, fake relationships, solo parent. It was indeed an enjoyable read and I'm loving seeing more POC characters in the romance scene.
The good: Korean/Korean-American leads, family-oriented characters, some angst, chemistry between characters
The bad: Random time jumps, spicy scenes aren't spicy enough, I hate the reason for the conflict, the male lead was irritating.
Full review to come maybe?
☁ THE CRITERIA ☁
🌼 Intrigue:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Main Character:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Significant Other:⭐⭐☆☆☆
🌼 Support Characters:⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Writing Quality:⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Character Development: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Romance: ⭐⭐���☆☆
🌼 Plot: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆
🌼 Ending: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Unputdownability: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Enjoyment: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
🌼 Audiobook Production:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌼 Book Cover:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
☁FINAL VERDICT: 3.86/5 ☁
📚 Blog ♡ Booktube ♡ Bookstagram ♡ Facebook ♡ Twitter 📚
February 25, 2024
The kind of completely preposterous plot that I totally accept and fall for in category romance - the marriage of convenience. He's heir apparent looking to wiggle out of an arranged marriage brokered by his grandmother and she needs the stability of a husband to adopt her orphaned niece. I thought the southern California setting was well done and I liked how the author explored both sides of the coin on Korean-American life experiences (the hero's family is very traditional, the heroine's not at all). Desire's were (RIP) a shorter Harlequin line and the "beats" didn't always hit the mark and the Black Moment is chalked up to the fact that the hero can't communicate emotion to save his life, but I still liked this one and read it in one sitting. Good, not great - probably around a B- on my personal scale.
July 15, 2025
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Desire for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.
Oh my freaking gosh!
I was kind of getting younger bad boy Daniel Dae Kim vibes for some reason? Like, couldn’t you imagine if this book was written when Kim was in his late 20s or even early 30s and it was adapted into a movie and then he got to play Garrett Song? Ughhhhh I can’t even handle it.
That’s how much I loved this book, okay? Like, I swear Lee is about to be one of my favorite authors now and I need to know more about this series. I can’t believe this is the first one, only! Like, I need more immediately. I also need to stop saying “like” all the time, but whatever. I’m too freaking excited by this novel.
I won’t lie either, I also love that our main characters are Asian, because for me I rarely see that in the book world, especially without them being side characters. Well, yeah I guess that’s the point of me calling them the main characters, but for real. I was so into Garrett and the Song family. I could feel the kind of familial obligation that he has to take over the family business, and be the perfect son. Not just to the public eye, but to his family legacy as well. I totally get that, even though I’m not as well to do as the Songs are.
Then the pressure of having to start a family too, in order to continue the legacy again. Again it’s about the family, bringing honor to the family and making sure that the family is going to be in a positive light as much as possible. It only makes sense that Garrett would result to having a fake wife in order to get his family off his back. Ugh and the steaminess that comes from this arrangement? Priceless.
Oh my freaking gosh!
I was kind of getting younger bad boy Daniel Dae Kim vibes for some reason? Like, couldn’t you imagine if this book was written when Kim was in his late 20s or even early 30s and it was adapted into a movie and then he got to play Garrett Song? Ughhhhh I can’t even handle it.
That’s how much I loved this book, okay? Like, I swear Lee is about to be one of my favorite authors now and I need to know more about this series. I can’t believe this is the first one, only! Like, I need more immediately. I also need to stop saying “like” all the time, but whatever. I’m too freaking excited by this novel.
I won’t lie either, I also love that our main characters are Asian, because for me I rarely see that in the book world, especially without them being side characters. Well, yeah I guess that’s the point of me calling them the main characters, but for real. I was so into Garrett and the Song family. I could feel the kind of familial obligation that he has to take over the family business, and be the perfect son. Not just to the public eye, but to his family legacy as well. I totally get that, even though I’m not as well to do as the Songs are.
Then the pressure of having to start a family too, in order to continue the legacy again. Again it’s about the family, bringing honor to the family and making sure that the family is going to be in a positive light as much as possible. It only makes sense that Garrett would result to having a fake wife in order to get his family off his back. Ugh and the steaminess that comes from this arrangement? Priceless.
August 7, 2020
Initial thoughts:
📌 Mutual lust at first sight
📌 A marriage of convenience where the stakes are high and real for both parties - and I totally rooted for them both!
📌 Garrett is your typical alpha male billionaire with a soft heart and trust issues, while Natalie is an ambitious go-getter who just wants to find love and be loved.
📌 Both Garrett and Natalie are incredibly family-oriented, and it's fascinating to see how their sense of love and duty for their family drives their ambitions and their actions.
📌 Natalie grew up disconnected from her family and from her Korean heritage, and it was really beautiful for her to slowly rekindle her connection to Korean roots by forging relationships with Garrett's family.
📌 There are a lot of time jumps in this story, which was quite disorienting at first.
📌 Much of the romantic development happened off-page and readers need to fill in the gaps themselves. While I would have LOVED to see more development on-page, I don't think that it took much away from the romance.
📌 THE SEXUAL TENSION BETWEEN THEM WAS SO GOOD!
📌 My only point of criticism is that the build-up of sexual tension between Garrett and Natalie was wasted on mediocre sex scenes that are focused on the act of penetration. Not once did he ever go down on her, and it is a damn shame because Natalie is a snack who deserves to be devoured accordingly. I WAS DUPED! I WAS ROBBED!
Recommended
* Disclosure: I received a digital ARC of this book (via NetGalley) from its publisher in exchange for an honest review.
📌 Mutual lust at first sight
📌 A marriage of convenience where the stakes are high and real for both parties - and I totally rooted for them both!
📌 Garrett is your typical alpha male billionaire with a soft heart and trust issues, while Natalie is an ambitious go-getter who just wants to find love and be loved.
📌 Both Garrett and Natalie are incredibly family-oriented, and it's fascinating to see how their sense of love and duty for their family drives their ambitions and their actions.
📌 Natalie grew up disconnected from her family and from her Korean heritage, and it was really beautiful for her to slowly rekindle her connection to Korean roots by forging relationships with Garrett's family.
📌 There are a lot of time jumps in this story, which was quite disorienting at first.
📌 Much of the romantic development happened off-page and readers need to fill in the gaps themselves. While I would have LOVED to see more development on-page, I don't think that it took much away from the romance.
📌 THE SEXUAL TENSION BETWEEN THEM WAS SO GOOD!
📌 My only point of criticism is that the build-up of sexual tension between Garrett and Natalie was wasted on mediocre sex scenes that are focused on the act of penetration. Not once did he ever go down on her, and it is a damn shame because Natalie is a snack who deserves to be devoured accordingly. I WAS DUPED! I WAS ROBBED!
Recommended
* Disclosure: I received a digital ARC of this book (via NetGalley) from its publisher in exchange for an honest review.
July 19, 2024
The marriage of convenience trope is one of my favorite tropes to read, so I was super excited to get my hands on this. This was a decent debut and I loved that our couple were POC.
The chemistry between Natalie and Garrett was explosive from the first time they met and it kept building through this short book. I was begging them to act on their feelings so many times. They also balanced each other out with their personalities. It was a good time to read about Garrett, who opposed thoughts of love and realized that he was falling in love with Natalie.
Now, I do have some issues. There were time jumps where I was left confused about what was happening. I know this book is a short one and maybe they cut it down for size, but I would have loved a bit more information or some page breaks. Also, the plot was pretty typical and I grew annoyed with Garrett and how he decided to handle his growing feelings for Natalie. Don’t push someone away just because you are starting to feel.
Overall, it was a decent short story and I’m open to reading more of this series. His sister Adelaide is next and I hope she gets her HEA.
I received an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.
The chemistry between Natalie and Garrett was explosive from the first time they met and it kept building through this short book. I was begging them to act on their feelings so many times. They also balanced each other out with their personalities. It was a good time to read about Garrett, who opposed thoughts of love and realized that he was falling in love with Natalie.
Now, I do have some issues. There were time jumps where I was left confused about what was happening. I know this book is a short one and maybe they cut it down for size, but I would have loved a bit more information or some page breaks. Also, the plot was pretty typical and I grew annoyed with Garrett and how he decided to handle his growing feelings for Natalie. Don’t push someone away just because you are starting to feel.
Overall, it was a decent short story and I’m open to reading more of this series. His sister Adelaide is next and I hope she gets her HEA.
I received an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.
February 21, 2020
Natalie Sobol and Garrett Song are both wildly attracted to each other, despite Natalie laying the HR hammer on Garrett not realizing he's the CEO of her company (for not filling out paperwork). Both aren't looking for love, but both soon find they could benefit from being married, so they agree to a marriage of convenience. Garrett wants his matchmaking grandmother off his back AND an edge in striking a business deal; Natalie wants to convince the state to give her full custody of her niece.
Over the months of living together and acting married, their lust turns in to love.
A promising debut from an author to watch! I found some of the time jumps a bit choppy, but overall this was delicious fun and pulled off a modern, contemporary marriage of convenience with heat and charm.
Thank you to the publisher for the free review copy (from Netgalley).
CW for death (siblings, parents, off page), child custody stuff
Over the months of living together and acting married, their lust turns in to love.
A promising debut from an author to watch! I found some of the time jumps a bit choppy, but overall this was delicious fun and pulled off a modern, contemporary marriage of convenience with heat and charm.
Thank you to the publisher for the free review copy (from Netgalley).
CW for death (siblings, parents, off page), child custody stuff
February 15, 2020
This book isn’t BAD. I think if it could’ve been maybe 100 more pages longer, and I had just a bit more character development and back story with the heroine Natalie, it may have been a four MAYBE EVEN five star read for me. There is something really sleek and sexy about this book, WAY before any sexy times happen which doesn’t happen until I believe over 150 pages in. Quintessential marriage of convenience/fake marriage romance; two people in it for their own motivations and taken aback when their feelings start to change.
February 1, 2021
Oh my goodness! My first read from Jayci Lee and I absolutely loved it!!
Natalie and Garrett’s relationship, starting off as a fake marriage was absolutely amazing. Not only do we get the fake relationship trope but the office romance trope, two of my favorite tropes. Jayci Lee did so well with Temporary Wife Temptation that it made me feel a range of emotion while I was reading it!
A good book can really make me feel like crying and make me a smiling disaster and Temporary Wife Temptation does it for me!
I read this on Scribd as an audiobook
I am reading this in preparation for the ARC I received of book 2: Secret Crush Seduction from NetGalley so thank you NetGalley!
Find me on:
My Blog | My BookTube | My Book Club | Instagram | Twitter
Natalie and Garrett’s relationship, starting off as a fake marriage was absolutely amazing. Not only do we get the fake relationship trope but the office romance trope, two of my favorite tropes. Jayci Lee did so well with Temporary Wife Temptation that it made me feel a range of emotion while I was reading it!
A good book can really make me feel like crying and make me a smiling disaster and Temporary Wife Temptation does it for me!
I read this on Scribd as an audiobook
I am reading this in preparation for the ARC I received of book 2: Secret Crush Seduction from NetGalley so thank you NetGalley!
Find me on:
My Blog | My BookTube | My Book Club | Instagram | Twitter
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