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Guardian Security #3
The Bargain
Lara McKee's life came to a crashing halt the night her husband was killed in a carjacking and she lost their unborn child. Now she channels all her energy into her job as assistant to Cole Cassidy, sexy CEO of Alamo Construction. Cole's own life is a mess. A shotgun marriage based on a lie and the fiery death of his wife on the highway have left him with a child to raise that's a constant reminder of his first wife's lies and deceit. Both of them have written marriage out of their future.
But Cole desperately needs someone to mother the child and take charge of his personal life. When he proposes a marriage of convenience to Lara, who still yearns for motherhood, she shocks herself by accepting. And so these two people, carrying a van load of emotional baggage, begin to build a life together under almost impossible circumstances. Conflict builds over the child, whom Lara falls in love with at once and Cole ignores.
Beneath the daily conflict, love unexpectedly begins to grow. But at the moment they dare to explore their feelings, anger over the child erupts and the night turns into a disaster that nearly destroys the marriage. Slowly, bit by bit, they begin to re build their relationship, carefully nurturing these new feelings. But it takes another near-tragedy before they can finally get past the hurdles to complete happiness and truly become a family.
But Cole desperately needs someone to mother the child and take charge of his personal life. When he proposes a marriage of convenience to Lara, who still yearns for motherhood, she shocks herself by accepting. And so these two people, carrying a van load of emotional baggage, begin to build a life together under almost impossible circumstances. Conflict builds over the child, whom Lara falls in love with at once and Cole ignores.
Beneath the daily conflict, love unexpectedly begins to grow. But at the moment they dare to explore their feelings, anger over the child erupts and the night turns into a disaster that nearly destroys the marriage. Slowly, bit by bit, they begin to re build their relationship, carefully nurturing these new feelings. But it takes another near-tragedy before they can finally get past the hurdles to complete happiness and truly become a family.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 23, 2010
17 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Desiree Holt
321 books1,276 followersA multi-published, award winning, Amazon and USA Today best-selling author, Desiree Holt has produced more than 200 titles and won many awards. She has received an EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and many others including Author After Dark’s Author of the Year. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The London Daily Mail. She lives in Florida with her cats who insist they help her write her books, and is addicted to football.
“Get out the ice water and fan…Desiree Holt delivers smoking hot alpha heroes and red hot romances.” Lea Franczak, USA Today Happy Ever After blog
Learn more about me and read my novels here:
www.desireeholt.com
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“Get out the ice water and fan…Desiree Holt delivers smoking hot alpha heroes and red hot romances.” Lea Franczak, USA Today Happy Ever After blog
Learn more about me and read my novels here:
www.desireeholt.com
www.desiremeonly.com
www.facebook.com/desireeholtauthor
www.facebook.com/desireeholt
Twitter @desireeholt
Pinterest: desiree02holt
Google: www.desiree02holt
LinkedIn: www.LinkedIn.com/desiree01holt
To stay in touch sign up for my newsletter here:
http://desireeholt.us10.list-manage.c...
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 6, 2017
Getting married is something every woman dreams of. The big wedding walking down the aisle to the man of your dreams at the end. Except when a marriage is one of convenience, not love. In Guardian Security #3, Killing Lies, this is exactly what Sarah and Reno Sullivan decided to give Reno's child a mother would be the best bet for all parties involved. Working together in the business, knowing each other, and getting along...what could POSSIBLY go wrong?!
Reno has had his heart broken on so many levels. But one thing that remained a constant was his baby girl. No matter the circumstances, he wanted to make sure that this precious little being was taken care of by TWO people that could love her with all their being. And Sarah seemed like the absolute perfect fit.
For Sarah, after losing her own child, really thought that marrying Reno and becoming his daughter's "mother" would help to fill her void. "Having" this child with Reno to help him out though ends up with a totally different outcome.
Through twists and turns, Desiree Holt delivers ever present danger, mystery and hot and sexy characters. These two, even though they didn't see it, had fire between them that jumped off the page at the reader. Watching the two battle with their emotions was heartbreaking at times, but Ms. Holt always has a way of ending with her readers in happy tears!! Another fantastic edition to her series!! One of my favorites, by far!!
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
September 12, 2012
4.5 Stars
Let me say that "The Bargain" has storyline unlike any I have read as of yet! Talking about having shit for luck, poor Cole I'm glad he gets his HEA with Tara but what a god awful ride they had to endure to get it!
Let me say that "The Bargain" has storyline unlike any I have read as of yet! Talking about having shit for luck, poor Cole I'm glad he gets his HEA with Tara but what a god awful ride they had to endure to get it!
September 18, 2011
The story of Lara and Cole, he needs a mother to his child after his wife died in a carcrash, and she´s been longing for him for too long to say no. A marriage that starts as an agreement evolves into something much more. Love, angst and a couple that doesn´t talk to each other. 3,5 Stars.
September 18, 2011
One of the most romantic, descriptive novels. I loved the way the events took place and how they smoothly climaxed.
December 28, 2018
Sarah
Reno's marriage and child were based on lies but when Sarah is hurt and the child kidnapped he prays and does everything he can to get them back and a wonderful surprise and happy ending with hot romance too
Reno's marriage and child were based on lies but when Sarah is hurt and the child kidnapped he prays and does everything he can to get them back and a wonderful surprise and happy ending with hot romance too
January 1, 2012
Originally posted at: http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/201...
Tara McKee's life is about to be changed beyond anything she could possibly imagine. The gorgeous, lonely-but-finished-with-love widow; a competent secretary in a hugely successful construction company is about to get an offer that this childless, isolated woman cannot refuse from her boss, Cole Cassidy. The bargain: a marriage of convenience which will make her the surrogate mother to an adorable baby and assure permanent financial security for her and her parents.
Cole, who lost his wife months before, hasn't been able to look at the baby left in his care ever since. The reasons for his attitude are a mystery that he firmly guards at all costs. Lost in the agony of his grief, he wants someone who will bring order to his life and a mother to his child. His rules include a 'no intimacy' clause.
When Tara sees the beautiful baby girl so neglected and alone, she agrees to his bargain and moves into his sprawling home immediately. What she doesn't bargain for is the intense attraction and strong emotions she has for the black eyed, ruggedly handsome, lean and muscular six-foot-four-sexy-man that she marries within a week. The desire the two have for each other leads them through a minefield of erotic fantasies and carefully guarded feelings of growing passion as they dutifully stand by their bargain of a sexless marriage on into many months.
The secret star of the story is baby Molly. I love the way Ms. Holt made her the sweet key to the complicated problem the two lovers managed to construct. This is a tender, emotionally inspiring story of the creative and healing powers of love. Especially the love for a child. The sensitive way Ms. Holt brought about the opening of Cole's wounded heart over time was beautiful and inspired hope. While this isn't a new tale in romantic literature, Ms. Holt made it fresh and appealing with her irresistible story telling and realistically modern scenarios.
This lovely and absorbing tale is both a vividly erotic steaming-hot read and a sentimental tear jerker. Ms. Holt writes sex scenes that scorch the ink off the pages. The only reason I didn't rate this story higher were the editing errors in the book. While it didn't distract from my enjoyment of the story, I feel that it did reflect negatively on the publisher. While I'm saddened that such a wonderful story wasn't given the editorial 'respect' that it deserved, I still do not hesitate to heartily recommend, The Bargain to all romance readers. This endearing story covers all the bases with a sweetly sophisticated and uplifting clarity and openness. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Tara McKee's life is about to be changed beyond anything she could possibly imagine. The gorgeous, lonely-but-finished-with-love widow; a competent secretary in a hugely successful construction company is about to get an offer that this childless, isolated woman cannot refuse from her boss, Cole Cassidy. The bargain: a marriage of convenience which will make her the surrogate mother to an adorable baby and assure permanent financial security for her and her parents.
Cole, who lost his wife months before, hasn't been able to look at the baby left in his care ever since. The reasons for his attitude are a mystery that he firmly guards at all costs. Lost in the agony of his grief, he wants someone who will bring order to his life and a mother to his child. His rules include a 'no intimacy' clause.
When Tara sees the beautiful baby girl so neglected and alone, she agrees to his bargain and moves into his sprawling home immediately. What she doesn't bargain for is the intense attraction and strong emotions she has for the black eyed, ruggedly handsome, lean and muscular six-foot-four-sexy-man that she marries within a week. The desire the two have for each other leads them through a minefield of erotic fantasies and carefully guarded feelings of growing passion as they dutifully stand by their bargain of a sexless marriage on into many months.
The secret star of the story is baby Molly. I love the way Ms. Holt made her the sweet key to the complicated problem the two lovers managed to construct. This is a tender, emotionally inspiring story of the creative and healing powers of love. Especially the love for a child. The sensitive way Ms. Holt brought about the opening of Cole's wounded heart over time was beautiful and inspired hope. While this isn't a new tale in romantic literature, Ms. Holt made it fresh and appealing with her irresistible story telling and realistically modern scenarios.
This lovely and absorbing tale is both a vividly erotic steaming-hot read and a sentimental tear jerker. Ms. Holt writes sex scenes that scorch the ink off the pages. The only reason I didn't rate this story higher were the editing errors in the book. While it didn't distract from my enjoyment of the story, I feel that it did reflect negatively on the publisher. While I'm saddened that such a wonderful story wasn't given the editorial 'respect' that it deserved, I still do not hesitate to heartily recommend, The Bargain to all romance readers. This endearing story covers all the bases with a sweetly sophisticated and uplifting clarity and openness. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
July 29, 2019
This book could have been so much better. It was all over the place. The dates and timeline didn’t match up and names seemed to change. And so much unnecessary drama thrown in. Honestly with a little work and editing, it could have been at least 4 stars!!!
November 25, 2012
I have mixed feelings about this book, so my rating is more like a 2.5.
For me there were issues with the timing in the story. There were times I wanted to shout at the main characters in frustration and others times when they were really sweet.
I didn't totally hate it but I didn't love it either. I doubt I'll ever read it again though.
June 11, 2012
I found myself skipping through the book a lot just to get to the end. It was predictable. I hated how much "the child" was left out of the book and how "the child" was referred to so much as "the child". It annoyed me. I really thought I was getting a better read than this.
June 26, 2013
I just loved this book, I loved the way they were attracted to each other. Maybe the only thing I didn't like was his resistance to accept the baby even when he thought she wasn't his daughter but she was just right there convincing him to accept her. the scenes were really hot.
October 8, 2011
This has to be one of the best books I have ever read.
April 6, 2013
The last half of the book dragged on and was repetitive.
November 28, 2010
more of a 3.5
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews