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Temporary Bride
It was a terrible choice for her
Yet Kit Landor was as implacable as his piercing blue eyes when he told Charlotte,
"You'll marry me or Uncle Joe gets what's coming to him."
Charlotte couldn't let her beloved uncle go to prison. Besides, Kit was too attractive for his own good, and Charlotte was not immune to his charms.
But she wasn't going to let him have things all his own way. Why should she--especially when he really wanted the glamorous Veronica.
Yet Kit Landor was as implacable as his piercing blue eyes when he told Charlotte,
"You'll marry me or Uncle Joe gets what's coming to him."
Charlotte couldn't let her beloved uncle go to prison. Besides, Kit was too attractive for his own good, and Charlotte was not immune to his charms.
But she wasn't going to let him have things all his own way. Why should she--especially when he really wanted the glamorous Veronica.
192 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1988
2 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Wilson
119 books181 followersPatricia Wilson (1929 – 2010) was a best-selling writer of 53 romance novels for the Mills & Boon publisher from 1986 to 2004. She placed her novels primarily in England, Spain or France.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
July 12, 2025
There are so many memorable elements in this story, that it's hard to justify only giving it three stars - but three stars it is because the hero is written in such a disjointed way that he comes across as a moody and unreliable, rather than alpha and cursed with love for the heroine. Because this is Patricia Wilson, we know he's obsessed with the heroine and has been from their first meeting when she was a witness to a fender bender he was involved in. But the text really doesn't support this obsession because he blows hot and cold - often on the same page.
Or we can chalk it to his nationality - that exotic species known as American. That's an actual quote from the book. The heroine had never "seen an American before - except on TV and in films."
Okay - the plot:
This isn't PW's best book, but it is interesting. It's obvious that the heroine will fit into the hero's world just fine. Hopefully, the hero will settle down now that he doesn't have to keep track of all of his lies.
Or we can chalk it to his nationality - that exotic species known as American. That's an actual quote from the book. The heroine had never "seen an American before - except on TV and in films."
Okay - the plot:
This isn't PW's best book, but it is interesting. It's obvious that the heroine will fit into the hero's world just fine. Hopefully, the hero will settle down now that he doesn't have to keep track of all of his lies.
February 28, 2017
Re Temporary Bride - PW is back with her usual cuddlesome h. Unfortunately the H in this one, an American oil magnate, is probably her very worst H ever. In fact if PW hadn't firmly insisted he had to be the H, I would have thought this was going to be a sneaky switcheroo H plot, cause really either the H's best friend or the H's grandfather - had he been 35 years younger- would have made a better H than what we got.
This one starts with the h walking to work and worrying about her uncle Joe. It seems Uncle Joe got dismissed from his oil company job after a medical disability, with no pension no less and the h, who works as a very efficient secretary for the same international company, thinks that was very mean of them.
Then the h witnesses a traffic accident, and when confusion reigns over who hit who, the h handily sorts out that the other driver hit the big American, even tho both drivers are foreigner's really, the h is very civic minded and always does what is right. It just so happens that the big American works for the same company the h does, he tells her is a roving corporate accountant and gives the h a ride to work.
Over the weeks that follow, the h runs into the big American and a curious sort of attraction develops, even as the h acknowledges that the big American is a tough, awkward character. Just how tough and awkward soon becomes apparent when the h finds out that Uncle Joe has big gambling problem and nefarious men are after them and he has gambled away their lovely lilac cottage. The h asks the H for help and he soon manages to ship Uncle Joe off to an undisclosed location in the US and blackmail the h into marriage with per diem secretarial skills by holding the threat of a prison term for Uncle Joe for embezzling over her head.
The H decides that the h will do nicely for a little scheme against his grandfather, who owns the whole oil conglomerate and he forces her to marry him. He isn't shy about throwing in the roofie kisses and seduction attempts either. Mainly he wants the h to deflect attention from the red hot affair he is having with his best friend's wife.
(Yes, it is possible that they aren't lovers, but the dialog when the BF wife is first introduced and the amount of time they spend together leads me to conclude otherwise. The woman is way too intimate with the H and he accepts it as his due. The H tells the h that his supposed best friend wanted her more, but I never got the impression that the BF really was his BF, more like his grandfather really liked the guy and the H had to give the OW up to make his grandfather happy - or at least pretend to with a fake wife. Since an oil company is at stake, the H was going to do whatever he had to do to stay on his grandfather's good side, including hide his affair with a woman the grandfather despised. Because as the H continually reminds us and demonstrates throughout the story, he lies A LOT.)
So anyhow that is the setup when we finally get to the H's antebellum home in the US, where the H continues to try and forcibly seduce the h while making disparaging remarks to her and reminding her that the divorce is on the horizon while lurving it up with the OW every chance he gets. The fiction is that the h is supposed to be warding the woman off and the h does get a few good stings in when she holds an antebellum fancy dress cotillion ball and leads the OW to believe it is a costume party and the OW comes dressed in a regular cocktail gown, looking sadly out of place.
The h also gets along with the H's grandfather remarkably well, so well that really Grandpa should have been younger and a rival to the H, he was more in the line of PW's usual besotted H's. The h has fallen in love with the scoundrel H by this time, so it comes as no big surprise when the H forcibly seduces the h and then blames her for tempting him too much.
The next day the OW shows up and insinuates that she and the H will be shacking up at another location on the H's frequent business trips. The h has to use scare tactics and tells the OW that she is probably preggers with the H's baby and possession is nine tenths of the law and she is the H's wife and his grandfather adores her. The OW storms off after getting suitably pale. The h is pretty overwhelmed by this time and wanders off to have a good cry and a nap. Her disappearance spurs the cavalry and the H finds her several hours later and hauls her back to the house.
When the h has recovered a bit, the H's grandfather explains that the H supposedly never wanted the OW and that they want the H's best friend, who is a lawyer, to work for the firm cause they need him. The H wanders back and declares that he loves the h, but he lies a lot and Uncle Joe was very needed to help with a tricky oil field.
Uncle Joe is the grandfather's good friend and Grandpa doesn't care if he gambles, cause they can afford it. The H thinks the OW will go with the best friend to S. America, but supposedly she doesn't have her hooks in the H anymore. The H admits that he lies all the time and has been telling the h a pack of lies ever since he met her. The h is happy, cause she loves the H back, but she isn't having her kids growing up to be liars so the H will have to reform for the HEA.
This one is funny and PW is a great writer, but srlsy this H was just the lowest of scum slurping sewer dwellers and the way he hangs all over the OW was really too much for too long to give him any credibility. I did not buy the HEA here, mainly cause it just wasn't believable and the H was too manipulative to trust. Still the story is okay and the h was very funny and cute and sometimes that is all you get when you take a trip to HPlandia.
This one starts with the h walking to work and worrying about her uncle Joe. It seems Uncle Joe got dismissed from his oil company job after a medical disability, with no pension no less and the h, who works as a very efficient secretary for the same international company, thinks that was very mean of them.
Then the h witnesses a traffic accident, and when confusion reigns over who hit who, the h handily sorts out that the other driver hit the big American, even tho both drivers are foreigner's really, the h is very civic minded and always does what is right. It just so happens that the big American works for the same company the h does, he tells her is a roving corporate accountant and gives the h a ride to work.
Over the weeks that follow, the h runs into the big American and a curious sort of attraction develops, even as the h acknowledges that the big American is a tough, awkward character. Just how tough and awkward soon becomes apparent when the h finds out that Uncle Joe has big gambling problem and nefarious men are after them and he has gambled away their lovely lilac cottage. The h asks the H for help and he soon manages to ship Uncle Joe off to an undisclosed location in the US and blackmail the h into marriage with per diem secretarial skills by holding the threat of a prison term for Uncle Joe for embezzling over her head.
The H decides that the h will do nicely for a little scheme against his grandfather, who owns the whole oil conglomerate and he forces her to marry him. He isn't shy about throwing in the roofie kisses and seduction attempts either. Mainly he wants the h to deflect attention from the red hot affair he is having with his best friend's wife.
(Yes, it is possible that they aren't lovers, but the dialog when the BF wife is first introduced and the amount of time they spend together leads me to conclude otherwise. The woman is way too intimate with the H and he accepts it as his due. The H tells the h that his supposed best friend wanted her more, but I never got the impression that the BF really was his BF, more like his grandfather really liked the guy and the H had to give the OW up to make his grandfather happy - or at least pretend to with a fake wife. Since an oil company is at stake, the H was going to do whatever he had to do to stay on his grandfather's good side, including hide his affair with a woman the grandfather despised. Because as the H continually reminds us and demonstrates throughout the story, he lies A LOT.)
So anyhow that is the setup when we finally get to the H's antebellum home in the US, where the H continues to try and forcibly seduce the h while making disparaging remarks to her and reminding her that the divorce is on the horizon while lurving it up with the OW every chance he gets. The fiction is that the h is supposed to be warding the woman off and the h does get a few good stings in when she holds an antebellum fancy dress cotillion ball and leads the OW to believe it is a costume party and the OW comes dressed in a regular cocktail gown, looking sadly out of place.
The h also gets along with the H's grandfather remarkably well, so well that really Grandpa should have been younger and a rival to the H, he was more in the line of PW's usual besotted H's. The h has fallen in love with the scoundrel H by this time, so it comes as no big surprise when the H forcibly seduces the h and then blames her for tempting him too much.
The next day the OW shows up and insinuates that she and the H will be shacking up at another location on the H's frequent business trips. The h has to use scare tactics and tells the OW that she is probably preggers with the H's baby and possession is nine tenths of the law and she is the H's wife and his grandfather adores her. The OW storms off after getting suitably pale. The h is pretty overwhelmed by this time and wanders off to have a good cry and a nap. Her disappearance spurs the cavalry and the H finds her several hours later and hauls her back to the house.
When the h has recovered a bit, the H's grandfather explains that the H supposedly never wanted the OW and that they want the H's best friend, who is a lawyer, to work for the firm cause they need him. The H wanders back and declares that he loves the h, but he lies a lot and Uncle Joe was very needed to help with a tricky oil field.
Uncle Joe is the grandfather's good friend and Grandpa doesn't care if he gambles, cause they can afford it. The H thinks the OW will go with the best friend to S. America, but supposedly she doesn't have her hooks in the H anymore. The H admits that he lies all the time and has been telling the h a pack of lies ever since he met her. The h is happy, cause she loves the H back, but she isn't having her kids growing up to be liars so the H will have to reform for the HEA.
This one is funny and PW is a great writer, but srlsy this H was just the lowest of scum slurping sewer dwellers and the way he hangs all over the OW was really too much for too long to give him any credibility. I did not buy the HEA here, mainly cause it just wasn't believable and the H was too manipulative to trust. Still the story is okay and the h was very funny and cute and sometimes that is all you get when you take a trip to HPlandia.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 14, 2021
What does it say when you have no recollection of reading a book until you go to post it on goodreads? Yup, that's my reaction to Temporary Bride, which is highly unusual for a PW. Her books are always memorable. This just isn't one of her better efforts.
My original review is below.
______________________________
I didn't see anything likable in the hero, let alone lovable. The heroine was led around by her nose.
My original review is below.
______________________________
I didn't see anything likable in the hero, let alone lovable. The heroine was led around by her nose.
September 23, 2022
If you've been following my reviews, you know that Patricia Wilson is my favorite vintage HP author. And I usually enjoy her books, especially if I'm craving an obsessive or stalkerific hero. And I admit that her work can be a hit or miss for me, and unfortunately, this one is a miss. Well, it wasn't bad, actually, but I guess it's just not that great either. There are plenty of things here that didn't sit well with me.
First, Kit's attitude really bothered me. He runs both hot and cold at interchangeable moments. He sent out so many mixed signals. I don't believe that he really loves her and doesn't have an affair with the other woman.
Second, the hero was a lying asshat! He lied... a lot!
Third, the other woman's plot was such a lame excuse to create this whole unnecessary drama.
And Lastly, this book didn't impress me and found myself very disappointed.
August 26, 2014
I can't rate this very highly because it felt rather tame and didn't really touch my emotions. I read this on a Harlequin Presents Weekend Binge, and while I enjoy those, just picking books randomly from my Pile o' Harlequin Presents, sometimes you get this feeling of incongruity when you read a book that isn't as intense and emotional as the other ones. Unfortunately, this book felt like the ugly stepsister because I was 'feeling' the other books I read so much this weekend.
Patricia Wilson is a proven vintage Harlequin Presents author. I really enjoy her books and she has more than a few that are all time faves for me. However, no author has a completely winning streak. This one is just decent. Not bad, but not particularly memorable.
What I liked:
*I really liked Brett, Kit's grandfather. I love how Charley immediately bonded with the old man, and how he approved of her and liked her.
*Kit's possessive/jealous leanings. I am unrepentant about my love for jealous/possessive heroes. He could have been more demonstrative of those traits, but I liked it when I saw it.
*Overall, Charley was a heroine that I liked. She's a bit on the meek side, but that doesn't bother me as much as it might some readers.
What didn't impress me:
*Kit's way of treating Charley was weird. He sent out so many mixed signals. He admitted at the end that he needed to stop lying and I totally agree. If I was Charley, I think I would have had whiplash at how often Kit's behavior changed.
*I didn't like the whole Antebellum thing. I think it's my own personal issues with that time period in US History and so it rubbed me the wrong way.
*The evil other woman plot didn't impress me much. I did like that Brett couldn't stand her but he liked Charley.
I think I have high expectations for the authors I really like, so when I read books by them that are just okay or decent, it's disappointing. I think I might have enjoyed this more if I hadn't read it between two really intense, dramatic books. It was a cute book overall.
Patricia Wilson is a proven vintage Harlequin Presents author. I really enjoy her books and she has more than a few that are all time faves for me. However, no author has a completely winning streak. This one is just decent. Not bad, but not particularly memorable.
What I liked:
*I really liked Brett, Kit's grandfather. I love how Charley immediately bonded with the old man, and how he approved of her and liked her.
*Kit's possessive/jealous leanings. I am unrepentant about my love for jealous/possessive heroes. He could have been more demonstrative of those traits, but I liked it when I saw it.
*Overall, Charley was a heroine that I liked. She's a bit on the meek side, but that doesn't bother me as much as it might some readers.
What didn't impress me:
*Kit's way of treating Charley was weird. He sent out so many mixed signals. He admitted at the end that he needed to stop lying and I totally agree. If I was Charley, I think I would have had whiplash at how often Kit's behavior changed.
*I didn't like the whole Antebellum thing. I think it's my own personal issues with that time period in US History and so it rubbed me the wrong way.
*The evil other woman plot didn't impress me much. I did like that Brett couldn't stand her but he liked Charley.
I think I have high expectations for the authors I really like, so when I read books by them that are just okay or decent, it's disappointing. I think I might have enjoyed this more if I hadn't read it between two really intense, dramatic books. It was a cute book overall.
July 16, 2025
'I never thought you'd ever say that to me. I always thought you hated me. I've treated you so badly!'
Alas, h still fell in love with this vintage jerk! Lol
Alas, h still fell in love with this vintage jerk! Lol
April 29, 2023
There are good reviews already summarizing the plot of this book and I found them to be very accurate. I’m just going to add that the H is constantly agitated and enraged and he has the h walking on eggshells by the end of the book. He seems to repent, but that sort of choleric personality doesn’t change, so I see him having a fatal heart attack in about a decade, or even less. She’ll still be young and can find a more sanguine personality for her next go-around.
December 12, 2016
(Repost - deleted from shelf by accident)
Charlotte is doing work she’s good at for a petrochemical company she doesn’t like. It’s an industrial relations, rather than an environmental objection. She thinks they haven’t done right by her Uncle Joe. He worked for the company for many years, and now … doesn’t. Shouldn’t he have had some severance pay or something? She can’t support them both long-term on her salary.
Her musings as she walks to work (and Charlotte walks to and from her office daily, which maybe takes about an hour, so Charlotte’s totally smashing her 10k steps) are interrupted when a Ford slams into a Mercedes. Charlotte’s quick to confirm that it was the Ford’s fault, and the policeman, who knows her, organises for the Mercedes driver to take her to the office, since that’s where he’s going.
Kit is American and visiting from the American offices of the petrochemical company. He’s shady. He’s vague about his job title. He’s buff and tanned like he’s working on rigs, but claims to be the chief accountant. Charlotte thinks he’s very attractive, but he is giving multi-layered mixed signals and she can get zero read on him.
Kit sort of asks her out to lunch, is sort of impressed with her work skills, sort of seems interested, but mostly ignores her. Still, when Charlotte discovers that Uncle Joe has a huge gambling problem, and the arrival of loan sharks to break his bones is immanent, she turns to Kit for help.
His help is to have a private conversation with Uncle Joe, and then inform Charlotte that Joe’s gone to America. He’s rehired, but in exile. Joe has also embezzled money from the company, and Kit uses this information to at first coerce Charlotte into becoming his personal assistant on a business trip to London, and then into what he insists will be a temporary marriage. Again, Kit sends out really confusing signals – one minute he’s got his hand and mouth all over her boob, and the next he’s telling her he doesn’t fancy her brand of totty, she’ll have to get in line behind all the rest if she wants any more smooching action. Kit goes in for punishing kisses and seducing kisses, and Charlotte is certainly keen, but he’s really screwed up his strategy with this whole blackmail/temporary arrangement thing.
Charlotte and Kit marry. Kit’s buddy has changed some hotel room arrangements to get them upgraded to the honeymoon suite, so there’s some complicated hotel and room movements that don’t really make a lot of sense. This book has a lot of ‘old school’ tone – there’s Charlotte’s buttoned up exterior, to meet the expectations of her straight-laced Victorian boss. Kit calls her Miss Prim. There’s a lot of nearly getting naked and being around beds and almost doing stuff and then not. When they finally get down to the deed, it’s a forced seduction, all worded as reluctantly pleasurable with a side of pain.
Kit’s stated reason for marrying Charlotte is that he needs a shield to fend off the wife of his best friend. This wife is, according to Kit, an idiot, and will back off the moment she sees Charlotte.
The wife, Veronica, is just about waiting on the doorstep when Kit brings Charlotte to his plantation manor on Chesapeake Bay. She’s all ‘darling I’ve missed you, let’s cuddle!’ and then a little blue about the marriage. She gets in a few snarks about Charlotte, but displays no sign of letting up.
Charlotte may have total crazy face as she dances in her fluffy crinoline on the cover of this book, but she’s a bit more toned down when compared to some other Wilson heroines. She’s ultra-beautiful (of course) and she’s sensitive. There’s a bittersweet moment where she becomes very conscious of just how on the outside of everything in Kit’s life she is, and that no matter how much she wants to, she has no basis to make demands of his time, attention and support. Her instinct is to conceal her feelings for Kit, and while just about every heroine goes through this, it felt like a really good idea in her case. Kit wasn’t trustworthy. She had her moments of win, and she stood up to both Kit and his grandfather. She had her moments of crazy too, and her moments of being the cute little pet for the hero to cuddle and protect, but she had a strong streak of reserve. She’s a little less fun that ther Wilson heroines.
Kit, as other reviewers have noted, was all over the place. Even relying on the fact that all Wilson heroes are completely gone for the heroine within about five minutes of meeting her, his behaviour doesn’t make a lot of sense. He’s manipulative. He spends half the book avoiding the heroine. And: although he denies it in the end, he was in a relationship with OW Veronica. I’m prepared to accept that OW behaviour in romance is made up of three things. The heroine’s perception is huge – her observations are all based on strong emotions, so when the hero comes clean at the end, it’s clear she was seeing more than was actually there. There’s the OW’s behaviour: she’s capable of inventing a very plausible-seeming relationship around next to nothing. But there’s also the hero’s behaviour … and in this instance: Kit had some clear chemistry with Veronica. If he really wanted to discourage his best friend’s wife, he wouldn’t have chosen to spend the amount of time with her that he did. He can’t mount an argument that convinces me that he was paying attention to Veronica to make Charlotte jealous. I’m not suggesting that he’ll continue in a relationship with Veronica after the HEA. But I don’t like him. If it hadn’t worked out with Charlotte, he’d have had an affair with Veronica.
More than anything, it’s Kit that lets this book down. He’s not likeable, and he’s not a strong enough character for his ‘love to hate’ qualities to be interesting.
Charlotte is doing work she’s good at for a petrochemical company she doesn’t like. It’s an industrial relations, rather than an environmental objection. She thinks they haven’t done right by her Uncle Joe. He worked for the company for many years, and now … doesn’t. Shouldn’t he have had some severance pay or something? She can’t support them both long-term on her salary.
Her musings as she walks to work (and Charlotte walks to and from her office daily, which maybe takes about an hour, so Charlotte’s totally smashing her 10k steps) are interrupted when a Ford slams into a Mercedes. Charlotte’s quick to confirm that it was the Ford’s fault, and the policeman, who knows her, organises for the Mercedes driver to take her to the office, since that’s where he’s going.
Kit is American and visiting from the American offices of the petrochemical company. He’s shady. He’s vague about his job title. He’s buff and tanned like he’s working on rigs, but claims to be the chief accountant. Charlotte thinks he’s very attractive, but he is giving multi-layered mixed signals and she can get zero read on him.
Kit sort of asks her out to lunch, is sort of impressed with her work skills, sort of seems interested, but mostly ignores her. Still, when Charlotte discovers that Uncle Joe has a huge gambling problem, and the arrival of loan sharks to break his bones is immanent, she turns to Kit for help.
His help is to have a private conversation with Uncle Joe, and then inform Charlotte that Joe’s gone to America. He’s rehired, but in exile. Joe has also embezzled money from the company, and Kit uses this information to at first coerce Charlotte into becoming his personal assistant on a business trip to London, and then into what he insists will be a temporary marriage. Again, Kit sends out really confusing signals – one minute he’s got his hand and mouth all over her boob, and the next he’s telling her he doesn’t fancy her brand of totty, she’ll have to get in line behind all the rest if she wants any more smooching action. Kit goes in for punishing kisses and seducing kisses, and Charlotte is certainly keen, but he’s really screwed up his strategy with this whole blackmail/temporary arrangement thing.
Charlotte and Kit marry. Kit’s buddy has changed some hotel room arrangements to get them upgraded to the honeymoon suite, so there’s some complicated hotel and room movements that don’t really make a lot of sense. This book has a lot of ‘old school’ tone – there’s Charlotte’s buttoned up exterior, to meet the expectations of her straight-laced Victorian boss. Kit calls her Miss Prim. There’s a lot of nearly getting naked and being around beds and almost doing stuff and then not. When they finally get down to the deed, it’s a forced seduction, all worded as reluctantly pleasurable with a side of pain.
Kit’s stated reason for marrying Charlotte is that he needs a shield to fend off the wife of his best friend. This wife is, according to Kit, an idiot, and will back off the moment she sees Charlotte.
The wife, Veronica, is just about waiting on the doorstep when Kit brings Charlotte to his plantation manor on Chesapeake Bay. She’s all ‘darling I’ve missed you, let’s cuddle!’ and then a little blue about the marriage. She gets in a few snarks about Charlotte, but displays no sign of letting up.
Charlotte may have total crazy face as she dances in her fluffy crinoline on the cover of this book, but she’s a bit more toned down when compared to some other Wilson heroines. She’s ultra-beautiful (of course) and she’s sensitive. There’s a bittersweet moment where she becomes very conscious of just how on the outside of everything in Kit’s life she is, and that no matter how much she wants to, she has no basis to make demands of his time, attention and support. Her instinct is to conceal her feelings for Kit, and while just about every heroine goes through this, it felt like a really good idea in her case. Kit wasn’t trustworthy. She had her moments of win, and she stood up to both Kit and his grandfather. She had her moments of crazy too, and her moments of being the cute little pet for the hero to cuddle and protect, but she had a strong streak of reserve. She’s a little less fun that ther Wilson heroines.
Kit, as other reviewers have noted, was all over the place. Even relying on the fact that all Wilson heroes are completely gone for the heroine within about five minutes of meeting her, his behaviour doesn’t make a lot of sense. He’s manipulative. He spends half the book avoiding the heroine. And: although he denies it in the end, he was in a relationship with OW Veronica. I’m prepared to accept that OW behaviour in romance is made up of three things. The heroine’s perception is huge – her observations are all based on strong emotions, so when the hero comes clean at the end, it’s clear she was seeing more than was actually there. There’s the OW’s behaviour: she’s capable of inventing a very plausible-seeming relationship around next to nothing. But there’s also the hero’s behaviour … and in this instance: Kit had some clear chemistry with Veronica. If he really wanted to discourage his best friend’s wife, he wouldn’t have chosen to spend the amount of time with her that he did. He can’t mount an argument that convinces me that he was paying attention to Veronica to make Charlotte jealous. I’m not suggesting that he’ll continue in a relationship with Veronica after the HEA. But I don’t like him. If it hadn’t worked out with Charlotte, he’d have had an affair with Veronica.
More than anything, it’s Kit that lets this book down. He’s not likeable, and he’s not a strong enough character for his ‘love to hate’ qualities to be interesting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2013
From the cover:
It was a terrible choice for her Yet Kit Landor was as implacable as his piercing blue eyes when he told Charlotte, "You'll marry me or Uncle Joe gets what's coming to him." Charlotte couldn't let her beloved uncle go to prison. Besides, Kit was too attractive for his own good, and Charlotte was not immune to his charms. But she wasn't going to let him have things all his own way. Why should she— especially when he really wanted the glamorous Veronica. "You don't really know me, Charley." Kit's quiet warning was alarming, "it's only a few weeks ago that we first met."
"You don't know me, either, for that matter," she reminded him sharply, her face slowly flushing as he continued to stare at her: "Maybe you're going to regret this." It was really tricky to try to sound threatening when he was hovering above her like Nemesis, and the idea of being married to him, having to face him day after day, was quite alarming, to say the least. "Not me, Charley," he told her quietly. "I know exactly what I want." She just went on staring at him, uncertainty in her eyes. Her gaze was drawn to the firm lips even against her will. "it's nice to know that you don't find me utterly repulsive," he said softly, drawing her close as his head bent to hers.
~~~~
Sneaky, manipulative lead male but she is not a quiet English rose either. I adored the grand father and the house keeper.
It was a terrible choice for her Yet Kit Landor was as implacable as his piercing blue eyes when he told Charlotte, "You'll marry me or Uncle Joe gets what's coming to him." Charlotte couldn't let her beloved uncle go to prison. Besides, Kit was too attractive for his own good, and Charlotte was not immune to his charms. But she wasn't going to let him have things all his own way. Why should she— especially when he really wanted the glamorous Veronica. "You don't really know me, Charley." Kit's quiet warning was alarming, "it's only a few weeks ago that we first met."
"You don't know me, either, for that matter," she reminded him sharply, her face slowly flushing as he continued to stare at her: "Maybe you're going to regret this." It was really tricky to try to sound threatening when he was hovering above her like Nemesis, and the idea of being married to him, having to face him day after day, was quite alarming, to say the least. "Not me, Charley," he told her quietly. "I know exactly what I want." She just went on staring at him, uncertainty in her eyes. Her gaze was drawn to the firm lips even against her will. "it's nice to know that you don't find me utterly repulsive," he said softly, drawing her close as his head bent to hers.
~~~~
Sneaky, manipulative lead male but she is not a quiet English rose either. I adored the grand father and the house keeper.
October 27, 2012
Throughout the entire time I was reading this book, for some reason I kept imagining the heroine kneeing the hero where it hurts. Unfortunately, it didn't happen -____-
May 18, 2018
"Temporary Bride" is the story of Kit and Charlotte.
So....
A typical Patricia romance where
-h and H meet at an accident
-h find H's her coworker and he-not-so-subtly stalks her
-h rebuffs him harshly
-h's uncle gets in major trouble and H offers to save them via "temporary marriage"
-h goes hot and cold on an amorous hero
-h is jealous of OW while H is jealous of OM, even though nothing is happening
-h and H finally do it, much to the h's reluctance EVEN THOUGH she loves him
and then follows some weird sort of HEA.
Not the author's finest work, but one that will surely give you the sniffles.
Safe
1.5/5
So....
A typical Patricia romance where
-h and H meet at an accident
-h find H's her coworker and he-not-so-subtly stalks her
-h rebuffs him harshly
-h's uncle gets in major trouble and H offers to save them via "temporary marriage"
-h goes hot and cold on an amorous hero
-h is jealous of OW while H is jealous of OM, even though nothing is happening
-h and H finally do it, much to the h's reluctance EVEN THOUGH she loves him
and then follows some weird sort of HEA.
Not the author's finest work, but one that will surely give you the sniffles.
Safe
1.5/5
November 24, 2015
The hero's actions were never fully explained. I mean if he loved her the whole time why did he constantly keep reminding her that their's was a temporary arrangement. He would tell her not to get attached because he was going to divorce her. How was that supposed to win her affection? The whole marrying her to put off the OW and then hugging and kissing OW the moment he sees her again does not make sense. Weird way to court a lady.
August 16, 2023
In a turn up for the books I find myself in agreement with most other reviews here. I rate PW highly and I did give a happy sigh at the end but this H, Kit (American oil dynasty) was perilously close to being a nutjob. Hot and cold, seemingly chasing an OW instead of simply coming clean. This poor h, efficient secretary turned wet lettuce (understandably, married to that) Charlotte didn't know if she was coming or going. She charmed the Jock Ewing style grandfather and the larger than life Housekeeper and organized a Southern belle style ball but this one just didn't hang together all that well.
May 8, 2021
Quick question: what makes the 'hero' a hero? Cause he did nothing heroic or romantic or nice or respectful or truthful the entire book. I think our heroine seems awesome in comparison to that loser. Skip. Forgettable and silly. No logical or interesting story to be had here. Very forgettable characters. Liked the grandpa though.
October 28, 2023
I absolutely loved this one!
I like the characters, even the main male lead, whom the author tried to portray as an arrogant jerk, maybe I’ve read to many romances but I saw right through him.
The supporting characters were great as well and OW wanna he seemed crazy.
All in all the book was a typical Harlequin with all the elements we expect of a Harlequin and especially from that decade.
This is a book I will definitely read again.
I like the characters, even the main male lead, whom the author tried to portray as an arrogant jerk, maybe I’ve read to many romances but I saw right through him.
The supporting characters were great as well and OW wanna he seemed crazy.
All in all the book was a typical Harlequin with all the elements we expect of a Harlequin and especially from that decade.
This is a book I will definitely read again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2021
Patricia Wilson is one of my favourite HP authors. This book is not her best, but still very enjoyable.
I liked the scene in which the H and his dad come back from a business trip. The h runs to greet the H’s dad and she completely ignores the H. It’s as if you can almost feel his jealousy towards his dad. Later on he comes to her room to remind her that he is number one and his dad is number two.
A besotted jealous H is what keeps me reading HP novels.
The old HP writers like Charlotte Lamb and Patricia Wilson are so outstanding in their writing. Modern HP authors don’t really know how to make that besotted H work. That’s why I keep returning to the vintage HP authors.
If anyone knows a modern HP writer who writes like Charlotte Lamb or Patricia Wilson, please let me know.
I used to like Lynne Graham, but all her h’s are so fertile that they get pregnant when the H just looks at them. That unexpected pregnancy theme is so boring.
I liked the scene in which the H and his dad come back from a business trip. The h runs to greet the H’s dad and she completely ignores the H. It’s as if you can almost feel his jealousy towards his dad. Later on he comes to her room to remind her that he is number one and his dad is number two.
A besotted jealous H is what keeps me reading HP novels.
The old HP writers like Charlotte Lamb and Patricia Wilson are so outstanding in their writing. Modern HP authors don’t really know how to make that besotted H work. That’s why I keep returning to the vintage HP authors.
If anyone knows a modern HP writer who writes like Charlotte Lamb or Patricia Wilson, please let me know.
I used to like Lynne Graham, but all her h’s are so fertile that they get pregnant when the H just looks at them. That unexpected pregnancy theme is so boring.
July 1, 2019
It was a terrible choice for her
Yet Kit Landor was as implacable as his piercing blue eyes when he told Charlotte,
"You'll marry me or Uncle Joe gets what's coming to him."
Charlotte couldn't let her beloved uncle go to prison. Besides, Kit was too attractive for his own good, and Charlotte was not immune to his charms.
But she wasn't going to let him have things all his own way. Why should she--especially when he really wanted the glamorous Veronica. (
Yet Kit Landor was as implacable as his piercing blue eyes when he told Charlotte,
"You'll marry me or Uncle Joe gets what's coming to him."
Charlotte couldn't let her beloved uncle go to prison. Besides, Kit was too attractive for his own good, and Charlotte was not immune to his charms.
But she wasn't going to let him have things all his own way. Why should she--especially when he really wanted the glamorous Veronica. (
October 31, 2021
This was strange! There was a lot of OTT anger from the B that was unwarranted. If he truly Loved her from the get-go then he could have won her over very easily! This is the one with the Chesapeake Bay setting and a southern Belle ball towards the end.
August 30, 2025
عروس شرطی
شارلوت با عموش زندگی میکنه. از وقتی عموش به دلیل اسیب دیدگی خونه نشین میشه اون مجبور به کار میشه و در کارخانه سانفیلد مشغول میشه. کارفرمایی که عموش رو بدون دادن هیچ پولی رها کرده بود اما علیرغم این قضیه شارلوت از زندگیش راضی بود و یه جورایی می ساخت. تا روزی که در هنگام رفتن به سر کار شاهد تصادفی میشه و این جوری با کیت آشنا میشه. کیت خودش رو حسابدار ارشد کارخانه سانفیلد معرفی می کنه و این که اومده به کارهای حسابداری این شعبه در لندن نظارت بکنه.
مدتی بعد عمو جو به شارلوت میگه که به شرطبندی اعتیاد داره و خونه و تمام پس اندازشون رو توی شرطبندی باخته و اونا میان که یا پولشونو بگیرن یا عمو جو رو بکشن. شارلوت که بسیار ترسیده بوده پیش کیت میره و ازش درخواست کمک می کنه. کیت هم قبول می کنه و عمو جو رو فراری میده و شارلوت رو به عنوان منشی شخصی استخدام میکنه تا در طول سفرهاش همراهیش بکنه.
داستان موضوعش جالب بود اما ترجمه افتضاح بود. خیلی جاها قابل فهم نبود اصلا. و قلم نویسنده یه سبک خیلی قدیمی و کلاسیک طور بود. جوری که من فکر کردم مثلا داستان برای قرن ۱۸-۱۹ میلادیه. رفتار شخصیت ها مختص قرن پیش و فضای داستان مدرن بود. به نطرم توی این سبک خیلی کتابای بهتری وجود داره. ارزش یه بار خوندن رو داره اونم با ترجمه ویرایش شده و درست.
شارلوت با عموش زندگی میکنه. از وقتی عموش به دلیل اسیب دیدگی خونه نشین میشه اون مجبور به کار میشه و در کارخانه سانفیلد مشغول میشه. کارفرمایی که عموش رو بدون دادن هیچ پولی رها کرده بود اما علیرغم این قضیه شارلوت از زندگیش راضی بود و یه جورایی می ساخت. تا روزی که در هنگام رفتن به سر کار شاهد تصادفی میشه و این جوری با کیت آشنا میشه. کیت خودش رو حسابدار ارشد کارخانه سانفیلد معرفی می کنه و این که اومده به کارهای حسابداری این شعبه در لندن نظارت بکنه.
مدتی بعد عمو جو به شارلوت میگه که به شرطبندی اعتیاد داره و خونه و تمام پس اندازشون رو توی شرطبندی باخته و اونا میان که یا پولشونو بگیرن یا عمو جو رو بکشن. شارلوت که بسیار ترسیده بوده پیش کیت میره و ازش درخواست کمک می کنه. کیت هم قبول می کنه و عمو جو رو فراری میده و شارلوت رو به عنوان منشی شخصی استخدام میکنه تا در طول سفرهاش همراهیش بکنه.
داستان موضوعش جالب بود اما ترجمه افتضاح بود. خیلی جاها قابل فهم نبود اصلا. و قلم نویسنده یه سبک خیلی قدیمی و کلاسیک طور بود. جوری که من فکر کردم مثلا داستان برای قرن ۱۸-۱۹ میلادیه. رفتار شخصیت ها مختص قرن پیش و فضای داستان مدرن بود. به نطرم توی این سبک خیلی کتابای بهتری وجود داره. ارزش یه بار خوندن رو داره اونم با ترجمه ویرایش شده و درست.
September 17, 2024
What spoilt the whole book for me and made zero sense, was the way hero greeted the woman when they first came back. The way he hugged and kissed and welcomed the other woman was at odds with his, and later his grandfather’s claims that he couldn’t stand that his childhood best friend’s wife kept making passes at him. That the other woman should permit herself to drive to his house in such a hurry when she was informed -probably by the hero himself- that he was back, his remark to her when he said you didn’t suppose I could let this carry on, all of these little clues, sign to the fact that he may not have liked her making passes at him but he was decidedly carrying on an affair with her, and then the heroine with her pert younger beauty caught his attention to the joy of his grandfather and housekeeper. I hate it when writers gaslight, you either don’t know who to create suspense and angst, or you changed your mind mid story, but don’t lie to your readers whatever you do.
February 14, 2022
TEMPORAR, MIREASĂ - PATRICIA WILSON
✒Ultima carte citită din nostalgie pentru mama. Mă repet, cărțile acestea sunt scrise deranjant pentru gândirea femeii din zilele noastre. Sunt misogine peste poate.
✒I-am dat 2☆ pentru că a fost mai acceptabilă față de precedenta, dar aici avem situația în care "NU" e luat ca "DA". Dacă protagonista a zis "NU" dobitocul alfa continuă zicând că minte. Urăsc subiectul ăsta în cărți 🥴.
✒Ca să nu mai zic că o tratează 80% din carte ca pe un animal de companie. Citez "o alint pentru că a fost cuminte" WTF?! Și alte multe scene în care el ordonă și ea execută.
✒Știu că pe vremea când a fost scrisă cartea, 1988, așa se tratau majoritatea femeilor, ca niște persoane fără coloană vertebrală.
✒Per total, am citit aceste cărți ca să îmi aduc aminte ce citea mama în copilăria mea, dar sunt greu de digerat. 2⭐
✒Ultima carte citită din nostalgie pentru mama. Mă repet, cărțile acestea sunt scrise deranjant pentru gândirea femeii din zilele noastre. Sunt misogine peste poate.
✒I-am dat 2☆ pentru că a fost mai acceptabilă față de precedenta, dar aici avem situația în care "NU" e luat ca "DA". Dacă protagonista a zis "NU" dobitocul alfa continuă zicând că minte. Urăsc subiectul ăsta în cărți 🥴.
✒Ca să nu mai zic că o tratează 80% din carte ca pe un animal de companie. Citez "o alint pentru că a fost cuminte" WTF?! Și alte multe scene în care el ordonă și ea execută.
✒Știu că pe vremea când a fost scrisă cartea, 1988, așa se tratau majoritatea femeilor, ca niște persoane fără coloană vertebrală.
✒Per total, am citit aceste cărți ca să îmi aduc aminte ce citea mama în copilăria mea, dar sunt greu de digerat. 2⭐
June 30, 2020
Thanks, GR, for pointing me at Patricia Wilson! This is only my third book by her, and already I'm picking up some patterns: her hilarious, kinda ditsy-but-bright heroines, high spirited but out of their league with the tough, implacable, besotted heroes. The humor leavens the angst but she can build tension and drama quite effectively, interspersed with laugh out loud lines. This wasn't my favorite of the three I've read so far, but a solid read with good heat and a scoundrel of a hero and a very likable heroine. Psyched for more! Great summaries by Boogenhausen and St Margarets for more deets. PW is rapidly climbing my fave-Harley writers list. Her depiction of Americans (the hero in this one is an American) is pretty funny--although I guess we (or at least I) do say "Sure!" a lot.
December 4, 2020
A fun MOC although I wondered a few times whether our hero actually loved the girl since he was so inconsistent. Talking tough one page, telling her that she should take care not to sleep with him because he was going dump her no matter what, then being rather sweet. Also his interactions with the other woman were inconsistent.
Also, had the author ever met an American??
Also, had the author ever met an American??
March 11, 2024
Not a likeable hero.
Too many comments about how “young” she looks. One person saying she looked 13 and the hero saying she looked 16 — both in scenes when they were sexualizing her.
The southern belle themed party on what was a plantation was a bit much too.
Overall, not PW’s strongest work.
Too many comments about how “young” she looks. One person saying she looked 13 and the hero saying she looked 16 — both in scenes when they were sexualizing her.
The southern belle themed party on what was a plantation was a bit much too.
Overall, not PW’s strongest work.
March 27, 2019
3.5 stars
July 14, 2025
5☆☆☆☆☆ o carte superba !
March 8, 2020
Had potential. I was bored out of my mind before half way.
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