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His Inconvenient Wife
Emily Sherwood has one chance to save her writing career...but powerful Sydney financial adviser Damien Margate won't let her write a book that will expose his family secrets. He'll stop at nothing to prevent her--even marry her!
Emily can't afford to refuse his offer of marriage. Damien will pay off her debts and save her from financial ruin. But all too soon the fierce attraction raging between them becomes impossible to ignore--and their paper marriage seems in danger of going up in flames...
Emily can't afford to refuse his offer of marriage. Damien will pay off her debts and save her from financial ruin. But all too soon the fierce attraction raging between them becomes impossible to ignore--and their paper marriage seems in danger of going up in flames...
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
7 people are currently reading
68 people want to read
About the author
Melanie Milburne
1,146 books392 followersI grew up on a small farm on the outskirts of Sydney and as a keen horse rider, often competed in local gymkhanas and even broke in a few horses from time to time. As I was surrounded by animals, I decided at an early age to become a nurse, however I couldn’t stand the sight of blood and so opted for a career in teaching. It’s a bit ironic that I married a surgeon.
I read my first Mills & Boon novel when I was 17 and that encouraged me to continue reading romance novels; the lure of the tall dark handsome hero, who in reality I fell in love with and knew I was going to marry on our second date! After marrying a year later, we moved to Scotland with our six week old baby so my husband could work and study for his MD in surgery. After the birth of our second son we came back to Australia to settle in Tasmania.
I went back to University and up-graded my teaching diploma to a degree and then went on to do a Masters but still I felt as if something was missing. I sat down one day and began writing and everything clicked into place - I had finally found ‘my brilliant career’! I used to write from instinct rather than a specific plan, but now, so many books later I find a loose plan doesn't go astray. An idea will pop into my head, sometimes it will be just a simple phrase or a what if question and I'm away.
Writing is a skill that can be learned and the best way to learn it is to read and to write. So many people feel they have a novel in them and very probably they are right-the only trick is to get it out. My advice to ‘would be’ writers is to write, write, and write even more. Carry a notebook at all times and jot down ideas. And like any other activity the more you do, the more it feels comfortable.
I hope you enjoy my stories and look forward to hearing from you.
I read my first Mills & Boon novel when I was 17 and that encouraged me to continue reading romance novels; the lure of the tall dark handsome hero, who in reality I fell in love with and knew I was going to marry on our second date! After marrying a year later, we moved to Scotland with our six week old baby so my husband could work and study for his MD in surgery. After the birth of our second son we came back to Australia to settle in Tasmania.
I went back to University and up-graded my teaching diploma to a degree and then went on to do a Masters but still I felt as if something was missing. I sat down one day and began writing and everything clicked into place - I had finally found ‘my brilliant career’! I used to write from instinct rather than a specific plan, but now, so many books later I find a loose plan doesn't go astray. An idea will pop into my head, sometimes it will be just a simple phrase or a what if question and I'm away.
Writing is a skill that can be learned and the best way to learn it is to read and to write. So many people feel they have a novel in them and very probably they are right-the only trick is to get it out. My advice to ‘would be’ writers is to write, write, and write even more. Carry a notebook at all times and jot down ideas. And like any other activity the more you do, the more it feels comfortable.
I hope you enjoy my stories and look forward to hearing from you.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 13, 2016
This was a 2 and 1/2 star story - only because the author kept this *preposterous* plot moving along as the TSL heroine *and* hero fought their growing love for each other by believing the MOST RIDICULOUS LIES about each other and NOT EXPLAINING A THING TO REFUTE THOSE LIES until the very end. (Sorry for the all caps, but good Lord, these two were stupid.
Okay - the premise. The hero offers a marriage of convenience to the heroine and to pay off her debts if she will break her contract with her agent and not write an unauthorized biography of his elderly actress aunt, who abruptly left the public scene twenty years before. Oh, and she's his brother's girlfriend, even though they haven't gotten around to sleeping together.
Seems the brother is a cad and is dating someone else at the same time, but the heroine doesn't really care since she has "never loved anyone since she was 4." Direct phrase from the book - she says it several times.
So our hard-boiled heroine marries a guy who "hates" her and they end up having unprotected sex on the kitchen table the next morning. Meanwhile, our hero is seen with his "mistress" everywhere and the heroine has to endure several dinner parties in her presence. Heroine befriends an elderly neighbor lady (three guesses who she is) while the hero is at work.
The heroine cries a lot for someone who is hard-boiled and the hero is moved by her tears for someone who hates her.
Here are all the soap opera explanations - but they're pretty obvious to the reader before the heroine figures them all out. In no particular order:
Preposterous premise aside, the heroine is just not a very likable person at the beginning. She *is *grasping and a sell-out to her agent and she *has* hurt people's lives from her writing. The hero's motivations are so odd - marriage of convenience for "tax purposes"? - that any romance reader worth her salt will just think he's in lust or something. He never does explain when exactly he fell for the heroine. However, the characters did start to display some likable characteristics later on they seemed to enjoy a good banter as well as sex, which was nice to read.
All and all, an uneven read, but memorable. How many heroes marry in order to stop a book from being written?
Okay - the premise. The hero offers a marriage of convenience to the heroine and to pay off her debts if she will break her contract with her agent and not write an unauthorized biography of his elderly actress aunt, who abruptly left the public scene twenty years before. Oh, and she's his brother's girlfriend, even though they haven't gotten around to sleeping together.
Seems the brother is a cad and is dating someone else at the same time, but the heroine doesn't really care since she has "never loved anyone since she was 4." Direct phrase from the book - she says it several times.
So our hard-boiled heroine marries a guy who "hates" her and they end up having unprotected sex on the kitchen table the next morning. Meanwhile, our hero is seen with his "mistress" everywhere and the heroine has to endure several dinner parties in her presence. Heroine befriends an elderly neighbor lady (three guesses who she is) while the hero is at work.
The heroine cries a lot for someone who is hard-boiled and the hero is moved by her tears for someone who hates her.
Here are all the soap opera explanations - but they're pretty obvious to the reader before the heroine figures them all out. In no particular order:
Preposterous premise aside, the heroine is just not a very likable person at the beginning. She *is *grasping and a sell-out to her agent and she *has* hurt people's lives from her writing. The hero's motivations are so odd - marriage of convenience for "tax purposes"? - that any romance reader worth her salt will just think he's in lust or something. He never does explain when exactly he fell for the heroine. However, the characters did start to display some likable characteristics later on they seemed to enjoy a good banter as well as sex, which was nice to read.
All and all, an uneven read, but memorable. How many heroes marry in order to stop a book from being written?
May 16, 2017
First I thought she was a bitch.
Then she started acting all cutesy, even ballsy!
But she kept switching back and forth and so I finally knew what we had here – a cute, ballsy bitch!
MM’s hs can be unapologetically bitchy and live and do as they please, even hurting people at times. In other words real and not long suffering irreproachable ingénues.
Of course, this one settled down with crying jags and general mopeyness pretty soon.
Reasons for HP mocs are rarely convincing but this one here had the most flimsy justification if even that. He could have achieved what he wanted quite well without actually getting married to her. After all he was getting her out of a big financial mess and she had signed to not write the book. So how does marriage – a paper marriage – come into it. And as she says since they do end up sleeping together (not really sleeping as she insists), wasn’t the contract null and void in some way?
But forget all that, I enjoyed their bicker-banter – amused on his part, petulant and witty on hers. She was a drama queen as he accused her of being.
And I enjoyed the bicker-sex even more!
“What are you going to do Damien—darling?’ she goaded him recklessly. ‘Take me to court?’
‘No,’ he said, reaching for her before she could step away. ‘I’m going to take you to bed.”
And there was romance too…
(I love this cheesy line!!)
“Every breath she took was to keep her alive until the next time she was in his arms.”
Then she started acting all cutesy, even ballsy!
But she kept switching back and forth and so I finally knew what we had here – a cute, ballsy bitch!
MM’s hs can be unapologetically bitchy and live and do as they please, even hurting people at times. In other words real and not long suffering irreproachable ingénues.
Of course, this one settled down with crying jags and general mopeyness pretty soon.
Reasons for HP mocs are rarely convincing but this one here had the most flimsy justification if even that. He could have achieved what he wanted quite well without actually getting married to her. After all he was getting her out of a big financial mess and she had signed to not write the book. So how does marriage – a paper marriage – come into it. And as she says since they do end up sleeping together (not really sleeping as she insists), wasn’t the contract null and void in some way?
But forget all that, I enjoyed their bicker-banter – amused on his part, petulant and witty on hers. She was a drama queen as he accused her of being.
And I enjoyed the bicker-sex even more!
“What are you going to do Damien—darling?’ she goaded him recklessly. ‘Take me to court?’
‘No,’ he said, reaching for her before she could step away. ‘I’m going to take you to bed.”
And there was romance too…
(I love this cheesy line!!)
“Every breath she took was to keep her alive until the next time she was in his arms.”
August 8, 2011
I found this book pretty good. It's something different. But I must say I was disappointed with the ending. I mean the banter between them was so entertaining and funny to read. Him caring for her was also pretty convincing. Yet all of a sudden, they fell in love. Its sweet and all but for some reason it just wasn't believeable. I loved the beginning. But I felt that their characters weren't developed enough for them to really fall in love with her.
And I really don't get it. One moment he practically hates her. Then he goes for a drive and becomes super sweet to her? Hypocritical much? I mean there must at least be some residue of anger. But I couldn't really see it. It's a pity though. I felt that this book could really be developed into a great book. However, I found the ending too rushed.
First part amazing. I was hooked. Towards the end I actually thought of putting down the book and going to study. I guess it just couldn't touch me. Even when they 'declared their love for each other', it just wasn't realistic to me. I really wished that the this book could have been developed more and focus on his feelings for her and why he just fell in love with her! They argued like crazy. He kept believing the worst of her. She didn't even care. At most, say some cutting remark then forget all about it. Next thing I know, he claims he loves her. I mean, wth? There was no clue at all that he actually felt anything for her.
The ending was certainly too rushed. It seemed like the author just wanted to finish writing as quickly as possible and wrapped up everything (pretty badly), in a single chapter of what 13 pages? I dunno, I guess this isn't enough for me.
All in all, it was pretty good but I've definitely seen better. I've come to expect a lot from harlequin and some harlequin books I read are simply amazing and magical. I want to recapture that magic again. For isn't that the joy of reading?
And I really don't get it. One moment he practically hates her. Then he goes for a drive and becomes super sweet to her? Hypocritical much? I mean there must at least be some residue of anger. But I couldn't really see it. It's a pity though. I felt that this book could really be developed into a great book. However, I found the ending too rushed.
First part amazing. I was hooked. Towards the end I actually thought of putting down the book and going to study. I guess it just couldn't touch me. Even when they 'declared their love for each other', it just wasn't realistic to me. I really wished that the this book could have been developed more and focus on his feelings for her and why he just fell in love with her! They argued like crazy. He kept believing the worst of her. She didn't even care. At most, say some cutting remark then forget all about it. Next thing I know, he claims he loves her. I mean, wth? There was no clue at all that he actually felt anything for her.
The ending was certainly too rushed. It seemed like the author just wanted to finish writing as quickly as possible and wrapped up everything (pretty badly), in a single chapter of what 13 pages? I dunno, I guess this isn't enough for me.
All in all, it was pretty good but I've definitely seen better. I've come to expect a lot from harlequin and some harlequin books I read are simply amazing and magical. I want to recapture that magic again. For isn't that the joy of reading?
February 20, 2021
This book made me add another tag to my bookshelf: annoyances! (insert golf-clap here)
I suppose I could have given it two stars, but I suspect the second star would have belonged to the editor and proof-reader.
I can read about a feisty heroine. I can read about a prissy, or uptight, or angry heroine. A damaged and dark heroine, even. But a heroine who simply annoys me from the first sentence? Nope -- big nope.
I held out until mid-way in Chapter 5, mainly because of the hero. I kept hearing a sexy Australian accent in my head, and thinking, "Mmmm!" But the hilarious "reason" for wanting to marry someone that, for all intents and purposes, behaves like a venal be-hatch? Um, my willing suspension of disbelief just snapped like a cheap thong in a hot yoga class!
Generally, I can appreciate the odd cheesy Harlequin, with the enemies-to-lust-to-lovers-with-
"suprise" preganancy, but this book failed to grip me. To paraphrase Red Dwarf (yet again), I was in a total state of "un-gripped-ness". So, I am tossing this in the DNF bin and moving on. Considering that there are still Loki Renard, Alice Coldbreath, and Eve Silver books that I haven't read yet, I can't justify wasting my time on this particular dingo's kidney (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy reference).
I suppose I could have given it two stars, but I suspect the second star would have belonged to the editor and proof-reader.
I can read about a feisty heroine. I can read about a prissy, or uptight, or angry heroine. A damaged and dark heroine, even. But a heroine who simply annoys me from the first sentence? Nope -- big nope.
I held out until mid-way in Chapter 5, mainly because of the hero. I kept hearing a sexy Australian accent in my head, and thinking, "Mmmm!" But the hilarious "reason" for wanting to marry someone that, for all intents and purposes, behaves like a venal be-hatch? Um, my willing suspension of disbelief just snapped like a cheap thong in a hot yoga class!
Generally, I can appreciate the odd cheesy Harlequin, with the enemies-to-lust-to-lovers-with-
"suprise" preganancy, but this book failed to grip me. To paraphrase Red Dwarf (yet again), I was in a total state of "un-gripped-ness". So, I am tossing this in the DNF bin and moving on. Considering that there are still Loki Renard, Alice Coldbreath, and Eve Silver books that I haven't read yet, I can't justify wasting my time on this particular dingo's kidney (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy reference).
May 5, 2019
This couple had too much animosity to overcome to be together. Supposed other affairs, careers ruined(thanks hero), name only marriage(instant sex), money problems(for the heroine that were never explained), disguised relatives, zero trust, and an unplanned pregnancy that the hero thinks isn't his for no actual reason(which isn't that unplanned when you aren't on the pill!). It's just a lot to handle and the couple doesn't come together to solve problems or fall in love or help one another ever. Just not romantic. Skip.
December 27, 2022
Me encantó esta historia; Me gustaria ver que se convierta en una película.
Lo único que cambiaría de esta historia es el hecho de que sentí que el final fue apresurado, no me importaría haber tenido que leer un par de capítulos más con tal de haber leido un final mas fluido, amplio y con mejor cierre en cuanto al argumento de la novela.
Lo único que cambiaría de esta historia es el hecho de que sentí que el final fue apresurado, no me importaría haber tenido que leer un par de capítulos más con tal de haber leido un final mas fluido, amplio y con mejor cierre en cuanto al argumento de la novela.
March 28, 2020
3.5 stars. This had a somewhat predictable and farfetched plot, but still hard to put down!
November 1, 2020
Cute story with good side characters but the romance is too pat, not a lot of reason for it.
April 9, 2012
If I'm not mistasken this was Melanie Millburne's first book for Mills & Boon - I've been a fan ever since.
September 11, 2016
Usual plot line makes for a quick read.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews