Danielle Ackley-McPhail
Written on Jul 24, 2019
A Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Amazon Charts bestseller.
From New York Times bestselling author Catherine Bybee comes a new First Wives novel about wanting a family…and finding love.
Shannon Wentworth’s biological clock is ticking, and she isn’t going to let her single status keep her from having a baby. When her wedding-photography business takes her to Mexico, she has every intention of finding a willing baby daddy to help her out. Until the bride goes AWOL, leaving Shannon to coddle the arrogant fiancé who has accused her of sabotaging his wedding.
Victor Brooks never could have imagined that he’d be on a honeymoon for one. Only here he is, taking a hard look at his life after the younger women he thought he loved walked out. The woman who volunteers to help him reflect is the last person he expects to be attracted to. Between the tequila, the sun, and one earth-shattering kiss, Victor finds Shannon a distraction too sexy to ignore.
They strike a deal: wait three months, cool off, and see if their tropical beach attraction is worth taking up when they go back home. Unfortunately, that’s just enough time for the past to come calling. All their best-laid plans are at risk. So is the last thing Shannon expected to matter the most: her heart.
- ISBN10 1503905225
- ISBN13 9781503905221
- Publish Date 12 March 2019
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Montlake Romance
- Format Paperback (US Trade)
- Pages 332
- Language English
Reviews
Sam@WLABB
Written on Feb 22, 2019
I had been eagerly awaiting Shannon's story. She was one of the few "wives", who actually fell in love during her arranged marriage, but unfortunately, the feeling wasn't mutual. I so wanted her to move past her heartbreak and find her HEA, and I absolutely adored the man she was paired with.
Victor seemed an unlikely match for Shannon given the circumstances under which they met. Shannon found him quite repugnant, and even felt that his bride-to-be deserved better. But, Shannon discovered a very different side of Victor during their time in Mexico, and that was the Victor she wanted to know better.
The growth both Victor and Shannon experienced was great. Shannon opened up and shed her quiet and reserved girl persona. She began speaking up and demanding more attention, while also opting for the less "safe" choices. Shannon said goodbye to her past and started moving towards her future, and I fell short of doing a slow clap for her. Seriously, I was really proud.
Meanwhile, Victor began putting more time into his personal relationships and being more honest with those around him as he started to see his future being about more than his business. It was fabulous seeing the contrast between how he was with Shannon and how he had been with his ex. It really clearly displayed how genuine his feelings were for Shannon.
Other things I really liked:
• I had a lot of fun in Mexico with Shannon, Victor, and the rest of their Tulum crew.
• This group of women have such a wonderful and fierce friendship. The way they drop what they are doing to come to each other's aid or how they support one another, even if they don't agree with that person was a beautiful thing.
• It was terribly fun having all the couples so present in this story. This first wives family has grown over the course of the series, and I was thrilled to see them all settling into their HEAs.
• The 3 month countdown!
• The ending was so fun! What a nice way to send the group off into sunset.
Overall: A mighty fine ending for a series, that gave me fabulous heroines, great heroes, and heartwarming HEAs.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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