Review: Good Read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 7, 2012
I am a fan of Doreen Owens Malek, her dialogue is witty and she steadily builds the romantic tension between her leads. Her novel, A Marriage of Convenience, is an enjoyable read albeit this is an older novel and there is a sense of the characters being behind the times in many ways.Sharon Phillips returns to her father's ranch in California after his death, she is not happy to be in the Golden state though because she must face her first love, Taylor Braddock. Sharon fell in love with Taylor when she was only eighteen when she visited her father for his wedding to Taylor's mother. Taylor broke her heart and she has not been in contact with him since.Taylor is a Vietnam vet (yes, this is dated) and he has had major difficulties adjusting back into civilian life. He was a POW and he deals with his memories with alcohol and a bad temper. He is about ten years older than Sharon and he finds her sweet and innocent, way too innocent for the likes of him so he sends her on her way making her believe that she is way too young for his jaded tastes.Ten years later the two are forced to confront their feelings because Sharon's dad has bequeathed the ranch to the both of them but they must marry to inherit. They decide to go through with a marriage with plans to annul it fairly quickly but Sharon realizes her feelings for Taylor have not gone away.This novel deals with some big issues like post traumatic stress, loneliness and fear. Taylor is very complex and he is hurting. His transformation from an angry young man to a mature businessman is believable. Sharon is not as interesting as Taylor (how could she be, she's a run-of-the-mill lawyer in Philadelphia) but she is generous and it is her giving heart that makes such a difference in Taylor's life.