To save her Tennessee bed-and-breakfast, Sophie Bates needs a fast-cash miracle. Holden McKenzie, her childhood best friend, needs to prove to a prospective employer that he’s a committed man. Their fortunes on the line, Holden proposes…a solution.
He’ll take care of Sophie’s bills if she agrees to a temporary marriage of convenience. And why not? They’re comfortable together, they have fun, and they trust each other. It’s as simple as saying “I do.” But the off-the-cuff wedding has all of Honey Creek talking—and Sophie and Holden realizing that their perfect arrangement is working too well. If they’re not careful, this marriage could turn into a love story.
I love a good fake relationship and friends to lovers is the cherry on top so this story did not disappoint. Sophie and Holden are great together. She’s struggling to hold onto her beloved family business with nobody to help her so when her old friend proposes a marriage of convenience to help him get his dream job, Sophie can’t say no. She suspects it’s a bad idea, a plan guaranteed to break her heart, but she needs money immediately or she could lose the B&B. Plus it’s Holden so being his wife, even if it’s a sham marriage, holds a certain appeal, even if she wishes it did not.
These two had always danced around crossing that line from friendship to something more, but had never let it happen. After years apart, they’re thrilled to reconnect and can’t help but wonder if now is the time. Except Holden is in the running for his dream job, which would require a move to Florida, while Sophie would never consider leaving Honey Creek or her B&B. Despite these issues, there’s not a ton of angst. The focus is more on how much they care for one another and the fun they have together. This is a sweet small-town romance that will make you feel good so it makes a great pick-me-up after a heavy read or a fun story to read any time.
I’ve been reading a lot by Adriana Locke lately and really like it, so I’ll be looking into this one as well.
She’s one of my favorites.