Title: His 1-800 Wife
Author: Shirley Hailstock
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Book Blurb:
Catherine Carson didn’t think there was an ideal man for her. And the last one she would have picked for the job was Jarrod Ballantine. He’d been a thorn in her side since she was a child, but he’d also been with her when life was at its roughest. Convincing him to be her husband proved an easier task than stopping herself from becoming his wife. Fed up with her meddling family, Catherine has the perfect plan...make a deal with a nice, unexciting guy, who would agree to marry her for six months, then divorce. And she knew her childhood friend Jarrod Ballantine was just the perfect man for the job–until he sparked a completely unexpected desire. Now, Catherine must discover what she really wants to find...everything she’s ever dreamed and a future with Jarrod.
Excerpt:
Catherine handed the paper to Jarrod, who scanned it quickly and tried to hide the smile that curved his mouth.
"I'm glad you find this funny," she said dryly.
"Catherine, you're the only woman in the world who would balk at having a maid."
"Jarrod. . ." She looked over her shoulder to make sure Jenny wasn't hovering nearby. "We can't have them in the house with us."
"They said they'd only be here during the day."
"I know, but it means they'll expect us to use one room."
"One bedroom," he corrected, leaning his arms on the table, and whispering the words as if they were co-conspirators.
"I can't share a bedroom with you. That wasn't part of the plan."
"You slept with me just two nights ago," he reminded her.
"I did not."
"Correct me, but what would you call that position of unconsciousness where you had your arms around my waist and your head on my shoulder?"
"Jarrod, you know that was different."
"Maybe, but when you woke up you didn't move your arms. And you stared at me for a full half hour before curling those long legs around me and going back to sleep."
Catherine gasped. "You were awake!" Her ears burned with embarrassment.
He said nothing.
"Why didn't you say something?"
"From where I lay, words were totally unnecessary.''
"Jarrod, you know what happened was unintentional. And we're home now. We cannot stay together here."
Catherine needed to forget that morning in Montana. She was warm with feelings she had no right to even think about, let alone know and understand. She'd let her defenses down for that short period. She'd looked at Jarrod as a woman who could fall in love. She never dreamed he was aware of her.
"Why not'"
"Think about it, Jarrod. Where do we put your clothes, in the guest room? Then every morning you can get up, make the bed and come to my room before Jenny and Christian arrive to cook us breakfast."
"Isn't it usually the other way around?"
"This is serious, Jarrod."
"Catherine, it's not the end of the world. What are the consequences if we don't share a room?" Jarrod stared her.
"Audrey will know." Why wasn't he taking this seriously? "Jenny will mention it to someone and Audrey will find out. She'll tell my mother. The two of them will think we're arguing, and it's too soon for that."
"Then you'll have to tell them this is all a pretense, and we'll need to return all those gifts." He indicated the stack that flanked the wall and extended out until there was little room to negotiate around them. "And all of Newport will know about our scam."
His sarcasm irritated Catherine. "You're not going to try and help me, are you?"
"In sickness and in health, darling. In sickness and in health. . ."
Buy Links (including Goodreads and BookBub):
Google Play - https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Shirley_Hailstock_His_1_800_Wife?id=BoA4BgAAQBAJ
Apple Books - https://apple.co/2KdYYxg
What makes your featured book a must-read?
It's a fun read, a marriage of convenience story that goes wrong. Meddling mothers and resistant bride and groom who find themselves having a harder time keeping to their agreement than fending off their parents wishes.
Giveaway –
Enter to win a $30 Amazon (US) gift card:
Open Internationally.
Runs June 8 – June 12, 2021.
Winner will be drawn on June 16, 2021.
Author Biography:
Publisher’s Weekly Bestselling author Shirley Hailstock began her writing life as a lover of reading. She likes nothing better than to find a quiet corner where she can get lost in a book, explore new worlds and visit places she never expected to see. As an author, she can not only visit those places, but she can be the heroine of her own stories. The author of over forty novels and novellas, Shirley has received numerous awards, including the RWA/NYCLifetime Achievement Award and The Emma Merritt Award from Romance Writers of America. RT Bookclub Reviews awarded her a Career Achievement Award. Shirley's books have appeared on Blackboard, Essence Magazine and Library Journal bestseller lists. She is a past president of Romance Writers of America.
Social Media Links:
Twitter – https://twitter.com/shailstock
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/shirleyhailstock/