What's wrong with a little fake marriage between friends?
Their night on the town is a blank, but when Zora Abbott
and Dallas Hamilton awaken in a Vegas hotel room, they're man and wife. With
news of the nuptials spreading virally, the high-profile best friends decide to
stay married, temporarily. Maybe under the cover of marriage, Dallas can even
make his best friend's baby dream come true. But can their friendship survive
their newly unleashed passions?
Fantastic friends-to-lovers story. Zora is the youngest
and only girl in the family and had to fight to earn her place in the family's
bourbon business. She is intelligent, fierce, and doesn't put up with anyone's
BS. Zora also envies those family members who found their true loves and
started families. Each new addition brings home how much she wants that for
herself. Tired of waiting for Mr. Right, she decides to go ahead and become a
single mother. Before facing her family with her decision, Zora wants her best
friend's opinion and support.
Dallas is a talented furniture maker and designer. He and
Zora became best friends in kindergarten when she confronted the bullies tormenting
the new kid (loved that story and the way Dallas told it!). For years, he and
Zora were each other's "plus ones" at various events when they
weren't involved with other people. That was often the case with Dallas, whose
relationships tended to be short-lived. That's okay with him because he doesn't
see himself as a husband and father, thanks to the poor example of his own
father.
As the book opens, Zora joins Dallas in Las Vegas to
support him as he receives a prestigious award for his furniture designs. They
then plan to celebrate Zora's upcoming birthday. From the moment of Zora's
arrival, there is a feeling that something is changing. Both Zora and Dallas determinedly
work to preserve their friendship, ruthlessly suppressing any hint of
attraction. A spontaneous kiss under the mistletoe a few years earlier started
a slow burn that was about to burst into flame. Their post-ceremony celebration
included some potent cocktails and some enhanced brownies, leading to waking up
the next morning in bed together and wearing wedding rings. Unable to pretend
it didn't happen, thanks to a viral video of the wedding, Dallas and Zora agree
to stay married for at least a year.
I loved seeing the progress of Dallas and Zora's relationship
from friends to lovers. Though Zora freaks out at the marriage, Dallas finds
that he doesn't mind at all. In fact, he wants to make it real. I loved
watching him negotiate the "terms" of their bargain to his best
advantage, including offering to make her baby dream come true. From the
beginning, Dallas does everything he can to show Zora how right they are
together. I loved the little things he did, from making sure she got the
waffles he promised her (fantastic scene!) to having her back when dealing with
her family.
Zora's fear of losing their friendship causes her to
fight her growing feelings for Dallas. Though she freely admits they love each
other, she's not so convinced about the "in love" part. She doesn't
want to deprive either of them of that lightning bolt "aha" moment
when they meet the right person. She doesn't realize that she and Dallas have
already passed that point, thanks to their well-developed friendship. She especially
worries about Dallas sacrificing his happiness in his desire to make things
perfect for her.
I ached for them both when he confesses his feelings, and
she doesn't reciprocate, not because she doesn't care but because of what he
gives up. I understood why she wanted to ensure his needs counted as much as
hers. I ached for them both as she pushed him to accept the opportunity in
Iceland. I loved seeing how their time apart helped Zora come to terms with her
feelings for Dallas (with a bit of brotherly encouragement) and what she did
about it. The twist at the end regarding the direction of the family company
and Zora's part surprised me. The epilogue was sweet and perfectly showcased
Dallas and Zora's relationship.
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