"hidden affections" by delia parr

Annabelle and Harrison are forced into marriage at gunpoint. They plan to get a quiet annulment, but when Philadelphia's newspapers find out about the marriage, Harrison--Philadelphia's most eligible bachelor--realizes an annulment is no longer an option. He decides that he and Annabelle must pretend to be a loving couple until a divorce can be obtained, and Annabelle--harboring a secret of her own--knows she must go along with his plan. Along the way, they begin to fall in love, but a man from Annabelle's past threatens to destroy their chance at happiness.

Hidden Affections could have been a classic "marriage of convenience" story. Hero and heroine are forced into marriage. They initially can't stand each other, but slowly they realize they are meant to be together. They live happily ever after. But that's not what happens in this book. I don't want to spoil it for you, so I'll just say that something happens in this book that I never expected--and I've read many, many "marriage of convenience" books! I'm not saying the book was perfect--I frequently wanted to grab Annabelle by the shoulders and shake her, yelling, "Just tell Harrison your secret!" (illogical heroines are a great pet peeve of mine)--but I did appreciate the twist on this classic plot line. I also thought the characters were very well developed. The villain is incredibly smarmy and evil (perhaps too much so), but all the other characters are quite layered. Another book featuring supporting players Philip (Harrison's bachelor cousin) and Irene (Harrison's housekeeper) would be quite welcome!

Interested? You can read the first few chapters here:Hidden Affections

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free for review from Bethany House Publishers through their book reviewer program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."