After many doctors and many diagnoses there is no hope.
Sir James de Ville is dying. He is in his London apartment
tying up loose ends before returning to his home, Grace
Gardens. There, along with his faithful companion, a huge
Mastiff, named Demosthenes, (the Seeker of Truth), aka
"Dem".
He plans to enjoy his final days enjoying his beautiful
gardens and countryside. He has just written a farewell
note to his mistress and sent her a parting gift. His cousin
Graeme is astonished at his coldness. He remarks on how ill
James
appears and encourages him to see Dr. Hinsdale, one of the
brightest and up-to-date doctors in the area. His
daughter, Laura, was once Graeme's
love interest but James broke them up as he felt a doctor's
daughter was not worthy of marrying Graeme. Instead, James
introduced him to Abigail, a beautiful heiress and now his wife.
When James calls on the Hinsdale residence, Laura tells
him her father died two weeks ago. Now in debt and
homeless, James proposes a marriage arrangement of mutual
benefit to both and Laura accepts. She will be a wealthy
widow and he knows she will take care of his estate and
treat his grasping and selfish family fairly.
Candace Camp is a sterling story teller. Her characters are
so endearing especially handsome and charming, James de
Ville, who has a dry sense of humor that will keep you
laughing. A marriage of convenience, becomes a platonic
relationship, that turns into a sweet friendship. Soon
their physical attraction begins to sizzle and James
introduces his bride to the art of making love. Laura is a
caring wife and discovers why James is so ill and nurses him
back to health.
A touch of mystery that this super
sleuth did not solve is deftly woven into this regency
romance that is five stars. With witty dialogue,
sweet intimacy, this is a page turner that will have you
reading into the night to the smashing climax. "Dem" is
truly a pet hero that added to this thrilling tale of lies,
betrayals, and second chances. A MOMENTARY MARRIAGE is one
not to miss. It will touch your heart. It touched mine and
I adored it!
New York Times bestselling author Candace Camp offers
a delicious marriage-of-convenience story in this passionate
historical romance, featuring her signature “clever and
witty banter, sharp attention to detail, and utterly likable
characters” (Publishers Weekly, starred
review).
James de Vere has always insisted on being
perfectly pragmatic and rational in all things. It seemed
the only way to deal with his overdramatic, greedy family.
When he falls ill and no doctor in London can diagnose him,
he returns home to Grace Hill in search of a physician who
can—or to set his affairs in order.
Arriving at the
doctor’s home, he’s surprised to encounter his daughter
Laura, a young woman he last saw when he was warning her off
an attachment with his cousin Graeme. Alas, the doctor is
recently deceased and Laura is closing up the estate, which
must be sold off, leaving her penniless. At this, James has
an inspiration: why not marry the damsel in distress? If his
last hope for a cure is gone, at least he’ll have some
companionship in his final days, and she’ll inherit his
fortune instead of his grasping relatives, leaving her a
wealthy widow with plenty of prospects.
Laura is
far from swept off her feet, but she’s as pragmatic as
James, so she accepts his unusual proposal. But as the two
of them brave the onslaught of shocked and suspicious family
members, they find themselves growing closer. They vowed,
“until death do us part”...but now both are longing for
their marriage to be more than momentary in this evocative
romance, perfect for fans of Sabrina Jeffries and Mary Balogh.