THE WEDDING NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS is a standalone contemporary romance written by Kati Wilde. This story features a marriage of convenience and it has everything I love most about that classic trope. Because of the grave wrong done to his late mother, Caleb Moore is committed to taking down the wealthy Wyndham family. Proposing a marriage of convenience to the equally wealthy and well-connected businesswoman Audrey Clarke seems like a way to turn his plans into a reality. One of the things I hate about these kinds of stories that involve revenge is how one of the main characters is constantly deceived by the other main character. Kati Wilde avoids that by having the hero be completely honest with the heroine upfront and they work as a team, with a real romance that develops quickly, but very naturally and spectacularly, between them. This romance is a perfect treat for Christmas or any other time.

Although Caleb's revenge plan is the reason he proposes marriage to Audrey, the focus of the story is on their evolving relationship rather than any complicated revenge plot and possible fallout from that plan. For me, that's refreshing, because I prefer character-driven stories with steamy scenarios. Because Audrey has a condition that occasionally makes it difficult to focus in certain social situations and causes her to take things said to her very literally, there are a few misunderstandings, but they don't take away from the story or clutter it up. This also necessitates the hero and heroine being as straightforward as possible with each other, and that is a huge plus for me. I love how Caleb and Audrey just get each other and work well as a team. As things between Caleb and Audrey heat up, Kati Wilde throws in some expertly delivered dirty talk and torrid trysts which I find extremely erotic. In addition to fabulous sex scenes, the author really conveys how the main characters develop a deep affection as well as an attraction for each other.

THE WEDDING NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS is a must-read for fans of marriage of convenience stories, and a treat to savor. Although this is a standalone story, characters from other books by Kati Wilde make an appearance and make me want to hunt those books down. I look forward to reading Kati Wilde's next book.