Gwen Jones (2)

I am on a quest to discover as many new Romance authors as I can! So when I saw Wanted: Wife, with it's adorable cover and quirky blurb, I knew that this was something I'd be reading. I'm glad I did, because I was instantly swept up in such a sweet and sexy story! This is a fresh, totally enjoyable read.

We meet Julie Knott as her love life is quickly falling apart around her. Her fiance has gone back to the arms of the woman he left, her bank account is frozen, and worse yet it seems that the entire image she's built is disintegrating. All Julie wants to do is escape with some modicum of self-respect left. I loved Julie's character. She's so honest, quirky and downright funny at times. Watching her navigate the twists and turns that life threw at her was both hilarious and (of course) rather steamy at times!

Which brings me to Andy Devine. Can I please just swoon here and now? Matching his last name perfectly, Andy is definitely the perfect male lead. The moment Julie lays eyes on him she can't look away and I couldn't stop reading. He is kind, giving, and has that sparkle in his eye that screams sexy. Add in his habit of speaking French in the throes of passion, and you have a man who swept me off my feet.

The real twist I won't spoil for you, but it was such a surprise and delight to see where Wanted: Wife ended up! I so wanted these two characters to find their happily ever after, and I was so impressed at how much there was beneath the surface of this book. This isn't just romance, it's so much more and I loved it! I can't believe this is a debut novel. You can believe, however, that I'll be back for more from Gwen Jones.… (meer)

Minutes after reporter Julie Knott is dumped by her fiancé, her cameraman Denny draws her attention to a Wife Wanted ad and off she goes to investigate. When she meets Andy Devine, she is surprised to see a handsome, well educated, seemingly very normal person who really is advertising for a wife and who has garnered lots of responders. Julie and Denny film Andy interviewing potential wives and are surprised when he announces that his choice is Julie. She, of course, initially declines but eventually agrees after more shenanigans by her ex-fiancé. Her plan is to write a book about her experience which she expects to be short term.
After a quickie marriage in a small town hall, the couple settles on Andy’s farm. The passion side of the marriage is definitely not a problem from the very beginning. They are extremely compatible in that respect. Their communication about everything other than sex is not as successful. As time goes by, they learn more about each other and the marriage becomes pretty real. The intrusion of the real world brings the idyll to an end and Julie finds herself back on TV with a real broken heart. It will take some major work on Andy’s part to get Julie back.
This is the first novel by Gwen Jones. She does a great job of making her characters come alive. It would have so easy to make them seem like caricatures, the evil ex, the secretive husband, the gay best friend, but Ms. Jones kept them real. I liked the fact that Julie didn’t turn into country wife overnight but rather she worked on adjusting to her new life day by day. Andy and Julie’s relationship is hot and sexy but sweet and believable at the same time. I especially liked that the couple handled their problems like adults and worked on solving them. Yes, there are some traditional romance contrivances in the book but they work. I really enjoyed this book and hope to see more from Ms. Jones.… (meer)