Devon Carter, after struggling and working to create his own empire in New York, finally has his chance to have it all. Receiving a deal to merge his company with Copeland Hotels, the clincher is he has to agree to marry William Copeland's daughter to ensure her future security and happiness and to keep her from fortune seekers. Ashley is kept ignorant of the arrangement and believes the proposal to be founded on love, as she truly loves Dev. Everything blows up in Dev's face on his wedding night when Ashley mistakenly sees an email from her father to Dev that reveals the deceit and details of his proposition.

The free spirited and bubbly Ash makes every effort to carry on with their loveless marriage in the hopes she can change and be the woman Dev desires. Finding out she is pregnant, Ash faces the truth and wants more for herself as well as for Dev. Enchanting everyone with her happy and affectionate style, Ash chooses to leave Dev after revealing her pregnancy.

After Dev's friends and his new brother in law tell him what an ass he is and of the change he has forced upon Ash, he re-evaluates his true feelings knowing that he has completely crushed his vivacious and beautiful wife with his control. Winning her back must be something "big" to convince her he truly loves her more than anything in the world and aches to see her smile again. He prays the animal shelter she so loves will be of help to convince her of his genuine need to have her.

I truly enjoyed this cute story of misunderstandings between two people destined to be together. Starting off wrong can end so right for them. Ashley is such a vibrant character and exceptionally lovable. Dev misconstrues his own feelings through fear brought about by his past. He must learn that success definitely takes a back seat to love. I can't wait to read more from Maya Banks!

Book Summary

Devon Carter was her first; now newly wed Ashley wants their passion to last. But her dreams of true love are crushed by the discovery that their marriage is another of Daddy's business deals. Her strategy: act the part of perfect wife and make Devon love her. But Devon misses the bubbly, no-holds-barred woman his wife used to be. Who is this Ashley with the steely demeanor of a society wife? And will he find a way to rekindle the fire in her eyes…especially now that she's pregnant?