THE SURROGATE HUSBAND by Wynter Daniels employs one of my favorite romance tropes -- the pretend relationship. Due to a little lie by her well-meaning mother, Lucy is in need of a fake fiance fast. What makes this an unusual spin on this story, for me, is how the rest of Lucy's family participates in the increasingly elaborate charade. THE SURROGATE HUSBAND is a nice mix of humor, romance, and poignant moments.

There is a lot going on in this story. Wynter Daniels does a wonderful job of making Lucy and Dex complex and sympathetic characters. While they might seem like total opposites -- Lucy being a little more wild and the owner of a lingerie shop, and Dex being a mild-mannered accountant -- I found that they have a lot of similarities. Both are haunted by past relationships that influence any current ones they have, and family is something that is deeply important to both as well. After I finished reading THE SURROGATE HUSBAND, I feel as though I know the two main characters intimately. I like that the story is told from both points of view.

The deception involved with pretending, for the sake of Lucy's elderly Aunt Bev, and the subplot involving Dex's business deal never distract too greatly from the romance. However, there were several times I wanted to tell Aunt Bev and Dex's business partner to stop meddling in people's personal lives. The romance between Lucy and Dex is fun and a whole lot of sexy. Dex is such a good sport about playing along for the sake of Lucy's family, and is such a sweet and caring guy. He's definitely fantasy material.

THE SURROGATE HUSBAND is lots of fun, as well as extremely hot and has a lot of emotional pull. The main characters are well-defined and interesting. I look forward to reading more books by Wynter Daniels in the future and hope she writes a story for Lucy's sister.

Book Summary

A satisfying category romance from Entangled's Lovestruck imprint... To have and to hoax... Wild child lingerie store owner Lucy Hamilton is a happily confirmed bachelorette. As far as she's concerned, men are something best enjoyed in small doses, never to be allowed too close. Then Lucy's mother tells her Aunt Bev that Lucy has eloped and is married--a tiny lie only meant to appease the dying woman...until Aunt Bev miraculously recovers. Now Lucy needs to find a "husband" for an upcoming family wedding, and fast. Fortunately, Lucy's ridiculously hot, ridiculously straitlaced new accountant Dex Levian is willing to be her stand-in spouse for the weekend. And that's when the trouble really begins. For starters, Dex's "involvement" with a client―no matter how irresistible―might ruin a merger he hopes will make his career. Worse still, the chemistry between Dex and Lucy is more than convincing―it's sizzling. But for Lucy, falling for her fake new husband is the most dangerous thing she can do...

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