Married by Mistake by Abby Gaines

Married by Mistake by Abby Gaines
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full (277 pages)
Heat: Sensual
Rating: 4.5 Books
Reviewed by Camellia

Casey Greene, tired of being a pushover to the people she loves, lures her procrastinating fiancé on to a surprise wedding TV show—so she has only herself to blame when he jilts her in front of millions of viewers. Cynical TV station owner Adam Carmichael is an unlikely rescuer, but his plan for a fake wedding is the only way for Casey to avoid total humiliation and Adam’s company to hang on to a valued sponsor. But when a quirk of Tennessee law makes their marriage legit, things go from bad to worse….

Emotional blackmail, in differing ways, has ruled both Casey Greene’s and Adam Carmichael’s lives for years. After the fiasco on a TV program, they find themselves needing a plan. Their plan proves to be full of pitfalls as they conspire to outfox everyone while they have a month of pure “selfishness.”

Casey’s family, friends, boyfriend, church, and every “do-gooder” program in Parkvale depend on her to “do” for them. When she decides to break free of them, she learns some startling things about herself. She also discovers being needed is seductive and NOT being needed feels like withdrawal of love.

Her not-too-well-thought-out idea and Adam’s desperate drive to divert a disaster from his family’s business dumps the two of them together for the entire world to see on TV. OH, what a tangled web they weave as they deceive!

Adam, Memphis’ most eligible bachelor, subconsciously needs to prove to himself that he is worthy of his dead father’s love that was always withheld. Consequently, he made the family business a resounding success. However, when Casey comes along, she breaks his concentration on just business.

Abby Gaines has a light touch and delightful writing style that invites the reader to share in a life-changing adventure with Casey, Adam, and some interesting secondary characters. She creates sub-plots that add humor and moments of new self-awareness for many of the characters.

Married by Mistake surely qualifies as a Super Romance—most enjoyable.