Charlotte Samuels thought she’d be stuck waiting tables at Marlow’s until all her debts are paid off—in about ten thousand years or so.
She definitely didn’t expect a marriage proposal from the arrogant Brandon Maxfield who was mysteriously blackmailed by his father to make her his wife if he didn’t want his least favorite cousin to run Maxfield Industries.
Charlotte’s instinct was to say HELL NO! but she’s stumped by a few obstacles:
1. His old man Martin Maxfield is dear to her heart and has been recently deteriorating in health.
2. She gets a million dollars if she stays married to Brandon for a year.
3. She rather likes the opportunity to teach the attractive but awfully rude man a few lessons he didn’t think he needed from a ‘teenage gold-digger’—his term of endearment for her on their first date—er, business meeting.
So what’s a girl got to do, right?
Sure, she’s young and a little rough around the edges but there’s something her would-be husband didn’t know about her yet—she’s nothing like he ever expected.
Thrust into the glitzy world a standard-issue Mrs. Maxfield would fit perfectly and rule with impeccable social grace, Charlotte will either have to force herself into the mold or break free of it, risking what little she has left for everything that she can gain.
*Currently free to read in Wattpad
Thoughts:
Wow. Wow. Wow. I am speechless. What can I say?! Aside from being perhaps a little lengthy, this is one of the best novels I have read all year, and I don't say that lightly for just any plain old book. This amazingly refreshing read by Ninya Tippett is yet to published as print but I don't think it will stay that way for too long given how heartwarming her romance plot is, how beautifully inspiring her prose is and how enriching her characters are.
From the very first line of the book, I immediately warmed to Charlotte, whose outlook on life is inspiring and heart breaking for a girl who has endured so much suffering at the hands of an abusive alcoholic father and an abandoning mother in the past. Despite a few shortcomings in her character, such as her inability to fully trust those she loves, she nevertheless gives a whole new definition to making lemonade when life gives you lemons. Her personality is absolutely adorable and empowering to others and the advice she gives is invaluable. After starting off as a handsome but arrogant playboy who immediately assumed the worst of Charlotte, Brandon developed into a devoted and loving husband who couldn't let Charlotte go even if she tried to escape. Many times throughout this novel, I was swooning at the realistically adorable romance between these two wonderful characters. Their journey to love after a rather difficult start is enough to restore the belief in fairytales of even the most cynical of readers.
A recurring motif of hero and villain was seamlessly blended into this well-planned storyline and reflected through the drama of the secondary characters. These other characters added realism and complexity to a story that mainly followed Charlotte's personal growth and discovery as she marries into socialite life. They all had their own downfalls, conflicts and personal journeys, all of which were cleverly conveyed to the reader through an exciting and consistent plot. The author's fluidity throughout the entire novel reflects an incredible talent in crafting a whole new world from words. A gripping must-read!
Rating:
5/5
Wow, thank you! I'm so happy you liked it! It is lengthy because I wrote it for over a year and it was kind of serialized, posting one chapter at a time. I didn't really plot out the rest of the story until halfway through. It just came to life as I kept writing.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this! It's amazing what one happy review can do to a writer.
Cheers to fairy tales! =)