Ellie Here’s the deal. I’m sixteen and I’m getting married. Super weird, I know.It was just my me and my dad. We lived on a cattle ranch in Montana. He died suddenly, leaving me an orphan (which is still a thing). I’m sixteen months away from being a legal adult, so I have two choices.A foster home or marry Jake Talley. My Dad’s foreman and really, my best friend.It’s legal. It solves all my … friend.
It’s legal. It solves all my problems. Except now I’m living with Riverbend’s hottest cowboy – my husband in name only – and I’m still in high school. Where no one wants to date Weird Married Ellie.
Still all we have to do is wait until I’m eighteen to get a divorce. Then Jake and I can go back to being normal.
We’ve got this. Right?
Jake
I never saw this coming. Married. To a kid I’ve known her whole life. But there was no way in hell I was going to let her live at a foster home. The ranch is where she belongs.
Sure we’re married but it’s not real. Just a piece of paper. My girlfriend is furious. But I know I’m doing the right thing. For sixteen months, it’s me and Ellie against the world.
No big deal.
Or is it?
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The Bride:
This story grabbed me and left me wanting more….
The Bride has a unique plot with a marriage of convenience trope. It’s also an older man/younger woman story that captivated me from the start until the last page. There’s just something so appealing about this book: it’s the characters, the plot, the author’s voice in the way she delivers her storytelling through Ellie and Jake. And she delivers it with gut-punching raw emotion.
Ellie Mason is made an orphan at the age of 16. She inherits the family ranch that’s been in the family for generations, but not having a guardian and being underage, her only option is foster care. Jake Talley steps up to offer Ellie marriage in helping to protect her legacy. At 26, Jake’s been a close family friend and her father’s foreman. In a small town like Riverbend, the gossips and Jake’s girlfriend aren’t too kind about Jake and Ellie living together.
But they are honor bound to keep the temporary marriage in name only until Ellie turns eighteen when they plan to divorce and Jake hands over the running of the ranch. Living and working closely together brings an awareness Ellie can’t deny, and her growing attraction to Jake seems to complicate her newfound sexual feelings. It was hard to read about Ellie’s situation, I felt her sadness but also impressed how she could be strong and feisty. Faced with a heartbreaking situation, she put away her teenage persona and shouldered her responsibility. And I love Jake’s loyalty and protectiveness towards Ellie.
The Bride is the first book in the trilogy and I can’t wait for the rest of Ellie and Jake’s story. Ms. Doyle’s writing brings this story to life and their attraction to a slow boil. It’s written in dual POVs so we live through each of Jake and Ellie’s emotions and feelings about their situation.
The Wife:
My heart aches for Ellie and Jake
The Wife begins where The Bride ended, with the Mother of all snowstorms changes everything between Ellie and Jake. In case you missed reading the first book, The Bride, the author catches up the reader to what’s happened with the fake marriage, the ranch, and the kiss that cements a deeper and confusing emotional element for these two friends who find themselves thrust into a difficult situation.
I’m still loving Jake because he’s such a hero in my eyes, wanting to save Ellie and the ranch that she has inherited. With the setback from the storm, they find they must continue to be married beyond Ellie’s eighteenth birthday. The Wife centers around the growing attraction for Jake and Ellie as they work closely together to continue growing ranch production. The attraction is there and it’s undeniable, and you can feel the slow burn. Jake is finding it hard to keep his hands off Ellie, but Ellie already knows she wants Jake. I just love Ms. Doyle’s writing style. It’s easy and it flows and takes you into the emotional struggle of these two wonderful characters.
The Lover:
Heartwarming, Tender and Emotional
The Lover is the conclusion to Ellie and Jake’s marriage of convenience. It is a beautifully written love story that is heartwarming, emotional, tender and sweet with a bit of humor.
I was happy to see Ellie make a difficult choice for herself by going to college. The separation certainly made Jake take notice of Ellie and realize how much he really missed her. I have to admit, Jake was stubborn and holding back his feelings. But again, Ms. Doyle creates the slow burn and sizzle, and I devoured this gem until the last page.
I just the love how the story develops and the relationship blossoming between the two lovers. I enjoyed how Ellie finds the strength to face Jake about his feelings. And oh, that heart-wrenching scene at the end with Jake’s realization just gutted me. I cried fat, ugly tears and it was not pretty. And the epilogue is sigh-worthy and brought everything full circle. Absolutely wonderful.
The Bride, The Wife, and The Lover has been one of the best reads of the year. I’m sad to see it end and I am sure I will be rereading the whole series again. I highly recommend Bride series, a must read for all fans of romance.