“Are you saying you don’t think I want to fck you?” Dorthy: When I decide to take a stab at a modern day arranged marriage leads me to an Alaskan air field, I have high hopes that I’ll finally find my happily ever after– and a man who isn’t intimidated by a woman who can take care of herself. Coming face to face with my fiance for the first time sets off all the warning bells in my brain– but … off all the warning bells in my brain– but it sets off entirely different alarms in other parts of my body.
Is Barrett really the man I’ve been looking for? More importantly, am I what he’s looking for?
Barrett:
Women are scarce in these parts, and the ones that are here never wanted anything to do with me before I came into my money. Now that I can finally afford the services of a professional match maker, I’m looking forward to the woman she and my closest friends have determined is right for me.
Dorthy’s a little slip of a thing and pretty as a picture with all that blonde hair and big blue eyes lighting up her face and I want her more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life. I just don’t know why she’d want to get hitched to the likes of me when it’s clear she doesn’t need me for anything.
I thought I finally had something to offer a wife, but this little firecracker of a woman can obviously hold her own– so what does she need me for?
**
This 26,000 word novella is the eight story in the arranged marriage romance series and also ties in with the novel BUSH. If you liked BUSH, you’ll be happy to see the characters return as we follow Bear’s journey to happily ever after!
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How can this possibly be happening? Dorthy is wondering and asking this question out loud. She was just dumped, over the phone mind you, by her boyfriend. On top of that she is seething because she is not bat sh!t crazy like he said. She is upset because this happened that doesn’t make her crazy, right?!?! She is done with all of this, she is 28 and looking to get married and become a mom. Is that too much to ask?
Bear…..what do you think of when you hear someone called this? How about if it is his name? Yep, a smoking hot 6’6″ of ALL man, with a beard and muscles until tomorrow…..me too. It just so happens to all be true. Real name Barrett though. He is looking for his forever. He signed up on Ravyn’s site a year ago, of course after doing research for it that is. He is a pilot in Alaska, working for Rogue (you may recognize him from Bush) he is a bit awkward with ladies, but looking for his wife and mother to his children. He is not waiting any more.
Bear is about to meet his fiance that Ravyn and his friends have chosen for him, he is not expecting someone all of 5′!” (and a half if you ask Dorthy.) She is petite and small, as he puts it as big as his arm.(…dreamy!) He also wasn’t thinking that he would be able to get enough excuses to touch her. There is a BBQ at Rogue and Melissa’s house (for reasons explained) and then it is off to show Dorthy the house he built. Bear is not the kind of guy that gets the sly little “games” women play, he prefers the truth and just come out and tell him. Reading signals are not something he knows. There is a lot of tension between these two. They are so new and learning about one another that they just haven’t figured out how to read one another. One week later though poor Dorthy has done everything she can think of to show him she wants ALL of him, and Bear doesn’t think she needs or wants him around because of how self-sufficient she is, very able to take care of herself without needing him at all.
Ah, the miscommunication is stopped when he arrives home from work and sees her bags at the door. Now it is the fun part of their courtship. The standing up to each other (I would have loved to see the hand on the hip of our little one standing up to the mountain of a guy) and no backing down. The pieces click. She knows he wasn’t trying to ignore her signals, he knows that she was trying her best to show him how attracted she was hoping it would lead to more. That edge being gone, they are no holds barred anymore….and the feelings they have are more powerful because of it.
Oh they definitely get a happily ever after….one that even has this burly big guy doing everything he can to show her how head over heels he is. It also includes her being so much more than she thought she could be and feeling like she really has had the best thing landed in her lap. I do hope there is a bit more of their story….it is just that good.
It’s said that the first impression is the one that counts. Lucky for Dorthy and Berrett they have a good chemistry and Raven knew best. Working hard for the goodies have its reward! Like this arrangement married stories with the romance, the difficult situations the protagonists had to overcome, the passion and the helping friends.
Loved it
Loved Bear and Dorthy. Loved revisiting the characters from Bush. Bear is long past ready to settle down. Eligible women are few in Alaska, those who visit seldom stay. Bear wants what his boss and friend Rogue has with Mel. Someone to love him for him and he can love. Someone who wants kids and can take care of herself.
Dorthy is long past ready to settle down. Apparently being a capable and independent women is a turn off. She is hoping Raven Swann with the help of her nieces, her best friend and her husband, can find her a husband who will love and appreciate her for her.
Dorthy and Bear have a rough start, but when things look the bleakest and tempers flair, they start speaking from the heart. Loved to see the gentle giant go cavemen. Loved catching up with Rogue and Mel. Loved the proposal and bonus epilogue. Maybe Luke will get a story, if Dorthy doesn’t hook him up with one of her nieces first.
A fun, funny, fast paced and steamy love story.
ARC review for honest review. Dorothy and bear both are looking to Raven to arrange a marriage. she is a marriage broker. this was a great story of how two people never meet before but our suitable mates.Awesome
This is the wonderful story of Barrett (Bear) and Dorthy. It was an amazing cross over story from Bush and it was done with perfection! I love all of Rocklyn Ryder’s stories and I have a hard time with which I love more her Arranged Marriage stories or her Wild Men stories. Well I did not have to choose for this one it had the best of both. Bear is a strong alpha male who is shy around women and has decided that he desperately wants what his friends have, a family and a home. The contacts Raven and starts the process of the arranged marriage. Dorthy wants a man who will love her for her load mouth and independent style. She needs someone that will share her life, not take care of her. After a (stupid) ex breaks up with her she contacts Raven and gets the ball rolling. When Bear and Dorthy meet there is moment of sassiness from Dorthy but Bear soon shows her who he truly is and the beauty of the story is shown. I loved this story; it was by far my favorite!
I loved how Dorthy moved to Alaska for Bear and how he was all about including her in his life and their future decisions (like the house). It was amazing to read about a new romance and catch up with a past favorite couple (from Bush). Rocklyn did it again and I am so excited for the next