An Oprah Magazine recommended read for Best Romance Novels We Couldn’t Put Down in 2020! “You want me to find you a wife? “No. I want you to be my wife.” Garrett Song is this close to taking the reins of his family’s LA fashion empire…until the Song matriarch insists he marry her handpicked bride first. To block her matchmaking, he recruits Natalie Sobol to pose as his wife. She needs a fake … wife. She needs a fake spouse as badly as he does. But when passion burns down their chaste agreement, the flames could destroy them all…
Will they end up with more than they bargained for?
From Harlequin Desire: Luxury, scandal, desire–welcome to the lives of the American elite.
Love triumphs in these uplifting romances as Jayci Lee transports you into the glamorous world of high fashion where passion clashes with familial duty–don’t miss the Heirs of Hansol series:
Book 1: Temporary Wife Temptation
Book 2: Secret Crush Seduction
Book 3: Off Limits Attraction
more
The stakes are high in Jayci Lee’s debut novel. Garrett Song, as the blurb states, needs a fake wife because his grandmother has already handpicked one for him. Natalie Sobol can’t resist Garrett’s offer because she needs a fake husband if she’s to secure adoption of her beloved niece she already thinks of as her own daughter.
What the two don’t count on is the sizzling chemistry erupting between them. They’re simply supposed to go their separate ways after they get what they want.
Read more here: https://maggieblackbird.com/2021/01/14/jayci-lee-temporary-wife-temptation/#more-19835
I didn’t know this writer and I loved her style. I’m a fan of romances as well as cliches with a great resolution and good dialogues, the connection between the couple is great, and a very cute ending give me everything that i want and need.
I fell in love with the cover of this book and knew I had to read it.
This novel is a variation on the fake engagement/marriage trope. It involves two very competent, driven people, Natalie and Garret, each of whom need a fake relationship, though for very different reasons.
Garrett needs a wife to thwart his grandmother, the matriarch of the Song family dynasty, who has already arranged an engagement with the daughter of another wealthy family.
Natalie needs a husband to solidify her petition to adopt her dead sister’s daughter, an adoption being contested by the paternal grandparents.
I like the insantaneous connection between Natalia and Garrett and their struggle to not give in to their attraction. I also like the way they seemed to not only want each other but genuinely like and respect each other, convincing the reader their relationship is worth investing. in. I also loved Garrett’s family and the way their culture was depicted, without being overly didactic.
The plot was a bit choppy, with time jumps that were not immediately clear. I think it was because I wanted more of the events that were relegated to behind the scenes, the like the lead-up to the wedding and the solidifying of the relationship between Natalie and Garrett’s sister. The black moment was handled well but I would have loved more happy times after Garrett’s grovel. Then again, that’s just me being a greedy little romance reader.
Jayci is a lovely writer and I can’t wait to read the other installments to this series.
Temporary Wife Temptation is the other book I chose to do for this tour set and if that wasn’t enough of a disclaimer, the publisher sent me a free book to read and review for my site and that doesn’t influence my rating whatsoever because I take after my great-grandmother, I’m an opinionated woman with a big mouth.
I liked reading Temporary Wife Temptation , it was a quick, entertaining read that had just the right amount of spice to it to keep me interested in the story. We have Garrett Song and Natalie Sobol who are both super attracted to each other and, y’all, we get the marriage of convenience trope. That’s a good trope. Garrett needs an out from a surprise arranged marriage and the bonus of a wife who can wow the business contacts is great. And Natalie needs a promotion so she can adopt her orphaned niece. A deal is struck, a nice celibate deal. *cue the evil laughter*
There were parts of this that I didn’t like and some that I will fight for. I loved the mix of Garrett’s traditional Korean background and Natalie’s only access to her heritage being what she gleans from KDramas (girl, same, dramas connect us with what our parents didn’t give us) and how they were brought up a lot. Natalie didn’t know wedding traditions or how to wear a hanbok but between Garrett’s sister, Adelaide, and her neighbour, Mrs Kim, she manages to find her feet. I did not like the time jumps. A day or two is one thing, but the passing of time is problematic for me as it is so I do not like having major time skips in my stories. And we missed out on the awkward roommate vibes, which I love. So, boo.
Overall I’m giving Temporary Wife Temptation 4 stars and 3 flames. I didn’t get bored reading this or dredge my way through reading it and I can’t wait to read Adelaide’s story in the Fall! I hope y’all give Temporary Wife Temptation a try!
This has been a review from Once Upon a Time, I Read a Book. Until next time, have a happily ever after!
My first read featuring Korean Americans written by a Korean American. So well done, bringing in enough cultural input to feel authentic to me without it become the crux of the story. And the steam, wooo-wee, this is steamy. I could read this again and again.
I’ve said it before, and I am sure I’ll say it again: sometimes you just need a brain break. Harlequin (and its different imprints) are quickly becoming my favorite go-to for such books. This one was no exception. The plot was straightforward and to the point, a fairly typical “need a wife/business associate” story. I liked the details regarding Korean traditions, and how both main characters wanted to respect their heritage while trying to make the situation work. Nothing deep, just entertainment here. Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for a pre-release digital ARC of the book.
Jayci Lee’s Temporary Wife Temptation hits the fake marriage trope with a Korean flavor. Hero Garrett Song is up for the CEO position of his family’s company. It is something that he has worked his own life toward. When his grandmother, and head of the family, decrees that he will marry someone “appropriate” that she has picked out for him, Garrett panics and says he already has a fiance. Now he has to find one. Enter Natalie Sobol. Natalie works for the company and is desperate to move up as she wants to adopt her sister’s orphaned daughter. When Garrett proposes a fake one year marriage, Natalie takes the deal.
Temporary Wife checks all the trope’s marks. Reluctant, work-obsessed man, smart yet desperate woman, overbearing family. Garrett is the guy who never wanted to marry, denies his attraction to Natalie, finds what he wasn’t looking for. Natalie is the woman for whom family is everything and protecting it at all costs is her aim, but falls for the guy, anyway.
At 224 pages this story reads quickly with some time jumps which I wished the author had filled in but overall is a good story. Solid characters, nice bit of heat, and a HEA. Just what a romance reader looks for in a one-sitting story.
4 1/2 STARS!
Great characters, a beguiling story line and chemistry galore! With her debut novel TEMPORARY WIFE TEMPTATION, Jayci Lee turns on the feels with the first book in The Heirs of Hansol series with Harlequin Desire. Her cast of characters are not only successful and culturally rich, but also filled with emotional back stories that hook a reader quickly to their plights.
Garrett Song is easy to like from the start. He loves and respects his grandmother, but more than anything, he wants to finally be in charge of the family empire and moving things in the direction he feels will benefit the times the most. He isn’t looking to settle down, but when his grandmother names a woman she plans for him to marry, he has to get a little creative to put the ball back into his court.
Natalie Sobol is delightful. She’s hardworking, has a softer side when she wants to but takes no gruff when dealing with the business world. She has her own reason for seeing an advantage to becoming Garrett’s temporary bride … but fake becomes all too real when close quarters lead to an attraction too strong to ignore!
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a yummy marriage of convenience story that ends with a beloved happily ever after. I’m looking forward to more to come in the series and especially for more to come from this new author.
Temporary Wife Temptation opens emotions to all the possibilities that romance has to offer. Lee joins the conversation with her sassy characters, witty delivery and sometimes unconventional outlook. Natalie and Garrett are a breath of fresh air that taps into the heart and refuses to let go.
He had family obligations to be the heir appoint and lead the family business. That was what he had been raised and groomed for and he was good at it. Now his grandmother’s demands force him into action. She had found herself fighting for her niece after a tragic accident. Now she needed to do whatever was necessary to make sure nothing and no one could take her away. The desire and the need is there but the work to get past their own issues may be more than either one is willing to do.
I wasn’t real sure how this was going to play out and if it was going to be a strong enough story to get past all of the platitudes. This author lets the steam levels rise as they fight to keep their hands and lips to themselves and keep their hearts protected. It’s my first read by this author and I don’t think it will be my last. The story kept you invested as their story progresses. Natalie does become invested first whoever I love that the author lets her stay true to her character and stay strong.