Series:
Marriage at First Sight (Book 3)
When she says “I do,” her plan is set in motion…
An arranged marriage to Galen Horvath is step one in
Peyton Earnshaw's revenge against his family. For his part, the CEO only agreed
to an arranged marriage to provide a stable home for his young ward. When
desire ignites between them, Peyton starts to dream of a future with Galen. But
what will happen when her secrets resurface?
Good marriage of convenience story with some twists.
Galen wants to give his ward, a little girl named Ellie, a stable home after
the trauma of losing her parents. He uses his grandmother's matchmaking program
to find a suitable wife. He's not looking for a grand passion, only someone
compatible with whom he can make a life.
Peyton is out for revenge against the Horvath family,
especially the matriarch Alice, whom she blames for the devastation her family
experienced. She manipulates the matchmaking program to ensure that she is
matched with Galen. She expects the marriage to get her close enough to the
family that she can get the information she needs for her exposé.
I liked Galen. He is intelligent, kind, and protective of
those he loves. I loved seeing him with Ellie, who adores him. His sympathy and
understanding of her loss is heartwarming.
I had a harder time liking Peyton. Her focus on revenge
prevented her from seeing the possible collateral damage. She also allowed her
personal bias to influence her research instead of the balanced writing she is
known for.
Having never met before the wedding day, neither Galen
nor Peyton knew what to expect from each other. The sparks of attraction are
undeniable, but Peyton resists as long as she can. She has no intention of
remaining in the marriage, and intimacy will complicate matters. However, during
their "honeymoon," Peyton tries to guard her heart from more pain but
discovers that Ellie and Galen have wiggled past her walls.
Galen quickly realizes that he has fallen hard for Peyton
but can sense that she is hiding something. I liked his patient hope that
she'll open up to him. I liked how he made Peyton part of parenting Ellie, even
though she initially tried to hold back.
When the truth comes out, Peyton and Galen must decide if
their marriage is worth saving. Grandmother Alice plays a big part in the
ending as she reminds Peyton that every story has two sides. I ached for Peyton
as she looked at her past from a new perspective. There's a twist that surprises
Peyton, though I had my suspicions. I also hurt for Galen and his feelings of
betrayal when he learned the truth. It takes a little time for each to realize
that they belong together. I liked Galen's determination to convince Peyton of
his love.
The ending was good, as Alice's matchmaking program and
her instincts proved right again.
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