Did someone say arranged marriage and undeniable sparks? If you need a light, feel-good, romantic, spicy read, head down to Sunny Brook Farms. I’m honored to join the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) team for the third book in this series. Without further ado, here’s my book review for Made for You by Renee Harless.
Book Summary
Be a stranger’s wife for six months to secure his inheritance.That's the whirlwind proposal Aurora received from a hot guy she met in the hotel where she's attending a teacher's conference.
Driven by hidden motives and revenge, she agrees. But as lines blur and affection blooms, Aurora craves for more.
Facing the end of their contract, she realizes the one thing she wants is the one thing he refuses to give. At least, that’s what she thought.
Tropes
- Arranged marriage
- Age gap
- Billionaire Romance
- Opposites attract (Grumpy who only smiles for his Sunshine)
- Found family
- All the “My wife”
- No unnecessary 3rd act breakup
The Characters
Talon Beckett
- Heir to the Wilder Hotels (the only person who gives a damn about their family business)
- Had a rough childhood
Aurora “Rory” Easterly
- Small-town teacher
- Romance reader
- “Peaches” of Talon
“She reminded me of the early dawn. Bright and alluring. Her name suited her perfectly.” - Talon Beckett
Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶🌶🌶🌶
Book Review: Made for You by Renee Harless
Made For You is a delightful read filled with “my wife,” spice, and a heroine who chased back her passion. Out of the 3 books in the Sunny Brook series, this is my fave.
What I like:
It may be a marriage of convenience, but there was palpable attraction from the start.
In fiction, I always find it adorable when two people enter a transactional marriage but end up falling head over heels for each other. Especially if one of them swore to never.
- Aurora. She’s basically Belle 2.0 for me: bookworm, sunshine personified, soft-spoken but a fierce defender of the voiceless. Beautiful with a kind and generous heart.
- Supportive fake husband. Talon gave her the support she needed - though she didn’t ask for it. She’s not a damsel in distress. But he helped her patch up the tapestry her ex shredded, so to speak.
- Sunny Brook sounds like a fictional wonderland: picturesque, heartwarming, and the perfect backdrop for a love story that starts practical and blooms into something seriously steamy.
- Spice. Talon may be a dirty talker. But the wholesome, sweetheart, small-town, sunshiny girl could give him a run for his money.
- Swoon. The “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” “Yeah, it is,” but he’s looking at her, not at the view (swoon!)
Giphy
Beyond the butterflies
- Aurora found her voice and stood up to her family. YAS QUEEN!
- Draco. Aurora’s cat.
- Easy read and fast-paced.
- Talon’s adorable grandma
- The ever-reliable Dean
- The supportive side characters (except for one, but whose story I can’t wait to read about)
Minor quibbles
Pacing & Details
While the narrative is engaging, I believe the pacing could benefit from some adjustments.
There are sections where I felt additional detail would elevate the story. For instance, delving deeper into the characters' emotional responses to key events or showcasing their conversations and text messages directly, rather than relying solely on narration, could significantly enhance the reader's experience.
Wait, that's it?
Would’ve loved to see the school principal get his comeuppance, too. Maybe I’m a bit vindictive that way. But what they did to Aurora was unfair.
I expected something more during the confrontation with Rory’s family. I’ve just been reading books with alpha males; my standard is too high. 😅
Plus, my husband would’ve done more if it happened to me. (Really trying not to spoil anything here since, so forgive the vagueness).
I’m sure most readers don’t mind this minor ‘hiccup.’ Again, it’s just me.
Tenor
Will I recommend it?
Yes. Anyone looking for a feel-good read with a side lot of steam would thank Renee Harless for this book.
Favorite Quotes
“Whatever my wife wants, my wife gets.”
“It wasn’t a future I ever envisioned for myself, but every day that passed with Aurora as my wife, it became more and more clear. I was so f* in love with her.”
“Forget the hotels and the money. Asking you to be my wife was the best damn decision I ever made.”
What are you reading next?
Please add Made For You By Renee Harless to your reading list. The release date is February 13th on Amazon, and it will be available in Kindle Unlimited and Paperback.
This post contains affiliate links, so we’d get a commission if you purchase through the links at no additional cost. Thank you!
Check out my top romance novel recommendations categorized by tropes.
Question for You
Do you prefer living in a big city or in a small town?
Hey, you wanna be book buddies? I share short book reviews, recommendations, funny memes, and relatable reels on my Instagram account @booksandblogs_lux. Follow me there! I also post my reviews on Goodreads.
10 comments
Beautiful blog
ReplyDeleteGreat blog
ReplyDeleteHi, Lux!
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting Shady's Place, dear friend! I appreciated your thoughtful comments on my New Year post.
I enjoyed reading your review of the Renee Harless novel Made for You. A plot in which a transactional relationship evolves into something deeper appeals to me, providing it is well written and the progression plausible. I also appreciate the device of a character with a sunshine personality being the only person able to break through to someone with a mean disposition and make them smile.
If you can find it, you might enjoy watching the 1994 romantic drama TV movie Danielle Steel's A Perfect Stranger starring handsome leading man Robert Urich, Stacy Haiduk, who for years played Patty Williams on the award winning daytime drama The Young And The Restless, and Darren McGavin, who famously portrayed tenacious reporter Carl Kolchak on the series Kolchak: The Night Stalker.
I have a new post starting Monday at Shady's Place and invite you to come back over for a visit. Have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend Lux!
A small town fifteen minutes away from a big city.
ReplyDeleteSounds cute.
ReplyDeleteSounds really interesting. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete💘 Happy Valentine’s Day, Lux!
ReplyDeleteOoo sounds like a great beach read something to bookmark for the summer!
ReplyDeleteAllie of
www.allienyc.com
Thank you for your review, I don't know this book but I'd love to check it out :)
ReplyDeleteRomance set in a small town sounds like the perfect backdrop for a heartwarming tale of love.
ReplyDelete