THE RANCHER'S SURPRISE WEDDING – Susan Crosby
Back in Business Miniseries
Silhouette Special Edition #1922
ISBN-13: 978-0-373-24922-0
ISBN-10: 0-373-24922-5
September 2008
Contemporary Series Romance

Near Sedona, Arizona – Present Day

Actress Maggie McShane has everything. She's surrounded by people who see to her every need, like Dino (her bodyguard and head of security); Leesa (her best friend and assistant); and Garnet, the publicist who's like a magician when she fixes all the glitches that go wrong inside Maggie's star-dusted world. But Garnet isn't around today to repair the newest malfunction. This mistake is totally Maggie's fault and a lapse in judgment that'll send Garnet right through the roof when she learns about it. Maggie (dubbed America's Sweetheart), is getting married in three weeks, but it won't be her fiancé, actor Scott Gibson, walking her down the aisle at the glamorous new Taka San Francisco Hotel. Instead, ex-rodeo cowboy Tony Young will be at Maggie's side.

Confused? Well, maybe Maggie shouldn't have kissed Tony while they danced inside the Red Rock Saloon, but it's too late now, the damage is done. An enterprising fan snapped a picture that hit the Internet gossip pages early this morning, even before Maggie rolled out of the motel bed she shared last night with Tony. Now it's all about damage control, and since Garnet won't have time to patch a ship that's already sinking, it falls to Maggie to put a spin on a story that will save both her own reputation and Garnet's pride when she learns she's the last to know.

As for Tony, well, he could get real used to kissing the beautiful Maggie McShane. A marriage of convenience is a good idea, lots of physical benefits and no emotional ties, which suits Tony just fine. A few months with this woman in his bed will be pure heaven, and the beauty of it is that no one ever needs to know it isn't a real romance, but rather, an opportune solution to a difficult problem. But poor Tony didn't count on falling in love with Maggie, or the jealousy he feels when she acts out the love scenes in her script. If Maggie is so good at faking those passionate kisses on camera, is she faking the kisses she gives him? Meanwhile, Maggie's own emotions are in a tumble. She's lived her entire life inside a pretend world when all she's ever wished for is a home and a family of her own.

THE RANCHER'S SURPRISE WEDDING is a modern day fairy tale done up cowboy-style! When Maggie asks Tony to marry her, it's to save her reputation while promising Tony the financial help she thinks he wants. Then, according to her plan, after a few months, they'll end their relationship and go their separate ways. Only Maggie didn't count on falling in love with Tony, and even though she likes acting, she wants more out of life. After being protected, fussed over, and coddled for years, Maggie wonders what life would be like without the trappings of stardom. Can she make Tony fall in love with her? Well, maybe it's a possibility if she'd talk to him, but Tony is stubborn and determined to make his own way in life without help or counsel, and he certainly will not confide in Maggie. He's thinks he knows Maggie's heart -- she'll get bored with ranch life and she'll be gone as soon as she begins missing those bright city lights.

With a multitude of vibrant characters popping in and out of this story, there's a lot going on, and in addition to Maggie's aforementioned crew, Tony's family is also front and center providing lots of camaraderie and laughs. Maggie and Tony deal with an explosive passion, and even though they try to control their actions, emotions run deep while all the pieces of the puzzle gets sorted out...with a few revelations and secrets exposed along the way. Part of the Silhouette Special Edition Back to Business Continuity Series (see details on www.eharlequin.com), this book is the perfect blend of love and romance in a not-so-ordinary world.

THE RANCHER'S SURPRISE WEDDING is a great read, packed chock-full of dynamic characters, romance, and cowboys! (And it doesn't get any better than that! <g>)

Diana Risso