Pregnant and alone after her ex-lover’s death, magazine editor Ruby Fleming’s not about to give up her home to the man who broke her heart—until she discovers her mother left half of the estate to somebody else, and she realizes she’s trapped.Property tycoon Christo Mantazis wants the one thing his riches can’t buy—the villa where his mother has lived and worked as housekeeper for forty years. That it’s the same house he was banished from after being caught making love to the owner’s irresistible daughter stirs up old memories and now he wants her more than ever.
When Christo offers a marriage of convenience, Ruby knows it’s the only way for them to get what they want. Ruby needs her baby to have the link to its past, Christo needs his mother to retain her home, and for him to have the child he could never father.But it’s another need—to have Christo again—that Ruby must resist at all costs.
Product Details
BN ID: 2940015674774
Publisher: Entangled Publishing (Indulgence)
Publisher: Entangled Publishing (Indulgence)
Publication date: 9/14/2012
Sold by: Barnes & Noble, Amazon
Format: eBook
Sales rank: 65,462
File size: 417 KB
My copy: from Entangled Pubishing
My thoughts:
Christo is the son of an immigrant who built himself a successful business from the ground up. He is truly a good man with his primary goal of making his sweet mother happy. He will stop at nothing to make that happen. Christo wants to own the home in which his mother worked for many years taking care of Ruby and her family. Unfortunately owning the home means he has to reach an agreement with Ruby Fleming, a woman he once shared a teenage romance with.
Thrust into a calculating situation by Ruby’s deceased mother, Ruby and Christo must work together for a means to an end – an agreement on the home Ruby grew up in. Each of them has inherited half of the home and each wants all of it for themselves. Ruby feels it is her birth right to inherit the home. Little does Christo know how much Ruby wants and needs to retain the home for her unborn baby.
After finding out that Ruby is pregnant with her deceased lover’s child Christo see’s an opportunity to get everything he wants. He offers to marry Ruby so they can share the home while he will get to be a father to the baby he could never have and a provider to Ruby. His mother would even get to live in the home with them where she wants to be and have a grandchild too. Everyone would benefit from the contract.
At first Ruby is against the marriage contract. After debating with Christo she reluctantly agrees with his logic, it would be good for everyone. She would have a provider, a home and a father for her baby. But marriage is more than just a logical solution for Ruby, it has to do with her heart and emotions too.
What I liked:
Even though I do not view marriage as a means to an end or some sort of contractual agreement, Christo honored it. He promised fidelity and devotion and that is what he gave.
Christo and Ruby are good together; they handle each other and compliment each other. A seemingly perfect combination if they could only trust each other after the painful past they have suffered.
I liked that Christo was full of surprises and in his own way has been there for Ruby for the many years they were separated. He is able to offer closure and knowledge on her painful family past and is truly a modern day knight in shining armor.
I like that Ruby stood firm in her convictions and challenged Christo.
What I didn’t like:
I felt like Christo and Ruby, as strong willed, passionate and determined individuals, would have had at least one volatile moment. After years of regret, anger and mourning some spark of ignitable passion and starvation for their lovers touch would have caused an argument. Instead they were polite. Yes there were heated conversations but I wanted more and I myself felt restrained while reading these moments. Don’t get me wrong there was plenty of physical response that left no question on the attraction between the two – but the emotional connection is what I wanted.
I suppose it’s the mark of a good author to leave me wanting more of the characters they brilliantly create. But I really felt Contract for Marriage could have been longer.
I wanted more of Christo and Ruby just being them, talking and getting to know each other again.
Would I buy this book? Yes, even though I wanted more, Contract for Marriage satisfied, entertained and moved me.
Who do I recommend this book to? Lovers of contemporary romance and fans of an unlikely knight in shining armor would enjoy this book.
This is an adult book with adult situations, suitable for ages 18 and up.
I give Barbara DeLeo’s Contract for Marriage four skulls’, it is a definite read and worth the 2.99 to buy it. While the story was complete and finished, I wanted and felt that the characters had more stories to tell.
Christo is the son of an immigrant who built himself a successful business from the ground up. He is truly a good man with his primary goal of making his sweet mother happy. He will stop at nothing to make that happen. Christo wants to own the home in which his mother worked for many years taking care of Ruby and her family. Unfortunately owning the home means he has to reach an agreement with Ruby Fleming, a woman he once shared a teenage romance with.
Thrust into a calculating situation by Ruby’s deceased mother, Ruby and Christo must work together for a means to an end – an agreement on the home Ruby grew up in. Each of them has inherited half of the home and each wants all of it for themselves. Ruby feels it is her birth right to inherit the home. Little does Christo know how much Ruby wants and needs to retain the home for her unborn baby.
After finding out that Ruby is pregnant with her deceased lover’s child Christo see’s an opportunity to get everything he wants. He offers to marry Ruby so they can share the home while he will get to be a father to the baby he could never have and a provider to Ruby. His mother would even get to live in the home with them where she wants to be and have a grandchild too. Everyone would benefit from the contract.
At first Ruby is against the marriage contract. After debating with Christo she reluctantly agrees with his logic, it would be good for everyone. She would have a provider, a home and a father for her baby. But marriage is more than just a logical solution for Ruby, it has to do with her heart and emotions too.
What I liked:
Even though I do not view marriage as a means to an end or some sort of contractual agreement, Christo honored it. He promised fidelity and devotion and that is what he gave.
Christo and Ruby are good together; they handle each other and compliment each other. A seemingly perfect combination if they could only trust each other after the painful past they have suffered.
I liked that Christo was full of surprises and in his own way has been there for Ruby for the many years they were separated. He is able to offer closure and knowledge on her painful family past and is truly a modern day knight in shining armor.
I like that Ruby stood firm in her convictions and challenged Christo.
What I didn’t like:
I felt like Christo and Ruby, as strong willed, passionate and determined individuals, would have had at least one volatile moment. After years of regret, anger and mourning some spark of ignitable passion and starvation for their lovers touch would have caused an argument. Instead they were polite. Yes there were heated conversations but I wanted more and I myself felt restrained while reading these moments. Don’t get me wrong there was plenty of physical response that left no question on the attraction between the two – but the emotional connection is what I wanted.
I suppose it’s the mark of a good author to leave me wanting more of the characters they brilliantly create. But I really felt Contract for Marriage could have been longer.
I wanted more of Christo and Ruby just being them, talking and getting to know each other again.
Would I buy this book? Yes, even though I wanted more, Contract for Marriage satisfied, entertained and moved me.
Who do I recommend this book to? Lovers of contemporary romance and fans of an unlikely knight in shining armor would enjoy this book.
This is an adult book with adult situations, suitable for ages 18 and up.
I give Barbara DeLeo’s Contract for Marriage four skulls’, it is a definite read and worth the 2.99 to buy it. While the story was complete and finished, I wanted and felt that the characters had more stories to tell.
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