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Lifestyle by Design #1
Will to Love
Alternate cover for ASIN B008VSMVUU
A sexy and sweet novel that will make you fall in love again.
Clarise Carson was desperate to keep her newly-engaged sister from playing matchmaker at her very own engagement party. She couldn't think of anything more embarrassing than have her sister's guests see her as the loser in love who couldn't find "The One" so she dragged a handsome friend to be her pretend date for the night.
Will Matthews attended his friend Rick's engagement party purely for business reasons. He had no desire whatsoever to be introduced to single females who were after a boyfriend. He was far too focused on building his business to the success he dreamed.
When Will and Clarise met, sparks flew. But how could Clarise stop her old wounds from opening up again? And how could Will learn to embrace the one thing he didn't even know he wanted?
*****
Each book in the Lifestyle by Design series is a complete stand-alone novel that would give you enjoyment on its own. However, to maximise your experience of the series, the author recommends reading them in order.
Will To Love is the first of three sexy contemporary romance books from the Lifestyle by Design series.
Book 2: Heart Robber (Jessa Allen and Rob Granger)
Book 3: Ray of Love (Faye Summers and Ray Thackery)
This book is for adults only. It contains hot sexual content.
A sexy and sweet novel that will make you fall in love again.
Clarise Carson was desperate to keep her newly-engaged sister from playing matchmaker at her very own engagement party. She couldn't think of anything more embarrassing than have her sister's guests see her as the loser in love who couldn't find "The One" so she dragged a handsome friend to be her pretend date for the night.
Will Matthews attended his friend Rick's engagement party purely for business reasons. He had no desire whatsoever to be introduced to single females who were after a boyfriend. He was far too focused on building his business to the success he dreamed.
When Will and Clarise met, sparks flew. But how could Clarise stop her old wounds from opening up again? And how could Will learn to embrace the one thing he didn't even know he wanted?
*****
Each book in the Lifestyle by Design series is a complete stand-alone novel that would give you enjoyment on its own. However, to maximise your experience of the series, the author recommends reading them in order.
Will To Love is the first of three sexy contemporary romance books from the Lifestyle by Design series.
Book 2: Heart Robber (Jessa Allen and Rob Granger)
Book 3: Ray of Love (Faye Summers and Ray Thackery)
This book is for adults only. It contains hot sexual content.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 9, 2012
138 people are currently reading
869 people want to read
About the author
Miranda P. Charles
35 books433 followersMiranda P. Charles writes swoonworthy, stirring, and steamy contemporary romance novels with oh-so-sweet heroes and strong heroines.
She prefers to spend her time in front of her laptop, putting into words the love stories that play in her head. Don't get her started with reading a great book, though, because she tends to not put it down until she gets to the last page even if she loses sleep.
She does have a life outside of books. Mostly, that consists of bonding with family and friends or going on romantic trips with her awesome husband.
She lives in the beautiful city of Sydney, Australia.
She prefers to spend her time in front of her laptop, putting into words the love stories that play in her head. Don't get her started with reading a great book, though, because she tends to not put it down until she gets to the last page even if she loses sleep.
She does have a life outside of books. Mostly, that consists of bonding with family and friends or going on romantic trips with her awesome husband.
She lives in the beautiful city of Sydney, Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
October 7, 2012
Clarise Carson is surrounded by happy couples. Her newly engaged sister is determined to set her up with an eligible bachelor. Clarise isn’t interested in a casual relationship, she’s looking for the one but she has been burned before and very gun shy when it comes to men.
Will Matthews is also not looking for a relationship. His current life is focused solely around his business and making sure his parents are taken care of. He hooks up with women for a casual roll in the hay, but stays away from relationship minded women; he also has been burned before.
Clarise and Will meet by chance and recognize the instant attraction. Will wants to keep his distance for several reasons, but Clarise is a temptation he is finding hard to ignore. For the first time in Clarise’s life she is taking the aggressive approach when it comes to men. She wants Will and she isn’t willing to let him get away without giving it her all.
I have some mixed feelings about this book. I feel that for the most part I enjoyed it, but there were some serious problems that really tried to detract me from the enjoyment. There is a lot of repetition in this book. Words, conversations, descriptions, and pet names are used and repeated and repeated needlessly. For example, Clarise has a habit of licking her lips when she is nervous and blushing. It was mentioned way too much. The book is an easy read, but it didn’t keep me all consumed as I like to be. I think the main problem I had was the constant switching from Clarise’s point of view to Will's. It ended up making the story feel broken up and disjointed to me. The constant arguing Will did with himself regarding his feelings for Clarise vs. his responsibilities got old. When his ex fiancée pops up it was like too much conflict was unnecessarily made for two people who instantly and genuinely liked each other from the start. The story also ended a really abruptly for me.
On the positive side, I think the author is on the right track with this series as far as plot and character development. The sex scenes were detailed and hot. I genuinely liked all the characters that were introduced and am curious about the next book and the two characters that will be starring in that. This book didn’t blow me away, but I think it’s a decent start to what I hope will end up being a more polished series.
Cherise Everhard, October 2012
Will Matthews is also not looking for a relationship. His current life is focused solely around his business and making sure his parents are taken care of. He hooks up with women for a casual roll in the hay, but stays away from relationship minded women; he also has been burned before.
Clarise and Will meet by chance and recognize the instant attraction. Will wants to keep his distance for several reasons, but Clarise is a temptation he is finding hard to ignore. For the first time in Clarise’s life she is taking the aggressive approach when it comes to men. She wants Will and she isn’t willing to let him get away without giving it her all.
I have some mixed feelings about this book. I feel that for the most part I enjoyed it, but there were some serious problems that really tried to detract me from the enjoyment. There is a lot of repetition in this book. Words, conversations, descriptions, and pet names are used and repeated and repeated needlessly. For example, Clarise has a habit of licking her lips when she is nervous and blushing. It was mentioned way too much. The book is an easy read, but it didn’t keep me all consumed as I like to be. I think the main problem I had was the constant switching from Clarise’s point of view to Will's. It ended up making the story feel broken up and disjointed to me. The constant arguing Will did with himself regarding his feelings for Clarise vs. his responsibilities got old. When his ex fiancée pops up it was like too much conflict was unnecessarily made for two people who instantly and genuinely liked each other from the start. The story also ended a really abruptly for me.
On the positive side, I think the author is on the right track with this series as far as plot and character development. The sex scenes were detailed and hot. I genuinely liked all the characters that were introduced and am curious about the next book and the two characters that will be starring in that. This book didn’t blow me away, but I think it’s a decent start to what I hope will end up being a more polished series.
Cherise Everhard, October 2012
November 10, 2012
I was given an arc copy of this book by the author for an honest review.
Here is a story about two people who have been hurt in the past which has made them re-focus their lives and goals not letting themselves get involved with anyone else and just living, but somewhat afraid of committing again.
Here is a story about two people who have been hurt in the past which has made them re-focus their lives and goals not letting themselves get involved with anyone else and just living, but somewhat afraid of committing again.
Will owns his own business and his main goal is to see that his parents, who were in a terrible accident, have everything they need and are well taken care of which is an honorable thing. Clarise is a woman who has not been in a relationship in a very long time because of the hurt that she was caused by a past relationship. When the two of them meet for the first time there is an instant attraction but with all the hesitating it did take a while for them to act on their feelings which made for a slow start. Once they did though things moved along.
I was very eager for Clarise to become more brazen and learn how to have fun again, as her friend, Faye, had talked her into. Faye was probably my favorite character of them all. The sex scenes were good and hot. I did struggle a little with how to write my review because the book didn't keep my sole interest, it changed POV's a lot and there were several characters along the way. I enjoyed the romance between the two but got a little aggravated with their behaviour as well as some of the repetition. It didn't flow as naturally as you want a story to flow but I was happy to see it end well and I wouldn't discourage you from checking this author out.
I do see potential for the author and future books. I have read books by other authors only to find their work does get better over time. I do hope that mine as well as other honest reviews will help authors in their writing career. Thank you for the opportunity Miranda and good luck to you:0)
August 11, 2019
Oh my goodness! Clarise and Will were everything! I seriously couldn’t get enough of them! ❤️🥰💛
Can’t wait to finish reading the rest of this series! ☺️
Can’t wait to finish reading the rest of this series! ☺️
May 7, 2013
Clarise Carson was desperate not to be set-up by her meddling family, so she takes drastic measures to avoid the awkward introduction at her sister’s party. Too bad she didn’t know who the guy was ahead of time, because the only single male at the party was making her wounded heart flutter back to life. Will Matthews hated it when his friends tried to set him up. Yet he agrees to go to the party because he intends to be introduced to a woman who could help his successful business grow larger. Will intends to keep his life strictly business, in order to care for his parents, yet Clarise opens his heart to things he never thought possible. Will these two be able to put their pain aside and help each other heal or will they both avoid love out of fear?
This is a sweet, contemporary romance book to start a promising series. Miranda P. Charles does a great job with writing relatable characters whose past hurts will affect reader’s emotions. She also establishes the secondary characters, that will take on leading roles in future books, without distracting readers from Clarise and Will. Though the excessive use of endearing terms, such as Darling and Baby, will be a bit much for some readers to handle, the overall meanings of overcoming fear and going after what your heart desires are sure to soften even the hardest of hearts. This is an easy-to-read book, with a few grammatical errors. Adult readers who enjoy reading sentimental love stories, will thoroughly enjoy this book.
This book is a great way to start a series. I am looking forward to reading how the other characters find love and hopefully getting to see how Clarise and Will continue their relationship. This book will definitely have you grinning while you read.
Notes:
A copy of this book was provided by the author for me to review.
This review was originally posted on Ariesgrl Book Reviews.
This is a sweet, contemporary romance book to start a promising series. Miranda P. Charles does a great job with writing relatable characters whose past hurts will affect reader’s emotions. She also establishes the secondary characters, that will take on leading roles in future books, without distracting readers from Clarise and Will. Though the excessive use of endearing terms, such as Darling and Baby, will be a bit much for some readers to handle, the overall meanings of overcoming fear and going after what your heart desires are sure to soften even the hardest of hearts. This is an easy-to-read book, with a few grammatical errors. Adult readers who enjoy reading sentimental love stories, will thoroughly enjoy this book.
This book is a great way to start a series. I am looking forward to reading how the other characters find love and hopefully getting to see how Clarise and Will continue their relationship. This book will definitely have you grinning while you read.
Notes:
A copy of this book was provided by the author for me to review.
This review was originally posted on Ariesgrl Book Reviews.
December 29, 2015
Surrounded by happy couples, Clarise Carson's newly engaged sister is determined to set her up. Clarise isn't interested in a casual relationship, after being burned before (due to her insercurities).
Will Matthews is not interested in looking for a relationship. His life focuses on his growing business and making sure that his parents are well taken care off. As stated very early in the book, he goes for no strings attach relationships. Like Clarise, he has also been burnt.
Meeting by chance, and their attraction is instantaneous. Will keeps his distance for his reasons, while Clarise for the first time (after some encouragement from her friend) takes the aggressive role and pursues Will.
I had mixed feelings about this book. Being born in Australia, I found it refreshing reading a book that is stereotypical Australian (which annoys me on end). Clarise was very clingly in her pursue in a relationship with Will. And stereotypical as the girl, wondering why the guy hasn't called her. Pet names were introduced very early in the story... basically after knowing a few days after meeting each other, and *spoilers* Will and Clarise sleep with each other, Will starts calling her 'baby'.
There was a short lived conflict when Will's ex-fiancée appears. Short lived being just a couple of pages. It would have been better had this been expanded
Will Matthews is not interested in looking for a relationship. His life focuses on his growing business and making sure that his parents are well taken care off. As stated very early in the book, he goes for no strings attach relationships. Like Clarise, he has also been burnt.
Meeting by chance, and their attraction is instantaneous. Will keeps his distance for his reasons, while Clarise for the first time (after some encouragement from her friend) takes the aggressive role and pursues Will.
I had mixed feelings about this book. Being born in Australia, I found it refreshing reading a book that is stereotypical Australian (which annoys me on end). Clarise was very clingly in her pursue in a relationship with Will. And stereotypical as the girl, wondering why the guy hasn't called her. Pet names were introduced very early in the story... basically after knowing a few days after meeting each other, and *spoilers* Will and Clarise sleep with each other, Will starts calling her 'baby'.
There was a short lived conflict when Will's ex-fiancée appears. Short lived being just a couple of pages. It would have been better had this been expanded
November 8, 2012
I was gifted this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
First thing that comes to mind is the cover is does not reflect the book it makes you think the story is going to be cheap if that makes any sense. The old saying "don't judge a book by it's cover" fits this cover!
First thoughts of the story was that I was getting annoyed with Clarise for her doubts about Will and not just going with it but it all worked out before I got to pissed off. The added nastiness of Karen (Will's Ex) really gets things interesting and got my blood boiling. It was rather romantic when each of them let their guards down and realized that they were actually in love. It was a great story that held my interest but not so much I couldn't put it down.
Hot sex scenes.
First thing that comes to mind is the cover is does not reflect the book it makes you think the story is going to be cheap if that makes any sense. The old saying "don't judge a book by it's cover" fits this cover!
First thoughts of the story was that I was getting annoyed with Clarise for her doubts about Will and not just going with it but it all worked out before I got to pissed off. The added nastiness of Karen (Will's Ex) really gets things interesting and got my blood boiling. It was rather romantic when each of them let their guards down and realized that they were actually in love. It was a great story that held my interest but not so much I couldn't put it down.
Hot sex scenes.
June 21, 2013
I received a free copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review.
"Will to Love" is strictly by the book. The characters are pretty bland, and the story is entirely predictable. Actually, beyond Clarise's insecurity and Will's worries about losing focus on work, there really isn't any conflict in this story, and even those don't even really throw a wrench in things. When Will's ex-fiancée shows up, it's a mere blip on the radar for this couple that is too destined to be together forever, and quickly vanquished by a quick call of reassurance. It is almost as though the author is so attached to her characters that she doesn't want them to undergo any undue suffering.
"Will to Love" is strictly by the book. The characters are pretty bland, and the story is entirely predictable. Actually, beyond Clarise's insecurity and Will's worries about losing focus on work, there really isn't any conflict in this story, and even those don't even really throw a wrench in things. When Will's ex-fiancée shows up, it's a mere blip on the radar for this couple that is too destined to be together forever, and quickly vanquished by a quick call of reassurance. It is almost as though the author is so attached to her characters that she doesn't want them to undergo any undue suffering.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2014
I had a hard time getting into this book. It’s very prosy, the language is rather formal, and it’s written in the third person. All of these factors made me feel like I was being held at arm’s length from the story. In addition, this was a tale of two people who fall in love almost instantly. While this can work well in some novels, the plot didn’t have the buildup or intensity to make it work here. Instead of feelings snowballing, the hero and heroine sort of floated along. Even the conflict they faced was really minor and didn’t add much to it.
Will To Love had a lot of potential, but, sadly, missed the mark.
More reviews at oakleighedits.blogspot.com
Will To Love had a lot of potential, but, sadly, missed the mark.
More reviews at oakleighedits.blogspot.com
October 5, 2013
Clarise Carson's story of keeping her sister from playing matchmaker for her engagement party.
Clarise couldn't stand for everyone to think that she couldn't find a man of her own and was having to rely on her newly engaged sister to provide a date for her. When Clarise met Will, both needing to use the other for their own purposes, sparks flew instantly.
I enjoyed this book a lot. It's a great read and even though the storyline has been done before, Ms. Charles kept it fresh and fun and it's definitely worth the read.
Reviewed by Crystal
Clarise couldn't stand for everyone to think that she couldn't find a man of her own and was having to rely on her newly engaged sister to provide a date for her. When Clarise met Will, both needing to use the other for their own purposes, sparks flew instantly.
I enjoyed this book a lot. It's a great read and even though the storyline has been done before, Ms. Charles kept it fresh and fun and it's definitely worth the read.
Reviewed by Crystal
June 29, 2013
I received this book complimentary for exchange of an honest review.
The book was just okay. It took me 3 days to read when a book of this many pages, if truly captivating would have only taken a day or so. There wasn't any angst or heartache to speak of. When I thought that the author would give us something to fret over, she hurried up to explain the situation and dispelled any misconceptions which was a little disappointing. The sex scenes were longer than the drama which IMO should be reversed. If you don't like drama, then this would be the book for you.
The book was just okay. It took me 3 days to read when a book of this many pages, if truly captivating would have only taken a day or so. There wasn't any angst or heartache to speak of. When I thought that the author would give us something to fret over, she hurried up to explain the situation and dispelled any misconceptions which was a little disappointing. The sex scenes were longer than the drama which IMO should be reversed. If you don't like drama, then this would be the book for you.
September 23, 2014
this book was very hard to read, the author writes as an immature writer does. yes there's a lil sex in the story, but who the hell falls in love with someone after only 2 or 3 weeks, especially when they only saw each other 3 times. come on get real! Clarise is very needy, clingy, and extremely insecure! didn't care for this read at all and couldn't even finish it, forced myself to read 75% of it and had to shut it down! in my opinion, the characters on the cover of the book cannot possibly be the characters in the story, they don't even match at all
December 4, 2014
Ugh, I'm so glad this book is over. It was written like a mediocre version of Bridget Jones's Diary. What was supposed to be sweet came off as clingy and annoying, the insta-love was unbelievable, and the characters were not interesting. Will not continue the series and this writer goes on my do-not-read list.
June 29, 2014
Bad writing.....I dunno.....it's like very ameturish.....story line is the same....but with loads of self pity....
I love the story line, I mean it's basic but it's just cut and straight!.....cudnt get last first few chapters.....so dissapointed :(
I love the story line, I mean it's basic but it's just cut and straight!.....cudnt get last first few chapters.....so dissapointed :(
October 4, 2013
not well-written.
October 16, 2013
Will to love is a good book I think it could have ended differently but all in all it is a good book!!!!
October 13, 2013
Deleted from Kindle
July 13, 2014
Is this book about adults or high school kids? The poorly developed, emotionally stunted characters just did not engage me. Gave up in this one halfway through.
November 30, 2017
Absolutely abismal. Couldn’t finish it. In fact, struggled thru the first seven chapters thinking it would have to improve but... it didn’t
June 18, 2021
The Path To Find Love Cannot Be This Self-Sabotaging!
After reading the back cover book summary for this book and its companions in the Lifestyle by Design Series, I really wanted to adore the first book, Will To Love by Miranda P. Charles. However, even after reading it for a second time, since I wanted to review the book, I just could not get beyond the feeling of "It's Alright".
Lifestyle Magazine Services Writer, Clarise Carson is on the hunt for someone special but hesitates to put herself out there due to past incidents. She is a confident and savvy person when it comes to business, but with matters of the heart, she seems to flail a lot. At a family event where her well meaning loved ones want to see her happy and scheme to match her up, she has her own deception planned. However, in all this plotting, she might miss out on her chance of romance and possibly love.
Luxury Travel Agency Owner, William "Will" Matthews is driven and focused with ambitious goals to make his business a huge success. He is not looking for commitment but never says no to having a bit of fun. His family means everything to him and his friends are enough to satisfy the needs of a personal life. He refuses the matchmaking attempt of his well-meaning friend who has found the love his life, but he might not be able to ignore the sparks he feels with a certain someone.
The premise and the supporting arcs definitely gave substance to this book to tell a beautiful story. I usually like when all characters share their thought processes with the readers, as it gives the story more depth. However, this was a method that was inconsistently used. The continuous repeating of a view expressed in text followed by the same concept used in the dialogue, got old quick.
As for the characters, I really wanted to like them, but they were both superficial and almost one-dimensional. Clarise became clingy and insecure. She could not do anything without needing constant support and every little thing seem to set her off. On the other hand, Will blew hot and cold, analyzed everything to death and went from sincerity to artificiality in a matter of seconds. It was rather painful to read.
The supporting characters played their roles but I never got the feeling that I want to know more about them in the following books. I will finish the series since it is in my library. The sex scenes were definitely hot but sometimes the way the characters got started seemed stilted. There were some juvenile humourous moments and those were funny.
I gave the book a rating of "Like" or 3/5 because the effort by the authoress is seen and felt. Also, there were many points in the book, where the characters made tried to understand each other and the story does move along. The issues of insecurity and commitment are covered and discussed openly, which was nice. The contemporary romance with a touch of reality, made me appreciate the work.
If you read this book without assumption and can relate to protagonists who are unsure about themselves and appear confused, you might find something of value in this story.
After reading the back cover book summary for this book and its companions in the Lifestyle by Design Series, I really wanted to adore the first book, Will To Love by Miranda P. Charles. However, even after reading it for a second time, since I wanted to review the book, I just could not get beyond the feeling of "It's Alright".
Lifestyle Magazine Services Writer, Clarise Carson is on the hunt for someone special but hesitates to put herself out there due to past incidents. She is a confident and savvy person when it comes to business, but with matters of the heart, she seems to flail a lot. At a family event where her well meaning loved ones want to see her happy and scheme to match her up, she has her own deception planned. However, in all this plotting, she might miss out on her chance of romance and possibly love.
Luxury Travel Agency Owner, William "Will" Matthews is driven and focused with ambitious goals to make his business a huge success. He is not looking for commitment but never says no to having a bit of fun. His family means everything to him and his friends are enough to satisfy the needs of a personal life. He refuses the matchmaking attempt of his well-meaning friend who has found the love his life, but he might not be able to ignore the sparks he feels with a certain someone.
The premise and the supporting arcs definitely gave substance to this book to tell a beautiful story. I usually like when all characters share their thought processes with the readers, as it gives the story more depth. However, this was a method that was inconsistently used. The continuous repeating of a view expressed in text followed by the same concept used in the dialogue, got old quick.
As for the characters, I really wanted to like them, but they were both superficial and almost one-dimensional. Clarise became clingy and insecure. She could not do anything without needing constant support and every little thing seem to set her off. On the other hand, Will blew hot and cold, analyzed everything to death and went from sincerity to artificiality in a matter of seconds. It was rather painful to read.
The supporting characters played their roles but I never got the feeling that I want to know more about them in the following books. I will finish the series since it is in my library. The sex scenes were definitely hot but sometimes the way the characters got started seemed stilted. There were some juvenile humourous moments and those were funny.
I gave the book a rating of "Like" or 3/5 because the effort by the authoress is seen and felt. Also, there were many points in the book, where the characters made tried to understand each other and the story does move along. The issues of insecurity and commitment are covered and discussed openly, which was nice. The contemporary romance with a touch of reality, made me appreciate the work.
If you read this book without assumption and can relate to protagonists who are unsure about themselves and appear confused, you might find something of value in this story.
June 12, 2023
Clarise is going to her sister’s engagement party. Knowing that her sister is inviting men for her to meet she invites a gay friend to pretend to be her boyfriend. Will goes to the party hoping to meet Clarise. He uncomfortable because Megan’s fiancé a friend is trying to set him up. He dances with Clarise and tells her he wants her to write an article about his business. The two like each other but are relieved that they escaped the match making plot. Or did they? It’s a sexy sweet story.
September 18, 2024
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Miranda’s books got me into romance years ago and Clarissa and Will’s story is such a confection of delight. Two characters that have been hurt in the past, do some healing alone then together is sugary fun.
Miranda’s books got me into romance years ago and Clarissa and Will’s story is such a confection of delight. Two characters that have been hurt in the past, do some healing alone then together is sugary fun.
October 24, 2019
We've got:
- Ambitious main characters;
- Kooky best friends;
- A nosy Family;
- A witchy ex;
- Drama;
- Passionate love.
- Ambitious main characters;
- Kooky best friends;
- A nosy Family;
- A witchy ex;
- Drama;
- Passionate love.
February 11, 2014
Sweet romance.
Claire's Carson has spent the past seven yeas buried in her work, not allowing herself to truly open up to a relationship,not after what happened with Nicl.
Will Matthews has done the same, after a failed engagement , he is not looking for anything serious , casual hookups work for him now, his new boutique travel agency business is more important .
Claire's discovers tht her sister Megan is going o try and set her up with a single freind at Megan and rick engagement party so she invites her very gay co worker Victor who has agreed to be her cover boyfriend; will was invited by Rick for the very same reason tointoduc him to a single freind, but Ty only reason he is going is in hopes of speaking with Clarise since an article by her in Lifestyles by design magazine will bring his new business a great amount of attention and more bussiness.
Neither Clarise or Will expectedtofind themselves do traced to each other,but it still happened, Victor though being the good freind and trying to continue there ploy steps up and plays the possessive boyfriend Putting Will back in place, he makes arrangements with the Clarise to speak with her abouan article , makes his excuses and leaves .
Will cannot get Clarise out of his head, he knows she is involved ( that's what he believes) but he still looking forward to seeing her for their meeting and having a hard time not thinking about how she melted into his body when they danced .Clarise has had the same issue , she has northern able to forget Will but how to let him knows he intrested and at the same time not have aconflic of intrest,she decides will pass Will's article off to a coworker.
Will is surprised to find Clarise is not involved with Victor anymore but he still is resistant , to spite wanting Clarise. He can tell she would want a relationship not a casual affair .
These two go back and forth but eventually tspite everything and everyone manage to get everything together and surprise themselves with just how much they feel about one another !
Claire's Carson has spent the past seven yeas buried in her work, not allowing herself to truly open up to a relationship,not after what happened with Nicl.
Will Matthews has done the same, after a failed engagement , he is not looking for anything serious , casual hookups work for him now, his new boutique travel agency business is more important .
Claire's discovers tht her sister Megan is going o try and set her up with a single freind at Megan and rick engagement party so she invites her very gay co worker Victor who has agreed to be her cover boyfriend; will was invited by Rick for the very same reason tointoduc him to a single freind, but Ty only reason he is going is in hopes of speaking with Clarise since an article by her in Lifestyles by design magazine will bring his new business a great amount of attention and more bussiness.
Neither Clarise or Will expectedtofind themselves do traced to each other,but it still happened, Victor though being the good freind and trying to continue there ploy steps up and plays the possessive boyfriend Putting Will back in place, he makes arrangements with the Clarise to speak with her abouan article , makes his excuses and leaves .
Will cannot get Clarise out of his head, he knows she is involved ( that's what he believes) but he still looking forward to seeing her for their meeting and having a hard time not thinking about how she melted into his body when they danced .Clarise has had the same issue , she has northern able to forget Will but how to let him knows he intrested and at the same time not have aconflic of intrest,she decides will pass Will's article off to a coworker.
Will is surprised to find Clarise is not involved with Victor anymore but he still is resistant , to spite wanting Clarise. He can tell she would want a relationship not a casual affair .
These two go back and forth but eventually tspite everything and everyone manage to get everything together and surprise themselves with just how much they feel about one another !
January 11, 2014
Free on Amazon. Loved this book. Clarise knows how to get what she wants at work, but in her love life not so much. Her family is always trying to set her up, as well as her friends. When she is to be set up by her sister again, she ask her gay best friend to act as her boy friend for the party. Victor plays it to the hilt, naturally, he sees a friend he has had an eye on there and is worried his interest will lose interest in him, so he must explain the situation quickly. While Victor does this, Clarise notices a very handsome man, alone. She finds out that he is the one for the set up. Will is relieved that he is not to be set up, but is interested in Clarise due to her job at Lifestyles by Designs magazine for his business. When she sees Victor talking to Evan he makes his move to introduce himself and actually finds himself asking Clarise to dance. Which is strange when he doesn't know how or like too, but it is a slow dance. But as soon as they connect, the sparks start to fly. Even Victor notices. Will doesn't want any type of relationship, all Clarise wants is a relationship. What you find is they both come to do what each other wants and it just goes crazy along the way and it is an amazing story.
September 1, 2016
I usually love unusual endings, but only for unusual or quirky romance books. This book was neither unusual nor quirky. It was shallow and switching POVs didn't help either.
I have no idea why Clarise fell in love with Will except that they had a connection while they danced at a party. THIS IS NOT ENOUGH to sustain me as a reader into believing this romance. He was hot and cold with her, she can't do anything without asking opinions of others, she's lonely and wants what her sister has, but doesn't like being set up on dates... what is with these characters??
And, the ending of this book was crappy... they're together, but no engagement or proposal... I guess this could suffice, but I wanted to read about what happened with his ex who suddenly shows up and wants him back and then follows him to Europe... he wasn't there, so what happened? And the wife of the friend who helped her wasn't sufficiently chastised in my opinion.
I've read Secret Words... a spin off of this series and liked it better than this. Maybe because this was the first in the series? Not sure, but also not sure I want to read the others just to find the HEA for Will and Clarise.
I have no idea why Clarise fell in love with Will except that they had a connection while they danced at a party. THIS IS NOT ENOUGH to sustain me as a reader into believing this romance. He was hot and cold with her, she can't do anything without asking opinions of others, she's lonely and wants what her sister has, but doesn't like being set up on dates... what is with these characters??
And, the ending of this book was crappy... they're together, but no engagement or proposal... I guess this could suffice, but I wanted to read about what happened with his ex who suddenly shows up and wants him back and then follows him to Europe... he wasn't there, so what happened? And the wife of the friend who helped her wasn't sufficiently chastised in my opinion.
I've read Secret Words... a spin off of this series and liked it better than this. Maybe because this was the first in the series? Not sure, but also not sure I want to read the others just to find the HEA for Will and Clarise.
February 22, 2014
A fun romantic romp with some steamy sex thrown in ... something you can always expect from Miranda Charles. Clarise and Will are both trying to avoid being setup by their friends - Clarise struggles to move on from a bad relationship breakup and Will is focused on his business and doesn't want the distraction. When they accidentally get connected on their own, we get to enjoy the sparks that fly. Clarise did frustrate me at times - it has been 9 years since her last long-term relationship and she still let's this cloud/guide her decisions. It was good to finally see her shed the fears she had and allow herself to trust someone new. Will is dedicated to his parents and makes his decisions to make sure they are set so this forces all his time to his business. It was great to see him realize that there are other things worth the same level of importance as he let himself get to know Clarise. A fun, quick read that was a great weekend escape.
January 16, 2014
Clarise doesn't want her sister playing match maker so her (gay) best friend agrees to go to her engagement party as her boyfriend, but her wasn't expecting Will. Will isn't interested in a relationship and when his friend cancels the setup he had planned he's nothing short of relived. Until he gets a look at Clarise and their attraction in undeniable. Through a project at her work the two get a chance to know each other, but can Will let go of his past and allow himself at love again? Clarise is not the type for a casual fling, can she let go of her insecurities for a chance at something more?
Clarise is sweet, but shy and I loved watching her come out of her shell and live a little and get a chance at happiness. Will was so driven by his work, but I enjoyed watching him open up bit by bit as he realized he couldn't live without Clarise.
Clarise is sweet, but shy and I loved watching her come out of her shell and live a little and get a chance at happiness. Will was so driven by his work, but I enjoyed watching him open up bit by bit as he realized he couldn't live without Clarise.
November 18, 2013
Clarise is scheduled to attend her sister's engagement party but knows that Megan plans to set her with another blind date. So she asks Victor who works in her office to go with her. Only thing Victor is gay but only they know so hopefully they will keep Megan happy. Will has been invited to meet Clarise at the party but since she has brought a boyfriend that seems off the table. But he does want to meet her in hopes of her company writing an article about his company in their magazine. Will is drawn to her. Is the attraction mutual?
December 4, 2013
I totally loved this book and can't wait to read another. This was a free book but I'm definitely going to check this author out and BUY future books from her. Loved her style of writing but this was definitely a book that touched me and made my stomach drop in a couple of spots because it hit my insecurities and made me feel the same way. LOVE THOSE STORIES!!!! Thanks so much Miranda. Can't wait to read the next in line . . .
January 30, 2014
If you get this book for free, it's worth the read. I wouldn't pay for it though. All of a sudden plot twists with unimportant and unfleshed out characters occur. The ending of the book was like walking up a hill to see a panoramic view and ending up just falling off a cliff. The ending was so ridiculous that I didn't realize it was over until I saw that I was actually on page one of the second book. The "ending" left loose ends and was a bit lame. Yawn.
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