What do you think?
Rate this book
Borrowed Wife
To have ... but not to hold!
Logan Steele was determined to win back his bride, Abigail -- even after four long years. And if she wouldn't come willingly, then he'd have to make her an offer she couldn't refuse and simply 'borrow' her back for a while.
His pretense -- that he needed a wife to clinch a deal.
His intention -- to persuade her to stay. He'd given himself a tough task, for Abigail was equally determined not to forgive Logan for the wrong she thought he's done her.
Yet if she truly didn't love him, why was she still wearing his ring?
Logan Steele was determined to win back his bride, Abigail -- even after four long years. And if she wouldn't come willingly, then he'd have to make her an offer she couldn't refuse and simply 'borrow' her back for a while.
His pretense -- that he needed a wife to clinch a deal.
His intention -- to persuade her to stay. He'd given himself a tough task, for Abigail was equally determined not to forgive Logan for the wrong she thought he's done her.
Yet if she truly didn't love him, why was she still wearing his ring?
189 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
About the author
Patricia Wilson
77 books184 followersPatricia Wilson (1929 – 2010) was a best-selling writer of 53 romance novels for the Mills & Boon publisher from 1986 to 2004. She placed her novels primarily in England, Spain or France.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
July 26, 2017
Re-read:
Gotta love this heroine - she is wrapped in a protective cocoon of hurt feelings and hopeless love - well, until she's hit by a car. The hero is beyond smitten with her and it's obvious to all but the heroine. This was fun to re-read to watch the hero grimace and soften and change his mind as the heroine worked her magic - all without his point of view.
This was the week to read Borrowed Wife and I had to join the bandwagon as well. Anytime there are such wide-ranging reviews, I have to take a gander.
I enjoyed this one. PW does a great t job of showing how life comes at you when you’re making plans. She sets up the hero’s conflict without ever giving us his point of view. Is he going to feed his revenge addiction or is he going to go straight and live a life with loving the heroine? Even our dim bulb heroine knows she’s not getting the hero’s full attention during their one year of living together in marriage. When she hears rumors that he has an OW, she leaves him, thinking that is what haunts him. He lets her go because he is still addicted to this slow burn revenge against her father and it will be easier to live in the trap house of that addiction without pretending to be normal around the heroine.
But he’s paid a price. The revenge is almost there – the h’s father is at death’s door – but he still can’t quit the heroine. He makes a final stab at having his cake and eating it, too. (He blackmails the heroine into accompanying him on a business trip in exchange for helping the firm, thus giving the h’s father a reason to live). He makes idle threats now and again – but his heart obviously isn’t in it. He finally puts down the revenge pipe for the last time when he lets the heroine go and has his minions report back to him about how she’s doing while he’s propping up the firm.
The h’s accident brings about an off page reconciliation between the two men and the heroine seems to accept that fact by merely seeing them stand together at her hospital bed. That’s all the explanation she or we the readers are going to get – which is why I had to dock a star. I wanted more sorrow from the dad for how he treated the h and the hero’s parents. I wanted more assurances from the H that he truly had let his father’s death go.
Now about that pesky OW. I do not thing the hero cheated:
· I think it was a red herring by the author to have the heroine make the choice between her father and the hero happen in real time. She didn’t leave the hero the first time because of her father, she left him because of a non-existent OW. The hero let her go so she wouldn’t have to choose (and he could pursue his addiction).
· The hero likes ‘em sweet and “stupid.” He’s not alpha enough to handle an intelligent gaming-playing woman as a partner. He’s a caring alpha who needs someone to care for and OW doesn’t fit that at all.
· We don’t meet the OW until the last third of the book. All the drama between the H/h was focused firmly on the revenge scheme. I had almost forgotten about her until she showed up in California.
· The hero believed the heroine when she says she never cheated with the OM. No projection there.
· Hero is too obsessed with his revenge addiction and how it conflicted with his love for the heroine.
· Hero acknowledges the h’s pain at seeing the OW (he had kind of forgot this was an issue way back when.)
· Hero keeps her on as an employee – just far away. He didn’t seem too worried about her telling any “secrets” or exacting revenge on his company. I just don’t think she had much to work with when it came to the H – just his gullible wife.
So that’s my take on it – the author just didn’t spend the right amount of time on the OW to make her anything but a side show. The real conflict was the revenge scheme backfiring on the hero and how he had to grow out of it before he could be happy for the heroine.
I also have to say I really liked the heroine – she was a Lynne Graham heroine trapped in a PW book. A sweet Lynne Graham heroine would never have a father who expected her to take over the family business. A sweet LG heroine would have been a tool in a dynastic marriage to solve the conflict. But no, the men didn’t think this way at all – and poor heroine had to suffer for her sweetness by going to the office every day when she could have been living in a garret with a secret baby or two. *sigh *
Gotta love this heroine - she is wrapped in a protective cocoon of hurt feelings and hopeless love - well, until she's hit by a car. The hero is beyond smitten with her and it's obvious to all but the heroine. This was fun to re-read to watch the hero grimace and soften and change his mind as the heroine worked her magic - all without his point of view.
This was the week to read Borrowed Wife and I had to join the bandwagon as well. Anytime there are such wide-ranging reviews, I have to take a gander.
I enjoyed this one. PW does a great t job of showing how life comes at you when you’re making plans. She sets up the hero’s conflict without ever giving us his point of view. Is he going to feed his revenge addiction or is he going to go straight and live a life with loving the heroine? Even our dim bulb heroine knows she’s not getting the hero’s full attention during their one year of living together in marriage. When she hears rumors that he has an OW, she leaves him, thinking that is what haunts him. He lets her go because he is still addicted to this slow burn revenge against her father and it will be easier to live in the trap house of that addiction without pretending to be normal around the heroine.
But he’s paid a price. The revenge is almost there – the h’s father is at death’s door – but he still can’t quit the heroine. He makes a final stab at having his cake and eating it, too. (He blackmails the heroine into accompanying him on a business trip in exchange for helping the firm, thus giving the h’s father a reason to live). He makes idle threats now and again – but his heart obviously isn’t in it. He finally puts down the revenge pipe for the last time when he lets the heroine go and has his minions report back to him about how she’s doing while he’s propping up the firm.
The h’s accident brings about an off page reconciliation between the two men and the heroine seems to accept that fact by merely seeing them stand together at her hospital bed. That’s all the explanation she or we the readers are going to get – which is why I had to dock a star. I wanted more sorrow from the dad for how he treated the h and the hero’s parents. I wanted more assurances from the H that he truly had let his father’s death go.
Now about that pesky OW. I do not thing the hero cheated:
· I think it was a red herring by the author to have the heroine make the choice between her father and the hero happen in real time. She didn’t leave the hero the first time because of her father, she left him because of a non-existent OW. The hero let her go so she wouldn’t have to choose (and he could pursue his addiction).
· The hero likes ‘em sweet and “stupid.” He’s not alpha enough to handle an intelligent gaming-playing woman as a partner. He’s a caring alpha who needs someone to care for and OW doesn’t fit that at all.
· We don’t meet the OW until the last third of the book. All the drama between the H/h was focused firmly on the revenge scheme. I had almost forgotten about her until she showed up in California.
· The hero believed the heroine when she says she never cheated with the OM. No projection there.
· Hero is too obsessed with his revenge addiction and how it conflicted with his love for the heroine.
· Hero acknowledges the h’s pain at seeing the OW (he had kind of forgot this was an issue way back when.)
· Hero keeps her on as an employee – just far away. He didn’t seem too worried about her telling any “secrets” or exacting revenge on his company. I just don’t think she had much to work with when it came to the H – just his gullible wife.
So that’s my take on it – the author just didn’t spend the right amount of time on the OW to make her anything but a side show. The real conflict was the revenge scheme backfiring on the hero and how he had to grow out of it before he could be happy for the heroine.
I also have to say I really liked the heroine – she was a Lynne Graham heroine trapped in a PW book. A sweet Lynne Graham heroine would never have a father who expected her to take over the family business. A sweet LG heroine would have been a tool in a dynastic marriage to solve the conflict. But no, the men didn’t think this way at all – and poor heroine had to suffer for her sweetness by going to the office every day when she could have been living in a garret with a secret baby or two. *sigh *
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2017
I love this book. Mainly cause this book is the inspiration for my ow who aren't stopped by a black hole shelf.
Fennella - the evil OW can not only overwhelm even a supermassive black hole, she can hold off hoards of barbarians with one hand. Fennella is amazingly awesome in her power of evil owness and I admire that.
But really, Logan was never sleeping with Fennella, no matter what she told Abbey. Cause Logan was too obsessed with having revenge and having Abbey to even think about Fennella as anything other than his tame lawyer on call. This is PW, her H's are always ignoring OW to obsess about their h's and those OW just totally HATE that, it makes them even meaner.
Plus Abbey is soo cuddlesomely adorable, I can't help but adore this book.
Fennella - the evil OW can not only overwhelm even a supermassive black hole, she can hold off hoards of barbarians with one hand. Fennella is amazingly awesome in her power of evil owness and I admire that.
But really, Logan was never sleeping with Fennella, no matter what she told Abbey. Cause Logan was too obsessed with having revenge and having Abbey to even think about Fennella as anything other than his tame lawyer on call. This is PW, her H's are always ignoring OW to obsess about their h's and those OW just totally HATE that, it makes them even meaner.
Plus Abbey is soo cuddlesomely adorable, I can't help but adore this book.
July 25, 2017
She married him despite all the glaring clues that he had a huge chip on his shoulder against her father and even threatened him with revenge for a Great, Big, Terrible, Past Misdeed. Guess they didn't have google back then but I still find it odd that every single player in this book knew of this Great, Big, Secret and she could have cleared it all up with a couple of questions but clearly chose not to burst the bubble. I've known ostriches with less willful blindness than this chick.
Then the whole charade of pretending a reconciliation so that her husband can sign a deal with an oh-so-conservative businessman. Pfffffttt. Doormat syndrome.
And of course, the slimy OW has her hands all over the husband the entire time, reminds the dumbass h every five minutes that her and her hubby are carrying on their affair as they were before and during her marriage to H and H ends up giving the OW....a promotion to his American offices. I guess he wanted to avoid a sexual harassment lawsuit. Cause if the h believes his denial that OW was ever anything other than an employee, then there's a bridge I want to sell her.
LMAO.
Then the whole charade of pretending a reconciliation so that her husband can sign a deal with an oh-so-conservative businessman. Pfffffttt. Doormat syndrome.
And of course, the slimy OW has her hands all over the husband the entire time, reminds the dumbass h every five minutes that her and her hubby are carrying on their affair as they were before and during her marriage to H and H ends up giving the OW....a promotion to his American offices. I guess he wanted to avoid a sexual harassment lawsuit. Cause if the h believes his denial that OW was ever anything other than an employee, then there's a bridge I want to sell her.
LMAO.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 25, 2017
Enjoyable. I love a vengeful hero that doesn't pull his punches and there's something about PW's manly, domineering men that I enjoy. The end didn't work for me though. I think PW wrote herself into a corner with the complexities of the h/H's relationship issues. She knew she couldn't write herself out of it within the limited page count of a Harley, so she lets the heroine get hit by a car. Usually love that trope, especially if there is amnesia involved, but this was a bit too deus ex machina for me. We all know that the gods of HPLandia can overcome any obstacle by throwing the heroine under a car. Magically all problems are erased and even the crap characters, like the father, see the light.
August 8, 2017
Given all the reviews I had to read this.
Poor sweet and young Abigail. She’s stuck with a cold father that treats her like a worker minion contemporary, and a cold husband who puts her on the shelf until he’s ready to deal with her.
Five years ago, Abigail met Logan and it was insta-something. She was only 19, and I’m guessing the H was in his mid 30s. If the book stated his age, I missed it. Unfortunately, there are issues in the marriage due to Logan’s hate and revenge plot for Abbie’s father.
Revenge takes the form of destroying the father’s company. Abbie is distressed for her father, but more importantly the people that work there. Patricia Wilson actually writes a heroine that isn't a gasping, blithering idiot that can’t stay upright in the presence of the hero’s manly ways. What she is is a young girl with a sense of honor that’s in over her head. The H blackmails her into acting as his wife on a trip to California for a business deal. There she meets a potential OM with all the charm of a snake. In another book, he would be our arm-twisting, rapey despicable hero so many hate to love. Here he’s a just a creepy wannabe stalker. The evil OW makes a play here as well in the femme fatale attorney role.
There are plenty of other reviews that summarize this all much better. I felt for Abigail as really there was no way out of this with a HEA given the strength of her husband’s need and right for revenge not to mention the fact he wraps her in cotton wool never telling her about her father's evil ways. Come on. She’s young, not stupid. In fact, at the end she had my approval as she is on her way out of London to escape both the stupid men in her life. She has had it. I have a feeling that word count issues as well as editor interference created the literal deus ex machina as the heroine is hit by a car. It COMPLETELY derailed for me, page 182 when it went all rainbows and unicorns as husband and dad bury the hatchet as they visit at the hospital. The h is eventually swanned home for the HEA. The evil OW
Personally, I would have loved it if the heroine had made it out of London and THEN dad and the H had to actually work for her forgiveness, acceptance, whatever.
Very well-written and completely anachronistically old school.
Poor sweet and young Abigail. She’s stuck with a cold father that treats her like a worker minion contemporary, and a cold husband who puts her on the shelf until he’s ready to deal with her.
Five years ago, Abigail met Logan and it was insta-something. She was only 19, and I’m guessing the H was in his mid 30s. If the book stated his age, I missed it. Unfortunately, there are issues in the marriage due to Logan’s hate and revenge plot for Abbie’s father.
Revenge takes the form of destroying the father’s company. Abbie is distressed for her father, but more importantly the people that work there. Patricia Wilson actually writes a heroine that isn't a gasping, blithering idiot that can’t stay upright in the presence of the hero’s manly ways. What she is is a young girl with a sense of honor that’s in over her head. The H blackmails her into acting as his wife on a trip to California for a business deal. There she meets a potential OM with all the charm of a snake. In another book, he would be our arm-twisting, rapey despicable hero so many hate to love. Here he’s a just a creepy wannabe stalker. The evil OW makes a play here as well in the femme fatale attorney role.
There are plenty of other reviews that summarize this all much better. I felt for Abigail as really there was no way out of this with a HEA given the strength of her husband’s need and right for revenge not to mention the fact he wraps her in cotton wool never telling her about her father's evil ways. Come on. She’s young, not stupid. In fact, at the end she had my approval as she is on her way out of London to escape both the stupid men in her life. She has had it. I have a feeling that word count issues as well as editor interference created the literal deus ex machina as the heroine is hit by a car. It COMPLETELY derailed for me, page 182 when it went all rainbows and unicorns as husband and dad bury the hatchet as they visit at the hospital. The h is eventually swanned home for the HEA. The evil OW
Personally, I would have loved it if the heroine had made it out of London and THEN dad and the H had to actually work for her forgiveness, acceptance, whatever.
Very well-written and completely anachronistically old school.
November 14, 2021
Actually I didn’t understand why the heroine left the hero.
They have been married for one year, he was in love with her and they were happy. She knew he resented her father but she knew even before they married so? And ow???there is a would be ow that is also his solicitor and the heroine heard rumors of an affair with the hero, but she never had any proof, or we aren’t told anyway.
So the heroine is angry because he ruined her father’s company. Actually they’ve been separated for 5 years and he wants her to play dutiful wife for a business partner who wants to deal with married men, the hero will help her father’s company in exchange.
It’s clear he was in love with her and still is, he didn’t do anything wrong and I really didn’t like the heroine because there’s not one evidence that he cheated on her.
The hero was a good enough guy, only dumb as usual because he allowed a bitchy ow to ruin his marriage.
Why can’t those heroes have normal women who works for them? Isn’t there a good solicitor who isn’t a nasty bitch???
And about the revenge… well it’s a little stupid to expect that your wife stands happy and quiet while you ruin the life of the only parent she has left isn’t it?
Whatever.
The book is entertaining, with some angst, a heroine who was naive even at 25 and a besotted hero who only loved her and wanted her back.
They have been married for one year, he was in love with her and they were happy. She knew he resented her father but she knew even before they married so? And ow???there is a would be ow that is also his solicitor and the heroine heard rumors of an affair with the hero, but she never had any proof, or we aren’t told anyway.
So the heroine is angry because he ruined her father’s company. Actually they’ve been separated for 5 years and he wants her to play dutiful wife for a business partner who wants to deal with married men, the hero will help her father’s company in exchange.
It’s clear he was in love with her and still is, he didn’t do anything wrong and I really didn’t like the heroine because there’s not one evidence that he cheated on her.
The hero was a good enough guy, only dumb as usual because he allowed a bitchy ow to ruin his marriage.
Why can’t those heroes have normal women who works for them? Isn’t there a good solicitor who isn’t a nasty bitch???
And about the revenge… well it’s a little stupid to expect that your wife stands happy and quiet while you ruin the life of the only parent she has left isn’t it?
Whatever.
The book is entertaining, with some angst, a heroine who was naive even at 25 and a besotted hero who only loved her and wanted her back.
avoid
July 25, 2017I for one truly believe he slept with the OW. Because I when in HP world has it stopped heroes from sticking their dicks in anything just because they're head over heels in love with heroine?
Sex with OW and loving heroine are not mutually exclusive.
It makes sense somehow in their head.
Not in mine.
He gives her a promotion????!!!
Count me out!
Sex with OW and loving heroine are not mutually exclusive.
It makes sense somehow in their head.
Not in mine.
He gives her a promotion????!!!
Count me out!
September 5, 2016
Abigail married Logan, which turned out to be a bad move, because Logan had this whole revenge scenario going on with Abigail’s dad. And Logan told Abigail that of course she wasn’t part of the revenge, but of course that was a ridiculous thing to say and they split up.
Abigail went back to her father, and is trying to hold the failing business together while her father has heart attacks and is generally a bastard to her, and Logan yells about how her dad killed his parents and hatches increasingly convoluted crazy schemes.
The main crazy scheme is that Abigail will reconcile with him and go to America. Logan wants to convince a family values American businessman to give him some business, so Logan has decided that bringing his estranged wife along and pretending they are totally fine will help the deal go through. If Abigail does him this favour, he’ll stop his business apocalypse.
Oh really? Says Abigail, and are you also going to bring your lawyer? Logan rolls his eyes and says yes, duh, she has to do contract stuff, because Logan has completely missed the glaring subtext where Abigail wrapped ‘lawyer’ up in ‘the woman you were sleeping with before and during our marriage, and I know this because she told me so, and while I may not have told you that she told me so, I certainly hinted that I thought there was something going on and you never satisfactorily denied it.’
Abigail has no choice but to go along, and fall in love with Logan all over again.
This is a crazy and satisfying read. Abigail is such a ninny and suffers so dreadfully. She is too emotional to look after herself properly and is all pale and floaty. Her father is horrible to her. The evil lawyer lady is super nasty. The son of the American businessman gets grabby. And through it all, Logan is by turns over-protective, dismissive of her sufferings, and bossy.
Wilson writes such enjoyably ridiculous books, and this was fun and crazy from beginning to end.
Abigail went back to her father, and is trying to hold the failing business together while her father has heart attacks and is generally a bastard to her, and Logan yells about how her dad killed his parents and hatches increasingly convoluted crazy schemes.
The main crazy scheme is that Abigail will reconcile with him and go to America. Logan wants to convince a family values American businessman to give him some business, so Logan has decided that bringing his estranged wife along and pretending they are totally fine will help the deal go through. If Abigail does him this favour, he’ll stop his business apocalypse.
Oh really? Says Abigail, and are you also going to bring your lawyer? Logan rolls his eyes and says yes, duh, she has to do contract stuff, because Logan has completely missed the glaring subtext where Abigail wrapped ‘lawyer’ up in ‘the woman you were sleeping with before and during our marriage, and I know this because she told me so, and while I may not have told you that she told me so, I certainly hinted that I thought there was something going on and you never satisfactorily denied it.’
Abigail has no choice but to go along, and fall in love with Logan all over again.
This is a crazy and satisfying read. Abigail is such a ninny and suffers so dreadfully. She is too emotional to look after herself properly and is all pale and floaty. Her father is horrible to her. The evil lawyer lady is super nasty. The son of the American businessman gets grabby. And through it all, Logan is by turns over-protective, dismissive of her sufferings, and bossy.
Wilson writes such enjoyably ridiculous books, and this was fun and crazy from beginning to end.
April 18, 2017
dumb heroine + vengeful hero + manipulative father + wannabe ow
"You imagine you’re important enough to cause this devastation?"
"You must have heard all the talk about Fenella Mitchell. She was before my time, during my time and I expect she’s with Logan still."
July 31, 2012
This was just an okay read for me. It was compelling enough to finish it, but I can't say much more. The heroine was TSTL and absolutely pitiful, the hero over manipulative and her father non-redeemable.
I have a hard time with these types of romances, because the love is just not credible. Logan Steele sets out to destroy her family after his father commits suicide as a result of some rather nasty business dealing orchestrated by heroine's father. It is an all out brutal, calculated 5 year action plan that rips everything away from her. In between this 5 year plan of revenge, they meet "fall in love" and marry...Yet he keeps on going. She finally realizes she is just a pawn in his treacherous game and leaves him. The book opens at the collapse of the business with her father having a massive heart attack and the story is told through a set of flashbacks to get the reader up to speed.
Now seriously, how could you love someone, marry them, sleep with them, all the while they are hell bent to destroy everything you love. It really didn't say much for her character.
She finally wises up at the end that she is just a pawn in their ruthless game and she needs to walk out and start her own life before they destroy her. But for me, it was a little to late to make a positive impact to the story. I just couldn't wait for it to be over.
I recommend passing on this one.
I have a hard time with these types of romances, because the love is just not credible. Logan Steele sets out to destroy her family after his father commits suicide as a result of some rather nasty business dealing orchestrated by heroine's father. It is an all out brutal, calculated 5 year action plan that rips everything away from her. In between this 5 year plan of revenge, they meet "fall in love" and marry...Yet he keeps on going. She finally realizes she is just a pawn in his treacherous game and leaves him. The book opens at the collapse of the business with her father having a massive heart attack and the story is told through a set of flashbacks to get the reader up to speed.
Now seriously, how could you love someone, marry them, sleep with them, all the while they are hell bent to destroy everything you love. It really didn't say much for her character.
She finally wises up at the end that she is just a pawn in their ruthless game and she needs to walk out and start her own life before they destroy her. But for me, it was a little to late to make a positive impact to the story. I just couldn't wait for it to be over.
I recommend passing on this one.
February 5, 2012
The heroine, abigail, and the hero, logan, have been separated for four years. Abbie knows her father and husband hate each other and the first time she saw logan he was threatening to ruin her fathers business in five years. Despite that she fell desperately in love and they married. After a year she thinks Logan only married her as a pawn in his vendetta against her father, and for lust. He's never said he loved her and she thinks he still has a woman in his life from before their marriage. So she left and gave her loyalty to her father. It's now been five years and her father's business is on the brink of collapse, then her father has a heart attack and Logan has come back to help. After ruining the business he now says he will save it if she pretends to be his wife so he can clinch a business deal. Abbie is a very sweet, warm, loving character and this is an enjoyable read.
July 18, 2019
What is the point of picturing an independent woman when we saw a female puppet who was run by her father and husband? I couldn't get the gist of it.
Safety Issue: The hero mentioned that he was celibate the whole time but he never denied the accusation of having an affair with the OW.
Safety Issue: The hero mentioned that he was celibate the whole time but he never denied the accusation of having an affair with the OW.
February 3, 2013
I found my self yelling at the lead lady to grow a spine and run her father and her ex over with a truck.
Didn't believe in the ending.
Didn't believe in the ending.
November 2, 2016
Ok so this is my first Patricia Wilson and I am pretty impressed .
This covered all the aspects like
-Teenage heroine , blind love .
-H with mysterious past .
-H vs h's father .
-Evil father who doesn't care for anything but his money.
-OW , who is always taunting h .
-Misunderstandings and then reconciliation
-Over protective and obsessed H .
-h escapes from everyone and meets with an accident .
-Sensitive sweet gullible h .
-Aristocratic , Ruthless H sometimes .
-Revenge , Angst , Betrayal almost covered every aspect .
I thoroughly enjoyed reading . Its a page turnover , gripping lot . The writing was smooth and h's pain was well penned especially their past that was too sweet , h was easy to fall in love with . I would have enjoyed a bit more explanations from H's POV , he didn't get the chance to explain all his past actions . It was all too sudden , she meets with an accident and H confesses his love , she accepts without even thinking twice when her doubts about OW were still hanging , that was a bit cliché .
This covered all the aspects like
-Teenage heroine , blind love .
-H with mysterious past .
-H vs h's father .
-Evil father who doesn't care for anything but his money.
-OW , who is always taunting h .
-Misunderstandings and then reconciliation
-Over protective and obsessed H .
-h escapes from everyone and meets with an accident .
-Sensitive sweet gullible h .
-Aristocratic , Ruthless H sometimes .
-Revenge , Angst , Betrayal almost covered every aspect .
I thoroughly enjoyed reading . Its a page turnover , gripping lot . The writing was smooth and h's pain was well penned especially their past that was too sweet , h was easy to fall in love with . I would have enjoyed a bit more explanations from H's POV , he didn't get the chance to explain all his past actions . It was all too sudden , she meets with an accident and H confesses his love , she accepts without even thinking twice when her doubts about OW were still hanging , that was a bit cliché .
August 13, 2019
3.5 stars. Timid, soft hearted h who refuses to believe the H is in love with her, although the signs are glaringly obvious (to everyone but her). Tbf,the h thinks the H is using her as a pawn in a elaborate revenge scheme against her father. H shows his love in every way possible - except for verbally and that adds to the misunderstandings before they find their HEA.
Decent amount of angst and passion between the two make this an enjoyable read, but I’ve read much better from this author.
P. S. - OW has one of the vamp-iest names in HPland - Fenella.
Decent amount of angst and passion between the two make this an enjoyable read, but I’ve read much better from this author.
P. S. - OW has one of the vamp-iest names in HPland - Fenella.
May 28, 2019
So it was my youth and your stupidity,’ Abigail taunted and he laughed delightedly. ‘A fairly accurate summing-up,’ he agreed.
This quote sums it up. 😎
This quote sums it up. 😎
February 5, 2015
I don't know how to describe this book...
It had its ups and downs during the whole reading, but this is a book I wouldn't consider to rate with 4 or 5 stars.
The main and the most important thing I loved about the story, it was that both characters remained celibate during the separation *_* Some of my friends know that I am a sucker of celibate heros and heroines.
The only thing I didn't like about the hero was that he wasn't like those heros you would never forget, I felt he wasn't as alfa and hot as other heros I love ;)
He was more a betta hero.
The main thing I hated was heroine's father, what an ass**** he didn't care anything about her. He just made an appearance almost at the end. Heroine had an accident and he went to the hospital and said some kind words to her, does it. He treated her so bad u_u* I wouldn't forgive him.
It had its ups and downs during the whole reading, but this is a book I wouldn't consider to rate with 4 or 5 stars.
The main and the most important thing I loved about the story, it was that both characters remained celibate during the separation *_* Some of my friends know that I am a sucker of celibate heros and heroines.
The only thing I didn't like about the hero was that he wasn't like those heros you would never forget, I felt he wasn't as alfa and hot as other heros I love ;)
He was more a betta hero.
The main thing I hated was heroine's father, what an ass**** he didn't care anything about her. He just made an appearance almost at the end. Heroine had an accident and he went to the hospital and said some kind words to her, does it. He treated her so bad u_u* I wouldn't forgive him.
May 17, 2020
This one is yummy. Revenge, jealousy and the OW’s name is Fenella, great name for a villainess, very Disneyesque!
May 31, 2021
StMargarets and Boogenhagen’s fine reviews have summed up most of my feelings on the book.
Heroine: 24(19 when she met hero) She is sweetness...she gives a lot of herself and gets very little in return...PW’s description of her conjures up a dark haired airy fairy.
The sex with her and the hero is glossed over(which is fine by me) but the description of her climaxing is described as....
“When Logan possessed her, Abigail sped on swift unearthly wings to her far away place....” 🧚♂️
“Logan held her tightly and took her to another dimension....” 🧚
“She wrapped herself around him going where he led until the world exploded around them and she flew off into an expanding universe...” 🧚♀️
Before the hero takes our little fairy to the next level of enlightenment he insists she uses those 3 little words...I want you....
Hero- 31/36...is out for revenge against the heroine’s dad..his plans hit a snag when he literally bumps into the heroine at her dads office building. This was instant love/lust for both...they start to date in secret...Our little fairy gets quite amorous and the H tries to hold her off, but eventually her pixie dust proves too hard to resist...he figures he can still marry the h and seek revenge of her father...however his revenge overshadowed their marriage AND there was the wannabe ow’s venomous tongue that causes our fairy to take flight
5 years pass....no divorce, no contact...they live in same city and the H has his hammer poised to put the final nail in heroine’s dad’s business(which she has been running since her daddy can’t cope) She seeks out the hero to concede defeat. Hero has other plans and decides to hold off on hammering if the heroine will resume her position as his wife(name only)😉 He needs her for the next big business deal in the States...seems they like married people.
HERE COMES THE SPOILERS 🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑
She agrees. Before they leave for the states they have their first interlude which negates the in name only. Hero realizes that despite the misdirect by the h, she obviously hasn’t had a lover since their parting.
While in the states they have another interlude, which was precipitated by the OW’s appearance(she is the company lawyer) The OW uses her snaky charm again and almost gets the American deal lost for the company. Yet our hero seems to not care about the deal, he’s more interested in defending his wife’s honor against an overly amorous and sleazy American who happens to be the son to the father of the American company.
Back in London, the hero gives the h some space while having his employee work with her to salvage her dads business. However, he lets her know there will be no divorce...he will oppose it. Oh and the clock reset on getting a divorce anyway...
OW strikes again...heroine decides she has had enough of daddy...enough of her husband...and leaves.
She decides to stay in a hotel. Our little fairy has her muzzy head in the clouds and gets clipped by a car.
In hospital, her husband is by her side pleading that she lives. Even daddy seems concerned, and the H and daddy have buried the hatchet for our heroine’s sake.
Daddy says he will train heroine to take over business. Hero says while daddy wasn’t paying attention, the h grew up and can already run the business. The h tired of always being talked over says...she would like to focus on her wifely duties and the business can be passed to the children...
2 months out of hospital, the h and H is gearing up for their first Christmas in years...by next Christmas they will have an addition to their family.
A few more notes:
Daddy is not a warm guy. Heroine knows that his business is his first love. His business tactics are slightly suspect...I can see why hero blamed daddy for the destruction of his own father. Unfortunately heroine allows herself to be used by her dad over and over. Which brings us back to the hero..
The hero sees the h as someone who needs him to take care of her. He accuses her of being too kind for her own good. He indicates more than once that she has powers she doesn’t seem aware of( like the fact that he loves her to distraction and could be putty in her hands) So on one hand he loves her gentle nature, but on the other hand he wants her to get a little tougher so she can’t be taken advance of. I already know she will be a wonderful mom, but she will probably have to use the ...wait til your dad gets home...to make sure kiddos tow the line.
OW- The hero has her number. Tells her she has two choices. She can leave or be part of his business ventures in the US...she picks the US and is then deployed to the other continent. She will need to find someone else to use that venomous tongue on...
It’s obvious the h and H love each other, so we definitely want to see them come back together.
Heroine: 24(19 when she met hero) She is sweetness...she gives a lot of herself and gets very little in return...PW’s description of her conjures up a dark haired airy fairy.
The sex with her and the hero is glossed over(which is fine by me) but the description of her climaxing is described as....
“When Logan possessed her, Abigail sped on swift unearthly wings to her far away place....” 🧚♂️
“Logan held her tightly and took her to another dimension....” 🧚
“She wrapped herself around him going where he led until the world exploded around them and she flew off into an expanding universe...” 🧚♀️
Before the hero takes our little fairy to the next level of enlightenment he insists she uses those 3 little words...I want you....
Hero- 31/36...is out for revenge against the heroine’s dad..his plans hit a snag when he literally bumps into the heroine at her dads office building. This was instant love/lust for both...they start to date in secret...Our little fairy gets quite amorous and the H tries to hold her off, but eventually her pixie dust proves too hard to resist...he figures he can still marry the h and seek revenge of her father...however his revenge overshadowed their marriage AND there was the wannabe ow’s venomous tongue that causes our fairy to take flight
5 years pass....no divorce, no contact...they live in same city and the H has his hammer poised to put the final nail in heroine’s dad’s business(which she has been running since her daddy can’t cope) She seeks out the hero to concede defeat. Hero has other plans and decides to hold off on hammering if the heroine will resume her position as his wife(name only)😉 He needs her for the next big business deal in the States...seems they like married people.
HERE COMES THE SPOILERS 🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑🛑
She agrees. Before they leave for the states they have their first interlude which negates the in name only. Hero realizes that despite the misdirect by the h, she obviously hasn’t had a lover since their parting.
While in the states they have another interlude, which was precipitated by the OW’s appearance(she is the company lawyer) The OW uses her snaky charm again and almost gets the American deal lost for the company. Yet our hero seems to not care about the deal, he’s more interested in defending his wife’s honor against an overly amorous and sleazy American who happens to be the son to the father of the American company.
Back in London, the hero gives the h some space while having his employee work with her to salvage her dads business. However, he lets her know there will be no divorce...he will oppose it. Oh and the clock reset on getting a divorce anyway...
OW strikes again...heroine decides she has had enough of daddy...enough of her husband...and leaves.
She decides to stay in a hotel. Our little fairy has her muzzy head in the clouds and gets clipped by a car.
In hospital, her husband is by her side pleading that she lives. Even daddy seems concerned, and the H and daddy have buried the hatchet for our heroine’s sake.
Daddy says he will train heroine to take over business. Hero says while daddy wasn’t paying attention, the h grew up and can already run the business. The h tired of always being talked over says...she would like to focus on her wifely duties and the business can be passed to the children...
2 months out of hospital, the h and H is gearing up for their first Christmas in years...by next Christmas they will have an addition to their family.
A few more notes:
Daddy is not a warm guy. Heroine knows that his business is his first love. His business tactics are slightly suspect...I can see why hero blamed daddy for the destruction of his own father. Unfortunately heroine allows herself to be used by her dad over and over. Which brings us back to the hero..
The hero sees the h as someone who needs him to take care of her. He accuses her of being too kind for her own good. He indicates more than once that she has powers she doesn’t seem aware of( like the fact that he loves her to distraction and could be putty in her hands) So on one hand he loves her gentle nature, but on the other hand he wants her to get a little tougher so she can’t be taken advance of. I already know she will be a wonderful mom, but she will probably have to use the ...wait til your dad gets home...to make sure kiddos tow the line.
OW- The hero has her number. Tells her she has two choices. She can leave or be part of his business ventures in the US...she picks the US and is then deployed to the other continent. She will need to find someone else to use that venomous tongue on...
It’s obvious the h and H love each other, so we definitely want to see them come back together.
June 11, 2015
Sweet cheesy love story. I adored Abby and Logan! I love my PW marathon.
April 13, 2017
"I need you. That’s where it begins and that’s where it ends. Nothing else matters."
October 26, 2019
I was confused by this story. The heroine Abigail marries the hero Logan knowing that Logan is out to destroy her father and his business. I couldn’t get my head round that, she then leaves Logan but not because he’s trying to destroy her father, but because she thinks he has a mistress. Dumb as a bucket of rocks.
As for Logan I found it totally unbelievable that he would marry his mortal enemy’s daughter. Then when she leaves him for 4 years he never makes any attempt to go after her, but just continues with his revenge. The rumours about him and the other woman are hardly addressed. I never believed he loved her at all. I certainly didn’t believe in their HEA.
The whole book was a chaotic mess, I don’t mind suspending a bit of belief, but this was a step too far for me.
As for Logan I found it totally unbelievable that he would marry his mortal enemy’s daughter. Then when she leaves him for 4 years he never makes any attempt to go after her, but just continues with his revenge. The rumours about him and the other woman are hardly addressed. I never believed he loved her at all. I certainly didn’t believe in their HEA.
The whole book was a chaotic mess, I don’t mind suspending a bit of belief, but this was a step too far for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2010
To have ... but not to hold! Logan Steele was determined to win back his bride, Abigail -- even after four long years. And if she wouldn't come willingly, then he'd have to make her an offer she couldn't refuse and simply 'borrow' her back for a while. His pretense -- that he needed a wife to clinch a deal. His intention -- to persuade her to stay. He'd given himself a tough task, for Abigail was equally determined not to forgive Logan for the wrong she thought he's done her. Yet if she truly didn't love him, why was she still wearing his ring?
July 18, 2017
"Borrowed Wife" is the story of Abigail and Logan.
When Abigail's father falls sick and the company she owns is in ruins, she finds her estranged husband is responsible for the same... and gets blackmailed to be his "real wife" in lieu of him helping save her company.
Basically the story is them fighting an attraction that never went away, and her discovering the truth behind his hate.
I really liked the devoted hero, the heroine was meh (she seemed judgmental).
Overall, was just an average read. I get really annoyed when couples don't communicate.
Safe
2.5/5
When Abigail's father falls sick and the company she owns is in ruins, she finds her estranged husband is responsible for the same... and gets blackmailed to be his "real wife" in lieu of him helping save her company.
Basically the story is them fighting an attraction that never went away, and her discovering the truth behind his hate.
I really liked the devoted hero, the heroine was meh (she seemed judgmental).
Overall, was just an average read. I get really annoyed when couples don't communicate.
Safe
2.5/5
August 7, 2019
3.5 Stars
I enjoyed this book more on my first read 😬
----------------------------------------
4.25 Stars!
Loved the heroine's characters here!
I enjoyed this book more on my first read 😬
----------------------------------------
4.25 Stars!
Loved the heroine's characters here!
February 20, 2019
This was jus ok for me.
I liked that the Hero was obsessed and protective over the heroine. But then that didn’t stop hiss revenge against her father, which he knew would hurt her. So apparently hurting her this way was not a concern for him.
The split up because the heroine suspects the Hero her husband cheated with the OW, but how and why she suspected this in the start is never explained. There were no circumstances shown for the basis of her suspicions. If isn’t until 3/4 of the book where the OW shows up and is clinging to the Hero. The Hero is adamant that she is merely his lawyer, but he allows her to act in this clinging manner, calling him darling. Even the heroine points this out to him, her lawyer never called anyone darling! 🙄
The Hero is supposedly, so in love and obsessed with the heroine despite his revenge plan, but he doesn’t contact her in 4 years! I wasn’t even sure why their marriage fell apart the first time.
So yeah, not one of the better ones by this author.
I liked that the Hero was obsessed and protective over the heroine. But then that didn’t stop hiss revenge against her father, which he knew would hurt her. So apparently hurting her this way was not a concern for him.
The split up because the heroine suspects the Hero her husband cheated with the OW, but how and why she suspected this in the start is never explained. There were no circumstances shown for the basis of her suspicions. If isn’t until 3/4 of the book where the OW shows up and is clinging to the Hero. The Hero is adamant that she is merely his lawyer, but he allows her to act in this clinging manner, calling him darling. Even the heroine points this out to him, her lawyer never called anyone darling! 🙄
The Hero is supposedly, so in love and obsessed with the heroine despite his revenge plan, but he doesn’t contact her in 4 years! I wasn’t even sure why their marriage fell apart the first time.
So yeah, not one of the better ones by this author.
March 25, 2017
Abigail fell head over heels for Logan when they first met and they married shortly after. She was 19 and he was 32. What she didn't know was that Logan had a vendetta against her father and his goal in life was to destroy her father's company.
The book starts four years after her separation from Logan. Logan has been systematically destroying her father's company. Now with the company almost in ruins, Abbie's father has a heart attack and Logan is back in Abbie's life demanding that she decided that she help him lock in a deal in America in exchange for saving the company.
This book is about the battle between two alpha males and the woman they uncaringly put in the middle of their battle. I really disliked Logan and Kent, Abbie's husband and father. They are both guilty of abusing the love that she had for them.
Then there's the wannabe OW - Fenella. What a witch! She is malicious and enjoys the fact that she can upset Abbie. It doesn't seem like she has any real claim on Logan, but the insinuation of one is all she needs to undermine Abbie.
This was a really good read. It gave me all the angers for Abbie's sake. I would definitely recommend it.
The book starts four years after her separation from Logan. Logan has been systematically destroying her father's company. Now with the company almost in ruins, Abbie's father has a heart attack and Logan is back in Abbie's life demanding that she decided that she help him lock in a deal in America in exchange for saving the company.
This book is about the battle between two alpha males and the woman they uncaringly put in the middle of their battle. I really disliked Logan and Kent, Abbie's husband and father. They are both guilty of abusing the love that she had for them.
Then there's the wannabe OW - Fenella. What a witch! She is malicious and enjoys the fact that she can upset Abbie. It doesn't seem like she has any real claim on Logan, but the insinuation of one is all she needs to undermine Abbie.
This was a really good read. It gave me all the angers for Abbie's sake. I would definitely recommend it.
November 14, 2012
Maybe 2.5 stars. I repeatedly read this author hoping that I'll like the book, because generally I like the kinds of plots and set-ups she uses. But then something just doesn't click -- usually that I find the hero's feelings way too obvious, and without some subtlety or something that leaves you guessing, there just isn't much tension to the story. So, this was only ok for me.
October 13, 2022
3.5 I think. PW is a relatively new to me author and I have to say, I'm liking the cut of her jib. I enjoyed this one and I'm not generally the biggest fan of marriage reconciliation stories. This h (Abigail)is very sweet and innocent and kind hearted, which is what really floats the H (Logan)'s boat. How she would ever succeed in any workplace, never mind being hotshot heir in her father's big business, is something we'll draw a veil over. He is so smitten and how he kept away for 4 years I don't know.
In a lot of ways the plot didn't hang together all that well, the revenge storyline just about worked but the OW stuff was less convincing. I just thought these two were so lovely together I will forgive it.
In a lot of ways the plot didn't hang together all that well, the revenge storyline just about worked but the OW stuff was less convincing. I just thought these two were so lovely together I will forgive it.
March 30, 2018
To have ... but not to hold! Logan Steele was determined to win back his bride, Abigail -- even after four long years. And if she wouldn't come willingly, then he'd have to make her an offer she couldn't refuse and simply 'borrow' her back for a while. His pretense -- that he needed a wife to clinch a deal. His intention -- to persuade her to stay. He'd given himself a tough task, for Abigail was equally determined not to forgive Logan for the wrong she thought he's done her. Yet if she truly didn't love him, why was she still wearing his ring?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews