A fake fiancée, what could go wrong?

Synopsis

The trouble with lies is they have a tendency to catch a man out.

The last thing Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, wants is a wife. 

But since the only way to keep his mother’s matchmaking ways at bay is the promise of impending nuptials, Hugh takes the most logical action: he invents a fake fiancée.

It’s the perfect plan – until Hugh learns that his mother is on a ship bound for England to meet his ‘beloved’. He needs a solution fast, and when he collides with a mysterious beauty, he might just have found the answer to his prayers.

Minerva Merriwell is desperate for money to support her sisters, and although she knows that posing as the Earl’s fiancée might seem nonsensical, it’s just too good an offer to refuse.

As the Merriwells descend upon Hugh’s estate, the household is thrown into turmoil as everyone tries to keep their tangled stories straight. And with Hugh and Minerva’s romantic ruse turning into the real thing, is true love just one complication too many?

‘Filled with fabulously British banter, wit, and heart, this delightful book is one of my must-read rom-coms of the year’

My review

Hugh Standish enjoys his freedom as an unmarried man. Even his title of earl of Fareham won’t persuade him of getting married. But his mother surely has other ideas, even if she lives on the other side of the ocean.
Hug has found the perfect solution to stop his mother, namely, he has invented his own fiancée. Story after story he invents just to keep his mother at distance.
However, when his mother informs him of her visit, he needs to think of something else, because telling the truth is absolutely not an option.
And when he meets Minerva Merriwell, she is the solution to all his problems. Not only does she have the same name as his invented fiancée, she accept to pretend to be totally in love with him and keep up his charade.
Minerva doesn’t do this out the kindness of her heart, but because she definitely needs the money to provide for her sisters, since her father abandoned them.
But no matter how much Hugh hoped everything goes according his plan, nothing goes as he wanted. Because not only is he being kept under scrutiny by all the Merriwell sisters, but the better he gets to know Minerva…

I always enjoy reading a story of this author and this one surely can be added to the pile ‘Yes, I truly liked it!’.
And yes, of course you know how the pretend engagement will end, but that shouldn’t keep you from reading it!

Minerva is a strong woman, trying her best to take care of her sisters. All the Merriwell sisters have their own character, and they couldn’t’ be more different from each other. But they love each other unconditionally.
And Minerva, being the oldest one, would go any length to make sure her sisters are happy and don’t have to suffer any pain/ hunger/…
So in this light, I understood her that she accepted Hugh’s proposal, because the money she would receive from it, would solve many of her problems.
But it’s not only about money for Minerva. Because no matter what Hugh promises her, she won’t go anywhere without her sisters…

Hugh… why can’t he see from the start that his idea is a recipe for disaster? I found it hilarious to see how afraid an adult man can be from his own mother. Okay, afraid is maybe not the right word, but despite all the lies he has told, he doesn’t want to hurt his mother.
The reason why Hugh refuses to get married to just anyone was hard to grasp initially, but when the real reason was made obvious, and seeing how the example of his parent marked him, broke a bit my heart.

There were many bits that warmed my heart, like how Minerva protects her sisters, how Hugh tries to protect all three the sisters, revelations of the truth.

I didn’t expect to have so much fun reading all the misunderstanding, clashing characters, interfering sisters and friends, and an actress that is trying too hard at playing the part. and the inability for our main female character to ride a horse!

This story was exactly what I expected from this author, a wonderful time reading a hilarious yet sometimes frustrating story (how many misunderstanding can there be, just speak out for the sake of the readers!!!)
I cannot wait to see what’s in store for the other two sisters, but for now all I can say is: ‘Excellent!’