Book Review and New Release: Seven Day Fiance by Rachel Harris (Book two of the Love and Games series)

Title: Seven Day Fiance
Author: Rachel Harris
Series: Love and Games
Genre: Contemporary romance
Published: 2013
Pages: 211
Format read: ebook
Rating: B+

Seven Day Fiance is a fast and fun read. It’s second in the series but can be read on its own–though you’ll want to pick up book one, Taste the Heat to see how Jason and Colby’s story went down. You see enough of them in this one to act as a teaser.

Angelle Prejean escaped one Louisiana small town–to land herself in another. She’s fairly content there, though–she’s doing a job that she loves, making close  friends, and finally coming into her own as she hadn’t been able to do under the somewhat stifling eyes of her loving family. There’s just one little problem–in order to prove to her family that she’s successfully moved on after breaking up with her boyfriend of eight years, she might have invented a fiance. With Thanksgiving coming up soon, she might also have to produce that fiance for a week-long visit home. Fortunately, a well-timed bachelor auction comes to her rescue….

Cane Robicheaux has noticed clumsy, sweet and shy Angie–she’s the roommate of one of his younger sisters, after all–and is extremely grateful when she manages to save him from a stalker-ish ex at the bachelor auction. A major indiscretion on his father’s part has convinced him that romantic permanence just isn’t in the cards for him, but he can manage a week as a pretend fiance, surely–especially if doing so will finally bring him closer to Angie.

The fake-fiance storyline is a tried and true one. Seven Day Fiance doesn’t offer any huge surprises–you pretty much know where everything’s going to end up from the first chapter–but there are some really cute and amusing situations along the way that definitely make for an entertaining read. I enjoyed Rachel Harris’s writing, and the small-town Louisiana setting was a lot of fun. I will definitely be reading more from her in the future. There’s definite sequel bait here–Cane has another sister (the heroine in Taste the Heat is his sibling Colby), and Angie’s cousin Lacey would definitely make for a fun heroine as well.

Angie at times felt as if she were a little to good and sweet to be true, but we find out later on that much of that is her playing a part she feels she needs to when she’s with her family, and the reasons that she does so are adequately explained. Her early clumsiness around Cane is adorable, though almost over too soon. You absolutely can’t blame her for her crush, though–who wouldn’t get a little goofy around a hero who is described as “a child-whispering, factoid-spouting, sister-protecting, amazing-smelling (a trait that cannot be left out) hunk of swoon-worthy material”? Oh, and he has tattoos and can cook. And play the guitar and sing. Seriously.

Cane’s bad-boy-man-slut ways are, naturally, just waiting for the right woman to show him that he can indeed change them to become a one-woman man. I enjoyed reading about his conversion, although the one-week time frame is a bit sudden for the ending. He does, however, really know how to bring it when attempting to win his woman back–his is an excellent public groveling scene.

There are a few instances of easy coincidences in the novel, but they’re neither glaring nor overly problematic. Overall, Seven Week Fiance is a great choice for a light, easy, and romantic read that will leave you smiling. B+ rating.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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