Review: The Spanish Billionaire's Hired Bride

Reviewed by Shelly
 

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading this story, but I’ll tell you what I got.

Because of a bet, billionaire playboy Ricardo Almanza has six months left to find a wife before he turns 30. Poor farm girl and student Helen Marshall is in Spain on an archeology dig and working for Ricardo's stepmother as her girl Thursday (‘like girl Friday but faster’). In desperate need of money, a lot of money, Helen sells herself to Ricardo in order to help her parents with their debt. After coming to a mutual understanding, these two get married and set off on quite the picturesque adventure from Spain across the Balearic Sea to the Mediterranean - beautifully described.

Although this is a full sized novel (ebook - 261 pages) it’s a fast read.

I wasn’t sure how Lyndhurst would make me like Ricardo, because I’ll tell ya folks I couldn’t stand the dude for about the first half. He was such a spoiled rich boy, it’s no wonder he had no friends (or none that were mentioned anyway). You know when someone just rubs you the wrong way - that was my feeling toward Ricardo. There were a few moments when I thought he seemed to be a redeemable guy, but nope. And I guess that’s the point right, everyone is lovable in their own jacked off way.

I wasn’t sure about Helen’s motivation for helping her parents, considering that she had absolutely zero plans in continuing to work the farm after their retirement. But then again, I think that in general the mindset and culture in the UK is a bit different than it is where this reader lives. Although a bit young, 24, for what Ricardo was asking of her, Helen did a really swell job of not letting him ride roughshod over her. I also thought the love between them was a bit quick but not too much to where it’s just ridiculous.

The secondary characters were well written and blended into the story quite well. Ricardo’s stepmother totally reminded me of Alexis from Dynasty – you know the kind that wears too much bling, has too much plastic surgery and fights getting older by banging the young pool boy, yep that’s her. Helen’s mother really knocked it out of the ballpark for me; she really wanted her daughter to have a life outside of the farm. I think it was her Dad that Helen felt the most beholden to; giving up what she gave up in order to keep his dream alive.

Overall, this was a good story about love and family and I would definitely recommend it. Don’t get me wrong folks – this story is not without sexual content, there’s some straight up mouth-watering yummy goodness. These two really light up the pages with their attraction towards each other and of course, the sex was muy caliente and best of all, I got my HEA.

Happy Reading Folks!

Rating: B-

*ARC provided by author for review

Click to purchase: Amazon

The Spanish Billionaire's Hired Bride

by Rachel Lyndhurst

Release Date: October 14, 2012

Publisher: Entangled