I enjoyed this one on the whole. I thought that Harrison was a little unevenly written. First he's lonely, then he's a total ass when he is told that Ryan is pregnant, spewing all kinds of nastiness. Then he turns pretty darn beta and can't seem to stand up for himself. I loved Ryan though. Great character. ( )

I absolutely loved this book.

But beware he is so awful to her when they meet up the 2nd time. It's part of his metamorphosis but it was gut wrenching to read.
The heroine is a mess but also has a strength to her.
Excellent secondary characters, plots and intrigue.

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4.5 stars.

Indecent Proposal is the much anticipated fourth installment in Molly O'Keefe's captivating Boys of Bishop series. Tantalizing glimpses of Harrison Montgomery in Never Been Kissed (book two in the series) piqued my curiosity about him and his sudden marriage to Ryan Kaminski, so I have been eagerly impatiently waiting for his story. I can honestly (and happily) say it was sooooo worth the wait!!!

Although Indecent Proposal is the fourth book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. Harrison was instrumental in his securing his sister Ashley's release from Somali pirates in Never Been Kissed and the storylines from both novels run concurrently. Unlike the previous three novels in the series, Indecent Proposal does not take place in Bishop, but Ashley and her love interest Brody do make a brief, but important, guest appearance.

Ryan has no idea who Harrison when he comes into the bar where she works as a bartender. All she knows is he is obviously hurting, and she impulsively spends one incredibly passionate night with him. Ryan really does not expect their paths to cross again, but one unplanned pregnancy one big mouthed (but well-intentioned) brother = a marriage of convenience for Ryan and Harrison. Strictly a business arrangement, they quickly marry and Ryan is thrust into the limelight while Harrison campaigns for the upcoming election. Their relationship becomes a confusing mess as they present a loving and united front in public but privately, they keep an emotional and physical distance.

Ryan has had a very difficult life and she is not exactly welcomed into Harrison's family with open arms. She had brief career as a model when she was younger, but after her early marriage crashed and burned, she lost pretty much everything. Most of her family turned their backs on her and she has been living a fairly bleak and lonely for the past several years. She is honest and upfront about her past mistakes and she is genuinely sorry for the pain she has caused. Ryan readily admits she falls in love with ease, but when it comes to Harrison, she is determined not to fall into old habits.

Harrison fiercely loyal to Ashley, but when it comes to his parents, he tries to keep as far away from them as possible. He deeply resents his parents for using him and Ashley as props to advance his father's political career. However, he believes in the political system and he is committed to fixing the wrongs his father committed while in office. Harrison is sometimes cold and calculating, but with Ryan, his barriers begin to come down. But his fears are difficult to leave behind, and Harrison continually pushes Ryan away.

Harrison and Ryan's relationship is a rollercoaster of strong emotions and their history of family dysfunction is a huge obstacle they have to overcome. Both of them are trying to protect themselves from further hurt and every time they get close to one another, they immediately begin to shut down.

Since Harrison and Ryan are trying to maintain a physical and emotional distance from one another, there are fewer sex scenes in Indecent Proposal. Their encounters are intense and while they do bring them closer, more often than not, their intimacy is tenuous and unable to withstand the myriad issues they are facing.

Indecent Proposal is wonderful novel of healing for both Harrison and Ryan and watching them overcome their troubled pasts is incredibly heartwarming. The use of the marriage of convenience plot device is absolutely brilliant and Molly O'Keefe does an outstanding job keeping the storyline fresh and unique.

Indecent Proposal is a heartfelt, poignant and sexy addition to the Boys of Bishop series that old and new fans are going to love. ( )

Good book, with a marriage of convenience between two very different people. It opens with Ryan working her job as a bartender, and seeing the same good-looking "Ken doll" man come in for the third night in a row. The first two nights he had been glued to his phone, ignoring everyone around him, but on this night he sits there looking sad, alone and lost. Ryan is drawn to him and, as she frequently does, gets him to talk a little about what is troubling him. Then she breaks all the rules and spends a hot night with a man whose full name she doesn't know.

Harrison is part of a family with a history of public service, and he is starting his first run for office himself. He is determined not to follow in his father's corrupt footsteps and keeps tight control on his own actions. The one exception was that night with the beautiful bartender who was his port in an emotional storm. He can't forget her, but he can't see her again either. Then he finds out she's pregnant, and to protect himself from scandal he knows he'll have to marry her.

My feelings about Harrison went back and forth between liking him and detesting him. His vulnerability at the beginning had me hoping that everything would turn out all right with whatever problem he had been facing. Even when he left the next morning, he did so with a bit of class. But his reaction when he found out Ryan was pregnant had me going the other way, especially with his threats against her. There were times when he seemed to be two different people. I found him to be rather judgmental, especially regarding his parents, when he wasn't exactly perfect himself. He could also be very kind, as shown when he was trying to take care of Ryan when she was sick. He was very focused on his goal of political office, even though I frequently got the feeling that it isn't what would make him truly happy. As the story went on, the good Harrison was more frequently seen. I liked the way that he came to appreciate Ryan and her support of him. He also started to care for her. When things started to go bad with his campaign, he wanted to protect her from being affected by his troubles, so he tried to drive her away. But in doing so, he finally realizes that it is Ryan who has given him the true reason to be a better man, and has to find a way to win her back. How he goes about it shows just how much he has changed.

I really liked Ryan. She had a working class upbringing and was something of a wild child. She had a brief stint as a model, a mistake of a marriage, and a serious falling out with her family. She's been on her own for six years, trying to get her life back in order. She's really good at reading people and wanting to help them through their problems, which is how she ended up with Harrison in the first place. Even when she finds out who he is, she has no plans to contact him, knowing that it could wreck his plans. Interference from her protective brother takes the decision out of her hands. Her encounter with the political Harrison is painful and leaves her with no choice but to go along with his proposal, but she has the strength to add a few conditions of her own. I loved that she didn't just give in to his demands.

What happens next is a roller coaster of feelings. Ryan may be the complete opposite of Harrison and everything he is, but she isn't stupid. I loved her transformation from bartender to political wife, and the way it completely floored everyone around her. The scene at the press conference that introduced her as Harrison's wife was fantastic. She doesn't try to hide her past or gloss over it, the way that Harrison tried to do, but steps up and owns it and moves on. There's also a wonderful scene at an event at a food bank, where Ryan's past experiences show an empathy that people like Harrison can never have. Harrison starts to gain a new respect for Ryan. She is also a place of normalcy in the craziness that is his life and he grows to need her far more than he ever expected.

The secondary characters were great. Harrison's parents are his example of what not to do with his life and his career. They are really unlikable until the very end, when I developed a little bit of sympathy for them. Ryan's family is an interesting contrast. They obviously love each other, but Ryan's past actions have put a strain on their relationships. I was intrigued by Ryan's brother Wes, and would like to see him in his own story. My favorite of the secondary characters was Harrison's campaign manager Wallace. He's definitely a good friend to Harrison and wants what is best for him. I loved his interactions with Ryan, especially the one when she first arrives in Atlanta. It was great to see him go from disdain and dislike to a real respect and liking for her. I loved his part in bringing them back together.

*copy received in exchange for honest review. ( )

Loved this story!! The characters of Harrison and Ryan are both strong, determined, and damaged. After one night of passion and comfort their lives are forever entwined. While the pair is unlikely, he's a high power political figure and she's a bartender, they bring out the best in each other. This is a book I would definitely recommend. ( )