The Pretend Wife

When I fist decided to read The Pretend Wife, I was just looking for a breezy read. I didn't find it. This isn't Contemporary Romance in the truest sense of the word, but it was still wonderful to read.

"But I won't miss the Internet," I said and then blurted, "If I get one more piece of spam telling me that my penis is too small, I might need to go to a support group. I immediately wanted to reel the comment back in."

This describes Gwen perfectly. She is fun but tense, and afraid of everything.

"Elliot, it turns out, is in need of a pretend wife, just for the weekend, in order to fulfill his dying mother’s last wish."
The story of pretend love turning out to be the real thing isn't new at all, and some of the twists are too timely. show more What saved it is Bridget Asher's keen, and un-Harlequin voice. I didn't know who Gwen was going to end up with. Maybe she would've played it safe and stayed with Peter. Maybe she would've gone to Elliot. Maybe it would have ended with Gwen finally 'discovering' who she is, and letting go of both of them. The point is, I didn't know, and I liked that. It started out dry but grew interesting. It was honest (without having to be insincere), and it was touching.

So, yes, I loved it more than I thought I would. This had no rustic virgins, virile heroes or gay friends. What it did have? Depth. Nonfluff. You've restored my faith in romances for a while, Bridget Asher. show less

For Gwen Merchant, love has always been doled out in little packets—from her father, a marine biologist who buried himself in work after her mother’s death; and from her husband, Peter, who’s always been respectable and safe. But when an old college boyfriend, the irrepressible Elliot Hull, invites himself back into Gwen’s life, she starts to remember a time when love was an ocean.

What does Elliot want? In fact, he has a rather surprising proposition: he wants Gwen to become his wife. His pretend wife. Just for a few days. To accompany him to his family’s lake house for the weekend so that he can fulfill his dying mother’s last wish. Reluctantly Gwen agrees to play along—with her husband Peter’s full support. It’s just show more one weekend—what harm could come of it?

But as Gwen is drawn into Elliot’s quirky, wonderful family—his astonishingly wise and open mother, his warm and welcoming sister, and his adorable, precocious niece—she starts questioning everything she’s ever expected from love. And as she begins to uncover a few secrets about her own family, it suddenly looks like a pretend relationship just might turn out to be the most real thing she’s ever known. show less

It was a good book and the story was interesting but I didnt like that there was sooo much narritive. I got lost in it a few times. All she did was say is this what marriage is... Once she found out that things with Peter werent quite right and realized how things could be the story did turn around. But I would have liked a more ellaberate ending... What happened after she saw Elliot again? Where did that leave her. At least and Epiloge or something.

I took me a little while to get into this book. I have made it a goal to at least read the first 3 chapters of any book before putting it down for good. I'm glad I stuck with it, because I feel in love with this book! You can see how it was going to end, but it had twists that were surprising. It was definitely worth reading!

Gwen stumbles into an old boyfriend, Elliot, at an ice cream shop and it changes her life forever. Events lead Gwen to pretend to be Elliot's wife for a weekend. Elliot's mother, Vivian, is dying and one of her wishes is that Elliot settle down and get married.

During a weekend stay at a lake house, Gwen falls in love with Elliot's family and begins to question the relationship she has with her husband, Peter, and father. She also seeks more information about the death of her mother. I was a bit surprised by the ending of the book. It took a turn that I didn't completely anticipate.

Overall I enjoyed the characters and the study in relationships. I would definitely recommend this book to friends.

This was a fantastic summer read. It was quick, heartwarming, and kept my attention. It would be a great book to take to the beach!

Gwen is asked by an old college boyfriend, Elliot, to help him by pretending to be his wife. His mother is dying and her last wish is to see her son married. Gwen agrees to help her free spirited, fun, caring old boyfriend and leave her uptight husband for a weekend. She arrives at Elliot's lake side home and instantly falls in love with his family. She has to rethink her life after the trip and being someone's pretend wife feels more real than being her husbands actual wife.

Bridget Asher's first novel, My Husband's Sweethearts was a decent read. I was not sure whether I should read this novel at first, but I am glad I did. Great chick lit read! I read it in one day!! I smiled, laughed, and cried in the end because it was that good!