Margaret Watkins
Desperate to avoid the trap set for him by his meddling grandfather and mother, Luke stumbles into the diner where Lindsay is working the late shift, full of rage and resentment against those trying to manipulate his future. Whilst Lindsay recognises him immediately as the rich kid that roughed it with them on the beach as youngsters, it takes Luke a little longer to recognise her. When he does, his surprising offer of marriage to the pregnant Lindsay takes her by surprise. A marriage of convenience to outwit an old man seems a way of meeting everyone's needs until the need for the marriage to look real becomes essential. The story is emotive and one can only feel for Lindsay as the dynamics in the Winter household play out. The only ones to really accept her and appreciate her as a person are the servants, although they are also loyal to the family. Although one can appreciate the difficulties Luke was going through, there were times when he acted like a real ass, ignoring Lindsay's needs and seeming to side with those who would put her down. Lindsay, on the other hand, was caught between a rock and a hard place as she needed to provide for her baby whilst at the same time escape the censure and disparagement by Luke's family. This book definitely aroused my feelings as I felt Lindsay's pain and discomfort. The novel does end on a good note and comes to a happy conclusion. I received a copy of this book as a gift and this is my honest and voluntary review.