DISCLAIMER: I received an advanced reader copy (eBook) of Temporary Wife Temptation by Jayci Lee from Harlequin through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Temporary Wife Temptation is part of the February 2020 Harlequin Series Blog Tour. It’s a novel in the Harlequin Desire line.

Book Summary

Much more than he bargained for…
“You want me to find you a wife?”
“No. I want you to be my wife.”

Garrett Song is this close to taking the reins of his family’s LA fashion empire…until the Song matriarch insists he marry her handpicked bride first. To block her matchmaking, he recruits Natalie Sobol to pose as his wife. She needs a fake spouse as badly as he does. But when passion burns down their chaste agreement, the flames could destroy them all…

*Summary is courtesy of Harlequin

Temporary Wife Temptation

Intriguing. Sexy. Classic Harlequin. Those are the words I would use to describe Temporary Wife Temptation by Jayci Lee. Although I’ve been reading a lot of Harlequin books as of late, I felt like this book was my first authentic Harlequin novel. The book was everything I think of when I think of a Harlequin romance novel – a hot guy, and a passionate love (and lust) affair. But, Temporary Wife Temptation was way more than that, which took me by surprise.

I’ve definitely watched movies and read books where the leading lady of the story needs a fake boyfriend or wedding date to make some guy jealous. Hey, I’m all for the drama. However, I love that Jayci Lee gave that type of storyline a twist of her own.

Garrett Song and Natalie Sobol aren’t trying to make an old flame jealous when they agree to a fake marriage. They want to mutually help each other get the life they want. Garrett is the VP of Business and Development for his family’s fashion empire, Hansol Incorporated, which he hopes to be the CEO of one day. On top of that, his grandmother wants him to have an arranged marriage, which he refuses to go through with. Natalie is the Human Resources Director for Hansol, and is going for a promotion, all the while trying to gain custody of her deceased sister’s daughter – her niece, Sophie. Basically, the two of them need each other for everything to work out according to plan.

Pulling off a fake marriage sounds like quite a stressful situation on top of everything else, but being married to a hot guy makes things a little easier. Although, Garrett and Natalie agree to a list of conditions during their fake marriage. For starters, they won’t share the same bed, so their professional life and personal life never cross. With that being said, they agree to a sexless marriage. That seems like quite the challenge when Garrett and Natalie have undying sexual tension between each other. The whole “will they or won’t they?” is a cliché in romance novels that never gets old.

Garrett comes from a traditional Korean family, and Natalie is half Korean herself. So, it was interesting learning a little bit about Korean culture while reading along. Jayci Lee writes about some of the Korean customs. For example, ways to show respect in Korean families, and traditional Korean garments. I’m all for diversity in literature!

He had no reason to know she felt like Cinderella five minutes before midnight. Even if he did, she didn’t need him to protect her. If her designer gown turned into rags when the clock struck twelve, she’d rock it as the grunge-chic look and rescue her own behind.

Besides diversity in literature, I love strong female protagonists. Natalie Sobel is both smart and sexy. She’s described as a woman who has nerves of steel and knows how to lay down the law. She doesn’t feel the need to sleep her way to getting a promotion. By agreeing to Garret’s marriage proposal she will get promoted, but that isn’t her incentive. It’s her baby niece, Sophie. Marrying a wealthy and successful man will make her look good to help her gain custody of her niece. Even though Natalie’s situation is not ideal, I have mad respect for her. Family first.

Overview & Rating

His engagement to Natalie had nothing to do with love and happiness, or out-of-control attraction. She was his partner in a project to change their lives. He would get his CEO position and a personal life that belonged to him, and she would adopt her niece and start a new life in New York. They would both get what they wanted and walk away content.

Temporary Wife Temptation by Jayci Lee was a great introduction to the world of classic Harlequin romance series. Garrett and Natalie were real dimensional characters who were much more than a pretty face. Although I must say, Natalie’s personality definitely outshines Garett’s by far. Maybe I’m just biased because I like badass women in literature.

There was no denying the chemistry between Garrett and Natalie. To be frank, it was red hot and I believed every word of it. Not too over the top, and a good balance between sexy and romantic. As the book progressed, it was apparent that they really cared for each other.

I loved the cultural diversity in this book. As well as, learning a little about Korean culture. I liked that the cultural elements were not the main focus of the story, but sprinkled in throughout the book to give the characters a stronger background.

Pretending to have a fake significant other is definitely one of my favorite literary tropes. The topic drew me to the story in the first place, so no complaints there. It’s a common literary trope, but Jayci Lee added her own spin to the story to make it stand out from the rest.

I give Temporary Wife Temptation 3 out of 5 stars. It was an enjoyable sexy read. The story was both what I expected and didn’t expect from a Harlequin romance novel. Definitely, not a bad thing at all. Temporary Wife Temptation will not be the last Harlequin romance novel I pick up.

Thank You

Thank you, Harlequin for inviting me to join Harlequin’s Blog Tour, and Netgalley for the digital advanced copy! Temporary Wife Temptation by Jayci Lee is part of the February 2020 Harlequin Series Blog Tour. Check out Temporary Wife Temptation, which is now available in stores and online!

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♥ Candis