Luxury Model Wife

Adele
Downs
Genre: 
Contemporary

Victoria Van Orr didn’t have much growing up, but when she fell in love with a widowed billionaire, his social circle felt he had landed a “Luxury Model Wife”.  His passing meant she had choices to make.  Victoria wanted to honor him and elegantly auction his collection of art.  Carlson’s Antiques had helped establish this vast collection and who better to help her dispose of it?  However, her efforts could be thwarted by the bad blood between Steve Carlson and her stepson, Jimmy. Steve Carlson wasn’t what she expected and her attraction to him could very well end her grief and possibly her life.

A surprising juxtaposition of the title versus preconceived notions, “Luxury Model Wife” will surpass reader’s expectations.  Victoria was a down-on-your-luck gal who worked to move beyond her station in life and proves to be tough as nails regardless of her veneer.   Readers aren’t given as much in depth details of Steve but are left with the impression of a nice guy who looks hot, but it does not detract from the story.  There is ample mystery established and enough characters with which readers could make mental score cards for the whodunit crimes revealed. However, there are some editing issues in this ARC that can be easily resolved.  Where the beginning of this contemporary romance grabs reader's attention out of the gate, the same attention may wane toward the middle of the tale and the multiple conflicts may lead to some disbelieve in the true reasons for Victoria’s choices.  HEA die-hards will not be disappointed.

Jordyn Teel