Married by Monday

For Eliza Havens, arranging successful marriages is her business. Tying-the-knot is for others. Eliza has too many secrets in her past to ever allow herself or those she loves to be exposed to any kind of danger. But, when Eliza unthinkingly puts herself and friend Gwen in a difficult situation in a Texas bar, an unlikely hero comes to her aid.

Carter Billings and Eliza have known each other for two years, and their sparring hides their attraction. Being caught in a Texas barroom brawl, however, is not the way to address it, Carter cannot afford the negative press coverage. As an aspiring political candidate for governor of California, the polls suggest that the young and unattached Carter may need to revamp his image, and a bright, beautiful wife might be just the answer.

This is book #2 in Catherine Bybee's “The Weekday Brides” series, but can easily be read as a stand-alone. Eliza is a partner in Alliance, the match-making business with Samantha (the heroine from book #1 “Wife by Wednesday”). The author has a writing style that captures and flows easily. Her protagonists in this romance are well-drawn, relatable characters. The basis for the marriage (if not exactly believable) is certainly written with enough plausibility to make it delicious fun as Eliza makes Carter work hard to gain her agreement.
Ms. Bybee successfully delivers a convincing modern marriage-of-convenience story.  “Married by Monday” is a wonderful combination of mystery and romance that makes for a delightful, light, contemporary read!

Jill MacKenzie