Review: How to Fall for the Wrong Man (Ladies of Passion #3) by Harmony Williams

Print Length: 286 pages

Publisher: Entangled Publishing (June 29, 2018)

From Goodreads.com: If Mary Babington-Smith knows nothing else, it's that Lord Edwin Sutton kissed her. Regardless of who-kissed-whom, with the deed witnessed, they have no choice but to carry on with a temporary, fake, engagement. When Edwin sweetens the deal, offering Mary the money she needs to pursue her independence if she can play the lovesick fiancée for two weeks, Mary rises to the challenge. In two weeks, she'll have everything she wants, and this time she'll be the one to walk out of his life.

Despite Sutton's argumentative, self-assured nature, when Mary glimpses a sliver of the boy he used to be, she vows to peel away every layer of armor he uses to shield his emotions. Somewhere underneath that worldly exterior is the kind-hearted man she once loved, but in order to find him, she'll have to give him the power to hurt her...and he's already broken her trust once...

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My Rating: 2 stars out of 5

The premise of this story was interesting, and had it not been for the main characters, I would have given it a higher rating. The one good thing this has going for it is although it is part three in a series, it can be read as a stand alone novel. 

Mary may think she's independent, but in reality she's pig headed and annoying. She consistently puts herself in dangerous situations with little care for her own well-being, but when Sutton shows any kind of concern she makes it seem like he's the one being selfish. She repeatedly picks fights with him, and accuses him of not allowing her to follow her ambitions when in reality he's using the common sense she lacks to keep her safe. 

Also, for someone who is so eager for her fake engagement to be over, she sure does run to his home (his arms, and his bed) on a nearly daily basis. In fact, I kept waiting for the cliche pregnancy out of wedlock plot twist, but thankfully that did not come. 

I also blame Sutton to an extent because Mary gave him ample opportunity to declare his feelings for her and he didn't. Nor did he give her the true reason behind his actions towards her. So much of the unnecessary drama between these two could have been avoided had they taken the time to be honest with each other and took the time to stop being so stubborn. 

I do believe there are people who will enjoy this novel (as evidenced by the 4 and 5 star reviews it has already accumulated), however this one was just not for me.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

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                    How to Fall For the Wrong Man is available from Amazon.com