Stranger'S Wife (Harlequin Intrigue Series)

Meg Lindley has been scraping to get by ever since her husband left her, so when a private investigator offers her a job with a big payoff, she's intrigued. All she has to do is pose as the wife of a wealthy developer at the opening at a new hotel. No one there knows her, so it should be no problem, and Meg accepts the job. But when Jake Chastain shows up unexpectedly, Meg's masquerade becomes a lot more difficult, especially when it looks like someone is trying to kill him.

Phillips' story is more of an old-fashioned tale than we're used to (actually, it's like an improved version of last year's "The Only Man to Trust"), but anyone who's tired of cowboys and secret babies will probably appreciate the change. Despite her early lies, Meg is a very sympathetic character, and her struggle to do the right thing is understandable considering all she's had to deal with in her life. Meanwhile, Jake is a very sexy hero who seems made for her. The plot is complicated enough to keep readers on their toes, and the increased difficulties Meg faces make for compelling reading. Jess and Huxley were great secondary characters, too. As a riveting mystery and sweet romance, "A Stranger's Wife" never lets up.

I have no idea if this review will ever be posted, since I've submitted it five times since I read the book in February, but I thought I'd try again. No, the book isn't perfect. Phillips does tip her hand a little early, telling us who the villain is far earlier than necessary, and the connection between Meg and her lookalike turns out to be a huge cliche. And I recognize that it won't be everyone's cup of tea, since it reminded me more of an old-fashioned gothic than today's brand of romantic suspense, with our hapless heroine struggling to overcome an increasingly disturbing set of odds. I also wouldn't have minded a few more glimpses into Jake's point-of-view (Phillips offers about...four of them), but that's a minor quibble. For the most part, the story is fast-moving, the characters are sympathetic, and the suspense well-drawn. I'm not exactly going to add Ms. Phillips to my must-buy list (this one doesn't quite overcome the complete catastrophe that was "The Tender Hours"), but overall, this was a pleasant surprise and a good read.

But hey, I paid for it (sent in a monthly bookclub shipment, not my choice, believe me), I was determined to finish it and finish it I did. But not without wanting to strangle, smack, or scream at the heroine (I scrawled "idiot!!!" in the margins of my copy of this book several times) along the way.

The heroine was absolutely infuriating. I cannot abide helplessness or stupidity in a heroine. Meg wasn't exactly helpless, but BOY, did she make some pretty dumb judgement calls. E.g., continuing to trust a woman (through some inane sense of loyalty) whose actions demonstrate over and over again her COMPLETE UNTRUSTWORTHINESS; walking away from the man she loves in order to avoid bringing anymore heartache into his life than she already has. She feels guilty, you see, over the deception she participated in that brought them together in the first place and she needs to grieve for a woman who tried to pin a murder on her. I suppose I, the reader, am supposed to be impressed by her integrity. All I'm thinking is what an idiot she is & that she doesn't DESERVE to be happy.

The hero was wooden, lacking depth (his POV could have been eliminated altogether for all it added to the story). As for the sexual tension... umm, what sexual tension? And why the heck did the dog have such a prominent role? If you're gonna take up as much space w/ a dog as the author did here, at least give him a real personality (Karen Robards - or Iris Johansen, I always get the 2 confused - has done this very well in a couple of her stories).

Romance readers, please don't think this book is the best Harlequin Intrigue has to offer. There are some GREAT authors contributing to this line (like Gayle Wilson, Rebecca York & Kelsey Roberts to name only a few). Ms. Phillips may be a fine author herself, but this story wasn't what I'd call fine writing.