Review: The Boss's Fake Fiancee by Inara Scott

The Boss's Fake Fiancee
(Rules of Negotiation, #2)
By: Inara Scott
Publisher: Entangled
Published: Oct. 14, 2012
Genre: Romance
Rating:



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 Is she his worst nightmare…

No relationships, that’s billionaire Garth Solen’s rule—especially not with a woman like his new employee Melissa Bencher, who thinks with her heart and not her head. But all bets are off when Melissa tries to make her jerk ex-boyfriend jealous by suggesting that she’s dating her gorgeous boss. How could she have imagined all the trouble one impulsive act could cause?

…or a dream come true?

To protect his ailing grandmother, Garth is forced to play the part of Melissa’s adoring fiancé. Now they’re trying on rings and posing for the paparazzi. The game is clear: for one month, they play the part of an engaged couple, and then they part ways. No emotions. No entanglements. But when it comes to matters of the heart, Melissa’s never been good at following the rules…

My thoughts...
When Melissa hints at the possibility that she and her boss are dating to her ex-boyfriend, she never imagined that it would blow up in her face like it did. She expected her ex to confront her boss or even make a scene but she didn't expect to be on the cover of tabloids and she sure as hell wasn't expecting her boss to come up with a crazy plan to run with the story the tabloids printed about them being engaged. With his tabloid loving grandmother in poor health, he is backed into a corner when she sees him and his "fiance" Melissa on the cover of a magazine. She is so happy and over the moon that he doesn't have the heart to break the news to her. So he talks Melissa into playing along for a few weeks until she gets over the pneumonia and starts getting better before calling their fake engagement off.

I will admit that I've not read the fist book in the series, Rules of Negotiation which deals with Melissa's brother Brit and Garth's lawyer, Tori. It's not that you have to read the fist book to know what's going on in this one. It was just the way that Melissa talked to Tori and how Tori talked to Garth, that I got the feeling that there was more to the story than I was reading. It didn't take away from the story but I wonder if Melissa and Garth were in the first one. I enjoyed this story so much that I wouldn't mind jumping back and reading the first book.

Like I said, I really enjoyed this story. At first you think Garth is this heartless billionaire or that he has walls built up because he was previously hurt. Which I suppose the latter is true in a sense but the reasoning behind his aloofness goes so much farther beyond that. I really wish I could say why in the review but if I did, it would ruin his character for you. You have to think he's this billionaire jerk, that way when he opens up to Melissa, you will be as surprised as I was. I will admit that this story is predictable as far as the happily ever after goes but Garth was not the guy that I thought he was.

Favorite part...
There is a part in the book where Garth and Melissa have a fall out. He ends up drinking half a bottle of whiskey before his housekeeper Jess finds him in his study. And like any good drunk, he refuses to acknowledge his drunkenness, even if he just face planted on the floor.

"I am on the floor," he announced to Jess a moment later, "because I want to be. Please don't misinterpret what just occurred."