A stand alone read with a HEA. This is a modern take on the Victorian story where the Daddy sells the daughter to the highest bidder to pay off all his debts and restore the plantation to its former glory. Or set it in England and it would be to restore the mansion, etc. So that is the basis for the story. But we are in modern times with cell phones, etc. so it is a little bit over the top. The heroine is the only child of a very wealthy family. She discovers upon her return from a summer in Europe that her dad wants her to pretend to be dating a businessman's son. Their home, business, etc. is about to go into bankruptcy unless they can get some ready capital to save it. The businessman has the money to save them but he has conditions, he wants the heroine to pretend to be dating his son so that she can bring his fledgling reputation back up to societies standards. She agrees to do it to save her family home, parents and their lavish lifestyle.There is one small snag. While in Europe she falls in love with a fellow that is on a lower cash flow level than her family. He is smart enough to know that there can be big problems if he is unable to keep her in the style to which she has become accustom. So, even though he has fallen for her he is moving very slow. She on the other hand is ready to jump him but since he has rejected her overtures she feels he doesn't want her.He shows up at her business as a newly hired bartender and discovers that she is suddenly engaged. All heck breaks loose when the heroine discovers a rat in the woodpile. Someone is embezzling funds from the family business and that is why they are in such trouble. This story has a bit of mystery tied in with the romance. On the sex scale it would be ZERO. Any age group can read this story. There is romance but nothing more.One reviewer thought that his excuse for not pursuing the heiress was lame but I have to disagree. His parents were in the same situation when they were young. The mother's family had money and she fell for a carpenter. Unfortunately she did like her lifestyle a bit too much and when he couldn't provide it and arguing became the norm, they divorced. I can see where the hero would have a problem jumping into a relationship with a rich girl that he could never match funds with.SPOILER...I rather enjoyed the ending. I thought the characters that deserved to get it in spades, got it! You do the crime, you do the time. I was surprised because usually in fiction even the bad guys get away with everything. So Daddy dearest won't be gambling any time soon. I'm glad that both dad's got what was coming to them. I have a feeling Grant went back to the wife now that dad is out of the picture for a bit. Grant was a bit of a disappointment. A grown man that lets his dad control his life because he holds the purse strings. Also, one reviewer thought that the heroine lost everything she held dear! I saw her as unloading a lot of "things" that she really needed to get over. A house makes a bad bed partner! So, I didn't have any problem with that. But, to each his own.I was not paid for this review. I am not an author nor do I know one. I am not kin to this writer. I am a reader and this is my opinion, nothing more, nothing less. 90/20/17
