365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #117

The Forced Marriage - Sara Craven
Mills and Boon Modern, 2002
Reprinted in 'His Wife, His Revenge' Mills and Boon Special Releases
Harlequin Mills and Boon, 2008
ISBN: 9780263869019


My rating





From the back cover:

"Possessed by her husband!
Powerful Italian Marco Valante was used to taking what he wanted -- and he wouldn't let a little thing like Flora's engagement stand in the way! Flora had been trying to convince herself she was happy with her steady fiance, but her head hadn't stopped spinning since she'd literally bumped into Marco!
The sexy tycoon wasted no time in whisking her away to his villa -- for privacy, passion and a surprise marriage proposal. Marco was determined to marry Flora before she could discover their accidental meeting hadn't been quite so innocent..."


Sara Craven is one of the authors I have read most in this challenge so far. I have really grown to like her books a lot and this one is another really great book.

The heroine Flora is on the verge if getting married when she meets the hero Marco, after he saves her from an attempted mugging. Flora is awkward and tense around Marco's very obvious flattery and attentions, and she tries to ignore his advances. However when she becomes frustrated over the lack of affection from her fiancé she agrees to have dinner with Marco. The attraction between them is fierce and Marco seduces her, showing her what she had been missing. She knows she has to end her engagement but this is taken out of her hands when Marco takes her away for the weekend to the same hotel her fiancé is staying at. Flora is left feeling unsure of herself after her fiancé's lack of care about her betrayal and scorn from her family over her actions. But when Marco takes her to his home in Italy she is whisked into paradise and begins to fall in love with him. However all this comes crashing down around her when she learns that she was a pawn in a revenge act and discovers she is pregnant.

This is a fantastic book, which I think has it all; deception, hurt, passion, regret etc. Sara Craven is really a master when it comes to writing a traditional Modern book. The writing in this book is flawless, and really sets the mood perfectly. Flora is a great female character and she is very believable . There are a lot of elements of mystery to this book and it keeps you guessing about what will happen next.
I do think this would have benefited by including Marco's point of view, instead of just Flora's.

This is a really great book, definitely recommended.