Maid for Love, The McCarthys of Gansett Island, Book 1 [Kindle Edition]

Marie Force (Author)

Book Description

The McCarthys of Gansett Island: Book 1

Maddie Chester is determined to leave her hometown of Gansett Island, a place that has brought her only bad memories and ugly rumors. Then she’s knocked off her bike on the way to her housekeeping job at McCarthy’s Resort Hotel by Gansett’s “favorite son,” Mac McCarthy. He’s back in town to help his father with preparations to sell the family resort and has no intention of staying long. When Mac accidentally sends Maddie flying over the handlebars, badly injuring her, he moves in to nurse her back to health and help care for her young son. He soon realizes his plans for a hit-and-run visit to the island are in serious jeopardy, and he just may be “maid” for love.

"With the McCarthy's of Gansett Island, Marie Force makes you believe in the power of true love and happily ever after. Over and over again." Carly Phillips, NY Times Bestselling Author of the Serendipity series.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Maid for Love was a charming beach read that had you believing in the HEA." —
- Joyfully Reviewed

From the Author

Author's Note
My favorite place in the world is Block Island, located twelve miles off the southern coast of Rhode Island. A tiny slip of land with a Great Salt Pond in the middle, Block Island is the place time forgot. You won't find a stop light on the island or a hospital. Internet connections are sketchy at best, and good luck finding a hotel room or a spot on the ferry for your car in the summer if you haven't planned months in advance. What you will find is peace and quiet and beaches and bluffs and quaint shops and a laidback atmosphere that soothes the soul.

The island has played an important role in my life from the time I was a small child arriving on my parents' boat, through a college romance and now as a favorite family vacation spot each summer. I've never been anywhere that inspires me more. Block Island pops up often in my books, so I suppose it was only a matter of time before I made up my own version of the island and set a series there. Thus Gansett Island and the McCarthy Family were born. "Gansett" is a tip of the hat to Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay, one of my favorite places to spend a summer day.

Maid for Love is the first book in the series. Fool for Love comes next then Ready for Love, Falling for Love, Hoping for Love and Season for Love, with much more coming from Gansett Island.

Welcome to Gansett Island! I so hope you enjoy Mac and Maddie's story. Stay tuned at the end for a sneak peek at Joe and Janey's story, Fool for Love.
xoxo
Marie

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 419 KB
• Print Length: 264 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: HTJB, Inc. (April 28, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004YKZIGI
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #269 Free in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Free in Kindle Store)
  • #15 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Women's Fiction
  • #69 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Romance > Contemporary

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

168 of 174 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Pure Prince Charming Fantasy June 16, 2011

By T. Wheaton TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Kindle Edition

This is one of those books that I really think that you have to read with either a) a fair amount of disbelief suspended or b)you just love the romance fantasy of a basic Cinderella story.

Mac McCarthy is from a wealthy family who are well known and liked on a small New England island.

Maddie Chester lives on the same island but is of a decidedly less golden family. She was tormented in high school for developing early. And one lie by one guy resulted in a tarnished reputation that followed her into adulthood. She is either ignored or shunned by most of the townspeople, her mother is in jail and she is given the worst of the clean up jobs as the maid in the inn Mac's family owns.

When Mac comes back home for an enforced vacation, he bumps into Maddie precipitating an accident that results in Maddie's bike (her lone transportation) getting destroyed and causing her injury.

Mac wants to make it right so he decides he is going to help Maddie out while she is recovering.

The set up is fine. The writing is good and the storytelling flows quickly and easily. This is one of those contemporary romances that just goes down smoothly and is tailor made for a light summer read.

My issues, and why I can't give this more than 3-stars, has to do with credulity. I know many readers will be perfectly fine with the swiftness of the romance and the way Mac swoops in and makes everything just right for Maddy in a matter of weeks. That's fine. That is where the fantasy part of the romance comes in. For a lot of romance readers this is catnip and this book would be right up their alley.

I am not one of them though. I like a little more grit sometimes with my books. I like Marie Force's writing style and I like the bones of story if not necessarily all the meat of it. I also just can't get past the super sticky sweetness of some of it or my skepticism at the trajectory of the romance.

Mac is a long-time confirmed bachelor who really has no desire to be back home. Yet he bumps into Maddie, takes her home, cleans her up, moves into her house, takes care of her kid, takes over her cleaning shift at the inn, and takes over her duties as a day care helper. And this is all just within the first day he gets back home. Within the first week he and Maddie are madly in love and within weeks after that he has completely restored her tarnished reputation.

This is pure Prince Charming fantasy. It works on some levels and on others it simply doesn't.

I heartily recommend it for readers who really like that in their stories.

Other readers however, if you don't like love-at-first sight stories or want a it more meat with your stories this one may not work completely for you.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great start to a new Marie Force series April 30, 2011

By nyy13girl

Format:Kindle Edition

Maid for love is the 1st book of a new Marie Force series.. its a wonderful start.. Mac (a big "bad" McCarthy) is finally coming home for a must needed vacation (medical reason).. not in town 30 mins when he steps off the curb into oncoming bike traffic, Maddie is a single mother from the "wrongside of the street" according to the rest of the town.. she has been made fun of since high school for "early development".. Mac makes Maddie fall off her bike and she is hurt very badly. unable to work, or take care of her son, Mac steps in and takes charge in every area of her life..

I have read all of Marie Force's books available on Kindle and i have to tell you that this is a great start. I can't wait for the next one with Joe and Janey.. I laughed, I got teary, and of course couldn't wait to see if she was willing to let someone in her life.. Great Job Marie Force!!!

43 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I Read Through Work May 6, 2011

By Kristina Davis

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Oh dear... Having access to my Kindle ap through my iPhone doesn't do me any favors. While I was supposed to be working, I instead took an extra long lunch break to finish up Maid for Love! I first got started on Marie Force from Love at First Flight. I was SO happy to hear she self-published a few more books because I felt she wasn't writing fast enough!

Maid for Love was a wonderful story that I adored. There were some clichéd moments but every-time I was about to sigh and think it was typical, she took the story in another way and made me smile instead.

I can't wait for the next two. Marie Force has jumped to the top of my auto-buy list!