25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Wild on Books!, October 15, 2008
This review is from: The Man Must Marry (Mass Market Paperback)
Sam Sinclair and his two brothers don't know what to think. Abram, Sam's eighty-five year old grandfather, has been missing for weeks. Unable to track the wily man down, Sam is surprised and admittedly curious when he is told a proxy is coming in his grandfather's place to vote for a new CEO at a Tidewater International board meeting. Sam isn't all that worried, after all, he can pretty much hold his own with anyone. However, this is where Sam's thinking gets completely discombobulated. It seems that Abram has sent a woman as his proxy and not just any woman. He has sent Willamina Kent in all her glory; torn stockings and all.
Willamina Kent guards her heart diligently. When Abram asks her to go to a board meeting in his stead, she knows what the old man is doing and while she is scared to death and ridiculously clumsy at times, she honors his wishes. Coming face to face with Abram's grandson Sam makes her heart beat faster but Willa refuses to allow it to interfere with what she has promised her friend. No matter what Sam says or what he makes her feel.
Sam and Willa work diligently at trying to find a loophole in his grandfather's will. While Sam isn't against following his grandsire's wishes, Willa refuses to even think about settling down with him. When an accident happens and Willa receives surprising information, she knows that the time for a decision is now. Her fear of rejection is immense and it will take a small miracle to get Willa to admit what her heart has been telling her all along.
In THE MAN MUST MARRY, Sam and Willa are like oil and water - at first. By the time the book ends they are more like a delicately blended dressing. Sam makes my heart race at his first sighting of Willa. Even seeing her at her worst, Sam finds something about this enigmatic and scared woman that he likes and treats her with respect. Her little `issues', for want of a better word, makes Sam smile more than once and when this happened, I knew he was the man for Willa. Willa's character is complex. More than once I could feel her waffling between wanting forever with Sam and wanting to be alone. Her grief and guilt over a past mistake underscores every relationship she struggled to have since her divorce. Her unwillingness to allow Sam into her life and heart made me lose my breath more than once. Some say love is a miracle and that is what it takes for Willamina Kent to finally realize that she deserves forever. And not just forever alone - she deserves forever with Sam Sinclair.
Janet Chapman is known for her historical romances. I am happy to state that she is as talented as a contemporary romance author as she is as a historical one. More than once I laughed out loud at the clumsiness and chaos that was Willamina Kent. Her bravery in the face of following Abrams wishes brought more than once tear to my eye.
I am hooked! Grab a pole and reel me in because I am officially in need of the second installment of this new series. THE MAN MUST MARRY just whetted my appetite for more. The Sinclair Brothers are luscious and I am on pins and needles waiting on the next book! ***Natalie S. for Wild on Books***
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Must Read, November 11, 2008
This review is from: The Man Must Marry (Mass Market Paperback)
I was unsure if I was going to like this book. The only reason I picked it up because I love Janet Chapman. But I was so wrong. I could not seem to book the book down. I tried to force myself to read it slower, knowing that it would be a day or so before I would find time to go out and get something else to read. But I still finished it early. Another great book, Janet!!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Ok story but almost too sweet. Rich handsome guy falls for dowdy, accident-prone small town girl., July 18, 2009
This review is from: The Man Must Marry (Mass Market Paperback)
STORY BRIEF:
Abram built a shipping empire. He is dying and went to a small coastal town in Maine to spend his last days. He met Willa who owns a casket making company. He wants Willa to marry one of his grandsons, for her benefit and for their benefit. His three grandsons lost their parents at an early age and were raised by Abram. The three grandsons are confirmed bachelors. Abram retired and gave Willa his proxy to vote to choose one of them as his successor. Willa traveled to and attended the board meeting in New York City as a favor to Abram. For some reason, Sam (one of the grandsons) is nearby to see and help her survive accidents such as getting her purse caught in the elevator door, getting locked out of her hotel room, etc. Willa is suffering guilt over some things in her life. She doesn't live a normal life due to guilt, and she's a bit whiny.
REVIEWER'S OPINION:
This was a pleasant romance novel, but there was nothing new or different enough to make it stand out from the rest. I think Sam fell in love with Willa too soon and too easily. He dated a number of women over the years for no more than a few months each. I didn't understand how he "fell in love at first sight" with a dowdy, unsophisticated, accident prone woman. I would have preferred watching things happen between them for awhile before he fell in love.
Minor irritation (publisher's fault): Sam has hair on his chest. The guy on the cover does not.
DATA:
Story length: 340 pages. Swearing language: moderate to strong. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 2. Total number of sex scene pages: 9. Setting: current day New York City, Keelstone Cove, Maine, and sailing in the Atlantic. Copyright: 2008. Genre: contemporary romance.
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