Even Better Than the Real Thing by Melanie Summers

 

Synopsis:

You know what’s great about applying for an art history PhD program at one of the world’s most prestigious universities? I get to study what I love and land my dream job at the end of it. You know what’s not so great? Being told I’ll only get accepted to the program if I gain access to my aloof, uppity, super grumpy boss’s private art collection.

As it turns out, said boss—a one Lord Hayden Stuart—needs to get married to inherit his late father’s estate and earldom. And if there’s one thing Hayden Stuart is never going to want for real—it’s a wife.

So, we strike up a deal: I marry him and go live at his castle, where I’ll have unlimited access to his collection, he gets his earldom, and when the estate is settled, we part ways forever.

Win-win, right?

Wrong.

I may have fooled myself into believing I wasn’t risking my heart, but there’s one huge problem: I’m definitely falling for him. He’s not just another man. He’s THE man—an irresistibly good-looking, in-control, expensive-suit-wearing man who makes all the other men look like little boys. And the more time I spend with him pretending to be his wife, the more desperate I become to believe the lie.

But he’s never going to fall for some lowly PhD student. So what if at the wedding he looked at me as if I’m the only woman in the world, and kissed me like he’s shipping off to war in the morning? It doesn’t mean anything.

Or does it?

Because the more we’re together, the more I realize that, even though we’re from totally different worlds, we have a lot more in common than I ever could have imagined.

Now all I have to do is convince him he really does want a wife…

Review:

Even Better Than the Real Thing was a nice, fun and sexy story story with all the feels.

I've read some of Melanie Summers' previous works and this is definitely hotter but still enjoyable.

Finley is an American woman who studies art and works in England, she needs access to the artistic treasures of Pemberton Hall for her PhD, the only obstacle is that the art collection is kept under lock and key. Hayden is the new Earl of Pemberton but he has to be married to keep the title, so when one of his employee asks to let her visit his manor he proposes a pretend wedding to solve both of their problems.

This is only the begin of their journey, will they honor the contract? Or will they fall in love for real?

I couldn't get enough of these characters and their fake dating plan to achieve their different goals.

Finley is a force of nature, her passion for art is contagious and I love when she lets her southern accent free. Hayden is a pretty closed up man, he is scared of love because of his not so joyful younth, but it was a pleasure to see him growing and to finally understand that he deserves to be happy and that he is also able to love and to be loved by the right woman.

I didn't think they were the best match for each other, coming from very different worlds, but I'm glad I was wrong, because they are cute together and they have a great physical chemistry.

The secondary characters were really fun too, I hope to see them again.

Release Date: 04.07.2022