(Review) The Marriage Contract

Title: The Marriage Contract
Author: Lisa Mondello
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Pub Date: 2011
Pages: 164 (print)

Source: I received an ebook from Bewitching book tours.

About the book:
What would you do to get a second chance at love? Sometimes fate needs a little helping hand…

When Ruthie Carvalho finds an old birthday card with a marriage proposal scribbled on the back, she figures she’s hit pay dirt and is destined to get her 35 year old daughter married.

The trouble is, Ruthie can’t stand Cara’s boyfriend and Cara is just stubborn enough to push in the opposite direction of what her mother wants.

When Devin Michaels gets a phone call from his old friend’s mom, he knows Ruthie is up to something. But he’s at a crossroad. It’s been 17 years since he’s seen Cara and memories of their soulful talks and walks on the beach make him long to reconnect.

Going back to the seaside town of Westport Massachusetts to reconnect with Cara seems like just the thing to do. One look at Cara and the years seem to melt away. With a little help and “creative” planning from Ruthie, can these old friends become lovers and have a second chance at happiness?

When I first saw this book being on tour at Bewitching Book Tours I knew I wanted to read it. I love the idea of the book and was looking forward to reading it and wondering what would happen.

Thanks to Bewitching Book Tours and Lisa Mondello.

I have to say that I read this book in one sitting which surprised me because I am currently having problems with my Kobo so I ended up having to read this book off my computer. Not something I would do all the time but seeing as this was a small book and it was a super quick read.

Cara Cavarlho and Devin Michaels were childhood friends. The discovered each other one summer when Devin was going through a difficult time. Nothing more became of this friendship because it didn’t feel right but I am sure had things were different it would have.

As they grew older they seemed to have lost touch and its not until Cara goes home to help her parents pack up the house that she stumbles across an old birthday card from her 18th birthday with a written promise saying that each other isn’t married by 35 that they should get married. Cara begins to remember all the fun they had.

Thankfully Cara’s meddling mother, Ruthie intervenes and contacts Devin telling him he should come back and that she is planning a surprise 35th birthday for Cara although what they don’t realize yet is that Ruthie is actually planning their wedding. Ruthie has always liked Devin and thinks he is the perfect man for her. She is hoping that bringing the two together that they will also realize it. Offering a helping hand of sorts.

Will Ruthie be able to pull it off? Will Cara and Devin realize how right they are for each other?

I loved how much they were able to fit into each others lives like no time has passed at all. There was no awkward moments. You could see how much they truly loved each other and I am such a romantic at heart and I was hoping that they would see how well they were for each other. I love hearing about stories like this so when I got the chance to read this I was super excited.

Wouldn’t it be great at times to get that second chance at love again with a long lost mate if you were able to? If you had the chance would you?

This is apparently the second book in the Fate with Helping Hand Series. Although I believe each one is a stand alone story.

The books in the series are:

• All I Want For Christmas is You
• The Marriage Contract
• The Knight and Maggie’s Baby

I am looking forward to reading more of Lisa Mondello’s books.