About the Book
Author: Chautona Havig
Genre: Christian Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 28, 2020
When Richard Danforth inherits the family estate on Merriweather Island, he doesn’t have time to deal with it—especially not from halfway across the globe. He’s too busy working to become the world’s newest billionaire and avoiding the women who would detract him from his goals.
Enter Lyla Santana. Fresh out of Oxford University with a degree in antiques and a relationship that nearly killed her to leave, she’s eager for the isolation and treasure trove that is Danforth Hall. Lyla also is determined to avoid men at all costs. Forever.
It was supposed to be a match made on paper. With him halfway across the globe, they’d never have to see each other again.
So, what’s Richard doing on Merriweather just weeks after the wedding? And how will his arrival test Lyla’s faith, not to mention stretch their so-called relationship?
In a twist on billionaire romance and marriage of convenience, this “Merriweather book” kicks off a new series featuring five islands, six authors, and a boatload of happily-ever-afters.
The Independence Island Series: beach reads aren’t just for summer anymore.
Click here to get your copy!
This is my first book by Chautona Havig and I enjoyed it. This book is part of a series written by multiple authors but I don't think they will follow each other. The setting made this book a perfect beach read as it is on the coast of Georgia.
I will admit that I was a bit confused at the beginning of the story as it started with a character named Mallory who owns a mobile bookstore. At first I thought the story was going to be about her as most stories begin with one of the main characters but this one did not. After a little bit of research I found out that Mallory is part of Chautona Havig's prequel to this story Christmas on Breaker's Point, which if you want to know more about her I recommend reading that first.
Our main characters are actually Lyla and Richard. This story is definitely one of my favorite tropes which is marriage of convenience. Lyla comes to the island to manage and catalog the belongings of Richard Danforth's estate which he just inherited. Lyla has sad past when it comes to relationships and doesn't trust men easily. She makes sure she keeps her relationships with males strictly professional and although she is not super successful she tries to keep Richard at arms length. Richard is in Azadi and wants to focus on becoming a successful businessman. Through their conversations he proposes a business agreement to get married and be married on paper only, which worked great until things go sour in Azadi and he has to return home. Home being Merriweather Island. This is when things start getting super tricky as both him and Lyla realize without letting each other know that they are falling for each other.
There are some things I really loved about this book. I love the friendship that Mallory and Lyla have. Mallory is almost like the mama bear of the friendship guiding and advising Lyla on what she should do regarding Richard. The banter between Lyla and Richard is sweet and comical. Mallory not only helps Lyla see what she is missing out on, but also helps Richard out when he needs a voice of reason. Mallory is definitely a key character and I hope we see her in the future and she gets her own happy ending story!
The spiritual elements are there but not in an overpowering way. It is a story of redemption and letting go of fears especially for Lyla. It's the perfect read for any day especially if you are heading to the beach!
My Rating: 3 stars /Liked it
Favorite Quotes:
"All Christians should live in such a way that anyone can trust that the Lord is working through them. He lives in their hearts, does His work in them. So when our lives are fixed on Him, how can we live in such a way as not to be trusted? He can be trusted."
(I received a copy of this book through Celebrate Lit Tour. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
About the Author
More from Chautona
Did I Really Agree to Write a Romance Series?
When my fledgling little idea for a single book transformed into a series that then transformed into a SERIES, I kind of missed the part where I agreed (and likely suggested, if truth be told), that the books should be contemporary romance.I mean, beach reads. Romance. Duh.
There’s just one problem? I rarely write a straight-up romance. And if I do, it’s usually a short novella in a collection—often at Christmas.
Why?
Isn’t it obvious?
Despite nine kids and being married for almost thirty-two years, I am THE most unromantic woman on the planet. No habla amor. Or something like that.
So there I was, toodling down the 395 (a treacherous bit of road between my house and the publisher’s) when all of what I’d agreed to exploded in my brain. I’m still scraping brain matter off the windshield and trying to stuff it back in. I need every last one of those “little gray cells,” thank-you-very-much!
Romance. My heart sank. Boy meets girl. They like each other. They fight. They get back together. They live happily ever after.
It’s a thing, folks. A formula. And if you deviate, true romance readers get annoyed. What was I going to do? I didn’t want to write romance. Not really. I had ideas. The prequel book had been all about trying to bring a young woman back to the Lord. That’s more my speed, okay?
The wheels began churning.
The ones in my head, I mean. The tires still rolled along the ground. Fortunately, my cranial explosion hadn’t caused an accident or anything. Just in case you were curious.I considered making each one loosely related to a fairy tale retelling. I’d have a Cinderella story, a Beauty and the Beast, a… nope. That made it that far and I just couldn’t. The minute we got to Sleeping Beauty, I’d have my readers in comas. No. Thanks.
Next came Rom-com. We’d make it funny. All the stuff that happens in beach romances gone wrong. Why not? We live once!
I was yawning before the thought finished forming.
Right about then, I think, is when I wondered what kind of tropes I needed to consider.
See, romance tropes are a thing. I even talk about them on my podcast. The tingling sensation that comes when a good idea is brewing happened. A grin formed.
Tropes. I’d play with tropes. I’d take all those familiar things and twist them somehow. Why not? It would be fun.
And it was.
Right about then is probably when I began recording my ideas. Creosote and sage whizzed past at breakneck speeds (let me dream. I’m not a speed demon, but c’mon… for the sake of poetic license and all?). And the ideas whizzed faster (no license needed. They really did).Book 1. Marriage of convenience. I mean, those are always fun, right? So why on earth would someone need to get married?
Every idea I came up with has been done… and done again.
That’s when I upped the stakes. Authors do that, you know. We come up with a way to torment our characters, and then we say, “Okay, now how can I make this worse? Nope, I need it even worse. Oh, and…” Bam! The story goes from interesting to can’t-put-it-down. All because we’re not afraid to be cruel to non-existent people. Score!
How’d I do it with this one? I added in another trope. One I personally just can’t “get.” People love the things, and I’ve got no idea why. But it answered my first question of why someone might need a marriage of convenience or… as my gal puts it… “a paper marriage.”
My guy became the world’s newest billionaire.
Yep, you read that right. I wrote a “billionaire romance.” Sort of. Now, if I could figure out how on earth I’d take two people on opposite sides of the world and get them together.
*insert hands rubbing together in fiendish delight*
Oh, yeah. I did it. And even more than that, I love it. I made my characters do some stupid things. I really did (you know, like how two Christians didn’t even pray about their marriage decision? Like how they didn’t even ask if the other person was saved? Why should they? They’ll never see each other again… they said. Ha! The Lord had other ideas. Sorta. This is fiction, right? Oops! I suddenly feel like that crazy Kathy Morningside in Miss Congeniality).
From Adelanto to Kramer Jct., I planned out that first book—Dual Power of Convenience.
(the title gives away that reason for marrying, no? Also, links may be affiliate links that provide a small commission at no extra expense to you.)It was almost too easy.
Then I started playing with the next ones, and the series became a reality to me.
– Dual Power of Convenience—when a woman too afraid of men goes to work for a man who is too busy making money to want anything to do with that whole marriage and family thing.
– Bookers on the Rocks— This couple’s marriage is on the rocks (that’s the trope, of course), and neither of them has a clue. They’ve been married for twenty-five years, neither is having an affair, no one wants a divorce, life is good, so why is it on the rocks? You’ll see…
– Directing Hearts— The Crawforths got tricked into allowing a reality matchmaking show film on their islands. Brooks Crawforth tangles with the director until their verbal battles turn into a different kind—a battle for their hearts (enemies to “lovers”)
– Just a Memory— In this one, Mallory Barrows (who makes appearances in all of the books) comes across an old journal that tells a story she’d never heard. It’s the old Patti Paige song “Go On with the Wedding” but over forty years later! Mallory knows something that might just create a (here comes the trope) second chance at romance.
-Printed on Her Heart— After being instrumental in so many couples’ relationships, it’s Mallory’s turn in this dual-trope story. In this one, we get a mashup of friends to more and love at first sight. Can’t wait to share it. Squee!
Okay, that’s the deal. Yes, I really did agree to write a romance series.
And yes, it probably was my idea.I might deny it to my dying day, but it is also a whole lot of fun… so far.
Blog Stops
Texas Book-aholic, August 5
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, August 5
Inklings and notions, August 6
lakesidelivingsite, August 6
deb’s Book Review, August 6
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, August 7
Rebekah Jones, Author, August 7
For Him and My Family, August 7
Artistic Nobody, August 8 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, August 8
Locks, Hooks and Books, August 9
Ashley’s Bookshelf, August 9
21st Century Keeper at Home, August 9
She Lives To Read, August 10
Simple Harvest Reads, August 10 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)
Abba’s Prayer Warrior Princess, August 11
Adventures of a Traverlers wife, August 11
Emily Yager, August 12
Stories By Gina, August 12
CarpeDiem, August 12
cultivating us, August 13
Connect in Fiction, August 13
Livin’ Lit, August 13
Read Review Rejoice, August 14
Quiet Workings, August 14
Blossoms and Blessings, August 14
Just Your Average reviews, August 15
Rebekah Reads, August 15
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, August 15
Lis Loves Reading, August 16
The Meanderings of a Bookworm, August 16
Splashes of Joy, August 16
Pause for Tales, August 17
Captive Dreams Window, August 17
Spoken from the Heart, August 17
Lots of Helpers, August 18
Book Bites, Bee Stings, & Butterfly Kisses, August 18
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