The Most Wanted Bachelor
Grade : C+

"It was difficult to conduct a sparkling, seductive interaction while both parties carefully hoarded their secrets, guarding every word to prevent giving too much away."

This sentiment describes my feelings throughout the first part of reading The Most Wanted Bachelor - although I liked the story overall, it was difficult to quickly warm up to a heroine who had ulterior motives for much of the book, or for a hero who was so guarded.

Kathryn Jordan wants to marry Daniel Sellington - period. He's got money, lots of it, and when Daniel's father Edward's actions caused her family to lose their money, the Jordans were ruined, and Kathryn lost a brother to the poison that came with hard, unsafe work. With money comes security, power, and justice, Kathryn figures, not to mention being able to free her family from their current circumstances.

Lucky for her, fate is on her side: she is tipped off by a reporter that Daniel is about to leave Denver and manages to get herself in the same coach as the reporter - who happens to be none other than Sellington himself. He is instantly taken with her, and a convenient robbery leaves them with only each other for company.

Daniel wants none of the money he has inherited - he doesn't even call himself Daniel Sellington, and as Daniel Hall, he is busy trying to figure out ways to be rid of his fortune. Unfortunately, every charity company he starts makes a profit and now Daniel is richer than he was when he was first given the money. He thinks he has found, at last, in Kathryn, a woman who wants him for who he is, not for his name or the money. Little does he know that she rifles through his belongings while he is asleep.

However, as I said, fate is on Kathryn's side, and they marry early in the book. Kathryn has achieved her goal and married Daniel, but soon discovers to her horror that her new husband is eager to do away with his riches; Daniel can't bring himself to tell his wife the whole truth about Edward Sellington. In turn, Kathryn's worst fears are realized when Daniel discovers that she has known his true identity from the very beginning.

As heroines go, Kathryn rates a 10 in the luck and determination (and looks) departments. However, she takes an either/or approach to some situations: she rails against the working conditions that killed her brother, but also criticizes Daniel for making the working conditions at his own smelter much better and the wages much higher. After Kathryn's deception is revealed, she nonetheless tries to seduce Daniel, telling him "don't you at least want to take what joy you can from this marriage?" - and it seems to confirm Daniel's assessment of his wife as a cold, calculating woman.

Daniel flounders about a little for the first part of the book. He is good and honorable, but considering what we know of Kathryn's plans, it's dismaying to see him jump at the chance to kiss her, make love with her, marry her. He is determined to get rid of his more than 40 million dollars, but I hoped for a more effective plan than leaving little bags of money here and there, and setting up companies he expects to run into the ground shortly. He means well, though, is never cruel to Kathryn, and is even kind to her family after he wants nothing to do with her.

The sexual tension and love scenes here are pretty hot, even though both hero and heroine are virgins when they meet. Although the marriage does take place early on, it is not until the last third of the book that Daniel and Kathryn are truly dealing with each other, without facades to hamper their relationship - and I wished for more of this interaction. If you're new to Ms. Law's books, I would recommend you try The Last Man in Town.

Reviewed by Claudia Terrones
Grade : C+

Sensuality: Hot

Review Date : July 4, 2000

Publication Date: 2000

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Claudia Terrones

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