Victoria Chancellor, Coming Home to Texas

Coming Home to Texas

Victoria Chancellor

Harlequin American, Sep 2004, $4.99, 251 pp.

ISBN: 0373750390

Plus size model Jodie Marsh arrives at the home of architect Travis Whitaker in Ranger Springs, Texas with news that she is pregnant with his child. Though a bit shocked, Travis handles the news quite well as to what their two-and-a-half-day blind date in Monte Carlo ended up with. Jodie explains that she has just signed a contract as the "girl next door" model that has a morality clause in it. An unwed mother would nullify the contract so she wants Travis to marry her in a marriage of convenience.

Travis is reluctant to wed, but agrees to do so only if Jodie agrees to try to make their relationship work in a real marriage. As they live as husband and wife expecting their first child, the couple falls in love with one another, but both fears admitting the truth to their partner.

Contemporary romance readers will enjoy this fine tale that turns the marriage of convenience upside down as the couple, especially the hunk, wants to make it real. The storyline is fun to follow as the athletic Jodie does not allow her size 14-16 to interfere with her gusto for life. Although the relationship between the lead couple seems too ideal, considering its start, fans will be pleased with this quality novel.

Harriet Klausner