The Wife Trap [Mass Market Paperback]

Jeannette Brantford caused a huge scandal with her twin sister Violet in England when they traded places after Jeannette refused to marry Adrian Winter. Violet and Adrian are now very happily married but Jeannette has been sent to Ireland to wait out the scandal. Along the way her coach becomes stuck in the mud and Darragh O'Brien comes to the rescue.

Jeannette thinks Darragh is very handsome, but he is rude and certainly no gentleman. Jeannette has no intention of fraternizing with any one she believes to be below her station. Also, she fled her engagement to Adrian because she thought herself in love with another man, but she was crushed when he dumped her. Jeannette now intends to marry for money and title.

Darragh finds the beautiful Jeannette intriguing. Although they continually spar with each other, they are also secretly very attracted to each other. Nothing can come of their affections though, because they are from two very different worlds. Even a few stolen kisses can't change who they are and what they want. After being caught in a compromising position, Darragh and Jeannette are forced to marry. Darragh is really a titled Earl but he keeps his status a secret from Jeannette because he wants her to love him, not his money. As time goes by Darragh worries though, that asking Jeannette to love him without giving her the possessions she desires may be too much to ask of his wife.

The Wife Trap left me with mixed feelings. Although I think the storyline is clever, try as I might, I cannot understand what Darragh sees in Jeannette. Darragh is roguishly handsome, charming and witty but Jeannette is rude, snobbish and nasty. I adored Darragh but I whole-heartedly disliked Jeannette. She has no redeeming qualities whatsoever and she does not deserve a man as good as Darragh. In my opinion, Darragh is truly trapped with Jeannette as his wife. With the exception of Jeannette, The Wife Trap has all the makings of a wonderful romance. Unfortunately though, Jeannette is with Darragh and therefore the book lost its appeal for me.

Nannette

Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

This book was a real page turner. I read the entire trilogy in 3 days. 1 each day! I love the way that Tracy Warren describest the settings and the characters. Great Book!!!!!

Jeanette Brantford did not want to get married and talked her twin sister, Violet, into taking her place as the bride for what should have been her own wedding. Once the deception was discovered, as punishment, Jeanette's parents banished her from England to stay with her elderly cousins in Ireland. She's just sure that she'll wither away to nothing. Even her maid has abandoned Jeanette in her time of need. Rather than accompany her into exile in the wilderness of Ireland, Jacobs sought employment elsewhere.

Irishman Darragh O'Brien is no commoner. He's the eleventh Earl of Mulholland. Instead of marrying for money he chose to labor as an architect in order to restore his family estate and support his mother and siblings. Of course, Jeanette isn't aware of his gentry status, and he fully intends to use that fact to learn is she has true feelings for him.

Jeanette thought that being exiled to Ireland was the worst thing that had ever happened to her - until she met Darragh. This baseborn man insults her, has the audacity to laugh at her, and horror of all horrors, he has absolutely no respect for her station in life. He also intrigues and excites her like no other man. Of course, her being the highborn lady that she is, Jeanette could never marry such a commoner. Indulging in a little harmless flirting, heated looks, and stolen kisses should satisfy her fascination with him. It is Darragh's own fault that her every waking thought is consumed with either him or returning to England. After all, it is his workmen that awaken her every morning at the unholy hour of six with their work on Jeanette's cousins' home. It may be perfectly acceptable to these uncouth people but Jeanette is a lady of refinement and must both maintain her normal schedule and get the proper amount of sleep. Politely asking Darragh to have his crew start work a little later in the day was just as politely refused. Darragh sees Jeanette for the selfish, self-indulgent woman she's always accepted as her right and he's having none of it. It's a battle of wills that will have him alternately wanting to strangle or kiss her.

THE WIFE TRAP is the second book in Tracy Anne Warren's back-to back trilogy which also consists of THE HUSBAND TRAP and THE WEDDING TRAP. In a nutshell, these books are simply delightful. Each one can be read separately but they do have interconnecting characters so reading all three books really does make it more fun. I couldn't help but smile my way through the pages of THE WIFE TRAP, Jeanette's self indulgent pity party is just too funny to resist. She's so convinced everything important in life is in England and revolves around her place in society that it's simply delightful to imagine Darragh not cave into her demands and not allow her to get away with her childish stunts.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)