The Temporary Wife by Catherina Maura is a contemporary marriage-of-convenience romance book. It is the second book of her Windsors series. The story follows Luca and Valentina, who have worked together for eight years and entered a contract marriage. These characters were introduced in the first book, The Wrong Bride, and their arc in that story definitely piqued my curiosity.
Luca and Valentina have been working together for almost eight years; Luca is very demanding with his expectations but fair. He reluctantly agrees for Valentina to be his secretary in the beginning because his grandmother insists. They have been somewhat on shaky ground; Valentina knows that he was forced to work with her. She has more than proven herself, but there are still some concerns. Luca and Valentina have great chemistry as they have worked closely for years, but at a wedding, things take a different turn. Luca is downright mean to Valentina, even though it was both of them that got carried away. Just a few days later, Luca’s marriage is arranged to another girl, and Valentina decides to quit. Luca doesn’t want her to leave.
Through some incidents, Valentina and Luca end up in a contract marriage with some ground rules. Their close proximity and attraction reach their peak after their marriage. They know each other well enough, and there has always been a lingering tension between them. Valentina constantly doubts Luca’s intentions and, in general, pushes people away. Once her past unfolds, you understand where she is coming from, and it is relatable. Luca schemes to make Valentina his wife; he is taken with her, and the thought of her leaving spurs him into action. Once they get married, though, there is a complete change in his behavior. He is more relaxed with her, attentive, and patient. He understands the scars from her past, and when she shuts him out, he remains patient. Their romance is cute and satisfying because it kind of has the enemies to lovers romance vibe in the beginning.
This story explores a lot about how childhood scars affect the adult you, especially in Valentina’s case. She doesn’t believe she is good enough, and no one will stick around because that’s what she has heard from her family. Although her mother’s words stem from her own issues, it is something that drastically affected Valentina. Luca holds his cards close to his chest. There is a clear distinction between how he treats Valentina and others; his soft side is reserved for her. Even when things get tough, he tries to hold on to both of them. I understand the conflict between Luca and Valentina towards the end; it makes sense for their story, but what his grandmother does is a bit much.
Overall, I enjoyed reading The Temporary Wife by Catherina Maura. I loved the development of Luca’s character, and he redeems himself. This element was a little lacking in the previous book. I loved how Valentina and Luca grew as people together, learning to accept their pasts and understand their worth. The story could have been a little shorter; it felt dragged out in the last couple of chapters. I enjoyed reading the story. I loved reading this romance book.
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