Cathy Maxwell writes clever, engaging romances that find the many answers to the question, "Why do people fall in love?" In The Marriage Contract, she journeys to 19th-century Scotland, where an unexpected marriage thrusts two strong-willed people into the fiery depths of passion. When Anne Burnett is forced into a proxy marriage with Aidan Black, a dashing Scottish laird with a reputation for unpredictability, traveling to the wilds of Scotland to meet him is only a small concern. Her biggest worry is how to inform her new husband that he is married. Falling in love with his castle and the fierce loyalty Aidan inspires in his people, Anne finds her greatest challenge is yet to come; somehow she must find her way past her husband's proud exterior and convince him to consummate their marriage. Virginia Leishman's captivating performance of this sweeping love story captures every breathless insight into the mysterious wonders of love.
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"A pleasant surprise! Maxwell makes characters with distinct voices, and the plot was interesting. I found no grammatical errors. The eye-roll romance moments were kept to a minimum."
— Jenny (4 out of 5 stars)
" I gave 4 stars. I did enjoy this book. I would recommend. I may read again in the future. "
— Crystal, 11/16/2013" I didn't finish this book. "
— Loretta, 12/28/2012" I'm never fond of books that are written where everything falls into place. As much as I wanted to love this book I found it unrealistic and a tad too long. "
— Johanna, 7/15/2012" I just wanted to read something fluffy that I didn't have to pay that close attention too. It was extremely predictable, but good enough for a quick read. "
— Isabelle, 6/26/2011" A nice romance. "
— Gena, 6/19/2011" I read this book and then I read it again. Of course I didn't figure this out until about page 280 the second time around. I generally don't try and reread. Too many books and so little time. Must be a plot line I enjoy. "
— Jennifer, 3/22/2010" Very fun read. I love to laugh when I read a good romance and this one is certainly fun. "
— Tracee, 3/7/2010" Good book. Liked the characters. Some of the plot was extrenuous but all in all a good read. "
— Gardavson, 6/22/2009" Not exactly a page turner but a comfortable read. Totally engaged until the ending when the reunion with three friends threw me especially since I read the book as a standalone and not in the order of the series. "
— Cherry-Ann, 3/8/2009" This book started out great, but the second half just felt forced. It was like Ms. Maxwell was following a over-dramatic plot checklist. "
— Krista, 12/18/2007Cathy Maxwell is a New York Times bestselling author whose résumé includes years as a naval officer, news broadcaster, and costume designer for theater productions. These days, she spends hours in front of her computer pondering the question, Why do people fall in love? It remains for her the great mystery of life and the secret to happiness.
Virginia Leishman successfully revived The Railway Children and other titles by E. Nesbit. She parses phrases carefully for nuance, and flavors dialogue with personality and spontaneity, as exemplified in her rendition of A. S. Byatt’s Possession. She has earned three AudioFile Earphones Awards.