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    Wife for Hire
    Wife for Hire
    Wife for Hire
    Audiobook5 hours

    Wife for Hire

    Written by Janet Evanovich

    Narrated by C. J. Critt

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Hank Mallone knows he's in trouble when Maggie Toone agrees to pretend to be his wife in order to improve his rogue's reputation. Will his harebrained scheme to get a bank loan for his business backfire once Maggie arrives in his small Vermont town and lets the gossips take a look?

    Maggie never expected her employer to be drop-dead handsome, but she's too intrigued by his offer to say no . . . and too eager to escape a life that made her feel trapped. The deal is strictly business, both agree, until Hank turns out to be every fantasy she ever had.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateOct 30, 2007
    ISBN9780061581991
    Wife for Hire
    Author

    Janet Evanovich

    Over the last twenty-six years, Janet Evanovich has written a staggering forty-five New York Times bestsellers. In addition to her #1 bestselling Stephanie Plum novels and many other popular books, Janet is the author of The Recovery Agent, the start of a blockbuster new series. 

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    Reviews for Wife for Hire

    3.5/5

    293 ratings28 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Super book!! Listen to this as soon as possible, you will be hooked!!
    • 5/5
      Love the story. Fun and entertaining -totally enjoyable. Recommend
    • 4/5
      Loved the book, could not stand the musical inserts added to the narrative.. why are they even part of the book? Very distracting from the story!
    • 4/5
      Much humour. Had many good laughs, particularly in the beginning and the middle part of the book.
    • 4/5
      I liked iT. Funny dialogues, nice characters. But I would like it if the women for once didn’t start off as the ‘losers’ of the town.
    • 4/5
      This was a good book, I didn’t care for the music after each chapter.
    • 5/5
      Absolutely love reading all of these books by Janet! Light reads that make you laugh and fall absolutely in love with all of the characters!! Keep them coming Janet.. please???
    • 1/5
      Banal, predictable fluff. Sorry Janet the old stuff is just not up to your later efforts.
    • 3/5
      I prefer Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series to this earlier book, but after reading other reviewer's comments I now see some parallels between her Plum characters and this book. Elsie and Grandma Mazur do have some similarities: both don't always have verbal filters and both have a tendency to carry large, loaded guns in their purses. Maggie is a bit like Stephanie in that she doesn't conform to the norm for women--Stephanie doesn't want to get married and be a housewife--instead she's a bounty hunter; Maggie isn't so sure about marriage herself but mostly she wants to fulfill her promise to write a book based on her Aunt Kitty's diary--and to get away from her mother, aunt, and the other ladies of Riverside who want to put her into a mold. Evanovich claimed this to be a "screwball romance"--I didn't see it as particularly screwball. Even the romance part of the story relies on a tried and true plot formula for the genre.The way Hank gets the loan makes me wonder why he didn't ask his mom to apply pressure to his dad without having to go through the sham of hiring someone to be his wife to show his stability. (Since it seems she is the one who ends up pushing his dad into providing the loan--of course, that is based on his father's remarks that caused a misunderstanding, but still . . .)What I liked: There are a few funny moments within the writingWhat I disliked: The lie of pretending they are married when they are not; that they decided to have sex within the "fake" marriage (they weren't really married legally); how many times Maggie changed her mind about really getting married to Hank and the excuses she gave for it; Maggie's pride in that when she realized how lonely she was and wondered if she'd made a wrong decision to push Hank away, she doesn't find a way to go to him to apologize or see if there's still a chance--it also seems she was free to travel once she had her car--something she'd said she wanted to do (as in going shopping)--and she doesn't do it, so that wasn't really her excuse for not wanting to stay in Skogen; Hank seems to have days filled with things to do and doesn't alter them to spend time with his "sham" wife. He doesn't stand up to Bubba and say no, today I'm taking my wife on a drive and I'll get to so-and-so's car after that etc. I could see it maybe for the first time it came up since they'd only been "married" for 3 days at the time but after that, he certainly should have been able to shift some of his commitments to other days to have time to spend with his "wife"So--given the above--I couldn't honestly rate this more than average.
    • 4/5
      A cute, wacky romance story filled with zany characters and a crazy plot. I love the Stephanie Plum series and this gave me the same warm feelings. A fast, enjoyable read.
    • 2/5
      This was a silly book. Things that could have been funny just seemed to be forced. I felt no chemistry between the leads, or much emotion from them either. Maggie seemed to enjoy sulking and feeling sorry for herself which I don't enjoy in a lead character. That said Elsie the housekeeper was a bit amusing and the towns people were somewhat sweet. I thought this plot had good potential but was sadly let down.
    • 2/5
      Every now and then I think there must be something to this type of book, BUT, I just don't like this type of romance novel!!!!
    • 4/5
      this is a re read for me.
      It's a little predictable but still light hearted and good read.
    • 3/5
      A quick, cute read. Not on the same plane as the Naughty Neighbor, but still enjoyable overall. I read it in one sitting.
    • 3/5
      this is from janet evanovich befire she wrote the Plum novels. This is a lighthearted comidy romance wihc I am sorry to say just does not quite ring true. The basic prmise is that a man who is requiring a loan hires maggie a teacher who has decided to take time our to write a novel to act as his wife to make him look more respectable. It is witout surprise that the two main characters end up in a relationship and in the end want to get married.This book simply does not have the magic or believability of her later books. It is a nice read for times that you do not want to immerse yourself in a book, because I found that I simply could not get caught up in it, but in the end is rather diapointing
    • 4/5
      Good book...very funny!
    • 3/5
      Fun read to listen to when walking. Usual chick-lit story of two people entering into a business arrangement and then falling in love with each other. Set against a Vermont background with the woman looking for a quiet place to write a book and the man needing a pretend wife so he could secure the loans from the bank and respect from his father to start a business.
    • 3/5
      I'd give this book 3.5 stars. Hank wants to hire a woman to be his wife for 6 months so he can get a loan for his orchard from the bank manager, his father. What Hank didn't expect was Maggie. He was looking for a woman that he could be aloof with and not become attached to. For Hank and Maggie much to their surprise it was love at first sight.
    • 3/5
      Maggie Toone has always been a bit of a problem child. Even now, at age 27, she is driving her mother and aunt crazy because she refuses to settle down - both in a relationship and in her job. She has quit her teaching job (which she wasn't all that good at) and wants to write full time. Her late Aunt Kitty was a Madame and Maggie thinks her diary will make a perfect book. But she needs to earn some money while writing, so she agrees to pose as Hank Mallone's wife for six months. Hank too has been a bit wild in the past but needs to prove to his father, president of the local bank, that he is settled down with a wife so his father will lend him money for his beloved apple crop. The arrangement is supposed to be no strings attached and in name only, but that's far easier said than done as sparks fly whenever Maggie and Hank are near each other. "Wife for Hire" is a very funny but extremely light romance novel. It is an early Janet Evanovich novel, written before her success with the Stephanie Plum series, but you can see hints of the Plum series even in the early books. Housekeeper Elsie especially reads like a Plum character - she's a pistol carrying older woman who will remind readers of Grandma Mazur. The main characters - Maggie and Ben - are okay but largely forgettable as characters. Neither one of them has any characteristics to make them stand out. The same is true with the rest of the townspeople, and it is hard to understand why Maggie takes a dislike to the town and its inhabitants including Bubba, Ben's best friend. The romance between Maggie and Ben feels rushed and not very believable. One plot line - why someone is trying to steal Aunt Kitty's diary - could have been better. It comes too late in the novel and when the reason why everyone is trying to steal the diary is revealed it is quite a let down. What makes the novel worth reading at all is the slapstick humor throughout it. There are lots of laugh out loud moments including a dinner party that Maggie and Ben have (which will remind readers of dinner at the Plum house); the various burglary attempts; and a couple of kidnapping attempts. All of the townspeople are very funny characters. However, the humor doesn't disguise the fact that there is little plot to the book. "Wife for Hire" is short on plot and long on humor.
    • 3/5
      I know this is a rewrite from Evanovich's early days as a romance writer, and I know I'm destined to be disappointed because its not up to my Plum standards, but dangit! when you're jonesin for Plum book and know one won't be out for another 9 months or so, you get desperate....Of course it had the typical Evanovich details, heroine with curly out of control red hair, fiesty older woman caretaker, a big dog, a hunky irresistable guy....but it wasn't the complete rip off some of her step-children books have been (the non Plum series) so that was nice. Yes I know these came before the Plum series, but facts don't alter my perception that these plots are rip offs of the venerable Stephanie Plum.It wasn't horrible, a couple of funny/cutesy parts, so all in all, not upset I spent the 5 dollars for my Janet fix.
    • 3/5
      Hank was the town's favorite and most wanted bachelor. In hopes of kicking off his apple buisness, he needed a loan. In order to get the loan, he needed to proove he has settled and down and is responsible. In comes Maggie-an outspoken teacher-turned author form New Jersy, a stiking difference from a small town where everybody knows each other. He has hired Maggie to pose as his fake wife for six months or until he gets a loan approved. He figured this way there will be no complications and each can resort to thier previous lives flawlessly. Maggie, wanting peace and quite to write her book, took on the job. What they both did not expect was the sexual tension that both find it difficult to ignore. In short, they fall in love with each other...so what is the problem...she is affraid to love and be loved, the town has not grown on her, and slips into a slight depression and isolation. The only joy she finds is being wrapped around Hank's arms. She is a typical chain and ball type of wife..but I love how Hank thinks it is endearing. I did not get the impression of happily ever after...just a marriage of convenience. Sorry to say, but it was a very entertaining book, I especially loved the banter between Hank and Maggie and I especially love Fluffy. There seems to be a trend that is repeatative throughout Janet's short novels: the heroin has charater flaws that make her an unliked character, especially a tendancy of withdrawal or cowardice after the resolution, forcing another absticle for the heroin to overcome before settling into the relationship. The heroes are very easy-going and much mature than the heroin, which that in itself is fascinating. But I reommend this book for light reading on a boring day as it is entertaining.
    • 5/5
      Living in the small town of Skogen Vermont, Hank Mallone’s youthful antics were part of town legends - as entertainment. Needing a loan from the bank to expand his business, Hank found that those past mistakes really can impact his future. Coming up with a scheme to convince the whole town that he had become a responsible and stable member of the community led him to New Jersey to find a wife. The only person to respond to his request was Maggie Toone, she was tired of living under her mother and Aunt’s judgments. Maggie had decided she needed someplace quiet to write her book and the offer of a fake marriage might just be exactly what she needed.Each of the characters have such a sense of humor and wit that, when put together makes for a laugh out loud story. The mystery of who is breaking into house and why may be a serious concern but how each of the situations turn out is just one more thing to laugh at. From the dinner party with the ex’s showing up and the flaming table to being kidnapped with the housekeeper and her handy-dandy pocketbook this is a loaded with lots of fun and misunderstandings. There is also a love-at-first-sight romance that has a few highs and quickly turns the fake marriage into a real proposition. I have read several of Janet Evanovich’s re-releases and this, so far is my favorite, it has such a great mix of emotions and out right comedy to keep the pages turning. I can actually say I couldn’t put it down till it was done.
    • 2/5
      Average Janet Evanovich fare. You won't think too hard, although after reading from these batch of "romance" novels, I am very glad Ms. Evanovich switched to her current genre, otherwise she would have remained an obscure author. These "not Plum" novels are OK if you have nothing else to read and need a day filler for the beach, but don't look for anything great and be prepared to suspend any ounce of believability.
    • 1/5
      If this had been my intro to this author, I would never have read another one. It must be an early work It was a "harlequin" romance if ever I "read one.
    • 2/5
      Predictable love story.
    • 5/5
      I don't know how she comes up with all these fun and lovable characters. Of course, in this book the whole town is crazy! But then again, it's Janet Evanovich! I'd expect nothing less.
    • 3/5
      The romance was cute if predictable. The supporting characters added some good color. Very very quick read without much depth.
    • 3/5
      (christmas paperback from tammy) cute, quick and fun. not nearly as good as the stephanie plum series - but it's an early book and you can see traces of the favorite plum characters in it - for example, elsie turns into gramma mazur (complete with gun in her purse!)