REVIEW: Fiance by Friday by Catherine Bybee

In Fiance by Friday (Weekday Brides #3) by Catherine Bybee, Lady Gwendolyn “Gwen” Harrison has recently taken over her sister-in-law’s matchmaking business after relocating to California. She gets to hobnob with celebrities, politicians and socialites, which she excels at, being a Duchess herself. Ever present is her bodyguard Neil MacBain. He has worked for her family for a while now and Gwen doesn’t think she can push aside the attraction she feels for him muchlonger. She can sense that Neil feels some of that electricity between them but he takes his job seriously and doesn’t want to mix business with pleasure.

‘Just hearing Neil’s name brought warmth to the pit of Gwen’s stomach. The man was a force of nature with the ability to stand shoulder to shoulder with sixteenth-century Highland warriors. His hard lines and broad physique might threaten others, but for Gwen, all they’d ever done was invite her in.
Too bad Neil never opened the door.’

Strange things begin to happen around Gwen’s house that make her feel a bit paranoid, like dead ravens appearing in strange places. When Neil finds out, he goes into high alert mode. She’s not sure if it’s his background as a Marine or if it’s something hitting a little to close to home. He finds a security breach around the time there is an incident next door so Neil decides it’s time to move Gwen to safety. Being on the run proves to be both exciting and scary for her. It’s a chance to spend some quality time with Neil, to get him to open up. They can’t deny their connection as soon as they are in such close proximity to each other. Their days are spent traveling and before long their nights are spent giving in to their passion. Neil takes her to a safe location with a former commander of his so he can track down and eliminate their problem. Before he heads out, though, he offers to make a commitment to her that she never thought in her wildest dreams could happen. She finds that not only will she have to fear for his safety when he leaves, but her safety may be compromised as well.

“I can’t function if I’m worried about you. Our enemy knows that, which is why he targeted you to begin with. If you’re safe I can do my job, Gwen.”
Blue eyes followed his with every blink. “What are you saying, Neil?”
What was he saying? “We just found each other,” he used her words. “And I want to see where that will go.” He stepped closer and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Please, Gwen. Marry me.”

Neil MacBain is a former Marine who is now a security specialist for the Harrison family. He’s been assigned to protect Lady Gwen for a while now. And he enjoys being near her a little too much for his liking. He’s thought many times of giving in to temptation and kissing the beautiful duchess but it could put Gwen in danger. His worst fears are realized when someone begins leaving ravens around her Tarzana home. Neil is pretty sure someone is sending him a signal relating to a secret mission he led before he left the military. He worries about Gwen’s safety, so he takes her with him to find a safe location, an ivory tower as he calls it, in which to stash her away so he can take care of the situation. But Neil’s not sure who he can trust as former colleagues end up missing or worse. He finally admits his feelings for Gwen while they’re on the road and lets her into his heart, which is a huge step for him. When he begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together, Neil realizes he may have trusted the wrong person and put Gwen in more danger that he could have imagined.

Hot romance, a mystery assassin, British royalty, and an alpha Marine…this story has it all! So far the Catherine Bybee books I’ve read, this one included, have had great plot twists and have run high with charged emotions. I really enjoyed getting to know Gwen and Neil. They are both very strong characters and are perfectly paired. Lady Gwen isn’t afraid to go after the man of her dreams and keep him in check all the while. (Even though he is a big tough Marine.) Neil may be a man of few words but there’s a whole host of emotions he feels for Gwen. I think we all deserve a brave hunky man like Neil to protect us and treat us like royalty. Okay, so in Gwen’s case she actually is a duchess. But still. Definitely swoon worthy. Go Neil! 😉 This is a great beach read that will keep you entertained and on the edge of your seat…or blanket.

Book Info

Release date: August 13, 2013 | Series: Weekday Brides Series (Book 3)