Harlequin American Romance #563: The Gift-Wrapped Groom

by M.J. Rodgers

The Gift-Wrapped Groom by M.J. Rodgers released on Oct 25, 1994 is available now for purchase.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373165633
• ISBN13: 9780373165636
• Release Date: November 1994
• Publisher: Harlequin Books
• Length: 197 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.2" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

A green card for Christmas?

Finally outmaneuvered by her conniving, interfering grandfather, Noel agrees to marry the groom of his choice, but ONLY if her grandfather can produce the physical, mental, and ethical paragon he has described. Noel thinks she's safe--after all, no guy could be that good, right? Enter Nicholas Baranov, a gorgeous, brilliant and honorable Russian physicist whose political dissidence and personal heartache work together to make him ready and willing to leave his homeland, even if it means marrying some unknown American woman who obviously can't get a husband any other way. Now take Nicholas and Noel and dump them right in the middle of the plot of a John Denver-type Christmas movie, as an evil mining consortium schemes to take over Noel's rural Montana hometown, and you've got this book. This is an enjoyable little Christmas tale, whose main flaw is that all the characters, with the notable exception of Nicholas himself, are drawn larger than life and a bit stereotyped, which gets slightly annoying at about the 150-page mark. But Nicholas himself is admirably humanized (despite his many sterling qualities) by a tender background story and a touch of gritty realism that shows during some of his episodes of culture shock. The other thing which stands out is the absolute power and memorableness of some of the more intimate moments between husband and wife. Definitely consider adding this book to your list of romantic Christmas reads.

Cold War Just Turned Hot

I love this book! I've read it at least 10 times and it still gives me butterflies. Briefly-Noel agrees to her grandfather's business proposal to marry Nicholas who's from Russia. Nicholas agrees to marry Noel because he wants to become a U.S. citizen. There is a good mystery plot in the novel, but the readers pretty much know "who does it." Since this IS a romance novel we can figure out where the book will go. BUT it's the dialogue between Noel & Nicholas that makes this book wonderful. First, because English is not Nicholas' first language and second their conversations/arguments are written with so much wit! I laugh out loud every time I read this book. Also to note, this takes place during the Christmas season.