View source for No Matter What by Wendy Kremer

{{infobox1
|title=No Matter What
|author=Wendy Kremer
|reviewer=Katie Pullen
|genre=Women's Fiction
|summary=When Amy marries Jason so he can carry on as President of the family business, Jason's cousin Calvin is not happy and is determined to prove the marriage is a sham.  An enjoyable romantic love story set in Los Angeles and Venezuela. 
|rating=3
|buy=Maybe
|borrow=Yes
|pages=224
|publisher=Robert Hale Ltd
|date=June 2010
|isbn=978-0709090755
|cover=0709090757
|aznuk=0709090757
|aznus=0709090757
}}

Wealthy American Jason Tyler needs a wife fast to stop his cousin Calvin from taking over the family oil business.  After responding to his advert English girl Amy Courtland meets Jason in London to discuss his proposal.  Amy is desperate for the money Jason is offering her to be his wife so she can pay off the debts her father has left behind.  Her feet barely touch the ground in Los Angeles before Amy finds herself with a new surname and new life as Jason's fake wife.  But unlike the rest of Jason and Amy's families, Calvin is not convinced by the marriage and is determined to prove it is a sham.  When Jason decides to take Amy into the Venezuelan jungle with him on a business field trip Amy soon finds her life in danger on more than one occasion, leaving Jason to wonder if someone is behind these strange events. 

This easy read escapist romance has all the right ingredients for any fan of this genre.  Amy and Jason are great characters for a romance, similar in their personalities and both very good looking, intelligent and independent.  They clearly find each other attractive from the start but both are determined that their marriage is a business arrangement and nothing else, but of course as the reader we know different. 

Kremer's depiction of the Venezuelan jungle is vibrant and I really felt I was there alongside Amy and Jason dealing with the heat as well as the fauna and flora of the place.  There are some great descriptions in this part of the novel adding an exotic flavour, and fun episodes too which add a bit of humour. 

The plot is a bit thin here and there, but is only a vehicle to get Amy and Jason together and I'm sure most readers will be more interested in that anyway.  However, what action there is flows well and certainly had me eager to carry on reading, finishing the book in just one sitting.  

The novel falls down though with Kremer's constant need to tell us what Amy and Jason look like (gorgeous most of the time) and what they are wearing.  I'm not sure why she felt the need to do this, but at times it really becomes annoying and rather unnecessary.  I would have preferred their clothing and looks to be hinted at here and there so my imagination had a bit more of a role to play, rather than spelled out like a shopping list. 

Apart from that and even though this is a totally predictable read, it's all good light-hearted fun in the main and if you like this sort of book you're sure to enjoy it.

I'd like to thank the publishers for sending a copy to The Bookbag. 

Further Reading Suggestion: If you like the sound of this book you might also enjoy [[Follow Your Star by Jennifer Bohnet]].

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