Shannon's story. She found her voice and strength in this story. After her divorce she has finally moved forward and her next desire is to have a baby, so now she just needs to find a baby daddy. With her wedding photography business she arrives in Mexico and meets Victor, a jilted groom. So much emotion, steamy romance and a wonderful group of women friendships.

reviewed by Sandy at the Good Bad And Unread Blog.

This is my first Catherine Bybee book, and I’m very pleasantly pleased by the story. I enjoyed both lead characters, even when they didn’t care for each other all that much. Shannon is on a mission while in Mexico; however, Victor is in the for surprise of his life. Actually, a couple of surprises.

Shannon is single and successful, but with no boyfriend/husband prospects in sight, she decides it’s time for her to become a mother. She’s set to photograph a wedding in Mexico, so what better place to find a baby daddy who won’t have any worries being an absent parent. What she doesn’t count on is coming face to face again with the jerk she had to endure on the flight.

That jerk ends up being the groom. Victor is marrying a much younger woman. And because he can’t leave his work at home even for his wedding, his fiance finally pulls the plug and leaves him at the altar. So here he is on his honeymoon with no bride. He does, however, run into the interesting photographer from his non-wedding. He has his work cut out for him to win her over, though, because she remembers him from their interaction on the plane and is not impressed one bit.

Victor does work for it. Little by little he begins to win Shannon over. Enough that she starts to second guess her baby daddy plan. But where can a relationship between them go? Especially because Victor is on the rebound? So he proposes they wait three months, then connect again and see if the spark is still there. Of course, the sizzle doesn’t die and more fun is to be had when they meet up later.

She’s the former first lady of California – what interesting part of the story that is! – and he’s a workaholic. She loosens up to complete her quest and even to have some fun banter and sexy times with Victor, and he’s about to learn how to let work go more than ever. At the time I read this book, I didn’t know it was part of series, so obviously it can be read as a standalone. The writing in places in a little simplistic, but overall Ms. Bybee has an enjoyable voice and style. So much so that I will definitely read more of her in the future.

This romance was better than I thought it would be. I loved the setting in Mexico. It made me want to run away to the Caribbean as well. I also loved the chemistry between Shannon and Victor. I was rooting for them from the first moment they met on that plane.

Faking Forever is the fourth book in the First Wives Series. I’ve read them all and have not been disappointed.

Faking Forever tells the story of Shannon Wentworth post-divorce. Shannon had been the Governor’s wife and much in love with him. Unfortunately, the feelings were not reciprocated and Shannon had to learn life goes on.

Shannon unlike the rest of her First Wives friends was quieter, more of a loner and sometimes lonely, but as the others, supportive and protective of the First Wives friends. She was a photographer and people sadly wanted her as their wedding photographer more because of who she had been married to and less for her true talent.

Shannon is on a destination wedding trip she is to photograph and meets a man that she loves to hate. Until she didn’t.

Victor, said man, finds Shannon to be unexpected in more ways than one!

Together they go crazy, have fun, get serious, and find themselves.

This is a fun, romantic read. It doesn’t have the suspense as the previous in the series but you won’t be disappointed.

**I received an ARC of this book in order to provide an honest review**

A great continuation of the First Wives Series, as Catherine Bybee reels in another winner. With an interesting concept for the series, so far every story has been filled with intrigue, suspense and romance.

Passing attraction between Shannon Wentworth and Victor Brooks leads to passion, love and a blast from the past.

A story not to be missed!

As always, I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this title.

However, I was not able to finish this as I was not able to connect with the story and the way the characters were written.

I have chosen to mark this title as a "DNF" and I apologize for the delay in sending this response to this title.

Thank you!

You’re in love with your husband but you’ve both only signed up for a limited time engagement. You divorce as planned but are very sad. The money helps. Now you’re feeling like your biological time clock is running down quickly. You want a baby and can support one by yourself. Now all you need is the genetic material to get the whole thing started. You’re heading to Mexico to photograph a wedding…perfect opportunity…and so begins Faking Forever!

Victor is heading to Mexico for his wedding. He feels he ‘needs’ to marry so went on the hunt, found a young woman, and will be marrying her. Romance be damned. He also presents as not so nice or polite or attentive AND is sitting next to Shannon on the flight to Mexico. They can’t wait to deplane and be done with their forced proximity!

Shannon and Victor meet again at the resort where the wedding will take place. Guess who the photographer is! Sparks fly. Groomsmen take bets on the wedding and the bride goes missing! What will happen next?

I LOVE Shannon. I’ve felt she has been the most emotional of the ‘First Wives’ because she genuinely fell in love with her ‘for now’ husband. Victor is a perfect foil for Shannon, making her stronger and more in control of her life, while sometimes royally making her mad! She wants to change…he just needed to push her to it!

The First Wives series by Catherine Bybee is a must read for people who enjoy multifaceted stories. All the books in this series are ‘stand-alone’, although you learn so much about the other women and their bond by reading them all, why wouldn’t you? Ms. Bybee’s writing is top notch and her stories speak to your heart.

I loved reading this ARC. It had a little bit of everything combined to make a good book. Close friends to rely on, a bit of drama, and a lot of laughing involved.

Shannon Wentworth is a divorcee', who was in an arranged marriage and eventually fell for temporary husband, but having her love unreciprocated, they divorced after he won the governor's seat, 2 years later.

Now Shannon wants to have a baby on her own. Telling her 3 best friends, known as "The First Wives Club" whom are all remarried, doesn't go over so well.

Since her divorce, she went back into photography, namely taking pictures of high-end weddings. That's where she meets the most miserable groom, Victor, and ends up hating him. He doesn't pack for his honeymoon because he planned on going back to work days later.

Shannon sees that the very young bride, Corrie, doesn't want to go through with the ceremony in beautiful Mexico either, but she's too afraid of disappointing her social climbing mother.

When the brides leaves the groom at the altar, Shannon gets to know the real Victor. After spending a week with him and new friends in Mexico, they make a deal to wait 3 months to cool off and see if there are feelings once they both return to reality.

Too bad both of their pasts step in.

An enjoyable book, I like the progression of characterization. Standard fare. The conflicts were well choreographed, but expected.

I have read all this books in this series and I enjoyed this one as well. Shannon and Victors first meeting didn't go to well. They met on a plan to his wedding all though they didn't know that Shannon was the photographer for Victors wedding. However, Victor figured it out once he arrived at the resort and his bride calls the wedding off from advice she received from Shannon even though Shannon didn't know he was the groom. Victor and Shannon both stay at the resort after the wedding is called off and actually start getting along. However they both know they want different things. Shannon specifically wants a baby and Victor is still trying to get over his failed engagement.

This was a good book with great supporting characters. This book also had suspense, romance and dual POV. I have really enjoyed this series.

I received an advanced copy for an honest review.

This author is one of my favorites. I absolutely adored this book. Shannon is on a mission and no one can stop from getting what she wants. Victor and Shannon meet when they didn't think they needed anyone,. Victor is trying to figure out where to go with his life Their story is a great one.

Finally we get Shannon's story. Shannon has the been the loyal strong friend who got hurt the most in her arranged marriage because she truly fell in love with her partner when she shouldn't have. But throughout the whole series I wasn't sure about Shannon as she was always supportive but didn't let anyone truly in. Now she's ready to start a family but doesn't have a partner. Her idea is to have a one night stand and try to make it work.

However, her friends aren't on board with this idea. As Shannon is heading south to photograph a wedding she meets a rude man and she isn't won over by him. He also happens to be the groom to be at this upcoming wedding.

He leaned forward. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest you don't like me very much."

Even though Shannon has her hate on for Victor there is something that bonds them together. And Avery and her friends are on board with this new chemistry between Shannon and Victor and fully support this change.

I quite like these two together even though they met in unique circumstances. I loved Shannon having her HEA.

And now I can't wait for Sasha's book.

The beginning of the story really had me interested. I enjoyed how Shannon and Victor's story evolved. Cant wait for more of the story.



I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Another home run from Catherine Bybee. I just love her books and this one was no exception. I was interested to see what kind of man it would take to get Shannon to fall head over heels and Victor is perfect. I don't want this series to end.

I cannot condone the author’s racist writings and actions. Her works are now a no from me until she understands and atones for the impact she’s had.

Shannon's story was my favorite and I may have read this book more than three times so far.

Shannon has found herself single in her mid-30s, and longing to be a mother. She travels to Mexico for a photography job, and plans to find a baby daddy during her vacation time. Things change when the bride of the wedding she's supposed to photograph leaves, and Shannon crosses paths with Victor - the groom. These two don't like each other much in the beginning (as all good stories go) and once they recognize their mutual attraction, they agree to connect in a few months to see if that attraction is still there. Only they don't quite last that long apart.

Their story is complete with a little drama (from jealous exes), a few misunderstandings and the realization that they really are made for each other. I love this completion to the series and can't wait to see what's next for Catherine Bybee.

Catherine Bybee is truly a fantastic writer. Do you know how I can tell? Because she is able to take something I was sure I wouldn’t be able to get past and knock it out of the ballpark. The book begins with a great “meet cute” but then takes a turn I worried couldn’t be recovered from by having Shannon be the photographer for Victor’s wedding. I was sure I’d never be able to handle him moving from a fiancé to Shannon so qickly, however Bybee pulls it off and the book ended-up being every bit as charming, witty, and fun as I have come to expect from her. This is why Catherine Bybee is one of my all time favorite authors. She is able to write fantastic characters and craft stories that are relatable and engaging.

Shannon’s been the most subdued character in this series, kind of in the background, not outspoken at all. We’ve got hints that she’s sad over the breakup of her marriage. It was a business arrangement, but Shannon fell in love with her husband, and hoped he felt the same. Instead, he served her divorce papers the day after the agreed upon date was up. Now that Shannon’s turning thirty-five her biological clock is ticking, and she’s determined to have a baby even though she doesn’t have a man. Her latest photo shoot job, a destination wedding, fits in nicely with her plans as she intends to stay after the job finishes, and find a man to father her baby, someone she’ll never see again. She never thought the annoying groom-to-be would put a wrench into the works.

On the plane ride over to the wedding site, Shannon meets Victor and is immediately irritated by his rude behavior and lets him know, something that’s out of character for her. She has no idea he’s the groom of the wedding she’s supposed to shoot, but they knock heads even after she learns who he is. A fun push and pull! The bride takes off leaving Victor at the altar, and Shannon and Victor end up spending a lot more time together, not that they’re happy about it, at first.

I was a little worried about Victor, because he was supposed to be marrying another woman, and the romance develops with Shannon happens while he was to have been on his honeymoon. However, it’s quickly apparent that Victor and his intended bride were never really in love. Shannon and Victor do try and put off dating for a time to make sure they’re not a rebound sort of romance, but that only works for a little while because they can’t stay away from each other.

This is a classic hate-to-love romance; a slow burn situation as Victor and Shannon get to know each other. They spent a lot of time platonically while the heat turns up between them, falling a little harder each day. It was lovely! There are some insecurities on both sides, a little bit of drama from exes, but nothing exasperating or over-the-top, just the type of real-life bumps you run into while falling in love.

The cherry on top was the HEA epilogue that not only featured Shannon and Victor in the future, but also the other previous couples in the series!

I am a sucker for verbal foreplay. Whether it is in the bedroom or just any time the hero and heroine are in the same room, if there is banter between them I will be a grinning fool. When it came to Shannon and Victor, my face was hurting from grinning for pretty much the entire book. I adored them from the moment Shannon fell into Victor's lap. That's one way of saying hello... Seriously though, I loved both of them. Not really knowing what it is like to feel unconditional love, Shannon and Victor sparked something inside each other that they have wanted all along. Someone to pick them, fight for them, and hold them when things look dark. Shannon thought she had that with her ex-husband, but was quickly reminded that, like with the other First Wives, their marriage was a contract. Nothing more, nothing less. When Victor is left at the alter by a woman he realizes that he never really loved, it leaves him stunned. Then Shannon waltzes into his life and his dark world is brighter than it's ever been. I loved that their romance was a mix of sweet temptation and sizzling sexual tension. The whole three month deal made me crack up. Watching them tip toe across the line was perfection. Then when the tension finally ignites, hold on to your fan ladies, it's about to get hot in here.

Just when I thought this series might end with Shannon's book, Catherine surprises us with the news that Sasha is next. Oh, I cannot wait for her story. I already know it's going to be one hell of a ride. And I can't friggin' wait!

I am entirely hooked on the First Wives Series. Each wife has a history, has a story, and is NOT looking for love. All readers will know that not looking for love means you find it where you least expect it.

I love the cockiness, the sexiness, and the persistence of Victor. He meets a woman on an airplane, they don’t get along. Heck they can hardly stand each other. Oops, they run into each other again in a sticky situation. Can you see where the story is heading? While the story is predictable, it was so enjoyable to follow their story to love.

The friendships, the romance, and the settings are all things I come to look forward to when I pick up a Catherine Bybee book. She never disappoints her readers. I recommend this series and the rest of Catherine’s books.