Review: Made to Last by Melissa Tagg

Made to Last by Melissa Tagg

Paperback, 368 pages

Published September 15th 2013 by Bethany House Publishers 

Source: I received a copy from the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

 

 

Description:

 

Miranda Woodruff, star of the homebuilding show "From the Ground Up," will do anything to keep the job she loves. Due to a painful broken engagement and a faith she's mostly forgotten, she's let her entire identity become wrapped up in the Miranda everyone sees onscreen. So when she receives news that the network might cancel her program, she must do the very thing she fears most: let the spotlight shine on her closely guarded personal life. The only problem? She's been living a lie—letting viewers believe she's married—and now she's called upon to play wife to a sweet, if a bit goofy, pretend husband to boost ratings.

Desperate to help his family and prove he's not a total failure, reporter Matthew Knox is looking for a breakout story. When he's offered the opportunity to do an online serial feature on Miranda Woodruff, he jumps at the chance, even if celebrity reporting isn't really his thing. But as soon as he meets Miranda, he knows she's keeping secrets.

When Miranda's former fiance suddenly appears on the scene again, she doubts her life could get more complicated. Juggling three guys, an on-the-rocks television show, and the potential exposure of her deception is way more than she bargained for. Can the woman who makes things look so good onscreen admit it's time to tell the truth about who she is? And if she does, will the life Miranda's built come crashing down just as she's finally found a love to last? 

 

My Review:

 

Have you ever assumed something and it ends up being a lie? That's what happened to Miranda when she assumes she'll be marrying her fiance and uses that knowledge to land herself a job on a homebuilding TV show. Who would've guessed that he would run and leave her days before the wedding? But her mystery husband is very popular with the viewers and when the show finds itself in trouble, the producers decided to find a "husband" for her to drum up some publicity. Add a good-looking, if nosy, reporter and a reappearance by a former fiance, and you're looking at a recipe for disaster---and laughs.

 

Although Randi has been living a lie, I did like her. She's a very driver and hardworking woman and hasn't landed where she's at by chance. I love that she has that tough side, yet she strips it off on occasion and lets her soft side shine through. Just like anyone else, she's gone through some hard times, rejection, and pain and has found a way to cope. Her mask is thick and strong and it was fun to watch it get chipped away.

As for the men...there is a definite attraction between her and Matthew, the reporter, but he thinks she's married to the man hired to play her husband. It was almost uncomfortable to watch them both deny those feelings because of this fake marriage. The "husband" is hilarious! I love the way he and Miranda tolerate and look out for one another. The ex has his reasons for leaving, but I can't believe he had the nerve to come back!

I was very curious how this would all work out and was entertained in the process. There are religious themes lightly sprinkled throughout, as well as humor, tender moments, and fun.

Content: no language; very mild violence (minor accidents); mild romance (kissing, implied living together with no details); mild religious elements. Clean!

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About the Author:

Melissa Tagg, author of Made to Last and Here to Stay, is a former reporter and total Iowa girl. In addition to her homeless ministry day job, she is also the marketing/events coordinator for My Book Therapy, a craft and coaching community for writers. When she’s not writing, she can be found hanging out with the coolest family ever, watching old movies, and daydreaming about her next book. She’s passionate about humor, grace, and happy endings. Melissa blogs regularly and loves connecting with readers at www.melissatagg.com.

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