Contracted Wife by Taylor Brooks: A Tale of Love and Sacrifice

The novel “Contracted Wife” by Taylor Brooks is an emotional tale of two people from completely different backgrounds – Haley and Ivan who get married for a weird business deal. Haley, a young woman who is jobless and cannot afford her sick mother’s medical bills, accepts an offer from Ivan, a businessman, to have a marriage of convenience for money to cater for her mother’s treatment. While they are in this new world, they have to deal with their developing emotions towards each other and fight other dangers both from inside and outside.

Main Plot of "Contracted Wife"

In the middle of a big city rush, a young woman, Haley working as a waitress, evaluates her life. Burdened by her mother's escalating medical bills and a strained financial situation, she is presented with an unconventional proposition: a business arrangement with an enigmatic, wealthy CEO of a large company named Ivan Armando. Feeling that she is running out of time to save her mother’s life, Haley has no other choice but to accept it, thus, beginning a new life, which is full of unexpected turns and unsaid feelings.

When Haley enters Ivan’s luxurious sphere, the attraction and repulsion intertwine. The very different life of the two leads and their temperaments make for an interesting relationship, as they try to define their business arrangement and deal with the chemistry between them. Set in the glamorous surroundings of the upper echelons of business and corporate world, the novel portrays the gradual development of a romantic interest between Haley and Ivan, the protagonists, who are dancing partners and are paid for their services, but who are gradually falling in love.

Nevertheless, the main characters, who are finally happy, face challenges coming from outside and their personal traumas. The pressures of jealous rivals, hidden secrets, and the collision of their vastly different worlds challenge their love. Due to Haley’s strong desire to shield her family and Ivan’s portrayed fragilities, the novel becomes a captivating read.

Brooks succeeds at tying love, loss, and the essence of relationships into one great theme. The characters are complex and realistic, each with their own desires and vices, which makes it easy to identify with them. The author also uses very expressive language and loyal to feelings to make the reader immersed in the story and feel Haley and Ivan’s emotions.

“Contracted Wife” is a story that tells about love and marriage, but it does not stick to the typical stereotypical view on these concepts; instead, it is full of twists that make the reader think about what love and forgiveness really mean. I also found that Brooks, as a master of storytelling, presents to the readers a vivid picture of human endurance and the potential of love to triumph over the harshness of the world.

Theme

In its essence, “Contracted Wife” explores the emotion of love and the concept of giving up something dear for the betterment of another. The sacrifice that Haley was willing to take by agreeing to sign a contract marriage in order to provide for her mother’s medical needs shows the extent that one is willing to go for the sake of family. Another theme of the novel is that of love as a redemptive force; Haley and Ivan’s relationship starts out as a purely commercial one but transforms into a genuine friendship and a romantic one at that, which changes both of their views on themselves and the world.

Forgiveness is a key element of the plot as characters are struggling to come to terms with their personal demons and other people’s betrayal. The themes of forgiveness as Haley tries to forgive her father for leaving their family and Ivan’s attempts at gaining back the trust of people make the story more touching and meaningful. It also discusses the issue of family and the relationships that are formed when people are brought together regardless of their origins.

However, “Contracted Wife” also focuses on the relations of power and money. Ivan and Haley’s relationship portray social differences and the problems that come with them because of their different economic statuses. The novel also has the aspects of ambition and greed; the characters are seen struggling to face the repercussions of their desires for power and money. By addressing these diverse yet interconnected topics, “Contracted Wife” provides viewers with a rich and evocative reading experience.

Characters

Haley, the protagonist of the story, is a rather bright and diligent girl who has a lot of drive and is determined to provide for her family. Due to her mother’s illness and lack of funds she has to agree to become Ivan’s business-like wife for money to be used to fund her mother’s treatment. Haley also transforms as a character through the novel as she fails to understand and accept her new life, the feelings she has for Ivan, and the responsibility to her family she has.

Ivan, the man who owns the company but whose identity is kept a secret, is portrayed as a man who has no love in him, he only loves his job and the authority it comes with. However, when the audience sees Tom communicate with Haley, the character is revealed as more layered and vulnerable. Ivan changes as a character from a man who does not have trust and love for Haley in the story to a man who will quit his job and leave his opportunity to become a millionaire to be with Haley.

Joy is a close relative, specifically Haley’s cousin and her friend whom she can always rely on no matter what the situation in the story is. Lena is a good and a caring friend and therefore stands by Haley in the new experiences that come with contractual marriage as well as in the discovery of their past. Joy has also gone through some experiences in the field of love and loss which also enriched the novel, where she learns to accept her happiness and move on to start her own family.

Writing Style

Taylor Brooks’ writing style in “Contracted Wife” is clear and straightforward, making the novel easy to read and highly captivating. To some extent, the first-person narrative point of view from both Haley and Ivan’s perspectives makes the readers feel closer to the characters. The use of slang and colloquial expressions in the narrative makes the story modern and the characters easily identifiable.

However, the writing style could be more elaborate, and the language richer to convey the emotional aspect of some scenes. The plot is mostly based on dialogue, which, as exciting as it is, can sometimes come at the expense of the characters’ psychological evolution. Nevertheless, the style of writing captures the essence of the novel and keeps the audience interested in the course of the novel.

Personal Impressions

Being a massive fan of romance novel, I was excited to read “Contracted Wife” and I was not disappointed because it was an interesting and emotional novel. I liked the concept of a contractual marriage between two people who belonged to entirely different worlds. The author was able to successfully build tension and anticipation when it came to Haley and Ivan’s more-than-friends-but-not-quite-lovers dynamic, and the reader could not help but wonder how their relationship would progress.

Haley and Ivan are two main characters in the novel and they were depicted well with good personalities that most people can relate to. Haley’s love and dedication for her mother and the readiness to give up her own happiness for the sake of her family members’ happiness was rather inspiring. The change from being a ruthless business man, who only cared for the company’s bottom line, to a loving husband was inspiring to watch. Other characters like Joy and Peige contributed to the story as well as brought out jokes making the story even more interesting.

There were still several elements that I could not enjoy as much in the novel. Missed connections were the main source of conflict within the book and at times it felt forced and stretched out. However, there were still flaws in the narrative, such as the storyline was too fast at some parts and too slow at others.

However, these are just minor issues; on the whole, “Contracted Wife” is a great story with an excellent message about love, sacrifice, and forgiveness. The characterization is realistic and interesting, and the story remains interesting and exciting throughout its course. In conclusion, I would encourage anyone who loves novels with romance, a sprinkle of drama, and mystery to read this novel.