Green Card

By: Elizabeth Adams

Narrated by: Elizabeth Grace

Length: 15 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

William Harper has it all: Looks, money, power. There’s just one tiny problem - he’s about to be deported. He needs a green card. Fast. An American wife is the easiest way to get one. But where will he find a woman to marry him on such short notice?

Elizabeth Barrett is a full-time student, part-time dog walker, and weekend tutor. With a roommate who just ran out on her and neck deep in tuition payments, she needs money. Now. Harper just might make her an offer she can’t refuse. He thinks he’s worked out the perfect deal, she thinks she’s signed up for an easy job.

Neither of them bargained for the ride of their lives.

©2017 Elizabeth Adams (P)2020 Elizabeth Adams

So sorry

This book had something for everyone: ageism, sexism, racism . . . Rags to riches story where a bright young female grad student makes her fortune by getting paid to marry a rich, handsome and powerful Brit so he can get his green card. This connection enables her to pay for grad school and a designer wardrobe, get a great job with flexibility, buy gifts and private jet flights for her family and even gets her boss fired when he harasses her. Surprise surprise (spoiler alert) they fall in love. We learn that a 60 year old woman can only be beautiful because she got lots of plastic surgery and that “ethnic food” gives rich folks food poisoning. I was shocked that the racial slur expression “gypped” got past the editors, but it was certainly consistent with this writer’s obvious racial bias. The biggest conflict in the book is when rich Brit gets upset with the real estate broker for not finding him the appropriate beach house in the Hamptons. The protagonist’s conflict with her mother (the only realistic part of the book) magically resolves in one conversation (suggested by the rich husband, of course) and they all live happily ever after. Plot flaws included rich Brit presenting grad student with a mystery key that turns out to be for a brand new BMW convertible. The author should know that a BMW key says BMW right on it, and couldn’t possibly be mistaken for a house key or any other kind of key, as suggested in the story. I should have stopped listening to this book early on, but held our hope that it would improve. I feel embarrassed by the writer that she wrote this book and disappointed that such a weak and sexist story has a place in modern literature. However, the narrator has a lovely voice and did an excellent job reading the story.

Very enjoyable modern variation

Elizabeth Grace did a wonderful job reading Green Card. I enjoyed the story a great deal. It was fun to watch Elizabeth discover the Will’s world and vice versa. The story is low angst.

A Marriage of Convenience Becomes Convenietly Real

After relishing the author's Ship to Shore earlier this year, I was determined to continue with her backlist and new releases. I had my eye on this particular one since I spotted the title. I've seen romcom movies with this theme and thoroughly enjoyed them so I was eager to dive into Green Card. The author slowly builds from fake to real in a relationship full of friendship and heartwarming feelings, a conflict that was low angst, but still added tension to the plot, and an entertaining plot and engaging cast of characters.

Green Card opens with wealthy business mogul, William Harper, in a tough spot after a spiteful ex sets immigration on him. The only way to keep from being deported is to get his green card through marrying an American. William enjoys New York and hesitates only for a moment before letting his best friend and lawyer, Andrew Jamison, talk him into making his pitch to Jamie's girlfriend's sister, Elizabeth Barrett. They are a pair of opposites and first encounter and subsequent encounters start out rough, but slowly he finds an unexpected friend and their fake marriage- two year agreement suddenly starts to feel pretty real.

Elizabeth Barrett has a lot of brands in the fire all to live away from her family home and finish her education. Her flaky roommate ditched her leaving her with all the rent and it's one set back too many. Starched up William Harper isn't her idea of husband material, but the contract can relieve her struggles tremendously and it's not like any of it's real, right? But, getting to know each other and seeing behind the facade to the real person makes her want things she can't have. Or can she?

I do love when opposites meet and the sparks start to fly. Then, there is the strangers getting married and forced into proximity to add a few more pinches of spice. And, the humor moments were off the hook at times (sending your sorta friends- sorta not real hubby to the drug store for some girly stuff said how real it was, but also had me rolling at the real life. It was a set up to a story that I was bound to love- and I did. Granted, the story took it's time and the relationship built brick by brick. There were times of conflict because of course the pair of them had some marital spats, but the angst stayed relatively low all things considered.

His family and her family moments had me sitting up for both the modern-day class differences and because I got to see them really come together as a couple and have each other's backs. William's struggles are most deeply with a parent who has passed on and Liz's are with a live parent who doesn't like her. My heart went out to them both.

The book covers the whole two-year time span with time skips from event to event with the real life and dialogues playing a large role. Many people might find this pace a tad slow, but for the most part, I didn't mind. I liked being with this pair in their world.

As to narrator, Elizabeth Grace, I enjoyed my first encounter with her work. She voiced William and Liz so perfectly. I could see the characters and the whole story so well in my mind's eye. She did male and female, age, class, and emotions spot on. I look forward to listening to more of her work.

In summary, I ask myself why I waited so long. This was delightful through and through. So easy and entertaining, swoony, and heartwarming. I do believe I need to get going on that backlist for more. For those who like slow build, easy reading contemporary romance for a marriage of convenience plot, here's one to tickle your fancy.

Great pacing, tone and storytelling!

Well written and likeable characters. A great read to escape into the pages of delicious angst and sweet romance. This would would translate well to a movie!
Talented voice actress—great pacing, tone and characterization!

🥰

Ms Elizabeth Adams does it again. This storyline is so evocative, so overwhelming. She pulled me in and was not able to stop. I am actually writing this review after reading the book for the second time. I finished it and reread as soon as I finished because I didn't want to leave the world of Lizzy and William.

A modern pride snd prejudice

This is a modern pride and prejudice set in New York with William being the rich businessman who needs to find a way to stay in the United States for business purposes. His friend and lawyer suggest a marriage to a woman and know someone who might agree. Elizabeth is a student struggling to make ends meet. She is finishing her masters and could use the money. At first glance William is interested in Elizabeth but tend to look at everything as a business deal, which does get him in some hot water.
The idea for this story is like a fairy tale with the rich being really rich and the others bring middle class. So much like the original. This couple however must navigate the modern world with the media, family prejudices and real jobs. It’s funny, a bit over the top but overall entertaining.
The narrator did a marvelous job with all the various accents.

I love this story!!!!

This story made me cry so much but in a totally good way! Can’t wait to read ALL of her books!

Outstanding Narration and Performance

I love this thoroughly entertaining and wonderful modern Austen-inspired story. Just simply excellent! Amazing dialogue throughout, something important to me as a reader. Personalities plus! A page turner from start to finish. I have read or listened to this book multiple times and always hate to see it end. Well written by a favourite JAFF author, Elizabeth Adams.

Elizabeth Grace is so adept in masterfully capturing so many voices, accents and genders. This performance is absolutely outstanding.

No Epilogue!

l absolutely love this novel and read it once every year! The narrator is FANTASTIC and one of the best that I have heard on Audible. Why not 5 stars in all categories? It is because in the actual novel there is a very good epilogue to Will and Liz's story. I hate that is wasn't included in this narration.

Pleasantly pleased

I don’t know what I was expecting. Because I love Elizabeth Grace’s Voice. She is fantastic, with what ever she reads. And, I love me some P&P variables.
This was great and I was pleasantly pleased I love everything about this book. I had to read it straight through. It made me fill as if I was walking through life with them. I looked forward to the days, months. And life’s family and friends. Plus, It took my mind off of this pandemic for a minute. A FREAT READ!!!

What a great book & narration.

Great romantic storyline bought to life by Elizabeth Grace's fantastic range of accents, so talented!

Easy, but predicable, read with great narration

Essentially an adult 'Mills and Boon" type story that's a cross between Pretty Woman, Pride & Prejudice and the Green Card movies.
The storyline is predictable and the style of writing, often too literal, but I really enjoyed the narrator's voice(s) - especially Liz and Will's accents. Bravo Elizabeth Grace!!

Just Perfect

This gentle and detailed book describes beautifully two people getting to know each other, effortlessly falling in love before they even knew how or when. The audible reading just adds to the melodic ebb and flow of the narrative with effortless renditions of British and American accents. Do not be deterred by the length of the book - it is the very detail that is part of the allure of this story. Nothing is rushed, nothing is jumped over with undue haste but nor does it drag or ever feel indulgent. If you buy this book, you have a treat in store for you - do not waste it on noisy backgrounds or where you are being constantly interrupted - take yourself away and be lulled by the beautiful narration of a story that you will never want to end.