Have you ever dated a guy who’s perfect for you, but the spark isn’t quite there? Then you’ll sympathize with Raven Muldoon, one of four friends who made a bargain to find each other husbands if they weren’t married by their thirtieth birthdays. A mostly enjoyable romp, this is a good start to the series.

Raven Muldoon and her friends Charli, Sunny and Amanda formed the Wedding Ring when they graduated from high school. They figured that since they knew each other better than anyone else, they should be able to find each other the perfect men. Part of the bargain is dating the guy for three months. Raven is the first of the friends to turn 30, and Sunny, Charli, and Amanda set Raven up with Brent Radley. Brent seems perfect for Raven, but she meets his younger brother, Hunter, and there’s an instant connection there. Poor Raven finds herself with one man too many while stuck in the promise she made to her friends.

Raven’s a great heroine. She’s good at her job, she loves her friends, and she’s outgoing and adventurous. Her only problem is that she’s attracted to Hunter while dating his brother, and this causes something of an ethical dilemma for her.

Hunter is pretty hot. He runs a comedy club, and he’s sensitive enough to encourage Raven to try stand-up comedy as a way to overcome her fear of public speaking. He’s also loyal enough to feel guilty about his attraction to Raven, but he still manages to come up with a way to see her – by pretending to have a fear of heights and becoming her patient.

The chemistry between Raven and Hunter is obvious the instant they meet. They begin trading quips without the awkward pauses that can come with meeting someone new, and Hunter displays an understanding of Raven’s needs that Brent just doesn’t have. I really enjoyed the times these two spent with each other because their conversations were amusing, and it was clear they liked and respected each other.

The story, however, had a few too many eye-rolling moments for me; they reduced it from “recommended” to slightly more than “so-so.” There’s that instance when Raven finally talks to her friends about her issues and they decree that she must finish the last month of her three-month bargain because she’s not yet dating Hunter. They also advise her that they don’t think he’ll date her after she breaks up with Brent because of family loyalty. This comes after Raven tells them she knows Brent is cheating on her.

Another such moment comes after the first time Raven and Hunter have sex. Hunter behaves in a manner that I would have slapped him for, and Raven never takes him to task for it. And then there’s a not-so-Big Mis when Hunter thinks Raven loves Brent enough to keep dating him, even though she’s only satisfying the promise to her friends.

What made all these little problems much easier to get past was that each time I rolled my eyes at a situation, I’d turn a few pages and it would be resolved. Then I’d read another scene that was just so cute or hot that I’d totally forget about whatever had just made think, “Yeah, right.” And that’s what makes it easy to recommend this book as a pleasant way to spend a few hours. I will definitely be getting the next one, I Do But Here’s the Catch, which is already out. You marriage-of-convenience fans might want to look out for it, too.