February 8th, 2010 — 4.5 Stars, 5 Stars, Book Review, Cooking, Foster/Orphan, G-I, Historic America, Inspirational, Logging Industry, Mail Order, Nurse, Religious, Seas, Travel, United States of America, Virgin Heroine, Widow or Widower
I didn’t know I was thirsting for this type of novel until I glutted myself on it. The story itself is an inspirational set in America during the Civil War aftermath. I picked it up and read and read and read. It’s sweet and chaste, with both leads good God fearing people, which I found refreshing and charming. Deeanne Gist is a master weaver of storytelling, effortlessly combining fact and fiction into one cohesive whole.
The premise of the book truly is based on fact, which is really cool. Obviously the writer exercised creative license with her research but a good amount of that research appeared in some manifestation in the book. Clippings from newspapers, edited and/or condensed, are sprinkled throughout the novel and help set the mood. The letter to the heroine from her father was inspired by a similar missive one man sent his daughter. And so forth…
It does not talk down to you and doesn’t hold any ulterior religious agenda. Yes, both leads are Christian and quote the Bible, but neither they nor the author try to persuade the reader into Christianity or a particular sect of Christianity. There are only two churches and they’re named after the color of their paint. You shouldn’t shy from this book because of the fact it’s inspirational. I have limited experience in inspirational romance, but that will change because of this novel and Deeanne’s expert handling. I plan to get all of her published works from the library and glom on them.
When you open the book you are transported to 1860s Seattle (part of the Washington Territory at that time). Joseph Denton is a lumberjack whose land claim is in jeopardy because his wife died and never showed up in the Territory. It wouldn’t be an issue, except he’s being sued by a man he fired.
The judge through marriage is related to this man and while having a bias is pretty fair-minded toward Joe. He gives Joe a year to get a new wife or hand over his wife’s death certificate. Against his better judgment, Joe takes part of Asa Shinn Mercer’s bride importation project for the Territory. He would go East to get war widows and orphans and bring them back to the Pacific Northwest.
Anna Ivey, one of Mercer’s Girls, desires to be a cook and not a bride. When Mercer gives her a certificate for passage it’s with the understanding that her future employer would settle the debt and she would work it off. Needless to say Joe is not happy, but then it’s not Anna’s problem. Her paperwork from Mercer is different from Joe’s.
The judge is not happy but he gives Joe an extension. Joe is fortunate enough to have another choice, but the woman is old enough to be his grandmother and she hasn’t any teeth and refuses to wed until she gets them!
So Joe brings Anna back where she starts to cook for him and his men. Not even a week passes before news comes that his elderly betrothed’s husband is not dead, but very much alive and coming to claim his wife. That leaves Anna and Joe is more than happy to pursue her… but she can’t find out his intentions or about the returned husband until her answer to his proposal is yes.
Rating: 4.5-5 Stars
Buy: A Bride in the Bargain
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February 7th, 2010 — 3 Stars, A-C, Book Review, Business, Contemporary, Cursed Lead, Divorced, United States of America
Jennifer Crusie is a staple of contemporary romance. As such I felt the need to expand my acquaintance with her. Before this, I had only read Bet Me. So you see, I really needed to fix this oversight. I got Manhunting from the library and breezed through it in just a few short days.
Kate Svenson [...]
Continue reading → Review: Manhunting by Jennifer Crusie
February 6th, 2010 — 3.5 Stars, Book Review, Comedy of Manners, Counts, Marquis, Viscounts, France, Georgette Heyer, Great Britain, Jane Austen, Kidnapping, Mistaken Identity, Regency, Virgin Heroine
Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer is enchanting and will assuredly transport you to another world. Georgette Heyer, praised to be the new Jane Austen, was born in 1902 and her tales are quite old but hold the same classic feel as any one of Austen’s novels. I can picture the whole novel as a movie [...]
Continue reading → Review: Devil’s Cub by Georgette Heyer
February 6th, 2010 — 3.5 Stars, Book Review, Bride Stealing, Dukes and Earls, Friends, Great Britain, Heiress, J-L, Medical, Mistaken Identity, Regency, Runaway, Soldier, Virgin Heroine
If you’re looking for a light happy read though you will like this novel. It’s a perfect companion for a long flight or car ride and will keep you entertained.
The romance is a little overblown and the plot devices a little too farcical. There is a whole gamut of standard plots can be found [...]
Continue reading → Review: The Runaway Duke by Julie Anne Long
February 5th, 2010 — 4 Stars, Contemporary, Guest Reviews, J-L, Sailing, Secret Agent, Suspense/Thriller
By: Marcia, guest reviewer
The great thing about a series is that the writer has the freedom to explore themes and develop characters in greater detail than in a single average sized novel. This is true of Lora Leigh’s ‘Tempting Seals Series’. Durango Team, of the Navy Seals, is working for Homeland Security trying to [...]
Continue reading → Review: Killer Secrets by Lora Leigh
February 5th, 2010 — Contests
Time for more fabulous book prizes to giveaway thanks to Sourcebooks and their fabulous authors!
First up: One set of Sharon Lathan’s three books (Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One , Loving Mr. Darcy and My Dearest Mr. Darcy ) will go to one lucky commenter. Thank you to all who commented [...]
Continue reading → Winners for Sharon Lathan and Terry Spear!
February 5th, 2010 — 4 Stars, Friends, Gambling, Great Britain, Guest Reviews, J-L, Rogues and Rakehells, Widow or Widower
By: Marcia, guest reviewer
Anthony Hamilton had always been scandalous. Even his parentage was questionable though his mother’s husband accepted him as his son. Anthony had been thrown out of school several times for gambling although he did finish Oxford in record time. His debts are sometimes rumored to be very high and at other times [...]
Continue reading → Review: A Rake’s Guide to Seduction by Caroline Linden
February 5th, 2010 — Australia/New Zealand, Guest Blogger, Lycanthrope, M-O, Paranormal
by Shelley Munro, guest blogger and author of Scarlet Woman.
Hi, my name is Shelley Munro, and I write paranormal and contemporary romance for Ellora’s Cave and Samhain Publishing. Thanks for having me to visit today to talk about my feline shapeshifter book Scarlet Woman.
Middlemarch is a small town in the South Island of New Zealand. [...]
Continue reading → Middlemarch – A Town with a Mission
February 4th, 2010 — Guest Blogger, J-L
by Fiona Jayde, guest blogger and author of Cold Victory.
I’ve been hooked on romance novels ever since my best friend in eighth grade let me borrow The Pirate and the Pagan by Virginia Henley. I never really understood what it was about romance that I liked, but I would rarely pick up a non-romance book. [...]
Continue reading → Coiling Lust
February 3rd, 2010 — 4 Stars, Architect, G-I, Great Britain, Guest Reviews, Regency
By: Marcia, guest reviewer
It is always a treat to read one of Madeline Hunter’s books. They are very well written with compelling plots and historical subplots as well as wonderful characters. Secrets of Surrender is the third book in the Rothwell Series about a family that is declining socially.
Roselyn Longworth has come down almost as [...]
Continue reading → Review: Secrets of Surrender by Madeline Hunter
February 3rd, 2010 — 4 Stars, Book Review, Contemporary, Crime and Protection, Mystery, S-U, Seas, Secret Agent, Soldier, Thief, Travel, United States of America
Roxanne St. Claire will keep you on your toes with this novel. Nobody is what they seem and that includes the hero and heroine too.
Constantine Xenakis is a former Navy Seal, one time Bullet Catcher, and thief. He wants to be a Bullet Catcher again and he wants Dan Gallagher’s job as Lucy Sharpe’s right [...]
Continue reading → Review: Make Her Pay by Roxanne St. Claire
February 2nd, 2010 — African American, Black, Defining the Genre, Ethnicity
Black romance is a blooming section of romance industry and is still growing. Officially having its start in 1980 with Entwined Destines written by Rosalind Welles, black romance has expanded and taken shape over the years. While it’s true that the genre could benefit from more authors and more books, black romance is a force [...]
Continue reading → Heart and Soul- Evolution of African American Romance
February 2nd, 2010 — 4 Stars, ARC, Convict, Friends, Gentry, Great Britain, Heiress, J-L, Ranching, Regency, Rogues and Rakehells, Soldier, Spinster, Thief, Virgin Hero, Virgin Heroine
Lessons in French is a feel-good story. It’s cute, lighthearted, and full of whimsy. It was the right novel at the right time. I needed cute, lighthearted, and whimsy. I smiled a lot when reading it and rooted for both of the main characters. They’re imperfect, but that just makes them extremely likeable.
The heroine is [...]
Continue reading → Review: Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale
February 1st, 2010 — Author Interviews, Comedy of Manners, Contemporary, M-O
Have you ever wanted to get out of your current job? Anne Wyatt feels that way too. Ever want to put in less than 110% and in fact put 110% in doing the wrong thing? That’s exactly what Anne does in Fire Me! Come meet Libby Malin, the author behind this hilarious outtake of working [...]
Continue reading → Get into Bed with Libby Malin (Author Interview)
February 1st, 2010 — News
Thank you all for making the first month of the year so wonderful. Many thanks to all the guest bloggers and reviewers, you all brought something new and fun to the table. I am so happy you could join LRP.
February too will see a lot of guest bloggers and I’m really excited about it. Bloggers, [...]
Continue reading → Best of January 2010
