"a sensible arrangement" by tracie peterson

About the book (from Litfuse): A Lone Star Brides book.

Marty Dandridge Olson is ready to leave behind the pain of the past.

Answering an advertisement for a "Lone Star bride," she leaves her Texas ranch and heads to Denver to marry a man she doesn't know.

Jake Wythe is the man waiting for her.

Burned by love, he marries now simply to satisfy the board of Morgan Bank, which believes a man of his standing in society should be wed. Together Jake and Marty agree they are done with romance and love and will make this nothing more than a marriage of convenience.

When missing money and a collapsing economy threaten his job, Jake's yearning to return to ranching grows ever stronger, much to Marty's dismay. But a fondness has grown between them, as well, further complicating matters.

What will happen when their relationship shifts in unexpected ways . . . and dreams and secrets collide?

My take: It's no secret that marriage of convenience stories are my favorite, so of course I jumped at the opportunity to review A Sensible Arrangement. It's the compelling story of a man and woman who choose to marry for vastly different reasons: he to satisfy the board of the bank he works for, and she to escape the memories that haunt her in Texas. Along the way, of course, the two fall in love. But Marty's secrets and lies threaten their happily ever after.

One aspect that I absolutely loved about this novel was that Marty wasn't the typical romance novel heroine. She had struggled with lying her entire life, and even when she recommitted herself to Christ, her tendency to lie didn't go away, though she did fight it much harder. I appreciated that she was a representation of a real woman with real issues.

I did get a bit tired of Marty's refusal to tell Jake the truth about her ranch, but at least the secret did not hold the love story hostage. And sometimes Peterson would set up events, only to have the next chapter be days or even weeks in the future—I felt a bit cheated to not be able to "experience" the events with Jake and Marty.

Also, be aware that while Marty and Jake's love story is resolved, nothing else is. I can't wait to get my hands on the next book in the Lone Star Brides series to find out what happens next!

My rating: 4 stars

See what others are saying.
Buy the book.
Read my review of Peterson's House of Secrets.

About the author: Tracie Peterson is the award-winning author of over 100 novels, both historical and contemporary. Her avid research resonates in her stories, as seen in her bestselling Heirs of Montana, and Alaskan Quest series. Tracie and her family make their home in Montana.

Learn more about Tracie at www.traciepeterson.com.

About the giveaway:  Welcome to the campaign launch for Tracie Peterson's 100th book! A Sensible Arrangement launches Tracie's new Texas-based series, Lone Star Brides, that’s sure to please. As a special treat, devoted fans will be able to catch a glimpse of several popular characters from previous series.

Tracie is celebrating by giving away an iPad Mini and hosting a LIVE webcast event on 4/29.

 

  One winner will receive:

• An iPad Mini
• A Sensible Arrangement by Tracie Peterson

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 29th. Winner will be announced at the A Sensible Arrangement Live Webcast Event on April 29th. Connect with Tracie for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Tracie will also be taking questions from the audience and giving away books, fun prizes, and gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of A Sensible Arrangement and join Tracie and friends on the evening of April 29th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today by signing up for a reminder. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 29th!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."