Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Book Review: A Sensible Arrangement

A Sensible Arrangement. Tracie Peterson. 2014. Bethany House. 336 pages. [Source: Library]

For readers who like marriage-of-convenience romances, A Sensible Arrangement is quite lovely. Marty Dandridge Olson is the heroine. She's a widow in her thirties who wants to leave Texas behind her because it holds too many painful memories. She loves her sister and brother-in-law very much. But staying where she is on her own ranch, the place she lived and loved with her husband is too hard on her. So she decides to respond to an ad from a Colorado banker.

Jacob Wythe is the hero. He is looking for a "Lone Star" bride. What he didn't mention in the ad is that it is his dream, his big, big dream, to move to Texas and own a ranch of his own. He is a banker in Denver. And he's somewhat successful at what he does. His boss seems to like him a good deal. But. He hates banking. He wants a simpler life. He's aware that it is financially risky and physically demanding, but, that is what he wants.

These two marry. She still is clueless that he wants to move to Texas. She thinks that Denver will be her long-term residence. She's unsure if she'll fit into society's elite circle. But she's willing to make the effort. He is clueless that his wife actually owns a ranch already.

A marriage of convenience. Yes, that's what it started out being, of course. But as you can expect, these two begin to fall in love with one another. But will her fear and anxiety and bitterness keep her from having a happily ever after? She's so afraid that her new husband will die if he becomes a rancher that she's determined to keep him right where he's at no matter what his dreams are.

A Sensible Arrangement is set in Denver, Colorado in the 1890s during an economic depression.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

1 comment:

Michelle said...

Thank you for reviewing a Tracie Peterson book. She is one of my top favorite authors, along with Karen Kingsbury.