Review & Facebook Party: Ask Me to Marry You by Heather Blanton

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Though she’s loath to admit it, Audra Drysdale needs a man to save her ranch. Her father has passed away and her hands are abandoning her like rats from a sinking ship. Worse, neighboring cattle baron Jess Fairbanks is making a play for the Diamond D and Audra, whichever he can get his hands on first. Audra grudgingly accepts that the mere presence of a husband will keep her men working, and Fairbanks under control. It seems a perfectly reasonable idea, then, to ask her uncle, who is the town attorney and a matchmaker of sorts, to find her a groom—a “proxy” who will take her orders and dish them out to the men.

Dillon Pine is in jail for a conspiracy charge, but because of certain mitigating factors he’s deemed a good risk for an unusual form of probation: serving as Audra’s husband. After a year, he can abandon her and she won’t tell. By then, she will have proven to the cowboys she’s a competent rancher, and the cattle man next door will be looking elsewhere for a wife. But when word gets out that Dillon came to Audra via Evergreen’s matchmaker, he’s dubbed a “male order bride.” The resulting jokes at his expense are constant and brutal. Just how much abuse can Dillon’s pride stand?

When Audra discovers her father’s death was no accident, she realizes her new husband is in danger, too. And she cares . . . quite a lot, it turns out. To save Dillon, she may have to let go of the one thing she’s fought her whole life to keep.

My Review

This is a cute and short novella with a marriage of convenience theme. The story jumps right into the action without much character development, but we get to know Audra and Dillon as they get to know each other. The plot moved swiftly so the pacing never slowed, however it kept the focus on the events happening and didn't allow me to connect with the emotions of the characters. Audra is conflicted with her desire to run the ranch independently but also feels that having a husband as her mouthpiece would compel the ranch hands into obedience. Dillon feels emasculated by his new role and struggles with his pride in delivering orders from a female. They are attracted to each other and quickly bond over their shared goal once they learn to compromise. I felt like there was more telling rather than showing, especially when it came to their feelings and falling in love. Overall it was a diverting story with a quick and convenient conclusion.

(Thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

RSVP for the Facebook Party celebrating the release of Ask Me to Marry You!

Thursday, September 22 at 7 PM - 9 PM Eastern

There will be tons of giveaways and some surprise guests!