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.
