My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it
To bring his daughter home to Texas, widowed rancher Jack Burnett needs a wife. And the well-bred Ada Westmore, his neighbor's niece, will surely meet his father-in-law's approval. Not willing to open his heart again to love, Jack proposes a marriage in name only. But his independent bride proves more intriguing than he expected.
Needing to support her sisters after the collapse of their father's fortune, Ada reluctantly agrees to the handsome cowboy's proposal. The transformation from New York belle to prairie wife—and mother—is challenging for the onetime suffragist. But when their little family faces the threat of being torn apart, Ada and Jack must decide whether their marriage of convenience can become a marriage of love.
My Review
This was an interesting take on a marriage of convenience story. Ada is a very proper lady, but strong enough to handle the rough life on the ranch and a willful child caught in the middle of her father and grandfather who was appointed guardian by her late mother. Jack and Ada must kowtow to the grandfather's wishes in order to even have a chance at keeping Jack's daughter. That part of the story was upsetting since Jack is her father and I questioned the legality of a mother imparting guardianship in her will. Ada does her best, but of course there are challenges, including rebelliousness, miscommunication, and natural disasters. Through all the trials she proves that she is different than Jack's first wife and they form a bond that they didn't expect. I was anxious to see the outcome of the family's dynamics and hoped for a happy ending for all.
(Thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)
