Title: An Arrangement Among Gentlemen
Author: Jennifer Mueller
Published in 2006 by Romance At Heart Publications
Genre: Historical Romance
ISBN: N/A
Other Books by Jennifer: Egyptian Nights The Wolf Within All My Dreams
Henry Thatcher is apprehensive about his daughter, Olivia’s well being. Since he is dying, he wishes to make sure she will be well taken care of after his demise. With only one thing left to do to ensure her future he decides to arrange a marriage on her behalf. Penning a letter to an old friend, he makes plans for the pre-arranged marriage. Olivia is only left with enough money to get to her destination when her father dies. So crossing a perilous ocean in the midst of WW1 she heads to greet a man that she knows nothing about nor has ever seen.
Olivia Thatcher is faced with leaving her home in England to journey to Canada after her father arranged her imminent marriage. She realizes it was her father’s wish and she does not want to disappoint him. Her father has matched her with someone that owns horses. Olivia knows everything there is to know about horses since her father was a stable master. Just because one accident with a horse left her with the strong use of a cane doesn’t keep her from being around anything concerning horses.
Olivia is greeted by Cort and his father when she arrives to live on the sizeable ranch. But Olivia is not happy with the agreement that her father enforced. Olivia has always been the type that didn’t care much for being pushed around. She lets Cort know immediately she is a cripple and why she must resort to the use of the cane. Known for her obstinacy, her persistence as well as being powerfully opinionated in all her thinking, she is determined to make her own arrangement on matters.
Cort Garrett arrives to greet Olivia’s train minutes prior to learning about the arrangement that their fathers had agreed upon. He is spellbound with Olivia but not with the attitude she projects. Someone as lovely as herself could very easily have obtained a husband without any arranged marriage. And he does not see her as a cripple, as one that would be confined to a wheelchair. He is all set to marry when she switches the arranged deal. Before she weds, she wishes to be wooed and courted properly and left high on love. If a love truly blossoms then she will agree to the terms and be his wife, if he refuses to allow her even that much then the marriage and deal is null and void.
Cort is surprised that not only Olivia but the entire family appear to search for anything in their means to keep them separated. To make matters worse for Cort, Olivia seems to have another pursuer for her attention when his younger brother steps up in hopes to win her heart. Now confronted with other obstacles Cort must work harder if he wishes to keep Olivia and honor the deal set before him.
Olivia is torn when she loses her father and must leave her home to meet a man that she is unfamiliar. Cort has a large ranch and when he learns that a woman is arriving to be his wife he is surprised. Neither is really impressed with the order of events. Olivia is not certain how the situation will progress but she would like to be courted and loved in a romantic way. After the family decides to step in and offer some interference Olivia and Cort are left to figure out their own situation and path to follow. After a hard blizzard brings them closer together, they begin to see what is in each others heart and feel the intense heat flowing through their flesh. Olivia does have a scar that suffers her to use a cane for walking and she is certain that Cort will never wish to really be with a woman that is handicapped in some way. Cort proves to her that he is not embarrassed with her disfigurement that troubles her and he would like for them to work on their own matchmaking deal.
An Arrangement Among Gentlemen is a story about two lovable and believable characters that shine through the pages. The scar and heartache that trouble Olivia touches the reader deeply. The beautiful detailed setting gives the reader a vivid feel of everything while lacing emotions and love that flow through the pages. I adored Olivia and Cort and easily sympathized with their situation. Ms. Mueller instills a delightful story with conversation that makes the reader feel every movement in the book. With the well rounded secondary characters the elements combine to make this a very motivating read.
Ms. Mueller creates a story that sparks with love, tenderness and romance and leaves a feel good feeling all over. An Arrangement Among Gentlemen will tug at the heart and leave you with a most gratifying story that will not be forgotten. Ms. Mueller can take any size story and add enough depth to it making it a dynamite explosion sure to please. She is one gifted storyteller that never disappoints and always leaves a smile while generating wonderful characters that remain embedded within the heart. Her stories are like fine wine that truly gets better with age. I really love her work. If you would like to read this incredible story that stirs the heart then visit www.romanceatheart.com, you will be glad you did.
Sincerely good reading,
Linda
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