A Bride in the Bargain

Deeanne Gist once again spins a great story to engage the imagination and challenge the heart.

This was not only a fun read but totally captivating. Great escapism while daring you to hope and dream for the characters to rise above their past problems and hurts; and embrace love and one another. I had so much fun with this book I couldn't put it down and then I didn't want it to end.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Enjoyable historical fiction

A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist is an enjoyable historical fiction novel. The setting is 1860s in Seattle.

Anna Ivey leaves her home and heads West, signing on to be a cook. Joe Denton has signed a contract with Asa Mercer for a bride. His land is at stake if he doesn't get a bride within the time frame set by the judge. Mercer delivers Anna who has only agreed to be a cook. One might think Anna will agree to be Joe's bride, but she will not budge on her position against marriage. Will Joe be able to find a bride before it's too late and he loves his beloved land?

This is the first book I read by this author, and I enjoyed it. I found it interesting that actual events were used to create the story. I have read many Christian books and found some of the details in this one to be a bit much. There were no inappropriate scenes but a couple times I felt like too much was said regarding Joe's thoughts towards Anna. The setting, characters, and story were all entertaining and it is well written in my opinion.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Love This Book!

A Bride in the Bargain was the second book I read by Deanne Gist. The first one I read by her was Maid To Match. While I loved Maid To Match, I'd have to say this one's my favorite so far.
Anna is a young woman who does not want to get married! Yet here she finds herself in California, with a complete stranger, and their standing at the alter without her even knowing it's their wedding ceremony! She definitely puts that to an abrupt halt. But as time goes on, her view on marriage changes.
Joe Denton is a hulking lumberjack on a mission. He's going to save his land. He's even willing to marry a complete stranger in order to do so. Yet what he doesn't know is that this stranger is not willing to marry him. He's definitely in for a ride.
The only thing I didn't care about this book was that the characters seemed a bit too shallow. Not rude shallow, but not very in depth. Don't get me wrong, I really, thoroughly enjoyed the book. There was just so much physicalness and not enough time for them to get to know each other, which makes for some unbelieveable circumstances. I did like this book!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

wow!!

I really loved this book it was great!!!!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great read!

Deanne Gist never disappoints!

A quick, fun read!

I have to say I am a fan of most everything Deeanne Gist writes but this has been by far my favorite book of hers that I have read!

The Seattle setting, the great characters, the perfect love story (without being overly cheesy.) I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Good, until the end

Although I was really enjoying the book in the beginning near the end I was frustrated with the two main characters. Something always seemed to get in the way, whether it was her or him or disease. Frustrating, but all's well that ends well.

Excellent book all around, a must read for sure!!

This is an excellent book. I really loved it. Once the main characters met, I was interested and hooked from then on. There were a lot of ups and downs which added to the intrigue and definitely drew me into the story. The entire book invoked a wide variety of emotions that helped make it so interesting as well as balanced. Joe was awesome as a true gentleman (yo Joe!) and Anna seemed irresistibly adorable. The author, once again, did an excellent job in painting such a descriptive picture of the physical and emotional aspects of the story, characters, and situations. The biggest thing I got out of this story was that if you love something enough and it's important enough to you, sacrificing anything else to keep it doesn't compare to what you really could be losing. "Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also." Excellent book all around, a must read for sure.

Another great read from Deeanne Gist!

Anna Ivey strongly suspects Hoke will eventually attempt to rape her and she will kill in him. Opting to avoid that particular situation, she agrees to travel with Asa Mercer to Seattle, Washington, where she will work as a cook for Mr. Joe Denton and his lumberjack employees. When Anna arrives in Seattle and discovers that Joe is expecting a wife, she is less than agreeable. Her refusal to marry Joe not only inconveniences him, but also endangers 320 acres of his land. Can Joe overcome Anna's aversion to marriage? There's plenty of attraction between Anna and Joe, but will love enter the picture?

A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist manages to be a classic, historical romance while avoiding many of the cliches that commonly accompany a storyline like this. Authentic characters, romantic tension, and just a tad of suspense makes this novel difficult to put down. I can definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a good romance.

Highly Recommended

As always, just love Deeanne's books, this book is no exception. I love how her books concentrate on good clean romance and how she makes a beautiful story with actual history truths mixed in. It's great.

Reminded me of a little bit of A Bride Most Begrudging, with a few differences.

Anna Ivey travels to Seattle as a cook, not a bride. Joe needs a wife or he'll lose his land in a couple of months. That's where Anna comes in, only she makes it clear she doesn't plan on marrying anytime soon. But will at least be the cook which is why she's there. Days go by as Anna gets used to cooking for Joe and his workers. All the while not knowing that Joe no longer to be marry another but wants to marry Anna instead. A good read but not one that I would read again to be honest. I like how you learn a little history as well, depending on the setting. Overall, if you liked A Bride Most Begrudging or any of Deeanne Gist's books then you'll probably, A Bride in the Bargain.

disappointed

I'm surprised to find I'm the only one not thrilled by this book. The 3rd book I own by Deanne Gist and I never should have purchased it ..... and wouldn't have it I hadn't gotten it for so cheap. Though Deanne Gist is a well-written author, all of her books have bored me to tears. None of her heroines are likable, and in general the characters aren't interesting or well-developed. Many things the characters do simply are just not believable, as in the way a real person would act. So no more Gist for me. I much prefer Lynn Austin's fascinating novels.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great Book!

I highly recommend this book.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Wild West Adventure

I was thrilled to receive a review copy of this book from the publisher because I'm a huge fan of Deeann Gists books. I found pure enjoyment in her newest installment. Deeann quickly grabbed my attention and intrigued me with this 1860s historical, set in Seattle, where Joe Denton is about to lose his land. In order to keep it and comply with his original agreement he needs a wife. Time is a ticking for Joe. He's desperate to get a bride, so he signs a contract with Mr. Mercer, who guarantees him one for the bargain price of $300.00.

Joe has one year to marry before he loses his land and business. He isn't interested in romance, just a way to secure his land and have a cook for his men. He'd care for his wife but she would be free of intimate entanglements. This was a nothing more than a business arrangement pure and simple.

Anna Ivey life is in the middle of a great mess. She jumps at the chance to start over and get away from her troubles. When she see's Mr. Mercer's add in the paper about a job as a cook in Seattle for the passage way of only $50.00 she jumps at the chance for a new adventure. She has lost her family in the Civil War so nothing is stopping her from finding a new home. She too signs Mr. Mercer's contract.

Anna's a feisty, strong woman who will definitely but up a fight, she says, "If you do this, you'd better never, ever, not even once, close your eyes for a bit of rest. Because the moment you do I'm going to slip down into the kitchen, get the meat hammer, come back to your chambers and break your arm. Your right arm." She is a woman who knows what she wants and will fight to get it.

Anna wants Joe to stick to her signed contract. She's a cook and nothing more. Joe is in a horrific bind but agrees with her. He goes back to Mr. Mercer for another bride. He'll have to secure a wife some how, and that's when the fun begins.

I always learn a bit of American history from Deeann's books. This one is no exception. The author's two main characters are strong willed and struggle with doing what they know God is calling them to do. You'll definitely want to pick up Deeann's new book, be entertained for hours, learn a little and enjoy this fun story. It won't disappoint.

Nora St.Laurent
Finding Hope Through Fiction
www.psalm516.blogspot.com

Great historical fiction

Ahhh, another Deeanne Gist historical romance! How sweet it is! I enjoyed this particular book so much, it is actually based loosely on an actual event. Asa Mercer decides to leave the West and head East to bring brides back by ship for all the lonely fellows out West. Of course he charges the fellows a head hunters fee. Then he charges the women for passage. Then he hits the women up for more half way through passage and forgets to tell some of the women that they are actually supposed to get married to a pre-selected man when they get to their destination. And this is where we meet Anna who desperately needs a new start and thinks she is going to Seattle to be Joe Denten's cook and has no idea that Joe already has the wedding planned because without a bride he will lose half his land. When she refuses to get married everything spins out of Joe's control. But now if he actually falls for Anna, will she ever believe he wants her for any other reason than to just save his land?

Deeanne has such a great writing style, it sends you back in time but makes you laugh and refreshes you while you read. I loved this particular book, a couple of hers have been a little more edgy than I needed, this one was a perfect blend of edgy and sweet and total fun!

A Bride in the Bargain

The year is 1866 and Joe Denton stands to lose his 640 acres of land in the Washington Territory if he does not find a wife. Anna Ivey is a young woman living in Massachusetts who has lost her entire family during the Civil War. A man named Asa Mercer has offered her a job working as a cook for a lumberjack and his crew in Seattle. Mercer has also promised to find a wife for Joe so he can keep his land. Anna arrives in Seattle expecting to be Joe's cook all the while Joe is expecting Anna to be his wife. When she learns the truth, she refuses to marry him, jeopardizing his land and his business. Joe must try to convince Anna to marry him before it's too late.

A Bride in the Bargain by Deeanne Gist is a funny, romantic story about two people who love each other but are afraid to admit it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. The author did a very good job developing Joe and Anna's characters and their love for one another. It was easy to see their chemistry in the pages of this book. Their little spats and teasing were very funny and realistic. Joe's crew was very endearing and added more humor to the story.

Historical novels can be very good if they are done right. It must take a lot of research to put a story like this one together. I can tell that Deeanne did her homework for this book. I like how she added real people and real events in with this story. That made it more real and much more interesting. I found it fascinating, with Anna being a cook, the types of food she cooked, the way she cooked and how different cooking must have been in the 1860's. When you read this book, make sure you also read the Author's Note at the end. There are some interesting facts that add to the story.

Fans of historical fiction will really like A Bride in the Bargain. I sure did like it. It is a fast read. There was a little more tension between Joe and Anna than I would have liked, but without conflict, there is not much reason to turn the page. Overall, this book is very good and I highly recommend it for anyone who wants a good love story with a beautiful setting.

Bride in the Bargain is a must read.

Once you start reading Bride in the Bargain, it is hard to put it down!

Not My Favorite, But It'll Do.

I enjoyed A Bride Most Begrudging, Courting Trouble, Deep in the Heart of Trouble, but I found this one somewhat lacking in comparison. It was still enjoyable for the most part, but certian plot points just seemed a bit too stretched out. It was good, but not her best. The Mrs. Wrenne character just disappeared completely, and we never heard from her again or what happened to her. For Anna to have developed such a bond with her, but never to write her or seek her out - and the old lady doesn't bother to either. The whole character seems to have been placed there only for one reason. Besides Joe and Anna, it seems other characters are also very limited in this story, quite unlike her other novels where they have more dimensions. Still, I sound overly cirtical, but it was enjoyable.

Easy Read, nice escape from reality

I have loved everything from this author. Her writing style is very easy to read. Gist does a wonderful job at painting a picture for you. You can easily picture the scenary and imagine what each character looks like.

This book is part of a series. You could read it alone, but you miss some of the background of characters that carry through into this story.

A Bargain for a Bride Most Begrudging

On the east coast, then around the horn to the west coast this book spans the United States shortly after the Civil War. Being a southern girl through and through it was interesting for me to really feel for a character who could not be more devoted to her Union ties. Starting with nothing but loss and a past that is haunted by guilt not earned our heroine learns to get up and go on with life. The matter is she has to open her life to where God leads and not to where she is determined to be. Our hero is set and knows what he wants, but does not necessarily like what he has to do to get it. Until he accepts his fate and realizes that quite possibly God has a better plan that he. A bargain is made and if all goes well there might be a bride, but which one and will it be in time for everything else to be saved?



The preface of the book is set on a historically accurate fact that a man did take it upon himself to go to the east coast to find wives (orphans - not in the children sense you think of, but girls old enough to marry with no family or other options and widows - women who were left alone with either children or not after the Civil War stole them of their husbands) for the men on the west coast. If you've read much historical fiction, you know many men went west for the land, the mining, and this case the lumberjacking as well. The man who was the "entrepreneur" was not an honest man, but he was not evil in the sense of some characters as well. He was just a man who did not always tell the whole truth.



Other than just knowing that the women who were invited to participate in the exodus were from categories such as widows and orphans, there is no real emphasis on the fact or details of the past lives. So there is no dwelling sadness there as one might assume.



In a way, I would very much relate a partial idea of the story to A Bride Most Begrudging. The location is completely different. The characters are completely different. The plot is completely different. But in a similar fashion there is a woman who the last thing on her mind was getting married, who finds out that it might not be up to her with her plans of what she once thought.



How does that sound?