The Marriage Bargain (Montana Mavericks)

Rating:
Summary: Easy to read, but only to spend time
Review: This novel is not the big deal, just to have a fun time. I don't think in the real live, this happen. I can't understand, how this two falling in love after the terrible things that happen. But If you need to fly or something, this is a book, that you can carry.

Rating:
Summary: Twenty years is a long time to foster a grudge
Review: Two decades ago, Victoria Rutherford stood by while her father reamed out Adam Benson, the son of his ranch hand, for making out with his daughter in the Rutherford's barn. While accusing Benson of all but being a rapist, Victoria was unable to destroy her father's belief that she was perfect. Because of that, the Bensons were evicted from the Rutherford ranch and from there his father resumed drinking and Adam and his mother struggled to make ends meet. Now, the tables have turned and to save her father's ranch, Victoria must marry Adam and work as his ranch hand and maid in order to better understand the position he was in twenty years ago at the mercy of her and her father. Victoria finds herself regressing into the fascination she had for him when she was fifteen years old and all too soon realizes that the love she feels for him is a "grown-up" one.

Though Victoria Pade's writing is adequate, I was rather disappointed with the execution of this story for two reasons. My first problem was with the time span. The brevity of it made the resolution rather unbelievable. My second problem was with the superficiality of both the hero and the heroine. Adam has had twenty years to build Victoria into a "witch" and to nurture his resentment but Victoria's beauty has him rethinking his intentions. Victoria is enchanted by how handsome he looks that she can't help but be attracted to him despite the fact that he hates her. The utter lack of conviction on the parts of both characters made it hard to like either one. For a story that is based on a twenty-year old resentment, I expected there to be a great deal more development instead of a large amount of chemistry. Pade's installment of this series takes it a step down and that's unfortunate.