The One Month Marriage (Historical)

Rating:
Summary: fantastic late nineteenth century Americana tale
Review: In 1897 Los Angeles businessman Brandon Sayer is elated when he reads the telegram that his wife Jana was coming home after leaving him without notice one year two months and six days ago. They were married for three months when she just left to return home to her Aunt Maureen, who had raised Jana as her own daughter after the child's parents' died.

Brandon thinks she has come home to do her duty as his wife, but Jana states she wants a divorce. Brandon persuades her that she should give him a month to try to make their marriage work. However, she also makes it clear they will not have sex during the trial period; what she fails to tell him is that he is a father. She expects nothing has changed as he did not even know she left him for two days and he starts the same way on their first night of a second chance by coming home from business very late; still she hopes because she loves him. As he tries to make amends, someone sabotages his latest business venture making it even more difficult for Brandon to spend time with the woman he loves.

This enjoyable historical romance showcases the influence of nurturing on a person as Brandon is a chip off the old block, acting to his wife just like his father does to his mother (Harry Chapin's Cat in the Cradle). The story line is character driven as the intrigue actually enhances the insight into how each member of the lead duo respectively sees the world. Judith Stacy furbishes a fantastic late nineteenth century Americana tale.

Harriet Klausner