From the Back:
Abigail Stuart Thought She was Jeremiah Calhoun's Widow.But Jeremiah Calhoun Is Very Handsome, Very Alive, and Very Perplexed.
Most Inconvenient Indeed.
With few options of her own, nurse Abigail Stuart agrees to marry her patient, a gravely wounded soldier calling himself Jeremiah Calhoun. They arrange a quick ceremony before he dies, giving Abigail the rights to his Ozark farm and giving Jeremiah the peace of knowing someone will care for his ailing sister after he's gone--a practical solution for both of them.
After the war, Abigail fulfills her side of the bargain--until the real Jeremiah Calhoun shows up, injured but definitely alive, and wastes no time in challenging Abigail's story. Abigail is flummoxed. After months of claiming to be his widow, how can she explain that she's never seen this Jeremiah Calhoun before? How can she convince him that she isn't trying to steal his farm? And will she find a way to stay, even though this practical arrangement has turned into a most inconvenient marriage?
My Reflections:
Though the "marriage of convenience" account is not a new notion, the way Jennings weaves this tale it becomes a fresh and quirky story waiting for you to delve into.
Abigail Stuart is a sweet, caring, hardworking and determined sort. After marring who she believed was Jeremiah Calhoun she travels to his homestead to fulfill her promise to care for her dead husbands sister and find a new home for herself. Or so the plan was suppose to go...
You can't help but root for this spunky, head on her shoulders kinds girl. She is ultra clever, and business smart, not to mention her heart of gold. She puts up with quite a lot from most of the people in the Calhoun household, her wit and charm draw you to her. Abigail longs for belonging, she has had some past grievances and yearns for family and inclusion to be fully hers.
Jeremiah Calhoun (the genuine one) is a tad harder to cozy up to. His personality is brash and demanding. This is one character who is accustomed getting what he wants.... But God has a few lessons for Jeremiah to learn.
I quite enjoyed watching the slow progression of this story line. Imagine coming home from war, you have lost friends, seen things no human should have to witness, suffered great personal injury and when you finally make it back home to find a wife you never married, your true love confused... you can imagine the turmoil this would cause!
It is so beautiful to watch the slowly unfolding drama of this narrative unravel before your eyes it reminded me of Gods great love for us and how he works everything out for his (and our) good.
When we are head strong and unyielding he gently bends us to his will, and when we finally look back, we see his fingerprints all over our story. Sometimes however we need to learn the hard way and when we receive what we think we want/ deserve we often understand that what is best for us is what we may have overlooked in our rush to fulfill our own will. God is so awesome!
This is a fun story, the plot is never overwritten and the twists and turns will keep you guessing. I think you will enjoy some of the supplementary characters as well, my personal favorites were the Huckabees, Josiah and Betsy were hilarious, their antics had me laughing out loud on several occasions!
I highly recommend this historical novel if you want a tad of suspense, a dollop of romance and peppered that with some good clean humour, and there you have it a superb read, to bring you into the new year!
Book was provided free of charge from Graf-Martin Communications in exchange for my honest review. Thank you so much Graf-Martin!
About The Author
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Photo courtesy of Ginger Murray Photography Regina Jennings
Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She has worked at The Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various...
Continue reading about Regina Jennings
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