Lauri Robison

A Wife for Big John by Lauri Robinson, The Wild Rose Press/Cactus Rose, 2008

Northern Minnesota 1893- Just before Big John Thompson left on a log drive, he hired a new cook. But when he returned almost two months later he found out that the cook he had hired was a female Danielle Jones not Daniel Jones. Now she had to convince Big John to let her stay. Not only did she need the money (to go to California cause she had plans to marry to a man she pledged herself 10 years ago), make a life for herself (she had spent the last 10 years caring for her sisters and running the family apple orchard) but his stove was a cook's dream. The whole kitchen was a cook's dream actually. And now Dani thinks Big John needs a wife. So she heads to town and gets a list of all the single women. The first wife candidate Dani invites over is Miss. Smith. Big John is quite familiar with Miss Katrina and her bordello but Dani wasn't. Now Big John has to wonder why Dani is trying to find him a wife. Is she afraid that he will want her? Even though her kisses set him on fire and he has lots of lustful thoughts of her he has to convince her that he doesn't have his sights set on her. And why is she suddenly dismissing candidates for tiny flaws? After the little misunderstanding about Miss Smith, she should be more careful, shouldn't she?

Favourite scene (kind of a cut and paste from a few paragraph describing the kitchen)- Several trips were made across the spacious kitchen from the pantry built beneath the back staircase to the dry sink cupboard and then to the enamel stove. Her heart skipped a beat every time she looked at the cook stove. Olsen's store had one just like it on display. She'd never imagined she would have the opportunity to cook on one. It was a cook's dream come true. With a deep, built in, water reserve, an unfathomable oven with metal racks, and six top burners, she could cook for the whole state of Minnesota on this stove. The fire stall was small, ran the length of the left side and easy to build a fire in. The cooking and oven areas were made of solid cast iron, finished to smooth precision. It easily held the heat at the ideal temperature and allowed her to make the finest baked goods ever. Blue and cream-colored enamel trimmed all four sides, the doors, the base on which it sat, and the most wonderful of all accessories, the double warming ovens, situated high above the cook top.

A little later- "Thank you, I'll appreciate any offer you'll be able to make. But I must admit that fine stove you have is part of the reason. I've never used anything like it before," Dani said. He glanced her way, his heart stopped for a split second as he recognized her gaze. It was one of a woman in love. His gaze flew across the room, to the source of her fixation. Those brown globes were locked on the monstrous stove. His look dashed back to her face and retraced her path again. Yup, she was staring at the stove. She was in love with his stove?