Shotgun Grooms by Susan Mallery and Maureen Child ... QC #309

Reviewed by Katherine-eHarlequin on August 21st, 2008, 4:15am

by Maureen Child, Susan Maller

Format: Print Books

Series: Harlequin Historical

4 1/2 Stars! ~~~ These are two wonderfully lively stories with set-in-their-way heroes and the spirited heroines they marry.

Shotgun Grooms by Susan Mallery and Maureen Child
Harlequin Historical # 575 - September 2001

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Lucas's Convenient Bride by Susan Mallery

Lucas is determined that he and his brother Jackson, will not lose their inheritance. So he proposes mail-order brides, only his bride backs out and now Lucas is running out of time to find a bride. Emily's moved west to prove her independence to her family, knowing that she was not attractive marriage material as her sisters were. Emily's got a good sense for business, and she approaches Lucas with a proposition for him to rent the saloon's vacant upstairs so that she can run a hotel. Lucas immediately proposes another business arrangement, where Emily becomes his wife in name only and he agrees to Emily's hotel and after an appropriate time their marriage will be annulled. This suits Emily just fine and they marry. Only Emily starts to really like her new husband and she wants to learn about the mysteries of wedded bliss. Lucas soon finds she's getting under his skin and he has trouble keeping his hands off her. He feels huge remorse when they consummate their marriage. The guilt he carries from a past deed in the war makes him believe he is unworthy of a woman's love. But Emily is determined to have her husband.

This was delightful! Ms. Mallery wove her storytelling magic into this charming story of the confirmed bachelor and the virgin spinster. I love the way Ms. Mallery lets us into Lucas' head and shows us his depth. Emily is a perfect match for him; smart and passionate.

Jackson's Mail-Order Bride by Maureen Child

Jackson told his brother Lucas he had no intentions of getting married again. He lost his first wife during the war, and he'll never love again. But Lucas won't risk losing their inheritance so he orders Jackson a mail-order bride. When Molly shows up on the afternoon stage, Lucas greets her and tells her that his brother is ill and can't attend the wedding the next day, and that Lucas will stand in as his proxy. Molly's disappointed in not meeting her husband to be, but is eager to get her new life started. After the ceremony, Molly is determined to go up in the mountains to Jackson's cabin, so she hires a horse and wagon, loads up her truck and cases and sets out. When she arrives, she finds that Jackson is indeed ill with a fever and she nurses him. He has a nasty gash on his cheek but she can't really see it well because of Jackson's heavy beard. So off comes the beard, and a discovery of a horrible deep scar that is many years old. Once she gets his fever under control, Molly lies beside him to sleep. In his sleep, Jackson mistakes Molly for a woman in town he visits, and they consummate their marriage. When morning comes, Jackson wakes up to the smell of coffee and bacon, and a happy memory of sweet dreams. He soon discovers all was not a dream and he's now married to the Irish spit fire in his kitchen. When he tells Molly that he doesn't want a wife, she gives it right back and tells him she's not going anywhere.

The sparks of temper and passion in this story kept me eagerly reading to see what next these two will do. Ms. Child writes wonderful dialogue, you can easily read Molly's Irish brogue in the musical way it was intended. Jackson's an honourable man, and promises to respect his wife, but he tells her he will never love her. How wrong could he be!

Excellence: Great! ~ Steaminess: Romantic

My Totals = 96 ~ Harlequin Imprint = 80 ~ Other Publisher = 16

I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump, so I decided to reach for a fun romantic book that I’ve read before. I read and blogged this one for the first time in November 2006, and since it’s been more than a year since I read it blogged it last, I can count it for this year’s Challenge. I’m glad I did because it was even more fun reading it the second time.

KatherineT-eHarlequin ~ Book Challenge Host
I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it! ~ Quiet Canadians Blog