The Lieutenant's Bargain

GIVEAWAY

JENNINGS, REGINA
THE LIEUTENANT'S BARGAIN

Hattie Walker dreams of being a painter, while her parents want her to settle down. As a compromise, they give her two months to head to Denver and place her works in an exhibition or give up the dream forever. Her journey is derailed when a gunman attacks her stagecoach, leaving her to be rescue by a group fo Arapaho...but she's too terrified to recognize them as friendly.

Confirmed bachelor Lieutenant Jack Hennessey has long worked with the tribe and is tasked with trying to convince them that the mission school at Fort Reno can help their children . When a message arrives about a recovered survivor, Jack heads out to take her home...and plead his case once more.

He's stunned to run into Hattie Walker, the girl who shattered his heart -- but quickly realizes he has a chance to impress her. When his plan gets tangled through translation, Jack and Hattie end up in a mess that puts her dreams in peril. -- and tests Jack's resolve to remain single.

My Review:

That cute cover promises reading bliss within and Jennings delivers in this drama/romcom/mystery. Great opening scene full of action and danger and some surprising laugh-out-loud moments. The perfect set-up for Hattie's wild west adventures! She's kinda prissy, prone to making snap judgments and fiercely determined to live her life on her own terms...until a vicious gunman dashes her plans.

Cue Lieutenant Jack Hennessey -- her knight in shining armor -- who rescues her from one scrape only to land her into an even bigger one. And poor Jack, he's besotted -- has been since they were classmates in school. Hattie didn't notice him then -- not in that way! But she's noticing him now and having a hard time connecting the school boy with the army officer who has suddenly become the focal point in her life. Lots of fodder for romantic tension, not to mention laughter.

It's an intriguing time period -- and not without controversy. I'm always uncomfortable when I think about the ways both American and Canadian governments 'managed' the Native populations. Issues like sending the children to mission schools, cutting their hair, refusing to allow them to speak their own language etc. The force-feeding of white culture at the expense of Native traditions. So I was wary of that aspect of the story but I think Jennings did a marvelous job of being historically accurate while showing compassion and understanding through the thoughts and actions of her characters -- especially through Jack.

Then there's the mystery, some danger, the enthralling details of fort life and even a Christmas twist towards the end! All combine to make this the perfect book to curl up with on a cold winter's night.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Lieutenant's Bargain, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday January 19 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!