The Bargain

De: Mary Jo Putney

Narrado por: Emma Newman

Duración: 11 h y 7 m

Resumen del Editor

Forced to wed to keep her inheritance, independent Lady Jocelyn Kendal finds an outrageous solution: she proposes marriage to Major David Lancaster, an officer dying from his Waterloo wounds. In return for making her his wife, she will provide for his governess sister. But after the bargain is struck and the marriage is made, the major makes a shocking, miraculous recovery. Though they agree to an annulment, such matters take time...time enough for David to realize he is irrevocably in love with his wife. Haunted by her past, Jocelyn refuses to trust the desire David ignites in her. She never counted on a real husband, least of all one who would entice her to be a real wife. But some bargains are made to be broken - and his skilled courtship is impossible to resist....

©All Mary Jo Putney (P)All Mary Jo Putney

great narration

What did you love best about The Bargain?

the time period is one of my favorite to read about

Would you ever listen to anything by Mary Jo Putney again?

yes

Have you listened to any of Emma Newman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

not sure

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no

Any additional comments?

not the best writing but I thought the narration was good which made the story more enjoyable

A great listen

So many historical romance novels (or romance novels in general) have terrible villains that at the least are dishonorable and vulgar, and at the most have the intention to commit murder or some other offensive crime. This creates conflict needed for a plot, but is also repetitive and uncreative. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to like all of the main characters in this book. The conflict comes from their backgrounds and how their circumstances intertwine themselves, and I greatly appreciated it. My only complaint with the book was that I thought David forgave a bit too easily in the end, but overall it was a good listen and good story. I will definitely check out more of Putney’s books in the future.

Great story, well written but .

Well written story. But the narrator is horrible, she simply reads. you can't tell who's speaking. I couldn't finish but bought the book and read it.

Worth the time and credit

Setting: London, 1815
Genre: Romance
Narration wasn't the worst I've ever heard, and it didn't 't detract from the story.

This is a lovely book. Lady Jocelyn comes across as a bit hard-edged, but her softer side and her vulnerabilities are shown over the course of the story. Major David Lancaster doesn't seem to have any hardness at all, so the only change/growth is the love he develops for Jocelyn. She, however, is madly in love with a Duke who has been raking his way through the bedrooms of every willing widow and discontented wife in the ton for his entire adulthood. He is not the marrying kind. His interest in Jocelyn comes forth only after she arranges the marriage of convenience with Major Lancaster. The conflicts of the story are David's health and Jocelyn's devotion for another man. There is a subplot, which is David's sister's animosity toward Jocelyn and a developing love interest of her own.

Definitely credit-worthy.

A Classic Worth Your Time

I read this book some years ago and was glad to see it on Audible. Just the idea of marrying a dying soldier for convenience sake is filled with all sorts of delicious conflict for an upstanding young gentlewoman, and Ms. Putney didn''t miss any of them.

I am so happy to have this in my audio library and look forward to more by the same author coming available.

Will I listen to this again? Absolutely Yes.

Enjoyable

"The Bargain" is a sweet, unusual story, and one I could not stop listening to. I did not read the original version published in 1989 as "The Would-Be Widow", but I certainly enjoyed this revamped version.

The strong willed heroine, Lady Jocelyn Kendal, has deeply buried emotional issues, which effects her decision making. So, when she is faced with having to marry before her twenty-fifth birthday or lose her inheritance to her uncle and wicked aunt-by-marriage, according to her father's will, she is at a loss as to what to do. She refuses to marry without a love match, and she has only been interested in one man, the Duke of Candover, despite the many men who have tried to woo her. Although she thinks he has feelings for her, she knows she can not convince him to marry her in the 4 weeks before her birthday, besides he has never seemed interested in commitment.

While visiting a friend recuperating at the Military Hospital she realizes she may have come across the answer to her prayers. Major David Lancaster has been fatally wounded and is not expected to live. He is not afraid to die, but is worried about his unmarried sister's well being and future. So when Jocelyn learns of this she sees an opportunity that she simply can't pass up.

I enjoyed Emma Newman's narration, although soft spoken she did well defining the different characters.

I recommend "The Bargain" to all Historical Romance lovers.

One of my all-time favorites!

I have now read and listened to this book twice. It is my favorite of the Mary Jo Putney collection, a true romance novel.

Not all I bargained for!

I remembered liking this book when I read it years ago but unfortunately, the audio book just wasn't very captivating. The narrator was kind of annoying as was the heroine of the story. The premise of the story was interesting but it couldn't overcome the other difficulties that hold this one back. Not horrible but not great either.

REGENCY WITH A TWIST

The story is a different kind of recency romance with a woman whose life is hampered by the past actions and inactions of others.

Unfortunate narration

The story had promise but the narration hindered it. Characters meshed together and the proper emotions were lost.