The Bargain

De: Mary Jo Putney

Narrado por: Emma Newman

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

Slow burn romance

I liked that the H and h found their way to each other without contrivances.

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.