His
love is the key to her release.
Sentenced
to seven years of servitude in the penal colony of New South Wales,
Bridgit Madden is thrust into a world unlike anything she's known,
dangers she never imagined and enemies with their own interests at
heart. Certain that the conviction has ruined her chances of ever
having a real family, she is fearful of her future.
Despite
his reluctance to take in a convict, Jonah Andrus, a grazier and
pioneer cattleman, needs a servant to care for his orphaned niece.
When presented with Bridgit, who is far too beautiful and
distracting, he initially tries to refuse. However, with a busy
cattle station to oversee, he needs help right away.
Upon
her first meeting with Jonah's niece, Bridgit immediately falls in
love with the girl and becomes entwined the mystery surrounding her
birth. As she gets to know her employer better, Bridgit makes it her
mission to remind him that family is priceless. When it seems as
though she might have found the place she truly belongs, their love
is threatened by lies and deceit, and both of them might lose
everything they hold dear for a second time.
Excerpt:
“There,
there. Bridgit will be along any second. She knows how to take care
of you. Uncle Jonah will drop you. You’re too small.”
Surprised
by his own admission, he stared helplessly at Olivia. When was the
last time he’d paid her any attention? She’d grown and he hadn’t
noticed. Babies did; he knew well enough from watching his calves
during the summer. The baby he remembered was tiny, wrinkled and
didn’t look like anyone. Charlotte, exhausted, but elated, had
smiled proudly.
“Isn’t
she beautiful, Jonah?”
Recalling
her voice made his heart pound. The silly girl didn’t have a sense
of shame. She’d been nervous when she admitted her tryst and the
subsequent pregnancy, but she had defended her child. Not unlike one
of his cows. They protected their young fiercely.
He
hadn’t found the words to answer her question. All he saw was Rob
Langnecker’s face. The desire to kill him had blotted out
everything else. Langnecker had ruined his sister, left her alone
with a bastard child and went off chasing other skirts. She’d died
in the room where Bridgit slept, believing he’d come back for them.
If
I ever catch him.
Jonah
ran his hand down his face.
“Is
something wrong?”
Bridgit’s
warm hand closed around his. Pity shined in her eyes.
“The
chores are waiting.” Clammy sweat dampened his shirt.
She
tugged his hand. “You need to stay. You’ll regret it if you
don’t. Go sit down.”
He
didn’t understand why he obeyed, but he sat in the rocking chair by
the window. His father had crafted it for his mother years before
Jonah was born.
Bridgit
lifted Olivia, nestling her into his arms. The cries eased to a
whimper.
“Hold
your arms like this. You’ve got to support her head.”
“I
know.” Charlotte had insisted he hold Olivia hours after her birth.
He remembered it clear as day. Accepting the chubby baby, he was
surprised at her weight.
She’d
been so small. “She’s healthy.”
It
was more a question than a statement. Olivia gazed at him, eyes wide.
Her fingers toyed with one of his buttons.
“Aye.
Growing like a weed. She’s learning to roll over.” At his
confused look, she explained, “That’s good. She’ll be crawling
before long. She talks to me and follow things with her eyes.
Everything she’s supposed to do.”
“Good.
Charlotte would be glad.” His voice sounded choked and he cleared
his throat, hoping Bridgit hadn’t noticed.
She
lifted the bottle. “Here. Feed her. Tip it up, so the air gets in
the bottle.”
He
let her show him what to do, surprised again when Olivia grasped the
bottle with her tiny hands. Her features were clearer now.
Charlotte’s nose and chin. Those couldn’t be his ears, could
they? Dark blue eyes stared up at him, then drifted shut as she
suckled greedily. Her eyes were the only resemblance he could find to
her father.
Bridgit
kneeled beside the rocking chair and swept dark locks from the baby’s
face. Her hand settled on his knee. “There. She’s happy now.” A
wistful smile played across her face.
A
jolt ran through him. With Olivia snuggled against his chest and
Bridgit beside him, the moment belonged to a family man.
My Review:
I enjoyed this book. The story is a good boy meets girl, boy resists girl, boy falls for girl and they live happily ever after type of romance. There is some tensions, some misunderstandings, a little bit of danger, and a growing love that makes this story a good read.
I enjoyed the characters. Bridgit is not your typical convict. You would expect a wild, bad mannered or dangerous woman to be a convict. Bridgit is very much the opposite. Jonah is a typical masculine, hard headed male. He is very resistant to the idea of falling for Bridgit, especially since she is a convict. I found his stubbornness tiring at times. Just give in already, everyone knows you are falling for her! It seems that many of the characters feel that they will get together, even though they don't come right out and say it.
There were a couple of characters I didn't like, but they were written to be disliked. You will know who I mean when you read the book. One of the biggest misunderstandings occur because of evil scheming. It made me so mad! Another misunderstanding was over Olivia's father. I felt from the start that Jonah was handling it all wrong. It was one of the good subplots that kept me interested in the story.
I would say that anyone that likes a historical romance will enjoy this book. It is easy to read, has all the things that makes this type of book enjoyable, and is different enough that you don't feel like you have already read it. The characters are all interesting and will keep you engaged with the story.
Buy Links:
Kindle: http://amzn.com/
Other Links:
Facebook
– http://facebook.com/allisonmwrites
Twitter
– http://twitter.com/allison_merritt
Google
Plus – http://gplus.to/AllisonMerritt
Book
trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpfYFqTSGhw
Author bio:
A
love of reading turned Allison Merritt into an author who writes
historical, paranormal and fantasy romances, often combining the
sub-genres. She graduated college with a B.A. in mass communications
that's gathering dust after it was determined that she's better at
writing fluff than hard news.
She
lives in a small town in the Ozark Mountains with her husband and
dogs. When she's not writing or reading, she hikes in national parks
and conservation areas.
Disclosure: I received a free copy of the ebook for review purposes. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way. I was not required to write a positive review.
Thanks so much for your kind review of The Convict and the Cattleman!
ReplyDelete