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A Bride in the Bargain

by Deeanne Gist

4.00 · rating details · 1,819 ratings · 301 reviews

In 1860s Seattle, a man with a wife could secure himself 640 acres of timberland. But because of his wife's untimely death, Joe Denton finds himself about to lose half of his claim. Still in mourning, his best solution is to buy one of those Mercer girls arriving from the East. A woman he'll marry in name but keep around mostly as a cook.
Anna Ivey's journey west with Asa ...more

Paperback, 365 pages

Published June 1st 2009 by Bethany House Publishers (first published January 1st 2009)

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Aug 10, 2010

Anne Osterlund rated it

Jo Denton runs one of the most successful redwood logging operations in Washington State, but his wife is dead. And he can’t seem to convince the judge of that. So half the land he owns goes up for sale if he can’t find himself a new wife.

Enter Anna. Who seems perfect. A Mercer bride who’s traveled all the way from the east coast to cook for Jo and his entire crew. She’s pretty. Kind. Smells like twinflowers. And makes the most spectacular doughnuts.

But no one told her sh...more

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Jan 04, 2010

Julie (Mom2lnb) rated it

Recommends it for: Fans of Mail-Order Bride Stories, Inspirationals, or Deeanne Gist

Shelves: historical-romance, read-2009, inspirational-romance

Reviewed for THC Reviews
"3.5 stars" I received an ARC copy of A Bride in the Bargain from the LibraryThing early reviewers program. It contains a plot device I usually enjoy, that of the mail-order bride, except with the twist that the bride doesn't know that she's bound for the altar. Once she finds out, of course she's none too happy about it, leaving her groom in the lurch, with seemingly no viable way to save half of his land grant that he has poured hard work into for more t...moreReviewed for THC Reviews
"3.5 stars" I received an ARC copy of A Bride in the Bargain from the LibraryThing early reviewers program. It contains a plot device I usually enjoy, that of the mail-order bride, except with the twist that the bride doesn't know that she's bound for the altar. Once she finds out, of course she's none too happy about it, leaving her groom in the lurch, with seemingly no viable way to save half of his land grant that he has poured hard work into for more than a decade. A Bride in the Bargain sounded like a really fascinating story, and based on the synopsis, I thought I would thoroughly enjoy it. While there were some things that I did like about it, there were several other things that I did not.

For the second time in a row now, I've read a story that has multiple plot lines, none of which were explored quite to my satisfaction. The primary plot which I outlined above was my favorite and the most interesting, but there were at least three other secondary plots as well. First, Anna is adamantly against marriage, because she feels that she was responsible for the deaths of her entire family (father, mother, and younger brother), and doesn't believe that she is capable of handling the responsibilities of a wife without causing bad things to happen to anyone she loves. I've read similar story lines in which a hero or heroine has survivor's guilt, but in this case there were a lot of things about it that seemed rather forced. Anna claims that before her father left to fight in the Civil War, they were a happy family, but the mere act of her father enlisting and going away seemed to cause the family to disintegrate. Mom fell into some sort of clinical depression; Anna and her brother started fighting with each other (even physically); somewhere along the line Dad started sending nasty letters telling Anna that she and her brother's arguing brought the rebel bullets closer to him and that God would protect him if they would just get along (this part of the story made me extremely angry); then little brother runs off to join the war too after a particularly bad fight with Anna, which leads to Mom saying some horrible things to her as well. I realize that a husband and father going off to war can be exceedingly stressful, but there are plenty of families who manage without falling to pieces like this. I just had a hard time believing that they were a strong, happy family to begin with. On the contrary, they seemed pretty dysfunctional to me. The other thing that bothered me about this part of the story is that Anna was obviously quite wounded by all of these things, but then later has an instant epiphany after the town doctor counsels her for just a few minutes. This was something that was not believable to me at all. I know it's rather cliché and an often overused plot, but I think this whole story line would have been better is Anna had simply been afraid to love Joe because of loosing everyone she had ever loved. Instead the plot itself was overly convoluted and the denouement over-simplified, in my opinion.

Another plotline involved Joe needing to convince Anna that he wanted to marry her, because he had fallen in love with her and not just because he wanted to save his land. I think this part could have been very romantic, but it seemed to me that the author made Joe into one of those clueless alphas who barely has a romantic bone in his body. Strangely, he did a decent job of being somewhat romantic while Anna was staying at his house as a cook for the logging camp, and I even liked their picnic on the huge tree stump. Later though, that all changed for me. I guess he managed a few gestures during the actual courting phase that some readers may find romantic (Anna certainly did), but they didn't do a whole lot for me, at least not as written. Another thing that bothered me about Joe was his intense love of the land. I understand how the land gets into the blood of the men who work it especially back in the days when so much of the country was undeveloped, but Joe just seemed to love it almost to the exclusion of anyone or anything else. Even near the end of the book when Joe has to make a choice between Anna and the land, he still briefly waffles. I appreciated Joe's hardworking nature and ambition that made it possible for him to build a successful logging outfit from the ground up, and I can understand how it would be a difficult choice to leave all that. Still, I really prefer my heroes to be so utterly in love with the heroine that she, without a doubt, always comes first and absolutely nothing will ever stand in the way of their love. I think the final plot twist in the book, which then twisted on itself again, was intended to show Joe's commitment to Anna, but if Joe had been made into a more romantic hero in the first place, I don't think that part would have even been necessary. A man can certainly wear his heart on his sleeve when it comes to his woman without jeopardizing his manhood (I've seen it done numerous times in other novels), but from what I could tell that didn't seem to be something Joe was capable of.

For the most part, I liked the characters in the story, but I felt that the characterizations were pretty uneven. I've already discussed Joe quite a bit, and although he could have his more tender, gentle moments, they just weren't frequent enough or long enough to suit me. It's not that I disliked him, but he probably would be the type of guy who would drive me batty in real life. I admired Anna as a strong young woman who had lived through the deaths of her family members with dignity and had managed to eke out a meager living for herself. Most of the time she seemed like a very gentle, kind person, but her occasional spates of temper, especially in the flashback with her brother, made her seem rather shrewish. What in other heroines I have found to be an endearing spitfire quality, I think came off rather badly in Anna, because she was always arguing with someone she loved instead of defending herself against a villain or bucking the system like most spitfire heroines would be doing. In fact, almost all the characters had some temper issues. Joe sent some of Anna's seashells sailing across the room and then foolishly chopped down a tree in the dark in a fit of anger, the lumberjacks often smacked each other around and brutishly threatened to “talk with their hands,” and Joe's best friend, Red, kicked a hole in the side of the barn when he got upset. Even Red was contradictory, because he initially was encouraging Joe to woo Anna in every way he could think of, but then when it seemed that Joe would have to give up everything for her, Red did an about face and essentially said she wasn't worth it. All in all, I think I would have enjoyed these characters quite a bit if I had just been able to get a better lock on their personalities. As it was written, I felt like they were all over the place, and I was being constantly jerked back and forth between liking them and not being very certain about their motives.

A Bride in the Bargain had several plot cliches that I'm not particularly fond of too. Joe ended up keeping a secret from Anna, but I thought his reasons for it were pretty weak. Of course, when the secret comes out, it leads to “the big misunderstanding” and then a lack of communication about their feelings for one another only compounds it all. Another thing that I thought the author could have done a much better job with is the descriptive details. I truly felt that this story had a lot of potential and in spite of my other issues with it, could have been great if there had just been more richness in the details. The first thing that comes to mind is that I would have liked to know more about what the lead characters were feeling for each other. Instead their feelings seemed rather stunted at times, and in my opinion, the author was doing more telling than showing. Also, I found their dialog was sometimes stilted, with them seeming to say only what was necessary, rather than their words having the more poetic quality of many other romances I've read. Finally, even though the setting was the beautiful, majestic forests of Washington Territory against the gorgeous backdrop of Mt. Ranier, I just couldn't seem to picture all of it in my mind's eye, because there simply wasn't enough detail. I have read other books that were set in the same area of Washington, and the depictions were so vivid, I felt like I was in the heart of the forest and could almost smell the pine. Sadly, this was not so with A Bride in the Bargain. I will definitely give Ms. Gist credit for the one thing I thought she did describe fairly well, and that was how a lumberjack went about his work of felling trees. I found this to be pretty interesting and different, since I haven't really read any other lumberjack heroes. I also thought that for an inspirational romance, there was a surprising amount of sexual tension (which of course was only consummated off canvas), but with the story lacking that all-important emotional connection, I certainly wouldn't go so far as to call it sensual. Additionally, in my opinion, the religious content was fairly low-key and non-preachy, so except for readers who are seriously averse to any religious depictions at all, I would say that almost anyone, including those who aren't typically readers of inspirationals, could potentially enjoy this story.

I realize I've spent a large part of my review criticizing this book, and I always dislike it when I have to do that. I go into reading every book with a desire to not just like it, but to come away from reading it, thinking that it was fabulous. Unfortunately, A Bride in the Bargain fell short of that mark. I can say that it moved along at a fairly quick pace and kept me reading. Even though I had several frustrations with the book, I was never bored with it, which is always a positive. I also liked that the author interjected a bit of the real history of Seattle into the story, as well as a couple of real personages as characters. I'm sure there are many romance readers who will find A Bride in the Bargain to be a worthwhile read, and in spite of my criticisms, I actually did too. It's simply that I thought it could have been so much more than just worthwhile. Ultimately, I think that seeing so much potential in the story, but not having it live up to that potential, is what made me so frustrated with it. Since this was my first read by Deeanne Gist, I can't say if the issues I had with the book are inherent in her writing style or if it was a peculiarity of this particular book, but as I have another of her books on my TBR pile, I will likely be giving her another chance to wow me in the future.(less)

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Dec 09, 2011

Misfit rated it

· review of another edition

“Seattle, Washington Territory April 1, 1865 ATTENTION BACHELORS! Due to the efforts of Asa Mercer, you can now secure a bride of good moral character and reputation from the Atlantic States for the sum of $300. All eligible and sincerely desirous bachelors assemble in Delim & Shorey’s building on Wednesday evening.”

Anna Ivey is alone in the world and pretty darn poor to boot, and with the promise of a future in Washington Territory she signs on as one of Asa Mercer’s Brides. Althoug...more

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Feb 06, 2012

Stacey rated it

Shelves: romance, historical

What a sweet little book this is. No really. Throughout the book I kept thinking to myself, “oh, how sweet.” Surprisingly enough this didn’t make me roll my eyes and toss the book over my shoulder. You see, to me sweet usually means blah, or boring, or possibly a diabetic coma, but not this time. What saves it from being too good to be true is the author’s attention to historical detail. She doesn’t pretty it up a whole lot which makes the secondary cast of characters much more human, therefore...more

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Jan 20, 2012

Candi rated it

Shelves: ya

Once again I am blown away by the amount of research done by Deeanne Gist. This book was about the early Seattle settlers and real life Asa Mercer's trip to buy brides for all the men. The book follows a civil war orphan picked up by Mercer with the promise that she will have work in the Northwest territories. After a harrowing boat trip around South America she finds out she was promised as a wife instead of a cook.

I loved the Seattle history, especially the parts about Doc Mayna...more

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Mar 22, 2011

Bethany rated it

Shelves: 3rd-nine-weeks-book-revivews

Joe Denton is about to lose about half of his land unless he finds a wife. In his desperation,he pays more than 300 dollars for a Mercer bride, and is told that he will receive a willing bride to marry.
Anna Ivey is lured to Seattle with the promise of a job as a cook, nanny, or teacher by Asa Mercer. Arriving in Seattle on a boat with a few other women, she soon finds out that what her contract says is completely different from the contract of the man who was promised a wife, Joe Denton. ...more

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Jan 03, 2011

Laura rated it

From the back cover: In 1860's Seattle, redwoods were plentiful but women scarce. Yet a man with a wife could secure 640 acres of timberland for free.

Joe Denton doesn't have a wife, though. His died before she could follow him to Seattle, and now the local judge is threatening to take away his claim. In desperation, he buys himself a Mercer bride - one of the eastern widows and orphans brought to the Territory by entrepreneur Asa Mercer.

Anna Ivey's journey west with Mercer is...more

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Jun 12, 2010

Sally rated it

Shelves: christian, disappointing, historical, romance, women-s-interest

This book was described to me as historic fiction and Christian romance. Instead, it was sexual tension fused with quaint, old-fashioned manners. Lots of innuendo, but the characters forever reigned themselves in - not because of morals, really, but they did everything else in their power to push boundaries of propriety. It's hard to explain how characters can be so "chaste" without really being virtuous. Oh wait...there's an entire series like that...something about Vampires....
...more

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Feb 14, 2010

Jeanette Blackson rated it

Yet another GREAT book by Deeanne Gist! This book was so hard to put down. I stayed up late reading it until I couldn't keep my eyes open, read it while working out, read it during my lunch break...even read it at red traffic lights! Needless to say I finished it in 24 hours. The plot was intriguing and kept my interest from the very beginning. A majority of the story takes place in Seattle, Washington, in the mid 1800's. Anna Ivey is a 19 year old, orphaned by the Civil War who decides to move ...more

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Oct 15, 2009

Nora rated it

I was thrilled to receive a review copy of this book from the publisher because I’m a huge fan of Deeann Gists books. I found pure enjoyment in her newest installment. Deeann quickly grabbed my attention and intrigued me with this 1860s historical, set in Seattle, where Joe Denton is about to lose his land. In order to keep it and comply with his original agreement he needs a wife. Time is a ticking for Joe. He’s desperate to get a bride, so he signs a contract with Mr. Mercer, who guarantees h...more I was thrilled to receive a review copy of this book from the publisher because I’m a huge fan of Deeann Gists books. I found pure enjoyment in her newest installment. Deeann quickly grabbed my attention and intrigued me with this 1860s historical, set in Seattle, where Joe Denton is about to lose his land. In order to keep it and comply with his original agreement he needs a wife. Time is a ticking for Joe. He’s desperate to get a bride, so he signs a contract with Mr. Mercer, who guarantees him one for the bargain price of $300.00.

Joe has one year to marry before he loses his land and business. He isn’t interested in romance, just a way to secure his land and have a cook for his men. He’d care for his wife but she would be free of intimate entanglements. This was a nothing more than a business arrangement pure and simple.

Anna Ivey life is in the middle of a great mess. She jumps at the chance to start over and get away from her troubles. When she see’s Mr. Mercer’s add in the paper about a job as a cook in Seattle for the passage way of only $50.00 she jumps at the chance for a new adventure. She has lost her family in the Civil War so nothing is stopping her from finding a new home. She too signs Mr. Mercer’s contract.

Anna’s a feisty, strong woman who will definitely but up a fight, she says, “If you do this, you’d better never, ever, not even once, close your eyes for a bit of rest. Because the moment you do I’m going to slip down into the kitchen, get the meat hammer, come back to your chambers and break your arm. Your right arm.” She is a woman who knows what she wants and will fight to get it.

Anna wants Joe to stick to her signed contract. She’s a cook and nothing more. Joe is in a horrific bind but agrees with her. He goes back to Mr. Mercer for another bride. He’ll have to secure a wife some how, and that’s when the fun begins.

I always learn a bit of American history from Deeann’s books. This one is no exception. The author’s two main characters are strong willed and struggle with doing what they know God is calling them to do. You’ll definitely want to pick up Deeann’s new book, be entertained for hours, learn a little and enjoy this fun story. It won’t disappoint.

Nora St.Laurent
Finding Hope Through Fiction
www.psalm516.blogspot.com (less)

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Sep 24, 2009

Kathryn rated it

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Aug 30, 2009

Janna rated it

Ahhh, another Deeanne Gist historical romance! How sweet it is! I enjoyed this particular book so much, it is actually based loosely on an actual event. Asa Mercer decides to leave the West and head East to bring brides back by ship for all the lonely fellows out West. Of course he charges the fellows a head hunters fee. Then he charges the women for passage. Then he hits the women up for more half way through passage and forgets to tell some of the women that they are actually supposed to get ...more

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Jul 19, 2009

Victor Gentile rated it

I had the pleasure of interviewing Deeanne Gist on our radio show “Kingdom Highlights” regarding her new book, “A Bride in the Bargain”. Ms. Gist is a very gifted author and she has perfectly captured the logging industry in 1865 which, of course, is the time period the story takes place in.

Joe Denton is a man with a mission. He has 640 acres of timberland of which he is about to lose half because his wife died and he cannot prove it therefore, legally he is unmarried and in...more
I had the pleasure of interviewing Deeanne Gist on our radio show “Kingdom Highlights” regarding her new book, “A Bride in the Bargain”. Ms. Gist is a very gifted author and she has perfectly captured the logging industry in 1865 which, of course, is the time period the story takes place in.

Joe Denton is a man with a mission. He has 640 acres of timberland of which he is about to lose half because his wife died and he cannot prove it therefore, legally he is unmarried and in violation of the terms of the contract for the land. Desperate he signs on for a wife that Asa Mercer is going to bring from back East. Anna Ivey thinks she signed on to be a cook at Joe’s lumber camp and doesn’t want to get married. Now the race is on as to whether 1) Joe will actually fall in love with Anna and 2) get Anna to fall in love with him before the deadline when he will lose his land.

This is a fun read and Ms. Gist has a marvelous ability to create characters that you enjoy and, if they were real, wouldn’t mind having over to your house for a meal and fun time afterward. Joe and Anna are terrific and real but so are the secondary characters which really makes the story come alive. On top of everything Ms. Gist has a wonderful sense of humor and there are just some scenes that will having you laughing out loud.

There are major themes that run through this book foremost of which is how we let events run our lives. Certain events left Anna believing that she caused the death of her parents and brother which is not the case. She won’t get married because she believes she will be the cause of the death of her husband and children. It takes a lot of work to get her to see the truth. Another theme is where is our treasure? Does Joe love his land more than he loves Anna? Of course, I am not going to answer this question that will spoil the fun but this book explores the question that Jesus asked, “Where is your treasure?”

It is a very good read and I recommend it highly. I hope that Ms. Gist will one day write a sequel that brings back all the characters a few years into their future. It would be fun to see how they have grown and changed. In the meantime we just have to enjoy this book and be ready for her next book.
(less)

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Jun 10, 2010

Laura rated it

Title: A BRIDE IN THE BARGAIN
Author: Deeanne Gist
Publisher: Bethany House
2009
ISBN: 978-1-7642-0407-4
Genre: Inspirational/historical romance

Joe Denton really doesn’t want a wife. His first wife died ten years ago, but now the judge in Seattle is threatening to take away Joe’s land, since it is supposed to go to a married man. And Joe can’t produce a death certificate for his wife. In desperation, Joe buys himself a Mercer bride—and eastern orphan brought ...more

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Mar 19, 2010

Cristina rated it

Shelves: religious-novels

Joe Denton must have a wife or he will lose half of his land and lumber operation. Because of this, he "buys" a wife from back east. However, the bride he has "bought" has no intention of marrying and is under the impression that she has come west to be a cook. Can Joe convince her to marry him before his time runs out and he loses his land?

This was an enjoyable, easy book to read, but it did have some problems. Anna's reasons for not marrying were a little rid...more

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Jun 13, 2009

Barbara rated it

Shelves: romance

I enjoy Deanne Gist's take on the historical romance; her characters are usually pretty independent, a little fiesty and even a tad "kooky" sometimes--usually due to some bee in their bonnet rooted in a misunderstanding of themselves or God which influences their choices and actions. This time, Anna, our heroine, carries a feeling of responsiblity for the tragedies that befell her family. Now with a new, unexpected relationship, she lets it keep her from falling in love...but only for ...more

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Aug 31, 2011

Sarah Udall rated it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Oct 19, 2010

Kristy rated it

Shelves: historical-love, 2010, christian

The coolest thing about this book is that it is based on fact. This is sort of a mail-order-bride sort of book. I read the whole book and then at the end the author tells about her research and says that the newspaper ads in the book were taken from REAL newspaper ads from back in the 1860's. I also loved that she used real people. Some of the characters were real historical people with the same names.

This was a really sweet book. I gotta say though, after reading it I was disa...more

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Jun 18, 2009

Jennifer AlLee rated it

Before I start reading a new book by Deeanne Gist, I make sure my schedule is clear - no deadlines looming, no appointments to get to - because I know once I start, I'm not going to want to stop.

In A Bride in the Bargain we meet Joe and Anna, two people who fall hard for each other, even though they're not looking for love. Despite their feelings, they're a stubborn pair, and the road to a happy ending is fraught with missteps, some comical, some nearly tragic. But the journey is a ...more

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Sep 07, 2010

Lydia (Overweight Bookshelf) rated it

First reviewed here: http://overweight-bookshelf.blogspot.com...

What to do on a cold, rainy, and boring Labour Day? Why, let Deeanne Gist captivate me with her storytelling, of course. This book was so fantastic I finished it in one day and immediately booted up my computer to write this review.

One of the reasons I love authors such as Deeanne so much, is that they have breathed new life (and heat) into inspirational romances while keeping their plot and message rooted in...moreFirst reviewed here: http://overweight-bookshelf.blogspot.com...

What to do on a cold, rainy, and boring Labour Day? Why, let Deeanne Gist captivate me with her storytelling, of course. This book was so fantastic I finished it in one day and immediately booted up my computer to write this review.

One of the reasons I love authors such as Deeanne so much, is that they have breathed new life (and heat) into inspirational romances while keeping their plot and message rooted in scriptural truth and values. Any discussions or contemplations about scripture flowed seamlessly and was perfectly contextualized. Sometimes in inspirational romances, authors feel a need to insert the "preaching pages" where they dedicate 3 pages to all things spiritual and then return to the plot. With Deeanne, the spiritual aspects of the story were very believable and authenticated the development of Anna's character in light of her tragic Civil War experiences and losses.

The chemistry between Joe and Anna leaps off the pages-pages I had to use to fan myself after certain memorable scenes. Not to worry-Deeanne sticks to the inspirational romance genre by keeping romantic scenes to a PG rating, but there is no denying the tension and sparks that are flying beneath the surface!

Several chapters into the book, I stopped attempting to smother my laughter and just allowed the giggles, chuckles, and outright laughter to come bubbling out. As is true for all of Deeanne's heroines, Anna is a sassy and independent young woman who can verbally spar with the best of them. The interactions between Joe's crew add to the hilarity of this awkward arrangement that Anna has found herself in.

Do not be mistaken in assuming that this book is all fluff and no substance. While the romance element is strong and prevalent (and oh so addictive), Joe and Anna both take a personal and spiritual journeys as they come to realize what they truly value in life and what they are willing to sacrifice to live the life that God has destined for them.

Rating: 10/10 (less)

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Jun 12, 2009

Krista rated it

I loved this book! I got it in the mail today and finished it just a bit ago. It is about a gal, Anna, that goes to Seattle right after the civil war ends. She thinks she is going to be a cook for a lumberjack and his crew. When she arrives she finds out she is supposed to be his bride. Joe needs a bride to secure his 640 acres. Written in a contract it states he is to be married (a family man) to entitle him to 640 acres, otherwise he loses half of his property. What links he goes to in order t...more

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Oct 06, 2009

Leticia rated it

I did not finish this book. It was way to slow to get to the heart of the story. Already 10 chapters in and the bride had barely made it to the ranch.

This story is about a man who moved out northwest to make his fortune in lumber. He acquired his land through a government grant which requires him to be married. Wife dies before she can make it out there, so he takes part in a venture to bring women out to marry the lumberjacks. Through a series of misunderstandings, the chick that i...more

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Jan 09, 2011

Caiti rated it

My friends know: I'm a literary snob. And not really the good kind, whatever the good kind is, I mostly just refuse to read anything that wasn't written hundreds of years ago.

If it's recent: no.
If it's Christian fiction: probably not.
If it's romancey: nevaaaar.

And so, I feel it's only fair to be honest: My brain just said "please! No more Lewis or Dickens or Tolstoy! not yet!" and so, I spent Christmas Break reading a nice little stack of Christian r...more

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Jul 17, 2011

Andrew Hildreth rated it

This is an excellent book. I really loved it. Once the main characters met, I was interested and hooked from then on. There were a lot of ups and downs which added to the intrigue and definitely drew me into the story. The entire book invoked a wide variety of emotions that helped make it so interesting as well as balanced. Joe was awesome as a true gentleman (yo Joe!) and Anna seemed irresistibly adorable. The author, once again, did an excellent job in painting such a descriptive picture of th...more

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Oct 13, 2009

Kathleen L. rated it

Anna Ivey is one of my all-time favorite heroines. Orphaned and utterly alone after the Civil War, she carries a weight of guilt which cripples her from ever allowing love to blossom in her heart. She feels she is responsible for the deaths of those closest to her, and fears she will be the demise of anyone she lets near. Despite her poverty and grief, she is a plucky, hard-working gal, and unafraid to take the risk of joining Asa Mercer’s emigration of single women to the Northwest Terr...more

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Jan 19, 2011

Leslie rated it

I first heard about Deeanne Gist when Wendy aka Super Librarian blogged about her trip to The Biltmore Estate that she won from Ms. Gist and her review Ms. Gist's novel Maid to Match got me itching to read one of Ms. Gist's novels. With my love of the mail-order-bride trope it was an easy choice to pick up A Bride in the Bargain, along with Maid to Match at the library. The bonus - I have this thing for lumberjacks. I just love reading about them! The hero in A Bride in the Bargain is a lumberja...moreI first heard about Deeanne Gist when Wendy aka Super Librarian blogged about her trip to The Biltmore Estate that she won from Ms. Gist and her review Ms. Gist's novel Maid to Match got me itching to read one of Ms. Gist's novels. With my love of the mail-order-bride trope it was an easy choice to pick up A Bride in the Bargain, along with Maid to Match at the library. The bonus - I have this thing for lumberjacks. I just love reading about them! The hero in A Bride in the Bargain is a lumberjack. Double Win!

Joe Denton is in a bind. If he can't prove he was married, he will lose half of his land. Land that he's work hard on for ten years to build into a logging camp. When his last chance at proving he was married falls through, Joe is desperate enough to hand over $300 to Asa Mercer for a bride. It takes months but Joe's bride finally arrives and just in time. Joe is ready to get his bride and get married. The only problem is, no one told the bride.

Anna Ivey is a resilient and resourceful woman who, in desperation, agrees to make the long journey to Washington Territory. She has nothing left to keep her in Massachusetts and every reason to leave. I loved how Gist didn't skip over Anna's trip on board the S. S. Continental but made the hardships and wonder of the trip come alive for this reader. After everything that Anna goes through, she is still a little too naive when she arrives in Seattle. This adds to the confusion over what role she would play in Joe Denton's life, making for some amusing dialogue. Anna's comments leaves Joe thinking one thing and Anna meaning something completely different. After everything is sorted out, Joe still needs a wife but he'll take a cook. He still isn't giving up and decides to try to spend his time convincing Anna to follow through with the marriage.

The romance is sweet but not too sugary. Anna and Joe have two very different goals in mind when it comes to their relationship. Joe wants Anna to marry him but Anna only wants to repay Joe for her travel expenses by cooking for his crew. Anna does try to think of Joe as only her employer but living in close quarters with him leaves her wanting more. Even with the attraction, Anna is determined to keep to her belief that she is not meant to be anyone's bride. But it takes a man of strength and dedication to make it in the territory. Joe puts those traits to good use when convincing Anna to be his bride.

The life a lumberjack is a physically grueling hard one. I enjoyed the descriptions of that life that Gist included in the story. Not only is the work demanding but it's also very dangerous. One miscalculation and the tree could come down the wrong way, hurting or killing anyone in it's path. The men that made up Joe's crew were a colorful bunch of characters who added another layer to the rugged landscape of the story.

Since this is an inspirational romance novel there are scripture references as well as mentions of god gingerly sprinkled throughout the book. In fact, there were times when I was wondering why there were not more references made. The religious overtones were minimal, with enough to show the characters' beliefs without feeling preachy.

The romance suffered a few bumps along the way with both Anna and Joe being too stubborn for their own good. They could have resolved things sooner had they just talked it out. I did find Anna's reason for not wishing to marry somewhat over the top. There were times when she seemed to carry around so much guilt, I was amazed she could find any happiness in life. The ending was fairly predictable, with Anna and Joe getting their happy ending.(less)

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Jun 17, 2009

Michelle rated it

Shelves: christianfiction, forpleasure, forreview, historicalfiction, blog-tour-book

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. There isn't a single book Deeanne Gist has written that I haven't totally adored. In fact, this may very well be my favorite book that she has written thusfar. It wasn't as "edgy" as several others, but was a truly fabulous love story with a deep emotion theme and powerful choices each character had to make. For me that makes any story a real page turner. I found the conflict 100% believable and I was so involved in the stories I felt the characters' em...more

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May 13, 2011

Tamara rated it

Shelves: deeanne-gist

A BRIDE IN THE BARGAIN by Deeanne Gist was so enjoyable, I read it in less than eight hours. Set in 1860s Seattle, Anna Ivey is leaving the East Coast after the War Between the States has robbed her of her family. Destitute and working for the strong-handed Hoke, she decides traveling to the West is the fresh start she needs. Answering an ad in the local paper, she signs on to travel to Seattle to be a cook for a logging camp. Once there, she finds out her contract reads much different from ...moreA BRIDE IN THE BARGAIN by Deeanne Gist was so enjoyable, I read it in less than eight hours. Set in 1860s Seattle, Anna Ivey is leaving the East Coast after the War Between the States has robbed her of her family. Destitute and working for the strong-handed Hoke, she decides traveling to the West is the fresh start she needs. Answering an ad in the local paper, she signs on to travel to Seattle to be a cook for a logging camp. Once there, she finds out her contract reads much different from that of Joe Denton's, the man she is to work for.

Joe Denton is about to lose half of what he has worked over ten years for. When he was given the land grant of 640 acres in the Seattle, Washington area, he was married, but he headed to his new land alone so he could establish it before sending for his wife. Unfortunately, his wife died before she could make the trip and as the land grant stipulates, single men only were to receive 320 acres. With the possibility of losing half of what he has slaved over for the last several years, he has no choice but to find himself a wife, and fast. When he reads of Asa Mercer's plan to go to the East and bring back widows and orphans suitable enough for marriage, he signs on. The fact that he finds out Ana Ivey can cook is just an extra bonus.

While Anna agrees to be his cook, she has no intentions of marrying Joe Denton. Though she finds him attractive and caring, she feels she has brought death to the ones she loves and vows never to marry. Joe can't understand Ivey's misgivings about marriage as he sees his time running out. He must convince her to marry or lose the land he loves. But he soon learns he could lose much more.

I thoroughly enjoyed A BRIDE IN THE BARGAIN. Ms. Gist pushed the envelope in the areas of attraction and being chaste in a conservative time. But I feel that is what will set this novel apart from the everyday Christian/Historical. Exploring the attraction that both Anna and Joe had for each other gave realism to their characters. Lets face it . . . though these characters are Christians, they're still human. To write them as a man and woman without desire for the opposite sex insults the reader. Overall, a very entertaining story with great characters. Oh - and I also found the historical side of the novel quite interesting.(less)

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Jan 31, 2012

Maria rated it

Shelves: christian-fiction

I didn't know whether to give this one two or three stars. It was a nice story, well written and all, but it didn't move me in any way. Except for making me a little disappointed, that is.

When I buy christian fiction it is for a reason. If I wanted books only for the sake of the romance in them, there are plenty of "non-christian" fiction out there that I could pick, with better language, better plot, better in many ways. So when I read christian fiction I usually appreciate...more

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Aug 20, 2010

Natalie rated it

Just before I began reading this book I was thinking I needed to read a book that a) wasn't a fantasy and b) took place in the good old USofA instead of England or elsewhere. Not that I don't really love many fantasies and books based in England, but I was in a mood for something a little closer to home. A good old Historical Romance was just what the doctor ordered.

This was a fun book. It was sweet and occasionally funny. The difficulties between the characters weren't too angsty, ...more

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About Deeanne Gist

After a short career in elementary education, Deeanne Gist retired to raise her four children. Over the course of the next fifteen years, she ran a home accessory and antique business, became a member of the press, wrote freelance journalism for national publications such as People, Parents, Parenting, Family Fun, Houston Chronicle and Orlando Sentinel, and acted as CFO for her husband’s small eng...moreAfter a short career in elementary education, Deeanne Gist retired to raise her four children. Over the course of the next fifteen years, she ran a home accessory and antique business, became a member of the press, wrote freelance journalism for national publications such as People, Parents, Parenting, Family Fun, Houston Chronicle and Orlando Sentinel, and acted as CFO for her husband’s small engineering firm--all from the comforts of home.

Squeezed betwixt-and-between all this, she read romance novels by the truckload and even wrote a couple of her own. While those unpublished manuscripts rested on the shelf, she founded a publishing corporation for the purpose of developing, producing and marketing products that would reinforce family values, teach children responsibility and provide character building activities.

After a few short months of running her publishing company, Gist quickly discovered being a "corporate executive" was not where her gifts and talents lie. Ignoring her creative yearnings, she wrestled with manufacturing, distributing, marketing, invoicing, collecting, warehousing, pick-pack-and-shipping, etc. In answer to Gist’s fervent prayers, God sent a mainstream publisher to her door who licensed her parenting I Did It!® product line and committed to publish the next generation of her system, thus freeing Gist to return to her writing.

Eight months later, she submitted A Bride Most Begrudging to Bethany House Publishers and they picked it up for their new "edgy inspirational" line of historical fiction. After its release in July 2005, Bride hit eight best seller lists, has sold over 150,000 copies and won the Christy Award for BEST ROMANCE 2006. The Measure of a Lady hit five best seller lists and won the Christy Award for BEST ROMANCE 2007. Courting Trouble and Deep in the Heart of Trouble have made five best seller lists so far.

Gist is contracted to have a book out every June through 2011. She lives in Texas with her husband of twenty-five years and their two border collies. They have four kids in college. Visit her blog to find out the most up-to-the-minute news about Dee.(less)

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