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The Last Man in Town
AN UNUSUAL PROPOSAL
All Lucas Garrett longed for was a good night's sleep. But as the last able-bodied, hot-blooded man left in a town full of lonely women, he hadn't had a moment's peace since the Gold Rush had lured all the eligible bachelors westward. Now he's just plain exhausted. So he turns to the only person he can trust—pretty, proper Priscilla Wentworth. If she would agree to pose as his future bride, then the fluttering flock of amorous ladies would finally leave him alone.
A TEMPORARY ENGAGEMENT
Priscilla agrees to pretend to be Lucas's fiancée in exchange for one thing only: he must help her find a husband of her own. Of course, Lucas is completely unsuitable—he's too handsome, too charming. But then he takes her in his arms, tantalising her with unforgettable kisses...and so much more. And suddenly Priscilla is wondering if the last man in town is really the only man for her.
All Lucas Garrett longed for was a good night's sleep. But as the last able-bodied, hot-blooded man left in a town full of lonely women, he hadn't had a moment's peace since the Gold Rush had lured all the eligible bachelors westward. Now he's just plain exhausted. So he turns to the only person he can trust—pretty, proper Priscilla Wentworth. If she would agree to pose as his future bride, then the fluttering flock of amorous ladies would finally leave him alone.
A TEMPORARY ENGAGEMENT
Priscilla agrees to pretend to be Lucas's fiancée in exchange for one thing only: he must help her find a husband of her own. Of course, Lucas is completely unsuitable—he's too handsome, too charming. But then he takes her in his arms, tantalising her with unforgettable kisses...and so much more. And suddenly Priscilla is wondering if the last man in town is really the only man for her.
370 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 22, 2015
When a series of mishaps leaves the economy of Maple Falls in ruins, the men decide to head west to look for gold. This leaves the women and children home to fend for themselves. It also leaves Lucas Garrett as the last able-bodied man in town. At first Lucas is in heaven. There are ladies bringing him pies, ladies doing his laundry, and ladies warming his bed. But these women are wearing him out. So he comes up with a plan to ask his best friend, Priscilla Wentworth, to pose as his fiancee so the women will leave him alone. She agrees with one condition...Lucas must find her a husband. This is easier said than done since all of the men have left town.
This could have been a fun summer read but is started off terribly slow. One kiss to convince the women in town that Lucas is off the market, and suddenly Pris and Lucas are looking at each other in a whole new light. The next 150 pages were the two of them trying to keep their distance from each other. Finally, they came up with an idea to restore the failed economy in the town and the story started to pick up. The second half of the book was much better and kept my interest. I liked both Priscilla and Lucas. Both of them do little things to keep the poor from starving or freezing to death. They seemed to take on the responsibility for the whole town.
This is my first book by Susan Kay Law. I liked the second half of this book and will check out other books by this author. My rating: 3.5 Stars.
This could have been a fun summer read but is started off terribly slow. One kiss to convince the women in town that Lucas is off the market, and suddenly Pris and Lucas are looking at each other in a whole new light. The next 150 pages were the two of them trying to keep their distance from each other. Finally, they came up with an idea to restore the failed economy in the town and the story started to pick up. The second half of the book was much better and kept my interest. I liked both Priscilla and Lucas. Both of them do little things to keep the poor from starving or freezing to death. They seemed to take on the responsibility for the whole town.
This is my first book by Susan Kay Law. I liked the second half of this book and will check out other books by this author. My rating: 3.5 Stars.
August 16, 2019
Lucas Garrett is a good looking guy and the only one left in Maple Falls in 1860 thanks to the Gold Rush and the failed mills in the area. He's been trying to keep all of the women happy in and out of bed, but it's become more work than fun. To give himself a break, he persuades his best friend, Priscilla Wentworth to pose as his fiancee. In return, she's to be introduced to possible husbands by Lucas. Having grown up together they've never been attracted, but this "engagement" puts them in a new light and the attraction is there. While they're fighting it, they're also putting the town back together. Eventually everything comes together including Priscilla and Lucas.
Several specific/explicit scenes.
Several specific/explicit scenes.
January 7, 2026
Lucas & Priscilla have been BFFs since childhood. Set in a west during the Gold Rush, their town is full of lonely women. Lucas's tired of all of the female attention and she's looking for a husband. They strike up a deal to pretend to be engaged. Your typical case of date dating where the two find themselves attracted to each other. Just boring.
June 14, 2019
Poor Lucas Garrett! So many women; so little time. All the other adult men have gone West seeking gold and Lucas is the only man left in a town full of ladies. You have to feel sorry for the man; Lucas is welcome at any table in town, his laundry is done (for free) and women vie to be his paramour. So what can possibly be the problem? Lucas is tired -- he needs a vacation from so many demands on his, um, energy. When I started reading, I was sure this was just some man's fantasy dream -- put to paper.
So, Lucas seeks out his best friend in the world - Priscilla Wentworth - the primmest and most proper lady in town. If Lucas and Priss can convince the town's ladies that he is unavailable, because he is courting Priss, then Lucas can get some much-needed rest. Frankly, I burst out laughing that any man could consider Lucas' life to be a problem. Lucas' mother is delighted when she hears, while Priscilla's mom is horror-stricken.
Now, Priss wants something out of this arrangement; she wants a husband. Unfortunately, marriageable men are in short supply. When Lucas drags his heels on his part of the bargain, she tells him that she just wants 'candidates.' She is capable of making the choice herself. Antics with a couple of these candidates are laugh-out-loud funny.
Have you ever read a one-joke book? This is a bit similar. There are lots of humor throughout the book but Lucas' and Priss' desperation gets old after awhile. There is constant angst about their feelings for the other person and the interior talking gets repetitive. Things finally move to a new level when Priss gets a legitimate wedding proposal from an established, older man.
There's another issue I had with this story; the author goes to considerable trouble explaining how morally upstanding Priss is. However, it is Priss who asks to try out Lucas' 'services.' That jarred a bit. But that was nothing compared to my eye-popping response to what Priss is wearing (and where she was) during the Epilogue!
So, Lucas seeks out his best friend in the world - Priscilla Wentworth - the primmest and most proper lady in town. If Lucas and Priss can convince the town's ladies that he is unavailable, because he is courting Priss, then Lucas can get some much-needed rest. Frankly, I burst out laughing that any man could consider Lucas' life to be a problem. Lucas' mother is delighted when she hears, while Priscilla's mom is horror-stricken.
Now, Priss wants something out of this arrangement; she wants a husband. Unfortunately, marriageable men are in short supply. When Lucas drags his heels on his part of the bargain, she tells him that she just wants 'candidates.' She is capable of making the choice herself. Antics with a couple of these candidates are laugh-out-loud funny.
Have you ever read a one-joke book? This is a bit similar. There are lots of humor throughout the book but Lucas' and Priss' desperation gets old after awhile. There is constant angst about their feelings for the other person and the interior talking gets repetitive. Things finally move to a new level when Priss gets a legitimate wedding proposal from an established, older man.
There's another issue I had with this story; the author goes to considerable trouble explaining how morally upstanding Priss is. However, it is Priss who asks to try out Lucas' 'services.' That jarred a bit. But that was nothing compared to my eye-popping response to what Priss is wearing (and where she was) during the Epilogue!
July 29, 2011
The story line was great. Not too many love scenes, but the ones they had were awesome! Recommend this book to anyone who likes romance books with a nice story plot.
October 3, 2011
Got to page 150 and just couldn't go any farther. BORING.
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December 31, 2017AN UNUSUAL PROPOSAL
All Lucas Garrett longed for was a good night's sleep. But as the last able-bodied, hot-blooded man left in a town full of lonely women, he hadn't had a moment's peace since the Gold Rush had lured all the eligible bachelors westward. Now he's just plain exhausted. So he turns to the only person he can trust—pretty, proper Priscilla Wentworth. If she would agree to pose as his future bride, then the fluttering flock of amorous ladies would finally leave him alone.
A TEMPORARY ENGAGEMENT
Priscilla agrees to pretend to be Lucas's fiancée in exchange for one thing only: he must help her find a husband of her own. Of course, Lucas is completely unsuitable—he's too handsome, too charming. But then he takes her in his arms, tantalizing her with unforgettable kisses...and so much more. And suddenly Priscilla is wondering if the last man in town is really the only man for her.
All Lucas Garrett longed for was a good night's sleep. But as the last able-bodied, hot-blooded man left in a town full of lonely women, he hadn't had a moment's peace since the Gold Rush had lured all the eligible bachelors westward. Now he's just plain exhausted. So he turns to the only person he can trust—pretty, proper Priscilla Wentworth. If she would agree to pose as his future bride, then the fluttering flock of amorous ladies would finally leave him alone.
A TEMPORARY ENGAGEMENT
Priscilla agrees to pretend to be Lucas's fiancée in exchange for one thing only: he must help her find a husband of her own. Of course, Lucas is completely unsuitable—he's too handsome, too charming. But then he takes her in his arms, tantalizing her with unforgettable kisses...and so much more. And suddenly Priscilla is wondering if the last man in town is really the only man for her.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews