Vienna Howe had escaped her disastrous marriage and had made a
decent life for herself and her little daughter Hattie at the
Running W Ranch. She was working in the kitchen when the
Sheriff came bearing startling news: Vienna's husband Chance
was dead, and she has inherited The HC Bar Ranch, where they
had lived. Vienna has entertained the dream of owning a café or
a restaurant, but the ranch could provide her and Hattie their
first real home. One glance at the ranch after three years of
neglect was enough for Vienna to understand that the money she
has put away won't be enough to pay for the repairs. But her
friend West McCall, who has always wanted a dude ranch,
suggests they pool their resources, and that a marriage in name
only will help them achieve their respective dreams. Isn't it
ironic that the man Vienna had loved before her marriage is now
asking for her hand?
Oh, what a lovely story this is! Stacy Henrie paints a glorious
picture of 1901 Wyoming and life on the ranch, and the
author's
attention to historical detail is as meticulous as ever. A
COWBOY OF CONVENIENCE unfolds at a quiet and unhurried pace, as
Vienna and West are both reserved and calm individuals, at
least in appearance when it comes to West. West is an
extraordinary
and fascinating character: he is solid,
dependable, hard-working and plagued by crushing insecurities.
He has made mistakes for which he despairs of ever atoning for,
he has made sacrifices, and he cannot grasp the concept of
unconditional love when it comes to himself, although he is
entirely capable of it towards others. Vienna is resilient, has
bottomless reserves of fortitude, she makes things happen
without even realizing how really strong she is, her Faith in
God is unshakable, and stil,l she thinks little of herself
because she believes she only does what must be done.
The romance between West and Vienna is superb, and differs
somewhat from the norm. Vienna tries to rein in her attraction
to West, who remains unreadable to Vienna, she is never quite
sure where she stands with him. This is not the type of
situation where you want to shake some reason into the
character -- West -- because even knowing what we do as opposed
to Vienna, only he can do anything about his inner conflict; it
is not out of sheer stubbornness, the tough cowboy is paralyzed
with fear. And Stacy Henrie shines like never before as she
makes us understand West's relationship with God: West has no
problem thanking God when things go right, but he finds it
impossible to ask for divine guidance because some things he
had asked for in the past had dire consequences; he doesn't
want to be guilty of hurting more people. The religious aspect
does not constitute the primary focus of A COWBOY OF
CONVENIENCE, but it is what I found most absorbing because
West's issue touched every aspect of his life, and he was
unconsciously denying himself any sort of inner peace or true
happiness.
A COWBOY OF CONVENIENCE is a splendid character study, an
unbelievably
absorbing story, a very touching romance, and it
is all so masterfully done. I also loved that Hattie is a
pivotal character in the story and she feels beautifully
genuine. In A COWBOY OF CONVENIENCE, we experience a gamut of
emotions: from the bittersweet beginning, the haunting
melancholy of the past, doubts and hopes revived and crushed,
and still throughout there is a quiet serenity that permeates
the whole story. Another brilliant story by the consistently
impressive Stacy Henrie!
Groom by Agreement
A real home—it’s what Vienna Howe dearly wants for her young
daughter. Yet the ramshackle property she just inherited hardly
qualifies. She can’t afford the repairs—until foreman West
McCall suggests they start a dude ranch together. For
propriety’s sake, they’ll need a marriage in name only…a
practical solution for two wary hearts.
Years ago, West convinced Vienna to marry a man of means, never
realizing how cruel her husband could be. Guilt-ridden, he
intends to secure the lovely widow’s future. But despite his
reluctance to get close to anyone, this union might do more
than fix Vienna’s ranch. It could open the door to a warm,
loving future…
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