Recent Reads - The Christmas Bargain

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The Christmas Bargain by Shanna Hatfield - Banker Luke Granger has been trying to get a local farmer to make payments on his loans for awhile, and is always met with excuses. Finally the derelict farmer makes Luke an odd offer - he could take his daughter Philamena as payment. Luke is shocked and wants nothing to do with this arrangement, but the farmer claims he'll send  the young woman to a house of ill repute in town so Luke finds himself intervening. He knew he had to rescue Philamena from her drunken father's abuse but wasn't sure what to do next. Since her mother's death, Philamena has been subject to her father's drunken rages and neglect, but the kindness of the cowboy banker gives her new hope. 

Luke takes Philamena to his friends, pastor Chauncy and his wife Abby, and agrees to Chauncy's suggestion that they marry. That way Philamena can live at Luke's house, and if the arrangement doesn't suit them by Christmas, they can have the marriage annulled. Philamena also agrees to this marriage of convenience and is determined to work hard so that Luke will have his money's worth since she is the payment. She's surprised when Luke pays for an entire new wardrobe for her, and treats her with such kindness and respect.

The arranged marriage gives Luke and Filly - as she is soon nicknamed - the chance to develop a friendship, and it's not long before their feelings grow much deeper. 

In many ways, the storyline is very predictable, and a variation on a mail-order bride story. The relationship between Luke and Filly moves from stranger to trust and friendship very quickly, especially given the years of neglect and loneliness that Filly has to overcome. Her sudden transformation from silent, downtrodden victim to warm, gracious beauty is a little hard to believe. Still, overall, just like the subtitle suggests, this is a sweet and clean romance. Reasonably well-written, nice, but nothing spectacular or memorable. It's the first of a series of holiday romances all set in the same small town, but I don't feel any compelling interest to read the rest of them.

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