Wednesday, March 21, 2012

The Accidental Bride by Denise Hunter


Cowboy Christian Chicklit? Does the genre even exist? Well, it does now thanks to Denise Hunter’s Accidental Bride: a whip-smart and sassy tale of Shay Brandenberger, a Montana rancher who is raising her daughter alone and Travis McCoy who left her high-and-dry at the altar when she was barely more than a teenager to earn fame and fortune on the Texan rodeo circuit.

In dire straits and threatened with the impending loss of her farm,  Shay begs God for a miracle--- what she didn’t bank on is Travis, a would-be guardian angel who steps in to ranch alongside her in the nick-of-time.

Hunter’s an extremely fresh and confident voice in the Christian contemporary romance genre. She has a knack for describing every day ranch life: from founder’s picnics to bull-wrangling and square dancing to little wood churches with age-old hymns drifting to the rafters.  Into this alluring canvas, she peppers her plot with two independently strong and striking people who are bound to be together; but just need a shove in the right direction.

When Travis and Shay learn that they are, indeed, and quite ironically ( and more than a little accidentally) legally married, they try to live in the same house without acting on their growing rekindled attraction.  But, soon, this marriage of convenience leads the way for accidental midnight-run-ins, sweet faithful gestures, stolen kisses and a whole lot of spice.

If you are looking for a summery light fiction read then I definitely recommend this thoroughly unique addition to the genre. I especially liked any scene where Shay’s delightfully brash friend Abigail showed up with her knowing sarcasm and winsome words: some in good advice, some just in healthy attraction for Shay’s new helpmate.

Buy the book on Amazon
Visit Denise Hunter on the web
Follow Denise on twitter: @deniseahunter

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