Harlequin Historical #319: The Bartered Bride

May I add one comment? review of 2000 is of a different book -- not this one.Well 2 comments -- other two reviewers have definitely no knowledge of the German reticience of showing any emotion although they do feel deeply. And Romance is NOT all about sex.Ah, Bartered? Frederich bartered his freedom for the love of his daughters even at the expense of his need for revenge. Caroline Holt bartered her freedom and excepted her humiliation for the sake of her unborn child.Her misplaced love for a refined, educated man caused her surrender to his seduction. The Blackguard!Frederich was not going to allow his brother, Eli to step in when he wanted to revoke his offer of marriage to Caroline's brother, Avery. Another arrogant man in Caroline's life.And in the German Church in front of the whole congregation. [Just a note: Caroline did not understand the German language]Loved her brother, William's comment that even though he could not speak German, he could catch the drift of what was being said.Caroline felt she had to endure most anything for her dead sisters' sake and for her nieces, Lise and Mary Louise that she loved very much.She had a hard time understanding why her brother-in-law was not at his wife, Ann's side when she died. Comes of not knowing the truth.She was taken aback when she saw the tender, loving way Frederich had with his daughters. His mistake was in believing his sister, Beata would get along with his wives. Beata shows what jealosy and discontent will do to warp a person's character.Frederich had a man's view in assuming Caroline would know what he expected of her. Such lack of communication. And because of his lack of trust and sense of betrayal he could not express his feelings as they grew stronger for Caroline. Until the war started leveling everyone's concept of life.Frederich would no allow Caroline to die and he helped her to grieve, she in turn would not allow him to die of his wounds.What a wonderful story of how the human spirit keeps on striving against all odds and sometimes finds it place in the scheme of things.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED -- will definitely be keeping all of her books. There is much depth to her historical stories.

The heroine Cassie was not appealing at the beginning of the book. She was too shy to speak up for herself when being accursed of stealing at a shop. Then came her 'knight in shining armour' who defended her. It was love at first sight - on her part only. He married her for money and kept remembering his lost love. As the story progressed, Cassie revealed her strength underneath her 'mousy little wife' exterior. She winned over his best friend and his sister. The most touching part was the love letters she wrote impersonating his lost love, in order to give him something to hold on when he had lost all his dreams. When they finally understood each other and found their love, I wondered how much of his love was out of gratitude ?