The Bachelor

Setting - Calgary, Alberta 1893 --- Diana Campbell and her two new friends, Charlotte and Winnie, peered through the boisterous crowd at the Harvest Festival and gazed in amazement at the handsome men (bachelor Mounties) that were being raffled off for charity and her two friends joked as to just what they'd be using the good-looking men for. Diana observed the eligible and wealthy young woman surrounding the booth as they plunked down five cents for a chance to throw the ball and dunk the most handsomest Mountie, Mitchell Reid into the vat of water in order to win him for the next 24 hours. Her introduction to the brash young mountie had occurred the night before when he came to her door hauling her two brothers home, reprimanding both her and them that they were headed for a life of crime if she didn't have them mend their ways. Oh, how she'd like to send that smug SOB to the bottom of the barrel, but barely making ends meet,five cents for a chance was much too much to waste. It wasn't until after, those well-to-do young misses looked down their noses at her oversized clunky shoes and making unkind remarks, that goaded Diana and her two friends into digging into the pockets for the fee in order to come up with a chance to dunk the handsome and smug Mountie. Fortunately, Diana's arms had grown strong from her work at the chicken factory where she and her friends worked, so with one throw, Mitch was dunked and won! Unfortunately, Diana only wanted to wipe the smug smirk off his face but now she had him for the next 24 hours. Mitch smugly thinking she'd wanted an escort to the dance that night, was quite surprised when she had him accompany her to the chicken factory instead where she taught him to pluck the feathers off the chickens. She certainly was an unusual young woman and he was bound and determined to get to know her better. All things considered, after the 24 hours he thought things were beginning to work out fairly well... that was until he later had to arrest her two young brothers as chief suspects in a series of bank robberies. *** With THE BACHELOR, Kate Bridges continues to provide original and entertaining stories of the Canadian Mounted police in the late 19th century of Alberta, Canada. She continually comes up with original characters and plots pitting everyday people in their daily struggles to survive while weaving in events of historic significance such as the early days of trial and error in convincing the powers to be of using fingerprints as a useful tool to aid in solving crimes. The romance was sweet, and the sensuality served up very tastefully in a very nice addition to this highly enjoyable series. --- Marilyn, for www.romancedesigns.com ---

In 1893 Alberta, Mountie Inspector Mitchell Reed visits the home of Charlotte Ford accompanied in tow by her two brothers Wayde and Tim; he lectures Charlotte that her brothers are delinquents heading for trouble as her two preadolescent sisters watch the one-sided harangue. Charlotte is tired raising her four younger siblings since their parents died and left their children impoverished. Putting aside her dreams of working in the medical field, Charlotte toils hard on a poultry line to bring in some money and food. At the Harvest Fair her two "poultry" friends dare her to try "Dunk the Mountie" as she is a good pitcher having played with her siblings. She succeeds in soaking Mitchell and soon "earns" him for the night winning a raffle while the elite huff and puff over the outcome. Instead of attending the extravagant gala, she puts him to work on the poultry assembly line. As the Mountie from an upper crust home and the lower working class woman become acquainted they fall in love, but she knows that she is beneath his level as he belongs with the beautiful debutante. THE BACHELOR, the latest late nineteenth century Mountie romance, is a terrific tale, perhaps the best in one of the top historical series in the last few years. The story line showcases the distinct differences between social classes, but does it without condemning either group. Instead the delightful lead couple receives a respective education by escort into their beloved's world and through the strong secondary cast. THE BACHELOR as with the entire Mountie collection provides a dependable bridge into a bygone era. Harriet Klausner