The Marriage Pact (Brides of Bliss County, #1)

by Linda Lael Miller

"Ten years ago, Hadleigh Stevens was eighteen and this close to saying "I do," when Tripp Galloway interrupted her walk down the aisle. Now that she's recovered from her youthful mistake and Tripp's interference, Hadleigh and her single friends form a marriage pact. She doesn't expect Tripp to meddle with her new plan to find Mr. Right--or to discover that she's more attracted to him than ever! Divorced and eager to reconnect with his cowboy roots, Tripp returns to Bliss County to save his ailing father's ranch. He's not looking for another wife--certainly not his best friend's little sister. But he's never been able to forget Hadleigh. And this time, if she ends up in his arms, he won't be walking away!" --

• ISBN10: 1306576873
• ISBN13: 9781306576871
• Publish Date: 1 January 2014
• Publish Status: Active
• Out of Print: 3 June 2015
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Harlequin
• Format: eBook
• Language: English

Reviews

[Stephanie]

This review was originally posted on Once Upon a Chapter



The Marriage Pact by Linda Lael Miller was a fun, light, and tug at your heartstrings contemporary romance. Miller establishes quite a small town in Mustang Creek. Hadleigh easily won my approval. That girl went through quite a lot in her short amount of years. Hadleigh is clearly a fighter. She's taken over her grandmother's shop and is doing something she loves. Not only is she providing her services in Mustang Creek but she's being a smart businesswoman and taking her tutorials online. Tripp won me over pretty easily too. He too has been through a lot and he comes home to take on more challenges. Tripp has a "get it done" attitude in almost all aspects of his life.

I really truly enjoyed reading The Marriage Pact it was easy to just fall right in. Miller made me care for her characters; not just the leads but also all the citizens of Mustang Creek and Bliss County. There is even a dog named Muggles. Muggles! I knew I was in good hands at that point. I loved the small town-ish aspect of this book. It made me homesick for my own small hometown. For me the great thing about small town romances is that I can visit and go without all the negatives that come from small towns. Any one who is from a small town can relate to that! :)

The only problem that I had with The Marriage Pact is that Hadleigh and Tripp didn't seem to spend a whole lot of time together. That might be because they already know each other so well that it wasn't needed to build their relationship but I did miss the interaction between Hadleigh and Tripp. I do have to say that I am really excited to return to Mustang Creek and learn the fate of the two other women who took the marriage pact. There is no doubt that I'll be picking it up.

[kimbacaffeinate]

The Marriage Pact is the first in the Brides of Bliss County by Linda Lael Miller. She introduces us to three friends who form a pact to watch out for and aid each other in finding their one true love.

The Marriage Pact introduces us to the folks of Bliss County. She shares a friends to lovers, little sister trope that will leave readers with a smile. Miller brings this small town to life from the local dinner to ranch life. I can just see Hadleigh’s quilt shop and the local feed store.

Hadleigh Stevens almost made the biggest mistake of her life when Tripp Galloway her older brother’s best friend swooped in and stopped her. Ten years have gone by, and Hadleigh has grown up. Along with her friends she looking for Mr. Right when Tripp returns to town. In this tale, Hadleigh needs to address her own feelings towards Tripp. She needs to overcome loss and address her fears. With the help of her friends, she just might find her happy. I enjoyed the dynamics of the three friends and their get-togethers. Their friendship and dreams felt genuine.

Tripp left the big city to return to his roots, help his ailing father and find peace. After a failed marriage that left him feeling scorned he is not looking for a wife. Only problem is.. When had Hadleigh grown into a woman? Tripp is confident, smart, and a good son but when it comes to interacting with Hadleigh, he is a tongue-tied teen again. I enjoyed watching them interact and giggled at his awkwardness.

The Marriage Pact shares small town dynamics, close-knit friends and ranch life with a slow-building romance. The story delivered sweet tension as Miller moves us towards our HEA. I enjoyed the story although Hadleigh and Trip did not engage me as much as her previous characters. I am curious about Hadleigh’s friends, and Miller has hinted at things to come. The Marriage Pact was a solid read that entertained me. The next two books will feature her friends and more of Bliss county.

Copy received from publisher in exchange for unbiased review that originally published @ Caffeinated Book Reviewer