THE SCOUNDREL

Author: Lisa Plumley ISBN: 0373293976 4/2006 HISTORICAL Publisher: HQN
Time Period: 1882 Arizona

Schooling the scoundrel... Brawny blacksmith Daniel McCabe is not the marrying kind. He likes his freedom just fine and no Morrow Creek lady is going to change that! But an unexpected delivery makes the bachelor rethink his roguish ways. Daniel suddenly needs a wife—and longtime friend Sarah Crabtree is quick to oblige. After all, she's been sweet on Daniel for years. But then Sarah's dream turns into a nightmare. Her love match is nothing but a marriage of convenience! Now Sarah has to convince the biggest scoundrel in Arizona Territory to let her into his bed—and his heart...

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

With just the right mix of down home humor, a bit of drama and a smackle of good old-fashioned tear jerking, Lisa Plumley comes up with a winner with her latest historical release, THE SCOUNDREL.

The fun begins when bachelor and local stud, Daniel McCabe, finds himself unexpectedly caring for his young look-a-like nephew, Eli. Figuring the best way to free up his time and go back to his carefree ways is by finding himself a wife, Daniel settles on his best friend, Sarah Crabtree, who has secretly been in love with him since their childhood. Assuming that she can make Daniel love her come hell or high water, even though he says he doesn't, Sarah accepts his proposal for a marriage of convenience without knowing just what she's let herself in for.

It's so much fun to just sit back and watch events as they unfold—good for Daniel and Eli most times, but trying and sometimes sad for Sarah, who can't understand why Daniel can't see what's sitting right in front of him. Unrequited love is undoubtedly of the most hurtful things a person can endure, but Sarah's so determined and so full of pluck you just can't help but to cheer her on.

Daniel, loveable overgrown boy that he is, proves to be more than macho and dense. He's also tenderhearted, honest, a hard worker and basically just a good man. He takes in his sister's son without question, heedless of the gossip that Eli's really his own son, and really does try to do right by Sarah. Well, almost right by Sarah, considering he's got the typical male attitude that she's there to be the head cook, chief seamstress and bottle washer.

Ms. Plumley has such a great sense of timing and way with dialogue; the sparring between Daniel and Sarah, as well as Sarah and her family—which includes her suffragette sister, Grace, whose own story I can't wait to see in print—was an absolute delight to observe. The pacing was fast, the storyline tight, the secondary characters interesting and fresh, and even little Eli was right on the mark.

For a light, fun and heartwarming romance, Lisa Plumley's THE SCOUNDREL fits the bill quite nicely.

Nancy Davis