Monday, November 23, 2009

The Bartered Bride Book Review and Giveaway!

Debut author Erica Vetsch nailed her first book, people. Nailed it. I really enjoyed reading this one....so much so, we're going to have a giveaway! (Just leave a comment in the comment section with your email address to be entered.)

First, a bit about the book from the back cover:

Jonathan Kennabrae is furious when his grandfather informs him that his future has been decided. He will marry Melissa Brooke or lose his inheritance. Jonathan has invested years of his life in Kennabrae Shipping, but heaven help him if Grandfather decides to take it all away for this.

Melissa, too, is devastated when her parents mak
e their announcement. As little more than a bargaining chip in her father's business maneuvers, she feels her secure world slipping away. Engaged to marry a man she has never met--someone "considerably older" than herself? What have her parents done?

Can Jonathan and Melissa find a way out of this loveless marriage, or must they find a way forward together?


You have to love the immediate conflict and high tension from a premise like this. What a great title to capture that conflict. But that's not all that's great. Erica's writing is succinct and tight, with every scene moves the plot forward....very little fluff. But there are some lighthearted moments that make you smile....and the first kiss is so swoon-worthy it certainly won't disappoint. Hel-lo Jonathan! Big *sigh* for all you romantics out there. :)

One thing Erica did particularly well was her use of metaphor. Often she drew from nautical terms for scenes with Jonathan, whose life was immersed in shipping. She always found verbiage to fit the mood of the scene so well.

Donning the therapist cap for a moment...Erica's book covers some intense topics like women's suffrage and arranged marriages and parental expectations. During a time where women were expected to be seen, not heard....certainly not to make a fuss about a marriage or about the right to vote. I think Erica captured young Melissa's plight very well...getting us into her head and heart and how she feels.

Her main characters face the problem of staying true to themselves while trying to be obedient to their parental authority. The pang of disappointment many of us have as adults when we realize our parents aren't perfect...but are, in fact, flawed (sometimes severely so). Because of this, I think just about anyone reading this book could relate to the predicament the characters find themselves in. (Maybe not about an arranged marriage....but we all have received pressures to do things we don't want to do in various forms.) There does come a critical juncture where you have to do what you know is right, to follow your beliefs and live out your faith. Jonathan and Melissa both face to this to a degree. (But you'll have to read it to find out how it all works out for them!)

It's a page-turner...one for the book shelf. So don't forget to leave a comment to be entered in the drawing!

Click over to Erica's blog, On the Write Path, for some great posts about writing. Definitely want to follow her if you aren't already.

Blessings!

Wordle: signature

14 comments:

Katie Ganshert said...

Ditto to everything Jeannie said! I already have a copy. So I'm good to go, Jeannie.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great book!
Marissa
smrogi(at)att(dot)net

glenys said...

Congratulations, Erica, on the great review - sounds like a book I have to read!
glenysoconnell@msn.com

Erica Vetsch said...

Jeannie! Wow! Thank you!

I'm so glad you enjoyed the book. And I love how you bring your expertise to bear in your book reviews. How fun for us!

I hope you're getting settled into your new circs.

BTW, last night, someone mentioned putting baby in a corner, and I was right back at the banquet, laughing my head off.

Vera said...

I don't read much anymore (because of time constraints), but it sounds like a book I would stay up all night to read.
tvstalcup@gmail.com

Terri Tiffany said...

It sounds wonderful! I particularily like the cover design--caught my eye.
Are you all settled in Ca yet? What an adventure for you!

Kristen Torres-Toro said...

It sounds great! I'm really happy for Erica!

Jennifer Shirk said...

Oh, wow! Sounds awesome!

Tara McClendon said...

Thanks for the review. This sounds like a wonderful book.

Carla Gade said...

It sounds like a great book. I love arranged marriages storylines. I hope to win! Nice review :)

Carla

carlagade [at] gmail [dot] com

Sherrinda Ketchersid said...

Ooooo, a swoon-worthy kiss! Sounds wonderful!!!! Count me in for a chance to win.
sherrinda(at)gmail(dot)com

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Jeannie -

I'd love to win this book.

susanjreinhardt (at) gmail (dot) com

Happy Thanksgiving!

Blessings,
Susan :)

Jennifer Taylor said...

Sounds like a wonderful book. The cover is beautiful, too!

Eileen Astels Watson said...

Definitely an awesome book. Don't enter me, I'm giving away one on Monday, too.

Hows that new job going, and how is house hunting going, Jeannie? Inquiring and praying souls want updates!