Mattie Evans is a young woman who has not had a good life. She used to believe in dreams and happily ever afters but everything changed when her mother passed away. Since then her life has turned upside down and she had to grow up real quick. Her father has done a lot of things since he began drinking. She expected a lot of changes but never betrayal and lies from him. Now with no choice she is in Texas and doesn’t know what to expect. For one thing, she didn’t expect a gorgeous rancher like Cole Hartley. Something about this rancher is making her feel like a woman and her heart leaps each time he looks at her. She has tried to stay away from men because of the pain they bring yet Cole is definitely someone she wants to look at every day.

Cole Hartley is at it again. This is the second woman he has purchased and for some reason might be the last. He never expected to marry again yet something about Mattie changes his mind. Lost and all alone she captures his heart in a way no other woman has done. He is not sure how she came to Texas but knows that a day without her is too much. She is innocent in so many ways yet she brings a light into his life that has been missing for some time now. Unsure what to do he befriends her yet cannot imagine letting her go so soon. Can he convince her that their marriage might have been a bargain to keep her safe but his love for her is real?

Shannon Robinson has done it again with a tale of love and second chances. I loved that Mattie is young and innocent in so many ways then is shock that a man like Cole can really love her. These two are both missing love and it is funny the way they react when it really happens to them. Cole is definitely a man who has had so many betrayals and it is refreshing that a woman like Mattie can enchant him with just a kiss. Great job again to Shannon Robinson. I’m looking forward to more of her talented stories.

Historical Western Cactus Miniature

Rating: Spicy

Page Count: 95

Desperate to be free of her wretched home life, Mattie Evans trusts her dishonest father and embarks on a journey to Texas to live with an aunt she never knew she had. When she finds herself sold into a mail-order-bride service, her hope quickly fades.

Rancher Cole Hartley wants no part of long-term commitment. But what's wrong with a little satisfaction in the arms of a beautiful woman? Especially when she needs his help to escape a hopeless situation. Cole proposes a bargain to Mattie. He'll pay her release fee and send her wherever she wants to go the following day. The catch? She spends one night as his wife -- in his bed. As feelings long buried surface, can Mattie and Cole open their eyes to the promise of a future together?