Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Book Review: Perfectly Matched

Perfectly Matched. Maggie Brendan. 2013. Revell. 352 pages. [Source: Library]

I have enjoyed previous books in the series, but, I didn't quite enjoy this one. There were a few main threads of the story: the heroine's interest in animals, the hero's obsessive-compulsive disorder, and the couples enjoyment of being intimate. While I would say that many Christian historical romances are "safe" enough to give young(er) readers (middle grade on up), that isn't the case with this one. Not that it was as bad as mainstream smut, but, it was way too much in my opinion. It didn't feel like a clean read at all...

For readers who like historical romances set in Colorado in the 1880s, OR, for readers who enjoy mail-order bride stories, OR,
for readers who love, love, love animals...this one has potential.

Anna Olsen, I believe, is the last remaining sister to offer herself as a mail-order-bride in Maggie Brendan's series. She marries Edward Parker. They return home from the ceremony and he hands her a list telling her of his expectations. It's an informative list, a bit opinionated. He is "helping" her know how to spend her time each day of the week. How thoughtful, right?! She's not thrilled, and, she only "keeps" to the list part of the time, not that she's out of her way to be inconsiderate, but, she's not easily managed in that way. Her husband does not know yet how to speak her love language.

One of the many things this couple argues about is animals. He wants no pets, she wants hundreds of pets. Well, it seems that way to him. She wants to take into their home ANY animal (dog, cat, horse) that "needs" her for whatever reason. He thinks that's too much, that she is a bit out of control. They do, of course, reach a compromise.

There were elements of the story that felt extremely predictable. For example, when her husband is hired by the bank to be in charge of the bank's new safe which operates by a timer. I saw this as foreshadow, which, of course, it was. You can't introduce a bank vault (or safe) without a bank robbery coming into it somewhere... I thought this "extra" bit of plot was ridiculous and unnecessary. Nothing is gained by this misadventure, in my opinion.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

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