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Bowen #4
The Unintended Groom
A Perfect Partnership
When Abby Bowen's dream of love is dashed, she pursues a new dream: opening a dinner theater in Hot Mineral Springs, Colorado. There's just one hitch: she needs a male business partner. The handsome father of twins who answers Abby's ad is perfect...perhaps too perfect. Working with someone like Harrison Kingsley—without losing her heart—will be harder than Abby anticipated.
It's a good thing Harrison's arrangement with Abby is strictly business. Because with her kind soul, smiling blue eyes and gentle way with his boys, he could easily fall for her. But the longer he works with Abby, the more Harrison realizes that the Lord might have an entirely different partnership planned for them.
When Abby Bowen's dream of love is dashed, she pursues a new dream: opening a dinner theater in Hot Mineral Springs, Colorado. There's just one hitch: she needs a male business partner. The handsome father of twins who answers Abby's ad is perfect...perhaps too perfect. Working with someone like Harrison Kingsley—without losing her heart—will be harder than Abby anticipated.
It's a good thing Harrison's arrangement with Abby is strictly business. Because with her kind soul, smiling blue eyes and gentle way with his boys, he could easily fall for her. But the longer he works with Abby, the more Harrison realizes that the Lord might have an entirely different partnership planned for them.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 2013
16 people are currently reading
131 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 26, 2025
I wish there was more of the family in this book.
August 15, 2020
Abby Bowen is not impressed. Having her dream of marriage and children quashed, she has moved to Colorado to pursue the only other dream she has – opening a dinner theatre. But the mayor and the other committee members aren’t sure of a woman leading such a business. They give her an ultimatum: Find a male business partner or they will not give her a license.
To Harrison Kingsley, Abby's advertisement seems perfect. He can help her achieve her dream, and also fulfil the terms of his father's will, which state he needs to open his own business.
Falling in love was not part of the plan!
A nice, faith filled historical romance from new-to-me author Debra Ullrick. I connected with Abby who has had such a huge dream taken away and is struggling with the consequences of that, and yet keeps moving forward, trusting God even though she doesn’t understand why; I appreciated Harrison for his letting Abby take the lead in her dream, yet willing to be a supportive business partner and helping her where he could as well as his commitment to right the wrongs his father had done to his home community; and as for those twins, I enjoyed their exuberance and their loving hearts.
I haven't read the previous 3 books, but didn't feel I was missing anything from Abby's story by not having read them.
*Thanks to the author for a copy of this book which I received through the LIH group here on Goodreads. No review was required of me.*
To Harrison Kingsley, Abby's advertisement seems perfect. He can help her achieve her dream, and also fulfil the terms of his father's will, which state he needs to open his own business.
Falling in love was not part of the plan!
A nice, faith filled historical romance from new-to-me author Debra Ullrick. I connected with Abby who has had such a huge dream taken away and is struggling with the consequences of that, and yet keeps moving forward, trusting God even though she doesn’t understand why; I appreciated Harrison for his letting Abby take the lead in her dream, yet willing to be a supportive business partner and helping her where he could as well as his commitment to right the wrongs his father had done to his home community; and as for those twins, I enjoyed their exuberance and their loving hearts.
I haven't read the previous 3 books, but didn't feel I was missing anything from Abby's story by not having read them.
*Thanks to the author for a copy of this book which I received through the LIH group here on Goodreads. No review was required of me.*
November 3, 2019
Abby Bowen's dream to open a dinner theater in the mansion she bought in Hot Mineral Springs, CO, are stymied by the Mayor and Town Committee because she is a woman. They insist that she have a male business partner to get the license. Abby advertises and selects Harrison Kingsley from Boston. Harrison is in need of a quick business success to claim his inheritance. He comes to CO with his twin sons and joins Abby's venture. Their partnership is supposed to last 3 months. Needless to say both of there feelings change over time and although there are problems a HEA ending occurs. Nice story.
May 19, 2020
Theatrically speaking
A wonderful story full of Bible verses that lend themselves to finding oneself and believing in the lower of love. To overcome the things in life that seem unimaginable and to find love where it seemed impossible.
A wonderful story full of Bible verses that lend themselves to finding oneself and believing in the lower of love. To overcome the things in life that seem unimaginable and to find love where it seemed impossible.
August 29, 2013
This wasn't my favorite of the series. (FYI this is the fourth in a series, the others being:
#1 The Unexpected Bride (Love Inspired Historical)
#2 The Unlikely Wife (Mills & Boon Love Inspired Historical)
#3 Groom Wanted (Love Inspired Historical)
Abby was a true "character" in the other books, the youngest of the siblings with a ton of personality and quirky ways, so I was really looking forward to reading her story. I was a bit disappointed to find out she moved away from the ranch to another state but I can understand a writer wanting to explore new settings especially considering she'd been living the last setting for three books already. And the new setting, Mineral Springs CO was fine.
My issues with this book were as follows:
TOO EASY ~ Abby is LOADED. She buys a mansion in order to fix it up into a dinner theater and while the old place needs tons of work there is no obstacle too large for Abby. Abby has more than enough money to pay for repairs, build furniture and ritz the place up until it rivals any theater house in Boston. It took, what? 3 months?
TOO MUCH FILLER ~ For me, the antics of Harrison's children got tiring. I was sick of hearing about their latest food fight etc. It seemed like a lot of filler, as was the repetitive internal dialogue of the H/H..."I love him but he must never know, I'm a failure to womankind since I can't have children.." "I love her but she must never know, my home is Boston and hers is Colorado it can never work.." over and over and over again.
I'm also not into lots of descriptions of fancy furniture or what people are wearing. Just not my thing though others may like that.
TOO MUCH SERMONIZING ~ I read some "Christian" fiction because I love a good clean read and as I love the bible too I have no problem with a scripture or two being mentioned or having characters who pray. But this is different. Here we have both characters who talk in sermon form and someone who "gets the Lord" after reading a few scriptures.
"But it can never be, we don't share the same faith..."
"Oh but we do!" (really? you didn't yesterday..)
"You mean it? I'm so happy..." !!
THE ENDING. ~ I wont spoil things by telling you what happens but I guarantee you will roll your eyes and say "did I ask for extra cheese"? The finale is WAY OVER THE TOP even for Abbynormal.
What the whaaaaa???
So as you can see, this was not my favorite of the series. But at least I now know what happens to Abby, so there's that.
#1 The Unexpected Bride (Love Inspired Historical)
#2 The Unlikely Wife (Mills & Boon Love Inspired Historical)
#3 Groom Wanted (Love Inspired Historical)
Abby was a true "character" in the other books, the youngest of the siblings with a ton of personality and quirky ways, so I was really looking forward to reading her story. I was a bit disappointed to find out she moved away from the ranch to another state but I can understand a writer wanting to explore new settings especially considering she'd been living the last setting for three books already. And the new setting, Mineral Springs CO was fine.
My issues with this book were as follows:
TOO EASY ~ Abby is LOADED. She buys a mansion in order to fix it up into a dinner theater and while the old place needs tons of work there is no obstacle too large for Abby. Abby has more than enough money to pay for repairs, build furniture and ritz the place up until it rivals any theater house in Boston. It took, what? 3 months?
TOO MUCH FILLER ~ For me, the antics of Harrison's children got tiring. I was sick of hearing about their latest food fight etc. It seemed like a lot of filler, as was the repetitive internal dialogue of the H/H..."I love him but he must never know, I'm a failure to womankind since I can't have children.." "I love her but she must never know, my home is Boston and hers is Colorado it can never work.." over and over and over again.
I'm also not into lots of descriptions of fancy furniture or what people are wearing. Just not my thing though others may like that.
TOO MUCH SERMONIZING ~ I read some "Christian" fiction because I love a good clean read and as I love the bible too I have no problem with a scripture or two being mentioned or having characters who pray. But this is different. Here we have both characters who talk in sermon form and someone who "gets the Lord" after reading a few scriptures.
"But it can never be, we don't share the same faith..."
"Oh but we do!" (really? you didn't yesterday..)
"You mean it? I'm so happy..." !!
THE ENDING. ~ I wont spoil things by telling you what happens but I guarantee you will roll your eyes and say "did I ask for extra cheese"? The finale is WAY OVER THE TOP even for Abbynormal.
What the whaaaaa???
So as you can see, this was not my favorite of the series. But at least I now know what happens to Abby, so there's that.
December 6, 2013
Abby Bowen's fiancee left her heart broken and she forges forward with her dream of opening a dinner theater in Colorado. Problem is the town council won't approve her business license...because she is a woman. They demand she find a male business partner or she would never be approved. She is a strong woman as well as Christian and sets a wonderful example of turning everything over to the Lord.
Harrison Kingsley, a widower with twin, four-year-old sons, answers her ad for his own reasons. He doesn't believe in God anymore because he blames Him for taking his wife away and denying him his father's love. But, Abby impresses him with her strength and faith. He and his boys are falling in love with the beautiful Abby but Harrison must return to Boston to repair his name and make amends to all of the people his father cheated.
This is an amazing love story that I read in one sitting. I could not put it down. I highly recommend this read and I don't think you will be sorry. Well worth it!
Harrison Kingsley, a widower with twin, four-year-old sons, answers her ad for his own reasons. He doesn't believe in God anymore because he blames Him for taking his wife away and denying him his father's love. But, Abby impresses him with her strength and faith. He and his boys are falling in love with the beautiful Abby but Harrison must return to Boston to repair his name and make amends to all of the people his father cheated.
This is an amazing love story that I read in one sitting. I could not put it down. I highly recommend this read and I don't think you will be sorry. Well worth it!
August 22, 2013
While this story was good, it was much slower paced than the others by this author.
April 10, 2016
OOhh i just love second chance story.. This is one of my favorite of this year..A lovely story, perfect for a sunday(at least for me)..
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews