An Inconvenient Match

by Janet Dean

The Best Of Enemies His family destroyed hers. But Wade Cummings’s job offer— to care for his recuperating father—is impossible to decline. Schoolteacher Abigail Wilson can swallow her pride for the sake of a summer paycheck that will help her sister. And when Abigail’s employment ends, old loyalties will separate the feuding families once more. If there’s anyone in town stubborn enough to deal with Wade’s cantankerous father, it’s Abigail. It’s just a business arrangement—and a temporary one, at that. Her good opinion shouldn’t matter a lick to Wade. Yet their different backgrounds belie a surprising kinship. Perhaps unexpected love will be their reward for the summer’s inconvenient match.

Genres: Love Inspired, Romance, Love Inspired Historical, Christian Fiction, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Christian

283 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Janet Dean grew up in a family who cherished the past and had a strong creative streak. Her father recounted fascinating stories, like his father before him. The tales they told instilled in Janet a love of history and the desire to write.

She married her college sweetheart and taught first grade before leaving to rear two daughters, but Janet never lost interest in American history and the accounts of strong men and women of faith who built this country.

With her daughters grown, she eagerly turned to Inspirational historical romance. Today Janet enjoys spinning stories for Love Inspired Historical.

When she isn’t writing, Janet stamps greeting cards, plays golf and is never without a book to read. The Deans love to travel and spend time with family.

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A devastating tragedy, two families torn apart by its aftermath, soon becoming at odds with each other. Can hope and faith change the fate of heartbreak and repair that which is broken?

Abigail Wilson knew that even though Wade caught her eye, dining with a Cummings was out of the question.
Wade Cummings, quite the eligible bachelor, paid for the privilige to eat with the preparer of the box lunch Abigail, that he had won in an auction.
Abigails family as well as several others depended on the benefit auction for much needed income.
When Wade offers Abigail a way to help her family she hesitantly accepts. She finds out that this will be quite a challenge indeed. She is determined to fulfill her part of the bargain but will she lose her heart in the process?

An entertaining book from start to finish. I enjoyed connecting with these well rounded characters. This is a romance that kept me reading and I found it hard to put down once I became involved in it. Dialogue, scenery and description all worked well together. I found the overall message inspiring and I would recommend this book to others.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Never have I hated a heroine so much as Abigail. She made me so mad throughout the entire book and I wonder why in the world Wade would want her in his life?! She was constantly sticking her opinionated, narrow-minded, stuck-up nose into other people's business. I hardly ever agreed with her and thought she needed to just get on a stagecoach and ride away! I did not agree with her on her atance to "push" her nephews and Seth to get a college education. I almost always sided with Wade when he started talking about Seth and what he wants. If Seth is happy with learning a trade, it's not her business, and she should have butted out! I don't think she ever learned her lesson.

She claimed to be a Christian, but she had so little faith in the decisions other people made and so little tolerance for people having hard times. Her hatred for the Cumming family was unbelievable - I could have understood her not liking the father - he's the one that wronged. But she was constantly having the attitude of "like father, like son." I just wanted to scream!!!

[Danielle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much God.

[Patricia Kemp Blackmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Wade Cummings offers a job to Abigail Wilson she had to think long and hard. How can she possibly take the job caring for the very man that was responsible for the eventual death of her father? Wade's father George Cummings destroyed her families future. The two families have been feuding for years. Now he is injured and needs someone to care for him while Wade is at work.

Maybe if she looked at it as if the Cummings owed her family this job. Abigail works as a school teacher and is on summer break. So that means her family is without any income. She has expunged all of her sources for employment. Wade promised a good wage if she takes the job. She feels as if she will be able to handle Wade's old grouch of a father. After all she ruled over some pretty rowdy boys in the high school classroom.

One thing she isn't sure of is, can she deal with the attraction she has for Wade her old beau. Not to mention the advances he keeps making towards her. Any kind of future with him is impossible not just because of the feud but because they are from two completely different social classes.

Is it possible Abigail and Wade have more in common than either of them realize? Could it be that God has his own plans? Is it wrong for her to blame Wade for something his father did? She feels God didn't help her when her family lost everything and He let her father die. Why would God help her now?

The author has written an endearing story of repentance, forgiveness, faith, hope and love. Love of neighbor and the healing of not just a fire damaged town but that of the body and soul of the people that live in New Harmony, Iowa.

I highly recommend this book.

I rate this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure:
I won a copy of this book provided by the author. I was in no way compensated for this review. It is my own opinion.

[Roxanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from a Good Reads giveaway earlier in the year. I intended to write a review shortly after finishing it but ended up with a Norovirus instead. Oh, that was horrific. After getting over the virus I moved onto other reads and had forgotten about this. I felt bad so I finally am going to leave a review.

While An Inconvenient Match wasn't terrible it simply wasn't my cup of tea. The religious overtones and PG-rated nature of the Harlequin Love Inspired series just doesn't do it for me.

The characters were a bit bland and the story dragged on. Maybe it's because my interests lie in the thrill and danger of romance novels that this book didn't strike a cord with me. I did enjoy the historical aspect of the story but my heart just wasn't into the plot or characters. While not terribly written, the story itself fell flat.

I did pass on this book to my mother-in-law whom I felt would most enjoy the book. Unfortunately, it wasn't for me.

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dean has created an emotionally tumultuous historical drama. The story is fraught with insurmountable obstacles that seem impossible for the hero and heroine to successfully scale. And that impossibility kept me turning pages, wondering just how Dean was going to get Wade and Abby together. In particular, Abigail's inward struggles raised my blood-pressure and set me to venting. It seemed like every time one issue was resolved she would set up another emotional road block until I wanted to slap her silly! LOL. But I could see where she was coming from too so I could kind of sympathize with her. I had to keep reminding myself that while I had the benefit of knowing Wade's innermost thoughts, poor Abigail did not. But I still wanted to do her a personal injury before the end of the book!

[Laura Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Inconvenient Match is a historical romance and it’s not bad. I don’t know that historical romances are for me, but I do love romances. I was intrigued by the plot summary, so I decided I’d take a chance.

Abby Wilson needs money to supplement her family’s income. With her father dead, and her brother in law hurt from a fire, she takes a second job with Wade Cummings, taking care of his ailing father. Only the catch is, the Wilsons and Cummings don’t get along due a to a long time feud over a loan called on by the ailing Cummings, and Abby believes caused her father’s death.

It’s cute, and it’s certainly a great story- I’m just not sure after reading things like Fifty Shades that historical romances are for me.

[Cortney · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know I signed up on this website to expand my reading horizons, but I dont think books like this are my thing. The characters were very repetitive as with the story line. It seemed to drag out for the entire book. I also think the characters could have been developed more. Maybe it was just the era it was set in, but I found the book needed more expansion and less repetition. (I won this on a goodreads giveaway).

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick and enjoyable read. It's starts off interesting from the very beginning and you definitely want to find out not only what happened in the past, but how their future is going to work out. It is a very heart-warming story of forgiveness, redemption and love.

[MariaFernanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! Janet Dean gave us endearing and inspirational characters, an enchanting plot, and a true praise to God! I loved it! I couldn't have read a more delightful book than this right now in my life! A must read!

[Mistyblue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed these characters-although I think I actually liked the hero more than the heroine. :) I was glad to see good and truth triumph. :)

[Jody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sad! Lots of half-told stories and guilt carried around. But tragedy seems to bring the town together. You don't hear anything else about Seth.

[Elisa Denk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like how Abigail dealt with cantankerous George.

First time I've read anything about baby rings! I had a baby ring from my dad like Abigail's baby ring necklace.

[Marvy Herrera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading this book, i love second chance stories. Wonderful and beautiful.. :)