The Engagement Bargain

Prairie Courtships #4

by Sherri Shackelford

Make-believe betrothal

Rock-solid and reliable, confirmed bachelor Caleb McCoy thought nothing could rattle him--until he discovers he needs to pose as Anna Bishop's intended groom. After saving her life, his honorable code bid Caleb watch over the innocent beauty. And a pretend engagement is the only way to protect her from further harm.

Raised by a single mother and suffragist, Anna doesn't think much of marriage--and she certainly doesn't plan to try it herself. But playing Caleb's blushing bride-to-be makes her rethink her independent ways, because their make-believe romance is becoming far too real...

Prairie Courtships: Romance on the range

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

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 2015

Reviews

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anna has been raised to champion her suffragette mother’s cause. Finally, as she sets off on her own speaking tour for women’s right to vote in Kansas City, she is the victim of a shooting. Her safety in the aftermath becomes the concern of a young veterinarian who had been visiting the city with his sister who wanted to hear her speak. Clean historical read with some mystery and romance.

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a mini ‘Books For Christian Girls’ review. It is not a full content review and will not receive one. These mini-reviews are years old and just for clarity on the rating the book received on Goodreads.


10/27/2015-
“I did not enjoy this book immensely due to different reasons. Because I could tell that this was a book that was in the middle of the series (due to all the mentions of the other couples' romance stories), it would be best to read them in order, if you are interested.”


Main Content-
*Anna was raised that the Bible doesn't want women to speak to God & therefore she doesn't talk to God or go to church.

*A dead body (semi-detailed); Blood, Pain, shooting, & assassination attempts (semi-detailed); Blood, bullets, & being hit by one (semi-detailed); Doctor activities, stitching someone up, & other medical supplies (up to semi-detailed); Minor cussing (dumb and idiot); Mentions of curses (said, not written; including Caleb muttering a curse); A bit of sarcasm; Mentions of the war; Mentions of drinking; Mentions of a runt of a goat litter being attacked by its siblings, might be killed, & a threat to kill it; A couple mentions of divorce; A couple mentions of cigarettes & cigars; A mention of chopping up a body (semi-detailed); A mention of a husband abusing his wife; A mention of drowning kittens.

*Two not-detailed kisses and three semi-detailed kisses; Touches & Nearness (semi-detailed); Remembering a kiss (barely-above-not-detailed); Wanting to touch & kiss (up to semi-detailed); Noticing, Staring, & Flutters; Anna doesn't know who her father is; Anna's mother is nearly anti-men in all of her comments; Caleb has never kissed a girl before; a 'tramp'; Many, many mentions of Anna being an illegitimate child; Mentions of kisses, stolen kisses, winning a kiss, & kissing; A few mentions of a married man having a mistress; A mention of a still birth; A mention of a man taking liberties; Love, falling in love, & the emotions.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this one to be delightful. I laughed so much once they came back to Cimmarron Springs.

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The suffragist message and theme was strong in this book, and it was interesting to see how Anna, raised by a borderline militant suffragist mother, could choose her own path while still staying true to the good principles of the movement. It was a journey for her to be removed from her mother's influence and develop her own opinions about friendship, relationships, and romance. I loved her hidden talent with embroidery and the small ways she defied her mother while still seeking her approval in other ways. Caleb's emotions are a bit of a mess, and it was surprising that he had allowed a rather insignificant rejection from his past to have such a long-lasting effect on his trust. I liked seeing him loosen up and give Anna and himself a chance. A great cast of community members- family and friends- rounded out this story in a delightful way.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars


This is a romance that is set to the background of Women fighting for the vote. It is an interesting time that I take for granted how long the fight was for. The main character Anna Bishop is shot while speaking to a small group out west in Kansa city.


Anna Bishop was raised by a single mother. The more I hear about the mother the more I dislike her.

Anna was raised by servants. Her mother said they did not need a man in their lives.


Caleb McCoy went to hear Anna at the suffragist ralley with his sister JoBeth. Caleb is a vet. He comes from a big family. When gunfire happened and Anna was wounded Caleb went to help. The doctor did not come so Caleb treated Anna.


Caleb & Anna pretended they were engaged to protect Anna till her shooter was found.


The setting was in 1884 in Kansas City, Kansas and in Cimarron Springs


I liked the characters. I have read a couple of books with the McCoy's in them and want to read more.


Lots of drama, mystery, humor and romance. Also a clean read. Besides dealing with right to vote also dealt with forgiveness.


I was given this ebook to read from Harlequin and Net Galley and in return I agreed to give honest review.

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 3 out of 5]

** 3.5 stars **

I haven't read many books about the suffrage movement. I found the topic to be interesting and enlightening. I appreciate the sacrifices women made to ensure that I have the right to vote. It was good to see the movement through the eyes and mind of a fictional character.

There were many light moments in this book. I enjoyed the humor in a serious subject. My favorite character would have to be a goat. The other characters were great, but Pipsqueak stole many moments.

I loved the theme that you don't have to loose your femininity to fight for rights. Anna was raised to believe that in order to make a difference, she had to put aside all personal desires and focus on women's right to vote. Men were an unnecessary distraction, religion was frivolous and pointless. It took a near death injury for her to see that she could have a life of her on and still have a voice and make a difference for women.

The religion part of the book was subtle. It wasn't preachy, it just showed that religion can have a place along side with political progress. My favorite moment in the book happened at church. (I'll give you a hint, a goat is involved.)

This is a fun book to read that also involves an important time in US history.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Engagement Bargain was a good book. The plot was interesting and held my attention. The writing didn't always flow, but maybe that's because I read a review copy via NetGalley. I thought the setting was great and the ending good. All in all, an enjoyable read.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

We meet up with Caleb McCoy with his sister Jo at a suffrage speech. The speaker, Anna, gets shot and Caleb comes to the rescue. Soon they realize someone is out to kill Anna and they have to figure out who and why. Strange things start to happen. They pretend to be engaged, but soon it's not pretend any more.

Interesting time in history and the story makes it an interesting subject.

[Carol Pope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another thrilling romance

Yet again, the suspense, thrill, romance, drama of Sherri's novel captivated my soul. Once I started reading I couldn't stop! On to the next book in this series...

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was a interesting romance built around the suffragist movement. The role of mother is not for the faint of heart and expressing the need for change without battering all men in the process was well done.

[Rhonda (IG: growing_faith.reads)]

Set in Kansas in 1884, this is a humorous, easy read. It wasn’t spicy but unfortunately the faith aspect was shallow & unclear. Includes a veterinarian, mother-daughter relationship, and women’s rights/suffragist.

[Kyndall · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a mystery of a dead body hidden in a truck. At first it's boring and confussing but as you go on you start understanding what is Happening. It ends with a happy ever after.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite in the series so far!

[Ellen Klock · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the premise of The Engagement Bargain by Sherri Shackelford is compelling and the plot has several exciting and/or amusing moments, the author fails to deliver a cohesive novel. It starts out strong, opening with Caleb McCoy and his sister JoBeth Garrett visiting Kansas City in 1884, specifically to see Anna (daughter of famed Suffragist Leader Victoria Bishop) speak on Women's Rights. Caleb, a veterinarian, finds himself in the right place at the right time when he hears a gun shot and sees Anna collapse in a growing pool of blood. When the doctor can't be found, Caleb is the one to clean the wound and stitch the woman up. Caleb now feels a responsibility to protect Anna from further harm, so he doesn't complain when the desk clerk lists the invalid as his fiancé on the hotel register so she can maintain a low profile while the shooter is sought. Anna, despite her wound, is a capable, resourceful woman, while Caleb is portrayed as a shy man. Both are passionate about their life's work so it is not surprising that they feel a connection towards one another. However, Caleb is used to small town life, while Anna was brought up surrounded by wealth and trained to be independent. The two lifestyles would never mesh, yet each carries a growing bit of love within their hearts, despite their dissimilar backgrounds.

Anna starts out as a strong, fearless woman but as the story progresses her personality becomes more domestic. Caleb, although handsome, is introverted and inexperienced with women, but as the plot develops he becomes more daring and heroic. Caleb is surprisingly enlightened, supporting the idea of women's rights, based on his veterinary experiences with abused animals.

The main problem is that too much of the book is taken up with rueful thoughts of "I think I love you, but we aren't right for each other" from both parties. There is just too much introspection and not enough action. Shackelford also has a problem with pacing. The set up takes a third of the book while the climax is over in a couple of pages. This is the fourth book in the Prairie Courtship series, so some of the characters have been previously introduced, but when Caleb brings Anna to his hometown of Cimarron Springs, there are too many townspeople interacting without enough background to easily assimilate the information. Hopefully these characters were rounded out in one of the other books, since the villains responsible for all the strife in this story are thrown at the reader without much explanation, making the resolution of the plot confusing.

While it was admirable to focus on the topic of Woman's Suffrage, the portrayal of Anna's mother, did the cause no favors. If anything, it promoted the idea that the leaders of the suffragists were self centered, arrogant, and pig headed. By making Victoria Bishop insufferable, it took away from our sympathies towards the movement. However, real life leaders, such as Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton were extolled and the first elected female mayor in the United States (Susanna Salter from Argonia, Kansas in 1887) was eluded to when in the epilogue Anna becomes mayor of Cimarron Springs. Sherri has a brief note at the end of the book covering some information on the history of the vote for women encouraging the reader to do more research on the topic.

Perhaps the most glaring error is the misleading title. Anna never actually agrees to pose as Caleb's fiancé, it's just assumed by the townsfolk after a series of misadventures (including the actions of a playful goat). It's over two thirds of the way through the book before Anna graciously accepts the situation.

All in all a disappointment, especially since all the elements were present to create a great story.
2 and a half stars. A thank you to Netgalley and Love Inspired Books for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've never read a book by Sherri Shackelford before, but when I was nosing around the Internet, it seemed she was a go-to writer for historical romance. Although it's not my typical genre of choice, I found myself in a historical-romance kind of mood, so I thought Shackelford might be exactly what I was looking for.

Unfortunately, I was a tad bit disappointed. At first, I was a bit nervous that I had picked up Christian fiction, because it began with a quote from the Christian bible. Although I have no issue with Christian fiction, I generally avoid it because I'm not a Christian, and therefore I'm not the target audience. I decided to continue with the book, however, in case that first impression was wrong. Fortunately, despite a few mentions of God (which were appropriate for the time period) and a brief heavy-handed 'non-religious woman considers putting more faith in God' moments, the religion aspect was light, and it did not affect my enjoyment at all.

The Engagement Bargain is certainly well-written, and I enjoyed reading about protagonist Anna Bishop's struggle to reconcile her desire to have a family with her work as a suffragist. That being said, the book was definitely a bit judgy of women who chose to remain childless or who despised "womanly" activities, such as embroidery or (gasp) dancing. We were supposed to root for the insta-love between Caleb and Anna, and we were supposed to harshly judge Anna's mother, who was anti-marriage. In fact, as the one anti-marriage person, Anna's mother was the most unlikable, disagreeable, selfish individual in the novel, perhaps even more so than the murderous antagonist who is discovered in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it reveal toward the end.

Perhaps I would have enjoyed this book more if there had been more unmarried (and not merely widowed) women who were more relatable and moderate than Anna's shrewish mother.

Ultimately, I did not hate this novel. It was well-written and just interesting enough for me to not cast it aside. But I did not care for the instalove, and it merely trudged along, without any real sense of urgency, despite events that would have caused more concern if they had actually occurred.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

[Valri Western · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I love all things historical, I found this book to be intriguing! It dealt with the suffragist movement in our country and I found it fascinating! The lead female character, Anna, was raised by a single mother who was wealthy but very single-minded in her belief that women didn't need a man for anything so she passed this belief to her daughter. Thankfully, Anna had a series of nannies who "softened" her somewhat into a caring individual, unlike her mother. I really did not like Anna's mother! A very selfish and stern individual. When Anna is shot while making a speech regarding the women getting the vote, her mother doesn't even come to her aid! She just sends a telegram telling her to rest while she continues her trek around the country doing her "work"! Caleb is the hero, and he's a very compassionate man. Although he's a vet, he has to stitch up Anna's wound after she's shot because the doctor cannot be found! From that moment, he becomes her protector and friend. The two begin an adventure that takes them from Kansas City to Cimarron Springs, a small town where Caleb lives to keep Anna safe while the law tries to find who is trying to kill her! The rumor began in Kansas City that they were engaged so they just let it continue in Cimarron Springs! Anna has never known this type of country lifestyle! She's always lived in big cities and never known neighbors. The town comes to mean a lot to her and the people embrace her. I loved the goat that adopts her! I found the book so enchanting! I have enjoyed all of the authors books but really felt a special connection to this one and didn't want it to end! I really loved the characters and the way they grew as the story went on. I especially loved the epilogue! I hope more people will read it!

[Kame · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Love Inspired historical

Something different and the blurb peaked my interest. Generally I like western historical books with lots of references to ranching, but I was drawn into Caleb and Anna's story.

I loved Caleb's gentleness and how protective he was of those he cared for. At times my heart ached for Anna. She had a journey of self discovery in this book.

The inspirational component was minimal and actually I never even thought of this as a Christian fiction book until I saw a comment on another review. The historical elements were a critical element of the story as Anna was a suffragist, however they did not overwhelm it.

Lots of secondary characters in this book, a few I found interesting and might pick up a future book to check on them.

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley and this is my honest review

[Sue Barr · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed Sherri's writing for many years - long before she was published. She has only grown as an author and this story was enjoyable from the first page. I loved the slow growth of romance between our two main characters. The hero, Caleb, was absolutely believable and his faith and maturity made him so yummy to read.
Anna had a lot of people trying to tell her what to do, when to do it, how to do it and when she meets Caleb, he treats her like the adult she is. What a refreshing change. No wonder she's intrigued by him.
This is a lovely read, and I recommend it to those who love romance at its best.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Engagement Bargain one of The Prairie Courtships by Sherri Shackelford was a very good book. It started out slow. Once I got into the book I was hooked. It had the serious parts, also funny parts. Like a goat searching our Anna Bishop when she goes to the home town of Caleb McCoy to recuperates from a gun shot wound. Read about the goat following Anna to church. Was a very good story. A must read once you get into the story.

[Gena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this, good plot and character outline. However reality fell short. Caleb wasn't too bad although his self-effacing got old fast. Anna was terrible, the author kept telling me how independent, excellent speaker, charismatic she was and yet every word out of her mouth and her actions were counter to this. I barely made it through (skipped a few) and closed book disappointed. I don't recommend.

[Janet Nitsick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book. As an author myself, I liked her word usage and her descriptions. A romance must end happily, but I wondered at the book's end if the author was going to break that mold. I am not going to tell you if Sherri Shackelford did or did not. If you want a nice read, this is a good book to sit down and relax with after a trying day. God bless.

[Judine Brey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caleb McCoy is the ideal hero for this novel, set in post-Civil War America. The small town veterinarian who finds himself, thanks to his older sister, in a fake engagement with suffragist speaker Anna Bishop, is hard not to fall in love with. The tension between what Anna's mother expects of her and what Anna wants to do makes for an engaging read and a satisfying ending.

[Harlequin Books]

"With sparkling dialogue and a perfectly matched hero and heroine, along with an intriguing mystery, this Prairie Courtship story makes a highly entertaining read" (RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 stars).

Miniseries: Prairie Courtships

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pipsqueak the goat stole the show. Especially his appearance at church!

[Shoshana · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars?

[Harlequin Historical]

Miniseries: Prairie Courtships

[Kelly_Instalove · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cover should have had them holding a GOAT, because THEN I WOULD HAVE BEEN WARNED. #nogoats

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy read. The characters were likeable, and the writing was decent as well. I read it as the Love Inspired box set. I thought this was the best read of the four books in the set.

[L A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kept me guessing as to who was the shooter, though I had an idea of the motive. Enjoyable read, a bit unbelievable in some instances for the time period but still a good read.