Review: The Marriage Season by Linda Lael Miller

Title: The Marriage Season by Linda Lael Miller
Brides of Bliss County Series Book Three
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Will the marriage pact be fulfilled? Return to Mustang Creek, Wyoming, with #1 New York Times bestselling author Linda Lael Miller for more Brides of Bliss County!

Since Hadleigh, Melody and Bex—the best of best friends—entered into a marriage pact, two of them have found (and married) the men of their hearts. But Bex doesn’t think she’ll be as fortunate as the others. Her own first love died years ago in a faraway war, and Bex has lost hope for a happy marriage of her own. She concentrates on her business, a successful chain of fitness clubs, instead.

Then, when single father Tate Calder comes to Mustang Creek with his two sons in tow, who befriend Bex’s eight-year-old nephew, she and the handsome, aloof newcomer are constantly thrown together. But is the marriage season over? Or can a man with doubts about love be the right husband for a woman who wants it all?

Review:

The Marriage Season is the final charming installment in Linda Lael Miller’s The Brides of Bliss County series. In this outing, it is Bex Stuart’s turn to find love, but will she be able to let go of her fears and fulfill the marriage pact she made with her best friends Hadleigh and Melody?

Bex has not had a serious relationship since her fiancé died in Afghanistan ten years earlier. So when single dad Tate Calder moves to town, Hadleigh and Melody decide to do a little matchmaking for their friends. The only problem? Tate is interested in a relationship but he does not plan to re-marry while Bex thinks she is too busy for a relationship. Bex’s life becomes even more complicated when her sister Tara and six year old nephew Josh move in with her but neither she nor Tate can resist their attraction to each other. When Tate offers to include Josh in a weekend fishing trip with him and his two sons, he extends an invitation to Bex to join them. Their feelings for one another quickly deepen, but will Bex and Tate’s respective baggage prevent them from taking their relationship to the next level?

Bex is a successful business woman with a big heart. She is very loyal to her friends and family and she will do anything to help her loved ones. Bex has never recovered from losing her fiancé and although she knows her fears are unrealistic, she is terrified of making a permanent commitment.

Tate is devoted to his sons and he is willing to make any sacrifice for them. He left a lucrative career so he could spend as much time with them as possible and despite losing their mother, his kids are happy and well-adjusted. He moved to Mustang Creek to begin a horse breeding program and the construction on his home and ranch is nearing completion. Tate is taken off guard by his attraction to Bex but it does not take long for him to becomes serious about her.

Despite their baggage and reservations, neither Tate nor Bex fight their attraction. They quickly settle into their new relationship and for the most part, there is very little conflict between them.  Bex is a bit skittish about their romance and she does need a little space to think things through. But once she works through her hesitation, she is fully committed to Tate. They are both honest about not wanting to marry, but as their relationship changes so do their expectations. Will the wounds from the past stand in the way of their future?

The Marriage Season is an absolutely enchanting addition to The Brides of Bliss County series. The plot is realistic and delightfully free of unnecessary drama or angst. The characters are beautifully developed with true to life problems to overcome. Linda Lael Miller concludes this terrific series with another heartwarming romance that old and new fans are going to love.

Read my reviews of the other novels in The Brides of Bliss County series HERE.