The Lieutenant's Bargain (The Fort Reno Series)

3.5 stars"I'm not staying here. I can't. . . . . . Besides, this is the last place in the world I'd want to stay."Dreams were over-rated, especially when you were hanging onto the edge of a gully in Oklahoma's vast Indian Territory, fearing for your life. Leaving a comfortable home in order to prove one's artistic talent in a large city like Denver, Colorado now seems laughable. News flash! A vicious killer is on the loose and Hattie Walker is at his mercy, if she manages to survive the night. Traumatized by a stagecoach robbery and subsequent murders of all the occupants save herself, Hattie is further terrified when it is a group of Arapaho Indians who come to her rescue. But then that handsome lieutenant arrives.Lieutenant Jack Hennessey cannot believe his eyes; the woman (once a childhood classmate) who has filled his dreams for years has re-appeared, providing him with the perfect opportunity to demonstrate heroism . . . . except that there was a slight twist in the translation. When Jack and Hattie leave the Arapahos and head towards Fort Reno, their lack of juvenile attachment will become the least of their worries."You have to find what God wants you to do, and He's got plans for me as well." Plans, plans, plans. Enjoy every disruption of plans that this book happily provides, it's a lovely continuation of the author's "Fort Reno Series".

Ever since Lt. Jack Hennessey was introduced in Holding the Fort, I patiently waited all year for his story, The Lieutenant’s Bargain. Okay, maybe not * patiently * considering I kinda stalked the mailman when I’d heard my copy was coming. But yes! This story, by the talented Regina Jennings, is fabulous. So prepare yourself for all my gushing!After I got my hot little hands on this story, I could NOT put it down. The narrative was witty and humorous. The plot was vivid and engaging! And the characters—Oh my, these characters!!!!—were dynamic and so fun.I totally loved that Lt. Jack pined over his longtime crush for, um, decades. It was adorable to read about a successful military man turning to mush at the presence of Hattie Walker. While this story contains a lot of charming banter and delightful scenes, the plot is not all just fun and games. There are elements of mystery and danger lurking between the pages that kept me intrigued and guessing until the final chapters.The tender romance between the characters was never forced but unfolded organically and beautifully. The thread of God’s unfailing presence during scary times was woven seamlessly throughout the story, leaving my heart refreshed and strengthened. Basically, I adored everything about this novel and will no doubt stalk my mailman again for the third book in the series.*I received a copy of this story. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book and haven’t been disappointed by this author. I like how she thoroughly fleshes out her characters so that the reader understands them and their point of view. I love the author’s twist on history which she will reveal at the end in the author’s note. This twist permeates the story, and it wouldn’t be the same without it. I love Jack’s heart, his nerdy start, and his sometimes endearing cluelessness. I love how Hattie grows, becomes wise as the story progresses, and demonstrates her wisdom several chapters before the end. I enjoy the historical glimpse of the Arapaho and despite some bittersweet moments as they adapt to change, I like that the story doesn’t dwell on the bad. i love catching up with previous characters, and I will definitely read any future books in the series.

"The Lieutenant's Bargain" is an inspirational novel set in Fort Reno, and follows the lives of Hattie Walker and Lieutenant Jack Hennessey as they attempt to fulfill an unexpected bargain after Hattie is rescued by a group of Arapaho and safely handed over to Jack. The novel is clean and filled with unexpected twists. Although Jennings does mention the protagonists' belief in God, she is not preachy or includes Bible verses. Instead, she weaves in aspects of the Christian faith through the characters' strengths and flaws. The novel does not focus too much on the hero vs. villain trope; instead, inner battles are the main focus and light is shed on post traumatic stress. I definitely enjoyed the slow development of the protagonists' love and the characters were well-developed. For those of you who love history, Jennings includes an author's note that explains the history behind the novel. This is the first novel I have read by Regina Jennings and I am looking forward to reading more of her books.

The cover made me think this book might be a little hokey. It wasn’t The characters grew and matured. The story became more than you thought The romance developed predictably but still interesting,y.I liked the vulnerablity of the Jack and even the immaturity of Hattie in the beginning..The trauma Hattie experienced free more pronounced as the story evolved which is as it should be. But, it also showed how she worked through it which I liked.Most of all, I liked that the end wasn’t rushed, the book didn’t just stop with their marriage being accepted. The story continued with a very pleasant ending. It think I liked that best. It didn’t feel rushed and cut off like so many. It resolved.I was really pleasantly surprise at how good this book was. I will read more from this author. If you like historical romance you will like this book

Childhood friends. An aspiring artist traveling by stagecoach to Denver through the untamed West. An Army lieutenant working with the Arapaho and Cheyenne to keep you he fragile peace and educate their children. What are the odds of their paths crossing?Set at Christmas (which is why this story is on my reading list) the author weaves history, budding romance, and Christian themes is a lovely read.“It wasn’t her fault. She hadn’t asked to be his ideal. He was the one who’d wronged her. He’d put the responsibility for his happiness on her, and that was a burden no mortal should bear.”