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BARGAIN
OF THE HEART
Candice Poarch BET/Arabesque (3) Jeanette Cogdell |
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PLOT SYNOPSIS: A heartbreaking loss prompts Crystal Dupree to end her marriage to Richard, who seems to love his job more than her. He persuades her to give their marriage three more months, but Crystal isn't convinced their passion can be brought back. But amid some surprising revelations, Crystal and Richard might just discover understanding.
REVIEW: After years of playing the other woman to her husband’s mistress, his job, Crystal Dupree has had it. Following a devastating miscarriage, during which her husband wasn’t in attendance because he was working late, Crystal leaves the country. Five months later she returns and confronts him with her resolution. A divorce.
Richard is floored with Crystal’s desire to end their marriage. He, being the workaholic lawyer, absent husband that he is, saw nothing wrong with their relationship. He threatens Crystal with “tying her up in court for years” if she doesn’t agree to give their marriage another chance. Knowing Richard would never change his ways, she agrees to three months, for an uncontested divorce at the end of said period, if she still wants one.
Richard is prepared to woo his wife back into his bed, but Crystal doesn’t make it easy for him. Living in their cabin outside of town puts the ball in her court and Richard has to make appointments to be with her. Something he finds hard to tolerate.
In romance novels involving married couples, it’s often difficult to maintain the audience’s attention. BARGAIN OF THE HEART lacked the ability to pull me in and fell into this predicament. The main characters were uneventful and the mystery plot was insignificant.
Richard’s transformation was interesting to watch, but was too sudden as opposed to throughout the duration of the story. Crystal’s involvement in the community with her elder neighbors was also inspiring.
The bright spot in this story was the secondary love affair between Crystal’s aunt and a neighboring farmer. This older couple’s relationship intrigued me more than the main characters did. They were warm, loving and very attentive.
I’ve read several of Ms. Poarch’s romance novels and my favorites are the ones that make up the Nottoway series. I highly recommend all of them: WHITE LIGHTING, WITH THIS KISS, INTIMATE SECRETS and THE LAST DANCE.
2nd July 2002