Product Description

Hailed as "one of the best writers in the business" by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, multi-award-winning author Maggie Osborne delivers hilarious and heartrending tales of resilient women full of grit, pride, and dignity who shine through hard times. Now meet the most irresistible and independent heroine of them all, a woman called Low Down, who never had anything good happen to her until the day she asked for the one thing that only a man could give her. . . .

As scruffy and rootless as the other prospectors searching for gold in the Rockies, Low Down wanted nothing in return for nursing a raggedy bunch through the pox. But when pressed to reveal her heart's wish, she admits, "I want a baby." Not a husband, not a forced marriage to the proud man who drew the scratched marble and became honor bound to marry her. To be sure, Max McCord was easy on the eyes, but he loved another woman and dreamed of a different life. Yet they agreed to a temporary marriage that could end only in disaster. But can this strange twist of fate lead to the silver lining that both have been searching for?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #450326 in Books
• Published on: 2000-01-04
• Released on: 2000-01-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 352 pages

From Library Journal
When a group of grateful prospectors offers to give fellow prospector Low Down her "fondest wish" in return for her nursing them through a smallpox epidemic, they are stunned when she says she wants a baby. What she gets, however, is a husband she doesn't want, a husband who doesn't want her, and a family--and eventually a love--she never even dreamed of. Funny and touching, this riveting romance, in classic Osborne fashion, takes an outwardly independent but inwardly fragile heroine, pairs her with a hero smart enough to realize her worth, and lets them find each other despite a host of almost insurmountable obstacles. This rewarding read will not disappoint the author's many fans. Osborne, the reigning queen of this type of Western romance, lives in Colorado.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
"Wit, style, and class. Maggie Osborne is a storyteller who consistently delivers all three."
--NORA ROBERTS

From the Back Cover

"Wit, style, and class. Maggie Osborne is a storyteller who consistently delivers all three."
--NORA ROBERTS

Customer Reviews

Had So Much Potential/Male Lead Ruined It
This book had so much potential! I love the premise - forced marriages is one of my favorite plots. However, the forced marriage in this book was in doubt in my mind. I never saw the reason for it, which put this whole book on shaky ground for me. I also did not like the hero in this book. First, he unfairly blamed Louise for the marriage. Second, he never did anything great or wonderful to make Louise fall in love with him. Overall, he was rather boring and at times annoying. I never found myself cheering for the main characters to stay together. In the end I wish Louise had packed up her bags and found herself a real man. Another reason I really disliked this book was the villification of Philadelphia. She was a young woman who was wronged by the hero. Instead of letting that story lead to some poignant moments and difficult decisions, the author villified her. One bright note in the book is the main heroine Louise. She was strong and smart, and she learns to value herself. I always like books with strong heroines. Overall the book is not bad, but it is not great either.

A very sweet story with
characters that you like immediately. How Ms. Osborne managed to create a female lead that was so unattractive to start and then became so well loved and desired is the gift of her pen. If you enjoy books that tell a beautiful story and fill that story with much detail about their lives and their surroundings, then Maggie Osborne is the one for you.

A BOOK TO BE TREASURED!
This was a wonderful book. I loved Low Down Louise and Max and Livvy, Gilly, and all the rest - even Philadelphia, who provided such a terrific counterpoint to Louise. This is my favorite, so far, of Ms. Osborne's stories and the 4th one I have read. It truly is a heartwarming story with a great cast of characters.