The Bettin' Kind by Nancy J. Parra

Genre: Historical Romance

Publication Date: October 2005

One Word Review: Cute

Author Website: www.nancyjparra.com

First Line: “I’m in big trouble.”

GoodReads Synopsis: Amelia Morgan dreams of a handsome prince who would take one look at her and fall in love. Together they would find a dynasty of magnificent horses and live happily ever after. What she never counted on was her baby brother losing her beloved stallion to a slick card shark. Desperate not to lose her dream, she gambles that the threat of marriage would cause the card shark to cut and run rather than go through with a hasty marriage to a total stranger. Alex Laird is no dummy. He calls Amelia's bluff, fully expecting her to jilt him at the altar. Then the question of the horse's ownership would be indisputably his. These two stubborn foes go through with a hasty marriage, neither willing to let go of their claim to the horse. Stuck with each other for the time being, each comes up with a plan to secure their future. Unfortunately, their goals are once again at odds. For a while, Alex decides an annulment is the answer to their predicament. Amelia takes a different tact. She believes the only way to see her dream come true is to make Alex fall in love with her. The struggles that ensue become more than a battle of wills. It becomes a battle of the heart where dreams are won and lost at the turn of a card.

Kathy’s Review: This was a fun quick read. I liked Amelia right from the start, she is stubborn and fun. After reading the synopsis I wondered how the whole wedding thing would play out, and I wasn’t disappointed. It was actually somewhat believable after you get to know the characters. Both Alex and Amelia thought they other would back down, but both are too stubborn to back out. I admit, I thought Amelia seemed a little naïve once they were married, almost immediately she set out to make Alex fall in love with her, which was fun, but still seemed a little unrealistic. Alex deep down was a decent guy, never tried to take advantage of the situation…even though he wanted to. They had good chemistry though and it was a very entertaining read. I wish it were a little longer and maybe a little more added to the ending. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a nice lighthearted story.

I accidently read this out of order; I’m looking forward to going back and reading the first book, The Marryin’ Kind. It doesn’t seem to make a big difference, each book follows a different sisters’ story. Oh, and don't judge the book by the cover (hated the cover), I didn't think the cover really did it justice.

Bookworm Rating: 4

Reading Order:
Book One: The Marryin’ Kind
Book Two: The Bettin’ Kind
Book Three: The Lovin’ Kind