A January Bride (A 'Year of Weddings' Novella)

When Booksneeze offered me the chance to read and review A January Bride (for free!), I jumped at the chance. I had already read A December Bride, a gentle romance and this one did not disappoint.

Madeleine Hunter, novelist, has temporarily moved into her sister's house in the small town of Clayburn, Kansas, to housesit while the house is undergoing renovation and finish writing her latest book. The chaos makes writing difficult, so her elderly neighbour Ginny offers the use of a friend's house. This 'house' is, in fact, an inn, closed for the winter season. 'Annabeth's Inn' is a beautiful haven, which Maddie has to herself while the owner, a widower, is out at work during the day.

And so the romance begins. Arthur Taylor, whose young wife Annabeth died of cancer three years previously, leaves a welcome note for Maddie. She replies, and a sweet correspondence begins during which the two start to form a deep friendship. However, each assumes - erroneously - that the other is elderly since they both know that the other is a friend of Ginny's. Deborah Raney weaves a fabric of charming misunderstandings back and forth until, half way through the book, Arthur realises that Maddie is the same beautiful young woman he has already met and been attracted to at the local post office. He introduces himself to his visitor and the two begin their romance.

Yet Arthur is still grieving for Annabeth. We walk with Arthur and Maddie as they examine their feelings for each other, wondering if they can risk possible rejection and hurt. There is, of course, a happy ending for the two of them together.

I enjoyed this charming book - reminiscent of Jean Webster's classic 'Daddy-Long-Legs' - and found it almost too short. Yes, I know it is a novella, so what else could I expect, save that I did not want to leave Maddie's world so quickly. Now, it is onto 'A February Bride'...

Keeping romance alive in unobtrusive ways.

I read, occasionally, a blog called The Generous Wife.  Sometimes there are just a few little reminders of how not to take my husband for granted. 

Life offers those reminders too.  Conversations in the staff room when people complain about having to do a 'blue' job.  ('Blue' means jobs that the man is supposed to do: like cleaning out gutters.  'Pink' is for ladies' jobs - like cooking. Self-explanatory once you know. I think.)

We share our jobs out pretty much. I don't like it if Richard has emptied the dishwasher more times than I have, or has hung washing out twice in a row.  It doesn't seem fair, even though he tends to have more 'at home' time than I do.  He still does an awful lot for our marriage which I don't touch - accounts, car maintenance, gardening...Occasionally I forget myself and start complaining...ungrateful.

But Richard often does little things which pass me by - I take them for granted. The cup of coffee he brings me every morning (I was so tired today I slept through it - cold by the time I woke, but I was warmed by the thought). Getting my bike out of the garage for me so it is ready just to hop on to when I am running late. Meeting up at lunchtime on his day off.

Last week was just the best, though. I was on a school trip and had mentioned we might be stopping at a particular cafe/public toilets for the children. In the end, we didn't have to, but he cycled up there for a solitary cup of coffee, sitting outside in the sun in the hope he might see me.

That is just so romantic, it just melts me. I'm still smiling at the thought.

And, although his trip was in vain, at least he had a lovely half hour at a beach cafe. Some compensation.

(Updating this to link in with The Time-Warp Wife)