The Marriage Pact

April 28, 2014
In Miller’s lackluster contemporary series opener, 18-year-old Hadleigh Stevens’s wedding is rudely interrupted by Tripp Galloway, who sweeps into the church of their small Wyoming town’s and literally carries Hadleigh out so she won’t marry the wrong man. Hadleigh’s vulnerable heart is broken twice that day when she discovers that Tripp isn’t the right man, either; he’s only keeping a promise to her dead older brother by keeping an eye on her. Ten years later, Hadleigh remains single but has formed a marriage pact with her two best friends, swearing they will each settle for “true love or nothing.” She crosses paths again with Tripp, who is divorced and back home to take care of his ailing father, but this time, their relationship grows. Miller (Ragged Rainbows) treads familiar ground with her detailing of close-knit small town life, developed characters, sweet romance, and a hint of cowboy excitement. However, a strong reliance on internal angst rather than external action slows the story’s forward motion.

June 15, 2014

Ten years ago, Tripp Galloway stormed into the church, tossed teenager Hadleigh Stevens over his shoulder, and walked out, doing just what her late brother and his friend would have done--stopping her from a potentially disastrous marriage. Now after ages away, Tripp is back in Mustang Creek to help his stepfather with his ranch and hoping to mend his fences with Hadleigh. But the resentment remains, and Tripp knows getting back in Hadleigh's good graces won't be easy. VERDICT Two appealing protagonists who need to come to terms with their feelings, a cast of engaging secondary characters--a footloose dad is memorable--and an agreement between Hadleigh and her two BFFs not to marry for anything but true love drive the leisurely plot of this touching, down-to-earth story that provides fans with a realistic community in a glorious landscape and deftly launches Miller's latest contemporary Western series. Miller (Big Sky Secrets) lives in Spokane.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2014
Eighteen-year-old Hadleigh's fancy wedding ended before the vows when her late brother's best friend, Tripp Galloway, swooped in and literally swept her off her feet, throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her kicking and screaming out of the church to save her from a disastrous marriage. Ten years later, with no family left, Hadleigh makes a pact with her two lifelong best friends to find true love and marriage even though there is a dearth of eligible men in their Wyoming ranching community. Trip Galloway, after years spent in the military as a pilot and as the owner of an aviation company, returns to Bliss County to help his ailing stepfather. Soon Hadleigh and Tripp really get the town talking. Once again, Miller tells a satisfying, feel-good tale populated with good people trying to do what is right, people who find healthy, hot passion and genuine relationships. Miller also realistically depicts the contemporary West, from beloved dogs to livestock auctions, rutted roads, and pickup trucks.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)