The Sheepish Scribe

The Marriage Barter by Christine Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A classic frontier story of; woman needs a husband and the nearest available guy will have to do…with a serious twist when the lives of a group of orphans are at stake. The story is built around the true history of the Orphan Train that ferried children from the cities back east to the frontier. Some of these children were adopted into loving families while others became little more than slaves.

In The Marriage Barter, Wyatt Reed and Charlotte Miller combine forces to ensure that Charlotte can keep the orphan girl who has captured her heart. It seems a straight forward arrangement until Wyatt uncovers the darker side of the Orphan Train legacy. Fighting against court deadlines and their own battered emotional backgrounds, the two discover what the meaning of family really is.

The history is nicely integrated into this charming tale. I can highly recommend this book!