About the Book

Book: The Amish Marriage Bargain
Author: Marie E. Bast
Genre: Amish
Release Date: December 17, 2019
Will a baby girl bring them together at last?

She’ll do anything for her niece…Even marry the man who broke her heart.

Nothing can keep May Bender in her Amish hometown—except caring for her baby niece. But the bishop insists that May also marry her widowed brother-in-law, Thad Hochstedler—the beau who jilted her to wed her sister. Can May risk her heart long enough to learn the real reason for Thad’s first marriage…and possibly rediscover their love?

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My Thoughts:

May Bender is in quite a difficult position. She has been helping to care for her niece after her sister passed away a year ago. Unfortunately, her brother-in-law is the one man who broke her heart when he up and decided to marry her sister instead. May would like to leave her hometown and family farm if only to get away from Thad. But then she would have to leave her one year old niece, Leah as well. And Leah is whom she loves now.

Thad is in a difficult position as well. There are reasons, which he has kept secret that he married April, May's sister, when he was in love with May. Now May is wanting to move on and he can see that she can barely tolerate him. He, however would like to prove to her that they can be happy together again and put the past in the past and leave it there. Plus the town is beginning to gossip about them and the bishop says they have to marry or May has to leave.

The book title obviously lets us know what May ultimately decides and the rest of the story shows a couple who have married out of convenience, for better or for worse- and they certainly have some worst times ahead of them. The question is, can they let the past go and grab on to a future that could be full of hope and love for their little family?

I enjoyed watching this couple grow and communicate in sometimes awkward manners. Two people who at one time enjoyed each other's company, only now to have to start over. This was a sweet second chance story that was surprisingly filled with a lot of drama.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the author. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author

Marie E. Bast is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author. Her stories whisper words of hope and healing through complex characters and twisting plots. She enjoys writing Amish, contemporary and historical stories. Married for twenty-eight years, Marie and her husband have two grown sons and one daughter. When she’s not writing, she’s walking, golfing, gardening or spending time with her family. Visit her website at MarieBastAuthor.com or follower her on social media.

More from Marie

Did you know that until as late as the twentieth century, marriage was never based on love?

In fact, the institution of marriage predates recorded history. But in ancient biblical times, the reasons for marriage are numerous. The kings, nobility, wealthy, and aristocratic families used arranged marriages to ensure loyalty between kingdoms, which forced a united bound and ensured the integrity of their inheritance and the family wealth.

Arranged marriages, marriages of convenience, and marriage bargains were practical to keep property and kingdoms intact and in the family line. But these marriage contracts also spilled over into the commoners’ lives. In times of poverty, a daughter was only another mouth to feed and therefore a burden on the family. That fueled the arranged marriages where the groom gave the family money, animals, or some other commodity in exchange for the marriage.

Also, arranged marriages were instrumental for women over the age of 30 who were unwed. Even in the nineteenth century, many women would find that a marriage of convenience was the way to go. Often, a widower needed a mother and housekeeper for his family, and sometimes a woman without means to support herself would readily accept a marriage of convenience. Even today, some cultures still use arranged marriages.

But one of the most unique marriage of convenience is the marriage bargain, and that is the central theme to my newest book, The Amish Marriage Bargain, which releases in book form December 17, 2019, and eBook January 1, 2020. The marriage bargain is the specific negotiation of the terms of the agreement regarding a particular situation and often included land.

After her sister dies, May Bender will do anything for her niece…Even marry the man who broke her heart. But like the days of old, the bargain goes deeper than that.