A Marriage of Convenience in the Show Me State

As a marriage of convenience story, Ms. Gussman has taken a very different approach to a typical such story. Most such stories are all about the protagonists; however, Ms. Gussman has elected to put the needs of ten children ahead of their parents. Not to say that the parent’s needs are not addressed, it is just that the needs of their children rank just a little higher priority.<br /><br />Waverly and Zane have known each other since their youth. In fact, Waverly even proposed to Zane at one point. Zane was already involved with his future wife, so he declined her offer. Waverly reluctantly ended up married to a loser due to parental pressure. That abusive husband died after giving her six sons. She is now struggling under the weight of providing for children and she is facing eviction when she cannot pay her rent. Zane, on the other hand, though he had married for love, his wife left him and took his four daughters with her. He has just obtained full custody of his daughters after the courts removed the girls from her home and he is struggling to care for his daughters while operating his farm. <br /><br />By chance, while using a truck stop restroom, a truck slammed into the rest stop building and they were stranded together overnight until they could safely be extracted from the building. Since they have known each other prior to their respective marriages, it is not as if they are total strangers. But they see the benefits of merging their two families by marrying each other. I was very impressed with how Ms. Gussman described a family council meeting where all ten children and their parents were involved in the decision-making process. That was a scene beautiful to behold. This “marriage of convenience” results in a marvelous blending of two families where true love develops between Waverly and Zane. I heartily recommend this story to all my friends. Five-stars to Ms. Gussman for this delightful and inciteful story.<br />

I borrowed <i>A Marriage of Convenience in the Show Me State</i> from the Kindle Unlimited Program.<br /><br />Waverley Madris, mother of six boys walks into the ladies room of a scary truck stop bathroom to find a man standing in it and she knows him. Zane Hudson, father of four young girls had a bathroom emergency and took his five year old daughter into the ladies room with another of his girls and is waiting for them when Waverley walks in. She has her three youngest boys with her. Just as the kids are about to finish the floor shakes and it sounds like an explosion went off in the building. Now the power is out too in the dark restroom. This sets the situation for Zane to ask Waverley to marry him and three days later she is married and moving into his house with her six boys and two dogs.<br /><br />They have a mix-up about number of children between them, 7 or 8 and really 10. Waverley is a wonderful mother and steps right up to do a beautiful job getting all the children to treat each other as family. Zane helps her boys learn new skills on the farm and demonstrates how to be a man of honor. I loved the saying, "Caught not taught." It is a good way to express teaching by example.<br /><br />The humor is great, the insecurities of both Waverley and Zane are realistic and the honesty is refreshing as <i>A Marriage of Convivence in the Show Me State</i> turns into real romance.

Zane and Waverley’s story beautifully illustrates God’s hand in their lives. It is impossible not to empathize with this couple and be drawn into their captivating story. Both have suffered through terrible marriages that left them feeling unworthy, unloved and rejected. Between them, they have ten children aged five to thirteen, her six boys, him four girls. On a day when both are feeling overwhelmed with the daunting challenges of raising children as single parents, God (or your choice of higher being, or Fate) brings them together in the most unexpected way. They are at a truck stop at the same time with half of their respective broods who need to use the washroom facilities. Zane and Waverley both end up in the ladies washroom with their kids, after all he can’t take his young girls into the men’s room, and Waverley definitely won’t go into the men’s room with her young sons. Her surprise at his presence soon turns to gratefulness when the end up trapped in the washroom for hours. A discussion of both their circumstances leads to a surprising offer and her surprising acceptance. Neither is aware of just how many kids the other really has until after they marry, which makes for a hilarious scene when they realize the scope of their combined brood. While Waverley has hope that this marriage will bring a deeper connection with the man she has long admired, Zane believes that eventually she will leave him too, and his pessimism feels like rejection to her. With the help of his brother Deacon, the encouragement of the children and some serious self-examination, Zane decides he needs to make an effort to forge a bond with his wife. Even if they don’t become lovers, they can be friends who respect and care for each other. Waverley is at first wary about his changed attitude, then intrigued and hopeful. The changes in their relationship is a bonus for them and the children who begin to flourish and become a family unit. A marriage of convenience becomes a love match.<br /><br />I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

"A Marriage of Convenience in the Show Me State" is the most recent book in the Cowboy Crossings series. Having been born and raised in Missouri, I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and this entry is the best yet. Jessie Gussman takes the story line we all know so well and gives it an update with some unexpected twists. The story centers on Zane and Waverley, two people whose lives have not turned out to be what they had hoped for and how, through serendipity (divine intervention?) they work together to make their hopes reality. Zane has regained custody of his four girls after a bitter divorce and a long legal battle. Waverley, widowed after more than a decade of marriage to an unkind man, is struggling to make ends meet for herself and her six boys. Cowboy Crossings being a small town, they know of each other but have not spoken in years. That changes when they are trapped in a truck stop ladies room with some of their kids. While the kids sleep, Zane proposes to Waverley - a marriage of convenience that will end her financial struggles, help him with his overwhelming workload and provide each set of kids with two parents committed to their happiness. After the marriage 3 days later, Zane and Waverley begin to deal with the reality of a large blended family and lack of knowledge of each other. There are more than a few humorous situations and lots of learning moments for Zane, Waverley and the kids. <br /><br />This is what I enjoy most about Jessie Gussman's writing - the situations her characters deal with are very real and through them she teaches us readers how to handle what life throws at us with faith, grace, hard work and humor.<br /><br />I received a copy of "A Marriage of Convenience in the Show Me State" as a gift from the author. The opinions I'm sharing are my own. And in my opinion, you need to read this book.<br />

A Marriage of Convenience In The Show Me State is not your typical modern day story. Zane is on his way home with 2 of his girls that needed to make an emergency bathroom stop and the only place available is a trashy truck stop that he refuses to leave his girls alone in the ladies restroom. Waverly is on her way to meet a customer to deliver her baked goods with 3 of her boys when they need an emergency bathroom stop and she too can only find the trashy truck stop and she tells them they will be using the ladies room as she refuses to leave their side. When they run in the ladies room she sees a man standing there. They start talking as they seem to recognize each other and sure enough they had went to school together and she had crushed on Zane to the point of asking him to marry her before she had to marry Dexter that was a mean husband until his death. Zane had turned her down and married Vicki and they had 4 daughters before she left him and took the girls. When a vehicle runs into the truck stop and shakes the building to where the restroom door jams, it locks them in there so they start talking and by the time they are rescued the next morning they had agreed she needed help to keep her boys and a place to live while he needed a wife to take care of the house, children, cooking, etc. The funny part is they never discussed how many total children they had until 3 days later after Deacon had married them they return to the farm Zane owned and there stood his Mom laughing when they see they had 10 children! A story to pull on all your emotions and end with you cheering the family to bigger and better years ahead.

My review today is about the audible book, A Marriage of Convenience in the Show Me State. This is book five in the series Cowboy Crossing Western Sweet Romance. This book is well-written, humorous, and full of faith. This is a delightful story and I know you will love it.<br /><br />Zane Hudson just received custody of his four girls. He's not sure how he can take care of them and his farm. He must have help. He and his two daughters are traveling when he must stop for a potty break. The only place to stop is a terrible gas station. He takes his two daughters inside he can't let them go in alone in this horrible place.<br /><br />Waverly Madris is two months behind on her rent. She is meeting a man for a baking order but doesn't have enough gas to make it to the meeting. She must stop for gas. After filling the tank she takes her three boys to the restroom. They can't go in alone in this awful place so they go in the ladies' restroom. A man is standing there. She recognizes him from her school days.<br /><br />A hilarious journey as they are trapped inside the restroom for hours and come up with the plan of a marriage of convenience as they both need help. God has a plan for this new family. A plan for hope and a future. God has a plan for you too. A plan for peace and for destruction, give Him your heart and watch Him move in your life.

We are back in Cowboy Crossing and this time it’s Zane Hudson’s story. <br />Zane has four daughters who he loves dearly and finally has full custody of them. But as happy as he is , he’s also overwhelmed. How can he take care of the girls and the farm? Is a housekeeper the solution?<br />Waverley Madris is a young widow with 6 boys of her own. She’s barely making ends meet and might be homeless if she can’t get her baked goods sold.<br />An accident occurs in a truck stop where Zane and Waverley and a few of their children get stuck for hours in a bathroom. They each need the other and in those few hours in isolation, a marriage of convenience is decided.<br />But as feelings are starting to develop, even Zane can’t trust that he won’t be left behind. It’s happened once, what says it won’t happen again? In the meantime, Waverley has created a home where all the kids are thriving and getting along.<br />Will they take a leap of faith and realize they can trust each other? Will they allow the feelings to become a reality?<br />This was a sweet, touching story about family, hope , trust, new beginnings, faith and love.<br />Another winner for this talented author.<br />I was entrusted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

<strong>Waverley and Zane ?</strong><br /><br />Waverley is now a widow with six boys...?! She is very close to losing her small rental and survives by selling baked goods. <br /><br />Zane is divorced with four daughters... he needs help, but is also completely filled with bitterness over what his ex did to him and their family. He has vowed to never again give his heart to a woman. <br /><br />Waverley has always admired Zane from their high school years together, and even proposed to him years ago! Now, about a dozen years later they meet again. In a very unusual place! <br /><br />I enjoyed this story, but got a little irritated with Zane’s obsession with remaining aloof and untrusting of Waverley. Not all women are like Vicky. The only other part I didn’t like too much was at the very end, when that annoying Mr. Feely came into their kitchen for some of Waverley’s baked goods. His comments truly upset sweet little son, John, who flew out the door in anguish, yet Mom didn’t run after him.... she opted to be polite to their man who was, in my opinion, too flirtatious with a married woman. <br /><br />All in all, though, it was a great book. My second favorite in the series, I think ?<br />

When Zane finally gets custody of his four daughters, he realizes that being a full-time single dad and farmer is not working out. He definitely needs a nanny or housekeeper, preferably both. While talking to Waverley, she made him realize that he actually needs a wife. Being herself in a bind, they accept marrying each other for convenience; Zane would become the father to her six boys, protect, nourish, and put a roof over their heads while Waverley would mother his four daughters, cook, clean, and take care of the children’s homework while Zane farms…<br />The story was very beautiful, especially the parts in which Waverley realized Zane’s insecurities and was willing to make the first steps to help him get over his fear of rejection. For someone who seemed very stubborn on the brink of being emotionally crippled, Zane became very attuned to his wife’s needs and what would make her happy. It was heartwarming to read about the development of the couple as their family grew together. Enjoy this story about a couple who bring in scars from their past who help each other heal and bring happiness to their family.

Happier by the dozen!<br /><br />Waverly Madris is always scrambling to make enough money to pay rent and support her six sons since her husband died and now, with the cost of repairs to her oven and a hefty emergency room visit for one of her boys, there is no way she will be able to pay their rent. If they get evicted and she can’t support her family the state will take her children.<br /><br />Zane Hudson finally has custody of his four daughters but now he needs to find a full-time housekeeper-nanny-cook or he will lose them because he still has a full-time job as a rancher and his dad-skills could definitely use some help. Trapped in a crowded restroom in a sleazy truck stop is an unlikely place to conduct a job interview, but it is an even stranger place for a marriage proposal.<br /><br />Jessie Gussman’s clean romances always include a message of faith that is uplifting. This story is no exception. I received an advance copy but my review is honest and voluntary. I finished the book in one day and enjoyed every page of it.<br />