An Irish-born son far from home, Cullen McGrath left a once prosperous life in England because of a horse racing scandal that nearly ruined him. He’s come to Nashville for a fresh start, hoping to buy land and start a farm, all while determined to stay as far away from thoroughbred racing as possible. But starting over proves harder than he’d wagered, especially when Maggie Linden’s father makes him an offer he shouldn’t accept yet cannot possibly refuse.
Maggie is certain that her mare, Bourbon Belle, can take the top purse in the annual Drayton Stakes at Nashville’s racetrack––the richest race run in America. Maggie only needs the chance to prove it. To give her that chance, and to save Linden Downs from being sold to the highest bidder, Maggie’s father––aging, yet wily as ever––makes a barter. His agreement includes one tiny, troublesome detail––Maggie must marry a man she’s never met. A man she never would have chosen for herself.
Cullen and Maggie need each other in order to achieve their dreams. But their stubborn, wounded hearts––and the escalating violence from a "secret society" responsible for lynchings and midnight raids––may prove too much for even two determined souls.
My Review:
To win Her Favor was everything I was expecting it to be. Even though it wasn’t my favorite, I still really enjoyed this book. The characters married for convenience, and fell in love afterwards. There is just something about a marriage of convenience in novels like these that I find romantic. And To Win Her Favor certainly was that!
The characters for this novel were well developed and not exactly perfect. Though, I do have to say that Cullen—Maggie’s husband—didn’t possess any flaws that I could find. Maggie was prejudiced, which the author did a very good job of showing and not telling. Maggie’s father also had some flaws that the author subtly slips into the book.
To Win Her Favor was a fast read for me. I absolutely loved it! I would not recommend it for younger readers, as Cullen and Maggie do tend to be intimate at times, though the author never goes deeper than she should into that. I really enjoyed the characters. Tamera always paints colorful figures that I can easily picture. The plot was solid and well-thought through.
Tamera Alexander never fails to disappoint. This book was no exception. I will say that sometimes her books tend to sound the same because many of her characters just seem to be really similar. However, she always writes very well and does her research, which I appreciate. I loved To Win her Favor and cannot wait for her next one.
*I received a complimentary kindle copy of this book from the author through Netgalley. The opinions expressed in this review are mine and mine alone.