Cole Cassidy has been through more housekeepers in mere months than he can count.  The only person he has been able to count on since his estranged wife’s death has been Tara McKee, his office assistant.  Now Cole has a proposition for Tara – he wants her to take care of his deceased wife’s daughter, Molly.  It is a bargain of sorts, Cole will pay Tara tons of money and Tara will become Molly’s mother and caretaker.  Easy, right?  Cole and Tara think so.  It’s too bad their bargain is going to blow them out of the water.

LOVELOVELOVE arranged marriage plotlines.  I adore them as much as I love chocolate and that is A. LOT.  Cole is your typical male – he believes the tales his vindictive wife told him before her death, after all, why would she lie? Right?  Cole’s inability to see what was right in front of his face almost cost him the two most precious things in his life. Thank goodness this happened before they needed proof concerning Molly.

The sexual tension and intensity between Cole and Tara is instantaneous.  They are almost reduced to drooling babies when they come in contact with each other. The only thing they fight about is Molly, but Tara has time - she is willing to wait for Cole no matter what it takes.  And it almost takes a miracle.

Desiree Holt threw me into the wringer with The Bargain.  It was like book ‘crack’.  I couldn’t stop reading it and finished it in one setting. The loves scenes rocked and the story line was interesting and while I didn’t want the book to end, I had to read The Bargain as fast as I could!  Desiree Holt should be proud of The Bargain, it was magnificent!