This was a fun story with Ellie drawing Alex out of his shell of grief and isolation, only for him to surprise her with his protective nature.They develop a wonderful friendship, but worry that their rapport would be ruined if romantic feelings develop. The other women working in the restaurant and some community members make a great secondary cast while Alex and Ellie find their way forward to a future together without the guilt of faking an engagement hanging over them. I enjoyed the setting and the character development, and of course the sweet romance!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

I really enjoyed The Engagement Charade. I didn't even read the blurb before starting this, so I was excited when I started it and saw that it was about the restaurant owner. After reading the previous book I became intrigued by his character and it was great to learn more about his life.

I loved the romance. It felt realistic and the way that he cared for her was amazing. I found the "fake" engagement okay. It wasn't my favorite part, but all in all I enjoyed the read.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

After reading Amber Belldene’s Not Another Rock Star, with its unique, true-to-life mix of messed-up faith characters and non, minister-heroine, earthy love scenes, the wonder of its ability to posit a faith-based romance with an atheist hero, a novel where sexuality, love, faith, romance, community, goodness and integrity don’t come within the strait-jacket of inspirational romance tropes … well, I really wanted to read an inspirational romance and consider my response to it. Karen Kirst’s The Engagement Charade fit the bill, especially because I’ve loved her books in the past and I’d be inclined to do so again. And, I did … mildly (it isn’t her best). However, it also solidified why the either-or, evangelical-Christianity-based romance narrative brings me out of reader-pleasure-zone to render me hyper-conscious of its flaws.

First, to set the scene: in late nineteenth-century fictional Gatlinburg Tennessee, our hero, Plum Café owner Alexander Copeland broods in his office, tormented by memories of a fire that killed his wife and son back home in Texas. Meanwhile, widowed, pregnant heroine Ellie Jameson cooks and runs his business.

Like Alexander, Ellie is not native to the town. She hails from Kentucky and arrived with her husband and in-laws only to lose Nolan, her husband, shortly thereafter. At present, she continues to live with her in-laws, sister- and brother-in-law and it is her husband’s family that brings about the “engagement charade”. Ellie’s husband’s family never accepted her, treat her badly and, when they find out she’s pregnant, plan on keeping her isolated and friendless while they dominate her child’s life. Ellie’s plight and pluck bring Alexander out of self-recrimination and isolation. Despite his deep mourning, Alexander is a good man and he can’t NOT help Ellie. After a few nasty run-ins with the Jamesons, Alexander, in a moment of protective obliviousness to his own pain, declares that they must leave Ellie be because she is his fiancée. The charade begins and allows Ellie and Alexander, under its “pretend” auspices, to grow closer.

My feeling about this inspirational romance is of stunted potential. Kirst is a solid writer who infuses her characters with some interesting complexity and then never sees it through to where it might lead. Ellie, for example, starts out mouthy and funny: she plagues Alexander until he emerges from his self-imposed office exile and begins to take part in town life and show concern for his employees. As Ellie’s Operation Alexander succeeds and their antagonistic banter diminishes, so does the light of their complex personalities. Because they are subject to the inspirational come-to-Jesus-and-church conventions, they are leached of what makes them interesting in the first place.

Alexander begins to admire Ellie’s virtues as he makes his spiritual and emotional way to joining with life and Ellie. Alexander, in turn, is a man tormented by guilt (over his wife’s and son’s deaths) and his healing from this is an admirable theme. But it never quite “goes anywhere”: in other words, Alexander feels guilty and his internal musings never take him beyond. His narrative presence only harps on his guilt: he doesn’t examine it, or reconsider it, or listen to anyone who advises him otherwise. It just becomes a great big unmoving narrative barrier without any development.

I am not of the opinion that narrative conventions, or tropes, are literary death-knells. Indeed, if I did then I wouldn’t be reading and writing about romance, would I? Nor would I be able to recognize, let’s say, the genius of a sonnet, whether by Shakespeare, or one of my favourites, Edna St. Vincent Millay. Nevertheless, I think that convention, trope, form, whatever strictures may be the framework for a writer’s expression, may serve as expansive, or limiting. In the case of so much inspirational romance, they are the latter. In the end, there were moments when I was moved by Ellie and Alexander, but too many where I was impatient with the novel’s inability to brave the narrative and character wilderness. Karen Kirst’s The Engagement Charade offers “tolerable comfort,” Mansfield Park.

Karen Kirst’s The Engagement Charade was published by Harlequin Books. It was released on July 4th, 2017, and may be found at your preferred vendor. Miss Bates received an e-ARC from Harlequin Books, via Netgalley.

The coming together of two people broken from a tragic end to their previous marriages would be a short description of this book.

Ellie is trying to create a good life for herself and her unborn child after her husband was killed in an accident. She has controlling in-laws that want to keep her submissive and doing their bidding. She needs escape from the past and the "chains" holding her back from moving on.

Alexander was broken when his wife and son were murdered in a fire. He has cut himself off from people and living life, until Ellie shows up and drags him into life. Trying to protect her they become "engaged."

This is a couple that as a reader you know need a "happily ever after" with each other. It's entertaining to see them come to the same realization. This book is sweet and tender, except for the in-laws part. I loved Ellie's enthusiasm and deep understanding on how to not blame God for the tragedies that have happened to her. She is a woman of deep faith and living life in the moment and to the fullest. I loved how she helped herself as she helped Alexander.

The book is well written and part of a series. It can be read as a stand alone. I also didn't find the religious parts to be preachy, but written with great faith and love for the characters. It does contain kissing and mild violence.

Source: I requested a copy from Netgalley to review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

The engagement Charade is a heart touching story - wow - there is a poor pregnant girl whose in - laws are threatening her - can there be a more vulnerable state a woman to be in? How cruel - heartless people - then you have Sir Galahad (Mr. Grumpy to some) who comes to his friends' rescue and asks her to marry him - I mean even though not real - how more deeper can a (heart) friendship go to show they care and that whether they know it/want it to be or not it is a GODly move - Ellie is being used by GOD, in her state of condition, to help Alexander find his way home to JESUS. Will they truly get married? If they do will their hearts truly be made one? GOD knows

This is book 11 in the Smoky Mountain Matches series, however I feel it is also a stand alone book. I have only read one or two previous books in this series and had no problem keeping up with this novel. I do feel there is some history of some of the characters I may have missed, but it would just have been fun to reconnect with them not something that is a must to understand this book.

I fell in love with Ellie Jameson, she has a fun personality even if her past is not full of happiness. Ellie must learn to stand on her own and face her fears to find true happiness.

Alexander Copeland, took a little longer for me to warm up to, but he can not resist the joy Ellie bestows on everyone, even if he is a bit grumpy and a recluse.

Alexander is willing to do just about anything to protect Ellie, even pretend to be her fiancé. Will he be able to protect Ellie and his heart too.

I enjoyed the friendship, love, romance and suspense found in this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

Thoughts:

THE ENGAGEMENT CHARADE by Karen Kirst leads us to Tennessee in the 1880’s. We traverse the boardwalk of the old West where new lives can begin under horrible and tragic circumstances.

Our heart aches for Mr. Alexander Copeland. He’s losing his ability to keep company with almost anyone. To Alex, it is preferable to be alone than to see a happy family, as pain assaults his senses and sets him to relive a nightmare.

He tries to keep control of his surroundings, but his new employee brings a problem to his cafe.

Her optimistic chattering and managerial habits interrupt his daily ritual of solitude. Although his patrons enjoy her cheerfulness and her abilities, he comes undone with it all. Could she just leave him alone? She must perform her duties quietly and leave. This is how he wants her to operate, but she cannot do it.

Unfortunately, for Widow Ellie Jameson, she was hired during the owner’s absence. Mr. Copeland lets it be known that he wasn’t in on her hiring and isn’t happy about it. In fact, he tries to make due with her being here.

Proving her worth to his business puts her to running afoul of her employer. How could she convince him that she wants and needs this job? Ellie must share all she brings to the cafe and all that still needs doing. She understands his reputation of being a loner, but Ellie must have his agreement in cafe matters or nothing will get finished.

Her time is limited, and she is being hunted!

The public will eventually know about Ellie’s family and her secrets. These are the reasons that she must work now. Ellie does not want her present condition to impede her future finance. She’ll need it for later.

Will angst lead to unemployment or something far worse?

***This opinion is my own.***

Preview:

In THE ENGAGEMENT CHARADE by Karen Kirst, Ellie Jameson is a pregnant widow venturing out on her own to get away from her suffocating in-laws. Her marriage was far from happy and relationships with his extended family were never near pleasant.

A talkative widow whose worth ethic is stellar should be any businessman’s dream. Customers are happy and keep returning and other employees mesh well with this new hire. The problem is with her boss.

Her work here disrupts his quiet.

Alexander Copeland fled from Texas leaving his kin behind to run far from the memories that to this day still haunt him. Gone are his wife and son, and the pride this former rancher once held. He came to Gatlinburg with goals in mind. He was going to live alone, stay alone, and conquer the grief that swallows him whole. All was going as planned until Ellie Jameson arrives. Her mumbling and her care for this café are driving him mad.

Her secrets only cause more pain, but the people she’s running from causes him to protect her in the only way he can. From sequestered to betrothed, Alex is out-and-about with a woman on his arm, but his grief is closer to the surface than ever before.

Could this pretend relationship cause more problems than protection for both of them? Will the sheriff be able to keep them safe whether together or apart?

This is a sweet book for those in love with historical romance. Both the hero and heroine are likeable and the villains are hateful and annoying. However, the plot is a little thin and therefore the story feels a bit like it is dragging on... I would have liked to have seen more drama so that the ending was more rewarding.

Ellie Jameson lost her husband and lives with her controlling in-laws, she is pregnant and doesn’t want to think about what their plans for her child might be. So she takes a chance at a job, and finds a place to board in town. Ellie won the cooking contest to become the new cook at Plum Café, but she struggles to communicate with the restaurant owner about the menu and other concerns because he spends his days hiding in his office.
Alexander Copeland just wants to be left alone. He came to Gatlinburg to escape the memories of his late wife and son, and in his grief has turned his back on God. Despite everything that Ellie has been through, she comes to work every day with a smile, and tries to coax Alex into the world of the living by cooking him special dishes, encouraging him to catch fish for the restaurant and has ideas for sprucing up the place. One night Ellie stays to work late so Alex offers to bring her home, and gets a picture of how oppressive her in-laws are, so to protect her he tells them that he is Ellie’s fiancé.
But as the charade grows and pushes him out of his solitude, could he be the answer to Ellie’s prayers?
Ellie is a bright and optimistic woman, she doesn’t sit and feel sad for herself when she rightfully could do just that, but she puts her energy towards helping others, especially Alex. She isn’t scared off by his gruff demeanor, and she doesn’t like lying to people even though she knows that he did it for her. She is my favorite person in this story because of her hopeful and encouraging spirit.
There is great interaction between the characters, and I like how Ellie speaks freely about her faith. Ellie sees Alex for the man that he could be again, and I like how together they find hope for a future in an unconventional charade. Engaging from start to finish, I love revisiting Gatlinburg and its wonderful residents. Wonderful story, definitely recommend!

Smoky Mountain Matches is a series that I have enjoyed immensely. The readers have met the characters previously, and the forever so grouchy cafe owner Alexander Copeland has intrigued my mind in previous books. And he has a good reason for his behavior, no doubt about it.
Ellie Jameson, the talented cook the town hired to help Alexander while he was sick, has more in common with Alexander than she could have believed. They both have suffered losses in their lives, difficult circumstances and deep sorrow is no stranger to either of them. I liked the bond they had, the fragile friendship turning into a protection from harm and danger, looking after each other, and taking care of each other. The sweet tenderness that was tangible between them was adorable.
Alexander had lost his faith and hope for the better days and a brighter future with his wife and son. He would have rather sulked in his office to avoid people, but Ellie was determined to be his friend, to make that connection. Both Ellie and Alexander are stubborn yet kind and good hearted people, who only wanted the best for each other and the people around them.
The healing process Alexander had to go through to be able to move on, to live again, and to trust and love again is a remarkable thing that stands out in this story. The development of his faith in God with Ellie's guidance is a beautiful thing to witness, as well as his healing heart and opening mind.
There is a lot of going in the town, the threats from Ellie's former in-laws are frightening, the going on's at the cafe and with their friends, Alexander's relationship with his family, and Ellie's pregnancy all give a lot of juice and vigor to the tale that I read on one sitting. It is an interesting, intriguing, and alluring story that I didn't want to put down until I came to the very satisfying ending.
A delightful mix of life and love, with a hint of danger and threats to give it a bit spice, faith in God to give it meaning, and growth in characters as they heal, mend their fences with their past, and nourish their souls with love that is showered upon them as they open their hearts to the people around them. A lovely, encouraging story about forgiveness and healing, finding love and blessings in life when we least expect them.
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

A secret: I basically hate the “fake engagement” trope. It seems to be about the most popular theme in all romance subgenres at the moment; I can’t escape it!

The reason I picked this one up was because I generally enjoy the Love Inspired Historical line, and so I hoped for the best, and I did enjoy a lot of things about this book. (And now Harlequin is discontinuing these books!)

I think The Engagement Charade probably had the best “fake engagement” setup I’ve read. The heroine is in an abusive family situation, pregnant, and terrified of having her child taken away or turned against her. The fake engagement – for once – served an actual, believable purpose.

I also think there was enough action and danger to keep the book interesting, without turning it into a suspense story. I much prefer these Western romances when it’s not all just small town goo.

This is apparently the eleventh book in the series, but while you can see when past heroes and heroines step on the page, the author manages to make sure you won’t be confused. We aren’t spammed with catching up with past characters.

One thing I disliked was the hero’s reaction when he found out about the pregnancy. The heroine was in a much worse situation, with much more to lose. Both characters were widowed. And yet – at first – he made everything about *his* pain.

When he found out she was pregnant – well, in the nineteenth century it would have been believable if she’d not been allowed to keep her job. But he fired her because he didn’t want to see a pregnant woman and be reminded of what *he’d* lost. This is a period in time where the average woman had six surviving children. Pregnancy was everywhere!

The end was dramatic, but I don’t think it was too drawn-out. However, I’d have liked to have had an epilogue that included a newborn baby (even though I’m not a baby person), rather than finishing before that.