BOOK REVIEW- THE BARGAIN by Mary Jo Putney

Forced to wed to keep her inheritance, independent Lady Jocelyn Kendal finds an outrageous solution: she proposes marriage to Major David Lancaster, an officer dying from his Waterloo wounds. In return for making her his wife, she will provide for his governess sister. But after the bargain is struck and the marriage is made, the major makes a shocking, miraculous recovery. Though they agree to an annulment, such matters take time. . .time enough for David to realize he is irrevocably in love with his wife. 

Haunted by her past, Jocelyn refuses to trust the desire David ignites in her. She never counted on a real husband, least of all one who would entice her to be a real wife. But some bargains are made to be broken--and his skilled courtship is impossible to resist. . .AMAZON  4.5 STARS

This book had really good main characters and some pretty interesting supporting cast of people too. 
Jocelyn seems to have it all; seems being the operative word.  She was scarred by her parents divorce.  More than anyone realized; even more than her beloved Aunt Laura knew.  It's still affecting her choices to the current time.  It also almost costs her the happiness she really desires.

David, was a good hero for the story.  Even his struggle as he nears death is well written.  He is at peace with it  but probably the laudanum he was taking for the pain helped in that area as well.  His only concern was for his sister Sally.  When he died she would have no one and would be dependent upon finding work as a governess.  She is with a good family right now but David was concerned with her future.  It's the only reason he even considered "the bargain" .  David is a man of honor and humor.  I enjoyed the way he interacted with Jocelyn even when things weren't going in his favor.  He has had some horrendous things happen as a child.  Both David and Sally had been tormented by their older 3 half-brothers for years before they were kicked out of their home along with their mother.  That happened when their father died and didn't put enough protections in place for his beloved second wife.  He was relying on the goodness of his eldest son.  Too bad that trust was misplaced.  He had no idea how cruel his sons from his first wife were. 

The friendship between the two was sweet and believable.  Everything is fine unless the "L" word is mentioned.  That love word is the one word that is guaranteed to send her running. 

Sally, Sally, Sally.  She is David's sister and she loves her brother and is fiercely protective of him.  She is a prim little governess with fire in her belly and I really enjoyed watching her story develop too. 

All in all, I liked it and it has a good ending.