An Unlikely Arrangement

This is Christian Fiction. I’m not sure why the publisher hid that fact. The pacing was on the slow side, and the book didn’t hold my interest.

CW: domestic violence.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

I enjoyed this book a lot! It was a very well done slow burn romance. The romance and banter were very well done. And I would highly recommend this book!

A lovely story of redemption! Clean and beautifully written, a romance that teaches to trust and all about Gods forgiveness. A charming story for romantic readers....highly recommend this one!

I found great pleasure in reading this book, as I have a deep appreciation for historical romance and found this one to be exceptionally well-written.
The story is enthralling, filled with themes of integrity, love, redemption, and faith.
The setting of the time period was captivating and beautiful, adding to my enjoyment of the book.
I am eager to explore more works by this author in the future.

I would like to express my gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this advance reader copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Abigail and Garrett’s love story was a beautiful picture of redemption and grace. When Abigail thought there was no chance at true love for her, God had a different plan. The unfolding of the story kept me guessing. This was an easy read, and very enjoyable. I hope to read more by this author soon!

"An Unlikely Arrangement" by Cindy Patterson is set in North Carolina. The heroine Abigail has made some mistakes in her past. With her wish to honor her parents she may end up having to marry one of two men that do not treat women well. In order to give his daughter a choice, Abigail's father hires Garrett to be her guardian as she travels to Asheville, NC to visit with her aunt.

In Asheville, Abigail is able to visit the beautiful Biltmore Mansion and meet many people from Garrett's life. She connects with an old suitor who she feels can redeem her mistakes. In the end, Abigail learns so much about herself, her God and redemption in ways she never thought were possible.

This book is a Christian fiction historical novel. The first part of the book doesn't mention any of that but the last quarter of the book has a strong faith storyline. For readers of Christian fiction looking for stories of redemption this one is for you. I enjoyed the faith aspect of the book and wish that it might have been felt more throughout the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author who published this as an indie book for the receipt of the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book! ::dreamy sigh:: I had not discovered this author until now, so this was a first read for me. I was not disappointed! This is the telling of two stories, of Abigail and Garrett, that reflects so deeply the Father's love and forgiveness for us. Both MC have walked their own paths and when those paths cross they are forced to face what they think they know of themselves, one another, and their Creator. This book is a breath of fresh air within the romance realm, keeping you glued to the pages while taking you on subtle twists and turns throughout as the story unfolds. You will not leave disappointed!

I receive an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Set in a most favorite place of mine, An Unlikely Arrangement by Cindy Patterson shows a great accuracy in detail. I can visualize the rooms in the Biltmore when they are mentioned. The main characters Abigail and Garrett both have regrets in their past. Even when they know God has forgiven them, they have trouble forgiving themselves. Can they forgive themselves in time to move forward to a life together? A copy was provided for my review with no requirement for a favorable review. All opinions are mine and are freely given.

Abigail Dupre is a young lady running away from the disgrace of her past sins, which has made her family relocate to Charlotte to let the gossip settle in their hometown of Asheville, North Carolina. To conceal her dishonorable past, her parents are blackmailed by William Arandel, a selfish man whose character is quite questionable, and Abigail loathes him. In an attempt to get away from William Randall, Abigail decides to redeem herself by seeking reconciliation with Randall Thorne, the man behind her dishonorable past, but this proves difficult with the unexpected appearance of Garret Barringer, who is not only blessed with good looks but has a perfect character. According to Abigail, only God can tell if she will find the happiness and self-forgiveness that have been lacking in her life, in the end.

In this narration, I like the way the author has managed to come up with a fascinating romance story with a spiritual touch to it. For example, on page 230,”"Do you or do you not believe the Word of God?”” and on page 231, "“Nor do I need to. But you need to accept that God forgave you the first time you repented, Abigail. No matter your sin.”” Readers will encounter such statements in this book, which makes the book more interesting. It is also a beautiful story that will hold the reader in suspense until the end.

I rate this book, An Unlikely Arrangement, by Cindy Patterson 4 out of 5 stars.

I recommend this book to those readers who have a past that needs revisiting to make things right, for they will realize that self-forgiveness is the starting point. I also recommend it to those who love romance as well as historical fiction books that contain a spiritual touch.

Loved reading the inspirational and captivating story. To escape William Arendell's marriage proposal, Abigail willingly goes to her Aunt's house for the summer in hopes of rekindling her romance with Randal Thorne, but Garrett is tasked with keeping Abigail from harm. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read riveting romance story.

"An Unlikely Arrangement" by Cindy Patterson captured my attention from the very first sentence. The author's descriptions of places, outfits, and feelings of love were spot-on. The messages of faith and love for our Father were intricately woven throughout the story with precision. The message of our sin not holding us back from the Father once we've truly repented is the biggest one throughout the story. On a personal level, I loved the characters. Abigail was so relatable through her struggles and feelings of inadequacy that I think everyone can agree to have felt at one point or another. Garrett also harbored guilt over the past. But the Father is enough.

I LOVED this story. It was beautiful and painted such a wonderful picture of Christ's love for us as well as a beautiful earthly love to mirror that.

Set in North Carolina in 1902, An Unexpected Arrangement follows Abigail Dupree as she tries to make up for her past mistakes and struggles against society’s expectations. Whilst not entirely historically accurate I was swept away into Abigail’s world and enjoyed the story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This was absolutely delightful. The plot was well-paced and captivating from start to finish. The characters were charming and witty. I highly recommend this fun and quick read! Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

An unlikely arrangement was breathtakingly beautiful. Set during one of my favorite time periods, this book brought all the feelings of a Jane Austen novel which I loved.

This was the strong start to the brides of biltmore series. It had that historical feel that I was looking for and enjoyed the characters and their romance going on in this. It had a strong plot and I was invested in what was going on. It left me wanting to read the next part in the series, and I enjoyed the way Cindy Patterson wrote this.

This book snagged my attention from the beginning and did not let go. It follows Abigal Dupree and Garrett Barringer as they navigate the whims of society. Abigail has been given away to a man she does not love to settle a deal her parents made. Garrett has been hired by Abigail's father to do a job he isn't qualified for. They are forced to spend time together due to circumstances beyond Abigail's control. As they get to know one another, they find out that maybe the other isn't as horrible as they originally thought. Abigail grew on me too as the book went on. In the beginning, I was not so sure of her but she does have character growth. Garrett was immediately likable from the beginning. This book is dual pov so we get to peek into the minds of both characters. This is a clean historical romance. It does have Christian themes and undertones that are wonderfully done. I truly enjoyed this book and will be looking forward to the others to come in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley. These opinions are my own.

Bottom line: I would rate this a 3.5⭐️ and I would read more by this author.

This book was an interesting read. While it may not be my favorite book by this author, I did love the originality of the storyline, the setting, and by time I finished reading, I was satisfied with how the story ended.

I did struggle with the pacing, the first half felt slow and slightly repetitive as it set the stage for the second half where Abigail Dupree’s character grew and matured and the story progressed at a better speed. I also wouldn’t have minded if the ending of the story could have been a little longer instead of speeding up and wrapping up in the last dozen pages.

There were a few details that didn’t seem to fit with the time period, but there were two main things that kept me from being able to fully immerse in the story. The first being that in a time where virtue and reputation were so protected (and the first few chapters made a big emphasis on this point), Abigail was sent off on a trip without a maid to chaperone. While it made sense that her own maid wasn’t able to go with her, for her parents to not have another lower servant accompanying her as a walk-on (to borrow the stage term) seemed at odds with the time period and the goal of protecting her reputation.

The other detail was how often Abigail Dupree touched the arm (etc) of a man she didn’t really know. While the reader quickly learns how impulsive Abigail is, the physical end just felt a little too much, too soon for the time period and the mentioned guilt about her past.

I did enjoy the second half of the book and was glad I kept reading. There here were many complexities to the story that were thoughtfully added and addressed later in the second half of the book, which kept me coming back to read more. The theme of redemption was tastefully woven through the lives of Abigail and those that love her.


Thank you for the opportunity to read this story. I enjoyed this book and would read more by this author in the future.

Amazon review submitted and pending

An Unlikely Arrangement is the story of Abigail Dupree who suffers from guilt after an event that she believes to have ruined her. The only way she can fix it is to reunite with the man who ruined her.

Garrett Barringer arrives in Charlotte, North Carolina to escort Abigail to her former home in Asheville North Carolina. Garrett is trying to escape the past for what he believes is his greatest failure.

Abigail finally gets the proposal she believed would correct her wrong. But after spending time with the man, she thought she cared about, she begins to see him as he is. Abigail with end up with several marriage proposals but will she marry the man of her dreams or end up unhappy for the rest of her life.

This is a wonderful story about making mistakes and forgiving yourself. Not everything is as it seems when the people in the story are hiding truths that can harm or free the person they love.