"A well written super romance"

In Canmore, Alberta, Royal Canadian Mounted police officer Kelly Shannon kills Danny Mizzoni. Kelly cannot cope with using force even if it saved the life of her sister. For the next two months, Kelly sees five year old Danny and three year old Amanda struggle to survive as their widowed mother drowns in alcohol and to make matters worse is pregnant.

Danny's brother Mick, editor of the Canmore Leader, tries to help his niece and nephew, but twenty-four hours is not enough time. Guilt-laden Kelly needs to help the children so she offers a deal to Mick in which they forge a marriage of convenience to support the youngsters. Love enters the equation between the adults, but she wonders if he could forgive her killing his sibling.

The underlying premise to A CONVENIENT PROPOSAL is well written as angst-laden Kelly struggles between what was and is the right thing. Readers will feel sympathy to her and the two children, empathy towards Mick, and anger directed at Sarah for "abandoning" her children and placing her fetus at risk. The plot falls short because the key relationships between the children and Mick and Kelly never fully surface. Still the latest Shannon Sister tale (see A SECOND-CHANCE PROPOSAL for the debut tale) shows C.J. Carmichael's talent to raise the conscience of her audience.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted February 21, 2002

Summary

She was doing her duty. Now he'll do his...

While investigating a local murder, Kelly Shannon, an officer with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, is forced to kill in the line of duty. Afterward she feels the terrible responsibility of having taken a human life. Especially in this case, where she's killed the father of two young children.

Because the children's mother falls apart after her husband's death, his brother, Mick Mizzoni, steps in. But juggling the demands of his job with the needs of a three- year-old and a five-year-old is difficult.

Kelly feels that the only way she can cope with her guilt is by helping these children. So she makes Mick an offer...an offer he can't refuse.

The real problems begin when Kelly starts falling in love with Mick.