"A joy to read"
The car accident killed her mother Juliet and injured
Laura Harte. Before dying, Juliet told Laura to see
attorney Paul Shaw and to forgive her. Paul gives Laura a
box containing newspaper clippings about Andrew Jardine,
who died five years ago in New Orleans and who turns out to
have been her father. Laura is shocked because her mother
told her that her father was a Richard Harte who died in
Nam just after their marriage. Olivia Jardine won the Princess Hotel from Josh Logan's
grandfather over sixty years ago. He is obsessed in his
zeal to buy back the property, but Olivia refuses to sell
though the hotel is losing money. She asks Josh to go to
San Francisco and persuade her 'other' grandchild to come
to New Orleans. In turn, she offers Josh the same wager
that won her the Princess. He accepts the terms, but soon
Josh falls in love with Laura and she with him. However,
once she learns the other condition of THE WAGER, she will
probably flee back to California with a bitter taste in her
mouth. THE WAGER is an entertaining contemporary romance
centering on the human ability to weather emotional storms
and adapt to changes caused by them. The delightful story
line is fun to read though Olivia's obsession with the
Princess seems stretched even if it serves as the plot's
prime catalyst. Laura and Josh are a fine couple and the
secondary characters bring New Orleans to life, as Metsy
Hingle shows she really knows the city. Fans will want Ms.
Hingle to write a sequel or two after this joyous
experience. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted July 16, 2001
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