Free download for my Nook. I liked this one, though the likelihood of any woman in this era taking such a chance as this heroine did seems really tiny. She's being blackmailed, and her father is the one at risk should the blackmailer reveal whatever secrets he holds. It's generally hard for me to sympathize with a heroine who can be blackmailed, but this was easier for me to take because she's not the one in danger. She doesn't know if what the blackmailer "knows" is actually fact, but she can't ask her father because he's not really what he used to be and isn't a reliable witness — he's very ill. All she knows is that he's in no condition to be prosecuted and imprisoned — whether or not he actually did the deed that the blackmailer claims he did.Still ... you give in to blackmailers, and they can control you forever.But anyway, so she sets out to make some money to appease the bad guy, and the only solution she can come up with is to gamble. Yes, gamble, and she doesn't even know how to play the game. She leaves home on a riverboat casino for a few weeks, and she has bargained with the hero so that he may teach her how to play and win at poker. Again, not what I would choose to do in her situation — surrendering to a blackmailer and then trying to get money by gambling, that's just an opportunity to make the situation worse.So ... the believability of the book is meh, but the story itself, how the hero and heroine relate to each other, how their relationship progresses, is actually pretty good. Very entertaining.In other words, I liked it enough to overcome the somewhat shaky and clichéd premise.Not bad. I downloaded this for free for my Sony e-reader.Lottie finds herself the victim of a blackmail attempt. The only way to save her ailing father's life is to raise $15,000. After failing to make that much money materialize, she overhears a conversation about a poker player and decides poker is the only way to earn her money, but first she needs to convince Obediah Straights (or Dyer) to teach her how to play.This was a fun, enjoyable read that didn't take itself too seriously. Dyer was a likable character, and even though some of the plot came across as too contrived, I still found it entertaining. The end of the book was a bit of a mess, but I don't want to reveal any spoilers here.
Do You like book Texas Hold Him (2009)?
Reminded me much of the movie Maverick but different venue where the gambling is done.
—kamtu
Wonderful romance in an interesting period. Loved the humor! A fun read.
—hello3113
