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Book Review of Bachelor Tax (Harlequin Historical, No 496)

Bachelor Tax (Harlequin Historical, No 496)
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This is a cleverly written story about a small town that needs a schoolhouse and decides to tax all the bachelors to get the funds needed. Gabe Tanner thinks hes too clever by half because he knows just how to avoid the tax.

The preachers daughter is going to be his helpmate (even though she doesnt know it). A bachelor may avoid the tax if he can prove that he asked a young lady to marry him, and she refused (in the past year).

Rosemary Gibson is in a fix; her minister father has died and the new parson is coming to claim the house and job on the train. Rosemary has no one; she hopes to interest the single minister so that she can marry him and remain in the house.

Tanner loves to torment Rosemary and asks her to marry him (as she is walking to the train station to meet the minister). Shes horrified by Tanners glib tongue and off-handed request. She thinks she has flatly refused Tanner.

However, the single minister arrives with a wife and children and Rosemary must find a place to live and work. No one has a job for a woman and finally she is reduced to looking for a job as a cook. Tanner promptly hires her.

It doesnt take long for Tanner to realize that Rosemary isnt dowdy or whiny or scared of her shadow. Her looks grow on him and she meets him toe-to-toe on issues important to her. They appear to be evenly matched and Tanner likes what he sees.

This is a cute story about a man who will do just about anything to avoid the bachelor tax except get married. I enjoyed this very much.