Her father lost the family fortune, now she’s leaving New York as a Mail Order Bride.Della Stout can hardly believe it when her father tells her he’s lost it all – the money, the house, the servants, their entire fortune. But things only get worse when they inform her she’s to be sent west, as a Mail Order Bride. When she meets her husband to be, she’s less than impressed – by him and the dusty … him and the dusty little town he lives in.
Clement White has spent his whole life working toward this moment. After opening a bank in Montana Territory, he feels as though his dreams have come true. All but one – he realizes there’s no one to share in the fruits of his labor. A Mail Order Bride seems like just the thing to complete his life, that is until she arrives. Suddenly he’s saddled with a woman who doesn’t know a stovetop from a washtub, and to make matters worse she wants nothing to do with him.
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Della by Vivi Holt is a western historical romance. This is a fairly quick read, perfect for those with limited time for reading. Ms. Holt has given us a well-written, clean book, safe for any age readers. Della’s family has been swindled out of their fortune and she’s sent west as a mail-order bride. Clem is a small town banker. Clem and Della’s story is sweet with a little drama and humor. I enjoyed reading Della and would happily read more from Vivi Holt. Della is book 2 of the Cowboys and Debutantes Series but can easily be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
I absolutely loved this sweet story! Della loves in high society but then her father loses his money when he is taken in by a scoundrel. Her parents decide the only thing they can do is marry her and her sisters off as mail order brides. She ends up in a dusty town with none of the comforts she is use to and a man who expects her to cook and clean!
Clem is a banker and has worked hard to open his bank and has an apartment above stairs. He felt he was at a good place to marry but he never expected Della!
Wonderful journey to finding their happy ever after and the side characters were the best! With the fabulous Meghan Kelly as the narrator and the wonderful words of Vivi Holt, it does not get much better! Cannot wait to hear the rest!
Della is the second book in the Cowboys and Debutantes series. This series is co-authored with Kit Morgan. I’ve been offered the books penned by Vivi Holt from this series and told they will stand without the companion books. I’ll let you know! I can tell you that Della stands on its own.
There couldn’t be much more different about the two people thrown together as mail-order bride and her groom than Della and Clement. Della is a debutante from New York City who is used to parties and fun, servants and society. Clement is a banker in a small western town with dirt roads and simple dreams.
Della may be a debutante, but she isn’t a screaming Bridezilla. She has accepted that she is a mail-order bride because of the circumstances of her father’s business. The situation may not be easy, but it is entertaining to read as Della and Clement grow together to become a couple ready to become a family.
Clement is exactly the kind of man a woman would hope to find at the end of her journey to become a mail-order bride. He is patient, kind, and generous. He even encourages and helps her to find new friends in her new town.
I really enjoyed this low-stress sweet romance. I’m looking forward to reading/listening to more of the series.
Narration: Meghan Kelly is one of my favorite narrators. She has a very relaxing way of reading that never feels rushed. With a short story, this is even more important, because I like to feel that I’m hearing every word of what is being given.
Note: While I received this book as a gifted audiobook copy, my opinions are my own and are given freely.
Title: DELLA
Series: Cowboys and Debutantes #2
Category /Genre: Historical Romance
Recommended for: 16+ due to vocabulary
Listenability: OK for ears
Received from: Meghan Kelly (as an Audible gifted copy)
Bartered Bride
The family has been swindled and bankrupted; three debutante sisters, the pride of society, have now lost all social standing–and any promises made by aspiring suitors have been forgone. Papa’s solution? Ship them off as mail-order brides. Della finds herself in a California mining town where she is met at the station and married within the hour to the town banker who has an apartment upstairs from his bank. She cannot cook, has no notion of how to clean, has never even lit a stove. In fact, New York City has electric lights and she’s always had servants! This dirty, smelly, ugly place has . . . nothing! Fortunately she has married a kind man who tries to give her a chance to acclimate. One of his tellers invites her to the women’s Bible Study group–about the only acceptable social activity for the few women who are not involved with the saloons. Making friends with these women proves to be Della’s salvation as she struggles to find her way in a virtually alien land. Meghan Kelly’s delightful narration nicely moves the story along.
Sweet and short western . Our heroine is a wee bit spoiled and can’t do much on her own. She is forced West by her parents and learns to do housework with the help of her new friends
I’m not much for stories in the wild, wild west, but Vivi Holt paints a picture of a world of colorful people with the courage to follow their hearts searching for a better way of life. Della is a descriptive tale of one woman’s quest to find her place in the world. Della finds herself with little choice when it comes to her life and she’s determined to change all that. An arranged marriage opens her eyes to what life could be if she listens to her heart. Get ready for an adventure full of spirit that pulls at the heart strings and inspires the soul. Holt and Kelly make a good team.
I LOVE A SASSY HEROINE! After her father loses the farm, so to speak, pampered Della is sent west and thrown into a world that is foreign to her. Instead of cowering, she pulls herself up by her bootstraps and tackles the daily obstacles with humor and sass. Meanwhile, Clement, her new husband, spends a good amount of time scratching his head, trying to figure out his new bride. He is somewhat bewildered and proud of her. I loved this short dip into the mail-order bride world.
A FUTURE SHE COULD LOOK FORWARD TO
Each of the Cowboys and Debutantes will read as a standalone book. The story will have the family of Della Stout in dire straits when s swindler damages her father’s business and the reputation of the Stout family. From one day being a social butterfly debutant to the family being destitute and now Della has been ostracized.
The best her family can do for her and her sisters is to make matches as mail-ordered brides and to send them westward.
Della will travel from New York to the Montana Territory to become the bride of a banker, Clement White, in the town of Livingston. It is a far cry from the lifestyle she was accustomed to. For Clement, he is hoping to have a partner, a helpmeet, someone to be able to make his life more pleasant. With Della, he gets a pampered girl who is clueless on how to run a home, cook, or clean.
The plot will have a very patient and compassioned man, Clement, married to Della, who must learn how to cook, clean, and run a home. Clement has a wonderful reputation among the townspeople, and slowly Della will learn that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to her new husband. She also makes friends with some of the ladies that are looked down upon by some of the ladies of the church. These friendships will become her lifeline in her new hometown.
What had started out as a disaster for the Stout family, will become a blessing in disguise for Della as she learns that she is right where she needs to be with her husband and future. The story is a clean historical western.