A mail order bride is left at the train station by her betrothed. Alone and afraid, Grace is offered a second chance at happiness. Miss Grace Thackery never believed that she would marry because she thought she was too plain. When a friend gives her a copy of Matrimonial News, Grace has hope that she might find a husband who is not focused on outward beauty, but instead can appreciate the other … appreciate the other qualities she possesses.
After corresponding with a man, Grace agrees to move to Montana to get married. However, when her future husband asks for a picture, Grace worries that he will cancel the engagement when he sees her photograph.
An acquaintance convinces Grace to paint her face, add some padding, and wear a wig to alter her beauty for the photograph. Reluctantly, Grace agrees, but harbors a great guilt over being deceitful.
When she arrives in Montana, the man she is supposed to marry leaves her at the train station when her appearance does not match the picture she sent. Alone and scared, Grace does not know what to do next.
Hope is not lost… Grace meets a man that appreciates her looks and her character, but she also knows that allowing herself to have feelings for him will come with many challenges. Will Grace ever have a second chance at happiness?
If you love historical western and mail order bride romance books with twists and turns, you will love this sweet and clean romance story.
Authors Note: This is a clean, stand-alone romance, so there are no cliffhangers. This is a 35,000-word romance. The eBook version contains historical western and Regency romance bonus books.
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Absolutely beautiful. A true tear-jerker, I found myself having to stop often to wipe the tears from my eyes. Such a beautiful story of true love, this book would melt anyone’s heart. Miss Grace may not be the most stunning woman in town, but she definitely has a heart of gold. The tale of the ugly duckling comes to mind as I read this book. Ms. Hill has a true gift and will take your heart on a wild roller coaster ride as she brings to life, Miss Grace and Thomas, and their journey to discover true love, even though it was through shear chance. I’m sure Fate had role in this.
Allow a day for this family-friendly tale of an orphaned plain Jane (or in this case, Grace) who sets out to make a secure future. I read an ARC and this voluntary review is my own opinion.
When Grace has to send a picture to her prospective husband, she unwisely allows an acquaintance to make her look less plain. Of course, George rejects her. Grace becomes a companion to Mary who gives Grace a home. Mary’s nephew Thomas lives nearby and visits often. Will Grace and Thomas find a HEA? Well written story about outer vs. inner beauty. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I read this story as part of the Brides and Promises, Mail Order Bride Romance Collection. Finding Hope – a wonderfully warm story of loneliness to love and family. Well done with believable characters in believable situations. I received this book for free and voluntarily chose to post my honest review.
From the very start, “Finding Hope”, from the well renowned historical author Ruby Hill, the Mail Order bride journey in this novel was anything other than a fairytale. The process of the Mail Order Bride, and what could go wrong in the process, terribly wrong, made for a very emotive story. Ruby Hill captures readers with her original and romantic story lines, memorable characters and Happy Ever Afters. A book that is hard to put down, captivating from the very start.
“Finding Hope”, the 1st installment in the Brides and Promises series by Ruby Hill, is a book that easily rated 5-stars for many reasons, including:
*In many stories available, the Mail Order Bride process is written with romance and the chance to find true love and live happily ever after. However, the approach that Ruby Hill takes in “Finding Hope” portrays a very different story, bringing out the “warts and all” so to speak of the mail order bride process. As at the time in history, acquiring a mail order bride was the current fashion in the way to find a wife when women where scarce in their town. In this story though, the emotional impacts on women were clearly depicted through the new-to-be bride Grace Thackery. This made the story feel much more realistic, and much more compelling to read. The story brings on a flood of tears with the horrible rejection and humiliation that Grace had to face alone in a new town. The many unexpected twists to the plot keep the story alive and entertaining, seeking a HEA!
*The character of Grace Thackery depicted in “Finding Hope” is one that easily invokes an investment in the hope of a HEA. Even when rejected and alone, Grace remains strong and determined to start a new life with a helpful and lonely older woman. As the plot continues to develop, the character of Grace continues to grow. As her self confidence and happiness grows so does our want in her finding her happiness and for her a husband. Her second chance man (no spoilers!) was very much more agreeable than the first rude arrogant one and definitely worthy of being swooned over! After all, no matter what the time period, its all that anyone really wants – to be loved for who they are, A reason this story is so captivating and emotionally charged.
*The attention to detail of many of the historical facts, settings and behaviors at the time makes it feel like being flashed back in time. From details of the mail order bride process and it’s emotional effects that it would have on women giving up everything to find a husband half way across the country alone, the etiquette of the time and what behaviors were polite and looked upon, the process of taking a photograph, travelling by train and its vast timelines, farming procedures and rural settings, romance and what was considered appropriate, plus much more, gave readers who love historical romance a glance at life in that time.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading “Finding Hope” by Ruby Hill and look forward to reading the next book in the “Brides and Promises” series. Best of all, the stories in the series are stand alone, so it doesn’t matter what order they are read in. I recommend this story to all lovers of historical romance who enjoy reading about Mail Order Brides, and prefer a clean and sweet romance.Finding Hope: Mail Order Bride (Brides and Promises)