Whoever heard of a mail-order bride in the 21st century? Julianne Dawson had mixed emotions driving across the country to marry the cowboy she remembered from summers at her uncle’s ranch. Anxious to leave her former life behind, is she delusional in thinking that a rancher’s wife would offer her the life she wants?Desperate actions needed to keep the family ranch. No one in their right mind … mind sends off for a bride he’s doesn’t know—not in this day and age. Yet Blake Reynolds does exactly that. He’ll do anything to keep the family ranch even marry a virtual stranger—as long as she can produce a child within the year.
Can a marriage of convenience for both the bride and groom end in happiness for either, or is necessity the only driving force in this arrangement?
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Mail Order Bride is a fabulous book with its storyline keeping all your attention. The characters are great with their twists and turns. I really enjoyed Author Barbara McMahon’s writing. I didn’t want to stop reading until the end. I definitely recommend reading Mail Order Bride.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. This review is one hundred percent my opinion.
A modern take on an old west tradition, Mail Order Bride is a delight. Julianne has decided to change her life & career. Her high stress life style has put her health at risk. For a joke, her friends gave her a ranching magazine with an ad in it for a bride. Imagine her surprise when she realized she knew the person that had placed it. It’s been years but she had a crush on him when she was in her teens. Was this the way to change her life?
Blake is determined to fulfill the terms of his Grandmother’s will. In order to inherit the ranch, he has to get married & produce a legitimate heir within a 2 year time frame. He’s already wasted 1/2 of the time trying to find a way around it. He doesn’t trust any woman. He’s afraid they’ll try to steal his ranch. Can he learn to trust Julianne?
This story really had two plot lines. Julianne & Blake are trying to find a way to develop a relationship between them. Julianne has left New York & is anxious to settle on the ranch. Loni & Shell had a relationship that Shell would like to continue but Loni is desperate to leave the ranch. I enjoyed their interactions & how they began to grow & form a family.
ARC for honest review with no compensation. 4.5 stars
Mail Order Bride in the 21st century? Julianne Dawson decided that’s exactly what she was going to do, move across the country, marry a rancher who she remembers from when she was young and hopefully fine her HEA. Blake Reynolds has no time to date or find a wife but he must marry and have a child within a year in order to inherit his family’s ranch. Can Blake and Julianne make a marriage of convenience turn into an HEA or will it just be a bust??
An interesting modern twist to an old way to marriage. Fantastic story with strong characters that have hidden vulnerability. Beautifully written, the story pulls you in and will take you on a journey filled with strong emotions. It is full of tension, romance that will keep you turning pages and rooting for the characters happy-ever-after.
Mail Order Bride took a step back in time and gave it a modern twist. How can something that seems as archaic as a Mail Order Bride end up becoming so much more? Barbara McMahon turns complicated into simple with a tale of risky choices and second chances that becomes a poignant story of love, life and hope. Blake and Julianne discover a blessing in disguise and so did I.
Mail Order Bride by Barbara McMahon. This is Julianne Dawson and Blake Reynolds’ story.
Blake needs to be married and have a baby in the next year in order to inherit the family ranch. Blake and Julianne had known each other when they were younger. Julianne agrees to marry Blake. Will Julianne go through with this when she discovers the details of this agreement?
Blake, Julianne, and supporting characters all seem to have this desire to be loved and have the comfort and security of being part of a family. They just have a hard time letting their guards down.
I enjoyed the banter between the characters, the hot chemistry between Blake and Julianne, the side story of Shell (Blake’s son) and Loni’s story, and some surprising twists. I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet, emotional, and heartwarming romance. The story leaves you with a warm and happy heart.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
This is a sweet contemporary western romance, with quite a bit of angst. It’s a story not only about two very opposite strangers joining forces each with their own goal, but also about families created out of necessity and in the end hoping to find happiness.
Julianne , a single woman living in NYC and working in an ad agency, has had a health scare and leaves that life when she answers an ad from a rancher seeking a wife. Blake, a cowboy to the core, needs a wife and an heir in order to inherit the family ranch.
Needless to say, the move has not been smooth. One is taciturn, the other one is filled with hope of a home and a new life. Secrets are kept and doubts make them wonder what the future holds for them.
Feelings not expressed , causes a riff . Will they ever get their HEA?
Add to this the sub-plot involving Blake’s son, Shell, and his ex-girlfriend Loni, and you have an entertaining book filled with complex characters.
A reminder that sometimes what we embrace in life and makes us happy, isn’t always what we wish for.
I was gifted a copy of this book. The opinions expressed are solely my own.