This boxed set includes all three books in the Mail-Order Grooms series, featuring dominant cowboys responding to marriage ads penned by lonesome ladies. These ladies soon discover that the men they seek to marry are as untamed as a prairie fire. Handling Susannah (Book One) Rancher Adam Harrington wants to marry a wholesome, virginal bride with a sweet disposition. When he reads a young woman’s … disposition. When he reads a young woman’s advertisement requesting a mail-order cowboy as her groom, he thinks they might be a good match, so he writes her a telegram. She pens a favorable response, accepting him as her future husband.
Susannah Smith’s father bequeathed his ranch to her, but it was under one condition: She must be married. For Virginia City’s fallen woman, finding a man to marry is no easy feat. The men in town who seek to court the hot-tempered, unwed mother are sluggards and drunks, not the kind of men capable of running a ranch. Desperate to find a suitable husband or else lose everything, she expands her search by listing an ad in the paper.
Adam and Susannah meet, and the attraction between them is undeniable, but it is soon followed by wariness. Susannah had planned to marry a man who would do her bidding, not take over everything. It’s her ranch, after all. Equally befuddled, Adam thought he’d be marrying a woman who knows her place, not a temperamental brat who could benefit from some time over his knee.
Susannah feels outraged by Adam’s authoritative ways, but his dominant handling in the bedroom leaves her trembling with desire. Will she learn to accept his firm leadership and expectations? And will Adam grow to love the woman who differs so drastically from the kind of wife he thought he wanted?
Catching Betsy (Book Two)
Betsy Blake yearns for love and romance, but the unattached men of Virginia City are crude cowboys without the gentlemanly qualities she desires. She pens an ad in the paper for a groom from the east, specifying that he be well-dressed and mannerly.
Roderick Mason’s reputation as an architect in NYC has earned him great success, but he hasn’t been as lucky in love. The women of his circle are too prim and predictable for the adventurous rake. When he reads Betsy’s ad in the paper requesting a gentleman groom, he’s intrigued, so he heads west to meet her.
Roderick and Betsy are immediately smitten, but they soon discover that not everyone in Virginia City is pleased by their match, especially one man who wants Betsy as his own. As Betsy’s stalker becomes increasingly threatening, Roderick realizes he will go to great lengths to protect his sweet little country girl, including taking her over his knee for some discipline when she misbehaves or puts herself in danger. Will Betsy learn to face her problems and accept Roderick’s love and discipline, or will he never succeed at what he desires most–protecting and catching Betsy?
Justice for Elsie (Book Three)
Hell-bent on revenge, orphaned rancher Elsie Fin rustles cattle from her neighbor, who she blames for her father’s untimely death. She’s so successful at stealing that she doesn’t stop even when the local marshal gets suspicious. Instead, she decides what she needs is a loyal husband to protect her from the law, so she places a mail-order groom ad in the paper.
While seeking her groom, Elsie hires Wyatt Parker to help her around the ranch. Little does she know, he’s actually an undercover deputy tasked with verifying the marshal’s suspicion of her theft.
Wyatt never imagined a beautiful, sweet woman like Elsie would be the mastermind behind such a serious illegal activity. To his way of thinking, she’s more deserving of a spanking than life in prison. He wants to figure out how to save her, but will Elsie end up behind bars or married to her mail-order groom before he can?
Warning: These stories contain sexual scenes and domestic discipline, including punishment spanking. If that offends you, please don’t buy this book.
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HANDLING SUSANNAH, CATCHING BETSY & JUSTICE FOR ELISE
Three fun stories by talented author, Amelia Smarts. While each story reads well as a stand-alone, they work even better together because some characters will carry over into the other stories. The stories are domestic discipline with explicit sex scenes. With Dominant men and naughty, feisty woman.
Handling Susannah
REGARDING YOUR REQUEST FOR A MAIL-ORDER GROOM
Adam Harrington is a rancher in Texas who is losing everything his Pa started because of improper deeding, and now sheepherders are taking over cattle country. A trip to see the Marshall will change his life with a wanted ad for “a husband with ranching experience.” Is this his answer to continue what he enjoys doing, ranching, and a wife too? At this point, he has nothing more to lose and sends her a telegram.
Susannah Smith allowed a sweet talking man to take her virginity, and then he left her, but she was also left with a baby and a disappointment to her Daddy. She has earned a reputation in town as that of a loose two-bit whore. Why did her Daddy leave that codicil in his will that she would have to marry within a year of his death to keep their family ranch? Now she just must find the perfect husband, one who will listen to her, do her bidding, and life will be good for her and her son Caleb.
The plot will have Susannah seeking a husband to run the family ranch, repair things, and allow her to live in comfort again. Adam Harrington is a no-nonsense, take-charge type of man, but Susannah feels an attraction to him and agrees to marry. What happens when he feels duped by her deception? Marriage will come with several unexpected surprises, for both Adam and Susannah. If there were ever a woman who needed a man with a firm hand, it would be Susannah. Her Daddy spoiling her didn’t do her any favors.” I know I’m strict with you, baby, but I think you need that.”
How will Adam deal with the way the townspeople have mistreated her and help her learn that she is special? “This was who his wife was at the core, underneath her temper and penchant for spoiled behavior—a vulnerable woman who loved with all her heart and who didn’t deserve the judgment cast on her by the people in town.” Two people, each with preconceived thoughts of what they wanted in a spouse, will learn that sometimes, the real thing is better than a dream. “You were the opposite of what I thought I wanted, but you’re perfect for me.” The story has several discipline scenes and explicit sex scenes.
Catching Betsy
THE WOLF ALWAYS CATCHES THE LAMB
Betsy Blake’s father works as the foreman for the Harringtons and Betsy helps out on the ranch and also to babysit their two children, Caleb and Mini. Knowing the story of how Susannah sent off for a mail-order groom and Adam answered her ad has Betsy feeling that is what she needs to do. She is not happy with the choices of local men, and does not want to marry a cowboy; she will pen an ad and sent it to the east.
“Woman, fair of face and strong of body, 25, seeks man, age 25 to 35, for marriage. Must be well-dressed and well-manned. Occupation of a gentleman required. Skills in music and dancing preferred. Respond to Betsy Blake of Virginia City, Nevada.”
Roderick Mason is a man who has a wonderful reputation as an architect, with many accolades for his designs and buildings. He is well to do and highly sought after among the ladies of society. But in spite of that, he isn’t happy with the women he has escorted, and when he sees the ad from Betsy in the newspaper, it stirs a new passion in him, along with a desire for an adventure in the wild west frontier.
“Man, 30, architect by trade, in want of a strong, fair-faced young lady. Knows manners and etiquette. Can even dance and play the piano in exchange for a smile. Respond to Roderick Mason of New Your City.”
The plot will have Betsy and Roderick exchanging several letters until he decides to travel to Nevada City to meet and court her. Roderick is looking for a woman he can genuinely love, one who isn’t after him for his wealth, and who will accept his dominance and guidance. Betsy has started this endeavor with a lie of her age that will be uncovered immediately. It seems she hasn’t told anyone about her ad for a husband either. It will be up to Adam Harrington to help set boundaries with her parents away.
“We are as different as a wolf from a lamb, but just because we’re different doesn’t mean we’re incompatible. Don’t two opposites of a magnet cling together?”
The story will have two people who are nearly exact opposites as far as culture and experience go, falling in love. But there are problems on the horizon in the form of a stalker who wants Betsy and is determined to have her. When the law doesn’t help, the threats keep escalating; it will be up to the men in Betsy’s life to take action.
The story has plenty of angst, a stalker, some deceit, a love story, several dominant men, several spankings, and discipline scenes and explicit sex scenes. When two people fall in love, they will refuse to let someone get in their way. Sometimes it takes a little clever planning to help remedy the situation.
Justice for Elsie
SUCCESS IS THE BEST REVENGE
A dominant take-charge man who will come looking for a job as a ranch hand but in fact has been hired as an undercover deputy, and a young orphan, who is determined to exact revenge on the neighbor whose actions lead to her father’s death.
Elsie Fin is mourning the loss of her father, and she is determined that she is going to make the Xavier’s pay for their actions that lead to her father’s early death. Rustling cattle and rebranding them is risky for her, and her loyal ranch hands.
Down on his luck cowhand, Wyatt Parker lost his last job after an injury that made working cattle too difficult to continue. Getting fired after ten years of service hurt, but losing his girlfriend to the boss’ daughter left a bad taste in his mouth. Maybe he needs a new line of work, like law enforcement. Agreeing to go undercover at the Infinity Ranch doesn’t seem that difficult until he meets Elsie.
The plot will have two ranching families at war with each other, the Xavier and the Fin. Grief and anger can lead to doing things that are outside of normal behavior. What starts as just taking back a few heads of cattle, escalated and is noticeable, stirring up anger that could lead to disaster. Proving it will require outside help, and Wyatt will be hired to help on the ranch, just not with the cattle. The more he works around the ranch with Elsie, the more he likes her.
The relationship between them has several spankings and friendship developing. Helping Wyatt with his should offer him a chance to heal and be pain-free. Finishing up this undercover assignment is crucial to him pursuing a relationship with Elsie. Learning by accident that she is meeting a mail-order groom from New York doesn’t sit right with him. The green-eyed monster makes an appearance.
There is great chemistry between the naïve Elsie and Wyatt. Will she come clean and tell him the truth about what she has been doing? Will he follow the law and arrest her and her ranch hands? The story has the innocence of a young eighteen-year-old, with an attraction to a new ranch hand. She does some foolish things, and when he makes the threat that if she does it again, he will spank her, she puts him to the test. Her flirting is obvious, and he doesn’t take advantage of her. But what happens when he learns she is going to marry a mail-order groom? Will he just step back and let it happen or declare his feelings for her?
The story has angst, anger, bitterness, revenge, cattle rustling, secrets, a dominant man who knows how to take a naughty girl in hand. There are several spankings and sex scenes. A few people from previous stories will also be in this one. Maybe the best way for this undercover temporary lawman to succeed is to take her into permanent custody as his wife.
In book 2 of this series we have the story of Roderick and Betsy. Betsy decides that she wants to send an ad for a mail order groom but doesn’t tell her parents. What follows is a fun and sexy romp when Roderick shows up. This was a wonderful story of some tense sexual situations and Betsy coming of age and learning that she can’t always have her way. Roderick is a wonderful character who is sexy while still being a gentleman. I loved this book and will be waiting for the next one!!!
A fabulous set overall.
Handling Susannah
A fun, irreverent, sexy romp with some laugh out loud moments, eye rolling scenes and spankings. I loved the way the relationship developed between Adam and Susannah. There was plenty of spice to heat up the reader along the way. Ms. Smarts knows how to write strong alpha males and sassy, strong women. Susannah is one of her best yet.
Justice for Elsie
A wonderfully romantic story. The twists in this western are so well written and the humor is wonderful. The characters very quickly touch your heat and become book friends. A great sexy read. I would recommend this to everyone who likes their cowboys hot and sexy.
Catching Betsy
This book offered mystery, love and danger with a dose of hotness! It is well written and the characters all had great personalities. A hot sexy read that will leave you wanting more. Ms. Smarts writes the best protective heroes. They are always so alpha without being domineering, Betsy was a great character stuck in a terrible situation, I loved the twist solution at the end. This is just a fabulous read.
Fabulous set of historical western romances!
Each of these is a standalone romance, tied together by the twist on the mail-order bride trope. Each of these women are strong and independent, yet they find that they’re stronger and better when paired with their partners. And these men are truly dreamy, rising to the occasion to help the women who need them and give them everything their hearts desire. And hoo boy, do they give them everything! Lots of swooning, lots of bossy take-charge growly scenes, and lots of heart-stopping romance. After reviewing ARCs of the first two books, I purchased the third to complete the set.
Complete three book Mail-Order Grooms series. Each book a stand-alone novella in dual POV with HEA. Each book has domestic discipline spankings done very well with sweet stories. I liked all three stories and wished they were longer!!
If you like men beating their wives then this is for you
These grooms are somewhat disrespectful of women. And the women have no self respect. The stories would have been good without the spanking.
The domestic discipline bothered me more than I thought. I don’t see physical punishment as a way to teach anyone anything. The women may have acted immature in some cases but their behavior would have been accepted if they were men. It may be expressing an attitude towards women that existed in the past, but is borderline offensive today.
No real story line – just a lot of spanking and other sex.
BORING
Not a good book. Degrading to women. Awful!