Treasure this beautiful collection packed with all the angst of romance founded upon practical arrangements. Four sisters travel in answer to an ad before even corresponding with potential husbands. Two women bend to the will of their parents in taking husbands. A widow commits to a stranger in name only. And two women on the Oregon Trail hitch their lives to men they’ve just met. Will love … blossom for convenience sake?
more
Brides of the old west.
Joie De Vivre by Lynette Sowell
Josee Broussard was taken in by the LeBlanc family after her parents died at age 6. Now at eighteen she is ready to have a family of her own. Her and Jacques LeBlanc were the best of friends he was the younger son of the family. She was hoping she would be marrying him but Mr LeBlanc is having her wed his older son Edouard.
Edouard has had a rough lie. After the war he was left with a scared face and while gone his first love married some one else. He has no use for a wife much less Josee. Can these two come together before the marriage?Will they find love and happiness.
I like Josee and Edouard both their characters both needed some love and healing. It was nice to see how these two came together and worked things out. The banter between the two was lovely. I enjoyed this story.
Button Strong Bride by Cathy Marie Hake
We meet Ethan Cole who is traveling with the wagon train to Oregon with his two small children. He is a widow and had his sister and her family with them and she had to give up. He helps a young lady Charity who had lost her parents on the trail. They combine their things and keep going. Charity helps with the kids and they fall in love with her. She adores them and is a god fearing woman.
These two characters were great both needed healing as Ethan still loved his wife and Charity just wanted a nice simple life if she could find love. I liked them two getting to know each other and the help they both offered along the way was nice to see.
The Wedding Wagon by Cathy Marie Hake
Bethany Handley was a close friend of Penny’s back in school. She visited their house on Christmas and Penny’s brother, Joshua fell hard and asked Bethany to go with him on the Oregon Trail and be his wife.
Joshua is a doctor and adores Penny but Penny acts like she just came along for his father and sister. Can she see that the truly loves her? Can she love him?
Bethany was great see come to life and know love. We see her grow in a short amount of time and watch Joshua grow as well. Jealousy and bad communication can lead to broken heart or restore them.
From Halter to Alter by Cathy Marie Hake
Ellis Stack place an add for 4 bridles in the paper and The Collingswood brothers need some. So they ordered them and agreed to a price.
Imagine Jim’s surprise when he shows up at the train station and 4 ladies get off the train expecting to get married. The girls are so upset they don’t know what to do so the Collingswood’s let the girls stay in their house until things can get straight.
We have twins Matty and Corrie, Bess and young Bertie. Corrie is pregnant with her late husbands baby and the other ladies have never been married. Matty and Jim clash a few times can these two get a long and what about all these men town folk coming out to try and win one of these ladies as their brides.
Matty and Jim were great to read about along with his brother Luke and the rest of Matty’s sisters. They can make you laugh and cry. A great story of the love Matty and Jim share.
From Carriage to Marriage by Janelle Burnham Schneider
Corrie’s baby is coming closer to being born. Luke has taken it upon himself to take care of her chores. She wants to do something with her lot help take care of her and her child. She starts to bake.
Luke is a man who like to help anyone in need. He feels the need to protect her and he sees what Matty and Jim have. Can they have the same kind of relationship? Will Corrie let him take care of her and her child.
Corrie and Luke were fun to read about. The way Luke steps up and helps Corrie and her family is remarkable.
From Pride to Bride by JoAnne A. Grote
Bess and Berdie are the last of the Craig sisters and they can’t stay with Jim and Luke forever so they try and buy the jail house to run their bakery/ kitchen. Bess wants the church to meet at the saloon hall since it is raining and their is no real church yet in the town. Gideon of course lets the town meet there and then Bossy Bess as she is known needs help.
The town won’t let the Craig sister’s rent the jail so what is left for Gideon to do but rent the house he just built to them. The ladies thrive in baking and cooking. Bess starts to teach while cooking. But can they be more with Gideon and Bess. Can she see past him being a saloon owner?
The sisters are great to read about and you get to see more of each of them as each sister has her own story. Bess was great to see come out of her shell a bit.
From Alarming to Charming by Pamela Kaye Tracy
Bertie is called a boy by Thomas who has come back to town to set things right. He is surprised he is a she. He asked her to help with his horses off the train. Bertie sees she needs to be more of a lady for Thomas to really take notice of her.
Thomas is know as the son of a cow rustler. He has come back to town richer and more successful then when the town ran his family out. He gets help from the town to get things going and he sees Bertie as a squirt. But can she change his mind?
The last of the Craig stories and this one did not disappoint in the least. It was great seeing the little sister grown up and be a great young woman. She takes over the teaching from Bess and all the ladies thrive. Wonderful stories I would like to read again.
A Vow Unbroke by Amy Rognlie
James Parrish is glad to have his intended coming to town until he meets the lady he thought he was marrying is someone else. Abby has come in the place of James’s intended and she is carrying someone else’s baby.
He takes her to his sisters boarding house. Can Abby find real love or will she have to leave or find other ways to take care of herself and her baby?
It was nice to see James and Abby come together and make things work.
Finishing Touches by Kelly Eileen Hake
Captain Royce has been looking forward to his wedding that is until she left him for another person and left Royce with her spinster sister Libby.
Poor Libby secretly loved Captain Royce but knew he loved her sister. What can she do to help him get over his grief. Will he see her as someone he can love ?
I wish we could have learned more but a great story to end the collection.