A Montana Brides Romance Book 2 A bright future awaits the women of courage and faith who boldly chase their dreams across the wide-open Montana Territory, prepared to embrace adventure and forge their own destinies . . . When French immigrant Zoe de Fleur is forced out of her position as household cook for a high society New Yorker, the pretty and talented chef seizes an unexpected chance … New Yorker, the pretty and talented chef seizes an unexpected chance to head west for a new beginning. She pursues what she thinks is a prestigious job in the frontier’s “finest kitchen,” but instead finds herself in a matchmaker’s agency . . .
Isaak Gunderson is one of Helena, Montana’s most eligible bachelors, but he’s too focused on running for mayor and his family’s business to think about a wife and family. His twin brother, Jakob, is supposed to be too busy as well, yet sends for a mail-order bride anyway. Isaak doesn’t want to fuel an ongoing rivalry with his twin, but this tempting newcomer can’t be ignored. If only she’d come to Helena a different way and loving her wasn’t a betrayal . . .
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This is book two in the Montana Brides Inspirational Romance and even though it can be read as a stand-alone, I admit that I was lost in some places. Therefore I recommend reading The Promise Bride First. I enjoyed the originality of a French mail order bride and it was interesting that a woman could not be called a chef at that time in history. Nico added a nice dimension to the story and his relationship with Zoe was heartwarming. The picturesque town of Helena makes you want to visit. An enjoyable read.
I won a copy from Kensington Books. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
A story of matchmaking and mail order brides. It definitely took bravery and faith to chase dreams into the Montana territory. Zoe’s story is a wonderful adventure! Fun reading her French accent and ideas on cooking.. I was gifted a copy, no review was required. My review is voluntary…
I liked this book quite a bit. I found the characters were well developed. They learned something in the end about themselves, especially Isaak Gunderson, the hero. This installment of the Montana Brides also, on the side, delves a bit into the mysteries in the previous book. However, a few of the mysteries are still a mystery.
I liked the heroine, Zoe de Fleur, but wasn’t very fond of Isaak through the beginning of the book. He is rather mean to Zoe. Well, you will see what I mean when you read the book. I do believe you should read it. I recommend it to anyone who likes clean, Christian, historical romance. I can hardly wait to read the next book, To Catch A Bride. I have only read these few books by these authors, but I like their style. They work well together and put out a nice read.
Zoe de Fleur answers an ad in Denver, Colorado with the help of her young friend in New York. However, since she does not read or write English, he fails to tell her it is not for a household cook but from a Mail Order Bride agency. When she finds out and hears about Jakob Gunderson’s profile, she decides to give it a try and signs a 60 day courtship contract.
Jakob is pleased with the looks of Zoe and sweeps her off her feet. Then she meets his twin brother Isaak, who definitely does not sweep her off her feet. In fact, she does not like him and he takes a dislike to her simply because it has been reported in the newspapers that Mail Order Brides bilk many upstanding men out of their money. He fears that is what will happen to Jakob. He sets out to prove Zoe is a fraud.
Sparks fly, but will love prevail? Will Zoe be able to prove to Isaak that she is not a fraud and genuinely cares for Jakob? Will Isaak believe her? Also, will the mysteries that surround Helena, Montana be revealed? Read for yourself and see. Enjoy!
I won this book in a giveaway and was not expected to give a positive review. I voluntarily leave this review in my own words.
For the most part I enjoyed The Kitchen Marriage. The plot was a unique take on the mail order bride theme with a bride who was mistakenly led to believe she was answering an ad for a position as a chef. The fact that the intended groom had a twin brother who was antagonistic toward the bride made the story even more interesting, especially when the plot took an unexpected twist or two.
Characters were well-rounded and interesting although Zoe’s accent was sometimes distracting. I would have liked to see Isaak’s character developed more but enjoyed seeing the changes in Jakob as the story progressed. The bit of mystery was a nice touch but could have been developed further to make the story even better.
I did enjoy this story and would not mind reading more by these authors.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Celebrate Lit. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
I enjoyed The Kitchen Marriage. It took me a bit of time to sort out who everyone was in the book. I was fairly confused about some of the underhanded things going on in town that were hinted at. I think it might have helped to have read the first book in the series to understand some of the backstory.
I enjoyed the mail order bride aspect of this book and the resulting relationship issues that developed between Zoe and the Gunderson brothers. The fact that Zoe was the focus between these two brothers added good tension to the story. All three characters grew a lot emotionally by the end of the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
The Kitchen Marriage
I enjoy mail order bride stories and especially during this book in history. This one has a different version of mail order bride. Zoe just needs to find a home since was being kick out from where she lived. So, her and Nico travel across country to Helena, Montana. Nico is like a brother to her but read the book to find out more about him.
Isaak and Zoe has quite an interesting time actually finding their way to each other. I loved the scene where she is getting a bunch of books in French from his resale shop. Of course, there is lot more to the story, this is also 2nd in the but a stand alone but appears the next one in the series will be more of a continuation. I definitely recommend reading this book.
I received an complementary copy of the book from NetGalley through the publisher and Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an positive review. This is my own opinion.
A very different type of mail order bride story, especially when the perspective bride is lied to when she only reads French. Now who was the culprit who lied? Well, a delightful youngster who is very street smart, and becomes our Zoe’s unofficial brother, or a brother of the heart.
This is the second book in this series that I have read, and as enjoyable as the first. When our Zoe arrives, she is pledged to a twin brother, one who seems to like her and the other thinks she is a gold digger.
There is a theme of danger here, and if you read the first book you know what is happening, but if now there is enough information provided. Will Zoe find her happiness ever after? I found her speaking English with her French accent delightful, and she sure found food as a way into the hearts of the locals, but as you will see she needs to be careful of whom she trusts, not all are as they appear.
Will Jakob wake up and see what a treasure he is being offered, and will Isaak wake up and realize whom Zoe really is? There are answers here, but there is also danger, and our girl is way too trusting and loving!
A read you don’t want to miss, and yes, it can be read alone.
I received this book through Celebrate Lit, and was not required to give a positive review.
I was hoping that the story would move faster as I read but for me it seemed to drag. I did like the idea of mail order brides as the theme. It seemed to be very popular during the time period of this story. Zoe is the main character of the book and I had a like/hate relationship with her. For some reason she bothered me with her over the top sugary personality or perhaps she went to Helene on false pretenses. She did have some redeeming qualities of caring for others and staying committed.
Jacob is excited when he says Zoe. She was beautiful, graceful and I think he may have hit the jackpot. I did not feel any connection between him and Zoe through the entire story. At times the story seemed to drag and become repetitive. When Jacob’s twin brother enters the story I had figured out what would happen. Isaac is very different from his brother. Isaac is arrogant, rude and just plain unfriendly. I wanted to know more about Jacob, but the story seemed to focus on Isaac more. That confused me since the book was about a mail order bride which Jacob was looking for. I didn’t like all the deceit going on between characters and hoped for more of how Jacob comes to court Zoe to woe her over. I wanted the story to not focus so much on how beautiful Zoe was. It was almost prideful to read that because she was beautiful she would make the perfect bride.
The story does pick up towards the end and I enjoyed the intrigue that developed as we learn of something illegal going on in the town. I was pleased with who Zoe ended up with, but it was a bit obvious with the not so subtle hints throughout the book. Overall a pleasant read, but a little long winded at times.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Carpe diem – seize the day. This motto fit Zoe very well, who because she was female, was known as a home cook, even though she was a Paris trained chef. Having left Paris for New York City, it wasn’t difficult to seize the opportunity to head west to seek her dreams. A mail-order bride was not what she had in mind, but it seemed to be the right ting to do at the time. Read on to find a story of twin brothers always trying to best each other, lies, intrigue, family and maybe even love.
This was my first book in this series, and I throughly enjoyed my introduction and am looking forward to more.
I received this ebook through CelebrateLit and this review gives my personal impressions and opinions.
Isaak and Jakob Gunderson are twins who have spent their lives as each other’s best friend in spite of their competitive nature toward one another. They have a great relationship, or so it seems until Zoe de Fleur, a young woman who comes to Montana thinking she is going to have a job as a chef but in actuality is a mail-order bride, enters their lives. It was great fun to watch the word play between the three of them. This is a story of two brothers and a girl, of them coming into their own, realizing what is most important in life and how they ought not to make comparisons between themselves and others. They each have a lot to learn!
There is a proposal scene (not a spoiler) that I found to be hilarious. I was actually sitting outside at the time, and laughed out loud. Then a few moments later I was engrossed in another scene that had me voicing my thoughts about a certain no-good woman. My neighbors probably think I am crazy since I was the only one on the porch.
Several other characters wormed their way into my heart too and I hope to see them make a cameo in the next book. It was great fun getting a glimpse of Mac and Emilia after their honeymoon. They are the hero and heroine of The Promise Bride (Montana Brides #1). I recommend reading their story first to get the full palate of characters and backstory.
This is a clean and inspirational read with a light element of faith so I think any fan of historical romantic fiction will enjoy this story. The authors have suffused The Kitchen Marriage with abundant humor, familial bonds that ring true-to-life and a mystery of the most surprising nature. I just closed the book and I am all astonishment at the last line. An identity has been revealed and it is a shocker, at least to me.
I was provided an advanced uncorrected proof of the book from one of the authors. No review required. No compensation received.
This book was way too predictable
Sparks fly in the kitchen and in the heart…
I’ve been looking forward to The Kitchen Marriage since I read book 1 in the Montana Brides Romance series last year. Within a few pages I was immersed in the lives of Zoe, a certain young rapscallion, and the equally charming and frustrating Gunderson brothers.
The Kitchen Marriage was a lovely blend of sweet romance, a dash of humor, and a continuing thread of suspense. There were some real twists and turns in the story, not so much in the romance end but in the suspense thread, that left me quite surprised.
One of the reasons that I really liked this book, and its predecessor, is that the authors consulted with one of most knowledgeable people at the Montana Historical Society, and it really shows in the quality of the historical details and sense of setting. The streets and people of New York, Denver, and especially Helena, Montana came alive under the talented hands of Gina Welborn & Becca Whitham.
Gina Welborn & Becca Whitham make a great writing team, one that I enjoy quite a bit, and I am definitely looking forward to my next adventure with them in historic Helena, Montana…
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
The Kitchen Marriage has a couple of unexpected twists and a mystery. It was enough to keep my interest and keep me turning pages. I won’t say what happened as I don’t want to spoil it, but do be on the lookout!
This is the second book in a series, and while you can read it as a standalone I wouldn’t recommend it. I haven’t read book one and got lost periodically. But I always found my way back and enjoyed the story.
I did find a few flaws with phrasing etc. and the time period but I could overlook them and become absorbed in the story. The characters were well defined. Some I really liked and others I didn’t, which is the way a good story should be. Not your typical romance, there was enough tension to make it interesting and keep me wondering. If you enjoy historical romance then I recommend giving this a read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.