Love Is One of Life’s Greatest Adventures Seven daring damsels don’t let the norms of their eras hold them back. Along the way these women attract the attention of men who admire their bravery and determination, but will they let love grow out of the adventures? Along the Yellowstone River by Debby Lee 1832 Montana Heather Duncan takes over her father’s fur trapping business, believing it’s an … fur trapping business, believing it’s an opportunity to also gain knowledge of medicinal plants, but a growing sympathy for animals and blossoming adoration for a rugged mountain man capture her heart.
MissTaken Identity by Kimberley Woodhouse
1883 Texas
Headstrong, bubbly, accident-prone Abigail Monroe is on a quest for adventure away from society’s expectations. But her pursuits are unexpectedly thwarted when she is arrested by a handsome Texas Ranger.
Lesson of Love by Cynthia Hickey
1885 Arkansas
City girl, Leah Ellison has big dreams but soon finds out that teaching in a backwards Ozark mountain community is far different than what she’d imagined.
Maddy’s Llamas by Marjorie Vawter
1898 Colorado
In spite of Maddy’s “missadventures” raising her llamas for their wool and strictly-by-the-book Harry’s attempts to get her to do things “right,” they learn to work together and find love in the laughter.
Zola’s Cross-Country Adventure by Mary Davis
1903 cross-country trip
Zola Calkin sets out on an adventure to be the first woman to drive across the country. Will the journalist tasked to report her presumed failure sabotage her efforts? Or will he steal her heart?
Detours of the Heart by Donna Schlachter
1925 New Mexico
A tour guide who wants to move on and a playboy who’s never had a place to call home–can they overcome their own plans and allow God to make their path straight, or will they take yet another detour?
Riders of the Painted Star by Kathleen E. Kovach
1936 Arizona
Zadie Fitzpatrick, an artist from New York, is commissioned to go on location in Arizona to paint illustrations for an author of western novels and falls for the male model.
more
One of the many things I love about these novella collections is that when my review schedule is overloaded (as it’s seemed to be these past couple months), I can sit and read on novella in an evening then come back to the next one as I have the time (which is how I am currently going through the Miss Adventure Brides Collection).
These stories are about headstrong women who ignore the social expectations of their era and maybe get themselves in a little bit of trouble.
In Kimberley Woodhouse’s MissTaken Identity, Abigail sets out to travel and explore the world. But the way she does it is a bit…ahem…unconventional. And when she ends up stuck in a jail cell, complaining about her conditions unlike any man Texas Ranger Jim Williams has dealt with before. There’s just something about this prisoner that’s got him questioning what’s going on.
With a good amount of humor as Abigail continues to do her disguise and the mystery of who is behind the framing of Abigail, this story is entertaining and well-paced. Although I have not read the entire collection, I know MissTaken Identity is sure to be one of my favorites.
(4 stars)
Raising llamas may not be woman’s job but it’s what Maddy Williams knows and loves. Her beloved pack are her friends, and she has no interest in loaning any of them to the Denver zoo for exhibit. When a young man arrives to change her mind, her intentions aren’t quite as clear.
I feel like the description of this novella is a bit misleading for a couple reason. First (and this may just be me reading into it), Maddy and Harry do not already know each other. They meet for the first time in this story. And then, there really was no strict, by-the-book side of Harry. Yes, he cares about the animals and wants to give them a good environment at the zoo, but he and Maddy don’t argue about the way things should be with the animals.
That said, this is a fun little story with a lovesick llama, a woman who speaks before she thinks, and a man on a mission to bring some new animals to his beloved zoo. I would have loved to get some more background on Maddy’s relationship with her parents just because there seems to be a lot to unpack there, but the attraction and budding romance between Maddy and Harry is sweet and enjoyable.
(3 stars)
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
This review is only for “MissTaken Identity” by Kimberley Woodhouse from this MissAdventure Brides Collection.
This novella is the first of Kimberley Woodhouse’s writing that I have read and I’ll definitely be reading more of her books in the future. Her writing style is easy to follow, the plot is fun and well-paced, and her characters are memorable.
This “mis”-adventurous story brings to life Abigail, aka Chuck, who dresses like a man to travel freely without an escort. She’s a wealthy single rancher who can’t seem to find a man interested in her for who she is and not just for the land or money. Abigail is accident-prone and a bit flighty; she runs headlong into situations without thinking through her actions or consequences and tends to attract trouble but is so lovable. Jim is a responsible and thoughtful Texas Ranger who gets involved in “Chuck’s” life when Chuck is accused of vandalism and arrested. There is intrigue and suspense as Jim and Abigail try to figure out who has a vendetta against “Chuck”.
This novella is a fun and fast read. Anyone who enjoys historical romance will enjoy this story and the entire collection.
I was given a copy of the book by the publisher via JustRead Publicity Tour and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
I really enjoyed this collection! These stories were so unique! Kimberley Woodhouse’s story was my favorite! It is nice to read a collection about strong women that don’t let social norms hold them back. I think there’s a good message for readers to take away from this book. I would recommend this book for readers of any genre. This made me want to check out these authors and their other books.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to post a positive review. These are my thoughts alone.*
Seven stories of daring women
With authors like Mary Davis and Kimberley Woodhouse, I knew I had to grab this collection. I’m glad I did because I was introduced to some new authors whose works I would like to read more of.
One of my very favorites from the collection is Zola’s Cross-Country Adventure by Mary Davis. At first, I was afraid that it was going to be a little like The Great Race but I should have known better. (Not that I don’t enjoy the movie!) Though the story takes place around the same time period, the story was very different. I loved the way that Zola and her cousin spent a year learning everything they could about the car they would be driving cross-country so they could handle anything that arose on their journey. The combination of their faith and their spunk made for a delightful adventure.
The rating I gave this collection is according to the highest rated stories. There are two that I would give five stars. In full disclosure, there was one of the stories in the collection that I did not like. The plot was decent – I just did not care for the writing style and the way it was executed. Don’t let that discourage you from reading more. There are many good stories in here, so if you encounter one you don’t like, skip it and move on to the next.
Read with a Preview at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book for free. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Misstaken Identity: I just adored this fun weekend read! I couldn’t put it down. Fast paced from the first page, witty and entertaining dialogue and a happy ever after worth waiting for. Jim and Abigail had the cutest sparks and it was so enjoyable to see how this mistaken identity ended up! Perfect amount of danger, just the right romance and this is a bookshelf keeper. I loved it! I received a copy of this book through JustRead Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Although I am still reading this collection of novellas, I must say I am thoroughly enjoying it.
Of the two novellas I’ve read this far, Misstaken Identity by Kimberly Woodhouse and Lessons of Love by Cynthia Hickey, my focus in this review, currently, is Misstaken Identity by Kimberly Woodhouse.
Humor, the thread tying the novellas together, is humor. Based on 7 young women who determine to not allow the basic norms of their eras hold them back, each story will have the reader chuckling.
Kimberly Woodhouse penned just such a story.
Abigail Monroe has determined to travel, by herself, dressed as a young boy. Without escort, Abigail boards the stagecoach for Colorado only to find herself in Texas! It seems her adventure begins with boarding the wrong stage coach, with some rather gnarly appearing and terribly rank men. Upon reaching Colorado, er, Texas, Abigail disembarks and begins to walk through town, she soon realizes that one, her baggage is heavier than she thought it would be, and two, she doesn’t exactly walk like a man, something she sets about rectifying immediately.
As Abigail adjusts her stride, numerous times, while wrestling her baggage down the street, she is surprised to find a Texas Ranger approaching her, only to arrest her! For cutting wires erected around the fields owned by sheepherders, no less! Shocked, she tries to explain she literally just got off the stage minutes ago, the lawman is not deterred. Escorting Abigail to the town jail, the lawman finds his prisoner to be a bit strange. From the overly large hat, to the young smooth complexion to the funny way the young “man” walked, the Texas Ranger is determined to get to the bottom of who is causing trouble in his town and that young fella sure does have perfect posture!
5 of the 7 stories I really enjoyed to loved. Two of the stories just weren’t my thing. The stories I enjoyed had wonderful characters and stories line. All of them had at least some interesting history to them.
Seven delightful novellas set in chronological order from 1832 to 1936 feature strong women who push against the social mores of their day without being outrageous (or obnoxious) or unbelievable. The story lines are unique and each author has obviously done her research. As I love to have happen, I learned new information in each book. The protagonists were fun and feisty, and their romantic leads strong and swoon-worthy. Messages of faith, forgiveness, second chances, and salvation are effectively woven through the stories without being preachy. I enjoyed all the stories, but my favorites are Zola’s Cross Country Adventure, Detours of the Heart (I love books about Harvey Girls!), and MissTaken Identity.
I received a copy of the collection from one of the authors. A positive review was not required, and all opinions are my own.
This review is for the short story “Along the Yellowstone River” by Debby Lee from an anthology titled “MissAdventure Brides.”
Living their faith in the 1830s
Heather Duncan is an independent and committed healer living in a cabin a few miles from a small town in Wyoming. When her father dies, she determines to carry on his business—fur trapping. Despite her many requests to him that she accompany him on his trapline, her father had never agreed. Now, she has little choice but to learn fur trapping if she is to survive in the rough wilderness where she lived.
Louie Renault, a handsome French trapper, arrives at her cabin to inform Heather of her father’s death. He and Heather strike a bargain that he will stay and help her with chores at the cabin and on the trapline if she will teach him how to read and write.
Together, the two work to bring justice to her father’s memory and to several local fur trappers who were cheated out of their earnings and driven into debt by a dishonest Rocky Mountain Fur Company supervisor.
I enjoyed this story! It realistically showed the hardships of living during the early 1830s in the wilds of Wyoming. The fierce times afforded many opportunities to pray for help. Heather and Louie lived their commitment to their faith by treating people fairly even when it was not deserved.