From Sandra Dallas, the best-selling author of A Quilt for Christmas, comes The Patchwork Bride, the irrepressible story of a runaway bride. Ellen is putting the finishing touches on a wedding quilt made from scraps of old dresses when the bride-to-be–her granddaughter June–unexpectedly arrives and announces she’s calling off the marriage. With the tending of June’s uncertain heart in mind, … June’s uncertain heart in mind, Ellen tells her the story of Nell, a Kansas-born woman who goes to the High Plains of New Mexico Territory in 1898 in search of a husband.
Working as a biscuit-shooter, Nell falls for a cowboy named Buddy. She sees a future together, but she can’t help wondering if his feelings for her are true. When Buddy breaks her heart, she runs away.
In her search for a soul mate, Nell will run away from marriage twice more before finding the love of her life. It’s a tale filled with excitement, heartbreak, disappointment, and self-discovery–as well as with hard-earned life lessons about love. Another stunning, emotional novel from a master storyteller.
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The Patchwork Bride by author Sandra Dalla is a precious story! Grandmother Ellen is working on a crazy quilt made with scraps from old wedding dresses from the attic. There is one piece of white fabric which is not actually from a wedding dress but holds secret memories. Grandaughter June comes to visit her grandmother and tells her she is planning to call the wedding off. She is not sure she loves her fiance enough to marry.
Now come sit on the porch as Grandmother Ellen tells June a story about Nell, a runaway bride whose story starts about 1898. Nell’s story is filled with courage, love, longing, worry, uncertainty, and choices which will take Nell to several states before her heart finds that one true love. I won’t post spoilers, but the story will touch your heart.
Enjoy!
The Patchwork Bride by Sandra Dallas was a heartrending read that had me engrossed from cover to cover. What a beautifully written historical romance that left me absolutely in love with the characters who now have a place in my heart.
Ellen, who lives on a ranch with her husband Ben, who is suffering from dementia, is finishing up a homemade quilt for her soon to marry granddaughter June. When June comes to visit her grandmother, she expresses that she is having second thoughts about her upcoming marriage. Ellen shares a story of her friend Nell, who also struggled with her feelings and fears of settling down with the right, or wrong man.
Nell, who enters womanhood in the late 1800s is on the hunt for a husband. She ends up on her aunts ranch in New Mexico, working in the kitchen. In hopes of finding herself a cowboy to wed her, her path crosses with Buddy. She is sure he is the love of her life, but when he breaks her heart, she packs up and leaves her aunt’s without a word to Buddy.
In an effort to forget him, she heads out, yet again in search of a husband. She ends up meeting and running from multiple suitors for one reason or another as she takes on the task of finding her true love, or at least a suitable husband. Will Nell ever find the love of her life?
As Ellen shares the story of Nell with June, she uses the opportunity to share with her granddaughter what Nell learned along the way. As she travels about the country, meets people and grows, she learns things about herself, life and what she truly desires in a partner.
I absolutely connected with Nell’s character. She was such a strong, independent woman who refused to settle for something less than she knew she could be. While love and marriage were her number one priority, she refused to be someone’s wife and mother, while setting aside her own dreams. What a unique concept for the early 1900s. This proved to be a challenge for her, and contributed to her hurtles in finding a mate, but it was so beautiful to see her stick to her guns and push through to find her true happiness.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a good historical romance. What a charming and marvelously written happily ever after this was. It will be one that sticks with me for years to come.
Love all her books!!