Review

Christmas Mail-Order Brides

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

These three historical romances by different authors all have something in common—someone in each story either wants a mail-order bride or wants to be one. They have employed the services of Mrs. Mayberry’s Matrimonial Society for Christians of Moral Character in their search.

But sometimes the heart has its own ideas…

I loved the characters in Carrie Turansky’s A Trusting Heart. Annika Bergstrom travels to a Wyoming ranch to marry a widower in need of help raising his young daughter, but Chase Simms is mysteriously absent. Daniel, his brother, wishes their pa had talked to Chase before writing to the mail-order bride. In his brother’s continued absence, Daniel begins to fall for Annika. She can’t help wishing that Chase was more like his brother…

The action in Vickie McDonough’s The Prodigal Groom begins immediately. The main setting is in Cedar Springs, Nevada in 1882. My emotions were engaged early as I wanted Jolie Addams to flee the orphanage where a man the age of a grandfather wanted her to live with him as his maid. Jolie flees to Nevada from Iowa to marry a man she’s never met. She meets Clay Jackson along the way and must face a dangerous situation with him. That event turns her future on its head.

I was delighted when this collection comes full circle in Mrs. Mayberry Meets Her Match by Susan Page Davis. Amelia Mayberry, who has supported herself since her husband’s death by running a matchmaking service, finally has saved enough money to retire. The widow in her early fifties has only one job left—find her husband’s old friend a wife, as she had unsuccessfully tried to do two years before. Lennox Bailey has built a successful business in Sacramento. The widower’s married daughter’s family now includes Lennox’s only grandson. He agrees to a visit from Amelia, but he hopes she will not mention the mail-order bride she’d recommended. It had been a fiasco. Yet Amelia cannot leave a job unfinished…  

All of these historical romances are feel-good stories set in the West at Christmas.

I enjoyed this collection of light-hearted, easy-to-read romances. Recommend.

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Grace for Christmas by Laura Ashwood

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

 Grace Thornton is new to the small town of Pine Valley. Although a few unruly boys make every day a challenge, she is determined to lead her students in the school’s first Christmas pageant. The younger girls and boys are excited, even as one boy seems determined to sabotage Grace’s efforts. Maybe she should quit.

Ben Hansen, a widower, can’t ignore his daughter’s praises of her pretty new teacher. He decides to lend a hand among his townspeople, who are so resistant to change.

I enjoyed reading this short story, which I finished in about an hour. Ben’s sweet daughter tugged at my heart, as did Grace’s teaching difficulties.

The nostalgic and historic setting added to the charm of this holiday story. I will look for more stories by this author.

Dog Groomer’s Christmas Second Chance by Cindy Ervin Huff

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Dog Groomer’s Love Stories Series

All Clare Gaylord wants is a dog from the rescue center for her fifteen-year-old grandson Braden. She didn’t plan on meeting her first husband, a man she regrets divorcing thirty years before. Had she tried to help Lloyd through his PTSD, she wouldn’t have endured a disastrous second marriage. Yet there had been reasons she feared Lloyd’s episodes.

Lloyd Harmon can’t believe it when Clare comes into the business where he supports himself as a dog groomer. Many difficult years have passed. He’s now in counseling, yet still struggles with nightmares sometimes. Should he try to befriend her? Or just allow the past to remain in the past? 

I had read other books in this series and was happy to see what happened with them after their stories ended.

Believable, lovable characters, each working through their own difficult pasts, had me turning pages. Surprising twists and turns—some revealed from the past—escalated my interest. I couldn’t put the story down.

This novel of lost love and forgiveness will also appeal to animal lovers and dog lovers.

I recommend this contemporary romance novel, and dog lovers will especially enjoy it.

I was given a copy of the book by the author. A positive review was not required.

Hearts in Harmony by Traci Summeril

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Darcy’s mother wants to arrange for her daughter to marry a widower near her home, but Darcy has no intention of giving up her teaching position to move back home. Her demanding mother had controlled her during childhood. She won’t put herself in that position again.

Reuben, the pastor at Darcy’s church, is determined to remain a bachelor, yet he can’t deny his attraction to her. The couple is thrown together when a tornado threatens their community.


Characters I cared about drew me into the story. They had believable hurdles to overcome. I couldn’t put the book down. However, I didn’t understand why Darcy, as a protective sister, seemingly left her adopted younger sister alone with their controlling mother. The answer might be in an upcoming book.

Another quick edit would have helped minor errors. All in all, I enjoyed the story.

I will look for more books by this author.

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Legends of Gold by Mary Connealy

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Golden State Treasure, Book 2

Tilda Muirhead came to the Two Harts Ranch in the first book in this series, when she followed the MacKenzie brothers. The teenagers had been in pursuit of their grandfather’s buried treasure and still had found only a portion of it. Tilda’s love of history lands her a job at the California ranch’s orphanage. She’s spent most of her childhood as an orphan, and her deepest desire is to help them. She has never dreamed of marriage—Josh Hart might change her mind.

Josh is part-owner of the large ranch. He took the reins to run it while his brother, Zane, was away. Now that Zane is back, Josh’s struggles to find his way are thwarted by his feelings for Tilda.

When someone claiming to be her family member comes to the ranch, Tilda is fearful. Can she trust Josh to protect her?

Unexpected danger escalates in this historical romance. The story is told through multiple viewpoints, including through characters in the first book with unresolved issues. The author leaves us with reasons to anticipate the next book.

Readers see characters they’ve learned to love in an earlier series.

The author does a good job summarizing what the reader needs to know from earlier stories. Even so, the story builds as a saga. I believe that readers of the earlier series will receive a deeper impact from the stories.

This was a page-turner for me! I will look for more books by this author.

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Escaping the Wilderness by Carrie Stuart Parks

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

As part of her grandfather’s dying wish, Amanda Cotton found a small Montana to hide away and write her mother’s life story. Her stepfather has raised her to trust no one. Still, she can’t understand why strangers are trying to kill her.

Boone McGregor witnesses an attack on Amanda and comes to her rescue. But he receives more danger than he bargained for when men start shooting at him too.

Danger escalates at every turn in this adventurous suspense. Wounded characters quickly drew me into their plight. I couldn’t put the book down.

This was a page-turner for me! I will look for more books by this author.

 Amazon

Honor’s Mountain Promise by Misty Beller

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Hearts of Montana, Book 4

Aaron Long’s goal is to drive his freight wagon through Montana Territory before the first big snow of the season. He happens upon a terrible accident that left another freight driver dead and a pregnant widow too close to delivering her child for comfort. A two-week trip will get her to the nearest doctor. His newly-found faith will not allow him to leave her on the side of the road to wait for the next wagon, as Mrs. Barlowe suggests. Several days might pass before that happened.

Katie Barlowe figures she has another month before her baby is born. Her husband was buried on the ranch they’d tried to start. All she wants is to get to a doctor and then head back to Pennsylvania to raise her child alone. Should she trust Aaron to get her there? The handsome driver who walked with a limp seemed trustworthy enough, yet Katie has learned that few men deserved her trust.

The author whirled me right into the story from the first page. The pair face one challenge after another. Each difficulty threatens their journey.

Surprising twists kept me turning pages. This is the first book in the series that I’ve read. The author did a great job summarizing earlier important events that affected this story and then plunging back into the action.

Well-written romance. This is not the first book I’ve read by this author, and it won’t be the last.

Recommended for readers of inspirational historical romances.

Amazon

An Amish Baby in Her Arms by Patricia Johns

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

An Amish Chocolate Shop Brides Novel

Miriam Yoder, widow, is reminded of all she lost when a newborn baby is left outside the candy shop where she and Zaak, her brother-in-law, are closing for the day. A terrible storm prompts him to drive baby Ivy and Miriam to her grandfather’s.

The storm worsens. Zaak has no choice but to stay her grandfather’s home to wait it out. He has loved Miriam since before his brother, who hadn’t been good to her, married her. Zaak avoids her as much as possible because she doesn’t like him. Little Ivy brings them together.

This story wasn’t predictable for me. In fact, I wasn’t sure how they’d overcome the challenges between them. I fell in love with characters.

Sweet baby Ivy tugged at my heart. I was anxious to see what happened with her.

I enjoyed the story.

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Home Away from Home by Penny Frost McGinnis

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Abbott Island Series, Book 2

Marigold Hayes lost her mother as a teenager, at the same time that her father went missing. Now in her fifties, she still wants nothing more than to find her dad. She’s never married. Her relationship with Johnny Papadakis is the longest she’s known, yet what if he leaves like her father did?

Johnny loves Marigold. His Greek restaurant keeps him busy while he waits for her trust in him to build. He also wants to strengthen bonds with his adult daughter, a relationship that his ex-wife had tried to destroy.

This story is told through multiple viewpoints. The villain had me shaking my head. Believable characters made me care about their journey. Unexpected twists kept me turning pages.

Surprises await the characters in this small-town island setting. The setting was one of my favorite parts, as I got to know other residents I might see in upcoming novels.    

I’m enjoying this series.

Amazon

Finding Juniper by Cindy Thomson

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Reviewed by Sandra Merville Hart

Patrick Doyle thought he was doing the right thing by fighting for Ireland during World War I, yet he’s treated as an enemy when he returns home, especially by his pregnant girlfriend’s father. Paddy asks Roisin to flee with him to the United States. She refuses. Fearing for his life, he leaves despite his desire to raise his child.

This time-slip novel actually begins in 1950, when he receives a letter from his and Roisin’s daughter, Juniper. It’s written in childish handwriting, and Juniper would now be 30.

Patrick had married an American, and they had a daughter who is now in her twenties. He has never returned to Ireland. He never met Juniper, whom he is certain had died many years before. Is the letter real?

This multi-layered tragic story is told from several viewpoints. The action slips from 1950 to the past in a masterful way. Some parts were so tragic that they were difficult to read, yet it was impossible to put down.

Believable, flawed characters drew me into their plight. This book is a page turner.

This well-written, gripping story tugged at my emotions.

Recommended for readers of historical fiction and Irish history.

I will look for more books by this author.

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