Written by Gina Welborn and Becca Whitham
- Print Length: 352 pages
- Publisher: Zebra (August 29, 2017)
- Publication Date: August 29, 2017
- Sold by: Penguin Random House Publisher Services
- Language: English
- ASIN: B01N6D2X7L
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In a booming frontier town, a heavenly match may be in store for mail-order brides seeking a fresh start . . . women of strength and spirit who embrace the challenges of life and love in the wild Montana Territory.
Determined to save her father and siblings from a crumbling Chicago tenement, Emilia Stanek becomes the long-distance bride of a Montana rancher. But when she arrives in Helena, a rugged lawman shatters her plans with the news that her husband is dead—and deeply in debt.
County sheriff Mac McCall can’t afford to be distracted by the pretty young widow, not with scandalous secrets emerging as he investigates his friend’s suspicious death. Mac’s gruff order that she leave town at once only spurs Emilia’s resolve to take ownership of her late husband’s ranch and face his debtors. But as her defenses soften, Emilia begins to accept Mac’s help, feel compassion for his own wounded heart—and learns that trust means taking a leap of faith . . .
Emilia becomes a mail order bride in order to save her family from living in the dregs of Chicago. She feels lucky that she has fallen in love with her groom, Finn, through letters and she agrees to marry him by proxy. However, when she arrives in Montana she is told he has been killed.
Sheriff McCall just lost his best friend and is looking for the murderer but now he must make sure that stubborn Emilia and her family are protected while also trying to protect his heart.
-A main focus of the story was Emilia’s struggle with the belief that if someone gives you something or helps you, they want something in return.
This was my favorite quote regarding that:
“You haven’t lived today until you’ve done something for someone who can never repay you.”
-This idea becomes a major problem for Mac and Emilia because Mac is always trying to rescue people and fix problems and Emilia doesn’t want to be indebted to anyone.
-Another main idea in the story is the idea of trusting people even when it is hard.
“Perhaps that was the highest level of trust, when you gave it because of who was asking, not because of what was asked.”
-Hypocrites have always bothered me and not only are the women in town gossiping, but they are doing it in the church building on the Lord’s day.
-One of the take-aways from this story is that you can be strong and independent and still accept help from others. Sometimes you have to be Lazarus and let your friends carry you.
-The epilogue so makes me want to know what happens next! I hate that there are still so many questions but I look forward to a sequel.
-This was a clean, interesting story that is a mix between romance and mystery. I would recommend it. I received an ARC but the opinions expressed here are 100% my own.fff
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