Author: timelessnovels

The Mail-Order Brides Collection: 9 Historical Stories of Marriage that Precedes Love – Review

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mobcoverby Kathleen Y’Barbo, Megan Besing, Noelle Marchand, Donna Schlachter, Sherri Shackelford, Michelle Shocklee, Ann Shorey, Liz Tolsma, Jennifer Uhlarik

Paperback: 448 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books (February 1, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1683224442
ISBN-13: 978-1683224440

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What kind of woman would answer an advertisement and marry a stranger?

Escape into the history of the American West along with nine couples whose relationships begin with advertisements for mail-order brides. Placing their dreams for new beginnings in the hands of a stranger, will each bride be disappointed, or will some find true love?

Perfect for the Preacher by Megan Besing
1897, Indiana
Fresh from seminary, Amos Lowry believes marriage will prove to his skeptical congregation that he’s mature. If only his mail-order bride wasn’t an ex-saloon girl, and worse, pregnant.

The Outlaw’s Inconvenient Bride by Noelle Marchand
1881, Wyoming
After a gang of outlaws uses a mail-order bride advertisement to trick an innocent woman into servitude, an undercover lawman must claim the bride—even if it puts his mission in jeopardy.

Train Ride to Heartbreak by Donna Schlachter
1895, Train to California
John Stewart needs a wife. Mary Johannson needs a home. On her way west, Mary falls in love with another. Now both must choose between commitment and true love.

Mail-Order Proxy by Sherri Shackelford
1885, Montana
A mail-order marriage by proxy goes wrong when a clerical error leads to the proxies actually being married instead of the siblings they were standing in for. In their quest to correct the mistake, the two discover outlaws, adventure, and even love.

To Heal Thy Heart by Michelle Shocklee
1866, New Mexico
When Phoebe Wagner answers a mail-order bride ad that states Confederate widows need not apply, she worries what Dr. Luke Preston will do when he learns her fiancé died wearing gray.

Miss-Delivered Mail by Ann Shorey
1884, Washington
Helena Erickson impulsively decides to take advantage of her brother’s deception and travels to Washington Territory in response to a proposal of marriage intended for someone else. How will Daniel McNabb respond when Helena is nothing like he expected?

A Fairy-Tale Bride by Liz Tolsma
1867, Texas
Nora Green doesn’t feel much like Cinderella when her mail-order groom stands her up. But could the mysterious jester from the town’s play be her Prince Charming?

The Brigand and the Bride by Jennifer Uhlarik
1876, Arizona
Jolie Hilliard weds a stranger to flee her outlaw family but discovers her groom is an escaped prisoner. Will she ever find happiness on the right side of the law?

The Mail-Order Mistake by Kathleen Y’Barbo
1855, Texas
Pinkerton detective Jeremiah Bingham is investigating a mail-order bride scam bankrupting potential grooms. When unsuspecting orphan May Conrad answers his false ad, she becomes the prime suspect in the case.

The Mail-Order Brides Collection brings us nine historical stories of women who choose to marry a stranger for convenience rather than to marry for love.

Perfect for the Preacher by Megan Besing
-This story is about someone who has trials that she had to go through and how she became more faithful through it.
-There is a lot of judging other people and forming prejudices but then knowing that God’s forgiveness is for all and we are all sinners.
-One of my favorite movies is While You Were Sleeping. There is a scene in the movie that reminds me of the way Margaret kept jumping topics during dinner.

The Outlaw’s Inconvenient Bride by Noelle Marchand
-Mariah tried to leave a life of crime behind and yet she ended up right in the middle of it.
-It has the message of trusting God and trusting those you love
-I liked the action and adventure in this story.

Train Ride to Heartbreak by Donna Schlachte
-There is a message in this story of finding joy even in bad circumstances.
-I liked the plot and the characters. I especially liked that the characters weren’t perfect.
-The children in the train were a little unbelievably resilient in tragic circumstances.
-I found it odd that John can fall in love and propose even without knowing her last name.

Mail-Order Proxy by Sherri Shackelford
-There is a struggle of trying to prove yourself to others and is it really worth it?
-I loved this story and it was one of my favorites in the collection.
-There were lots of funny moments and I loved the banter, characters and storylines.
-Some quotes:
“They each wanted to feel as though they mattered.”
“Would you rather have your life matter to a thousand people or to one person?”

To Heal Thy Heart by Michelle Shocklee
-This story is about a Yankee doctor who doesn’t want a mail order bride who is a southern sympathizer but Phoebe Wagner hides her beliefs and marries Dr. Luke Preston anyway.
-I liked most of the story but the confession and forgiveness would have been better if it had been expanded.
-Phoebe was completely wrong for being married to one man but still in love with another even though he had died.
-Luke was a very likable character except for his flaw in not loving all people.

Miss-Delivered Mail by Ann Shorey
-This was about looking for something better and taking a chance but not asking God to lead you.
-I liked the other family but wish there was more interaction between Daniel and Helena.
-There was also a lot of wasted money on tickets.
-One of my favorite scenes was the one where Helena received a letter from her brother and Daniel recognized the handwriting.

A Fairy-Tale Bride by Liz Tolsma
-This story was another one of my favorites. The characters were well developed and the story didn’t seem rushed, which is often the case with novellas.
-I really enjoyed this story. It was a sweet and different version of Cinderella. It was a clever take on Cinderella using the play instead of the ball.
-I liked the play and the jester scenes as well as their interactions at Maude’s house.
-I have known people like Maude and I feel for those kids.

The Brigand and the Bride by Jennifer Uhlarik
-Jolie is a strong female character, but she put up with too much abuse from her brother.
-I liked that there was lots of action and adventure and the story was filled with details.
-Jolie and Del had a great connection.
-I didn’t actually see a twist coming in the story which made for a nice surprise.

The Mail-Order Mistake by Kathleen Y’Barbo
-I liked the details about the different locations throughout this story.
-I also liked the mystery.
-Things really did seem to fall into Pinkerton detective Jeremiah Bingham’s lap. I would have liked to see more detective work.

The Bartered Bride Romance Collection: 9 Historical Stories of Arranged Marriages – Review

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barteredby Cathy Marie Hake, JoAnn A. Grote, Kelly Eileen Hake, Amy Rognlie, Janelle Burnham Schneider, Pamela Kaye Tracy, Lynette Sowell

File Size: 3540 KB
Print Length: 448 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books (May 1, 2018)
Publication Date: April 15, 2018
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B078WKSTV9

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Treasure this beautiful collection packed with all the angst of romance founded upon practical arrangements. Four sisters travel in answer to an ad before even corresponding with potential husbands. Two women bend to the will of their parents in taking husbands. A widow commits to a stranger in name only. And two women on the Oregon Trail hitch their lives to men they’ve just met. Will love blossom for convenience sake?

Barbour Books has put together another enjoyable collection of historical romances. This set of stories spans a number of time periods and locations and focuses on arranged marriages.

Joie De Vivre by Lynette Sowell

When Josée Broussard turned 18, she thought if she had to marry someone it would be her childhood friend. Instead, his parents have arranged for her to marry their reclusive oldest son, Edouard LeBlanc.

-I like when there are troubles and a character has to go through a hard time; unlike Edouard’s brother who wasn’t responsible and lived a charmed life.

-I found Josée too fickle and she and Edouard fell in love too fast.

-I enjoyed learning about the culture, especially during this time period.

 

Button Strong Bride by Cathy Marie Hake

Charity Davis loses her parents along the grueling Oregon Trail. She combines wagons with widower Ethan Cole so he can help her and she can take care of his children. When a potentially embarrassing situation happens they must turn to God and follow his will.

-This was one of my favorites in the collection! There were lots of interesting details and I liked the characters, plots and time period. I really liked learning about the traditions like the button string.

 

The Wedding Wagon by Cathy Marie Hake

Bethany Handley grew up without a family. After meeting her friend’s brother, Joshua Rogers, at Christmas and exchanging letters they decide to marry before hitting the Oregon Trail. While learning more about each other, they must also learn to put each other before others.

-I liked a lot about this story. The time period, historical details, and characters were excellent. I also liked the real life relationship issues and the fact that they were struggling to put their spouse first. There were so many true to life situations.

-The ending seemed abrupt and I wish it could have been extended with more details.

 

From Halter to Alter by Cathy Marie Hake

James Collingswood sends a request for horse bridles and instead receives 4 mail order brides. Despite his every intention, will he lose his heart?

-I really enjoyed this one. This was such an interesting and funny concept for a story! For a short story, I was surprised at how much depth each character had.

-This story, along with the next 3, really fit with the book title because the brother in law was bartering for the women and treating them like chattel.

-I stayed up late finishing this one then realized the next one was a continuation. I was excited that the story would continue, yet sad I would have to wait to read it. 🙂

 

From Carriage to Marriage by Janelle Burnham Schneider

The story continues with Luke Collingswood and Corrine who is a recent widow and in the family way. While Luke feels protective of all the sisters, he begins to fall in love with Corrine. If he rushes things, will he lose any chance with her?

-This was an adorable continuation of “From Halter to Alter”.

-Luke was my favorite character in this story. I love how he acted with all the sisters as well as the children.

-Even though the story will continue in “From Pride to Bride”, I still wish the last scene in this story would have been a little longer.

 

From Pride to Bride by JoAnne A. Grote

The “bridle” sister stories continue with Bess and Bertie moving into town and running a baking business. “Bossy Bess” pushes her way into saloon owner Gideon’s life by taking over his saloon for a church and a school. Will she also be able to take over his heart and lead it back to God?

-Like the previous ones, I loved this continuation.

-The message in this story that God wants us to help all souls was a great one. I also like that the hero wasn’t “perfect” and that Bess could see his hurting heart and the reasons he made the choices he did.

-Like the other sister stories, I would have loved for this story to be longer.

 

From Alarming to Charming by Pamela Kaye Tracy

Tomboy Bertie Craig meets Thomas Hardin and wishes that she was more mature, feminine and no longer a squirt. Thomas comes back years after he and his father had been run out of town on charges of cattle rustling. Will Thomas be able to get over his past? And will Bertie always be seen as a squirt?

-The series continues with interesting characters and good storylines. However, this book definitely could have benefited from being longer. The shorter length did not do it justice.

-Though I appreciate seeing more on the characters, I am not a fan of epilogues with so many new characters in such a condensed space. It seemed more like a listing of names.

-Overall, this story was a good wrap-up to the series.

 

A Vow Unbroke by Amy Rognlie

Through letters, James and Caroline agreed to marry. Instead of his fiancée, James is greeted with Caroline’s pregnant widowed niece, Abby, who arrived in her place. James instantly falls in love but Abby has made a vow to God that she will never love again.

-Unfortunately, this was my least favorite story in the collection.

-It was dishonest of elderly Aunt Caroline to correspond with James and agree to marry him when she had no intention of doing so. She also most likely misrepresented herself.

-I didn’t like that James fell instantly in love, even though he admits he doesn’t even know Abby.

-Throughout this story, I was wondering how this situation could possibly resolve itself successfully. I don’t think it ever did. James agreed that his marriage would be one of convenience and knew that Abby didn’t want a real marriage but he expected to change her mind and would get angry when she didn’t agree. This wasn’t just about a small issue, Abby made a vow to God.

Numbers 30:2 – If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth.

Deuteronomy 23:21 – When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

 

Finishing Touches by Kelly Eileen Hake

Right before Gregory’s wedding, his future bride Tabitha runs away and elopes with another man. Due to pride and a financial arrangement, he is forced to marry Tabitha’s sister Libby who has secretly had feelings for him. Will Gregory be able to forget Tabitha and love Libby for who she is?

-I liked most of this story, however, the way Gregory’s heart started to turn seemed superficial.

-Gregory’s actions bothered me at times. While I can understand the emotions he was going through, he reacted to them in a negative, though entirely human, way. Libby was a strong, faithful character. There were many times she could have hidden herself away but she strived to do God’s will and be the best wife she could be.

-This story was a nice ending to this collection.

Miss Wilton’s Waltz – Review

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wiltoncoverby Josi S. Kilpack

Series: Proper Romance
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Shadow Mountain (May 1, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1629724130
ISBN-13: 978-1629724133

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Lenora Wilton has spent her life hiding behind the keys of her beloved pianoforte and the vibrancy of her younger sister, Cassie. But Lenora is ready for a change and travels to Bath to live with her Aunt Gwen and teach music at an all-girls’ boarding school. She is different in Bath—more comfortable with herself—and enjoys the freedom and independence of her new life there.

When Lenora meets Aiden Asher, she finds herself attracted to him, but her unexpected feelings become more complicated when she learns that Catherine—Lenora’s newest and most troublesome student in the school—is Mr. Asher’s niece. Catherine is a difficult student, and Lenora works hard to make progress with the girl.

When the chemistry between Lenora and Aiden increases, they share a passionate kiss by the River Avon, and Lenora feels it is the beginning of a new forever—until she learns that Aiden has withheld an important detail about his life that changes everything.

Lenora closes her heart to him, and Aiden, caught between his obligation and his heart, must do what he can to make amends. And Lenora, after years of hiding from everyone and everything, faces a decision only she can make.

wiltonquote

The Vicar’s Daughter was my favorite book written by Josi S. Kilpack, so I was extra excited to read Miss Wilton’s Waltz.  While Miss Wilton’s Waltz is a stand alone book, you will love it even more if you have read The Vicar’s Daughter.

I always felt bad for Lenora in the Vicar’s daughter. Though Cassie was always meant to be with Evan, Lenora’s personality held her back from a lot of things in life. It seemed she was finding her braver self in Bath when she fell in love with a man she didn’t know was engaged bringing her back to the girl she used to be.

The characters were all written as realistic people with a lot of depth who found themselves in complicated situations. I like that everything wasn’t so simple and straightforward.

Catherine’s situation really resonated with me. There are so many children with tough childhoods that make them act out and people give up on them. I love how dedicated they are to helping her. I also like that they realize things won’t ever be perfect and to look for the good in the improvement.

I would love a future story that features Catherine.

Some of my favorite quotes:

You fight for what is important to you

Avoiding pain was not the same thing as healing. Being safe was not the same as being right.

 

The Weaver’s Daughter – Review

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weavercoverby Sarah E. Ladd

Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 10, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0718011880
ISBN-13: 978-0718011888

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Kate’s loyalties bind her to the past. Henry’s loyalties compel him to strive for a better future. In a landscape torn between tradition and vision, can two souls find the strength to overcome their preconceptions?

Loyalty has been at the heart of the Dearborne family for as long as Kate can remember, but a war is brewing in their small village, one that has the power to rip families asunder –including her own. As misguided actions are brought to light, she learns how deep her father’s pride and bitterness run, and she begins to wonder if her loyalty is well-placed.

Henry Stockton, heir to the Stockton fortune, returns home from three years at war seeking refuge from his haunting memories. Determined to bury the past, he embraces his grandfather’s goals to modernize his family’s wool mill, regardless of the grumblings from the local weavers. When tragedy strikes shortly after his arrival, Henry must sort truth from suspicion if he is to protect his family’s livelihood and legacy.

Henry has been warned about the Dearborne family. Kate, too, has been advised to stay far away from the Stocktons, but chance meetings continue to bring her to Henry’s side, blurring the jagged lines between loyalty, justice, and truth. Kate ultimately finds herself with the powerful decision that will forever affect her village’s future. As unlikely adversaries, Henry and Kate must come together to find a way to create peace for their families, and their village, and their souls – even if it means risking their hearts in the process.

weaverquote

I grew up in a mill town and the history of its heyday has always interested me.  Sarah E. Ladd brings this time period to life with not only the history, but realistic characters and an interesting plot.

Henry Stockton and Kate Dearborne are caught in a Romeo and Juliet family war while an actual battle between the weavers and the millers is happening all around them.

While respecting their families, they must also decide if they should follow what their parents and grandparents believe, or if they should follow their hearts.

The characters are strong and I felt a connection to them. I could also tell that Ladd put a lot of research into this book which I appreciated.

I really enjoyed this book. However, there was one negative for me.  I liked that Henry’s sister wasn’t shunned. After all, a sin is a sin. However, I fell that Henry glossed off his sister’s sin and treated it as only an “indiscretion”. If his sister had only repented, we would have been left with the positive message of forgiveness of all sins.

I would still recommend this book and look forward to more from Ladd.

Winning Miss Winthrop (Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope #1) – Review

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36809331by Carolyn Miller

  • Series: Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope (Book 1)
  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Kregel Publications (March 27, 2018)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0825445337
  • ISBN-13: 978-0825445330
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Years ago, the man who stole Catherine Winthrop’s heart rejected her–and she’s never recovered from the grief. Now tragedy has brought him back into her life. This time it isn’t her heart he’s taking, it’s her home and her family’s good name.

Jonathan Carlew’s serious demeanor and connection to trade, not to mention the rumors surrounding his birth, have kept him from being a favorite of the ladies, or their parents. Now, suddenly landed and titled, he finds himself with plenty of prospects. But his demanding society responsibilities keep pressing him into service to the one woman who captured his heart long ago–and then ran off with it.

These two broken hearts must decide whether their painful past and bitter present will be all they can share, or if forgiveness can provide a path to freedom for the future.

Set in the sumptuous salons of Bath, Regency England’s royal breeding ground for gossip, Winning Miss Winthrop is the first volume in the Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope series. Fans of the wholesome and richly drawn first series won’t want to miss this new set of characters–or appearances by their old favorites.

winthrop

My favorite book of all time is Persuasion, and Winning Miss Winthrop reminds me somewhat of it.

Catherine Winthrop and Jonathan Carlew fell in love but ended their relationship after a misunderstanding. Years later they are forced back together when Jonathan becomes Lord Winthrop.

The characters in this book had a number of misunderstandings and a lot of that stemmed from their lack of communication.  They also assumed way too many things.  If they had just been better at communicating, it would have cleared up a lot of things.

I liked the main characters, however, I do wish there were more interactions between Catherine and Jonathan.

The next book in the series is Miss Serena’s Secret (Regency Brides: A Promise of Hope #2) which I am looking forward to. I am even more excited to read The Making of Mrs. Hale (Regency Brides: Promise of Hope #3).

The Lady and the Gent (A London League Novel) – Review

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gentby Rebecca Connolly

  • Series: London League, Book 1
  • Paperback
  • Publisher: Phase Publishing (February 1, 2018)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1943048495
  • ISBN-13: 978-1943048496

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A woman of great fortune…

Margaret Easton needs a husband, and she needs one now. Her parents are convinced that only a European will do, but Margaret wants nothing more than to stay in England. The trouble is that there is only one man Margaret can think of, or rather, one she cannot forget, and he wouldn’t do as a husband at all. Then she finds herself in his care unexpectedly, and her hunt becomes even more complicated than she could have ever imagined.

A man of great mystery…

Rafe Thornton has never said more than ten words to Margaret Easton, but she is rapidly becoming the sole occupant of his thoughts. She is distracting him from his operative work as the Gent, and keeps him from his usual focused nature, which he doesn’t mind at all. When she stumbles into his world, his work and his emotions collide, forcing him to choose between saving the Crown, and protecting his love.

gentquote

The Regency is my favorite time period, and I love a book with mystery, adventure and romance. The Lady and the Gent has it all!

I have read all of Rebecca Connolly’s Arrangement Series novels and the mysterious, heroic and intriguing Gent has shown up previously making me want to read more about him. He did not disappoint. The Gent is just as strong and tough as you would expect him to be, yet he is gentle with children and the heroine Margaret.  He keeps an air of mystery but you get to learn more about who he is.

“Ten seconds was not enough today. Not nearly enough.”

Margaret and Rafe Thornton (the Gent) have one of the sweetest romances ever.  It does seem like their romance develops at a fast pace, yet at the same time it feels like they have known each other longer through their “ten second moments”. I loved the theme of the ten second moments through out the book, especially at the end.

The story-line with the gypsies was also very interesting. I hadn’t known a lot about them during this time period and I liked how it showed how they could be misunderstood.

This book is clean, however, it does have cursing.

I am really looking forward to the next book in the series and hope we will see the Gent again.

Lies Jane Austen Told Me – Review

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lies

 

  • by Julie Wright
  • Series: Proper Romance
  • Paperback: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Shadow Mountain (November 7, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1629723428
  • ISBN-13: 978-1629723426

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Ever since Emma read Pride and Prejudice, she’s been in love with Mr. Darcy and has regarded Jane Austen as the expert on all things romantic. So naturally when Emma falls for Blake Hampton and he invites her home to meet his parents, she is positive an engagement is in her future. After all, Blake is a single man in possession of a good fortune, and thus must be in want of a wife.

But when it turns out that what Blake actually wants is more of a hook-up than a honeymoon, Emma is hurt, betrayed, and furious. She throws herself deeper into her work as CMO of Kinetics, the fastest growing gym franchise in the nation. She loves her work, and she’s good at it, which is why she bristles when her boss brings in a consultant to help her spearhead the new facilities on the East Coast. Her frustration turns to shock when that consultant turns out to be Blake’s younger brother, Lucas.

Emma is determined not to fall for Lucas, but as she gets to know him, she realizes that Lucas is nothing like his brother. He is kind and attentive and spends his time and money caring for the less fortunate.

What she can’t understand is why Lucas continues to try to push her back into Blake’s arms when he so clearly has fallen as hard for her as she has fallen for him.

Realizing that her love life is as complicated as anything Jane Austen could have dreamed up, Emma must find a way to let Blake know that it’s time for him to let her go and to let Lucas know it’s time for him to love her back.

I rarely read contemporary novels but after reading the description, I knew I wanted to read it.  Immediately, the title is going to grab any Jane Austen fan but as the main character questions, can you really break up with Jane?

I was completely engaged in this book and didn’t want to put it down.  Each character was multi-dimensional and I felt for them and was invested in their lives.

I liked the strong female characters and everyone seemed to have real emotions and the relationships felt realistic.

There is a theme of feeling broken due to Emma and Lucas’ pasts and their struggles to get beyond that. Like Mr. Knightley and Emma, we all have our faults but we want to find someone who looks past us and loves us anyway.

I recommend reading this and am interested in more from Julie Wright.

So, can you really break up with Jane? I think the real question is, should you even want to? 🙂

The Regency Brides Collection: 7 Romances Set in England during the Early Nineteenth Century – Review

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regencybridesby Amanda Barratt, Angela Bell, Susanne Dietze, Michelle Griep, Nancy Moser, MaryLu Tyndall, and Erica Vetsch

  • Paperback: 448 pages
  • Publisher: Barbour Books (November 1, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1683223713
  • ISBN-13: 978-1683223719

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Romance is a delicate dance bound by rules and expectations in Regency England…
Seven couples must navigate society’s gauntlet to secure the hand of true love….

Charity and Luke are strangers who were forced to marry three years ago.

Adelaide and Walter share a love of music and disdain for elitism.

Caroline and Henry are thrown together by three orphans.

Helen and Isaac harbor his unlikely secret.

Esther is empowered to choose between two men.

Sophia is determined not to choose a man like Nash.

Jamie and William face a daunting London season together.

Will their faith grow and love prevail in a time when both were considered luxuries the elite could not afford?

Barbour Books brings us another great collection of Regency stories.

First Comes Marriage by Amanda Barratt
Young naïve Charity finds herself in a compromising situation and must marry Captain Luke Warren to save her reputation. As soon as the vows are read he returns to sea for 3 years without a word and he ignores her letters. When he finally returns, will they be able to have a real marriage or just a marriage of convenience?

Overall, I liked the main characters. However, Luke is supposed to have repented but he returns to his vices later in the story which is worrisome.
At the end of the story I was left with lots of questions, like what happens to the sister and the father.

Masquerade Melody by Angela Bell
After her father died and the estate is entailed, Lady Adelaide must become a companion to her spoiled cousin and hide her musical talents.

Colonial Walter comes back from Waterloo with a loss of faith in God after his brother’s death.

Can music help them overcome their past and provide a hopeful future?

Lydia was a mean selfish person but I didn’t like the captain deceiving her and pretending to like her.

I loved the main couple!

While this was a shorter story it felt very complete, though I would love a sequel with Quinby’s story.

Three Little Matchmakers by Susanne Dietze
Caroline, Henry and Esther all play together as children. As they grow, Caroline becomes governess to Esther’s 3 children. After Esther and her husband die, Caroline brings the children to their uncle Henry who wants to dismiss her and send the children to school. Will the children’s matchmaking attempts make them a family again?

I found it strange the Henry was so worried about becoming his father, yet he tried to copy him by being boring and stoic all the time.

I loved the stories of Caro and Henry’s past and how the children tried to recreate their adventures.

This was such a cute story!

The Gentleman Smuggler’s Lady by Michelle Griep
Isaac smuggles to regain what was stolen from him. On his last run, he meets Helen who was arriving to tend to her sick father.

Helen locks away the negatives of the world by pretending that everything is fine even though her father is dying.

After finding out his enemy is involved, will Isaac lose Helen’s trust by going against his promise to not smuggle again?

This story had a strong theme of trusting in God to provide us with what we need.

When I Saw His Face by Nancy Moser
Esther is thrilled when her step-daughter is married off and she can live a quiet life.

Chester has been waiting six years to marry Esther. She agreed that she would when her step-daughter married. Now that the time has come, will a stranger change their plans?

I had a really hard time finishing this story. Esther is everything that a Christian shouldn’t be. She is incredibly shallow and fickle. She complains about gossips, yet she trashes her step-daughter to anyone who would listen. Her step-daughter lost her father at a very young age and instead of helping her, Esther writes her off as a brat.

Instead of trying to get something out of the sermons and prayers she just tunes them out and later trashes the preacher to others.

Esther strings Chester along for six years and then only agrees to his proposal because she is afraid of losing him. Then she lies and cheats on him. Chester never had the opportunity to learn how to read. He justifies it by saying he doesn’t need to know how to read to do his work and Esther calls him an ignorant fool.

She meets a stranger and falls in “love” with him after a few days.

This story was my least favorite and I recommend skipping it.

The Highwayman’s Bargain by MaryLu Tyndall
While on her way to London to marry her fiancé, Sophie’s carriage is held up and she is kidnapped by her childhood friend who is trying to save her from marrying a moral less rake.

This was another story that had the theme of trusting in God and His time, even when life is hard.

Sophie thinks she has to choose between her parents’ health and a happy future.

I was surprised that Sophie couldn’t see her fiancé for what he was sooner and his reasons for wanting to marry her were awful.

I liked this story. I did predict the ending but still enjoyed it.

Jamie Ever After by Erica Vetsch
Jamie had been in love with her best friend’s brother William since she was a girl.

William was injured in the war and believes himself to be a shell of a man and no woman would love him.

During Jamie’s first season,  William’s cousin threatens to compromise her and force her to marry him.  Williams’s sister Polly begs her brother to marry Jamie and save her.

Will William be willing to believe in love and have a real marriage? Will Jamie get her happily ever after?

This story was about facing our biggest fears and overcoming them.

I loved William and Jamie and thought they were so good together. They needed each other.

I also loved the dogs in this book. Dogs seem to know people’s true selves even better than people.

This story had a great pace. I would love a continuation of it!