GRR Reviews Alma's Mail Order Husband by Kate Whitsby

Alma's Mail Order Husband tried to set up "fish out of water" scenario, but the conflict seems to be some very thick-headed people making a fool of themselves. And the twist? Almost totally irrelevant.

Alma and her two sisters practically ran the Goodkind Ranch by themselves. Their papa broke his back when a horse bucked him and while he recovered, he barely moved all day. Alma wanted a family of her own, and the only way seems to be getting a mail-order husband... and Jude McCann answered the ad and moved to Texas to join the ranch. But Jude can't help to butt heads with the sisters on how to manage the ranch, then papa accused Jude of being a Yankee that massacred his Confederate unit after their surrender even though he wasn't even born then. The sisters believe their papa is just getting senile but is he? Is Jude hiding something? Will they stay married?

The twist wasn't really worth it and feels utterly wasted. The conflict seems to be some very stubborn people doing stubborn things. Why would Jude presume to know how a ranch is run despite having just arrived? And I'll just spoil the twist right now...

SPOILER

WARNING

I WARNED YOU

Turns out Jude is the estranged son of a Yankee general. His gunbelt, from his father, was what caused papa to recognize him. But he stayed. The end. I wasn't even sure this couple is in love.

Category: Historical Western

Primary Plot: What is this mail-order husband keeping from his new family, when his wife's father called him a dirty Yankee?

Overall Rating: 2/5

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