GRR Reviews Bride for Nathaniel by Kay P Dawson

In the early 1900s, Nathaniel is a mountie in Cougar Springs, Alberta, and he likes the town, but also clueless with women. He reluctantly accepts a mail-order bride from back out East, and got Claire... // Claire helped those in need, even when it costs her. She lost her job as a maid when her role in helping her mistress escape to marry a mountie was exposed, and she had no regrets. Marrying a mountie would be nice... Until Nathaniel's old nemesis showed. The newly married husband and wife disagree on how to proceed. He wants to protect her, she wants to see the evil brought to justice. Will this tear them apart?

Not bad, though the wedge issue feels a bit overdone. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews Bride for Easton by Cassie Hayes

It is the early 1900's. Molly refused to have her life arranged by her parents any more. She wants a large family, not to become a nun. When all attempts to dissuade her parents failed, she sought the help of matchmaker Hazel, and became a mail-order bride... // Easton is the commander of the mounties... in Cougar Springs, Alberta. It's a small town and while the duty is not hazardous, it can use some female company... not that Easton really wanted any. But when his men are getting restless, he had to get his own bride... but when the spunky ex-nun showed up, his life is turned upside down...

Ah, one of those surprise marriage stories and a bit of opposite attract. Good, not great. 4/5

GRR Reviews A Western Love for an Unexpected Bride by Etta Foster

Mary is a maid for the Penningtons's young daughter. But when the daughter actually answered a mail-order bride ad, and was accepted, Mary was sent in her place. On her way, the train was robbed, and she was saved by Emmanuel, wandering the West but on his way home to Arizona. Emmanuel had his own pains he ran from, but Mary called out his protective instincts like no other. He will escort her to her destination. But what happens next... will be up to them.

More of an adventure story, with a lot of side trips, as the "couple" wasn't together for, I'd say, half of the book, separated by choice and circumstances. Adventure and romance are okay, but pacing could use some help. And ignore the page count. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews A Secretive Mail Order Widow for the Humorous Rancher by Elliee Atkinson

Nancy became a widow when her husband, heir to banking family, was killed in a bank robbery. Nancy was then forced out by her (former) in-laws. With no choice, she became a mail-order bride, and ended up in Low Valley as wife to Ben, who was happy to meet Nancy, and enchanted by her beauty, but he can also see she's hiding a secret... However, Bea, a maid on the ranch, claimed that Ben was his, and she'll do anything to get rid of her competition...

Decent love triangle, though why didn't they escalate this to the ranch owner is beyond me. 4/5

GRR Reviews Bella by Cynthia Woolf

Bella became a thief by necessity to survive the streets of New Orleans. She assuaged her guilt by giving away half of her loot from the rich to the poor French emigres in the city while saving up for her dream to open a French restaurant in San Francisco. But her last job didn't go as planned... While she got away, the police were after her. She signed up as the mail-order bride of Robert and traveled out west to Oregon City. She didn't know that Robert is the town Marshal... Or someone followed her out West, intending to take her loot for his own... When will Robert find out? What will he do? Will he able to protect her?

Nice adventure, good twists and turns, though why she just doesn't hold the evil doer at gunpoint for her husband is somewhat exasperating. 4/5

GRR Reviews Mail-Order Brides of Spring Water Box Set (1-3) by Kathleen Ball

NOTE: This Box Set / Collection has three books and should be read in order. While they are independent stories, you get more if you do read them in order.

Book 1: Tattered Heart

Georgia aka "Georgie" lost everything and everyone in the Civil War, in spite of (or because of) high class. And she learned how to live quickly, with the former-slaves teaching and sheltering her. With no other possibilities, she accepted a mail-order bride proposal in Texas with a former-Confederate Captain. But her arrival completely surprised Parker, who was deceived and betrayed by a woman who he believed he will marry after the war. He had no idea his deranged mother had arranged for a bride for him. But he will marry her. He had no idea what depravities and cruelties Georgie would be subjected to while he's away for business...

Detailed, and Georgia was almost broken, which was very hard to read at times. It's mostly about Parker winning back Georgie's trust. 4.5/5


Book 2: Shattered Trust

Max wanted to win his own home offered by Parker and Georgie, and he decided to get a mail-order bride as well. He got Veronica, who came with a surprise: a 4-month old baby girl, even though she claimed to be a widow of 3 years. Veronica was clearly hurt before, and she can no longer live in the town that chose to condemn her (she was forced). Max wasn't sure how to treat Veronica, except very tenderly, and accepted her. Then the baby daddy showed up...

Nice, VERY detailed, and basically someone who's down and out, tries to do better, only to be beaten down again. And only faith and love can carry them through. 4.5/5


Book 3: Glory's Groom

Glory grew up in an orphanage, but she's old enough to be married off. She can teach, but is that going to be of any use on a Texas ranch? And what about being a wife? // Kent, a friend of Parker (see Book 1) won the next "house" by marrying Glory. Outside, hooded figures terrorized the freed slave community. Ranch owner Parker decided to hire the freedman as help on the ranch at the same salary as his other help. This leads to conflict with the town, while Glory found many children on the ranch without education and organized a school. But is that enough to sustain a marriage?

Good mix of adventure, and people at their best... and worst. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Mail Order Misfit by Jenna Brandt

Cara became an orphan when her mother was killed, and somehow, her father was found guilty of her murder and hung. Being a fiery red-headed Irish lass that no one in town would touch, she had no choice but to accept a mail-order bride offer out to the Dakota territories. When a man tried to force himself on her, she defended her honor by threatening him with her knife. But when he turned it around and accused her of trying to rob him, she did not hesitate to jump off the train... // James, former Army scout, had built up a respectable life for his family... but when his wife died, leaving three children behind, he must find another wife. After rescuing his intended from the wilderness (she jumped from the train), and have her acclimated to his children, James was surprised to see Cara arrested for a crime she did not commit... James was determined to find the truth... and get his wife back... by chasing down the man responsible...

No plot-holes other than Cara looking guilty by running from the law. But the motivation is actually understandable. She doesn't trust the law as far as she's concerned.  It was nice how the whole thing ties together. I find the ending a bit too quick and convenient though. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews The Cowboy Takes a Bride by Kristi Rose

Meredith had enough of her life. Her father had completely changed after her mother's death. She was forbidden to have any male friends. She was told to "spy" at the social functions. Even her education was on hold. Her father refused to acknowledge her migraine headache and forced her to get out of bed to attend yet another function was the last straw. She had to escape, and becoming a modern mail-order bride wasn't quite what she expected, but she's desperate enough to trust a stranger... // Jace just got an ultimatum from his ailing father... Get married or get cut from the will. But all the women he knew can't handle ranch life, being hours from shopping and stuff. With not much time left to his father, suffering from ALS, Jace trusted a matchmaker to find him a temporary bride... and he got Meredith... who needed to get away. Everyone comes out ahead. So why does this marriage feels so real?

Good touches here and there. Father's treatment "sorta" makes sense, all under the guise of "protection and love". And it took a special encounter with a bear and appearances in the news for her father to finally locate her. But this darkest hour was kinda... meh? Of course, it took a sibling to point that out. At least the grand gesture was good. 4/5

GRR Reviews Love Finally Takes Control by Carol Colyer

Amy Louise likes to speak her mind and as a result, no one in her town wanted to marry her. She decided to try her luck as a mail-order bride, and landed in the frontier, only to find her intended extremely ill to a fever. But she always loved hard work, and immediately took over the goat milking, cooking, cleaning, feeding, and other duties... but what does she know about the groom other than his name: Oliver? // Oliver was a scout and both speaks and is friendly with the Apache Indians nearby. But his failure to find several AWOL soldiers alive (they were found dead) leads to a local rich rancher (and rabble-rouser) spreading bad rumors about him. They can help each other, and they can help others in need... but can they love?

This is more of an adventure novel, as the pair ended up helping the town through multiple crises, saved a couple people from a conspiracy and potential murder. Adventure is 5/5, but romance? 3/5. Overall 4/5

GRR Reviews Love On Her Own Terms by Carol Colyer

Kathleen, upon turning 18, was shocked to find that her parents promised her to their business associate since she was 13... A much older man she had always called "Uncle Elias". She became angry when she overheard that she was "given away" as a part of a business arrangement. In a fit of anger, she chose to be a mail-order bride under an assumed name, and travel out West to marry Dan, a rancher out in Tombstone, Texas, a man she never met... But who is this mysterious stranger on the train? // Dan was lonely in Tombstone running the ranch, and deal with his delinquent brother who only knows how to spend money, not to make any.  Then he learned that his no-good brother had whisked away his bride to a neighboring town, intending to marry her before he showed up...

As an adventure, this is great, as there are excellent twists and turns in the story. However, the pacing seems a bit off, that I almost thought the story ended multiple times, only to see there's more to come. Yet the book doesn't seem to be a "combo volume" or have been serialized. Let's just say more than one guy (let's just say, more than TWO) will be fighting for Kathleen's affection, and some of them will resort to... un... ungentlemanly manners to get what they want. Add the Earps in town, and it'd be fireworks!  4/5

GRR Reviews Helen Heals a Hotelier by Linda K Hubalek

Helen answered a mail-order bride ad and was stranded in Clear Creek Kansas with her four little girls when her groom turned out to be a con man. She needed a job fast. // Ethan was in charge of the family hotel in town while his parents are taking a trip. Ethan still hadn't gotten over his fiancee, Sarah, left him at the altar. When Helen needed help, and she clearly knew what she was doing (she helped ran a hotel in Pennsylvania) Ethan hired her as he can definitely use some help as well. Ethan and Helen make a great couple... In business and in life. Imagine his parents' surprise when they returned to find four kids and various changes to the hotel...

Nice, sweet, with enough comedic moments, tense moments, and satisfying moments (like when the crook got caught), with a good pivot (from he saving her to she saving him). And the family of four girls (all different fathers) was one long tale of heartbreaks. Very good touches. The "big ending", however, didn't feel that big. But it's a minor flaw, IMHO. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews A Secret Buried in the Ranch by Aurora Hanson

Georgie is a rich tomboy and her father's wealth had always kept the bad boys at bay. She prefers riding to romance. But when her father died, the only hope for her to keep the ranch is to marry. And her existing suitor, Leo, is simply not suitable for her. So she put in an ad for mail-order husband... // Jeremy knew he went wrong and his stint in prison was his debt to society paid in full. Unfortunately, the bad people he associated with before wanted him for one last thing: they want the loot they stashed before they got captured. He wanted to thank the man who helped him, only to found him dead... and his daughter in search of a husband. Jeremy wed Georgie, by pretending to be her mail-order husband. But his disguise is thread-bare, and Jeremy had fallen for Georgie already. Can he save everyone he loved? Or will his past bury him like the secret buried in the ranch?

Good setup, okay execution. 4/5

GRR Reviews A Mail-Order Bride to Heal His Heart by Etta Foster

Alexandra always suspected there's a reason why her family didn't love her. When she found the reason, her father refused to answer. Determined to make her own way in life, she left the East coast as a mail-order bride to Caleb out west. While Caleb is a gentleman and richer than he ever expected (in fact, he has a housekeeper to do most of the chores!) Caleb has his own problems... He has an evil cousin who believes that Caleb's ranch belongs to him due to some imagined "injustice" perpetrated upon his father (Caleb's uncle) by their grandpa. And the cousin is the vengeful sort that would sabotage his ranch. In fact, this cousin Zeke married Caleb's first mail-order bride. What has Alexandra gotten herself into?

Eh... the storyline barely makes sense. It's clear cousin Zeke's sole purpose is to mess with Caleb, except none of this harassment actually gets him closer to his goal, unless Caleb gets killed. And how exactly does this affect Alexandra? Sure, Alexandra did show some character growth, as she did learn a little to use a gun and to ride a horse, but that's about it. Meh. 2.5/5

GRR Reviews From Secrets to Redemption by Katherine St Clair

NOTE: Historical Western

It is 1872. Romina lives with her father in Boston, barely surviving. They accepted a guest lady from England, Evangeline, a mail-order bride from a prestigious family for a wealthy Nebraska farmer, Raymond. But when Evangeline died from her "seasickness", Romina's father told Romina to take Evangeline's place... and head out to Nebraska. Raymond is the typical nouveau-riche... spoiled and arrogant, used to getting his own way. And Romina is stuck. If she were to refuse marriage, she would be exposed as a fraud, and in turn, implicate her father. Yet living and being married to the man would not be bearable, esp. when Raymond is hiding a few secrets of his own. Things got complicated when Evangeline's lover came to Nebraska to find her...

While the setup was very nicely done, with great escalations, somehow I just didn't quite feel the LOVE developing between the two characters. When did hate and hostility turn to grudging respect, friendship, then love? 3.5/5

GRR Reviews The Billionaire's Email-Order Wife by Vivi Holt

Cassidy lost her husband after three years of struggling with cancer. With a load of medical debt, she had to move back in with her parents, while taking care of three kids and working two jobs. She's getting burned out, and she sees no way out... Her friends signing her up for online dating did not help. Until there was a match in the same small Georgia town... // David Weston had enough of his rockstar life, after a full decade of debauchery. He just bought a mansion in his hometown in Georgia, with his own recording studio, hoping to figure out where to go from there. Being matched with an email order bride in the same small town is a surprise. Finding it was his old high school sweetheart Cassidy was... priceless. But can he ever convince her that he wants her for who she is now? That they should get married first, and the love will come later?

Sweet, good use of kids, but the threat to love was basically a ton of self-inadequacy (no way I am good enough for him/her).  Also, it's sort of between marriage of convenience and marriage of love. Cassidy needed a man, and David has plenty of money. But Cassidy basically believe that he did it out of pity, and that's almost a TSTL moment. 4/5

GRR Reviews Elof's Mission by Linda K Hubalek

In the year 1886, Elof, former soldier, has just delivered a grave marker to a Montana cemetery for a friend's father's grave. He plans to join them in Clear Creek, Kansas when he came upon a young woman and a child being evicted. Turns out the young woman, Linnea, was a mail-order bride that arrived and married the man eight days ago, and Jamie, the child, was the son of the dead man from a previous marriage. With nowhere to go, and Elof and Linnea both being Swedish descent, the widow and stepson agreed to accompany Elof to Kansas. Elof wanted to marry Linnea and provide for Jamie, but he has nothing at the moment. Then Jamie's grandparents arrived in Kansas to contest custody...

Sweet, but not much else. 3/5

GRR Reviews Rider's Desire by Laura Stapleton

Clay is a pony express rider that usually rides between Sacramento and Carson City. However, when his local station master revealed that a miner has died leaving several unclaimed letters, and obviously from a special lady, Clay decided he'll ride way east to return the letters. On the way, he had to open the letters to dry them, and he accidentally read one, then another... and he's in love... // Abigail started a pen pal relationship with a gold miner looking for a mail order bride. She's not expecting a letter informing her of her beau's death... And even less for the sender of bad news to show up on her doorstep only a few days later...

As an adventure, it's great. but as a romance, it's well below average. In fact, you don't see Abigail and Clay together until the 80% point. 3/5

GRR Reviews Flirting in Flagstaff by Keira K Barton

NOTE: Part of At the Altar series by Kirsten Osbourne

Tess had fallen for too many 'wrong guys' that in desperation, she joined Matchtrimony with her three friends, and put her "fate" into the hands of Dr. Lachele, matchmaker extraordinaire. But Dr. Lachele specialized in "at the altar" matches... She won't see his groom until at the altar. // Levi wants to buy Mr. Earl's ranch, but the old man won't sell to a bachelor. But Levi doesn't know any one to marry... and signing up with Dr. Lachele wasn't the instant solution he needed, even when Dr. Lachele told him to move to Flagstaff, as his future bride is in the area. What he didn't know was he ended up working on Tess' ranch, and Tess is his intended match. They fell for each other BEFORE their respective weddings, not knowing they'll see each other at the altar... But he hadn't told her his plans...

Hmmm... Nice, short, sweet, but his plan to go back wasn't quite... well thought out. But the end was a bit of gift-of-the-magi mutual compromise. 4/5

GRR Reviews Always in Albuquerque by Kirsten Osbourne

Alexis has achieved everything she wanted... Except finding a life partner. She's a trained and certified life coach with an established clientele, but her training doesn't cover finding a date that she'd want a second date with, much less getting married. Desperate for a solution, she went to her old mentor, Dr. Lachele, who agreed to find her a match... AT THE ALTAR, much like a modern-day mail-order bride. // Dirk is a college professor (and vegetarian) who's way too serious about his image, yet he knew he couldn't date to save his life. Being matched to Alexis AT THE ALTAR seems to be an epic mismatch... She's way too... flamboyant for him, and he's too straight-laced for her. But can they see through their surface difference to their HEA?

Hmmm... this series is about some apparently epic MIS-matches that turn out to be... not mismatches at all, usually with some hidden truth revealed about why is each person the way s/he is. So it's deeper than it seems, but you're not going to find a surprising twist or super-angst-y emotion here. 4/5

GRR Reviews Mastered: Opal by Emma Rose

NOTE: Emma Rose is an alternate penname of Chantel Rhondeau with a different writing style.

Olivia suffered major PTSD when an auto accident took away her family and her fiancee. Subsequent panic attacks left her unable to hold down a job, even after recovery from her physical injuries. About to be evicted and deep in debt, her last chance is to be a modern mail-order bride at Millionaire Match under codename Opal. She never imagined she'd end up in a marriage of convenience with Byron, who's rich and intense... and needs some heirs before he can inherit the business. Byron has no time for dating, and picking a bride from a list is perfectly suitable for him. Not that he'll fall in love with her... right?

(Rant mode: on) I have problems with these "weird will" situations, esp. when the requestor is still alive, as these are obviously unreasonable demands. Why would you give control of the company to someone else, like a cousin, "just because" your son doesn't want to get married?  Esp. if that cousin has no experience? And obviously, when he got married, the requestor flips 180, "If you keep her, you'll not get control of the company". This just proves that the weird will trope is STUPID overall. At least with it being a real 'will' (i.e. from a dead guy) there's no arguing with a box in the dirt. With the person being alive, it just highlights how ridiculous the trope is. (Rant mode: off)

Anyway, the complications are tolerable, but I just didn't feel much for these two characters, unlike OTHER Chantel Rhondeau novels I've read, and I've read PLENTY (all of the McAllister series, plus a few others) 

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 3/5

NOTE: Tropes are now in the "Labels" below.