How did you marry?
Whether you married for love or other reasons, read on to find 9 stories of marriage before love.
This is a wonderful collection of romance.
Character, Plotting And Development:
This collection of nine stories are unique in that the romance does not start until after the marriage takes place. Each is penned by a talented author and you will spend wonderful hours immersing yourself in this clean romance collection.
Each is a unique story of love after marriage and the problems that each must solve to reach a solid firm foundation for their marriage. The authors had the plot, pacing and development of the characters spot on. This book will leave you wanting more.
Stories:
The Substitute Bride by Angela Bell
This story is a different take on the story book “The Ugly Duckling”, and takes place in England. Gwendolyn is the ugly duckling old maid sister to a beautiful out going Cynthia. Cynthia is to marry Lord Carlyle; she has hooked a bigger fish and Gwendolyn is persuaded by her ham fisted mother and manipulating Cynthia to step in at the altar and marry Lord Carlyle.
Follow Gwen and Lord Carlyle through all the missteps and happenings. This story is paced well and the character growth of Gwen from a shy introverted wall flower was wonderful; this story will keep you interested to the end as we watch two shy inverted people grow and mature.
Bridal Whispers by Angie Breidenbach
This is a story of love and family. Maila is a nurse in Saint Paul MN in 1900 America. She considers herself the odd duck as her Swedish mother sent her from home to find her own way. Now that same mother has sent for her, as the family needs her help with the farm as the flu of 1900 has struck them hard; her deceased Cousin Rose’s husband, Burton.
Burton needs help with his General Store while he helps the family. Due to gossip, Maila finds herself married to Burton. Author Ms Briedenbach created a story that shows how family and family structure impact your life.
She weaves a story of family love, misunderstandings, and growth as they live daily life. I loved watching Burton and Maila come to terms with their feelings for each other and the situation they found themselves.
Mule Dazed by Lisa Carter
This is a story of mules, lawmen, vengeful brothers protecting their baby sister’s reputation, and the feisty baby sister. Don’t miss this story. I laughed from the first of the story, and howled in some places.
Author Lisa Carter, has a way with a story; this one has a lawman, Sheriff Braxton Caldwell Cashel and the lady he arrests, Harriet Margaret Brimfield, aka Crazy Hair, for releasing the mules in town; included in this story are her brothers named for books of the Bible and the quaint western town of Hitching Post.
Sheriff Cashel is forced by Harriet’s brothers to marry her, read and find out why. It only gets better from there. Ms. Carter did a wonderful job pacing this story and it kept my interest from the first page. This is one you will read with a smile.
The Sweetwater Bride by Mary Connealy
This is a very humorous story of a young woman living alone in an isolated valley all her life with her horses and long steer cattle that are as tame as kittens; she is suddenly kidnapped by our hero and forced to civilization.
Author Mary Connealy did a wonderful job of plotting and pacing this story as well as portraying the vulnerable emotional state of Debba. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next and if our hero, Tanner, would find the love of his life in Debba and could Debba adapt to civilization.
Ms. Connealy created a wonderful family unit for Tanner, I loved his family. This is one you won’t want to miss. Kudos Ms. Connealy; I loved this story.
A Highbrow Hoodwink by Rebecca Jepson
This story tells of a young naïve woman left pregnant by a wealthy scoundrel Jackson Baxter, and his brother Henry. Pregnant and unwed after one night of sex, naïve Katie Dupont, finds herself a fallen woman with a 10 month old son living hand to mouth.
Henry and his mother have a scheme to keep their social position as Katie’s son, Georgie, has inherited the family monies; oh, what tangled webs we weave as first we practice to deceive as they all try to turn Katie into what they need.
Ms. Jepson, the author, filled this story with twists and turns, the plotting was excellent, and the character growth was wonderful to see. Ms. Jepson created a strong character in Katie. Lovely story I truly enjoyed.
Not So Pretty Penny by Amy Lillard
Penny Pinehurst is a plain homely woman not given to pretty at all; she is desperately in need of a husband to help with the farm and crops after the Civil War as she prays her father and brother will return. So begins a tale of a husband brought from the gallows.
As the crops grow so does the feelings between Penny and Wash. This story is paced well and the plotting was good as we watch Penny and Wash grown into a lasting relationship from an uncertain beginning and problems in-between.
Ms Lillard, the author, wove a wonderful story of patience, love, acceptance and demonstrated that true beauty has nothing to do with outward appearance.
All Fair by Gina Welborn
Coral Davies was born into a family that is feuding with the Kents. Young attraction to Hiram Kent led to a fight between the two warring families that left Coral deaf in one ear, and the blame lies at the feet of Jackson Kent.
After years Jackson, Hiram, and Coral meet again and after a huge bawl in the streets between the families, Jackson and Coral are forced to marry or the family faces jail and misdemeanor criminal records. Ms. Welborn, the author, skillfully showed how destructive feuding and holding on to old grudges, hurts and slights can be; no one can even remember what started the feud.
A skillfull blending of love, action, and emotion. Very good story of love between too people trying to overcome their families destructive history and forge new history.
The Colorado Coincidence by Kathleen Y’Barbo
This is the story of two people, Mack and Gloree, joined together to save a ranch and Gloree from the unscrupulous men trying to take her farm. Widowed Gloree is left pregnant and alone; she needs a husband, and before her husband passed he sent for his relative to marry Gloree.
Mack is mistaken for this man and so begins a wonderful courtship filled with mystery, misunderstandings, evil men, and of course love. Don’t miss this tale of two people who find a lasting love. Ms. Y’Barbo, our author of this wonderful tale, skillfully took two mismatched people with secrets and created a family unit. Follow these two thru all the pit falls, secrets, and mystery to reach their happy ever after.
Railroaded Into Love by Rose Ross Zediker