What do you think?
Rate this book
Civil War Brides
The Bride Fair
Maria Markham had survived the War only to tolerate the Occupation — barely — while daily facing haunting memories of loss. But then Max Woodard, an enigmatic Army colonel with a gentle heart, offered her passion and a loving partnership in a brave new world...!
Though a former prisoner of war, Colonel Max Woodard vowed to deal fairly with the Southerners under his governance. He yearned to understand them, most particularly Maria Markham, a womanly mix of true grit and glory. But could she ever love a man who wore the face of an enemy?
Though a former prisoner of war, Colonel Max Woodard vowed to deal fairly with the Southerners under his governance. He yearned to understand them, most particularly Maria Markham, a womanly mix of true grit and glory. But could she ever love a man who wore the face of an enemy?
304 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 2002
5 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Cheryl Reavis
53 books37 followersAKA Cinda Richards
Former public health nurse, now award-winning romance novelist, Cheryl Reavis, describes herself as a "late bloomer." Her Silhouette Special Edition™, A CRIME OF THE HEART, reached millions of readers in Good Housekeeping magazine and won the Romance Writers of America's coveted RITA award the year it was published. She has also won the RITA award for her Harlequin-Silhouette novels, PATRICK GALLAGHER'S WIDOW, THE PRISONER, and THE BRIDE FAIR. BLACKBERRY WINTER, THE BARTERED BRIDE and a Berkley novel, PROMISE ME A RAINBOW, have been RITA award finalists. She has received numerous awards from Romantic Times magazine.
Her award-winning literary short stories have appeared in The Crescent Review, The Bad Apple, The Mosaic, The Sanskrit, Laurels, The Emrys Journal and Writer's Choice.
Publishers Weekly described her Berkley single-title novel, PROMISE ME A RAINBOW, as "...an example of delicately crafted, eminently satisfying romantic fiction."
Former public health nurse, now award-winning romance novelist, Cheryl Reavis, describes herself as a "late bloomer." Her Silhouette Special Edition™, A CRIME OF THE HEART, reached millions of readers in Good Housekeeping magazine and won the Romance Writers of America's coveted RITA award the year it was published. She has also won the RITA award for her Harlequin-Silhouette novels, PATRICK GALLAGHER'S WIDOW, THE PRISONER, and THE BRIDE FAIR. BLACKBERRY WINTER, THE BARTERED BRIDE and a Berkley novel, PROMISE ME A RAINBOW, have been RITA award finalists. She has received numerous awards from Romantic Times magazine.
Her award-winning literary short stories have appeared in The Crescent Review, The Bad Apple, The Mosaic, The Sanskrit, Laurels, The Emrys Journal and Writer's Choice.
Publishers Weekly described her Berkley single-title novel, PROMISE ME A RAINBOW, as "...an example of delicately crafted, eminently satisfying romantic fiction."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 19, 2017
Torn between 4.5 and 5 stars. But I'm being picky. This book is nearly perfect and I might have to add to my "favorites" shelf. Very well written. I felt like I was there and could feel everyone's pain. It's an intense and emotional read, although I never cried so don't let the sadness deter you. Just warning it is not a lite read. But I loved it and of course there was a HEA so it's all worth it.
After the civil war, it was a very dark time. And it's such a beautiful story about overcoming the divide that occurred and learning to heal. I loved Max and Maria and their relationship. Even thought the book focused on that relationship, I still wished Maria gave a little bit more. She was almost too quiet at times. And of course her hatred towards Max, a union soldier, lasted a bit too long or maybe it was mostly the timing of their first kiss that was kind of off. Max is wonderful, but probably too perfect, and his infatuation with Maria isn't entirely believable. But honestly this is my biggest beef with the story and again, I'm being picky!
To sum up, I love the characters, I love the setting, I love the story and the writing. I highly recommend and now I need to check out more books by this author :)
After the civil war, it was a very dark time. And it's such a beautiful story about overcoming the divide that occurred and learning to heal. I loved Max and Maria and their relationship. Even thought the book focused on that relationship, I still wished Maria gave a little bit more. She was almost too quiet at times. And of course her hatred towards Max, a union soldier, lasted a bit too long or maybe it was mostly the timing of their first kiss that was kind of off. Max is wonderful, but probably too perfect, and his infatuation with Maria isn't entirely believable. But honestly this is my biggest beef with the story and again, I'm being picky!
To sum up, I love the characters, I love the setting, I love the story and the writing. I highly recommend and now I need to check out more books by this author :)
February 15, 2015
Heartwarming story of two protagonists with different allegiances in the post Civil War town of North Carolina. The plot is one of my favorite ones: relationship transformation from hate to love. The writing, the sense of place and time period is all nicely done. This is my first book by the author but definitely not the last. It would be a five-star rating if not for some hard to believe moments (just very few of them) and too nicely wrapped up ending.
April 22, 2014
It was a nice story but definitely boring. I don't know. I liked the plot but I think the characters were somewhat... unfinished. But I definitely liked Colonel Woodard although I'm not quite sure when he transformed from sad to eccentric to cranky to 'suddenly' jealous to being in love with a woman whose breasts he found too small for his taste on very first sight. Otherwise, I liked Max Woodard. He was a gentle hero despite being a prisoner of war. And Maria, well I liked her at first. But like I said, her character was somewhat not defined well and left... unfinished. She possibly must have had bi-polar disorder back then. On a very terrible level. She helps him, hates him, likes him, mad at him, curse him, smile at him then again mad at him, and the cycle continues for the... entire book. Also, it was hard to believe that someone as determined and strong as Maria would do something so dumb as sleep with her fiance to make him stay and end up getting pregnant! Especially one who didn't want to end up like her friend Suzanne would not have done such a thing! And it was in 1860's! Meh! And just as suddenly she was in love with Max at the last page. It came out of nowhere, that I went back to previous pages to see if I had missed anything! It took me a really LONG while to finish this book! I like the writing of this author, clearly outstanding, but I guess she should have worked more on developing the characters and making the storyline more plausible... that's all I'm saying. But then of course that's just my opinion. Because this has been one of those stories, when I finished reading, I was confused and... unsatisfied. But besides that, I should say I liked the side characters MORE than the hero and the heroin. Sergeant Major Perkins, he should have his own book! And the little boys Joe and Jake. Quite honestly, these side characters prompted me to read the rest of the story, or else I never would have finished this book.
June 24, 2015
Cheryl Reavis does a great job with THE BRIDE FAIR, a story that could have been mediocre if written by another author. The romance takes place two years after the Civil War ended when everyone was trying to pick up the pieces to their lives and move on. Bitterness is fresh with the people that are native to the South.
Colonel Max Woodard fought with the North but was a prisoner of war for some time. When approached to govern land in North Carolina, he promised to deal with everyone fairly. He had just started his job when he first meets Maria Markham, a woman who lost her fiancee and two brothers when they were soldiers in the war. Now, Max is suppose to occupy Maria and her father's home.
Ms. Reavis could have written Maria's character as a shrew and Max as an angry man. Instead, she takes two vulnerable people, both sad and tired in their own ways and has them ever-so-slowly reach out for the other. Neither is perfect and their vulnerabilities show. The author takes a terrible time in the history of the United States and shows us that there are good and bad people on both sides. I would guess that if something like this did really happen close to 150 years ago, Max and Maria's love story would reflect closest to the real thing.
If you want a nice read, a book that will engross you for an afternoon, then this special couple's story should entrance you. Try it. This is another Harlequin that is a keeper.
Colonel Max Woodard fought with the North but was a prisoner of war for some time. When approached to govern land in North Carolina, he promised to deal with everyone fairly. He had just started his job when he first meets Maria Markham, a woman who lost her fiancee and two brothers when they were soldiers in the war. Now, Max is suppose to occupy Maria and her father's home.
Ms. Reavis could have written Maria's character as a shrew and Max as an angry man. Instead, she takes two vulnerable people, both sad and tired in their own ways and has them ever-so-slowly reach out for the other. Neither is perfect and their vulnerabilities show. The author takes a terrible time in the history of the United States and shows us that there are good and bad people on both sides. I would guess that if something like this did really happen close to 150 years ago, Max and Maria's love story would reflect closest to the real thing.
If you want a nice read, a book that will engross you for an afternoon, then this special couple's story should entrance you. Try it. This is another Harlequin that is a keeper.
May 26, 2011
I have a bad habit of being stingy when it comes to giving stars. It's actually a 3.5 star book. Maybe I'll change it later. This is a good post-Civil War historical romance. I especially liked the hero, Colonel Max Woodard (more than the heroine, actually). I would have liked to read just a tad more about the various events going on in the town and some of the military things he was doing because it's an interesting time period.
April 23, 2022
Salisbury, North Carolina, giugno 1868.
Al termine della guerra civile, il colonnello Max Woodard torna a Salisbury come capo delle forze di occupazione nordiste. È deciso a governare la città in maniera giusta, non come il suo predecessore.
Maria Markham, una giovane donna di Salisbury è costretta a fornire vitto e alloggio al colonnello nordista.
Dopo aver perso due fratelli e il fidanzato nella battaglia di Gettysburg di certo non fa i salti di gioia per la notizia ma, essendo una figlia obbediente, rispetta il volere del padre malato, accogliendo il nemico.
Max sarà sul serio un nemico?
Tutte le ragazze giovani di Salisbury sono in cerca di marito e non essendoci più buoni partiti hanno la smania di accalappiare un bel soldato per fare comunque un buon matrimonio. Una vera e propria “fiera delle mogli”.
Maria sembra la sola immune da questa frenesia. Perché dovrebbe desiderare di sposare un nordista?
Max è il classico cavaliere dalla scintillante armatura e con una bussola morale ben salda.
Maria è una giovane che è dovuta crescere in fretta sopportando le pene dell’inferno.
Nel complesso non male ma non lo so, mi aspettavo qualcosa di più.
⭐️⭐️,5
Al termine della guerra civile, il colonnello Max Woodard torna a Salisbury come capo delle forze di occupazione nordiste. È deciso a governare la città in maniera giusta, non come il suo predecessore.
Maria Markham, una giovane donna di Salisbury è costretta a fornire vitto e alloggio al colonnello nordista.
Dopo aver perso due fratelli e il fidanzato nella battaglia di Gettysburg di certo non fa i salti di gioia per la notizia ma, essendo una figlia obbediente, rispetta il volere del padre malato, accogliendo il nemico.
Max sarà sul serio un nemico?
Tutte le ragazze giovani di Salisbury sono in cerca di marito e non essendoci più buoni partiti hanno la smania di accalappiare un bel soldato per fare comunque un buon matrimonio. Una vera e propria “fiera delle mogli”.
Maria sembra la sola immune da questa frenesia. Perché dovrebbe desiderare di sposare un nordista?
Max è il classico cavaliere dalla scintillante armatura e con una bussola morale ben salda.
Maria è una giovane che è dovuta crescere in fretta sopportando le pene dell’inferno.
Nel complesso non male ma non lo so, mi aspettavo qualcosa di più.
⭐️⭐️,5
October 3, 2023
A Salisbury, Carolina del Norte, llega Max Woodard, un coronel yanqui que dirigirá la ocupación. Residirá en casa de Maria Rose Markham. Ella lo trata con frialdad y distancia, ¡ha perdido tantas cosas en la guerra...! Por su parte, Max resulta bastante enigmático. Fue prisionero de guerra en una infame prisión sureña precisamente en esa localidad, así que no guarda buenos recuerdos. La suya es una historia que se cuece a fuego lento. La parte sexualmente explícita está tirando al final. Son apasionados en plan decimonónico, intenso sí, y dentro de un orden también.
Crítica más extensa, en mi blog, donde explico un poco lo que quiero decir con eso de que los harlequines a veces me parecen «planchados» y también cómo el ánimo de no ofender a nadie lleva a no profundizar, a tratar a guerra como si surgiera de la nada, por azar. Parece que Maria nunca se plantea que, de todo su sufrimiento, quizá, el ejército yanqui sea el menos culpable.
Crítica más extensa, en mi blog, donde explico un poco lo que quiero decir con eso de que los harlequines a veces me parecen «planchados» y también cómo el ánimo de no ofender a nadie lleva a no profundizar, a tratar a guerra como si surgiera de la nada, por azar. Parece que Maria nunca se plantea que, de todo su sufrimiento, quizá, el ejército yanqui sea el menos culpable.
July 9, 2022
A good depiction of the South during Reconstruction, and a love story about reconciliation. Maria is a very interesting character with a lot to bear and in a perilous situation. Max is a good man with demons trying to do the right thing in a dangerous time. I believed their love story, especially because his sister was caught in a similar situation that gave him the impetus to help her. I particularly liked the boys; they were very real.
February 27, 2018
I got so bored that I ended up skimming the book.... In the end the baby's father happened to be the heroine's ex fiancee, that bastard! Anyways it ended up okay it was not overly dramatic I think..
March 22, 2024
A story of life in the South after the Civil War and a romance between a Southern Belle and a Union Officer. I liked the story.
November 13, 2019
To much of the big M. To much distrust. To much dreary. In addition the couple lacked chemistry. Not as good as the previous book.
June 16, 2019
Tonight, I learned that this is the second in a series of Union soldiers and Southern prison camps. Both this book and its previous partner won RITA awards (see below).
Cheryl Reavis pulls no punches about losses during the Civil War. Maria Markham has lost a fiancee and two brothers. She has grown used to doing without and suffering indignities from the conquering Union soldiers (who are keeping the peace in her hometown). But, she doesn't like the situation or the soldiers at all.
If she weren't such an accommodating daughter, she would have left the new Reconstruction commander at the train station. However, Colonel Maxwell Woodard is definitely a force to be reckoned with -- he likes irritating the haughty Miss Markham. He insists that they travel out to the old Confederate prison camp of Salisbury, North Carolina. He is still haunted by memories of his time there.
Woodard arrives at Bedlam; citizens haven't been paid long-standing debts the Union army owes. There are arson fires around the area and the citizens are hostile.
Woodard is to be housed with the Markham's (as his disliked predecessor was); he finds feeble Mr. Markham easy to like. However, he keeps Maria off-balanced so she has a hard time tossing her anger his way.
When Woodard keeps working on a ceremony to recognize the dead at the Salisbury Prison Camp, I knew that I was missing something important. I need to re-read this book after reading the first book in this series. Obviously, the first book is needed to understand fully this story.
Union Prisoners and Southern Camps
The Prisoner (1992) Best Novel winner (1993): The Prisoner
The Bride Fair (2002) Best Novel winner (2003): The Bride Fair
Cheryl Reavis pulls no punches about losses during the Civil War. Maria Markham has lost a fiancee and two brothers. She has grown used to doing without and suffering indignities from the conquering Union soldiers (who are keeping the peace in her hometown). But, she doesn't like the situation or the soldiers at all.
If she weren't such an accommodating daughter, she would have left the new Reconstruction commander at the train station. However, Colonel Maxwell Woodard is definitely a force to be reckoned with -- he likes irritating the haughty Miss Markham. He insists that they travel out to the old Confederate prison camp of Salisbury, North Carolina. He is still haunted by memories of his time there.
Woodard arrives at Bedlam; citizens haven't been paid long-standing debts the Union army owes. There are arson fires around the area and the citizens are hostile.
Woodard is to be housed with the Markham's (as his disliked predecessor was); he finds feeble Mr. Markham easy to like. However, he keeps Maria off-balanced so she has a hard time tossing her anger his way.
When Woodard keeps working on a ceremony to recognize the dead at the Salisbury Prison Camp, I knew that I was missing something important. I need to re-read this book after reading the first book in this series. Obviously, the first book is needed to understand fully this story.
Union Prisoners and Southern Camps
The Prisoner (1992) Best Novel winner (1993): The Prisoner
The Bride Fair (2002) Best Novel winner (2003): The Bride Fair
April 17, 2014
Esta historia me ha dejado un poco confusa, no me ha gustado. No he terminado de entender a los personajes, no sé porqué hacen lo que hacen ni sé exactamente lo que sienten… No he entendido algunas historias secundarias, han sido demasiado enrevesadas o radicales o no sé…no sé… Al enmarcar la historia en una etapa tan problemática para un país como es una postguerra civil pensaba que iba a tener algo más de profundidad…la historia…y los personajes, pero no…no me ha llegado.
Problemas:
El romance no ha sido muy romántico, y eso es mucho ya que soy fan de los matrimonios de conveniencia, pero este ha sido super raro y aunque he entendido perfectamente las razones de ella no así las de él.
Otra cosa que no me ha gustado: el protagonista está en una situación de poder, evidentemente, en una guerra en la cual han muerto los dos hermanos de la protagonista y su prometido…y bromea con la situación? E intenta “picar” a la protagonista? Ese hombre es un descerebrado…o un desalmado…ponle tú el nombre…no…eso no es romántico.
Malos muy malos … buenos muy buenos…todo muy blanco o muy negro.
Lo que más me ha gustado ha sido la protagonista, por lo menos es fiel a sus ideas hasta que la lujuria se cruza en su camino, eso sí puedo entenderlo, y Mrs. Russell, que es el personaje más sincero de la historia…los demás personajes son estereotipos…planos…
Y el final…flojo como poco… les ha llegado el amor pero yo no le visto…
No me ha gustado, podría haber estado mucho mejor con menos melodrama y personajes más reales…es mi opinión, claro…
Problemas:
El romance no ha sido muy romántico, y eso es mucho ya que soy fan de los matrimonios de conveniencia, pero este ha sido super raro y aunque he entendido perfectamente las razones de ella no así las de él.
Otra cosa que no me ha gustado: el protagonista está en una situación de poder, evidentemente, en una guerra en la cual han muerto los dos hermanos de la protagonista y su prometido…y bromea con la situación? E intenta “picar” a la protagonista? Ese hombre es un descerebrado…o un desalmado…ponle tú el nombre…no…eso no es romántico.
Malos muy malos … buenos muy buenos…todo muy blanco o muy negro.
Lo que más me ha gustado ha sido la protagonista, por lo menos es fiel a sus ideas hasta que la lujuria se cruza en su camino, eso sí puedo entenderlo, y Mrs. Russell, que es el personaje más sincero de la historia…los demás personajes son estereotipos…planos…
Y el final…flojo como poco… les ha llegado el amor pero yo no le visto…
No me ha gustado, podría haber estado mucho mejor con menos melodrama y personajes más reales…es mi opinión, claro…
March 29, 2010
Surviving a prison camp during the Civil War, Max Woodard knew coming back to that same North Carolina town would bring it all back. He was sure that as the new Colonel of the occupying army he could be fair, but he still wanted to know them for some reason. Maria Rose Markham had suffered the loss of two brothers, and a fiancé because of the war and having to house them was insult to injury for her and her father. The new Colonel showed and she knew what would happen, she also knew her situation had changed. The need to protect and care for her father and her friend was was still the main reason for her actions, but now she needed to plan for a future that was different than she expected it to be. If she could help Max know what he wanted to know about the town, could he really help her in return.
Funny, I didn’t realize that The Prisoner by Cheryl Reavis was related - character wise - to the Bride Fair. The main male character of Bride Fair is talked about a lot in Prisoner, while the male and female characters of Prisoner are talked about in Bride Fair. I don’t think it is a series, but knowing the Prisoner story first did make the Bride Fair just a bit better. I liked this story, I liked the characters for the most part. I really enjoyed Max and Perkins (wouldn’t mind finding a story for him). Not sure why I was not as fond of Maria, maybe she just hid her feelings too much even from the readers. I didn’t really feel for her and if I cant’ get that connection with a characters I don’t usually like them as much. Had a connection with Max and Sergeant Major Perkins.
Funny, I didn’t realize that The Prisoner by Cheryl Reavis was related - character wise - to the Bride Fair. The main male character of Bride Fair is talked about a lot in Prisoner, while the male and female characters of Prisoner are talked about in Bride Fair. I don’t think it is a series, but knowing the Prisoner story first did make the Bride Fair just a bit better. I liked this story, I liked the characters for the most part. I really enjoyed Max and Perkins (wouldn’t mind finding a story for him). Not sure why I was not as fond of Maria, maybe she just hid her feelings too much even from the readers. I didn’t really feel for her and if I cant’ get that connection with a characters I don’t usually like them as much. Had a connection with Max and Sergeant Major Perkins.
April 27, 2010
This story takes place in a Southern town shortly after the Civil War...a town under Union occupation still. The hostilities between the Union army soldiers and the residents is high. That doesn't keep the mothers from trying to marry their daughters off to the ranking officers. With too few men, and too many women, the city is often referred to as a bride fair.
One young lady of marriage age is Maria Markham. Maria's two brothers and her fiance were killed in the war, and her father is quite ill. To help keep the house running they board the highest ranking Union officer in their house, a Colonel Max Woodard. Max has no nice feelings for the town. This is the town where he was kept as a prisoner of war, watching hundreds of his fellow soldiers die, nearly dieing himself. While Max is a fair leader, not allowing his men to take advantage of their situations, he holds no love for the town at all.
I loved the characters in this book. Max and Maria were both so hard headed about things, it reminded me of so many I know today. The prejudices on both sides were fascinating and added an element of danger to the story that was always lingering in the background. Reavis did a fantastic job of setting the stage for Max and Maria.
There were numerous twists and unexpected turns throughout that led up to a perfect ending. Not only must Max and Maria fight to find their own happiness, they are both fighting the strict customs and codes of the times. This would have to be one of my favorite romances so far.
4/5
One young lady of marriage age is Maria Markham. Maria's two brothers and her fiance were killed in the war, and her father is quite ill. To help keep the house running they board the highest ranking Union officer in their house, a Colonel Max Woodard. Max has no nice feelings for the town. This is the town where he was kept as a prisoner of war, watching hundreds of his fellow soldiers die, nearly dieing himself. While Max is a fair leader, not allowing his men to take advantage of their situations, he holds no love for the town at all.
I loved the characters in this book. Max and Maria were both so hard headed about things, it reminded me of so many I know today. The prejudices on both sides were fascinating and added an element of danger to the story that was always lingering in the background. Reavis did a fantastic job of setting the stage for Max and Maria.
There were numerous twists and unexpected turns throughout that led up to a perfect ending. Not only must Max and Maria fight to find their own happiness, they are both fighting the strict customs and codes of the times. This would have to be one of my favorite romances so far.
4/5
November 24, 2014
A bit of a surprise. This book was much more substantial than one expects from Harlequin. I do think that the romance seems to take a back seat to the historical aspects of the book. Much of the tension revolves around the fact that the hero is a Union Colonel in charge of the occupation of a town where he was imprisoned during the war. He doesn't have fond memories of the place, but he does his best to be fair and honorable. The heroine is more difficult character to like, at least imo, but she definitely has her reasons. There is an interesting backstory here and it works to create a strong sense of tension and suspense. The author does a fine job exploring the difficulties of the two cultures,post civil-war, trying to figure out how to coexist. In fact, that aspect of the book was the most successful and enjoyable to me. The romance comes slowly, and is actually a bit rushed toward the end, as if the author realized that she had to get a move on since she only had so many pages left. Overall though, an interesting look at a complex and troubled time, with a slow moving, but sweet romance to boot.
February 7, 2017
This RITA-winning historical was excellent. Smooth writing, a very cohesive story and realistic characters made this one a winner for me. Reavis takes us to a setting/situation made for conflict, but not popular with many writers - the Reconstruction period after the Civil War, especially the occupation of Southern towns by Union officers. The personalities and prejudices rang true as people had to renegotiate their lives. The romance was subtle and sweet, laden with complications. I have nothing to criticize about the book. Just very, very good.
August 4, 2010
This is part of the SuperLibrarian blogger e-book bundle V from Harlequin. I'm pretty sure I read this before, in paper, probably when it came out. It's still good.
It's a post-civil war era book, which I like a little better than the Pre- or During the Civil War books. The heroine is a Southerner, the hero is a Northern colonel, sent to command the occupying forces in this town where a prisoner of war camp was during the war--a camp where he himself was imprisoned. He hasn't exactly come to take his revenge on the town--but he's not inclined to do anyone any favors. He's going to billet himself with the family where the previous commander housed himself--the heroine's house. You see where this is going, right? Reavis does a great job with her twists and turns and lots of angst. The Bride Fair of the title comes from the fact that the army of occupation is in town, and lots of the local boys died in the war, so there are lots of women looking for husbands amongst the Yankees.
This is definitely a Good Read.
It's a post-civil war era book, which I like a little better than the Pre- or During the Civil War books. The heroine is a Southerner, the hero is a Northern colonel, sent to command the occupying forces in this town where a prisoner of war camp was during the war--a camp where he himself was imprisoned. He hasn't exactly come to take his revenge on the town--but he's not inclined to do anyone any favors. He's going to billet himself with the family where the previous commander housed himself--the heroine's house. You see where this is going, right? Reavis does a great job with her twists and turns and lots of angst. The Bride Fair of the title comes from the fact that the army of occupation is in town, and lots of the local boys died in the war, so there are lots of women looking for husbands amongst the Yankees.
This is definitely a Good Read.
August 24, 2023
Sept 2010 - I kept this book to reread again since the male character was so lovable, a caretaker, made her (and me) feel all safe and cozy. A little too perfect, of course, but along with realistic enough post Civil war drama it was a good read. The title disappoints (have a feeling it was forced on the author by the series, since others have been equally bad), it doesn't represent the book, which is a better quality than it seems based on cover/description/title. 4 stars
Oct 2017 - Max is such a caretaker - I want him to take me on in a time of need. Such an uplifting tale of human kindness, marvelously executed. Lots of endearing secondary characters, even the prickly Mrs Russell grew on me. Vivid atmosphere of post civil war tensions, occupiers/occupied conflicts. Raising to 5 stars
8/23 ultimate comfort read with a lovely male lead who bridges all manner of adversity including his own prejudices to be with a woman he's "smitten" with
Oct 2017 - Max is such a caretaker - I want him to take me on in a time of need. Such an uplifting tale of human kindness, marvelously executed. Lots of endearing secondary characters, even the prickly Mrs Russell grew on me. Vivid atmosphere of post civil war tensions, occupiers/occupied conflicts. Raising to 5 stars
8/23 ultimate comfort read with a lovely male lead who bridges all manner of adversity including his own prejudices to be with a woman he's "smitten" with
April 3, 2025
This is another RITA award winning book by author Cheryl Reavis.
We first hear of our hero Colonel Max Woodard in a previous book "The Prisoner". Max is left behind when the hero of "The Prisoner" Captain John David Howe escapes. This book takes place 3 years after that book. The war is over and both sides are trying to cope with life after war and now occupation.
Max returns to the Civil War town of North Carolina where he was held prisoner. He fought with the North and our heroin Maria is a Southener who lost both her brothers and her fiancee in the war. Max is the new Colonel of the occupying army and is staying in Maria & her father's home.
I loved watching Maria and Max's story unfold. As with all Ms. Reavis's books the secondary characters are well written and add great substance to the story. There are definitely some surprises along the way. It's one of my favorite books & I highly recommend it!
We first hear of our hero Colonel Max Woodard in a previous book "The Prisoner". Max is left behind when the hero of "The Prisoner" Captain John David Howe escapes. This book takes place 3 years after that book. The war is over and both sides are trying to cope with life after war and now occupation.
Max returns to the Civil War town of North Carolina where he was held prisoner. He fought with the North and our heroin Maria is a Southener who lost both her brothers and her fiancee in the war. Max is the new Colonel of the occupying army and is staying in Maria & her father's home.
I loved watching Maria and Max's story unfold. As with all Ms. Reavis's books the secondary characters are well written and add great substance to the story. There are definitely some surprises along the way. It's one of my favorite books & I highly recommend it!
November 1, 2014
I always enjoy a good romance. They're like popcorn you can just reading them. The Bride Fair was an enjoyable easy read with a likable heroine, Maria and a likable hero, Max. I was a little disappointed in the end of the story as things wrapped up quickly with a rather unsatisfying revelation but over all a good story that kept me wanting more.
June 27, 2011
لطالما كان الصراع بين الجنوب و الشمال بامريكا يثير إهتمامي .. قصة كره تجمع بين شخصين بعد الحرب الأهلية تنتهي بحب صادق و حقيقي ندر وجوده بذاك الزمن
February 18, 2013
This is Reavis at her best. You bet the full benefit of a bittersweet time in our history, along with a great romance.
January 14, 2021
Much better than expected, this book really focused on the post-Civil War setting, and let the relationship develop between the characters in a fairly logical manner. This author impressed me a lot.
September 15, 2015
3.5 stars. Surprisingly good, that is well-written, for a Harlequin.
September 11, 2015
It was weird and I didn't like it.
July 21, 2020
This is just a nice little Civil War romance. It is easy to read.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews