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Brides For All Seasons #1
Harmony
When prim deportment teacher Edwina Huntington finds herself co-owner of a warehouse with rugged sportsman Tom Wolcott, togetherness in Harmony, Montana, is anything but. And as soon as they discover that they clash more than their choices of paint color—lemon yellow and slaughter red—sparks fly in every shade. Edwina wants to educate women on the ceremonies of society, as preparation for marriage—though she’s resigned to spinsterhood. Tom hasn’t thought much about matrimony one way or the other—his world of big guns and big grizzlies has kept him plenty occupied—until now.
Equally fierce-willed, Edwina and Tom square off for a showdown. But they’re both helpless in the face of the powerful attraction that explodes between them, and soon the battle of the sexes rages in a new direction…true love.
Equally fierce-willed, Edwina and Tom square off for a showdown. But they’re both helpless in the face of the powerful attraction that explodes between them, and soon the battle of the sexes rages in a new direction…true love.
420 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1997
79 people want to read
About the author
Stef Ann Holm
41 books64 followersStef Ann Holm was born in Southern California near Hollywood. With the fantasy worlds of Disneyland and Universal Studios at her doorstep, her imagination was stimulated at an early age. She attended Chatsworth High where Kevin Spacey, Mare Winningham and Val Kilmer entertained on the school's stage. As a semester elective, Stef Ann enrolled in drama and played a Fandango hostess in the chorus of Sweet Charity. It was the beginning and the end of her acting and singing career. She got a "C" in Drama and an "A" in Creative Writing.
She sold her first romance in 1987. While waiting for a load of laundry to complete at the laundromat, Stef Ann made up the name for her heroine, Camry, when she saw a Toyota Camry parked outside in the lot. Who knew that model would end up being so popular, making her in-depth research seem so shallow. Stef Ann has had twenty-three novels and one novella published. Her editor calls her contemporary romances, "Slices of life stories about real people."
Stef Ann lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, extended family and beloved Beagle.
She sold her first romance in 1987. While waiting for a load of laundry to complete at the laundromat, Stef Ann made up the name for her heroine, Camry, when she saw a Toyota Camry parked outside in the lot. Who knew that model would end up being so popular, making her in-depth research seem so shallow. Stef Ann has had twenty-three novels and one novella published. Her editor calls her contemporary romances, "Slices of life stories about real people."
Stef Ann lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, extended family and beloved Beagle.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 16, 2019
This is one of those stories that the reader just has to keep turning the pages to find what will happen next; lots of unexpected things drop from the skies. It starts out simply enough -- A drunk sells his property twice and then dies. Because that drunk owed so much money, the two people who bought the building could not recoup their cash -- they had to share the structure. Thus, Edwina Huntington and Tom Wolcott find themselves co-owners.
Edwina is going to open a finishing school for young ladies; Tom is ready to open a sporting goods store -- the first in the area. Edwina has an interesting back story; she went off to business college and has a wonderful time -- kicking up her heels in the freer environment of Chicago. She had to come back to Harmony to care for her dying mother and figure out a way to pay her deceased parents' medical bills. Because Edwina was from a small town where everyone knew and judged others, she knew she had to keep her previous experiences a secret. She also felt that some of her hi-jinks made her ineligible for marriage (she saw herself as a fallen woman) and she'd come to accept that.
Tom is handsome, self-assured and a bit irritated by the prim and proper Edwina. He wants to pull her tail a bit. When Edwina paints her half of the building yellow and white, with lovely lacy curtains, Tom decides to make a statement. And he does!
This is a great Americana tale. It takes time for them to get together, and that is realistic. When Tom and Edwina start skirting the marriage issue, a boulder shows up in their midst. Tom doesn't want his wife to work and Edwin refuses to be totally dependent on her husband. This is such an accurate theme for the time; the long-held values of Americans were changing as the new century arrived.
This is the first book I've read by Stef Ann Holm (although I've read one or two of her short stories) and I was impressed with the humor and great dialogue in this novel. It is a very satisfying book. 4.5 stars
Edwina is going to open a finishing school for young ladies; Tom is ready to open a sporting goods store -- the first in the area. Edwina has an interesting back story; she went off to business college and has a wonderful time -- kicking up her heels in the freer environment of Chicago. She had to come back to Harmony to care for her dying mother and figure out a way to pay her deceased parents' medical bills. Because Edwina was from a small town where everyone knew and judged others, she knew she had to keep her previous experiences a secret. She also felt that some of her hi-jinks made her ineligible for marriage (she saw herself as a fallen woman) and she'd come to accept that.
Tom is handsome, self-assured and a bit irritated by the prim and proper Edwina. He wants to pull her tail a bit. When Edwina paints her half of the building yellow and white, with lovely lacy curtains, Tom decides to make a statement. And he does!
This is a great Americana tale. It takes time for them to get together, and that is realistic. When Tom and Edwina start skirting the marriage issue, a boulder shows up in their midst. Tom doesn't want his wife to work and Edwin refuses to be totally dependent on her husband. This is such an accurate theme for the time; the long-held values of Americans were changing as the new century arrived.
This is the first book I've read by Stef Ann Holm (although I've read one or two of her short stories) and I was impressed with the humor and great dialogue in this novel. It is a very satisfying book. 4.5 stars
September 22, 2010
Actions of the characters and methods of conflict were not believable. Therefore I couldn’t enjoy the story.
Opinion:
The overall plot was simple and ok. A dishonest man sells a building twice and then dies. The two new owners are forced to share the space. As they get to know each other they fall in love. I did not like the methods used to create conflict. Edwina claimed she would never marry for several reasons which I found unreasonable. Then after she fell in love, those reasons didn’t apply anymore, she just changed her mind. Another conflict was created due to inaccurate assumptions which bothered me. The first time Tom told Edwina he loved her, she convinced herself that it was nothing more than love of a sibling. She then took action based on her “incorrect belief” that he didn’t love her. I like to see a developing relationship, and I need to be able to buy it. But there were too many times that the actions of this couple had me shaking my head, thinking reasonable people wouldn’t do that. There were a few times I thought the author was trying to be clever or entertaining, but it didn’t work for me. For example, Edwina liked to dance in her underwear. When Tom arrived at her home she continued to stay in her underwear and dance with him instead of excusing herself for a moment to put on some more clothes. There was a scene where Edwina thought a jock strap was an elbow supporter and sold several of them to local men who laughed about her afterwards. It wasn’t done in a funny way for me. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy the story, and I wanted it to be over.
Data:
Story length: 417 pages. Swearing language: mild, including religious words. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: 3. Setting: around 1899 Harmony, Montana, and Denver, Colorado. Copyright: 1997. Genre: historical romance.
Opinion:
The overall plot was simple and ok. A dishonest man sells a building twice and then dies. The two new owners are forced to share the space. As they get to know each other they fall in love. I did not like the methods used to create conflict. Edwina claimed she would never marry for several reasons which I found unreasonable. Then after she fell in love, those reasons didn’t apply anymore, she just changed her mind. Another conflict was created due to inaccurate assumptions which bothered me. The first time Tom told Edwina he loved her, she convinced herself that it was nothing more than love of a sibling. She then took action based on her “incorrect belief” that he didn’t love her. I like to see a developing relationship, and I need to be able to buy it. But there were too many times that the actions of this couple had me shaking my head, thinking reasonable people wouldn’t do that. There were a few times I thought the author was trying to be clever or entertaining, but it didn’t work for me. For example, Edwina liked to dance in her underwear. When Tom arrived at her home she continued to stay in her underwear and dance with him instead of excusing herself for a moment to put on some more clothes. There was a scene where Edwina thought a jock strap was an elbow supporter and sold several of them to local men who laughed about her afterwards. It wasn’t done in a funny way for me. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy the story, and I wanted it to be over.
Data:
Story length: 417 pages. Swearing language: mild, including religious words. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: 3. Setting: around 1899 Harmony, Montana, and Denver, Colorado. Copyright: 1997. Genre: historical romance.
April 26, 2016
There was no harmony between this book and I. No harmony at all. We clashed like red and yellow paint on a building that has been split down the middle.
I thought that Edwina could have been an interesting character. This nice and prim lady with high aspirations to teach young women how to behave and snare wed a nice man. Yet clearly there was something a bit naughty beneath those prim clothes. Ooh scandal!
Despite this, Edwina just wasn't a character that I could get behind. Unless it was to push her under a bus. She was simpering and didn't come across as too intelligent. Her constant prattle about her 'precious cat' was one of the final straws. I mean really, how is this entertainment?!
Tom was as much of an arse. A rude smoker who constantly made comments about the lack of intelligence and worth in women. Whoo-hoo! Lemme find him on Tinder and set up a date because he is a catch!
This whole novel was a great and unique premise and could have made for a really sassy and explosive novel. Yet when it came down to it, all we spoke about were dogs and cats. We had underhand dealings with carpenters that were so obvious and clumsy.
Totally frustrating read because there was so much potential.
I thought that Edwina could have been an interesting character. This nice and prim lady with high aspirations to teach young women how to behave and
Despite this, Edwina just wasn't a character that I could get behind. Unless it was to push her under a bus. She was simpering and didn't come across as too intelligent. Her constant prattle about her 'precious cat' was one of the final straws. I mean really, how is this entertainment?!
Tom was as much of an arse. A rude smoker who constantly made comments about the lack of intelligence and worth in women. Whoo-hoo! Lemme find him on Tinder and set up a date because he is a catch!
This whole novel was a great and unique premise and could have made for a really sassy and explosive novel. Yet when it came down to it, all we spoke about were dogs and cats. We had underhand dealings with carpenters that were so obvious and clumsy.
Totally frustrating read because there was so much potential.
February 21, 2011
This is a great read. Lots of humor. I listened to this book and wondered how the narrator was able to stay in character. Imagine a building where one half is a sporting goods store and the other half is a school for proper ladies and you will get the gist of the book. One of my favorite scenes was when the very proper teacher was showing the students how to ragtime and the straight laced mothers came in. There were many other scenes that I really did enjoy. I am excited to read the other 4 books in this series and I am glad to have found another great fun author.
August 28, 2008
Mainly what I remember is an insanely funny scene involving a frog...I wrote the author to thank her for the laugh, and she wrote me back!
March 1, 2015
I liked the story because the characters were so interesting.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews