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Longren Family #1

Silver Heart

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A historical western cowboy romance novel about a mail order bride and the scene is set in Virginia City and Gold Hill, Nevada, in the 1880s.

When Maggie Lucas (mail order bride) leaves Boston for Virginia City, Nevada, she's anticipating a marriage of convenience and life in a new home with a man she's never met. That's more than enough change, in her view. What she doesn't expect, is to find that home threatened as both the market for silver and the Comstock Lode mines themselves dry up and her new husband faces foreclosure. She also doesn't expect to fall in love with the new state, the people in it – and her new husband.

248 pages, Paperback

First published August 22, 2013

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About the author

Amelia Rose

101 books167 followers
I am a shameless romance addict with no intentions of ever kicking the habit. Growing up I dreamed of entertaining people and taking them on fantastical journeys with my acting abilities, until I came to the realization as a college sophomore that I had none to speak of. Another ten years would pass before I discovered a different means to accomplishing the same dream: writing stories of love and passion for addicts just like me.I have always loved romance stories and I try to tie all the elements I like about them into my writing.

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5 stars
235 (41%)
4 stars
183 (32%)
3 stars
98 (17%)
2 stars
33 (5%)
1 star
12 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
Profile Image for Debbie DiFiore.
2,705 reviews311 followers
December 2, 2018
Just okay

It really should be a two star read but intake it three just to be nice. It's first person which is not my favorite and the heroine felt the tingles from both brothers. It was just scattered. The Hero loved his previous wife who died in childbirth and the heroine was very strong and was okay with that. She loved him too, but she kissed his brother. And it sounded like his dead wife did too. The h was a midwife and one of the ladies she assisted loved but the child died. The town blamed the h even though the Woman was an alcoholic and lost other babies. It was so weird. I am not sure I really liked it but it was free. Okay I just changed it to two stars because it really wasn't that great. I really tried. I will read the author again and see If she evolves. I think she writes well. This story was just okay. I had high hopes at the beginning but it didn't really deliver.
Profile Image for ✨ Gramy ✨ .
1,382 reviews
September 4, 2017
.
This is a quick and easy to read mail order bride story.

This one has an odd twist, a third party in the mix. Two brothers and one woman. With this combination, the power of forgiveness through a Christian prospective is necessary and appreciated.

The ability to depend on their faith to help them overcome their struggles and obstacles from past experiences, was refreshing.

It wasn't quite a clean and wholesome read. However, it did stand on its own and is delivered with an HEA.
Profile Image for Timothy Hendricks.
477 reviews6 followers
April 1, 2019
This book was well written and ended well with a happily ever after ending. Based on the synopsis of the book and some of the other reviews I have read is that this is about a “mail order bride.” However I disagree. I have read a number of those because I happen to like “mail order bride” books. I did like this book; but there is a big difference and the other books that I have read on this subject. One, the family of Maggie Lewis was well aquatinted with the Longren family. Hutch and Matthew Longren had grown up as friends to Sophie’s Mother. Her Mother had told her any stories regarding the Longren boys. So when Maggie traveled from Boston to Nevada she knew of them even though she hadn’ met them. So it seems that it was more of an “arranged marriage” than a “mail order bride” thing. And, even though I didn’t like the fact of Maggie being attracted to both brothers even though she went to Nevada for Hutch. I can understand it to a certain degree since she didn’t go there originally because of love but duty. Feeling for Hutch were just beginning and it wasn’t long after meeting Hutch that she meets Matthew and in the beginning was around him as much as she was around Hutch. So I can understand her having feelings for both brothers especially in the beginning. Especially in light of the fact that her Mother had spoken much about both Hutch and Matthew to her. It was obvious through out the whole book that there had been a special relationship between Maggie’s Mother and the Longren family especially Hutch and Matthew. Maggie was getting to know both brothers that her Mother had told her so much about. I had the feeling as I read that Maggie was surprised at the feelings she was developing for either brother because she didn’t go there with that in mind to begin with. She indicated before meeting Hutch at the train station that she had hoped she would marry for love but it was not to be. She was coming to marry Hutch to be his partner and raise a family out of a sense of duty and respect to the arrangement and wishes of her parents. But in the end her marriage to Hutch turns out to be “for love” rather than duty.
Profile Image for Presly Jones.
132 reviews6 followers
October 18, 2018
WHY THIS IS EVEN GETTING A TWO STAR RATING ASIDE THE MANY GRAMMATICAL BLUNDERS IS THE FACT THAT THE AUTHOR PAINTED A REALISTIC SETTING, A REAL LIFE SUITUATION AND I LOVE THAT. THINGS MUST NOT ALWAYS BE PERFECT FOR THE HERO AND HEROINE AND THE HERO MUST NOT ALWAYS BE RICH.
NOW ON TO THE SPOILERS.
I LOST INTEREST AND JUST DETESTED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK WHEN THE HEROINE MAGGIE, DEVELOPED A STRANGE INFATUATION TO HER WOULD BE HUSBANDS BROTHER WITHIN MOMENTS OF MEETING HIM. SHE KISSED HER FIANCE ONE MORNING WITHIN MINUTES SHE WAS BUSY KISSING HIS BROTHER. TALK ABOUT GROSS. THAT JUST PUT ME OFF. LIKE WAS THAT NECESSARY. THERE WERE A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS GOING ON. HUTCH WAS FACING SERIOUS PROBLEMS AND YOU HAD TO CREATE ANOTHER ONE. HIS WIFE TO BE IN A COMPROMISING SUITUATION WITH HIS BROTHER. HOW DO YOU EXPECT HIM TO FEEL. THAT IS DISGUSTING. AND YOU COVERED THAT HORRIBLE ACT BY PAINTING A PICTURE, MAKING IT SEEM THAT EVERY LADY CAN'T HELP IT WHEN THEY MEET MATTHEW. IN SUMMARY ANNIE THERE SISTER WAS LIKE

oh it's okay, women like Matt. They can't help themselves. Ellie was like dat. Not your fault


LIKE WHAT THE HELL. WHAT IS TO SAY SHE WON'T CHEAT ON HER HUSBAND WITH MATTHEW LATER ON IN LIFE. I MEAN MATT WILL ALWAYS BE THERE. THE AUTHOR MADE IT SEEM THAT NOTHING WENT WRONG THAT IT IS NORMAL FOR A WOULD BE BRIDE TO DEVELOP AN ATTRACTION TO HER FIANCES BROTHER AND THEN ACT ON IT BY THROWING HERSEIF AT HIM AND THEN KISSING HIM. THE FUNNY THING IS THAT SHE NEVER APOLOGIZED. SHE JUST KEPT MUM BOUT THAT HORRID ACT THE ENTIRE TIME, EXPECTING EVERYONE TO FORGET. CLAIMING THAT SHE JUST WANTED TO TEST THIS CRAZY ATTRACTION TO MATT. I JUST HATED THIS BOOK CAUSE OF THAT. I FEEL BAD FOR HUTCH, HE FORGAVE TOO EASILY.
Profile Image for Yvette Blake.
Author 8 books14 followers
May 5, 2024
I was very interested in this clean western historical romance as it says in the title and was hopeful when the character action begins, but as far as the romance, I found myself laughing out loud at how ridiculous some of the descriptions were as the author tried not to describe The details in words that would offend but came out very awkward and embarrassing as I was listening to it on audible and burst out laughing. Amelia Rose’s next two books in the series do a much better job, especially the third in the series as it is actually a clean romance. There is lots of action in this book but also too much sexuality that was unnecessary. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting from this author as she is new to me, but since I got the whole series on audible, I pressed on with the other two books, hoping they would get better. The storylines do, weave together nicely. As much as I liked the characters individually, I did not appreciate the forward actions of their romance, which felt like lust more than anything; too quickly jumped in bed. The second book in the series touched on a few of these uncomfortable sexual situations, but didn’t focus on it like it did in this first book. The writing was fairly good as far as description of the area and the history. But I do not care for books in first person and unfortunately experienced these books on audible, with an annoying narrator.The narrator was not good so I tried to ignore that when rating this book.
Profile Image for Rocky.
209 reviews9 followers
June 15, 2017
Maggie & Hutch

23-year-old Maggie accepts the role of mail order bride due to her father's financial woes and because she believes she'll be an old maid otherwise. The man she's to marry is an old family friend who's first wife passed away during childbirth. Maggie is also a midwife and hopes to find approval in Gold Hill. Hutch, the owner/operator of the Silver Sky mine, which is quickly running out of silver. He needs a wife because he is too busy to take care of his house. When the two meet there is an instant attraction. But when Maggie meets Hutch's brother, Matthew, she's also attracted to him. After Hutch catches them in a compromising situation, will Maggie be able to salvage the love she has for Hutch or will he tell her to go back to Boston? After Maggie helps a rich lady through a difficult delivery but the baby is stillborn, will she be able to salvage her reputation as a midwife, or will she be shunned by the women of Gold Hill? Throw in a dangerous rivalry, a budding romance, and some angst and you get a wonderful book.
Profile Image for S. Nomakeo.
Author 6 books6 followers
May 5, 2021
I received a free copy of this audiobook from AudiobooksUnleashed in exchange for an honest review.
Longren Family Trilogy Clean Historical Western Romance By: Amelia Rose
Three in-depth adventures of the times and lives of three woman ensconced in the Longren story. I enjoyed the characters told in first person and the industries of the times. Hutch and Matthew Longren were involved in a silver mine, a hotel in Virginia City, and Matthew goes on to engineer a train as the industry comes to town. In the first book, Maggie a midwife comes to town from Boston and resolves her issue of which brother to choose. Chole loved Matthew all her life and that story is told in the second book. The third story is of the daughters of the Longren brothers only sister, Annie, and explores the lives of a rancher and cattle herders and the problems of 'fitting in'. Two separate narrators were very good and I would recommend this trilogy. The author chose to identify this as a clean Western and there was plenty of romance without the details.
Profile Image for Patty.
5,116 reviews55 followers
August 14, 2017
Sweet, Western mail order bride book as I love to listen to by Amelia Rose. She has a way of weaving the characters in her stories together, giving you a sense of family and community. This is the first of the Longren Series, Maggie coming to marry Hutch. Maggie is a midwife, and there are several scenes with the realistic view of the times with the births of children, one is particularly heart wrenching. Hutch's siblings are in the forefront of the story, meeting Matt his brother who turns out to be quite the character. Lots of interaction, small town gossip and antagonism and love to be shared, this book gives you a lot of feels. Looking forward to Matt's story.

Haven Blythe is the narrator of this book and it's the first narration I have heard from her. She has a pleasant voice, though her differentiation between characters at times is hard to hear. Her pace is a little slow but the overall performance was gratifying.
28 reviews
April 9, 2024
Odd family dynamics

The writing and basic story was okay. Maggie is a likable character for the most part, but I was turned off by some of her actions. Lucas is a bit taciturn & is under a lot of pressure with his mine & finances, but he is a good & forgiving man, overall.

There’s a sort of moral ambiguity. I did appreciate the guilt rightly felt by one of the characters, but it still seemed a little unresolved. Then, this character pushed for premarital sex—it’s not really graphic, maybe PG-13–which was completely unnecessary. There are a few curse words. The family dynamics are a little strange, but sweeping things under the rug isn’t unusual in families, I suppose.
3.5 stars
994 reviews10 followers
April 23, 2020
MINERS, MIDWIFE, LOVE

4 STARS for this Historical Old West Era Romance Drama. Maggie a mail order bride of a sort has gone to Virginia City, Nevada to marry Hutch; who had been a friend of her Uncle & knew her Mother. Going on she had read many letters written by him & so is halfway in love with him only being 5 years his junior. This fast paced story has Maggie questioning herself on both her job & relationship then a bit of hardship with both, too. It's a good book & different, has some heated kisses & isn't your usual cookie cutter mail order bride books. Just a good read.
301 reviews1 follower
June 29, 2023
Great western romance

Maggie couldn't imagine what she wasn't doing. Moving across the country from Boston to Nevada only accompanied by her aunt. When she arrived in Nevada she knew no one and only knew a little about her future husband, Hutch. The first time she sets her eyes on Hutch everything changes for her. He is handsome and begins to make her heart race. What she didn't expect was for everything she thought was going to be hers to be threatened right under her and Hutch's feet. Will Maggie stay and keep her promise to marry Hutch? Are the problems going to ever be resolved?
Profile Image for Beverly McCall.
Author 2 books28 followers
July 3, 2020
Amelia Rose has penned a interesting character driven romance tale. As such, readers can expect flawed primary characters. But, Ms. Rose goes a step further by adding intrigue into her plot line. Set in a small western town with small minded people, these main characters forge on to build a new life for themselves. I appreciate how Ms. Rose uses emotional conflict to move the plot line along. Wish there was a bit more intrigue instead of just a hint of one with the motivation of the antagonist.
346 reviews
August 29, 2017
A new life

Maggie left Boston to marry a daily friend, Hutch, who had lost his wife in childbirth. The day she arrived her future brother-in-law, Matthew was shot. There were many problems that Maggie faced including which brother she loved. She was also a midwife who was called on to assist in a difficult birth. This is a very nice story of Maggie finding her way and Hutch overcoming difficulties. I believe you will enjoy this book.
Profile Image for Mary Pummill.
46 reviews
February 15, 2018
Silver Hearts :Mail Order Bride Historical Western Cowboy Inspira

Interesting story about what a woman goes through when they head out west not knowing what faces them to become a bride to someone they have never met. In her case at least her family was acquainted with his family. She also ended up not knowing if she would have a home to live in or whether she could practice her profession of being a mid-wife.
Profile Image for Dana Redding.
486 reviews1 follower
January 16, 2020
Silver Heart

Maggie travels to Meet Hutch he is to be her husband.
On the way to his home the wagon wheel breaks, as soon as they are home he learns his brother Mathew has been shot.
Maggie is a midwife and goes to help Mathew.
She patched him up and they brought him to the house. He kisses her but Hutch catches them and throws him out.

Not a bad story, I didn’t care for Mathews behaviour, but when explained his ways I understood.

I enjoyed reading this story
Profile Image for Suzanne Marble.
111 reviews13 followers
Read
July 25, 2019
Good story with great twists and imagery

This rating is very fitting of a good story. Great message within but also a good, can't put you down kind of read. I mean the twists were amazing and came from nowhere. The feeling of family was great and strong. You truly felt like the characters were real people you'd have met back then. Exactly what I look for in a good story!
471 reviews3 followers
February 6, 2021
Realistic, interesting key characters and love story

Great historical world-building. I felt like I was there with Maggie as she acclimates to hot and dusty Nevada, to a small western town lifestyle, and builds relationships with her new family-to-be, especially with Hutch, her husband to be. Their conversations and interactions are beautifully portrayed.
931 reviews3 followers
December 5, 2017
Awesome

This was an awesome book.It was well written & the storyline was great. It had romance,sadness& suspence.It kept you guessing what was going to happen. Could not put it down.
156 reviews10 followers
January 17, 2018
Silver Heart

This is another story of a mail order bride coming from Boston to be a bride in Nevada. This story showed the family influences on this couple and the fact that she is a midwife and the influence that had. I'm sure you would enjoy this book as I did.
Profile Image for Nancy Turney.
36 reviews
January 22, 2018
Job opportunity for a midwife

Good reading. Interesting town folk,
Accepting a change in her life, need for adventure & to help women with their pregnancy & to makes friends in a new town
Profile Image for Debra Barstad.
1,388 reviews13 followers
September 7, 2018
This book was easy to read. I am not one for romance or historical type romances but this one was okay not to over the top romance but not overly boring historical either. If you want a light fast read in this genres I would recommend
541 reviews1 follower
October 21, 2018
Lovely!

This is a delightful romance that shows how differently people react to different situations. How brothers can be the best of friends while often being irritated with one another.
7,756 reviews49 followers
March 12, 2020
Maggie is a midwife, going to marry Hutch in the 1880’s in Nevada. What she don’t expect was that the mines might close and foreclosure might happen for her husband. A good plot and enjoyed the narration Given audio for my voluntary review and my honest opinion
Profile Image for ReadingWench.
2,102 reviews13 followers
July 22, 2021
I love Amelia Rose. I like the way she writes and her stories. However, this series felt like it was not written by her. It is written in the first person, which is just odd in my opinion.

I do like the characters in the book. I listened to this on audio and it was good. Not great, but ok.
Profile Image for One Sentence Audio Critic.
941 reviews18 followers
August 18, 2022
Longren 1. Silver Heart. 248 pages. 2014. Maggie Lucas, Bostonian midwife and mail order bride, arrives in Nevada to see her intended's mine begin to fail as the silver veins and market play out. Clean, sweet, hopeful with rich subplots. Can be read as stand alone.
Profile Image for Carri Kelsey.
198 reviews
July 5, 2017
Lovely

What a lovely book, full of hopes and dreams, love and misery, happiness and sorrow, adventure and adversity, and happy ever after.
805 reviews2 followers
December 30, 2019
Fallowing the hart

This was a very nice story about leaving one’s home to take on the roll of a wife of someone not knowing what they expected
265 reviews1 follower
January 6, 2020
Touching Story

This is a love story -- sometimes sweet and sometimes stormy, set in a mining town when silver was discovered. It is definitely a good read!
177 reviews1 follower
September 20, 2020
Not my kind of reading

Story was interesting but for me too much feely touchy stuff.I wanted to ready it all but because of that I didnt
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews

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