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Mail-Order Bride Matchmakers

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She has a passel of matchmaking kids…

Leah is a widow and after being betrayed by her unfaithful and unkind husband, she isn’t in a hurry to marry again. But her four children need a father and after much prayer, a mail-order arrangement seems to be the only choice. She heads West to get married, but when she falls ill, she and the children are rescued by a cowboy.

Buster isn’t any kind of hero. But he can’t ignore a woman who needs help, and he enjoys having the children around. Their company helps heal his grieving heart after losing his twin sister.

Leah watches her children fall for Buster and feels herself falling for him too. But she’s got a groom waiting on her, and Buster has a mail-order match of his own. Will Leah’s children convince the two stubborn hearts that a change of plans might be what God intended?

288 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 17, 2023

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About the author

Linda Ford

217 books369 followers
Linda Ford grew up devouring books and making up stories in her head—often late at night when she couldn't sleep. But she hadn't planned to write. Instead, she dreamed of running an orphanage. In a way, that dream came true. She married, had four homemade children, adopted ten and lived (at times, endured) the dream.

Writing first took her to non-fiction human-interest articles for newspapers and eventually a non-fiction book about tuberculosis set in the 1930s and 1940s (Touched By The White Plague). But romance had always been her first love and she turned to writing love stories. She is multi-published in the CBA market.

She lives on a small ranch in Alberta, Canada, where she can see the mountains every day. She and her husband continue to enjoy their children and grandchildren.

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5 stars
497 (70%)
4 stars
165 (23%)
3 stars
35 (4%)
2 stars
6 (<1%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for Natasha.
382 reviews
November 16, 2023
pure goodness!

This is book 8 in the series and is my favorite, I think. There is no hidden secret, no agenda, no past that will reappear but simply two people who meet in God’s providential time to heal after past heartaches and sufferings. You can just see the kindness and love and the choices that are made out of desire to be good and do good as God commands. Very heartwarming.
It’s well-written, with very relatable characters, good plot and God’s word to encourage the reader.
Profile Image for Janalyn, the blind reviewer.
4,816 reviews148 followers
January 13, 2024
Will she or won’t she?

When Buster went into crows Crossing the last thing he thought he would be bringing home was a sick woman and her four scared children, But that’s exactly what he had. Buster lived on a ranch with his two partners Langley and Shorty who lived in their own homes. Buster missed being a part of a big family so it almost seem like this one was heaven sent although in his pocket he had his letter of intention to his own mail order bride. As Lee gets better buster‘s feelings grow as do hers but she must keep the promise she made to her original groom. This book was much more suspenseful than the books I’ve been reading in the mail order bride genre it seems like the genre is getting better and this author is totally on board with that. For a while I even stopped reading the genre with the exception of one or two authors
But if the stories continue like this one I am definitely back on board. If you love historical mail order bride westerns then you will not be disappointed with this one it is rare to read a book like this and question the outcome and that is exactly what I did with this one so good I absolutely loved this book please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.
432 reviews4 followers
April 12, 2025
Thought I wouldn’t like this story that started off so sick but

The 4 children in this story really capture your heart. I am surprised any man would take on a mail-order bride with 4 children from 3 to 12 years old. Buster is the man that is up to it! Harvey, the real person who ordered Leah through correspondence was a surprise. He was actually a very good kind man. I thought he might turn out to be bad but not so. I guess this is one of those stories where God works in mysterious ways!?! So glad that Del could tame that wild kitty! Very unusual.
541 reviews
April 25, 2026
Matchmakers

A recent widow with four children traveling to become a mail-order bride becomes ill and is put off the train before they reach their destination. What good could come of that? With four match makers at work, will wonders never cease?
They are rescued by a rancher who has been corresponding with a possible mail-order bride of his own. The children fall in love with his ranch house, ranch and him, and plot to change their mother's plans. She is determined to keep her commitment. Read for the surprise ending.
1,037 reviews3 followers
January 18, 2024
very nice

Wow another very nice read by Linda Ford. This is book 8 out of the 10 available, and so far this was the hardest one to put down. A mother of four looking for someone to help with everything. Travels and gets sick on the train and told to leave the train. A rancher decides to help them get healthy. Yet what happens? Love. A very well written book and very enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Bruce Dinsman.
1,659 reviews3 followers
June 22, 2025
Instant Family

Buster rides in to town to get supplies and finds a woman and four children put off the train because she is ill. He takes them to his ranch to give her time to recover, but slowly they fall in love, but both of them are committed to someone else. It all winds up better in the end with Buster giving her intended the letters he has sending to his intended with the idea that they simply swap brides. Not bad, just a little unusual.
Profile Image for Susan.
654 reviews30 followers
April 13, 2026
I love mail-order bride stories. This is a really good one. Leah is a mail-order bride on her way to meet her future husband. She becomes sick and is put off the train. Her children ask a stranger to help. Buster is on his way to mail a letter to ask the woman he has been corresponding to be his bride. However, he cannot in good conscience leave Leah and her children to fend for themselves. What follows is a great story and a wonderful ending.
682 reviews7 followers
October 26, 2023
I enjoyed the book! Leah became very ill on the train so she and her children were forced off the train. Leah’s son recruited Buster to help them. Buster took them to his ranch so Leah could rest and get well. The children were scene stealers!This book is part of a series but can be read standalone. I highly recommend reading this book (and all the others in the series)!
99 reviews
January 26, 2024
A Child needs a Safe Home

This book is a nice heart warming story of a mom trying to get her family a safe, loving place to live. After the harmful past her children had lived in all she wanted was a safe, secure home for them. But trying to care for them almost cost her their safety.
Profile Image for Marty Moore.
788 reviews2 followers
May 3, 2024
mail border Matchmakers

This is a delightful story. I greatly enjoyed each character and felt I could almost "see" the mountains that were described in the story. The children added so much to the story and really were a big part of the story. I would love for another book or four to follow this family through the years. .
1,583 reviews3 followers
August 2, 2024
Montana Mail-Order Brides book 8

Buster was a rancher, but he really wanted a wife and family. Leah was traveling by train with her four children and they were all sick. Buster took Leah and her children home until they could get well. Buster is going to have a hard time letting Leah and the children go.
11 reviews1 follower
April 28, 2026
Whew! Kept Me Guessing 'Til The Very End!

This was one of the best books I have read lately... I knew how I wanted it to end, but never expected how it all worked out. I loved all the scripture woven in and how it was applied. It was very chaste all through with Leah and "Cowboy" getting to know one another very well without crossing any lines of propriety.
57 reviews
October 23, 2023
Beautiful story!

I love the romance, sweet children and the spiritual aspect of the story.
A feel good book that is also wonderful because of the continuation of the
theme that brings back characters from previous books.
241 reviews
February 17, 2024
Great story that shows how God directs people to where they should be.

I would recommend it's to someone who enjoys stories with children and making a family. This shows the support of many, A village of support.
28 reviews1 follower
March 18, 2026
super cute

What a sweet book. I mean the ending is very sweet. Getting the forever love tho was living a life time before full of hardship and cruelty . I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author .
Profile Image for Gladys I Braun-Gleason.
146 reviews2 followers
March 19, 2026
Mail order Bride Bk 8

A very good book book. A great way to spend my

afternoon reading. I love the prayers Bible verses and love of God all love in. Plus a western theme up my alley.
Profile Image for Melody Tregear.
339 reviews
March 24, 2026
Lovely story

'Man makes his plans, but God directs his paths'… when we put our trust in the Lord. This is a beautiful story. I really enjoyed it. Each child was so clearly depicted as well. Wonderful ending. Worth reading.
2,408 reviews13 followers
October 21, 2023
I really enjoyed this story. It is about a lady with four children struggling to survive.
Profile Image for Tricia Cox garrett.
934 reviews5 followers
November 15, 2023
Mail-Order Bride Matchmakers

A mom who's worn out, a toddler with a fever, and three kids trying to find a solution to being put off the train. Good clean romance.
1,262 reviews1 follower
February 13, 2024
great book

This was a great book. I love this author. I highly recommend this book and author. I can’t wait to read the next book by this wonderful author.
343 reviews
April 13, 2024
kept me in suspense

I tried and tried to figure out how this was going to work for Cowboy and Leah never did guess the ending that but I’m glad that it all worked out.
5 reviews1 follower
December 17, 2024
very interesting

I was glad all the way until the end. I enjoyed the parts about the children and was glad when they were so good to their mother.
1 review
March 1, 2025
Great story, I love the way she incorporates the Bible. They have faith in God which is encouraging.
Profile Image for Laura.
1,254 reviews5 followers
July 17, 2025
Awesome story. I loved it.
13 reviews
October 4, 2025
great book

This one was my favorite book so far in the series. Loved the kids and their personalities and enjoyed the wholesomeness of the characters.
Profile Image for Jane Weiler.
170 reviews
March 19, 2026
Realizing it's love

A very well written book. You will enjoy reading how four children and their mother met the cowboy. Very worth reading.
118 reviews
April 2, 2026
Christian romance

Ms. Ford has written a wonderful romance novel that embodies the Christian virtues such as patience, kindness, self control and of course love
Profile Image for momloves2read.
237 reviews5 followers
March 28, 2026
I enjoyed the beginning of this book, but then nothing was happening and it just got boring. Good book to read if you like slow paced character centered novels dealing with past abuse.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews