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The Major's Wife
In this western historical romance, a woman pretends to be her married sister and falls in love with the husband who isn’t truly hers.Major Seth Parker knows his wife, and the woman standing before him isn’t her. The manipulative vixen who tricked his hand in marriage could never possess such innocence—nor get his heart racing like this!Millie St. Clair has traveled halfway across the country to pull off one of the greatest deceptions ever. But with everything at stake it soon becomes clear that the hardest part might be walking away from the Major when it’s all over . . .
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 21, 2014
35 people are currently reading
109 people want to read
About the author
Lauri Robinson
175 books127 followersLauri Robinson's chosen genre to write is Western historical, and when asked why, she says, "Because I know I wasn't the only girl who wanted to grow up and marry Little Joe Cartwright."
With a degree in early childhood education, Lauri has spent three decades working in the non-profit field for Head Start, Child Abuse Intervention, the March of Dimes, and United Way. She claims the once upon a time and happily ever after premise of romance novels has always been a form of stress relief. When her husband suggested she write one, she took the challenge and has loved every minute of the journey.
Lauri lives in rural Minnesota, where she and her husband spend every spare moment with their three grown sons and their families, which includes three granddaughters, two stepgrandsons and two granddogs. She volunteers for several organizations, including her local library, and spends most fall weekends filling the freezer with homemade foodstuffs from the bountiful harvest of her husband's green thumb. She's a diehard Elvis fan (yes, she's been to Graceland), and loves to spend Sundays watching NASCAR, either live or on TV. However, she says her favorite weekends are spent in the woods of northern Minnesota on the land homesteaded by her great-grandfather.
Most of her childhood was spent in western Kansas, which is the setting for several of her stories. Lauri is a member of RWA, Northern Lights Writers,and Hearts Through History Romance Writers, as well as several online writing groups. She writes for Harlequin, Mills and Boon and The Wild Rose Press.
For updates on her writing please visit www.laurirobinson.blogspot.com
With a degree in early childhood education, Lauri has spent three decades working in the non-profit field for Head Start, Child Abuse Intervention, the March of Dimes, and United Way. She claims the once upon a time and happily ever after premise of romance novels has always been a form of stress relief. When her husband suggested she write one, she took the challenge and has loved every minute of the journey.
Lauri lives in rural Minnesota, where she and her husband spend every spare moment with their three grown sons and their families, which includes three granddaughters, two stepgrandsons and two granddogs. She volunteers for several organizations, including her local library, and spends most fall weekends filling the freezer with homemade foodstuffs from the bountiful harvest of her husband's green thumb. She's a diehard Elvis fan (yes, she's been to Graceland), and loves to spend Sundays watching NASCAR, either live or on TV. However, she says her favorite weekends are spent in the woods of northern Minnesota on the land homesteaded by her great-grandfather.
Most of her childhood was spent in western Kansas, which is the setting for several of her stories. Lauri is a member of RWA, Northern Lights Writers,and Hearts Through History Romance Writers, as well as several online writing groups. She writes for Harlequin, Mills and Boon and The Wild Rose Press.
For updates on her writing please visit www.laurirobinson.blogspot.com
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 14, 2018
A very cute love story! I normally don't read Harlequin HR very often because I always assume they won't be steamy enough, etc. But this story did a great job of showing the H and h falling in love with each other and I could sense the chemistry and build-up that led to their first kiss and being intimate. After that initial consummation, it did seem to be somewhat tame and focus more on the identity drama and Indian and government issues, but it all wrapped up nicely in the end with some good feels :)
January 21, 2015
Excellent book with a complicated storyline and some wonderfully portrayed characters. Seth was tricked into marriage and left his wife immediately after the wedding five years earlier. He has been attempting to get her to sign divorce papers ever since. He is then surprised to receive a telegram telling him that she is on her way to Ft. Sill to see him. He's even more surprised when he sees her, because the woman he's looking at isn't his wife, but her younger sister. Though he tells her he knows at the beginning, he stops when she works so hard to convince him. There's something about Millie that fills a hole he didn't know he had. For years Seth has been determined that he would not fall in love or marry. He remembers the pain his mother went through when his father and two uncles were killed during the war. He doesn't want to put any woman through that kind of misery. But being around Millie starts to change him and soon he's wishing she really was his wife. He has to keep reminding himself that he's married, and not to her, though it wasn't like that at first. I loved the war of wills between them as he tried to force her to tell the truth, especially the battle of the scents. As time went on he knew he had to tell her that he knew the truth but he didn't want to ruin what was growing between them. Seth is an honorable man and his inner turmoil was nearly unbearable the longer it went, until everything came out. Things appeared even worse than he expected and he had to decide if he wanted to fight for Millie or not. I loved his confrontation with Rosemary and how he dealt with her.
Millie has spent her life cleaning up her sister's messes. Rosemary has always been emotionally manipulative and knows just how to get Millie to do what she wanted. What she wants this time is for Millie to go west and delay Seth from asking for a divorce until after Rosemary has given birth to her lover's baby. She threatens to kill herself and the baby if Millie doesn't do it. As Millie is a much softer, gentler person than Rosemary, it's going to take incredible acting skills to pull it off. It's not really a surprise that Millie just can't do it. I really enjoyed seeing how much Millie liked living at the fort and how easy it was for her to fit in. She had a terrible time remembering to act like her sister which created some interesting situations. I really liked seeing her interact with the Indians and how she came to like them. Her admiration for Seth quickly turned to love, but the guilt of her deception was tearing her up. She was heartbroken when the truth came out and he wouldn't even listen to her explanation. I loved seeing her stand up to her sister and then go after her heart's desire.
I loved the setting of the old west's Ft. Sill and the Indian troubles. I enjoyed seeing Millie learn about army life, both the pleasures and the challenges. I also loved how well the various characters were portrayed, with both good and bad qualities, making them very easy to relate to.
Millie has spent her life cleaning up her sister's messes. Rosemary has always been emotionally manipulative and knows just how to get Millie to do what she wanted. What she wants this time is for Millie to go west and delay Seth from asking for a divorce until after Rosemary has given birth to her lover's baby. She threatens to kill herself and the baby if Millie doesn't do it. As Millie is a much softer, gentler person than Rosemary, it's going to take incredible acting skills to pull it off. It's not really a surprise that Millie just can't do it. I really enjoyed seeing how much Millie liked living at the fort and how easy it was for her to fit in. She had a terrible time remembering to act like her sister which created some interesting situations. I really liked seeing her interact with the Indians and how she came to like them. Her admiration for Seth quickly turned to love, but the guilt of her deception was tearing her up. She was heartbroken when the truth came out and he wouldn't even listen to her explanation. I loved seeing her stand up to her sister and then go after her heart's desire.
I loved the setting of the old west's Ft. Sill and the Indian troubles. I enjoyed seeing Millie learn about army life, both the pleasures and the challenges. I also loved how well the various characters were portrayed, with both good and bad qualities, making them very easy to relate to.
September 13, 2025
Potentially offensive items: cultural sensitivity, racism, nudity, adult situations, adultery, premarital sex, incest, sexually explicit, adultery, offensive language, violence, suicide, mature themes, political viewpoint, lying, dysfunctional family, depression, neurosis)
I will never be able to figure out why adultery is ever seen as a good theme for any "romance" novel. In reading the summary on the back of the book, I was sure that this was about two twins changing places. Instead, they are years apart and don't look more similar than normal siblings or non-identical twins. I mean, she doesn't fool the guy, so that is good, but why in the world would anyone think that she could? To have a romance with a sister-in-law is also incest. I can think of nothing more horrible than to have one of my sister-in-laws even try to hit on my husband--but here a woman is sending her sister to pretend to be her and live with her husband at a secluded fort.
I thought there would be romance, but the characters would fight their desires because he is still married--nope. The premise was so disgusting to me that I couldn't even remotely see the romance behind anything, especially since even though he figures out who she is from the start, she continues lying to him--for at least a month--and refuses to admit the truth. Lying when the other person knows you are lying and continuing to do so is not a sympathetic trait. Forcing him to lie, too, because only his wife could live with him at the base, makes the story even more awful.
I will never be able to figure out why adultery is ever seen as a good theme for any "romance" novel. In reading the summary on the back of the book, I was sure that this was about two twins changing places. Instead, they are years apart and don't look more similar than normal siblings or non-identical twins. I mean, she doesn't fool the guy, so that is good, but why in the world would anyone think that she could? To have a romance with a sister-in-law is also incest. I can think of nothing more horrible than to have one of my sister-in-laws even try to hit on my husband--but here a woman is sending her sister to pretend to be her and live with her husband at a secluded fort.
I thought there would be romance, but the characters would fight their desires because he is still married--nope. The premise was so disgusting to me that I couldn't even remotely see the romance behind anything, especially since even though he figures out who she is from the start, she continues lying to him--for at least a month--and refuses to admit the truth. Lying when the other person knows you are lying and continuing to do so is not a sympathetic trait. Forcing him to lie, too, because only his wife could live with him at the base, makes the story even more awful.
March 29, 2018
This was a fun great read. It can safely go in my collection,
... of twice yearly re-reads. It wraps a human story in the difficulty of western plains history at the end of the civil war. It has its own twist, but unique story line. A gratifying conclusion to man meets woman. Costume malfunction was a parasol, not an umbrella. Glad to see the early railroad included and the different sleeping cars. It did take a week or more to get to Midwest depending on rain conditions. Our hero is heroic and our heroin is charming, stubborn and good for her hero. I highly recommend this for a weekend read for who would want to put it down.
... of twice yearly re-reads. It wraps a human story in the difficulty of western plains history at the end of the civil war. It has its own twist, but unique story line. A gratifying conclusion to man meets woman. Costume malfunction was a parasol, not an umbrella. Glad to see the early railroad included and the different sleeping cars. It did take a week or more to get to Midwest depending on rain conditions. Our hero is heroic and our heroin is charming, stubborn and good for her hero. I highly recommend this for a weekend read for who would want to put it down.
January 22, 2025
Good Love Story
This is about a young woman who goes west to find her sister’s husband. Her sister is pregnant with another’s child and she needs to keep him in the west until the child is born. In the meantime she and her sister’s husband fall in love. Good description of the west and the plight of the Native Americans.
This is about a young woman who goes west to find her sister’s husband. Her sister is pregnant with another’s child and she needs to keep him in the west until the child is born. In the meantime she and her sister’s husband fall in love. Good description of the west and the plight of the Native Americans.
December 9, 2020
I love this book..Instantly reread few chapters.
June 18, 2024
Intriguing characters, but convoluted backstories for the main characters and an almost impossible-to-believe plot set-up.
May 12, 2025
This book was so good. I read it In basically one sitting. I loved Seth, he was such a man. I finished this book yesterday and I’m still thinking about it today. That should tell you something.
October 15, 2025
The Major’s Wife
Lively tale with plenty of sexual expression. The few characters are well developed. An enjoyable short novel.
It was worth the money
Lively tale with plenty of sexual expression. The few characters are well developed. An enjoyable short novel.
It was worth the money
April 17, 2025
As a devoted fan of historical Western romances, The Major's Wife by Lauri Robinson has earned a well-deserved spot on my all-time favorites shelf. Robinson skillfully weaves together compelling characters, a richly developed plot, and a central love story that is both captivating and emotionally satisfying.
The narrative centers around Major Seth Parker, a man whose sharp instincts quickly reveal that the woman claiming to be his wife is not who she appears to be. He recognizes that the manipulative woman he once married is a far cry from the innocent, intriguing woman now before him. This creates a fascinating dynamic between Seth and Millie that keeps the tension high throughout the story.
Millie St. Clair, having traveled a great distance, is on a mission to deceive the Major by pretending to be her sister. However, as she spends more time with Seth, her growing attraction to him complicates her mission, leaving her torn between duty and desire. This emotional conflict adds an extra layer of depth to the romance, making the stakes feel real and relatable.
Lauri Robinson's writing is both engaging and evocative. She brings the characters to life, giving each one a distinct personality, set of motivations, and backstory that enrich the overall narrative. Major Parker is portrayed as strong, honorable, and perceptive, while Millie is a determined, relatable heroine caught in a web of her own making. Their relationship unfolds slowly, allowing for a gradual buildup of emotional intensity, which is all the more satisfying.
The vivid descriptions of the Western landscape are another highlight, transporting readers into a world that feels both authentic and immersive. Robinson’s attention to detail in setting is as strong as her character development. The slow-burn romance between Seth and Millie is the heart of the story, but it is also driven by Millie’s internal conflict, which adds layers of emotional tension that keep readers hooked.
While the plot follows a familiar romance arc, its strength lies in Robinson's focus on the complexities of deception, trust, and love. The push-and-pull between Millie’s secret and her growing feelings for Seth is tangible, driving the narrative forward with palpable tension.
This is a perfect read for fans of historical Westerns who crave complex characters and a romance that is both heartfelt and nuanced.
The narrative centers around Major Seth Parker, a man whose sharp instincts quickly reveal that the woman claiming to be his wife is not who she appears to be. He recognizes that the manipulative woman he once married is a far cry from the innocent, intriguing woman now before him. This creates a fascinating dynamic between Seth and Millie that keeps the tension high throughout the story.
Millie St. Clair, having traveled a great distance, is on a mission to deceive the Major by pretending to be her sister. However, as she spends more time with Seth, her growing attraction to him complicates her mission, leaving her torn between duty and desire. This emotional conflict adds an extra layer of depth to the romance, making the stakes feel real and relatable.
Lauri Robinson's writing is both engaging and evocative. She brings the characters to life, giving each one a distinct personality, set of motivations, and backstory that enrich the overall narrative. Major Parker is portrayed as strong, honorable, and perceptive, while Millie is a determined, relatable heroine caught in a web of her own making. Their relationship unfolds slowly, allowing for a gradual buildup of emotional intensity, which is all the more satisfying.
The vivid descriptions of the Western landscape are another highlight, transporting readers into a world that feels both authentic and immersive. Robinson’s attention to detail in setting is as strong as her character development. The slow-burn romance between Seth and Millie is the heart of the story, but it is also driven by Millie’s internal conflict, which adds layers of emotional tension that keep readers hooked.
While the plot follows a familiar romance arc, its strength lies in Robinson's focus on the complexities of deception, trust, and love. The push-and-pull between Millie’s secret and her growing feelings for Seth is tangible, driving the narrative forward with palpable tension.
This is a perfect read for fans of historical Westerns who crave complex characters and a romance that is both heartfelt and nuanced.
February 26, 2014
Es uno de los libros más “tontos” que he leído últimamente. La mitad del libro me la he pasado preguntándome porqué piensan lo que piensan los personajes (porque piensan un montón, dialogo interior, repetitivo y cansino hay para aburrir, lo que no quiere decir que te enteres de algo…por lo menos de ella, lo de ella no tiene nombre, así es imposible que te guste un personaje, manipuladora, mentirosa y sin saber muy bien porqué…) y la otra mitad me la he pasado diciendo “Venga ya! No me lo puedo creer…otra vez?”.
Todo, absolutamente todo el libro exprime la historia de una mentira que casi que se aclara pero no, que casi que se vuelve a aclarar pero no y que casi, casi, casi acaba con mis nervios.
Que aburrimiento, de verdad, si es que si borramos las mentiras y los malentendidos no hay historia…no avanza, es una y otra y otra vez lo mismo. Me ha recordado a las telenovelas de 10528 capítulos en las que nunca pasa nada pero todo se lía y se relía para poder llegar al capítulo 10528 por llegar…
Al final estaba tan cansada y con tantas ganas de terminarlo que me daba igual qué le iba a pasar a los personajes, es más, me hubiese gustado que no hubiesen acabado juntos (es un romance, entiendo que no estoy reventándole la historia a nadie) para que aprendiesen algo o por lo menos para que el libro tuviese moraleja.
Una pena.
Lo siento!
Todo, absolutamente todo el libro exprime la historia de una mentira que casi que se aclara pero no, que casi que se vuelve a aclarar pero no y que casi, casi, casi acaba con mis nervios.
Que aburrimiento, de verdad, si es que si borramos las mentiras y los malentendidos no hay historia…no avanza, es una y otra y otra vez lo mismo. Me ha recordado a las telenovelas de 10528 capítulos en las que nunca pasa nada pero todo se lía y se relía para poder llegar al capítulo 10528 por llegar…
Al final estaba tan cansada y con tantas ganas de terminarlo que me daba igual qué le iba a pasar a los personajes, es más, me hubiese gustado que no hubiesen acabado juntos (es un romance, entiendo que no estoy reventándole la historia a nadie) para que aprendiesen algo o por lo menos para que el libro tuviese moraleja.
Una pena.
Lo siento!
December 22, 2014
Great read!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Millie spent her whole life cowing to her older sister. Always doing her bidding.
Rosemary was a promiscuous woman who found herself compromised by a married man. So she snuck into the bed of a cavalry officer, Seth. The next day she made a fuss demanding Seth marry her. Her father being a General and knowing the truth about his daughter asks Seth to marry Rosemary, promising hike a promotion to Major and a divorce within a year. However, the General died before he could make the divorce happen.
Seth has been trying for four years to rosemary to sign divorce papers without success. Then he receives a telegram saying Rosemary was coming to the Fort he was in charge of in the Oklahoma territory. But when she arrives it is not Rosemary, but her sister Millie, pretending to be Rosemary. Once again Rosemary has used her spoils intimidating was to convince Millie to do her bidding and go to Seth, pretend to be Rosemary to get him to do what Rosemary needs.
Only problem, Millie begins to fall in love with Seth. This was a delightful read and I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys this genre.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Millie spent her whole life cowing to her older sister. Always doing her bidding.
Rosemary was a promiscuous woman who found herself compromised by a married man. So she snuck into the bed of a cavalry officer, Seth. The next day she made a fuss demanding Seth marry her. Her father being a General and knowing the truth about his daughter asks Seth to marry Rosemary, promising hike a promotion to Major and a divorce within a year. However, the General died before he could make the divorce happen.
Seth has been trying for four years to rosemary to sign divorce papers without success. Then he receives a telegram saying Rosemary was coming to the Fort he was in charge of in the Oklahoma territory. But when she arrives it is not Rosemary, but her sister Millie, pretending to be Rosemary. Once again Rosemary has used her spoils intimidating was to convince Millie to do her bidding and go to Seth, pretend to be Rosemary to get him to do what Rosemary needs.
Only problem, Millie begins to fall in love with Seth. This was a delightful read and I would highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys this genre.
June 28, 2014
I really liked this story of the look alike sisters who could be told apart by their attitude. When Seth is forced into marrying Rosemary, his reward is promotion to Major with a promise of a divorce in a year, a small price to pay when the General's daughter accuses him of inappropriate behavior. For years he's been trying to get that promised divorce but Rosemary won't sign the papers, and her father is dead, so he can't undo what he caused to happen. Then out of the blue she arrived at his post to play wife.
Or does she? She's acting more like her sister Millie and Seth has to figure out for sure if it's Rosemary or Millie, and if it's Millie, why is she pretending to be his wife?
At first they butt heads a lot but then they both decide it's nicer and more fun even to just play nice. Eventually they will figure out which game it is that is being played! And when it all comes out in the open, maybe they'll be able to make things work for both of them.
Or does she? She's acting more like her sister Millie and Seth has to figure out for sure if it's Rosemary or Millie, and if it's Millie, why is she pretending to be his wife?
At first they butt heads a lot but then they both decide it's nicer and more fun even to just play nice. Eventually they will figure out which game it is that is being played! And when it all comes out in the open, maybe they'll be able to make things work for both of them.
March 1, 2014
3.5 stars, actually. A very solid and satisfying western romance. Although the couple's motivation began in deceit, it didn't stop them from eventually showing how much they loved each other through a good part of the tale. I enjoy romances involving fort life as an ancestor of mine was also an officer (in NM) in the 1860s. I've always been drawn to this particular period and this story didn't disappoint. A recommended read.
September 29, 2014
This book is much more than you'd expect from a romance novel. I loved that there were multiple storylines for Seth and Millie to work through, but the length did make certain points very tedious. As the main characters, Seth and Millie are well fleshed out, but the downfall is Rosemary; she reads like a cartoonish villain.
November 21, 2016
Seth and Millie are an unusual couple. Millie comes to fill in for her sister as his wife, whose blackmailing her using their mother's suicide. Seth starts off as a very strong character, but later acquiesces to Millie even after he knows she's lying. The emotional blackmail could have been played up for a bit. Stars to the author for the research on Natives.
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January 12, 2016"With realism and romance, Robinson brings the atmosphere of fort life to western fans. This story will strike a chord with readers who enjoy the twists that take place within a love triangle and the complex dynamics between siblings." RT Book Reviews
January 3, 2015
I am such a sucker for historical romance novels and this one does not disappoint. I love the setting in the old west, with the unexplored territories and always the threat of the natives. This book was a great read and I know I will be visiting it again.
June 18, 2014
Nice story.
December 17, 2014
Hello,
the book speaks of love start to end....entertaining story.
Enjoyed reading it.
thanks
the book speaks of love start to end....entertaining story.
Enjoyed reading it.
thanks
November 13, 2015
3.5 stars.
August 16, 2017
It start well but then it went downhill for me. I was skimming through.
It's ok but not great
It's ok but not great
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews