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Mail-Order Bride Family

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If only she could erase the past.

True wants to start over again in the West without the painful memories of her past. She accepts a job as cook for the ranch cowboys. When the happy couples around her suggest True might find a cowboy to marry if she were to look, her painful past conjures too many memories to allow her to hope again.

Shorty longs for a family. The other cowboys have found love, but his broken past makes him question if he could be worthy of someone sweet and kind. Someone like True, who he is drawn to so deeply that he can’t see anyone else.

But when two abandoned children need help from Shorty and True, the two lonely hearts must work together. Caring for these orphans reignites dreams Shorty has tried to ignore. True doesn’t want to get her heart broken again, but how can she ignore the needs of the children? Can a marriage of convenience for the children’s sake turn into something more?

210 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 9, 2024

286 people are currently reading
60 people want to read

About the author

Linda Ford

207 books357 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
898 (75%)
4 stars
206 (17%)
3 stars
67 (5%)
2 stars
13 (1%)
1 star
5 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Jeannie.
173 reviews
January 11, 2024
I just finished the final installment in this light-hearted, predictable series. It was one of my favorite titles in this series, so, for the series, I give it 5 stars, but as a whole, the book has a few difficult sentences indicative of a book quickly written, follows the same exact pattern as all the other books like it, and is entirely everything you both dislike and hope for in a light-hearted romance. This title was very mild on the spice scale... None of the books in this series are explicit, but there are a couple I felt uncomfortable with because they were too focused on giving the reader feels. This had some potentially unrealistic for the time period gentle kisses. But, we said before, we aren't picking this book up to learn history. We are here to zone out and go back to Crow's Crossing for an evening or two.

The themes in this book deal with rejection. Learning to process trauma and grief. Abuse. Adoption. There are some good bible verse quotes and "sermonettes" from the local pastor and the recalled wisdom of the late Mr. Shannon.

True is a widow who finds herself in the care of a pastor's wife following the loss of her husband and children and injury to herself. We find out this is the same pastor's wife we've heard about every book who lives in Ohio and communicates with a pastor Ingram's wife in Crow's Crossing providing a matchmaking service of sorts for young men desiring mail-order brides, and young women looking for a fresh start. Shorty is the last of the cowboys in our storyline who needs himself a mail-order bride. But, his long history of rejection makes it hard for him to be vulnerable enough to do so. He's already written with two ladies, and they've both rejected him. Now he has it in his mind to go ahead and place an ad looking for a cook for the ranch cowboys with the provision that he has marriage in mind in the long term. True reads this ad and, while she isn't interested in marriage again, she is interested in getting far away from her troubles in a place far away from everyone else with predictable people and wages. So, she heads off to Crow's Crossing to meet up with Shorty and spend the rest of her life in a home without a family. Will Shorty be able to point True towards the path of healing from her traumas and trusting God? Will True be able to trust the good men around her and be available to help them as well?

All titles in this series are included in Kindle Unlimited if you are looking for your next doom scroll replacements!
643 reviews7 followers
January 14, 2024
I enjoyed the book! Shorty placed an ad for a ranch cook with hopes of marriage. True had experience a major tragedy in her life. She answered Shorty’s ad and came to Montana as a ranch cook. Shorty helped her come to terms with her past just as Mr. Shannon had helped Shorty come to terms with his past. Shorty finds two abandoned girls and brings them home. He needs True’s help with them. This book is part of a series. There are characters from the other books but this book can be read standalone. This is a clean wholesome book where the characters rely on their Christian faith. I highly recommend reading this book!
1,279 reviews10 followers
December 5, 2023
After the unfortunate deaths of her husband and two children, True is convinced by her caretaker that God is in her decision to become a mail-order bride. With the decision made, True heads west to meet Shorty Jones – since he understood that they would not marry until they knew each other. True becomes the cook for the single cowboys on the ranch. Life moves on and Shorty shows up with a surprise when he returns from town.
Can life really be good again?
248 reviews
April 13, 2024
An easy going story

I liked both of the main characters in
This story, as well as the children. It was a little slow and there was not a lot of action. The ending tied things together nicely. I would have preferred a shorter story with more action, however. Linda Ford almost always writes a story worth reading, but this story needed something more
to motivate me to want to keep
reading this story.
326 reviews
April 17, 2024
heartbreaking and breathtaking

Such a said story about True. I can even imagine the heartache she endured. I had to chuckle at the part where one day they were sharing tea in the evening and Shorty splashed COFFEE out of his cup and soaked his pants. Now how did that happen? I loved the ending with the two little girls marrying into the family till death do they part. Very entertaining story.
26 reviews
February 19, 2025
love as old as time

I could not stop reading this entire series. From one story into the next, I gobbled them up. Each bride came into the story at just the right time along with her life experience to find a love that healed, comforted, rescued and reconciled her life to God, herself and others. Thank you, LindaFord, for sharing God with us throughout fiction wrapped by truth.
929 reviews3 followers
January 22, 2024
nice read

Well another nice read by Linda Ford. She has written this book quite well and made it very enjoyable to read. A young woman who has lost her husband and children is looking for her own family. A young man looks for his family, and two children who has lost there parents finds new parents. What do you get a whole new family for all. A very enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Rosemary Motte.
164 reviews
January 24, 2024
It takes a minute to get into it, but it was worth the wait. You have a woman widowed, and a mother of children gone to heaven.
A man wanting a family who thinks that him dreams are coming g true.
With time they both hope for a future. Only to have two children thrown into the mix. With time, Faith and a lot of love they all get their own family in the end.
2 reviews
February 2, 2024
Missing pages

I had read The 9 previous mail order bride books And enjoy them thoroughly. This book had at least 10 pages missing So you missed out on quite a bit of the story. No 1 enjoys reading a book With about every 5th page gone .Too bad so many pages were missing It was probably a really good story if you could read it completely.
8 reviews
February 10, 2024
Montana order bride

Thank you Linda ford For a wonderful series The Montana mail order Especially loved all of them So I recommended this book I wanna know How much joy And love And learn how to trust Read this book please read these books God will guide you As he has guide As he has guide me Since I was a kid Thank you Linda ford for for wonderful wonder
691 reviews1 follower
February 12, 2024
Outstanding series

Linda Ford's Montana mail border Brides 10 book series is absolutely excellent! I binge read the entire series over several days. Such
good characters that followed through each book! I really enjoyed the books.
Can't pick a favorite because I loved them all!
Profile Image for Marty Moore.
759 reviews2 followers
May 9, 2024
Mail-Order Bride Family

Wonderful storyline. I was taken in by this story early on and remained engaged until the last sentence. I've enjoyed this little family that came together though such heart breaking circumstances. Each one of them had personal hurts and emotions that needed dealing with in order to become one family. I enjoyed this story a lot.
14 reviews
January 30, 2025
refreshing and original

The details in these stories transformed me into a spectator not just a reader. I have loved every one in this series. In this book, I have enjoyed reading the budding relationship between True and Shorty, and the twist midway through. The verses were great and timely indeed. God’s Word is true.
5 reviews
June 13, 2025
Mail Order Bride Series was so so good

I really enjoyed all 10 of the Mail Order Books. They were very touching and spoke to my heart with the stories. Each one was as good as the others and were quite lovely tales that brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart. Thanks for some enjoyable hours of reading.
Profile Image for Bruce Dinsman.
1,537 reviews3 followers
July 17, 2025
what an adventure!

True has lost her family when criminals attacked their wagon, only True survived. She accepts a mail-order proposal but only agrees to be the cook for Shorty’s ranch. What finally breaks her barriers is when Shorty “buys” two little girls to rescue them. A wonderful story centered around God’s Grace.
282 reviews2 followers
February 1, 2024
very enlightening story!

I love this author’s writing. She weaves a story around God and the west . It is very good with a smooth storyline including all the characters who continue telling there story. Centered around a certain group.
44 reviews
March 4, 2024
God's Love Trumps Heartache

A man, a woman and two small girls separately devastated by overwhelming loss barely surviving in lonely worlds of pain. Is it possible that they will find peace and love?
4 reviews
April 3, 2024
what a lovely ending book to the series!

This was probably one of my favorite books in the series. It definitely took a turn I would have never seen coming but it was such a sweet and heartfelt story.
19 reviews
May 16, 2024
shorty found love

I loved all ten books . Sweet love of family . Kids all had fantastic personalities. The way scripture was used throughout these books was perfect . I love all of these beautiful stories of love.
3 reviews
January 4, 2025
Enjoyed this book

I loved the honesty of the feelings of the characters in this book. I did not predict how these two characters, True and Shorty, were going to be married, I enjoyed the journey to the end. A good read.
48 reviews
April 11, 2025
great series

All of the books were great. Linda Ford knows how to draw you into each story while they are different plots she wants you to cheer for each cowboy and their Mail Order Brides
3 reviews
July 15, 2025
Karen Wolf review of Montana Mail Order Brides

I really enjoyed these Montana Mail-Order Brides by Linda Ford. Very enjoyable to read. Many different stories.
Can't wait to start a new series.
Profile Image for Tricia Cox garrett.
925 reviews4 followers
January 15, 2024
Mail-Order Bride Family

A great ending to this series. True had lost so much, she was afraid to try again. Shorty wants a family more than anything. Good clean romance.
46 reviews
January 24, 2024
Great Heart-touching Story

Such a beautiful story of the saddest/cruelest and the happiest/most joyful life has to offer. I highly recommend this book to all.
74 reviews1 follower
February 4, 2024
Mail-OrderBriseFamily

This was such an enjoyable read. Some of the revisions in the book were a little annoying but it truly was a good read.
1,111 reviews1 follower
February 15, 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.
231 reviews
February 20, 2024
Special story including kids.

Loving after loss is great and including the little girls adds an extra special twist to the story. So good.
48 reviews
April 17, 2024
2 scared girls

Thoroughly enjoyed this story! The love of good parents is hard to find and it is easy to see what really brought this couple together: the love of children!
23 reviews
April 26, 2024
Great series

I really like this series. The reality of how hard life was back then and what they had to do to survive.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews

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