Kathryn Ford knows one thing for sure; she will not marry the boring, arrogant man her father has arranged for her since the day she was born, simply as a pawn to enrich his vast holdings. When she discovers she’s been disowned for her defiance, the pampered socialite takes her destiny in her own hands. Determined to show her father what a capable a woman she is—without his help or interference—she signs up to be a mail-order bride, totally prepared to give up all the luxuries of her previous life. But once thrown into the rigors of a working farm, Kathryn fears she may have made the biggest mistake of her life—and finally met a challenge she can’t conquer.
Tobit Preece has a problem. His ailing grandpappy has one wish in the world—to bounce a great-grandchild on his knee before he passes on. The senior Preece has deeded his large farm to his grandson, and a grateful Tobit would like nothing better than to fulfill his wish. When Tobit misses out on his chance with Heather Sanford, a mail-order bride in Y Knot, Montana, who suddenly found herself without a groom, he thinks his chance to achieve his grandfather’s dream is dead. Then Heather’s new husband suggests Tobit send for his own mail-order bride. Or perhaps Heather already knows of a nice young woman personally? Determined to have a child before the spring calves romp in the pastures, Tobit sends for his own mail-order bride.
Can two completely unsuitable people marrying for the wrong reasons end up on the right side of happiness? Find out in the next adventure of Mail-Order Brides of the West!
Mail-Order Brides of the West: Kathryn takes place simultaneously with Mail-Order Brides of the West: Darcy. See Debra Holland’s companion book, Mail-Order Brides of the West: Darcy, to find out what happens to Kathryn’s friend and fellow mail-order bride when she travels to Sweetwater Springs, Montana.
1880s Mail-Order Brides of the West Series in order:
Mail-Order Brides of the West: Evie Mail-Order Brides of the West: Trudy Mail-Order Brides of the West: Heather Mail-Order Brides of the West: Lina
USA Today Bestselling Author Caroline Fyffe was born in Waco, Texas, the first of many towns she would call home during her father's career with the US Air Force. A horse aficionado from an early age, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications from California State University-Chico before launching what would become a twenty-year career as an equine photographer. She began writing fiction to pass the time during long days in the show arena, channeling her love of horses and the Old West into a series of Western historicals. Her debut novel, Where the Wind Blows, won the Romance Writers of America's prestigious Golden Heart Award as well as the Wisconsin RWA's Write Touch Readers' Award. She and her husband have two grown sons and live in the Pacific Northwest.
Kathryn was a daughter in a wealthy family. Her father promised her as a child to another for business purposes, merging the family's together for power.
Kathryn didn't want to marry Oscar who was an arrogant snob, and chose to become a mail-order-bride knowing she would be disinherited.
On the way to Y Knot Montana to meet her future husband Tobit, a piece of luggage fell off the stagecoach and hit her in the head, giving her amnesia. She arrives, meeting Tobit , Heather and Evie (her friends from the mail order bride agency) and the wedding is post-phoned until her memory returns.
Nice story, good drama. Sweet.
We also get some background info into Hayden and Heather's relationship.
Kathryn is another client of the bridal agency in St. Louis. Tobit is a farmer, taking over his grandfather's farm. Kathryn didn't really intend to become a mail-order bride at first, but as a means of thwarting her father's plans to marry her off to someone she didn't want to marry, she left Boston and went to St. Louis. Her father cut her out of his will, though, so now, marriage was a must. Would it be to Tobit, though, or to her father's chosen groom, after all? Kathryn is involved in an accident while boarding the stage after the train to Waterloo, so when she arrives, she has no recollection of her past. She doesn't remember Tobit. She doesn't remember her friends from the bridal agency, Heather and Evie. She doesn't even know why she's here or where she's from. It's only by going through her belongings before boarding the stage that she pieces together at least part of the story, so when she arrives, she knows she's to meet Tobit, but is she ready to wed? Then, when Oscar shows up, will she even wed him at all, or will she go back to Boston, where Oscar says she belongs? Maybe she does belong there. Maybe she had intended to break off the engagement, as Oscar had said...she just wanted to do it in person. Through all of this, Heather and Evie are trying to follow the doctor's orders and not push Kathryn too hard, but they don't want to see her make a huge mistake by being roped into something they knew she hadn't wanted. The only hope for Tobit is for Kathryn to regain her memory before Oscar manages to convince her to go back to BOSTON with him. I always enjoy amnesiac stories, although I'm not sure why. I've read few where the amnesiac never does regain their memory, so it was a fun read to see which type this would be.
Since December 20, 2013, I have been waiting patiently for Kathryn's story to be published. That morning at 2:43am, I had just finished reading Heather after staying up all night. I was left with unanswered questions about Hayden's past and needed answers. Later that morning, I sent Caroline a message and she was kind enough to promise me an answer in her next book. She kept her promise and I am thrilled!
Kathryn's story was so beautifully written. She and Tobit had both been hurt terribly but they didn't allow that to ruin their future together. It is so easy for us to make a loved one pay for someone else's sins. It is a mistake many of us make daily. My Favorite line in this story was "I hope you will forgive him,so his actions won't darken your heart."
I always finish ready Caroline's stories feeling so uplifted.
I got this as a first read. I really like this book! It is the sixth book in the series that I had not read before. However, I had no problem picking up the story. It written so lovely. I love both of the main characters! I love their relationship and how it grows. I will definitely read the others in the series.
I spent the day finishing this book! I loved the story of Kathryn and Tobit. Sweet characters just drew me into their story. I am really enjoying this series of books and how all the people are intertwining from the other books. Can't wait for the next one!
Am actually glad I am sick and in bed for the weekend. It is giving me time to read through this series. Another good story. Maybe not as long or in depth as some of the others but still a sweet love story
The sixth story is another great addition to not only the McCutcheon series but also the Mail-Order Brides of the West series. The story will have characters that have been in each of the series and some new characters introduced but will read well as a stand-alone story too. Once again, a gentleman from Y Knot in the Montana Territory will be matched with one of Mrs. Seymour’s mail-order brides, this time, it will be Kathryn Ford, formerly of Boston, Massachusetts, and Tobit Preece, formerly of Shelbyville, Tennessee.
Kathryn Ford is upset with her father who has betrothed her to Oscar Scott from the time she was an infant. While growing up with Oscar, she considered him a friend, and more a brother figure, but definitely never a man she wanted to marry. When she refuses to obey her father and marry Oscar, he will cut her out of his will, and so she applied to become a mail-order bride with the St. Louis Bridal Agency. Mrs. Seymour has since found her a suitable match, Tobit Preece, a farmer in Y Knot, Montana. Before she travels to her new life, she will travel from St. Louis back to Boston for a reunion with her family, and then on to her new life in the Montana Territory.
Tobit Preece wants and needs a bride, a wife, a helpmeet for the farm that was his grandfathers, Isaiah Preece, who has deeded it to his grandson. The one thing that Isaiah wants before he dies it to hold a great-grandbaby and Tobit wants to try and make that happen too. When the fiasco of the mail-order bride, Heather, was taking place, Tobit even offered her marriage before she and Hayden worked things out. Tobit writes to Mrs. Seymour and then starts corresponding with Kathryn Ford.
The plot will have Kathryn on her way to Y Knot after her trip to visit her parents one more time. But a mishap, a freak accident will occur where she is standing too close to the stagecoach being loaded, and a travel case will fall hitting her on her head, with the injury will include amnesia. While she will continue the trip to Y Knot, with a doctor on the stage, when she arrives at her destination, she and Tobit can’t legally marry with her unknown memory situation. Then two doctors confer that no one is to try and help her force her memories, they need to come to her naturally. That will leave not only Tobit in a quandary, but also friends and former mail-order brides, Evie and Heather.
The story will have Kathryn, a well-bred lady, learning about farming, animals, and new experiences. She doesn’t remember coming from a life of luxury, servants, and wealth. It will have Evie and Heather wanting to help and also being protective of Kathryn, but also know they can’t push issues and hinder her recovery. It doesn’t help that Isaiah is less than pleasant and goes out of his way to say hurtful things and makes her feel bad, to the point she can’t stay at the Preece farm, and goes to Evie’s house and then onto the Klinker’s house.
“Can’t move forward much if you’re stuck in the past.”
What happens when Oscar Scott learns of Kathryn’s accident and amnesia? He knows of not only his father’s plans but also of Franklin Munson Ford’s plans for them to marry and merge their families, making them even stronger with the bond. He isn’t above traveling to Y Knot and trying to convince her that she had changed her mind about marrying a poor dirt farmer and giving up a life of luxury. Will he be able to interfere and convince Kathryn she planned to return to Boston and marry him and that they are engaged? Will Tobit, Evie, and Heather fight to protect Kathryn from his nefarious plans?
“What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you.”
I loved this story about Tobit and Kathryn. When Kathryn arrives she has amnesia from being hit on the head with a carpet bag. She can't remember anything, but she went through her bags and found the letters she and Tobit had shared. After Tpbot realizes that Kathryn can't remember anything, he decided to wait to marry her until she's better.
Kathryn comes to the farm and meets two other mail order brides that she knew in St. Louis. But the doctor told them not to tell her Abou past since it might hurt her. They stay and talk to her but they do as the doctor told them to.
Kathryn iis learning how to work on the farm and Tobit is amazing but his grandpa, Isiah isn't. He is tired of waiting for her to have her memory back and says so where she can hear him complaining about her. So, she moves in with Heather and Hayden.
"Fyffe Writes Real Characters" I enjoyed Caroline Fyffe's Kathryn and Tobit. With a plot of memory lost, and love found, Fyffe creates another mail order bride in a series that lets you continue to love the characters you've loved and added two more. Fyffe's pg13 book has a clear satisfying ending and does' t try to trick you into the next book, but invites you in a unique way as Kathryn share a few words. My only problem with this book is the narrator. Lara Asmundson has a nice reading voice but low skills as a narrator. Her male voices are weak to non-existing. I like this series.
Kathryn is another mail-order bride story and an entertaining read. She's from a wealthy Boston family and marries Tobit Preece, owner of a working farm. She's determined to prove that she can learn how to work and be of value to her new husband. Meanwhile, Tobit thinks he might have made a mistake. It's a fun read and slightly different from the usual ranch-type versions of this story. Working on a farm is hard, and there's the added pressure that Tobit's grandfather wants a great-grandson asap. It's another good book in this Western series.
This series doesn't follow the typical pattern of only giving readers the thoughts of the couple falling in love. She adds adventure, interesting plot twists, and even thoughts of previous characters. While it is not necessary to read other books in the series, it is certainly much more rewarding!
I enjoy all of Caroline Fyffe’s books, as a Christian reading her books is refreshing because she doesn’t use bad language, etc. It’s like getting a glimpse of history as well as reading descriptive emotions, fears, hopes and dream’s. I hope too read a lot more of Ms. Fyffe’s books.
Kathryn is a mail order bride who arrives with amnesia. Only the letters she carried told her who she was and where she was going and why. The doctors said she would recover her memory but not to force it. Tobit her intended groom takes her home with him and puts off him marriage until she can remember who she is. A lovely enjoyable story.
Kathryn and Tobit's story is so sweet, I'm ok sure you'll love every bit of this book. This is a story of falling in love, realizing it before losing the chance to be happy. Kathryn is now a favorite of mine. I sincerely hope the reader will enjoy it as much as I did.
Enjoy Caroline Fyffe's books, it's so hard these days to find good characters and plots without explicit sex scenes. Fyffe leaves that to the imagination, which to me is more scintillating. Definitely recommend her as an author and her McCutcheon series as fun reads.
Ever so good to read each one of series! Wonderful people with wonderful stories! Have next book now waiting yo continue saga? Thank you for continuing these grand tales.
A new twist to the books plot line with plenty of directions to go to. Loved the whole scene with the goat! Another delightfully done story with familiar and new characters bound for the same destination.
I have so enjoyed this series! Overcoming obstacles to start new lives seemed to be a common covariance in the old days! Wish our current generations had such gumption! Wonderful read!
As all the rest of this series, this was a incredibly good storyline! Loved that the three girls got to all live in the same area! I can't wait for the next one!
kayhryn head wrst to het groom he was waiting she list her memory how she wa!!!!!! Toby was waiting ans willing to wait on Kat to remember how ahe was??????
I n enjoying this series very much. Love all the Town's people that play different parts in lives of Kathryn and Tobit. Love the way I got back on track . To get the book moving at the end
This is a good story of a young woman who finally finds her true self through the courage to search out something different than what is imposed on her. Enjoy 👍👍💜