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Gold Rush Brides #1
The Beginning
Who needs a man? Certainly not Miss Delilah Price!
Abandoned by the man who ordered her as a mail order bride, Delilah struggles to get by in Gold Rush-era San Francisco. Not willing to return to her father's restrictive home — or face the arduous six-month voyage back to Boston — she hatches a plan to start her own business. She'll never have to trust her future to a man again.
Jack Dalton struck it rich in the Sierra Nevada and is having a mighty fine time spending his gold at dance halls and saloons in town. He can't for the life of him figure out why so many of his drinking buddies are signing up for ads in the matchmaking paper that snooty 'Miss Priss' is starting up. The last thing he wants to do is to settle down.
When an unscrupulous charlatan threatens to shatter Delilah's dream, Jack takes pity and steps in to lend a helping hand. Then he gets suckered into partnering with the very woman he desperately wants to avoid. Long hours working together force them to face their deepest fears and admit they're drawn toward one another. Can they let go of their pasts and find hope for their future or will they let their fears tear them apart?
Abandoned by the man who ordered her as a mail order bride, Delilah struggles to get by in Gold Rush-era San Francisco. Not willing to return to her father's restrictive home — or face the arduous six-month voyage back to Boston — she hatches a plan to start her own business. She'll never have to trust her future to a man again.
Jack Dalton struck it rich in the Sierra Nevada and is having a mighty fine time spending his gold at dance halls and saloons in town. He can't for the life of him figure out why so many of his drinking buddies are signing up for ads in the matchmaking paper that snooty 'Miss Priss' is starting up. The last thing he wants to do is to settle down.
When an unscrupulous charlatan threatens to shatter Delilah's dream, Jack takes pity and steps in to lend a helping hand. Then he gets suckered into partnering with the very woman he desperately wants to avoid. Long hours working together force them to face their deepest fears and admit they're drawn toward one another. Can they let go of their pasts and find hope for their future or will they let their fears tear them apart?
207 pages, Paperback
First published March 26, 2014
82 people are currently reading
547 people want to read
About the author
Cassie Hayes
21 books162 followersCassie Hayes grew up pretending she was Laura Ingalls (before that pesky Almonzo arrived on the scene) in the middle of Oregon farm country. She lives with her husband and cat on the Pacific Ocean and loves to hear from her readers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
April 17, 2017
DNF 48%
There is zero conflict. Lots of trouble. But as Jennifer Cruise puts it trouble can’t fuel story.
There is zero conflict. Lots of trouble. But as Jennifer Cruise puts it trouble can’t fuel story.
Read
November 1, 2018While "The Beginning" was at a little lower reading level than I would normally like for my students, there are a few who I think would engage with this book who would normally not enjoy learning the particulars of history through a textbook, may be able to glean information from this historical fiction.
May 10, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. It is an easy read and I finished it in one evening. Delilah Price comes to California expecting to be a mail order bride but finds out her intended has already married someone else. Not one to be vindictive or to pity herself she jumps in and makes a living for herself, first working for a boarding house owner and then starting up her own newspaper to bring more mail order brides to California.
Delilah is a plucky heroine I identified with. This book uses the hate to love theme well. She despises the drinking, gambling and womanizing Jack Dalton who lives in the room next to hers at the boarding house. He struck it rich in the gold mines and now he is blowing off steam. Of course, with the help of the boarding house owner and a bit of fate Jack Dalton and Delilah find they really do care about each other.
I thought the opening was a little slow and the ending a little fast, but the rest of the book was written well so I overlooked those flaws. Before Jack came to his sense I wanted to give him a good shake and was happy when he finally came around. I liked the original spin on this tale. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Delilah is a plucky heroine I identified with. This book uses the hate to love theme well. She despises the drinking, gambling and womanizing Jack Dalton who lives in the room next to hers at the boarding house. He struck it rich in the gold mines and now he is blowing off steam. Of course, with the help of the boarding house owner and a bit of fate Jack Dalton and Delilah find they really do care about each other.
I thought the opening was a little slow and the ending a little fast, but the rest of the book was written well so I overlooked those flaws. Before Jack came to his sense I wanted to give him a good shake and was happy when he finally came around. I liked the original spin on this tale. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
December 16, 2016
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Cassie Hayes' book, The Beginning. She created the character, Jack, that made you hate/love him and pull for him to grow - she didn't leave me disappointed. A quick read and one I didn't want to put down.
May 1, 2024
After a 6 month journey by ship 26 year old Delilah is anxious to meet her fiancé whom she has only corresponded with once before sailing from Boston harbor to San Francisco. Upon arriving she is met by a young boy with a note from her fiancé and $20.00. The note said he had got tired of waiting and had married another. What was this mail order bride to do?
Delilah decides she is going to make the best of the situation and becomes friends with Sam who owns a boarding house. She makes an agreement with Sam to work for her board cleaning the rooms. Another boarder Jack, a miner whom has made his riches mining gold is set on causing Delilah grief with his ungodly life style. Delilah and Jack seem to butt heads at every turn.
Jack wins a run down printing business while gambling. Delilah has always wanted to follow in her father’s footsteps in publishing news papers. Can Delilah convince Jack to be partners in the printing business?
June 11, 2018
Stood up at the train station out west, leads to challenges for a business woman.
No one wants to hire a woman to run a newspaper. Gambling brings about a change for her future. Can she accept the challenge?
No one wants to hire a woman to run a newspaper. Gambling brings about a change for her future. Can she accept the challenge?
February 8, 2025
Dell: A Sweet Mail Order Bride Romance (Gold Rush Brides Book
Dell. Loved it. Certainly got A little dramatic at times but it was a very enjoyable read. Cassie Hayes can find those characters in her mind and bring ‘em to life.
Dell. Loved it. Certainly got A little dramatic at times but it was a very enjoyable read. Cassie Hayes can find those characters in her mind and bring ‘em to life.
September 18, 2025
This was a good start to the series.
The main characters were both a bit annoying toward each other, but we find it's to hide their unwanted attraction.
That was the conflict between them, but there were other conflicts that they were both battling against.
The main characters were both a bit annoying toward each other, but we find it's to hide their unwanted attraction.
That was the conflict between them, but there were other conflicts that they were both battling against.
July 8, 2017
The Beginning is a short introduction to the Gold Rush Brides series of books. The characters are interesting and likeable.
August 15, 2017
Interesting
Excellent start for a series. This book contained light hearted nostalgia about California GoLd. Also, time for a new state in America
Excellent start for a series. This book contained light hearted nostalgia about California GoLd. Also, time for a new state in America
November 7, 2017
Must read this sweet HEA!
Anyone who enjoys a great sweet historical romance should check this book by Cassie Hayes. This mail order bride story is definitely a nugget!
Anyone who enjoys a great sweet historical romance should check this book by Cassie Hayes. This mail order bride story is definitely a nugget!
November 18, 2018
T he paper
I got this book because I like the wright style of the author. I enjoyed this book because of the strength of the character .
I got this book because I like the wright style of the author. I enjoyed this book because of the strength of the character .
January 7, 2020
I really enjoyed the book, it was a great read. I'm looking forward to reading her next one.
June 22, 2020
Lots of errors but a good story. Needs a good proofreading.
July 4, 2023
Good plot and character writing, I especially liked how Jack Dalton is written. It was refreshing to read a different way of writing this theme, so it was not predictable at all.
March 16, 2017
Love wins in the end
Delilah Price leaves Boston to become a mail order bride in California. Once she arrives, her groom to be changed his mind. Seeing a need for women out west, she starts a newspaper to advertise for wives. Jack Dalton thinks her plan is foolish. Watch the sparks fly.
Delilah Price leaves Boston to become a mail order bride in California. Once she arrives, her groom to be changed his mind. Seeing a need for women out west, she starts a newspaper to advertise for wives. Jack Dalton thinks her plan is foolish. Watch the sparks fly.
August 20, 2016
Cassie Hayes has a knack of creating such viable and endearing characters that are multi-dimension. Such is the case with Delilah Price, our female protagonist. Delilah arrives in San Francisco after an exhausting and hard sea voyage from Boston learns she is abandoned at the train station by her intended bridegroom. Determined not to return to her former life, Delilah vows she will not have other women face this tragedy and generates a solution and an action plan to start a newspaper devoted to matching prospective grooms with mail-order brides. Delilah typifies a Boston lady—filled with restraint, propriety and sophistication. The male protagonist, Jack Dalton, had a hard life and practically no real childhood but fortune changes that when he strikes it big in the gold fields of the Sierra Nevada’s. Jack typifies the western cowboy character—casual, unsophisticated, but compassionate.
Our two protagonists meet as boarders in the same boarding house. As one would expect their first interactions are not friendly as they seem to rub each other in the wrong way. Hayes has these two going off in two separate orbits until Fate intervenes. Delilah gets entangled with a charlatan and is on the verge of losing everything. Will Jack come to her rescue? Will they be able to make amends and work to bring Delilah’s dream to fruition? The answer to these questions can only be found by reading this book.
Hayes’ plot line is that of the quest. When we meet these protagonists they are both scarred by their previous lives. These diverse characters add to building the rising plot actions. Additionally, the supporting characters contribute to the rising plot action as well and help the characters as they each go through a metamorphosis. I like the way the plot line rises and parallels the main characters transformation. As part of their transformation each character faces a set of trials which typifies a quest plot line. Lastly, I enjoyed Hayes’ descriptive passages that allow us to step back in time to San Francisco during the Gold Rush. Vivid descriptions of the streets of San Francisco back then makes the reader are so realistic that you think you’ve been transported back in time. A must read!
Our two protagonists meet as boarders in the same boarding house. As one would expect their first interactions are not friendly as they seem to rub each other in the wrong way. Hayes has these two going off in two separate orbits until Fate intervenes. Delilah gets entangled with a charlatan and is on the verge of losing everything. Will Jack come to her rescue? Will they be able to make amends and work to bring Delilah’s dream to fruition? The answer to these questions can only be found by reading this book.
Hayes’ plot line is that of the quest. When we meet these protagonists they are both scarred by their previous lives. These diverse characters add to building the rising plot actions. Additionally, the supporting characters contribute to the rising plot action as well and help the characters as they each go through a metamorphosis. I like the way the plot line rises and parallels the main characters transformation. As part of their transformation each character faces a set of trials which typifies a quest plot line. Lastly, I enjoyed Hayes’ descriptive passages that allow us to step back in time to San Francisco during the Gold Rush. Vivid descriptions of the streets of San Francisco back then makes the reader are so realistic that you think you’ve been transported back in time. A must read!
April 18, 2014
First off I would like to thank goodreads for this Giveaway.I was lucky enough to get picked YAY!!!
This is the first book that I have read by Cassie Hayes. I enjoyed it throughly. I.I will have to find out when the next in the series comes out. I was hooked from the beginning. I love the Deliah (Dell) she was left by her betrothed. After traveling 6 months on a ship from Boston. When she finally arrives in San Francisco. He betrothed realizes he (I would assume he got tired of waiting) on her. So she is stuck in some little
gold mining town all alone without too much money. Then their Is Jack Dalton he seems he shows up after striking it rich and spends all his gold on Booze, Girls, and Saloons.
Dell wants not to have to marry a man out of nothing more than love. So she pursues A way to make money. She tries to get her own newspaper running, but everyone doesn't want to hire her because she is a woman. (Which I guess in the 1850's that is the way it was?) Anyway I loved her strength and her grace. admire it yet..
Ughh have I said that I can't wait to read the next in the series? I would love to read more about the other characters. Sam was a favorite of mine..
This is a good Historical Romance!
This is the first book that I have read by Cassie Hayes. I enjoyed it throughly. I.I will have to find out when the next in the series comes out. I was hooked from the beginning. I love the Deliah (Dell) she was left by her betrothed. After traveling 6 months on a ship from Boston. When she finally arrives in San Francisco. He betrothed realizes he (I would assume he got tired of waiting) on her. So she is stuck in some little
gold mining town all alone without too much money. Then their Is Jack Dalton he seems he shows up after striking it rich and spends all his gold on Booze, Girls, and Saloons.
Dell wants not to have to marry a man out of nothing more than love. So she pursues A way to make money. She tries to get her own newspaper running, but everyone doesn't want to hire her because she is a woman. (Which I guess in the 1850's that is the way it was?) Anyway I loved her strength and her grace. admire it yet..
Ughh have I said that I can't wait to read the next in the series? I would love to read more about the other characters. Sam was a favorite of mine..
This is a good Historical Romance!
April 29, 2014
Gold rush Brides is Wonderful
Gold rush Brides is Wonderful
The only sad thing about this novel is it ended. Although I enjoy an easy read, I'd have liked it to have been longer, beginning in Boston where Dell chose to be a mail order bride rather than waste away her youth.
Even when all she'd prayed and strived 6 months for came to naught, Dell didn't lay down and whine, she rolled up her sleeves and went to work. Miss Hayes helped 3 people to grow up and showed a fourth for what she was. You will shake your head and grin till your teeth ache before you're through with Gold Rush Brides!
Gold rush Brides is Wonderful
The only sad thing about this novel is it ended. Although I enjoy an easy read, I'd have liked it to have been longer, beginning in Boston where Dell chose to be a mail order bride rather than waste away her youth.
Even when all she'd prayed and strived 6 months for came to naught, Dell didn't lay down and whine, she rolled up her sleeves and went to work. Miss Hayes helped 3 people to grow up and showed a fourth for what she was. You will shake your head and grin till your teeth ache before you're through with Gold Rush Brides!
March 29, 2014
I I received a free copy of this book for and honest review. This book is just great!! The gold rush is in high swing and Delilah is going to be a mail order bride. But when she arrives she finds herself stood up. Jack has hit it big and enjoys throwing his gold around, being the boy he never had the chance to be. Dell decides to make the best of what life has thrown at her and publish adds for husbands wanting wives. When Jack and Dell are thrown together things go from bad to worse. But will she have her happy ending? Loved this book and can't wait for the rest of this series!!
April 7, 2014
Once in a while I read a book that I love. This one was one. I was surprise that Dell the heroine was a strong woman and also stayed true to the times that the book was set in. She overcame being abandoned and was able to move forward to make a way for her to live and thrive. She did not fall upon Jack the hero, to make her life easier. This made the love that came slowly more believable. There was many secondary characters I hope to see in future books.
September 27, 2015
Author Cassie Hayes has done an excellent joy of weaving adventure, intrigue, suspense, adversity and love into this historical sweet romance between Dell and Jack. I love her dreams and her pure determination to reach that goal, yet at first not caring for Jack and his ways, but enjoyed his soft side as he allowed it to come to the forefront. The twists and turns Kept me turning the pages until the end! Thank you!
April 24, 2014
San Francisco, Gold Rush, too many men and very few marriageable women - the scene is set; now add a mail order bride who takes a six month journey, by ship, only to be met by - NO ONE! Yep, kept me turning pages even if it wasn't a 5 star book, it was good enough that I'm glad I read it!
July 22, 2014
This was an awesome start for the beginning of a series. The characters are well developed and cast of supporting characters are endearing and interwoven into the plot. This was fast paced and a must read. Don't miss this series, it is definitely a keeper. I received a copy for a honest review.
March 14, 2015
Great Book.
Did not want to put it down. It really kept my interest and was a good clean story with likable characters. I have bought the rest of the series and look forward to reading them.
Did not want to put it down. It really kept my interest and was a good clean story with likable characters. I have bought the rest of the series and look forward to reading them.
August 8, 2016
There was no sex or smut in this book but it was a good story. It was different from most romance books. Delilah was smart, capable and determined. She made up her mind about how she would support herself and she went after it.
May 21, 2014
ok...not great
September 14, 2014
Sweet mail order bride story. Beginning of a series.
October 3, 2014
I enjoyed Jack & Del's story.It was a bit different from your run-of-the-mill mail order bride sagas.It had suspense which I loved and the story was very interesting.It kept my attention throughout!
January 2, 2019
Abandoned mail-ordered bride luckily meets enough kind people to survive. The hero is a twerp that eventually grows up, no so endearing. The villain comes as a surprise.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews