The Drifter's Mail-Order Bride

The Dalton Brides #4

by Cassie Hayes

He was a drifter, through and through. Could he give up his wanderlust for a mail-order bride he didn’t know was coming?

Having grown up in the shadow of two beautiful sisters, ‘Scrawny Bonnie’ Blue knows she doesn’t stand a chance at landing a good man in Beckham, Massachusetts. The only way she’ll find a husband is by leaving her family behind to become a mail order bride. But when all three Blue sisters are swept up in a scandal, she has no choice to but to take ‘Gorgeous Gwen’ and ‘Lovely Libby’ with her…kicking and screaming, if she must.

Bart Dalton would be happy riding the range forever, but his brothers need his help to start a ranch in north Texas. He figures he’ll last a year or so before his feet get itchy again, which his brothers understand. As triplets, they can almost read each others’ minds. Except when his oldest brother ordered three brides for them. It would have been nice to have a little warning about that!

When Bart’s late to meet the train carrying the Blue sisters, his brothers get first dibs, leaving Bonnie standing alone and dejected once again. It only gets worse when her ‘intended’ finally shows up and balks at the idea of marrying her. The one thing Bonnie has going for her are her wits, and she puts them to good use by proposing a business arrangement that Bart can’t refuse.

Will Bart go back to his drifter ways, or is the elusive thing he’d searched for all his life sleeping in the next room?

The Drifter’s Mail-Order Bride is the fourth book in THE DALTON BRIDES series, written by Cassie Hayes, Kirsten Osbourne & Kit Morgan:
Book 1 - The Prologue (Free; included in Books 2-4) - http://bit.ly/Dalton0
Book 2 - The Rancher’s Mail-Order Bride - http://bit.ly/Dalton2
Book 3 - The Cowboy’s Mail-Order Bride - http://bit.ly/Dalton3
Book 4 - The Drifter’s Mail-Order Bride - http://bit.ly/Dalton4
Book 5 - Hank's Rescued Bride - http://bit.ly/Dalton5
Book 6 - Benedict’s Bargain Bride - http://bit.ly/Dalton6
Book 7 - Percy’s Unexpected Bride - http://bit.ly/Dalton7

Genres: Romance, Historical, Westerns, Historical Romance, Historical Fiction, Western Romance, Ebooks

164 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 14, 2014

About the author

Cassie 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.

Reviews

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kindle freebie romance time again! A weakish 3 stars for this pleasant but extremely fluffy little Old West mail order bride short novel/novella. Bonnie Blue has always felt overshadowed by her lovely younger sisters, self-confident Gwen and shy Libby. None of the guys in town cares that she's the most capable and intelligent sister (best cook, best seamstress, etc.). Bonnie decides she's had enough, and signs up to be a mail order bride. Three triplet brothers want to get married (at least one of them does, and he's going to drag the other two along), and Bonnie figures that she can rope a couple of friends into going along with her.

But when a terrible scandal breaks out, centering around Gwen but touching all three sisters, and their father decides to force them to marry three lecherous older church deacons, Bonnie decides to rescue herself and her sisters from a fate worse than death, and they sneak off into the night. Gwen and Libby are quickly claimed by the first two brothers who meet them at the train station, and plain Bonnie is left for the third brother, Bart, an avowed drifter who has absolutely no idea that his brother has ordered him a bride, and absolutely no intention of marrying, ever. But maybe Bonnie can talk him into a marriage of convenience ...

It's a sweet and squeaky clean romance, pretty much lacking in any kind of real intensity or drama. Troublesome issues and relationships get worked out unrealistically quickly, with a wave of the author's Magic Cure-all Wand.



And isn't it a wonder how all the men who order mail order brides in these books are young and handsome? Kind of like all the hot, single dukes in Regencyland ...

Anyway, if you like to turn off your brain and escape to Romancelandia, well, this will do the trick. I kind of enjoyed Bonnie as a main character, probably far more than I would have enjoyed her sisters. This is part of an interlocking series (you can read Gwen's and Libby's stories in the prior volumes, and their three brothers' stories in the later ones). But this worked okay as a stand-alone read, other than a teaser right at the end, which you can feel free to ignore (I certainly did).

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used to being looked over for her two younger sisters, Bonnie decides to leave town as a mail order bride. But when scandal erupts involving all three of them, they leave for Tx and triplet brothers.
But when Bonnie is once again looked over and chosen last, she is crushed.

Bart is floored when he shows up in town to meet a business man, and it is really his new bride. What makes it worse is his brother has once again taken it upon himself to make all of their decisions by himself. But as he is talking to Bonnie,he knows he has no choice but to marry her or she will return to utter misery.

Entering into a business arrangement and not a real marriage, they are instantly comfortable with each other and learn a lot. When each h of their feelings start to change they be home scared. Can Bart o overcome his drifter ways and be home the man that Bonnie has always dreamed of? Will Bonnie ever trust that someone can really love her for herself and let down her guard? Loved this series and each couple. I really loved Bonnie and Bart and the obstacles they nd to overcome. Definite must read if you love great historical western romance!!

[**Elle**Bee**Double U** · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first book of this series I have read fully, and I have to say, I'm glad I got it for free.

Before I started reading this one I read the samples of the previous books and noticed a lot of this book was written just like the others. In a way it almost seems like the author used the same formula for each sister and then added just bits to the stories to give it that individual tweak for the sisters.

The book ends at like 75% and in the middle of action?!? I mean seriously, you could've included and epilogue that actually led into the next book, not just left you hanging! I hate that!

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet little story—a nice piece of mindless fluff—good and entertaining. I really liked these characters a lot. I thought they were cute. There were no super annoying plot devices such as over dramatization or dragging out of frustrating circumstances or character flaws. There were some grammar errors.

[Seema Khan Peerzada · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kindle freebie. Passed my time pretty well!

[Darlena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 & 1/2 stars

Bonnie Blue was the plain sister compared to Gwen and Libby. Believing that she would never marry in her home town because she is never noticed because her sisters are so beautiful, she signs up to be a mail order bride.

But before she can choose a husband a scandal is falsely created about Gwen and their father arranges fora all three sisters to be married to old deacon bachelor's in the community.

Bonnie was going to ask two unmarried ladies to respond to a letter from a man looking for three wives for him and his two brothers. Instead she decides to take her sisters instead to save all three of them from the misery of their fathers arranged marriages.

Walton wrote to an advertisement asking for three wives for himself and his two brothers. Only problem, he did not tell the his brothers he did this till the day the brides arrived on the train.

This was a solid 3 1/2 star clean read for me.

[sunshine6 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sweet Western

Great reading sweet western story but the ending...there wasn't one. Just leaves the reader hanging. I'm reluctant to read anymore books by this author. Don't won't to be disappointed again.

[Ed Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank god I got this book for free. The story just ends without a conclusion. I hate that, it's a cheap gimmick to try and get you to buy more books. I also hated the fact that half the book was the two main characters thinking the same thing over and over.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It started interestingly, throughout the heroine catered to everyones needs but her own, then ended abruptly 3/4 through the book.
I'm not inspired to read any more of this series.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a perfect marriage of convenience mail order bride story!

I was really getting fed up with historical romances that not only got history wrong but one logical at all. The drifter in the mail order bride was the remedy for that. This is a perfect book. When Bonnie and her two sisters go to Texas to marry triplet brothers her groom is late, not only that he didn’t know he was a groom. So she missed took his disappointment about the situation as his disappointment in her. After compelling him to marry her anyway and have a marriage of convenience she eventually starts falling in love with him. With his storytelling, his wonderful sense of humor and not to mention his great luxe and beautiful brown eyes. He is slow to realize that he too is falling in Love with Bonnie, but as per their arrangement he in the middle of the night goes on “Safari“ it says he will be gone for a week. I won’t say what happens next just know this is a wonderful story and there’s also storyline from book one which I thought was cleverly done and can’t wait to read book 3. I know for certain this is my new favorite mail order bride series and if the authors other books or as good as this one I do think I will have a new favorite mail order bride author. I have already signed up for her email newsletter and can’t wait to get more acquainted with her work. As for this book I highly recommend it 100% five star raid. The only thing better would be if it was on audio.

[Lori Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet

It's a sweet story but rushed. I love the premise of it, a plain woman compared to her two sisters always getting the short straw from everyone to even her parents. Her mother being blatant about it, her father shows some remorse after saying something hurtful. It's a painful story but it's not deep enough to bring the tears. Bummer. Lol. Like other people said, it would've been a much better book if all 3 stories were told in one. It's a quick read. I enjoyed it. It's also a clean sweet story. The ending is kinda silly. But you get an idea of what it accomplishes. A happy ending for all 3 couples. Especially so. It also gives an idea of a task for one Blue brother in another story. You get a free sample at the end of this book. I really loved both Bonnie Blue and Bart Dalton. Not really enough on the other Dalton brothers.. The sisters you get to know. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[Dana Dobias · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Third Story of the Series!

Someone had the idea to create a set of stories about three sisters that married three brothers.The best way handle that is to use three authors. This is the third and they definitely saved the best for last. The Escape is a short story that sets up the series. The Ranchers Mail-Order Bride and The Cowboy's Mail-Order Bride tell of the first two sisters and their adjustments to marriage with hilarious scenes as neither of them are familiar with the marriage bed. This third book flips the person who has the problem. The woman is fine, but the man has some realizations and some growing up to do. I like this author's style and look forward to more of her stories.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

He had itchy feet to wander places

He was one of the triplets , the youngest Dalton brother. His oldest brother asked him to come help him set up a ranch that had three parcels of land on it, one for each of them. What the oldest one didn't tell them is he had sent away for all three of the mail order brides. I liked the way that the story showed that his brides character was what made him fall in love with her.

[Martha B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

predictable

I could appreciate that the H discerned right away how special the heroine was. That being said the book lacked the angst and felt too simplistic. They fell in love in few weeks. It seemed too good to be true. As I love animals I didn’t like the H hunting or his story about his struggles with the wolfs .

[Viola · Rating 5 out of 5]

very nicely done

This book four of the Dalton Brides. This book is just as good as the previous three books. This one is written by Cassie Hayes and is very well written. Always the last to be picked for anything, even her husband picked her last. And he did not even wanted to get married. So what was she to do but make a deal. What is it? A very enjoyable read.

[Jo Ann Dawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy read but lacked any element of excitement. The ending was rather short and abrupt

without even a lasting, living happily ever after family get together! I'm sure the author has immense talent, but this one -- totally predictable.

[Dystopian Mayhem]

While I enjoyed the refreshing twist in the mail order bride theme here, and the fact that the author tried to keep it clean, and the humor and the romance are nice, it was too wordy for me. But the characters are likable and the ending was nice.

[Izzie d · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is better than book 1 and 2. Bonnie is amazing, so capable and hard working, in this book its the hero who need to grow up. He's a bit annoying.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

E-Reader. Western Historical Romance

This book is about a well to do Blues family in Boston. They have three daughters, Bonnie, Gwen & Libby. A bad rumor caused the family a scandal because of what was lies told. Their Father made arrangements to have each marry a much older man.
Bonnie felt she needed to protect her sisters & found the paper about being a mail order bride. And also after writing to Walton Dalton found out she had two sisters also coming with her. Walt was a triplet, Nate & Bart. He wired the fare for going to No. Texas by train. Bonnie thought she was to marry Walt. But when they arrived, Walt chose Gwen, Nate chose Libby. So because Bart was late meeting the train he ended marrying Bonnie. Only Walt knew they were being married. He surprised the brothers.
Bart was for many years a drifter who found it hard to stay in one place once turned 17. Now 27 Walt had written Nate & Bart to come claim parcels & him farm the land. He knew someday Bart would get his itchy feet & leave for good.
Find out what happens with these three couples.
Will they find love & will Bart leave?
There is so much more to this book. It takes place in 1888. Read this book and enjoy it!

[Kylara Jensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute story. good couple.

[Roxy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet gentle read.

Classic gentle story. Can be read on its own. Quick read. Old fashioned slang words used? Which I felt did not add or improve the plot. Unique to USA maybe.

[Deborah K Van Loan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good grief

Pretty good little story. But it ended at the wrong time. The author began an interesting and amusing wrinkle in the story and ended the book. What? Who does that?

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book automatically wins an extra star simply due to the fact that Cassie Hayes uses the word flibbertigibbet!

Bonnie and Bart are by far my favorite couple from the first three books. A very good read.

[mae l tuttle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sorry it was not complete.

There were a lot of blank pages and skipping around for it to be good reading. It might have been a good story if it had been completed.

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is cute; the writing not the best, but it was a mild form of entertainment to wind down with at night. I did appreciate that it was clean.

[Sandy Frediani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read. There's quite a bit of repetition in the beginning, which was annoying. Then things moved along just fine until...the dreaded cliffhanger.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet romance

I love mail order bride romances and I really liked this one. Cassie Hayes is one of the best in this genre.

[Mandi Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooook

So it was a sweet story. Then it ends on a cliffhanger. That really irks me. I was loving the story up till that point.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was sweet. I really wasn't expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised

[Cissie Breland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

Some of the time we just don't know what we truly want until we don't have it. I loved reading about Bonnie and Bart