A sweet historical western. Mail-order bride Clementine Parks arrives in Montana Territory expecting to marry Dr. Caleb Blake, but he's never heard of her. He's a widower and he doesn't want a wife. He's vowed never to love again. Can this quiet man find room in his heart for sweet Clementine?
I read this for TBR Challenge 2016 – Theme this month: We love short shorts! It's one of the challenges I'm doing this year -- read more about them at my site, TheZestQuest.com . Join me - the more the merrier!
I love mail-order bride stories, especially those with surprises. THE SWEETEST MAIL-ORDER BRIDE by Jill Summers earns its title from the story and the bride herself. It’s a novella available in digital and print formats.
Why was this book in Dorine’s TBR? I’ve been missing the old fashioned mail-order bride stories that I remember reading years ago and this one popped up on my freebies list. I thought it might give me a historical fix when I needed one and I was right. I’m glad it was lingering in my TBR when I needed something short while traveling New Year’s week.
REVIEW:
Widow Clementine Parks hopes that she’ll move past the death of her son and husband when she marries Dr. Caleb Blake. Also a widower, Caleb has adorable sounding twin girls, based on their letters to Clementine. They’ve been writing along with their father, hoping Clementine will love them all. Clementine leaves her job and meager existence in Dakota Territory to build a new life in Montana Territory as a doctor’s wife and a new mother of twins.
When Clementine gets off the train in the town of Sweet Creek and is greeted by the twins, she realizes Caleb isn’t expecting her, nor does he know anything about the letters they exchanged. Will Caleb send Clementine back or accept his twin’s choice?
THE SWEETEST MAIL-ORDER BRIDE is a cute story that kicks off a series. I’m already curious about Caleb’s two brothers and their stories. Clementine has one of the sweetest dispositions, filled with light and a positive attitude, no matter the circumstances. I really wanted to know what happened to her. Her bright inner light and laughter made me anxious for her happy-ever-after.
Caleb’s father is also an interesting character with some surprises up his sleeve that I did not expect. I’m curious how much he’ll be involved in future stories, as I want to know more about him.
I grabbed this novella when it was offered as a freebie because I love mail-order bride stories and have never read this author. There were some moments that seemed a bit over-the-top for me with the twins, but overall I enjoyed this story. The twins are full of trouble so Clementine’s reactions are precious. I like the idea of three brothers getting mail-order brides which is an interesting concept for a series of novellas. I also love historicals that take place in Montana so I’m hopeful for more details in the coming books.
As novellas go, this one held my interest and didn’t seem to be lacking anything enough to make me want a much more detailed story. It did its job by showing the author’s talent and making me curious about future novellas.
If you’re a fan of mail-order bride stories, THE SWEETEST MAIL-ORDER BRIDE has an engaging heroine who suits this title perfectly. I don’t feel as if I got to know the hero as well because Clementine carried the story for me. Jill Summers also writes as Jillian Hart so you have many books to check out if you like this one. A quick and enjoyable fix for mail-order bride historical lovers.
Reviewed by Dorine, courtesy of TheZestQuest.com. Freebie acquired through a promotion on Amazon. What book have you pulled from the depths of your TBR to read this month?
I've always loved mail order bride books and this one is so sweet! What would you do if you had written several letters to man and gotten back letters from him, including letters from his twin daughters and already fallen in love with all of them? This is what happens to Clementine Parks. She is a widow herself and she's lost her husband and infant son which was the only family she had. She's been scraping by until she decides to be a mail order bride and corresponds with Caleb and his daughters in Montana. But when she arrives at the train station and Caleb isn't there, she knows something isn't right. The twins are there and she falls in love with them instantly but their father doesn't even know who Clementine is! Oops! Clementine's hopes and dreams suddenly come crashing down. I truly felt her loss and sadness as I know in those days, a woman didn't have many other opportunities. Where would she go and what would she do now? Caleb can't believe his daughters and his father have gone behind his back and done this to him! He's a busy country doctor and has no time for this! But his daughters need a mother and even though he thought he's never marry again, Clementine is just so perfect for him....should he take a chance.....? I loved this sweet story and all the characters and especially the horse named Pumpkin!
The Sweetest Mail-Order Bride by Jill Summers Sweet Creek Brides Book One Clementine Parks had lost everything, including hope. Until the letters she received from her mail-order bride ad. She found a man with twin daughters who wanted her, a new life and a new family seemed within reach. Until she arrived and Montana and found it all a mirage.
Dr. Caleb Blake had no desire to marry again, no matter how much Gracie and Hope begged for a new mother. And now they had gone too far, choosing a mother...who he would just happen to marry. Not happening.
Keep your tissues handy on this one. Two adorable but mischievous young girls and their just as equally naughty pony will grab the reader's heart along with their lonely father. I loved the other secondary characters as well, such as Caleb's younger brother, Jeremiah. Looking forward to the next books in this series. http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...
I love Mail Order Bride books and this one was great. Clementine arrives on the train only to get the feeling something isn't quite right. Soon she finds everything is quite wrong.
Caleb has no interest in marrying again though his twin daughters beg regularly for a mother. And they know just what the perfect mother would be like.
Through the joys and sorrows, Caleb and Clementine get to know each other and when push comes to shove, Caleb finally realizes what he needs most in his life!
Can't go wrong with this fun story. And while you are at it, enjoy Ed and Pumpkin!! :)
I loved reading this sweet book. You will definitely laugh and cry along with Clementine as she travels to Montana to meet the man that she has been writing to and his girls, and then all the incidents that arise before Caleb falls in love.
This story shows that sometimes we never no what's good for us until someone intervenes. It is a beautiful story of a mail ordered bride being tricked into coming to meet a man who knows nothing about it . Wonderfully written love laughter you will enjoy
This story will touch your heart. Jill had me crying through half the book and laughing at the antics of the characters through the rest. Amazing. Loved it!