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Brides of Beckham #9

Mail Order Matron

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At thirty-four, Julia had given up on love. She had spent sixteen years nursing her sick mother, and now that her mother had passed on, she had no idea what to do with herself. She answered an advertisement to be a mail order bride, knowing she needed a new beginning.

Edward, a Kansas farmer, had been alone for six years since the death of his wife. He was sick of eating his own cooking, tired of living in filth, and more than anything, he was lonely. He sent off a letter to try to find a bride, hoping against hope someone would answer it. When Julia stepped off the train, she was nothing like he'd expected her to be. Could a marriage based on mutual loneliness work out?

78 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 26, 2015

88 people are currently reading
118 people want to read

About the author

Kirsten Osbourne

336 books510 followers

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5 stars
332 (49%)
4 stars
186 (27%)
3 stars
127 (18%)
2 stars
24 (3%)
1 star
5 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Leigh.
1,398 reviews325 followers
April 1, 2019
Mail Order Matron was even shorter than the others but I loved it. Julia's mother is sick and the doctors tell her she will either get better or die within the year. So Julia tells her love Joe to wait for her which he does for 2 years but he gives up on her a marries someone else. Now it's 16 years later and her mother finally died. Poor Julia has no idea what to do with herself. She's old and heavier with no husband prospects in her future so she decides to become a Mail Order Bride. Edward is a lonely widower who lives and works on an isolated farm. Julia is such a perfect match for him and as they fall in love my heart melted. I'm so happy they finally found happiness.
Profile Image for Nancy.
391 reviews
February 17, 2018
Julia, at 18, had to postpone marrying her sweetheart, Joseph, to take care of her ill mother. What was supposed to be only one year turned into fifteen years and in the mean time Joseph had married someone else. Julia, now 33 years old, decided to become a mail order bride for a farmer in Kansas. Edward had lost his first wife five years ago and was looking for someone to marry who was willing to live in the middle of nowhere and wasn't afraid of hard work.

I really enjoyed this story and would highly recommend it.
Profile Image for Annette K Hernandez.
355 reviews1 follower
April 29, 2015
This story seemed rushed.

This story was ok, but it seemed to lack the good story lines from her previous books. It was a good story, but very short.
Profile Image for Marsha Keeper Bookshelf.
4,290 reviews88 followers
July 22, 2018
Reviewed at Historically Romantic

Mail Order Matron is a story that I think many readers can relate to, I know I did. Oh, not the same situation, but waiting for something and discovering it was no longer there.

Julia was young and in love but she had to ask the boy she loved to wait for her to marry because her mother was deathly ill and the doctors felt she wouldn’t last the year. Surely, he would understand that she needed to tend to her mother’s needs first before her own. One year moved into two years, and Joe could not wait any longer to begin his family. Julia understood, of course, but she was devastated by his actions. Her mother’s illness had turned a wonderful mother into a nagging, bitter, angry woman and taking care of her took all the joy out of Julia’s life. The one year out of her life turned into sixteen. And with the boy she’d loved married with several children what was Julia’s future now? Julia couldn’t stay in Beckham. She knew someone who might have an answer for her if she was brave enough to take the risk.

Edward loved his life as a farmer. A widower he’d grown tired of his own company and had sent off a letter inquiring about a mail order bride. It took almost a year to hear anything back but the woman who responded sounded perfect for him. His bride seemed kind, if a little unsure of her own attractiveness. But she sure could cook. He easily found himself wanting a true marriage with Julia, but he had some courting to do with his shy bride first.

Julia and Edward were a fun, loving couple to get to know. Several times I found myself chuckling at their antics. I enjoyed watching Julia blossom under Edward’s care. Sometimes the best things in life are the ones you never expected to find. If you enjoy Western Historical Romance then you’d enjoy Mail Order Matron or any story in the Brides of Beckham series.

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.
Profile Image for Casey.
1,537 reviews6 followers
October 6, 2018
Just right

I haven't been reviewing every book I read lately. I'm a voracious reader and it seems like I'm saying the same thing over and over.
I especially liked this one of Kirsten's because it is about an older bride. There are few of those out there.
Kirsten always leaves me with a warm and happy feeling. I like it.
Profile Image for Kari Elkins.
35 reviews
October 19, 2021
Never Too Old

Julia had such an unfortunate sad beginning. She was unable to marry her childhood sweetheart heart because her dying mother lived way longer than expected. When her mother did die she did not know what to do with herself. At 30 years old, who would marry her? Her Mail Order Bride Adventure was worth waiting for.
212 reviews
September 28, 2022
the sweetest

I love this book, it was just right it felt like a desert , I have been reading so many heavy books and this was such a delight..I was so happy for them.a really good book
Profile Image for Maureen A. Beauvais.
16 reviews
November 14, 2017
Great story

I enjoyed this very much. A quick read, a different romance with older people,just a bit a sex but not steamy, just enough to make the story complete.
5 reviews
September 14, 2020
A sweet romantic story

Loved the story and the characters. All though short, the characters are well defined and interesting. A very good read.
Profile Image for Jeene Hobbs.
558 reviews1 follower
June 26, 2015
Finding love later in life

When Harriet the Matchmaker moves to Seattle, she leaves the mail order bride business to Elizabeth Miller, the sister of a previous mail order bride.

Julia gave up marriage to take take of her polio afflicted mother for 16 years. Edward is a childless widower living and farming in Kansas. Can they adjust to life with someone they don't know after all these years? Sweet story not too much angst.

I keep thinking about the cooking in all of the books in this series. I understand that we have more variety in our meals today, but with all of the ethnic groups that came to America you would think that there would be more than chicken and dumplings, beef stew, roast, beans, pancakes and French toast. I wonder if they even called it French toast. Also, I doubt that women made sweets everyday for their husbands. A pie cut into 6 or 8 pieces lasts 3 days. A full cake lasts all week but not with whipped cream frosting. Sugar was expensive. Also you don't buy one pound of flour and expect to get 4 loaves of bread, a cake and dumplings from it. Just saying.
Profile Image for Abby G. Amos.
1,254 reviews3 followers
April 13, 2015
Nice Read

This is maybe my second Mail Order Matron book, and I see I've read them out of order. I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a great read that I feel others will enjoy.
Profile Image for Nancy Grimes.
38 reviews1 follower
March 29, 2015
sweet love story

Such a sweet love story, just goes to show you that no matter how old you are there is someone out there to love you.
4 reviews
March 30, 2015
Great book!

Great book. I've read it several times. In fact I have read all of the Brides of Beckham Series. Waiting for more to come.
800 reviews6 followers
March 31, 2015
Delightful

I missed this book when it first came out. Now, I have had the great pleasure of finally having read it. Thank you Kirsten, another great book.
Profile Image for Donna Rogers.
280 reviews4 followers
April 12, 2015
Loved!!

I fell in love with the brides of beckham series such a great book series, kirsten Osborne is such a talented writer!!!
Profile Image for Kathy .
1,303 reviews3 followers
June 18, 2015
Mail Order Matron

Just a simple love story between an old maid and a middle-aged widower. Short, sweet, and simple. Wished there had been more substance to the storyline.
Profile Image for Joyce Outlaw.
80 reviews
July 7, 2015
Very very good book

I love reading your book. The book kept you wanted to read more. I wanted to know if boy or girl a little more. So look forward reading more of your books.
Profile Image for Sheila Ramie.
18 reviews
September 26, 2015
Great novela

Although it was a complete story, it was short. This could easily have been developed into a full length novel.
Profile Image for Victoria Busby.
237 reviews3 followers
March 23, 2016
Wonderful

Loved the story. Loved the time period. Loved all of the characters. Get the book and get lost it today.
Profile Image for Sharon.
2,770 reviews7 followers
March 31, 2020
Julia and Edward
Loved this story that is well written with charismatic characters and witty dialogue. Their story has a satisfying HEA.
288 reviews4 followers
May 14, 2016
As Above

This Was A Wonderful Story, But the ending was way to short I wanted to know more about this couple. I did not like the Ending.
Shirley Ketcham
Profile Image for Sharon L. Mason.
29 reviews1 follower
June 8, 2016
Julia

What a great story! So sweet and endearing! It's nice to read a story were one doesn't have to be perfect and young to find the love of her life!
Profile Image for Laura.
1,195 reviews4 followers
April 2, 2024
I loved it. Wonderful book.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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