The Chef's Mail Order Bride

Wild West Frontier Brides #1

by Cindy Nichols, Kirsten Osbourne (Editor), Ashley Merrick (Editor)

All Sadie had ever known, or ever wanted to know, was being a baker. She'd been raised to bake in her parents' bakery, and after their deaths, she had planned to carry on the family tradition. Devastated to find out she was losing her family's business, she needed something to do to support herself. When she received a letter from her twin sister's husband in Arizona Territory, suggesting she come out to be the bride of his best friend who was opening a restaurant, it seemed like the perfect solution to her problems.

Tripp had gone to the best culinary school in the country, and he knew exactly how to create the perfect meal. He spent hours and hours coming up with just the right menu for his restaurant, only to be told he couldn't get a loan for it unless he married. When his best friend came up with the solution of sending for his baker sister-in-law, it only made sense. Her ideas of the perfect menu were different than his, though. Would the two be able to stay together long enough to convince the bank he was a good risk? Would Sadie be able to convince Tripp that the two of them belonged together after all?

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

238 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 17, 2015

About the author

Cindy Nichols also writes as Cindy Caldwell

Cindy Nichols writes heartwarming stories interwoven with the bonds of friendship and family that combine what she loves most about women's fiction and romance.

She's lived most of her life near a beach...just the way she likes it. She hopes to share that feeling of peace and serenity with readers in her gently thought-provoking, feel-good stories.

Feel free to sign up for her mailing list to hear about new releases as soon as they are available. Just copy and paste into your browser:
https://www.subscribepage.com/goodreads

Reviews

[Jessica's Totally Over The Top Book Obsession · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 meh

This was just meh.... Sorry. Good thing it was free on Amazon. Now I love both clean romances and non clean. I love a good hot sex scene but it's not what makes or breaks a book for me. I have read many clean romances in my life, because when I was younger my mom won't let me read the dirty ones lol. So the fact that this book is a clean romance isn't the problem. The problem was I didn't see any ROMANCE til like the last page or two. There was no real relationship, no time spend together, he just used her as a worker, and business partner, and that was it. Then boom the end they love each other. Whatevs! I was kinda bored.

[Lucy McConnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun book!

[Adrianna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't realize this was only a short story, so I was surprised that not much really happened and that the happy ending seemed rather abrupt. I kept waiting for a climax but there never really was one, which was disappointing, even for a novella.
I feel a better editor would have been helpful. There were several places where commas were missing entirely, or where the same descriptive word was used twice in the same sentence or within a sentence or two of each other.
The conversations were stilted and everyone was impossibly, sickly, sweet. The chemistry between h & H was definitely lacking. H spent the majority of the story looking at new bride as a business investment, and so shy that the sight of her ankles (gasp) shocked him into running away, so to have him suddenly do about-face was completely improbable.
This is me as I toss the novella aside:

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful story! Baker Sadie comes to town to help Chef Tripp achieve his dream of opening a fine dining restaurant in the Wild West of Arizona. Things do not go exactly as planned as they disagree on some things and the locals are not so sold on "fine dining" but things work out in the end. It was a lovely romance and a must read!

[Melissa (christianbooksandcoffee) · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first read by this author and I really enjoyed it.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadie's parents have passed away, leaving her in charge of the family bakery in Chicago. At least until she finds out that the bank is taking possession due to an unpaid mortgage. Unsure of what she's going to do or even where she will live, she receives a letter from her twin sister, Suzanne, who is living with her husband and twin daughters in Tombstone, Arizona. Suzanne has an unusual solution to Sadie's troubles... Move to Tombstone and marry a man she's never met before.

A very enjoyable read. I can already tell I am going to love the characters that we get to know in this series.

[Babs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadie has been a baker since she was little and helped her parents in their bakery. Now that they are gone and her sister out in Arizona the time has come to let it go back to the bank. But her twin sister might have a plan for her. She gets a letter and ask her to come out and be a mail order bride to their friend Tripp. Why not she thinks and goes to Arizona.

Tripp use to work on a ranch and then went to a culinary school after he got injured. He wants to open his own restaurant and needs some help and why not his best friends sister Sadie.

Can these two work together and love one another?

Tripp came across as cold and only focused on himself. Sadie was working her buns off as she was working two jobs. Helping Tripp and getting up and going in early to make her meat pies for the miners. There were times he tried for Sadie and the ending was rushed.

[Manalye · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 3.5-4.

A good, sweet romance. Super clean, super sweet. So well-written that I read straight through, no skipping sections or rolling my eyes like I do with some books.

I thought the characters had depth and feeling to them. They were easy to like and I had a great time rooting for them.

I saw a complaint about this book not having a climax, but I disagree. It's such an innocent story that the climax is sort of "soft", so to speak. And I wouldn't expect anything else in this story. A heart wrenching climax wouldn't make sense.

And honestly, my anxiety thanks you for it. Sometimes you need something gentle to read.

It's just a feel good kind of book. I hope you enjoy it!

[Ashley✨ · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is no chemistry between the two. This got boring with nothing going on to keep it interesting.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sadie's lifelong passion was baking, nurtured by her parents' bakery. However, with their sudden demise and the imminent loss of the family business, Sadie felt lost and in need of a new direction. A lifeline came in the form of a letter from her twin sister's husband, proposing a solution to her predicament: marrying his best friend in Arizona Territory, who was opening a restaurant and seeking a baker.

Tripp, a culinary school graduate with a knack for creating exquisite meals, had hit a roadblock in his dream of opening a restaurant. He needed a loan, and the condition was marriage. The idea of bringing in Sadie, with her different culinary perspectives, seemed like a perfect arrangement. Yet, as they worked together, their differing visions clashed. The question remained: could they present a united front long enough to convince the bank of Tripp's potential? And amidst their culinary endeavors, would Sadie be able to win Tripp's heart and prove they were meant to be together?

The story unfolded at a thrilling pace, keeping readers entertained and captivated throughout. Initially, Tripp's character had a few aspects that bothered me, but as the narrative progressed, he gradually won me over and became more endearing.

[Kristen Moore LeHew · Rating 5 out of 5]

SMASH HIT FOR THIS NEW AUTHOR!

I was really excited when I saw that this book was set in the Arizona Territory. The topography, ways of travel, sunsets, town settings were accurate for the area and time. (Very important to me. I've thrown away books when I read regular books, because they were inaccurate when using as actual town/area.) This was an absolute fun historical western romance book. I really enjoyed getting to know Sadie and Suzanne, who are twin sister's, Tripp Morgan (Sadie's husband), James (Suzanne's husband), Lily & Lucy (James & Suzanne's twin daughters, and Beau & Hank (Ranchers and ex-employers of Tripp's).

Tripp needs a wife in order to get a loan from the bank. Sadie needs a place to live and purpose in her life after her parents are killed and the family bakery is lost. James and Suzanne bring them together as a "business arrangement" in order for Tripp's dreams can come true. Cindy Caldwell paints a beautiful story with her words. She is a natural storyteller. I am looking forward to more books to this series! A MUST READ!!!

[Kathy Heare Watts · Rating 5 out of 5]

COOKING TOGETHER TO HAPPINESS
I really enjoyed this sweet, clean, mail-order bride story of Tripp and Sadie. Tripp Morgan lost his parents as a teenager and was taken in by the Beau Archer family where he learned the love of cooking by the Katie Archer and even became the trail cook. His dream was to open a restaurant after going to culinary school in New York. Sadie and her twin sister Suzanne were raised in their parent's bakery. After their deaths in an accident, Sadie was left alone to run the bakery but it was in too much debt. Suzanne had married and moved to the Arizona territory. Could Sadie really go to Arizona and marry a stranger, as her sister requested. The plot kept me captivated with charming characters, entertaining scenes, witty dialog and the joy two people find together doing what they both love. The story does not end on a cliffhanger, but a set up for another story to come. I do love when a story has an HEA ending and you know that, as a series, you are going to enjoy more stories in this line. I definitely look forward to more books by this author.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast."

Classic mail order bride tale with a twist. A young woman goes west after her twin sister sets her up with her husband's friend. The groom "needs" a wife and bride "needs" a husband. After a few secrets and a few mis-steps their lives start to balance out.Nice clean romance.

The narration was well done, a very enjoyable listen.

[Ipshita · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
There was no emotional connection between them so his sudden declaration of love near the end looked very odd. Not that the heroine was not lovable but prior to his declaration, I did not believe he even noticed her.

[Chalice · Rating 3 out of 5]

The couple: Tripp and Sadie

Romance genre: clean; mail order bride
Part of a series: Yes (Wild West Frontier Brides)
Length: 244 pages

Plot: Sadie's bakery in Chicago is being repossessed, but her sister in Arizona has a solution. Her husband's friend Tripp is opening a restaurant, and to secure his loan, he needs to be married. So Sadie closes up shop and moves to Arizona, where she marries. Tripp. Tripp, by the way, is a trained chef, as he lets everyone know, and he is determined to serve his fancy French cuisine in his new restaurant, even though what people really want is his chuckwagon-style home cooking (and Sadie's meat pies - but how could this be? She's not been trained in New York City like fancy pants Tripp!). Anyways, there's some miscommunication, the woman saves the day, they decide on a real marriage instead of a business partnership, and live HEA. With no sex at all not even a little bit anywhere in the story. At all.

Character development: My favorite moment was when Sadie's sister had to physically stop her from hitting Tripp in the head with a pot. She was was nicer than most people would have been, and even she lost her patience there.

Would I read more from this author/in this series: no - the writing was fine, but I'm not a fan of clean romance, and generally only read them if I pick them up for free.
Next book in the series: The Wrangler's Mail Order Bride

[Alain Tramblay · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you think that life should be seen behind thick pink glasses, that book is for you: No intrigue. Very predictable.

Probably good for young girls

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

In my book Sadie Walker runs a bakery given to her by her late parents. Due to the bank taking the bakery because the bills were not paid, she moved down south to Arizona Territory to do a favor for her twin sister, Suzanne, who also lived there. But this was no ordinary favor. Suzanne's husband, James, had a friend, Tripp Morgan, who was in search of a wife. This however is a fairly odd request to follow through with, but Sadie was wanting a new adventure and this seemed as good as any. Now the new question that she asks is not about what he looks like or how he acts, but rather that will they ever have a "real" marrage?

Tye one big disappointment of this book was how short it was, I felt almost as if the author was in the middle of the book and the author got board. I say this because the ending of the book felt a little rushed. Then again I also notice this commonly in children's movies, it also might be a result of starting the characters too far apart and wanting them to end up tofether, but still only wanting to write a short story. Other than that I very much enjoyed the easier read. It also had an appealing sence of drama to it. Another enjoyable aspect of it, was that it is historical (my favorite genre). I would recommend this book to less advanced readers, or readers like me who would like a break from more complex text.

[R.C. Matthews · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really cute story that was well written and entertaining. I loved the fact that Sadie's twin sister Suzanne knew the hero and felt it would be a love match. Knowing this gave me real hope from the beginning that Sadie would get her HEA.

Sadie was a very lovable heroine and I caught myself smiling quite a bit throughout the story at her antics. Tripp was a real trip, but Sadie brought him around to seeing things properly by the end of the story. The tale is simple and predictable, but a pleasure to read none-the-less.

[✨ Gramy ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

.
This 'free' ebook definitely was a sweet and clean tale about a mail-order bride. Both parties agreed to become a partner in a new restaurant and marriage, arranged by family.

The H/H were both dedicated, hard-working, and passionate people. So it was a joy to be captivated by their charm and spend some time getting to know them. Their restaurant sounds like a great place to dine!

A clean tale, able to stand on its own, and a surprise twist of an H.E.A.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Clean, sweet, chemistry free love story

This was a clean, sweet love story. There was no chemistry and Sadie worked twice as hard as her husband because she was running two businesses. Her husband was cold and ultra focused on his own agenda. Not for me, but I gave this a 2 for effort.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 rating (really need half stars here!)
Beautifully written story about a woman making a life decision on the bet her sister knows her so well. The vision of one is not always the vision of the other when it comes to a working agreement. Can they as business partners come to an beneficial agreement to benefit them both and keep a business alive and customers happy?

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

do a shot every time you read the phrase "business arrangement". you'll have more fun.

kidding. but this book wasn't awful. I liked the relationship between the sisters, but the romance was abrupt. also, the book needed more conflict. there were several opportunities for this, but each time characters sort of just shrugged and nothing happened. just not really for me.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable story

Tripp and Sadie enter into an agreement in order to open a new restaurant in the Arizona territory. As a newly wed couple they have a lot in their plate and have to work together to make it a success. It is a very sweet story.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cute short story. Clean and fast moving. I look forward to reading a few more from this author. A little different spin on the mail order part.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike other reviews commented, the version I read is NOT a novella.

I found it charming, though a little choppy at times. I liked the main characters, as well as the storyline.

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book. It was such a pleasure to read and I found the sweet romance innocent and endearing.

My Rating: 5 stars

[Arksongbird · Rating 3 out of 5]

And then Bam we were done and they were suddenly in love. 😒

[Nellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

clean, sweet, easy read. this was a very nice book. id read more from this author.

[Marsha Keeper Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed at Can't Resist A Happy Ending

I have enjoyed Ms Caldwell’s works in other Western Historical Romance series, as well as her Contemporary Romances series – so she is by no means a new name to me. Yet I never got around to starting the Wild West Frontier Brides series until now. Too many books, never enough time. The Chef’s Mail-Order Bride was a smooth start to this series. I enjoyed Sadie and Tripp’s building relationship very much. So often we forget that mail-order brides were very much a business relationship before anything else came along. Two people, each with a need agreed to marry and join their lives, sometimes successfully finding love in their relationship, and for others it remained a business relationship until death parted them. It was a reality of the times. So when I see reviews lamenting the fact that Sadie and Tripp didn’t have much romance going on until the final few chapters… I’m a bit confused. I found their story very realistic for their situation. They were strangers who needed to come to know each other, and Tripp’s new business venture was their main concern… at first. So I wasn’t a bit surprised that the actual “romance” showed up later in the story.

The Chef’s Mail-Order Bride gave me a really good story, a slow burn romance, and lots of interesting secondary characters who I suspect will find their own tales told one day soon. I had fun with this one, and if you enjoy Western Historical Romance then you’ll want to get started on this series. Tripp gave me a few moments of despair as he was so very focused on opening the restaurant, and doing everything only “his way”. It was a relief to see him open up to Sadie’s experience in business and her suggestions. It showed that he knew his wife’s worth and began their emotional engagement. If you don’t mind wanting to “smack the hero upside the head” a few times so that he pays attention, then you’ll have a good time with this story. *grin*

I own a Kindle Edition of The Chef’s Mail-Order Bride

[Pam Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

New to this author! Loved the book

This is my first time reading this author's books and I am a big fan of mail order bride books and what I appreciated was that it was begins in n Chicago but set in Arizona where I live.
Sadie is a baker, who loves what she does and due to unfortunate circumstances has an offer through her twin sister and her brother in law to move to AZ after having to close her bakery shop down. So she make the trip to Tombstone, AZ and meets Tripp- a chef who had training in New York and wants to open up a restaurant but not without a hitch by bank.. he must be married. So in comes Sadie, who agrees to the " business arrangement" but learns that things aren't always as they seem and you have to really push through to not give up your passion and make it work out for the best. So she and Tripp may have some indifferences of how the restaurant will do but it all ends up working out for the best and find two great minds and hearts can make their dreams come true.