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Small-Town Brides
Join the fun and feel the romance in various historical communities from Massachusetts to Florida, Missouri to Texas. Meet ladies who take firm stands for their work in mills, orphanages, churches, schools, hospitals, and the like as they dance through courtship with their beaus. Can the nine couples develop lasting loves under the watchful eyes of their neighbors?
441 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2016
11 people are currently reading
207 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Eileen Hake
44 books188 followersKelly Eileen Hake is a reader favorite of Barbour's Heartsong Presents series, where she has released several books. A credentialed Secondary English teacher in California, she is pursing her MA in Writing Popular Fiction. Known for her own style of witty, heartwarming historical romance, Kelly is currently writing the Prairie Promises trilogy, her first full-length novels. She has been writing since she could hold a pen and was first published at the tender age of eighteen.
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November 5, 2016My favorites:
(novella #1) Run of the Mill by Susan Downs
(novella #9) A Shelter from the Storm by Marjorie Vawter
Run of the Mill was fun, and the hero's 'transformation' was cute! I liked the fact that he got so attached to that little baby girl in so short an amount of time...and came to his sense about the heroine. ;)
A Shelter from the Storm - I liked that the two main characters worked really well together, not just character/personality wise, but also the fact that he's a doc and she's a nurse. It just...fits. And then what she said about his disability from WWI being a badge of honor in itself? *grins* That's super sweet. The author seemed to work with issues that had depth but brought it about in this short, 12-chapter book in a way that didn't feel really rushed. She used flashbacks as a way to give a glance into the hero's pain, which was a good method.
Overall, this whole 9-novella book was decently good. But...I think I realized I prefer full-length novels! Just my personal opinion, however. Recommended to those who enjoy Christian historical romance fiction...and novellas also.
(novella #1) Run of the Mill by Susan Downs
(novella #9) A Shelter from the Storm by Marjorie Vawter
Run of the Mill was fun, and the hero's 'transformation' was cute! I liked the fact that he got so attached to that little baby girl in so short an amount of time...and came to his sense about the heroine. ;)
A Shelter from the Storm - I liked that the two main characters worked really well together, not just character/personality wise, but also the fact that he's a doc and she's a nurse. It just...fits. And then what she said about his disability from WWI being a badge of honor in itself? *grins* That's super sweet. The author seemed to work with issues that had depth but brought it about in this short, 12-chapter book in a way that didn't feel really rushed. She used flashbacks as a way to give a glance into the hero's pain, which was a good method.
Overall, this whole 9-novella book was decently good. But...I think I realized I prefer full-length novels! Just my personal opinion, however. Recommended to those who enjoy Christian historical romance fiction...and novellas also.
April 4, 2016
Small Town Brides Romance Collection
I received a free copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for a fair review. Reviews posted on Amazon, Goodreads, and NetGalley by Cindy Nipper
Run of the Mill by Susan Downs (aka Susan K. Downs)
This is a story of a mill worker in Massachusetts with a big heart! Kathleen although poor, loves the orphans, befriends the “lowly Irish immigrants”, and has a brilliant business mind. Can she win the heart of the Shipping Steadman, the big burly cousin in law of her best friend Isabel? There is so much to share from the wonderful story, but I don’t want to give it away! You really should read this book! Susan Downs a wonderful writer and I’ve enjoyed both of the previous books I’ve read which are in, “The Farmer's Bride Collection: 6 Romances Spring from Hearts, Home, Harvest”, and “The Prairie Romance Collection: 9 Historical Romances from America's Great Plains”!
A Second Glance by Kathleen Paul
A delightful tale of Ginger, one of the older orphans from Kindred Hearts and Maxwell Steadman’s little brother Lucas who is the new doctor in town. Can the grumpy young man put his faith in God as Ginger reprimands him to forgive his deceased parents and his living relatives? Can she soften his heart and bring joy to his life? Kathleen is a fairly new author for me, although I did enjoy her story in “The Prairie Romance Collection: 9 Historical Romances from America's Great Plains”!
The Caretaker by Kelly Eileen Hake
Auntie Amy from the Kindred Hearts Orphanage meets the new “Caretaker” Mr. Samuel. He sets his sights on the children, making sure they are getting the proper care and love they should! He weasels his way into every aspect of their lives and finds that true beauty and love is shown in the woman who loves them like her own! The ending of this book is truly happy ever after! Kelly always brings great depth to the characters and spices it up with a little humor! I’ve never been disappointed with any of her books! I often will choose an anthology like this just because I see her name!
Leap of Faith by Pamela Griffin
Amanda is a preacher’s daughter. Drawn to the mysterious newcomer, Amanda seeks out every opportunity to speak to and spend time with Matt! Although Matt also is interested in Amanda, he has a past he’d rather not discuss and avoids Amanda’s questions and attention! Will she convince Matt to reveal the truth or will she find out with her own investigative skills! At the same time, her heart seeks out Matt’s her best friend’s brother Zeke pushes his way into her presence and even goes as far as speaking ill of Matt. Is Zeke’s revelation true or is he just trying to get Matt out of the equation? This is a wonderful story that will keep you in suspense! I’ve only read one of Pamela’s other books, but on my To Be Read list is “Love Finds you in Hope, Kansas!” I just love that series and the sister series, “Finding Love in…”
A Blessing for Beau by Darlene Franklin
Uncle Beau comes to town to take care of his one niece and two nephews after the death of his sister and her husband. He refuses the “charity” of the locals and especially the attention of the children’s teacher. But their needs are great! Dru is blossoming into a beautiful young lady and is outgrowing clothes as quick as lightning! She is also having a difficult time maintain the needs of the house and keeping up in school! Beau has a choice; accept the gift of clothing from Ruth, the town teacher who is also the preacher’s daughter, or pay for them to be made by Birdie’s ladies who are reformed Saloon girls. Fearful of the influence the “ladies” might have on Dru, he reluctantly accepts Ruth’s offers. Can Ruth show him he needs more than clothing to make this new family work! I love Darlene’s books and this is now exception! Sometimes the men in these stories are so hard headed it makes me appreciate my husband more! And that’s always a good thing!
American Pie by Debby Mayne
I think I just found my new favorite author! Debby brings a much deeper Christian emphasis to this collection with her American Pie story! Beautifully written with a lot of spiritual insight; this book reminds you to wait on the Lord and trust in his timing! Can Hank the “new guy” come into such a well established town and bid for the heart of the girl who’s caught his eye? Will Sophia obey her parents in all things even when it goes against all her heart desires? Can the town who has expected Sophia and William to marry since they were in diapers accept Hank into their midst? Oh, I can’t wait to finish this anthology and a few more on my need to review list so I can dive into more of Debby’s books! I pray they all have as much of a Christian theme as this one does!
Victorious by Kathleen Y’Barbo
What an interesting story! Gus (A Scotsman) and Victoria (An English Woman) have both come to American and are now working as Pinkerton Agents. Gus is bold in his job and everyone knows of his investigation as a Pink, but Vicky is one of four undercover women who were sent to town as his back up! Sparks fly between these two as they spar and spit over the case. How can two people who seem so opinionated and in opposition to each other ever work together let alone be civil to each other? Wonderfully intriguing this tale will keep you on your toes! My favorite line from this book is, ‘He’d even mentioned in a letter home that a particular Englishwoman had been plaguing him. His dear Scottish mother’s response: “Marry her then.”’ I had actually laughed out loud! At least, I was in the comfort of my own home! Hat’s off to Kathleen for another great read!
Language of Love by Janet Lee Barton
A taste of Cajun, this story will have your hungry for more! The details in this tale, make me want to sit at the water’s edge and listen to the sounds of nature all around! This book shares the deep love of family as the romance rises amongst in-laws. Nicolas meets his brother in law’s younger sister after he returns home from the war. Suzette has come to be the new schoolteacher and ends up residing with Nicolas’ family. She brings a love and joy to this home in the midst of great loss! There are some phrases of Cajun French that are not defined for you, but you can get the jest by the rest of the page. The language of love just oozes from the pages! Janet is a new author to me! I look forward to reading more of her work!
A Shelter from the Storm by Marjorie Vawter
Returning from war, Dr. Nelson Winters and Nurse Mildred Zimmerman meet for the first time on the train as they arrive at her home town of Fredericksburg. The Doctor is to be her Uncle Will’s assistant and Millie has given up her nursing to return to her family. But the Spanish Flu and the hand of God have other plans! Marjorie is a new author for me and this was a delightful way for her to introduce herself! I look forward to reading more of her work!
I received a free copy from NetGalley.com in exchange for a fair review. Reviews posted on Amazon, Goodreads, and NetGalley by Cindy Nipper
Run of the Mill by Susan Downs (aka Susan K. Downs)
This is a story of a mill worker in Massachusetts with a big heart! Kathleen although poor, loves the orphans, befriends the “lowly Irish immigrants”, and has a brilliant business mind. Can she win the heart of the Shipping Steadman, the big burly cousin in law of her best friend Isabel? There is so much to share from the wonderful story, but I don’t want to give it away! You really should read this book! Susan Downs a wonderful writer and I’ve enjoyed both of the previous books I’ve read which are in, “The Farmer's Bride Collection: 6 Romances Spring from Hearts, Home, Harvest”, and “The Prairie Romance Collection: 9 Historical Romances from America's Great Plains”!
A Second Glance by Kathleen Paul
A delightful tale of Ginger, one of the older orphans from Kindred Hearts and Maxwell Steadman’s little brother Lucas who is the new doctor in town. Can the grumpy young man put his faith in God as Ginger reprimands him to forgive his deceased parents and his living relatives? Can she soften his heart and bring joy to his life? Kathleen is a fairly new author for me, although I did enjoy her story in “The Prairie Romance Collection: 9 Historical Romances from America's Great Plains”!
The Caretaker by Kelly Eileen Hake
Auntie Amy from the Kindred Hearts Orphanage meets the new “Caretaker” Mr. Samuel. He sets his sights on the children, making sure they are getting the proper care and love they should! He weasels his way into every aspect of their lives and finds that true beauty and love is shown in the woman who loves them like her own! The ending of this book is truly happy ever after! Kelly always brings great depth to the characters and spices it up with a little humor! I’ve never been disappointed with any of her books! I often will choose an anthology like this just because I see her name!
Leap of Faith by Pamela Griffin
Amanda is a preacher’s daughter. Drawn to the mysterious newcomer, Amanda seeks out every opportunity to speak to and spend time with Matt! Although Matt also is interested in Amanda, he has a past he’d rather not discuss and avoids Amanda’s questions and attention! Will she convince Matt to reveal the truth or will she find out with her own investigative skills! At the same time, her heart seeks out Matt’s her best friend’s brother Zeke pushes his way into her presence and even goes as far as speaking ill of Matt. Is Zeke’s revelation true or is he just trying to get Matt out of the equation? This is a wonderful story that will keep you in suspense! I’ve only read one of Pamela’s other books, but on my To Be Read list is “Love Finds you in Hope, Kansas!” I just love that series and the sister series, “Finding Love in…”
A Blessing for Beau by Darlene Franklin
Uncle Beau comes to town to take care of his one niece and two nephews after the death of his sister and her husband. He refuses the “charity” of the locals and especially the attention of the children’s teacher. But their needs are great! Dru is blossoming into a beautiful young lady and is outgrowing clothes as quick as lightning! She is also having a difficult time maintain the needs of the house and keeping up in school! Beau has a choice; accept the gift of clothing from Ruth, the town teacher who is also the preacher’s daughter, or pay for them to be made by Birdie’s ladies who are reformed Saloon girls. Fearful of the influence the “ladies” might have on Dru, he reluctantly accepts Ruth’s offers. Can Ruth show him he needs more than clothing to make this new family work! I love Darlene’s books and this is now exception! Sometimes the men in these stories are so hard headed it makes me appreciate my husband more! And that’s always a good thing!
American Pie by Debby Mayne
I think I just found my new favorite author! Debby brings a much deeper Christian emphasis to this collection with her American Pie story! Beautifully written with a lot of spiritual insight; this book reminds you to wait on the Lord and trust in his timing! Can Hank the “new guy” come into such a well established town and bid for the heart of the girl who’s caught his eye? Will Sophia obey her parents in all things even when it goes against all her heart desires? Can the town who has expected Sophia and William to marry since they were in diapers accept Hank into their midst? Oh, I can’t wait to finish this anthology and a few more on my need to review list so I can dive into more of Debby’s books! I pray they all have as much of a Christian theme as this one does!
Victorious by Kathleen Y’Barbo
What an interesting story! Gus (A Scotsman) and Victoria (An English Woman) have both come to American and are now working as Pinkerton Agents. Gus is bold in his job and everyone knows of his investigation as a Pink, but Vicky is one of four undercover women who were sent to town as his back up! Sparks fly between these two as they spar and spit over the case. How can two people who seem so opinionated and in opposition to each other ever work together let alone be civil to each other? Wonderfully intriguing this tale will keep you on your toes! My favorite line from this book is, ‘He’d even mentioned in a letter home that a particular Englishwoman had been plaguing him. His dear Scottish mother’s response: “Marry her then.”’ I had actually laughed out loud! At least, I was in the comfort of my own home! Hat’s off to Kathleen for another great read!
Language of Love by Janet Lee Barton
A taste of Cajun, this story will have your hungry for more! The details in this tale, make me want to sit at the water’s edge and listen to the sounds of nature all around! This book shares the deep love of family as the romance rises amongst in-laws. Nicolas meets his brother in law’s younger sister after he returns home from the war. Suzette has come to be the new schoolteacher and ends up residing with Nicolas’ family. She brings a love and joy to this home in the midst of great loss! There are some phrases of Cajun French that are not defined for you, but you can get the jest by the rest of the page. The language of love just oozes from the pages! Janet is a new author to me! I look forward to reading more of her work!
A Shelter from the Storm by Marjorie Vawter
Returning from war, Dr. Nelson Winters and Nurse Mildred Zimmerman meet for the first time on the train as they arrive at her home town of Fredericksburg. The Doctor is to be her Uncle Will’s assistant and Millie has given up her nursing to return to her family. But the Spanish Flu and the hand of God have other plans! Marjorie is a new author for me and this was a delightful way for her to introduce herself! I look forward to reading more of her work!
July 24, 2019
4 stars:
A Blessing for Beau
Victorious
3 stars:
Run of the Mill
The Caretaker
A Leap of Faith
A Shelter From the Storm
2 stars:
A Second Glance
American Pie
Language of Love
Each story is about romance in a small town, and some of the stories are connected. The towns are in Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Louisianna, Colorado, Texas, and Florida. The stories involve illness, war, theft, adoption, family, death, misunderstandings, and mysteries.
A Blessing for Beau
Victorious
3 stars:
Run of the Mill
The Caretaker
A Leap of Faith
A Shelter From the Storm
2 stars:
A Second Glance
American Pie
Language of Love
Each story is about romance in a small town, and some of the stories are connected. The towns are in Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Louisianna, Colorado, Texas, and Florida. The stories involve illness, war, theft, adoption, family, death, misunderstandings, and mysteries.
May 30, 2021
Actual rating: 2.9
RUN OF THE MILL – 3/5. Cute but wasn’t satisfying.
A SECOND GLANCE – 4/5. Very cute characters with great sass.
THE CARETAKER – 4/5. Tyler is adorable.
LEAPS OF FAITH – 2.5/5. It’s spelled ‘y’all,’ not ‘ya’ll.’
BLESSINGS FOR BEAU – 3/5. Starts out cute but doesn’t quite have a strong finish
AMERICAN PIE – 1.5/5. My note literally say ‘Meh.’ I don’t like the guy.
VICTORIOUS – 1.5/5. Meh pt2
LANGUAGE OF LOVE – 3/5. It’s a little lighter on romance but still cuter than the last two.
A SHELTER FROM THE STORM – 4/5. Emotional consequences happen which makes it more interesting.
Recommended 13+ because it's an anthology and I'm sure I'll forget something if I try to list them.
RUN OF THE MILL – 3/5. Cute but wasn’t satisfying.
A SECOND GLANCE – 4/5. Very cute characters with great sass.
THE CARETAKER – 4/5. Tyler is adorable.
LEAPS OF FAITH – 2.5/5. It’s spelled ‘y’all,’ not ‘ya’ll.’
BLESSINGS FOR BEAU – 3/5. Starts out cute but doesn’t quite have a strong finish
AMERICAN PIE – 1.5/5. My note literally say ‘Meh.’ I don’t like the guy.
VICTORIOUS – 1.5/5. Meh pt2
LANGUAGE OF LOVE – 3/5. It’s a little lighter on romance but still cuter than the last two.
A SHELTER FROM THE STORM – 4/5. Emotional consequences happen which makes it more interesting.
Recommended 13+ because it's an anthology and I'm sure I'll forget something if I try to list them.
September 10, 2019
Reviewed by Tammy
Book provided by NetGalley
Small Town Brides is a collection of novellas written by Janet Lee Barton, Susan Downs, Darlene Franklin, Pamela Griffin, Kelly Eileen Hake, Debby Mayne, Donita Kathleen Paul, and Kathleen Y’barbo . Visit here to learn more about the book and its authors.
With nine historical short stories included, I think you are bound to find at least one that touches your heart. There were three that I really enjoyed; Run of the Mill, A Second Glance, and The Caretaker. All three novellas are set in the same town and around the same family, with the same characters. Each of these stories is centered around a sweet, Godly, single young woman not really looking for love. They were confident enough in themselves to able stand up to people who were disagreeable, all the while remaining as gentle as could be. I also liked the authors’ portrayal of the Irish immigrants, especially Ginger, the main character in A Second Glance.
The sweet romances in Small Town Brides touch on Christian themes but are not preachy. This collection had two novellas that were not my style of writing, while the rest I liked. Overall, I would recommend this sweet romance collection because of the variety of stories and settings offered. You may even discover a new author that you enjoy reading.
Book provided by NetGalley
Small Town Brides is a collection of novellas written by Janet Lee Barton, Susan Downs, Darlene Franklin, Pamela Griffin, Kelly Eileen Hake, Debby Mayne, Donita Kathleen Paul, and Kathleen Y’barbo . Visit here to learn more about the book and its authors.
With nine historical short stories included, I think you are bound to find at least one that touches your heart. There were three that I really enjoyed; Run of the Mill, A Second Glance, and The Caretaker. All three novellas are set in the same town and around the same family, with the same characters. Each of these stories is centered around a sweet, Godly, single young woman not really looking for love. They were confident enough in themselves to able stand up to people who were disagreeable, all the while remaining as gentle as could be. I also liked the authors’ portrayal of the Irish immigrants, especially Ginger, the main character in A Second Glance.
The sweet romances in Small Town Brides touch on Christian themes but are not preachy. This collection had two novellas that were not my style of writing, while the rest I liked. Overall, I would recommend this sweet romance collection because of the variety of stories and settings offered. You may even discover a new author that you enjoy reading.
November 30, 2017
Lovely collection of the sweet novellas for all the reading tastes.
Personal favorites are:
A Second Glance by Kathleen Paul
The Caretaker by Kelly Eileen Hake
Leap of Faith by Pamela Griffin
A Shelter from the Storm by Marjorie Vawter
Personal favorites are:
A Second Glance by Kathleen Paul
The Caretaker by Kelly Eileen Hake
Leap of Faith by Pamela Griffin
A Shelter from the Storm by Marjorie Vawter
May 21, 2022
I would say I liked it but some of the stories are duller than others. I do love reading these books for a good wholesome historical Christian romance. Keep in mind, not all the stories are great. Some of them have annoying female leads in it.
January 2, 2018
This was a collection of 9 short romance stories. Some were better than others, some ended quite abruptly with a one line ending. The book was quite thick and it middle binding was difficult in some places in the book to even open the book.
May 27, 2025
-‘Run of the Mill’ by Susan Downs: DNF. I appreciated the wordplay in the title, but the story didn’t hold me.
-‘Second Glance’ by Donita Kathleen Paul: 3 stars. Nice.
-‘The Caretaker’ by Kelly Eileen Hake: 4 stars. This shows that it’s possible to write quite a short story that stills has great characters & depth. Heartwarming. Sweet. Very enjoyable.
-‘Leap of Faith’ by Pamela Griffin: 3.5 stars. Entertaining. I quite liked this one.
-‘A Blessing For Beau’ by Darlene Franklin: 3 stars. Short & sweet.
-‘American Pie’ by Debby Mayne: 4 stars. I got sucked right into this one. I couldn’t read it quickly enough.
-I wasn’t interested enough to read the last 3 stories.
-‘Second Glance’ by Donita Kathleen Paul: 3 stars. Nice.
-‘The Caretaker’ by Kelly Eileen Hake: 4 stars. This shows that it’s possible to write quite a short story that stills has great characters & depth. Heartwarming. Sweet. Very enjoyable.
-‘Leap of Faith’ by Pamela Griffin: 3.5 stars. Entertaining. I quite liked this one.
-‘A Blessing For Beau’ by Darlene Franklin: 3 stars. Short & sweet.
-‘American Pie’ by Debby Mayne: 4 stars. I got sucked right into this one. I couldn’t read it quickly enough.
-I wasn’t interested enough to read the last 3 stories.
Read
March 24, 2016I was given a free ebook by the publishers via NetGalley. For my honest review.
I love these novella stories that Barbour publishes. I love the town and frontier and prairies. They always bring to mind like The love saga's by Janet Oke and The little house on the Prairie. I love these. They are my favorite genre to read.
So I was giving Small~Town Romance Collection it is 9 novellas in 1 novel.
1. Run of theMill by Susan Davis
Kathleen works at the mill in town. She stayed in town when her family moved to Connecticut to help provide for her family till they get set up and she will travel there. She meets Maxwell Steadman the big giant of a man. He doesn't believe to marry underneath his class. Kathleen is just a worker at the mill his family owns. He thinks if they work for the mill they are below him. Can he love and get to know the Kathleen? What happens when there is a orphan baby? He doesn't think you can love a baby that isn't part of you.
2. A Second Glance by Kathleen Paul
This story is in the same town as the run of the mill. We get to know Ginger she was mentioned in Run of the Mill. She has limited eye sight and lives in the orphanage with her sister. The orphanage is run by Amy Ross a widow. Lucas Steadman is the new town Dr. His brother is Maxwell from Run of the Mill. He wants to help Ginger see. He is from a rich family that s snobbish. Lucas wants to help the less fortunate. he isn't like his family. He wants to help Ginger the previous Dr wouldn't help her.
3.The Caretaker By Kelly Eileen Hake
Amy Ross was in the 2 previous novellas. They are in the same town as the 2 previous novellas. Amy runs the local orphanage and she is a widow. Her new neighbor is Tyler Samuels. He is the cousin of the Steadmans. He wants to make sure that Amy takes care of the girls in the orphanage. His family is rich or was until his dad married a unwealthy girl and his dad disinherited him. So tyler and his sister got sent to a orphanage. I liked reading about Why Tyler was the way he was.
4.Leap of Faith by Pamela Griffin
Missouri 1869 Amanda is in town watching the guys build the new church. She is the preachers daughter. Matt is the newest to the town always helping out when he can. He is quiet type. He has a bad past. He has a limp I was wondering what happened to cause it. Nobody thinks that Tyler is good enough for Amanda.
5.A Blessing for Beau by Darlene Franklin
Ruth is the school teacher she is the school teacher and the daughter of the preacher. She helps make the new soddy for a family whose burnt in a fire. Beau comes to town to take care of his 3 orphan niece and nephews. He doesn't want help. He is a proud man. Ruth wants to help Beau is to proud. What happens when Beau's niece needs the help of women when her woman's time comes?
6.American Pie by Debbie Mayne
Mississippi 1890 Sophia bakes a pie at the annual fourth of July auction. Her family wants her to marry William Jacobson. He is her friend and quiet. Sophia is amazed that the stranger (Hak) bid on her apple pie. He has been watching her. He seems kinda blunt. You can tell that he loves the lord and serves him. What will happen with William finally proposes to Sophia?
7. Victorious by Kathleen Y'Barbo
January 1891 Victory is a pinkerton. She wants to reopen the robbery cases. She is attracted to the town banker. Gus is another man of law. Can Gus realize that ladies can be pinkerton's as well? Will he realize his love for Victoria before it's to late?
8. Language of Love By. Janet Lee Barton
Breaux Bridge Louisiana. Nicholas LeBlanc arrives to his home in Breau Bridge. He is wounded in the war. He comes home his father died. Suzette is the new teacher. She lives with Nicholas's family. She is Nicholas's brother in laws little sister. She is trying to teach the kids English before long they will only speak English in the schools instead of Cajun. Nicholas doesn't want to lose his beloved Cajun language.
9. A Shelter from the storm By. Marjorie Vawter
Texas 1918 Mildred Zimmermann is on her way home on the train. She serves as a nurse in France and Belgium. Nelson Winters travels to Fredericksburg because of spanish influenza has arrived in the states. Dr. Winters comes to town to help the town Dr. Mr. Bachman Mildred's uncle. What does Dr. Winters have beau?
This novel has jealousy, Misunderstanding, Forgiveness, and most of all love. You want to continue reading and get to know the characters in the small town. I loved it. Thank again to the publishers and NetGalley. This is my honest review and opinions.
I love these novella stories that Barbour publishes. I love the town and frontier and prairies. They always bring to mind like The love saga's by Janet Oke and The little house on the Prairie. I love these. They are my favorite genre to read.
So I was giving Small~Town Romance Collection it is 9 novellas in 1 novel.
1. Run of theMill by Susan Davis
Kathleen works at the mill in town. She stayed in town when her family moved to Connecticut to help provide for her family till they get set up and she will travel there. She meets Maxwell Steadman the big giant of a man. He doesn't believe to marry underneath his class. Kathleen is just a worker at the mill his family owns. He thinks if they work for the mill they are below him. Can he love and get to know the Kathleen? What happens when there is a orphan baby? He doesn't think you can love a baby that isn't part of you.
2. A Second Glance by Kathleen Paul
This story is in the same town as the run of the mill. We get to know Ginger she was mentioned in Run of the Mill. She has limited eye sight and lives in the orphanage with her sister. The orphanage is run by Amy Ross a widow. Lucas Steadman is the new town Dr. His brother is Maxwell from Run of the Mill. He wants to help Ginger see. He is from a rich family that s snobbish. Lucas wants to help the less fortunate. he isn't like his family. He wants to help Ginger the previous Dr wouldn't help her.
3.The Caretaker By Kelly Eileen Hake
Amy Ross was in the 2 previous novellas. They are in the same town as the 2 previous novellas. Amy runs the local orphanage and she is a widow. Her new neighbor is Tyler Samuels. He is the cousin of the Steadmans. He wants to make sure that Amy takes care of the girls in the orphanage. His family is rich or was until his dad married a unwealthy girl and his dad disinherited him. So tyler and his sister got sent to a orphanage. I liked reading about Why Tyler was the way he was.
4.Leap of Faith by Pamela Griffin
Missouri 1869 Amanda is in town watching the guys build the new church. She is the preachers daughter. Matt is the newest to the town always helping out when he can. He is quiet type. He has a bad past. He has a limp I was wondering what happened to cause it. Nobody thinks that Tyler is good enough for Amanda.
5.A Blessing for Beau by Darlene Franklin
Ruth is the school teacher she is the school teacher and the daughter of the preacher. She helps make the new soddy for a family whose burnt in a fire. Beau comes to town to take care of his 3 orphan niece and nephews. He doesn't want help. He is a proud man. Ruth wants to help Beau is to proud. What happens when Beau's niece needs the help of women when her woman's time comes?
6.American Pie by Debbie Mayne
Mississippi 1890 Sophia bakes a pie at the annual fourth of July auction. Her family wants her to marry William Jacobson. He is her friend and quiet. Sophia is amazed that the stranger (Hak) bid on her apple pie. He has been watching her. He seems kinda blunt. You can tell that he loves the lord and serves him. What will happen with William finally proposes to Sophia?
7. Victorious by Kathleen Y'Barbo
January 1891 Victory is a pinkerton. She wants to reopen the robbery cases. She is attracted to the town banker. Gus is another man of law. Can Gus realize that ladies can be pinkerton's as well? Will he realize his love for Victoria before it's to late?
8. Language of Love By. Janet Lee Barton
Breaux Bridge Louisiana. Nicholas LeBlanc arrives to his home in Breau Bridge. He is wounded in the war. He comes home his father died. Suzette is the new teacher. She lives with Nicholas's family. She is Nicholas's brother in laws little sister. She is trying to teach the kids English before long they will only speak English in the schools instead of Cajun. Nicholas doesn't want to lose his beloved Cajun language.
9. A Shelter from the storm By. Marjorie Vawter
Texas 1918 Mildred Zimmermann is on her way home on the train. She serves as a nurse in France and Belgium. Nelson Winters travels to Fredericksburg because of spanish influenza has arrived in the states. Dr. Winters comes to town to help the town Dr. Mr. Bachman Mildred's uncle. What does Dr. Winters have beau?
This novel has jealousy, Misunderstanding, Forgiveness, and most of all love. You want to continue reading and get to know the characters in the small town. I loved it. Thank again to the publishers and NetGalley. This is my honest review and opinions.
October 10, 2019
This review appears on my blog: https://confessionsofabookwormweb.wor...
This was a collection of nine novellas by nine different authors. As I have done with previous novella collections, I am going to do a brief review of each novella and then an overall review of the collection. So let's get started.
Run of the Mill by Susan Downs:
This was a cute romance with blunders between the two main characters along the way. I loved how Kathleen and Maxwell started off as complete opposites and how Kathleen kind of inadvertently changes Maxwell for the better. However, not much happened plot wise. 3/5 Stars.
A Second Glance by Kathleen Paul:
This story is connected to the previous novella because Lucas is Maxwell's brother. There wasn't a whole lot that happened in this novella, and there wasn't really explanation for why the two characters fell in love with each other. However, I did love how spunky Ginger Finnegan was! 2.5/5 Stars
The Caretaker by Kelly Eileen Hake:
This was linked to the previous two stories because it deals with several characters that were mentioned in them. There were several things I liked about this story, the first being that I loved the tension between Amy Ross and Taylor Samuels and the reason behind it on both sides. I also loved how it was both a tale of romance and also one of forgiveness. The characters in the previous two novellas have cameo roles and I was sad to see these characters go. 4/5 Stars.
Leap of Faith by Pamela Griffin:
This was an okay story. It was kind of slow moving and didn't really interest me and it took me a while to get through. I also felt that Amanda came across a little bit too forward. 2/5 Stars.
A Blessing for Beau by Darlene Franklin:
I liked this story, even though Beau frustrated me because he was so proud and arrogant and didn't want to accept help from anyone. I loved how both he and Ruth are just as stubborn as each other, especially in her insisting on making new clothes for his niece Dru (mild spoiler!). I enjoyed seeing a romance developing between the two of them, and I really loved the town of Calico and I want to get to know some of the characters a bit more. 3.5/5 Stars.
American Pie by Debby Mayne:
This was another cute romance. I loved how Hank Ellis and Sophia Mayhew were perfect for each other and how they had to wait for things to work out in order for them to be together. Sophia's parents really annoying, but I loved Dora the housekeeper, she had such sage advice for Sophia. I also enjoyed the romance that developed between Hank and Sophia and how Sophia realized she couldn't marry the man that everyone wanted her to marry (mild spoiler, but it is kind of obvious). 4/5 Stars.
Victorious by Kathleen Y'Barbo:
I loved how this was not just another love story, it also involved a little bit of crime solving and mystery that made it very interesting. I enjoyed getting to know the couple, Victoria and Gus and I want to find out more about the other couples that met each other before the start of this novella. I also wish this had been longer. 4/5 Stars.
Language of Love by Janet Lee Barton:
This was a cute story about a World War I soldier and a school teacher. I enjoyed seeing Nicolas realize that Suzette wasn't his enemy (I can't say why because it is a spoiler). Suzette was also a cute character that I was rooting for the entire time. Not a whole lot happens but just enough that it held my attention. 3.5/5 Stars.
A Shelter from the Story by Marjorie Vawter:
This story was about a World War I medic and nurse who return home during the ravages of the Spanish Influenza. I really enjoyed seeing how Nelson and Mildred worked together and I believe that it was a great picture of how true love should be. 4/5 Stars.
Overall, I enjoyed all of these novellas, except for one and that was probably my fault because I took a long break in the middle of it. I am giving this whole collection 4/5 Stars because I enjoyed the stories a lot.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this collection in exchange for my honest review.
This was a collection of nine novellas by nine different authors. As I have done with previous novella collections, I am going to do a brief review of each novella and then an overall review of the collection. So let's get started.
Run of the Mill by Susan Downs:
This was a cute romance with blunders between the two main characters along the way. I loved how Kathleen and Maxwell started off as complete opposites and how Kathleen kind of inadvertently changes Maxwell for the better. However, not much happened plot wise. 3/5 Stars.
A Second Glance by Kathleen Paul:
This story is connected to the previous novella because Lucas is Maxwell's brother. There wasn't a whole lot that happened in this novella, and there wasn't really explanation for why the two characters fell in love with each other. However, I did love how spunky Ginger Finnegan was! 2.5/5 Stars
The Caretaker by Kelly Eileen Hake:
This was linked to the previous two stories because it deals with several characters that were mentioned in them. There were several things I liked about this story, the first being that I loved the tension between Amy Ross and Taylor Samuels and the reason behind it on both sides. I also loved how it was both a tale of romance and also one of forgiveness. The characters in the previous two novellas have cameo roles and I was sad to see these characters go. 4/5 Stars.
Leap of Faith by Pamela Griffin:
This was an okay story. It was kind of slow moving and didn't really interest me and it took me a while to get through. I also felt that Amanda came across a little bit too forward. 2/5 Stars.
A Blessing for Beau by Darlene Franklin:
I liked this story, even though Beau frustrated me because he was so proud and arrogant and didn't want to accept help from anyone. I loved how both he and Ruth are just as stubborn as each other, especially in her insisting on making new clothes for his niece Dru (mild spoiler!). I enjoyed seeing a romance developing between the two of them, and I really loved the town of Calico and I want to get to know some of the characters a bit more. 3.5/5 Stars.
American Pie by Debby Mayne:
This was another cute romance. I loved how Hank Ellis and Sophia Mayhew were perfect for each other and how they had to wait for things to work out in order for them to be together. Sophia's parents really annoying, but I loved Dora the housekeeper, she had such sage advice for Sophia. I also enjoyed the romance that developed between Hank and Sophia and how Sophia realized she couldn't marry the man that everyone wanted her to marry (mild spoiler, but it is kind of obvious). 4/5 Stars.
Victorious by Kathleen Y'Barbo:
I loved how this was not just another love story, it also involved a little bit of crime solving and mystery that made it very interesting. I enjoyed getting to know the couple, Victoria and Gus and I want to find out more about the other couples that met each other before the start of this novella. I also wish this had been longer. 4/5 Stars.
Language of Love by Janet Lee Barton:
This was a cute story about a World War I soldier and a school teacher. I enjoyed seeing Nicolas realize that Suzette wasn't his enemy (I can't say why because it is a spoiler). Suzette was also a cute character that I was rooting for the entire time. Not a whole lot happens but just enough that it held my attention. 3.5/5 Stars.
A Shelter from the Story by Marjorie Vawter:
This story was about a World War I medic and nurse who return home during the ravages of the Spanish Influenza. I really enjoyed seeing how Nelson and Mildred worked together and I believe that it was a great picture of how true love should be. 4/5 Stars.
Overall, I enjoyed all of these novellas, except for one and that was probably my fault because I took a long break in the middle of it. I am giving this whole collection 4/5 Stars because I enjoyed the stories a lot.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Barbour Publishing for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this collection in exchange for my honest review.
May 14, 2016
I enjoy these collections because the stories are perfect for picking up when I only have a few minutes to read. However, reading one is like taking potluck when you don't know the cooks. Will it taste as good as it looks or will I be disappointed with almost everything? While i may be perfectly happy is the potato salad always tastes the same, in my reading I want some variety. So a story in a collection like this has to have solid writing and something to make it stand out, whether that's a character, setting or plot twist. This collection had a couple of very good stories, but overall I wasn't too impressed.
My favorites by far were "Language of Love" by Janet Lee Barton and "A Shelter from the Storm" by Marjorie Vawter. I don't think I've read anything by either author before but I'll definitely be looking them up. There were a few other perfectly nice stories, but unfortunately some that didn't make the grade for me. So I can only recommend this collection for true fans of the genre.
I received a free copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.
My favorites by far were "Language of Love" by Janet Lee Barton and "A Shelter from the Storm" by Marjorie Vawter. I don't think I've read anything by either author before but I'll definitely be looking them up. There were a few other perfectly nice stories, but unfortunately some that didn't make the grade for me. So I can only recommend this collection for true fans of the genre.
I received a free copy of this book in return for an unbiased review.
April 8, 2016
Nine authors write romantic stories in historical settings. The first three stories are connected. But the remaining stories are not. Each story can be read as a stand-alone and is mainly connected to the others by the theme of small town love stories. The authors did a great job of staying with the theme, incorporating faith, forgiveness, christian love, and trust into their stories. Each one has romance, friendship, and love.
I enjoyed each story, a few more than others. These are the types of stories that give you insight into an author's writing style. They are great for when you only have a short time to read or want something different from what you normally read. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a new author, wants some clean, Christian romance, or is short on time.
I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed each story, a few more than others. These are the types of stories that give you insight into an author's writing style. They are great for when you only have a short time to read or want something different from what you normally read. Overall, I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a new author, wants some clean, Christian romance, or is short on time.
I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
February 19, 2016
Small-Town Brides Romance Collection is another wonderful collection released by Barbour Publishing. There are nine stories in this book, which include:
Run of the Mill by Susan Downs
A Second Glance by Kathleen Paul
The Caretaker by Kelly Eileen Hake
Leap of Faith by Pamela Griffin
A Blessing for Beau by Darlene Franklin
American Pie by Debby Mayne
Victorious by Kathleen Y'Barbo
Language of Love by Janet Lee Barton
A Shelter from the Storm by Marjorie Vawter
There were some stories I liked more than others. My favorite of the nine was Kathleen Y'Barbo's Victorious.
Recommended
4 stars.
Run of the Mill by Susan Downs
A Second Glance by Kathleen Paul
The Caretaker by Kelly Eileen Hake
Leap of Faith by Pamela Griffin
A Blessing for Beau by Darlene Franklin
American Pie by Debby Mayne
Victorious by Kathleen Y'Barbo
Language of Love by Janet Lee Barton
A Shelter from the Storm by Marjorie Vawter
There were some stories I liked more than others. My favorite of the nine was Kathleen Y'Barbo's Victorious.
Recommended
4 stars.
September 20, 2016
This is a variety of sweet love stories from several favorite authors. These clean loves stories include soldiers, a doctor and a nurse home from the war, Pinkerton detectives, millworkers, caregivers and more; all who live small town lives. This is an excellent book for light reading at night or when you have a few minutes to spare. There are hours of reading here that can be spread out over time or a story a day for nine days. Each story is quite different and some readers will certainly recognize a character or two from other full length novels.
I received this book from NetGalley.
I received this book from NetGalley.
March 24, 2016
Liked this series, but was a little too predictable for me to love it. Characters were kinda simple and the usual plot lines? The Barbour Romance collections are always worth the read for me, but this collection was not one of my favorites?
May 21, 2016
I loved each and every story in this collection. They are all well written and very clean and up lifting. Strong and godly men an women seeking God's will for their futures. I highly recommend this collection.
July 9, 2016
I am not a big fan of historical romance, I really enjoyed this series of books, I especially enjoyed how the books complimented each other,
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