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This 1500 word prequel is what ties together the ground-breaking American Mail Order Bride books. The project includes fifty mail order bride books, one for each state, which will be released one per day from November 19th, 2015-January 7th, 2016.
Roberta, manager of a garment factory in Lawrence, Massachusetts, finds a very large discrepancy between the amount of money on hand and the amount her books say she should have on hand. When she calls in the owner to talk to him about it, she knows immediately the discrepancy is caused by him. After the factory burns to the ground a short time later, she feels responsible for the women who are now jobless. Can she find a solution that won't leave all of the women unemployed?
Roberta, manager of a garment factory in Lawrence, Massachusetts, finds a very large discrepancy between the amount of money on hand and the amount her books say she should have on hand. When she calls in the owner to talk to him about it, she knows immediately the discrepancy is caused by him. After the factory burns to the ground a short time later, she feels responsible for the women who are now jobless. Can she find a solution that won't leave all of the women unemployed?
8 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
November 19, 2015
I'm not really sure what to rate this one. Its very short, but does give you a good taste about what the overall series will be about and what made all these women become mail order brides. Anyway, I decided to give it five stars because even though it was short, it was well written and has peaked my interest in the overall series. I also think the concept for the series is fresh and sounds like a lot of fun. I don't know a lot of the authors and am looking forward to trying out their books. Plus, I enjoy a good mail order bride story.
November 1, 2016
This is a very short prequel for the American Mail-Order Bride series. It's a creative way to end up sending 50 women throughout the country. I look forward to reading about the brides.
November 2, 2021
One short story but enough to know I’d like to read them. Mail order brides are one of my weaknesses.
February 13, 2026
short preview for new book
This was a fun short introduction to a new book. Sold me. My favorite genre anyway. I think this was a free download but not sure where I got it
This was a fun short introduction to a new book. Sold me. My favorite genre anyway. I think this was a free download but not sure where I got it
February 10, 2016
A short ten page introduction to the Fifty States American Mail Order Bride Series.
Love the concept... and it will be great for my fifty States 2016 challenge.
Love the concept... and it will be great for my fifty States 2016 challenge.
February 26, 2016
This was a good intro to the series.
Read
December 28, 2016Freebie.
only 10 pages. Not impressed enough to continue the series right now. Maybe a longer story would have convinced me.
No rating for there was little to rate.
September 9, 2022
Review of eBook
When Roberta finds a significant discrepancy with the garment factory books, she asks Bob Brown to come to meet with her. Although reluctant to bring this to the factory owner’s attention, she knows she has no choice since it was her responsibility.
When Bob Brown comes for the meeting, his condescending manner frustrates Roberta. But when he admits something Robert had suspected was true, he makes a veiled threat and storms out.
Shortly thereafter, the front windows are broken and fire destroys the factory.
Roberta, feeling responsible for the women who lost their jobs when the factory burned down, finds a way for the women to survive. But will it work? And, more importantly, will the women accept her idea?
=========
This short prequel to the Mail-Order Brides series sets the stage for the women who will leave Lawrence, Massachusetts as mail-order brides. There’s not much story here; just the bare bones explanation of how the women came to this solution to their problems after the fire destroyed the garment factory. In fact, most of this information will probably make its way into the telling of the individual women’s tales. [Be sure to read the author’s acknowledgments that precede the story and tell how the various authors got together for this project.]
However, the story gives the reader insight into the character of some of the women that are sure to be the focus of future stories. There’s a hint of resilience, a promise of new lives for the women, a hint of what the future may hold for them. It’s easy to understand a bit of reluctance, but the women make a plan to support each other.
For readers who enjoy historical fiction, there is much promise here and in the series that follows.
Recommended.
When Roberta finds a significant discrepancy with the garment factory books, she asks Bob Brown to come to meet with her. Although reluctant to bring this to the factory owner’s attention, she knows she has no choice since it was her responsibility.
When Bob Brown comes for the meeting, his condescending manner frustrates Roberta. But when he admits something Robert had suspected was true, he makes a veiled threat and storms out.
Shortly thereafter, the front windows are broken and fire destroys the factory.
Roberta, feeling responsible for the women who lost their jobs when the factory burned down, finds a way for the women to survive. But will it work? And, more importantly, will the women accept her idea?
=========
This short prequel to the Mail-Order Brides series sets the stage for the women who will leave Lawrence, Massachusetts as mail-order brides. There’s not much story here; just the bare bones explanation of how the women came to this solution to their problems after the fire destroyed the garment factory. In fact, most of this information will probably make its way into the telling of the individual women’s tales. [Be sure to read the author’s acknowledgments that precede the story and tell how the various authors got together for this project.]
However, the story gives the reader insight into the character of some of the women that are sure to be the focus of future stories. There’s a hint of resilience, a promise of new lives for the women, a hint of what the future may hold for them. It’s easy to understand a bit of reluctance, but the women make a plan to support each other.
For readers who enjoy historical fiction, there is much promise here and in the series that follows.
Recommended.
May 14, 2025
Set in Lawrence, Massachusetts, 1890.
It’s cool of the author to share how this collection came to be.
Roberta McDaniel manages a factory, Brown Textile Mill.
Financial discrepancy: the missing money.
Bob Brown, the owner, is not pleased.
The dialogue is too modern.
When the factory burns down, Roberta feels she must help the single female employees, including herself.
The Grooms’ Gazette.
Not the greatest (let’s all become mail order brides; it can’t be that bad!), but the unintentionally funny moments help.
“There are good men in that newspaper. Men who need wives for so many reasons.”
It’s cool of the author to share how this collection came to be.
Roberta McDaniel manages a factory, Brown Textile Mill.
Financial discrepancy: the missing money.
Bob Brown, the owner, is not pleased.
The dialogue is too modern.
When the factory burns down, Roberta feels she must help the single female employees, including herself.
The Grooms’ Gazette.
Not the greatest (let’s all become mail order brides; it can’t be that bad!), but the unintentionally funny moments help.
“There are good men in that newspaper. Men who need wives for so many reasons.”
September 21, 2022
This short story is a free ebook and is the introduction to a multi author series.
I like the idea of having different authors participating in a series, and this story sets it up well.
It's not of course a book due to the writing being around 10 pages only, but if you do like mail order western romance this might be a good series for you to look into.
A factory closes down leaving a lot of women with no money or prospects, until one suggests they try to look for a husband through the newspapers.
2. 5 🌟 read.
I like the idea of having different authors participating in a series, and this story sets it up well.
It's not of course a book due to the writing being around 10 pages only, but if you do like mail order western romance this might be a good series for you to look into.
A factory closes down leaving a lot of women with no money or prospects, until one suggests they try to look for a husband through the newspapers.
2. 5 🌟 read.
March 28, 2018
It Does the Job of Setting Up the Series
This is the background story that links the 50 brides in the American Mail-Order Brides series. It's actually a brilliant idea to have authors collaborate to write books that can lead readers interested in this time to different series by other authors.
This is the background story that links the 50 brides in the American Mail-Order Brides series. It's actually a brilliant idea to have authors collaborate to write books that can lead readers interested in this time to different series by other authors.
August 25, 2019
Drastic story of an evil employer who put many women in dire straights. In their time, they turned to the only opportunity available: mail-order bride. An interesting backstory.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Great world building. Haunting. Informative. Inspirational. Scary. Tragic. Twisted. Unpredictable. Wonderful characters.
Easy-to-read. Entertaining. Great world building. Haunting. Informative. Inspirational. Scary. Tragic. Twisted. Unpredictable. Wonderful characters.
September 23, 2017
Definitely read this one first. Gave me a better understanding of the first book in the series.
September 8, 2019
I am not sure this his even long enough to call a story, more like the beginning of an idea. 11 pages, less than 2 minutes with no real resolution.
April 1, 2020
Enjoyed this novella.
September 10, 2021
Great prequel to the American Mail Order brides from 50 States!! Read all of them by some really great Author’s!! Then discover Authors many other series and stand alone books!!
February 11, 2023
Fun concept
Though this prequel is very short, I think it is a very interesting concept, and I can't wait to read about each of the brides.
Though this prequel is very short, I think it is a very interesting concept, and I can't wait to read about each of the brides.
January 11, 2024
Intriguing enough to try the first book but I’m not confident the series will be for me.
November 19, 2015
Prequel: American Mail-Order Brides
By: Kirsten Osbourne
4/5 stars
This is a very short prequel setting the scene for a series of mail-order bride books, written by multiple authors. There will be 1 book per state and the authors are set to release one per day starting 11/19/2015 until all have been released.
A group of women work at a factory and when it suspiciously burns to the ground some women have no job options and no choices of places to live & ways to make money. But the former manager felt a sense of belonging and caretaking over these women, and she needed help for herself. She finds an ad for mail-order brides and decides that is her only option and may very well be the only & best option for most of these women.
By: Kirsten Osbourne
4/5 stars
This is a very short prequel setting the scene for a series of mail-order bride books, written by multiple authors. There will be 1 book per state and the authors are set to release one per day starting 11/19/2015 until all have been released.
A group of women work at a factory and when it suspiciously burns to the ground some women have no job options and no choices of places to live & ways to make money. But the former manager felt a sense of belonging and caretaking over these women, and she needed help for herself. She finds an ad for mail-order brides and decides that is her only option and may very well be the only & best option for most of these women.
November 3, 2015
Very Excited About This Whole Adventure!
Giving this Prequel a 5 star rating because I know this will be a very exciting adventure, following fifty mail order brides to their HEA in fifty separate books. Looking forward to connecting with my favorite authors and meeting new authors as I read each of their books, in the months ahead. JudyE
Giving this Prequel a 5 star rating because I know this will be a very exciting adventure, following fifty mail order brides to their HEA in fifty separate books. Looking forward to connecting with my favorite authors and meeting new authors as I read each of their books, in the months ahead. JudyE
November 5, 2016
This is the short introduction to the 50 book American Mail Order Brides series. When a greedy business owner sets fire to his own factory, with the workers still inside, hundreds of women are out of a job. With jobs scarce in Beckham, MA the ladies must find some way to prevent themselves from becoming homeless.
November 6, 2015
Mail order brides.
Prequel gives reader an idea why the authors got together to do theses books. The women come from different states and different circumstances and all need a way to make a living and maybe find a good man.
Prequel gives reader an idea why the authors got together to do theses books. The women come from different states and different circumstances and all need a way to make a living and maybe find a good man.
December 28, 2015
This is a super short novella that introduces you to the American Mail-Order Bride series. I feel weird even giving it a rating, but it did a good job introducing the series and caught my attention enough to where I think I'll read the books.
January 25, 2016
Hope in the time of the storm
Imagine when women couldn't vote mostly couldn't own property and so many women had to find jobs. Now imagine your job burning to the ground. What would you do here's the story that gives you an idea
Imagine when women couldn't vote mostly couldn't own property and so many women had to find jobs. Now imagine your job burning to the ground. What would you do here's the story that gives you an idea
June 10, 2016
Grotesque
The story began well enough but for those who like clean entertaining stories this isn't one. Aside from the sexual innuendo and talk of brutality towards women there is also gutter language. Romance??? This is not it .
The story began well enough but for those who like clean entertaining stories this isn't one. Aside from the sexual innuendo and talk of brutality towards women there is also gutter language. Romance??? This is not it .
November 4, 2015
Awesome
Cant wait to read this entire series sounds great. I love mail order bride books. Nice prequel to the whole series Waiting for Texas one especially !
Cant wait to read this entire series sounds great. I love mail order bride books. Nice prequel to the whole series Waiting for Texas one especially !
November 20, 2015
It was really quick, but it made me interested in reading some of the books in the series. Probably won't read all 50 states, but will read some of my favorite states I have visted or lived in.
Read
December 28, 2015Awesome!!
Good start for this series. I'm reading some of the books already. It's great to now there will be 50 books!!
Good start for this series. I'm reading some of the books already. It's great to now there will be 50 books!!
January 25, 2016
Sets up the series
This is a very short story to set up a very long series. Kirsten Osbourne does not disappoint. I look forward to reading her Wisconsin contribution.
This is a very short story to set up a very long series. Kirsten Osbourne does not disappoint. I look forward to reading her Wisconsin contribution.
March 7, 2016
Loved
Nice quick read setting up the series. Love the idea of 50 brides for 50 states. Can't wait to read them all.
Nice quick read setting up the series. Love the idea of 50 brides for 50 states. Can't wait to read them all.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews