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American Mail-Order Brides #18

Josephine: Bride of Louisiana

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Josephine: Bride of Louisiana is 18th in the unprecedented 50-book American Mail-Order Brides series.

Josephine Depardieu grew up in Massachusetts, fairly privileged and educated, speaking French as well as English, but when her father dies, she finds herself working in a factory in as a seamstress. When the factory burns down, she looks for other options…and sees an ad for a French-speaking mail-order bride. She’s always wanted to know more about her French culture, and heads down to a plantation in Louisiana to find out more.

Pierre Bernard has lived and worked on his father’s plantation on the Mississippi River his whole life, but as a first generation American, hasn’t always been as interested in French culture as his father would like. When his father decides to move back to France and leave Pierre the plantation, he is stunned to find out that this will only happen if he is married—to a French woman.

But when Josephine learns that Pierre’s father expected a woman from France, is she up to the task? And how long can Pierre keep his father in the dark?

222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 6, 2015

86 people are currently reading
96 people want to read

About the author

Cindy Caldwell

41 books99 followers

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5 stars
126 (48%)
4 stars
68 (25%)
3 stars
53 (20%)
2 stars
13 (4%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Nancy.
376 reviews1 follower
May 11, 2016
A good read. I liked the characters and how they developed.
Profile Image for Susan Robinson.
318 reviews5 followers
January 31, 2016
Very good story. One thing bothered me. In the beginning, Pierre thinks of how Josephine's hair is like his mother's, but his mother's was black and Josephine's is honey colored??? The rest of the story is good, however, with intrigue and tension due to Jerome's plotting.
417 reviews
September 29, 2018
A Decent Story

This is an American Mail Order Brides series book and the heroine does start in Lawrence and after the Brown Textile Factory fire she heads to Louisiana. There are several set - ups for future stories in the series. This story is good, but there are sloppy writing errors that keep it from being great.
257 reviews10 followers
March 17, 2018
Definition of a Lady

I loved this book! One persons definition of a lady is different to different people. The way a woman walks, talks, eats, dresses and acts are all to be considered. Josephine WAS all that and more! See for yourself.
3,625 reviews16 followers
June 12, 2022
Loved the storyline in this book!

I really enjoyed this one! Loved how each book even though by different authors manages to make you feel like they are all one big story! Some times that first impression is so true!
Profile Image for Liberty.
422 reviews1 follower
March 27, 2023
Rags to riches?

Josephine won me over almost immediately with her sweet, quiet nature, and I found myself cheering for her to find true love. Alas, it didn't seem to be part of the plan, or was it?
Profile Image for Jennifer Guffey.
1,113 reviews41 followers
January 22, 2016
Josephine: Bride of Louisiana (American Mail-Order Bride #18)
By: Cindy Caldwell
4/5 stars


Josephine grew up well-educated with a French father who believed that she needed to be educated in the French language and dancing, because he wanted her to go to France to find a husband. But with her father’s death, she has no other choice but to seek employment.

When the factory burns down, her only choice is to become a mail-order bride. She is scared, but one ad seems to be written especially for her, which requires a well-mannered, French-speaking, French lady. Though she’s not exactly a “French lady” she is more than willing to learn and try because she needs the marriage to work out.

In order to gain his inheritance, Pierre must marry a French lady, but he doesn’t have the time to court any of the ladies in New Orleans. Chances are slim, but he posts an ad for a bride anyway. It’s apparent that Josephine needs lessons on the French culture and being a lady, but Pierre is willing to teach her. Pierre is in a dire situation of possibly losing his family plantation estate and desperately needs the inheritance money so he doesn’t have to sell it.

The only catch is that she has to be able to fool Pierre’s father, who can then verify to the bank and attorneys that his son has in fact married a French lady.
Profile Image for Rocky.
209 reviews9 followers
December 7, 2015
Bride of Louisiana: Josephine and Pierre's story

Book 18 of 50 in the American mail-order bride series. Josephine has lost her job at the textile warehouse after a devastating fire put over a hundred women out of work. She becomes a mail-order bride to a plantation owner who needs a lady who knows French cuisine, manners, and speaks French. Pierre is the plantation owner who, because of a stipulation in his mother's will, must marry a French lady to get his inheritance. The plantation is losing money and the inheritance is the only thing that can save it. When Pierre realizes that Josephine is not what she says she is, he wants to send her back where she came from. He changes his mind, though, because he only has two weeks before his father comes home from France. He decides to teach Josephine what she needs to know after a disastrous first dinner together. After she and Pierre share a kiss, he says something that really upsets Josephine. While she thinks that she's a failure Pierre's cousin, Jerome, tells her she needs to leave because Pierre will never have feelings for her.
Profile Image for Kathy Heare Watts.
6,985 reviews175 followers
December 6, 2015
TRUE MEANING OF A LADY
I loved this story with its mystery, suspense, deceit and secrets. Pierre Bernard needs the inheritance left from his late mother to save the family plantation, Willow, but there are stipulations, he must marry a French lady. Josephine Depardieu grew up in Massachusetts and after the death of both her parents worked as a seamstress at a factory, but when it burns down, she is left with nothing. Many of the other girls are applying to be mail order brides and she does too, answering the ad from Pierre, after all, she speaks French since her father was from France, but can she pull off being a French lady of society? Can Pierre save Willow by marrying Josephine and make it a marriage in name only? Can Josephine accept a loveless and name only marriage? Why is Willow in trouble financially? Will the truth come to light before it is too late? The plot kept me captivated and the pages turning. The dialog is witty and the characters heartwarming. This is a wonderful addition to the American Mail-Order Brides series.
Profile Image for Mara.
1,479 reviews113 followers
August 17, 2016
This was my first read of the American Mail Order Bride series since I'm from Louisiana, I wanted to start with it. Josephine is a well educated lady who grew up speaking French as well as English so she answers the ad for a French speaking bride. Pierre doesn't want to get married but the only way he can get his inheritance to save his family's plantation is to honor his deceased mother's wishes and marry a French woman. Pierre figures out fairly quickly Josephine isn't exactly what he needs in a bride but he spends time teaching her about French food, etc before his father visits to meet her. Can they fool his father long enough for him to inherit the plantation?
I liked Josephine and came to like Pierre before the book ended.
Profile Image for Kathy .
1,303 reviews4 followers
February 9, 2016
There were parts of this story I really liked but then there were things that really bothered me. Some of it was proofreading...reputation of sentences within one or two paragraphs...mother's hair blonde then black. Also, the relationship Pierre had with his mother was kind of strange. How he felt he could love her and only her, and she was the most beautiful woman in the world....I can see how the author wanted to show their closeness...but at times it felt too close and a bit unnatural. I've read some other books by this author and it seems this one needed a little more revision before going to press.
2,305 reviews83 followers
August 14, 2016
Took me a bit to get into but so worth the effort! Another winner by the 50 American Mail Order Brides series and Cindy Caldwell! This one is set on a rich plantation with French roots! A bit upper crust but the main characters are truly down to earth! So beautifully written I could almost smell the fields and hear the accents!
Profile Image for Lynda.
1,065 reviews9 followers
March 8, 2016
Love found

Josephine headed to Louisiana to be a French bride. She grew up with some French customs but not to the point that she needed. Pierre was to be her husband but he had put his heart away so he would not feel anymore pain. Josephine came and all the household loved her except for cousin Jerome that did his best to cause issues. Love won out in the end.
Profile Image for Cindy.
2,010 reviews39 followers
July 8, 2017
This series was my first experience with multiple authors working together to write a series on a large scale. I enjoyed every book in the series and found several new authors that I hadn't read before.
457 reviews1 follower
December 23, 2016
Enjoyable and entertaining

Enjoyed reading this and learning a bit of the French cuisine. Also reading the story was very entertaining. Love and kindness to the people working together. A bad guy deceiving every turn. Loved the ending.
Profile Image for gary c lehn.
1,724 reviews7 followers
January 1, 2017
Enjoyable..

I enjoyed this story, the author has been able to take an idea and create a wonderful cast of characters, with romance, suspense, and adventure kept the reader entertained. Thanks Cindy
Profile Image for Donna Rogers.
280 reviews4 followers
December 7, 2015
Great read!!!

I really enjoyed reading this book , first book I've read that's taken place in Louisiana and I liked it..
Profile Image for Melissa.
351 reviews19 followers
December 28, 2015
Great story

I enjoyed this story. I liked that Josephine and Pierre had an instant connection with each other. I also liked the side characters in this story.
Profile Image for Helen.
327 reviews5 followers
May 8, 2016
E-book contemporary romance

Will Josephine be accepted as a mail order bride? Follow her trials & tribulations. Will she find love, keep reading to the end. I loved this book.
212 reviews
January 10, 2017
My fair lady

I enjoyed this story. It is very much like my fair lady. It brought smiles, tears and laughter. I like this series very much.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews

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