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Worth the Wait
Lenora Lawson has an ideal of what a marriage should look like. From the inside of the orphanage, she's certain she'll never have what she saw her parents share. She's trying to figure out where to go and how to get there. She'll be forced to leave the orphanage soon and she's happy about that. She's got to have a place to go when the time comes.
She's daydreamed about adventure and the ability to make her own decisions. Living life on her own terms is just a fantasy. For now, anyway.
She agrees to marry Jackson Brodie, a cattle rancher in Kansas, when she gets into an argument with the headmistress in the orphanage. She's sure she's got no other options. She's sad and angry, but decides to enlist his agreement that they'll have a marriage of convenience.
He agrees, and all seems to be well, At least on the surface. What could go wrong when two people fall for each other when neither of them wants to be in love? Find out how this young couple figures out the way to true adventure.
She's daydreamed about adventure and the ability to make her own decisions. Living life on her own terms is just a fantasy. For now, anyway.
She agrees to marry Jackson Brodie, a cattle rancher in Kansas, when she gets into an argument with the headmistress in the orphanage. She's sure she's got no other options. She's sad and angry, but decides to enlist his agreement that they'll have a marriage of convenience.
He agrees, and all seems to be well, At least on the surface. What could go wrong when two people fall for each other when neither of them wants to be in love? Find out how this young couple figures out the way to true adventure.
78 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 9, 2016
22 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
July 28, 2019
A simple love story. An orphan, needing to find a life when she leaves the orphanage, writes to a rancher needing a wife. Neither really wants to be married. Can what starts out as a business-type agreement turn into real love?
January 1, 2017
Sweet, clean romance. A bit simplistic, but still an enjoyable way to spend an hour. I liked the spunky heroine, and Brodie was a great hero. Happy reading!
September 11, 2017
It was clean read, yet the romance is scarce. most of the book was about the heroin's agony and hard life with a few romantic scene thrown in at the end of the book. I expected romance tale but i got fictional biography.
November 17, 2018
sweet romance, well written, western romance, i love a quick easy read. novella. clean cut, no cussing, none of that ...if you do prefer that ...this is the read for you. check it out. great cover. can't wait to read more from Annie soon enough. must read! love her style. ( :
December 23, 2016
This is the first novella I have read in one day. I could not put it down. I wanted so much to find out how Miss Lenora Lawson made out with her plans for an independent life away from the orphanage. Jackson Brodie was her ticket out of the orphanage and she agreed to a marriage of convenience to get a certain amount of independence.
Lenora Lawson was orphaned at a young age and went to live in a home for girls. At age 19, she had had enough of the loveless, soulless ways of the home for girls and answered a mail-order bride ad. The add was placed by Jackson Brodie's sister with his permission, but it was his sister that wrote the correspondence full of poetry and sweet things to Lenora. Granted, Lenora wasn't into poetry, but she believed her husband-to-be was a romantic.
When they met, things were not as they seemed, but because Jackson had agreed to the situation, he came up with the marriage of convenience to appease Lenora, who was afraid to love anyone again.
This is a sweet, historical romance novella/short story and I enjoyed it very much. I believe you will too. Pick up a copy and enjoy!
I was given a copy of this novella from the author for my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way.
Lenora Lawson was orphaned at a young age and went to live in a home for girls. At age 19, she had had enough of the loveless, soulless ways of the home for girls and answered a mail-order bride ad. The add was placed by Jackson Brodie's sister with his permission, but it was his sister that wrote the correspondence full of poetry and sweet things to Lenora. Granted, Lenora wasn't into poetry, but she believed her husband-to-be was a romantic.
When they met, things were not as they seemed, but because Jackson had agreed to the situation, he came up with the marriage of convenience to appease Lenora, who was afraid to love anyone again.
This is a sweet, historical romance novella/short story and I enjoyed it very much. I believe you will too. Pick up a copy and enjoy!
I was given a copy of this novella from the author for my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way.
November 5, 2017
Review: Worth the Wait by Annie Boone
Book review by Heather Ragland
Condemned to comply with strict expectation and serve as an accomplice to the creation of dreadful meals, Lenora is gripped by great misery. She has dreams and wants desperately to be the master of her own life. She knows that she will soon have to make a choice and is troubled because of her limited choices. Her final choice will never allow her to have the independence to fulfill her hopes and dreams.
Under duress, Lenora makes a decision to change her circumstance and responds to an advertisement in a mail-order catalog. She corresponds with a potential suitor named Jackson Brody. Lenora agrees to marry the cattle rancher in an effort to change her dreary circumstances. Will a marriage to Jackson Brody lead to Lenora’s salvation?
The major themes in Worth the Wait deal with independence, choice, and control of one’s destiny. With a strong writing style and a few great similes, Boon has created an endearing love story. The author includes great messages about kindness, hardship, happiness, and gratitude. As the characters interact, readers are provided with striking descriptions of the characters surroundings. In some instances, Boon has carefully crafted the environmental settings to match the mood of the characters.
Insight is given about Lenora’s past and the reasons why she has no choice but to live in the strict household she so vehemently abhors. When readers lean about her living situation, they will definitely be able to identify with the teen. It’s clear her early experiences are very different from the strict and loveless household she lives in. The situation Lenora and most women of the time period have to endure will also make it easy to identify with her strong desire to make her own way in life.
Lenora holds strong beliefs about character traits and love. Her firm mind-set is accompanied by a kind nature. One example of her heartwarming nature comes through as she tries to help two girls adjust to their new situation. The nature of her friendships also has a great influence over her. The fate of one of her friends creates serious misgivings in Lenora’s mind which make her leery about her critical choice.
Lenora’s potential husband, Jackson Brody, also has adamant beliefs. He has a thoughtful nature, although he has misgivings about the arrangements Lenora and he have agreed upon. Even though both of the main characters have a certain mindset, they learn a few important lessons during the story.
The honest letter Lenora writes to Brody will make readers chuckle. Although Lenora is somewhat misled by the contents contained in the response to her letter, she stays true to what her parents taught her and tries to make the best of her situation.
Romance enthusiasts will definitely enjoy the conspiracies that are hatched to get Lenora and Jackson together. Even though the romance happens over a short period of time, both of their personalities make you root for the blossoming relationship.
The sweet conversations between Lenora and Jackson may bring tears to the eyes of some hopeless romantics. The couple’s behavior; their exposure to new situations, and interaction with each other helps one believe that love is most likely in the cards for them.
If you are a romance enthusiast, it is more than likely that you will adore the events that happen during Lenora and Jackson’s courtship.
I give Worth the Wait by Annie Boone 4 out of 5 stars.
I was given a free copy of the eBook in exchange for an honest review.
Book review by Heather Ragland
Condemned to comply with strict expectation and serve as an accomplice to the creation of dreadful meals, Lenora is gripped by great misery. She has dreams and wants desperately to be the master of her own life. She knows that she will soon have to make a choice and is troubled because of her limited choices. Her final choice will never allow her to have the independence to fulfill her hopes and dreams.
Under duress, Lenora makes a decision to change her circumstance and responds to an advertisement in a mail-order catalog. She corresponds with a potential suitor named Jackson Brody. Lenora agrees to marry the cattle rancher in an effort to change her dreary circumstances. Will a marriage to Jackson Brody lead to Lenora’s salvation?
The major themes in Worth the Wait deal with independence, choice, and control of one’s destiny. With a strong writing style and a few great similes, Boon has created an endearing love story. The author includes great messages about kindness, hardship, happiness, and gratitude. As the characters interact, readers are provided with striking descriptions of the characters surroundings. In some instances, Boon has carefully crafted the environmental settings to match the mood of the characters.
Insight is given about Lenora’s past and the reasons why she has no choice but to live in the strict household she so vehemently abhors. When readers lean about her living situation, they will definitely be able to identify with the teen. It’s clear her early experiences are very different from the strict and loveless household she lives in. The situation Lenora and most women of the time period have to endure will also make it easy to identify with her strong desire to make her own way in life.
Lenora holds strong beliefs about character traits and love. Her firm mind-set is accompanied by a kind nature. One example of her heartwarming nature comes through as she tries to help two girls adjust to their new situation. The nature of her friendships also has a great influence over her. The fate of one of her friends creates serious misgivings in Lenora’s mind which make her leery about her critical choice.
Lenora’s potential husband, Jackson Brody, also has adamant beliefs. He has a thoughtful nature, although he has misgivings about the arrangements Lenora and he have agreed upon. Even though both of the main characters have a certain mindset, they learn a few important lessons during the story.
The honest letter Lenora writes to Brody will make readers chuckle. Although Lenora is somewhat misled by the contents contained in the response to her letter, she stays true to what her parents taught her and tries to make the best of her situation.
Romance enthusiasts will definitely enjoy the conspiracies that are hatched to get Lenora and Jackson together. Even though the romance happens over a short period of time, both of their personalities make you root for the blossoming relationship.
The sweet conversations between Lenora and Jackson may bring tears to the eyes of some hopeless romantics. The couple’s behavior; their exposure to new situations, and interaction with each other helps one believe that love is most likely in the cards for them.
If you are a romance enthusiast, it is more than likely that you will adore the events that happen during Lenora and Jackson’s courtship.
I give Worth the Wait by Annie Boone 4 out of 5 stars.
I was given a free copy of the eBook in exchange for an honest review.
September 26, 2017
This book lacks empathy and spontaneity, it reads like a narrative of events. I can not even empathize regarding Lenora's situation. The author lacks the art of generating pathos for her characters plus the story's flow feels disjointed like a main and vital ingredient is missing? A heart, perhaps? I don't know, but there should have been an easy flow considering that this is a novella. In Chapter 9 the word super was used to describe Miranda's eagerness to meet with her pig farmer so the use of the phrase "super eager." Granted that super was in the word or two in "bath superfine" referring to the material for gentlemen's coats during the Regency; this word gained its present meaning in the 20th century (I am guessing) maybe before WWII or during. But I am sure it was not yet in use in that context during this story's timeline. I am not nitpicking, but present day words and phrases that find their way into a historical plotline is most confusing and terribly unsettling for the reader.
September 28, 2021
I wanted a quick read, a short story in essence. The gist of the story is centered around Lenora who wanted to escape the orphanage, have an adventure. She gets that after she starts corresponding with Jackson's sister who placed the advert. He never read the letters which should have made him a little more eager to learn all about her once he met her. He doesn't though. She spends very little time with Jackson allowing them to show each other their true colours and how interesting they are or aren't. The ranch is small and I certainly don't think it could hold and sustain 500 cattle. The facts appear not have been researched. Even short story's need to be factually accurate. It's not a flowing story and the characters are not well rounded and their happy ever after just happens after the lack of getting to know one another. If you can overlook that then it's a reasonable read.
March 12, 2018
Short stories are just too short. There was abreast build up to the story. Once the main character got to where she was going, the story seemed to skip gears and accelerate at such a fast pace, it missed the warmth and depth it had at the beginning. This could have been a great novel and continue to answer questions that were left unanswered.
I also have to ask the question, does the author know what 20 acres of land truly is? It really is not much. 20 acres of land will support one cow and her calf without supplementing food. 20 acres of grassland with 500 cattle on it for one day would be nothing but barren land. 20 sections of land would be more accurate to support 500 head of cattle and neighbors being 5 miles away. Research goes a long way to believable stories.
I also have to ask the question, does the author know what 20 acres of land truly is? It really is not much. 20 acres of land will support one cow and her calf without supplementing food. 20 acres of grassland with 500 cattle on it for one day would be nothing but barren land. 20 sections of land would be more accurate to support 500 head of cattle and neighbors being 5 miles away. Research goes a long way to believable stories.
November 15, 2017
Lonely Lenora Lawson “felt trapped but tried desperately to make a home.” She desires to make her own way and find a love like her parents’. After living among “stern and loveless women,” she seeks a new life and a fresh start. Town bachelor, Jackson Brodie finds himself committed to a mail order bride he neither sought nor wants. While they agree to a marriage of convenience, their attraction for each other lingers. “She pulled him in with her beauty, and then rejected him with her indifference.” Sometimes it is nice to get lost in a simple romance set in a simpler time. I enjoyed this short, sweet, happily ever after.
December 19, 2019
Lenore was a resident of an orphanage for girls. She felt that the girls were treated harshly and wanted to have an orphanage for girls where the girls were treated with love. She showed love to younger girls in residence. As she go older the staff at the home encouraged her to choose a profession or correspond with farmers looking for mail order brides.
She read lots of advertisements and decided to write to a farmer in Kansas. She was really impressed with his response and soon decided to accept his offer. Her intention was to get to know him. After a time of getting to know one another, they made their decision.
Did the fall in love? Did they marry? Read the book.
She read lots of advertisements and decided to write to a farmer in Kansas. She was really impressed with his response and soon decided to accept his offer. Her intention was to get to know him. After a time of getting to know one another, they made their decision.
Did the fall in love? Did they marry? Read the book.
July 26, 2020
Worth the Wait: A Kansas Mail-order Bride Story by Annie Boone
I enjoyed reading mail-order bride stories like this one. Lenora Lawson moves to Kansas to become a mail-order bride to cattle rancher Jackson Brodie in Kansas. They both have their own ideas of what their marriage should be like but soon find that ideas and reality can be very different. I enjoyed watching them as they learned about each other and what a true marriage is. A heartwarming story.
~I received an e-book copy from the author/publisher via Summer Book Bundle (no monetary gain were exchanged), this is my honest review~
I enjoyed reading mail-order bride stories like this one. Lenora Lawson moves to Kansas to become a mail-order bride to cattle rancher Jackson Brodie in Kansas. They both have their own ideas of what their marriage should be like but soon find that ideas and reality can be very different. I enjoyed watching them as they learned about each other and what a true marriage is. A heartwarming story.
~I received an e-book copy from the author/publisher via Summer Book Bundle (no monetary gain were exchanged), this is my honest review~
November 2, 2020
The main character, Lenora, is so afraid to experience loss again after the death of her parents as a teenager that she goes through life on her own and keeps people at arm’s length. She is very closed off and is confronted with her decision to never fall in love when she meets her future husband and his family. They represent what she has been longing for forever; belonging and having a family. She does not know if she has the strength to let them in and deal with the loss if anything should happen to any of them.
The fears of Lenora were very relatable, and I enjoyed the humanness of her character. It was a sweet story that made me thankful for the family I have.
The fears of Lenora were very relatable, and I enjoyed the humanness of her character. It was a sweet story that made me thankful for the family I have.
October 28, 2017
A very sweet and clean mail order bride story where both of the main characters meet but really don't have any intention of having a love filled relationship at all.
Mix in a hopeful mother and a meddling sister as well as the other girls and head mistress from the home for young ladies and we have a lively story.
What goes on between the couple is quite funny as well as interesting, because whether they like it or not, something is happening, something has changed.
Really enjoyable and a very quick and easy read.
Mix in a hopeful mother and a meddling sister as well as the other girls and head mistress from the home for young ladies and we have a lively story.
What goes on between the couple is quite funny as well as interesting, because whether they like it or not, something is happening, something has changed.
Really enjoyable and a very quick and easy read.
January 16, 2018
Worth the Wait, by Annie Boone, is a sweet mail-order bride romance. Lenora, feeling trapped in an unhappy situation, makes an impulsive decision to marry an unknown man who was advertising for a wife. How that all turns out makes for a captivating story. An easy and quick read, the plot moves quickly and the characters are endearing (or not, i.e., the rather imposing and frightening Miss Patterson!). I look forward to reading more from Ms. Boone. I received a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review.
February 10, 2020
This is a heartwarming story of two people deciding to enter marriage through the mail order bride system. At nineteen, Lenora Lawson wants to leave the girls' home she has been in since the death of her parents, so she answers the letter of rancher Jackson Brodie. The only problem is the letter was written by Jackson's sister, not him.
I enjoyed this look at the mail order bride way of matching couples in the old west. Quite a contrast to the internet system today.
I enjoyed this look at the mail order bride way of matching couples in the old west. Quite a contrast to the internet system today.
July 17, 2023
Lenora grew up in an orphanage where she was treated very badly. When she finely was set free, she answered a mail order bride ad and headed to Kansas to meet Jackson. They decided on a have a marriage of convenience. This a wonderful and uplifting book, showing the power and wonder that love can bring. Annie Boone has become one of my favorite authors. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
December 19, 2017
Annie Boone has written a sweet historical romance. Her main characters, Lenora and Jackson, both have issues with which they need to come to grips as she illustrates. She writes about affectionate love, not lust. The ending is satisfying
October 16, 2019
I really enjoyed it.
I really loved these characters and how they came to be. I wish the story was a little longer however. The characters had great chemistry and I loved the happily ever after. Sweet and clean.
I really loved these characters and how they came to be. I wish the story was a little longer however. The characters had great chemistry and I loved the happily ever after. Sweet and clean.
July 1, 2017
Worth the Wait is a sweet, short story. Lenora is a 19 year old who is aging out of an orphanage for girls. Find out what happens when she agrees to a mail order bride situation.
July 20, 2017
Very enjoyable sweet romance filled with spunkiness. I would recommend for all who want a good clean romance.
July 23, 2017
What a sweet endearing story. From an orphanage to a dream come true! I love stories like this and yea there can be a happy ever after! Thanks Annie!
August 25, 2017
A sweet short story that delivers exactly what it promised. This is the first book I've read by Annie Boone, and I enjoyed it. I will definitely read more by this author.
October 23, 2017
A lovely short story about hopes and how difficult it can be at times to hope for something better.
Not much plot or depth to characters, but as a short story it was an enjoyable read.
Not much plot or depth to characters, but as a short story it was an enjoyable read.
February 3, 2018
This is a short story (93 pages approx.) but well written and an enjoyable read.
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January 27, 2019
Worth the Wait by Annie Boone is a short, sweet and clean story. It's the wonderful story of Lenora and Jackson and their challenges. A delightful romantic story!
July 3, 2019
A lovely story about the ups and down of life. Sometimes it is tough. From an orphanage to marriage, will it work out? Loved it.
July 29, 2019
Enjoyed this short mail order bride novel.
December 22, 2019
I enjoyed reading this book. Lenora is living in a home for girls who have lost their parents. She is compassionate and lonely. I love her character and also Jackson.
July 17, 2021
A nice afternoon on a rainy day's read. I liked the characters, the story was good, just felt like it could do with more depth. Apart from that, a good read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews