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Little Falls Legacy #1

A Family Arrangement

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Makeshift Family

Abram Cooper has ten months to turn rough Minnesota country into a vibrant town, or his sister-in-law will take his three sons back to Iowa with his blessing. Until then, Charlotte Lee has agreed to keep house and help raise his children as part of their bargain. But can the single father fulfill Charlotte's requirements in time to make sure that she and his boys don't leave—and take his heart with them?

Charlotte is convinced that the wilderness is no place to raise her nephews. But as she watches the community slowly develop, she sees that Abram just might be able to make it blossom. With three little matchmakers bringing her and Abram together, Little Falls could become not just a flourishing town, but the perfect home for their patchwork family.

288 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published December 6, 2016

33 people are currently reading
276 people want to read

About the author

Gabrielle Meyer

80 books2,779 followers
Gabrielle Meyer grew up above a carriage house on a historic estate near the banks of the Mississippi River, imagining real and make-believe stories about the occupants who had lived there. She went on to work for the Minnesota Historical Society and loves writing fiction inspired by real people, places, and events. She currently resides in central Minnesota on the banks of the Mississippi River, not far from where she grew up, with her husband and four children. By day, she’s a busy homeschool mom, and by night she pens fiction and non-fiction filled with hope. Learn more about Gabrielle and her writing by visiting www.gabriellemeyer.com.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
Profile Image for Alicia Willis.
Author 8 books165 followers
January 13, 2017
Best for 13+

This was a sweet story. From the synopsis:

Abram Cooper has ten months to turn rough Minnesota country into a vibrant town, or his sister-in-law will take his three sons back to Iowa with his blessing. Until then, Charlotte Lee has agreed to keep house and help raise his children as part of their bargain. But can the single father fulfill Charlotte's requirements in time to make sure that she and his boys don't leave—and take his heart with them?

Charlotte is convinced that the wilderness is no place to raise her nephews. But as she watches the community slowly develop, she sees that Abram just might be able to make it blossom. With three little matchmakers bringing her and Abram together, Little Falls could become not just a flourishing town, but the perfect home for their patchwork family.


I enjoyed Meyer's book A Mother In the Making more; however, this was a sweet read. The characters were relatable; the plot was definitely possible, perhaps even probable for the era. I enjoyed the focus on the deaf child and his learning sign language the most.

I would have preferred a little more action and a little less of a predictable ending. However, it was an enjoyable read and I would definitely recommend it.

Recommended for sweet romance fans and lovers of historical-fiction.
23 reviews
January 5, 2017
Gabrielle Meyer has a love for her hometown that is very evident in the sweet historical romance about the beginnings of Little Falls, MN. She transports you to Minnesota Territory, 1854 in the opening lines of the first chapter. Here you will meet Abram Cooper and Charlotte Lee in Little Falls, MN. They are connected by the love of a woman they both lost, her sister and his wife. They are also connected by three young boys. When Charlotte arrives in Little Falls, there is a two story house, a barn and a saw mill along the beautiful Mississippi River. It is definitely not what she expected from reading her sister's letters.

Charlotte and Abram come to an agreement. He will have a preacher, teacher, and doctor in town by Sept 1855 or she will take the boys home with her to Iowa City. She will keep house, cook and care for the boys in that time allowing Abram to work on building the town. Before she meets her nephews she finds out that one of them has lost their hearing. Charlotte is resourceful and teaches all of them to communicate through sign language.

Throughout the book, Gabrielle has weaved a great story of friendship, hard work, commitment, sacrifice, trust, love and loss. Ben is one of my favorite characters. He is happy and shares that with everyone. He is kind, thinks of others and loves God. By the end, I really came to like Harry, who is a stubborn underdog in the story. It was interesting to me how at the beginning of the book there were 4 people living in Little Falls and by the end (10 months later) there were over 200 people living there. As new people moved in it was fun to see how the relationships developed, just like in real life, as people move around during their lifetimes. This book had me laughing. crying, hoping for the relationship between Abram and Charlotte, and hoping for the boys to have a REAL family.

I spent 9 years in Little Falls and I love and appreciate that as I read this novel, I can see Little Falls, I can imagine the buildings as they looked then and how they look now. This is a great start to her Little Falls Legacy collection and I am eager to continue reading as Little Falls continues to grow.

NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
581 reviews
November 10, 2016
Abram Cooper and Charlotte Lee have one thing in common, they lost a beloved wife and sister almost a year ago. With threats of taking his three boys away to Iowa city, Abram comes up with a compromise—Charlotte stays to help manage the household and he builds a town within ten months to keep his sons at home where they belong. Can the best laid plans of man be within the will of God, or will what he sets out to do fail?

Charlotte only has good intentions when it comes to her three nephews; raise them up in a town with easy access to a school, doctors and church. She cares very much about their well-being and happiness and is willing to do whatever is necessary to see that they have all they need. Abram has always abundantly provided for his family and his vision of a real town is a legacy he wants to leave his sons. Charlotte has trust issues from her past that she must overcome and Abram wants to prove himself to her. These two sometimes butt heads and don’t see eye-to-eye. But what I like about them, is their care for the boys and the growing town. As they each overcome difficulties with God’s help, a truce begins to take shape. You also see glimpse of romance developing, though they each deny it for various reasons. I also fell in love with the boys, their differing personalities add another layer to an already great story. The cast of side characters rounds this out and I enjoyed seeing each stage of the town developing & growing. I also have something in common with Timothy and Pearl Hubbard, they originally came from Moline, IL where I grew up! I really enjoy how the author incorporates history in the pages of a fiction book. This was another terrific story by this author and a wonderful start to a new series—Little Falls Legacy!

Engaging characters, scenes so real you can picture them in your mind, romance brewing in the background, learning history through fiction, and a faith-filled story are what you’ll get with this author & that’s why I like her so much! Definitely looking forward to future installments of this new series.

*I was provided a complimentary copy by the author. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed here are strictly my own.*
Profile Image for Just Commonly.
755 reviews108 followers
December 8, 2016
"Life is all about risks. Love is simply one of them." (111)

A Family Arrangement by Gabrielle Meyer is a sweet story about a makeshift family needing more than anything to be a family. Come December 6th, this story is available for purchase, and if you are looking for a story about coming together as a family for Christmas, this is one to get. Both Abram and Charlotte have one thing in common - the lost of their most beloved person in their lives. For Abram, it is his wife, and the mother of his three boys. For Charlotte, her sister, the only relative she has left, and Abram's wife. Now she has her nephews to think of. Can Abram and Charlotte come to an agreement on how to give the best for these three precious ones, or will self desires break this family once again?

I really enjoyed how the author brought together two lost souls and together, allow them to give a resemblance of a family to three little boys that have lost their mother. When past prejudices prevent Abram and Charlotte to come to a consensus, it is their mutual love for the boys that allows them to try a different type of arrangement. There's more than a love a story, or a story of marriage of convenience, or a story of kids needing a mother. There's history one can enjoy about how a town is started. How the dream of one man can build a town and make it thrive. It's also how the support of the woman in a man's life that allowed the dreams to come to fruition. A story of dreams, of love and of risks. Are you willing to risk as Charlotte and Abram have in A Family Arrangement?


This review first appeared on Just Commonly blog.

NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. For my review policy, please see my Disclosure page.
Profile Image for Shelli Littleton.
Author 1 book29 followers
October 5, 2016
A Family Arrangement is a sweet story. So typical Gabrielle Meyer. Tender, sweet, heart-stirring. Her story of Little Falls reminded me of the area where my grandmother grew up in Arkansas, and all the tales my grandmother would share with me as a little girl, with her line: “It screeched and hollered like a panther.” And my favorite line: “And then she saw him, coming toward her, his eyes focused solely on her.” If you love a tender story, that will make you want to love your family more, you’ll love this work. It's a perfect read for Christmas, a reminder of what matters most in this life. A Family Arrangement makes you want to roll up your sleeves to make life better for those around you, to be a blessing. And if you love this, you’ll love Gabrielle’s other work—A Mother In The Making.
*I received a complimentary copy for an honest review
Profile Image for Caryl.
1,931 reviews24 followers
October 19, 2016
Ms. Meyer swept me away to Little Falls, Minnesota with her captivating imagery. It was exciting to watch the town come alive.

I admired the strength and commitment of Charlotte to care for her nephews. I also admired Abram's determination to leave a legacy for his sons.

Hope, healing and second chances are woven into this heartwarming story. It is a beautiful picture of true love.
Profile Image for Shelley.
2,509 reviews161 followers
December 19, 2016
3.5. Charlotte has come to Minnesota to take her three nephews back to Iowa after her sister's death, but her brother-in-law wants ten months to prove that he can turn their settlement into a town--if he does, the boys stay with him. This is loosely based on the history of the author's home town, Little Falls, which is absolutely fascinating. I enjoyed watching the town build, and appreciated the slow burn between Charlotte and Abram. (They had ten months! Most Christmas novels give you a few weeks at best.) While this is marketed as Christmas, that was actually at the front of the novel, and the bulk takes place in the summer. Still, nice characters and she really made the town history come alive.
Profile Image for Lisa.
33 reviews
July 28, 2018
I thought this book was a “Christmas story” and picked it up to read during the “Christmas in July” time frame. But it wasn’t a holiday story at all, but this was a Christmas gift from one of my boys so it still fills my requirement. Anyway, I enjoyed the time frame the story was set in. Even though this book could have been read in a couple days I took my time and enjoyed it. I would recommend this book because even with it being fiction, the author did her research to make it accurate with the information she used to make this lovely story. I will certainly read more books from this author.
Profile Image for Ronnell Gibson.
130 reviews3 followers
December 15, 2017
Sweet story. Being from the Midwest, I love the setting. The characters are strong and relateable. Charlotte is especially out of her element, but feisty and determined. Abram just as determined but focused and driven. I want to scoop the kids up the three boys and give them big hugs, especially Robert. Great read.
244 reviews4 followers
February 25, 2018
I enjoyed the characters and their interactions quite a bit. I did feel there were a couple places where aspects of a relationship with a minor character changed dramatically without much reason for why, but that was a very minor part of the book. Also saw good character development with main characters.
Profile Image for Joan Arning.
1,773 reviews28 followers
November 27, 2018
Abram Cooper and his sister-in-law, Charlotte Lee are great main characters in A Family Arrangement! You will feel sympathy for widower Abram as he works to build a town in Minnesota Territory before Charlotte takes his sons back to Iowa to live. I recommend this book to others who enjoy light historical fiction.
Profile Image for Patrice Doten.
1,311 reviews19 followers
December 12, 2017
Gabrielle Meyer crafts a masterful historical setting in a way that brings the past alive. I felt like I was right there, watching Little Falls take shape and come into being from nothing. A heartwarming story of forgiveness and second chances, with a lovely thread of faith woven throughout.
Profile Image for Shari.
222 reviews
December 19, 2022
A couple things about this book really irritated me. One was the way Charlotte treated one of the men working for her brother-in-law. The other was the fact that she fell in love with her dead sisters husband. Really? Who does that?
Profile Image for Ashley.
106 reviews3 followers
December 2, 2025
Sweet, Easy Read

Charlotte, heartbroken over the loss of her sister, sets off to find Abram Cooper and the sons her sister left behind. Charlotte is certain her nephews would be better off with her in Iowa City, but she makes a deal with Abram that she's sure keeps her on the winning side.
Short, sweet, full of detail, A Family Arrangement was an easy, enjoyable read!
70 reviews
October 21, 2021
Good solid writing make this a joy to read. The plot and ending are satisfying. And it is a quick read.
1,451 reviews5 followers
September 30, 2023
Sweet story of building a new town in 1854. Abraham is the founder and Charlotte is his sister in law who help him
Profile Image for Carol Maciej-Weber.
130 reviews
November 17, 2025
I really did enjoy this story. Gabrielle Meyer is a joy to read. Always interesting stories and characters.
Profile Image for Margaret Chind.
3,212 reviews267 followers
November 10, 2016

Originally posted on Creative Madness Mama. 

On December 6th, a brand new Christmas story releases retelling the story of the founding family of a town known as Little Falls in Minnesota taking place around the year 1854. This is a time period that I love to read and immerse myself in, because it varies so much from location to location, from frontier wilderness to Victorian opalescence to Southern Antebellum. This is my first Christmas read of the year and it was an excellent choice for me and I enjoyed every minute in my reading this story. I cried, I sighed, I giggled, and I got mad. This is my first read from Gabrielle Meyer and it will not be my last. I was blessed to meet Gabrielle in person in August and loved her as a person and couldn't wait to read her writing. I will definitely have to go back to read her other Love Inspired title as well as her Barbour novellas in collections. More and more adding to my reading list!

Charlotte is an older, protective sister, full of fears of her own and the story starts as her younger sister, a young wife and mother, has recently passed away. Charlotte is determined to do right by her nephews. This is a story about family pulling together, about challenges, and adventure, but it is also about personal growth for both Charlotte and the boy's father Abram, and even some great other characters are thrown in that add such elements and challenges to the story such and the half Native American Indian preacher Ben and the farm hand Harry.

Overall, a great story and I'm glad to have spent time reading it. If you know me, you know I hesitate to get mass market paperback books, but this is also available as a Kindle copy and I highly recommend the read!

View all my reviews

Christmas read
This review was originally posted on Creative Madness Mama.
Profile Image for Mandy.
81 reviews6 followers
November 30, 2016
This story by Gabrielle Meyer is about the founding of a little town in the MN Territory. I enjoyed the story because it is part of the history of my hometown. I know that the fictional struggles, as well as the real struggles, that the founders of this town went through, did eventually pay off because the town is here today! I appreciated that I could picture the small town as it was growing and being established. I could envision the streets and the buildings as they were going up. The book has a special connection for me because I love my hometown and it is fun to read this fictional story of its founding.

The story is about how a family can deal with trials and grief (the loss of their wife, mother, and sister). There are many struggles that went along with settling a new town. It took a strong person to pursue such an endeavor, but even then, it was still a hard battle. One of my favorite lines in the book was this: “’What dream has God planted in your heart?’ the reverend asked, searching the crowd. ‘What dream do you need to nurture and water, so it can produce a harvest? I urge you to ask God this question, and seek His answer.’” The main character, Abram Cooper, did have a dream of starting a new town for his family so he could leave them a legacy. He also had the faith to do it. The story includes friendship, love, history, and the stamina to endure through the trials of life. I think you will enjoy this story of Little Falls and how one man’s dream created history!
Profile Image for Glenda Parker.
Author 14 books21 followers
January 9, 2017
This is the second book in the Little Falls Legacy Series. I really enjoyed this book. I don't think I have ever read any of Gabrielle's books but I did like this one and hope to read more of her work. This book is well written, it will make you laugh and it will make you cry. A great read.

Charlotte Lee comes to Little Falls to rescue her late sister's children from their father, a worthless dreamer. Her father and her fiancee had been like that and she refused to put the boys through that. When she arrives, its worse than she expected but she make an arrangement with her brother-in-law, he must have a church, a preacher, a doctor, a teacher and a school in ten months or she takes the boys back to Iowa. She will care for them until then.

Abram Cooper is determined to make a new town around his saw mill. His wife was helping him until she became sick and died. Now his sister-in-law shows up with a letter from his wife asking for her to care for his sons. He makes a deal with her and begins selling off land to make the town happen.

A journey of two driven souls trying to do what is right for the children. God has a plan for this family. A plan for a hope and a future. God has a plan for you too. Just surrender to Him and watch Him turn thing around.
Profile Image for Britney.
768 reviews12 followers
December 8, 2016
Gabrielle Meyer’s love of history and her hometown is evident as she transports readers to the Minnesota countryside. Influenced by historical events, A Family Arrangement brings to light the struggles and sacrifices involved in the building of Little Falls and offers picturesque glimpses into the past.

Abram and Charlotte’s story is a delightful blend of history and romance, and I loved experiencing the creation of a town and a family and seeing them both flourish. Brimming with imagery and emotion, this charming story warmed my heart and left me eager to continue the Little Falls Legacy series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required, and all thoughts expressed are my own.
Profile Image for Melissa.
791 reviews
October 14, 2016
While at first glance the plot is similar to A Mother in the Making (widowed father with kids and gets help from the woman he falls in love with - but this time it is what happened to the historical figures these characters are based on!), A Family Arrangement is its own unique story. Meyer explores the challenges early settlers faced in crating towns out of nothing and weaves them into the central plot of the novel. This good, light hearted read sucked me in and I couldn't put it down. I can't wait to read the next installment in the series. Hopefully a few of these characters will return!
934 reviews4 followers
December 29, 2016
A Family Arrangement by Garbielle Meyer. Take place in 1854. Abram Cooper has ten months to turn a country area into a vibrant town. Or his sister in law will take his three sons back to Iowa with her. During those ten months Charlotte Lee has agreed to keep house and help raise Abram's three boys. One is deaf. Charlotte works with the boys in many different areas. Charlotte has been let down by her father and her boyfriend. She doesn't trust Abram. Abram and Charlotte grow close but when the town doesn't happen in ten month Charlotte takes the boys and leave. She changes her mind and returns in four days. A good read.
Profile Image for Ness.
246 reviews11 followers
October 7, 2016
Another great one I could not put down by Gabrielle Meyer! This sweet story about the building of Little Falls, MN and the family in the middle of it all shows the greatest thing in life is our family. They were able to overcome hardships, distrust, misperceptions and just be a forgiving, loving family. Can't wait to see where this series will take us! Excited to see the town and it's citizens grown and change.

NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
986 reviews10 followers
December 27, 2016
Grab the Kleenex. This is a story that had me crying, I found myself living the emotions of the characters and they all seemed so real. I fell in love with them and wish I could read more about them. They became a part of me. Who couldn't help but fall in love with the three precious boys. I also loved the inspirational thread throughout the book. I can't wait to read more books by this author.
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