Alaskan Bride

by D. Jordan Redhawk

Finding a husband after the American Civil War isn’t easy.

When twenty-two-year-old Bostonian Clara Stapleton discovers the address of a likely bachelor in the wilds of the Alaskan bush, she throws caution to the wind and sends him a letter. Soon she’s on the adventure of her life, leaving the comfort and stability of a well-to-do family for a man she’s never met and a life of uncertainty.

Callie Glass isn’t happy with her brother Jasper’s proposal to a mail-order bride, though she knows it’s not her call. And when a tragic accident takes Jasper Glass’s life, Callie doesn’t hesitate to call off the wedding in a letter to Clara. Callie is soon surprised to find a strange woman settling into her cabin, a stranger who had never received news of Jasper’s demise.

While Callie insists that the other woman should return home, Clara digs in her heels. If Callie can live without a man in this isolated land, why can’t she? Both headstrong women struggle in the ashes of their dashed hopes and dreams, slowly coming together to forge an alliance for which neither is prepared.

Genres: Historical, Romance, Historical Fiction, LGBT, Lesbian, Westerns, Fiction

240 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 30, 2016

About the author

A fan-geek and internet junkie, D. Jordan Redhawk is a passionate writer of lesbian romance, covering multiple genres. She highlights the outsider, revealing that we are not all that different from one another. Her books are published by PD Publishing and Bella Books.

To learn more, visit her bibliography.

Reviews

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alaskan Bride is so well written that reading it is like taking a master class in historical fiction writing. The language and syntax of the time is there, but in a way that’s still easy for contemporary readers to take in. D Jordan Redhawk had obviously done a tremendous amount of research, but her world building is so elegant that information is simply conveyed throughout the story.

While Alaskan Bride is a romance, I would argue that it’s first and foremost a historical novel. The romance that’s there is well developed, but to call it a slow build is an understatement.

Full review here: http://www.thelesbianreview.com/alask...

[Just a man's point of view · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Alaskan Bride is a little jewel to discover.

It’s set after the American Civil War, following a 22 years old woman who accepts to go in to the Alaskan district answering a wedding advertisement on a newspaper. Instead of the promised husband, victim of an accident, she will come to live – and eventually fall in love – with his sister.

It’s a wonderfully written historical lesbian romance and the atmosphere is that of a pioneer life and of a great desire of two young women to find their freedom.
The dangers they’ll have to face are those typical of a western story, set in a later period and further North. Discovering and finding a way to live their homosexuality in an ignorant male-dominated society is indeed a great challenge.

But if you’re looking for strong women characters, you will love the sweet butch Callie Glass and, above all, the undomitable Clara Stapleton from Boston.

[Val · Rating 3 out of 5]

This could have easily been a 4 star book. It's just too short! I liked what was there but I wanted more of it.

[Lissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me just say that I needed to read this kind of book and it was pretty much everything that I wanted it to be. I haven't read many lesbian romances lately that have left me feeling much of anything, so it was great to rather unexpectedly stumble upon this book and love every second of it.

Clara is an educated Bostonian who, at the age of twenty-four, is labeled an old maid. Eligible bachelors, especially in post-Civil War America, are in short supply, and so she starts reading the matrimonial ads in the paper, hoping to find one that sparks her interest. And she does - Jasper Glass' ad, a trapper who lives in Alaska. Clara's mind is filled with the romance of living in the Alaska District, and so she replies to the ad and starts her adventure up north. But Jasper dies in an accident before Clara reaches Alaska.

Callie, Jasper's sister, is devastated by her brother's death on the trapline. Left alone in the Alaskan Frontier with few friends and more than a few enemies, Callie wonders if maybe it'd just be best if she overdosed on laudanum. To make matters worse, Jasper's intended bride, Clara, shows up on Callie's doorstep unexpectedly, even though Callie had written to tell her that she shouldn't come to Alaska after all (Clara never received the letter), and Clara doesn't seem like she's too keen on leaving any time soon.

I love historical romances. Back before I discovered publishers like Bella Books and Bold Strokes, I read straight romances (usually pretending the guy was just really butch - hey, I'll admit it!), and my genre of choice was historical. And now that I've discovered queer romances, yes, I like contemporary fine, and I love paranormal and urban fantasy, but damn, I still love historical romances. And finding lesbian historical romances that ring true to the time frame depicted is extremely difficult! I don't want something that is unrealistically all sunshine and rainbows and kittens; if I'm reading historical fiction, I want it to feel like it could have actually happened. And Alaskan Bride totally felt like that.

The author really uses a lot of period-appropriate dialogue, which can be a bit confusing at first (there were several words that I had never heard of before - thank goodness I was reading on my Kindle with its built in dictionary ;) ), but I really liked that, actually. It felt more authentic. And Clara and Callie "spoke" very differently from one another, which I also appreciated - I hate when I can't tell who is "speaking" in a story, and Clara and Callie SHOULD sound very different from one another (one is a well-educated Bostonian, another is someone who has lived on the frontier most of her life and is more "rough around the edges").

I also like that this book was a slow burn romance; Callie and Clara didn't fall into instalove. They progressed from strangers to acquaintances to friends to partners to lovers. There isn't any sex in the book (although it is heavily implied off-the-page in the last chapter), and just one kissing scene. I didn't mind that too much, although I just wanted to read MORE about the characters at the end of the book. I didn't want the story to be over when I was done - I wanted to read about them forming a relationship, and building the cabin like they planned, and Clara's brother and friend coming up to visit, and just more more more, haha. I could totally go for a sequel. ;)

I've never read a book by this author, but the story was completely engrossing - I definitely plan on reading more books by this author in the near future!

[AnnMaree Of Oz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. I truly did love the overall plot, but it's execution frustrated me. I loved the characters of Clara and Callie. The life of a trapper in the wilds of Alaska was unique and interesting, but also fraught with danger.

However, the constant readdressing of things that just happened, and constantly going over things inside the characters heads ended up becoming tedious, not informative. It didn't help progress the characters feelings or their story any further, and I found myself skimming a bit since it didn't advance the plot in any way.

The romance is almost moot. There's a few kisses and that's basically it. By the time the couple do get together, it just ends. Disappointing.

[Carolyn McBride · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book long before I started to read it, and I have no idea why. This book ticks off three categories for me -- nighttime "fluff" (by that I mean no-stress reading), homesteading and women who love women.
The premise is believable to me, and I wondered how many women in that time period and in similar circumstances lived under such an arrangement. But, I digress. The characters felt real to me, the difficulties and challenges seemed realistic. I'm not sure how many groups of egotistical male a**holes ran around trying to take land from women back then, but I didn't care. I was not reading this book for a tale filled with historical fact, I was reading it to be entertained. And I was.
And if another book should ever emerge with these characters, or perhaps the secondary characters in their own story -- I will happily buy that one too. Only I won't wait as long to read it.

Entertaining homesteading frontier fiction for every lesbian who longs to live on the land.

[Anja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice and exciting story, there is some getting used to the language because it is set around the gold rush. The book ends where the romance blossoms and you crave for more of Clara and Callie ;)

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast read for me! Some excellent 1890's frontier romance between two strong women who know what they want.

Clara, a young Boston woman who fears her life is at a standstill and she's destined for spinsterhood, makes the brave decision to respond to an Alaskan trapper looking for a mail-order bride. With the support of her parents her best friend, she sets off towards the Alaskan gold rush, only to tragically discover that her betrothed, Jasper, has died in an accident, leaving his small homestead to his grieving sister, Callie. And Callie is none too pleased to have an interloper on her land--even one as pretty as Clara.

But Clara knows what she wants, and the beautiful Alaskan wilderness is calling to her in ways she never thought possible. She decides to prove to prickly Callie that the little homestead needs her and her woman's touches. Callie, heartbroken after her brother's death and protective of her land, soon caves to Clara's bossiness, getting used to homecooked meals, clean linens, help on the trapline, and close companionship with someone who effortlessly understands her. What starts as a tenuous business transaction blossoms into a partnership, and both women can feel their mutual attraction. The only wrench in their happiness is a bad man from town who has it out for Callie and wants her take her land out from under her. Callie knows she needs to protect Clara, but it may come at the cost of their love for each other.

I just love a good lesbian historical romance. This one reminds me a bit of a book I enjoyed a few years ago, Jane Hoppen's The Northwoods. Both books involve women trying to make their own way in a man's world and finding love in each other, and they both beautifully illustrate the hard life of someone living off the land. The descriptions in this book are lush and soothing, but at the same time vast and stark, making us really feel Clara's wonder at this brave new world. The isolation of the cabin and the ways Clara and Callie slowly thaw each other out make for a slow, gentle, tight-knit romance that warms you down to your bones.

My only complaint is that it is a bit short and the pacing was a little off. It seemed like more time should have passed and we should've got to know the side characters and town of Skagway a little better. But that shows how involved I was in the book and how I didn't want it to end!

[MZ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A good historical fiction book. I enjoyed reading this book, but also felt there were some issues. If the ending were less rushed it would easily have been a 4 plus book.

Clara lives in Boston and decides to respond to a matrimonial advert. She is going to marry Jasper Glass in Alaska. However, when she gets there she finds that Jasper died and that his sister Callie is living on the property. Not wanting to give up on her dreams of living in the wilderness and admitting defeat, she talks Callie into letting her stay on the property.

Clara is adventurous and intelligent and was raised in a protected (rather wealthy) environment, because of that she’s also very naïve. Callie on the other hand lived most of her life in the Alaskan wilderness and is everything but naïve. She has no desire to marry as she is not attracted to men and she prefers to live as a trapper like Jasper. Because of this lifestyle (and the fact that she wears men’s clothing) the people in town look down on her and do not accept her and it made her wary and aloof. The romance between them is rocky but believable and very slow burn.

I loved the description and lifestyle of the Alaskan wilderness and I liked the fact that, in contrast to many other WLW historical fiction novels, both main characters present as female instead of one disguising as male. This included describing the physical limitations of Callie, which is very realistic, not every tomboy is strong and tall and can easily pass as a man. However, because of this she also experiences the town attitude towards her, which is just not pretty and made for a depressing feeling at times.

This is not a very long book and this was one of my biggest issues, I felt the ending was rushed. At some point many things happen and after that it just ends, whereas I had the feeling that especially the romance needed a couple of steps more. I would have liked to see more together time for the two mains. Another thing that did not sit well with me was the change in behavior of the people surrounding them. I did not think there was any reason for that, and it does not match the time period, so it felt strange and not entirely believable. Ow, and before I forget, it’s just a small thing, but why the two very similar names?

The writing style is easy and even though there were some bumps on the road I enjoyed the book.

[Velvet Lounger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the years after the American Civil War when finding a husband wasn’t easy, Alaskan Bride is an excellent historical lesfic romance.

Old maid Clara is an educated 22 year-old from a wealthy Bostonian family. Fed up with being pursued by businessmen her father’s age, she answers an advert for a mail order bride and heads off to the Alaskan Territory.

Unbeknown to Clara, the man she is set to marry dies in an accident, and his sister, Callie, writes to stop his bride setting off. The letter crosses with Clara on her journey, and the two women find themselves in an unusual situation. Callie insists Clara goes home, Clara is determined to stay and live her adventurous dream.

Clara and Callie are strong, independent women with distinctive voices and very strong wills. They both have a secret they have never revealed, and both have a determination to ‘make it’ in a man’s world, whatever the cost. Their characters clash, yet they are both intrigued and infuriated by the other. As they adjust and compromise, we watch a very slow burn romance unfold, beautifully crafted and befitting the era of the novel.

D Jordan Redhawk has created an interesting set of characters between the more refined Bostonian family and the roughneck frontier folk. She has used the vocabulary of the era to give authenticity to the dialogue and cleverly makes the voices very distinct with tone and language.

The setting of the gold rush era in an Alaskan town is well drawn, with new businesses appearing weekly, and a wide set of society on display. The beauty of the landscape and the harshness of the lifestyle play an important part in the background of the story as we witness Clara’s transformation from Boston debutant to gun-toting frontier homesteader.

I really enjoyed this story. Excellent writing, unusual setting, passionate characters and very well done storyline. While the attraction is obvious, it is drawn with enough twists to make it interesting and enough humour to entertain, while at the same time the women literally fight to survive in a world where an unscrupulous man can take whatever he wants.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction is my absolute favorite type of novel. I am picky though, and always gravitate toward post civil war, west of the Mississippi American setting novels. Something about westward expansion in America screams romance and adventure to me. I love them and reread them over and over. We need more books just like this one. I have no reason why I waited so long to pick this one up. I have really missed out. When reading a historical fiction, one of my biggest issues is typically the lack of detail. Authors will often give few details in order to not research a period to offer the really small details that make a book like this amazing. Redhawk did such an amazing job. It is very well written, obviously researched, and offers a strong story, resilient characters, and a setting that really shines. Bringing two characters together in this setting is a very difficult task. The wealthy woman mail order bride didn’t sit well with me, but I spent a lot of time trying to think of alternatives and in the end decided I wouldn’t change a thing. This one is going on my favorites and I know I will be rereading this one over and over.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's nothing wrong with Alaskan Bride, exactly. I just didn't find it remarkable. I was also able to put this down for long stretches without being eager to return to the novel.

For a historic fiction sapphic romance set in/around Skagway, Alaska in the late 19th century, I'll note that I appreciated that Callie wasn't pretending to be a man to survive in this environment, which was a refreshing change from every other book I've read in "Western" historical works. And I almost bumped this up to three stars as a result. But it falls flat in so many other areas--particularly the romance--that I just can't rate it higher.

Some things to note for anyone heading into this novel:
* The MCs spend much of the novel in conflict. But it's weird because there's also this instant attraction between them, too, so it's very contradictory.
* This is a super slow burn.
* If you're looking for signs of physical intimacy between the MCs, look elsewhere. This is PG-13 and that's mostly due to rape threats and lewd innuendo from men in town and for violence, not for any potential steaminess between the MCs.

[HornFan2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really the only appeal for me to read this was the setting of Alaska, about trapping and it didn't involve Mountain Men for a change. While it's supposed to be a mail order bride that turns into a lesfic read. Yet at times felt like perhaps Callie could easily have been Jasper and perhaps it would have been a better read being a Western Romance read. Definitely wouldn't have at times come off of the rails, to derail the storyline or have an epic "Smoke Jensen" like gun battle.

If Clara devious enough to come up with the idea of putting out the bear traps to protect them. Why wouldn't you just have her killing the guy who follows her home verse the way it's written?

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written historical romance with a wonderful setting, engaging characters, and a convincing love story. There is no sex in this book - more innuendos and a "closed door" moment - so it might make a good intro to #lesfic for someone who doesn't want to start with the hotter stuff (and a good read for those who want romances more on the "sweet" side).

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really really liked this. It's a very well written historical novel. The romance develops slow and sweet. The author does a good job developing the story in such a short book. The setting was new for me...Skagway, Alaska during the gold rush. The lawlessness of the vast wilderness loomed large in this story.

It definitely left me wanting more. I can't wait to see where Clara and Callie's story goes from here!
Definitely worth the read. I read some other reviews saying the language was difficult in the beginning. I did not have that same issue. I even went back and read the first few chapters. This honestly wasn't something I noticed.

Very solid 4 stars

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definition of Taylor swift's 'girl at home' also who knew the mail order bride genre was such a good trope.

Honestly this book is just bland enough to be not boring, the characters are so bland and the plot so predictable but in a way that makes it easy to read and just engaging enough to scratch the itch. Love that, worth 12 dollars

Also if you look at teh author photo, that's a face I can trust. Of course they wrote this book, what else is in there I need to know

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buena, con drama, pero nada insoportable y sí esperable para la época. Los personajes me gustaron, pero el romance me pareció la nada misma.

Ojo ahora un poco de spoiler.
No nos encontramos con una gran historia de amor, simplemente dos mujeres que viven juntas, una se sabe lesbiana y la otra se sospecha - aunque esto recién se deja ver casi al final del libro - que "se enamoran" porque son lindas y no conocen a ninguna otra torta, básicamente.

De todas formas, creo que es una historia interesante - por la época y el lugar - y aceptable, sobre todo porque en los libros basados en esos años - hasta los 90 largos - las lesbianas terminaban muertas, solas o peor.

Para mí, que no tolero los dramas constantes, estuvo bien, con la dosis justa de problemas.

[Vervada · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Clara and Callie! While it takes some time for the two to meet, once they do the story really takes off. Their banter was superb and watching them fall in love was really cute. I do wish the ending had been a bit longer as I wanted more happy scenes with the two of them. On the other hand, the setting was very well done; the Alaskan wilderness and the rather lawless town were depicted wonderfully. And that final battle scene was completely awesome. All in all, a truly enjoyable read.

[Meredith McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read and likely historically plausible

D. Jordan Redhawks is a sublime storyteller and she’s proven it again.
As a formal student of American history & an informal student of gay history I’d venture this book is as historically accurate as is possible for a lesbian novel without being completely tragic.

Read it, seriously.

[Katie Bienvenue · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a completely enthralling book that once you become invested you are just rooting for these women! I want a sequel to continue down their journey!

I will admit I was worried that it would be rushed at the end but you go into that final act and that final showdown like you would for any Western, and that pace worked to its favor!

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this, started last night and zoomed through it today, I liked Clara and Callie, at first I was really struggling with their names being so similar but I got used to it. I liked how their relationship developed though I was so frustrated with Callie at times for how hot and cold she could be

[Sarah Goodwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book with an enjoyable story, however I found the prose very flowery, and it was hard to differentiate between the two characters as their voices were very similar and their names also almost the same!

[Rae Storey · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really good story idea, with decent execution and vanilla characters.
- lots of angsty conflict
- slow burn to a bland PG-13 relationship

What I appreciated most about this book is the female empowerment.

[Kani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great adventure

Great adventure. I enjoyed to scene setting and the build up to the big encounter. Wish there had been more.

[Peta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended!

Superb book. Read the book in one day, couldnt put it down.very well written.
This book hit the spot. P

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Sweet and well written historical fiction.

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was uncertain to start but enjoyed by the end.

[Alexa Steli · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5/5
Yh what hell yeah

[Arianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book so much!
Clara is one of the best girls I've seen in fiction and I just love her commanding presence with Callie. The setting was also fresh for me, because I've read so many modern day ff in bustling major cities.
I would recommend this book ten times over.

[Jo Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous

I just love this book I've read it a few times and it just gets better and better. The descriptions of the areas around Skagway are so descriptive you can almost smell the countryside and the town itself. The love story is good as well.