BOOK ONE in the BRIDES OF SWEET CREEK RANCH SERIES—A SWEET HISTORICAL WESTERN ROMANCE
The Brides of Sweet Creek Ranch is an uplifting Sweet Historical Western Romance series set in Wyoming Territory on a frontier homestead ranch. The books follow the untamed Haven brothers, the spirited brides they marry, and the struggle to find love and joy amid the rugged wilds of the West.
ELLA HUNTER never thought she’d be a mail-order bride. But when she sees a photo in the Marriage Gazette of the man she believes killed her brother, Ella agrees to marry the Civil War soldier turned cowboy. Prepared to confront a cold-hearted killer then return home, she finds all her expectations dashed when her intended husband appears to be a good man. Ella’s loyalties are torn between honoring the memories of her family and her undeniable attraction to Ty Haven.
TY HAVEN needs a wife. The ranch he runs in the wilds of Wyoming Territory could use a woman’s influence. Frankly, so could he. So when Ella arrives like a gift tied up in a cornflower-blue hair ribbon, more intelligent, practical, and, yes, beautiful, than he could have imagined, he hopes she will give him and the West a chance. Turns out, he doesn’t just need a wife. He needs Ella. But she has a secret, and it might destroy their marriage almost before it’s begun.
Can the unforgivable be forgiven? What will the cowboy ranchman do when he learns why…THE MAIL-ORDER BRIDE CARRIES A GUN?
Wanda Ann Thomas is the author of Sweet Historical Western Romances and Historical Christian Fiction. She adores heart-felt love stories, featuring honorable heroes and courageous heroines. Men and women who will brave any danger for loved ones and who struggle against overwhelming obstacles to win their happily ever after.
Wanda starts each day bright and early at her computer writing and drinking coffee. When the weather allows she and her husband average three rounds of golf a week. She confesses to being overly fond of chocolate chips cookies, winter vacations spent in sunny Florida, and her large boisterous family.
Ella Hunter is a mail-order bride but only because she thinks the man she is marrying is the man who killed her brother. She expects a cold-hearted killer but she finds an unexpectedly sweet man who is just trying to make a life. Ty Haven needs a wife, but doesn’t expect to fall head over heels for her. But will the past get in the way of their marriage.
This was a quick and fun read. I adored Ella. She was smart, sassy, and had hilarious curse words. She is terrified of happiness though, especially with a man. I loved how welcoming the Haven brothers were of her and how they taught her the importance of family. Ty is a protective and kind man. He fosters orphans because he knows that all they need is someone to give them a chance, like he was given. I loved this ragtag family and how they all work together to keep the ranch going.
I really want to read the rest of this series now because I just loved all the Haven brothers. They were each so unique and fun. I know I will be reading the next book because I need to know what happens with Boone because his parts in this book were heartbreaking. If you are looking for a fun historical romance this is the book for you.
This review was originally posted at Red-Haired Ash Reads. ___________________________ Romanceopoly 2020 Sun - The Cobbles
Thoughts: Another author to read more of, especially this series. I want to know what happens to the rest of the brothers. Characters were pretty good and plot was too. I liked the way she brought everyone into the story, very inclusive. Not your typical mail-order bride story. Recommended
I couldn't get past the juvenile writing. And since I didn't like any of the characters nor care what happened to them, I DNFed this book around 20-something%. In the little scanning I did, I noticed some sexual innuendo. It was fairly tame stuff that you might find between a married couple. I think only real sticklers would be offended by it, though personally I found it to be as ridiculous and juvenile as the rest of the content I read.
I liked the premise of this story and while ‘cliffhanger ending’ might be a little too strong a term, there are 2 huge plot holes meant to entice the reader to read the next book(s) of the series. Beyond that, there are inconsistencies in the heroine’s character, beliefs and behavior; as well as odd word usage relative to the era. Too distracting were the many dangling participles and typos which an editor would have corrected. An example of the dangling participle: “Cheekbones as sharp and beautiful as the towering mountain range, his mouth curved with a welcoming smile...”. A participial phrase can be used to describe or modify the noun. Used here, the phrase is describing his smile - however his smile doesn’t have cheekbones. While I would like to read more about the characters in this book, the writing just isn’t good enough to keep me interested. I hope the writer has worked to improve her craft and later books are more readable.
Wanda Ann Thomas definitely spiked my curiosity and desire to read her book, The Mail-Order Bride Carries A Gun. The title itself peeked my interest. I started making predictions of its' content. Why would a mail-order bride need to carry a gun? What could she be running from? Is her destination so remote and dangerous? It did not take long for Ms. Thomas to provide me with answers. Not to be a spoiler, I will refrain from summarizing and giving away the plot. Instead, I will share why I enjoyed this book and Ms. Thomas writing.
I enjoyed the structured plot and multi-dimensional characters. Her protagonists, Ella Hunter and Ty Haven, are complex and flawed with varying degrees of pain and sadness. They share similar traits like loyalty to family and perseverance. The supporting characters are also well developed and play an important role in helping the reader to understand our protagonists. The same is true with the antagonists. The interplay and interactions of all of these characters are what Ms. Thomas uses to drive her plot line. I appreciate the twists in her plot as they build tension and suspense. She uses a few characters as red herrings. Her use of rich and humor is reflected in the dialog as demonstrated in the episode where Ella confronts a grizzly.
Ms. Thomas does a great job in hooking her readers. She did in the selection of this title, in her story arc and in her use of subplots and blending it with her primary plot. As we follow Ella and Ty, we also meet Boone (one of Ty's brothers) and Maggie. She leaves enough bread crumbs to entice readers to follow the rest of this Sweet Creek Ranch family. I highly recommend this book.
I hope this review will encourage others to read this book. The picture on the front is a little misleading but fairly suitable at one point but it is not the majority of the story. This is a well written book and I give a thumbs up for the author of this book. It keeps you encouraged to read on to find out what happens next. Ty and Ella have a bit of a rocky start as Ella is a mail order Bride that comes for an entirely different reason than Ty when he saw her add in the Matrimony add. But as they meet (to say she was stand-of-fish would be an understatement) things are not exactly as Ty envisioned in a wife. Her home is not as she had thought either. But she never planned on staying in the first place. But as life goes on she falls more and more in love with the men and boys that work the ranch. So now she is hooked and a troublesome neighbor (a true villain or bad guy, you will hate him) comes and threatens Ty and all their livelihood. The boys that are home come to aid the scene as well as Ella. Will that neighbor succeed in his scheme? Does Ella ever tell Ty the love she has for him? Well I guess you will have to read this book to find out. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did and will read books 2-4 as well. It is a "Goodread" for sure, and good job Wanda Ann. May you have your hearts desires.
What a title for this short, quick novel that drew me in from the very first page. This was the first novel I have ever read by author Wanda Ann Thomas and I plan to definitely read more. This is a story about a mail order bride who travels out west to meet her future husband. But the clincher here is that she plans to kill him for his part in hurting her family during the Civil War. What she does not plan on is him and his family of brothers from all walks of life that have adopted each other and look out for each other, giving troubled boys a good chance of life just like his parents did for him and his brothers.
This was a quick read for me and not a very long novel but it certainly packed in a great story. This story does not shy away from the intimacy of a married a couple nor does it show and tell anything gratuitously. This is the first in the series about this group of “brother” ranchers and I am looking forward to following the series and I am hoping each brother gets his story told.
The Sweet Creek Ranch is more than just a fictional place, it is the kind of place one feels at home. For Ty Haven and his brothers it was a second chance for a life they never dreamed of having when they were younger.
Now 6 grown men they carry on the tradition started by the parents who took them in as strays by doing the same thing.
Although the ranch is rewarding and helping the boys in need of a new life is as well Ty finds himself hankering for a woman to raise his own brood with.
Enter mail order bride and an orphan herself, Ella answers the ad but with ulterior motives which over time lose their urgency as she grows to know and care for her new family.
New husband Ty in particular tries to break past the wall Ella has kept between them as she wrestles with her secret agenda.
This was indeed a sweetly heartwarming tale with just the right mix of sass to make it interesting.
The story was great! I became a little tired of hearing Ella call everyone "sweetie" as if they were 5 years old. Other than that, the characters were well written. I didn't like, however, the fact that the author began Boone's story with a mate & left the end incomplete. I can't afford to buy books as I read a lot of them. This was a free ebook, but the others won't be free. So I'll never know how Boone's story ends. Also, the problem with the cattle baron remains unresolved in this book. So that means there are 2 cliffhangers. It's very frustrating to any reader, I'm sure! It sure is to me! The romance is clean, which I appreciate very much. I thank the author for making it romantic without pornography.
Ella is a determined woman, determined to do right by the memory of her dead family. Ty Haven is haunted by events during the war and desperate to make his murdered Pa Malcolm and Ma Viola proud of him by making their legacy last. Can a woman on a mission for vengeance and man determined to save as many lives as he can find happiness in the middle of the coldest Wyoming winter on record?
I have not read a ‘western’ or ‘pirate’ or ‘historical’ romance in a quite a while, mostly because I find the majority to be about 100pages too long, with detail that actually just bores me and distracted from the plot. This once was refreshing.
All the characters in this novel are real and likable and it is not only Pa Malcolm and Ma Viola’s second chance boys who are deserving of a second chance.
I liked this book. At first I was confused. I was wondering why a second romance story was being woven into the story of the yankee and the southern belle but by the end of the book I was congratulating the author on her foresight. Weaving the back story for the next romance book into the the first. With the first story being so good and knowing the beginning of the next, I really can't wait to get the next book. I have never seen it done quite like that before. Not only is Ms. Thomas an excellent storyteller but she is able to give you a sutle preview of what her next book is about. So cool.
The Brides of Sweet Creek Ranch Book #1; in Wyoming Territory. This is story of Ella Hunter as a mail-order Bride, she always carries a hidden gun. She is sure that the man that walking toward her is the man that killed her brother during the Civil War. She recognized Ty Haven from a picture she had seen earlier. This was her future husband, she was going to marry him to get even.
This is interesting, outstanding, historical, romantic story .I enjoyed the book, it was well written with believable characters. Ty Haven was likable, handsome, hard working, always taking care of other people. I read this as a stand alone. Ella helped with the ranch and taking care of the many young ranch hands. I read this as a stand alone. It had a perfect ending.
Wow wonderful story of revenge, hardship, and love. Ella is on a mission to get revenge for her family. To get her revenge she become a mail order bride,and marry the man that caused her family so much pain. Before she could get her revenge she falls in love. Story of five adopted brothers that is carrying on the love their parents offered them by taking in more homeless boys and giving them a second chance. Love the interaction between the brothers. Already purchased book two.
This story kept me hooked from the beginning all the way to the end. There are a lot of twists and turns that keep your interest peeked. Will miss Ella leave in the spring as she planned, or will true love win out? Another twist to this story is the beginnings of another story that leaves you wondering what happens. I can't wait to read the next book in the series to find out. I believe that this was the first book I have read by this author, but I'm hooked and will definitely read her other books. Happy reading!
This was an interesting book. Emotions, great characters, suspense, a little action, good dynamics and dialog, a little steaminess, and a good HEA. It definitely has me wanting to read more in the series. I would like to get to know the rest of the family more. I love the plot and the ideas within the book. This was written well (only a few typos ;)) and flowed from page to page. It was a little exasperating in some parts (which is good - it got me exasperated?) and had me wanting to knock a head or two. Good for passing time, snuggling in in the cold weather, or for a short escape. Enjoy!
The story lead in sounded good, it just didn’t live up to the hype. The H was likable but the h (who was 28) acts like a teenager. The writing was all over the place, some good and some bad. It felt like an adult wrote part of the story and a teenager wrote the rest The personal interaction between the H and h was childish. Some of the conversations between the brothers was also childish. I kept reading hoping it would get better but it never did. I will not continue this series.
Wonderful, historical, funny and suspense. I absolutely LOVED this petite heroine. All of the characters are so believable, unique and unpredictable. Six second chance brothers have a past. Four, so far, second chance youths have a hopeful future. Even the cat, Foxbait, has personality.. Add a civil war saber, Grannies gun, trickery and trust, a loyal dog, and of course the mail order bride then mix well.. I look forward to many more adventures at Sweet Creek Ranch in Wyoming. I enjoyed this story. 6-8-2020
She went out West for her brother's sword, but found much more than she thought. This was a sweet read, toss in two orphan boys and a mismatch of other orphans taken in by an old couple.....well....this was just a wonderful story. I really enjoyed it and am looking forward to seeing what happens next in the story of the brothers of Sweet Creek Ranch.
A southern girl who lost her entire family in the civil war becomes a mail order bride but she's looking for revenge not love. What she found surprised her. I loved the characters and the story. Obviously the r are more books in this series but this is not a cliff hanger. You'll just want to see how the rest of the family finds love and their way in life. Excellent book!!
So this was an interesting story, a bit jumbled in emotions, as if someone cut out some useful scenes during editing that explained why she was so adamantly against him right up until she...wasn't.
A good set up for the other books to follow
Boone and his bounty hunting bride Ace and his bride Levi and maybe Wyatt
Not sure if White Wolf ever got a story though. Ah well.
I enjoyed the character development for both Ella Hunter and Ty Haven. The care with which Ty treats Ella is inspirational. I did find the seven chapters (17% of the 39 chapters in the book) tossed in periodically to develop book 2 of the series distracting. Chapters 14, 15, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 36 disrupt the flow of the book and pull the reader out of the story for Ty and Ella. Also, in Chapter 36, the character "Fred" becomes "Frank." Just saying...
This book has all the great elements, hatred, love, danger, comedy, companionship, well I could list more but my headline would turn into a book!
This mail order bride has chosen her groom for a very different reason than most! She travels west across country to find herself questioning her motive for coming and learning that everything she was taught to believe might not be totally true.
I felt it was a nice little western romance but having grown up on a ranch in the west, cattle are rounded up and brought close to ranch headquarters for the winter where they can be fed hay and looked after during the winter months. They are not left out on the range to fend for themselves.
And my second issue was TMI in regards to the intimacy.
My third issue was trying to keep the brothers straight.
Heartwarming, realistic, vivid and varied characters
A seemingly simple tale contrasts Ella's and Ty's past loves, needs and griefs with the tangled threads of hope, deception, loyalty, revenge and love in the present. They hesitantly grope their ways through the shifting sands of their perceptions and the realities in their hearts, finally coming to truths they can cherish and gratefully live with together.