The Sheriff's Mail-Order Bride

The Watson Brothers #2

by Ann B. Harrison

Laid off and down to her last few dollars, Gina Taylor is desperate to provide for her baby boy when she sees an advertisement for a mail order bride in Marietta, Montana. On just a photo of a serious but handsome man and the charm of his kind, deep voice on the phone, Gina packs up her few belongings and leaves the hardships of San Francisco behind.

When widowed deputy sheriff Rory Watson buys a neglected ranch in desperate need of repairs and a homey touch, he realizes how much he misses the companionship marriage offers. His brother found a bride and happiness with an advertisement. Maybe he can too. But Rory gets more than he bargained for when Gina arrives, baby on her hip.

Rory can forgive a lot, but Gina never mentioned a baby. His instinct is to send her home, but his uneasy conscience insists she stay – temporarily. Gradually, Rory discovers that Gina’s smile, love of country life, and can-do attitude wake up something he never knew was dormant, and the chubby baby reminds him of how much he once wanted a family.

Can a down-on-her-luck woman find the home she’s always wanted with a man afraid to love again?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Westerns, Amazon, Ebooks, Adult

105 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 8, 2017

About the author

I swear I was born with a book in my hand and that is how I spent most of my childhood. That was fine until I got older and the voices in my head demanded to be heard and I started to write.
The voices are no quieter but there are less of them.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

*takes a deep inhale of breath, sighs as loudly as possible*

Why is it so hard to find intelligent, high quality, cowboy-related romance novels? WHY?

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from NetGalley (literally months ago) and finally got around to it. This review contains spoilers.

The book starts by introducing us to Rory, a cowboy looking for love. He's also a sheriff. His brother found love in a mail-order-bride situation and Rory wants that for himself.

Next, we're introduced to Gina, a single mother from San Francisco who takes on the challenge of driving to Montana with her 18-month-old son. (Here's a funny bit about her son: occasionally, the book acts like he's older or younger. He speaks a 2 or 3 word sentence at the beginning, which while not impossible for a 18-month-old, would be pretty spectacular.) She arrives 4 days early to find the address Rory gave her to be, essentially, a POS shack.

Cool, this is going great for Gina.

Here's the "twist" that isn't really a twist: Gina lied-by-omission to Rory. She didn't tell her about her baby. Which, I don't know, if I was arranging a mail order bride situation, that would be a question I would ask. "Have any kids? Any baggage? No?" But whatever, I'm not Rory. either way, Rory interprets this as lying.

HOWEVER, Rory kinda did the exact same thing with the house...? He lives with his brother and plans to fix up previously mentioned shack. Unfortunately, since Gina arrives by surprise four days early, she doesn't know this and proceeds to live in a house covered in animal droppings for four days. WITH HER SON.

Rory holds her lie against her even though Gina is surprisingly chill about the house thing. The story, however, moves incredibly fast because Rory forgives Gina within, like, 12 hours despite acting like a butthurt little baby. They then "fall in love" within the span of about 14 hours or so, which is great because the book is hella boring otherwise.

Then they find out that Gina's baby daddy's parents are like suing her for custody? Here's the thing about that: that's not how custody suits work. They would paternity test the baby, first off, to prove they are even the paternal grandparents. I just can't.

Anyway, the whole suit thing doesn't really matter because a lawyer figures it out for Rory in the span of about 48 hours. So why even mention it? Oh yeah, because the book would be pretty short with a hug of forgiveness from Rory, a few cute scenes where a baby ONLY EATS EGGS, and some sexy times.

The paternal grandparents show up and are not nearly as apologetic as you'd think they would be, but they also aren't horrible. However, Harrison chooses to write them with the fuddy-duddiest accents of all time. Which, if they're rich people from California, that'd be a "no." From the south? Maybe. From the East? Another maybe. But not the west coast. It's truly bizarre. Anyway, in the end they give Gina a bunch of money (OF COURSE LOL) and peace out. The book ends with Gina and Rory getting married or something.

The book was super short. I read it in the span of an entire bath. That's how short it is. There were parts that dragged on and on. And, a common gripe you'll hear from me re: romance novels: everything is being spoon fed to us. Rory and Gina go on and on and on and on and, oh yeah, ON in internal monologues with themselves. And girl, I just don't give a hoot. SHOW US THIS. Don't just tell us, over and over and over.

I expected something not-so-great and I got less than that.

And honestly, this review doesn't even touch on the gross, semi-racist "mail order bride" concept. But whatever. Victimization of women, y'all. Sexy.

[Racheli Zusiman · Rating 2 out of 5]

הספר השני בסדרת האחים ווטסון המתרחשת בעיירה מריאטה. קראתי את הספר הראשון, Chance for Love, והשלישי, The Doctor's Husband, בסדרה.
רורי הוא האח השני לבית ווטסון, והוא אלמן. אשתו סידני נהרגה בתאונת דרכים בהיותה בהריון, לפני שלוש שנים, ומאז הוא מתאבל עליה. אחיו הבכור, צ'אנס, משכנע אותו לחזור למריאטה ולעבוד שם כשריף.
אחרי שצ'אנס, האח הבכור לבית ווטסון, זכה להצלחה עם מודעת ה"דרושה רעיה ומנהלת חווה" שפרסם במגזין (זו עלילת הספר הראשון), רורי, האח השני, מחליט לעשות דבר דומה, ומפרסם מודעה שהוא מחפש אישה למטרת נישואין. ג'ינה היא אם חד הורית לפעוט בן שנה וחצי. בן זוגה מת ממנת יתר, אין לה משפחה, היא חיה בעוני בסן פרנסיסקו ובקושי שורדת. היא מפוטרת מהעבודה שלה ולא מצליחה למצוא עבודה חדשה. רגע לפני שהיא מתחילה לשקול למסור את הבן שלה לאימוץ, היא רואה את המודעה של רורי ועונה עליה, מבלי לספר לו שיש לה ילד.
ההתחלה ביניהם לא מוצלחת. רורי כועס ששקרה לגבי הילד, והיא כועסת כי רורי העמיד פנים שהבית שצ'אנס גר בו הוא הבית שלו.
כשהם מתחילים כבר להסתדר ביניהם, ההורים של הבן הזוג לשעבר של ג'ינה מגלים שיש לו ילד ורוצים לתבוע אותה כדי לקחת אותו ממנה.
אני מבינה שפעם פעם כל הקונספט של "mail-order bride" היה מקובל (להלן למשל הספר "שרה פשוטה וגבוהה"), אבל בימינו אנו זה כבר ממש דוחה... אם בספר הקודם היה ברור מההתחלה שצ'אנס וקאלי הם מושלמים ביחד, בספר הזה לא ברור מה מושך את רורי לג'ינה ולהפך. הם מצהירים שהם מאוהבים אחד בשנייה, אבל לא ברור למה ואיך זה בכלל קרה - זה בכלל לא מתואר בספר (כאמור בניגוד לספר הראשון) . ספר מאוד פטריאכלי, שמרני ושוביניסטי, למרות שהכוונות שם טובות ורורי באמת רוצה לדאוג לג'ינה ולעזור לה, הוא עדיין לא מצטייר כדמות לגמרי חיובית (שוב בניגוד לצ'אנס בספר הראשון). בסך הכל היה נחמד לקרוא, אבל לא התלהבתי.

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unemployed and desperate, single mother, Gina Taylor, is desperate to provide a secure, safe future for her baby boy and answers an advert for a mail order bride. The person posting the advert is the widowed deputy sheriff, Rory Watson. He got the idea after his brother Chance did something similar, then met and fell in love with one of the respondents. He wasn’t expecting Gina to turn up early and with a baby in her arms! She kept her son’s existence secret and he neglected to inform her about the run down property that he hopes will be their home after it has lots of work done on it. With both of them hiding things from the other, can love find a way to bring them together? There are other surprises in store and much to be worked through before there’s any chance of them achieving their HEA together!

This is a delightful read with reasons for everyone’s behaviours and attitudes, their back stories and reactions explained through the story. There’s plenty of drama, trauma and turmoil before anything can work out, making it an intriguing but charming romance set in the scenic Montana countryside. The community has some brilliant secondary characters in it - I loved the priest! A great book to escape into - I'll certainly be endeavouring to look out for the next in the series, 'The Doctor's Husband'!

Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for gifting me an ARC of this novel. This is my honest review.

[Books and Spoons · Rating 4 out of 5]

A poignant story in a unique setting for a modern day romance, where arranged marriages are helping Montana cowboys to find their HEA.
Gina, a single mom, is a true survivor, she has managed to make it despite the circumstances with a sheer strength of will and utter determination. She is not used to asking or getting any help with anything she has had to face in life, so accepting aid or support is something she has to learn to obtain. I love her guts, she strength, and her adventures spirit.
Rory, a widow, is a true alpha man, one of four brothers raised by a single dad, whose drinking and morose after their mother's death shake the family dynamics and causes irk, even affecting the relationships today. Rory is protective, take-charge man, who has a soft spot for those in trouble. His has been mourning for his wife for three years and is now taking unique steps to find companionship for the rest of his days. He has a hard time trusting Gina, his quick emotional reactions cause him to act before reflection, and his stubbornness made me think of a bull, yet he has a big, caring, generous heart, that beats for those he takes under his wings.
The beginning of the story was filled with emotions, concerns, and careful attraction as Rory and Gina adjust to their new situation, a new life, and a new and different kind of relationship. The feelings go from joy and passion to doubt and aggravation. I liked how the attraction took more and more hold of them and how they were so open about their wants and needs. I was involved with the story and felt the emotional turbulence that was riding at the ranch. But there's a point in the book where it changes its dynamics rather drastically in my opinion, from budding romance to family drama. Some of the big moments in the development of the relationship between Rory and Gina are jumped over, and it is just assumed that they are madly in love while tackling the trouble at their doorsteps.
The secondary characters in the story contributed to the story and were given a considerable amount of screen time and importance to the plot development. They did raise my interest towards the other titles in the series, the Watson brothers are a passionate and a rather temperamental group of fascinating characters.
With an intriguing road to their destiny, Gina and Rory find out that nothing in life comes easy, not even an arranged marriage. With a roll-a-coaster of emotions their tackle the heaps of trouble they face, while learning to trust each other, and test the waters if they could find a way to do life together, make a family, and maybe even learn to love each other. This series gets all the three A's from me: an alluring, absorbing and appealing story
~ Four Spoons

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sheriff's Mail-Order Bride is a modern day romance where two people use a historical method to meet. Gina and Roy have the same goals about what they want from their fast growing relationship and despite a rocky beginning and some unexpected difficulties along the way,they find a happy ending.

[Caitlyn Lynch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to start off by saying that this is a charming story and that I really liked Gina, the female protagonist. I actually thought it was a period romance from the title - mail-order brides being rather less common in contemporary stories - but the author really made it work, giving us a completely believable reason for both Rory to advertise for a wife and for Gina to answer the advertisement. Fisher, Gina's little boy, was completely adorable.

The language in the book was excellent, and I could not fault the author's spelling, grammar and punctuation. As an Australian myself, I did pick up a few incidences of 'Australianisms' creeping into the speech of the American main characters, which could throw American readers off a little. I was quite sure that the author was Australian long before I reached the Author's Note at the end, put it that way.

The book is the second in a series, and I did feel that having read the first would have filled in a lot of 'backstory' which the reader probably needs. And I'll be honest, I was actually more interested in hearing about Chance and Callie's romance than Rory and Gina... though perhaps that's a good thing for the author, since it would encourage readers to go and check out the first in the series!

There were one or two things I DIDN'T like in the book, and why I don't feel I can give it five stars. First, we never actually got a physical description of either Rory or Gina. The most we got was that Rory thought Gina was 'prettier than he'd thought from her photograph'. Almost every OTHER character got lovingly described, so this felt like a pretty huge omission.

The love scenes (there were two) felt oddly out of place, and there was a lot of 'guilt' privately expressed by both parties (Rory felt guilty about masturbating in the shower? Really?) The book almost feels like it's caught between two genres... it's trying to be Sexy Romance, but I feel like it would actually make an amazing Christian romance with the omission of the love scenes and a few prayers thrown in here and there.

Nevertheless, it was a charming read, and if you like your sheriffs sexy and your young single mothers feisty, you'll definitely enjoy!

4 stars for a charming romance.

Disclaimer; I received a free ARC of this book for review through NetGalley.

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Tule Publishing's various Marietta, MT series. This book is part of a series that takes place in Marietta by a new-to-me-author. It was ok and a short read that really didn't require you to think too much. There were times I wanted to smack the hero and heroine upside the head for being dense or touchy or too reticent. Hey, if they actually sat down and talked to each other, maybe knee-jerk reactions might not have happened. But then, the story would have been 20 pages.

Here's what really bothered me about the story. SPOILER ALERT: The big custody battle was over in basically a blink and then all was right with the world. And what about the stranger in town who appeared to be following somebody?? It was as if the author was on a deadline and just needed to finish the book, so she didn't fully wrap up the plotlines.

My other big issue with the book was the writing itself. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't Montana. The author is Australian and her writing reflected tone and idioms that are Australian, not American. I've read many good Australian authors, writing about their home country, and the pacing, the cadence, the words of the authors made the stories ring true. But this story takes place in a small town in Montana. We don't have lounges in our houses, we have living rooms. That's just one example that was used quite often. Her depiction of Callie was spot on, but then, Callie is an Australian transplant. The tone of her writing didn't match the locale and, to me, it was disconcerting.

I won't read the rest of this particular series. There was nothing to the book that made me want to find out about the rest of the family.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book received from NetGalley.

I would have given this 2 to 2.5 stars but I loved the main female characters kiddo, so it got bumped up to a 3. The premise of the book was cute, a younger brother sees how well his oldest brothers marriage to his mail order bride is doing and decides it's the best thing for him for his second marriage. I'm not sure when this became the new romance trope but I like it better than the step brother one from a few years ago. There was a HEA in the end, though the couple had some issues, it was a bit instalovey but I expect that from a book like this. The ending was a bit rushed, the big problem that was meant to bring drama to the story really didn't fit due to how it seemed to be thrown in at the last minute for extra stress to the couple. My biggest issue is the author is from New Zealand and the American characters kept using slang from that area of the world. She needs a better editor to catch the differences in the slang. I would like to read the rest of the series just to see what happens with the rest of the brothers.

[Phylis Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Harrison is a new to me author and I really enjoyed reading this book, I will be reading more books by her. I would like to read Chance and Callie's story.

Rory lost his wife and unborn child three years prior and now has watched Chance and Callie and decided he would like that kind of love back in his life. He decided that he does not want to go through the trouble of dating and looking for someone so he has decided to do like Chance. Chance advertised for a mail order bride and was blessed when Callie answered the ad. Rory is hoping he will find someone just as good for him.
So he runs the ad and when Gina arrives she is shocked. The house she thought she would be living in turned out to be a run down shack.

Rory thought he was getting just a bride and was surprised to find that she already had a son. Can these two make things work with deception between them. It was a cute story. I have to admit it took a little to get into the story but it is well worth sticking it out.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy and am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Katheryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Also called 'Rescue Me' (Colorado Blues #2) even though they are in Montana.

[Susan Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story, which gets quite tense in places. Rory Watson's wife and unborn child were killed three years ago, and he has pretty much shut himself away from the world. He was at last getting over his grief, and had applied to transfer back to his home town as a deputy sheriff when his older brother Chance has a bad accident, and he knows it is definitely time to return home to Marietta. Chance has married Callie, after placing an advert for a wife in the newspaper, and they are very happy. Rory wants a companion, he is lonely, but he doesn't want the hassle of dating again, so he decides to place an advert in the newspaper as well ...

Gina Taylor is deperately poor. She has lost her job as a waitress, and cannot find another, and she needs money for rent for her run-down apartment in a rough area of San Francisco, and to feed her baby Fisher. His father had died of a drug overdose, and had stolen everything she had of value to fund his drug habit. She us searching the newspaper for jobs when she sees Rory's advert, perhaps it is the lifeline she needs. They speak on the phone, like what they hear, and she agrees to go to Marietta. She packs up all her worldly goods in her wreck of a car, and sets off on the eighteen hour drive, hoping that the car will survive the journey, and the petrol will last out, she has no money for more. The car comes to a grinding halt at the bottom of the driveway to the house she had been given the address of, but there is no sign of Rory, and the house is a dirty wreck of a place. She is four days early, and Rory doesn't appear in that time, during which she has spent her time scrubbing the place clean to make it habitable, very disillusioned. When Rory sees the little boy he too is disillusioned, she hadn't mentioned a child. So they get off to a real bad start, and Gina is desperate!

When they have both calmed down and got used to each other they get on well. And Fisher is adored by everyone. Gina and Rory still have quite a few blips before they get comfortable with each other, and there is a real shock waiting in the sidelines, threatening to derail everything for Gina. There are several family issues to sort out as well before we get to a happy ending. These are characters you are pulling for, you really want them to have some love and luck in their lives. This is a short story that packs a big punch! Well worth reading.

[Riet De Bruin-Strijker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book (Chance for Love) in this series was great and I read it in one go. The second book though held so much of a promise, and the first chapters were wonderfully done – I was looking forward to reading it again as fast as the first one, but after a few chapters I was a bit disappointed especially about the hero. I loved Gina who was a hardworking woman, but a bit shy and wounded by life, who was courageous enough to try, to travel a long way to her husband to be. Rory however is extremely conspicuous about everything his bride to be. Rory, in my mind, is not very friendly – although he acts as if he is, in his job as Deputy Sheriff. I missed it that he trusted his soon to be wife, not believing everything she said – while he himself intended to put her to the test. I began to resent Rory and in my opinion that’s a compliment to the writer.
This is what the book’s about:
Laid off and down to her last few dollars, Gina Taylor is desperate to provide for her baby boy when she sees an advertisement for a mail order bride in Marietta, Montana. On just a photo of a serious but handsome man and the charm of his kind, deep voice on the phone, Gina packs up her few belongings and leaves the hardships of San Francisco behind.

When widowed deputy sheriff Rory Watson buys a neglected ranch in desperate need of repairs and a homey touch, he realizes how much he misses the companionship marriage offers. His brother found a bride and happiness with an advertisement. Maybe he can too. But Rory gets more than he bargained for when Gina arrives, baby on her hip.

Rory can forgive a lot, but Gina never mentioned a baby. His instinct is to send her home, but his uneasy conscience insists she stay–temporarily. Gradually, Rory discovers that Gina’s smile, love of country life, and can-do attitude wake up something he never knew was dormant, and the chubby baby reminds him of how much he once wanted a family.

Can a down-on-her-luck woman find the home she’s always wanted with a man afraid to love again?

[Melody Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

***4.25 Stars***

I really like this book. The balance between the angst and happiness was well done. I get so tired of books that are all angst until the final two pages and that's not what I consider a good or realistic balance.

Our hero is Rory Watson who is moving back home to be nearer his family. He's the second eldest brother whose wife and unborn child was killed in an accident and in the three years since he has not been able to put his grief behind him and move on. He has watched his brother, Chance, and new wife, Callie, and how happy and content they are even though his famous brother decided to go the route of a mail order bride. Maybe that's the route he should take because he can't bear the thought of entering the dating pool.

Gina Taylor is on her last dollar and has just lost her job, unable to find any work to support herself and her eighteen-month-old son, Fisher. The baby's father is dead from a drug overdose and she is completely alone, no family left. She accidentally runs across an ad for a mail order bride in the newspaper as she's looking for job openings. Why not, she thought! What does she have to lose? Well, just maybe her son if she can't find some way to earn enough money to feed and clothe him. She and the man from the ad, Rory, talk and exchange pictures and he makes her an offer...but is shocked when he finally meets her and realizes she has kept her son a secret. He is ready to send her back but she doesn't have any money for gas or to pay for a place to stay. He decides to give her a little time and see if anything becomes of their relationship.

What a sweet love story. The only problem I had with the book was the flip flopping of Australian slang. The Americans, at times, spoke like they were Aussies and other times like Americans and it was a bit confusing. Other than that it was a quick, easy read and I enjoyed it so much.

[Angel Hatfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rory had been married to Cindy but Cindy passed away Rory lead a lonely existence. Rory punished himself for being the one alive.Rory had lost Cindy and and his unborn child three years ago in an accident. Rory was looking at the the shambled remained of an old ranch cottage. Trevor wondered if his brother Chance had taken more of a knock to his head then they thought by Terror the bull. Rory was Marieta’s deputy sheriff. Chance’s wife Callie had come from Australia as a mail order bride after her parents had died and Chance had posted an advertisement for a mail order bride. Chance and Callie were happy. Gina had driven from San Francisco to Marieta with her baby boy Fisher who was eighteen months old. . All Gina owned was in the car. She was a mail order bride. Gina hoped she wasn’t making the worst decision of her life. His voice over the phone lured her into another time and place. One where she was safe and secure. Callie’s loser boyfriend had died from a drug overdose when Callie had been pregnant. Rory had already set up a mail order bride- Gina- for himself but his brothers didn’t know. Rory didn’t know Gina had a child as she hadn’t told him. Rory was ready to send her back but she had no money and nowhere to go really. Rory decided to just let her stay and see if they might go.
I really enjoyed this book. It was a very enjoyable read. But this drag some for me at times, I loved how determined and strong Gina was. I love how Rory was willing to let Gina stay and even give them a chance when she hadn’t told him about Fisher. I advise that you read the first book of this series first. This book had : drama, turmoil, mail order brides, unexpected baby, loser for a boyfriend, widowed hot sheriff, and so much more. I loved Rory’s soft spot for people who needed help. Fisher definitely adds to this book. I love the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend.

[Janice Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in this series was great, but the second book though held so much of a promise, and the first chapters were wonderfully done. I was looking forward to reading it again as fast as the first one, but after a few chapters I was a bit disappointed especially about the hero. I loved Gina who was a hardworking woman, but a bit shy and wounded by life, who was courageous enough to try, to travel a long way to her husband to be. Rory however is extremely conspicuous about everything his bride to be. Rory, in my mind, is not very friendly, although he acts as if he is, in his job as Deputy Sheriff. I missed it that he trusted his soon to be wife, not believing everything she said; while he himself intended to put her to the test. I began to resent Rory and in my opinion that’s a compliment to the writer.
This is what the book’s about:
Laid off and down to her last few dollars, Gina Taylor is desperate to provide for her baby boy when she sees an advertisement for a mail order bride in Marietta, Montana. On just a photo of a serious but handsome man and the charm of his kind, deep voice on the phone, Gina packs up her few belongings and leaves the hardships of San Francisco behind.

When widowed deputy sheriff Rory Watson buys a neglected ranch in desperate need of repairs and a homey touch, he realizes how much he misses the companionship marriage offers. His brother found a bride and happiness with an advertisement. Maybe he can too. But Rory gets more than he bargained for when Gina arrives, baby on her hip.

Rory can forgive a lot, but Gina never mentioned a baby. His instinct is to send her home, but his uneasy conscience insists she stay–temporarily. Gradually, Rory discovers that Gina’s smile, love of country life, and can-do attitude wake up something he never knew was dormant, and the chubby baby reminds him of how much he once wanted a family.

Can a down-on-her-luck woman find the home she’s always wanted with a man afraid to love again?

[Jin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modern day mail order bride.
Gina was leaving everything behind and headed to Montana to find her husband. She was answering an ad in a newspaper. She wanted to start a new life with stable husband and a home for her little boy Fisher.
When Rory came back to Marrietta to start over, he was living with his brother and his newly wife. Their happiness rubbed off on him and he wanted companion after losing his wife. Since it worked for his brother, he decided to do the same by putting an ad.
Gina barely made to address that was given but she was three days early and out of gas and money. When she was faced with home , she couldn't believe what she signed up for.
Rory finally meets with Gina but surprise to know Gina had a son. He was not ready to give her a chance but when he hears her story he couldn't just send them back, they decided to try out and see where it goes.
Fisher is such a wonderful baby and he is bonding with everyone his family. Rory always wanted to have a kid and Fisher is warming his heart faster than ever.
Everything going well for both and they are ready to make a family when Gina is faced with bitter custody battle with her ex-boyfriends parents.
Rory is faced with another challenge but he is this fight with Gina as a family and he would do anything to protect both Gina and Fisher. Will they finally find their happiness????

It was really delightful story and I really liked Gina and Rory especially Fisher..

Thanks to Netgalley and Tule Publishing for ARC in exchange for honest review.

[Birgit · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rory has enough of being alone after his wife's and child's death three years ago; Gina desperately needs a job to earn enough money for her and her little son. So she answers on the "wife wanted" advert Rory has put out, and soon afterwards is on her way to the little Ranch he bought. Only problem: she hasn't told him about her son.
Lovely plot, and very likeable, though slightly unrealistic protagonists and side characters. The narration itself was not bad, if a bit what I would call "jumpy" at times, i.e. jumping from event to event without narrating what has happened in between, which very often gives a story more flesh and that little bit needed to be a better story.
My first impression of Rory was not the best - the way he initially treated Gina was getting close to mean, he was like a yo-yo, "I like her, I like her not", which showed in his actions towards her. Gina, resolute and doing what needs to be done, decides to suppress her more independent features, which cannot bode well for the future, but in this case is more understandable than Rory's - I want to call it immature - behaviour.
On the whole, though, despite some things I did not like so much, I enjoyed reading the story of Rory and Gina, and would like to get my hands on more books in this series.

[Craig Mackay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Lovely Story

I don’t usually write reviews, but for me, this story is worth writing one.
With great characters and an intriguing and interesting plot line, this is a really good read. It’s very easy to picture the characters and their interactions and their motivations all through the story.
Only two things marred my enjoyment.
The first: it felt like big chunks of the story were skipped over almost like it was being written as a short story. For example, tension was being built around a potential conflict between Adens parents and Gina… but then suddenly it’s gone and the story ends, we don’t even get to enjoy the wedding or meet the last of Rory’s brothers. The wedding and brother meeting happens in the next book but it would have been nice to round out this one with those things.
Second, and this is small, I get quite distracted by the use of incorrect phrases. This story has good grammar and spelling throughout, (good job) which is not as common as you’d hope these days, (I’ve given up reading some authors because of poor spelling and grammar)… a "tender hook” is not a thing. The correct term is “tenterhook” (look it up)
Other than that I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading more about this family, their community and their love.

[Laura D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gina is desperate and down on her luck when she answers an ad for a mail order bride. It is her last hope to be able to provide for her young son. Widowed sheriff Rory Watson doesn't want love. He had the real deal with his late wife. Now he just wants companionship and a family. Watching his brothers get their happily ever afters makes him want a family of his own, even if he can't have the love part. When he first sees her at the ranch, holding a baby. all deals are off. How could she not mention she had a baby? The loss of his wife and unborn child made it difficult to see her with a baby. When she tells him about her past he can't help but agree to try and work it out with her. There are a few unexpected bumps in the road, but they only make their bond stronger. This was a very enjoyable story.

[wonderfullyweird88 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had so many elements I love, mail-order bride, angst ridden hero and adorable baby.

The story started off great, misunderstandings, meddling family, will they/won't they romance. The characters backstory was well thought out and executed brilliantly. The hardship the two lovers had to overcome was so heartbreaking.

it's the ending that really let me down. The issue I had was suddenly they were instantly in love and the conflict over before it really began. I don't want to give any spoiers so I wont elaborate.I feel like there was more needed to develop the story so it didn't feel rushed at the end. This is the same problem I had with the first installement of the series. It started off so well and then the story is over before it ever really began.
I won't be continuing with the series as I feel the same pattern will repeat itself.

[Jo-Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful heartwarming romance.

It's been three years since Rory Watson lost his wife and he missed having a partner to share his life with so he placed an ad for a mail-order bride. It worked for his brother, so why not for him? When Gina Taylor answered the ad, it was because she was desperate to provide for her baby boy. She would do anything for him, even if it meant marrying a man she didn't know. But when she showed up with a baby, Rory was ready to send her packing. Gina knew she should have told him about her son but she wasn't the only one keeping secrets. The ranch was so run down that it wasn't even livable. Can they get over the lies and find love?

I love a great story that holds me captive. This book does it with a mixture of suspense, surprises, and romance. A perfect combination!

[D Call · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bland story all around

This is a nice story about two lonely people, one at the end of her resources, who agree to marry. Gina leaves San Francisco to drive to Marietta to meet Rory. They have some hurdles, but they're not very big and seem to get brushed away by about halfway through the book. The second half's issue is a desperate situation, but again resolved with ease. The romance was missing. Truly. I missed the part when they fell in love. Character development wasn't strong, plot wasn't gripping, setting was ignored. There's nothing to detract from the book, but nothing to recommend it, either.

Do I need to read books before this one: no
Would I read more of the series: maybe
Cliffhanger: no
POSSIBLE TRIGGERS
Sex: multiple scenes
Language: 2 F words, 3 Lord's name in vain, 3 S words
Violence: fist fight, report of drug abuse by non characters

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great story. I didn't want to put it down!
Gina answers Rory's ad for a wife. Rory is a widower and since his brother had luck going the mail order bride route, Rory figured he would give it a try. Gina held a few things back from Rory, lies by omission, and Rory wasn't 100% honest about their home either, so their first meeting was quite a shock for both of them.
I really loved how Rory dealt with his internal struggle of learning to trust Gina. He is a really good man, and couldn't abandon her when she was in need.
They get thrown for a couple of loops along the way, but the whole family really comes together to get through it.
I really enjoyed reading this story.

[Lillian Cummings · Rating 4 out of 5]

You left out one important part. Gina had no choice she couldn't mention that she had a little boy as she feared that her husband to be would turn her away. She has nowhere else to go as she has no money to support them. So he hopes that Rory will accept them both. Rory knew that he was taking a big chance by taking on a mail order bride he just can't believe that she lied about her son. He knows that he feels something for Gina but he just doesn't know if he can overlook her lie. A new threat is on the horizon and Gina & Rory will need to dig deep to fight it off. Is there hope for them? A good read.

[Pegi Frostholm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh...

The Australian idioms in the dialogue by supposed Montana cowboys threw me every time. The plot had promise, but was resolved a bit to easily.

~~~Spoiler Alert~~~~~

The relationship between the main guy and his father was resolved with one conversation? That didn’t seem plausible. The new-found grandparents were threatening to take custody one minute, and a few pages later were all set with their grandson’s mother to the point of giving her a large sum of money? Also not plausible. It all seemed too quickly resolved, like the author just had to wrap things up. Add in a few grammatical errors, and it wasn’t the best read.

[Lorraine S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

I enjoyed this book even though Rory annoyed me with his hot and cold attitude. Gina’s character was brave for her willingness to take a chance on traveling to marry a stranger. Something I probably wouldn’t do. 😊

Also I was able to tell that Ms Andre is not American from her turn of phrase here and there. I found her Australian references a nice change from some of the trite American expressions.

I have not read the first book and I just may get it before turning to number three.

[Bette Stanek · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yep, more of the same. This is book two in the Watson Brothers series and it's basically the same premise as the first. This time it's Rory, whose wife died three years ago, who figures the whole advertising for a wife worked for his brother, why not for him? Gina is the one who answers the ad. She leaves out one tiny detail when she talks to Rory, though. There is a bit of drama at the very end, but mostly it's drama-free, at least free of any drama that lasts more than a page or two. If you're looking for something quick and easy to read this one is OK.

[Wava Barnett]

I enjoyed this book. I will read more of her books. This was a story about a lady who lost her job, had a child and ran out of money. She answered an ad for a mail order bride. She drove across country, ran out of gas and money just before the drive of the gentleman's driveway. The place was a complete wreck. The gentleman didn't show up for 2 or 3 days. She works hard to clean the house up. It's a good thing she has a little food in the car. Here's hoping he shows up and is a nice guy. She has no money, is running out of food, and has no where to go.

[Sandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sheriff's Mail-Order Bride

Ms Harrison has written a very interesting story. All the good stuff needed for a good book. Kept all the characters interesting and kept the story in line. I'll have to go find the others in the series to keep all the players together. Definitely recommend this to other readers of this genre. It makes a good break and light reading from my usual genre.

[Marcia Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a touching story. Gina has been through a lot to protect her son from living almost homeless to becoming a mail order bride to save her son & hopefully find him a home. Driving with everything she owns to her future happiness hopefully. But once there and things seem to look brighter for her & Rory her dead boyfriend parents want to take her son their grandson from her. What a rollercoast ride. Well worth the read