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Montana Brides #1
The Promise Bride
In a booming frontier town, a heavenly match may be in store for mail-order brides seeking a fresh start . . . women of strength and spirit who embrace the challenges of life and love in the wild Montana Territory.
Determined to save her father and siblings from a crumbling Chicago tenement, Emilia Stanek becomes the long-distance bride of a Montana rancher. But when she arrives in Helena, a rugged lawman shatters her plans with the news that her husband is dead—and deeply in debt.
County sheriff Mac McCall can’t afford to be distracted by the pretty young widow, not with scandalous secrets emerging as he investigates his friend’s suspicious death. Mac’s gruff order that she leave town at once only spurs Emilia’s resolve to take ownership of her late husband’s ranch and face his debtors. But as her defenses soften, Emilia begins to accept Mac’s help, feel compassion for his own wounded heart—and learns that trust means taking a leap of faith . . .
Determined to save her father and siblings from a crumbling Chicago tenement, Emilia Stanek becomes the long-distance bride of a Montana rancher. But when she arrives in Helena, a rugged lawman shatters her plans with the news that her husband is dead—and deeply in debt.
County sheriff Mac McCall can’t afford to be distracted by the pretty young widow, not with scandalous secrets emerging as he investigates his friend’s suspicious death. Mac’s gruff order that she leave town at once only spurs Emilia’s resolve to take ownership of her late husband’s ranch and face his debtors. But as her defenses soften, Emilia begins to accept Mac’s help, feel compassion for his own wounded heart—and learns that trust means taking a leap of faith . . .
352 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 29, 2017
154 people are currently reading
671 people want to read
About the author
Gina Welborn
43 books142 followersBestselling author Gina Welborn is a lifetime member of the National Corvette Museum. She is also graduate of the Ron Fellows Performance Driving School at Spring Mountain Motor Resort in Pahrump, Nevada, and she bought fabric (for her mother) at The Quilted Dragon. Should you not be a fan of the premier American Sports Car or of doing sewingy stuff with fabric, know Gina has actual writing credits.
Gina Welborn is the co-author of the new Montana Brides Series (Kensington Publishing). A longtime member of Romance Writers of America, she once served at president of the RWA-FHL chapter. Her manuscripts finaled in numerous contests, including the RWA Golden Heart© and ACFW Genesis. A few of her books are ECPA bestsellers. Gina currently serves on the ACFW Foundation Board, where she helps organize the silent auction which provides scholarships for ACFW members. Find more about her books at www.ginawelborn.com!
Gina Welborn is the co-author of the new Montana Brides Series (Kensington Publishing). A longtime member of Romance Writers of America, she once served at president of the RWA-FHL chapter. Her manuscripts finaled in numerous contests, including the RWA Golden Heart© and ACFW Genesis. A few of her books are ECPA bestsellers. Gina currently serves on the ACFW Foundation Board, where she helps organize the silent auction which provides scholarships for ACFW members. Find more about her books at www.ginawelborn.com!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
June 6, 2017
A refreshing new look at a Mail Order Bride where most arrive at their destination and quickly go to the preacher, our bride, Emilia, because of circumstances has chosen to be married by proxy and arrives already married. Emilia has only to file the paper work and she has a valid marriage to Finn, but when she arrives in Helena her life will never be the same.
The author gives us a wonderful glimpse into daily life in the west, and had to chuckle how Emilia goes about her ranch life from book learning, thank goodness for some willing neighbors. Now book learning is great, but actual hands on taking care of chores are quite different!
The sad fact is when she arrives she finds out her new husband has been murdered, now what, and the sheriff and best friend of her husband wants her to turn around and go back to Chicago, but the fact remains she has nothing to return to.
While the sheriff goes about trying to learn who killed his friend, Emilia has taken on the responsibility of paying off Finn’s debts, she does not like to beholden to anyone.
All the while this family, yes Emilia has a sister and brother with her will worm their way into your heart, and you will be rooting for them. There are a lot of twists and turns to get to the end, and yes you will be page turning for answers, but once finished, you are going to feel like you have lost a dear friend.
As this book wraps up we soon understand that not everything is, as it appears, a really great read that will linger with you.
I received this book through the Author, and was not required to give a positive review.
The author gives us a wonderful glimpse into daily life in the west, and had to chuckle how Emilia goes about her ranch life from book learning, thank goodness for some willing neighbors. Now book learning is great, but actual hands on taking care of chores are quite different!
The sad fact is when she arrives she finds out her new husband has been murdered, now what, and the sheriff and best friend of her husband wants her to turn around and go back to Chicago, but the fact remains she has nothing to return to.
While the sheriff goes about trying to learn who killed his friend, Emilia has taken on the responsibility of paying off Finn’s debts, she does not like to beholden to anyone.
All the while this family, yes Emilia has a sister and brother with her will worm their way into your heart, and you will be rooting for them. There are a lot of twists and turns to get to the end, and yes you will be page turning for answers, but once finished, you are going to feel like you have lost a dear friend.
As this book wraps up we soon understand that not everything is, as it appears, a really great read that will linger with you.
I received this book through the Author, and was not required to give a positive review.
August 28, 2017
The Promise Bride is book #1 in the Montana Brides series.
I have read plenty of mail order brides books before. I do enjoy them and have no complaint there.
I thought this one would be a pretty typical one as well. Well blow me away, this one really surprised me! It wasn't your typical mail order bride book. There was trouble right from the start. The twist and turns I just didn't see coming . What threw me for a loop was it was also a who dun it mystery as well. I eagerly read this and couldn't wait to get to the end so I could see how it turned out. Excellent plot and I can't wait to revisit Montana with the release of book #2 in the Montana Brides series.
Pub Date 29 Aug 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.
I have read plenty of mail order brides books before. I do enjoy them and have no complaint there.
I thought this one would be a pretty typical one as well. Well blow me away, this one really surprised me! It wasn't your typical mail order bride book. There was trouble right from the start. The twist and turns I just didn't see coming . What threw me for a loop was it was also a who dun it mystery as well. I eagerly read this and couldn't wait to get to the end so I could see how it turned out. Excellent plot and I can't wait to revisit Montana with the release of book #2 in the Montana Brides series.
Pub Date 29 Aug 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.
September 22, 2019
3.5 stars
"Mac, I have the utmost respect for you . . . . But . . . Since when did you turn into such a dunderhead?"
When did Sheriff Mac McCall turn into such a dunderhead? Was it somewhere in between bellowing and bewilderment . . . for it seems that Emilia Stanek provokes both responses; any time, any place any how. Her loveliness, he is discovering, just sugarcoats an iron will with unlimited amounts of stubbornness and independence, and why is he even debating the topic with himself? She is the mail-order widow of his best friend, who was unfortunately dead upon her arrival.
Emilia Stanek arrives in Montana, from Chicago, ready to assume the role of a rancher's wife so that she can provide a safe place for her younger siblings to grow up. Stunned to learn of her groom's murder and enormous amount of debt, and against all advice from the grumpy sheriff, Emilia decides to remain in Helena, living on the property that she has subsequently inherited. Fighting off rumors and innuendos becomes increasingly difficult when her deceased husband's business motives become murky and Mac McCall's intentions become more personal. Who can she trust?
"Perhaps that was the highest level of trust, when you gave it because of who was asking, not because of what was asked."
An excellent story; surprisingly layered and more than enjoyable to read! Actually, it was difficult to put down!
I was provided a copy of this book from JustRead Blind Tours. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
"Mac, I have the utmost respect for you . . . . But . . . Since when did you turn into such a dunderhead?"
When did Sheriff Mac McCall turn into such a dunderhead? Was it somewhere in between bellowing and bewilderment . . . for it seems that Emilia Stanek provokes both responses; any time, any place any how. Her loveliness, he is discovering, just sugarcoats an iron will with unlimited amounts of stubbornness and independence, and why is he even debating the topic with himself? She is the mail-order widow of his best friend, who was unfortunately dead upon her arrival.
Emilia Stanek arrives in Montana, from Chicago, ready to assume the role of a rancher's wife so that she can provide a safe place for her younger siblings to grow up. Stunned to learn of her groom's murder and enormous amount of debt, and against all advice from the grumpy sheriff, Emilia decides to remain in Helena, living on the property that she has subsequently inherited. Fighting off rumors and innuendos becomes increasingly difficult when her deceased husband's business motives become murky and Mac McCall's intentions become more personal. Who can she trust?
"Perhaps that was the highest level of trust, when you gave it because of who was asking, not because of what was asked."
An excellent story; surprisingly layered and more than enjoyable to read! Actually, it was difficult to put down!
I was provided a copy of this book from JustRead Blind Tours. The opinions stated above are entirely my own.
July 27, 2017
I spent fourteen days in June sitting at hospice with my father-in-law. I was elated to have a review copy of The Promise Bride because at the end of each day, I would crawl into bed and escape into the old west with this riveting story of love anticipated and lost and new love found.
Emilia and Mac are one of the most engaging couples in my summer reading experience so far! Of course, when the story starts, they are not a couple but they sure do have chemistry. Their engaging dialogue kept me riveted as well as the theme of loss and redemption woven seamlessly through the book.
This story is filled with emotions but one scene struck me as no other. Mac is sitting alone at his kitchen table, missing the friend whom he had shared a bond with, perhaps closer than a brother. His emotions are overwhelming him and he cries out to God.
Why, God? Why him? Why him and not me?
No answer. No comfort. Just pulsating grief and the watery promise of heaven.
Mac needed something to hold, to touch, to strike. Heaven—though he knew it was as real as the pine-wood table supporting his crossed arms and bowed head—felt too insubstantial and slippery to prop up such heavy anguish.
He pounded the table with one fist. Again. And again.
Why, God? Why?
Someone had once told him that questioning God was a sin. The way he figured it, God didn’t
mind the questions so much as those who tried to make up their own answers. So he prayed for all the things he knew were true—but weren’t offering consolation yet—to permeate his soul, clear his mind, and bring him peace.
–The Promise Bride, 119
I have read several individual novellas by Welborn and Whitman and enjoyed them but The Promise Bride superseded them all! I was drawn into this novel from the beginning. I didn’t rush through it, even though I wanted to. I savored the intricacy of the plot and pondered the circumstances that Emilia and Mac found themselves in. I felt as if I was living it right along with them. It was wonderful!
If you are a fan of clean historical fiction with descriptive prose, snappy dialogue, and a swoon-worthy sheriff, then The Promise Bride is for you!
Thank you, to author Gina Welborn for having a print copy sent to me. This is my honest opinion of the book. No compensation was received.
Emilia and Mac are one of the most engaging couples in my summer reading experience so far! Of course, when the story starts, they are not a couple but they sure do have chemistry. Their engaging dialogue kept me riveted as well as the theme of loss and redemption woven seamlessly through the book.
This story is filled with emotions but one scene struck me as no other. Mac is sitting alone at his kitchen table, missing the friend whom he had shared a bond with, perhaps closer than a brother. His emotions are overwhelming him and he cries out to God.
Why, God? Why him? Why him and not me?
No answer. No comfort. Just pulsating grief and the watery promise of heaven.
Mac needed something to hold, to touch, to strike. Heaven—though he knew it was as real as the pine-wood table supporting his crossed arms and bowed head—felt too insubstantial and slippery to prop up such heavy anguish.
He pounded the table with one fist. Again. And again.
Why, God? Why?
Someone had once told him that questioning God was a sin. The way he figured it, God didn’t
mind the questions so much as those who tried to make up their own answers. So he prayed for all the things he knew were true—but weren’t offering consolation yet—to permeate his soul, clear his mind, and bring him peace.
–The Promise Bride, 119
I have read several individual novellas by Welborn and Whitman and enjoyed them but The Promise Bride superseded them all! I was drawn into this novel from the beginning. I didn’t rush through it, even though I wanted to. I savored the intricacy of the plot and pondered the circumstances that Emilia and Mac found themselves in. I felt as if I was living it right along with them. It was wonderful!
If you are a fan of clean historical fiction with descriptive prose, snappy dialogue, and a swoon-worthy sheriff, then The Promise Bride is for you!
Thank you, to author Gina Welborn for having a print copy sent to me. This is my honest opinion of the book. No compensation was received.
October 2, 2017
I'm a fan of mail order brides and find them to be a light and fun read. Boy, this book is that and a whole lot more. I was just as shocked as the protagonist, Emilia, when she arrives expecting to be greeted by her husband. Instead, she's met by the sheriff to find out she's not meeting him, because he's been murdered. Emilia has left Chicago with her younger siblings, for a better life. My heart broke for her as she figures out a way to pay some debts her husband has left and settles in a strange place. She is much more tenacious than I expected, a trait that I really admired. I found it interesting that they were married by proxy, something I'd never heard of before.
There are several lighthearted moments in the book. Emilia is definitely a city girl with her knowledge of running her ranch limited to what she's read in books. There are some unexpected twists and turns thrown in that held my attention throughout. I am looking forward to the next book in the series and am curious to find out what's in store for future Montana Brides.
Thank you Netgalley and Kensington for the copy of The Promise Bride. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.
There are several lighthearted moments in the book. Emilia is definitely a city girl with her knowledge of running her ranch limited to what she's read in books. There are some unexpected twists and turns thrown in that held my attention throughout. I am looking forward to the next book in the series and am curious to find out what's in store for future Montana Brides.
Thank you Netgalley and Kensington for the copy of The Promise Bride. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.
November 9, 2019
A booming frontier town, a mail-order proxy marriage gone awry, a sheriff, and danger....
I expected a historical romance. Instead I read a historical romantic suspense, light on the romance, with a few open plots at the end, which leads me to believe there are sequels that will tie up the loose ends. For a setting of the late 1880's, the Emilia seemed too modern in her behaviour and thoughts. I thought a little more research could have been done for the book to make it more authentic.
On a positive note, the writing style was well executed in an old style format that I am accustomed to reading. The story is multi-layered and did keep my interest.
For a languid, easy read with a cup of tea/coffee beside you, then this is a good book to pick up.
I expected a historical romance. Instead I read a historical romantic suspense, light on the romance, with a few open plots at the end, which leads me to believe there are sequels that will tie up the loose ends. For a setting of the late 1880's, the Emilia seemed too modern in her behaviour and thoughts. I thought a little more research could have been done for the book to make it more authentic.
On a positive note, the writing style was well executed in an old style format that I am accustomed to reading. The story is multi-layered and did keep my interest.
For a languid, easy read with a cup of tea/coffee beside you, then this is a good book to pick up.
April 13, 2018
Much like most mail order bride reads but a twist with the groom. Written well, period appropriate and easy flow.
September 5, 2017
The Promise Bride is where Montana meats Mail Order Brides - Victorious. Poor Emilia marries long distance for certain reasons that you need to find out for yourselves. I don't want to ruin it all for you - she goes to Montana to meet her new hubby and gets there and finds she's a new widow in major debt and run out of town by the Sherriff but she refuses to go ( you go girl) she takes over the ranch debt and all and guess who tries to help her? then there is a romance or is there a brewin' with someone? is it good or bad? from GOD or not? Will she get out of all this mess? I received a copy of the book from the Publisher and Netgalley; all the opinions expressed in this review are all my own.
September 4, 2017
I have always enjoyed mail-order bride stories but The Promise Bride is a little different. Usually the bride travels to meet her groom, enjoys a short time of courtship while waiting for a circuit rider to arrive to marry them and then she and her new husband begin to build a relationship and marriage. Emilia Stanek is instead asked to marry by proxy and that means that when she arrives in Montana she will already be Mrs. Phineas (Finn) Collins. She agrees because she has already fallen in love with the man who wrote such beautiful letters and this marriage is a way that she can help her family. She desperately wants to deliver them from the deplorable conditions of their Chicago tenement housing to experience fresh air and wide-open spaces and the Montana Territory seems to be her answer. When Emilia arrives in Helena she learns that instead of being a new bride she is in fact a widow and her murdered husband has left her deeply in debt. The sheriff delivering this news suggests that she and her family go back to Chicago but she is determined to stay and pay off this debt. What follows is an inspiring story of determination, stubbornness, learning to trust others, and realizing that accepting help isn't a sign of weakness.
There are so many reasons why I loved this book. Emilia and Sheriff McCall each have good work ethics; they believe in helping others; and both have a personal relationship with God. There is definitely a strong attraction between Emilia and Mac but she has trouble believing that his offers of help have no strings attached and he himself has some trust issues because of the woman who is his mother.
Mix together a clean but tantalizing romance and the mystery of Finn's death and his real motives concerning Emilia, sprinkle in the history of 1887 Chicago and Montana and you end up with the perfect blend for a wonderful story. I enjoyed The Promise Bride and I'm looking forward to the second book in this Montana Brides Romance series from authors Gina Welborn and Becca Whitham.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy from one of the authors but these are my honest opinions.
There are so many reasons why I loved this book. Emilia and Sheriff McCall each have good work ethics; they believe in helping others; and both have a personal relationship with God. There is definitely a strong attraction between Emilia and Mac but she has trouble believing that his offers of help have no strings attached and he himself has some trust issues because of the woman who is his mother.
Mix together a clean but tantalizing romance and the mystery of Finn's death and his real motives concerning Emilia, sprinkle in the history of 1887 Chicago and Montana and you end up with the perfect blend for a wonderful story. I enjoyed The Promise Bride and I'm looking forward to the second book in this Montana Brides Romance series from authors Gina Welborn and Becca Whitham.
I received an Advanced Reader Copy from one of the authors but these are my honest opinions.
Read
October 14, 2019Well, I will definetly be reading the rest of the books in the series. This one ended in a cliff hanger. You do not get all the answers that you are hoping for. The authors did a great job creating memorable characters, building an intriguing storyline, and throwing you off the trail. Emilia , whose family is from Chicago, need a fresh start. Between health problems and younger siblings not being able to enjoy their childhood Emilia knows that she has to help improve the situation. She becomes a mail order bride and is married by proxy. However when she gets to Montana, she finds out her intended had been murdered. Mac then becomes her protector. This book contains a sweet romance and murder mystery. I enjoyed it.
I received a copy of this book through the JustRead blogging tour program. All thoughts are my own.
I received a copy of this book through the JustRead blogging tour program. All thoughts are my own.
October 10, 2019
Emilia promises herself to Finn as a mail order bride and travels from Chicago to Montana with her family to start a new life with him. Upon arrival she learns of his untimely death and decides to stay in the small town to pay off his debts and made a new life by herself.
I loved the main character Emilia and her wit, determination, honesty, and hard working attitude. Nothing seemed to discourage her or deter her from improving her life for her family and working the ranch. I also liked Sheriff Mac and how he helped the new family and townspeople through out the book. This story had lots of laughs with some clean romance and drama set in the late 1880s.
I really enjoyed it! I read it cover to cover and can't wait to read the next book in this series to find out more about the town people's stories!
I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
I loved the main character Emilia and her wit, determination, honesty, and hard working attitude. Nothing seemed to discourage her or deter her from improving her life for her family and working the ranch. I also liked Sheriff Mac and how he helped the new family and townspeople through out the book. This story had lots of laughs with some clean romance and drama set in the late 1880s.
I really enjoyed it! I read it cover to cover and can't wait to read the next book in this series to find out more about the town people's stories!
I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
October 14, 2019
I enjoyed this book. It was well written and had a good plot. I enjoyed the characters and the setting. The authors writing style was very enjoyable. Im very excited to read the next book in this series. I recieved this book from the author for free. A positive review was not required. All opinions are my own.
February 19, 2018
Note: I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
I think I should start off this review by saying that someone else might really enjoy this novel and like parts about it that bothered me. The novel itself had nothing I would consider bad about it but rather immature and underdeveloped. One of the main hiccups that I kept having a problem with was that the main characters did not in any way act their age for the time period of history they were supposed to be occupying. The female lead is supposed to be 21 living in the 1880's but she acts like a 21st century young teenager with a woe-is-me attitude. Most of the time, I just wanted to slap her and tell her to get over herself. The male lead was really not much better as far as attitude goes with the addition of his belief in punishing the female lead because she didn't do what he told her to. I found it unbelievable for the main characters to go from hating each other with an extreme passion to loving each other in the space of a few chapters towards the end of the book as well. The female lead's siblings ages bothered me too. Her sister, as you come to find out more than halfway through the book, is 12 but I could swear she was no older than 5 because of how often she begs everyone to pick her up and hold her like a toddler would. There is simply no way a twelve year old in that time period would have acted any different from most adults in being independent and responsible. The other huge factor in me not liking this book was because although the plot idea was good the execution was very poor. I had really wanted to like this book and kept trying to like it until almost the halfway point until I couldn't kid myself any more. The storyline was simply too boring to continue being optimistic about it. The catalyst for the story is that the female lead and her family need to leave their poor circumstances in Chicago and have come out west to start fresh. That should have given the authors a ton of material and events to write about but instead they chose not to write about the daily life on the farm and the skills they had to develop to survive in the country. They chose to write about the female lead's whining instead. I pretty much skimmed the second half of the book because I felt it a waste of my time to read it word for word. I think the worst part of it was that the mystery you've been following throughout the whole book is not even close to being solved or discussed at the end even though it is supposed to be a main plot thread. I feel sorry this book didn't work out because I can't endorse it and wouldn't mention it to anyone who genuinely likes historical fiction.
I think I should start off this review by saying that someone else might really enjoy this novel and like parts about it that bothered me. The novel itself had nothing I would consider bad about it but rather immature and underdeveloped. One of the main hiccups that I kept having a problem with was that the main characters did not in any way act their age for the time period of history they were supposed to be occupying. The female lead is supposed to be 21 living in the 1880's but she acts like a 21st century young teenager with a woe-is-me attitude. Most of the time, I just wanted to slap her and tell her to get over herself. The male lead was really not much better as far as attitude goes with the addition of his belief in punishing the female lead because she didn't do what he told her to. I found it unbelievable for the main characters to go from hating each other with an extreme passion to loving each other in the space of a few chapters towards the end of the book as well. The female lead's siblings ages bothered me too. Her sister, as you come to find out more than halfway through the book, is 12 but I could swear she was no older than 5 because of how often she begs everyone to pick her up and hold her like a toddler would. There is simply no way a twelve year old in that time period would have acted any different from most adults in being independent and responsible. The other huge factor in me not liking this book was because although the plot idea was good the execution was very poor. I had really wanted to like this book and kept trying to like it until almost the halfway point until I couldn't kid myself any more. The storyline was simply too boring to continue being optimistic about it. The catalyst for the story is that the female lead and her family need to leave their poor circumstances in Chicago and have come out west to start fresh. That should have given the authors a ton of material and events to write about but instead they chose not to write about the daily life on the farm and the skills they had to develop to survive in the country. They chose to write about the female lead's whining instead. I pretty much skimmed the second half of the book because I felt it a waste of my time to read it word for word. I think the worst part of it was that the mystery you've been following throughout the whole book is not even close to being solved or discussed at the end even though it is supposed to be a main plot thread. I feel sorry this book didn't work out because I can't endorse it and wouldn't mention it to anyone who genuinely likes historical fiction.
August 28, 2017
This was a mail order bride with a twist! She did a proxy marriage without even meeting her husband to be.. Lots of twists and turns, interesting characters and a mystery of who killed off one of the first characters we meet! Once I started it I didn't want to put it down.. So looking forward to the next book in this new series!
I was gifted a book by the author and my review is voluntary...
I was gifted a book by the author and my review is voluntary...
September 11, 2017
Love Christian western romance novels? What about Christian murder mysteries? What if you could find both in the same novel? You might just want to pick up The Promise Bride by Gina Welborn and Becca Whitman. I really LOVED this first novel in the Montana Bride series, and features Emilia Stanek who wants a better life for herself, her two siblings and her father, working for Spiegel as a Customer Service Manager. Living in a run down tenement in Chicago in the late 1800's, she struggles with the filthy living conditions and what the outcome will be if they don't find a way to live. So she answers an ad for a mail order bride in Montana. A new life out west, clean air to breathe, and a man willing to take her entire family into his ranch home in the Montana Territory.
After spending the last ten months working, she finally has almost enough money for all of them to travel to Montana, until their landlord demands $30 to pay for the cost of the repairs he is charging all of his tenants. Her father, tells her to take her two siblings and he will follow them in three months. She agrees as only a last resort and hopes she can convince Phineas Collins to help her bring her father to Montana as soon as possible. Her marriage was by proxy and she can't wait to get to Montana to file the paperwork to make her legally his wife. Only the one thing she didn't plan for was to learn upon arriving by train that Finn, or Phineas was found murdered. The Sheriff tries to convince Emilia to take herself and get back on the train headed home since there is nothing for her in Montana.
Emilia knows she can't go back to living like she was, and this time she has to think of her family first. So she becomes determined to file her paperwork and try to work the ranch in hopes she can raise enough money to bring her father to Montana. Her siblings Luci and Roch just want to head home, but she knows they need to try to find a fresh start. What she is completely unaware of is that the person or persons who murdered Finn, might just try to kill her unless they find out why he was murdered, and that she will also inherit all of Finn's debts as well. Her first impression of the ranch is a far stretch from what she expected and to top if all of Sheriff McCall refuses to let her go about unprotected until he can bring the killer to justice.
I received The Promise Bride by Gina Welborn and Becca Whitman compliments of Zebra Books, a division of the Kensington Publishing Corporation and NetGalley. I really love the raw determination that Emilia has. To walk away from everything she knows and to take care of her siblings with a future she had hoped for is far from what she gets. Armed only with her willingness to rise above the tragic circumstances facing her, she will prove everyone wrong who ever thought she would need protection and that she would run back home when faced with adversity. Doesn't hurt to have a man standing by ready to lend a hand whether she wants it or not. I give this novel a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait for the next book in the series but don't forget to check out the novella Come Fly With Me which proceeds this one.
After spending the last ten months working, she finally has almost enough money for all of them to travel to Montana, until their landlord demands $30 to pay for the cost of the repairs he is charging all of his tenants. Her father, tells her to take her two siblings and he will follow them in three months. She agrees as only a last resort and hopes she can convince Phineas Collins to help her bring her father to Montana as soon as possible. Her marriage was by proxy and she can't wait to get to Montana to file the paperwork to make her legally his wife. Only the one thing she didn't plan for was to learn upon arriving by train that Finn, or Phineas was found murdered. The Sheriff tries to convince Emilia to take herself and get back on the train headed home since there is nothing for her in Montana.
Emilia knows she can't go back to living like she was, and this time she has to think of her family first. So she becomes determined to file her paperwork and try to work the ranch in hopes she can raise enough money to bring her father to Montana. Her siblings Luci and Roch just want to head home, but she knows they need to try to find a fresh start. What she is completely unaware of is that the person or persons who murdered Finn, might just try to kill her unless they find out why he was murdered, and that she will also inherit all of Finn's debts as well. Her first impression of the ranch is a far stretch from what she expected and to top if all of Sheriff McCall refuses to let her go about unprotected until he can bring the killer to justice.
I received The Promise Bride by Gina Welborn and Becca Whitman compliments of Zebra Books, a division of the Kensington Publishing Corporation and NetGalley. I really love the raw determination that Emilia has. To walk away from everything she knows and to take care of her siblings with a future she had hoped for is far from what she gets. Armed only with her willingness to rise above the tragic circumstances facing her, she will prove everyone wrong who ever thought she would need protection and that she would run back home when faced with adversity. Doesn't hurt to have a man standing by ready to lend a hand whether she wants it or not. I give this novel a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait for the next book in the series but don't forget to check out the novella Come Fly With Me which proceeds this one.
September 13, 2017
I’m not really sure how I ended up with this story on my kindle, but I was looking for a book to read, so I chose this one. The cover on my kindle didn’t show this image, but my first glance at this cover doesn’t really appeal to me. It looks like a book created by an unknown publishing house, with a less than polished look. Essentially, the designer for the cover needed to place a little more time and effort to improve the cover.
However, despite the less than polished outer cover, the inside of the book is what matters most.
The Promise Bride is about Emilia Stanek who is to become a mail-order bride. The husband-to-be marries her via proxy and Emilia is set to arrive by train with her two siblings in tow. However, the sheriff ends up meeting her at the train station to inform her of her new husband’s death. The sheriff wants her to return to Chicago, but Emilia has other plans. She plans to pay off her husband’s debts and remain on the ranch to live and work off his debt.
In the meantime Mac McCall just wants Emilia gone, so that he can focus on who and why his best friend was killed just days prior. Overtime, Emilia being there only becomes a distraction as they both try and make things go.
For the most part, I did enjoy the story. The plot intrigued me and despite some of Emilia’s more annoying features, I did like reading and enjoying her dialogue with the sheriff.
A few things that did bother me about the story, and that was the extra time spent at the beginning with Emilia and her job. This could have been an area that was cut short and just left with the promise of a job upon her return. The long-windedness of this part just seemed a little too much. Especially since it didn’t really hold an integral part in the story. Just that she was promised a job when she returned.
To me that last part of the story just seemed to be rushed and thrown together. Don’t get me wrong, I truly did enjoy the story, it just was difficult piecing all the pieces together while new data was inputted. The reason for Finn’s death (her husband) was never really answered and just remained an unanswered question dangling in the wind.
Also, if you are a rancher’s wife, even if you owe a debt, there is no way on earth you could fix meals, take care of ranch chores while at the same time working in town to pay off the debt. To me, it just seemed a bit reaching. Seems like the circumstances of the ranch and the land could have changed, especially the distance that they had to travel to get to point A and B.
On the epilogue portion of the book, I would have enjoyed it more had it been a true epilogue with details that were helpful instead of mysterious. Such as, did Da make it to Helena?
Would I recommend this book, maybe. For me, there were more questions than answers that needed to be solved.
However, despite the less than polished outer cover, the inside of the book is what matters most.
The Promise Bride is about Emilia Stanek who is to become a mail-order bride. The husband-to-be marries her via proxy and Emilia is set to arrive by train with her two siblings in tow. However, the sheriff ends up meeting her at the train station to inform her of her new husband’s death. The sheriff wants her to return to Chicago, but Emilia has other plans. She plans to pay off her husband’s debts and remain on the ranch to live and work off his debt.
In the meantime Mac McCall just wants Emilia gone, so that he can focus on who and why his best friend was killed just days prior. Overtime, Emilia being there only becomes a distraction as they both try and make things go.
For the most part, I did enjoy the story. The plot intrigued me and despite some of Emilia’s more annoying features, I did like reading and enjoying her dialogue with the sheriff.
A few things that did bother me about the story, and that was the extra time spent at the beginning with Emilia and her job. This could have been an area that was cut short and just left with the promise of a job upon her return. The long-windedness of this part just seemed a little too much. Especially since it didn’t really hold an integral part in the story. Just that she was promised a job when she returned.
To me that last part of the story just seemed to be rushed and thrown together. Don’t get me wrong, I truly did enjoy the story, it just was difficult piecing all the pieces together while new data was inputted. The reason for Finn’s death (her husband) was never really answered and just remained an unanswered question dangling in the wind.
Also, if you are a rancher’s wife, even if you owe a debt, there is no way on earth you could fix meals, take care of ranch chores while at the same time working in town to pay off the debt. To me, it just seemed a bit reaching. Seems like the circumstances of the ranch and the land could have changed, especially the distance that they had to travel to get to point A and B.
On the epilogue portion of the book, I would have enjoyed it more had it been a true epilogue with details that were helpful instead of mysterious. Such as, did Da make it to Helena?
Would I recommend this book, maybe. For me, there were more questions than answers that needed to be solved.
November 20, 2017
I liked the idea of two writers teaming together to write one book. I anticipated that the historical setting and dialogue would be stronger because of the team effort. From the other reviews it also seemed to be a clean read. I encourage the writers to continue their efforts and, if reading this review, to consider the following well-intended Pros/Cons:
Pros: Very consistent character development (for example, the methodical Heroine does not become "flighty" at stressful moments, etc.) Intricate level of suspense and clues for the mystery in the story. A cliffhanger at the end that encourages reader to buy/read the next book.
Cons: Historical setting seems a bit inaccurate (i.e. Montana Railroad, esp. through Helena, did not begin until 1895 or about 18 yrs after referenced in story; telephones in Helena, MT were not commercially available until 1882; Spiegel store in Chicago was burned in the Great Fire of 1871 and rebuilt in 1874, mostly as small operation with women's fashion clothing not sold until 1910s, etc.) The dialogue of 16 yr. old brother Roch sounded too modern for the time period and his behavior seemed immature for his age in that time period (allowing that he was a "city" young man, for his age I wondered why he wasn't working to replace his ill father's income especially since no reference was made that he was in school in either Chicago or MT). Cliffhanger ending left more unanswered questions than satisfactory for me as a reader.
Although historically accurate, I was blindsided by the elements of the madams/brothels and actually would not have bought this book if I had known in advance that it was contained therein as I thought by the reviews that it was a "clean" read - i.e. frequent references to red light district and customers, graphic details of a murder, reference/some details of attempted kidnapping of a minor (pedophile.) I would not recommend this particular book as a clean read to Christian friends or youth. I may consider reading books by these authors in the future on topics other than the predominant theme of this particular book.
Pros: Very consistent character development (for example, the methodical Heroine does not become "flighty" at stressful moments, etc.) Intricate level of suspense and clues for the mystery in the story. A cliffhanger at the end that encourages reader to buy/read the next book.
Cons: Historical setting seems a bit inaccurate (i.e. Montana Railroad, esp. through Helena, did not begin until 1895 or about 18 yrs after referenced in story; telephones in Helena, MT were not commercially available until 1882; Spiegel store in Chicago was burned in the Great Fire of 1871 and rebuilt in 1874, mostly as small operation with women's fashion clothing not sold until 1910s, etc.) The dialogue of 16 yr. old brother Roch sounded too modern for the time period and his behavior seemed immature for his age in that time period (allowing that he was a "city" young man, for his age I wondered why he wasn't working to replace his ill father's income especially since no reference was made that he was in school in either Chicago or MT). Cliffhanger ending left more unanswered questions than satisfactory for me as a reader.
Although historically accurate, I was blindsided by the elements of the madams/brothels and actually would not have bought this book if I had known in advance that it was contained therein as I thought by the reviews that it was a "clean" read - i.e. frequent references to red light district and customers, graphic details of a murder, reference/some details of attempted kidnapping of a minor (pedophile.) I would not recommend this particular book as a clean read to Christian friends or youth. I may consider reading books by these authors in the future on topics other than the predominant theme of this particular book.
July 18, 2017
A copy of this review can also be found at Book Ink Reviews.
Oh my goodness. I read this book right after reading the Brides of Montana 3-in-1 and was worried I wouldn't care for it if it followed the same writing style and lack of an intriguing plot. But I was so very wrong.
Instead, it was a near-perfect romance story staying true to wild west settings, a strong female lead, and swoon worthy love interests. It delivers what it promises without appearing contrite and is perfect for any reader that enjoys clean adult books.
It has Christian influence, but not in an aggressive manner, and always interwoven seamlessly into the story.
It has romance, but it is slow to build, and I was incredibly grateful the authors stayed away from the blatant predictability that plague most Christian romances.
And finally, we have a murder mystery to round it all out. Whatever you think it is, it isn't. So just enjoy the ride
The writing was flawless, really--too many times Christian romances can appear cheesy, corny, and sickly sweet. Instead, The Promise Bride provides natural dialogue and focuses on relationships of a small group of people avoiding the pitfalls of having to juggle too many many characters
Unfortunately, that is also where the fault comes in to play. Outside of Emilia and Mac, everyone is fairly 2-D--even Roch and Luci, Emilia's younger siblings. I'll admit that you have a surprise character, but not enough to make them seem fully fleshed out. Despite this (or maybe because of this), I'll be on the look out for the next book to see if we can learn a bit more about the good people of Helena, Montana.
Thank you to NetGalley, Gina Welborn, Becca Whitham, and Kensington Books for this beautiful ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Oh my goodness. I read this book right after reading the Brides of Montana 3-in-1 and was worried I wouldn't care for it if it followed the same writing style and lack of an intriguing plot. But I was so very wrong.
Instead, it was a near-perfect romance story staying true to wild west settings, a strong female lead, and swoon worthy love interests. It delivers what it promises without appearing contrite and is perfect for any reader that enjoys clean adult books.
It has Christian influence, but not in an aggressive manner, and always interwoven seamlessly into the story.
It has romance, but it is slow to build, and I was incredibly grateful the authors stayed away from the blatant predictability that plague most Christian romances.
And finally, we have a murder mystery to round it all out. Whatever you think it is, it isn't. So just enjoy the ride
The writing was flawless, really--too many times Christian romances can appear cheesy, corny, and sickly sweet. Instead, The Promise Bride provides natural dialogue and focuses on relationships of a small group of people avoiding the pitfalls of having to juggle too many many characters
Unfortunately, that is also where the fault comes in to play. Outside of Emilia and Mac, everyone is fairly 2-D--even Roch and Luci, Emilia's younger siblings. I'll admit that you have a surprise character, but not enough to make them seem fully fleshed out. Despite this (or maybe because of this), I'll be on the look out for the next book to see if we can learn a bit more about the good people of Helena, Montana.
Thank you to NetGalley, Gina Welborn, Becca Whitham, and Kensington Books for this beautiful ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 6, 2017
Emilia becomes a mail order bride in order to save her family from living in the dregs of Chicago. She feels lucky that she has fallen in love with her groom, Finn, through letters and she agrees to marry him by proxy. However, when she arrives in Montana she is told he has been killed.
Sheriff McCall just lost his best friend and is looking for the murderer but now he must make sure that stubborn Emilia and her family are protected while also trying to protect his heart.
-A main focus of the story was Emilia's struggle with the belief that if someone gives you something or helps you, they want something in return.
This was my favorite quote regarding that:
-This idea becomes a major problem for Mac and Emilia because Mac is always trying to rescue people and fix problems and Emilia doesn't want to be indebted to anyone.
-Another main idea in the story is the idea of trusting people even when it is hard.
-Hypocrites have always bothered me and not only are the women in town gossiping, but they are doing it in the church building on the Lord's day.
-One of the take-aways from this story is that you can be strong and independent and still accept help from others. Sometimes you have to be Lazarus and let your friends carry you.
-The epilogue so makes me want to know what happens next! I hate that there are still so many questions but I look forward to a sequel.
-This was a clean, interesting story that is a mix between romance and mystery. I would recommend it. I received an ARC but the opinions expressed here are 100% my own.
Sheriff McCall just lost his best friend and is looking for the murderer but now he must make sure that stubborn Emilia and her family are protected while also trying to protect his heart.
-A main focus of the story was Emilia's struggle with the belief that if someone gives you something or helps you, they want something in return.
This was my favorite quote regarding that:
"You haven't lived today until you've done something for someone who can never repay you."
-This idea becomes a major problem for Mac and Emilia because Mac is always trying to rescue people and fix problems and Emilia doesn't want to be indebted to anyone.
-Another main idea in the story is the idea of trusting people even when it is hard.
"Perhaps that was the highest level of trust, when you gave it because of who was asking, not because of what was asked."
-Hypocrites have always bothered me and not only are the women in town gossiping, but they are doing it in the church building on the Lord's day.
-One of the take-aways from this story is that you can be strong and independent and still accept help from others. Sometimes you have to be Lazarus and let your friends carry you.
-The epilogue so makes me want to know what happens next! I hate that there are still so many questions but I look forward to a sequel.
-This was a clean, interesting story that is a mix between romance and mystery. I would recommend it. I received an ARC but the opinions expressed here are 100% my own.
October 25, 2017
Murder. Mystery. Satisfaction.
It will make you lose sleep. If you’re like me and read at bedtime, the problem is that you won’t want to stop reading. I was engaged with the lead character Emilia right away, and thoroughly invested in the story shortly thereafter. Emilia lives in Chicago with her brother, little sister and father in terrible conditions. She is a planner – one of the best – and finds a way for them to get out of the tenements by becoming a mail order bride to Finn who is in Montana. They have carefully laid plans but other people put a severe twist in their plans. Emilia’s father accelerates their wedding plans with a marriage by proxy. Therefore Emilia is married when she, her brother and sister go to Montana ahead of schedule, but when she arrives the sheriff tells her to go back home – Finn was dead. They can’t really go back, so she decides to settle her husband’s debts and stay on the farm. The sheriff is against it, figuring that Finn’s killer might come back. But he has no idea how twisted and turned things are going to get as those involved with Finn’s murder will blacken his name and pull Emilia in. This is one I can highly recommend, a very well told Christian Historical with lessons of faith.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Kensington Publishing - Netgalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
It will make you lose sleep. If you’re like me and read at bedtime, the problem is that you won’t want to stop reading. I was engaged with the lead character Emilia right away, and thoroughly invested in the story shortly thereafter. Emilia lives in Chicago with her brother, little sister and father in terrible conditions. She is a planner – one of the best – and finds a way for them to get out of the tenements by becoming a mail order bride to Finn who is in Montana. They have carefully laid plans but other people put a severe twist in their plans. Emilia’s father accelerates their wedding plans with a marriage by proxy. Therefore Emilia is married when she, her brother and sister go to Montana ahead of schedule, but when she arrives the sheriff tells her to go back home – Finn was dead. They can’t really go back, so she decides to settle her husband’s debts and stay on the farm. The sheriff is against it, figuring that Finn’s killer might come back. But he has no idea how twisted and turned things are going to get as those involved with Finn’s murder will blacken his name and pull Emilia in. This is one I can highly recommend, a very well told Christian Historical with lessons of faith.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Kensington Publishing - Netgalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
October 16, 2017
The Promise Bride is about a lady named Emily Stanek who is living with her family in Chicago. After her mother's death, Emily has taken on the role of a mother figure to her younger brother and sister. She works hard as a sale clerk but her and her father are barely making ends meet so Emily answers an ad to be a mail order bride. She is to marry Finn Collins by proxy and move her family to Montana to be a rancher's wife.
When she arrives in Montana with her brother and sister, she thinks she is going to meet Finn but she is met by the Sheriff who tells her she needs to leave and head back to Chicago. What the Sheriff does not know is she has no home in Chicago anymore and she is in Montana to stay. When she learns that Finn has been mysteriously murdered and is heavily in debt, Emily digs her heels in and tries to make Finn's ranch a home and to pay off Finn's debts. The Sheriff, Mac McCall, was Finn's best friend and he fears Emily and her family may be in danger as well so he takes on the role of protecting them. As he does, he realizes Emily is a kind and honorable woman. He grows fond of her. When the case of Finn's death unravels, Mac comes up with a plan to keep Emily and her family safe, the question is will Emily go along with the plan.
I really enjoyed The Promise Bride. I love the romance between Emily and Mac. Emily's little sister, Luci, just captures your heart as well. It is well written and really held my interest. I voluntarily received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
When she arrives in Montana with her brother and sister, she thinks she is going to meet Finn but she is met by the Sheriff who tells her she needs to leave and head back to Chicago. What the Sheriff does not know is she has no home in Chicago anymore and she is in Montana to stay. When she learns that Finn has been mysteriously murdered and is heavily in debt, Emily digs her heels in and tries to make Finn's ranch a home and to pay off Finn's debts. The Sheriff, Mac McCall, was Finn's best friend and he fears Emily and her family may be in danger as well so he takes on the role of protecting them. As he does, he realizes Emily is a kind and honorable woman. He grows fond of her. When the case of Finn's death unravels, Mac comes up with a plan to keep Emily and her family safe, the question is will Emily go along with the plan.
I really enjoyed The Promise Bride. I love the romance between Emily and Mac. Emily's little sister, Luci, just captures your heart as well. It is well written and really held my interest. I voluntarily received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 28, 2018
This is the second book I have read by Gina Welborn and Becca Whitham and the second in this series, the first being the prequel, Come Fly With Me. I truly enjoyed both books and look forward to reading the next full-length book in the series, The Kitchen Marriage. I like reading series, because you can get a glimpse into the lives of the characters in the previous books. Kinda like an extended Epilogue. Anyway, on to this book, The Promise Bride.
This book is about Emilia Stanek and her family trying to get out of the Chicago tenements. Emilia decides to become a mail-order bride and sets up a correspondence with Finn Collins from Helena, Montana. They agree to get married by proxy so Emilia can prepare her family for the trip to Helena.
Once Emilia and her siblings, her Da had to stay in Chicago for a little while longer, get to Helena, they are met by the local Sheriff Mac McCall who tells them that Finn is dead and they needed to return to Chicago for their own safety. Since Finn also owed people money, Emilia insists on staying to work the ranch and pay her late husband's debts. What ensues is an adventure most don't get to have.
Emilia and Mac bump heads many times about her and her siblings leaving Helena, but she is a determined woman. She makes a deal with her husband's creditors to work off the debts, but things aren't always what they seem. If you like adventure, compassion, intrigue and especially a clean romance, you will love this book. Check it out for yourself. Enjoy!
I borrowed this book from my local library.
This book is about Emilia Stanek and her family trying to get out of the Chicago tenements. Emilia decides to become a mail-order bride and sets up a correspondence with Finn Collins from Helena, Montana. They agree to get married by proxy so Emilia can prepare her family for the trip to Helena.
Once Emilia and her siblings, her Da had to stay in Chicago for a little while longer, get to Helena, they are met by the local Sheriff Mac McCall who tells them that Finn is dead and they needed to return to Chicago for their own safety. Since Finn also owed people money, Emilia insists on staying to work the ranch and pay her late husband's debts. What ensues is an adventure most don't get to have.
Emilia and Mac bump heads many times about her and her siblings leaving Helena, but she is a determined woman. She makes a deal with her husband's creditors to work off the debts, but things aren't always what they seem. If you like adventure, compassion, intrigue and especially a clean romance, you will love this book. Check it out for yourself. Enjoy!
I borrowed this book from my local library.
August 25, 2017
"The Promise Bride" by Gina Welborn and Becca Whitham is an excellent Christian romance. Readers get to enjoy the two main characters meeting for the first time, slowly getting to know and learning to trust one another, and eventually falling in love. Emilia and Mac are both well-drawn, complex characters, and it is enjoyable to watch them move through the story and toward each other.
What makes "The Promise Bride" stand out from many other romances is the detailed care given to the book's other relationships. Emilia's relationships with her siblings and Mac's relationships with his friends (both past and present) and mother add an extra aspect to the story and help the reader invest even more deeply in the characters.
As an added bonus, the book is set (briefly) in Chicago, and mainly in frontier Montana. In addition to enjoying a good story, the reader also learns a bit about life in those places.
The Christian element is perfectly handled: Both Emilia and Mac are Christians, and their personal faith is reflected in their thoughts and actions. However, the book never comes across as if the authors are preaching to the reader.
All in all, an excellent romance novel, and I very much look forward to future stories set in this world.
What makes "The Promise Bride" stand out from many other romances is the detailed care given to the book's other relationships. Emilia's relationships with her siblings and Mac's relationships with his friends (both past and present) and mother add an extra aspect to the story and help the reader invest even more deeply in the characters.
As an added bonus, the book is set (briefly) in Chicago, and mainly in frontier Montana. In addition to enjoying a good story, the reader also learns a bit about life in those places.
The Christian element is perfectly handled: Both Emilia and Mac are Christians, and their personal faith is reflected in their thoughts and actions. However, the book never comes across as if the authors are preaching to the reader.
All in all, an excellent romance novel, and I very much look forward to future stories set in this world.
August 8, 2018
I was happy to find that my library had an e-book copy of book one in the Montana Brides series after enjoying To Catch a Bride through NetGalley. Though the novella is after The Promise Bride in the series, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that it is actually a prequel.
This is a mail order bride story with surprises, tension, danger, and a bride with an incredibly strong work ethic partly motivated by her mother's lessons in social debts and a desire to keep everything even. Couple her with a driven sheriff and this is a story of strong wills clashing on the road to love. Add in a resentful teen brother, a mother with a deservedly bad reputation, and land hungry men for even more tension, drama, and excitement.
Dealing with themes of faith, trust, generosity, and healing and ending with just enough of a certain sub-plot left unresolved, there is a deeper undercurrent to this story that will lend itself to further exploration as the series progresses. This was a quick, fun read and a clean romance with a few surprises up it's sleeve. Though I had a few issues along the way, I'm looking forward to the next novel in the series, more of the mystery, and more of the Gunderson twins. 3.5 stars
This is a mail order bride story with surprises, tension, danger, and a bride with an incredibly strong work ethic partly motivated by her mother's lessons in social debts and a desire to keep everything even. Couple her with a driven sheriff and this is a story of strong wills clashing on the road to love. Add in a resentful teen brother, a mother with a deservedly bad reputation, and land hungry men for even more tension, drama, and excitement.
Dealing with themes of faith, trust, generosity, and healing and ending with just enough of a certain sub-plot left unresolved, there is a deeper undercurrent to this story that will lend itself to further exploration as the series progresses. This was a quick, fun read and a clean romance with a few surprises up it's sleeve. Though I had a few issues along the way, I'm looking forward to the next novel in the series, more of the mystery, and more of the Gunderson twins. 3.5 stars
October 1, 2018
Both get more than they bargained for...
Historical romances come and go and over the years I've read quite a few of them since that first Janette Oke book at age 10. When I saw that The Promise Bride was set in Helena, Montana, I knew I wanted to read it. Montana hasn't always been that well represented in historical romance, especially Christian fiction, so it was a treat to see one set in a real town. I was totally thrilled to read in the acknowledgments to see that the authors had gone above and beyond by contacting the Montana Historical Society for information and that they'd consulted with a noted historian whose books I have actually read. Don't make the mistake of thinking this is a dry book full of boring dates. Nope, The Promise Bride was a fun, sweet, historical romance with a good dash of mystery. Not everyone in this story are as they first appear and it was fun trying to figure out which side they were really on. The characters and storyline kept me interested and engaged, and that brother of Emilia's made me so mad sometimes, from start to finish. Gina Welborn and Becca Whitham have a great start to neat series and I hope to read more of them in the future.
(I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are entirely my own.)
Historical romances come and go and over the years I've read quite a few of them since that first Janette Oke book at age 10. When I saw that The Promise Bride was set in Helena, Montana, I knew I wanted to read it. Montana hasn't always been that well represented in historical romance, especially Christian fiction, so it was a treat to see one set in a real town. I was totally thrilled to read in the acknowledgments to see that the authors had gone above and beyond by contacting the Montana Historical Society for information and that they'd consulted with a noted historian whose books I have actually read. Don't make the mistake of thinking this is a dry book full of boring dates. Nope, The Promise Bride was a fun, sweet, historical romance with a good dash of mystery. Not everyone in this story are as they first appear and it was fun trying to figure out which side they were really on. The characters and storyline kept me interested and engaged, and that brother of Emilia's made me so mad sometimes, from start to finish. Gina Welborn and Becca Whitham have a great start to neat series and I hope to read more of them in the future.
(I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are entirely my own.)
July 6, 2017
What can I say. I read this book and totally loved it. It shows with determination, love, & family, you can conquer anything. Emilia left the tenement of Chicago with her brother & sister to become a mail order bride. Their Father was to join them later. Once they get to their destination, Helena MT, only to find her groom has been murdered & left a lot of debts. Since she was married by proxy, she could leave or stay & pay off the debts he owed as his wife. She finds ways through bartering her time for paying off those debts as she has very little money otherwise. The sheriff who met her & her siblings at the railroad station, wanted her to go back to Chicago, but she had nothing there to go back to. Through her strong determination, she works hard to get those debts paid off, while falling for the sheriff. The sheriff has his own problems as his Mother is a madam in the brothel & he has to deal with her part in the death of his best friend, the groom who was murdered before his bride arrived. Great characters who work well to tell the story. I highly recommend this book & can't wait to read the next story from Helena MT.
August 21, 2017
I really liked the story of Emelia and Mac. They met under less than ideal circumstances and were at odds with each other for quite a while but learned to move past that. It was hard for Emelia to accept that people often helped others without the expectation of being repaid. I loved seeing her realize that often people help others because they want to. I also liked seeing her come to realize that she didn’t have to depend only upon herself.
A couple of pieces of advice that were given to Emilia really stuck with me. The first was from Mac. He said that in the Bible story of the paralyzed man, we all want to be the friend, but at times we just need to lie on our mat and accept the help. The other was from a friend. She said “Be cautious because people aren’t always what they present themselves to be. But also be compassionate because people aren’t always what they present themselves to be. Finally, be wise enough to know the difference.”
This was a great book and I definitely would recommend it.
I received an advance copy of this book from one of the authors in exchange for my honest review, which I have given.
A couple of pieces of advice that were given to Emilia really stuck with me. The first was from Mac. He said that in the Bible story of the paralyzed man, we all want to be the friend, but at times we just need to lie on our mat and accept the help. The other was from a friend. She said “Be cautious because people aren’t always what they present themselves to be. But also be compassionate because people aren’t always what they present themselves to be. Finally, be wise enough to know the difference.”
This was a great book and I definitely would recommend it.
I received an advance copy of this book from one of the authors in exchange for my honest review, which I have given.
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August 29, 2017The Promise Bride by Gina Welborn and Becca Whitham is a captivating beginning to the Montana Brides Romance series. Through a proxy marriage, Emelia finds herself a widow before she's even a wife. She became a mail order bride to escape the horrors of tenement living in Chicago in the late 1880s. She was willing to do anything to get her siblings and father to a better place. Arriving in Montana she is met by a handsome lawman who greets her with the message that her husband is dead and insists that she turn right back around and go home. And the story just grabs the reader's interest and with several twists and turns to the plot, sweeps you right along to a climactic and satisfactory ending. With strong characters, fast-paced action and the tension of romance the authors bring an entertaining story to their readers. I won a complimentary advance reader copy of the book in a contest. I was not required to write a review and the opinions are my own.
August 8, 2018
Welcome to Montana Territory 1887
Emilia Stanek knows it’s best to leave Chicago. After answering an advertisement for a mail-order bride and carrying on a correspondence with a rancher, she develops a plan to pay the fare for two siblings and her father also. But the tenement landlord destroys her timeline and suddenly she’s married by proxy and on the train without her father.
Sheriff McCall of Helena, MT has read the letters from his murdered friend’s arriving bride. He intends to make her stay in Montana short and safe.
Emilia, viewing her proxy marriage as real, is determined to pay off her late husband’s debts, and make a life for her family on the ranch. She’s not without skills – but not all of them relate to her new surroundings.
I enjoyed the strength of the heroine and the stubborn, usually non-intrusive methods of the sheriff. This is the first in a series, and I’m looking forward to the next adventure.
Emilia Stanek knows it’s best to leave Chicago. After answering an advertisement for a mail-order bride and carrying on a correspondence with a rancher, she develops a plan to pay the fare for two siblings and her father also. But the tenement landlord destroys her timeline and suddenly she’s married by proxy and on the train without her father.
Sheriff McCall of Helena, MT has read the letters from his murdered friend’s arriving bride. He intends to make her stay in Montana short and safe.
Emilia, viewing her proxy marriage as real, is determined to pay off her late husband’s debts, and make a life for her family on the ranch. She’s not without skills – but not all of them relate to her new surroundings.
I enjoyed the strength of the heroine and the stubborn, usually non-intrusive methods of the sheriff. This is the first in a series, and I’m looking forward to the next adventure.
March 24, 2019
Good Read, But Left With Questions
I enjoyed the main character Emelia, and was invested in her and her struggles. I was satisfied with the love story. But... there was a whole mystery of a murder that is never solved! And... a bit of a spoiler alert... we learn 2 or 3 other people were murdered too and no closure for those either. That was weird and frustrating for me, especially when the epilogue ends with the bad guy at their wedding and also looking at two future victims. It was just an ominous end that put a douse on the adventure and love story.
Also, she has a bad relationship with her brother than never felt well settled or resolved either.
I read it in one sitting though, so I can't deny the writing was good and the plot kept me engaged. I just hate so many large loose ends (especially since the series doesn't continue to revolve around Em and her family).
I enjoyed the main character Emelia, and was invested in her and her struggles. I was satisfied with the love story. But... there was a whole mystery of a murder that is never solved! And... a bit of a spoiler alert... we learn 2 or 3 other people were murdered too and no closure for those either. That was weird and frustrating for me, especially when the epilogue ends with the bad guy at their wedding and also looking at two future victims. It was just an ominous end that put a douse on the adventure and love story.
Also, she has a bad relationship with her brother than never felt well settled or resolved either.
I read it in one sitting though, so I can't deny the writing was good and the plot kept me engaged. I just hate so many large loose ends (especially since the series doesn't continue to revolve around Em and her family).
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